bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding Organised Violence and Crime in Political Settlements: Oil Wars, Petro‐Criminality and Amnesty in the Niger Delta
Authors: Schultze‐Kraft Markus
Published: July 2017

The relationship between political settlements and organised violence and crime in the contemporary developing world is little understood. Analysing the oil wars and massive oil theft in the Niger delta of Nigeria in the first decade after the transition to civilian‐electoral rule in 1999, this article shows that (i) organised violence is not exogenous to political settlements and their (re)production and does not always destabilise them; and (ii) organised criminal activities associated with the generation of natural resource rents, such as the massive theft of crude oil, can contribute to violence mitigation and the stabilisation of a contested political settlement. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dominant atmospheric circulation patterns associated with abnormal rainfall events over Rwanda, East Africa
Authors: Ngarukiyimana Jean Paul , Fu Yunfei , Yang Yuanjian , Ogwang Bob Alex , Ongoma Victor , Ntwali Didier
Published: July 2017

The study investigated the dominant atmospheric circulation patterns associated with abnormal rainfall over Rwanda during the March–May (MAM) rainfall season in 1981–2010. The data sets used in this study include: rainfall, wind, sea surface temperature (SST), and humidity. Correlation and composite analysis and Percent of Normal Index (PNI) were deployed in this study. In the wet years (1987, 1988, and 1998), the country was dominated by moisture convergence, which is in line with wind anomalies that exhibits strong westerly winds from the Atlantic Ocean and southeasterly winds originated from the Indian Ocean. These winds carry moist air mass passing over Congo to the study area, leading to wet events. On the other hand, easterly winds were noted over the study area during the dry years (1984, 2000, 2007, and 2008). The observed wet years coincided with the El Niño events, while the dry years are noted during the La Niña episodes. The dry years exhibited a wide spread of moisture divergence anomaly at the low level and were characterized by the sinking motion as opposed to the wet years with the rising motion. The anomalies of velocity potential/divergence further showed that the wet (dry) years were characterized by convergence (divergence) at the low level. The results also show that there exists a low positive correlation between mean MAM rainfall and SST over the Indian Ocean, which shows minimum influence of the Ocean. On the other hand, it was noted that rainfall amounts is significantly correlated at 95% confidence level with the elevation (altitude) of a given station. This study improves the understanding of the occurrence of wet and dry events in Rwanda, which is helpful in future monitoring of these events.
Barriers to early detection of cognitive impairment in the elderly despite the availability of simple cognitive screening tools and the pharmacist's role in early detection and referral
Authors: Abed Howraa , Ball Patrick , Morrissey Hana
Published: July 2017

Aim

The aim of this review is to identify a suitable cognitive screening tool that can be used by the pharmacist during home medication review in addition to calculating the medications’ total anticholinergic burden (ACB).

Data sources

A search of the literature was conducted using PubMed, Embase, Medline and Google Scholar databases to identify relevant studies using the following keywords: ‘cognitive impairment’, ‘cognitive impairment AND diagnosis’, ‘cognitive scales’, ‘dementia’, ‘delirium’, ‘pharmacist role’, ‘mini‐mental state examination (MMSE)’, ‘the Rowland dementia assessment scale (RUDAS)’, ‘the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale ‐ Cognition (ADAS‐Cog)’ and ‘barriers and problems’. Only informational websites, clinical trials and review articles were included.

Results

The MMSE, RUDAS, ADAS‐Cog, Psychogeriatric Assessment Scale (PAS) and Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA‐Cog) require specialist training. The anxiety and depression checklist (K10) and ‘worried about your memory’ (WAYM) can be self‐administered without prior training. The ACB scoring system can also be used to determine the total medications ACB.

Conclusion

The K10 and WAYM can be used by the pharmacist during medication reviews to detect cognitive impairment early and refer the elderly for further medical care supported by the calculated score for the patient‘s total medications‘ ACB.
Development of a UHPLC–MS/MS method for the quantitation of bioactive compounds in Phyllanthus species and its herbal formulations
Authors: Kumar Sunil , Singh Awantika , Bajpai Vikas , Singh Bikarma , Kumar Brijesh
Published: July 2017

Phyllanthus species are extensively used in traditional medicines for the treatment of hepatic diseases due to their bioactive hypophyllanthin and phyllanthin. This work describes the development and validation of an ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method in polarity switching multiple reaction monitoring mode for the simultaneous detection and quantitation of 23 compounds using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray‐hybrid triple quadrupole‐linear ion trap mass spectrometer. The validated parameters showed good linearity (R2 ≥ 0.996), limit of detection (0.05–1.62 ng/mL), limit of quantitation (0.15–4.95 ng/mL), precisions (intra‐day: RSD ≤ 2.11%), (inter‐day: RSD ≤ 2.91%), stability (RSD ≤ 2.56%) and overall recovery (98.22–104.48%; RSD ≤ 2.93%). The validated method was successfully applied in ethanolic extracts of P. amarus, P. niruri, P. emblica, P. fraternus, fractions of P. amarus and their herbal formulations for quantitation. The maximum content of hypophyllanthin (29.40 mg/g) and phyllanthin (56.60 mg/g) was detected in ethyl acetate fraction of P. amarus. The total content of 23 compounds was abundant in the ethanolic extract of P. emblica fruit. Principal component analysis was used to differentiate the selected Phyllanthus species and their herbal formulations. The results indicated that the present method could be used for quality control of Phyllanthus species and its herbal formulations.
Comparison of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography, ultra high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography for the separation of synthetic cathinones
Authors: Carnes Stephanie , O'Brien Stacey , Szewczak Angelica , Tremeau‐Cayel Lauriane , Rowe Walter F. , McCord Bruce , Lurie Ira S.
Published: July 2017

