bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combination Bone Replacement Graft with Dense Polytetrafluoroethylene Barrier Membrane for Treatment of an Infrabony Periodontal Defect
Authors: Capetillo Joseph F. , Coleman Brandon G. , Johnson Thomas M.
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Patient‐, site‐, and procedure‐related factors important for successful periodontal regeneration have been defined in the periodontics literature by insightful clinician‐researchers. Prevention of bacterial contamination of the surgical site through careful wound closure and meticulous postoperative care is a critical procedure‐related factor necessary for periodontal regeneration. Dense polytetrafluoroethylene (dPTFE) is a nonresorbable barrier material that may protect bone replacement grafts (BRG) against bacterial contamination for a short period during early wound healing if membrane exposure occurs.

Case Presentation

A 35‐year‐old African American female with a deep/narrow infrabony periodontal defect and Hamp degree I furcation involvement at tooth #14 (mesial) underwent combination BRG/guided tissue regeneration (GTR) using a mineralized/demineralized freeze‐dried bone allograft and a dPTFE barrier membrane. Favorable clinical and radiographic outcomes were noted nine months following the procedure.

Conclusions

Two reports evaluating clinical parameters following use of dPTFE membranes for GTR appear in the literature. The present case provides clinical and radiographic outcome assessments following combination BRG/GTR using a dPTFE membrane. This material may be of interest for periodontal regeneration due to an ability to temporarily limit bacterial influence if membrane exposure occurs.
Establishment of an in ovo chick embryo yolk sac membrane (YSM) assay for pilot screening of potential angiogenic and anti‐angiogenic agents
Authors: AS Muhammad Nihad , Deshpande Rucha , Kale Vaijayanti P. , Bhonde Ramesh R. , Datar Savita P.
Published: August 2018

Angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel formation from pre‐existing vessels, is essential for growth and development. Development of drugs that can accelerate or decelerate angiogenesis in the context of various diseases requires appropriate preclinical screening. As angiogenesis involves complex cellular and molecular processes, in vivo studies are superior to in vitro investigations. Conventional in vitro, in vivo, and ex ovo models of angiogenesis are time consuming and tedious, and require sophisticated infrastructure for embryo culture. In the present study, we established an in ovo chick embryo yolk sac membrane (YSM) assay for angiogenesis and tested the angiogenic potential of arginine, conditioned medium (CM) from human adipose tissue and placenta‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs‐CM and PDMSCs‐CM), avastin and vitamin C. The obtained results were confirmed with the routinely employed chick embryo Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) assay. Both assays revealed the pro‐angiogenic nature of arginine, ADMSCs‐CM, and PDMSCs‐CM, and the anti‐angiogenic effect of avastin and vitamin C. This novel in ovo YSM model is simple, reproducible, and highly economic in terms of the time frame and cost incurred. The proposed model is thus a suitable substitute to the CAM model for pilot screening of potential angiogenic and anti‐angiogenic agents.
Ammonia Synthesis from Electrocatalytic N2 Reduction under Ambient Conditions by Fe2O3 Nanorods
Authors: Xiang Xiaojiao , Wang Zao , Shi Xifeng , Fan Meikun , Sun Xuping
Published: August 2018

The conventional Haber‐Bosch process for industrial ammonia production from N2 and H2 is not only energy‐intensive but also releases a large amount of CO2. The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is regarded as a sustainable and environmentally‐benign alternative approach for NH3 production under ambient conditions. In this communication, it is reported that Fe2O3 nanorods act as an efficient electrocatalyst for the NRR. In 0.1 M Na2SO4, it attains a Faradic efficiency of 0.94 % and NH3 yield of 15.9 μg h−1 mg−1cat. at −0.8 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode. Furthermore, this catalyst also shows good stability during electrolysis and recycling tests.
Insulin‐responsive autonomic neurons in rat medulla oblongata
Authors: Senthilkumaran M. , Bobrovskaya L. , Verberne A. J. M. , Llewellyn‐Smith I. J.
Published: August 2018

Low blood glucose activates brainstem adrenergic and cholinergic neurons, driving adrenaline secretion from the adrenal medulla and glucagon release from the pancreas. Despite their roles in maintaining glucose homeostasis, the distributions of insulin‐responsive adrenergic and cholinergic neurons in the medulla are unknown. We fasted rats overnight and gave them insulin (10 U/kg i.p.) or saline after 2 weeks of handling. Blood samples were collected before injection and before perfusion at 90 min. We immunoperoxidase‐stained transverse sections of perfused medulla to show Fos plus either phenylethanolamine N‐methyltransferase (PNMT) or choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). Insulin injection lowered blood glucose from 4.9 ± 0.3 mmol/L to 1.7 ± 0.2 mmol/L (mean ± SEM; n = 6); saline injection had no effect. In insulin‐treated rats, many PNMT‐immunoreactive C1 neurons had Fos‐immunoreactive nuclei, with the proportion of activated neurons being highest in the caudal part of the C1 column. In the rostral ventrolateral medulla, 33.3% ± 1.4% (n = 8) of C1 neurons were Fos‐positive. Insulin also induced Fos in 47.2% ± 2.0% (n = 5) of dorsal medullary C3 neurons and in some C2 neurons. In the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV), insulin evoked Fos in many ChAT‐positive neurons. Activated neurons were concentrated in the medial and middle regions of the DMV beneath and just rostral to the area postrema. In control rats, very few C1, C2, or C3 neurons and no DMV neurons were Fos‐positive. The high numbers of PNMT‐immunoreactive and ChAT‐immunoreactive neurons that express Fos after insulin treatment reinforce the importance of these neurons in the central response to a decrease in glucose bioavailability.
A conceptual framework for preventing aggression in elementary schools
Authors: Ellis Alan R.
Published: August 2018

