bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eotaxin influences the development of embryonic hematopoietic progenitors in the mouse
Authors: Quackenbush Elizabeth J , Aguirre Vincent , Wershil Barry K , Gutierrez-Ramos Jose Carlos
Published: January 2018

Eotaxin is a potent chemoattractant for eosinophils during inflammation and allergic reactions in the adult, but its role during development has not been studied. We report that eotaxin and its receptor, CCR-3, are expressed by embryonic tissues responsible for blood development, including the yolk sac, fetal liver, and fetal blood. We also found that eotaxin acts synergistically with stem cell factor (SCF) to accelerate the differentiation of embryonic mast cell progenitors and to promote the growth of Mac-1+/Gr-1- cells from progenitors isolated at 10-12 days of gestation. This response is diminished by Pertussistoxin, the Giα inhibitor. These studies suggest that eotaxin is involved in the growth of myeloid cell progenitors and the differentiation of mast cells during embryogenic development.
Signal enhancement ratio imaging of the lung parenchyma with ultra‐fast steady‐state free precession MRI at 1.5T
Authors: Pusterla Orso , Sommer Gregor , Santini Francesco , Wiese Mark , Lardinois Didier , Tamm Michael , Bremerich Jens , Bauman Grzegorz , Bieri Oliver
Published: January 2018

Background

Lung perfusion MRI after i.v. gadolinium (Gd) contrast administration is commonly based on spoiled gradient‐echo acquisitions, such as volume‐interpolated breath‐hold examinations (VIBE), suffering from low signal‐to‐noise in the parenchyma.

Purpose

To investigate the lung signal enhancement ratio (SER) with ultra‐fast steady‐state free precession (ufSSFP) after Gd‐administration.

Study Type

Retrospective.

Subjects

Ten subjects with healthy lungs; nine patients with pulmonary diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, lung contusion).

Field Strength/Sequence

VIBE and ufSSFP imaging of the chest was performed at 1.5T before and 3 minutes after i.v. gadobenate dimeglumine.

Assessment

A workflow including deformable image registration and median filtering was used to compute 3D SER maps. SER was analyzed in the lung, blood pool, liver, muscles, and fat. The artifacts were assessed by a radiologist. In the COPD patients, ufSSFP‐SER was compared to 99mTc‐MAA‐SPECT/CT by visual scoring of lung enhancement deficits.

Statistical Tests

Mean signal, standard deviation (SD), intersubject SD, and coefficient of variation (CV) were calculated for SER. Statistical significance of differences in signal and artifacts were determined using Wilcoxon signed‐rank paired test. Intermodality agreement between ufSSFP‐SER and SPECT/CT was calculated by Cohen's kappa (κq).

Results

In healthy lungs, ufSSFP‐SER (99% ± 23%, mean ± pooled intrasubject SD, CV = 23%) was significantly higher (P < 10−3) and more homogeneous (P < 10−3) than VIBE (47% ± 26%, CV = 57%). UfSSFP‐SER was significantly higher (P < 10−3) for the lungs (99% ± 9%, mean ± intersubject SD) than for the blood (81% ± 7%) and other tissues (liver 33% ± 8%, muscle 26% ± 5%, fat 2% ± 1%). In the lung ufSSFP‐SER exhibits homogeneity on iso‐gravitational planes, and an anterior–posterior gradient. In COPD patients, ufSSFP‐SER was reduced and less homogeneous compared to the control group (73% ± 33%, mean ± pooled intrasubject SD, CV = 42%). ufSSFP‐SER had moderate intermodality agreement with SPECT/CT (κq = 0.64).

Data Conclusion

UfSSFP‐SER of the lung is a rapid and simple method. Our preliminary data show plausible results in different pulmonary diseases, motivating further evaluation in larger cohorts.

Level of Evidence: 2

Technical Efficacy: Stage 2

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018.
The land and its climate knows no transition, no middle ground, everywhere too much or too little: a documentary‐based climate chronology for central Namibia, 1845–1900
Authors: Grab Stefan , Zumthurm Tizian
Published: January 2018

Recent and historical austral summer and winter rainfall characteristics have been widely investigated across southern Africa. However, a notable gap of knowledge remains for the Namibian region. This article presents the first extensive 19th century (1845–1900) hydro‐climate history for central Namibia, derived from documentary evidence. Unpublished and published data sources were scrutinized in various archives and libraries in Germany, Switzerland, Namibia and South Africa. Missionary Carl Hahn's detailed diaries are the most valuable source of information for the earliest period until 1859. Other important sources of information include the Rhenish Missionary Society (RMS) annual reports and monthly ‘Berichte’ (news), station chronicles, official annual reports for the colonial period (1894 onwards) and letters/diaries by traders, travellers, etc.

