bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemical‐assisted femtosecond laser writing of optical resonator arrays
Authors: Haque Moez , Herman Peter R.
Published: September 2015

The design of micro‐optical resonator arrays are introduced and tailored towards refractive index sensing applications, building on the previously unexplored benefits of open dielectric stacks. The resonant coupling of identical hollow cavities present strong and narrow spectral resonance bands beyond that available with a single Fabry Perot interferometer. Femtosecond laser irradiation with selective chemical etching is applied to precisely fabricate stacked and waveguide‐coupled open resonators into fused silica, taking advantage of small 12 nm rms surface roughness made available by the self‐alignment of nanograting planes. Refractive index sensing of methanol‐water solutions confirm a very attractive sensing resolution of 6.5 × 10−5 RIU. Such high finesse optical elements open a new realm of optofluidic sensing and integrated optical circuit concepts for detecting minute changes in sample properties against a control solution that may find importance in chemical and biological sensors, telecom sensing networks, biomedical probes, and low‐cost health care products.

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NIR‐Mediated Antibacterial Clay Nanocomposites: Exfoliation of Montmorillonite Nanolayers by IR825 Intercalation
Authors: Park Soo Jeong , Kang Eun Bi , Sharker Shazid Md. , Lee Gibaek , In Insik , Park Sung Young
Published: September 2015

We report the exfoliation of montmorillonite (MMT) by IR825, a near infrared (NIR) active hyper‐thermal antibacterial nanocomposite, constructed using polyvinylpyrrolidione‐q‐catechol with sultones (C‐PVPS) through ionic exchange reactions. Studying this nanocomposite revealed a sharp increase in photothermal heat as a function of irradiation time, and the layered MMT structure is promising for optimizing the required thermal stability to increase the photothermal heat. Only 5 min of exposing an in vitro suspension of bacteria to NIR‐triggered local nanocomposite resulted in rapid killing of bacteria. Due to their considerable potential for photothermal applications, thermo‐stable MMT‐based materials have attracted tremendous attention for designing nanocomposites of pathogenic bacteria.
Deep Brain Stimulation in a Case of Mitochondrial Disease
Authors: Martinez‐Ramirez Daniel , Hack Nawaz , Vasquez Matthew L. , Morita Hokuto , Giugni Juan C. , Wolf Janine M. , Romrell Janet , Zeilman Pamela R. , Hess Christopher W. , Foote Kelly D. , Okun Michael S. , Wagle Shukla Aparna
Published: September 2015

Background

DBS has proven to be an effective therapy for Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and primary dystonia. Mixed results have been reported in case series for other hyperkinetic disorders, and sparse data are available regarding secondary movement disorders. We report on the clinical effects of bilateral globus pallidus internus (GPi) DBS, a progressive mitochondrial cytopathy.

Methods

A single patient with myoclonus and dystonia syndrome secondary to a mitochondrial cytopathy with history of perinatal hypoxia was identified from our University of Florida DBS database. Demographics, clinical, surgical, and DBS data were documented.

Results

At 6 months post‐DBS, we observed a 32% (361 to 527) improvement on quality of life (36‐item Medical Outcome Study Short‐Form Health Survey; SF‐36). Objective clinical scales revealed a 33% (143 to 96) improvement in the Unified Myoclonus Rating Scale (UMRS) total score. The UMRS action myoclonus subsection revealed a 29% (69 to 46) improvement. No significant changes were observed in the Burke‐Fahn‐Mardsen Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS). After 1‐year follow‐up, a worsening of 59% (527 to 215) was observed in the SF‐36 scale, of 19% (28.5 to 35) in the BFMDRS, and of 23% (96 to 124) in the UMRS. However, the frequency and intensity of action myoclonus scores remained lower when compared to baseline scores.

Conclusions

Although we observed a loss of benefit in the long term for most quality‐of‐life and clinical outcomes, the DBS effects on action myoclonus seemed to remain stable. Longer follow‐up studies are necessary to confirm our short‐term and unblinded findings.
On one mathematical model of the flow in a thin plastic layer
Authors: Kadymov Vagid
Published: September 2015

The process of flow of a thin plastic layer enclosed between two approaching surfaces of the tool bodies is considered. The new results of theoretical and experimental researches are presented. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Existence, blow‐up, and exponential decay estimates for a system of semilinear wave equations associated with the helicalflows of Maxwell fluid
Authors: Phuong Ngoc Le Thi , Hoa Cao Huu , Long Nguyen Thanh
Published: September 2015

The paper is devoted to the study of a system of semilinear wave equations associated with the helical flows of Maxwell fluid. First, based on Faedo–Galerkin method and standard arguments of density corresponding to the regularity of initial conditions, we establish two local existence theorems of weak solutions. Next, we prove that any weak solutions with negative initial energy will blow up in finite time. Finally, we give a sufficient condition to guarantee the global existence and exponential decay of weak solutions via the construction of a suitable Lyapunov functional. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Conventions and nomenclature for double diffusion encoding NMR and MRI
Authors: Shemesh Noam , Jespersen Sune N. , Alexander Daniel C. , Cohen Yoram , Drobnjak Ivana , Dyrby Tim B. , Finsterbusch Jurgen , Koch Martin A. , Kuder Tristan , Laun Fredrik , Lawrenz Marco , Lundell Henrik , Mitra Partha P. , Nilsson Markus , Özarslan Evren , Topgaard Daniel , Westin Carl‐Fredrik
Published: September 2015

