bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ICTs and Hope for Development: A Theoretical Framework
Authors: Heeks Richard , Krishna Shyam
Published: December 2017

Hope is a core part of what it means to be human, and has long been recognised as foundational in driving people to make changes in their lives and contexts. Yet this importance of hope is not reflected in academic research, with little work being undertaken on hope and development, and none on hope and the application of ICT‐for‐development (ICT4D). This paper makes a start on closing this knowledge gap by exploring the different meanings of hope within existing literature. It synthesises these meanings into a new multi‐dimension content model of hope that looks at the subject, object and enaction of hope. This model is then linked to ICT4D initiatives by taking into account the hopes of different stakeholders, which are seen – via a modified ICT4D value chain framework – to be both an input to and an output from ICT4D adoption and use. The paper then undertakes a preliminary application of this framework to a case study using multiple sources of secondary data from the One‐Laptop‐per‐Child initiative. This provides preliminary validation for the models of hope, and offers a foundation for future research seeking to understand the connection between ICT4D and this key human belief.
The Use of Participatory Approaches in Developing ICT‐Based Systems for Disseminating Agricultural Knowledge and Information for Farmers in Developing Countries: The Case of Tanzania
Authors: Barakabitze Alcardo Alex , Fue Kadeghe G. , Sanga Camilius Aloyce
Published: December 2017

This paper provides an insight on the use of various participatory approaches to develop ICTs to the rural farming communities. The paper shows how collective groups of farmers can be empowered through involvement of different stakeholders in a participatory action research. The paper also discusses how participatory action research will help the farming community in adopting ICT‐based solutions for agriculture. This in turn will contribute in solving problems as well as assisting decision making in identifying technological and agricultural needs. In this study, a total of 64 researchers and extension workers and 320 rural farmers were involved. Primary data were collected using a self‐administered questionnaire and interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics tool. The results indicate that many ICT‐based solutions for agriculture are not adopted by farmers and other stakeholders in various agricultural value chains because those ICTs were developed without using participatory approaches. Moreover, the results from study indicate that participatory action research approaches such as Participatory Communication (PV), Participatory Video (PV), Participatory Learning and Action Research (PLAR), Farmer Participatory Research (FPR), Informal‐Mobile Learning Research (IMLR) have a significant impact on the effective use of ICTs in rural farming community and the agricultural domain in general. Among of these participatory approaches, the IMLR and PLAR have shown to be more effective because of availability and interactive mobile learning environments that excite interests, commitments and encourages participatory attitudes among famers and researchers. This study provides an evident that ICTs has a dominant position to alleviate rural poverty and strengthen the agriculture productivity through participatory approaches. We recommend that a strong commitment of all actors in agriculture value chain is needed so that they can collaborate to identify the problem, analysis and design possible solutions and finally, implement and later on use those developed ICTs to increase agriculture productivity.
The Impact of Connectivity in Africa: Grand Visions and the Mirage of Inclusive Digital Development
Authors: Friederici Nicolas , Ojanperä Sanna , Graham Mark
Published: December 2017

Corporations, development organisations and governments have launched ambitious programmes to ‘connect the unconnected’, reasoning that this creates economic growth and inclusive development. This paper contrasts these actors’ discourses with evidence from academic research. The evidence suggests a highly uneven economic impact of Internet connectivity across geographies and social strata. The analysed sources of discourse (African ICT policies and reports by international organisations) instead propose Grand Visions of connectivity, attributing a self‐evident positive, widespread, and transformational impact to the Internet. We discuss technological determinism, acontextual modernism, and optimistic simplism as underlying this contrast, calling for more reflexivity towards the opportunities of ‘digital development’.
Software Project Risk Management Practice in Ethiopia
Authors: Teklemariam Mihret Abeselom , Mnkandla Ernest
Published: December 2017

In a country like Ethiopia, where information and communication systems are in the early stage of development, software projects may face several challenges. Risk is one of the factors that challenges project performance, and even causes failure. Risk management helps project managers to control the effect of risks. However, risk management appears to be the least practiced component of project management. To help understand the software risk management practice in the developing countries (DC) context, this study explores the risk management practice of Ethiopian software projects. It also investigates the level of adoption of formal risk management models and which steps are included in the ad‐hoc risk management exercise. Finally, it looks into the relationship between risk management practice and project success. We conducted a survey of 45 banks, insurance companies and United Nations agency offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In this study, a very low rate of application of formal risk management models was observed. We observed a different perception of risk management whereby only watching projects to see if any risks occur during implementation without performing risk identification and mitigation or response plan was considered as a risk management practice by project managers. It was also found that some project managers were not able to confidently tell whether risk management processes have taken place in the projects they manage.
Researching the Emergence of 3D Printing, Makerspaces, Hackerspaces and FabLabs in the Global South: A Scoping Review and Research Agenda on Digital Innovation and Fabrication Networks
Authors: Seo‐Zindy Ryoung , Heeks Richard
Published: December 2017

