bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pitavastatin nanoparticle-engineered endothelial progenitor cells repair injured vessels
Authors: Liu Huanyun , Bao Pang , Li Lufeng , Wang Yuqing , Xu Chunxin , Deng Mengyang , Zhang Jihang , Zhao Xiaohui
Published: December 2017

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) participate in vessel recovery and maintenance of normal endothelial function. Therefore, pitavastatin-nanoparticles (NPs)-engineered EPC may be effective in repairing injured vasculature. Pitavastatin-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) NPs were obtained via ultrasonic emulsion solvent evaporation with PLGA as the carrier encapsulating pitavastatin. The effects and mechanism of pitavastatin-NPs on EPC proliferation in vitro were evaluated. Then, EPC that internalized pitavastatin-NPs were transplanted into rats after carotid artery injury. EPC homing, re-endothelialization, and neointima were evaluated by fluorescence labeling, evans Blue and hematoxylin/eosin (H&E) staining. Pitavastatin-NPs significantly improved EPC proliferation compared with control and pitavastatin group. Those effects were blocked by pretreatment with the pharmacological phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) blockers LY294002. After carotid artery injury, more transplanted EPC were detected in target zone in Pitavastatin-NPs group than pitavastatin and control group. Re-endothelialization was promoted and intimal hyperplasia was inhibited as well. Thus, pitavastatin-NPs promote EPC proliferation via PI3K signaling and accelerate recovery of injured carotid artery.
NCOR1 modulates erythroid disorders caused by mutations of thyroid hormone receptor α1
Authors: Han Cho Rong , Park Sunmi , Cheng Sheue-yann
Published: December 2017

Thyroid hormone receptor α (THRA) gene mutations, via dominant negative mode, cause erythroid abnormalities in patients. Using mice expressing a dominant negative TRα1 mutant (TRα1PV; Thra1
PV/+ mice), we showed that TRα1PV acted directly to suppress the expression of key erythroid genes, causing erythroid defects. The nuclear receptor corepressor 1 (NCOR1) was reported to mediate the dominant negative effects of mutated TRα1. However, how NCOR1 could regulate TRα1 mutants in erythroid defects in vivo is not known. In the present study, we crossed Thra1
PV/+ mice with mice expressing a mutant Ncor1 allele (NCOR1ΔID; Ncor1
ΔID
mice). TRα1PV mutant cannot bind to NCOR1ΔID. The expression of NCOR1ΔID ameliorated abnormalities in the peripheral blood indices, and corrected the defective differentiation potential of progenitors in the erythroid lineage. The defective terminal erythropoiesis of lineage-negative bone marrow cells of Thra1
PV/+ mice was rescued by the expression of NCOR1ΔID. De-repression of key erythroid genes in Thra1
PV/+Ncor1ΔID/ΔID
mice led to partial rescue of terminal erythroid differentiation. These results indicate that the inability of TRα1PV to recruit NCOR1ΔID to form a repressor complex relieved the deleterious actions of TRα1 mutants in vivo. NCOR1 is a critical novel regulator underpining the pathogenesis of erythroid abnormalities caused by TRα1 mutants.
Simultaneous determination of tianeptine and its active metabolite tianeptine MC5 in rat plasma and brain tissue using high performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS)
Authors: El Zahar N. M. , Magdy N. , El-Kosasy A. M. , Beck Wayne D. , Callahan Patrick M. , Terry Alvin V. , Bartlett Michael G.
Published: December 2017

Validated LC-ESI-MS/MS method for tianeptine and its main metabolite in plasma and brain.
Bridging the gap with functional collagen scaffolds: tuning endogenous neural stem cells for severe spinal cord injury repair
Authors: Li Xing , Dai Jianwu
Published: December 2017

Severe spinal cord injury (SCI) induces massive proliferation of spinal cord neural stem cells (NSCs), which are considered a promising cell source for therapeutic neural repair.
Unique cohesive nature of the β1-isomer of [70]PCBM fullerene on structures and photovoltaic performances of bulk heterojunction films with PffBT4T-2OD polymers
Authors: Umeyama Tomokazu , Igarashi Kensho , Sakamaki Daisuke , Seki Shu , Imahori Hiroshi
Published: December 2017

Decreasing the amount of a diastereomer of β-[70]PCBM with high aggregation tendency improved the performances of OPV devices with PffBT4T-2OD:[70]PCBM films.
Amphiphile-like self assembly of metal organic polyhedra having both polar and non-polar groups
Authors: Lal Garima , Lee Shiron J. , Spasyuk Denis M. , Shimizu George K. H.
Published: December 2017

Metal–organic polyhedra with segregated polar and non-polar faces are observed to self-assemble in solvents of different polarity.
Towards understanding the behavior of polyelectrolyte–surfactant mixtures at the water/vapor interface closer to technologically-relevant conditions
Authors: Llamas Sara , Fernández-Peña Laura , Akanno Andrew , Guzmán Eduardo , Ortega Víctor , Ortega Francisco , Csaky Aurelio G. , Campbell Richard A. , Rubio Ramón G.
Published: December 2017

The adsorption of technologically relevant polyelectrolyte–surfactant mixtures at fluid interfaces was studied by neutron reflectometry and surface tensiometry.
Geometric and electronic structure of multilayered graphene: synergy of the nondirective ripples and the number of layers
Authors: Cui Ting Ting , Li Jian Chen , Gao Wang , Jiang Qing
Published: December 2017

According to the Mermin–Wagner theorem, ripple deformation is ubiquitous in a two-dimensional (2D) free-standing sheet, influencing the electronic properties.
Influence of aluminates on the structure and dynamics of water and ions in the nanometer channel of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) gel
Authors: Hou Dongshuai , Li Tao
Published: December 2017

