bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early results of lower dose dasatinib (50 mg daily) as frontline therapy for newly diagnosed chronic‐phase chronic myeloid leukemia
Authors: Naqvi Kiran , Jabbour Elias , Skinner Jeffrey , Yilmaz Musa , Ferrajoli Alessandra , Bose Prithviraj , Thompson Philip , Alvarado Yesid , Jain Nitin , Takahashi Koichi , Burger Jan , Estrov Zeev , Borthakur Gautam , Pemmaraju Naveen , Paul Shilpa , Cortes Jorge , Kantarjian Hagop M.
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND

Dasatinib is a potent BCR‐ABL1 and Src family tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It is approved at a dose of 100 mg orally daily for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (CML‐CP). This dose schedule is associated with myelosuppression and pleural effusions. Anecdotal data suggest that lower doses may be as effective and less toxic. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of a lower dose of dasatinib (50 mg daily) in patients with newly diagnosed CML‐CP.

METHODS

Seventy‐five patients with newly diagnosed CML‐CP received dasatinib 50 mg daily. The eligibility and response criteria were standards used in previous protocols.

RESULTS

At a median follow‐up of 9 months, 60 patients were evaluable for a response at 3 months. The rates of patients achieving BCR‐ABL1 transcript levels ≤ 10% and ≤ 1% at 3 months by the International Standard were 93% and 72%, respectively. The rates of complete cytogenetic response by conventional cytogenetics or fluorescence in situ hybridization at 6 and 12 months were 86% and 88%, respectively. At 12 months, 79%, 71%, and 46% of the patients had achieved a major molecular response, a molecular response with a 4.0‐log reduction, and a molecular response with a 4.5‐log reduction, respectively. Nine patients had a dose interruption for ≤14 days. Only 1 patient developed a pleural effusion requiring a dose reduction to 20 mg. All patients remained alive and with no transformation so far.

CONCLUSION

Dasatinib 50 mg daily is active and well tolerated in patients with newly diagnosed CML‐CP. It should be further explored as a new potential standard‐of‐care option for chronic myeloid leukemia. Cancer 2018;124:2740‐2747. © 2018 American Cancer Society
Phase 2 trial of bortezomib in combination with rituximab plus hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone alternating with bortezomib, rituximab, methotrexate, and cytarabine for untreated mantle cell lymphoma
Authors: Romaguera Jorge E. , Wang Michael , Feng Lei , Fayad Luis E. , Hagemeister Frederick , McLaughlin Peter , Rodriguez M. Alma , Fanale Michelle , Orlowski Robert , Kwak Larry W. , Neelapu Sattva , Oki Yasuhiro , Pro Barbara , Younes Anas , Samaniego Felipe , Fowler Nathan , Hartig Kimberly , Valentinetti Marisa , Smith Judy , Ford Peggy , Naig Adam , Medeiros L. Jeffrey , Kantarjian Hagop M. , Goy Andre
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND

Although the outcomes of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) have improved, there is still no cure. Bortezomib has a 33% response rate in relapsed/refractory MCL and has shown additive and/or synergistic effects in preclinical trials with known effective agents.

METHODS

This is a report of a prospective phase 2 trial of bortezomib added to rituximab plus hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone (BzR‐hyperCVAD)/rituximab, high‐dose methotrexate, and high‐dose cytarabine (BzR‐MA) for 95 patients with newly diagnosed MCL.

RESULTS

The overall and complete response rates were 100% and 82%, respectively. Hematologic toxicity was high but expected and did not lead to an increased incidence of neutropenic fever or dose reductions in comparison with a similar reported regimen without bortezomib. After a median follow‐up of 44 months, the median overall survival had not been reached, and the time to treatment failure (TTF) was 55 months, which is not different from that of historical controls.

CONCLUSIONS

BzR‐hyperCVAD/BzR‐MA at the dose and schedule studied produced high rates of response and a TTF similar to that of historical reports without bortezomib. Cancer 2018;124:2561‐9. © 2018 American Cancer Society.
Prostate cancer screening: And the pendulum swings
Authors: Brawley Otis W.
Published: May 2018

The utility of prostate cancer screening has been 1 of the major issues in medicine for 25 years. Helgstrand and colleagues present a unique assessment demonstrating that screening reduces prostate‐specific mortality but also results in significant cancer overdiagnosis.

See also pages 2931‐8.
Heuristic analysis influence of saliency in the color diversity of natural images
Authors: Nieves Juan Luis , Romero Javier
Published: May 2018

The estimation of chromatic diversity of natural images is commonly quantified through the computation of the number of discernible colors and has received much attention because of the different implications it has. However, the relationship between that number and the number of colors that really attracts the attention from an observer is still not clear and has been given little attention. New concepts about salient discernible colors‐the salient chromatic diversity of images‐ and remarkable salient colors‐connected colors in the same salient image area‐are introduced as opposed to the classical number of discernible object colors, which is usually evaluated for the global image without differentiating between probable attended and non‐attended image regions. We have used different well‐known saliency models to locate the salient regions in the scenes and have heuristically studied the extent to which those models preserve the chromatic diversity of natural images. Based on a bottom‐up approach, a reduction of around 40%‐55% in the number of discernible colors were obtained, and not all saliency algorithms preserved a uniform sampling of the original color gamut. Thus, our results suggests that particularly the graph‐based visual saliency model got good low dissimilarity values in comparison with other approaches that put emphasis solely on color as the main low‐level feature. Furthermore, we have introduced a quantification scheme of the average number of remarkable salient colors appearing in the images, and have proved how the heuristic‐based analysis of salient image areas can be used to create segmented images automatically according to their salient chromatic diversity.
Papanicolaou induced fluorescence, Ziehl‐Neelsen and Auramine O stains on lymph node fine needle aspiration biopsy specimens from children: A comparative study
Authors: Selepe Malesiba Mampotoko , van Wyk Abraham Christoffel , Hoek Kim Gilberte Pauline , Prince Yvonne , van Helden Paul David , Warren Robin Mark , Wright Colleen Anne
Published: May 2018

