bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Survival impact of induction chemotherapy in advanced head and neck cancer: A National Cancer Database analysis
Authors: Stokes William A. , Amini Arya , Jones Bernard L. , McDermott Jessica D. , Raben David , Ghosh Debashis , Goddard Julie A. , Bowles Daniel W. , Karam Sana D.
Published: March 2017

Background

Adding induction chemotherapy to concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT) has generally not improved the overall survival (OS) in randomized trials of patients with head and neck cancer. This failure may stem from inadequate power or inappropriate patient selection, prompting this National Cancer Data Base analysis.

Methods

8031 patients with T4 or N2b to N3 disease undergoing RT and chemotherapy were divided into induction chemotherapy and concurrent chemotherapy cohorts. Multivariate analysis was used to explore the association of treatment with survival and to identify predictors of radiation dose.

Results

On multivariate analysis incorporating sociodemographic and clinical variables, survival of the induction chemotherapy cohort was not significantly different from that of the concurrent cohort (hazard ratio [HR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88–1.05; p = .35), nor on subgroup analyses of advanced disease. Multivariate analysis demonstrated increased odds of receiving <66 Gy among the patients in the induction chemotherapy cohort (p < .01).

Conclusion

Induction chemotherapy subjects experienced no survival advantage over concurrent chemotherapy subjects but were more likely to receive lower RT doses. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1113–1121, 2017
Effect of daily fraction size on laryngoesophageal dysfunction after chemoradiation for squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx and hypopharynx
Authors: Chen Allen M. , Hsu Sophia , Meshman Jessica , Chin Robert , Beron Philip , Abemayor Elliot , St. John Maie
Published: March 2017

Background

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of fraction size on laryngoesophageal dysfunction among patients treated by chemoradiotherapy for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer.

Methods

Forty patients underwent chemoradiotherapy for stage III/IV squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx and hypopharynx. Median radiation dose was 70 Gy (range, 69.3–70.4 Gy) with daily fractionation ranging from 2 Gy to 2.2 Gy.

Results

When comparing 2 Gy versus >2 Gy daily fractionation, there was no difference in 2‐year overall survival (71% vs 72%; p = .68), locoregional control (79% vs 77%; p = .43), or laryngectomy‐free survival (60% vs 61%; p = .72). Use of 2 Gy versus >2 Gy fractionation improved laryngoesophageal dysfunction‐free survival (2‐year estimates, 49% vs 27%; p = .07). Patient‐reported voice and swallowing were improved with the former.

Conclusion

As the importance of a functional larynx becomes recognized as an endpoint for patients treated by voice preservation, the results of our study help refine treatment guidelines. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1322–1326, 2017
Drip Irrigation with Sewage Effluent Increased Salt Accumulation in Soil, Depressed Sap Flow, and Increased Yield of Tomato
Authors: Li Yanfeng , Li Jiusheng , Wen Jiangli
Published: March 2017

Sewage application is a cost‐effective method for meeting the challenge of irrigation in water‐short regions. However, there is concern about the accumulation of salt from sewage effluent in soil. Experiments were conducted for 3 years in a greenhouse to investigate the effects of water quality on salt accumulation in soil and on sap flow for drip‐irrigated tomato. The types of irrigation water used in the experiments included secondary sewage effluent, groundwater, and blended water that was obtained by mixing the secondary sewage effluent and the groundwater in equal volumes. The results demonstrated that soil bulk electrical conductivity (ECb) increased with irrigation rates, and sewage application produced a more rapid increase than did blended water and groundwater treatments. Irrigation throughout the growing season could produce a 21–44% increase in salt content from its initial values to values at harvest, and salt accumulation occurred mainly at the 30–45 cm depth of soil. Sewage irrigation was likely to decrease sap flow but increased tomato yield and improved fruit quality parameters excluding ascorbic acid compared with groundwater irrigation. These results suggest that secondary sewage application using drip irrigation increases salt accumulation in the root zone, and depresses crop transpiration to some extent, but does not have a negative influence on tomato yield and fruit quality. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Insulin Resistance and the IGF-I-Cortical Bone Relationship in Children Ages 9 to 13 Years
Authors: Kindler Joseph M , Pollock Norman K , Laing Emma M , Oshri Assaf , Jenkins Nathan T , Isales Carlos M , Hamrick Mark W , Ding Ke-Hong , Hausman Dorothy B , McCabe George P , Martin Berdine R , Hill Gallant Kathleen M , Warden Stuart J , Weaver Connie M , Peacock Munro , Lewis Richard D
Published: March 2017

