bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbial food webs in hypertrophic fishponds: Omnivorous ciliate taxa are major protistan bacterivores
Authors: Šimek Karel , Grujčić Vesna , Nedoma Jiří , Jezberová Jitka , Šorf Michal , Matoušů Anna , Pechar Libor , Posch Thomas , Bruni Estelle P. , Vrba Jaroslav
Published: July 2019

Despite the importance of shallow lakes worldwide, knowledge of microbial components, the base of their food webs, remains scarce. To close this gap, we investigated planktonic microbial food webs, in particular protistan bacterivory (for both ciliates and heterotrophic nanoflagellates [HNF]), in 10 shallow hypertrophic fishponds in South Bohemia (Czech Republic). We used fluorescently labeled bacteria as bacterivory tracers to estimate how abundant protistan populations in fishponds (4–25 × 103 HNF mL−1 and 55–770 ciliates mL−1) contribute to total bacterial mortality. Fluorescence microscopy, innovative image processing tools, and quantitative protargol staining were combined to detect major bacterivorous and omnivorous ciliate taxa. We quantified bacterial production, bacterivory by individual ciliate species, total ciliates, and total protistan bacterivory in all fishponds. On average, ciliate bacterivory was comparable to that of HNF, accounting for 56% and 44% of total protistan grazing, respectively. We found that primarily bacterivorous Peritrichia (genera Vorticella, Epistylis) and Scuticociliata (Cyclidium spp.) contributed only moderately (mean 26%) to total ciliate bacterivory. Unexpectedly, but highly abundant omnivorous Halteria/Pelagohalteria (Stichotrichia) and, to a lesser extent, also omnivorous Rimostrombidium spp. (Oligotrichia) contributed significantly more (mean 71%) to total ciliate bacterivory than typical bacterivorous taxa. This suggests that unselective grazers, which feed on a broader size spectrum from bacteria to small algae, may have a considerable competitive advantage in hypertrophic environments rich in small particles. Moreover, a meta‐analysis of available literature data supports our hypothesis that the role of ciliate bacterivory increases significantly, relative to HNF bacterivory, along a trophic gradient toward hypertrophic habitats.
On cardinal characteristics of Yorioka ideals
Authors: Cardona Miguel A. , Mejía Diego A.
Published: July 2019

Yorioka introduced a class of ideals (parametrized by reals) on the Cantor space to prove that the relation between the size of the continuum and the cofinality of the strong measure zero ideal on the real line cannot be decided in . We construct a matrix iteration of c.c.c. posets to force that, for many ideals in that class, their associated cardinal invariants (i.e., additivity, covering, uniformity and cofinality) are pairwise different. In addition, we show that, consistently, the additivity and cofinality of Yorioka ideals does not coincide with the additivity and cofinality (respectively) of the ideal of Lebesgue measure zero subsets of the real line.
Beyond endorsements: The effect of celebrity Creative Directors on consumers’ attitudes toward the advertisement
Authors: Fowler Kendra , Thomas Veronica L.
Published: July 2019

Marketers are beginning to expand the roles that celebrities play in support of brands. Connections now go beyond the typical endorsement relationship to employing celebrities as Creative Directors. Study 1 demonstrates celebrity Creative Directors, as opposed to merely endorsers, result in increased attitudes toward the advertisement; an effect mediated by consumer perceptions of celebrity expertize and attenuated by skepticism toward advertising. Study 2 further investigates this phenomenon by considering whether it is the title of Creative Director that results in increased attitudes toward the advertisement or if consumers need to be made aware of the responsibilities associated with such a role. Results from Study 2 suggest that merely bestowing a celebrity with the title of Creative Director is not sufficient to enhance attitudes, the duties performed by the celebrity Creative Director must be made explicit.
Interface‐Hybridization‐Enhanced Photothermal Performance of Polypyrrole/Polydopamine Heterojunctions on Porous Nanoparticles
Authors: Huang Jixi , Wang Shuai , Xing Yuxin , Zhou Wei , Zhang Jixi , Cai Kaiyong
Published: July 2019

Photothermal conversion agents (PTCAs) based on π‐conjugated polymers are promising for cancer therapy, but the alteration of bandgap energies toward boosted photothermal properties remains challenging. Herein, polymer PTCAs with heterojunctions of a binary optical component are developed by interface hybridization on porous particles. Specifically, polypyrrole (PPy) nanodomains are successfully hosted on the wet‐adhesive surface of mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles through the loading and polymerization of pyrrole in the confined pore space (≈5.0 nm). The near‐infrared absorbing polymers in the heterojunctions possess similar five‐membered heterocyclic rings and can interact mutually to generate photoinduced electron transfer (PET). Such a large‐area optoelectronic interaction progressively reduces the bandgap energy (down to 0.56 eV) by increasing the doped amount of PPy, which consequently enhances the extinction coefficient and photothermal conversion efficiency by 4.6‐ and 2.2‐fold, respectively. Notably, the hybrid PTCA exhibits good biocompatibility, photocytotoxicity, and great potential for cancer therapy.
Application of Luminescent Netting in Traps to Improve the Catchability of the Snow Crab Chionoecetes opilio
Authors: Nguyen Khanh Q. , Winger Paul D. , Wood Jessica , Donovan Meghan , Humborstad Odd-Børre , Løkkeborg Svein , Bayse Shannon M.
Published: July 2019

