bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Large‐Area Wide‐Incident‐Angle Metasurface Perfect Absorber in Total Visible Band Based on Coupled Mie Resonances
Authors: Qian Qinyu , Sun Ti , Yan Ying , Wang Chinhua
Published: May 2017

A large‐area, ultrathin metasurface perfect absorber (MSPA) based on coupled Mie resonances from integrated arrays of silicon (Si) and metallic pillars is reported. In contrast to previous structures and mechanisms, coupled Mie resonances are generated from two pillars of dissimilar materials (dielectric and metallic) within an ultrathin structure such that the Mie resonances of dielectric and metallic patterns occur complementarily at different wavelengths to realize broadband absorption over the entire visible wavelength band. Double‐beam interference lithography, reactive ion etching, and sputter coated depositions are utilized to fabricate the proposed MSPA. With an appropriate arrangement of the patterned geometry, an average polarization independent absorption of 0.975 (0.958, experiment) in the entire visible band (from 400 to 760 nm) is achieved and remains high (0.930, simulation, and 0.912, experiment) when the incident angle increases to 70°. The proposed MSPA is thus an effective way to realize a large‐area, ultrathin metasurface absorber with a relatively simple and easy to fabricate structure.
Charge‐Transfer Excitations: A Challenge for Time‐Dependent Density Functional Theory That Has Been Met
Authors: Kümmel Stephan
Published: May 2017

Correctly predicting charge‐transfer states in complex molecules and molecular materials has been a major challenge for first‐principles theory. With the computational cost of accurate ab initio wave‐function methods often being too high for exploring systems of technological relevance, one has to resort to time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). However, for a long time the incorrect description of charge‐transfer excitations has been considered one of the hallmark failures of TDDFT. As charge‐transfer states play an important role in organic solar cells, and generally in many new materials that are aimed at converting sunlight into other forms of energy, the contribution of first principles theory to the field of energy relevant materials was seriously limited. However, in the past years this limitation has been overcome. A new class of nonempirical density functionals can predict charge‐transfer excitations in molecules reliably. The approach by now has been extended to describe molecular solids and solvated systems. The predictive power of TDDFT has thus greatly increased, and computational studies can be expected to give true guidance in material design.
Extracting fine‐grained location with temporal awareness in tweets: A two‐stage approach
Authors: Li Chenliang , Sun Aixin
Published: May 2017

Twitter has attracted billions of users for life logging and sharing activities and opinions. In their tweets, users often reveal their location information and short‐term visiting histories or plans. Capturing user's short‐term activities could benefit many applications for providing the right context at the right time and location. In this paper we are interested in extracting locations mentioned in tweets at fine‐grained granularity, with temporal awareness. Specifically, we recognize the points‐of‐interest (POIs) mentioned in a tweet and predict whether the user has visited, is currently at, or will soon visit the mentioned POIs. A POI can be a restaurant, a shopping mall, a bookstore, or any other fine‐grained location. Our proposed framework, named TS‐Petar (Two‐Stage POI Extractor with Temporal Awareness), consists of two main components: a POI inventory and a two‐stage time‐aware POI tagger. The POI inventory is built by exploiting the crowd wisdom of the Foursquare community. It contains both POIs' formal names and their informal abbreviations, commonly observed in Foursquare check‐ins. The time‐aware POI tagger, based on the Conditional Random Field (CRF) model, is devised to disambiguate the POI mentions and to resolve their associated temporal awareness accordingly. Three sets of contextual features (linguistic, temporal, and inventory features) and two labeling schema features (OP and BILOU schemas) are explored for the time‐aware POI extraction task. Our empirical study shows that the subtask of POI disambiguation and the subtask of temporal awareness resolution call for different feature settings for best performance. We have also evaluated the proposed TS‐Petar against several strong baseline methods. The experimental results demonstrate that the two‐stage approach achieves the best accuracy and outperforms all baseline methods in terms of both effectiveness and efficiency.
Assembly of breast cancer heterotypic spheroids on hyaluronic acid coated surfaces
Authors: Carvalho Marco P. , Costa Elisabete C. , Correia Ilídio J.
Published: May 2017

Drug screening is currently demanding for realistic models that are able to reproduce the structural features of solid tumors. 3D cell culture systems, namely spheroids, emerged as a promising approach to provide reliable results during drug development. So far, liquid overlay technique (LOT) is one of the most used methods for spheroids assembly. It comprises cellular aggregation due to their limited adhesion to certain biomaterials, like agarose. However, researchers are currently improving this technique in order to obtain spheroids on surfaces that mimic cancer extracellular matrix (ECM), since cell–ECM interactions modulate cells behavior and their drug resistance profile. Herein, hyaluronic acid (HA) coated surfaces were used, for the first time, for the production of reproducible heterotypic breast cancer spheroids. The obtained results revealed that it is possible to control the size, shape, and number of spheroids gotten per well by changing the HA concentration and the number of cells initially seeded in each well. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:1346–1357, 2017
Sorption–reduction coupled gold recovery process boosted by Pycnoporus sanguineus biomass: Uptake pattern and performance enhancement via biomass surface modification
Authors: Shi Chaohong , Zhu Nengwu , Kang Naixin , Wu Pingxiao , Zhang Xiaoping , Zhang Yanhong
Published: May 2017

