bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-Incision Laparoscopic Sigmoidectomy With Boari Flap Construction for Advanced Colon Cancer With Ureteric Invasion: A Case Report
Authors: Tokuoka Masayoshi , Ide Yoshihito , Takeda Mitsunobu , Hashimoto Yasuji , Matsuyama Jin , Yokoyama Shigekazu , Morimoto Takashi , Fukushima Yukio , Nomura Takashi , Kodama Ken , Sasaki Yo
Published: January 2018

Urinary tract resection is the only procedure that can cure colorectal cancer that directly invades the ureter. In these cases, open surgery is commonly used. Here, we describe our experience of a case of sigmoidectomy following Boari flap construction with single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) for advanced colon cancer with ureteric invasion. A 68-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with left flank pain. Left hydroureteronephrosis was detected on ultrasonography. Computed tomography revealed a solid mass in the sigmoid colon and hydroureteronephrosis due to swelling of a mesenteric lymph node. Computed tomography detected no signs of distant metastasis. Colonoscopy revealed an ulcerated, bleeding, and stricturing lesion in the sigmoid colon, which was identified as an adenocarcinoma with a moderate degree of differentiation at histological examination. Under general anesthesia, the patient was placed in the Trendelenburg semi-right lateral position. An umbilical incision was made for the insertion of a single multichannel port for SILS. Sigmoidectomy and Boari flap reconstruction were performed. There were no perioperative complications. The total operating time was 572 minutes (including Boari flap procedure of 174 minutes), and estimated blood loss was 200 mL. Single-incision laparoscopic sigmoidectomy with Boari flap construction is technically feasible with sigmoid cancer and ureteral invasion.
Synthesis and Evaluation of ABO3 Perovskites (A=La and B=Mn, Co) with Stoichiometric and Over-stoichiometric Ratios of B/A for Catalytic Oxidation of Trichloroethylene
Authors: Alagheband Razieh , Maghsoodi Sarah , Shahbazi Kootenaei Amirhossein , Kianmanesh Hassan
Published: January 2018

In this contribution, perovskite catalysts (ABO3) were probed that site A and site B were occupied by lanthanum and transition metals of manganese or cobalt, respectively, with stoichiometric ratios as well as 20 % over-stoichiometric ratios of B/A. The perovskite samples were synthesized using a gel-combustion method and characterized by BET, XRD, SEM and O2-TPD analyses. After mounting in a fixed bed reactor, the catalysts were examined in atmospheric pressure conditions at different temperatures for oxidation of 1000 ppm trichloroethylene in the air. Evaluation of over-stoichiometric catalysts activity showed that the increased ratio of B/A in the catalysts compared to the stoichiometric one led to BET surface area, oxygen mobility, and consequently catalytic performance improvement. The lanthanum manganite perovskite with 20 % excess manganese yielded the best catalytic performance among the probed perovskites.
Comparison of Five Advanced Oxidation Processes for Degradation of Pesticide in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Affam Augustine Chioma , Chaudhuri Malay , M. Kutty Shamsul Rahman
Published: January 2018

The study compared the technical efficiency and economic cost of five advanced oxidation processes (Fenton, UV photo-Fenton, solar photo-Fenton, UV/TiO2/H2O2 and FeGAC/H2O2) for degradation of the pesticides chlorpyrifos cypermethrin and chlorothalonil in aqueous solution. The highest degradation in terms of COD and TOC removals and improvement of the biodegradability (BOD5/COD ratio) index (BI) were observed to be (i) Fenton - 69.03% (COD), 55.61% (TOC), and 0.35 (BI); (ii) UV photo-Fenton -78.56% (COD), 63.76% (TOC) and 0.38 (BI);  (iii) solar photo-Fenton - 74.19% (COD), 58.32% (TOC) and 0.36 (BI); (iv) UV/TiO2/H2O2 - 53.62% (COD), 21.54% (TOC), and 0.26 (BI); and  (v) the most technical efficient and cost effective process was FeGAC/H2O2. At an optimum condition (FeGAC 5 g/L, H2O2 100 mg/L, and reaction time of 60 min at pH 3), the COD and TOC removal efficiency were 96.19 and 85.60%, respectively, and the biodegradation index was 0.40. The degradation rate constant and cost were 0.0246 min-1 and $0.74/kg TOC, respectively. The FeGAC/H2O2 process is the most technically efficient and cost effective for pretreatment of the pesticide wastewater before biological treatment.
CeO2-TiO2 Photocatalyst: Ionic Liquid-Mediated Synthesis, Characterization, and Performance for Diisopropanolamine Visible Light Degradation
Authors: Sivalingam Jagath Retchahan , Chong Fai Kait , Wilfred Cecilia Devi
Published: January 2018

