bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnetically driven nanoparticles: 18FDG‐radiolabelling and positron emission tomography biodistribution study
Authors: De Simone Mariarosaria , Panetta Daniele , Bramanti Emilia , Giordano Cristiana , Salvatici Maria C. , Gherardini Lisa , Menciassi Arianna , Burchielli Silvia , Cinti Caterina , Salvadori Piero A.
Published: January 2017

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have received increasing interest as contrast media in biomedical imaging and innovative therapeutic tools, in particular for loco‐regional ablative treatments and drug delivery. The future of therapeutic applications would strongly benefit from improving the capability of the nanostructured constructs to reach the selected target, in particular beyond the intravascular space. Besides the decoration of SPIONs surface with ad hoc bioactive molecules, external magnetic fields are in principle able to remotely influence SPIONs’ physiological biodistribution and concentrate them to a specific anatomical region or portion of a tissue. The reduction of SPIONs administered to the body and the need for defining the effective SPIONs local concentration suggest that PET/CT may be a method to quantitatively detect the nanoparticles accumulation in vivo at low concentration and assess their tridimensional distribution in response to an external magnetic field and in relation to the local anatomy highlighted by CT imaging. Here, we report on the possibility to assess the spatial distribution of magnetically‐driven radiolabelled SPIONs in a peripheral tissue (mouse thigh) with microPET/CT imaging. To this aim we labelled SPIONs using 18F‐2‐fluoro‐2‐deoxyglucose as a synthon, by chemoselective oxime formation between its open‐chain tautomer and nanoparticle amino‐groups, and employed microPET/CT imaging to measure the radiolabelled construct biodistribution in a small animal model, following intravenous administration, with and without the application of a permanent magnet onto the skin. The in vivo and ex vivo results showed that micro‐PET/CT was able to demonstrate the localizing action of the magnet on SPIONs and provide information, in a multimodal 3D data set, about SPIONs biodistribution taking into account the local anatomy. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Understanding the Role of the Electron‐Transport Layer in Highly Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Liu Jiang , Wang Gang , Luo Kun , He Xulin , Ye Qinyan , Liao Cheng , Mei Jun
Published: January 2017

Solar cells based on perovskite absorbers are rapidly emerging as attractive candidates for photovoltaics development. Understanding the role of the electron‐transport layer (ETL) is very important to obtain highly efficient perovskite solar cells. Herein, the effect of the ETL on device performance in planar perovskite solar cells is investigated in detail, and the band bending in different situations is discussed. The ET barrier is shown to be responsible for the poor fill factor (FF) of J–V curves. Introduction of a thin bathocuproine interlayer increases the interface inversion and results in an increase of FF from 56 to 76 %. Some experimental and theoretical results verify these conclusions. Furthermore, this study can provide an interface‐engineering strategy to improve device performance.
An In‐Depth Structural Study of the Carbon Dioxide Adsorption Process in the Porous Metal–Organic Frameworks CPO‐27‐M
Authors: Pato‐Doldán Breogán , Rosnes Mali H. , Dietzel Pascal D. C.
Published: January 2017

The CO2 adsorption process in the family of porous metal–organic framework materials CPO‐27‐M (M=Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn) was studied by variable‐temperature powder synchrotron X‐ray diffraction under isobaric conditions. The Rietveld analysis of the data provided a time‐lapse view of the adsorption process on CPO‐27‐M. The results confirm the temperature‐dependent order of occupation of the three adsorption sites in the pores of the CPO‐27‐M materials. In CPO‐27‐M (M=Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, and Zn), the adsorption sites are occupied in sequential order, primarily because of the high affinity of CO2 for the open metal sites. CPO‐27‐Cu deviates from this stepwise mechanism, and the adsorption sites at the metal cation and the second site are occupied in parallel. The temperature dependence of the site occupancy of the individual CO2 adsorption sites derived from the diffraction data is reflected in the shape of the volumetric sorption isotherms. The fast kinetics and high reversibility observed in these experiments support the suitability of these materials for use in temperature‐ or pressure‐swing processes for carbon capture.
Trait‐based approaches to analyze links between the drivers of change and ecosystem services: Synthesizing existing evidence and future challenges
Authors: Hevia Violeta , Martín‐López Berta , Palomo Sara , García‐Llorente Marina , de Bello Francesco , González José A.
Published: January 2017

Understanding the responses of biodiversity to drivers of change and the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem properties and ecosystem services is a key challenge in the context of global environmental change. We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the scientific literature linking direct drivers of change and ecosystem services via functional traits of three taxonomic groups (vegetation, invertebrates, and vertebrates) to: (1) uncover trends and research biases in this field; and (2) synthesize existing empirical evidence. Our results show the existence of important biases in published studies related to ecosystem types, taxonomic groups, direct drivers of change, ecosystem services, geographical range, and the spatial scale of analysis. We found multiple evidence of links between drivers and services mediated by functional traits, particularly between land‐use changes and regulating services in vegetation and invertebrates. Seventy‐five functional traits were recorded in our sample. However, few of these functional traits were repeatedly found to be associated with both the species responses to direct drivers of change (response traits) and the species effects on the provision of ecosystem services (effect traits). Our results highlight the existence of potential “key functional traits,” understood as those that have the capacity to influence the provision of multiple ecosystem services, while responding to specific drivers of change, across a variety of systems and organisms. Identifying “key functional traits” would help to develop robust indicator systems to monitor changes in biodiversity and their effects on ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services supply.
Identifying attributes of CO2 leakage zones in shallow aquifers using a parametric level set method
Authors: Sun Alexander Y. , Wheeler Mary F. , Islam Akand
Published: January 2017

