bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
D‐cycloserine‐augmented one‐session treatment of specific phobias in children and adolescents
Authors: Farrell Lara J. , Waters Allison M. , Oar Ella L. , Tiralongo Evelin , Garbharran Vinay , Alston‐Knox Clair , McConnell Harry , Collings Nigel , Zimmer‐Gembeck Melanie , Donovan Caroline L. , Testa Chris , Storch Eric A. , Ollendick Thomas H.
Published: May 2018

Background

D‐Cycloserine has potential to enhance exposure therapy outcomes. The current study presents a preliminary randomized, placebo‐controlled double‐blind pilot trial of DCS‐augmented one‐session treatment (OST) for youth (7–14 years) with specific phobia. A secondary aim of this pilot study was to explore the effects of youth age and within‐session fear reduction as potential moderators of DCS outcomes in order to generate hypotheses for a larger trial. It was hypothesized that DCS would be associated with greater improvements than placebo, that children (7–10 years) would have greater benefits than adolescents (11–14 years), and that DCS effects would be stronger for participants with the greater within‐session fear reduction during the OST.

Methods

Thirty‐five children and adolescents were randomized to either OST combined with DCS (n = 17), or OST combined with placebo (PBO; n = 18) and assessed at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 month following treatment.

Results

There were no significant pre‐ to post‐treatment or follow‐up benefits of DCS relative to placebo. Secondary analyses of age indicated that relative to PBO, DCS was associated with greater improvements for children (but not adolescents) on measures of severity at 1‐month follow‐up. Children in the DCS condition also showed significantly greater improvement to 1 month on global functioning relative to other groups. Conversely, adolescents had significant post‐treatment benefits in the PBO condition on symptom severity measures relative to DCS, and adolescents in the DCS condition had significantly poorer functioning at 3 months relative to all other groups. Finally, there was a trend for within‐session fear reduction to be associated with moderating effects of DCS, whereby greater reduction in fear was associated with greater functioning at one‐month follow‐up for children who received DCS, relative to PBO.

Limitations

The study sample was small and therefore conclusions are tentative and require replication.

Conclusions

Age and within‐session fear reduction may be important moderators of DCS‐augmented one‐session exposure therapy, which requires testing in a fully powered randomized controlled trial.
Modification of Immobead 150 support for protein immobilization: Effects on the properties of immobilized Aspergillus oryzae β‐galactosidase
Authors: Gennari Adriano , Mobayed Francielle H. , da Silva Rafael Ruan , Rodrigues Rafael C. , Sperotto Raul A. , Volpato Giandra , Volken de Souza Claucia F.
Published: May 2018

We studied the modification of Immobead 150 support by either introducing aldehyde groups using glutaraldehyde (Immobead‐Glu) or carboxyl groups through acid solution (Immobead‐Ac) for enzyme immobilization by covalent attachment or ion exchange, respectively. These two types of immobilization were compared with the use of epoxy groups that are now provided on a commercial support. We used Aspergillus oryzae β‐galactosidase (Gal) as a model protein, immobilizing it on unmodified (epoxy groups, Immobead‐Epx) and modified supports. Immobilization yield and efficiency were tested as a function of protein loading (10–500 mg g−1 support). Gal was efficiently immobilized on the Immobeads with an immobilization efficiency higher than 75% for almost all supports and protein loads. Immobilization yields significantly decreased when protein loadings were higher than 100 mg g−1 support. Gal immobilized on Immobead‐Glu and Immobead‐Ac retained approximately 60% of its initial activity after 90 days of storage at 4°C. The three immobilized Gal derivatives presented higher half‐lifes than the soluble enzyme, where the half‐lifes were twice higher than the free Gal at 73°C. All the preparations were moderately operationally stable when tested in lactose solution, whey permeate, cheese whey, and skim milk, and retained approximately 50% of their initial activity after 20 cycles of hydrolyzing lactose solution. The modification of the support with glutaraldehyde provided the most stable derivative during cycling in cheese whey hydrolysis. Our results suggest that the Immobead 150 is a promising support for Gal immobilization. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 34:934–943, 2018
Encountered‐type haptic display for large VR environment using per‐plane reachability maps
Authors: Kim Yaesol , Kim Hyun Jung , Kim Young J.
Published: May 2018

We show a novel encountered‐type haptic system, H‐Wall, to enable haptic feedback using a manipulator of seven degrees of freedom suitable for simulating indoor virtual reality environments, which are characterized and confined by a set of vertical walls and revolving doors. At runtime, our system tracks hand motion using a red–green–blue depth sensor and locates its configuration. Then, the robotic manipulator plans a trajectory for the end effector, attached to a rectangular rigid board, to make contact with the hand to deliver a sense of touch as long as the perceived hand contact force is substantial. The force feedback is generated in a passive sense for static walls that the rigid board, corresponding to a vertical wall, holds its position as long as the perceived hand contact force is substantial. For a revolving door, the force feedback is generated in an active sense based on impedance control. In order to address the issue of limited workspace, we also propose a new reachability map, called per‐plane reachability map, that is optimized to answer whether passive haptic feedback can be generated by a manipulator when the user touches a vertical wall at a given orientation. We successfully demonstrate our system to provide an illusion to the user in a virtual environment with touch sensation to the surrounding environment.
Mesh denoising via total variation and weighted Laplacian regularizations
Authors: Zhong Saishang , Xie Zhong , Wang Weina , Liu Zheng , Liu Ligang
Published: May 2018

