bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An augmented aging process in brain white matter in HIV
Authors: Kuhn Taylor , Kaufmann Tobias , Doan Nhat Trung , Westlye Lars T. , Jones Jacob , Nunez Rodolfo A. , Bookheimer Susan Y. , Singer Elyse J. , Hinkin Charles H. , Thames April D.
Published: February 2018

Objective

HIV infection and aging are both associated with neurodegeneration. However, whether the aging process alone or other factors associated with advanced age account for the progression of neurodegeneration in the aging HIV‐positive (HIV+) population remains unclear. Methods: HIV+ (n = 70) and HIV‐negative (HIV−, n = 34) participants underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and metrics of microstructural properties were extracted from regions of interest (ROIs). A support vector regression model was trained on two independent datasets of healthy adults across the adult life‐span (n = 765, Cam‐CAN = 588; UiO = 177) to predict participant age from DTI metrics, and applied to the HIV dataset. Predicted brain age gap (BAG) was computed as the difference between predicted age and chronological age, and statistically compared between HIV groups. Regressions assessed the relationship between BAG and HIV severity/medical comorbidities. Finally, correlation analyses tested for associations between BAG and cognitive performance. Results: BAG was significantly higher in the HIV+ group than the HIV− group F (1, 103) = 12.408, p = .001). HIV RNA viral load was significantly associated with BAG, particularly in older HIV+ individuals (R2 = 0.29, F(7, 70) = 2.66, p = .021). Further, BAG was negatively correlated with domain‐level cognitive function (learning: r = −0.26, p = .008; memory: r = −0.21, p = .034). Conclusions: HIV infection is associated with augmented white matter aging, and greater brain aging is associated with worse cognitive performance in multiple domains.
The Role of Intestinal C‐type Regenerating Islet Derived‐3 Lectins for Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis
Authors: Bluemel Sena , Wang Lirui , Martino Cameron , Lee Suhan , Wang Yanhan , Williams Brandon , Horvath Angela , Stadlbauer Vanessa , Zengler Karsten , Schnabl Bernd
Published: February 2018

C‐type regenerating islet derived‐3 (Reg3) lectins defend against pathogens and keep commensal bacteria at a distance. Deficiency of Reg3g and Reg3b facilitates alcohol‐induced bacterial translocation and alcoholic liver disease. Intestinal Reg3g is down‐regulated in animal models of diet‐induced obesity, but the functional consequences for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Reg3 lectins in NASH. NASH was induced by a Western‐style fast‐food diet in mice deficient for Reg3g or Reg3b and in transgenic mice overexpressing Reg3g in intestinal epithelial cells (Reg3gTg). Glucose tolerance was assessed after 18 weeks and insulin resistance after 19 weeks of feeding. After 20 weeks, mice were assessed for features of the metabolic syndrome. Obesity was not different in genetically modified mice compared with their respective wild‐type littermates. Glucose intolerance, liver injury, hepatic inflammation, steatosis, fibrosis, and bacterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes and to the liver were not different in Reg3g‐deficient mice compared with wild‐type littermates. Plasma endotoxin levels were higher in Reg3g‐deficient mice. Reg3b deficiency protected against glucose intolerance, but liver disease, bacterial translocation, and plasma endotoxin levels were similar to wild‐type littermates. Absence of either REG3G or REG3B protein in the ileum was not compensated for by up‐regulation of the respective other REG3 protein. Transgenic Reg3g mice also developed liver injury, steatosis, and fibrosis similar to their wild‐type littermates. Conclusion: In contrast to alcoholic liver disease, loss of intestinal Reg3 lectins is not sufficient to aggravate diet‐induced obesity and NASH. This supports a multi‐hit pathogenesis in NASH. Only glucose metabolism is affected by Reg3b deficiency. (Hepatology Communications 2018;2:393‐406)
Standard Methods, George Fuller, and Cuba: What Is the Connection?
Authors: Lafrance David
Published: February 2018

In this month's column, AWWA Executive Director David LaFrance discusses the history and importance of Standard Methods.
Industry Concerns Reveal Threads of Commonality
Authors: Lacey Marcia
Published: February 2018

The 2012 State of the Water Industry Report shows that the state of the economy is foremost on the minds of water professionals. Affecting not only how people view the soundness of the water industry overall, but also how they rank the important issues they're facing, the economy caused the first dip in respondents' soundness ratings in more than five years. Behind that pessimistic view lie the top five critical issues pinpointed by the respondents: business factors (including the financing of infrastructure rehabilitation), infrastructure, regulatory concerns, source water, and workforce. Finance is a key component of the top three issues, and infrastructure and regulatory concerns are clearly part of the broad category of business factors. The category “business factors” covers a lot of territory by itself. Pricing, strategic business planning, information technology, workforce, customer service, and conservation are just a few of the topics in this category that are covered in this month's focus articles.
Generational Changes: The New Team's Gender Balance
Authors: Lafrance David
Published: February 2018

In this month's column, AWWA Executive Director David LaFrance discusses the fact that the water industry has historically been male‐dominated, but it is also true that the gender gap is shrinking. It may be a slow change, but AWWA membership data help to prove the point that the gender balance, although still predominantly male, is becoming more balanced.
A Matter of Maintenance
Authors: Lacey Marcia
Published: February 2018