Leakage through abandoned wells and geologic faults poses the greatest risk to CO2 storage permanence. For shallow aquifers, secondary CO2 plumes emanating from the leak zones may go undetected for a sustained period of time and has the greatest potential to cause large‐scale and long‐term environmental impacts. Identification of the attributes of leak zones, including their shape, location, and strength, is required for environmental risk assessment. This study applies a parametric level set (PaLS) method to characterize leak zones. Level set methods are appealing for tracking topological changes and recovering unknown shapes of objects. However, level set evolution using the conventional level set methods is computationally challenging. In PaLS, the level set function is approximated by using a weighted sum of basis functions and the level set evolution problem is replaced by an optimization problem. The efficacy of PaLS is demonstrated by reconstructing attributes of a CO2 leak zone in a carbonate aquifer. Our results show that PaLS is a robust source identification method that can recover the approximate leak zone locations in the presence of measurement errors, model parameter uncertainty, and inaccurate guesses of source flux strengths. Accurate delineation of source geometry is achievable when a relatively dense observation network is used. The PaLS‐based, source recovery framework introduced in this work is generic and can be adapted for any reactive transport model by simply switching the pre‐ and post‐processing routines. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Type‐dependent association between risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and viral load of oncogenic human papillomavirus types other than types 16 and 18
Authors: Fu Xi Long , Schiffman Mark , Ke Yang , Hughes James P. , Galloway Denise A. , He Zhonghu , Hulbert Ayaka , Winer Rachel L. , Koutsky Laura A. , Kiviat Nancy B.
Published: January 2017

Studies of the clinical relevance of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA load have focused mainly on HPV16 and HPV18. Data on other oncogenic types are rare. Study subjects were women enrolled in the atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC‐US) and low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) triage study who had ≥1 of 11 non‐HPV16/18 oncogenic types detected during a 2‐year follow‐up at 6‐month intervals. Viral load measurements were performed on the first type‐specific HPV‐positive specimens. The association of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 2–3 (CIN2/3) with type‐specific HPV DNA load was assessed with discrete‐time Cox regression. Overall, the increase in the cumulative risk of CIN2/3 per 1 unit increase in log10‐transformed viral load was statistically significant for four types within species 9 including HPV31 (adjusted hazard ratio [HR adjusted] = 1.32: 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14–1.52), HPV35 (HR adjusted = 1.47; 95% CI, 1.23–1.76), HPV52 (HR adjusted = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.01–1.30) and HPV58 (HR adjusted = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.23–1.82). The association was marginally significant for HPV33 (species 9) and HPV45 (species 7) and was not appreciable for other types. The per 1 log10‐unit increase in viral load of a group of species 9 non‐HPV16 oncogenic types was statistically significantly associated with risk of CIN2/3 for women with a cytologic diagnosis of within normal limits, ASC‐US, or LSIL at the first HPV‐positive visit but not for those with high‐grade SIL. Findings suggest that the viral load‐associated risk of CIN2/3 is type‐dependent, and mainly restricted to the species of HPV types related to HPV16, which shares this association.
Treatment of Choriocarcinoma in Singapore
Authors: Chew S. C. , Ratnam S. S.
Published: January 2017

Over 750 cases of trophoblastic disease have been documented in this Unit during the last 16 years. Of these, the majority were benign hydatidiform moles. but 106 patients had trophoblastic disease of a malignant nature. Those that were destructive or “metastasizing moles” or frank choriocarcinoma were sub‐divided on histology into “villous” or “avillous” categories respectively. Where there was a persistence of HCG activity beyond the expected time after evacuation, or where there were secondaries on which no histology was available, they were classed as “clinical choriocarcinoma”. The response of each of the tumours according to the above classification is presented in this paper and the difference in prognosis with the advent of drugs like methotrexate and others is discussed.
The Value of Bed Rest in Twin Pregnancies
Authors: Komáromy Béla , Lampé László
Published: January 2017

The effect of bed rest on the duration of pregnancy, the birth weight of newborns, the frequency of premature birth, and perinatal mortality was examined in 491 twin pregnancies. Cases were divided into two groups—women hospitalized from the 24th–26th week of pregnancy until delivery (rested group, 242 patients) and outpatients (unrested group, 249 patients). The premature birth rate was considerably less for patients in the rested group: in this group 41.0% of the newborns were delivered earlier than the 38th week and 42.9% of them weighed less than 2 500 g, whereas in the unrested group 75.0% were delivered earlier than the 38th week and 77.2% weighed less than 2 500 g. In addition, the perinatal mortality rates observed in the two groups were significantly different. Based on these findings, we conclude that the high premature birth rates and subsequent high perinatal mortality may be considerably reduced if twin pregnancies are diagnosed early and patients are hospitalized from the 26th or 27th week until delivery.
Progress and Problems in the Care of Mother and Baby
Authors: Fairweather D. V. I.
Published: January 2017

