bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Minding the Gaps: A Methodological Approach to Inter-Individual Variability in Skeletal Completion
Authors: Beck Jess L.
Published: January 2016

In order to ensure sufficient sample sizes, bioarchaelogical studies of individual health in prehistory must often rely on assemblages that demonstrate high inter-individual variability in skeletal completion. Determining whether higher insult frequencies in particular individuals result from their greater skeletal preservation is a key step in understanding ancient health and disease. This study uses a simple new z-score residual approach to control for inter-individual differences in skeletal completion while comparing multiple variables. To test this method, a sex- and age-balanced sample of 85 adult individuals was selected from five Middle and Late Woodland sites in Illinois: Helton (11GE540), Gibson (11C5), Ledders (11C132), Ray (11BR104,) and Carter (11GE624). Data on the frequency of nine different health indicators were collected, and statistically significant period- or sex-based differences in osteoarthritis, alveolar resorption, and hypoplasias were observed, illustrating the utility of this approach for bioarchaeologists concerned with the effects of skeletal completion on assessments of prehistoric health.
Statistical Analysis of Paradigmatic Class Richness Supports Greater Paleoindian Projectile-Point Diversity in the Southeast
Authors: Eren Metin I. , Chao Anne , Chiu Chun-Huo , Colwell Robert K. , Buchanan Briggs , Boulanger Matthew T. , Darwent John , O’Brien Michael J.
Published: January 2016

Ronald Mason’s hypothesis from the 1960s that the southeastern United States possesses greater Paleoindian projectile-point diversity than other regions is regularly cited, and often assumed to be true, but in fact has never been quantitatively tested. Even if valid, however, the evolutionary meaning of this diversity is contested. Point diversity is often linked to Clovis “origins,” but point diversity could also arise from group fissioning and drift, admixture, adaptation, or multiple founding events, among other possibilities. Before archaeologists can even begin to discuss these scenarios, it is paramount to ensure that what we think we know is representative of reality. To this end, we tested Mason’s hypothesis for the first time, using a sample of 1,056 Paleoindian points from eastern North America arui employing paradigmatic classification and rigorous statistical tools used in the quantification of ecological biodiversity. Our first set of analyses, which compared the Southeast to the Northeast, showed that the Southeast did indeed possess significantly greater point-class richness. Although this result was consistent with Mason’s hypothesis, our second set of analyses, which compared the Upper Southeast to the Lower Southeast and the Northeast showed that in terms of point-class richness the Upper Southeast > Lower Southeast > Northeast. Given current chronometrie evidence, we suggest that this latter result is consistent with the suggestion that the area of the Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee River valleys, as well as the mid-Atlantic coastal plain, were possible initial and secondary “staging areas” for colonizing Paleoindian foragers moving from western to eastern North America.
Theoretical Challenges of Indigenous Archaeology: Setting an Agenda
Authors: McNiven Ian J.
Published: January 2016

Indigenous archaeology focuses on laudable processes of collaborative community research and decolonization. In contrast, theoretical contributions of Indigenous archaeology in terms of interpreting archaeological materials have been minimally articulated beyond praxis. Does Indigenous archaeology have an interpretative theoretical agenda? This paper addresses this question and articulates an agenda through distillation of theoretical developments and concerns from the considerable literature on Indigenous archaeology that has emerged from the Americas, Australia, and Africa over the past two decades. A shared fundamental concern is challenging ontological and epistemological divides and dualisms within mainstream Western archaeology. Two key dimensions of Indigenous archaeology are elaborated to provide broader scope to contextualize and address these theoretical challenges. First,encountering the pastchallenges objectivist tangibility of the archaeological record with ancestral presence and contexts where artifactual absence is the (in)tangible signature of spiritual association. Second,historicing the presentchallenges secularist archaeologies of a detached past with archaeologies of the more familiar ethnographically known recent past linked to identity and diachronic explorations of ontology and spiritualism. An agenda that embraces these theoretical challenges presents major opportunities for mainstream archaeology to reorient its Eurocentric focus and produce more cross-culturally relevant and culturally nuanced and sensitive understandings of the past.
Ultralow reverse leakage current in AlGaN/GaN lateral Schottky barrier diodes grown on bulk GaN substrate
Authors: Lu Xing , Liu Chao , Jiang Huaxing , Zou Xinbo , Zhang Anping , Lau Kei May
Published: January 2016

We report on a study of AlGaN/GaN heterostructure lateral Schottky barrier diodes (L-SBDs) grown on a bulk GaN substrate. The L-SBDs exhibited an ultralow reverse leakage current below 10−6 A/cm2 without employing any extra treatments, which was over 4 orders of magnitude lower than that of a reference device on a sapphire substrate. The superior performance was attributed to the high crystalline quality of the heterostructure achieved by homoepitaxy. The comparison also revealed that the absence of high-density trap states in the homoepitaxial L-SBD grown on the bulk GaN substrate played a key role in achieving a low reverse leakage current.
Micro-light-pipe array with an excitation attenuation filter for lensless digital enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
Authors: Takehara Hironari , Nagasaki Mizuki , Sasagawa Kiyotaka , Takehara Hiroaki , Noda Toshihiko , Tokuda Takashi , Ohta Jun
Published: January 2016

