bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical perspective on the use of human amniotic epithelial cells to treat congenital metabolic diseases with a focus on maple syrup urine disease
Authors: Takano Chika , Grubbs Brendan H. , Ishige Mika , Ogawa Erika , Morioka Ichiro , Hayakawa Satoshi , Miki Toshio 
Published: February 2021

AbstractCongenital metabolic diseases are a group of hereditary disorders caused by the deficiency of a single specific enzyme activity. Without appropriate therapy, affected patients suffer severe neurologic disability and eventual death. The current mainstays of management attempt to slow disease progression, but are not curative. Several of these diseases have demonstrated significant benefits from liver transplantation; however, this approach is limited by the morbidity associated with this invasive procedure and a shortage of donor organs. Therefore, there is a need to establish a new strategy for improving the quality of a life for these patients. One potential solution is regenerative therapy using hepatocytes generated from stem cells. Herein, we discuss pertinent issues necessary for clinical application of the human amniotic epithelial cell, a type of placental stem cell. Focusing on maple syrup urine disease as an example, where liver replacement is an effective therapy, we explore this approach from a clinician's perspective.
Protecting islet functional viability using mesenchymal stromal cells
Authors: Hubber Ella L. , Rackham Chloe L. , Jones Peter M. 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Islet transplantation is an emerging treatment for type 1 diabetes which offers the prospect of physiological control of blood glucose and reductions in acute hypoglycaemic episodes. However, current protocols are limited by a rapid decline in islet functional viability during the isolation process, culture period, and post-transplantation. Much of this can be attributed to the deleterious effects of hypoxic and cytokine stressors on β cells. One experimental strategy to improve the functional viability of islets is coculture or cotransplantation with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Numerous studies have shown that MSCs have the capacity to improve islet survival and insulin secretory function, and the mechanisms of these effects are becoming increasingly well understood. In this review, we will focus on recent studies demonstrating the capacity for MSCs to protect islets from hypoxia- and cytokine-induced stress. Islets exposed to acute hypoxia (1%-2% O2) or to inflammatory cytokines (including IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-B) in vitro undergo apoptosis and a rapid decline in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Coculture of islets with MSCs, or with MSC-conditioned medium, protects from these deleterious effects, primarily with secreted factors. These protective effects are distinct from the immunomodulatory and structural support MSCs provide when cotransplanted with islets. Recent studies suggest that MSCs may support secretory function by the physical transfer of functional mitochondria, particularly to metabolically compromised β cells. Understanding how MSCs respond to stressed islets will facilitate the development of MSC secretome based, cell-free approaches to supporting islet graft function during transplantation by protecting or repairing β cells.
Synthesis and Characterization of Sustainable Inverse Vulcanized Copolymers from Non‐Edible Oil
Authors: Ghumman Ali Shaan Manzoor , Shamsuddin Muhammad Rashid , Nasef Mohamed Mahmoud , Yahya Wan Zaireen Nisa , Ayoub Muhammad , Cheah Bryan , Abbasi Amin 
Published: February 2021

AbstractInverse vulcanization is a facile solvent‐free process, which offers interesting sustainable copolymers from the reaction of sulfur with petro‐based monomers or edible vegetable oils. However, sulfur reaction with the former contradicts green chemistry, whereas the latter reduces the viability of the product and can contribute to the food crisis. Herein, we report the preparation of sulfur‐based polymer (SBP) by the reaction of rubber seed oil, RSO (a non‐edible oil), to produce a sustainable sulfur‐based copolymer for the first time. The properties of the new polymer were evaluated using different techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X‐rays (SEM‐EDX‐mapping), powdered X‐ray diffractometer (p‐XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The polymer was found to be soluble in tetrahydrofuran, thermally stable to 200 °C, and a low glass transition temperature (−6.41 to −7.85 °C for a polymer with 50 to 70 wt % S). The polymer morphological and DSC analysis demonstrated a uniform surface possessing a small amount of unreacted microscale sulfur particles that is lesser than similar polymers from other oils, which was confirmed by DSC. The P‐XRD analysis revealed the amorphous nature of the copolymer caused by a heavily crosslinked structure. The effect of the post‐polymerization treatment on the properties of the copolymers was also investigated which revealed that increasing the curing temperature or quenching medium temperature increases the glass transition temperature of the copolymer. The polymer properties were dramatically improved by reducing the amount of the unreacted sulfur by the addition of a small amount of 1,3‐diisopropeynyl benzene (crosslinker), leading to 99.75 % sulfur conversion, the highest ever value achieved in such SBPs. It can be concluded that the use of RSO with sulfur enhances the sustainability of SBP and promotes their adding products