Climate information was transcribed, translated and organized chronologically. Using a five‐point categorization system ranging from very wet (+2) to very dry (−2), each year was classified according to overall rainfall conditions during the rain season. A portion of the chronology is compared with instrumental rainfall data for Okahandja, Windhoek and Rehoboth and confirms good agreement. Possible associations between El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases and subsequent austral summer rainfall conditions are explored for central Namibia. Wetter years (42%) are over‐represented in comparison to dry years (38%) during the second half of the 19th century in central Namibia, with a high percentage (42%) constituting either extremely wet or extremely dry years. Inter‐annual rainfall variability between 1845 and 1900 seems more pronounced than elsewhere in southern Africa during this period. Extreme to very strong and prolonged El Niño (e.g. 1876–1878) and La Nina (e.g. 1865–1866) phases account for rare hydro‐climatic synchronicity between southern African sub‐regions and between continents of the Southern Hemisphere.
Impact of a packing medium with alga Bifurcaria bifurcata extract on canned Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) quality
Authors: Barbosa Roberta G , Trigo Marcos , Fett Roseane , Aubourg Santiago P
Published: January 2018

BACKGROUND

The present research focused on the quality of canned fish. Its primary objective was the quality enhancement of canned Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) by including an aqueous Bifurcaria bifurcata extract in the packing medium. Various alga extract concentrations were tested and compared with a control without alga extract. After 3 months of canned storage, the cans were opened and quality changes in fish white muscle were analyzed.

RESULTS

An inhibitory effect on lipid oxidation development (tertiary compound formation) and color parameter (L* and b*) values was observed as a result of the alga presence in the packing medium. On the contrary, the presence of the alga extract did not produce any effect on volatile compound (total and trimethylamine) formation and lipid hydrolysis (free fatty acid formation) development.

CONCLUSION

A preservative effect derived from the use of an aqueous B. bifurcata extract as packing medium is concluded, and this result is primarily linked to the presence of hydrophilic preservative molecules. The packing system proposed in this work constitutes a novel and promising strategy to enhance the quality of commercial canned fish products. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Early stage oxidation behavior of Al‐ and Si‐alloyed stainless steels as well as Ni‐based alloys in air at elevated temperatures
Authors: Romu Jyrki , Sarikka Teemu , Heikkilä Mikko , Virkkunen Iikka , Hänninen Hannu
Published: January 2018

Several alloys including Al‐alloyed austenitic and ferritic stainless steels, Ni‐based alloy and Si‐alloyed ferritic stainless steel were annealed at 550, 750, and 950 °C for up to 700 h. AISI 347HFG and 10CrMo910 were used as reference materials. Weight gain was measured and the samples were analyzed with SEM/EDS and XRD. Materials having high enough Al‐content performed best due to ability to form a continuous protective Al2O3‐oxide layer on their surface at elevated temperatures. Lower Al‐content materials were not able to form a continuous protective Al‐oxide on their surface and suffered from accelerated internal Al‐oxide formation due to alloying elements. Si‐alloying improves the oxidation resistance of the studied materials and their performance was practically in the same level as that of the best Al‐alloyed materials. In Al‐alloyed materials the crystallinity of Al2O3 on ferritic stainless steel weld metal was higher than that on welded and wrought austenitic stainless steels.
Duality for frames in Krein spaces
Authors: Giribet Juan Ignacio , Maestripieri Alejandra , Martínez Pería Francisco
Published: January 2018

A J‐frame for a Krein space is in particular a frame for (in the Hilbert space sense). But it is also compatible with the indefinite inner‐product of , meaning that it determines a pair of maximal uniformly definite subspaces, an analogue to the maximal dual pair associated with an orthonormal basis in a Krein space. This work is devoted to study duality for J‐frames in Krein spaces. Also, tight and Parseval J‐frames are defined and characterized.
Neuropathology of autonomic dysfunction in synucleinopathies
Authors: Coon Elizabeth A. , Cutsforth‐Gregory Jeremy K. , Benarroch Eduardo E.
Published: January 2018

The synucleinopathies—Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, and pure autonomic failure—result from distinct patterns of abnormal α‐synuclein aggregation throughout the nervous system. Autonomic dysfunction in these disorders results from variable involvement of the central and peripheral autonomic networks. The major pathologic hallmark of Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies is Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites; of multiple system atrophy, oligodendroglial cytoplasmic inclusions; and of pure autonomic failure, peripheral neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions. Clinical manifestations include orthostatic hypotension, thermoregulatory dysfunction, gastrointestinal dysmotility, and urogenital dysfunction with neurogenic bladder and sexual dysfunction. Strong evidence supports isolated idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep disorder as a significant risk factor for the eventual development of synucleinopathies with autonomic and/or motor involvement. In contrast, some neurologically normal elderly individuals have Lewy‐related pathology. Future work may reveal protective or vulnerability factors that allow some patients to harbor Lewy pathology without overt autonomic dysfunction. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Existence and regularizing rate estimates of solutions to the 3‐D generalized micropolar system in Fourier‐Besov spaces
Authors: Zhu Weipeng , Zhao Jihong
Published: January 2018

In this paper, we study global existence and asymptotic stability of solutions for the initial value problem of the three‐dimensional (3‐D) generalized incompressible micropolar system in Fourier‐Besov spaces. Besides, we also establish some regularizing rate estimates of the higher‐order spatial derivatives of solutions, which particularly imply the spatial analyticity and the temporal decay of global solutions.
Accurate T1 mapping of short T2 tissues using a three‐dimensional ultrashort echo time cones actual flip angle imaging‐variable repetition time (3D UTE‐Cones AFI‐VTR) method
Authors: Ma Ya‐Jun , Lu Xing , Carl Michael , Zhu Yanchun , Szeverenyi Nikolaus M. , Bydder Graeme M. , Chang Eric Y. , Du Jiang
Published: January 2018

Purpose

To develop an accurate T1 measurement method for short T2 tissues using a combination of a 3‐dimensional ultrashort echo time cones actual flip angle imaging technique and a variable repetition time technique (3D UTE‐Cones AFI‐VTR) on a clinical 3T scanner.

