bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and luminescence properties of cubic‐shaped Ca1‐xTiO3:Eu3+ particles
Authors: Zhou Shang , Wang Hua , Zhong Li , Li Guanghai
Published: January 2018

In this article Ca1‐xTiO3:xEu3+ single crystalline particles with a cubic morphology and average size of 248 to 815 nm were synthesized by a solvothermal method. The structural and optical properties of the Ca1‐xTiO3:xEu3+ cubes were investigated, the formation mechanism of the cubes were analyzed and discussed, and the influence of Eu doping content and cubic size on the photoluminescence were examined. The differences in the photoluminescence between Ca1‐xTiO3:xEu3+ cubic crystals and nanoparticles was analyzed. It was found that an addition of a small amount of water can substantially reduce the size of the cubes. An obvious red emission band centered at 615 nm was observed under the excitation at 395 nm for the cubes. Our results demonstrate CaTiO3 cubes are good host materials for designing red phosphors.
Genotype and risk of tumour rupture in gastrointestinal stromal tumour
Authors: Boye K , Berner J-M , Hompland I , Bruland Ø S , Stoldt S , Sundby Hall K , Bjerkehagen B , Hølmebakk T
Published: January 2018

Background

Tumour rupture is a strong predictor of poor outcome in gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) of the stomach and small intestine. The objective was to determine whether tumour genotype was associated with risk of rupture.

Methods

Rupture was classified according to the definition proposed by the Oslo Sarcoma Group. Since January 2000, data were registered retrospectively for all patients at Oslo University Hospital undergoing surgery for localized GIST of the stomach or small intestine. Tumour genotype was analysed by Sanger sequencing.

Results

Two hundred and nine patients with mutation data available were identified. Tumour rupture occurred in 37 patients. Among the 155 patients with KIT exon 11 mutations, an increased risk of rupture was observed with a deletion or insertion–deletion (25 of 86, 29 per cent) compared with substitutions (5 of 50, 10 per cent) or duplications/insertions (2 of 19, 11 per cent) (P = 0·014). Notably, rupture occurred in 17 of 46 tumours (37 per cent) with deletions involving codons 557 and 558 (del557/558) versus 15 of 109 (13·8 per cent) with other exon 11 mutations (P = 0·002). This association was confined to gastric tumours: 12 of 34 (35 per cent) with del557/558 ruptured versus six of 77 (8 per cent) with other exon 11 mutations (P = 0·001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, del557/558 and tumour size were associated with an increased likelihood of tumour rupture, but mitotic count was not.

Conclusion

Gastric GISTs with KIT exon 11 deletions involving codons 557 and 558 are at increased risk of tumour rupture. This high-risk feature can be identified in the diagnostic evaluation and should be included in the assessment when neoadjuvant imatinib treatment is considered.
Introducing genomics into cancer care
Authors: Hill S
Published: January 2018

A national view
Using Delphi methodology in the development of a new patient‐reported outcome measure for stroke survivors with visual impairment
Authors: Hepworth Lauren R. , Rowe Fiona J.
Published: January 2018

Introduction

The aim of this study was to ascertain what items stroke survivors and stroke care professionals think are important when assessing quality of life for stroke survivors with visual impairment for inclusion in the new patient‐reported outcome measure.

Methods

A reactive Delphi process was used in a three‐round electronic‐based survey. The items presented consisted of 62 items originally sourced from a systematic review of existing vision‐related quality of life instruments and stroke survivor interviews, reduced and refined following a ranking exercise and pilot with stroke survivors with visual impairment. Stakeholders (stroke survivors/clinicians) were invited to take part in the process. A consensus definition of ≥70% was decided a priori. Participants were asked to rank importance on a 9‐point scale and categorize the items by relevance to types of visual impairment following stroke or not relevant. Analysis of consensus, stability, and agreement was conducted.

Results

In total, 113 participants registered for the Delphi survey of which 47 (41.6%) completed all three rounds. Response rates to the three rounds were 78/113 (69.0%), 61/76 (81.3%), and 49/64 (76.6%), respectively. The participants included orthoptists (45.4%), occupational therapists (44.3%), and stroke survivors (10.3%). Consensus was reached on 56.5% of items in the three‐round process, all for inclusion. A consensus was reached for 83.8% in the categorization of items. The majority (82.6%) of consensus were for relevant to ‘all visual impairment following stroke’; two items were deemed ‘not relevant’.

Conclusion

The lack of item reduction achieved by this Delphi process highlights the need for additional methods of item reduction in the development of a new PROM for visual impairment following stroke. These results will be considered alongside Rasch analysis to achieve further item reduction. However, the Delphi survey remains important as it provides clinical and patient insight into each item rather than purely relying on the psychometric data.
Investigation of the free heavy chain homodimers of a monoclonal antibody
Authors: Chung Hyo (Helen) , Buck Lynette , Daris Kristi , Welborn Brent , Luo Quanzhou , Wypych Jette
Published: January 2018