CeO2-TiO2 photocatalyst with Ce:Ti molar ratio of 1:9 was synthesized via co-precipitation method in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium octylsulfate, [EMIM][OctSO4] (CeO2-TiO2-IL). The ionic liquid acts as a templating agent for particle growth. The CeO2-TiO2 and TiO2 photocatalysts were also synthesized without any ionic liquid for comparison. Calcination was conducted on the as-synthesized materials at 400˚C for 2 h. The photocatalysts were characterized using diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy (DR-UV-Vis), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and surface area and pore size analyzer (SAP). The presence of CeO2 has changed the optical property of TiO2. It has extended the absorption edge of TiO2 from UV to visible region. The calculated band gap energy decreased from 2.82 eV (TiO2) to 2.30 eV (CeO2-TiO2-IL). The FESEM morphology showed that samples forms aggregates and the surface smoothens when ionic liquid was added. The average crystallite size of TiO2, CeO2-TiO2, and CeO2-TiO2-IL were 20.8 nm, 5.5 nm, and 4 nm. In terms of performance, photodegradation of 1000 ppm of diisopropanolamine (DIPA) was conducted in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and visible light irradiation which was provided by a 500 W halogen lamp. The best performance was displayed by CeO2-TiO2-IL calcined at 400˚C. It was able to remove 82.0% DIPA and 54.8% COD after 6 h reaction.
Microwave Assisted Expeditious and Green Cu(II)-Clay Catalyzed Domino One-Pot Three Component Synthesis of 2H-indazoles
Authors: Dar Bashir Ahmad , Safvi Syed Wasim , Rizvi Masood Ahmad
Published: January 2018

A simple and efficient synthesis of 2H-indazoles is achieved from 2-primary amines, bromobenzaldehydes and sodium azide through domino condensation, C–N and N–N bond formations, catalyzed by a heterogeneous Cu(II)-Clay catalyst. The recyclable heterogeneous Cu(II)-Clay catalyst exhibited a remarkable activity for the title reaction without any additives. An assortment of structurally diverse 2H-indazoles were prepared in good to excellent yields from easily available starting materials by using this protocol. The Cu(II)-Clay catalyst was characterized by using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques.
Quantifying an Integral Ecology Framework: A Case Study of the Riverina, Australia
Authors: Wheeler Sarah A. , Haensch Juliane , Edwards Jane , Schirmer Jackie , Zuo Alec
Published: January 2018

Communities in Australia's Murray‐Darling Basin face the challenge of trying to achieve social, economic, and environmental sustainability; but experience entrenched conflict about the best way to achieve a sustainable future, especially for small rural communities. Integral ecology is a philosophical concept that seeks to address community, economic, social, and environmental sustainability simultaneously. Its inclusive processes are designed to reduce stakeholder conflict. However, to date the application of the integral ecology concept has been largely qualitative in nature. This study developed a quantitative integral ecology framework, and applied this framework to a case study of the Riverina, in the Murray‐Darling Basin. Seventy‐seven community‐focused initiatives were assessed, ranked, and quantified. The majority of the community‐focused ranked initiatives did not exhibit all aspects of integral ecology. Initiatives typically prioritized either (1) economic and community development or (2) environmental health; rarely both together. The integral ecology framework developed here enables recommendations on future community initiatives and may provide a pathway for community leaders and other policy‐makers to more readily apply integral ecology objectives. Further research refining the framework's operationalization, application and implementation to a wider‐scale may enhance communities' capacity to develop and grow sustainably.
Coastal Erosion of Permafrost Soils Along the Yukon Coastal Plain and Fluxes of Organic Carbon to the Canadian Beaufort Sea
Authors: Couture Nicole J. , Irrgang Anna , Pollard Wayne , Lantuit Hugues , Fritz Michael
Published: January 2018

Reducing uncertainties about carbon cycling is important in the Arctic where rapid environmental changes contribute to enhanced mobilization of carbon. Here we quantify soil organic carbon (SOC) contents of permafrost soils along the Yukon Coastal Plain and determine the annual fluxes from coastal erosion. Different terrain units were assessed based on surficial geology, morphology, and ground ice conditions. To account for the volume of wedge ice and massive ice in a unit, SOC contents were reduced by 19% and sediment contents by 16%. The SOC content in a 1 m2 column of soil varied according to the height of the bluff, ranging from 30 to 662 kg, with a mean value of 183 kg. Forty‐four per cent of the SOC was within the top 1 m of soil and values varied based on surficial materials, ranging from 30 to 53 kg C/m3, with a mean of 41 kg. Eighty per cent of the shoreline was erosive with a mean annual rate of change of −0.7 m/yr. This resulted in a SOC flux per meter of shoreline of 132 kg C/m/yr, and a total flux for the entire 282 km of the Yukon coast of 35.5 × 106 kg C/yr (0.036 Tg C/yr). The mean flux of sediment per meter of shoreline was 5.3 × 103 kg/m/yr, with a total flux of 1,832 × 106 kg/yr (1.832 Tg/yr). Sedimentation rates indicate that approximately 13% of the eroded carbon was sequestered in nearshore sediments, where the overwhelming majority of organic carbon was of terrestrial origin.
Silver‐catalyzed Double Decarboxylative Radical Alkynylation/Annulation of Arylpropiolic Acids with α‐keto Acids: Access to Ynones and Flavones under Mild Conditions
Authors: Meng Mengting , Wang Guofang , Yang Liangfeng , Cheng Kai , Qi Chenze
Published: January 2018

Ynones are privileged building blocks in various organic syntheses of heterocyclic derivatives due to their multifunctional nature, and flavones are an important class of natural products with a wide range of biological activities. We describe the catalytic double decarboxylative alkynylation of arylpropiolic acids with α‐keto acids. With Ag(I)/persulfate as the catalysis system, the valuable ynones bearing various substituents could be easily obtained. The introduction of hydroxyl substituent onortho‐site of α‐keto acids make this strategy further applicable to the construction of flavone derivatives via heteroannulation in moderate to good yields with a similar silver‐catalyzed system. The reactions proceed under relatively mild reaction conditions and tolerate a wide variety of functional groups. Control experiments indicated that both the reactions undergo radical processes.