Enabled by ICTs and digital fabrication tools such as 3D printing, and facilitated by shared workspaces such as makerspaces and FabLabs, digital innovation and fabrication networks (DIFNs) are emerging globally. To open the debate on this nascent phenomenon in the global South, this paper examines the current state of knowledge and offers future research directions. Through a systematic scoping review of 70 articles, it identifies a need for more empirical and more conceptualised research, particularly on under‐researched regions including Latin America, Africa and most of Asia. Three research topic areas are identified for immediate attention: the nature of production processes within DIFNs; the relationship between DIFNs and the wider innovation systems within which they sit; and the tension between the open and closed worldviews manifest in DIFNs.
A Strategy for a Cybersecurity Culture: A South African Perspective
Authors: Gcaza Noluxolo , von Solms Rossouw
Published: December 2017

Nowadays, having Internet access is deemed to be a basic human right. The South African government has embraced this notion; and as a result, free Wireless Internet (WiFi) has been rolled out in numerous cities in the country. This national effort to connect South African citizens is, however, not matched with adequate national cybersecurity efforts. Across nations, cultivating a culture in pursuing cybersecurity is well appreciated as a fundamental approach. In line with this, the South Africa government envisages a culture of cybersecurity amongst its citizens. However, there is an apparent lack of a practical plan to cultivate such a cybersecurity culture in South Africa. This paper proposes a national strategy for promoting a cybersecurity culture in South Africa.
The Influence of Telecentre Components on the Psychological Empowerment of Underserved Community Members in the Western Cape, South Africa
Authors: Osman Muhammad Ameer , Tanner Maureen
Published: December 2017

ICTs and ICT4Ds are powerful socio‐economic enablers within developing countries and provide members of “underserved” communities within these countries with tools for self‐empowerment and circumvention of inequalities. Telecentres provide public access to ICTs to meet the educational, social, psychological and economic needs of a community. However, few studies have focused on the influence that telecentres have on the psychological empowerment of members of “underserved” communities in which they are situated. This study addresses this gap by investigating the perceived influence of telecentre components on the psychological empowerment of “underserved” community members in Cape Town, South Africa. This study is interpretive and has been executed through the use of a qualitative case study. Deductive in nature, the research was guided by a conceptual model depicting constructs (intrapersonal factors, interactional factors and behavioural factors) related to the psychological empowerment of telecentre users. The research findings confirm that the various components of telecentres such as services, computer training and entrepreneurial support can positively influence and contribute to the perceived psychological empowerment of “underserved” community members. The findings could improve our understanding of the relevance of various components of telecentres towards leveraging psychological empowerment. In practice, emphasis could be placed on the implementation and elaboration of the most significant components of telecentres within “underserved” communities.
Challenges Facing the Use of Mobile Applications for E‐Commerce in Kenya's Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Waithaka Stephen Titus , Mnkandla Ernest
Published: December 2017

Ever‐evolving wireless technology has given rise to a new way of conducting business, namely by using mobile devices that are ubiquitous and convenient to use in electronic commerce (e‐commerce). Moreover, a new type of e‐commerce has come into play, where business is conducted using applications installed on mobile devices – apps which can be tailored to perform specific services for each organisation. While the use of these apps has the capability of improving the profitability of an organisation, their uptake in Kenya has been low, and there is a paucity of information to explain why. Given this background, the current study was done to establish the challenges faced by users of these apps in Kenya's manufacturing industries. Grounded theory methodology was used to collect and analyse data, which identified technological, security, cost, computer literacy and environmental issues as the main obstacles to the use of these apps. Strategies to overcome such challenges are proposed. The article contributes to the literature by exploring the gaps between the characteristics of mobile applications for e‐commerce and their ability to attract usage in manufacturing industries in Kenya. The research may also prove useful in guiding researchers who wish to use grounded theory methodology in their work.
An Evaluation of Participatory GIS (PGIS) for Land Use Planning in Malaysia
Authors: Zolkafli Amirulikhsan , Brown Greg , Liu Yan
Published: December 2017

Public participation for land use planning in developing countries is challenged by multiple barriers including low public awareness and engagement with the process. This paper evaluates the capacity of the general public to effectively contribute to land use planning outcomes in Malaysia using Participatory GIS (PGIS). Spatial attributes that identify place values and land use preferences were collected from the public through a web‐based PGIS using facilitated and self‐administered methods and compared with land use zones developed by planning experts. We assessed the quality of the PGIS mapped data by analysing participants' mapping effort and the consistency of the mapped data with existing land use zones. The results indicate logical consistency between the mapped attributes—place values and preferences—and land use zones contained in the expert‐driven land use plans. The results further indicate that the facilitated PGIS process produced higher quality spatial data compared with the self‐administered PGIS survey. Our results suggest that PGIS can provide planning authorities with a viable platform to enhance public participation for land use planning in Malaysia, but that a facilitated PGIS process will be required to increase public participation and the quality of spatial data generated.
An Evaluation of Information Systems Students Internship Programs in Nigeria: A Capability Perspective
Authors: Dasuki Salihu Ibrahim , Quaye Ago MacGranaky , Abubakar Naima Hafiz
Published: December 2017

