bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A 5‐color flow cytometric method for extended 8‐part leukocyte differential
Authors: Guy Julien , Wagner‐Ballon Orianne , Pages Olivier , Bailly François , Borgeot Jessica , Béné Marie‐C , Maynadié Marc
Published: March 2017

Objectives

Microscopic leukocyte differentials display many drawbacks. Several single 5 to 8‐color tubes using multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) are able to provide extended differentials with sequential gating‐based analysis strategies. We investigated a new 5‐color MFC method to perform an extended 8‐part differential with a simplified gating strategy.

Methods

Whole blood was stained with a combination of antibodies including HLA‐DR‐FITC/CD19‐PE/CD45‐ECD/CD16‐PC5 + CD71‐PC5/CD5‐PC7.

Results

An original approach was developed to exclude debris and straightforwardly gate the cells to identify sixteen populations. Strong correlations were obtained with the analyzer for neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and eosinophils (R2>0.9). Abnormal cells, such as immature granulocytes and blast cells were identified with a good sensitivity and excellent correlation against cytomorphologic review (R2=0.66 and 0.99, respectively). The choice of HLA‐DR and CD5 improved specificity for the identification of activated T‐lymphocytes and some lymphoid neoplastic cells, respectively.

Conclusions

Here a new cytometric differential is proposed with a robust gating strategy which may be used even by unskilled cytometrists and can be easily automated. © 2017 International Clinical Cytometry Society
A Bayesian recovery technique with Toeplitz matrix for compressive spectrum sensing in cognitive radio networks
Authors: Salahdine Fatima , Kaabouch Naima , El Ghazi Hassan
Published: March 2017

Compressive sensing has been proposed as a low‐cost solution for dynamic wideband spectrum sensing in cognitive radio networks. It aims to accelerate the acquisition process and minimize the hardware cost. It consists of directly acquiring a sparse signal in its compressed form that includes the maximum information using a minimum number of measurements and then recovering the original signal at the receiver. Over the last decade, a number of compressive sensing techniques have been proposed to enable scanning the wideband radio spectrum at or below the Nyquist rate. However, these techniques suffer from uncertainty due to random measurements, which degrades their performances. To enhance the compressive sensing efficiency, reduce the level of randomness, and handle uncertainty, signal sampling requires a fast, structured, and robust sampling matrix; and signal recovery requires an accurate and efficient reconstruction algorithm. In this paper, we proposed a method that addresses the previously mentioned problems by exploiting the Bayesian model strengths and the Toeplitz matrix structure. The proposed method was implemented and extensively tested. The simulation results were analyzed and compared to those of the 2 techniques: basis pursuit and orthogonal matching pursuit algorithms with Toeplitz and random matrix. To evaluate the efficiency of the proposed method, several metrics were used, namely, sampling time, sparsity, required number of measurements, recovery time, processing time, recovery error, signal‐to‐noise ratio, and mean square error. The results demonstrate the superiority of our proposed method over the 2 other techniques in speed, robustness, recovery success, and handling uncertainty.
Fine‐needle aspiration of metastatic melanoma presenting as bilateral breast cysts
Authors: Inouye Casey M. , Cimino‐Mathews Ashley , Eisner David , Rosenthal Dorothy L. , VandenBussche Christopher J.
Published: March 2017

Melanoma is the second most common non‐hematopoietic malignancy after carcinomas to metastasize to the breast and often appears as a well‐circumscribed, dense nodule on imaging. Although metastatic lesions presenting as bilateral cysts have been reported, this presentation is not common and may mimic benign breast cysts. We present a challenging case of metastatic melanoma presenting as bilateral breast cysts with spindled cytomorphology in a patient with a history of mammary carcinoma. Discordance between the spindled cytomorphology and the morphology of the core biopsy, which was similar to the patient's primary breast cancer, allowed for entertainment of other tumors and disease processes. Confirmatory immunostaining of the cytology material with HMB‐45 was important to establish the diagnosis of metastatic melanoma. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2017;45:446–451. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A maize landrace that emits defense volatiles in response to herbivore eggs possesses a strongly inducible terpene synthase gene
Authors: Tamiru Amanuel , Bruce Toby J. A. , Richter Annett , Woodcock Christine M. , Midega Charles A. O. , Degenhardt Jörg , Kelemu Segenet , Pickett John A. , Khan Zeyaur R.
Published: March 2017

