bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revised Reference Values for the Intake of Sodium and Chloride
Authors: Strohm Daniela , Bechthold Angela , Ellinger Sabine , Leschik-Bonnet Eva , Stehle Peter , Heseker Helmut ,   German Nutrition Society (DGE)
Published: December 2017

Background: In January 2017, the nutrition societies of ­Germany, Austria and Switzerland revised the reference values for sodium and chloride intake. Methods: For adults, the estimated value for sodium intake was derived on the basis of a balance study. The estimated values for children and adolescents were extrapolated from this estimated value considering differences in body mass. For infants aged 0 to under 4 months, an estimated value was set based on the sodium intake via breast milk. From this value the estimated value for infants aged 4 to under 12 months was also derived by extrapolation. The estimated value for lactating women takes into account the fact that the sodium loss via breast milk is compensated through homoeostatic mechanisms. Except for infants, the reference values for chloride intake were derived based on the estimated values for sodium intake. Results: For adults, pregnant and lactating women, the estimated values for sodium and chloride intake are set at 1,500 and 2,300 mg/day. Discussion and Conclusion: Reference values for sodium and chloride can be derived in terms of estimated values. Considering dietary recommendations for sodium and chloride, it must be taken into account that high intake of sodium chloride (salt) is associated with adverse health effects, for example, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to lower salt intake in the general population.
Genotype- and Cell-Specific Dynamics of Tandem Repeat Patterns in Aegilops speltoides Tausch (Poaceae, Triticeae)
Authors: Raskina Olga
Published: December 2017

In wild plant populations, chromosome rearrangements lead to the wide intraspecific polymorphisms in the abundance and patterns of highly repetitive DNA. However, despite the large amount of accumulated data, the impact of the complex repetitive DNA fraction on genome reorganization and functioning and the mechanisms balancing and maintaining the structural integrity of the genome are not fully understood. Homologous recombination is thought to play a key role in both genome reshuffling and stabilization, while the contribution of nonhomologous recombination seems to be undervalued. Here, tandem repeat patterns and dynamics during pollen mother cell development were addressed, with a focus on the meiotic recombination that determines chromosome/genome repatterning and stabilization under cross-pollination and artificial hybridization in wild goatgrass, Aegilops speltoides. Native plants from contrasting allopatric populations and artificially created intraspecific hybrids were investigated using a FISH approach. Cytogenetic analysis uncovered a wide spectrum of genotype- and cell-specific chromosomal rearrangements, suggesting intensive repatterning of both parental and hybrid genomes. The data obtained provide evidence that repetitive elements serve as overabundant and ubiquitous resources for maintaining chromosome architecture/genome integrity through homologous and nonhomologous recombination at the intraorganismal level, and genotype-specific repatterning underlies intrapopulation polymorphisms and intraspecific diversification in the wild.
Psychosocial Aspects of Immediate versus Delayed Breast Reconstruction
Authors: Heimes Anne-Sophie , Stewen Kathrin , Hasenburg Annette
Published: December 2017

Background: Only little is known about the psychosocial aspects of breast cancer patients after mastectomy with immediate versus delayed breast reconstruction. Methods: We systematically screened PubMed using the following key words: mastectomy, immediate vs. delayed reconstruction, psychosocial aspects and quality of life. To highlight different psychological outcomes, studies were categorized into those describing: anxiety, depression, body image and satisfaction with the surgical outcome. We also compared patients after mastectomy alone with those undergoing immediate or delayed reconstruction. Results: Methodologies and psychological outcomes varied among the identified studies, making it difficult to compare results. There are contradictory outcomes concerning the psychosocial aspects of breast cancer patients after mastectomy alone compared with those who underwent an immediate or delayed reconstruction following mastectomy. Some studies show that immediate reconstruction after mastectomy had a positive impact on patients' psychological well-being. In contrast, other studies indicated that in the long-term view the compared patient groups were very similar concerning psychosocial aspects. Conclusion: Analyzing different aspects of psychosocial well-being after breast cancer surgery, there might be an advantage in choosing immediate reconstruction, if oncological safety allows it.
Sociedade, espaço e fluxos: reflexões sobre processos transnacionais
Authors: Sacramento Octávio
Published: December 2017

O texto considera as configurações sociais que extravasam fronteiras e ganham forma no plano transnacional, vinculadas a múltiplas geografias e a densas redes de fluxos. O principal objetivo é compreender como muitas das expressões da vida social contemporânea se baseiam na dispersão e na cinética, constituindo-se entre diversas escalas e localizações através de um complexo conjunto de trânsitos e ligações. Ao mesmo tempo é conferida a devida atenção à economia política dasmobilidades globais, procurando tornar evidente que, apesar de uma certa fluidez sistêmica, os países mais ricos, através das suas fronteiras, pautam o ritmo, o volume e a composição dos fluxos que decorrem de suas conexões internacionais.
Mercados de drogas, guerra e paz no Recife
Authors: Daudelin Jean , Ratton José Luiz
Published: December 2017