Background

The rapid diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in children remains challenging. The presence of enlarged lymph nodes provides an opportunity to obtain diagnostic material through fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Mycobacterial culture, traditionally the reference standard, has a slow turnaround time and PCR‐based methods are not widely available in developing countries. Direct visualization of mycobacteria on microscopy can be a rapid method to confirm the diagnosis. This study compared three staining methods to visualize mycobacteria.

Methods

Hundred FNAB specimens from persistently enlarged lymph nodes in children, clinically suspicious for tuberculosis, were evaluated for the presence of mycobacteria by three staining methods: Papanicolaou induced fluorescence (PIF) and Auramine O staining using fluorescence microscopy and Ziehl‐Neelsen (ZN) staining using conventional light microscopy. These methods were evaluated against mycobacterial culture.

Results

PIF positivity was 30%, with 38% and 48% for Auramine O and ZN respectively. The combined ZN/PIF positivity was 56%. The highest diagnostic accuracy (73%) was demonstrated by ZN alone and in combination with PIF, with PIF alone showing the lowest (49%) accuracy. Although the combined test showed the highest sensitivity, it had the lowest specificity, while ZN was significantly more sensitive than both other staining modalities. No statistical difference in specificity was seen among the tests.

Conclusion

This study suggests that Auramine O staining on previously ZN stained slides does not significantly improve diagnostic accuracy. While currently widely available methods of direct visualization of mycobacteria suffer from low sensitivity, the ZN stain remains a useful diagnostic test, particularly in resource‐constrained countries.
Reserve design to optimize the long‐term persistence of multiple species
Authors: Strimas‐Mackey Matthew , Brodie Jedediah F.
Published: May 2018

Protected areas form the cornerstone of global efforts to conserve biodiversity. Most current methods for designing reserve networks focus on maximizing the representation of species, but with no assurance that those species will persist in the protected landscapes into the future. We present a new strategy for reserve design that combines metapopulation theory with spatial conservation prioritization to estimate conservation solutions that minimize extinction risk across numerous species simultaneously. Our framework optimizes the spatial configuration of reserves to maximize metapopulation persistence for an entire assemblage of species by accounting for both species representation and landscape connectivity. As a case study, we design a reserve network for 114 terrestrial mammal species in Indonesian New Guinea. Our approach builds on Marxan, the flagship representation‐based reserve design tool, improving estimated persistence (metapopulation capacity) by an average of 4.6‐fold across species, without increasing the socioeconomic cost. We suggest that enhancing species persistence, rather than protecting arbitrary proportions of species’ ranges, should be the ultimate objective of conservation planning.
A Route to Synthesize MgAl‐Layered Double Hydroxides via Topotactic Reaction of Mg2+ with Al(OH)3
Authors: Li Yanan , Liang Dujuan , Feng Pingping , Yang Xiaojing
Published: May 2018

We propose an alternative to the synthesis of MgAl‐layered double hydroxides (LDHs) via controlling the topotactic reaction of Mg2+, OH–, and NO3– with Al(OH)3 in an aqueous buffer solution (e.g. pH = 9), and the formed MgAl‐LDH crystals are the pseudomorph of the Al(OH)3 precursor but with an increase in volume.
Rhodium(I) Complexes of N‐Aryl‐Substituted Mono‐ and Bis(amidinates) Derived from Their Alkali Metal Salts
Authors: Moos Eric M. B. , González‐Gallardo Sandra , Radius Michael , Breher Frank
Published: May 2018

