bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Compliance with infection control practices when taking dental x‐rays: Survey of a Japanese dental school
Authors: Gamoh Shoko , Akiyama Hironori , Maruyama Hugo , Ohshita Naohiro , Nakayama Masayuki , Matsumoto Kazuhiro , Yoshida Hiroaki , Ohkubo Tadashi , Kishimoto Naotaka , Mori Yui , Nakatsuka Michiko , Shimizutani Kimishige 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, behavior, and compliance concerning infection control among dental practitioners in a dental university hospital in Japan. A 12‐item questionnaire about infection control during radiographic procedures was distributed to 686 dental personnel working at Osaka Dental University. The questionnaire collected information on occupation and the use of gloves, holders, door handles, control panels, dental chairs, protectors, tube head, tube arms, tube cones, and keyboards for personal computers. To identify misunderstandings about, and thus noncompliance with, current infection control practices, the percentage of correct answers (PCA) was calculated. Understanding and compliance with the current practices was considered low when <75% and high when ≥75%. In addition, contaminated objects in the clinical setting were examined using black light. PCA was low for one question on using gloves in film positioning and high for three questions on using protective film barriers, regardless of the respondents' occupation. PCA was generally high for three questions on practicing hand hygiene before putting on gloves, methods to protect film holders, and methods to protect radiographic equipment, but was low among some subjects. PCA was generally low for four questions on using film protective barriers, developing images from unprotected films, practicing hand hygiene after removing gloves, and awareness of a procedures manual for taking intraoral x‐rays, but was high among some subjects. Saliva contamination of radiographic equipment was confirmed by direct visualization using black light. Awareness was low of infection control measures to be used during intraoral projection. This study indicates the need for additional education and training to improve infection control practices, through, for example, using a standard procedures manual for all dental practitioners and visual evidence (visualization) of contamination.
HPLC‐QTOF method for quantifying 11‐ketoetiocholanolone, a cortisol metabolite, in ruminants' feces: Optimization and validation
Authors: Molina‐García Lucía , Pérez Jesus M. , Sarasa Mathieu , Ureña‐Gutiérrez Benjamín , Espinosa Jose , Azorit Concepción 
Published: August 2018

AbstractStudies of animal ecology can benefit from a quantified understanding of eco‐physiological processes and, in particular, of the physiological responses in free‐ranging animals to potential stressors. The determination of fecal cortisol metabolites as a noninvasive method for monitoring stress has proved to be a powerful tool. High‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS/MS) has emerged as the most accurate method for avoiding problems related to the nonspecificity of immunoassays. In this study, we optimize and validate a reliable method using HPLC‐MS/MS for quantifying 11‐ketoetiocholanolone (11‐k), a representative fecal cortisol metabolite in ruminants. An appropriate extraction and purification procedure was developed taking into account the complex nature of feces. The final extract obtained was then analyzed with HPLC‐MS/MS using a quadrupole‐time‐of‐fly (QTOF) tandem mass spectrometer with an electrospray ionization interface operating in positive mode, which allowed an unequivocal determination of the metabolite due to its accurate mass capabilities. After rigorous optimization of both sample extraction and the HPLC‐QTOF parameters, making use of feces from free‐ranging Iberian ibex, ideal conditions were established. Matrix‐matched standards were used to calibrate the method. The limit of detection and quantification was 13‐ and 40‐ ng/g, respectively. The validation of the method was performed with recoveries in the range of 85–110%, a figure much higher than the 60% obtained with the previous extraction methods used in our laboratory, and with relative standard deviations (RSDs) no higher than 15% for the complete analytical procedure, including extraction and analysis. The time required for the fecal 11‐k analysis was greatly reduced in comparison with the previous work carried out in our laboratory. This is the first time that QTOF mass detection coupled with HPLC has been validated for 11‐k quantification in feces from free‐ranging ruminants such as Iberian ibex. Given the high selectivity and sensitivity attained, our method could become a useful tool for noninvasive stress quantification in ruminants.
