bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parental distress 6 months after a pediatric cancer diagnosis in relation to family psychosocial risk at diagnosis
Authors: Schepers Sasja A. , Sint Nicolaas Simone M. , Maurice‐Stam Heleen , Haverman Lotte , Verhaak Chris M. , Grootenhuis Martha A.
Published: September 2017

BACKGROUND

This study was aimed at assessing fathers' and mothers' distress 6 months after a pediatric cancer diagnosis and at determining whether this is related to the level of family psychosocial risk 1 month after the diagnosis.

METHODS

A sample of 192 families completed the electronic Psychosocial Assessment Tool (ePAT) 1 month after the diagnosis. At 6 months after the diagnosis, 119 mothers and 98 fathers completed the Distress Thermometer for Parents (DT‐P; of which n=132 had also completed the ePAT at baseline). The DT‐P consists of a thermometer score ranging from 0 to 10 (with a score ≥ 4 indicating clinical distress), problem domains (total, practical, social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and parenting for children < 2 years old and for children ≥ 2 years old), and a desire for a referral. The DT‐P scores of mothers and fathers were compared with the scores of a reference group of 671 mothers and 463 fathers with healthy children. Within the pediatric cancer group, the DT‐P scores of families with elevated total ePAT‐scores were compared with the DT‐P scores of parents with universal ePAT scores.

RESULTS

Parents of children with cancer more often reported clinical distress on the DT‐P than parents of healthy children (fathers, 59.2% vs 32.3%; P < .001; mothers, 63% vs 42.3%; P < .001) and reported more problems on all DT‐P domains (P < .001 to P = .042) except for the parenting domain for children < 2 years old. Furthermore, the ePAT predicted parental distress 6 months after the diagnosis because parents with elevated ePAT scores reported more problems than parents with universal scores on the DT‐P thermometer and most of the DT‐P domains (P < .001 to P = 1.00).

CONCLUSIONS

Initial ePAT risk scores at diagnosis are predictive of future mean levels of parental distress. Cancer 2018;124:381‐90. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Using SQL Databases for Sequence Similarity Searching and Analysis
Authors: Pearson William R. , Mackey Aaron J.
Published: September 2017

Relational databases can integrate diverse types of information and manage large sets of similarity search results, greatly simplifying genome‐scale analyses. By focusing on taxonomic subsets of sequences, relational databases can reduce the size and redundancy of sequence libraries and improve the statistical significance of homologs. In addition, by loading similarity search results into a relational database, it becomes possible to explore and summarize the relationships between all of the proteins in an organism and those in other biological kingdoms. This unit describes how to use relational databases to improve the efficiency of sequence similarity searching and demonstrates various large‐scale genomic analyses of homology‐related data. It also describes the installation and use of a simple protein sequence database, seqdb_demo, which is used as a basis for the other protocols. The unit also introduces search_demo, a database that stores sequence similarity search results. The search_demo database is then used to explore the evolutionary relationships between E. coli proteins and proteins in other organisms in a large‐scale comparative genomic analysis. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Using the Contextual Hub Analysis Tool (CHAT) in Cytoscape to Identify Contextually Relevant Network Hubs
Authors: Muetze Tanja , Lynn David J.
Published: September 2017

Highly connected nodes in biological networks are called network hubs. Hubs are topologically important to the structure of the network and have been shown to be preferentially associated with a range of phenotypes of interest. The relative importance of a hub node, however, can change depending on the biological context. Here, we provide a step‐by‐step protocol for using the Contextual Hub Analysis Tool (CHAT), an application within Cytoscape 3, which enables users to easily construct and visualize a network of interactions from a gene or protein list of interest, integrate contextual information, such as gene or protein expression data, and identify hub nodes that are more highly connected to contextual nodes than expected by chance. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Evaluating functional recovery of habitat for threatened woodland caribou
Authors: Dickie Melanie , Serrouya Robert , DeMars Craig , Cranston Jerome , Boutin Stan
Published: September 2017

Habitat restoration is a core element for the recovery of many declining species. In western Canada, habitat restoration for the recovery of woodland caribou is focused on linear features (LFs) created by oil and gas exploration. At present, the only established criterion forLFrestoration is when vegetation structure onLFs is similar to surrounding vegetation. Human‐mediated habitat alteration impacts caribou population dynamics by increasing caribou predation rates in two ways: increasing alternate prey populations leading to higher predator numbers and increasing predator hunting efficiency. Linear features increase the movement rates—and may thus increase hunting efficiency—of wolves, a primary predator of caribou and a main hypothesized mechanism for population declines. One approach to determineLFrecovery is to identify potential thresholds in the characteristics of regeneratingLFs where efficiencies in wolf movement rates are no longer evident. We examined how vegetation affects wolf selection of, and movement on,LFs in northeastern Alberta using five‐minute Global Positioning System locations from 20 wolves. Wolves selectedLFs with shorter vegetation and traveled faster onLFs with shorter, sparser vegetation and increased vegetation variability. Travel speeds were reduced by 1.5–1.7 km/h when vegetation exceeded heights of 0.50 m, but at least 30% of aLFrequired vegetation exceeding 4.1 m to slow movement rates to those traveled while in forest. Policy implications: Most of the movement efficiency afforded to wolves byLFs is mediated when vegetation exceeds 0.50 m, and therefore, active restoration could be focused in areas that have not met this value. Rather than treating this value as a clear threshold equating to functional recovery, multiple metrics across trophic levels must also be evaluated to assess population recovery for caribou.
Mechanisms linking active rock glaciers and impounded surface water formation in high‐mountain areas
Authors: Colombo Nicola , Sambuelli Luigi , Comina Cesare , Colombero Chiara , Giardino Marco , Gruber Stephan , Viviano Gaetano , Vittori Antisari Livia , Salerno Franco
Published: September 2017

