bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cooperative Catalytic Activation of Si−H Bonds: CO2‐Based Synthesis of Formamides from Amines and Hydrosilanes under Mild Conditions
Authors: Luo Rongchang , Lin Xiaowei , Chen Yaju , Zhang Wuying , Zhou Xiantai , Ji Hongbing
Published: November 2016

A simple cooperative catalytic system was successfully developed for the solvent‐free N‐formylation of amines with CO2 and hydrosilanes under ambient conditions, which was composed of a Zn(salen) catalyst and quaternary ammonium salt. These commercially available binary components activated the Si−H bonds effectively, owing to the intermolecular synergistic effect between Lewis base and transition metal center (LB–TM), and subsequently facilitated the insertion of CO2 to form the active silyl formats, thereby leading to excellent catalytic performance at a low catalyst loading. Furthermore, the bifunctional Zn(salen) complexes, with two imidazolium‐based ionic‐liquid (IL) units at the 3,3′‐position of salen ligand, acted as intramolecularly cooperative catalysts, and the solvent‐regulated separation resulted in facile catalyst recycling and reuse.
Secure CAS‐based authentication scheme for mobile pay‐TV systems
Authors: Wang Feng , Chang Chin‐Chen , Wu Hsiao‐Ling
Published: November 2016

Pay‐television has become a popular added‐value service in mobile systems. Recently, Yeh and Tsaur proposed an authentication scheme for mobile pay‐television based on Sun and Leu's scheme. However, we found that Yeh and Tsaur's scheme has some security flaws, ie, impersonation attack with knowing mobile set's identity card, the adversary impersonates the head‐end system attack, the replay attack, the denial‐of‐service attack, and collusion attack. To overcome these problems, in this paper, we propose an improved scheme by storing a head‐end system signature and using a password. In addition, our proposed scheme keeps all the merits of Yeh and Tsaur's scheme. Furthermore, the performance analysis shows that the computation cost and the communication cost of our scheme are decreased dramatically compared to Yeh and Tsaur's scheme.
Mid‐21st‐century climate changes increase predicted fire occurrence and fire season length, Northern Rocky Mountains, United States
Authors: Riley Karin L. , Loehman Rachel A.
Published: November 2016

Climate changes are expected to increase fire frequency, fire season length, and cumulative area burned in the western United States. We focus on the potential impact of mid‐21st‐century climate changes on annual burn probability, fire season length, and large fire characteristics including number and size for a study area in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Although large fires are rare they account for most of the area burned in western North America, burn under extreme weather conditions, and exhibit behaviors that preclude methods of direct control. Allocation of resources, development of management plans, and assessment of fire effects on ecosystems all require an understanding of when and where fires are likely to burn, particularly under altered climate regimes that may increase large fire occurrence. We used the large fire simulation modelFSim to model ignition, growth, and containment of wildfires under two climate scenarios: contemporary (based on instrumental weather) and mid‐century (based on an ensemble average of global climate models driven by the A1BSRESemissions scenario). Modeled changes in fire patterns include increased annual burn probability, particularly in areas of the study region with relatively short contemporary fire return intervals; increased individual fire size and annual area burned; and fewer years without large fires. High fire danger days, represented by threshold values of Energy Release Component (ERC), are projected to increase in number, especially in spring and fall, lengthening the climatic fire season. For fire managers,ERCis an indicator of fire intensity potential and fire economics, with higherERCthresholds often associated with larger, more expensive fires. Longer periods of elevatedERCmay significantly increase the cost and complexity of fire management activities, requiring new strategies to maintain desired ecological conditions and limit fire risk. Increased fire activity (within the historical range of frequency and severity, and depending on the extent to which ecosystems are adapted) may maintain or restore ecosystem functionality; however, in areas that are highly departed from historical fire regimes or where there is disequilibrium between climate and vegetation, ecosystems may be rapidly and persistently altered by wildfires, especially those that burn under extreme conditions.
Rapid latitudinal range expansion at cold limits unlikely for temperate understory forest plants
Authors: Beauregard Frieda , de Blois Sylvie
Published: November 2016

We ask whether climate warming will be likely to trigger rapid northward range expansion for understory plants in the northeastern forests of North America at the temperate–boreal forest ecotone. We answer this question through a detailed analysis of contemporary occupancy patterns at cold range edges and by looking for patterns consistent with climate or other environmental (e.g., edaphic) limitations. We first identify each species' realized growing degree‐day niche to sample zones central, at the tail, or beyond the edge of this niche. We model habitat suitability, based on 11 nonclimate variables, for each species, and compare the availability of, and occupancy on, suitable sites across zones, with the assumption that a limiting climate is likely to result in decreased occupancy or abundance on otherwise suitable sites toward the range limit. We also check for evidence of shifts to warm microclimate conditions at the range limit as a potential indication of climate limitations. Based on our habitat models, we find that the availability of suitable sites declines across these three zones for most species, while occupancy increases on suitable sites at range edge, and abundance does not vary significantly. Some species shifted to sites with warm microclimate conditions; of these, several also declined in abundance suggesting climate limitations. We conclude, however, that for most species studied, suitable site availability appears to determine the northern edges of distribution and, consequently, warming may not necessarily lead to near‐term range expansions.
Microplastic in surface waters of urban rivers: concentration, sources, and associated bacterial assemblages
Authors: McCormick Amanda R. , Hoellein Timothy J. , London Maxwell G. , Hittie Joshua , Scott John W. , Kelly John J.
Published: November 2016

