bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pediatric Obesity: Pharmacokinetic Alterations and Effects on Antimicrobial Dosing
Authors: Natale Stephanie , Bradley John , Nguyen William Huy , Tran Tri , Ny Pamela , La Kirsten , Vivian Eva , Le Jennifer
Published: January 2017

Limited data exist for appropriate drug dosing in obese children. This comprehensive review summarizes pharmacokinetic (PK) alterations that occur with age and obesity, and these effects on antimicrobial dosing. A thorough comparison of different measures of body weight and specific antimicrobial agents including cefazolin, cefepime, ceftazidime, daptomycin, doripenem, gentamicin, linezolid, meropenem, piperacillin‐tazobactam, tobramycin, vancomycin, and voriconazole is presented. PubMed (1966–July 2015) and Cochrane Library searches were performed using these key terms: children, pharmacokinetic, obesity, overweight, body mass index, ideal body weight, lean body weight, body composition, and specific antimicrobial drugs. PK studies in obese children and, if necessary, data from adult studies were summarized. Knowledge of PK alterations stemming from physiologic changes that occur with age from the neonate to adolescent, as well as those that result from increased body fat, become an essential first step toward optimizing drug dosing in obese children. Excessive amounts of adipose tissue contribute significantly to body size, total body water content, and organ size and function that may modify drug distribution and clearance. PK studies that evaluated antimicrobial dosing primarily used total (or actual) body weight (TBW) for loading doses and TBW or adjusted body weight for maintenance doses, depending on the drugs’ properties and dosing units. PK studies in obese children are imperative to elucidate drug distribution, clearance, and, consequently, the dose required for effective therapy in these children. Future studies should evaluate the effects of both age and obesity on drug dosing because the incidence of obesity is increasing in pediatric patients.
Influence of Plasticizers on the Electromechanical Behavior of a P(VDF‐TrFE‐CTFE) Terpolymer: Toward a High Performance of Electrostrictive Blends
Authors: Della Schiava Nellie , Le Minh‐Quyen , Galineau Jeremy , Domingues Dos Santos Fabrice , Cottinet Pierre‐Jean , Capsal Jean‐Fabien
Published: January 2017

This work aims at providing a complete analysis of the effect of plasticizers on the electrostrictive terpolymer performance. To achieve this, several plasticizing agents such as 2‐ethylhexyl phtalate (DEHP), diisononyl phtalate (DINP), and palamoll 652 have been incorporated in the polymer matrix. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed novel materials exhibited excellent electromechanical enhancement in terms of transverse strain and mechanical energy density under a moderate electric field, which is definitively critical in recent microscale actuation. Another objective of this article was to explore material characteristics as a function of the DINP content, and it was found that the plasticizer weigh fraction was the key parameter determining performance of the modified fluorinate terpolymer blends. Accordingly, it was revealed that high performance flexible actuators can be achieved merely by employing a simple and cheap plasticizer, thus making it possible to overcome the current technological barrier of conventional electroactive polymers that suffer from the high applied electric field usually required to reach sufficient strain. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017, 55, 355–369
Comparison of sitting and supine forced vital capacity in collagen VI‐related dystrophy and laminin α2‐related dystrophy
Authors: Meilleur Katherine G. , Linton Melody M. , Fontana Joseph , Rutkowski Anne , Elliott Jeffrey , Barton Mark , McGraw Peter , Kokkinis Angela , Donkervoort Sandra , Leach Meganne , Jain Minal , Dastgir Jahannaz , Collins James , Szczesniak Rhonda , Yang Kelly , Sawnani Hemant , Bönnemann Carsten G.
Published: January 2017

Background

Progressive, restrictive, respiratory insufficiency is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD). Nocturnal hypoventilation precedes daytime alveolar hypoventilation, and if untreated, may lead to respiratory failure and cor pulmonale. CMD consensus care guidelines recommend screening for respiratory insufficiency by conventional and dynamic (sitting to supine) pulmonary function testing (PFT) and evaluating for sleep disordered breathing if there is more than 20% relative reduction from sitting to supine FVC(L) (ΔFVC).

Objective

The objective of this retrospective study was to explore and characterize dynamic FVC measures in 51 individuals with two common subtypes of CMD, COL6‐RD, and LAMA2‐RD.

Methods

We compared sitting and supine FVC in patients with confirmed mutation(s) in either COL6 or LAMA2. We investigated influences of age, CMD subtype, gender, race, ambulatory status, and non‐invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) status on FVC percent predicted (FVCpp) and ΔFVC.

Results

COL6‐RD participants exhibited a significant difference between sitting and supine mean FVCpp (sitting 66.1, supine 55.1; P < 0.0001) and were 5.4 times more likely to have −ΔFVC >20% than those with LAMA2‐RD when controlling for ambulant status. FVCpp sitting correlated inversely with age in individuals ≤18 years.