Al species incorporated in silicate chains enhance hydrophilicity and cation immobilization ability of the C–S–H gel.
Zeolite Y supported nickel phosphide catalysts for the hydrodenitrogenation of quinoline as a proxy for crude bio-oils from hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae
Authors: Wagner Jonathan L. , Jones Emyr , Sartbaeva Asel , Davis Sean A. , Torrente-Murciano Laura , Chuck Christopher J. , Ting Valeska P.
Published: December 2017

The catalytic activity of nickel phosphide catalysts on different zeolite Y supports is investigated for the upgrading of algal bio-oils.
Adsorption of Dicamba herbicide onto a carbon replica obtained from a layered double hydroxide
Authors: Pinto M. C. E. , Santos R. M. M. , Gonçalves R. G. L. , Duarte V. G. O. , Borges P. D. , Leroux F. , Constantino V. R. L. , Izumi C. M. S. , Pinto F. G. , Tronto J.
Published: December 2017

A carbon replica obtained from a LDH was used for the first time as an adsorbent for the removal of Dicamba herbicide from aqueous solutions.
Stepwise synthesis of the heterotrimetallic chains [MRu2(dpa)4X2]0/1+ using group 7 to group 12 transition metal ions and [Ru2(dpa)4Cl]
Authors: Cheng Ming-Chuan , Hua Shao-An , Lv Qiying , Sigrist Marc , Lee Gene-Hsiang , Liu Yu-Chiao , Chiang Ming-Hsi , Peng Shie-Ming
Published: December 2017

Develop a powerful precursor [Ru2(dpa)4Cl] to synthesis a complete series of trimetallic atom chain [MRu2(dpa)4Cl2]0/1+. An overview of the entire series in structure, electrochemistry and spectroscopy is presented.
In situ simultaneous photovoltaic and structural evolution of perovskite solar cells during film formation
Authors: Alsari Mejd , Bikondoa Oier , Bishop James , Abdi-Jalebi Mojtaba , Y. Ozer Lütfiye , Hampton Mark , Thompson Paul , T. Hörantner Maximilian , Mahesh Suhas , Greenland Claire , Macdonald J. Emyr , Palmisano Giovanni , Snaith Henry J. , Lidzey David G. , Stranks Samuel D. , Friend Richard H. , Lilliu Samuele
Published: December 2017

Simultaneous GI-WAXS diffraction patterns and JV measurement of IBC solar cells during in situ anneal.
A critical assessment of the environmental fate of linear and cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes using multimedia fugacity models
Authors: Panagopoulos Dimitri , MacLeod Matthew
Published: December 2017

Modeled residence times of volatile methyl siloxanes exceed several persistence criteria in aquatic environments.
Sustainable synthesis of amino acids by catalytic fixation of molecular dinitrogen and carbon dioxide
Authors: Rivas Manuel , del Valle Luís J. , Turon Pau , Alemán Carlos , Puiggalí Jordi
Published: December 2017

The industrial process of nitrogen fixation is complex and results in a huge economic and environmental impact.
Linking invasive motility to protein expression in single tumor cells
Authors: Lin Jung-Ming G. , Kang Chi-Chih , Zhou Yun , Huang Haiyan , Herr Amy E. , Kumar Sanjay
Published: December 2017

SCAMPR assay identifies predictive proteomic markers of invasive motility.
Oral trivalent bismuth ions decrease, and trivalent indium or ruthenium ions increase, intestinal tumor burden in ApcΔ14/+mice
Authors: Laval Marie , Dumesny Chelsea , Eutick Mal , Baldwin Graham S. , Marshall Kathryn M.
Published: December 2017

Oral Bi3+ions decreased the number of tumors (>3 mm) in APCΔ14/+mice.
Novel synthesis of Ag decorated TiO2 anchored on zeolites derived from coal fly ash for the photodegradation of bisphenol-A
Authors: Hlekelele Lerato , Franklyn Paul J. , Dziike Farai , Durbach Shane H.
Published: December 2017

Disposing of coal fly ash threatens the environment hence means to reuse it are highly sought after.
Synthesis and structural characterization of zirconium complexes supported by tridentate pyrrolide-imino ligands with pendant N-, O- and S-donor groups and their application in ethylene polymerization
Authors: Pinheiro A. C. , da Silva S. M. , Roisnel T. , Kirillov E. , Carpentier J.-F. , Casagrande Osvaldo L.
Published: December 2017

Zirconium complexes supported by pyrrolide-imino ligands been synthesized and their catalytic behavior in ethylene polymerization has been investigated.
Confinement of polysulfides within bi-functional metal–organic frameworks for high performance lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Hong Xu-Jia , Tan Tian-Xiong , Guo Yu-Kai , Tang Xue-Ying , Wang Jian-Yi , Qin Wei , Cai Yue-Peng
Published: December 2017

Cu-MOF with the dual functional binding sites is a very powerful MOF host for the inclusion of sulfur and polysulfides, demonstrating the best performance among all reported S@MOF composite cathode materials so far.
Block poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers tethering aromatic side-chain quaternary ammonium as anion exchange membranes
Authors: Zhang Xueliang , Shi Qian , Chen Pei , Zhou Jinfang , Li Songsong , Xu Hua , Chen Xinbing , An Zhongwei
Published: December 2017