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Novel natural rubber composites with geopolymer filler
Authors: Yangthong Hassarutai , Pichaiyut Skulrat , Jumrat Saysunee , Wisunthorn Suwaluk , Nakason Charoen
Published: January 2018

The main objective of this study was to apply geopolymer (GP) particles as novelty fillers in natural rubber (NR) composites with various loadings (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 phr). Influence of GP particles on cure characteristics, mechanical, dynamic, thermal, and morphological properties of the NR/geopolymer composites was investigated. It was found that incorporation of geopolymer particles significantly affected the cure characteristics and the mechanical properties. That is, faster curing was observed due to acceleration by metal oxide impurities. It was also found that 100% modulus and tensile strength increased with the addition of 10 phr GP. This is attributed to the physical interactions of GP particles with NR molecules. In addition, the Payne effect and improved thermal stability were also observed in the GP‐filled NR composites. It was concluded that 10 phr of GP in NR composites might be suitable for some industrial applications.
Ag and Ag─Au Introduced Silica‐coated Magnetic Beads
Authors: Kim Tae Han , Pham Xuan‐Hung , Rho Won‐Yeop , Kim Hyun‐Mo , Hahm Eunil , Ha Yuna , Son Byung Sung , Lee Sang Hun , Jun Bong‐Hyun
Published: January 2018

We have developed novel metal‐introduced and thiol‐modified silica‐coated magnetic beads (TM‐bead) and report their optical property. A total of six different types of Ag or Ag with Au introduced TM‐bead were prepared as follows: Ag was introduced onto TM‐bead either by immobilizing pre‐synthesized Ag nanoparticles (NPs) onto TM‐bead (TM‐bead@Ag NPs) or by growing Ag onto TM‐bead (TM‐bead@AgG). Subsequently, Au ions were introduced onto TM‐bead@Ag NPs (TM‐bead@Ag NPs@AuG) and TM‐bead@AgG (TM‐bead@AgG@AuG). Similarly, Au NPs were immobilized onto TM‐bead@Ag NPs (TM‐bead@Ag NPs&Au NPs) and TM‐bead@AgG (TM‐bead@AgG&Au NPs). The materials were analyzed by an UV–Vis spectroscopy, a scanning electron microscope and an energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. Obtained under a unified frame, the results provide reliable and valid information against those types of metal based materials. The novel metal‐immobilized magnetic beads can also function as plasmonic tunable magnetic beads in biological, material, and chemical applications.
Maternal hormonal milieu influence on fetal brain development
Authors: Miranda Alexandra , Sousa Nuno
Published: January 2018

An adverse maternal hormonal environment during pregnancy can be associated with abnormal brain growth. Subtle changes in fetal brain development have been observed even for maternal hormone levels within the currently accepted physiologic ranges. In this review, we provide an update of the research data on maternal hormonal impact on fetal neurodevelopment, giving particular emphasis to thyroid hormones and glucocorticoids. Thyroid hormones are required for normal brain development. Despite serum TSH appearing to be the most accurate indicator of thyroid function in pregnancy, maternal serum free T4 levels in the first trimester of pregnancy are the major determinant of postnatal psychomotor development. Even a transient period of maternal hypothyroxinemia at the beginning of neurogenesis can confer a higher risk of expressive language and nonverbal cognitive delays in offspring. Nevertheless, most recent clinical guidelines advocate for targeted high‐risk case finding during first trimester of pregnancy despite universal thyroid function screening. Corticosteroids are determinant in suppressing cell proliferation and stimulating terminal differentiation, a fundamental switch for the maturation of fetal organs. Not surprisingly, intrauterine exposure to stress or high levels of glucocorticoids, endogenous or synthetic, has a molecular and structural impact on brain development and appears to impair cognition and increase anxiety and reactivity to stress. Limbic regions, such as hippocampus and amygdala, are particularly sensitive. Repeated doses of prenatal corticosteroids seem to have short‐term benefits of less respiratory distress and fewer serious health problems in offspring. Nevertheless, neurodevelopmental growth in later childhood and adulthood needs further clarification. Future studies should address the relevance of monitoring the level of thyroid hormones and corticosteroids during pregnancy in the risk stratification for impaired postnatal neurodevelopment.
Immune responses of human dental pulp stem cells in lipopolysaccharide‐induced microenvironment
Authors: Bindal Priyadarshini , Ramasamy Thamil Selvee , Kasim Noor Hayaty Abu , Gnanasegaran Nareshwaran , Chai Wen Lin
Published: January 2018

