bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experimental investigation of seismic behaviour of the ancient Protiron monument model
Authors: Nikolić Željana , Krstevska Lidija , Marović Pavao , Smoljanović Hrvoje 
Published: January 2019

SummaryThroughout history, dry‐stone masonry structures have been strengthened with different types of metal connectors in order to increase their resistance which enabled their survival, especially in the seismically active area. One such example is the ancient Protiron monument placed in the Peristyle square of the Diocletian's Palace in Split, Croatia. The Protiron was built at the turn of the 3rd century as a stone masonry structure with dowels embedded between its base, columns, capitals and broad gable. The stone blocks in the broad gable were connected by metal clamps during restoration at the beginning of the 20th century. In order to study the seismic performance of the strengthened stone masonry structures, an experimental investigation of seismic behaviour of a physical model of the Protiron was performed on the shaking table. The model was designed as a true replica model in a length scale of 1:4 and exposed to representative earthquake with increasing intensities up to collapse. The tests provided a clear insight into system behaviour, damage mechanism and failure under intensive seismic load, especially into the efficiency of connecting elements, which had a special role in increasing seismic resistance and protection of the structure from collapse. Additionally, this experiment provided valuable data for verification and calibration of numerical models for strengthened stone masonry structures.
Spatial variation of flow characteristics in a subarctic meandering river in ice‐covered and open‐channel conditions: A 2D hydrodynamic modelling approach
Authors: Lotsari Eliisa , Tarsa Tiia , Kämäri Maria , Alho Petteri , Kasvi Elina 
Published: January 2019

AbstractTo be able to understand year‐round river channel evolution both at present and in the future, the spatial variation of the flow characteristics and their sediment transport capabilities under ice cover need to be detected. As the measurements done through cross‐sectional drill holes cover only a small portion of the river channel area, the numerical simulations give insight into the wider spatial horizontal variation of the flow characteristics. Therefore, we simulate the ice‐covered flow with a hydrodynamic two‐dimensional (2D) model in a meandering subarctic river (Pulmanki River, Finland) in mid‐winter conditions and compare them to the pre‐winter open‐channel low flow situation. Based on the simulations, which are calibrated with reference measurements, we aim to detect (1) how ice‐covered mid‐winter flow characteristics vary spatially and (2) the erosion and sedimentation potential of the ice‐covered flow compared to open‐channel conditions.The 2D hydrodynamic model replicated the observed flow characteristics in both open‐channel and ice‐covered conditions. During both seasons, the greatest erosional forces locate in the shallow sections. The narrow, freely flowing channel area found in mid‐winter cause the main differences in the spatial flow variation between seasons. Despite the causes of the horizontal recirculating flow structures being similar in both seasons, the structures formed in different locations depended on whether the river was open or ice covered. The critical thresholds for particle entrainment are exceeded more often in open‐channel conditions than during ice‐covered flow. The results indicate spatially extensive sediment transport in open‐channel conditions, but that the spatial variability and differences in depositional and erosional locations increase in ice‐covered conditions. Asymmetrical bends and straight reaches erode throughout the year, whereas symmetrical, smaller bends mainly erode in open‐channel conditions and are prone to deposition in winter. The long ice‐covered season can greatly affect the annual morphology of the submerged channel. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Timescale dependence in river channel migration measurements
Authors: Donovan Mitchell , Belmont Patrick 
Published: January 2019