Digital enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is used for detecting various biomarkers with hypersensitivity. We have been developing compact systems by replacing the fluorescence microscope with a CMOS image sensor. Here, we propose a micro-light-pipe array structure made of metal filled with dye-doped resin, which can be used as a fabrication substrate of the micro-reaction-chamber array of digital ELISA. The possibility that this structure enhances the coupling efficiency for fluorescence was simulated using a simple model. To realize the structure, we fabricated a 30-µm-thick micropipe array by copper electroplating around a thick photoresist pattern. The typical diameter of each fabricated micropipe was 10 µm. The pipes were filled with yellow-dye-doped epoxy resin. The transmittance ratio of fluorescence and excitation light could be controlled by adjusting the doping concentration. We confirmed that an angled excitation light incidence suppressed the leakage of excitation light.
IsAcropora palmatarecovering? a case study in Los Roques National Park, Venezuela
Authors: Croquer Aldo , Cavada-Blanco Francoise , Zubillaga Ainhoa L. , Agudo-Adriani Esteban A. , Sweet Michael
Published: January 2016

Eight years ago (2007), the distribution and status ofAcropora palmatawas quantified throughout Los Roques archipelago in Venezuela. The aim was to produce a baseline study for this species which combined population genetics with demographic data. The results highlighted thatA. palmatahad the potential to recover in at least 6 out of 10 sites surveyed. Recovery potential was assumed to be high at sites with a relatively high abundance of the coral, low disease prevalence, high genetic diversity, and high rates of sexual reproduction. However, as noted, Zubillaga et al. (2008) realized recovery was still strongly dependent on local and regional stressors. In 2014 (this study), the status ofA. palmatawas re-evaluated at Los Roques. We increased the number of sites from 10 in the original baseline study to 106. This allowed us to assess the population status throughout the entirety of the MPA. Furthermore, we also identified local threats that may have hindered population recovery. Here, we show thatA. palmatanow has a relatively restricted distribution throughout the park, only occurring in 15% of the sites surveyed. Large stands of old dead colonies were common throughout the archipelago; a result which demonstrates that this species has lost almost 50% of its original distribution over the past decades. The majority of corals recorded were large adults (∼2 m height), suggesting that these older colonies might be less susceptible or more resilient to local and global threats. However, 45% of these surviving colonies showed evidence of partial mortality and degradation of living tissues. Interestingly, the greatest increase in partial mortality occurred at sites with the lowest levels of protection (${X}_{o}^{2}=5.4> {X}_{c}^{2}=4.5$;df= 4,p< 0.05). This may suggest there is a positive role of small scale marine management in assisting reef recovery. We also recorded a significant reduction (${X}_{\mathrm{exp}}^{2}=1 2 6.8> {X}_{\mathrm{cri}}^{2}=1 5.5$;df= 8;p< 0.05) in the density ofA. palmatain sites that had previously been categorized as having a high potential for recovery. One explanation for this continued decline may be due to the fact that over the past 10 years, two massive bleaching events have occurred throughout the Caribbean with records showing that Los Roques has experienced unprecedented declines in overall coral cover. We therefore conclude that although local protection could promote recovery, the impacts from global threats such as ocean warming may hamper the recovery of this threatened species.
Evaluation of the global impacts of mitigation on persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic pollutants in marine fish
Authors: Bonito Lindsay T. , Hamdoun Amro , Sandin Stuart A.
Published: January 2016

Although persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic pollutants (PBTs) are well-studied individually, their distribution and variability on a global scale are largely unknown, particularly in marine fish. Using 2,662 measurements collected from peer-reviewed literature spanning 1969–2012, we examined variability of five classes of PBTs, considering effects of geography, habitat, and trophic level on observed concentrations. While we see large-scale spatial patterning in some PBTs (chlordanes, polychlorinated biphenyls), habitat type and trophic level did not contribute to significant patterning, with the exception of mercury. We further examined patterns of change in PBT concentration as a function of sampling year. All PBTs showed significant declines in concentration levels through time, ranging from 15–30% reduction per decade across PBT groups. Despite consistent evidence of reductions, variation in pollutant concentration remains high, indicating ongoing consumer risk of exposure to fish with pollutant levels exceeding EPA screening values. The temporal trends indicate that mitigation programs are effective, but that global levels decline slowly. In order for monitoring efforts to provide more targeted assessments of risk to PBT exposure, these data highlight an urgent need for improved replication and standardization of pollutant monitoring protocols for marine finfish.
Decadal comparison of a diminishing coral community: a study using demographics to advance inferences of community status
Authors: Miller Margaret , Williams Dana E. , Huntington Brittany E. , Piniak Gregory A. , Vermeij Mark J.A.
Published: January 2016

