bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reading Three Stories of Palm Island
Authors: Dale Leigh
Published: December 2017

After briefly introducing Palm Island and its history as a place of punishment for Indigenous people, this essay looks at how readers respond to three books about Palm: Thea Astley’s The Multiple Effects of Rainshadow (1996), Chloe Hooper’s The Tall Man (2008), and Cathy McLennan’s Saltwater (2016). Using reviews posted by contributors to Goodreads, I investigate the colocation of terms which recur in positive reviews, in search of a specific form of reading, described here as “absorption.” Against the publishing and broader cultural conventions which differentiate fiction from non-fiction, the evidence shows that readers who describe themselves as having become absorbed tend also to praise these books for their truth, regardless of genre. The essay proposes some points of reference for thinking about the reading experience, and concludes by briefly noting the limits of using of genre in marketing, reviewing, and studying books. The essay is built on an awareness of the radical imbalance in the distribution of literacy in the region these books depict.
Rural tourism in Lebanon : what does the market reveal ?
Authors: Ghadban Socrat , Shames Maya , Abou Arrage Jad , Abou Fayyad Amal
Published: December 2017

Plusieurs types de tourisme ont des aspects communs avec le tourisme rural tels que l’agro-tourisme, le tourisme communautaire et l’écotourisme. Le tourisme local représente un outil important pour générer des revenus au profit des communautés rurales. En revanche, la mauvaise planification et la gestion inefficace peuvent parfois conduire à des résultats indésirables au niveau des destinations rurales, ce qui nuit au patrimoine naturel et culturel. Durant les dix dernières années, le Liban a connu une croissance du tourisme rural. Toutefois, il n’y a pas d’étude scientifique réalisée sur ce marché de la part de l’offre, ni de la part de la demande touristique. Cette étude vise à analyser la demande du tourisme rural afin de mieux gérer et promouvoir ce marché en pleine croissance. Les résultats présentent des preuves sur les besoins, les préférences et les attentes des visiteurs provenant majoritairement des régions urbaines, ainsi que les différents facteurs qui les influencent. La collecte des données a été réalisée en mai 2014, au cours de l’exposition «  Travel Lebanon  » dédié à promouvoir le tourisme rural au Liban. Un échantillon de 436 individus, en majorité provenant du milieu urbain du Liban, a révélé des éclaircissements importants sur la perception et le comportement des visiteurs potentiels. Les caractéristiques personnelles, en particulier, le revenu et le contexte culturel des visiteurs interrogés ont été identifiés comme les principaux facteurs qui influencent leurs décisions et préférences concernant les différents services du tourisme. Les résultats ont également révélé un manque de conscience des personnes interrogées sur les questions du tourisme durable dans les zones rurales et une perception du visiteur qui est différente de ce qui est actuellement fourni par les acteurs du tourisme.
Gestion publique, gestion privée – Les différences fondamentales
Authors: Lord Simon
Published: December 2017

Les perceptions et les attentes en ce qui concerne la gestion en entreprise privée et dans l’appareil de l’État s’expriment souvent en termes d’opposition. Gestion a invité deux vétérans des secteurs public et privé, Louis Borgeat et Michel Leblanc , à discuter des origines de ces différences. Ils ont ainsi analysé les facteurs qui influencent les actions des gestionnaires et l’opinion que s’en font les citoyens. À maintes reprises sur ces questions, ils ont été d’accord.
Du développement durable dans la gestion des ressources humaines
Authors: Gareau Jérémy , Hennebert Marc-Antonin
Published: December 2017

Le développement durable est la plupart du temps associé à la mise en place de systèmes de gestion environnementale. Il tire pourtant son origine d’un désir de repenser les rapports des êtres humains entre eux et avec la nature. Voici quelques pistes pour intégrer les principes du développement durable à la gestion des ressources humaines en entreprise.
L’amélioration continue pour construire l’organisation apprenante
Authors: Landry Sylvain , Gril Emmanuelle
Published: December 2017

Si les personnes ont la faculté d’apprendre, le savoir individuel et collectif ne se transforme pas spontanément en apprentissage organisationnel. Malgré les progrès fulgurants de la technologie, les défis pour faire des entreprises des organisations apprenantes demeurent nombreux. L’amélioration continue, notamment grâce aux katas, peut aider à mieux comprendre ces enjeux.
Votre équipe souffre-t-elle d’infobesite ?
Authors: Bertholet Jean-François , Gaudet Marie-Claude
Published: December 2017

La surcharge d’information est un des plus grands défis humains et sociaux de notre époque. Parfois appelée infobésité, cette surcharge atteint un seuil critique lorsque nous recevons tellement d’information que nous n’arrivons plus à la traiter adéquatement. Votre équipe a-t-elle atteint ce point ? Faites le test !
Perspectives and Innovations in the Teaching System at the Faculty of Material Technologies and Textile Design, Technical University of Lodz – a Concept of Combining the Education of Artists and Engineers
Authors: Kędzia Katarzyna , Nawrot Andrzej , Snycerski Marek , Wereszka Aleksandra
Published: December 2017