Without question, infrastructure is currently the primary issue of concern for most water utilities when it comes to the distribution system. Although we often think of infrastructure in terms of pipes and pumps, this month's articles look at the effects that infrastructure has on the water it is transporting.
Thumbs Up
Authors: Lafrance David
Published: February 2018

In the same way opposable thumbs give us the ability to use tools, well‐functioning water systems contribute to the economic and physical well being of our communities.
Tapping the Toolbox
Authors: Lacey Marcia
Published: February 2018

If you're looking for a spectrum of information related to water sources and supply, you've come to the right place. Topics covered in this month's articles range from what one utility learned from its aquifer storage and recovery program to an overview of the literature regarding posttreatment of desalinated water to how smart grid and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) can help utilities manage dwindling supplies.
California Told to “Manage Drought With One Hand Behind Your Back!”
Authors: LaFrance David
Published: February 2018

Setting water rates is tricky business, and as a result there is a lot of focus ‐ including legal focus ‐ on it. A recent court decision on water rates in California has, for good reason, captured the attention of the nation. For the past few years, a court case in California (Capistrano Taxpayers Ass'n v. City of San Juan Capistrano) has seemingly raised questions about the level of precision needed to properly set California's water rates ‐ especially inclining block rates (which are often also referred to as tiered rates or increasing block rates). It was not that long ago, before meters were the norm, that the precision of water rates relied on factors such as the number of water fixtures in the home, students in the school, or bar stools at the tavern. Today there are myriad more‐accurate designs that use a customer's actual consumption as the basis to assess rate. These metered designs also improve fairness and equity and simultaneously support utility, public, and environmental policies. The California rate case, however, takes the required level of precision to a new level.
High contrast imaging and flexible photomanipulation for quantitative in vivo multiphoton imaging with polygon scanning microscope
Authors: Li Yongxiao , Montague Samantha J. , Brüstle Anne , He Xuefei , Gillespie Cathy , Gaus Katharina , Gardiner Elizabeth E. , Lee Woei Ming
Published: February 2018

In this study, we introduce two key improvements that overcome limitations of existing polygon scanning microscopes while maintaining high spatial and temporal imaging resolution over large field of view (FOV). First, we proposed a simple and straightforward means to control the scanning angle of the polygon mirror to carry out photomanipulation without resorting to high speed optical modulators. Second, we devised a flexible data sampling method directly leading to higher image contrast by over 2‐fold and digital images with 100 megapixels (10 240 × 10 240) per frame at 0.25 Hz. This generates sub‐diffraction limited pixels (60 nm per pixels over the FOV of 512 μm) which increases the degrees of freedom to extract signals computationally. The unique combined optical and digital control recorded fine fluorescence recovery after localized photobleaching (r ~10 μm) within fluorescent giant unilamellar vesicles and micro‐vascular dynamics after laser‐induced injury during thrombus formation in vivo. These new improvements expand the quantitative biological‐imaging capacity of any polygon scanning microscope system.

image
Cortical Matrix Mineral Density Measured Noninvasively in Pre- and Postmenopausal Women and a Woman With Vitamin D–Dependent Rickets
Authors: Chiang Cherie Y , Zebaze Roger , Wang Xiao-Fang , Ghasem-Zadeh Ali , Zajac Jeffrey D , Seeman Ego
Published: February 2018

Reduced bone mineral density (BMD) may be due to reduced mineralized bone matrix volume, incomplete secondary mineralization, or reduced primary mineralization. Because bone biopsy is invasive, we hypothesized that noninvasive image acquisition at high resolution can accurately quantify matrix mineral density (MMD). Quantification of MMD was confined to voxels attenuation photons above 80% of that produced by fully mineralized bone matrix because attenuation at this level is due to variation in mineralization, not porosity. To assess accuracy, 9 cadaveric distal radii were imaged at a voxel size of 82 microns using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT; XtremeCT, Scanco Medical AG, Bruttisellen, Switzerland) and compared with VivaCT 40 (µCT) at 19-micron voxel size. Associations between MMD and porosity were studied in 94 healthy vitamin D–replete premenopausal women, 77 postmenopausal women, and in a 27-year-old woman with vitamin D–dependent rickets (VDDR). Microstructure and MMD were quantified using StrAx (StraxCorp, Melbourne, Australia). MMD measured by HR-pQCT and µCT correlated (R = 0.87; p < 0.0001). The precision error for MMD was 2.43%. Cortical porosity and MMD were associated with age (r2 = 0.5 and –0.4, respectively) and correlated inversely in pre- and postmenopausal women (both r2 = 0.9, all p < 0.001). Porosity was higher, and MMD was lower, in post- than in premenopausal women (porosity 40.3% ± 7.0 versus 34.7% ± 3.5, respectively; MMD 65.4% ± 1.8 versus 66.6% ± 1.4, respectively, both p < 0.001). In the woman with VDDR, MMD was 5.6 SD lower and porosity was 5.6 SD higher than the respective trait means in premenopausal women. BMD was reduced (Z-scores femoral neck –4.3 SD, lumbar spine –3.8 SD). Low-radiation HR-pQCT may facilitate noninvasive quantification of bone's MMD and microstructure in health, disease, and during treatment. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
The use of cytapheresis in the treatment of infectious diseases
Authors: Norgan Andrew P. , Juskewitch Justin E. , Pritt Bobbi S. , Winters Jeffrey L.
Published: February 2018