Methods

First, the longitudinal magnetization mapping function of the excitation pulse was obtained with the 3D UTE‐Cones AFI method, which provided information about excitation efficiency and B1 inhomogeneity. Then, the derived mapping function was substituted into the VTR fitting to generate accurate T1 maps. Numerical simulation and phantom studies were carried out to compare the AFI‐VTR method with a B1‐uncorrected VTR method, a B1‐uncorrected variable flip angle (VFA) method, and a B1‐corrected VFA method. Finally, the 3D UTE‐Cones AFI‐VTR method was applied to bovine bone samples (N = 6) and healthy volunteers (N = 3) to quantify the T1 of cortical bone.

Results

Numerical simulation and phantom studies showed that the 3D UTE‐Cones AFI‐VTR technique provides more accurate measurement of the T1 of short T2 tissues than the B1‐uncorrected VTR and VFA methods or the B1‐corrected VFA method. The proposed 3D UTE‐Cones AFI‐VTR method showed a mean T1 of 240 ± 25 ms for bovine cortical bone and 218 ± 10 ms for the tibial midshaft of human volunteers, respectively, at 3 T.

Conclusion

The 3D UTE‐Cones AFI‐VTR method can provide accurate T1 measurements of short T2 tissues such as cortical bone. Magn Reson Med 80:598–608, 2018. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
A time window of 3 s in the aesthetic appreciation of poems
Authors: Zhao Chen , Zhang Dongxue , Bao Yan
Published: January 2018

We studied the effect of time windows of a few seconds on the aesthetic appreciation of poems. BothChinese andGerman subjects rated traditionalChinese poetic verses more beautiful in a time window of approximately 3 s, irrespective of understanding the poetic content. This observation suggests a common temporal preference for poetry appreciation across a different language background.
Body image attitude among Chinese college students
Authors: Wang Kui , Liang Rui , Ma Zhen‐Ling , Chen Jue , Cheung Eric F. C. , Roalf David R. , Gur Ruben C. , Chan Raymond C. K.
Published: January 2018

The present study aimed to examine body image attitude in Chinese college students and related psychological consequences. A silhouette‐matching test was administered to 425 college students in mainland China. Self‐esteem, negative emotions, subjective well‐being, and eating‐disorder‐related weight‐controlling behaviors were also measured. Only 12.9% of the participants were satisfied with their figure and the extent of body image dissatisfaction was comparable for both sexes. The majority of the female participants indicated a preference to be more slender. Their ideal figure was underweight and was far smaller than the most attractive female figure chosen by male participants. For male participants, the proportion wanting a fuller figure was comparable to that wanting a slimmer figure. Among female participants, body image dissatisfaction negatively correlated with self‐esteem and subjective well‐being, and positively correlated with negative emotions. Drive for thinness correlated with eating‐disorder‐related weight‐controlling behaviors not only for females, but also for males. Body image dissatisfaction, as a diagnostic feature for major subtypes of eating disorders, may signal serious concern among Chinese college students.
The Role of Mass Spectrometry and Proteogenomics in the Advancement of HLA Epitope Prediction
Authors: Creech Amanda L. , Ting Ying S. , Goulding Scott P. , Sauld John F.K. , Barthelme Dominik , Rooney Michael S. , Addona Terri A. , Abelin Jennifer G.
Published: January 2018

A challenge in developing personalized cancer immunotherapies is the prediction of putative cancer‐specific antigens. Currently, predictive algorithms are used to infer binding of peptides to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) heterodimers to aid in the selection of putative epitope targets. One drawback of current epitope prediction algorithms is that they are trained on datasets containing biochemical HLA‐peptide binding data that may not completely capture the rules associated with endogenous processing and presentation. The field of MS has made great improvements in instrumentation speed and sensitivity, chromatographic resolution, and proteogenomic database search strategies to facilitate the identification of HLA‐ligands from a variety of cell types and tumor tissues. As such, these advances have enabled MS profiling of HLA‐binding peptides to be a tractable, orthogonal approach to lower throughput biochemical assays for generating comprehensive datasets to train epitope prediction algorithms. In this review, we will highlight the progress made in the field of HLA‐ligand profiling enabled by MS and its impact on current and future epitope prediction strategies.
Factors influencing the decision to share cancer genetic results among family members: An in‐depth interview study of women in an Asian setting
Authors: Li Shao‐Tzu , Sun Shirley , Lie Désirée , Met‐Domestici Marie , Courtney Eliza , Menon Sapna , Lim Geok Hoon , Ngeow Joanne
Published: January 2018

Objective

Reluctance to share hereditary cancer syndrome genetic test results with family is reported among Asian patients. This study aims to explore patient factors influencing result sharing with family, to improve overall testing uptake.

Methods

Participants were women with a personal/family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer who received a positive, negative, or variant of uncertain significance test result. In‐depth interviews were conducted to theme saturation to explore facilitators and barriers for sharing results with family. Grounded theory with thematic analysis was applied in analysis and interpretation.

Results

Twenty‐four women participated. Three themes representing facilitators emerged for all results categories: family closeness, involvement of families in the testing process, and perception of low emotional impact of results. In the positive result category, 2 facilitator themes emerged: presence of actionable results and perception of family members' acceptance. In the negative and variant of uncertain significance result categories, 2 themes representing barriers to sharing emerged: perception of no genetic or medical implication for family and result ambiguity.