Stejskal and Tanner's ingenious pulsed field gradient design from 1965 has made diffusion NMR and MRI the mainstay of most studies seeking to resolve microstructural information in porous systems in general and biological systems in particular. Methods extending beyond Stejskal and Tanner's design, such as double diffusion encoding (DDE) NMR and MRI, may provide novel quantifiable metrics that are less easily inferred from conventional diffusion acquisitions. Despite the growing interest on the topic, the terminology for the pulse sequences, their parameters, and the metrics that can be derived from them remains inconsistent and disparate among groups active in DDE. Here, we present a consensus of those groups on terminology for DDE sequences and associated concepts. Furthermore, the regimes in which DDE metrics appear to provide microstructural information that cannot be achieved using more conventional counterparts (in a model‐free fashion) are elucidated. We highlight in particular DDE's potential for determining microscopic diffusion anisotropy and microscopic fractional anisotropy, which offer metrics of microscopic features independent of orientation dispersion and thus provide information complementary to the standard, macroscopic, fractional anisotropy conventionally obtained by diffusion MR. Finally, we discuss future vistas and perspectives for DDE. Magn Reson Med 75:82–87, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The role of the pubococcygeus muscle in the urethrogenital reflex of male rats
Authors: Xicohténcatl‐Rugerio Irving , Corona‐Quintanilla Dora Luz , Nicolás Leticia , Martínez‐Gómez Margarita , Cuevas Estela , Castelán Francisco , Rodríguez‐Antolín Jorge
Published: September 2015

Aim

To determine the response of the pubococcygeus muscle (Pcm) during the urethrogenital reflex (UGR).

Methods

Urethane‐anesthetized male rats (n = 20) were used to describe the gross anatomy of the Pcm (n = 3), the effect of the electrical stimulation of the Pcm on the urethral pressure (n = 3), and the reflex activity of the Pcm due to the mechanical stimulation of the urethra (n = 3) and during penile and urethrogenital reflexes (n = 11). The urethral pressure (UP) was recorded as a response to penile stimulation (brushing, extension, and occlusion) and during the UGR; the electromyographic activity of the Pcm was simultaneously evaluated. The role of the Pcm was assessed by measuring urethral pressure variables before and after denervation of this muscle.

Results

The Pcm is innervated by the caudal branch of the somatomotor branch of the pelvic nerve. The electrically induced contraction of the Pcm increased the UP. The mechanical stimulation of the urethra during the induced micturition caused the reflex activity of the Pcm. The different penile stimuli caused bursts of activity of the Pcm. During the UGR, the Pcm exhibited a tonic activity. The transection of the caudal branch of the Smb reduced the maximal UP during the penile stimulation. The same was true regarding the duration of the UGR, the pressure that triggers the UGR, and the highest pressure observed during the UGR.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the activation of the Pcm is relevant for the UGR in male rats. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:80–85, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Availability‐based path selection and network vulnerability assessment
Authors: Yang Song , Trajanovski Stojan , Kuipers Fernando A.
Published: September 2015

In data‐communication networks, network reliability is of great concern to both network operators and customers. On the one hand, the customers care about receiving reliable services and, on the other hand, for the network operators it is vital to determine the most vulnerable parts of their network. In this article, we first study the problem of establishing a connection over at most (partially) link‐disjoint paths and for which the total availability is no less than (). We analyze the complexity of this problem in generic networks, shared‐risk link group networks and multilayer networks. We subsequently propose a polynomial‐time heuristic algorithm and an exact integer nonlinear program for availability‐based path selection. The proposed algorithms are evaluated in terms of acceptance ratio and running time. Subsequently, in the three aforementioned types of networks, we study the problem of finding a (set of) network cut(s) for which the failure probability of its links is largest. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 66(4), 306–319 2015
A simple, stable, and accurate linear tetrahedral finite element for transient, nearly, and fully incompressible solid dynamics: a dynamic variational multiscale approach
Authors: Scovazzi Guglielmo , Carnes Brian , Zeng Xianyi , Rossi Simone
Published: September 2015

We propose a new approach for the stabilization of linear tetrahedral finite elements in the case of nearly incompressible transient solid dynamics computations. Our method is based on a mixed formulation, in which the momentum equation is complemented by a rate equation for the evolution of the pressure field, approximated with piecewise linear, continuous finite element functions. The pressure equation is stabilized to prevent spurious pressure oscillations in computations. Incidentally, it is also shown that many stabilized methods previously developed for the static case do not generalize easily to transient dynamics. Extensive tests in the context of linear and nonlinear elasticity are used to corroborate the claim that the proposed method is robust, stable, and accurate. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanical behavior of hybrid fiber‐reinforced composites manufactured by pulse infusion
Authors: Ricciardi Maria Rosaria , Martone Alfonso , Borriello Anna , Zarrelli Mauro , Giordano Michele , Langella Antonio , Antonucci Vincenza
Published: September 2015