Cytapheresis (removal of cellular blood components) has been employed for treatment of infectious diseases since the 1960s. Techniques have included thrombocytapheresis (buffy coat apheresis) for loiasis, erythrocytapheresis for malaria and babesiosis, and leukocytapheresis for pertussis‐associated lymphocytosis. Published data on these applications is largely limited to case level data and small observational studies; as such, recommendations for or against the use of cytapheresis in the treatment of infections have been extrapolated from these limited (and at times flawed) data sets. Consequently, utilization of cytapheresis in many instances is not uniform between institutions, and typically occurs at the discretion of treating medical teams. This review revisits the existing literature on the use of cytapheresis in the treatment of four infections (loasis, malaria, babesiosis, and pertussis) and examines the rationale underlying current treatment recommendations concerning its use.
The effect of positive and negative memory bias on anxiety and depression symptoms among adolescents
Authors: Ho Samuel M.Y. , Cheng Joseph , Dai Darren Wai Tong , Tam Titian , Hui Otilia
Published: February 2018

Objective

To examine the interaction effect of anxiety and depression on the intentional forgetting of positive and negative valence words.

Methods

One hundred fifty‐five grade 7 to grade 10 students participated in the study. The item‐method directed forgetting paradigm was used to examine the intentional forgetting of positive‐valence, negative‐valence, and neutral‐valence words.

Results

Negative‐valence words were recognized better than either positive‐valence or neutral‐valence words. The results revealed an anxiety main effect (p = .01, LLCI = −.09, and ULCI = −.01) and a depression main effect (p = .04, LLCI = .00, and ULCI = .24). The anxiety score was negative, whereas the depression score was positively related to the directed forgetting of negative‐valence words. Regression‐based moderation analysis revealed a significant anxiety × depression interaction effect on the directed forgetting of positive‐valence words (p = .02, LLCI = .00, and ULCI = .01). Greater anxiety was associated with more directed forgetting of positive‐valance words only among participants with high depression scores. With negative‐valence words, the anxiety × depression interaction effect was not significant (p = .15, LLCI = − .00, and ULCI = .01).

Conclusion

Therapeutic strategies to increase positive memory bias may reduce anxiety symptoms only among those with high depression scores. Interventions to reduce negative memory bias may reduce anxiety symptoms irrespective of levels of depression.
Multistep Unified Models Using Prior Knowledge for the Prediction of Drug Clearance in Neonates and Infants
Authors: Tegenge Million A. , Mahmood Iftekhar , Jiang Zhen , Forshee Richard
Published: February 2018

Allometric approaches are widely used for interspecies scaling for the prediction of pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters during drug development. The concept of allometry can also be extended to predict PK parameters from adults to children. Three methods for extrapolating pediatric clearance were developed and evaluated using the clearance values of 4 drugs. The first method was established using a simple allometric (SA) model with estimated coefficient and exponent based on data ranging from children older than 2 years to adult. Then we developed a unified multistep single‐exponent (MSE) and multistep body‐weight–dependent exponent (MBDE) models. The major steps in these 2 new methods include generating pseudopredicted clearance for unobserved new populations such as preterm neonates, term neonates, and infants. Subsequent steps involve incorporating the pseudopredicted clearance with the actual PK data from older children and adults. All 3 models were then used to predict drug clearance in children ≤2 years old (N = 278). Drug clearance was predicted with mean absolute error of 29.6, 14.2, and 12.9 using SA, MSE, MBDE, respectively. The root mean square error was 65.9, 29.8, 24.7 for SA, MSE, MBDE, respectively. Approximately 41%, 72%, and 74% of the children's clearance data were within 0.5 to 1.5‐fold of the observed values when drug clearance was extrapolated using SA, MSE, and MBDE models, respectively. The present multistep unified extrapolation approaches improved the prediction of clearance from preterm neonates to 2 years of age and may have practical use for first‐in‐pediatric dose selection.
A Convenient One‐Pot Synthesis of Thieno[2′,3′:4,5]Pyrimido[1,2‐b]‐[1,2,4,5]Tetrazines
Authors: Hassan Allam A. , Khattab Reham R. , Wasfy Ashraf A. F. , Abuzeid Khadiga M. , Hassan Nasser A.
Published: February 2018

A novel series of thieno[2′,3′:4,5]pyrimido[1,2‐b][1,2,4,5]tetrazin‐6‐one derivatives 14 were prepared from the reaction of 3‐amino‐2‐thioxo‐1,2,3,5,6,7‐hexahydro‐4H‐cyclopenta[4,5]thieno[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one 3 or its methylthio 4 with hydrazonoyl chlorides 9. The mechanism of the studied reactions has been discussed and further evidence for the assigned structure of the products is based on alternative synthesis. A single crystal X‐ray analysis of compound 14e has been carried out.
New Insights into the Anti‐Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties of Nitrated Phospholipids
Authors: Melo Tânia , Marques Sara S. , Ferreira Isabel , Cruz Maria Teresa , Domingues Pedro , Segundo Marcela A. , Domingues Maria Rosário Marques
Published: February 2018