The ecological dynamics of microplastic (<5 mm) are well documented in marine ecosystems, but the sources, abundance, and ecological role of microplastic in rivers are unknown and likely to be substantial. Microplastic fibers (e.g., synthetic fabrics) and pellets (e.g., abrasives in personal care products) are abundant in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, and can serve as a point source of microplastic in rivers. The buoyancy, hydrophobic surface, and long transport distance of microplastic make it a novel substrate for the selection and dispersal of unique microbial assemblages. We measured microplastic concentration and bacterial assemblage composition on microplastic and natural surfaces upstream and downstream of WWTP effluent sites at nine rivers in Illinois, United States. Microplastic concentration was higher downstream of WWTP effluent outfall sites in all but two rivers. Pellets, fibers, and fragments were the dominant microplastic types, and polymers were identified as polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene. Mean microplastic flux was 1,338,757 pieces per day, although the flux was highly variable among nine sites (min = 15,520 per day, max = 4,721,709 per day). High‐throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes showed bacterial assemblage composition was significantly different among microplastic, seston, and water column substrates. Microplastic bacterial assemblages had lower taxon richness, diversity, and evenness than those on other substrates, and microplastic selected for taxa that may degrade plastic polymers (e.g., Pseudomonas) and those representing common human intestinal pathogens (e.g., Arcobacter). Effluent from WWTPs in rivers is an important component of the global plastic “life cycle,” and microplastic serves as a novel substrate that selects and transports distinct bacterial assemblages in urban rivers. Rates of microplastic deposition, consumption by stream biota, and the metabolic capacity of microplastic biofilms in rivers are unknown and merit further research.
Finding partners in a habitat mosaic: Patch history and size mediate host colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
Authors: Tipton Alice G. , Miller‐Struttmann Nicole E. , Galen Candace
Published: November 2016

Restoration of glades over the past 30 years, involving removal of woody cover and re‐establishment of herbaceous plant communities, has created an archipelago of habitat patches varying in age, size, and isolation. Within these glades, habitat varies in quality from edge to core. We investigated impacts of within‐ and among‐glade variation on the frequency of root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for two host species, Schizachyrium scoparium and Rudbeckia missouriensis, and the plant community at large. We also conducted a soil analysis to explore the role of nutrient resources in mediating putative habitat effects. We used Akaike's information criterion (AIC) to evaluate a set of a priori models that assessed effects of glade size, isolation, age, and edge effects on AMF colonization. In community samples, AMF colonization increased while variation in AMF colonization decreased with restoration age. Edge effects also reduced plant community AMF colonization. AMF colonization was higher in R. missouriensis than in S. scoparium, but increased for both species in core habitat. Glade size had no direct effect on AMF at the plant scale, but indirectly affected overall AMF occupancy at the landscape scale via its geometric relationship to glade edge:core ratio. Hosts in small glades that are dominated by edge exhibit lower occupancy rates. The first two axes in a principal components analysis (PCA) combining soil nutrient variables explained 74% of sample variance: PC1 correlated positively with organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (N), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K) and decreased from the edge to the core of older glades. PC2, which correlated positively with pH and negatively with available P, increased with time since restoration. While results are consistent with a role of soil properties in explaining edge and age effects, the two PCA dimensions themselves are weakly correlated with AMF colonization. Overall, our findings suggest that environmental filters associated with woody encroachment limit the colonization of otherwise suitable herbaceous hosts and create a landscape mosaic with larger, older glades serving as hotspots or reservoirs of AMF root colonization and smaller, newly restored glades as cold spots or potential sinks.
Synthesis of Pyrene‐4,5‐dione on a 15 g Scale
Authors: Walsh Joshua C. , Williams Kerry‐Lynn M. , Lungerich Dominik , Bodwell Graham J.
Published: November 2016

A scalable and efficient method for the synthesis of pyrene‐4,5‐dione has been developed. The addition of N‐methylimidazole (NMI, 5 mol‐%) to a known oxidation reaction was shown to marginally improve the yield and dramatically improve the ease of the workup and thus the amount of product isolable in a day by using regular laboratory equipment.
N‐Chloro‐N‐methoxybenzenesulfonamide: A Chlorinating Reagent
Authors: Pu Xiaoqiu , Li Qingwei , Lu Zehai , Yang Xianjin
Published: November 2016

A structurally simple and reactive chlorinating reagent, N‐chloro‐N‐methoxybenzenesulfonamide, was conveniently and economically prepared in high yield. 1,3‐Diketones, β‐keto esters, benzoyl trifluoroacetones, phenols, anisoles, heteroarenes, and aromatic amines were successfully chlorinated, and the products were obtained in good to high yields.
Topical gabapentin gel alleviates allodynia and hyperalgesia in the chronic sciatic nerve constriction injury neuropathic pain model
Authors: Shahid M. , Subhan F. , Ahmad N. , Ali G. , Akbar S. , Fawad K. , Sewell R.D.E.
Published: November 2016

Background

Systemic gabapentin is a mainstay treatment for neuropathic pain though there are side‐effects. Localized therapy may curtail such side‐effects so a topical gabapentin dermal application was examined in the chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain.