Rock glaciers are slowly flowing mixtures of debris and ice occurring in mountains. They can represent a reservoir of water, and melting ice inside them can affect surface water hydrochemistry. Investigating the interactions between rock glaciers and water bodies is therefore necessary to better understand these mechanisms. With this goal, we elucidate the hydrology and structural setting of a rock glacier–marginal pond system, providing new insights into the mechanisms linking active rock glaciers and impounded surface waters. This was achieved through the integration of waterborne geophysical techniques (ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography and self‐potentials) and heat tracing. Results of these surveys showed that rock glacier advance has progressively filled the valley depression where the pond is located, creating a dam that could have modified the level of impounded water. A sub‐surface hydrological window connecting the rock glacier to the pond was also detected, where an inflow of cold and mineralised underground waters from the rock glacier was observed. Here, greater water contribution from the rock glacier occurred following intense precipitation events during the ice‐free season, with concomitant increasing electrical conductivity values. The outflowing dynamic of the pond is dominated by a sub‐surface seepage where a minor fault zone in bedrock was found, characterised by altered and highly‐fractured rocks. The applied approach is evaluated here as a suitable technique for investigating logistically‐complex hydrological settings which could be possibly transferred to wider scales of investigation. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preoperative biliary drainage for malignant biliary obstruction: results from a national database
Authors: Shaib Yasser , Rahal Mahmoud A. , Rammal Mohammad O. , Mailhac Aurelie , Tamim Hani
Published: September 2017

Background

The impact of preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) on postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients with malignant biliary obstruction is still unclear. We examined short‐term surgical outcomes among drained and non‐drained patients.

Methods

Patients who underwent surgical resection for their malignancies with biliary obstruction were identified using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant Use Files from 2014 to 2015. Mortality and morbidity were compared among patients who had PBD to those who did not undergo biliary drainage prior to surgery.

Results

A total of 2,306 patients were included; of these 1,803 (77.8%) had PBD. The postoperative mortality was 3.0% and 2.2% among direct surgery (DS) group and PBD group, respectively (P = 0.3). Postoperative complications were higher in the PBD group compared to the DS group (27.1% vs. 19.5%; P = 0.0005). Patients in the PBD group had higher risk of sepsis (13.5% vs. 7.2%; P = 0.0001), wound infections (16.5% vs. 10.9%; P = 0.002) and pancreatic fistula (17.5% vs. 12.4%; P = 0.006) compared to the DS group.

Conclusion

Preoperative biliary drainage is associated with increased risk of sepsis and wound infections, but does not impact the postoperative mortality of patients undergoing PBD.
A meta‐analysis of the antecedents of work–family enrichment
Authors: Lapierre Laurent M. , Li Yanhong , Kwan Ho Kwong , Greenhaus Jeffrey H. , DiRenzo Marco S. , Shao Ping
Published: September 2017

This study meta‐analytically examined theoretically derived antecedents of both directions of work–family enrichment (sometimes labeled facilitation or positive spillover), namely, work–family enrichment and family–work enrichment. Contextual and personal characteristics specific to each domain were examined. Resource‐providing (e.g., social support and work autonomy) and resource‐depleting (e.g., role overload) contextual characteristics were considered. Domain‐specific personal characteristics included the individuals' psychological involvement in each domain, the centrality of each domain, and work engagement. Results based on 767 correlations from 171 independent studies published between 1990 and 2016 indicate that several contextual and personal characteristics have significant relationships with enrichment. Although those associated with work tend to have stronger relationships with work–family enrichment and those associated with family tend to have stronger relationships with family–work enrichment, several antecedent variables have significant relationships with both directions of enrichment. Resource‐providing contextual characteristics tend to have stronger relationships with enrichment than do resource‐depleting characteristics. There was very little evidence of gender being a moderator of relationships between contextual characteristics and enrichment. Lastly, meta‐analytic structural equation modeling provided evidence that a theoretical path model wherein work engagement mediates between several contextual characteristics and enrichment is largely generalizable across populations.
Pharmacist charting in the preadmission clinic of a Sydney teaching hospital: a pilot study
Authors: Bajorek Beata V. , Bakshi Ruchi , MacPherson Ross D. , Chow Clara , Elliott Phillip
Published: September 2017

Aim

To trial a pharmacist charting service, comprising medication charting, in the preadmission clinic (PAC) at a Sydney teaching hospital.

