bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Completion thyroidectomy and total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer: Comparison and prediction of postoperative hypoparathyroidism
Authors: Wang Xiaofei , Xing Tengfei , Wei Tao , Zhu Jingqiang
Published: January 2016

Background

Consensus regarding the difference of postoperative hypoparathyroidism following completion thyroidectomy (CT) and total thyroidectomy (TT) has yet to be reached. We compare the occurrence of postoperative hypoparathyroidism between CT and TT for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), and explore the predictive factors for postoperative hypoparathyroidism.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 221 consecutive patients underwent CT or TT for DTC between February 2012 and March 2014. Patients’ demographic and clinical data of the two groups were analyzed.

Results

There were 57 CTs and 164 TTs. Temporary hypoparathyroidism occurred in 12.3% (7 of 57) and 28.0% (46 of 164) of patients in the CT and TT groups, respectively. In univariate analysis, type of surgical procedure (CT or TT) and extent of central lymph node dissection (CND) (unilateral or bilateral) were significantly associated with the postoperative temporary hypoparathyroidism (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that only the extent of CND was an independent risk factor for temporary hypoparathyroidism.

Conclusions

Although temporary hypoparathyroidism was lower in the CT group, our analysis indicates the difference is due to the extent of CND rather than type of surgical procedure (CT vs. TT). Only bilateral CND is an independent risk factor for temporary hypoparathyroidism after thyroidectomy. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:522–525. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spectrophotometric determination of phosphate in matrices from sequential leaching of sediments
Authors: Anschutz Pierre , Deborde Jonathan
Published: January 2016

The speciation of Phosphorus (P) in geologic materials can inform diverse investigations in such as aquatic biogeochemistry, soil sciences, and paleo‐oceanography. Here, we describe in detail a set of sequential extraction schemes to measure P concentrations from several operationally defined phases: pore water, exchangeable or loosely sorbed P, Fe‐bound P, P associated with biogenic apatite, P associated with authigenic apatite and carbonate forms, P associated with detrital apatite and inorganic forms, and organic P. The two benefits of the procedures we describe compared to prior methodological studies are: (1) fast, simple and inexpensive colorimetric methods have been developed for P determination in all the different matrices; and (2) the Fe‐bound phosphorus pool is separated into two fractions, allowing the P associated with most reactive Fe‐fraction to be distinguished from P bound to the remainder of the Fe‐oxides. Adaptations of these procedures to optimize the characterization of P pools in a range of material types are also outlined.
A continuum of solutions in a Fréchet space of a nonlinear functional integral equation in N variables
Authors: Ngoc Le Thi Phuong , Long Nguyen Thanh
Published: January 2016

In this paper, we investigate the set of solutions of a nonlinear functional integral equation in N variables in a Fréchet space. Applying a fixed point theorem of Krasnosel'skii type and a structure theorem of Krasnosel'skii and Perov, a sufficient condition is established such that the set of solutions is a continuum, that is, nonempty, compact and connected. Furthermore, based on Aronszajn type results and a theorem proved by Vidossich, we show that this solutions set is also a compact . This is also true with solutions set of a nonlinear Volterra–Hammerstein integral equation.
The Future of Internet Organizing
Authors: DeMaria Alfred T.
Published: January 2016

At a White House worker summit in October 2015, President Obama urged unions and other worker advocates to “think creatively” about how they might use mobile apps and the Internet. The president specifically mentioned Coworker.org, the website that allows workers to start petitions and campaigns around workplace issues. Other work‐related platforms include Wearedynamo.org, a website for workplace complaints, and Contratados.org, a Spanish‐language platform that allows migrant workers to rate their experiences with recruiters and employers. In addition, dissatisfied workers meet up with their coworkers to talk and perhaps even organize on Facebook and other social media outlets.
Factors Associated with Low Body Mass Index in Huntington's Disease: A Spanish Multicenter Study of the European Huntington's Disease Registry
Authors: Cubo Esther , Rivadeneyra Jessica , Mariscal Natividad , Martinez Asunción , Armesto Diana , Camara Rafael J. ,   the Spanish Members of the European Huntington's Disease Registry
Published: January 2016

Background

Patients with Huntington's disease (HD) are at risk for body weight loss and increased risk for institutionalization, morbidity, and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with low body mass index (BMI) in patients with HD.

Methods

In this national, observational, cross‐sectional study of the European Huntington's Disease Network, the frequency of food consumption, calories, and nutrient intake in patients with HD was assessed using questionnaires validated for the Spanish population and were calculated using the software package Alimentación and Salud (Diet and Health), version 2.0. Nutritional status was estimated using the BMI, and disease severity was assessed using the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale and a total functional capacity (TFC) score. Linear regression models were performed using BMI as the dependent variable and using energy balance (energy caloric intake − energy expenditure); the TFC score; the presence of a caregiver; dysphagia; cytosine, adenine, guanine (CAG) repeats; comorbidities; intake of supplements; pharmacologic treatments; age; gender; education; and physical activity as the independent variables.