Pervasive physical conflict generates negative outcomes. This paper (a) thoroughly describes the problem of early aggression, (b) identifies emotion regulation (ER) and social information processing (SIP) skills as targets for aggression prevention, and (c) locates skills training within a new conceptual framework. According to this framework, prevention programs should teach ER and SIP skills early and should target contextual factors. Multiple professions are well positioned to intervene using existing tools. Aggression prevention research should consider both emotion and cognition, improve measurement and study design, and incorporate theories that address skill development as well as the social justice implications of aggression prevention.
The engagement of auditors in the reporting of corporate social responsibility information
Authors: Pucheta‐Martínez María Consuelo , Bel‐Oms Inmaculada , Rodrigues Lúcia Lima
Published: August 2018

In this research, we aim to examine how large auditing firms and audit/non‐audit fees affect corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure. We show that the big four auditing firms and the audit and non‐audit fees paid by audited firms encourage CSR reporting. Overall, our findings suggest that big auditing firms play a relevant role in CSR disclosure, which may help to mitigate informative asymmetries between managers and stakeholders. Furthermore, audit and non‐audit fees paid by audited companies promote voluntary non‐financial information disclosure. These findings should be of interest to policymakers given the relevant role that CSR disclosure may play in the decision‐making processes of all stakeholders.
High‐Salt Exposure During Perinatal Development Enhances Stress Sensitivity
Authors: Dingess Paige M. , Thakar Amit , Zhang Zhaojie , Flynn Francis W. , Brown Travis E.
Published: August 2018

Excess consumption of dietary sodium during pregnancy has been shown to impair offspring cardiovascular function and enhance salt preference in adulthood, but little is known regarding the long‐term impact of this nutritional surplus on offspring brain morphology and behavior. Using a combination of cellular and behavioral approaches, we examined the impact of maternal salt intake during the perinatal period on structural plasticity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) in weanling and adult offspring as well as reward‐ and stress‐driven behaviors in adult offspring. We found that weanling rats born to 4% NaCl‐fed dams exhibited an increase and decrease in thin spine density in the infralimbic PFC (IL‐PFC) and prelimbic PFC (PL‐PFC), respectively, as well as an increase in mushroom spine density in the NAc shell, compared to 1% NaCl‐fed controls. Structural changes in the IL‐PFC and NAc shell persisted into adulthood, the latter of which is a phenotype that has been observed in rats exposed to early life stress. There was no effect of maternal salt intake on reward‐driven behaviors, including sucrose preference, conditioned place preference (CPP) for cocaine, and forced swim stress (FSS)‐induced reinstatement of cocaine‐induced CPP. However, rats born to high‐salt fed dams spent less time swimming in the FSS and displayed heightened plasma CORT levels in response to the FSS compared to controls, suggesting that early salt exposure increases stress sensitivity. Overall, our results suggest that perinatal salt exposure evokes lasting impacts on offspring physiology and behavior.
Testing the AC/DC hypothesis: Rock and roll is noise pollution and weakens a trophic cascade
Authors: Barton Brandon T. , Hodge Mariah E. , Speights Cori J. , Autrey Anna M. , Lashley Marcus A. , Klink Vincent P.
Published: August 2018

Anthropogenic sound is increasingly considered a major environmental issue, but its effects are relatively unstudied. Organisms may be directly affected by anthropogenic sound in many ways, including interference with their ability to detect mates, predators, or food, and disturbances that directly affect one organism may in turn have indirect effects on others. Thus, to fully appreciate the net effect of anthropogenic sound, it may be important to consider both direct and indirect effects. We report here on a series of experiments to test the hypothesis that anthropogenic sound can generate cascading indirect effects within a community. We used a study system of lady beetles, soybean aphids, and soybean plants, which are a useful model for studying the direct and indirect effects of global change on food webs. For sound treatments, we used several types of music, as well as a mix of urban sounds (e.g., sirens, vehicles, and construction equipment), each at volumes comparable to a busy city street or farm tractor. In 18‐hr feeding trials, rock music and urban sounds caused lady beetles to consume fewer aphids, but other types of music had no effect even at the same volume. We then tested the effect of rock music on the strength of trophic cascades in a 2‐week experiment in plant growth chambers. When exposed to music by AC/DC, who articulated the null hypothesis that “rock and roll ain't noise pollution” in a song of the same name, lady beetles were less effective predators, resulting in higher aphid density and reduced final plant biomass relative to control (no music) treatments. While it is unclear what characteristics of sound generate these effects, our results reject the AC/DC hypothesis and demonstrate that altered interspecific interactions can transmit the indirect effects of anthropogenic noise through a community.
Nitric Oxide Detection Using Electrochemical Third‐generation Biosensors – Based on Heme Proteins and Porphyrins
Authors: Gomes Filipa O. , Maia Luísa B. , Cordas Cristina , Delerue‐Matos Cristina , Moura Isabel , Moura José J. G. , Morais Simone
Published: August 2018

