bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of TomoTherapy dose calculations with intrafractional motion and motion compensation
Authors: Chao Edward H. , Lucas Daniel , Schnarr Eric
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Anatomical motion, both cyclical and aperiodic, can impact the dose delivered during external beam radiation. In this work, we evaluate the use of a research version of the clinical TomoTherapy® dose calculator to calculate dose with intrafraction rigid motion. We also evaluate the feasibility of a method of motion compensation for helical tomotherapy using the jaws and MLC.

Methods

Treatment plans were created using the TomoTherapy treatment planning system. Dose was recalculated for several simple rigid motion traces including a 4 mm step motion applied either longitudinally or transversely, and a sinusoidal motion. The calculated dose volumes were compared to dose measurements that were performed by translating the phantom with the same motion traces used in the calculations. Measurements were made using film and ion chambers. Finally, the delivery plans were modified to compensate for the motion by sweeping the jaws for longitudinal motion and shifting the MLC leaves for transverse motion, and the calculations and measurements were repeated.

Results

A transverse step motion shifted the dose that was delivered after the step occurred, but otherwise did not impact the dose distribution. Film measurements agreed with dose calculations to within 2%/2 mm for 99% of dose points within the 50% isodose line. A shift in the MLC leaf delivery pattern successfully compensated for the step motion to within the 3 mm accuracy allowed by the finite leaf widths. A longitudinal step motion impacted the dose in the interior of the target volume to a degree that was dependent on the planning field width and step size. Film measurements agreed with dose calculations to within 2%/2 mm for 98% of dose points within the 50% isodose line. Shifts in the jaw position successfully compensated for the longitudinal step motion. Sinusoidal (breathing‐like) motion was also studied, with similar results.

Conclusions

A research version of the clinical TomoTherapy dose calculator has been shown to accurately calculate the dose from treatment plans delivered in the presence of arbitrary rigid motion. Modifications to the delivery plan using jaw and MLC leaf shifts that follow the motion can successfully compensate for the target motion.
Cognitive functioning in the general population: Factor structure and association with mental disorders—The neuropsychological test battery of the mental health module of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1‐MH)
Authors: Wagner Michael , Wolfsgruber Steffen , Gaertner Beate , Kleineidam Luca , Buttery Amanda K. , Jacobi Frank , Van der Elst Wim , Jolles Jelle , Hapke Ulfert , Wittchen Hans‐Ulrich , Maier Wolfgang , Busch Markus A.
Published: November 2017

The objective of this study is to obtain population level data about cognitive functions and their association with mental disorders. We here report factor analytic and psychometric findings of a neuropsychological test battery and examine the association of current and past mental disorders with cognitive function in a large nationwide population‐based sample of 18‐ to 79‐year‐old adults in Germany (n = 3,667) participating in the mental health module of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults 2008–2011. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed verbal memory and executive function factors. Older age was strongly associated with lower verbal memory and executive function and with higher vocabulary scores. After adjustment for age, sex, and education, rather modest decrements were found for verbal memory (β = −.118, p = .002) and executive functions (β = −.191, p < .001) in participants with any current mental disorder (n = 442) compared to those without (n = 3,201). Small decrements in memory (β = −.064, p = .031) and executive function (β = −.111, p < .001) were found in participants with any mental disorder in the last 12 months but not in those with past (fully or partially remitted) mental disorders, compared to participants without a history of mental disorder. More fine‐grained analyses of these data will investigate the complex interplay between cognition, health behaviors, and specific mental and somatic diseases.
Antioxidant responses and deregulation of epigenetic writers and erasers link oxidative stress and DNA methylation in bovine blastocysts
Authors: Bomfim Monalisa M. , Andrade Gabriella M. , del Collado Maite , Sangalli Juliano R. , Fontes Patrícia K. , Nogueira Marcelo F.G. , Meirelles Flávio V. , da Silveira Juliano C. , Perecin Felipe
Published: November 2017

Early mammalian embryos derived from in vitro fertilization are exposed to conditions distinct from the native oviduct‐uterine environment, including atmospheric oxygen that promotes cellular oxidative stress and alters gene expression. High oxygen partial pressure during embryo development is associated with low pregnancy rates and increased embryonic apoptosis. We investigated how bovine embryos responded to high (20%) or low (5%) oxygen partial pressure during in vitro culture, evaluating levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as changes in the expression of oxidative stress‐ and epigenetic‐related transcripts and miRNAs in blastocysts. Additionally, we determined the global DNA methylation levels in the resulting embryos. Our data indicated that bovine blastocysts produced in vitro under high oxygen partial pressure possessed elevated ROS abundance and exhibited increased expression of CAT, GLRX2, KEAP1, NFR2, PRDX1, PRDX3, SOD1, TXN, and TXNRD1, versus reduced levels of the oxidative stress‐related bta‐miR‐210. These stressed embryos also presented altered expression of the epigenetic‐associated transcripts DNMT3A, H2AFZ, H3F3B, HDAC2, MORF4L2, REST, and PAF1. In addition, we demonstrated that embryos cultured under high oxygen partial pressure have increased global DNA methylation, suggesting that DNA hypermethylation is mediated by the deregulation of epigenetic‐related enzymes due to oxidative stress.
Demonstration of velocity selective myocardial arterial spin labeling perfusion imaging in humans
Authors: Jao Terrence R. , Nayak Krishna S.
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Transit delay is a potential source of error in cardiac arterial spin‐labeled (ASL) in heart failure or with collateral circulation. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using transit delay insensitive velocity selective ASL and compares its performance with flow‐sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR) ASL.