Biorecovery is emerging as a promising process to retrieve gold from secondary resources. The present study aimed to explore the uptake pattern of Pycnoporus sanguineus biomass for gold, identify the effective functional groups in gold recovery process, and thus further intensify the process via microbial surface modification. Results showed that P. sanguineus biomass could effectively recover gold with the formation of highly crystal AuNPs without any exogeneous electron donor. Under the conditions of various initial gold concentrations (1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mM), biomass dosage of 2.0 g/L, solution pH value of 4.0, and incubation temperature of 30°C, the uptake equilibrium established after 4, 8, and 12 h, respectively. The uptake process could be well described by pseudo‐second order kinetics model (R2 = 0.9988) and Langmuir isotherm model (R2 = 0.9958). The maximum uptake capacity of P. sanguineus reached as high as 358.69 mg/g. Further analysis indicated that amino, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups positively contributed to the uptake process. Among them, amino group significantly favored the uptake of gold during recovery process. When P. sanguineus biomass was modified by introduction of amino group, the gold uptake process was successfully intensified by shortening the uptake period and enhancing the uptake capacity. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:1314–1322, 2017
Viscoelastic computational modeling of the human head‐neck system: Eigenfrequencies and time‐dependent analysis
Authors: Boccia E. , Gizzi A. , Cherubini C. , Nestola M. G. C. , Filippi S.
Published: May 2017

A subject‐specific 3‐dimensional viscoelastic finite element model of the human head‐neck system is presented and investigated based on computed tomography and magnetic resonance biomedical images. Ad hoc imaging processing tools are developed for the reconstruction of the simulation domain geometry and the internal distribution of bone and soft tissues. Material viscoelastic properties are characterized point‐wise through an image‐based interpolating function used then for assigning the constitutive prescriptions of a heterogenous viscoelastic continuum model. The numerical study is conducted both for modal and time‐dependent analyses, compared with similar studies and validated against experimental evidences. Spatiotemporal analyses are performed upon different exponential swept‐sine wave–localized stimulations. The modeling approach proposes a generalized, patient‐specific investigation of sound wave transmission and attenuation within the human head‐neck system comprising skull and brain tissues. Model extensions and applications are finally discussed.
Salix arctica changes root distribution and nutrient uptake in response to subsurface nutrients in High Arctic deserts
Authors: Muller Amanda L. , Hardy Sarah P. , Mamet Steven D. , Ota Mitsuaki , Lamb Eric G. , Siciliano Steven D.
Published: May 2017

Moisture is critical for plant success in polar deserts but not by the obvious pathway of reduced water stress. We hypothesized that an indirect, nutrient‐linked, pathway resulting from unique water/frozen soil interactions in polar deserts creates nutrient‐rich patches critical for plant growth. These nutrient‐rich patches (diapirs) form deep in High Arctic polar deserts soils from water accumulating at the permafrost freezing front and ultimately rising into the upper soil horizons through cryoturbated convective landforms (frost boils). To determine if diapirs provide an enhanced source of plant‐available N for Salix arctica (Arctic willow), we characterized soil, root, stem, and leaf 15N natural abundance across 24 diapir and non‐diapir frost boils in a High Arctic granitic semi‐desert. When diapir horizons were available, S. arctica increased its subsurface (i.e., diapir) N uptake and plant root biomass doubled within diapir. Plant uptake of enriched 15N injected into organic rich soil patches was 2.5‐fold greater in diapir than in non‐diapir frost boils. S. arctica percent cover was often higher (7.3 ± 1.0 [mean ± SE]) on diapiric frost boils, compared to frost boils without diapirs (4.4 ± 0.7), potentially reflecting the additional 20% nitrogen available in the subsurface of diapiric frost boils. Selective N acquisition from diapirs is a mechanism by which soil moisture indirectly enhances plant growth. Our work suggests that diapirs may be one mechanism contributing to Arctic greening by shrub expansion.
Effects of organic and inorganic nitrate on aortic and carotid haemodynamics in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Chirinos Julio A. , Londono‐Hoyos Francisco , Zamani Payman , Beraun Melissa , Haines Philip , Vasim Izzah , Varakantam Swapna , Phan Timothy S. , Cappola Thomas P. , Margulies Kenneth B. , Townsend Raymond R. , Segers Patrick
Published: May 2017

Aims

To assess the haemodynamic effects of organic vs. inorganic nitrate administration among patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Methods and results

We assessed carotid and aortic pressure–flow relations non‐invasively before and after the administration of 0.4 mg of sublingual nitroglycerin (n = 26), and in a separate sub‐study, in response to 12.9 mmoL of inorganic nitrate (n = 16). Nitroglycerin did not consistently reduce wave reflections arriving at the proximal aorta (change in real part of reflection coefficient, 1st harmonic: −0.09; P = 0.01; 2nd harmonic: −0.045, P = 0.16; 3rd harmonic: +0.087; P = 0.05), but produced profound vasodilatation in the carotid territory, with a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (133.6 vs. 120.5 mmHg; P = 0.011) and a marked reduction in carotid bed vascular resistance (19 580 vs. 13 078 dynes · s/cm5; P = 0.001) and carotid characteristic impedance (3440 vs. 1923 dynes · s/cm5; P = 0.002). Inorganic nitrate, in contrast, consistently reduced wave reflections across the first three harmonics (change in real part of reflection coefficient, 1st harmonic: −0.12; P = 0.03; 2nd harmonic: −0.11, P = 0.01; 3rd harmonic: −0.087; P = 0.09) and did not reduce blood pressure, carotid bed vascular resistance, or carotid characteristic impedance (P = NS).

