bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accuracy of PDFF estimation by magnitude‐based and complex‐based MRI in children with MR spectroscopy as a reference
Authors: Haufe William M. , Wolfson Tanya , Hooker Catherine A. , Hooker Jonathan C. , Covarrubias Yesenia , Schlein Alex N. , Hamilton Gavin , Middleton Michael S. , Angeles Jorge E. , Hernando Diego , Reeder Scott B. , Schwimmer Jeffrey B. , Sirlin Claude B.
Published: March 2017

Purpose

To assess and compare the accuracy of magnitude‐based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI‐M) and complex‐based MRI (MRI‐C) for estimating hepatic proton density fat fraction (PDFF) in children, using MR spectroscopy (MRS) as the reference standard. A secondary aim was to assess the agreement between MRI‐M and MRI‐C.

Materials and Methods

This was a HIPAA‐compliant, retrospective analysis of data collected in children enrolled in prospective, Institutional Review Board (IRB)‐approved studies between 2012 and 2014. Informed consent was obtained from 200 children (ages 8–19 years) who subsequently underwent 3T MR exams that included MRI‐M, MRI‐C, and T1‐independent, T2‐corrected, single‐voxel stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) MRS. Both MRI methods acquired six echoes at low flip angles.
‐corrected PDFF parametric maps were generated. PDFF values were recorded from regions of interest (ROIs) drawn on the maps in each of the nine Couinaud segments and three ROIs colocalized to the MRS voxel location. Regression analyses assessing agreement with MRS were performed to evaluate the accuracy of each MRI method, and Bland–Altman and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analyses were performed to assess agreement between the MRI methods.

Results

MRI‐M and MRI‐C PDFF were accurate relative to the colocalized MRS reference standard, with regression intercepts of 0.63% and –0.07%, slopes of 0.998 and 0.975, and proportion‐of‐explained‐variance values (R2) of 0.982 and 0.979, respectively. For individual Couinaud segments and for the whole liver averages, Bland–Altman biases between MRI‐M and MRI‐C were small (ranging from 0.04 to 1.11%) and ICCs were high (≥0.978).

Conclusion

Both MRI‐M and MRI‐C accurately estimated hepatic PDFF in children, and high intermethod agreement was observed.

Level of Evidence: 1

Technical Efficacy: Stage 2

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1641–1647.
Evaluating climate model simulations of drought for the northwestern United States
Authors: Abatzoglou John T. , Rupp David E.
Published: March 2017

Projected changes in regional characteristics of drought throughout the 21st century can help inform climate change assessments across drought‐sensitive sectors. However, the ability of global climate models (GCMs) to reproduce statistical attributes of observed drought at regional scales has not typically been considered. We present a framework for evaluating the fidelity of GCMs to simulate regional drought to help guide model selection for users of regional climate projections where drought plays a key climate impact, and elucidate shortcomings of model simulations of hydroclimate variability. Monthly precipitation (Pr) and potential evapotranspiration (ETo) from 24 GCMs of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 were compared to observations, with a focus on the northwestern United States (NWUS), using a suite of statistics for capturing multi‐scalar aspects of drought and both supply (Pr) and atmospheric demand (ETo). Model fidelity was generally higher for drought metrics evaluated with ETo versus Pr, and for seasonal and annual time scales versus multi‐year time scales. While some GCMs performed well across the suite of drought metrics and time scales, models systematically underestimated the severity of regional drought in the NWUS defined by precipitation deficits, particularly for multi‐year time scales.
Liquid Chromatography with mass spectrometry analysis of mycotoxins in food samples using silica hydride based stationary phases
Authors: Pesek Joseph J. , Matyska Maria T. , Hoffmann Jessica F. , Madruga Nathalia A. , Crizel Rosane L. , Elias Moacir C. , Vanier Nathan L. , Chaves Fabio C.
Published: March 2017

Liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry analysis of selected food samples using silica hydride stationary phases allowed for the identification and quantification of common mycotoxins including aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2, ochratoxin A, and fumosinin B1. Phenyl and C18 columns showed relatively similar selectivity based on hydrophobicity but the phenyl phase provides an additional mechanism, π–π interaction. The most hydrophobic of the analyzed compounds was more strongly retained on the C18 column and also has fewer unsaturated sites, which limited the interaction with the phenyl phase. Bean, maize, rice, and wheat samples were harvested and stored under conditions conducive to fungal development, and all samples presented toxin contamination exceeding the maximum tolerable limits.
Superior turbinate eosinophilia correlates with olfactory deficit in chronic rhinosinusitis patients
Authors: Lavin Jennifer , Min Jin‐Young , Lidder Alcina K. , Huang Julia He , Kato Atsushi , Lam Kent , Meen Eric , Chmiel Joan S. , Norton James , Suh Lydia , Mahdavinia Mahboobeh , Hulse Kathryn E. , Conley David B. , Chandra Rakesh K. , Shintani‐Smith Stephanie , Kern Robert C. , Schleimer Robert P. , Tan Bruce K.
Published: March 2017

Objective

To evaluate if molecular markers of eosinophilia in olfactory‐enriched mucosa are associated with olfactory dysfunction.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional study of tissue biopsies from 99 patients, and an additional 30 patients who underwent prospective olfactory testing prior to sinonasal procedures.