Epicardial fat in heart failure patients with mid‐range and preserved ejection fraction
Authors: van Woerden Gijs , Gorter Thomas M. , Westenbrink B. Daan , Willems Tineke P. , van Veldhuisen Dirk J. , Rienstra Michiel 
Published: August 2018

AimsAdipose tissue and inflammation may play a role in the pathophysiology of patients with heart failure (HF) with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction. We therefore investigated epicardial fat in patients with HF with preserved (HFpEF) and mid‐range ejection fraction (HFmrEF), and related this to co‐morbidities, plasma biomarkers and cardiac structure.Methods and resultsA total of 64 HF patients with left ventricular ejection fraction >40% and 20 controls underwent routine cardiac magnetic resonance examination. Epicardial fat volume was quantified on short‐axis cine stacks covering the entire epicardium and was related to clinical correlates, biomarkers associated with inflammation and myocardial injury, and cardiac function and contractility on cardiac magnetic resonance. HF patients and controls were of comparable age, sex and body mass index. Total epicardial fat volume was significantly higher in HF patients compared to controls (107 mL/m2 vs. 77 mL/m2, P <0.0001). HF patients with atrial fibrillation and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus had more epicardial fat than HF patients without these co‐morbidities (116 vs. 100 mL/m2, P =0.03, and 120 vs. 97 mL/m2, P =0.001, respectively). Creatine kinase‐MB, troponin T and glycated haemoglobin in patients with HF were positively correlated with epicardial fat volume (R =0.37, P =0.006; R =0.35, P =0.01; and R =0.42, P =0.002, respectively).ConclusionHeart failure patients had more epicardial fat compared to controls, despite similar body mass index. Epicardial fat volume was associated with the presence of atrial fibrillation and type 2 diabetes mellitus and with biomarkers related to myocardial injury. The clinical implications of these findings are unclear, but warrant further investigation.
Potential evaluation of CO2 EOR and storage in oilfields of the Pearl River Mouth Basin, northern South China Sea
Authors: Li Pengchun , Liu Xueyan , Lu Jiemin , Zhou Di , Hovorka Susan D. , Hu Gang , Liang Xi 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB) is the largest petroliferous sedimentary basin in the northern South China Sea. It is near the coastal economic zone of Guangdong province where a large number of CO2 emission sources are located. Carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery (EOR) represents an opportunity to promote offshore carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) deployment because CO2 flooding offers a method to recover additional oil while simultaneously sequestering anthropogenic CO2. In this paper, a comprehensive multiparameter ‘quick look’ and potential evaluation method was proposed to screen and assess offshore CO2 EOR potential. A screening scheme for the CO2 EOR potential of reservoirs of the PRMB was also proposed using additional parameters, including reservoir properties and engineering design incorporating a dimensionless screen model and calculations. The results show that the suitability of reservoirs for CO2 EOR and storage varies and could be categorized into four priority grades. Approximately 30 of the oil reservoirs from 10 oilfields were preferentially identified by applying the screening method for reservoirs with predicted higher ultimate recovery potentials. It was predicted that 3227 × 104 t of additional oil could be produced from these reservoirs and that 3617 × 104 t of CO2 could be simultaneously stored. The sensitivity analysis shows that injection pressure (Pinj) would be more sensitive than production pressure (Pp) and well distance (L) on the CO2 EOR and storage efficiency, indicating that EOR operations with higher Pinj may improve oil production. The prospective reservoirs include those candidates with suitability grades of I and II from the Lufeng (LF) and Huizhou (HZ) oilfield clusters, where 1164 × 104 t of additional oil could be produced and 1464 × 104 t of CO2 stored with CO2 EOR. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The ventral hippocampus is involved in multi‐goal obstacle‐rich spatial navigation
Authors: Contreras Marco , Pelc Tatiana , Llofriu Martin , Weitzenfeld Alfredo , Fellous Jean‐Marc 
Published: August 2018