IGF-I is a pivotal hormone in pediatric musculoskeletal development. Although recent data suggest that the role of IGF-I in total body lean mass and total body bone mass accrual may be compromised in children with insulin resistance, cortical bone geometric outcomes have not been studied in this context. Therefore, we explored the influence of insulin resistance on the relationship between IGF-I and cortical bone in children. A secondary aim was to examine the influence of insulin resistance on the lean mass-dependent relationship between IGF-I and cortical bone. Children were otherwise healthy, early adolescent black and white boys and girls (ages 9 to 13 years) and were classified as having high (n = 147) or normal (n = 168) insulin resistance based on the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Cortical bone at the tibia diaphysis (66% site) and total body fat-free soft tissue mass (FFST) were measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), respectively. IGF-I, insulin, and glucose were measured in fasting sera and HOMA-IR was calculated. Children with high HOMA-IR had greater unadjusted IGF-I (p < 0.001). HOMA-IR was a negative predictor of cortical bone mineral content, cortical bone area (Ct.Ar), and polar strength strain index (pSSI; all p ≤ 0.01) after adjusting for race, sex, age, maturation, fat mass, and FFST. IGF-I was a positive predictor of most musculoskeletal endpoints (all p < 0.05) after adjusting for race, sex, age, and maturation. However, these relationships were moderated by HOMA-IR (pInteraction < 0.05). FFST positively correlated with most cortical bone outcomes (all p < 0.05). Path analyses demonstrated a positive relationship between IGF-I and Ct.Ar via FFST in the total cohort (βIndirect Effect = 0.321, p < 0.001). However, this relationship was moderated in the children with high (βIndirect Effect = 0.200, p < 0.001) versus normal (βIndirect Effect = 0.408, p < 0.001) HOMA-IR. These data implicate insulin resistance as a potential suppressor of IGF-I-dependent cortical bone development, though prospective studies are needed. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Dehydrocostus Lactone Suppresses Proliferation of Human Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells Through Bcr/Abl‐JAK/STAT Signaling Pathways
Authors: Cai Hong , Qin Xiaosong , Yang Chunhui
Published: March 2017

This study evaluates the anticancer effects of dehydrocostus lactone, a plant‐derived sesquiterpene lactone, on human chronic myeloid leukemia cells. Dehydrocostus lactone significantly inhibits cell proliferation by inducing cells to undergo cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and differentiation. Dehydrocostus lactone suppresses the expression of cyclin B1, cyclin A, cyclin E, cyclin‐dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), and cyclin‐dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and increases p21 expression, resulting in S‐G2/M phase arrest in K562 cells. Dehydrocostus lactone also induces apoptosis by increasing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and modulating the protein levels of Bcl‐2 family members. We also found that dehydrocostus lactone significantly inhibits the phosphorylation expression of Bcr/Abl, STAT5, JAK2, and STAT3 and downstream molecules including p‐CrkL, Mcl‐1, Bcl‐XL, and Bcl‐2 proteins in K562 cells. At a low concentration, dehydrocostus lactone significantly increased CD11b and CD14 expression on the surface of K562 cells, and induced cells to differentiate into monocytes or mature macrophages. Taken together, this study provides new insight into the molecular mechanisms of dehydrocostus lactone actions that may contribute to the chemoprevention of chronic myeloid leukemia. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 3381–3390, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impact of executive function on efficacy obtaining resources following intimate partner violence
Authors: Lee Michelle Seulki , DePrince Anne P.
Published: March 2017

Following intimate partner violence (IPV), women risk losing resources needed to meet their basic needs, such as food and housing. To identify potential points of community intervention, the current study examined the role of executive function (EF) in women's efficacy to obtain resources following a police‐reported physical IPV incident. Participants were 199 women from diverse, urban, and largely lower‐income backgrounds. As predicted, greater physical abuse was associated with worse EF performance and worse EF was associated with less efficacy in obtaining resources 1 year later. Greater physical abuse was indirectly related to less efficacy in obtaining resources via EF, even when controlling for income. Results provide information regarding EF as a potential link in the relationship between IPV and obtaining resources among women of lower‐income backgrounds. In the context of limited resources, preparing community service professionals to use EF‐focused interventions (e.g., to structure tasks, repeat instructions) may support women's efforts to access resources.
HDAC1 and HDAC3 underlie dynamic H3K9 acetylation during embryonic neurogenesis and in schizophrenia‐like animals
Authors: Večeřa Josef , Bártová Eva , Krejčí Jana , Legartová Soňa , Komůrková Denisa , Rudá‐Kučerová Jana , Štark Tibor , Dražanová Eva , Kašpárek Tomáš , Šulcová Alexandra , Dekker Frank J. , Szymanski Wiktor , Seiser Christian , Weitzer Georg , Mechoulam Raphael , Micale Vincenzo , Kozubek Stanislav
Published: March 2017