Design methodology makes it possible to plan and organise many different processes to obtain an optimal object. Students taught at the Textile Architecture specialization gain skills in design and technology, and this combination facilitates them to cooperate with industry. Recruitment expectations of companies reveal innovative fields of activity in this area. A new subject – Design Methodology for Corporations becomes a link in the process of teaching which will prepare graduates well for work in the clothing industry. The article shows a path of education of students at the Faculty of Material Technologies and Textile Design extended with the elements of artistic education. It takes up the broad topic of education in clothing design by discussing subsequent stages of education. It discusses a new subject, i.e. Designing for Corporations, which allows for a combination of artistic and technological skills. Finally it indicates potential pathways to multidisciplinary education.
Endothelial Dysfunction in Early Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients and Controls Without Previous Cardiovascular Events
Authors: Taraborelli Mara , Sciatti Edoardo , Bonadei Ivano , Terlizzi Vincenzo , Fredi Micaela , Zani Roberta , Cancarini Giovanni , Tincani Angela , Franceschini Franco , Vizzardi Enrico , Cavazzana Ilaria
Published: December 2017

Objective

To assess the prevalence and risk factors for endothelial dysfunction detected by peripheral artery tonometry in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with early disease without cardiovascular disease and risk factors.

Methods

All the consecutive adult lupus patients, with a disease duration <5 years, seen in our hospital from December 2014 to March 2016 were considered. We excluded patients with any history of cardiovascular disease or risk factors possibly affecting peripheral artery tonometry. Enrolled patients were matched for sex, age, body mass index, and blood pressure with healthy controls with the same exclusion criteria. Patients and controls received a transthoracic Doppler echocardiogram and an evaluation of endothelial function by peripheral artery tonometry.

Results

Twenty patients (100% female) with a median disease duration of 14 months (range 1–58 months), a mean ± SD age of 42 ± 15 years, and a mean ± SD age at diagnosis of 40 ± 16 years were enrolled and matched with 20 controls. Peripheral artery tonometry showed a significantly higher prevalence of endothelial dysfunction (P = 0.003) and vascular stiffness (P = 0.02), while echocardiography detected a significantly higher prevalence of left ventricular concentric remodeling (P = 0.003), grade I diastolic dysfunction (P = 0.047), and subclinical increase of filling pressures (P = 0.039) in lupus patients compared to controls. Among lupus patients, no features were associated with endothelial dysfunction.

Conclusion

A high rate of endothelial dysfunction and vascular stiffness occurs in early lupus patients without cardiovascular risk factors and disease. Larger studies are needed to confirm our results and to look for patients’ characteristics possibly associated with these abnormalities.
Online self‐tuning mechanism for direct adaptive control of tall building
Authors: Hosseini Amin , Taghikhany Touraj
Published: December 2017

The simple adaptive control (SAC) method is known as a remarkable solution to reduce the negative influence of different uncertainties on active control of building structures during an earthquake. The design parameters of this direct adaptive control algorithm are determined after a large number of sensitivity analyses. Furthermore, the selected parameters will not necessarily lead a controller to the optimum performance of the structure. Herein, an innovative online self‐tuning method is firstly introduced to improve the SAC method and cancel out excessive sensitivity analysis. Accordingly, a fuzzy inference system is designed to select the appropriate SAC method, adjusting parameters online instead of using fixed parameters. To show the efficiency of the introduced method, a 20‐story steel building structure equipped with magnetorheological dampers in each story is considered as a benchmark control. The performance of the designed control system is evaluated in different condition of base excitation with and without uncertainty in the model of the proposed structure. The results from the numerical simulations show that the introduced method has better performance than the SAC method with fixed adjusting parameters. The predominance of the method becomes clearer when an input ground motion to the control system has completely different characteristics than the initial designed seismic excitation.
Self‐Powered Vehicle Emission Testing System Based on Coupling of Triboelectric and Chemoresistive Effects
Authors: Shen Qingqing , Xie Xinkai , Peng Mingfa , Sun Na , Shao Huiyun , Zheng Hechuang , Wen Zhen , Sun Xuhui
Published: December 2017

Traditional triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG)‐based self‐powered chemical‐sensing systems are demonstrated by measuring the triboelectric effect of the sensing materials altered by the external stimulus. However, the limitations of triboelectric sensing materials and instable outputs caused by ambient environment significantly restrict their practical applications. In this work, a stable and reliable self‐powered chemical‐sensing system is proposed by coupling triboelectric effect and chemoresistive effect. The whole system is constructed as the demo of a self‐powered vehicle emission test system by connecting a vertical contact–separate mode TENG as energy harvester with a series‐connection resistance‐type gas sensor as exhaust detector and the parallel‐connection commercial light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) as alarm. The output voltage of TENG varies with the variable working states of the gas sensor and then directly reflects on the on/off status of the LEDs. The working mechanism can be ascribed to the specific output characteristics of the TENG tuned by the load resistance of the gas sensor, which is responded to the gas environment. This self‐powered sensing system is not affected by working frequency and requires no external power supply, which is favorable to improve the stability and reliability for practical application.
Emerging Nanoclay Composite for Effective Hemostasis
Authors: Long Mei , Zhang Yi , Huang Peng , Chang Shi , Hu Yuehua , Yang Qian , Mao Linfeng , Yang Huaming
Published: December 2017