In this study, we investigated luminescent netting as a means to improve the catch rates of snow crabs Chionoecetes opilio. A laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the intensity and duration of luminescence using time-lapse photography. We exposed experimental traps to five different treatments of UV light to excite the luminescent fibers in the netting. Our results showed that luminescent netting can be effectively activated to emit light, and that the resulting intensity and duration of luminescence emitted over time depends on the initial duration of UV exposure and the source of light. A fishing experiment was subsequently conducted in eastern Canada to compare the catch rate of traditional and luminescent traps, and to determine how soak time affected catch rate. Results indicate that the effect of luminescent traps on the CPUE (measured as number of crab per trap) depended on the soak time. The CPUE was significantly higher (a 55% increase) in luminescent traps that underwent relatively short soak times (~1 d), but when soak times were longer (~8 d), the CPUE was not significantly different.
Effects of chromosome 9 inversion on IVF/ICSI: A 7‐year retrospective cohort study
Authors: Liang Shanshan , Yang Jianzhi , Wu Haixia , Teng Xiaoming , Duan Tao
Published: July 2019

Background

This study focused on the outcomes of patients with pericentric inversion of chromosome 9 who underwent IVF/ICSI and fresh day 2 or day 3 embryo transfer and the possible impacts of carrier gender and chromosome karyotype on pregnancy outcomes.

Methods

A total of 214 couples (107 couples with one pericentric inversion of chromosome 9 in one partner [Group 1], 107 couples with normal karyotypes [Group 2]) underwent their first IVF/ICSI treatment and were included in this study. Oocyte number, normal fertilization rates, abnormal fertilization rates, cleavage rates, embryo utilization rates, fresh embryo transfer rates, clinical pregnancy rates (CPR), implantation rates, miscarriage rates, and live birth rates per embryo transfer (LBR) were compared between groups.

Results

Group 1 did not show any disadvantage when compared with Group 2. The CPR and LBR were similar between all groups. The female carrier group had a higher normal fertilization rate and higher utilization rate than the male carrier group. Cases with inv(9)(p12;q13) had a lower utilization rate but a higher implantation rate than the remaining karyotypes.

Conclusion

In the first IVF or ICSI cycle, couples with one pericentric inversion of chromosome 9 in one partner had satisfactory outcomes. The subgroup analysis showed a tendency of better prognosis for the female carrier and inv(9)(p12;q13) type.
A novel wideband perforated dielectric reflectarray
Authors: Xi Baokun , Xue Qianzhong , Cai Yang , Wang Yong , Yang Shaopeng , Zhang Rui
Published: July 2019

This work proposes a new methodology for widening the bandwidth of a reflectarray (RA) antenna. The narrow impedance of the conventional dielectric RA can be effectively widened on the basis of the gradual impedance matching principle. A multilayer element can realize impedance matching to free space by suitably choosing the different diameters in different layers of the drilled air‐vias. Besides, a series of air‐vias with varying diameters changes the resonance frequencies and partially overlapped bandwidth between one another, which results in widening the bandwidth. To validate the wideband RA antenna design, a circular RA prototype with diameter of 96 mm is simulated, fabricated, and measured. The measured RA exhibits an improved 1‐dB gain bandwidth of 18.4%. A peak gain of 25.18 dBi with maximum aperture efficiency of 52.18% is obtained. The significant experimental performance improvement confirms that bandwidth can be efficiently broadened by introducing the tapered scheme.
Real‐time direct diaphragm tracking using kV imaging on a standard linear accelerator
Authors: Hindley Nicholas , Keall Paul , Booth Jeremy , Shieh Chun‐Chien
Published: July 2019

Purpose

As the predominant driver of respiratory motion, the diaphragm represents a key surrogate for motion management during the irradiation of thoracic cancers. Existing approaches to diaphragm tracking often produce phase‐based estimates, suffer from lateral side failures or are not executable in real‐time. In this paper, we present an algorithm that continuously produces real‐time estimates of three‐dimensional (3D) diaphragm position using kV images acquired on a standard linear accelerator.

Methods

Patient‐specific 3D diaphragm models were generated via automatic segmentation on end‐exhale four‐dimensional‐computed tomography (4D‐CT) images. The estimated trajectory of diaphragmatic motion, referred to as the principal motion vector, was obtained by registering end‐exhale to end‐inhale 4D‐CT images. Two‐dimensional (2D) diaphragm masks were generated by forward‐projecting 3D models over the complement of angles spanned during kV image acquisition. For each kV image, diaphragm position was determined by shifting angle‐matched 2D masks along the principal motion vector and selecting the position of highest contrast on a vertical difference image. Retrospective analysis was performed using 22 cone beam CT (CBCT) image sequences for six lung cancer patients across two datasets. Given the current lack of objective ground truth for diaphragm position, our algorithm was evaluated by examining its ability to track implanted markers. Simple linear regression was used to construct 3D marker motion models and estimation errors were computed as the difference between estimated and ground truth marker positions. Additionally, Pearson correlation coefficients were used to characterize diaphragm‐marker correlation.