Methods

Tissue biopsies were processed for analysis of inflammatory markers using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Ipsilateral olfactory performance was assessed using the Sniffin' Sticks (Burghart, Wedel, Germany) threshold component and the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (Sensonics, Haddon Heights, NJ). Age‐adjusted data was correlated with inflammatory marker expression and clinical measures of obstruction from computed tomography and endoscopy.

Results

Gene expression of the eosinophil marker CLC (Charcot Leyden crystal protein) was elevated in superior turbinate (ST) tissue in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) compared to ST and inferior turbinate tissue in CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) and control patients (all P < 0.001, respectively). CLC in ST tissue was correlated with IL‐5 and eotaxin‐1 expression (all P < 0.001; P = 0.65, and 0.49, respectively). CLC expression was strongly correlated with eosinophilic cationic protein levels (P < 0.001; r = −0.76), and ST CLC expression was inversely related to olfactory threshold (P = 0.002, r = −0.57) and discrimination scores (P = 0.05, r = −0.42). In multiple linear regression of CLC gene expression, polyp status, and radiographic and endoscopic findings with olfactory threshold, CLC was the only significantly correlated variable (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Markers of eosinophils are elevated in the ST of patients with CRSwNP and correlate with olfactory loss. These findings support the hypothesis that olfactory dysfunction in CRS correlates local eosinophil influx into the olfactory cleft.

Level of Evidence

NA. Laryngoscope, 127:2210–2218, 2017
Long‐term local control rates of patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck managed by surgery and postoperative radiation
Authors: Ali Safina , Palmer Frank L. , Katabi Nora , Lee Nancy , Shah Jatin P. , Patel Snehal G. , Ganly Ian
Published: March 2017

Objectives

To report long‐term local control in patients with adenoid cystic cancer (ACC) of the head and neck managed by surgery and identify factors predictive for local failure.

Study Design

Single‐institution retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Eighty‐seven patients who had surgery for ACC between 1985 and 2009 were identified. Patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics were recorded. Local recurrence‐free survival (LRFS) was recorded by the Kaplan‐Meier method. Predictors of local control were identified.

Results

The median age was 54 years. Seventy‐two (83%) patients had perineural invasion, 61 (70%) had close/positive margins, and 58 (67%) had pT 1T2. Fifty‐nine (68%) patients had postoperative radiation therapy (PORT). With a median follow‐up of 85 months, the 10‐year LRFS was 78.7%. There were 14 local recurrences. On multivariable analysis, pathological tumor (T)3T4 stage and no PORT were independent predictors for local failure. Patients with no PORT had a 13‐fold increased risk of local failure compared to patients treated with PORT (P = 0.003) after adjusting for stage.

Conclusion

After adjusting for T stage, patients who do not get PORT are more likely to have local recurrence.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 127:2265–2269, 2017
Increased long‐term risk of hearing loss in patients with traumatic brain injury: A nationwide population‐based study
Authors: Shangkuan Wei‐Chuan , Lin Hung‐Che , Shih Cheng‐Ping , Cheng Chun‐An , Fan Hueng‐Chuen , Chung Chi‐Hsiang , Lin Fu‐Huang , Tsao Chang‐Huei , Chien Wu‐Chien
Published: March 2017

Objectives/Hypothesis

We investigated incidences of hearing loss among patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to evaluate whether they had a higher risk of hearing loss than the general population.

Study Design

Cohort study.

Methods

Inpatient data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2010 were recorded. Patients with TBI and a retrospective comparison cohort were analyzed. Each subject was individually traced from their index date to identify subjects who subsequently received a diagnosis of hearing loss. Cox regression analyses were applied to determine the risk of TBI‐related hearing loss.

Results

Follow‐up data from the TBI and comparison cohorts were collected over 10 years for 553,286 and 1,106,572 patients, respectively. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that TBI significantly increased the risk of hearing loss (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.125, 95% confidence interval = 2.045‐2.546, P = .027). In our subgroup analyses by type of injury, patients with TBI due to traffic injury had the highest associated risk of hearing loss compared with the risk of non‐TBI traffic injury patients, followed by patients with crushing/cutting/piercing injuries and falls.

Conclusions

Our study shows that TBI led to a higher risk of long‐term hearing loss. Traffic injuries were the most common injury related to hearing loss. Prevention, rather than treatment, may be the best policy for preventing hearing loss.

Level of Evidence

2b. Laryngoscope, 127:2627–2635, 2017
Radio‐anatomical analysis of the pericranial flap “money box approach” for ventral skull base reconstruction
Authors: Santamaría Alfonso , Langdon Cristóbal , López‐Chacon Mauricio , Cordero Arturo , Enseñat Joaquim , Carrau Ricardo , Bernal‐Sprekelsen Manuel , Alobid Isam
Published: March 2017

Objectives/Hypothesis

To evaluate the versatility of the pericranial flap (PCF) to reconstruct the ventral skull base, using the frontal sinus as a gate for its passage into the sinonasal corridor “money box approach.”

Study Design

Anatomic‐radiological study and case series.

Methods

Various approaches and their respective defects (cribriform, transtuberculum, clival, and craniovertebral junction) were completed in 10 injected specimens. The PCF was introduced into the nose through the uppermost portion of the frontal sinus (money box approach). Computed tomography (CT) scans (n = 50) were used to measure the dimensions of the PCF and the skull base defects. The vertical projection of the external ear canal was used as the reference point to standardize the incisions for the PCF.