Conclusion

Facilitators and barriers for result sharing are similar to those among Western women. A framework to explain Asian patients' decision‐making process identifies optimal counselling opportunities to enhance communication with family.
Coalescence and self‐bunching observed in commercial high‐resolution mass spectrometry instrumentation
Authors: Kaufmann Anton , Walker Stephan
Published: January 2018

Rationale

Self‐bunching and coalescence are well‐known effects in Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) and multi‐reflection time‐of‐flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. These detrimental effects can also be observed in currently more frequently used high‐resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) instruments, such as the Orbitrap and single‐reflection TOF.

Methods

A modern single‐reflection TOF and a Q‐Orbitrap were used to produce conditions in which self‐bunching and coalescence were observed. This was done by infusion experiments of several isobaric compounds. The peak widths of some low‐mass isobaric ions as well as the mass resolution of such mixtures were investigated. Attention was paid to possible self‐bunching and coalescence effects.

Results

For the utilized TOF mass spectrometer, the measured peak widths of the ions become significantly narrower (self‐bunching) when increasing the ion abundance. On the other hand, isobaric ion pairs (delta <30 milli‐m/z units) became unresolvable above a certain ion abundance (coalescence). The tested Orbitrap shows similar behavior, although coalescence appeared only at delta <15 milli‐m/z units. Coalescence was shown to affect the quantitative data, while self‐bunching can lead to biased relative isotopic ratios.

Conclusions

The conventional measurement of a peak width does not truly reflect the mass resolving power of modern HRMS instrumentation. The mass resolving power is better demonstrated by resolving a mixture of isobaric compounds. Measurements obtained at low and high ion abundances should be investigated. Coalescence and self‐bunching can reduce the truly available mass resolving power and therefore negatively affect quantitative and qualitative measurements.
Using an “isotopic spike” from a tropical storm to understand water exchange on a large scale: case study of Hurricane Rafael in the Lesser Antilles archipelago, October 2012
Authors: Lambs Luc , Bompy Félix , Dulormne Maguy
Published: January 2018

Rationale

Studies of wetland eco‐hydrology in tropical coastal areas are scarce, and the use of water stable isotopes can be of great help. Key constraints for their analysis are (i) the small difference in δ18O values between seawater and old evaporated freshwater, and (ii) the fact that the presence of old brackish water limits the determination of the water origin and dynamic.

Methods

The water from tropical storms displays distinctively depleted heavy stable isotopes, in comparison with usual tropical rainfall without strong convective thunderstorms. During tropical storms, such as Hurricane Rafael in mid‐October 2012, the rainfall δ18O signal can be decreased by many units. This effect is called an "isotopic spike", and it could be used as a temporal marker of the water fluxes.

Results

Water samples, with δ18O values as low as −8.9 ‰, were collected on the islands of Guadeloupe and Saint‐Martin during Hurricane Rafael, whereas the usual range of groundwater or mean rainfall δ18O values is around −2.8 ± 0.5 ‰, as measured from 2009 to 2012. These water "isotopic spikes" allow us to show a surface freshwater uptake by mangrove trees in Guadeloupe, and in Saint‐Martin, to calculate the water renewal of the salt ponds and pools.

Conclusions

The "isotopic spikes" generated by tropical storms are generally used to track back past storm events, as recorded in trees and stalagmites. Here, the propagation of isotopic spike is followed to improve the understanding of the freshwater circulation and the water dynamic within coastal ecosystems influenced by seawater.
Amnion Epithelial Cell-Derived Exosomes Restrict Lung Injury and Enhance Endogenous Lung Repair
Authors: Tan Jean L. , Lau Sin N. , Leaw Bryan , Nguyen Hong P. T. , Salamonsen Lois A. , Saad Mohamed I. , Chan Siow T. , Zhu Dandan , Krause Mirja , Kim Carla , Sievert William , Wallace Euan M. , Lim Rebecca
Published: January 2018

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by chronic inflammation, severe scarring, and stem cell senescence. Stem cell-based therapies modulate inflammatory and fibrogenic pathways by release of soluble factors. Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles should be explored as a potential therapy for IPF. Human amnion epithelial cell-derived exosomes (hAEC Exo) were isolated and compared against human lung fibroblasts exosomes. hAEC Exo were assessed as a potential therapy for lung fibrosis. Exosomes were isolated and evaluated for their protein and miRNA cargo. Direct effects of hAEC Exo on immune cell function, including macrophage polarization, phagocytosis, neutrophil myeloperoxidase activity and T cell proliferation and uptake, were measured. Their impact on immune response, histological outcomes, and bronchioalveolar stem cell (BASC) response was assessed in vivo following bleomycin challenge in young and aged mice. hAEC Exo carry protein cargo enriched for MAPK signaling pathways, apoptotic and developmental biology pathways and miRNA enriched for PI3K-Akt, Ras, Hippo, TGFβ, and focal adhesion pathways. hAEC Exo polarized and increased macrophage phagocytosis, reduced neutrophil myeloperoxidases, and suppressed T cell proliferation directly. Intranasal instillation of 10 μg hAEC Exo 1 day following bleomycin challenge reduced lung inflammation, while treatment at day 7 improved tissue-to-airspace ratio and reduced fibrosis. Administration of hAEC Exo coincided with the proliferation of BASC. These effects were reproducible in bleomycin-challenged aged mice. The paracrine effects of hAECs can be largely attributed to their exosomes and exploitation of hAEC Exo as a therapy for IPF should be explored further.
Merocyanine Dye‐Based Fluorescent Chemosensor for Highly Selective and Sensitive Detection of Hypochlorous Acid and Imaging in Live Cells
Authors: Ponnuvel Kandasamy , Ramamoorthy Jaganathan , Sivaraman Gandhi , Padmini Vediappen
Published: January 2018

