bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Replacement of two 320m masts in Sweden
Authors: Holmstrøm Peter , Nielsen Mogens G. , Lindgren Ola
Published: September 2019

Through the recent three years Teracom in Sweden have replaced two 320m guyed masts to new masts that are designed by Ramboll. Whilst the old mast in both projects was built in the 1960s and primary served as support for FM/TV broadcasting antennas, the background for the replacement is significant different. One mast was exposed from a fatal sabotage, where it was succeeded to have the new mast in service less than one year from this date. The other mast is placed in an area that experience heavy ice formation on a yearly basis and has been replaced due to a lack of fatigue capacity.

The new masts have been designed by a full dynamic model, accounting for the local climatic conditions in respect to wind, ice, guy rupture and including maintenance‐free tuned liquid sloshing dampers at the top. For the guy ropes separate foundations have been designed; either gravity based or anchored into the bed rock where applicable. The design has been optimized with respect to the use of materials and particularly in respect to logistics and site work.

As the major roll‐out of this type of masts generally went on some years ago, this paper will present some of the issues when designing and building 300m masts to current standards, including some of the specific challenges on the two projects. Topics from installation will also be described. In both project the existing mast (or what was left of it) was kept in service while building the new at less than 20m distance
Numerical and experimental investigation of simply supported steel beams under drop‐weight impact tests
Authors: D'Antimo Marina , Latour Massimo , Jaspart Jean‐Pierre , Demonceau Jean‐François
Published: September 2019

Due to the increase in terroristic attack and catastrophic events, the engineering structures are more and more likely to be subjected to abnormal loading conditions. Moreover, exceptional and unpredictable fatalities (extreme wind actions, explosions, car impacts…etc.) could lead to dreadful consequences, such as the partial or total progressive collapse of the structures. In view of this, it is required for engineers and researchers to have a better knowledge of all the phenomena associated to such exceptional loadings on structures.

The behaviour of structures under impact, which is the main topic of the present paper, is a complex phenomenon and the response of a structure depends on a large number of variables such as the sensitivity of the materials to high rates of deformation, imperfection of the system, type and velocity of the impacting body among others.

The present paper presents the behaviour of simply supported beams under impact loads. In particular, nine drop‐weight impact tests have been performed at different level of impact energy. Within the proposed paper, the experimental impact tests conducted on simply support beams will be first presented. Then, exploiting the power of FEM analyses performed using the commercial software Abaqus/CAE© and validated against experimental evidences, different modelling techniques, along with several material models, are examined and compared. From these results, the ability of a detailed FE modelling to predict the response of impacted beams, when a proper modelling of the material behaviour at high rate of deformation is ensured, is discussed and a first estimation of the dynamic increase factor (DIF) for beam under impact loadings is given.
The influence of joint modelling on the seismic design of steel frames
Authors: Chesoan Adriana , Stratana Aurel , Jakaba Dominiq , Dubina Dan
Published: September 2019

Joints play an important role in design and performance of steel structures. Recently, two European projects, EQUALJOINTS (1) and EQUALJOINTS+ (2), addressed seismic prequalification of four types of moment resisting beam‐to‐column joints: extended end‐plate joints with haunches, stiffened and unstiffened extended end‐plate joints and dog‐bone joints. Beam‐to‐column joints with haunches are frequently employed by structural engineers in seismic design of steel moment resisting frames. Their large stiffness and strength allows coping with stringent drift limitation requirements and avoiding experimental validation of partial‐strength/semi‐rigid ones requested by Eurocode 8 (EC8). In current design practice, when modelling steel frames, the finite size of the joints is often neglected for the reasons of simplifying the task. The present paper examines the potential benefits of explicitly modelling beam‐to‐column joints with haunches in structural analysis, and aims at identifying possible simplifications of the structural model, accounting the advantages, but, at the same time, keeping the model as simple as possible. Two types of steel structures are addressed within this study: moment resisting frames and dual frames combining moment resisting frames with eccentrically braced frames. The two configurations are designed and their seismic performance is assessed, using different modelling approaches.
Determination of Effective Breadth Width of Steel Plate‐Stiffener Based on Nonlinear FE Analysis
Authors: Erkmen Bulent , Kilic Burak Talha
Published: September 2019

Steel plate‐stiffener systems are widely used in civil engineering applications especially for offshore and onshore oil and gas production facilities as blast walls and blast resistant steel modular structures, and in naval and aerospace engineering applications. Such structures are typically designed based on effective breadth width concept, which enables designer to estimate behaviour of the structure by use of simple beam theory. Although, most of design guidelines for breadth width are based on several idealized steel plate behaviour, the actual behaviour of steel plate is much more complex due to nonlinear 3D stress distribution and stress transfer between the stiffeners and plate. In this study, three prototype blast wall structures were designed with varying plate thickness and stiffener properties. The walls nonlinear behaviour including force‐deflection and longitudinal stress distribution through plate thickness and along plate width were investigated under out‐of‐plane static loading. The longitudinal stress distribution at different stress levels (i.e., elastic and several plastic levels) was used to determine effective breadth width. In addition, computed force‐deflection curves of walls and corresponding simple beams with different breadth widths were compared to verify computed breadth widths. The outcomes of this study indicate that computation of effective breadth width is much more complex and highly depends on stress levels and relative stiffness of plate and stiffeners.
The Use of Box Cross‐Sections for Railway Bridges with Encased Steel Girders
Authors: Odrobiňák Jaroslav , Potančok Matej
Published: September 2019