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are composed of two heavy chain (HC) and two light chain (LC) polypeptides. The proper folding and assembly of HC and LC is critical for antibody production. Current dogma indicates that the free HCs are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) unless assembled with LCs into antibodies, while the LCs on the other hand can be secreted as free monomer or dimer molecules. In this study, high levels of extracellular HC homodimers (7%‐45%) were observed in the cell culture media during cell line development for mAb1. Excellent correlation (R2 > 0.9) between the level of free HC homodimers and the percentage of high molecular weight species indicates that the free HC homodimers might be causative of unwanted aggregation. Due to the different surface charge of HC homodimer and fully assembled antibodies, the unwanted extracellular HC homodimers were successfully removed by downstream processing, through a cation exchange chromatography step. Reduced capillary electrophoresis‐sodium dodecyl sulfate (rCE‐SDS) analysis of the cell culture media from different MTX‐amplified pools indicated that insufficient expression of LC is one potential root cause for the high level of free HC homodimers. The level of free HC homodimers decreased significantly (3%‐25%) after retransfecting the MTX amplified pools with additional LC gene. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 34:738–745, 2018
Measuring Biogas Composition with a Compact Microelectromechanical System‐Based Spectrometer
Authors: Eccleston Robin , Bongards Michael
Published: January 2018

To operate a demand‐driven anaerobic digester, improvements to monitoring of process parameters are necessary. Therefore, a mid‐infrared spectroscopic gas sensor utilizing a microelectromechanical system‐based Fabry‐Pérot interferometer was tested for its suitability to measure the biogas concentration online. The spectral data is analyzed using principle component regression to make predictions of methane and carbon dioxide. Testing was performed in a laboratory, at a 1000‐L pilot‐scale digester, and at a 1.2‐MW landfill site. Scans took under eight minutes during testing and it is expected that this can be reduced further to give a shorter delay from the online measurements.
Synthesis, Crystal Analysis, and Optoelectronic Properties of Diazole‐Functionalized Acenes and Azaacenes
Authors: Pan Huahang , Song Tingting , Yin Xiaomeng , Jin Pengcheng , Xiao Jinchong
Published: January 2018

Doping heteroatoms into the skeletons of parent acenes can provide more opportunities to construct novel thermally and photostable organic π‐conjugated semiconductors. Herein, a family of diazole‐decorated acenes (APyS and APySe) and azaacenes (PyP, PyTh, PyPy, PyPh, and PyAP) have been successfully synthesized through the classical reactions. Single‐crystal X‐ray analyses showed that these as‐formed diazole‐modified derivatives adopted a twisted topology configuration, whereas the azaacenes display reclining‐chair architectures, besides a twisted structure. All these compounds displayed yellow or red light in solution. Moreover, their electrochemical behaviors were also examined. We also found that the azaacenes exhibited a positive spectroscopic response to acid.
The Pentagonal‐Pyramidal Hexamethylbenzene Dication: Many Shades of Coordination Chemistry at Carbon
Authors: Klein Johannes E. M. N. , Havenith Remco W. A. , Knizia Gerald
Published: January 2018

A recent report on the crystal structure of the pentagonal‐pyramidal hexamethylbenzene dication C6(CH3)62+ by Malischewski and Seppelt [Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 368] confirmed the structural proposal made in the first report of this compound in 1973 by Hogeveen and Kwant [Tetrahedron Lett. 1973, 14, 1665]. The widespread attention that this compound quickly gained led us to reinvestigate its electronic structure. On the basis of intrinsic bond orbital analysis, effective oxidation state analysis, ring current analysis, and comparison with well‐established coordination complexes, it is demonstrated that the central carbon atom behaves like a transition metal. The central (apical) carbon atom, although best described as a highly Lewis‐acidic carbon atom coordinated with an anionic cyclopentadienyl ligand, is also capable of acting as an electron‐pair donor to a formal CH3+ group. The different roles of coordination chemistry are discussed.
Brønsted Base‐Catalyzed Umpolung Intramolecular Cyclization of Alkynyl Imines
Authors: Kondoh Azusa , Terada Masahiro
Published: January 2018

A novel “umpolung” intramolecular cyclization of alkynyl imines, in which the electrophilic imine sp2‐carbon formally serves as a nucleophilic site, was developed under Brønsted base catalysis. The reaction involves the unprecedented catalytic generation of α‐aminoester enolates from α‐iminoesters via the 1,2‐addition of the anion of a secondary phosphite to an imine moiety followed by the [1,2]‐rearrangement of a dialkoxyphosphoryl moiety from carbon to nitrogen, which is a formal umpolung process, and the intramolecular addition to an alkyne. This is a rare example of a [1,2]‐rearrangement of a dialkoxyphosphoryl moiety from carbon to nitrogen to generate an α‐amino carbanion and the first catalytic carbon–carbon bond forming reaction utilizing the resulting carbanion as a nucleophile.
How and Why Does Helium Permeate Nonporous Arsenolite Under High Pressure?
Authors: Guńka Piotr A. , Hapka Michał , Hanfland Michael , Dranka Maciej , Chałasiński Grzegorz , Zachara Janusz
Published: January 2018