Most published research on Information Systems (IS) education in developing countries have focused on curriculum design, transfer and implementation issues. Research focusing on the evaluation of these programs and concrete analysis in terms of their long‐term developmental impact have been limited. In this paper, Amartya Sen's capability approach served as a theoretical lens for assessing the effectiveness of internship programs for IS students and their contributions to human development. We use the key elements of the capability approach to focus on the developmental impact. We based our evaluation on IS students industrial work scheme in Nigeria. Our analysis shows that, even though the scheme has been designed to further the development of student, the lack of conversion factors makes the program contextually problematic. The study concludes with some recommendations for policy makers advancing an agenda for the improvement of IS education and internships programs for students in tertiary institutions.
Policies, Regulations and Procedures and their Effects on Mobile Money Systems in Uganda
Authors: Kanobe Frederick , Alexander Patricia M , Bwalya Kelvin J
Published: December 2017

The introduction of mobile money systems in emerging economies has enabled the would‐be unbanked population to gain access to financial services. The number of mobile money users and value of transactions is on the increase. This rapid growth of mobile money services and value transactions in emerging economies is attributed to the light‐touch regulatory framework which allows minimal limitations on who should operate mobile money system and few restrictions on who can function as an agent. These increases both in services and transactions indicate that mobile money systems hold a lot of valuable customer financial information that needs to be jealously protected against information breaches and abuse by the various stakeholders in the mobile money ecosystem.

Taking an interpretive qualitative approach, Activity Theory (AT) has been used to analyse the mobile money management activities focusing on information security policies, regulations and procedures. In order to comprehend the aspects revealed by the Activity Theory analysis that raise information security management concerns in mobile money operations, Mobile Network Operator (MNO) management issues, in terms of the security of mobile money operations, are detailed.

Our findings look at the reasons given by various stakeholders for information security management gaps in mobile money operations in emerging economies. Our findings disclose the roles of MNO staff, who are not information security experts, in the development and compliance monitoring of policies, regulations and procedures related to the safety of financial information in mobile money systems.
Single‐shot speckle correlation fluorescence microscopy in thick scattering tissue with image reconstruction priors
Authors: Chang Julie , Wetzstein Gordon
Published: December 2017

Deep tissue imaging in the multiple scattering regime remains at the frontier of fluorescence microscopy. Speckle correlation imaging (SCI) can computationally uncover objects hidden behind a scattering layer, but has only been demonstrated with scattered laser illumination and in geometries where the scatterer is in the far field of the target object. Here, SCI is extended to imaging a planar fluorescent signal at the back surface of a 500‐μm‐thick slice of mouse brain. The object is reconstructed from a single snapshot through phase retrieval using a proximal algorithm that easily incorporates image priors. Simulations and experiments demonstrate improved image recovery with this approach compared to the conventional SCI algorithm.
Increased affinity of endothelial cells to NiTi using ultraviolet irradiation: An in vitro study
Authors: Tateshima Satoshi , Kaneko Naoki , Yamada Masahiro , Duckwiler Gary , Vinuela Fernando , Ogawa Takahiro
Published: December 2017

Nickel–titanium alloy (NiTi) is one of the most popular materials used endovascularly because of its shape memory and superelasticity. The NiTi device needs to be covered by endothelial cells after being placed in the blood vessel to reduce ischemic complications. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on the biocompatibility of NiTi surfaces with endothelial cells. NiTi sheets were treated with UV irradiation for 48 h and human aorta derived endothelial cells were used in this study. UV irradiation converted the NiTi surface to hydrophilic state and increased albumin adsorption. The number of endothelial cell migration, attachment, proliferation as well as their metabolic activity were significantly increased on UV treated NiTi. This study provides the first evidence of the photoactivation of NiTi surfaces by UV irradiation and demonstrates improved biocompatibility of UV‐treated NiTi surfaces with vascular endothelial cells. These results suggest that UV irradiation may promote endothelialization of NiTi devices in blood vessels. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 1034–1038, 2018.
Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) cross‐linked natural polymer‐based hybrid gel beads: Controlled nano anti‐TB drug delivery application
Authors: Kesavan Mookkandi Palsamy , Ayyanaar Srinivasan , Vijayakumar Vijayaparthasarathi , Dhaveethu Raja Jeyaraj , Annaraj Jamespandi , Sakthipandi Kathiresan , Rajesh Jegathalaprathaban
Published: December 2017

