bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality of recovery in patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery after general anesthesia: total intravenous anesthesia vs desflurane anesthesia
Authors: Liu Tingjie , Gu Yurong , Chen Kaizheng , Shen Xia
Published: November 2018

Background

For sinus surgery, some centers favor total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) over inhalation anesthesia. However, whether TIVA affects the patient's perceived quality of recovery remains unclear. This study used the Quality of Recovery–40 questionnaire (QoR‐40) to compare patient recovery between surgical patients who received TIVA and those who received desflurane (DES) anesthesia.

Methods

Eighty patients (20 to 65 years old) undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery were prospectively enrolled and randomized to either the TIVA (propofol and remifentanil infusion) or DES (desflurane inhalation and remifentanil infusion) group. The QoR‐40 was administered before surgery, at 6 hours after surgery, and on postoperative day 1 (POD1). Incidence of nausea and vomiting, remifentanil consumption, blood loss, and pain treatment were recorded. The influence of lesion extent (indexed as Lund‐Mackay [LM] score) on recovery quality was also assessed.

Results

Forty patients were randomized into the TIVA group, and 40 patients were randomized into the DES group. The QoR‐40 score at 6 hours after surgery was significantly higher in the TIVA group compared with the DES group (188.2 vs 182.6, respectively; p = 0.049), indicating a better quality of recovery in the TIVA group. TIVA resulted in less blood loss (p < 0.0001). A high LM score (≥12) was associated with lower QoR‐40 scores at 6 hours after surgery (180.2 vs 187.2, p = 0.028) and on POD1 (181.5 vs 190.3, p = 0.003).

Conclusion

This study shows that the quality of recovery for endoscopic sinus surgery patients was better with TIVA than with desflurane anesthesia. A high LM score was related to poorer recovery quality.
Video summarization using event‐related potential responses to shot boundaries in real‐time video watching
Authors: Kim Hyun Hee , Kim Yong Ho
Published: November 2018

Our aim was to develop an event‐related potential (ERP)‐based method to construct a video skim consisting of key shots to bridge the semantic gap between the topic inferred from a whole video and that from its summary. Mayer's cognitive model was examined, wherein the topic integration process of a user evoked by a visual stimulus can be associated with long‐latency ERP components. We determined that long‐latency ERP components are suitable for measuring a user's neuronal response through a literature review. We hypothesized that N300 is specific to the categorization of all shots regardless of topic relevance, N400 is specific for the semantic mismatching process for topic‐irrelevant shots, and P600 is specific for the context updating process for topic‐relevant shots. In our experiment, the N400 component led to more negative ERP signals in response to topic‐irrelevant shots than to topic‐relevant shots and showed a fronto‐central scalp pattern. P600 elicited more positive ERP signals for topic‐relevant shots than for topic‐irrelevant shots and showed a fronto‐central scalp pattern. We used discriminant and artificial neural network (ANN) analyses to decode video shot relevance and observed that the ANN produced particularly high success rates: 91.3% from the training set and 100% from the test set.
Data work in context: Value, risks, and governance
Authors: Foster Jonathan , McLeod Julie , Nolin Jan , Greifeneder Elke
Published: November 2018

While always integral to scientific activity, data work has recently emerged as a key set of processes within societal activities of all kinds. While data work presents new opportunities for discovery, value creation, and decision making, its emergence also raises significant ethical issues, including those of ownership, privacy, and trust. This article presents a review of data work, and how negotiating a trade‐off between its value and risks requires locating its processes within the contexts of its conditions and consequences. These include international, national, and sectoral conditions of law, policy, and regulation at a macro level; organizational conditions of information and data governance that aim to address the value and risks of data work at a meso level; along with attention to the everyday contexts of data and information handling by data information and other professionals at a micro level. In conclusion, a conceptual framework is presented that locates the processes of data work within the matrix of its macro meso and micro conditions, its consequences for individuals, organizations, and society, and the relations between them. Suggestions are given for how research into the study of data work—its value risks and governance— can be advanced by using this framework.
Predictive value of iron parameters in neurocritically ill patients
Authors: Xie Ling , Peng Yu , Huang Kaibin , Wu Yongming , Wang Shengnan
Published: November 2018

Background

Iron, an essential mineral for human body, has the potential to cause toxicity at high levels. Previous studies have shown inconsistent predictive value of iron parameters in critically ill patients. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the performance of iron parameters in outcome prediction of neurocritically ill patients.

