bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potassium‐catalyzed steam gasification of ash‐free lignite coal with CO2 capture
Authors: Rasi Negar Manafi , Mostafavi Ehsan , Retuta Maria Angelica , Rahman Moshfiqur M. , Gupta Raj , Mahinpey Nader
Published: May 2017

The purpose of this research was to study steam gasification of ash‐free coal integrated with CO2 capture in the presence of a K2O catalyst for enhancement of the key water‐gas shift reaction and promotion of hydrogen production. To achieve this goal, gasification experiments on ash‐free coal (AFC) were carried out at varying temperatures (600, 650, 675, 700, and 750 °C) with a sorbent‐to‐carbon (CaO/C) ratio of 2 and a catalyst (K2O) loading of 0.2 g/g (20 weight percent (wt%)) in a fixed‐bed reactor equipped with a gas chromatography analyzer. The sorbent‐to‐carbon (CaO/C) ratio of 2 is based on dry and ash‐free basis. The CaO/C ratio and K2O wt% were chosen to maximize hydrogen production based on our previously determined optimal values. The AFC was originally extracted from raw lignite coal using organic solvents, which allowed the sorption‐enhanced gasification to be conducted with minimal ash‐catalyst interactions. The effect of temperature on the yield and the initial reaction rate were investigated. The optimal reaction temperature of 675 °C was determined. Carbon balance and final carbon conversions were calculated based on the residue analysis. Activation energy was also calculated using intrinsic kinetics of the reaction. In this study, using AFC offered the potential advantage of operating the gasification process with catalyst recycle.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ readmission reports inaccurately describe an institution's decompensated heart failure admissions
Authors: Cox Zachary L. , Lai Pikki , Lewis Connie M. , Lenihan Daniel J.
Published: May 2017

Hospitals typically use Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) administrative reports as the standard of heart failure (HF) admission quantification. We aimed to evaluate the HF admission population identified by CMS HRRP definition of HF hospital admissions compared with a clinically based HF definition. We evaluated all hospital admissions at an academic medical center over 16 months in patients with Medicare fee‐for service benefits and age ≥65 years. We compared the CMS HRRP HF definition against an electronic HF identification algorithm. Admissions identified solely by the CMS HF definition were manually reviewed by HF providers. Admissions confirmed with having decompensated HF as the primary problem by manual review or by the HF ID algorithm were deemed “HF positive,” whereas those refuted were “HF negative.” Of the 1672 all‐cause admissions evaluated, 708 (42%) were HF positive. The CMS HF definition identified 440 admissions: sensitivity (54%), specificity (94%), positive predictive value (87%), negative predictive value (74%). The CMS HF definition missed 324 HF admissions because of inclusion/exclusion criteria (15%) and decompensated HF being a secondary diagnosis (85%). The CMS HF definition falsely identified 56 admissions as HF. The most common admission reasons in this cohort included elective pacemaker or defibrillator implantations (n = 13), noncardiac dyspnea (n = 9), left ventricular assist device complications (n = 8), and acute coronary syndrome (n = 6). The CMS HRRP HF report is a poor representation of an institution's HF admissions because of limitations in administrative coding and the HRRP HF report inclusion/exclusion criteria.
Reorganization of the septohippocampal cholinergic fiber system in experimental epilepsy
Authors: Soares Joana I. , Valente Maria C. , Andrade Pedro A. , Maia Gisela H. , Lukoyanov Nikolai V.
Published: May 2017

The septohippocampal cholinergic neurotransmission has long been implicated in seizures, but little is known about the structural features of this projection system in epileptic brain. We evaluated the effects of experimental epilepsy on the areal density of cholinergic terminals (fiber varicosities) in the dentate gyrus. For this purpose, we used two distinct post‐status epilepticus rat models, in which epilepsy was induced with injections of either kainic acid or pilocarpine. To visualize the cholinergic fibers, we used brain sections immunostained for the vesicular acetylcholine transporter. It was found that the density of cholinergic fiber varicosities was higher in epileptic rats versus control rats in the inner and outer zones of the dentate molecular layer, but it was reduced in the dentate hilus. We further evaluated the effects of kainate treatment on the total number, density, and soma volume of septal cholinergic cells, which were visualized in brain sections stained for either vesicular acetylcholine transporter or choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). Both the number of septal cells with cholinergic phenotype and their density were increased in epileptic rats when compared to control rats. The septal cells stained for vesicular acetylcholine transporter, but not for ChAT, have enlarged perikarya in epileptic rats. These results revealed previously unknown details of structural reorganization of the septohippocampal cholinergic system in experimental epilepsy, involving fiber sprouting into the dentate molecular layer and a parallel fiber retraction from the dentate hilus. We hypothesize that epilepsy‐related neuroplasticity of septohippocampal cholinergic neurons is capable of increasing neuronal excitability of the dentate gyrus.
8‐Aza‐2′‐deoxyisoguanosine Forms Fluorescent Hydrogels whereas 8‐Aza‐2′‐deoxyguanosine Assembles into Nucleoside Nanotubes
Authors: Zhao Hang , Jiang Dawei , Schäfer Andreas H. , Seela Frank
Published: May 2017