Conclusions

Nitroglycerin produces marked vasodilatation in the carotid circulation, with a pronounced reduction in blood pressure and inconsistent effects on central wave reflections. Inorganic nitrate, in contrast, produces consistent reductions in wave reflections, and unlike nitroglycerin, it does so without significant hypotension or cerebrovascular dilatation. These haemodynamic differences may underlie the different effects on exercise capacity and side effect profile of inorganic vs. organic nitrate in HFpEF.
The emerging role of interleukin‐37 in cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Zhuang Xinyu , Wu Bangwei , Li Jian , Shi Haiming , Jin Bo , Luo Xinping
Published: May 2017

Introduction

Interleukin (IL)‐37 is a newly identified member of the IL‐1 family, and shows a growing role in a variety of diseases. This review aims at summarizing and discussing the role of IL‐37 in cardiovascular diseases.

Methods

Data for this review were identified by searches of MEDLINE, Embase, and PubMed using appropriate search terms.

Results

IL‐37 is a newly identified cytokine belonging to the IL‐1 family and is expressed in inflammatory immune cells and several parenchymal cells. It has potent anti‐inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties, with two mechanisms underlying this function. IL‐37 is produced as a precursor and then cleaved into mature form in the cytoplasm by caspase‐1, translocating to nucleus and suppressing the transcription of several pro‐inflammatory genes by binding SMAD‐3. Besides, IL‐37 can be secreted extracellularly, and binds to IL‐18Ra chain and recruits Toll/IL‐1R (TIR)‐8 for transducing anti‐inflammatory signaling. IL‐37 is upregulated in an inducible manner and negatively regulates signaling mediated by TLR agonists and pro‐inflammatory cytokines. The cytokine has been shown to inhibit both innate and adaptive immunological responses, exert antitumor effects, and act as a prognostic marker in a variety of autoimmune diseases.

Conclusions

Recent studies have suggested that IL‐37 plays a role in cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of the cytokine biology, discuss recent advances made in unraveling its cardio‐protective effects, and suggest guidelines for future research.
It's better to give than to receive: Psychological need satisfaction mediating links between wasta (favouritism) and individuals' psychological distress
Authors: Alwerthan Tarik Abdulkreem , Swanson Dena Phillips , Rogge Ronald David
Published: May 2017

Wasta (i.e. the distribution of favours among family, friends and tribe; favouritism; nepotism) permeates numerous Middle Eastern cultures, representing a method of strengthening social ties and showing loyalty/generosity, but also representing one of the largest sources of corruption in Middle East. The current study investigated links between wasta and psychological distress in a survey of 1088 educators from Saudi Arabia. Drawing from the self‐determination theory (SDT) conceptual framework, Structural Equation Modeling analyses suggested that benefitting from wasta was linked to higher levels of psychological distress and those links were explained in part (i.e. mediated) by lower levels of autonomy, competency and relatedness. In contrast, providing wasta was associated with higher levels of need satisfaction and correspondingly lower levels of distress. Implications are discussed in terms of the SDT, discrimination and helping behaviour literatures.
Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Quaternary Ammonium Salts via Transition‐Metal‐Catalyzed CH Bond Activation
Authors: Jayakumar Jayachandran , Cheng Chien‐Hong
Published: May 2017

Highly substituted cationic heterocyclic nitrogen salts are versatile building blocks for a number of naturally occurring products and functional materials. In this paper, we review the very recently reported Co(III)‐, Rh(III)‐ and Ir(III)‐catalyzed inter‐ and intra‐molecular sp2 CH activation/annulations with alkynes or alkenes for the synthesis of various quaternary ammonium salts containing isoquinolinium, cinnolinium, quinolizinium, mesoionic isoquinolone, 12‐azapyrene, protoberberine, indolizinium, and isoindolium salts. In addition, the reaction scope, proposed catalytic mechanisms, and applications are also included. This review will help readers to easily understand the recent advances in this field.
Arthrotomy‐based preclinical models of particle‐induced osteolysis: A systematic review
Authors: Moran Meghan M. , Wilson Brittany M. , Ross Ryan D. , Virdi Amarjit S. , Sumner Dale Rick
Published: May 2017

We completed a systematic literature review of in vivo animal models that use arthrotomy‐based methods to study particle‐induced peri‐implant osteolysis. The purpose of the review was to characterize the models developed to date, to determine the questions addressed, to assess scientific rigor and transparency, and to identify gaps in knowledge. We probed three literature databases (Medline, Embase, and Scopus) and found 77 manuscripts that fit the search parameters. In the most recent 10 years, researchers mainly used rat and mouse models, whereas in the previous 20 years, large animal, canine, and rabbit models were more common. The studies have demonstrated several pathophysiology pathways, including macrophage migration, particle phagocytosis, increased local production of cytokines and lysosomal enzymes, elevated bone resorption, and suppressed bone formation. The effect of variation in particle characteristics and concentration received limited attention with somewhat mixed findings. Particle contamination by endotoxin was shown to exacerbate peri‐implant osteolysis. The possibility of early diagnosis was demonstrated through imaging and biomarker approaches. Several studies showed that both local and systemic delivery of bisphosphonates inhibits the development of particle‐induced osteolysis. Other methods of inhibiting osteolysis include the use of anabolic agents and altering the implant design. Few studies examined non‐surgical rescue of loosened implants, with conflicting results with alendronate. We found that the manuscripts often lacked the methodological detail now advocated by the ARRIVE guidelines, suggesting that improvement in reporting would be useful to maximize rigor and transparency. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:2595–2605, 2017.
Hybrid tunable lens for eliminating optical aberration and enlarging optical power
Authors: Zhang Chao‐Yang , Li Lei , Wang Qiong‐Hua
Published: May 2017