Uncontrolled bleeding following trauma is associated with a high risk of death. Here, an emerging kaolinite nanoclay composite (iron oxide‐kaolinite, α‐Fe2O3‐kaolinKAc) is developed, based on the natural hemostat hematitum used in traditional Chinese medicine to effectively control hemorrhage. α‐Fe2O3‐kaolinKAc stops bleeding in ≈183 ± 16 s and exhibits higher hemostatic activity than the related compounds FeOOH‐kaolinKAc (298 ± 14 s), γ‐Fe2O3‐kaolinKAc (212 ± 11 s), and Fe3O4‐kaolinKAc (218 ± 15 s). This rapid effect is attributed to efficient absorption of the fluid in blood, activation of blood platelets, and induction of the coagulation cascade by kaolinite and the aggregation of red blood cells induced by α‐Fe2O3. α‐Fe2O3‐kaolinKAc shows slight hemolysis (<0.11%) as compared to kaolinite (30%), which accelerates wound healing. The biocompatibility, hemostatic activity, and low cost of α‐Fe2O3‐kaolinKAc make it a safe and effective agent for preventing massive blood loss after traumatic injury.
Potential‐Specific Structure at the Hematite–Electrolyte Interface
Authors: McBriarty Martin E. , Stubbs Joanne E. , Eng Peter J. , Rosso Kevin M.
Published: December 2017

The atomic‐scale structure of the interface between a transition metal oxide and aqueous electrolyte regulates the interfacial chemical reactions fundamental to (photo)electrochemical energy conversion and electrode degradation. Measurements that probe oxide–electrolyte interfaces in situ provide important details of ion and solvent arrangements, but atomically precise structural models do not exist for common oxide–electrolyte interfaces far from equilibrium. Using a novel cell, the structure of the hematite (α‐Fe2O3) ()–electrolyte interface is measured under controlled electrochemical bias using synchrotron crystal truncation rod X‐ray scattering. At increasingly cathodic potentials, charge‐compensating protonation of surface oxygen groups increases the coverage of specifically bound water while adjacent water layers displace outwardly and became disordered. Returning to open circuit potential leaves the surface in a persistent metastable state. Therefore, the flux of current and ions across the interface is regulated by multiple electrolyte layers whose specific structure and polarization change in response to the applied potential. The study reveals the complex environment underlying the simplified electrical double layer models used to interpret electrochemical measurements and emphasizes the importance of condition‐specific structural characterization for properly understanding catalytic processes at functional transition metal oxide–electrolyte interfaces.
Self‐Standing Porous LiCoO2 Nanosheet Arrays as 3D Cathodes for Flexible Li‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Xue Liang , Savilov Serguei V. , Lunin Valery V. , Xia Hui
Published: December 2017

Self‐standing electrodes are the key to realize flexible Li‐ion batteries. However, fabrication of self‐standing cathodes is still a major challenge. In this work, porous LiCoO2 nanosheet arrays are grown on Au‐coated stainless steel (Au/SS) substrates via a facile “hydrothermal lithiation” method using Co3O4 nanosheet arrays as the template followed by quick annealing in air. The binder‐free and self‐standing LiCoO2 nanosheet arrays represent the 3D cathode and exhibit superior rate capability and cycling stability. In specific, the LiCoO2 nanosheet array electrode can deliver a high reversible capacity of 104.6 mA h g−1 at 10 C rate and achieve a capacity retention of 81.8% at 0.1 C rate after 1000 cycles. By coupling with Li4Ti5O12 nanosheet arrays as anode, an all‐nanosheet array based LiCoO2//Li4Ti5O12 flexible Li‐ion battery is constructed. Benefiting from the 3D nanoarchitectures for both cathode and anode, the flexible LiCoO2//Li4Ti5O12 battery can deliver large specific reversible capacities of 130.7 mA h g−1 at 0.1 C rate and 85.3 mA h g−1 at 10 C rate (based on the weight of cathode material). The full cell device also exhibits good cycling stability with 80.5% capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 0.1 C rate, making it promising for the application in flexible Li‐ion batteries.
Monetizing shale gas to polymers under mixed uncertainty: Stochastic modeling and likelihood analysis
Authors: He Chang , Pan Ming , Zhang Bingjian , Chen Qinglin , You Fengqi , Ren Jingzheng
Published: December 2017

A novel framework based on stochastic modeling methods and likelihood analysis to address large‐scale monetization processes of converting shale gas to polymers under the mixed uncertainties of feedstock compositions, estimated ultimate recovery, and economic parameters is presented. A new stochastic data processing strategy is developed to quantify the feedstock variability through generating the appropriate number of scenarios. This strategy includes the Kriging‐based surrogate model, sample average approximation, and the integrated decline‐stimulate analysis curve. The feedstock variability is then propagated through performing a detailed techno‐economic modeling method on distributed‐centralized conversion network systems. Uncertain economic parameters are incorporated into the stochastic model to estimate the maximum likelihood of performance objectives. The proposed strategy and models are illustrated in four case studies with different plant locations and pathway designs. The results highlight the benefits of the hybrid pathway as it is more amenable to reducing the economic risk of the projects. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 64: 2017–2036, 2018
Eulerian‐Lagrangian simulations of settling and agitated dense solid‐liquid suspensions – achieving grid convergence
Authors: Derksen J. J.
Published: December 2017

Eulerian‐Lagrangian simulations of solid–liquid flow have been performed. The volume‐averaged Navier‐Stokes equations have been solved by a variant of the lattice‐Boltzmann method; the solids dynamics by integrating Newton's second law for each individual particle. Solids and liquid are coupled via mapping functions. The application is solids suspension in a mixing tank operating in the transitional regime (the impeller‐based Reynolds number is 4000), an overall solids volume fraction of 10% and a particle–liquid combination with an Archimedes number of 30. In this application, the required grid resolution is dictated by the liquid flow and we thus need freedom to choose the particle size independent of the grid spacing. Preliminary hindered settling simulations show that the proposed Eulerian‐Lagrangian mapping strategy indeed offers this independence. The subsequent mixing tank simulations generate grid‐independent results. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 64: 1147–1158, 2018
Motor sequence awareness is impaired in dystonia despite normal performance
Authors: Jaynes Molly J. , Mink Jonathan W.
Published: December 2017

Objective

Dystonia is a movement disorder that has been associated with impaired motor learning and sequence recognition. However, despite evidence that patients with dystonia have a reduced sense of agency, it is unclear whether dystonia is specifically associated with impaired recognition of a movement sequence. We have shown previously that performance consistency in the temporal and kinematic domains predicts awareness of underlying motor patterns in a finger‐tapping task. Since movements in dystonia are characterized by high variability, we predicted that subjects with dystonia would have decreased motor sequence awareness.

