bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WIND WAVE MODELLING OVER THE BALTIC SEA USING WAM MODEL AND THE COUPLED OCEAN CIRCULATION-WAVE POM MODEL
Authors: CieÅ›likiewicz Witold , Dudkowska Aleksandra , Janowczyk Roman , RoÅ¡Äinski Vitalij , Roziewski Szymon , Badur Jordan
Published: August 2017

This study presents a setup of the wind wave forecasting model WAM working over the Baltic Sea in operational mode. The work is a part of the PROZA project financed from the Polish Innovative Economy Programme and the European Regional Development Fund. The modelling results are verified against observations recorded with a directional waverider buoy. The results of the validation studies are presented in this paper. The agreement between the modelled and observed wave data obtained was quite a good. The model setup is part of the system allowing for operational decision-making based on atmospheric and sea conditions.

In the next stage of the project we are seeking for improvement of the modelling accuracy by taking into account wave-current interactions. To this end a new version of POM with embedded wave sub-model has been implemented. Based on cross-comparisons against observed waverider buoy data and the results obtained with WAM, some adjustments of the parameters controlling the coupled circulation-wave POM were applied. They are presented and discussed in this study.
Micro‐computed tomography: Applications for high‐resolution skeletal density determinations: An example using annually banded crustose coralline algae
Authors: Chan P. , Halfar J. , Norley C. J. D. , Pollmann S. I. , Adey W. , Holdsworth D. W.
Published: August 2017

Warming and acidification of the world's oceans are expected to have widespread consequences for marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. However, due to the relatively short record of instrumental observations, one has to rely upon geochemical and physical proxy information stored in biomineralized shells and skeletons of calcareous marine organisms as in situ recorders of past environments. Of particular interest is the response of marine calcifiers to ocean acidification through the examination of structural growth characteristics. Here we demonstrate the application of micro‐computed tomography (micro‐CT) for three‐dimensional visualization and analysis of growth, skeletal density, and calcification in a slow‐growing, annually banded crustose coralline alga Clathromorphum nereostratum (increment width ∼380 µm). X‐ray images and time series of skeletal density were generated at 20 µm resolution and rebinned to 40, 60, 80, and 100 µm for comparison in a sensitivity analysis. Calcification rates were subsequently calculated as the product of density and growth (linear extension). While both skeletal density and calcification rates do not significantly differ at varying spatial resolutions (the latter being strongly influenced by growth rates), clear visualization of micron‐scale growth features and the quantification of structural changes on subannual time scales requires higher scanning resolutions. In the present study, imaging at 20 µm resolution reveals seasonal cycles in density that correspond to summer/winter variations in skeletal structure observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Micro‐CT is a fast, nondestructive, and high‐resolution technique for structural and morphometric analyses of temporally banded paleoclimate archives, particularly those that exhibit slow or compressed growth or micron‐scale structures.
Remodeling Tau and Prion Proteins Using Nanochaperons
Authors: Bhattacharyya Sanjib , Kim Kyongwan , Teizer Winfried
Published: August 2017

There is increasing evidence that tau protein behaves in a prion‐like manner in tauopathy. The stabilization of tau protein using a small molecular compound can limit tauopathy associated morbidity that advances with ageing. Here, a lab‐on‐a‐chip experiment is reported, where gold citrate nanoparticles (5 nm, AuNPs) can remodel mutant tau protein (P301L) and prion, thus resolving the mutant tau‐ and prion‐mediated impairment of kinesin cargo transport on microtubules. It is found that tau protein is overexpressed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patient serum samples and the tau conformational change can also be affected in human serum samples of AD when treated with AuNPs ex vivo. Similarly, AuNPs reorganizing the prion protein and inducing conformational changes of prions in AD serum have been observed, while having no effect on alpha‐synuclein in Parkinson patient serum. The mapping of AD serum mediated traffic jams, using particle tracking and mean square displacement analysis, and the observed recovery of uninterrupted processive motor functions by AuNP treatment show that kinesin cargo assays might be a useful method for future ex vivo validation of a targeted therapy against tauopathy before administration, a viable option to combat various neurodegenerative disorders arising from the susceptibility of amyloidogenic proteins toward aggregation.
Smart Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices with Self‐Protection and Self‐Adaptation Abilities
Authors: Yang Yun , Yu Dandan , Wang Hua , Guo Lin
Published: August 2017

Currently, with booming development and worldwide usage of rechargeable electrochemical energy storage devices, their safety issues, operation stability, service life, and user experience are garnering special attention. Smart and intelligent energy storage devices with self‐protection and self‐adaptation abilities aiming to address these challenges are being developed with great urgency. In this Progress Report, we highlight recent achievements in the field of smart energy storage systems that could early‐detect incoming internal short circuits and self‐protect against thermal runaway. Moreover, intelligent devices that are able to take actions and self‐adapt in response to external mechanical disruption or deformation, i.e., exhibiting self‐healing or shape‐memory behaviors, are discussed. Finally, insights into the future development of smart rechargeable energy storage devices are provided.
Ultralow‐Power All‐Optical Logic Data Distributor Based on Resonant Excitation Enhanced Nonlinearity by Upconversion Radiative Transfer
Authors: Wang Feifan , Hu Xiaoyong , Song Hanfa , Li Chong , Yang Hong , Gong Qihuang
Published: August 2017