The expanded role of the midwife as accepted practice is cited as an element contributing to improvement. A plea is made for a simplified system of recording perinatal events which would lead to a better study of progress and problems in the care of mother and baby.
Serum Cholesterol and Hemoglobin Levels and Calorie Requirements in Pregnant Nigerian Women
Authors: Ojo M. O. , Sogbanmu M. O.
Published: January 2017

A study conducted on 50 healthy senior staff wives (socioeconomic group 1) and 63 healthy junior staff wives (socioeconomic group 2) attending the antenatal clinic at the University of Ife Health Center showed marked differences in the level of serum cholesterol and hemoglobin between the two groups. It was also found that women in group 2 took 6.8% of their total calorie requirements as fat and group 1 women took 12.0% of their total calorie requirements as fat.
The Endodermal Sinus Tumor: Special Features
Authors: Azoury Ramez S. , Nasr Munir F. , Muawwad Roland F.
Published: January 2017

Eight cases of endodermal sinus tumor, two extragonadal and six gonadal, seen at the American University of Beirut are reviewed. Three of them present special clinical and pathologic features that further substantiate the extraembryonic origin of this teratoid tumor and its association with dysgenetic gonads. We consider the two histologic types, endodermal sinus pattern and polyvesicular vitelline architecture, to be part of the same tumor. The prognosis in this series was unfavorable.
Birth Weight, Gestational Age and Other Indices of Fetal Maturity
Authors: Pachauri Saroj , Marwah S. M.
Published: January 2017

A number of indices for evaluating the maturity of the newborn were studied. Indices of anthropometric, anatomic, reflex and physiologic development were examined to evaluate their association with birth weight and gestational age; the validity of these diagnostic indices is discussed. Studies are recommended to establish a maturity score to identify high‐risk infants at birth.
Malarial Immunity in Pregnant Nigerian Women and Their Newborn
Authors: Ibeziako P. A. , Okerengwo A. A. , Williams A. I. O.
Published: January 2017

The levels of malarial fluorescent antibody titers (MFAT) were estimated throughout pregnancy and at delivery in 20 urban Nigerian primigravidas who received malarial chemoprophylaxis. There was a statistically significant (p < 0.001) fall in the MFAT levels as pregnancy progressed. The mean logarithmic MFAT levels were 2.8664 ± 0.3326 and 2.2794 ± 0.1656 in the first and last trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. The MFAT level in the newborn was positively correlated to the maternal MFAT level at delivery (r = 0.9468; p < 0.001). If malarial prophylactics are used for a prolonged period, the maternal MFAT level will fall, leaving newborns with lowered immunity to malaria.
SMPBS: Web server for computing biomolecular electrostatics using finite element solvers of size modified Poisson‐Boltzmann equation
Authors: Xie Yang , Ying Jinyong , Xie Dexuan
Published: January 2017

SMPBS (Size Modified Poisson‐Boltzmann Solvers) is a web server for computing biomolecular electrostatics using finite element solvers of the size modified Poisson‐Boltzmann equation (SMPBE). SMPBE not only reflects ionic size effects but also includes the classic Poisson‐Boltzmann equation (PBE) as a special case. Thus, its web server is expected to have a broader range of applications than a PBE web server. SMPBS is designed with a dynamic, mobile‐friendly user interface, and features easily accessible help text, asynchronous data submission, and an interactive, hardware‐accelerated molecular visualization viewer based on the 3Dmol.js library. In particular, the viewer allows computed electrostatics to be directly mapped onto an irregular triangular mesh of a molecular surface. Due to this functionality and the fast SMPBE finite element solvers, the web server is very efficient in the calculation and visualization of electrostatics. In addition, SMPBE is reconstructed using a new objective electrostatic free energy, clearly showing that the electrostatics and ionic concentrations predicted by SMPBE are optimal in the sense of minimizing the objective electrostatic free energy. SMPBS is available at the URL: smpbs.math.uwm.edu © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Panoramic ultrasound: a novel and valid tool for monitoring change in muscle mass
Authors: Scott Jessica M. , Martin David S. , Ploutz‐Snyder Robert , Matz Timothy , Caine Timothy , Downs Meghan , Hackney Kyle , Buxton Roxanne , Ryder Jeffrey W. , Ploutz‐Snyder Lori
Published: January 2017

Background

The strong link between reduced muscle mass and morbidity and mortality highlights the urgent need for simple techniques that can monitor change in skeletal muscle cross‐sectional area (CSA). Our objective was to examine the validity of panoramic ultrasound to detect change in quadriceps and gastrocnemius size in comparison with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in subjects randomized to 70 days of bed rest (BR) with or without exercise.

Methods

Panoramic ultrasound and MRI images of the quadriceps and gastrocnemius muscles were acquired on the right leg of 27 subjects (26 male, 1 female; age: 34.6 ± 7.8 years; body mass: 77.5 ± 10.0 kg; body mass index: 24.2 ± 2.8 kg/m2; height: 179.1 ± 6.9 cm) before (BR‐6), during (BR3, 7, 11, 15, 22, 29, 36, 53, 69), and after (BR+3, +6, +10) BR. Validity of panoramic ultrasound to detect change in muscle CSA was assessed by Bland–Altman plots, Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value.