Results

The mean ± standard deviation of the estimation errors across all image sequences was −0.1 ± 0.7 mm, −0.1 ± 1.8 mm and 0.2 ± 1.4 mm in the LR, SI, and AP directions respectively. The 95th percentile of the absolute errors ranged over 0.5–3.1 mm, 1.6–6.7 mm, and 1.2–4.0 mm in the LR, SI, and AP directions, respectively. The mean ± standard deviation of diaphragm‐marker correlations over all image sequences was −0.07 ± 0.57, 0.67 ± 0.49, and 0.29 ± 0.52 in the LR, SI, and AP directions, respectively. Diaphragm‐marker correlation was observed to be highly dependent on marker position. Mean correlation along the SI axis ranged over 0.91–0.93 for markers situated in the lower lobes of the lung, while correlations ranging over −0.51–0.79 were observed for markers situated in the upper and middle lobes.

Conclusion

This work advances a new approach to real‐time direct diaphragm tracking in realistic treatment scenarios. By achieving continuous estimates of diaphragmatic motion, the proposed method has applications for both markerless tumor tracking and respiratory binning in 4D‐CBCT.
Equine chorionic gonadotropin increases estradiol levels in the bovine oviduct and drives the transcription of genes related to fertilization in superstimulated cows
Authors: Fontes Patricia K. , Razza Eduardo M. , Pupulim Antônio G. R. , Barros Ciro M. , de Souza Castilho Anthony C.
Published: July 2019

In the bovine oviduct, estradiol (E2) stimulates secretion and cell proliferation, whereas progesterone (P4) suppresses them. In this study, we have evaluated the effect of two superstimulatory protocols (follicle‐stimulating hormone [FSH] or FSH combined with equine chorionic gonadotropin [eCG]) on the oviductal levels of E2 and P4 and its outcome on oviductal cells. Compared with the control group (a single pre‐ovulatory follicle), we have observed that the cows submitted to FSH/eCG treatment showed a higher concentration of E2 in the oviduct tissue, together with a higher abundance of messenger RNA encoding steroid receptors (ESR1 and progesterone receptor), and genes linked to gamete interactions and regulation of polyspermy (oviduct‐specific glycoprotein 1, heat‐shock protein family A member 5, α‐l‐fucosidase 1 [FUCA1], and FUCA2) in the infundibulum and ampulla segments of the oviduct. However, we did not observe any modulation of gene expression in the isthmus segment. Even though the FSH protocol upregulated some of the genes analyzed, we may infer that the steady effect of FSH combined with eCG on oviduct regulation might benefit fertilization and may potentially increase pregnancy rates.
Autophagy and Cathepsin D mediated apoptosis contributing to ovarian follicular atresia in the Nile tilapia
Authors: Sales Camila Ferreira , Melo Rafael Magno Costa , Pinheiro Ana Paula Barbosa , Luz Ronald Kennedy , Bazzoli Nilo , Rizzo Elizete
Published: July 2019

Follicular atresia is a hormonally controlled degenerative process involving apoptosis of the somatic and germ cells. Since different signaling pathways can induce cell death, the aim of the present study was to investigate cell death signaling and crosstalk between autophagic, apoptotic, and lysosomal proteins during follicular atresia in Nile tilapia. For this, females were kept in controlled conditions for 21 days, and ovary samples were collected weekly. The atretic follicles (AF) were analyzed in three regression phases: Early, advanced, and late. Under electron microscopy, the follicular cells exhibited numerous protein synthesis organelles in the early AF. Immunoreactivity for Bcl2, Beclin1, Lc3, and Cathepsin D increased significantly in advanced AF (p < .001), when follicular cells were in intense yolk phagocytosis. In this phase, autophagosomes and autolysosomes were frequently observed. In the late AF, follicular cells had a markedly electron‐lucid cytoplasm and immunoreactivity for Bax and TUNEL assay indicated an elevated apoptosis rate. Colocalisation of Lamp1/Cathepsin D and Lc3/Caspase‐3 suggests dynamic crosstalk between the autophagy, apoptosis, and lysosome pathways. Taken together, the data indicate that autophagy plays a role in the homeostasis and clearance of the follicular cells preceding Cathepsin D mediated apoptosis during follicular atresia in Nile tilapia.
Implication of mu opioid receptor in the in vitro maturation of oocytes and its effects on subsequent fertilization and embryo development in mice
Authors: Olabarrieta Estibaliz , Totorikaguena Lide , Agirregoitia Naiara , Agirregoitia Ekaitz
Published: July 2019

