bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Discovery of LML134, a Histamine H3 Receptor Inverse Agonist for the Clinical Treatment of Excessive Sleep Disorders
Authors: Troxler Thomas , Feuerbach Dominik , Zhang Xuechun , Yang Charles R. , Lagu Bharat , Perrone Mark , Wang Tie‐Lin , Briner Karin , Bock Mark G. , Auberson Yves P.
Published: April 2019

Histamine H3 receptor (H3R) inverse agonists that have been in clinical trials for the treatment of excessive sleep disorders, have been plagued with insomnia as a mechanism‐based side effect. We focused on the identification of compounds that achieve high receptor occupancy within a short time, followed by rapid disengagement from the receptor, a target profile that could provide therapeutic benefits without the undesired side effect of insomnia. This article describes the optimization work that led to the discovery of 1‐(1‐methyl‐6‐oxo‐1,6‐dihydropyridazin‐3‐yl)piperidin‐4‐yl 4‐cyclobutylpiperazine‐1‐carboxylate (18 b, LML134).
New technologies for smart cities – high‐resolution air pollution maps based on intelligent sensors
Authors: Banach Marzena , Talaśka Tomasz , Dalecki Jakub , Długosz Rafał
Published: April 2019

This paper presents a contribution in the development of a wireless sensor network, which can be used for building, in real time, dense air pollution maps, for compact urban areas. Such system may be useful for cyclists and pedestrians moving through the city. Based on such data, they can select the route in such a way, as to avoid the most polluted areas. An important step here may be development of miniaturized and cheap intelligent sensors, capable not only of data recording and transmitting, but also of some on‐site data processing and prediction. Such sensors require a development of small and power efficient circuit, including data processing unit integrated with an artificial neural network (ANN) in a single chip. We present a prototype chip that contains main components of such sensors, which include a programmable 10‐bit analog‐to‐digital converter, a programmable clock generator, and selected blocks of the ANN. The chip is a reconfigurable device, with many testing abilities. For this reason, one of the main challenges was a fast and efficient programming and testing tool. Such tool has been developed by us and is described in this work in detail along with selected measurement results. The presented work is an extended version of our conference paper (“Novel solutions for smart cities—creating air pollution maps based on intelligent sensors”).
CudaCHPre2D: A straightforward preprocessing approach for accelerating 2D convex hull computations on the GPU
Authors: Qin Jiayu , Mei Gang , Cuomo Salvatore , Guo Sixu , Li Yixuan
Published: April 2019

An effective strategy for accelerating the calculation of convex hulls is to filter the input points by discarding interior points. In this paper, we present such a straightforward preprocessing approach by discarding the points locating in a convex polygon formed by 16 extreme points. Extreme points of a planar point set do not alter when all points are rotated with the same angle in the plane. Four groups of four extreme points with min or max x or y coordinates can be found for the original point set and three rotated point sets. These 16 extreme points are used to form a planar convex polygon. We discard those points locating in the convex polygon and calculate the desired convex hull of the remaining points. The proposed preprocessing algorithm is evaluated on two computational platforms. Experiments show that, when employing the proposed preprocessing algorithm on the computational platform 1, it achieves speedups of approximately 4 ×∼5× on average and 5 ×∼6× in the best cases over the cases where the proposed approach is not used, while on the computational platform 2, the speedups are approximately 6 ×∼9× on average and 9 ×∼14× in the best cases. Moreover, more than 99% input points can be discarded in most cases.
A spatiotemporal data acquisition toolkit for volume estimation tools in precision agriculture
Authors: Lee Seong‐Hun , Park Jaehwa
Published: April 2019

A data acquisition system for precision agriculture is presented. The system can collects various time‐series data on target plants and their environmental facts. The designed system consists of a server and multiple intra‐networked stations and includes a software toolkit that has two independent but synchronized data acquisition processes. The one is for measurements on environmental facts around a target plant and the other is for volume estimation of the target plant adopting multi‐view stereo techniques. An analysis on sampling rate and data acquisition experiments for testing purposes were performed. A data filtering method based on the fast Fourier transform is applied to analyze the noise immunity of the collected data. For the volume estimation, three different methods, ie, method‐I using 2‐D projection on slices, method‐II using polyhedrons on voxels, and method‐III using enclosed surfaces, were devised to handle various plant types and examined for three different type of target plants. The volume estimation errors were measured in range of 6 ∼ 30% in the experiments.
Changes in behavior are unable to disrupt a trophic cascade involving a specialist herbivore and its food plant
Authors: Lohman Madeleine G. , Riecke Thomas V. , Acevedo Cheyenne R. , Person Brian T. , Schmutz Joel A. , Uher‐Koch Brian D. , Sedinger James S.
Published: April 2019

