bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wolf‐livestock conflict and the effects of wolf management
Authors: DeCesare Nicholas. J. , Wilson Seth M. , Bradley Elizabeth H. , Gude Justin A. , Inman Robert M. , Lance Nathan J. , Laudon Kent , Nelson Abigail A. , Ross Michael S. , Smucker Ty D.
Published: February 2018

Wolf (Canis lupus) depredations of livestock are a ubiquitous source of conflict in every country where wolves and livestock overlap. We studied the spatial and temporal variation of wolf depredations of livestock in Montana during 2005–2015, including evaluations of targeted control efforts and public harvest as potential means to reduce depredations. During this time we collected spatial data for all confirmed wolf‐livestock depredations, tallied the annual number of depredation events within hunting districts, and collected data for variables potentially predictive of depredation events. We decomposed variation in depredation data into 2 distinct components: the binary presence or absence of depredation events in each district‐year, and the count of depredation events in district‐years with ≥1 event. We found that presence‐absence of depredations increased with wolf presence and wolf density, increased with livestock density, were highest at intermediate proportionate areas of agricultural land, and were a recurrent phenomenon such that districts with depredations the previous year were more likely to continue having them. Targeted removal, but not public harvest, significantly reduced the recurrent presence of depredations. The number of conflicts in district‐years with ≥1 depredation event was positively correlated with wolf density, cattle density, intermediate proportionate areas of forested land, and the number of events during the previous year. Public harvest reduced the counts of depredation events in areas where conflict reoccurred, though with a modest predicted effect size of 0.22 fewer depredations/district‐year, or 5.7 fewer depredation events statewide/year (8% of the annual average). Minimizing livestock losses is a top priority for wolf management. These results shed light on the broad‐scale patterns behind chronic problems and the effectiveness of wolf management practices in addressing them. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.
Presence of ghost crabs and piping plover nesting success
Authors: Kwon Eunbi , Fraser James D. , Catlin Daniel H. , Karpanty Sarah M. , Weithman Chelsea E. , Muiznieks Britta
Published: February 2018

Despite intensive management to protect the federally threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus), breeding success in North Carolina has consistently been lower than in other Atlantic Coast states. The native ghost crab (Ocypode quadrata) preys on plover eggs and chicks, but the effect of ghost crab predation on plover productivity has not been established. We used daily records of nest survival collected at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina, USA from 2008 to 2015 to test a hypothesized negative relationship between the presence of ghost crabs within the 3‐m diameter nest exclosure and the daily nest survival of plovers. We detected ghost crabs or their burrows within the nest exclosure on 63 out of 2,347 nest visits (24 out of 94 nests, 25%). We determined 9 nests (9.6%) were depredated by ghost crabs and 2 nests were abandoned after ghost crab visits. The estimated daily survival rate (DSR) of plover nests decreased with nest age, so to compare the nesting success predicted by our model, we standardized age in the prediction as the age at mid‐incubation. At mid‐incubation (nest age = 19 days), the DSR of a nest found with evidence of ghost crabs was 0.92 (95% CI = 0.74–0.98), compared to DSR of nests without ghost crabs (0.99, 95% CI = 0.97–0.99). We tested other covariates (e.g., clutch size, breeding timing, daily weather conditions); however, the standardized effect size of the presence of ghost crab was more than twice that of all other covariates. Ghost crabs may have a previously under‐recognized effect on plover nest survival when avian and mammalian predation is precluded by nest exclosures. Protection of piping plover nests from ghost crabs may improve piping plover nest success. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.
A Shock Tube Study of H Atom Addition to Cyclopentene
Authors: Manion Jeffrey A. , Awan Iftikhar A.
Published: February 2018

We report shock tube studies of the kinetics of H atom addition to cyclopentene and modeling of the subsequent decomposition of cyclopentyl. Hydrogen atoms were generated with thermal precursors in dilute mixtures of cyclopentene and a reference compound in argon. Addition of H to the double bond leads to a cyclopentyl radical that rapidly ring opens and decomposes to ethene and allyl radical. The process was monitored by postshock gas chromatographic analysis of ethene and rate constants determined relative to H atom displacement of methyl from 1,3,5‐trimethylbenzene (135TMB). At 863–1167 K and 160–370 kPa, we find urn:x-wiley:05388066:kin21150:equation:kin21150-math-0001 and, with , we obtain urn:x-wiley:05388066:kin21150:equation:kin21150-math-0003

Using experimental values of about 3:1 for the ratio of C─C to C─H beta scission in cyclopentyl radicals and a corresponding transition‐state‐theory/Rice‐Ramsberger‐Kassel‐Marcus (TST/RRKM) model, the high‐pressure rate expression for addition of H to cyclopentene at 863–1167 K is derived as urn:x-wiley:05388066:kin21150:equation:kin21150-math-0004

Combined with literature results from lower temperatures and a fitted TST model, the rate expression between 298 and 2000 K is determined as urn:x-wiley:05388066:kin21150:equation:kin21150-math-0005