Maize (Zea mays) emits volatile terpenes in response to insect feeding and egg deposition to defend itself against harmful pests. However, maize cultivars differ strongly in their ability to produce the defense signal. To further understand the agroecological role and underlying genetic mechanisms for variation in terpene emission among maize cultivars, we studied the production of an important signaling component (E)‐caryophyllene in a South American maize landrace Braz1006 possessing stemborer Chilo partellus egg inducible defense trait, in comparison with the European maize line Delprim and North American inbred line B73. The (E)‐caryophyllene production level and transcript abundance of TPS23, terpene synthase responsible for (E)‐caryophyllene formation, were compared between Braz1006, Delprim, and B73 after mimicked herbivory. Braz1006–TPS23 was heterologously expressed in E. coli, and amino acid sequences were determined. Furthermore, electrophysiological and behavioral responses of a key parasitic wasp Cotesia sesamiae to C. partellus egg‐induced Braz1006 volatiles were determined using coupled gas chromatography electroantennography and olfactometer bioassay studies. After elicitor treatment, Braz1006 released eightfold higher (E)‐caryophyllene than Delprim, whereas no (E)‐caryophyllene was detected in B73. The superior (E)‐caryophyllene production by Braz1006 was positively correlated with high transcript levels of TPS23 in the landrace compared to Delprim. TPS23 alleles from Braz1006 showed dissimilarities at different sequence positions with Delprim and B73 and encodes an active enzyme. Cotesia sesamiae was attracted to egg‐induced volatiles from Braz1006 and synthetic (E)‐caryophyllene. The variation in (E)‐caryophyllene emission between Braz1006 and Delprim is positively correlated with induced levels of TPS23 transcripts. The enhanced TPS23 activity and corresponding (E)‐caryophyllene production by the maize landrace could be attributed to the differences in amino acid sequence with the other maize lines. This study suggested that the same analogous genes could have contrasting expression patterns in different maize genetic backgrounds. The current findings provide valuable insight not only into genetic mechanisms underlying variation in defense signal production but also the prospect of introgressing the novel defense traits into elite maize varieties for effective and ecologically sound protection of crops against damaging insect pests.
Influence of refining processes on content of bioactive compounds, rheology, and texture of olive pomace oil for use in topical formulations
Authors: Sánchez‐Gutiérrez Carla Andrea , Ruiz‐Méndez Maria Victoria , Jiménez‐Castellanos Maria Rosa , Lucero Maria Jesús
Published: March 2017

Retaining the bioactive ingredients of olive pomace oil is a crucial step in ensuring their functional or pharmaceutical value. To help select the best method for retaining bioactive compounds in olive pomace oil, three refining processes, namely, chemical, classical physical, or molecular distillation, were compared at different temperatures. For each method, the contents of triacylglycerols, fatty acids (oleic acid, linoleic, and linolenic acids), triterpenic acids (oleanolic and maslinic acids), and unsaponifiable matter (squalene, aliphatic, sterols, and terpenic) were studied. We observed that physical refining by molecular distillation provided oils with interesting amounts of bioactive compounds, especially triterpenic acids. Of these oils, the samples submitted to a temperature of 190°C exhibited a greater albeit low acidity compared with the other oils obtained by chemical and classical physical refining but exhibited higher amounts of all bioactive compounds. Conversely, the molecular distillation refining process had only a slight effect on the values of the consistency index. The firmness, cohesiveness, and adhesiveness parameters from texture profile analysis indicated that in general, all deodorized oils had high smoothness and spreadability but low adhesiveness. Molecular distillation was concluded to be the best refining process. Nevertheless, it is necessary to improve the working conditions of this process.

Practical applications: Olive pomace oil has all functional compounds of extra virgin olive oil, but with a higher concentration of some minor components. It is, therefore, very interesting to use it in skin care formulations. However, for use in the pharmaceutical field must be refined. This study aimed to provide determine the influence of different refining processes (chemical refining, classical physical refining, or physical refining by molecular distillation at different temperatures) in determining the composition of bioactive compounds. The best refining process was selected based on the analytical determination of bioactive compounds by gas chromatography. Results indicated that molecular distillation is the best refining process. Nevertheless, it is necessary to improve the working conditions.

Scheme of the extraction and refining processes to which olive pomace oil is subjected, to achieve the lowest losses of bioactive compounds for use in topical formulations.
The temporal and spatial scales of rocky coast geomorphology: a commentary
Authors: Kennedy David M. , Coombes Martin A. , Mottershead Derek N.
Published: March 2017

Rocky shores are complex landforms that result from marine erosion and subaerial weathering. They are time‐integrated features where their present day form is the result of instantaneous erosion, often on the millimetre to sub‐metre scale, occurring for centuries to millennia. As a result, research on rocky coasts focuses on a range of temporal and spatial scales from granular‐scale swelling of a rock surface and instantaneous wave impact to modelling millennial‐scale sea level drivers. The challenge for rocky coast researchers is either to upscale or to downscale their results to the human‐timescales of greatest interest to managers. The research presented in Earth Surface Processes and Landforms over the past 3 years highlights the range of spatial and temporal approaches to the study of coastal cliffs and shore platforms. We identify a key temporal and spatial gap in current research. Seasonal–annual timeframes over hundreds of metres to kilometre scale studies appear to be lacking and are likely critical in understanding the future evolution of rocky coasts, especially their response to climate change. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of a new solution for tracking pebbles in rivers based on active RFID
Authors: Cassel Mathieu , Dépret Thomas , Piégay Hervé
Published: March 2017

