bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Merkel cell carcinoma: Clinical outcome and prognostic factors in 351 patients
Authors: van Veenendaal Linde M. , van Akkooi Alexander C. J. , Verhoef Cees , Grünhagen Dirk Jan , Klop W. Martin C. , Valk Gerlof D. , Tesselaar Margot E. T. 
Published: May 2018

BackgroundMerkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin.AimTo describe clinical outcome and prognostic factors of MCC patients in two expert‐centers.MethodPatients with histologically confirmed MCC in 1990‐2014 were included. Data on patient, tumor characteristics and treatment were retrospectively collected.ResultsA total of 351 Patients were evaluated, 153 (44%) males, median age 74 years (range 28‐94). Median follow‐up time was 28 months (IQR 13‐58). Median primary tumor size was 17 mm (range 2‐135). At time of diagnosis 112 (32%) patients had lymph node metastases. The cohorts′ 5‐year overall survival (OS) was 58%. Using a competing risk analysis the 5‐year relapse and MCC related death was 42% and 22%. Adjuvant radiation therapy (XRT) was associated with reduced recurrence (SDH 0.54; CI 0.3‐0.9). Nodal involvement (SDH 2.7; CI 1.1‐6.6) and the male gender were associated with higher MCC related death (SDH 3.1; CI 1.2‐7.9)ConclusionIn a large cohort a low MCC related death, in the presence of a low OS was seen. This indicates that a significant number of MCC patients die due to other causes than MCC. Adjuvant XRT was associated with relapse. Male gender and nodal metastasis were associated with MCC related death.
How might sediment connectivity change in space and time?
Authors: Cossart Etienne , Viel Vincent , Lissak Candide , Reulier Romain , Fressard Mathieu , Delahaye Daniel 
Published: May 2018

AbstractMany authors focus on the concept of sediment connectivity to predict the sedimentary signal delivered at catchment outlets. In this framework, the sedimentary signal is seen as an emergent aggregation of local links and interactions. The challenge is then to open black boxes that remain within a sediment cascade, which requires both accurate geomorphic investigations in the field (reconstruction of sequences of geomorphic evolution and description of sediment routes) and the development of tools dedicated to the modeling of sediment cascades. On the basis of study cases in various environmental regimes (high‐energy mountainous environment and agricultural lowland catchments), in this paper, we (a) exhibit some spatial and temporal paradoxes in terms of sediment delivery and (b) develop various modeling procedures to test some hypothesis of interpretations. These modeling approaches explore different components of sediment connectivity at the catchment scale, including graph theory, agent‐based modeling, and differential equations. Each protocol is chosen according to the scientific objective and how the geomorphological system is simplified. Collectively, the results show that connectivity is an efficient conceptual framework with which to predict how a sediment cascade may transmit (or not) a perturbation throughout the system, including local perturbations (local sediment input, removal of a reservoir, etc.) and perturbations due to external‐boundary forces.
Detection of areas susceptible to land degradation in Cyprus using remote sensed data and environmental quality indices
Authors: Kolios Stavros , Mitrakos Stavros , Stylios Chrysostomos 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThis study is an effort to adapt the general principles, methodological tools, and equations of a widely used Mediterranean desertification and land use approach (MEDALUS approach) in order to detect environmental sensitive areas susceptible for land degradation in Cyprus. For this scope, different remote sensed data and products (Landsat multispectral imagery and ASTER Digital Elevation Model) were used as well as demographic information, taken from the Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center. Four quality indices were calculated (Climate Quality Index, Demographic Index, Soil Quality Index, and Vegetation Quality Index) and combined in order to provide at final stage, the Environmental Sensitivity Area Index (ESAI) with which the environmental status is described. The use of remote sensed data of 30‐m spatial resolution and the calculation of different indices to extract the environmental stress at regional scale can be considered as innovative characteristics of this study. According to this ESAI, it was found that 9.68% of the Cyprus Island is at environmental risk, strictly related to the land degradation potential. The spatial distribution of the ESAI values shows that the environmental risk is most significant in Paphos district and Limassol, following the Larnaca and the Famagusta districts. Nicosia and Kyrenia districts are found slightly less problematic. In addition, large parts of Troodos Mountain (especially in its low altitudes), which is one of the most vegetated areas of the Island, seem to be at notable environmental stress.
Crosslinkable deoxidizing hybrid adhesive of epoxy–diacid for electrical interconnections in semiconductor packaging
Authors: Jang Keon‐Soo , Eom Yong‐Sung , Choi Kwang‐Seong , Bae Hyun‐Cheol 
Published: May 2018