Results are compared with related systems. Near 1000 K, our data require a minimum value of 1.5 for branching between beta C─C and C─H scission in cyclopentyl radicals to maintain established trends in H addition rates. This conflicts with current computed values and those used in existing kinetics models of cyclopentane combustion. We additionally report and discuss minor observed channels in the decomposition of cyclopentene, including formation of 1,4‐pentadiene, (E/Z)‐1,3‐pentadiene, 1,3‐butadiene, and the direct elimination of H2 from cyclopentene to give cyclopentadiene.
Velocity‐amplified microbial respiration rates in the lower Amazon River
Authors: Ward Nicholas D. , Sawakuchi Henrique O. , Neu Vania , Less Diani F. S. , Valerio Aline M. , Cunha Alan C. , Kampel Milton , Bianchi Thomas S. , Krusche Alex V. , Richey Jeffrey E. , Keil Richard G.
Published: February 2018

Most measurements of respiration rates in large tropical rivers do not account for the influence of river flow conditions on microbial activity. We developed a ship‐board spinning incubation system for measuring O2 drawdown under different rotation velocities and deployed the system along the lower Amazon River during four hydrologic periods. Average respiration rates in incubation chambers rotated at 0.22 m s−1 and 0.66 m s−1 were 1.4 and 2.4 times higher than stationary chambers, respectively. On average, depth‐integrated respiration rates in chambers spun at 0.22 m s−1 and 0.66 m s−1 accounted for 64% ± 22% and 104% ± 36% of CO2 outgassing rates, respectively, in mainstem sites. Continuous measurements of in situ pCO2 were also made along with cross‐channel profiles of river velocity. A positive correlation between river velocity and pCO2 was observed along the lower river (r2 = 0.67–0.96) and throughout a tidal cycle.
Increasing dominance of terrigenous organic matter in circumpolar freshwaters due to permafrost thaw
Authors: Wauthy Maxime , Rautio Milla , Christoffersen Kirsten S. , Forsström Laura , Laurion Isabelle , Mariash Heather L. , Peura Sari , Vincent Warwick F.
Published: February 2018

Climate change and permafrost thaw are unlocking the vast storage of organic carbon held in northern frozen soils. Here, we evaluated the effects of thawing ice‐rich permafrost on dissolved organic matter (DOM) in freshwaters by optical analysis of 253 ponds across the circumpolar North. For a subset of waters in subarctic Quebec, we also quantified the contribution of terrestrial sources to the DOM pool by stable isotopes. The optical measurements showed a higher proportion of terrestrial carbon and a lower algal contribution to DOM in waters affected by thawing permafrost. DOM composition was largely dominated (mean of 93%) by terrestrial substances at sites influenced by thawing permafrost, while the terrestrial influence was much less in waterbodies located on bedrock (36%) or with tundra soils unaffected by thermokarst processes (42%) in the catchment. Our results demonstrate a strong terrestrial imprint on freshwater ecosystems in degrading ice‐rich permafrost catchments, and the likely shift toward increasing dominance of land‐derived organic carbon in waters with ongoing permafrost thaw.
Bohr radius for locally univalent harmonic mappings
Authors: Kayumov Ilgiz R , Ponnusamy Saminathan , Shakirov Nail
Published: February 2018

We consider the class of all sense‐preserving harmonic mappings of the unit disk , where h and g are analytic with , and determine the Bohr radius if any one of the following conditions holds:

h is bounded in .

h satisfies the condition in with .

both h and g are bounded in .

h is bounded and .

We also consider the problem of determining the Bohr radius when the supremum of the modulus of the dilatation of f in is strictly less than 1. In addition, we determine the Bohr radius for the space of analytic Bloch functions and the space of harmonic Bloch functions. The paper concludes with two conjectures.
Age‐ and CGG repeat‐related slowing of manual movement in fragile X carriers: A prodrome of fragile X‐associated tremor ataxia syndrome?
Authors: Shickman Ryan , Famula Jessica , Tassone Flora , Leehey Maureen , Ferrer Emilio , Rivera Susan M. , Hessl David
Published: February 2018

Background

Fragile X premutation carriers are at increased risk for fragile X‐associated tremor ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), but to date we know little about prediction of onset and rate of progression and even less about treatment of this neurodegenerative disease. Thus, the longitudinal study of carriers, and the identification of potential biomarkers and prodromal states, is essential. Here we present results of baseline assessments from an ongoing longitudinal project.

Methods

The cohort consisted of 73 men, 48 with the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) premutation (55‐200 cytosine‐cytosine‐guanine or CGG repeats) and 25 well‐matched controls (< 40 repeats) aged between 40 and 75 years. At enrollment, none met criteria for FXTAS or had any clinically significant tremor or ataxia by blinded neurological examination. The battery consisted of measures of visual memory, spatial working memory, response inhibition, motor speed and control, planning and problem solving, sustained attention, and a standardized movement disorder evaluation.

Results

Contrary to expectations, there were no significant differences between premutation carriers and controls on any measure of executive function. However, the premutation carriers had significantly longer manual movement and reaction times than controls, and the significant interaction between CGG repeat and age revealed the slowest movement times among older carriers with higher CGG repeat alleles. A subset of premutation carriers had marginally lower scores on the ataxia evaluation, and they performed no differently from controls on the parkinsonism assessment.