A comparison of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography, ultra high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography for the separation of synthetic cathinones has been conducted. Nine different mixtures of bath salts were analyzed in this study. The three different chromatographic techniques were examined using a general set of controlled synthetic cathinones as well as a variety of other synthetic cathinones that exist as positional isomers. Overall 35 different synthetic cathinones were analyzed. A variety of column types and chromatographic modes were examined for developing each separation. For the ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography separations, analyses were performed using a series of Torus and Trefoil columns with either ammonium formate or ammonium hydroxide as additives, and methanol, ethanol or isopropanol organic solvents as modifiers. Ultra high performance liquid chromatographic separations were performed in both reversed phase and hydrophilic interaction chromatographic modes using SPP C18 and SPP HILIC columns. Gas chromatography separations were performed using an Elite‐5MS capillary column. The orthogonality of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography, ultra high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography was examined using principal component analysis. For the best overall separation of synthetic cathinones, the use of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography in combination with gas chromatography is recommended.
Large‐scale isolation of high‐purity anthocyanin monomers from mulberry fruits by combined chromatographic techniques
Authors: Chen Yao , Du Fang , Wang Wei , Li Qian , Zheng Daheng , Zhang Weijie , Zhao Ting , Mao Guanghua , Feng Weiwei , Wu Xiangyang , Yang Liuqing
Published: July 2017

Anthocyanins have attracted attention over the past several decades because of their beneficial health effects. In this research, a strategy combining column chromatography and high‐speed countercurrent chromatography was developed for the separation of high‐purity anthocyanin monomers from mulberry fruits. After purification using Amberlite XAD‐7HP column with 80% ethanol (0.1% HCl), a fraction of anthocyanins mixtures with a purity of 68.6% was obtained. High‐speed countercurrent chromatography with a biphasic solvent system of n‐butanol/methyl tert‐butyl ether/acetonitrile/water/trifluoroacetic acid (30:10:10:50:0.05, v/v) was used to separate the anthocyanin monomers. Three monomers of delphinidin‐3‐O‐rutinoside, cyanidin‐3‐O‐rutinoside, and cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside were obtained, and identified by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and high‐performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization‐mass spectrometry. The method developed in this work can be used to conduct large‐scale separations of anthocyanin monomers from mulberry fruits and other plants.
Single‐run capillary electrophoresis method for the fast simultaneous determination of amoxicillin, clavulanate, and potassium
Authors: Marra Mariana C. , Cunha Rafael R. , Muñoz Rodrigo A. A. , Batista Alex D. , Richter Eduardo M.
Published: July 2017

We report a new fast method for the simultaneous determination of amoxicillin, clavulanate, and potassium by capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection. Samples containing potassium as the cation, and both amoxicillin and clavulanate as anions were determined simultaneously in a single run (in less than 45 s) using 10 mmol/L of both 2‐amino‐2‐hydroxymethyl‐propane‐1,3‐diol and 3‐{[2‐hydroxy‐1,1‐bis(hydroxymethyl)ethyl]amino}‐1‐propanesulfonic acid (pH 8.4) as the background electrolyte. Limits of detection were 25.0, 5.0, and 4.0 μmol/L for amoxicillin, clavulanate, and potassium, respectively. The proposed method is inexpensive, simple, fast (75 injections h−1), environment friendly (minimal waste generation), and accurate (recovery values between 98 and 103%). The results obtained with the proposed method were statistically similar (95% confidence level) to those obtained by using high‐performance liquid chromatography (amoxicillin and clavulanate) and flame photometry (potassium).
Capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection method development and validation for the determination of azithromycin, clarithromycin, and clindamycin
Authors: Paul Prasanta , Duchateau Tom , Sänger‐van de Griend Cari , Adams Erwin , Van Schepdael Ann
Published: July 2017

A capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection based method for the assay of azithromycin, clarithromycin and clindamycin was optimized and validated in this study. A buffer solution of 20 mM 2‐(N‐morpholino) ethane sulfonic acid, 40 mM l‐histidine and 0.6 mM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (pH 6.39) was used for the electrophoresis. An uncoated, bare‐fused silica capillary (total length 60 cm, effective length 32 cm, 75 μm id) was used at 25°C. The sample was injected hydrodynamically at 0.5 psi for 5 s. The electrophoresis was conducted at 30 kV in reverse polarity for 6 min with 3 and 2 min of in‐between sodium hydroxide (0.1 M) and background electrolyte rinsing, respectively. Ammonium acetate was used as internal standard. This simple and robust method showed reasonable limit of detection and limit of quantitation for azithromycin (0.0125/0.03 mg/mL), clarithromycin (0.017/0.03 mg/mL), and clindamycin (0.038/0.06 mg/mL), with good selectivity, precision both intraday (relative standard deviation ≤ 1.0%) and interday (relative standard deviation < 3.7%), linearity (R2 > 0.999) and recovery (99 – 101.7%). The method was successfully applied for the determination of azithromycin, clarithromycin and clindamycin in formulations.
Treatment effectiveness for aging changes in the larynx
Authors: Sachs Aaron M. , Bielamowicz Steven A. , Stager Sheila V.
Published: July 2017

Objectives

To compare the effectiveness of injection augmentation and bilateral thyroplasty surgery in managing age‐related changes of the larynx.