Epoxy/carbon fiber composites have been manufactured by Pulse Infusion. Pulse Infusion allows to control the pressure of the vacuum bag on the dry fiber reinforcement by using a proper designed pressure distributor that induces a pulsed transverse action and promotes the through thickness resin flow. The adopted one‐component commercial epoxy resin has been preliminary modified by adding 0.05% (w/w) of multiwalled carbon nanotubes, in order to take advantage of carbon nanotubes at low concentration. Both neat and hybrid realized composite panels have been mechanically characterized by performing experimental tests to evaluate tensile, interlaminar, and fracture properties in order to investigate the effect of Pulse Infusion and carbon nanotubes on the mechanical and fracture behavior of composites. Results demonstrated an improvement of 36.2% for the interlaminar shear strength, of 35% for the fracture energy at the crack initiation and of 14% for the fracture toughness in mode II. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:2254–2260, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Tailoring microstructure and mechanical properties of injection molded isotactic–polypropylene via high temperature preshear
Authors: Chang Baobao , Wang Bo , Zheng Guoqiang , Dai Kun , Liu Chuntai , Shen Changyu
Published: September 2015

In this work, isotactic–polypropylene (iPP) specimens were prepared by a modified injection molding machine, in which high temperature preshear (HTPS) can be imposed on the molten polymer during the plasticizing stage. The effect of HTPS on the microstructure and mechanical property of iPP was investigated. It was found that spherulite size in core region of iPP part decreased steadily with the increasing HTPS duration, indicating that HTPS could substantially enhance iPP nucleation. Moreover, β‐iPP formation correlated strongly with HTPS duration. That is, in the absence of HTPS, β‐iPP existed only in intermediate region; with moderate HTPS duration, β‐iPP could be unexpectedly formed in core region; however, long HTPS duration inhibited β‐iPP formation in both intermediate region and core region. Based on the relationship between β‐iPP formation and HTPS duration, metastable nuclei, instead of α‐row nuclei, were proposed to be responsible for the development of β‐iPP. Notched Izod impact test showed that moderate HTPS duration enhance the impact strength of injection molded iPP by decreasing the thickness of shear region and elevating β‐iPP crystallinity in core region. Dynamic mechanical test indicated that with the increase of HTPS duration, the storage modulus of injection‐molded iPP improves drastically. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:2714–2721, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Phase structure and mechanical properties of PP/EPR/CaCO3 nanocomposites: Effect of particle's size and treatment
Authors: Elloumi Ahmed , Pimbert Sylvie , Bradai Chedly
Published: September 2015

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) reinforced polypropylene/ethylene propylene rubber (PP/EPR) copolymer composites for automotive use were developed by means of extrusion and injection molding process. Three kinds of CaCO3 (stearic acid treated and untreated) nanoparticles and microparticles were used as fillers. The influence of stearic acid, particle size, and filler content on the state distribution and morphology were investigated by SEM and rheological measurements. Two different morphologies were observed: EPR and CaCO3 dispersed in the PP matrix and a core shell structure, depending on the interactions between EPR and CaCO3. Toughening mechanisms and mechanical properties of the different systems were investigated. Significant improvement in tensile modulus is observed in all composites, depending on filler content. Elongation and notched impact strength were drastically decreased, especially for composites with nano CaCO3. Better impact properties were obtained with low content of treated particles, showing the importance of filler treatment. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:2859–2868, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Preparation of polyimide/siloxane‐functionalized graphene oxide composite films with high mechanical properties and thermal stability via in situ polymerization
Authors: He Liucheng , Zhang Pei , Chen Hongfei , Sun Jun , Wang Jianjun , Qin Chuanxiang , Dai Lixing
Published: September 2015

An effective approach to prepare polyimide/siloxane‐functionalized graphene oxide composite films is reported. The siloxane‐functionalized graphene oxide was obtained by treating graphene oxide (GO) with 1,3‐bis(3‐aminopropyl)‐1,1,3,3‐tetra‐methyldisiloxane (DSX) to obtain DSX‐GO nanosheets, which provided a starting platform for in situ fabrication of the composites by grafting polyimide (PI) chains at the reactive sites of functional DSX‐GO nanosheets. DSX‐GO bonded with the PI matrix through amide linkage to form PI‐DSX‐GO films, in which DSX‐GO exhibited excellent dispersibility and compatibility. It is demonstrated that the obvious reinforcing effect of GO to PI in mechanical properties and thermal stability for PI‐DSX‐GO is obtained. The tensile strength of a composite film containing 1.0 wt% DSX‐GO was 2.8 times greater than that of neat PI films, and Young's modulus was 6.3 times than that of neat PI films. Furthermore, the decomposition temperature of the composite for 5% weight loss was approximately 30 °C higher than that of neat PI films. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of primary ciliary dyskinesia: PCD foundation consensus recommendations based on state of the art review
Authors: Shapiro Adam J. , Zariwala Maimoona A. , Ferkol Thomas , Davis Stephanie D. , Sagel Scott D. , Dell Sharon D. , Rosenfeld Margaret , Olivier Kenneth N. , Milla Carlos , Daniel Sam J. , Kimple Adam J. , Manion Michele , Knowles Michael R. , Leigh Margaret W. ,   for the Genetic Disorders of Mucociliary Clearance Consortium
Published: September 2015

