bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Estimation of the diagnostic accuracy of clinical parameters for monitoring peri‐implantitis progression: An experimental canine study
Authors: Monje Alberto , Insua Angel , Rakic Mia , Nart Jose , Moyano‐Cuevas Jose Luis , Wang Hom‐Lay 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBackgroundLack of consensus on the clinical parameters of peri‐implantitis may complicate accurate diagnosis of the disorder. Furthermore, the lack of reliable estimates of the diagnostic capacity of the clinical endpoints precludes the definition of an effective treatment protocol for peri‐implantitis. The present canine study assesses the diagnostic accuracy of the clinical parameters for monitoring the peri‐implant tissues in a controlled ligature‐induced peri‐implantitis model followed by a spontaneous progression phase.MethodsSix beagle dogs were followed‐up on during three episodes of ligature‐induced peri‐implantitis and a further episode of spontaneous progression. Probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), mucosal recession (MR), and suppuration (SUP) were recorded at four sites per implant and at four study timepoints. Moreover, the implant mucosal index (IMI) was calculated at implant level. Marginal bone loss (MBL) was determined using computed tomography at four sites per implant. A linear regression model was used to estimate clinical and radiological parameters during peri‐implantitis progression.ResultsProgressive peri‐implant bone loss is characterized by an increase in PD, more profuse BOP, MR, and SUP in advanced cases (p < 0.001). However, even in the presence of severe bone loss, SUP was not a common finding, with an incidence of approximately 10% at the last timepoint. These clinical parameters were significantly correlated to MBL at most of the timepoints. The IMI, in turn, showed a positive correlation to MBL and the peri‐implant inflammatory signs (r = 0.39; p < 0.001), with a tendency to exhibit higher scores during ligature‐induced peri‐implantitis, followed by a slight decrease during the spontaneous progression period.ConclusionThe clinical features of peri‐implantitis and spontaneous progression of the disorder may facilitate an accurate monitoring of peri‐implant pathologic bone loss.
Preliminary evaluation of quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) fruit as extraction source of antioxidant phytoconstituents for nutraceutical and functional food applications
Authors: Sut Stefania , Dall'Acqua Stefano , Poloniato Gabriele , Maggi Filippo , Malagoli Mario 
Published: July 2018

ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDQuince (Cydonia oblonga) fruits can be considered as starting material for the extraction of health‐promoting phytochemicals, to be exploited in food and nutraceuticals. In the present work, liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection and tandem mass spectrometry analysis allowed the study of the phytochemical composition of quince fruits and to compare it with those of six commercial apple varieties.RESULTSThe distribution and quantification of secondary metabolites in peel and pulp were studied and compared with six commercial apple varieties. Furthermore the in vitro antioxidant activity was determined by 2,2‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Quince fruit presented significant amounts of shikimic and quinic acid derivatives, as well as flavonoids and procyanidins. Compared with apple, quince fruit composition was characterized by the presence of 4‐caffeoylshikimic acid, 4‐caffeoyl quinic acid, quercetin‐3,7‐diglucoside, kaempferol‐3‐O‐rhamnoside and kaempferol‐7‐O‐glucoside, and the dihydrochalcones were not detectable. The peel showed the highest contents of phenolics, whereas 3‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid was the most abundant compound in the quince pulp. The Pearson correlation index was calculated considering the quantitative amount of the phenolic constituents and the radical scavenging activity toward DPPH· both for peel and pulp extracts.CONCLUSIONSThis study highlighted the presence of significant amounts of valuable secondary metabolites in quince fruit, in particular the procyanidins and caffeoyl esters with shikimic and quinic acid. Notably, owing to the higher content in phenolic compounds and the stronger antioxidant capacity compared with the other fruits considered, the use of C. oblonga as a source of antioxidant can be valuable in nutraceuticals, revealing new possible applications of quince fruit. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Ash and fire, char, and biochar in the environment
Authors: Kuzyakov Yakov , Merino Agustin , Pereira Paulo 
Published: July 2018