A merocyanine dye‐based fluorescent probe have been synthesised for selective and sensitive detection of hypochlorous acid. The merocyanine dye 1 can be synthesized by simple condensation reaction of 1, 1, 2, 3‐tetramethyl‐1H‐benzo[e]indol‐3‐ium iodide with indole‐3‐carboxaldehyde. The reaction between hypochlorous acid and dye 1 is linear in the hypochlorous acid concentration range of 0 to 100 μM with a detection limit of 42 nM by fluorescent spectrometry method. The intramolecular charge transfer based fluorescent probe dye 1 displayed a considerable fluorescent spectrum at 425 nm enhancement and the color changes from red to colorless by naked eye detection in the addition of hypochlorous acid. Further supported by the 1H NMR titrations reveal that the reactive oxygen species in dye 1 bind to the indole‐NH‐unit. The chemosensor also showed excellent performance when used in the “test strip” method.
Nanohybrid of ZnO‐RGO as Heterogeneous Green Catalyst for the Synthesis of Medicinally Significant Indole Alkaloids and Their Derivatives
Authors: Bahuguna Ashish , Kumar Suneel , Krishnan Venkata
Published: January 2018

Nanohybrid of ZnO‐RGO has been developed and employed as heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of medicinally significant organic scaffolds. In this work, the nanohybrid catalyst has been used for the one‐pot synthesis of various indole alkaloids and their derivatives in good yields. Several molecules with different substitutions on heterocyclic ring have been synthesized to demonstrate the substrate scope and wide applicability of the catalyst. Indoles with both electron donating and electron withdrawing groups were found to be equally compatible and resulted in good yields. In addition, all the reactions have been performed in green reaction medium with ethanol and water as solvent and the absence of byproducts formed in the reaction makes the strategy Green and sustainable. Furthermore, the nanohybrid catalyst could be recycled multiple times without any significant loss in activity.
Cobalt and Iron Oxides Co‐supported on Carbon Nanotubes as an Efficient Bifunctional Catalyst for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity in Oxygen Reduction and Oxygen Evolution Reactions
Authors: Zhao Ye‐Min , Wang Fei‐Fei , Wei Ping‐Jie , Yu Guo‐Qiang , Cui Shi‐Cong , Liu Jin‐Gang
Published: January 2018

Developing efficient non‐precious metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in energy conversion and storage devices is highly desirable but challenging. This report describes a general approach for preparing cobalt and iron oxide nanoparticles co‐supported on nitrogen‐doped carbon materials as an efficient oxygen electrode catalyst with an improved catalytic activity toward OER and ORR; these nanoparticles were obtained through pyrolysis of Co‐ and Fe‐based metal–organic frameworks grown directly on the surface of polyvinylimidazole‐functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The Fe/Co–CNTs‐800 catalyst pyrolyzed at 800 °C exhibited high electrocatalytic activity for ORR, with only ∼50 mV lesser activity than that of Pt/C at the half‐wave potential, and for OER, with only ∼70 mV lesser activity than that of RuO2 at a current density of 10 mA⋅cm−2 in a 0.1 M KOH solution. The potential difference between OER and ORR for Fe/Co–CNTs‐800 (ΔEOER–ORR) was 0.905 V, which was significantly lower than that for noble‐metal catalysts (20 wt% Pt/C (1.137 V) and RuO2 (1.341 V)). The preparation temperature and value of Fe/Co in the catalyst composite are crucial for achieving high electrocatalytic activity for both ORR and OER.
HDAC Inhibitors: Novel Immunosuppressants for Allo‐ and Xeno‐ Transplantation
Authors: Zhang Qing , Dai Yifan , Cai Zhiming , Mou Lisha
Published: January 2018

Immune rejection is the major obstacle to graft survival and quality of life of recipients after organ transplantation. The immunosuppressants applied in clinical face severe safety and efficacy issues. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are emerging novel drug targets in the treatment of malignancies and immune disorders. HDAC inhibitors show potential as valuable immune regulators after allo‐ or xeno‐organ transplantation. However, studies that evaluate HDAC inhibitors and mechanisms are still limited. In this review, we focused on the immunomodulatory effects of HDAC inhibitors in transplantation. Finally, we discussed the implications and challenges of applying HDAC inhibitors in allo‐ and xeno‐transplantation.
Highly Active Black TiO2/N‐doped Graphene Quantum Dots Nanocomposites For Sunlight Driven Photocatalytic Sewage Treatment
Authors: Bu Xiuming , Yang Siwei , Bu Yu , He Peng , Yang Yucheng , Wang Gang , Li Huijun , Wang Ping , Wang Xianying , Ding Guqiao , Yang Junhe , Xie Xiaoming
Published: January 2018