AbstractA large body of evidence shows that the hippocampus is necessary for successful spatial navigation. Various studies have shown anatomical and functional differences between the dorsal (DHC) and ventral (VHC) portions of this structure. The DHC is primarily involved in spatial navigation and contains cells with small place fields. The VHC is primarily involved in context and emotional encoding contains cells with large place fields and receives major projections from the medial prefrontal cortex. In the past, spatial navigation experiments have used relatively simple tasks that may not have required a strong coordination along the dorsoventral hippocampal axis. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the DHC and VHC may be critical for goal‐directed navigation in obstacle‐rich environments. We used a learning task in which animals memorize the location of a set of rewarded feeders, and recall these locations in the presence of small or large obstacles. We report that bilateral DHC or VHC inactivation impaired spatial navigation in both large and small obstacle conditions. Importantly, this impairment did not result from a deficit in the spatial memory for the set of feeders (i.e., recognition of the goal locations) because DHC or VHC inactivation did not affect recall performance when there was no obstacle on the maze. We also show that the behavioral performance of the animals was correlated with several measures of maze complexity and that these correlations were significantly affected by inactivation only in the large object condition. These results suggest that as the complexity of the environment increases, both DHC and VHC are required for spatial navigation.
Binding deficits in visual short‐term memory in patients with temporal lobe lobectomy
Authors: Zokaei Nahid , Nour Matthew M. , Sillence Annie , Drew Daniel , Adcock Jane , Stacey Richard , Voets Natalie , Sen Arjune , Husain Masud 
Published: August 2018

AbstractClassical views of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) have established that it plays a crucial role in long‐term memory (LTM). Here we demonstrate, in a sample of patients who have undergone anterior temporal lobectomy for the treatment of pharmacoresistant epilepsy, that the MTL additionally plays a specific, causal role in short‐term memory (STM). Patients (n=22) and age‐matched healthy control participants (n=26) performed a STM task with a sensitive continuous report measure. This paradigm allowed us to examine recall memory for object identity, location and object‐location binding, independently on a trial‐by‐trial basis. Our findings point to a specific involvement of MTL in object‐location binding, but, crucially, not retention of either object identity or location. Therefore the MTL appears to perform a specific computation: binding disparate features that belong to a memory. These results echo findings from previous studies, which have identified a role for the MTL in relational binding for LTM, and support the proposal that MTL regions perform such a function for both STM and LTM, independent of the retention duration. Furthermore, these findings and the methodology employed here may provide a simple, sensitive and clinically valuable means to test memory dysfunuction in MTL disorders.
Looking beyond the standard version of the Morris water task in the assessment of mouse models of cognitive deficits
Authors: Mehla Jogender , Deibel Scott H. , Faraji Jamshid , Saito Takashi , Saido Takaomi C , Mohajerani Majid H. , McDonald Robert J. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractMost studies investigating hippocampal‐dependent learning and memory in mouse models of disease use the standard version of the Morris water task (MWT), in which a place is learned over several days. While useful in determining if there are learning and memory deficits, often it is not clear if memory acquisition, consolidation, or retrieval is affected. For rats, we developed a variant of the task in which we added a single‐massed training session to a new location after the standard distributed version of the MWT. Using this version of the task, competition between these two spatial representations can then be assessed in a probe trial. We have found in rat models of Alzheimer's disease that this paradigm can detect subtle impairments that are often missed in the standard version of the MWT. To the best of our knowledge, MWT paradigm with a single‐massed training session have never been used for mice. We sought to validate this paradigm for the use of assessing mouse models of disease. In the first two experiments, control mice did not have a preference for the new platform location, but instead with extensive training in the massed session displayed a preference for both the old and new locations. In the third experiment, a novel mouse model of Alzheimer's disease was impaired in the standard version of the MWT, but not in the massed training phase of this paradigm. Importantly, these data demonstrate that our paradigm is more informative in characterizing spatial learning and memory in mouse models of disease.