Low‐frequency passive integrated transponders (PIT tags), are commonly used for monitoring pebble mobility in gravel‐bed rivers. Although early studies reported high recovery rates for PIT tags used in small streams, recovery rates in larger systems remain low, substantially limiting the possibilities for their use in such rivers. These low recovery rates are potentially due to missed detections caused by tag signal collision, burial in the sediment layer deeper than the maximum detection range and insufficient (but still exhausting) field effort to cover the concerned areas. A potential solution for addressing these problems is to use active ultra‐high frequency (a‐UHF) transponders as these have a greater detection range and anti‐collision protocols. In order to assess the potential of such transponders for pebble tracking in rivers, we used 433.92 MHz COIN‐ID and COIN‐HC models (ELA Innovation Company, Montpellier, France). We completed several tests to (i) characterize transponder detection ranges in the water and in saturated sediment and (ii) develop field protocols for locating tags by combining global positioning systems (GPS) sites and transponder received signal strength indication (RSSI) levels. The results showed that (i) the maximum detection ranges are about 2.4 m in the water column and more than 2.6 m in a column of saturated gravelly‐sandy sediment, (ii) RSSI spatial interpolation can be used to determine transponder position with good accuracy (< 1 m), (iii) the desired minimal level of accuracy can be adjusted depending on in‐field effort and signal impulse interval, (iv) the RSSI maximal value observed cannot yet be used to determine transponder burial depth because of the multipath propagation of radio frequencies and the semi‐directional emission of the tag signal. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Providing ultra‐short latency to user‐centric 5G applications at the mobile network edge
Authors: Farris I. , Taleb T. , Flinck H. , Iera A.
Published: March 2017

Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) will play a key role in next‐generation mobile networks to extend the range of supported delay‐sensitive applications. Furthermore, an increasing attention is paid to provide user‐centric services, to better address the strict requirements of novel immersive applications. In this scenario, MEC solutions need to efficiently cope with user mobility, which requires fast relocation of service instances to guarantee the desired Quality of Experience. However, service migration is still an open issue, especially for resource‐constrained edge nodes interconnected by high‐latency and low‐bandwidth links. In this paper, by leveraging the potential of lightweight container‐based virtualization techniques, we investigate a novel approach to support service provisioning in dynamic MEC environments. In particular, we present a framework where proactive service replication for stateless applications is exploited to drastically reduce the time of service migration between different cloudlets and to meet the latency requirements. The performance evaluation shows promising results of our approach with respect to classic reactive service migration.
Cortical and subcortical mechanisms of brain‐machine interfaces
Authors: Marchesotti Silvia , Martuzzi Roberto , Schurger Aaron , Blefari Maria Laura , del Millán José R. , Bleuler Hannes , Blanke Olaf
Published: March 2017

Technical advances in the field of Brain‐Machine Interfaces (BMIs) enable users to control a variety of external devices such as robotic arms, wheelchairs, virtual entities and communication systems through the decoding of brain signals in real time. Most BMI systems sample activity from restricted brain regions, typically the motor and premotor cortex, with limited spatial resolution. Despite the growing number of applications, the cortical and subcortical systems involved in BMI control are currently unknown at the whole‐brain level. Here, we provide a comprehensive and detailed report of the areas active during on‐line BMI control. We recorded functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data while participants controlled an EEG‐based BMI inside the scanner. We identified the regions activated during BMI control and how they overlap with those involved in motor imagery (without any BMI control). In addition, we investigated which regions reflect the subjective sense of controlling a BMI, the sense of agency for BMI‐actions. Our data revealed an extended cortical‐subcortical network involved in operating a motor‐imagery BMI. This includes not only sensorimotor regions but also the posterior parietal cortex, the insula and the lateral occipital cortex. Interestingly, the basal ganglia and the anterior cingulate cortex were involved in the subjective sense of controlling the BMI. These results inform basic neuroscience by showing that the mechanisms of BMI control extend beyond sensorimotor cortices. This knowledge may be useful for the development of BMIs that offer a more natural and embodied feeling of control for the user. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2971–2989, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quantitative representations of an exaggerated anxiety response in the brain of female spider phobics—a parametric fMRI study
Authors: Zilverstand Anna , Sorger Bettina , Kaemingk Anita , Goebel Rainer
Published: March 2017

We employed a novel parametric spider picture set in the context of a parametric fMRI anxiety provocation study, designed to tease apart brain regions involved in threat monitoring from regions representing an exaggerated anxiety response in spider phobics. For the stimulus set, we systematically manipulated perceived proximity of threat by varying a depicted spider's context, size, and posture. All stimuli were validated in a behavioral rating study (phobics n = 20; controls n = 20; all female). An independent group participated in a subsequent fMRI anxiety provocation study (phobics n = 7; controls n = 7; all female), in which we compared a whole‐brain categorical to a whole‐brain parametric analysis. Results demonstrated that the parametric analysis provided a richer characterization of the functional role of the involved brain networks. In three brain regions—the mid insula, the dorsal anterior cingulate, and the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex—activation was linearly modulated by perceived proximity specifically in the spider phobia group, indicating a quantitative representation of an exaggerated anxiety response. In other regions (e.g., the amygdala), activation was linearly modulated in both groups, suggesting a functional role in threat monitoring. Prefrontal regions, such as dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, were activated during anxiety provocation but did not show a stimulus‐dependent linear modulation in either group. The results confirm that brain regions involved in anxiety processing hold a quantitative representation of a pathological anxiety response and more generally suggest that parametric fMRI designs may be a very powerful tool for clinical research in the future, particularly when developing novel brain‐based interventions (e.g., neurofeedback training). Hum Brain Mapp 38:3025–3038, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Objective 3D surface evaluation of intracranial electrophysiologic correlates of cerebral glucose metabolic abnormalities in children with focal epilepsy
Authors: Jeong Jeong‐Won , Asano Eishi , Kumar Pilli Vinod , Nakai Yasuo , Chugani Harry T. , Juhász Csaba
Published: March 2017