A series of poly(arylene ether sulfone) block copolymer ionomers have been synthesized with different hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments, where benzyl-quaternary ammonium groups are tethered to the side chains of hydrophilic blocks.
Diazonaphthoquinone-based amphiphilic polymer assemblies for NIR/UV light- and pH-responsive controlled release
Authors: Li Qingwei , Cao Ziquan , Wang Guojie
Published: December 2017

A multiple-stimuli-responsive polymer nanocarrier has been self-assembled for NIR/UV light- and pH-controlled cargo release.
A comparison of online and traditional chemistry lecture and lab
Authors: Faulconer E. K. , Griffith J. C. , Wood B. L. , Acharyya S. , Roberts D. L.
Published: December 2017

While the equivalence between online and traditional classrooms has been well researched, very little effort has been expended to do such comparisons for college level introductory chemistry. The existing literature has only one study that investigated chemistry lectures at an entire course level as opposed to particular course components such as individual topics or exams. Regarding lab courses, only one study is available and it involves moderating variables that are largely uncontrolled. In this work, we compared the student pass rates, withdrawal rates, and grade distributions between asynchronous online and traditional formats of an introductory chemistry lecture as well as its associated lab course. The study was based on the 823 university records available for the 2015–2016 academic year. Student pass and withdrawal rates between the two modes were quite similar and did not appear to be statistically significant. However, grade distributions for both the lecture and lab differed between the two learning modes, showing significant statistical associations. Online students were more likely to earn As in both lecture and lab while traditional in-person students were more likely to earn Cs or Ds. Further research should include replication of this study with a larger data set. Additionally, this study should be repeated in three to five years to determine if advances in course design, standardization and delivery platforms further reduce or eliminate differences between learning modes. Future studies should also use qualitative tools for a better understanding of why students fail or withdraw from courses.
Imine-based [2]catenanes in water
Authors: Caprice Kenji , Pupier Marion , Kruve Anneli , Schalley Christoph A. , Cougnon Fabien B. L.
Published: December 2017

The hydrophobic effect promotes the self-assembly of imine-based [2]catenanes in pure water.
Silk nanoparticles: from inert supports to bioactive natural carriers for drug delivery
Authors: Crivelli Barbara , Perteghella Sara , Bari Elia , Sorrenti Milena , Tripodo Giuseppe , Chlapanidas Theodora , Torre Maria Luisa
Published: December 2017

Silk proteins are excellent biomaterials for the production of drug delivery (nano)systems.
Macromolecular ‘size’ and ‘hardness’ drives structure in solvent-swollen blends of linear, cyclic, and star polymers
Authors: Gartner Thomas E. , Jayaraman Arthi
Published: December 2017

We describe a computational framework to determine the structure and thermodynamics of solvent-swollen polymer blends of varying architecture; we find that the size and shape of the macromolecules dictate the blend morphology.
Do Infants Born Very Premature and Who Have Very Low Birth Weight Catch Up With Their Full Term Peers in Their Language Abilities by Early School Age?
Authors: Zimmerman Emily
Published: December 2017

Purpose

This study examined the extent to which children born preterm (< 37 weeks) and/or who have low birth weight (< 2,500 g) catch up with their full term peers in terms of their language abilities at early school age (≥ 5 to < 9 years).

Method

A systematic literature search identified empirical studies that fit the inclusion criteria. Data from the tests/questionnaires used for meta-analysis spanned the following language categories: total language score, expressive language, receptive language, pragmatics, phonological awareness, and grammar. The means (standard deviations) were extracted from the studies and were converted to mean difference and 95% confidence intervals to test for overall effect.

Results

Sixteen studies met the inclusionary criteria, for a total of 2,739 participants, of which 1,224 were born full term and 1,515 were born preterm. It is important to note that the preterm cohort represented very preterm infants who have a very low birth weight. The meta-analysis found that preterm infants scored significantly worse on total language (
p
< .001), receptive language (
p
< .001), expressive language (
p
< .001), phonological awareness (
p
< .001), and grammar (
p
= .03) than their full term peers. However, preterm infants did not score significantly worse than their peers on their pragmatics (
p
= .19).

Conclusions

Children born VPT and who have VLBW perform worse than their peers on their total language, receptive language, expressive language, phonological awareness, and grammar abilities by early school age. This information is important for speech-language pathologists to consider as children born prematurely reach school age.
Longitudinal Study of Language and Speech of Twins at 4 and 6 Years: Twinning Effects Decrease, Zygosity Effects Disappear, and Heritability Increases
Authors: Rice Mabel L. , Zubrick Stephen R. , Taylor Catherine L. , Hoffman Lesa , Gayán Javier
Published: December 2017

Purpose

This study investigates the heritability of language, speech, and nonverbal cognitive development of twins at 4 and 6 years of age. Possible confounding effects of twinning and zygosity, evident at 2 years, were investigated among other possible predictors of outcomes.

Method

The population-based twin sample included 627 twin pairs and 1 twin without a co-twin (197 monozygotic and 431 dizygotic), 610 boys and 645 girls, 1,255 children in total. Nine phenotypes from the same comprehensive direct behavioral assessment protocol were investigated at 4 and 6 years of age. Twinning effects were estimated for each phenotype at each age using general linear mixed models using maximum likelihood.

Results

Twinning effects decreased from 4 to 6 years; zygosity effects disappeared by 6 years. Heritability increased from 4 to 6 years across all 9 phenotypes, and the heritability estimates were higher than reported previously, in the range of .44–.92 at 6 years. The highest estimate, .92, was for the clinical grammar marker.