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetically heterogeneous, rare lung disease resulting in chronic oto‐sino‐pulmonary disease in both children and adults. Many physicians incorrectly diagnose PCD or eliminate PCD from their differential diagnosis due to inexperience with diagnostic testing methods. Thus far, all therapies used for PCD are unproven through large clinical trials. This review article outlines consensus recommendations from PCD physicians in North America who have been engaged in a PCD centered research consortium for the last 10 years. These recommendations have been adopted by the governing board of the PCD Foundation to provide guidance for PCD clinical centers for diagnostic testing, monitoring, and appropriate short and long‐term therapeutics in PCD patients. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2016;51:115–132. © 2015 The Authors. Pediatric Pulmonology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Convenient preparation of deuterium‐labeled analogs of peptides containing N‐substituted glycines for a stable isotope dilution LC‐MS quantitative analysis
Authors: Bąchor Remigiusz , Dębowski Dawid , Łęgowska Anna , Stefanowicz Piotr , Rolka Krzysztof , Szewczuk Zbigniew
Published: September 2015

N‐substituted glycines constitute mimics of natural amino acids that are of great interest in the peptide‐based drug development. Peptoids‐oligo(N‐substituted glycines) have been recently demonstrated to be highly active peptidomimetics in biological systems, resistant to proteolytic degradation.

We developed a method of the deuterium labeling of peptidomimetics containing N‐substituted glycine residues via H/D exchange of their α‐carbon hydrogen atoms. The labeling was shown to be easy, inexpensive, and without the use of derivatization reagents or the need for a further purification. The deuterons introduced at the α‐carbon atoms do not undergo a back exchange under acidic conditions during liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) analysis. The LC‐MS analysis of a mixture of isotopologues revealed a co‐elution of deuterated and nondeuterated forms of the peptidomimetics, which may be useful in the quantitative isotope dilution analysis of peptoids and other derivatives of N‐substituted glycines. Copyright © 2015 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Performance comparison of various feature detector‐descriptors and temporal models for video‐based assessment of laparoscopic skills
Authors: Loukas Constantinos , Georgiou Evangelos
Published: September 2015

Background

Despite the significant progress in hand gesture analysis for surgical skills assessment, video‐based analysis has not received much attention. In this study we investigate the application of various feature detector‐descriptors and temporal modeling techniques for laparoscopic skills assessment.

Methods

Two different setups were designed: static and dynamic video‐histogram analysis. Four well‐known feature detection‐extraction methods were investigated: SIFT, SURF, STAR‐BRIEF and STIP‐HOG. For the dynamic setup two temporal models were employed (LDS and GMMAR model). Each method was evaluated for its ability to classify experts and novices on peg transfer and knot tying.

Results

STIP‐HOG yielded the best performance (static: 74–79%; dynamic: 80–89%). Temporal models had equivalent performance. Important differences were found between the two groups with respect to the underlying dynamics of the video‐histogram sequences.

Conclusions

Temporal modeling of feature histograms extracted from laparoscopic training videos provides information about the skill level and motion pattern of the operator. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Robot‐sewn Ivor‐Lewis anastomosis: preliminary experience and technical details
Authors: Bongiolatti Stefano , Annecchiarico Mario , Di Marino Michele , Boffi Bernardo , Borgianni Sara , Gonfiotti Alessandro , Voltolini Luca , Coratti Andrea
Published: September 2015

Introduction

Robot‐assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy with intra‐thoracic anastomosis showed encouraging results but there is a lack of data to demonstrate the safety and feasibility.

Objective

The aim of this study is to report our experience in RA‐ILE (robotic‐assisted Ivor‐Lewis esophagectomy) with robotic hand‐sewn anastomosis.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent robotic‐assisted esophagectomy in prone position with intrathoracic anastomosis for malignant neoplasm of the esophagus or esophago‐gastric junction.

Results

From January 2012 to December 2014 we performed eight completely robot‐assisted esophagectomy without intra‐operative complication. The mortality rate at 30‐day was zero. In two patients we observed a partial leakage of the gastric tube that required revision.

The mean operative time was 499 ± 46 min including robotic set up and patient positioning. The median hospital‐stay was 10 days. Complete (R0) resection was accomplished in all patients and the mean number of lymph nodes removed was 37.6 ± 14 .7.