Fluorescent hydrogels have attracted attention for applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery or as molecular machines. This study describes a nucleoside hydrogel formed by 8‐aza‐2′‐deoxyisoguanosine (z8isoGd). The new hydrogel is the first guanosine gel that has intrinsic fluorescence. It has long‐term stability and a higher thermal stability (Tgel=77 °C) than gels of 2′‐deoxyisoguanosine (Tgel=67 °C) and 2′‐deoxyguanosine (Tgel=50 °C). Furthermore, the minimum gel concentration is lower at 0.3 mg per 100 μL for z8isoGd compared to 0.7 mg for 2′‐deoxyisoguanosine. Scanning electron microscopy images show that the z8isoGd gel forms dense bundles of fibers. The related nucleoside 8‐aza‐2′‐deoxyguanosine does not form a hydrogel but forms nanotube‐like structures in the solid state. The fluorescence of the z8isoGd hydrogel responds to external stimuli such as the addition of alkali metal ions, pH change, heat, and UV irradiation. In binary mixtures with nucleoside shape mimics such as 7‐deaza‐2′‐deoxyisoguanosine, the z8isoGd hydrogel disintegrates.
Polycyclization Enabled by Relay Catalysis: One‐Pot Manganese‐Catalyzed C−H Allylation and Silver‐Catalyzed Povarov Reaction
Authors: Chen Shi‐Yong , Li Qingjiang , Liu Xu‐Ge , Wu Jia‐Qiang , Zhang Shang‐Shi , Wang Honggen
Published: May 2017

In this study, a MnI/AgI‐based relay catalysis process is described for the one‐pot synthesis of polycyclic products by a formal [3+2] and [4+2] cycloaddition reaction cascade. A manganese(I) complex catalyzed the first example of directed C−H allylation with allenes, setting the stage for an in situ Povarov cyclization catalyzed by silver(I). The reaction proceeds with high bond‐forming efficiency (three C−C bonds), broad substrate scope, high regio‐ and stereoselectivity, and 100 % atom economy.
Flow morphometry to assess the red blood cell storage lesion
Authors: Sierra F. Diego A. , Melzak Kathryn A. , Janetzko Karin , Klüter Harald , Suhr Hajo , Bieback Karen , Wiedemann Philipp
Published: May 2017

We present a novel automated system for morphology analysis of red blood cells (RBC) under flow. RBC concentrates collected by blood banks for transfusions are stored for periods of up to several weeks, during which time a number of changes occur, collectively termed the storage lesion. Typically the extent of hemolysis is the defining criterion to determine the acceptability of the RBCs for transfusions. Morphological changes are related with biochemical alteration during the storage of RBCs. The typical blood smear procedure for determining such changes is a labor‐intensive and potentially biased manual process. The advantage of the flow morphometry system presented here is that it provides fully automated morphological classification of RBCs with large sample numbers in a short time. Our system uses a commercially available flow cell and flow conditions that prevent adhesion of RBCs, thus eliminating the need for blocking agents such as albumin that affect the distribution of cell shapes. Our morphometry results are validated by comparison with standard biochemical assays (hemolysis, ATP) for blood from 17 donors stored under blood bank conditions for 13 weeks. We show that the percentage of spherocytes present can be used to estimate the status of RBC concentrates. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
The emergence of new psychoactive substance (NPS) benzodiazepines: A review
Authors: Manchester Kieran R. , Lomas Emma C. , Waters Laura , Dempsey Fiona C. , Maskell Peter D.
Published: May 2017

The market for new psychoactive substances has increased markedly in recent years and there is now a steady stream of compounds appearing every year. Benzodiazepines consist of only a fraction of the total number of these compounds but their use and misuse has rapidly increased. Some of these benzodiazepines have only been patented, some of them have not been previously synthesised, and the majority have never undergone clinical trials or tests. Despite their structural and chemical similarity, large differences exist between the benzodiazepines in their pharmacokinetic parameters and metabolic pathways and so they are not easily comparable. As benzodiazepines have been clinically used since the 1960s, many analytical methods exist to quantify them in a variety of biological matrices and it is expected that these methods would also be suitable for the detection of benzodiazepines that are novel psychoactive substances. Illicitly obtained benzodiazepines have been found to contain a wide range of compounds such as opiates which presents a problem since the use of them in conjunction with each other can lead to respiratory depression and death. This review collates the available information on these benzodiazepines and provides a starting point for the further investigation of their pharmacokinetics which is clearly required.
Small mammal activity alters plant community composition and microbial activity in an old‐field ecosystem
Authors: Moorhead Leigh C. , Souza Lara , Habeck Christopher W. , Lindroth Richard L. , Classen Aimée T.
Published: May 2017