Diversity of dendritic morphology and entorhinal cortex synaptic effectiveness in mouse CA2 pyramidal neurons
Authors: Helton Thomas D. , Zhao Meilan , Farris Shannon , Dudek Serena M. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractExcitatory synaptic inputs from specific brain regions are often targeted to distinct dendritic arbors on hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Recent work has suggested that CA2 pyramidal neurons respond robustly and preferentially to excitatory input into the stratum lacunosum moleculare (SLM), with a relatively modest response to Schaffer collateral excitatory input into stratum radiatum (SR) in acute mouse hippocampal slices, but the extent to which this difference may be explained by morphology is unknown. In an effort to replicate these findings and to better understand the role of dendritic morphology in shaping responses from proximal and distal synaptic sites, we measured excitatory postsynaptic currents and action potentials in CA2 pyramidal cells in response to SR and SLM stimulation and subsequently analyzed confocal images of the filled cells. We found that, in contrast to previous reports, SR stimulation evoked substantial responses in all recorded CA2 pyramidal cells. Strikingly, however, we found that not all neurons responded to SLM stimulation, and in those neurons that did, responses evoked by SLM and SR were comparable in size and effectiveness in inducing action potentials. In a comprehensive morphometric analysis of CA2 pyramidal cell apical dendrites, we found that the neurons that were unresponsive to SLM stimulation were the same ones that lacked substantial apical dendritic arborization in the SLM. Neurons responsive to both SR and SLM stimulation had roughly equal amounts of dendritic branching in each layer. Remarkably, our study in mouse CA2 generally replicates the work characterizing the diversity of CA2 pyramidal cells in the guinea pig hippocampus. We conclude, then, that like in guinea pig, mouse CA2 pyramidal cells have a diverse apical dendrite morphology that is likely to be reflective of both the amount and source of excitatory input into CA2 from the entorhinal cortex and CA3.
The correlation of HCV RNA and HCV core antigen in different genotypes of HCV
Authors: Xiang Yu , Lai Xiao‐fei , Chen Pu , Yang Yang 
Published: August 2018

BackgroundTo analyze the correlation of HCV RNA and HCV core antigen (HCV cAg) in different genotypes of HCV.MethodsOne hundred and six patients who were diagnosed with HCV infection by HCV RNA test were included in the study. HCV genotypes were detected by PCR fluorescent probe. Detected HCV cAg's expression in serum quantitatively and qualitatively with chemiluminescent micro‐particle immuno assay (CMIA) and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively, and compared positive rates. Analyzed the correlation of HCV RNA and HCV cAg in different genotypes.ResultsDistribution of HCV genotypes in 106 HCV infected patients were as follows: 1b genotype 46 (43.4%); 2a genotype 7 (6.6%); 3a genotype 18 (17.0%); 3b genotype 3 (2.8%); 6a genotype 9 (8.5%); 1b/3b mixed type 13 (12.3%); and unidentified type 10 (9.4%). Positive rates of HCV cAg detected by CMIA and ELISA were 100% and 56%, respectively, with statistical significance (χ2 = 60.38, P = 0.000). HCV cAg in 1b genotype group was higher than that in 3b and 1b/3b genotype groups, with statistical significance (U = 3.0, P = 0.006, U = 165, P = 0.014). HCV RNA and HCV cAg in genotype 1b demonstrated a positive correlation (r = 0.894, P = 0.04).ConclusionMajor genetic subtype of HCV genotype was 1b. Compared with ELISA, detection of HCV cAg by CMIA increased the positive rate and facilitated early diagnosis and treatment of HCV‐infected patients. With the increase in HCV RNA load and the expression of HCV cAg, HCV cAg could be an early indicator for the diagnosis of HCV infection in 1b genotype.