Conclusions

This preliminary experience suggests that robotic‐assisted RA‐ILE for malignant lesions is a real surgical option compared with conventional surgery with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mastering variation: variance components and personalised medicine
Authors: Senn Stephen
Published: September 2015

Various sources of variation in observed response in clinical trials and clinical practice are considered, and ways in which the corresponding components of variation might be estimated are discussed. Although the issues have been generally well‐covered in the statistical literature, they seem to be poorly understood in the medical literature and even the statistical literature occasionally shows some confusion. To increase understanding and communication, some simple graphical approaches to illustrating issues are proposed. It is also suggested that reducing variation in medical practice might make as big a contribution to improving health outcome as personalising its delivery according to the patient. It is concluded that the common belief that there is a strong personal element in response to treatment is not based on sound statistical evidence. © 2015 The Authors.Statistics in Medicinepublished by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Bayesian modeling and inference for diagnostic accuracy and probability of disease based on multiple diagnostic biomarkers with and without a perfect reference standard
Authors: Jafarzadeh S. Reza , Johnson Wesley O. , Gardner Ian A.
Published: September 2015

The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) is used as a performance metric for quantitative tests. Although multiple biomarkers may be available for diagnostic or screening purposes, diagnostic accuracy is often assessed individually rather than in combination. In this paper, we consider the interesting problem of combining multiple biomarkers for use in a single diagnostic criterion with the goal of improving the diagnostic accuracy above that of an individual biomarker. The diagnostic criterion created from multiple biomarkers is based on the predictive probability of disease, conditional on given multiple biomarker outcomes. If the computed predictive probability exceeds a specified cutoff, the corresponding subject is allocated as ‘diseased’. This defines a standard diagnostic criterion that has its own ROC curve, namely, the combined ROC (cROC). The AUC metric forcROC, namely, the combined AUC (cAUC), is used to compare the predictive criterion based on multiple biomarkers to one based on fewer biomarkers. A multivariate random‐effects model is proposed for modeling multiple normally distributeddependentscores. Bayesian methods for estimating ROC curves and corresponding (marginal) AUCs are developed when a perfect reference standard is not available. In addition,cAUCs are computed to compare the accuracy of different combinations of biomarkers for diagnosis. The methods are evaluated using simulations and are applied to data for Johne's disease (paratuberculosis) in cattle. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of Temperature and Holding Time on the Sintering of Ladle Filler Sand with Liquid Steel
Authors: Deng Zhiyin , Glaser Björn , Bombeck Marc André , Sichen Du
Published: September 2015

In the present work the effects of temperature and holding time on the sintering of ladle filler sand are studied. Laboratory experiments are carried out using pellets made of chromite based filler sand and two steel grades containing different contents of Mn and Al. It is found that the liquid steel plays a major role in the sintering behavior. The results also show that the amount of liquid phase in the sintered sand pellets increases with the increase of temperature and holding time. The Al2O3 content increases substantially in the chromite phase (spinel), especially in the region close to the liquid phase, when the temperature is high enough or when the holding time is long enough. Higher content of dissolved Al would accelerate the formation of the alumina‐rich chromite.
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Treatment of Acute Steroid-Refractory Graft Versus Host Disease: Clinical Responses and Long-Term Outcome
Authors: von Dalowski Felix , Kramer Michael , Wermke Martin , Wehner Rebekka , Röllig Christoph , Alakel Nael , Stölzel Friedrich , Parmentier Stefani , Sockel Katja , Krech Mathias , Schmitz Marc , Platzbecker Uwe , Schetelig Johannes , Bornhäuser Martin , von Bonin Malte
Published: September 2015

Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Steroid-resistant aGvHD is associated with poor outcome, and no commonly accepted salvage therapy is available for its treatment. Here, we report 58 adult patients treated with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as salvage therapy for steroid-refractory aGvHD. Third-party MSCs expanded in platelet lysate-containing medium were transfused at a median dose of 0.99 × 106 cells per kg b.wt. A median of two MSC infusions were administered to each patient. Median time between the onset of aGvHD and the first infusion of MSCs was 12 days (range, 6–62 days). Most patients (79%) had grade IV aGvHD. Five patients showed complete response, five showed very good partial response, 17 showed partial response, and 31 showed no response. The estimated probability of survival after 1 year was 19%, and median survival was 69 days. Overall survival was not significantly different from that of a historical cohort of patients receiving alternative salvage therapy and no MSC infusions. In conclusion, MSC treatment on top of conventional immunosuppression was associated with an overall response rate of 47% but improved outcome in terms of survival remains to be shown.
Long Noncoding RNA H19 Promotes Osteoblast Differentiation Via TGF-β1/Smad3/HDAC Signaling Pathway by Deriving miR-675
Authors: Huang Yiping , Zheng Yunfei , Jia Lingfei , Li Weiran
Published: September 2015

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as important regulatory molecules at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and may play essential roles in the differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC). However, their roles and functions remain unclear. Here, we showed that lncRNA H19 was significantly upregulated after the induction of osteoblast differentiation. Overexpression of H19 promoted osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs in vitro and enhanced heterotopic bone formation in vivo, whereas knockdown of H19 inhibited these effects. Subsequently, we found that miR-675, encoded by exon1 of H19, promoted osteoblast differentiation of hMSCs and was partially responsible for the pro-osteogenic effect of H19. Investigating the underlying mechanism, we demonstrated that H19/miR-675 inhibited mRNA and protein expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). The downregulation of TGF-β1 subsequently inhibited phosphorylation of Smad3. Meanwhile, H19/miR-675 downregulated the mRNA and protein levels of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 4/5, and thus increased osteoblast marker gene expression. Taken together, our results demonstrated that the novel pathway H19/miR-675/TGF-β1/Smad3/HDAC regulates osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs and may serve as a potential target for enhancing bone formation in vivo. Stem Cells  2015;33:3481–3492
A multilevel analysis of diverse learners playing life science video games: Interactions between game content, learning disability status, reading proficiency, and gender
Authors: Israel Maya , Wang Shuai , Marino Matthew T.
Published: September 2015