Methods

Subjects with dystonia (n = 20) and healthy control adults (n = 30) performed finger‐tapping sequences with a common motor pattern and changing stimulus‐to‐response mappings. Subjects were said to be “aware” of the motor pattern if they recognized that their fingers moved in the same order during each stimulus‐to‐response remapping.

Results

Subjects with dystonia had decreased motor pattern awareness, but those differences were not due to greater performance variability. Subjects with dystonia tapped sequences as series of discrete movements, rather than as a combined series.

Interpretation

Dystonia is associated with impaired recognition of a repeating movement pattern. This difference may result from a strategy of separating sequential elements and attending to them individually. Ann Neurol 2018;83:52–60
Achilles’ Heel of Lithium–Air Batteries: Lithium Carbonate
Authors: Zhao Zhiwei , Huang Jun , Peng Zhangquan
Published: December 2017

The lithium–air battery (LAB) is envisaged as an ultimate energy storage device because of its highest theoretical specific energy among all known batteries. However, parasitic reactions bring about vexing issues on the efficiency and longevity of the LAB, among which the formation and decomposition of lithium carbonate Li2CO3 is of paramount importance. The discovery of Li2CO3 as the main discharge product in carbonate‐based electrolytes once brought researchers to “the end of the idyll“ in the early 2010s. In the past few years, tremendous efforts have been made to understand the formation and decomposition mechanisms of Li2CO3, as well as to conceive novel chemical/material strategies to suppress the Li2CO3 formation and to facilitate the Li2CO3 decomposition. Moreover, the study on Li2CO3 in LABs is opening up a new research field in energy technology. Considering the rapid development and innumerous emerging issues, it is timely to recapitulate the current understandings, define the ambiguities and the scientific gaps, and discuss topics of high priority for future research, which is the aim of this Minireview.
Influence of crosslinking methods toward poly(vinyl alcohol) properties: Microwave irradiation and conventional heating
Authors: Sonker Amit Kumar , Verma Vivek
Published: December 2017

In this study, crosslinking of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with tartaric acid, as crosslinker, is performed using microwave irradiation. A comparison between the properties of PVA crosslinked using microwave irradiation and conventional heating methods is also discussed. While the water absorption, tensile and thermal properties of PVA crosslinked by either of the methods are comparable, microwave irradiation took only one‐eighth (14 min) of the time compared to conventional heating. In comparison with PVA (42 MPa), the strength of PVA crosslinked with 35% TA increased to 145 and 153 MPa for conventional heating and microwave irradiation, respectively. Water absorption of crosslinked PVA film is successively reduced to less than 30% in comparison with PVA (∼200%). Moreover, the crosslinked films are stable at higher temperatures in comparison with PVA. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46125.
2D or Not 2D? Testing the Utility of 2D Vs. 3D Landmark Data in Geometric Morphometrics of the Sculpin Subfamily Oligocottinae (Pisces; Cottoidea)
Authors: Buser Thaddaeus J. , Sidlauskas Brian L. , Summers Adam P.
Published: December 2017

We contrast 2D vs. 3D landmark‐based geometric morphometrics in the fish subfamily Oligocottinae by using 3D landmarks from CT‐generated models and comparing the morphospace of the 3D landmarks to one based on 2D landmarks from images. The 2D and 3D shape variables capture common patterns across taxa, such that the pairwise Procrustes distances among taxa correspond and the trends captured by principal component analysis are similar in the xy plane. We use the two sets of landmarks to test several ecomorphological hypotheses from the literature. Both 2D and 3D data reject the hypothesis that head shape correlates significantly with the depth at which a species is commonly found. However, in taxa where shape variation in the z‐axis is high, the 2D shape variables show sufficiently strong distortion to influence the outcome of the hypothesis tests regarding the relationship between mouth size and feeding ecology. Only the 3D data support previous studies which showed that large mouth sizes correlate positively with high percentages of elusive prey in the diet. When used to test for morphological divergence, 3D data show no evidence of divergence, while 2D data show that one clade of oligocottines has diverged from all others. This clade shows the greatest degree of z‐axis body depth within Oligocottinae, and we conclude that the inability of the 2D approach to capture this lateral body depth causes the incongruence between 2D and 3D analyses. Anat Rec, 301:806–818, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Myricetin Induces Protective Autophagy by Inhibiting the Phosphorylation of mTOR in HepG2 Cells
Authors: Cao Jianping , Chen Hanwen , Lu Wei , Wu Yihua , Wu Xia , Xia Dajing , Zhu Jiang
Published: December 2017

