bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atuação da rede de apoio às pessoas com lesão medular
Authors: Ruiz Aline Gabriela Bega , Barreto Mayckel da Silva , Peruzzo Hellen Emília , Schoeller Soraia Dornelles , Decesaro Maria das Neves , Marcon Sonia Silva
Published: August 2018

Objetivo: analizar cómo se constituye y cómo actúa la red de apoyo a la persona con lesión medular. Método: estudio descriptivo exploratorio de naturaleza cualitativa, en base al referente teórico del Interaccionismo Simbólico. Los datos fueron recogidos entre enero y junio de 2016, entre 23 personas con lesión medular, por medio de entrevistas semiestructuradas; los datos después fueron sometidos al análisis de contenido, modalidad temática. Resultados: además de la presencia de la familia y de amigos, los entrevistados realzaron la importancia de la comunidad, del deporte y de los centros de rehabilitación y de salud como recursos de apoyo en la adaptación a la lesión medular. Sin embargo, afirmaron que seguían existiendo obstáculos para alcanzar mayor conocimiento sobre cómo cuidar el cuerpo y mejorar su vida cotidiana. También mencionaron que conocer a otras personas con lesión medular y sus experiencias facilitaba el aprendizaje y la convivencia con la lesión. El deporte adaptado, según ellos, era otra red de apoyo diferente en la rehabilitación que ayudaba en la recuperación de la autonomía y en la reinserción social de la persona con lesión medular. Conclusión: las redes de apoyo son necesarias en el proceso de rehabilitación, adaptación y superación para las personas con lesión medular.
Resíduos gerados por usuários de insulina em domicílio
Authors: Estequi Jeanine Geraldin , André Sílvia Carla da Silva , Souza Raissa Silva , Figueiredo Rosely Moralez de
Published: August 2018

Objetivo: conocer el manejo de los residuos generados en el domicilio por los usuarios de insulina. Método: investigación descriptiva, exploratoria, cuantitativa. Se entrevistaron 98 individuos con diabetes mellitus, usuarios de insulina en el domicilio, registrados en las Unidades de Salud de la Familia del municipio de São Carlos – SP; por medio de un instrumento previamente validado y procediendo al análisis por estadística descriptiva. Resultados: la disposición final incorrecta de al menos uno de los insumos utilizados, ya sea acondicionado en recipiente rígido o no, ocurrió tanto entre los participantes que mencionaron haber recibido información sobre el desecho correcto de los RSS como entre aquéllos que no recibieron ninguna información. Conclusión: se considera que hay lagunas en lo que se refiere al manejo de residuos producidos en los domicilios, lo cual exige cambios políticos, de gestión y educación en salud.
Prognostication of chronic disorders of consciousness using brain functional networks and clinical characteristics
Authors: Song Ming , Yang Yi , He Jianghong , Yang Zhengyi , Yu Shan , Xie Qiuyou , Xia Xiaoyu , Dang Yuanyuan , Zhang Qiang , Wu Xinhuai , Cui Yue , Hou Bing , Yu Ronghao , Xu Ruxiang , Jiang Tianzi
Published: August 2018

Disorders of consciousness are a heterogeneous mixture of different diseases or injuries. Although some indicators and models have been proposed for prognostication, any single method when used alone carries a high risk of false prediction. This study aimed to develop a multidomain prognostic model that combines resting state functional MRI with three clinical characteristics to predict one year-outcomes at the single-subject level. The model discriminated between patients who would later recover consciousness and those who would not with an accuracy of around 88% on three datasets from two medical centers. It was also able to identify the prognostic importance of different predictors, including brain functions and clinical characteristics. To our knowledge, this is the first reported implementation of a multidomain prognostic model that is based on resting state functional MRI and clinical characteristics in chronic disorders of consciousness, which we suggest is accurate, robust, and interpretable.
Dynamic density shaping of photokinetic E. coli
Authors: Frangipane Giacomo , Dell'Arciprete Dario , Petracchini Serena , Maggi Claudio , Saglimbeni Filippo , Bianchi Silvio , Vizsnyiczai Gaszton , Bernardini Maria Lina , Di Leonardo Roberto
Published: August 2018

Many motile microorganisms react to environmental light cues with a variety of motility responses guiding cells towards better conditions for survival and growth. The use of spatial light modulators could help to elucidate the mechanisms of photo-movements while, at the same time, providing an efficient strategy to achieve spatial and temporal control of cell concentration. Here we demonstrate that millions of bacteria, genetically modified to swim smoothly with a light controllable speed, can be arranged into complex and reconfigurable density patterns using a digital light projector. We show that a homogeneous sea of freely swimming bacteria can be made to morph between complex shapes. We model non-local effects arising from memory in light response and show how these can be mitigated by a feedback control strategy resulting in the detailed reproduction of grayscale density images.
Functional gradients of the cerebellum
Authors: Guell Xavier , Schmahmann Jeremy D , Gabrieli John DE , Ghosh Satrajit S
Published: August 2018