Methods

Retrospective data were collected from patients admitted to the neurocritical care unit (NCU) of a tertiary teaching hospital between August 2016 and January 2017. The iron parameters were obtained at NCU admission. Primary endpoints were short‐term (30‐day) mortality and long‐term (6‐month) poor outcome, with the latter defined as modified Rankin Scale of 4–6. The predictive value of variables was determined with univariate and multivariate logistic analysis. A further subanalysis was conducted in patients stratified by the level of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Results

Of 103 eligible patients, the etiology included stroke (58.2%, N = 60), central nervous system infection (13.6%, N = 14), and other neurologic disorders (28.2%, N = 29). The correlation analysis showed that the increase in ferritin, as well as the reduction in transferrin and total iron‐binding capacity, had strong correlation with C‐reactive protein, procalcitonin, duration of NCU stay, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score. In a further subanalysis of 75 patients with eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, twelve (16.0%) patients died within 30 days and 39 (52.0%) patients achieved good follow‐up outcome data. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, we identified baseline ferritin level as an independent predictor of short‐term mortality (OR: 1.002; 95% CI: 1.000–1.003; p = 0.008) and long‐term functional outcome (OR: 1.002; 95% CI: 1.000–1.004; p = 0.031).

Conclusions

Serum ferritin level at admission could be used as an independent predictor of short‐term mortality and long‐term functional outcome in neurocritically ill patients with eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m2.
Left‐right asymmetry influenced the infarct volume and neurological dysfunction following focal middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats
Authors: Zhai Zhiyong , Feng Juan
Published: November 2018

Objective

To investigate the differential effects of left versus right cerebral hemisphere on the infarct volume and behavioral function following focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

Methods and Materials

Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was induced in the right‐handed rats by filament insertion for 1.5 hr, and then reperfusion was established according to Zea‐Longa method. A total of 36 male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into a left MCAO group or a right MCAO group. The modified neurological severity scores (mNSS), tapered beam‐walking test, and Morris water maze experiment were all carried out to evaluate the sensorimotor and cognitive outcomes at the 1d, 3d, and 7d after MCAO, respectively. Infarct volume of the brains was measured by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining.

Results

The sensorimotor function was more worse in the left MCAO group than that in the right MCAO group at the 1d, 3d, and 7d after MCAO (p < 0.05). While the cognitive function was much better in the left MCAO group than that in the right MCAO group at the 1d and 3d after MCAO (p < 0.05). But no significant difference was achieved in cognitive function between the two groups at 7d after MCAO (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in total infarct volume between the two groups at the 1d, 3d, and 7d after MCAO, respectively (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

The infarct volume is not affected significantly by the left or right MCAO model in the early days. The lesions in the left hemisphere produce more severe sensorimotor impairments, while more severe cognitive impairments are produced by the right hemispherical lesions. These findings suggest that it is structural and functional asymmetry between the two hemispheres other than infarct volume that affects the outcomes of rat MCAO.
Rs3212986 polymorphism, a possible biomarker to predict smoking‐related lung cancer, alters DNA repair capacity via regulating ERCC1 expression
Authors: Yu Tao , Xue Ping , Cui Su , Zhang Liang , Zhang Guopei , Xiao Mingyang , Zheng Xiao , Zhang Qianye , Cai Yuan , Jin Cuihong , Yang Jinghua , Wu Shengwen , Lu Xiaobo
Published: November 2018

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 3′UTR of key DNA repair enzyme genes are associated with inter‐individual differences of DNA repair capacity (DRC) and susceptibility to a variety of human malignancies such as lung cancer. In this study, seven candidate SNPs in 3′UTR of DRC‐related genes including ERCC1 (rs3212986, rs2336219, and rs735482), OGG1 (rs1052133), MLH3 (rs108621), CD3EAP (rs1007616), and PPP1R13L (rs6966) were analyzed in 300 lung cancer patients and controls from the northeast of China. Furthermore, we introduced ERCC1 (CDS+3′UTR) or CD3EAP (CDS) cDNA clone to transfect HEK293T and 16HBE cells. Cell viability between different genotypes of transfected cells exposed to BPDE was detected by CCK‐8 assay, while DNA damage was visualized using γH2AX immunofluorescence and the modified comet assay. We found that minor A‐allele of rs3212986 could reflect a linkage with increasing risk of NSCLC. Compared with CC genotype, AA genotype of ERCC1 rs3212986 was a high‐risk factor for NSCLC (OR = 3.246; 95%CI: 1.375‐7.663). Particularly stratified by smoking status in cases and controls, A allele of ERCC1 rs3212986 also exhibited an enhanced risk to develop lung cancer in smokers only (P < 0.05). Interestingly, reduced repair efficiency of DNA damage was observed in 293T ERCC1(AA) and 16HBE ERCC1(AA), while no significant difference was appeared in two genotypes of CD3EAP (3′ adjacent gene of ERCC1) overexpressed cells. Our findings suggest that rs3212986 polymorphism in 3ʹUTR of ERCC1 overlapped with CD3EAP may affect the repair of the damage induced by BPDE mainly via regulating ERCC1 expression and become a potential biomarker to predict smoking‐related lung cancer.
Demographics, stage distribution, and relative roles of surgery and radiotherapy on survival of persons with primary prostate sarcomas
Authors: Tward Jonathan D. , Poppe Matthew M. , Hitchcock Ying J. , O’Neil Brock , Albertson Daniel J. , Shrieve Dennis C.
Published: November 2018

Background

Primary prostate sarcomas (PPS) are rare. Outcomes for this cancer have not been well characterized.