In this paper, we propose a hybrid tunable lens based on electrowetting effect for eliminating optical aberration. By integrating a doublet lens in the front surface of a tunable lens, the proposed lens can achieve good image quality and obtain high optical power. Experimental results demonstrate that both two advantages can be achieved for the hybrid tunable lens. It can also reduce the operating voltage by ∼5 V to reach the same focal length, and it has compact structure, light weight, and good image quality.
A qualitative research on travellers' destination choice behaviour
Authors: Keshavarzian Pedram , Wu Cheng‐Lung
Published: May 2017

The repertory grid technique was used in this paper to investigate the decision‐making process of travellers. Results showed that both destination physical attributes and the travellers' feelings towards the destination play a significant role in the choice of holiday destinations. Notably, a distinct choice pattern emerged from the analysis, which showed some travellers begin their planning process not based on the destination features but on the availability of air tickets on sale. This observation suggested the potential influence of the “sequence” of receiving or searching for transport and tourism information on the choice of a holiday destination.
Seasonality of change: Summer warming rates do not fully represent effects of climate change on lake temperatures
Authors: Winslow Luke A. , Read Jordan S. , Hansen Gretchen J. A. , Rose Kevin C. , Robertson Dale M.
Published: May 2017

Responses in lake temperatures to climate warming have primarily been characterized using seasonal metrics of surface‐water temperatures such as summertime or stratified period average temperatures. However, climate warming may not affect water temperatures equally across seasons or depths. We analyzed a long‐term dataset (1981–2015) of biweekly water temperature data in six temperate lakes in Wisconsin, U.S.A. to understand (1) variability in monthly rates of surface‐ and deep‐water warming, (2) how those rates compared to summertime average trends, and (3) if monthly heterogeneity in water temperature trends can be predicted by heterogeneity in air temperature trends. Monthly surface‐water temperature warming rates varied across the open‐water season, ranging from 0.013 in August to 0.073°C yr−1 in September (standard deviation [SD]: 0.025°C yr−1). Deep‐water trends during summer varied less among months (SD: 0.006°C yr−1), but varied broadly among lakes (–0.056°C yr−1 to 0.035°C yr−1, SD: 0.034°C yr−1). Trends in monthly surface‐water temperatures were well correlated with air temperature trends, suggesting monthly air temperature trends, for which data exist at broad scales, may be a proxy for seasonal patterns in surface‐water temperature trends during the open water season in lakes similar to those studied here. Seasonally variable warming has broad implications for how ecological processes respond to climate change, because phenological events such as fish spawning and phytoplankton succession respond to specific, seasonal temperature cues.
Corrosion behaviour of bismuth‐containing gold thick‐film electrodes
Authors: Junker N. , Schneider M. , Michaelis A.
Published: May 2017

The electrochemical behaviour of a bismuth‐containing gold thick‐film, which was screen‐printed and co‐fired on low temperature co‐fired ceramic (LTCC), has been investigated in 1 M nitric acid. After potentiostatic polarisation the material was electrochemically studied by voltammetry to determine the degradation kinetics and the role of elements of the glass‐ceramic compounds. Field emission scattering electron microscopy (FESEM) examinations and energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analyses confirm the electrochemically driven degradation of the composite: The interphase between the thick‐film and the LTCC substrate was selectively attacked around the conductive gold layer. Elementary bismuth was reductively formed within the attacked area. Inverse voltammetric analyses of the electrolyte solution show that the electrochemical degradation is superimposed by chemical degradation of bismuth‐containing glass‐phases. The reductively formed bismuth was removed from the screen‐printed electrode (SPE) due to the subsequently performed anodic polarisation. The amount of anodically dissolved bismuth is comparable with the coulometrically determined value of the anodic polarisation sweep.
Enhanced Optical Transmittance by Reduced Reflectance of Curved Polymer Surfaces
Authors: Chen W. , Diao Z. , Dirks J.‐H. , Geiger F. , Spatz J.
Published: May 2017

Subwavelength nanostructure arrays on surfaces improve their optical transmittance by reducing the reflection of light over a wide range of wavelengths and angles of incidence. A method to imprint a sub‐100 nm nanostructure array on a large surface (Ø 20 mm) made from thermoplastic materials is reported. Transmittance through the flat polymer is improved by ≈6.5%, reaching values of up to 97.5%, after imprinting. The optical properties of the nanostructured samples are highly reproducible. After eight repeated imprinting operations with the same stamp, the transmittance of the nanostructured surface is decreased by less than 0.2%. Moreover, the nanostructures can also be imprinted on curved polymethylmethacrylate surfaces, achieving a maximum transmittance of 97%. This method to prepare large‐scale antireflective nanostructures on flat and flexible curved polymer surfaces is of interest for the production of antireflective screens, optical devices, and biomedical devices such as contact lenses and intraocular lenses.

