bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maximum thermal tolerance trades off with chronic tolerance of high temperature in contrasting thermal populations of Radix balthica
Authors: Johansson Magnus P. , Laurila Anssi
Published: March 2017

Thermal adaptation theory predicts that thermal specialists evolve in environments with low temporal and high spatial thermal variation, whereas thermal generalists are favored in environments with high temporal and low spatial variation. The thermal environment of many organisms is predicted to change with globally increasing temperatures and thermal specialists are presumably at higher risk than thermal generalists. Here we investigated critical thermal maximum (CTmax) and preferred temperature (Tp) in populations of the common pond snail (Radix balthica) originating from a small‐scale system of geothermal springs in northern Iceland, where stable cold (ca. 7°C) and warm (ca. 23°C) habitats are connected with habitats following the seasonal thermal variation. Irrespective of thermal origin, we found a common Tp for all populations, corresponding to the common temperature optimum (Topt) for fitness‐related traits in these populations. Warm‐origin snails had lowest CTmax. As our previous studies have found higher chronic temperature tolerance in the warm populations, we suggest that there is a trade‐off between high temperature tolerance and performance in other fitness components, including tolerance to chronic thermal stress. Tp and CTmax were positively correlated in warm‐origin snails, suggesting a need to maintain a minimum “warming tolerance” (difference in CTmax and habitat temperature) in warm environments. Our results highlight the importance of high mean temperature in shaping thermal performance curves.
Population structure of Purple Sandpipers (Calidris maritima) as revealed by mitochondrial DNA and microsatellites
Authors: LeBlanc Nathalie M. , Stewart Donald T. , Pálsson Snaebjörn , Elderkin Mark F. , Mittelhauser Glen , Mockford Stephen , Paquet Julie , Robertson Gregory J. , Summers Ron W. , Tudor Lindsay , Mallory Mark L.
Published: March 2017

The Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima) is a medium‐sized shorebird that breeds in the Arctic and winters along northern Atlantic coastlines. Migration routes and affiliations between breeding grounds and wintering grounds are incompletely understood. Some populations appear to be declining, and future management policies for this species will benefit from understanding their migration patterns. This study used two mitochondrial DNA markers and 10 microsatellite loci to analyze current population structure and historical demographic trends. Samples were obtained from breeding locations in Nunavut (Canada), Iceland, and Svalbard (Norway) and from wintering locations along the coast of Maine (USA), Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland (Canada), and Scotland (UK). Mitochondrial haplotypes displayed low genetic diversity, and a shallow phylogeny indicating recent divergence. With the exception of the two Canadian breeding populations from Nunavut, there was significant genetic differentiation among samples from all breeding locations; however, none of the breeding populations was a monophyletic group. We also found differentiation between both Iceland and Svalbard breeding populations and North American wintering populations. This pattern of divergence is consistent with a previously proposed migratory pathway between Canadian breeding locations and wintering grounds in the United Kingdom, but argues against migration between breeding grounds in Iceland and Svalbard and wintering grounds in North America. Breeding birds from Svalbard also showed a genetic signature intermediate between Canadian breeders and Icelandic breeders. Our results extend current knowledge of Purple Sandpiper population genetic structure and present new information regarding migration routes to wintering grounds in North America.
Prediction of right ventricular failure after ventricular assist device implant: systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies
Authors: Bellavia Diego , Iacovoni Attilio , Scardulla Cesare , Moja Lorenzo , Pilato Michele , Kushwaha Sudhir S. , Senni Michele , Clemenza Francesco , Agnese Valentina , Falletta Calogero , Romano Giuseppe , Maalouf Joseph , Dandel Michael
Published: March 2017

Right ventricular failure (RVF) after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, but the identification of LVAD candidates at risk for RVF remains challenging. We undertook a systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies of risk factors associated with RVF after LVAD implant. Thirty‐six studies published between 1 January 1995 and 30 April 2015, comprising 995 RVF patients out of a pooled final population of 4428 patients, were identified. Meta‐analysed prevalence of post‐LVAD RVF was 35%. A need for mechanical ventilation [odds ratio (OR) 2.99], or continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT; OR 4.61, area under the curve 0.78, specificity 0.91) were the clinical variables with the highest effect size (ES) in predicting RVF. International normalized ratio [INR; standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.49] and N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) (SMD 0.52) were the biochemical markers that best discriminated between RVF and No‐RVF populations, though NT‐proBNP was highly heterogeneous. Right ventricular stroke work index (RVSWI) and central venous pressure (CVP) (SMD −0.58 and 0.47, respectively) were the haemodynamic measures with the highest ES in identifying patients at risk of post‐LVAD RVF; CVP was particularly useful in risk stratifying patients undergoing continuous‐flow LVAD implant (SMD 0.59, P < 0.001, I2 = 20.9%). Finally, pre‐implant moderate to severe right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, as assessed qualitatively (OR 2.82), or a greater RV/LV diameter ratio (SMD 0.51) were the standard echocardiographic measurements with the highest ES in comparing RVF with No‐RVF patients. Longitudinal systolic strain of the RV free wall had the highest ES (SMD 0.73) but also the greatest heterogeneity (I2 = 74%) and was thus only marginally significant (P = 0.05). Patients on ventilatory support or CRRT are at high risk for post‐LVAD RVF, similarly to patients with slightly increased INR, high NT‐proBNP or leukocytosis. High CVP, low RVSWI, an enlarged right ventricle with concomitant low RV strain also identify patients at higher risk.
Myocardial expression of Toll‐like receptor 4 predicts the response to immunosuppressive therapy in patients with virus‐negative chronic inflammatory cardiomyopathy
Authors: Chimenti Cristina , Verardo Romina , Scopelliti Fernanda , Grande Claudia , Petrosillo Nicola , Piselli Pierluca , De Paulis Ruggero , Frustaci Andrea
Published: March 2017

