bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of different muscle mass measurements on the diagnosis of cancer cachexia
Authors: Blauwhoff‐Buskermolen Susanne , Langius Jacqueline A.E. , Becker Annemarie , Verheul Henk M.W. , de van der Schueren Marian A.E.
Published: April 2017

Background

Progressive loss of muscle mass is a major characteristic of cancer cachexia. Consensus definitions for cachexia provide different options to measure muscle mass. This study describes the effect of different methods to determine muscle mass on the diagnosis of cancer cachexia. In addition, the association of cachexia with other features of cachexia, quality of life, and survival was explored.

Methods

Prior to chemotherapy, cachexia was assessed by weight loss, body mass index, and muscle mass measurements, the latter by mid‐upper arm muscle area (MUAMA), computed tomography (CT) scans, and bio‐electrical impedance analysis (BIA). In addition, appetite, inflammation, muscle strength, fatigue, quality of life, and survival were measured, and associations with cachexia were explored.

Results

Included were 241 patients with advanced cancer of the lung (36%), colon/rectum (31%), prostate (18%), or breast (15%). Mean age was 64 ± 10 years; 54% was male. Prevalence of low muscle mass was as follows: 13% with MUAMA, 59% with CT, and 93% with BIA. In turn, the prevalence of cachexia was 37, 43, and 48%, whereby weight loss >5% was the most prominent component of being defined cachectic. Irrespective of type of muscle measurement, patients with cachexia presented more often with anorexia, inflammation, low muscle strength, and fatigue and had lower quality of life. Patients with cachexia had worse overall survival compared with patients without cachexia: HRs 2.00 (1.42–2.83) with MUAMA, 1.64 (1.15–2.34) with CT, and 1.50 (1.05–2.14) with BIA.

Conclusions

Although the prevalence of low muscle mass in patients with cancer depended largely on the type of muscle measurement, this had little influence on the diagnosis of cancer cachexia (as the majority of patients was already defined cachectic based on weight loss). New studies are warranted to further elucidate the additional role of muscle measurements in the diagnosis of cachexia and the association with clinical outcomes.
Biophysical analysis of the dynamics of calmodulin interactions with neurogranin and Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent kinase II
Authors: Seeger Christian , Talibov Vladimir O. , Danielson U. Helena
Published: April 2017

Calmodulin (CaM) functions depend on interactions with CaM‐binding proteins, regulated by
. Induced structural changes influence the affinity, kinetics, and specificities of the interactions. The dynamics of CaM interactions with neurogranin (Ng) and the CaM‐binding region of
/calmodulin‐dependent kinase II (CaMKII290−309) have been studied using biophysical methods. These proteins have opposite
dependencies for CaM binding. Surface plasmon resonance biosensor analysis confirmed that
and CaM interact very rapidly, and with moderate affinity (
). Calmodulin‐CaMKII290−309 interactions were only detected in the presence of
, exhibiting fast kinetics and nanomolar affinity (
). The CaM–Ng interaction had higher affinity under
‐depleted (
and k−1 = 1.6 × 10−1s−1) than
‐saturated conditions (
). The IQ motif of Ng (Ng27−50) had similar affinity for CaM as Ng under
‐saturated conditions (
), but no interaction was seen under
‐depleted conditions. Microscale thermophoresis using fluorescently labeled CaM confirmed the surface plasmon resonance results qualitatively, but estimated lower affinities for the Ng (
) and CaMKII290−309(
) interactions. Although CaMKII290−309 showed expected interaction characteristics, they may be different for full‐length CaMKII. The data for full‐length Ng, but not Ng27−50, agree with the current model on Ng regulation of
/CaM signaling.
Characterization of tunable graphene metasurfaces over an ultrawide terahertz band using a 1‐step leapfrog hybrid implicit‐explicit FDTD method
Authors: Zhai Meng‐Lin , Peng Hong‐Li , Li De‐Min , Wang Da‐Wei , Xie Hao , Yin Wen‐Yan
Published: April 2017

An improved 1‐step leapfrog hybrid implicit‐explicit finite‐difference time domain method is developed for simulating tunable characteristics of graphene metasurfaces over an ultrawide terahertz band for different physical and geometrical parameters. The graphene conductivity is described by a closed‐form approximate expression and further expanded into a rational sum of complex‐conjugate pole‐residue pairs using the vector‐fitting technique. It is further implemented into the leapfrog hybrid implicit‐explicit finite‐difference time domain by an associated auxiliary differential equation formulation. Parametric studies are performed for capturing terahertz band responses of some typical graphene metasurfaces, with their tunabilities investigated and compared for different chemical potentials, layer numbers of graphene surface, operating temperatures, etc. When the results are compared with conventional finite‐difference time domain and analytical solutions, the proposed method demonstrates both high efficiency and good accuracy.
Synoptic climatology of lake‐effect snowfall conditions in the eastern Great Lakes region
Authors: Suriano Zachary J. , Leathers Daniel J.
Published: April 2017

The characteristics of overlying synoptic conditions play an important role in the production of lake‐effect snowfall within the Great Lakes region of North America. With a synoptic climatological approach, the synoptic‐scale patterns conducive to lake‐effect snowfall are identified for the eastern Great Lakes region during the November–March seasons of 1950–2009. Seven synoptic types identified as lake effect are combined with daily snowfall observations to examine the role of individual synoptic types on seasonal snowfall. The types exhibit a wide range of surface and 850 hPa temperatures and winds, sea‐level pressures, snowfall intensities, and inter‐annual frequencies. These factors result in substantial differences in the location and magnitude of seasonal lake‐effect snowfall.