Although histone acetylation is one of the most widely studied epigenetic modifications, there is still a lack of information regarding how the acetylome is regulated during brain development and pathophysiological processes. We demonstrate that the embryonic brain (E15) is characterized by an increase in H3K9 acetylation as well as decreases in the levels of HDAC1 and HDAC3. Moreover, experimental induction of H3K9 hyperacetylation led to the overexpression of NCAM in the embryonic cortex and depletion of Sox2 in the subventricular ependyma, which mimicked the differentiation processes. Inducing differentiation in HDAC1‐deficient mouse ESCs resulted in early H3K9 deacetylation, Sox2 downregulation, and enhanced astrogliogenesis, whereas neuro‐differentiation was almost suppressed. Neuro‐differentiation of (wt) ESCs was characterized by H3K9 hyperacetylation that was associated with HDAC1 and HDAC3 depletion. Conversely, the hippocampi of schizophrenia‐like animals showed H3K9 deacetylation that was regulated by an increase in both HDAC1 and HDAC3. The hippocampi of schizophrenia‐like brains that were treated with the cannabinoid receptor‐1 inverse antagonist AM251 expressed H3K9ac at the level observed in normal brains. Together, the results indicate that co‐regulation of H3K9ac by HDAC1 and HDAC3 is important to both embryonic brain development and neuro‐differentiation as well as the pathophysiology of a schizophrenia‐like phenotype.
Novel carboxylated graphene oxide‐CuS‐Ag nanocomposite glass coating for organic degradation under solar light
Authors: Yu Shuyan , Webster Richard D , Zhou Yan , Yan Xiaoli
Published: March 2017

BACKGROUD

Recently, semiconductor‐mediated heterogeneous photocatalysis has gained recognition as an effective treatment method for the removal of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) from wastewater. The advantages of such technology include higher reaction rates for pollutant removal, complete mineralisation of the contaminants into harmless substances, e.g. water and carbon dioxide. Here, this study synthesized a hybrid multifunctional nanocomposite (GO‐COOH‐CuS‐Ag) via a facile method by integrating semiconductor copper sulfide (CuS) nanoflakes, carboxylic acid functionalised graphene oxide (GO‐COOH) sheets, and silver (Ag) nanoparticles, with the aim to enhance their EOCs photodegradation and antibacterial applications under solar light irradiation.

RESULTS

The crystal phase, optical properties and morphology of the obtained composite were characterized using various characterization methods. The as‐synthesized GO‐COOH‐CuS‐Ag nanocomposites were transformed and applied on glass via a glass coating method aimed at facilitating their practical applications in photodegradation of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) and disinfection for water treatment under solar light irradiation. The glass coatings had excellent photodegradation and antibacterial performance with good stability and repeatability. It was also found that synergistic reactions existed among CuS, Ag and GO‐COOH, and the mechanisms of charge transfer and photo‐disinfection were systematically investigated.

CONCLUSION

The results clearly demonstrate its high performance potential in photodegradation and photo‐disinfection processes with the advantage of simplifying recovery and reuse in comparison with powdered forms, and reducing problems including the agglomeration of powdered particles that may cause blockages. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Clinical performance of high‐resolution late gadolinium enhancement imaging with compressed sensing
Authors: Basha Tamer A. , Akçakaya Mehmet , Liew Charlene , Tsao Connie W. , Delling Francesca N. , Addae Gifty , Ngo Long , Manning Warren J. , Nezafat Reza
Published: March 2017

Purpose

To evaluate diagnostic image quality of 3D late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) with high isotropic spatial resolution (∼1.4 mm3) images reconstructed from randomly undersampled k‐space using LOw‐dimensional‐structure Self‐learning and Thresholding (LOST).

Materials and Methods

We prospectively enrolled 270 patients (181 men; 55 ± 14 years) referred for myocardial viability assessment. 3D LGE with isotropic spatial resolution of 1.4 ± 0.1 mm3 was acquired at 1.5T using a LOST acceleration rate of 3 to 5. In a subset of 121 patients, 3D LGE or phase‐sensitive LGE were acquired with parallel imaging with an acceleration rate of 2 for comparison. Two readers evaluated image quality using a scale of 1 (poor) to 4 (excellent) and assessed for scar presence. The McNemar test statistic was used to compare the proportion of detected scar between the two sequences. We assessed the association between image quality and characteristics (age, gender, torso dimension, weight, heart rate), using generalized linear models.

Results

Overall, LGE detection proportions for 3D LGE with LOST were similar between readers 1 and 2 (16.30% vs. 18.15%). For image quality, readers gave 85.9% and 80.0%, respectively, for images categorized as good or excellent. Overall proportion of scar presence was not statistically different from conventional 3D LGE (28% vs. 33% [P = 0.17] for reader 1 and 26% vs. 31% [P = 0.37] for reader 2). Increasing subject heart rate was associated with lower image quality (estimated slope = –0.009 (P = 0.001)).

Conclusion

High‐resolution 3D LGE with LOST yields good to excellent image quality in >80% of patients and identifies patients with LV scar at the same rate as conventional 3D LGE.