Conclusions

Across multiple dimensions of speech, language, and nonverbal cognition, heritability estimates are robust. A finiteness marker of grammar shows the highest inherited influences in this early period of children's language acquisition.
The Relationship Between Motor Delays and Language Development in Very Low Birthweight Premature Children at 18 Months Corrected Age
Authors: Ross Gail , Demaria Rebecca , Yap Vivien
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The aim of this study is to determine if there is a specific association between motor delays and receptive and expressive language function, respectively, in prematurely born children.

Method

Retrospective data review: 126 premature children ≤ 1,250-g birthweight from English-speaking families were evaluated on motor development (normal, mild delay, and moderate–severe delay) and the cognitive and language scales of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development–Third Edition (Bayley, 2006) at 18 months corrected age. Cognitive scores were categorized as normal, suspect, and abnormal. Gender, demographic, and perinatal variables were recorded and analyzed with respect to motor category.

Results

Lower birthweight, chronic need for oxygen, severe intraventricular hemorrhage, and intestinal infection/inflammation were related to poorer motor development. On receptive language, the normal motor group attained significantly higher scores than the moderate–severe motor group but did not differ significantly from the mild delay motor group. On expressive language, the normal motor group had significantly higher scores than both the mild and moderate–severe groups. Girls performed better than boys on receptive and expressive language, but there was no significant interaction between gender and motor category on any of the Bayley scores. Cognitive, but not motor, category significantly contributed to variance of receptive language scores; cognitive and motor category each independently contributed to the variance in expressive language.

Conclusion

Findings suggest that motor control areas of the brain may be implicated in expressive language development of premature children. Further research is needed to determine the underlying factors for the association between motor and expressive language function.
Measuring the hydrostatic mass bias in galaxy clusters by combining Sunyaev–Zel’dovich and CMB lensing data
Authors: Hurier G. , Angulo R. E.
Published: December 2017

The cosmological parameters preferred by the cosmic microwave background (CMB) primary anisotropies predict many more galaxy clusters than those that have been detected via the thermal Sunyaev–Zeldovich (tSZ) effect. This discrepancy has attracted considerable attention since it might be evidence of physics beyond the simplest ΛCDM model. However, an accurate and robust calibration of the mass-observable relation for clusters is necessary for the comparison, which has been proven difficult to obtain so far. Here, we present new constraints on the mass–pressure relation by combining tSZ and CMB lensing measurements of optically selected clusters. Consequently, our galaxy cluster sample is independent of the data employed to derive cosmological constrains. We estimate an average hydrostatic mass bias of b = 0.26 ± 0.07, with no significant mass or redshift evolution. This value greatly reduces the discrepancy between the predictions of ΛCDM and the observed abundance of tSZ clusters but agrees with recent estimates from tSZ clustering. On the other hand, our value for b is higher than the predictions from hydrodynamical simulations. This suggests mechanisms that drive large departures from hydrostatic equilibrium and that are not included in the latest simulations, and/or unaccounted systematic errors such as biases in the cluster catalogue that are due to the optical selection.
Body Mass Index Changes during Pregnancy and Perinatal Outcomes - A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Morais Sirlei Siani , Nascimento Simony Lira , Godoy-Miranda Ana Carolina , Kasawara Karina Tamy , Surita Fernanda Garanhani
Published: December 2017

Objective To evaluate the relation between changes the body mass index (BMI) percentile, reflected in the Atalah curve, and perinatal outcomes.

Methods A cross-sectional study with 1,279 women was performed. Data regarding gestational weight, sociodemographic characteristics and perinatal outcomes were collected through medical charts, prenatal card and interviews in the postpartum period. Women could be classified according to the Atalah curve in the following categories: low weight, adequate weight, overweight, and obese. The BMI was calculated at the first and at the last prenatal care visits, and these values were compared.

Results An increase in the BMI category according to the Atalah classification occurred in 19.9% of pregnant women, and an increase of 3.4, 5.8 and 6.4 points of BMI were found for women respectively classified in the adequate weight, overweight and obese categories at the first prenatal visit. Women with high school education presented a lower chance of increasing their BMI (odds ratio [OR] 0:47 [0.24- 0.95]). Women who evolved with an increase in the the Atalah classification were associated with cesarean section (OR 1.97–2.28), fetal macrosomia (OR 4.13–12.54) and large for gestational age newborn (OR 2.88–9.83).

Conclusion Pregnant women who gained enough weight to move up in their BMI classification according to the Atalah curve had a higher chance of cesarean section and macrosomia. Women classified as obese, according to the Atalah curve, at the first prenatal visit had a high chance of cesarean section and delivering a large for gestational age newborn.
Levetiracetam Treatment Induced Stevens–Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis
Authors: Orhan Fazıl , Abul Mehtap , Mutlu Mehmet , Şahin Sevim , Cansu Ali , Kamaşak Tülay
Published: December 2017

Stevens–Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis are severe mucocutaneous reactions involving at least two mucosal surfaces and resulting in cutaneous eruption. They are frequently associated with infection and drug use. The best-known infectious cause is Mycoplasma pneumoniae, while antiepileptics are often among the drugs giving rise to these conditions. We describe two patients with suspected Stevens–Johnson syndrome and cutaneous eruption, which were primarily attributed to carbamazepine therapy. Another important shared feature in these two cases is that following an initial improvement in lesions in both patients, an increase in lesions and worsening of clinical picture after initiation of levetiracetam therapy was noted. One of the patients was found to be HLA-B 1502 positive, which is a known risk factor for carbamazepine-induced Stevens–Johnson syndrome. Levetiracetam therapy, which is regarded as safe in terms of cutaneous reactions, if chosen following such reactions due to another antiepilepsy medication, may be capable of reactivating Stevens–Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis as was seen in our patients.
Effect of Levetiracetam Monotherapy in Nonlesional Focal Childhood Epilepsy
Authors: Sano Fumikazu , Ohyama Tetsuo , Sugita Kanji , Aihara Masao , Kanemura Hideaki
Published: December 2017