AbstractFire is an extreme event leading to rapid and dramatic losses of carbon (C), nutrients, and ballast elements from ecosystems and leaving ash and char on the soil surface. This affects soil processes, properties, and functions. Similar effects can be induced by applying biochar—the product of artificial pyrolysis of plant materials and organic wastes. The nutrients in ashes remaining after a fire or in biochar after pyrolysis will be leached within a few years, and only the highly condensed material will remain in the soil over centuries and millennia.This Special Issue (SI) is devoted to ash, fire, char, and biochar in the environment, with a special focus on soil processes and properties. We begin by comprehensively summarizing the positive and negative effects of fire, ash, char, and biochar on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. We then review the 15 papers contributing to this SI. The first group of studies focuses on reconstructing fires during the Holocene and then linking them to human activities and land use. These studies clearly concluded that the fire frequency strongly increased with human invasion and occupation, and that charcoal properties are useful in reconstructing anthropogenic activities. The second group of studies is mainly devoted to changes in physical, chemical, and biological soil properties as well as to interactions between soil functions depending on fire, ash, and char properties. The final group describes the effects of biochar on soil properties and functions such as nutrient availability, C sequestration, microbial diversity and community structure, and heavy metal fixation. The overall conclusion is that fire and the remaining ash and char as well as the application of biochar have short‐ and long‐term consequences for soil. Despite the dramatic effects of fire on vegetation, these factors have many positive effects on soil properties and functions, whereby the influences extend from local, landscape, and regional scales to the global scale.
Salt stress tolerance mechanisms and potential applications of legumes for sustainable reclamation of salt‐degraded soils
Authors: Abiala Moses Akindele , Abdelrahman Mostafa , Burritt David J. , Tran Lam‐Son Phan 
Published: July 2018

AbstractSoil salinity is considered one of the most detrimental environmental problems affecting the productivity of many agricultural crops, with negative effects on seed germination, plant vigour, and crop yields. To mitigate these negative effects, it is necessary to restrategize and identify viable options that are environmentally and economically applicable for sustainable agriculture. This review summarizes and evaluates soil reclamation strategies that have been employed and those that could potentially be used, concentrating on the use of legume crops. Apart from the fact that legumes have many nutritional benefits as foods, they are also an attractive option to refertilize degraded and nitrogen‐deficient soils. Thus, the potential use of grain, grass, shrubby, and tree legumes to restore degraded soils requires evaluation. In this paper, we discuss and evaluate why legumes should be considered and used for the reclamation of degraded soils, with a particular focus on salt‐degraded soils. Globally relevant case‐studies that demonstrate how legumes could be used to reclaim salt‐degraded soils are highlighted.
Rice Bran Oil Improves Insulin Resistance by Affecting the Expression of Antioxidants and Lipid‐Regulatory Genes
Authors: Ahmed Mervat A. , Mohamed Mona A. , Rashed Laila A. , Abd Elbast Sohaier A. , Ahmed Elham A. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe present study investigated the molecular effects of rice bran oil (RBO) on lipid‐regulatory genes (sterol regulatory element binding protein‐1 [Srebf1] and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors‐α [Ppara]) and the expression of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD1) genes in insulin‐resistant rats. Rats were divided into five groups: animals that received standard diet (control); rats fed standard diet containing RBO as the sole source of fat (RBO); a high‐fructose diet (HFD) group, which was further divided into two subgroups: rats fed HFD either for only 1 month (HFD1) or for 2 months (HFD2) and rats fed HFD containing RBO for 1 month; while rats in the last group fed HFD for 30 days then treated with RBO for another 30 days. The HFD induced a state of insulin resistance (IR) as indicated by the hyperinsulinemia and elevated homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index. Hepatic lipid levels and radical scavenging enzymes were altered by the HFD. Lipid‐regulatory genes, Srebf1 and Ppara, were upregulated while Sod1 and Cat were downregulated in insulin‐resistant rats. Addition of RBO to the two diet regimens alleviated the disorders of IR to some extent. RBO reduced the hepatic levels of triacylglycerol, malondialdehyde, SREBP, and PPAR‐α mRNA. Hepatic SOD and CAT were elevated at gene and protein levels. The HFD induces de novo lipogenesis by upregulating the lipid‐regulatory genes resulting in increased serum and hepatic triacylglycerol. Moreover, IR induced by the HFD caused a state of oxidative stress. Supplementation of RBO to fructose‐fed rats not only improves insulin resistance but also downregulates lipogenic genes and improves the unbalanced oxidative status.
Criteria for nilpotency of groups via partitions
Authors: Jafari Taghvasani Leyli , Zarrin Mohammad 
Published: July 2018