The synthesis and characterization of several rhodium(I) complexes of amidinate and linker‐bridged bis(amidinate) ligands are presented. The amidinate ligands for the mononuclear complexes CH3{C(NMes)2Rh(cod)} (1), CH3{C(NDipp)2Rh(cod)} (2), and HCC{C(NDipp)2Rh(cod)} (3) (cod = 1,5‐cyclooctadiene) were synthesized by reacting the corresponding organometallic precursor [Rh(cod)Cl]2 with the alkali metal amidinates CH3{C(NR)2Li} L1Li (R = Mes = 2,4,6‐Me3C6H2) and L2Li (R = Dipp = 2,6‐iPr2C6H3). Analogously, the alkynyl‐functionalized sodium amidinate (HCC{C(NDipp)2Na}·2DME, L3Na) could be further deprotonated and reacted with carbodiimine to form the alkyne‐bridged bis(amidinate) CC{C(NDipp)2Na(thf)}2 (L4Na), which serves as suitable starting material for the synthesis of CC{C(NDipp)2Rh(cod)}2 (4). The bis(amidinate) ligands for the corresponding para‐ (5) and meta‐ (6) phenylene‐bridged complexes p‐/m‐C6H4{C(NMes)2Rh(cod)}2 were accessible through the reaction of phthalic acids with trimethylsilyl polyphosphate and mesitylamine and subsequent deprotonation of the obtained amidines. Tetramesityl oxalamidinate was used to synthesize the dinuclear complex {C(NMes)2Rh(cod)}2 (7) and its carbonylation product {C(NMes)2Rh(CO)2}2 (8). All compounds under study were fully characterized by various spectroscopic methods. In particular the alkali metal salt of the linker‐bridged bis(amidinate) L5Na forms a one‐dimensional coordination polymer in the solid state. Reaction of L5Na and L6Na with [Rh(cod)Cl]2 leads to dinuclear complexes in which the metal–metal distance can be adjusted, enabling us to study their reactivity, including possible cooperative effects in catalysis.
Rapid Synthesis of l‐Idosyl Glycosyl Donors from α‐Thioglucosides for the Preparation of Heparin Disaccharides
Authors: Herczeg Mihály , Demeter Fruzsina , Balogh Tímea , Kelemen Viktor , Borbás Anikó
Published: May 2018

A new methodology for the synthesis of the most challenging heparin building block has been developed. Orthogonally protected l‐idosyl glycosyl donors were prepared by C5 epimerization of the corresponding thioglucosides using the hydroboration/oxidation method followed by a 4,6‐acetal formation. The α‐anomeric configuration was crucial, and the bulky C4 substituent was advantageous for the high l‐ido diastereoselectivity. The 4,6‐arylmethylene group proved to be a directing element in glycosylation, whereby stereoselective α‐idosylation could be achieved by using idosyl donors without a C‐2 participating group.
Loyal peripherals? The interactive effects of identification and peripheral group membership on deviance from non‐beneficial ingroup norms
Authors: Masson Torsten , Fritsche Immo
Published: May 2018

For ensuring the well‐being of groups, people are needed who deviate from ingroup norms that harm the group (“loyal deviance”). Qualifying previous results that loyal deviants have to be highly identified with the group, we hypothesize and show that this is only true when group members at the same time feel that they are highly prototypical for the group. No such effects occurred for peripheral members. In all three studies (N1 = 207, N2 = 115, N3 = 107), we measured people's intention to conform to a non‐beneficial (vs. beneficial; Study 1) ingroup norm, self‐investment in the group, and perceived (manipulated in Study 3) marginalization. Obviously, dissent from non‐beneficial norms requires both a deep psychological investment in the group as well as secure ingroup membership. Implications are discussed.
Seismic hazard in Buenos Aires, Argentina: A preliminary study on the effects of long‐distance earthquakes on tall buildings
Authors: Bertero Raúl D. , Vaquero Sebastián , Mussat Juan M. , Bertero Agustín
Published: May 2018

The 2015 Illapel earthquake produced self‐evacuation of tall buildings in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, located 1280 km away from the epicenter. The ground motions in Buenos Aires due to the main event (Mw 8.3) and its aftershocks were registered by a new seismometer. The data collected allowed to estimate the maximum story drift ratios and top floor accelerations for tall buildings in Buenos Aires. The similarities between the response spectra and the Fourier amplitude spectra for the mainshock and its aftershocks show the influence that the dynamic properties of the 300‐m soil deposit have on the large acceleration amplification produced in these groups of buildings.
The modified spring‐stiffness model for welded simple connection at elevated temperature
Authors: Saedi Daryan Amir
Published: May 2018

The outbreak of fire events in high‐rise buildings in recent years and the vulnerability of steel structure buildings, which leads to partial or complete failure of structures, clearly illustrate the need for designing such buildings against fire. The first step in fire design of structures is to have access to simplified equations for analyzing structural components against fire. Regarding this issue, to provide moment‐rotation relationships for designing welded seated angle connections, a modified spring stiffness model is presented in this article. In this method, the effective connection components are represented as springs with certain strength and stiffness properties that change as the temperature changes. Considering the special effect of welds on the behavior of these types of connections, separate springs for each section of the welds are considered and the effects of temperature on welds and base metal are taken into account. Comparing the results obtained from the proposed formulas with those of the tests, as well as the numerical analysis results, shows that the results in this method can be provided fast and accurately.
Deficient supplementary motor area at rest: Neural basis of limb kinetic deficits in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Kübel Stefanie , Stegmayer Katharina , Vanbellingen Tim , Walther Sebastian , Bohlhalter Stephan
Published: May 2018