Methods

Velocity selective labeling was achieved using an adiabatic BIR8 preparation. FAIR and velocity‐selective ASL (VSASL) with various velocity cutoffs (VC = 10–40 cm/s) and labeling directions (anterior–posterior X, lateral–septal Y, and apical–basal Z) were carried out in 10 healthy volunteers (1F/9M age 23–30 y). Myocardial blood flow (MBF) and temporal signal‐to‐noise (TSNR) were measured.

Results

VSASL sensitivity to perfusion decreased with increasing VC. At low VC (<5 cm/s), spurious labeling of myocardium occurs and overestimates MBF. MBF measured with FAIR (1.12 ± 0.26 ml/g/min) and VASL (1.26 ± 0.27 ml/g/min) at VC of 10 cm/s in Z were comparable (TOST with difference of 0.30 ml/g/min, P = 0.049). TSNR was 2.8 times larger using FAIR (13.62 ± 5.25) than in VSASL (4.87 ± 1.58). VSASL was insensitive to perfusion in the Y direction. X and Z performed similarly with TSNR of 4.17 ± 2.32 and 3.97 ± 0.56, respectively.

Conclusion

VSASL is a promising alternative to FAIR ASL in the heart and is well suited for scenarios when transit delays are long. Magn Reson Med 80:272–278, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Evasion policies for a vessel being chased by pirate skiffs
Authors: Wang Yu , Qi Xiangtong
Published: November 2017

Piracy attack is a serious safety problem for maritime transport worldwide. Whilst various strategic actions can be taken, such as rerouting vessels and strengthening navy patrols, this still cannot completely eliminate the possibility of a piracy attack. It is therefore important for a commercial vessel to be equipped with operational solutions in case of piracy attacks. In particular, the choice of a direction for rapidly fleeing is a critical decision for the vessel. In this article, we formulate such a problem as a nonlinear optimal control problem. We consider various policies, such as maintaining a straight direction or making turns, develop algorithms to optimize the policies, and derive conditions under which these policies are effective and safe. Our work can be used as a real‐time decision making tool that enables a vessel master to evaluate different scenarios and quickly make decisions.
Probing the cardiac malate–aspartate shuttle non‐invasively using hyperpolarized [1,2‐13C2]pyruvate
Authors: Chen Albert P. , Lau Angus Z. , Gu Yi‐ping , Schroeder Marie A. , Barry Jennifer , Cunningham Charles H.
Published: November 2017

Previous studies have demonstrated that using hyperpolarized [2‐13C]pyruvate as a contrast agent can reveal 13C signals from metabolites associated with the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. However, the metabolites detectable from TCA cycle‐mediated oxidation of [2‐13C]pyruvate are the result of several metabolic steps. In the instance of the [5‐13C]glutamate signal, the amplitude can be modulated by changes to the rates of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) flux, TCA cycle flux and metabolite pool size. Also key is the malate–aspartate shuttle, which facilitates the transport of cytosolic reducing equivalents into the mitochondria for oxidation via the malate–α‐ketoglutarate transporter, a process coupled to the exchange of cytosolic malate for mitochondrial α‐ketoglutarate. In this study, we investigated the mechanism driving the observed changes to hyperpolarized [2‐13C]pyruvate metabolism. Using hyperpolarized [1,2‐13C]pyruvate with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in the porcine heart with different workloads, it was possible to probe 13C–glutamate labeling relative to rates of cytosolic metabolism, PDH flux and TCA cycle turnover in a single experiment non‐invasively. Via the [1‐13C]pyruvate label, we observed more than a five‐fold increase in the cytosolic conversion of pyruvate to [1‐13C]lactate and [1‐13C]alanine with higher workload. 13C–Bicarbonate production by PDH was increased by a factor of 2.2. Cardiac cine imaging measured a two‐fold increase in cardiac output, which is known to couple to TCA cycle turnover. Via the [2‐13C]pyruvate label, we observed that 13C–acetylcarnitine production increased 2.5‐fold in proportion to the 13C–bicarbonate signal, whereas the 13C–glutamate metabolic flux remained constant on adrenergic activation. Thus, the 13C–glutamate signal relative to the amount of 13C–labeled acetyl‐coenzyme A (acetyl‐CoA) entering the TCA cycle was decreased by 40%. The data strongly suggest that NADH (reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) shuttling from the cytosol to the mitochondria via the malate–aspartate shuttle is limited on adrenergic activation. Changes in [5‐13C]glutamate production from [2‐13C]pyruvate may play an important future role in non‐invasive myocardial assessment in patients with cardiovascular diseases, but careful interpretation of the results is required.
PHBV/CNC bionanocomposites processed by extrusion: Structural characterization and properties
Authors: Malmir Sara , Montero Belén , Rico Maite , Barral Luis , Bouza Rebeca , Farrag Yousof
Published: November 2017