Herbivores modify their environment by consuming plant biomass and redistributing materials across the landscape. While small mammalian herbivores, such as rodents, are typically inconspicuous, their impacts on plant community structure and chemistry can be large. We used a small mammal exclosure experiment to explore whether rodents in a southeastern old field directly altered the aboveground plant species composition and chemistry, and indirectly altered the belowground soil community composition and activity. In general, when rodents were excluded, C3graminoids increased in cover and biomass, contributing toward a shift in plant species composition relative to plots where rodents were present. The plant community chemistry also shifted; plant fiber concentration and carbon : nitrogen were higher, whereas plant nitrogen concentration was lower in exclosure plots relative to access plots. While microbial community enzyme activity increased when rodents were excluded, no significant changes in the fungal : bacterial or potential nitrogen mineralization occurred between treatments. Our results show that rodents can rapidly influence aboveground plant community composition and chemistry, but their influence on belowground processes may require plant inputs to the soil to accumulate over longer periods of time.
The application of Bayesian hierarchical models to quantify individual diet specialization
Authors: Coblentz Kyle E. , Rosenblatt Adam E. , Novak Mark
Published: May 2017

Intraspecific variation in ecologically relevant traits is widespread. In generalist predators in particular, individual diet specialization is likely to have important consequences for food webs. Understanding individual diet specialization empirically requires the ability to quantify individual diet preferences accurately. Here we compare the currently used frequentist maximum likelihood approach, which infers individual preferences using the observed prey proportions to Bayesian hierarchical models that instead estimate these proportions. Using simulated and empirical data, we find that the approach of using observed prey proportions consistently overestimates diet specialization relative to the Bayesian hierarchical approach when the number of prey observations per individual is low or the number of prey observations vary among individuals, two common features of empirical data. Furthermore, the Bayesian hierarchical approach permits the estimation of point estimates for both prey proportions and their variability within and among levels of organization (i.e., individuals, experimental treatments, populations), while also characterizing the uncertainty of these estimates in ways inaccessible to frequentist methods. The Bayesian hierarchical approach provides a useful framework for improving the quantification and understanding of intraspecific variation in diet specialization studies.
Modalities and Effects of Left Ventricle Unloading on Extracorporeal Life support: a Review of the Current Literature
Authors: Meani Paolo , Gelsomino Sandro , Natour Eshan , Johnson Daniel M , Rocca Hans‐Peter Brunner La , Pappalardo Federico , Bidar Elham , Makhoul Maged , Raffa Giuseppe , Heuts Samuel , Lozekoot Pieter , Kats Suzanne , Sluijpers Niels , Schreurs Rick , Delnoij Thijs , Montalti Alice , Sels Jan Willem , van de Poll Marcel , Roekaerts Paul , Poels Thomas , Korver Eric , Babar Zaheer , Maessen Jos , Lorusso Roberto
Published: May 2017

Introduction/Aim

Veno‐arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V‐A ECMO) support is increasingly used in refractory cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest, but is characterized by a rise in afterload of the left ventricle (LV) which may ultimately either further impair or delay cardiac contractility improvement. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive overview regarding the different LV venting techniques and results currently available in the literature.

Methods

A systematic literature search was performed in the PubMed database: 207 articles published between 1993 and 2016 were included. Papers dealing with pre‐clinical studies, overlapping series, and association with other assist devices were excluded from the review, with 45 published papers finally selected. Heterogeneous indications for LV unloading were reported. The selected literature was divided into subgroups, according to the location or the performed procedure for LV venting.

Results

Case reports or case series accounted for 60% of the papers, while retrospective study represented 29% of them. Adult series were present in 67%, paediatric patients in 29%, and a mixed population in 4%. LV unloading was performed percutaneously in 84% of the cases. The most common locations of unloading was the left atrium (31%), followed by indirect unloading (intra‐aortic balloon pump) (27%), trans‐aortic (27%), LV (11%), and pulmonary artery (4%). Percutaneous trans‐septal approach was reported in 22%. Finally, the unloading was conducted surgically in 16%,with open chest surgery in 71%, and minimally invasive surgery in 29% of surgical cases.

Conclusion

Nowadays, only a few data are available about left heart unloading in V‐A ECMO support. Despite the well‐known controversy, IABP remains widely used in combination with V‐A ECMO. Percutaneous approaches utilizing unloading devices is becoming an increasingly used option. However, further studies are required to establish the optimal LV unloading method.
What is new in pediatric ECMO? 2016, a year in review
Authors: Roeleveld P.P.
Published: May 2017

With the increasing use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in children come increasing publications concerning pediatric ECMO. In 2016 important work was done in identifying modifiable risk‐factors and possible predictors of mortality in cardiac and respiratory ECMO and risk‐estimation scores have been developed for respiratory ECMO patients. Also, increasing important experience is published in the areas of neurodevelopmental follow‐up of ECMO survivors. The most relevant publications of 2016 are summarized in this review.
SIMONI (Smart Integrated Monitoring) as a novel bioanalytical strategy for water quality assessment: Part II–field feasibility survey
Authors: van der Oost Ron , Sileno Giulia , Janse Theo , Nguyen Mai Thao , Besselink Harrie , Brouwer Abraham
Published: May 2017

