bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Tuning the pH‐responsiveness capability of poly(acrylic acid‐co‐itaconic acid)/NaOH hydrogel: Design, swelling, and rust removal evaluation
Authors: Olvera‐Sosa Miguel , Guerra‐Contreras Antonio , Gómez‐Durán Cesar F. A. , González‐García Raúl , Palestino Gabriela 
Published: August 2019

ABSTRACTThe swelling behavior of poly(acrylic acid‐co‐itaconic acid)/NaOH hydrogel as well as its ability for iron and copper rust removal was studied and established for the first time. Through an experimental design, the influence of the synthesis parameters on hydrogel response was determined. It was found that pH‐responsiveness dependence of hydrogel determines its application. In alkaline media, the hydrogel acted as superabsorbent, while in acidic, the most outstanding property was its pickling capability that allowed to clean carbon steel and copper metallic surfaces. Infrared, thermogravimetry, and scanning electron microscopy were performed to determine copolymer formation, thermal properties, and morphology. Metallic crystallographic phases formed during the corrosion processes were determined by X‐ray diffractometer. Hydrogel adhesiveness followed by diffusion and dissolution of metal oxides species was identified as the main steps in the rust removal mechanism. This method offers a new, environmentally friendly perspective to eliminate corrosion from metallic surfaces compared with traditional strategies. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48403.
Behavioural characteristics of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in a submerged bag net of a setnet observed in a bycatch simulation and the development of a turtle releasing device
Authors: Shiozawa Maika , Shiode Daisuke , Okuyama Junichi , Hu Fuxiang , Tokai Tadashi 
Published: August 2019

Abstract

A turtle releasing device (TRD) can reduce the mortality of bycatch in setnets. Turtles that have entered the submerged bag net of setnets repeatedly push their heads up against the ceiling net (referred to here as a push‐up) in an effort to ascend to breathe. To aid the successful escape of turtles from the setnet, it is essential to understand the turtle's push‐up behaviour, as they need to reach the TRD and open its flap door.
The objectives of this study were to clarify when turtles start to perform push‐ups, how these push‐ups change, and what factors affect push‐ups under the simulated condition of bycatch. A depth, temperature, and tri‐axial acceleration data logger and a video camera were employed to determine vertical movement, ambient temperature, the level of activity, and flipper beat frequency (FBF) of the turtles. Ten trials of 10–30 minutes for five subadult loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) were conducted using a submerged bag net (30 × 10 × 10 m) of a setnet in Mie Prefecture, Japan.
Turtles started to perform push‐ups 5.1 ± 3.3 minutes after the start of each trial. FBF increased as more time elapsed in 35% of ascent phases recorded, and the level of activity during the following push‐ups was significantly higher than during other push‐ups. The level of activity in each sequence of push‐ups increased as more time elapsed; however, it started to decrease from 9.8 minutes after the first push‐up at the earliest. Therefore, the TRD should be designed to enable turtles to escape within approximately 10 minutes.
The number of push‐ups in a single sequence, the activity level, and FBF were affected by water temperature. Therefore, the closing force of the TRD flap door needs to be changed according to the different seasons and regions.
Reaction Mechanisms on Unusual 1,2‐Migrations of N‐Heterocyclic Carbene‐Ligated Transition Metal Complexes
Authors: Zhu Qin , Lin Lu , Rouf Alvi Muhammad , Zhu Jun 
Published: August 2019

AbstractUnusual 1,2‐migration reactions of N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) on transition metals were investigated using density functional theory calculations. Our results reveal that the electronic properties, ring strain of the four‐membered ring, and aromaticity of NHC play crucial roles in the thermodynamics of such a 1,2‐migration. Further studies show that changing the methylene on the metal center in the reactant with a more electronegative group (NH or O) will lead to the formation of products with nitrogen coordinating to the metal center, whereas other groups (BH, CF2, and SiH2) will make such a 1,2‐migration reverse. In addition, the reversed rearrangement of 1,2‐boron, silyl migration could be thermodynamically and kinetically favorable.
Markov games with unknown random state‐actions‐dependent discount factors: Empirical estimation
Authors: González‐Sánchez David , Luque‐Vásquez Fernando , Minjárez‐Sosa Jesus Adolfo 
Published: August 2019