Results

Two hundred twenty‐four patients with HD were included (59% women), and their mean age was 47.41 ± 14.26 years, a median TFC score of 9 (range, 3–13), normal BMI in 124 patients (55.4%), and low BMI in 13 patients (6.7%). In the linear regression model, older age (β = 0.003; P = 0.01), male gender (β = 0.13; P = 0.003), and lower energy balance (β = −0.0001; P = 0.0003) were associated with a higher log‐transformed BMI.

Conclusions

Younger female HD patients are at risk for low BMI. To counteract the influence of the HD gene mutation on decreased BMI, an increase in kilocalories per day should be encouraged.
Genetic and Clinical Predictors of Deep Brain Stimulation in Young‐Onset Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Pal Gian D. , Hall Deborah , Ouyang Bichun , Phelps Jessica , Alcalay Roy , Pauciulo Michael W. , Nichols William C. , Clark Lorraine , Mejia‐Santana Helen , Blasucci Lucia , Goetz Christopher G. , Comella Cynthia , Colcher Amy , Gan‐Or Ziv , Rouleau Guy A. , Marder Karen ,   the Consortium on Risk for Early Onset Parkinson's Disease (CORE‐PD) Investigators
Published: January 2016

Objective

In a cohort of patients with young‐onset Parkinson's disease (PD), the authors assessed (1) the prevalence of genetic mutations in those who enrolled in deep brain stimulation (DBS) programs compared with those who did not enroll DBS programs and (2) specific genetic and clinical predictors of DBS enrollment.

Methods

Subjects were participants from 3 sites (Columbia University, Rush University, and the University of Pennsylvania) in the Consortium on Risk for Early Onset Parkinson's Disease (CORE‐PD) who had an age at onset < 51 years. The analyses presented here focus on glucocerebrosidase (GBA), leucine‐rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2), and parkin (PRKN) mutation carriers. Mutation carrier status, demographic data, and disease characteristics in individuals who did and did not enroll in DBS were analyzed. The association between mutation status and DBS placement was assessed in logistic regression models.

Results

Patients who had PD with either GBA, LRRK2, or PRKN mutations were more common in the DBS group (n = 99) compared with the non‐DBS group (n = 684; 26.5% vs. 16.8%, respectively; P = 0.02). In a multivariate logistic regression model, GBA mutation status (odds ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–4.3; P = 0.05) was associated with DBS surgery enrollment. However, when dyskinesia was included in the multivariate logistic regression model, dyskinesia had a strong association with DBS placement (odds ratio, 3.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.9–7.3; P < 0.0001), whereas the association between GBA mutation status and DBS placement did not persist (P = 0.25).

Conclusions

DBS populations are enriched with genetic mutation carriers. The effect of genetic mutation carriers on DBS outcomes warrants further exploration.
Integrin Ligands with α/β‐Hybrid Peptide Structure: Design, Bioactivity, and Conformational Aspects
Authors: De Marco Rossella , Tolomelli Alessandra , Juaristi Eusebio , Gentilucci Luca
Published: January 2016

Integrins are cell surface receptors for proteins of the extracellular matrix and plasma‐borne adhesive proteins. Their involvement in diverse pathologies prompted medicinal chemists to develop small‐molecule antagonists, and very often such molecules are peptidomimetics designed on the basis of the short native ligand‐integrin recognition motifs. This review deals with peptidomimetic integrin ligands composed of α‐ and β‐amino acids. The roles exerted by the β‐amino acid components are discussed in terms of biological activity, bioavailability, and selectivity. Special attention is paid to the synthetic accessibility and efficiency of conformationally constrained heterocyclic scaffolds incorporating α/β‐amino acid span.
L‐cysteine supplementation upregulates glutathione (GSH) and vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) in hepatocytes cultured in high glucose and in vivo in liver, and increases blood levels of GSH, VDBP, and 25‐hydroxy‐vitamin D in Zucker diabetic fatty rats
Authors: Jain Sushil K. , Kanikarla‐Marie Preeti , Warden Cassandra , Micinski David
Published: January 2016

Scope

Vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) status has an effect on and can potentially improve the status of 25(OH) vitamin D and increase the metabolic actions of 25(OH) vitamin D under physiological and pathological conditions. Diabetes is associated with lower levels of glutathione (GSH) and 25(OH) vitamin D. This study examined the hypothesis that upregulation of GSH will also upregulate blood levels of VDBP and 25(OH) vitamin D in type 2 diabetic rats.

Methods and results

L‐cysteine (LC) supplementation was used to upregulate GSH status in a FL83B hepatocyte cell culture model and in vivo using Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. Results show that LC supplementation upregulates both protein and mRNA expression of VDBP and vitamin D receptor (VDR) and GSH status in hepatocytes exposed to high glucose, and that GSH deficiency, induced by glutamate cysteine ligase knockdown, resulted in the downregulation of GSH, VDBP, and VDR and an increase in oxidative stress levels in hepatocytes. In vivo, LC supplementation increased GSH and protein and mRNA expression of VDBP and vitamin D 25‐hydroxylase (CYP2R1) in the liver, and simultaneously resulted in elevated blood levels of LC and GSH, as well as increases in VDBP and 25(OH) vitamin D levels, and decreased inflammatory biomarkers in ZDF rats compared with those in placebo‐supplemented ZDF rats consuming a similar diet.