Mesh denoising is a fundamental problem in geometry processing. The main challenge is to preserve sharp features (such as edges and corners) and smooth regions (such as smoothly curved regions and fine details) while removing the noise. State‐of‐the‐art denoising methods still struggle with this issue. In this paper, we first propose a new variational model combining total variation and anisotropic Laplacian regularization to filter the normal vector field of the mesh. This model can preserve sharp features and simultaneously handle smooth regions well. Then, a new vertex updating scheme is presented to reconstruct the mesh according to the filtered face normals. It prevents the orientation ambiguity problem introduced by existing schemes. Experiments show that our denoising method outperforms all compared methods visually and quantitatively, especially for meshes consisting of both sharp features and smooth regions.
Protective effect of retinoic acid receptor α on hypoxia‐induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition of renal tubular epithelial cells associated with TGF‐β/MMP‐9 pathway
Authors: Gong Ling , Jiang Ling , Qin Yuanhan , Jiang Xingbo , Song Kunling , Yu Xueyun
Published: May 2018

Retinoic acid receptor α (RARα), a member of family of the nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RARs), plays an essential role in various chronic kidney diseases (CKD). Renal tubular epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a common mechanism of progression of renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF). Hypoxia has been extensively considered as one of major inducers of renal tubular EMT. However, the effects of RARα on hypoxia‐induced EMT have not yet been described so far. The aim of the present study was to explore the roles and potential mechanisms of RARα in hypoxia‐induced EMT of renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs). Our results showed that expression of RARα in RTECs subjected to hypoxia significantly was reduced, accompanied by decreased expression level of the epithelial marker E‐cadherin, and increased expression levels of the mesenchymal markers α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) and vimentin, in accord with EMT. Meanwhile, hypoxia could cause RTECs to obviously express TGF‐β and matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9). Furthermore, using lentivirus‐based delivery vectors to overexpress RARα in RTECs, we demonstrated that RARα alleviated hypoxia‐induced EMT of RTECs and downregulated the expression levels of TGF‐β and MMP‐9. In a word, RARα protects RTECs against EMT induced by hypoxia associated with TGF‐β/MMP‐9 pathway.
Highly Networked Platinum–Tin Nanowires as Highly Active and Selective Catalysts towards the Semihydrogenation of Unsaturated Aldehydes
Authors: Zhu Meiwu , Huang Bin , Shao Qi , Pi Yecan , Qian Yong , Huang Xiaoqing
Published: May 2018

The selective hydrogenation of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes to unsaturated alcohols is an important process for many industrial applications, whereas the realization of excellent conversion efficiency and selectivity remains a significant challenge. Herein, we report the preparation of a class of networked Pt–Sn nanowires (Pt–Sn NWs) for the selective hydrogenation of unsaturated aldehydes to the desired unsaturated alcohols. The optimized Pt1.5Sn NWs delivered a high conversion efficiency (98.1 %) for the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde (CAL) and excellent selectivity to cinnamyl alcohol (COL) (90.6 %); thus, they outperformed Pt1.5Sn nanoparticles (NPs) as well as Pt NPs. The high performance of the Pt1.5Sn NWs was expanded to the hydrogenation of other α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that a high ratio of metallic Pt in the Pt1.5Sn NWs boosted the conversion of CAL and that a high Sn content favored the hydrogenation of the C=O bond, both of which lead to excellent activity and selectivity.
Bench‐Stable N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Nickel Precatalysts for C−C and C−N Bond‐Forming Reactions
Authors: Strieth‐Kalthoff Felix , Longstreet Ashley R. , Weber Jessica M. , Jamison Timothy F.
Published: May 2018

Herein, we introduce a new class of bench‐stable N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) nickel‐precatalysts for homogeneous nickel‐catalysis. The nickel(II) complexes are readily activated to Ni0 in situ under mild conditions, via a proposed Heck‐type mechanism. The precatalysts are shown to facilitate carbonyl‐ene, hydroalkenylation, and amination reactions.
Heat Transfer Characteristics of CO2 Desorption from N‐Methyldiethanolamine Solution in a Microchannel Reactor
Authors: Liu Hongchen , Yao Chaoqun , Zhao Yuchao , Chen Guangwen
Published: May 2018

The heat transfer performance and energy consumption of CO2 desorption from rich N‐methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) solution were determined experimentally in a straight microchannel reactor. Nucleate boiling was found to be the dominant heat transfer mechanism in this experiment. The heat transfer coefficients were strongly dependent on the heat flux. The solution flow rate was the most influential factor on the heat flux, followed by desorption temperature, MDEA concentration, and CO2 loading. In addition, an empirical correlation was proposed to predict the experimental heat transfer coefficients.
Heterolytic Si−H Bond Cleavage at a Molybdenum‐Oxido‐Based Lewis Pair
Authors: Zwettler Niklas , Walg Simon P. , Belaj Ferdinand , Mösch‐Zanetti Nadia C.
Published: May 2018

Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Nadia C. Mösch‐Zanetti at the University of Graz. The image depicts the victorious boron getting the hydride while the defeated molybdenum oxide is left with the silyl cation. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.201800226.
meso‐Modified Cobalamins: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties
Authors: Wierzba Aleksandra J. , Wincenciuk Aleksandra , Karczewski Maksymilian , Vullev Valentine I. , Gryko Dorota
Published: May 2018

Vitamin B12 and its derivatives present excellent paradigms for bioinspired catalysis. The inherent challenges for derivatizing cobalamins, such as vitamin B12, to incorporate them in supramolecular designs and materials, limit the range of their utility and applications. Herein, we present a synthetic approach toward derivatives of vitamin B12 possessing electron‐donating and ‐withdrawing substituents at the meso position (C10). Spectroscopic and cyclic voltammetry studies reveal that changes in the substitution pattern on the equatorial ligand have a significant impact on the electronic and optical properties of the cobalamin. These synthetic methods, therefore, provide invaluable routes not only for covalent linking to other structures, but also for attaining a wide range of functionalities for the derivatives of vitamin B12.
An experimental approach to investigating permeability reduction caused by solvent‐induced asphaltene deposition in porous media
Authors: Kordestany Amin , Hassanzadeh Hassan , Abedi Jalal
Published: May 2018

Permeability reduction resulting from asphaltene deposition in porous media needs to be accounted for by reservoir simulators. Two questions have to be answered in order to quantify the reduction in permeability. The first question is how much asphaltene is deposited in porous media and the second one is how much permeability reduction is associated with a certain amount of asphaltene deposition. This article focuses on answering the latter by conducting laboratory experiments. Sand packs with known porosity, permeability, and sand grain size distribution were saturated with oil. Heptane was used to flood the oil‐saturated sand packs. After flooding with heptane, each sand pack was divided into ten smaller sand packs and the permeability of each small sand pack as well as the amount of deposited asphaltene in each one of them were measured. A method was developed to quantify the amount of deposited asphaltene within different cross sections of the sand packs. Results have been reported in terms of the mass of asphaltene in milligrams deposited on one gram of sand grain. The formation damage factor for each sand pack segment has been reported as the ratio between the permeability of the segment before extracting asphaltene to its permeability after extracting asphaltene. This ratio varied between 0.4–0.9. Asphaltene deposition varied between 1–20 mg/1 g of sand grain. Comparing the experimental results with the result predicted by one of the current correlations showed that the correlation does not accurately predict permeability reduction.
Study of the coke distribution in MTO fluidized bed reactor with MP‐PIC approach
Authors: Yuan Xiaoshuai , Li Hua , Ye Mao , Liu Zhongmin
Published: May 2018

The methanol to olefins (MTO) process has received considerable interest due to its importance in transforming abundant resources such as coal, natural gas, and biomass to widely‐demanded light olefins. In the MTO process, the coke deposited on the catalyst governs the catalyst activity and product selectivity, and thus is critical to the reaction behaviour. In the industrial processes, the residence time and coke content of catalyst particles in the reactor show a certain distribution due to the continuous outflow of spent catalyst and inflow of regenerated catalyst, which need further attention. The multi‐phase particle‐in‐cell (MP‐PIC) approach was used in the current work to simulate the catalyst residence time and coke content distribution. The effect of gas‐solid flow patterns, reactor structure, and average catalyst residence time on the residence time and coke content distribution was investigated. It was found that at high superficial velocities, the coke content distributions obtained with the MP‐PIC method are consistent with the distribution deduced from the ideally mixed flow assumption of catalyst particles. The results suggested that it is possible to simulate large‐scale MTO reactors by use of the coke distribution. In particular, by incorporating an initial coke distribution, the time needed to reach steady state in the MTO reactor simulations could be greatly reduced.
Thermal behaviour of convective‐radiative porous fins under periodic thermal conditions
Authors: Mehraban Majid , Khosravi‐Nikou Mohammad Reza , Shaahmadi Fariborz
Published: May 2018

In the present study, the effects of non‐Fourier, convection, and radiation heat transfer are investigated in a porous fin under periodic thermal conditions. The porosity effect on the fin that allows the flow to infiltrate is formulated using Darcy's model. A nonlinear partial differential equation has been obtained by energy balance for the porous fin solved by a numerical method. The effects of buoyancy or natural convection parameter (Np), the radiation parameter (Nr), the convection parameter (Nc), dimensionless relaxation time (Ψ), and dimensionless frequency of the base temperature oscillation (ω) on temperature distribution are studied. Increasing the values of Ψ, as the non‐Fourier condition of heat transfer, led to a discontinuity in the dimensionless temperature distribution with smaller values of η. The heat transfer rate of the porous fin has been increased by increasing Nc, Nr, and Np, of which the Nr had the strongest effect on heat transfer in comparison with other parameters.
Smartphones Democratize Advanced Biomedical Instruments and Foster Innovation
Authors: Ceylan Koydemir Hatice , Ozcan Aydogan
Published: May 2018