Results

The surface area and maximum length of the PCF were 121.5 ± 19.4 cm2 and 18.3 ± 1.3 cm, respectively. Using CT scans, we determined that to reconstruct defects secondary to transcribriform, transtuberculum, clival, and craniovertebral approaches, the PCF distal incision must be placed respectively at −3.7 ± 2.0 cm (angle −17.4 ± 8.5°), −0.2 ± 2.0 cm (angle −1.0 ± 9.3°), +5.5 ± 2.3 cm (angle +24.4 ± 9.7°), +8.4 ± 2.4 cm (angle +36.6 ± 11.5°), as related to the reference point. Skull base defects in our clinical cohort (n = 6) were completely reconstructed uneventfully with the PCF.

Conclusions

The PCF renders enough surface area to reconstruct all possible defects in the ventral and median skull base. Using the uppermost frontal sinus as a gateway into the nose (money box approach) is feasible and simple.

Level of Evidence

NA. Laryngoscope, 127:2482–2489, 2017
The forgetting health system
Authors: Coiera Enrico
Published: March 2017

Introduction

Forgetting shapes learning in two different ways. It impedes learning when important lessons are forgotten. Equally, it can be difficult to enact new lessons if we do not let go of old beliefs and practices that are no longer useful. A learning health system (LHS) that wishes to improve health service delivery will need to find ways to remember processes that shape quality and safety ‐ using data that often resides beyond electronic health records. An LHS will also need to “forget”, or programmatically decommission, obsolete practices, whose persistence otherwise leads to unnecessary system complexity and inertia to change.

Discussion

New forms of data needed to improve health services include process metrics extracted from digital systems; human‐level metrics that capture workflow patterns and clinician behaviors; and multivariate process patterns that can identify service “syndromes.” To avoid inertia to change, system complexity must be reduced by retiring (or forgetting) inefficient or unhelpful work practices. Biological models of programmed cell death provide a rich set of mechanisms to decommission elements of health services. These models suggest health service elements should be able to detect the end of their useful life and should contain internal mechanisms to orchestrate decommissioning—in contrast to current service decommissioning, which is an externally initiated, top‐down down‐driven process.

Conclusions

An LHS should take advantage of digital infrastructure to bring together people, sensors, analytics, and quasi‐autonomous mechanisms for service adaptation. By drawing inspiration from biology, we can design LHSs that do not just remember but also actively forget.
Biconservative surfaces in BCV‐spaces
Authors: Montaldo Stefano , Onnis Irene I. , Passos Passamani Apoena
Published: March 2017

Biconservative hypersurfaces are hypersurfaces with conservative stress‐energy tensor with respect to the bienergy functional, and form a geometrically interesting family which includes that of biharmonic hypersurfaces. In this paper we study biconservative surfaces in the 3‐dimensional Bianchi–Cartan–Vranceanu spaces, obtaining their characterization in the following cases: when they form a constant angle with the Hopf vector field; when they are SO(2)‐invariant.
Hugonella massiliensis gen. nov., sp. nov., genome sequence, and description of a new strictly anaerobic bacterium isolated from the human gut
Authors: Elsawi Ziena , Togo Amadou Hamidou , Beye Mamadou , Dubourg Grégory , Andrieu Claudia , Armsrtong Nicholas , Richez Magali , di Pinto Fabrizio , Bittar Fadi , Labas Noémie , Fournier Pierre‐Edouard , Raoult Didier , Khelaifia Saber
Published: March 2017

The human gut is composed of a large diversity of microorganisms, which have been poorly described. Here, using culturomics, a new concept based on the variation in culture conditions and MALDI‐TOF MS identification, we proceed to explore the microbial diversity of the complex ecosystem of the human gut. Using this approach, we isolated strain AT8T (=CSUR P2118 =  DSM 101782) from stool specimens collected from a 51‐year‐old obese French woman. Strain AT8T is a strictly anaerobic, nonmotile, nonspore‐forming gram‐positive coccus that do not exhibit catalase and oxidase activities. 16S rDNA‐based identification of strain AT8T demonstrated 92% gene sequence similarity with Eggerthella lenta DSM 2243, the phylogenetically closed validly named type species. Here, we present a set of features for the strain AT8T and the description of its complete genome sequence and annotation. The 2,091,845 bp long genome has a G+C content of 63.46% and encodes1,849 predicted genes; 1,781 were protein‐coding genes, and 68 were RNAs. On the basis of the characteristics reported here, we propose the creation of a new bacterial genus Hugonella gen. nov., belonging to the Eggerthellaceae family and including Hugonella massiliensis gen. nov., sp. nov., strain AT8T as the type strain.
The role of devulcanizing agent for mechanochemical devulcanization of styrene butadiene rubber vulcanizate
Authors: Ghosh Joyeeta , Ghorai Soumyajit , Bhunia Satyaban , Roy Madhusudan , De Debapriya
Published: March 2017