Investigations into the helium permeation of arsenolite, the cubic, molecular arsenic(III) oxide polymorph As4O6, were carried out to understand how and why arsenolite helium clathrate As4O6⋅2 He is formed. High‐pressure synchrotron X‐ray diffraction experiments on arsenolite single crystals revealed that the permeation of helium into nonporous arsenolite depends on the time for which the crystal is subjected to high pressure and on the crystal history. The single crystal was totally transformed into As4O6⋅2 He within 45 h under 5 GPa. After release of the pressure, arsenolite was recovered and a repeated increase in pressure up to 3 GPa led to practically instant As4O6⋅2 He formation. However, when a pristine arsenolite single crystal was quickly subjected to a pressure of 13 GPa, no helium permeation was observed at all. No neon permeation was observed in analogous experiments. Quantum mechanical computations indicate that there are no specific attractive interactions between He atoms and As4O6 molecules at the distances observed in the As4O6⋅2 He crystal structure. Detailed analysis of As4O6 molecular structure changes has shown that the introduction of He into the arsenolite crystal lattice significantly reduces molecular deformations by decreasing the anisotropy of stress exerted on the As4O6 molecules. This effect and the pΔV term, rather than any specific As⋅⋅⋅He binding, are the driving forces for the formation As4O6⋅2 He.
Design and modeling of survivable network planning for software‐defined data center networks in smart city
Authors: Peng Yuhuai , Wang Xiaojie , Shen Dawei , Yan Wei , Fu Yanhua , Deng Qingxu
Published: January 2018

Smart city can integrate cloud computing, big data, Internet of Things, edge computing, and other modern information technologies, which focuses on integration, sharing, utilization, and service of information resources, and emphasizes the cooperation and coordination of urban management, to achieve deep integration of industrialization and informatization. Data center network planning based on big data is involved in rational deployment and interconnection of network infrastructures, which can improve the network survivability, energy‐efficiency, flexibility, etc. Therefore, a survivable network planning model based on software‐defined networking is presented in this paper. The elastic network planning problem is formulated as a mixed‐integer optimization whose objective is to minimize the number of unprotected nodes. Then, 3 effective schemes including K‐means clustering algorithm based on simulated annealing, greedy routing algorithm, and Lagrangian relaxation algorithm are proposed for feasible solutions. Numerical results on practical network topology reveals that (1) K‐means clustering algorithm based on simulated annealing can make effective classification of different scale topologies; (2) compared with the traditional random deployment method, the greedy routing algorithm and Lagrangian relaxation algorithm can generate the controller deployment strategy more reasonably, and thus improve network survivability and deployment cost‐benefit.
Stability, integrity, and recovery rate of cellular nucleic acids preserved in a new liquid‐based cytology medium
Authors: Zhao Guodong , Liu Zhaocheng , Tian Yaping , Zhu Minsheng , Wang Shouli , Wang Hui , Gao Shen , Ma Yong , Zheng Minxue
Published: January 2018

Background

Liquid‐based cytology (LBC) has replaced the conventional Papanicolaou test in cervical cancer screening. The cervical swab specimens collected in LBC media can also be used for additional analyses including high‐risk HPV (HR‐HPV) test, DNA methylation analysis, and HPV E6/E7 mRNA test.

Methods

The stability, integrity, and recovery rate of cellular DNA and RNA after storage at different conditions were evaluated by a quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR) based HR‐HPV test, reverse transcription qPCR (RT‐qPCR), and agarose gel electrophoresis. Cervical swab specimens collected in a newly developed LBC medium, VersaMedium, and ThinPrep PreservCyt medium were processed on Hologic ThinPrep 5000 instrument.

Results

Cervical exfoliative cells fixed by VersaMedium exhibited good cellular morphology with intact membranes and delineated chromatin structures. Cellular DNA preserved in VersaMedium exhibited high level of stability at both room temperature and 4°C, and remained mostly intact at 4°C for up to 28 days. Cellular RNA preserved in VersaMedium maintained higher level of stability and integrity at 4°C than at room temperature. VersaMedium also showed no apparent adverse effect on the recovery rate of nucleic acids.

Conclusion

In addition to maintaining cellular morphology, when stored at 4°C, VersaMedium preserves cellular nucleic acids and PreservCyt medium without noticeable adverse effects on the recovery rate during purification. Therefore, VersaMedium is an appropriate LBC medium for the collection and preservation of cervical swab specimens. And VersaMedium preserved cellular nucleic acids are of such high quality that they are suitable for HR‐HPV qPCR test and RT‐qPCR analyses.
Risk factors for disordered weight control behaviors among Korean adolescents: Multilevel analysis of the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Authors: Kim Yongjoo , Austin S. Bryn , Subramanian S.V. , Thomas Jennifer J. , Eddy Kamryn T. , Franko Debra L. , Rodgers Rachel F. , Kawachi Ichiro
Published: January 2018

Objective

To investigate the prevalence and risk factors for disordered weight control behaviors (DWCB) in South Korean adolescents at multiple levels, including individual, family, school, and geographic area.

Method

We drew participants from the 11th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web‐based Survey, conducted in 2015, with 65,529 adolescents (31,687 girls, 33,842 boys) aged 12–18 years. DWCB was defined as engaging in any of the following behaviors for weight control over the past month: fasting, one‐food diet (eating only one food over an extended period of time for weight control), vomiting, and taking laxatives/diuretics/unprescribed diet pills. Sex‐stratified four‐level multilevel logistic models examined potential predictors of DWCB, including age, body‐mass index, puberty, perceived household economic status, parental education, living structure, school type and sex‐composition, percentage of students participating in school nutrition programs, and urbanicity.