Recent research has revealed that snowfall within portions of the Great Lakes region subject to lake‐effect snow has undergone a trend reversal, declining in recent decades. Examining the inter‐annual frequency of the seven lake‐effect synoptic types, a majority of types increased in frequency prior to 1980, before becoming less frequent thereafter. The variability in frequency of lake‐effect synoptic types can partially be explained by relationships to large‐scale atmospheric and oceanic modes of variability. The majority of lake‐effect synoptic types occur in association with an upper‐level trough over the eastern United States. This trough is consistent with the upper‐level pattern associated with a negative phase Arctic Oscillation (AO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), or positive Pacific/North American pattern (PNA), such that when the AO, NAO, and/or PNA pattern are in those respective phases, there is a significant increase in the frequency of lake‐effect synoptic types.
Short‐term treatments with high CO2 and low O2 concentrations on quality of fresh goji berries (Lycium barbarum L.) during cold storage
Authors: Kafkaletou Mina , Christopoulos Miltiadis V , Tsantili Eleni
Published: April 2017

BACKGROUND

Goji berries (Lycium barbarum L.) are functional fruits but are usually marketed as a dried product. The aim of this study was to investigate the storability of fresh goji berries treated with high CO2 and low O2 concentrations before air storage at 1 °C for 21 days.

RESULTS

Berries harvested without stems were exposed to air (controls) or subjected for 2 days at 1 °C to the following controlled atmosphere (CA) treatments: 21% O2 + 0% CO2 (21+0), 5% O2 + 15% CO2 (5+15), 10% O2 + 10% CO2 (10+10) and 20% O2 + 20% CO2 (20+20). During 14 days of storage, all treatments decreased weight loss, while treatments 5+15 and 20+20 prevented fungal decay. No fermentation was observed. The treatments did not affect color changes, decreases in soluble sugars and increases in total soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, total phenolics and ferric‐reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) during storage, apart from the marginally reduced FRAP by treatment 20+20 on day 7. Treatments 5+15, 10+10 and 20+20 resulted in residual decreases in respiration rates and pH values early during storage. After 14 days of storage, panelists rated the CA‐treated samples as sweet, with good acceptance.

CONCLUSION

Treatments 5+15 and 20+20 showed the best results after 14 days of storage. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
The Association Between Peritraumatic Dissociation and PTSD Symptoms: The Mediating Role of Negative Beliefs About the Self
Authors: Thompson‐Hollands Johanna , Jun Janie J. , Sloan Denise M.
Published: April 2017

Peritraumatic dissociation, a term used to describe a complex array of reactions to trauma, including depersonalization, derealization, and emotional numbness, has been associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms across a number of studies. Cognitive theory suggests that interpretations of traumatic events and reactions underlie the persistence of PTSD. The present study examined the associations among peritraumatic dissociation, posttraumatic cognitions, and PTSD symptoms in a group of trauma‐exposed adults (N = 169). Results indicated that, after accounting for overall symptom severity and current dissociative tendencies, peritraumatic dissociation was significantly predictive of negative beliefs about the self (R2 = .06, p < .001). Other categories of maladaptive posttraumatic cognitions did not show a similar relationship (R2 = .01 to .02, nonsignificant). Negative thoughts about the self partially mediated the association between peritraumatic dissociation and PTSD severity (completely standardized indirect effect = .25). These findings lend support to cognitive theories of PTSD and point to an important area for clinical intervention.
Duty‐Related Trauma Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Professional Firefighters
Authors: Lee Junghyun H. , Lee Dayoung , Kim Jiae , Jeon Kyoungsun , Sim Minyoung
Published: April 2017

Firefighters commonly encounter traumatic events during duty hours. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of duty‐related trauma as risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder in professional firefighters. A sample of 212 firefighters participated in the study and completed self‐reported questionnaires. Potentially traumatic events (PTE) were assessed using a list of 17 traumatic event types. The posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) were measured by the Impact of Event Scale‐Revised (Lim et al., 2009; Weiss, 2007). A higher score for the composite index, which reflects both multiple PTE and peritraumatic suffering, increased the odds for significant PTSS after adjusting for age, sex, marital status, education, numbers of years worked, childhood trauma, and depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.26, p = .001, Cohen's d = 0.20). Furthermore, indirect (AOR = 1.93, p = .009, Cohen's d = .16) and colleague‐related PTE (AOR = 1.97, p = .037, Cohen's d = .16) showed significant associations with PTSS. It is noteworthy that the combination of multiple PTE and peritraumatic suffering was more predictive of PTSS than either factor alone. Our findings also suggest that daily work exposure to indirect PTE may contribute to the occurrence of PTSS among professional firefighters.
Iterative model and trajectory refinement for orbital trajectory optimization
Authors: Hudson Jennifer , Gupta Rohit , Li Nan , Kolmanovsky Ilya
Published: April 2017

