bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of Ultrathin Biotite Nanosheets as an Intelligent Theranostic Platform for Combination Cancer Therapy
Authors: Ji Xiaoyuan , Kang Yong , Ouyang Jiang , Chen Yunhan , Artzi Dolev , Zeng Xiaobin , Xiao Yuling , Feng Chan , Qi Baowen , Kim Na Yoon , Saw Phei Er , Kong Na , Farokhzad Omid C. , Tao Wei
Published: August 2019

Biotite, also called black mica (BM), is a group of sheet silicate minerals with great potential in various fields. However, synthesis of high‐quality BM nanosheets (NSs) remains a huge challenge. Here, an exfoliation approach is provided that combines calcination, n‐butyllithium exchange and intercalation, and liquid exfoliating processes for the high‐yield synthesis of ultrathin BM NSs. Due to the presence of MgO, Fe2O3, and FeO in these NSs, PEGylated BM can be engineered as an intelligent theranostic platform with the following unique features: i) Fe3+ can damage the tumor microenvironment (TME) through glutathione consumption and O2 production; ii) Generated O2 can be further catalyzed by MgO with oxygen vacancy to generate ·O2−; iii) The Fe2+‐catalyzed Fenton reaction can produce ·OH by disproportionation reactions of H2O2 in the TME; iv) Reactions in (i) and (iii) circularly regenerate Fe2+ and Fe3+ for continuous consumption of glutathione and H2O2 and constant production of ·OH and O2; v) The NSs can be triggered by a 650 nm laser to generate ·O2− from O2 as well as by an 808 nm laser to generate local hyperthermia; and vi) The fluorescent, photoacoustic, and photothermal imaging capabilities of the engineered NSs allow for multimodal imaging‐guided breast cancer treatment.
A brief version of the questionnaire of olfactory disorders in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Mattos Jose L. , Edwards Campbell , Schlosser Rodney J. , Hyer Madison , Mace Jess C. , Smith Timothy L. , Soler Zachary M.
Published: August 2019

Background

The Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders‒Negative Statements (QOD‐NS) is a valuable instrument in the measurement of olfactory‐specific quality of life (QOL). In the clinical setting, patients can be overwhelmed with the time required to complete questionnaires. Our objective was to develop a brief version of the QOD‐NS to streamline clinical care and research.

Methods

QOD‐NS scores from 221 subjects were used to determine which subset of the 17 QOD‐NS questions best correlated with total and subdomain QOD‐NS scores. An initial pool of 11 questions was made by removing items with ρ < 0.80 to their respective subdomain scores. Next, 500 bootstrapped samples were taken. On each sampe, an all‐subsets regression was performed with total QOD‐NS scores and QOD‐NS subdomain scores as the outcomes. From this, our “top” and “bottom” 10 subsets were identified based on mean r2 value, representation in bootstrap analysis, and number of items.

Results

All of our top subsets had excellent correlation with total and subdomain QOD‐NS scores (mean r2 > 0.90). Our top choice has 7 total questions, is representative of all subdomains, has a mean r2 = 0.92, and was represented in 323 of our 500 bootstrapped samples. The worst‐performing subset has 5 items, mean r2 = 0.81, and was represented in only 1 bootstrapped sample.

Conclusions

Using less than half of the questions in the QOD‐NS, excellent correlations with both total and domain‐specific scores are achieved. A brief version of the QOD‐NS may prove useful in future clinical and research settings.
Prevalence of chronic rhinosinusitis in bronchiectasis patients suspected of ciliary dyskinesia
Authors: McCormick Justin P. , Weeks Christopher G. , Rivers Nicholas J. , Owen Jacob D. , Kelly David R. , Rowe Steven M. , Solomon George M. , Woodworth Bradford A. , Cho Do‐Yeon
Published: August 2019

Background

Mucociliary clearance is a main defense mechanism of the airway and is impaired in ciliary dyskinesia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and its characteristics in bronchiectasis patients suspected of harboring ciliary dyskinesia.

Methods

Bronchiectasis patients referred to a rhinology clinic for nasal brush biopsy (NBB) were included in this study. NBB was performed using a curettage technique whereby ciliated epithelial cells were obtained from the surface of the inferior nasal turbinate. Results of transmission electron microscopy findings, primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) gene (35 genes) analyses (Invitae), and sinus computed tomography (CT) scans were reviewed.

Results

Twenty‐three patients (age, 54 ± 2.9 years) were referred for NBB between 2015 and 2018. Thirteen patients (56.5%) met the criteria for diagnosis of CRS. Nineteen patients had ciliary ultrastructural defects. The most common finding was compound cilia (n = 11, 47.8%). Five patients (21.7%) had central microtubule defects (CMD) with higher forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) at the time of referral than those without CMD (CMD+, 91 ± 3.7%; CMD−, 73.5 ± 5.7%; p = 0.023). Of 15 subjects with a PCD gene panel, 67% (9 of 15) carried at least 1 gene associated with PCD. Only 1 patient reached diagnosis of PCD. Approximately 50% of non‐PCD carriers had a smoking history (p < 0.05). Lund‐Mackay scores did not significantly differ between PCD and non‐PCD carriers (p = 0.72).