Nitric oxide radical (NO) is a signalling molecule involved in virtually all forms of life. Its relevance has been leading to the development of different analytical methodologies to assess the temporal and spatial fluxes of NO under the complex biological milieu. Third‐generation electrochemical biosensors are promising tools for in loco and in vivo NO quantification and, over the past years, heme proteins and porphyrins have been used in their design. Since there are some limitations with the biorecognition element directly adsorbed onto the electrode surface, nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles, etc.) and polymers (cellulose, chitosan, nafion®, polyacrylamide, among others) have been explored to achieve high kinetics and better biosensor performance. In this review, a broad overview of the field of electrochemical third‐generation biosensors for NO electroanalysis is presented, discussing their main characteristics and aiming new outlooks and advances in this field.
Mixed Alkanolamine‐Polyethylenimine Functionalized Silica for CO2 capture
Authors: Fan Yanfang , Rezaei Fateme , Yang Xiaomei
Published: August 2018

High amine efficiency amine‐modified silica adsorbents with fast adsorption rates have been developed by adding amine species including hydroxyl groups into polyethyleneimine (PEI)‐loaded mesoporous silica for CO2 capture. Two amine species of diethanolamine (DEA) and 3‐amino‐1,2‐propanediol (AP) including hydroxyl groups were introduced into PEI to reduce the CO2 diffusion resistance and increase the active CO2 adsorption sites. The DEA promoted adsorbents were found to exhibit much higher adsorption capacity than AP promoted adsorbents. Through tuning the ratio of PEI to DEA in amine mixture during adsorbent impregnation step, a threshold value of PEI/DEA weight ratio (∼50 : 50) was found, where the maximum CO2 capacity of 2.93 mmol/g was achieved under dry CO2 at 35 °C.The adsorption capacity for this newly synthesized adsorbent increased by 50 % in comparison to PEI‐silica materials. Their amine efficiency was 0.40 mol CO2/mol N, which was more than twice than that of PEI‐silica (0.17 mol CO2/mol N). Under simulated humid flue gas conditions, the DEA promoted adsorbents had a CO2 breakthrough capacity qb of 1.57 mmol/g and a CO2 capacity q50 of 2.49 mmol/g. Such adsorbents possess good reversibility and the adsorption capacity is nearly stable after two adsorption‐desorption cycles. The synthesis methodology reported in this investigation proves to be an efficient strategy to develop highly efficient amine‐impregnated adsorbents.
Developing low temperature recovery technology of waste heat in automobile factory
Authors: Chang Dong‐Shang , Cheng Kun‐Ping , Wang Rouwen
Published: August 2018

The painting operation is an important process in automobile manufacturing process, which not only consumes considerable amount of energy but also affects the environment through the flue gases emitted during the process. A case study in Taiwan was conducted on developing an innovative low‐temperature recovery technology of waste heat automobile industry. The high frequency welding segment technology was built on the site to extract heat close to an acid dew point. When the ambient temperature is changed substantially, the fins and heat pipes are solidly connected to maintain the performance of the heat exchanger. Moreover, the hot water obtained from the waste heat recovery is delivered to pretreatment heating tank the painting shop directly. By improving the energy efficiency on heat transfer, the proposed recovery technology of waste heat in automobile factory has been justified with having the performance 69% higher than conventional design. In order to reduce the effect of CO2 emission on the environmental impact, the temperature at the end of the flue gases is further decreased from 160°C to 110°C. The cost benefit analysis reveals that the payback year is 2.8 years. The innovative heat recovery technology contributes to energy conservation and environmental sustainability.
Energy efficient and fair resource allocation for LTE‐unlicensed uplink networks: A two‐sided matching approach with partial information
Authors: Gao Yuan , Hu Haonan , Wu Yue , Chu Xiaoli , Zhang Jie
Published: August 2018

Long‐Term Evolution–unlicensed (LTE‐U) has recently attracted worldwide interest to meet the explosion in cellular traffic data. By using carrier aggregation, licensed and unlicensed bands are integrated to enhance transmission capacity while maintaining reliable and predictable performance. As there may exist other conventional unlicensed band users, such as WiFi users, LTE‐U users have to share the same unlicensed bands with them. Thus, an optimized resource allocation scheme to ensure the fairness between LTE‐U users and conventional unlicensed band users is critical for the deployment of LTE‐U networks. In this paper, we investigate an energy efficient resource allocation problem in LTE‐U coexisting with other wireless networks, which aims at guaranteeing fairness among the users of different radio access networks. We formulate the problem as a multiobjective optimization problem and propose a semidistributed matching framework with a partial information‐based algorithm to solve it. We demonstrate our contributions with simulations in which various network densities and traffic load levels are considered.
Assessment of dietary pattern and nutritional status of undergraduate students in a private university in southern Nigeria
Authors: Omage Kingsley , Omuemu Vivian O.
Published: August 2018

Background

Analysis of dietary patterns gives a more comprehensive impression of the food consumption habits within a population. Poor dietary habits among undergraduate students have been reported as a lifestyle challenge they face while in school. This study was carried out to assess the dietary pattern and nutritional status of undergraduate students in Igbinedion University, Okada.