AbstractThe work deals with a class of discrete‐time zero‐sum Markov games under a discounted optimality criterion with random state‐action‐dependent discount factors of the form
, where xn,an,bn, and ξn+1 are the state, the actions of players, and a random disturbance at time n, respectively, taking values in Borel spaces. The one‐stage payoff is assumed to be possibly unbounded. In addition, the process {ξn} is formed by observable, independent, and identically distributed random variables with common distribution θ, which is unknown to players. By using the empirical distribution to estimate θ, we introduce a procedure to approximate the value V∗ of the game; such a procedure yields construction schemes of stationary optimal strategies and asymptotically optimal Markov strategies.
The impact of the ICD‐9‐CM to ICD‐10‐CM transition on the prevalence of birth defects among infant hospitalizations in the United States
Authors: Salemi Jason L. , Tanner Jean Paul , Kirby Russell S. , Cragan Janet D. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractBackgroundMany public health surveillance programs utilize hospital discharge data in their estimation of disease prevalence. These databases commonly use the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) coding scheme, which transitioned from the ICD‐9 clinical modification (ICD‐9‐CM) to ICD‐10‐CM on October 1, 2015. This study examined this transition's impact on the prevalence of major birth defects among infant hospitalizations.MethodsUsing data from the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality‐sponsored National Inpatient Sample, hospitalizations during the first year of life with a discharge date between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2016 were used to estimate the monthly national hospital prevalence of 46 birth defects for the ICD‐9‐CM and ICD‐10‐CM timeframes separately. Survey‐weighted Poisson regression was used to estimate 95% confidence intervals for each hospital prevalence. Interrupted time series framework and corresponding segmented regression was used to estimate the immediate change in monthly hospital prevalence following the ICD‐9‐CM to ICD‐10‐CM transition.ResultsBetween 2012 and 2016, over 21 million inpatient hospitalizations occurred during the first year of life. Among the 46 defects studied, statistically significant decreases in the immediate hospital prevalence of five defects and significant increases in the immediate hospital prevalence of eight defects were observed after the ICD‐10‐CM transition.ConclusionsChanges in prevalence were expected based on changes to ICD‐10‐CM. Observed changes for some conditions may result from variation in monthly hospital prevalence or initial unfamiliarity of coders with ICD‐10‐CM. These findings may help birth defects surveillance programs evaluate and interpret changes in their data related to the ICD‐10‐CM transition.
Morphological lymphocytic reaction, patient prognosis and PD-1 expression after surgical resection for oesophageal cancer
Authors: Baba Y , Yagi T , Kosumi K , Okadome K , Nomoto D , Eto K , Hiyoshi Y , Nagai Y , Ishimoto T , Iwatsuki M , Iwagami S , Miyamoto Y , Yoshida N , Komohara Y , Watanabe M , Baba H 
Published: August 2019

Abstract

Background
Immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as antibody against programmed cell death protein (PD-1), have demonstrated antitumour effects in patients with malignancies, including oesophageal cancer. A lymphocytic reaction observed by pathological examination is a manifestation of the host immune response to tumour cells. It was hypothesized that a stronger lymphocytic reaction to tumours might be associated with favourable prognosis in oesophageal cancer.

Methods
Using a database of resected oesophageal cancers, four morphological components of lymphocytic reactions (peritumoral, intranest, lymphoid and stromal) to tumours were evaluated in relation to clinical outcome, PD-1 expression by immunohistochemistry and total lymphocyte count in blood.

Results
Resected oesophageal cancer specimens from 436 patients were included in the study. Among the four morphological components, only peritumoral reaction was associated with patient prognosis (multivariable P for trend &lt;0·001); patients with a higher peritumoral reaction had significantly longer overall survival than those with a lower reaction (multivariable hazard ratio 0·48, 95 per cent c.i. 0·34 to 0·67). The prognostic effect of peritumoral reaction was not significantly modified by other clinical variables (all P for interaction &gt;0·050). Peritumoral reaction was associated with total lymphocyte count in the blood (P &lt; 0·001), supporting the relationship between local immune response and systemic immune competence. In addition, higher morphological peritumoral reaction was associated with high PD-1 expression on lymphocytes in tumours (P = 0·034).