Conclusion

FVCpp sitting decreases progressively in childhood in both CMD subtypes. However, our results point to a difference in diaphragmatic involvement, with COL6‐RD individuals having more disproportionate diaphragmatic weakness than LAMA2‐RD. A ΔFVC of greater than −20% should continue to be used to prompt evaluation of sleep‐disordered breathing. Timely initiation of NIPPV may be indicated to treat nocturnal hypoventilation. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017;52:524–532. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bronchial tree‐shaped mucous plug in cystic fibrosis: imaging‐guided management
Authors: Salamone Ignazio , Mondello Baldassare , Lucanto Maria Cristina , Cristadoro Simona , Lombardo Mariangela , Barone Mario
Published: January 2017

We report the case of a 17‐year‐old boy with cystic fibrosis (CF) who presented with persistent cough; after starting intravenous antibiotics for Pseudomonas aeruginosa he underwent a computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest. CT revealed extensive consolidation in the right lower lobe with relative bronchus obstruction; the cause of bronchial obstruction was detected in the mediastinal window, corresponding to a bronchial tree‐shaped, thick, tenacious mucous plug. This was extracted 48 h after unresponsive bronchial washing and endobronchial instillation of rhDNAse, using foreign‐body forceps, with subsequent resolution of cough. This case, which is the second report of plastic bronchitis in CF, was resolved by mechanical removal of the mucous plug, suggesting that a careful observation of CT imaging may guide intervention aimed at resolution of atelectasis.
Treatment with nintedanib for acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Tomioka Hiromi , Takada Hirohito
Published: January 2017

There is currently no effective treatment for acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We herein report the case of a patient with acute exacerbation of IPF which was treated with nintedanib, an intracellular inhibitor of tyrosine kinases, and showed improvement of the condition. An 84‐year‐old man with IPF was admitted to our hospital because of dry cough and worsening of dyspnoea within last 1 month. He presented with hypoxemia, and chest high‐resolution computed tomography (HRCT) revealed new, bilateral multifocal ground‐glass opacities superimposed on the background of lung fibrosis. After exclusion of alternative causes, acute exacerbation of IPF was diagnosed and we started treatment with nintedanib of 300 mg/day. This resulted in the gradual improvement of his condition and HRCT findings without administering antibiotics or corticosteroids. Serum Krebs von den Lungen‐6 and surfactant protein D levels increased at acute exacerbation and subsequently decreased. This case suggests that nintedanib therapy may have possible benefits in acute exacerbation of IPF.
The hidden labor of repayment: Women, credit, and strategies of microenterprise in northern Honduras
Authors: Hayes Lauren A.
Published: January 2017

Microlending programs, commonly directed at women and presented as a solution to global poverty, provide borrowers credit to support small, informal income‐generating activities. These initiatives have garnered much attention from anthropologists, who have long been interested in the social life of credit and debt. Despite numerous anthropological studies critiquing the social and economic consequences of such lending practices, they continue, bolstered by the affective dimensions of philanthropic marketing and the current embeddedness of microloans in local economies. This contradiction has led to more recent ethnographic work demonstrating the interaction of microloans with other forms of debt and credit in the social economy of borrowers. Building on this recent work, this article draws on ethnographic data from microloan borrowers in northern Honduras and the Bay Islands and contends that the activities associated with microlending participation and repayment may be understood as a form of productive, though hidden, labor. The article suggests further avenues of inquiry into the long‐term economic and cultural transformations that microlending has precipitated.
Oil territorialities, social life, and legitimacy in the Peruvian Amazon
Authors: Larsen Peter Bille
Published: January 2017

Extractive industry activities are today an integral part of social life and economic relations across multiple sites. Yet, how and under which conditions do extractive industries insert themselves within and potentially transform territorial dynamics, social relations, and local governance arrangements? The debate is often polarized between competing narratives of social critique depicting corporate power, conflict, and imposition and insider perspectives stressing corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability. This article offers an ethnographic account of oil exploration in the Peruvian Amazon coupled with a broader discussion about legitimacy building at the extractive frontier. Addressing the multiple ways in which oil companies engage with local constituencies and socially embedded economic relations, it suggests how social relations have gone from being a residual matter of contention to becoming an area of strategic intervention and corporate action through safeguard measures and social licenses.
A subtle economy of time: Social media and the transformation of Indonesia's Islamic preacher economy
Authors: Slama Martin
Published: January 2017

The article is concerned with the latest developments in Indonesia's Islamic field. Its focus is on the role of social media in exchange relationships between Islamic preachers and their constituency. The article first discusses economic exchanges between preachers and their followers, and then it concentrates on social exchanges and how they are mediated today. Empirically, the article delivers insight into the concerns of mostly female Indonesian middle‐class Muslims and shows how preachers have to adjust to the needs of their followers who are regularly online. Theoretically, the article offers a rereading of Pierre Bourdieu's classic work on forms of capital and their conversion. It emphasizes the temporal dimension of capital accumulation and conversion and explores the temporalities of online exchanges that have become constitutive of preacher–follower relationships. In doing so, it shows how Indonesia's Islamic preacher economy is currently transformed by these online exchanges, resulting in preacher–follower relationships that are characterized by dialogic constructions of Islamic authority. Being part of Indonesia's Islamic field, these changes in the Islamic preacher economy point to a broader trend in Indonesia's Islamic field toward greater sensitivity to the needs and worries of Indonesian middle‐class Muslims.
Graphene Supported RuNi Alloy Nanoparticles as Highly Efficient and Durable Catalyst for Hydrolytic Dehydrogenation‐Hydrogenation Reactions
Authors: Dhanda Ritu , Kidwai Mazaahir
Published: January 2017