Methods

Partial denervation CCI was achieved by rat sciatic nerve ligation. Gabapentin gel (10% w/w) was applied three times daily on the ipsilateral or contralateral plantar surface of the hind‐paw, whereas in a concurrent systemic study, gabapentin was intraperitoneally administered daily (75 mg/kg) for 30 days. Tests for static‐ and dynamic‐mechano‐allodynia [paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) to von Frey filament application and latency (PWL) to light brushing], cold‐allodynia [paw withdrawal duration (PWD) to acetone], heat‐ (PWL and PWD) and mechano‐hyperalgesia (PWD to pin prick) were utilized to assess pain, whereas effects on locomotion (open field) and motor balance (rotarod and footprint analysis) were measured on days 5–30 post surgery.

Results

Topical application of gabapentin gel ipsilaterally but not contralaterally alleviated CCI‐induced static‐ (days 10–30) and dynamic‐allodynia (days 15–30), suppressed cold‐allodynia (days 10–30), heat‐ (days 15–30) and mechano‐hyperalgesia (days 5–30) indicating a local action. Systemic gabapentin exhibited similar pain profiles but was associated with motor impairment. The gabapentin gel formulation afforded desirable neuropathic pain alleviating effects devoid of unwanted systemic side‐effects.

Conclusions

These outcomes disclose an expedient pharmacological validation of the effectiveness of topical gabapentin gel against an extensive range of nociceptive stimulus modalities utilizing the CCI‐induced neuropathic pain model. They also advocate further clinical studies on topical gabapentin with regard to certain neuropathic pain syndromes.

Significance

Systemic gabapentin neuropathic pain management carries side‐effects ostensibly preventable by localized therapy. This study validates the effectiveness potential of a topical gabapentin gel against an extensive range of nociceptive stimulus modalities utilizing the chronic constriction injury‐induced neuropathic pain model.
Medical specialists care and hospital costs for low back pain in the Netherlands
Authors: Itz C.J. , Ramaekers B.L.T. , van Kleef M. , Dirksen C.D.
Published: November 2016

Background

To examine the organization of medical specialist care and hospital costs for low back pain (LBP) in the Netherlands.

Methods

Aggregated health insurance claims data were provided on all diagnosis treatment combination (DTC) declarations for LBP patients first referred to the hospital in the 2nd half of 2008 and retrieved from Vektis, an organization that collects health insurance claims data. Data were available up to 1 January 2012. The data included patient characteristics, DTC‐specific information including: neurology, neurosurgery, orthopaedic surgery, anaesthesiology and radiology.

Results

In total 80,652 LBP patients were referred to the hospital for the first time in the second half of 2008 accumulating to a total of 173,620 DTC's with total costs of €194 million. Of these patients, 56% were female and 61% aged above 50 years at first referral to the hospital. The average number of DTC's and costs per patient were 2.15 and €2410, respectively (during the follow‐up period of 3.0–3.5 year). Moreover, 51% of the patients needed only one DTC; less than 10% of patients needed 5 DTC's. Following the DTC number, the share of consultations to the neurologist decreased, whereas that of the anaesthesiology specialism increased. The largest portion of costs was allocated to the anaesthesiology and neurosurgery specialisms.

Conclusions

In the Netherlands, LBP patients consult a variety of medical specialists, in particular, the neurology, hospital costs for LBP patients are expected to increase given the rising incidence. Optimal diagnosis and tailored treatment plans might result in reduced costs and improved patient outcomes.

Significance

Low back pain patients consult various specialists, with the majority first referred to the neurologist. More than half of the LBD patients require only one DTC and less than 10% needed five DTC's or more. The largest portion of the hospital costs for LBP patients is allocated to the anaesthesiology and neurosurgery specialisms.
Semifluorinated Polymers as Ion‐selective Electrode Membrane Matrixes
Authors: Carey Jesse L. , Hirao Akira , Sugiyama Kenji , Bühlmann Philippe
Published: November 2016

Most commercially available fluorous polymers are ill suited for the fabrication of ion‐selective electrode (ISE) membranes. Therefore, we synthesized semifluorinated polymers for this purpose. Ionophore‐free ion‐exchanger electrodes made with these polymers show a selectivity range (≈14 orders of magnitude) that is nearly as wide as found previously for liquid fluorous ion‐exchanger electrodes. These polymers were also used to construct ISE membranes doped with fluorophilic silver ionophores. While the resulting ISEs were somewhat less selective than their fluorous counterparts, the semifluorinated polymers offer the advantage that they can be doped both with fluorophilic ionophores and traditional lipophilic ionophores, such as the silver ionophore Cu(II)‐I (o‐xylylenebis[N,N‐diisobutyldithiocarbamate]). We also cross‐linked these polymers, producing very durable membranes that retained broad selectivity ranges. K+ ISEs made with the cross‐linked semifluorinated polymer and the ionophore valinomycin showed selectivities similar to those of PVC membrane ISEs but with a superior thermal stability, the majority of the electrodes still giving a theoretical (Nernstian) response after exposure to a boiling aqueous solution for 10 h.
Failure of double friction pendulum bearings under pulse‐type motions
Authors: Bao Yu , Becker Tracy C. , Hamaguchi Hiroki
Published: November 2016