Bionanocomposites of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were processed by extrusion. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that with increasing the amount of CNC the overall crystallization time was reduced. Wide angle X – ray scattering (WAXS) showed diffraction peaks of orthorhombic α– type crystalline structure and confirmed the nucleating agent effect of CNC particles in the PHBV matrix. Small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) showed that the reducing rate of long spacing was slower in the filled sample than in PHBV. Microscopy images (Scanning Electron Microscopy, SEM, and Transmission Electron Microscopy, TEM) revealed well‐dispersed morphology in low loading of the filler while slight agglomerations appeared at higher filler concentration. Statistical analysis was done by applying a one‐way ANOVA (α = 0.05) to evaluate the effect of filler on mechanical properties of PHBV. Water vapor, oxygen and carbon dioxide transmission rate showed that the incorporation of CNC nanocrystals led to an improvement in the barrier properties of the bionanocomposites due to higher crystallinity and more tortuosity in their morphologies. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E275–E284, 2019. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Multi‐dose drug dispensing as a tool to improve medication adherence: A study in patients using vitamin K antagonists
Authors: van Rein Nienke , de Geus Kristel S. , Cannegieter Suzanne C. , Reitsma Pieter H. , van der Meer Felix J.M. , Lijfering Willem M.
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Multi‐dose drug dispensing (MDD) is a dosing aid that provides patients with disposable bags containing all drugs intended for 1 dosing moment. MDD is believed to increase medication adherence, but studies are based on self‐reported data, and results may depend on socially desirable answers. Therefore, our purpose was to determine the effect of MDD on medication adherence in non‐adherent patients taking vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), and to compare with instructing patients on medication use.

Methods

We conducted a before‐after study in non‐adherent patients where MDD was the exposure and change in adherence after MDD initiation was the outcome (within patient comparison). Time in therapeutic range (TTR) was selected as a measure for adherence, as this reflects stability of VKA treatment. To analyze whether MDD improved adherence as compared with standard care (ie, letters or calls from nurses of the anticoagulation clinic), non‐adherent patients without MDD were also followed to estimate their TTR change over time (between patient comparison).

Results

Eighty‐three non‐adherent VKA patients started using MDD. The median TTR was 63% before MDD and 73% 6 months after MDD. The within patient TTR increased on average by 13% (95%CI 6% to 21%) within 1 month after starting MDD and remained stable during the next 5 months. The TTR of MDD‐patients increased 10% (95%CI 2% to 19%) higher as compared with non‐MDD patients within 1 month but was similar after 4 months (TTR difference 3%, 95%CI –2% to 9%).

Conclusions

Adherence improved after initiation of MDD. Compared with instructing patients, MDD was associated with better adherence within 1 month but was associated with similar improvement after 4 months.
Tailoring the mechanical properties of nanoparticle networks that encompass biomimetic catch bonds
Authors: Zhang Tao , Mbanga Badel L. , Yashin Victor V. , Balazs Anna C.
Published: November 2017

Biological “catch” bonds display the distinctive attribute that the bond lifetime can increase under an applied force. Insertion of biomimetic catch bonds into hybrid materials could lead to composites that exhibit remarkable mechanical properties. We model the tensile behavior of polymer‐grafted nanoparticle (PGN) networks interconnected by a mixture of catch bonds and conventional “slip” bonds, whose lifetimes decrease with force. We formulate a kinetic master equation that provides the complete probabilistic description of a system of two PGNs. The master equation is used to analyze the parameter space that determines the rupture behavior of the catch bonds in the two‐particle system. We then utilize two exemplary sets of catch bond parameters in three‐dimensional computer simulations of larger PGN networks under strain‐controlled tensile deformation. We demonstrate that the strain at break and toughness of the networks can be altered by “tuning” the attributes of the catch bonds and varying the fraction of catch bonds in the network. We show that networks encompassing the catch bonds could exhibit a several‐fold increase in the strain‐at‐break and toughness relative to those interconnected solely by the slip bonds. Our studies can provide valuable guidelines for tailoring the mechanical properties of novel, bio‐inspired nanocomposites. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018, 56, 105–118
Structural destabilization of tropomyosin induced by the cardiomyopathy‐linked mutation R21H
Authors: Ly Thu , Krieger Inna , Tolkatchev Dmitri , Krone Cheyenna , Moural Timothy , Samatey Fadel A. , Kang ChulHee , Kostyukova Alla S.
Published: November 2017

The missense mutation R21H in striated muscle tropomyosin is associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic cardiac disease and a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young people. Tropomyosin adopts conformation of a coiled coil which is critical for regulation of muscle contraction. In this study, we investigated the effects of the R21H mutation on the coiled‐coil structure of tropomyosin and its interactions with its binding partners, tropomodulin and leiomodin. Using circular dichroism and isothermal titration calorimetry, we found that the mutation profoundly destabilized the structural integrity of αTM1a1‐28Zip, a chimeric peptide containing the first 28 residues of tropomyosin. The mutated αTM1a1‐28Zip was still able to interact with tropomodulin and leiomodin. However, the mutation resulted in a ∼30‐fold decrease of αTM1a1‐28Zip's binding affinity to leiomodin. We used a crystal structure of αTM1a1‐28Zip that we solved at 1.5 Å resolution to study the mutation's effect in silico by means of molecular dynamics simulation. The simulation data indicated that while the mutation disrupted αTM1a1‐28Zip's coiled‐coil structure, most notably from residue Ala18 to residue His31, it may not affect the N‐terminal end of tropomyosin. The drastic decrease of αTM1a1‐28Zip's affinity to leiomodin caused by the mutation may lead to changes in the dynamics at the pointed end of thin filaments. Therefore, the R21H mutation is likely interfering with the regulation of the normal thin filament length essential for proper muscle contraction.
Migration decisions in the face of upheaval: An experimental approach
Authors: Baláž Vladimír , Williams Allan M.
Published: November 2017

