bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Einaxiale Zugversuche an textilbewehrten Betonen mit anorganisch getränkten Carbonfasern
Authors: Lenting Martin , Orlowsky Jeanette
Published: December 2019

Der Verbundwerkstoff Textilbeton findet zunehmend Anwendung im Bauwesen. Insbesondere werden Carbontextilien mit unterschiedlichen Tränkungsmaterialien im Verbund mit Mörteln oder Betonen verwendet. Zulassungen im Einzelfall (ZiE) und erste Richtlinien zur Bemessung und Verwendung von Textilbetonen sind auf Basis zahlreicher Forschungs‐ und Praxisprojekte entstanden. Hinsichtlich der Weiterentwicklung und Optimierung der verwendeten Materialen besteht aber noch Entwicklungspotenzial. Bisher sind die meisten technischen Textilien mit Epoxidharz, Styrol‐Butadien oder Acrylaten beschichtet. Neben dem Eintrag einer zusätzlichen Polymerschicht in das Verbundsystem resultieren hieraus häufig Tragfähigkeitsverluste unter Temperaturbeanspruchungen oberhalb von 80 °C. Mit mineralischen Tränkungsmaterialien können die beiden genannten Aspekte vermieden werden, allerdings sind diese bisher kaum erforscht. Diese Veröffentlichung zeigt, dass mit anorganischen Tränkungen von Carbonrovings ein sehr feines Rissbild erzielt werden kann. Insbesondere im Instandsetzungsbereich, beispielsweise bei der Sanierung von Trinkwasserspeichern, wo sehr geringe Rissbreiten gefordert sind, ergeben sich interessante Anwendungsgebiete. Durch mineralische Tränkungen kann der Einsatz von Polymeren vermieden werden. Hinzu kommt, dass die untersuchten Materialeigenschaften unter Temperaturbeanspruchungen bis 160 °C konstant bleiben.
Diagnosis of Malaria Parasites Plasmodium spp. in Endemic Areas: Current Strategies for an Ancient Disease
Authors: Gitta Brian , Kilian Nicole
Published: December 2019

Fast and effective detection of the causative agent of malaria in humans, protozoan Plasmodium parasites, is of crucial importance for increasing the effectiveness of treatment and to control a devastating disease that affects millions of people living in endemic areas. The microscopic examination of Giemsa‐stained blood films still remains the gold‐standard in Plasmodium detection today. However, there is a high demand for alternative diagnostic methods that are simple, fast, highly sensitive, ideally do not rely on blood‐drawing and can potentially be conducted by the patients themselves. Here, the history of Plasmodium detection is discussed, and advantages and disadvantages of diagnostic methods that are currently being applied are assessed.
Effect of interval between preoperative radiotherapy and surgery on clinical outcome and radiation proctitis in rectal cancer from FOWARC trial
Authors: Cheng Yi‐Kan , Qin Qi‐Yuan , Huang Xiao‐Yan , Lan Ping , Wang Lei , Gao Xiang , Ma Teng‐Hui
Published: December 2019

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the interval between CRT and surgery on radiation proctitis, the pathologic response, and postoperative morbidity.

Methods

This was a cohort study from a phase III, randomized controlled trial (FOWARC study, NCT01211210). Data were retrieved from the leading center of the trial. Patients were divided into the short‐interval (≤7 weeks) group and the long‐interval (>7 weeks) group. The rate of radiation proctitis, pathologic complete regression (pCR) and morbidities were calculated for each group. Multivariate analysis was used to verify the impact of interval on radiation proctitis.

Results

Surgery was performed in 60 patients after an interval of ≤7 weeks and in 97 patients after an interval of >7 weeks. The two groups according to interval were comparable in terms of baseline demographic and clinicotherapeutic characteristics. Radiation proctitis was identified by imaging in 9 (15.0%) patients in short‐interval group and in 31 (32.0%) patients in long‐interval group (P = .018). Multivariate analysis confirmed the correlation between long interval and radiation proctitis (P = .018). The long interval was significantly associated with longer median operation time compared to the short interval (P = .022). The rates of pCR and postoperative complications were not different between two groups.

Conclusions

A longer interval after CRT may be associated with higher rate of radiation proctitis and longer operation time. Moreover it did not increase the rate of pCR.
The evolution of molecular diagnosis using digital polymerase chain reaction to detect cancer via cell‐free DNA and circulating tumor cells
Authors: de Melo‐Silva Alex José , Lucena Jessica Paula , Hueneburg Thomas
Published: December 2019

Cancer is one of the most important causes of death worldwide. The onset of cancer may be initiated due to a variety of factors such as environment, genetics or even due to personal lifestyle choices. To counteract this tremendous increase, the demand for a new technology has risen. By this means, the use of digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) has been shown to be a promising methodology in the early detection of many types of cancers. Furthermore, several researchers confirmed that the use of tumor cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTC) in peripheral blood is essential in revealing an early prognosis of such diseases. Besides this, it was established that dPCR might be used in a much more efficient, accurate, and reliable manner to amplify a variety of genetic material up to the identification of mutations in hematological diseases. Therefore, this article demonstrates the differences between conventional PCR and dPCR as a molecular technique to detect the early onset of cancer. Furthermore, CTC and cfDNA were officially approved by the Food and Drug Administration as new biological biomarkers in cancer development and monitoring.
Determination of Metastable Zone Width and Nucleation Induction Period of Palm Oil and its Olein/Stearin in Melting Layer Crystallization
Authors: Lu Chao , Liu Xiaoxue , Xia Yufei , Li Qing , Dang Leping , He Xinyi , Wang Zhanzhong
Published: December 2019