In the area of railway bridges, the use of the superstructure created by reinforced concrete deck with encased steel beams is often a preferred alternative for small spans. Despite of well‐known disadvantages, this type of bridges is still preferred by railway authorities because of their high stiffness and small construction depth. Research on new bridges of this concept is focused in particular on optimization and saving material. The article presents a follow‐up study focused on the optimization and efficiency of the use of existing database of box girders for bridging small spans. The main dimensions of the bridges in the study were based on the already published study. As box cross‐sections, commercially developed and produced beams were utilized. Because of high combined bending and torsion resistance, and advanced fire resistance, as well, they are primarily applied in the building structures. They have not been able to find use in bridges, especially due to higher prices per unit weight. However, similar beams can be produced routinely, so the study can served to point out the possible benefits of applying similarly shaped build‐up cross‐sections. In addition to the material consumption, the influence on stiffness of the bridge cross‐section is also discussed.
Numerical analyses on welded joints at high‐strength steels
Authors: Stroetmann Richard , Kästner Thoralf
Published: September 2019

The numerical modelling of welds requires profound knowledge due to the material and the geometric heterogeneity. Microstructural changes in the heat‐affected zone lead to local changes in the mechanical properties that can affect the load bearing and deformation behaviour. The necessary material laws can be determined both experimentally and mathematically. For a more precise consideration of the deformation capacity and the softening material behaviour, it may also be necessary to consider damage‐mechanical material models. Numerical calculations of experimental tests to determine the mechanical properties of welds are used to investigate these aspects.
Web Crippling Behaviour of Cold‐formed Stainless Steel Beams with Non‐Circular Web Opening
Authors: Fareed Ishqy , Somadasa Wanniarachchi , Poologanathan Keerthan , Gunalan Shanmuganathan , Beatini Valentina , Sivabalan Sivaram
Published: September 2019

In recent years cold form stainless steels members are becoming the most popular and widely used structural steel member in the construction industry due to their notable corrosion resistance, recycling option, aesthetically pleasing, and the favourable material properties. However, web crippling behavior and the capacity of unlipped channel sections with non‐circular web openings (Square, rectangular and elliptical) has not been investigated sufficiently. Hence, a numerical analyses was undertaken to investigate the web crippling behavior and strength of cold‐form stainless steel unlipped channel beams with non‐circular web openings. Finite element models of cold‐form ferritic stainless steel unlipped channel with offset circular web openings were developed under the interior‐two‐flange (ITF) and external‐two‐flanges (ETF) loading conditions. They were validated with currently available web crippling test results and a detailed parametric study was undertaken to develop an extensive web crippling strength database. Numerical results showed that the currently available reduction factor equations of circular web opening are either conservative or unsafe to use for the non‐circular opening. Hence, numerical results were then used to develop a reduction factor to the web crippling capacities of cold‐formed stainless steel beams with the solid web.
Post‐buckling Strength of Plate Girders subjected to Shear: New Design Method
Authors: Hansen Thomas
Published: September 2019

This paper describes a calculation method for steel plate girders with transverse web stiffeners subjected to shear. It may be used for predicting the failure load or, as a design method, to determine the optimal amount of internal web stiffeners. The method is based on the theory of plasticity. Many other theories have been developed, but the method presented differs from these theories by incorporating the strength of the transverse stiffeners and by the assumption that the tensile bands may pass the transverse stiffeners, which often is observed in tests. Other methods have only dealt with a single web field between two stiffeners.

The method is called the plastic tension field method. It is based on the theory of plasticity and is analogous to the so‐called diagonal compression field method developed for reinforced concrete beams with transverse stirrups, which was adopted in EC2.
Turnover versus treadmilling in actin network assembly and remodeling
Authors: Ni Qin , Papoian Garegin A.
Published: September 2019