The most common coral monitoring methods estimate coral abundance as percent cover, either viain situobservations or derived from images. In recent years, growing interest and effort has focused on colony-based (demographic) data to assess the status of coral populations and communities. In this study, we relied on two separate data sets (photo-derived percent cover estimates, 2002–12, and opportunisticin situdemographic sampling, 2004 and 2012) to more fully infer decadal changes in coral communities at a small, uninhabited Caribbean island. Photo-derived percent cover documented drastic declines in coral abundance including disproportionate declines inOrbicellaspp. While overallin situestimates of total coral density were not different between years, densities of several rarer taxa were.Meandrina meandritesandStephanocoenia interseptaincreased whileLeptoseris cucullatadecreased significantly, changes that were not discernable from the photo-derived cover estimates. Demographic data also showed significant shifts to larger colony sizes (both increased mean colony sizes and increased negative skewness of size frequency distributions, but similar maximum colony sizes) for most taxa likely indicating reduced recruitment.Orbicellaspp. differed from this general pattern, significantly shifting to smaller colony sizes due to partial mortality. Both approaches detected significant decadal changes in coral community structure at Navassa, though the demographic sampling provided better resolution of more subtle, taxon-specific changes.
An analysis of structural relationship among achievement motive on social participation, purpose in life, and role expectations among community dwelling elderly attending day services
Authors: Sano Nobuyuki , Kyougoku Makoto
Published: January 2016

Background.Achievement motive is defined as the intention to achieve one’s goals. Achievement motive is assumed to promote clients to choices and actions toward their valuable goal, so it is an important consideration in rehabilitation.

Purpose.The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the structural relationship among achievement motive on purpose in life, social participation, and role expectation of community-dwelling elderly people.

Methods.Participants were community-dwelling elderly people in day-service centers. A total of 281 participants (male: 127, female: 154) answered the self-administered questionnaire in cross-sectional research. The questionnaire was comprised of demographic data and scales that evaluated achievement motive, social participation, purpose in life, and role expectation. We studied the structural relationship established by our hypothesized model via a structural equation modeling approach.

Results.We checked the standardized path coefficients and the modification indices; the modified model’s statistics were a good fit: CFI = 0.984, TLI = 0.983, RMSEA = 0.050, 90% CI [0.044–0.055]. Achievement motive had a significantly direct effect on purpose in life (direct effect = 0.445,pvalue < 0.001), a significantly indirect effect on purpose in life via social participation or role expectation (indirect effect = 0.170,pvalue < 0.001) and a total effect on purpose in life (total effect = 0.615).

Discussion.This result suggests that enhancing the intention to achieve one’s goals enables participants to feel a spirit of challenge with a purpose and a sense of fulfillment in their daily lives.
Coeval fluctuations of the Greenland ice sheet and a local glacier, central East Greenland, during late glacial and early Holocene time
Authors: Levy Laura B. , Kelly Meredith A. , Lowell Thomas V. , Hall Brenda L. , Howley Jennifer A. , Smith Colby A.
Published: January 2016

We present a 10Be chronology of late glacial to early Holocene fluctuations of a Greenland ice sheet outlet glacier and the adjacent Milne Land ice cap in central East Greenland. Ages of boulders on bedrock indicate that both ice masses receded during the Younger Dryas (YD), likely due to rising summer temperatures. Since Greenland ice core records register cold mean annual temperatures throughout the YD, these ice‐marginal data support climate conditions characterized by strong seasonality. The ice sheet outlet glacier and ice cap deposited inner Milne Land Stade moraines at 11.4 ± 0.8 ka and 11.4 ± 0.6 ka, respectively (mean moraine ages and 1σ uncertainties). Based on the coeval moraine ages, we suggest that both ice masses responded to climate conditions acting on the ice margins, specifically ablation. Moreover, the ice sheet responded sensitively (i.e., on the same time scale as a small ice cap) to climate conditions.
Deglaciation and glacial erosion: A joint control on magma productivity by continental unloading
Authors: Sternai Pietro , Caricchi Luca , Castelltort Sébastien , Champagnac Jean‐Daniel
Published: January 2016

Glacial‐interglacial cycles affect the processes through which water and rocks are redistributed across the Earth's surface, thereby linking the solid Earth and climate dynamics. Regional and global scale studies suggest that continental lithospheric unloading due to ice melting during the transition to interglacials leads to increased continental magmatic, volcanic, and degassing activity. Such a climatic forcing on the melting of the Earth's interior, however, has always been evaluated regardless of continental unloading by glacial erosion, albeit the density of rock exceeds that of ice by approximately 3 times. Here we present and discuss numerical results involving synthetic but realistic topographies, ice caps, and glacial erosion rates suggesting that erosion may be as important as deglaciation in affecting continental unloading. Our study represents an additional step toward a more general understanding of the links between a changing climate, glacial processes, and the melting of the solid Earth.
A particle number conserving Lagrangian method for mixing‐driven reactive transport
Authors: Bolster Diogo , Paster Amir , Benson David A.
Published: January 2016