AbstractLet G be a group and let . A set of proper subgroups of G is said to be a ‐ of G, if and for every . If Π is a strict T‐partition of G and the orders of all components of Π are equal, then we say that G has an ‐partition. Here we show that: A finite group G is nilpotent if and only if every subgroup H of G has an ES‐partition, for some .
The effects of variations in tissue microstructure from postmortem rat brain on the asymmetry of the water proton resonance
Authors: Foxley Sean , Karczmar Gregory S , Takahashi Kazutaka 
Published: July 2018

PurposeThis work was performed to investigate the effects of tissue microstructure from postmortem rat brain on the shape of the water proton spectrum.MethodsPerfusion‐fixed, resected rat brains (N = 4) were imaged at 9.4T. 3D DTI and 3D echo‐planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) data were acquired with 150 μm isotropic resolution. DTI data were acquired over 60 directions with b = 3000 s/mm2. Water spectra were produced from EPSI data acquired over 128 echoes, with 2.9 Hz spectral resolution. A voxel‐wise metric reflecting spectral asymmetry about the peak of the resonance was computed and compared with orientation estimates from DTI data by fitting data with the susceptibility anisotropy model.ResultsAsymmetric broadening of the water resonance was computed for mixed populations of grey and/or white matter as determined by thresholding the fractional anisotropy. Asymmetry was shown to be differentially affected by tract orientation relative to B0 in high FA voxels, whereas low FA voxels exhibited little sensitivity. Anatomic structures in the hippocampus were also found to produce distinct changes in the water resonance.ConclusionPresent results demonstrate that structural variations in tissue architecture cause characteristic, reproducible changes in the water resonance shape. This suggests that water spectra are sensitive to cytoarchitectural variations in brain tissue.
A survey of mobile technology usage and desires by caregivers of children with cancer
Authors: Mueller Emily L. , Cochrane Anneli R. , Bennett William E. , Carroll Aaron E. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBackgroundThe use of mobile health (mHealth) has grown exponentially, even by caregivers of vulnerable populations. The study objective was to understand mobile technology usage, barriers, and desires by caregivers of children with cancer.ProcedurePaper surveys were mailed to caregivers of children diagnosed with cancer at Riley Hospital for Children between June 2015 and June 2017. The survey contained 13 questions, both fixed and open‐ended, and was sent in both English and Spanish up to three times.ResultsRespondents (n = 121) were primarily parents (93.2%), median age was 40.7 years (range 23–63), and most were white, non‐Hispanic (74.4%). The majority made under $100,000 annual household income (72.9%) and had an education of at least some college or greater (74.5%). Nearly all owned a smart phone (99.2%) and most (61.2%) owned a tablet. Among operating systems, the majority used iOS (62.8%), while 49.6% used Android. About a third (37.1%) reported no barriers to mobile technology use, but 22.4% experienced “data limitations.” Overall, 86.2% wanted at least one medical management website/app: medical knowledge (61.2%), symptom tracking/management (49.1%), and medication reminders (44.8%). Further, 62.1% wanted access to child's medical record and 58.6% wanted communication with medical providers. Lower education was significantly associated with experiencing phone/plan barriers (P = 0.008).ConclusionThe majority of caregivers of children with cancer use mobile technology with minimal barriers; future research should focus on designing an mHealth tool to address the medical management needs by caregivers of children with cancer.
Risk stratification of high‐risk metastatic neuroblastoma: A report from the HR‐NBL‐1/SIOPEN study
Authors: Morgenstern Daniel A. , Pötschger Ulrike , Moreno Lucas , Papadakis Vassilios , Owens Cormac , Ash Shifra , Pasqualini Claudia , Luksch Roberto , Garaventa Alberto , Canete Adela , Elliot Martin , Wieczorek Aleksandra , Laureys Geneviève , Kogner Per , Malis Josef , Ruud Ellen , Beck‐Popovic Maja , Schleiermacher Gudrun , Valteau‐Couanet Dominique , Ladenstein Ruth 
Published: July 2018