Actin networks are highly dynamic cytoskeletal structures that continuously undergo structural remodeling. One prominent way to probe these processes is via Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP), which can be used to estimate the rate of turnover for filamentous actin monomers. It is thought that head‐to‐tail treadmilling and de novo filament nucleation constitute two primary mechanisms underlying turnover kinetics. More generally, these self‐assembly activities are responsible for many important cellular functions such as force generation, cellular shape dynamics, and cellular motility. In what relative proportions filament treadmilling and de novo filament nucleation contribute to actin network turnover is still not fully understood. We used an advanced stochastic reaction–diffusion model in three dimensions, MEDYAN, to study turnover dynamics of actin networks containing Arp2/3, formin and capping protein at experimentally meaningful length‐ and time‐scales. Our results reveal that, most commonly, treadmilling of older filaments is the main contributor to actin network turnover. On the other hand, although turnover and treadmilling are often used interchangeably, we show clear instances where this assumption would not be justified, for example, finding that rapid turnover is accompanied by slow treadmilling in highly dendritic Arp2/3 networks.
Web‐based LGBT cultural competency training intervention for oncologists: Pilot study results
Authors: Seay Julia , Hicks Amanda , Markham Merry Jennifer , Schlumbrecht Matthew , Bowman‐Curci Meghan , Woodard Jennifer , Duarte Luisa F. , Quinn Gwendolyn P. , Schabath Matthew B.
Published: September 2019

Background

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) cancer patients experience substantial health disparities, including poorer overall health and lower satisfaction with their cancer care than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts, which may be due in part to a lack of culturally competent providers. To address these disparities, a web‐based LGBT cultural competency training tailored to oncologists was developed by an interdisciplinary team of scientists, LGBT cancer survivors, cultural competency experts, oncologists, a web designer, and an instructional designer.

Methods

Oncologists (n = 44) were recruited from 3 academic cancer centers in Florida. Participants were administered the LGBT cultural competency training Curriculum for Oncologists on LGBT populations to Optimize Relevance and Skills (COLORS) and completed pre‐ and posttraining measures regarding LGBT‐related knowledge, attitudes (including general negative attitudes and health care–related attitudes), and clinical practices. After the training, participants completed training acceptability measures.

Results

Of the 44 participants, 33 (75%) completed the COLORS training. Participants were 55% non‐Hispanic white, 63% male, and had a mean age of 47 years. Participants demonstrated significant improvements in LGBT‐related knowledge (t = −4.9, P < .001), attitudes (Z = −3.0, P = .002; t = −2.5, P = .019), and clinical practices (Z = −3.5, P < .001) after completing the COLORS training (Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used for nonnormally distributed variables). Moreover, training acceptability was high, with 82% of participants rating the training as high quality, and 97% being willing to recommend the training to a colleague.

Conclusion

The COLORS training is both feasible to administer and acceptable for use with oncologists, and may improve oncologists' LGBT‐related knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practices. Larger trials are needed to examine the training's effectiveness in reducing LGBT cancer disparities, as well as its applicability to other types of care providers.
Synthesis of Monovalent N‐Acetylgalactosamine Phosphoramidite for Liver‐Targeting Oligonucleotides
Authors: Yamamoto Tsuyoshi , Terada Chisato , Kashiwada Koki , Yamayoshi Asako , Harada‐Shiba Mariko , Obika Satoshi
Published: September 2019

Ligand‐targeted drug delivery (LTDD) has emerged as an attractive option in the field of oligonucleotide drugs following the great success of N‐acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)–conjugated siRNA and antisense oligonucleotides. GalNAc is a well‐known ligand of the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR), and is classified as a C‐type lectin associated with the metabolism of desialylated glycoproteins. This article describes the synthesis of a non‐nucleosidic monovalent GalNAc phosphoramidite—a useful reagent for facilitating the conjugation of GalNAc epitopes into oligonucleotides using DNA synthesizers—together with some important caveats. The monomeric GalNAc consists of three parts: (1) a GalNAc moiety, (2) a linker moiety, and (3) a trans‐4‐hydroxyprolinol (tHP) branch point. The GalNAc moiety and the tHP moiety are coupled via a condensation reaction to prepare the monovalent GalNAc phosphoramidite. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Basic Protocol 1: Synthesis of N‐acetylgalactosamine ligand

Basic Protocol 2: Preparation of trans‐4‐hydroxyprolinol building block

Basic Protocol 3: Preparation of GalNAc phosphoramidite
Databases and Web Sites for Neurogenetics
Authors: Brody Thomas
Published: September 2019

The goal of neurogenetics is an understanding of the genetic basis of brain structure and function. Neurogenetics deals with multiple areas of investigation, including the genetic basis of neural induction, patterning, cell fate specification, neuron maturation, axonal and dendritic organization, synapse function, neural information processing, and learning and behavior. This appendix provides links to databases and other Web sites used by neurobiologists for discovery of information about genes and cellular networks involved in neural development and neuron function. Special care has been taken to curate sites involving model organisms, since great strides have been made using Drosophila and C. elegans for understanding neural development and function. Published 2019. U.S. Government.
Simple Method for Estimating the Surface Area of Layered Graphene‐Based Thin Films
Authors: Horn Michael R. , Williams Fraser , Dubal Deepak , MacLeod Jennifer , Motta Nunzio
Published: September 2019