Materials and Methods

Subjects with a PPS diagnosed between 1973 and 2014 were identified in the SEER database. Subjects were stratified by disease stage and types of therapies received. Disease‐specific survival (DSS) and Overall survival (OS) was estimated by Kaplan‐Meier analysis and cohorts were compared with a univariate and multivariable Cox regression.

Results

The incidence of PPS among all prostate cancer diagnoses was 0.02%. Subjects younger than age 26 years at diagnosis represented 29% of cases, and 32% of primary prostate sarcomas were rhabdomyosarcoma histology.

Rhabdomyosarcoma Histologies

The median age at diagnosis was 9 years. Between age 0‐25 years rhabdomyosarcoma accounted for 96.4% of primary prostate sarcoma diagnoses, after age 25 rhabdomyosarcoma represented 15% of new diagnoses. The 10‐year DSS and OS for rhabdomyosarcoma was 47% and 44%.

Non‐Rhabdomyosarcoma Histologies

The median age at diagnosis was 71 years. The most common diagnoses were leiomyosarcoma (33%) and carcinosarcoma (28%). Localized, regional, or distant disease occurred in 40%, 34%, and 26% of cases. The 10‐year DSS and OS were 26% and 14%. In locally advanced cases, RT added to surgery trended toward improved DSS (P = 0.10).

Conclusions

Disease‐specific survival and OS for non‐rhabdomyosarcoma histologies appear inferior to those of rhabdomyosarcoma. The addition of RT to surgical resection may improve DSS in locally advanced non‐rhabdomyosarcoma. This is the largest report of the incidence, stage distribution, and survival for this extremely rare urologic malignancy providing valuable prognostic information.
Enhance relationships with the community with effective communication
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: November 2018

Positive relationships with your campus community are enhanced when you share who your officers are and what your department stands for. Overcoming stereotypical ideas about police officers starts with individualized conversations, said Andrew Powers, chief of police at Ohio University.
Is it time to rethink Clery? (Part 1 of 2)
Authors: Zacarese Lawrence M.
Published: November 2018

I think it may be time to take an honest, global assessment of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, known colloquially by most readers as “the Clery Act.” Before we begin, perhaps a clarification and some ground rules. First, this will be part one of a two‐part column dedicated to this topic. Second, I am a strong advocate for transparency in law enforcement. Third, I believe entirely in the use and validity of crime statistics, crime trends, and keeping accurate account (and reporting) of both. That said, I ask these three important questions.
Mindfulness‐based training leads to improved health for law enforcement
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: November 2018

Meditation and mindfulness training may play a significant role in reducing chronic stress and providing coping tools for the daily rigors police officers and law enforcement officials face, according to a study from the Pacific University School of Graduate Psychology. The research was led by professors Mike Christopher and Matthew Hunsinger, who compared a control group of officers who underwent no meditation and mindfulness‐based resilience training with a group of local officers who underwent training for eight weeks. Findings were published in the June 2018 issue of Psychiatry Research.
Sheath size, radial occlusion, and ethnicity: Real or confounded?
Authors: Belardi Jorge , Lamelas Pablo
Published: November 2018

Key Points

Japanese participants experienced higher incidence of radial artery occlusion when compared to non‐Japanese participants.

The use of 6Fr Slender sheath was inferior for radial artery occlusion than 5Fr sheath in Japanese, but no different in non‐Japanese participants.

Is not clear if this apparent ethnical interaction is real versus confounded, warranting more research in the area.
Plug vs. suture: Who wins in large bore access closure?
Authors: Shatila Wassim , Krajcer Zvonimir
Published: November 2018

Key Points

Large Bore Access in increasingly common and surgical closure used to be the gold standard for closure.

Novel less invasive closure devices such as the suture based vascular devices offer a safe alternative to surgery.

Recent developments provide us with MANTA (Essential Medical Inc., Malvern, Pennsylvania) a vascular closure device that seems to be as safe and associated with less bleeding.

Certain genetic polymorphisms might account for HoTPR.
A Green Approach: Vicinal Oxidative Electrochemical Alkene Difunctionalization
Authors: Martins Guilherme M. , Shirinfar Bahareh , Hardwick Tomas , Ahmed Nisar
Published: November 2018

Electrochemistry is now regarded as one of the most efficient ways to synthesize highly functionalized moieties, such as those of the difunctionalized vicinal alkene family, from simpler and more commercially available substrates. These vicinal transformations usually involve transition‐metal catalysts, hypervalent iodine reagents, or photocatalysts to form new bonds and often generate unwanted by‐products. Herein, we have outline examples of electrochemical alkene difunctionalization reactions that do not require a metal catalyst incorporated into the solution and yet still proceed with excellent atom economies.
Hydrodynamic characteristics of an activated sludge bubble column through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and response surface methodology (RSM)
Authors: Gholamzadehdevin Mohammad , Pakzad Leila
Published: November 2018