To determine the spatial relationship between 2‐deoxy‐2[18F]fluoro‐D‐glucose (FDG) metabolic and intracranial electrophysiological abnormalities in children undergoing two‐stage epilepsy surgery, statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was used to correlate hypo‐ and hypermetabolic cortical regions with ictal and interictal electrocorticography (ECoG) changes mapped onto the brain surface. Preoperative FDG‐PET scans of 37 children with intractable epilepsy (31 with non‐localizing MRI) were compared with age‐matched pseudo‐normal pediatric control PET data. Hypo‐/hypermetabolic maps were transformed to 3D‐MRI brain surface to compare the locations of metabolic changes with electrode coordinates of the ECoG‐defined seizure onset zone (SOZ) and interictal spiking. While hypometabolic clusters showed a good agreement with the SOZ on the lobar level (sensitivity/specificity = 0.74/0.64), detailed surface‐distance analysis demonstrated that large portions of ECoG‐defined SOZ and interictal spiking area were located at least 3 cm beyond hypometabolic regions with the same statistical threshold (sensitivity/specificity = 0.18–0.25/0.94–0.90 for overlap 3‐cm distance); for a lower threshold, sensitivity for SOZ at 3 cm increased to 0.39 with a modest compromise of specificity. Performance of FDG‐PET SPM was slightly better in children with smaller as compared with widespread SOZ. The results demonstrate that SPM utilizing age‐matched pseudocontrols can reliably detect the lobe of seizure onset. However, the spatial mismatch between metabolic and EEG epileptiform abnormalities indicates that a more complete SOZ detection could be achieved by extending intracranial electrode coverage at least 3 cm beyond the metabolic abnormality. Considering that the extent of feasible electrode coverage is limited, localization information from other modalities is particularly important to optimize grid coverage in cases of large hypometabolic cortex. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3098–3112, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Gene networks show associations with seed region connectivity
Authors: Forest Marie , Iturria‐Medina Yasser , Goldman Jennifer S. , Kleinman Claudia L. , Lovato Amanda , Oros Klein Kathleen , Evans Alan , Ciampi Antonio , Labbe Aurélie , Greenwood Celia M.T.
Published: March 2017

Primary patterns in adult brain connectivity are established during development by coordinated networks of transiently expressed genes; however, neural networks remain malleable throughout life. The present study hypothesizes that structural connectivity from key seed regions may induce effects on their connected targets, which are reflected in gene expression at those targeted regions. To test this hypothesis, analyses were performed on data from two brains from the Allen Human Brain Atlas, for which both gene expression and DW‐MRI were available. Structural connectivity was estimated from the DW‐MRI data and an approach motivated by network topology, that is, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), was used to cluster genes with similar patterns of expression across the brain. Group exponential lasso models were then used to predict gene cluster expression summaries as a function of seed region structural connectivity patterns. In several gene clusters, brain regions located in the brain stem, diencephalon, and hippocampal formation were identified that have significant predictive power for these expression summaries. These connectivity‐associated clusters are enriched in genes associated with synaptic signaling and brain plasticity. Furthermore, using seed region based connectivity provides a novel perspective in understanding relationships between gene expression and connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3126–3140, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The cerebellum shrinks faster than normal ageing in Alzheimer's disease but not in mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Tabatabaei‐Jafari Hossein , Walsh Erin , Shaw Marnie E. , Cherbuin Nicolas ,   for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI)
Published: March 2017

Background

While acceleration in age‐related cerebral atrophy has been well documented in Alzheimer's disease, the cerebellar contributions to this effect have not been thoroughly investigated. Objective: This study investigated cerebellar volume and atrophy rate using magnetic resonance imaging in individuals with normal cognition (CN), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: Two hundred twenty‐nine CN, 398 MCI and 191 AD participants of stage I ADNI database with screening scans were evaluated for cerebellar volume. Of those, 758 individuals with two or more follow‐up scans were categorized into stable, converted, and reverted CN, MCI and AD and evaluated for cerebellar atrophy rate. Results: Cerebellar volume was 2.5% larger in CN than in those with AD but there were no differences between CN and MCI and MCI and AD in cross‐sectional analysis. Similarly, the atrophy rate was 49% larger in AD and 64% larger in MCI who converted to AD but no difference was detected between CN and MCI. There were no association between education and APOEe4 and cerebellar volume or cerebellar atrophy across the diagnostic groups. Conclusion: Cerebellar atrophy contributes to Alzheimer's clinical progression but mostly at the late stage of the disease. However, even in the late stage shrinkage rate is less than the average of the shrinkage in the cerebrum and is not associated with AD moderators. This suggests that cerebellar involvement is secondary to cerebral involvement and can be due to network connection spread regardless of the primary pathology. Hum Brain Mapp, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3141–3150, 2017. © 2017 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3141–3150, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Rapid differentiating colorectal cancer and colorectal polyp using dried blood spot mass spectrometry metabolomic approach
Authors: Jing Yu , Wu Xue , Gao Peng , Fang Zhongze , Wu Jingjing , Wang Qingjun , Li Chen , Zhu Zhitu , Cao Yunfeng
Published: March 2017