The nanosized rifampicin (RIF) has been prepared to increase the solubility in aqueous solution, which leads to remarkable enhancement of its bioavailability and their convenient delivery system studied by newly produced nontoxic, biodegradable magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) cross‐linked polyethylene glycol hybrid chitosan (mCS‐PEG) gel beads. The functionalization of both nano RIF and mCS‐PEG gel beads were studied using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The size of prepared nano RIF was found to be 70.20 ± 3.50 nm. The mechanical stability and swelling ratio of the magnetic gel beads increased by the addition of PEG with a maximum swelling ratio of 38.67 ± 0.29 g/g. Interestingly, this magnetic gel bead has dual responsive assets in the nano drug delivery application (pH and the magnetic field). As we expected, magnetic gel beads show higher nano drug releasing efficacy at acidic medium (pH = 5.0) with maximum efficiency of 71.00 ± 0.87%. This efficacy may also be tuned by altering the external magnetic field and the weight percentage (wt%) of PEG. These results suggest that such a dual responsive magnetic gel beads can be used as a potential system in the nano drug delivery applications. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 1039–1050, 2018.
Falls Predict Fractures Independently of FRAX Probability: A Meta-Analysis of the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study
Authors: Harvey Nicholas C , Odén Anders , Orwoll Eric , Lapidus Jodi , Kwok Timothy , Karlsson Magnus K , Rosengren Björn E , Ljunggren Östen , Cooper Cyrus , McCloskey Eugene , Kanis John A , Ohlsson Claes , Mellström Dan , Johansson Helena
Published: December 2017

Although prior falls are a well-established predictor of future fracture, there is currently limited evidence regarding the specific value of falls history in fracture risk assessment relative to that of other clinical risk factors and bone mineral density (BMD) measurement. We therefore investigated, across the three Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study cohorts, whether past falls predicted future fracture independently of FRAX and whether these associations varied with age and follow-up time. Elderly men were recruited from MrOS Sweden, Hong Kong, and USA. Baseline data included falls history (over the preceding 12 months), clinical risk factors, BMD at femoral neck, and calculated FRAX probabilities. An extension of Poisson regression was used to investigate the associations between falls, FRAX probability, and incident fracture, adjusting for age, time since baseline, and cohort in base models; further models were used to investigate interactions with age and follow-up time. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to synthesize the individual country associations. Information on falls and FRAX probability was available for 4365 men in USA (mean age 73.5 years; mean follow-up 10.8 years), 1823 men in Sweden (mean age 75.4 years; mean follow-up 8.7 years), and 1669 men in Hong Kong (mean age 72.4 years; mean follow-up 9.8 years). Rates of past falls were similar at 20%, 16%, and 15%, respectively. Across all cohorts, past falls predicted incident fracture at any site (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49, 1.90), major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) (HR = 1.56; 95% CI 1.33, 1.83), and hip fracture (HR = 1.61; 95% CI 1.27, 2.05). Relationships between past falls and incident fracture remained robust after adjustment for FRAX probability: adjusted HR (95% CI) any fracture: 1.63 (1.45, 1.83); MOF: 1.51 (1.32, 1.73); and hip: 1.54 (1.21, 1.95). In conclusion, past falls predicted incident fracture independently of FRAX probability, confirming the potential value of falls history in fracture risk assessment. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research Published by Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Menopause-Related Appendicular Bone Loss is Mainly Cortical and Results in Increased Cortical Porosity
Authors: Bjørnerem Åshild , Wang Xiaofang , Bui Minh , Ghasem-Zadeh Ali , Hopper John L , Zebaze Roger , Seeman Ego
Published: December 2017

After menopause, remodeling becomes unbalanced and rapid. Each of the many remodeling transactions deposits less bone than it resorbed, producing microstructural deterioration. Trabecular bone is said to be lost more rapidly than cortical bone. However, because 80% of the skeleton is cortical, we hypothesized that most menopause-related bone loss and changes in bone microstructure are cortical, not trabecular in origin, and are the result of intracortical remodeling. Distal tibial and distal radial microstructure were quantified during 3.1 years (range, 1.5 to 4.5 years) of follow-up using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography and StrAx software in 199 monozygotic and 125 dizygotic twin pairs aged 25 to 75 years in Melbourne, Australia. The annual increases in tibial cortical porosity accelerated, being 0.44%, 0.80%, and 1.40% in women remaining premenopausal, transitioning to perimenopause, and from perimenopausal to postmenopause, respectively. Porosity increased in the compact-appearing, outer, and inner transitional zones of the cortex (all p < 0.001). The annual decrease in trabecular bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV) also accelerated, being 0.17%, 0.26%, and 0.31%, respectively. Little bone loss was observed before menopause. The reduction in BV/TV was due to a decrease in trabecular number (p < 0.001). The greatest bone loss, 7.7 mg hydroxyapatite (HA) annually, occurred in women transitioning from perimenopausal to postmenopause and of this, 6.1 mg HA (80%) was cortical. Results were similar for the distal radius. Despite microarchitectural changes, no significant bone loss was observed before menopause. Over 90% of appendicular bone loss occurs during and after menopause, over 80% is cortical, and this may explain why 80% of fractures are appendicular. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Repeatability of pleural adenosine deaminase measurements in diagnostic evaluation of pleural effusions
Authors: Kotsiou Ourania S. , Tzortzi Panagiota , Beta Rafailia A. A. , Kyritsis Athanasios , Gourgoulianis Konstantinos I.
Published: December 2017

Background

A follow‐up thoracentesis is proposed in suspected atypical tuberculosis cases. The study aimed to define the variability of pleural ADA values across repeated thoracenteses in different types of pleural effusions (PEs) and to evaluate whether ADA variance, in regard to the cutoff value of 40 U/L, affected final diagnosis.