Conclusion

Nearly half of bronchiectasis patients referred for NBB had concurrent CRS. The presence of ciliary abnormalities was not amplified in bronchiectasis patients with CRS compared to those without CRS. Extrinsic factors may be related to ciliary structural abnormalities in non‐PCD gene carriers.
Evaluation of Beeswax, Candelilla Wax, Rice Bran Wax, and Sunflower Wax as Alternative Stabilizers for Peanut Butter
Authors: Winkler‐Moser Jill K. , Anderson Julie , Byars Jeffrey A. , Singh Mukti , Hwang Hong‐Sik
Published: August 2019

Four natural waxes were evaluated as stabilizers in peanut butter. The potential advantage of using natural waxes would be the replacement of current stabilizers such as hydrogenated or tropical oils, thereby reducing saturated fats and satisfying clean label requirements. Beeswax (BW), candelilla wax (CLW), rice bran wax (RBW), sunflower wax (SFW), and a commercial peanut butter stabilizer, hydrogenated cottonseed oil (HCO), were added to three natural peanut butter brands at levels ranging from 0.5% to 2.0% (w/w) and tested for accelerated oil release, long‐term stability, firmness, and rheology. At levels ≥0.5%, all waxes improved oil‐binding capacity (OBC). SFW and HCO had the highest OBC, followed by RBW, CLW, and BW. All waxes reduced the amount of oil separation after 6 months at 22 ± 2 °C. HCO followed by SFW reduced oil separation the most, but there were no significant differences between stabilizers at 1–2%. Firmness and yield stress increased with increasing stabilizer level, with SFW increasing firmness the most, followed by HCO, RBW, and CLW, while BW had the lowest effect. The results indicate that the waxes may be feasible replacements for hydrogenated oils as peanut butter stabilizers, but levels would need to be optimized depending on the product characteristics and wax type.
A facial recognition tool and legislative changes for improved enforcement of the CITES Appendix II listing of the humphead wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus
Authors: Hau Cheuk Yu , Sadovy de Mitcheson Yvonne
Published: August 2019

Humphead, or Napoleon, wrasse, (Cheilinus undulatus), is a large reef fish naturally vulnerable to over‐exploitation and highly prized as luxury seafood. It is predominantly consumed in Hong Kong and mainland China. Hong Kong is the global trade hub for this species. In 2004 (effective 2005), the humphead wrasse was listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II that substantially improved understanding and management of the species although illegal, unregulated and/or undocumented trade (IUU) continues.

To understand patterns of trade in humphead wrasse, evaluate implementation of the CITES listing and identify ways to tackle IUU, especially in Hong Kong, data from multiple sources, including government databases between 1999 and 2017 and independent retail surveys between 2014 and 2017, were compiled.

IUU trade into and through Hong Kong was detected, but declined following increased government enforcement in 2016. Nonetheless, fish numbers on sale continue to exceed imports with CITES permits and mainland China only sparsely reports imports of the species. Approximately 0.5–1.5 metric tonnes were traded internationally annually.

Several legislative loopholes undermine enforcement into and within Hong Kong, including poor oversight of live fish carrier vessels and air imports, excessively long validity period for Licences to Possess in the city, non‐compliant traders, and legislative exemptions or omissions. The introduction of a ranched fish category in 2018 by Indonesia created additional challenges. More intelligence and risk analyses could help enforcers target their work.

A major enforcement challenge is the inability to distinguish legally from illegally imported fish within Hong Kong. To improve fish tracking, identifying individuals using their complex facial patterns as fingerprints was explored; proof‐of‐concept was demonstrated using a mobile phone application: Saving Face. Facial marks were determined to be long‐lasting and different enough to distinguish among multiple individuals.
Five‐Year Outcome of Operative and Nonoperative Management of Meniscal Tear in Persons Older Than Forty‐Five Years
Authors: Katz Jeffrey N. , Shrestha Swastina , Losina Elena , Jones Morgan H. , Marx Robert G. , Mandl Lisa A. , Levy Bruce A. , MacFarlane Lindsey A. , Spindler Kurt P. , Silva Genevieve S. ,   METEOR Investigators, Collins Jamie E.
Published: August 2019

Objective

To determine the 5‐year outcome of treatment for meniscal tear in osteoarthritis.

Methods

We examined 5‐year follow‐up data from the Meniscal Tear in Osteoarthritis Research trial (METEOR) of physical therapy versus arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. We performed primary intent‐to‐treat (ITT) and secondary as‐treated analyses. The primary outcome measure was the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) pain scale; total knee replacement (TKR) was a secondary outcome measure. We used piecewise linear mixed models to describe change in KOOS pain. We calculated 5‐year cumulative TKR incidence and used a Cox model to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for TKR, with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

Results

Three hundred fifty‐one participants were randomized. In the ITT analysis, the KOOS pain scores were ~46 (scale of 0 [no pain] to 100 [most pain]) at baseline in both groups. Pain scores improved substantially in both groups over the first 3 months, continued to improve through the next 24 months (to ~18 in each group), and were stable at 24–60 months. Results of the as‐treated analyses of the KOOS pain score were similar. Twenty‐five participants (7.1% [95% CI 4.4–9.8%]) underwent TKR over 5 years. In the ITT model, the HR for TKR was 2.0 (95% CI 0.8–4.9) for subjects randomized to the arthroscopic partial meniscectomy group, compared to those randomized to the physical therapy group. In the as‐treated analysis, the HR for TKR was 4.9 (95% CI 1.1–20.9) for subjects ultimately treated with arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, compared to those treated nonoperatively.

