bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SQMOM Hydrodynamic Modelling of Kühni Columns for Reactive Extraction
Authors: Korb Christian , Alzyod Samer Suleiman , Attarakih Menwer , Bart Hans‐Jörg
Published: November 2017

Das SQMOM (sectional quadrature method of moments)‐Modell wurde erstmals für ein reaktives Stoffsystem (EFCE‐Stoffsystem für die Zinkextraktion mit dem Ionentauscher Di‐(2‐ethylhexyl)‐phosphorsäure (D2EHPA)) in einer DN32‐Kühni‐Kolonne validiert. Dabei wurde die Auswirkung des Ionentauschers sowie der Betriebsparameter Rührerdrehzahl, Phasenverhältnis und Phasenbelastungen auf die hydrodynamischen Kenngrößen wie Hold‐up, Flutgrenzen und Tropfengrößenverteilungen betrachtet. Ein Vergleich zeigte eine gute Übereinstimmung des 1D‐Populationsmodells mit den experimentellen Ergebnissen.
Supramolekulare Chemie
Authors: Kubik Stefan
Published: November 2017

Seit der Auszeichnung mit dem Nobelpreis vor 30 Jahren hat sich die Supramolekulare Chemie zu einem außerordentlich dynamischen und innovativen Forschungsgebiet entwickelt. Ausgehend von einer Vorstellung der drei Nobelpreisträger und ihrer Arbeiten werden in diesem Artikel die wissenschaftlichen Fragestellungen beschrieben, zu denen die Supramolekulare Chemie heute Beiträge leistet. Besonderes Augenmerk liegt dabei auf Beispielen für Systeme und Konzepte, die Eingang in praktische Anwendungen gefunden haben. Es soll dadurch verdeutlicht werden, dass die Supramolekulare Chemie die chemische Forschung der letzten Jahrzehnte maßgeblich mitgeprägt hat und sogar Ausgangspunkt für ganz neue Forschungsrichtungen war.
On the mixing characteristics of a poorly water soluble drug through microfluidic‐assisted nanoprecipitation: Experimental and numerical study
Authors: Rahimi Masoud , Valeh‐e‐Sheyda Peyvand , Zarghami Reza , Rashidi Hamed
Published: November 2017

Nanoprecipitation of curcumin from its ethanolic solutions was carried out at a microfluidic scale by the liquid anti‐solvent technique, in the presence of SDS as a stabilizer. Attention was mainly paid to the mixing angle of the water and ethanol in three micro‐fabricated channels. The nanosuspension quality was measured by particle size distribution and polydispersity index. BET surface area, dissolution test, FTIR spectra, and XRD patterns of the optimized nanosuspension were also evaluated experimentally. In particular, narrow size distribution of curcumin particles was achieved under well‐controlled conditions of large confluence angles. The amorphous ultrafine curcumin powder exhibited enhanced dissolution properties when compared to the raw material. To explain the precipitation results, a species 3D model was created by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The pressure drop was compared to the quantitative experimental data to validate the CFD computations. Altogether, the similarities in observations and the mass fraction and velocity predictions of the 3D model revealed that the injection angle of microfluidic devices is a key parameter for the resultant curcumin nanoparticle size.
Dual Stereocontrol for Enantioselective Hydrogenation of Dihydroisoquinolines Induced by Tuning the Amount of N‐Bromosuccinimide
Authors: Ji Yue , Wang Jie , Chen Muwang , Shi Lei , Zhou Yonggui
Published: November 2017

An efficient dual stereocontrol in iridium‐catalyzed hydrogenation of 1‐substituted 3,4‐dihydroisoquinolines was realized by tuning the amount of N‐bromosuccinimide using chiral ligand of single configuration, providing both enantiomers of 1‐substituted 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinolines with up to 89% ee (S) and 98% ee (R), respectively. Dual activation role of N‐bromosuccinimide is proposed to be responsible for the reversal of enantioselectivity under two hydrogenation conditions.
Adherence to treatment guidelines and survival for older patients with stage II or III colon cancer in Texas from 2001 through 2011
Authors: Zhao Hui , Zhang Ning , Ho Vivian , Ding Minming , He Weiguo , Niu Jiangong , Yang Ming , Du Xianglin L. , Zorzi Daria , Chavez‐MacGregor Mariana , Giordano Sharon H.
Published: November 2017

BACKGROUND

Treatment guidelines for colon cancer recommend colectomy with lymphadenectomy of at least 12 lymph nodes for patients with stage I to stage III disease as surgery adherence (SA) and adjuvant chemotherapy for individuals with stage III disease. Herein, the authors evaluated adherence to these guidelines among older patients in Texas with colon cancer and the associated survival outcomes.

METHODS

Using Texas Cancer Registry data linked with Medicare data, the authors included patients with AJCC stage II and III colon cancer who were aged ≥66 years and diagnosed between 2001 and 2011. SA and adjuvant chemotherapy adherence rates to treatment guidelines were estimated. The chi‐square test, general linear regression, survival probability, and Cox regression were used to identify factors associated with adherence and survival.