More or less universally, bis(3‐triethoxysilyl propyl) tetrasulfide (TESPT) has been used as a coupling agent during dispersion of silica filler in a virgin nonpolar rubber compound. It is for the first time that TESPT has been used as a devulcanizing agent and as‐grown devulcanized rubber facilitates the silica dispersion in nonpolar rubber compound without any coupling agent. Dual functionalities of TESPT have been modeled and validated in this work. Various factors like the role of sol‐gel content, inherent viscosity of sol rubber, crosslink density, and degree of devulcanization were investigated as a function of devulcanization time and amount of TESPT to optimize devulcanization time and TESPT amount. To study the silica reinforcement, revulcanization of devulcanized SBR was carried out with silica filler and the curing characteristics of the material were evaluated. From the mechanical properties and thermogravimetry analysis the optimum time for devulcanization is determined. Further, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies were undertaken to check the coherency and homogeneity of the material. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:74–85, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Direct arylation polymerization toward a narrow bandgap donor–acceptor conjugated polymer of alternating 5,6‐difluoro‐2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole and alkyl‐quarternarythiophene: From synthesis, optoelectronic properties to devices
Authors: Efrem Amsalu , Wang Kai , Jia Tao , Wang Mingfeng
Published: March 2017

ABSTRACT: Direct arylation polymerization (DAP) enabled facile synthesis of a narrow bandgap donor–acceptor conjugated polymer (PDFBT‐Th4) composed of alternating 5,6‐difluoro‐2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole and alkyl‐quaternarythiophene. The optimized reaction condition of DAP catalyzed with Pd(OAc)2/(o‐MeOPh)3P/PivOH/K2CO3 in o‐xylene led to the target polymer with a number‐average molecular weight (Mn) of 14.6 kDa without noticeable homocoupling or β‐branching defects. UV‐vis absorption spectra of PDFBT‐Th4 indicate strong interchain aggregation in films. While the C‐H selectivity and the alternating polymer structure of PDFBT‐Th4 synthesized via DAP are comparable to those of the same type polymers synthesized via Stille coupling, the batch of PDFBT‐Th4 synthesized via optimal DAP, despite its lower Mn, showed higher hole mobility in field effect transistors and larger power conversion efficiency in organic solar cell devices. These results further demonstrate the promising potential of DAP for efficient synthesis of high‐performance D‐A conjugated polymers for broad optoelectronic applications. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 1869–1879
Polymerization of optically active disubstituted acetylene monomers by Pd catalyst bearing bulky phosphine ligand
Authors: Goto Yuta , Miyagi Yu , Sano Natsuhiro , Sanda Fumio
Published: March 2017

Chloro‐ and aryl‐substituted acetylene monomers having an optically active group were polymerized by a Pd catalyst [(tBu3P)PdMeCl] bearing a bulky phosphine ligand, and by MoCl5 for comparison. The corresponding disubstituted acetylene polymers with Mn's = 2000–19,500 and 6900–10,800 were obtained in 29–83% and 11–62% yields when the Pd and Mo catalysts were used, respectively. The formation of polyacetylenes, poly[(R)‐1p], poly[(R)‐1m], and poly[(S)‐2p] were confirmed by SEC and the presence of a Raman scattering peak based on the alternating double bonds of the main chain. Pd‐based poly[(R)‐1m] exhibited CD signals around 350 nm assignable to a certain secondary structure, while Mo‐based poly[(R)‐1m] did not. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3011–3016
Migration Testing of Polyethylene Terephthalate: Comparison of Regulated Test Conditions with Migration into Real Food at the End of Shelf Life
Authors: Gehring Carina , Welle Frank
Published: March 2017

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in contact with food must comply with the requirements laid down in the European Regulation (EU) 10/2011, which specifies conditions for migration tests. For real contact times longer than 30 days, accelerated migration tests are performed at elevated temperatures for a maximum of 10 days at 60°C. These conditions should represent the end of the shelf life (e.g. 365 days at 23°C) and are calculated using the Arrhenius equation on the basis of a default activation energy of 80 kJ/mol. However, for PET, it is well known that the activation energy is strongly dependent on the molecular size of the migrant. Small molecules like acetaldehyde have activation energies in PET of ~80 kJ/mol. For larger molecules like 2‐aminobenzamide with a predicted activation energy of diffusion of 134.4 kJ/mol, the storage times at 60°C and 40°C equivalent to the migration after 1 year at 23°C are 0.85 and 18.9 days, respectively. These findings were confirmed by experimental migration tests. For 2‐aminobenzamide, migration for 10 days at 60°C corresponded to a storage time at 23°C of 11.7 years, which is significantly higher than the long‐term storage of more than 6 months as foreseen in Regulation (EU) 10/2011. For larger molecules, the corresponding storage times at 23°C would even be longer, thus overestimating by far the migration at the end of shelf life. Contact conditions of 10 days at 60°C are too severe for PET. Migrant‐specific and polymer‐specific diffusion parameters should therefore be considered when designing accelerated migration tests for long‐term applications. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tests for informative cluster size using a novel balanced bootstrap scheme
Authors: Nevalainen Jaakko , Oja Hannu , Datta Somnath
Published: March 2017