Methods

A total of 131 patients with PEs of various etiologies underwent three repeated thoracenteses. ADA values were subsequently estimated.

Results

82% and 55% of patients had greater than 10% and 20% deviation from the highest ADA value, respectively. From those patients who had a variance of 20%, 36% had only increasing ADA values, while 19% had only decreasing values. Considering the cutoff value of 40 U/L, only in two cases, ADA decreased below this threshold, which concerned a man with tuberculous pleurisy and a woman with lymphoma both in the course of treatment. Furthermore, only in two cases with rising values, ADA finally exceeded the cutoff limit, which concerned a man with rheumatoid pleurisy and a man with tuberculous pleurisy. Surprisingly, malignant PEs (MPEs) showed a higher percentage of increasing values compared to all other exudates that did not, however, exceed the threshold.

Conclusion

The determination of pleural ADA levels is a reproducible method for rapid tuberculosis diagnosis. The detected measurement deviations do not appear to affect final diagnosis. In specific situations, repeated ADA measurements may be valuable in directing further diagnostic evaluation. More investigation is needed to elucidate the possible prognostic significance of the increasing trend in ADA values in MPEs.
Roles of lipocalin 2 and adiponectin in iron overload cardiomyopathy
Authors: Siri‐Angkul Natthaphat , Chattipakorn Siriporn C. , Chattipakorn Nipon
Published: December 2017

Thalassemia is among the most common genetic diseases worldwide. Ineffective erythropoiesis, chronic hemolysis, and regular blood transfusion in thalassemia patients lead to increased iron burden. Iron overload cardiomyopathy is the most severe co‐morbidity and most common cause of mortality in thalassemia patients. Although its associated mechanisms are still not completely understood, cellular iron mishandling, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress appear to be the key processes involved. In order to acquire a more comprehensive insight of the impact of cardiac iron overload, these alterations need to be intensively investigated. This comprehensive mini‐review focuses on two emergent molecules which have been shown to potentially play significant roles in iron overload cardiomyopathy. These two molecules are an iron‐transporting protein, lipocalin 2, and an anti‐inflammatory adipokine, adiponectin. Reports from in vitro and in vivo studies are comprehensively summarized. Clinical studies examining the roles of these molecules in thalassemia patients are also presented and discussed.
Breast cancer diagnosis: Imaging techniques and biochemical markers
Authors: Jafari Seyed Hamed , Saadatpour Zahra , Salmaninejad Arash , Momeni Fatemeh , Mokhtari Mojgan , Nahand Javid Sadri , Rahmati Majid , Mirzaei Hamed , Kianmehr Mojtaba
Published: December 2017

Breast cancer is a complex disease which is found as the second cause of cancer‐associated death among women. Accumulating of evidence indicated that various factors (i.e., gentical and envirmental factors) could be associated with initiation and progression of breast cancer. Diagnosis of breast cancer patients in early stages is one of important aspects of breast cancer treatment. Among of various diagnosis platforms, imaging techniques are main diagnosis approaches which could provide valuable data on patients with breast cancer. It has been showed that various imaging techniques such as mammography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron‐emission tomography (PET), Computed tomography (CT), and single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) could be used for diagnosis and monitoring patients with breast cancer in various stages. Beside, imaging techniques, utilization of biochemical biomarkers such as proteins, DNAs, mRNAs, and microRNAs could be employed as new diagnosis and therapeutic tools for patients with breast cancer. Here, we summarized various imaging techniques and biochemical biomarkers could be utilized as diagnosis of patients with breast cancer. Moreover, we highlighted microRNAs and exosomes as new diagnosis and therapeutic biomarkers for monitoring patients with breast cancer.
Local and global anatomy of antibody‐protein antigen recognition
Authors: Wang Meryl , Zhu David , Zhu Jianwei , Nussinov Ruth , Ma Buyong
Published: December 2017

Deciphering antibody‐protein antigen recognition is of fundamental and practical significance. We constructed an antibody structural dataset, partitioned it into human and murine subgroups, and compared it with nonantibody protein‐protein complexes. We investigated the physicochemical properties of regions on and away from the antibody‐antigen interfaces, including net charge, overall antibody charge distributions, and their potential role in antigen interaction. We observed that amino acid preference in antibody‐protein antigen recognition is entropy driven, with residues having low side‐chain entropy appearing to compensate for the high backbone entropy in interaction with protein antigens. Antibodies prefer charged and polar antigen residues and bridging water molecules. They also prefer positive net charge, presumably to promote interaction with negatively charged protein antigens, which are common in proteomes. Antibody‐antigen interfaces have large percentages of Tyr, Ser, and Asp, but little Lys. Electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions in the Ag binding sites might be coupled with Fab domains through organized charge and residue distributions away from the binding interfaces. Here we describe some features of antibody‐antigen interfaces and of Fab domains as compared with nonantibody protein‐protein interactions. The distributions of interface residues in human and murine antibodies do not differ significantly. Overall, our results provide not only a local but also a global anatomy of antibody structures.
Potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L.) are chloride‐sensitive: Is this dogma valid?
Authors: Hütsch Birgit W , Keipp Katrin , Glaser Ann‐Kathrin , Schubert Sven
Published: December 2017

BACKGROUND

Chloride sensitivity of the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars Marabel and Désirée was investigated in two pot experiments (soil/sand mixture and hydroponics). It was tested whether there are differential effects of KCl and K2SO4 application on tuber yield and tuber quality, and whether both potato cultivars differ in their chloride sensitivity.

