bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychological Burden and Medication Adherence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Positive Patients
Authors: Park Yunhee
Published: October 2018

BACKGROUND: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which is a combination therapy that uses antiretroviral drugs, represents the only available therapy for combating the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. For Korean patients with HIV, it is difficult to maintain an optimal medication. The HIV- positive Korean patients that suffer from psychological burdens have low levels of medication adherence, which can lead to an increased mortality rate and a deteriorated quality of life.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of medication adherence of Korean patients with HIV, and to identify the pathway through which the psychological burden impact medication adherence.

METHODS: With a sample of 265 HIV-positive patients, the direct and indirect effects of the psychological burden on treatment adherence were estimated with structural equation modeling.

RESULTS: The variable that had a significant direct effect on medication adherence was self-management (β = .31, p = .002). Psychological burden was found to have a significant impact on medication adherence mediated by self-management (β = -.15, p = .002).

CONCLUSION: These results revealed that continuous monitoring of patients’ psychological burdens, as well as the development and application of intervention programs focused on psychological support and self-management, are necessary to improve medication adherence.
An Evaluation of Potential Inappropriate Prescribing Among Older Persons in Nigeria
Authors: Saka Sule A , Oosthuizen Frasia , Nlooto Manimbulu
Published: October 2018

Potential Inappropriate prescribing (PIP), Drug-Drug interactions (DDI) and polypharmacy are major risk factors for adverse drug reactions among older persons. Although these factors in many cases co-exist in prescriptions to older persons, very few studies have evaluated the inter-relationship between these factors concomitantly. This study aimed to evaluate PIP and DDI and to determine the associations between PIP, DDI, and polypharmacy among Nigerian older persons. This study was a retrospective evaluation of medicine utilization among older persons at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, using a medical chart review. Older persons aged ≥60 years, with chronic diseases that attended the medical outpatient clinics of the hospital between 1st January and 31st December 2016 were included. Eligible patients’ records were randomly sampled. Information including patients’ demographics, medical and medication histories and current medications were extracted with a checklist. PIP and DDI were evaluated using the 2015 updated Beers Criteria. Associations were determined using Chi-squared test and a binary logistic regression. A total of 352 participants, mean age 69.03±7.35 years were evaluated. According to the Beers Criteria, PIP and DDI among the participants were (124/352, 35.2%) and (20/352, 5.7%) respectively. Majority of the participants (192/352, 54.5%) received polypharmacy. A few participants (12/352. 3.4%) received prescriptions containing PIP, DDI, and polypharmacy concomitantly. DDI was significantly associated with PIP in a logistic regression (OR=0.18, 95%CI=0.05-0.68, p=0.01) and with polypharmacy in a Chi-squared test (OR=3.55, 95%CI=1.16-10.83, p=0.02). This study concludes that PIP, DDI and polypharmacy are interrelated and should be considered when prescribing to older persons.
An Assessment of the Reporting Pattern of Adverse Events Following Immunizations in VigiAccess
Authors: Yamoah Peter , Oosthuizen Frasia
Published: October 2018

PURPOSE: Globally, adverse events following immunization (AEFI) reporting continues to be a challenge. It is estimated that about 95% of AEFIs never get reported after vaccinations necessitating strategies to improve it. The introduction of databases such as VigiAccess in which AEFI data from Pharmacovigilance centres around the world can be assessed is an important step towards improving AEFI reporting and enhancing vaccine safety. This study assessed the reporting pattern of AEFIs from the various continents of the world in VigiAccess, an open-access pharmacovigilance database.

METHODS: VigiAccess was thoroughly searched on the 5th of February 2018 for the categories of reported AEFIs and number and types of AEFIs reported for measles vaccine, oral polio vaccine, yellow fever vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, rotavirus vaccine, meningococcal vaccine, tetanus vaccine and BCG vaccine.

RESULTS: After a thorough search through VigiAccess, 27 categories of reported AEFIs were retrieved. The total number of AEFIs for the 8 vaccines was 813,973. General disorders and administration site conditions were the highest number of AEFIs (251,405 representing 30.9%) followed by skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders (93,011 representing 11.4%) and nervous system disorders (89,077 representing 10.9%). With the continental data, the Americas recorded the highest number of AEFIs followed by Europe, Oceania, Asia and Africa.

CONCLUSION: General and vaccine administration site conditions were the highest number of AEFIs. The Americas recorded the highest number of AEFIs whereas Africa recorded the least. VigiAccess needs improvement in data synchronization to enhance its reliability.
The Effect of Acidosis on Albumin Level in Patients Treated With Regular Hemodialysis (Single Center Study)
Authors: Abdul Razak Manal Khudder , Rasheed Jawad Ibrahim , Meizel Mudhafar Mohammed
Published: October 2018

BACKGROUND: Hypoalbuminemia is the most powerful predictor of mortality in end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis. Metabolic acidosis induces net negative nitrogen and total body protein balance. Some patients undergoing maintenance dialysis have low plasma bicarbonate levels due to inadequate dialysis. We aimed to evaluate the role of metabolic acidosis on serum albumin concentration in patients with end stage renal disease on hemodialysis, and to determine differences of serum bicarbonate level before and after hemodialysis in actual situation.