Este artigo procura discutir as possíveis conexões entre o funcionamento de diferentes mercados de drogas e a violência na cidade do Recife. Os autores propõem que mercados abertos e descobertos, como o do crack, são mais propícios à violência, ao contrário dos mercados fechados e cobertos (mercados de drogas das classes médias). Outros fatores contribuem para a presença de mais ou menos violência em cada mercado de drogas pesquisado: a existência ou não de crédito e consignação, o consumo mais ou menos problemático de cada droga e o tipo de atuação policial em cada mercado de drogas. A observação direta do funcionamento de alguns desses mercados, a pesquisa em jornais diários locais e entrevistas com usuários e vendedores de drogas, profissionais da área de saúde, assistentes sociais, psicólogos, juízes, promotores e policiais foram as estratégias metodológicas utilizadas.
Elites in Switzerland: the rise and fall of a model of elite coordination
Authors: Bühlman Felix , Beetschen Marion , David Thomas , Ginalski Stéphanie , Mach André
Published: December 2017

O objetivo do artigo é entender as transformações recentes das elites suíças com base em um banco de dados sobre elites políticas, econômicas e administrativas que abrange todo o século xx. A partir desse conjunto de informações investigamos a origem social, educação e mecanismos de concertação das elites suíças. Detectamos que, por um longo tempo, mantiveram seu poder através da combinação de um restrito recrutamento social e de um modelo de concertação/coordenação incluindo as forças armadas como um ponto de referência, uma organização corporativa da economia e a multiposicionalidade entre os campos político e econômico. Como resultado do aumento da internacionalização dos gerentes de empresas suíças, este modelo de concertação experimenta um processo de deterioração desde os anos 1990, levando a uma fase de transição (relativamente) imprevisível
Elites Acadêmicas: as Ciências Sociais na Academia Brasileira de Ciências
Authors: Hey Ana Paula , Rodrigues Lidiane Soares
Published: December 2017

O objetivo do artigo consiste em evidenciar certo padrão de carreira científica dos 30 membros da seção de Ciências Sociais da centenária Academia Brasileira de Ciências. Criada em 2000, a área é composta por Antropologia, Demografia, Ciência Política, Economia, Geografia, História, Relações Internacionais e Sociologia, disciplinas que materializam hierarquias e diferenciações. Os Acadêmicos são caracterizados por uma série de elementos: origem geográfica, gênero, idade e formação científica. Evidencia-se que os percursos de formação do capital científico e de notoriedade mesclam-se ao da construção das instituições e dos suportes que viabilizaram a institucionalização destas ciências entre os anos 1960 e 1980. As elites acadêmicas ora construídas evidenciam um modo de consagração que tem como princípio a condução do reconhecimento seletivo dos pares. Essa ação simbólica revela os traços das condições sociais de possibilidade da vida acadêmica no país.
TRANÇADO: RECURSOS COMPUTACIONAIS APLICADOS NO PROCESSO DE PROJETO DE UM MOBILIÁRIO URBANO
Authors: Digiandomenico Dyego , Landim Gabriele , Fischer Henrique
Published: December 2017

Este trabalho apresenta a pesquisa, projeto e construção do mobiliário urbano Trançado, localizado no Largo da Batata, um espaço público na cidade de São Paulo. O artigo discute o desenvolvimento do algoritmo, os parâmetros, a performance do projeto e o uso das tecnologias de prototipagem rápida e da fabricação digital para a análise do modelo e das técnicas construtivas, assim como descreve detalhes da execução e instalação final. Oferece também dados da pesquisa de pós-ocupação, assim como discute a relação entre o projeto do mobiliário e seu uso real, visto que participaram do processo agentes de diferentes áreas, como profissionais, organizações e sociedade civil. A pesquisa contribui ao relatar e discutir a qualidade do processo aplicado, não se concentrando apenas em analisar o resultado do objeto arquitetônico, mas produzir insumos para a reflexão e avanço da aplicação dos recursos computacionais no processo de projeto em arquitetura e design.
Physiological Mitochondrial Fragmentation Is a Normal Cardiac Adaptation to Increased Energy Demand
Authors: Coronado Michael , Fajardo Giovanni , Nguyen Kim , Zhao Mingming , Kooiker Kristina , Jung Gwanghyun , Hu Dong-Qing , Reddy Sushma , Sandoval Erik , Stotland Aleksandr , Gottlieb Roberta A. , Bernstein Daniel
Published: December 2017

Rationale:

Mitochondria play a dual role in the heart, responsible for meeting energetic demands and regulating cell death. Paradigms have held that mitochondrial fission and fragmentation are the result of pathological stresses, such as ischemia, are an indicator of poor mitochondrial health, and lead to mitophagy and cell death. However, recent studies demonstrate that inhibiting fission also results in decreased mitochondrial function and cardiac impairment, suggesting that fission is important for maintaining cardiac and mitochondrial bioenergetic homeostasis.