This article compares the efficacy and tolerability of carbamazepine (CBZ) and levetiracetam (LEV) when used as initial monotherapy in children with nonlesional focal epilepsy. Patients with nonlesional focal epilepsy were subdivided into two groups according to the initial monotherapy: a LEV group administered LEV at an initial dose of 5 mg/kg/day and a CBZ group. Seizure response, adverse events, medication dose, reasons for discontinuing medication, adherence, and random serum levels were recorded. The overall percentage of patients who failed initial treatment and reasons for each treatment failure were determined. Data were analyzed from 183 children who received CBZ monotherapy and 46 children who received LEV monotherapy for ≥12 months. Overall, 126 patients (68.9%) became seizure-free with CBZ, compared with 37 patients (80.4%) with LEV. Moreover, four patients in CBZ and four patients in LEV groups showed a >50% reduction in seizure frequency. The efficacy rate was significantly higher and the adverse event rate was significantly lower in the LEV group than in the CBZ group (p = 0.0129 and p = 0.0039, respectively). LEV may offer superior efficacy and a lower risk of adverse effects compared with CBZ. LEV as initial monotherapy may represent a valuable treatment option for children with nonlesional focal childhood epilepsy.
eHealth-Berater – fachkundiger Ansprechpartner für digitale Gesundheitsanwendungen
Authors: Kokelmann Christoph , Timpel Patrick , Jaqueline Schwarz , Düring-Schmidt Stefanie , Hahnewald Christina , Panchyrz Ivonne , Kemple Kristin
Published: December 2017

Die Digitalisierung der Lebensbereiche verändert die Beratung und Versorgung von Patienten. Unter dem Begriff eHealth („Electronic Health“) entfaltet sich eine kaum zu überblickende Vielzahl an Gesundheits-Apps, Wearables, Internetportalen und weiteren digitalen Gesundheitsanwendungen, welche die Akteure des Gesundheitswesens vor Herausforderungen stellen, denen man mit einer zielgerichteten Ausbildung von eHealth-Beratern begegnen kann. Daher werden in Sachsen aktuell im Rahmen des vom Europäischen Fonds für regionale Entwicklung (EFRE) geförderten Projektes „Entwicklung eines innovativen Netzwerkes für eHealth-Akteure“ ein Weiterbildungscurriculum und ein Online-Weiterbildungsnetzwerk für Berater und Versorger im Gesundheitswesen entwickelt. Die zukünftigen eHealth-Berater sollen in Belangen der Digitalisierung fachkundiger Ansprechpartner für Ihre Patienten sein. Eine zwischen Mai und November 2017 durchgeführte Befragung zum Fortbildungsbedarf von Versorgern identifizierte ein Defizit der Zielgruppe im Umgang mit und in der Bewertung von eHealth-Anwendungen. Ein erster Weiterbildungskurs zum eHealth-Berater adressiert diesen Bedarf und wird im März 2018 beginnen. Zeitgleich können sich die Teilnehmer und auch weitere interessierte Akteure im Online-Netzwerk miteinander vernetzen.
Landflucht in der Medizin: Wer betreut die Menschen auf dem Land?
Authors: Hecht Lars
Published: December 2017

Der Sachverständigenrat der Bundesregierung zur Begutachtung der Entwicklung im Gesundheitswesen hielt 2014 in seinem Gutachten fest, dass die Versorgungskapazitäten in Deutschland insgesamt auf sehr hohem Niveau vorhanden sind. Allerdings drohen zunehmende Schieflagen zwischen Ballungsgebieten und der Fläche. Aktuell suchen die politischen Entscheidungsträger nach Lösungen für eine nachhaltige Versorgung ländlicher Räume.
Preconception Optimization of Glucose and Insulin Metabolism in Women Wanting to Conceive – High Rate of Spontaneous Conception Prior to Planned Assisted Reproduction
Authors: Fill Malfertheiner Sara , Gutknecht Dagmar , Bals-Pratsch Monika
Published: December 2017

Background A hyperglycemic metabolic status with insulin resistance can have a negative effect on fertility and pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate disorders of glucose and insulin metabolism in women wanting to conceive who conceived spontaneously prior to planned assisted reproduction (ART). Associated risk factors of patients in terms of live births and miscarriages were also analyzed.

Method Out of total study population of 589 pregnancies, the pregnancies of 129 women wishing to have children who conceived spontaneously prior to planned ART were analyzed in more detail. A 75 g OGTT (OGTT: oral glucose tolerance test) was carried out prior to conception and after determination of pregnancy, including glucose measurement and testing of insulin resistance. If anomalies or risk factors for gestational diabetes (GDM) were detected, patients received metformin therapy prior to conception (off-label use). The course and outcome of pregnancies in the defined cohort were recorded.

Results The rate of spontaneous conception before planned ART after treatment for disorders of glucose/insulin metabolism was 21.9% (n = 129/589). 66.7% of the 129 pregnancies resulted in a live birth, 32 patients had a miscarriage. 76.0% of patients were treated with metformin (off-label use) for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), positive risk profile for GDM, or abnormal glucose/insulin metabolism prior to conception. 55.8% of the cohort developed GDM. The insulin requirements of patients with GDM differed significantly depending on their metformin intake. 24.6% of GDM patients receiving metformin treatment developed GDM requiring insulin treatment compared to 53.8% who did not receive metformin medication. The PCOS rate in the study population who had live births was significantly higher (57.0%) than in the group who had miscarriages (31.3%). There were no significant differences with regard to rate of live births and rate of miscarriages with/without metformin treatment and GDM and metformin intake.