Oocyte maturation is the process by which immature oocytes acquire all the necessary characteristics for successful fertilization. The endogenous opioid peptides have been suggested to have a role modulating this process. However, little is known about its implication and the effect of exposing oocyte maturation to opioids on the subsequent fertilization and embryo development. Hence, in the present work, we focused on elucidating the function of the mu opioid receptor (OPRM1) in the modulation of the oocyte maturation. We analyzed the expression and localization of OPRM1 in mice oocytes and granulosa cells by reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and immunocytochemistry. To observe the activity of the OPRM1, immature oocytes were incubated with morphine agonist and/or naloxone antagonist and we evaluated the PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways, as well as the effect on the subsequent fertilization and embryo development. OPRM1 was present in mice oocytes and granulosa cells, changing its expression pattern depending on the maturation stage. Moreover, morphine, modulating PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways, helped oocytes to reach blastocyst stage, which was reverted by naloxone. These results propose the OPRM1 as a possible therapeutic target for in vitro maturation culture medium, as it could improve the blastocyst rates obtained in the actual reproduction assisted techniques.
Three‐dimensional elastic analysis of cracks with the g2 constant displacement discontinuity method
Authors: Xiroudakis George , Stavropoulou Maria , Exadaktylos George
Published: July 2019

A new triangular element was created that could be used for the improvement of the accuracy of the constant displacement discontinuity method (CDDM). This element is characterized by three degrees of freedom in the three‐dimensional space as in the classical CDDM approach. The element is based on strain gradient elasticity theory that accounts for the difference of the average value of stress with the local stress at surfaces with large curvature (eg, crack borders, corners, and notches) in elastic bodies. The new element is characterized by a strain gradient term in addition to the two Lamè constants that gives a more representative value of the stresses at the centroid of crack edge elements compared with the classical elasticity solution and thus an accurate stress intensity factor. In this approach, special crack border elements with square‐root radius dependent displacements and numerical integrations are avoided. The extra strain gradient term is calibrated once only on the analytical solution for the penny‐shaped crack. In a verification stage, the accuracy of the computational algorithm for the elliptic and rectangular crack problems is demonstrated. Then, the algorithm, which also accounts for crack closure in compression, is applied for the modeling of crack propagation and crack interaction in uniaxial tension and compression loading. It is illustrated that the numerical predictions are in accordance with experimental evidence pertaining to uniaxial compression of transparent precracked specimens in the lab.
Noninvasive quantitative magnetization transfer MRI reveals tubulointerstitial fibrosis in murine kidney
Authors: Wang Feng , Wang Suwan , Zhang Yahua , Li Ke , Harris Raymond C. , Gore John C. , Zhang Ming‐Zhi
Published: July 2019

Excessive tissue scarring, or fibrosis, is a critical contributor to end stage renal disease, but current clinical tests are not sufficient for assessing renal fibrosis. Quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) MRI provides indirect information about the macromolecular composition of tissues. We evaluated measurements of the pool size ratio (PSR, the ratio of immobilized macromolecular to free water protons) obtained by qMT as a biomarker of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in a well‐established murine model with progressive renal disease. MR images were acquired from 16‐week‐old fibrotic hHB‐EGFTg/Tg mice and normal wild‐type (WT) mice (N = 12) at 7 T. QMT parameters were derived using a two‐pool five‐parameter fitting model. A normal range of PSR values in the cortex and outer stripe of outer medulla (CR + OSOM) was determined by averaging across voxels within WT kidneys (mean ± 2SD). Regions in diseased mice whose PSR values exceeded the normal range above a threshold value (tPSR) were identified and measured. The spatial distribution of fibrosis was confirmed using picrosirius red stains. Compared with normal WT mice, scattered clusters of high PSR regions were observed in the OSOM of hHB‐EGFTg/Tg mouse kidneys. Moderate increases in mean PSR (mPSR) of CR + OSOM regions were observed across fibrotic kidneys. The abnormally high PSR regions (% area) detected by the tPSR were significantly increased in hHB‐EGFTg/Tg mice, and were highly correlated with regions of fibrosis detected by histological fibrosis indices measured from picrosirius red staining. Renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in OSOM can thus be assessed by qMT MRI using an appropriate analysis of PSR. This technique may be used as an imaging biomarker for chronic kidney diseases.
Model order reduction with Galerkin projection applied to nonlinear optimization with infeasible primal‐dual interior point method
Authors: Nigro P.S.B. , Simões E.T. , Pimenta P.M. , Schröder J.
Published: July 2019

It is not new that model order reduction (MOR) methods are employed in almost all fields of engineering to reduce the processing time of complex computational simulations. At the same time, interior point methods (IPMs), a method to deal with inequality constraint problems (which is little explored in engineering), can be applied in many fields such as plasticity theory, contact mechanics, micromechanics, and topology optimization. In this work, a MOR based in Galerkin projection is coupled with the infeasible primal‐dual IPM. Such research concentrates on how to develop a Galerkin projection in one field with the interior point method; the combination of both methods, coupled with Schur complement, permits to solve this MOR similar to problems without constraints, leading to new approaches to adaptive strategies. Moreover, this research develops an analysis of error from the Galerkin projection related to the primal and dual variables. Finally, this work also suggests an adaptive strategy to alternate the Galerkin projection operator, between primal and dual variable, according to the error during the processing of a problem.
Emergency centre triage category allocations and their associated patient flow timeframes in a private healthcare group in the Middle East
Authors: Dippenaar Enrico
Published: July 2019

Aims and Objectives

To identify and describe triage category allocations and their associated patient pathway timeframes in four emergency centres of a large private healthcare group in the United Arab Emirates.