Conclusion

Pain improved considerably in both groups over 60 months. While ITT analysis revealed no statistically significant differences following TKR, greater frequency of TKR in those undergoing arthroscopic partial meniscectomy merits further study.
Recent Approaches to Design Electrocatalysts Based on Metal–Organic Frameworks and Their Derivatives
Authors: Liu Juan , Hou Shujin , Li Weijin , Bandarenka Aliaksandr S. , Fischer Roland A.
Published: August 2019

Rational design and synthesis of efficient electrocatalysts are important constituents in addressing the currently growing provision issues. Typical reactions, which are important to catalyze in this respect, include CO2 reduction, the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions as well as the oxygen reduction reaction. The most efficient catalysts known up‐to‐date for these processes usually contain expensive and scarce elements, substantially impeding implementation of such electrocatalysts at a larger scale. Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives containing affordable components and building blocks, as an emerging class of porous functional materials, have been recently attracting a great attention thanks to their tunable structure and composition together with high surface area, just to name a few. Up to now, several MOFs and MOF‐derivatives have been reported as electrode materials for the energy‐related electrocatalytic application. In this review article, we summarize and analyze current approaches to design such materials. The design strategies to improve the Faradaic efficiency and selectivity of these catalysts are discussed. Last but not least, we discuss some novel strategies to enhance the conductivity, chemical stability and efficiency of MOF‐derived electrocatalysts.
Zur Ermittlung von Zwangschnittgrößen in einachsig gespannten Hochbaudecken
Authors: Dridiger Andreas , Albert Andrej , Schnell Jürgen
Published: August 2019

Stahlbetonhochbaudecken sind im Regelfall einer kombinierten Beanspruchung aus Last und Zwang unterworfen. Die hierbei für die Bemessung erforderliche Größe der Zwangkraft kann angesichts ihrer direkten Verknüpfung mit der Steifigkeit nur mithilfe von physikalisch nichtlinearen Berechnungen mit befriedigender Genauigkeit abgeschätzt werden. Für Tragwerksplaner wäre ein solches Vorgehen jedoch mit einem unverhältnismäßig hohen Aufwand verbunden. In der Praxis ist es daher üblich, an jeder Stelle eines Bauteils den größeren derjenigen Bewehrungsquerschnitte einzulegen, die sich aus Last oder aus Zwang ergeben. Die zur Aufnahme des Zwangs erforderliche Bewehrung wird hierbei basierend auf der Erstrisskraft des jeweiligen Querschnitts gewählt. Dieses Vorgehen ist aber in vielen Fällen unwirtschaftlich und kann auch auf der unsicheren Seite liegen. Im Rahmen des Forschungsprojekts „Ressourcenschonende Reduktion von Bewehrungsstahl in Hochbaudecken“ wurde ein Näherungsverfahren erarbeitet, welches eine wirklichkeitsnahe Abschätzung der Zwanglängskraft infolge einer behinderten Schwindverformung erlaubt. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird das Näherungsverfahren vorgestellt sowie dessen Anwendung anhand von zwei Beispielen erläutert.
Phase I trial of TAK‐385 in hormone treatment‐naïve Japanese patients with nonmetastatic prostate cancer
Authors: Suzuki Hiroyoshi , Uemura Hiroji , Mizokami Atsushi , Hayashi Narihiko , Miyoshi Yasuhide , Nagamori Satoshi , Enomoto Yutaka , Akaza Hideyuki , Asato Takayuki , Kitagawa Tadayuki , Suzuki Kazuhiro
Published: August 2019

This open‐label, phase I dose‐finding study evaluated the gonadotropin‐releasing hormone antagonist, TAK‐385, in Japanese patients with nonmetastatic prostate cancer. In a two‐part design, patients received daily oral TAK‐385 at doses of 320 (loading, day 1)/80 (maintenance, day 2 and thereafter), 320/120, 320/160, or 360/120 mg for 28 days in a dose‐escalation phase (part A, n = 13), and at 320/80 or 320/120 mg for up to 96 weeks in a randomized expansion phase (part B, n = 30). Primary endpoint in both parts was safety, including dose‐limiting toxicity in part A. Secondary endpoints included pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and prostate‐specific antigen concentration. Ten (77%) patients in part A and all patients in part B experienced an adverse event; hot flush (part A, n = 4; part B, n = 15), viral upper respiratory tract infection (part A, n = 1; part B, n = 10), and diarrhea (part B, n = 8) were most frequent. No dose‐limiting toxicities were observed (part A). In 12 evaluable patients (part A), TAK‐385 was rapidly absorbed after a single loading dose; on day 28 (maintenance dose), median steady‐state Tmax was ~1‐2 hours and mean t1/2z was 67‐79 hours. All doses rapidly reduced testosterone concentrations to castration levels within 1 week. Durable reductions in prostate‐specific antigen of >90% from baseline were observed through 96 weeks. TAK‐385 appeared tolerable and resulted in sustained reductions in testosterone to castration levels at all doses. The lowest loading/maintenance dose required for a clinical effect was 320/80 mg.

