bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Convergence in the Geosciences
Authors: McNutt Marcia K.
Published: March 2017

The 21st century presents unprecedented challenges if society is to continue to provide abundant energy, water, and food, and high quality housing and medical care to a growing global population. Deforestation and aquifer depletion are at unsustainable rates, and use of fossil fuels is leading to unprecedented climate change. Geoscientists can confront these challenges by expanding partnerships with other disciplines. “Convergence,” the integration of engineering, physical sciences, computation, and life sciences to benefit health, energy, and the environment, has been successfully developed for biomedical research. It is time for the geosciences to embrace convergence, as our future depends upon it.
First optical observations of interhemispheric electron reflections within pulsating aurora
Authors: Samara M. , Michell R. G. , Khazanov G. V.
Published: March 2017

A case study of a pulsating auroral event imaged optically at high time resolution presents direct observational evidence in agreement with the interhemispheric electron bouncing predicted by the SuperThermal Electron Transport model. “Pulsation‐on” times are identified and subsequent equally spaced fainter pulsations are also noted and can be explained by a portion/percentage of the primary precipitating electrons reflecting upward from the ionosphere, traveling to the opposite hemisphere and reflecting upward again. The high time resolution of these data, combined with the short duration of the pulsation‐on time (∼1 s) and the relatively long spacing between pulsations (∼6 to 9 s) made it possible to observe the faint optical pulses caused by the reflected electrons coming from the opposite hemisphere.
Dosimetric characteristics of LinaTech DMLC H multi leaf collimator: Monte Carlo simulation and experimental study
Authors: Molazadeh Mikaeil , Zeinali Ahad , Robatjazi Mostafa , Shirazi Alireza , Geraily Ghazale
Published: March 2017

This study evaluated the basic dosimetric characteristics of a Dynamic Multi Leaf Collimator (DMLC) using a diode detector and film measurements for Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Quality Assurance (IMRT QA). The EGSnrc Monte Carlo (MC) simulation system was used for the determination of MLC characteristics. Radiation transmission and abutting leaf leakage relevant to the LinaTech DMLC H were measured using an EDGE detector and EBT3 film. In this study, the BEAMnrc simulation code was used for modeling. The head of Siemens PRIMUS linac (6 MV) with external DMLC H was entered into a BEAMnrc Monte Carlo model using practical dosimetry data. Leaf material density, as well as interleaf and abutting air gaps were determined according to the computed and measured dose profiles. The IMRT QA field was used to evaluate the dose distribution of the simulated DMLC H. According to measurements taken with the EDGE detector and film, the total average measured leakage was 1.60 ± 0.03% and 1.57 ± 0.05%, respectively. For these measurements, abutting leaf transmission was 54.35 ± 1.85% and 53.08 ± 2.05%, respectively. To adapt the simulated leaf dose profiles with measurements, leaf material density, interleaf and abutting air gaps were adjusted to 18 g/cm3, 0.008 cm and 0.108 cm, respectively. Thus, the total average leakage was estimated to be about 1.59 ± 0.02%. The step‐and‐shoot IMRT was implemented and 94% agreement was achieved between the film and MC, using 3%‐3 mm gamma criteria. The results of this study showed that the dosimetric characteristics of DMLC H satisfied international standards.
Integrated Freestanding Two‐dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides
Authors: Jeong Hyun , Oh Hye Min , Gokarna Anisha , Kim Hyun , Yun Seok Joon , Han Gang Hee , Jeong Mun Seok , Lee Young Hee , Lerondel Gilles
Published: March 2017

This paper reports on the integration of freestanding transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Monolayer (1‐L) MoS2, WS2, and WSe2 as representative TMDs are transferred on ZnO nanorods (NRs), used here as nanostructured substrates. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of 1‐L TMDs on NRs show a giant PL intensity enhancement, compared with those of 1‐L TMDs on SiO2. The strong increases in Raman and PL intensities, along with the characteristic peak shifts, confirm the absence of stress in the TMDs on NRs. In depth analysis of the PL emission also reveals that the ratio between the exciton and trion peak intensity is almost not modified after transfer. The latter shows that the effect of charge transfer between the 1‐L TMDs and ZnO NRs is here negligible. Furthermore, confocal PL and Raman spectroscopy reveal a fairly consistent distribution of PL and Raman intensities. These observations are in agreement with a very limited points contact between the support and the 1‐L TMDs. The entire process reported here is scalable and may pave the way for the development of very efficient ultrathin optoelectronics.
Interfaith Groups as Mediating Structures for Political Action: A Multilevel Analysis
Authors: Todd Nathan R. , Boeh Brett A. , Houston‐Kolnik Jaclyn D. , Suffrin Rachael L.
Published: March 2017

This study investigates interfaith groups from across the United States to understand how these religious settings may serve as mediating structures to facilitate individual political action. Based on a multilevel modeling analysis with 169 individuals from 25 interfaith groups, we found that core activities of the group, such as group members sharing community information (e.g., announcing upcoming events, political meetings, community issues) or sharing religious information (e.g., educating members about their religion) positively and negatively predicted individual political action as a result of group participation, respectively. Moreover, a sense that the interfaith group served as a community to work for local change, but not trust within the group, predicted political action as a result of group participation. However, this effect for a sense the group served as a community to work for local change was stronger and more positive as the degree of community information sharing in the group increased. These results show that a core activity of sharing community information may enhance the ability of a group to mediate political action. Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential role of interfaith groups to mediate political action, and show the importance of considering both individual and group characteristics when understanding these religious settings. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.
Investigation of the effect of tetrahydrofuran and acetone as cosolvents in acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene–based nanofiltration membranes
Authors: Moghadassi A. R. , Bagheripour E. , Hosseini S. M.
Published: March 2017