Parkinson's disease (PD) patients frequently suffer from limb kinetic apraxia (LKA) affecting quality of life. LKA denotes an impairment of precise and independent finger movements beyond bradykinesia, which is reliably assessed by coin rotation (CR) task. BOLD fMRI detected activation of a left inferior parietal‐premotor praxis network in PD during CR. Here, we explored which network site is most critical for LKA using arterial spin labeling (ASL). Based on a hierarchical model, we hypothesized that LKA would predominantly affect the functional integrity of premotor areas including supplementary motor areas (SMA). Furthermore, we suspected that for praxis function with higher demand on temporal‐spatial processing such as gesturing, inferior parietal lobule (IPL) upstream to premotor areas would be essential. A total of 21 PD patients and 20 healthy controls underwent ASL acquisition during rest. Behavioral assessment outside the scanner involved the CR, finger tapping task, and the test of upper limb apraxia (TULIA). Whole‐brain analysis of activity at rest showed a significant reduction of CR‐related perfusion in the left SMA of PD. Furthermore, the positive correlation between SMA perfusion and CR, seen in controls, was lost in patients. By contrast, TULIA was significantly associated with the perfusion of left IPL in both patients and controls. In conclusion, the findings suggest that LKA in PD are linked to an intrinsic disruption of the left SMA function, which may only be overcome by compensatory network activation. In addition, gestural performance relies on IPL which remains available for functional recruitment in early PD.
Is distribution of health expenditure in Iran pro‐poor?
Authors: Emamgholipour Sara , Agheli Lotfali
Published: May 2018

Background

The size and distribution of households' health care expenditure indicate the financial burden on different income groups. Since the distribution of health expenditure evaluates the performance of health systems, this study aims to examine the health expenditure distribution among urban and rural households in Iran.

Methods

This research was conducted on the distribution of health expenditure among urban and rural households in 2014. The effects of households' health expenditure on distribution of personal incomes were measured by using Kakwani and Reynolds‐Smolensky indices. In addition, Theil T index was used to classify provinces based on inequality in health expenditure distribution. The calculations were made by using EXCEL.

Results

The Kakwani indices for urban and rural households were calculated around −0.572 and −0.485, respectively. Reynolds‐Smolensky indices for urban and rural households were measured as much as −0.038 and −0.031, respectively. Regardless of income distribution, Theil T index shows that urban households face with the most unequal distribution in health expenditure.

Conclusion

Based on calculations, the distribution of health expenditure is against the poor households. In addition, this distribution is more regressive in urban than rural households. As well, Reynolds‐Smolensky indices indicate more uneven income distribution after paying for health care, and inequality is larger among urban than rural households. To this research, the health policymaking priorities should be given to the provinces with the highest inequality, and the expenditure burden of low‐income households should be reduced through expanding insurance coverage.
ADDRESSING SUBSTANCE‐USE PROBLEMS IN TRIBAL HOME VISITING
Authors: Novins Douglas K. , Ferron Cathy , Abramson Lisa , Barlow Allison
Published: May 2018

Given the high rates for substance use among women and men of childbearing age, perinatal and early childhood home‐visiting programs serving tribal communities must consider how they will address substance‐use problems among the families they support. In this study, we explored the approaches to identifying and addressing family‐based substance‐use problems that were implemented by nine home‐visiting programs serving American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities that are funded through the federal Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (Tribal MIECHV). These programs demonstrated a high awareness of substance‐use problems and took concrete action to address them above and beyond that included in the home‐visiting model they used. All nine programs reported that they provided substance‐use preventive services and screened for substance‐use problems. While all programs referred to substance‐use treatment programs when needed, in six programs the home visitor provided substance‐use services. Through Tribal MIECHV, the intense need for substance‐use education, assessment, service delivery, and referral in many AI/AN communities is pushing the home‐visiting field forward to address this increasingly critical issue for low‐income families across the United States and the world.
Applying partial root drying drip irrigation in the presence of organic mulching. Is that the best irrigation practice for arid regions? Field and modelling study using the saltmed model
Authors: Abdelraouf R.E. , Ragab R.
Published: May 2018

This research aimed at investigating the impact of irrigation systems, a deficit irrigation strategy and organic mulching using rice straw on maize water productivity in Egypt's arid conditions. The field experiment included 16 treatments over 2 seasons, 2015 and 2016. Irrigation systems were a drip irrigation system (DIS) and a furrow irrigation system (FIS), while the irrigation strategies were 100% full irrigation (FI), 75% FI, 50% FI and partial root drying (PRD). Organic mulching using rice straw (OMRS) was also investigated. The experimental results indicated that there was a positive impact of applying a PRD strategy by drip irrigation in the presence of organic mulching on the yield (12.6 t ha‐1 for 2015 and 12 t ha‐1 for 2016) and on the water productivity of maize (4.81 kg m‐3 for 2015 and 4.58 kg m‐3 for 2016), but under the control treatment (FIS with 100% full irrigation and without organic mulching) yield was 7.22 t ha‐1 for 2015 and 7.34 t ha‐1 for 2016 and water productivity of maize was 0.64 kg m‐3 for 2015 and 0.62 kg m‐3 for 2016. The SALTMED model simulated reasonably well the soil moisture and salinity distribution as well as maize dry matter, yield and water productivity for all treatments, with R2 of 0.998, 0.997 and 0.996, respectively. The results support the use of a PRD strategy by a drip irrigation system accompanied by an organic mulch of rice straw instead of the commonly used furrow irrigation. The PRD would save more fresh water, achieve higher yields and water productivity. In addition, mulching would reduce evaporation losses, retain soil moisture and increase organic matter content. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF BANK STANDBY LETTERS OF CREDIT RISK
Authors: Hassan M. Kabir
Published: May 2018