Results

Overall, 6.2% of Korean adolescents (8.9% of girls, 3.7% of boys) exhibited any DWCB. We found significant between‐school variation among girls and boys and between‐classroom variation among girls. Older age, overweight/obesity, pubertal maturity, high household economic status (vs. mid‐range economic status), and vocational schooling (vs. general) were positively associated with DWCB among girls and boys. Low household economic status (vs. mid‐range economic status), higher parental education, and coeducational schooling (vs. single‐sex) were positively associated with DWCB among girls only.

Discussion

The findings suggest that DWCB are prevalent among Korean adolescents across age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Social contextual factors including school and familial environmental factors, as well as individual characteristics, should be considered when developing effective prevention strategies.
Variation and drivers of airflow patterns associated with olfactory concealment and habitat selection
Authors: Fogarty Dillon T. , Elmore R. Dwayne , Fuhlendorf Samuel D. , Loss Scott R.
Published: January 2018

Many terrestrial predators rely on olfaction to detect prey; therefore, prey should select habitat to reduce detectability of their odor cues. One way prey can potentially conceal their odor is by selecting locations with high turbulence and/or updrafts, conditions that disperse odor plumes and make odor sources difficult to locate. However, it is unclear how these conditions vary among vegetation cover types and which vegetative features drive them. We assessed variation and drivers of variables hypothesized to influence olfactory concealment (turbulence intensity and airflow slope) and experimentally evaluated whether these variables indeed influence predator detection of simulated prey. Specifically, we compared vegetation patch‐scale values of turbulence intensity and airflow slope among grassland, shrubland, and forest and assessed relationships among these airflow variables and local‐scale vegetative features within each vegetation type. Additionally, we experimentally investigated the importance of turbulence intensity, airflow slope, and visual concealment for predicting predator detection of scented quail eggs. In all vegetation types, we documented high variability in airflow conditions. At the patch scale, turbulence intensity was greater in shrubland and grassland than in forest, and updrafts were most common in shrubland whereas downdrafts were most common in grassland. Grassland was the only vegetation type with strong relationships among turbulence intensity and local vegetation features; both visual concealment and vegetation height were positively related to turbulence intensity. Additionally, persistence of scented quail eggs in grassland was best predicted by turbulence intensity; egg persistence increased with turbulence intensity. Our characterization of differences in olfactory variables among vegetation types provides an important step towards building a clearer understanding of olfactory landscapes. Further, our observation of both patch‐ and local‐scale variation in olfactory variables suggests that prey can potentially select for olfactory concealment at multiple scales. We hypothesize that olfactory concealment provided by high levels of turbulence intensity is an important component of cover in grassland, and that in grassland/shrubland landscapes, prey selection of shrubland patches reduces odor detectability. Our finding of a positive relationship between turbulence intensity and visual concealment also suggests that olfactory concealment may be a previously underappreciated confounding factor in studies of habitat selection.
CuI‐Mediated Degradation of Polysaccharides Leads to Fragments with Narrow Polydispersities
Authors: Rahkila Jani , Ekholm Filip S. , Leino Reko
Published: January 2018

Biomass derived oligo‐ and polysaccharides are important compounds for various applications, including biomedicine and material science. Their use, however, is often limited by inherent structural inhomogeneity of the starting materials. Here, a method for depolymerization of naturally occurring polysaccharides, including dextran, starch, xylan and galactoglucomannan, into well‐defined fragments of narrow polydispersities is described, based on the use of in situ generated CuI species under the commonly employed CuAAC reaction conditions. The main strength of the reported method is its high versatility, both in terms of substrate scope and operational simplicity.
Improving the Electrochemical Performance of Ni‐Rich LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 by Enlarging the Li Layer Spacing
Authors: Wu Kang , Jia Guofeng , Shangguan Xuehui , Yang Guowei , Zhu Zenghu , Peng Zhengjun , Zhuge Qin , Li Faqiang , Cui Xiaoling , Liu Suqin
Published: January 2018

Ni‐rich cathode materials have high capacities but exhibit serious capacity attenuation. Therefore, a strategy for modifying a LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cathode material by Na doping of the Li+ sites is proposed to improve its electrochemical performance. In this work, Li1−xNaxNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (x=0, 0.01, 0.03) materials are synthesized by a co‐precipitation and solid‐state sintering method, and their structures and electrochemical properties are analyzed. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) results suggest that all the prepared materials have a typical hexagonal layered structure with no impurities. The spacing of the Li layers increases from 2.59251 Å to 2.59805 Å, which shows that a small amount of larger Na ions (0.102 nm) occupy the Li sites (0.076 nm). Additionally, electrochemical measurements show that the high‐rate performance and cycling stability are significantly improved when some of the Li+ sites in LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 are occupied by Na+. Specifically, the capacity retention of Li0.99Na0.01Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 is 91 % after 100 cycles at a rate of 10 C. Meanwhile, the mechanism about electrochemical performance was improved by doping Na+ into Li+ sites of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 has been further discussed.
Temporal trends in a biomagnifying contaminant: Application of amino acid compound–specific stable nitrogen isotope analysis to the interpretation of bird mercury levels
Authors: Hebert Craig E. , Popp Brian N.
Published: January 2018