Conclusion

LC supplementation may provide a novel approach by which to raise blood levels of VDBP and 25(OH) vitamin D in type 2 diabetes.
Isotopic splitting patterns in the 13C NMR spectra of some partially deuterated 1‐aryl‐2‐(phenyldiazenyl)butane‐1,3‐dione and 4‐hydroxy‐3‐(phenyldiazenyl)‐2H‐chromen‐2‐one: evidence for elucidation of tautomeric forms
Authors: Noroozi Pesyan Nader , Rashidnejad Hamid
Published: January 2016

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of synthesized azo dyes derived from aniline derivatives in reaction with benzoylacetone and 4‐hydroxycoumarin were studied in both CDCl3 and (CD3)2SO (two drops of D2O were added into solutions of dyes). All dyes showed intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Dyes derived from o‐nitro aniline in the reaction with benzoylacetone, and 4‐hydroxycoumarin showed bifurcated intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The solvent‐substrate proton exchange of dyes derived from benzoylacetone and 4‐hydroxycoumarin was examined in the presence of two drops of D2O. Among ten dye samples, two dyes derived from benzoylacetone did not show deuteration, three dyes showed partial deuteration and five dyes showed full deuteration under similar conditions. For the partially deuterated dyes the β‐isotope effect in 13C splitting was investigated and was used for the determination of the predominant tautomeric form. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Accelerating functional MRI using fixed‐rank approximations and radial‐cartesian sampling
Authors: Chiew Mark , Graedel Nadine N. , McNab Jennifer A. , Smith Stephen M. , Miller Karla L.
Published: January 2016

Purpose

Recently, k‐t FASTER (fMRI Accelerated in Space‐time by means of Truncation of Effective Rank) was introduced for rank‐constrained acceleration of fMRI data acquisition. Here we demonstrate improvements achieved through a hybrid three‐dimensional radial‐Cartesian sampling approach that allows posthoc selection of acceleration factors, as well as incorporation of coil sensitivity encoding in the reconstruction.

Methods

The multicoil rank‐constrained reconstruction used hard thresholding and shrinkage on matrix singular values of the space‐time data matrix, using sensitivity encoding and the nonuniform Fast Fourier Transform to enforce data consistency in the multicoil non‐Cartesian k‐t domain. Variable acceleration factors were made possible using a radial increment based on the golden ratio. Both retrospective and prospectively under‐sampled data were used to assess the fidelity of the enhancements to the k‐t FASTER technique in resting and task‐fMRI data.

Results

The improved k‐t FASTER is capable of tailoring acceleration factors for recovery of different signal components, achieving up to R = 12.5 acceleration in visual‐motor task data. The enhancements reduce data matrix reconstruction errors even at much higher acceleration factors when compared directly with the original k‐t FASTER approach.

Conclusion

We have shown that k‐t FASTER can be used to significantly accelerate fMRI data acquisition with little penalty to data quality. Magn Reson Med 76:1825–1836, 2016. © 2016 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Automatic recognition of subject‐specific cerebrovascular trees
Authors: Hsu Chih‐Yang , Schneller Ben , Alaraj Ali , Flannery Michael , Zhou Xiaohong Joe , Linninger Andreas
Published: January 2016

Purpose

An image filter designed for reconstructing cerebrovascular trees from MR images is described. Current imaging techniques capture major cerebral vessels reliably, but often fail to detect small vessels, whose contrast is suppressed due to limited resolution, slow blood flow rate, and distortions around bifurcations or nonvascular structures. An incomplete view of angioarchitecture limits the information available to physicians.

Methods

A novel Hessian‐based filter for contrast‐enhancement in MR angiography and venography for blood vessel reconstruction without introducing dangling segments is presented. We quantify filter performance with receiver‐operating‐characteristic and dice‐similarity‐coefficient analysis. Total extracted vascular length, number‐of‐segments, volume, surface‐to‐distance, and positional error are calculated for validation.

Results

Reconstruction of cerebrovascular trees from MR images of six volunteers show that the new filter renders more complete representations of subject‐specific cerebrovascular networks. Validation with phantom models shows the filter correctly detects blood vessels across all length scales without failing at bifurcations or distorting diameters.

Conclusion

The novel filter can potentially improve the diagnosis of cerebrovascular diseases by delivering metrics and anatomy of the vasculature. It also facilitates the automated analysis of large datasets by computing biometrics free of operator subjectivity. The high quality reconstruction enables computational mesh generation for subject‐specific hemodynamic simulations. Magn Reson Med 77:398–410, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
In vivo, high‐frequency three‐dimensional cardiac MR elastography: Feasibility in normal volunteers
Authors: Arani Arvin , Glaser Kevin L. , Arunachalam Shivaram P. , Rossman Phillip J. , Lake David S. , Trzasko Joshua D. , Manduca Armando , McGee Kiaran P. , Ehman Richard L. , Araoz Philip A.
Published: January 2016

Purpose

Noninvasive stiffness imaging techniques (elastography) can image myocardial tissue biomechanics in vivo. For cardiac MR elastography (MRE) techniques, the optimal vibration frequency for in vivo experiments is unknown. Furthermore, the accuracy of cardiac MRE has never been evaluated in a geometrically accurate phantom. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the necessary driving frequency to obtain accurate three‐dimensional (3D) cardiac MRE stiffness estimates in a geometrically accurate diastolic cardiac phantom and to determine the optimal vibration frequency that can be introduced in healthy volunteers.