AbstractFor electrical interconnections in semiconductor packaging, epoxy‐based pastes have recently attracted considerable interest due to their excellent adhesion to various substrates and their reasonable electrical and mechanical properties, especially when combined with deoxidizing agents (to remove metallic oxides). Here, epoxy–diacid‐based hybrid pastes were examined to achieve a deoxidizing capability for eliminating Sn‐based solder oxides and adhesion between microchip and substrate as a one‐step process. Onset, exothermic peak and end temperatures of the reaction between epoxy and diacids were systematically probed using DSC, rheometry and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The last moment of the adhesive reaction during heating substantially enhanced the thermal and mechanical properties of the epoxy–diacid adhesive despite the absence of exothermic enthalpy detected by DSC. The glass transition temperature (Tg) and Young's modulus gradually decreased as a function of aliphatic chain length of diacids except when the length was extremely short and voids were produced. Soldering (wetting) and deoxidizing capabilities of the hybrid adhesive were observed via optical microscopy and FTIR. The correlation between the reaction, Tg, conversion and viscosity was also investigated. Lastly, complete wetting and electrical interconnection with good mechanical robustness were achieved for a commercial chip/substrate set by flip‐chip bonding. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
The role of the ratio (PEG:PPG) of a triblock copolymer (PPG‐b‐PEG‐b‐PPG) in the cure kinetics, miscibility and thermal and mechanical properties in an epoxy matrix
Authors: Silva Bruna L , Bello Roger H , Ferreira Coelho Luiz A 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the role of different poly(ethylene glycol):poly(propylene glycol) (PEG:PPG) molar ratios in a triblock copolymer in the cure kinetics, miscibility and thermal and mechanical properties in an epoxy matrix. The poly(propylene glycol)‐block‐poly(ethylene glycol)‐block‐poly(propylene glycol) (PPG‐b‐PEG‐b‐PPG) triblock copolymers used had two different molecular masses: 3300 and 2000 g mol−1. The mass concentration of PEG in the copolymer structure played a key role in the miscibility and cure kinetics of the blend as well as in the thermal–mechanical properties. Phase separation was observed only for blends formed with the 3300 g mol−1 triblock copolymer at 20 wt%. Concerning thermal properties, the miscibility of the copolymer in the epoxy matrix reduced the Tg value by 13 °C, although a 62% increase in fracture toughness (KIC) was observed. After the addition of PPG‐b‐PEG‐b‐PPG with 3300 g mol−1 there was a reduction in the modulus of elasticity by 8% compared to the neat matrix; no significant changes were observed in Tg values for the immiscible system. The use of PPG‐b‐PEG‐b‐PPG with 2000 g mol−1 reduced the modulus of elasticity by approximately 47% and increased toughness (KIC) up to 43%. Finally, for the curing kinetics of all materials, the incorporation of the triblock copolymer PPG‐b‐PEG‐b‐PPG delayed the cure reaction of the DGEBA/DDM (DGEBA, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A; DDM, Q3‐4,4′‐Diaminodiphenylmethane) system when there is miscibility and accelerated the cure reaction when it is immiscible. All experimental curing reactions could be fitted to the Kamal autocatalytic model presenting an excellent agreement with experimental data. This model was able to capture some interesting features of the addition of triblock copolymers in an epoxy resin. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
In silico and Wet Bench Interactomics Sheds Light on the Similitudes and Differences between Human ROCO Proteins
Authors: Taymans Jean‐Marc , Chartier‐Harlin Marie‐Christine 
Published: May 2018