Clustered data are often encountered in biomedical studies, and to date, a number of approaches have been proposed to analyze such data. However, the phenomenon of informative cluster size (ICS) is a challenging problem, and its presence has an impact on the choice of a correct analysis methodology. For example, Dutta and Datta (2015, Biometrics) presented a number of marginal distributions that could be tested. Depending on the nature and degree of informativeness of the cluster size, these marginal distributions may differ, as do the choices of the appropriate test. In particular, they applied their new test to a periodontal data set where the plausibility of the informativeness was mentioned, but no formal test for the same was conducted. We propose bootstrap tests for testing the presence of ICS. A balanced bootstrap method is developed to successfully estimate the null distribution by merging the re‐sampled observations with closely matching counterparts. Relying on the assumption of exchangeability within clusters, the proposed procedure performs well in simulations even with a small number of clusters, at different distributions and against different alternative hypotheses, thus making it an omnibus test. We also explain how to extend the ICS test to a regression setting and thereby enhancing its practical utility. The methodologies are illustrated using the periodontal data set mentioned earlier. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proof load testing of reinforced concrete slab bridges in the Netherlands
Authors: Lantsoght Eva , van der Veen Cor , de Boer Ane , Hordijk Dick A.
Published: March 2017

The bridges built during the development of the Dutch road network after the Second World War are reaching their originally devised service life. A large subset of the Dutch bridge stock consists of reinforced concrete slab bridges. This bridge type often rates insufficient according to the recently introduced Eurocodes. Therefore, more suitable methods are developed to assess reinforced concrete slab bridges to help transportation officials make informed decisions about the safety and remaining life of the existing bridges. Field testing can be used for example when the effect of deterioration on the structural capacity is unknown. A proof load test demonstrates that a given bridge can carry a certain load level. In the Netherlands, a number of existing reinforced concrete slab bridges have been proof loaded, and one bridge has been tested to collapse. Bridges with and without material damage were tested. These bridges were heavily instrumented, in order to closely monitor the behavior of the bridge. Critical positions for bending moment and shear were studied. Based on the proof load tests that were carried out over the past years, a set of recommendations for the systematic preparation, execution, and analysis of proof load test results is compiled. These recommendations will ultimately form the basis of the guideline for proof load testing for the Netherlands, which is currently under development.
Models of reactive power‐related wind park losses for application in power system load flow studies
Authors: Kaempf E. , Braun M.
Published: March 2017

In power system load flow studies, it is common to ignore wind park (WP) losses completely, since WPs are obliged to provide reactive power as a free‐of‐charge ancillary service. Strongly simplified WP loss estimations are also widespread. Prevailing loss modelling approaches may result in substantial and so far usually ignored reactive power allocation inefficiencies. The innovation of this paper lies in demonstrating this and in presenting an alternative modelling approach that combines speed, ease‐of‐use and accuracy.

Calculations are based on a generic WP connected to 110 kV. It is simulated once using gearless permanent magnet synchronous generators and once using doubly fed induction generators. In this way, for the first time, the consequences of neglecting differences between wind generator types when calculating reactive power‐related losses are systematically quantified. Loss‐minimal dispatch is assessed using heuristic optimal power flow. Relevance of findings is demonstrated for the application of reducing system losses based on reactive power control of WPs in closed‐loop optimal power flow schemes. It is shown that non‐consideration of WP losses may lead to dispatch decisions where the increase in WP losses outweighs the achieved loss reduction in the 110 kV system by 400%. The study facilitates comparing reactive power ancillary services from WPs to that of other technologies from an economic perspective. It concludes by a benchmarking overview of pros and cons of modelling alternatives. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nocturnal distance sampling all‐terrain vehicle surveys for nonbreeding rails
Authors: Fournier Auriel M. V. , Krementz David G.
Published: March 2017

Rails (Family: Rallidae) are among the most difficult birds to detect. Although methods have been developed to optimize detection during the breeding season, there is no current suitable survey method for the nonbreeding season. Low detection of rails and lack of suitable methods limit monitoring efforts and examination of important questions related to rail conservation and habitat management during the nonbreeding season. We present a new survey method along with suggestions for its effective use in moist‐soil wetlands. We conducted nocturnal surveys during the autumns 2012–2015 in Missouri, USA, to detect sora (Porzana carolina) using hierarchical generalized distance sampling along transects that we traveled while riding all‐terrain vehicles at night. We evaluated assumptions of our survey method by examining the response by radiomarked sora to survey vehicles and comparing survey counts between surveys on the same night. These surveys produced sora density estimates with error that can be used to address conservation and management questions such as habitat use and migratory timing. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Long‐term spatial heterogeneity in mallard distribution in the Prairie pothole region
Authors: Janke Adam K. , Anteau Michael J. , Stafford Joshua D.
Published: March 2017