Study Design

Retrospective chart review of patients treated with bilateral thyroplasty and/or injection augmentation.

Methods

We evaluated 22 patients before and after treatment using: 1) normalized glottal gap area and normalized true vocal fold width from endoscopic images; 2) patient self‐rating questionnaires; and 3) acoustic and aerodynamic measures.

Results

Thyroplasty surgery resulted in 38% of patients demonstrating less bowing compared to 33% after injection, and 63% demonstrated less supraglottic activity compared to 43% after injection (P = 0.09). Change in mean Voice‐Related Quality of Life (V‐RQOL) scores was 25.5 after thyroplasty compared to −16.4 after injection (P < 0.05). Those exhibiting a greater than 20 change in V‐RQOL after treatment were significantly more likely to report swallowing symptoms pretreatment.

Conclusion

Patients postinjection did not rate themselves on any questionnaires as significantly better compared to pretreatment, whereas patients post‐thyroplasty rated themselves as significantly improved on all questionnaires. Patients post‐thyroplasty rated their voices as significantly closer to their best voice than patients postinjection. Likewise, 64% of patients who had thyroplasty surgery reported a significant treatment effect compared to 33% for injection augmentation.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 127:2572–2577, 2017
Outcomes and patterns of failure of sarcomatoid carcinoma of the larynx: The Mayo Clinic experience
Authors: Gamez Mauricio E. , Jeans Elizabeth , Hinni Michael L. , Moore Eric , Young Geoffrey , Ma Daniel , McGee Lisa , Buras Matthew R. , Patel Samir H.
Published: July 2017

Objectives/Hypothesis

Sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. No consensus exists on its management. Our aim was to present our outcomes.

Study Design

Retrospective study. Median follow‐up 45 months.

Methods

There were 38 patients with pathologically confirmed sarcomatoid carcinoma of the larynx treated at the Mayo Clinic from 1990 to 2014. Statistical analysis of overall survival (OS), progression‐free survival (PFS), and local control (LC) were conducted using the Kaplan‐Meier method.

Results

The majority of patients were elderly males (92%) with a smoking history (74%) presenting with early‐stage disease (71%). Surgery alone was the primary treatment in 27 patients (71%). Nine patients (25%) were treated with adjuvant radiation due to initial stage or high‐risk pathologic features. Median radiation dose to the primary/surgical bed was 65 Gy (range, 60.3–75.0 Gy). A total of 15 patients (39%) had tumor recurrence, majority being local (n = 12). Sixty percent (n = 9) had multiple local recurrences. Five‐year OS, PFS, and LC were 63%, 46%, and 72%, respectively. Subgroup analysis by stage I versus higher stages (II–IV) showed an OS of 80% versus 43% (P = .030), PFS of 65% versus 18% (P = .003), and LC of 84% versus 57% (P = .039).

Conclusions

Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the larynx is rare, and frequently presents at an early stage in older men with history of smoking. Based on our outcomes and patterns of failure, it appears early‐stage tumors are treated appropriately with single‐modality therapy, whereas more advanced tumors require multimodality therapy. Validation in a larger cohort is warranted.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 128:373–377, 2018
Hyaluronan/Collagen Hydrogels with Sulfated Hyaluronan for Improved Repair of Vascularized Tissue Tune the Binding of Proteins and Promote Endothelial Cell Growth
Authors: Rother Sandra , Galiazzo Vanessa D. , Kilian David , Fiebig Karen M. , Becher Jana , Moeller Stephanie , Hempel Ute , Schnabelrauch Matthias , Waltenberger Johannes , Scharnweber Dieter , Hintze Vera
Published: July 2017

Innovative biomaterial‐based concepts are required to improve wound healing of damaged vascularized tissues especially in elderly multimorbid patients. To develop functional hydrogels as 3D cellular microenvironments and as carrier or scavenging systems, e.g., for mediator proteins or proinflammatory factors, collagen fibrils are embedded into a network of photo‐crosslinked acrylated hyaluronan (HA), chondroitin sulfate (CS), or sulfated HA (sHA). After lyophilization, the gels show a porous structure and an improved stability against degradation via hyaluronidase. Gels with CS and sHA bind significantly more lysozyme than HA/collagen gels and retard its release. The proliferation and metabolic activity of endothelial cells are significantly increased on sHA gels compared to CS‐ or only HA‐containing hydrogels. These findings highlight the potential of HA/collagen hydrogels with sulfated glycosaminoglycans to tune the protein binding and release behavior and to directly modulate cellular response. This can be easily translated into biomimetic biomaterials with defined properties to stimulate wound healing.
Assessments of plasma ghrelin levels in the early stages of parkinson's disease
Authors: Song Ning , Wang Weiwei , Jia Fengjv , Du Xixun , Xie Anmu , He Qing , Shen Xiaoli , Zhang Jing , Rogers Jack T. , Xie Junxia , Jiang Hong
Published: July 2017

Background

Gastrointestinal symptoms are early events in Parkinson's disease (PD). The gastrointestinal hormone ghrelin was neuroprotective in the nigrostriatal dopamine system. The objective of this study was to assess ghrelin levels in the early stages of PD.