An iterative model and trajectory refinement (IMTR) strategy is proposed for trajectory optimization of nonlinear systems. A high‐ and a low‐fidelity models are used. The high‐fidelity model accurately represents the system but is not easily amenable to trajectory optimization, because of degree of nonlinearity, computational cost, or to being of “black‐box” type. The low‐fidelity model is suitable for numerical optimization but approximates the system dynamics with an error. The IMTR method is proposed to systematically iterate between the 2 models and efficiently converge on a control solution. Examples are drawn from orbital mechanics. The IMTR approach is compared to optimal nonlinear quadratic control using Pontryagin maximum principle. A convergence criterion for the IMTR iterations is established.
Shape memory and mechanical properties of TPU/ABS blends: The role of pristine versus organo‐modified carbon nanotubes
Authors: Memarian Farzaneh , Fereidoon Abdolhossein , Ghorbanzadeh Ahangari Morteza , Ali Khonakdar Hossein
Published: April 2017

Some shape‐memory materials were prepared based on TPU/ABS blends containing pristine and organo‐modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The shape memory and mechanical properties of the samples were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis performed on the morphological features of the developed samples showed the presence of pristine MWCNTs and decreased diameter of ABS droplets which were uniformly distributed within TPU matrix. Unexpectedly, the ABS droplets in nanocomposites with organo‐modified MWCNTs were greater than ABS droplets in TPU/ABS/CNT nanocomposites. These differences were attributed to different degrees in interfacial interactions between the modified MWCNT and TPU matrix. The presence of modified MWCNT in TPU matrix could have increased the differences in surface energy and polarity of TPU and ABS and it has disturbed the compatibility of the blend fundamentally. Also, the mechanical and Izod impact properties of the shape memory samples containing pristine MWCNT are better than those samples containing MWCNT‐OH and MWCNT‐COOH. The results showed optimum tensile strength in all samples containing 2 wt% MWCNTs. The shape memory results showed that the shape recovery and fixity of TPU/ABS blend improved significantly with increases in MWCNTs. The pristine MWCNTs improved the shape recovery ratio from 93.88% for the neat TPU/ABS blend to 99.3% for TPU/ABS nanocomposite by just loading MWCNTs at 2 wt%. Surprisingly, the shape fixity changed from 92.98% for the neat blend to 100% by loading of 2 wt% of MWCNT‐OH and 1 wt% of MWCNT‐COOH. The results showed that the functionalized MWCNTs had better performance in shape fixity as compared to its pristine MWCNT counterpart. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E984–E995, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Multi layered natural rubber coated woven P‐aramid and UHMWPE fabric composites for soft body armor application
Authors: Roy Rupayan , Laha Animesh , Awasthi Nikita , Majumdar Abhijit , Butola Bhupendra Singh
Published: April 2017

In this work, the authors have investigated the impact performance of natural rubber (NR) coated high strength, high modulus fabrics. P‐aramid (Kevlar 129) and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabric were coated with different concentrations of NR solutions (20%, 30%). Samples were produced with different add on percentage. The NR solutions with 20% and 30% solid content provided 4 and 6% add‐on on p‐aramid fabric and 6 and 9% add‐on on UHMWPE fabric. Multilayered fabric structures coated with NR were also studied. Compression molding technique was used to prepare the layered fabric structures. The effect of coating with different add‐on percentages of NR on fabrics was studied. The pull out force increased by ∼480% and 360% on NR‐coated p‐aramid and UHMWPE fabrics, respectively. Although the impact energy absorption of single layer NR‐coated fabrics was lower than that of neat fabrics, there was substantial improvement in the impact energy absorption of the two layered p‐aramid and UHMWPE rubber coated fabrics as compared to untreated two layered ones. The increase was 44% and 81%, respectively, for Kevlar and UHMWPE fabrics. Further, the effect of NR latex treatment on tensile strength of fabrics has also been studied. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:3636–3644, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Safety profile of medication used during pregnancy: results of a multinational European study
Authors: Trønnes Johanne N. , Lupattelli Angela , Nordeng Hedvig
Published: April 2017

Purpose

The present study describes the safety profile of medications used during pregnancy across European countries and examines maternal factors associated with the use of risky medications during pregnancy.

Methods

This study is based on a multinational, web‐based study conducted in 15 European countries from October 2011 to February 2012. Information about maternal demographics, illnesses, and medication use during pregnancy was collected via an electronic questionnaire. Pregnant women and new mothers with a child less than 1‐year‐old could participate. The Swedish, Australian, and U.S. risk classification systems were used to evaluate medication safety. Descriptive statistics and generalized estimating equation models were used.