AbstractAccurately measuring river meander migration over time is critical for sediment budgets and understanding how rivers respond to changes in hydrology or sediment supply. However, estimates of meander migration rates or streambank contributions to sediment budgets using repeat aerial imagery, maps, or topographic data will be underestimated without proper accounting for channel reversal. Furthermore, comparing channel planform adjustment measured over dissimilar timescales are biased because short‐ and long‐term measurements are disproportionately affected by temporary rate variability, long‐term hiatuses, and channel reversals. We evaluate the role of timescale dependence for the Root River, a single threaded meandering sand‐ and gravel‐bedded river in southeastern Minnesota, USA, with 76 years of aerial photographs spanning an era of landscape changes that have drastically altered flows. Empirical data and results from a statistical river migration model both confirm a temporal measurement‐scale dependence, illustrated by systematic underestimations (2–15% at 50 years) and convergence of migration rates measured over sufficiently long timescales (> 40 years). Frequency of channel reversals exerts primary control on measurement bias for longer time intervals by erasing the record of observable migration. We conclude that using long‐term measurements of channel migration for sediment remobilization projections, streambank contributions to sediment budgets, sediment flux estimates, and perceptions of fluvial change will necessarily underestimate such calculations. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A high‐order solver for simulating vortex‐induced vibrations using the sliding‐mesh spectral difference method and hybrid grids
Authors: Qiu Zihua , Zhang Bin , Liang Chunlei , Xu Min 
Published: January 2019

SummaryWe present a high‐order solver for simulating vortex‐induced vibrations (VIVs) at very challenging situations, for example, VIVs of a row of very closely placed objects with large relative displacements. This solver works on unstructured hybrid grids by employing the high‐order tensor‐product spectral difference method for quadrilateral grids and the Raviart‐Thomas spectral difference method for triangular grids. To deal with the challenging situations where a traditional conforming moving mesh is incapable, we split a computational domain into nonoverlapping subdomains, where each interior subdomain encloses an object and moves freely with respect to its neighbors. A nonuniform sliding‐mesh method that ensures high‐order accuracy is developed to deal with sliding interfaces between subdomains. A monolithic approach is adopted to seamlessly couple the fluid and solid vibration equations. Moreover, the solver is parallelized to further improve its efficiency on distributed‐memory computers. Through a series of numerical tests, we demonstrate that this solver is high‐order accurate for both inviscid and viscous flows and has good parallel efficiency, making it ideal for VIV studies.
Development of casein‐based nanoencapsulation systems for delivery of epigallocatechin gallate and folic acid
Authors: Malekhosseini Parisa , Alami Mehran , Khomeiri Morteza , Esteghlal Sara , Nekoei Abdo‐Reza , Hosseini Seyed Mohammad Hashem 
Published: January 2019

AbstractIn this work, binding characteristics of two hydrophilic nutraceutical models, namely epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and folic acid (FA), to sodium caseinate were studied by fluorimetry technique. EGCG‐loaded casein molecules were then converted to either re‐combined casein micelles (r‐CMs) or casein nanoparticles (CNPs). Binding stoichiometry of EGCG and FA was 0.81 and 1.02, respectively. As determined by DLS technique, the average particle size of r‐CMs prepared at 0.5% concentration was 66.2 nm. Thermal treatment (74°C, 20 s) had significant (p < 0.05) influence on the particle size of nanocarriers, but not nutraceutical loading. The average size of CNPs was larger than that of r‐CMs. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) of EGCG was 85%, and its ejection from the nanocarrier was less than 3% over 21 days. Alkaline conditions resulted in higher release of EGCG than acidic conditions. r‐CMs were more effective than CNPs during the protection of EGCG against heat‐induced degradation. TEM micrographs confirmed the formation of r‐CMs.
Use of instrumental variables for endogenous treatment at the provider level
Authors: Konetzka R. Tamara , Yang Fan , Werner Rachel M. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractHealth economists are often interested in the effects of provider‐level attributes (e.g., nonprofit status or quality rating) on patient outcomes, but estimation is subject to selection bias due to correlation with other omitted provider‐level attributes that also affect patient outcomes. Recently, researchers have attempted to use patient‐level instrumental variables, such as differential distance, to solve this problem of a provider‐level endogenous treatment variable in settings where patients are nested within providers. However, to satisfy validity assumptions, an instrumental variable for a provider attribute must be at the provider level or a larger unit of aggregation, not at the patient level. A patient‐level instrument cannot predict variation in a provider attribute separately from other, potentially unmeasured, provider attributes. In this paper, we explain this misapplication, review the extent of this problem in recent literature, and offer alternative approaches to avoid this misapplication of patient‐level instrumental variables.
Metabolic tumor volume and total lesion glycolysis predict tumor progression and survival after salvage surgery for recurrent oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Choi Woo Ri , Oh Jungsu S. , Roh Jong‐Lyel , Kim Jae Seung , Oh Inhye , Choi Seung‐Ho , Nam Soon Yuhl , Kim Sang Yoon 
Published: January 2019