Nitro‐fatty acids (NO2‐FA) have been widely studied with regard to their identification, structural characterization, and biological actions. NO2‐FA could also be present endogenously esterified to phospholipids (PL), and NO2‐PL were already detected in cardiac mitochondria from diabetic rats and cardiomyoblasts subjected to starvation. However, the biological actions of NO2‐PL have been overlooked. In this study, we evaluate the antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory potential of the nitrated 1‐palmitoyl‐2‐oleoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine (POPC) formed in vitro by incubation with NO2BF4, in a well‐recognized mimetic model of nitroxidative stress. Nitrated POPC showed anti‐radical ability to reduce both 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•) (IC20 = 225 ± 4 μg/mL; Trolox equivalent (TE) = 86 ± 6 μmol Trolox/g lipid) and 2,2′‐azino‐bis‐3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid radical cation (ABTS•+) (IC50 = 124 ± 2 μg/mL; TE = 152 ± 9 μmol Trolox/g lipid). Also, higher lag times were achieved in oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay for nitrated POPC, indicating a faster reaction with oxygen‐derived radicals (TE = 1.03 ± 0.22 and TE = 1.30 ± 0.16 mmol Trolox/g lipid for nonmodified and nitrated POPC, respectively). Nitrated POPC showed the ability to inhibit lipid oxidation induced by the hydroxyl radical generated under Fenton reaction conditions, monitored by electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS) using phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) liposomes as a model of cell membrane. Nitrated POPC showed anti‐inflammatory potential, as assessed by the inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages activated by the Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a well‐described in vitro model of inflammation. Altogether, this study provides new clues regarding the antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory potential of nitrated POPC, which should be explored in depth.
Pure Laparoscopic Living Donor Left Lateral Sectionectomy in Pediatric Transplantation: A Propensity Score Analysis on 220 Consecutive Patients
Authors: Broering Dieter C. , Elsheikh Yasser , Shagrani Mohammed , Abaalkhail Faisal , Troisi Roberto I.
Published: February 2018

Left lateral sectionectomy for donor hepatectomy is a well‐established alternative to deceased donor pediatric liver transplantation. However, very little is available on the laparoscopic approach (laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy [L‐LLS]). With the aim to assess safety, reproducibility under proctorship, and outcomes following living donor liver transplantation in children, a comparative single‐center series using propensity score matching (PSM) to evaluate open left lateral sectionectomy (O‐LLS) versus L‐LLS was carried out in a relatively short time period in a high‐volume pediatric transplant center. A retrospective, observational, single‐center, PSM study was conducted on 220 consecutive living donor hepatectomies from January 2011 to April 2017. The variables considered for PSM were as follows: year of operation, recipient age, indication for transplant, recipient weight, donor sex, donor age, and donor body mass index. After matching, 72 O‐LLSs were fit to be compared with 72 L‐LLSs. Operative time and warm ischemia time were significantly longer in L‐LLSs, whereas blood loss and overall donor complication rates were significantly lower. Postoperative day 1 and 4 pain scores were significantly less in the L‐LLS group (P = 0.015 and 0.003, respectively). The length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in L‐LLS (4.6 versus 4.1 days; P = 0.014). Overall donor biliary complications were 9 (12.5%) and 1 (1.4%) for O‐LLS and L‐LLS (P = 0.022), respectively. Vascular complications occurred in 3 (4.2%) children without graft loss in the laparoscopic group. The 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year overall patient survival rates were 98.5%, 90.9%, and 90.9% in the O‐LLS group and in the L‐LLS group 94.3%, 92.7%, and 86.8% (P = 0.28). In conclusion, L‐LLS for donor hepatectomy is a safe and reproducible technique yielding better donor perioperative outcomes with respect to the conventional approach with similar recipient outcomes.
Making and Operating Molecular Machines: A Multidisciplinary Challenge
Authors: Baroncini Massimo , Casimiro Lorenzo , de Vet Christiaan , Groppi Jessica , Silvi Serena , Credi Alberto
Published: February 2018

Movement is one of the central attributes of life, and a key feature in many technological processes. While artificial motion is typically provided by macroscopic engines powered by internal combustion or electrical energy, movement in living organisms is produced by machines and motors of molecular size that typically exploit the energy of chemical fuels at ambient temperature to generate forces and ultimately execute functions. The progress in several areas of chemistry, together with an improved understanding of biomolecular machines, has led to the development of a large variety of wholly synthetic molecular machines. These systems have the potential to bring about radical innovations in several areas of technology and medicine. In this Minireview, we discuss, with the help of a few examples, the multidisciplinary aspects of research on artificial molecular machines and highlight its translational character.
Long‐distance communication in Arabidopsis involving a self‐activating G protein
Authors: Tunc‐Ozdemir Meral , Liao Kang‐Ling , Ross‐Elliott Timothy J. , Elston Timothy C. , Jones Alan M.
Published: February 2018