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02141659.
Left main percutaneous coronary intervention—Radial versus femoral access: A systematic analysis
Authors: Goel Sunny , Pasam Ravi T. , Raheja Hitesh , Gotesman Joseph , Gidwani Umesh , Ahuja Keerat R. , Reed Grant , Puri Rishi , Khatri Jai K. , Kapadia Samir R.
Published: August 2019

Background

Debate still occurs of the benefits of transradial access (TRA) versus transfemoral access (TFA), especially for complex percutaneous coronary interventions. Recent data has shown equivalent efficacy and improved safety outcomes with TRA.

Objectives

To systematically review and perform a meta‐analysis comparing procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes of TRA versus TFA in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for left main (LM) disease.

Methods

We conducted an electronic database search of all published data for studies that compared TRA with TFA in patients undergoing PCI of LM disease. Event rates were compared using the odds ratio (OR) as a measure of effect size. Random‐effects models were used to account for interstudy heterogeneity.

Results

A total of 12 observational studies including 17,258 patients (TRA n = 7,971; TFA n = 9,287) were included. Compared to TFA, TRA was associated with a significant reduction in access site bleeding (OR = 0.11; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.04–0.26; I2 = 0%; p < .0001), major bleeding (OR = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.27–0.69; I2 = 0%; p = .0005) or any bleeding episode (OR = 0.43; 95% CI = 0.27–0.69; I2 = 12%; p = .0004). Rates of access site or vascular complications (OR = 0.26; 95% CI = 0.17–0.40; I2 = 0%; p < .00001) and in‐hospital mortality (OR = 0.49; 95% CI = 0.31–0.79: I2 = 11%; p = .004) were also lower in the TRA group. There were no significant differences in procedural outcomes between TRA and TFA except for a significant reduction in the rate of long‐term target vessel revascularization (TVR) in the TRA group (OR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.41–0.94: I2 = 0%: p = .02). We further performed a subgroup analysis for unprotected left main PCI only, which showed a significant reduction in rates of any bleeding episode, lower access site or vascular complications, and in‐hospital mortality with TRA as compared to TFA.

Conclusion

Patients undergoing PCI for LM disease via TRA have with less bleeding, reduced access site or vascular complications, reduced in‐hospital mortality, comparable procedural success, and possibly better long‐term clinical efficacy when compared to those undergoing the procedure via TFA.
A case of hepatic pseudolymphoma in a patient with primary biliary cirrhosis
Authors: Inoue Masashi , Tanemura Masahiro , Yuba Tomio , Miyamoto Tatsuya , Yamaguchi Megumi , Irei Toshimitsu , Seo Shingo , Misumi Toshihiro , Shimizu Wataru , Suzuki Takahisa , Onoe Takashi , Sudo Takeshi , Shimizu Yosuke , Hinoi Takao , Tashiro Hirotaka
Published: August 2019

Hepatic pseudolymphoma is a very rare benign reactive lymphoid hyperplasia associated with autoimmunity and chronic inflammatory liver diseases such as primary biliary cirrhosis and may mimic hepatocellular carcinoma. This diagnosis should be suspected in female with a suspicious single tumor. Close monitoring is needed in view of its premalignant nature.
Integration of Sustainable Energy: ISEnEC 2018
Authors: Arlt Wolfgang
Published: August 2019

No abstract.
Redesigning the rCUDA communication layer for a better adaptation to the underlying hardware
Authors: Reaño Carlos , Silla Federico
Published: August 2019

The use of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) has become a very popular way to accelerate the execution of many applications. However, GPUs are not exempt from side effects. For instance, GPUs are expensive devices which additionally consume a non‐negligible amount of energy even when they are not performing any computation. Furthermore, most applications present low GPU utilization. To address these concerns, the use of GPU virtualization has been proposed. In particular, remote GPU virtualization is a promising technology that allows applications to transparently leverage GPUs installed in any node of the cluster. In this paper, the remote GPU virtualization mechanism is comparatively analyzed across three different generations of GPUs. The first contribution of this study is an analysis about how the performance of the remote GPU virtualization technique is impacted by the underlying hardware. To that end, the Tesla K20, Tesla K40, and Tesla P100 GPUs along with FDR and EDR InfiniBand fabrics are used in the study. The analysis is performed in the context of the rCUDA middleware. It is clearly shown that the GPU virtualization middleware requires a comprehensive design of its communication layer, which should be perfectly adapted to every hardware generation in order to avoid a reduction in performance. This is precisely the second contribution of this work, ie, redesigning the rCUDA communication layer in order to improve the management of the underlying hardware. Results show that it is possible to improve bandwidth up to 29.43%, which translates into up to 4.81% average less execution time in the performance of the analyzed applications.
Dog‐assisted therapy in the dental clinic. Part B. Hazards and assessment of potential risks to the health and safety of the dental therapy dog
Authors: Gussgard Anne M. , Weese J. Scott , Hensten Arne , Jokstad Asbjørn
Published: August 2019

Background

A dental therapy dog may help anxious patients in the dental clinic overcome their fear and facilitate the completion of necessary dental care. Dental clinic activities are associated with hazards that may pose potential risks to the health and safety of the dental therapy dog.

Objectives

To describe potential hazards associated with risks to health and safety to therapy dogs in dental clinics and to present suggestions for risk minimisation by adopting best practices in dental clinic settings.

Materials and method

Literature searches in Medline, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar for qualitative and quantitative assessments of occupational hazards and risks in dental clinics, in combination with a review of the reference list of the included studies. Identified hazards and risks were analysed relative to their relevance for the health and welfare of a therapy dog present in a dental clinic setting.