From microscopy to diagnostics and monitoring of vital parameters, scientists, engineers, and educators have been making use of smartphones and smartphone components in various innovative ways, helping to democratize advanced measurement instruments used in research and education.
Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling for Olaparib Dosing Recommendations: Bridging Formulations, Drug Interactions, and Patient Populations
Authors: Pilla Reddy Venkatesh , Bui Khanh , Scarfe Graeme , Zhou Diansong , Learoyd Maria
Published: May 2018

We report physiologically based pharmacokinetic‐modeling analyses to determine olaparib (tablet or capsule) drug–drug interactions (DDIs). Verified DDI simulations provided dose recommendations for olaparib coadministration with clinically relevant CYP3A4 modulators to eliminate potential risk to patient safety or olaparib efficacy. When olaparib is given with strong/moderate CYP3A inhibitors, the dose should be reduced to 100/150 mg b.i.d. (tablet), and 150/200 mg b.i.d. (capsule). Olaparib administration is not recommended with strong/moderate CYP3A inducers. No dose reductions are required with weak CYP3A inhibitors/inducers. Olaparib was shown to be a weak inhibitor of CYP3A (1.6‐fold increase in exposure of a sensitive CYP3A probe) and to have no effect on P‐glycoprotein or UGT1A1 substrates. Finally, this model was used to simulate exposure in scenarios where clinical data of olaparib are lacking, such as severe renal or hepatic impairment populations, and provided initial dosing recommendations in pediatric patients.
Preferred Orientation of Porous Si3N4 Ceramics by Gel‐Casting in a Longitudinal Rotating Magnetic Field
Authors: Yang Zhigang , Yu Jianbo , Deng Kang , Zhong Yunbo , Ren Zhongming , Fu Hua , Wu Hongya , Yu Gang
Published: May 2018

Preferred orientation of porous Si3N4 ceramics with β‐Si3N4 powders as raw material is obtained by gel‐casting in a longitudinal rotating magnetic field and subsequent pressureless sintering. The effects of rotational speed on crystal orientation and properties of porous Si3N4 ceramics are analyzed. The results show that the c‐axis of β‐Si3N4 grains tended to align along the direction of the rotation axis. The degree of orientation in the samples increases with the increasing rotational speed. The textured porous samples show higher bending strength than that of untextured porous samples owing to the integrative effect of the grain orientation and pores.
Corporate social responsibility disclosure: Evidence from BRICS nations
Authors: Arrive Jean Tsitaire , Feng Mei
Published: May 2018

This study evaluates the quality of corporate social responsibility (CSR) compliance and disclosure practices of companies in BRICS countries while considering the imposition of business laws and regulations under different management systems. The 20 largest corporations listed on the stock exchange of each sampled country were examined, and 62 practices suggested by the CSR assessment in BRICS countries were used as a framework. It was observed that India and Brazil have the most significant median (with a value of 15) of all firms disclosing CSR practices, followed by South Africa with 14, China with 12 and Russia with 8. This study has implications for different audiences, such as internal and external stakeholders, and can help them better understand the importance of improving the acceptance of CSR initiatives and disclosures.
Aerobic Oxidation of Xylose to Xylaric Acid in Water over Pt Catalysts
Authors: Sadula Sunitha , Saha Basudeb
Published: May 2018

Energy‐efficient catalytic conversion of biomass intermediates to functional chemicals can make bio‐products viable. Herein, we report an efficient and low temperature aerobic oxidation of xylose to xylaric acid, a promising bio‐based chemical for the production of glutaric acid, over commercial catalysts in water. Among several heterogeneous catalysts investigated, Pt/C exhibits the best activity. Systematic variation of reaction parameters in the pH range of 2.5 to 10 suggests that the reaction is fast at higher temperatures but high C−C scission of intermediate C5‐oxidized products to low carbon carboxylic acids undermines xylaric acid selectivity. The C−C cleavage is also high in basic solution. The oxidation at neutral pH and 60 °C achieves the highest xylaric acid yield (64 %). O2 pressure and Pt amount have significant influence on the reactivity. Decarboxylation of short chain carboxylic acids results in formation of CO2, causing some carbon loss; however, such decarboxylation is slow in the presence of xylose. The catalyst retained comparable activity, in terms of product selectivity, after five cycles with no sign of Pt leaching.
Selective Oxidation of Lignin Model Compounds
Authors: Gao Ruili , Li Yanding , Kim Hoon , Mobley Justin K. , Ralph John
Published: May 2018