Thin films, papers, or foils produced from graphene‐based materials have been the focus of considerable research interest in recent years. They have a range of applications including energy storage, selective filtration of liquids, and gas storage. For all of these applications, the critical attribute of the films is their pore volume. However, there remains a considerable challenge around characterizing the accessible microscopic surface area of the materials in their intended state of application. In this work, an image‐processing‐based approach is presented for estimating the lower threshold of specific surface area for graphene‐based films that have a typical multilayered structure. Canny edge detection is used together with tortuosity measurements to infer sheet areas from layer edges. The method serves as a simple independent characterization technique. Specific surface area values predicted for a range of similar films vary by less than 4× the reported values, which vary by >1.1×103in range.
A novel self‐healing key distribution scheme based on vector space access structure and MDS codes
Authors: Vadlamudi China Venkaiah , Vadlamudi Sesha Phani Deepika
Published: September 2019

Self‐healing group key distribution protocols are useful in applications that have a dynamic group structure. These include broadcast transmission systems and multicast networks such as pay‐per‐view television, embedded and sensor networks, and cellular and wireless networks. To cater to the requirements of these applications, several self‐healing group key distribution protocols are proposed in the literature. Many of these schemes are vulnerable to polynomial factorization or insider replay attacks. Some other schemes impose constraints on the users joining the group or revoked from the group. Motivated by these and other shortcomings of the existing schemes, we hereby propose a novel self‐healing group key distribution protocol. Some of the features of this scheme include that (a) the number and the set of revoked users is not constrained, (b) the communication group can consist of any set of users, and (c) a revoked user is allowed to rejoin the group in any of the later sessions. The scheme is analyzed for its security, and it is found to provide anywise forward and backward secrecy. It is also found to resist anywise collusion attack. Communication and computation complexity of the scheme is analyzed; while doing so, various possible realizations of the scheme is discussed. In addition to the theoretical analysis, the proposed scheme is experimentally verified for its correctness using OMNET++ network simulator.
Signal from the noise: model‐based interpretation of variable correspondence between active and passive samplers
Authors: Parkos Joseph J. , Kline Jeffrey L. , Trexler Joel C.
Published: September 2019

Combining information from active and passive sampling of mobile animals is challenging because active‐sampling data are affected by limited detection of rare or sparse taxa, while passive‐sampling data reflect both density and movement. We propose that a model‐based analysis allows information to be combined between these methods to interpret variation in the relationship between active estimates of density and passive measurements of catch per unit effort to yield novel information on activity rates (distance/time). We illustrate where discrepancies arise between active and passive methods and demonstrate the model‐based approach with seasonal surveys of fish assemblages in the Florida Everglades, where data are derived from concurrent sampling with throw traps, an enclosure‐type sampler producing point estimates of density, and drift fences with unbaited minnow traps that measure catch per unit effort (CPUE). We compared incidence patterns generated by active and passive sampling, used hierarchical Bayesian modeling to quantify the detection ability of each method, characterized interspecific and seasonal variation in the relationship between density and passively measuredCPUE, and used a predator encounter‐rate model to convert variableCPUE–density relationships into ecological information on activity rates. Activity rate information was used to compare interspecific responses to seasonal hydrology and to quantify spatial variation in non‐native fish activity. Drift fences had higher detection probabilities for rare and sparse species than throw traps, causing discrepancies in the estimated spatial distribution of non‐native species from passively measuredCPUEand actively measured density. Detection probability of the passive sampler, but not the active sampler, varied seasonally with changes in water depth. The relationship betweenCPUEand density was sensitive to fluctuating depth, with most species not having a proportional relationship betweenCPUEand density until seasonal declines in depth. Activity rate estimates revealed interspecific differences in response to declining depths and identified locations and species with high rates of activity. We propose that variation in catchability from methods that passively measureCPUEcan be sources of ecological information on activity. We also suggest that model‐based combining of data types could be a productive approach for analyzing correspondence of incidence and abundance patterns in other applications.
Survival of patients with chronic heart failure in the community: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Jones Nicholas R. , Roalfe Andrea K. , Adoki Ibiye , Hobbs F.D. Richard , Taylor Clare J.
Published: September 2019

Aim

To provide reliable survival estimates for people with chronic heart failure and explain variation in survival by key factors including age at diagnosis, left ventricular ejection fraction, decade of diagnosis, and study setting.

Methods and results

We searched in relevant databases from inception to August 2018 for non‐interventional studies reporting survival rates for patients with chronic or stable heart failure in any ambulatory setting. Across the 60 included studies, there was survival data for 1.5 million people with heart failure. In our random effects meta‐analyses the pooled survival rates at 1 month, 1, 2, 5 and 10 years were 95.7% (95% confidence interval 94.3–96.9), 86.5% (85.4–87.6), 72.6% (67.0–76.6), 56.7% (54.0–59.4) and 34.9% (24.0–46.8), respectively. The 5‐year survival rates improved between 1970–1979 and 2000–2009 across healthcare settings, from 29.1% (25.5–32.7) to 59.7% (54.7–64.6). Increasing age at diagnosis was significantly associated with a reduced survival time. Mortality was lowest in studies conducted in secondary care, where there were higher reported prescribing rates of key heart failure medications. There was significant heterogeneity among the included studies in terms of heart failure diagnostic criteria, participant co‐morbidities, and treatment rates.