An ultralow‐power all‐optical logic data distributor with dual address bits is realized. The device is constructed from three silicon slot ring resonators, which are side coupled to silicon slot waveguides and coated with a nonlinear nanocomposite material made of upconversion nanoparticles dispersed in an organic conjugated polymer matrix. A large nonlinearity enhancement occurs in the nanocomposite material through resonant excitation via an upconversion radiative‐transfer process, which ensures an ultralow operating threshold control intensity of 10 kW cm−2. This result represents a reduction of five orders of magnitude compared with previous reports. An ultrafast response time of several picoseconds is simultaneously maintained based on structural defects inducing ultrafast decay of excited‐state carriers. The intensity contrast ratio between the output logic states “1” and “0” is larger than 20 dB, which is a fivefold increase compared with previous reports. This work may pave the way for the realization of real‐time multibit all‐optical computing chips.
Financial behavior of cooperatives and investor‐owned firms: An empirical analysis of the Spanish fruit and vegetable sector
Authors: Martínez‐Victoria MCarmen , Arcas Lario Narciso , Maté Sánchez Val Mariluz
Published: August 2017

A partial adjustment model was formulated to compare financial ratios between cooperatives and investor‐owned firms from a dynamic perspective. Empirical results from a sample of Spanish fruit and vegetable firms for the period between 2009 and 2012 reveal different adjustment processes of current, debt, and return on assets ratios between cooperatives and IOFs. We find significant differences between these firms, with slower adjustment rates for current and debt ratios in cooperatives. These findings may arise from the weakness associated with ownership structure in cooperatives, which reduces their adjustment processes compared to those of IOFs. The identification of differences in adjustment processes between cooperatives and IOFs may provide us with additional information regarding the specific management characteristics of these agri‐food firms, thus identifying those firms that are most dependent on external market conditions. [EconLit citations: C33, G30, Q13].
Occupational styrene exposure and acquired dyschromatopsia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Choi Ariel R. , Braun Joseph M. , Papandonatos George D. , Greenberg Paul B.
Published: August 2017

Background

Styrene is a chemical used in the manufacture of plastic‐based products worldwide. We systematically reviewed eligible studies of occupational styrene‐induced dyschromatopsia, qualitatively synthesizing their findings and estimating the exposure effect through meta‐analysis.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were queried for eligible studies. Using a random effects model, we compared measures of dyschromatopsia between exposed and non‐exposed workers to calculate the standardized mean difference (Hedges’g). We also assessed between‐study heterogeneity and publication bias.

Results

Styrene‐exposed subjects demonstrated poorer color vision than did the non‐exposed (Hedges’ g = 0.56; 95%CI: 0.37, 0.76; P < 0.0001). A non‐significant Cochran's Q test result (Q = 23.2; P = 0.171) and an I2 of 32.2% (0.0%, 69.9%) indicated low‐to‐moderate between‐study heterogeneity. Funnel plot and trim‐and‐fill analyses suggested publication bias.

Conclusions

This review confirms the hypothesis of occupational styrene‐induced dyschromatopsia, suggesting a modest effect size with mild heterogeneity between studies.
Sliding Mode Control for an Inhomogeneous Heat Equation with Global Constraint
Authors: Zhang Shuang
Published: August 2017

In this paper, an inhomogeneous heat equation with distributed load is controlled, on the basis of an infinite dimensional generalization of sliding‐mode control method. The control law is designed so that: (i) the temperature can track a desired reference signal, and (ii) the temperature can remain in a constrained region. We show that, with the designed control, the tracking error is bounded stable without violation of the constraint. The stability is proved under the designed control law. Numerical simulations are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the designed control law.
K‐band luminosity–environment relation in three different galaxy samples of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III
Authors: Deng X.‐F. , Jiang P. , Ding Y.‐P. , Wu P. , Qi X.‐P.
Published: August 2017

The aim of this work is to examine the environmental dependence of K‐band luminosity in the Main, Low Redshift (LOWZ), and Constant Mass (CMASS) galaxy samples of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 10 (SDSS DR10). Overall, the environmental dependence of K‐band luminosity is very mild. In two volume‐limited Main samples with the luminosity −20.5 ≤ Mr ≤ −18.5 and −22.5 ≤ Mr ≤ −20.5, respectively, we find that the environmental dependence of K‐band luminosity in the luminous volume‐limited Main galaxy sample still can be observed, but this dependence in the faint volume‐limited Main galaxy sample is very weak. Considering the disadvantages of the use of volume‐limited samples, we apply the apparent magnitude‐limited Main galaxy sample, divide the Main galaxy sample of the SDSS DR10 into subsamples with a redshift binning size of Δz=0.01, and then analyze the environmental dependence of K‐band luminosity of subsamples in each redshift bin. Such a method also is used in the LOWZ and CMASS galaxy samples. K‐band luminosity of the Main galaxies shows substantial correlation with the local environment in many redshift bins. In the LOWZ galaxy sample, K‐band luminosity of galaxies shows substantial correlation with the local environment only in the redshift region 0.16 ≤ z ≤ 0.21, while K‐band luminosity of CMASS galaxy sample is only weakly correlated with the local environment. Statistical results also show that in the apparent magnitude‐limited main galaxy sample and the LOWZ galaxy sample, environmental dependence of K‐band luminosity becomes weak with increasing redshift.
Novel Silicon Nanowire Electrodes Grown by Chemical Vapor Deposition Method for High‐Performance Electrochemical Capacitors
Authors: Kang Seung Won , Jevasuwan Wipakorn , Fukata Naoki , Bae Joonho
Published: August 2017