Methodology

This study applied a cross‐sectional, descriptive study design and 800 undergraduate students selected by multistage sampling method participated in the study. Data were collected using pretested, structured self‐administered questionnaires and anthropometric measurements were obtained. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical package (version 22.0) and level of significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results

Mean age of respondents was 23.5 ± 2.4 years, with a higher proportion being females (468; 58.5%). Over half of the respondents 448 (56.0%) skipped breakfast and 608 (76.0%) ate in between meals. More females 280 (59.8%) compared to males 168 (50.6%) skipped breakfast and the association between gender of respondents and breakfast skipping was statistically significant (p < 0.010). Majority of the respondents 744 (93.0%) ate snacks and the association between age group and snacking status of respondents was statistically significant (p < 0.034). Three hundred and ninety‐two (49.0%) of the respondents had high dietary diversity score while 212 (26.5%) had low dietary diversity score. The association between age group and dietary diversity was statistically significant (p < 0.001). More males 172 (51.8%) had a significantly (p < 0.004) higher dietary diversity score compared to the females 220 (47.0%). Over two‐thirds of the respondents 564 (70.5%) had normal BMI, 112 (14.0%) were overweight, and 76 (9.5%) were underweight.

Conclusion

Skipping of breakfast and eating in‐between meals are common among the study population. Regular nutrition education program by the institution with emphasis on adequate dietary practices is recommended.
Determination of physical and mechanical properties of carrot in order to reduce waste during harvesting and post‐harvesting
Authors: Jahanbakhshi Ahmad , Abbaspour‐Gilandeh Yousef , Gundoshmian Tarahom Mesri
Published: August 2018

Lack of sufficient knowledge about the physical and mechanical properties of agricultural products can result in higher waste of them. Due to the importance of carrot as an agricultural product and lack of much knowledge about how to reduce its waste as well as design and optimize the required harvest and postharvest machinery, this research study was carried out to fill this gap. In this study, physical properties included the length, width, thickness, mean diameter (geometric and arithmetic), mass, volume, density, sphericity, surface area, aspect ratio. The mechanical properties of the samples and their lengths were measured under the conditions of pressure (bruise), bending (break), and shearing of the carrot halves using a Zwick/Roell Instron testing machine based on the recommended standards. The mean geometric mean diameter, surface area, sphericity, volume and true density of the carrot were 49.54 mm, 7758.32 mm2, 0.32%, 70 cm3, and 1.04 g/cm3. In the study of mechanical properties of carrots, the maximum forces required for bruising, bending, and shearing of the carrot fruit were 71.90, 48.60, and 41.14 N, respectively. The results obtained about the physical and mechanical properties can be very useful in reducing carrot waste and mechanizing harvest and postharvest operations by providing us with information that helps us design machinery needed to transfer, sort, separate, wash, package, store, and process carrots.
Physicochemical and nutritional properties of extrudates from food grade distiller's dried grains, garbanzo flour, and corn grits
Authors: Singha Poonam , Singh Sushil K. , Muthukumarappan Kasiviswanathan , Krishnan Padmanaban
Published: August 2018

Distiller's dried grains and garbanzo flour were blended with corn grits for the development of extruded snacks using a single screw extruder. Distiller's dried grains were processed for food application and termed as food grade distiller's dried grains or FDDG. Effects of different level of FDDG addition (0%–20%) and extrusion process parameters such as barrel and die temperature (100–140°C), screw speed (100–200 rpm), and feed moisture content (14%–20% wet basis) on the physical properties (expansion ratio, bulk density, color parameters), functional properties (water absorption and solubility indices), and nutritional properties (total dietary fiber, soluble and insoluble dietary fiber and protein content) of the extrudates were investigated and optimized using response surface methodology. FDDG incorporation had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the total dietary fiber, color parameters, water solubility, and water absorption indices of the extruded snacks. Desirable expanded extrudates with a high level of total dietary fiber and protein were obtained with blends containing 20% FDDG extruded at 140°C extrusion temperature, 167 rpm screw speed, and 19% feed moisture content. Results indicate garbanzo flour, and FDDG can be successfully blended with corn grits to produce nutritious gluten‐free extruded snacks which are high in protein and dietary fiber.
Deactivation of porous aluminum fluoride‐supported noble metallic catalysts used in the hydrodechlorination of 1‐chloroheptafluorocylopentene
Authors: Qing Feiyao , Zhang Chengping , Quan Hengdao
Published: August 2018