RESULTS

The rate of SA increased from 47.2% to 84% among 6029 patients with stage II or stage III disease from 2001 to 2011, and the rate of adjuvant chemotherapy increased from 48.9% to 53.1% for patients with stage III disease during the same time period. SA was associated with marital status, tumor size, surgeon specialty, and year of diagnosis. Patient age, sex, marital status, Medicare state buy‐in status, comorbidity status, and year of diagnosis were found to be associated with adjuvant chemotherapy. The 5‐year survival probability for patients receiving guideline‐concordant treatment was the highest at 87% for patients with stage II disease and was 73% for those with stage III disease. After adjusting for demographic and tumor characteristics, improved cancer cause‐specific survival was associated with the receipt of stage‐specific, guideline‐concordant treatment for patients with stage II or stage III disease.

CONCLUSIONS

The adherence to guideline‐concordant treatment among older patients with colon cancer residing in Texas improved over time, and was associated with better survival outcomes. Future studies should be focused on identifying interventions to improve guideline‐concordant treatment adherence. Cancer 2018;124:679‐87. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
A Mathematical Theory of Optimal Milestoning (with a Detour via Exact Milestoning)
Authors: Lin Ling , Lu Jianfeng , Vanden‐Eijnden Eric
Published: November 2017

Milestoning is a computational procedure that reduces the dynamics of complex systems to memoryless jumps between intermediates, or milestones, and only retains some information about the probability of these jumps and the time lags between them. Here we analyze a variant of this procedure, termed optimal milestoning, which relies on a specific choice of milestones to capture exactly some kinetic features of the original dynamical system. In particular, we prove that optimal milestoning permits the exact calculation of the mean first passage times (MFPT) between any two milestones. In so doing, we also analyze another variant of the method, called exact milestoning, which also permits the exact calculation of certain MFPTs, but at the price of retaining more information about the original system's dynamics. Finally, we discuss importance sampling strategies based on optimal and exact milestoning that can be used to bypass the simulation of the original system when estimating the statistical quantities used in these methods.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Electronic Structure Calculations and Experimental Studies on the Thermal Initiation of the Twin Polymerization Process
Authors: Auer Alexander A. , Bistoni Giovanni , Kitschke Philipp , Mehring Michael , Ebert Thomas , Spange Stefan
Published: November 2017

Presented here is a combined computational and experimental study on the thermal initiation process of the twin polymerization. Although thermally initiated twin polymerization offers a versatile scheme for obtaining hybrid organic/inorganic nanocomposite materials, the mechanism for its initiation is very different from the proton‐initiated twin polymerization. In this study, the basic mechanism of the early steps of the polymerization process of 4 H,4 H′‐2,2′‐spirobi[benzo[d][1,3,2]dioxasiline] was investigated by using electronic structure calculations in conjunction with experimental differential scanning calorimetry studies. This way, the influences on the thermally initiated twin polymerization process could be analyzed in detail. The previous mechanistic hypotheses are systematically assessed herein to show that, based on the results, a new hypothesis for an initiation mechanism can be formulated that is in agreement with all experimental observations. These results suggest that, before the formation of the polymer networks, the thermal initiation starts with the formation of low‐molecular‐weight fragments that react to yield acidic groups. If a sufficient amount of these form, the reaction is ultimately funneled into a mechanism similar to that of proton‐initiated twin polymerization.
Visualization and Modeling of the In Vivo Distribution of Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Wang Haolu , Thorling Camilla A. , Xu Zhi Ping , Crawford Darrell H. G. , Liang Xiaowen , Liu Xin , Roberts Michael S.
Published: November 2017

This unit describes a protocol for elucidating the in vivo disposition of administered mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Specifically, direct visualization of donor cell spatiotemporal distribution and assessment of donor cell quantity in recipient organs are described. Protocols for data analysis are suggested, with the goal of developing a model to characterize and predict the physiological kinetics of administered MSCs. The use of this model is described, suggesting that it can be applied to abnormal conditions and has potential interspecies and inter‐route predictive capability. These universal methods can be employed, regardless of the type of stem cell or disease, to guide future experiments and design treatment protocols. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Challenges for Training Translational Researchers in the Era of Ubiquitous Data
Authors: Altman Russ B.
Published: November 2017

Our ability to collect data at every stage of the translational pipeline creates great opportunities for formulating hypotheses both “upstream” (towards clinical implementation) and “downstream” (back to basic discovery). Translational researchers therefore must integrate information at multiple scales to both generate and test hypotheses—to some extent they must all be comfortable with the basics of “big data” analyses. This increased focus on data‐driven science requires an understanding of basic experimental and clinical data collection—understanding that likely cannot efficiently be gathered through traditional apprenticeship models. Thus, new curricula are required to ensure that next‐generation scientists have a new combination of skills required for integrating data to catalyze discovery.
Pulsed time‐of‐flight pixel with on‐chip 20 klux background light suppression in standard CMOS technology
Authors: Illade‐Quinteiro Julio , López Paula , Brea Víctor M. , Cabello Diego
Published: November 2017