This study aimed to investigate the effect of inflammatory stimuli on dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) by assessing their proliferation and expression of genes as well as proteins in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced microenvironment (iDPSCs). DPSCs were first characterized for their mesenchymal properties prior to challenging them with a series of LPS concentrations from 12 to 72 h. Following to this, their proliferation and inflammatory based genes as well as protein expression were assessed. iDPSCs had demonstrated significant expression of mesenchymal markers. Upon exposure to LPS, the viability dropped distinctly with increasing concentration, as compared to control (P < 0.05). The expression of pro‐inflammatory genes such as interleukin 6, interleukin 8 were augmented with exposure to LPS (P < 0.05). Similarly, cytokines like tumour necrosis factor (TNF) α and interleukin 1α had increased in dose dependant manner upon LPS exposure (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that LPS concentration between 1 and 2 μg/mL demonstrated inflammation induction in DPSCs that may simulate inflamed microenvironment of dental pulp in clinical scenario. Thus, optimizing iDPSCs secretome profile could be a promising approach to test various regenerative protocols in inflamed microenvironment.
Boryl‐ and Silyl‐Substituted Mixed Sandwich Compounds of Scandium
Authors: Braunschweig Holger , Damme Alexander , Dück Klaus , Krummenacher Ivo , Paprocki Valerie , Radacki Krzysztof , Ramler Jacqueline , Schiller Carl , Schneider Christoph
Published: January 2018

An improved, one‐pot synthesis of the linear sandwich compound [Sc(η5‐C5H5)(η8‐C8H8)] is presented. The synthetic procedure is amenable to boryl‐ and silyl‐substituted cyclopentadienyl and cyclooctatetraenyl ligands, thereby yielding the first functionalized derivatives. We found that the synthesis of the silyl‐substituted mixed sandwich complexes produces higher yields when the ligand exchange is carried out stepwise, by isolating the intermediate trimethylsilylated half‐sandwich complex [Sc(η8‐C8H7SiMe3)Cl(THF)] (THF=tetrahydrofuran). The molecular structures of the parent complex, as well as of its mono‐boryl‐substituted derivatives, have been determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. In addition, the optical and electrochemical properties of the mixed sandwich complexes are reported.
Reaction Pathway Dependence in Plasmonic Catalysis: Hydrogenation as a Model Molecular Transformation
Authors: Barbosa Eduardo C. M. , Fiorio Jhonatan L. , Mou Tong , Wang Bin , Rossi Liane M. , Camargo Pedro H. C.
Published: January 2018

The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation in plasmonic nanoparticles can enhance or mediate chemical transformations. Increased reaction rates for several reactions have been reported due to this phenomenon; however, the fundamental understanding of mechanisms and factors that affect activities remains limited. Here, by investigating hydrogenation reactions as a model transformation and employing different reducing agents, H2 and NaBH4, which led to different hydrogenation reaction pathways, we observed that plasmonic excitation of Au nanoparticle catalysts can lead to negative effects over the activities. The underlying physical reason was explored using density functional theory calculations. We observed that positive versus negative effects on the plasmonic catalytic activity is reaction‐pathway dependent. These results shed important insights on our current understanding of plasmonic catalysis, demonstrating reaction pathways must be taken into account for the design of plasmonic nanocatalysts.
Insight into Metal Removal from Peptides that Sequester Copper for Methane Oxidation
Authors: Baslé Arnaud , El Ghazouani Abdelnasser , Lee Jaeick , Dennison Christopher
Published: January 2018

Methanobactins (Mbns) are modified peptides that sequester copper (Cu) methanotrophs use to oxidize methane. Limited structural information is available for this class of natural products, as is an understanding of how cells are able to utilize Mbn‐bound Cu. The crystal structure of Methylosinus sporium NR3K CuI–Mbn provides further information about the structural diversity of Mbns and the first insight into their Cu‐release mechanism. Nitrogen ligands from oxazolone and pyrazinediol rings chelate CuI along with adjacent coordinating sulfurs from thioamides. In vitro solution data are consistent with a CuI–Mbn monomer as found for previously characterized Mbns. In the crystal structure, the N‐terminal region has undergone a conformational change allowing the formation of a CuI2–Mbn2 dimer with CuI sites bound by chelating units from adjacent chains. Such a structural alteration will facilitate CuI release from Mbns.
Intermediate‐severity wind disturbance in mature temperate forests: legacy structure, carbon storage, and stand dynamics
Authors: Meigs Garrett W. , Keeton William S.
Published: January 2018

Wind is one of the most important natural disturbances influencing forest structure, ecosystem function, and successional processes worldwide. This study quantifies the stand‐scale effects of intermediate‐severity windstorms (i.e., blowdowns) on (1) live and dead legacy structure, (2) aboveground carbon storage, and (3) tree regeneration and associated stand dynamics at four mature, mixed hardwood–conifer forest sites in the northeastern United States. We compare wind‐affected forests to adjacent reference conditions (i.e., undisturbed portions of the same stands) 0–8 yr post‐blowdown using parametric (ANOVA) and nonparametric (NMSordination) analyses. We supplement inventory plots and downed coarse woody detritus (DCWD) transects with hemispherical photography to capture spatial variation in the light environment. Although recent blowdowns transferred a substantial proportion of live overstory trees toDCWD, residual live tree basal area was high (19–59% of reference areas). On average, the initial post‐blowdown ratio ofDCWDcarbon to standing live tree carbon was 2.72 in blowdown stands and 0.18 in reference stands, indicating a large carbon transfer from live to dead pools. Despite these dramatic changes, structural complexity remained high in blowdown areas, as indicated by the size and species distributions of overstory trees, abundance of sound and rotten downed wood, spatial patterns of light availability, and variability of understory vegetation. Furthermore, tree species composition was similar between blowdown and reference areas at each site, with generally shade‐tolerant species dominating across multiple canopy strata. Community response to intermediate‐severity blowdown at these sites suggests a dynamic in which disturbance maintains late‐successional species composition rather than providing a regeneration opportunity for shade‐intolerant, pioneer species. Our findings suggest that intermediate‐severity wind disturbances can contribute to stand‐scale structural complexity as well as development toward late‐successional species composition, at least when shade‐tolerant regeneration is present pre‐blowdown. Advance regeneration thus enhances structural and compositional resilience to this type of disturbance. This study provides a baseline for multi‐cohort silvicultural systems designed to restore heterogeneity associated with natural disturbance dynamics.
Modelling of heat release rate in upholstered furniture fire
Authors: Zou G. W. , Huo Y. , Chow W. K. , Chow C. L.
Published: January 2018