The purely Lagrangian algorithm for chemical reactions introduced by Benson and Meerschaert (2008) suffers from a low‐concentration resolution problem. We alleviate the problem by redefining the probabilistic collision/reaction (birth/death) stochastic process as a mass‐reduction operation. Theoretically, this corresponds to replacing an on/off particle with a large number of “subparticles” and tracking the number fraction. The new particle reaction process maintains the original particle numbers but adjusts each particle's mass upon reaction. Several simulations show the veracity as well as the gains in low‐concentration resolution offered by the algorithm. We also compare the results to those obtained by a traditional finite difference model with suitably defined initial condition, demonstrating that the Lagrangian models match these.
The role of biophysical cohesion on subaqueous bed form size
Authors: Parsons Daniel R. , Schindler Robert J. , Hope Julie A. , Malarkey Jonathan , Baas Jaco H. , Peakall Jeffrey , Manning Andrew J. , Ye Leiping , Simmons Steve , Paterson David M. , Aspden Rebecca J. , Bass Sarah J. , Davies Alan G. , Lichtman Ian D. , Thorne Peter D.
Published: January 2016

Biologically active, fine‐grained sediment forms abundant sedimentary deposits on Earth's surface, and mixed mud‐sand dominates many coasts, deltas, and estuaries. Our predictions of sediment transport and bed roughness in these environments presently rely on empirically based bed form predictors that are based exclusively on biologically inactive cohesionless silt, sand, and gravel. This approach underpins many paleoenvironmental reconstructions of sedimentary successions, which rely on analysis of cross‐stratification and bounding surfaces produced by migrating bed forms. Here we present controlled laboratory experiments that identify and quantify the influence of physical and biological cohesion on equilibrium bed form morphology. The results show the profound influence of biological cohesion on bed form size and identify how cohesive bonding mechanisms in different sediment mixtures govern the relationships. The findings highlight that existing bed form predictors require reformulation for combined biophysical cohesive effects in order to improve morphodynamic model predictions and to enhance the interpretations of these environments in the geological record.
Is Tibiofemoral or Patellofemoral Alignment or Trochlear Morphology Associated With Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis? A Systematic Review
Authors: Macri Erin M. , Stefanik Joshua J. , Khan Karim K. , Crossley Kay M.
Published: January 2016

Objective

We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the associations of knee alignment or trochlear morphology (measured on imaging) with presence, severity, onset, and/or progression of patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA).

Methods

We prospectively registered our protocol with PROSPERO (International prospective register of systematic reviews) and followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses) guidelines to report this review. We searched 10 electronic databases, screened citing articles, and reviewed reference lists. We extracted data and evaluated methodologic quality. Due to study design heterogeneity, we used a best‐evidence synthesis to summarize the evidence.

Results

We included 16 publications (2,892 participants, 66% women) after removing 4 papers that did not meet our threshold for methodologic quality. There were 11 cross‐sectional and 5 longitudinal papers. The target population was knee OA in 11 studies, PFOA in 2 studies, and other knee conditions in 3 studies. Alignment or morphology was measured using radiographs in 8 studies, magnetic resonance imaging in 7 studies, and computed tomography in 2 papers. Limitations include substantial heterogeneity in samples and methods, short followup times in longitudinal studies, and a small number of studies that specifically recruited participants with PFOA.

Conclusion

There is strong evidence that PFOA is associated with both trochlear morphology and frontal plane knee alignment, while evidence is limited but consistent in the sagittal and axial planes. These findings suggest that alignment should be evaluated clinically in individuals with PFOA. Clinical interventions targeting knee alignment warrant further investigation.
Delineating the Application of Ultrasound in Detecting Synovial Abnormalities of the Subtalar Joint in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Authors: Lanni Stefano , Bovis Francesca , Ravelli Angelo , Viola Stefania , Magnaguagno Francesca , Pistorio Angela , Michele Magnano Gian , Martini Alberto , Malattia Clara
Published: January 2016

Objective

To investigate the frequency of ultrasound (US)–detectable involvement of the subtalar joint (STJ), to compare clinical versus US assessment of the STJ, and to compare different scanning approaches to the STJ in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods

Clinical and US assessments were performed independently in 50 ankles with clinically active JIA. US abnormalities of the STJ were investigated using a lateral, medial, and posterior scanning approach and scored semiquantitatively. Agreement was tested using kappa statistics. A control group of 10 healthy subjects was examined.

Results

Clinical and US evaluations detected synovitis in 24 of 50 (48.0%) and 27 of 50 (54.0%) of STJs, respectively. US detected synovitis in 10 of 26 STJs (38.5%) recorded as normal on clinical evaluation, but was negative in 7 of 24 STJs (29.2%) diagnosed as having involvement on clinical examination. Agreement between clinical and US assessments was fair (κ = 0.32). US abnormalities were more frequently detectable using the lateral scanning approach. All patients with US abnormalities in the medial and/or posterior side of the STJ had also US abnormalities on the lateral scanning approach, but the reverse was not true. Intra‐ and interobserver agreements for the lateral scanning approach were satisfactory for both detecting involvement and scoring US abnormalities. None of the 17 STJs of healthy controls showed US abnormalities.