Methods

The 3D cardiac MRE was performed on eight healthy volunteers using 80 Hz, 100 Hz, 140 Hz, 180 Hz, and 220 Hz vibration frequencies. These frequencies were tested in a geometrically accurate diastolic heart phantom and compared with dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA).

Results

The 3D Cardiac MRE was shown to be feasible in volunteers at frequencies as high as 180 Hz. MRE and DMA agreed within 5% at frequencies greater than 180 Hz in the cardiac phantom. However, octahedral shear strain signal to noise ratios and myocardial coverage was shown to be highest at a frequency of 140 Hz across all subjects.

Conclusion

This study motivates future evaluation of high‐frequency 3D MRE in patient populations. Magn Reson Med 77:351–360, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Neural network prediction of the reliability of heterogeneous cohesive slopes
Authors: Chok Y.H. , Jaksa M.B. , Kaggwa W.S. , Griffiths D.V. , Fenton G.A.
Published: January 2016

The reliability of heterogeneous slopes can be evaluated using a wide range of available probabilistic methods. One of these methods is the random finite element method (RFEM), which combines random field theory with the non‐linear elasto‐plastic finite element slope stability analysis method. The RFEM computes the probability of failure of a slope using the Monte Carlo simulation process. The major drawback of this approach is the intensive computational time required, mainly due to the finite element analysis and the Monte Carlo simulation process. Therefore, a simplified model or solution, which can bypass the computationally intensive and time‐consuming numerical analyses, is desirable. The present study investigates the feasibility of using artificial neural networks (ANNs) to develop such a simplified model. ANNs are well known for their strong capability in mapping the input and output relationship of complex non‐linear systems. The RFEM is used to generate possible solutions and to establish a large database that is used to develop and verify the ANN model. In this paper, multi‐layer perceptrons, which are trained with the back‐propagation algorithm, are used. The results of various performance measures indicate that the developed ANN model has a high degree of accuracy in predicting the reliability of heterogeneous slopes. The developed ANN model is then transformed into relatively simple formulae for direct application in practice. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A comparison of quantitative methods for clinical imaging with hyperpolarized 13C‐pyruvate
Authors: Daniels Charlie J. , McLean Mary A. , Schulte Rolf F. , Robb Fraser J. , Gill Andrew B. , McGlashan Nicholas , Graves Martin J. , Schwaiger Markus , Lomas David J. , Brindle Kevin M. , Gallagher Ferdia A.
Published: January 2016

Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) enables the metabolism of hyperpolarized 13C‐labelled molecules, such as the conversion of [1‐13C]pyruvate to [1‐13C]lactate, to be dynamically and non‐invasively imaged in tissue. Imaging of this exchange reaction in animal models has been shown to detect early treatment response and correlate with tumour grade. The first human DNP study has recently been completed, and, for widespread clinical translation, simple and reliable methods are necessary to accurately probe the reaction in patients. However, there is currently no consensus on the most appropriate method to quantify this exchange reaction. In this study, an in vitro system was used to compare several kinetic models, as well as simple model‐free methods. Experiments were performed using a clinical hyperpolarizer, a human 3 T MR system, and spectroscopic imaging sequences. The quantitative methods were compared in vivo by using subcutaneous breast tumours in rats to examine the effect of pyruvate inflow. The two‐way kinetic model was the most accurate method for characterizing the exchange reaction in vitro, and the incorporation of a Heaviside step inflow profile was best able to describe the in vivo data. The lactate time‐to‐peak and the lactate‐to‐pyruvate area under the curve ratio were simple model‐free approaches that accurately represented the full reaction, with the time‐to‐peak method performing indistinguishably from the best kinetic model. Finally, extracting data from a single pixel was a robust and reliable surrogate of the whole region of interest. This work has identified appropriate quantitative methods for future work in the analysis of human hyperpolarized 13C data. © 2016 The Authors. NMR in Biomedicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Lagrange extraction and projection for NURBS basis functions: A direct link between isogeometric and standard nodal finite element formulations
Authors: Schillinger Dominik , Ruthala Praneeth K. , Nguyen Lam H.
Published: January 2016