Lignin, the planet's most abundant renewable source of aromatic compounds, is difficult to degrade efficiently to welldefined aromatics. We developed a microwave‐assisted catalytic Swern oxidation system using an easily prepared catalyst, MoO2Cl2(DMSO)2, and DMSO as the solvent and oxidant. It demonstrated high efficiency in transforming lignin model compounds containing the units and functional groups found in native lignins. The aromatic ring substituents strongly influenced the selectivity of β‐ether phenolic dimer cleavage to generate sinapaldehyde and coniferaldehyde, monomers not usually produced by oxidative methods. Time‐course studies on two key intermediates provided insight into the reaction pathway. Owing to the broad scope of this oxidation system and the insight gleaned with regard to its mechanism, this strategy could be adapted and applied in a general sense to the production of useful aromatic chemicals from phenolics and lignin.
Simultaneous Stabilization of LiNi0.76Mn0.14Co0.10O2 Cathode and Lithium Metal Anode by Lithium Bis(oxalato)borate as Additive
Authors: Zhao Wengao , Zou Lianfeng , Zheng Jianming , Jia Haiping , Song Junhua , Engelhard Mark H. , Wang Chongmin , Xu Wu , Yang Yong , Zhang Ji‐Guang
Published: May 2018

The long‐term cycling performance, rate capability, and voltage stability of lithium (Li) metal batteries with LiNi0.76Mn0.14Co0.10O2 (NMC76) cathodes is greatly enhanced by lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB) additive in the LiPF6‐based electrolyte. With 2 % LiBOB in the electrolyte, a Li∥NMC76 cell is able to achieve a high capacity retention of 96.8 % after 200 cycles at C/3 rate (1 C=200 mA g−1), which is the best result reported for a Ni‐rich NMC cathode coupled with Li metal anode. The significantly enhanced electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the stabilization of both the NMC76 cathode/electrolyte and Li‐metal‐anode/electrolyte interfaces. The LiBOB‐containing electrolyte not only facilitates the formation of a more compact solid–electrolyte interphase on the Li metal surface, it also forms a enhanced cathode electrolyte interface layer, which efficiently prevents the corrosion of the cathode interface and mitigates the formation of the disordered rock‐salt phase after cycling. The fundamental findings of this work highlight the importance of recognizing the dual effects of electrolyte additives in simultaneously stabilizing both cathode and anode interfaces, so as to enhance the long‐term cycle life of high‐energy‐density battery systems.
Continuous leakage–resilient IBE in cloud computing
Authors: Xiang Xinyin , Zhao Xingwen
Published: May 2018

Cloud computing is an efficient tool in which cloud storage shares plenty of encrypted data with other data owners. In existing cloud computing scenarios, it may suffer from some new attacks like side channel attacks. Therefore, we are eager to introduce a new cryptographic scheme that can resist these new attacks. In this work, we exploit a new technique to build leakage‐resilient identity‐based encryption and use the stronger existing partial leakage model, such as continual leakage model. More specifically, our proposal is based on the underlying decisional bilinear Diffie‐Hellman assumption, but proven adaptively secure against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack in the standard model. Above all, a continuous leakage–resilient IBE scheme with adaptive security meets cloud computing with stronger security.
Wildfire in wet sclerophyll forests: the interplay between disturbances and fuel dynamics
Authors: Cawson Jane G. , Duff Thomas J. , Swan Matthew H. , Penman Trent D.
Published: May 2018

There are multiple pathways for vegetation to change following disturbances. Understanding those post‐disturbance pathways is critical for managing wildfire risk since vegetation is fuel in a wildfire context. Across forest systems, there is considerable debate about disturbance‐related changes to fuels and flammability. This study investigated post‐disturbance fuel trajectories following three disturbance types—high severity wildfire, low severity wildfire, and clear‐fell logging. Fuels were measured in a chrono‐sequence of 141 sites in Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans)‐dominated wet sclerophyll forest in southeastern Australia, a particularly contentious forest system. Wildfires are an important part of the lifecycle of these forests, but too frequent fire can threaten post‐fire regeneration. Large wildfires (in 2009, 1983 and 1939) and ongoing public and scientific debate over clear‐fell logging highlight the need to better understand post‐disturbance trajectories for fuel and flammability in wet sclerophyll forests. We used empirical data to test 10, sometimes contradictory, hypotheses from the scientific literature regarding post‐disturbance pathways for fuel following wildfire and logging. Only five hypotheses were supported with surface fine fuels, fuel hazard, species composition, and vertical structure driving overall differences in post‐disturbance fuel trajectories. The implications for flammability remain uncertain because the independent and interactive effects of many fuel components on overall flammability remain unquantified. Importantly, we found there were always high quantities of fuel, irrespective of disturbance history, which demonstrates that fire occurrence is not fuel‐limited in wet sclerophyll forests. Under conditions of abundant fuel, fuel moisture could become critical to fire occurrence. Therefore, forest management should prioritize efforts to quantify not only the importance of individual fuel components to flammability but also fuel moisture dynamics in wet sclerophyll forests. As the climate (and fuels) becomes drier under climate change, it will be a major challenge to manage fire regimes in these highly valued forests.
Tree species co‐occurrence patterns change across grains: insights from a subtropical forest
Authors: Bar‐Massada Avi , Yang Qingsong , Shen Guochun , Wang Xihua
Published: May 2018