Results

Six hundred ninety‐eight panoramic ultrasound CSA and 698 MRI CSA measurements were assessed. Concordance between ultrasound and MRI was excellent in the quadriceps (CCC: 0.78; P < 0.0001), whereas there was poor concordance in the gastrocnemius (CCC: 0.37; P < 0.0006). Compared with MRI, panoramic ultrasound demonstrated high accuracy in detecting quadriceps atrophy and hypertrophy (sensitivity: 73.7%; specificity: 74.2%) and gastrocnemius atrophy (sensitivity: 83.1%) and low accuracy in detecting gastrocnemius hypertrophy (specificity: 33.0%).

Conclusions

Panoramic ultrasound imaging is a valid tool for monitoring quadriceps muscle atrophy and hypertrophy and for detecting gastrocnemius atrophy.
Normal fluoroscopic appearance status post‐successful endoscopic Zenker diverticulotomy
Authors: Venkatesan Naren N. , Evangelista Lisa M. , Kuhn Maggie A. , Belafsky Peter C.
Published: January 2017

Objective

Endoscopic Zenker diverticulotomy (EZD) is a primary treatment for Zenker diverticulum (ZD). During EZD, the diverticulum is not excised, and interpretation of postoperative videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) is challenging. The purpose of this investigation was to describe normal VFSS findings status post‐successful EZD.

Methods

The charts of all patients with ZD treated at our center between October 01, 2011, and May 30, 2014, were abstracted. Outcome measures included recidivistic diverticulum size, Eating Assessment Tool‐10 (EAT‐10), penetration aspiration scale, pharyngeal constriction ratio (PCR), and pharyngoesophageal segment (PES) opening.

Results

Twenty patients met inclusion criteria. The mean age was 70.5 (± 13) years. Seventy percent of the patients were male. Mean EAT‐10 decreased 72.1% from 17.9 (± 8.2) to 5 (± 6.9) (P < 0.0001), and diverticulum size decreased 50.9% from 1.96 cm (± 0.68) to 0.96 cm (± 0.57) (P < 0.001). The PCR improved 33.6% from 0.17 (± 0.13) to 0.11 (± 0.11) (P < 0.001). Mean PES opening increased 61.6% from 0.53 cm (± 0.3544) to 0.86 cm (± 0.29) in lateral view and increased 40.0% from 1.00 cm (± 0.54) to 1.39 cm (± 0.46) in anteroposterior view (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

VFSS following successful EZD demonstrates an approximate 50% reduction in diverticulum size and significant improvement in PCR and PES opening. These data provide a framework for the expected fluoroscopic outcomes of successful diverticulotomy.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 127:1762–1766, 2017
Evidence‐based design for discoverability: A case study
Authors: Fallas Andrea , Tatham Suzanne
Published: January 2017

Key points

Lean methods can give rich insights: Even a few, short sessions with a handful of users can generate useful inputs for a user‐centric design process.

Design for beginners: An interface that supports novices will also support experts.

Keep it simple: Focus on functionality that supports core search and discovery tasks.

Popular or high‐value features should have prime position and rarely used or low‐value features should be hidden or removed.

Visual cues are important for usability, as is balancing the visual space.
Spoof plasmon hybridization
Authors: Zhang Jingjing , Liao Zhen , Luo Yu , Shen Xiaopeng , Maier Stefan A. , Cui Tie Jun
Published: January 2017

Plasmon hybridization between closely spaced nanoparticles yields new hybrid modes not found in individual constituents, allowing for the engineering of resonance properties as well as field enhancement capabilities of metallic nanostructure. Experimental verifications of plasmon hybridization have been thus far mostly limited to optical frequencies, as metals cannot support surface plasmons at longer wavelengths. Here, we introduce the concept of ‘spoof plasmon hybridization’ in highly conductive metal structures and investigate experimentally the interaction of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) in adjacent metal disks corrugated with subwavelength spiral patterns. We show that the hybridization results in the splitting of spoof plasmon modes into bonding and antibonding resonances analogous to the molecular orbital rule and plasmonic hybridization in optical spectrum. These hybrid modes can be manipulated to produce enormous field enhancement (>5000) by tuning the separation between disks or alternatively, the disk size, which effectively changes the relative gap size. The impact of the radiation loss is considered to find out the optimum disk size that maximizes field enhancement capabilities. Our investigation not only extends the range of applicability of the hybridization model, but also provides insightful guidance to exporting the exciting applications associated with plasmon hybridization to lower spectral range.

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Moment representations of the exceptional X1‐Laguerre orthogonal polynomials
Authors: Liaw Constanze , Osborn John
Published: January 2017

Exceptional orthogonal Laguerre polynomials can be viewed as an extension of the classical Laguerre polynomials per excluding polynomials of certain order(s) from being eigenfunctions for the corresponding exceptional differential operator. We are interested in the (so‐called) Type I X1‐Laguerre polynomial sequence , and , where the constant polynomial is omitted.