Although the behavior of friction sliding bearings is well understood, the failure behavior has not been thoroughly investigated. However, predicting and understanding the failure of bearings is an important key in designing isolated structures to minimize their collapse in extreme events, and thus, this study is critical. Because of its relative simplicity and particular availability in certain markets, the failure of the double friction pendulum (DFP) bearing at its physical displacement limit is investigated. The bearing is modeled with a rigid body model including inertia for each of the bearing components. A nonlinear viscoelastic impact model is included to simulate the impact between bearing components. As isolation systems are particularly vulnerable to long‐period excitations, analytical pulses are used as input excitations to investigate the influences of pulse parameters on the failure of DFP. The influences of DFP design parameters are investigated as well. To confirm that the response to the analytical pulses correctly represents the behavior under long‐period ground motions, wavelet analysis to is performed on 14 pairs of pulse‐type ground motion records to extract their pulses, and the failure prediction made from the extracted analytical pulse is compared with the failure from the real ground motions. It is found that using the extracted pulses provides a good estimation for the failure prediction of the ground motions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modelling exterior unreinforced beam‐column joints in seismic analysis of non‐ductile RC frames
Authors: De Risi Maria Teresa , Ricci Paolo , Verderame Gerardo M.
Published: November 2016

The seismic response of non‐ductile reinforced concrete (RC) buildings can be affected by the behaviour of beam‐column joints involved in the failure mechanism, especially in typical existing buildings. Conventional modelling approaches consider only beam and column flexibility, although joints can provide a significant contribution also to the overall frame deformability. In this study, the attention is focused on exterior joints without transverse reinforcement, and a possible approach to their modelling in nonlinear seismic analysis of RC frames is proposed. First, experimental tests performed by the authors are briefly presented, and their results are discussed. Second, these tests, together with other tests with similar features from literature, are employed to calibrate the joint panel deformability contribution in order to reproduce numerically the experimental joint shear stress–strain behaviour under cyclic loading. After a validation phase of this proposal, a numerical investigation of the influence of joints on the seismic behaviour of a case study RC frame – designed for gravity loads only – is performed. The preliminary failure mode classification of the joints within the analysed frame is carried out. Structural models that (i) explicitly include nonlinear behaviour of beam‐column joints exhibiting shear or anchorage failure or (ii) model joints as elements with infinite strength and stiffness are built and their seismic performance are assessed and compared. A probabilistic assessment based on nonlinear dynamic simulations is performed by means of a scaling approach to evaluate the seismic response at different damage states accounting for uncertainties in ground‐motion records. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A novel antibody targeting sequence 31–35 in amyloid β protein attenuates Alzheimer's disease‐related neuronal damage
Authors: Cheng Li , Zhang Jun , Li Xin‐Yi , Yuan Li , Pan Yan‐Fang , Chen Xiao‐Rong , Gao Tian‐Ming , Qiao Jian‐Tian , Qi Jin‐Shun
Published: November 2016

Amyloid β protein (Aβ) plays a critical role in pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our previous studies indicated that the sequence 31–35 in Aβ molecule is an effective active center responsible for Aβ neurotoxicity in vivo and in vitro. In the present study, we prepared a novel antibody specifically targeting the sequence 31–35 of amyloid β protein, and investigated the neuroprotection of the anti‐Aβ31–35 antibody against Aβ1–42‐induced impairments in neuronal viability, spatial memory, and hippocampal synaptic plasticity in rats. The results showed that the anti‐Aβ31–35 antibody almost equally bound to both Aβ31–35 and Aβ1–42, and pretreatment with the antibody dose‐dependently prevented Aβ1–42‐induced cytotoxicity on cultured primary cortical neurons. In behavioral study, intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of anti‐Aβ31–35 antibody efficiently attenuated Aβ1–42‐induced impairments in spatial learning and memory of rats. In vivo electrophysiological experiments further indicated that Aβ1–42‐induced suppression of hippocampal synaptic plasticity was effectively reversed by the antibody. These results demonstrated that the sequence 31–35 of Aβ may be a new therapeutic target, and the anti‐Aβ31–35 antibody could be a novel immunotheraputic approach for the treatment of AD. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fluvial carbon export and CO2 efflux in representative nested headwater catchments of the eastern La Plata River Basin
Authors: Sorribas Mino Viana , da Motta Marques David , Castro Nilza Maria dos Reis , Fan Fernando Mainardi
Published: November 2016

This study involved a baseline evaluation of fluvial carbon export and degas rates in three nested rural catchments (1 to 80 km2) in Taboão, a representative experimental catchment of the Upper Uruguay River Basin. Analyses of the carbon content in stream waters and the catchment carbon yield were based on 4‐year monthly in situ data and statistical modeling using the United States Geological Survey load estimator model. We also estimated pCO2 and degas fluxes using carbonate equilibrium and gas‐exchange formulas. Our results indicated that the water was consistently pCO2 saturated (~90% of the cases) and that the steep terrain favors high gas evasion rates. The mean calculated fluvial export was 5.4 tC·km−2·year−1 with inorganic carbon dominating (dissolved inorganic carbon:dissolved organic carbon ratio >4), and degas rates (~40 tC km−2·year−1) were nearly sevenfold higher than the downstream export. The homogeneous land use in this nested catchment system results in similar water‐quality characteristics, and therefore, export rates are expected to be closely related to the rainfall–runoff relationships at each scale. Although the sampling campaigns did not fully reproduce storm‐event conditions and related effects such as flushing or dilution of in‐stream carbon, our results indicated a potential link between dissolved inorganic carbon and slower hydrological pathways related to subsurface water storage and movement.
Gamma‐glutamyltransferase and risk of prostate cancer: Findings from the KIHD prospective cohort study
Authors: Kunutsor Setor K. , Laukkanen Jari A.
Published: November 2016