Here, reduced graphene oxide (RGO) supported surfactant free, RuNi alloy nanoparticles with particle size <5 nm were synthesized by chemical coreduction route. The synthesized sample was well characterized by various techniques and showed complete solid solution without any extra phase, where Ru lattice is required for nucleation of metallic Ni. The RuxNi100‐x /RGO (x=100, 75, 50 and 25) nanocomposites (NCs) exhibits remarkable activity in hydrolytic dehydrogenation of NH3BH3 (ammonia borane, AB). Among various RuxNi100‐x compositions, Ru50Ni50 NPs showed best performance with maximum H2 evolution rate 9305.6 mL min−1 g−1 and TOF value 236 min−1 at 30 oC, which is one of the best value reported till date. In addition, present activity retained upto 7th catalytic cycles, showing high durability which makes it a potential candidate for development of NH3BH3 as a H2 storage material. Moreover, alloy NCs further explored in tandem reduction of nitro and nitrile compounds in presence of AB as H2 source which again showed best performance with excellent yield (>99 %) of amine product with short time period of 4.5‐10 min. Additionally, NCs exhibits high chemoselectivity and durability towards such organic transformation reactions. This high catalytic efficiency of RGO supported RuNi NPs could be ascribed to synergistic interaction between Ru/Ni metals, high surface area (small sized NPs and graphene sheets), RGO as a support material which prevent agglomeration of particle.
Enhanced Hydrogen Production from Steam Reforming of Vegetable Oil over Bimodal ZrO2‐SiO2 Supported Ni Catalyst
Authors: Tao Kai , Arano Hiroyuki , Zhang Peipei , Ai Peipei , Han Lei , Tsubaki Noritatsu
Published: January 2017

Bimodal (ZrO2‐SiO2‐B) support was successfully fabricated by self‐assembly of nanosized ZrO2 inside pores of a commercial silica gel Q‐30. For comparison, a unimodal (ZrO2‐SiO2‐U) support was prepared by impregnation of Q‐30 with zirconium nitrate. Ni supported bimodal and unimodal ZrO2‐SiO2, and pristine SiO2 (Q‐30 and Q‐3) catalysts were comparatively studied in steam reforming of vegetable oil to hydrogen. The support and catalyst were analyzed by various techniques, such as N2 physisorption, XRD, TPR, H2 chemisorption and TGA. Characterization results indicated that bimodal support showing increased BET surface area was beneficial for the dispersion of Ni species. TPR result showed that the incorporation of ZrO2 improved the reducibility of NiO and enhanced the metal‐support interaction, simultaneously. Among all catalyst studied bimodal Ni/ZrO2‐SiO2‐B catalyst exhibited highest oil conversion and H2 formation rate with good stability due to the improved Ni dispersion, enhanced Ni‐support interaction, as well as facilitated diffusion of reactant and products, benefiting from bimodal structure and promotional effect of ZrO2.
Antibacterial and Antifungal Thioglycolic Acid‐Capped Silver Nanoparticles and Their Application on Wool Fabric as a Durable Antimicrobial Treatment
Authors: Hassan Mohammad Mahbubul
Published: January 2017

Currently used silver nanoparticle‐based antimicrobial treatments are effective against bacteria and certain fungi but they have limited durability to washing. In this work, the surface of silver nanoparticles was modified with thioglycolic acid (TGA) to further enhance their antimicrobial activities and also to enable their binding to the surface of wool fibre. Silver nanoparticles were characterised by FTIR, UV‐vis spectroscopy and TEM. The TGA‐capped silver nanoparticles were covalently bonded to wool fibre surface by using 1‐ethyl‐3‐[3‐dimethylaminopropyl]‐carbodiimide hydrochloride in combination with N‐hydroxysuccinimide to provide enhanced durability to multiple washings, which is an issue for the nanosilver‐based treatments used in wool textiles. The antimicrobial activities of this treated wool fabric were compared with the wool fabric treated with trisodium citrate (TSC)‐capped silver nanoparticles (bonded by a silicone resin). The TGA‐capped silver nanoparticle‐treated wool fabric not only showed superhydrophilicity and excellent durability to washing but also excellent antibacterial activity along with moderate to excellent antifungal activity. The wool fabric treated with TSC‐capped silver nanoparticles showed strong hydrophobicity and antibacterial activity but no antifungal activity. This work demonstrates that silver nanoparticles can be made antifungal by the capping with TGA and also the durability of the treatment to washing can be considerably enhanced.
Short Peptide Amphiphile Cage Facilitate Engineering of Gold Nanoparticles Under the Laser Field
Authors: Kumar Vikas , Mishra Narendra K. , Gupta Shradhey , Joshi Khashti B.
Published: January 2017

