bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of Microwave-Infrared, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer – Earth observing system and WindSat-derived sea surface temperatures in coastal waters of the northern South China Sea
Authors: Yuan Jinnan , Wang Dongxiao , Liu Chunxia , Wen Guanhuan
Published: October 2017

Microwave-infrared, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer – Earth observing system, and WindSat sea surface temperatures are validated in coastal waters of the northern South China Sea using in situ measurements from three anchored buoys from 2010–2013. Validation of satellite sea surface temperatures shows that biases ± standard deviations of Microwave-infrared, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer – Earth observing system, and WindSat daytime and nighttime sea surface temperatures against Maoming buoy sea surface temperatures are 0.18 ± 0.74, 0.60 ± 0.57, 0.76 ± 0.61, and 0.22 ± 0.74°C, respectively, and against Shantou buoy sea surface temperatures are 0.02 ± 0.58, 0.05 ± 0.53, 0.04 ± 0.69, and −0.05 ± 0.71°C, respectively. Because the Shanwei buoy is very close to the coast, the bias of satellite sea surface temperatures against the Shanwei buoy sea surface temperatures is very large, especially in the winter. The mean biases of satellite sea surface temperatures in coastal waters, except for very close to the coast, are roughly equivalent to previous results in the northern South China Sea. The accuracies of satellite sea surface temperatures in coastal waters of the northern South China Sea depend not only on season, wind speed, wind direction, and region, but also on the satellite product. Accuracy and applicability of satellite-derived sea surface temperature also has the potential to further improve, especially in near-coastal areas.
Trace metals, grain size and organic matter in sediment from a coastal area of Thailand and Malaysia
Authors: Pradit Siriporn , Shazili Noor Azhar Mohamed , Towatana Prawit , Saengmanee Wuttipong
Published: October 2017

The sediment of Pattani Bay in Thailand and the Setiu Wetlands in Malaysia was investigated in the dry and wet seasons of 2014 to evaluate levels of trace metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn), sediment grain size, and organic matter. The mean concentrations of all the elements in both seasons (dry and wet) at Pattani Bay were higher than those in the Seitu Wetlands. High levels of As were detected in both seasons, but they were classified as moderately polluted in the dry season. The Enrichment Factor in relation to aluminum showed significant (Enrichment Factor >5 in the wet season) anthropogenic activity as related input for As in both areas and for Pb at Pattani Bay. Surprisingly, the metal concentrations (As, Cu, Pb, and Zn) were only significantly (p < 0.01, p < 0.05) correlated with clay content in the dry season at Pattani Bay. Silt-clay content and the amount of organic matter at Pattani Bay were higher than those of the Setiu Wetlands.
Composition and seasonal variations in abundance of Copepod (Crustacea) populations from the northern part of Lake Tanganyika
Authors: Mushagalusa Cirhuza Déo , Plisnier Pierre-Denis
Published: October 2017

Copepod has an important ecological role as a main food of several fishes on which commercial fisheries are based in Lake Tanganyika. However, very little multi-annual monitoring programs have been conducted for this group of crustacean zooplankton. This study was conducted in the northern part of Lake Tanganyika by weekly sampling at both pelagic and littoral sites over three consecutive years (2012–2014). The analyzed samples showed that Lake Tanganyika copepod was essentially composed of three suborders including Calanoida (30% by number) with a single endemic species, Cyclopoida (69%) with four dominant species and Harpacticoida (1%). These taxa showed variations in their abundance respectively at pelagic and littoral sampling sites. The average densities of copepods did slightly vary during the sampling period in both areas although higher peaks were observed in 2013. For the post-nauplii stage, Tropocyclops tenellus predominated while the nauplii of T. simplex predominated at both sampling sites. Seasonal fluctuations of copepod densities showed higher peaks in September/October and April/May, respectively, for the three most common species. T. simplex and M. aequatorialis ovigerous females showed higher peaks in the rainy season in 2013. These results can benefit pelagic fisheries research and lake environmental management efforts as the copepod abundance seems to be closely correlated to that of sardines in Lake Tanganyika.
Water quality as an indicator of the health status of agro-pastoral dams' ecosystems in Benin: An ecosystem services study
Authors: Kpéra G. N. , Mensah G. A. , Aarts N. , van der Zijpp A. J.
Published: October 2017

Based on a study in three agro-pastoral dams in Nikki, Sakabansi and Fombawi in northern Benin, this article aims to characterize their physical, chemical and microbiological water quality. The ecosystem services framework underlies this article. Water of the three dams was sampled in the field and analysed at the laboratory. Means of variables were compared with standard values (norms) for drinking water set by both Benin and the World Health Organization. Agro-pastoral dams' water quality is problematic because of the significantly high levels of nitrite, nitrate, iron, and chemical oxygen demand. Water in these dams is unsuitable for both human and livestock consumption because it is contaminated with harmful bacteria including total Coliform, Escherichia coli, spores of Clostridium, Enterococcus feacalis, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni. This study concluded that one solution for maintaining agro-pastoral ecosystem health consisted of watershed management based on monitoring ecosystem services such as water quality.
Towards building conservation prioritization strategies for tropical freshwater systems: A case study based on fish assemblages from the Western Ghats, India
Authors: Bhat Anuradha
Published: October 2017