Methods

A prospective pre/post‐trial was conducted comprising a 1‐month baseline audit and a 1‐month trial of pharmacist charting (i.e. pharmacists' preparation of patients' medication charts during routine consultations). Purpose‐designed data collection forms were used to document: pharmacist and doctor consultation times, time taken by pharmacists to prepare medication charts, and completeness and accuracy of the prescribed medication charts. A semi‐structured survey was used to elicit feedback from PAC staff regarding the pharmacist charting service; the data were thematically analysed using manual, inductive coding.

Results

Seventy‐two medication charts were completed by PAC pharmacists during the 1‐month trial. Completeness of charts improved post‐intervention (5.4 vs 80.6%, p < 0.001), as did the accuracy of charts (proportion of charts with inaccuracies: 41.1 vs 1.4%, p < 0.001); only one (1.4%) pharmacist‐prescribed medication chart was identified as having an inaccuracy. The changes in mean consultation times per patient for doctors and pharmacists, respectively, changed from pre‐ to post‐intervention as follows: pharmacists 18.9 ± 6.5 min to 20.6 ± 8.3 min (p = NS); and doctors 25.0 ± 9.6 min to 19.0 ± 6.4 min (p < 0.001). A statistically significant relationship was found between pharmacist consultation time and patients' numbers of medications (p < 0.001) and age group (p = 0.004).

Conclusion

Pharmacist charting in the PAC has been shown to improve medication chart completeness and accuracy, helping to ensure medication safety in the hospital setting. A further, long‐term trial will help confirm the clinical benefits of such a service.
A penultimate glacial climate record from southern Hungary
Authors: Koltai G. , Spötl C. , Shen C.‐C. , Wu C.‐C. , Rao Z. , Palcsu L. , Kele S. , Surányi G. , Bárány‐Kevei I.
Published: September 2017

A flowstone from the central European Abaliget Cave (Mecsek Mts, Hungary) provides a record of uninterrupted calcite deposition between ∼160 and ∼124 ka, covering most of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 6 and part of 5e. δ18O values of three lateral drill cores show synchronous high‐frequency (millennial‐scale) variability during MIS 6, interpreted as stadials and interstadials, and a 3.4‰ rise at the MIS 6/5e boundary. The interstadials are mostly symmetrical in shape and show consistently lower δ18O values than calcite formed during MIS 5e. The rises (decreases) in δ18O are followed by drops (increases) in δ13C with a delay of 1–2 ka, implying enhanced (reduced) soil bioproductivity. This period of highly variable climate is bracketed by two broad δ18O minima. The first minimum between ∼160 and ∼148 ka coincided with a maximum in ice‐rafted detritus in the eastern North Atlantic. The second one from ∼134 to ∼129 ka occurred during Heinrich 11, before the rapid and large δ18O increase at ∼128 ka.
Preparation and characterization of Dendrobium officinale powders through superfine grinding
Authors: Meng Qingran , Fan Haoran , Chen Feng , Xiao Tiancun , Zhang Lianfu
Published: September 2017

BACKGROUND

Dendrobium officinale has been used in China for several thousand years as a health food and has become one of the most expensive tea materials worldwide as a result of extremely scarce resources in the wild and an increasing demand. Hence, it is very important to improve the depth and width of its application. In the present study, the physico‐chemical, surface chemistry and thermal properties of micron range particles and coarse particles prepared by superfine grinding and shear pulverization were investigated.

RESULTS

As the particle size decreased, the specific surface area of D. officinale powders increased significantly. Microscopy observations confirmed that superfine grinding effectively changed the original structure of D. officinale. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra depicted the characteristic bands shifted in terms of absorbance and/or wave number as the powder particle size decreased. The crystallinity and intensity of the crystal peaks of D. officinale powders increased as the particle size decreased. Moisture sorption isotherms suggested that superfine powders were more unstable as a result of the increase in surface area, as well as the exposure of polar groups.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study suggest that superfine grinding may provide new methods of processing for D. officinale with respect to further enhancement of its application value. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Efficiency of the coastal filter: Nitrogen and phosphorus removal in the Baltic Sea
Authors: Asmala Eero , Carstensen Jacob , Conley Daniel J. , Slomp Caroline P. , Stadmark Johanna , Voss Maren
Published: September 2017

An important function of coastal ecosystems is the reduction of the nutrient flux from land to the open sea, the coastal filter. In this study, we focused on the two most important coastal biogeochemical processes that remove nitrogen and phosphorus permanently: denitrification and phosphorus burial. We compiled removal rates from coastal systems around the Baltic Sea and analyzed their spatial variation and regulating environmental factors. These analyses were used to scale up denitrification and phosphorus burial rates for the entire Baltic Sea coastal zone. Denitrification rates ranged from non‐detectable to 12 mmol N m−2 d−1, and correlated positively with both bottom water nitrate concentration and sediment organic carbon content. The rates exhibited a strong decreasing gradient from land to the open coast, which was likely driven by the availability of nitrate and labile organic carbon, but a high proportion of non‐cohesive sediments in the coastal zone decreased the denitrification efficiency relative to the open sea. Phosphorus burial rates varied from 0.21 g P m−2 yr−1 in open coastal systems to 2.28 g P m−2 yr−1 in estuaries. Our analysis suggests that archipelagos are important phosphorus traps and account for 45% of the coastal P removal, while covering only 17% of the coastal areas. High burial rates could partly be sustained by phosphorus import from the open Baltic Sea. We estimate that the coastal filter in the Baltic Sea removes 16% of nitrogen and 53% of phosphorus inputs from land.
Solid Tumor Immunotherapy with T Cell Engager‐Armed Oncolytic Viruses
Authors: Scott Eleanor M. , Duffy Margaret R. , Freedman Joshua D. , Fisher Kerry D. , Seymour Leonard W.
Published: September 2017