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of north‐central United States and south‐central Canada supports greater than half of all breeding mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) annually counted in North America and is the focus of widespread conservation and research efforts. Allocation of conservation resources for this socioeconomically important population would benefit from an understanding of the nature of spatiotemporal variation in distribution of breeding mallards throughout the 850,000 km2 landscape. We used mallard counts from the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey to test for spatial heterogeneity and identify high‐ and low‐abundance regions of breeding mallards over a 50‐year time series. We found strong annual spatial heterogeneity in all years: 90% of mallards counted annually were on an average of only 15% of surveyed segments. Using a local indicator of spatial autocorrelation, we found a relatively static distribution of low‐count clusters in northern Montana, USA, and southern Alberta, Canada, and a dynamic distribution of high‐count clusters throughout the study period. Distribution of high‐count clusters shifted southeast from northwestern portions of the PPR in Alberta and western Saskatchewan, Canada, to North and South Dakota, USA, during the latter half of the study period. This spatial redistribution of core mallard breeding populations was likely driven by interactions between environmental variation that created favorable hydrological conditions for wetlands in the eastern PPR and dynamic land‐use patterns related to upland cropping practices and government land‐retirement programs. Our results highlight an opportunity for prioritizing relatively small regions within the PPR for allocation of wetland and grassland conservation for mallard populations. However, the extensive spatial heterogeneity in core distributions over our study period suggests such spatial prioritization will have to overcome challenges presented by dynamic land‐use and climate patterns in the region, and thus merits additional monitoring and empirical research to anticipate future population distribution. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Aluminium Complexes Bearing Pyrrolide Ligand as Efficient Catalysts for Ring‐Opening Polymerization of ε‐Caprolactone
Authors: Pei Hao , Yang Hua , Lu Ning , Liu Wei , Li Yahong
Published: March 2017

Three aluminium complexes supported by a tetradentate pyrrolide ligand H2L [H2L = N,N′‐(2,2‐dimethylpropane‐1,3‐diyl)bis(1‐(1H‐pyrrol‐2‐yl)methanimine)], namely, Al(L)Me (1), Al(L)Cl (2), and Al(L)(OiPr) (3), were synthesized. The structures of 1 and 2 were established by X‐ray single crystal diffraction analysis, and the structure of 3 was characterized by NMR spectroscopy and element analysis. All complexes, containing different chemical bond forms (Al–C, Al–Cl, and Al–O), are good initiators for the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ε‐caprolactone. The obtained polymers have high molecular weights (MWs) and relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (PDIs). Complexes 1 and 3 show dramatically high activities for the ROP of ε‐caprolactone. For complex 1, when the monomer/initiator (M/I) ratio is 6400:1, a 40 % yield of the product could be obtained at 100 °C. The activity of 3 is higher than that of 1, and 39 % yield of the polymers could be afforded at 70 °C, as the M/I value reaches 12800:1. The good activities of these complexes reveal their potential applications in industry.
Early Hepatic Artery Thrombosis After Liver Transplantation: What is the Impact of the Arterial Reconstruction Type?
Authors: Herrero Astrid , Souche Regis , Joly Emmanuel , Boisset Gildas , Habibeh Hussein , Bouyabrine Hassan , Panaro Fabrizio , Ursic‐Bedoya Jose , Jaber Samir , Guiu Boris , Pageaux Georges Philippe , Navarro Francis
Published: March 2017

Objective

Hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) is the most severe vascular complication occurring after liver transplantation, with an incidence ranging from 2 to 9% in adults. Although the ideal arterial reconstruction is often described as a short and non‐redundant anastomosis fashioned between the recipient and donor hepatic arteries, there is no strong evidence about this ideal reconstruction in the literature. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the type of arterial reconstruction on early HAT after primary liver transplantation.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed a contemporary MELD era cohort of 282 patients who underwent deceased donor primary liver transplantation from 2007 to 2012. Graft artery was classified as “short” when the section was located at the proper/common hepatic artery or “long” when the celiac trunk was used for anastomosis. Recipient arterial sites for arterial anastomosis were classified in three sites: (1) “distal” (proper hepatic artery or common hepatic artery/gastro‐duodenal bifurcation), (2) “intermediate” (common hepatic artery) and (3) “proximal” (celiac trunk–splenic artery–aorta). We used univariate and multivariate analyses to assess the impact of different types of arterial reconstruction on early HAT.

Results

Of 282 primary liver transplantations, 17 patients (6%) developed early HAT. Patients with and without early HAT had comparable demographic and operative data. The main anastomotic combination was short graft artery on the recipient‐common hepatic artery (n = 111, 39%). A long graft artery was used in 91 patients (32%) and was associated with hepatic artery variations (56%; n = 51; p = 0.001). Arterial reconstructions using a long graft artery (p = 0.003), a recipient proximal site as celiac trunk–splenic artery–aorta (p = 0.02) and the combination of a long graft artery on the recipient distal hepatic artery (p = 0.02) were significantly associated with early HAT. The early HAT rate in patients with a long graft artery was not significantly different between patients with or without donor arterial variation (respectively, 12% (n = 6/51) vs. 12% (n = 5/40); p = 1). In multivariate analysis, the use of a long graft artery, whatever the recipient anastomosis site, was an independent risk factor of early HAT (OR 3.2; 95% CI 1.2–9; p = 0.02).