Measurement methods of metastable zone width (MZW) and nucleation induction time for melting layer crystallization of palm oil (PO) and its olein/stearin (POL/PST) were established, and the effects of cooling rate (corresponding to various supercoolings) on MZWs and induction time for melting layer crystallization of PO, POL, and PST were determined. The results indicated that the MZW coherently rose with increasing cooling rates with respect to PO and POL, while it declined with higher cooling rates for PST. The induction period results demonstrated that the nucleation induction periods of PO, PST, and POL decreased with increasing supercoolings, and the lag time for nucleation negatively correlated to the melting point of oils at the same supercooling. These data could offer significant instruction in designing and controlling the melting layer crystallization process for palm oil.
Residence Time Distribution of a Capillary Microreactor Used for Pharmaceutical Synthesis
Authors: Siguemoto Érica S. , Leite Reche Leandro , Gut Jorge A. W. , Palma Mauri S. A.
Published: December 2019

The main drivers for application of small‐scale reactors in the pharmaceutical industry are the possibility of rapid synthesis and screening of novel drugs as well as the readiness of the scale‐up. The characterization of fluid flow pattern was performed through step‐up and step‐down residence time distribution experiments using a tracer at six different flow rates. Four single‐parameter models were considered for representing deviations from ideal plug flow and ideal laminar flow in tubes. The model that provided the best results was the axial dispersion model and the Peclet and Reynolds numbers could be well correlated. Obtained Peclet values from 44 to 244 were close toPe > 100, in which axial dispersion can be neglected and the reactor can be considered as plug flow reactor.
Recent Advances in the Catalytic Functionalization of “Electrophilic” Indoles
Authors: Cerveri Alessandro , Bandini Marco
Published: December 2019

When “dark” is bright: the scarcely explored electrophilic profile of the indolyl core (dark‐side) continues to inspire developments in organic synthesis by means of new catalytic methodologies. Recent advancements in the field enabled molecular diversity and complexity to be effectively realized within heterocyclic chemistry.
A Smart Nanotherapeutic Agent for in vitro and in vivo Reversal of Heavy‐Metal‐Induced Causality: Key Information from Optical Spectroscopy
Authors: Adhikari Aniruddha , Biswas Pritam , Mondal Susmita , Das Monojit , Darbar Soumendra , Hameed Ahmed M. , Alharbi Ahmed , Ahmed Saleh A. , Sankar Bhattacharya Siddhartha , Pal Debasish , Kumar Pal Samir
Published: December 2019

Human exposure to heavy metals can cause a variety of life‐threatening disorders, affecting almost every organ of the body, including the nervous, circulatory, cardiac, excretory, and hepatic systems. The presence of heavy metal (cause) and induced oxidative stress (effect) are both responsible for the observed toxic effects. The conventional and effective way to combat heavy metal overload diseases is through use of metal chelators. However, they possess several side effects and most importantly they fail to manage the entire causality. In this study, we introduce citrate‐functionalized Mn3O4 nanoparticles (C−Mn3O4 NPs) as an efficient chelating agent for treatment of heavy metal overload diseases. By means of UV/Vis absorbance and steady‐state fluorescence spectroscopic techniques we investigated the efficacy of the NPs in chelation of a model heavy metal, lead (Pb). We also explored the retention of antioxidant properties of the Pb‐chelated C−Mn3O4 NPs using a UV/Vis‐assisted DPPH assay. Through CD spectroscopic studies we established that the NPs can reverse the Pb‐induced structural modifications of biological macromolecules. We also studied the in vivo efficacy of NPs in Pb‐intoxicated C57BL/6j mice. The NPs were not only able to mobilize the Pb from various organs through chelation, but also saved the organs from oxidative damage. Thus, the C−Mn3O4 NPs could be an effective nanotherapeutic agent for complete reversal of heavy‐metal‐induced toxicity through chelation of the heavy metal and healing of the associated oxidative stress.
Embedding corporate sustainability: An empirical analysis of the antecedents of organization citizenship behavior
Authors: Testa Francesco , Todaro Niccolò , Gusmerotti Natalia Marzia , Frey Marco
Published: December 2019