Changes in ecological conditions can induce changes in behavior and demography of wild organisms, which in turn may influence population dynamics. Black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) nesting in colonies on the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta (YKD) in western Alaska have declined substantially (~50%) since the turn of the century. Black brant are herbivores that rely heavily on Carex subspathacea (Hoppner's sedge) during growth and development. The availability of C. subspathacea affects gosling growth rates, which subsequently affect pre‐ and postfledging survival, as well as size and breeding probability as an adult. We predicted that long‐term declines in C. subspathacea have affected gosling growth rates, despite the potential of behavior to buffer changes in food availability during brood rearing. We used Bayesian hierarchical mixed‐effects models to examine long‐term (1987–2015) shifts in brant behavior during brood rearing, forage availability, and gosling growth rates at the Tutakoke River colony. We showed that locomotion behaviors have increased (β = 0.05, 95% CRI: 0.032–0.068) while resting behaviors have decreased (β = −0.024, 95% CRI: −0.041 to −0.007), potentially in response to long‐term shifts in forage availability and brood density. Concurrently, gosling growth rates have decreased substantially (β = −0.100, 95% CRI: −0.191 to −0.016) despite shifts in behavior, mirroring long‐term declines in the abundance of C. subspathacea (β = −0.191, 95% CRI: −0.355 to −0.032). These results have important implications for individual fitness and population viability, where shifts in gosling behavior putatively fail to mitigate long‐term declines in forage availability.
Resource partitioning confirmed by isotopic signatures allows small mammals to share seasonally flooded meadows
Authors: Balčiauskas Linas , Skipitytė Raminta , Balčiauskienė Laima , Jasiulionis Marius
Published: April 2019

Meadows in river deltas are characterized by a high diversity and abundance of small mammals. However, neither their spatial arrangement nor differences in their use of microhabitat can necessarily explain the dense co‐occurrence of sympatric species. We investigated how several small mammal species share a seasonally flooded meadow of limited size, testing predictions (P1) that herbivore, granivore, insectivore, and omnivore species are separated in time (dominant in different years), (P2) that sympatric species undergo isotopic partitioning, and (P3) that there are intraspecific differences in diet. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures in the hair of seven synantropic shrew, vole, and mice species were used as a proxy for their diet. We found that the three most abundant species in eight of the nine years were from different diet groups. However, based on the number of species in the functional groups, the state of small mammal community was considered unfavored in five out of the nine investigation years. In years with the greatest dominance of Apodemus agrarius, the small mammal community was characterized by decreased diversity and Micromys minutus was either in low abundance or absent. In 2014 and 2016, years of low abundance or absence of M. oeconomus, M. agrestis, and M. glareolus were both recorded in high numbers. Differences in the isotopic signatures of the three most abundant small mammal species in the community were clearly expressed and core areas in the isotopic space were separated, showing their dependence on different dietary resources. Intraspecific dietary separation between young and adult animals was observed only in M. oeconomus. Thus, the high species diversity of small mammals and the formation of their community in this investigated flooded meadow are maintained by isotopic partitioning (segregation in dietary space) and by changes in their number over time (shifting dominance).
Climate change indirectly reduces breeding frequency of a mobile species through changes in food availability
Authors: Mastrantonis Stanley , Craig Michael D. , Renton Michael , Kirkby Tony , Hobbs Richard J.
Published: April 2019

Trends of environmental change are influencing the behavior of many species across the world, while highly mobile species are disproportionately impacted by climate change and human modification. Here, we investigate the mechanisms behind climate change effects on the reproductive traits of highly mobile, West Australian bird taxa, the forest red‐tailed black cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii naso (FRTBC). Using a dataset of annual breeding frequency spanning 19 yr, in combination with hydrological, climatological, and remotely sensed data, we modeled the effects of environmental variation on the annual breeding frequency of FRTBCs. We found several significant relationships between annual breeding frequency of FRTBCs and environmental variation. While the model, which included a proxy for the availability of the cockatoo's primary food source and the previous season's rain, explained 49% of annual breeding frequency, there were also direct and indirect effects of heatwaves and forest productivity. Forest red‐tailed black cockatoo breeding appears to be linked to the spatiotemporal availability of its primary food sources, the fruit from the tree species, marri Corymbia calophylla and jarrah Eucalyptus marginata. However, Western Australia is experiencing significant climate change, with increases in temperature and declines in rainfall altering the phenologies of these species, while declining rainfall is affecting the vegetation structure of the region. As drought events and temperatures are anticipated to increase over the region, it is expected that the food resources during the breeding season for cockatoos will become increasingly limited in time and space, thus threatening the persistence of this iconic species. This scenario is likely to be representative of many other situations where wide‐ranging species rely on patchy food resources in a changing environment. As global biodiversity is increasingly threatened, this study presents timely evidence illustrating how climate change is affecting the persistence of a threatened, mobile species, and what the implications are for mobile species around the world.
Thermodynamic parameters for the complexation of water‐insoluble betulin derivatives with (2‐hydroxypropyl)‐γ‐cyclodextrin determined by phase‐solubility technique combined with capillary zone electrophoresis
Authors: Sursyakova Viktoria V. , Levdansky Vladimir A. , Rubaylo Anatoly I.
Published: April 2019