image
Exercise with weight loss improves adipose tissue and skeletal muscle markers of fatty acid metabolism in postmenopausal women
Authors: Ortmeyer Heidi K. , Goldberg Andrew P. , Ryan Alice S.
Published: May 2017

Objective

The effects of 6‐month weight loss (WL) versus aerobic exercise training (AEX)+WL on fat and skeletal muscle markers of fatty acid metabolism were determined in normal (NGT) and impaired (IGT) glucose tolerant African‐American and Caucasian postmenopausal women with overweight/obesity.

Methods

Fat (gluteal and abdominal) lipoprotein lipase (LPL), skeletal muscle LPL, acyl‐CoA synthase (ACS), ß‐hydroxacyl‐CoA dehydrogenase, carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT‐1), and citrate synthase (CS) activities were measured at baseline (n = 104) and before and after WL (n = 34) and AEX+WL (n = 37).

Results

After controlling for age and race, muscle LPL and CPT‐1 were lower in IGT, and the ratios of fat/muscle LPL activity were higher in IGT compared to NGT. Muscle LPL was related to insulin sensitivity (M value) and inversely related to G120, fasting insulin, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance. AEX+WL decreased abdominal fat LPL and increased muscle LPL, ACS, and CS. The ratios of fat/muscle LPL decreased after AEX+WL. The change in VO2max was related to the changes in LPL, ACS, and CS and inversely related to the changes in fat/muscle LPL activity ratios.

Conclusions

Six‐month AEX+WL, and not WL alone, is capable of enhancing skeletal muscle fatty acid metabolism in postmenopausal African‐American and Caucasian women with NGT, IGT, and overweight/obesity.
45 Gy is not sufficient radiotherapy dose for Group III orbital embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma after less than complete response to 12 weeks of ARST0331 chemotherapy
Authors: Ermoian Ralph P. , Breneman John , Walterhouse David O. , Chi Yueh‐Yun , Meza Jane , Anderson James , Hawkins Douglas S. , Hayes‐Jordan Andrea A. , Parham David M. , Yock Torunn I. , Donaldson Sarah S. , Wolden Suzanne L.
Published: May 2017

Background

Recent Children's Oncology Group (COG) trials tested the efficacy of reduced therapy in an effort to lessen late effects compared to the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study (IRS) IV regimen with associated hematologic and hepatic toxicity, and infertility. Here, we analyze the efficacy of 45 Gray (Gy) local radiotherapy (RT) in patients with Group III orbital embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) enrolled on the COG low‐risk study ARST0331.

Procedure

Sixty‐two patients with Group III orbital ERMS were treated on ARST0331 with four cycles of vincristine (VCR), dactinomycin (DACT), and cyclophosphamide (CPM; VAC, total cumulative CPM dose 4.8 g/m2) followed by four cycles of VCR and DACT over 22 weeks. Forty‐five Gray of radiation was administered in 25 fractions beginning at week 13 of therapy.

Results

Fifty‐three patients were evaluable for this response analysis; seven had missing week 12 response evaluation data and two had progressive disease prior to starting RT. Median follow‐up was 7.8 years. None of the 15 patients with radiographic complete response (CR) compared to 6 of the 38 patients with <CR after 12 weeks of VAC chemotherapy had local recurrences (P = 0.11). There was no difference in overall survival by response at week 12 (P = 0.52).

Conclusions

For patients with Group III orbital ERMS achieving a CR following VAC chemotherapy that includes modest dose CPM, 45 Gy may be sufficient for durable failure‐free survival. However, for those with <CR treated with the ARST0331 systemic therapy, a different local therapy approach may be needed to achieve the control rate of IRS‐IV without its toxicity.
p16 Loss and E2F/cell cycle deregulation in infant posterior fossa ependymoma
Authors: Lummus Seth C. , Donson Andrew M. , Gowan Katherine , Jones Kenneth L. , Vibhakar Rajeev , Foreman Nicholas K. , Kleinschmidt‐DeMasters B. K.
Published: May 2017

Background

Posterior fossa (PF) ependymomas (EPNs) in infants less than 1 year of age (iEPN‐PF) have a poorer clinical outcome than EPNs in older children. While radiation therapy is the standard of care for the latter, it is withheld in infants to avoid neurotoxicity to immature brain. It is unknown whether the adverse outcome in iEPN‐PFs is due to treatment differences or aggressive biology. We examined this question using molecular profiling.

Methods

Six anaplastic iEPN‐PFs were subjected to transcriptomic analysis and FISH for p16 loss and gains of 1q, and compared with anaplastic PF EPNs from older children. Results were validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results

All six iEPN‐PFs were grouped within EPN PF subgroup A (PFA). E2F targets and G2M checkpoint were identified as the most enriched gene sets in iEPN‐PF, which was validated in a larger independent cohort. Accordingly, MIB‐1 IHC demonstrated a higher mitotic rate in iEPN‐PFs than noninfant anaplastic EPN PFA. Genetic and protein analyses demonstrated that p16 loss and low p16 protein expression is a hallmark of iEPN‐PF, and that none harbored 1q gains. Kaplan–Meier analysis confirmed the poorer clinical outcome of the iEPN‐PF cohort.