Freshwater ecosystems of the Western Ghats (comprised primarily of rivers, lakes, and wetlands; less than 0.01% of the total water on Earth) harbor diverse communities of flora and fauna which are among the most threatened in the world. It is projected that habitat loss will lead to significant decline in freshwater fish diversity. Many rivers that are expected to lose fish species are located in tropical and sub-tropical countries. The freshwater diversity of the Western Ghats (one of the global biodiversity hotspots) is particularly vulnerable to recent expansion of human population and development in the region. The present study is an example of how baseline data on fish assemblages in disturbed and undisturbed river systems of the Western Ghats can be employed in developing conservation prioritization plans for tropical river systems. Analyses of beta diversity patterns along river gradients indicated the sensitivity of species turnover to altered habitats and polluting industries near study sites. Null model analyses was used to investigate assemblage structure across disturbed and undisturbed sites on the rivers, which revealed that structure of species co-occurrences depended on the extent of human disturbance in the rivers. A method of ranking based on the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) was used to categorize disturbance levels of different sites. A combination of approaches of assemblage structure together with ranking of the IBI will help in developing conservation strategies for the region and prioritization plans for management at local and regional scales.
Developing restoration targets for nearshore fish populations in two Areas of Concern in Lake Ontario
Authors: Bowlby J. N. , Hoyle J. A.
Published: October 2017

Restoration targets for nearshore fish populations in Hamilton Harbour and Toronto Harbour–Areas of Concern–were developed. Fish were captured in trap nets at Hamilton Harbour, Toronto Harbour, and nine unimpaired embayments of Lake Ontario. Embayments were sampled at least once and up to nine times during 2006–2013. Principal components analysis indicated the fish communities in unimpaired embayments clustered into two groups. One group had larger exposure distance (opening) to Lake Ontario and larger exposure index (surface area ÷ opening), and was termed “exposed.” The alternate group was “sheltered.” Fish communities in unimpaired embayments followed an aquatic macrophyte gradient of open-water species (e.g. White Bass, Gizzard Shad) at one end and species associated with vegetative cover (e.g. Bluegill, Pumpkinseed) at the other. A second fish community gradient was correlated with embayment opening and exposure index, and may be associated with habitat stability and exchanges with colder water from Lake Ontario. Hamilton Harbour is a sheltered embayment, but principal components analysis indicated the fish community was significantly different from all other embayments, consistent with its Area of Concern status. Northern Pike and Yellow Perch were the only target species in Hamilton Harbour close in abundance to unimpaired sheltered embayments. Common Carp, Brown Bullhead, Channel Catfish, and others were an order of magnitude higher than in unimpaired sheltered embayments. Toronto Harbour is an exposed embayment, and principal components analysis indicated the fish community was not significantly different from unimpaired embayments. Likewise, the abundance of most of the target species in Toronto Harbour was close to unimpaired embayments. Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, and Rock Bass were depressed and Gizzard Shad was elevated in Toronto Harbour, compared to unimpaired embayments.
Effect of river connectivity on hydrochemistry, sediment enzyme activity and biotic communities of wetlands
Authors: Aftabuddin Md. , Hassan M. A. , Das A. K. , Jha B. C. , Sharma A. P.
Published: October 2017

Wetlands associated with floodplains of the Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems cover an estimated 0.2 million ha and play a vital role in the fisheries, rural economy and environment. In recent years, most wetlands in the states of Bihar, Assam and West Bengal in India have lost connectivity with their parent rivers due to natural and anthropogenic changes. These changes are causing rapid shrinkage of valuable wetlands and threatening their biodiversity and ecological function. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of river connectivity on the hydrochemistry, sediment enzyme activity, and biotic communities of these wetlands. One wetland area having link channels (open) connecting the main river, and another without link channels (closed), were selected from each of the Ganges and Brahmaputra basins for the study. Comparative analysis of open and closed, ecologically distinct wetlands of the Ganges basin revealed greater seasonal reduction in water depth and higher water conductivity (p < 0.04), nutrients (Ca+2, Mg+2, SiO3-Si), sediment microbial activity (p < 0.004), phosphorous cycling enzymes (p < 0.001), carbon cycling enzymes (p < 0.01), organic matter, conductivity, and plankton and macrozoobenthos (p < 0.01) density in the closed wetland. However, the open wetland showed higher diversity of plankton and macrozoobenthos. A profound impact of connectivity on wetland fisheries was observed in the Brahmaputra basin in Assam, where a higher percentage of catch comprised of indigenous fish species with lower fish yield was noted in the open wetland.
Trends in sediment quality in Hamilton Harbour, Lake Ontario
Authors: Milani Danielle , Grapentine Lee , Burniston Debbie A. , Graham Matt , Marvin Chris
Published: October 2017