The relation between organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and the performance of both safety and environmental management systems has led researchers to investigate the drivers of safety‐specific and environmental‐oriented OCB. However, although the management of environmental and safety issues is often fully integrated into organizational and managerial practice, a holistic perspective of the drivers of health, safety, and environmental (HSE)‐oriented OCB is still lacking. Thus, the aim of the present study is to investigate the antecedents of HSE‐related OCB (OCBHSE). Drawing on both the OCB and sustainability literature, data from 135 manager–direct report dyads collected from eight large Italian companies are analyzed, to assess the effect of both situation‐related antecedents (i.e., organizational ambidexterity and leadership style) and person‐related antecedents (i.e., prosocial values) on prosocial and proactive OCBHSE. Organizational ambidexterity emerges as a direct situation‐related antecedent of both prosocial and proactive OCBHSE, whereas management by exception and passive leadership have a negative effect on the OCBHSE in direct reports. Surprisingly, transformational and contingent reward leadership styles do not emerge as significant drivers of OCBHSE. In terms of person‐related antecedents, the results highlight that prosocial values in direct reports significantly influence prosocial but not proactive OCBHSE. Finally, as OCBHSE is conceptualized in the study as a dimension that is complementary to formal HSE management structures, our findings can contribute to the general organizational effort to improve HSE performance.
Full‐torus impurity transport simulation for optimizing plasma discharge operation using a multi‐species impurity powder dropper in the large helical device
Authors: Shoji M. , Kawamura G. , Smirnov R. , Tanaka Y. , Masuzaki S. , Uesugi Y. , Ashikawa N. , Gilson E. , Lunsford R.
Published: December 2019

The transport of impurities supplied by a multi‐species impurity powder dropper (IPD) in the large helical device (LHD) is investigated using a three‐dimensional peripheral plasma fluid code (EMC3‐EIRENE) coupled with a dust transport simulation code (DUSTT). The trajectories of impurity powder particles (Boron, Carbon, Iron, and Tungsten) dropped from the IPD and the impurity transport in the peripheral plasma are studied in a full‐torus geometry. The simulation reveals an appropriate size of the impurity powder particles and an optimum operational range of the dust drop rates for investigating the impurity transport without inducing radiation collapse. The simulation also predicts a favourable plasma discharge condition for wall conditioning (boronization) using the IPD in order to deposit boron to high plasma flux and neutral particle density areas in the divertor region in the inboard side of the torus.
FETCH: A cloud‐native searchable encryption scheme enabling efficient pattern search on encrypted data within cloud services
Authors: Chung Shen‐Ming , Shieh Ming‐Der , Chiueh Tzi‐Cker
Published: December 2019

Searchable encryption (SE) is considered important as it provides both confidentiality and searchability for the data stored in semi‐trusted environments such as cloud. However, it is rarely deployed because most SE schemes are not native to cloud services as they require database modifications. In this paper, we present an SE scheme called Frequency‐Eliminated Trapdoor‐Character Hopping (FETCH) that, based on novel common‐conditioned‐subsequence‐preserving (CCSP) techniques, is able to work natively with off‐the‐shelf databases and supports wildcard‐based pattern search on encrypted data thereof. In fact, with the CCSP techniques, we transform the problem of wildcard SE searching into a problem of subsequence searching, which is solved fast in most databases and thus fits well with cloud services in general. Although in our security analysis, CCSP removes the possibility of obtaining theoretical indistinguishability between indexed items, we show that FETCH does provide adequate confidentiality protection and fares much better than other existing wildcard SE schemes in terms of query performance, storage overhead, and deployment complexity. In particular, FETCH is able to efficiently handle data sets whose size is multiple orders of magnitude larger than those that existing schemes can comfortably support.
Not all urban landscapes are the same: interactions between urban land use and stress in a large herbivorous mammal
Authors: Brunton Elizabeth A. , Clemente Christofer J. , Burnett Scott E.
Published: December 2019

Urbanization significantly impacts the health and viability of wildlife populations yet it is not well understood how urban landscapes differ from non‐urban landscapes with regard to their effects on wildlife. This study investigated the physiological response of eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) to land use at a landscape scale. Using fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) we compared stress levels of kangaroo populations in urban and non‐urban environments. We modeled FGM concentrations from 24 kangaroo populations against land use (urban or non‐urban) and other anthropogenic and environmental factors, using a linear modeling approach. We found that land use was a significant predictor of FGM concentrations in eastern grey kangaroos with significant differences in concentrations between urban and non‐urban populations. However, the direction of the relationship differed between northern and southern regions of Australia. In the northern study sites, kangaroos in urban areas had significantly higher FGM levels than their non‐urban counterparts. In contrast, in southern sites, where kangaroos occur in high densities in many urban areas, urban kangaroos had lower FGM concentrations than non‐urban kangaroos. Rainfall and temperature were also significant predictors of FGM and the direction of the relationship was consistent across both regions. These results are consistent with the contrasting abundance and persistence of kangaroo populations within the urban matrix between the two study regions. In the northern region many populations have declined over the last two decades and are fragmented, also occurring at lower densities than in southern sites. Our study indicates that it is the characteristics of urban environments, rather than the urban environment per se, which determines the extent of impacts of urbanization on kangaroos. This research provides insights into how the design of urban landscapes can influence large mammal populations.
Impact of successive rainfall events on the dynamic relationship between vegetation canopies, infiltration, and recharge in engineered urban green infrastructure systems
Authors: Alizadehtazi Bita , Gurian Patrick L. , Montalto Franco A.
Published: December 2019