Engineering of nanomaterials for nanotechnological applications is always in high demand. In this work, we have designed four special classes of short peptide amphiphiles (sPA) consisting hydrophobic palmitoyl tail which is conjugated with di‐tryptophan unit followed by a nonaromatic acid(s). We observed that variation in head group of sPA according to the hydrophobicity scale provide variation in their self assembly too, therefore used for the engineering of the especial class of metal‐organic nanohybrids. The sPA containing highly hydrophobic head exhibit vesicular morphology in organic and aqueous organic solvents and exposure of sunlight to the solution of sPA with Au(III) ions leads to the formation of multi‐shaped AuNPs followed by encapsulation by sPA envelope. The purified gold colliod was further irradiated by continuous wave (CW) laser of 532 nm wavelength which leads to the conversion of multi‐shaped AuNPs into uniform shape and size as confirmed by spectroscopic and microscopic investigations. Prolonged irradiation by laser, leads to the plasmonic welding of AuNPs which is mainly guided by sPA envelope produced, nanorods of submicron length. Such template guided laser induced engineering of AuNRs can show the potential applications in the field of nano‐medicine, bio‐nanotechnology and theranostics.
Spatially Placed Tryptophan Residues: A Strategy for Generating Molecules with Unique Self‐Assembly and Molecular Recognition Properties
Authors: Haridas V. , Kumar P. P. Praveen , Bhardwaj Ishanki , Venugopalan P.
Published: January 2017

We designed and synthesized a series of tryptophan (Trp) containing molecules R1‐R5 with an aim to study their self‐assembly and molecular recognition properties. These Trp‐based designer compounds showed unique self‐assembly, dye‐encapsulation, and anion binding properties. All Trp‐compounds reported here showed “turn‐on” fluorescence with H2PO4−. Compound R2 showed sensing of I−, while R4 formed organogel with good mechanical strength.
Effective Hydrodeoxygenation of Stearic Acid and Cyperus Esculentus Oil into Liquid Alkanes over Nitrogen‐Modified Carbon Nanotube‐Supported Ruthenium Catalysts
Authors: Li Jiang , Wang Shuai , Liu He‐Yang , Zhou Hong‐jun , Fu Yao
Published: January 2017

Nitrogen‐modified carbon nanotube‐supported ruthenium catalyst was demonstrated to be effective in the conversion of crude cyperus esculentus oil into linear liquid alkanes. The model compound stearic acid was nearly quantitatively converted into liquid alkanes, and the yields of n‐heptadecane and n‐octadecane were 89.5 % and 8.5 %, respectively. The mass yield of liquid alkanes from crude cyperus esculentus oil was 76.6 %, which was very close to the theoretical yield. The catalyst could be reused at least six times without loss of catalytic activity during the conversion of oil. We found that the nitrogen modification of the carbon nanotube support was beneficial to form more Ru0 species, which exhibited excellent catalytic activity and stability towards the hydrodeoxygenation of stearic acid and plant oil.
Anisotropic Phase Formation Induced Enhancement of Resistive Switching in Bio–based Imidazolium Ionic Liquid Crystals.
Authors: Sasi Renjith , Jinesh K. B. , Devaki Sudha J.
Published: January 2017

The stimuli‐responsive orientation of liquid crystals having ionic appendages seems to have a great impact on the modern age molecular electronics. Low cost environmentally benign materials is the need of current century ailing from various severe environmental backlashes. Here we are presenting a stimuli‐responsive ionic liquid crystal derived from an industrial waste by‐product as a resistive memory material for soft and flexible electronics. Thermal and potential responsive ordering of this imidazolium‐based ionic liquid crystal would be benefited in the design of high performance non‐volatile memory devices. Potential‐responsive ordering of the liquid crystalline mesophase is responsible for the orientation of charge carriers to improve the charge conduction of the system.
Ambient CO Oxidation on In‐Situ Generated Co3O4 Spinel Surfaces with Random Morphology
Authors: Dubey Anjani , Reddy Kasala Prabhakar , Gopinath Chinnakonda S.
Published: January 2017

Simple surface oxidation of polycrystalline Co‐metal surfaces with molecular oxygen leads to Co3O4 spinel with random morphology. Co2+/Co3+ ratio can be fine‐tuned by oxygen partial pressure and temperature. Predominant Co2+‐containing surfaces was shown to exhibit sustainable ambient CO oxidation activity at ambient temperatures even in the presence of up to 30 ppm moisture content in the reaction feed. Co oxidation by molecular oxygen, random morphology and tolerance towards moisture content up to 30 ppm makes the present effort attractive and also provide further scope to improve the catalytic performance. Our results complement and broaden the ambient CO oxidation catalysis reported for Co3O4 nanorod.
Divergent and Stereospecific Routes to Five to Eight‐Membered 1,3‐ and 1,4‐Di‐Aza‐Heterocycles via Ring‐Opening Cyclization of Activated Aziridines with Aryl Amines
Authors: Pradhan Sajan , Shahi Chandan Kumar , Bhattacharyya Aditya , Chauhan Navya , Ghorai Manas K.
Published: January 2017

A divergent and modular synthetic approach to a series of substituted imidazolidines, piperazines, 1,4‐diazepanes, and 1,4‐diazocanes via an SN2‐type ring opening of activated aziridines with aryl amines and a subsequent base‐mediated coupling with suitable dihaloalkanes is developed. The highly efficient strategy (yield up to 96 %) is amenable to a wide range of substrates and furnishes the desired products with excellent stereospecificity (ee up to >99 %).
Sodium chlorate, a major water disinfection byproduct, alters brush border membrane enzymes, carbohydrate metabolism and impairs antioxidant system of Wistar rat intestine
Authors: Ali Shaikh Nisar , Ansari Fariheen Aisha , Khan Aijaz Ahmed , Mahmood Riaz
Published: January 2017