In this study, novel nanofiltration membranes were prepared with acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS)–poly(ethylene glycol)–N,N‐dimethylacetamide–[tetrahydrofuran (THF)–acetone] as a cosolvent. All of the membranes were prepared by the phase‐inversion method and a casting solution technique. The effects of the cosolvent concentration in the casting solution and the evaporation time before the immersion/precipitation step on the membrane performance and properties were investigated. The prepared membranes were characterized through their permeation flux, salt rejection, and phase‐inversion time values. The salt rejection was increased from 53% for the bare ABS membrane to 73% for the membrane prepared with 40 wt % THF as a cosolvent. The water flux was decreased from 4345 to 1121 cc m−2 h−1 with the addition of THF to the casting solution. The addition of acetone to the casting solution improved the water flux from 4345 to 5607 cc m−2 h−1 and reduced the salt rejection from 53 to 36%. The evaporation time of THF and acetone led to similar effects on flux and rejection. However, with evaporation time, membranes prepared with acetone were denser than those prepared with THF; this was due to the lower boiling point and higher boiling rate of acetone at the same temperatures. This resulted in greater effects on the ABS performance and structure. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44993.
Tidal disruption of stars by super‐massive black holes—XMM‐Newton highlights and the next decade
Authors: Komossa S.
Published: March 2017

This article provides a summary of XMM‐Newton highlights on stellar tidal disruption events. First found with ROSAT, ongoing and upcoming sky surveys will detect these events in the thousands. In X‐rays, tidal disruption events (TDEs) provide us with powerful new probes of accretion physics under extreme conditions and on short timescales and of relativistic effects near the super‐massive black holes (SMBHs), of the formation and evolution of disk winds near or above the Eddington limit, and of the processes of high‐energy emission from newly launched radio jets. TDEs serve as signposts of the presence of dormant single black holes at the cores of galaxies, and of binary black holes as well, since TDE lightcurves are characteristically different in the latter case. XMM‐Newton has started to contribute to all of these topics, and a rich discovery space is opening up in the next decade.
A practice for engineering students based on the control and monitoring an experimental biomass combustor using labview
Authors: Regueiro Araceli , Patiño David , Míguez Carla , Cuevas Miguel
Published: March 2017

The methods delineated herein enable students to acquire new knowledge and competences at a high academic level in an independent manner and to demonstrate competence in the current concepts and theories governing energy flows, heat transfer, and energy conversions. These methods have been used in the Energy Thermal Master class that is offered in the Engineering School at the University of Vigo. The study presents an innovative learning method in which two new pedagogical concepts are combined, “learning by doing” and “blended learning,” implying a modernization of the classical learning methods. Using the methodology described below, students are able to operate a biomass experimental as well as use numerous measuring devices to obtain the combustion parameters, which are the latest commercial technology. Furthermore, by using LabVIEW programming, students are able to realize the importance of automation in the facilities and to create a code that is responsible for the control, supervision and monitoring of the system. In addition to the purely experimental aspect, students must analyze the data acquired by LabVIEW, apply their theoretical knowledge and exchange data with other groups, improving their teamwork skills. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 25:392–403, 2017; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.21806
Converting Alkali Lignin to Biofuels over NiO/HZSM‐5 Catalysts Using a Two‐Stage Reactor
Authors: Cheng Shouyun , Wei Lin , Zhao Xianhui , Julson James , Kadis Ethan
Published: March 2017

A series of NiO/HZSM‐5 catalysts were used to convert alkali lignin to hydrocarbon biofuels in a two‐stage catalytic pyrolysis system. The results indicated that all NiO/HZSM‐5 catalysts reduced the content of undesirable phenols, furans, and alcohols of the biofuel compared to non‐catalytic treatment. The NiO/HZSM‐5 catalyst with the lowest amount of NiO generated the highest biofuel yield in all catalytic treatments, and it also produced biofuel with the highest content of hydrocarbons. The emission of carbon oxides (CO and CO2) increased in the treatments with higher‐NiO loading HZSM‐5 due to the redox reaction between NiO and the oxygenated compounds in the bio‐oil. Ni2SiO4 was generated in the used NiO/HZSM‐5 catalysts during the high‐temperature pyrolysis process.
Comparison of Flat and Hollow‐Fiber Mixed‐Matrix Composite Membranes for CO2 Separation with Temperature
Authors: Fernández-Barquín Ana , Casado-Coterillo Clara , Etxeberria-Benavides Miren , Zuñiga Jon , Irabien Angel
Published: March 2017