Soil surface crusts have been extensively studied in arid and semi‐arid regions, but not in the context of engineered urban green infrastructure (GI) systems, especially in temperate environments. Raindrop impulses can break up larger soil aggregates into smaller particles, dispersing them from their original position, and contributing to the formation of a crust at the soil surface. Crusts, in turn, can reduce infiltration and increase both runoff and the soil's susceptibility to erosion. Vegetation canopies can help to mitigate crust formation by dissipating some of the drops' kinetic energy, though the extent of protection provided by the plants has not been studied in GI systems. This paper presents laboratory research conducted using a rainfall simulator to determine the ability of artificial vegetation canopies to minimize soil crust formation, in comparison with a bare soil control. The mechanical resistance of the soil surface to penetration was measured after each of the 22 different simulated rain events. Over the experiment, the percent change in penetration resistance increased by 83.5% and 148%, in vegetated and bare soil control boxes, respectively. The bare soil control box also displayed statistically significant (p < .001) increase in the duration of post‐storm ponding, compared with the control vegetated box, suggesting a reduced infiltration rate. These results suggest that vegetation canopies can play a key role in protecting the soils found in GI systems from raindrop impact.
Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Clusters Assembled from Phosphomolybdate Anions and Thioarylated Tetrathiafulvalenes with Diversiform Electron States and Configurations
Authors: Zhang Shangxi , Cao Meng , Jiang Xinde , Xu Sheng , Dai Xin , Liu Yang , Wang Zhenxi
Published: December 2019

A series of organic–inorganic hybrid clusters comprising thioarylated tetrathiafulvalene derivatives (A‐S‐TTFs) and Keggin‐type polyoxometalates have been prepared via proton‐induced intermolecular charge transfer or electrochemical oxidation methods, and their structural features have been intensively studied by X‐ray diffraction. The generation of co‐crystals occurs due to the flexible structure of the A‐S‐TTF and its electrostatic interaction with the polyoxometalate anions. The complexes can be divided into three types, i.e., type I, type II, and type III, which have organic/inorganic ratios of 3:1, 2:1, and 1:1, respectively. Multiple intermolecular interactions are observed between the organic and inorganic moieties, which stabilize the structures of the resulting hybrid clusters. In the clusters, Ar‐S‐TTFs are oxidized into radical cations [except in complex (TTF4)·(PMA)·(TBA), where TTF4 is presented as a +2 cation]. There are two factors affecting the packing styles and compositions of the hybrid clusters: 1) valence state of the Ar‐S‐TTF and 2) volume of the aryl groups thereon.
In Water Markovnikov Hydration and One‐Pot Reductive Hydroamination of Terminal Alkynes under Ruthenium Nanoparticle Catalysis
Authors: Risi Caterina , Cini Elena , Petricci Elena , Saponaro Simone , Taddei Maurizio
Published: December 2019

In the presence of Shvo's catalyst [2,3,4,5‐tetraphenyl‐1,3‐cyclopentadien‐1‐ol, ruthenium(II) complex], a small quantity of aniline and TGPS‐750‐M surfactant, terminal alkynes were hydrated under microwave (MW) dielectric heating in water as solvent with high conversion and good yield. The reaction gives the Markovnikov product exclusively, unlike that commonly observed with ruthenium complexes. Under the influence of MWs, Ru nanoparticles embedded in the nanomicelle environment were formed, acting as the effective hydration catalyst. Introducing sodium formate in the aqueous phase and using a stoichiometric amount of amines, the Ru nanoparticle nanomicelle catalyst gave the first example of one‐pot single‐step hydroamination of alkynes with the formation of the corresponding secondary amines. The reaction is characterized by low environmental impact as TGPS‐750‐M is required in low amount, and organic solvents employed only for product separation or catalyst recycling.
An Oxy‐Anion Accelerated [1,5]‐o‐Quinone Methide Shift During the Nucleophilic Epoxidation of Salicylfulvene
Authors: Yang Mingwei , Basada John , Gronert Scott , Erden Ihsan
Published: December 2019

A new facet of nucleophilic fulvene epoxidations has been uncovered. 6‐Arylfulvenes containing an ortho or para hydroxyl group react with basic hydrogen peroxide in an unusual manner; the epoxidation of the fulvene exocyclic double bond is followed by a phenoxide ion‐initiated epoxide ring opening to form an o‐quinone methide (o‐QM) intermediate. The resulting cyclopentadienolate undergoes an unusual oxy‐anion accelerated [1,5]‐sigmatropic o‐QM shift. Computational studies reveal that the activation energy for the [1,5]‐QM‐shift in the cyclopentadienolate intermediate is quite low, signifying the acceleration caused by the oxy‐anion group. Placement of a second hydroxyl group in the 6‐aryl ring at C5 epoxidation via electron donation to the o‐QM carbon; instead, an intramolecular oxa‐6‐π‐electrocyclization of the o‐QM intermediate onto the cyclopentadiene is observed.
A Miniaturized Carbon Black‐based Electrochemical Sensor for Chlorine Dioxide Detection in Swimming Pool Water
Authors: Tomei Maria Rita , Marcoccio Eleonora , Neagu Daniela , Moscone Danila , Arduini Fabiana
Published: December 2019