Increased circulating serum gamma‐glutamyltransferase (GGT) has been linked with an increased risk of chronic disease outcomes, including overall and several site‐specific cancers. However, the relationship of GGT with prostate cancer risk is uncertain. We aimed to assess the prospective association of GGT with risk of prostate cancer. Serum GGT activity was assessed at baseline in the Finnish Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease prospective cohort of 2,390 men aged 42–61 years without a history of cancer at baseline. We corrected for within‐person variability in GGT values using data from repeat measurements taken several years apart. During a median follow‐up of 24.6 years, 230 cases of prostate cancer occurred. The age‐adjusted regression dilution ratio for loge GGT was 0.69 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63–0.74]. Serum GGT was nonlinearly associated with risk of prostate cancer. In age‐adjusted Cox regression analysis, the hazard ratio (95% CIs) for prostate cancer in a comparison of the top quartile versus bottom quartiles 1–3 of GGT values was 1.43 (1.07 to 1.93; p = 0.017), which persisted on adjustment for several established cancer risk factors 1.46 (1.06 to 2.02; p = 0.020). The association remained unchanged on further adjustment for total energy intake, socioeconomic status, physical activity and C‐reactive protein. The association did not importantly vary across several clinical subgroups. GGT is positively and independently associated with future risk of prostate cancer in a middle‐aged Finnish male population over long‐term follow‐up. Further research is needed to understand the mechanistic pathways involved and if GGT may have potential relevance in prostate cancer prevention.
Minimum apparent diffusion coefficient for predicting lymphovascular invasion in invasive cervical cancer
Authors: Yang Wei , Qiang Jin Wei , Tian Hai Ping , Chen Bing , Wang Ai Jun , Zhao Jian Guo
Published: November 2016

Purpose

To investigate the diagnostic performance of minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (mini‐ADC) for predicting lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in invasive cervical cancer.

Materials and Methods

Ninety‐six patients with pathologically confirmed invasive cervical cancer (CC) underwent conventional preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) on a 3.0T MRI system. Tumor ADC, mini‐ADC and mini‐ADC ratio (mini‐ADC value / tumor ADC value) were obtained and compared between LVI‐positive and LVI‐negative invasive CC, and correlation between LVI status and Ki‐67, p16, p63, and clinical prognostic factors were analyzed. ADC thresholds and diagnostic performance were determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Results

Tumor ADC showed no significant difference (P = 0.300) between LVI‐positive invasive CC (n = 27) and LVI‐negative invasive CC (n = 69); the mini‐ADC and mini‐ADC ratio were significantly lower in LVI‐positive invasive CC than in LVI‐negative invasive CC ([0.712 ± 0.078 × 10−3 mm2/s] vs. [0.867 ± 0.099 × 10−3 mm2/s], P < 0.001; and [0.772 ± 0.062] vs. [0.917 ± 0.052], P < 0.001, respectively). ROC curve analysis yielded a cutoff mini‐ADC value of 0.837 in the differentiation of LVI‐positive and LVI‐negative invasive CC, with a sensitivity of 65%, specificity of 100%, and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.885; a cutoff mini‐ADC ratio of 0.875 with a sensitivity of 78%, specificity of 100%, AUC of 0.970, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 64%. There was a positive correlation between LVI status and Ki‐67 (r = 0.241, P = 0.014) and a negative correlation between mini‐ADC and LVI status (r = –0.582, P < 0.001); mini‐ADC and Ki‐67 (r = –0.587, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Mini‐ADC value appears to be a simple and effective tool for the prediction of LVI status in invasive CC, and the mini‐ADC ratio may be the best parameter in discriminating between LVI‐positive and LVI‐negative invasive CC.

Level of Evidence: 1

Technical Efficacy: Stage 4

J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;45:1771–1779
Unraveling the genetic architecture of copy number variants associated with schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders
Authors: Rutkowski Timothy P. , Schroeder Jason P. , Gafford Georgette M. , Warren Stephen T. , Weinshenker David , Caspary Tamara , Mulle Jennifer G.
Published: November 2016

Recent studies show that the complex genetic architecture of schizophrenia (SZ) is driven in part by polygenic components, or the cumulative effect of variants of small effect in many genes, as well as rare single‐locus variants with large effect sizes. Here we discuss genetic aberrations known as copy number variants (CNVs), which fall in the latter category and are associated with a high risk for SZ and other neuropsychiatric disorders. We briefly review recurrent CNVs associated with SZ, and then highlight one CNV in particular, a recurrent 1.6‐Mb deletion on chromosome 3q29, which is estimated to confer a 40‐fold increased risk for SZ. Additionally, we describe the use of genetic mouse models, behavioral tools, and patient‐derived induced pluripotent stem cells as a means to study CNVs in the hope of gaining mechanistic insight into their respective disorders. Taken together, the genomic data connecting CNVs with a multitude of human neuropsychiatric disease, our current technical ability to model such chromosomal anomalies in mouse, and the existence of precise behavioral measures of endophenotypes argue that the time is ripe for systematic dissection of the genetic mechanisms underlying such disease. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
New spectral assignment of n‐propanol in the C―H stretching region
Authors: Yu Yuanqin , Wang Yuxi , Lin Ke , Zhou Xiaoguo , Liu Shilin , Sun Jin
Published: November 2016