Zeolite A/poly (1‐trimethylsilyl‐1‐propyne) (zeoliteA/PTMSP) and [emim][Ac]/chitosan (IL/CS) are mixed‐matrix membrane (MMM) materials with enhanced CO2/N2 permselectivity even at higher temperature. The scalability to asymmetric flat and hollow‐fiber geometry by a simple dip‐coating method was analyzed. The CO2/N2 separation performance was evaluated at different temperatures. The resulting composite membranes exhibit a significantly enhanced CO2 permeation flux because the MMM layer thickness is reduced by 97 % from flat to hollow‐fiber geometries in IL‐CS composite membranes, while the selectivity is maintained similar to the self‐standing membranes, thus proving that compatibility between the membrane component materials leads to a defect‐free composite membrane, regardless the geometry and temperature.
Visualization of the Reaction Trajectory and Transition State in a Hydrolytic Reaction Catalyzed by a Metalloenzyme
Authors: Selleck Christopher , Clayton Daniel , Gahan Lawrence R. , Mitić Nataša , McGeary Ross P. , Pedroso Marcelo Monteiro , Guddat Luke W. , Schenk Gerhard
Published: March 2017

Metallohydrolases are a vast family of enzymes that play crucial roles in numerous metabolic pathways. Several members have emerged as targets for chemotherapeutics. Knowledge about their reaction mechanisms and associated transition states greatly aids the design of potent and highly specific drug leads. By using a high‐resolution crystal structure, we have probed the trajectory of the reaction catalyzed by purple acid phosphatase, an enzyme essential for the integrity of bone structure. In particular, the transition state is visualized, thus providing detailed structural information that may be exploited in the design of specific inhibitors for the development of new anti‐osteoporotic chemotherapeutics.
High Glass Transition of Fluorinated Polyimides Derived from 4‐(3,4‐Difluorophenyl)‐2,6‐bis(4‐aminophenyl)pyridine
Authors: Xu Xu , Chen Beicai , Li Hua , Huang Xiaohua , Wei Chun
Published: March 2017

A series of novel fluorinated polyimides (PIs) were prepared from 4‐(3,4‐difluorophenyl)‐2,6‐bis(4‐aminophenyl)pyridine (FPAP) and commercial aromatic dianhydrides via conventional two‐step thermal imidization technique. The structure of the monomer was confirmed by FT‐IR, NMR, and mass spectrometry. All of the obtained PIs were studied with FT‐IR, TGA, DSC, WAXD and contact angles analysis. These results showed that polymer materials presented excellent thermal properties with the glass transition temperature (Tg) in the range of 336—434 °C, as well as T5%, and T10% decomposition temperature ranges of 543—600 °C and 562—622 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere, respectively. Moreover, they presented excellent mechanical properties with tensile strengths of 68—91 MPa, elongation at break of 5.6%—10.2%, and young's modulus of 1.8—2.4 GPa. Furthermore, they showed outstanding hydrophobicity with the contact angle in the range of 90.5°—96.6°, and the results of WAXD indicated all of the polymers presented amorphous structure.
Structure‐Based Design and Synthesis of Harmine Derivatives with Different Selectivity Profiles in Kinase versus Monoamine Oxidase Inhibition
Authors: Bálint Balázs , Wéber Csaba , Cruzalegui Francisco , Burbridge Mike , Kotschy Andras
Published: March 2017

Dual‐specificity tyrosine‐phosphorylation‐regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) is an emerging biological target with implications in diverse therapeutic areas such as neurological disorders (Down syndrome, in particular), metabolism, and oncology. Harmine, a natural product that selectively inhibits DYRK1A amongst kinases, could serve as a tool compound to better understand the biological processes that arise from DYRK1A inhibition. On the other hand, harmine is also a potent inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A (MAO‐A). Using structure‐based design, we synthesized a collection of harmine analogues with tunable selectivity toward these two enzymes. Modifications at the 7‐position typically decreased affinity for DYRK1A, whereas substitution at the 9‐position had a similar effect on MAO‐A inhibition but DYRK1A inhibition was maintained. The resulting collection of compounds can help to understand the biological role of DYRK1A and also to assess the interference in the biological effect originating in MAO‐A inhibition.
Identifying Protein Allosteric Transitions for Drug Discovery with 1D NMR
Authors: Krimm Isabelle
Published: March 2017

Allosteric drugs present many advantages over orthosteric drugs and are therefore an attractive approach in drug discovery, despite being highly challenging. First, the binding of ligands in protein allosteric pockets do not ensure an allosteric effect, and second, allosteric ligands can possess diverse modes of pharmacology even within a compound family. Herein we report a new method to: 1) detect allosteric communication between protein binding sites, and 2) compare the effect of allosteric ligands on the allosteric transitions of the protein target. The method, illustrated with glycogen phosphorylase, consists of comparing 1D saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectra of a molecular spy (here fragments) in the absence and presence of allosteric ligands. The modification of the STD NMR spectrum of the fragment indicates whether the protein dynamics/conformations have been changed in the presence of the allosteric modulator, thereby highlighting allosteric coupling between the binding pocket of the reference compound (in this case the fragment) and the allosteric pocket.
Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of C4‐ and C5‐Modified Analogues of the α,β‐Unsaturated Lactone of Pironetin
Authors: Huang David S. , Wong Henry L. , Georg Gunda I.
Published: March 2017