Bottom sediment quality in Hamilton Harbour was assessed as part of a long-term research and monitoring program over a period of three decades in order to support remedial activities. Sampling locations reflected a range of shoreline activities and sources of chemical contamination to the harbour. An assessment of temporal trends in metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls indicate that concentrations of all three classes of contaminants have decreased in sediments in most areas of the harbour since the period 1990–2000; however, the Windermere Arm area impacted by historical industrial activities along the southeastern shoreline area of the harbour was an exception, as trends in some metals and polychlorinated biphenyls showed overall increases. Assessment of spatial distributions of contaminants and the associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and polychlorinated biphenyl profiles showed that Randle Reef and Windermere Arm continue to be significant contributors to harbour-wide contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls, respectively. Continuation of the program after remedial activities should provide an assessment of the overall efficacy of management actions to improve environmental quality in Hamilton Harbour.
Counterexamples to the Eisenbud–Goto regularity conjecture
Authors: McCullough Jason , Peeva Irena
Published: October 2017

Our main theorem shows that the regularity of nondegenerate homogeneous prime ideals is not bounded by any polynomial function of the degree; this holds over any field

k
k

. In particular, we provide counterexamples to the longstanding Regularity Conjecture, also known as the Eisenbud–Goto Conjecture (1984). We introduce a method which, starting from a homogeneous ideal

I
I

, produces a prime ideal whose projective dimension, regularity, degree, dimension, depth, and codimension are expressed in terms of numerical invariants of

I
I

. The method is also related to producing bounds in the spirit of Stillman’s Conjecture, recently solved by Ananyan and Hochster.
Simple groups of Morley rank 3 are algebraic
Authors: Frécon Olivier
Published: October 2017

There exists no bad group (in the sense of Gregory Cherlin); namely, any simple group of Morley rank 3 is isomorphic toPSL2(K)\textrm {PSL}_2(K)for an algebraically closed fieldKK.
Characterization of polynomials whose large powers have all positive coefficients
Authors: Tan Colin , To Wing-Keung
Published: October 2017

We give a criterion which characterizes a homogeneous real multi-variate polynomial to have the property that all sufficiently large powers of the polynomial (as well as their products with any given positive homogeneous polynomial) have all positive coefficients. Our result generalizes a result of De Angelis, which corresponds to the case of homogeneous bivariate polynomials, as well as a classical result of Pólya, which corresponds to the case of a specific linear polynomial. As an application, we also give a characterization of certain polynomial spectral radius functions of the defining matrix functions of Markov chains.
On some polynomials and series of Bloch–Pólya type
Authors: Berkovich Alexander , Uncu Ali
Published: October 2017

We will show that

(
1
−
q
)
(
1
−

q
2

)
…
(
1
−

q
m

)

(1-q)(1-q^2)\dots (1-q^m)

is a polynomial in

q
q

with coefficients from

{
−
1
,
0
,
1
}

\{-1,0,1\}

iff

m
=
1
,
 
2
,
 
3
,

m=1,\ 2,\ 3,

or 5 and explore some interesting consequences of this result. We find explicit formulas for the

q
q

-series coefficients of
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="left-parenthesis 1 minus q squared right-parenthesis left-parenthesis 1 minus q cubed right-parenthesis left-parenthesis 1 minus q Superscript 4 Baseline right-parenthesis left-parenthesis 1 minus q Superscript 5 Baseline right-parenthesis ellipsis">

(
1
−

q
2

)
(
1
−

q
3

)
(
1
−

q
4

)
(
1
−

q
5

)
…

(1-q^2)(1-q^3)(1-q^4)(1-q^5)\dots

and
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="left-parenthesis 1 minus q cubed right-parenthesis left-parenthesis 1 minus q Superscript 4 Baseline right-parenthesis left-parenthesis 1 minus q Superscript 5 Baseline right-parenthesis left-parenthesis 1 minus q Superscript 6 Baseline right-parenthesis ellipsis">

(
1
−

q
3

)
(
1
−

q
4

)
(
1
−

q
5

)
(
1
−

q
6

)
…

(1-q^3)(1-q^4)(1-q^5)(1-q^6)\dots

. In doing so, we extend certain observations made by Sudler in 1964. We also discuss the classification of the products

(
1
−
q
)
(
1
−

q
2

)
…
(
1
−

q
m

)

(1-q)(1-q^2)\dots (1-q^m)

and some related series with respect to their absolute largest coefficients.
Bartender: a fast and accurate clustering algorithm to count barcode reads
Authors: Zhao Lu , Liu Zhimin , Levy Sasha F , Wu Song
Published: October 2017

Motivation

Barcode sequencing (bar-seq) is a high-throughput, and cost effective method to assay large numbers of cell lineages or genotypes in complex cell pools. Because of its advantages, applications for bar-seq are quickly growing—from using neutral random barcodes to study the evolution of microbes or cancer, to using pseudo-barcodes, such as shRNAs or sgRNAs to simultaneously screen large numbers of cell perturbations. However, the computational pipelines for bar-seq clustering are not well developed. Available methods often yield a high frequency of under-clustering artifacts that result in spurious barcodes, or over-clustering artifacts that group distinct barcodes together. Here, we developed Bartender, an accurate clustering algorithm to detect barcodes and their abundances from raw next-generation sequencing data.