Many fatal residential fires started from burning upholstered furniture, and so upholstered furniture fire has been studied rather extensively in developed countries. As many upholstered furniture were made in China, the hidden fire risk should be studied more. In this paper, full‐scale experiments on the burning of upholstered furniture manufactured in China were conducted and analyzed. The oxygen consumption method was used to measure the heat release rate in a room calorimeter. An ignition source of a 20‐kW gasoline pool fire of 0.2‐m diameter was used to test square foam cushions and 4‐seater sofas. A model of heat release rate predicting upholstered furniture fire in a room was developed on the basis of earlier Swedish works. Results were then used to justify the application of the Combustion Behaviour of Upholstered Furniture model to predict the heat release rate of furniture manufactured in China. The numerical values of key parameters in the model were determined. It is proposed to build up a database that can be used to model heat release rates upon burning furniture. Detailed procedures are illustrated in this paper.
Population Pharmacokinetics of the TNF‐α and IL‐17A Dual‐Variable Domain Antibody ABT‐122 in Healthy Volunteers and Subjects With Psoriatic or Rheumatoid Arthritis: Analysis of Phase 1 and 2 Clinical Trials
Authors: Khatri Amit , Othman Ahmed A.
Published: January 2018

ABT‐122 is an IgG1 dual‐variable domain immunoglobulin that specifically blocks TNF‐α and IL‐17A. This work characterized ABT‐122 pharmacokinetics using nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling and ABT‐122 serum concentrations from 72 healthy subjects, 196 subjects with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 144 subjects with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) enrolled in 4 phase 1 and 2 phase 2 studies (0.1–10 mg/kg intravenously and 0.3–3 mg/kg subcutaneous single doses and 0.3–3.0 mg/kg subcutaneous and 60–240 mg subcutaneous doses weekly or every other week). A 2‐compartment model with a combination of linear clearance (0.419 L/day) and nonlinear clearance (relevant only at low doses; Vmaxand Kmof 0.155 mg/day and 0.0458 mg/L, respectively) described ABT‐122 pharmacokinetics. Subcutaneous bioavailability was 35%–58% across formulations and populations. Body weight was a significant covariate for ABT‐122 clearance, with subjects with body weight of 140 and 40 kg estimated to have 38% lower and 43% higher ABT‐122 AUC, respectively, compared with a 70‐kg reference subject. ABT‐122 antidrug antibody (ADA) titer (ADA incidence, 47%; 0 to 519 000 titer range in the data set) was a continuous covariate on ABT‐122 clearance. An ADA titer of 100 units resulted in a 5‐fold increase in clearance. Sex, age, and baseline serum albumin or baseline C‐reactive protein level did not impact ABT‐122 exposure. Fixed‐effects and random‐effects parameters were estimated with a relative standard error of ≤17% and ≤28%, respectively, and the model was qualified using bootstrap analysis and visual predictive checks. This analysis characterized ABT‐122 exposure across populations and supported exposure–response analyses of ABT‐122 efficacy in RA and PsA.
The Risk of Preterm Births Among Pregnant Women With Adenomyosis
Authors: Shin You Jung , Kwak Dong Wook , Chung Jin Hoon , Kim Moon Young , Lee Si Won , Han You Jung
Published: January 2018

Objectives

Few studies have examined the effect of adenomyosis on pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight in women with adenomyosis diagnosed during pregnancy.

Methods

A computerized ultrasonography database was used to identify singleton pregnant women with adenomyosis in the first trimester from January 2010 to December 2011. Only cases with a known pregnancy outcome were included. We reviewed the medical records and analyzed pregnancy outcomes according to the presence of adenomyosis and conception method.

Results

Among 11,173 singleton pregnant women, adenomyosis was detected in 88 (0.8%), and 8316 pregnant women (including 72 with adenomyosis) were included. The adenomyosis group was associated with significantly higher rates of preterm birth and low birth weight than the non‐adenomyosis group (12.5% versus 4.1%; P < .001; 13.9% versus 3.1%; P < .001, respectively). In a subgroup analysis according to the conception method, incidences of preterm birth and low birth weight were not different in the non‐adenomyosis group. However, the risks of preterm birth and low birth weight in the adenomyosis group were significantly higher in pregnant women who conceived by assisted reproductive technologies than in women who conceived naturally (28.0% versus 4.3%; P < .01; 28.0% versus 6.4%; P < .05, respectively).