RESULTS

Tuber yield, dry matter percentage of the tubers, starch concentration and starch yield were not significantly affected by potassium source (K2SO4 or KCl). After exposure to salt stress in hydroponics (100 mmol L−1 NaCl, 50 mmol L−1 Na2SO4, 50 mmol L−1 CaCl2) for 5 days, 3‐week‐old potato plants had significantly reduced shoot dry mass after NaCl and Na2SO4 application. However, CaCl2 treatment did not significantly affect shoot growth, although the chloride concentration reached 65 to 74 mg Cl− mg−1 dry matter, similar to the NaCl treatment. In contrast, growth reductions were closely related to sodium concentrations, thus plants suffered sodium toxicity and not chloride toxicity.

CONCLUSION

Both potato cultivars are chloride‐resistant and can be fertilised with KCl instead of K2SO4 without the risk of depression in tuber yield or tuber quality. The statement that potatoes are chloride‐sensitive and that chloride has negative effects on yield performance needs reconsideration. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Comparison of Ultrasound‐Guided Percutaneous Polidocanol Injection Versus Percutaneous Ethanol Injection for Treatment of Benign Cystic Thyroid Nodules
Authors: Gong Xiaohua , Wang Fang , Du Haiyan , Chen Xiaojun , Shi Bimin
Published: December 2017

Objectives

We compared the efficacy, safety, and cost‐effectiveness of ultrasound‐guided percutaneous polidocanol injection and percutaneous ethanol injection for the treatment of benign cystic and predominantly cystic thyroid nodules.

Methods

A total of 135 cystic thyroid nodules treated by percutaneous ethanol injection and 136 cystic thyroid nodules treated by percutaneous polidocanol injection were enrolled retrospectively in this study from May 2010 to March 2016. The nodules were followed after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Nodule volumes, symptoms scores, and cosmetic scores were assessed before treatment and at follow‐up. The therapeutic success rate, safety, and cost‐effectiveness between the groups were also compared.

Results

No significant differences in the reduction of the nodule volume, volume reduction rate, and therapeutic success were observed between the groups with cystic and predominantly cystic thyroid nodules during follow‐up (P > .05). Neither the cosmetic scores (P = .59; P = .42) nor the symptom scores (P = .32; P = .73) in the cystic and predominantly cystic nodules were significantly different between the groups at the last follow‐up. The complication rates for ethanol were higher than those for polidocanol (P < .05). However, the cost of polidocanol injection was higher than that of ethanol injection for cystic thyroid nodules (mean ± SD, US$97.18 ± US$22.17 versus US$43.36 ± US$5.51; P < .01).

Conclusions

Ultrasound‐guided percutaneous polidocanol injection can be an alternative for sclerotherapy of cystic or predominantly cystic thyroid nodules. However, its cost was higher than that of percutaneous ethanol injection.
Prediction of Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy Using Offline Analysis of 3‐Dimensional Transvaginal Ultrasonographic Data Sets: An Interobserver and Diagnostic Accuracy Study
Authors: Infante Fernando , Espada Vaquero Mercedes , Bignardi Tommaso , Lu Chuan , Testa Antonia C. , Fauchon David , Epstein Elisabeth , Leone Francesco P. G. , Van den Bosch Thierry , Martins Wellington P. , Condous George
Published: December 2017

Objectives

To assess interobserver reproducibility in detecting tubal ectopic pregnancies by reading data sets from 3‐dimensional (3D) transvaginal ultrasonography (TVUS) and comparing it with real‐time 2‐dimensional (2D) TVUS.

Methods

Images were initially classified as showing pregnancies of unknown location or tubal ectopic pregnancies on real time 2D TVUS by an experienced sonologist, who acquired 5 3D volumes. Data sets were analyzed offline by 5 observers who had to classify each case as ectopic pregnancy or pregnancy of unknown location. The interobserver reproducibility was evaluated by the Fleiss κ statistic. The performance of each observer in predicting ectopic pregnancies was compared to that of the experienced sonologist. Women were followed until they were reclassified as follows: (1) failed pregnancy of unknown location; (2) intrauterine pregnancy; (3) ectopic pregnancy; or (4) persistent pregnancy of unknown location.

Results

Sixty‐one women were included. The agreement between reading offline 3D data sets and the first real‐time 2D TVUS was very good (80%–82%; κ = 0.89). The overall interobserver agreement among observers reading offline 3D data sets was moderate (κ = 0.52). The diagnostic performance of experienced observers reading offline 3D data sets had accuracy of 78.3% to 85.0%, sensitivity of 66.7% to 81.3%, specificity of 79.5% to 88.4%, positive predictive value of 57.1% to 72.2%, and negative predictive value of 87.5% to 91.3%, compared to the experienced sonologist's real‐time 2D TVUS: accuracy of 94.5%, sensitivity of 94.4%, specificity of 94.5%, positive predictive value of 85.0%, and negative predictive value of 98.1%.