Conclusion

US may increase the precision of the evaluation of the STJ in JIA. The observed high frequency of STJ involvement on US suggests to include this joint in US scanning protocols devised for children with JIA. Synovitis is more frequently detected using the lateral scanning approach.
Toward Biodegradable Mg–Air Bioelectric Batteries Composed of Silk Fibroin–Polypyrrole Film
Authors: Jia Xiaoteng , Wang Caiyun , Zhao Chen , Ge Yu , Wallace Gordon G.
Published: January 2016

Biodegradable active implantable devices can be used to diagnose and/or treat disease and eventually disappear without surgical removal. If an “external” energy source is required for effective operation then a biocompatible and biodegradable battery would be ideal. In this study, a partially biodegradable Mg‐air bioelectric battery (biobattery) is demonstrated using a silk fibroin‐polypyrrole (SF‐PPy) film cathode coupled with bioresorbable Mg alloy anode in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) electrolyte. PPy is chemically coated onto one side of the silk substrate. SF‐PPy film shows a conductivity of ≈1.1 S cm−1 and a mild catalytic activity toward oxygen reduction. It degrades in a concentrated buffered protease XIV solution, with a weight loss of 82% after 15 d. The assembled Mg‐air biobattery exhibits a discharge capacity up to 3.79 mA h cm−2 at a current of 10 μA cm−2 at room temperature, offering a specific energy density of ≈4.70 mW h cm−2. This novel partially biodegradable battery provides another step along the route to biodegradable batteries.
Manipulating Electronic Energy Disorder in Colloidal Quantum Dot Solids for Enhanced Charge Carrier Transport
Authors: Lee Sangjin , Zhitomirsky David , Grossman Jeffrey C.
Published: January 2016

A realistic CQD solid model is developed that computes the charge carrier mobility using hopping transport models within an ensemble of individual CQD units. Large decreases in electron mobility of up to 70% as compared to the monodisperse case are observed when the energetic disorder in CQD films lies in the typical experimental range of 10%–15%. Furthermore, it is suggested that tailored and potentially experimentally achievable re‐arrangement of the CQD size ensemble combined with spatial doping control can mediate the reduction in mobility even in highly dispersive cases, and presents an avenue toward improved mobility and photovoltaic performance by up to 9% by leveraging fast carrier transport channels in highly polydisperse materials.
Integration of 3D Printed and Micropatterned Polycaprolactone Scaffolds for Guidance of Oriented Collagenous Tissue Formation In Vivo
Authors: Pilipchuk Sophia P. , Monje Alberto , Jiao Yizu , Hao Jie , Kruger Laura , Flanagan Colleen L. , Hollister Scott J. , Giannobile William V.
Published: January 2016

Scaffold design incorporating multiscale cues for clinically relevant, aligned tissue regeneration has potential to improve structural and functional integrity of multitissue interfaces. The objective of this preclinical study is to develop poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds with mesoscale and microscale architectural cues specific to human ligament progenitor cells and assess their ability to form aligned bone–ligament–cementum complexes in vivo. PCL scaffolds are designed to integrate a 3D printed bone region with a micropatterned PCL thin film consisting of grooved pillars. The patterned film region is seeded with human ligament cells, fibroblasts transduced with bone morphogenetic protein‐7 genes seeded within the bone region, and a tooth dentin segment positioned on the ligament region prior to subcutaneous implantation into a murine model. Results indicate increased tissue alignment in vivo using micropatterned PCL films, compared to random‐porous PCL. At week 6, 30 μm groove depth significantly enhances oriented collagen fiber thickness, overall cell alignment, and nuclear elongation relative to 10 μm groove depth. This study demonstrates for the first time that scaffolds with combined hierarchical mesoscale and microscale features can align cells in vivo for oral tissue repair with potential for improving the regenerative response of other bone–ligament complexes.
A Cu‐Based Nanoparticulate Film as Super‐Active and Robust Catalyst Surpasses Pt for Electrochemical H2 Production from Neutral and Weak Acidic Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Zhang Peili , Wang Mei , Chen Hong , Liang Yongqi , Sun Junliang , Sun Licheng
Published: January 2016

Electrocatalysts that are stable and highly active at low overpotential (η) under mild conditions as well as cost‐effective and scalable are eagerly desired for potential use in photo‐ and electro‐driven hydrogen evolution devices. Here the fabrication and characterization of a super‐active and robust Cu‐CuxO‐Pt nanoparticulate electrocatalyst is reported, which displays a small Tafel slope (44 mV dec−1) and a large exchange current density (1.601 mA cm−2) in neutral buffer solution. The catalytic current density of this catalyst film reaches 500 mA cm−2 at η = −390 ± 12 mV and 20 mA cm−2 at η = −45 ± 3 mV, which are significantly higher than the values displayed by Pt foil and Pt/C electrodes in neutral buffer solution and even comparable with the activity of Pt electrode in 0.5 m H2SO4 solution.
Hearing difficulty and tinnitus among U.S. workers and non‐workers in 2007
Authors: Masterson Elizabeth A. , Themann Christa L. , Luckhaupt Sara E. , Li Jia , Calvert Geoffrey M.
Published: January 2016

Background

Hearing loss and tinnitus are two potentially debilitating physical conditions affecting many people in the United States. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hearing difficulty, tinnitus, and their co‐occurrence within U.S. populations.