Aims

We sought to determine whether myocardial expression of Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) may predict the response to immunosuppression.

Methods and results

Endomyocardial biopsies from 237 patients with virus‐negative inflammatory cardiomyopathy treated with immunosuppression were retrospectively examined for the expression of TLR4, differentiating those patients responding to immunosuppression (n = 193) from non‐responder patients (n = 44). A semiquantitative evaluation of the immunoreactivity (grading from 0 to 4) for TLR4 and human leucocyte antigen (HLA)‐DR was performed together with real‐time PCR and western blot for TLR4. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis and necrosis was evaluated by in situ ligation with hairpin probes. A focal intense positive cytoplasmic immunostaining for TLR4 was observed in cardiomyocytes of all responders (P < 0.001 vs. non‐responders). A grading 2 or above (2+) at baseline showed a sensitivity of 100% and 90.9% specificity with a positive predictive value of 98% as a predictor of an immunosuppression‐positive response. Real‐time PCR and western blot analysis for TLR4 were 4.3‐fold and 4.6‐fold higher, respectively, in responders vs. non‐responders. Correlation between TLR4 grading and TLR4 mRNA molecular and protein expression was highly significant. HLA‐DR did not discriminate between the two groups. Cardiomyocyte death by apoptosis was 3.7‐fold higher in responders vs. non‐responders and significantly correlated with TLR4 expression, while necrosis was comparable. Intensity of baseline TLR4 expression correlated with the variation in ejection fraction after 6 months of immunosuppression.

Conclusion

TLR4 is highly expressed in human myocarditis responding to immunosuppression. It can be considered as a new sensitive marker in patient selection predicting a good response to immunosuppressive therapy.
Characterization of isomeric glycan structures by LC‐MS/MS
Authors: Veillon Lucas , Huang Yifan , Peng Wenjing , Dong Xue , Cho Byeong Gwan , Mechref Yehia
Published: March 2017

The characterization of glycosylation is critical for obtaining a comprehensive view of the regulation and functions of glycoproteins of interest. Due to the complex nature of oligosaccharides, stemming from variable compositions and linkages, and ion suppression effects, the chromatographic separation of glycans, including isomeric structures, is necessary for exhaustive characterization by MS. This review introduces the fundamental principles underlying the techniques in LC utilized by modern day glycomics researchers. Recent advances in porous graphitized carbon, reverse phase, ion exchange, and hydrophilic interaction LC utilized in conjunction with MS, for the characterization of protein glycosylation, are described with an emphasis on methods capable of resolving isomeric glycan structures.
Giant leiomyoma with extensive myxoid degeneration in Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser syndrome
Authors: Sharma Richa , Guleria Kiran , Suneja Amita , Bhaskaran Sruthi , Tanveer Nadeem
Published: March 2017

Leiomyoma with extensive myxoid degeneration in the rudimentary horns of a hypoplastic uterus mimicking ovarian neoplasm can be a diagnostic dilemma.
A systematic review and meta‐analysis of hypocalciuria in pre‐eclampsia
Authors: McMaster Kristen M. , Kaunitz Andrew M. , Burbano de Lara Prardhana , Sanchez‐Ramos Luis
Published: March 2017

Background

Small observational studies have demonstrated that pre‐eclampsia is associated with hypocalciuria.

Objectives

To compare urinary calcium excretion in pre‐eclampsia, gestational hypertension, and chronic hypertension with that in normotensive pregnancies.

Search strategy

Online databases were searched through February 2016 using medical subject headings “calcium homeostasis,” “calcium excretion,” “hypocalciuria,” and “pre‐eclampsia.”

Selection criteria

Observational studies were included that evaluated calcium excretion with 24‐hour urine collection in patients with pre‐eclampsia compared with normotensive pregnant women.

Data collection and analysis

Data were extracted from identified studies. The primary outcome was 24‐hour urinary calcium excretion. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Main results

Twenty‐one studies were included. Urinary calcium excretion was lower among women with pre‐eclampsia than among those with normotensive pregnancies (WMD −158.43, 95% CI −187.95 to −128.92) or chronic hypertension (WMD −92.92, 95% CI −100.55 to −85.29). Excretion was also reduced in severe versus mild pre‐eclampsia (WMD −35.00, 95% CI −58.94 to −11.07) and gestational hypertension versus normotensive pregnancies (WMD −50.95, 95% CI −57.74 to −44.17). Calcium excretion was not significantly lower in chronic hypertension versus normotensive pregnancies (WMD −64.45, 95% CI −135.98 to 7.08).