The complexation of betulinic and betulonic acids (BIA and BOA) (pentacyclic lupane triterpenoids) with (2‐hydroxypropyl)‐γ‐cyclodextrin (HP‐γ‐CD) was studied at different temperatures using the method combining phase‐solubility technique and CZE. In contrast to mobility shift ACE utilizing the electrophoretic mobility, in this approach, the peak areas are used. The apparent binding (stability, formation) constants are obtained by the Higuchi and Connors method from the linear segment of compound solubility diagrams in CD solutions. It was found that the apparent binding constants of the HP‐γ‐CD complexes of BIA and BOA decrease with increasing temperature. The binding constants of BOA complexes are slightly higher than those of BIA complexes; this can be explained by difference in the hydration degrees of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups. On the basis of the binding constants obtained and their temperature dependences (van't Hoff plot), the enthalpy as well as entropy changes and Gibbs free energies were calculated. It was found that the complexation was characterized by negative changes of enthalpy and entropy, that is, it was controlled by enthalpy changes. The results obtained can be used for the optimization of microcapsulation processes of BOA and BIA with the HP‐γ‐CD application in order to increase solubility and bioavailability of these compounds.
Imputed gene associations identify replicable trans‐acting genes enriched in transcription pathways and complex traits
Authors: Wheeler Heather E. , Ploch Sally , Barbeira Alvaro N. , Bonazzola Rodrigo , Andaleon Angela , Fotuhi Siahpirani Alireza , Saha Ashis , Battle Alexis , Roy Sushmita , Im Hae Kyung
Published: April 2019

Regulation of gene expression is an important mechanism through which genetic variation can affect complex traits. A substantial portion of gene expression variation can be explained by both local (cis) and distal (trans) genetic variation. Much progress has been made in uncovering cis‐acting expression quantitative trait loci (cis‐eQTL), but trans‐eQTL have been more difficult to identify and replicate. Here we take advantage of our ability to predict the cis component of gene expression coupled with gene mapping methods such as PrediXcan to identify high confidence candidate trans‐acting genes and their targets. That is, we correlate the cis component of gene expression with observed expression of genes in different chromosomes. Leveraging the shared cis‐acting regulation across tissues, we combine the evidence of association across all available Genotype‐Tissue Expression Project tissues and find 2,356 trans‐acting/target gene pairs with high mappability scores. Reassuringly, trans‐acting genes are enriched in transcription and nucleic acid binding pathways and target genes are enriched in known transcription factor binding sites. Interestingly, trans‐acting genes are more significantly associated with selected complex traits and diseases than target or background genes, consistent with percolating trans effects. Our scripts and summary statistics are publicly available for future studies of trans‐acting gene regulation.
Soil sealing and soil water content under no‐tillage and conventional tillage in irrigated corn: Effects on grain yield
Authors: Ramos María Concepción , Pareja‐Sánchez Evangelina , Plaza‐Bonilla Daniel , Cantero‐Martínez Carlos , Lampurlanés Jorge
Published: April 2019

The main objective of this research was to analyse the effect of soil management on soil sealing and on soil water content under contrasting tillage practices and its influence on corn yield. The experimental research was carried out in a field cultivated with irrigated corn differentiated into three zones representing a gradient of soil texture (Z1, Z2, and Z3, i.e., increasingly coarser). Two plots under different soil management practices (conventional intensive tillage, CT, and no‐tillage, NT) were selected in each zone. The susceptibility to sealing of each soil and the steady infiltration rates were evaluated in the laboratory subjecting the soils to rainfall simulation applied at an intensity of 25 mm h−1. In addition, soil porosity under each treatment was quantified. Soil water content (0–90 cm depth) was determined gravimetrically at the beginning and the end of the growing cycle and at the surface (0–5 cm) during three growing seasons and continuously at two depths (5–15 and 50–60 cm) during the last growing cycle. Soil water content was simulated using the SIMPEL model, which was calibrated for the experimental conditions. Corn yield and above‐ground biomass were also analysed. Significant differences in soil sealing among zones, with decreasing soil sealing for coarser textures, and treatments were observed with infiltration rates that were near twice in NT than in CT, being the effect of soil cover significant in the reduction of soil detachment and soil losses. NT showed higher soil water content than CT, especially in the surface layers. Above‐ground biomass production was smaller in CT than in NT, and in the areas with higher sealing susceptibility was 30% to 45% smaller than in other zones, reaching the smallest values in Z1. A similar reduction in corn yield was observed between treatments being smaller in CT than in NT. No‐tillage has been confirmed as an effective technique that benefits soil physical properties as well as crop yields in relation to CT, being its impact greater in soils susceptible to sealing.
Association between parental expectation, parenting stress, and parents' adherence intention to medication therapy for children with asthma
Authors: Almogbel Yasser , Xu Qingqing , Sansgiry Shubhada , Essien Ekere J. , Fleming Marc L. , Abughosh Susan M. , Sansgiry Sujit S.
Published: April 2019

Introduction

Taking care of children with asthma, especially those who cannot take their medications according to treatment regimens, can be burdensome for parents and lead to additional parenting stress. Understanding the care process of parents with asthmatic children and helping parents better manage their children's asthma medication use is critical to health care providers. This study aimed to explore how parental factors, namely parental expectation, parental perceived performance, parental confirmation, parental satisfaction, and parenting stress impact parents' intention to adhere to asthma medications (PIAAM) for their children.

Methods

A cross‐sectional online Qualtrics survey was administered to parents of children aged between 2 and 12 who were visiting participating asthma/pediatric clinics. The survey assessed the above‐mentioned factors adapted from the expectation confirmation theory (ECT), along with parents' health literacy, number of asthma medications used by the children, and socio‐demographic characteristics of both parents and children. Spearman's correlation, multiple regression, and path analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between model variables with parents' and children's characteristics.