AbstractBackgroundThis study evaluated the prognostic role of Fluorine 18‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F‐FDG PET/CT) parameters quantitatively measured in patients with recurrent oral cavity cancer.MethodsCox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to assess the associations between quantitative 18F‐FDG PET/CT parameters and other clinicopathological factors and progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).ResultsAll of the 18F‐FDG PET parameters (SUVmax, SUVmean, SUVpeak, metabolic tumor volume [MTV], and total lesion glycolysis [TLG]) were significantly associated with poor PFS and OS outcomes after salvage treatment (P < .01). In multivariate analyses, Karnofsky performance score, recurrence site, MTV, and TLG were independent variables predictive of both PFS and OS (P < .05). High MTV (>8.8 mL) or TLG (>29.4 g) values at recurrent lesions were associated with >5‐fold increased risk for tumor progression and mortality after salvage surgery.ConclusionsThe PET parameters of MTV and TLG measured at recurrent lesions may predict tumor progression and survival after salvage treatment.Condensed AbstractThis study examined the role of 18F‐FDG PET/CT at recurrent staging for predicting tumor progression and survival in 71 consecutive patients with recurrent oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas. Of 18F‐FDG parameters, metabolic tumor volume and total lesion glycolysis were independent factors predictive of tumor progression and survival after salvage treatment.
Early childhood social responsiveness predicts the general factor of personality in early adolescence
Authors: Dunkel Curtis S. , van der Linden Dimitri , Kawamoto Tetsuya 
Published: January 2019

AbstractPositively valenced personality traits are positively correlated, forming a general factor of personality or GFP. A leading interpretation of the GFP is that it reflects social effectiveness. Accordingly, the GFP has been associated with positive social outcomes in adolescence. Yet little is known about its developmental origins. Given that the GFP is partially heritable, it was hypothesized that childhood social engagement would predict the GFP in early adolescence. Archived data from the Colorado Adoption Project were used to test this hypothesis. Using combinations of self and other ratings of personality, and adopting a range of different statistical techniques, confirmed that responsiveness to and fear of (inversely) strangers during the first 4 years of age predicted the GFP at age 12. Future research examining the possible developmental origins of the GFP is prescribed.Highlights