Conclusion The high rate of spontaneous conceptions in the cohort of women wishing to conceive emphasizes the importance of optimizing glucose/insulin metabolism prior to conception. The high rate of GDM in a cohort of pregnant women with a history of sterility also emphasizes the importance of expanding diagnostic testing for sterility to include the investigation of glucose metabolism and testing for insulin resistance. It is possible that PCOS patients in particular could benefit from treatment with metformin prior to conception, and this could explain the high rate of live births in this patient cohort.
Einfluss des Disease-Management-Programms auf den HbA1c-Wert bei Typ-2-Diabetes-mellitus-Patienten: Ein retrospektiver Vergleich zwischen Disease Management Programm und Regelversorgung
Authors: Wiefarn Stefan , Kostev Karel , Heumann Christian , Rettelbach Anja
Published: December 2017

Hintergrund Diese retrospektive Studie hat das Ziel, den Einfluss des Disease-Management-Programms (DMP) für Typ-2-Diabetes-mellitus-Patienten (T2DM) auf den HbA1c-Wert innerhalb Deutschlands zu messen.

Methoden Die Studie basiert auf retrospektiven Patientendaten aus dem Disease Analyzer Panel (IMS Health). Mittels 2:1 Propensity Score Matching wurde eine adäquate Kontrollgruppe gebildet. Nach dem Matching umfasste die Analyse 14 759 Patienten. Davon nahmen 5875 Patienten an einem DMP teil und 8884 erhielten die Regelversorgung. Auf Basis der gematchten Daten wurde der DMP-Effekt mittels unverbundenem t-Test geschätzt. Darüber hinaus erfolgte unter dem Gesichtspunkt der personalisierten Medizin die Betrachtung von Subgruppen.

Ergebnisse Die Senkung des HbA1c-Wertes in der DMP-Gruppe lag bei durchschnittlich 1,0 Prozentpunkten (Baseline HbA1c = 8,1 vs. HbA1c-Endwert = 7,1), wohingegen die RV-Gruppe den HbA1c-Wert im Mittel um 0,9 Prozentpunkte senken konnte (Baseline HbA1c = 8,1 vs. HbA1c-Endwert = 7,2). Somit konnte die DMP-Gruppe eine nur um 0,1 Prozentpunkte höhere Senkung des HbA1c-Wertes erreichen [95 %-KI: 0,04 – 0,16]. Deskriptiv zeigte sich zudem, dass Patienten aus der DMP-Gruppe durchschnittlich mehr Verordnungen und HbA1c-Messungen pro Jahr aufwiesen. In der Subgruppenanalyse konnten Gruppen von Patienten identifiziert werden, welche mehr von einem DMP profitieren als andere. So können junge Patienten oder Patienten in Behandlung bei einem Diabetologen den größten Nutzen aus einem DMP ziehen. Des Weiteren hat der Baseline-HbA1c-Wert einen Einfluss auf die Höhe des DMP-Effekts.

Folgerung T2DM-Patienten im DMP weisen zwar eine signifikant höhere Senkung des HbA1c-Wertes auf, jedoch ist fraglich, ob der Effekt als klinisch relevant anzusehen ist. Allerdings gibt es Gruppen von Patienten, welche mehr von einem DMP profitieren als andere. Um jedoch den Einfluss des DMPs und die Gründe für die vorhandenen Subgruppeneffekte besser zu verstehen, bedarf es weiterer Studien, welche in einem randomisierten kontrollierten Design durchgeführt werden sollten.
Efficiency enhancement of the high-frequency isolated grid-connected converter for the battery energy storage system
Authors: Wang Qingshan , Liang Deliang
Published: December 2017

High-frequency (HF) isolated grid-connected converters for a battery energy storage system have been extensively researched in recent years. However, due to the HF isolated energy conversion link, the operation efficiency is relatively lower than that required in mass adoption. The topology of the HF isolated grid-connected converter proposed in this paper features a dual active bridge (DAB) converter containing a multi-winding HF transformer and two multi-arm converters. Through modifying the operation modes of the DAB converter, the commutation inductor in the soft switching process can be adjusted according to the load conditions. Thus, the operation efficiency of the grid-connected converter is improved under heavy load and at light load. Meanwhile, the modifying points of the operation modes are selected based on the power dissipation models. Additionally, the control system for the proposed DAB converter is designed based on the small signal model, and the parameters of the regulator are also calculated. Finally, the theoretical analyses are validated by the experimental results on a prototype circuit.
A mapping variable ring polymer molecular dynamics study of condensed phase proton-coupled electron transfer
Authors: Pierre Sadrach , Duke Jessica R. , Hele Timothy J. H. , Ananth Nandini
Published: December 2017

We investigate the mechanisms of condensed phase proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) using Mapping-Variable Ring Polymer Molecular Dynamics (MV-RPMD), a recently developed method that employs an ensemble of classical trajectories to simulate nonadiabatic excited state dynamics. Here, we construct a series of system-bath model Hamiltonians for the PCET, where four localized electron-proton states are coupled to a thermal bath via a single solvent mode, and we employ MV-RPMD to simulate state population dynamics. Specifically, for each model, we identify the dominant PCET mechanism, and by comparing against rate theory calculations, we verify that our simulations correctly distinguish between concerted PCET, where the electron and proton transfer together, and sequential PCET, where either the electron or the proton transfers first. This work represents a first application of MV-RPMD to multi-level condensed phase systems; we introduce a modified MV-RPMD expression that is derived using a symmetric rather than asymmetric Trotter discretization scheme and an initialization protocol that uses a recently derived population estimator to constrain trajectories to a dividing surface. We also demonstrate that, as expected, the PCET mechanisms predicted by our simulations are robust to an arbitrary choice of the initial dividing surface.
Investigation of the unsteady pressure pulsations in the prototype Francis turbines during load variation and startup
Authors: Trivedi Chirag , Gogstad Peter Joachim , Dahlhaug Ole Gunnar
Published: December 2017