Conclusions

Urinary calcium excretion decreases with increasing severity of pregnancy‐induced hypertensive disorders, but this trend is not observed in chronic hypertension.
Pharmacologic Calcitriol Inhibits Osteoclast Lineage Commitment via the BMP-Smad1 and IκB-NF-κB Pathways
Authors: Li Anna , Cong Qian , Xia Xuechun , Leong Wai Fook , Yeh James , Miao Dengshun , Mishina Yuji , Liu Huijuan , Li Baojie
Published: March 2017

Vitamin D is involved in a range of physiological processes and its active form and analogs have been used to treat diseases such as osteoporosis. Yet how vitamin D executes its function remains unsolved. Here we show that the active form of vitamin D calcitriol increases the peak bone mass in mice by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption. Although calcitriol modestly promoted osteoclast maturation, it strongly inhibited osteoclast lineage commitment from its progenitor monocyte by increasing Smad1 transcription via the vitamin D receptor and enhancing BMP-Smad1 activation, which in turn led to increased IκBα expression and decreased NF-κB activation and NFATc1 expression, with IκBα being a Smad1 target gene. Inhibition of BMP type I receptor or ablation of Bmpr1a in monocytes alleviated the inhibitory effects of calcitriol on osteoclast commitment, bone resorption, and bone mass augmentation. These findings uncover crosstalk between the BMP-Smad1 and RANKL-NF-κB pathways during osteoclastogenesis that underlies the action of active vitamin D on bone health. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
PET/MRI: Where might it replace PET/CT?
Authors: Ehman Eric C. , Johnson Geoffrey B. , Villanueva‐Meyer Javier E. , Cha Soonmee , Leynes Andrew Palmera , Larson Peder Eric Zufall , Hope Thomas A.
Published: March 2017

Simultaneous positron emission tomography and MRI (PET/MRI) is a technology that combines the anatomic and quantitative strengths of MR imaging with physiologic information obtained from PET. PET and computed tomography (PET/CT) performed in a single scanning session is an established technology already in widespread and accepted use worldwide. Given the higher cost and complexity of operating and interpreting the studies obtained on a PET/MRI system, there has been question as to which patients would benefit most from imaging with PET/MRI versus PET/CT. In this article, we compare PET/MRI with PET/CT, detail the applications for which PET/MRI has shown promise and discuss impediments to future adoption. It is our hope that future work will prove the benefit of PET/MRI to specific groups of patients, initially those in which PET/CT and MRI are already performed, leveraging simultaneity and allowing for greater degrees of multiparametric evaluation.

Level of Evidence: 5

Technical Efficacy: Stage 5

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1247–1262.
Preparative separation of phytosterol analogues from green alga Chlorella vulgaris using recycling counter‐current chromatography
Authors: Wu Jianbing , Liu Chunping , Lu Yanbin
Published: March 2017

The unicellular alga Chlorella vulgaris is a well‐known health food. It has been proven that the minor phytosterols, ergosterol and its analogue, are an important class of bioactive substances in C. vulgaris. In this work, a recycling counter‐current chromatographic approach was proposed for preparative separation of two analogue sterols from crude extract of C. vulgaris. The separation unit was set up with a type‐J instrument coupled with a column switching valve. A two‐phase solvent system composed of n‐hexane/dichloromethane/acetonitrile (10:3:7, v/v/v) was selected and optimized. After five cycles of separation, two analogue sterols were baseline separated, producing 11.7 mg 26‐nor‐25‐isopropyl‐5,7,22‐trien‐3β‐ol and 20.3 mg ergosterol from 300 mg of C. vulgaris extract. Their purities were both above 95%. The structures of two sterols were identified by using NMR spectroscopy.
Motile behavior and predation risk in planktonic copepods
Authors: van Someren Gréve Hans , Almeda Rodrigo , Kiørboe Thomas
Published: March 2017

Predation is an important source of mortality in zooplankton but factors governing predation risk in marine food webs are still not well understood. Here, we examine the role of zooplankton behavior in determining predation risk. We first quantified motility of copepods with different feeding behaviors (ambush feeding, cruising, and feeding‐current feeding). Second, we estimated remote predator detection and escape characteristics of the studied copepods. Third, we proposed a simple behavior‐dependent encounter model to predict copepod predation risk from rheotactic predators. Finally, we compared our predictions with predation risk previously determined experimentally. For similar sized copepods, predicted predation risks were similar between feeding‐current feeders and cruising feeders, whereas predation was up to 8.5 times lower (range: 1.5–8.5) for ambush feeders. Predicted predation risks further differed between males and females depending on feeding behavior: in ambush feeders males actively search for non‐motile females and their predation risk was up to 6 times higher (range 1.2–6) than for females. In contrast, feeding current‐ and cruising feeders showed small differences in predation risk between genders. In all cases, predicted relative predation risks between particular behaviors were confirmed by empirical data from previous predation experiments. Our results demonstrate that prey behavior of zooplankton may lead to a predictable variation in predation risk from rheotactic predators of up to an order of magnitude, and therefore that individual behavior is an important factor in structuring zooplankton communities.
Oral administration of nasturtium affects peptide YY secretion in male subjects
Authors: Schiess Sonja , Platz Stefanie , Kemper Margrit , Schreiner Monika , Mewis Inga , Rohn Sascha , Bumke‐Vogt Christiane , Pivovarova Olga , Pfeiffer Andreas F.H.
Published: March 2017