A central principle for understanding the cerebral cortex is that macroscale anatomy reflects a functional hierarchy from primary to transmodal processing. In contrast, the central axis of motor and nonmotor macroscale organization in the cerebellum remains unknown. Here we applied diffusion map embedding to resting-state data from the Human Connectome Project dataset (n = 1003), and show for the first time that cerebellar functional regions follow a gradual organization which progresses from primary (motor) to transmodal (DMN, task-unfocused) regions. A secondary axis extends from task-unfocused to task-focused processing. Further, these two principal gradients revealed novel functional properties of the well-established cerebellar double motor representation (lobules I-VI and VIII), and its relationship with the recently described triple nonmotor representation (lobules VI/Crus I, Crus II/VIIB, IX/X). Functional differences exist not only between the two motor but also between the three nonmotor representations, and second motor representation might share functional similarities with third nonmotor representation.
Framing orientation selectivity
Authors: de Lange Floris P , Ekman Matthias
Published: August 2018

The ongoing debate on the neural basis of orientation selectivity in the primary visual cortex continues.
A ‘devil’ of a problem
Authors: Hansen Victoria L , Miller Robert D
Published: August 2018

The discovery of a second facial tumor disease in the Tasmanian devil has provided insights into the emergence of contagious cancers.
A minimal set of internal control genes for gene expression studies in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Palve Vinayak , Pareek Manisha , Krishnan Neeraja M. , Siddappa Gangotri , Suresh Amritha , Kuriakose Moni A. , Panda Binay
Published: August 2018

Selection of the right reference gene(s) is crucial in the analysis and interpretation of gene expression data. The aim of the present study was to discover and validate a minimal set of internal control genes in head and neck tumor studies. We analyzed data from multiple sources (in house whole-genome gene expression microarrays, previously published quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) data and RNA-seq data from TCGA) to come up with a list of 18 genes (discovery set) that had the lowest variance, a high level of expression across tumors, and their matched normal samples. The genes in the discovery set were ranked using four different algorithms (BestKeeper, geNorm, NormFinder, and comparative delta Ct) and a web-based comparative tool, RefFinder, for their stability and variance in expression across tissues. Finally, we validated their expression using qPCR in an additional set of tumor:matched normal samples that resulted in five genes (RPL30, RPL27, PSMC5, MTCH1, and OAZ1), out of which RPL30 and RPL27 were most stable and were abundantly expressed across the tissues. Our data suggest that RPL30 or RPL27 in combination with either PSMC5 or MTCH1 or OAZ1 can be used as a minimal set of control genes in head and neck tumor gene expression studies.
Variation in the leaf and root microbiome of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) at an elevational range limit
Authors: Wallace Jessica , Laforest-Lapointe Isabelle , Kembel Steven W.
Published: August 2018

Background

Bacteria, archaea, viruses and fungi live in various plant compartments including leaves and roots. These plant-associated microbial communities have many effects on host fitness and function. Global climate change is impacting plant species distributions, a phenomenon that will affect plant-microbe interactions both directly and indirectly. In order to predict plant responses to global climate change, it will be crucial to improve our understanding of plant-microbe interactions within and at the edge of plant species natural ranges. While microbes affect their hosts, in turn the plant’s attributes and the surrounding environment drive the structure and assembly of the microbial communities themselves. However, the patterns and dynamics of these interactions and their causes are poorly understood.

Methods

In this study, we quantified the microbial communities of the leaves and roots of seedlings of the deciduous tree species sugar maple (Acer saccharumMarshall) within its natural range and at the species’ elevational range limit at Mont-Mégantic, Quebec. Using high-throughput DNA sequencing, we quantified the bacterial and fungal community structure in four plant compartments: the epiphytes and endophytes of leaves and roots. We also quantified endophytic fungal communities in roots.

Results

The bacterial and fungal communities ofA. saccharumseedlings differ across elevational range limits for all four plant compartments. Distinct microbial communities colonize each compartment, although the microbial communities inside a plant’s structure (endophytes) were found to be a subset of the communities found outside the plant’s structure (epiphytes). Plant-associated bacterial communities were dominated by the phyla Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes while the main fungal taxa present were Ascomycota.

Discussion

We demonstrate that microbial communities associated with sugar maple seedlings at the edge of the species’ elevational range differ from those within the natural range. Variation in microbial communities differed among plant components, suggesting the importance of each compartment’s exposure to changes in biotic and abiotic conditions in determining variability in community structure. These findings provide a greater understanding of the ecological processes driving the structure and diversity of plant-associated microbial communities within and at the edge of a plant species range, and suggest the potential for biotic interactions between plants and their associated microbiota to influence the dynamics of plant range edge boundaries and responses to global change.
Multilocus molecular systematics of the circumtropical reef-fish genus Abudefduf (Pomacentridae): history, geography and ecology of speciation
Authors: Campbell Matthew A. , Robertson D. Ross , Vargas Marta I. , Allen Gerald R. , McMillan W.O.
Published: August 2018