Background

The classification of patients in accordance with their acuity level is a complex task that requires quick and accurate allocation. Triage system categories have predetermined timeframes in which patients should be seen by a physician or treatment initiated for the best possible outcome.

Design and Methods

An observational, cross‐sectional study was conducted through the prospective capture and evaluation of medical records from patients triaged in each of the four emergency centres (two hospitals and two clinics) over a period of a month. The STROBE statement was used as a reporting framework. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the timeframes associated with the patient pathway through each EC and contrasted against their allocated triage category.

Results

A total of 4,432 patient records were eligible for analysis from the four emergency centres. Triage category 4 (54.7%) was allocated the most with only a single category 1 patient seen between the four emergency centres. The median time from registration to triage was <10 min and triage to physician consult was <25 min. The overall length of stay of high‐acuity cases was between 1 hr 13 min–2 hr 44 min, compared with low‐acuity cases being 32–49 min. Overall time to physician was substantially lower than the targets set by the triage systems itself.
Fostering Model Citizenship: Behavioral Responses to China’s Emerging Social Credit Systems
Authors: Kostka Genia , Antoine Lukas
Published: July 2019

A variety of social credit systems (SCSs) are being implemented in China in order to steer the behavior of Chinese individuals, businesses, social organizations, and government agencies. The government and industry architects of these SCSs claim that such systems will eventually lead to more honest and law‐abiding behavior, thus improving the quality of life among China’s citizenry. However, very little is known about citizens’ experience with and responses to different types of SCS initiatives. This article helps to address this gap. On the basis of a cross‐regional survey and interviews with SCS participants, we find that a surprisingly high share of respondents changed their behavior at least once, with changes concentrated in a few categories, including changing shopping behavior and following traffic regulations. Citizens who were part of a mandatory government‐run SCS pilot report altered their behavior in more ways than citizens who joined a commercial SCS. Interestingly, behavioral responses are driven mainly by material or symbolic (i.e., social recognition) motivations to influence scores in a positive way, with punitive elements playing less of a role. Finally, we find that SCSs currently reach only specific citizen groups due to variable responsiveness to the incentives provided by commercial and government‐run SCSs.
Cleaning Up Social Media: The Effect of Warning Labels on Likelihood of Sharing False News on Facebook
Authors: Mena Paul
Published: July 2019

The flagging of false news has been one of the ways suggested to discourage people from sharing deceiving news stories on social media, and recent years have seen a growing number of initiatives focused on providing credibility labels for news online. Using an experimental design, this study assesses the effectiveness of such labels designed to reduce the sharing of false news. Specifically, it examines the impact of warning labels on Facebook users’ intentions to share false news stories, drawing on a sample of 501 participants from across the political spectrum. The study also explores users’ perceptions of the likelihood that other people would share false news even after seeing a warning label. We find that the flagging of false news may indeed have an effect on reducing false news sharing intentions by diminishing the credibility of misleading information. Furthermore, we find that users may be prone to believing that others are more likely to share false news than themselves, confirming the third‐person effect. This study shows that flagging of false news on social media platforms like Facebook may indeed help the current efforts to combat sharing of deceiving information on social media.
The End of the Habermassian Ideal? Political Communication on Twitter During the 2017 Turkish Constitutional Referendum
Authors: Furman Ivo , Tunç Asli
Published: July 2019

With increasing attention devoted to automated bot accounts, fake news, and echo chambers, how much of the theory of a Habermassian public sphere is still applicable to social media? Drawing on Twitter data collected on April 16, 2017, during the night of Turkey’s 2017 Constitutional Referendum, we test whether the networks of political communication resemble the communicative structures characteristic of Habermas’s “public sphere.” The referendum left the country sharply divided; 51.4 percent of the electorate voted in favor of amending the constitution to grant sweeping new executive powers to the presidency, with an overall turnout of 85.46 percent. In this article, we examine whether Twitter users were meaningfully engaged on the night of the referendum, and if their communicative patterns resembled a networked public sphere, that is, a space where information and ideas are exchanged, and public opinion is formed in a deliberative, rational manner. We find ideological uniformity, polarization, and partisan antipathy to be especially evident—mirroring existing social tensions in Turkey. Rather than resembling a public sphere, we found Twitter users to be more likely to communicate on the basis of homophily—rather than to engage in democratic debate or establish a common ground between the two campaigns.
Disproof of a packing conjecture of Alon and Spencer
Authors: Acan Hüseyin , Kahn Jeff
Published: July 2019

A 1992 conjecture of Alon and Spencer says, roughly, that the ordinary random graph Gn,1/2 typically admits a covering of a constant fraction of its edges by edge‐disjoint, nearly maximum cliques. We show that this is not the case. The disproof is based on some (partial) understanding of a more basic question: for and A1,…,At chosen uniformly and independently from the k‐subsets of {1,…,n}, what can one say about Our main concern is trying to understand how closely the answers to this and a related question about matchings follow heuristics gotten by pretending that certain (dependent) choices are made independently.
Synthesis and Characterization of Cellulose Derivatives from Industrial Towel Waste
Authors: Yıldız Şeyma , Morcali Mehmet H. , Ziba Cengiz A. , Copcu Burcu , Dolaz Mustafa
Published: July 2019