The recent trend of using sustainable disinfectants in water treatment sector boosted the employment of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) as green disinfectant. Indeed, this disinfectant is characterised by several attractive features such as the working capability in a wide range of pH and the absence of harmful by‐products. These characteristics confer to chlorine dioxide a prominent position between the disinfectants, thus analytical tools for on‐site detection are needed to customize the water treatment. Herein, we described the development of an innovative and cost‐effective carbon black modified screen‐printed electrode for amperometric quantification of chlorine dioxide in standard solution and in swimming pool water. The carbon black as working electrode nanomodifier allowed for the detection of chlorine dioxide at low applied potential, with linear range of 0.05–20 ppm, and a detection limit of 0.01 ppm. The matrix effect evaluation as well as the recovery study demonstrated the capability of this sensor for a cost‐effective detection of chlorine dioxide in swimming pool water, paving the way for the use of miniaturised electrochemical sensors in water treatment field.
Taking Down Your Shingle? Or Not …
Authors: Maack Stephen C.
Published: December 2019

What happens with independent evaluation consultants who are age 65 or older? For those interviewed for this chapter, the answer was not just to close their businesses. The chapter discusses why selling a small consulting firm is difficult and, maybe, rare. Solutions derived from the interviews, and summaries of published works on career planning, included gradually phasing out work, refocusing work life activities, and being more selective in what work consultants did. The responses to an exploratory study of seasoned evaluation consultants are placed in a context of recent trends among “retirement age” people, generational shifts in attitudes toward aging, social, and economic changes. The chapter explores psychological and relationship shifts among prospective retirees. It discusses how consulting over a long period may help prepare one for handling transitions as one ages, given the resiliency to have managed challenging business periods. It provides references to resources for consultants to develop individualized work and life solutions as they age.
Independent Evaluation Consulting: An Evolving Field
Authors: Martínez‐Rubin Norma
Published: December 2019

This chapter explores how independent evaluation consulting has evolved since Independent Evaluation Consulting: New Directions for Evaluation was published in 2006. It offers new and seasoned evaluation consultants a retrospective view of environmental changes in the evaluation field that have influenced independent consultants’ business operations. The chapter reviews key changes in the years from 2007 to 2017: the impact of technology, increased focus on data visualization, influx of independent evaluation consultants, and credentialing of evaluators. Included is a summary of interviews with independent evaluation consultants about American Evaluation Association (AEA) efforts supporting the independent evaluation consultant pipeline. Next, a select listing of sessions previously presented at the AEA annual conference appears as a representation of the business‐related topics of interest to independent evaluation consultants—entrepreneurs that blend business with technical and topical expertise. The chapter also briefly discusses implications for evaluation as a discipline and independent evaluation consulting as professional practice.
The impact of economic growth in mortality modelling for selected OECD countries
Authors: Dutton Lydia , Pantelous Athanasios A. , Seklecka Malgorzata
Published: December 2019

The health of a population is affected by social, environmental, and economic factors. Pension providers and consultants, insurance companies, government agencies and individuals in the developed world have a vested interest in understanding how the economic growth will impact on the life expectancy of their population. Therefore, changes in death rates may occur due to climate and economic changes. In this study, we extend a previous study into excess deaths as a result of climate change to also provide a comprehensive investigation of the impact of economic changes using annual female and male data for 5 developed OECD countries. We find that there is strong negative relationship between mortality index, and climate and economic proxies. This model shows to provide better fitting and forecasting results both for females and males, and for all countries studied.
Getting Close
Authors: Bolo Isabel
Published: December 2019

You can’t understand most of the important things from a distance. You have to get close.” These words, from the grandmother of Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, echoed around the first few sessions of the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence’s annual All Partners Meeting this fall, which I attended to learn more about how bioethics might contribute to ongoing research in AI. Stevenson has cited distance as a factor contributing to mass incarceration in the United States: we readily mistreat the most vulnerable in society when we don’t witness the punishments we inflict on them. The lesson on proximity stays with me as I think about the growing interest in bioethics in addressing broader societal issues. Could our field also benefit from keeping proximity in mind? Where might bioethics and the ethics of artificial intelligence learn together? One place to start “getting close” is with the individuals and communities that innovation stands to impact.
Storytelling
Authors: Kaebnick Gregory E.
Published: December 2019

The November–December issue of the Hastings Center Report features a set of essays on the ethics of writing stories of patient care. The Report regularly features such stories, but some ways of telling them would be plainly unacceptable, and some in bioethics have suggested that the bar for acceptability is very high. Tod Chambers takes that position in this essay set. Drawing on the work of the literary theorist Mikhail Bakhtin, he proposes that case studies should be “polyphonic”—meaning that they contain “a diversity of voices that are unmediated and distinct.” In effect, he calls for a kind of coauthoring of stories about patients. In a second essay, Arthur Frank also calls for including the patient’s voice, but he builds on Bakhtin’s call for “dialogic” storytelling, in which the author seeks to represent the characters in the story as having their own voices and their own lives: “they can talk back.” A third essay, by Philip Rosoff, is concerned about the problem of harm and patient anonymity, which in the contemporary media environment has become harder to address.
Surgeon General’s Warning: Gender Is Bad for Your Health
Authors: Lindemann Hilde
Published: December 2019

Gender, most feminists agree, isn’t a fact about people in the same way that height or hair color is. Genders are constructed within and are part of a power system circulating through all of society that sets standards for men’s and women’s identities and places men’s interests above women’s. The system is bad for all of us, but especially for women, genderqueer people, and men of color. Here, I want to point out ways in which it’s bad for our health. I’ll start with abortion, as laws recently passed in a number of states have restricted women’s access to the point where it’s nearly nonexistent.
Medical Crowdfunding for Unproven Medical Treatments: Should Gofundme Become a Gatekeeper?
Authors: Snyder Jeremy , Cohen I. Glenn
Published: December 2019