Porous aluminum fluoride‐supported noble metallic catalysts used for hydrodechlorination were investigated in the hydrodechlorination of 1‐chloroheptafluorocylopentene (F7‐1). The catalysts. Rh/porous aluminum fluoride (PAF) and Ru/PA.F were deactivated, and the activities of Pd/PAF and Pt/PAF reduced within 100 h. The above catalysts were characterized by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The characterization results indicated that the formation of noble metal chlorides, loss of active components, and carbonaceous deposition are the major causes of activity reduction or catalyst deactivation. The formation of aluminum chlorofluoride is also likely to have led to the decrease in the selectivity of the 1,1,2,2,3,3,4‐heptafluorocyclopentane (F7A) catalyst. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tracking Fenestrae Dynamics in Live Murine Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells
Authors: Zapotoczny Bartlomiej , Szafranska Karolina , Kus Edyta , Braet Filip , Wisse Eddie , Chlopicki Stefan , Szymonski Marek
Published: August 2018

The fenestrae of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) allow passive transport of solutes, macromolecules, and particulate material between the sinusoidal lumen and the liver parenchymal cells. Until recently, fenestrae and fenestrae‐associated structures were mainly investigated using electron microscopy on chemically fixed LSECs. Hence, the knowledge about their dynamic properties has remained to date largely elusive. Recent progress in atomic force microscopy (AFM) has allowed the study of live cells in three dimensions (X, Y, and Z) over a prolonged time (t) and this at unprecedented speeds and resolving power. Hence, we employed the latest advances in AFM imaging on living LSECs. As a result, we were able to monitor the position, size, and number of fenestrae and sieve plates using four‐dimensional AFM (X, Y, Z, and t) on intact LSECs in vitro. During these time‐lapse experiments, dynamic data were collected on the origin and morphofunctional properties of the filtration apparatus of LSECs. We present structural evidence on single laying and grouped fenestrae, thereby elucidating their dynamic nature from formation to disappearance. We also collected data on the life span of fenestrae. More especially, the formation and closing of entire sieve plates were observed, and how the continuous rearrangement of sieve plates affects the structure of fenestrae within them was recorded. We observed also the dawn and rise of fenestrae‐forming centers and defenestration centers in LSECs under different experimental conditions. Conclusion: Utilizing a multimodal biomedical high‐resolution imaging technique we collected fine structural information on the life span, formation, and disappearance of LSEC fenestrae; by doing so, we also gathered evidence on three different pathways implemented in the loss of fenestrae that result in defenestrated LSECs.
Assessment of chronic low-dose elemental and radiological exposures of biota at the Kanab North uranium mine site in the Grand Canyon watershed
Authors: Cleveland Danielle , Hinck Jo Ellen , Lankton Julia S
Published: August 2018

High-grade U ore deposits are in various stages of exploitation across the Grand Canyon watershed, yet the effects of U mining on ecological and cultural resources are largely unknown. We characterized the concentrations of Al, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Hg, Mo, Ni, Se, Ag, Tl, Th, U, and Zn, gross alpha and beta activities, and U and Th radioisotopes in soil, vegetation (Hesperostipa comata, Artemisia tridentata, Tamarix chinensis), and rodents (Peromyscus maniculatus, P. boylii) to waste material at the Kanab North mine, a mine with decades-long surficial contamination, and compared the concentrations (P < 0.01) to those at a premining site (Canyon Mine). Rodent tissues were also analyzed for radium-226 and microscopic lesions. Radioactivities and some elemental concentrations (e.g., Co, Pb, U) were greater in the Kanab North mine biological samples than in Canyon Mine biota, indicating a mining-related elemental signature. Mean rodent Ra-226 (111 Bq/kg dry weight [dry wt]) was 3 times greater than expected, indicating radioactive disequilibrium. Multiple soil sample U concentrations exceeded a screening benchmark, growth inhibition thresholds for sensitive plants, and an EC20 for a soil arthropod. Lesions associated with metals exposure were also observed more frequently in rodents at Kanab North than those at Canyon Mine but could not be definitively attributed to U mining. Our results indicate that Kanab North biota have taken up U mining-related elements owing to chronic exposure to surficial contamination. However, no literature-based effects thresholds for small rodents were exceeded, and only a few soil and vegetation thresholds for sensitive species were exceeded; therefore, adverse effects to biota from U mining-related elements at Kanab North are unlikely despite chronic exposure. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;15:112–125. Published 2018. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE: IMPACT OF CAPACITY BUILDING, INDIA
Authors: Kakumanu Krishna Reddy , Kaluvai Yella Reddy , Balasubramanian M. , Nagothu Udaya Sekhar , Kotapati Gurava Reddy , Karanam Sunitha
Published: August 2018

Climate change adversely affects the determinants of agriculture. Adaptation serves as an important strategy to reduce the adverse effects of climate change (variability) and vulnerability of the people. Adaptation through an innovation programme was implemented for 4 years during 2012–2016 to improve the adaptive capacity in agriculture and the water sectors through capacity building and implementation in the Krishna River Basin, India. Primary data were collected from 178 farm households of the Nagarjuna Sagar Project command area covering both adopters and non‐adopters of water‐saving interventions from the study area. The double difference method was used to analyse the impact of adaptation through capacity building and implementation. The water‐saving interventions include alternate wetting and drying (AWD) in rice, a modified system of rice intensification (MSRI) and direct seeding of rice (DSR). The capacity building and water saving increased crop yields by 0.96, 0.93 and 0.77 t ha−1 through AWD, MSRI and DSR respectively. The three practices have increased farmers’ income and decreased the cost of cultivation in DSR by Rs.11 000 (US$169) ha−1. The methods can be more focused in canal commands on a larger scale for equal distribution of water to all the head, middle and tail‐end regions. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
27-Hydroxycholesterol, an Endogenous SERM, and Risk of Fracture in Postmenopausal Women: A Nested Case-Cohort Study in the Women's Health Initiative
Authors: Chang Po-Yin , Feldman David , Stefanick Marcia L , McDonnell Donald P , Thompson Bonne M , McDonald Jeffrey G , Lee Jennifer S
Published: August 2018