This work investigates the unsteady pressure fluctuations in two prototype Francis turbines during load variation and start-up. Although hydraulic turbines are expected to experience such events over their lifetime, the resulting pressure amplitudes are so significant that they take a toll on a machine's operating life. The interest of the present study is to experimentally measure and numerically characterize time-dependent pressure pulsations. Specific focus is on (1) how pressure pulsations of both synchronous and asynchronous types in vertical- and horizontal-axis turbines change when the load of a turbine changes from steady conditions, (2) what the pressure amplitudes during load change are, and (3) how quickly pressure amplitudes vary when a generator is synchronized to the power grid (load) during start-up. To this end, four pressure sensors were integrated in the draft tube cone. The results are quite interesting, especially during transition from the steady state to the transient load change. In the vertical-axis turbine, amplitudes of asynchronous pressure pulsations are 20 times larger than those of the synchronous component; whereas, in the horizontal-axis turbine, amplitudes of asynchronous pressure pulsations are two times smaller than those of the synchronous component. During a load change, amplitudes of synchronous pressure pulsations are nearly double compared with the asynchronous component. For the turbine startup, only synchronous-type pressure pulsations are found and the flow was asymmetrical over the draft tube circumference.
Experimental study of a flexible and environmentally stable electroadhesive device
Authors: Guo J. , Bamber T. , Singh J. , Manby D. , Bingham P. A. , Justham L. , Petzing J. , Penders J. , Jackson M.
Published: December 2017

Electroadhesion is a promising adhesion mechanism for robotics and material handling applications due to several distinctive advantages it has over existing technologies. These advantages include enhanced adaptability, gentle/flexible handling, reduced complexity, and ultra-low energy consumption. Unstable electroadhesive forces, however, can arise in ambient environments. Electroadhesive devices that can produce stable forces in changing environments are thus desirable. In this study, a flexible and environmentally stable electroadhesive device was designed and manufactured by conformally coating a layer of barium titanate dielectric on a chemically etched thin copper laminate. The results, obtained from an advanced electroadhesive “normal force” testing platform, show that only a relative difference of 5.94% in the normal force direction was observed. This was achieved when the relative humidity changed from 25% to 53%, temperature from 13.7 °C to 32.8 °C, and atmospheric pressure from 999 hPa to 1016.9 hPa. This environmentally stable electroadhesive device may promote the application of the electroadhesion technology.
Liquid metal actuator driven by electrochemical manipulation of surface tension
Authors: Russell Loren , Wissman James , Majidi Carmel
Published: December 2017

We examine the electrocapillary properties of a fluidic actuator composed of a liquid metal droplet that is submerged in electrolytic solution and attached to an elastic beam. The beam deflection is controlled by electrochemically driven changes in the surface energy of the droplet. The metal is a eutectic gallium-indium alloy that is liquid at room temperature and forms an nm-thin Ga2O3 skin when oxidized. The effective surface tension of the droplet changes dramatically with oxidation and reduction, which are reversibly controlled by applying low voltage to the electrolytic bath. Wetting the droplet to two copper pads allows for a controllable tensile force to be developed between the opposing surfaces. We demonstrate the ability to reliably control force by changing the applied oxidizing voltage. Actuator forces and droplet geometries are also examined by performing a computational fluid mechanics simulation using Surface Evolver. The theoretical predictions are in qualitative agreement with the experimental measurements and provide additional confirmation that actuation is driven by surface tension.
Demonstration of a vectorial optical field generator with adaptive close loop control
Authors: Chen Jian , Kong Lingjiang , Zhan Qiwen
Published: December 2017

We experimentally demonstrate a vectorial optical field generator (VOF-Gen) with an adaptive close loop control. The close loop control capability is illustrated with the calibration of polarization modulation of the system. To calibrate the polarization ratio modulation, we generate 45° linearly polarized beam and make it propagate through a linear analyzer whose transmission axis is orthogonal to the incident beam. For the retardation calibration, circularly polarized beam is employed and a circular polarization analyzer with the opposite chirality is placed in front of the CCD as the detector. In both cases, the close loop control automatically changes the value of the corresponding calibration parameters in the pre-set ranges to generate the phase patterns applied to the spatial light modulators and records the intensity distribution of the output beam by the CCD camera. The optimized calibration parameters are determined corresponding to the minimum total intensity in each case. Several typical kinds of vectorial optical beams are created with and without the obtained calibration parameters, and the full Stokes parameter measurements are carried out to quantitatively analyze the polarization distribution of the generated beams. The comparisons among these results clearly show that the obtained calibration parameters could remarkably improve the accuracy of the polarization modulation of the VOF-Gen, especially for generating elliptically polarized beam with large ellipticity, indicating the significance of the presented close loop in enhancing the performance of the VOF-Gen.
Resistive switching and photovoltaic effects in ferroelectric BaTiO3-based capacitors with Ti and Pt top electrodes
Authors: Fan Hua , Chen Chao , Fan Zhen , Zhang Luyong , Tan Zhengwei , Li Peilian , Huang Zhifeng , Yao Junxiang , Tian Guo , Luo Qiuyuan , Li Zhongwen , Song Xiao , Chen Deyang , Zeng Min , Gao Jinwei , Lu Xubing , Zhao Yue , Gao Xingsen , Liu Jun-Ming
Published: December 2017