AbstractDefining a common and specific function for homologs of a novel protein family is not a trivial task. In their recent study, Tomkins and colleagues have addressed this challenge for the ROCO protein family by exploring interactomes of its four human members: MASL1, DAPK1, LRRK1, and LRRK2. ROCO proteins are characterized by a Ras‐GTPase domain embedded in complex multidomain proteins and a functional descriptor for this protein family has been elusive despite accumulating research, particularly for LRRK2, a protein implicated in Parkinson's disease. Tomkins et al. have combined an in silico weighted literature mining approach with novel interactomics data obtained on protein chips for all four proteins under strictly comparable conditions. The combination of these approaches has allowed the prudent formulation of common functions for ROCO proteins, including their involvement in stress response and cell projection organization. In addition, the study also confirms functional specificity for the individual ROCOs with such functions as cell death and apoptosis assigned to DAPK1, cellular, and neuronal development associated with LRRK1 and intracellular transport and organization assigned to LRRK2.
Predicting healthcare outcomes in prematurely born infants using cluster analysis
Authors: MacBean Victoria , Lunt Alan , Drysdale Simon B. , Yarzi Muska N. , Rafferty Gerrard F. , Greenough Anne 
Published: May 2018

AbstractAimsPrematurely born infants are at high risk of respiratory morbidity following neonatal unit discharge, though prediction of outcomes is challenging. We have tested the hypothesis that cluster analysis would identify discrete groups of prematurely born infants with differing respiratory outcomes during infancy.MethodsA total of 168 infants (median (IQR) gestational age 33 (31‐34) weeks) were recruited in the neonatal period from consecutive births in a tertiary neonatal unit. The baseline characteristics of the infants were used to classify them into hierarchical agglomerative clusters. Rates of viral lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) were recorded for 151 infants in the first year after birth.ResultsInfants could be classified according to birth weight and duration of neonatal invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) into three clusters. Cluster one (MV ≤5 days) had few LRTIs. Clusters two and three (both MV ≥6 days, but BW ≥or <882 g respectively), had significantly higher LRTI rates. Cluster two had a higher proportion of infants experiencing respiratory syncytial virus LRTIs (P = 0.01) and cluster three a higher proportion of rhinovirus LRTIs (P < 0.001)ConclusionsReadily available clinical data allowed classification of prematurely born infants into one of three distinct groups with differing subsequent respiratory morbidity in infancy.
Engaged parenting, gender, and children's time use in transnational families: An assessment spanning three global regions
Authors: Jordan Lucy P. , Dito Bilisuma , Nobles Jenna , Graham Elspeth 
Published: May 2018