Results

A total of 587 medications were reported by the study sample (n = 6657). Sixty‐nine percent of the women used medications classified as safe, 28% used medications classified as risky, and 3% used medications with no classification available. Both socio‐demographic and medical factors were associated with the use of risky medications during pregnancy. Having a chronic disorder was the factor with the strongest association with the use of risky medications during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio = 3.99, 95% confidence interval 3.54–4.49).

Conclusions

The majority of women used medications classified as safe to use during pregnancy. However, a considerable proportion of women still used medications classified as risky. Having a chronic disorder was an important driver for using risky medications. Such use may still be appropriate when considering the woman's underlying condition. Pre‐pregnancy counselling is important to ensure safe medication use for both mother and child. © 2017 The Authors. Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Silencing of Agrobacterium tumefaciens oncogenes ipt and iaaM induces resistance to crown gall disease in plum but not in apricot
Authors: Alburquerque Nuria , Faize Lydia , Burgos Lorenzo
Published: April 2017

BACKGROUND

In this study, two vectors with short‐length chimeric transgenes were used to produce Prunus rootstocks resistant to crown gall disease through RNA‐interference‐mediated gene silencing of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens oncogenes ipt and iaaM.

RESULTS

Transgenic plum and apricot lines were produced with efficiencies of up to 7.7 and 1.1% respectively. An in vitro evaluation method allowed identification of susceptible lines and reduction in the number of lines to be evaluated in the greenhouse. Five transgenic plum lines, expressing transgene‐derived small interfering RNA (siRNA) and low levels of transgene hairpin RNA (hpRNA), showed a significant reduction in the development of the disease after infection with Agrobacterium strains C58 and A281 under greenhouse conditions. However, unexpectedly, all transgenic apricot lines were gall susceptible. The infection of apricot plants with a binary vector containing only the 6b oncogene demonstrated that the expression of this gene is involved in the induction of tumours in the apricot species.

CONCLUSION

RNAi‐mediated gene silencing can be used for inducing crown gall resistance in plum rootstocks. These could be used to graft non‐genetically modified commercial fruit cultivars reducing, or eliminating, the disease symptoms. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Area‐wide mass trapping by pheromone‐based attractants for the control of sugar beet weevil (Bothynoderes punctiventris Germar, Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: Drmić Zrinka , Tóth Miklós , Lemić Darija , Grubišić Dinka , Pospišil Milan , Bažok Renata
Published: April 2017

BACKGROUND

Owing to the changing climate, narrow crop rotation, and changes in insecticide application practice, sugar beet weevil (SBW) (Bothynoderes punctiventris Germar) has become the most important economic pest in sugar beet. To develop alternative control methods, an area‐wide (AW) control program using aggregation pheromones was implemented over 4 years on an area of 6 and 14.8 km2 in east Croatia.

RESULTS

The mass trapping of SBW on the ‘old’ sugar beet fields reduced the population from 0.73% to 11.59%. Owing to the strong attack, mass trapping was not effective enough to avoid an insecticide application. However, it significantly reduced the number of insecticide applications, the amount of insecticide used, and the damage compared to the fields outside the mass trapping area.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to implement an AW program for SBW. It may not be possible to state from this study that trapping alone can reduce the SBW population below the economic threshold level. However, the data do suggest that trapping can play an important role in the reduction of insecticide applications and in creating an integrated pest management plan for dealing with SBW under similar circumstances. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Electrochemical Hydrazine Oxidation Catalyzed by Iron Phosphide Nanosheets Array toward Energy‐Efficient Electrolytic Hydrogen Production from Water
Authors: Zhang Ling , Liu Danni , Hao Shuai , Xie Lisi , Qu Fengli , Du Gu , Asiri Abdullah M. , Sun Xuping
Published: April 2017

It is highly needed but still a difficult challenge to achieve energy‐saving electrolytic hydrogen generation. In this communication, we describe the first use of iron phosphide nanosheets array on Ni foam as a high‐active and durable catalyst for electrochemical hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) in alkaline media. The high hydrogen‐evolving activity of this catalyst electrode and the substitution of sluggish oxygen evolution with thermodynamically more favorable HzOR enables the construction of a stable two‐electrode energy‐efficient electrolytic hydrogen generation system capable of driving 125 mA cm−2 at a cell voltage of 0.5 V to in 1.0 M KOH with 0.5 M hydrazine.
Carbon Nitride Grafted Cobalt Complex (Co@npg‐C3N4) for Visible Light−Assisted Esterification of Aldehydes
Authors: Kumar Anurag , Kumar Pawan , Pathak Abhishek Kumar , Chokkapu Appala Naidu , Jain Suman L.
Published: April 2017