The analysis of migration under conditions of potential economic and political upheaval is challenging because these undermine the institutional framework that underpins existing migration trajectories. Therefore, this paper demonstrates how an innovative experimental approach can be used to analyse migration decision making under disruptive scenarios of a deep economic crisis and the introduction of work permits. Such disruptions have particular resonance in Europe, which has experienced deep economic crises, as well as discussions of potential regulatory shifts in the European migration framework following the United Kingdom's Brexit referendum. Data were collected from a sample of 540 experimental participants, drawn from young adults (students and young working people) in nine European Union member states, and used to analyse their propensity to migrate under principles of uncertainty, incomplete information, and information overload. The findings indicate that a sharp rise in unemployment rates is more disruptive than the introduction of work permits.
IZO or IOH Window Layers Combined with Zn(O,S) and CdS Buffers for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cells
Authors: Witte Wolfram , Carron Romain , Hariskos Dimitrios , Fu Fan , Menner Richard , Buecheler Stephan
Published: November 2017

CdS and Zn(O,S) grown by chemical bath deposition are well‐established buffer materials for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin‐film solar cells and modules. Typically these buffers were combined with a ZnO:Al (AZO) or ZnO:B window layer and i‐ZnO or (Zn,Mg)O as high‐resistive interlayer. Nowadays, alternative transparent conductive oxide (TCO) materials with higher mobility as compared to AZO like indium zinc oxide (IZO) and hydrogen‐doped indium oxide (IOH) are under investigation. In the present contribution, we report on the performance of CIGS cells with solution‐grown Zn(O,S) or CdS buffer layers in combination with different stacking sequences including i‐ZnO, (Zn,Mg)O, IZO, and IOH. Devices with the commonly used AZO window layer are used as references. Efficiencies above 16% without anti‐reflective coating (ARC) are achieved for cells with Zn(O,S)/(Zn,Mg)O combined with IZO, IOH, and AZO whereas poor results are obvious with all Zn(O,S)/i‐ZnO combinations. Nevertheless, CdS‐buffered reference cells with the different TCO materials exhibit efficiencies in the range of 17–18% without ARC mainly due to higher open‐circuit voltages.
Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes Shock‐Compressed to 0.5 Mbar
Authors: Botella Pablo , Devaux Xavier , Dossot Manuel , Garashchenko Viktor , Beltzung Jean Charles , Soldatov Alexander V. , Ananev Sergey
Published: November 2017

Following our dynamic (shock wave) compression experiments on single‐walled (SW) HiPCO carbon nanotubes (CNTs) [M. Noël et al., Phys. Stat us Sol idi RRL 2014, 8, 935], we extended the range of shock compression to ≈0.5 Mbar in quest of new forms of nanostructured carbon derived from crushed SWCNTs. The material recovered after shock is characterised by multi‐wavelength Raman spectroscopy and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Two distinct types of material are identified: (i) multi‐layer graphene (MLG) and (ii) a mixture of disordered nanometer‐sized graphene clusters and amorphous carbon. No diamond‐like carbon or carbon nano‐onions are found in the sample. The coherent scattering size of MLG clusters (La) is estimated at 30 nm from the D‐ to G‐band intensity ratio dependence on the photon excitation energy. We demonstrate the capabilities of Raman spectroscopy for characterisation and analysis of the multi‐phase spectra of disordered carbon. Particulars of CNT transformation to other structural forms of carbon at high pressure/temperature are discussed.
Nanoscale Characterization of Individual Horizontally Aligned Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Németh Gergely , Datz Dániel , Tóháti Hajnalka Mária , Pekker Áron , Otsuka Keigo , Inoue Taiki , Maruyama Shigeo , Kamarás Katalin
Published: November 2017

One of the most challenging tasks in nanotube research is to identify the different electronic types of nanotubes for device fabrication. The implementation of standard spectroscopy techniques at the single‐tube level has remained a great task due to small nanotube signal and low spatial resolution. Scattering‐type scanning near‐field optical microscopy (s‐SNOM) yields information on the optical characteristics of the sample with high spatial resolution. We have already demonstrated that this method is able to distinguish between different electronic types of carbon nanotube bundles based on their optical properties in the infrared region. Now we applied the same method to characterize individual horizontally aligned single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs).
Robustness of Size Selection and Spectroscopic Size, Thickness and Monolayer Metrics of Liquid‐Exfoliated WS2
Authors: Ueberricke Lucas , Coleman Jonathan N. , Backes Claudia
Published: November 2017