Extant research reports differential effects related to the efficacy of video games as a means to enhance science instruction. However, there are very few studies examining differences in learning outcomes across student‐level independent variables. This study used multilevel modeling to examine the effects of three video game‐enhanced life science units on the performance of 366 adolescent students from three middle schools in the central and western United States. The study included 18 life science classrooms that were taught by four teachers over a 6‐week period. Independent variables included the students’ National Assessment of Educational Progress reading level, presence of a learning disability, gender, and student perceptions of science and video games. Struggling readers and students with low perceptions of their skills as scientists underperformed when compared to their peers. Results across all games indicated significant learning gains for students with and without learning disabilities. Learning disability, gender, and perceptions of video games for learning were not significant predictors of student performance. Results from the study indicate that the effects of video games on science learning are mediated by individual learner characteristics and the science content. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 53: 324–345, 2016.
Liability of Foreignness in Fast‐Expanding Markets: Evidence from Ghana
Authors: Acheampong George , Dana Léo‐Paul
Published: September 2015

In this study, we sought to establish if the idea of liability of foreignness (LOF) also persists in the fast‐expanding markets (FEMs) and whether there are certain firm characteristics that can mitigate or accentuate this effect. We utilize data from the World Bank enterprise surveys conducted in Ghana in 2007 and 2013. We operationalize liability as the probability that a firm suffered from a crime in the year under study. We also specify empirical probit and instrumental probit models with controls to answer the above research question. We find that there is LOF in fast‐expanding markets, and this effect is robust to different specifications. Given that our liability is crime, we moderate the LOF effect with data on security expenditure. The results still show that even if firms increased their security expenditure, the LOF effect still persisted. The study makes a contribution to the international business literature by testing the LOF effect in a new unit of analysis and is also one of the earliest to operationalize a firm's liability in the form of crime it suffers in its operating environment. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Thinking about quantity: the intertwined development of spatial and numerical cognition
Authors: Newcombe Nora S. , Levine Susan C. , Mix Kelly S.
Published: September 2015

There are many continuous quantitative dimensions in the physical world. Philosophical, psychological, and neural work has focused mostly on space and number. However, there are other important continuous dimensions (e.g., time and mass). Moreover, space can be broken down into more specific dimensions (e.g., length, area, and density) and number can be conceptualized discretely or continuously (i.e., natural vs real numbers). Variation on these quantitative dimensions is typically correlated, e.g., larger objects often weigh more than smaller ones. Number is a distinctive continuous dimension because the natural numbers (i.e., positive integers) are used to quantify collections of discrete objects. This aspect of number is emphasized by teaching of the count word sequence and arithmetic during the early school years. We review research on spatial and numerical estimation, and argue that a generalized magnitude system is the starting point for development in both domains. Development occurs along several lines: (1) changes in capacity, durability, and precision, (2) differentiation of the generalized magnitude system into separable dimensions, (3) formation of a discrete number system, i.e., the positive integers, (4) mapping the positive integers onto the continuous number line, and (5) acquiring abstract knowledge of the relations between pairs of systems. We discuss implications of this approach for teaching various topics in mathematics, including scaling, measurement, proportional reasoning, and fractions. WIREs Cogn Sci 2015, 6:491–505. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1369

This article is categorized under:

Psychology > Development and Aging

Psychology > Learning
Toward a Bayesian procedure for using process-based models in plant breeding, with application to ideotype design
Authors: Van Oijen M. , Höglind M.
Published: September 2015

Process-based grassland models (PBMs) simulate growth and development of vegetation over time. The models tend to have a large number of parameters that represent properties of the plants. To simulate different cultivars of the same species, different parameter values are required. Parameter differences may be interpreted as genetic variation for plant traits. Despite this natural connection between PBMs and plant genetics, there are only few examples of successful use of PBMs in plant breeding. Here we present a new procedure by which PBMs can help design ideotypes, i.e. virtual cultivars that optimally combine properties of existing cultivars. Ideotypes constitute selection targets for breeding. The procedure consists of four steps: (1) Bayesian calibration of model parameters using data from cultivar trials, (2) Estimating genetic variation for parameters from the combination of cultivar-specific calibrated parameter distributions, (3) Identifying parameter combinations that meet breeding objectives, (4) Translating model results to practice, i.e. interpreting parameters in terms of practical selection criteria. We show an application of the procedure to timothy (Phleum pratense L.) as grown in different regions of Norway.
Autoantigen Microarray for High-Throughput Autoantibody Profiling in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Zhu Honglin , Luo Hui , Yan Mei , Zuo Xiaoxia , Li Quan-Zhen
Published: September 2015