Scope

Nasturtium plants contain the glucosinolate glucotropaeolin and its corresponding breakdown product benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), the latter being intensively studied with regard to cancer chemoprevention and anti‐inflammatory properties. In addition, recent research has shown that isothiocyanates are able to activate the release of several gut hormones in vitro and in rodent studies. Here, we tested the effects of a dietary nasturtium administration on circulating levels of gut hormones in humans.

Methods and results

Metabolically healthy males (n = 15) received a single oral dose of 10 g freeze‐dried nasturtium leaf material suspended in water or only water (control). Blood samples were taken every hour and serum concentrations of insulin, C‐peptide, glucagon‐like peptide 1 (GLP‐1), glucose‐dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), and peptide (PYY) were analyzed. Oral nasturtium intake resulted in an increased release of PYY over a time period of 6 h whereas circulating levels of other hormones were not changed.

Conclusion

Given the finding that nasturtium consumption enhances secretion of PYY, a key hormone involved in energy regulation, special diets containing nasturtium, or supplementation with nasturtium or BITC might be considered in the treatment of obesity.
A comparative simulation study of bayesian fitting approaches to intravoxel incoherent motion modeling in diffusion‐weighted MRI
Authors: While Peter T.
Published: March 2017

Purpose

To assess the performance of various least squares and Bayesian modeling approaches to parameter estimation in intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) modeling of diffusion‐weighted MRI data.

Methods

Simulated tissue models of different type (breast/liver) and morphology (discrete/continuous) were used to generate noisy data according to the IVIM model at several signal‐to‐noise ratios. IVIM parameter maps were generated using six different approaches, including full nonlinear least squares (LSQ), segmented least squares (SEG), Bayesian modeling with a Gaussian shrinkage prior (BSP) and Bayesian modeling with a spatial homogeneity prior (FBM), plus two modified approaches. Estimators were compared by calculating the median absolute percentage error and deviation, and median percentage bias.

Results

The Bayesian modeling approaches consistently outperformed the least squares approaches, with lower relative error and deviation, and provided cleaner parameter maps with reduced erroneous heterogeneity. However, a weakness of the Bayesian approaches was exposed, whereby certain tissue features disappeared completely in regions of high parameter uncertainty. Lower error and deviation were generally afforded by FBM compared with BSP, at the cost of higher bias.

Conclusions

Bayesian modeling is capable of producing more visually pleasing IVIM parameter maps than least squares approaches, but their potential to mask certain tissue features demands caution during implementation. Magn Reson Med 78:2373–2387, 2017. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Three‐dimensional quantification of vorticity and helicity from 3D cine PC‐MRI using finite‐element interpolations
Authors: Sotelo Julio , Urbina Jesús , Valverde Israel , Mura Joaquín , Tejos Cristián , Irarrazaval Pablo , Andia Marcelo E. , Hurtado Daniel E. , Uribe Sergio
Published: March 2017

Purpose

We propose a 3D finite‐element method for the quantification of vorticity and helicity density from 3D cine phase‐contrast (PC) MRI.

Methods

By using a 3D finite‐element method, we seamlessly estimate velocity gradients in 3D. The robustness and convergence were analyzed using a combined Poiseuille and Lamb‐Ossen equation. A computational fluid dynamics simulation was used to compared our method with others available in the literature. Additionally, we computed 3D maps for different 3D cine PC‐MRI data sets: phantom without and with coarctation (18 healthy volunteers and 3 patients).

Results

We found a good agreement between our method and both the analytical solution of the combined Poiseuille and Lamb‐Ossen. The computational fluid dynamics results showed that our method outperforms current approaches to estimate vorticity and helicity values. In the in silico model, we observed that for a tetrahedral element of 2 mm of characteristic length, we underestimated the vorticity in less than 5% with respect to the analytical solution. In patients, we found higher values of helicity density in comparison to healthy volunteers, associated with vortices in the lumen of the vessels.

Conclusions

We proposed a novel method that provides entire 3D vorticity and helicity density maps, avoiding the used of reformatted 2D planes from 3D cine PC‐MRI. Magn Reson Med 79:541–553, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Effects of Suspended Sediment Transport on Invertebrate Drift
Authors: Béjar M. , Gibbins C. N. , Vericat D. , Batalla R. J.
Published: March 2017