Conclusion

The type of arterial reconstruction used for arterial anastomosis during primary liver transplantation has an impact on the occurrence of early HAT. The use of a long graft artery is an independent risk factor of early HAT. Thereby, we recommend the use of a short graft artery with a direct path when feasible to reduce the occurrence of early HAT after primary liver transplantation.
High Arachidonic Acid Levels in the Tissues of Herbivorous Fish Species (Siganus fuscescens, Calotomus japonicus and Kyphosus bigibbus)
Authors: Jiarpinijnun Asada , Benjakul Soottawat , Pornphatdetaudom Akasith , Shibata Junichiro , Okazaki Emiko , Osako Kazufumi
Published: March 2017

The lipid and fatty acid compositions in the various organs (muscle, liver, other viscera) and stomach contents of three common herbivorous fish species in Japan, Siganus fuscescens, Calotomus japonicus and Kyphosus bigibbus, were examined to explore the stable 20:4n‐6 (arachidonic acid, ARA) sources. Triacylglycerol (TAG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn), and phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) were the dominant lipid classes, while the major FA contents were 16:0, 18:1n‐9, 16:1n‐7, 14:0, 18:0, 18:1n‐7, and some PUFA, including ARA, 20:5n‐3 (eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA), 22:5n‐3 (docosapentaenoic acid, DPA), and 22:6n‐3 (docosahexaenoic acid, DHA). The amounts of these fatty acids were varied among species and their lipid classes. Phospholipids contained higher levels of PUFA than TAG. However, ARA in both phospholipids and TAG was markedly present in the muscle and viscera of all specimens, particularly in C. japonicus and K. bigibbus. Moreover, their ARA levels were higher than the levels of DHA and EPA. The observed high ARA level is unusual in marine fish and might be characteristic of herbivorous fish. Furthermore, ARA was the dominant PUFA in the stomach contents of the three species, suggesting that the high ARA level originated from their food sources. The above indicates that these three herbivorous fishes are ARA‐rich marine foods and have potential utilization as stable ARA resources.
Decay estimates for spherically symmetric Yang-Mills fields in Minkowski space-time
Authors: Schirmer Pedro Paulo
Published: March 2017

We consider Yang–Mills fields in Minkowski space-time

\mathrm R^{3 + 1}

. We prove global existence and establish decay estimates for any initial data which is sufficiently small in a specified energy norm and which is spherically symmetric in the sense of principal bundles. We consider initial data which lead to bounded solutions near the central line. The proof of the global result is achieved using wighted Sobolev norms of the Klainerman type. They not only provide global existence, but also sharp asymptotic behaviour of the solutions in time. The initial data considered here does not include Coulomb charges but includes dipole radiation, a situation which cannot be acomodated in the framework of the conformai method. A new class of solutions, which have not been considered before, is covered then by the theorem.

On démontre un théorème global d’existence d’une solution du problème de Cauchy pour les équations de Yang–Mills sur l’espace de Minkowski, pour des données petites et avec symétrie radiale, dans le sens d’une fibration principale.
Looking for the Bernoulli shift
Authors: Séré Éric
Published: March 2017

We prove a result on the topological entropy of a large class of Hamiltonian systems. This result is obtained variationally by constructing “multibump” homoclinic solutions.

On démontre un résultat sur l’entropie topologique d’une grande classe de systèmes hamiltoniens. Ce résultat est obtenu par une méthode variationnelle qui permet de construire des solutions homoclines « multi-bosses ».
The Economy of Late Achaemenid and Seleucid Babylonia
Authors: Pirngruber Reinhard
Published: March 2017

In this book Reinhard Pirngruber provides a full reassessment of the economic structures and market performance in Late Achaemenid and Seleucid Babylonia. His approach is informed by the theoretical insights of New Institutional Economics and draws heavily on archival cuneiform documents as well as providing the first exhaustive contextualisation of the price data contained in the Babylonian Astronomical Diaries. Historical information gleaned from the accounts of both Babylonian scholars and Greek authors shows the impact of imperial politics on prices in form of exogenous shocks affecting supply and demand. Attention is also paid to the amount of money in circulation. Moreover, the use of regression analysis in modelling historical events breaks new ground in Ancient Near Eastern Studies and gives new impetus to the use of modern economic theory. The book explains the theoretical and statistical methods used so that it is accessible to the full range of historians.
China's Governance Puzzle
Authors: Stromseth Jonathan R. , Malesky Edmund J. , Gueorguiev Dimitar D. , Hairong Lai , Xixin Wang , Brinton Carl
Published: March 2017

China is widely viewed as a global powerhouse that has achieved a remarkable economic transformation with little political change. Less well known is that China's leaders have also implemented far‐reaching governance reforms designed to promote government transparency and increase public participation in official policymaking. What are the motivations behind these reforms and, more importantly, what impact are they having? This puzzle lies at the heart of Chinese politics and could dictate China's political trajectory for years to come. This extensive collaborative study not only documents the origins and scope of these reforms across China, but offers the first systematic assessment by quantitatively and qualitatively analyzing the impact of participation and transparency on important governance outcomes. Comparing across provinces and over time, the authors argue that the reforms are resulting in lower corruption and enhanced legal compliance, but these outcomes also depend on a broader societal ecosystem that includes an active media and robust civil society.
Shell-Shock and Medical Culture in First World War Britain
Authors: Loughran Tracey
Published: March 2017

Shell-Shock and Medical Culture in First World War Britain is a thought-provoking reassessment of medical responses to war-related psychological breakdown in the early twentieth century. Dr Loughran places shell-shock within the historical context of British psychological medicine to examine the intellectual resources doctors drew on as they struggled to make sense of nervous collapse. She reveals how medical approaches to shell-shock were formulated within an evolutionary framework which viewed mental breakdown as regression to a level characteristic of earlier stages of individual or racial development, but also ultimately resulted in greater understanding and acceptance of psychoanalytic approaches to human mind and behaviour. Through its demonstration of the crucial importance of concepts of mind-body relations, gender, willpower and instinct to the diagnosis of shell-shock, this book locates the disorder within a series of debates on human identity dating back to the Darwinian revolution and extending far beyond the medical sphere.
Shakespeare for Freedom
Authors: Fernie Ewan
Published: March 2017