Conclusion

These results can inform health policy and individual patient advanced care planning. Mortality associated with chronic heart failure remains high despite steady improvements in survival. There remains significant scope to improve prognosis through greater implementation of evidence‐based treatments. Further research exploring the barriers and facilitators to treatment is recommended.
Thermal Decomposition of Donor‐Stabilized Phosphinoborane PH2BH2NMe3: A Tensimetry Study
Authors: Butlak Alina V. , Kazakov Igor V. , Stauber Andreas , Hegen Oliver , Scheer Manfred , Pomogaeva Anna V. , Timoshkin Alexey Y.
Published: September 2019

Invited for the cover of this issue are the groups of Alexey Y. Timoshkin from St. Petersburg State University, Russia, and Manfred Scheer from University of Regensburg, Germany. The cover image shows the thermal decomposition of Lewis base stabilized phosphanylborane under different conditions.
Event‐scale floodplain accretion revealed through tree‐ring analysis of buried plains cottonwoods, Powder River, MT, USA
Authors: Metzger Tara L. , Pizzuto James E. , Trampush Shelia M. , Friedman Jonathan M. , Schook Derek M.
Published: September 2019

Six plains cottonwoods along the axis of a meander were excavated to determine if dendrochronology could identify the year and location of germination and date past overbank sedimentation events. Samples from all excavated trees showed clear anatomical changes associated with burial, including increased vessel size, decreased definition of annual ring boundaries, and decreased ring widths. Some of these burial signatures were created by deposition of only a few centimeters of sediment, and most burial events were detected by multiple samples from the same tree. Four of the trees germinated at or near the upper surfaces of bar deposits, while two germinated within thin overbank deposits draped over bar deposits, indicating that germination is closely associated with bars. Dates and inferred thicknesses of overbank sedimentation events are consistent with repeated topographic surveys and data obtained from cesium‐137 (137Cs) analyses. However, the record of overbank sedimentation extracted from the trees does not entirely reflect the history of past peak discharges documented by stream gaging, largely because individual trees are progressively less likely to be flooded through time as the river migrates farther away. Germination dates and locations closely track past positions of the river channel. Germination elevations and the elevations of the tops of point bars appear to be decreasing with time as the bend migrates, implying vertical incision by Powder River at a rate of 7.1 ± 4.3 mm/yr. The rate of floodplain growth determined by elevation changes decreases progressively through time, ultimately reaching an apparent plateau after 0.8–1.3 m of vertical accretion. While similar patterns of vertical accretion have previously been interpreted as resulting from decreasing flood probability with increasing floodplain elevation, distance from the channel is also a first‐order control on vertical floodplain growth. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Do financial incentives influence the hospitalization rate of nursing home residents? Evidence from Germany
Authors: Kümpel Christian
Published: September 2019

Efficient health‐care provision for nursing home residents is a concern in many OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries. This paper analyzes whether nursing homes respond to financial incentives when deciding whether to hospitalize their residents. In Germany, reimbursements for nursing homes are reduced after a defined number of days when a resident stays in a hospital instead of a nursing home. As a result of a federal law introduced in 2008, some German states had to change the point at which reimbursements to nursing homes are reduced so that reductions are made from Day 4 instead of Day 1 of a resident's absence. This exogenously raised an incentive for the nursing homes affected to hospitalize residents especially for an expected short‐term stay. This analysis exploits the introduction of the law in a difference‐in‐difference approach, using market‐wide German‐DRG files covering all hospital patients discharged from hospitals to nursing homes from 2007 to 2011. The results suggest an increase of approximately 11% in short‐term hospital stays as a consequence of the longer reimbursement period introduced by the law.
The influence of different intensity of treatment on hormonal markers of gonadal function in acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors
Authors: Krawczuk‐Rybak Maryna , Płonowski Marcin , Leszczyńska Elżbieta , Latoch Eryk , Sawicka‐Żukowska Małgorzata , Muszyńska‐Rosłan Katarzyna , Skalska‐Sadowska Jolanta , Wachowiak Jacek , Sga‐Pondel Dorota , Kazanowska Bernarda , Chybicka Alicja , Stachowicz‐Stencel Teresa , Stefanowicz Joanna , Malinowska Iwona , Matysiak Michał , Kotan Andrzej , Wysocki Mariusz , Pobudejska‐Pieniążek Aneta , Szczepański Teresa , Przybyszewski Borys , Badowska Wanda , Szymańska‐Miller Dorota , Kowalczyk Jerzy R. , Kamieńska Elżbieta , Urasiński Tomasz , Wawrzeńczyk Anna , Żelazowska‐Rutkowska Beata , Cylwik Bogdan
Published: September 2019