Myricetin, a natural flavonoid present in a variety of fruits and vegetables, has been studied as a promising cancer chemopreventive agent in many cancer models. It has been reported that myricetin could inhibit tumor promotion by inducing cell cycle arrest and promoting apoptotic cell death. At present, autophagy is considered to be closely associated with cancer, functioning as either an anti‐cancer or pro‐cancer mechanism depending on the cancer stage. Till date, the role of myricetin in regulating autophagy has not been reported. In this study, we found that myricetin can induce autophagy by inhibiting mTOR activation in HepG2 cells. Our findings thus provide evidence for further research and application of myricetin as a potential cancer therapeutic agent. Anat Rec, 301:786–795, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Purification of angiotensin‐converting enzyme from human plasma and investigation of the effect of some active ingredients isolated from Nigella sativa L. extract on the enzyme activity
Authors: Basi Zehra , Turkoglu Vedat
Published: December 2017

In the present study, one‐step purification of angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE, peptidyldipeptidase A, EC 3.4.15.1), responsible for regulation of blood pressure, was achieved using affinity chromatography from human plasma. The enzyme was purified 12,860‐fold with a specific activtiy of 5080 EU/mg protein. Optimum temperature and pH were determined for the enzyme as 35–40°C and pH 7.4–7.5, respectively. The purity of ACE was determined by SDS–PAGE and the enzyme showed two bands at 60 and 70 kDa on the gel. The native molecular weight of ACE was found to be 260 kDa by gel filtration chromatography, demonstrating that the enzyme has a heterodimeric structure. Natural fatty acids of Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) were isolated by means of column chromatography. The structures of these compounds were determined using NMR and GC‐MS. The results showed that high concentrations of linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids were isolated from the plant. The effect of six fractions (Fr 1–6) on ACE activity was examined. Fraction 3 increased the ACE activity while the other fractions decreased the enzyme activity. The concentrations of the fractions inhibiting the half‐maximum activity of the enzyme were calculated as 1.597 mg/mL for Fr 1, 0.053 mg/mL for Fr 2, 0.527 mg/mL for Fr 4, 0.044 mg/mL for Fr 5 and 0.136 mg/mL for Fr 6 using a Lineweaver–Burk graph.
Association analysis of moodle e‐tests in blended learning educational environment
Authors: Dimić Gabrijela , Predić Bratislav , Rančić Dejan , Petrović Vera , Maček Nemanja , Spalević Petar
Published: December 2017

The paper suggests the implementation of association analysis for improving the process of e‐testing in blended learning environment. The research has been conducted using knowledge tests at the Computer Graphics Moodle Course. In the preprocessing phase, data matrices have been created and prepared for the process of discovering significant relationships and links between students' answers to the questions from preparatory tests and those for testing knowledge, the ways of doing, and achieved results. By implementing Apriori and Predictive Apriori algorithms, a great number of association rules has been discovered. Important and interesting rules have been singled out by implementing objective and subjective assessment measures. The examples of interesting rules, as well as discovered patterns in items' relationships, have also been presented. The contribution of the described case study is visible in providing important feedback which enables the teacher to get a better insight into the concepts of created tests and decide on how to make changes to improve testing.
Operando Spectroscopic Study of Dynamic Structure of Iron Oxide Catalysts during CO2 Hydrogenation
Authors: Zhang Yulong , Fu Donglong , Liu Xianglin , Zhang Zhengpai , Zhang Chao , Shi Bianfang , Xu Jing , Han Yi‐Fan
Published: December 2017

Understanding of dynamic structure of active sites is of paramount importance for rational design of industrial catalysts. This work revealed the structure evolution of iron active phases for CO2 hydrogenation over iron‐based catalysts. With a combination of operando Raman spectroscopy and X‐ray Diffraction coupled with online gas chromatography, the panoramic structure evolution of iron oxides (α‐Fe2O3 and γ‐Fe2O3) during activation and CO2 hydrogenation were elaborated, that is, α‐Fe2O3 (γ‐Fe2O3)→α‐Fe3O4 (γ‐Fe3O4)→α‐Fe (γ‐Fe)→χ‐Fe5C2 (θ‐Fe3C). Both iron carbides showed high catalytic activities while χ‐Fe5C2 exhibited higher selectivity to lower olefins but weaker chain growth probability than θ‐Fe3C.
Design and Synthesis of Aza‐Bicyclononene Dienophiles for Rapid Fluorogenic Ligations
Authors: Siegl Sebastian J. , Vázquez Arcadio , Dzijak Rastislav , Dračínský Martin , Galeta Juraj , Rampmaier Robert , Klepetářová Blanka , Vrabel Milan
Published: December 2017

Fluorogenic bioorthogonal reactions enable visualization of biomolecules under native conditions with excellent signal‐to‐noise ratio. Here, we present the design and synthesis of conformationally‐strained aziridine‐fused trans‐cyclooctene (aza‐TCO) dienophiles, which lead to the formation of fluorescent products in tetrazine ligations without the need for attachment of an extra fluorophore moiety. The presented aza‐TCOs adopt the highly strained “half‐chair” conformation, which was predicted computationally and confirmed by NMR measurements and X‐ray crystallography. Kinetic studies revealed that the aza‐TCOs belong to the most reactive dienophiles known to date. The potential of the newly developed aza‐TCO probes for bioimaging applications is demonstrated by protein labeling experiments, imaging of cellular glycoconjugates and peptidoglycan imaging of live bacteria.
Cu(I)‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Cross‐Coupling of N‐Tosylhydrazones and Trialkylsilylethynes: Enantioselective Construction of C(sp)—C(sp3) Bonds
Authors: Chu Wen‐Dao , Guo Fangfang , Yu Lefei , Hong Junting , Liu Qianyi , Mo Fanyang , Zhang Yan , Wang Jianbo
Published: December 2017