Results

Workplace hazards in the dental clinic that apply to both humans and therapy dogs are allergies, sharps injury, eye injury, stress, rhinitis, hearing impairment, and other hazards. Additional concerns associated with risks for the dental therapy dog are situations involving erratic patient behaviour and threats if the patient is an undisclosed disease carrier. Risks to the health and safety of the dental therapy dog in the clinics are present but are low if the dental clinical staff and dog handlers comply with best practices.

Conclusions

Best practice includes awareness amongst the clinic staff and the dog handler of all potential hazards in the dental clinic and on how to reduce these hazards as well as adverse events that may scare the dental therapy dog. The dental therapy dog team must be specially trained to work in a dental clinic. Each treatment session has to be exclusively tailored to that specific appointment and the individual patient.
Analysis of power‐frequency trade‐offs in millimeter‐wave CMOS oscillators
Authors: Afzalian Amard , Miar‐Naimi Hossein , Dousti Massoud
Published: August 2019

In this paper, considering the nonlinear effects in two ports consisting of transistor, a general method is proposed for estimating the amplitude of high‐frequency ring oscillators. The proposed method can be generalized to various structures that can be disassembled into similar two ports. Moreover, in each CMOS process, a design procedure can be followed to obtain the desired output power and frequency. This is the first time that the frequency and amplitude of oscillator are related to each other in a system of nonlinear equations. First, considering the maximum achievable oscillation frequency, the analysis of ring oscillator structure is performed for the given output power. The results show that the proposed structure operates at 7 to 18% higher oscillation frequency compared with conventional structures. In the next step, assuming that the oscillator structure and passive network topology are known, another system of nonlinear equations is defined for designing the oscillator for the given frequency and amplitude of oscillation. Finally, the implicit solution, which includes the passive network elements connecting to the transistor, is obtained. The results of equations follow the simulation results with an acceptable error (1% frequency error and about 5% amplitude error).
Natural products and their derivatives as multifunctional ligands against Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Patil Pooja , Thakur Ashima , Sharma Abha , Flora Swaran Jeet Singh
Published: August 2019

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a complex neurodegenerative disorder causing multiple cellular changes including impaired cholinergic system, beta‐amyloid (βA) aggregation, tau hyperphosphorylation, metal dyshomeostasis, neuroinflammation, and many other pathways are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. However, the exact cause of the disease is not known. Natural products such as flavonoids, alkaloids, resveratrol, and curcumin have multifunctional properties, and have drawn the attention of the researchers because these molecules are capable of interacting concurrently with the multiple targets of AD. Therefore, natural products and their derivatives with proven efficacy could be used in the management of the neurodegenerative disorders. This review focuses on the natural product based multitarget directed ligands like tacrine‐coumarin, tacrine‐huperzine A, harmine‐isoxazoline, berberine‐thiophenyl, galantamine‐indole, pyridoxine‐resveratrol, donepezil‐curcumin and their mode of action.
Social experience during adolescence in female rats increases 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in adulthood, without affecting anxiety‐like behavior
Authors: Emmerson Michael G. , Spencer Karen A. , Brown Gillian R.
Published: August 2019

Adolescents are highly motivated to engage in social interactions, and researchers have hypothesized that positive social relationships during adolescence can have long term, beneficial effects on stress reactivity and mental well‐being. Studies of laboratory rodents provide the opportunity to investigate the relationship between early social experiences and later behavioral and physiological responses to stressors. In this study, female Lister‐hooded rats (N = 12 per group) were either (a) provided with short, daily encounters (10 min/day) with a novel partner during mid‐adolescence (postnatal day 34–45; “social experience,” SE, subjects) or (b) underwent the same protocol with a familiar cagemate during mid‐adolescence (“control experience,” CE, subjects), or (c) were left undisturbed in the home cage (non‐handled “control,” C, subjects). When tested in adulthood, the groups did not differ in behavioral responses to novel environments (elevated plus maze, open field, and light‐dark box) or in behavioral and physiological (urinary corticosterone) responses to novel social partners. However, SE females emitted significantly more 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations than control subjects both before and after social separation from a familiar social partner, which is consistent with previous findings in male rats. Thus, enhanced adolescent social experience appears to have long‐term effects on vocal communication and could potentially modulate adult social relationships.
Collinearity in ecological niche modeling: Confusions and challenges
Authors: Feng Xiao , Park Daniel S. , Liang Ye , Pandey Ranjit , Papeş Monica
Published: August 2019

Ecological niche models are widely used in ecology and biogeography. Maxent is one of the most frequently used niche modeling tools, and many studies have aimed to optimize its performance. However, scholars have conflicting views on the treatment of predictor collinearity in Maxent modeling. Despite this lack of consensus, quantitative examinations of the effects of collinearity on Maxent modeling, especially in model transfer scenarios, are lacking. To address this knowledge gap, here we quantify the effects of collinearity under different scenarios of Maxent model training and projection. We separately examine the effects of predictor collinearity, collinearity shifts between training and testing data, and environmental novelty on model performance. We demonstrate that excluding highly correlated predictor variables does not significantly influence model performance. However, we find that collinearity shift and environmental novelty have significant negative effects on the performance of model transfer. We thus conclude that (a) Maxent is robust to predictor collinearity in model training; (b) the strategy of excluding highly correlated variables has little impact because Maxent accounts for redundant variables; and (c) collinearity shift and environmental novelty can negatively affect Maxent model transferability. We therefore recommend to quantify and report collinearity shift and environmental novelty to better infer model accuracy when models are spatially and/or temporally transferred.
Fibroblast growth factor 21 in patients with cardiac cachexia: a possible role of chronic inflammation
Authors: Refsgaard Holm Maria , Christensen Heidi , Rasmussen Jon , Johansen Marie Louise , Schou Morten , Faber Jens , Kistorp Caroline
Published: August 2019