The paper covers the synthesis and characterization of cellulose derivatives from waste cellulose, namely, towel wastes. For this purpose, the cellulose acetate derivatives were synthesized from towel waste by applying the conventional chemical synthesis process. To clarify the structure of synthesized materials, some spectroscopic methods (FT‐IR, XRD, 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR) were used. Furthermore, thermal behavior and surface morphology of prepared materials were investigated by DTG‐TG and SEM, respectively. It was found that the degree of substitution values decreased as the duration of hydrolysis increased in cellulose diacetate synthesis. It was also understood that cellulose diacetate was dissolved in acetone differently from cellulose triacetate. Degree of substitution values of cellulose diacetate were compared by using 1H‐NMR and titrimetric method. These helped elucidate the expected reaction. The proposed method was easy compared with the conventional method.
Three‐Component Mannich Reaction Catalyzed by Mesostructured Cellular Foam Silica Immobilized H3PW12O40
Authors: Dong Hao , Fan Qinzhen , Luo Guanwei , Zhang Tengfei , Yang Hongyuan , Liu Qing , Zhao Guoming , Yang Jing
Published: July 2019

One‐pot three‐component Mannich reaction was carried out at room temperature using mesocellular cellular foam (MCF) silica loaded H3PW12O40 as catalyst. The H3PW12O40/MCF catalyst was prepared by the traditional impregnation method and confirmed by a series of characterizations such as nitrogen adsorption, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier‐transform infrared spectra (FT‐IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the H3PW12O40/MCF catalyst with 50 wt% loading of H3PW12O40 exhibited the highest catalytic activity for the Mannich reaction of benzaldehyde, aniline and acetophenone with the yield of 94% in 1.8 hours under the optimal condition. In addition, the H3PW12O40/MCF catalyst could be easily recycled and reused four times without significant decline of activity. This work provided an improved modification of the three‐component Mannich reaction in terms of efficient activity, mild reaction conditions, clean reaction profiles and a simple workup procedure.
One‐Step Synthesis of Epoxy Group‐Terminated Organosilica Nanodots: A Versatile Nanoplatform for Imaging and Eliminating Multidrug‐Resistant Bacteria and Their Biofilms
Authors: Chen Xiaokai , Zhang Xiaodong , Lin Fengming , Guo Yuxin , Wu Fu‐Gen
Published: July 2019

Multidrug‐resistant bacteria (MRB) and their biofilms, both of which develop high levels of drug tolerance, cause severe threats to global health. This study demonstrates that biocompatible fluorescent silicon‐containing nanodots can be a multifunctional platform for simultaneously imaging and eliminating MRB and their biofilms. Ultrasmall epoxy group (oxirane)‐functionalized organosilica nanodots (OSiNDs) with a high photoluminescence quantum yield of ≈31% are synthesized via a simple one‐step hydrothermal treatment of an epoxy group‐containing silane molecule, 3‐glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, and an organic dye, rose bengal. The resultant OSiNDs can be employed as a universal imaging reagent for visualizing various bacteria/biofilms, including MRB and their biofilms. Moreover, the epoxy group‐terminated OSiNDs can be conjugated with amine‐containing reagents only via the simple stirring of the mixtures at an elevated temperature (e.g., 60 °C) for several hours (e.g., 3 h) without the addition of activating reagents. The amine‐containing antibiotic vancomycin (Van) can thus be easily conjugated with the OSiNDs, and the obtained OSiNDs‐Van can successfully inhibit the growth of MRB and even eliminate their biofilms. Collectively, the present work may give new impetus to the development of novel antibacterial and anti‐biofilm agents for overcoming the drug resistance of bacteria.
Ethylene Receptors in Nonplant Species
Authors: Carlew T. Scott , Allen Cidney J. , Binder Brad M.
Published: July 2019

The effects of ethylene and ethylene signal transduction have been long studied in plants. It is only recently reported that a single‐celled cyanobacterium, Synechocystis, contains a functional ethylene receptor. However, it remains to be determined if functional ethylene receptors are more widespread. This review summarizes what is known about responses to ethylene, ethylene receptors, and signal transduction in nonplant species. A summary is provided of information gleaned from searches of sequenced genomes and the possibility that ethylene receptors are widespread in microbes is discussed.
Recent Advances and Sensing Applications of Carbon Dots
Authors: Xu Dong , Lin Qinlu , Chang Huan‐Tsung
Published: July 2019

