bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blood urea nitrogen variation upon admission and at discharge in patients with heart failure
Authors: Khoury Johad , Bahouth Fadel , Stabholz Yoav , Elias Adi , Mashiach Tanya , Aronson Doron , Azzam Zaher S.
Published: June 2019

Aims

Heart failure (HF) is one of the leading causes for hospitalization and mortality. After first admission with acute decompensated HF, some patients are in high risk for short‐term and long‐term mortality. These patients should be identified, closely followed up, and treated. It has been observed that blood urea nitrogen (BUN) on admission is a predictive marker for short‐term mortality. Recently, it has been shown that higher BUN levels on discharge are also a bad prognostic predictor. However, the prognostic value of BUN alteration during hospital stay was not investigated; therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of BUN variation during hospitalization on mortality.

Methods and results

A retrospective study included patients with first hospitalization with the primary diagnosis of HF. The patients were divided into four groups on the basis of the values of BUN on admission and discharge, respectively: normal‐normal, elevated‐normal, normal‐elevated, and elevated‐elevated. Four thousand seven hundred sixty‐eight patients were included; 2567 were male (53.8%); the mean age was 74.7 ± 12.7 years. The 90 day mortality rate in the normal‐normal group was 7% lower than that in the elevated‐normal (14.6%) and normal‐elevated (19.3%) groups; P value < 0.01. The 90 day mortality in the elevated‐elevated group (28.8%) was significantly higher than that in the other groups; P < 0.001. During the 36 month follow‐up, these results are maintained. While sub‐dividing BUN levels into <30, 30–39, and >40 mg/dL, higher BUN levels correlated with higher 90 day mortality rate regardless of creatinine levels, brain natriuretic peptide, or age. Moreover, BUN on admission and on discharge correlated better with mortality than did creatinine and glomerular filtration rate at the same points.

Conclusions

The BUN both on admission and on discharge is a prognostic predictor in patients with HF; however, patients with elevated levels both on admission and on discharge have the worst prognosis. Moreover, worsening or lack of improvement in BUN during hospitalization is a worse prognostic predictor. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first trial to discuss the BUN change during hospitalization in HF.
Synthesis of 1λ6,2,4,6‐Thiatriazine‐1,3,5‐Trione Derivatives
Authors: Chen Yantao , Söderlund Johan , Grönberg Gunnar , Pettersen Anna , Aurell Carl‐Johan
Published: June 2019

Mono N‐carbamoylation of 4‐methylbenzenesulfonimid‐amide with an isocyanate using pyridazine as the base, followed by N‐acylation on the other nitrogen in the sulfonimidamide with carbonyldiimidazole, and intramolecular cyclization in one‐pot, afforded 26 1λ6,2,4,6‐thiatriazine‐1,3,5‐trione derivatives in moderate to good yields. The protocol also works well for aliphatic sulfonimidamides, such as methylsulfonimidamide. Further functionalization on the triazinone scaffold was exemplified.
Zircon U–Pb geochronology and Sr–Nd–Pb–Hf isotopic constraints on the timing and origin of the Early Cretaceous igneous rocks in the Yongxin gold deposit in the Lesser Xing'an Range, NE China
Authors: Zhao Zhong‐Hai , Sun Jing‐Gui , Li Guang‐Hui , Xu Wen‐Xi , Lü Chang‐Lu , Guo Yan , Liu Jin , Zhang Xu
Published: June 2019

The Lesser Xing'an Range in NE China is an important gold district. However, the age and genesis of Early Cretaceous magmatic rocks that are coeval with gold mineralization remain obscure. A suite of Early Cretaceous igneous rocks in a newly discovered gold deposit at Yongxin was conducted zircon U–Pb dating and Hf isotope and bulk‐rock geochemistry and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope analyses. A dacite of the Guanghua Formation and an andesite of the Longjiang Formation have zircon U–Pb ages of 111.7 ± 1.5 Ma and 119.7 ± 1.9 Ma, respectively. The dacite has zircon εHf(t) values of 5.4 to 12.0 and depleted bulk‐rock Sr–Nd–Pb isotopes ((87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.7049 to 0.7056, εNd(t) = 1.2 to 2.5, (206Pb/204Pb)i = 18.202 to 18.320). The andesite has zircon εHf(t) values of 5.6 to 13.6, (87Sr/86Sr)i of 0.7049 to 0.7051, εNd(t) of 1.0 to 1.6, and (206Pb/204Pb)i of 18.199 to 18.297. The ~120 Ma diorite porphyry and granite porphyry have zircon εHf(t) values of 3.7 to 10.0 and 3.6 to 10.2, respectively. These two units show large variations of 87Rb/86Sr ratios (<1) and similar Sr–Nd–Pb isotopes compositions. All rock units are enriched in light rare earth elements and large‐ion lithophile elements and depleted in high‐field‐strength elements. The formation of Yongxin Early Cretaceous igneous rocks was related to variable degrees of partial melting from Jurassic basalt in the lower crust with significant contribution from ancient continental materials. The low Sr/Y ratios (2–24) and negative correlations between Sr, Eu/Eu, and SiO2 indicate that magmas of the Early Cretaceous igneous rocks at Yongxin have low water content and thus have low potentiality for porphyry copper mineralization.
Balance with the interactive size effects of display, target, and key spacing in tablet tapping, dragging, and typing tasks
Authors: Lai Chih‐Chun
Published: June 2019