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are novel anticancer agents that combine direct cancer cell killing with the stimulation of antitumor immunity. In addition, OVs can be engineered to deliver biological therapeutics directly to tumors, offering unique opportunities to design multimodal anticancer strategies. Here, a case for arming OVs with bispecific T cell engagers (BiTEs) is put forward. BiTEs redirect the cytotoxicity of polyclonal T cells to target cells of choice, and have demonstrated efficacy against a number of hematological cancers. However, the success of BiTEs in the treatment of solid tumors appears more limited, at least in part due to: (i) poor delivery kinetics and penetration into tumors, and (ii) on‐target off‐tumor activity, leading to dose‐limiting toxicities. Linking the production of BiTEs to OV replication provides an exciting means to restrict production to the tumor site, widen their therapeutic window, and synergize with direct oncolysis. This review summarizes progress thus far in the preclinical development of BiTE‐armed OVs, and explores the possibility of cotargeting cancer cells and nontransformed stromal cells.
Compression of CT sinogram data by decimation in the view direction
Authors: Sjölin Martin , Danielsson Mats
Published: September 2017

Pupose

In clinical computed tomography (CT), the image data is acquired during continuous rotation. If the time during which the signal is integrated (the frame time) is too long, the data is blurred in the view direction (i.e., azimuthal blur). This can be overcome by having a high angular sampling rate, but for systems with limited bandwidth, the increased amount of data can be a problem. In this paper, we evaluate the benefit of maintaining a high angular sampling rate on the CT gantry and performing a decimation (digital low‐pass filtration followed by a downsampling) in the view direction before the bottleneck of the data transfer chain.

Methods

A theoretical evaluation of the effects of the decimation is presented and the implementation of the digital filter is discussed. The compression scheme is evaluated on image data of a CATPHAN 504 phantom and a human skull phantom.

Results

It is shown that digital decimation can be used to compress data before read‐out with more remaining data fidelity compared to having longer frame times. Specifically, the method is shown to preserve the detail in the reconstruction of the CATPHAN resolution patterns and the human skull phantom. It is also demonstrated that the method can be used to prevent aliasing artifacts.

Conclusions

Decimation in the view direction is presented as an alternative to increasing the frame time for CT systems with limited bandwidth of the data read‐out. The method can be used to either remove aliasing artifacts or preserve spatial resolution. The proposed compression scheme can be implemented on the CT gantry and thus reduce the bandwidth requirements on the data transfer.
Nonuniqueness in dual‐energy CT
Authors: Levine Zachary H.
Published: September 2017

Purpose

The goal is to determine whether dual‐energy computed tomography (CT) leads to a unique reconstruction using two basis materials.

Methods

The beam‐hardening equation is simplified to the single‐voxel case. The simplified equation is rewritten to show that the solution can be considered to be linear operations in a vector space followed by a measurement model which is the sum of the exponential of the coordinates. The case of finding the concentrations of two materials from measurements of two spectra with three photon energies is the simplest non‐trivial case and is considered in detail.

Results

Using a material basis of water and bone, with photon energies of 30 keV, 60 keV, and 100 keV, a case with two solutions is demonstrated.

Conclusions

Dual‐energy reconstruction using two materials is not unique as shown by an example. Algorithms for dual‐energy, dual‐material reconstructions need to be aware of this potential ambiguity in the solution.
Bias–variance tradeoff in anticorrelated noise reduction for spectral CT
Authors: Persson Mats , Grönberg Fredrik
Published: September 2017

Purpose

In spectral CT, basis material decomposition is commonly used to generate a set of basis images showing the material composition at each point in the field of view. The noise in these images typically contains anticorrelations between the different basis images, which leads to increased noise in each basis image. These anticorrelations can be removed by changing the basis functions used in the material decomposition, but the resulting basis images can then no longer be used for quantitative measurements. Recent studies have demonstrated that reconstruction methods which take the anticorrelations into account give reduced noise in the reconstructed image. The purpose of this work is to analyze an analytically solvable denoising model problem and investigate its effect on the noise level and bias in the image as a function of spatial frequency.

Method

A denoising problem with a quadratic regularization term is studied as a mathematically tractable model for such a reconstruction method. An analytic formula for the resulting image in the spatial frequency domain is presented, and this formula is applied to a simple mathematical phantom consisting of an iodinated contrast agent insert embedded in soft tissue. We study the effect of the denoising on the image in terms of its transfer function and the visual appearance, the noise power spectrum and the Fourier component correlation coefficient of the resulting image, and compare the result to a denoising problem which does not model the anticorrelations in the image.