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to determine whether mitochondrial fission and fragmentation can be an adaptive mechanism used by the heart to augment mitochondrial and cardiac function during a normal physiological stress, such as exercise.

Methods and Results:

We demonstrate a novel role for cardiac mitochondrial fission as a normal adaptation to increased energetic demand. During submaximal exercise, physiological mitochondrial fragmentation results in enhanced, rather than impaired, mitochondrial function and is mediated, in part, by β1-adrenergic receptor signaling. Similar to pathological fragmentation, physiological fragmentation is induced by activation of dynamin-related protein 1; however, unlike pathological fragmentation, membrane potential is maintained and regulators of mitophagy are downregulated. Inhibition of fission with P110, Mdivi-1 (mitochondrial division inhibitor), or in mice with cardiac-specific dynamin-related protein 1 ablation significantly decreases exercise capacity.

Conclusions:

These findings demonstrate the requirement for physiological mitochondrial fragmentation to meet the energetic demands of exercise, as well as providing additional support for the evolving conceptual framework, where mitochondrial fission and fragmentation play a role in the balance between mitochondrial maintenance of normal physiology and response to disease.
Large Cardiac Muscle Patches Engineered From Human Induced-Pluripotent Stem Cell–Derived Cardiac Cells Improve Recovery From Myocardial Infarction in Swine
Authors: Gao Ling , Gregorich Zachery R. , Zhu Wuqiang , Mattapally Saidulu , Oduk Yasin , Lou Xi , Kannappan Ramaswamy , Borovjagin Anton V. , Walcott Gregory P. , Pollard Andrew E. , Fast Vladimir G. , Hu Xinyang , Lloyd Steven G. , Ge Ying , Zhang Jianyi
Published: December 2017

Background:

Here, we generated human cardiac muscle patches (hCMPs) of clinically relevant dimensions (4 cm × 2 cm × 1.25 mm) by suspending cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells that had been differentiated from human induced-pluripotent stem cells in a fibrin scaffold and then culturing the construct on a dynamic (rocking) platform.

Methods:

In vitro assessments of hCMPs suggest maturation in response to dynamic culture stimulation. In vivo assessments were conducted in a porcine model of myocardial infarction (MI). Animal groups included: MI hearts treated with 2 hCMPs (MI+hCMP, n=13), MI hearts treated with 2 cell-free open fibrin patches (n=14), or MI hearts with neither experimental patch (n=15); a fourth group of animals underwent sham surgery (Sham, n=8). Cardiac function and infarct size were evaluated by MRI, arrhythmia incidence by implanted loop recorders, and the engraftment rate by calculation of quantitative polymerase chain reaction measurements of expression of the human Y chromosome. Additional studies examined the myocardial protein expression profile changes and potential mechanisms of action that related to exosomes from the cell patch.

Results:

The hCMPs began to beat synchronously within 1 day of fabrication, and after 7 days of dynamic culture stimulation, in vitro assessments indicated the mechanisms related to the improvements in electronic mechanical coupling, calcium-handling, and force generation, suggesting a maturation process during the dynamic culture. The engraftment rate was 10.9±1.8% at 4 weeks after the transplantation. The hCMP transplantation was associated with significant improvements in left ventricular function, infarct size, myocardial wall stress, myocardial hypertrophy, and reduced apoptosis in the periscar boarder zone myocardium. hCMP transplantation also reversed some MI-associated changes in sarcomeric regulatory protein phosphorylation. The exosomes released from the hCMP appeared to have cytoprotective properties that improved cardiomyocyte survival.

Conclusions:

We have fabricated a clinically relevant size of hCMP with trilineage cardiac cells derived from human induced-pluripotent stem cells. The hCMP matures in vitro during 7 days of dynamic culture. Transplantation of this type of hCMP results in significantly reduced infarct size and improvements in cardiac function that are associated with reduction in left ventricular wall stress. The hCMP treatment is not associated with significant changes in arrhythmogenicity.
Earlier Effects Are More Often Perceived as One’s Own Action Effects
Authors: Ruess Miriam , Thomaschke Roland , Kiesel Andrea
Published: December 2017

When changes occur in our environment, we usually know whether we caused these changes by our actions or not. Yet, this feeling of authorship for changes — the so-called sense of agency (SoA) — depends on the temporal relationship between action and resulting change (i.e., effect). More precisely, SoA might depend on whether the effect occurs temporally predictable, and on the duration of the delay between action and effect. In previous studies, SoA was measured either explicitly, asking for the perceived control over external stimuli, or implicitly by measuring a characteristic temporal judgement bias (intentional binding, i.e., a shortening of the perceived interval between action and effect). We used a novel paradigm for investigating explicit SoA more directly by asking participants in a forced-choice paradigm whether they caused a temporally predictable or a temporally unpredictable effect by their action. Additionally, we investigated how the temporal contiguity of the effects influenced the participants’ explicit SoA. In two experiments (48 participants each), there was no influence of temporal predictability on explicit SoA. Temporally predictable and unpredictable effects were equally often rated as own effects. Yet, effects after shorter delays were more often perceived as own effects than effects after longer delays. These findings are in line with previous results concerning the influence of effect delay on other explicit measures of SoA and concluding that explicit SoA is stronger for early effects.
The Development of Temporal Concepts: Learning to Locate Events in Time
Authors: McCormack Teresa , Hoerl Christoph
Published: December 2017