Conclusion

Early‐developing cerebellar or fronto‐motor tract white matter changes, previously documented in MRI studies, may underlie motor slowing that occurs before clinically observable neurological symptoms associated with FXTAS. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Adiposity Associated Plasma Linoleic Acid is Related to Demographic, Metabolic Health and Haplotypes of FADS1/2 Genes in Irish Adults
Authors: Li Kaifeng , Brennan Lorraine , Bloomfield Jack F. , Duff Dan J. , McNulty Breige A. , Flynn Albert , Walton Janette , Gibney Michael J. , Nugent Anne P.
Published: February 2018

Scope

This study examines to what extent plasma linoleic acid (LA) is modified by adiposity, and explores any association between plasma LA, demographics, dietary intakes, markers of metabolic health, and haplotypes of the fatty acid desaturase (FADS) 1/2 genes.

Methods and results

A total of 820 participants with fasting blood samples from the Irish National Adult Nutrition Survey are studied. Plasma fatty acids are determined using GC–MS. Fifteen SNPs of FADS 1/2 genes are genotyped. Plasma LA decreases, while γ‐linoleic acid and dihomo‐γ‐linoleic acid increases in overweight/obese participants (p ≤ 0.002). Participants in the highest quartile of plasma LA show decreased plasma markers of de novo lipogenesis, insulin resistance, and of inflammation (TNF‐α, PAI‐1) (p ≤ 0.005). Adiposity (waist circumference and body fat) is strongly inversely associated with plasma LA accounting for 11.8% of variance observed, which is followed by FADS1/2 haplotypes (3.9%), quantity and quality of carbohydrate intakes (3.8%), dietary PUFA intakes (3.7%), systolic blood pressure (3.6%), and age (3.2%).

Conclusion

Plasma LA is inversely associated with adiposity, followed by haplotypes of FADS1/2 genes, carbohydrate intakes, and dietary PUFA intakes. The association observed between plasma LA and adiposity may be linked to decreased de novo lipogenesis, insulin resistance, and inflammation.
A dedicated breast‐PET/CT scanner: Evaluation of basic performance characteristics
Authors: Raylman Raymond R. , Van Kampen Will , Stolin Alexander V. , Gong Wenbo , Jaliparthi Gangadhar , Martone Peter F. , Smith Mark F. , Sarment David , Clinthorne Neal H. , Perna Mark
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Application of advanced imaging techniques, such as PET and x ray CT, can potentially improve detection of breast cancer. Unfortunately, both modalities have challenges in the detection of some lesions. The combination of the two techniques, however, could potentially lead to an overall improvement in diagnostic breast imaging. The purpose of this investigation is to test the basic performance of a new dedicated breast‐PET/CT.

Methods

The PET component consists of a rotating pair of detectors. Its performance was evaluated using the NEMA NU4‐2008 protocols. The CT component utilizes a pulsed x ray source and flat panel detector mounted on the same gantry as the PET scanner. Its performance was assessed using specialized phantoms. The radiation dose to a breast during CT imaging was explored by the measurement of free‐in‐air kerma and air kerma measured at the center of a 16 cm‐diameter PMMA cylinder. Finally, the combined capabilities of the system were demonstrated by imaging of a micro‐hot‐rod phantom.

Results

Overall, performance of the PET component is comparable to many pre‐clinical and other dedicated breast‐PET scanners. Its spatial resolution is 2.2 mm, 5 mm from the center of the scanner using images created with the single‐sliced‐filtered‐backprojection algorithm. Peak NECR is 24.6 kcps; peak sensitivity is 1.36%; the scatter fraction is 27%. Spatial resolution of the CT scanner is 1.1 lp/mm at 10% MTF. The free‐in‐air kerma is 2.33 mGy, while the PMMA‐air kerma is 1.24 mGy. Finally, combined imaging of a micro‐hot‐rod phantom illustrated the potential utility of the dual‐modality images produced by the system.

Conclusion

The basic performance characteristics of a new dedicated breast‐PET/CT scanner are good, demonstrating that its performance is similar to current dedicated PET and CT scanners. The potential value of this system is the capability to produce combined duality‐modality images that could improve detection of breast disease. The next stage in development of this system is testing with more advanced phantoms and human subjects.
Model‐Based Reactor Design to Control Hyperbranched Polymer Architecture
Authors: Tobita Hidetaka
Published: February 2018

A Monte Carlo simulation method, based on the random sampling technique in which a large number of polymers are sampled from the final product, is proposed for the continuous tanks‐in‐series process. The effect of the sequence of tanks with different sizes is considered for the irreversible step polymerization of AB2‐type monomer. It is found that the tank sequence starting from a large tank followed by a number of smaller tanks is suitable to produce compact hyperbranched polymers, whose mean‐square radii of gyration are much smaller than those formed in batch polymerization. Analytic formulas of the average molecular weights are presented for the tanks‐in‐series processes, including the post‐processes to make the molecular weight distribution narrower by removing residual monomer and by introducing multifunctional core molecules. The present investigation enhances fundamental knowledge that would be useful for the model‐based reactor design to control detailed branched architecture of the hyperbranched polymers.
Transverse slot antennas for high field MRI
Authors: Alon Leeor , Lattanzi Riccardo , Lakshmanan Karthik , Brown Ryan , Deniz Cem M. , Sodickson Daniel K. , Collins Christopher M.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Introduce a novel coil design using an electrically long transversely oriented slot in a conductive sheet.