The aeration process is widely used in wastewater treatment plants to remove microorganisms from sludge. Among aeration reactors, bubble columns have been extensively used due to their simple geometry. In this study, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique was applied to investigate the hydrodynamics involved in an activated sludge bubble column. The CFD modelling integrated an incorporation of the continuity, momentum, and Eulerian‐Eulerian multiphase equations along with the species transport equation. The validated CFD model was then applied to explore the effect of superficial gas velocity, the location of the tracer's injection, and the sparger type on mixing time. The design of experiment (DOE) and full factorial design method were carried out to investigate the interaction among the independent variables. A significant relationship between superficial gas velocity and tracer injection location on the mixing time have been noticed. The performance of a novel gas sparger, the modified star‐shape gas sparger, was also evaluated. The modified gas sparger showed an enhanced hydrodynamic performance compared to the typical sparger.
Outcomes of secondary solid tumor malignancies among patients with myeloma: A population‐based study
Authors: Barth Peter , Castillo Jorge J. , Olszewski Adam J.
Published: November 2018

Background

Therapeutic advances have extended survival for patients with myeloma, who may develop secondary cancers.

Methods

Using the population‐based Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry (2004‐2015), the authors examined the characteristics, overall and cause‐specific survival, and cumulative incidence function of cancer‐related death among patients with myeloma with secondary cancers of the breast, prostate, lung, colon/rectum, or bladder or melanoma. Each patient was matched based on age, sex, race, and year of diagnosis to 50 controls from a general population who were diagnosed with the index cancer.

Results

Patients with myeloma with breast, prostate, or lung cancer were more commonly diagnosed at an early stage, whereas the stage distribution did not differ significantly among patients with melanoma, colorectal cancer, or bladder cancer. For all studied cancers except those of the lung, overall mortality was significantly higher among patients with myeloma compared with controls (hazard ratios, 1.84‐2.81). However, the cumulative incidence function of cancer‐related death did not differ (subhazard ratios, 0.84‐0.99) and was surpassed by myeloma‐related deaths (23% to 35% at 5 years). In patients with lung cancer, cancer‐related mortality was uniquely lower among patients with myeloma (subhazard ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.52‐0.68), even after adjustment for stage of disease. There was no significant difference noted with regard to noncancer deaths for any studied solid tumor. Use of surgery (evaluated in patients with nonmetastatic tumors, and in addition matched by disease stage) did not differ between cases and controls, except for fewer prostatectomies being noted among patients with myeloma (odds ratio, 0.56; 95% confidence interval, 0.42‐0.74).

Conclusions

The results of the current study support curative treatment approaches to secondary cancers among patients with myeloma while highlighting the need for ongoing active myeloma management.
Safety and Tolerability of the Chymase Inhibitor Fulacimstat in Patients With Left Ventricular Dysfunction After Myocardial Infarction—Results of the CHIARA MIA 1 Trial
Authors: Düngen Hans‐Dirk , Kober Lars , Nodari Savina , Schou Morten , Otto Christiane , Becka Michael , Kanefendt Friederike , Winkelmann Bernhard R. , Gislason Gunnar , Richard Frank , Nielsen Olav Wendelboe , Gheorghiade Mihai , Senni Michele
Published: November 2018

The chymase inhibitor fulacimstat is developed as a first‐in‐class treatment option for the inhibition of adverse cardiac remodeling in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) after acute myocardial infarction (MI). The aim of the study was to examine the safety and tolerability of fulacimstat in patients with LVD after remote MI. A multicenter, multinational randomized, placebo‐controlled study was performed in clinically stable patients (40–79 years of age, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 45% because of MI in medical history) who were on stable evidence‐based standard‐of‐care therapies for LVD post‐MI including an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker at doses of at least half the recommended target dose. Patients were treated for 2 weeks with either placebo (n = 12) or 4 different doses of fulacimstat (5 mg twice daily, n = 9; 10 mg twice daily, n = 9; 25 mg twice daily, n = 10; 50 mg once daily, n = 9). Fulacimstat was safe and well tolerated at all examined doses. There were no clinically relevant effects on vital signs or potassium levels compared with placebo treatment. Mean plasma concentrations of fulacimstat increased with the administered dose and reached exposures predicted to be therapeutically active. The safety profile and the absence of effects on blood pressure or heart rate in a chronic patient population having similar comorbidities and receiving similar comedication as patients after acute MI support future clinical trials with fulacimstat in patients after acute MI.
The Role of Lanthanum in a Nickel Oxide‐Based Inverted Perovskite Solar Cell for Efficiency and Stability Improvement
Authors: Teo Siowhwa , Guo Zhanglin , Xu Zhenhua , Zhang Chu , Kamata Yusuke , Hayase Shuzi , Ma Tingli
Published: November 2018