Sodium chlorate (NaClO3) is a widely used nonselective herbicide. It is also generated as a by‐product during disinfection of drinking water by chlorine dioxide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of NaClO3 on rat intestine. Adult male rats were randomly divided into five groups: control and remaining four groups were administered orally different doses of NaClO3 and sacrificed 24 h after the treatment. The administration of NaClO3 produced acute oxidative stress in the intestine, which manifested in the form of markedly enhanced malondialdehyde levels and carbonyl content and lowered total sulfhydryl groups and glutathione levels. The activities of several brush border membrane (BBM) enzymes were greatly reduced as compared to control. There were alterations in the activities of various enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism and those involved in maintaining the antioxidant defense system. Histological studies support the biochemical results showing NaClO3 dose‐dependent increase in tissue damage. Thus, the present study shows that oral administration of NaClO3 decreases the activities of BBM enzymes, induces oxidative stress, alters metabolic pathways, and impairs the antioxidant system of rat intestine. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 1607–1616, 2017.
Re: Pre‐eclampsia: an important risk factor for asymptomatic heart failure. C. Ghossein‐Doha, J. van Neer, B. Wissink, N. Breetveld, L. J. de Windt, A. P. J. van Dijk, M. J. van der Vlugt, M. C. H. Janssen, W. M. Heidema, R. R. Scholten and M. E. A. Spaanderman. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017; 49: 143–149.
Authors: Boardman H.
Published: January 2017

Linked Comment: Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017; 49: 143–149
An observation‐based climatology and forecasts of winter fog in Ghaziabad, India
Authors: Srivastava Sanjay Kumar , Sharma Anu Rani , Sachdeva Kamna
Published: January 2017

Long‐term ground observations of visibility and other meteorological parameters (for the period 1971–2010) have been analysed over Ghaziabad city, National Capital Region (NCR) to understand the formation of fog and its relevance during the winter months. The study reveals that the maximum frequency of fog occurs during December (~23 days), followed by January (~21 days), November (~20 days), February (~14 days) and October (~11 days), respectively. In the last four decades, an increasing trend in fog frequency has been observed during the months of October to February over the study area. During the period of study, the frequency of fog has increased by 205.5% in the month of October and 50.2% in the month of November. Similar increasing trends have also been observed during the other winter months. A statistically significant increasing trend in fog occurrence has been observed between October and February during the study period at the 95% confidence level. The magnitude of the trend for each month is 0.50, 0.47, 0.30, 0.39 and 0.37 between October and February. Furthermore, the magnitude of the trend is greatest in the month of October, whereas the average monthly fog frequency is highest during the month of December. An attempt has also been made to forecast fog events using the ARIMA model over the study region. The forecast values obtained for five years into the future indicate that a further increase in the number of fog days is expected during the months of October to February. The study, combined with knowledge of meteorology and topography, suggests that, due to an increase in the availability of fine particulates and rapid urbanisation, fog formation may further increase in future and thus drastically disturb the social and economic activities across Ghaziabad, National Capital Region of India.
Emergency interventions due to weather‐related hypothermia
Authors: Krzyżewska Agnieszka , Dobek Mateusz , Domżał‐Drzewicka Renata , Rząca Marcin
Published: January 2017

This paper presents the analysis of medical rescue team interventions related to cases of hypothermia over the period 2008–2012 in a selected area of the Lublin Region, in southeast Poland. We compared the interventions to weather conditions, based on the bioclimatic Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). This paper focuses on cases of hypothermia on days with at least slight cold stress, when the UTCI value is < 9°C. The results show that the most frequent interventions in cases of hypothermia are during relatively low heat load involving cold stress, corresponding with air temperatures (at low wind velocities) oscillating around zero (approximately ±5degC). Although we can prevent hypothermia and cold‐related diseases, even in the twenty‐first century there are people suffering due to cold. This paper contains advice for policymakers assisting the prevention of hypothermia in the most vulnerable groups of society.
CASTOR, a new instrument for combined XRR‐GIXRF analysis at SOLEIL
Authors: Ménesguen Y. , Boyer B. , Rotella H. , Lubeck J. , Weser J. , Beckhoff B. , Grötzsch D. , Kanngießer B. , Novikova A. , Nolot E. , Lépy M.‐C.
Published: January 2017

A new instrument called CASTOR is operated at the SOLEIL synchrotron facility and is dedicated to the characterization of thin films with thicknesses in the nanometer range. The instrument can combine X‐ray reflectivity measurements with fluorescence (XRF) acquisitions and especially total reflection X‐ray fluorescence‐related techniques such as grazing incidence XRF. The instrument was successfully installed and operated on the two branches of the metrology beamline making possible experiments over a wide range of photon energies (45 eV to 40 keV). A heating sample holder was developed to allow the sample temperature to be controlled up to 300° C. Some examples of the first studies are given to illustrate the capabilities of the setup. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An unusual pre-ligamentous thenar motor branch of the median nerve
Authors: Al-Qattan Mohammad M. , Al-Zahrani Khalid
Published: January 2017

The pre-ligamentous variant of the thenar motor branch (TMB) of the median nerve is extremely rare. In all previously reported cases, the branch arose from the radial or antero-radial aspect of the median nerve in the distal forearm and then pierced the antebrachial fascia to reach the thenar muscles. We report on a case in which the pre-ligamentous TMB not only arose from the ulnar side of the median nerve but it also remained deep to both the antebrachial fascia and the transverse carpal ligament until it reached the thenar muscles. The course of this variant puts the TMB at significant risk of injury during both open and endoscopic carpal tunnel release.