Methods

Plasma was collected in the fasting state in 291 PD patients in stages 1‐3 and 303 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls. Additional samples were taken in the glucose response test to assess nutrition‐related ghrelin levels in 20 PD patients and 20 healthy controls. The enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure total and active plasma ghrelin levels.

Results

We reported that total and active plasma ghrelin levels were decreased in PD, although there was no difference across progressive PD stages. Postprandial ghrelin suppression and preprandial peak responses were both attenuated in PD.

Conclusions

Plasma ghrelin levels were decreased in PD; however, this event might be irrelevant to PD progression. Ghrelin responses to meals were also impaired in PD. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
A3 Adenosine Receptors as Modulators of Inflammation: From Medicinal Chemistry to Therapy
Authors: Jacobson Kenneth A. , Merighi Stefania , Varani Katia , Borea Pier Andrea , Baraldi Stefania , Aghazadeh Tabrizi Mojgan , Romagnoli Romeo , Baraldi Pier Giovanni , Ciancetta Antonella , Tosh Dilip K. , Gao Zhan‐Guo , Gessi Stefania
Published: July 2017

The A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR) subtype is a novel, promising therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriasis, as well as liver cancer. A3AR is coupled to inhibition of adenylyl cyclase and regulation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, leading to modulation of transcription. Furthermore, A3AR affects functions of almost all immune cells and the proliferation of cancer cells. Numerous A3AR agonists, partial agonists, antagonists, and allosteric modulators have been reported, and their structure–activity relationships (SARs) have been studied culminating in the development of potent and selective molecules with drug‐like characteristics. The efficacy of nucleoside agonists may be suppressed to produce antagonists, by structural modification of the ribose moiety. Diverse classes of heterocycles have been discovered as selective A3AR blockers, although with large species differences. Thus, as a result of intense basic research efforts, the outlook for development of A3AR modulators for human therapeutics is encouraging. Two prototypical selective agonists, N6‐(3‐Iodobenzyl)adenosine‐5′‐N‐methyluronamide (IB‐MECA; CF101) and 2‐chloro‐N6‐(3‐iodobenzyl)‐adenosine‐5′‐N‐methyluronamide (Cl‐IB‐MECA; CF102), have progressed to advanced clinical trials. They were found safe and well tolerated in all preclinical and human clinical studies and showed promising results, particularly in psoriasis and RA, where the A3AR is both a promising therapeutic target and a biologically predictive marker, suggesting a personalized medicine approach. Targeting the A3AR may pave the way for safe and efficacious treatments for patient populations affected by inflammatory diseases, cancer, and other conditions.
Mitochondrial dysfunction and potential anticancer therapy
Authors: Lleonart Matilde E. , Grodzicki Robert , Graifer Dmitri M. , Lyakhovich Alex
Published: July 2017

Mitochondrial dysfunction (MDF) has been identified as an important factor in various diseases ranging from neurological disorders, to diseases of the cardiovascular system and metabolic syndromes. MDF was also found in cancer as well as in cancer predisposition syndromes with defective DNA damage response (DDR) machinery. Moreover, a recent highlight arises from the detection of MDF in eukaryotic cells upon treatment with antibiotics. In this review, we focus on recent studies of MDF in pathological conditions with a particular emphasis on the effects of various classes of antibiotics on mitochondria. Special attention is given to the role of autophagy/mitophagy in MDF and repurposing antibiotics as anticancer drugs.
Characterization of radiation dose from tube current modulated CT examinations with considerations of both patient size and variable tube current
Authors: Li Xinhua , Yang Kai , Liu Bob
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and the size‐specific dose estimate (SSDE) are widely used for monitoring patient dose from CT examinations. Both metrics may represent the average dose over the central scan plane of the CTDI phantom or the patient under constant tube current (mA), but they are not intended for the tube current modulation (TCM)‐enabled CT examinations, in which the peak dose across the scanned range may not be at the scan range center. To overcome the limitation, this paper illustrates an alternative approach, its implementation, and the relationship between longitudinal dose distribution DL(z) in water cylinder and mA line shape, scan length, as well as phantom diameter.

Methods

A dose calculation algorithm and the published data by Li et al. [Med. Phys. 40, 031903 (10pp.) (2013); 41, 111910 (5pp.) (2014)] were used to calculate DL(z) for the central and peripheral axes of 10‐ to 50‐cm diameter water phantoms undergoing CT scans of one constant and three variable mA distributions, each of which in three scan lengths of 10, 28.6, and 50 cm. All scans had an identical average tube current over the scan ranges. The results in the scanned ranges were used to assess the DL(z) to mA(z) ratios, and their coefficients of variation (CV = stdev/mean) were used to compare the line shapes of DL(z) and mA(z) for congruence: identical line shapes would result in CV = 0, but largely different line shapes would result in high CV.