METHODS: This cross sectional comparative study was conducted in the Iraqi Center for Hemodialysis/ Baghdad Teaching Hospital from June to December 2015. It included 100 subjects with end stage renal disease on hemodialysis. They were divided equally into cases with low albumin and comparison group with normal albumin level. Serum bicarbonate and the Kt/V were measured for all subjects before, after, and before next hemodialysis session to show the adequacy of dialysis.

RESULTS: There was a significant association between low bicarbonate and low albumin level in hemodialysis patient and between numbers and duration of dialysis session with albumin. Low Kt/V was significantly associated with hypoalbuminemia. There was no statistically significant association between age and gender with hypoalbuminemia.

CONCLUSION: This study shows that patients with metabolic acidosis had a lower serum albumin concentration and there was a significant correlation between numbers, duration and adequacy of hemodialysis sessions and albumin level. We recommend to increase the numbers of dialysis centers in Iraq and adjust the bicarbonate doses in dialysate according to patient’s bicarbonate levels.
Asymptotic Properties for Weighted Averages of Longitudinal Dependent Data
Authors: Soro Brahima , Hili Ouagnina , Diagana Youssouf
Published: October 2018

This paper presents a set of normality general results for kernel weighted averages. We extend existing literature for independent data (Yao, 2007) to stationary dependent longitudinal data. The asymptotic properties of proposed weighted averages are investigate under α-mixing conditions. These results are useful for covariance function estimation based on nonparametric kernel method.
Estimation of the Poisson Parameter with Moment Generating Method
Authors: Islam Khairul , Shapla Tanweer
Published: October 2018

A new estimator of the Poisson parameter is proposed using the moment generating function. Some statistical properties of the proposed estimator are studied. The performance of the new estimator is compared with the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) via examples and simulation in terms of goodness of fit and relative efficiency. Simulation and examples to real-life data suggest that the new estimator has higher relative efficiency compared to the MLE, while both are comparable in goodness of fit. The R program utilized in all computation and simulation is incorporated to facilitate the implementation of the new estimator in computation.
Comparison of Antimicrobial Effect of Berberine as an Endodontic Irrigant with that of Other Common Root Canal Irrigants on Three Microorganisms Involved in Persistent Endodontic Infections
Authors: Donyavi Zakiyeh , Arabestani Mohammad Reza , Dastan Dara , Esmaeilzadeh Mohammad , Shahsavand Nazanin
Published: October 2018

Background and Aim: The present study investigated the antimicrobial effect of Berberine as an endodontic irrigant on the microorganisms involved in persistent endodontic infections. In this experimental in vitro trial, organisms Enterococcus Faecalis, Staphylococcus Aureus, and Staphylococcus Epidermidis were assessed in a multi-species biofilm tooth model.

Methods: Seventy-five single-rooted anterior teeth were collected and standardized to a length of 10mm. The teeth were randomly assigned into 5 groups. The teeth were then autoclaved to confirm being sterile. Afterwards, a biofilm consisting of the three selected bacteria was inoculated into the teeth and they were incubated for 21 days.

Results: The comparison of the amount of reduction in viable bacterial counts after irrigation by different solutions among the groups was done by Kruskal-wallis test while the changes of viable bacterial counts before and after irrigation with each solution was done by Wilocoxon Signed Ranks test. No significant difference existed among the studied irrigation solutions regarding the mean reduction of total viable bacterial counts, neither did it exist regarding the viable staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus epidermidis or Enterococcus faecalis counts after irrigation. MIC of berberine against staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterococcus faecalis species were 0.5ug/ml, 0.03ug/ml and 1ug/ml, respectively. These values were found to be 0.39ug/ml, 0.09ug/ml and 0.78ug/ml for NaOCl and 0.04ug/ml, 0.04ug/ml and 0.09ug/ml for chlorhexidine, respectively.

Conclusion: it is concluded that Berberine can be used as a natural alternative instead of conventional root canal irrigants. However, more studies are required in order to confirm that characteristics of this substance are appropriate from other aspects.
Strict Positivity of Operators and Inflated Schur Products
Authors: Suen Ching-Yun
Published: October 2018

In this paper we provide a characterization of strictly positive matrices of operators and a factorization of their inverses. Consequently, we provide a test of strict positivity of matrices in . We give equivalent conditions for the inequality . We prove a theorem involving inflated Schur products [4, P. 153] of positive matrices of operators with invertible elements in the main diagonal which extends the results [3, P. 479, Theorem 7.5.3 (b), (c)]. We also discuss strictly completely positive linear maps in the paper.
De informatieplicht van een zorgaanbieder bij de afwikkeling van medische schade
Authors: Laarman B.S.
Published: October 2018

De informatieplicht van een zorgaanbieder bij de afwikkeling van medische schade. Over finale kwijting, geschilleninstanties en ongeïnformeerde patiënten

Schikkingsonderhandelingen in de Wkkgz-voorfase en bindend advies worden vaak afgerond met een vaststellingsovereenkomst. De aard van de vaststellingsovereenkomst geeft veel gewicht aan de wilsvorming vooraf. Dat veronderstelt een informatieplicht. In de Wkkgz-voorfase betekent de informatieplicht dat een vaststellingsovereenkomst bij voorkeur pas wordt gesloten na deskundig advies. Een zorgaanbieder die zich achteraf op de verplichtingen uit het bindend advies van een geschilleninstantie wil beroepen, zal eveneens aan zijn informatieplicht moeten voldoen. De wijze van informatieverstrekking van de geschilleninstanties is dermate gebrekkig, dat aantasting van het bindend advies achteraf goed denkbaar is. Inspiratie wordt gezocht bij het medisch informed consent.
De Hoge Raad over het recht op inzage van de patiënt in de medische analyse van een adviseur van de aansprakelijkheidsverzekeraar van het ziekenhuis
Authors: Simons J.P.M.
Published: October 2018