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading causes of cancer mortality, and the early‐stage detection could significantly enhance survival rates. Cancer influences the important metabolic pathways and the changes in metabolite levels had been used in many studies as the potential biomarkers. This study is aimed at screening metabolite biomarkers with CRC diagnosis potentials. The direct infusion mass spectrometry (MS) metabolomic analysis based on dried blood spot was used to distinguish CRC from polyp. The target metabolites were composed of 23 amino acids and 26 acylcarnitines. The 21 metabolites in blood were selected via multivariate analysis. A regression model was established based on parameters C16, Arg, C4/C8, C5/C3, Val, Phe/Tyr, Ala, C4/C3. Tenfold cross validation (CV) method was used to test this model and showed sensitivity of 81.18% and specificity of 83.95%. The metabolomic analysis is a practicable method for CRC detection. The use of direct MS analysis in metabolite screening could be finished in several minutes and served as a higher‐throughput method to distinguish CRC and polyps. © 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(5):347–354, 2017
Decomposition of Graphs into (k,r)‐Fans and Single Edges
Authors: Hou Xinmin , Qiu Yu , Liu Boyuan
Published: March 2017

Let be the largest integer such that, for all graphs G on n vertices, the edge set can be partitioned into at most parts, of which every part either is a single edge or forms a graph isomorphic to H. Pikhurko and Sousa conjectured that for and all sufficiently large n, where denotes the maximum number of edges of graphs on n vertices that do not contain H as a subgraph. A ‐fan is a graph on vertices consisting of k cliques of order r that intersect in exactly one common vertex. In this article, we verify Pikhurko and Sousa's conjecture for ‐fans. The result also generalizes a result of Liu and Sousa.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Energetic Properties of Alkaline and Alkaline Earth Salts of 5,5′‐bistetrazole‐1,1′‐diolate
Authors: Wang Xiao Jun , Su Qiang , Li Li Jie , Jin Shao Hua , Niu Hu , Chen Shu Sen , Shu Qing Hai
Published: March 2017

5,5′‐Bistetrazole‐1,1′‐diolate‐based energetic salts from alkaline (Li+, K+, and Na+) and alkaline earth metal salts (Mg2+, Ca2+, and Ba2+) were synthesized in a simple, straightforward manner and were characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction of 4 salts (Li+, Na+, K+, and Mg2+) is given. The X‐ray structures show that in the title compounds, the metal atoms are bonded to the nitrogen and oxygen in the bistetrazole ring to form the sandwich structure. In addition, thermal stabilities of all title compounds were determined with differential thermal analysis‐thermal gravity analysis. All these new materials exhibit excellent thermal stabilities, high density, and excellent insensitivity to impact (h50 > 60 cm). Especially, the potassium salt is of interest as potential “green heat‐resistance explosive” with high density and high thermal stability as well as low sensitivity.
One‐pot Three Component Synthesis of ω‐(oxathiolan‐2‐thion‐5‐yl)‐α‐oxazolidin‐2‐ones
Authors: Ghrab Saad , Aroua Lotfi , Beji Mohamed
Published: March 2017

We report a practical and one‐pot synthesis of novel series of ω‐(oxathiolan‐2‐thione‐5‐yl)‐α‐ oxazolidin‐2‐ones (3a‐h). The obtained compounds have been designed, synthesized via reaction of oligoethylene glycols diglycidyl ethers, isocyanate and carbon disulfide in the presence of catalytic amount of lithium bromide. A variety of important oxazolidinone derivatives can be obtained from simple starting materials in good yields and the biological activity of these new products will be investigated in complementary study.
Synthesis of naproxen‐imprinted polymer using Pickering emulsion polymerization
Authors: Kujawska Małgorzata , Zhou Tongchang , Trochimczuk Andrzej W. , Ye Lei
Published: March 2017