Conclusions

The diagnostic accuracy of 3D TVUS by reading offline data sets for predicting ectopic pregnancies is dependent on experience. Reading only static 3D data sets without clinical information does not match the diagnostic performance of real time 2D TVUS combined with clinical information obtained during the scan.
The development and validation of the speech quality instrument
Authors: Chen Stephanie Y. , Griffin Brianna M. , Mancuso Dean , Shiau Stephanie , DiMattia Michelle , Cellum Ilana , Harvey Boyd Kelly , Prevoteau Charlotte , Kohlberg Gavriel D. , Spitzer Jaclyn B. , Lalwani Anil K.
Published: December 2017

Objective

Although speech perception tests are available to evaluate hearing, there is no standardized validated tool to quantify speech quality. The objective of this study is to develop a validated tool to measure quality of speech heard.

Study Design

Prospective instrument validation study of 35 normal hearing adults recruited at a tertiary referral center.

Methods

Participants listened to 44 speech clips of male/female voices reciting the Rainbow Passage. Speech clips included original and manipulated excerpts capturing goal qualities such as mechanical and garbled. Listeners rated clips on a 10‐point visual analog scale (VAS) of 18 characteristics (e.g. cartoonish, garbled).

Results

Skewed distribution analysis identified mean ratings in the upper and lower 2‐point limits of the VAS (ratings of 8–10, 0–2, respectively); items with inconsistent responses were eliminated. The test was pruned to a final instrument of nine speech clips that clearly define qualities of interest: speech‐like, male/female, cartoonish, echo‐y, garbled, tinny, mechanical, rough, breathy, soothing, hoarse, like, pleasant, natural. Mean ratings were highest for original female clips (8.8) and lowest for not‐speech manipulation (2.1). Factor analysis identified two subsets of characteristics: internal consistency demonstrated Cronbach's alpha of 0.95 and 0.82 per subset. Test–retest reliability of total scores was high, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.76.

Conclusion

The Speech Quality Instrument (SQI) is a concise, valid tool for assessing speech quality as an indicator for hearing performance. SQI may be a valuable outcome measure for cochlear implant recipients who, despite achieving excellent speech perception, often experience poor speech quality.

Level of Evidence

2b. Laryngoscope, 128:1622–1627, 2018
Assessment of single‐instrument techniques for removing wave bias from Reynolds stress estimates
Authors: Young David L. , Webster Donald R.
Published: December 2017

A new single‐instrument method for removing wave bias from Reynolds stress estimates is proposed. Assuming that the wave motions and the pressure signal are spatially coherent, the method uses a linear filtration scheme to estimate the wave velocity at the instrument based on the pressure signal, and then the estimated velocity is subtracted from the measured velocity to arrive at a wave‐free estimate of the Reynolds stress. The advantage of the proposed single‐instrument technique is that it limits the financial and logistical issues associated with deploying a second instrument. The proposed method is compared to two frequency‐domain‐based single‐instrument techniques and to a two‐instrument method that uses the velocity signal at an adjacent instrument in a linear filtration scheme to estimate and remove the wave velocity. The methods are tested and compared using synthetic time series and field data collected in tidally driven shallow water flow in Wassaw Sound, Georgia and in deeper water currents in Monterey Bay, California. The method proposed in this study offers superior performance over the other single‐instrument techniques in shallow water, comparing favorably with the two‐instrument method. In deeper water, no single‐instrument technique offers clearly superior performance.
Sharp‐pH‐Sensitive Amphiphilic Polypeptide Micelles with Adjustable Triggered pHs by Salts via the Hofmeister Effect
Authors: Yuan Pan , Ruan Zheng , Liu Le , Li Tuanwei , Jing Titao , Yan Lifeng
Published: December 2017

Supramolecular self‐assembly of polymeric molecules for sharp‐pH‐sensitive (SPS) nanoparticles is an especially important application in biology. Here, amphiphilic polypeptide copolymers are synthesized and spontaneously assembled to micelles in aqueous solution, and protonation of the tertiary amine groups in the side‐chain of the copolymer under weak acid causes the micelle disassembly, which is sharp‐pH‐sensitive, and the responsive pHs can be adjusted by adding salts. Size and morphologic change of the polymeric micelles are characterized by means of dynamic lighting scattering, transmission electron microscope (TEM), and atomic force microscope (AFM) in sequential pH alterations. It is found that the Hofmeister ions play a key factor in controlling the subtle interaction of different noncovalent bonds among polypeptide molecules during their self‐assembly or disassembly. The physical property exploration of the SPS micelles may provide a new chance for the development of dynamic, complex nanostructures in various pH‐responsive applications.
Effects of Different Unsaturated‐Linker‐Containing Donors on Electronic Properties of Benzobisthiadiazole‐Based Copolymers
Authors: Zhang Chen , Chen Zhihui , Yang Changan , Liang Enxiang , Yi Jianming , Yu Gui , Yang Chuluo
Published: December 2017