27-Hydroxycholesterol (27HC) is a purported, novel endogenous SERM. In animal models, 27HC has an anti-estrogen effect in bone, and 17β-estradiol mitigates this effect. 27HC in relation to fracture risk has not been investigated in humans. Depending on the level of bioavailable 17β-estradiol (bioE2), 27HC may increase fracture risk in postmenopausal women and modify the fracture risk reduction from menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). To test these a priori hypotheses, we conducted a nested case-cohort study of 868 postmenopausal women within the Women's Health Initiative Hormone Therapy (WHI-HT) trials. The WHI-HT tested conjugated equine estrogens versus placebo and separately conjugated equine estrogens plus progestin versus placebo. Fracture cases were 442 women who had an adjudicated incident hip or clinical vertebral fracture during the WHI-HT follow-up. The subcohort included 430 women randomly selected at WHI-HT baseline, four of whom had a subsequent fracture. Of the 868 women, 266 cases and 219 non-cases were assigned to the placebo arms. Cox models estimated hazard ratios for incident fracture in relation to pre-randomization circulating levels of 27HC and 27HC/bioE2 molar ratio. Models adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, total cholesterol, bioE2, sex hormone-binding globulin, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, diabetes, osteoporosis, prior MHT use, BMI, falls history, and prior fracture. In women assigned to placebo arms, those in the middle and the highest tertiles of 27HC/bioE2 had an up to 1.9-fold (95% confidence intervals, 1.25 to 2.99) greater risk of fracture than women in the lowest tertile. In women assigned to MHT arms, fracture risk increased with continuous 27HC/bioE2 levels but not with categorical levels. 27HC levels alone were not associated with fracture risk. 27HC and 27HC/bioE2 did not modify the fracture risk reduction from MHT. In postmenopausal women, circulating levels of 27HC relative to bioE2 may identify those at increased risk of fracture. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Molecular and cellular studies of PTSD: Postmortem transcriptome analysis and novel therapeutic targets
Authors: Duman Ronald S. , Girgenti Matthew J.
Published: August 2018

The neurobiology of fear memory and extinction has been the subject of extensive research efforts that have increased our understanding of the brain regions, circuitry, and the cellular and molecular determinants of fear memory processes. However, the inability to access and directly study the brains of PTSD patients has made it difficult to translate the rodent fear memory studies to understand the neurobiological underpinnings of PTSD. The formation of a PTSD brain repository has recently been undertaken to address this issue. This will allow for high throughput gene expression and proteome analysis that can be coupled with epigenetic and genomic approaches to characterize the molecular alterations underlying PTSD. Preliminary studies using next generation RNA sequencing have identified PTSD specific gene expression alterations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The approaches used for transcriptome analysis and early findings regarding two glucocorticoid regulated genes of interest, FKBP5 and SGK1 are discussed, and the consequences of altered SGK1 are presented. Altered SGK1 could contribute to synaptic alterations in PFC subregions that could contribute to loss of inhibitory control and extinction of fear memories. Based on these findings, we discuss new studies demonstrating that ketamine can increase synapse number in the PFC and enhance the extinction of fear memory in rodent models and improve symptoms in PTSD patients. Continued molecular and cellular characterization of postmortem brain tissue of PTSD subjects will further define the neurobiology of PTSD and identify novel targets for safe and more efficacious treatments.
On the reduction of trend errors by the ANOVA joint correction scheme used in homogenization of climate station records
Authors: Lindau Ralf , Venema Victor
Published: August 2018

Inhomogeneities in climate data are the main source of uncertainty for secular warming estimates. To reduce the influence of inhomogeneities in station data statistical homogenization compares a candidate station to its neighbours to detect and correct artificial changes in the candidate. Many studies have quantified the performance of statistical break detection tests used in this comparison. Also, full homogenization methods have been studied numerically, but correction methods by themselves have not been studied much. We analyse the ANOVA (analysis of variance) joint correction method, which is expected to be the most accurate published method. We find that, if all breaks are known, this method produces unbiased trend estimates and that in this case the uncertainty in the trend estimates is not determined by the variance of the inhomogeneities, but by the variance of the weather and measurement noise. For low signal‐to‐noise ratios and high numbers of breaks, the correction may also worsen the data by increasing the original random unbiased trend error. Any uncertainty in the break dates leads to a systematic undercorrection of the trend errors and in this more realistic case the variance of the inhomogeneities is also important.
Urbanization effects on changes in the observed air temperatures during 1977–2014 in China
Authors: Li Yuanzheng , Wang Lan , Zhou Hongxuan , Zhao Guosong , Ling Feng , Li Xiaodong , Qiu Juan
Published: August 2018