Invertebrate drift plays an important role in river ecosystems. Although drift has been studied extensively, the relative importance of the various factors that initiate drift during disturbances remains unclear. Instream gravel mining releases fine sediment and so provides an opportunity to assess the influence of suspended sediment on drift, without the confounding effects of hydraulic changes and bed‐material entrainment associated with floods. This paper examines invertebrate drift responses to increases in suspended sediment during an episode of mining in a Pyrenean river. During short periods of mining activity, suspended sediment concentrations and thus suspended sediment loads (SSLs) increased one order of magnitude at downstream monitoring sections, with maxima similar to those observed during natural floods in the river. Maximum SSLs were recorded at the sections closest to the mining, with downstream transport patterns suggesting that the majority of suspended material was deposited within 1.5 km. Invertebrate drift rates, the number of taxa drifting and the taxonomic structure of the drift changed at sections close to the mining when suspended sediment concentrations and SSLs were high; such changes were not observed at the section 1.5 km downstream. There were significant relationships between SSL and drift, positive for some groups (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) and negative for others (Chironomidae). Our work shows that increases in suspended sediment alone are sufficient to trigger changes in drift, although further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms, and especially to explain the varying responses shown by different taxonomic groups. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
GaP/GaNP Heterojunctions for Efficient Solar‐Driven Water Oxidation
Authors: Kargar Alireza , Sukrittanon Supanee , Zhou Chang , Ro Yun Goo , Pan Xiaoqing , Dayeh Shadi A. , Tu Charles W. , Jin Sungho
Published: March 2017

The growth and characterization of an n‐GaP/i‐GaNP/p+‐GaP thin film heterojunction synthesized using a gas‐source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method, and its application for efficient solar‐driven water oxidation is reported. The TiO2/Ni passivated n‐GaP/i‐GaNP/p+‐GaP thin film heterojunction provides much higher photoanodic performance in 1 m KOH solution than the TiO2/Ni‐coated n‐GaP substrate, leading to much lower onset potential and much higher photocurrent. There is a significant photoanodic potential shift of 764 mV at a photocurrent of 0.34 mA cm−2, leading to an onset potential of ≈0.4 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) at 0.34 mA cm−2 for the heterojunction. The photocurrent at the water oxidation potential (1.23 V vs RHE) is 1.46 and 7.26 mA cm−2 for the coated n‐GaP and n‐GaP/i‐GaNP/p+‐GaP photoanodes, respectively. The passivated heterojunction offers a maximum applied bias photon‐to‐current efficiency (ABPE) of 1.9% while the ABPE of the coated n‐GaP sample is almost zero. Furthermore, the coated n‐GaP/i‐GaNP/p+‐GaP heterojunction photoanode provides a broad absorption spectrum up to ≈620 nm with incident photon‐to‐current efficiencies (IPCEs) of over 40% from ≈400 to ≈560 nm. The high low‐bias performance and broad absorption of the wide‐bandgap GaP/GaNP heterojunctions render them as a promising photoanode material for tandem photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells to carry out overall solar water splitting.
Quadruple‐Junction Thin‐Film Silicon Solar Cells Using Four Different Absorber Materials
Authors: Si Fai Tong , Isabella Olindo , Tan Hairen , Zeman Miro
Published: March 2017

We fabricated and studied quadruple‐junction wide‐gap a‐Si:H/narrow‐gap a‐Si:H/a‐SiGex:H/nc‐Si:H thin‐film silicon solar cells. It is among the first attempts in thin‐film photovoltaics to make a two‐terminal solar cell with four different absorber materials. Several tunnel recombination junctions were tested, and the n‐SiOx:H/p‐SiOx:H structure was proven to be a generic solution for the three pairs of neighboring subcells. The proposed combination of absorbers led to a more reasonable spectral utilization than the counterpart containing two nc‐Si:H subcells. Besides, the use of high‐mobility transparent conductive oxide and modulated surface texture significantly enhances the total light absorption in the absorber layers. This work paved the way toward high‐efficiency quadruple‐junction cells, and a practical estimation of the achievable efficiency was given.
Recent developments in metal‐supported solid oxide fuel cells
Authors: Krishnan Venkatesan Venkata
Published: March 2017

Metal‐supported solid oxide fuel cells (MSCs) offer certain strategic advantages over the more conventional solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), which comprise only ceramic materials. Since alloys such as ferritic steels are very similar in their coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) with ceramic components, viz., cerias, zirconias, and nickel oxide doped with either of them, they could provide excellent thermal cyclability while maintaining a strong interlayer bond. Therefore, in an anode‐supported cell the entire NiO‐ceramic support can be replaced by a ferritic steel porous support—the catalytically active NiO is therefore, a functional layer only. A huge savings in materials cost is achievable, because cerias and zirconias [usually doped with Y, Gd, Sm rare earth (RE) elements] are considerably more expensive that ferritic steels. Lowering the capital costs for SOFCs is an extensive global undertaking with US Department of Energy (DOE) laying down targets such as ~$ 200/kW for the stack itself, in order for SOFCs to become competitive with grid power costs and to offer a power source that promises 24 × 7 power supply for critical applications. This will eventually lead to a premier electricity generation device in the distributed power space, with the highest known electrical efficiencies (>50%). MSCs need very robust, high precision, and cost‐effective manufacturing techniques, which are scalable to high volumes. One of the main goals in this review is to showcase some of the work done in this area since the last review (2010), and to assess the technology challenges, and new solutions that have emerged over the past few years. WIREs Energy Environ 2017, 6:e246. doi: 10.1002/wene.246

This article is categorized under:

Fuel Cells and Hydrogen > Science and Materials
Multidisciplinary Approach to the Management of Esophageal Malignancies
Authors: Joseph Ranjit , Laks Shachar , Meyers Michael , McRee Autumn J.
Published: March 2017

Introduction

A multidisciplinary approach in the management of complex malignancies is becoming more common, and likewise, adopting such an approach to the care of patients with locally advanced esophageal is recommended in order to optimize clinical outcomes.