Because it is impossible to chemically analyze all relevant micropollutants, the implementation of bioanalytical tools is essential to estimate ecological risks of chemical mixtures in regular water-monitoring programs. The first tier of the Smart Integrated Monitoring (SIMONI) strategy, which was described in part I, is based on the combination of passive sampling and bioanalytical measurements. Bioassay responses are compared with effect-based trigger values (EBT), and an overall SIMONI score on all bioassay data was designed to indicate environmental risks. The present study is focused on analyzing the feasibility of the hazard identification tier by evaluating results of 45 field campaigns at sites with different pollution profiles near the city of Amsterdam. A Daphnia assay was performed in situ, while silicon rubber or polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) extracts were tested with 4 nonspecific (daphnids, algae, bacteria, and cell culture) and 10 specific (9 Chemical Activated Luciferase Gene Expression [CALUX] assays and antibiotics scan) bioassays. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated the relevance of 2 classification variables in the SIMONI score formula on all bioanalytical data. The model indicated increased risks for the ecosystem at surface waters in greenhouse areas and undiluted wastewater-treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. The choice of testing specific bioassays on either polar or nonpolar passive sampling extracts is cost-effective and still provided meaningful insights on micropollutant risks. Statistical analyses revealed that the model provides a relevant overall impact assessment based on bioassay responses. Data analyses on the chemically determined mixture toxic pressure and bioanalytical methods provided similar insights in relative risk ranking of water bodies. The SIMONI combination of passive sampling and bioanalytical testing appears to be a feasible strategy to identify chemical hazards. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2400–2416. © 2017 SETAC
MRI‐guided breast interventions
Authors: McGrath Anika L. , Price Elissa R. , Eby Peter R. , Rahbar Habib
Published: May 2017

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐guided interventions, including biopsies and wire localizations, are fundamental to any breast imaging practice due to the high sensitivity but limited specificity of breast MRI. The basic steps of MRI‐guided biopsies are similar regardless of the vendor or platform, and technical considerations include approach planning, patient preparation and positioning, lesion targeting, and directional sampling using a vacuum‐assisted biopsy technique. Unique challenges related to MRI‐guided biopsies include vanishing lesions due to contrast washout, obscuration of the biopsy site due to susceptibility artifacts, and limited access to posteromedial lesions. A careful approach to planning, patient positioning, and lesion targeting will maximize the chances for a successful biopsy. Due to overlapping imaging features between benign and malignant lesions, radiologic‐pathologic concordance is difficult and essential for further patient management.

Level of Evidence: 5

Technical Efficacy: Stage 3

J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:631–645
MRI and biomechanics multidimensional data analysis reveals R2‐R1ρ as an early predictor of cartilage lesion progression in knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Pedoia Valentina , Haefeli Jenny , Morioka Kazuhito , Teng Hsiang‐Ling , Nardo Lorenzo , Souza Richard B. , Ferguson Adam R. , Majumdar Sharmila
Published: May 2017

Purpose

To couple quantitative compositional MRI, gait analysis, and machine learning multidimensional data analysis to study osteoarthritis (OA). OA is a multifactorial disorder accompanied by biochemical and morphological changes in the articular cartilage, modulated by skeletal biomechanics and gait. While we can now acquire detailed information about the knee joint structure and function, we are not yet able to leverage the multifactorial factors for diagnosis and disease management of knee OA.

Materials and Methods

We mapped 178 subjects in a multidimensional space integrating: demographic, clinical information, gait kinematics and kinetics, cartilage compositional T1ρ and T2 and R2‐R1ρ (1/T2–1/T1ρ) acquired at 3T and whole‐organ magnetic resonance imaging score morphological grading. Topological data analysis (TDA) and Kolmogorov–Smirnov test were adopted for data integration, analysis, and hypothesis generation. Regression models were used for hypothesis testing.

Results

The results of the TDA showed a network composed of three main patient subpopulations, thus potentially identifying new phenotypes. T2 and T1ρ values (T2 lateral femur P = 1.45*10‐8, T1ρ medial tibia P = 1.05*10‐5), the presence of femoral cartilage defects (P = 0.0013), lesions in the meniscus body (P = 0.0035), and race (P = 2.44*10‐4) were key markers in the subpopulation classification. Within one of the subpopulations we observed an association between the composite metric R2‐R1ρ and the longitudinal progression of cartilage lesions.

Conclusion

The analysis presented demonstrates some of the complex multitissue biochemical and biomechanical interactions that define joint degeneration and OA using a multidimensional approach, and potentially indicates that R2‐R1ρ may be an imaging biomarker for early OA.