For the last decades, molecular imprinting is developing intensively, especially in the case of the application of new imprinting techniques. In this work, for the first time, a Pickering emulsion polymerization was used to synthesize the S‐naproxen–imprinted polymer spheres following a noncovalent protocol. To enhance the knowledge about imprinting process using mentioned technique, thorough analysis of the synthesis process was performed. Optimization of polymerization conditions included the selection of functional monomer, cross‐linking agent, type of porogen, surfactant, and the choice of appropriate amount of the template and porogen. Prepared materials were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption. To study the binding properties, the sorption studies, including adsorption isotherms and competitive binding, were performed. Investigation of the effect of the functional monomer on the selective recognition of S‐naproxen showed that the interactions between the template molecule and 4‐vinylpyridine resulted in the best recognizing ability. Moreover, the synthesis with application of ethylene glycol dimethacrylae as a cross‐linker, toluene as a porogen, and Tween 20 as an additional emulsion stabilizer gave the most desired result. The optimal ratio of the porogen to monomers mixture was 0.1, due to the fact that the increase of the porogen volume resulted in the significant increase of nonspecific uptake. In addition, the tenfold molar excess of functional monomer relative to the template turned out to be optimal. Subsequent binding studies demonstrated that the material synthesized using optimized polymerization conditions consists of imprinted sites that are sensitive for the S‐naproxen.
Asymptotic analysis for a dynamic piezoelectric shallow shell
Authors: Guan Yan , Miara Bernadette
Published: March 2017

The paper deals with the asymptotic formulation and justification of a mechanical model for a dynamic piezoelastic shallow shell in Cartesian coordinates. Starting from the three‐dimensional dynamic piezoelastic problem and by an asymptotic approach, the authors study the convergence of the displacement field and of the electric potential as the thickness of the shell goes to zero. In order to obtain a nontrivial limit problem by asymptotic analysis, we need different scalings on the mass density. The authors show that the transverse mechanical displacement field coupled with the in‐plane components solves an problem with new piezoelectric characteristics and also investigate the very popular case of cubic crystals and show that, for two‐dimensional shallow shells, the coupling piezoelectric effect disappears. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modified two‐step hybrid methods for the numerical integration of oscillatory problems
Authors: Monovasilis T. , Kalogiratou Z. , Ramos Higinio , Simos T. E.
Published: March 2017

The construction of modified two‐step hybrid methods for the numerical solution of second‐order initial value problems with periodic or oscillatory behavior is considered. The coefficients of the new methods depend on the frequency of each problem so that the harmonic oscillator
is integrated exactly. Numerical experiments indicate that the new methods are more efficient than existing methods with constant or variable coefficients. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Broadband RF‐amplitude‐dependent flip angle pulses with linear phase slope
Authors: Koos Martin R. M. , Feyrer Hannes , Luy Burkhard
Published: March 2017

Pulse sequences in NMR spectroscopy sometimes require the application of pulses with effective flip angles different from 90° and 180°. Previously (Magn. Reson. Chem. 2015, 53, 886‐893), offset‐compensated broadband excitation pulses with RF‐amplitude‐dependent effective flip angles (RADFA) were introduced that are applicable in such cases. However, especially RF‐amplitude‐restricted RADFA pulses turned out to perform not as good as desired in terms of achievable bandwidths. Here, a class of RF‐amplitude‐restricted RADFA pulses with linear phase slope is introduced that allows excitation over much larger bandwidths with better performance. In this theoretical work, the basic principle of the pulse class is explained, their physical limits explored, and their properties, also compared with other pulse classes, discussed in detail. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A compact 0.5 T MR elastography device and its application for studying viscoelasticity changes in biological tissues during progressive formalin fixation
Authors: Braun Jürgen , Tzschätzsch Heiko , Körting Clara , Ariza de Schellenberger Angela , Jenderka Marika , Drießle Toni , Ledwig Michael , Sack Ingolf
Published: March 2017

Purpose

To develop a method of compact tabletop magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) for rheological tests of tissue samples and to measure changes in viscoelastic powerlaw constants of liver and brain tissue during progressive fixation.

Methods

A 10‐mm bore, 0.5‐T permanent‐magnet–based MRI system was equipped with a gradient‐amplifier–controlled piezo‐actuator and motion‐sensitive spin echo sequence for inducing and measuring harmonic shear vibrations in cylindrical samples. Shear modulus dispersion functions were acquired at 200–5700 Hz in animal tissues at different states of formalin fixation and fitted by the springpot powerlaw model to obtain shear modulus μ and powerlaw exponent α.

Results

In a frequency range of 300–1500 Hz, unfixed liver tissue was softer and less dispersive than brain tissue with μ = 1.68 ± 0.17 kPa and α = 0.51 ± 0.06 versus μ = 2.60 ± 0.68 kPa and α = 0.68 ± 0.03. Twenty‐eight hours of formalin fixation yielded a 400‐fold increase in liver μ, 25‐fold increase in brain μ, and two‐fold reduction in α of both tissues.

Conclusion

Compact 0.5‐T MRE facilitates automated measurement of shear modulus dispersion in biological tissue at low costs. Formalin fixation changes the viscoelastic properties of tissues from viscous‐soft to elastic‐stiff more markedly in liver than brain. Magn Reson Med 79:470–478, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Acceleration of ASL‐based time‐resolved MR angiography by acquisition of control and labeled images in the same shot (ACTRESS)
Authors: Suzuki Yuriko , Fujima Noriyuki , Ogino Tetsuo , Meakin James Alastair , Suwa Akira , Sugimori Hiroyuki , Van Cauteren Marc , van Osch Matthias J. P.
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Noncontrast 4D‐MR‐angiography (MRA) using arterial spin labeling (ASL) is beneficial because high spatial and temporal resolution can be achieved. However, ASL requires acquisition of labeled and control images for each phase. The purpose of this study is to present a new accelerated 4D‐MRA approach that requires only a single control acquisition, achieving similar image quality in approximately half the scan time.