Conclusions

Ultrasonographic findings suggesting adenomyosis in early pregnancy were associated with increased risks of preterm delivery and low birth weight in women who conceived with the use of assisted reproductive technologies but not in women who conceived spontaneously.
Hepatocyte‐induced CD4+ T cell alloresponse is associated with major histocompatibility complex class II up‐regulation on hepatocytes and suppressible by regulatory T cells
Authors: DeTemple Daphne E. , Oldhafer Felix , Falk Christine S. , Chen‐Wacker Chen , Figueiredo Constanca , Kleine Moritz , Ramackers Wolf , Timrott Kai , Lehner Frank , Klempnauer Juergen , Bock Michael , Vondran Florian W. R.
Published: January 2018

Hepatocyte transplantation is a promising therapeutic approach for various liver diseases. Despite the liver's tolerogenic potential, early immune‐mediated loss of transplanted cells is observed, and longterm acceptance has not been achieved yet. Patients deemed tolerant after liver transplantation presented an increased frequency of regulatory T cells (Tregs), which therefore also might enable reduction of posttransplant cell loss and enhance longterm allograft acceptance. We hence characterized hepatocyte‐induced immune reactions and evaluated the immunomodulatory potential of Tregs applying mixed lymphocyte cultures and mixed lymphocyte hepatocyte cultures. These were set up using peripheral blood mononuclear cells and primary human hepatocytes, respectively. Polyclonally expanded CD4+CD25highCD127low Tregs were added to cocultures in single‐/trans‐well setups with/without supplementation of anti‐interferon γ (IFNγ) antibodies. Hepatocyte‐induced alloresponses were then analyzed by multicolor flow cytometry. Measurements indicated that T cell response upon stimulation was associated with IFNγ‐induced major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II up‐regulation on hepatocytes and mediated by CD4+ T cells. An indirect route of antigen presentation could be ruled out by use of fragmented hepatocytes and culture supernatants of hepatocytes. Allospecific proliferation was accompanied by inflammatory cytokine secretion. CD8+ T cells showed early up‐regulation of CD69 despite lack of cell proliferation in the course of coculture. Supplementation of Tregs effectively abrogated hepatocyte‐induced alloresponses and was primarily cell contact dependent. In conclusion, human hepatocytes induce a CD4+ T cell alloresponse in vitro, which is associated with MHC class II up‐regulation on hepatocytes and is susceptible to suppression by Tregs. Liver Transplantation 24 407–419 2018 AASLD.
Perioperative loss of psoas muscle is associated with patient survival in living donor liver transplantation
Authors: Chae Min Suk , Moon Kwang Uck , Jung Joon‐Yong , Choi Ho Joong , Chung Hyun Sik , Park Chul Soo , Lee Jaemin , Choi Jong Ho , Hong Sang Hyun
Published: January 2018

Patients with end‐stage liver disease show sarcopenia, and preoperative sarcopenia is independently associated with patient mortality after liver transplantation. However, few studies have examined the relationship between perioperative loss of core muscle and patient mortality in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). This study was performed to investigate the association between a perioperative decrease in the psoas muscle index (PMI) and patient mortality after LDLT. Adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) undergoing LDLT between January 2009 and December 2016 were classified into low‐loss (>25th quartile) versus high‐loss (≤25th quartile) groups according to PMI change between the day before surgery and postoperative day (POD) 7. Patient survival was compared between the 2 groups, and factors affecting survival were analyzed. The median (interquartile range) level of PMI change from the day before surgery to POD 7 was −4.8% (−11.7%‐1.2%). Although there was no preoperative difference in PMI between the low‐loss and high‐loss groups, patients with PMI change ≤−11.7% showed poorer survival than those with PMI change >−11.7% during the follow‐up period. A PMI decrease ≤−11.7% between the day before surgery and POD 7 is an independent predictor of patient mortality after LDLT. In addition, intraoperative packed red blood cell transfusion, graft fat percentage, and reoperation and infection after surgery were significantly associated with patient mortality. In conclusion, a PMI decrease ≤−11.7% between the day before surgery and POD 7 is an independent predictor of patient mortality after LDLT. It is necessary to identify the factors responsible for the perioperative decrease in skeletal muscle mass and to ascertain if they are modifiable to improve patient survival after LDLT. Liver Transplantation 24 623–633 2018 AASLD.
A comparison of gantry‐mounted x‐ray‐based real‐time target tracking methods
Authors: Montanaro Tim , Nguyen Doan Trang , Keall Paul J. , Booth Jeremy , Caillet Vincent , Eade Thomas , Haddad Carol , Shieh Chun‐Chien
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Most modern radiotherapy machines are built with a 2D kV imaging system. Combining this imaging system with a 2D‐3D inference method would allow for a ready‐made option for real‐time 3D tumor tracking. This work investigates and compares the accuracy of four existing 2D‐3D inference methods using both motion traces inferred from external surrogates and measured internally from implanted beacons.

Method

Tumor motion data from 160 fractions (46 thoracic/abdominal patients) of Synchrony traces (inferred traces), and 28 fractions (7 lung patients) of Calypso traces (internal traces) from the LIGHT SABR trial (NCT02514512) were used in this study. The motion traces were used as the ground truth. The ground truth trajectories were used in silico to generate 2D positions projected on the kV detector. These 2D traces were then passed to the 2D‐3D inference methods: interdimensional correlation, Gaussian probability density function (PDF), arbitrary‐shape PDF, and the Kalman filter. The inferred 3D positions were compared with the ground truth to determine tracking errors. The relationships between tracking error and motion magnitude, interdimensional correlation, and breathing periodicity index (BPI) were also investigated.