We introduce Lagrange extraction and projection that link a C0 nodal basis with a smooth B‐spline basis. Our technology is equivalent to Bézier extraction and projection but offers an alternative implementation based on the interpolatory property of nodal basis functions. The Lagrange extraction operator can be constructed by simply evaluating B‐spline basis functions at nodal points and eliminates the need for introducing Bernstein polynomials as new shape functions. The Lagrange projection operator is defined as the inverse of the Lagrange extraction operator and directly relates function values at nodal points to element‐level B‐spline coefficients of a local interpolant. For geometries based on polynomial B‐splines, our technology allows the implementation of isogeometric analysis in standard nodal finite element codes with simple algorithms and minimal intrusion. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermal transitions and molecular dynamics in main‐chain liquid crystalline polyester/fullerene nanocomposites
Authors: Koutsoumpis Stefanos , Kripotou Sotiria , Nikonorova Natalia , Pissis Polycarpos
Published: January 2016

Molecular dynamics and liquid crystalline (LC) transitions in nanocomposites with main‐chain liquid crystalline alkylene–aromatic polyester as a matrix and fullerene C60 as a filler, with filler content varying from 0.3 up to 5 wt% were studied. Measurements by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and temperature modulated DSC techniques were performed in order to study glass transition and LC transitions. Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS) was used both to record LC transitions through isochronal measurements at four different frequencies during cooling/heating at constant rate and to study molecular mobility through isothermal measurements in a wide temperature and frequency range, −150°C to 190°C and 10−1 to 106 Hz, respectively. Glass transition and LC transitions were followed for the neat matrix as well as for the nanocomposites. A moderate increase of glass transition temperature in nanocomposites was found, while the LC transitions were shifted to lower temperatures with increasing filler content. A good correlation between DSC and DRS results was found. For all the samples under study four dielectric relaxations were followed by DRS, in order of increasing temperature: two secondary relaxations, β and γ, the α‐relaxation related to the amorphous phase glass transition and an interfacial relaxation (Maxwell–Wagner–Sillars, MWS) due to charge accumulation at the amorphous–crystalline interface. The experimental data were analyzed in detail and the results revealed rather weak effects of fullerenes on molecular dynamics. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:E331–E341, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
UV‐excitable fluorescent poly(lactic acid) fibers
Authors: Zhang Huihui , Wang Rong , Yang Gesheng , Xu Yuanyuan , Shao Huili
Published: January 2016

The UV‐excitable fluorescent poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fibers were spun by the traditional melt spinning process, and the effects of the fluorescent powder content (w(FP)) and draw ratio (DR) on the structure and properties of the fluorescent PLA fibers were investigated, respectively. The results showed that the emission spectra of fluorescent PLA fibers were peaked at 530 nm after UV excitation, indicating the PLA fibers would emit green light under UV light. With the increasing of w(FP), the relative fluorescence intensity of PLA fibers increased gradually, whereas more and larger protrusions were formed on the fiber surface due to the agglomeration of fluorescent powder, both the crystallinity and mechanical properties of fluorescent PLA fiber showed the decreasing trend with the increase of w(FP). With the increase of DR, the tensile strength of fluorescent PLA fibers increased gradually, whereas the relative fluorescence intensity of PLA fibers increased firstly and then decreased, and the highest fluorescence intensity was obtained when the DR was 3.6. In addition, the confocal laser scanning microscope can be used well to simulate the 3D distribution of fluorescent powder among the PLA fibers. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:373–379, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
Tert‐butyl peroxyacetate initiated semibatch polymerization of 1,1‐difluoroethylene in supercritical carbon dioxide
Authors: Wenzel Jonathan , Lee Sunggyu
Published: January 2016

Due to its inertness and solubility in vinylidene fluoride, (VF2), supercritical carbon dioxide is used as a replacement solvent for producing polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). tert‐butyl peroxyacetate (TBPA) was evaluated for the first time as a free radical initiator for radical chain polymerization of VF2 producing PVDF without use of a dispersion agent in a semibatch reactor using supercritical carbon dioxide. Diethyl peroxydicarbonate (DEPDC) at 75°C has been evaluated in many publications as an initiator in batch and continuous reactors for polymerization of VF2 in supercritical carbon dioxide. The effects of monomer and initiator concentration, agitation, and reaction time upon average molecular weight and polydispersity were evaluated using TBPA as an initiator at 104°C and compared with DEPDC initiated polymerization. It was found that as agitation rate, monomer concentration, and reaction time increased, the average molecular weight of PVDF using TBPA as an initiator increased. Lower concentrations of TBPA were needed compared to DEPDC to produce comparable molecular weights of PVDF. Using TBPA as an initiator at the conditions investigated resulted in lower polydispersity at similar monomer concentrations compared to DEPDC. Average molecular weights using TBPA ranged from 49,900 g/mol to 1.3 million g/mol and polydispersity ranged from 1.3 to 5.4. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:435–440, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
A systematic review and meta‐analysis of prescribing practices of antidepressants in cancer patients
Authors: Sanjida Saira , Janda Monika , Kissane David , Shaw Joanne , Pearson Sallie‐Anne , DiSipio Tracey , Couper Jeremy
Published: January 2016

Background

Antidepressants are commonly used for the pharmacological treatment of depression. We aimed to summarise the prevalence of antidepressant prescription to cancer patients, and differences by study or patient characteristics.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and psychINFO were searched using keywords ‘psychotropic’, ‘antidepressants’, ‘prescription’ and ‘cancer’. Prevalence of antidepressants, type, dose and follow‐up of antidepressants and prescriber details were extracted.