Theory and Methods

Theoretical considerations, numerical simulations, and experimental measurements are presented for transverse slot antennas as compared with electric dipole antennas.

Results

Simulations show improved central and average transmit and receive efficiency, as well as larger coverage in the transverse plane, for a single slot as compared to a single dipole element. Experiments on a body phantom confirm the simulation results for a slot antenna relative to a dipole, demonstrating a large region of relatively high sensitivity and homogeneity. Images in a human subject also show a large imaging volume for a single slot and six slot antenna array. High central transmit efficiency was observed for slot arrays relative to dipole arrays.

Conclusion

Transverse slots can exhibit improved sensitivity and larger field of view compared with traditional conductive dipoles. Simulations and experiments indicate high potential for slot antennas in high field MRI. Magn Reson Med 80:1233–1242, 2018. © 2018 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Deep learning approaches for detection and removal of ghosting artifacts in MR spectroscopy
Authors: Kyathanahally Sreenath P. , Döring André , Kreis Roland
Published: February 2018

Purpose

To make use of deep learning (DL) methods to detect and remove ghosting artifacts in clinical magnetic resonance spectra of human brain.

Methods

Deep learning algorithms, including fully connected neural networks, deep‐convolutional neural networks, and stacked what‐where auto encoders, were implemented to detect and correct MR spectra containing spurious echo ghost signals. The DL methods were trained on a huge database of simulated spectra with and without ghosting artifacts that represent complex variations of ghost‐ridden spectra, transformed to time‐frequency spectrograms. The trained model was tested on simulated and in vivo spectra.

Results

The preliminary results for ghost detection are very promising, reaching almost 100% accuracy, and the DL ghost removal methods show potential in simulated and in vivo spectra, but need further refinement and quantitative testing.

Conclusions

Ghosting artifacts in spectroscopy are problematic, as they superimpose with metabolites and lead to inaccurate quantification. Detection and removal of ghosting artifacts using traditional machine learning approaches with feature extraction/selection is difficult, as ghosts appear at different frequencies. Here, we show that DL methods perform extremely well for ghost detection if the spectra are treated as images in the form of time‐frequency representations. Further optimization for in vivo spectra will hopefully confirm their “ghostbusting” capacity. Magn Reson Med 80:851–863, 2018. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Performance of Instream Jordan–Scotty Salmon Egg Incubators Under Different Installation and Sedimentation Conditions
Authors: Purchase Craig F. , Palm-Flawd Brittany , Charron Louis
Published: February 2018

Fish stocking, in which natural populations are supplemented with progeny through some unnatural means, is widespread and takes many forms. Long-term benefits of population viability are generally greatest when individuals are subjected to as little artificial rearing as possible. For salmonids, instream incubation enables embryo exposure to natural conditions during a critical developmental period. The Jordan–Scotty incubator is a new tool that facilitates the ability to conduct instream incubation on a semi-large scale. However, the performance of this type of incubator is affected by sedimentation. We quantified sediment accumulation within Jordan–Scotty incubators when installed using four potential methods in a blocked design that eliminated confounding space–time variables. Although sediment accumulation was highly variable, there appeared to be no benefit in taking the extra effort to install the incubators under gravel as recommended by the manufacturer. Incubator exposure to streamflow can be achieved in several ways and reduces sedimentation. We recommend the use of pre-installed plastic milk crates as incubator receptacles.
Growth faltering in a skeletal sample of enslaved nonadult Africans found at Lagos, Portugal (15th–17th centuries)
Authors: Wasterlain S. N. , Costa A. , Ferreira M. T.
Published: February 2018

The aim of this study is to analyse the growth of a sample of 31 nonadult individuals buried in an unusual way in Valle da Gafaria (Lagos, Portugal) between the 15th and 17th centuries. The archaeological and historical context of the skeletal collection (N = 158), the morphological traits of the skulls, and the presence of intentionally modified teeth in some individuals led to the conclusion that they were African slaves. The study of past populations' growth has been an essential component of the bioanthropological investigations because it is a good indicator of the health state and environment conditions in which human populations have lived. Attending to the hypothesis that differences between skeletal and dental age estimations are indicative of growth delay, it is pertinent to understand if these enslaved nonadult individuals were exposed to harsh environmental conditions. Dental age was estimated on the basis of dental development, that is, dental calcification and the sequence of formation and eruption of teeth. Skeletal age was evaluated in accordance to the long bones lengths. Non‐specific stress indicators, namely, cribra orbitalia, cribra humeralis, cribra femoralis, porotic hyperostosis, and enamel hypoplasia, were considered as markers of physiological disturbances. The age estimates obtained by the two dental methods were consistent in 79.2% of the individuals. On the other hand, the estimates obtained by osteometric and dental methods were consistent in 75.9% (osteometric vs. sequence of formation and eruption of teeth) and 65.2% (osteometric vs. dental calcification), the osteometric providing younger ages. The relatively low concordance between the age estimations was corroborated by the Cohen's Kappa coefficients. These results along with the high frequencies of cribra orbitalia (87.0%), cribra femoralis (85.7%), cribra humeralis (44.4%), porotic hyperostosis (43.3%), and enamel hypoplasia (70.0%) make evident the difficulties experienced by these individuals during their short lives.
Attempts to Lose Weight Among US Children: Importance of Weight Perceptions from Self, Parents, and Health Professionals
Authors: Ling Jiying , Stommel Manfred , Choi Seung Hee
Published: February 2018

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate how perceptions of weight by children themselves, parents, and health professionals influence children's persistent attempts to lose weight.