We report on novel electrochemical capacitors with silicon nanowire (Si NW) electrodes prepared by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Si NWs were deposited on conductive stainless steel through the CVD method to form electrodes of the electrochemical capacitors. Electrochemical characteristics of Si NW electrodes were investigated and compared with those of bulk silicon wafer electrodes. Si NWs resulted in larger area‐specific capacitance (>10 times) than bulk silicon, which is attributed to the enhanced surface area of NW morphology. NWs also exhibited high maximum and average mass‐specific capacitances of 510 and 117 F g−1, respectively. Our study demonstrates that semiconductor Si NWs can be useful as electrodes of high‐performance supercapacitors and next generation NWs‐based architecture for electrochemical energy storages.
Create a robust digital presence to bring you closer to students' needs
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: August 2017

RaShall Brackney retired from working for the city of Pittsburgh Municipal Police to take a job at George Washington University as chief of police so she could be closer to her husband. The switch came with a few benefits. “In postsecondary law enforcement, it's a much more collaborative environment,” Brackney said.
Mothers with trauma histories risk passing on psychopathology to offspring
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: August 2017

A mother who was mistreated as a child is significantly more likely to have children with internalizing and externalizing disorders, researchers have found. There is also a significant mediating effect of maternal depression during and immediately after pregnancy, and of mistreatment of the child itself, on the child's disorders.
Single trans‐septal access technique for left atrial intracardiac echocardiography to guide left atrial appendage closure
Authors: Aguirre Daniel , Pincetti Christian , Perez Luis , Deck Carlos , Alfaro Mario , Vergara Maria Jesus , Maluenda Gabriel
Published: August 2017

Objective

This registry aimed to describe the safety and feasibility of a single trans‐septal (TS) access technique for left intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) guidance of left‐atrial appendage (LAA) closure procedure.

Background

LAA closure is currently accepted as an alternative to oral anticoagulation (OAC) in patients with non‐valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) who are at high‐risk for bleeding. Currently, LAA closure procedure is typically performed under trans‐esophageal echocardiogram (TEE) guidance. Although, ICE has the advantage of not requiring profound sedation/anesthesia, ICE‐LAA imaging quality is often limited from the right atrium requiring double TS access.

Methods

Twenty‐two patients with NVAF underwent LAA closure using the Amplatzer Amulet™ device (St Jude Medical) under ICE guidance from the left atrium. The ICE AcuNav catheter (Biosense Webster) and the Amulet delivery sheath were advanced into the LA through single TS puncture technique.

Results

The population was predominately male (59.1%) with a mean age of 74 ± 9.3 years, at high‐risk for stroke (mean CHADS2 score of 3.8 ± 1.1) and bleeding (mean HAS BLED score of 3.5 ± 1.3). The Amplatzer AmuletTM device was successfully implanted in all patients. No procedural related complications including device embolization were noted. No major cardiovascular events occurred and all patients were discharged alive. At 30‐day follow‐up all patients remained alive, free of ischemic stroke and with no residual leak or device thrombus on TEE.

Conclusions

This initial experience suggests that LAA occlusion with the Amplatzer Amulet device using ICE guidance from the left atrium via a single trans‐septal technique is feasible and safe.
Identification of hit compounds for squalene synthase: Three‐dimensional quantitative structure‐activity relationship pharmacophore modeling, virtual screening, molecular docking, binding free energy calculation, and molecular dynamic simulation
Authors: Hou M. , Yan G. , Ma X. , Luo J. , Hou X. , Zhou M. , Pu C. , Han X. , Zhang W. , Zhang M. , Shi J. , Li R.
Published: August 2017

Squalene synthase (SQS) is the key precursor in the synthesis of cholesterol. Located downstream in relation to hydroxy methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and having no influence on the formation of biologically necessary isoprenoids make it an interesting target for the development of cholesterol lowering drugs with fewer side effects. To discover novel SQS inhibitors, three‐dimensional quantitative structure‐activity relationship pharmacophore models were built and further validated by cost function analysis, test set validation, and decoy set validation to obtain a reliable model for virtual screening against a database that contains 5.5 million compounds. The interactions between SQS and the ligands were predicted by an integrated protocol that contains molecular docking, molecular mechanics/generalized born surface area, and molecular dynamic simulation. After that, five compounds with best binding affinities and binding modes were obtained as potential hits for further study and three of them showed inhibitory effects against SQS.
Tuning the pKa of Fluorescent Rhodamine pH Probes through Substituent Effects
Authors: Stratton Sarah G. , Taumoefolau Grace H. , Purnell Grace E. , Rasooly Mona , Czaplyski William L. , Harbron Elizabeth J.
Published: August 2017