A novel time‐of‐flight pixel designed in 0.18‐μm standard CMOS technology with an indirect pulsed technique is presented. This design is capable of operating in ambients with high levels of background light, since a novel in‐pixel background suppression circuit makes it robust up to 20 klux of ambient light. In addition to this, the pixel incorporates an adaptive number of accumulations circuit that selects the optimum number of accumulations for each situation at pixel level, avoiding saturation even under high illumination conditions.
Alternative delivery instruction not required as an accommodation
Authors: Masinter Michael R.
Published: November 2017

Do Section 504 or the Americans with Disabilities Act require schools to create alternative delivery instruction for students with disabilities who cannot attend live classroom instruction? A recent federal district court decision, Gati v. Western Kentucky University, No. 3:14‐cv‐544‐DJH‐CHL (W.D. Ky. 09/27/17) (see http://bit.ly/2kC8e4Q), holds that when the proposed alternative delivery instruction fundamentally alters a course, the school has no obligation to create or offer it, and that deference is due the school's determination of what fundamentally alters the course.
Recognize how your own patterns and choices affect interactions with others
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: November 2017

BOSTON — “My number‐one requested topic [for speaking engagements], is ‘life would be easy if it weren't for other people,’” said Connie Podesta, motivational speaker and author, at the national conference for the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
Herbivory and drought generate short‐term stochasticity and long‐term stability in a savanna understory community
Authors: Riginos Corinna , Porensky Lauren M. , Veblen Kari E. , Young Truman P.
Published: November 2017

Rainfall and herbivory are fundamental drivers of grassland plant dynamics, yet few studies have examined long‐term interactions between these factors in an experimental setting. Understanding such interactions is important, as rainfall is becoming increasingly erratic and native wild herbivores are being replaced by livestock. Livestock grazing and episodic low rainfall are thought to interact, leading to greater community change than either factor alone. We examined patterns of change and stability in herbaceous community composition through four dry periods, or droughts, over 15 years of the Kenya Long‐term Exclosure Experiment (KLEE), which consists of six different combinations of cattle, native wild herbivores (e.g., zebras, gazelles), and mega‐herbivores (giraffes, elephants). We used principal response curves to analyze the trajectory of change in each herbivore treatment relative to a common initial community and asked how droughts contributed to community change in these treatments. We examined three measures of stability (resistance, variability, and turnover) that correspond to different temporal scales and found that each had a different response to grazing. Treatments that included both cattle and wild herbivores had higher resistance (less net change over 15 years) but were more variable on shorter time scales; in contrast, the more lightly grazed treatments (no herbivores or wild herbivores only) showed lower resistance due to the accumulation of consistent, linear, short‐term change. Community change was greatest during and immediately after droughts in all herbivore treatments. But, while drought contributed to directional change in the less grazed treatments, it contributed to both higher variability and resistance in the more heavily grazed treatments. Much of the community change in lightly grazed treatments (especially after droughts) was due to substantial increases in cover of the palatable grass Brachiaria lachnantha. These results illustrate how herbivory and drought can act together to cause change in grassland communities at the moderate to low end of a grazing intensity continuum. Livestock grazing at a moderate intensity in a system with a long evolutionary history of grazing contributed to long‐term stability. This runs counter to often‐held assumptions that livestock grazing leads to directional, destabilizing shifts in grassland systems.
Extraction of amino acids from aerogel for analysis by capillary electrophoresis. Implications for a mission concept to Enceladus’ Plume
Authors: Mora Maria F. , Jones Steve M. , Creamer Jessica , Willis Peter A.
Published: November 2017

Ocean worlds like Europa and Enceladus in the outer solar system are prime targets in the search for life beyond Earth. Enceladus is particularly interesting due to the presence of a water plume ejecting from the south polar region. The recent discovery of H2 in the plume, in addition to the presence of previously observed organic compounds, highlights the possibility of life in this moon. The plume provides materials from the underlying ocean that could be collected simply by flying through it. The presence of the plume means that material from the ocean is available for collection during a flyby, without the need for landing or complex sample handling operations such as scooping or drilling. An attractive approach to preserve the organics in particles collected during flyby encounters would be to utilize silica aerogel, the material used to collect particles at hypervelocity during the Stardust mission. Here we demonstrate amino acids can be extracted from aerogel simply by adding water. This simple liquid extraction method could be implemented during a mission prior to analysis with a liquid‐based technique like capillary electrophoresis.
Impact of adoption of improved cook‐stove on different components of household welfare in rural communities in Nigeria: The case of Save80 cook‐stove in Kaduna
Authors: Onyeneke R.U. , Nwajiuba C.U. , Mmagu C.J. , Aligbe J.O. , Uwadoka C.O. , Igberi C.O. , Amadi M.U.
Published: November 2017