De Hoge Raad over het recht op inzage van de patiënt in de medische analyse van een adviseur van de aansprakelijkheidsverzekeraar van het ziekenhuis. HR 16 maart 2018, ECLI:NL:HR:2018:365

Na door een patiënt aansprakelijk te zijn gesteld, heeft de aansprakelijkheidsverzekeraar van het ziekenhuis, zonder medeweten van de patiënt, een radioloog geraadpleegd. Op grond van artikel 843a Rv vordert de patiënt bij het Hof Amsterdam inzage in de medische analyse van de radioloog, daarbij nadrukkelijk refererend aan het inzagerecht op grond van de Wbp. Het hof wijst de vordering af. De Hoge Raad bekrachtigt dit oordeel. De medische analyse van de radioloog betreft geen persoonsgegevens in de zin van Richtlijn 95/46/EG. Op grond van de Wbp komt de patiënt daarom geen recht toe op inzage in de medische analyse.
Priority of theoretical preparation for cyclic sports (on the material of examination of sportsmans and trainers)
Authors: Bohuslavska Viktoria
Published: October 2018

The article presents the results of a survey of qualified athletes and trainers for the priority of the use of various means of theoretical training in the process of multi-year sport improvement in cyclic sports.
The survey was attended by 146 qualified athletes and 82 trainers from sports such as rowing, swimming, track and field (running and walking), and ski races.
The following research methods were used in the work: theoretical analysis and generalization of literary sources, studying of documentary materials, analysis of personal data, methods of mathematical statistics.
It has been established that the need to apply such theoretical training materials as collections of scientific articles, study aids, monographs, electronic and audio books, lectures, pedagogical testing, Internet search services increases with each subsequent stage of preparation of athletes. In contrast, the significance of the use of posters, drawings, brochures, animations, documentaries and feature films, games and practical events is reduced with increasing athletic athleticism. At the same time, the most effective means of theoretical training, the majority of respondents note the use of search services Internet and the latest technical means of training at all stages of training.
Investigation of cytotoxic effects of Eugenia caryophyllus (Clove)
Authors: Hepokur Ceylan
Published: October 2018

Objectives:
Eugenia caryophyllus has been used as a
traditional medicinal herb for thousands of years. It is used as an analgesic for tooth and toothache
with the effect of eugenol substance included in clove. Clove is used at toothpaste and some mouthwash. The
aim of this study was determined of in vitro cytotoxic effects Eugenia caryophyllus on fibroblast
cells.

Materials
and Methods: Cytotoxic
activity of Eugenia caryophyllus was evaluated
using XTT assay.

Results: In the present study, toxicity of
clove that is used as a pain reliever in dentistry has examined on L929 cells. Eugenia
caryophyllus were
incubated at 24 and 48 hours.  The IC50 values of Eugenia caryophyllus (Clove) were found 57,92 ± 0,98 µg/mL in 24 h,
37,97 ± 0,74 µg/mL in 48h.

Conclusions: The acceptable level of cytotoxicity associated with Eugenia caryophyllus requires further evaluation to be used
Characterization of a Toxoplasma effector uncovers an alternative GSK3/β-catenin-regulatory pathway of inflammation
Authors: He Huan , Brenier-Pinchart Marie-Pierre , Braun Laurence , Kraut Alexandra , Touquet Bastien , Couté Yohann , Tardieux Isabelle , Hakimi Mohamed-Ali , Bougdour Alexandre
Published: October 2018

The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii, hijacks evolutionarily conserved host processes by delivering effector proteins into the host cell that shift gene expression in a timely fashion. We identified a parasite dense granule protein as GRA18 that once released in the host cell cytoplasm forms versatile complexes with regulatory elements of the β-catenin destruction complex. By interacting with GSK3/PP2A-B56, GRA18 drives β-catenin up-regulation and the downstream effects on host cell gene expression. In the context of macrophages infection, GRA18 induces the expression of a specific set of genes commonly associated with an anti-inflammatory response that includes those encoding chemokines CCL17 and CCL22. Overall, this study adds another original strategy by which T. gondii tachyzoites reshuffle the host cell interactome through a GSK3/β-catenin axis to selectively reprogram immune gene expression.
Dynamic neuromuscular remodeling precedes motor-unit loss in a mouse model of ALS
Authors: Martineau Éric , Di Polo Adriana , Vande Velde Christine , Robitaille Richard
Published: October 2018