We derive two representations for the polynomials in terms of moments by using determinants. The first representation in terms of the canonical moments is rather cumbersome. We introduce adjusted moments and find a second, more elegant formula. We deduce a recursion formula for the moments and the adjusted ones. The adjusted moments are also expressed via a generating function. We observe a certain detachedness of the first two moments from the others.
MicroRNA‐218 inhibits tumor growth and increases chemosensitivity to CDDP treatment by targeting BCAT1 in prostate cancer
Authors: Zhu Wenjing , Shao Yiqun , Peng Yu
Published: January 2017

MicroRNAs have been reported to be associated with chemosensitivity of several types of cancers. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we explored miR‐218 increased the chemosensitivity to cis‐diaminedichloroplatinum treatment of prostate cancer. We found that the expression level of miR‐218 was down‐regulated in the human prostate cancer specimens. Moreover, overexpression of miR‐218 inhibited cell viability, migration, and invasion in PC3 and DU145 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the tumor suppressive role of miR‐218 was mediated by negatively regulating branched‐chain amino acid transaminase 1 (BCAT1) protein expression. Importantly, overexpression of BCAT1 decreased the chemosensitivity to CDDP treatment of PC3 and DU145 cells. Our study is the first to identify the positive role of miR‐218 in chemosensitivity, which will facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer in the future.
Observed changes in temperature extremes for the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region of China
Authors: Zhang Yao , Huang Guohe , Wang Xiuquan , Liu Zhengping
Published: January 2017

As one of the most significant threats facing the world, climate change has already been manifested everywhere in the form of frequent extreme climate events (e.g. heat waves, floods, droughts and wildfires) and has caused serious impacts on all aspects of the living environment. Due to the regional variability of global climate change, understanding the ongoing climatic changes at a local scale is very important for decision makers and resource managers to develop appropriate mitigation and adaptation strategies against the changing climate. In this study, recent changes in extreme temperature indices (including frost days, summer days, icy days, tropical nights, growing season length, cool nights and warm nights, cool days and warm days, and daily temperature range) over the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region of China were investigated in the context of global warming. The results indicate that the historical trends of these extreme temperature indices are statistically significant in Huailai, Beijing, Leting and Shijiazhuang while no significant trends are reported in Chengde, Tianjin and Cangzhou−Potou. By comparing results between coastal and inland stations, it is found that the changes in temperature extremes in inland stations are less significant than the changes in coastal stations. The results also suggest that the indices based on minimum temperature show decreasing trends while those for maximum temperature present increasing trends. Furthermore, mutation tests were performed for all indices in order to understand when the changes were initiated. An apparent mutation point (mostly in the 1980s) is detected for most of the analysed temperature indices. This may be caused by the wide implementation of the reform and opening policy in the early 1980s to boost economic development in the BTH region.
Quantification of 1H–MRS signals based on sparse metabolite profiles in the time‐frequency domain
Authors: Parto Dezfouli Mohammad Ali , Parto Dezfouli Mohsen , Ahmadian Alireza , Frangi Alejandro F. , Esmaeili Rad Melika , Saligheh Rad Hamidreza
Published: January 2017

MRS is an analytical approach used for both quantitative and qualitative analysis of human body metabolites. The accurate and robust quantification capability of proton MRS (1H–MRS) enables the accurate estimation of living tissue metabolite concentrations. However, such methods can be efficiently employed for quantification of metabolite concentrations only if the overlapping nature of metabolites, existing static field inhomogeneity and low signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) are taken into consideration.

Representation of 1H–MRS signals in the time‐frequency domain enables us to handle the baseline and noise better. This is possible because the MRS signal of each metabolite is sparsely represented, with only a few peaks, in the frequency domain, but still along with specific time‐domain features such as distinct decay constant associated with T2 relaxation rate. The baseline, however, has a smooth behavior in the frequency domain.

In this study, we proposed a quantification method using continuous wavelet transformation of 1H–MRS signals in combination with sparse representation of features in the time‐frequency domain. Estimation of the sparse representations of MR spectra is performed according to the dictionaries constructed from metabolite profiles. Results on simulated and phantom data show that the proposed method is able to quantify the concentration of metabolites in 1H–MRS signals with high accuracy and robustness. This is achieved for both low SNR (5 dB) and low signal‐to‐baseline ratio (−5 dB) regimes.
Cerebral hemodynamics and pseudo‐continuous arterial spin labeling considerations in adults with sickle cell anemia
Authors: Juttukonda Meher R. , Jordan Lori C. , Gindville Melissa C. , Davis Larry T. , Watchmaker Jennifer M. , Pruthi Sumit , Donahue Manus J.
Published: January 2017

Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a genetic disorder resulting in reduced oxygen carrying capacity and elevated stroke risk. Pseudo‐continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) measures of cerebral blood flow (CBF) may have relevance for stroke risk assessment; however, the effects of elevated flow velocity and reduced bolus arrival time (BAT) on CBF quantification in SCA patients have not been thoroughly characterized, and pCASL model parameters used in healthy adults are often applied to patients with SCA. Here, cervical arterial flow velocities and pCASL labeling efficiencies were computed in adults with SCA (n = 19) and age‐ and race‐matched controls without sickle trait (n = 7) using pCASL in sequence with phase contrast MR angiography (MRA). Controls (n = 7) and a subgroup of patients (n = 8) also underwent multi‐post‐labeling‐delay pCASL for BAT assessment. Mean flow velocities were elevated in SCA adults (velocity = 28.3 ± 4.1 cm/s) compared with controls (velocity = 24.5 ± 3.8 cm/s), and mean pCASL labeling efficiency (α) was reduced in SCA adults (α = 0.72) relative to controls (α = 0.91). In patients, mean whole‐brain CBF from phase contrast MRA was 91.8 ± 18.1 ml/100 g/min, while mean pCASL CBF when assuming a constant labeling efficiency of 0.86 was 75.2 ± 17.3 ml/100 g/min (p < 0.01), resulting in a mean absolute quantification error of 23% when a labeling efficiency appropriate for controls was assumed. This difference cannot be accounted for by BAT (whole‐brain BAT: control, 1.13 ± 0.06 s; SCA, 1.02 ± 0.09 s) or tissue T1 variation. In conclusion, BAT variation influences pCASL quantification less than elevated cervical arterial velocity and labeling efficiency variation in SCA adults; thus, a lower labeling efficiency (α = 0.72) or subject‐specific labeling efficiency should be incorporated for SCA patients.
Evaluation of Long‐Term Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Practices with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in a National Cohort of Veterans
Authors: Kreys Eugene D. , Frei Christopher R. , Villarreal Sarah M. , Bollinger Mary J. , Jones Xavier , Koeller Jim M.
Published: January 2017

Study Objective

To evaluate nationwide chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treatment practices over an extended period and across multiple lines of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy with imatinib, dasatinib, and nilotinib.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Data Source

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) national database.

Patients

A total of 2873 VHA beneficiaries aged 18–89 years who had at least one encounter at any of the ~150 VHA hospitals and 800 VHA clinics, had a diagnosis code for CML, and filled at least one prescription for imatinib, nilotinib, or dasatinib between October 1, 2001, and September 30, 2010.

Measurement and Main Results

The VHA database was used for the time period of October 1, 2000, to September 30, 2012, allowing for a 1‐year observation period to identify CML treatments prior to study enrollment and a minimum of a 2‐year follow‐up period to assess study end points. Primary study end points included change in TKI treatment, gaps in TKI treatment, TKI treatment persistence, and patient survival. Persistence for each distinct line of treatment was defined as the time of continuous therapy, quantified by the number of days covered by the drug from treatment initiation until a 60‐day gap in treatment was identified or a switch in treatment occurred. A Kaplan‐Meier model was used to evaluate persistence and survival. Of the 2873 patients receiving first‐line TKI treatment, 586 (20.4%) switched to a different TKI, constituting second‐line treatment. Overall, 245 patients (8.5%) were switched again to third‐line treatment. Only 4.4% of patients receiving first‐line treatment experienced a gap in therapy of 60 or more days. First‐line treatment persistence rates were 75%, 65%, and 55% for the first, second, and third years of treatment, respectively. Five‐year survival with first‐line treatment was 62%.

Conclusion

In this national cohort of VHA patients, 1‐year persistence of first‐line TKI treatment was similar to that in prior studies. Five‐year survival was comparable with that in other observational studies but was lower than that in prospective clinical trials. Persistence rates declined after the introduction of the new TKIs.
Effect of illumination on the hump phenomenon in I–V characteristics of amorphous InGaZnO TFTs under positive gate‐bias stress
Authors: Cho Yong‐Jung , Lee Yeol‐Hyeong , Kim Woo‐Sic , Kim Byeong‐Koo , Park Kyung Tae , Kim Ohyun
Published: January 2017

We measured the current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of amorphous Indium‐Gallium‐Zinc‐Oxide (a‐IGZO) thin film transistors (TFTs) to investigate the mechanism that causes the hump in their I–V characteristics under positive bias illumination temperature stress (PBITS) and under positive bias temperature stress (PBTS). Hump phenomenon in subthreshold region in I–V characteristics occurred under PBITS and PBTS. The hump threshold voltage (VH) shifted more negatively under PBITS than under PBTS; amount of shift of VH was 6.06 V under PBITS and 3.28 V under PBTS during same stress time, from 2000 to 10,000 s. It is because additional ionized oxygen vacancies ( or ) provided by illumination contributed to induce hump phenomenon than in darkness.
Transformation of type‐II InAs/AlSb nanoscale heterostructure into type‐I structure and improving interband optical gain
Authors: Alvi P. A.
Published: January 2017

Most of the detailed studies have been directed toward III–V semiconductors based type‐I and type‐II heterostructures. But, the transformations between type‐I and type‐II heterostructures have not been well studied so far. In this paper, it is reported that the proper doping in a specific region of well known type‐II InAs/AlSb nanoscale heterostructure can transforms it into the type‐I heterostructure. Moreover, this doping also improves the interband optical gain of the transformed type‐I heterostructure as compared to the original type‐II structure. The eight band k · p model based self‐consistent calculations have been performed to calculate the band structure and the carrier's wavefunctions. On the basis of outcomes from the calculations, it is reported that the optimized interband optical gain (within TM mode) of the transformed heterostructure is almost ten times as compared to the other heterostructures operating in mid‐infrared (MIR) region. Thus, the transformed heterostructure may be an important heterostructure made of InAs/AlSb material system for MIR wavelength region. Hence, the proper doping can transform type‐II heterostructure made of an optically inactive material system into type‐I structure, a very efficient optically active heterostructure (referred to as gain structure), which can provide technologically important MIR wavelength range.
Optimal single‐electron feedback control
Authors: Wagner Timo , Bayer Johannes C. , Rugeramigabo Eddy P. , Haug Rolf J.
Published: January 2017