In plant cells, heterotrimeric G protein signaling mediates development, biotic/abiotic stress responsiveness, hormone signaling, and extracellular sugar sensing. The amount of sugar in plant cells fluctuates from nanomolar to high millimolar concentrations over time depending on changes in the light environment. Arabidopsis thaliana Regulator of G Signaling protein 1 (AtRGS1) modulates G protein activation and detects the concentration and the exposure time of sugars. This is called dose–duration reciprocity in sugar sensing and occurs through AtRGS1 internalization which is directly proportional to G protein activation. One source of sugars is from CO2 fixation by photosynthesis. Through a simple set of experiments, we show that sugars made in cotyledons that are undergoing photomorphogenesis activate G signaling in cells distal to the nascent photosynthesis center. This occurs with sufficient speed to enable distal cells to monitor changes in photosynthetic activity in the leaves.
John D. Roberts, a tenacious yet benevolent role model and an uncelebrated historian of chemistry
Authors: Seeman Jeffrey I.
Published: February 2018

The author's experience as editor of John D. Roberts' autobiographyThe Right Place at the Right Timepublished by the American Chemical Society in 1990 forms the basis for his description of Roberts as a research scientist and teacher, an author, a citizen of the world, and a friend.
Static Magnetic Field Dictates Protein Corona Formation on the Surface of Glutamine‐Modified Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Liu Ziyao , Zhan Xiaohui , Xu Xianghui , Wu Yao , Gu Zhongwei
Published: February 2018

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have become important tools for the imaging and detecting of prevalent diseases for many years. Scientists usually harness their attraction to a static magnetic field (SMF) to increase targeting efficiency and minimize side effects. To prolong blood circulation time and minimize reticuloendothelial system clearance, SPIONs are increasingly designed with a negatively charged surface. Understanding how a SMF affects the SPIONs with a negative surface charge is fundamental to any potential downstream applications of SPIONs as drug delivery carriers and bio‐separation nanoparticles. The goal of our study is to investigate the effect of SMF treatment (204 mT) on the in vitro and in vivo protein corona formed on negatively charged SPIONs. The results reveal that the amount of protein and the composition of protein corona is directly related to the SMF treatment. Compared with the in vivo protein corona, SMF treatment exercises considerable influence on the composition of the in vitro protein corona. The in vitro protein corona formed on SPIONs modulates the secretion of inflammatory cytokines from cells. To the best of our knowledge, this report describes the first demonstration of a SMF as an influencing factor on protein corona formation in vivo. Our results help to elucidate the biological mechanisms of SPIONs with SMF treatment and suggest that the protein corona effect should be considered during the development of a magnetic target.
On the Holographic Entanglement Entropy for Non‐smooth Entangling Curves in AdS4
Authors: Pastras Georgios
Published: February 2018

We extend the calculations of holographic entanglement entropy in AdS4 for entangling curves with singular non‐smooth points that generalize cusps. Our calculations are based on minimal surfaces that correspond to elliptic solutions of the corresponding Pohlmeyer reduced system. For these minimal surfaces, the entangling curve contains singular points that are not cusps, but the joint point of two logarithmic spirals one being the rotation of the other by a given angle . It turns out that, similarly to the case of cusps, the entanglement entropy contains a logarithmic term, which is absent when the entangling curve is smooth. The latter depends solely on the geometry of the singular points and not on the global characteristics of the entangling curve. The results suggest that a careful definition of the geometric characteristic of such a singular point that determines the logarithmic term is required, which does not always coincide with the definition of the angle. Furthermore, it is shown that the smoothness of the dependence of the logarithmic terms on this characteristic is not in general guaranteed, depending on the uniqueness of the minimal surface for the given entangling curve.
Comparison among several commonly used sampling methods for a degradation test
Authors: Hu Cheng‐Hung , Lee Ming‐Yung
Published: February 2018

Degradation testing is an effective tool for evaluating the reliability of highly reliable products. There have been many data collection methods proposed in the literature. Some of these assumed that only degradation values are recorded, and some assumed failure times to be available. However, most research has been devoted to proposing parameter estimates or to designing degradation tests for a specific sampling method. The differences between these commonly used methods have rarely been investigated. The lack of comparisons between different sampling methods has made it difficult to select an appropriate means by which to collect data. In addition, it remains unclear whether obtaining extra information (eg, exact failure times) is useful for making statistical inferences. In this paper, we assume that the degradation path of a product follows a Wiener degradation process, and we summarize several data collection methods. Maximum likelihood estimates for parameters and their variance‐covariance matrices are derived for each type of data. Several commonly used optimization criteria for designing a degradation test are used to compare estimation efficiency. Sufficient conditions under which one method could be better than the others are proposed. Upper bounds of estimation efficiency are also investigated. Our results provide useful guidelines by which to choose a sampling method, as well as its design variables, to obtain efficient estimation. A simulated example based on real light‐emitting diodes data is studied to verify our theoretical results under a moderate sample size scenario.
Vaporization and thermodynamics of ceramics based on the La2O3‐Y2O3‐HfO2 system studied by the high‐temperature mass spectrometric method
Authors: Kablov Eugene N. , Stolyarova Valentina L. , Vorozhtcov Viktor A. , Lopatin Sergey I. , Fabrichnaya Olga В. , Ilatovskaya Mariia O. , Karachevtsev Fedor N.
Published: February 2018

Rationale

Materials based on the La2O3‐Y2O3‐HfO2 system are promising for the production of highly refractory ceramics, e.g., thermal barrier coatings and molds for casting of elements of gas turbine engines. When these ceramics are synthesized or used at high temperatures, selective vaporization of components may take place, resulting in changes in the physicochemical properties of the materials. Consequently, development of materials based on the La2O3‐Y2O3‐HfO2 system requires information on vaporization in this system as well as on its thermodynamics, without which prediction and modeling of their physicochemical properties are impossible.