A high‐performing inverted perovskite solar cell (PSC) always relies on the hole transporting layer (HTL) quality and its interfaces. This work investigates the impact of La incorporation within the NiOx matrix for defects passivation, thus leading to high charge extraction ability and stability without compromising its power conversion efficiency. In the presence of La, the La–NiOx quality is clearly improved; without the formation of pinholes. In addition, the inclusion of La alters the energy band alignment; consequently, enhancing the hole transportation and widening the Voc (>1 V), as compared to the pristine NiOx. The beneficial effect of La was further revealed through the photoluminescence measurement and density of states (DOS) analysis, in which trap states are passivated by La. More importantly, the perovskite solar cell, with La–NiOx as the HTL, exhibits 21 % enhancement in efficiency and a remarkable stability that is greater than that of pristine NiOx. This also unlocks an opportunity for commercialization.
Group and hierarchical key management for secure communications in internet of things
Authors: Karrothu Aravind , Norman Jasmine
Published: November 2018

Different devices with different characteristics form a network to communicate among themselves in Internet of Things (IoT). Thus, IoT is of heterogeneous in nature. Also, Internet plays a major role in IoT. So, issues related to security in Internet become issues of IoT also. Hence, the group and hierarchical management scheme for solving security issues in Internet of Things is proposed in this paper. The devices in the network are formed into groups. One of the devices is selected as a leader of each group. The communication of the devices from each group takes place with the help of the leader of the corresponding group using encrypted key to enhance the security in the network. Blom's key predistribution technique is used to establish secure communication among any nodes of group. The hierarchy is maintained such that the security can be increased further, but the delay is increased as it takes time to encrypt at every level of hierarchy. Hence, the numbers of levels of hierarchy need to be optimized such that delay is balanced. Hence, this algorithm is more suitable for delay‐tolerant applications. The performance of the proposed Algorithm is evaluated and is proved to perform better when compared with the legacy systems like Decentralized Batch‐based Group Key Management Protocol for Mobile Internet of Things (DBGK).
Application of Bayesian network modeling to pathology informatics
Authors: Onisko Agnieszka , Druzdzel Marek J. , Austin R. Marshall
Published: November 2018

Background

In the era of extensive data collection, there is a growing need for a large scale data analysis with tools that can handle many variables in one modeling framework. In this article, we present our recent applications of Bayesian network modeling to pathology informatics.

Methods

Bayesian networks (BNs) are probabilistic graphical models that represent domain knowledge and allow investigators to process this knowledge following sound rules of probability theory. BNs can be built based on expert opinion as well as learned from accumulating data sets. BN modeling is now recognized as a suitable approach for knowledge representation and reasoning under uncertainty. Over the last two decades BN have been successfully applied to many studies on medical prognosis and diagnosis.

Results

Based on data and expert knowledge, we have constructed several BN models to assess patient risk for subsequent specific histopathologic diagnoses and their related prognosis in gynecological cytopathology and breast pathology. These models include the Pittsburgh Cervical Cancer Screening Model assessing risk for histopathologic diagnoses of cervical precancer and cervical cancer, modeling of the significance of benign‐appearing endometrial cells in Pap tests, diagnostic modeling to determine whether adenocarcinoma in tissue specimens is of endometrial or endocervical origin, and models to assess risk for recurrence of invasive breast carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ.

Conclusions

Bayesian network models can be used as powerful and flexible risk assessment tools on large clinical datasets and can quantitatively identify variables that are of greatest significance in predicting specific histopathologic diagnoses and their related prognosis. Resulting BN models are able to provide individualized quantitative risk assessments and prognostication for specific abnormal findings commonly reported in gynecological cytopathology and breast pathology.
Disease and climate effects on individuals drive post‐reintroduction population dynamics of an endangered amphibian
Authors: Joseph Maxwell B. , Knapp Roland A.
Published: November 2018

The emergence of novel pathogens often has dramatic negative effects on previously unexposed host populations. Subsequent disease can drive populations and even species to extinction. After establishment in populations, pathogens can continue to affect host dynamics, influencing the success or failure of species recovery efforts. However, quantifying the effect of pathogens on host populations in the wild is challenging because individual hosts and their pathogens are difficult to observe. Here, we use long‐term mark–recapture data to describe the dynamics of reintroduced populations of an endangered amphibian (Rana sierrae) and evaluate the success of these recovery efforts in the presence of a recently emerged pathogen, the amphibian chytrid fungusBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis. We find that highB. dendrobatidisinfection intensities are associated with increases in frog detectability and reductions in survival. When average infection intensities are high, adults are more likely to gain infections and less likely to lose infections. We also find evidence for intensity‐dependent survival, with heavily infected individuals suffering higher mortality. These results highlight the need in disease ecology for probabilistic approaches that account for uncertainty in infection intensity using imperfect observational data. Such approaches can advance the understanding of disease impacts on host population dynamics, and in the current study will improve the effectiveness of species conservation actions.
Contesting Contextual Forces of National Politics—Explaining German Transnational Education from a Policy Design Perspective
Authors: Fromm Nadin , Raev Alexander
Published: November 2018