AbstractBackgroundRisk stratification is crucial to treatment decision‐making in neuroblastoma. This study aimed to explore factors present at diagnosis affecting outcome in patients aged ≥18 months with metastatic neuroblastoma and to develop a simple risk score for prognostication.ProcedureData were derived from the European high‐risk neuroblastoma 1 (HR‐NBL1)/International Society for Paediatric Oncology European Neuroblastoma (SIOPEN) trial with analysis restricted to patients aged ≥18 months with metastatic disease and treated prior to the introduction of immunotherapy. Primary endpoint was 5‐year event‐free survival (EFS). Prognostic factors assessed were sex, age, tumour MYCN amplification (MNA) status, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)/ferritin, primary tumour and metastatic sites. Factors significant in univariate analysis were incorporated into a multi‐variable model and an additive scoring system developed based on estimated log‐cumulative hazard ratios.ResultsThe cohort included 1053 patients with median follow‐up 5.5 years and EFS 27 ± 1%. In univariate analyses, age; serum LDH and ferritin; involvement of bone marrow, bone, liver or lung; and >1 metastatic system/compartment were associated with worse EFS. Tumour MNA was not associated with worse EFS. A multi‐variable model and risk score incorporating age (>5 years, 2 points), serum LDH (>1250 U/L, 1 point) and number of metastatic systems (>1, 2 points) were developed. EFS was significantly correlated with risk score: EFS 52 ± 9% for score = 0 versus 6 ± 3% for score = 5 (P < 0.0001).ConclusionsA simple score can identify an “ultra‐high risk” (UHR) cohort (score = 5) comprising 8% of patients with 5‐year EFS <10%. These patients appear not to benefit from induction therapy and could potentially be directed earlier to alternative experimental therapies in future trials.
The student–teacher relationship quality in children with selective mutism
Authors: Longobardi Claudio , Badenes‐Ribera Laura , Gastaldi Francesca Giovanna Maria , Prino Laura Elvira 
Published: July 2018

AbstractSelective mutism (SM) is a rare anxiety disorder that compromises children's daily life during critical periods of early development. Because school is a prime context for the manifestation of the disorder, the aim of this study was to investigate the quality of the student–teacher relationship and its effects on behavior and work, and on social and relational skills. The sample consisted of 75 children—15 were affected by SM, with 60 in the control group—and 15 teachers. The results showed greater difficulty on the teacher's part to establish a relationship based on affective closeness with a child affected by SM, compared to that with unaffected children. Nevertheless, an encouraging picture emerges of the inclusion and integration of the child with SM among peers and therefore in the class group.
Underwater confined space mapping by resource‐constrained autonomous vehicle
Authors: Preston Victoria , Salumäe Taavi , Kruusmaa Maarja 
Published: July 2018

AbstractFor marine industrial inspection, archaeology, and geological formation study, the ability to map unknown underwater enclosed and confined spaces is desirable and well suited for robotic vehicles. To date, there are few solutions thoroughly tested in the field designed to perform this specific task, none of which operate autonomously. With a small, low‐cost biomimetic platform known as the U‐CAT, we developed a mapping‐mission software architecture in which the vehicle executes three key sensor‐based reactive stages: entering, exploring, and exiting. Encapsulated in the exploring stage are several state‐defined navigation strategies, called patterns, which were designed and initially tested in simulation. The results of simulation work informed the selection of two patterns that were executed in field trials at a submerged building in Rummu Quarry Lake, Estonia, as part of several full mapping missions. Over the course of these trials, the vehicle was capable of observing the majority (78–97%) of 49.9 explorable square meters within 7 minutes. Based on these results, we demonstrate the capability of a low‐cost and resource‐constrained vehicle to perform confined space mapping under sensor uncertainty. Further, the observations made by the vehicle are shown to be suitable for a target site reconstruction and analysis in postprocessing, which is the intended outcome of this type of mission in practical applications.
A Highly Skin‐Conformal and Biodegradable Graphene‐Based Strain Sensor
Authors: Wan Shu , Zhu Zhihong , Yin Kuibo , Su Shi , Bi Hengchang , Xu Tao , Zhang Hongtao , Shi Zhihui , He Longbing , Sun Litao 
Published: July 2018