The first catalytic enantioselective C(sp)―C(sp3) cross‐coupling reaction between N‐tosylhydrazones and trialkylsilylethynes in the presence of Cu(I) salts and chiral phosphoramidite ligands was developed. A series of synthetically interesting, functionalized alkynes were obtained with moderate to good enantioselectivities (up to 83% ee). Cu(II) carbene migratory insertion is proposed to be the enantio‐determining step.
Cardiovascular safety of NSAIDs: Additional insights after PRECISION and point of view
Authors: Pepine Carl J. , Gurbel Paul A.
Published: December 2017

Increasing numbers of patients with arthritis use nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), some for long periods. The relative cardiovascular safety of NSAID use is of considerable concern, particularly among patients with or at risk of cardiovascular disease. Until recently, the evidence base was limited to older trials with small sample sizes. The large‐scale Prospective Randomized Evaluation of Celecoxib Integrated Safety vs Ibuprofen or Naproxen (PRECISION) trial and a recent Bayesian meta‐analysis of individual patient data in nearly a half‐million patients were undertaken to address some of the existing gaps in knowledge relative to the cardiovascular safety of NSAID use. We reviewed the results, strengths, and limitations of PRECISION. We believe that the results of the meta‐analysis will further assist clinicians in decision‐making for management of patients with osteoarthritis. The totality of evidence would support avoidance of NSAID use, if possible, in patients with or at high risk for cardiovascular disease. If used, the shortest‐duration and lowest effective NSAID doses should be chosen, given the evidence that risk is duration‐ and dose‐dependent. We also provide a brief discussion of the mechanism of action of NSAIDs, along with discussion of existing guidelines and the recent meta‐analysis.
Clinical outcomes according to symptom presentation in patients with acute myocardial infarction: Results from the FAST‐MI 2010 registry
Authors: Puymirat Etienne , Aissaoui Nadia , Bonello Laurent , Cayla Guillaume , Labèque Jean‐Noel , Nallet Olivier , Motreff Pascal , Varenne Olivier , Schiele François , Ferrières Jean , Simon Tabassome , Danchin Nicolas ,   for the FAST‐MI Investigators
Published: December 2017

Background

Atypical clinical presentation in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients is not uncommon; most studies suggest that it is associated with unfavorable prognosis.

Hypothesis

Long‐term clinical impact differs according to predominant symptom presentation (typical chest pain, atypical chest pain, syncope, cardiac arrest, or dyspnea) in AMI patients.

Methods

FAST‐MI 2010, a nationwide French registry, included 4169 patients with AMI in 213 centers at the end of 2010 (76% of active centers). Demographics, medical history, hospital management, and outcomes were compared according to predominant symptom presentation.

Results

Typical chest pain with no other symptom was reported in 3020 patients (68% in STEMI patients, 76% in NSTEMI patients). Atypical chest pain, dyspnea, syncope, and cardiac arrest were reported in 11%, 11%, 5%, and 1%, respectively. Patients with atypical clinical presentation had a higher cardiovascular risk profile and received fewer medications and a less invasive strategy. Using Cox multivariate analysis, atypical chest pain was not associated with higher death rate at 3 years (HR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.69‐1.33, P = 0.78), whereas cardiac arrest (HR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.00‐5.97, P = 0.05), syncope (HR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.18‐2.46, P = 0.005), and dyspnea (HR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.31‐2.10, P < 0.001) were associated with higher long‐term mortality compared with patients with typical isolated chest pain. Similar trends were observed in STEMI and NSTEMI populations.

Conclusions

Atypical clinical presentation is observed in about 20% of AMI patients. Cardiac arrest, dyspnea, and syncope represent independent predictors of long‐term mortality in STEMI and NSTEMI populations.
Target achievement with maximal statin‐based lipid‐lowering therapy in Korean patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: A study supported by the Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis
Authors: Oh Jaewon , Lee Chan Joo , Kim Doo Il , Rhee Moo‐Yong , Lee Byoung‐Kwon , Ahn Youngkeun , Cho Byung Ryul , Woo Jeong‐Taek , Hur Seung‐Ho , Jeong Jin‐Ok , Jang Yangsoo , Lee Sang‐Hak
Published: December 2017

Background

Data on treatment results of lipid‐lowering therapy (LLT) in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) are limited, particularly in Asian patients.

Hypothesis

We sought to evaluate the target achievement rate and associated variables in Korean patients with FH after maximal statin‐based LLT.

Methods

We enrolled 146 patients with heterozygous FH, and 90 patients were finally analyzed. Patients were initially prescribed rosuvastatin 10 mg or atorvastatin 20 mg, and the regimen was adjusted to achieve the low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) target of 100 mg/dL. The primary evaluation point was the achievement rate of the LDL‐C targets at 12 months: LDL‐C < 100 mg/dL and ≥50% LDL‐C reduction. The associations between clinical variables and target achievement were also analyzed.

Results

At 12 months, 58% of patients were receiving high‐intensity regimens, whereas 46% were receiving combination therapy. The mean pre‐ and post‐treatment LDL‐C levels were 229 and 118 mg/dL, respectively. Twenty‐eight percent of patients achieved LDL‐C < 100 mg/dL, and 47% achieved ≥50% LDL‐C reduction. Pretreatment LDL‐C and high‐intensity regimens indicated a negative tendency toward the attainment of LDL‐C < 100 mg/dL. Conversely, pretreatment LDL‐C and diabetes mellitus were positively associated with a higher rate of ≥50% LDL‐C reduction.