This study aimed to expand the current demonstration of display size effects from pointing tasks to dragging and tap‐typing tasks to investigate the effects of influential factors on the performance of touchscreen tablets. From 7‐ to 11‐in. displays, the index of difficulty was kept constant by increasing the target amplitudes and widths (6.0–9.5 mm) proportionally, and the key spacing were, respectively, 13.5 × 7.3–21.5 × 11.5 mm with 0‐mm key gaps. The results demonstrated that simple task types (complexities) reinforced the display size effects and that the effects interacted with target sizes (including amplitude/width scaling) and key spacing to reflect increasing efficiency and usability with increasing sizes. Gender effects were only significant in subjective assessments. Display sizes approaching 10 in., target sizes not less than 7 mm (optimal 9–10 mm) and key spacing larger than 17.5 mm induced the effects of motor scale (the scale of the upper limb joint coordination) and interacted with one another to result in the optimal performance and usability.
One‐year follow‐up of ovarian reserve by three methods in women after laparoscopic cystectomy for endometrioma and benign ovarian cysts
Authors: Kostrzewa Marta , Wilczyński Jacek R. , Głowacka Ewa , Żyła Monika , Szyłło Krzysztof , Stachowiak Grzegorz
Published: June 2019

Objective

To determine the long‐term impact of laparoscopic cystectomy for endometriomas and benign cysts on ovarian reserve and selection of the most effective method of assessment.

Methods

The present study was carried out between November 2013 and December 2016. Participants were assigned to laparoscopic cystectomy for diagnosed unilateral benign ovarian cysts and divided into groups: the endometrioma group (EG) (n=35) and the other benign ovarian tumor group (OG) (n=35). Before and at 3 and 12 months after the procedure, transvaginal ultrasonography was performed to assess antral follicle count (AFC) and ovarian volume (OvVol); laboratory tests were ordered for anti‐Műllerian hormone (AMH) serum concentration assays. Pregnancy rates were counted in a 12‐month follow‐up. Statistica12 software was used for analysis.

Results

The present study included 70 women aged 18–40 years. AMH serum concentration decreased significantly 3 months after laparoscopic cystectomy (4.89 ± 3.66 ng/mL to 3.45 ± 3.37 ng/mL; P<0.001). A greater decrease of AMH concentrations was observed in the EG (45.39% vs 14.87%; P=0.021). Twelve months of observation revealed a suppression in the drop of the AMH concentration, while AFC and OvVol remained unaffected. The likelihood of spontaneous pregnancy was three times higher in the OG (hazard ratio [HR] 3.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08–12.5).

Conclusion

There was a significant decline in AMH levels in the EG 3 months after cystectomy. No further fall in AMH concentration was observed in the 12‐month follow‐up. The serum AMH concentration could be considered a valuable marker for ovarian reserve assessment after laparoscopic cystectomy.
Impact on pregnancy outcomes of exposure to military stress during the first or second trimester as compared with the third trimester
Authors: Gluck Ohad , Grin Leonti , Mizrachi Yossi , Leytes Sophia , Namazov Ahmed , Anteby Eyal , Bar Jacob , Kovo Michal
Published: June 2019

Objective

To compare pregnancy outcomes after exposure to military stress in different trimesters of pregnancy.

Methods

A retrospective study of medical records of deliveries in the Wolfson (WMC) and Barzilai (BMC) medical centers in Israel between July 2014 and April 2015. All parturients were exposed to military stress for 51 days during pregnancy. Pregnancy outcomes were compared between those exposed to military stress in the first or second trimester, and those exposed in the third trimester. Outcomes were also compared between WMC (a new‐onset military stress exposure area) and BMC (a chronic military stress exposure area).

Results

At WMC, women exposed in the first or second trimester (n=2657) had a higher rate of preterm delivery (<37 weeks) as compared with those exposed in the third trimester (n=2037; 214 [8.1%] vs 121 [5.9%]; P=0.005). At BMC, women exposed in the first or second trimester (n=2208) had a tendency toward lower rates of diabetes mellitus (P=0.055) and macrosomia [103 (4.7%) vs 84 (6.3%); P=0.037], as compared with those exposed in the third trimester (n=1337).

Conclusion

Exposure to military stress during pregnancy had different impacts on pregnancy outcomes, depending on the time of exposure and whether continuous exposure to stress occurred.
Neurofilament levels in patients with neurological diseases: A comparison of neurofilament light and heavy chain levels
Authors: Kušnierová Pavlína , Zeman David , Hradílek Pavel , Čábal Martin , Zapletalová Olga
Published: June 2019

Background

Neurofilaments are the major cytoskeletal components of neurons, and cell injury leads to their release into the surrounding area. The aim of this study was to compare the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum (S) concentrations of neurofilament light chains (NFLs) and phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chains (pNFHs).

Methods

Neurofilament concentrations were measured in CSF and S samples from 172 patients using three enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. Excel, Stata version 13, MedCal version 17.9.7., and NCSS 2007 software were used for the statistical analysis.

Results

There was a statistically significant correlation between the concentrations of CSF NFL and CSF pNFH (rs = 0.748; n = 89; P < 0.001), but Passing‐Bablok regression showed systematic deviation between the values obtained using the two assays. This indicates that the assays were not interchangeable. CSF pNFH and S pNFH concentrations showed low correlation. The kappa statistic showed moderate conformity between CSF pNFH and CSF NFL concentrations (κ = 0.556).