We investigated a pantropical sub-family and genus of damselfishes, the sergeant-majors (Pomacentridae: Abudefdufinae: Abudefduf), to identify the tempo and mechanisms of speciation in the lineage. We examined sequence capture data from 500 loci and 20 species, with multiple individuals sampled from across the geographic ranges of widespread species. Utilizing a maximum likelihood framework, as well as a time-calibrated Bayesian phylogeny, the following key questions are addressed: What is the historical tempo of speciation? What are the relative contributions of vicariant, peripatric and parapatric speciation to sergeant-major diversity? How is speciation related to major variation in trophic ecology? The approximately 20 species of sergeant-majors fall into three main lineages. The ancestral condition appears to be benthivory, which is predominant in two lineages comprising six species. The remaining species of sergeant-majors, of which there are at least 15, fall within a clade composed entirely of planktivores. This clade is sister to a benthivore clade that included one species, Abudefduf notatus, in transition to planktivory. Most speciation of sergeant-majors, which appeared ∼24 million years ago, occurred in the last 10 million years. Present distributional patterns indicate vicariant speciation precipitated by the closure of land barriers between both sides of the Atlantic and the Pacific, and the emergence of land between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Within this backdrop, frequent oscillations in sea level over the last 10 million years also appear to have generated conditions suitable for both peripatric and vicariant speciation, and most speciation within the genus appears linked to these changes in sea level. Diversification within the genus has been concentrated in planktivorous seargeant-majors rather than benthivores. The root cause is unclear, but does not appear to be related to differences in dispersal potential, which is greater in the planktivorous species, due to the ability of their post-larval juveniles to raft with floating debris. This elevated speciation rate in planktivores and their propensity to form local endemics may reflect relaxation of selective pressures (e.g., on crypticity) that limit speciation in benthivorous sergeant-majors. Finally, our data allow us to clarify relationships of geminate sergeant-major species, indicating that there are subdivisions within the Atlantic for both benthivore and planktivore geminate pairs that may have misled previous studies.
Trichocera maculipennis (Diptera)—an invasive species in Maritime Antarctica
Authors: Potocka Marta , Krzemińska Ewa
Published: August 2018

Antarctica, with its severe conditions, is poor in terrestrial fauna species. However, an increase in human presence together with climate change may cause an influx of non-native species. Here we report a significant increase in colonized area of one of the few known invasive species to date in Antarctica. Non-native flies of Trichocera maculipennis have been recently observed in the Admiralty Bay area on King George Island, South Shetlands Islands, West Antarctica, 10 years after its first record in Maritime Antarctica (Maxwell Bay, King George Island). Its rapid spread across the island, despite geographic barriers such as glaciers, indicates successful adaptation to local environmental conditions and suggests this species is invasive. The mode of life of T. maculipennis, observed in natural and anthropogenous habitat and in laboratory conditions, is reported. The following adaptations enabled its invasion and existence within the sewage system in Antarctic scientific stations: the ability to survive in complete darkness, male ability to mate on the substrate surface without prior swarming in flight, and adaptation of terrestrial larvae to survive in semi-liquid food. Possible routes of introduction to Antarctica and between two bays on King George Island are discussed, as well as further research leading to the containment and eradication of this species.
Physiological and behavioral response of the Asian shore crab,Hemigrapsus sanguineus, to salinity: implications for estuarine distribution and invasion
Authors: Hudson David M. , Sexton D. Joseph , Wint Dinsdale , Capizzano Connor , Crivello Joseph F.
Published: August 2018

The invasive Asian shore crab,Hemigrapsus sanguineus, is ubiquitous in the rocky intertidal zone of the western North Atlantic. A likely contributor to this colonization is thatH. sanguineusis able to handle a wide range of salinities, and is thus more likely to spread through a greater geographic area of estuaries. This study investigated the salinity effects on this animal by observing survival across a range of salinities, the maintenance of hemolymph osmolality under different salinities, and behavioral preference for and avoidance of salinities.H. sanguineusshowed high survival across a broad range of salinities, had little change in hemolymph osmolality over a short-term salinity shock, and behaviorally distinguished between salinities when presented with a choice, under both acclimation salinities of 5 PSU or 35 PSU. Such results suggestH. sanguineushas a hardiness for the rapid changes in salinity that happen in the intertidal zone, yet is capable of physically moving to a more optimal salinity. This enhances their competitiveness as an invader, particularly surviving lower salinities that present challenges during high-precipitation events in rocky intertidal areas, and partially explains this species’ dominance in this habitat type.
Spatio–temporal variation in stable isotope signatures (δ13C and δ15N) of sponges on the Saba Bank
Authors: Van Duyl Fleur C. , Mueller Benjamin , Meesters Erik H.
Published: August 2018