Liquid exfoliation and centrifugation based size selection has emerged as widely applied technique to produce nanosheets in a solution‐processable form. Quantitative spectroscopic metrics to extract nanosheet size, thickness and monolayer content from optical spectra have previously been established. Such metrics are extremely useful and can be used to optimise the production technique (for example on scale‐up) and size selection. However, it is not clear whether exfoliation, size selection, and spectroscopic metrics are robust or whether the result depends on the starting material or subtle details of the processing and analysis. By comparing two batches of WS2 exfoliated and size‐selected in aqueous surfactant solution using different starting materials, protocols and equipment in each step, we show that the nanosheet size obtained after different steps in a cascade centrifugation is highly reproducible. A detailed statistical analysis on the nanosheet dimensions revealed well‐defined relationships between nanosheet mean thickness and monolayer content. Spectroscopic metrics for nanosheet layer number, lateral size (from extinction) and monolayer content (from Raman/photoluminescence) do not depend on sample type and measurement conditions, albeit the data analysis may require adjustment as discussed.
Foundations of the LRESC model for response properties and some applications
Authors: Aucar Gustavo A. , Melo Juan I. , Aucar Ignacio Agustín , Maldonado Alejandro F.
Published: November 2017

Accurate calculations of some response properties, like the NMR spectroscopic parameters, are quite exigent for the theoretical quantum chemistry models together with the computational codes that are written from them. They need to include a very good description of the electronic density in regions close to the nuclei. When heavy‐atom containing systems are studied, those requirements become even higher. Given that relativistic effects must be included in one way or another on the calculation of response properties of heavy‐atoms and heavy‐atom containing molecules, different schemes were developed during the past decades to include them in as good as possible way. There are some four‐component models, which include relativistic effects in a very compact way, although calculations have large time‐consumption; one also needs to deal with new and unusual four‐component operators. There are also two‐component models, which in general may be less accurate, although their application to property calculations on medium‐size and large‐size molecules are feasible, and they maintain the application of usual operators. In this review, we give the fundamentals of the two‐component linear response elimination of small component formalism, LRESC, together with some applications to few selected response properties. New physical insights do appear when the LRESC model is used to analyze the effect of the environment on magnetic shieldings, and when one search for the relativistic extension of well‐known nonrelativistic relationships like Flygare's relation among the NMR magnetic shielding and the nuclear spin‐rotation constant. A similar relationship is found for the g‐tensor and the susceptibility tensor.
Context and Implications Document for: Why do some teachers change and others don't? A review of studies about factors influencing in‐service and pre‐service teachers’ change in classroom management
Authors: Girardet Céline
Published: November 2017

This guide accompanies the following article: Girardet, C. Why do some teachers change and others don't? A review of studies about factors influencing in‐service and pre‐service teachers’ change in classroom management, Review of Education, https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3104
Comparing apples and oranges: Off‐road pedestrian detection on the National Robotics Engineering Center agricultural person‐detection dataset
Authors: Pezzementi Zachary , Tabor Trenton , Hu Peiyun , Chang Jonathan K. , Ramanan Deva , Wellington Carl , Wisely Babu Benzun P. , Herman Herman
Published: November 2017

Person detection from vehicles has made rapid progress recently with the advent of multiple high‐quality datasets of urban and highway driving, yet no large‐scale benchmark is available for the same problem in off‐road or agricultural environments. Here we present the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) Agricultural Person‐Detection Dataset to spur research in these environments. It consists of labeled stereo video of people in orange and apple orchards taken from two perception platforms (a tractor and a pickup truck), along with vehicle position data from Real Time Kinetic (RTK) GPS. We define a benchmark on part of the dataset that combines a total of 76k labeled person images and 19k sampled person‐free images. The dataset highlights several key challenges of the domain, including varying environment, substantial occlusion by vegetation, people in motion and in nonstandard poses, and people seen from a variety of distances; metadata are included to allow targeted evaluation of each of these effects. Finally, we present baseline detection performance results for three leading approaches from urban pedestrian detection and our own convolutional neural network approach that benefits from the incorporation of additional image context. We show that the success of existing approaches on urban data does not transfer directly to this domain.
2D Lead Dihalides for High‐Performance Ultraviolet Photodetectors and their Detection Mechanism Investigation
Authors: Tan Manlin , Hu Chao , Lan Yang , Khan Jahangeer , Deng Hui , Yang Xiaokun , Wang Peixiang , Yu Xiangxiang , Lai Jianjun , Song Haisheng
Published: November 2017

2D halide semiconductors, a new family of 2D materials in addition to transition metal dichalcogenides, present ultralow dark current and high light conversion yield, which hold great potential in photoconductive detectors. Herein, a facile aqueous solution method is developed for the preparation of large‐scale 2D lead dihalide nanosheets (PbF2‐xIx). High‐performance UV photodetectors are successfully implemented based on 2D PbF2‐xIx nanosheets. By modulating the components of halogens, the bandgap of PbF2‐xIx nanosheets can be tuned to meet varied detection spectra. The photoresponse dependence on incident power density, wavelength, detection environment, and temperature are systematically studied to investigate their detection mechanism. For PbI2 photodetectors, they are dominantly driven by a photoconduction mechanism and show a fast response speed and a low noise current density. A high normalized detectivity of 1.5 × 1012 Jones and an ION/IOFF ratio up to 103 are reached. On the other hand, PbFI photodetectors demonstrate a photogating mechanism mediated by trap states showing high responsivity. The novel 2D halide materials with wide bandgaps, superior detection performance, and facile synthesis process can enrich the Van der Waals solids family and hold great potential for a wide variety of applications in advanced optoelectronics.
Controlled Morphology of ZnO Nanorods for Electron Transport in Squaraine Bulk‐Hetero Junction Solar Cells With Thick Active Layers
Authors: Peukert Andreas , Vaillant Roca Lidice , Scherer Michael , Lovrincic Robert , Ramanan Charusheela , Chanaewa Alina , von Hauff Elizabeth
Published: November 2017