Conclusions

The CSF NFL and CSF pNFH assays gave clinically consistent results that reflected the degree of axonal damage, independent of any particular neurological diagnosis. The S pNFH assays had a lower predictive value due to the low correlation coefficient and the kappa index of the CSF pNFH method.
The role of SIRT1 in skeletal muscle function and repair of older mice
Authors: Myers Matthew J. , Shepherd Danielle L. , Durr Andrya J. , Stanton David S. , Mohamed Junaith S. , Hollander John M. , Alway Stephen E.
Published: June 2019

Background

Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a NAD+ sensitive deacetylase that has been linked to longevity and has been suggested to confer beneficial effects that counter aging‐associated deterioration. Muscle repair is dependent upon satellite cell function, which is reported to be reduced with aging; however, it is not known if this is linked to an aging‐suppression of SIRT1. This study tested the hypothesis that Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) overexpression would increase the extent of muscle repair and muscle function in older mice.

Methods

We examined satellite cell dependent repair in tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles of 13 young wild‐type mice (20–30 weeks) and 49 older (80+ weeks) mice that were controls (n = 13), overexpressed SIRT1 in skeletal muscle (n = 14), and had a skeletal muscle SIRT1 knockout (n = 12) or a satellite cell SIRT1 knockout (n = 10). Acute muscle injury was induced by injection of cardiotoxin (CTX), and phosphate‐buffered saline was used as a vector control. Plantarflexor muscle force and fatigue were evaluated before or 21 days after CTX injection. Satellite cell proliferation and mitochondrial function were also evaluated in undamaged muscles.

Results

Maximal muscle force was significantly lower in control muscles of older satellite cell knockout SIRT1 mice compared to young adult wild‐type (YWT) mice (P < 0.001). Mean contraction force at 40 Hz stimulation was significantly greater after recovery from CTX injury in older mice that overexpressed muscle SIRT1 than age‐matched SIRT1 knockout mice (P < 0.05). SIRT1 muscle knockout models (P < 0.05) had greater levels of p53 (P < 0.05 MKO,P < 0.001 OE) in CTX‐damaged tissues as compared to YWT CTX mice. SIRT1 overexpression with co‐expression of p53 was associated with increased fatigue resistance and increased force potentiation during repeated contractions as compared to wild‐type or SIRT1 knockout models (P < 0.001). Muscle structure and mitochondrial function were not different between the groups, but proliferation of satellite cells was significantly greater in older mice with SIRT1 muscle knockout (P < 0.05), but not older SIRT1 satellite cell knockout models,in vitro, although this effect was attenuatedin vivoafter 21 days of recovery.

Conclusions

The data suggest skeletal muscle structure, function, and recovery after CTX‐induced injury are not significantly influenced by gain or loss of SIRT1 abundance alone in skeletal muscle; however, muscle function is impaired by ablation of SIRT1 in satellite cells. SIRT1 appears to interact with p53 to improve muscle fatigue resistance after repair from muscle injury.
On the generation and propagation of Makran swells in the Arabian Sea
Authors: Anoop Thondithala R. , Shanas Puthuveetil R. , Aboobacker Valliyil M. , Kumar V. Sanil , Nair Leela Sheela , Prasad Ravindran , Reji Srinivas
Published: June 2019

Persistent and periodic northerly low‐level jets have been identified in the South Asian mid‐latitudes and subtropics, which are modified by the presence of Makran mountain ranges adjacent to the central south coast of Pakistan, where they blow predominantly in the west‐northwest to northeast directions. These winds lead to the generation of a new wave system and propagate through the Arabian Sea as “makran swells”. They are prevalent during October to May. The measurements along the west coast of India reveal systematic variations in the wave spectra relating the makran events. This has been further verified through the WaveWatch III simulations forced by the CFSR winds. The significant wave heights up to 4.5 m were hindcasted in the northern Arabian Sea during these events. Once generated, the makran swells propagate to the eastern Arabian Sea and western Arabian Sea with directional sectors of 300–360° and 0–60°, respectively. The characteristic features and the spatial extension of the makran swells are particularly analysed.
Rainfall reconstruction for the Karakoram region in Pakistan since 1540 CE reveals out‐of‐phase relationship in rainfall between the southern and northern slopes of the Hindukush‐Karakorum‐Western Himalaya region
Authors: Khan Adam , Chen Feng , Ahmed Moinuddin , Zafar Muhammad Usama
Published: June 2019