We have comparatively studied the dielectric, ferroelectric, conduction, and photovoltaic properties of Ti/BaTiO3 (BTO)/SrRuO3 (SRO) and Pt/BTO/SRO capacitors. The resistive switching (RS) is observed in the Pt/BTO/SRO capacitor while it is absent in the Ti/BTO/SRO capacitor, which may be attributed to the interfacial layer existing between Pt and BTO and the Ti/BTO Ohmic interface, respectively. Further analyses on the conduction mechanisms suggest that the RS may be caused by the opening/closing of conduction paths in the Pt/BTO interfacial layer, whereas the polarization is ruled out as the origin of RS because of the inconsistency between the RS switching voltages and coercive voltages. On the other hand, it is observed that the photovoltaic effects (PVEs) in both Ti/BTO/SRO and Pt/BTO/SRO capacitors are electrically unswitchable and the open-circuit voltages of the two capacitors are similar in magnitude, implying that the PVE is driven by an internal bias field rather than the polarization-induced field. The existence of such an internal bias field is indicated by the self-polarization and imprint phenomena. Our study demonstrates that the interfacial layer and the internal bias field can be the major causes for the RS and PVE in certain ferroelectric capacitors, respectively, whereas the polarization may not necessarily play a role.
Polymorphic improvement of Stillinger-Weber potential for InGaN
Authors: Zhou X. W. , Jones R. E. , Chu K.
Published: December 2017

A Stillinger-Weber potential is computationally very efficient for molecular dynamics simulations. Despite its simple mathematical form, the Stillinger-Weber potential can be easily parameterized to ensure that crystal structures with tetrahedral bond angles (e.g., diamond-cubic, zinc-blende, and wurtzite) are stable and have the lowest energy. As a result, the Stillinger-Weber potential has been widely used to study a variety of semiconductor elements and alloys. When studying an A-B binary system, however, the Stillinger-Weber potential is associated with two major drawbacks. First, it significantly overestimates the elastic constants of elements A and B, limiting its use for systems involving both compounds and elements (e.g., an A/AB multilayer). Second, it prescribes equal energy for zinc-blende and wurtzite crystals, limiting its use for compounds with large stacking fault energies. Here, we utilize the polymorphic potential style recently implemented in LAMMPS to develop a modified Stillinger-Weber potential for InGaN that overcomes these two problems.
Double Fe-impurity charge state in the topological insulator Bi2Se3
Authors: Stolyarov V. S. , Remizov S. V. , Shapiro D. S. , Pons S. , Vlaic S. , Aubin H. , Baranov D. S. , Brun Ch. , Yashina L. V. , Bozhko S. I. , Cren T. , Pogosov W. V. , Roditchev D.
Published: December 2017

The influence of individual impurities of Fe on the electronic properties of topological insulator Bi2Se3 is studied by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy. The microscope tip is used in order to remotely charge/discharge Fe impurities. The charging process is shown to depend on the impurity location in the crystallographic unit cell, on the presence of other Fe impurities in the close vicinity, and on the overall doping level of the crystal. We present a qualitative explanation of the observed phenomena in terms of tip-induced local band bending. Our observations evidence that the specific impurity neighborhood and the position of the Fermi energy with respect to both the Dirac point and bulk bands have to be taken into account when considering the electron scattering on the disorder in topological insulators.
A compact low-temperature hydrogen ion beam apparatus for in situ physical property measurements
Authors: Nakayama R. , Suzuki N. , Maesato M. , Nagaoka T. , Arita M. , Kitagawa H.
Published: December 2017

A new compact low-temperature hydrogen ion beam apparatus has been developed for in situ physical property measurements. Introduction of hydrogen can significantly alter the physical properties of materials. Conventional methods such as exposure to H2 gas are limited to materials having hydrogen sorption. The present method is, in principle, applicable to any material of interest. Our setup provides a facile way to conduct both low-temperature hydrogen ion beam irradiation and in situ electrical resistivity measurements, which enables observation of novel physical properties induced by the low-temperature irradiation. The lowest temperature of 3.8 K was achieved by utilizing a newly designed rotatable radiation shield and a closed-cycle cryostat, which is advantageous for long-time low-temperature experiments for heavy hydrogen doping and in situ analysis. It was found that the resistivity of ZnO largely decreased by hydrogen ion beam irradiation at 50 K. Furthermore, the in situ measurements revealed an unforeseen irreversible thermal hysteresis for resistivity.
Effects of head field and AC field on magnetization reversal for microwave assisted magnetic recording
Authors: Kase Aina , Akagi Fumiko , Yoshida Kazuetsu
Published: December 2017

Microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) is a promising recording method for achieving high recording densities in hard disk drives. In MAMR, the AC field from a spin-torque oscillator (STO) assists the head field with magnetization reversal in a medium. Therefore, the relationship between the head field and the AC field is very important. In this study, the effects of the head field and the AC field on magnetization reversal were analyzed using a micromagnetic simulator that takes the magnetic interactions between a single-pole type (SPT) write-head, an exchange coupled composite (ECC) medium, and the STO into account. As a result, the magnetization reversal was assisted not just by the y-component of the AC field (Hstoy) but also by the y-component of the head field (Hhy) in the medium. The Hhy over 100 kA/m with a frequency of about 15.5 GHz induced the magnetic resonance. The large Hhy was produced by the field from the STO to the SPT head.