Methods

In a multi‐phase Look‐Locker sequence, the first phase was used as the control image and the labeling pulse was applied before the second phase. By acquiring the control and labeled images within a single Look‐Locker cycle, 4D‐MRA was generated in nearly half the scan time of conventional ASL. However, this approach potentially could be more sensitive to off‐resonance and magnetization transfer (MT) effects. To counter this, careful optimizations of the labeling pulse were performed by Bloch simulations. In in‐vivo studies arterial visualization was compared between the new and conventional ASL approaches.

Results

Optimization of the labeling pulse successfully minimized off‐resonance effects. Qualitative assessment showed that residual MT effects did not degrade visualization of the peripheral arteries.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that the proposed approach achieved similar image quality as conventional ASL‐MRA approaches in just over half the scan time. Magn Reson Med 79:224–233, 2018. © 2017 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Coronary MR angiography using image‐based respiratory motion compensation with inline correction and fixed gating efficiency
Authors: Henningsson Markus , Smink Jouke , van Ensbergen Gerald , Botnar Rene
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a new inline motion compensation approach called image‐based navigation with Constant Respiratory efficiency UsIng Single End‐expiratory threshold (iNAV‐CRUISE) for coronary MR angiography (CMRA).

Methods

The CRUISE gating technique was combined with iNAV motion correction and implemented inline for motion‐compensated CMRA on a 1.5 Tesla scanner. The approach was compared to conventional diaphragmatic navigator gating (dNAVG) in 10 healthy subjects. The CMRA images were compared for vessel sharpness and visual score of the right coronary artery (RCA), left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex, and scan time.

Results

The scan time was similar between the methods (dNAVG: 6:32 ± 1:09 vs. iNAV‐CRUISE: 6:58 ± 0:17, P = not significant). However, the vessel sharpness of the RCA (dNAVG: 60.2 ± 10.1 vs. iNAV‐CRUISE: 71.8 ± 8.9, P = 0.001) and LAD (dNAVG: 58.0 ± 8.0 vs. iNAV‐CRUISE: 67.4 ± 7.1, P = 0.008) were significantly improved using iNAV‐CRUISE. The visual score of the RCA was higher using iNAV‐CRUISE compared to dNAVG (dNAVG: 3,4,3 vs. iNAV‐CRUISE: 4,4,3, P < 0.01).

Conclusion

The iNAV‐CRUISE approach out‐performs the conventional respiratory motion compensation technique in healthy subjects. Although scan time was comparable, the image quality was improved using iNAV‐CRUISE. Magn Reson Med 79:416–422, 2018. © 2017 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Acute fatigue, and perceptual responses to resistance exercise
Authors: Fisher James Peter , Farrow Joshua , Steele James
Published: March 2017

Introduction

Despite assumptions, there is an absence of research on acute fatigue responses to high‐ and low‐load and advanced technique resistance exercise.

Methods

Trained males (n = 8; age 27.2 ± 7.4 years, height 180.0 ± 6.6 cm, weight: 86.6 ± 10.3 kg) were assessed for decrement in maximal voluntary isometric torque (MVIT) and perceived effort and discomfort after heavier load (HL; 80% MVIT), lighter load (LL; 30% MVIT), forced repetition (FR), and breakdown set (BD) training protocols.

Results

Analyses revealed a significant reduction in MVIT (P < 0.05) with a significant between‐condition effect, and significant post‐hoc pairwise comparisons between LL and both HL (P = 0.044) and FR (P = 0.013). There were no significant between‐condition effects for effort or discomfort (P > 0.05).

Discussion

Fatigue as a decrement in force production appears to follow a more complex relationship than simply 100% minus the force requirements of the task relative to a maximal voluntary contraction. Muscle Nerve 56: E141–E146, 2017
Electromechanical response times in the knee muscles in young and old women
Authors: Szpala Agnieszka , Rutkowska‐Kucharska Alicja
Published: March 2017

Introduction

The aim of the study was to compare electromechanical response times [total reaction time (TRT), pre‐motor time (PMT), and electromechanical delay] in the knee muscles in groups of young and older women during release of peak torque (PT).

Methods

Fifty women (1 group approximately 20 years of age and the other approximately 60 years of age) participated in the study. PT and electromyographic activity were measured for flexors and extensors of the right and left knee in static conditions in response to a visual stimulus.

Results

Significantly longer TRTs (P = 0.05) and PMTs (P = 0.05) were found in the group of older women compared with the younger participants. Asymmetry was found between the older and the younger group of women in PT of knee flexors.