Results

The findings from a total of 261 surveys indicated that PIAAM was significantly correlated with all parental factors (P < 0.05). Path analyses indicated an indirect effect of parenting stress on PIAAM. Multiple regression and path analyses both suggested that parental expectation (β = 0.369, P < 0.05) and number of asthma medications (β = 0.659, P < 0.05) were significant predictors for PIAAM after controlling for other covariates.

Conclusions

Reducing parenting stress can enhance parental expectation of asthma medications, and hence improve PIAAM. Understanding parents' perspectives may enable health care providers to provide better care for children with asthma.
Molecular dynamics study of a new metastable allotropic crystalline form of gallium—supertetrahedral gallium
Authors: Getmanskii Iliya V. , Koval Vitaliy V. , Boldyrev Alexander I. , Minyaev Ruslan M. , Minkin Vladimir I.
Published: April 2019

A new metastable crystalline form of gallium has been computationally designed using density functional calculations with imposing periodic boundary conditions. The geometric and electronic structures of the predicted new allotrope were calculated on the basis of a diamond lattice in which all carbon atoms are replaced by gallium Ga4 tetrahedra. This form does not have any imaginary phonons, thus it is a metastable crystalline form of gallium. The new form of gallium is a metal and shows high plasticity and low‐melting temperature. Molecular dynamics simulations show that this form of gallium will melt at about 273 K with a sharp increase in temperature in the system during the melting process from 273 to 1800 K. This melting process is very different from conventional melting, where temperature stays the same until complete melting. That unusual melting can be explained by the fact that supertetrahedral gallium is a metastable structure that has an excess of strain energy released during melting. If made this new material may find many useful applications as a new low density metal with stored internal energy. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Green synthesis of polyhydroquinolines catalyzed by silica‐supported ionic liquid Si–[SbSipim][PF6]
Authors: Liao Hui Ying , Kang Li Qin , Zhang Shan Shan , Yan Jia Hui
Published: April 2019

Silica‐supported ionic liquid Si–[SbSipim][PF6] as a catalyst was used first in the synthesis of polyhydroquinolines. The catalyst exhibits high catalytic activity in the reaction, and can be easily recovered and reused without significant loss of its activity for six runs. This green method offers several advantages, including high yield, short reaction time, simple work‐up procedure, ease of separation, and recyclability of the catalyst.
Transcutaneous delivery of DNA/mRNA for cancer therapeutic vaccination
Authors: Sun Xiaoyi , Zeng Linghui , Huang Yongzhuo
Published: April 2019

Therapeutic vaccination is a promising strategy for the immunotherapy of cancers. It eradicates cancer cells by evoking and strengthening the patient's own immune system. Because of the easy access and sophisticated immune networks, the skin becomes an ideal target organ for vaccination. Genetic vaccines have been widely investigated, with the advantages of the delivery of multiple antigens and a lower cost for production compared to protein/peptide vaccines. This review summarizes the advances made with respect to the transcutaneous delivery of DNA/mRNA for cancer therapeutic vaccination and also gives a brief description of the immunological milieu of the skin and the importance of dendritic cell‐targeting in vaccine delivery, as well as the technologies that aim to facilitate antigen delivery and modulate antigen‐presenting cells, thus improving cellular responses. The applications of genetic vaccines encoding tumor antigens delivered through the skin route, both in preclinical and clinical trials, are outlined.
Stress in Relation to Anxiety and Depression Among Racial/Ethnic Minority Women: The Differential Impact of Cultural Mismatch on Somatic and Cognitive Symptoms
Authors: Talavera David C. , Odafe Mary , Cheref Soumia , Hong Judy H. , Leslie Regina , Walker Rheeda L.
Published: April 2019

The study examined the interactive effects of stress and cultural mismatch, as evidenced by low independent self‐construal, in relation to cognitive/somatic symptoms of anxiety and depression among racial/ethnic minority women. Results showed that stress and independent self‐construal work synergistically to differentially affect cognitive, rather than somatic, symptoms of anxiety and depression. Findings highlight the importance of investigating the interplay between stress and contextual factors to improve current treatment models for marginalized groups.

El estudio examinó los efectos interactivos del estrés y la discordancia cultural, probados por un bajo autoconcepto independiente, en relación con los síntomas cognitivos/somáticos de la ansiedad y la depresión entre mujeres de minorías raciales/étnicas. Los resultados mostraron que el estrés y el autoconcepto independiente trabajan en sinergia para afectar diferencialmente a los síntomas cognitivos, no así a los somáticos, de la ansiedad y la depresión. Los hallazgos subrayan la importancia de investigar la interacción entre el estrés y los factores contextuales para mejorar los modelos de tratamiento actuales para grupos marginalizados.
Septal floor rotational flap pedicled on ethmoidal arteries for endoscopic skull base reconstruction
Authors: Mao Song , Li Mingxian , Li Dawei , Lin Hai , Ye Haibo , Tang Ru , Su Kaiming , Zhang Weitian
Published: April 2019

Object

Expanded endonasal approaches have dramatically changed how skull base surgery is performed, and nasoseptal flap (NSF) has significantly improved skull base reconstruction. However, challenges remain when the pterygopalatine artery is invaded by tumors; when it must be sacrificed to approach the lateral sphenoidal recess; when late‐occurrence leak occurs in the sella after transsphenoidal surgery; and also when the leak is on the posterior wall of the frontal sinus, which is too distant for NSF to reach. This article describes a septal floor rotational flap pedicled on ethmoidal arteries for endoscopic skull base reconstruction in certain cases.