A new model of the development of temporal concepts is described that assumes that there are substantial changes in how children think about time in the early years. It is argued that there is a shift from understanding time in an event-dependent way to an event-independent understanding of time. Early in development, very young children are unable to think about locations in time independently of the events that occur at those locations. It is only with development that children begin to have a proper grasp of the distinction between past, present, and future, and represent time as linear and unidirectional. The model assumes that although children aged two to three years may categorize events differently depending on whether they lie in the past or the future, they may not be able to understand that whether an event is in the future or in the past is something that changes as time passes and varies with temporal perspective. Around four to five years, children understand how causality operates in time, and can grasp the systematic relations that obtain between different locations in time, which provides the basis for acquiring the conventional clock and calendar system.
Applying Cold-Ironing Regulation in Southeast Asian Ports to Reduce Emissions
Authors: Nicholas Monacelli
Published: December 2017

The imo estimates that international shipping contributes 796 tons of greenhouse gases each year, representing more than 2% of the global total. While the majority of these emissions occur at sea while transiting between ports, a non-trivial amount occurs while ships are docked. The traditional practice has been for ships to keep their engines running while in port, primarily to generate power. “Cold ironing” is when, alternatively, ships in port shut down their engines and take power from the pier. While a novel concept in the shipping industry, it has been the status quo for naval vessels for nearly a century. American ports pioneered the technology, while other global facilities have room to improve.

This research investigates the extent that cold ironing will assist in reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions in Southeast Asian ports. Additionally, it looks at the hurdles to implementation, and other alternatives. Amongst a complex web of technology and regulatory schemes to minimize shipboard emissions, the practical effects and benefits of cold ironing cannot be ignored.
Mesoscale Gravity Waves in the Mei-Yu Front System
Authors: Wang Yuan , Zhang Lifeng , Peng Jun , Guan Jiping
Published: December 2017

High-resolution cloud-permitting simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model are performed to study the generation, structure, and characteristics of mesoscale gravity waves in an idealized mei-yu front system. Two classes of waves are generated successively during the control simulation. The first class of waves, which is typical of vertically propagating waves excited by the front itself, appears as the front develops before the generation of the prefrontal moist convection and has a coherent fanlike pattern from the troposphere to the lower stratosphere. The second class of waves, which is much stronger than the fanlike waves, appears accompanied by the generation of the moist convection. It is nearly vertically trapped in the troposphere, while it propagates vertically upstream and downstream in the lower stratosphere. The source function analysis is introduced to demonstrate that the mechanical oscillator mechanism plays a dominant role in the generation of convective gravity waves in the lower stratosphere. The vertical motion induced by the deep convection develops upward in the troposphere, overshoots the level of neutral buoyancy (LNB), and impinges on the tropopause. The net buoyancy forces the air parcels to oscillate about the LNB, thus initiating gravity waves in the lower stratosphere. Further spectral analysis shows that the upstream waves have more abundant wavenumber–frequency and phase speed space distributions than the downstream waves. And the former amplify with height while the latter weaken in general under the effect of background northerly wind. The power spectral densities of downstream waves concentrate on faster phase speed than those of upstream waves.
Intensity and Inner-Core Structure of Typhoon Haiyan (2013) near Landfall: Doppler Radar Analysis
Authors: Shimada Udai , Kubota Hisayuki , Yamada Hiroyuki , Cayanan Esperanza O. , Hilario Flaviana D.
Published: December 2017

The intensity and inner-core structure of an extremely intense tropical cyclone, Typhoon Haiyan (2013), were examined using real-time ground-based Doppler radar products from the Guiuan radar over the period of about 2.5 h immediately before the storm approached Guiuan in Eastern Samar, Philippines. Haiyan’s wind fields from 2- to 6-km altitude were retrieved by the ground-based velocity track display (GBVTD) technique from the Doppler velocity data. The GBVTD-retrieved maximum wind speed reached 101 m s−1 at 4-km altitude on the right side of the track. The relatively fast forward speed of Haiyan, about 11 m s−1, increased maximum wind speed on the right-hand side of the storm. Azimuthal mean tangential wind increased with height from 2 to 5 km, and a local maximum of 86 m s−1 occurred at 5-km altitude. The central pressure was estimated as 906 hPa with an uncertainty of ±4 hPa by using the GBVTD-retrieved tangential wind and by assuming gradient wind balance. The radius of maximum radar reflectivity was about 23 km from the center, a few kilometers inside the radius of maximum wind. The reflectivity structure was highly asymmetric at and above 3-km altitude, and was more symmetric below 3-km altitude in the presence of relatively weak vertical shear (~4 m s−1). The center of the eyewall ring was tilted slightly downshear with height.
Teaching “Quanti” – Lessons from French Experiences in Sociology and History
Authors: Mercklé Pierre , Zalc Claire
Published: December 2017