Climate change has influenced the glaciers and water resources in the Hindukush‐Karakorum‐Himalaya region. The relatively short instrumental record of northern Pakistan makes long‐term climate change assessments difficult. In this paper, tree‐ring width chronologies were developed from two stands of spruce species (Picea smithiana) in the Karakoram region of northern Pakistan. The results of the correlation analysis revealed that tree‐ring growth of spruce was limited by annual (June–May) precipitation. Based on the regional chronology, we developed an annual precipitation reconstruction for the period 1540–2016 CE. The precipitation reconstruction equation accounts for 40% of the regional precipitation variance during the instrumental period 1946–2016. Dry episodes with rainfall below the 477‐year average occurred from 1569 to 1577, 1598 to 1612, 1621 to 1621, 1638 to 1654, 1673 to 1680, 1697 to 1720, 1728 to 1739, 1753 to 1761, 1777 to 1793, 1801 to 1840, 1860 to 1874, 1914 to 1932, 1960 to 1985, 1998 to 2011. Wet episodes occurred from 1540 to 1568, 1578 to 1597, 1613 to 1620, 1632 to 1637, 1655 to 1672, 1681 to 1696, 1721 to 1727, 1740 to 1752, 1762 to 1776, 1794 to 1800, 1841 to 1859, 1875 to 1913, 1933 to 1959, 1986 to 1997. Furthermore, the results of spatial correlation analyses show that the reconstructed precipitation represents the regional precipitation variations for northern Pakistan and nearby high‐altitude mountains. The out‐of‐phase relationship in tree‐ring records of the Karakoram region and surrounding areas suggests that the Karakoram was under the control of large‐scale ocean–atmosphere–land circulations on a decadal timescale in the past centuries. In addition, by the comparison between the precipitation reconstruction and the instrumental data, we found that the drought risk of Karakoram has increased in the past 70 years and that extreme events are likely to become more severe and more frequent under the backdrop of climatic warming.
SME social media use: A study of predictive factors in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Abu Bakar Abdul Rahim , Ahmad Syed Zamberi , Ahmad Norita
Published: June 2019

Considerable research has been conducted on social media, yet the determinants of their adoption by organizations, especially small and medium‐size enterprises (SMEs), remain unclear. Previous studies have concentrated largely on the use of social media by individuals or in large organizations. Based on data from 144 SMEs in the United Arab Emirates, this analysis features a conceptual model that encompasses various technological, organizational, and environmental factors that may influence the adoption of social media. The results show that in terms of technological context, compatibility and observability are significant in an SME's decision to adopt social media. Additionally, organizational context, the level of top management support, and the overall environmental context also have an impact on SMEs leaders' use of social media in business. Though limited in scope, this study serves as a starting point for future research on social media adoption in the Middle East region, as well as in other developing countries.
Lymphedema microsurgery reduces the rate of implant removal for patients who have pre‐existing lymphedema and total knee arthroplasty for knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Voravitvet Tsz Yin , Chen Courtney , Lin Chia‐Yu , Cheng Ming‐Huei
Published: June 2019

Introduction

Patients with pre‐existing lymphedema who undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for osteoarthritis (OA) are at high risk for periprosthetic joint infection. This complication usually requires removal of the implant. This study aimed to investigate whether surgical treatment of lymphedema reduces the rate of prosthesis removal in such patients.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively reviewed our prospective database of patient information collected between January 2009 and December 2018. A total of 348 cases of lower extremity lymphedema were reviewed, and those who underwent total knee TKA for OA of the knee were included. Patient demographics, clinical data, lymphedema surgical history, and TKA surgical history including any episodes of removal were collected and analyzed.

Results

There were nine of 15 lymphedema patients with knee OA who subsequently underwent TKA. The mean patient age was 70.4 ± 7.1 years. A total of 18 TKAs were performed in nine patients. The knee prosthesis removal rate was 66.7% (12/18). The prosthesis removal rate was 40% (2/5) in patients who underwent lymphedema microsurgery vs 76.9% (10/13) for those who did not (P = .03).

Conclusions

Pre‐existing lymphedema is associated with a high rate of knee prosthesis removal. Lymphedema microsurgery reduced the removal rate of knee prostheses. We recommend that lymphedema microsurgery be considered for patients who require TKA as a treatment for of the knee.
The versatility of the thoracodorsal artery based composite flaps with vascularized rib and a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Elia Rossella , Di Taranto Giuseppe , Amorosi Vittoria , Ngamcherd Sitpahul , Alamouti Reza , Liao Li‐Ying , Maruccia Michele , Giudice Giuseppe , Chen Hung‐Chi
Published: June 2019

Pedicled and free composite flaps derived from the thoracodorsal artery system, including the latissimus dorsi‐rib (LD‐R) and the serratus anterior‐rib (SA‐R) osteo‐muscular or osteo‐myocutaneous flaps, are potential options to address head and neck, thorax, upper and lower extremity bone, and soft tissue defects' reconstruction. We aimed to report our series of LD/SA‐R composite pedicled and free flaps, evaluating outcomes and complications, and to systematically identify all literature reporting results following LD/SA‐rib reconstructions.
Esophageal A‐ring is associated with the severity of gastroesophageal reflux
Authors: Nachalon Yuval , Nativ‐Zeltzer Nogah , Dhar Shumon I. , Mehdizadeh Omid B. , Cassady Antonio T. , Belafsky Peter C.
Published: June 2019

Background

The esophageal A‐ring (EAR) is an anatomic finding appreciated on videofluoroscopic esophagram (VFE) at the junction of the tubular esophagus and esophageal vestibule. EARs are appreciated on a small subset (5%) of VFEs. We hypothesize that EARs represent a compensatory mechanism to protect against gastroesophageal reflux (GER).

Objective

To evaluate the association between EAR and GER.

Study Design

Case control study.

Methods

All persons having undergone ambulatory pH testing with an EAR identified on VFE between November 1, 2014 and June 30, 2014 were identified. All cases were matched to controls by age, gender, and the presence/absence of hiatal hernia. Subjective dysphagia severity was assessed with the EAT10 and the presence of erosive esophagitis and intestinal metaplasia on esophagoscopy was abstracted.