Results

Larger tracking errors were observed from the Calypso traces, with RMS and 95th percentile 3D errors of 0.84–1.25 mm and 1.72–2.64 mm, compared to 0.45–0.68 mm and 0.74–1.13 mm from the Synchrony traces. The Gaussian PDF method was found to be the most accurate, followed by the Kalman filter, the interdimensional correlation method, and the arbitrary‐shape PDF method. Tracking error was found to strongly and positively correlate with motion magnitude for both the Synchrony and Calypso traces and for all four methods. Interdimensional correlation and BPI were found to negatively correlate with tracking error only for the Synchrony traces. The Synchrony traces exhibited higher interdimensional correlation than the Calypso traces especially in the anterior‐posterior direction.

Conclusion

Inferred traces often exhibit higher interdimensional correlation, which are not true representation of thoracic/abdominal motion and may underestimate kV‐based tracking errors. The use of internal traces acquired from systems such as Calypso is advised for future kV‐based tracking studies. The Gaussian PDF method is the most accurate 2D‐3D inference method for tracking thoracic/abdominal targets. Motion magnitude has significant impact on 2D‐3D inference error, and should be considered when estimating kV‐based tracking error.
Design and Simulation of InGaN/GaN p–i–n Photodiodes
Authors: Elbar Mourad , Alshehri Bandar , Tobbeche Souad , Dogheche Elhadj
Published: January 2018

InGaN ternary alloys with their band gaps varying from 0.7 to 3.4 eV, are very promising for photodetector devices operating from UV to IR wavelength range. Using Silvaco–Atlas software, an In0.1Ga0.9N/GaN based p–i–n photodiode is designed and the J–V characteristics, the spectral responsivity, the frequency response and the cut‐off frequency as a function of InGaN thickness are studied. The photodiode exhibits a high reverse breakdown voltage of 38 V, a peak responsivity of 0.2 A W−1 at 0.343 μm wavelength and a cutoff frequency of 400 MHz under an applied reverse bias voltage of 2 V and for a 0.1 μm i‐InGaN layer, in good agreement with simulated and experimental results found in literature. It is found that an optimum i‐layer thickness of 1.5 μm for the maximum cutoff frequency of 4 GHz attributed to the predominance of the limitation in capacitance effect on the cutoff frequency at low i‐layer thickness and the transit time on the cuttoff frequency for high i‐layer thickness. For this i‐layer thickness, the highest peak responsivity about 0.244 A W−1 at 0.384 μm wavelength is achieved.
Monitoring compositional data using multivariate exponentially weighted moving average scheme
Authors: Tran Kim Phuc , Castagliola Philippe , Celano Giovanni , Khoo Michael B. C.
Published: January 2018

Recently, the monitoring of compositional data by means of control charts has been investigated in the statistical process control literature. In this article, we develop a Phase II multivariate exponentially weighted moving average control chart, for the continuous surveillance of compositional data based on a transformation into coordinate representation. We use a Markov chain approximation to determine the performance of the proposed multivariate control chart. The optimal multivariate exponentially weighted moving average smoothing constants, control limits, and out‐of‐control average run lengths have been computed for different combinations of the in‐control average run lengths and the number of variables. Several tables are presented and enumerated to show the statistical performance of the proposed control chart. An example illustrates the use of this chart on an industrial problem from a plant in Europe.
Prestige-seeking small states: Danish and Norwegian military contributions to US-led operations
Authors: Jakobsen Peter Viggo , Ringsmose Jens , Saxi Håkon Lunde
Published: January 2018

In this article we broaden the conventional understanding of prestige and show that prestige-seeking played a major role in the Danish and Norwegian decisions to provide military support to post-Cold War US-led wars. Both countries made costly military contributions in the hope of increasing their standing and prestige in Washington. Both governments regarded prestige as a form of soft power, which they could later convert into access, influence, and US support. Our findings are far from trivial. They make a theoretical contribution by demonstrating that small powers understand and seek prestige in ways that differ fundamentally from the ways great powers do. They also help to explain why smaller US allies made costly contributions to the Balkan, Afghan, Iraq, and Libyan wars at a time when there was no direct threat to their national security and their security dependence on the United States was low. The high value that small US allies attach to their visibility and prestige in Washington suggests that it is far easier for the United States to obtain military support from smaller allies than Realist studies of burden-sharing and collective action problems would lead us to expect.
Pseudo-orbit tracing and algebraic actions of countable amenable groups
Authors: MEYEROVITCH TOM
Published: January 2018

Consider a countable amenable group acting by homeomorphisms on a compact metrizable space. Chung and Li asked if expansiveness and positive entropy of the action imply existence of an off-diagonal asymptotic pair. For algebraic actions of polycyclic-by-finite groups, Chung and Li proved that they do. We provide examples showing that Chung and Li’s result is near-optimal in the sense that the conclusion fails for some non-algebraic action generated by a single homeomorphism, and for some algebraic actions of non-finitely generated abelian groups. On the other hand, we prove that every expansive action of an amenable group with positive entropy that has the pseudo-orbit tracing property must admit off-diagonal asymptotic pairs. Using Chung and Li’s algebraic characterization of expansiveness, we prove the pseudo-orbit tracing property for a class of expansive algebraic actions. This class includes every expansive principal algebraic action of an arbitrary countable group.
ADAPTING TO DEMOCRACY: IDENTITY AND THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS
Authors: Hur Aram
Published: January 2018