Methods

Vaporization processes and thermodynamic properties in the La2O3‐Y2O3‐HfO2 system were studied by the high‐temperature Knudsen effusion mass spectrometric method using a MS‐1301 mass spectrometer. Electron ionization of vapor species was employed at an ionization energy of 25 eV. The samples under study and reference substances were vaporized from a tungsten twin effusion cell.

Results

At 2337 K the main vapor species over samples in the La2O3‐Y2O3‐HfO2 system were shown to be LaO, YO and O. The partial pressures of the vapor species mentioned and the La2O3 and Y2O3 activities in the samples were obtained at 2337 K. The Gibbs energies of mixing and excess Gibbs energies were found in the solid solution of this system.

Conclusions

Vaporization of ceramics based on the La2O3‐Y2O3‐HfO2 system at 2337 K led to selective transition of La2O3 and Y2O3 to the gaseous phase, with the La2O3 vaporization rate being higher than that of Y2O3. The directions of composition changes of samples due to their vaporization at 2337 K were determined. In the solid solution of this system negative deviations from ideal behavior were found. The ability to estimate the excess Gibbs energies in the solid solution of the La2O3‐Y2O3‐HfO2 system by the Kohler method was shown.
Collision cross section (CCS) measurement by ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry with short‐time Fourier transform
Authors: Hu Miao , Zhang Linzhou , He Shan , Xu Chunming , Shi Quan
Published: February 2018

Rationale

The collision cross section (CCS) is an important shape parameter which is often used in molecular structure investigation. In Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR‐MS), the CCS affects the ion signal damping shape due to the effect of ion‐neutral collisions. It is potential to obtain ion CCS values from FTICR‐MS with the help of a proper ion‐collision model.

Methods

We have developed a rapid method to obtain the ion damping profile and CCS for mixtures by only one FTICR‐MS measurement. The method utilizes short‐time Fourier transform (STFT) to process FTICR‐MS time domain signals. The STFT‐processed result is a three‐dimensional (3D) spectrum which has an additional time axis in addition to the conventional mass‐to‐charge ratio and intensity domains. The damping profile of each ion can be recognized from the 3D spectrum.

Results

After extracting the decay profile of a specified ion, all the three ion‐neutral collision models were tested in curve fitting. The hard‐sphere model was proven to be suitable for our experimental setup. A linear relationship was observed between the CCS value and hard‐sphere model parameters. Therefore, the CCS values of all the peaks were obtained through the addition of internal model compounds and linear calibration.

Conclusions

The proposed method was successfully applied to determine the CCSs of fatty acids and polyalanines in a petroleum gas oil matrix. This technique can be used for simultaneous measurement of cross sections for many ions in congested spectra.
Family Communication About Genetic Risk of Hereditary Cardiomyopathies and Arrhythmias: an Integrative Review
Authors: Shah Lisa L. , Daack‐Hirsch Sandra
Published: February 2018

Screening for hereditary cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias (HCA) may enable early detection, treatment, targeted surveillance, and result in effective prevention of debilitating complications and sudden cardiac death. Screening at‐risk family members for HCA is conducted through cascade screening. Only half of at‐risk family members are screened for HCA. To participate in screening, at‐risk family members must be aware of their risk. This often relies on communication from diagnosed individuals to their relatives. However, family communication is not well understood and is ripe for developing interventions to improve screening rates. Until very recently, family communication of genetic risk has been mostly studied in non‐cardiac disease. Using this non‐cardiac literature, we developed the family communication of genetic risk (FCGR) conceptual framework. The FCGR has four main elements of the communication process: influential factors, communication strategies, communication occurrence, and reaction to communication. Using the FCGR, we conducted an integrated review of the available literature on genetic risk communication in HCA families. Descriptive analysis of 12 articles resulted in the development of categories describing details of the FCGR elements in the context of HCA. This review synthesizes what is known about influential factors, communication strategies, communication occurrence, and outcomes of communication in the context of HCA.
Relative ascendency predicts food web robustness
Authors: Canning Adam Douglas , Death Russell George
Published: February 2018

Threats to ecosystems globally from anthropogenic disturbance and climate change requires us to urgently identify the most sensitive biological communities to ensure they are effectively preserved. It is for this reason that understanding and predicting food web stability has been topical within ecology. Food web stability is a multi‐faceted concept that represents the ability of a food web to maintain its integrity following disturbance, it includes resistance, resilience and fragility. In this study, we examine the ability of four food web metrics to predict the fragility to random species extinctions in 120 qualitative food webs. We show that three information‐based indices out performed food web connectance in predicting fragility, with relative ascendency having the strongest relationship. Relative ascendency was a much stronger predictor of fragility than MacArthur's stability metric, Average Mutual Information and connectance as it accounted for both the distribution and number of links between species. We also find that most qualitative food webs persist around a central tendency of relative ascendency.
Quantitative Data Analysis for Single-Case Methods, Between-Groups Designs, and Instrument Development
Authors: Tate Robyn , Perdices Michael
Published: February 2018