In this manuscript, we demonstrated that black TiO2‐x/N‐doped graphene quantum dots (BTNG) nanocomposite photocatalysts exhibit extremely high photocatalytic activity while degradating Rhodamine B (RhB) dye and other common organic species (>15 species were tested). The kinetic constant is 0.86 min−1 under the irradiation of simulated sunlight, which is the highest among all the reported values of TiO2 based photocatalysts. The photocurrent intensity can reach 2.7 mA cm−2, indicating the excellent separation efficiency of the electrons and holes. The BTNG photocatalysts can decompose most of organic pollutants in the industrial sewage, with the total organic carbon (TOC) decreasing from 370 mg to 57 mg under 30 mins sunlight irradiation. The BTNG also has good stability and cycling performance. Possible mechanisms for the high photocatalytic performance of BTNG were proposed and discussed.
Response of reinforced concrete beams to high‐velocity fluid impact. Part I: Experiments
Authors: Korucu Hasan , Irfanoglu Ayhan
Published: January 2018

Thirty‐two reinforced concrete beams were tested under static and fluid impact loads. Hoop (rectangular) and spiral transverse reinforcement of various configurations were used to confine the specimens. The objectives were to observe the effect of shape of beams and configuration of confinement reinforcement on the impact resistance, and to estimate the limiting fluid velocity that causes total failure.
A study on the speed control of a BLAC motor by feedforward compensation of the back‐EMF using a fuzzy algorithm
Authors: Ban Donghoon , Lee Seonghun , Jin Sungho
Published: January 2018

Back electromotive force (back‐EMF) feedforward compensation is used to improve the control performance of a brushless AC (BLAC) motor. The back‐EMF has a speed component, and the response is slow when the back‐EMF is compensated for by the speed. The back‐EMF feedforward compensation does not operate exactly when the speed fluctuation is severe. To solve these problems, the back‐EMF is compensated by the speed of the motor operation, which is calculated by the proposed method. The speed and the delta speed are the input membership functions of the fuzzy system. The weighting used to estimate the speed is defined as the output membership function of the fuzzy system. The speed is estimated exactly using 15 rules of the fuzzy system, and the back‐EMF feedforward compensation operates using the estimated speed. The membership function and the fuzzy rules are adjusted using simulation. The root‐mean‐square (RMS) value of the error between the real speed and the reference speed is measured. It is confirmed that the performance is excellent when the back‐EMF is compensated by the speed, which is estimated by the proposed algorithm. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Has Shouldice Repair in a Selected Group of Patients with Inguinal Hernia Comparable Results to Lichtenstein, TEP and TAPP Techniques?
Authors: Köckerling F. , Koch A. , Adolf D. , Keller T. , Lorenz R. , Fortelny R. H. , Schug‐Pass C.
Published: January 2018

Background

In the new international guidelines only the mesh‐based Lichtenstein, TEP and TAPP techniques are recommended. This present analysis of data from the Herniamed Registry compares the outcome for Shouldice versus Lichtenstein, TEP and TAPP.

Methods

Propensity score matching analyses were performed to obtain homogeneous comparison groups for Shouldice versus Lichtenstein (n = 2115/2608; 81.1%), Shouldice versus TEP (n = 2225/2608; 85.3%) and Shouldice versus TAPP (2400/2608; 92.0%).

Results

The most important characteristics of the Shouldice patient collective were younger patients with a mean age of 40 years, a large proportion of women of 30%, a mean BMI value of 24 and a proportion of defect sizes up to 3 cm of over 85%. For this selected patient collective, propensity score matched‐pair analysis did not identify any difference in the perioperative and one‐year follow‐up outcome compared with TAPP, fewer intraoperative (0.5 vs. 1.3%; p = 0.009) but somewhat more postoperative complications (2.3 vs. 1.5%; p = 0.050) compared with TEP and advantages with regard to pain at rest (4.6 vs. 6.1%; p = 0.039) and on exertion (10.0 vs. 13.4%; p < 0.001) compared with the Lichtenstein technique.

Conclusion

For a selected group of patients the Shouldice technique can be used for primary unilateral inguinal hernia repair while achieving an outcome comparable to that of Lichtenstein, TEP and TAPP operations.
Diversity and antagonistic potential of bacteria isolated from marine grass Halodule uninervis
Authors: Bibi Fehmida , Naseer Muhammad Imran , Hassan Ahmed Mohamad , Yasir Muhammad , Al-Ghamdi Ahmed Abdullah Khalaf , Azhar Esam Ibrahim
Published: January 2018

The aim of this study was to isolate bacteria from sea grass,Halodule uninerviscollected from the coastal area of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and to screen them for antifungal and enzymatic activities. We have isolated 162 rhizo and endophytic bacteria from soil, roots, and leaves of the sea grass. Antifungal screening of isolated bacteria revealed 19 strains (11.7%) capable to inhibit growth of four pathogenic fungi,Pythium ultimum,Phytophthora capsici,pyricularia oryzae,andRhizoctonia solaniin an in vitro assay. Taxonomic and phylogenetic analyses on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed 97–99.9% sequence identity to recognized species.Bacillus,Staphylococcus,Jeotgalicoccus,andPlanococcus, within the Phylum Firmicutes,Kocuria,Arthrobacter,OrnithinimicrobiumandCorynebacterium(Actinobacteria),Sulfitobacter,Roseivivax,Ruegeria(α-Proteobacteria),Moraxella,andVibrio(γ-Proteobacteria), were isolated. Strains belong to Phylum Firmicutes remain dominant antagonistic bacteria in this study. Further hydrolytic enzyme production was determined for these antagonistic bacteria. Our results demonstrated that the sea grass represents an important source of diverse antagonistic bacteria capable of producing antifungal metabolite.
Towards a CAD-based automatic procedure for patient specific cutting guides to assist sternal osteotomies in pectus arcuatum surgical correction
Authors: Carfagni Monica , Facchini Flavio , Furferi Rocco , Ghionzoli Marco , Governi Lapo , Messineo Antonio , Uccheddu Francesca , Volpe Yary
Published: January 2018