Sponges are ubiquitous on coral reefs, mostly long lived and therefore adaptive to changing environmental conditions. They feed on organic matter withdrawn from the passing water and they may harbor microorganisms (endosymbionts), which contribute to their nutrition. Their diets and stable isotope (SI) fractionation determine the SI signature of the sponge holobiont. Little is known of spatio–temporal variations in SI signatures of δ13C and δ15N in tropical sponges and whether they reflect variations in the environment. We investigated the SI signatures of seven common sponge species with different functional traits and their potential food sources between 15 and 32 m depth along the S-SE and E-NE side of the Saba Bank, Eastern Caribbean, in October 2011 and October 2013. SI signatures differed significantly between most sponge species, both in mean values and in variation, indicating different food preferences and/or fractionation, inferring sponge species-specific isotopic niche spaces. In 2011, all sponge species at the S-SE side were enriched in d13C compared to the E-NE side. In 2013, SI signatures of sponges did not differ between the two sides and were overall lighter in δ13C and δ15N than in 2011. Observed spatio–temporal changes in SI in sponges could not be attributed to changes in the SI signatures of their potential food sources, which remained stable with different SI signatures of pelagic (particulate organic matter (POM): δ13C −24.9‰, δ15N +4.3‰) and benthic-derived food (macroalgae: δ13C −15.4‰, δ15N +0.8‰). Enriched δ13C signatures in sponges at the S-SE side in 2011 are proposed to be attributed to predominantly feeding on benthic-derived C. This interpretation was supported by significant differences in water mass constituents between sides in October 2011. Elevated NO3 and dissolved organic matter concentrations point toward a stronger reef signal in reef overlying water at the S-SE than N-NE side of the Bank in 2011. The depletions of δ13C and δ15N in sponges in October 2013 compared to October 2011 concurred with significantly elevated POM concentrations. The contemporaneous decrease in δ15N suggests that sponges obtain their N mostly from benthic-derived food with a lower δ15N than pelagic food. Average proportional feeding on available sources varied between sponge species and ranged from 20% to 50% for benthic and 50% to 80% for pelagic-derived food, assuming trophic enrichment factors of 0.5‰ ± sd 0.5 for δ13C and 3‰ ± sd 0.5 for δ15N for sponges. We suggest that observed variation of SI in sponges between sides and years were the result of shifts in the proportion of ingested benthic- and pelagic-derived organic matter driven by environmental changes. We show that sponge SI signatures reflect environmental variability in space and time on the Saba Bank and that SI of sponges irrespective of their species-specific traits move in a similar direction in response to these environmental changes.
The transcription and expression profile of p53N236S mutant reveals new aspects of gain of function for mutant p53
Authors: Wang Boyuan , Dan Juhua , Li Haili , Hou Jing , Shi Mingling , Sanjay Kumar Singh , Chang Jeffrey T. , Luo Ying
Published: August 2018

Missense mutations in the p53 coding gene cause loss and gain of function. We have identified a hotspot mutation, p53N236S, which results in the aggressive progression of tumorigenesis in a knock‐in mouse model. To understand the biological significance of the p53N236S mutation, we performed ChIP‐on‐chip combined with microarray assay to profile the regulated gene expression pattern. We could classify the p53N236S mutant function into six categories. Among these, we reveal a new aspect of gain of function, the enhancement of wild‐type p53 function, which has not been reported previously. We also show the existence of residual wild‐type p53 function in p53N236S. Our data shed light on understanding the difference between this type of low‐incidence hotspot p53 mutations and classical hotspot mutations.
Preclinical evidence of the enhanced effectiveness of combined rapamycin and AICAR in reducing kidney cancer
Authors: Liang Sitai , Medina Edward A. , Li Boajie , Habib Samy L.
Published: August 2018

Loss of Von Hippel‐Lindau in renal carcinoma cells results in upregulation of the activity of hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF‐α), a major transcription factor involved in kidney cancer. Rapamycin as mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor and 5‐aminoimidazole‐4‐carboxamide‐riboside (AICAR) as AMPK activator are used separately to treat cancer patients. In the current study, the possible additive effect of drug combinations in reducing kidney tumorigenesis was investigated. Treatment with drug combinations significantly decreased cell proliferation, increased cell apoptosis, and abolished Akt phosphorylation and HIF‐2α expression in renal cell carcinoma cells, including primary cells isolated from kidney cancer patients. Significant decreases in cell migration and invasion were detected using drug combinations. Drug combinations effectively abolished binding of HIF‐2α to the Akt promoter and effected formation of the DNA‐protein complex in nuclear extracts from 786‐O cells, as demonstrated using electromobility shift assay and examination of Akt promoter activity. Importantly, we tested the effect of each drug and the combined drugs on kidney tumor size in the nude mouse model. Our data show that treatment with rapamycin, AICAR, and rapamycin+AICAR decreased tumor size by 38%, 36%, and 80%, respectively, suggesting that drug combinations have an additive effect in reducing tumor size compared with use of each drug alone. Drug combinations effectively decreased cell proliferation, increased apoptotic cells, and significantly decreased p‐Akt, HIF‐2α, and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in tumor kidney tissues from mice. These results show for the first time that drug combinations are more effective than single drugs in reducing kidney tumor progression. This study provides important evidence that may lead to the initiation of pre‐clinical trials in patients with kidney cancer.
Investigation of a source model for a new electronic brachytherapy tandem by film measurement
Authors: Martin Elijah , Sowards Keith , Wang Brian
Published: August 2018

Purpose

To investigate the accuracy of a vendor‐supplied source model for a new Xoft Axxent 0‐degree titanium tandem by film measurement.

Methods

We measured the anisotropy factors at varying distances and angles from the tandem in water using radiochromic film (Gafchromic EBT3) and an Epson Perfection v750 desktop flatbed scanner (US Epson, Long Beach, CA). A 0‐degree tandem was placed vertically in a water phantom. Four pieces of film, each at varying depths, were positioned orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the tandem for azimuthal anisotropy measurements. Polar anisotropy measurements were taken with the film aligned parallel to the tandem. An absolute dose calibration for the film was verified with a PTW 34013 Soft X‐Ray Chamber. The film measurements were analyzed using different color channels. The measured polar anisotropy for varying source positions was compared to the vendor's data. Azimuthal anisotropy was measured as a function of the radius and angle, and normalized to the mean value over all angles at the specified radius.