Results

In contrast with existing methods that cluster based on sequence similarity alone, Bartender uses a modified two-sample proportion test that also considers cluster size. This modification results in higher accuracy and lower rates of under- and over-clustering artifacts. Additionally, Bartender includes unique molecular identifier handling and a ‘multiple time point’ mode that matches barcode clusters between different clustering runs for seamless handling of time course data. Bartender is a set of simple-to-use command line tools that can be performed on a laptop at comparable run times to existing methods.

Availability and implementation

Bartender is available at no charge for non-commercial use at https://github.com/LaoZZZZZ/bartender-1.1.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
heatmaply: an R package for creating interactive cluster heatmaps for online publishing
Authors: Galili Tal , O’Callaghan Alan , Sidi Jonathan , Sievert Carson
Published: October 2017

heatmaply is an R package for easily creating interactive cluster heatmaps that can be shared online as a stand-alone HTML file. Interactivity includes a tooltip display of values when hovering over cells, as well as the ability to zoom in to specific sections of the figure from the data matrix, the side dendrograms, or annotated labels. Thanks to the synergistic relationship between heatmaply and other R packages, the user is empowered by a refined control over the statistical and visual aspects of the heatmap layout.

Availability and implementation

The heatmaply package is available under the GPL-2 Open Source license. It comes with a detailed vignette, and is freely available from: http://cran.r-project.org/package=heatmaply.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Static output feedback canonical forms
Authors: Yannakoudakis Aristotle G
Published: October 2017

We construct complete static output feedback (SOF) invariants and canonical forms of the set of strictly proper full rank, rational, transfer function matrices. We consider the induced action of the SOF group on the set of Plücker coordinates. Some of them are SOF-invariant and that some others vary linearly with the entries of the feedback gain. Further SOF-invariants are constructed based on the consistency conditions of linear systems of equations. The pair of the above two lists of invariants is complete. The proof is given, introducing a new type of factorization. We construct a SOF-canonical form. We apply the results to the class of systems with two inputs two outputs, characterizing the SOF-equivalence classes in the case of four states as to the property of SOF-pole assignability and calculating the constrained dynamics in the case of more than four states.
Recruiting American Indian/Alaska Native Students to Medical School: A Multi-Institutional Alliance in the U.S. Southwest
Authors: Ballejos Marlene P. , Olsen Polly , Price-Johnson Tanisha , Garcia Cindy , Parker Tassy , Sapién Robert E. , Romero-Leggott Valerie
Published: October 2017

Problem

Despite national efforts to diversify the physician workforce, American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals have the least representation of all major racial and ethnic groups. Limited resources at state medical schools present institution-level recruitment challenges. Unified efforts to engage AI/AN students in premedical education activities are needed.

Approach

The medical schools at the Universities of Arizona (Phoenix and Tucson), Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah identified a collective need to increase student diversity, particularly with regard to AI/AN students. The schools partnered with the Association of American Indian Physicians to support AI/AN students applying to medical school and to grow the overall AI/AN applicant pool. Each year from 2011 to 2016, these institutions hosted a two-day preadmissions workshop (PAW) to prepare participants for applying to medical school.

Outcomes

From 2011 to 2016, 130 AI/AN students participated in the PAWs. Of these, 113 were first-time attendees, 15 participated on two separate occasions, and 1 participated on three separate occasions. Nineteen (21%) of the 90 first-time participants from 2011 to 2015 matriculated to a U.S. medical school in the past five years. Twenty-two of 23 participants (96% response rate) in 2016 responded to the postworkshop survey. Results indicated that interview preparation, individual consultation, and writing preparation ranked as the three most beneficial sessions/activities.

Next Steps

Standardized evaluation of future PAWs will identify best practices for recruiting AI/AN students to medical school, and future initiatives will include more robust measures of success.
Listening to Relaxing Music Improves Physiological Responses in Premature Infants
Authors: Caparros-Gonzalez Rafael A. , de la Torre-Luque Alejandro , Diaz-Piedra Carolina , Vico Francisco J. , Buela-Casal Gualberto
Published: October 2017

Background:

Premature infants are exposed to high levels of noise in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Purpose:

This study evaluated the effect of a relaxing music therapy intervention composed by artificial intelligence on respiratory rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate.

Methods:

A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial was conducted in the NICUs of 2 general public hospitals in Andalusia, Spain. Participants were 17 healthy premature infants, randomly allocated to the intervention group or the control group (silence) at a 1:1 ratio. To be included in the study, the subjects were to be 32 to 36 weeks of gestation at birth (M= 32.33; SD = 1.79) and passed a hearing screening test satisfactorily. The intervention lasted 20 minutes, 3 times a day for 3 consecutive days, while infants were in the incubator. Infants' heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure were assessed before and after each intervention session.

Results:

After each session, the respiratory rate decreased in the experimental group (main between-groups effect (F
1,13 = 6.73, P = .022, η2
partial = 0.34). Across the sessions, the heart rate increased in the control group (main between-groups effect, F
1,11 = 5.09, P = .045, η2
partial = 0.32).

Implications for Research:

Future studies can use this music intervention to assess its potential effects in premature infants.