Conclusion
These findings should help to improve risk-adapted therapeutic strategies and help stratify patients in the future clinical setting of immunotherapy for oesophageal cancer.
Practical liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of amitriptyline, nortriptyline and their hydroxy metabolites in human serum
Authors: Mifsud Buhagiar Luana , Sammut Carmel , Chircop Yana , Axisa Kersty , Sammut Bartolo Nicolette , Vella Szijj Janis , Serracino Inglott Anthony , LaFerla Godfrey 
Published: August 2019

AbstractAmitriptyline (AMI) has been in use for decades in treating depression and more recently for the management of neuropathic pain. A highly sensitive and specific LC–tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for simultaneous determination of AMI, its active metabolite nortriptyline (NOR) and their hydroxy‐metabolites in human serum, using deuterated AMI and NOR as internal standards. The isobaric E‐10‐hydroxyamitriptyline (E‐OH AMI), Z‐10‐hydroxyamitriptyline (Z‐OH AMI), E‐10‐hydroxynortriptyline (E‐OH NOR) and Z‐10‐hydroxynortriptyline (Z‐OH NOR), together with their parent compounds, were separated on an ACE C18 column using a simple protein precipitation method, followed by dilution and analysis using positive electrospray ionisation with multiple reaction monitoring. The total run time was 6 min with elution of E‐OH AMI, E‐OH NOR, Z‐OH AMI, Z‐OH NOR, AMI (+ deuterated AMI) and NOR (+ deuterated NOR) at 1.21, 1.28, 1.66, 1.71, 2.50 and 2.59 min, respectively. The method was validated in human serum with a lower limit of quantitation of 0.5 ng/mL for all analytes. A linear response function was established for the range of concentrations 0.5–400 ng/mL (r2 > .999). The practical assay was applied on samples from patients on AMI, genotyped for CYP2C19 and CYP2D6, to understand the influence of metaboliser status and concomitant medication on therapeutic drug monitoring.
Individualized treatment response prediction of dialectical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Schmitgen Mike M. , Niedtfeld Inga , Schmitt Ruth , Mancke Falk , Winter Dorina , Schmahl Christian , Herpertz Sabine C. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractIntroductionIndividualized treatment prediction is crucial for the development and selection of personalized psychiatric interventions. Here, we use random forest classification via pretreatment clinical and demographical (CD), functional, and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) to predict individual treatment response.MethodsBefore dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), 31 female patients underwent functional (three different emotion regulation tasks) and structural MRI. DBT response was predicted using CD and MRI data in previously identified anatomical regions, which have been reported to be multimodally affected in BPD.ResultsAmygdala and parahippocampus activation during a cognitive reappraisal task (in contrasts displaying neural activation for emotional challenge and for regulation), along with severity measures of BPD psychopathology and gray matter volume of the amygdala, provided best predictive power with neuronal hyperractivities in nonresponders. All models, except one model using CD data solely, achieved significantly better accuracy (>70.25%) than a simple all‐respond model, with sensitivity and specificity of >0.7 and >0.7, as well as positive and negative likelihood ratios of >2.74 and <0.36 each. Surprisingly, a model combining all data modalities only reached rank five of seven. Among the functional tasks, only the activation elicited by a cognitive reappraisal paradigm yielded sufficient predictive power to enter the final models.ConclusionThis proof of principle study shows that it is possible to achieve good predictions of psychotherapy outcome to find the most valid predictors among numerous variables via using a random forest classification approach.
Adjuvant chemotherapy versus chemoradiation in high‐risk pancreatic adenocarcinoma: A propensity score‐matched analysis
Authors: Raoof Mustafa , Blakely Andrew M. , Melstrom Laleh G. , Lee Byrne , Warner Susanne G. , Chung Vincent , Singh Gagandeep , Chen Yi‐Jen , Fong Yuman 
Published: August 2019

AbstractPurposeThe American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines recommend adjuvant chemoradiation (ACR) for margin‐positive (R1) and/or node‐positive (N+) pancreatic cancers. Our goal was to investigate if there is evidence of superiority of adjuvant chemoradiation (ACR) over adjuvant chemotherapy (AC).MethodsWe utilized data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) for N+ and/or R1 pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients diagnosed from 2004 to 2012 who underwent ACR or AC. Patients who received neoadjuvant radiation, no adjuvant treatment, or adjuvant radiation alone were excluded. Propensity score nearest‐neighbor 1:1 matching (PSM) was performed between ACR and AC groups based on age, sex, race, insurance, year of diagnosis, comorbidities, tumor site and size, T‐stage, nodal status, margin status, grade, and treatment facility. Primary outcome was overall survival (OS).ResultsA total of 8297 patients were eligible. After PSM, two well‐balanced groups of 3244 patients each were analyzed. ACR resulted in superior OS compared with AC alone (Hazard ratio [HR] 0.83, 95% CI 0.79‐0.87; median OS 22 vs 19 months, P < .0001). Subset analyses demonstrated OS benefit of ACR compared with AC in N+, R0 patients (HR: 0.82, 95% CI 0.77‐0.88; Median OS 24 vs 20 months, P < .001) as well as N+, R1 patients (HR: 0.77, 95% CI 0.68‐0.87; Median OS 17 vs 15 months, P < .001); but not in node‐negative, R1 patients (HR: 1.12, 95% CI 0.84‐1.48; Median OS 18 vs 22 months, P = .63).ConclusionThe addition of radiation to AC was associated with a clinically small but meaningful increase in survival of patients undergoing curative‐intent pancreatic resections. This association was not evident in patients with microscopically positive margins but node‐negative disease and larger studies will be needed.
Ergodicity and Lyapunov Functions for Langevin Dynamics with Singular Potentials
Authors: Herzog David P. , Mattingly Jonathan C. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractWe study Langevin dynamics of N particles on ℝd interacting through a singular repulsive potential, e.g., the well‐known Lennard‐Jones type, and show that the system converges to the unique invariant Gibbs measure exponentially fast in a weighted total variation distance. The proof of the main result relies on an explicit construction of a Lyapunov function. In contrast to previous results for such systems, our result implies geometric convergence to equilibrium starting from an essentially optimal family of initial distributions. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Study on Dynamic Recrystallization in the Plastic Deformation Zone of Vibration Cast‐Rolling
Authors: Sun Minghan , Zhu Zhiwang , Zheng Likang , Zheng Chuanxing , Du Fengshan 
Published: August 2019