Rhodamine spirolactams (RSLs) have recently emerged as popular fluorescent pH probes due to their fluorescence turn‐on capability and ease of functionalization at the spirolactam nitrogen. Design of RSLs is often driven by biological targeting or compatibility concerns, rather than the pH sensitivity of the probe, and the relationship between RSL structure and pKa is not well understood. To elucidate the relationship between pKa values and the properties of substituents attached to the spirolactam nitrogen, a series of 19 aniline‐derived RSLs is presented. RSLs derived from di‐ortho‐substituted anilines exhibit pKa tunability across the moderately acidic region (ca. pH 4–6). Evaluation of pKa data using the Fujita–Nishioka model for ortho substituent effects reveals that both steric and electronic substituent properties influence RSL pH responsiveness, with pKa values increasing as substituent size and electron withdrawing character increase. These trends are attributed to changes in the RSL structure induced by large substituents, and to electronic influences on the protonated spirocyclic reaction intermediate. To demonstrate the practical applicability of these probes in completely aqueous environments, RSL‐doped conjugated polymer nanoparticles that exhibit a ratiometric fluorescence response to changing pH levels are presented.
An MFCC‐based text‐independent speaker identification system for access control
Authors: Liu Jung‐Chun , Leu Fang‐Yie , Lin Guan‐Liang , Susanto Heru
Published: August 2017

In recent years, by merit of convenient and unique features, bio‐authentication techniques have been applied to identify and authenticate a person based on his/her spoken words and/or sentences. Among these techniques, speaker recognition/identification is the most convenient one, providing a secure and strong authentication solution viable for a wide range of applications. In this paper, to safeguard real‐world objects, like buildings, we develop a speaker identification system named mel frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC)‐based speaker identification system for access control (MSIAC for short), which identifies a speaker U by first collecting U's voice signals and converting the signals to frequency domain. An MFCC‐based human auditory filtering model is utilized to adjust the energy levels of different frequencies as U's voice quantified features. Next, a Gaussian mixture model is employed to represent the distribution of the logarithmic features as U's specific acoustic model. When a person, eg, x, would like to access a real‐world object protected by the MSIAC, x's acoustic model is compared with known‐people's acoustic models. Based on the identification result, the MSIAC will determine whether the access will be accepted or denied.
Efficient Thermal Cooling Structure for a Motor
Authors: NONAKA TUYOSHI , MAKINO SHOGO , OHTO MOTOMICHI
Published: August 2017

The rated output of a motor is determined based on the value of the load current at which the temperature of the motor's parts reaches the permissive limit. Especially, the temperature of the stator coil is considered in many cases. In this research, in order to attain the higher rated output of a motor, a new thermal cooling structure that decreases the rise in the temperature of the stator coil is proposed. Next, based on the proposed structure, a prototype motor was manufactured and evaluated. The results demonstrated the superior performance of the proposed structure in comparison with the conventional structure. Moreover, the press‐formed coil which is devised with the purpose of enhancing the desired effect is also explained herein.
Synthesis and Light‐Harvesting Potential of Cyanovinyl β‐Substituted Porphyrins and Dyads
Authors: Mitchell Rhys , Wagner Klaudia , Barnsley Jonathan E. , van der Salm Holly , Gordon Keith C. , Officer David L. , Wagner Pawel
Published: August 2017

Knoevenagel condensation has been utilized as an alternative way to synthesize a series of β‐vinyl‐substituted porphyrins and porphyrin dyads with good to excellent yields. The condensation of β‐formyl porphyrins and phenylacetonitriles allows control of the substitution pattern and metal centres in the porphyrin dyads, allowing the use of metallated synthons. While the optical and electronic properties of the resulting porphyrin dyes are perturbed by the presence of the cyano substituent, this does not significantly affect their use. For example, Raman spectroscopy, in agreement with density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent DFT (TD‐DFT) calculations, show porphyrin electronic transitions with delocalization of frontier molecular orbital electron density onto the β substituent. A comparison of the photovoltaic performance of a carboxylated cyanostyryl condensation product and the unsubstituted analogue in dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was made. Although the devices showed similar efficiency, the device containing the cyano‐substituted dye showed an extended incident photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency (IPCE) due to a slight red‐shift in absorption and an increase in photovoltage as a result of a longer electron lifetime. This minimal change in light‐harvesting performance highlights the potential of this Knoevenagel synthetic methodology for producing light‐harvesting porphyrin dyes.
Hydrogeomorphological differentiation between floodplains and terraces
Authors: Yan Qina , Iwasaki Toshiki , Stumpf Andrew , Belmont Patrick , Parker Gary , Kumar Praveen
Published: August 2017

Floodplains and terraces in river valleys play important roles in the transport dynamics of water and sediment. While flat areas in river valleys can be identified from LiDAR data, directly characterizing them as either floodplain or terraces is not yet possible. To address this challenge, we hypothesize that, since geomorphic features are strongly coupled to hydrological and hydraulic dynamics and their associated variability, there exists a return frequency, or possibly a narrow band of return frequencies, of flow that is associated with floodplain formation; and this association can provide a distinctive signature for distinguishing them from terraces. Based on this hypothesis we develop a novel approach for distinguishing between floodplains and terraces that involves transforming the transverse cross‐sectional geometry of a river valley into a curve, named a river valley hypsometric (RVH) curve, and linking hydraulic inundation frequency with the features of this curve. Our approach establishes that the demarcation between floodplains and terraces can be established from the structure of steps and risers in the RVH curves which can be obtained from the DEM data. Further, it shows that these transitions may themselves be shaped by floods with 10‐ to 100‐year recurrence. We additionally show that, when floodplain width and height (above channel bottom) are normalized by bankfull width and depth, the ratio lies in a narrow range independent of the scale of the river valley. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Integrating Cognitive Views Into Psychometric Models for Reading Comprehension Assessment
Authors: Rahman Taslima , Mislevy Robert J.
Published: August 2017