Conclusions

The target achievement of LDL‐C < 100 mg/dL was low, and 50% LDL‐C reduction was moderately achieved in Korean patients with FH receiving maximal statin‐based LLT. Pretreatment LDL‐C levels and diabetes mellitus were associated with target achievement. Our results provide rare and informative data on FH treatment in Asian patients.
Long‐term use of continuous positive airway pressure therapy in coronary artery disease patients with nonsleepy obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Luyster Faith S. , Strollo Patrick J. , Thunström Erik , Peker Yüksel
Published: December 2017

Background

Excessive daytime sleepiness is a frequent symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and has been proposed as a motivator for adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. However, excessive daytime sleepiness is absent in many patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and concomitant OSA. We evaluated long‐term use of CPAP and predictors of CPAP use in nonsleepy and sleepy OSA patients from a CAD cohort.

Hypothesis

Long‐term CPAP use is lower in CAD patients with nonsleepy OSA vs sleepy OSA.

Methods

Nonsleepy (Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESS] score < 10) OSA patients randomized to CPAP (n = 122) and sleepy (ESS ≥10) OSA patients offered CPAP (n = 155) in the RICCADSA trial in Sweden were included in this substudy. The median follow‐up was 4.8 years for the main trial, with a predefined minimum follow‐up of 2 years.

Results

The probability of remaining on CPAP at 2 years was 60% in nonsleepy patients and 77% in sleepy patients. Multivariate analyses indicated that age and hours of CPAP use per night at 1 month were independently associated with long‐term CPAP use in nonsleepy patients. In the sleepy phenotype, body mass index, acute myocardial infarction at baseline, and hours of CPAP use per night at 1 month were predictors of long‐term CPAP use.

Conclusions

Long‐term use of CPAP is likely to be challenging for CAD patients with nonsleepy OSA. Early CPAP use is an important predictor of continued long‐term use of CPAP, so optimizing patients' initial experience with CPAP could promote adherence.
Impact of obstructive sleep apnea on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism: Rationale and methodology for the POPE study
Authors: Mañas Eva , Barbero Esther , Chiluiza Diana , García Aldara , Morillo Raquel , Barrios Deisy , Martínez‐García Miguel Ángel , Albalat Alicia , Cano Irene , Jiménez David ,   on behalf of the POPE Investigators
Published: December 2017

In normotensive patients with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE), the effect of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on cardiovascular (CV) outcomes lacks clarity. The Prognostic Significance of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients With Acute Symptomatic Pulmonary Embolism (POPE) study is a multicenter, observational study designed to prospectively assess the prognostic significance of concomitant OSA in hemodynamically stable outpatients with acute symptomatic PE. Adult patients with acute stable PE are eligible. Recruited patients undergo an overnight sleep study using a level III portable diagnostic device within 7 days (and preferably within 48 hours) of diagnosis of PE. The sleep tracings are analyzed by a certified sleep technologist and audited by a sleep physician, both of whom are blinded to other study data. The patients are divided into 2 groups based on apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI): OSA (AHI ≥15) and non‐OSA (AHI <15) groups. The study uses a composite of PE‐related death, CV death, clinical deterioration requiring an escalation of treatment, or nonfatal CV events (recurrent venous thromboembolism, acute myocardial infarction, or stroke) within 30 days after the diagnosis of PE as the primary outcome. The projected sample size of 225 patients will provide 80% power to test the hypothesis that OSA will increase the primary outcome from 7% in the non‐OSA group to 20% in the OSA group, with α ≤0.05. The trial results will be important to understand the burden and CV effects of OSA in PE patients.
Rationale and design of the long‐Term rIsk, clinical manaGement, and healthcare Resource utilization of stable coronary artery dISease in post–myocardial infarction patients (TIGRIS) study
Authors: Westermann Dirk , Goodman Shaun G. , Nicolau José C. , Requena Gema , Maguire Andrew , Chen Ji Yan , Granger Christopher B. , Grieve Richard , Pocock Stuart J. , Blankenberg Stefan , Vega Ana Maria , Yasuda Satoshi , Simon Tabassome , Brieger David ,   for the TIGRIS Study Investigators
Published: December 2017

The long‐term progression of coronary artery disease as defined by the natural disease course years after a myocardial infarction (MI) is an important but poorly studied area of clinical research. The long‐Term rIsk, clinical manaGement, and healthcare Resource utilization of stable coronary artery dISease in post–myocardial infarction patients (TIGRIS) study was designed to address this knowledge gap by evaluating patient management and clinical outcomes following MI in different regions worldwide. TIGRIS (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01866904) is a multicenter, observational, prospective, longitudinal study enrolling patients with history of MI 1 to 3 years previously and high risk of developing atherothrombotic events in a general‐practice setting. The primary objective of TIGRIS is to evaluate clinical events (time to first occurrence of any event from the composite cardiovascular endpoint of MI, unstable angina with urgent revascularization, stroke, or death from any cause), and healthcare resource utilization associated with hospitalization for these events (hospitalization duration and procedures) during follow‐up. Overall, 9225 patients were enrolled between June 2013 and November 2014 and are being followed in 369 different centers worldwide. This will allow for the description of regional differences in patient characteristics, risk profiles, medical treatment patterns, clinical outcomes, and healthcare resource utilization. Patients will be followed for up to 3 years. Here we report the rationale, design, patient distribution, and selected baseline characteristics of the TIGRIS study. TIGRIS will describe real‐world management, quality of life (self‐reported health), and healthcare resource utilization for patients with stable coronary artery disease ≥1 year post‐MI.
Effects of Acute Phase Intensive Electrical Muscle Stimulation in Frail Elderly Patients With Acute Heart Failure (ACTIVE‐EMS): Rationale and protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial
Authors: Tanaka Shinya , Kamiya Kentaro , Matsue Yuya , Yonezawa Ryusuke , Saito Hiroshi , Hamazaki Nobuaki , Matsuzawa Ryota , Nozaki Kohei , Wakaume Kazuki , Endo Yoshiko , Maekawa Emi , Yamaoka‐Tojo Minako , Shiono Takaaki , Inomata Takayuki , Masuda Takashi , Ako Junya
Published: December 2017