Despite being an early event in ALS, it remains unclear whether the denervation of neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) is simply the first manifestation of a globally degenerating motor neuron. Using in vivo imaging of single axons and their NMJs over a three-month period, we identify that single motor-units are dismantled asynchronously in SOD1G37R mice. We reveal that weeks prior to complete axonal degeneration, the dismantling of axonal branches is accompanied by contemporaneous new axonal sprouting resulting in synapse formation onto nearby NMJs. Denervation events tend to propagate from the first lost NMJ, consistent with a contribution of neuromuscular factors extrinsic to motor neurons, with distal branches being more susceptible. These results show that NMJ denervation in ALS is a complex and dynamic process of continuous denervation and new innervation rather than a manifestation of sudden global motor neuron degeneration.
New Paratethyan dwarf baleen whales mark the origin of cetotheres
Authors: Gol'din Pavel
Published: October 2018

Background

Family Cetotheriidaesensu strictoand several closely related taxa comprise the Cetotherioidea and represent a lineage of Neogene baleen whales that includes the smallest edentulous baleen whales in Earth history. Most of known cetotheriids came from the Late Miocene to Quaternary, and the earliest records from the latest Middle Miocene. The Paratethys region shows a great diversity of Middle to Late Miocene cetotheriids. That includes nominative taxon of the family,Cetotherium rathkii, and this suggests that the earliest cetotheriids may have lived in that region.

Materials and methods

Here,Ciuciulea davidi, a new genus and species from the Middle Miocene of southeastern Europe, is described as the chronologically earliest and earliest diverging member of Cetotheriidae. Also, a new specimen ofOtradnocetus, a basal Cetotherioidea sensu Gol’din & Steeman, 2015 is identified from the Late Miocene deposits of Caucasus and compared withOtradnocetus virodovifrom the Middle Miocene of the same region.

Results and discussion

Ciuciulea davidiis a dwarf whale displaying primitive traits: posterior ends of facial bones forming a single transverse line, a narrow occipital shield, and a relatively long interparietal region. Meanwhile, it shares some cetotheriid apomorphies: posteriorly telescoped wedge-shaped facial bones and an ovoid tympanic bulla with shallow lateral and medial furrows, a short anterior lobe and a short sigmoid process. Phylogenetic analysis suggests thatParietobalaenaandOtradnocetusare branches diverging before the clade Cetotheriidae + Neobalaenidae. This is confirmed by the stepwise evolution of the anatomy of the squamosal, mandible, and ear bones across these groups. The re-described juvenile specimen ofOtradnocetusdiffers fromO. virodoviin the more primitive anatomy of the mandible and the autapomorphic anatomy of the humerus. Records of the earliest cetotheriids and related taxa in the Paratethys support the idea that this could be the region where Cetotheriidae evolved before their worldwide dispersal and radiation.
The validity and reliability of the “My Jump App” for measuring jump height of the elderly
Authors: Cruvinel-Cabral Rejane Maria , Oliveira-Silva Iransé , Medeiros André Ricarte , Claudino João Gustavo , Jiménez-Reyes Pedro , Boullosa Daniel A.
Published: October 2018

Background

The ability to jump has been related to muscle strength and power, speed and amplitude of the lower limbs movements, and specifically for the elderly, the vertical jump has been shown to be a good predictor of functional capacity and risk of falling. The use of a mobile application (App) which can measure the vertical jump (i.e., iPhone App My Jump) has recently emerged as a simple, cheap and very practical tool for evaluation of jump ability. However, the validity of this tool for the elderly population has not been tested yet. The elderly usually perform very low jumps and therefore the signal-to-noise ratio may compromise the validity and reliability of this method. Thus, the aim of the current study was to verify the validity and reliability of the iPhone App “My Jump” for the evaluation of countermovement jump (CMJ) height within an elderly population.

Methods

After familiarization, 41 participants performed three CMJs assessed via a contact mat and the My Jump App. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to verify the relative reliability, while the coefficient of variation (CV%) and the typical error of measurement (TEM) were used to verify the absolute reliability. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to verify the strength of the relationship between methods (i.e., concurrent validity), a Bland–Altman plot to show their agreement, and the Student’s t-test to identify systematic bias between them. For reliability analyses, all jumps were considered (i.e., 123). All jumps (i.e., 123), the average height of each attempt (i.e., 41), and the highest jump, were considered for validity analyses.

Results

The CMJ height of the highest jump was 10.78 ± 5.23 cm with contact mat, and 10.87 ± 5.32 with My Jump App, with an identified systematic bias of 0.096 cm (P = 0.007). There was a nearly perfect correlation between methods (r = 0.999; P = 0.000, in all cases) with a very good agreement observed (0.3255 to −0.5177 cm, 0.2797 to −0.5594 cm, and 0.3466 to −0.6264 cm, for highest jump height, average jump height, and all jump heights, respectively). The ICC of the My Jump App was 0.948, the TEM was 1.150 cm, and the CV was 10.10%.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the My Jump App is a valid and reliable tool compared to the contact mat for evaluating vertical jump performance in the elderly. Therefore, it allows a simple and practical assessment of lower limbs’ power in this population. For the elderly, as well as for other populations with low jumping heights, the highest jump height and the average jump height could be used indistinctly.
Immunofluorescence
Authors: Wardyn Joanna D , Jeyasekharan Anand D
Published: October 2018

Immunofluorescence is a very sensitive and versatile method used to label specific molecular targets within cells and tissues through combined use of specific antibodies and chemical fluorescent tags. It is commonly performed on immobilised, preserved specimens to label target proteins and their subsequent detection by means of fluorescent microscopy or flow cytometry, for diagnostic and biomedical research purposes. Importantly, it enables measurements of signal within single cells and thus provides information on sample heterogeneity, which is frequently lost in other methods. Over the decades, the use of immunofluorescent staining with its numerous adaptations has allowed to visualise discrete and delicate inner workings of the cells and tissues and brought to light how they respond to changes in context of health and disease.