Results

Overall, 1537 articles between 1979 and February 2015 were found, 38 met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed according to PRISMA guidelines. The prevalence rate of prescribing antidepressants to cancer patients was 15.6% (95% CI = 13.3–18.3). Prescription was significantly less common in studies from Asia (7.4%; 95% CI = 4.3–12.5), more common in female (22.6%; 95% CI = 16.0–31.0) or breast cancer patients (22.6%; 95% CI = 16.0–30.9). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were the most frequently prescribed antidepressants. General practitioners and psychiatrists, followed by oncologists, were identified as the major providers of antidepressant prescriptions to cancer patients. Few studies reported the exact dose, length of time drugs were prescribed for or follow‐up regimens.

Conclusions

There is considerable variation in the prescribing patterns of antidepressants across the world, with few studies reporting robust data on exact dose or follow‐up regimens. Prospective studies that monitor antidepressant prescribing, including details of reasons for prescribing and the healthcare providers involved, dose, change in dose or type of medication and follow‐up are needed to ascertain whether patients are being treated optimally and if side effects or drug–drug interactions are identified and managed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Studies on EVA‐Based Wax Fuel for Launch Vehicle Applications
Authors: Kumar Rajiv , Ramakrishna Periyapatna A.
Published: January 2016

A fuel for the hybrid rocket system was developed. The attempts made to improve the mechanical properties of wax by adding EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) are illustrated. It was observed that the mechanical properties obtained by adding EVA to wax were dependent on the process of curing the fuel specimen. A proprietary method of curing the fuel specimen was established. The percentage elongation obtained with 20 % EVA and 80 % of wax was around 17 %, which was much higher than the values obtained with pure wax (4 %). It was observed from the study that the higher the percentage of EVA content in wax was, the better the mechanical properties were. Regression rate studies with EVA and wax combination were carried out. It was observed that the regression rate decreased upon addition of EVA in wax. This reduction was compensated by using a bluff body at the head end. The regression rate obtained with 20 % EVA and 80 % wax even with the use of bluff body is lower than that obtained with pure wax, but is around 3.5 times the regression rate obtained with polymeric fuels.
On the reliability of peptide nonplanarity seen in ultra‐high resolution crystal structures
Authors: Brereton Andrew E. , Karplus P. Andrew
Published: January 2016

Ultra‐high resolution protein crystal structures have been considered as relatively reliable sources for defining details of protein geometry, such as the extent to which the peptide unit deviates from planarity. Chellapa and Rose (Proteins 2015; 83:1687) recently called this into question, reporting that for a dozen representative protein structures determined at ∼1 Å resolution, the diffraction data could be equally well fit with models restrained to have highly planar peptides, i.e. having a standard deviation of the ω torsion angles of only ∼1° instead of the typically observed value of ∼6°. Here, we document both conceptual and practical shortcomings of that study and show that the more tightly restrained models are demonstrably incorrect and do not fit the diffraction data equally well. We emphasize the importance of inspecting electron density maps when investigating the agreement between a model and its experimental data. Overall, this report reinforces that modern standard refinement protocols have been well‐conceived and that ultra‐high resolution protein crystal structures, when evaluated carefully and used with an awareness of their levels of coordinate uncertainty, are powerful sources of information for providing reliable information about the details of protein geometry.
ER=EPR, GHZ, and the consistency of quantum measurements
Authors: Susskind Leonard
Published: January 2016

This paper illustrates various aspects of the ER=EPR conjecture. It begins with a brief heuristic argument, using the Ryu‐Takayanagi correspondence, for why entanglement between black holes implies the existence of Einstein‐Rosen bridges. The main part of the paper addresses a fundamental question: Is ER=EPR consistent with the standard postulates of quantum mechanics? Naively it seems to lead to an inconsistency between observations made on entangled systems by different observers. The resolution of the paradox lies in the properties of multiple black holes, entangled in the Greenberger‐Horne‐Zeilinger pattern. The last part of the paper is about entanglement as a resource for quantum communication. ER=EPR provides a way to visualize protocols like quantum teleportation. In some sense teleportation takes place through the wormhole, but as usual, classical communication is necessary to complete the protocol.
Laboratory and field evaluation of an entomopathogenic fungus, Isaria cateniannulata strain 08XS‐1, against Tetranychus urticae (Koch)
Authors: Zhang Xiaona , Jin Daochao , Zou Xiao , Guo Jianjun
Published: January 2016

BACKGROUND

The two‐spotted mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, is one of the most serious mite pests of crops throughout the world. Biocontrol of the mite with fungal agents has long been paid much attention because of the development of insecticide resistance and the severe restriction of chemical pesticides. In this study, the efficacy of submerged conidia of the entomopathogenic fungus Isaria cateniannulata strain 08XS‐1 against T. urticae eggs, larvae and female adults was evaluated at different temperatures and humidity in the laboratory and under field conditions.