Medical crowdfunding has raised many ethical concerns, among them that it may undermine privacy, widen health inequities, and commodify health care. One motivation for medical crowdfunding has received particular attention among ethicists. Recent studies have shown that many individuals are using crowdfunding to finance access to scientifically unsupported medical treatments. Recently, GoFundMe prohibited campaigns for antivaccination groups on the grounds that they “promote misinformation about vaccines” and for treatment at a German clinic offering unproven cancer treatments due to “the need to make sure people are equipped to make well‐informed decisions.” GoFundMe has not taken any additional actions to regulate the much larger presence of campaigns seeking to fund unproven medical interventions on the platform. In this article, we make the ethical case for intervention by GoFundMe and other crowdfunding platforms.
Sugar, Taxes, & Choice
Authors: Véliz Carissa , Maslen Hannah , Essman Michael , Taillie Lindsey Smith , Savulescu Julian
Published: December 2019

Population obesity and associated morbidities pose significant public health and economic burdens in the United Kingdom, United States, and globally. As a response, public health initiatives often seek to change individuals’ unhealthy behavior, with the dual aims of improving their health and conserving health care resources. One such initiative—taxes on sugar‐sweetened beverages—has sparked considerable ethical debate. Prominent in the debate are arguments seeking to demonstrate the supposed impermissibility of SSB taxes and similar policies on the grounds that they interfere with individuals’ freedom and autonomy. Commentators have often assumed that a policy intended to restrict or change private individuals’ consumption behavior will necessarily curtail freedom and, as a corollary, will undermine individuals’ autonomy with respect to their consumption choices. Yet this assumption involves a conceptual mistake. To address the misunderstanding, it’s necessary to attend to the differences between negative liberty, freedom of options, and autonomy. Ultimately, concerns about negative liberty, freedom, and autonomy do not provide strong grounds for opposing SSB taxes.
Unhealthy Partnerships and Public Health: Breaking Free of Industry
Authors: Batt Sharon
Published: December 2019

In the ambitious new book The Perils of Partnership: Industry Influence, Institutional Integrity, and Public Health, Jonathan Marks argues that far too much baggage is being piled on an old workhorse, conflict of interest. It’s an important concept, he asserts, but public‐sector actors can transgress their ethical obligations even when their relations with industry don’t create conflicts of interest. Yet policy‐makers have been immersed in public‐private partnerships for so long that they do not see the broader implications of such relationships. Marks aims to move the discourse from reassuring terms like “engagement” and “inclusiveness” to concepts that capture the problematic side of the liaisons, like “webs of influence” and “agenda distortion.” Above all, he issues a challenge to public health policy‐makers: Ditch the comfortable hand‐in‐hand industry relationships, which prioritize efficacy over ethics, threatening both the public’s health and the integrity of public health institutions. Adopt instead a paradigm that is “mano a mano,” involving tension, struggle, and, at times, direct conflict with private industry.
Conservative treatment versus surgical excision of ovarian dermoid cysts: Impact on ovarian stimulation and IVF cycle success
Authors: Hernandez‐Nieto Carlos , Lee Joseph A. , Gonzalez Katherine , Mukherjee Tanmoy , Copperman Alan B. , Sandler Benjamin
Published: December 2019

Objective

To analyze outcomes of IVF treatment among women diagnosed with an ovarian dermoid cyst (DC).

Methods

Retrospective analysis of women with an ovarian DC who underwent IVF with fresh blastocyst transfer at a single center in New York from January 2010 to March 2018. Outcomes were compared between women with conservative treatment and those with surgical excision of the DC. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess associations between variables and the presence of a DC during treatment.

Results

Overall, 119 women with a DC were included. No differences were found in demographic characteristics, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation parameters, and IVF outcomes between women with an intact DC (n=65, 54.6%) and those who underwent cystectomy (n=54, 45.4%) (all P<0.05). Similarly, there was no difference in anti‐Mϋllerian hormone and basal antral follicle count among women with a DC (respectively, β=−0.1, P=0.8, and β=−1.0, P=0.28) or resected DC (respectively, β=0.9, P=0.07, and β=1.5, P=0.08) as compared with control women with no DC (n=352).

Conclusion

Ovarian reserve, embryo implantation and IVF success rates were not lower in the presence of an ovarian DC. Surgical therapy, if indicated, can be safely postponed until family planning goals have been achieved.
Surface plasmon resonance excited electron induction greatly extends H2 evolution and pollutant degradation activity of g‐C3N4 under visible light irradiation
Authors: Zada Amir , Ali Nauman , Ateeq Muhammad , Huerta‐Flores Ali M. , Hussain Zahid , Shaheen Shabana , Ullah Mohib , Ali Sharafat , Khan Imran , Ali Wajid , Shah Muhammad Ishaq Ali , Khan Waliullah
Published: December 2019