AbstractGlobal circuits of migration regularly separate parents from children. How families navigate this separation has changed markedly. The sharp decline in the cost of international communication makes possible new forms of transnational parenting. In many contexts, migrants are now actively engaged parents, involved in decisions, knowledgeable of children's schooling, employment, and activities, and in some cases, even conversant face‐to‐face with children via videoconferencing. These practices, however, are not universal. We use data from surveys in three countries to document the frequency and variability of intensive, engaged transnational parenting in the diverse global regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. We then ask whether the organisation of children's lives—specifically, time allocated to school homework, leisure, and household chores—varies by the degree to which migrant parents stay connected to sending homes. The gender of the migrant parent, stay‐behind caregiver, and the gender of the child emerge as explanatory factors for engaged parenting and children's time use. However, and unexpectedly, in the Philippines, migrant mothers are less likely to practice engaged parenting. In sending households, girls in two of the three countries spend more time doing household chores than boys, but parental migration does not mitigate this difference. Although we find some evidence of more traditional gender practices, we also find exceptions that suggest potentially fruitful avenues for future research.
Transnational families: Cross‐country comparative perspectives
Authors: Mazzucato Valentina , Dito Bilisuma B. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThis special issue aims to address the gap in transnational families studies by identifying if there are common patterns and effects of transnational family life across countries and regions, using cross‐country comparative analyses. In this editorial introduction, we highlight the overarching themes emerging from seven papers, which employ new large‐scale surveys specifically designed to collect information about transnational family life across different Latin American, African, and Southeast Asian countries and China. We discuss how these comparative studies offer new ways of understanding transnational families by focusing on their prevalence, composition, the experiences of their members, and how these change over time. We also highlight how differing and changing notions of care over space and a person's lifetime influence how transnational families are created, reproduced, maintained, and experienced. In general, the issue as a whole emphasises the need to take structural factors in both sending and receiving contexts into account when studying the form that transnational families take, how this changes over time, and the general and specific gendered effects they have on different members.
Grappling with racism as foundational practice of science teaching
Authors: Sheth Manali J. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractWhile current science teacher education frameworks designed to support high‐quality teaching have the potential to promote equitable science learning, they do not substantively engage with how racism organizes science teaching and learning. In this critical qualitative inquiry grounded in critical race theory and sociopolitical perspectives on teaching and learning, I analyzed the contradictions that emerged in science teaching practices that were both intended to support Student of Color science learning and engaged science‐specific colorblind ideologies. The critical race theory analysis demonstrated how science teaching practices such as connecting to students’ experiences, creating interests in science, representing scientists as role models, and scaffolding doing science maintain unequal racialized power relations between students and science when historical and contemporary legacies of racism are not directly confronted. I also propose a science teaching practice of “grappling with racism” as a possible transformative solution to disrupt racism in and through science teaching.
Recent progress in flexible dye solar cells
Authors: Miettunen Kati , Vapaavuori Jaana , Poskela Aapo , Tiihonen Armi , Lund Peter D. 
Published: May 2018

Flexible dye‐sensitized solar cells are an intriguing photovoltaic technology, especially from the point of view of integration of photovoltaics into everyday objects, owing to these solar cells conforming easily to different nonplanar geometries and low‐intensity lighting conditions. However, the commercialization of these devices has not yet fully taken off due to few persisting gaps in the optimization of employed materials and processes. Herein, we focus on the recent progress on flexible dye sensitized solar cells, and how obstacles to larger‐scale production have been removed. There have been major advancements in diverse roll‐to‐roll compatible preparation methods of various cell layers, as well as in understanding the corrosion of metal electrodes in liquid electrolyte. We also pinpoint the remaining challenges for full commercialization of these technologies, one of which is reaching long‐term stability in which case sealing of the flexible device plays a major role. Furthermore, environmental considerations such as the life cycle assessment and the use of more sustainable materials in solar cell preparation are discussed.This article is categorized under:
Energy Research & Innovation > Science and Materials
Photovoltaics > Science and Materials
Suppressor of clathrin deficiency (Scd6)—An emerging RGG‐motif translation repressor
Authors: Roy Debadrita , Rajyaguru Purusharth I. 
Published: May 2018

Translation control plays a key role in variety of cellular processes. Translation initiation factors augment translation, whereas translation repressor proteins inhibit translation. Different repressors act by distinct mechanisms to accomplish the repression process. Although messenger RNAs (mRNAs) can be repressed at various steps of translation, most repressors have been reported to target the initiation step. We focus on one such translation repressor, an Arginine–Glycine–Glycine (RGG)‐motif containing protein Scd6. Using this protein as a model, we present a discourse on the known and possible functions of this repressor, its mechanism of action and its recently reported regulation. We suggest a case for conservation of the mechanism employed by Scd6 along with its regulation in orthologs, and propose that Scd6 family of proteins will be an ideal tool to understand translation control and mRNA fate decision mechanisms across biological systems.This article is categorized under:

Translation > Translation Regulation
RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Turnover/Surveillance Mechanisms
RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA–Protein Complexes
Cas9 versus Cas12a/Cpf1: Structure–function comparisons and implications for genome editing
Authors: Swarts Daan C. , Jinek Martin 
Published: May 2018

Cas9 and Cas12a are multidomain CRISPR‐associated nucleases that can be programmed with a guide RNA to bind and cleave complementary DNA targets. The guide RNA sequence can be varied, making these effector enzymes versatile tools for genome editing and gene regulation applications. While Cas9 is currently the best‐characterized and most widely used nuclease for such purposes, Cas12a (previously named Cpf1) has recently emerged as an alternative for Cas9. Cas9 and Cas12a have distinct evolutionary origins and exhibit different structural architectures, resulting in distinct molecular mechanisms. Here we compare the structural and mechanistic features that distinguish Cas9 and Cas12a, and describe how these features modulate their activity. We discuss implications for genome editing, and how they may influence the choice of Cas9 or Cas12a for specific applications. Finally, we review recent studies in which Cas12a has been utilized as a genome editing tool.This article is categorized under:

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein–RNA Interactions: Functional Implications
Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Biogenesis of Effector Small RNAs
RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA–Protein Complexes
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Deployment of smart home management system at the edge: mechanisms and protocols
Authors: Batalla Jordi Mongay , Gonciarz Franciszek 
Published: May 2018

AbstractDue to growing popularity of smart home systems, smart home security is a topic which is becoming increasingly important. Internet of Things (IoT) devices are obtaining increasing access to private data, but very often it does not mean that improved security mechanisms and mechanisms guaranteeing availability are implemented. The main problem is limited computing power and the limited memory of the nodes used in the network. Moreover, IoT systems are increasingly often managed through the cloud, which causes that their interfaces are available over the Internet. Another problem is the lack of expertise of users which can lead to configuration errors potentially causing data loss and hacker attacks. In this paper, we face up security and availability issues in smart homes and propose an edge-of-things solution that focuses on putting the management of the home at the edge. The management is controlled by the network operator in a similar way as occurs with current set-top-boxes for multimedia streaming at home. We propose an architecture for this system, implement the necessary modules and test it from the point of view of security and availability. The results show that the proposed edge-of-things solution is able to solve many of the challenges that current smart home applications present.
A cautionary note on elasticity analyses in a ternary plot using randomly generated population matrices
Authors: Takada Takenori , Kawai Yuka , Salguero‐Gómez Roberto 
Published: May 2018

AbstractMatrix population models are one of the most common mathematical models in ecology, which describe the dynamics of stage‐structured populations and provide us many population statistics. One of the statistics, elasticity onto population growth rate, is frequently used and represents the degree of the relative impact of life history parameters to the population growth rate. Due to the utility of elasticities for cross‐taxonomic comparisons, Silvertown and his coauthors have published multiple papers and reported the relationship between elasticities and life forms (or life history) in multiple plant species, using a triangle map (called “ternary plot”). To understand why their elasticities are located in specific regions of the ternary plot, we constructed four archetypes of population matrices, from which we simulated 24,000 randomly generated population matrices and obtained the consequent elasticities. We found a large discrepancy when comparing our results to those in Silvertown et al.'s study (Conserv Biol 10:591–597, 1996): for our simulated matrices where rapid transitions were not allowed (e.g., trees), the elasticity distribution resulted in a line across the ternary plot. We provided the mathematical proof for this result, and found that its slope depends on matrix dimension. We also used 1230 matrices from the COMPADRE Plant Matrix Database and calculated the elasticities. Our simulated results were validated with field data from COMPADRE: two straight lines appeared in the ternary plot. Furthermore, we answered several addressed questions, such as, “Is there any special elasticity distribution in matrices with high population growth rates?” and “Why are the elasticities of natural populations concentrated in the upper half of the ternary plot?”.