The influence of ZnO seed layer thickness in Squaraine (SQ) is investigated: PC71BM bulk heterojunction solar cells that incorporate ZnO nanorods. The thickness of the ZnO seed layer varies between 16–249 nm by changing the concentration of the precursor solution. With atomic force microscopy (AFM), X‐Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) studies, it is shown that this approach allows to systematically tune the thickness of the ZnO seed layer without influencing seed layer grain size, or the morphology of the ZnO nanorods that are deposited on top of the seed layer. The proof‐of‐concept is demonstrated in SQ:PC71BM solar cells. It is found that seed layers with 55 nm thickness yield the highest short circuit current densities, resulting in power conversion efficiencies of 2.5 ± 0.1%. These results are compared to SQ:PC71BM solar cells prepared in planar architectures, and it is observed that both device architectures yield comparable results. The optimized nanostructured ZnO electrode enables the fabrication of BHJ devices with thick active layers without the loss in solar cell performance.
Performances Enhancement in Perovskite Solar Cells by Incorporating Plasmonic Au NRs@SiO2 at Absorber/HTL Interface
Authors: Zhang Xiaoman , Liu Jialei , Kou Dongxing , Zhou Wenhui , Zhou Zhengji , Tian Qingwen , Meng Yuena , Wu Sixin , Cao Aocheng , Ouyang Canbin
Published: November 2017

Metallic nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and can be incorporated into perovskite solar cells (PSCs) to improve cell performance. However, the incorporation of Au NPs in bulk films of PSCs requires large concentration to keep interval distance and would cause worse device performance. In this work, a universal strategy for significant increasing power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs through incorporating high aspect ratio Au nanorods (NRs)@SiO2 into perovskite/spiro‐OMeTAD interface is demonstrated. The key feature of this approach is that we can take advantage of the SPR at a lower concentration and the Au NRs have larger light scattering section than AuNPs. It is found that the SPR and scattering effect of Au NRs lead to a broad enhancement of photon absorption. Furthermore, a superior enhanced charge separation process in the Au NRs incorporated device is also observed. Benefitting from this cooperative plasmonic effect of Au NRs in optical and electrical aspects, both short‐circuit current density and open‐circuit voltage are improved, resulting in the new device delivering a PCE up to 17.39% from 14.39%. This result further supports that Au NRs can play a more effective SPR effect at perovskite/spiro‐OMeTAD interface, rather than incorporating them into bulk films.
Zur computerorientierten Berechnung schubbeeinflusster Normalspannungen in Stäben
Authors: Kraus Matthias , Mämpel Silvio
Published: November 2017

Herrn Univ.‐Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Rolf Kindmann zur Vollendung seines 70. Lebensjahres gewidmet

Üblicherweise erfolgt die Berechnung von Normalspannungen in Stäben unter der vereinfachenden Annahme, dass der Einfluss von Schubverzerrungen vernachlässigbar ist und die entsprechende Bernoulli‐Hypothese bei Biegebeanspruchungen bzw. die Wagner‐Hypothese bei Torsionsbeanspruchungen Gültigkeit haben. Für Querschnitte mit breiten Flanschen, wie sie beispielsweise im Brückenbau zum Einsatz kommen, ist jedoch bekannt, dass die mit der Biegung verbundenen Schubverzerrungen einen starken Einfluss auf die Verteilung der Normalspannungen haben können. Zur Erfassung des Effektes wurden mittragende Breiten definiert, die sich beispielsweise im Teil 1‐5 des Eurocodes für praktische Anwendungen wiederfinden. Im Rahmen des vorliegenden Beitrags wird eine numerische Herangehensweise vorgestellt, mit der Normalspannungen auf Grundlage der Stabtheorie infolge zweiachsiger Biegung und sekundärer Torsion unter Berücksichtigung des Schubverzerrungseinflusses bestimmt werden können. Grundlage stellt die Berechnung der Schubverformungen mit der Finite‐Elemente‐Methode (FEM) auf Basis einer Querschnittsdiskretisierung dar. Die Berücksichtigung von mittragenden Breiten bei der Normalspannungsberechnung ist damit nicht erforderlich.
Fügen von Konstruktionsprofilen aus GFK mit Verbindungsmitteln aus dem Stahlleichtbau
Authors: Krahwinkel Manuel , Gehmert Christian
Published: November 2017

Herrn Univ.‐Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Rolf Kindmann zur Vollendung seines 70. Lebensjahres gewidmet