Aims

Cardiac cachexia is a wasting syndrome characterized by chronic inflammation and high mortality. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF‐21) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP‐1) are associated with cardiovascular disease and systemic inflammation. We investigated FGF‐21 and MCP‐1 in relations to cardiac function, inflammation, and wasting in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and cardiac cachexia.

Methods and results

Plasma FGF‐21 and MCP‐1 were measured in a cross‐sectional study among the three study groups: 19 patients with HFrEF with cardiac cachexia, 19 patients with HFrEF without cachexia, and 19 patients with ischaemic heart disease and preserved ejection fraction. Patients with HFrEF and cardiac cachexia displayed higher FGF‐21 levels median (inter quantile range) 381 (232–577) pg/mL than patients with HFrEF without cachexia 224 (179–309) pg/mL and ischaemic heart disease patients 221 (156–308) pg/mL (P = 0.0496). No difference in MCP‐1 levels were found among the groups (P = 0.345). In a multivariable regression analysis, FGF‐21 (logarithm 2) was independently associated with interleukin 6 (logarithm 2) (P = 0.015) and lower muscle mass (P = 0.043), while no relation with N‐terminal pro‐hormone brain natriuretic peptide was observed.

Conclusions

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF‐21) levels were elevated in patients with HFrEF and cardiac cachexia, which could be mediated by increased inflammation and muscle wasting rather than impaired cardiac function.
Diet‐induced microbial autofluorescence confounds flow cytometry of ex vivo isolated fecal microbes
Authors: Denu Lidiya , Lubin Jean‐Bernard , Douglas Bonnie , Tuluc Florin , Silverman Michael A.
Published: August 2019

Microbial flow cytometry is a powerful emerging technology with a broad range of applications including the study of complex microbial communities. Immunologists are increasingly using this technology to study antibody responses against pathogenic and commensal microbes. We employed microbial flow cytometry to quantify the proportion of fecal microbes bound by six different Ig isotypes: IgA, IgM, IgG1, IgG2b, IgG2c, and IgG3. In healthy mammals, secretory IgA (sIgA) binds to a subset of commensal microbes in the gut whereas IgG is not typically found in the intestinal tract of healthy mammals. Unexpectedly, fecal microbes isolated from SPF C57BL/6 mice housed in the Hill facility and imported from the vendors The Jackson Laboratory and Taconic Biosciences showed a strong signal in the Brilliant Violet 711 (BV711) channel. Unstained fecal samples from these mice demonstrated that the BV711 signal was due to bacterial autofluorescence. We found that murine diets containing alfalfa induce ex vivo microbial autofluorescence in the far red spectrum, likely due to chlorophyll. Analysis of unstained intestinal microbes is an important step in microbial flow cytometry to identify diet‐induced autofluorescence. We recommend fluorophores with emission spectra below 650 nm (e.g. BV421, PE).
Create a student ambassador program to attract prospective students
Authors: Pavlik Amelia
Published: August 2019

Current students. When it comes to your recruiting efforts, this group could be one of your most effective marketing tools. That's what Stephen McGowan realized about a month into starting his work in admissions with Fordham University's Graduate School of Social Service.
How to recruit international students in the future
Authors: Dennis Marguerite J.
Published: August 2019

Few higher education deans and administrators would disagree that 2019 has been a year of change both in the United States and worldwide. Economic and geopolitical disruptions have created a new world order with implications for most aspects of society, including future international student mobility and enrollment.
BootBandit: A macOS bootloader attack
Authors: Boursalian Armen , Stamp Mark
Published: August 2019

Historically, the boot phase on personal computers left systems in a relatively vulnerable state. Because traditional antivirus software runs within the operating system, the boot environment is difficult to protect from malware. Examples of attacks against bootloaders include so‐called “evil maid” attacks, in which an intruder physically obtains a boot disk to install malicious software for obtaining the password used to encrypt a disk. The password then must be stored and retrieved again through physical access. In this paper, we discuss an attack that borrows concepts from the evil maid. We assume exploitation can be used to infect a bootloader on a system running macOS remotely to install code to steal the user's password. We explore the ability to create a communication channel between the bootloader and the operating system to remotely steal the password for a disk protected by FileVault 2. On a macOS system, this attack has additional implications due to “password forwarding” technology, in which a user's account password also serves as the FileVault password, enabling an additional attack surface through privilege escalation.
Optimal submerged waterjet for gas recovery based on Arbitrary Lagrange‐Euler
Authors: Wang Long , Wang Zhaofeng , Liu Hai , Chen Jinsheng , Yang Tenglong
Published: August 2019