Study Design

Case series.

Method

In this article, we retrospectively review a series of 19 patients who underwent skull base reconstruction with a septal floor rotational flap pedicled on the ethmoidal arteries.

Result

All 19 flaps, including the anterior and posterior artery pedicled flaps, survived without significant complications, and no postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak occurred during follow‐up.

Conclusion

Ethmoidal arteries pedicled septal floor rotational flap, with their strong blood supply and large coverage area, are ideal replacements for NSF. These flaps are qualified in locations ranging from the posterior wall of the frontal sinus to the lateral sphenoidal recess and in cases ranging from tumor invading the pterygopalatine fossa to sellar late‐occurred leak after transsphenoidal surgery.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 129:2696–2701, 2019
High‐Q 2D Lithium Niobate Photonic Crystal Slab Nanoresonators
Authors: Li Mingxiao , Liang Hanxiao , Luo Rui , He Yang , Lin Qiang
Published: April 2019

Lithium niobate (LN), known as the “silicon of photonics,” exhibits outstanding material characteristics with great potential for broad applications. Enhancing light–matter interaction on the nanoscale would result in intriguing device characteristics that enable new physical phenomena to be revealed and novel functionalities inaccessible by conventional means to be realized. High‐Q 2D photonic crystal (PhC) slab nanoresonators are particularly suitable for this purpose, which, however, remains an open challenge to be realized on the lithium niobate platform. Here, an important step is taken toward this direction, demonstrating 2D LN PhC slab nanoresonators with optical Q as high as 3.51 × 105, about three orders of magnitude higher than other 2D LN PhC structures reported to date. The high optical quality, tight mode confinement, together with specific polarization characteristics of the devices enable the peculiar anisotropy of photorefraction quenching and unique anisotropic thermo‐optic nonlinear response to be revealed. They also allow the observation of third‐harmonic generation in on‐chip LN nanophotonic devices, and a strong orientation‐dependent generation of the second harmonic.
Fabrication of Ternary Hybrid Colloids via In‐Situ Polymerization at the Interface of Oil/Water Emulsion
Authors: Xue Dan , Meng Qing Bo , Song Xi‐Ming
Published: April 2019

This article describes a simple method to fabricate ternary hybrid colloids by using snowman‐like PEO‐SiO2/PS colloids as nucleuses at the interface of oil/water emulsion. The ternary hybrid colloids are composed of three parts with asymmetric compositions and constructions, SiO2 hemisphere with PEO groups, disc‐like or ring‐like cross‐linked poly(4‐vinylbenzyl chloride), and PS hollow sphere. In a certain condition, snowman‐like PEO‐SiO2/PS colloids, deionized water, divinylbenzene, 4‐vinylbenzyl chloride, and n‐alkane are mixed to form homogenous and stable oil/water emulsion. The snowman‐like PEO‐SiO2/PS colloids are vertically situated at the interface of oil/water emulsion for their amphiphilicity. At the interface of oil/water emulsion, divinylbenzene and 4‐vinylbenzyl chloride are initiated to polymerize and generate cross‐linked poly(4‐vinylbenzyl chloride) surrounding snowman‐like PEO‐SiO2/PS colloids and thus PEO‐SiO2/PVBC/PS colloids are fabricated. This method provides a versatile and modular tool to fabricate ternary hybrid colloids at the interface of oil/water emulsion.
States favoring Medicaid work mandate continue to face roadblock in courts
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: April 2019

The debate over whether work requirements should be imposed on Medicaid beneficiaries shows no signs of easing, with some states' efforts to impose work provisions consistently losing in the federal courts while the Trump administration continues to encourage states to move in this direction.
Study examines novel psychedelics' link with MH outcomes
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: April 2019

Observing that classic psychedelics, such as LSD, have been around for a long time and there is significant scientific evidence about their effects, researchers sought to evaluate the prevalence of novel psychedelic use and its associated psychosocial characteristics.
Oculo‐zygomatic nerve transfer for facial synkinesis: An anatomical feasibility study
Authors: Jensson David , Weninger Wolfgang J. , Schmid Melanie , Meng Stefan , Jonsson Lars , Tzou Chieh‐Han John , Rodriguez‐Lorenzo Andres
Published: April 2019

Background

Patients with severe oro‐ocular synkinesis often present with concomitant inefficient smile excursion on the affected site. In theory, oculo‐zygomatic nerve transfer may decrease synkinesis and improve smile by redirecting nerve fibers to their target muscle. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of nerve transfer in human cadavers between a caudal branch innervating the orbicularis oculi to a cephalad branch innervating the zygomaticus major muscles.

Methods

Eighteen hemi‐faces were dissected. Reach for direct coaptation of a caudal nerve branch innervating the orbicularis oculi muscle to a cephalad nerve branch innervating the zygomaticus major muscle was assessed. Measurements included total number of nerve branches as well as maximum dissection length. Nerve samples were taken from both branches at the site of coaptation and histomorphometric analysis for axonal count was performed.