We are pleased to bring you this special issue ofBrain Impairmenton quantitative data analysis, an area of increasing complexity and sophistication. In planning the special issue, our intention was to bring together a set of articles covering diverse and topical areas in the field, with the idea of having the volume serve as a ‘go-to’ resource. The special issue is aimed at researchers, clinicians engaged in research, and advanced students all of whom may have passing familiarity with a particular data analytic technique, but wish to know more about it and how to apply it. Accordingly, our aim is to equip the reader with concrete, hands-on information that can be applied in the day-to-day world of research. The authors of the articles comprising the special issue, each of whom is an expert in his/her field, were charged with the task of writing a practical guide and providing worked examples to illustrate the application of their selected technique/s. The papers in the special issue cover three domains: the single-case method, between-groups design, and psychometric aspects of instrument development.
Physical mechanism of ice/structure interaction
Authors: JI XU , OTERKUS ERKAN
Published: February 2018

To obtain the effect of velocity and structural natural frequency (structural stiffness) on ice failure, an extended dynamic Van der Pol-based single degree-of-freedom ice/structure interaction model is developed. Three basic modes of response were reproduced: intermittent crushing, frequency lock-in and continuous crushing. Further analysis on the physical mechanism of ice/structure interaction is presented on the basis of feedback mechanism and energy mechanism, respectively. Internal effect and external effect from ice and structure were both explained in the feedback branch. Based on reproduced results, energy exchanges at different configurations are computed from the energy conservation using the first law of thermodynamics. A general conclusion on the predominant type of vibration when the ice velocity increases during the interaction process is forced, self-excited and forced in each of the three modes of responses. Ice force variations also show that there is more impulse energy during the lock-in range. Moreover, ice-induced vibration demonstrates an analogy of friction-induced self-excited vibration. Finally, the similarity between strain-stress curve and Stribeck curve shows that static and kinetic friction force variations are attributed to ice force characteristic, and can be used to explain the lower effective pressure magnitude during continuous crushing than the peak pressure during intermittent crushing.
Looking at the Southern Cone: American Trade Unionism in the Cold War Military Dictatorships of Brazil and Argentina
Authors: Corrêa Larissa Rosa
Published: February 2018

This article analyzes the AFL-CIO’s anticommunist international policy in the period just before and after the overthrow of democratic regimes in Brazil (1964) and Argentina (1966–1976). It focuses on the activities of the American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD), a labor organization closely associated with US foreign policy interests. By highlighting similarities, differences, and direct connections between US labor activities in these two South American countries, I argue that Brazil’s 1964 coup and subsequent dictatorship were key experiences for US trade unionists as they formulated an AFL-CIO labor policy for Argentina and the rest of the Southern Cone.
Acute general hospital admissions in people with serious mental illness
Authors: Jayatilleke Nishamali , Hayes Richard D. , Chang Chin-Kuo , Stewart Robert
Published: February 2018

Background

Serious mental illness (SMI, including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder) is associated with worse general health. However, admissions to general hospitals have received little investigation. We sought to delineate frequencies of and causes for non-psychiatric hospital admissions in SMI and compare with the general population in the same area.

Methods

Records of 18 380 individuals with SMI aged ⩾20 years in southeast London were linked to hospitalisation data. Age- and gender-standardised admission ratios (SARs) were calculated by primary discharge diagnoses in the 10th edition of the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes, referencing geographic catchment data.

Results

Commonest discharge diagnosis categories in the SMI cohort were urinary conditions, digestive conditions, unclassified symptoms, neoplasms, and respiratory conditions. SARs were raised for most major categories, except neoplasms for a significantly lower risk. Hospitalisation risks were specifically higher for poisoning and external causes, injury, endocrine/metabolic conditions, haematological, neurological, dermatological, infectious and non-specific (‘Z-code’) causes. The five commonest specific ICD-10 diagnoses at discharge were ‘chronic renal failure’ (N18), a non-specific code (Z04), ‘dental caries’ (K02), ‘other disorders of the urinary system’ (N39), and ‘pain in throat and chest’ (R07), all of which were higher than expected (SARs ranging 1.57–6.66).

Conclusion

A range of reasons for non-psychiatric hospitalisation in SMI is apparent, with self-harm, self-neglect and/or reduced healthcare access, and medically unexplained symptoms as potential underlying explanations.
1. French Retrospect
Authors: McDowall T. W.
Published: February 2018

Smallpox and Mental Diseases.
3. ætiology
Authors: Erskine W. J. A. , Gifford John
Published: February 2018

The Relation of Oral Infection to Mental Diseases. (State Hosp. Quart., November, 1920.) Root, W. R.
2. French Retrospect
Authors: McDowall J. G.
Published: February 2018

Under this title, Dr. Taguet describes a class of patients with delusions of an exalted character associated, however, with and dominated by those of persecution. He shows that while at liberty these people may chiefly be found haunting the courts of law, or carrying their grievances to various public officials; while eventually they commit some act which renders it necessary that they be confined in an asylum. Five cases are detailed at length, and the following may be selected as typical:—
Phenytoin sodium monohydrate, C15H11N2O2Na(H2O)
Authors: Kaduk James A. , Gindhart Amy M. , Blanton Thomas N.
Published: February 2018