Bank exposure to off‐balance sheet activities in general and Standby Letters of Credit (SLCs) in particular has become a major concern to regulators. The risk‐exposure of SLCs has been re‐examined by employing option pricing methodologies to calculate implied asset risk from bank equity and flat deposit insurance, and from risk‐premia on bank subordinated debt. The results indicate that SLC reduce systematic risk, equity risk, and implied asset risk. It appears that Standby Letters of Credit contribute to the overall diversification of bank's assets.
THE IMPACT OF SALE‐LEASEBACKS TRANSACTIONS ON BONDHOLDER AND SHAREHOLDER WEALTH
Authors: Rutherford Ronald C.
Published: May 2018

Prior research has shown that a sale and leaseback transaction (SLBT) results in positive average abnormal returns to the lessee's common stockholders. Researchers have conjectured that this could be due to SLBT tax benefits or due to a wealth transfer from bondholders (since after the SLBT it is possible that fewer assets remain as collateral). This study shows that bondholders do not lose in SLBT's and confirms previous results showing that stockholders gain from sale leaseback transactions. The results are consistent with the position that bondholders write provisions to protect their rights to the underlying assets, resulting in no wealth transfer from bondholders to stockholders when the firm sells off assets and leases them back.
A SIMPLE MODEL OF BID‐ASK SPREAD AND SEARCH
Authors: Yavaş Abdullah
Published: May 2018

This paper analyzes a simple search model of market making in which the agents can choose between searching for a trading partner or trading through the market‐maker. Explicit solutions for the equilibrium search intensities and the bid‐ask spread have been provided. Equilibrium search intensities and the bid‐ask spread reflect the strategic interaction between the agents and the market‐maker: an increase in the bid‐ask spread results in higher search intensities. The bid‐ask spread, on the other hand, reacts negatively to an increase in the search intensities (due to lower search costs, higher efficiency of search, or higher gains from a match). It is also shown that the introduction of a market‐maker increases the seller's reservation price and decreases the buyer's reservation price, hence narrowing the price dispersion.
UNIT ROOT TESTING: A CRITIQUE FROM CHAOS THEORY
Authors: Cunningham Steven R.
Published: May 2018

A counter‐example from chaos theory is used to challenge the augmented Dickey‐Fuller (ADF) test and common prewhitening techniques. The ADF test is applied to data constructed from a fully deterministic nonlinear (chaotic) process. The null hypothesis, that a unit root is present, cannot be rejected; “stationarity” is achieved by prewhitening. The largest Lyapunov exponent and the correlation dimension are estimated for the original and conditioned series in efforts to detect the nonlinearity and ascertain information regarding its specification. This is repeated in the presence of additive white noise. In no case is the procedure successful, nor is misspecification avoided. Along the way, the tests for nonlinearity provide evidence in support of the results of Nelson and Plosser (1982), that the removal of deterministic trends from time series that appear to be unit root processes can lead to spurious results.
THE EFFECTS OF STOCK SPLITS ON THE OWNERSHIP MIX OF A FIRM
Authors: Powell Gary E. , Baker H. Kent
Published: May 2018

This paper examines the relationship between stock splits and the ownership mix of firms. Previous studies suggest that firms issue stock splits to lower their stock price into an optimal range so small investors can more easily afford to buy round lots. The results of this paper show a positive relationship between stock splits and institutional ownership but no effect on the firm's number of shareholders. Thus, the percentage of shares owned by individual investors decreases after a stock split. The inverse relationship between institutional ownership and a firm's total assets suggests that small firms use stock splits to attract attention from Wall Street.
DOES THE OCTOBER 1987 CRASH STRENGTHEN THE CO‐MOVEMENTS AMONG NATIONAL STOCK MARKETS?
Authors: Lee Sang Bin , Kim Kwang Jung
Published: May 2018

This study examines the effect of the October 1987 crash on the co‐movements among national stock markets. Interrelationships among the price movements in different national stock markets are analyzed using correlation and exploratory factor analysis. The data on weekly returns of 12 national stock market indices over the period from August 1984 to December 1990 are used in both local‐currency and U.S. dollar terms for the analysis. This study finds that national stock markets became more interrelated after the crash, and the strengthening co‐movements among national stock markets continued for a longer period after the crash. In addition, it is shown that the co‐movements among national stock markets were stronger when the U. S. stock market was more volatile. These results imply that after investors experienced the October crash, they tend to give more weight to international factors in making investment decisions after the crash than before.
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND CHOICE OF FINANCING: A TEST OF THE PECKING ORDER HYPOTHESIS
Authors: Klein Daniel P. , Belt Brian
Published: May 2018

This paper studies the impact of sales growth above a sustainable level on the financing choices of the firm. Myers [1984] indicates that firms typically employ a pecking order of financing choices, using internal equity before the issuance of external debt, followed by the issuance of external equity. Contingency table analysis performed in this paper provides indirect evidence that the faster firms are growing, the more they use up available internal financing and, thus, must raise funds externally. In addition, logit analysis shows that firms with lower asymmetric information tend to raise the majority of their funds externally, with debt being the primary choice. Together, both sets of results provide indirect support for Myers' pecking order theory since it appears that firms use available internal financing, then debt, then new equity to finance growth.
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles translocate through differentiated Caco‐2 cell monolayers, without disrupting the barrier functionality or inducing genotoxic damage
Authors: Vila Laura , García‐Rodríguez Alba , Marcos Ricard , Hernández Alba
Published: May 2018