The paper’s main objective is to reflect, from both a sociological and a historiographical perspective, on how to use and how to teach quantitative methods in the social sciences. French and American social scientists, whether apprentices or confirmed, often encounter during their work a crucial need to use quantitative methods. But which methods do each favor? And how to teach these methods? In strongly varying national and disciplinary contexts, what are the directions taken by the revival of interest for quantitative methods? Comparing current pedagogical practices may be a heuristic way to raise crucial questions about historiographical uses of quantitative methods, and give way to a cautious advocacy of reflective uses of quantitative methods in the social sciences.
Assessing olive oil peroxide value by NIRS, and on reference methods
Authors: Cayuela José A
Published: December 2017

Peroxide value is a basic parameter used for the olive oil quality characterization. We report trials to establish an NIR or Vis/IR spectroscopy technique to allow the satisfactory determination of the olive oil peroxide value. In relation to this, the possibility is considered if the NIR technique can offer greater accuracy and precision than the reference method. The NIR or Vis/NIR technique would avoid the large consumption of reagents and solvents needed in the usual method, also facilitating a faster and potentially multi-parametric measurement.
High spatial resolution and non-destructive evaluation of wood density and microfibril angle by NIR hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Ma Te , Inagaki Tetsuya , Tsuchikawa Satoru
Published: December 2017

Wood density and microfibril angle are strongly correlated with wood stiffness, shrinkage, and anisotropy. Understanding the spatial distribution of these values is critical for solid timber applications. In this study, near infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging was used to evaluate wood density and microfibril angle in a non-destructive, yet effective manner. Briefly, five wood samples collected from both normal and compression parts of two different Cryptomeria japonica trees were analyzed. Partial least squares regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between X-ray reference data and NIR spectra, and cross-validation (leave-one-out) was used for checking prediction performances. The validation coefficient of determination (r2) between predicted densities by the NIR technique and measured values by SilviScan (X-ray data) was 0.83 with a root mean squared error of cross-validation (RMSECV) of 105.18 kg/m3. Regarding microfibril angle, r2 and RMSECV were 0.77 and 5.36°, respectively. Finally, wood density and microfibril angle were successfully mapped at a high spatial resolution (156 µm) to facilitate the detection of annual growth ring features and evaluation of aspects of heterogeneous wood quality.
The spatial composition of porcine adipose tissue investigated by multivariate curve resolution of near infrared spectra: Relationships between fat, the degree of unsaturation and water
Authors: Sørensen Klavs Martin , Engelsen Søren Balling
Published: December 2017

This study represents a continuation of a previously performed study by Sørensen, et al. (2012) about the use of and development of an online method for determining the iodine number in porcine adipose tissue by the use of near infrared spectroscopy. In the original study, the fat tissue was measured as a function of the depth from the skin and thus represent spatial or 2D near infrared data, and if measured across a porcine carcass it represents 3D data of the pig. These data structures, which were largely ignored in the original publication, are here explored by multivariate curve resolution. The massive amount of near infrared data (11,329 spectra) was unfolded from the true five-way array (carcass × horizontal position × vertical position × depth × spectral data points, 30 × 6 × 15 × 6 × 204) into a two-way matrix (sample × spectra, 11329 × 204) (maintaining spatial data in a separate array) and multivariate curve resolution applied. A two-component multivariate curve resolution model proved to fit the data nearly perfectly (99.69% X variance explained). By concentration the highest component was found to be fat, and the second component was found to be water. Surprisingly, the latter was found to co-vary strongly with the iodine value of the fat ( r = −0.83). The resulting multivariate curve resolution model was folded back into its original spatial dimension to produce maps showing distribution of the constituent concentrations in the adipose tissue.
Leaf reflectance and transmission properties (350–2500 nm): Implications for vegetation indices
Authors: Berard Genevieve M , Cloutis Edward A , Mann Paul
Published: December 2017

At moderate to high leaf area index (values 3–5), many ratio-based vegetation indices, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), reach an asymptote where the linear relationship between leaf area index and vegetation index value breaks down. The red and near infrared channels are used to calculate most ratio vegetation indices when using sensors such as Landsat; however, these channels sense very different depths in vegetation canopies due to differences in transmittance, which may explain this breakdown of vegetation indices. In laboratory-simulated canopies composed of four deciduous species, visible wavelengths (∼400–700 nm) were mostly attenuated by the first or second leaf layer, while near infrared wavelengths were substantially transmitted beyond the sixth or seventh leaf layer. Absolute changes in reflectance >1% were seen in some canopies up to four leaf layers thick in the near infrared wavelengths. Therefore, in natural canopies, near infrared wavelengths have a greater probability of penetrating to the soil/litter background than visible wavelengths, which may impact vegetation indices that use both visible and near infrared wavelengths for canopies between two and seven layers thick. While this was a preliminary study that isolated the canopy depth variable, polynomial regression analysis showed that differences in canopy thickness explained most of the observed variability in canopy reflectance. These results will facilitate the development and assessment of spectral vegetation indices that would probe canopies to consistent depths.
A novelty technique for the fabrication of biomedical optics phantoms with cyst-mimicking inclusions
Authors: Pardini PA , Pomarico JA , Iriarte DI
Published: December 2017