The article analyzed the impact of an improved cook‐stove (Save80) on several household level outcomes, in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Given the high local population dependence upon fuelwood and the potential scope for household welfare improvements from the introduction of Save80, the study has solid motivations. Moreover, the literature on the impact of improved cook‐stove (ICS) adoption on different components of household welfare is still mixed and more rigorous impact evaluation coming from different contexts is needed. Therefore, the study analyzed the impacts of Save80 cook‐stove in Kaduna State of Nigeria where majority of households depend on fuelwood for cooking. The study examined a cross‐section of household‐level data gathered from 280 households (210 nonadopter and 70 adopter households). Primary data was obtained using questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using probit regression, double difference, and inverse propensity score weighting techniques. We found that Save80 significantly led to reductions in; fuelwood consumption, fuelwood collection time, cooking time, carbon monoxide exposure, and incidence of sore eyes. Thus, the Save80 is an example of a green growth intervention with significant welfare gains. The study, therefore, recommends that Save80 cook‐stove should be disseminated throughout the Savanna area of Nigeria where fuelwood consumption is highest in Nigeria. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 37: 1327–1338, 2018
Family firm internationalization: Heritage assets and the impact of bifurcation bias
Authors: Kano Liena , Verbeke Alain
Published: November 2017

Research Summary:We develop a new conceptual framework to uncover governance‐related determinants of family firms’ internationalization, building upon internalization theory. We assess how family firm governance features determine internationalization patterns on two key dimensions: location choice and operating mode. We focus on family governance characteristics that might drive suboptimal internationalization patterns and on removing such suboptimality. We conclude thatbifurcation bias, defined as thede factodifferential treatment of family orheritageassets versus nonfamily assets, represents a critical family firm‐specific barrier to achieving efficiency in international operations. In the short run, the key difference in international governance is between bifurcation‐biased family MNEs and all other types of MNEs. In the longer run, inefficient, bifurcation‐biased decision making will make place for comparatively more efficient governance.

Managerial Summary:Family firms are susceptible tobifurcation bias—a default preferential treatment of family members and resource bundles that hold positive emotional meaning to the family, that is,heritage assets. Such preferential treatment contrasts with that afforded to professional, nonfamily managers and other resources, with which the founding family does not entertain a positive emotional connection. If left unremedied, bifurcation bias will lead to poor decisions in family‐owned multinationals that undertake international expansion, in terms of the choices of which markets to enter and how to enter these. These types of dysfunctional decisions will lead to a decline in competitiveness as compared to nonfamily multinationals. Family firms should, therefore, identify and actively prevent bifurcation bias by implementing the specific safeguarding strategies suggested in this study.
Comparison of long‐term outcomes between pull‐through resection and mandibular lip‐split surgery for T4a tongue/floor of mouth cancers
Authors: Cheng Shih‐Jung , Ko Hui‐Hsin , Lee Jang‐Jaer , Kok Sang‐Heng
Published: November 2017

Background

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the pull‐through resection is better than the mandibular lip‐split for advanced tongue/floor of mouth (FOM) cancers, which remains inconclusive.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed on 91 patients with T4a tongue/FOM cancers from 2009 to 2014. Cases with mandibular resection were excluded. The pull‐through resection was used when the mouth opening was ≥15 mm; otherwise the mandibular lip‐split was used.

Results

Fifty‐eight patients received pull‐through resections and 33 underwent mandibular‐lip splits and the mean follow‐up periods were 42 and 45 months, respectively. Surgical margin, locoregional recurrence, and 5‐year survival were similar between the 2 groups. The pull‐through approach had a significantly shorter operation time, lower rates of flap infection, osteoradionecrosis, metal plate exposure, loss of tooth vitality, and better aesthetics.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that the pull‐through resection does not compromise disease control for advanced tongue/FOM cancers and is superior to the mandibular lip‐split in terms of operation time, postoperative complications, and aesthetics.
The HR role in corporate social responsibility and sustainability: A boundary‐shifting literature review
Authors: De Stefano Federica , Bagdadli Silvia , Camuffo Arnaldo
Published: November 2017

Although research on human and social sustainability has flourished in the past decade, the role that human resource management departments play (or should play) in facilitating more socially responsible and sustainable organizations remains unclear. In practice, this lack of clarity is due to the multiple features and dimensions of potential HR contributions to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate sustainability (CS), as well as widespread failure to integrate HR and CSR functions. Theoretically, the absence of a framework that articulates the HR role in CSR and CS and the substantial separation between HRM and CSR/CS studies among academics act as a reinforcing mechanism. The present study contributes to the growing research on this topic, presenting a framework and a typology to classify the potential HR roles in CSR and CS and comprehensively reviewing the literature at the intersection of HR with CSR and CS. The results of the review provide a broader perspective on the role HR might play in CSR and CS as well as its impact beyond organizational boundaries.
Are high‐performance work practices (HPWPs) enabling or disabling? Exploring the relationship between selected HPWPs and work‐related disability disadvantage
Authors: Hoque Kim , Wass Victoria , Bacon Nicolas , Jones Melanie
Published: November 2017