Results

In 30‐cm diameter water phantom, the line shape of DL(z) was largely different from that of mA(z). CV was higher in a variable mA scan than in a constant mA scan. As the scan length of variable mA scan increased, CV mostly decreased, and the line shape of DL(z) more closely resembled that of mA(z). When two phantom axes were compared, CV was smaller and the line shape of DL(z) more closely resembled that of mA(z) on the peripheral axis than on the central axis. In 41 water phantoms included in this study, CV mostly increased with phantom diameter, and approached the limiting levels on the peripheral axes of large phantoms. In constant mA scans, CV ranged from 5.5% to 14.0% on the phantom central axes and from 4.6% to 6.4% on the phantom peripheral axes. However, in variable tube current scans, CV ranged from 7.4% to 70.0% on the phantom central axes and from 5.1% to 35.9% on the phantom peripheral axes.

Conclusion

DL(z) (water) may be advantageous over current CT dose metrics in characterizing the dose dependences on both patient size and mA line shape from tube current modulated examinations. Evaluating DL(z) (water) with the water equivalent diameter and tube current curve from clinical examinations has a potential to improve CT dose monitoring program.
Enhancement of the material point method using B‐spline basis functions
Authors: Gan Yong , Sun Zheng , Chen Zhen , Zhang Xiong , Liu Yu
Published: July 2017

The material point method (MPM) enhanced with B‐spline basis functions, referred to as B‐spline MPM (BSMPM), is developed and demonstrated using representative quasi‐static and dynamic example problems. Smooth B‐spline basis functions could significantly reduce the cell‐crossing error as known for the original MPM. A Gauss quadrature scheme is designed and shown to be able to diminish the quadrature error in the BSMPM analysis of large‐deformation problems for the improved accuracy and convergence, especially with the quadratic B‐splines. Moreover, the increase in the order of the B‐spline basis function is also found to be an effective way to reduce the quadrature error and to improve accuracy and convergence. For plate impact examples, it is demonstrated that the BSMPM outperforms the generalized interpolation material point (GIMP) and convected particle domain interpolation (CPDI) methods in term of the accuracy of representing stress waves. Thus, the BSMPM could become a promising alternative to the MPM, GIMP, and CPDI in solving certain types of transient problems.
Hydrophobically modified alginate for extended release of pharmaceuticals
Authors: Choudhary Soumitra , Reck Jason M. , Carr Amanda J. , Bhatia Surita R.
Published: July 2017

Hydrophobically modified alginate hydrogels have great potential in drug delivery as they are biologically compatible and cost efficient. While previous works have shown successful protein, and hydrophobic and hydrophilic drug delivery, little information regarding the relationship between crosslinker density and drug release rate is known. This paper investigates the impact of crosslinker density and hydrophobic degree of substitution within modified alginate gels and solutions on the release kinetics using model hydrophobic drug, sulindac. Near zero‐order release was obtained for an extended period of 5 days. Drug release rates decreased as the crosslinker density within both modified alginate hydrogels and solutions increased. Release data fit well to a simplified Fickian relationship, suggesting that the release mechanism is diffusion‐limited. These release characteristics also correlate with bulk rheological measurements, indicating a strong interrelationship between the mechanical properties and the drug release characteristics of the hydrogels.
Impact energy absorption of flax fiber‐reinforced polypropylene composites
Authors: Rahman Md Zillur , Jayaraman Krishnan , Mace Brian Richard
Published: July 2017

This work investigates the effects of fiber content and fiber orientation on the impact behavior of flax fiber‐reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites. The laminates of various fiber contents were manufactured by a vacuum bagging process; their impact properties were then measured using Charpy (i.e., in‐plane impact load) and drop weight (i.e., out‐of‐plane impact load) impact tests. Experiments were conducted on a range of samples with different fiber volume fractions and orientations. The results show significant variations in energy absorption according to the variations in fiber orientation. Composites with differing fiber orientations exhibit different energy absorption for the in‐plane and out‐of‐plane impact loads. The maximum Charpy energy absorption is obtained for the case of 0° fiber orientation, with the energy absorption generally lying in the range of 25–171 J/m. For the out‐of‐plane impact, the composites containing 30° fiber orientation absorb the highest amount of impact energy, and they can offer a better impact resistance in terms of higher peak force. The energy absorption generally lies in the range of 20–32 J. It was found that the energy absorption increases with increasing fiber content in the former (i.e., in‐plane impact load) and decreases in the latter (i.e., out‐of‐plane impact load). Fiber orientations influence the crack propagation and failure mode of the composites. The outcomes from this study indicate that flax fiber‐reinforced composite could be a commercially viable material for lightweight, crashworthy, and impact‐critical structures. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:4165–4175, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Weight‐correction of carbon dioxide diffusion coefficient (DCO2) reduces its inter‐individual variability and improves its correlation with blood carbon dioxide levels in neonates receiving high‐frequency oscillatory ventilation
Authors: Belteki Gusztav , Lin Benjamin , Morley Colin J.
Published: July 2017

Background

Carbon‐dioxide elimination during high‐frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) is thought to be proportional to the carbon dioxide diffusion coefficient (DCO2) which is calculated as frequency x (tidal volume)2. DCO2 can be used to as an indicator of CO2 elimination but values obtained in different patients cannot be directly compared.

Objectives

To analyze the relationship between DCO2, the weight‐corrected DCO2 (DCO2corr) and blood gas PCO2 values obtained from infants receiving HFOV.

Methods

DCO2 data were obtained from 14 infants at 1/s sampling rate and the mean DCO2 was determined over 10 min periods preceding the time of the blood gas. DCO2corr was calculated by dividing the DCO2 by the square of the body weight in kg.