Co‐occurrence is a basic measure of spatial relationships between species. This commonly used measure has many benefits and limitations, yet a basic property that can strongly affect it has been overlooked. Co‐occurrence analysis is based on discrete sampling in space, and therefore, its grain size may affect the results and their interpretation, because species interactions and their environmental responses are scale‐dependent. We utilized a large dataset on tree species from a full‐stem mapped forest plot in China as a template for testing the effects of grain on species co‐occurrence patterns. We quantified co‐occurrence patterns for large trees and saplings in nested sampling plots with increasing radii and analyzed the effect of plot size on co‐occurrence. Co‐occurrence patterns varied greatly across grains. More than half of the species in large trees we analyzed had significantly non‐random co‐occurrence patterns at some grain. In contrast, saplings exhibited much fewer non‐random co‐occurrences. The proportion of segregated species pairs of large trees had a unimodal relationship with grain, whereas the proportion of aggregated species was positively related to grain. These patterns disappeared in saplings, suggesting that spatial interactions among trees are more prominent among larger individuals. Therefore, co‐occurrence patterns are scale‐dependent, and this scale dependency reflects a mixture of ecological (interspecific interactions, environmental responses) and statistical (sampling effects) processes. Our results suggest that insights from single‐grained studies cannot be generalized.
Long‐term community change through multiple rapid transitions in a desert rodent community
Authors: Christensen Erica M. , Harris David J. , Ernest S. K. Morgan
Published: May 2018

While studies increasingly document long‐term change in community composition, whether long‐term change occurs gradually or via rapid reorganization events remains unclear. We used Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and a change‐point model to examine the long‐term dynamics of a desert rodent community undergoing compositional change over a 38‐yr span. Our approach detected three rapid reorganization events, where changes in the relative abundances of dominant and rare species occurred, and a separate period of increased variance in the structure of the community. These events coincided with time periods, possibly related to climate events, where the total abundance of rodents was extremely low. There are a variety of processes that could link low abundance events with a higher probability of rapid ecological transitions, including higher importance of stochastic processes (i.e., competitive interactions or priority effects) and the removal of structuring effects of competitive dominants or incumbent species. Continued study of the dynamics of community change will provide important information not only on the processes structuring communities, but will also provide guidance for forecasting how communities will undergo change in the future.
Investigating patterns of local climate governance: How low‐carbon municipalities and intentional communities intervene in social practices
Authors: Hausknost Daniel , Haas Willi , Hielscher Sabine , Schäfer Martina , Leitner Michaela , Kunze Iris , Mandl Sylvia
Published: May 2018

The local level has gained prominence in climate policy and governance in recent years as it is increasingly perceived as a privileged arena for policy experimentation and social and institutional innovation. However, the success of local climate governance in industrialized countries has been limited. One reason may be that local communities focus too much on strategies of technology‐oriented ecological modernization and individual behavior change and too little on strategies that target unsustainable social practices and their embeddedness in complex socioeconomic patterns. In this paper we assess and compare the strategies of “low‐carbon municipalities” (top‐down initiatives) and those of “intentional communities” (bottom‐up initiatives). We were interested to determine to what extent and in which ways each community type intervenes in social practices to curb carbon emissions and to explore the scope for further and deeper interventions on the local level. Using an analytical framework based on social practice theory we identify characteristic patterns of intervention for each community type. We find that low‐carbon municipalities face difficulties in transforming carbon‐intensive social practices. While offering some additional low‐carbon choices, their ability to reduce carbon‐intensive practices is very limited. Their focus on efficiency and individual choice shows little transformative potential. Intentional communities, by contrast, have more institutional and organizational options to intervene in the web of social practices. Finally, we explore to what extent low‐carbon municipalities can learn from intentional communities and propose strategies of hybridization for policy innovation to combine the strengths of both models.
Simultaneous Determination of Hydroquinone and Catechol by Differential Alternative Pulses Voltammetry
Authors: Ayala Alan , Stoytcheva Margarita , Zlatev Roumen , Velkova Zdravka , Gochev Velizar , Valdez Benjamin , Montero Gisela
Published: May 2018

The second order voltammetric technique of high resolution, Differential Alternative Pulses Voltammetry (DAPV), was applied for the simultaneous determination of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC) on bare spectroscopic graphite electrode. Well resolved anodic and cathodic peaks situated on both sides of the zero line were obtained, while the differential pulse voltammograms were overlapped. The linear concentration range for HQ and CC quantification by DAPV was extended up to 20 μmol L−1 for both the isomers. The sensitivity of the determination was found to be 6.00 μA L μmol−1 and 3.61 μA L μmol−1, while the limit of detection reached was 0.2 μmol L−1 and 0.5 μmol L−1 for HQ and CC, respectively. No interference was observed from the commonly coexisting organic species such as resorcinol, phenol and p‐benzoquinone. The great resolution power of DAPV permitted obtaining excellent results without any electrode modification and any mathematical data processing.
Are treatment results for eating disorders affected by ADHD symptoms? A one‐year follow‐up of adult females
Authors: Svedlund Nils Erik , Norring Claes , Ginsberg Ylva , von Hausswolff‐Juhlin Yvonne
Published: May 2018

Objective

To explore the influence of self‐reported Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms on recovery rate at 1‐year follow‐up in an unselected group of patients in a specialized eating disorder (ED) clinic.