Implications for Practice:

Nurses can apply the relaxing music intervention presented in this study to ameliorate the impact of the stressful environment on premature infants.
Recall Bias in Low Back Pain Among Workers
Authors: Rasmussen Charlotte Diana Nørregaard , Holtermann Andreas , Jørgensen Marie Birk
Published: October 2017

Study Design.

A prospective cohort study.

Objective.

The aim of the present study was first to compare monthly measurements of low back pain (LBP) with quarterly and yearly retrospective measurements of LBP, and second to investigate possible bias effects for recall bias of LBP.

Summary of Background Data.

LBP is a subjective experience often measured by a single rating of recalled pain over a certain time interval. However, retrospectively reported pain may be subject to recall bias.

Methods.

The agreement between monthly measurements of LBP and quarterly and yearly retrospective measurements of LBP was evaluated by Spearman rank order correlation coefficients, intraclass correlation coefficients, and Bland-Altman plots. Bias effects for recall bias were investigated by a linear regression model.

Results.

There were no statistical significant differences in mean values of monthly measurements of LBP compared with quarterly and yearly retrospective measurements of LBP on a group level. However, the Bland-Altman plots revealed that within individuals, the difference between monthly measurements of LBP and quarterly and yearly retrospective measurements of LBP was highly variable. For both quarterly and yearly recall, social support from colleagues and average LBP days were significantly associated with the recall bias.

Conclusion.

The agreement of pain recall among workers in the current study seems to be good on a group level, but both between and within individuals, the difference between monthly and quarterly and yearly retrospective measurements was quite high. Factors that impacted the recall bias were social support from colleagues and average LBP days over the recall period.

Level of Evidence: 3
Ketamine and pharmacological imaging: use of functional magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate mechanisms of action
Authors: Maltbie Eric A. , Kaundinya Gopinath S. , Howell Leonard L.
Published: October 2017

Ketamine has been used as a pharmacological model for schizophrenia as subanesthetic infusions have been shown to produce temporary schizophrenia-like symptoms in healthy humans. More recently, ketamine has emerged as a potential treatment for multiple psychiatric disorders, including treatment-resistant depression and suicidal ideation. However, the mechanisms underlying both the psychotomimetic and the therapeutic effects of ketamine remain poorly understood. This review provides an overview of what is known of the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of ketamine and details what functional MRI studies have yielded at a systems level focused on brain circuitry. Multiple analytic approaches show that ketamine exerts robust and consistent effects at the whole-brain level. These effects are highly conserved across human and nonhuman primates, validating the use of nonhuman primate models for further investigations with ketamine. Regional analysis of brain functional connectivity suggests that the therapeutic potential of ketamine may be derived from a strengthening of executive control circuitry, making it an intriguing candidate for the treatment of drug abuse. There are still important questions about the mechanism of action and the therapeutic potential of ketamine that can be addressed using appropriate functional neuroimaging techniques.
Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Using a Quality Improvement Approach in a Nurse-Managed Primary Care Clinic
Authors: Hountz Diane , Coddington Jennifer , Foli Karen J. , Thorlton Janet
Published: October 2017

According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 23 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) in their lifetime. Screening for CRC is an effective, yet underused preventive approach. This is especially true in rural areas, where only 35% of patients were found to be up to date on their screenings in 2014. Increasing CRC screening can produce positive patient outcomes by early recognition and removal of precancerous polyps. The purpose of this project was to use quality improvement (QI) interventions to increase CRC screening rates at a nurse-managed clinic in rural Indiana. Using Deming's Plan-Do-Study-Act QI model, multiple interventions were implemented which resulted in a 37% increase in the number of screenings ordered on eligible patients and an overall increase of 28% in the completion of the screenings. This project contributes to healthcare quality knowledge by also suggesting that the fundamental principles of encouraging staff feedback to gain buy-in, improving processes informed by patient data, and valuing frequent performance feedback to staff, strengthened this QI project and ensured adoption and sustainability of these results.
Prediction Model for Wait Times in Cardiac Transplantation
Authors: Joyce David L. , Lahr Brian D. , Joyce Lyle D. , Kushwaha Sudhir S. , Daly Richard C.
Published: October 2017

Wait times have increased for patients approved for heart transplants. We reviewed United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) data for 14,242 patients listed for isolated heart transplant (2009–2013) to develop a risk score model for timing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation in bridge-to-transplant patients. We used a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model with subsequent bootstrap resampling for internal validation to develop a scoring system that combined risk factors, weighted by the corresponding regression coefficients, to define an individual’s risk score. Four risk factors were identified (body mass index, blood type, region, and urgency status) to be significantly and independently associated with wait time (p < 0.001), showing adequate model discrimination (C = 0.704) and calibration. Higher risk scores correlated with shorter wait times. Our model corresponded closely with observed transplant rates, predicting longer wait times for lower status, larger size, certain blood groups, and some UNOS regions. This tool has the potential to more accurately describe the wait-time duration for an individual patient, which may influence care decisions. The wait-time discrepancies (blood types/regions) reinforce the need to reevaluate the geographic-allocation policy. The proposed review of the UNOS heart allocation policy may make this model especially relevant.
Clinical Aspects of Miscarriage
Authors: Walter Marie A. , Alvarado Mary S.
Published: October 2017