In elderly patients with acute heart failure (AHF), clinical outcome is adversely affected by frailty. Although a number of potentially effective interventions for frailty have been reported, little is known about the effects of rehabilitation programs in frail elderly AHF patients. We postulated that addition of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), which induces muscle contraction without requiring patient volition, to early rehabilitation would be efficacious in frail elderly AHF patients. The ACTIVE‐EMS (Effects of Acute Phase Intensive Electrical Muscle Stimulation in Frail Elderly Patients With AHF; UMIN000019551) trial is a multicenter, randomized controlled trial that will enroll 80 patients from 3 hospitals in Japan. AHF patients age ≥ 75 years positive for frailty, defined as Short Physical Performance Battery score 4 to 9, will be randomly assigned to receive early rehabilitation program only or EMS add‐on therapy for 2 weeks. The primary endpoint of the trial is the change in quadriceps isometric strength between baseline and 2 weeks, with changes in physical function and cognitive function, and clinical safety and feasibility of EMS therapy as secondary outcomes. ACTIVE‐EMS is the first randomized trial to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of adding EMS therapy to early rehabilitation in frail elderly AHF patients. The results of this study will provide insight for the development of appropriate rehabilitation programs for this high‐risk population.
Accurate Ionization Energies for Mononuclear Copper Complexes Remain a Challenge for Density Functional Theory
Authors: Dereli Büsra , Ortuño Manuel A. , Cramer Christopher J.
Published: December 2017

Copper is ubiquitous and its one‐electron redox chemistry is central to many catalytic processes. Modeling such chemistry requires electronic structure methods capable of the accurate prediction of ionization energies (IEs) for compounds including copper in different oxidation states and supported by various ligands. Herein, we estimate IEs for 12 mononuclear Cu species previously reported in the literature by using 21 modern density functionals and the DLPNO‐CCSD(T) wave function theory model; we consider extrapolated values of the latter to provide reference values of acceptable accuracy. Our results reveal a considerable diversity in functional performance. Although there is nearly always at least one functional that performs well for any given species, there are none that do so for every member of the test set, and certain cases are particularly pathological. Over the entire test set, the SOGGA11‐X functional performs best with a mean unsigned error (MUE) of 0.22 eV. PBE0, ωB97X‐D, CAM‐B3LYP, M11‐L, B3LYP, and M11 exhibit MUEs ranging between 0.23 and 0.34 eV. When including relativistic effects with the zero‐order regular approximation, ωB97X‐D, CAM‐B3LYP, and PBE0 are found to provide the best accuracy.
Ehlers–Danlos syndrome in a young woman with anorexia nervosa and complex somatic symptoms
Authors: Lee Michelle , Strand Mattias
Published: December 2017

The Ehler–Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of clinically heterogeneous connective tissue disorders characterized by joint hypermobility, hyperextensibility of the skin, and a general connective tissue fragility that can induce symptoms from multiple organ systems. We present a case of comorbid anorexia nervosa and EDS in a 23‐year old woman with a multitude of somatic symptoms that were initially attributed to the eating disorder but that were likely caused by the underlying EDS. Various EDS symptoms, such as gastrointestinal complaints, smell and taste abnormalities, and altered somatosensory awareness may resemble or mask an underlying eating disorder, and vice versa. Because of the large clinical heterogeneity, correctly identifying symptoms of EDS presents a challenge for clinicians, who should be aware of this group of underdiagnosed and potentially serious syndromes. The Beighton Hypermobility Score is an easily applicable screening instrument in assessing potential EDS in patients with joint hypermobility.
Respiratory viral infections and atopic development: From possible mechanisms to advances in treatment
Authors: Martorano Lisa M. , Grayson Mitchell H.
Published: December 2017

Atopic sensitization and allergic diseases are increasing in modernized countries. These diseases affect millions of individuals, but the mechanisms behind their development are not fully understood. One hypothesis relates to early life respiratory viral infections driving the development of atopic disease including asthma. This review presents the current state of the field, focusing on epidemiologic data supporting a role for early life respiratory viruses in the development of specific IgE, both against aeroallergens and the respiratory virus. Our own work using the Sendai mouse model is then summarized to provide a potential mechanistic explanation for how a respiratory viral infection could drive development of atopic sensitization and disease. We then discuss the components of this mechanistic pathway that have and have not been validated in humans. Finally, we discuss areas ripe for research, as well as potential and current therapeutics that might disrupt the link between respiratory viral infections in early life and atopic sensitization/disease.