Methods

Four hundred forty‐three adult females with an ED were assessed with the ADHD Self‐Report Scale for Adults (ASRS‐screener), and for demographic variables and ED symptoms. Recovery was registered at 1‐year follow‐up.

Results

A high degree of ADHD symptoms at baseline was predictive for nonrecovery of ED at 1‐year follow‐up in patients with loss of control over eating, bingeing, or purging. The presence of inattentive ADHD symptoms was stronger associated with nonrecovery than hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.

Conclusions

A high degree of ADHD symptoms may have a negative impact on recovery in ED. Screening/diagnostic evaluation of ADHD in all loss of control over eating/bingeing/purging ED patients and studies of the effect of implementing ADHD‐treatment strategies in this patient group are recommended.
Influence of a cancer diagnosis on changes in fruit and vegetable consumption according to cancer site, stage at diagnosis and socioeconomic factors: Results from the large E3N‐EPIC study
Authors: Affret Aurélie , His Mathilde , Severi Gianluca , Mancini Francesca Romana , Arveux Patrick , Clavel‐Chapelon Françoise , Boutron‐Ruault Marie‐Christine , Fagherazzi Guy
Published: May 2018

Many studies have demonstrated that lifestyle factors, including diet, may influence cancer survival. The number of cancer survivors is increasing worldwide and little is known about long‐term diet changes in people who had cancer. We studied 53,981 women from the prospective E3N‐EPIC cohort study with available dietary data in 1993 and 2005, among whom 4,619 had a cancer diagnosis inbetween (including n = 2,699 breast cancers). We evaluated the potential impact of a cancer diagnosis (comparing women with cancer to women with no cancer) on changes in FV consumption using multivariable linear regression models considering cancer site, stage at diagnosis and socioeconomic factors. Compared to women with no cancer, a statistically significant increase in FV consumption (β=+2.65%, [1.22–4.09]) was observed in women who had cancer, and this association appeared to be driven by breast cancer exclusively. The increase in FV consumption was larger in women who had an advanced stage of breast cancer (stages II–IV) (β=+7.23%, [3.92–10.5]) than in women with stages 0–I (β=+2.03%, [−0.20 to 4.26]). Women with no partner and no children were those having the highest increase in FV consumption (β=+18.71%, [6.51–30.91]). These changes were only observed in specific SE groups. When considering adherence to guidelines, the proportion of women who consumed less than 7.5 portions a day in 1993 and more in 2005 was greater in women with advanced breast cancer. More research is now needed to understand how the inequities we observed impact the long‐term health after cancer.
Feasibility of early discharge following vaginal hysterectomy with a bipolar electrocoagulation device
Authors: Cassis Charlotte , Mukhopadhyay Sambit , Sule Medha M. , Kuruba Neeraja
Published: May 2018

Objective

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of vaginal hysterectomy for benign conditions (excluding prolapse) using the BiClamp (Erbe Elektromedizin, Tübingen, Germany) bipolar electrocoagulation system.

Methods

The present study was a prospective audit of a consecutive case series of patients who underwent vaginal hysterectomy for benign conditions, performed using the BiClamp between March 1, 2015, and June 30, 2016, at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, UK. Surgeries performed for benign conditions were eligible, excluding prolapse; severe endometriosis with pelvic adhesions was an exclusion criterion. Patient demographics and past history were recorded, along with intraoperative findings and adverse events. Follow‐up data were obtained via telephone interviews 24 hours after surgery and a nurse‐led postoperative clinic 8 weeks postoperatively.

Results

The series included 75 patients; 32 (43%) were discharged on the same day as surgery and 70 (93%) within 23 hours. There were two patients who experienced vault hematomas and remained admitted for more than 24 hours. There was one intraoperative bladder injury that was repaired vaginally. No delayed adverse events occurred within 8 weeks. No patient required patient‐controlled analgesia or an epidural injection for postoperative analgesia.

Conclusion

Patients experienced low postoperative pain following BiClamp treatment and 93% were was discharged within 23 hours.
Gold/silver/gold trilayer films on nanostructured polycarbonate substrates for direct and label‐free nanoplasmonic biosensing
Authors: López‐Muñoz Gerardo A. , Estévez M.‐Carmen , Vázquez‐García Marc , Berenguel‐Alonso Miguel , Alonso‐Chamarro Julián , Homs‐Corbera Antoni , Lechuga Laura M.
Published: May 2018