The construction of standardised phantoms for biomedical optics experiments is still a developing research field. Particularly, the application of diffusive optics techniques to tissues with low or non-scattering heterogeneities, such as cysts, where the diffuse approximation does not apply, has been studied during the last years. The reported phantoms for mimicking cysts have inclusions that consist of hollow cylinders filled with low or non-scattering fluids, being thus more representative of a 2D geometry rather than a 3D geometry. We present here an innovative proposal, to our knowledge not reported before, for the manufacture of solid diffusive phantoms with spherical, liquid inclusions, with low or non-scattering properties, intended to reproduce cysts. To this end, we used the inverse spherification technique from the molecular gastronomy. The constructed phantoms were optically characterised by two approaches, namely whole field continuous wave transmittance imaging and time-resolved experiments, both in the near infrared at λ = 785 nm. After optical characterisation, the phantoms were also dissected, showing that the inclusions remained in place and preserved their shape after the whole fabrication process. Some results were also validated by Monte Carlo simulations.
Rapid and nondestructive analysis of deep-fried taro chip qualities using near infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Areekij Suthatta , Ritthiruangdej Pitiporn , Kasemsumran Sumaporn , Therdthai Nantawan , Haruthaithanasan Vichai , Ozaki Yukihiro
Published: December 2017

The objective of this study was to use near infrared spectroscopy to determine the moisture and fat content, color properties and maximum force of break of deep-fried taro chips as a rapid and non-destructive technique. Near infrared spectra were recorded on intact taro chips in the wavelength range of 1100–2500 nm collected using a near infrared spectrometer, followed by quality attribute measurements. The near infrared calibration models were developed individually using partial least square regression. The partial least square calibration models were found to have coefficients of determination (R2) between 0.85 and 0.97 and for independent samples the ratio of prediction to deviation ranged from 2.0 to 4.9. The results indicated that near infrared spectroscopy offers a fast, simple, accurate and nondestructive method to determine the quality of intact, deep-fried taro chips. Therefore, it can be used in-line or at-line for the quality control of the deep-fried process and for better monitoring of changes in the chemical and physical properties of fried products during processing.
Biobanking and Privacy in India
Authors: Chaturvedi Sachin , Srinivas Krishna Ravi , Muthuswamy Vasantha
Published: December 2017

Biobank-based research is not specifically addressed in Indian statutory law and therefore Indian Council for Medical Research guidelines are the primary regulators of biobank research in India. The guidelines allow for broad consent and for any level of identification of specimens. Although privacy is a fundamental right under the Indian Constitution, courts have limited this right when it conflicts with other rights or with the public interest. Furthermore, there is no established privacy test or actionable privacy right in the common law of India. In order to facilitate biobank-based research, both of these lacunae should be addressed by statutory law specifically addressing biobanking and more directly addressing the accompanying privacy concerns. A biobank-specific law should be written with international guidelines in mind, but harmonization with other laws should not be attempted until after India has created a law addressing biobank research within the unique legal and cultural environment of India.
Privacy and Security within Biobanking: The Role of Information Technology
Authors: Heatherly Raymond
Published: December 2017

Along with technical issues, biobanking frequently raises important privacy and security issues that must be resolved as biobanks continue to grow in scale and scope. Consent mechanisms currently in use range from fine-grained to very broad, and in some cases participants are offered very few privacy protections. However, developments in information technology are bringing improvements. New programs and systems are being developed to allow researchers to conduct analyses without distributing the data itself offsite, either by allowing the investigator to communicate with a central computer, or by having each site participate in meta-analysis that results in a shared statistic or final significance result. The implementation of security protocols into the research biobanking setting requires three key elements: authentication, authorization, and auditing. Authentication is the process of making sure individuals are who they claim to be, frequently through the use of a password, a key fob, or a physical (i.e., retinal or fingerprint) scan. Authorization involves ensuring that every individual who attempts an action has permission to do that action. Finally, auditing allows for actions to be logged so that inappropriate or unethical actions can later be traced back to their source.
Including Language Access into Medicaid ACO Design
Authors: Gershon Rachel , Morris Lisa , Ferguson Warren
Published: December 2017

Quality health care relies upon communication in a patient's preferred language. Language access in health care occurs when individuals are: (1) Welcomed by providers regardless of language ability; and (2) Offered quality language services as part of their care. Federal law generally requires access to health care and quality language services for deaf and Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients in health care settings, but these patients still find it hard to access health care and quality language services.