The widespread use of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) in commercial food products makes intestinal cells a suitable target. Accordingly, we have used the human colon adenocarcinoma Caco‐2 cells to detect their potential harmful effects. Caco‐2 cells can differentiate in to enterocytic‐like cells, forming consistent cell monolayers and are used as a model of the intestinal barrier. Using both undifferentiated and differentiated Caco‐2 cells, we have explored a set of biomarkers, aiming to evaluate undesirable effects associated to TiO2NP exposure. Results indicate non‐toxic effects in exposures ranging 1‐200 μg ml−1. Significant differences were observed in cell uptake, with a higher amount of incorporated TiO2NPs in undifferentiated cells, as visualized using confocal microscopy. In well‐established monolayers, translocation was detected using both confocal microscopy and transmission electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. In spite of the observed uptake and translocation, TiO2NP exposures did not modify the integrity of the monolayer, as measured using the transepithelial electrical resistance and Lucifer yellow methods. The potential genotoxic effects in differentiated cells were evaluated in the comet assay, with and without formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase enzyme to detect oxidatively the damaged DNA bases. Although some changes were detected at the lower dose (10 μg ml−1), no effects were observed at higher doses.
Response to Comment on “Cell nuclei have lower refractive index and mass density than cytoplasm”
Authors: Müller Paul , Guck Jochen
Published: May 2018

In a recent study entitled “Cell nuclei have lower refractive index and mass density than cytoplasm,” we provided strong evidence indicating that the nuclear refractive index (RI) is lower than the RI of the cytoplasm for several cell lines. In a complementary study in 2017, entitled “Is the nuclear refractive index lower than cytoplasm? Validation of phase measurements and implications for light scattering technologies,” Steelman et al. observed a lower nuclear RI also for other cell lines and ruled out methodological error sources such as phase wrapping and scattering effects. Recently, Yurkin composed a comment on these 2 publications, entitled “How a phase image of a cell with nucleus refractive index smaller than that of the cytoplasm should look like?,” putting into question the methods used for measuring the cellular and nuclear RI in the aforementioned publications by suggesting that a lower nuclear RI would produce a characteristic dip in the measured phase profile in situ. We point out the difficulty of identifying this dip in the presence of other cell organelles, noise, or blurring due to the imaging point spread function. Furthermore, we mitigate Yurkin's concerns regarding the ability of the simple‐transmission approximation to compare cellular and nuclear RI by analyzing a set of phase images with a novel, scattering‐based approach. We conclude that the absence of a characteristic dip in the measured phase profiles does not contradict the usage of the simple‐transmission approximation for the determination of the average cellular or nuclear RI. Our response can be regarded as an addition to the response by Steelman, Eldridge and Wax. We kindly ask the reader to attend to their thorough ascertainment prior to reading our response.
Development of mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles and its use in bone tissue engineering
Authors: Kong Chee Hoe , Steffi Chris , Shi Zhilong , Wang Wilson
Published: May 2018

The incidence of bone disorders, from trauma, tissue degeneration due to ageing, pathological conditions to cancer, has been increasing. The pursuit for bone graft substitutes to assist in regenerating large bone defects is ever growing as a result of the shortage in conventional autografts and allografts, in addition to the associated risks of disease transmission. However, the use of alloplastic biomaterials is limited in clinical settings, as further investigations are required to address the properties of synthetic grafts to mimic the native bone tissue and deliver desirable biomolecules to facilitate bone regeneration. This review discusses the fundamental structure and properties of bone with the emphasis on organic and inorganic components that are important for the biomaterial design. The main focus will be on the advancement and usage of bioactive glass (BG) for bone tissue engineering due to its similarity to the natural inorganic constituent of bone. The various BG synthetic processes, modifications of composition, as well as the biomolecule delivery will be discussed in great detail. As the properties of BG are tuneable according to clinical needs, it creates a new paradigm in addition to displaying its superior potential for bone tissue engineering and translational medicine in the field of orthopedic surgery. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 2878–2887, 2018.
Electronic and structural properties of Lin@Be2B8 (n = 1–14) and Lin@Be2B36 (n = 1–21) nanoflakes shed light on possible anode materials for Li‐based batteries
Authors: Goodarzi Moein , Nazari Fariba , Illas Francesc
Published: May 2018

Systematic addition of Li atoms to the Be2B8 and Be2B36 backbones has been studied by density functional theory‐based calculations with the aim to investigate properties of interest on possible anode materials for Li‐based batteries. For the Be2B8Lin (n = 1–8) and the Be2B36Lin (n = 1–20) systems, lithium salts are dominant whereas a clear electride feature shows up for Be2B8Lin (n = 9–14) and Be2B36Li21. Addition of hydrogen radicals to these systems shows that the Be2B8Li14 electride becomes a Be2B8Li14H2 hydride electride whereas Be2B36Li21 leads to a Be2B36Li21H salt. Moreover, for the addition of Li atoms to Be2B8 and the Be2B36 backbones, large values of the interaction and of the adsorption energy per Li atom, high specific capacity of Be2B8Li14 and of Be2B36Li21 (1860 and 1017 mAh g−1, respectively) and low and flat voltage associated with lithiation have been found. Likewise, the considerable thermodynamic driving force (ΔG° = −29.66 kcal/mol) and the small energy barrier (
 = 0.26 kcal/mol) associated with electron transfer in Be2B36Li21 and Be2B36 species confirm that boron rich species have potential abilities to be used in the Li‐based battery. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biochemical fingerprint of colorectal cancer cell lines using label‐free live single‐cell Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Gala de Pablo Julia , Armistead Fern J. , Peyman Sally A. , Bonthron David , Lones Michael , Smith Stephen , Evans Stephen D.
Published: May 2018