Results

Including the anticorrelations in the noise model of the denoising method gives 3–40% lower noise standard deviation in the soft‐tissue image while leaving the iodine standard deviation nearly unchanged (0–1% difference). It also gives a sharper edge‐spread function. The studied denoising method preserves the noise level and the anticorrelated structure at low spatial frequencies but suppresses the noise and removes the anticorrelations at higher spatial frequencies. Cross‐talk between images gives rise to artifacts at high spatial frequencies.

Conclusions

Modeling anticorrelations in a denoising problem can decrease the noise level in the basis images by removing anticorrelations at high spatial frequencies while leaving low spatial frequencies unchanged. In this way, basis image cross‐talk does not lead to low spatial frequency bias but it may cause artifacts at edges in the image. This theoretical insight will be useful for researchers analyzing and designing reconstruction algorithms for spectral CT.
The Effect of Surface Electronic Structure on the Bioactivity of Neutral Dopant Si, Ge, and Sn on TiO2 (110): A DFT Study
Authors: Xu Aoni , Dong Chaofang , Wei Xin , Zhang Yanxian , Li Xiaogang
Published: September 2017

In this paper, first principles calculations based on density functional theory were used to study the electronic properties and adsorption behavior of modified rutile surfaces with neutral element dopants (Si, Ge, Sn). The results showed that Sn doped surface has the smallest work function (7.07 eV) and Ge doped surface has the lowest conduction band edge (1.28 eV). Furthermore, the adsorption behavior of H2O and Arg‐Gly‐Asp (RGD) molecules on modified rutile surfaces was calculated to estimate the biocompatibility of modified dental implant surfaces. For the purpose of simulating the real solution environment, the free energy of solvation for adsorbates, calculated by Gaussian 09 program code, was taken into account. The results of the adsorption calculations of H2O indicate that Sn doped surface has a more negative adsorption energy (−3.15 eV) and a higher charge transfer (−0.1) than any other modified surface, which is consistent with its low work function. The results of the adsorption calculations of Arg‐Gly‐Asp demonstrate that Ge doped surface also has a shorter distance (1.95 Å) between Ti atom and O atom in RGD, which is similar with the partial density of states results. All of the results show that the electronic structure of an implant surface has a significant influence on its bioactivity and is also useful for the design of modification methods on dental implant surfaces.
Isomer separation and effect of the degree of polymerization on the gas‐phase structure of chondroitin sulfate oligosaccharides analyzed by ion mobility and tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Poyer Salomé , Lopin‐Bon Chrystel , Jacquinet Jean‐Claude , Salpin Jean‐Yves , Daniel Régis
Published: September 2017

Rationale

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) glycosaminoglycans are bioactive sulfated polysaccharides comprising repeating units of uronic acid and N‐acetyl galactose sulfated at various positions. The optimal length and sulfation pattern of the CS bioactive sequences remain elusive so that structure‐activity relationships cannot be easily established. Development of efficient analytical methods allowing the differentiation of the various sulfation patterns of CS sequences is therefore of particular importance to correlate their biological functions to the sulfation pattern.

Methods

Discrimination of different oligomers (dp2 to dp6) of synthetic chondroitin sulfate isomers was evaluated by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS/MS) in the negative‐ion mode from deprotonated and alkali adduct species. In addition, ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMS‐MS) was used to study the influence of both the degree of polymerization and sulfate group location on the gas‐phase conformation of CS oligomers.

Results

ESI‐MS/MS spectra of chondroitin sulfate isomers show characteristic product ions exclusively from alkali adduct species (Li, Na, K and Cs). Whatever the alkali adducts studied, MS/MS of chondroitin oligosaccharides sulfated at position 6 yields a specific product ion at m/z 139 while CS oligosaccharides sulfated at position 4 show a specific product ion at m/z 154. Being observed for the different CS oligomers di‐, tetra‐ and hexasaccharides, these fragment ions are considered as diagnostic ions for chondroitin 6‐O‐sulfate and chondroitin 4‐O‐sulfate, respectively. IMS‐MS experiments reveal that collision cross‐sections (CCS) of CS oligomers with low charge states evolved linearly with degrees of polymerization indicating a similar gas‐phase conformation.

Conclusions

This study allows the fast and unambiguous differentiation of CS isomers sulfated at position 6 or 4 for both saturated and unsaturated analogues from MS/MS experiments. In addition, the CCS linear evolution of CS oligomers in function of the degree of polymerization indicates that no folding occurs even for hexasaccharides.
Selection of solvent for the mechanical activation process: A molecular dynamics simulation and experiment study
Authors: Tao Jun , Wang Xiaofeng , Han Zhongxi , Feng Bo , Xue Lexing
Published: September 2017