Temporal trends in levels of biomagnifying contaminants, such as mercury (Hg), in top predators can provide insights into changes in contaminant bioavailability through time. However, interpreting contaminant temporal trends in predators can be confounded by temporal changes in their diets, which, in turn, could affect organism trophic position and exposure to biomagnifying contaminants. To address this issue, bulk stable nitrogen isotope analysis, that is, analysis of whole tissue, is widely incorporated into contaminant-monitoring programs for the estimation of organism trophic position. In the present study, we investigated lake-specific temporal trends in Hg levels in herring gull (Larus argentatus smithsonianus) eggs from Lakes Huron and Erie, 2 Laurentian Great Lakes. Levels of Hg in Lake Huron eggs declined, whereas Lake Erie eggs showed no change. Stable nitrogen isotope analysis of bulk material could not explain these interlake differences in Hg temporal trends. However, application of amino acid compound–specific stable nitrogen isotope analysis, in conjunction with other dietary tracers (i.e., fatty acids), provided insights into the factors regulating interlake differences in Hg temporal trends. Adjusting Hg levels in predators to account for temporal changes in their diets can have a significant impact on the interpretation of temporal trend contaminants data. In this case, it reconciled the apparently different Hg temporal trends observed in gull eggs from Lakes Huron and Erie. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1458–1465. © 2018 SETAC

Abstract

Adjusting for changes in bird trophic position can alter the interpretation of temporal trends in egg mercury levels.
Protectiveness of Cu water quality criteria against impairment of behavior and chemo/mechanosensory responses: An update
Authors: Meyer Joseph S. , DeForest David K.
Published: January 2018

A meta-analysis was conducted of studies that reported behavior and chemo/mechanosensory responses by fish, amphibians, and aquatic invertebrates in Cu-containing waters and also reported sufficient water chemistry for calculation of hardness-based and biotic ligand model (BLM)–based water quality criteria (WQC) for Cu. The calculated WQC concentrations were then compared with the corresponding 20% impairment concentrations (IC20) of Cu for those behavior and chemo/mechanosensory responses. The hardness-based acute and chronic WQC for Cu would not have been protective (i.e., the IC20 would have been lower than the WQC) in 33.6 and 26.2%, respectively, of the 107 combined behavior- and chemo/mechanosensory-response cases that also had adequate water chemistry data for BLM-based WQC calculations (32.7% inconclusive). In comparison, the BLM-based acute and chronic WQC for Cu would not have been protective in only 10.3 and 4.7%, respectively, of the same 107 cases (29.9% inconclusive). To improve evaluations of regulatory effectiveness, researchers conducting aquatic Cu toxicity tests should measure and report complete BLM-input water chemistry and bracket the hardness-based and BLM-based WQC concentrations for Cu that would be applicable in their exposure waters. This meta-analysis demonstrates that, overall, the BLM-based WQC for Cu were considerably more protective than the hardness-based WQC for Cu against impairment of behavior and chemo/mechanosensory responses. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1260–1279. © 2018 SETAC
Multiple Ediacaran tectono‐metamorphic events in the Adamawa‐Yadé Domain of the Central Africa Fold Belt: Insight from the zircon U–Pb LAM‐ICP‐MS geochronology of the metadiorite of Meiganga (Central Cameroon)
Authors: Ganwa Alembert Alexandre , Klötzli Urs Stephan , Diguim Kepnamou Amadou , Hauzenberger Christoph
Published: January 2018

One of the many orogeny cycles in Central Africa is the Pan‐African orogeny which took place during the Neoproterozoic era. In central Cameroon, the reworked materials are Archean to Palaeoproterozoic rocks of sedimentary and magmatic origin and subsequent granitoids. The metadiorite of Meiganga is a syntectonic magmatic rock, affected by three deformational phases. It is characterized by a schistosity highlighted by a banded structure related to migmatization and made up of green hornblende, biotite, plagioclase, quartz, chlorite, opaques minerals, apatite, zircon, and titanite. Zircon grains of the metadiorite are prismatic or roundish. Internally, they show oscillatory zonation, blurred oscillatory zonation, and sector zoning. Some grains portray an outer cathodoluminescence bright band with blurred oscillatory zonation and which transgress the inner oscillatory domain; zircons contain inclusions or are inclusion free. Laser‐ablation microprobe‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry U–Pb data allow in relation with the internal structure of the zircon to decipher many tectono‐metamorphic steps in the Ediacaran phase of the Pan‐African Orogeny: (a) syntectonic emplacement of the dioritic protolith at 637 ± 5 Ma; (b) syn‐D2 melting process at 623 ± 2 Ma; (c) D3 time interval between 608 ± 2 and 562 ± 6 Ma; and (d) maximum age of the dextral movement of the regional shear zone at 570 ± 8 Ma. Ages founded in the studied metadiorite sample are recorded individually in different area of the Adamawa‐Yadé area of the Central African Fold Belt and the Borborema Province of NE Brazil, showing that the two domains underwent the same tectono‐metamorphic history during the Ediacaran period.
Repeat market entries in the internationalization process: The impact of investment motives and corporate capabilities
Authors: Jiang Guoliang Frank , Holburn Guy L. F. , Beamish Paul W.
Published: January 2018