Methods

Data from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were examined. Weighted prevalence and adjusted prevalence ratios for self‐reported hearing difficulty, tinnitus, and their co‐occurrence were estimated and compared by demographic, among workers with and without occupational noise exposure, and across industries and occupations.

Results

Seven percent of U.S. workers never exposed to occupational noise had hearing difficulty, 5% had tinnitus and 2% had both conditions. However, among workers who had ever been exposed to occupational noise, the prevalence was 23%, 15%, and 9%, respectively (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Hearing difficulty and tinnitus are prevalent in the U.S.; especially among noise‐exposed workers. Improved strategies for hearing conservation or better implementation are needed. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:290–300, 2016. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Foraging with finesse: A hard‐fruit‐eating primate selects the weakest areas as bite sites
Authors: Barnett Adrian A. , Bezerra Bruna M. , Santos Paulo J. P. , Spironello Wilson R. , Shaw Peter J.A. , MacLarnon Ann , Ross Caroline
Published: January 2016

Objectives

Fruit husks are rarely uniformly hard, varying in penetrability via sulci and changes in thickness. We tested whether a hard‐food specialist primate i) bites randomly on food fruit husk surfaces to access seeds, or ii) selects areas most easily penetrated by canines. We consider this would occur so as to minimize deployed mechanical force, energetic expenditure and risk of dental breakage when feeding.

Methods

A sulcus is the natural line of weakness where a dehiscent fruit breaks open. Using fruits dentally opened for seeds by golden‐back uacaris (Cacajao ouakary) we: 1) analysed bite mark distribution on surface of four fruits types (hard‐with‐sulcus, soft‐with‐sulcus, hard‐no‐sulcus, soft‐no‐sulcus); 2) quantified the force needed to penetrate hard and soft fruits at sulci and elsewhere on fruit surface; 3) measured fruit wall thickness and correlated it with bite‐mark distribution in all four categories of fruit.

Results

1) Bite marks were distributed at random only on surfaces of soft fruits. For other fruits types, bite locations were concentrated at the thinnest areas of husk, either over the entire surface (non‐sulcate fruits), or at sulci (sulcate fruits). 2) For hard‐husked fruits, areas where uacaris concentrated their bites were significantly easier to penetrate than those where they did not.

Conclusions

This hard‐fruit feeding specialist primate is not biting at random on the surface of diet fruits. To access seeds they are focusing on those areas requiring less force to penetrate. This may be to save energy, to minimize the risk of breaking teeth used in food processing, or a combination of both. The study shows, for the first time, the subtlety by which these powerfully‐jawed animals process their diet items. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:113–125, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Novel green surface modification of metallocene polyethylene by steam to enhance its hemocompatible properties
Authors: John Agnes Aruna , Jaganathan Saravana Kumar , Supriyanto Eko , Khudzari Ahmad Zahran Md , Muhamad Ida Idayu
Published: January 2016

Steam treatment is a green surface modification technique that was used to improve the surface characteristics and hemocompatibility of metallocene polyethylene (mPE). In this study, a sharp decrease in the mean contact angle of steam‐exposed mPE compared to that of untreated mPE showed enhanced hydrophilicity. The increased surface roughness was demonstrated by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Hirox three‐dimensional microscopy. The average roughness of the control mPE (2.757 nm) was enhanced to 8.753 nm by steam treatment. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis illustrated no chemical changes, but the changes in the absorbance intensity ensured morphological changes. Blood compatibility studies were assessed by coagulation assays, hemolysis, and platelet adhesion tests. The mean number of platelets adhered to the steam‐treated sample (11) was half of the number of platelets adhered to the untreated mPE surface (22). The clotting time on the steam exposed surface was delayed, hemolysis and platelet adhesion were significantly reduced. The green surface modification of mPE with steam enhanced its surface properties and hemocompatibility. The improved blood compatibility of mPE may help in the efficient designing of hemocompatible biomaterials such as cardiovascular implants. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43395.
Gasoline desulfurization by a TiO2‐filled ethyl cellulose pervaporation membrane
Authors: Hou Yingfei , Liu Min , Huang Yiqing , Zhao Lili , Wang Jinfeng , Cheng Qiang , Niu Qingshan
Published: January 2016