Anti‐cancer treatment in children can deteriorate gonadal function and affect future fertility. We analyzed the hormonal markers of gonadal function in adolescent leukemia survivors, treated in childhood with different levels of aggressiveness. We analyzed hormone levels in 69 adolescents and young adults, leukemia survivors stratified into standard (SR), intermediate (IR), and high (HR) risk groups, and in 80 healthy controls (38 men) at a similar age. We assessed follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and inhibin B in the whole group, testosterone in males, and E2 and anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) in females. Males classified into HR group presented, in comparison to control, higher levels of FSH, LH, lower inhibin B, and normal testosterone, whereas in SR and IR group, the hormonal values were comparable to the control. In females, in all risk groups, the levels of FSH, LH, E2, and inhibin B were comparable with the control, but the mean AMH levels were slightly lowered. We did not observe the effect of prophylactic cranial irradiation (12 or 18 Gy) or the time of treatment (before vs. during puberty) on hormone levels. In females, a positive correlation was found between the time interval after the end of treatment and AMH levels. Male leukemia survivors having undergone more intensive chemotherapy show the symptoms of disturbed spermatogenesis and need to be followed‐up in the future. Women, irrespective of the risk group, can develop the signs of preterm ovarian insufficiency. They should be informed about the impact of the treatment on gonadal function.
Diseases of renal function and bone metabolism after treatment for early onset cancer: A registry‐based study
Authors: Liuhto Niilo , Grönroos Marika H. , Malila Nea , Madanat‐Harjuoja Laura , Matomäki Jaakko , Lähteenmäki Päivi
Published: September 2019

Modern cancer therapy has led to a growing number of pediatric and young adult cancer survivors, who are prone to increased morbidities caused by the late effects of therapy. The aim of our study was to investigate pediatric and young adult cancer survivors' morbidity due to renal and bone metabolism diseases and especially to study bone metabolism in cancer survivors with renal disease. Patients were identified from the Finnish Cancer Registry, and the cohort consisted of 13,860, 5‐year survivors of cancer diagnosed below the age of 35 years. Healthy siblings were used as the comparison cohort. Information on the main outcomes was linked from the national Care Register for Health Care. Hazard ratios (HRs) comparing cancer survivors to siblings were calculated for various outcomes. The patient cohort was separated into two age groups, pediatric (0–19 years) and young adults (20–34 years). Significantly elevated HRs (p < 0.0001) in survivors were observed in both age groups for scoliosis (HR 1.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3–2.0), osteoporosis (HR 5.2, 95% CI 2.4–11.4), osteonecrosis (HR 12.7, 95% CI 5.4–29.7), nephritis (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.5–2.2) and kidney failure (HR 3.6, 95% CI 2.4–5.3) for all. For cancer survivors with a renal outcome, the risk for developing any outcome of bone metabolism was increased (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.4–3.6). These results show that pediatric and young adult cancer survivors have an elevated risk for long‐term, adverse outcomes related to renal function and bone metabolism. These results suggest follow‐up care for young cancer patients.
Vapor‐phase growth of high‐quality wafer‐scale two‐dimensional materials
Authors: Tong Xin , Liu Keli , Zeng Mengqi , Fu Lei
Published: September 2019

Emerging two‐dimensional (2D) materials have stimulated tremendous scientific and industrial interests due to their diverse and tunable physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. The scalable production of high‐quality wafer‐scale 2D materials has become significantly essential to bring us closer to practical industrial applications, particularly in electronic devices. Vapor‐phase growth provides attractive opportunities for the synthesis of large‐area and high‐quality 2D materials. In this review, we will emphasize vapor‐phase growth strategies from three aspects, including suppressing nucleation, seamless stitching, and evolutionary selection growth. We discuss the general understanding of the related fundamental mechanism and specific parameter optimization from precursors and substrate design to the adjusting of growth parameters (temperature and pressure). Meanwhile, we present other strategies to produce various kinds of wafer‐scale 2D materials. Finally, we conclude the current challenges and future directions in this developing field. This work may inspire researchers to better design routes in the synthesis of wafer‐scale 2D materials with high quality.
Functional analysis and treatment of self‐injurious feather plucking in a black vulture (Coragyps atratus)
Authors: Morris Kristen L. , Slocum Sarah K.
Published: September 2019

The etiology and maintenance of self‐injurious feather plucking (FP) have been attributed to biological and environmental processes, yet a definitive solution has not been found. The current study investigated the application of a functional analysis and function‐based treatment to reduce the FP of a black vulture (Coragyps atratus). FP was found to be maintained by positive reinforcement in the form of contingent attention. A treatment consisting of noncontingent reinforcement decreased FP, and levels of FP remained low during schedule thinning. The current study further demonstrates the validity of function‐based assessment and treatment with captive animals.
Comparison of the Genedia MTB/NTM Detection Kit and Anyplex plus MTB/NTM Detection Kit for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and nontuberculous mycobacteria in clinical specimens
Authors: Kim Jihoon , Choi Qute , Kim Jong Wan , Kim Seon Young , Kim Hyun Jin , Park Yumi , Kwon Gye Cheol , Koo Sun Hoe
Published: September 2019

Background

Real‐time (RT) PCR is a rapid and accurate method that is widely used for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB). The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the performance of the Genedia MTB/NTM Detection Kit and the Anyplex plus MTB/NTM Detection kit in the detection of MTB and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in clinical specimens.