Level of Evidence: Level V, risk study.
Synthesis and Characterization of Polysiloxane Grafted Polyamide‐Amine Surfactants
Authors: Wang Xuechuan , Sun Siwei , Wang Haijun , Guo Xiaoxiao
Published: January 2017

Dendritic‐linear surfactants 1G PAMAM–Si and 2G PAMAM–Si were prepared by grafting the single epoxy terminated polydimethylsiloxane (SEPDMS) onto the 1G and 2G dendritic polyamide‐amine (PAMAM), respectively. SEPDMS was synthesized by hydrogen‐terminated polydimethylsiloxane and allyl glycidyl ether in chloroplatinic acid. The optimum grafting conditions were obtained by single‐factor experiments when the mole ratio of SEPDMS and PAMAM was 0.95:1, the reaction temperature was 60 °C, the reaction time was 5 h and the solvent percentage was 60%. The molecular structure of PAMAM–Si was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatograph and potentiometric acid‐base titration. Furthermore, the stability, surface activity and emulsifying ability of the prepared surfactants were studied. The results showed that PAMAM–Si has high stability against dilution, acids, alkalies and salts. PAMAM–Si surfactants can significantly reduce the surface tension of water. And 2G PAMAM–Si is superior to 1G PAMAM–Si at the ability of emulsifying oil.
Explaining the Immigrant Health Advantage: Self-selection and Protection in Health-Related Factors Among Five Major National-Origin Immigrant Groups in the United States
Authors: Riosmena Fernando , Kuhn Randall , Jochem Warren C.
Published: January 2017

Despite being newcomers, immigrants often exhibit better health relative to native-born populations in industrialized societies. We extend prior efforts to identify whether self-selection and/or protection explain this advantage. We examine migrant height and smoking levels just prior to immigration to test for self-selection; and we analyze smoking behavior since immigration, controlling for self-selection, to assess protection. We study individuals aged 20–49 from five major national origins: India, China, the Philippines, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. To assess self-selection, we compare migrants, interviewed in the National Health and Interview Surveys (NHIS), with nonmigrant peers in sending nations, interviewed in the World Health Surveys. To test for protection, we contrast migrants’ changes in smoking since immigration with two counterfactuals: (1) rates that immigrants would have exhibited had they adopted the behavior of U.S.-born non-Hispanic whites in the NHIS (full “assimilation”); and (2) rates that migrants would have had if they had adopted the rates of nonmigrants in sending countries (no-migration scenario). We find statistically significant and substantial self-selection, particularly among men from both higher-skilled (Indians and Filipinos in height, Chinese in smoking) and lower-skilled (Mexican) undocumented pools. We also find significant and substantial protection in smoking among immigrant groups with stronger relative social capital (Mexicans and Dominicans).
Education and training of clinical and translational study investigators and research coordinators: A competency-based approach
Authors: Calvin-Naylor Nancy A. , Jones Carolynn Thomas , Wartak Michelle M. , Blackwell Karen , Davis Jonathan M. , Divecha Ruthvick , Ellerbeck Edward F. , Kieburtz Karl , Koziel Margaret J. , Luzuriaga Katherine , Maddox Jennifer , Needler Nancy A. , Murphy Susan , Pemberton Kieran , Radovich Catherine , Rubinstein Eric P. , Selker Harry P. , Tenaerts Pamela , Unsworth Kelly , Wilson Kay , Wright Jonelle E. , Barohn Richard , Shanley Thomas P.
Published: January 2017

Introduction

Training for the clinical research workforce does not sufficiently prepare workers for today’s scientific complexity; deficiencies may be ameliorated with training. The Enhancing Clinical Research Professionals’ Training and Qualifications developed competency standards for principal investigators and clinical research coordinators.

Methods

Clinical and Translational Science Awards representatives refined competency statements. Working groups developed assessments, identified training, and highlighted gaps.

Results

Forty-eight competency statements in 8 domains were developed.

Conclusions

Training is primarily investigator focused with few programs for clinical research coordinators. Lack of training is felt in new technologies and data management. There are no standardized assessments of competence.
“Dressed in an Angel's Nightshirt”: Jesus and the BBC
Authors: Veldman Meredith
Published: January 2017

This article examines images of Jesus broadcast on the BBC from the 1930s through the 1950s. During these years, the BBC sought to use its cultural influence to replace popular religiosity with what the clerics who staffed its Religious Broadcasting Department (RBD) regarded as a more masculine, modern, and vigorous national religious faith. To achieve this aim, the RBD marshaled the might of British New Testament scholarship and its image of a warrior-like, apocalyptic historical Jesus. Yet the RBD's hopes of bridging the gap between popular religiosity and its own vision of Christianity went unrealized. Programs on Jesus that reached a genuinely national audience—The Man Born to be King, Dorothy L. Sayers's wartime radio drama, andJesus of Nazareth, a popular television series from the 1950s—instead featured Anglicized and ahistorical images deeply embedded within British popular culture. The story of Jesus on the BBC highlights both this popular culture's strength and Christian Britain's fragmentation.
The Chartists and the Constitution: Revisiting British Popular Constitutionalism
Authors: Gibson Josh
Published: January 2017