This study endeavoured to accurately estimate the effects of urbanization on changes in temperatures during 1977–2014 throughout China. To this end, we (a) classified the stations using improved standards, (b) homogenized the mean minimum (Tmin), mean maximum (Tmax), and mean temperature (Tm) data series, (c) identified regions with different temperature trends based on the modified methodology, and analysed the regional changes in the background rural temperatures, (d) explored the relationships between the temperature trend effects of urbanization and the three indices of the urbanization intensity, and (a) calculated the contribution from urbanization on the regional scale. The results indicated the following: (a) After homogenization, several adjustment amplitudes were larger than 1 °C, the maximum value of which reached 7.84 °C. (b) China was divided into six regions with different rural temperature trends. Rural temperatures significantly increased throughout China with annual Tmin, Tmax and Tm changing rates of 0.424, 0.339, and 0.352 °C/decade, respectively. Throughout all of China, the maximum rates for Tmax, Tmin, and Tm occurred during the spring and the minimum rates for Tmax and Tm occurred during the summer, while that for Tmin was slightly lower in the winter than during the summer. (c) Significant correlations did not always exist between the urbanization‐contributed temperature‐changing rates and the indices of urbanization intensity, and the correlation coefficients varied under different conditions. These values were both positive and negative. The changes in the areas of the built‐up regions constituted the best correlation factors. (d) The percentages of the contributions of urbanization to the mean annual Tmin, Tmax, and Tm were −0.08, 0.21, and −0.09%, respectively. These results are beneficial for understanding the effects of urbanization on regional or global climate change to some extent.
Impact of Clinical Use of Parenteral Lipid Emulsions on Bile Acid Metabolism and Composition in Neonatal Piglets
Authors: Lavallee Celeste M. , Lim David W. , Wizzard Pamela R. , Mazurak Vera C. , Mi Si , Curtis Jonathan M. , Willing Benjamin P. , Yap Jason Y. , Wales Paul W. , Turner Justine M.
Published: August 2018

Background

Neonates with intestinal failure dependent on parenteral nutrition (PN) are at risk of intestinal failure–associated liver disease (IFALD). PN lipid composition relates to the risk of IFALD, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. We investigated the effects of soybean oil (SO), a mixed‐lipid (ML) emulsion containing fish oil (FO), and a pure FO. We hypothesized FO‐containing PN lipids would result in increased gene expression of canalicular bile acid transporters and a larger, more hydrophilic bile acid pool, predictive of increased bile flow.

Methods

Neonatal piglets were allocated to receive 1 of SO, ML, or FO throughout 14 days of PN feeding. Relative expression of genes involved in bile acid synthesis and transport were determined through quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Bile secreted from the liver was collected and measured. Bile acid composition was determined using tandem mass spectrometry. Regression analysis was used to determine predictors of bile flow. Results: PN reduced bile acid secretion (P < .001). FO‐containing PN lipids were associated with greater expression of bile acid and organic solute transport genes (P < .05) and greater secretion of hydrophobic bile acids (P < .001). Farnesoid X receptor (P = .01), bile salt export pump (P < .01), multidrug resistant protein 2 (P < .01), and unconjugated hyocholic acid (P < .001) independently predicted bile flow. Conclusions: PN lipid modulation altered bile acid metabolism and composition. These alterations may explain the hepatoprotective effects of FO‐containing PN lipids and support their use in the prevention and treatment of IFALD.
Preparation and characterization of a novel hydrophilic interaction/ion exchange mixed‐mode chromatographic stationary phase with pyridinium‐based zwitterionic polymer‐grafted porous silica
Authors: Takafuji Makoto , Shahruzzaman Mohammad , Sasahara Kazufusa , Ihara Hirotaka
Published: August 2018

Novel zwitterionic polymer‐grafted porous silica microspheres were prepared by using sodium 2‐bromoethanesulfonate to quaternize the pyridyl side chains of the polymer, which is anchored on the surface of porous silica. The separation behavior for toluene and benzoic acid proved that the zwitterionic polymer‐grafted porous silica worked as a stationary phase in hydrophilic interaction/ion exchange mixed‐mode chromatography. Compared with a conventional sulfobetaine‐based zwitterion‐grafted porous silica column, the prepared poly(vinylpyridinium ethanesulfonate)‐immobilized porous silica afforded the highly selective separation of benzoic acid derivatives over a wide pH range, and the separation behavior was quite sensitive to the protonation state of the carboxylic acids. The high selectivity was attributed to the multiple interactions between the guest molecule and the zwitterionic groups on the polymer chains. The new zwitterionic stationary phase demonstrated excellent selectivity for hydrophilic biorelated molecules such as nucleobases and nucleosides.
Capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection for the determination of propionate and sorbate in bread
Authors: Guadalupe Coelho Aline , Fernanda Souza de Jesus Francielly , de Assis Pallos Laís , Alberto Fracassi da Silva José , Pereira de Jesus Dosil
Published: August 2018