We develop the organizational characteristics element of Stone and Colella's (1996) framework by drawing on the Ability–Motivation–Opportunity (AMO) model to assess the relationship between high‐performance work practices (HPWPs) and work‐related disability disadvantage. We develop competing “enabling” and “disabling” hypotheses concerning the influence of selected HPWPs (competency testing, performance appraisal, individual performance‐related pay, teamworking, and functional flexibility) on disabled relative to nondisabled employees. An empirical assessment of these competing hypotheses using matched employer–employee data from the nationally representative British Workplace Employment Relations Study 2011 reveals a negative relationship between these HPWPs when used in combination and the proportion of disabled employees at the workplace, although this relationship disappears in workplaces with a wide range of disability equality practices. While disabled employees report lower work‐related well‐being than their nondisabled counterparts, we find limited evidence that this is associated with the presence of HPWPs.
High resolution water body mapping for SWAT evaporative modelling in the Upper Oconee watershed of Georgia, USA
Authors: Ignatius Amber R. , Jones John W.
Published: November 2017

Technological improvements in remote sensing and geographic information systems have demonstrated the abundance of artificially constructed water bodies across the landscape. Although research has shown the ubiquity of small ponds globally, and in the southeastern United States in particular, their cumulative impact in terms of evaporative alteration is less well quantified. The objectives of this study are to examine the hydrologic and evaporative importance of small artificial water bodies in the Upper Oconee watershed in the northern Georgia Piedmont, USA, by mapping their locations and modelling these small reservoirs using the Soil Water Assessment Tool. Comparative Soil Water Assessment Tool models were run with and without the inclusion of small reservoir surface area and volume. The models used meteorological inputs from 1990–2013 to represent years with drought, high precipitation, and moderate precipitation for both the calibration and evaluation periods. Statistical comparison of streamflow indicated that the calibration methodology produced results where the default model simulation without reservoirs fit observed flows more closely than the modified model with small reservoirs included (e.g., Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.72 vs. 0.64,r2of 0.73 vs. 0.66, and percent bias of 11.4 vs. 21.6). In addition, Penman–Monteith, Hargreaves, and Priestley–Taylor evapotranspiration equations were used to estimate actual evaporation from 2,219 small water bodies identified throughout the 1,936.8 km2watershed. Depending on the evaporation equation used, water bodies evaporated an average of 0.03–0.036 km3/year for the period 2003–2013. Using Penman–Monteith further, if the reservoirs were not considered and average actual evapotranspiration rates from the rest of the basin were applied, only 0.016 km3of water would have left the basin as a result of evapotranspiration. This finding suggests construction of small reservoirs increased evaporation by an average of 0.017 km3per year (approximately 46,500 m3/day). As the construction of small reservoirs continues and high resolution image data used to map these water bodies becomes increasingly available, watershed models that evolve to address the cumulative impacts of small water bodies on evaporation and other hydrologic processes will have greater potential to benefit the water resource management community.
Vaccination with human amniotic epithelial cells confer effective protection in a murine model of Colon adenocarcinoma
Authors: Tabatabaei M. , Mosaffa N. , Ghods R. , Nikoo S. , Kazemnejad S. , Khanmohammadi M. , Mirzadeghan E. , Mahmoudi A.R. , Bolouri M.R. , Falak R. , Keshavarzi B. , Ramezani M. , Zarnani A.H.
Published: November 2017

As a prophylactic cancer vaccine, human amniotic membrane epithelial cells (hAECs) conferred effective protection in a murine model of colon cancer. The immunized mice mounted strong cross‐protective CTL and antibody responses. Tumor burden was significantly reduced in tumor‐bearing mice after immunization with hAECs. Placental cancer immunotherapy could be a promising approach for primary prevention of cancer. In spite of being the star of therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment, the results of immunotherapeutic approaches are still far from expectations. In this regard, primary prevention of cancer using prophylactic cancer vaccines has gained considerable attention. The immunologic similarities between cancer development and placentation have helped researchers to unravel molecular mechanisms responsible for carcinogenesis and to take advantage of stem cells from reproductive organs to elicit robust anti‐cancer immune responses. Here, we showed that vaccination of mice with human amniotic membrane epithelial cells (hAECs) conferred effective protection against colon cancer and led to expansion of systemic and splenic cytotoxic T cell population and induction of cross‐protective cytotoxic responses against tumor cells. Vaccinated mice mounted tumor‐specific Th1 responses and produced cross‐reactive antibodies against cell surface markers of cancer cells. Tumor burden was also significantly reduced in tumor‐bearing mice immunized with hAECs. Our findings pave the way for potential future application of hAECs as an effective prophylactic cancer vaccine.
Organic Synthesis. Use of Alkynes as a Key to Innovation in Designing Structure for Function
Authors: Trost Barry M. , Tracy Jacob S.
Published: November 2017

A personal perspective of one aspect of what needs to be done to fulfill the scientific objective of improving the world in which we live is presented. One specific goal of this journey is to enable the best design of molecular structure for function regardless of complexity. Meeting this objective requires improvements in the fundamental tools of constructing synthetic reactions. What is presented is just one part of our journey which started with a fundamental question; do the unique features of alkyne building blocks provide an unusual opportunity to achieve the noted objectives? The story begins with the discovery of new synthetic tools and concludes with numerous illustrations of the broad potential these tools appear to possess.
Supramolecular Assemblies of Cucurbiturils with Photoactive, π‐conjugated Chromophores
Authors: Koc Ahmet , Tuncel Dönüs
Published: November 2017