Methods

In this review, we discuss both the surgical and medical oncology perspectives in the management of patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. We review the data supporting the current standard‐of‐care approach, namely trimodality therapy with neoadjuvant chemo‐radiotherapy followed by surgery. Other aspects of managing these patients including the control of dysphagia and pain as well as nutritional support are discussed. Finally, we review data that support the importance of incorporating a multidisciplinary streamlined approach in the management of these patients.

Results

Rather than having patients see each provider separately, a multidisciplinary approach to esophageal cancer allows for the seamless flow of communication and proactive management of the patient’s symptoms. These benefits include increasing the likelihood of evidence‐based decision making, shorter time to treatment, and increased patient quality of life, all of which can result in improved patient outcomes.

Conclusion

The use of a multidisciplinary team can lead to a more accurate staging paradigm and thereby, better management decisions that translate to improved clinical outcomes. Therefore, optimizing the multidisciplinary approach for the care of patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer is essential for successful and individualized patient care.
Choroidal thinning: Alzheimer's disease and aging
Authors: Cunha João Paulo , Proença Rita , Dias‐Santos Arnaldo , Melancia Diana , Almeida Rita , Águas Helena , Santos Bruno Oliveira , Alves Marta , Ferreira Joana , Papoila Ana Luísa , Louro Carlota , Castanheira‐Dinis António
Published: March 2017

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to measure and to compare macular choroidal thickness (CT) between patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD), patients without AD, and elderly patients.

Methods

CT was measured manually in 13 locations at 500‐μm intervals of a horizontal and a vertical section from the fovea. Linear regression models were used to analyze the data.

Results

Fifty patients with a diagnosis of mild AD (73.1 years), 152 patients without AD (71.03 years), and 50 elderly without AD (82.14 years) were included. In the AD patients, CT was significantly thinner in all 13 locations (P < .001—comparing with age‐match group), and comparing with the elderly group, a more pronounced difference was found in two locations temporal to the fovea.

Discussion

Patients with AD showed a significant choroidal thinning even when compared with elderly subjects. The reduction of CT may aid in the diagnoses of AD, probably reflecting the importance of vascular factors in their pathogenesis.
A prospective study of bipolar disorder vulnerability in relation to behavioural activation, behavioural inhibition and dysregulation of the Behavioural Activation System
Authors: Dempsey R.C. , Gooding P.A. , Jones S.H.
Published: March 2017

Background:

The weak regulation, or “dysregulation”, of the Behavioural Activation System (BAS) is implicated in the development and recurrence of bipolar disorder. However, there has been a lack of prospective studies investigating the predictive role of BAS dysregulation in relation to bipolar-vulnerability. Furthermore, no studies have tested the prospective predictive utility of the DYS self-report measure of BAS dysregulation in an analogue sample. The goal of the current study was to redress this gap.

Methods:

Participants (n = 127) completed baseline self-report measures of mood symptoms (Internal States Scale [ISS]), the Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS), behavioural activation, inhibition and dysregulation of BAS (BIS/BAS and DYS), and at six months, the Mood Disorders Questionnaire (MDQ).

Results:

Linear regression analysis indicated a significant main effect of BAS Dysregulation, and a significant interaction between BIS and BAS Fun Seeking, on prospective MDQ scores whilst controlling for baseline mood symptoms and HPS scores. The interaction effect indicated that the relationship between high BAS Fun Seeking and follow-up MDQ scores was strongest when BIS scores were high, whilst the lowest MDQ scores were observed for a combination of low BAS Fun Seeking and high BIS. However, DYS scores were the stronger predictor of MDQ scores compared to the BAS Fun Seeking and BIS interaction.

Conclusions:

Bipolar-vulnerability is prospectively associated with heightened BAS Dysregulation, as measured by the DYS subscale, similar to prior findings in clinical samples. Further research investigating the longer-term associations between BAS Dysregulation with the development of clinically significant bipolar mood symptoms is required.
The t(8;14)(q24.1;q32) and its variant translocations
Authors: Angi Meenu , Kamath Vandana , Yuvarani S. , Meena J. , Sitaram Usha , Manipadam Marie Therese , Nair Sukesh , Ganapule Abhijeet , Fouzia N.A. , Abraham Aby , Viswabandya Auro , Poonkuzhali B. , George Biju , Mathews Vikram , Srivastava Alok , Srivastava Vivi M.
Published: March 2017

Background:

The t(8;14)(q24.1;q32) and its variants – the t(2;8)(p12;q24.1) and t(8;22)(q24.1; q11.2) are associated with B-cell neoplasia and result in MYC/immunoglobulin (IG) gene rearrangement.