Methods

The sample included 4,914 children aged 8 to 15 years from the 2005 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (representing 20.7 million children). Data were analyzed using logistic regression models.

Results

About 34.2% never made an effort to lose weight, whereas 28.2% made persistent attempts to lose weight. Children's persistent attempts to lose weight were highly related to their own BMI percentile. Children's self‐perceptions of overweight increased the odds of persistent attempts to lose weight more than sevenfold. Health professionals’ perceptions that children were overweight increased the odds of persistent attempts to lose weight almost threefold. However, parents’ perceptions of children as overweight had a relatively small though significant influence on children's attempts to lose weight.

Conclusions

As perceptions of children's weight status play big roles in children's attempts to lose weight, interventions focusing on increasing accuracy of perceptions may help promote healthy weight loss efforts. Although parents are key agents in controlling their children's weight gain, especially among minority school‐aged children, the study findings also emphasize the greater importance of health professionals on children's attempts to lose weight across different racial/ethnic groups.
Well‐dispersed polyurethane/cellulose nanocrystal nanocomposites synthesized by a solvent‐free procedure in bulk
Authors: Kupka Vojtěch , Zhou Qi , Ansari Farhan , Tang Hu , Šlouf Miroslav , Vojtová Lucy , Berglund Lars A. , Jančář Josef
Published: February 2018

Polyurethane (PU) nanocomposites utilizing cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as nanofiller and amorphous PU matrix were synthesized in a novel solvent‐free bulk process. A green nanofiller, CNCs, was studied as reinforcement and was further modified by grafting poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) on the CNC surface (CNC‐PEG). Transmission electron microscopy revealed an excellent dispersion of the PEGylated CNC nanoparticles in the PU matrix, whereas as‐received CNCs formed agglomerates. The results indicated strong improvements in tensile properties with Young's modulus increasing up to 50% and strength up to 25% for both, PU/CNC and PU/CNC‐PEG nanocomposites. The enhanced tensile modulus was attributed to stiff particle reinforcement together with an increase in glass transition temperature. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E456–E465, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Evaluation of viscoelastic, thermal, morphological, and biodegradation properties of polypropylene nano‐biocomposites using natural fiber and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Yaghoobi Hessameddin , Fereidoon Abdolhossein
Published: February 2018

This article investigates the performances of polypropylene/kenaf fiber/polypropylene‐grafted maleic anhydride/multiwall carbon nanotube (PP/kenaf/PP‐g‐MA/MWCNT) nano‐biocomposites in terms of viscoelastic, thermal, and biodegradability properties. Nano‐biocomposites with kenaf weight content of 30 wt%, fiber length of 6 mm and different contents of MWCNTs (0.5–2 wt%) were produced for testing and characterization. The samples were made by melt compounding in Brabender internal mixer and then hot and cold pressing. The dynamic mechanical thermal analysis results showed that the incorporation of MWCNT enhanced the storage and loss moduli of the PP/kenaf/PP‐g‐MA biocomposites. Differential scanning calorimetry results depicted an increase in the melting and crystallization temperatures of PP/kenaf/PP‐g‐MA biocomposites with the increase of MWCNT contents. The biodegradation of biocomposites was investigated in the activated sludge on a laboratory scale for 10 months in order to study the rates of biodegradation of the samples. The biodegradability test conducted on each specimen illustrated that the produced biocomposites are subjected to partial biodegradation, judging by the change in mechanical properties and weight of them after the test. Morphological study which characterized using scanning electron microscopy technique verified that a good and homogeneous distribution of MWCNT through the biocomposites; however; some aggregates were revealed at higher MWCNTs content. POLYM. COMPOS., POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E592–E600, 2018. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Real‐time monitoring by proton relaxometry of radical polymerization reactions of acrylamide in aqueous solution
Authors: Rodrigues Elton Jorge da Rocha , Neto Roberto Pinto Cucinelli , Sebastião Pedro José Oliveira , Tavares Maria Inês Bruno
Published: February 2018