Supramolecular assemblies of cucurbituril (CBn) homologues with π‐conjugated chromophores will be overviewed. Special emphasis will be given to the effect of CBn on the optical properties of conjugated oligomers and polymers. How supramolecular complexes of π‐conjugated chromophores including porphyrin derivatives, conjugated oligomers and polymers with CBn could be utilized in the theranostic and photonic applications will also be discussed.
Critical evaluation of the PALM‐COEIN classification system among women with abnormal uterine bleeding in low‐resource settings
Authors: Shubham Divya , Kawthalkar Anjali S.
Published: November 2017

Objective

To assess the feasibility of the PALM‐COEIN system for the classification of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in low‐resource settings and to suggest modifications.

Methods

A prospective study was conducted among women with AUB who were admitted to the gynecology ward of a tertiary care hospital and research center in central India between November 2014 and October 2016. All patients were managed as per department protocols. The causes of AUB were classified before treatment using the PALM‐COEIN system (classification I) and on the basis of the histopathology reports of the hysterectomy specimens (classification II); the results were compared using classification II as the gold standard.

Results

The study included 200 women with AUB; hysterectomy was performed in 174 women. Preoperative classification of AUB per the PALM‐COEIN system was correct in 130 (65.0%) women. Adenomyosis (evaluated by transvaginal ultrasonography) and endometrial hyperplasia (evaluated by endometrial curettage) were underdiagnosed.

Conclusion

The PALM‐COEIN classification system helps in deciding the best treatment modality for women with AUB on a case‐by‐case basis. The incorporation of suggested modifications will further strengthen its utility as a pretreatment classification system in low‐resource settings.
Enhanced biological fixation of ligaments to bone tissues utilizing chitin fabrics
Authors: Nomata Hisaya , Nakaishi Michiko , Takakuda Kazuo
Published: November 2017

In ligament reconstruction involving anterior cruciate ligament surgery, biological fixation between the transferred ligament and bone tissue is critical for achieving successful outcomes. Here, we administered chitin fabrics into the bone tunnels and evaluated their efficacy in promoting biological fixation. An animal model on the rat's patellar ligament was employed. First, bone tunnels were created in the lateral condyle of the femur. The ligament was then separated from the tibial tuberosity, and half was inserted into the tunnel and fixed with the use of end button. Animals in the experimental group were treated with microfiber nonwoven chitin fabric, whereas control animals received no treatment. Specimens were collected at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after surgery, and the fixation strength was measured by mechanical tests. Histological sections were prepared from samples prepared 4 weeks after surgery, and the diameter of bone tunnel and the width ratio of collagenous tissue in the bone tunnel were measured. Administration of chitin significantly increased the mean fixation strength at 4 and 6 weeks after surgery. Furthermore, chitin also promoted bone formation in the bone tunnel and increased the density of collagen fibers. Thus, microfiber nonwoven chitin fabric enhanced the biological fixation of the ligament to the bone tissue. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 2355–2360, 2018.
Analytical hessian fitting schemes for efficient determination of force‐constant parameters in molecular mechanics
Authors: Wang Ruixing , Ozhgibesov Mikhail , Hirao Hajime
Published: November 2017

Building upon our recently developed partial Hessian fitting (PHF) method (Wang et al., J. Comput. Chem. 2016, 37, 2349), we formulated and implemented two other rapid force‐field parameterization schemes called full Hessian fitting (FHF) and internal Hessian fitting (IHF), and comparisons were made among these three parameterization schemes to assess their performance. FHF minimizes deviation between the Hessian matrices in Cartesian coordinates computed by quantum mechanics (QM) and molecular mechanics (MM), to determine the best possible MM force‐constant parameters. While PHF requires step‐by‐step fittings of 3 × 3 partial Hessian matrices, FHF compares the lower triangular part of the QM and MM Hessian matrices, which allows simultaneous determination of all force‐constant parameters. In addition to this simple FHF scheme, IHF was developed such that it considers the Hessian matrices in redundant internal coordinates, where all possible internal coordinates that arise from the user‐defined interatomic connectivity are utilized. The results show that IHF performs best overall, followed by PHF and then FHF. Python‐based programing codes were developed to automate various tedious steps involved in the parameterization processes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Existence of magic 3‐dimensional rectangles
Authors: Zhou Chen , Li Wen , Zhang Yong , Su Renwang
Published: November 2017