Key Concepts

Specific, primary antibody is used for detection and quantification of target antigen in cell type of interest.

Signal amplification is achieved by binding of multiple fluorescently labelled secondary antibodies.

Appropriate fixation and permeabilisation methods should be applied for optimal sample staining.

Detection of fluorescence is achieved most commonly by epifluorescent or confocal microscopy, or flow cytometry analysis.

Immunofluorescent staining protocols have been extensively adapted for more advanced purposes, such as proximity ligation assay, fluorescencein situhybridisation and super‐resolution microscopy.
Germ Line Mutation Rates in Old World Monkeys
Authors: Tran Lucy AP , Pfeifer Susanne P
Published: October 2018

Mutations that occur in the germ line are the ultimate source of genetic variation upon which natural selection can act. As such, an understanding of the germ line mutation rate is crucial for interpreting evolutionary processes and products, whether in response to emerging infectious disease or climate change. Even in closely related species such as primates, substantial variation exists in both mutation rates as well as the mutational spectra, partially owing to differences in life history traits. Though considerable attention has been given to humans and other great apes in these characterisations, Old World monkeys represent an excellent and underutilised model system to investigate the extent and time scale at which mutation rates have evolved across the primate clade.

Key Concepts

Mutation rates are influenced by a variety of genetic factors, evolutionary processes and life history traits – many of which differ between primate species. As a consequence, studying the evolution of mutation rate itself across the primate clade has arisen as a key research question in the field of evolutionary and population genomics.
Prospective Determination of the Incidence and Risk Factors of New‐Onset Uveitis in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: The Research in Arthritis in Canadian Children Emphasizing Outcomes Cohort
Authors: Lee Jennifer J. Y. , Duffy Ciarán M. , Guzman Jaime , Oen Kiem , Barrowman Nick , Rosenberg Alan M. , Shiff Natalie J. , Boire Gilles , Stringer Elizabeth , Spiegel Lynn , Morishita Kimberly A. , Lang Bianca , Reddy Deepti , Huber Adam M. , Cabral David A. , Feldman Brian M. , Yeung Rae S. M. , Tucker Lori B. , Watanabe Duffy Karen ,   for the ReACCh‐Out Investigators
Published: October 2018

Objective

Identification of the incidence of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)–associated uveitis and its risk factors is essential to optimize early detection. Data from the Research in Arthritis in Canadian Children Emphasizing Outcomes inception cohort were used to estimate the annual incidence of new‐onset uveitis following JIA diagnosis and to identify associated risk factors.

Methods

Data were reported every 6 months for 2 years, then yearly to 5 years. Incidence was determined by Kaplan‐Meier estimators with time of JIA diagnosis as the reference point. Univariate log‐rank analysis identified risk factors and Cox regression determined independent predictors.

Results

In total, 1,183 patients who enrolled within 6 months of JIA diagnosis met inclusion criteria, median age at diagnosis of 9.0 years (interquartile range [IQR] 3.8–12.9), median follow‐up of 35.2 months (IQR 22.7–48.3). Of these patients, 87 developed uveitis after enrollment. The incidence of new‐onset uveitis was 2.8% per year (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.0–3.5) in the first 5 years. The annual incidence decreased during follow‐up but remained at 2.1% (95% CI 0–4.5) in the fifth year, although confidence intervals overlapped. Uveitis was associated with young age (<7 years) at JIA diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR] 8.29, P < 0.001), positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) test (HR 3.20, P < 0.001), oligoarthritis (HR 2.45, P = 0.002), polyarthritis rheumatoid factor negative (HR 1.65, P = 0.002), and female sex (HR 1.80, P = 0.02). In multivariable analysis, only young age at JIA diagnosis and ANA positivity were independent predictors of uveitis.

Conclusion

Vigilant uveitis screening should continue for at least 5 years after JIA diagnosis, and priority for screening should be placed on young age (<7 years) at JIA diagnosis and a positive ANA test.
Appropriations bill signed, funding many SUD programs
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: October 2018

On Sept. 28, President Trump signed the FY 2019 appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health & Human Services (HHS), and Education. The bill funds important programs for the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and prevention field, including.
Kinetics of Graphene and 2D Materials Growth
Authors: Dong Jichen , Zhang Leining , Ding Feng
Published: October 2018

During the last 10 years, remarkable achievements on the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of 2D materials have been made, but the understanding of the underlying mechanisms is still relatively limited. Here, the current progress on the understanding of the growth kinetics of 2D materials, especially for their CVD synthesis, is reviewed. In order to present a complete picture of 2D materials' growth kinetics, the following factors are discussed: i) two types of growth modes, namely attachment‐limited growth and diffusion‐limited growth; ii) the etching of 2D materials, which offers an additional degree of freedom for growth control; iii) a number of experimental factors in graphene CVD synthesis, such as structure of the substrate, pressure of hydrogen or oxygen, temperature, etc., which are found to have profound effects on the growth kinetics; iv) double‐layer and few‐layer 2D materials' growth, which has distinct features different from the growth of single‐layer 2D materials; and v) the growth of polycrystalline 2D materials by the coalescence of a few single crystalline domains. Finally, the current challenges and opportunities in future 2D materials' synthesis are summarized.
Highly In‐Plane Anisotropic 2D GeAs2 for Polarization‐Sensitive Photodetection
Authors: Li Liang , Gong Penglai , Sheng Daopeng , Wang Shuao , Wang Weike , Zhu Xiangde , Shi Xingqiang , Wang Fakun , Han Wei , Yang Sanjun , Liu Kailang , Li Huiqiao , Zhai Tianyou
Published: October 2018