Die Verwendung von pultrudierten glasfaserverstärkten Kunststoffprofilen als Primärstruktur findet eine immer weitere Verbreitung im Bauwesen. Momentan werden Stahlbauschrauben mit einem Durchmesser größer 10 mm für die Verbindung von vorgefertigten Bauteilen auf der Baustelle verwendet. Dieser Beitrag berichtet über Untersuchungen zu möglichen Alternativen zu diesem aus dem Stahlbau stammenden Verbindungsmittel. In umfangreichen Versuchen werden die Eigenschaften von Scher‐Lochleibungs‐Verbindungen mit gewindefurchenden Schrauben, Mehrbereichsblindnieten, hochfesten Strukturnieten, Selbstbohrschrauben sowie Schließringbolzen im Hinblick auf die Anwendbarkeit für die Verbindung von pultrudierten glasfaserverstärkten Kunststoffprofilen untersucht und bewertet.
Antiviral activity of macrophage‐activating Chinese mixed herb hot water extract
Authors: Yoshida Yoshihiro , Tsukamoto Mayu , Muraoka Ken‐ichi , Yoshida Satoshi , Shiraki Kimiyasu
Published: November 2017

Aim

Macrophage‐activating Chinese mixed herb (MACH) extract, a hot‐water decoction of Cucurbita moschata (pumpkin seed), Carthamus tinctorius (safflower flower), P. asiatica (psyllium seed), and L. japonica (Japanese honeysuckle flower), is able to induce the production of interferon and interleukin, and hence reduce viral load in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aim of this study was therefore to analyze the antiviral activity in the available models and identify the mechanism of alleviation of HCV infection.

Methods

The antiviral and anti‐Herpes simplex virus (anti‐HSV) activity of MACH extracts was examined using the plaque reduction assay in a mouse model of cutaneous HSV infection.

Results

MACH extracts inhibited plaque formation of HSV, Varicella zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, and poliovirus at 50% effective concentration for plaque formation (EC50) of 3.09, 0.84, 1.54, and 3.3 mg/mL, respectively. MACH extract inhibited the late protein synthesis of HSV, indicating inhibition of viral DNA synthesis. MACH extract was given orally at 0, 40, and 400 mg in 200 μL water 7 days before infection in female BALB/c mice (6 weeks old) cutaneously infected with HSV. MACH extract was not toxic, as assessed by bodyweight changes, and significantly alleviated the development of skin lesions at days 6–8 (P < 0.05) but did not prolong the survival period.

Conclusion

On plaque reduction assay, MACH extract had significant but mild therapeutic anti‐HSV activity. This anti‐viral activity might be associated with the therapeutic antiviral activity in animals and humans.
Caregiver Quality of Life with Tyrosinemia Type 1
Authors: Campbell Hailey , Singh Rani H. , Hall Eric , Ali Nadia
Published: November 2017

Tyrosinemia type I (HT1) is an inborn error of metabolism (IEM). Current management guidelines include lifelong specialized diet and use of the orphan drug, nitisinone. This study explores the quality of life (QOL) of caregivers of children with HT1. Caregivers for 26 children with HT1 completed a questionnaire (TYR‐QOL) adapted to this patient population from an existing validated QOL questionnaire (PKU‐QOL). Responses were analyzed via domain scores, based on predetermined scoring guidelines. Results suggest HT1 has a moderate overall impact on caregiver QOL, with emotional aspects of the disease having the greatest impact. HT1 diet and specialized formula also had an impact on caregiver QOL, with the vast majority feeling guilt if their child's diet and specialized formula plan were not followed. Management of nitisinone did not impact caregiver QOL. Results were compared to the phenylketonuria (PKU) population. Domain scores for the emotional, practical, social, and overall impact on QOL were higher for HT1 than for mild PKU, indicating a greater impact on QOL. Domain scores for practical and social aspects were similarly higher for HT1 than for classic PKU, though emotional and overall impacts were comparable. This is the first questionnaire to assess QOL in caregivers of children with HT1. Results can be used to better understand psychosocial implications of HT1 and assist healthcare professionals in addressing treatment issues.
Cohort Measures of Internal Migration: Understanding Long-Term Trends
Authors: Bernard Aude
Published: November 2017

Internal migration intensities fluctuate over time, but both migration levels and trends show great diversity. The dynamics underpinning these trends remain poorly understood because they are analyzed almost exclusively by applying period measures to cross-sectional data. This article proposes 10 cohort measures that can be applied to both prospective and retrospective data to systematically examine long-term trends. To demonstrate their benefits, the proposed measures are applied to retrospective survey data for England that provide residential histories from birth to age 50 for cohorts born between 1918 and 1957. The analysis reveals stable lifetime migration for men but increased lifetime migration for women associated with earlier ages at moving in adulthood and a compression of intervals between consecutive moves. The proposed cohort measures provide a more comprehensive picture of migration behavior and should be used to complement period measures in exploring long-term trends. Increasing availability of retrospective and longitudinal survey data means that researchers can now apply the proposed measures to a wide range of countries.
Variable importance‐weighted Random Forests
Authors: Liu Yiyi , Zhao Hongyu
Published: November 2017

Background

Random Forests is a popular classification and regression method that has proven powerful for various prediction problems in biological studies. However, its performance often deteriorates when the number of features increases. To address this limitation, feature elimination Random Forests was proposed that only uses features with the largest variable importance scores. Yet the performance of this method is not satisfying, possibly due to its rigid feature selection, and increased correlations between trees of forest.