Herein, molecular dynamics simulations and experiments were carried to select solvent for the mechanical activation process. The interaction between solvent and each component of the Al‐PTFE mechanical activated energy composites has been studied by means of molecular dynamics. Then, the status of Al and PTFE in solvent was analyzed, and the microstructure of the composite was also studied combined with experiment. At last, the mechanical activated energy composites were prepared with n‐hexane as the solvent. The results show that the adsorption of PTFE, toluene, and hexane on the (0 0 1), (0 1 0), and (100) surface of Al2O3 is stable. Al2O3 (0 0 1) surface and Al2O3 (0 1 0) surface interact with 3 substances mainly via the electrostatic force. Al2O3 (1 0 0) surface interacts with 3 substances mainly via the van der Waals force. The binding energies of toluene‐Al2O3 and hexane‐Al2O3 are larger than PTFE‐Al2O3. PTFE cannot adsorb on the surface of aluminum in the existence of n‐hexane and toluene. n‐Hexane can make PTFE disperse uniformly, and a considerable part of these PTFE will be coated on the surface of Al after n‐hexane is removed. The uniformity of Al/PTFE mechanical activated energetic composites prepared in n‐hexane is good, and it increases with the milling time.
Design and Characterization of Novel Choline‐Based Phthalic Salts: A Case Study for Sugarcane Bagasse Pretreatment
Authors: de Castro Aline M. , de Menezes Sonia M. C. , Chinelatto Junior Luiz S. , Cassela Alessandra R. , Ribeiro Bernardo D.
Published: September 2017

Two new phthalic salts, dicholine terephthalate ([Ch]2[Ter]) and dicholine isophthalate ([Ch]2[Iso]) were synthesized in one‐pot reactions. After structures confirmation by 13C and 1H NMR and their characterization (viscosity, solubility, thermal analysis), [Ch]2[Iso] was classified as an ionic liquid, whereas [Ch]2[Ter] was not, revealing a role of the arene substitution pattern in the properties of the salts. [Ch]2[Iso] was then applied for sugarcane bagasse (SCB) pretreatment at different biomass loadings, and the analysis of the resulting solids indicated partial removal of lignin and enrichment of holocellulose. Glucose release was anticipated during enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated SCB and sugar concentration was up to 8.1‐fold increased, as compared to untreated SCB. These findings open up new opportunities for the use of lower cost reagents for the synthesis of more economically attractive ionic liquids, which is especially necessary during the production of commodity chemicals.
Facile One‐Pot Synthesis of Intrinsically Radiolabeled 64Cu‐Human Serum Albumin Nanocomposite for Cancer Targeting
Authors: Chakravarty Rubel , Chakraborty Sudipta , Guleria Apurav , Kunwar Amit , Sarma Haladhar Dev , Dash Ashutosh
Published: September 2017

Development of suitably radiolabeled nanoplatforms for cancer targeting is still at an early stage necessitating a simplified and reliable approach for incorporation of radioisotopes onto nanoparticles with minimal impact on their original biological behavior. In this study, we have developed an one‐pot synthesis protocol for preparation of small sized (4‐5 nm diameter), water soluble, intrinsically radiolabeled 64Cu metal nanoparticles capped within human serum albumin (HSA) scaffold (64Cu‐HSA nanocomposite). Detailed characterization of the as‐synthesized nanoparticles was carried out by various analytical techniques to establish the colloidal and radiochemical stability, biocompatibility and suitability for clinical administration. The biological efficacy of 64Cu‐HSA nanocomposite was demonstrated by biodistribution studies in melanoma tumor bearing C57BL/6 mice, that showed rapid diffusion and accumulation of the radiotracer into tumor and clearance from the biological system by both renal and hepatobiliary routes. The promising results obtained in this study suggest that this strategy could be employed to facilitate clinical translation of a new class of biocompatible radiotracers derived from metal‐based nanoparticles for PET imaging.
Microwave‐Assisted Radical Insertion/Cyclization of Vinyl Isocyanides for the Synthesis of Multi‐Substituted Isoquinolines
Authors: Xu Yulong , Chen Hao , Li Wei , Xie Qiong , Yu Linqian , Shao Liming
Published: September 2017

A convenient microwave‐assisted method for the synthesis of multi‐substituted isoquinolines from the radical insertion/cyclization reaction of vinyl isocyanides with a C(sp3)‐H bond adjacent to a heteroatom has been described. The methodology presented here achieves wide substrate scope and good to excellent yields. A radical mechanism is proposed, which is supported by kinetic isotope effect (KIE) studies, radical trapping studies and Hammett plot analysis.
Automated design of image recognition in capturing environment
Authors: Ogata Taiki , Yukisawa Taigo , Arai Tamio , Ueyama Tsuyoshi , Takada Toshiyuki , Ota Jun
Published: September 2017

This study aims at automating the design of the image‐recognition algorithm and the image‐acquisition environment for an industrial picking system. Here for the image‐recognition algorithm, a preprocessing image parameter and a discriminator using local features in images are targeted. For the image‐acquisition environment, the camera distance from the target objects and the illumination strength of each RGB color are considered. The problem is formulated as an optimization problem, and a method is proposed to derive solutions using a two‐phase random multistart local optimization for the image‐acquisition environment and the image‐recognition algorithm. In addition, experiment‐based optimization is made to deal with the uncertainty of the capturing environment. Furthermore, positions and angles are considered in a robot coordinate system to simplify the image‐acquisition process. The three evaluation experiments targeting objects with different surface characteristics are conducted. The results show that the proposed system successfully designed parameter sets for the image‐acquisition environment and the image‐recognition algorithm that suited the characteristics of the target objects. The object recognition rate, that is, F measure, is 1 for all objects in all the three experiments.
How Do You Foster Deeper Disciplinary Learning with the “Flipped” Classroom?
Authors: Bauer Angela , Haynie Aeron
Published: September 2017