The TiO2 nanoparticles were incorporated into an ethyl cellulose (EC) matrix to improve the pervaporation (PV) performance of the membrane for gasoline desulfurization. The microstructures of different EC membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray and transmission electron microscopy. The PV experiments showed that the hybrid membrane of EC/TiO2 demonstrated an improved permeation flux (J) of 7.58 kg m−2 h−1 and a sulfur enrichment factor (α) of 3.13 in comparison with the pure EC membrane, with a J of 3.73 kg m−2 h−1 and an α of 3.69. In addition, the effects of the operating conditions, including the operating temperature, layer thickness, crosslinking time, feed flow rate, and feed sulfur content level, on the PV performance of the EC/TiO2 membrane were investigated. Under a 100 mL/min feed flow rate and a 85 μg/g sulfur content, J of the 10 μm thick membrane increased to 7.58 kg m−2 h−1 with α of 3.13 compared to the pure EC membrane (3.73 kg m−2 h−1, 3.69) at 80 °C with 30 min of crosslinking time. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017: 134, 43409.
High elongation thermoplastic Polyester‐urethanes based on widely available diacid intermediates
Authors: Tharcis Marion , Badel Thierry , Jéol Stéphane , Fleury Etienne , Méchin Françoise
Published: January 2016

A series of new α,ω‐dihydroxy terminated polyester oligomers are synthesized from the condensation reaction of various aliphatic diols with a mixture of diacids rich in 2‐methylglutaric acid, MGA, an abundant and well‐defined industrial product. Their adipic acid (AA)‐based counterparts are also prepared and the physico‐chemical properties of both types of polyols are thoroughly characterized. All these polyester polyols are then used to prepare segmented polyurethanes following a two‐stage process, by reacting them successively with 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and 1,4‐butanediol. The resulting materials are then evaluated with respect to their thermal and dynamic or static mechanical properties. The observed characteristics and behaviors are quite similar between AA‐ or MGA‐based polyurethanes, except for the tendency of AA‐based samples to display partially crystallized soft domains. Such a phenomenon is prevented in MGA‐based samples because of the methyl side group, resulting in remarkably higher ultimate elongations for the new thermoplastic polyurethanes derived from MGA. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43410.
Development of mesoporous titanium dioxide hybrid poly(vinylidene fluoride) ultrafiltration membranes with photocatalytic properties
Authors: Zhao Jianquan , Liao Chanjuan , Liu Jing , Shen Xinyu , Tong Hua
Published: January 2016

A photocatalytic activity ultrafiltration membrane (UFM) was prepared by the blending of a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) polymer with mesoporous titanium dioxide (M‐TiO2) particles via the phase‐inversion method. The microstructure of the membrane and Ti element distribution were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. Their properties were also determined by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, tensile stress tests, contact angle tests, bovine serum albumin retention, water flux, and permeation flux. When the M‐TiO2 concentration reached 1 wt %, the thermal stability, mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, flux, and antifouling performance of the M‐TiO2/PVDF UFM were improved to an optimal value with the M‐TiO2 particles successfully entrapped and evenly distributed throughout the PVDF polymer matrix. Compared with the P25‐modified PVDF UFM (1 wt %), the M‐TiO2‐modified PVDF UFM (1 wt %) exhibited better photocatalytic activity and wonderful stability in the UV photocatalytic degradation of the organic dye Rhodamine B. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43427.
Mixed Sex Effects on the Second‐to‐Fourth Digit Ratio of Túngara Frogs (Engystomops pustulosus) and Cane Toads (Rhinella marina)
Authors: Beaty Lynne e. , Emmering Quinn C. , Bernal Ximena E.
Published: January 2016

Sexual dimorphism in the ratio of digit lengths has been correlated to behavioral, physiological, and morphological traits in a variety of taxa. While sexual dimorphism in the second‐to‐fourth digit length ratio (2D:4D) is a well‐established indicator of prenatal androgen exposure in mammals, investigations into the patterns of 2D:4D and the drivers of such variation in other taxa are lacking. We used linear mixed effects models to gain a mechanistic understanding of the factors that drive variation in the scaling relationship between the lengths of the second and fourth digits in two species of anurans: túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus) and cane toads (Rhinella marina). We found evidence for sexual dimorphism of the 2D:4D scaling relationship on the front feet of túngara frogs, with female frogs having a larger ratio than males resulting from a relatively longer second digit on females. To our knowledge, this mammal‐like pattern of sex differences in digit ratio has not yet been reported for anurans. However, given the reduced number of digits on the front feet of anurans, and uncertainty about which digit was lost during evolutionary history, this apparent sexual dimorphism in the front feet of túngara frogs should be treated with caution. In contrast, we found no evidence of sexual dimorphism in 2D:4D on either the front or rear feet of cane toads. This study highlights ambiguities in 2D:4D across taxa and suggests that further research is needed to evaluate the effect of androgens on 2D:4D in animals other than placental mammals. Anat Rec, 299:421–427, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Prospective Validation of the Lupus Impact Tracker: A Patient‐Completed Tool for Clinical Practice to Evaluate the Impact of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Jolly Meenakshi , Kosinski Mark , Garris Cindy P. , Oglesby Alan K.
Published: January 2016

Objective

To evaluate the reliability, validity, responsiveness, and utility of the Lupus Impact Tracker (LIT).

Methods

This was a prospective longitudinal study with 20 North American sites participating. Consenting patients completed the LIT, Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (version 2), Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ‐9), LupusQoL, and patient LIT feedback questionnaire. Rheumatologists completed the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment (SELENA) version of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, and physician LIT feedback questionnaire. The reliability, convergent validity, construct validity, and responsiveness of the LIT were evaluated.