Water Sorption Kinetics of Starch Noodles with Different Cross‐Sectional Shapes
Authors: Adachi Shuji , Miyagawa Yayoi , Ariyanto Hermawan Dwi , Kobayashi Takashi , Yoshii Hidefumi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe water sorption process of three types of starch noodles with different cross‐sectional shapes is studied in a temperature range of 30°C–70°C. The process could be expressed by a rate equation based on a linear driving‐force approximation, for all the noodles and at any temperature. The activation energy for water penetration is practically negligible for all the noodles, indicating that there is no energy barrier for water migration. For two noodles with approximately square and rectangular cross‐sections, the equilibrium moisture content shows different degrees of temperature dependence at temperatures higher and lower than the gelatinization temperature of starch. The enthalpy changes for water sorption in the high‐ and low‐temperature regions are greater than 20 kJ mol‐1 and lesser than 10 kJ mol‐1, respectively. It is suggested that the rate‐limiting step of water sorption for gluten‐free noodles was movement of water through the laminar fluid film on the noodle surface. The validity of this suggestion is confirmed by the fact that the water sorption rate increased as the shaking speed during water sorption increased. These findings indicate that increasing the specific surface area is effective in preparing gluten‐free starch noodles with a high water sorption rate.
Thermal cross‐linking and anti‐meltdrop properties of copolyester containing phosphorus/magnesium salt composites by in situ polymerization
Authors: Hu Youxian , Jiang Zhenlin , Zhu Min , Song Shiqiang , Jin Liang , Ji Hong , Wang Chaosheng , Wang Jianhua 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPolyester is widely used in household products because of its good mechanical properties and wears resistance, but polyester is easy to ignite and inclined to produce droplet, so its application range is limited. The cross‐linkable magnesium hydroxide nanoparticles were incorporated into flame‐retardant polyester, which enables the phosphorus‐containing copolyester with thermal cross‐linking and anti‐meltdrop properties. The nanoparticles were achieved by in situ polymerization and acted as a nucleating agent for improving the crystalline properties of the copolyester. Furthermore, the nanoparticles also enhanced anti‐meltdrop properties and reduced the heat and gas release during the combustion process of the copolyester. The maximum heat release rate and total smoke release reduced by 39.8% and 74.4% compared with pure polyester. Specifically, the combustion products of the nanoparticles and phosphorus flame retardant could act a barrier role by covering the carbon layer to isolate air and heat, thereby resulting in excellent anti‐meltdrop properties. The simple modification method reported here realizes the collaborative modification of flame retardant and anti‐meltdrop properties of phosphorous flame‐retardant copolyesters by thermal cross‐linking.
Integrated condition‐based maintenance modelling and optimisation for offshore wind turbines
Authors: Dao Cuong D. , Kazemtabrizi Behzad , Crabtree Christopher J. , Tavner Peter J. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractMaintenance is essential in keeping wind energy assets operating efficiently. With the development of advanced condition monitoring, diagnostics and prognostics, condition‐based maintenance has attracted much attention in the offshore wind industry in recent years. This paper models various maintenance activities and their impacts on the degradation and performance of offshore wind turbine components. An integrated maintenance strategy of corrective maintenance, imperfect time‐based preventive maintenance and condition‐based maintenance is proposed and compared with other traditional maintenance strategies. A maintenance simulation programme is developed to simulate the degradation and maintenance of offshore wind turbines and estimate their performance. A case study on a 10‐MW offshore wind turbine (OWT) is presented to analyse the performance of different maintenance strategies. The simulation results reveal that the proposed strategy not only reduces the total maintenance cost but also improves the energy generation by reducing the total downtime and expected energy not supplied. Furthermore, the proposed maintenance strategy is optimised to find the best degradation threshold and balance the trade‐off between the use of condition‐based maintenance and other maintenance activities.