It is estimated that 750,000 to 1,000,000 miscarriages occur every year in the United States. Women experiencing a miscarriage enter the healthcare system in a variety of ways. A family may be seen for a miscarriage in the prenatal clinic, the emergency department, same-day surgical department, or perhaps the labor and birth unit. Nurses must be prepared to guide and support these families. Understanding the clinical aspects of miscarriage as well as the emotional care of families experiencing early pregnancy loss is important to nurses in all areas of the medical center. Clinical aspects of miscarriage are reviewed along with the needed emotional care for families experiencing the most common cause of early pregnancy loss.
Vagus nerve stimulation inhibits trigeminal nociception in a rodent model of episodic migraine
Authors: Hawkins Jordan L. , Cornelison Lauren E. , Blankenship Brian A. , Durham Paul L.
Published: October 2017

Introduction:

Although neck muscle tension is considered a risk factor for migraine, pungent odors can act as a trigger to initiate an attack in sensitized individuals. Although noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) is now an approved treatment for chronic migraine, how it functions to inhibit trigeminal nociception in an episodic migraine model is not known.

Objectives:

The objectives of this study were to determine if nVNS could inhibit trigeminal nociception in a novel model of episodic migraine and investigate changes in the expression of proteins implicated in peripheral and central sensitization.

Methods:

Sprague-Dawley male rats were injected with an inflammatory agent in the trapezius muscle before exposure to pungent volatile compounds, which was used to initiate trigeminal nociceptor activation. The vagus nerve was stimulated transdermally by a 1-ms pulse of 5 kHz sine waves, repeated at 25 Hz for 2 minutes. Nocifensive head withdrawal response to von Frey filaments was determined and immunoreactive protein levels in the spinal cord and trigeminal ganglion (TG) were investigated.

Results:

Exposure to the pungent odor significantly increased the number of nocifensive withdrawals in response to mechanical stimulation of sensitized TG neurons mediated by neck muscle inflammation. Noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation inhibited nociception and repressed elevated levels of P-ERK in TG, Iba1 in microglia, and GFAP in astrocytes from sensitized animals exposed to the pungent odor.

Conclusion:

Our findings demonstrate that nVNS inhibits mechanical nociception and represses expression of proteins associated with peripheral and central sensitization of trigeminal neurons in a novel rodent model of episodic migraine.
In Trauma Patients, the Occurrence of Early-Onset Nosocomial Infections is Associated With Increased Plasma Concentrations of Chromogranin A
Authors: Schneider Francis , Marban Céline , Ajob Gharib , Helle Sophie , Guillot Max , Launoy Anne , Maestraggi Quentin , Scavello Francesco , Rohr Olivier , Metz-Boutigue Marie-Hélène
Published: October 2017

In previously healthy persons suffering from acute illnesses, nosocomial infections (NIs) are frequent. Their prevalence suggests the existence of as yet unknown conditions that may promote care-related infection. This study assessed whether the measurement of plasma chromogranin A, a stress-related protein involved in innate defense, is related to NI risk, and whether any chromogranin A-derived fragment included in vasostatin-I displays immunosuppressive activities related to AP-1 or NF-kappa B downregulation. At the clinical level, trauma patients and healthy controls were recruited to be eligible. Clinical histories were recorded, and standard biological tests (including plasma chromogranin A) were performed. For 9 randomly chosen patients and 16 controls, the time-dependent concentrations of chromogranin A (CGA) were assessed twice a day over 66 h. The data show that trauma patients present a higher value of CGA concentration during 66 h in comparison with healthy controls. In addition, patients maintaining this significant increase in CGA readily develop NIs. We therefore studied the effects of chromogranin A-derived peptides on monocytes, focusing on transcription factors that play a central role in inflammation. In vitro assay demonstrated that a chromogranin A-derived fragment (CGA47–70) displays a significant inhibition of NF-kappa B and AP-1 transcriptional activities in these cells. In conclusion, the occurrence of NI in trauma patients is associated with significantly increased plasma CGA concentrations. Downregulation of the two transcription factors by CGA47–70 might induce early acquired immune defect after a serious medical stress.
Graph Theoretical Analysis of Genome-Scale Data: Examination of Gene Activation Occurring in the Setting of Community-Acquired Pneumonia
Authors: Peck Palmer Octavia M. , Rogers Gary , Yende Sachin , Angus Derek C. , Clermont Gilles , Langston Michael A.
Published: October 2017

Introduction:

We have previously reported evidence that Black individuals appear to have a significantly higher incidence of infection-related hospitalizations compared with White individuals. It is possible that the host immune response is responsible for this vital difference. In support of such a hypothesis, the aim of this study was to determine whether Black and White individuals exhibit differential whole blood gene network activation.

Methods:

We examined whole blood network activation in a subset of patients (n = 22 pairs, propensity score matched (1:1) Black and White patients) with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) from the Genetic and Inflammatory Markers of Sepsis study. We employed day one whole blood transcriptomic data generated from this cohort and constructed co-expression graphs for each racial group. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to weight edges. Spectral thresholding was applied to ascribe significance. Innovative graph theoretical methods were then invoked to detect densely connected gene networks and provide differential structural analysis.