Pironetin is a natural product with potent antiproliferative activity that forms a covalent adduct with α‐tubulin via conjugate addition into the natural product's α,β‐unsaturated lactone. Although pironetin's α,β‐unsaturated lactone is involved in its binding to tubulin, the structure–activity relationship at different positions of the lactone have not been thoroughly evaluated. For a systematic evaluation of the structure–activity relationships at the C4 and C5 positions of the α,β‐unsaturated lactone of pironetin, twelve analogues of the natural product were prepared by total synthesis. Modifying the stereochemistry at the C4 and/or C5 positions of the α,β‐unsaturated lactone of pironetin resulted in loss of antiproliferative activity in OVCAR5 ovarian cancer cells. While changing the C4 ethyl substituent with groups such as methyl, propyl, cyclopropyl, and isobutyl were tolerated, groups with larger steric properties such as an isopropyl and benzyl groups were not.
1,3,5‐Trisubstituted Pyrazoles as Potent Negative Allosteric Modulators of the mGlu2/3 Receptors
Authors: Van Gool Michiel , Alonso De Diego Sergio A. , Delgado Oscar , Trabanco Andrés A. , Jourdan Fabrice , Macdonald Gregor J. , Somers Marijke , Ver Donck Luc
Published: March 2017

The metabotropic glutamate subtype 2 (mGlu2) receptor is a presynaptic membrane receptor distributed widely in brain that provides feedback inhibitory control of glutamate release. Inhibition of the mGlu2 receptor function with a negative allosteric modulator (NAM) enhances activity‐dependent glutamate release, which may be of therapeutic benefit for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. An attractive pyrazole hit was identified after a high‐throughput screening (HTS) campaign. The evolution of this hit is described by structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies on specific parts of the molecule. From near micromolar potency we could obtain compounds with single‐digit nanomolar activity in the mGlu2 NAM GTPγS assay. In addition to SAR on in vitro potency, a more detailed overview is given with a specific set of compounds on the excellent agreement between in vitro potency, free brain concentration, and ex vivo mGlu2 receptor occupancy. Finally, to obtain improved drug‐like compounds, plans for future research are suggested toward increasing free brain concentration while maintaining high in vitro potency.
Cytological evaluation by fine needle aspiration biopsy of incidental focal increased fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in thyroid on positron emission tomography scan
Authors: Li Yanchun , Cui Min , Azar Nami , Nakamoto Dean , Michael Claire W.
Published: March 2017

Background

With the increased use of whole body fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) scan for staging/restaging or primary diagnosis of neoplasia, thyroid incidentalomas have become more common. The limited reports of PET‐positive thyroid incidentalomas showed incidence of malignancy ranging from 14 to 66%, and there is discrepancy in terms of the diagnostic significance of the standard uptake value (SUV) value.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of 20 PET incidentalomas which had cytological evaluation from October 2009 to February 2015 at a tertiary care university medical center, M:F = 8:12.

Results

Of the 20 cases, 14 (70%) had a cytological diagnosis of atypia or suspicious for neoplasia. Eleven of those (55%) underwent surgical resection with final diagnosis of PTC in 8 cases, follicular carcinoma in one case (5%), follicular adenoma in one case (5%), and Hurthle cell adenoma in one case (5%). There was good correlation between cytological and histological diagnosis. For two cases with cytological diagnosis of suspicious for follicular neoplasm, no further histological diagnosis was obtained. One patient had direct cytological diagnosis of PTC also did not undergo surgical resection/diagnosis due to the advanced primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The remaining 6 (30%) cases had a cytological diagnosis of benign follicular nodule. Furthermore, no significant difference between malignant SUV and benign SUV was observed.

Conclusions

Malignancy was identified in 50% of the PET‐positive incidentalomas in our series. PTC constitutes the major malignant diagnosis. No diagnostic value of SUV was observed to differentiate malignant from benign lesions. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2017;45:501–506. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Challenging differential diagnosis of an extra‐adrenal paraganglioma; the role of fine needle aspiration cytology
Authors: Ntanasis‐Stathopoulos Ioannis , Tsilimigras Diamantis I. , Klapsinou Eirini , Daskalopoulou Dimitra , Vaida Simona , Arnogiannaki Niki , Salla Charitini
Published: March 2017

Paragangliomas are rare neoplasms that arise from neural crest cells of the autonomous system. Herein, we present a case of a 37‐year‐old patient with a history of retroperitoneal paraganglioma and tuberculous infection presenting with a paraganglioma of the neck that was initially misdiagnosed as metastatic tumor originating from the lungs. Cytological features from fine needle aspiration and immunocytochemistry pointed to the right diagnosis. However, distinguishing between primary and metastatic site of a paraganglioma can be very challenging due to the overlapping features of these entities. Furthermore, this case underlines the value of a detailed medical history in the era of modern diagnostic modalities. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2017;45:565–568. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Toward Sustainable Organic Semiconductors from a Broad Palette of Green Reactions
Authors: Faurie Alexandre , Grolleau Jérémie , Gohier Frédéric , Allain Magali , Legoupy Stéphanie , Frère Pierre
Published: March 2017

New conjugated materials, based on the triphenylamine‐thiophene moiety and integrating azomethine bonds with a dibenzofuran unit or a cyanovinyl bond with a phenylthiophene or bithiophene unit, have been synthesized by using a wide range of green reactions such as direct heteroarylation coupling reactions, Knoevenagel and Schiff‐base condensations and Stille cross‐coupling reactions using ionic‐liquid‐supported thiophenylstannane. The electronic properties of the new molecules were analyzed by UV/Vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The potential use of the molecules as donor materials for photovoltaic conversion were evaluated in simple bilayer solar cells using C60as the acceptor material.
Synthesis and application of benzenesulfonic acid doped polyaniline nanorods for decolorization of simulated remazol effluent
Authors: Venkatachalam Janaki , Seralathan Kamala‐Kannan
Published: March 2017