This paper proposes a coupled model of waterjet cutting coal containing gas with the Arbitrary Lagrange‐Euler algorithm assistance. The dynamic evolution of coal damage and the cutting performance under different jet conditions, including jet pattern (submerged/nonsubmerged state), jet velocity, nozzle diameter, and the initial standoff distance, are investigated by tracing the number of failure elements and the stress distribution. Afterward, the gas flow model is built to study interactions of the discharged coal amount and the effective drainage radius at different periods with COMSOL software. The numerical results show the coal cutting performance of nonsubmerged jets is much better than that of submerged jets. Under submerged conditions, the penetration length increases with jet velocity and nozzle diameter, but decreases with the initial standoff distance. Moreover, the effective drainage radius of nonsubmerged waterjet is substantially greater than that of submerged jet. The increasing trend of the effective drainage radius slows down after 3 months with gas flow attenuation. Under the special submerged circumstances, the difference of coal cutting performance caused by the two jet patterns should be fully considered in order to reasonably arrange the spacing of boreholes.
Physicochemical and hydration properties of different cereal and legume gluten‐free powders
Authors: Boucheham Nohed , Galet Laurence , Patry Séverine , Zidoune Mohammed Nasreddin
Published: August 2019

Background

The wetting and hydration stage is the key step in manufacture process of several cereal‐based products. Knowledge of hydration properties of gluten‐free ingredients can contribute to improve the quality of gluten‐free products. The objective of the present work was to investigate hydration properties for a large variety of gluten‐free ingredients. Powders of tow gluten‐free cereals (rice and maize) and powders of tow legumes (chickpea and faba bean) in comparison with durum wheat semolina. The hydration properties were evaluated at 25°C by vapor and liquid water addition.

Results

Legume powders had the highest sorption capacity and stronger interaction with vapor water. Rice showed the highest vapor water diffusion at all RH intervals. Water holding capacity, swelling kinetics, and immersion enthalpy in liquid water were higher for legume and maize powders.

Conclusion

Gluten‐free cereal powders show hydration properties different from those of legumes. Different combinations of these gluten‐free materials can be made to approach the properties of wheat powders.
A Review of the Risk Premium Method for Regulated Electric Utility ROEs
Authors: Scheig Gregory E.
Published: August 2019

In utility financial economics, the cost of capital, or rate of return, is the cost of an electric utility's invested funds, both debt and equity. The cost of equity capital is the rate of return that common shareholders require on their investment, commensurate with the risks they assume and the expected returns from other similar investments (opportunity cost).
Questions and (some) answers on reactive astrocytes
Authors: Escartin Carole , Guillemaud Océane , Carrillo‐de Sauvage Maria‐Angeles
Published: August 2019

Astrocytes are key cellular partners for neurons in the central nervous system. Astrocytes react to virtually all types of pathological alterations in brain homeostasis by significant morphological and molecular changes. This response was classically viewed as stereotypical and is called astrogliosis or astrocyte reactivity. It was long considered as a nonspecific, secondary reaction to pathological conditions, offering no clues on disease‐causing mechanisms and with little therapeutic value. However, many studies over the last 30 years have underlined the crucial and active roles played by astrocytes in physiology, ranging from metabolic support, synapse maturation, and pruning to fine regulation of synaptic transmission. This prompted researchers to explore how these new astrocyte functions were changed in disease, and they reported alterations in many of them (sometimes beneficial, mostly deleterious). More recently, cell‐specific transcriptomics revealed that astrocytes undergo massive changes in gene expression when they become reactive. This observation further stressed that reactive astrocytes may be very different from normal, nonreactive astrocytes and could influence disease outcomes. To make the picture even more complex, both normal and reactive astrocytes were shown to be molecularly and functionally heterogeneous. Very little is known about the specific roles that each subtype of reactive astrocytes may play in different disease contexts. In this review, we have interrogated researchers in the field to identify and discuss points of consensus and controversies about reactive astrocytes, starting with their very name. We then present the emerging knowledge on these cells and future challenges in this field.
Thinking Together
Authors: Haupt Laura , Kaebnick Gregory E.
Published: August 2019

Over email a few days after the death of Daniel Callahan, cofounder of The Hastings Center and for many years its director and then president, Joseph Fins, a longtime Hastings colleague, offered this comfort: “[H]enceforth every issue of the Report is a living memorial to Dan the writer, editor, and institution builder.” In the Hastings Center Report's first issue, published in June 1971, Dan stated, “To say that [the work of the Report] must be multi‐disciplinary is only to say the issues [it will address] are as complex as human beings themselves.” This July–August 2019 issue continues the tradition Dan began. An essay by Laura Guidry‐Grimes expands on the importance of interdisciplinary conversations and problem solving—and attends to the complexity of human beings—in recalling a patient who was failed by multiple social institutions. In the lead article, a team of authors led by James Sabin identifies a challenge to conducting ethical research within learning health organizations, where research and care are integrated with the aid of patient data from health insurance providers.
Patient as Gift
Authors: Dugdale Lydia
Published: August 2019

“Sit down,” Mr. R demanded. “I've got something to say to you.” I shot the medical student a querying glance as we simultaneously sunk into our chairs. He continued, “You don't know me, and I got some things to tell you.”