Methods

From October 2017 to February 2018, 236 respiratory specimens and 137 non‐respiratory specimens, from patients with suspected tuberculosis, were examined. AFB smear, culture, and RT‐PCR using the Genedia MTB/NTM Detection kit (Green Cross Medical Science Corp.) and the Anyplex plus MTB/NTM Detection kit (Seegene) were applied. PCR performance in the detection of MTB and NTM was evaluated in relation to culture results and between the two assays.

Results

Culture was positive for MTB in 30 (8.0%) of the 373 specimens and for NTM in 23 (6.2%). The sensitivity and specificity of MTB detection with the Genedia kit were 76.7% and 99.7%, respectively, whereas the Anyplex kit sensitivity and specificity for MTB detection were 86.7% and 97.5%, respectively. Both kits exhibited the same sensitivity (73.9%) for NTM detection, and the specificity was 100% and 99.4% for the Genedia and Anyplex kits, respectively.

Conclusions

The Genedia and Anyplex kits demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of MTB and NTM. Both kits have a high concordance rate and can be used more widely in clinical laboratories for the early detection of tuberculosis.
Sarcopenia: A Time for Action. An SCWD Position Paper
Authors: Bauer Juergen , Morley John E. , Schols Annemie M.W.J. , Ferrucci Luigi , Cruz‐Jentoft Alfonso J. , Dent Elsa , Baracos Vickie E. , Crawford Jeffrey A. , Doehner Wolfram , Heymsfield Steven B. , Jatoi Aminah , Kalantar‐Zadeh Kamyar , Lainscak Mitja , Landi Francesco , Laviano Alessandro , Mancuso Michelangelo , Muscaritoli Maurizio , Prado Carla M. , Strasser Florian , von Haehling Stephan , Coats Andrew J.S. , Anker Stefan D.
Published: September 2019

The term sarcopenia was introduced in 1988. The original definition was a “muscle loss” of the appendicular muscle mass in the older people as measured by dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). In 2010, the definition was altered to be low muscle mass together with low muscle function and this was agreed upon as reported in a number of consensus papers. The Society of Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders supports the recommendations of more recent consensus conferences, i.e. that rapid screening, such as with the SARC‐F questionnaire, should be utilized with a formal diagnosis being made by measuring grip strength or chair stand together with DXA estimation of appendicular muscle mass (indexed for height2). Assessments of the utility of ultrasound and creatine dilution techniques are ongoing. Use of ultrasound may not be easily reproducible. Primary sarcopenia is aging associated (mediated) loss of muscle mass. Secondary sarcopenia (or disease‐related sarcopenia) has predominantly focused on loss of muscle mass without the emphasis on muscle function. Diseases that can cause muscle wasting (i.e. secondary sarcopenia) include malignant cancer, COPD, heart failure, and renal failure and others. Management of sarcopenia should consist of resistance exercise in combination with a protein intake of 1 to 1.5 g/kg/day. There is insufficient evidence that vitamin D and anabolic steroids are beneficial. These recommendations apply to both primary (age‐related) sarcopenia and secondary (disease related) sarcopenia. Secondary sarcopenia also needs appropriate treatment of the underlying disease. It is important that primary care health professionals become aware of and make the diagnosis of age‐related and disease‐related sarcopenia. It is important to address the risk factors for sarcopenia, particularly low physical activity and sedentary behavior in the general population, using a life‐long approach. There is a need for more clinical research into the appropriate measurement for muscle mass and the management of sarcopenia. Accordingly, this position statement provides recommendations on the management of sarcopenia and how to progress the knowledge and recognition of sarcopenia.
Metagenomic insights into the microbial community and biogas production pattern during anaerobic digestion of cow dung and mixed food waste
Authors: Mukhuba Mashudu , Roopnarain Ashira , Moeletsi Mokhele Edmond , Adeleke Rasheed
Published: September 2019

BACKGROUND

The uncontrolled overproduction of fruit and vegetable waste causes serious environmental challenges such as emission of greenhouse gases. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is becoming a widely adopted technology for treatment of food waste with the concomitant production of biogas. This study investigated the link between microbial community structure and biogas production when using cow dung and mixed fruit and vegetable waste (MFVW) as substrates.

RESULTS

Semi‐continuous stir tank reactors were used for AD of cow dung and MFVW over a period of 40 days. The highest accumulative methane yield (112.9 L) was obtained from co‐ digestion, intermediate yield (59.5 L) was obtained from cow dung and lowest yield (6.1 L) from MFVW at the end of the digestion experiment. Polymerase chain reaction‐denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR‐DGGE) revealed higher bacterial and archaeal diversity indices in co‐digestion in comparison to mono‐digestion of cow dung and MFVW. High‐throughput sequence analyses showed that operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to the phyla Bacteroidetes, followed by Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were dominant in all treatments.