Due to the intriguing anisotropic optical and electrical properties, low‐symmetry 2D materials are attracting a lot of interest both for fundamental studies and fabricating novel electronic and optoelectronic devices. Identifying new promising low‐symmetry 2D materials will be rewarding toward the evolution of nanoelectronics and nano‐optoelectronics. In this work, germanium diarsenide (GeAs2), a group IV–V semiconductor with novel low‐symmetry puckered structure, is introduced as a favorable highly anisotropic 2D material into the rapidly growing 2D family. The structural, vibrational, electrical, and optical in‐plane anisotropy of GeAs2 is systematically investigated both theoretically and experimentally, combined with thickness‐dependent studies. Polarization‐sensitive photodetectors based on few‐layer GeAs2 exhibit highly anisotropic photodetection behavior with lineally dichroic ratio up to ≈2. This work on GeAs2 will excite interests in the less exploited regime of group IV–V compounds.
Near‐Infrared Tandem Organic Photodiodes for Future Application in Artificial Retinal Implants
Authors: Simone Giulio , Di Carlo Rasi Dario , de Vries Xander , Heintges Gaël H. L. , Meskers Stefan C. J. , Janssen René A. J. , Gelinck Gerwin H.
Published: October 2018

Photovoltaic retinal prostheses show great potential to restore sight in patients suffering from degenerative eye diseases by electrical stimulation of the surviving neurons in the retinal network. Herein, organic photodiodes (OPDs) sensitive to near‐infrared (NIR) light are evaluated as photovoltaic pixels for future application in retinal prostheses. Single‐junction and tandem OPDs are compared. In the latter, two nominally identical single‐junction cells are processed on top of each other, effectively doubling the open‐circuit voltage (V
OC). Both single‐junction and tandem OPD micropixels can deliver the required charge to stimulate neurons under pulsed NIR light at physiologically safe intensities when connected to stimulating microelectrodes in a physiological saline solution. However, only tandem OPD pixels can cover the entire charge per pulse neural stimulation window due to their higher V
OC (≈1.4 V). This demonstrates the viability of high‐resolution retinal prostheses based on flexible OPD arrays.
Rational Construction of Highly Tunable Donor–Acceptor Materials Based on a Crystalline Host–Guest Platform
Authors: Zhang Da‐Shuai , Gao Qiang , Chang Ze , Liu Xiao‐Ting , Zhao Bei , Xuan Zhi‐Hong , Hu Tong‐Liang , Zhang Ying‐Hui , Zhu Jian , Bu Xian‐He
Published: October 2018

Organic donor–acceptor systems have attracted much attention due to their various potential applications. However, the rational construction and modulation of highly ordered donor–acceptor systems could be a challenge due to the complicated self‐assembly process of donor and acceptor species. Considering the well‐defined arrangement of species at the molecule level, a crystalline host–guest system could be an ideal platform for the rational construction of donor–acceptor systems. Herein, it is shown how the rational construction of highly tunable donor–acceptor materials can be achieved based on a crystalline host–guest platform. Within the well‐established metal–organic framework NKU‐111 as the crystalline host enabled by the relatively stable coordination‐directed assembly, the introduction and arrangement of guest molecules in the crystals allow the rational construction of the NKU‐111⊃guest donor–acceptor system. The donor–acceptor interaction in the systems can be readily modulated with different guest molecules, which can be justified by the well‐demonstrated guest‐dependent characteristics. Accordingly, the NKU‐111⊃guest reveals highly tunable donor–acceptor properties such as charge‐transfer‐based emissions and electrical conductivity. This work indicates the potential of crystalline host–guest systems as an ideal platform for systematic investigations of donor–acceptor materials.
Plasma‐Assisted Growth of β‐MnO2 Nanosystems as Gas Sensors for Safety and Food Industry Applications
Authors: Barreca Davide , Gasparotto Alberto , Gri Filippo , Comini Elisabetta , Maccato Chiara
Published: October 2018