The crystal structure of phenytoin sodium monohydrate at 295 K has been refined using synchrotron powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional techniques.
Predictors of retention in care in HIV-infected patients in a large hospital cohort in Italy
Authors: Prinapori Roberta , Giannini Barbara , Riccardi Niccolò , Bovis Francesca , Giacomini Mauro , Setti Maurizio , Viscoli Claudio , Artioli Stefania , Di Biagio Antonio
Published: February 2018

Retention in care is a key feature of the cascade of continuum of care, playing an important role in achieving therapeutic success and being crucial for reduction of HIV transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of retention in care in a large referral centre in the North of Italy and to identify predictors associated with failed retention. All new HIV-infected subjects were consecutive enrolled from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2014. Demographics, immune-virological status, hepatitis co-infection and timing of initiation of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) data were collected at baseline and at the time of last observation. Failed retention in care was defined as lack of laboratory data, clinical visits and drug dispensation for more than 6 months from the last visit. Cox regression analysis was used. Multivariate analysis of variables with P<0.05 in univariate analysis was performed. We enrolled 269 patients (mean age 46.1 years). Males were 197 (73%), Italian 219 (81%) with mean length of disease of 5.1 years. cART was prescribed for 257 patients (95%). The rate of retention in care was 78.4% and the rate of virological suppression was 75%. Predictors of being loss to follow-up were foreign origin (P = 0.048), CD4+ count <200/mmc (P = 0.001) and not being treated for HIV infection (P = 0.0004). Predictors of cART efficacy were shorter duration of HIV infection and baseline HIV-RNA <100 000 copies/ml. These findings underline the necessity to improve retention in care by identifying groups at increased risk of being loss to follow-up. Retention in care of vulnerable population is crucial to reach 90-90-90 UNAIDS endpoint.
Implications of a school outbreak of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Northern China
Authors: Wu Xiaoguang , Pang Yu , Song Yanhua , Dong Wenzhu , Zhang Tingting , Wen Shuan , Huang Hairong , Gao Mengqiu
Published: February 2018

In this study, we identified a multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) outbreak in a high school in northern China. The aim of this work was to describe TB transmission, drug resistance and treatment outcomes for this patient cluster. In January 2017, pulmonary TB was identified in a 17-year-old boy in northern China. Subsequently, a total of 11 TB cases were identified during 6-month follow-up of attendees of the same school. Of five students with latent TB infection (LTBI) receiving isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT), two pulmonary TB cases (40.0%) emerged in March and April, for an active case rate not significantly different from that of the non-IPT group (4/16, 25.0%, P = 0.598). All TB patients were first treated with a standardised first-line treatment regimen administered by the local TB hospital, with 11 of 12 active TB patients exhibiting poor treatment outcomes. Further data demonstrated that all nine patient isolates collected during this outbreak were MDR-TB and shared a common genotypic profile. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that diagnostic delay for the index MDR-TB case of this outbreak played a primary role in transmission of MDR-TB infection within a school setting. Importantly, IPT failed to prevent progression of MDR-TB from LTBI to active TB.
Was Eysenck right after all? A reassessment of the effects of psychotherapy for adult depression
Authors: Cuijpers P. , Karyotaki E. , Reijnders M. , Ebert D. D.
Published: February 2018

Aims.

In the 1950s, Eysenck suggested that psychotherapies may not be effective at all. Twenty-five years later, the first meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials showed that the effects of psychotherapies were considerable and that Eysenck was wrong. However, since that time methods have become available to assess biases in meta-analyses.

Methods.

We examined the influence of these biases on the effects of psychotherapies for adult depression, including risk of bias, publication bias and the exclusion of waiting list control groups.

Results.

The unadjusted effect size of psychotherapies compared with control groups was g = 0.70 (limited to Western countries: g = 0.63), which corresponds to a number-needed-to-treat of 4.18. Only 23% of the studies could be considered as a low risk of bias. When adjusting for several sources of bias, the effect size across all types of therapies dropped to g = 0.31.

Conclusions.

These results suggest that the effects of psychotherapy for depression are small, above the threshold that has been suggested as the minimal important difference in the treatment of depression, and Eysenck was probably wrong. However, this is still not certain because we could not adjust for all types of bias. Unadjusted meta-analyses of psychotherapies overestimate the effects considerably, and for several types of psychotherapy for adult depression, insufficient evidence is available that they are effective because too few low-risk studies were available, including problem-solving therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy and behavioural activation.
«Nächtlicher» Rückenschmerz
Authors: Pastorova Helena
Published: February 2018

Zusammenfassung. Ein bis dahin gesunder 27-jähriger Mann stellte sich mit protrahierten nächtlichen Rückenschmerzen sowie Hypästhesie L5/S1 rechts vor. Die aufgrund des klinischen Bilds durchgeführte Magnetresonanztomografie zeigte eine Raumforderung intramedullär in der Höhe der Segmente thorakal 9–12. Nach einer kompletten Tumorresektion blieb die Klinik unverändert, der Patient war aber drei Monate postoperativ beschwerdefrei.