Meanwhile, several states are implementing Medicaid Accountable Care Organization (ACO) initiatives to reduce health care costs and improve health care quality. Alternative payment methods used in these initiatives can give Accountable Care Organizations more flexibility to design linguistically accessible care, but they can also put ACOs at increased financial risk for the cost of care. If these new payment methods do not account for differences in patient language needs, ACO initiatives could have the unintended consequence of rewarding ACOs who do not reach out to deaf and LEP communities or offer quality language services.

We reviewed public documents related to Medicaid ACO initiatives in six states. Some of these documents address language access. More could be done, however, to pay for language access efforts. This article describes Medicaid ACO initiatives and explores how different payment tools could be leveraged to reward ACOs for increased access to care and quality language services. We find that a combination of payment tools might be helpful to encourage both access and quality.
The Covert Administration of Medications: Legal and Ethical Complexities for Health Care Professionals
Authors: Munden L. Martina
Published: December 2017

The practice of covertly administering medications to patients without their consent is often discussed in the framework of legal questions around the right of patients to consent and refuse medical treatment. However, this practice also raises significant questions surrounding the professional duties and obligations of health care professionals as it relates to the decision-making process of whether to engage in the covert administration of medications. In this paper, I present an overview of the origin of those duties and obligations, and discuss how those duties and obligations when seen from different perspectives may either justify or prohibit the practice. Further, I discuss whether the duties and obligations of health care professionals as they are currently framed are suited to address the complexities of this issue both from the health care professional and patient perspectives. This analysis is conducted in the context of duties and obligations that arise from not only legal framework but also from the ethical requirements from professional codes of ethics.
Covering It Up? Questions of Safety, Stigmatization, and Fairness in Covert Medication Administration
Authors: Simpson Christy
Published: December 2017

This paper examines the practice of covert medication administration from an organizational ethics perspective. This includes consideration of vulnerability and stigmatization, safety, and fairness (justice) in terms of the culture of health care organizations and the relevance of policies and processes in relation to covert medication administration. As much of the discussion about covert medication administration focuses on patients and health care providers, this analysis aims to help expand the analysis of this practice.
A Study to Elicit Behavioral Health Patients' and Providers' Opinions on Health Records Consent
Authors: Grando Maria Adela , Murcko Anita , Mahankali Srividya , Saks Michael , Zent Michael , Chern Darwyn , Dye Christy , Sharp Richard , Young Laura , Davis Patricia , Hiestand Megan , Hassanzadeh Neda
Published: December 2017

A main objective of this study is to assess the opinions of 50 behavioral health patients on selective control over their behavioral and physical health information. We explored patients' preferences regarding current consent models, what health information should be shared for care and research and whether these preferences vary based on the sensitivity of health information and/or the type of provider involved. The other objective of this study was to solicit opinions of 8 behavioral health providers on patient-driven granular control of health information and potential impact on care.

Electronic surveys were implemented at an outpatient Behavioral Health facility that provides care for behavioral health patients with non-serious mental illnesses. The Patient Survey included questions regarding patients' demographics and about their concerns and preferences for data sharing for care and research. The Provider Survey included questions about their view on the current consent process and perceptions on barriers and facilitators to implement patient-controlled granular consent models.

This novel study provides valuable preliminary data that can help guide future studies to better understand privacy choices of this underrepresented patient group.
Chemical and biological comparison of different sections of Uncaria rhynchophylla (Gou-Teng)
Authors: Zhang Jian-Gang , Geng Chang-An , Huang Xiao-Yan , Chen Xing-Long , Ma Yun-Bao , Zhang Xue-Mei , Chen Ji-Jun
Published: December 2017

Uncaria rhynchophylla (Gou-Teng in Chinese) is officially documented in Chinese pharmacopoeia as one of the authentic sources for the crude drug of Gou-Teng which has long been used for mental and cardiovascular diseases. Indole alkaloids are the characteristic constituents responsible for the desired hypotensive effect; however, the psychiatric active constituents of Gou-Teng are still unclear. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, only the hook-bearing stems of U. rhynchophylla are used as the crude materials for Gou-Teng, while its leaves and fruits are scarcely used. The present study aimed to compare the metabolic fingerprints of different parts (hooks, stems, leaves and fruits) of U. rhynchophylla by LC-DAD-MS/MS analysis and further evaluate their psychiatric activities on HEK293 cell line in vitro. A total of 38 constituents including 26 alkaloids, six flavonoids, two triterpenoids, two chlorogenic acid analogs and two other compounds were characterized. The different parts of U. rhynchophylla can be well differentiated from their chemical profiles. Leaves displayed the most potent activity on both MT1 and MT2 receptors, with agonistic rates of 39.7% and 97.6%. For 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptors, hooks showed the strongest activity with agonistic rates of 92.6% and 83.1%, respectively. This investigation provided valuable information for understanding the chemical divergence between different parts of U. rhynchophylla, and their substantial bases for psychiatric purposes.
4D phase-space acceptance of the quadrupole mass filter
Authors: Konenkov AN , Konenkov NV , Verenchikov AN
Published: December 2017