RESULTS

The results showed that a suspension of 2 × 107 submerged conidia mL−1 caused the highest mortalities of mite eggs, larvae and females (100, 100 and 70% respectively) at 100% relative humidity and 25 °C in the laboratory. In the field experiments against the mites, a suspension of 2 × 108 submerged conidia mL−1 achieved significant efficiency – the relative control effects were 88.6, 83.8 and 83%, respectively, in cucumber, eggplant and bean fields after 10 days of treatment.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the I. cateniannulata strain 08XS‐1 is a potential fungal agent, with acceptable production cost of conidia, against T. urticae in the field in an area such as southwestern China with higher air humidity. © 2016 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Analysis of threshold voltage instability in AlGaN/GaN MISHEMTs by forward gate voltage stress pulses
Authors: Winzer Annett , Schuster Martin , Hentschel Rico , Ocker Johannes , Merkel Ulrich , Jahn Andreas , Wachowiak Andre , Mikolajick Thomas
Published: January 2016

We report on the investigation of the Vth drift behaviour of AlGaN/GaN MISHEMTs upon forward gate voltage stress in dependence of stress bias and stress time. The pulsed measurements allow for the evaluation of the operational regime for optimum device efficiency. We compared the effect of two different high‐κ gate dielectric materials with similar equivalent oxide thickness ϵ0ϵr/thigh‐κ on the Vth instability in order to separate the influence of the heterojunction design and the high‐κ/GaN‐cap interface from the bulk high‐κ. The matched gate capacitance coupling of the studied Al2O3 and HfO2 gate dielectric results in an nearly identical critical forward gate voltage, where the AlGaN barrier potential is lowered and severe threshold voltage shift (ΔVth) into the positive voltage direction is induced. Beyond this critical forward voltage, detailed time‐dependent stress pulse measurements from 1 µs to 1000 s revealed an immediate electron injection and trapping at the oxide/GaN interface for stress pulses with tstress ≥ 1 µs. The presented results of Vth drift analysis demonstrate the limits of the maximum tolerable forward gate voltage of the investigated Al2O3 and HfO2 MISHEMTs, although the excellent low‐leakage currents of the insulated gate would imply a potentially higher gate‐overdrive.
Current developments in silicene and germanene
Authors: Kaloni T. P. , Schreckenbach G. , Freund M. S. , Schwingenschlögl U.
Published: January 2016

Exploration of the unusual properties of the two‐dimensional materials silicene and germanene is a very active research field in recent years. This paper therefore reviews the latest developments, focusing both on the fundamental materials properties and on possible applications. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The effect of confinement on the electronic energy and polarizability of a hydrogen molecular ion
Authors: da Silva Josimar Fernando , Silva Fabrício Ramos , Filho Elso Drigo
Published: January 2016

The electronic energy and the polarizability of a confined hydrogen molecular ion in the ground state and the first excited state, for cavities of different volumes, are calculated using the variational method. In the treatment adopted an alternative molecular wave function is introduced with only one variational parameter and based on wave functions used for confined atoms. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Yields and images of secondary ions from organic materials by different primary Bi ions in time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry
Authors: Shishido Rie , Fujii Makiko , Seki Toshio , Aoki Takaaki , Matsuo Jiro , Suzuki Shigeru
Published: January 2016

Rationale

Bi cluster ions are used as a source of primary ions for time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF‐SIMS), and it has been recognized that secondary ion yields of macromolecules are higher with Bi cluster ions than with monomer ions or other cluster ions such as Cs+, Ga+ and Aun+. However, the analysis conditions of Bi cluster TOF‐SIMS are not sufficiently established. This study provides information on the secondary ion yields, damage cross‐section and spatial resolution obtained with different primary Bi ions.

Methods

We investigated the secondary ion yields, damage cross‐section and spatial resolution using three different primary Bi ions in TOF‐SIMS. The primary ions selected were Bi1+, Bi3+ and Bi32+ that were accelerated with 25 kV and the positively charged secondary ions were analyzed. The samples were 1, 2‐distearoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine (C44H88NO8P, DSPC), which is a typical lipid, and N,N'‐di(1‐naphthyl)‐N,N'‐diphenylbenzidine (C44H32N2, NPD) and 4,4',4”‐tris[2‐naphthyl(phenyl)amino]triphenylamine (C66H48N4, 2‐TNATA), which are organic functional materials.

Results

Although the secondary ion yields of DSPC were highest when measured with Bi3+, the spatial resolution obtained from all DSPC analyses could not be evaluated because of the low intensity of the secondary molecular ions. On the other hand, for both NPD and 2‐TNATA, the secondary ion yields were highest when imaged with Bi32+. Also, we obtained the highest spatial resolution using Bi32+. In the analysis of all molecules, the damage cross‐section obtained with Bi32+ was also the highest.