The sector coupling concept: A critical review
Authors: Ramsebner Jasmine , Haas Reinhard , Ajanovic Amela , Wietschel Martin 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPursued climate goals require reduced greenhouse gas emissions by substituting fossil fuels with energy from renewable sources in all energy‐consuming processes. On a large‐scale, this can mainly be achieved through electricity from wind and sun, which are subject to intermittency. To efficiently integrate this variable energy, a coupling of the power sector to the residential, transport, industry, and commercial/trade sector is often promoted, called sector coupling (SC). Nevertheless, our literature review indicates that SC is frequently misinterpreted and its scope varies among available research, from exclusively considering the use of excess renewable electricity to a rather holistic view of integrated energy systems, including excess heat or even biomass sources. The core objective of this article is to provide a thorough understanding of the SC concept through an analysis of its origin and its main purpose, as described in the current literature. We provide a structured categorization of SC, derived from our findings, and critically discuss its remaining challenges as well as its value for renewable energy systems. We find that SC is rooted in the increasing use of variable renewable energy sources, and its main assets are the flexibility it provides for renewable energy systems, decarbonization potential for fossil‐fuel‐based end‐consumption sectors, and consequently, reduced dependency on oil and gas extracting countries. However, the enabling technologies face great challenges in their economic feasibility because of the uncertain future development of competing solutions.This article is categorized under:
Energy Systems Economics > Economics and Policy
Energy Systems Economics > Systems and Infrastructure
Impact of EBUS-TBNA in addition to [18F]FDG-PET/CT imaging on target volume definition for radiochemotherapy in stage III NSCLC
Authors: Guberina Maja , Darwiche Kaid , Hautzel Hubertus , Ploenes Till , Pöttgen Christoph , Guberina Nika , Herrmann Ken , Umutlu Lale , Wetter Axel , Theegarten Dirk , Aigner Clemens , Eberhardt Wilfried Ernst Erich , Schuler Martin , Karpf-Wissel Rüdiger , Stuschke Martin 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Purpose/introduction
[18F]FDG-PET/CT is the standard imaging-technique for radiation treatment (RT) planning in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this study was to examine the additional value of endobronchial-ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) to standard PET/CT for mediastinal lymph-node (LN) staging and its impact on clinical target volume (CTV).

Materials and methods
All consecutive patients with primary stage III NSCLC who underwent [18F]FDG-PET/CT and EBUS-TBNA prior to RT were analyzed from 12/2011 to 06/2018. LN-stations were assessed by an expert-radiologist and a nuclear medicine-physician. CTV was evaluated by two independent radiation oncologists. LNs were grouped with increasing distance along the lymphatic chains from primary tumor into echelon-1 (ipsilateral hilum), echelon-2 (LN-station 7 and ipsilateral 4), and echelon-3 (remaining mediastinum and contralateral hilum).

Results
A total of 675 LN-stations of which 291 were positive for tumor-cells, were sampled by EBUS-TBNA in 180 patients. The rate of EBUS-positive LNs was 43% among all sampled LNs. EBUS-positivity in EBUS-probed LNs decreased from 85.8% in echelon-1 LNs to 42.4%/ 9.6% in echelon-2/ -3 LNs, respectively (p < 0.0001, Fisher’s exact test). The false discovery rate of PET in comparison with EBUS results rose from 5.3% in echelon-1 to 32.9%/ 69.1% in echelon-2/ -3 LNs, respectively (p < 0.0001, Fisher’s exact test). Sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET/CT ranged from 85 to 99% and 67 to 80% for the different echelons. In 22.2% patients, EBUS-TBNA finding triggered changes of the treated CTV, compared with contouring algorithms based on FDG-avidity as the sole criterion for inclusion. CTV was enlarged in 6.7% patients due to EBUS-positivity in PET-negative LN-station and reduced in 15.5% by exclusion of an EBUS-negative but PET-positive LN-station.