Ultrasmooth gold/silver/gold trilayer nanostructured plasmonic sensors were obtained using commercial Blu‐ray optical discs as nanoslits‐based flexible polymer substrates. A thin gold film was used as an adhesion and nucleation layer to improve the chemical stability and reduce the surface roughness of the overlying silver film, without increasing ohmic plasmon losses. The structures were physically and optically characterized and compared with nanostructures of single gold layer. Ultrasmooth and chemically stable trilayer nanostructures with a surface roughness <0.5 nm were obtained following a simple and reproducible fabrication process. They showed a figure of merit (FOM) value up to 69.2 RIU−1 which is significantly higher (more than 95%) than the gold monolayer counterpart. Their potential for biosensing was demonstrated by employing the trilayer sensor for the direct and refractometric (label‐free) detection of C‐reactive protein (CRP) biomarker in undiluted urine achieving a Limit of Detection (LOD) in the pM order.
MicroRNA‐135a alleviates oxygen‐glucose deprivation and reoxygenation‐induced injury in neurons through regulation of GSK‐3β/Nrf2 signaling
Authors: Liu Xiaobin , Li Min , Hou Mingshan , Huang Weidong , Song Jinning
Published: May 2018

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been suggested as pivotal regulators in the pathological process of cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of miR‐135a in regulating neuronal survival in cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury using an in vitro cellular model induced by oxygen‐glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R). Our results showed that miR‐135a expression was significantly decreased in neurons with OGD/R treatment. Overexpression of miR‐135a significantly alleviated OGD/R‐induced cell injury and oxidative stress, whereas inhibition of miR‐135a showed the opposite effects. Glycogen synthase kinase‐3β (GSK‐3β) was identified as a potential target gene of miR‐135a. miR‐135a was found to inhibit GSK‐3β expression, but promote the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) and downstream signaling. However, overexpression of GSK‐3β significantly reversed miR‐135a‐induced neuroprotective effect. Overall, our results suggest that miR‐135a protects neurons against OGD/R‐induced injury through downregulation of GSK‐3β and upregulation of Nrf2 signaling.
Displacing, squeezing, and ramming: The role of nuclear lamins in leukocyte migration
Authors: Marelli-Berg Federica M , Nadkarni Suchita
Published: May 2018

Discussion on the role of lamin A and nuclear deformability in granulocyte migration though endothelial and matrix barriers.
Remodeling our concept of chemokine receptor function: From monomers to oligomers
Authors: Martínez-Muñoz Laura , Villares Ricardo , Rodríguez-Fernández José Luis , Rodríguez-Frade José Miguel , Mellado Mario
Published: May 2018

The chemokines direct leukocyte recruitment in both homeostatic and inflammatory conditions, and are therefore critical for immune reactions. By binding to members of the class A G protein-coupled receptors, the chemokines play an essential role in numerous physiological and pathological processes. In the last quarter century, the field has accumulated much information regarding the implications of these molecules in different immune processes, as well as mechanistic insight into the signaling events activated through their binding to their receptors. Here, we will focus on chemokine receptors and how new methodological approaches have underscored the role of their conformations in chemokine functions. Advances in biophysical-based techniques show that chemokines and their receptors act in very complex networks and therefore should not be considered isolated entities. In this regard, the chemokine receptors can form homo- and heterodimers as well as oligomers at the cell surface. These findings are changing our view as to how chemokines influence cell biology, identify partners that regulate chemokine function, and open new avenues for therapeutic intervention.

New imaging-based approaches reveal a complex, dynamic picture of cell membrane chemokine receptors that define ligand-mediated functions.
Systematic review on the characterization of chronic traumatic encephalopathy by MRI and MRS
Authors: Ruprecht Rahel , Scheurer Eva , Lenz Claudia
Published: May 2018

Background

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease that is found in people who have suffered from chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI). Up to now, diagnosis of CTE could only be made based on postmortem histopathological examinations. The application of MR techniques might offer a promising possibility for in vivo diagnoses.

Purpose/Hypothesis

To provide a critical systematic review of the characterization of chronic TBI and CTE by considering the range of MR techniques.

Study Type

This was a systematic review for which the electronic databases PubMed and Embase were searched using the terms (“chronic traumatic encephalopathy” OR “punch drunk syndrome” OR “chronic traumatic brain injury” OR “dementia pugilistica” OR “chronic head trauma”) AND (“magnetic resonance imaging” OR mri OR imaging OR mrs OR “magnetic resonance spectroscopy” OR spectroscopy).

Population/Subjects/Phantom/Specimen/Animal Model

Of the 432 studies identified by the database search, 25 were included in this review.

Field Strength/Sequence

Diffusion, structural, and functional MRI sequences and MR spectroscopy were evaluated at 1.5T or 3T and at 11.74T for the ex vivo studies.

Assessment

Data were extracted by two reviewers independently. Specific inclusion and exclusion criteria like the study design, publication type, and applied MR techniques were used to select studies for review.

Statistical Tests

Results of the original research articles were stated in this review as significant if P ≤ 0.05.

Results

Of the included articles, two were ex vivo studies focusing on the coregistration of histology and MRI. All other studies were based on in vivo data.

Data Conclusion

The included studies varied considerably regarding study setup, MR techniques, and results. Nevertheless, this work aims to establish links between the studies and discusses the results and limitations associated with the characterization of chronic TBI and CTE based on MR.

Level of Evidence: 3

Technical Efficacy: Stage 2

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;49:212–228.