Pectus Arcuatum, a rare congenital chest wall deformity, is characterized by the protrusion and early ossification of sternal angle thus configuring as a mixed form of excavatum and carinatum features. Surgical correction of pectus arcuatum always includes one or more horizontal sternal osteotomies, consisting in performing a V-shaped horizontal cutting of the sternum (resection prism) by means of an oscillating power saw. The angle between the saw and the sternal body in the V-shaped cut is determined according to the peculiarity of the specific sternal arch. The choice of the right angle, decided by the surgeon on the basis of her/his experience, is crucial for a successful intervention. The availability of a patient-specific surgical guide conveying the correct cutting angles can considerably improve the chances of success and, at the same time, reduce the intervention time. The present paper aims to propose a new CAD-based approach to design and produce custom-made surgical guides, manufactured by using additive manufacturing techniques, to assist the sternal osteotomy. Starting from CT images, the procedure allows to determine correct resection prism and to shape the surgical guide accordingly taking into account additive manufacturing capabilities. Virtually tested against three case studies the procedure demonstrated its effectiveness.

Highlights Patient-specific surgical guide improves the chances of success in sternal osteotomy. A CAD-based approach to design and produce custom-made surgical guides is proposed. The proposed framework entails both a series of automatic and user-guided tasks.
Women (and Men) on the Move: Scots in the English North c. 1440
Authors: Bennett Judith M.
Published: January 2018

Alien subsidies suggest that many men and few women immigrated to England between 1440 and 1487. This article examines the one exception to this pattern: the large numbers of Scotswomen assessed as aliens in Cumberland, Westmorland, and Northumberland in 1440. It considers why so many women are found in these particular returns, what we can know about them, and how this knowledge might change our histories of women, labor, and mobility in both Scotland and England.
The Church of England, Homosexual Law Reform, and the Shaping of the Permissive Society, 1957–1979
Authors: Ramsay Laura Monica
Published: January 2018

This article re-examines existing narratives of British permissiveness and secularization through a discussion of the Church of England's role in shaping the 1967 Sexual Offences Act and ongoing debates on homosexuality in the 1970s. It suggests—contrary to existing narratives of religious decline and marginalization—that the views of church commentators, and the opinions of the Established Church more generally, remained of real cultural and political influence in the years leading up to the 1967 Act. Religious authorities were thus more responsible for the moral landscape of the permissive society than historians previously assumed. Nevertheless, British permissiveness was full of contradictions, not only in terms of the unexpected ways in which reform was shaped and brought about, but in terms of the constraints of the new moral settlement which decriminalized homosexual behavior within modest boundaries. Such contradictions were not confined to the opinions of religious commentators—they were the genuine essence of the position on which the moral consensus in favor of homosexual law reform was based. Through a consideration of the final collapse of this moral consensus in the years after 1970, this article reassesses questions of the nature and timing of British secularization. It considers how the Church of England, although anticipating and shaping earlier developments in approaches toward sexual morality, unintentionally left itself out in the cold in the years after 1970, as progressive opinion began to move away from the consensus on which the 1967 Act had been based.
Comment on “Psychiatry and the Concept of Evil”
Authors: Jones Geoffrey
Published: January 2018

My Comment on Professor Prins' Editorial is based on my experience of observing evil in courts and tribunals.
Implications of evolutionary theory for psychiatry
Authors: Hotopf Matthew , Ayton A.
Published: January 2018

It may well have been a coincidence that the announcement of the ‘breaking’ of the human genetic code and the publication of an editorial on psychiatry and Darwinism in the Journal occurred within the same week, but it is to be hoped that both of these events signal a new beginning. Abed (2000) asks whether the time has come for psychiatry to reconsider Darwinism: in fact, one could argue that if psychiatry as a science is to survive, there is no other option. Since its first publication in 1859, Darwin's evolutionary theory has transformed our understanding of the living world. The model has stood the test of time despite heavy resistance by religious groups, exploitation by Fascism and enthusiastic misinterpretation. The proliferation of papers on the subject in scientific journals over the past 30 years strongly suggests that it is here to stay. Evolutionary psychology has already established itself (Barkow et al, 1995). In contrast, only a few articles have been published by psychiatric journals, and evolutionary theory is largely ignored in psychiatric training worldwide.
Effects of case-load size on the process of care of patients with severe psychotic illness. Report from the UK700 trial
Authors: Burns Tom , Fiander Matthew , Kent Andy , Ukoumunne Obioha C. , Byford Sarah , Fahy Tom , Kumar Kay Raj
Published: January 2018

Background

Studies of intensive case management (ICM) for patients with psychotic illnesses have produced conflicting results in terms of outcome. Negative results have sometimes been attributed to a failure to deliver differing patterns of care.