Results

The azimuthal anisotropy of the tandem and source was found to be consistent for different positions along the tandem's longitudinal axis and at varying distances from the tandem. Absolute dose using a calibrated parallel plate chamber showed agreement to within 2% of expected TPS values. The custom tandem, which has a thicker tip than the wall, was attenuating the 50 kV photons more than expected, at the angles where the photons had more wall material to traverse. This discrepancy was verified at different distances from the tandem and with different measurement techniques. As distance increased, anisotropy values had better agreement.

Conclusions

We quantified the agreement between the measured and provided anisotropy factors for a new Xoft Axxent 0‐degree titanium tandem. Radiochromic film response at low kV energy was also investigated. Our results showed that vendor‐supplied TG‐43 values were appropriate for clinical use at majority of the angles. A rigorous quality assurance method for new electronic brachytherapy sources and applicators, along with complete knowledge of all dosimetric measuring tools, should be implemented for all parts of the verification and commissioning process.
Flupirtine derivatives as potential treatment for the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses
Authors: Makoukji Joelle , Saadeh Fadi , Mansour Karl Albert , El‐Sitt Sally , Al Ali Jamal , Kinarivala Nihar , Trippier Paul C. , Boustany Rose‐Mary
Published: August 2018

Objective

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (NCL) are fatal inherited neurodegenerative diseases with established neuronal cell death and increased ceramide levels in brain, hence, a need for disease‐modifying drug candidates, with potential to enhance growth, reduce apoptosis and lower ceramide in neuronal precursor PC12 cells and human NCL cell lines using enhanced flupirtine aromatic carbamate derivatives in vitro.

Methods

Aromatic carbamate derivatives were tested by establishing growth curves under pro‐apoptotic conditions and activity evaluated by trypan blue and JC‐1 staining, as well as a drop in pro‐apoptotic ceramide in neuronal precursor PC12 cells following siRNA knockdown of the CLN3 gene, and CLN1‐/CLN2‐/CLN3‐/CLN6‐/CLN8 patient‐derived lymphoblasts. Ceramide levels were determined in CLN1‐/CLN2‐/CLN3‐/CLN6‐/CLN8 patient‐derived lymphoblasts before and after treatment. Expression of BCL‐2, ceramide synthesis enzymes (CERS2/CERS6/SMPD1/DEGS2) and Caspases 3/8/9 levels were compared in treated versus untreated CLN3‐deficient PC12 cells by qRT‐PCR.

Results

Retigabine, the benzyl‐derivatized carbamate and an allyl carbamate derivative were neuroprotective in CLN3‐defective PC12 cells and rescued CLN1‐/CLN2‐/CLN3‐/CLN6‐/CLN8 patient‐derived lymphoblasts from diminished growth and accelerated apoptosis. All drugs decreased ceramide in CLN1‐/CLN2‐/CLN3‐/CLN6‐/CLN8 patient‐derived lymphoblasts. Increased BCL‐2 and decreased ceramide synthesis enzyme expression were established in CLN3‐derived PC12 cells treated with the benzyl and allyl carbamate derivatives. They down‐regulated Caspase 3/Caspase 8 expression. Caspase 9 expression was reduced by the benzyl‐derivatized carbamate.

Interpretation

These findings establish that compounds analogous to flupirtine demonstrate anti‐apoptotic activity with potential for treatment of NCL disease and use of ceramide as a marker for these diseases.
Differential impact of behavioral, social, and emotional apathy on Parkinson's disease
Authors: Ang Yuen‐Siang , Lockwood Patricia L. , Kienast Annika , Plant Olivia , Drew Daniel , Slavkova Elitsa , Tamm Marin , Husain Masud
Published: August 2018

Apathy is highly prevalent in Parkinson's disease. New findings suggest the syndrome is multifaceted. Here, we investigate whether all aspects of apathy are equally affected in Parkinson's disease and whether different dimensions of apathy were associated with depression and anhedonia. On the Apathy Motivation Index, while behavioral apathy and social apathy were elevated, emotional motivation was relatively preserved in Parkinson's disease, although a few patients did show impaired emotional sensitivity. Behavioral and social, but not emotional, apathy was associated with depression and anhedonia. These findings suggest aspects of motivation can be selectively impaired in Parkinson's disease and may have implications for guiding treatment.
Tuning the Morphology of Isoindigo Donor–Acceptor Polymer Film for High Sensitivity Ammonia Sensor
Authors: Lu Chun‐Fu , Shih Cheng‐Wei , Chen Chien‐An , Chin Albert , Su Wei‐Fang
Published: August 2018

Monitoring the ammonia gas is of great interest to both environmental benefits and human health. The recent advance in polymer thin film transistors (TFTs) can realize high sensitivity and low‐cost gas sensors. Ammonia gas interacts with charge carrier channels and polymer/dielectrics interface through Coulomb force. This is the first report of high sensitivity and reusable ammonia sensor fabricated from thiophene‐isoindigo donor–acceptor conducting polymer. This kind of polymer has advantages of simple synthesis and excellent air stability. The systematic study is carried out to investigate relationship among chemical structure variation and morphology control of polymer to the performance of ammonia sensor. High crystallinity, favored crystal orientation, and direct percolation routes for analytes are found to be essential to increase the susceptibility of polymers to ammonia gas. By strengthening edge‐on morphology, the sensitivity can be enhanced fivefold for the same polymer. The idea can put forward the development of sensor array in a time‐efficient manner by employing the morphology effect.
Navigating Complex Implementation Contexts: Overcoming Barriers and Achieving Outcomes in a National Initiative to Scale Out Housing First in Canada
Authors: Macnaughton Eric , Nelson Geoffrey , Worton S. Kathleen , Tsemberis Sam , Stergiopoulos Vicky , Aubry Tim , Hasford Julian , Distasio Jino , Goering Paula
Published: August 2018

Highlights

Housing First can be implemented beyond demonstration sites without new resources.