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease characterized by the production of autoantibodies to a broad range of self-antigens. Profiling the autoantibody repertoire using array-based technology has emerged as a powerful tool for the identification of biomarkers in SLE and other autoimmune diseases. Proteomic microarray has the capacity to hold large number of self-antigens on a solid surface and serve as a high-throughput screening method for the determination of autoantibody specificities. The autoantigen arrays carrying a wide variety of self-antigens, such as cell nuclear components (nucleic acids and associated proteins), cytoplasmic proteins, phospholipid proteins, cell matrix proteins, mucosal/secreted proteins, glomeruli, and other tissue-specific proteins, have been used for screening of autoantibody specificities associated with different manifestations of SLE. Arrays containing synthetic peptides and molecular modified proteins are also being utilized for identification of autoantibodies targeting to special antigenic epitopes. Different isotypes of autoantibodies, including IgG, IgM, IgA, and IgE, as well as other Ig subtypes, can be detected simultaneously with multi-color labeled secondary antibodies. Serum and plasma are the most common biologic materials for autoantibody detection, but other body fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, and saliva can also be a source of autoantibody detection. Proteomic microarray as a multiplexed high-throughput screening platform is playing an increasingly-important role in autoantibody diagnostics. In this article, we highlight the use of autoantigen microarrays for autoantibody exploration in SLE.
Excommunication in Jewish Babylonia: ComparingBavli Mo‘ed Qaṭan14b–17b and the Aramaic Bowl Spells in a Sasanian Context
Authors: Mokhtarian Jason Sion
Published: September 2015

According to rabbinic literature of late antiquity, a Jew could be excommunicated or banished from the community for around twenty-four spiritual and social violations. The Talmuds’ list of sins that necessitated the separation of a transgressor includes, for instance, profaning the name of God, selling forbidden meat, insulting one's master, and obstructing justice. Once condemned, the sinner was physically isolated from other people and prohibited from the same actions that a mourner was, such as cutting one's hair or wearing phylacteries. After the sinner repented or a certain amount of time passed, the ban was then lifted, typically by the master who had initiated it. Indeed, the master-disciple relationship is often at the center of banning and cursing in rabbinic literature. Although the rabbinic concept of excommunication draws from earlier biblical and Second Temple precedents, such as the book of Ezra, it is in many ways a late antique innovation featuring prominently in Babylonia. The reason that bans and excommunication emerge as a salient feature of Jewish society in this period is related to the rabbis’ historical contexts within Roman Palestine and Sasanian Babylonia. As I show in this article, exegesis and history both played a role in the formation of the talmudic laws of banishment.
From Women's Piety to Male Devotion: Gender Studies, theActs of Paul and Thecla, and the Evidence of an Arabic Manuscript
Authors: Davis Stephen J.
Published: September 2015

When we read early Christian narratives such as theActs of Paul and Thecla, what is the relationship between the characters portrayed in the story and the “real-life” persons and groups who composed and transmitted the work? In the second-century Greek account, Thecla abandons her fiancé and family to follow Paul and his ascetic message. She endures a trial by fire in Iconium, resists sexual assault on the road to Antioch, and survives attacks by beasts in the Antiochene arena, all the while supported by a wealthy widow as her patron, a friendly lioness as her protector, and a chorus of women in the stadium who extol her perseverance and cry out to the governor for mercy. In the end, after baptizing herself, Thecla is released, dresses herself like a man, and begins preaching the gospel as an itinerant apostle.
Earthly Treasure Spiritually Refined
Authors: Vincent Meconi David
Published: September 2015

A trustworthy guide to all students of Christian antiquity, Peter Brown is Princeton University's Rollins Professor Emeritus of History. Born in Dublin in 1935, Brown was influenced early on by the L’École des Annales, a group who took its name from their work in the journal Annales d'Histoire Economique et Sociale. These forward-thinking scholars sought to break from traditional historiography in order to pay attention to all levels of society, taking into account not so much a seemingly monolithic doctrine, which emerges only retrospectively, but the collective concerns of a larger and more complex society. L’École des Annales formed Brown in such a way that he has helped generations of academics pay attention to more than just major players and canonical doctrines. Rather, they read the traditional narratives in the contexts of wider cultural, economic, demographic, religious and familial concerns, mundane matters unavoidably shaping how any group of persons thinks of historical issues. He accordingly opens this gargantuan work by admitting his debt to modern French historiography—singling out the sociologist and philologue, Louis Gernet (d. 1962)—who stressed how the memorable and well-cataloged aspects of a people actually invent nothing. Rather, Gernet asserted, the elite portion of any given people reflects and thus captures what the many below hold dear. Given this lifelong influence, it is no surprise that Brown would eventually turn his erudition into a study on a common universal that instantaneously unites as well as divides, one that characterizes both elite and plebe alike—money.
Financial compensation for damage to livestock by lions Panthera leo on community rangelands in Kenya
Authors: Bauer Hans , Müller Lana , Van Der Goes Dirk , Sillero-Zubiri Claudio
Published: September 2015