CONCLUSION

The results of the study demonstrated that the enhanced methane production in co‐digestion could be attributed to the neutral pH and partial shift of archaea from Methanosaeta to Methanosarcina rich communities. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Dependence of the anticancer activity of 1,3‐oxazole derivatives on the donor/acceptor nature of his substitues
Authors: Kachaeva Maryna V. , Hodyna Diana M. , Obernikhina Nataliya V. , Pilyo Stepan G. , Kovalenko Yulia S. , Prokopenko Volodymyr M. , Kachkovsky Oleksiy D. , Brovarets Volodymyr S.
Published: September 2019

A series of new 1,3‐oxazole derivatives, containing in position 5 both donor and acceptor substituents were synthesized. These substances were considered as potentially active anticancer pharmacophores in the human tumor cell line panel derived from nine cancer types, including lung, colon, melanoma, renal, ovarian, brain, leukemia, breast, and prostate. Primary in vitro one‐dose anticancer screening was shown that compounds with acceptor substituents (such as –C(O)OMe, –CN) in the position 5 inhibit the growth of most cell lines, and compounds with donor substituents (such as –NHR, −SR) in the position 5 do not practically inhibit the growth of cancer cell lines. It can be assumed that the pharmacological activity of 1,3‐oxazole derivatives depends on donor/acceptor nature of the substituents in position 5. It was proposed to evaluate the donor/acceptor ability of 1,3‐oxazole derivatives using the special parameter φ0, which takes into account the relative position of the boundary levels (HOMO end LUMO). The quantum‐chemical modeling was performed; the special parameter φ0 for 1,3‐oxazole derivatives correlates with the experimental results. Quantum‐chemical calculations of the special parameter φ0 allow modeling the pharmacological activity of 1,3‐oxazole derivatives by introducing donor or acceptor substituents at position 2 or 5. This work may be useful for chemists to develop a target synthesis of potential biologically active compounds.
Deep eutectic solvent an efficient reaction medium for the synthesis of chromeno pyrazolo and indazolo phthalazine derivatives
Authors: Patil Audumbar , Lohar Trushant , Mane Ananda , Kamat Siddharth , Salunkhe Rajashri
Published: September 2019

The volatile, harmful and hazardous solvents have impact on human health, all organisms and environment. To reduce the use of hazardous volatile solvents, there is need to develop the alternative green reaction medium for organic transformations and is the main goal of green chemistry. The green solvent should be nonvolatile, nontoxic, biodegradable and biorenewable. Considering these parameters, herein, we have reported an efficient and environmentally benign green synthesis of chromeno pyrazolo and indazolo phthalazine derivatives in deep eutectic solvent. The present protocol contains excellent yield of the product, short reaction time, operation simplicity, reusability of solvent and no need of further purification.
Frontline Science: Low regulatory T cells predict perioperative major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events after noncardiac surgery
Authors: Scholz Anna S. , Handke Jessica , Gillmann Hans-Jörg , Zhang Qinya , Dehne Sarah , Janssen Henrike , Arens Christoph , Espeter Florian , Sander Anja , Giannitsis Evangelos , Uhle Florian , Weigand Markus A. , Motsch Johann , Larmann Jan
Published: September 2019

Immune cells drive atherosclerotic lesion progression and plaque destabilization. Coronary heart disease patients undergoing noncardiac surgery are at risk for perioperative major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). It is unclear whether differential leukocyte subpopulations contribute to perioperative MACCE and thereby could aid identification of patients prone to perioperative cardiovascular events. First, we performed a hypothesis-generating post hoc analysis of the LeukoCAPE-1 study (n = 38). We analyzed preoperative counts of 6 leukocyte subpopulations in coronary heart disease patients for association with MACCE (composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, myocardial ischemia, myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery, thromboembolic stroke) within 30 d after surgery. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) were the only leukocyte subgroup associated with MACCE. We found reduced Tregs in patients experiencing MACCE versus no-MACCE (0.02 [0.01; 0.03] vs. 0.04 [0.03; 0.05] Tregs nl−1, P = 0.002). Using Youden index, we derived the optimal threshold value for association with MACCE to be 0.027 Tregs nl−1. Subsequently, we recruited 233 coronary heart disease patients for the prospective, observational LeukoCAPE-2 study and independently validated this Treg cutoff for prediction of MACCE within 30 d after noncardiac surgery. After multivariate logistic regression, Tregs < 0.027 cells nl−1 remained an independent predictor for MACCE (OR = 2.54 [1.22; 5.23], P = 0.012). Tregs improved risk discrimination of the revised cardiac risk index based on ΔAUC (area under the curve; ΔAUC = 0.09, P = 0.02), NRI (0.26), and IDI (0.06). Preoperative Treg levels below 0.027 cells nl−1 predicted perioperative MACCE and can be measured to increase accuracy of established preoperative cardiac risk stratification in coronary heart disease patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.