Since the complete solution for the existence of magic 2‐dimensional rectangles in 1881, much attention has been paid on the existence of magic l‐dimensional rectangles for . The existence problem for magic l‐dimensional rectangles with even sizes has been solved completely for all integers . However, very little is known for the existence of magic l‐dimensional rectangles () with odd sizes except for some families and a few sporadic examples. In this paper, we focus our attention on the existence of magic 3‐dimensional rectangles and prove that the necessary conditions for the existence of magic 3‐dimensional rectangles are also sufficient. Our construction method is mainly based on a new concept, symmetric zero‐sum subset partition, which plays a crucial role in the recursive constructions of magic 3‐rectangles similar to that of PBD in the PBD‐closure construction in combinatorial design theory.
Engineering PhD Returners and Direct‐Pathway Students: Comparing Expectancy, Value, and Cost
Authors: Mosyjowski Erika A. , Daly Shanna R. , Peters Diane L. , Skerlos Steven J. , Baker Adam B.
Published: November 2017

Background

Professionals who pursue a doctorate after significant post‐baccalaureate work experience, a group we refer to as returners, represent an important but understudied group of engineering doctoral students. Returners are well situated to leverage their applied work experiences in their advanced engineering training.

Purpose/Hypothesis

We drew on results from the Graduate Student Experiences and Motivations Survey to explore the dimensionality of our scales measuring value and cost constructs. We used these scales, as well as measures of student expectancy of success, to compare returners with direct‐pathway students.

Design/Method

We surveyed 179 returners and 297 direct‐pathway domestic engineering doctoral students. We first conducted Exploratory Factor Analysis on our cost and value measures. We then used both Ordinary Least Squares and Ordinal Regression Model analyses to assess the relationships of various student characteristics and experiences (including returner status) with student expectancy of success and the emergent cost and values factors associated with doctoral study in engineering.

Results

Factor analysis revealed three categories of values (interest, attainment, and career utility) that were largely consistent with those in Eccles’ expectancy‐value framework. A similar analysis identified three categories of costs (balance, financial, and academic) associated with pursuing a PhD. Returners felt significantly less confident in their ability to complete their degrees prior to enrolling and perceived higher levels of all cost types than direct‐pathway students.

Conclusions

Given the differences between returning and direct‐pathway students, it is important to consider how universities might best recruit and retain returners. Tracking returner status could be critical in better supporting these students.
Nursing perception of risk in common nursing practice situations
Authors: Trevino Pamela , Green Angela , Middaugh Donna , Heo Seonghum , Beverly Claudia , Deshpande Jayant
Published: November 2017

As health care organizations seek to be highly reliable, systems that include layers of redundancy have been created to protect patients from harm. Many of these layers of protection are dependent on nurses making a decision to follow or adhere to the human aspects of the process. Because these decisions begin with a perception and identification of risk, understanding what nurses perceive to be a risk to patients is an essential part of designing safer health care systems. The purposes of this qualitative study were to (1) describe what nurses perceive as risky to patients in common nursing practice situations, (2) describe the effects of the perceptions of risk on clinical decision making and behavior, and (3) identify what factors nurses perceive as increasing or decreasing risk.
The development of lingual glands in the domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos f. domestica): 3D‐reconstruction, LM, and SEM study
Authors: Skieresz‐Szewczyk Kinga , Cornillie Pieter , Jackowiak Hanna
Published: November 2017

The major salivary glands of birds develop by branching or elongation of the epithelial cords. The development of the minor salivary glands in form of the lingual glands has never been described. Among birds, only Anatidae have three types of the lingual glands: rostral, caudo‐lateral, and caudo‐medial lingual glands. The study aims to characterize the manner and rate of the lingual glands development in the domestic duck and their topographical arrangement relative to the hyoid apparatus. The study reveals that all three types of the lingual glands develop by branching. We describe five stages of the lingual glands development in the domestic ducks: prebud, initial bud, pseudoglandular, canalicular, and terminal bud stage. The pattern of the lingual glands development in birds is similar to that described for mammals, with the exception, that the terminal buds are formed at the same time as the lumen of the glands. Generally, the rostral lingual gland starts to branch earlier than the caudal lingual glands. The 3D‐reconstruction shows the location and direction of lingual gland development relative to the entoglossal cartilage and basibranchial bone. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy allow to characterize the histogenesis of the embryonic epithelium into glandular epithelium. At a time of hatching only secretory units of caudal lingual glands resemble the secretory units of the adult domestic duck. The rostral and caudo‐lateral lingual glands are arranged on the sides of the entoglossal cartilage and basibranchial bone and caudo‐madial lingual glands are located over the basibranchial bone. We suggest that such an arrangement of the lingual glands in the domestic duck is important during food intake and responsible for reduction of friction and formation of food bites.
Comparison between qualitative and quantitative assessment of background parenchymal enhancement on breast MRI
Authors: Pujara Akshat C. , Mikheev Artem , Rusinek Henry , Gao Yiming , Chhor Chloe , Pysarenko Kristine , Rallapalli Harikrishna , Walczyk Jerzy , Moccaldi Melanie , Babb James S. , Melsaether Amy N.
Published: November 2017

Background

Potential clinical implications of the level of background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) on breast MRI are increasing. Currently, BPE is typically evaluated subjectively. Tests of concordance between subjective BPE assessment and computer‐assisted quantified BPE have not been reported.