Toward Fast and Efficient Visible‐Light‐Driven Molecular Motors: A Minimal Design
Authors: Wang Jun , Durbeej Bo 
Published: August 2018

AbstractA key goal in the development of light‐driven rotary molecular motors is to facilitate their usage in biology and medicine by shifting the required irradiation wavelengths from the UV regime to the nondestructive visible regime. Although some progress has been made toward this goal, most available visible‐light‐driven motors either have relatively low quantum yields or require that thermal steps follow the photoisomerizations that underlie the rotary motion. Here, a minimal design for visible‐light‐driven motors without these drawbacks is presented and evaluated on the basis of state‐of‐the‐art quantum chemical calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. The design, featuring dihydropyridinium and cyclohexenylidene motifs and comprising only five conjugated double bonds, is found to produce a full 360° rotation through fast photoisomerizations (excited‐state lifetimes of ≈170–250 fs) powered by photons with energies well below 3 eV.
Burnout among early‐career oncology professionals and the risk factors
Authors: Tang LiLi , Pang Ying , He Yi , Chen Zhishui , Leng JiaHua 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBackgroundHealth care professionals caring for cancer patients have a considerable risk of developing burnout. However, as burnout has been rarely investigated among early‐career oncology professionals. This study aims to investigate the presence of and risk factors linked to burnout in early‐career oncology professionals.MethodsA cross‐sectional, hospital‐based survey was conducted. A web link for the survey was sent to all staff of Peking University Cancer Hospital. Measures included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Effort‐Reward Inventory (ERI), and Big Five Personality Scale along with a questionnaire used to collect demographic, occupational, and social variables.ResultsIn total, 862 (71%) clinical health professionals completed the questionnaire, including 290 (35%) early‐career professionals with work experiences as oncology professionals within 5 years. One hundred fourteen (39%) of them reported burnout in at least one domain. Lower scores on agreeableness (odds ratio [OR] = 0.77, P = 0.050) and neuroticism (OR = 0.69, P = 0.007) and high ERI ratio (OR = 103.67, P < 0.001) were associated with emotional exhaustion; lower scores on agreeableness (OR = 0.64, P < 0.001) and neuroticism (OR = 0.69, P = 0.007) and high ERI ratio (OR = 103.67, P < 0.001) were associated with depersonalization.ConclusionsChinese early‐career oncology professionals experience a high risk of burnout. The early‐career professionals with lower agreeableness and higher neuroticism in personality may have a higher risk of burnout. Imbalance between work efforts and work rewards is another significant risk factor of burnout.
The Shewhart F control chart for monitoring processes with finite number of inspections
Authors: Celano Giovanni , Castagliola Philippe 
Published: August 2018

AbstractProcesses with a finite number of scheduled inspections are very common in industry. Frequent setup changeovers in mass production aimed at switching from one product code to another and the growing need to manufacture small lots of customized products are challenging issues for quality engineers who want to perform statistical process monitoring (SPM). In this paper, we propose a Shewhart control chart plotting a statistic defined as the ratio F of the between‐sample variability over the within‐sample variability. The F control chart is able to monitor the stability of the location for a normally distributed quality parameter. Being the F statistics autocorrelated, the statistical performance has been evaluated by means of simulation. The numerical analysis shows that the F control chart outperforms the available t control chart for monitoring finite production horizon processes.
An EWMA sign control chart with varying control limits for finite horizon processes
Authors: Celano Giovanni , Castagliola Philippe 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe sign SN distribution‐free control charts are efficient and simple online tools to perform quality monitoring when the normality of observations cannot be assumed a priori. The possibility of designing an SN control chart whichever is the distribution of observations allows it to be implemented with success in processes with finite production horizon (FPH). Today, FPH processes are widespread in industry. Recently, Shewhart SN control charts have been investigated in literature for this kind of quality control problem. In this paper, we investigate the implementation of an exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) SN control chart for FPH processes. The property to have varying control limits at each inspection allows the EWMA SN control chart to be very sensitive to shifts in the location. A nonhomogeneous Markov chain model is used to evaluate the statistical properties of the EWMA SN control chart with varying control limits. An illustrative example shows the implementation of the EWMA SN control chart with observations collected from a quality monitoring procedure in a company bottling soft drinks.