Energy crises and environmental pollution have sparked tremendous research work to handle their impacts. Herein, we fabricated Au/g‐C3N4 nanocomposites to produce H2 and degrade 2,4‐dichlorophenol (2,4‐DCP) under visible light and at different wavelengths. Interestingly, the optimized photocatalyst generated 114 μmol H2 and degraded 25% 2,4‐DCP in 1 hr as compared with 10 μmol H2 generation and 8% 2,4‐DCP degradation by pure g‐C3N4. This improvement is credited to the extended light absorption and improved charge induction from gold to g‐C3N4 even at 590 nm as confirmed from photoluminescence, surface photovoltage, and photoelectrochemical study of the samples. Moreover, the surface catalytic property of g‐C3N4 was much improved after loading a proper amount of gold nanoparticles. We hope that this technique to photosensitize semiconductors with noble metal nanoparticles may provide a feasible way to construct surface plasmon resonance‐assisted photocatalysts to cope with energy crises and environmental pollution simultaneously.
A‐kinase‐interacting protein 1 overexpression correlates with deteriorative tumor features and worse survival profiles, and promotes cell proliferation but represses apoptosis in non‐small‐cell lung cancer
Authors: Chen Hui , Yan Shaohui , Dong Lixin , Li Xin
Published: December 2019

Background

This study aimed to explore the correlation of A‐kinase‐interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) expression with clinical characteristics as well as survival profiles in non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, and further investigate its underlying effect on regulating NSCLC cell functions.

Methods

319 NSCLC patients who underwent resection were consecutively reviewed, and AKIP1 expression (in 319 tumor tissues and 145 adjacent tissues) was determined by immunohistochemistry. Disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. In vitro, control overexpression, AKIP1 overexpression, control shRNA and AKIP1 shRNA plasmids were transfected into A549 cells to evaluate the effect of AKIP1 on cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Results

A‐kinase‐interacting protein 1 expression was increased in tumor tissues compared to adjacent tissues, and it positively correlated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage in NSCLC patients. Kaplan‐Meier curves displayed that AKIP1 high expression correlated with worse DFS and OS, and multivariate Cox's regression revealed that it was an independent predictive factor for poor survival profiles. In vitro experiments displayed that AKIP1 expression was elevated in PC9 and A549 cells compared to normal lung epithelial cells; moreover, cell proliferation was increased by AKIP1 upregulation but reduced by AKIP1 downregulation, and cell apoptosis was decreased by AKIP1 upregulation but increased by AKIP downregulation in A549 cells. Interestingly, AKIP1 promoted fibronectin and zinc finger E‐box binding homeobox 1 expressions while reduced E‐cadherin expression in A549 cells.

Conclusion

A‐kinase‐interacting protein 1 overexpression correlates with deteriorative tumor features and worse survival profiles and promotes cell proliferation but represses apoptosis in NSCLC.
Synthesis and X‐ray single crystal structure of first aromatic ortho‐di‐tert‐butyl azolo[1,2,4]triazine
Authors: Ivanov Sergey M. , Sivaev Igor B.
Published: December 2019

Oxidation of 3,4‐di‐tert‐butyl‐8‐methyl‐1,4‐dihydropyrazolo[5,1‐c][1,2,4]triazine with NBS/K2CO3 furnished 3,4‐di‐tert‐butyl‐8‐methylpyrazolo[5,1‐c][1,2,4]triazine, a mildly strained heteroaromatic compound. X‐Ray single crystal diffraction analysis indicated that the conjugated 1,2,4‐triazine ring adopts a twist‐boat configuration, while the two t‐Bu substituents are located on the opposite sides of the azole plane. The related 3‐tert‐butyl‐4‐(o‐C‐carboranyl)‐8‐methyl‐1,4‐dihydropyrazolo[5,1‐c][1,2,4]triazine was also synthesized, however, its oxidative aromatization was unsuccessful.
NK cells induce hepatic ER stress to promote insulin resistance in obesity through osteopontin production
Authors: Wu Junhua , Wu Danyang , Zhang Longyao , Lin Chuxuan , Liao Jiahao , Xie Ruyin , Li Zhulin , Wu Siyang , Liu Aimin , Hu Weining , Xi Yang , Bu Shizhong , Wang Fuyan
Published: December 2019

High-fat diet (HFD) induced hepatic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress drives insulin resistance (IR) and steatosis. NK cells in adipose tissue play an important role in the pathogenesis of IR in obesity. Whether NK cells in the liver can induce hepatic ER stress and thus promote IR in obesity is still unknown. We demonstrate that HFD-fed mice display elevated production of proinflammatory cytokine osteopontin (OPN) in hepatic NK cells, especially in CD49a+DX5– tissue-resident NK (trNK) cells. Obesity-induced ER stress, IR, and steatosis in the liver are ameliorated by ablating NK cells with neutralizing antibody in HFD-fed mice. OPN treatment enhances the expression of ER stress markers, including p-PERK, p-eIF2, ATF4, and CHOP in both murine liver tissues and HL-7702, a human liver cell line. Pretreatment of HL-7702 cells with OPN promotes hyperactivation of JNK and subsequent decrease of tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), resulting in impaired insulin signaling, which can be reversed by inhibiting ER stress. Collectively, we demonstrate that hepatic NK cells induce obesity-induced hepatic ER stress, and IR through OPN production.
Evaluation by metabolic profiling and in vitro autoradiography of two promising GnRH‐receptor ligands for brain SPECT imaging
Authors: Fjellaksel Richard , Moldes‐Anaya Angel , Vasskog Terje , Oteiza Ana , Martin‐Armas Montserrat , Hjelstuen Ole Kristian , Hansen Jørn H. , Riss Patrick J. , Sundset Rune
Published: December 2019