The potential of time‐domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD‐NMR) for the real‐time monitoring of solution radical polymerizations is demonstrated. A model system composed of a redox‐pair initiator system, acrylamide as monomer and water as solvent was investigated. A second‐generation continuous wave free precession technique was employed to measure the longitudinal relaxation time constant (T1) of the samples throughout the polymerization reactions. This parameter was shown to be sensitive to the reactant feed free‐radical enhancement of the water molecule relaxation time, making it a good probe to monitor monomer conversion in real time in an automated, non‐destructive fashion. It was found that the T1 value was better than the transverse relaxation time constant (T2) for describing the evolution of the polymerization reactions, due to its greater sensitivity to paramagnetic effects. The TD‐NMR signal variation observed was linked to the formation, propagation and termination steps of the radical polymerization kinetics scheme. These first results may contribute to the application of real‐time monitoring of radical polymerization reactions employing low‐cost and robust TD‐NMR spectrometers. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Promoting teachers’ implementation of culturally and contextually relevant class‐wide behavior plans
Authors: Fallon Lindsay M. , Cathcart Sadie C. , DeFouw Emily R. , O'Keeffe Breda V. , Sugai George
Published: February 2018

Disproportionality in disciplinary actions for certain racial groups has been well documented for several decades. In an effort to support all students, specifically those who are culturally and linguistically diverse, many have called for adopting a multitiered system of support framework that is considerate of student culture and school context. This framework applies to supporting students’ learning and behavior across settings, particularly in the classroom. To bridge existing gaps between theory and practice, this empirical study sought to evaluate whether teachers who self‐assessed their own use of culturally and contextually relevant practices would implement a class‐wide behavior plan with high levels of implementation fidelity. Results indicated that teachers who engaged in self‐assessment and training did implement the plan with high levels of implementation fidelity, particularly when given performance feedback. Additionally, students tended to display slightly higher rates of academic engagement upon consistent implementation of the plan.
Addressing escape‐maintained behavior for students with developmental disabilities: A systematic review of school‐based interventions
Authors: Dart Evan H. , Radley Keith C. , Mason Benjamin A. , Allen Justin P.
Published: February 2018

Students with developmental disabilities have been found to exhibit higher rates of problem behavior in the classroom than their typically developing peers. Effectively addressing these students’ behavior concerns requires the identification of interventions that can be implemented in an educational setting. Furthermore, matching intervention strategies to the function of a student's problem behavior may increase its effectiveness. There are data to suggest that students with disabilities exhibit escape‐maintained problem behavior in the classroom twice as frequently as problem behavior maintained by other consequences such as attention or access to tangibles. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review was to identify school‐based intervention strategies that have been used to reduce the disruptive behavior of students with developmental disabilities. In total, 12 articles met search criteria, with escape extinction, curricular modification, and noncontingent escape serving as the most frequently employed intervention strategies. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
Genomewide association study of ionomic traits on diverse soybean populations from germplasm collections
Authors: Ziegler Greg , Nelson Randall , Granada Stephanie , Krishnan Hari B. , Gillman Jason D. , Baxter Ivan
Published: February 2018

The elemental content of a soybean seed is a determined by both genetic and environmental factors and is an important component of its nutritional value. The elemental content is chemically stable, making the samples stored in germplasm repositories an intriguing source of experimental material. To test the efficacy of using samples from germplasm banks for gene discovery, we analyzed the elemental profile of seeds from 1,653 lines in the USDA Soybean Germplasm Collection. We observed large differences in the elemental profiles based on where the lines were grown, which lead us to break up the genetic analysis into multiple small experiments. Despite these challenges, we were able to identify candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) controlling elemental accumulation as well as lines with extreme elemental accumulation phenotypes. Our results suggest that elemental analysis of germplasm samples can identify SNPs in linkage disequilibrium to genes, which can be leveraged to assist in crop improvement efforts.
“I didn't want to be in charge and yet I was”: Bereaved caregivers' accounts of providing home care for family members with advanced cancer
Authors: Mohammed Shan , Swami Nadia , Pope Ashley , Rodin Gary , Hannon Breffni , Nissim Rinat , Hales Sarah , Zimmermann Camilla
Published: February 2018

Objective

To describe bereaved caregivers' experiences of providing care at home for patients with advanced cancer, while interacting with home care services.

Methods

Caregivers of patients who had completed a 4‐month randomized controlled trial of early palliative care versus standard oncology care were recruited 6 months to 5 years after the patient's death. All patients except one (control) had eventually received palliative care. In semi‐structured interviews, participants were asked about their experiences of caregiving. Grounded theory guided all aspects of the study.

Results

Sixty‐one bereaved caregivers (30 intervention, 31 control) were interviewed, including spouses (33), adult children (19), and other family (9). There were no differences in themes between control and intervention groups. The core category of Taking charge encompassed caregivers' assumption of active roles in care, often in the face of inadequate formal support. There were 4 interrelated subcategories: (1) Navigating the system—navigating the complexities of the home care system to access resources and supports; (2) Engaging with professional caregivers—interacting with visiting personnel to advocate for consistency and quality of care; (3) Preparing for death—seeking out information about what to expect at the end of life; and (4) Managing after death—managing multiple administrative responsibilities in the emotionally charged period following death.

Conclusions

Caregivers were often thrust into assuming control in order to compensate for deficiencies in formal palliative home care services. Policies, quality indicators, and guidelines are needed to ensure the provision of comprehensive, interdisciplinary home palliative care.
Identification of Host‐Response in Cerebral Malaria Patients Using Quantitative Proteomic Analysis
Authors: Kumar Manish , Varun Chakrakodi N. , Dey Gourav , Ravikumar Raju , Mahadevan Anita , Shankar Susarla Krishna , Prasad T. S. Keshava
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The objective of this study was to study the altered proteome in the frontal lobe of patients with CM. Unbiased analysis of differentially abundant proteins could lead to identification of host responses againstPlasmodium falciparuminfection, which will aid in better understanding of the molecular mechanism of pathophysiology in CM.