Results

The mean (±SD) age of the entire cohort (N = 20) was 63 (±7.7) years. 60% was female. The mean composite DeMeester pH score for persons with and without an EAR was 48.9 (±39.6) and 15.4 (±12.3), respectively (P = .033). The mean total % time of pH < 4 for persons with and without an EAR was 26.4 (±21.9) and 7.7 (±6.8), respectively (P = .034). The prevalence of erosive esophagitis among persons with and without an EAR was 70% and 10%, respectively (P = .019).

Conclusion

There is a significant association between the presence of esophageal A‐rings on esophagography and the severity of acid reflux on endoscopy and ambulatory pH testing. The data suggest that the presence of an esophageal A‐ring may be either a compensatory mechanism to protect against gastroesophageal reflux and/or an inflammatory consequence of peptic esophagitis.

Level of Evidence

3b Laryngoscope, 130:951–954, 2020
Recurrence of singularities for second order isotropic pseudodifferential operators
Authors: Doll Moritz
Published: June 2019

Let H be a self‐adjoint isotropic elliptic pseudodifferential operator of order 2. Denote by the solution of the Schrödinger equation with initial data . If u0 is compactly supported the solution is smooth for small , but not for all t. We determine the wavefront set of in terms of the wavefront set of u0 and the principal and subprincipal symbol of H.
Is polycystic kidney disease associated with malignancy in children?
Authors: Friend Brian D. , Wolfe Schneider Kami , Garrington Timothy , Truscott Laurel , Martinez‐Agosto Julian A. , Venick Robert S. , Tsai Chambers Eileen , Weng Patricia , Farmer Douglas G. , Chang Vivian Y. , Federman Noah
Published: June 2019

Background

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is an inherited condition characterized by progressive development of end‐stage renal disease, hypertension, hepatic fibrosis, and cysts in the kidney, liver, pancreas, spleen, thyroid, and epididymis. While malignancies have been reported in association with PKD in adults, the incidence of malignancies in children with PKD is not currently known.

Methods

We report on five patients with a known history of PKD who developed a malignancy as children at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Patients were included from 2012 to 2017.

Results

We present five patients with a history of PKD diagnosed with a malignancy during childhood without any additional known mutations to suggest a genetic predisposition to develop cancer. This includes the first reported case of hepatocellular carcinoma in a patient with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease.

Conclusion

Our report illustrates the potential that PKD may be associated with an increased risk for developing cancer, even in children. Further research is necessary to better understand this relationship.
Consistent Riccati expansion for finding interaction solutions of (2+1)‐dimensional modified dispersive water‐wave system
Authors: Liang Jinfu , Wang Xun
Published: June 2019

A consistent Riccati expansion (CRE) is proposed to solve the (2+1)‐dimensional modified dispersive water‐wave (MDWW) system. It is proved that the MDWW system is CRE solvable. Furthermore, new exact interaction solutions, namely, soliton‐trigonometric waves, trigonometric waves‐soliton, soliton‐cosine periodic waves, and soliton‐cnoidal waves are explicitly derived.
Effects of dielectric substrates on piezoelectric transducer tunable filter
Authors: Cao Liangzu , Yan Junmei , Yin Lixia
Published: June 2019

This article represents the effects of dielectric substrates on the performances of piezoelectric transducer (PET) tunable bandpass filters. The filter consists of two open loop resonators that are coupled by a magnetic coupling. A capacitive cross coupling between input and output port is introduced, which produces two transmission zeros in the lower and upper stopbands. Three dielectric substrates with various dielectric constants are used as perturbers, and their effects on the coupling coefficient and quality factor of the microstrip filter are analyzed. A PET tunable filter with each substrate as a perturber is fabricated and measured.
Simulation studies of time reversal‐based protoacoustic reconstruction for range and dose verification in proton therapy
Authors: Yu Yajun , Li Zhongxing , Zhang Dong , Xing Lei , Peng Hao
Published: June 2019

Purpose

In vivo range verification in proton therapy is a critical step to help minimize range and dose uncertainty. We propose to employ a time reversal (TR)‐based approach using proton‐induced acoustics (protoacoustics) to reconstruct pressure/dose distribution in heterogeneous tissues.

Methods

The dose distribution of mono‐energetic proton pencil beam in a CT‐based patient phantom was calculated by Monte Carlo simulation. K‐wave toolbox was used to investigate protoacoustic pressurization, propagation and reconstruction in 2D. To address the tissue heterogeneity effect, a number of physical parameters, including mass density (ρ), speed of sound (c), volumetric thermal expansion coefficient (αV), isobaric specific heat capacity (Cp) and attenuation power law prefactor (α0), were empirically converted from CT number. The performance was evaluated using two figures of merit: mean square error (MSE) of pressure profiles and Bragg peak localization error (ΔBP). The impact of six parameters of the TR inversion was examined, including number of sensors, sampling duration, sampling timestep, spill time, noise level and number of iterations.

Results

The quantitative accuracy of TR reconstruction and its dependency on the selected parameters is presented. Under optimum conditions, the positioning accuracy of the Bragg peak can be controlled below 1 mm. For instance, MSE is 0.0123 and ΔBP is 0.59 mm under the following conditions (32 sensors, sampling duration: 600 µs, sampling timestep: 40 ns, spill time: 1 µs, no noise).