Carbon dots (C dots) with biocompatibility, brightness, stability against photoirradiation and salt, and ease in preparation have become important materials for sensing and imaging. They can be prepared from natural materials and small organic molecules through hydrothermal, microwave‐assistant, and electrochemical methods, with advantages of simplicity and low cost. To enhance the quantum yields of C dots in the red and near‐infrared regions, doping of C dots with heteroatoms such as nitrogen and sulfur has been suggested. C dots both with and without being functionalized recognition elements such as antibodies and aptamers are selective and sensitive for sensing of analytes, including metal ions (e.g., Fe3+, Hg2+, Cu2+), small molecules (e.g., H2O2, cysteine, glutathione), and biopolymers like proteins, as well as for in vitro and in vivo imaging. Depending on the size, charge, and surface ligands of C dots used to label cells, fluorescence images of different organelles are shown. Multicolor images of bacteria, mammalian cells, and plant tissues incubated with C dots are realized when excited at different wavelengths. In this review, many excellent sensing and imaging examples of C dots are presented to highlight their features and to show their challenges for analytical applications.
The Emotional Experience of Crisis Reporters: The Journey
Authors: Kotišová Johana
Published: July 2019

The chapter addresses the question: What is crisis reporters’ emotional experience? The author shows crisis reporters’ emotional labor by reconstructing an ideal-typical emotional path of a crisis reporter: from adventurous expectations related to the mythic notion of war correspondent through the frustration, boredom, and tiredness, to closeness and identification with on-site tragedies. From a long-term perspective, the continuous oscillation between boredom and intense emotions results in developing diverse emotional styles, among which cynicism holds a special position. Kotišová also lists reporters’ coping strategies and criticizes media organizations for not taking responsibility. Throughout this chapter, James goes through ordinary air experiences such as turbulences, joking with neighbors and drinking a beer, each serving as a metaphor for a corresponding topic within the empirical material.
Clinician‐patient communication during the diagnostic workup: The ABIDE project
Authors: Visser Leonie N.C. , Kunneman Marleen , Murugesu Laxsini , van Maurik Ingrid , Zwan Marissa , Bouwman Femke H. , Schuur Jacqueline , Wind Hilje A. , Blaauw Marjolijn S.J. , Kragt J.Jolijn , Roks Gerwin , Boelaarts Leo , Schipper Annemieke C. , Schooneboom Niki , Scheltens Philip , van der Flier Wiesje M. , Smets Ellen M.A.
Published: July 2019

Introduction

We aimed to describe clinician‐patient communication in the diagnostic process of memory clinics, specifically clinician behavior known to facilitate knowledgeable participation of patients during consultations.

Methods

In this multicenter, observational study, we audio‐recorded routine diagnostic consultations of 41 clinicians and 136 patients/caregivers at eight memory clinics. Patients/caregivers completed surveys after each audiotaped consultation. We used a study‐specific coding scheme to categorize communication behavior.

Results

Clinicians often provided information on (results of) diagnostic testing. They infrequently invited questions and/or checked understanding. Clinician behavior to involve patients in decision‐making about diagnostic testing was limited. Of note, patients/caregivers rarely expressed their information or involvement preferences. Yet, approximately, one quarter of them would have liked to receive more information.

Discussion

Involving patients more explicitly by means of shared decision‐making could benefit the quality of care provided in memory clinics because it enables clinicians to attune the diagnostic workup to the individual patient's needs.
Factors Influencing Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Mulimbi Willy , Nalley Lawton , Dixon Bruce , Snell Heather , Huang Qiuqiong
Published: July 2019

Empowering farmers to increase productivity by educating them on conservation agriculture (CA) could contribute to reducing vulnerability, alleviating food insecurity, and fighting poverty while being ecologically sustainable in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This study assesses the effect of a CA-promotion agriculture program. Findings suggest that location of the farm, training, having accessed credit, belonging to a farmers’ group, and being a vulnerable female all drove adoption to varying degrees and directions. Results also suggest that policy makers and CA practitioners should emphasize the ability that CA has to increase income and food security, which could widen CA adoption.
Situating dissemination and implementation sciences within and across the translational research spectrum
Authors: Leppin Aaron L. , Mahoney Jane E. , Stevens Kathleen R. , Bartels Stephen J. , Baldwin Laura-Mae , Dolor Rowena J. , Proctor Enola K. , Scholl Linda , Moore Justin B. , Baumann Ana A. , Rohweder Catherine L. , Luby Joan , Meissner Paul
Published: July 2019

The efficient and effective movement of research into practice is acknowledged as crucial to improving population health and assuring return on investment in healthcare research. The National Center for Advancing Translational Science which sponsors Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) recognizes that dissemination and implementation (D&I) sciences have matured over the last 15 years and are central to its goals to shift academic health institutions to better align with this reality. In 2016, the CTSA Collaboration and Engagement Domain Task Force chartered a D&I Science Workgroup to explore the role of D&I sciences across the translational research spectrum. This special communication discusses the conceptual distinctions and purposes of dissemination, implementation, and translational sciences. We propose an integrated framework and provide real-world examples for articulating the role of D&I sciences within and across all of the translational research spectrum. The framework’s major proposition is that it situates D&I sciences as targeted “sub-sciences” of translational science to be used by CTSAs, and others, to identify and investigate coherent strategies for more routinely and proactively accelerating research translation. The framework highlights the importance of D&I thought leaders in extending D&I principles to all research stages.
The SMART IRB platform: A national resource for IRB review for multisite studies
Authors: Cobb Nichelle , Witte Elizabeth , Cervone Maria , Kirby Aaron , MacFadden Douglas , Nadler Lee , Bierer Barbara E.
Published: July 2019