AbstractFor wearable sensors, realizing a strong and conformal contact with skin is essential to precisely detect human vital signals and enable human–machine interaction. Herein, a facile strategy is reported to fabricate a sensor with ultrahigh skin conformity by adopting a commercial make‐up accessory (nose film) as the substrate and graphene as the active materials. The wearable strain sensor can be pasted on human skin at the dermatoglyph level, and the commercial make‐up shows a high skin adhesion with a peel‐off strength of ≈29.4 N m−1. The high adhesion as well as ultraconformity to skin results in a signal amplification of ≈14.2 times. Also, the sensor shows a similar stretchability (≈35%) to human skin (≈30%) in addition to maintaining an impressive performance with a high sensitivity and rapid response time. These characteristics are attractive for precisely monitoring human vital signals and in appliances with increased human–machine interaction. Besides, the sensor is biodegradable, being made from a nontoxic water‐soluble polymer. It is most likely that biodegradable materials will be increasingly attractive due to the potential environmental problem caused by traditional nonbiodegradable polymers.
Potential Impacts of PIT Tagging on a Critically Endangered Small‐Bodied Fish: A Trial on the Surrogate Mountain Galaxias
Authors: Allan Hugh , Unmack Peter , Duncan Richard P. , Lintermans Mark 
Published: July 2018

AbstractRecent advances in PIT technology have led to smaller tags, meaning that this technology can be used to mark and monitor smaller‐bodied species, many of which are threatened. We examined the effects of 9‐mm PIT tags on the survival and growth of the Mountain Galaxias Galaxias olidus, using this fish as a surrogate for several threatened, small‐bodied galaxiids. We measured survival, growth, and tag retention in 34 tagged and 34 untagged fish held in aquaria for 90 d posttagging. Fish were randomly assigned to a treatment (tagged or untagged) and were weighed just prior to tagging and then at 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 90 d after tagging, with observations made 5–7 times per week to check for survival and tag loss. Survival did not differ significantly between tagged and untagged groups (79% and 88%, respectively), and there was no difference in weight gain or loss between the two groups over time. Tag retention rate was high (96%), with only one tag expelled by the smallest tagged fish (73 mm length to caudal fork). Our findings show that Mountain Galaxias are capable of successfully retaining 9‐mm PIT tags in aquarium conditions, suggesting that this technology is suitable for the monitoring of similar small‐bodied fish in the wild.
Fetal fraction‐based risk algorithm for non‐invasive prenatal testing: screening for trisomies 13 and 18 and triploidy in women with low cell‐free fetal DNA
Authors: McKanna T. , Ryan A. , Krinshpun S. , Kareht S. , Marchand K. , Grabarits C. , Ali M. , McElheny A. , Gardiner K. , LeChien K. , Hsu M. , Saltzman D. , Stosic M. , Martin K. , Benn P. 
Published: July 2018

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo identify pregnancies at increased risk for trisomy 13, trisomy 18 or triploidy attributable to low fetal fraction (FF).MethodsA FF‐based risk (FFBR) model was built using data from more than 165 000 singleton pregnancies referred for single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)‐based non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). Based on maternal weight and gestational age (GA), FF distributions for normal, trisomy 13, trisomy 18 and triploid pregnancies were constructed and used to adjust prior risks for these abnormalities. A risk cut‐off of ≥ 1% was chosen to define pregnancies at high risk for trisomy 13, trisomy 18 or triploidy (high FFBR score). The model was evaluated on an independent blinded set of pregnancies for which SNP‐based NIPT did not return a result, and for which pregnancy outcome information was gathered retrospectively.ResultsThe evaluation cohort comprised 1148 cases, of which approximately half received a high FFBR score. Compared with rates expected based on maternal age (MA) and GA, cases with a high FFBR score had a significantly increased rate of trisomy 13, trisomy 18 or triploidy combined (5.7% vs 0.7%; P < 0.001) and also of unexplained pregnancy loss (14.7% vs 10.4%; P < 0.001). For cases that did not receive a high FFBR score, the incidence of a chromosomal abnormality or pregnancy loss was not significantly different from that expected based on MA and GA. In this study cohort, the sensitivity of the FFBR model for detection of trisomy 13, trisomy 18 or triploidy was 91.4% (95% CI, 76.9–98.2%) with a positive predictive value of 5.7% (32/564; 95% CI, 3.9–7.9%).ConclusionsFor pregnancies with a FF too low to receive a result on standard NIPT, the FFBR algorithm identified a subset of cases at increased risk for trisomy 13, trisomy 18 or triploidy. For the remainder of cases, the risk of a fetal chromosomal abnormality was unchanged from that expected based on MA and GA. © 2018 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.