Methods

We propose variable importance‐weighted Random Forests, which instead of sampling features with equal probability at each node to build up trees, samples features according to their variable importance scores, and then select the best split from the randomly selected features.

Results

We evaluate the performance of our method through comprehensive simulation and real data analyses, for both regression and classification. Compared to the standard Random Forests and the feature elimination Random Forests methods, our proposed method has improved performance in most cases.

Conclusions

By incorporating the variable importance scores into the random feature selection step, our method can better utilize more informative features without completely ignoring less informative ones, hence has improved prediction accuracy in the presence of weak signals and large noises. We have implemented an R package “viRandomForests” based on the original R package “randomForest” and it can be freely downloaded from http://zhaocenter.org/software.
A review of machines and devices to potentize homeopathic medicines
Authors: Basu Abhirup , Suresh Akkihebbal Krishnamurthy , Kane Shantaram Govind , Bellare Jayesh Ramesh
Published: November 2017

Background:
Potentization, consisting of serial dilution and succussion, is a key step in the manufacture of homeopathic medicines. Originally prescribed as a manual process, several attempts at mechanization have been published, patented and even commercialised in order to remove the human element and introduce reproducibility without drudgery. Various machines have been used over the years to prepare homeopathic medicines. Although these machines follow the same principles, i.e. energetically mixing the medicines and diluting them significantly, their mode of operation is different from each other.

Methods:
This review paper surveys the main methods of preparation of homeopathic medicines. The main machines discussed are: Boericke's potentizer, Tyler Kent's instrument, John Alphonse's machine and the fluxion potentizer, which were used in the past, as well as more recent potentizers like arm-and-weight instruments, the K-Tronic potentizer and Quinn's machine. We review the construction and operating principle of each of these machines, along with their advantages and limitations. A scheme for relative performance assessment of these machines is proposed based on the parameters mechanical efficiency, physico-chemical efficiency, turbulence generation, energy dissipation, and accuracy of dilution.

Results:
Quinn's machine and the arm-and-weight potentizer perform well for generating turbulence due to high impaction forces, while John Alphonse's machine is much more accurate in diluting the homeopathic medicines at every step.

Conclusions:
Both the commercial potentizers, Quinn's machine and the K-Tronic potentizer, are completely automated and therefore reduce the manual labour and variation in succussive forces during each step, which may produce uniformity in physico-chemical changes within the resulting homeopathic medicines.
A phenomenological study of families with drug-using children living in the society
Authors: Ritanti  , Wiarsih Wiwin , Asih Imalia Dewi , Susanto Tantut
Published: November 2017

Background and objectives:

Adolescents have a risk of drug abuse during their development, which demands care by the parents in a family environment. This study explored the experiences of families with drug-using children.

Materials and methods:

This study used a descriptive phenomenological qualitative design. Seven participants were recruited for the study using the snowballing sampling technique. The data collection instruments employed included interviews, field notes, and tape recorders. Sociodemographic data were collected comprising age, sex, religion, and relationships with other drug users. Interview guidelines were prepared based on the research objectives and they were further translated into a number of questions to explore the experiences of the families. Data were obtained using in-depth interviews. The Colaizzi method was used for data analysis.

Results:

The results characterized the feelings of the parents/families, stigma felt by families, coping mechanisms used by families, family burden, ways of fixing the problem, obtaining the support of family, and family expectations of the parties involved. The families experienced a deep, prolonged, and repetitive grieving process.

Conclusions:

This study identified several themes in the experiences of families with drug-using children. We suggest that drug service agencies assign a public health nurse to act as a counselor and advocate to help families manage and overcome their problems.
Functional outcomes in patients submitted to restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis in a single tertiary center
Authors: Silva Ana Cristina , Sampaio Mónica , Marcos-Pinto Ricardo , Lago Paula , Rocha Anabela , Matos Eduarda , Santos Marisa D.
Published: November 2017

Background Functional results after restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis are variable. We assessed functional results in patients with ileal pouch anal anastomosis and evaluated potential factors associated with poor functional results.

Methods Retrospective cohort study of 38 patients who were submitted to a restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis, in the context of ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis, in at tertiary referral center, in the period between 1993 and 2013. Clinical records were analyzed and telephone interviews with protocoled questionnaire to 32 patients (12 ulcerative colitis, 20 familial adenomatous polyposis) were performed. Pouch functional results were also evaluated based in the Oresland score. The functional results were analyzed at four points of the patient outcome.

Results In 25 patients were performed restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis and in 7 patients total colectomy preceded protectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis. Protective ileostomy was performed in all patients. There was no mortality and post-operative complications related with the pouch was 12.5% but treated conservatively. The mean follow-up was 13.2 years. Pouch failure occurs in 9.4% (2 in familial adenomatous polyposis and 1 in ulcerative colitis). Familial adenomatous polyposis patients achieved the best outcome but the outcome was acceptable in both groups. The median Oresland score was good with small variations over the years, although the best score being reached at 5 years after the surgery.

Conclusions The long-term results in patients undergoing restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis were good in both groups, although better in familial adenomatous polyposis. In both, the best score of functional results seems to be reached at 5 years after surgery.