Label‐free live single‐cell Raman spectroscopy was used to obtain a chemical fingerprint of colorectal cancer cells including the classification of the SW480 and SW620 cell line model system, derived from primary and secondary tumour cells from the same patient. High‐quality Raman spectra were acquired from hundreds of live cells, showing high reproducibility between experiments. Principal component analysis with linear discriminant analysis yielded the best cell classification, with an accuracy of 98.7 ± 0.3% (standard error) when compared with discrimination trees or support vector machines. SW480 showed higher content of the disordered secondary protein structure Amide III band, whereas SW620 showed larger α‐helix and β‐sheet band content. The SW620 cell line also displayed higher nucleic acid, phosphates, saccharide, and CH2 content. HL60, HT29, HCT116, SW620, and SW480 live single‐cell spectra were classified using principal component analysis or linear discriminant analysis with an accuracy of 92.4 ± 0.4% (standard error), showing differences mainly in the β‐sheet content, the cytochrome C bands, the CH‐stretching regions, the lactate contributions, and the DNA content. The lipids contributions above 2,900 cm−1 and the lactate contributions at 1,785 cm−1 appeared to be dependent on the colorectal adenocarcinoma stage, the advanced stage cell lines showing lower lipid, and higher lactate content. The results demonstrate that these cell lines can be distinguished with high confidence, suggesting that Raman spectroscopy on live cells can distinguish between different disease stages, and could play an important role clinically as a diagnostic tool for cell phenotyping.
Outcomes of microvascular flap reconstruction of the head and neck in patients receiving systemic immunosuppressive therapy for organ transplantation
Authors: Schaverien Mark V. , Dean Riley A. , Myers Jeffrey N. , Fang Lin , Largo Rene D. , Yu Peirong
Published: May 2018

Background

For organ transplant recipients, cancer secondary to immunosuppressive therapy threatens long‐term survival. The associated multiple comorbidities make major free flap reconstruction following cancer surgery a complicated event. This study evaluates the outcomes of free flap reconstruction in this population.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of all head and neck free flap cases in patients with a history of organ transplantation receiving systemic immunosuppressive therapy between 2005 and 2017 at a single‐institution was conducted.

Results

Of 57 organ transplant patients, 25 patients (28 flaps) were included. Flaps used included the anterolateral thigh (n = 17), radial forearm (n = 4), latissimus dorsi (n = 3), fibula (n = 2), lateral arm (n = 1), and thoracodorsal artery perforator (n = 1) flaps. The most common organ transplant was kidney, then lung, liver, and heart. Mean inpatient stay was 8.2 days (range, 4‐28). Complications occurred in 15 patients, with no total or partial flap losses.

Conclusion

Major head and neck free flap reconstructive surgery can be performed safely in organ transplant patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Meticulous multidisciplinary care is required to achieve consistently successful outcomes.
Oral rehabilitation of the cancer patient: A formidable challenge
Authors: Petrovic Ivana , Rosen Evan B. , Matros Evan , Huryn Joseph M. , Shah Jatin P.
Published: May 2018

Rehabilitation of oral functions following surgery on the jaws is a goal that is often difficult to achieve. Removable dentures supported by remaining teeth or gum are often unstable and seldom satisfactory. On the other hand, endosseous (dental) implants offer a mechanism to provide stability to the dentures. This review, discusses factors related to the tumor, patient, treatment, and physicians which impact upon the feasibility and success of dental implants in patients with oral cancer.
Revegetation using the deep planting of container seedlings to overcome the limitations associated with topsoil desiccation on exposed steep earthy road slopes in the semiarid loess region of China
Authors: Zhao Xingkai , Li Zengyao , Zhu Danhong , Zhu Qingke , Robeson Michael D. , Hu Jia
Published: May 2018

Exposed, steep earthy road slopes (ESERs) in the semiarid loess region of China are prone to soil erosion and are difficult to revegetate. Topsoil desiccation (TSD) leads to land degradation, which limits the revegetation success. In this study, TSD was assessed on south‐facing ESERs (with slopes of 45–55°, 55–65°, 65–75°, and >75°), and a revegetation method using the deep planting of container seedlings of 3 species (both native and introduced species) was designed to overcome the problems associated with TSD. Plant growth was evaluated by measuring plant height and diameter of the stem base after 4 growing seasons. The following results were obtained: (a) TSD occurs on south‐facing ESERs and persists after the rainy season. The thickness of the TSD layer remained at approximately 15 cm (<20 cm for all studied slope grades) on the slopes with a formation time of approximately 3 years as of the beginning of this study, and the thickness increased to 35–40 cm on the control slope after 4 years of the study. (b) Using the deep planting of container seedlings method, plant roots can completely penetrate the TSD layer. The selected native species (Caragana korshinskii Kom. and Tamarix chinensis Lour.) and introduced species (Caryopteris clandonensis ‘Worcester Gold’) all survived; among them, T. chinensis Lour. exhibited the best growth and the best adaptation to changes in slope grade. The applied method can also effectively inhibit further increases in TSD and can be used in semiarid loess regions and similar areas.
Effect of tillage on soil erosion before and after rill development
Authors: Zhao Longshan , Hou Rui , Wu Faqi
Published: May 2018