Results

The number of sub‐branches to the orbicularis oculi muscle was 3.1 ± 1.0 and to the zygomaticus major muscle 4.7 ± 1.2. The maximal length of dissection of the caudal nerve branch to the orbicularis oculi muscle was 28.3 ± 7.3 mm and for the cranial nerve branch to the zygomaticus major muscle 23.8 ± 6.5 mm. Transection and tension‐free coaptation was possible in all cases but one. The average myelinated fiber counts per mm2 was of 5,173 ± 2,293 for the caudal orbicularis oculi branch and 5,256 ± 1,774 for the cephalad zygomaticus major branch.

Conclusion

Oculo‐zygomatic nerve transfer is an anatomically feasible procedure. The clinical value of this procedure, however, remains to be proven.
Information Loss in Network Pharmacology
Authors: Vogt Ingo , Mestres Jordi
Published: April 2019

With the advent of increasing computational power and large‐scale data acquisition, network analysis has become an attractive tool to study the organisation of complex systems and the interrelation of their constituent entities in various scientific domains. In many cases, relations only occur between entities of two different subsets, thereby forming a bipartite network. Often, the analysis of such bipartite networks involves the consideration of its two monopartite projections in order to focus on each entity subset individually as a means to deduce properties of the underlying original network. Although it is broadly acknowledged that this type of projection is not lossless, the inherent limitations of their interpretability are rarely discussed. In this work, we introduce two approaches for measuring the information loss associated with bipartite network projection. Application to two structurally distinct cases in network pharmacology, namely, drug‐target and disease‐gene bipartite networks, confirms that the major determinant of information loss is the degree of vertices omitted during the monopartite projection.
Generalization of the Maxwell equation and relation to the elastic equation
Authors: Soga Hideo
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we propose a hyperbolic system of first‐order pseudo‐differential equations as generalization of the Maxwell equation. We state basic properties of this system corresponding to the ones of the (usual) Maxwell equation and explain that several known generalized Maxwell equations presented by some researchers can be integrated into the system. Namely, their equations can be regarded as our equation in special cases. Their generalized equations admit not only transversal but also longitudinal waves and are examined from the physical viewpoint. Using the present system, from the mathematical viewpoint, we interpret the meaning for presence of the longitudinal wave (with the transversal one) in their generalized equations. This presence means existence of more than one non‐zero characteristic root for the system (ie, non‐zero eigenvalue of the symbol). We prove also that our system becomes a first‐order expression of (generalized) elastic equations. Furthermore, it is shown that introducing the elastic equations implies expressing the generalized Maxwell equations by the potentials.
Investigation of TLD and EBT3 performance under the presence of 1.5T, 0.35T, and 0T magnetic field strengths in MR/CT visible materials
Authors: Steinmann A. , O'Brien D. , Stafford R. , Sawakuchi G. , Wen Z. , Court L. , Fuller C. , Followill D.
Published: April 2019

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) and radiochromic EBT3 film inside MR/CT visible geometric head and thorax phantoms in the presence of: 0, 0.35, and 1.5 T magnetic fields.

Methods

Thermoluminescent Dosimeters reproducibility studies were examined by irradiating IROC‐Houston's TLD acrylic block five times under 0 and 1.5 T configurations of Elekta's Unity system and three times under 0 and 0.35 T configurations of ViewRay's MRIdian Cobalt‐60 (60Co) system. Both systems were irradiated with an equivalent 10 × 10 cm2 field size, and a prescribed dose of 3 Gy to the maximum depth deposition (dmax).

EBT3 film and TLDs were investigated using two geometrical Magnetic Resonance (MR)‐guided Radiation Therapy (MRgRT) head and thorax phantoms. Each geometrical phantom had eight quadrants that combined to create a centrally located rectangular tumor (3 × 3 × 5 cm3) surrounded by tissue to form a 15 × 15 × 15 cm3 cubic phantom. Liquid polyvinyl chloride plastic and Superflab were used to simulate the tumor and surrounding tissue in the head phantom, respectively. Synthetic ballistic gel and a heterogeneous in‐house mixture were used to construct the tumor and surrounding tissue in the thorax phantom, respectively. EBT3 and double‐loaded TLDs were used in the phantoms to compare beam profiles and point dose measurements with and without magnetic fields. GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations were performed to validate the detectors for both Unity 0 T/1.5 T and MRIdian 0 T/0.35 T configurations.

Results

Average TLD block measurements which, compared the magnetic field effects (magnetic field vs 0 T) on the Unity and MRIdian systems, were 0.5% and 0.6%, respectively. The average ratios between magnetic field effects for the geometric thorax and head phantoms under the Unity system were −0.2% and 1.6% and for the MRIdian system were 0.2% and −0.3%, respectively. Beam profiles generated with both systems agreed with Monte Carlo measurements and previous literature findings.