Results

Weight‐correction significantly reduced the inter‐individual variability of DCO2. When data from all the babies were combined, standard DCO2 showed no correlation with PCO2 but DCO2corr showed a weak but statistically significant inverse correlation. The correlation was better when the endotracheal leak was <10%. There was significant inverse but weaker correlation between the HFOV tidal volume (VThf) and the PCO2. In any baby, DCO2corr >50 mL2/sec/kg2 or VThf > 2.5 mL/kg was rarely needed to avoid hypercapnia.

Conclusions

Weight‐correction of DCO2 values improved its comparability between patients. Weight‐corrected DCO2 correlated better with PCO2 than uncorrected DCO2 but the correlation was weak.
The extraordinary thermal stability of EstA from S. islandicus is independent of post translational modifications
Authors: Stiefler‐Jensen Daniel , Schwarz‐Linnet Troels , de Lichtenberg Casper , Nguyen Tam T. T. N. , Rand Kasper D. , Huang Li , She Qunxin , Teilum Kaare
Published: July 2017

Enzymes from thermophilic and hyper‐thermophilic organisms have an intrinsic high stability. Understanding the mechanisms behind their high stability will be important knowledge for the engineering of novel enzymes with high stability. Lysine methylation of proteins is prevalent in Sulfolobus, a genus of hyperthermophilic and acidophilic archaea. Both unspecific and temperature dependent lysine methylations are seen, but the significance of this post‐translational modification has not been investigated. Here, we test the effect of eliminating in vivo lysine methylation on the stability of an esterase (EstA). The enzyme was purified from the native host S. islandicus as well as expressed as a recombinant protein in E. coli, a mesophilic host that does not code for any machinery for in vivo lysine methylation. We find that lysine mono methylation indeed has a positive effect on the stability of EstA, but the effect is small. The effect of the lysine methylation on protein stability is secondary to that of protein expression in E. coli, as the E. coli recombinant enzyme is compromised both on stability and activity. We conclude that these differences are not attributed to any covalent difference between the protein expressed in hyperthermophilic versus mesophilic hosts.
Construction of an Ec‐LDP‐D5 fusion protein that targets human epidermal growth factor receptor and its anti‐pancreatic cancer activity
Authors: Liu Wen‐juan , Song Xian‐rang , Zuo Bin‐li , Wang Xing‐wu
Published: July 2017

Objective

It is well known that α‐defensins are mainly packaged in neutrophil granules (HNP1, HNP2, and HNP3) or secreted by intestinal Paneth cells (human defensin [HD]5 and HD6). HNP1–3 peptides are also secreted, and their accumulation in biological fluids was proposed as a tumor biomarker. It has been reported that α‐defensins promote tumor cell growth, but also provoke cell death at higher concentrations. The aim of the present study was to construct a novel fusion protein consisting of oligopeptides specific for human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), lidamycin apoprotein (LDP), and HD5, and investigate its anti‐pancreatic cancer activities.

Methods

HD5 was fused to the Ec‐LDP protein to obtain the Ec‐LDP‐D5 fusion protein by DNA recombination. Then, immunofluorescence and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays were used to investigate the binding activities of Ec‐LDP‐D5 to EGFR‐overexpressed cancer cells. CCK‐8 assay was used to measure Ec‐LDP‐D5 in vitro cytotoxicity, and AnnexinV‐FITC/PI staining assay was used to analyze its apoptosis‐inducing efficacy.

Results

The Ec‐LDP‐D5 fusion protein was constructed correctly and expressed in Escherichia coli in insoluble inclusion bodies. The production of Ec‐LDP‐D5 was 1 mg/L fermentation broth, and the purity of the fusion protein was 85% as analyzed by high‐performance liquid chromatography. Ec‐LDP‐D5 showed strong binding activities for pancreatic cancer cells that highly express EGFR, including PNAC‐1 and Aspc‐1 cells. The Ec‐LDP‐D5 fusion protein showed more potent cytotoxicity to cancer cells compared with Ec‐LDP. The results from the AnnexinV‐FITC/PI staining assay also revealed that Ec‐LDP‐D5 significantly induced cell apoptosis.

Conclusion

The novel Ec‐LDP‐D5 fusion protein binds to EGFR specifically, and shows potent cytotoxicity and apoptosis‐inducing activities towards pancreatic cancer cells, which suggests that it would be a promising cancer therapeutics candidate.
Variations in the surface chemistry of methanol with CeO2(100) at low and elevated pressures
Authors: Mullins David R.
Published: July 2017

The reactions of methanol with and without O2 were studied on a flat, highly crystalline CeO2(100) thin‐film surface with ambient pressure XPS. In the absence of O2, the ambient pressure XPS results indicate that in both low‐pressure (≤10−5 Torr) and high‐pressure regimes (≥10−1 Torr), the dominant surface species is methoxy. Methanol decomposition substantially reduces the ceria and CX deposit build‐up on the surface. When O2 is present, CX does not accumulate on the surface and the dominant surface species is different in the low‐pressure and high‐pressure regimes. Methoxy dominates at low pressure, while formate dominates at the higher pressure. The type of surface species appears to be related to the ability of O2 to fully oxidize the ceria surface during the methanol reaction.
Investigating a learning progression for energy ideas from upper elementary through high school
Authors: Herrmann‐Abell Cari F. , DeBoer George E.
Published: July 2017