Benzenesulfonic acid‐doped polyaniline nanorods were synthesized by oxidative polymerization of aniline and were subsequently used for the decolorization of simulated reactive dye bath effluent. Transmission electron micrograph showed that the size of the nanorods varied from 60 to 90 nm. Fourier transform infrared pattern of nanorods indicate that sulfonic acid was successfully doped on polyaniline nanorods. Under optimized conditions, sulfonic acid doped polyaniline nanorods decolorized 78% of simulated reactive dye bath effluent. The modified Freundlich model and modified pseudo‐first‐order model showed satisfactory fit for dye decolorization. The crystalline nature of the nanorods was modified after adsorption of dyes. The results of the study indicate that benzenesulfonic acid doped polyaniline could be used for the treatment of textile wastewaters. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 1383–1389, 2017
Age differences in the motor control of speech: An fMRI study of healthy aging
Authors: Tremblay Pascale , Sato Marc , Deschamps Isabelle
Published: March 2017

Healthy aging is associated with a decline in cognitive, executive, and motor processes that are concomitant with changes in brain activation patterns, particularly at high complexity levels. While speech production relies on all these processes, and is known to decline with age, the mechanisms that underlie these changes remain poorly understood, despite the importance of communication on everyday life. In this cross‐sectional group study, we investigated age differences in the neuromotor control of speech production by combining behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Twenty‐seven healthy adults underwent fMRI while performing a speech production task consisting in the articulation of nonwords of different sequential and motor complexity. Results demonstrate strong age differences in movement time (MT), with longer and more variable MT in older adults. The fMRI results revealed extensive age differences in the relationship between BOLD signal and MT, within and outside the sensorimotor system. Moreover, age differences were also found in relation to sequential complexity within the motor and attentional systems, reflecting both compensatory and de‐differentiation mechanisms. At very high complexity level (high motor complexity and high sequence complexity), age differences were found in both MT data and BOLD response, which increased in several sensorimotor and executive control areas. Together, these results suggest that aging of motor and executive control mechanisms may contribute to age differences in speech production. These findings highlight the importance of studying functionally relevant behavior such as speech to understand the mechanisms of human brain aging. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2751–2771, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impact of resident training on operative time and safety in hemithyroidectomy
Authors: Folsom Craig , Serbousek Kimberly , Lydiatt William , Rieke Katherine , Sayles Harlan , Smith Russell , Panwar Aru
Published: March 2017

Background

The purpose of this study was to present our assessment of the impact of resident participation on operative duration and outcomes after hemithyroidectomy, which may identify opportunities for optimization of educational programs, reduction in cost of healthcare delivery, and maximizing patient safety, while continuing to train a competent physician workforce for the future.

Methods

The American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) dataset from 2006 to 2012 identified 13,151 adult patients who underwent hemithyroidectomy. Differences in operative duration, postoperative complications, reoperation, and readmission rates were assessed based on stratification by resident participation in surgery.

Results

Compared with operations performed by attending surgeons alone, resident participation with attending supervision prolonged the operative duration by 10.5% (82.5 minutes vs 91.2 minutes; p < .0001). The incidence of readmission and wound complications was higher for patients who underwent surgery with resident participation.

Conclusion

Resident participation in hemithyroidectomy may be associated with increased operative duration, higher incidence of wound complications, and readmission. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1212–1217, 2017
Development of a replication‐deficient adenoviral vector‐based vaccine candidate for the interception of HPV16‐ and HPV18‐induced infections and disease
Authors: Khan Selina , Oosterhuis Koen , Wunderlich Kerstin , Bunnik Evelien M. , Bhaggoe Melissa , Boedhoe Satish , Karia Santusha , Steenbergen Renske D.M. , Bosch Leontien , Serroyen Jan , Janssen Sarah , Schuitemaker Hanneke , Vellinga Jort , Scheper Gert , Zahn Roland , Custers Jerome
Published: March 2017

High‐risk Human papilloma virus (HPV) types are the causative agents of cervical cancer and several other anogenital malignancies. The viral proteins expressed in the (pre)malignant cells are considered ideal targets for immunological intervention. Many approaches have been evaluated for this purpose, mostly aiming at the induction of HPV16 E7‐ and/or E6‐specific cellular immunogenicity. As clinical success has so far been limited, novel approaches are required. We describe the development and pre‐clinical testing of a vaccine candidate consisting of replication‐deficient adenovirus type 26 and 35 based vectors for the interception of HPV16‐ and HPV18‐related disease. We developed HPV16‐ and HPV18‐specific antigens consisting of fusion proteins of E2, E6 and E7. The vaccine will be suitable for every disease stage, from incident and persistent infections where E2 is predominantly expressed up to late stages where E6 and E7 expression are upregulated. Importantly E6 and E7 are present as reordered fragments to abrogate the transforming activity of these two proteins. Loss of transforming activity was demonstrated in different in vitro models. Robust T‐cell immunogenicity was induced upon immunization of mice with the vaccine candidate. Finally, the developed vaccine vectors showed considerable therapeutic efficacy in the TC‐1 mouse model. The absence of transforming activity of the antigens and the favorable immunogenicity profile of the adenovirus based vectors along with the fact that these vectors can be readily produced on a large scale makes this approach attractive for clinical evaluation.
Total and Visceral Adiposity Are Associated With Prevalent Vertebral Fracture in Women but Not Men at Age 62 Years: The Newcastle Thousand Families Study
Authors: Hind Karen , Pearce Mark , Birrell Fraser
Published: March 2017