Compensation schemes can contribute to equitable sharing of benefits from wildlife. We describe a scheme that uses tourist fees for partial and conditional compensation of damage to livestock caused by wildlife on Kuku Group Ranch, Kenya. The explicit aim of the scheme is to decrease the killing of lions Panthera leo by Maasai on community land in the Amboseli–Tsavo ecosystem. During 2008–2013 the scheme spent a mean of USD 100,000 per year, and although livestock losses remained constant the killing of lions decreased significantly. The percentage of claims where part of the compensation was withheld as a penalty for negligent husbandry practices decreased significantly over time but remained high; poor herding in particular remains a problem. We weigh our results against arguments found in a literature survey; our findings support the negative arguments of moral hazard (i.e. the risk that compensation reduces the incentive to prevent damage) and post-project collapse. Despite these weaknesses the compensation scheme was effective, affordable and sustainable. We conclude that compensation is a useful conservation tool in situations where there is an imminent threat to biodiversity, and sustainable funding sources are available.
Error-related brain activity dissociates hoarding disorder from obsessive-compulsive disorder
Authors: Mathews C. A. , Perez V. B. , Roach B. J. , Fekri S. , Vigil O. , Kupferman E. , Mathalon D. H.
Published: September 2015

Background

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with an abnormally large error-related negativity (ERN), an electrophysiological measure of error monitoring in response to performance errors, but it is unclear if hoarding disorder (HD) also shows this abnormality. This study aimed to determine whether the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying error monitoring are similarly compromised in HD and OCD.

Method

We used a visual flanker task to assess ERN in response to performance errors in 14 individuals with HD, 27 with OCD, 10 with HD+OCD, and 45 healthy controls (HC). Age-corrected performance and ERN amplitudes were examined using analyses of variance and planned pairwise group comparisons.

Results

A main effect of hoarding on ERN (p = 0.031) was observed, indicating ERN amplitudes were attenuated in HD relative to non-HD subjects. A group × age interaction effect on ERN was also evident. In HD-positive subjects, ERN amplitude deficits were significantly greater in younger individuals (r = −0.479, p = 0.018), whereas there were no significant ERN changes with increasing age in OCD and HC participants.

Conclusions

The reduced ERN in HD relative to OCD and HC provides evidence that HD is neurobiologically distinct from OCD, and suggests that deficient error monitoring may be a core pathophysiological feature of HD. This effect was particularly prominent in younger HD participants, further suggesting that deficient error monitoring manifests most strongly early in the illness course and/or in individuals with a relatively early illness onset.
Optimization of net returns from wildlife consumptive and non-consumptive uses by game reserve management
Authors: MWAKIWA EMMANUEL , HEARNE JOHN W. , STIGTER JOHANNES D. , DE BOER WILLEM F. , HENLEY MICHELLE , SLOTOW ROB , VAN LANGEVELDE FRANK , PEEL MIKE , GRANT CORNELIA C. , PRINS HERBERT H.T.
Published: September 2015

Landowners and game reserve managers are often faced with the decision whether to undertake consumptive (such as hunting) and/or non-consumptive (such as tourism) use of wildlife resources on their properties. Here a theoretical model was used to examine cases where the game reserve management allocated the amount of land devoted to hunting (trophy hunting) and tourism, based on three scenarios: (1) hunting is separated from tourism but wildlife is shared; (2) hunting and tourism co-exist; and (3) hunting and tourism are separated by a fence. The consumptive and non-consumptive uses are not mutually exclusive; careful planning is needed to ensure that multiple management objectives can be met. Further, the analysis indicates that the two uses may be undertaken in the same area. Whether they are spatially, or temporally separated depends on the magnitude of the consumptive use. When consumptive use is not dominant, the two are compatible in the same shared area, provided the wildlife population is sufficiently large.
Binding in Conscience: Early Modern English Protestants and Spanish Thomists on Law and the Fate of the Soul
Authors: Ross Richard J.
Published: September 2015

In Romans 13:5, St. Paul famously announced that Christians must obey law not only for fear of punishment, but also “for conscience sake.” Early modern Protestants and Catholics agreed that violations of laws that bound conscience, if unrepented, threatened damnation. But not all law obligated conscience. Natural law typically did. So did Jesus's injunctions and God's moral law revealed in the Old Testament, but not His judicial law governing civic affairs or His ceremonial law regulating Jewish religious observance. Human laws about things indifferent, matters neither commanded nor forbidden in scripture and nature, presented the most complicated case. Disobedience to only certain classes of human laws—but not all—imperiled the soul. Catholics and Protestants fiercely debated how to distinguish rulers’ ordinances that bound conscience from those that did not. This article explores the principles that animated the dispute and the methods used for linking human law to the fate of the soul or challenging that connection.
Distinct Distances from Three Points
Authors: SHARIR MICHA , SOLYMOSI JÓZSEF
Published: September 2015

Let p1, p2, p3 be three noncollinear points in the plane, and let P be a set of n other points in the plane. We show that the number of distinct distances between p1, p2, p3 and the points of P is Ω(n6/11), improving the lower bound Ω(n0.502) of Elekes and Szabó [4] (and considerably simplifying the analysis).