The C―H stretching vibration serves as an important probe for characterizing molecular structures and properties of hydrocarbons. In this work, we present a detailed study on gas‐phase Raman spectrum of n‐propanol in the C―H stretching region using stimulated photoacoustic Raman spectroscopy. A complete assignment was carried out with the aid of quantum chemistry calculations and depolarization ratio measurement as well as isotope substitutions, i.e. CH3CD2CD2OH, CD3CH2CD2OH and CD3CD2CH2OH. It is shown that the spectra of three C―H groups of n‐propanol overlap each other because of Fermi resonance coupling and different molecular conformations, leading to complex features that were not determined previously. In addition, the comparisons between the spectra of three isotopologues reveal that the C―H vibrations at different sites of carbon chain exhibit different sensitivity to conformational change of n‐propanol. The CH3 stretching vibration at terminated γ‐carbon is not sensitive whereas the CH2 stretching vibrations at both α‐carbon and β‐carbon atoms are sensitive. Furthermore, Raman spectra of liquid propanol recorded by conventional spontaneous Raman technique are reassigned on the basis of gas‐phase analysis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Visual comfort enhancement study based on visual attention detection for stereoscopic displays
Authors: Xia Zhenping , Cheng Cheng , Li Xiaohua
Published: November 2016

Although numerous potential causes may lead to visual discomfort when viewing content on three‐dimensional (3D) displays, vergence–accommodation conflict is a particular cause of binocular parallax‐based stereoscopic displays, and it is unavoidable. Based on the study of 3D content visual attention, we proposed a novel stereoscopic depth adjustment method to improve the visual comfort and enhance perceived naturalness. The proposed method combined the 3D image saliency and specific viewing condition to establish a novel model for computing the optimum zero‐disparity plane of stereoscopic image. The results of perception experiments, focused on visual comfort and stereoscopic sensation, supported that the proposed method can significantly enhance stereoscopic viewing comfort and even can improve the stereoscopic sensation by insuring the 3D image fusion.
Deep Water Horizon oil and methane carbon entered the food web in the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Fernández‐Carrera A. , Rogers K. L. , Weber S. C. , Chanton J. P. , Montoya J. P.
Published: November 2016

The Deep Water Horizon (DWH) incident caused the release of an unprecedented amount of 13C‐ and 14C‐depleted oil and gas to the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), which formed surface slicks and deep oil/gas plumes that extended laterally at 1000–1200 m. We conducted three research cruises between 2010 and 2012 to study the potential assimilation of petrocarbon (C derived from oil and/or gas) into the GoM microbial food web. In 2010, we found low δ13C (−30 to −25‰) and Δ14C (−603 to −55‰) values for suspended particles at 1000–1200 m depth as far as 289 km SW of the wellhead, providing direct evidence of the spatial extent of the subsurface plumes. At those depths in 2010, methane and oil carbon accounted for up to 28% and 62% of total particulate carbon (Csp), respectively. In the total area affected by the DWH, 80 ± 56 to 104 ± 91 tonnes (t) of methane‐derived and 216 ± 174 to 292 ± 165 t of oil‐derived carbon were incorporated into Csp. In 2011 and 2012, the δ13C values were distributed throughout the water column indicating that petrocarbon was still present and recycling, especially in the section closest to the DWH, where oil supplied up to 53% and 75% of Csp, respectively. Relatively low δ15N (< 4‰) values in suspended particles at 1000–1200 m in 2010 indicate stimulation of nitrogen fixation linked to methane oxidation in the months after the spill, which accounted for up to 40% of the particulate nitrogen in the water column at those depths.
ADC Quantification of the Vertebral Bone Marrow Water Component: Removing the Confounding Effect of Residual Fat
Authors: Dieckmeyer Michael , Ruschke Stefan , Eggers Holger , Kooijman Hendrik , Rummeny Ernst J. , Kirschke Jan S. , Baum Thomas , Karampinos Dimitrios C.
Published: November 2016

Purpose

To remove the confounding effect of unsuppressed fat on the imaging‐based apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the vertebral bone marrow water component when using spectrally selective fat suppression and to compare and validate the proposed quantification strategy against diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance spectroscopy (DW‐MRS).

Methods

Twelve subjects underwent diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) and DW‐MRS of the vertebral bone marrow. A theoretical model was developed to take into account and correct the effects of residual fat on ADC, incorporating additional measurements for proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and water T2 (T2w). Uncorrected and corrected DWI‐based ADC was compared with DW‐MRS–based ADC using the Bland–Altman method.