Defection from North Korea to South Korea has increased dramatically, but little is known of its political consequences. Do North Korean defectors successfully adopt democratic norms, and if so, what factors aid this process? Through a novel survey of defectors, I find that national identification plays a significant role in motivating their fledgling sense of democratic obligation. Greater feelings of national unity with South Koreans lead to a stronger duty to vote and otherwise contribute to the democratic state. This effect is more powerful than that of conventional contractual factors, on which most state resettlement policies are based, and is surprising given that defectors’ nationalist socialization mostly took place under the authoritarian North. The findings suggest the need to reconsider integration approaches toward North Korean defectors and similarly placed refugees elsewhere.
Detecting diversification rates in relation to preservation and tectonic history from simulated fossil records
Authors: Smiley Tara M.
Published: January 2018

For mammals today, mountains are diverse ecosystems globally, yet the strong relationship between species richness and topographic complexity is not a persistent feature of the fossil record. Based on fossil-occurrence data, diversity and diversification rates in the intermontane western North America varied through time, increasing significantly during an interval of global warming and regional intensification of tectonic activity from 18 to 14 Ma. However, our ability to infer origination and extinction rates reliably from the fossil record is affected by variation in preservation history. To investigate the influence of preservation on estimates of diversification rates, I simulated fossil records under four alternative diversification hypotheses and six preservation scenarios. Diversification hypotheses included tectonically controlled speciation pulses, while preservation scenarios were based on common trends (e.g., increasing rock record toward the present) or derived from fossil occurrences and the continental rock record. For each scenario, I estimated origination, extinction, and diversification rates using three standard methods—per capita, three-timer, and capture–mark–recapture (CMR) metrics—and evaluated the ability of the simulated fossil records to accurately recover the underlying diversification dynamics. Despite variable and low preservation probabilities, simulated fossil records retained the signal of true rates in several of the scenarios. The three metrics did not exhibit similar behavior under each preservation scenario: while three-timer and CMR metrics produced more accurate rate estimates, per capita rates tended to better reproduce true shifts in origination rates. All metrics suffered from spurious peaks in origination and extinction rates when highly volatile preservation impacted the simulated record. Results from these simulations indicate that elevated diversification rates in relation to tectonic activity during the middle Miocene are likely to be evident in the fossil record, even if preservation in the North American fossil record was variable. Input from the past is necessary to evaluate the ultimate mechanisms underlying speciation and extinction dynamics.
Assessing the Radiocarbon Freshwater Reservoir Effect for a Northwest-European River System (the Schelde Basin, Belgium)
Authors: Ervynck Anton , Boudin Mathieu , Van Neer Wim
Published: January 2018

The freshwater reservoir effect (FRE) for the Schelde basin (Belgium) is assessed for the Roman, Medieval and early Post-medieval periods by comparing historical and archaeological dates from individual archaeological deposits with radiocarbon dates on the remains of freshwater fish and terrestrial mammals from those same deposits. This is the first time such an assessment has been attempted for the Schelde basin. The FRE offsets prove to be substantial for the historical periods considered. They also differ markedly between fish species and between size classes of a single species. These observations have implications for the evaluation of radiocarbon dates obtained on archaeological remains of humans (and animals) with a substantial amount of freshwater fish into their diet. The data obtained in this study suggest that it will not be easy to correct for any FRE.
Impact of Welfare Benefit Sanctioning on Food Insecurity: a Dynamic Cross-Area Study of Food Bank Usage in the UK
Authors: LOOPSTRA RACHEL , FLEDDERJOHANN JASMINE , REEVES AARON , STUCKLER DAVID
Published: January 2018

Since 2009, the UK has witnessed marked increases in the rate of sanctions applied to unemployment insurance claimants, as part of a wider agenda of austerity and welfare reform. In 2013, over one million sanctions were applied, stopping benefit payments for a minimum of four weeks and potentially leaving people facing economic hardship and driving them to use food banks. Here we explore whether sanctioning is associated with food bank use by linking data from The Trussell Trust Foodbank Network with records on sanctioning rates across 259 local authorities in the UK. After accounting for local authority differences and time trends, the rate of adults fed by food banks rose by an additional 3.36 adults per 100,000 (95% CI: 1.71 to 5.01) as the rate of sanctioning increased by 10 per 100,000 adults. The availability of food distribution sites affected how tightly sanctioning and food bank usage were associated (p< 0.001); in areas with few distribution sites, rising sanctions led to smaller increases in food bank usage. In conclusion, sanctioning is closely linked with rising food bank usage, but the impact of sanctioning on household food insecurity is not fully reflected in available data.
Educational Sciences: A Crossroad for Dialogue among Disciplines
Authors: De Corte Erik
Published: January 2018

This article illustrates that due to the complexity of educational practices and of the educational system, their scientific study constitutes a crossroads for dialogue and possible conflicts among a variety of disciplines. The article focuses on school education. A first illustration shows how analyzing and improving classroom practices requires collaboration with and among different sub-disciplines of psychology. In the next section the recent domain of educational neuroscience is discussed as a crossroads of educational science, psychology and neuroscience. Thereafter, it is argued that research on mathematics education calls on the contribution of many disciplines such as mathematics, pedagogy, the psychology of cognition and math-related beliefs, and anthropology. The final example focuses on educational technology that requires interaction between educational science, psychology, computer science, economics, etc.