Despite having a powerful influence on the historiography of radicalism and nineteenth-century politics for the past several decades, the language of the constitution has not recently received scholarly attention. In Chartist and radical historiography, the constitution is usually treated as a narrative of national political development. This article extends the horizons of Chartist constitutionalism by exploring its similarities with American constitutionalism. By doing so, it also opens up questions regarding the ideas of the movement. Like the Americans sixty years before, the Chartists were confronted by a parliament that they believed had superseded its constitutional authority. This perception was informed by a belief that the constitution rested on the authority of the fixed principles of fundamental law, which they argued placed limits beyond which Parliament had no power to reach. As a result, the Chartists imagined that the British constitution functioned like a written constitution. To support this claim, they drew on a sophisticated interpretation of English law that argued that the common law was closely related to natural law.
Sudden cardiac death in the young: the value of exercise testing
Authors: Stephens Paul
Published: January 2017

Paediatric exercise stress testing has historically been used to assess the functional status of patients after repair of CHDs and to assess the efficacy of medical or device therapy in patients with arrhythmias. Exercise stress testing is one of very few hospital- or clinic-based tests that can assess the response of the cardiopulmonary system in an environment that simulates the body’s response to vigorous play and competitive sport. Exercise stress testing is therefore a useful modality in the assessment of child and athletes at risk for sudden cardiac death. The author discusses some cardiovascular maladies that can cause sudden cardiac death by utilising case illustrations as a learning tool.
Morbidities in the ultra-athlete and marathoner
Authors: Cunningham Taylor C. , Maghrabi Khadijah , Sanatani Shubhayan
Published: January 2017

The cardiovascular benefits of habitual exercise are well documented. In the current era, more of the population is exceeding the recommendations for physical activity as the popularity of endurance events increases. Recent data have proposed a U-shaped relationship between exercise intensity and cardiovascular outcomes. Regular participation in endurance activities has been shown to result in structural and functional changes in the heart. This re-modelling may be the substrate for cardiac dysfunction or arrhythmias. The risk of sudden cardiac death may also be elevated; however, in most cases of sudden cardiac death, the cause can be linked to an underlying cardiac pathology where exercise acted as the trigger for a lethal arrhythmia. This article serves to review whether excessive exercise may result in harm in some athletes.
How implantable cardioverter-defibrillators work and simple programming
Authors: Bryant Randall M.
Published: January 2017

Following the sudden death of a friend in 1966, Dr Michel Mirowski began pioneering work on the first implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. By 1969 he had developed an experimental model and performed the first transvenous defibrillation. In 1970 he reported on the use of a “standby automatic defibrillator” that was tested successfully in dogs. He postulated that such a device “when adapted for clinical use, might be implanted temporarily or permanently in selected patients particularly prone to develop ventricular fibrillation and thus provide them with some degree of protection from sudden coronary death”. In 1980 he reported on the first human implants of an “electronic device designed to monitor cardiac electrical activity, to recognise ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachyarrhythmias … and then to deliver corrective defibrillatory discharges”. Through innovations in circuitry, battery, and capacitor technologies, the current implantable cardioverter-defibrillator is 10 times smaller and exponentially more sophisticated than that first iteration. This article will review the inner workings of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and outline several features that make it the wonder in technology that it has become.
Gene-metabolite network analysis in different nonalcoholic fatty liver disease phenotypes
Authors: Liu Xiao-Lin , Ming Ya-Nan , Zhang Jing-Yi , Chen Xiao-Yu , Zeng Min-De , Mao Yi-Min
Published: January 2017

We sought to identify common key regulators and build a gene-metabolite network in different nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) phenotypes. We used a high-fat diet (HFD), a methionine-choline-deficient diet (MCDD) and streptozocin (STZ) to establish nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and NAFL+type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in rat models, respectively. Transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses were performed in rat livers and serum. A functional network-based regulation model was constructed using Cytoscape with information derived from transcriptomics and metabolomics. The results revealed that 96 genes, 17 liver metabolites and 4 serum metabolites consistently changed in different NAFLD phenotypes (>2-fold,P<0.05). Gene-metabolite network analysis identified ccl2 and jun as hubs with the largest connections to other genes, which were mainly involved in tumor necrosis factor, P53, nuclear factor-kappa B, chemokine, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor and Toll-like receptor signaling pathways. The specifically regulated genes and metabolites in different NAFLD phenotypes constructed their own networks, which were mainly involved in the lipid and fatty acid metabolism in HFD models, the inflammatory and immune response in MCDD models, and the AMPK signaling pathway and response to insulin in HFD+STZ models. Our study identified networks showing the general and specific characteristics in different NAFLD phenotypes, complementing the genetic and metabolic features in NAFLD with hepatic and extra-hepatic manifestations.
Temperature is a key factor in Micromonas–virus interactions
Authors: Demory David , Arsenieff Laure , Simon Nathalie , Six Christophe , Rigaut-Jalabert Fabienne , Marie Dominique , Ge Pei , Bigeard Estelle , Jacquet Stéphan , Sciandra Antoine , Bernard Olivier , Rabouille Sophie , Baudoux Anne-Claire
Published: January 2017