To demonstrate how methodologies for assessing reading comprehension can grow out of views of the construct suggested in the reading research literature, we constructed tasks and carried out psychometric analyses that were framed in accordance with 2 leading reading models. In estimating item difficulty and subsequently, examinee proficiency, an item response theory (IRT) model called the linear logistic test model was extended to incorporate reader as well as task attributes as covariates. A novel aspect of this modeling was reader effects—interest and prior knowledge—specific to text passages that the examinees read in the assessment. In the demonstration, the theory‐motivated task and reader attributes were found to be significantly related to item difficulty. In particular, examinees' comprehension proficiency estimates positively affected within‐person effects concerning the reader's familiarity and interest in a passage. This study suggests that it is both feasible and informative to incorporate variables for various comprehension components into the psychometric analysis.
Petrogenesis and tectonic setting of the Middle Permian A‐type granites in Altay, northwestern China: Evidences from geochronological, geochemical, and Hf isotopic studies
Authors: Liu Yunlong , Zhang Hui , Tang Yong , Zhang Xin , Lv Zhenghang , Zhao Jingyu
Published: August 2017

The Jiangjunshan and Dakalasu alkali‐feldspar granites are located in the central part of the Chinese Altay orogen. In this paper, we present detailed geochemical, zircon U–Pb, and Hf isotopic data of these granites. The Jiangjunshan and Dakalasu alkali‐feldspar granites show a high content of SiO2 (72.05–73.27 and 69.55–71.04 wt%, respectively), total alkalis (Na2O + K2O = 8.41–8.71 and 7.24–8.66 wt%, respectively), and high‐field strength elements (Zr + Nb + Ce + Y = 400.3–482.9 and 156.7–339.3 ppm, respectively), as well as high Ga/Al ratios (10,000 × Ga/Al = 3.46–4.19 and 2.62–3.28, respectively) and depletion in Ba, Nb, Sr, and Ti, showing geochemical characteristics similar to those of A‐type granites. Zircon U–Pb dating of the Jiangjunshan and Dakalasu alkali‐feldspar granites yielded weighted mean dating 206Pb/238U ages of 268.3 ± 1.9 and 270.4 ± 1.9 Ma, respectively, indicating that these granites intruded during the Permian. The Jiangjunshan and Dakalasu alkali‐feldspar granites show highly variable zircon εHf(t) values ranging from −7.0 to +5.6, implying that these granites originated from a mixing of mantle‐derived magma with crustal materials. Our data on the Jiangjunshan and Dakalasu alkali‐feldspar granites, coupled with previous studies of Permian magmatism and metamorphism, suggest that the tectonic regime was in a postcollisional extensional environment in the Chinese Altay orogen during the Permian. Therefore, the change in stress from compression to extension and asthenospheric upwelling triggered by slab break‐off plays a significant role in the generation of Jiangjunshan and Dakalasu alkali‐feldspar granites.
Genetic driver mutations define the expression signature and microenvironmental composition of high‐grade gliomas
Authors: Herting C. J. , Chen Z. , Pitter K. L. , Szulzewsky F. , Kaffes I. , Kaluzova M. , Park J. C. , Cimino P. J. , Brennan C. , Wang B. , Hambardzumyan D.
Published: August 2017

High‐grade gliomas (HGG), including glioblastomas, are characterized by invasive growth, resistance to therapy, and high inter‐ and intra‐tumoral heterogeneity. The key histological hallmarks of glioblastoma are pseudopalisading necrosis and microvascular proliferation, which allow pathologists to distinguish glioblastoma from lower‐grade gliomas. In addition to being genetically and molecularly heterogeneous, HGG are also heterogeneous with respect to the composition of their microenvironment. The question of whether this microenvironmental heterogeneity is driven by the molecular identity of the tumor remains controversial. However, this question is of utmost importance since microenvironmental, non‐neoplastic cells are key components of the most radiotherapy‐ and chemotherapy‐resistant niches of the tumor. Our work demonstrates a versatile, reliable, and reproducible adult HGG mouse model with NF1‐silencing as a driver mutation. This model shows significant differences in tumor microenvironment, expression of subtype‐specific markers, and response to standard therapy when compared to our established PDGFB‐overexpressing HGG mouse model. PDGFB‐overexpressing and NF1‐silenced murine tumors closely cluster with human proneural and mesenchymal subtypes, as well as PDGFRA‐amplified and NF1‐deleted/mutant human tumors, respectively, at both the RNA and protein expression levels. These models can be generated in fully immunocompetent mixed or C57BL/6 genetic background mice, and therefore can easily be incorporated into preclinical studies for cancer cell‐specific or immune cell‐targeting drug discovery studies.
Dynamic causal modeling in PTSD and its dissociative subtype: Bottom–up versus top–down processing within fear and emotion regulation circuitry
Authors: Nicholson Andrew A. , Friston Karl J. , Zeidman Peter , Harricharan Sherain , McKinnon Margaret C. , Densmore Maria , Neufeld Richard W.J. , Théberge Jean , Corrigan Frank , Jetly Rakesh , Spiegel David , Lanius Ruth A.
Published: August 2017