Research Summary: This study examines strategic and resource contingencies that shape MNEs’ country location choices. Our analysis of overseas production investments by Japanese firms (1971–2006) finds that differences in investment motives (i.e., horizontal and vertical investment) and corporate capabilities (i.e., marketing and production capabilities) moderate how prior entries into a host country affect subsequent entry decisions. In general, the positive impact of prior entries on investment in a country is weaker for horizontal investments and stronger for vertical investments. A more nuanced relationship emerges when entry decisions are analyzed in conjunction with heterogeneous corporate marketing and production capabilities. The study illustrates the novel insights to be gained from analyzing the joint impact of path dependence, managerial intentions, and corporate capabilities on country location decisions.

Managerial Summary: Multinational firms often make multiple investments over time in a concentrated set of countries, accumulating superior knowledge and capabilities in these environments. Researchers have nonetheless uncovered factors that can lead firms to deviate from strategic trajectories defined by their prior investments. In a statistical analysis of country entry decisions by Japanese manufacturing firms over a 35‐year period, we found that firms’ tendencies to reinvest in the same host countries were smaller for horizontal (i.e., market‐seeking) investments but greater for vertical (i.e., efficiency‐seeking) investments. We also found that organizational capabilities influence the geographic trajectory of international expansion: firms with stronger marketing and production capabilities were less likely to be influenced by the locations of prior entries and were more likely to invest in new countries.
The relationship between thalamic GABA content and resting cortical rhythm in neuropathic pain
Authors: Di Pietro Flavia , Macey Paul M. , Rae Caroline D. , Alshelh Zeynab , Macefield Vaughan G. , Vickers E. Russell , Henderson Luke A.
Published: January 2018

Recurrent thalamocortical connections are integral to the generation of brain rhythms and it is thought that the inhibitory action of the thalamic reticular nucleus is critical in setting these rhythms. Our work and others' has suggested that chronic pain that develops following nerve injury, that is, neuropathic pain, results from altered thalamocortical rhythm, although whether this dysrhythmia is associated with thalamic inhibitory function remains unknown. In this investigation, we used electroencephalography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy to investigate cortical power and thalamic GABAergic concentration in 20 patients with neuropathic pain and 20 pain‐free controls. First, we found thalamocortical dysrhythmia in chronic orofacial neuropathic pain; patients displayed greater power than controls over the 4–25 Hz frequency range, most marked in the theta and low alpha bands. Furthermore, sensorimotor cortex displayed a strong positive correlation between cortical power and pain intensity. Interestingly, we found no difference in thalamic GABA concentration between pain subjects and control subjects. However, we demonstrated significant linear relationships between thalamic GABA concentration and enhanced cortical power in pain subjects but not controls. Whilst the difference in relationship between thalamic GABA concentration and resting brain rhythm between chronic pain and control subjects does not prove a cause and effect link, it is consistent with a role for thalamic inhibitory neurotransmitter release, possibly from the thalamic reticular nucleus, in altered brain rhythms in individuals with chronic neuropathic pain.
Spatiotemporal, metabolic, and therapeutic characterization of altered functional connectivity in major depressive disorder
Authors: Sheng Jintao , Shen Yuedi , Qin Yanhua , Zhang Lei , Jiang Binjia , Li Yaoyao , Xu Luoyi , Chen Wei , Wang Jinhui
Published: January 2018

Although imbalanced functional integration has been increasingly reported in major depressive disorder (MDD), there still lacks a general framework to characterize common characteristic and origin shared by the integrative disturbances. Here we examined spatial selectivity, temporal uniqueness, metabolic basis, and therapeutic response of altered functional connectivity (FC) in MDD by analyzing both cross‐sectional and longitudinal multimodal functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 35 patients and 34 demographically matched healthy controls. First, based on a voxel‐wise, data‐driven, graph‐based degree centrality approach, the bilateral anterior cingulate gyri, middle frontal gyri and superior frontal gyri, and the right parahippocampal gyrus were robustly identified to show decreased FC in MDD. Further spatiotemporal analyses revealed that these regions exhibited hub‐like features and were selectively located in limbic and default mode networks spatially and, relative to other areas in the brain, exhibited unique, frequency‐dependent oscillation power (stronger within 0.01–0.027 Hz and weaker within 0.027–0.073 Hz) and less dynamical variability of whole‐brain FC profiles temporally. Moreover, a cross‐modality fusion analysis showed that all MDD‐related FC impairments were associated with reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF); however, there existed multiple regions that showed reduced CBF but had intact FC in the patients, which resulted in a decreased FC‐CBF coupling and implied an earlier emergence of reduced CBF than impaired FC in MDD. Finally, the disrupted FC in MDD gradually recovered over the course of drug treatment (2 and 12 weeks). Altogether, these findings could help establish a general framework to provide mechanistic insights into integrative dysfunctions in MDD.
Effects of health insurance coverage on risky behaviors
Authors: Lee Jungtaek
Published: January 2018