Giving students their first exposure to course content online allows instructors to use classroom time for active learning which promotes deeper disciplinary understanding
How Do You Use Experiential Learning to Bridge the Classroom and the Real World?
Authors: Beck Victoria Simpson , Boys Stephanie K. , Haas Hannah J. , King Karen N.
Published: September 2017

Historically, a liberal arts education was thought to “liberate” students from the narrow perspective of experiential learning. Paradoxically, experiential learning is increasingly being used to broaden a liberal arts education. This chapter provides a discussion on three signature experiential learning practices, and suggests these practices can be implemented across disciplines to enrich the learning experience.
Removal of toxic heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions using jute fibers grafted with acrylic acid by gamma irradiation
Authors: Hassan Mahmoud S. , Zohdy Maged H.
Published: September 2017

Jute fibers were grafted with acrylic acid by using the direct gamma irradiation technique, which used as an adsorbent substrate for the toxic heavy metal ions such as Hg2+ and Pb2+ from their aqueous solutions. The structure and crystallinity of the grafted jute fibers were characterized by using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction, respectively. The effect of pH range of the metal ion solutions, contact time, and the adsorption kinetics of the adsorption process were investigated. The effect of the initial concentration of dissolved metal ions and the adsorption isotherm for both Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were also investigated. From the results, it can be concluded that the adsorption process obeys the second‐order kinetic reaction and follows the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model, while, about 86 and 80% of Pb2+ and Hg2+, respectively, were adsorbed at pH 5 and 6 after a contact time of 60 min. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 24:339–346, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Feeding live invertebrate prey in zoos and aquaria: Are there welfare concerns?
Authors: Keller Martha
Published: September 2017

Invertebrates constitute more than 90% of all species on earth, however, as a rule, humans do not regard invertebrates as creatures that can suffer and they are generally seen as creatures that should be eliminated. As a result, the importance of their welfare may be grossly unappreciated. For instance, the feeding of live food is often viewed as a good method of enrichment and invertebrates are commonly used as live prey in many zoological facilities. As a result, zoos may send mixed messages to their patrons in that welfare is considered only for the invertebrates that are part of their zoological collection and not necessarily for the invertebrates used as feed. Research indicates that many invertebrates possess nociceptors, opioid receptors, and demonstrate behavioral responses indicative of pain sensation. In addition, in some taxa, there may be evidence of higher cognitive functions such as emotions and learning, although studies in this area of research are preliminary and sparse. Therefore, the possibility for suffering exists in many invertebrate species and as such, zoological facilities have an ethical responsibility to take their welfare into consideration. This paper discusses the current research regarding invertebrates’ capacity for suffering and discusses methods facilities can use to improve the welfare of their invertebrate live prey.
Diagnostic and Prognostic Role of 18‐FDG PET/CT in the Management of Resectable Biliary Tract Cancer
Authors: Ma Ka Wing , Cheung Tan To , She Wong Hoi , Chok Kenneth Siu Ho , Chan Albert Chi Yan , Dai Wing Chiu , Chiu Wan Hang , Lo Chung Mau
Published: September 2017

Objectives

Role of 18‐FDG PET/CT had been well established in other more prevalent malignancies such as colorectal and lung cancer; however, this is not as well defined in cholangiocarcinoma. Literature focusing on the prognostic values of preoperative PET/CT for resectable cholangiocarcinoma is scarce.

Method

This is a retrospective cohort of 66 consecutive patients who had received curative resection for cholangiocarcinoma from 2010 to 2015. All patients had preoperative 18‐FDG PET/CT performed. Accuracy of metastatic lymph node detection of PET/CT and the prognostic value of maximum standard uptake value (SUV‐max) was explored.

Results

There were 38 male and 28 female recruited, and the median age was 66. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) constituted the majority (59.1%) of the cases, followed by hilar cholangiocarcinoma (22.8%), gallbladder cancer (13.6%) and common bile duct cancer (4.5%). The 3‐year disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of the whole population were 27.1 and 39.2%, respectively. The median follow‐up duration was 27 months. The accuracy of PET/CT in metastatic lymph node detection was 72.7% (P = 0.005, 95% CI 0.583–0.871) and 81.8% (P = 0.011, 95% CI 0.635–0.990) in whole population and ICC subgroup analysis, respectively. SUV‐max was shown by multivariate analysis to be an independent factor for DFS (P = 0.007 OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.04–1.29) and OS (P = 0.012 OR 1.145, 95% CI 1.030–1.273) after resection. SUV‐max of 8 was shown to be a discriminant cut‐off for poor oncological outcomes in patients with early cholangiocarcinoma (TNM stage I or II) after curative resection (3‐year DFS: 21.2 vs. 63.2%, P = 0.004, and 3‐year OS: 29 vs. 74% P = 0.048, respectively).