Objective

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with decreased top–down emotion modulation from medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) regions, a pathophysiology accompanied by hyperarousal and hyperactivation of the amygdala. By contrast, PTSD patients with the dissociative subtype (PTSD + DS) often exhibit increased mPFC top–down modulation and decreased amygdala activation associated with emotional detachment and hypoarousal. Crucially, PTSD and PTSD + DS display distinct functional connectivity within the PFC, amygdala complexes, and the periaqueductal gray (PAG), a region related to defensive responses/emotional coping. However, differences in directed connectivity between these regions have not been established in PTSD, PTSD + DS, or controls. Methods: To examine directed (effective) connectivity among these nodes, as well as group differences, we conducted resting‐state stochastic dynamic causal modeling (sDCM) pairwise analyses of coupling between the ventromedial (vm)PFC, the bilateral basolateral and centromedial (CMA) amygdala complexes, and the PAG, in 155 participants (PTSD [n = 62]; PTSD + DS [n = 41]; age‐matched healthy trauma‐unexposed controls [n = 52]). Results: PTSD was characterized by a pattern of predominant bottom–up connectivity from the amygdala to the vmPFC and from the PAG to the vmPFC and amygdala. Conversely, PTSD + DS exhibited predominant top–down connectivity between all node pairs (from the vmPFC to the amygdala and PAG, and from the amygdala to the PAG). Interestingly, the PTSD + DS group displayed the strongest intrinsic inhibitory connections within the vmPFC. Conclusions: These results suggest the contrasting symptom profiles of PTSD and its dissociative subtype (hyper‐ vs. hypo‐emotionality, respectively) may be driven by complementary changes in directed connectivity corresponding to bottom–up defensive fear processing versus enhanced top–down regulation. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5551–5561, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A study on the deoxygenation of trialkyl‐, dialkyl‐phenyl‐ and alkyl‐diphenyl phosphine oxides by hydrosilanes
Authors: Kovács Tamara , Urbanics Anita , Csatlós Flóra , Keglevich György
Published: August 2017

The deoxygenation of 1‐alkyl‐3‐methyl‐3‐phospholene 1‐oxides, which may be regarded as trialkyl phosphine oxides (R3PO), and the reduction of dialkyl‐phenylphosphine oxides (R2PhPO) and methyl‐diphenylphosphine oxide (MePh2PO) have been elaborated by applying user‐friendly silanes, such as tetramethyldisiloxane (>SiH–O–HSi<) and polymethylhydrosiloxane ((O–SiH)n) under solvent‐free, catalyst‐free, and microwave (MW)‐assisted conditions. New silanes of type Ar2SiH2, alkyl2SiH2, and Ar3SiH were also applied in a few cases. The reactivity of the phosphine oxides and the silanes could be mapped on the basis of our experimental data.
Synthesis and inclusion properties of boroncalix[3]arene compounds obtained by self‐assembly of 3‐aminophenylboronic acid and salicylaldehyde derivatives
Authors: González‐Hernández Arturo , Serrano‐Melgar Gloria , Villamil‐Ramos Raúl , Barba Victor
Published: August 2017

The syntheses, characterization, and inclusion properties of two new trinuclear boron compounds having a calixlike shape are described. Macrocyclic compounds were obtained vía self‐assembly reactions between salicylaldehyde carboxyl derivatives and 3‐aminophenylboronic acid, whereby the formation of three N–B coordination bonds favored the oligomerization process. The products are stable to moisture and have good solubility in organic solvents. The inclusion properties toward primary amines and pyrophosphate were analyzed by titration experiments and monitored by UV‐vis spectroscopy. Association constants around 103‐105 M−1 were determined for both compounds.
Elements of a sustainable, competent, and empathetic workforce to support patients with dementia during an acute hospital stay: A comprehensive literature review
Authors: Brooke Joanne , Ojo Omorogieva
Published: August 2017

Internationally, there has been a focus on the development of acute hospital workforces to support and care for people with dementia. Recommendations and initiatives to improve person‐centred care in acute hospitals have included: education and training, dementia‐specific roles, clinical leads, and environment changes. The aim of this literature review is to understand the elements of a sustainable, competent, and empathetic acute hospital workforce providing person‐centred care for patients with dementia. The following databases were searched for literature published in English from January 1, 2006, to August 1, 2016: CINHAL, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, PubMed, and Science Direct. A thematic analysis was applied to develop a meta‐synthesis of the data. A total of 12 papers with a range of methodological approaches from various countries were included. Emergent themes were as follows: understanding the current workforce, implementation and evaluation of training, and exploration of new and existing roles. An important element was the sustainability of acute hospital workforces competent in dementia care, as studies highlighted an ageing nursing population and a high turnover of staff. Dementia awareness training was sustainable, although there was a lack of consistency in the length, content, and delivery, which had a viable impact on the provision of empathetic and person‐centred care. The lack of consistency of training and specialist dementia roles restricts recommendations from a robust evidence base.
The risk of preterm birth and growth restriction in pregnancy after cancer
Authors: Hartnett Kathleen P. , Ward Kevin C. , Kramer Michael R. , Lash Timothy L. , Mertens Ann C. , Spencer Jessica B. , Fothergill Amy , Howards Penelope P.
Published: August 2017