The genus Micromonas comprises phytoplankton that show among the widest latitudinal distributions on Earth, and members of this genus are recurrently infected by prasinoviruses in contrasted thermal ecosystems. In this study, we assessed how temperature influences the interplay between the main genetic clades of this prominent microalga and their viruses. The growth of three Micromonas strains (Mic-A, Mic-B, Mic-C) and the stability of their respective lytic viruses (MicV-A, MicV-B, MicV-C) were measured over a thermal range of 4–32.5 °C. Similar growth temperature optima (Topt) were predicted for all three hosts but Mic-B exhibited a broader thermal tolerance than Mic-A and Mic-C, suggesting distinct thermoacclimation strategies. Similarly, the MicV-C virus displayed a remarkable thermal stability compared with MicV-A and MicV-B. Despite these divergences, infection dynamics showed that temperatures below Topt lengthened lytic cycle kinetics and reduced viral yield and, notably, that infection at temperatures above Topt did not usually result in cell lysis. Two mechanisms operated depending on the temperature and the biological system. Hosts either prevented the production of viral progeny or maintained their ability to produce virions with no apparent cell lysis, pointing to a possible switch in the viral life strategy. Hence, temperature changes critically affect the outcome of Micromonas infection and have implications for ocean biogeochemistry and evolution.
Divergent functional isoforms drive niche specialisation for nutrient acquisition and use in rumen microbiome
Authors: Rubino Francesco , Carberry Ciara , Waters Sinéad M , Kenny David , McCabe Matthew S , Creevey Christopher J
Published: January 2017

Many microbes in complex competitive environments share genes for acquiring and utilising nutrients, questioning whether niche specialisation exists and if so, how it is maintained. We investigated the genomic signatures of niche specialisation in the rumen microbiome, a highly competitive, anaerobic environment, with limited nutrient availability determined by the biomass consumed by the host. We generated individual metagenomic libraries from 14 cows fed an ad libitum diet of grass silage and calculated functional isoform diversity for each microbial gene identified. The animal replicates were used to calculate confidence intervals to test for differences in diversity of functional isoforms between microbes that may drive niche specialisation. We identified 153 genes with significant differences in functional isoform diversity between the two most abundant bacterial genera in the rumen (Prevotella and Clostridium). We found Prevotella possesses a more diverse range of isoforms capable of degrading hemicellulose, whereas Clostridium for cellulose. Furthermore, significant differences were observed in key metabolic processes indicating that isoform diversity plays an important role in maintaining their niche specialisation. The methods presented represent a novel approach for untangling complex interactions between microorganisms in natural environments and have resulted in an expanded catalogue of gene targets central to rumen cellulosic biomass degradation.
Self-referenced photonic chip soliton Kerr frequency comb
Authors: Brasch Victor , Lucas Erwan , Jost John D , Geiselmann Michael , Kippenberg Tobias J
Published: January 2017

Self-referencing turns pulsed laser systems into self-referenced frequency combs. Such frequency combs allow counting of optical frequencies and have a wide range of applications. The required optical bandwidth to implement self-referencing is typically obtained via nonlinear broadening in optical fibers. Recent advances in the field of Kerr frequency combs have provided a path toward the development of compact frequency comb sources that provide broadband frequency combs, exhibit microwave repetition rates and are compatible with on-chip photonic integration. These devices have the potential to significantly expand the use of frequency combs. Yet to date, self-referencing of such Kerr frequency combs has only been attained by applying conventional, fiber-based broadening techniques. Here we demonstrate external broadening-free self-referencing of a Kerr frequency comb. An optical spectrum spanning two-thirds of an octave is directly synthesized from a continuous wave laser-driven silicon nitride microresonator using temporal dissipative Kerr soliton formation and soliton Cherenkov radiation. Using this coherent bandwidth and two continuous wave transfer lasers in a 2f–3f self-referencing scheme, we are able to detect the offset frequency of the soliton Kerr frequency comb. By stabilizing the repetition rate to a radio frequency reference, the self-referenced frequency comb is used to count and track the continuous wave pump laser’s frequency. This work demonstrates the principal ability of soliton Kerr frequency combs to provide microwave-to-optical clockworks on a chip.
Signature of type-II Weyl semimetal phase in MoTe2
Authors: Jiang J. , Liu Z.K. , Sun Y. , Yang H.F. , Rajamathi C.R. , Qi Y.P. , Yang L.X. , Chen C. , Peng H. , Hwang C-C. , Sun S.Z. , Mo S-K. , Vobornik I. , Fujii J. , Parkin S.S.P. , Felser C. , Yan B.H. , Chen Y.L.
Published: January 2017

Topological Weyl semimetal (TWS), a new state of quantum matter, has sparked enormous research interest recently. Possessing unique Weyl fermions in the bulk and Fermi arcs on the surface, TWSs offer a rare platform for realizing many exotic physical phenomena. TWSs can be classified into type-I that respect Lorentz symmetry and type-II that do not. Here, we directly visualize the electronic structure of MoTe2, a recently proposed type-II TWS. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we unravel the unique surface Fermi arcs, in good agreement with our ab initio calculations that have nontrivial topological nature. Our work not only leads to new understandings of the unusual properties discovered in this family of compounds, but also allows for the further exploration of exotic properties and practical applications of type-II TWSs, as well as the interplay between superconductivity (MoTe2 was discovered to be superconducting recently) and their topological order.