Conclusions

The feasibility of TR‐based protoacoustic reconstruction in 2D for proton range verification was first demonstrated. The approach is not only applicable to pencil beam, but also has potential to be extended to passive scattering systems.
Radiofrequency induced heating around aneurysm clips using a generic birdcage head coil at 7 Tesla under consideration of the minimum distance to decouple multiple aneurysm clips
Authors: Noureddine Yacine , Kraff Oliver , Ladd Mark E. , Wrede Karsten , Chen Bixia , Quick Harald H. , Schaefers Gregor , Bitz Andreas K.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

To evaluate radiofrequency (RF) induced tissue heating around aneurysm clips during a 7T head MR examination and to determine the decoupling distance between multiple implanted clips.

Methods

A total of 120 RF exposure scenarios of clinical relevance were studied using specific absorption rate and temperature simulations. Variations between scenarios included 2 clips (18.8 and 51.5 mm length), 2 MR‐operating modes, 2 head models, and 3 thermoregulation models. Furthermore, a conservative approach was developed to allow for safe scans of patients with aneurysm clips even if detailed information on the implanted clip is unknown. A dedicated simulation‐based approach was applied to determine the decoupling distance between multiple implanted clips.

Results

For all 60 clinical scenarios with the 18.8‐mm‐long clip, the absolute tissue temperature remained below regulatory limits. For 15 of 60 scenarios with the 51.5‐mm‐long clip, limits were slightly exceeded (less than 1°C). The conservative approach led to a maximum time‐averaged input power of the RF coil of 3.3W. The corresponding B1+ is 1.32 µT. A decoupling distance of 35 mm allows the aneurysm clips to be treated as uncoupled from one other.

Conclusion

Safe scanning conditions with respect to RF‐induced heating can be applied for single or decoupled aneurysm clips in a 7T ultra‐high field MRI setting. Multiple aneurysm clips separated by less than 35 mm need further investigations.
A simulation study on the effect of optimized high permittivity materials on fetal imaging at 3T
Authors: van Gemert Jeroen , Brink Wyger , Remis Rob , Webb Andrew
Published: June 2019

Purpose

One of the main concerns in fetal MRI is the radiofrequency power that is absorbed both by the mother and the fetus. Passive shimming using high permittivity materials in the form of “dielectric pads” has previously been shown to increase the efficiency and homogeneity in different applications, while reducing the specific absorption rate (SAR). In this work, we study the effect of optimized dielectric pads for 3 pregnant models.

Methods

Pregnant models in the 3rd, 7th, and 9th months of gestation were used for simulations in a birdcage coil at 3T. Dielectric pads were optimized regions of interest (ROI) using previously developed methods for efficiency and homogeneity and were designed for 2 ROIs: the entire fetus and the brain of the fetus. The SAR was evaluated in terms of the whole‐body SAR, average SAR in the fetus and amniotic fluid, and maximum 10 g‐averaged SAR in the mother, fetus, and amniotic fluid.

Results

The optimized dielectric pads increased the transmit efficiency up to 55% and increased the homogeneity in almost every tested configuration. The ‐normalized whole‐body SAR was reduced by more than 31% for all body models. The ‐normalized local SAR was reduced in most scenarios by up to 62%.

Conclusion

Simulations have shown that optimized high permittivity pads can reduce SAR in pregnant subjects at the 3rd, 7th, and 9th month of gestation, while improving the transmit field homogeneity in the fetus. However, significantly more work is required to demonstrate that fetal imaging is safe under standard operating conditions.
Optimum Electrofishing Waveforms and Parameters to Induce Immobilization of Juvenile Grass Carp
Authors: Briggs Andrew S. , Dean Jan C. , Boase James C. , Kocovsky Patrick M. , Luoma James A.
Published: June 2019

Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella, a nonnative species to North America, are known to cause negative impacts to aquatic habitats and aquatic communities. Numerous fisheries techniques have been used in an attempt to control or eradicate Grass Carp, including electrofishing. However, electrofishing efficiency for Grass Carp has been variable, and optimum electrofishing waveforms and parameters for inducing a capture-prone response have not been determined. The objective of this study was to determine the optimum electrofishing waveforms and parameters to induce a capture-prone response at various water temperatures and conductivities in juvenile Grass Carp in a controlled, laboratory setting. Results indicated that rectangular pulse waveforms with 60–100 Hz frequencies were most effective for immobilization of juvenile Grass Carp. While all duty cycles tested (20–48%) at these frequencies were effective we found that at 60 Hz and 80 Hz frequencies, 24% and 30% duty cycles, respectively, may be more effective. Water temperature was positively related to voltage gradient immobilization thresholds whereas ambient water conductivity and fish size were inversely related to voltage gradient immobilization thresholds. This study provides important information to those seeking to control, eradicate, or detect Grass Carp using electrofishing and provides a framework for future studies focusing on adult Grass Carp.
The potential of podcasting in higher education marketing
Authors: Talarico Donna
Published: June 2019

Last month's column covered listening to podcasts for professional development. This month, we'll look at them as a possible communications and retention tool.
The landscape of adult learning today and tomorrow
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: June 2019

CLEVELAND — Almost two‐thirds of America's workforce (65 percent) is without a bachelor's degree today, and that's an opportunity. That statistic and reframing comes from Dave Clayton, senior vice president of consumer insights for the Strada Education Network, who was the keynote speaker at the Council of Adult and Experiential Learning annual conference.
Working with like‐minded students energized this learner
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: June 2019