Conclusions

Biological differences, characterized by loss of p16 expression without gains of 1q in iEPN‐PFs, as well as deregulated E2F target gene transcription, are indicative of deregulated p16‐CDK4/6‐pRB‐E2F pathway activity. This may underlie the poor clinical outcome seen in this group of iEPN‐PFs, rather than the withholding of radiation therapy. Results suggest a potential actionable therapy for iEPN‐PF, namely cyclin‐dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors.
Adaptive robust consensus tracking for nonlinear second‐order multi‐agent systems with heterogeneous uncertainties
Authors: Ai Xiaolin , Yu Jianqiao , Jia Zhenyue , Shen Yuanchuan , Ma Pengbao , Yang Di
Published: May 2017

This paper addresses the consensus tracking problem for a class of heterogeneous nonlinear second‐order multi‐agent systems with parametric uncertainties, unmodeled dynamics, and bounded external disturbances. By linearly parameterizing the control input of the leader, two distributed adaptive robust consensus tracking control protocols with dynamic and fixed coupling gains are constructed based on the relative information from neighboring agents. The global tracking errors are shown to be guaranteed to exponentially converge to a ball with a constant radius at a prescribed rate of convergence under external disturbances. Finally, a numerical example is provided to verify the theoretical results. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
‘Bad’ piped water and other perceptual drivers of bottled water consumption in Indonesia
Authors: Prasetiawan Teddy , Nastiti Anindrya , Muntalif Barti Setiani
Published: May 2017

In countries that have established and have been maintaining a robust piped water system, bottled water has been perceived to be of better quality than piped water. We argue that piped water and bottled water cannot be easily compared in the Indonesian context. Drinking from tap water has never been accepted as the norm as piped water has no guarantee of purity and safety. The substantial marketing efforts of the bottled water industry highlight the appeal of bottled water in regard to, not only good water quality and physical health, but also taste, convenience, mental health, and social and environmental values. Despite many negative social and environmental issues associated with bottled water, this enigmatic commodity is becoming ‘the’ drinking water in Indonesia and is inseparable from modern life. WIREs Water 2017, 4:e1219. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1219

This article is categorized under:

Engineering Water > Sustainable Engineering of Water

Human Water > Water as Imagined and Represented
The contribution of Gustav R. Kirchhoff to the dynamics of tapered beams
Authors: Cazzani Antonio , Rosati Luciano , Ruge Peter
Published: May 2017

Gustav Kirchhoff has been credited, among many other renowned achievements, as the first scientist who tackled and solved the problem of studying the transversal vibrations of beams with variable cross‐section. His contribution, which was presented in 1879 and published in the following year, is nowadays almost forgotten in the international scientific community, with the only exception of the German‐speaking countries. For this reason it is rediscovered and thoroughly discussed here, with an exegetical approach. For completeness' sake an unabridged translation into English (the first one, to the best of the authors' knowledge) is provided in the appendix for the interested readers.
Lymph Node Retrieval is Inferior in the Modified Merendino Resection for Early Barrett’s Carcinoma: A Matched‐Pair Comparison with Ivor Lewis Resection
Authors: Haist Thomas , Mann Markus , von Sochaczewski Christina Oetzmann , Pauthner Michael , Fisseler‐Eckhoff Annette , Lorenz Dietmar
Published: May 2017

Aim of the study

A matched‐pair comparison between the modified Merendino resection (MER) and Ivor Lewis resection (ILR) for early Barrett’s carcinoma.

Background

Early adenocarcinoma of the esophagus (eACE) with positive risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) needs surgery for cure. MER appeared to be an alternative to ILR.

Methods

Between July 2000 and July 2012, 156 patients with high‐grade dysplasia or eACE received ILR, whereas in 30 cases MER was performed in a tertiary care center for GI Surgery. A matched‐pair analysis was performed on the basis of sex, age, BMI, ASA classification and tumor stage. Thirty patients were assigned to each group. The data were analyzed regarding perioperative aspects (e.g., operating time, hospital stay, complications, number of lymph nodes) and survival analysis.

Results

The mean operating time was 301.7 min for ILR, compared to 255.4 min for MER (p = 0.044). The hospital stay following ILR was significantly longer than for MER (22.4 days ILR vs. 16.4 days MER, p = 0.023). There was no statistically significant difference regarding complications between the two groups (p = 0.463). The number of resected lymph nodes was significantly lower in the MER group (median 21) compared to the ILR group, where a median of 31 lymph nodes could be removed (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in overall (p = 0.145) or tumor‐specific survival (p = 0.353).