Level of Evidence: 2

Technical Efficacy: Stage 2

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1829–1838.
MathIOmica‐MSViewer: a dynamic viewer for mass spectrometry files for Mathematica
Authors: Roushangar R. , Mias G. I.
Published: March 2017

MathIOmica‐MSViewer is an add‐on graphical user interface utility for the Mathematica software system which facilitates the visualization and exploration of spectra from open format mass spectrometry files (mzXML and mzML standard community formats). The viewer was designed for simplicity and handling of large mass spectrometry data files. To facilitate searches, users may use search filters for the spectra based on mass to charge ratios and retention times, and visualize precursor spectra associated to a parent spectrum. Availability: The viewer is available as a Mathematica notebook (MathIOmica‐MSViewer.nb) at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.321385. The software is provided under an MIT License. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Mass Spectrometry published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Numerical model of static hysteresis taking into account temperature
Authors: Sixdenier Fabien , Scorretti Riccardo
Published: March 2017

Some soft magnetic materials are strongly dependent of the temperature, because of their low Curie temperature. To be able to predict their behaviour in electrical devices, hysteresis models able to take into account the temperature are needed. The vector play static hysteresis model is an interesting hysteresis model that can be modified to be able to take into account the thermal behaviour. In this paper, the temperature is taken into account in this last model through its parameters. The variations of some parameters with temperature are mainly issued from numerical interpolation and specific assumptions. Simulation results are compared to measurements and discussed.
Metabolomic‐guided discovery of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers from body fluid
Authors: Enche Ady Che Nor Adlia , Lim Siong Meng , Teh Lay Kek , Salleh Mohd Zaki , Chin Ai‐Vyrn , Tan Maw Pin , Poi Philip Jun Hua , Kamaruzzaman Shahrul Bahyah , Abdul Majeed Abu Bakar , Ramasamy Kalavathy
Published: March 2017

The rapid increase in the older population has made age‐related diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) a global concern. Given that there is still no cure for this neurodegenerative disease, the drastic growth in the number of susceptible individuals represents a major emerging threat to public health. The poor understanding of the mechanisms underlying AD is deemed the greatest stumbling block against progress in definitive diagnosis and management of this disease. There is a dire need for biomarkers that can facilitate early diagnosis, classification, prognosis, and treatment response. Efforts have been directed toward discovery of reliable and distinctive AD biomarkers but with very little success. With the recent emergence of high‐throughput technology that is able to collect and catalogue vast datasets of small metabolites, metabolomics offers hope for a better understanding of AD and subsequent identification of biomarkers. This review article highlights the potential of using multiple metabolomics platforms as useful means in uncovering AD biomarkers from body fluids. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Endophytic fungi harbored in the root of Sophora tonkinensis Gapnep: Diversity and biocontrol potential against phytopathogens
Authors: Yao Yu Qun , Lan Fang , Qiao Yun Ming , Wei Ji Guang , Huang Rong Shao , Li Liang Bo
Published: March 2017

This work, for the first time, investigated the diversity of endophytic fungi harbored in the xylem and phloem of the root of Sophora tonkinensis Gapnep from three geographic localities with emphasis on the influence of the tissue type and geographic locality on endophytic fungal communities and their potential as biocontrol agents against phytopathogens of Panax notoginseng. A total of 655 fungal strains representing 47 taxa were isolated. Forty‐two taxa (89.4%) were identified but not five taxa (10.6%) according to morphology and molecular phylogenetics. Out of identifiable taxa, the majority of endophyte taxa were Ascomycota (76.6%), followed by Basidiomycota (8.5%) and Zygomycota (4.3%). The alpha‐diversity indices indicated that the species diversity of endophytic fungal community harbored in the root of S. tonkinensis was very high. The colonization and species diversity of endophytic fungal communities were significantly influenced by the geographic locality but not tissue type. The geographic locality and tissue type had great effects on the species composition of endophytic fungal communities. Forty‐seven respective strains were challenged by three fungal phytopathogens of P. notoginseng and six strains exhibited significant inhibitory activity. It was noteworthy that endophytic Rhexocercosporidium sp. and F. solani strongly inhibited pathogenic F. solani and other fungal phytopathogens of P. notoginseng.
Polymer/clay nanocomposites based on aliphatic–aromatic polyamide containing thiazole ring and new organomodified nanosilicate layers: Synthesis, characterization, and thermal properties study
Authors: Jalali Aazam , Shockravi Abbas , Hajibeygi Mohsen , Vatanpour Vahid
Published: March 2017

New polyamide/clay nanocomposites (PACN) were produced using semicrystalline polyamide (PA) containing thiazole ring and new organoclay (OC) through solution intercalation technique. For further study, PA/Cloisite‐15A nanocomposites (PAAN) were also prepared using PA and Cloisite‐15A. X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission‐scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results showed a good dispersion for OC in the PA matrix. A meaningful decrease in intensity of absorption from ultraviolet–visible spectra as well as from fluorescence emissions of resulted PACN were observed. As thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in nitrogen atmospheres showed, the T5 and T10 increased by about 57% and 36%, respectively for PACN containing 5 mass% of OC, as the char yield enhanced greatly, which was about 16.3% higher than the neat PA. Also the TGA results showed that PACN had higher thermal stability than PAAN. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis exhibited higher glass‐transition temperature values (Tg) for PACN as compared to the neat PA. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E1407–E1420, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Influence of aliphatic and aromatic isocyanates on the properties of poly(ether ester) polyol based PU adhesive system
Authors: Malik Manjeet , Kaur Raminder
Published: March 2017

This study has been conducted with an emphasis to develop a biobased polyol from canola oil by transesterification reaction followed by epoxidation and ring opening reaction with an intention to insert hydroxyl group at unsaturation sites. The products obtained were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and FTIR spectroscopy for structural analysis and to determine the extent of reaction. Furthur, the studies have been conducted on different Polyurethane (PU) adhesives obtained by reacting this resulted canola oil based polyether‐ester polyol and various kinds of aliphatic or aromatic diisocyanates commercially available, i.e., Methylenediphenyldiisocyanate (MDI), Toulenediisocyanate (TDI), Isophoronediisocyanate (IPDI), Hexamethylenediisocyanate (HMDI) with a purpose to examine their influence on adhesive properties such as green strength, curing time, gel time, lap shear strength. The properties of resulted polyurethanes had shown considerable (or prominent) variation in their behavior particularly in terms of thermal stability, adhesion strength, corrosion resistance, etc. The synthesized adhesive showed much better performance as compared to commercially available adhesive formulation under different conditions of testing. The thermal stability of PU adhesive formulation were analyzed and compared by thermogravimetric analysis. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:112–117, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Composites made from a soybean oil biopolyurethane and cellulose nanocrystals
Authors: Mucci Veronica L. , Ivdre Aiga , Buffa Juan M. , Cabulis Ugis , Stefani Pablo M. , Aranguren Mirta I.
Published: March 2017

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) obtained by acidic hydrolysis from microcrystalline cellulose were dispersed in a biopolyurethane matrix to prepare composite films. The polyurethane was prepared from a hydroxylated soybean oil (SO‐OH) and a polymeric diphenyldiisocyanate (pMDI), using a organotin compound as the catalyst. The composite films contained different concentrations of nanocelullose, without any macroscopic aggregates in all cases. Thermal, tensile and dynamic mechanical properties of the films were determined for all the samples. In particular, it was observed that the glass transition temperature of the nanocomposites slightly increased with the concentration of the cellulose nanocrystals. The nanocomposite with 1 wt% of nanocellulose showed the highest tensile strength of the series. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:125–132, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
New nitrogen‐rich heterocycles for organo‐modified bentonites as flame retardant fillers in epoxy resin nanocomposites
Authors: Benelli Tiziana , Mazzocchetti Laura , D'Angelo Emanuele , Lanzi Massimiliano , Saraga Federico , Sambri Letizia , Franchini Mauro Comes , Giorgini Loris
Published: March 2017

New flame retardant organo‐modified bentonites, based on nitrogen‐containing compounds were synthesized via an ion exchange process starting from pristine bentonite with acidified 6‐(4‐butylphenyl)−1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4‐diamine (BFTDA) and 11‐amino‐N‐(pyridine‐2yl)undecanamide (APUA). The amount of nitrogen rich organic modifier in the obtained organoclays (Bento‐BFTDA and Bento‐APUA) determined by TGA is around 0.4 mmol/g for both samples. With the aim to study the effect of these additives on a commercial epoxy resin, nanocomposites containing 3 and 5 wt% of the nanofillers were prepared by solventless addition to the epoxy resin formulation. For the sake of comparison similar nanocomposites with plain unmodified bentonite were produced. The nanocomposite's thermo‐mechanical properties of all the produced samples were measured and they resulted slightly improved or practically unaffected. Finally, when the flame behavior was assessed in the cone‐calorimeter, an encouraging decrease of 17% in the peak heat released rate (pHRR) was obtained at 3 wt% loading level with Bento‐APUA. These promising results suggest that the APUA modified organoclay, prepared with low cost reactants and mild reaction conditions, might efficiently act as a flame retardant. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:621–630, 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Synthesis and characterization of block poly(ester‐ether‐urethane)s from bacterial poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) oligomers
Authors: Debuissy Thibaud , Pollet Eric , Avérous Luc
Published: March 2017

Telechelic hydroxylated poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB‐diol) oligomers have been successfully synthesized in 90–95% yield from high molar mass PHB by tin‐catalyzed alcoholysis with different diols (mainly 1,4‐butanediol) in diglyme. The PHB‐diol oligomers structure was studied by nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy MALDI‐ToF MS, and size exclusion chromatography, whereas their crystalline structures, thermal properties and thermal stability were analyzed by wide angle X‐ray scattering, DSC, and thermogravimetric analyses. The kinetic of the alcoholysis was studied and the influence of (i) the catalyst amount, (ii) the diol amount, (iii) the reaction temperature, and (iv) the diol chain length on the molar mass was discussed. The influence of the PHB‐diol molar mass on the thermal stability, the thermal properties and optical properties was investigated. Then, tin‐catalyzed poly(ester‐ether‐urethane)s (PEEU) of Mn = 15,000–20,000 g/mol were synthesized in 1,2‐dichloroethane from PHB‐diol oligomers (Pester) with modified 4,4'‐MDI and different polyether‐diols (Pether) (PEG‐2000, PEG‐4000, and PPG‐PEG‐PPG). The influence of the PHB‐diol chain length, the Pether/Pester ratio, the polyether segment nature and the PEG chain length on the thermal properties and crystalline structures of PEEUs was particularly discussed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 1949–1961
Quantifying the role of land–atmosphere feedbacks in mediating near‐surface temperature persistence
Authors: Kolstad E. W. , Barnes E. A. , Sobolowski S. P.
Published: March 2017

Weather persistence from month to month is an important source of predictability on the intraseasonal time‐scale. Persistence in the lower troposphere is thought to be mainly due to dynamical feedbacks between the atmosphere and physical variables at or below the surface. Many recent improvements of dynamical seasonal forecasting models have been due to better initialisations and representations of the lower boundary. While many physical mechanisms that mediate persistence are well‐understood, they have not previously been considered simultaneously in a causal framework. Here we use linear methods that are widely used in the field of causal inference in statistics to identify mediators between persistent near‐surface temperature anomalies from one month to the next. The variables considered are soil temperature and soil moisture at four levels, and snow depth. In Northern Europe, the high persistence of temperature in summer is shown to be mediated mainly by soil temperature anomalies. The high persistence in winter is mediated by snow depth and soil moisture in addition to soil temperature. The annual cycles of persistence are also investigated for the mid‐ and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, confirming the important role of soil temperature in summer. Snow depth is an important mediator when, and where, its interannual variability is large: in winter at midlatitudes and in spring and autumn at high latitudes. The novel contribution of this study is the introduction of a linear causal methodology and a holistic approach that allows quantification and comparison of the different roles of soil variables and snow depth in mediating near‐surface temperature persistence.
Analysis of matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight collision‐induced dissociation spectra of simple precursor ions and isobaric oligosaccharide ion mixtures based on product ion intensities and pattern recognition
Authors: Jovanović Marko , Tyldesley‐Worster Richard
Published: March 2017

Rationale

Qualitative analysis of glycomic tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data based on m/z values of product ions alone is widely used, and often sufficient for analysis of single analytes. However, most complex glycomic mixtures contain multiple isobaric oligosaccharides, in which case this approach is often limited. Here we show how ion intensity information can be used in order to enhance MS/MS data analysis, and extract both qualitative and semiquantitative information from complex glycomic MS/MS datasets.

Methods

A matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight (MALDI QTOF) mass spectrometer was used in this study. We compared the intensities of product ions within a single product ion series, determined by their length, across the whole glycomic MS/MS dataset. In order to detect discernable patterns, the intensity data was normalized to the intensity of each product ion within the series. In most cases, normalized data yielded easily discernable patterns, relevant either for analysis of specific glycomic structure types, or mechanistic MS studies.

Results

We used our approach on a glycomic sample consisting of human milk oligosaccharides. The approach yielded useful results for both qualitative and semiquantitative analyses. All normalizations performed were not equally rich in information and the information content of generated tables was not possible to predict. These analyses were shown to be independent of instrument manufacturer.

Conclusions

Our approach enabled more detailed qualitative analysis of MS/MS spectra of precursor ions containing isobaric oligosaccharide structures. While limited semiquantitative information could be extracted from the raw data as well, the accuracy of this method should be significantly enhanced when standard calibration mixtures can be prepared. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Global Governance Dimensions of Globally Networked Risks: The State of the Art in Social Science Research
Authors: Galaz Victor , Tallberg Jonas , Boin Arjen , Ituarte‐Lima Claudia , Hey Ellen , Olsson Per , Westley Frances
Published: March 2017

Global risks are now increasingly being perceived as networked, and likely to result in large‐scale, propagating failures and crises that transgress national boundaries and societal sectors. These so called “globally networked risks” pose fundamental challenges to global governance institutions. A growing literature explores the nature of these globally networked or “systemic” risks. While this research has taught us much about the anatomy of these risks, it has consistently failed to integrate insights from the wider social sciences. This is problematic since the prescriptions that result from these efforts flow from naїve assumptions about the way real‐world state and non‐state actors behave in the international arena. This leaves serious gaps in our understanding of whether networked environmental risks at all can be governed. The following essay brings together decades of research by different disciplines in the social sciences, and identifies five multi‐disciplinary key insights that can inform global approaches to governing these. These insights include the influence of international institutions; the dynamics and effect of international norms and legal mechanisms; the need for international institutions to cope with transboundary and cross‐sectoral crises; the role of innovation as a strategy to handle unpredictable global risks; and the necessity to address legitimacy issues.
Of Earthquakes and Epidemics: Examining the Applicability of the All‐Hazards Approach in Public Health Emergencies
Authors: Penta Samantha , Marlowe Valerie G. , Gill Kimberly , Kendra James
Published: March 2017

While the All‐Hazards approach has been a fixture in disaster management in the United States for approximately three decades, discussion continues regarding the appropriateness of including public health emergencies under the All‐Hazards umbrella. Drawing on the disaster and public health literatures, we examine previous research in three areas of relevance to these events: convergence, risk and crisis communication, and providing medical services. Although events often include characteristics unique to each particular hazard, the literature demonstrates that there are sufficient similarities in these areas to advocate for the continued utility of the All‐Hazards approach. Convergence of people, material, and information often follow both disasters and public health emergencies, and present similar challenges and opportunities as a result. Crisis risk communication for these events rests on similar underlying theories, and presents similar challenges for practitioners, imposing similar demands on the medical system, both increasing needs for medical services and compromising the system's ability to provide services to meet those needs. Research is needed to explore further parallels between hazards, particularly in mitigation and recovery and in other national contexts. Future work should include direct, empirical comparisons across event types, and include other kinds of environmental or public health hazards.
Evaluation and comparison of open source software suites for data mining and knowledge discovery
Authors: Altalhi Abdulrahman H. , Luna J. M. , Vallejo M. A. , Ventura S.
Published: March 2017

The growing interest in the extraction of useful knowledge from data with the aim of being beneficial for the data owner is giving rise to multiple data mining tools. Research community is specially aware of the importance of open source data mining software to ensure and ease the dissemination of novel data mining algorithms. The availability of these tools at no cost, and also the chance of better understanding of the approaches by examining their source code, provides the research community with an opportunity to tune and improve the algorithms. Documentation, updating, variety of algorithms, extensibility, and interoperability among others can be major issues to motivate users for opting for a specific open source data mining tool. The aim of this paper is to evaluate 19 open source data mining tools and to provide the research community with an extensive study based on a wide set of features that any tool should satisfy. The evaluation is carried out by following two methodologies. The first one is based on scores provided by experts to produce a subjective judgment of each tool. The second procedure performs an objective analysis about which features are satisfied by each tool. The ultimate aim of this work is to provide the research community with an extensive study on different features included in any data mining tool, either from a subjective and an objective point of view. Results reveal that RapidMiner, Konstanz Information Miner, and Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis are the tools that include higher percentage of these features. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2017, 7:e1204. doi: 10.1002/widm.1204

This article is categorized under:

Application Areas > Data Mining Software Tools

Technologies > Computer Architectures for Data Mining
MODELING NO-TILL ADOPTION BY CORN AND SOYBEAN PRODUCERS: INSIGHTS INTO SUSTAINED ADOPTION
Authors: WADE TARA , CLAASSEN ROGER
Published: March 2017

No-till acreage has increased in recent years, but many farmers alternate no-till with other tillage practices, limiting public and private benefits from sustained no-till adoption. Revealed preference data are used in an ordered logit regression analysis to determine the effect of soil characteristics, climate, regions, farm characteristics, and producer demographics on producers’ choices to use continuous tillage, alternate no-till systems with tillage systems, or continuously use no-till. The model provides insight into the characteristics and conditions that are conducive to each tillage regime. The attributes found to significantly affect continuous no-till use are erodibility classification, drainage, farm size, and climate.
The mock turtle's tears: ersatz enamel and the hierarchy of media in Pseudo-Kodinos
Authors: Woodfin Warren T.
Published: March 2017

The enormous prestige accorded to Byzantine cloisonné enamel seems to have continued into the Palaiologan period, although evidence suggests that its production ceased in the decades after the Fourth Crusade. The medium of the imperial images described by Pseudo-Kodinos as ὑπὸ ὑελίου λεγομένου διαγελάστου, which was worn on the headgear of thirteen ranks of court officials, is here identified asverre églomisé, reverse painting on glass. A reading of Pseudo-Kodinos’ treatise alongside surviving works of art suggests that fourteenth-century Byzantines were consciously using ersatz media in an effort to keep up the appearance of continuity with the empire's more prosperous past.
French consuls and Philhellenism in the 1820s: official positions and personal sentiments
Authors: Massé Alexandre
Published: March 2017

In 1821, the Greek uprising against Ottoman rule gave rise to a sympathetic movement in Europe: Philhellenism. France decided to remain neutral. Yet when trying to apply this neutrality in practice, the French consuls in the Ottoman Empire encountered several problems, such as the arrival of Philhellenic volunteer fighters. Furthermore, they were torn between their professional obligations and their personal views. In this context, how did the consuls perceive Philhellenism and the Philhellenic volunteers? To what extent were they able to express their Philhellenism or Mishellenism? This study examines consular correspondence of the period in an attempt to answer these questions.
The universalization of the poetry of George Seferis: the significance of English translations
Authors: Pose-Fernández Coralia
Published: March 2017

The English socio-cultural context was crucial to the dissemination of the work of George Seferis in Europe. Early translations appeared in both French and English, but it was the English versions that propelled Seferis toward international recognition and the Nobel Prize, and gave rise to translations into more peripheral literatures such as Spanish. The wide social circle Seferis enjoyed in the English-speaking world was a key factor in his early success in the United Kingdom. Other determinants were British intellectuals’ empathy for the Greeks during the Colonels’ dictatorship and their liking for modern poetry similar to that of T. S. Eliot.
Analysis of Charcoal and Wood from Czarnowko Site (Pomerania Region, Poland): 14C Dating Versus Relative Chronology Show Consistent Evidence of Wielbark Culture Presence
Authors: Benysek M , Michalska D , Fabisiak E , Stawikowski W
Published: March 2017

This article presents the results of interdisciplinary analysis of samples from the Czarnówko archaeological site in northern Poland, reporting the first radiocarbon dates for the site in comparison with its relative chronology. The site is of high importance because of its scale and opulence of artifacts. It was used for over 900 yr, from the 7th century BC up to the 3rd century AD, by populations of different cultures (the Lusatian, Pomeranian, Oksywie, and Wielbark). Samples of charcoal, wood, and textile were collected from different features, most of them from burials. Charcoal was taken from cremation pits, while wood was sampled from coffins in skeletal burials. Among samples collected during archaeological excavations in 2008 and 2010, 20 were chosen for 14C dating and macro- and microscopic observations. Images taken using a scanning electron microscope revealed the microstructure and preservation level of the specimens. An emphasis was also placed on geomorphological and geological research of the site area to gain information about the environmental conditions influencing the samples’ preservation state, e.g. pH, type, origin and permeability of sediment, and accumulation of organic matter. The obtained calibrated 14C ages are in agreement with the relative chronology based on the typology of artifacts and stratigraphic site reconstructions.
Rational Conjugacy of Torsion Units in Integral Group Rings of Non-Solvable Groups
Authors: Bächle Andreas , Margolis Leo
Published: March 2017

We introduce a new method to study rational conjugacy of torsion units in integral group rings using integral and modular representation theory. Employing this new method, we verify the first Zassenhaus conjecture for the group PSL(2, 19). We also prove the Zassenhaus conjecture for PSL(2, 23). In a second application we show that there are no normalized units of order 6 in the integral group rings of M10 and PGL(2, 9). This completes the proof of a theorem of Kimmerle and Konovalov that shows that the prime graph question has an affirmative answer for all groups having an order divisible by at most three different primes.
Numerical Ranges in II1 Factors
Authors: Dykema Ken , Skoufranis Paul
Published: March 2017

In this paper we generalize the notion of the C-numerical range of a matrix to operators in arbitrary tracial von Neumann algebras. For each self-adjoint operator C, the C-numerical range of such an operator is defined; it is a compact, convex subset of ℂ. We explicitly describe the C-numerical ranges of several operators and classes of operators.
Making the Real: Rhetorical Adduction and the Bangladesh Liberation War
Authors: O'Mahoney Joseph
Published: March 2017

Do normative arguments change what political actors do and if so, how? Rather than using the pure force of abstract moral reasoning, states often try to move the locus of contestation to an arena where they can make practical progress—the evidence or the empirical facts in support of their argument. This paper analyzes how states try to bolster their position first by constructing an argument in which an action represents part of their argument and then by performing that action to make the argument seem more convincing. I call this mechanism rhetorical adduction. The paper challenges theories of communication that deny a causal role to the content of normative arguments and diverges from a leading view on argumentation that arguments have their effects through persuasion. Integrating strategic argumentation theory with theory from psychology about how people make choices based on compelling reasons rather than cost-benefit analysis, I also use theory from sociology on how people resolve morally complex situations through the performance of “reality tests.” I illustrate the mechanism using a case from the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 when initial resistance to recognizing the putative state of Bangladesh after India's invasion of East Pakistan was reversed as a result of an argument that Indian troop withdrawal meant that international norms were not violated.
Prenatal diagnosis of aortopulmonary window associated with aberrant subclavian artery
Authors: Louis-Jacques Adetola F. , Običan Sarah G. , Nguyen Thieu , Odibo Anthony
Published: March 2017

Aortopulmonary window is a rare cardiac developmental anomaly characterised by a communication between the ascending aorta and the pulmonary artery. Aortopulmonary window may be isolated or associated with cardiac defects such as ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, interrupted aortic arch, and tetralogy of Fallot. We report a case of aortopulmonary window associated with aberrant subclavian artery based on fetal two-dimensional echocardiogram. The mother was referred for fetal echocardiography because of multiple fetal anomalies. Prenatal echocardiography at 30 weeks of gestation revealed a defect between the main and right pulmonary arteries and the ascending aorta (type III). The patient was born at 38 weeks of gestation via caesarean delivery, and was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit because of respiratory failure and multiple congenital anomalies. Postnatal echocardiogram and cardiac MRI confirmed the prenatal findings. In addition, this patient had severe Dandy–Walker malformation and renal anomalies with poor prognosis. The family decided to withdraw respiratory care support on day of life 4, and the neonate passed away shortly after.