In a closed‐loop controlled single‐electron transistor (SET) the optimal feedback response is investigated, leading to a maximum suppression of shot‐noise. Using a coupled quantum point contact (QPC) charge detector, the tunneling process is monitored in real‐time and the fluctuations are fed back periodically to the tunneling barriers of the SET. The feedback response is applied proportional to the deviation from the target number of average transferred electrons. This leads to a strong suppression and temporal saturation of the cumulants of the full counting statistics. For the optimal feedback response, the saturation value of second cumulant is found to be given by target number. Astonishingly, the feedback works robust even for target numbers much smaller than one.
Strength through adversity: Moderate lifetime stress exposure is associated with psychological resilience in breast cancer survivors
Authors: Dooley Larissa N. , Slavich George M. , Moreno Patricia I. , Bower Julienne E.
Published: January 2017

Stress research typically emphasizes the toxic effects of stress, but recent evidence has suggested that stress exposure, in moderation, can facilitate resilience. To test whether moderate stress exposure promotes psychological resilience to cancer, we examined the relationship between lifetime stress exposure prior to cancer diagnosis and postdiagnosis psychological functioning among 122 breast cancer survivors. Lifetime acute and chronic stress was assessed using an interview‐based measure, and psychological functioning was assessed using measures of cancer‐related intrusive thoughts and positive and negative affect. Results indicated that acute stress exposure was associated with cancer‐related intrusive thoughts in a quadratic fashion (p = .016), such that participants with moderate acute stress reported fewer intrusive thoughts compared to those with low or high acute stress. Similarly, a quadratic relationship emerged between acute stress exposure and positive affect (p = .009), such that individuals with moderate acute stress reported the highest levels of positive affect. In contrast, acute and chronic stress were related to negative affect in a positive, linear fashion (ps < .05). In conclusion, moderate stress exposure was associated with indicators of psychological resilience among breast cancer survivors, supporting stress exposure as a key factor influencing adjustment to breast cancer and providing evidence for stress‐induced resilience in a novel population.
Reliability of 1H NMR Analysis for Assessment of Lipid Oxidation at Frying Temperatures
Authors: Hwang Hong‐Sik , Winkler‐Moser Jill K. , Liu Sean X.
Published: January 2017

The reliability of a method using 1H NMR analysis for assessment of oil oxidation at frying temperatures was examined. During heating and frying at 180 °C, changes of soybean oil signals in the 1H NMR spectrum including olefinic (5.16–5.30 ppm), bisallylic (2.70–2.88 ppm), and allylic (1.94–2.15 ppm) proton signals relative to glyceride backbone CH2 (5.30–5.46 ppm) and aliphatic CH2 (1.05–1.71 ppm) signals showed strong correlations with conventional analytical methods including total polar compounds, polymerized triacylglycerols, and changes of linoleic acid and linolenic acid peaks in gas chromatography. For oils rich in oleic acid, mid‐oleic sunflower oil (NuSun) and high oleic soybean oil, only the olefinic and allylic proton signals are recommended for analysis due to the relatively low intensity of the bisallylic proton signal. Under these heating and frying conditions, signals indicating intermediate oxidation products, hydroperoxides, were not detected while very small signals corresponding to a variety of aldehydes including alkanal, branched alkenal, 2‐alkenal, and aldehydes of conjugated dienes and epoxides were observed. In this study, it was found that the 1H NMR method is a fast, convenient, and reliable analytical method to determine the oxidation state of frying oil.
Women’s Short-Term Employment Trajectories Following Birth: Patterns, Determinants, and Variations by Race/Ethnicity and Nativity
Authors: Lu Yao , Wang Julia Shu-Huah , Han Wen-Jui
Published: January 2017

Despite a large literature documenting the impact of childbearing on women’s wages, less understanding exists of the actual employment trajectories that mothers take and the circumstances surrounding different paths. We use sequence analysis to chart the entire employment trajectory for a diverse sample of U.S. women by race/ethnicity and nativity in the first year following childbirth. Using data from the 1996–2008 panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation and sample selection models, we find that women employed before childbirth show a high degree of labor market continuity. However, a notable share of them (24 %) took less stable paths by dropping out or scaling back work. In addition, mothers’ attachment to the labor force is simultaneously supported by personal endowments and family resources yet constrained by economic hardship and job characteristics. Moreover, mothers’ employment patterns differ by race/ethnicity and nativity. Nonwhite women (blacks, Hispanics, and Asians) who were employed before childbirth exhibited greater labor market continuation than white women. For immigrant women, those with a shorter length of residence were more likely to curtail employment than native-born women, but those with longer duration of residence show greater labor force attachment. We discuss the implications of these findings for income inequality and public policy.
Childhood trauma and psychotic experiences in a general population sample: A prospective study on the mediating role of emotion regulation
Authors: Lincoln T.M. , Marin N. , Jaya E.S.
Published: January 2017

Background

The causal role of childhood trauma for psychosis is well established, but the mechanisms that link trauma to psychosis are largely unknown. Since childhood trauma is known to cause difficulties in emotion regulation (ER) and patients with psychosis show impaired ER, we hypothesize that impaired ER explains why people with a background of trauma are prone to psychotic experiences.