Can the general factor of personality be predicted by early childhood temperament?
Sociability toward strangers in the first four years was associated with the general factor of personality in early adolescence.
The results point to the foundations of the general factor of personality.
Ionic Liquid with Silyl Substituted Cation: Thermophysical and CO2/N2 Permeation Properties
Authors: Gouveia Andreia S. L. , Soares Bruna , Simões Sofia , Antonov Dmitrii Y. , Lozinskaya Elena I. , Saramago Benilde , Shaplov Alexander S. , Marrucho Isabel M. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractNovel functionalized ionic liquid (IL) combining an imidazolium‐based cation with branched alkyl chain bearing silyl group, 1‐methyl‐3‐(2‐methyl‐3‐(trimethylsilyl)propyl)imidazolium ([Si−C1−C3‐mim]+), and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([NTf2]−) anion was synthesized and its thermophysical properties (density, viscosity, surface tension, surface entropy and enthalpy, thermal stability) were studied in a wide temperature range and compared with those of ILs having linear alkyl ([Cn‐mim][NTf2]) and siloxane ([(SiOSi)C1mim][NTf2]) side chains. It was found that at 25 °C [Si−C1−C3‐mim][NTf2] is a liquid with dynamic viscosity of 224 cP (224 mPa s) and density of 1.32 g cm−3. The presence of side branched alkyl chain with trimethylsilyl end‐group prevents crystallization of IL and leads to higher viscosities and lower densities in comparison with commonly known [Cn‐mim][NTf2] (n=2–4). As surface excess enthalpy was found to be in the lower end of the usual range of values for ILs, the interactions between silyl‐functionalized cation and [NTf2] anion can be considered as relatively weak. Finally, [Si−C1−C3‐mim][NTf2] was used for the preparation of polymer supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs) and their CO2 and N2 permeation properties at 20 °C and 100 kPa were determined: permeability PCO2=311, PN2=12 Barrer, diffusivity DCO2=115×1012, DN2=227×1012 m2 s−1 and CO2/N2 permselectivity αCO2/N2=25.3.
The effect of tantalum incorporation on the physical and chemical properties of ternary silicon–calcium–phosphorous mesoporous bioactive glasses
Authors: Mendonca Andrew , Rahman Md. Saidur , Alhalawani Adel , Rodriguez Omar , Gallant Reid C. , Ni Heyu , Clarkin Owen M. , Towler Mark R. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractSynthesis and characterization of the first mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs) containing tantalum are reported here, along with their potential application as hemostats. Silica MBGs were synthesized using with the molar composition of (80‐x)% Si, 15% Ca, 5% P, and x% Ta. It was found that incorporation of >1 mol % Ta into the MBGs changes their physical and chemical properties. Increasing Ta content from 0 to 10 mol % causes a decrease in the surface area and pore volume of ~20 and ~35%, respectively. This is due to the increase in nonbridging oxygens and mismatch of thermal expansion coefficient which created discontinuities in the ordered channel structure. However, the effect is not significant on the amount of ions (Si, Ca, P, and Ta) released, from the sample into deionized water, for short durations (<60 min). In a mouse tail‐cut model, a significant decrease in bleeding time (≥50% of average bleeding time) was found for Ta‐MBGs compared to having no treatment, Arista, and MBG without Ta. Further studies are proposed to determine the mechanism of Ta involvement with the hemostatic process. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 2229–2237, 2019.
Change in Bone Density and Reduction in Fracture Risk: A Meta-Regression of Published Trials
Authors: Bouxsein Mary L , Eastell Richard , Lui Li-Yung , Wu Lucy A , de Papp Anne E , Grauer Andreas , Marin Fernando , Cauley Jane A , Bauer Douglas C , Black Dennis M ,   for the FNIH Bone Quality Project
Published: January 2019

ABSTRACT

Meta-analyses conducted &gt;15 years ago reported that improvements in bone mineral density (BMD) were associated with reduction in vertebral and nonvertebral fractures in osteoporosis trials. Numerous studies have been conducted since then, incorporating new therapies with different mechanisms of action and enrolling many more subjects. To extend these prior analyses, we conducted a meta-regression of 38 placebo-controlled trials of 19 therapeutic agents to determine the association between improvements in BMD and reductions in fracture risk. We used a linear model to examine the relationship between mean percent difference in BMD change between treatment and placebo groups and the logarithm of the relative risk. We found that greater improvements in BMD were strongly associated with greater reductions in vertebral and hip fractures but not nonvertebral fractures. For vertebral fracture, the r2 values for total hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine BMD change were 0.56, 0.54, and 0.63, respectively (p ≤ 0.0002). For a 2% or 6% improvement in total hip BMD, we might expect a 28% or 66% reduction, respectively, in vertebral fracture risk. For hip fracture, the r2 values for total hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine BMD change were 0.48 (p = 0.01), 0.42 (p = 0.02), and 0.22 (ns), respectively. For a 2% or 6% improvement in total hip BMD, we might expect a 16% or 40% reduction in hip fracture risk. In conclusion, our results extend prior observations that larger improvements in dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-based BMD are associated with greater reductions in fracture risk, particularly for vertebral and hip fractures. Although these results cannot be directly applied to predict the treatment benefit in an individual patient, they provide compelling evidence that improvements in BMD with osteoporosis therapies may be useful surrogate endpoints for fracture in trials of new therapeutic agents. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
The Efficacy and Safety of Vertebral Augmentation: A Second ASBMR Task Force Report
Authors: Ebeling Peter R , Akesson Kristina , Bauer Douglas C , Buchbinder Rachelle , Eastell Richard , Fink Howard A , Giangregorio Lora , Guanabens Nuria , Kado Deborah , Kallmes David , Katzman Wendy , Rodriguez Alexander , Wermers Robert , Wilson H Alexander , Bouxsein Mary L 
Published: January 2019