Conclusions

TLDs and EBT3 film dosimeters could potentially be used in MR/CT visible tissue equivalent phantoms that will experience a magnetic field environment.
Influence of respiration‐induced B0 variations in real‐time phase‐contrast echo planar imaging of the cervical cerebrospinal fluid
Authors: Peters Kristina , Weiss Kilian , Maintz David , Giese Daniel
Published: April 2019

Purpose

Respiration induces temporal variations of the main magnetic field B0 along the spinal cord. These variations are typically not compensated for in velocity quantifications using phase‐contrast MRI. The goal of this study was to analyze errors caused by respiration‐induced B0 variations in real‐time phase‐contrast echo planar imaging (PCEPI) of cervical cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) velocity measurements and to evaluate this effect for various sequence parameters using numerical simulations.

Methods

Real‐time B0 measurements with double gradient echo sequence and PCEPI measurements were acquired in the cervical CSF of 10 healthy subjects. Dynamic phase offsets attributed to respiration‐induced B0 variations were analyzed by quantifying amplitudes and comparing the temporal behavior with respiratory signals. In experiments and simulations, the influence of the echo time (TE) and the delay between PCEPI images (Δt) with respect to respiration on the dynamic phase offsets were investigated.

Results

A good agreement was found between phase offsets extracted from both acquisition types. Furthermore, respiratory signals qualitatively matched the temporal behavior of the measured phase offsets showing a dependency on subject‐dependent local B0 distribution and respiration physiology. Simulations revealed residual background phases in PCEPI velocity quantification varying with TE and Δt.

Conclusion

Respiration‐induced B0 variations result in dynamic background phases in real‐time PCEPI velocity quantifications of the CSF in the cervical spine. The current work underlines that these background phases need to be corrected to avoid confounding effects.
Testing Bidirectional Associations Between Childhood Aggression and BMI: Results from Three Cohorts
Authors: Derks Ivonne P. M. , Bolhuis Koen , Yalcin Zeynep , Gaillard Romy , Hillegers Manon H. J. , Larsson Henrik , Lundström Sebastian , Lichtenstein Paul , van Beijsterveldt Catharina E. M. , Bartels Meike , Boomsma Dorret I. , Tiemeier Henning , Jansen Pauline W.
Published: April 2019

Objective

This study examined the prospective, potentially bidirectional association of aggressive behavior with BMI and body composition across childhood in three population‐based cohorts.

Methods

Repeated measures of aggression and BMI were available from the Generation R Study between ages 6 and 10 years (N = 3,974), the Netherlands Twin Register (NTR) between ages 7 and 10 years (N = 10,328), and the Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development (TCHAD) between ages 9 and 14 years (N = 1,462). In all samples, aggression was assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist. Fat mass and fat‐free mass were available in the Generation R Study. Associations were examined with cross‐lagged modeling.

Results

Aggressive behavior at baseline was associated with higher BMI at follow‐up in the Generation R Study (β = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.00 to 0.04), in NTR (β = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.06), and in TCHAD (β = 0.03, 95% CI: −0.02 to 0.07). Aggressive behavior was prospectively associated with higher fat mass (β = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.05) but not fat‐free mass. There was no evidence that BMI or body composition preceded aggressive behavior.

Conclusions

More aggressive behavior was prospectively associated with higher BMI and fat mass. This suggests that aggression contributes to the obesity problem, and future research should study whether these behavioral pathways to childhood obesity are modifiable.
Boron/nitrogen flame retardant additives cross‐linked cellulose nanofibril/montmorillonite aerogels toward super‐low flammability and improved mechanical properties
Authors: Wang Liang , Sánchez‐Soto Miguel , Fan Jie , Xia Zhao‐Peng , Liu Yong
Published: April 2019

Low‐flammability freeze‐dried cellulose nanofibril (CNF)/sodium montmorillonite (MMT) aerogels with improved mechanical properties were fabricated via a facile cross‐linking of boric acid (BA) and melamine‐formaldehyde (MF) resins. Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that BA cross‐linking reduced the interspacing of layered CNF/MMT aerogels whereas introduction of MF formed polymeric fibrils that connected the layers. These changes on microstructures resulted in the improvement on compressive mechanical properties of the cross‐linked aerogels. Moreover, the boron (B)/nitrogen (N) containing flame retardant cross‐linkers greatly increased the limiting oxygen index values that could reach 85% and leveled the UL‐94 rating from no rating to V‐0. Cone calorimetric results suggested that BA and MF induced a synergistic effect on the flame retardant properties of the CNF/MMT aerogels. However, the thermal conductivity was little affected because pore structure and size was not substantially modified. This simple approach fabricated highly flame‐resistant and mechanically strong CNF‐based aerogels that could be used in various engineering fields.
Directional preference, cognitive behavioural interventions, and outcomes among patients with chronic low back pain
Authors: Edmond Susan L. , Werneke Mark W. , Young Michelle , Grigsby David , McGill Troy , McClenahan Brian
Published: April 2019

Objectives

Graded activity and graded exposure are recommended cognitive behavioural approaches to improve function and pain outcomes for patients receiving physiotherapy for chronic nonspecific low back pain. Directional preference identified following the McKenzie method is also associated with favourable patient outcomes. Study objectives were to examine associations between graded activity and/or graded exposure, and directional preference or no directional preference combined with or without graded activity/graded exposure subgroups, and function and pain outcomes among patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain managed by clinicians credentialed in the McKenzie approach.