Level of Evidence: 3

Technical Efficacy: Stage 2

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:78–90.
Rotator cuff muscle degeneration and tear severity related to myogenic, adipogenic, and atrophy genes in human muscle
Authors: Shah Shivam A. , Kormpakis Ioannis , Cavinatto Leonardo , Killian Megan L. , Thomopoulos Stavros , Galatz Leesa M.
Published: May 2017

Large rotator cuff tear size and advanced muscle degeneration can affect reparability of tears and compromise tendon healing. Clinicians often rely on direct measures of rotator cuff tear size and muscle degeneration from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine whether the rotator cuff tear is repairable. The objective of this study was to identify the relationship between gene expression changes in rotator cuff muscle degeneration to standard data available to clinicians. Radiographic assessment of preoperative rotator cuff tear severity was completed for 25 patients with varying magnitudes of rotator cuff tears. Tear width and retraction were measured using MRI, and Goutallier grade, tangent (tan) sign, and Thomazeau grade were determined. Expression of myogenic‐, adipogenic‐, atrophy‐, and metabolism‐related genes in biopsied muscles were correlated with tear width, tear retraction, Goutallier grade, tan sign, and Thomazeau grade. Tear width positively correlated with Goutallier grade in both the supraspinatus (r = 0.73) and infraspinatus (r = 0.77), along with tan sign (r = 0.71) and Thomazeau grade (r = 0.68). Decreased myogenesis (Myf5), increased adipogenesis (CEBPα, Lep, Wnt10b), and decreased metabolism (PPARα) correlated with radiographic assessments. Gene expression changes suggest that rotator cuff tears lead to a dramatic molecular response in an attempt to maintain normal muscle tissue, increase adipogenesis, and decrease metabolism. Fat accumulation and muscle atrophy appear to stem from endogenous changes rather than from changes mediated by infiltrating cells. Results suggest that chronic unloading of muscle, induced by rotator cuff tear, disrupts muscle homeostasis. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:2808–2814, 2017.
Orientation changes in the cruciate ligaments of the knee during skeletal growth: A porcine model
Authors: Cone Stephanie G. , Simpson Sean G. , Piedrahita Jorge A. , Fordham Lynn A. , Spang Jeffrey T. , Fisher Matthew B.
Published: May 2017

Musculoskeletal injuries in pediatric patients are on the rise, including significant increases in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Previous studies have found major anatomical changes during skeletal growth in the soft tissues of the knee. Specifically, the ACL and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) change in their relative orientation to the tibial plateau throughout growth. In order to develop age‐specific treatments for ACL injuries, the purpose of this study was to characterize orientation changes in the cruciate ligaments of the Yorkshire pig, a common pre‐clinical model, during skeletal growth in order to verify the applicability of this model for pediatric musculoskeletal studies. Hind limbs were isolated from female Yorkshire pigs ranging in age from newborn to late adolescence and were then imaged using high field strength magnetic resonance imaging. Orientation changes were quantified from the magnetic resonance images using image segmentation software. Statistically significant increases were found in the coronal and sagittal angles of the ACL relative to the tibial plateau during pre‐adolescent growth. Additional changes were observed in the PCL angle, Blumensaat angle, intercondylar roof angle, and the aspect ratio of the intercondylar notch. Only the sagittal angle of the ACL relative to the tibial plateau experienced statistically significant changes through late adolescence. The age‐dependent properties of the ACL and PCL in the female pig mirrored results found in female human patients, suggesting that the porcine model may provide a pre‐clinical platform to study the cruciate ligaments during skeletal growth. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:2725–2732, 2017.
Predictors of multidimensional functional outcomes after total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Cooper Nicholas A. , Rakel Barbara A. , Zimmerman Bridget , Tonelli Shalome M. , Herr Keela A. , Clark Charles R. , Noiseux Nicolas O. , Callaghan John J. , Sluka Kathleen A.
Published: May 2017

Multiple assessments are used clinically after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) including self‐report, performance tasks, and physical activity levels. It is unclear if these different functional assessments are interchangeable or if they measure different constructs. The objective of this study was to characterize different functional measures before and after TKA. We characterized function before and after TKA using perceived function (KOOS ADL), physical performance (gait speed), and daily activity (steps/day via accelerometry); compared function in people undergoing TKA to age‐matched healthy controls; and examined characteristics of those undergoing TKA for potential predictors of postoperative function. Prior to TKA, all three functional assessments were significantly lower for participants than those of healthy controls and each measure remained lower for participants than for controls postoperatively. All three functional assessments developed differently over time postoperatively. Each functional outcome had a unique set of predictors. Perceived function was predicted primarily by anxiety and depression, physical performance was most strongly predicted by age, and daily activity was chiefly predicted by BMI. Pressure pain threshold was a common predictor across all models. Functional limitations exist preoperatively and persist postoperatively across different measures in people undergoing TKA when compared to those measures in healthy controls. Functional outcomes after TKA are different depending on the functional measure utilized, implying that different constructs underlie each measure. Multiple functional measures should be assessed to provide a more comprehensive assessment of function after TKA. Further work should assess the impact of interventions designed to treat modifiable predictors of postoperative TKA function. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:2790–2798, 2017.
A novel in situ strategy for the preparation of a β‐cyclodextrin/polydopamine‐coated capillary column for capillary electrochromatography enantioseparations
Authors: Guo Heying , Niu Xiaoying , Pan Congjie , Yi Tao , Chen Hongli , Chen Xingguo
Published: May 2017