Using an intentional implementation strategy communities implemented high‐fidelity programs.

One key implementation challenge was accessing affordable housing and housing subsidies.

By helping develop housing specialists and reflective practice, the TTA facilitated effective implementation.
Beyond Friedel and Crafts: Innate Alkylation of C−H Bonds in Arenes
Authors: Evano Gwilherm , Theunissen Cédric
Published: August 2018

Alkylated arenes are ubiquitous molecules and building blocks commonly utilized in most areas of science. Despite its apparent simplicity, the regioselective alkylation of arenes is still a challenging transformation in a lot of cases. Classical methods for the introduction of alkyl groups to arenes, such as the venerable Friedel–Crafts reaction, radical additions, metalation or prefunctionalization of the arene followed by further alkylation, as well as alternatives such as the directed alkylation of C−H bonds, still suffer from severe limitations in terms of scope, efficiency, and selectivity. This can be addressed by exploiting the innate reactivity of some (hetero)arenes, in which electronic and steric properties, governed (or not) by the presence of one (or multiple) heteroatom(s), ensure high levels of regioselectivity. These innate alkylations of C−H bonds in (hetero)arenes will be overviewed comprehensively in this Review.
Asylum Seekers and Refugees: An Ethno‐Clinical Approach
Authors: Barbetta Pietro , Finco Rita , Rossi Fulgenzio
Published: August 2018

‘Ethno‐clinics’ is an impossible word. Defining ‘ethno‐clinics’ is like placing a label on a name, concealing the polysemy of the term. We choose such a word because it is rarely used as a way of doing clinical work in psychotherapy (Dubosc, ; Salmi, ) but we have chosen not to place a ‘registered trademark’ on it, as it usually happens in the ‘free market of ideas.’ The word ‘ethno‐clinics’ is a composition of two words that we will analyse in this essay. We will stress the difference between refugee and asylum seeker due to the generic use by the media of the word ‘refugee’, which is convenient in hiding the fact that the vast majority of immigrants to Europe, in present times, are just asylum seekers; precisely, since Europe does not recognise the human rights of the Other and rejects immigrants, not granting asylum and pushing those people into the backdoor. Nevertheless, ethno‐clinical work does not practice antagonism; it deals with the particular small differences that subvert the complete representation of identity. In Bateson's () terms, a difference that makes a difference. The practice we describe is exercised in the context of a Cooperative Organisation, named Ruah, in Bergamo, Italy.
A Comparative Study of O/W Nanoemulsions Using Extra Virgin Olive or Olive‐Pomace Oil: Impacts on Formation and Stability
Authors: Katsouli Maria , Giannou Virginia , Tzia Constantina
Published: August 2018

Nanoemulsions are considered an innovative approach for industrial food applications. The present study explored the potential use of olive‐pomace oil (OPO) for oil‐in‐water (o/w) nanoemulsion preparations and compared the effectiveness of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and OPO at nanoemulsion formulations. The ternary‐phase diagrams were constructed and the o/w nanoemulsions properties were evaluated in relation to their composition. The results showed that it is possible to form OPO nanoemulsions using Polysorbate 20 or Polysorbate 40. Nanoemulsions with EVOO and OPO presented desirable properties, in terms of kinetic stability (emulsion stability index % [ESI%]), mean droplet diameter (MDD), polydispersity index (PDI), ζ‐potential, viscosity, and turbidity. EVOO exhibited lower surface and interfacial tension forming nanoemulsions with a high ESI% and a low MDD. However, OPO led to nanoemulsions with a high ESI% but with a higher MDD. It was observed that by increasing the emulsifier concentration the MDD decreased, while increasing the dispersed phase concentration led to a higher MDD and a lower ESI%. Finally, nanoemulsions with the smallest MDD (99.26 ± 4.20 nm) and PDI (0.236 ± 0.010) were formed using Polysorbate 40, which presented lower surface and interfacial tension. Specifically, the nanoemulsion with 6 wt% EVOO and 6 wt% Polysorbate 40 demonstrated an interfacial tension of 51.014 ± 0.919 mN m−1 and an MDD of 99.26 ± 4.20 nm. However, the nanoemulsion with 6 wt% OPO and 8 wt% Polysorbate 20 presented an interfacial tension of 54.308 ± 0.089 mN m−1 and an MDD of 340.5 ± 7.1 nm.
Numerical investigation on flow condensation process during interphase mixing in oxygen pipeline of liquid rocket
Authors: Kang Zhu , Yanzhong Li , Gang Lei , Jiaojiao Wang , Fushou Xie , Yuan Ma
Published: August 2018