Conclusions

When secondary ions were sensitively detected, images of the high spatial resolution were obtained by using Bi32+. On the other hand, when the secondary ion sensitivity was low, the spatial resolution depended on the yields of secondary ions, implying that the selection of the primary ion species is crucial for SIMS analysis of large molecules. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Elucidation of a CGP7930 in vitro metabolite by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Wang Haidong , Zhang Wenxiang , Wang Xian
Published: January 2016

Rationale

γ‐Aminobutyric acid‐B (GABAB) receptors are widely expressed in the nervous system and have been implicated as targets for various neurological and psychiatric disorders. CGP7930 is a positive allosteric modulator of GABAB receptors. It has been demonstrated to reduce drug self‐administration and has gained increased research as a potential psychotropic treatment.

Methods

An in vitro metabolic system with liver microsomes of SD rats has been conducted and evaluated by probe drugs. The predominant in vitro metabolite of CGP7930 was identified and elucidated using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI‐QTOF‐MS/MS). Its structure was determined by comparing the characteristic ions of CGP7930 and those of the metabolite, based on the accurate mass measurement by MS and the fragmentation pattern obtained by MS/MS.

Results

We found that the main metabolic pathway of CGP7930 was via a monohydroxylation reaction and the hydroxylation site located at the terminal butyl‐carbon. The collision‐induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation of the hydroxylated metabolite underwent McLafferty rearrangement and α‐cleavage.

Conclusions

This work provides an understanding of the in vitro metabolism of CGP7930, which is helpful for the further study of the development of potential drug candidates targeting GABAB receptors, for the treatment of depression. The work also demonstrates that the LC/ESI‐QTOF‐MS/MS method has the advantage of possibly determining the structures of drug metabolites without the use of standards. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging of cell cultures for the lipidomic analysis of potential lipid markers in human breast cancer invasion
Authors: Wang Shujuan , Chen Xiaowu , Luan Hemi , Gao Dan , Lin Shuhai , Cai Zongwei , Liu Jianjun , Liu Hongxia , Jiang Yuyang
Published: January 2016

Rationale

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. Identification of lipid targets that play a role in breast cancer invasion may advance our understanding of the rapid progression of cancer and may lead to the development of new biomarkers for the disease.

Methods

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI MSI) was applied for the lipidomic profiling of two poorly invasive and two highly invasive breast cancer cell lines to identify the differentially accumulated lipids related to the invasive phenotype. The four cell lines were individually grown on indium tin oxide (ITO)‐coated glass slides, analyzed as cell cultures. The raster width and matrix for detection were optimized to improve detection sensitivity.

Results

Optimized MSI measurements were performed directly on the cell culture with 9‐aminoacridine as matrix, resulting in 215 endogenous compounds detected in positive ion mode and 267 endogenous compounds in negative ion mode in all the four cell lines, representing the largest group of analytes that have been analyzed from cells by a single MSI study. In highly invasive cell lines, 31 lipids including phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidic acids were found upregulated and eight lipids including sphingomyelin (SM) downregulated in negative ion mode. The products of de novo fatty acid synthesis incorporated into membrane phospholipids, like oleic‐acid‐containing PG, may be involved in mitochondrial dysfunction and thus affect the invasion of breast cancer cells. The deficiency of SM may be related to the disruption of apoptosis in highly invasive cancer cells.

Conclusions

This work uncovered more analytes in cells by MSI than previous reports, providing a better visualization and novel insights to advance our understanding of the relationship between rapid progression of breast cancer and lipid metabolism. The most altered lipids may aid the discovery of diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets of breast cancer. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Role of the County‐Elected Official in Disaster Recovery
Authors: Bundy Sarah J. , Jensen Jessica
Published: January 2016

Disaster recovery literature suggests that local governments are primarily responsible for the disaster recovery process within their communities. This literature also implies that part of this local government responsibility includes coordinating the different parts of the distributed function. Yet, it remains unknown how this responsibility for recovery—including coordination—is distributed within and across local government. This study explored the role of county‐elected officials in disaster recovery in an attempt to understand what role these elected officials currently play in the recovery process—particularly as related to the coordination of recovery efforts. Data were collected through 20 in‐depth, telephonic interviews with county‐elected officials in 12 states. Grounded theory was used to conceptualize the overall research design and analyze the data. The data showed that the role of the county‐elected officials could best be characterized as an extension of their routine role within the county government with no coordination function evident. Possible explanations of this finding related to role are offered and the implications of this finding for disaster recovery policy, practice, and scholarship are discussed.
On generating and exploring the behavior space of complex models
Authors: Pruyt Erik , Islam Tushith
Published: January 2016

This paper introduces a novel approach for (i) exploring the spectrum of behaviors system dynamics models could generate and (ii) identifying and selecting exemplar simulation runs that are representative in terms of their dynamics and their origin in the input space. Our overall approach consists of two phases: a first phase of iterative behavior‐based sampling and simulation; and a second phase of behavior‐based classification or clustering, input‐space identification and selection of representative exemplars. For this approach, we introduce new ways to characterize the dynamic complexity of simulation runs, develop a new iterative output‐oriented sampling approach, and combine classification, clustering, data visualization and machine learning techniques. Using two well‐known system dynamics models, we show how our approach enables one to generate a wide spectrum of behaviors and group runs based on their type of behavior, and identify distinct areas in the input space based on the particular type of behavior they generate. Copyright © 2016 System Dynamics Society