Inspired by the chiral recognition ability of β‐cyclodextrin and the natural adhesive properties of polydopamine under alkaline conditions, in this study, a rapid and in situ modification strategy was developed to fabricate β‐cyclodextrin/polydopamine composite material coated‐capillary columns for open tubular capillary electrochromatography. The results of scanning electron microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, streaming potential, and electro‐osmotic flow studies indicated that β‐cyclodextrin/polydopamine was successfully fixed on the inner wall of the capillary column. This coating can be achieved within 1 h affording a greatly reduced capillary preparation time. The performance of the β‐cyclodextrin/polydopamine‐coated capillary was validated by the analysis of seven pairs of chiral analytes, namely epinephrine, norepinephrine, isoprenaline, terbutaline, verapamil, tryptophane, carvedilol. Good enantioseparation efficiencies were achieved for all. For three consecutive runs, the relative standard deviations for the migration times of the analytes for intraday, interday, and column‐to‐column repeatability were in the range of 0.41–1.74, 1.03–4.18, and 1.66–8.24%, respectively. Moreover, the separation efficiency of the β‐cyclodextrin/polydopamine‐coated capillary column did not decrease obviously over 90 runs. The strategy should also be feasible to introduce and immobilize other chiral selectors on the inner walls surface of capillary columns.
Quantitative magnetization transfer ultrashort echo time imaging using a time‐efficient 3D multispoke Cones sequence
Authors: Ma Ya‐Jun , Chang Eric Y. , Carl Michael , Du Jiang
Published: May 2017

Purpose

To accelerate the quantitative ultrashort echo time imaging using a time‐efficient 3D multispoke Cones sequence with magnetization transfer (3D UTE‐Cones‐MT) and signal modeling.

Theory and Methods

A 3D UTE‐Cones‐MT acquisition scheme with multispoke per MT preparation and a modified rectangular pulse (RP) approximation was developed for two‐pool MT modeling of macromolecular and water components including their relative fractions, relaxation times and exchange rates. Numerical simulation and cadaveric specimens, including human Achilles tendon and bovine cortical bone, were investigated using a clinical 3T scanner.

Results

Numerical simulation showed that the modified RP model provided accurate estimation of MT parameters when multispokes were acquired per MT preparation. For the experiment with the Achilles tendon and cortical bone samples, the macromolecular fractions were 20.4 ± 2.0% and 59.4 ± 5.3%, respectively.

Conclusion

The 3D multispoke UTE‐Cones‐MT sequence can be used for fast volumetric assessment of macromolecular and water components in short T2 tissues. Magn Reson Med 79:692–700, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Fully automated atlas‐based method for prescribing 3D PRESS MR spectroscopic imaging: Toward robust and reproducible metabolite measurements in human brain
Authors: Bian Wei , Li Yan , Crane Jason C. , Nelson Sarah J.
Published: May 2017

Purpose

To implement a fully automated atlas‐based method for prescribing 3D PRESS MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI).

Methods

The PRESS selected volume and outer‐volume suppression bands were predefined on the MNI152 standard template image. The template image was aligned to the subject T1‐weighted image during a scan, and the resulting transformation was then applied to the predefined prescription. To evaluate the method, H‐1 MRSI data were obtained in repeat scan sessions from 20 healthy volunteers. In each session, datasets were acquired twice without repositioning. The overlap ratio of the prescribed volume in the two sessions was calculated and the reproducibility of inter‐ and intrasession metabolite peak height and area ratios was measured by the coefficient of variation (CoV). The CoVs from intra‐ and intersession were compared by a paired t‐test.

Results

The average overlap ratio of the automatically prescribed selection volumes between two sessions was 97.8%. The average voxel‐based intersession CoVs were less than 0.124 and 0.163 for peak height and area ratios, respectively. Paired t‐test showed no significant difference between the intra‐ and intersession CoVs.

Conclusion

The proposed method provides a time efficient method to prescribe 3D PRESS MRSI with reproducible imaging positioning and metabolite measurements. Magn Reson Med 79:636–642, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
The decision‐making threshold and the factors that affect it: A qualitative study of patients' decision‐making in knee replacement surgery
Authors: Barlow T. , Scott P. , Thomson L. , Griffin D. , Realpe A.
Published: May 2017

Background

Osteoarthritis is a significant cause of burden to the ageing population and knee replacement is a common operation for treatment of end‐stage disease. We aimed to explore these factors to help understand patients' decision‐making, which is critical in informing patient‐centred care. These can be used to enhance decision‐making and dialogue between clinicians and patients, allowing a more informed choice.

Methods

The study consisted of two focus groups, in a patient cohort after total knee replacement followed by more in‐depth interviews to further test and explore themes from the focus groups, in patients in either the deliberation stage or the decision‐making stage.