It is unclear whether cancer and its treatments increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Our aim was to examine whether cancer survivors have higher risks of poor outcomes in pregnancies conceived after diagnosis than women without cancer, and whether these risks differ by cancer type and race. Diagnoses from cancer registries were linked to pregnancy outcomes from birth certificates in three U.S. states. Analyses were limited to the first, live singleton birth conceived after diagnosis. Births to women without a previous cancer diagnosis in the registry were matched to cancer survivors on age at delivery, parity, race/ethnicity and education. Log‐binomial regression was used to estimate risk ratios. Cervical cancer survivors had higher risks of preterm birth (Risk ratio = 2.8, 95% Confidence interval: 2.1, 3.7), as did survivors of invasive breast cancer (RR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.7) and leukemia (RR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.3, 3.5). We observed a higher risk of small for gestational age (SGA) infants (<10% of weight for age based on a national distribution) in survivors of brain cancer (RR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.8) and extranodal non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (RR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.5, 3.6). We did not see an increased risk of infants born preterm, low birth weight, or SGA in pregnancies conceived after ductal carcinoma in situ, thyroid cancer, melanoma, or Hodgkin lymphoma. While our results are reassuring for survivors of many cancers, some will need closer monitoring during pregnancy.
Tuning the response of osteoblast‐like cells to the porous‐alumina‐assisted mixed‐oxide nano‐mound arrays
Authors: Fohlerova Zdenka , Mozalev Alexander
Published: August 2017

Nanostructuring of biomaterials is used to create an appropriate interfacial layer that promotes stable cellular adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation on orthopedic and dental implants. Here, we synthesize self‐organized arrays of composite‐oxide nano‐mounds through anodizing Al/Ta bilayers sputtered on substrates to cover the “missing” smallest size range of 10–40 nm for structuring an advanced inorganic biomaterial—Al2O3‐doped Ta2O5 films. The osteoblast‐like cells appear to be able to recognize the finest differences in the film nano‐morphologies. In the absence of serum proteins, the adhesion and cell growth are substantially enhanced on the 20 and 40 nm nanoarrays while in complete medium the cells show better initial adhesion on the 10 nm nanoarrays. The proliferation assay reveals a significant rise in cell number on the 20 and 40 nm nanoarrays during the first 7 days. A remarkable increase in the alkaline phosphatase activity is noticed on the 40 nm nanoarray. Immunostaining of cells adhered to the nano‐mound surfaces shows that the cells are well spread over all the nanostructured films with organized actin fibers. The larger surface areas and improved focal contacts are again associated with the 20 and 40 nm nanoarrays. The findings help improve compatibility of living cells with the metal‐oxide nanostructured surfaces developed for tissue engineering. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1645–1654, 2018.
Electrocatalytic Detection of Uric Acid on Nitrogen‐Doped Graphene Modified Electrode and Its Application
Authors: Niu Xueliang , Li Xiaoyan , Xie Hui , Cheng Yong , Sun Wei , Huang Yaqi , Men Yongling , Dong Lifeng
Published: August 2017

Nitrogen‐doped graphene (NG) was used to modify a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), which was applied to the voltammetric detection of uric acid (UA). Because of the presence of NG on the GCE surface, the modified electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic ability for UA oxidation with increase of the peak current and decrease of the peak potential. Compared to that of the traditional GCE, the overpotential of the oxidation peak decreased by 50 mV. Electrochemical performance of UA was studied on NG/GCE in detail, which showed a quasi‐reversible, diffusional‐controlled process. Electrochemical parameters including the charge transfer coefficient (α), the number of electron transfer (n), and the diffusional coefficient (D) were calculated. At the optimal conditions, the oxidation peak current was linear, with UA concentration from 0.1 to 10.0 μmol/L as revealed by differential pulse voltammetry, and the detection limit was estimated as 0.042 μmol/L (3σ). The UA content in the urine sample of a healthy volunteer was determined by the proposed method with a recovery of 98.7–102.3%.
Deep neural network‐based computer‐assisted detection of cerebral aneurysms in MR angiography
Authors: Nakao Takahiro , Hanaoka Shouhei , Nomura Yukihiro , Sato Issei , Nemoto Mitsutaka , Miki Soichiro , Maeda Eriko , Yoshikawa Takeharu , Hayashi Naoto , Abe Osamu
Published: August 2017

Background

The usefulness of computer‐assisted detection (CAD) for detecting cerebral aneurysms has been reported; therefore, the improved performance of CAD will help to detect cerebral aneurysms.

Purpose

To develop a CAD system for intracranial aneurysms on unenhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) images based on a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) and a maximum intensity projection (MIP) algorithm, and to demonstrate the usefulness of the system by training and evaluating it using a large dataset.

Study Type

Retrospective study.

Subjects

There were 450 cases with intracranial aneurysms. The diagnoses of brain aneurysms were made on the basis of MRA, which was performed as part of a brain screening program.

Field Strength/Sequence

Noncontrast‐enhanced 3D time‐of‐flight (TOF) MRA on 3T MR scanners.