This study tests a hypothesized learning progression for the concept of energy. It looks at 14 specific ideas under the categories of (i) Energy Forms and Transformations; (ii) Energy Transfer; (iii) Energy Dissipation and Degradation; and (iv) Energy Conservation. It then examines students’ growth of understanding within each of these ideas at three levels of increasing conceptual complexity. The basic level of the model focuses on simple energy relationships and easily observable effects of energy processes; the intermediate level focuses on more complex energy concepts and applications; and the advanced level focuses on still more complex energy concepts, often requiring an atomic/molecular model to explain phenomena. The study includes results from 359 distractor‐driven, multiple‐choice test items administered to over 20,000 students in grades 4 through 12 from across the U.S. Rasch analysis provided linear measures of student performance and item difficulty on the same scale. Results largely supported a model of students’ growth of understanding that progresses from an understanding of forms and transformations of energy to energy transfer to conservation while also progressing along a separate dimension of cognitive complexity. An analysis of the current state of students’ understanding with respect to the knowledge identified in the learning progression showed that elementary level students perform well in comparison to expectations but that middle and high school students’ performance does not meet expectations. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 55: 68–93, 2018
Re: Diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the fetal brain in intrauterine growth restriction. O. J. Arthurs, A. Rega, F. Guimiot, N. Belarbi, J. Rosenblatt, V. Biran, M. Elmaleh, G. Sebag and M. Alison. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017; 50: 79–87.
Authors: Sanz Cortes M.
Published: July 2017

Linked Comment: Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017; 50: 79–87
Improved approach for the determination of low‐Z elements in uranium samples using a vacuum chamber TXRF spectrometer
Authors: Sanyal Kaushik , Dhara Sangita , Misra N.L.
Published: July 2017

Total reflection X‐ray fluorescence (TXRF) method for the determination of low atomic number (Z) elements Na (Z = 11) to Ca (Z = 20) using Cr Kα excitation, vacuum atmosphere sample chamber, and ultrathin window detector of a low Z–high Z TXRF spectrometer has been developed. The earlier reported problem in determination of Al, due to interference of U Mα escape peak with Al Kα, was taken care by more intense solvent extraction‐based separation of uranium matrix from the sample solutions. Any dissolved tri‐n‐butyl phosphate having traces of uranium left after solvent extraction was removed from the sample solutions by equilibrating with n‐dodecane. This approach resulted in the betterment of analytical results. The method developed was validated by analyzing three  Certified Reference Materials for trace metals in uranium oxide, developed by Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. The TXRF determined results were found to have an average precision of 8.0% (1σ, n = 3) and the average deviation of the TXRF determined values from the certified concentrations was 7.3%. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hybridization and emergence of virulence in opportunistic human yeast pathogens
Authors: Mixão Verónica , Gabaldón Toni
Published: July 2017

Hybridization between different species can result in the emergence of new lineages and adaptive phenotypes. Occasionally, hybridization in fungal organisms can drive the appearance of opportunistic lifestyles or shifts to new hosts, resulting in the emergence of novel pathogens. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have documented the existence of hybrids in diverse yeast clades, including some comprising human pathogens. Comparative and population genomics studies performed on these clades are enabling us to understand what roles hybridization may play in the evolution and emergence of a virulence potential towards humans. Here we survey recent genomic studies on several yeast pathogenic clades where hybrids have been identified, and discuss the broader implications of hybridization in the evolution and emergence of pathogenic lineages. © 2017 The Authors. Yeast published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Patterns of microbial growth in urine cultures in a pediatric hematology/oncology unit over a one-year period
Authors: Hirmas Nader , Mubarak Sawsan , Sultan Iyad
Published: July 2017

Background:

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) may present with nonspecific symptoms and without any definitive clinical signs other than fever, hence may be missed without a routine urine analysis. We retrospectively evaluated all cases of culture-positive urine infections in pediatric oncology patients in our center during the year 2015.

Methods:

We assessed all positive urine culture incidents for pediatric patients receiving treatment and/ or follow-up at our center during 2015. Analysis was performed on patients with regards to clinical, microbiology and pertinent lab findings as well as associated risk factors.

Results:

There were 151 episodes of documented positive urine cultures among 73 patients. Majority of positive urine cultures were found in solid tumor patients (41%), followed by hematological malignancies (26%). Most organisms detected were gram-negative organisms (84%), with E.coli being the most frequent (51%). Forty percent of bacteria were resistant to standard broad-spectrum antibiotics, with the majority being extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing. Most of these infections occurred in patients receiving prophylactic antibiotics (46 out of 50). Approximately two thirds of patients were not febrile on the day of culture (64%) and almost half of the reported episodes were associated with urinary symptoms. Pyuria, leukocyte esterase and nitrites were positive in 39%, 51% and 19% of samples, respectively.