Germany's activities in the transnationalization of higher education reveal distinctive patterns of its policy coordination. In contrast to sending countries such as Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, German state actors are involved in the implementation of cross‐border projects. In the article, we analyze data in connection to the theoretical debate on the nation state's role in policy coordination. We therefore introduce the policy design to study the coordination practices employed by state actors while mapping changes in the institutional arrangements of German transnational education. As a result, we discuss a new form of policy layering, which we propose to call ‘horizontal layering’. Originating in the observation of competing state actors and their strategies to avoid interdepartmental conflicts, this type of policy design leads to a policy field charged with an increasing number of partially contradictory policy objectives, lowering the state's capacity for efficient policy formulation.
Reduced adsorption of polyacrylamide‐based fracturing fluid on shale rock using urea
Authors: Li Yang , Wang Shibin , Guo Jianchun , Gou Xinghao , Jiang Zujun , Pan Baofeng
Published: November 2018

Hydraulic fracturing is generally necessary to achieve economically viable production rates during exploitation of shale reservoirs. Polyacrylamide‐based fracturing fluid is commonly used in shale fracturing. Polyacrylamide (PAM) becomes adsorbed in the shale micro‐fractures, decreasing the permeability of the reservoir. For improving the production of shale after being stimulated, the adsorption behavior and adsorption mechanism between thePAMand shale are studied. An ultraviolet spectrophotometer is used to obtain the amount of adsorption. To observe the adsorption morphology, a scanning electron microscope is employed. The action force between thePAMand shale rock is analyzed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta potential instrument, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results indicate that hydrogen bonding is the key force between thePAMand shale. A kind of shale micro‐fractures model is designed to determine the recovery of permeability. Urea breaks the hydrogen bonding and keeps the molecular ofHPGstretch which can decrease the amount of adsorption on the shale surface and effectively recover the permeability of shale micro‐fractures up to 72.46% after being damaged. In conclusion, it is believed that the competitive adsorption is a new approach for remediation of the permeability damage by PAM‐based fracturing fluid and has great potential in oil field application.
The guanine nucleotide exchange factor Vav3 modulates oligodendrocyte precursor differentiation and supports remyelination in white matter lesions
Authors: Ulc Annika , Zeug Andre , Bauch Juliane , van Leeuwen Simon , Kuhlmann Tanja , ffrench‐Constant Charles , Ponimaskin Evgeni , Faissner Andreas
Published: November 2018

The tightly controlled processes of myelination and remyelination require the participation of the cytoskeleton. The reorganization of the cytoskeleton is controlled by small GTPases of the RhoA family. Here, we report that Vav3, a Rho GTPase regulating guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) is involved in oligodendrocyte maturation, myelination and remyelination. When Vav3 was eliminated by genetic recombination, oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) differentiation toward mature oligodendrocytes was accelerated. In contrast, Vav3‐deficient oligodendrocytes displayed a reduced capacity to myelinate synthetic microfibers in vitro. Furthermore, remyelination was impaired in Vav3 knockout cerebellar slice cultures that were demyelinated by the addition of lysolecithin. In agreement with these observations, remyelination was compromised when the cuprizone model of myelin lesion was performed in Vav3‐deficient mice. When Vav3‐deficient oligodendrocytes were examined with Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)‐based biosensors, an altered activation profile of RhoA GTPases was revealed on the cellular level, which could be responsible for an impaired remyelination. Taken together, this study highlights Vav3 as a novel regulator of oligodendrocyte maturation and remyelination, suggesting that manipulation of the Vav3‐dependent signaling pathway could help to improve myelin repair.
Prenatal exposures and infant brain: Review of magnetic resonance imaging studies and a population description analysis
Authors: Pulli Elmo P. , Kumpulainen Venla , Kasurinen Jussi H. , Korja Riikka , Merisaari Harri , Karlsson Linnea , Parkkola Riitta , Saunavaara Jani , Lähdesmäki Tuire , Scheinin Noora M. , Karlsson Hasse , Tuulari Jetro J.
Published: November 2018

Brain development is most rapid during the fetal period and the first years of life. This process can be affected by many in utero factors, such as chemical exposures and maternal health characteristics. The goal of this review is twofold: to review the most recent findings on the effects of these prenatal factors on the developing brain and to qualitatively assess how those factors were generally reported in studies on infants up to 2 years of age. To capture the latest findings in the field, we searched articles from PubMed 2012 onward with search terms referring to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), brain development, and infancy. We identified 19 MRI studies focusing on the effects of prenatal environment and summarized them to highlight the recent advances in the field. We assessed population descriptions in a representative sample of 67 studies and conclude that prenatal factors that have been shown to affect brain metrics are not generally reported comprehensively. Based on our findings, we propose some improvements for population descriptions to account for plausible confounders and in time enable reliable meta‐analyses to be performed. This could help the pediatric neuroimaging field move toward more reliable identification of biomarkers for developmental outcomes and to better decipher the nuances of normal and abnormal brain development.
Regional prevalence of health worker absenteeism in Tanzania
Authors: Fujii Tomoki
Published: November 2018