Conclusion
The false discovery rate of [18F]FDG-PET/CT increased markedly with distance from the primary tumor. Inclusion of systematic mediastinal LN mapping by EBUS-TBNA in addition to PET/CT has the potential to increase accuracy of target volume definition, particularly in echelon-3 LNs. EBUS-TBNA is recommended as integral part of staging for radiochemotherapy in stage III NSCLC.
Acute recoordination rather than functional hemodynamic improvement determines reverse remodelling by cardiac resynchronisation therapy
Authors: Wouters Philippe C. , Leenders Geert E. , Cramer Maarten J. , Meine Mathias , Prinzen Frits W. , Doevendans Pieter A. , De Boeck Bart W. L. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractPurpose: Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) improves left ventricular (LV) function acutely, with further improvements and reverse remodelling during chronic CRT. The current study investigated the relation between acute improvement of LV systolic function, acute mechanical recoordination, and long-term reverse remodelling after CRT.Methods: In 35 patients, LV speckle tracking longitudinal strain, LV volumes & ejection fraction (LVEF) were assessed by echocardiography before, acutely within three days, and 6 months after CRT. A subgroup of 25 patients underwent invasive assessment of the maximal rate of LV pressure rise (dP/dtmax,) during CRT-implantation. The acute change in dP/dtmax, LVEF, systolic discoordination (internal stretch fraction [ISF] and LV systolic rebound stretch [SRSlv]) and systolic dyssynchrony (standard deviation of peak strain times [2DS-SD18]) was studied, and their association with long-term reverse remodelling were determined.Results: CRT induced acute and ongoing recoordination (ISF from 45 ± 18 to 27 ± 11 and 23 ± 12%, p < 0.001; SRS from 2.27 ± 1.33 to 0.74 ± 0.50 and 0.71 ± 0.43%, p < 0.001) and improved LV function (dP/dtmax668 ± 185 vs. 817 ± 198 mmHg/s, p < 0.001; stroke volume 46 ± 15 vs. 54 ± 20 and 52 ± 16 ml; LVEF 19 ± 7 vs. 23 ± 8 and 27 ± 10%, p < 0.001). Acute recoordination related to reverse remodelling (r = 0.601 and r = 0.765 for ISF & SRSlv, respectively, p < 0.001). Acute functional improvements of LV systolic function however, neither related to reverse remodelling nor to the extent of acute recoordination.Conclusion: Long-term reverse remodelling after CRT is likely determined by (acute) recoordination rather than by acute hemodynamic improvements. Discoordination may therefore be a more important CRT-substrate that can be assessed and, acutely restored.
A method for reconstructing past lake water phosphorus concentrations using sediment geochemical records
Authors: Moyle Madeleine , Boyle John F. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAn existing steady state model of lake phosphorus (P) budgets has been adapted to allow reconstruction of long-term average historic lake water total phosphorus (TP) concentrations using lake sediment records of P burial. This model can be applied without site-specific parameterisation, thus potentially having universal application. In principle, it is applicable at any site where there is both a sediment P burial record and knowledge of the current water budget, although we advise caution applying it to problematic sediment records. Tested at six published case study sites, modelled lake water TP concentrations agree well with water-quality monitoring data, and limited testing finds good agreement with wholly independent diatom inferred lake water TP. Our findings, together with a review of the literature, suggest that well preserved lake sediments can usefully record a long-term average P burial rate from which the long-term mean lake water TP can be reliably estimated. These lake water TP reconstructions can provide meaningful site-specific reference values to support decision making in lake eutrophication management, including establishing targets for lake restoration.
Local Limit Theorems for the Random Conductance Model and Applications to the Ginzburg–Landau $$\nabla \phi $$ Interface Model
Authors: Andres Sebastian , Taylor Peter A. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractWe study a continuous-time random walk on$${\mathbb {Z}}^d$$Zdin an environment of random conductances taking values in$$(0,\infty )$$(0,∞). For a static environment, we extend the quenched local limit theorem to the case of a general speed measure, given suitable ergodicity and moment conditions on the conductances and on the speed measure. Under stronger moment conditions, an annealed local limit theorem is also derived. Furthermore, an annealed local limit theorem is exhibited in the case of time-dependent conductances, under analogous moment and ergodicity assumptions. This dynamic local limit theorem is then applied to prove a scaling limit result for the space-time covariances in the Ginzburg–Landau$$\nabla \phi $$∇ϕmodel. We also show that the associated Gibbs distribution scales to a Gaussian free field. These results apply to convex potentials for which the second derivative may be unbounded.