A series of new copolymers with unsaturated‐linker‐containing donors and benzobisthiadiazole acceptors are synthesized. Two kinds of side chains (2‐octyl‐1‐dodecyl chain and siloxane‐terminated hexyl chain) are added to the polymer backbone. The introduction of unsaturated‐linker‐containing donor enhances the rigidity of the copolymers. The strong electron‐withdrawing benzobisthiadiazole units make these copolymers display very narrow bandgaps in the range of 0.75–1.26 eV. Bottom‐gate and bottom‐contact transistors based on these polymers exhibit p‐type field‐effect behavior with hole mobilities up to 1.17 × 10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1.
Thermoplastic SEBS Elastomer Nanocomposites Reinforced with Functionalized Graphene Dispersions
Authors: Hofmann Daniel , Thomann Ralf , Mülhaupt Rolf
Published: December 2017

Blending a maleinated polystyrene‐b‐poly(ethylene‐r‐butylene)‐b‐polystyrene (SEBS) thermoplastic elastomer with functionalized graphene (FG) dispersions in tetrahydrofuran (THF) prior to the melt processing results in SEBS/FG nanocomposites with improved property profiles. According to microscopic imaging (atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, focus ion beam–scanning electron microscopy), FG dispersions derived from multilayer graphene (MLG 350) and thermally reduced graphite oxide enable uniform dispersion of single‐ and few‐layer FG within both the THF and the SEBS matrix. In contrast, high‐pressure homogenization of nonfunctionalized graphite yields larger graphene stacks together with blend of graphene stacks with micrometer‐sized graphite (GG). As opposed to SEBS/GG composites, SEBS/FG composites exhibit superior mechanical properties as well as higher Shore A hardness, electrical conductivity at a lower percolation threshold, and enhanced gas barrier resistance. Hence, SEBS/FG composites hold promise as thermoplastic elastomers, serving the needs of automotive and sealant industries.
Morphological regulation of calcium sulfate hemihydrate from phosphogypsum
Authors: Tan H. , Dong F.
Published: December 2017

The calcium sulfate hemihydrate whiskers were prepared from phosphogypsum at hydrothermal condition. The influences of different organic acid (citric acid and poly (acrylic acid)) on the crystal morphology were detected, respectively. The morphology of crystals can be influenced by adding organic acid. Short and large columnar crystals can be obtained by adding 5 wt.% citric acid, which can be used as cementitious materials. The long columnar crystals with uniform diameter can be obtained by adding poly (acrylic acid), which can be applied in composites.
Combination of finite element method and Drucker‐Prager Cap material model for simulation of pharmaceutical tableting process
Authors: Baroutaji A. , Lenihan S. , Bryan K.
Published: December 2017

Density‐dependent Drucker‐Prager Cap (DPC) model is widely used for assessing the compaction behaviour of powders due to its capability of capturing the various phenomena associated with the powder compaction process such as work hardening, nonlinear densification, and frictional and compressible behaviour of the powder. This paper presents a full description of the Drucker‐Prager Cap model for the compaction behaviour of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) Avicel PH101 pharmaceutical powder. The experimental calibration process of Drucker‐Prager Cap is detailed and all model parameters are calculated as a function of powder relative density. Also, the calibrated parameters are implemented in finite element code to perform a numerical simulation of a typical pharmaceutical tablet. The results showed that the finite element model (FEM) was able to accurately predict the compaction behaviour of the microcrystalline cellulose powder. Furthermore, the finite element predictions of stress and density distributions of the powders during the compaction were used to analyse the failure mechanisms associated with tableting.
The effect of the solution treatment onto the microstructure and mechanical properties of MAG pulsed welded joints from X2CrNiMoN22‐5‐3 Duplex stainless steels
Authors: Mitelea I. , Utu I.‐D. , Urlan S. D. , Crăciunescu C. M.
Published: December 2017

The metallurgical behaviour by Duplex stainless steels welding is affected by reducing the austenite proportion in weld and in the area adjacent to the fusion line of the molten metal bath and also by the precipitation of nitrides Cr2N, carbides M23C6 and intermetallic phases, σ, χ, Laves. The modalities for obtaining a quantitative ratio of the two phases (Austenite/Ferrite) close to that of the base metal (∼50 % Austenite and 50 % Ferrite) aims to adjust the chemical composition of the weld by selecting a filler material with a higher nickel content (the element which beside nitrogen promotes the austenite formation), the heat cycle control of the welding process and the application of a post‐welding solution treatment. The present paper explores the effect of such heat treatment on balance restoring between austenite and ferrite and the reduction of the alloying elements segregation phenomena. By optical and scanning electron microscopy examinations and also X‐ray diffraction analyses the microstructural changes induced by the applied treatment are highlighted and by impact toughness and static tensile tests is demonstrated the positive effect of the heat treatment onto the ensuring of the welded joints quality.