Results

Using qualitative research methods (iterative thematic analysis) reviewing decision‐making and deliberation phases of making informed choices we found nine key themes that emerged from the study groups.

Conclusions

An awareness of the deliberation phase, the factors that influence it, the stress associated with it, preferred models of care, and the influence of the decision‐making threshold will aid useful communication between doctors and patients.
Ultrasonography‐detected subclinical inflammation in patients with hand osteoarthritis and established rheumatoid arthritis: a comparison between two different pathologies using the same ultrasound examination protocol
Authors: Hussain Sidra , Sivakumaran Priyanka , Gill Anna , Dhas Delfin , Ciurtin Coziana
Published: May 2017

Objectives

A recent review of ultrasound (US) studies in osteoarthritis (OA) showed very limited data about hand OA. Previous US studies in patients with OA described a degree of overlap between the US appearance of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and OA joints. The present study aimed to assess the US features of subclinical inflammation in RA and hand OA, using the same US examination protocol.

Methods

A retrospective, cohort study compared patients with established RA (n = 224) and hand OA (n = 73), with respect to several demographic, clinical, laboratory and US parameters. We used a 22‐hand joint US examination protocol (wrists, metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints bilaterally – Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials [OMERACT] scoring system) for all patients.

Results

Subclinical joint inflammation in the context of equivocal clinical examination was found in 9.6% of OA patients compared with 46.4% of RA patients (p = 0.0001), despite the fact that there was no significant difference between the degree of chronic joint swelling (synovial hypertrophy grades 2 and 3; p = 0.75 and p = 0.11, respectively). The presence of osteophytes was more common in patients with hand OA, as expected (p = 0.0001).

Conclusions

Our study findings reflected differences between the incidence and characteristics of subclinical inflammation in patients with RA and OA, which could be helpful in patients with an equivocal clinical examination or history of both diseases. Almost one in 10 patients with hand OA had active synovitis, while almost one in two patients with RA had uncontrolled inflammation in at least one joint.
Synthesis and characterization of intrinsic high‐barrier polyimide derived from a novel diamine monomer containing rigid planar moiety
Authors: Liu Yi‐Wu , Huang Jie , Tan Jing‐Hua , Zeng Yi , Ding Qian , Xiang Xian‐Wei , Liu Yue‐Jun , Zhang Hai‐liang
Published: May 2017

A new diamine monomer containing rigid planar fluorenone moiety, 2,7‐bis(4‐aminophenyl)‐9H‐fluoren‐9‐one, was synthesized through Suzuki coupling reaction. Then it was reacted with pyromellitic dianhydride to obtain a polyimide (FOPPI) via a conventional two‐step polymerization process. The prepared FOPPI exhibits excellent barrier properties, with the oxygen transmission rate and water vapor transmission rate low to 3.2 cm3·m−2·day−1 and 2.9 g·m−2·day−1, respectively. The results of wide angle X‐ray diffractograms, positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the excellent barrier properties of FOPPI are mainly ascribed to the crystallinity, high chain rigidity, and low free volume, which are resulted from the rigid planar moiety. FOPPI also shows outstanding thermal stability and mechanical properties with a glass transition temperature up to 420 °C, 5% loss temperature of 607 °C, coefficient of thermal expansion of 1.28 ppm K−1, and tensile strength of 150.8 MPa. The polyimide has an attractive potential application prospect in the flexible electronics encapsulation area. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 2373–2382
Non‐equilibrium dynamics of open systems and fluctuation‐dissipation theorems
Authors: Špička V. , Velický B. , Kalvová A.
Published: May 2017

The Non‐Equilibrium Fluctuation‐Dissipation Theorem (NE FDT) is formulated within the Non‐Equilibrium Green Function (NEGF) formalism. The relation of this theorem to a simplified kinetic theory of non‐equilibrium dynamics of electrons in open quantum systems is discussed. The possibility of such a simplified description is first discussed on non‐equilibrium dynamics of the molecular bridge model represented by calculations of transient magnetic currents between two ferromagnetic electrodes linked by tunneling junctions to a molecular size island of an Anderson local center type. This model can be treated by using the full set of equations for NEGF, which can be solved numerically. This provides a reference framework for testing the possibility of a simpler and physically more transparent solution based on a Non‐Markovian Generalized Master Equation (GME) as an approximation of the full set of NEGF equations. The advantages and limitations of the use of the Generalized Kadanoff‐Baym Ansatz (GKBA) for this simplified description is demonstrated. The basic question is the range of applicability of this approximation. It turns out that for our specific model the decisive feature is the spectral structure of the tunneling functions of both electrodes and their positioning with respect to the island level depending on the bias and the exchange splitting. Finally, the relation of this simplified description to non‐equilibrium generalization of FDT is shown independently on the chosen model. The connection between the NEGF reconstruction equations and the non‐equilibrium version of FDT is introduced and the possible approximations of this general scheme are discussed.
Moving to a better place? Residential mobility among families with young children in the Millennium Cohort Study
Authors: Gambaro Ludovica , Joshi Heather , Lupton Ruth
Published: May 2017