Experimental design

TMT‐based quantitative proteomic analysis using high‐resolution mass spectrometry is employed. In brief, proteins are isolated from frontal lobe samples, which are collected at autopsy from three cases of CM and three control subjects. Equal amounts of protein from each case are digested using trypsin and labeled with different TMT reagents. The pooled sample is fractionated using strong cation exchange chromatography and analyzed on Orbitrap Fusion in triplicates. For accurate quantitation of peptides, the samples are analyzed in MS3 mode. The data is searched against a combined database of human andP. falciparumproteins using Sequest and Mascot search engines.

Results

A total of 4174 proteins are identified, of which, 107 are found to be differentially abundant in the test samples with significantp‐value (<0.05). Proteins associated with biological processes such as innate immune response, complement system, coagulation, and platelet activation are found to be elevated in CM cases. In contrast, proteins associated with myelination, oxidative phosphorylation, regulation of reactive oxygen species, and sodium and calcium ions transport are found to be depleted in response to CM. In addition, threeP. falciparumproteins exclusively in CM brain samples are also identified.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

The study signifies neuronal assault due to axonal injury, altered sodium and calcium ion channels, deregulated inflammation and demyelination as a part of host response to CM. Enhanced oxidative stress, repressed oxidative phosphorylation, and demyelination of axons may contribute to the severity of the disease. Further validation of these results on a large cohort can provide leads in the development of neuroprotective therapies for CM.
Effect of Titanium and Zirconium Hydrides on the Detonation Heat of RDX‐based Explosives – A Comparison to Aluminium
Authors: Cudziło Stanisław , Trzciński Waldemar A. , Paszula Józef , Szala Mateusz , Chyłek Zbigniew
Published: February 2018

Detonation heats of RDX‐based non‐ideal explosives containing 15, 30 and 45 % of Al, (Al/ZrH2), TiH2 and ZrH2 were measured with a water calorimeter set. To get more information on the behaviour of the additives in the detonations performed in an argon atmosphere, the solid post‐detonation products extracted from the calorimetric bomb were analysed to determine their elemental and phase compositions. The calorimetric heats were compared with the detonation energies obtained from thermochemical calculations. All the tested explosives produce more energy during detonation in the bomb than RDX itself, but only aluminium positively influences the total energy release. The results of thermal and XRD analyses indicate that post‐detonation products contain mainly carbonaceous materials, metal oxides, unreacted hydrides and/or the metals. Unexpectedly TiH2 is the least reactive additive. At TiH2 content of 45 %, the heat effect is close to that of calculated with an assumption of complete inertness of the additive. Moreover TiH2 and metallic titanium are present in the bomb residues in a significant amount.
Large scale ab initio modeling of structurally uncharacterized antimicrobial peptides reveals known and novel folds
Authors: Kozic Mara , Fox Stephen J. , Thomas Jens M. , Verma Chandra S. , Rigden Daniel J.
Published: February 2018

Antimicrobial resistance within a wide range of infectious agents is a severe and growing public health threat. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are among the leading alternatives to current antibiotics, exhibiting broad spectrum activity. Their activity is determined by numerous properties such as cationic charge, amphipathicity, size, and amino acid composition. Currently, only around 10% of known AMP sequences have experimentally solved structures. To improve our understanding of the AMP structural universe we have carried out large scale ab initio 3D modeling of structurally uncharacterized AMPs that revealed similarities between predicted folds of the modeled sequences and structures of characterized AMPs. Two of the peptides whose models matched known folds are Lebocin Peptide 1A (LP1A) and Odorranain M, predicted to form β‐hairpins but, interestingly, to lack the intramolecular disulfide bonds, cation‐π or aromatic interactions that generally stabilize such AMP structures. Other examples include Ponericin Q42, Latarcin 4a, Kassinatuerin 1, Ceratotoxin D, and CPF‐B1 peptide, which have α‐helical folds, as well as mixed αβ folds of human Histatin 2 peptide and Garvicin A which are, to the best of our knowledge, the first linear αββ fold AMPs lacking intramolecular disulfide bonds. In addition to fold matches to experimentally derived structures, unique folds were also obtained, namely for Microcin M and Ipomicin. These results help in understanding the range of protein scaffolds that naturally bear antimicrobial activity and may facilitate protein design efforts towards better AMPs.
Assessing Similarity Among Individual Tumor Size Lesion Dynamics: The CICIL Methodology
Authors: Terranova Nadia , Girard Pascal , Ioannou Konstantinos , Klinkhardt Ute , Munafo Alain
Published: February 2018