Pursuing the online program toward an MBA from Johnson & Wales University allowed Samantha Lindsay to juggle degree requirements successfully with full‐time work at an engineering software company and a home life. What she might not have expected was that the online program actually forged a stronger bond with fellow students than the in‐person MBA program where she had started at the university in 2015.
Evaluate, boost your executive presence quotient
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: June 2019

BOSTON — If you question why you've been overlooked for promotions and job offers, it likely has something to do with your executive presence. But you can evaluate your executive presence and take concrete steps to boost it. That's according to Caitlin Houlihan, associate director of student involvement, and Mario Rapetti, assistant dean of student life, both in the Office of Community Engagement at Purchase College, who gave a presentation on the book Executive Presence by Sylvia Ann Hewlett, at the annual conference for ACPA — College Student Educators International.
Study on regional activities in the human brain caused by low‐level clenching and tooth separation: Investigation with functional magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Ariji Yoshiko , Kondo Hisataka , Miyazawa Ken , Sakuma Shigemitsu , Tabuchi Masako , Kise Yoshitaka , Nakayama Miwa , Koyama Shuji , Togari Akifumi , Goto Shigemi , Ariji Eiichiro
Published: June 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to clarify the activated regions in the human brain caused by low‐level clenching and tooth separation, with emphasis on their differences.

Methods

For functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), echo planar and T1‐weighted images were obtained using a 3T MRI apparatus. Six healthy volunteers clenched with 10% and 40% of the maximum bite force as vertical stimulation (Task 1), and 10 volunteers bit at 60, 120, and 180 s after the insertion of a brass contact gage as horizontal stimulation together with vertical stimulation (Task 2) were included in this study.

Results

At 10% clenching, the supplementary motor area, frontal association cortex, and cerebellum were activated, whereas the primary sensorimotor cortex and temporal association cortex were added to the activated regions at 40% clenching. In addition to the activated regions in Task 1, the parietal association cortex, thalamus, hippocampus, putamen, and islet were also activated during biting after the insertion of the brass gage.

Conclusion

The hypothalamic area was confirmed to be activated due to biting with the gage in addition to the regions activated in low‐level clenching. Brain fMRI might provide useful information to clarify the relationship between various intraoral stimulations and brain activities.
Decrypting protein surfaces by combining evolution, geometry, and molecular docking
Authors: Dequeker Chloé , Laine Elodie , Carbone Alessandra
Published: June 2019

The growing body of experimental and computational data describing how proteins interact with each other has emphasized the multiplicity of protein interactions and the complexity underlying protein surface usage and deformability. In this work, we propose new concepts and methods toward deciphering such complexity. We introduce the notion of interacting region to account for the multiple usage of a protein's surface residues by several partners and for the variability of protein interfaces coming from molecular flexibility. We predict interacting patches by crossing evolutionary, physicochemical and geometrical properties of the protein surface with information coming from complete cross‐docking (CC‐D) simulations. We show that our predictions match well interacting regions and that the different sources of information are complementary. We further propose an indicator of whether a protein has a few or many partners. Our prediction strategies are implemented in the dynJET2 algorithm and assessed on a new dataset of 262 protein on which we performed CC‐D. The code and the data are available at: http://www.lcqb.upmc.fr/dynJET2/.
Case study—Characterizing and averting risk of catastrophic vessel failure for a reaction in dimethyl sulfoxide
Authors: Roth Megan
Published: June 2019

Process safety testing performed on a batch process for making a pharmaceutical intermediate revealed that one process stream, a reaction in dimethyl sulfoxide, had a significant undesired reaction that could lead to catastrophic vessel failure as a result of a single process deviation. Comprehensive testing identified the worst case process stream with the lowest exotherm initiation temperature and most severe pressure consequences, for which corrective actions must be taken. With this information in hand, hazard assessments were performed to support processing, to determine the appropriate safeguards needed to mitigate the consequences, and to reduce the likelihood of reaching this activity to a tolerable level.
Organizational Resilience and the Relationship With Six Major Crisis Types for Dutch Safety Regions
Authors: Trijp John Van , Boersma Kees , Trijp Suzanne Van , Groenewegen Peter
Published: June 2019

An emergency response organization is resilient when it learns from and is well equipped to handle (potential) risks and hazards. In this paper, we will address the organizational resilience fit for Dutch emergency response organizations (safety regions) in relation to various types of crisis. The approach presented in this paper is based on a quantitative organizational resilience model. We validated the model by means of a survey conducted among the employees of Dutch safety regions. In this survey, we queried how the employees perceive the different attributes related to a set of crisis types. We used the results to calculate the quantitative representation of organizational resilience. We found that the presence of a Quality Management system or a Safety Management system does not significantly influence the organizational resilience of the organization. However, a statistically significant difference for organizational resilience was found in the type of staff assignment: volunteer, professional, or volunteer and professional. The volunteers rated the organizational resilience lower. We recommend to increase a safety region’s organizational resilience by enhancing communication and organizational engagement of volunteers, stop pursuing a Quality/Safety Management program and perform further research on (international) emergency response organizations.
Characteristics of herpes simplex virus infection and pathogenesis suggest a strategy for vaccine development
Authors: Xu Xingli , Zhang Ying , Li Qihan
Published: June 2019