Results

There was a systematic bias equal to 0.118 ± 0.116 × 10−3 mm2/s between DWI and DW‐MRS when no correction was performed. Taking into account measured PDFF and constant T2w reduced the bias to 0.006 ± 0.128 × 10−3 mm2/s. Using the proposed approach with both individually measured PDFF and T2w reduced both the bias and the limits of agreement between DWI and DW‐MRS (0.018 ± 0.065 × 10−3 mm2/s).

Conclusion

By taking into account the presence of residual fat in a modified signal model that incorporates additional individual measurements of PDFF and T2w, good agreement of imaging‐based ADC with MRS‐based ADC can be achieved in vertebral bone marrow. Magn Reson Med 78:1432–1441, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Neuromuscular ultrasound in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and normal nerve conduction studies
Authors: Aseem Fazila , Williams Jessica W. , Walker Francis O. , Cartwright Michael S.
Published: November 2016

Introduction

Nerve conduction studies (NCS) are sensitive for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but a small proportion of patients with clinical CTS have normal NCS. This retrospective study was designed to assess the neuromuscular ultrasound findings in a group of CTS patients.

Methods

The electronic medical record was reviewed by a neurologist to identify patients who had a diagnosis of CTS with normal NCS, including either mixed median–ulnar comparison or transcarpal sensory studies, and complete neuromuscular ultrasound evaluation for CTS.

Results

Fourteen individuals (22 wrists) met all criteria. A total of 92.3% had median nerve cross‐sectional area enlargement at the wrist (mean 16.3 mm2), 100% had increased wrist‐to‐forearm median nerve area ratio (mean 2.4), 82.4% had decreased median nerve echogenicity, 75.0% had decreased median nerve mobility, and 7.1% had increased median nerve vascularity.

Conclusion

A large proportion of patients with clinical CTS but normal NCS have abnormal neuromuscular ultrasound findings. Muscle Nerve 55: 913–915, 2017
Polygonal grain‐based distinct element modeling for mechanical behavior of brittle rock
Authors: Park J.‐W. , Park C. , Song J.‐W. , Park E.‐S. , Song J.‐J.
Published: November 2016

The microstructure of rock was numerically reproduced by a polygonal grain‐based model, and its mechanical behavior was examined by performing the uniaxial compression test and Brazilian tests via the Universal Distinct Element Code. The numerical results of the model demonstrated good agreement with the experimental results obtained with rock specimens in terms of the stress–strain behavior, strength characteristics, and brittle fracture phenomenon. An encouraging result is that the grain‐based model‐Universal Distinct Element Code model can reproduce a low ratio of tensile to compressive strength of 1/20 to 1/10 without the need for an additional process. This finding is ascribed to the fact that the geometrical features of polygons can effectively capture the effects of angularity, finite rotation, and interlocking of grains that exist in reality. A numerical methodology to monitor the evolution of micro‐cracks was developed, which enabled us to examine the progressive process of the failure and distinguish the contribution of tensile cracking to the process from that of shear cracking. From the observations of the micro‐cracking process in reference to the stress–strain relation, crack initiation stress, and crack damage stress, it can be concluded that the failure process of the model closely resembles the microscopic observations of rock. We also carried out a parametric study to examine the relationships between the microscopic properties and the macroscopic behavior of the model. Depending on the micro‐properties, the model exhibited a variety of responses to the external load in terms of the strength and deformation characteristics, the evolution of micro‐cracks, and the post‐peak behavior. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Improved DSATUR‐Based Branch‐and‐Bound Algorithm for the Vertex Coloring Problem
Authors: Furini Fabio , Gabrel Virginie , Ternier Ian‐Christopher
Published: November 2016

Given an undirected graph, the Vertex Coloring Problem (VCP) consists of assigning a color to each vertex of the graph in such a way that two adjacent vertices do not share the same color and the total number of colors is minimized. DSATUR‐based Branch‐and‐Bound algorithm (DSATUR) is an effective exact algorithm for the VCP. One of its main drawback is that a lower bound is computed only once and it is never updated. We introduce a reduced graph which allows the computation of lower bounds at nodes of the branching tree. We compare the effectiveness of different classical VCP bounds, plus a new lower bound based on the
‐to‐
mapping between VCPs and Stable Set Problems. Our new DSATUR outperforms the state of the art for random VCP instances with high density, significantly increasing the size of instances solved to proven optimality. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 69(1), 124–141 2017
Partially observed linear quadratic control problem with delay via backward separation method
Authors: Wu Shuang , Shu Lan
Published: November 2016

In this paper, we study a partially observed linear quadratic optimal control problem derived by stochastic differential delay equations. Combining backward separation method with stochastic filtering, we obtain optimal feedback regulators in some special cases. Some filtering results for anticipated backward stochastic differential equations are also developed by expressing the solutions of the anticipated backward stochastic differential equations as some Itô's processes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ultrasonic decrosslinking of peroxide crosslinked HDPE in twin screw extrusion: Part II simulation and experiment
Authors: Huang Keyuan , Isayev Avraam I.
Published: November 2016