Discussion

Significantly longer TRT and PMT phases in the group of older women suggests a longer time for information processing in the central nervous system in older people. Muscle Nerve 56: E147–E153, 2017
Rethinking the marketing of World Heritage Sites: Giving the past a sustainable future
Authors: de Fauconberg Ariel , Berthon Pierre , Berthon Jean Paul
Published: March 2017

Despite significant global prestige and a strong brand presence, UNESCO World Heritage Sites remain underfunded with many unable to self‐sustain. Increasing government budget constraints have further restricted funds and UNESCO's “World Heritage Fund”—UNESCO's sole source of financial assistance available to sites—has fallen to approximately $3M USD per annum. Few sites are able to fully offset these budget constraints through tourist revenue alone, and those able to do so often require additional repairs due to damage from visitors exceeding the site's capacity. Although this situation is widely acknowledged within the heritage literature, few papers have proposed long‐term strategic solutions beyond marketing and management plans for individual sites. The authors address this pressing issue by questioning whether World Heritage Sites in general are currently being marketed in an optimized manner and proposing a new framework for creating stronger and more appropriate relationships between visitors and sites using Berthon et al.'s the Aesthetics and Ontology model. The authors argue that clarifying and optimizing the marketing of World Heritage through this lens with its focus on the consumption experience of visitors and other stakeholders will yield positive results for both the management of the sites and for their impact on surrounding communities. Furthermore, the authors recommend that policies surrounding the management of these valuable resources and sources of tourist revenue be modified to reflect these findings.
Sputtered Zn(O,S) buffer layers for CIGS solar modules—from lab to pilot production
Authors: Wachau André , Schulte Jonas , Agoston Peter , Hübler Florian , Steigert Alexander , Klenk Reiner , Hergert Frank , Eschrich Heinz , Probst Volker
Published: March 2017

Sputtering of Zn(O,S) from ZnO/ZnS compound targets has been proven to be a promising buffer layer process for Cd‐free CIGS modules due to easy in‐line integration, low cost and high efficiency on lab scale. In this publication, we report on successful upscaling of the lab process to pilot production. A record aperture efficiency of 13.2% has been reached on a 50 × 120 cm2 sized module. Neither a non‐doped ZnO layer nor additional annealing steps are required. Moreover, this very reproducible process yields a standard deviation comparable with that of the CdS base line. In contrast to lab experiments, strong performance gain after light soaking has been observed. The light‐soak‐induced power increase depends on the preparation of the window layer. Accelerated aging tests show high stability of module power. This is confirmed by outdoor testing for 20 months. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Uncovering allostery and regulation in SAMHD1 through molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Patra Kajwal Kumar , Bhattacharya Akash , Bhattacharya Swati
Published: March 2017

The human sterile alpha motif and HD domain‐containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) is a retroviral restriction factor in myeloid cells and non‐cycling CD4+ T cells, a feature imputed to its phosphohydrolase activity—the enzyme depletes the cellular dNTP levels inhibiting reverse transcription. The functionally active form of SAMHD1 is an allosterically triggered tetramer which utilizes GTP‐Mg+2‐dNTP cross bridges to link and stabilize adjacent monomers. However, very little is known about how it assembles into a tetramer and how long the tetramer stays intact. In this computational study, we provide a molecular dynamics based analysis of the structural stability and allosteric site dynamics in SAMHD1. We have investigated the allosteric links which assemble and hold the tetramer together. We have also extended this analysis to a regulatory mutant of SAMHD1. Experimental studies have indicated that phosphorylation of T592 downregulates HIV‐1 restriction. A similar result is also achieved by a phosphomimetic mutation T592E. While a mechanistic understanding of the process is still elusive, the loss of structural integrity of the enzyme is conjectured to be the cause of the impaired dNTPase activity of the T592E mutant. MD simulations show that the T592E mutation causes slightly elevated local motions which remain confined to the short helix (residues 591‐595), which contains the phosphorylation site and do not cause long‐range destabilization of the SAMHD1 tetramer within the timeframe of the simulations. Thus, the regulatory mechanism of SAMHD1 is a more subtle mechanism than has been previously suspected. Proteins 2017; 85:1266–1275. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A systematic review of the literature reveals trends and gaps in integrated pest management studies conducted in the United States
Authors: Young Stephen L
Published: March 2017

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a broad‐based approach for addressing pests that negatively affect human and environmental health and economic profitability. Weeds, insects and disease‐causing pathogens (diseases) are the pests most often associated with IPM. A systematic review, widely used in other scientific disciplines, was employed to determine the most commonly studied IPM topics and summarize the reasons for these trends and the gaps. In a field synopsis of the literature, 1679 relevant published papers were identified and categorized into one of the following five broad areas: IPM and organic (organic), climate change and pests (climate), rural and urban IPM (rural and urban), next‐generation education (education) and advanced production systems (technology). Papers were examined in greater detail for at least one of the three main pests in a systematic review. A majority (85%) of IPM papers have been in the area of rural and urban IPM, primarily addressing agriculture (78%). Professionals, landowners and the general public were the focus of a majority (95%) of IPM papers on education. Technology is an increasing area of focus in the literature. Over the past 40 years, IPM papers have primarily (75%) addressed insects and been limited mostly to rural and urban settings. Climate change, technology and education specific to pest management studies are increasingly being published and will help broaden the focus that could result in increased adoption and development of IPM. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry