bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cost analysis of carbon capture and storage for current gas‐fired power plants in Nigeria
Authors: Ugwuishiwu Boniface O. , Nwakaire Joel N. , Ohagwu Chukwuemeka J. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThis study examined the cost of adopting carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a technology when retrofitting current gas‐fired plants in Nigeria to reduce CO2 emissions. Studies show that Nigeria has abandoned or depleted oil fields; it has large coal reserves that are potential sites for CO2 storage. Five power plants with capacities of 1074, 675, 624, 480, and 191 MW were studied using the Integrated Environmental Control Model (IECM) 9.5. The IECM 9.5 was calibrated using available data and some default values to model the performance and cost of retrofitting the power plants. The transport and storage system chosen was pipeline and enhance oil recovery (EOR). The results show that net plant efficiency, CO2 emission rate, quantity of CO2 captured, and CCS energy penalty are 35.78 ± 1.69%, 0.0668 ± 0.0138 kg MWh−1, 0.4478 ± 0.0274 kg MWh−1, and 0.2588 ± 0.0386%, respectively. The results also show that total capital requirement, cost of electricity, and percentage increase in cost of electricity were 1888.2 ± 336.9 $ kW−1, 114.44 ± 10.15 $ MWh−1, and 52.04 ± 3.58%, respectively. In the same manner, the cost of CO2 avoided, cost of capture, and added cost of CCS were 84.442 ± 27.73 $ MWh−1, 60.02 ± 22.51 $ tonne−1, and 28.44 ± 10.16 $ MWh−1, respectively. Further analysis shows that it would be advantageous to retrofit 1074 MW plants because this has a 46.51% increase in cost, which is lower than the cost for the other retrofitted plants. The total CO2 emission rate dropped from 0.4282 ± 0.014 to 0.0668 ± 0.0138 kg MWh−1; this drop is significant as it shows that CCS can reduce the amount of CO2 emitted from Nigeria. The study recommends that CCS is a viable CO2 emission‐reduction alternative but incentives must be put in place to cushion the high cost of electricity. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Social Media, E‐Health, and Medical Ethics
Authors: Terrasse Mélanie , Gorin Moti , Sisti Dominic 
Published: February 2019

AbstractGiven the profound influence of social media and emerging evidence of its effects on human behavior and health, bioethicists have an important role to play in the development of professional standards of conduct for health professionals using social media and in the design of online systems themselves. In short, social media is a bioethics issue that has serious implications for medical practice, research, and public health. Here, we inventory several ethical issues across four areas at the intersection of social media and health: the impact of social networking sites on the doctor‐patient relationship, the development of e‐health platforms to deliver care, the use of online data and algorithms to inform health research, and the broader public health consequences of widespread social media use. In doing so, we review discussions of these topics and emphasize the need for bioethics to focus more deeply on the ways online technology platforms are designed and implemented. We argue that bioethicists should turn their attention to the ways in which consumer engagement, bias, and profit maximization shape online content and, consequently, human behavior and health. We also offer a set of recommendations and suggest future directions for addressing ethical challenges in these domains.
Searching for the neurite density with diffusion MRI: Challenges for biophysical modeling
Authors: Lampinen Björn , Szczepankiewicz Filip , Novén Mikael , van Westen Danielle , Hansson Oskar , Englund Elisabet , Mårtensson Johan , Westin Carl‐Fredrik , Nilsson Markus 
Published: February 2019

AbstractIn vivo mapping of the neurite density with diffusion MRI (dMRI) is a high but challenging aim. First, it is unknown whether all neurites exhibit completely anisotropic (“stick‐like”) diffusion. Second, the “density” of tissue components may be confounded by non‐diffusion properties such as T2 relaxation. Third, the domain of validity for the estimated parameters to serve as indices of neurite density is incompletely explored. We investigated these challenges by acquiring data with “b‐tensor encoding” and multiple echo times in brain regions with low orientation coherence and in white matter lesions. Results showed that microscopic anisotropy from b‐tensor data is associated with myelinated axons but not with dendrites. Furthermore, b‐tensor data together with data acquired for multiple echo times showed that unbiased density estimates in white matter lesions require data‐driven estimates of compartment‐specific T2 values. Finally, the “stick” fractions of different biophysical models could generally not serve as neurite density indices across the healthy brain and white matter lesions, where outcomes of comparisons depended on the choice of constraints. In particular, constraining compartment‐specific T2 values was ambiguous in the healthy brain and had a large impact on estimated values. In summary, estimating neurite density generally requires accounting for different diffusion and/or T2 properties between axons and dendrites. Constrained “index” parameters could be valid within limited domains that should be delineated by future studies.
Detection of mild cognitive impairment in a community‐dwelling population using quantitative, multiparametric MRI‐based classification
Authors: Bouts Mark J. R. J. , van der Grond Jeroen , Vernooij Meike W. , Koini Marisa , Schouten Tijn M. , de Vos Frank , Feis Rogier A. , Cremers Lotte G. M. , Lechner Anita , Schmidt Reinhold , de Rooij Mark , Niessen Wiro J. , Ikram M. Arfan , Rombouts Serge A. R. B. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractEarly and accurate mild cognitive impairment (MCI) detection within a heterogeneous, nonclinical population is needed to improve care for persons at risk of developing dementia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐based classification may aid early diagnosis of MCI, but has only been applied within clinical cohorts. We aimed to determine the generalizability of MRI‐based classification probability scores to detect MCI on an individual basis within a general population. To determine classification probability scores, an AD, mild‐AD, and moderate‐AD detection model were created with anatomical and diffusion MRI measures calculated from a clinical Alzheimer's Disease (AD) cohort and subsequently applied to a population‐based cohort with 48 MCI and 617 normal aging subjects. Each model's ability to detect MCI was quantified using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and compared with an MCI detection model trained and applied to the population‐based cohort. The AD‐model and mild‐AD identified MCI from controls better than chance level (AUC = 0.600, p = 0.025; AUC = 0.619, p = 0.008). In contrast, the moderate‐AD‐model was not able to separate MCI from normal aging (AUC = 0.567, p = 0.147). The MCI‐model was able to separate MCI from controls better than chance (p = 0.014) with mean AUC values comparable with the AD‐model (AUC = 0.611, p = 1.0). Within our population‐based cohort, classification models detected MCI better than chance. Nevertheless, classification performance rates were moderate and may be insufficient to facilitate robust MRI‐based MCI detection on an individual basis. Our data indicate that multiparametric MRI‐based classification algorithms, that are effective in clinical cohorts, may not straightforwardly translate to applications in a general population.
NGM282 Improves Liver Fibrosis and Histology in 12 Weeks in Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis
Authors: Harrison Stephen A. , Rossi Stephen J. , Paredes Angelo H. , Trotter James F. , Bashir Mustafa R. , Guy Cynthia D. , Banerjee Rajarshi , Jaros Mark J. , Owers Sandra , Baxter Bryan A. , Ling Lei , DePaoli Alex M. 
Published: February 2019

NGM282, an engineered fibroblast growth factor 19 analogue, rapidly and significantly reduced liver fat content in a multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study in patients with biopsy‐confirmed nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, it is unclear whether these changes would be accompanied by histological improvement. In this open‐label study, we assessed the histological efficacy of NGM282 in patients with biopsy‐confirmed nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Paired liver biopsies from 43 patients who received subcutaneous NGM282 (1 mg, n = 24; 3 mg, n = 19) once daily for 12 weeks were evaluated blinded to time point, subject, and clinical information. At week 12, NGM282 significantly reduced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS; −1.9; 95% confidence interval, −2.6 to −1.2; P < 0.001 in the 1 mg group; −2.2, −3.1 to −1.3; P < 0.001 in the 3 mg group) and fibrosis (−0.5; −0.9 to 0; P = 0.035 in the 3 mg group) scores. Overall, 50% and 63% of the patients receiving NGM282 1 mg or 3 mg, respectively, improved NAS by 2 or more points without fibrosis worsening. Of the patients receiving NGM282 1 mg or 3 mg, 25% and 42%, respectively, improved liver fibrosis by one stage or more without worsening of steatohepatitis. Treatment with NGM282 led to relative reductions in liver fat content (−58% and −67% in the 1 mg and 3 mg groups, respectively), corrected T1 (cT1; −8% and −9%), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (−67% and −60%), aspartate aminotransferase (−57% and −52%), and fibrogenesis biomarkers neoepitope‐specific N‐terminal propeptide of type III collagen (Pro‐C3; −22% and −33%) and enhanced liver fibrosis score (ELF; −3% and −6%) at week 12. Greater reductions in Pro‐C3, ELF, and cT1, but not in liver fat content, 7alpha‐hydroxy‐4‐cholesten‐3‐one, or ALT, were observed in histological responders than in nonresponders. Conclusion: In this open‐label study, NGM282 improved the histological features of NASH in 12 weeks with significant reductions in NAS and fibrosis scores, accompanied by improvements in noninvasive imaging and serum markers.
Interleukin‐33/ST2‐Mediated Inflammation Plays a Critical Role in the Pathogenesis and Severity of Type I Autoimmune Hepatitis
Authors: Abe Kazumichi , Takahashi Atsushi , Fujita Masashi , Hayashi Manabu , Okai Ken , Nozawa Yoshihiro , Ohira Hiromasa 
Published: February 2019

Interleukin (IL)‐33 was recently described as a new member of the IL‐1 family; members of this family have proinflammatory activity. IL‐33 and its soluble receptor ST2 (sST2) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. This study investigated serum IL‐33 and sST2 in type I autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and the relationship of these molecules with clinical and pathologic parameters. Subjects included 65 patients with AIH who were diagnosed in our hospital. The control population included 17 healthy individuals and 36 patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Mean age at AIH diagnosis was 55.5 years, and the male‐to‐female ratio was 6:59. Serum IL‐33 and sST2 levels were significantly higher in patients with AIH than in those with PBC or controls. Importantly, immunohistochemistry revealed high IL‐33 expression in liver sections from patients with AIH. In particular, serum IL‐33 and sST2 levels were significantly higher in acute‐onset AIH than in chronic‐onset AIH. Serum IL‐33 levels were positively correlated with serum total bilirubin (TB), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and necroinflammatory activity in AIH. We performed multivariate logistic regression analysis and found serum IL‐33 levels to be independent factors for severe activity. Serum sST2 levels were positively correlated with serum TB and ALT and negatively correlated with serum albumin and prothrombin time in AIH. In particular, serum sST2 levels were significantly higher in severe symptoms of AIH. Serum IL‐33 and sST2 levels in patients with AIH responsive to treatment with prednisolone were significantly decreased after treatment. Interestingly, serum IL‐33 level was associated with a significantly increased risk of relapse. Conclusion: IL‐33/ST2 may play an important role in the pathogenesis and severity of AIH and may be a promising target for AIH therapy.
Antimicrobial Peptide Dendrimer Chimera
Authors: Siriwardena Thissa N. , Lüscher Alexandre , Köhler Thilo , van Delden Christian , Javor Sacha , Reymond Jean‐Louis 
Published: February 2019

AbstractWe recently reported the discovery of antimicrobial peptide dendrimers (AMPDs) acting by a membrane‐disruptive mechanism against multidrug resistant pathogenic bacteria. Here, we combined amino acid sequence elements from different AMPDs with different activity profiles to form AMPD chimeras. By joining the outer branches of TNS18, an AMPD active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, with the core of T7, another AMPD active against P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae, we obtained AMPD chimera DC5 displaying all previously observed activities while retaining a similar mechanism of action. These experiments show that chimera design represents a useful strategy to improve the properties of AMPDs.
Revisiting hydrological drought propagation and recovery considering water quantity and quality
Authors: Ahmadi Behzad , Moradkhani Hamid 
Published: February 2019

AbstractClimate extremes, in particular droughts, are significant driving forces towards riverine ecosystem disturbance. Drought impacts on stream ecosystems include losses that can be either direct (e.g., destruction of habitat for aquatic species) or indirect (e.g., deterioration of water quality, soil quality, and increased chance of wildfires). This paper combines hydrologic drought and water quality changes during droughts and represents a multistage framework to detect and characterize hydrological droughts while considering water quality parameters. This method is applied to 52 streamflow stations in the state of California, USA, over the study period of 1950–2010. The framework is assessed and validated based on two drought events declared by the state in 2002 and 2008. Results show that there are two opposite drought propagation patterns in northern and southern California. In general, northern California indicates more frequent droughts with shorter time to recover. Chronology of drought shows that stations located in southern California have not followed a specific pattern but they experienced longer drought episodes with prolonged drought recovery. When considering water quality, results show that droughts either deteriorate or enhance water systems, depending on the parameter of interest. Undesirable changes (e.g., increased temperature and decreased dissolved oxygen) are observed during droughts. In contrast, decreased turbidity is detected in rivers during drought episodes, which is desirable in water systems. Nevertheless, water quality deteriorates during drought recovery, even after drought termination. Depending on climatic and streamflow characteristics of the watersheds, it was found that it would take nearly 2 months on average for water quality to recover after drought termination.
Disciplinary Field Specificity and Variation in the STEM Gender Gap
Authors: Sax Linda J. , Newhouse Kaitlin N. S. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractWhat can we learn by considering differences in women across STEM fields? Following a discussion of theoretical perspectives on disciplinary classification and a review of literature on women across STEM, this chapter uses nationwide survey data to highlight the unique nature of women intending to major in biological science, computer science, engineering, math/statistics, and physical science.
Long noncoding RNA MORT overexpression inhibits cancer cell proliferation in oral squamous cell carcinoma by downregulating ROCK1
Authors: Jin Zhongzhi , Jiang Shengjun , Jian Shujuan , Shang Zhengjun 
Published: February 2019

AbstractLong noncoding RNA (lncRNA) mortal obligate RNA transcript (MORT) was downregulated many types of cancer tissues, while its functionality in cancer biology is unclear. In the present study, we systemically investigated the involvement of lncRNA MORT in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In the present study, we found that lncRNA MORT was downregulated, while rho‐associated coiled‐coil containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) messenger RNA was upregulated in cancer tissues than in adjacent healthy tissues of OSCC patients. In addition, expression levels of lncRNA MORT and ROCK1 were inversely correlated in both tumor tissues and healthy tissues. Follow‐up study showed that low MORT level was significantly correlated with poor survival. Overexpression of lncRNA MORT inhibited the proliferation of OSCC cells and downregulated ROCK1. ROCK1 overexpression led to significantly promoted cell proliferation but showed no significant effect on MORT expression. In addition, ROCK1 overexpression attenuated the inhibitory effects of lncRNA MORT overexpression on the proliferation of OSCC cells. Therefore, lncRNA MORT overexpression may inhibit cancer cell proliferation in OSCC cells by downregulating ROCK1.
Personal networks, social media, and community cohesion in the strategies of peace‐building agents in Colombia to counteract the segregation of displaced populations
Authors: Maya‐Jariego Isidro , Peña‐Leiva Adriana De La , Arenas‐Rivera Claudia , Alieva Deniza 
Published: February 2019

AbstractAs part of the “Colombian Peace Process,” victim assistance programs, actions for the reincorporation into civilian life of ex‐combatants, and demobilized persons of the armed conflict have been developed as well as innovative instances of intervention in cases of posttraumatic stress. In this study, we surveyed 143 community leaders from the Department of Atlántico (Colombia), participants in a program for capacity building in rehabilitation and mediation strategies. With a mixed design in which we combine the analysis of personal networks, psychometric scales, and qualitative interviews, we describe the use that community mediators make of their personal skills, their personal network, and social media in their actions to confront social trauma and promote coexistence in the local community. The results show a significant relationship between the density of personal networks and the psychological sense of community. Paradoxically, the high social cohesion of the communities of people displaced by political violence seems to pose objective difficulties in reducing trauma. In the discussion, we indicate that the sociogeographic segregation derived from housing policies becomes an obstacle to the effective functioning of the coexistence and reintegration programs of victims and demobilized persons of the armed conflict. In this context, social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp are little used by community mediators in the development of their activities, which they perceive as reinforcing largely the dynamics of segregation of the displaced population.
Hypoxia enhances buffalo adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells proliferation, stemness, and reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Deng Yanfei , Huang Guiting , Chen Feng , Testroet Eric David , Li Hui , Li Haiyang , Nong Tianying , Yang Xiaoling , Cui Jiayu , Shi Deshun , Yang Sufang 
Published: February 2019

AbstractAdipose tissue‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) from livestock are valuable resources for animal reproduction and veterinary therapeutics. Previous studies have shown that hypoxic conditions were beneficial in maintaining the physiological activities of ASCs. However, the effects of hypoxia on buffalo ASCs (bASCs) remain unclear. In this study, the effects of hypoxia on proliferation, stemness, and reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of bASCs were examined. The results showed that the hypoxic culture conditions (5% oxygen) enhanced the proliferation and colony formation of bASCs. The expression levels of proliferation‐related genes, and secretion of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were significantly enhanced in hypoxia. Hypoxic culture conditions activated hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α), thereby contributing to the secretion of bFGF and VEGF, which in turn enhanced the expression of HIF‐1α and promoted the proliferation of bASCs. Furthermore, in hypoxic culture conditions, bASCs exhibited the main characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells, and the expression levels of the pluripotent markers OCT4, NANOG, C‐MYC, and the differentiation capacity of bASCs were significantly enhanced. Finally, bASCs were more efficiently and easily reprogrammed into iPSCs in hypoxic culture conditions and these iPSCs exhibited some characteristics of naïve pluripotent stem cells. These findings provide the theoretical guidance for elucidating the detailed mechanism of hypoxia on physiological activities of bASCs including proliferation, stemness maintenance, and reprogramming.
Beyond pipeline and pathways: Ecosystem metrics
Authors: Lord Susan M. , Ohland Matthew W. , Layton Richard A. , Camacho Michelle M. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractBackgroundPipeline and pathways models influence persistence metrics used to study how students navigate engineering education.PurposeThis study presents pipeline, pathways, and ecosystem models and their associated metrics, compares and contrasts these models using an intersectional approach to explore persistence, and advocates for use of an ecosystem model.Design/MethodThis study presents a quantitative perspective of engineering student outcomes disaggregated by discipline, race/ethnicity, and sex. It includes 111,925 engineering students from 11 U.S. universities, including first‐time‐in‐college and transfer students who ever majored in the most common engineering disciplines: chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering. Contemporary data visualization methods are used to display quantitative data and clarify their complexity.ResultsThis work captures the intersectionality of race/ethnicity, sex, and discipline with metrics that are new or little used, such as stickiness (retention by a discipline), migrator graduation rate, and migration yield (attraction of a discipline). Using these metrics, we uncover information about the success of students who migrate between and among the top five engineering disciplines.ConclusionsStickiness, migrator graduation rates, and migration yield metrics coupled with contemporary data visualization methods provide insights into the student experience not afforded by the conventional pipeline and pathways models. Considering engineering education as an ecosystem tells stories of complexity and nuance, opening possibilities for new research.