Low body weight is an established risk factor for osteoporosis and fracture, but the skeletal risks of higher adiposity are unclear and appear sex-specific and site-dependent. The aim of this study was to investigate associations of total fat mass (TFM), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) with bone mineral density (BMD) and prevalent vertebral fracture (VF) in men and women aged 62 years. A total of 352 men and women aged 62.5 ± 0.5 years from the Newcastle Thousand Families Study cohort received dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) evaluations of femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD, of the lateral spine for vertebral fracture assessment, and of the whole body for TFM and VAT (GE Lunar CoreScan, Madison, WI, USA). Plasma CRP, FRAX scores, falls in the last 12 months, and occupation at age 50 years were also included in the analysis. Vertebral fractures were less prevalent in women than in men (odds ratio [OR] = 0.33, p < 0.001) and BMD or FRAX scores did not differ between participants with and without VF. Women with VF were heavier and had higher TFM, VAT, and CRP than women without (p < 0.001). In women, greater (+1 SD) TFM and VAT increased the odds of any grade VF (TFM: OR = 1.06, p = 0.001; VAT: OR = 2.50, p = 0.002), and greater VAT mass increased the odds of prevalent mild VF (OR = 2.60, p = 0.002). In contrast, there were no associations in men. In both sexes, after controlling for body weight, neither VAT nor CRP were associated with BMD. In conclusion, irrespective of BMD, total and visceral adiposity were associated with prevalent VF in women but not in men. High fat mass, particularly if visceral, should be considered when assessing VF risk in women. Risk factors for VF in men require further investigation, particularly given their high prevalence. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells Enter Into Dormant State and Express Cancer Stem Cells Phenotype Under Chronic Hypoxia
Authors: Carcereri de Prati Alessandra , Butturini Elena , Rigo Antonella , Oppici Elisa , Rossin Michele , Boriero Diana , Mariotto Sofia
Published: March 2017

Tumor dormancy is a poorly understood stage in cancer progression characterized by mitotic cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and low metabolism. The cells survive in a quiescent state and wait for appropriate environmental conditions to begin proliferation again giving rise to metastasis. Despite their key role in cancer development and metastasis, the knowledge about their biology and origin is still very limited due to the poorness of established in vitro models that faithfully recapitulated tumor dormancy. Using at least three cycles of 1% O2 hypoxia and reoxygenation, we establish and characterize the hypoxia‐resistant human breast cancer cell line chMDA‐MB‐231 that can stably survive under 1% O2 condition by entering into dormant state characterized by arrest in G0/G1 phase and low metabolism. This dormant state is reversible since once replaced in normoxia the cells recover the proliferation rate in 2 weeks. We show that chronic hypoxia induces autophagy that may be the survival mechanism of chMDA‐MB‐231 cells. Furthermore, the data in this work demonstrate that cycling hypoxic/reoxygenation stress selects MDA‐MB‐231 population that presents the cancer stem‐like phenotype characterized by CD24−/CD44+/ESA+ expression and spheroid forming capacity. We believe that our study presents a promising approach to select dormant breast cancer cells with stem‐like phenotype using the hypoxia/reoxygenation regimen that may represent an area with profound implications for therapeutic developments in oncology. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 3237–3248, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
New Synthesis of 7‐(3‐chloropropoxy)‐4‐hydroxy‐6‐methoxyquinoline‐3‐carbonitrile, a Key Intermediate to Bosutinib
Authors: Zhu Guoqing , Sun Mingchen , Zhu Chunping , Wang Han , Xu Jingli
Published: March 2017

A new and convenient synthesis of 7‐(3‐chloropropoxy)‐4‐hydroxy‐6‐methoxyquinoline‐3‐carbonitrile, the key intermediate to bosutinib, is described on a hectogram scale. 5‐Bromo‐2‐methoxyphenol is adopted as the starting material via the simple chemical process including Friedel‐Crafts reaction, alkylation, bromination, cyano substitution, and so on to give the 3‐amino‐2‐(2‐bromobenzoyl)acrylonitrile compound 25, which underwent key intramolecular cyclization at K2CO3/DMF condition; the title product was obtained in 36.9% yield over 7 steps and 98.71% purity (HPLC).
The fatty acid profile of fat depots from Santa Inês sheep fed spineless cactus (Opuntia ficus‐indica Mill.)
Authors: Costa Roberto G , Almeida Michelly DA , Cruz George Rodrigo B , Beltrão Filho Edvaldo M , Ribeiro Neila L , Madruga Marta S , Queiroga Rita de Cássia RE
Published: March 2017

BACKGROUND

Fat is the tissue that varies most in animals from both a quantitative and distribution perspective. It plays a fundamental biological role as energy storage during food scarcity. Renal, pelvic and internal fat are deposited first. These fats are used to identify fatty acid profiles that may be considered beneficial or unhealthy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the fatty acid profile of fat depots in Santa Inês sheep finished in confinement with spineless cactus in their diets.