Results

Of the 325 SLE patients enrolled, 90% were female, 53% were white, and 33% were African American. Their mean age was 42 years. The mean ± SD baseline physician's global assessment and total SELENA–SLEDAI scores were 1.04 ± 0.8 and 4.28 ± 3.8, respectively, while 3‐month scores were 0.94 ± 0.73 and 4.09 ± 3.79, respectively. Internal consistency reliability was high (>0.9) at both visits. LIT scores correlated highly with other measures of patient‐reported outcomes, and construct validity was established against clinical measures. The LIT was highly responsive to patient‐reported changes in SLE health status; however, LIT scores were not as responsive to changes in the SELENA–SLEDAI score. The majority of patients and physicians found LIT to be acceptable and feasible to administer in a clinical setting.

Conclusion

The LIT is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the impact of SLE on patients and captures unique and important information not included in physician assessments of disease. It may be useful in clinical practice to facilitate communication between the physician and the patient and enable efficient incorporation of the patient's perspective in disease management.
Critical Role of Glucose Metabolism in Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast‐like Synoviocytes
Authors: Garcia‐Carbonell Ricard , Divakaruni Ajit S. , Lodi Alessia , Vicente‐Suarez Ildefonso , Saha Arindam , Cheroutre Hilde , Boss Gerry R. , Tiziani Stefano , Murphy Anne N. , Guma Monica
Published: January 2016

Objective

Up‐regulation of glucose metabolism has been implicated not only in tumor cell growth but also in immune cells upon activation. However, little is known about the metabolite profile in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly in fibroblast‐like synoviocytes (FLS). This study was undertaken to evaluate whether changes in glucose metabolism in RA FLS could play a role in inflammation and joint damage.

Methods

Synovium and FLS were obtained from patients with RA and patients with osteoarthritis (OA). The rate of glycolysis after stimulation of FLS with lipopolysaccharide and platelet‐derived growth factor BB was measured using glycolysis stress test technology. FLS function was evaluated using a glycolysis inhibitor, 2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose (2‐DG). After stimulation of the FLS, a migration scratch assay, MTT assay, and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay were performed to measure the effect of 2‐DG on FLS migration, viability of the FLS, and cytokine secretion, respectively. IRDye 800CW 2‐DG was used to assess glucose uptake in the arthritic joints and stromal cells of mice after K/BxN mouse serum transfer. The mice were injected daily, intraperitoneally, with 3‐bromopyruvate (BrPa; 5 mg/kg) to assess the effect of inhibition of glycolysis in vivo.

Results

Compared to human OA FLS, the balance between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation was shifted toward glycolysis in RA FLS. Glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression correlated with baseline functions of the RA FLS. Glucose deprivation or incubation of the FLS with glycolytic inhibitors impaired cytokine secretion and decreased the rate of proliferation and migration of the cells. In a mouse model of inflammatory arthritis, GLUT1 mRNA expression in the synovial lining cells was observed, and increased levels of glucose uptake and glycolytic gene expression were detected in the stromal compartment of the arthritic mouse joints. Inhibition of glycolysis by BrPa, administered in vivo, significantly decreased the severity of arthritis in this mouse model.

Conclusion

Targeting metabolic pathways is a novel approach to understanding the mechanisms of disease. Inhibition of glycolysis may directly modulate synoviocyte‐mediated inflammatory functions and could be an effective treatment strategy for arthritis.
Delayed luminescence: an experimental protocol for Chinese herbal medicines
Authors: Sun Mengmeng , van Wijk Roeland , van Wijk Eduard , Wang Mei , van Wietmarschen Herman , Hankemeier Thomas , van der Greef Jan
Published: January 2016

In Chinese medicine, raw herbal materials are used in processed and unprocessed forms aiming to meet the different requirements of clinical practice. To assure the chemical quality and therapeutic properties of the herbs, fast and integrated systematic assays are required. So far, such assays have not been established. Delayed luminescence (DL) refers to a decaying long‐term ultraweak photon emission after exposure to light. Its decay kinetics under certain conditions may be a sensitive indicator reflecting the internal structural and chemical/physiological state of a biological system. DL measurements have been used in many applications for quality control. However, relatively little research has been reported on dried plant material such as Chinese herbs. The objective of the present study is to establish a protocol for direct and rapid DL measurements of dried Chinese herbal materials, including the determination of the dependence on: (a) the optimal excitation time utilizing a white light source; (b) the optimal size of the grinded herbal particle; and (c) the humidity conditions before and during measurement. Results indicate that stable and reproducible curves of DL photon emission depend mainly on the water content of herbal materials. To investigate the application of the established DL measurement protocol, non‐processed and processed Aconitum (Aconitum carmichaelii Debx.), wild and cultivated rhubarb (Rheum palmatum L.) and ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A.Mey) of different ages were measured using DL. The results suggest that DL technology is a potential tool for assessment of dried Chinese herb qualities. The results warrant a further exploration of this technique in relation to therapeutic properties of the herbs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.