Conclusions:

Positive urine culture in children with cancer may not be associated with urinalysis abnormalities, particularly in patients with neutropenia. When selecting empiric treatment for cancer patients with UTIs, one should take into consideration the institutional patterns for resistance and use of prophylactic antibiotics.
The variation of flow and turbulence across the sediment–water interface
Authors: Voermans J. J. , Ghisalberti M. , Ivey G. N.
Published: July 2017

A basic framework characterising the interaction between aquatic flows and permeable sediment beds is presented here. Through the permeability Reynolds number ($Re_{K}=\sqrt{K}u_{\ast }/\unicode[STIX]{x1D708}$, where$K$is the sediment permeability,$u_{\ast }$is the shear velocity and$\unicode[STIX]{x1D708}$is the fluid viscosity), the framework unifies two classical flow typologies, namely impermeable boundary layer flows ($Re_{K}\ll 1$) and highly permeable canopy flows ($Re_{K}\gg 1$). Within this range, the sediment–water interface (SWI) is identified as a transitional region, with$Re_{K}$in aquatic systems typically$O(0.001{-}10)$. As the sediments obstruct conventional measurement techniques, experimental observations of interfacial hydrodynamics remain extremely rare. The use of refractive index matching here allows measurement of the mean and turbulent flow across the SWI and thus direct validation of the proposed framework. This study demonstrates a strong relationship between the structure of the mean and turbulent flow at the SWI and$Re_{K}$. Hydrodynamic characteristics, such as the interfacial turbulent shear stress, velocity, turbulence intensities and turbulence anisotropy tend towards those observed in flows over impermeable boundaries as$Re_{K}\rightarrow 0$and towards those seen in flows over highly permeable boundaries as$Re_{K}\rightarrow \infty$. A value of$Re_{K}\approx 1{-}2$is seen to be an important threshold, above which the turbulent stress starts to dominate the fluid shear stress at the SWI, the penetration depths of turbulence and the mean flow into the sediment bed are comparable and similarity relationships developed for highly permeable boundaries hold. These results are used to provide a new perspective on the development of interfacial transport models at the SWI.
One Year of Monitoring the Vela Pulsar Using a Phased Array Feed
Authors: Sarkissian John M. , Reynolds John E. , Hobbs George , Harvey-Smith Lisa
Published: July 2017

We have observed the Vela pulsar for 1 year using a phased array feed receiver on the 12-m antenna of the Parkes Test-Bed Facility. These observations have allowed us to investigate the stability of the phased array feed beam weights over time, to demonstrate that pulsars can be timed over long periods using phased array feed technology and to detect and study the most recent glitch event that occurred on 2016 December 12. The beam weights are shown to be stable to 1% on time scales on the order of three weeks. We discuss the implications of this for monitoring pulsars using phased array feeds on single dish telescopes.
What Is and Where Is Francophone African Popular Fiction?
Authors: Higginson Pim
Published: July 2017

Africa, and the specificities of its individual countries’ colonial experiences, poses important questions concerning genre and popular culture. Specifically, it is difficult to situate something like, for example, “crime fiction,” using the “culture industries” model proposed by Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer. Although helpful, Stuart Hall’s major rehabilitation of the popular removed Adorno and Horkheimer’s cultural elitism but nevertheless continued to tie the popular to a mode of production concomitant with late capitalism. What, this essay asks, should then be done with the “popular” productions of an African continent that has been systematically underdeveloped? Likewise, how should we categorize the work of Francophone African writers of noir whose books are principally sold in France? These cases further destabilize the already precarious concept of the popular, not only in its application to Africa, but globally.
Africa in What Age: Post-Global or Post-Rwanda?
Authors: Korang Kwaku Larbi
Published: July 2017

In “African Literature in the Post-Global Age” Tejumola Olaniyan is to be found asking: Where is the world at—and Africa with it? And for Olaniyan, the contemporary world is most ideally mapped as “post-global.” The purview of the post-global—its “field commonsense”—yields a world of humanity beyond the boundaries of nation, race, and territory, joined in commonalities of global need and planetary responsibility. What are the implications of the world thus known for Africanist literary practice? Can it rightly continue to be a particularist practice dedicated in restricted humanist service to Africa known in racialist, nationalist, and nativist particularity? Or ought Africanist practice to direct its humanism expansively to the service of a world in transnational and cosmopolitan linkage? Olaniyan wants Africanist literary practice to be post-global—and therefore universalist. But is Africanist literary practice well served in discarding the particular? This essay is guided in answer by Aimé Césaire’s caveat: “There are two ways to lose oneself: by segregation in the particular or by dilution in the universal.”
Corps diplomatique:The body, British diplomacy, and independent Afghanistan, 1922–47
Authors: DREPHAL MAXIMILIAN
Published: July 2017

This article studies diplomatic history in its physical dimensions. Its point of departure is the interpretation of the term ‘corps diplomatique’ in a literal sense. The article introduces the concept of the diplomatic body as a diplomat's body and as a body with diplomatic functions and meanings. Based on material relating to the British Legation in Kabul from 1922 until 1947, the body's ubiquity in international relations is revealed through the themes of space, language, and medicine. The article first looks at the impact of Kabul's spatial conditions and the physical reactions it excited in British diplomats. It then considers the bodies of Afghanistan's ruling elite as objects of British attention, whose appearance was documented in diplomatic records. Descriptions of these bodies in diplomatic language expressed intimacy and consensus as well as estrangement in British–Afghan relations. In addition to the metaphorical use of the diplomatic body, the provision of healthcare through the Legation's medical unit addressed the needs of British and Afghan bodies alike. It was also employed to further diplomatic ends by extending colonial medicine to the Afghan population. The study of the Legation's physical practices ultimately reveals the diplomatic mission's colonial origins and character.