The development of efficient sensors for security field and food quality control applications has gained an ever‐increasing attention for various end‐uses. In this context, this work reports on the preparation of β‐MnO2 nanosystems by plasma enhanced‐chemical vapor deposition (PE‐CVD), using a fluorinated Mn(II) diamine‐diketonate as single‐source precursor for both Mn and F. Modulations of oxygen partial pressure enable to tailor not only the morphology and oxygen vacancy content, but also fluorine doping level of the resulting systems. For the first time, the gas sensing performances of PE‐CVD β‐MnO2 nanomaterials are tested in the detection of acetonitrile, a poisonous chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulant, and ethylene, an important marker of fruit ripening. The obtained results demonstrate that the fabricated sensors can efficiently detect these analytes, with the best responses at moderate temperatures (≤200 °C), enhanced by a higher oxygen vacancy content and fluorine concentration. These features, coupled with the good selectivity and response times, candidate the developed systems as amenable platforms for practical applications.
Superior Performance of Silver Bismuth Iodide Photovoltaics Fabricated via Dynamic Hot‐Casting Method under Ambient Conditions
Authors: Ghosh Biplab , Wu Bo , Guo Xintong , Harikesh Padinhare Cholakkal , John Rohit Abraham , Baikie Tom , Arramel  , Wee Andrew T. S. , Guet Claude , Sum Tze Chien , Mhaisalkar Subodh , Mathews Nripan
Published: October 2018

Bismuth‐based ternary halides have recently gained a lot of attention as lead‐free perovskite materials. However, photovoltaic performances of these devices remain poor, mostly due to their low‐dimensional crystal structure and large bandgap. Here, a dynamic hot casting technique to fabricate silver bismuth iodide‐based perovskite solar cells under an ambient atmosphere with power conversion efficiencies above 2.5% is demonstrated. Silver bismuth iodides are 3D analogs of complex ternary bismuth halides with a suitable bandgap for a single junction solar cell. As far as it is known, these results represent the highest efficiency for solution processed air‐stable lead‐free perovskite solar cells. The enhanced solar cell performance via this dynamic hot casting technique can be attributed to long carrier lifetimes, micrometer‐sized crystalline grains, and pinhole free thin‐film formation with uniform morphology. This work provides a new direction for fabrication of solution‐processed lead‐free perovskite solar cells with a rapid fabrication strategy irrespective of the processing environment.
Simultaneously Inhibiting Lithium Dendrites Growth and Polysulfides Shuttle by a Flexible MOF‐Based Membrane in Li–S Batteries
Authors: He Yibo , Chang Zhi , Wu Shichao , Qiao Yu , Bai Songyan , Jiang Kezhu , He Ping , Zhou Haoshen
Published: October 2018

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are considered a promising candidate for next‐generation energy storage devices due to their ultrahigh theoretical energy density (≈2600 Wh kg−1). However, the uncontrolled growth of Li dendrites and the adverse effect of polysulfide shuttling seriously hinder their practical applications. Herein, a metal organic framework based membrane (MOF@PVDF‐HFP) with good flexibility is designed and fabricated by a facial vacuum filtration strategy. The highly uniform pore sizes of MOF particles facilitate homogenous Li‐ion fluxes, fundamentally inhibiting the growth of Li dendrites and resulting in stable Li plating/striping even at a quite high current density (10 mA cm−2). In addition, owing to the narrow pore size window of MOF nanoparticles, the MOF@PVDF‐HFP membrane serves as an effective barrier for suppressing the polysulfide shuttle, realizing an ultralong cycle life Li–S coin cell with an ultralow capacity fading upon 2000 cycles (0.015% per cycle). Moreover, high specific capacity (1269 mA h g−1) and excellent capacity retention (936 mA h g−1 after 200 cycles) of a flexible Li–S pouch cell with a high sulfur loading (5.8 mg cm−2) demonstrate the potential of MOF@PVDF‐HFP membranes for the development of practical energy storage devices.
Ethnic variation of IL‐4 intron 3 VNTR gene polymorphism; its association with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complication (neuropathy) in Egyptian subjects
Authors: Ali R. , El‐Said A. , El‐Baz H. , Settin A.
Published: October 2018

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has multigenetic and environmental interactive factors. Although diabetic neuropathies (DPN) are the most common, but at the same time, the least recognized and understood long‐term complication of diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the association of IL‐4 VNTR gene polymorphism with T2DM complicated with neuropathy in Egyptian subjects. This is a case control study including 102 T2DM Egyptian patients, plus 188 unrelated healthy individuals as controls. They were evaluated for variable number tandem repeat (VNTR); 70 base pair repeats located in the intron 3; of IL‐4 gene using the PCR technique. Homozygote frequency of the three‐repeat allele (A1/A1) genotype of IL‐4 VNTR was nearly equal among diabetic cases and controls (60.8% vs. 62.2%, respectively). Heterozygous frequency of (A1/A2) genotype was higher among controls compared to cases (33.5% vs. 19.6%, respectively) but not statistically significant. The (A2) allele had a significantly higher frequency in diabetic cases compared to controls (29.3% vs. 21.0%, respectively) while the (A1) allele had lower frequency but not significant one (70.7% vs. 79.0%, respectively). Comparing cases complicated with diabetic neuropathy vs. noncomplicated cases regarding their polymorphic IL‐4 (VNTR) genotypes revealed a nonsignificant lower frequency of (A1A1) genotype (57.1% vs. 65.1%, respectively, p = .57) with a higher combined (A2A2 + A1/A2) genotype frequency (42.9% vs. 34.9%, respectively). Only two haplotypes (A1) & (A2) of IL‐4 (VNTR) gene were recognized among Egyptian population; (A2) allele may influence in diabetes but not its complication (neuropathy) among Egyptian diabetic patients.
Total Synthesis of an Atropisomer of the Schisandra Triterpenoid Schiglautone A
Authors: Ma Binjie , Zhao Yifan , He Chi , Ding Hanfeng
Published: October 2018