Methods

The study used a longitudinal cohort design based on a community sample (N = 562) from Germany, Indonesia, and the United States. Childhood trauma was assessed at baseline. ER and psychotic experiences (defined as positive symptom frequency and related distress) were measured repeatedly at a 4-, 8-, and 12-month follow-up. Cross-lagged panel and longitudinal mediation analyses with structural equation modeling were used to test the predictive value of ER on psychotic experiences and its mediating role in the association of childhood trauma and psychotic experiences.

Results

The cross-lagged paths from impaired ER to symptom distress (but not frequency) were significant. However, there was also evidence for the reverse causation from symptom frequency and distress to impaired ER. ER partially mediated the significant prospective paths from childhood trauma to symptom distress.

Conclusion

The findings demonstrate that ER plays a role in translating childhood trauma into distressing psychotic experiences in later life. Moreover, the findings point to a maintenance mechanism in which difficulties in ER and symptom distress exacerbate each other. Thus, ER could be a promising target for interventions aimed at prevention of psychosis.
Mass changes of alpine glaciers at the eastern margin of the Northern and Southern Patagonian Icefields between 2000 and 2012
Authors: FALASCHI DANIEL , BOLCH TOBIAS , RASTNER PHILIPP , LENZANO MARÍA GABRIELA , LENZANO LUIS , LO VECCHIO ANDRÉS , MORAGUES SILVANA
Published: January 2017

Despite renewed efforts to better understand glacier change and recognize glacier change trends in the Andes, relatively large areas in the Andes of Argentina and Chile are still not investigated. In this study, we report on glacier elevation and mass changes in the outer region of the Northern and Southern Patagonian Icefields in the Southern Patagonian Andes. A newly-compiled Landsat ETM+ derived glacier inventory (consisting of 2253 glaciers and ~1314 ± 66 km2of ice area) and differencing of the SRTM and SPOT5 DEMs were used to derive glacier-specific elevation changes over the 2000–12 period. The investigated glaciers showed a volume change of −0.71 ± 0.55 km3a−1, yielding a surface lowering of 0.52 ± 0.35 m a−1on average and an overall mass loss of 0.46 ± 0.37 m w.e. a−1. Highly variable individual glacier responses were observed and interestingly, they were less negative than previously reported for the neighboring Patagonian Icefields.
The Growth Stop Phenomenon Of Baobabs (Adansonia Spp.) Identified By Radiocarbon Dating
Authors: Patrut Adrian , Woodborne Stephan , von Reden Karl F , Hall Grant , Patrut Roxana T , Rakosy Laszlo , Danthu Pascal , Pock-Tsy Jean-Michel Leong , Lowy Daniel A , Margineanu Dragos
Published: January 2017

The article reports the growth stop phenomenon, which was documented only for baobabs, i.e. for trees belonging to the Adansonia genus. The identification of growth stop was enabled by radiocarbon dating, which allows a complex investigation of samples collected from the trunk/stems of baobabs. In several cases, the outermost rings of baobabs, which were close to the bark, were found to be old, with ages of several hundreds of years, instead of being very young. Dating results of samples collected from six baobabs are presented. For multistemmed baobabs, the growth stop may occur only for one or several stems. We identified four factors that may induce the growth stop: (i) stress determined by severe climate conditions, (ii) old age, (iii) the need to keep a stable internal architecture, and (iv) the collapse of stems that survive this trauma. Baobabs and their stems affected by growth stop may survive for several centuries, by continuing to produce leaves, flowers, and fruits. This phenomenon was associated with the capacity of baobabs to store large amounts of water in their trunks/stems in the rainy season. This reservoir of water is used during the dry season and allows the trees to survive prolonged drought periods.
Clandestine Cosmopolitanism: Foreign Literature in the People's Republic of China, 1957–1977
Authors: Volland Nicolai
Published: January 2017

This essay examines the circulation and consumption of foreign literature in socialist China, showing that even during the most xenophobic times of High Maoism, Chinese readers had access to foreign literature through a variety of channels. An unstated though widely shared commitment to the intrinsic value of foreign culture, I argue, reveals deeply ingrained cosmopolitan practices that belie a nationalistic surface rhetoric. To trace the interest in and commitment to foreign literature, this article inspects three distinct yet overlapping modes of literary circulation: the private sphere, the restricted public sphere of internal publications, and the open public sphere. Access to foreign literature was limited, but the flow of transnational culture never stopped, as editors and readers alike perpetuated an intellectual framework that was grounded in the valorization of transnational culture and that predated the People's Republic's founding in 1949. These findings call for a reevaluation of Chinese socialist cultural consumption and production from a transnational perspective.