The increased expression of gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor (GnRH‐R) in brain has been strongly linked to Alzheimer disease. Therefore, the development of radiolabeled imaging agents for GnRH‐R is relevant for early diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. We have recently disclosed the discovery of two promising compounds displaying nanomolar‐range affinity for the GnRH‐R. In the present study, a preclinical evaluation of the compound properties was performed to evaluate their potential as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) radiotracers for imaging the GnRH‐receptor. The compounds were assessed in vitro by performing serum stability analysis by human and rat serum, metabolic profiling by human liver microsomes, and exploratory rat brain autoradiography. The investigated compounds displayed satisfactory stability against human, rat serum, and liver microsomal metabolism, which favors their potential as SPECT‐imaging agents. Additionally, we identified and quantified the formation rate of the metabolites by fragmentation of up to five mass spectrometric stages. The GnRH‐R rat brain specificity of these compounds was tested in competition with a known ligand for the receptor and the in vitro autoradiography confirmed that compounds 3 and 4 binds to rat GnRH‐R in different rat brain regions.
ToF‐SIMS spectrometry to observe fatty acid profiles of breast tissues in broiler chicken subjected to varied vegetable oil diet
Authors: Marzec Magdalena E. , Wojtysiak Dorota , Połtowicz Katarzyna , Nowak Joanna
Published: December 2019

This study is aimed to observe changes in fatty acid profiles by time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) in breast muscle tissues of broilers. Four different groups were identified. The source of fat in group I was soy oil (rich in linoleic acid, ω‐6), group II received linseed oil (ω‐3), and the third group was fed a mixture of the two mentioned oils. Broilers in the control group were fed with beef tallow, used in mass commercial production. The results reveal that the use of vegetable oils in animal nutrition determines the lipid profile of fatty acids. ToF‐SIMS measurements showed that the lipid profile of muscle fibers and intramuscular fat reflect the composition of fats used as feed additives. In both structures, the ratio of ω‐6/ω‐3 fatty acids, which is most favorable for human health, was found in the groups in which a mixture of vegetable oils and a supplement of linseed oil were used.
Ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir±ribavirin for chronic HCV infection in US veterans with psychiatric disorders
Authors: Fuchs Michael , Monto Alexander , Bräu Norbert , Charafeddine Mariem , Schmidt Warren , Kozal Michael , Naggie Susanna , Cheung Ramsey , Schnell Gretja , Yu Yao , Richards Kristine , Mullally Victoria , Cohen Daniel E. , Toro Doris
Published: December 2019

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are more common among US veterans receiving care through Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers than among the general population. Historically, HCV therapies had lower efficacy rates in VA patients, possibly due to common comorbidities such as psychiatric disorders and substance abuse. The direct‐acting antivirals ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir (OBV/PTV/r+DSV)±ribavirin (RBV) are approved in the US for HCV genotype 1 (GT1)‐infected adults with or without cirrhosis. This study prospectively evaluated the safety and efficacy of OBV/PTV/r+DSV±RBV in VA patients with HCV GT1 infection. TOPAZ‐VA was a phase 3b, open‐label trial. Adult US veterans with HCV GT1 infection, without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis, were eligible for enrollment. Patients with GT1a infection received OBV/PTV/r +DSV+RBV for 12 weeks or 24 weeks (for those with cirrhosis); GT1b‐infected patients without cirrhosis received OBV/PTV/r +DSV for 12 weeks; those with cirrhosis received OBV/PTV/r +DSV with RBV. The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response at posttreatment week 12 (SVR12); safety was also assessed. Ninety‐nine patients were enrolled at 10 sites from May through November 2015. The majority were male (96%), white (60%), and with GT1a infection (68%); 49% reported ongoing psychiatric disorders. Overall, 94% (93/99) achieved SVR12; three patients had a virologic failure. The most common AEs were fatigue (28%), headache (20%), and nausea (15%); six patients discontinued treatment due to AEs. In US veterans with HCV GT1 infection, OBV/PTV/r +DSV±RBV yielded a 94% overall SVR12 rate and was well tolerated. The presence of psychiatric disorders and/or injection drug use did not impact efficacy.
Histotripsy: The Next Generation of High‐Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Focal Prostate Cancer Therapy
Authors: Dubinsky Theodore J. , Khokhlova Tanya D. , Khokhlova Vera , Schade George R.
Published: December 2019

This article reviews the most current methods and technological aspects of high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), which is termed histotripsy. The rationale for focal therapy for prostate carcinoma rather than prostatectomy, which is being used extensively throughout Europe and Asia, is presented, and an argument for why HIFU is the modality of choice for primary therapy and recurrent disease is offered. The article presents a review of the technical advances including higher ultrasound beam energy than current thermal HIFU which allows for more accurate tissue targeting, less collateral tissue damage, and faster treatment times. Finally, the article presents a discussion about the advantage of ultrasound guidance for histotripsy in preference to magnetic resonance imaging guidance primarily based on cost, ease of application, and portability.