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) can cause oral or genital ulcerative lesions and even encephalitis in various age groups with high infection rates. More seriously, HSV may lead to a wide range of recurrent diseases throughout a lifetime. No vaccines against HSV are currently available. The accumulated clinical research data for HSV vaccines reveal that the effects of HSV interacting with the host, especially the host immune system, may be important for the development of HSV vaccines. HSV vaccine development remains a major challenge. Thus, we focus on the research data regarding the interactions of HSV and host immune cells, including dendritic cells (DCs), innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), macrophages, and natural killer (NK) cells, and the related signal transduction pathways involved in immune evasion and cytokine production. The aim is to explore possible strategies to develop new effective HSV vaccines.
Textural, Pasting, and Rheological Behavior of Starch‐Pectin‐Sucrose Gels: Relation with Sensory Perception
Authors: Lotufo Haddad Agustina M. , Ribotta Pablo , Armada Margarita , Goldner María C.
Published: June 2019

The aims of this research are: (1) to analyze textural, pasting, and rheological characteristics of gels made with Andean potato starch (APS) compared with commercial potato starch (CPS); (2) to assess the sensory texture features; and (3) to relate instrumental behavior to human perception. Ten starch‐pectin‐sucrose systems are elaborated: five with CPS and five with APS (at 2.5–3.5–4.5–5.5–6.5% starch concentrations), and characterized by textural profile analysis (TPA), back extrusion test (BET), rapid‐visco analyzer (RVA), oscillatory tests, and sensory analysis. The systems have a weak gel behavior. The samples having the lowest concentrations of both starches are associated with springiness, while those with the highest concentrations are associated with sensory firmness, gumminess, chewiness, consistency, PV, and G′. From 5.5%, effect of starch type is more important on gels behavior. Spreadability is the variable mostly affected by starch type and concentration.
Development of strain‐hardening lightweight engineered cementitious composites using hollow glass microspheres
Authors: Aslani Farhad , Wang Lining
Published: June 2019

Hollow glass microsphere (HGM) is a kind of ultra‐lightweight inorganic non‐metallic material with hollow structure, and it is a versatile and high‐performance new lightweight material developed in recent years. HGMs comprising at least 45 wt% of recycled glass based on the total weight of a feed composition from which the hollow microspheres are derived. The purpose of this study is to develop high‐performance lightweight engineered cementitious composites (LWECCs) using efficiently waste recycled HGMs as a lightweight filler substitute for sustainable construction. LWECC is a flowable type of lightweight fiber‐reinforced concrete, which is able to illustrate strain‐hardening behaviors rather than tension softening after an initial crack and possesses a tensile strain up to 6%; however, available lightweight fillers in LWECC exhibit more brittle behavior compared with normal weight engineered cementitious composite. In this study, three different types of HGMs are used as lightweight fillers with 0.25, 0.40, and 0.60 g/cm3 densities, and their effects on fresh and mechanical properties of LWECC have been investigated. HGMs fillers are replaced at 40 and 60% weight of fly ash in the control mix. To evaluate the strength of the LWECC, samples were cured for periods of 7 and 28 days and then tested for mechanical properties by compression test and three‐point bending. Furthermore, the scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and morphological observations to confirm the dispersion of the lightweight filler have been captured.
On the representation of thin wires inside lossy dielectric materials for FDTD‐based LEMP simulations
Authors: Tatematsu Akiyoshi , Rachidi Farhad , Rubinstein Marcos
Published: June 2019

The finite‐difference time‐domain method is one of the most widely used numerical electromagnetic computation techniques, and it has become an effective tool for analyzing electromagnetic transient phenomena in three‐dimensional structures and grounding systems. However, the available approaches for representing thin wires apply only to bare conductors such as overhead power lines and earth electrodes. In this work, we demonstrate the applicability of thin‐wire representation techniques to wires surrounded by both lossy and lossless media, such as reinforcing bars inside lossy concrete. The validated technique is then illustrated through the study of a reinforced‐concrete building struck by lightning to evaluate the effect of concrete on the penetration of lightning electromagnetic pulses inside the building. © 2019 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Stochastic investment model for custom Voltage‐Sag‐Preventing service considering service price and punitive damages of contract
Authors: Zhou Hui , Ni Xiangsheng , Wu Jianling , Song Jingen , Yin Wenqian , Hou Yunhe , Liu Haoming
Published: June 2019

Custom power quality (PQ) plays a significant part in improving PQ in distribution networks and hedging economic losses for power‐quality‐sensitive electricity users. In an electricity market with multiple power companies competing with each other, for a power company, providing custom PQ with proper service prices becomes a key element to maximize its total economic profit and improve competitiveness. In this work, with a focus on the voltage sag (VS) problem, a stochastic investment model for installing voltage‐sag‐preventing equipment is proposed. First, basic cost–benefit models are established from the perspectives of power companies and electricity users. Then, considering uncertainties in providing power with an expected number of voltage sags resulting from equipment failure and so on, proper pricing mechanisms and punitive damages of service contracts are analyzed accordingly. With each mechanism, the stochastic investment decision‐making model is formulated with the goal of maximizing a power company's economic profit during the life cycle of voltage‐sag‐preventing equipment. The influences of different factors on the economic benefits of the investment are analyzed in a case study, including the compensation coefficient, investment cost, and failure uncertainties, providing a reference for decision‐making for investment in and possible pricing of custom VS services. © 2019 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.