Patients and methods:

We correlated the cytogenetic, molecular and dinico-pathological findings of patients with 8q24 translocations seen in the Department of Haematology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, from January 2003 to December 2015.

Results:

There were 34 patients with 8q24 translocations (31, ALL and three myeloma). The t (8;14) was seen in 25 patients, t(8;22) in seven and t(2;8) in two. The salient findings were as follows: 85% males; 79% adults, median age 37 years; L3 morphology in 61%; mature B immunophenotype in 77%; extra-medullary disease in 41%; additional abnormalities in 28 (85%), notably, structural abnormalities of chromosome 1q (41%) and 13q (9%) and monosomy 13 (15%); complex karyotypes in 68%.

There were two double-hit lymphoma/leukemia, one with a t(14;18)(q32;q21) and the other with a t(3;14)(q27;q11.2), associated with nodal high grade B cell lymphoma and dermal leukemic infiltrates respectively.

Only 13 samples were processed for DNA PCR and all these samples were positive for MYC-IgH (c-gamma type) rearrangement. Only in one patient, in addition to c-gamma, c-alpha rearrangement was also detected.

Conclusion:

The frequency (1.7%) and distribution of these translocations in our series and the association with 1q and 13q abnormalities is similar to the literature. Trisomies 7 and 12 were seen in less than 10% of our patients.
A first-ever dedicated comprehensive review of incidence of epilepsy in South America and Caribbean
Authors: Bhalla Devender , Kapoor Saloni , Kapoor Ani , Lotfalinezhad Elham , Amini Fatemah , Bhatta Nanda , Srivastava Kavita , Tripathi Manjari
Published: March 2017

In order to understand true incident burden of epilepsy in South America and Caribbean, several sources were searched in multiple languages using keywords and combinations. The results were presented as counts, proportions, means, and/or medians along with their 95% confidence intervals (CI). No information was found from Caribbean and no information was available from six South American countries. Based on 14 estimates, annual median incidence (N = 185319, 1984–2010, 7 in rural area) of epilepsy for South America was 115.2/100,000 (95% CI 61.0–133.4, range 0.0–410.0). Random-effect pooled annual epilepsy incidence was 84.8/100,000 (95% CI 65.2–104.5). The 25th and 75th percentile of annual epilepsy incidence were 62.2/100,000 and 130.9/100,000 respectively with an interquartile range (IQR) of 68.7. Between-study variance attributable to each explanatory factor was estimated to be: 38.8% from study year, 18.1% from urban-rural milieu, 15.4% from case size, and 0.6% from study size. Descriptively, on average, 445824 (between 236070 and 516258) new cases of epilepsy are possibly occurring every year in South America. In conclusion, Caribbean needs to come forward for its own epilepsy incidence data especially when risk from numerous factors such as substance abuse, mental health, etc. deems high. Epilepsy incidence in South America is likely to be slightly lower than previously reported although this varies considerably for each country. Inter-population differences are in-part (more than 50%) related to urban-rural differences and variations over time. Our work is especially important to monitor secular trends of epilepsy incidence especially when new data would emerge and countries continue to undergo transitions.
The midlife cognitive profiles of adults at high risk of late‐onset Alzheimer's disease: The PREVENT study
Authors: Ritchie Karen , Carrière Isabelle , Su Li , O'Brien John T. , Lovestone Simon , Wells Katie , Ritchie Craig W.
Published: March 2017

Introduction

Although biomarker studies of late‐onset Alzheimer's disease suggest pathology to be present decades before diagnosis, little is known about cognitive performance at this stage.

Methods

A sample of 210 adults (aged 40–59) of whom 103 have a parent diagnosed with dementia (family history subgroup) underwent computerized cognitive testing. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) status was determined, and 193 subjects had magnetic resonance imaging. Distance from dementia onset was estimated in relation to age of parental diagnosis, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Incidence of Dementia Risk Scores were calculated.

Results

Lower hippocampal volumes (P = .04) were associated with poorer spatial location recall and higher Dementia Risk Scores with poorer visual recognition (P = .0005), and lower brain and hippocampal volume (P < .0001, P = .04, respectively). Family history subgroup participants closer to dementia onset had lower scores on visual working memory (P = .05), whereas those with an APOE ε4 allele performed better on form perception (P = .005).

Discussion

Middle‐aged adults at risk of dementia show evidence of poorer cognitive performance, principally in visuospatial functions.
Law, Legislation, and Consent in the Plantagenet Empire: Wales and Ireland, 1272–1461
Authors: Dodd Gwilym
Published: March 2017

In recent years, scholars have begun to look afresh at the dynamics of English “imperial” power in the late medieval period, but the extent to which the English dominions were subject to English law and legislation––and the questions of why and how these influences varied between the regions and over an extended period of time––have been considered less systematically and rarely comparatively. With its focus on Wales and Ireland, this article explores the synergies and the strains that shaped attitudes towards the authority of the late medieval English crown and that ultimately determined the extent of England's influence beyond its borders. The article shows that these attitudes were often fundamentally conflicted and contradictory. It highlights the difficulties of the English crown in seeking to balance the elitist agenda of its English subjects, on the one hand, with its desire to bring the Welsh and Irish more squarely within the orbit of the English state system, on the other hand. And it shows how the dominions veered between welcoming and resisting the interference of the English crown. The discussion emphasizes how interaction between the English crown and the people of its dominions was shaped above all by dialogue and negotiation.
A Computer Vision Approach to Identify Einstein Rings and Arcs
Authors: Lee Chien-Hsiu
Published: March 2017