Innovation effects of universities of applied sciences: an assessment of regional heterogeneity
Authors: Schlegel Tobias , Pfister Curdin , Harhoff Dietmar , Backes-Gellner Uschi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe literature on the economics of science and technology shows that academic universities—institutions focusing on basic research—positively affect innovation activities in regional economies. Less is known about the innovation effects of universities of applied sciences (UASs)—bachelor-granting three-year colleges teaching and conducting applied research. Furthermore, the evidence for positive innovation effects is predominantly based on average effects, while heterogeneity in innovation effects due to the economic environment is far less considered. By exploiting a public policy development in Switzerland that led to the quasi-random establishment of UASs, we investigate the regional heterogeneity in innovation effects of these UASs. We rely on patent and business census data and analyze the influence and importance of three economic preconditions—labor market size, labor market density and high tech intensity—on innovation effects of UASs. Our results show that only regions with a large or a dense enough labor market or with an above average high tech intensity experience significant innovation effects of UASs. Comparing the relative importance of the three economic preconditions, we find that labor market size is the most important factor that drives heterogeneity in innovation effects of UASs.
Depression, Deprivation, and Dysbiosis: Polyiatrogenesis in Multiple Chronic Illnesses
Authors: Ecks Stefan 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBiomedicine tends to treat “mental” illnesses as if they could be isolated from multiple social and somatic problems. Yet mental suffering is inseparable from complex somatosocial relations. Clinical fieldwork in a deprived area of the UK shows that nearly all the people treated for “depression” are chronically multimorbid, both in their bodies and in their social relations. Mental suffering is co-produced by poverty, trauma, and excessive medication use. Patients’ guts are as imbalanced as their moods. Single vertical treatments make them worse rather than better. In the UK, patients in poorer neighbourhoods do not “lack access” to healthcare. If anything, they suffer from taking too many medications with too little integration. I conceptualize the bad effects of excessive interventions in patients with multiple chronic problems as polyiatrogenesis.
Multimedia analysis platform for crime prevention and investigation
Authors: Pérez Francisco J. , Garrido Victor J. , García Alberto , Zambrano Marcelo , Kozik Rafał , Choraś Michał , Mühlenberg Dirk , Pallmer Dirk , Müller Wilmuth 
Published: February 2021

AbstractNowadays,the use of digital technologies is promoting three main characteristics of information, i.e. the volume, the modality and the frequency. Due to the amount of information generated by tools and individuals, it has been identified a critical need for the Law Enforcement Agencies to exploit this information and carry out criminal investigations in an effective way. To respond to the increasing challenges of managing huge amounts of heterogeneous data generated at high frequency, the paper outlines a modular approach adopted for the processing of information gathered from different information sources, and the extraction of knowledge to assist criminal investigation. The proposed platform provides novel technologies and efficient components for processing multimedia information in a scalable and distributed way, allowing Law Enforcement Agencies to make the analysis and a multidimensional visualization of criminal information in a single and secure point.
On generalized reversed aging intensity functions
Authors: Buono Francesco , Longobardi Maria , Szymkowiak Magdalena 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe reversed aging intensity function is defined as the ratio of the instantaneous reversed hazard rate to the baseline value of the reversed hazard rate. It analyzes the aging property quantitatively, the higher the reversed aging intensity, the weaker the tendency of aging. In this paper, a family of generalized reversed aging intensity functions is introduced and studied. Those functions depend on a real parameter. If the parameter is positive they characterize uniquely the distribution functions of univariate positive absolutely continuous random variables, in the opposite case they characterize families of distributions. Furthermore, the generalized reversed aging intensity orders are defined and studied. Finally, several numerical examples are given.