Results:

Propensity matching was employed to reduce potential bias due to confounding variables. Although Black and White patients had similar socio- and clinical demographics, we identified novel differences in molecular network activation—dense subgraphs known as paracliques that displayed complete gene connection for both White (three paracliques) and Black patients (one paraclique). Specifically, the genes that comprised the paracliques in the White patients include circadian loop, cell adhesion, mobility, proliferation, tumor suppression, NFκB, and chemokine signaling. However, the genes that comprised the paracliques in the Black patients include DNA and messenger RNA processes, and apoptosis signaling. We investigated the distribution of Black paracliques across White paracliques. Black patients had five paracliques (with almost complete connection) comprised of genes that are critical for host immune response widely distributed across 22 parcliques in the White population. Anchoring the analysis on two critical inflammatory mediators, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 identified further differential network activation among the White and Black patient populations.

Conclusions:

These results demonstrate that, at the molecular level, Black and White individuals may experience different activation patterns with CAP. Further validation of the gene networks we have identified may help pinpoint genetic factors that increase host susceptibility to community-acquired pneumonia, and may lay the groundwork for personalized management of CAP.
Early Identification of the Patient with Endotheliopathy of Trauma by Arrival Serum Albumin
Authors: Gonzalez Rodriguez Erika , Cardenas Jessica C. , Lopez Ernesto , Cotton Bryan A. , Tomasek Jeffrey S. , Ostrowski Sisse R. , Baer Lisa A. , Stensballe Jakob , Holcomb John B. , Johansson Pär I. , Wade Charles E.
Published: October 2017

Objective:

Traumatic endotheliopathy (EoT) is associated with glycocalyx breakdown and capillary leak resulting in the extravasation of proteins. We hypothesized that lower serum albumin levels are associated with EoT, poor outcomes, and can be used for early EoT screening in trauma patients.

Methods:

We enrolled severely injured trauma patients with serum albumin levels available on admission. Syndecan-1 and soluble thrombomodulin were quantified from plasma by ELISA. Demographic and clinical data were obtained. We evaluated the association of serum albumin and EoT+ (syndecan-1 level ≥40 ng/mL), followed by dichotomization by serum albumin level, and subgroup comparisons.

Results:

Of the 258 patients enrolled 92 (36.0%) were EoT+ (syndecan-1 ≥ 40 ng/mL). Median albumin levels in the EoT+ group were 3.4 g/dL, and 3.8 g/dL in EoT− patients, P < 0.05. In a multifactorial analysis, lower albumin levels were inversely associated with the likelihood of EoT+. With receiver characteristic curve analysis, we determined a cutoff albumin level < 3.6 g/dL for EoT+ prediction (area under the curve 0.70; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.77). After dichotomizing by albumin <3.6 or ≥3.6 g/dL, 51.5% of patients had low albumin. Low albumin patients were more likely to have EoT+, as well as higher soluble thrombomodulin (both P < 0.05). Furthermore, they required more frequently blood transfusions, had fewer hospital-free days and higher mortality rate than those with normal albumin.

Conclusions:

EoT is a syndrome associated with leakage of albumin from the intravascular compartment, which re-emphasizes that arrival albumin may be a novel and timely approach to the identification of patients needing endothelial rescue therapy.
Genetic signature of Last Glacial Maximum regional refugia in a circum-Antarctic sea spider
Authors: Soler-Membrives Anna , Linse Katrin , Miller Karen J. , Arango Claudia P.
Published: October 2017

The evolutionary history of Antarctic organisms is becoming increasingly important to understand and manage population trajectories under rapid environmental change. The Antarctic sea spiderNymphon australe, with an apparently large population size compared with other sea spider species, is an ideal target to look for molecular signatures of past climatic events. We analysed mitochondrial DNA of specimens collected from the Antarctic continent and two Antarctic islands (AI) to infer past population processes and understand current genetic structure. Demographic history analyses suggest populations survived in refugia during the Last Glacial Maximum. The high genetic diversity found in the Antarctic Peninsula and East Antarctic (EA) seems related to multiple demographic contraction–expansion events associated with deep-sea refugia, while the low genetic diversity in the Weddell Sea points to a more recent expansion from a shelf refugium. We suggest the genetic structure ofN. australefrom AI reflects recent colonization from the continent. At a local level, EA populations reveal generally low genetic differentiation, geographically and bathymetrically, suggesting limited restrictions to dispersal. Results highlight regional differences in demographic histories and how these relate to the variation in intensity of glaciation–deglaciation events around Antarctica, critical for the study of local evolutionary processes. These are valuable data for understanding the remarkable success of Antarctic pycnogonids, and how environmental changes have shaped the evolution and diversification of Southern Ocean benthic biodiversity.
Do glucocorticoids predict fitness? Linking environmental conditions, corticosterone and reproductive success in the blue tit,
Cyanistes caeruleus
Authors: Henderson L. J. , Evans N. P. , Heidinger B. J. , Herborn K. A. , Arnold K. E.
Published: October 2017