A diastereoselective approach for the total synthesis of an unusual atropisomer of the Schisandra triterpenoid (±)‐schiglautone A is described. The efficient synthetic strategy features three key transformations: 1) two sequential titanium(III)‐catalyzed radical cyclization/homologation reactions to construct the trans‐fused [6,7] bicycle as well as install the quaternary carbons at C10 and C14 with the desired stereochemistry; 2) a Claisen rearrangement followed by a ring‐closing metathesis to forge the strained nine‐membered ring; and 3) a substrate‐controlled Michael addition to enable the introduction of the C17 side‐chain with good diastereoselectivity.
Selective CO2 Splitting by Doubly Reduced Aryl Boranes to Give CO and [CO3]2−
Authors: von Grotthuss Esther , Prey Sven E. , Bolte Michael , Lerner Hans‐Wolfram , Wagner Matthias
Published: October 2018

Alkali metal salts M2[1] (M=Li, Na) of doubly reduced 9,10‐dimethyl‐9,10‐dihydro‐9,10‐diboraanthracene (1) instantaneously add the C=O bond of CO2 across their boron centers to furnish formal [4+2]‐cycloadducts M2[2]. If only 1 equiv of CO2 is supplied, these products are stable. In the presence of excess CO2, however, C−O bond cleavage occurs and an O2− equivalent is transferred to CO2 to furnish CO and [CO3]2−. With M=Li, Li2CO3 precipitates and the neutral 1 is liberated such that it can be reduced again to establish a catalytic cycle. With M=Na, [CO3]2− remains coordinated to both boron atoms in a bridging mode (Na2[4]). A mechanistic scenario is proposed, based on isolated intermediates and model reactions.
High recovery of intracellular recombinant HBsAg from Pichia pastoris via continuous pulsed laser cell disruption system optimized by response surface methodology
Authors: Gazor Maryam , Ashraf Talesh Seyed Siamak , Hosseini Seyed Nezamedin , Javidanbardan Amin , Khatami Maryam
Published: October 2018

In our previous study, we demonstrated that continuous power laser could be a clean, rapid, and convenient alternative to the other conventional disruption techniques for the release of recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen (rHBsAg) from Pichia pastoris. In the current work, we examined the effect of pulsed laser in the continuous laboratory‐scale process on cell disruption. Design‐of‐experiments (DOE) methodology was used for optimization of cell disruption process to obtain the highest protein concentration in the disruption buffer. Our investigations for the pulsed laser at wavelength of 1,064 nm demonstrated that for disrupting P. pastoris cell and releasing rHBsAg, the laser power was the most influential factor, and laser pulse duration and cycle number were in the second and third places. According to the results, the effect of laser power and pulse duration (time) had a direct relationship with protein concentration. For the number of cycles, however, increasing the value from the lowest point at first led to the enhancement and then reduction of protein concentration. The maximum cell disruption and rHBsAg release were recorded for the laser system in the energy input of 284 mW and the pulse duration of 100 mSec after four complete rounds of circulation.
The influence of physico‐chemical parameters, substrate concentration, and species variations on the biochemical methane production rates of ten tropical/subtropical grasses
Authors: Holder Nikolai , Persaud Amiesha , Mota‐Meira Marilaine , Born Jens , Sutrina Sarah L.
Published: October 2018

There are several problems faced by small island developing states (SIDS), especially when it comes to waste management and energy production. There is little land space available for dumping and fuel has to be imported in order to meet energy demands. These problems can be mitigated by using grass cuttings from landscaping, which are often dumped, to produced biogas, which can be used as a fuel. In this study the rates of methane production of 10 different tropical and subtropical species of grasses were determined. Based on the results for 20 g/kg samples, the specific rates of gas production ranged from 2.40 ± 0.21 NmL/gFM/day (Zoysia matrella) to 6.52 ± 0.36 NmL/gFM/day (lemon grass). It was also observed that organic dry matter (oDM) loads did not correlate with methane production, suggesting that the oDM content is not necessarily an accurate indicator of a substrate's methane potential, and highlighting areas for further study. The results in this paper provide a database on the rates of methane production of grasses which are common to the tropical and subtropical regions and can be found in several SIDS. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Awareness within local authorities in England of autism spectrum diagnoses of looked‐after children
Authors: Parsons Sarah , McCullen Alice , Emery Tracey , Kovshoff Hanna
Published: October 2018

Educational outcomes for looked‐after children on the autism spectrum are significantly poorer than for autistic children not being looked‐after by their local authority (those ‘in care’), and poorer than for most other groups of children with special educational needs who are looked‐after in England. Such poor outcomes have led to calls for specific attention to be paid to the needs of autistic looked‐after children within the care of local authorities. There is also evidence that the numbers of autistic children being looked‐after by local authorities could be under‐represented in official figures. This study sought to find the current numbers of autistic looked‐after children formally recorded across local authorities in England, and whether their needs are given special attention via strategic planning and oversight, using freedom of information (FoI) requests sent to all local authorities in England. From the 147 (97%) local authorities who responded, approximately 3% of looked‐after children in England are recorded as having an autism spectrum diagnosis, although this is still very likely to be an underestimation. The majority of local authorities do not routinely monitor or report on the diagnostic status of autistic looked‐after children at a strategic level. Implications for research and practice are discussed.