Conclusion

PET/CT is a reliable imaging modality for metastatic lymph node detection in cholangiocarcinoma. Tumour SUV‐max is an independent factor for oncological outcomes in patients with resectable disease. For patients who have TNM stage I or II cholangiocarcinoma, tumour SUV‐max over 8 is associated with significantly inferior disease‐free and overall survival even after curative resection.
Long‐term metabolic follow‐up and clinical outcome of 35 patients with maple syrup urine disease
Authors: Abi‐Wardé Marie‐Thérèse , Roda Célina , Arnoux Jean‐Baptiste , Servais Aude , Habarou Florence , Brassier Anais , Pontoizeau Clément , Barbier Valérie , Bayart Manuella , Leboeuf Virginie , Chadefaux‐Vekemans Bernadette , Dubois Sandrine , Assoun Murielle , Belloche Claire , Alili Jean‐Meidi , Husson Marie‐Caroline , Lesage Fabrice , Dupic Laurent , Theuil Benoit , Ottolenghi Chris , de Lonlay Pascale
Published: September 2017

Background

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a rare disease that requires a protein‐restricted diet for successful management. Little is known, however, about the psychosocial outcome of MSUD patients. This study investigates the relationship between metabolic and clinical parameters and psychosocial outcomes in a cohort of patients with neonatal‐onset MSUD.

Methods

Data on academic achievement, psychological care, family involvement, and biochemical parameters were collected from the medical records of neonatal MSUD patients treated at Necker Hospital (Paris) between 1964 and 2013.

Results

Thirty‐five MSUD patients with a mean age of 16.3 (2.1–49.0) years participated. Metabolic decompensations (plasma leucine >380 μmol/L) were more frequent during the first year of life and after 15 years, mainly due to infection and dietary noncompliance, respectively. Leucine levels increased significantly in adulthood: 61.5% of adults were independent and achieved adequate social and professional integration; 56% needed occasional or sustained psychological or psychiatric care (8/19, with externalizing, mood, emotional, and anxiety disorders being the most common). Patients needing psychiatric care were significantly older [mean and standard deviation (SD) 22.6 (7.7) years] than patients needing only psychological follow‐up [mean (SD) 14.3 (8.9) years]. Patients with psychological follow‐up experienced the highest lifetime number of decompensations; 45% of families had difficulty coping with the chronic disease. Parental involvement was negatively associated with the number of lifetime decompensations.

Conclusion

Adults had increased levels of plasma leucine, consistent with greater chronic toxicity. Psychological care was associated with age and number of decompensations. In addition, parental involvement appeared to be crucial in the management of MSUD patients.
American and British English
Authors: Baker Paul
Published: September 2017

Is British English becoming more like American English? If so, why, and in what ways? This book compares examples of American and British language data from the 1930s, 1960s, 1990s and 2000s, to track the most important ways that both varieties are changing over time, and compares the extent to which they are following similar paths using a mixture of computer and human analysis. The analysis is carried out across several levels, including spelling differences (such as colour vs color), vocabulary (truck vs lorry), and a range of morphological, grammatical, semantic and pragmatic features. Baker explores the changing aspects of American and British society which help to explain the findings.
Everyday Words and the Character of Prose in Nineteenth-Century Britain
Authors: Farina Jonathan
Published: September 2017

Everyday Words is an original and innovative study of the stylistic tics of canonical novelists including Austen, Dickens, Trollope, Thackeray and Eliot. Jonathan Farina shows how ordinary locutions such as 'a decided turn', 'as if' and 'that sort of thing' condense nineteenth-century manners, tacit aesthetics and assumptions about what counts as knowledge. Writers recognized these recurrent 'everyday words' as signatures of 'character'. Attending to them reveals how many of the fundamental forms of characterizing fictional characters also turn out to be forms of characterizing objects, natural phenomena and inanimate, abstract things, such as physical laws, the economy and legal practice. Ultimately, this book revises what 'character' meant to nineteenth-century Britons by respecting the overlapping, transdisciplinary connotations of the category.
Mary Gladstone and the Victorian Salon
Authors: Weliver Phyllis
Published: September 2017

The daughter of one of Britain's longest-serving Prime Ministers, Mary Gladstone was a notable musician, hostess of one of the most influential political salons in late-Victorian London, and probably the first female prime ministerial private secretary in Britain. Pivoting around Mary's initiatives, this intellectual history draws on a trove of unpublished archival material that reveals for the first time the role of music in Victorian liberalism, explores its intersections with literature, recovers what the high Victorian salon was within a wider cultural history, and shows Mary's influence on her father's work. Paying close attention to literary and biographical details, the book also sheds new light on Tennyson's poetry, George Eliot's fiction, the founding of the Royal College of Music, the Gladstone family, and a broad plane of wider British culture, including political liberalism and women, sociability, social theology, and aesthetic democracy.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Limits on negotiating behind the border barriers
Authors: Aggarwal Vinod K. , Evenett Simon J.
Published: September 2017

This special issue focuses on the difficulties of negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), with contributions by scholars from different perspectives. This introductory article briefly examines the trend to mega-FTAs of which TTIP is a leading example. It then reviews the contributions to this special issue, drawing on an analytical approach that reflects extant work on transnational and transgovernmental relations. This approach, we contend, helps to understand the stark mismatch between the desire of some parties to negotiate binding trade rules on behind-the-border regulatory policies in certain key sectors of national economies and the progress made in TTIP talks. We then highlight the significance of some key actors in a case study of failed E.U. attempts to include financial sector reforms and associated regulatory processes in TTIP.