RESULTS

The treatments included increasing levels of spineless cactus (Opuntia fícus‐indica Mill.): T1 = 0%, T2 = 30%, T3 = 50%, and T4 = 70%. The diets significantly affected the adipose depots. The orthogonal contrast between the diet with no cactus (control) and the other diets indicates that the quantity of saturated fatty acids decreased and that the levels of mono‐unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids increased in animals fed spineless cactus.

CONCLUSION

The use of spineless cactus in the diets of Santa Inês sheep affects the lipid profile of their fat depots, reducing the quantity of saturated fatty acids and increasing the quantity of mono‐unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acid profile of the fat depots indicates that these fats can be used to formulate meat products and add economic and nutritional value to such products, which increases sheep farmers' incomes. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Coupled changes between the H‐Print biomarker and δ15N indicates a variable sea ice carbon contribution to the diet of Cumberland Sound beluga whales
Authors: Brown T. A. , Chrystal E. , Ferguson S. H. , Yurkowski D. J. , Watt C. , Hussey N. E. , Kelley T. C. , Belt S. T.
Published: March 2017

Sub‐Arctic habitats are being exposed to increasingly long periods of open water as sea ice continues to decline in thickness and extent. Some hypothesize that this will result in a reduction, and maybe total loss of sea ice derived (sympagic) carbon supply; however, the impact of such change on ecosystems requires further investigation. Here, we used the H‐Print biomarker approach that utilizes well‐defined indicators of both sympagic and phytoplanktic carbon, in combination with stable isotopes (δ15N), to study the effect of reducing sympagic carbon availability on beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the sub‐Arctic ecosystem of Cumberland Sound. Our data show that decreasing δ15N in belugas was negatively correlated with pelagic carbon (H‐Print) within their diet. We also identified a statistically significant (R2 = 0.82; p ≤ 0.01) change point in the proportion of sympagic/pelagic carbon within beluga around the year 2000, signified by consistently reducing δ15N, coupled with increasing pelagic carbon composition. This observed shift from sympagic to pelagic contribution to diet is likely to remain a feature of the Cumberland Sound ecosystem during the projected reduction of sea ice.
THE RISE OF THE HUMAN ECONOMY
Authors: Seidman Dov
Published: March 2017

In the face of rampant technology and automation (including warnings about jobs being lost to robots), Seidman points out that we must cultivate trust, truth, values, passion, and other human‐related qualities. He notes that numerous companies tout the word human in their slogans. In many cases, these companies do exemplify human‐centered values. However, “though these efforts are likely earnest attempts to embody human values, companies get into trouble when they don't fully and completely instill these values in their organizations.” Citing the example of Nelson Mandela, Seidman writes: “When you demonstrate moral authority, people follow you not because they have to, but because they want to.”
HOW LEADERS CAN FACILITATE ENGAGING CAREER CONVERSATIONS
Authors: Blake Jenny
Published: March 2017

Today's organizations need what Blake refers to as “impacters” who “are compelled to make a difference in others' lives. They long to be innovative, to come up with new ideas and build movements around them.” Although financial security is important to them, they aim more for “high net growth” than “high net worth.” Blake provides ideas for internal managing, learning, mentoring, and coaching, with a strong background of communication and meaningful conversations. “Do not wait until you have the perfect solution to try something that sounds interesting; you will probably never feel like you have enough time, budget, or resources,” she writes.
HOW FOUNDERS CREATE THE CULTURE OF THE COMPANIES THEY BUILD
Authors: Brown Damon
Published: March 2017

Brown believes that culture's importance cannot be overstated: “Culture is perhaps the biggest market differentiator, even above price of service and being the first to market,” he writes. Particularly in start‐ups, culture reflects the attributes of the founders. Brown points to his own example with his (since sold) app company Cuddlr, along with Travis Kalanick of Uber and Jack Dorsey of Twitter. Brown also reaches back to one of history's greatest founders: “Walt Disney said he wanted to fuel imaginations, not make cartoons, and that enabled him to create amazing architecture, theme parks, and other brilliant projects that fit into his cultural values.”
Fast shading correction for cone beam CT in radiation therapy via sparse sampling on planning CT
Authors: Shi Linxi , Tsui Tiffany , Wei Jikun , Zhu Lei
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The image quality of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is limited by severe shading artifacts, hindering its quantitative applications in radiation therapy. In this work, we propose an image‐domain shading correction method using planning CT (pCT) as prior information which is highly adaptive to clinical environment.