Absenteeism of health workers in developing countries is common and can severely undermine the reliability of the health system. Therefore, it is important to understand where the prevalence of absenteeism is high. We develop a simple imputation method that combines a Service Delivery Indicators survey and a Service Provision Assessment survey to estimate the prevalence of absenteeism of health workers at the level of regions in Tanzania. The resulting estimates allow one to identify the regions in which the prevalence of absenteeism is significantly higher or lower than the national average and help policymakers determine priority areas for intervention.
Controls on fluvial carbon efflux from eroding peatland catchments
Authors: Brown Sarah L. , Goulsbra Claire S. , Evans Martin G.
Published: November 2018

Global peatlands store an unparalleled proportion of total global organic carbon but it is vulnerable to erosion into fluvial systems. Fluvial networks are being recognized as areas of carbon transformation, with eroded particulate organic carbon processed to dissolved organic carbon and CO2. Existing studies indicate biodegradation and photodegradation as key processes controlling the transformation of organic carbon in fluvial systems, with initial concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) identified as a control on the rate of carbon mineralization. This study manipulates temperature and incident light intensity to investigate carbon mineralization rates in laboratory simulations of peatland sediment transport into fluvial systems. By directly measuring gaseous CO2 emissions from sampled stream water, the relationship of temperature and light intensity with carbon efflux is identified. In simulations where sediment (as particulate organic matter, POM) is absent, temperature is consistently the dominant factor influencing carbon efflux rates. This influence is independent of the initial DOC concentration of the water sample. In simulations where POM was added, representing a peatland river receiving eroded terrestrial sediment, initial DOC concentration predicts 79% of the variation in total gaseous carbon efflux whereas temperature and light intensity predict 12% and 3%, respectively. When sampled stream water's mineralization rates in the presence of added POM are analysed independently, removing DOC as a model variable, the dominant variable affecting CO2 efflux is opposite for each sample. This study presents novel data suggesting peatland erosion introduces further complexity to dynamic stream systems where rates of carbon transformation processes and the influence of specific environmental variables are interdependent. Anthropogenic climate change is identified as a leading risk factor perpetuating peatland erosion; therefore, understanding the fate of terrestrial sediment in rivers and further quantifying the benefits of protecting peatland soils will be of increasing importance to carbon budgeting and ecosystem function studies.
Localized primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma
Authors: Song Guang , Bi Wenjing , Zhang Xintong , Huang Wanying , Zhou Ke , Ren Weidong
Published: November 2018

Primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma (PMPM) is an extremely rare tumor, which may appear as a localized or a diffuse mass encasing the heart. Diffuse PMPMs have a poor prognosis due to the difficulty of surgical excision, whereas localized PMPMs have clear margins, thus facilitating surgical excision. Timely diagnosis and proper treatment are crucial for a favorable prognosis. Eight cases of localized PMPMs have been reported so far, but their characteristics have not been fully described. Herein, we present a patient with localized PMPM and describe the diagnosis methods, treatment, and outcomes of these tumors.
Analysis of axial scanning range and magnification variation in wide‐field microscope for measurement using an electrically tunable lens
Authors: Qu Yufu , Hu Yongbo
Published: November 2018

Inserting an electrically tunable lens (ETL), such as liquid lens or tunable acoustic gradient lens, into a microscope can enable fast axial scanning, autofocusing, and extended depth of field. However, placing the ETL at different positions has different influences on image quality. Specially, in a wide‐field microscope for measurement, the magnification has to be constant when introducing an ETL, otherwise it will affect measurement accuracy. To determine the best position of ETL, axial scanning range and magnification variation are quantitatively analyzed and discussed in finite and infinite microscopes through theoretical analysis, optical simulation, and experiment for four configurations: when ETL is placed at the back focal plane of objective, at the conjugate plane of objective's back focal plane between two relay lenses, or behind two relay lenses, and at imaging detector plane. The obtained results are as follows. When ETL is placed at the back focal plane, the system has a large scanning range, but the magnification varies because the back focal plane is inside the objective. When ETL is placed between two relay lenses, the magnification stays constant, but the scanning range is small. When ETL is placed behind two relay lenses, the magnification keeps invariant and the scanning range is large, but ETL and two relay lenses are inside the microscope and the system has to be customized. Finally, when ETL is placed at imaging detector plane, the magnification stays constant, but the scanning range is 0, which means the system has no axial scanning capability.

Research highlights

An electrically tunable lens (ETL) is introduced into a wide‐field microscope for measurement.

Axial scanning range and magnification variation are analyzed and discussed.