Single institutional review board (IRB) review of multisite research increased in frequency over a decade ago with a proliferation of master IRB reliance agreements supporting statewide and regional consortia and disease- and population-specific networks. Although successful, the increasing number of agreements presented significant challenges and illuminated potential benefits of a single, nationwide agreement. Anticipated changes in federal regulations highlighted the need to systematize and simplify IRB reliance. To address these challenges, the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences funded a project to establish a national IRB reliance network that would support national adoption of single IRB (sIRB) review. The Streamlined, Multisite, Accelerated Resources for Trials (SMART) IRB Platform launched in July 2016 to facilitate dissemination, adoption, and implementation of a collaboratively developed master IRB reliance agreement and supportive tools and resources. More than 580 institutions have joined SMART IRB’s Master Common Reciprocal Institutional Review Board Authorization Agreement and begun using the SMART IRB platform to support sIRB arrangements. Here, we describe the tenets of the agreement and operational benefits and challenges of its use. SMART IRB’s early success affirms the utility of collaborative, flexible, and centralized approaches to supporting sIRB review while highlighting the need for further national harmonization.
Using data linkage methodologies to augment healthcare-associated infection surveillance data
Authors: Lee Seungwon , Ronksley Paul , Conly John , Garies Stephanie , Quan Hude , Faris Peter , Li Bing , Henderson Elizabeth
Published: July 2019

Background and objectives:

The landscape of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance is changing rapidly. The primary objective of this study was to assess the benefit of linking population-based infection prevention and control surveillance data on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to hospital discharge abstract data (DAD). We assessed the value of this novel data linkage for the characterization of hospital-acquired (HA) and community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) cases.

Methods:

Incident inpatient MRSA surveillance data for all adults (≥18 years) from 4 acute-care facilities in Calgary, Alberta, between April 1, 2011, and March 31, 2017, were linked to DAD. Personal health number (PHN) and gender were used to identify specific individuals, and specimen collection time-points were used to identify specific hospitalization records. A third common variable on admission date between these databases was used to validate the linkage process. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA cases identified through the linkage process.

Results:

A total of 2,430 surveillance records (94.6%) were successfully linked to the correct hospitalization period. By linking surveillance and administrative data, we were able to identify key differences between patients with HA- and CA-MRSA. These differences are consistent with previously reported findings in the literature. Data linkage to DAD may be a novel tool to enhance and augment the details of base surveillance data.

Conclusion and recommendations:

This is the first Canadian study linking a frontline healthcare-associated infection AMR surveillance database to an administrative population database. This work represents an important methodological step toward complementing traditional AMR surveillance data practices. Data linkage to other data types, such as primary care, emergency, social, and biological data, may be the basis of achieving more precise data focused around AMR.
OPTIMAL CONTROL POLICIES FOR AN M/M/1 QUEUE WITH A REMOVABLE SERVER AND DYNAMIC SERVICE RATES
Authors: Badian-Pessot Pamela , Lewis Mark E. , Down Douglas G.
Published: July 2019

We consider an M/M/1 queue with a removable server that dynamically chooses its service rate from a set of finitely many rates. If the server is off, the system must warm up for a random, exponentially distributed amount of time, before it can begin processing jobs. We show under the average cost criterion, that work conserving policies are optimal. We then demonstrate the optimal policy can be characterized by a threshold for turning on the server and the optimal service rate increases monotonically with the number in system. Finally, we present some numerical experiments to provide insights into the practicality of having both a removable server and service rate control.
Any Material Way
Authors: Hensley Nathan K.
Published: July 2019

It is an honor to have the chance to discuss publicly Elaine Freedgood's work and its effects—“incalculably diffusive,” as they say in Middlemarch—in the world. George Eliot is an idealist and Elaine a materialist, which means that tracing Elaine's work and its work in the world, unlike that of the more pious and boring Dorothea Brooke, is possible. You can touch it. To do this labor of tracing will require thinking about Elaine's commitment to the category of the material, against the ideal and the idealized; it will also require thinking about the place that the conceptual or theoretical, but also the affective and communal, occupy for her, in relation to what Raymond Williams used to call concrete social processes. If Dorothea has a “finely tuned spirit,” with “many fine issues,” Elaine's allegiances push her away from finery, away too from “spirit.” Away, as she says in her reading of this very passage, from “mysterious, quietist, and … deeply sentimental form[s]” of consolation and toward “larger historical processes that cannot be domesticated.”
ON GRADED SYMMETRIC CELLULAR ALGEBRAS
Authors: LI YANBO , ZHAO DEKE
Published: July 2019

Let $A=\bigoplus _{i\in \mathbb{Z}}A_{i}$ be a finite-dimensional graded symmetric cellular algebra with a homogeneous symmetrizing trace of degree $d$. We prove that if $d\neq 0$ then $A_{-d}$ contains the Higman ideal $H(A)$ and $\dim H(A)\leq \dim A_{0}$, and provide a semisimplicity criterion for $A$ in terms of the centralizer of $A_{0}$.