Method

We propose to perform shading correction via sparse sampling on pCT. The method starts with a coarse mapping between the first‐pass CBCT images obtained from the Varian TrueBeam system and the pCT. The scatter correction method embedded in the Varian commercial software removes some image errors but the CBCT images still contain severe shading artifacts. The difference images between the mapped pCT and the CBCT are considered as shading errors, but only sparse shading samples are selected for correction using empirical constraints to avoid carrying over false information from pCT. A Fourier‐Transform‐based technique, referred to as local filtration, is proposed to efficiently process the sparse data for effective shading correction. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated on one anthropomorphic pelvis phantom and 17 patients, who were scheduled for radiation therapy. (The codes of the proposed method and sample data can be downloaded from https://sites.google.com/view/linxicbct)

Results

The proposed shading correction substantially improves the CBCT image quality on both the phantom and the patients to a level close to that of the pCT images. On the phantom, the spatial nonuniformity (SNU) difference between CBCT and pCT is reduced from 74 to 1 HU. The root of mean square difference of SNU between CBCT and pCT is reduced from 83 to 10 HU on the pelvis patients, and from 101 to 12 HU on the thorax patients. The robustness of the proposed shading correction is fully investigated with simulated registration errors between CBCT and pCT on the phantom and mis‐registration on patients. The sparse sampling scheme of our method successfully avoids false structures in the corrected CBCT even when the maximum registration error is as high as 8 mm.

Conclusion

We develop an effective shading correction algorithm for CBCT readily implementable on clinical data as a software plug‐in without modifications of current imaging hardware and protocol. The algorithm is directly applied on the output images from a commercial CBCT scanner with high computational efficiency and negligible memory burden.
Coupling of CFD Simulations and Population Balance Modeling to Predict Brownian Coagulation in an Emulsion Polymerization Reactor
Authors: Aryafar Solmaz , Sheibat‐Othman Nida , McKenna Timothy F. L.
Published: March 2017

In this study a framework consisting of a computational fluid dynamics simulation coupled to a population balance model for the modeling of emulsion polymerizations is proposed. The combined approach is used to understand the impact of changing length and time scales, as well as mixing conditions on the particle size distribution (PSD) of a polymer latex under different conditions. It is shown that the effect of agitation rate can have a profound impact on the distribution of ionic species in the reactor, and thus on the evolution of the PSD.

image
Bone quantitative susceptibility mapping using a chemical species–specific signal model with ultrashort and conventional echo data
Authors: Dimov Alexey V. , Liu Zhe , Spincemaille Pascal , Prince Martin R. , Du Jiang , Wang Yi
Published: March 2017

Purpose

To develop quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) of bone using an ultrashort echo time (UTE) gradient echo (GRE) sequence for signal acquisition and a bone‐specific effective transverse relaxation rate (
) to model water–fat MR signals for field mapping.

Methods

Three‐dimensional radial UTE data (echo times ≥ 40 μs) was acquired on a 3 Tesla scanner and fitted with a bone‐specific signal model to map the chemical species and susceptibility field. Experiments were performed ex vivo on a porcine hoof and in vivo on healthy human subjects (n = 7). For water–fat separation, a bone‐specific model assigning
decay mostly to water was compared with the standard models that assigned the same decay for both fat and water. In the ex vivo experiment, bone QSM was correlated with CT.

Results

Compared with standard models, the bone‐specific
method significantly reduced errors in the fat fraction within the cortical bone in all tested data sets, leading to reduced artifacts in QSM. Good correlation was found between bone CT and QSM values in the porcine hoof (R2 = 0.77). Bone QSM was successfully generated in all subjects.

Conclusions

The QSM of bone is feasible using UTE with a conventional echo time GRE acquisition and a bone‐specific
signal model. Magn Reson Med 79:121–128, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
High‐resolution in vivo diffusion imaging of the human brain with generalized slice dithered enhanced resolution: Simultaneous multislice (gSlider‐SMS)
Authors: Setsompop Kawin , Fan Qiuyun , Stockmann Jason , Bilgic Berkin , Huang Susie , Cauley Stephen F. , Nummenmaa Aapo , Wang Fuyixue , Rathi Yogesh , Witzel Thomas , Wald Lawrence L.
Published: March 2017

Purpose

To develop an efficient acquisition for high‐resolution diffusion imaging and allow in vivo whole‐brain acquisitions at 600‐ to 700‐μm isotropic resolution.

Methods

We combine blipped‐controlled aliasing in parallel imaging simultaneous multislice (SMS) with a novel slab radiofrequency (RF) encoding gSlider (generalized slice‐dithered enhanced resolution) to form a signal‐to‐noise ratio–efficient volumetric simultaneous multislab acquisition. Here, multiple thin slabs are acquired simultaneously with controlled aliasing, and unaliased with parallel imaging. To achieve high resolution in the slice direction, the slab is volumetrically encoded using RF encoding with a scheme similar to Hadamard encoding. However, with gSlider, the RF‐encoding bases are specifically designed to be highly independent and provide high image signal‐to‐noise ratio in each slab acquisition to enable self‐navigation of the diffusion's phase corruption. Finally, the method is combined with zoomed imaging (while retaining whole‐brain coverage) to facilitate low‐distortion single‐shot in‐plane encoding with echo‐planar imaging at high resolution.

Results

A 10‐slices‐per‐shot gSlider‐SMS acquisition was used to acquire whole‐brain data at 660 and 760 μm isotropic resolution with b‐values of 1500 and 1800 s/mm2, respectively. Data were acquired on the Connectome 3 Tesla scanner with 64‐channel head coil. High‐quality data with excellent contrast were achieved at these resolutions, which enable the visualization of fine‐scale structures.

Conclusions

The gSlider‐SMS approach provides a new, efficient way to acquire high‐resolution diffusion data. Magn Reson Med 79:141–151, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.