We propose a simple and fast method for the determination of the preservatives propionate and sorbate in bread using capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection. The preservatives were quickly extracted from bread using ultra‐pure water and ultrasonic energy. The separation of the analytes, with good resolution, was achieved in about 7 min. The proposed method showed good linearity with coefficients of determination > 0.99 for both the preservatives. The limits of quantification of the method were 0.11 and 0.21 g/kg for propionate and sorbate, respectively. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by recovery tests, and the obtained recoveries varied from 88 to 94% for sorbate and 86 to 102% for propionate. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of propionate and sorbate in commercial samples of sliced white bread.
Achieving tourist destination competitiveness: Evidence from Latin‐American and Caribbean countries
Authors: Gómez‐Vega Mafalda , Herrero‐Prieto Luis César
Published: August 2018

We evaluate tourist efficiency in Latin‐America and the Caribbean, an area of growing interest in international tourism. We take 17 countries with homogeneous information for 2011–2015 and apply a two‐stage conditioned evaluation. We gauge efficiency using data envelopment analysis of a production function to maximize overnight stays given tourist resources and estimate the impact of external factors for infrastructures, cultural and natural resources, level of development, and so forth. We use a double bootstrap procedure to correct bias in efficiency ratios and serial correlation with second stage variables. We find that countries operate below their possibilities when attracting international tourism. The most efficient are in the Caribbean and Mexico, who specialize in sun and sand tourism. There is evidence that cultural resources and transport infrastructure improve performance. We find the opposite for natural resources and other infrastructures. This research furthers our knowledge of tourist efficiency analysis in an area where such studies remain scarce.
An assessment of the accessibility of PDF versions of selected journal articles published in a WCAG 2.0 era (2014–2018)
Authors: Nganji Julius T.
Published: August 2018

Two hundred portable document format (PDF) articles from four Web of Science‐indexed disability‐related journals were analysed to assess their accessibility. Fifty articles from each journal published between 2014 and 2018 were examined using expert manual inspection, Adobe Acrobat Pro XI, PDF Accessibility Checker 3 and NVDA screen reader. Results show that only 15.5% of the documents were tagged, only 10.5% had alternative text for images, 74.5% had bookmarks to facilitate navigation, and 87% had meaningful titles in their title fields. However, image alternative texts were meaningless, and title fields were not displayed when the document was open. However, all the documents had accessibility permissions enabled; hence, they could be read with Adobe Acrobat Pro XI Read Out Loud feature and NVDA screen reader. All the articles had an alternative HTML version of their full text in the same location on their website as the PDF versions. The inconsistency with which each PDF was produced suggests the need for an improvement in the workflow process to improve accessibility.
Inverse nodal problem for polynomial pencil of Sturm‐Liouville operator
Authors: Goktas Sertac , Koyunbakan Hikmet , Gulsen Tuba
Published: August 2018

The paper is about boundary value problem for polynomial pencil of Sturm‐Liouville operators. Especially, we find all coefficients of the operator by using nodal points (zeros of eigenfunctions). Regularly, we find eigenvalues, nodal points, and nodal lengths by Prüfer substitution. These results are used to give a reconstruction formula for all complex functions qd(x),
, which are known potentials in the theory. However, method is similar with some papers; our results more general then because of including many potential functions.
CNN as model observer in a liver lesion detection task for x‐ray computed tomography: A phantom study
Authors: Kopp Felix K. , Catalano Marco , Pfeiffer Daniela , Fingerle Alexander A. , Rummeny Ernst J. , Noël Peter B.
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study was the evaluation of anthropomorphic model observers trained with neural networks for the prediction of a human observer's performance.

Methods

To simulate liver lesions, a phantom with contrast targets (acrylic spheres, varying diameters, +30 HU) was repeatedly scanned on a computed tomography scanner. Image data labeled with confidence ratings assessed in a reader study for a detection task of liver lesions were used to build several anthropomorphic model observers. Models were trained with images reconstructed with iterative reconstruction and evaluated with images reconstructed with filtered backprojection. A neural network, based on softmax regression (SR‐MO), and convolutional neural networks (CNN‐MO) were used to predict the performance of a human observer and compared to a channelized Hotelling observer [with Gabor channels and internal channel noise (CHOi)]. Model observers were evaluated by a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and compared to the results in the reader study. Two strategies were used to train the SR‐MO and CNN‐MO: A) building a separate model for each lesion size; B) building one model that was applied to lesions of all sizes.

Results

All tested model observers and the human observer were highly correlated at each lesion size and dose level. With strategy A, Pearson's product‐moment correlation coefficients r were 0.926 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.679–0.985) for SR‐MO and 0.979 (95% CI: 0.902–0.996) for CNN‐MO. With strategy B, r was 0.860 (95% CI: 0.454–0.970) for SR‐MO and 0.918 (95% CI: 0.651–0.983) for CNN‐MO. For CHOi, r was 0.945 (95% CI: 0.755–0.989). With strategy A, mean absolute percentage differences (MAPD) between the model observers and the human observer were 3.7% for SR‐MO and 1.2% for CNN‐MO. With strategy B, MAPD were 3.7% for SR‐MO and 3.0% for CNN‐MO. For the CHOi the MAPD was 2.2%.

Conclusion

Convolutional neural network model observers can accurately predict the performance of a human observer for all lesion sizes and dose levels in the evaluated signal detection task.