Theoretical analysis, ZEMAX optical simulation and experiments are performed.
Taxonomic significance of macro and micro‐morphology of Geranium L. species Using Scanning Electron Microscopy
Authors: Esfandani‐Bozchaloyi Somayeh , Zaman Wajid
Published: November 2018

Macro and micromorphology of different parts that is, sepals, petals, flowers, indumentum, and leaf shape of 22 Geranium L. taxa from Iran were studied. These taxa representing the eight sections of the genus as sect. Dissecta, sect. Geranium, and sect. Tuberosa (of subgen. Geranium); sect. Batrachioidea, sect. Divaricata, sect. Lucida, sect. Ruberta and sect. Trilopha (of subgen. Robertium), that were collected from different geographical habitats of Iran. The biometric study involved 27 quantitative and 33 qualitative characters which were studied by use of stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Statistical analyses were done by use of PAST software. Principal Component Analysis defined the most variable characters. Results showed that the diagnostic features were; length, width, apex of sepals, petals, trichomes type in pedicles and sepals along with their density, the shape length and width of leaves. In general, the present study revealed that the species could be differentiated by macro and micro‐morphological characters. Taxa of two subgenera were clearly separated based on selected characters. These characters were found useful for the taxonomic identification and species delimitation in almost all taxa studied at the sub generic level, although some species of section Geranium and section Dissecta are mixed and nested in both subgenea.
Convenient Synthesis of Some Novel Pyridazinone‐Bearing Triazole Moieties
Authors: El Rayes Samir Mohamed , Ali Ibrahim A. I. , Fathalla Walid
Published: November 2018

The chemoselective reactions of 2‐(5‐mercapto‐4‐phenyl‐4H‐[1,2,4]triazol‐3‐ylmethyl)‐6‐p‐tolyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐2H‐pyridazin‐3‐one (3) with different electrophiles were evaluated. Triazole 3 reacted with alkyl halides in the presence of triethylamine in alcohol to give the corresponding S‐substituted derivatives. On the basis of S‐chemoselective reactions of triazole 3, a series of amino acid 10a–d and dipeptide derivatives 12a–d were prepared via azide coupling of the corresponding hydrazides 9 and 15 with amino acid ester hydrochlorides, respectively. N‐Substituted triazoles 6a–c or 7a–d attached to pyridazin‐3‐one moiety were successfully formed by the reaction of 3 with activated acrylic acid derivatives or with amines. Antibacterial activities of the synthesized derivatives were investigated through correlation with Escherichia coli FabH inhibitory activities using molecular modeling docking software. The antimicrobial activity of synthesized compounds was evaluated, showing best inhibition zone for N‐substituted carboxylic acid 5a and N‐substituted nitrile 5c parallel to the molecular modeling studies.
Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Tetraethylene Glycol Tethered Isatin–Coumarin Hybrids as Novel Anticancer Agents
Authors: Xu Zhi , Zhao Shi‐Jia , Deng Jia‐Lun , Wang Qin , Lv Zao‐Sheng , Fan Yi‐Lei
Published: November 2018

Herein, we report the design and synthesis of a new set of tetraethylene glycol tethered isatin–coumarin hybrids 7a–l as anticancer agents. Results revealed that all the synthesized hybrids showed no or weak activities against their in vitro antitumor activities against drug‐sensitive HepG2, Hela, A549, DU145, SKOV3, and MCF‐7 as well as drug‐resistant MCF‐7/DOX (doxorubicin‐resistant MCF‐7) human cancer cell lines. The structure–activity relationship was also discussed, and the enriched structure–activity relationship may pave the way for further rationale design of this kind of hybrids.
Quantitative imaging biomarkers alliance (QIBA) recommendations for improved precision of DWI and DCE‐MRI derived biomarkers in multicenter oncology trials
Authors: Shukla‐Dave Amita , Obuchowski Nancy A. , Chenevert Thomas L. , Jambawalikar Sachin , Schwartz Lawrence H. , Malyarenko Dariya , Huang Wei , Noworolski Susan M. , Young Robert J. , Shiroishi Mark S. , Kim Harrison , Coolens Catherine , Laue Hendrik , Chung Caroline , Rosen Mark , Boss Michael , Jackson Edward F.
Published: November 2018

Physiological properties of tumors can be measured both in vivo and noninvasively by diffusion‐weighted imaging and dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Although these techniques have been used for more than two decades to study tumor diffusion, perfusion, and/or permeability, the methods and studies on how to reduce measurement error and bias in the derived imaging metrics is still lacking in the literature. This is of paramount importance because the objective is to translate these quantitative imaging biomarkers (QIBs) into clinical trials, and ultimately in clinical practice. Standardization of the image acquisition using appropriate phantoms is the first step from a technical performance standpoint. The next step is to assess whether the imaging metrics have clinical value and meet the requirements for being a QIB as defined by the Radiological Society of North America's Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers Alliance (QIBA). The goal and mission of QIBA and the National Cancer Institute Quantitative Imaging Network (QIN) initiatives are to provide technical performance standards (QIBA profiles) and QIN tools for producing reliable QIBs for use in the clinical imaging community. Some of QIBA's development of quantitative diffusion‐weighted imaging and dynamic contrast‐enhanced QIB profiles has been hampered by the lack of literature for repeatability and reproducibility of the derived QIBs. The available research on this topic is scant and is not in sync with improvements or upgrades in MRI technology over the years. This review focuses on the need for QIBs in oncology applications and emphasizes the importance of the assessment of their reproducibility and repeatability.

Level of Evidence: 5

Technical Efficacy Stage: 1

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;49:e101–e121.