Prior to implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, dependent health insurance coverage was typically available only for young adults under the age of 19. As of September 2010, the Affordable Care Act extended dependent health insurance coverage to include young adults up to the age of 26. I use the National Health Interview Survey for the sample period from 2011 to 2013 to analyze the causal relationship between the expansion of dependent coverage and risky behaviors including smoking and drinking as well as preventive care. I employ a regression discontinuity design to estimate the causal effect of health insurance coverage and overcome the endogeneity problem between insurance status and risky behaviors. When young adults become 26 years old, they are 7 to 10 percentage points more likely to lose health insurance than young adults under the age of 26. Although young adults over the age of 26 are generally aged out of insurance coverage, presence or absence of health insurance does not affect their smoking and drinking behaviors and their access to preventive care.
Consensus statements on the clinical understanding and use of milnacipran in Hong Kong
Authors: Lee Wing King , Au Yeung Kwok Leung , Lam Ho Bun , Wong Chi Keung , Au Ming Kai , Chan Hoi Yee Karina , Cheung Yat Wo Eric , Chui Wing Ho , Wong Ting Chi Vanessa , Fu Chi Kin , Sham Shiu Kow , Mak Ki Yan
Published: January 2018

Objective

Our aim is to develop a local consensus to guide medical practitioners and psychiatrists on the use of milnacipran in different psychiatric conditions.

Methods

By utilizing the modified Delphi technique, 12 statements were electronically voted on anonymously for their practicability of recommendation.

Results

There was a very high degree of agreement among the consensus group on 10 finalized consensus statements, but 2 statements were voted down due to a poor degree of agreement.

Conclusions

The present consensus statements were developed as general recommendations for medical practitioners and psychiatrists to be practically referred to in clinical settings.
Eurogin roadmap 2017: Triage strategies for the management of HPV‐positive women in cervical screening programs
Authors: Cuschieri Kate , Ronco Guglielmo , Lorincz Attila , Smith Laurie , Ogilvie Gina , Mirabello Lisa , Carozzi Francesca , Cubie Heather , Wentzensen Nicolas , Snijders Peter , Arbyn Marc , Monsonego Joe , Franceschi Silvia
Published: January 2018

Cervical cancer screening will rely, increasingly, on HPV testing as a primary screen. The requirement for triage tests which can delineate clinically significant infection is thus prescient. In this EUROGIN 2017 roadmap, justification behind the most evidenced triages is outlined, as are challenges for implementation. Cytology is the triage with the most follow‐up data; the existence of an HR‐HPV‐positive, cytology‐negative group presents a challenge and retesting intervals for this group (and choice of retest) require careful consideration. Furthermore, cytology relies on subjective skills and while adjunctive dual‐staining with p16/Ki67 can mitigate inter‐operator/‐site disparities, clinician‐taken samples are required. Comparatively, genotyping and methylation markers are objective and are applicable to self‐taken samples, offering logistical advantages including in low and middle income settings. However, genotyping may have diminishing returns in immunised populations and type(s) included must balance absolute risk for disease to avoid low specificity. While viral and cellular methylation markers show promise, more prospective data are needed in addition to refinements in automation. Looking forward, systems that detect multiple targets concurrently such as next generation sequencing platforms will inform the development of triage tools. Additionally, multistep triage strategies may be beneficial provided they do not create complex, unmanageable pathways. Inevitably, the balance of risk to cost(s) will be key in decision making, although defining an acceptable risk will likely differ between settings. Finally, given the significant changes to cervical screening and the variety of triage strategies, appropriate education of both health care providers and the public is essential.
Impaired Intestinal Cell Proliferation and Cell Death in Leptin‐Deficient Obese Mice
Authors: Kiely James M. , Noh Jae‐H. , Pitt Henry A. , Swartz‐Basile Deborah A.
Published: January 2018

Background: After massive small‐bowel resection and loss of absorptive capacity, residual intestine has compensatory ability to adapt by cellular hyperplasia and increased absorptive function. Growth factors have been shown to enhance intestinal adaptation, but the mechanisms involved are not well defined. Leptin has been shown to function as a trophic factor in the intestine and enhances carbohydrate absorption after small‐bowel resection. Therefore, we hypothesized that leptin deficiency may impair the adaptive response by modulating cellular proliferation or cell death after small‐bowel resection. Methods: Twelve‐week‐old male lean control (C57BL/6J, n = 28) and leptin‐deficient (Lepob, n = 24) obese mice underwent sham laparotomy, intestinal transection, or 50% proximal small‐bowel resection. Mice were killed at 48 hours postresection, and remnant intestine was harvested. Phenotypic analysis to assess adaptation included characterization of cell proliferation (percentage BrdU incorporation), apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick‐end labeling assay), and morphometric response (villus height, crypt depth). Results: The percentage S‐bromode‐oxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and apoptotic indices of obese transected mice were significantly lower than lean transected mice (7.3 vs 21.9% and 0.70 vs 1.53% respectively, p < .05). In resected animals, the percentage BrdU incorporation and apoptotic indices of obese resected mice were significantly lower than for lean resected (6.1 vs 22.0% and 0.93 vs 1.80% respectively, p < .05). No differences between groups, regardless of surgery, were identified in villus height or crypt depth. Conclusions: Therefore, we conclude that leptin deficiency impairs both cell proliferation and cell death in the early adaptive period after either small‐bowel transection or resection.
Automated detection of preserved photoreceptor on optical coherence tomography in choroideremia based on machine learning
Authors: Wang Zhuo , Camino Acner , Hagag Ahmed M. , Wang Jie , Weleber Richard G. , Yang Paul , Pennesi Mark E. , Huang David , Li Dengwang , Jia Yali
Published: January 2018