Conclusions

Lymph node retrieval is significantly inferior in the MER. Postoperative complication rates were comparable between the two operating techniques, although the operation time for ILR took longer and these patients required a longer hospital stay. MER should not be applied in cases with high risk of LNM.
Can we program or train robots to be good?
Authors: Sharkey Amanda
Published: May 2017

As robots are deployed in a widening range of situations, it is necessary to develop a clearer position about whether or not they can be trusted to make good moral decisions. In this paper, we take a realistic look at recent attempts to program and to train robots to develop some form of moral competence. Examples of implemented robot behaviours that have been described as 'ethical', or 'minimally ethical' are considered, although they are found to operate only in quite constrained and limited application domains. There is a general recognition that current robots cannot be described as full moral agents, but it is less clear whether will always be the case. Concerns are raised about the insufficiently justified use of terms such as 'moral' and 'ethical' to describe the behaviours of robots that are often more related to safety considerations than to moral ones. Given the current state of the art, two possible responses are identified. The first involves continued efforts to develop robots that are capable of ethical behaviour. The second is to argue against, and to attempt to avoid, placing robots in situations that demand moral competence and an understanding of the surrounding social situation. There is something to be gained from both responses, but it is argued here that the second is the more responsible choice.
Bacillus pumilus strain YSPMK11 as plant growth promoter and bicontrol agent against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
Authors: Kaushal Manoj , Kumar Ajay , Kaushal Rajesh
Published: May 2017

A study was executed in a direction to attenuate Sclerotinia stalk rot (SSR) disease through biocontrol agent and also to enhance crop productivity. Culture filtrate of bacterial strain YSPMK11 inhibited growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in vitro which also exhibited higher plant growth promoting attributes. Interaction studies revealed maximum (81.50%) growth inhibition at 35 °C and pH 7.0 after 72 h incubation period with 15% culture filtrate. Based upon 16S rRNA gene sequence strain, YSPMK11 was identified as Bacillus pumilus. Furthermore, the genome of this isolate was searched for antimicrobial lipopeptide, i.e., ItuD and SrfC genes. The PCR amplification results showed the presence of both these lipopeptide genes in isolate YSPMK11. Iturin A as antifungal compound was identified as major components of fraction through GC/MS. In field experiments, the application of strain YSPMK11 cell suspension (108 CFU/ml) suppressed disease severity by 93% and increased curd yield by 36% which was more that of commercially used fungicide in farmer practices under mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. Conclusively, our study is first to demonstrate the effect of B. pumilus strain YSPMK11 in suppression of SSR under field conditions and would be employed as an efficient biocontrol agent to replace commercial fungicides in cauliflower cropping system. In addition, the presence of both lipopeptide genes (ItuD and SrfC) and iturin A in this isolate makes him potent strain for biological control application in agriculture.
Editorial
Authors: Campbell Marilyn
Published: May 2017

Welcome to the first issue of 2017, which happens to mark 10 years of my
editorship. I hope you found the special edition last year on developmental
disabilities interesting and helpful. This issue is a mixture of topics, again
starting with mental health in different populations, then articles looking at
counselling in schools and finishing off with three articles on bullying.
Effort-Reward Imbalance and Intention to Retire Early in Australian Healthcare Workers
Authors: Hodgkin Suzanne , Paul Warren , Warburton Jeni
Published: May 2017

Objectives – Retaining older workers in the Australian Healthcare System in rural areas is critical in preventing an imminent workforce crisis. Traditionally, healthcare workers have retired earlier than other groups. Using an internationally recognised model of job stress, the aim of this study was to examine the influence of Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) in predicting psychological strain and intention to retire in older Australian healthcare workers. Method – Utilising a cross-sectional design, data was obtained from 295 women and men aged over 55 years, working as professional healthcare workers in a rural Australian setting. ERI was measured using the 23-item scale developed by Siegrist (Siegrist, 2002); psychological strain was measured using the 12-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and a question on retirement intentions was developed. Results – The results confirm that those employees who experience high ERI and higher levels of overcommitment (OVC) experience psychological strain. Support for the three-way interaction was mixed: at low levels of OVC, higher levels of effort and increasing reward decreased strain, yet at high levels of OVC, increasing reward increased strain. This study could not confirm an association between intention to retire early and effort, reward, OVC or strain.
Indonesian dengue burden estimates: review of evidence by an expert panel
Authors: WAHYONO T. Y. M. , NEALON J. , BEUCHER S. , PRAYITNO A. , MOUREAU A. , NAWAWI S. , THABRANY H. , NADJIB M.
Published: May 2017

Routine, passive surveillance systems tend to underestimate the burden of communicable diseases such as dengue. When empirical methods are unavailable, complimentary opinion-based or extrapolative methods have been employed. Here, an expert Delphi panel estimated the proportion of dengue captured by the Indonesian surveillance system, and associated health system parameters. Following presentation of medical and epidemiological data and subsequent discussions, the panel made iterative estimates from which expansion factors (EF), the ratio of total:reported cases, were calculated. Panelists estimated that of all symptomatic Indonesian dengue episodes, 57·8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 46·6–59·8) enter healthcare facilities to seek treatment; 39·3% (95% CI 32·8–42·0) are diagnosed as dengue; and 20·3% (95% CI 16·1–24·3) are subsequently reported in the surveillance system. They estimated most hospitalizations occur in the public sector, while ~55% of ambulatory episodes are seen privately. These estimates gave an overall EF of 5·00; hospitalized EF of 1·66; and ambulatory EF of 34·01 which, when combined with passive surveillance data, equates to an annual average (2006–2015) of 612 005 dengue cases, and 183 297 hospitalizations. These estimates are lower than those published elsewhere, perhaps due to case definitions, local clinical perceptions and treatment-seeking behavior. These findings complement global burden estimates, support health economic analyses, and can be used to inform decision-making.
Ethnography and Cultural Translation in the Early Modern Missions
Authors: Rubiés Joan-Pau
Published: May 2017