This paper presents a numerical study on the flow condensation of high temperature gas oxygen in subcooled flowing liquid oxygen and the corresponding mixing process in the oxygen pipeline of a liquid rocket propulsion system. A computational fluid dynamics model is established with the interfacial phase change solved by user‐defined function, and flow field details such as phase distribution and flow condensation length required for safety operation of liquid rocket engine are obtained. Experimental validation of numerical model is performed with HCFC123 as the working fluid, and the calculated void fraction and flow condensation length of gas show good agreement with those of experimental data. The numerical result indicates that when the gas oxygen is injected into the pipeline, continuous annular gas film forms in the vertical section and then accumulates in the inner side of the bend section due to the centrifugal force. Rapid condensation of oxygen occurs in the following horizontal section due to the enhanced interphase heat transfer by the transverse relative motion. The condensation length of gas oxygen varies with the inlet gas/liquid flow rate ratio, liquid subcooling, and inlet velocity. The operable gas/liquid ratio ranges for complete gas condensation in the given bend pipe is obtained for various liquid inlet parameters.
Morphological, barrier, and mechanical properties of cassava starch films reinforced with cellulose and starch nanoparticles
Authors: Santana J. S. , de Carvalho Costa É. K. , Rodrigues P. R. , Correia P. R. C. , Cruz R. S. , Druzian J. I.
Published: August 2018

A comparative performance study of cellulose and starch nanoparticles on plasticized starch reinforcement has been presented. Starch nanoparticles were obtained by ultrasound and acid hydrolysis, and cellulose nanoparticles were extracted by acid hydrolysis from microcrystalline cellulose and sisal fibers. The nanoparticles were characterized according to the zeta potential, the particle‐size distribution, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. The influence of the addition of these nanoparticles to starch films on the morphology, water vapor permeability (WVP), and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites films were investigated. The cellulose nanoparticles exhibited higher electrical stability than those originating from starch. Acid hydrolysis produced starch nanoparticles with higher crystallinity than ultrasound. All the nanoparticles significantly reduced the WVP. The cellulose nanoparticles significantly increased the tensile strength of the starch films; however, they reduced the flexibility of the nanocomposites. The results of this work support the application of starch and cellulose nanostructures for the development of reinforced biodegradable materials. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47001.
A facile method for fabricating nano/microfibrous three‐dimensional scaffold with hierarchically porous to enhance cell infiltration
Authors: Li H. , Ding Q. , Chen X. , Huang C. , Jin X. , Ke Q.
Published: August 2018

The integration of electrospinning and traditional needle punching technologies were demonstrated for fabricating a new three‐dimensional (3D) scaffold to enhance the cellular infiltration. This 3D scaffold combined the advantages of electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous mats and carded chitosan microfibrous webs to construct hierarchically porous, which have three regions: the large pores (about 500 μm) on the nanofibrous mats generated by needle punching, could induce the massive cells infiltration into the inner scaffold; the small pores (30–200 μm) of the microfibrous webs allowed space for continuous cellular infiltration; and the inherent smaller pores of the nanofibrous mats (1–17 μm) which play a key role in providing a platforms for cell adhesion and proliferation. In addition, the 3D scaffold exhibited appropriate mechanical properties and significantly high initial cell attachment, proliferation, and infiltration, suggesting that its great potential in tissue engineering. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47046
How Haptics and Drawing Enhance the Learning of Anatomy
Authors: Reid Stephen , Shapiro Leonard , Louw Graham
Published: August 2018

Students’ engagement with two‐dimensional (2D) representations as opposed to three‐dimensional (3D) representations of anatomy such as in dissection, is significant in terms of the depth of their comprehension. This qualitative study aimed to understand how students learned anatomy using observational and drawing activities that included touch, called haptics. Five volunteer second year medical students at the University of Cape Town participated in a six‐day educational intervention in which a novel “haptico‐visual observation and drawing” (HVOD) method was employed. Data were collected through individual interviews as well as a focus group discussion. The HVOD method was successfully applied by all the participants, who reported an improvement of their cognitive understanding and memorization of the 3D form of the anatomical part. All the five participants described the development of a “mental picture” of the object as being central to “deep learning.” The use of the haptic senses coupled with the simultaneous act of drawing enrolled sources of information that were reported by the participants to have enabled better memorization. We postulate that the more sources of information about an object, the greater degree of complexity could be appreciated, and therefore the more clearly it could be captured and memorized. The inclusion of haptics has implications for cadaveric dissection versus non‐cadaveric forms of learning. This study was limited by its sample size as well as the bias and position of the researchers, but the sample of five produced a sufficient amount of data to generate a conceptual model and hypothesis.
Oral microbiome activity in children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Hicks Steven D. , Uhlig Richard , Afshari Parisa , Williams Jeremy , Chroneos Maria , Tierney‐Aves Cheryl , Wagner Kayla , Middleton Frank A.
Published: August 2018