Azide containing bipyridine complex of cobalt was grafted to the propargylated nanoporous graphitic carbon nitride (npg‐C3N4) via click reaction to obtain heterogenized photocatalyst which could efficiently provide direct esterification of aldehydes under visible light irradiation at room temperature. The use of click reaction as grafting strategy provided covalent attachment of the cobalt complex to support which not only provided higher loading but also precluded the leaching. Furthermore, the presence of carbon nitride support exhibited synergistic effect to enhance the reaction rate. In addition, the milder basic nature of nitrogen containing graphitic support provided efficient ester synthesis without the need for an external base. The synthesized photocatalyst was found to be quite robust which could easily be recovered and reused several times without significantly losing activity.
Membrane Selectivity Determines Energetic Losses for Ion Transport in Bioelectrochemical Systems
Authors: Sleutels Tom H. J. A. , ter Heijne Annemiek , Kuntke Philipp , Buisman Cees J. N. , Hamelers Hubertus V. M.
Published: April 2017

Ion transport through ion exchange membranes in Bioelectrochemical Systems (BESs) is different from other electrochemical cells as a result of the complex nature of the electrolyte, as the electrolytes in BESs contain many other cations and anions than H+ and OH−. Moreover, these other cations and anions are generally present in high concentrations and therefore determine the ion transport through the membrane. In this work, we provide a theoretical framework for understanding ion transport across ion exchange membranes in BESs. We show that the transport of cations and anions other than H+ and OH− determines the pH gradient between anode and cathode, and on top of that, also determines the membrane potential. Experimental data for microbial electrolysis cells with cation and anion exchange membranes are used to support the theoretical framework. In case of cation exchange membranes, the total potential loss consists of both the pH gradient and the concentration gradient of other cations, while in case of anion exchange membranes, the total potential loss is lower because part of the pH gradient loss can be recovered at the membrane. The presented work provides a better theoretical understanding of ion transport through ion exchange membranes in general and in BESs specifically.
Green Nanospheres Natural Camphor Coated Ferrite as a Highly Efficient Nanocatalyst for the Synthesis of Dihydropyrimidine Derivatives
Authors: Maleki Ali , Zand Pedram , Mohseni Zahra
Published: April 2017

Dihydropyrimidines are synthesized by a one‐pot condensation of an aldehyde, β‐ketoester and urea or thiourea in the presence of Fe3O4@camphor as a new heterogeneous magnetic nanocatalyst. The nanospheres morphology of the green natural camphor/ferrite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM) images, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), N2 adsorption‐desorption by Brunauer–Emmett‐Teller (BET) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analyses. The advantages of this new report are short reaction times, high yields, easy workup, low cost and eco‐friendly protocol. The recoverable nanocatalyst was simply prepared and effectively employed for the one‐pot multicomponent synthesis of dihydropyrimidine derivatives, for the first time, at room temperature.
Conformational Studies of Triazole Based Flexible Molecules: A Comparative Analysis of Crystal Structure and Optimized Structure for DNA Binding Ability
Authors: Kumar Ranjeet , Yadav Pratima , Pal Shiv , Kumar Krishnan R. , Sridhar Balasubramanian , Tewari Ashish K.
Published: April 2017

The present studies deal with design and synthesis of triazole based flexible molecules, their conformational analysis and DNA binding ability. The conformational studies were carried out in solid state through crystal structure and in gaseous state through theoretical calculation. The obtained conformations, found from either crystal structure or optimized most stable conformation from theoretical calculation have been screened for DNA binding ability to find importance of conformation in flexible organic molecules.
Rigid Peptide Scaffold‐Incorporated Structural Analogs of the Potent Antidepressant Peptide Drug Rapastinel (GLYX‐13)
Authors: Nadimpally Krishna Chaitanya , Chakrapani Aswathi , Prabhu Priyanka J , Madica Krishnaprasad , Sanjayan Gangadhar J.
Published: April 2017

Abstract:Rapastinel (GLYX‐13) is a natural amidated tetrapeptide (Thr‐Pro‐Pro‐Thr‐NH2)endowed with strong antidepressant property. Rapastinel shows considerable promise for treating drug‐resistant major depressive disorder (MDD), and is under clinical phase III development. Herein, we report the synthesis of a novel class of analogues of the potent antidepressant peptide drug rapastinel featuring rigid dipeptide scaffolds comprising proline (L/D) and amino thiophene carboxylates (Atc). Amino thiophene carboxylate is a conformationally constrained aromatic β‐amino acid, known to rigidify peptide backbones thereby limiting the conformational flexibility of peptides and improving proteolytic stability.
Comparing pre‐commit reviews and post‐commit reviews using process simulation
Authors: Baum Tobias , Kortum Fabian , Schneider Kurt , Brack Arthur , Schauder Jens
Published: April 2017

Code review in practice is often performed change‐based, ie, using the code changes belonging to a task to determine which code to review. Previous studies found that 2 variations of this process are used in industry: pre‐commit review and post‐commit review. The choice between these has implications not only for practitioners deciding on a code review process to use but also for the development of review tools and for experimentation with review processes. In some situations, a specific variant is clearly preferable due to the nature of the development process or team. In other situations, there are conflicting opinions. So we asked: Are there practically relevant performance differences between pre and post‐commit reviews? How are these differences influenced by contextual factors? To assess these questions, we designed a parametric discrete event simulation model of certain agile development processes. We validated this model with practitioner's feedback and in part also with empirical data from industry. Our analysis indicates that the best choice does depend on the context but also that there are many situations with no practically relevant difference between both choices. We identified the main influencing factors and underlying effects and condensed our findings into heuristic rules.
Nonlinear finite element analyses of fiber‐reinforced polymer‐strengthened steel‐reinforced concrete beams under cyclic loading
Authors: Pathak Prabin , Zhang Y. X.
Published: April 2017

A new finite element model is developed for nonlinear finite element analyses of structural behavior of fiber‐reinforced polymer (FRP)‐strengthened steel‐reinforced concrete (RC) beams under cyclic loading in this paper. All the components of the beam, including concrete, steel rebar, FRP sheet, adhesive, and shear strengthening stirrups, are included in the model. Material nonlinear properties of concrete and steel rebars are accounted for, while the FRP and adhesive are considered to be linearly elastic until rupture. The degradation of each material under cyclic loading is considered and defined using the user‐programmable features in ANSYS. The developed finite element model is validated against experimental results, and demonstrated to be effective for structural analyses of FRP‐strengthened RC beams under cyclic loading. Furthermore, parametric studies are carried out to learn the effects of types, thickness, and length of FRP on the structural behavior of FRP‐strengthened RC beams based on the new model. Research findings are summarized finally.
Degradation in concrete structures due to cyclic loading and its effect on transport processes—Experiments and modeling
Authors: Przondziono Robin , Timothy Jithender J. , Weise Frank , Krütt Enno , Breitenbücher Rolf , Meschke Günther , Hofmann Michael
Published: April 2017

According to the objectives of the research group 1498, this paper deals with degradation effects in concrete structures that are caused by cyclic flexural loading. The goal is to determine their influence on the fluid transport processes within the material on the basis of experimental results and numerical simulations. The overall question was, to which extent the ingress of externally supplied alkalis and subsequently an alkali‐silica reaction are affected by such modifications in the microstructure. Degradation in the concrete microstructure is characterized by ultrasonic wave measurements as well as by microscopic crack analysis. Furthermore, experiments on the penetration behavior of water into the investigated materials were performed. The penetration behavior into predamaged concrete microstructures was examined by the classical Karsten tube experiment, nuclear magnetic resonance method, and time domain reflectometry techniques. In order to create an appropriate model of the material's degradation on the water transport, the Darcy law was applied to describe the flow in partially saturated concrete. Material degradation is taken into account by an effective permeability that is dependent on the state of degradation. This effective permeability is obtained by the micromechanical homogenisation of the flow in an Representative Elementary Volume (REV) with distributed ellipsoidal microcracks embedded in a porous medium. The data gained in the microscopic crack analysis is used as input for the micromechanical model. Finite element simulations for unsaturated flow using the micromechanical model were compared with the experimental results showing good qualitative and quantitative agreement.
Factors Impacting the Formation of 3‐MCPD Esters and Glycidyl Esters During Deep Fat Frying of Chicken Breast Meat
Authors: Wong Yu Hua , Lai Oi Ming , Abas Faridah , Nyam Kar Lin , Nehdi Imededdine Arbi , Muhamad Halimah , Tan Chin Ping
Published: April 2017

The effect of the frying temperature, frying duration and the addition of NaCl on the formation of 3‐monochloropropane‐1,2‐diol (3‐MCPD) esters and glycidyl esters (GE) in palm olein after deep frying was examined in this study. The eight frying systems were deep‐fat frying (at 160 and 180 °C) of chicken breast meat (CBM) (with 0, 1, 3 and 5% sodium chloride, NaCl) for 100 min/day for five consecutive days. All oil samples collected after each day were analyzed for 3‐MCPD ester, GE, and free fatty acid (FFA) contents, specific extinctions at 232 and 268 nm (K232 and K268), p‐anisidine value (pA), and fatty acid composition. There was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the 3‐MCPD esters and a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the GE with the increasing of the frying duration. There were significant (p < 0.05) increases in the 3‐MCPD esters formed when the concentration of NaCl increased from 0 to 5%. The addition of NaCl to the CBM during deep frying had no significant effect on the GE generation. The FFA contents, K232 and K268 and pA showed that all the frying oils were within the safety limit.
The Expansion Route of Ryegrasses (Lolium spp.) into Sandy Coasts in Japan
Authors: Higuchi Yumiko , Shimono Yoshiko , Tominaga Tohru
Published: April 2017

Although an increasing number of investigations have been made into the evolution of alien species once introduced, few studies have identified the invasion routes of these introduced species. Because multiple introductions are common in invasive species, failing to take into account the introduced lineages can be misleading when studying evolutionary change in alien species after they begin to extend their ranges. In Japan, diverse lineages of ryegrasses (Loliumspp.) were introduced as forage crops and contaminants in trading grain and have expanded to sandy coasts. We studied the expansion route of populations established along the coasts of three geographic regions within Japan by comparing variations in morphology and nuclear microsatellite and chloroplast DNA in the two habitats where ryegrasses were first introduced: croplands and international seaports. Chloroplast DNA haplotypes did not differ significantly among habitats and regions, but the coastal and seaport populations displayed similar microsatellite genetic compositions and morphological characteristics. Our results revealed that coastal populations originated from seaport populations derived from contaminants. Selective forces from the past, including domestication and naturalization, may have assisted the introduced lineages in colonizing new habitats.
Functional neuroimaging of sex differences in autobiographical memory recall in depression
Authors: Young K. D. , Bodurka J. , Drevets W. C.
Published: April 2017

Background

Females are more likely than males to develop major depressive disorder (MDD). The current study used fMRI to compare the neural correlates of autobiographical memory (AM) recall between males and females diagnosed with MDD. AM overgenerality is a persistent cognitive deficit in MDD, the magnitude of which is correlated with depressive severity only in females. Delineating the neurobiological correlates of this deficit may elucidate the nature of sex-differences in the diathesis for developing MDD.

Methods

Participants included unmedicated males and females diagnosed with MDD (n = 20/group), and an age and sex matched healthy control group. AM recall in response to positive, negative, and neutral cue words was compared with a semantic memory task.

Results

The behavioral properties of AMs did not differ between MDD males and females. In contrast, main effects of sex on cerebral hemodynamic activity were observed in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and parahippocampal gyrus during recall of positive specific memories, and middle prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and precuneus during recall of negative specific memories. Moreover, main effects of diagnosis on regional hemodynamic activity were observed in left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and mPFC during positive specific memory recall, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex during negative specific memory recall. Sex × diagnosis interactions were evident in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, caudate, and precuneus during positive memory recall, and in the posterior cingulate cortex, insula, precuneus and thalamus during negative specific memory recall.

Conclusions

The differential hemodynamic changes conceivably may reflect sex-specific cognitive strategies during recall of AMs irrespective of the phenomenological properties of those memories.
Production of site and site of production: Herzog & de Meuron's Schaulager and Zumthor's Feldkapelle
Authors: Jenner Ross
Published: April 2017

This paper seeks to establish a chiasmus between notions of site as something produced and buildings as sites of production. The focus is upon Herzog and De Meuron's Schaulager in Basel, cast from and on the ground of its site, and Peter Zumthor's Bruder Klaus Field Chapel at Wachendorf, cast on local trees in hand-mixed aggregate from the site, trodden in layers by locals. Both buildings involve moulding, where a tangible transposition of site to building is produced by imprint and material transformation.

These polarities of site and production, form and matter, trace and transformation are deployed as a heuristic device to unfurl a space for thinking possibilities especially those raised by Gilbert Simondon's distinction between Plato's and Aristotle's concepts of the genesis of things in making- ‘individuation’. The buildings' materials and the mud of the fields, masses worked by hand and foot, take form by not quite taking form; this is the potential of the plastic. The act of making is examined here in imprints and traces through their capacity for signification and, in acts of production, for revealing processes and potentialities remaining after actualisation. Interaction between site and production is found to achieve poetic quality through localisation of materials.
Conflict, contradiction, and concern: judges' evaluation of sustainability in architectural awards
Authors: Oliveira Sonja , Sexton Martin
Published: April 2017

This paper explores how judges evaluate sustainability of buildings in RIBA award settings in the UK. A qualitative approach drawing on institutional theory is used to understand the ways judges legitimate particular evaluative views. Aesthetics and Sustainability focused logics are found to guide the evaluative legitimation process. An Aesthetics focused logic is characterised by reliance on expertise, ‘professionalism’ and perceptions of fair practice, whereas a Sustainability focused logic prioritises moral responsibility, scientific evidence and personal experience. Evaluating sustainability was characterised by conflict, concern and contradiction between and within the logics. Evaluation here is seen as a process of constant negotiation between conflicting priorities and managing wider expectations. Different perceptions of what counts in terms of judges’ understandings of legitimacy whether from the profession or wider society were found to provide a way of compliance or commitment to a particular evaluative view of sustainability.

Implications of the findings are threefold. First, the analysis shows a way of studying sustainability evaluation in the architectural domain that shifts the literature's dominant focus on technical features to a consideration of the social context, the profession, awards and other evaluative issues including aesthetics. Second, the discussion draws attention to the importance of examining understandings of sustainability evaluation in view of the legitimacy sources judges draw on from the profession, the awards or wider society to justify particular decisions. Finally the study reveals some of the often overlooked difficulties in evaluating sustainability including negotiating conflicts between competing values including aesthetics versus sustainability, challenges in judging scientific evidence and the need for expert legitimation regarding sustainability decisions. The paper concludes with a discussion of the contribution of empirical and theoretical analysis of sustainability evaluation for research in awards as well as the built environment more generally including the study of uncertainty in evaluative design practice.
ON BOUNDED-TYPE THIN LOCAL SETS OF THE TWO-DIMENSIONAL GAUSSIAN FREE FIELD
Authors: Aru Juhan , Sepúlveda Avelio , Werner Wendelin
Published: April 2017

We study certain classes of local sets of the two-dimensional Gaussian free field (GFF) in a simply connected domain, and their relation to the conformal loop ensemble$\text{CLE}_{4}$and its variants. More specifically, we consider bounded-type thin local sets (BTLS), where thin means that the local set is small in size, and bounded type means that the harmonic function describing the mean value of the field away from the local set is bounded by some deterministic constant. We show that a local set is a BTLS if and only if it is contained in some nested version of the$\text{CLE}_{4}$carpet, and prove that all BTLS are necessarily connected to the boundary of the domain. We also construct all possible BTLS for which the corresponding harmonic function takes only two prescribed values and show that all these sets (and this includes the case of$\text{CLE}_{4}$) are in fact measurable functions of the GFF.
Duplication assessments inBrassicavegetable accessions
Authors: Solberg Svein Øivind , Artemyeva Anna , Yndgaard Flemming , Dorre Malin , Niss Jerker , Burleigh Stephen
Published: April 2017

There is extensive duplication of accessions among collection holders globally. To save costs, unwanted duplication should be avoided. This issue has been addressed internationally. In Europe, there are currently 35Brassicacollections located in 24 countries. Duplication may be identified not only by surveying passport data and seed transactions, but also by applying morphological or genetic characterization. Our study included two collections; one at the N. I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources in St. Petersburg (VIR) and one at the Nordic Genetic Resource Center (NGB). A random set of 13 accession pairs or triplets of cabbage, turnip and swede were selected on the basis of identical or similar accession names. The accessions could potentially be regarded as duplicates. Morphological characterization showed that in about 50% the pair/triplet, the accessions were identical and should thus be regarded as duplicate holding. Determining the status of the remaining accessions, which were more or less distinct but had identical or similar names, was more difficult. In this paper, possible explanations for the similarities in names are discussed, as is the need to include characterization in any duplicate assessment process.
DIGITAL RECONSTRUCTION OF SOFT-TISSUE STRUCTURES IN FOSSILS
Authors: Lautenschlager Stephan
Published: April 2017

In the last two decades, advances in computational imaging techniques and digital visualization have created novel avenues for the study of fossil organisms. As a result, paleontology has undergone a shift from the pure study of physically preserved bones and teeth, and other hard tissues, to using virtual computer models to study specimens in greater detail, restore incomplete specimens, and perform biomechanical analyses. The rapidly increasing application of these techniques has further paved the way for the digital reconstruction of soft-tissue structures, which are rarely preserved or otherwise available in the fossil record. In this contribution, different types of digital soft-tissue reconstructions are introduced and reviewed. Provided examples include methodological approaches for the reconstruction of musculature, endocranial components (e.g., brain, inner ear, and neurovascular structures), and other soft tissues (e.g., whole-body and life reconstructions). Digital techniques provide versatile tools for the reconstruction of soft tissues, but given the nature of fossil specimens, some limitations and uncertainties remain. Nevertheless, digital reconstructions can provide new information, in particular if interpreted in a phylogenetically grounded framework. Combined with other digital analytical techniques (e.g., finite element analysis [FEA], multibody dynamics analysis [MDA], and computational fluid dynamics [CFD]), soft-tissue reconstructions can be used to elucidate the paleobiology of extinct organisms and to test competing evolutionary hypotheses.
MORPHOSOURCE: ARCHIVING AND SHARING 3-D DIGITAL SPECIMEN DATA
Authors: Boyer Doug M. , Gunnell Gregg F. , Kaufman Seth , McGeary Timothy M.
Published: April 2017

Advancement of understanding in paleontology and biology has always been hindered by difficulty in accessing comparative data. With current and burgeoning technology, the severity of this hindrance can be substantially reduced. Researchers and museum personnel generating three-dimensional (3-D) digital models of museum specimens can archive them using internet repositories that can then be explored and utilized by other researchers and private individuals without a museum trip. We focus on MorphoSource, the largest web archive for 3-D museum data at present. We describe the site, how to use it most effectively in its current form, and best practices for file formats and metadata inclusion to aid the growing community wishing to utilize it for distributing 3-D digital data. The potential rewards of successfully crowd sourcing the digitization of museum collections from the research community are great, as it should ensure rapid availability of the most important datasets. Challenges include long-term governance (i.e., maintaining site functionality, supporting large amounts of digital storage, and monitoring/updating file to prevent bit rot, which is the slow and random corruption of electronic data over time, and data format obsolescence, which is the problem of data becoming unreadable or ineffective because of the loss of functional software necessary for access), and utilization by the community (i.e., detecting and minimizing user error in creating data records, incentivizing data sharing by researchers and institutions alike, and protecting stakeholder rights to data, while maximizing accessibility and discoverability).

MorphoSource serves as a proof-of-concept of how these kinds of challenges can be met. Accordingly, it is generally recognized as the most appropriate repository for large, raw datasets of fossil organisms and/or comparative samples. Its existence has begun to transform data transparency standards because journal reviewers, editors, and grant officers now often suggest or require that 3-D data be made available through this site.