Shakespeare for Freedom presents a powerful, plausible and political argument for Shakespeare's meaning and value. It ranges across the breadth of the Shakespeare phenomenon, offering a new interpretation not just of the characters and plays, but also of the part they have played in theatre, criticism, civic culture and politics. Its story includes a glimpse of 'Freetown' in Romeo and Juliet, which comes to life in the 1769 Stratford Jubilee; the Shakespearean careers of the Leicester Chartist, Cooper, and the Hungarian hero, Kossuth; Hegel's recognition of Shakespearean freedom as the modern breakthrough; its fatal effects in America; the disgust it inspired in Tolstoy; its rehabilitation by Ted Hughes, and its obscure centrality in the 2012 Olympics. Ultimately, it issues a positive Shakespearean prognosis for freedom as a vital (in both senses), unending struggle. Shakespeare for Freedom shows why Shakespeare has mattered for four hundred years, and why he still matters today.
World War One in Southeast Asia
Authors: Streets-Salter Heather
Published: March 2017

Although not a major player during the course of the First World War, Southeast Asia was in fact altered by the war in multiple and profound ways. Ranging across British Malaya, the Dutch East Indies, and French Indochina, Heather Streets-Salter reveals how the war shaped the region's political, economic, and social development both during 1914–18 and in the war's aftermath. She shows how the region's strategic location between North America and India made it a convenient way-station for expatriate Indian revolutionaries who hoped to smuggle arms and people into India and thus to overthrow British rule, whilst German consuls and agents entered into partnerships with both Indian and Vietnamese revolutionaries to undermine Allied authority and coordinate anti-British and anti-French operations. World War One in Southeast Asia offers an entirely new perspective on anti-colonialism and the Great War, and radically extends our understanding of the conflict as a truly global phenomenon.
Thomas Jefferson and the Science of Republican Government
Authors: Klinghard Daniel , Gish Dustin
Published: March 2017

This biography of Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia, his only published book, challenges conventional wisdom by demonstrating its core political thought as well as the political aspirations behind its composition, publication and initial dissemination. Building upon a close reading of the book's contents, Jefferson's correspondence and the first comprehensive examination of both its composition and publication history, the authors argue that Jefferson intended his Notes to be read by a wide audience, especially in America, in order to help shape constitutional debates in the critical period of the 1780s. Jefferson, through his determined publication and distribution of his Notes even while serving as American ambassador in Paris, thus brought his own constitutional and political thought into the public sphere - and at times into conflict with the writings of John Adams and James Madison, stimulating a debate over the proper form of Republican constitutionalism that still reverberates in American political thought.
Making Sense of Corruption
Authors: Rothstein Bo , Varraich Aiysha
Published: March 2017

Corruption is a serious threat to prosperity, democracy and human well-being, with mounting empirical evidence highlighting its detrimental effects on society. Yet defining this threat has resulted in profound disagreement, producing a multidimensional concept. Tackling this important and provocative topic, the authors provide an accessible and systematic analysis of how our understanding of corruption has evolved. They identify gaps in the research and make connections between related concepts such as clientelism, patronage, patrimonialism, particularism and state capture. A fundamental issue discussed is how the opposite of corruption should be defined. By arguing for the possibility of a universal understanding of corruption, and specifically what corruption is not, an innovative solution to this problem is presented. This book provides an accessible overview of corruption, allowing scholars and students alike to see the far reaching place it has within academic research.
Jazz Italian Style
Authors: Celenza Anna Harwell
Published: March 2017

Jazz Italian Style explores a complex era in music history, when politics and popular culture collided with national identity and technology. When jazz arrived in Italy at the conclusion of World War I, it quickly became part of the local music culture. In Italy, thanks to the gramophone and radio, many Italian listeners paid little attention to a performer's national and ethnic identity. Nick LaRocca (Italian-American), Gorni Kramer (Italian), the Trio Lescano (Jewish-Dutch), and Louis Armstrong (African-American), to name a few, all found equal footing in the Italian soundscape. The book reveals how Italians made jazz their own, and how, by the mid-1930s, a genre of jazz distinguishable from American varieties and supported by Mussolini began to flourish in Northern Italy and in its turn influenced Italian-American musicians. Most importantly, the book recovers a lost repertoire and an array of musicians whose stories and performances are compelling and well worth remembering.
Strategic A2/AD in Cyberspace
Authors: Russell Alison Lawlor
Published: March 2017

Strategic A2/AD in Cyberspace focuses on exclusion from cyberspace, or the ability of a state to be cut off entirely from cyberspace. Strategic anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) operations are common in other domains, but, before now, they have not been examined for their relevance to cyberspace. This book examines how strategic A2/AD operations can cut off states from cyberspace through attacks at either the physical or logic layers of cyberspace. The result of strategic cyber A2/AD operations could be catastrophic for modern economies, governments, military forces, and societies, yet there has been surprisingly little study of these threats to states' access to cyberspace. This book examines the implications of strategic cyber A2/AD operations for deterrence strategy and proposes a new view of how exclusion from cyberspace can be used as a coercive tool in diplomacy.