Simulations of the four-dimensional (4D) phase-space acceptance volume of a quadrupole mass filter (QMF) are discussed. The 4D acceptance is considered since the ion trajectories in the X and Y phase planes are dependent via the initial RF phase at ion entry into QMF. The QMF parameters are set up for resolution equal to the ion mass number M. For a wide range of ion masses, the acceptance is characterized by relatively large aperture with about 5% transmission, primarily defined by phase dependent ellipses. Contrary to expectations, the small-aperture central spot with 75% transmission accepts a very small portion, namely less than 1% of the passed through particles.
Electrospray ionization mass spectrometric study of thallium complexes with nucleosides
Authors: Frańska Magdalena
Published: December 2017

The complexes between Tl+, K+, and nucleosides were studied by using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. It was found that for complexes of 1:1 stoichiometry, thallium complexes with cytidine were the most abundant and thallium complexes with guanosine were the second most abundant ones. The relative abundances of cytidine–Tl+ to cytidine–K+ complexes depended on stoichiometry (at higher stoichiometry the potassium complexes were more abundant). In other words, the relative affinity of Tl+ and K+ to form cytidine complexes depends on the stoichiometry of the formed complexes. Guanosine–Tl+ complexes were more abundant than guanosine–K+ complexes, irrespective of stoichiometry. Both guanosine tetramer and mixed cytidine/guanosine tetramer were more abundant when they were stabilized by thallium than potassium. Therefore, Tl+ may affect the K+ stabilization of these tetramers.
Applications of the fractional calculus to study the physical theory of ion motion in a quadrupole ion trap
Authors: Chaharborj Sarkhosh S , Moameni Abbas
Published: December 2017

In this article, fractional calculus has been applied to study the motion of ions in a three-dimensional radio frequency quadrupole ion trap; we have called this arrangement a fractional quadrupole ion trap. The main purpose of the article is to show that by controlling the fractional parameter of a trapped ion, one can gain a more efficient mass separation. In what follows, we will see that with decreasing the fractional parameter, we can achieve a smaller first stability region. Note that a small stability diagram will result in a good and acceptable mass separation. Various methods can be proposed to obtain a desired ion acceleration with a sufficient accuracy for good mass separation, which is similar to the one obtained by a fractional ion trap. Some of these methods are using the effects of a damping force, a magnetic field or both on the confinement of particles in the quadrupole ion trap. The first stability regions are plotted for all of the aforementioned methods, and simulation results are provided to compare them with those for the fractional case.
Sexually Dimorphic Faciometrics in Humans From Early Adulthood to Late Middle Age: Dynamic, Declining, and Differentiated
Authors: Robertson Julia M. , Kingsley Barbara E. , Ford Gina C.
Published: December 2017

Faciometrics have widely been used in contemporary studies on gender-related behavioral traits, for example, perceived and actual aggression, co-operation and trustworthiness, prejudicial beliefs, unethical behavior, and achievement drive, as well as, but to a lesser degree, in nonhuman primates. For the large part, these studies have focused primarily on “student-aged” populations with little empirical scrutiny regarding the efficacy of applying these measures with older participants. This study therefore investigated sexual dimorphism across four age-groups (20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s) in 444 participants (225 men). The expected sexual dimorphism was seen in the youngest age group in three of the four indices. The facial width to height ratio, however, although most commonly used empirically, was not found to be significantly different between men and women, consistent with more recent literature. Importantly, as age increased, sexual dimorphism decreased, but this was not consistent across all measures of it. Rather, it is evident that differing measures of sexual dimorphism follow distinct developmental trajectories. The only single marker which remained significantly different across all age-groups was cheekbone prominence. Sexual dimorphic faciometrics are therefore dynamic, declining, and differentiated through adulthood. Consequently, it is concluded that care should be taken in using faciometrics in studies involving older populations and that more research is needed to understand the impact of these distinct faciometric trajectories in gender- and masculinity-related studies.
The Structure of Student Engagement in Community College Student Success Programs: A Quantitative Activity Systems Analysis
Authors: Hatch Deryl K.
Published: December 2017

Community colleges increasingly implement various student success programs, including 1st-year seminars, college skills courses, learning communities, and orientation, in an effort to boost degree completion. However, it is unclear how success programs’ curricular designs may contribute to these and associated student outcomes. Such inquiry is limited, in part, by the lack of methodological frameworks for program impact heterogeneity research. This study proposes a new conceptualization of nominally different student success programs as instances of a broader activity, which also provides a way to operationalize their curricular structures in comparable ways. Second, to briefly illustrate this approach, the study leverages matched program and student data to investigate how variations in student engagement—an emergent intermediate outcome for fostering successful college going—are related to variation in program design. Findings reveal that structural and underutilized curricular elements may be more impactful than skills-based curricula that are typically the organizing focus of these programs.