Method

Cohort study: Subjects (n = 801) with chronic nonspecific low back pain completed intake surveys, that is, the Lumbar Computer Adaptive Test measuring function and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale measuring pain, and questions addressing their demographic, lifestyle, and health status. Directional preference was determined at intake. Treatment with graded activity/graded exposure during the episode of care was recorded. Function and pain measures were repeated at discharge. Two models were developed controlling for potential confounding effects. The first model examined associations between patients receiving versus not receiving graded activity/graded exposure. The second model examined interaction effects between four combinations of directional preference and graded activity/graded exposure. Outcome measures were changes in function and pain during rehabilitation.

Results

Regarding the first objective, there were no clinically relevant differences between treatment versus no treatment with graded activity/graded exposure, and functional outcomes. Regarding the second objective, patients in the no‐directional preference group were more likely to see benefits from the addition of graded activity/graded exposure to their treatment groups than those with a directional preference.

Conclusion

Clinicians using McKenzie methods might attain improved patient functional outcomes when augmenting treatment with graded activity and/or graded exposure among patients who do not demonstrate directional preference.
Crystal structure of the coiled‐coil domain of Drosophila TRIM protein Brat
Authors: Liu Chunhua , Shan Zelin , Diao Jianqiao , Wen Wenyu , Wang Wenning
Published: April 2019

Drosophila brain tumor (Brat) is a translational repressor belonging to the tripartite motif (TRIM) protein superfamily. During the asymmetric division of Drosophila neuroblasts, Brat localizes at the basal cortex via direct interaction with the scaffolding protein Miranda (Mira), and segregates into the basal ganglion mother cells after cell division. It was previously reported that both the coiled‐coil (CC) and NHL domains of Brat are required for the interaction with Mira, but the underlying structural basis is elusive. Here, we determine the crystal structure of Brat‐CC domain (aa 376‐511) at 2.5 Å, showing that Brat‐CC forms an elongated antiparallel dimer through an unconventional CC structure. The dimeric assembly in Brat‐CC structure is similar to its counterparts in other TRIM proteins, but Brat‐CC also exhibits some distinct structural features. We also demonstrate that the CC domain could not bind Mira by its own, neither does the isolated NHL domain of Brat. Rather, Brat binds to Mira through the CC‐NHL domain tandem, indicating that the function of the CC domain is to assemble Brat‐NHL in dimeric form, which is necessary for Mira binding.
Phase Ratio, Dielectric, Ferroelectric, and Magnetic Properties of BCTZ Ceramics with CuO Doping Synthesized by the Solid State Combustion Technique
Authors: Yotthuan Surirat , Kornphom Chittakorn , Prasertpalichat Sasiphon , Suriwong Tawat , Pinitsoontorn Supree , Bongkarn Theerachai
Published: April 2019

This work investigates the effect of CuO doping (0–1.0 wt%) on the phase formation, microstructure, electric, and magnetic properties of (Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Ti0.90Zr0.10)O3 (BCTZ) ceramics. These samples are fabricated by the solid state combustion technique using glycine as fuel. The powders and ceramics are calcined and sintered at 1050 and 1450 °C, respectively, for 2 h. The coexistence of the orthorhombic and tetragonal phases is observed in all samples. Increasing the amount of CuO doping enhances orthorhombicity, as verified by the Rietveld refinement technique. The orthorhombic and tetragonal phases are close to equal in the 0.4 wt% CuO doped sample. The grain size continuously increases as more CuO is added up to 0.4 wt% and then the size decreases due to the accumulation of excessive CuO at the grain boundaries. The density, dielectric constant, and ferroelectric properties tend to be enhanced when the CuO doping increase from 0 to 0.4 wt%, then they start to degrade. By increasing the CuO concentration from 0 to 0.8 wt%, the ceramics exhibit diamagnetic behavior. A ferromagnetic hysteresis loop is observed in the ceramic with 1.0 wt% CuO doping when measured at a temperature of 50 K.
The Effect of Copper Vacancies on the Anion Position of Chalcopyrite Type CuGaS2
Authors: Marquardt Julien , Gurieva Galina , Stephan‐Scherb Christiane , Schorr Susan
Published: April 2019

The prediction of structural parameters and optoelectronic properties of compound semiconductors is very important. However, calculations often neglect chemical variability and structural defects. In chalcopyrite type semiconductors one of the major defects are copper vacancies (VCu). The four cation neighbors of the anion determine its position in the chalcopyrite type structure expressed by the Wyckoff position 8d (x, 1/4, 1/8). Intrinsic point defects like VCu and anti‐sites may cause variations of the anion position in the middle of the cation tetrahedron, especially in the anion position parameter x. For stoichiometric chalcopyrite type compounds a formalism according to the principle of conservation of tetrahedral bonds (CTB) can be applied to calculate the anion position parameter, but it fails in the case of off‐stoichiometric chalcopyrites. This case study of chalcopyrite type CuGaS2 and Mn‐substituted GuGaS2 shows that the experimentally determined anion position parameter x deviate from values calculated by CTB approach. The systematic investigation of off‐stoichiometric CuGaS2 and Mn‐substituted GuGaS2 demonstrates the effect of copper vacancies on the average radii of the cation sites (Wyckoff positions 4a and 4b) as well as on the anion position parameter x. By applying an elaborated CTB approach implementing copper vacancies an agreement between experimental and calculated anion position parameter x can be obtained.