ABSTRACT

Vertebral augmentation is among the current standards of care to reduce pain in patients with vertebral fractures (VF), yet a lack of consensus regarding efficacy and safety of percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty raises questions on what basis clinicians should choose one therapy over another. Given the lack of consensus in the field, the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) leadership charged this Task Force to address key questions on the efficacy and safety of vertebral augmentation and other nonpharmacological approaches for the treatment of pain after VF. This report details the findings and recommendations of this Task Force. For patients with acutely painful VF, percutaneous vertebroplasty provides no demonstrable clinically significant benefit over placebo. Results did not differ according to duration of pain. There is also insufficient evidence to support kyphoplasty over nonsurgical management, percutaneous vertebroplasty, vertebral body stenting, or KIVA®. There is limited evidence to determine the risk of incident VF or serious adverse effects (AE) related to either percutaneous vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty. No recommendation can be made about harms, but they cannot be excluded. For patients with painful VF, it is unclear whether spinal bracing improves physical function, disability, or quality of life. Exercise may improve mobility and may reduce pain and fear of falling but does not reduce falls or fractures in individuals with VF. General and intervention-specific research recommendations stress the need to reduce study bias and address methodological flaws in study design and data collection. This includes the need for larger sample sizes, inclusion of a placebo control, more data on serious AE, and more research on nonpharmacologic interventions. Routine use of vertebral augmentation is not supported by current evidence. When it is offered, patients should be fully informed about the evidence. Anti-osteoporotic medications reduce the risk of subsequent vertebral fractures by 40–70%. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Hepatic effects of long‐term tamoxifen administration to cycling female rats
Authors: Resende Albina Dolores , Leal Sandra , Batista‐Pinto Carla , Garcez Fernanda , Sá Susana Isabel 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThe metabolic implications of tamoxifen (TAM) used as preventive therapy of young premenopausal women with high risk of breast cancer is unknown. To unravel this problem, an animal model of long‐term TAM administration to cycling young adult female rats was used to evaluate its effects in the liver. Body weight and food consumption were monitored, and at the end of the study, both parameters were lower in TAM‐treated rats. Biochemical measurements showed that the TAM administration induced alterations in serum levels of liver enzymes when compared with control rats at different stages of the estrous cycle. In TAM‐treated rats, lower glycogen storage was observed in hepatocytes close to the portal areas and pericentrolobular cells had a higher concentration of glycogen. Liver sections of TAM‐treated rats presented mild steatosis—a high percentage of area occupied by lipid droplets in the hepatocytes. These results point to metabolic changes upon long‐term TAM therapy.
Exploring adverse effects of puerarin on catalase by multiple spectroscopic investigations and docking studies in vitro
Authors: Zhang Bai , Li Ming , Wang Qi , Zhai Aihua 
Published: January 2019

AbstractPuerarin belongs to one of the most familiar tradition medicines of China, but adverse effects of puerarin during the clinical treatment have been found for years, the mechanisms of which remain unclear. In this study, toxic mechanisms of puerarin on the structure and function of catalase were studied by multiple spectroscopic techniques, isothermal titration calorimetric measurement, and molecular docking methods in vitro. Results showed puerarin could inhibit the activity of catalase due to direct interactions between puerarin and catalase, resulting in conformational and functional changes of the enzyme. To be specific, puerarin statically quenched catalase fluorescence, bound into the active site channel of catalase, hindered the path of the catalytic substrate (H2O2), affected its skeleton conformation and secondary structure, and interacted with the enzymatically related residues through hydrophobic interactions (ΔH > 0 and ΔS > 0) spontaneously (ΔG < 0). This study illustrates potential adverse effects of puerarin, which should catch more attentions during the clinical diagnosis.