Glucocorticoids, including corticosterone (CORT), have been suggested to provide a physiological link between ecological conditions and fitness. Specifically, CORT, which is elevated in response to harsh conditions, is predicted to be correlated with reduced fitness. Yet, empirical studies show that CORT can be non-significantly, positively and negatively linked with fitness. Divergent environmental conditions between years or study systems may influence whether CORT is linked to fitness. To test this, we monitored free-living blue tits (
Cyanistes caeruleus
) during breeding over 3 years. We quantified foraging conditions during brood rearing, and examined whether they were correlated with parental baseline CORT and reproductive success. We then tested whether CORT predicted fitness. Elevated parental CORT was associated with lower temperatures, greater rainfall and lower territory-scale oak density. Whereas asynchrony with the caterpillar food peak was correlated with reduced nestling mass and fledging success, but not parental CORT. Only low temperatures were associated with both reduced nestling mass and elevated parental CORT. Despite this, parents with elevated CORT had lighter offspring in all years. Contrarily, in 2009 parental CORT was positively correlated with the number fledged. The absence of a direct link between the foraging conditions that reduce nestling quality and elevate parental CORT suggests that parental CORT may provide a holistic measure of conditions where parents are working harder to meet the demands of developing young. As the positive correlation between parental CORT and fledging success differed between years, this suggests that contrasting conditions between years can influence correlations between parental CORT and fitness. Ultimately, as CORT concentrations are intrinsically variable and linked to the prevalent conditions, studies that incorporate environmental harshness will improve our understanding of evolutionary endocrinology.
MoO
2
nanosheets embedded in amorphous carbon matrix for sodium-ion batteries
Authors: He Hong , Man Yuhong , Yang Jingang , Xie Jiale , Xu Maowen
Published: October 2017

MoO
2
nanosheets embedded in the amorphous carbon matrix (MoO
2
/C) are successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method and investigated as an anode for sodium-ion batteries. Because of the efficient ion transport channels and good volume change accommodation, MoO
2
/C delivers a discharge/charge capacity of 367.8/367.0 mAh g
−1
with high coulombic efficiency (99.4%) after 100 cycles at a current density of 50 mA g
−1
.
Allometry of wing twist and camber in a flower chafer during free flight: How do wing deformations scale with body size?
Authors: Meresman Yonatan , Ribak Gal
Published: October 2017

Intraspecific variation in adult body mass can be particularly high in some insect species, mandating adjustment of the wing's structural properties to support the weight of the larger body mass in air. Insect wings elastically deform during flapping, dynamically changing the twist and camber of the relatively thin and flat aerofoil. We examined how wing deformations during free flight scale with body mass within a species of rose chafers (Coleoptera:Protaetia cuprea) in which individuals varied more than threefold in body mass (0.38–1.29 g). Beetles taking off voluntarily were filmed using three high-speed cameras and the instantaneous deformation of their wings during the flapping cycle was analysed. Flapping frequency decreased in larger beetles but, otherwise, flapping kinematics remained similar in both small and large beetles. Deflection of the wing chord-wise varied along the span, with average deflections at the proximal trailing edge higher by 0.2 and 0.197 wing lengths compared to the distal trailing edge in the downstroke and the upstroke, respectively. These deflections scaled with wing chord to the power of 1.0, implying a constant twist and camber despite the variations in wing and body size. This suggests that the allometric growth in wing size includes adjustment of the flexural stiffness of the wing structure to preserve wing twist and camber during flapping.
King post truss as a motif for internal structure of (meta)material with controlled elastic properties
Authors: Turco Emilio , Giorgio Ivan , Misra Anil , dell’Isola Francesco
Published: October 2017

One of the most interesting challenges in the modern theory of materials consists in the determination of those microstructures which produce, at the macro-level, a class of metamaterials whose elastic range is many orders of magnitude wider than the one exhibited by ‘standard’ materials. In dell’Isolaet al.(2015Zeitschrift für angewandte Mathematik und Physik66, 3473–3498. (doi:10.1007/s00033-015-0556-4)), it was proved that, with a pantographic microstructure constituted by ‘long’ micro-beams it is possible to obtain metamaterials whose elastic range spans up to an elongation exceeding 30%. In this paper, we demonstrate that the same behaviour can be obtained by means of an internal microstructure based on a king post motif. This solution shows many advantages: it involves only microbeams; all constituting beams are undergoing only extension or compression; all internal constraints are terminal pivots. While the elastic deformation energy can be determined as easily as in the case of long-beam microstructure, the proposed design seems to have obvious remarkable advantages: it seems to be more damage resistant and therefore to be able to have a wider elastic range; it can be realized with the same three-dimensional printing technology; it seems to be less subject to compression buckling. The analysis which we present here includes: (i) the determination of Hencky-type discrete models for king post trusses, (ii) the application of an effective integration scheme to a class of relevant deformation tests for the proposed metamaterial and (iii) the numerical determination of an equivalent second gradient continuum model. The numerical tools which we have developed and which are presented here can be readily used to develop an extensive measurement campaign for the proposed metamaterial.