Mathematical models of tumor dynamics generally omit information on individual target lesions (iTLs), and consider the most important variable to be the sum of tumor sizes (TS). However, differences in lesion dynamics might be predictive of tumor progression. To exploit this information, we have developed a novel and flexible approach for the non‐parametric analysis of iTLs, which integrates knowledge from signal processing and machine learning. We called this new methodology ClassIfication Clustering of Individual Lesions (CICIL). We used CICIL to assess similarities among the TS dynamics of 3,223 iTLs measured in 1,056 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with cetuximab combined with irinotecan, in two phase II studies. We mainly observed similar dynamics among lesions within the same tumor site classification. In contrast, lesions in anatomic locations with different features showed different dynamics in about 35% of patients. The CICIL methodology has also been implemented in a user‐friendly and efficient Java‐based framework.
Lower scaling approximation to EOM‐CCSD: A critical assessment of the ionization problem
Authors: Dutta Achintya Kumar , Vaval Nayana , Pal Sourav
Published: February 2018

In this article, we investigate the performance of different approximate variants of the EOM‐CCSD method for calculation of ionization potential (IP), as compared to EOM‐CCSDT reference values. None of the lower scaling approximations to the EOM‐CCSD method give a consistent performance for valence, inner valence, and core ionization, favoring one, or the other depending on the nature of the approximation used. The parent EOMIP‐CCSD method gives superior performance for valence IP but can show large errors for inner valence and core ionization. The problem is particularly severe for core‐ionization, where even the EOMIP‐CCSDT method cannot provide quantitative accuracy.
A novel spinel coating on cobalt‐based Superalloy GH605 via an in‐situ oxidation approach
Authors: Zhang Kai , Liu Jinglei , Bao Binbin , Xu Hong
Published: February 2018

Cr‐Mn‐O spinel coating was prepared on the surface of cobalt‐based superalloy GH605 via an in‐situ oxidation method in H2O‐H2 environment. The composition, morphology, and chemical value state of the oxide spinel coatings were investigated by SEM, EDS, XRD, Raman spectra, and XPS. It indicated that the morphology of coating varied with oxidation temperature, and granular surface appeared when oxidation temperature increased to 1100°C. The formed Cr‐Mn‐O spinel coating was composed of Cr2O3 and MnCr2O4, and the thickness increased significantly with oxidation temperature. In the coating, Cr element existed in the state of Cr3+ ions and Cr6+ ions, while Mn element only existed in the form of Mn2+ ions.
Subgroup identification in dose‐finding trials via model‐based recursive partitioning
Authors: Thomas Marius , Bornkamp Björn , Seibold Heidi
Published: February 2018

An important task in early‐phase drug development is to identify patients, which respond better or worse to an experimental treatment. While a variety of different subgroup identification methods have been developed for the situation of randomized clinical trials that study an experimental treatment and control, much less work has been done in the situation when patients are randomized to different dose groups. In this article, we propose new strategies to perform subgroup analyses in dose‐finding trials and discuss the challenges, which arise in this new setting. We consider model‐based recursive partitioning, which has recently been applied to subgroup identification in 2‐arm trials, as a promising method to tackle these challenges and assess its viability using a real trial example and simulations. Our results show that model‐based recursive partitioning can be used to identify subgroups of patients with different dose‐response curves and improves estimation of treatment effects and minimum effective doses compared to models ignoring possible subgroups, when heterogeneity among patients is present.
Atomic Layer Co3O4 Nanosheets: The Key to Knittable Zn–Air Batteries
Authors: Chen Xu , Zhong Cheng , Liu Bin , Liu Zhi , Bi Xuanxuan , Zhao Naiqing , Han Xiaopeng , Deng Yida , Lu Jun , Hu Wenbin
Published: February 2018

Flexible, wearable, and portable energy storage devices with high‐energy density are crucial for next‐generation electronics. However, the current battery technologies such as lithium ion batteries have limited theoretical energy density. Additionally, battery materials with small scale and high flexibility which could endure the large surface stress are highly required. In this study, a yarn‐based 1D Zn–air battery is designed, which employs atomic layer thin Co3O4 nanosheets as the oxygen reduction reaction/oxygen evolution reaction catalyst. The ultrathin nanosheets are synthesized by a high‐yield and facile chemical method and show a thickness of only 1.6 nm, corresponding to few atomic layers. The 1D Zn–air battery shows high cycling stability and high rate capability. The battery is successfully knitted into clothes and it shows high stability during the large deformation and knotting conditions.
Tunable Microscale Porous Systems with Dynamic Liquid Interfaces
Authors: Zhan Kan , Hou Xu
Published: February 2018

Solid microscale porous material systems have attracted more attention in recent years due to their various potential applications, such as energy source transportations, biomedical devices, wastewater treatments, phase separations, etc. However, such systems are still plagued with many issues including fouling, mechanical fragility, inability to self‐heal, and low recyclability that restrict them for further industrial applications. Dynamic liquid‐based microscale porous material systems, especially porous surfaces and membranes, provide a new opportunity for resolving these issues and possess many benefits, such as antifouling, slippery, transparent, recovery, self‐healing, and recycling properties. This Concept is mainly concerned with how to obtain tunable microscale porous systems with dynamic liquid interfaces, and their applications from the surfaces to membranes. The authors hope this concept will attract interest of scientists in areas related to the rapid development and application of various liquid‐based porous systems.