I thought I knew Mr. R, and I certainly had some idea of what he was all about. But then he called to me. In his summoning, Mr. R arrested all my preconceived ideas about him. And as the medical student and I began to understand him better, we wanted to know more. We began to engage him more deeply. In the subsequent days, caring for him somehow felt easier, akin to the care one gives a distraught friend rather than a difficult patient.
Out of the Freezer and into the Policy Fire: Quandaries in Reproductive Cryopreservation
Authors: Feinberg Rebecca
Published: August 2019

The field of assisted reproduction is advancing rapidly and is ripe for regulation and guidance. In 2018, over four thousand frozen eggs and embryos were lost to approximately one thousand patients at Ahuja University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, due to an accidental thaw of a cryopreservation tank. The precedent that will be set by the Ahuja class‐action case is significant for both past events and future possibilities and is core to the discussion of policy involving the cryopreservation of gametes and embryos.
Factors influencing residents' decision to sign with family doctors under the new health care reform in China
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyan , Zhang Xiaona , Yang Shiyu , Wang Yuxuan
Published: August 2019

Background

As an important means through which to promote Chinese health care reform, the family doctor policy has attracted attention from various fields. This study aimed to explore the factors influencing residents' decision to sign with family doctors, with a view to informing the changes necessary to encourage additional residents to do so, thereby enhancing the efficacy of primary health care system reform.

Methods

The residents of five communities in Xianning, Hubei Province, were selected, by convenience sampling, to participate in the study. We developed and administered a questionnaire to collect data, from which we obtained 725 valid response sets. Socio‐demographic characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics; and Pearson chi‐squared test and binary logistic regression were performed to identify the factors influencing residents' decision to sign with family doctors.

Results

We found that the factors influencing residents' decision to sign include their education level, medical insurance, chronic diseases, medical treatment habits, awareness of the family doctor policy, perception of the medical skills of family doctors, and attitudes towards family doctors' signing services (P < .05).

Conclusion

To encourage more residents to sign with family doctors, we recommend the implementation of the following: increasing publicity for the family doctor policy, promoting the reasonable distribution of high‐quality resources, augmenting the standard of general medical education, and improving the skills and competencies of family doctors.
Risk and protective factors for pre‐ and postnatal bonding
Authors: Cuijlits I. , van de Wetering A.P. , Endendijk J.J. , van Baar A.L. , Potharst E.S. , Pop V.J.M.
Published: August 2019

Since disturbances in the mother–child bond increase the risk of negative consequences for child development, it is important to identify risk and protective factors for bonding as well as longitudinal associations. Previous research has used different bonding instruments during pregnancy and the postnatal phase, leading to inconsistent results. In the current study, the same instrument was used during the various phases. In a large, community‐based sample (N = 793), general information, feelings of pre‐ and postnatal bonding (Pre‐ and Postnatal Bonding Scale), depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), and partner support (subscale Tilburg Pregnancy/Postnatal Distress Scale) were measured at both 32 weeks of pregnancy and 8 months postnatally. Partner support was found to be a protective factor for suboptimal pre‐ and postnatal bonding, as was the engagement with fetal movements for prenatal bonding. High maternal educational level was a risk factor for suboptimal prenatal bonding, as were depressive symptoms for suboptimal postnatal bonding. The associations between most prenatal determinants and postnatal bonding were mediated by prenatal bonding, which underlines the importance of promoting prenatal bonding. Professionals in clinical practice should be aware of partner support, engagement with fetal movements, and postnatal depressive symptoms: All these factors offer opportunities for improving the bonding processes.
Antimicrobial agent triclosan suppresses mast cell signaling via phospholipase D inhibition
Authors: Shim Juyoung K. , Caron Molly A. , Weatherly Lisa M. , Gerchman Logan B. , Sangroula Suraj , Hattab Siham , Baez Alan Y. , Briana Talya J. , Gosse Julie A.
Published: August 2019

Humans are exposed to the antimicrobial agent triclosan (TCS) through use of TCS‐containing products. Exposed tissues contain mast cells, which are involved in numerous biological functions and diseases by secreting various chemical mediators through a process termed degranulation. We previously demonstrated that TCS inhibits both Ca2+ influx into antigen‐stimulated mast cells and subsequent degranulation. To determine the mechanism linking the TCS cytosolic Ca2+ depression to inhibited degranulation, we investigated the effects of TCS on crucial signaling enzymes activated downstream of the Ca2+ rise: protein kinase C (PKC; activated by Ca2+ and reactive oxygen species [ROS]) and phospholipase D (PLD). We found that TCS strongly inhibits PLD activity within 15 minutes post‐antigen, a key mechanism of TCS mast cell inhibition. In addition, experiments using fluorescent constructs and confocal microscopy indicate that TCS delays antigen‐induced translocations of PKCβII, PKCδ and PKC substrate myristoylated alanine‐rich C‐kinase. Surprisingly, TCS does not inhibit PKC activity or overall ability to translocate, and TCS actually increases PKC activity by 45 minutes post‐antigen; these results are explained by the timing of both TCS inhibition of cytosolic Ca2+ (~15+ minutes post‐antigen) and TCS stimulation of ROS (~45 minutes post‐antigen). These findings demonstrate that it is incorrect to assume that all Ca2+‐dependent processes will be synchronously inhibited when cytosolic Ca2+ is inhibited by a toxicant or drug. The results offer molecular predictions of the effects of TCS on other mammalian cell types, which share these crucial signal transduction elements and provide biochemical information that may underlie recent epidemiological findings implicating TCS in human health problems.