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with several oropharyngeal abnormalities, including buccal sensory sensitivity, taste and texture aversions, speech apraxia, and salivary transcriptome alterations. Furthermore, the oropharynx represents the sole entry point to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. GI disturbances and alterations in the GI microbiome are established features of ASD, and may impact behavior through the “microbial‐gut‐brain axis.” Most studies of the ASD microbiome have used fecal samples. Here, we identified changes in the salivary microbiome of children aged 2–6 years across three developmental profiles: ASD (n = 180), nonautistic developmental delay (DD; n = 60), and typically developing (TD; n = 106) children. After RNA extraction and shotgun sequencing, actively transcribing taxa were quantified and tested for differences between groups and within ASD endophenotypes. A total of 12 taxa were altered between the developmental groups and 28 taxa were identified that distinguished ASD patients with and without GI disturbance, providing further evidence for the role of the gut‐brain axis in ASD. Group classification accuracy was visualized with receiver operating characteristic curves and validated using a 50/50 hold‐out procedure. Five microbial ratios distinguished ASD from TD participants (79.5% accuracy), three distinguished ASD from DD (76.5%), and three distinguished ASD children with/without GI disturbance (85.7%). Taxonomic pathways were assessed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes microbial database and compared with one‐way analysis of variance, revealing significant differences within energy metabolism and lysine degradation. Together, these results indicate that GI microbiome disruption in ASD extends to the oropharynx, and suggests oral microbiome profiling as a potential tool to evaluate ASD status. Autism Res 2018, 11: 1286–1299. © 2018 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC

Lay Summary

Previous research suggests that the bacteria living in the human gut may influence autistic behavior. This study examined genetic activity of microbes living in the mouth of over 300 children. The microbes with differences in children with autism were involved in energy processing and showed potential for identifying autism status.
Importance of main pancreatic duct dilatation in IPMN undergoing surveillance
Authors: Marchegiani G , Andrianello S , Morbin G , Secchettin E , D'Onofrio M , De Robertis R , Malleo G , Bassi C , Salvia R
Published: August 2018

Background

The association between risk of pancreatic cancer and a dilated main pancreatic duct (MPD) in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is debated. The aim of this study was to assess the role of MPD size in predicting pancreatic cancer in resected IPMNs and those kept under surveillance.

Methods

All patients with IPMN referred to the Pancreas Institute, University of Verona Hospital Trust, from 2006 to 2016 were included. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of malignancy detected at surgery or during follow-up.

Results

The final cohort consisted of 1688 patients with a median follow-up of 60 months. Main pancreatic duct dilatation was associated with other features of malignancy in both the resected and surveillance groups. In patients who underwent resection, only a MPD of at least 10 mm was an independent predictor of malignancy. In patients kept under surveillance, MPD dilatation was not associated with malignancy. Fifteen of 71 patients (21 per cent) with malignancy in the resection cohort had a dilated MPD alone, whereas only one of 30 (3 per cent) under surveillance with MPD dilatation alone developed malignancy. Patients with a dilated MPD and other worrisome features had an increased 5-year cumulative incidence of malignancy compared with those with a non-dilated duct (11 versus 1·2 per cent; P < 0·001); however, the risk of malignancy was not significantly increased in patients with a dilated MPD alone (4 versus 1·2 per cent; P = 0·448).

Conclusion

In patients under surveillance, a dilated MPD alone was not associated with an increased incidence of malignancy in IPMN.
Critical Assessment of the mdx Mouse with Ex Vivo Eccentric Contraction of the Diaphragm Muscle
Authors: Addicks Gregory C. , Marshall Phillip , Jasmin Bernard J. , Renaud Jean‐Marc , Zhang Hongbo , Menzies Keir J.
Published: August 2018

Muscle function and health progressively deteriorate during the progression of muscle dystrophies. The ability to objectively characterize muscle function and muscle damage is useful not only when comparing variants of dystrophy models, but also for characterizing the effects of interventions aiming to improve or halt the progressive decline of muscle function and muscle health. The protocols in this chapter describe the use of ex vivo eccentric contraction of the diaphragm muscle as a measure of muscle susceptibility to damage. Because muscle has a robust regenerative capacity, unhealthy muscle may be functionally close to normal; therefore, protocols for ex vivo characterization of muscle are often essential for assessing the effects of interventions. Additional methods that can be applied for assessment of dystrophic muscle are also highlighted. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Low‐Temperature Continuous‐Flow Dehydration of Xylose Over Water‐Tolerant Niobia–Titania Heterogeneous Catalysts
Authors: Moreno‐Marrodan Carmen , Barbaro Pierluigi , Caporali Stefano , Bossola Filippo
Published: August 2018

The sustainable conversion of vegetable biomass‐derived feeds to useful chemicals requires innovative routes meeting environmental and economical criteria. The approach herein pursued is the synthesis of water‐tolerant, unconventional solid acid monolithic catalysts based on a mixed niobia–titania skeleton building up a hierarchical open‐cell network of meso‐ and macropores, and tailored for use under continuous‐flow conditions. The materials were characterized by spectroscopic, microscopy, and diffraction techniques, showing a reproducible isotropic structure and an increasing Lewis/Brønsted acid sites ratio with increasing Nb content. The catalytic dehydration reaction of xylose to furfural was investigated as a representative application. The efficiency of the catalyst was found to be dramatically affected by the niobia content in the titania lattice. The presence of as low as 2 wt % niobium resulted in the highest furfural yield at 140 °C under continuous‐flow conditions, by using H2O/γ‐valerolactone as a safe monophasic solvent system. The interception of a transient 2,5‐anhydroxylose species suggested the dehydration process occurs via a cyclic intermediates mechanism. The catalytic activity and the formation of the anhydro intermediate were related to the Lewis acid sites (LAS)/Brønsted acid sites (BAS) ratio and indicated a significant contribution of xylose–xylulose isomerization. No significant catalyst deactivation was observed over 4 days usage.