Purpose or Hypothesis

To compare subjective radiologist assessment of BPE with objective quantified parenchymal enhancement (QPE).

Study Type

Cross‐sectional observational study.

Population

Between 7/24/2015 and 11/27/2015, 104 sequential patients (ages 23 – 81 years, mean 49 years) without breast cancer underwent breast MRI and were included in this study.

Field Strength/Sequence

3T; fat suppressed axial T2, axial T1, and axial fat suppressed T1 before and after intravenous contrast.

Assessment

Four breast imagers graded BPE at 90 and 180 s after contrast injection on a 4‐point scale (a–d). Fibroglandular tissue masks were generated using a phantom‐validated segmentation algorithm, and were co‐registered to pre‐ and postcontrast fat suppressed images to define the region of interest. QPE was calculated.

Statistical Tests

Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses and kappa coefficients (k) were used to compare subjective BPE with QPE.

Results

ROC analyses indicated that subjective BPE at 90 s was best predicted by quantified QPE ≤20.2 = a, 20.3–25.2 = b, 25.3–50.0 = c, >50.0 = d, and at 180 s by quantified QPE ≤ 32.2 = a, 32.3–38.3 = b, 38.4–74.5 = c, >74.5 = d. Agreement between subjective BPE and QPE was slight to fair at 90 s (k = 0.20–0.36) and 180 s (k = 0.19–0.28). At higher levels of QPE, agreement between subjective BPE and QPE significantly decreased for all four radiologists at 90 s (P ≤ 0.004) and for three of four radiologists at 180 s (P ≤ 0.004).

Data Conclusion

Radiologists were less consistent with QPE as QPE increased.

Level of Evidence: 3

Technical Efficacy: Stage 3

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:1685–1691.
Statistically optimized ceftriaxone sodium biotransformation through Achromobacter xylosoxidans strain Cef6: an unusual insight for bioremediation
Authors: Anan Ahmed , Ghanem Khaled M. , Embaby Amira M. , Hussein Ahmed , El‐Naggar Moustafa Y.
Published: November 2017

The present study underlines a unique promising approach toward efficient biotransformation of ceftriaxone sodium (Ceftx), a highly frequent prescribed cephalosporin antibiotic, by a newly bacterium namely Achromobacter xylosoxidans strain Cef6 isolated from Ceftx contaminated raw materials in pharmaceutical industries. A three step sequential statistical‐mathematical approach (Plackett‐Burman design [PBD], Central Composite Design [CCD], and ridge‐canonical analyses) was anticipated to optimize the biotransformation process. Ceftx concentration and medium volume: bottle volume ratio, two key determinants, significantly (p < 0.05) affected the process outcome deduced by regression analysis of PBD’ data. CCD and ridge‐canonical analyses localized the optimal levels of Ceftx concentration and medium volume: 250 ml bottle volume ratio to be 0.39 and 7.973 g Ceftx/L modified tryptic soy broth achieving Ceftx biotransformation (100%) after 39 h under aerobic static conditions at 30 °C, irrespectively deduced via HPLC analysis. Impressively, only one of five Ceftx byproducts was detected by the end of the biotransformation process. To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first report addressing a detailed study regarding efficient biotransformation of Ceftx by single bacterium not bacterial consortium under aerobic conditions. Present data would greatly encourage applying this approach for decontamination of some Ceftx contaminated environmental sites.
Human prosthetic joint infections are associated with myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs): Implications for infection persistence
Authors: Heim Cortney E. , Vidlak Debbie , Odvody Jessica , Hartman Curtis W. , Garvin Kevin L. , Kielian Tammy
Published: November 2017

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication of joint arthroplasty surgery typified by biofilm formation. Currently, mechanisms whereby biofilms persist and evade immune‐mediated clearance in immune competent patients remain largely ill‐defined. Therefore, the current study characterized leukocyte infiltrates and inflammatory mediator expression in tissues from patients with PJI compared to aseptic loosening. CD33+HLA‐DR−CD66b+CD14−/low granulocytic myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (G‐MDSCs) were the predominant leukocyte population at sites of human PJI compared to aseptic tissues. MDSCs inhibit T cell proliferation, which coincided with reduced T cells in PJIs compared to aseptic tissues. IL‐10, IL‐6, and CXCL1 were significantly elevated in PJI tissues and have been implicated in MDSC inhibitory activity, expansion, and recruitment, respectively, which may account for their preferential increase in PJIs. This bias towards G‐MDSC accumulation during human PJI could account for the chronicity of these infections by preventing the pro‐inflammatory, antimicrobial actions of immune effector cells. Clinical significance: Animal models of PJI have revealed a critical role for MDSCs and IL‐10 in promoting infection persistence; however, whether this population is prevalent during human PJI and across distinct bacterial pathogens remains unknown. This study has identified that granulocytic‐MDSC infiltrates are unique to human PJIs caused by distinct bacteria, which are not associated with aseptic loosening of prosthetic joints. Better defining the immune status of human PJIs could lead to novel immune‐mediated approaches to facilitate PJI clearance in combination with conventional antibiotics. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:1605–1613, 2018.