Einstein rings are rare gems of strong lensing phenomena; the ring images can be used to probe the underlying lens gravitational potential at every position angles, tightly constraining the lens mass profile. In addition, the magnified images also enable us to probe high-z galaxies with enhanced resolution and signal-to-noise ratios. However, only a handful of Einstein rings have been reported, either from serendipitous discoveries or or visual inspections of hundred thousands of massive galaxies or galaxy clusters. In the era of large sky surveys, an automated approach to identify ring pattern in the big data to come is in high demand. Here, we present an Einstein ring recognition approach based on computer vision techniques. The workhorse is the circle Hough transform that recognise circular patterns or arcs in the images. We propose a two-tier approach by first pre-selecting massive galaxies associated with multiple blue objects as possible lens, than use Hough transform to identify circular pattern. As a proof-of-concept, we apply our approach to SDSS, with a high completeness, albeit with low purity. We also apply our approach to other lenses in DES, HSC-SSP, and UltraVISTA survey, illustrating the versatility of our approach.
Other ’68ers in West Berlin: Christian Democratic Students and the Cold War City
Authors: von der Goltz Anna
Published: March 2017

Many of the most iconic moments of Germany's “1968” took place in the walled confines of West Berlin, the emblematic Cold War city often referred to as the “capital of the revolt.” Most accounts portray the events in West Berlin as having been characterized by confrontations between the leftist student movement, on the one hand, and a conservative press and generally hostile, older, urban population, on the other. This article rethinks and refines existing historiographical narratives of the 1968 student movement in West Berlin, as well as of West Berlin's place in the student movement. It examines the actions and experiences of student activists in West Berlin, who rarely feature in the familiar narrative—namely, Christian Democratic activists, particularly those from the Association of Christian Democratic Students (RCDS). Using oral history interviews, memoirs, and a wide array of archival sources from German and US archives, the article sheds light on the background of some of the most important conservative players and discusses the manifold ways in which they engaged with the goals of the revolutionary left in the city. The analysis pays special attention to the effects that German division and life in West Berlin had on Christian Democratic activists, to the sources of their anti-Communism, and to their views about the US-led war in Vietnam, a major Cold War conflict that carried special resonance in the divided city. The article concludes that there were important (yet shifting and often porous) dividing lines in West Berlin's “1968” other than those that separated politicized students from an older and more conservative city leadership and population, a conclusion that calls for a modification of the familiar storyline that simply pits Rudi Dutschke and others on the left against the city's “establishment.” The article suggests that this has repercussions for interpretations of the student movement that center on generation. It argues, in short, that Christian Democratic students—activists who were, in effect, other ’68ers—helped to shape and were, in turn, shaped by the events that took place in West Berlin in 1968.
“Crime Has No Chance”: The Discourse of Everyday Criminality in the East German Press, 1961–1989
Authors: Millington Richard
Published: March 2017

According to Friedrich Engels, communists would “take an axe to the root of crime.” Criminality was, in this and similar views, “alien” to the very essence of prevailing social conditions in communist societies and ought to have disappeared as a phenomenon as soon as socialism was established. Yet, despite the ruling Socialist Unity Party's (SED) claim to have created “really existing socialism” in East Germany, crime existed and persisted. Official statistics showed that over one hundred thousand incidents of “everyday” criminal offenses, such as theft, were recorded annually. The SED regarded public relations work concerning criminality as essential to its prevention. This article examines the narrative of crime that appeared in the pages of the East German magazineNeue Berliner Illustrierte, which, following SED instructions, attempted to shape public perceptions by informing readers that crime rates were decreasing and that no serious crimes were taking place. Moreover, the articles made it clear that the only way to eliminate the causes of crime were for citizens to live according to the socialist tenets set forth by the party. As this suggests, the regime used the media and its treatment of crime and criminality in an attempt to win greater legitimacy and coopt citizens for the socialist project.
Synthetic Biology and Ethics: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: HÄYRY MATTI
Published: March 2017

This article explores the ethical issues that have been identified in emerging technologies, from early genetic engineering to synthetic biology. The scientific advances in the field form a continuum, and some ethical considerations can be raised time and again when new developments occur. An underlying concern is the cumulative effect of scientific advances and ensuing technological innovation that can change our understanding of life and humanity.
The Electronic Medical Record and the Loss of Narrative
Authors: MOROS DANIEL A.
Published: March 2017

The use of the electronic medical record (EMR) facilitates many aspects of patient care as well as clinical and outcomes research. However, our thought processes are directed differently when collecting data to be entered into a structured database compared with when collecting data to construct a narrative of the patient and his or her complaints. While recognizing that the EMR will improve overall patient care, it is worthwhile examining aspects of patient–doctor interaction that may be sacrificed.