Assessment

In our CAD, we used a CNN classifier that predicts whether each voxel is inside or outside aneurysms by inputting MIP images generated from a volume of interest (VOI) around the voxel. The CNN was trained in advance using manually inputted labels. We evaluated our method using 450 cases with intracranial aneurysms, 300 of which were used for training, 50 for parameter tuning, and 100 for the final evaluation.

Statistical Tests

Free‐response receiver operating characteristic (FROC) analysis.

Results

Our CAD system detected 94.2% (98/104) of aneurysms with 2.9 false positives per case (FPs/case). At a sensitivity of 70%, the number of FPs/case was 0.26.

Data Conclusion

We showed that the combination of a CNN and an MIP algorithm is useful for the detection of intracranial aneurysms.

Level of Evidence: 4

Technical Efficacy: Stage 1

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:948–953.
Chemical and spectroscopic investigations of K‐H3O‐Na jarosite solid solutions applicable for Mars explorations
Authors: Cao Fengke , Ling Zongcheng , Ni Yuheng
Published: August 2017

Jarosite is the first definitely discovered ferric sulfate mineral on Mars, indicating a highly acidic environment in Martian history. K‐H3O and Na‐H3O jarosite solid solutions were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Phase identifications and chemical compositions were determined by X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy. Raman spectra of those two series of jarosite solid solutions show systematic spectral changes with varying alkali content. When chemical ratios of K/(K + H3O), in K‐H3O jarosite solid solutions, increase from 0% to 88%, their Raman peaks exhibit systematic shifts: ν2(SO4)2− (from 424.7 to 434.3 cm−1), ν4(SO4)2‐ (from 619.6 to 623.8 cm−1), ν1(SO4)2‐ (from 1,011.8 to 1,006.1 cm−1) and, ν3(SO4)2− (from 1,165.4 to 1,152.9 cm−1). Near‐infrared and mid‐infrared spectra were also collected for the spectral library of Mars remote‐sensing studies. The detailed chemical and spectroscopic studies of K‐H3O‐Na jarosite solid solutions would contribute to their potential discoveries on Mars by future Mars missions (e.g., Mars 2020 and ExoMars). Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Alleviating Nitrogen Limitation in Mediterranean Maquis Vegetation Leads to Ecological Degradation
Authors: Dias Teresa , Crous Casparus J. , Liberati Dario , Munzi Silvana , Gouveia Catarina , Ulm Florian , Afonso Ana Catarina , Ochoa‐Hueso Raúl , Manrique Esteban , Sheppard Lucy , Martins‐Loução Maria Amélia , Bernardes da Silva Anabela , Cruz Cristina
Published: August 2017

Soils are being degraded at an alarming rate and thereby also crucial ecosystem goods and services. Nitrogen (N) enrichment is a major driver of this degradation. While the negative impacts of N enrichment on vegetation are well known globally, those on various ecological interactions, and on ecosystem functioning, remain largely unknown. Because Mediterranean ecosystems are N limited, they are good model systems for evaluating how N enrichment impacts not only vegetation but also ecological partnerships and ecosystem functioning. Using a 7‐year N‐manipulation (dose and form) field experiment running in a Mediterranean Basin maquis located in a region with naturally low ambient N deposition (<4 kg N ha−1 y−1), we assessed the impacts of the N additions on (i) the dominant plant species (photosynthetic N‐use efficiency); (ii) plant–soil ecological partnerships with ectomycorrhiza and N‐fixing bacteria; and (iii) ecosystem degradation (plant–soil cover, biological mineral weathering and soil N fixation). N additions significantly disrupted plant–soil cover, plant–soil biotic interactions, and ecosystem functioning compared with ambient N deposition conditions. However, the higher the ammonium dose (alone or with nitrate), the more drastic these disruptions were. We report a critical threshold at 20–40 kg ammonium ha−1 y−1 whereby severe ecosystem degradation can be expected. These observations are critical to help explain the mechanisms behind ecosystem degradation, to describe the collective loss of organisms and multifunction in the landscape, and to predict potential fragmentation of Mediterranean maquis under conditions of unrelieved N enrichment. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bifunctional Initiators as Tools to Track Chain Transfer during the CROP of 2‐Oxazolines
Authors: Sahn Martin , Bandelli Damiano , Dirauf Michael , Weber Christine , Schubert Ulrich S.
Published: August 2017

Detailed kinetic studies during the cationic ring‐opening polymerization (CROP) of 2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline (EtOx) are conducted using four bifunctional bromo‐type initiators in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) at 140 °C. Serving as models to quantify chain transfer to monomer occurring during the CROP initiated by monofunctional initiators, size exclusion chromatography (SEC) resolves a second molar mass distribution with lower molar mass at initial [monomer] to [initiation site] ratios ([M]0/[I]0) of 25, while the resolution is insufficient at [M]0/[I]0 of 10. Slightly slow initiation is revealed at [M]0/[I]0 = 25, which prohibits the derivation of chain transfer rates by fitting of the size exclusion chromatography (SEC) data. Although conventional kinetic plots give no indication of significant amounts of chain transfer, the molar mass distributions resolved by SEC can unambiguously be identified as such by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) in both the high as well as the low m/z regions of the mass spectra.