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can demonstrate early deterioration of the photoreceptor integrity caused by inherited retinal degeneration diseases (IRDs). A machine learning method based on random forests was developed to automatically detect continuous areas of preserved ellipsoid zone structure (an easily recognizable part of the photoreceptors on OCT) in 16 eyes of patients with choroideremia (a type of IRD). Pseudopodial extensions protruding from the preserved ellipsoid zone areas are detected separately by a local active contour routine. The algorithm is implemented on en face images with minimum segmentation requirements, only needing delineation of the Bruch's membrane, thus evading the inaccuracies and technical challenges associated with automatic segmentation of the ellipsoid zone in eyes with severe retinal degeneration.
Hand‐held, clinical dual mode ultrasound ‐ photoacoustic imaging of rat urinary bladder and its applications
Authors: Sivasubramanian Kathyayini , Periyasamy Vijitha , Dienzo Rhonnie Austria , Pramanik Manojit
Published: January 2018

Urinary bladder imaging is critical to diagnose urinary tract disorders, and bladder cancer. There is a great need for safe, non‐invasive, and sensitive imaging technique which enables bladder imaging. Photoacoustic imaging is a rapidly growing imaging technique for various biological applications. It can be combined with clinical ultrasound imaging system for hand‐held, dual modal ultrasound‐photoacoustic real‐time imaging. Structural (bladder wall) and functional (accretion of nanoparticles) bladder imaging is shown here with combined ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging in rats. Photoacoustic images of bladder wall is shown using black ink as the contrast agent. Chicken tissues were stacked on the abdomen of the animal to demonstrate the feasibility of photoacoustic imaging till a depth of 2 cm. Also, the feasibility of photoacoustic imaging for a common bladder disorder, vesicoureteral reflux is studied using urinary tract mimicking phantom. It is also shown that a clinical ultrasound system can be used for photoacoustic imaging of non‐invasive clearance study of gold nanorods from circulation by monitoring the gradual accumulation of the gold nanorods in the bladder. The time taken for accumulation of nanorods in the bladder can be used as an indicator of the clearance rate of the nanoparticle circulation from the body.
Successful treatment of rituximab‐ and steroid‐resistant nephrotic syndrome with leukocytapheresis
Authors: Takakura Maiko , Shimizu Masaki , Mizuta Mao , Inoue Natsumi , Tasaki Yuko , Ohta Kazuhide , Furuichi Kengo , Wada Takashi , Yachie Akihiro
Published: January 2018

Although rituximab (RTX) is a promising therapeutic agent for treating steroid‐resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) resistant to various immunosuppressive agents, some patients have shown resistance to RTX. We report the case of a patient with RTX‐resistant nephrotic syndrome and SRNS who was successfully treated with leukocytapheresis (LCAP). After LCAP, there was a significant reduction in proteinuria and in the total number of lymphocytes, T cells, and HLA‐DR+‐activated T cells. Moreover, the patient became sensitive to steroids and RTX. LCAP reduced circulating immune cells including activated T cells and could be effective in treating rituximab‐resistant nephrotic syndrome and SRNS and in achieving remission of proteinuria.
Recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor provides protective effects in cerulein‐induced acute pancreatitis in mice
Authors: Palestino‐Dominguez Mayrel , Pelaez‐Luna Mario , Lazzarini‐Lechuga Roberto , Rodriguez‐Ochoa Ignacio , Souza Veronica , Miranda Roxana U. , Perez‐Aguilar Benjamín , Bucio Leticia , Marquardt Jens U. , Gomez‐Quiroz Luis Enrique , Gutierrez‐Ruiz Maria Concepcion
Published: January 2018

Acute pancreatitis is a multifactorial disease associated with profound changes of the pancreas induced by release of digestive enzymes that lead to increase in proinflammatory cytokine production, excessive tissue necrosis, edema, and bleeding. Elevated levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor c‐Met have been observed in different chronic and acute pancreatic diseases including experimental models of acute pancreatitis. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects induced by the recombinant human HGF in a mouse model of cerulein‐induced acute pancreatitis. Pancreatitis was induced by 8 hourly administrations of supramaximal cerulein injections (50 µg/kg, ip). HGF treatment (20 µg/kg, iv), significantly attenuated lipase content and amylase activity in serum as well as the degree inflammation and edema overall leading to less severe histologic changes such as necrosis, induced by cerulein. Protective effects of HGF were associated with activation of pro‐survival pathways such as Akt, Erk1/2, and Nrf2 and increase in executor survival‐related proteins and decrease in pro‐apoptotic proteins. In addition, ROS content and lipid peroxidation were diminished, and glutathione synthesis increased in pancreas. Systemic protection was observed by lung histology. In conclusion, our data indicate that HGF exerts an Nrf2 and glutathione‐mediated protective effect on acute pancreatitis reflected by a reduction in inflammation, edema, and oxidative stress.