This paper assesses how far residential moves can result in improvement or deterioration of the housing and neighbourhood circumstances for families with young children. It uses data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study concentrating on the time between infancy and age 5, 2001 to 2006. First, we ask which families moved home and in what circumstances. We then examine how moving changed several aspects of housing: space standards, damp problems, and tenure. We show that the majority of moves resulted in improvements to housing conditions, especially in reducing overcrowding. We also consider neighbourhood circumstances, proxied by a measure of local poverty at small‐area level. Movers generally ended up in neighbourhoods with lower levels of poverty, or no worse, but almost one fifth of moves were downward or remained in the 30 percent poorest areas. We ask whether locating in an area with more local poverty may help achieve a larger home. There is evidence of such a trade‐off—1 in 5 families moved to a larger home, which was either in a poorer area than before or remained in the 30 percent poorest areas. We conclude by showing how the path of upward housing mobility, while numerically dominant, was far less common among families with relatively low resources and whose moves were attendant on partnership changes. For them, moves often result in smaller homes in poorer areas.
Older migrants and (im)mobilities of Ageing: An introduction
Authors: Ciobanu Ruxandra Oana , Hunter Alistair
Published: May 2017

This guest editorial introduces a special issue entitled “Older migrants: (im)mobilities of ageing.” The movement of people is a core concern of population geographers, and the last decade has witnessed a “mobilities turn.” This literature has given much attention to younger people who move, but thus far has largely ignored people who migrate in later life, or whose previous migrations significantly shape their present experiences of ageing. The articles in this special issue address this lacuna, drawing on different categories of older international migrants to and from various European countries. More specifically, the special issue's ambition is to respond to 2 questions. What added value does the “new mobilities paradigm” contribute to the study of older migrants, who may have migrated long ago or be less mobile today than in the past? And conversely, what added value does studying older migrants contribute to the mobilities paradigm? While acknowledging earlier critiques of this paradigm, we contend that the mobilities perspective helps to elucidate the experiences of older migrants, through its insistence on the capacity for mobility—whether physical, virtual, communicative, or imaginative—at diverse scales, including but certainly not limited to international cross‐border moves. Mobility thus conceived is an important but neglected factor for older people to achieve better quality of life. We also argue that research with older migrants offers rich potential for refining the mobilities paradigm, for example, in terms of “mobility regimes” governing access to health care and social protection, to which older migrants may be particularly exposed. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Coriolis effect: reply to White
Authors: Persson Anders
Published: May 2017

The distinction between “Coriolis force” and “Coriolis effect” is primarily not a matter of semantics, but physics, since the latter also involves centrifugal and gravitational forces. In this connection some minor clarifications to the original article are made.
Analyzing Teachers’ Use of Metadiscourse: The Missing Element in Classroom Discourse Analysis
Authors: Tang Kok‐Sing
Published: May 2017

Metadiscourse, or metatalk, is a discursive resource used in virtually any text or conversation to organize its content or signal the author's stance toward the content. Despite its prevalence in classroom talk, few have examined the role of metadiscourse and how it assists teachers and students to manage classroom communication of scientific knowledge. Thus, the purpose of this study is to analyze how science teachers use metadiscourse to construct scientific knowledge with their students. Based on a corpus of classroom video data, I developed a typology of metadiscourse commonly found in science classroom discourse. The typology comprises six major categories of metadiscourse, namely text connective, knowledge connective, activity connective, attitude marker, epistemology marker, and interpretive marker. In addition, I showed how the analysis on metadiscourse was necessary to complement the gaps from classroom analysis focusing on the interaction and content development aspects of classroom talk, particularly during the opening and reviewing stages of constructing a scientific explanation. With a better understanding of metadiscourse, its potential use as a pedagogical intervention to promote science learning is then discussed.
Temporality of Emotion: Antecedent and Successive Variants of Frustration When Learning Chemistry
Authors: King Donna , Ritchie Stephen M. , Sandhu Maryam , Henderson Senka , Boland Ben
Published: May 2017

Learning science in the middle years can be an emotional experience. In this study, we explored ninth‐grade students’ discrete emotions expressed during science activities in a 9‐week unit on chemistry. Individual student's emotions were analyzed through multiple data sources including classroom videos, interviews, and emotions diaries completed at the end of each lesson. Results from three representative students are presented as cases within a case study. Using a theoretical perspective drawn from theories of emotions founded in sociology, three assertions emerged. First, students experienced frustration when learning new chemistry concepts. Second, frustration was resolved through student–student and teacher–student interactions. Third, frustration was transformed when students were afforded time to revisit new concepts. Furthermore, the teacher's identification of students’ emotions enabled differentiation of learning through individualized interactions. Finally, we explain how the temporality of emotions emerged as an important phenomenon and suggest an elaboration to Turner's theorization of emotions.