Early modern Christian missionaries often learnt about other cultures in remarkable depth, and made an extremely important contribution to the writing of ethnography and to the global circulation of knowledge. While their cultural insight was usually built upon linguistic expertise, missionary writings were of a complex nature, often combining scientific observations and historical speculations with wider rhetorical aims. In fact, issues such as accommodation to local customs became complex ideological battlegrounds. Whilst an earlier historiography may have been tempted to emphasize either the pioneering character of the Christian missionaries as proto-anthropologists, or – in a more critical fashion – their Eurocentric ideological agendas, there is growing awareness of the crucial importance of the native mediators who acted as knowledge brokers, and who also had their own personal agendas and cultural biases. However, the cultural interactions did not end here: in parallel to these complex acts of local translation, missionaries also ‘translated’ cultural diversity in another direction, to the European Republic of Letters, where they increasingly had to defend religious orthodoxy in the context of a rapidly changing intellectual landscape.
Versorgungsforschung: das richtige Mass an Medizin, zum richtigen Zeitpunkt für den richtigen Patienten
Authors: Rosemann Thomas , Neuner-Jehle Stefan , Muheim Leander
Published: May 2017

Zusammenfassung. Der rasante medizinische Fortschritt des letzten Jahrhunderts hat nicht nur die Lebenserwartung steigen lassen, sondern auch die Anzahl chronischer Erkrankungen und multimorbider Patienten. Parallel dazu hat die zunehmende Spezialisierung zu einer hohen Fragmentierung des Gesundheitssystems geführt. Eine fragmentierte und unkoordinierte Versorgung birgt die Gefahr einer medizinischen Fehl- oder Überversorgung, wie auch der ökonomischen Ineffizienz. Dieser Herausforderung ist nicht allein durch weitere diagnostische und therapeutische Fortschritte und damit durch Grundlagen- und klinische Forschung zu begegnen. Es bedarf vielmehr einer Forschung, die untersucht, wie Versorgungszusammenhänge unter Alltagsbedingungen idealerweise zu gestalten sind, um zu einem optimalen Ergebnis auf Patientenebene zu gelangen: das richtige Mass an Medizin, zum richtigen Zeitpunkt, für den richtigen Patienten. Anhand eines Beispiels wird in diesem Artikel dargestellt, wie die Diabetesbetreuung in der Schweiz durch Versorgungsforschung optimiert wird.
Agammaglobulinaemia despite terminal B‐cell differentiation in a patient with a novel LRBA mutation
Authors: Al Sukaiti Nashat , AbdelRahman Khwater , AlShekaili Jalila , Al Oraimi Sumaya , Al Sinani Aisha , Al Rahbi Nasser , Cho Vicky , Field Matt , Cook Matthew C
Published: May 2017

Mutations in lipopolysaccharide‐responsive vesicle trafficking, beach and anchor‐containing protein (LRBA) cause immune deficiency and inflammation. Here, we are reporting a novel homozygous mutation in LRBA allele in 7‐year‐old Omani boy, born to consanguineous parents. He presented with type 1 diabetes, autoimmune haematological cytopenia, recurrent chest infections and lymphocytic interstitial lung disease. The patient was treated with CTLA4‐Ig (abatacept) with good outcome every 2 weeks for a period of 3 months. He developed complete IgG deficiency, but remarkably, histological examination revealed germinal centres and plasma cells in lymphoid and inflamed lung tissue. Further charatecterisation showed these cells to express IgM but not IgG. This ex vivo analysis suggests that LRBA mutation confers a defect in class switching despite plasma cell formation.
Discovery of first-in-class reversible dual small molecule inhibitors against G9a and DNMTs in hematological malignancies
Authors: San José-Enériz Edurne , Agirre Xabier , Rabal Obdulia , Vilas-Zornoza Amaia , Sanchez-Arias Juan A. , Miranda Estibaliz , Ugarte Ana , Roa Sergio , Paiva Bruno , Estella-Hermoso de Mendoza Ander , Alvarez Rosa María , Casares Noelia , Segura Victor , Martín-Subero José I. , Ogi François-Xavier , Soule Pierre , Santiveri Clara M. , Campos-Olivas Ramón , Castellano Giancarlo , de Barrena Maite Garcia Fernandez , Rodriguez-Madoz Juan Roberto , García-Barchino Maria José , Lasarte Juan Jose , Avila Matias A , Martinez-Climent Jose Angel , Oyarzabal Julen , Prosper Felipe
Published: May 2017

The indisputable role of epigenetics in cancer and the fact that epigenetic alterations can be reversed have favoured development of epigenetic drugs. In this study, we design and synthesize potent novel, selective and reversible chemical probes that simultaneously inhibit the G9a and DNMTs methyltransferase activity. In vitro treatment of haematological neoplasia (acute myeloid leukaemia-AML, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia-ALL and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma-DLBCL) with the lead compound CM-272, inhibits cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis, inducing interferon-stimulated genes and immunogenic cell death. CM-272 significantly prolongs survival of AML, ALL and DLBCL xenogeneic models. Our results represent the discovery of first-in-class dual inhibitors of G9a/DNMTs and establish this chemical series as a promising therapeutic tool for unmet needs in haematological tumours.