Tillage has a large effect on soil surface microtopography and consequently on soil erosion. Here, we measured soil and water loss from soil prepared by contour tillage (CT) and reservoir tillage (RT), and to analyse why tilled slopes produce more sediment run‐off. Rainfall experiments (90 mm/hr) were carried out to simulate the overland and rill flow erosion processes. Soil type is silt clay loam. Results showed that CT and RT reduced surface run‐off by 60% compared with a smooth slope during overland flow, whereas only a small reduction in run‐off occurred during rill flow. Sediment erosion from CT was reduced by about 30–60% compared with a smooth slope for both overland and rill flow erosion processes. Although RT also resulted in reduced sediment erosion during overland flow, sediment erosion increased by 25% during rill flow, leading to an overall increase in sediment flow on the RT‐treated slope. For slopes with CT, sediment production depends on the ridges, but furrows limit sediment transport. For slopes with RT, sediment production depends on the depressions, but once the depressions fill with sediment, rainwater outflowing from the depressions cause rill flow erosion and greater sediment loss compared with CT. Our results suggest that sediment and run‐off differences for different surface microtopographies induced by tillage are significant, especially during the rill flow erosion process. Future studies should address rill erosion on tilled sloped land with different microtopographies to better determine how rills are triggered and change during rainfall.
Enhanced Thermal Ageing Stability of Mechanophore in Polyurethane Network by Introducing Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes (POSS)
Authors: Xing Chong , Wang Li , Xian Lei , Wang Yikai , Zhang Linna , Xi Kai , Zhang Qiuhong , Jia Xudong
Published: May 2018

Spiropyran (SP) shows excellent ability in light‐ or force‐triggered color and fluorescence generation. However, it has the fatal weakness of poor antithermal bleaching properties in polymers, especially when exposed to severe environments, which will shorten the life of mechanical responsive materials. Here, a strategy is reported to protect SP through incorporation of multifunctional polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) as cross‐linkers into a polyurethane network. The introduction of POSS not only improves the mechanical strength of the elastomer, but also enhances the thermal stability of the mechanophore, showing much more sensitive force‐responsive and photoresponsive properties, especially after thermal annealing. POSS contributes to the construction of a 3D network and hinders the mobility of the hard domains of molecular chains, thus enhancing the thermal stability of the mechanophore in the network. The strategy can not only extend the life of the stimuli‐responsive materials, but also promote the application temperature of the mechanically responsive polymers.
Orientation Preferences of Interchain Stackings for Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) Nanowires Prepared Using Template‐Based Wetting Methods
Authors: Jeng Kai‐Sheng , Chu Chien‐Wei , Liu Chien‐Liang , Jean Woan‐Mei , Chen Hsin‐Lung , Chen Jiun‐Tai
Published: May 2018

Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) nanowires have drawn great attention recently because of their unique properties that can be applied to optoelectronic devices such as conjugated polymer solar cells and organic field‐effect transistors. There is still an urgent need, however, to study the fabrication and characterization of P3HT nanowires with controllable morphologies and molecular orientations. In this work, feasible routes are presented to fabricate P3HT nanowires using the solution wetting template method and the solvent‐annealing‐induced nanowetting in template (SAINT) method. The morphologies and chemical compositions of the P3HT nanowires prepared using these two methods are confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. From the ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering results, it is concluded that the degrees of the crystallinity and the orientation preferences of interchain stackings along the pore axis for the P3HT nanowires prepared by the SAINT method are higher than those prepared by the solution wetting template method.
Molecular Glass Photoresists with High Resolution, Low LER, and High Sensitivity for EUV Lithography
Authors: Peng Xiaoman , Wang Yafei , Xu Jian , Yuan Hua , Wang Liangqian , Zhang Tao , Guo Xudong , Wang Shuangqing , Li Yi , Yang Guoqiang
Published: May 2018

Novel molecular glasses (MGs) containing bisphenol A backbone (BPA‐6 and BPA‐10) are synthesized and characterized. BPA‐6 and BAP‐10 are excellent amorphous materials for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) patterning applications with good thermal stability (Td more than 160 °C). The MGs can be used as positive‐tone photoresists combined with triphenylsulfonium perfluoro‐1‐butanesulfonate and trioctylamine dissolved in propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate. High‐resolution feature sizes as small as 23.1 nm with extremely low line edge roughness (less than 2 nm), high sensitivity (less than 20 mJ cm−2), and good high aspect ratio patterns are obtained by using EUV lithography.
Synthesis of Sub‐100 nm Glycosylated Nanoparticles via a One Step, Free Radical, and Surfactant Free Emulsion Polymerization
Authors: Lunn Andrew M. , Perrier Sébastien
Published: May 2018

The facile synthesis of sub‐100 nm glyco nanoparticles is presented via a one‐step, free radical, and surfactant free emulsion polymerization. It is shown that by using sterically large, hydrophilic glycomonomers such as a lactose acrylamide with the charged azo initiator 4,4′‐azobis(4‐cyanovaleric acid), growing particles are stabilized enough to reproducibly produce well defined (PDi ≤ 0.1) glycoparticles with diameters below 100 nm.