The simulation of ultrasonic decrosslinking of the peroxide crosslinked high‐density polyethylene (XHDPE) under static (no flow) condition and during flow in a twin‐screw extruder (TSE) is carried out. The simulation under the static condition provides dependences of the ultrasonic bubble oscillation dynamics, gel fraction, and crosslink density of the decrosslinked XHDPE on the ultrasonic amplitude, hydrostatic pressure, bubble volume fraction, and treatment time. For the decrosslinking using TSE, the simulation provides distributions of temperature, velocity, gel fraction, crosslink density, and pressure in the ultrasonic treatment zone on the ultrasonic amplitude. The simulation results of ultrasonic decrosslinking of XHDPE using TSE are compared with the experimental data. A quantitative agreement for the ultrasonic power consumption is achieved using assigned values of the initial bubble radius and volume fraction. Only a qualitative agreement on the dependence of gel fraction and crosslink density on the ultrasonic amplitude is achieved. The effect of the flow rate on the gel fraction and crosslink density of the ultrasonically decrosslinked XHDPE is overpredicted due to the absence of a suitable theory to correctly model the ultrasonic bubble nucleation. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:1047–1061, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
Psychological distress and cognitive coping in pregnant women diagnosed with cancer and their partners
Authors: Vandenbroucke Tineke , Han Sileny N. , Van Calsteren Kristel , Wilderjans Tom F. , Van den Bergh Bea R.H. , Claes Laurence , Amant Frédéric
Published: November 2016

Objective

A cancer diagnosis during pregnancy may be considered as an emotional challenge for pregnant women and their partners. We aimed to identify women and partners at risk for high levels of distress based on their coping profile.

Methods

Sixty‐one pregnant women diagnosed with cancer and their partners filled out the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and the newly constructed Cancer and Pregnancy Questionnaire (CPQ). K‐means cluster analysis was performed on the CERQ scales. Scores on the CPQ were compared between the women and their partners and between the CERQ‐clusters.

Results

Comparison of women and partners on the CPQ did not reveal significant differences on distress about the child's health, the cancer disease, and the pregnancy or on information satisfaction (P = .16, P = .44, P = .50, and P = .47, respectively). However, women were more inclined to maintain the pregnancy than their partners (P = .011). Three clusters were retrieved based on the CERQ scales, characterized by positive coping, internalizing coping, and blaming. Women and partners using internalizing strategies had significantly higher scores on concerns about the child's health (P = .039), the disease and treatment (P < .001), and the pregnancy and delivery (P = .009) compared with positive and blaming strategies. No cluster differences were found for information satisfaction (P = .71) and tendency to maintain the pregnancy (P = .35).

Conclusion

Women and partners using internalizing coping strategies deal with the highest levels of distress and may benefit from additional psychosocial support.
The effect of improved ensemble covariances on hybrid variational data assimilation
Authors: Bowler N. E. , Clayton A. M. , Jardak M. , Jermey P. M. , Lorenc A. C. , Wlasak M. A. , Barker D. M. , Inverarity G. W. , Swinbank R.
Published: November 2016

Hybrid four‐dimensional ensemble‐variational (4DEnVar) data assimilation is a method which avoids using a linear and adjoint model by relying on an input ensemble to propagate analysis increments in time. Previous studies have shown that hybrid 4DEnVar performs worse than hybrid four‐dimensional variational (4D‐Var) assimilation. Given hybrid 4DEnVar's heavy reliance on the ensemble, this comparison may be affected by the quality of the input ensemble. Here we investigate how improvements to the ensemble system affect hybrid 4D‐Var and how they affect the comparison with hybrid 4DEnVar.

Using the Met Office's operational ensemble generation scheme (the ensemble transform Kalman filter, ETKF) it is found that hybrid 4D‐Var gains little benefit from using an enlarged ensemble as input (176 as opposed to 23 members). By contrast, hybrid 4DEnVar benefits more from the increased ensemble size, and it benefits further when the weighting given to the ensemble covariance is increased. Both data assimilation methods benefit when the input ensemble is changed from using the ETKF to using an ensemble of 4DEnVars. Both schemes also show further benefit when a large ensemble (200 members) of 4DEnVars is used, and when a large weight is given to the covariance information from this ensemble. Thus, improving the ensemble covariance used in assimilation (ensemble generation method and ensemble size) and increasing its weight can have substantial benefits.

Given that both hybrid 4D‐Var and hybrid 4DEnVar benefit from improvements to the input ensemble, the relative performance is largely unaffected by the ensemble changes and hybrid 4D‐Var performs better than hybrid 4DEnVar for all input ensembles.
Coordinated control with multiple dynamic leaders for uncertain Lagrangian systems via self‐tuning adaptive distributed observer
Authors: Dong Yi , Xu Shengyuan , Hu Xiaoming
Published: November 2016

This paper studies coordinated control of multiple Lagrangian systems with parametric uncertainties subject to external disturbances by proposing a fully distributed continuous control law based on the improved self‐tuning adaptive observer inspired by non‐identifier‐based high‐gain adaptive control technique. Under this distributed continuous control law, a group of Lagrangian systems are driven to the convex hull spanned by multiple heterogenous dynamic leaders, which can be any combination of step signals of arbitrary unknown magnitudes, ramp signals of arbitrary unknown slopes, and sinusoidal signals of arbitrary unknown amplitudes, initial phases, and any unknown frequencies. It is also worth to mention that this control law we propose, depending neither on any information of leader systems for uninformed followers, nor on external disturbances, even independent of neighbors' velocity, can achieve asymptotic tracking of multiple leaders without any additional condition instead of ensuring the ultimate boundedness of the containment error as in the literature. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.