Aims

To test whether the actual care delivered in a randomised clinical trial of ICM v. standard case management (the UK700 trial) differed significantly.

Method

Data on 545 patients' care were collected over 2 years. All patient contacts and all other patient-centred interventions (e.g. telephone calls, carer contacts) of over 15 minutes were prospectively recorded. Rates and distributions of these interventions were compared.

Results

Contact frequency was more than doubled in the ICM group. There were proportionately more failed contacts and carer contacts but there was no difference in the average length of individual contacts or the proportion of contacts in the patients' homes.

Conclusions

The failure to demonstrate outcome differences in the UK700 study is not due to a failure to vary the treatment process. UK standard care contains many of the characteristics of assertive outreach services and differences in outcome may require that greater attention be paid to delivering evidence-based interventions.

Declaration of interest

None.
[No Title]
Authors: Deb S. , Williams J. , Owen M. J.
Published: January 2018

We thank Drs Prasher & Haque for their interest in our paper and are pleased that they agree with our conclusions. It is quite obvious that the difference in findings in the meta-analysis between our study and Prasher et al's study was due to the inclusion of data in our study that were not available at the time of Prasher et al's study. According to our calculation, our meta-analysis has 92% power (95% CI 88–96%) at the 5% level. However, traditional power calculation is not applicable in this case because instead of simply adding allele frequencies among all studies, we have used the computerised version of the Woolf (1995) method of meta-analysis that takes account of each study individually. Also, because of the varied nature of studies included in the meta-analysis we did not feel it appropriate to calculate specificity and sensitivity in the traditional way.
CEDAW AND THE SECURITY COUNCIL: ENHANCING WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN CONFLICT
Authors: O'Rourke Catherine , Swaine Aisling
Published: January 2018

The proliferation of legal and normative standards regulating women's rights in conflict has been accompanied by concerns about their efficacy. The article examines the activities of the CEDAW Committee and the UN Security Council and considers how synergies might be advanced. The article finds that, while the Security Council has unique authority over UN system activities, sanctions and peacekeeping, the CEDAW Committee—as a human rights treaty monitoring body—possesses the more effective system of State accountability and the more robust commitment to women's equality and rights. The article proposes measures for the optimum interaction between both institutions in order to maximize overall accountability for women's rights in conflict.
Systematic review and meta-analysis on Schistosoma mansoni infection prevalence, and associated risk factors in Brazil
Authors: Gomes Casavechia Maria Teresinha , de Melo Gessilda de Alcântara Nogueira , Da Silva Fernandes Andrea Claudia Bekner , De Castro Karin Reinhold , Pedroso Raissa Bocchi , Da Silva Santos Thaís , Teixeira Jorge Juarez Vieira
Published: January 2018

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence and factors associated with Schistosoma mansoni infection in Brazil. We searched the PubMed, Web of Science and Latin-American and Caribbean System on Health Sciences Information (LILACS) databases, scientific publications articles, according to The PRISMA Statement, from 2000 to 2016. A total of 27 studies were included according to the established criteria. The prevalence of S. mansoni infection varied widely, from 0·1 to 73·1%, based on Kato-Katz technique. Of the identified studies, 42·9% were performed in the state of Minas Gerais, and 33·3% were performed in the northeast region of Brazil. We identified sex, age, education level, family income, contact with water and the presence of the intermediate host snail as major risk factors associated with infection. The meta-analysis summarized a high prevalence rate pooled for Schistosoma mansoni. On the other hand, the analysis of the subgroup showed a highly significant reduction of the prevalence rate after control measures. The epidemiological factors evidenced in the studies show the influence of environmental and social conditions on the occurrence of schistosomiasis.
The adequacy of Launchbury's natural semantics for lazy evaluation
Authors: BREITNER JOACHIM
Published: January 2018

In his seminal paper “A Natural Semantics for Lazy Evaluation”, John Launchbury proves his semantics correct with respect to a denotational semantics, and outlines a proof of adequacy. Previous attempts to rigorize the adequacy proof, which involves an intermediate natural semantics and an intermediate resourced denotational semantics, have failed. We devised a new, direct proof that skips the intermediate natural semantics. It is the first rigorous adequacy proof of Launchbury's semantics. We have modeled our semantics in the interactive theorem prover Isabelle and machine-checked our proofs. This does not only provide a maximum level of rigor, but also serves as a tool for further work, such as a machine-checked correctness proof of a compiler transformation.
Global social indicators and the concept of legitimacy
Authors: Siems Mathias , Nelken David
Published: January 2018

Global social indicators have become a core point of interest of scholarship in law and other social sciences. The term ‘legitimacy’ is occasionally mentioned in this literature but without in-depth discussion. This paper aims to fill this gap by way of exploring the relationship between global social indicators and the concept of legitimacy. The crucial issue of such indicators is that, being drafted in a general fashion and based on a quantitative metric, they can be regarded as somehow ‘law-like’, thus raising questions about their legitimacy. This paper addresses these issues at both the general level of social theory and the operation of indicators in action.
Fighting global poverty
Authors: Pogge Thomas
Published: January 2018

Many different indicators are used to monitor poverty and poverty-related deprivations. Two kinds of legitimacy worries may arise about any such indicator: one regarding its reliability as a measure of progress and another regarding the uses to which it is being put. This essay will touch upon both worries, beginning with the latter.