AbstractIn the comparative experiments of vibration and non‐vibration cast‐rolling, it is found that the vibration can significantly enhance the dynamic recrystallization effect in the plastic deformation stage during cast‐rolling. In order to explore the strengthening mechanism, the physical simulation experiment and the numerical simulation based on Yada model are used to study the plastic deformation stage of the cast‐rolling process. The research results show that the Yada model can accurately calculate the change history of grain size during vibration rolling. It is also found that the vibration frequency can promote the recrystallization nucleation by changing the equivalent plastic strain in the cast‐rolling strip during deformation, thereby effectively reducing the average grain size, whereas the amplitude only affects the start time of the dynamic recrystallization. In addition, it is found that vibration can effectively improve the uneven distribution of grain size on the cross section of cast‐rolling strip.
Particle‐in‐cell simulation of an optimized high‐efficiency multistage plasma thruster
Authors: Matthias Paul , Kahnfeld Daniel , Schneider Ralf , Yeo Suk Hyun , Ogawa Hideaki 
Published: August 2019

AbstractElectric propulsion attracts increasing attention in contemporary space missions as an interesting alternative to chemical propulsion because of the high efficiency it offers. The High‐Efficiency Multistage Plasma thruster, a class of cusped field thruster, is able to operate at different anode voltages and operation points and thereby generate different levels of thrust in a stable and efficient way. Since experiments of such thrusters are inherently expensive, multi‐objective design optimization (MDO) is of great interest. Several optimized thruster designs have resulted from a MDO model based on a zero‐dimensional (0D) power balance model. However, the MDO solutions do not warrant self‐consistency due to their dependency on estimation from empirical modelling based on former experimental studies. In this study, one of the optimized thruster designs is investigated by means of particle‐in‐cell (PIC) analysis to examine the predicted performance characteristics with self‐consistent simulations. The 0D power balance model is used to develop additional diagnostics for the PIC simulations to improve the physics analysis. Using input parameters for the 0D power balance model from the PIC simulations allows further improvement for the design optimization.
Unique multiple paternity in the endangered big‐headed turtle (Platysternon megacephalum) in an ex situ population in South China
Authors: Gong Shiping , Hua Liushuai , Ge Yan , Cao Dainan 
Published: August 2019

AbstractUnderstanding the mating system and reproductive strategies of an endangered species is critical to the success of captive breeding. The big‐headed turtle (Platysternon megacephalum) is one of the most threatened turtle species in the world. Captive breeding and reintroduction are necessary to re‐establish wild populations of P. megacephalum in some of its historical ranges in China, where the original populations have been extirpated. However, the captive breeding of P. megacephalum is very difficult and this may be due to its mysterious reproductive strategies and special behavior (e.g., aggressive temperament and territoriality). In this study, we achieved successful captive breeding of P. megacephalum by creating a habitat that mimics natural conditions and then investigated its mating system using microsatellite makers. A total of 16 clutches containing 79 eggs of P. megacephalum were collected, and 52 were hatched successfully over two breeding seasons. Of the 15 effective clutches, 6 clutches (40%) exhibited multiple paternity. There was no significant correlation between clutch size and multiple paternity, and no significant difference in hatching success between multiple‐sired and single‐sired clutches. However, there was significant correlation between male body size and the number of offspring, with higher‐ranked males contributing to more clutches. Our results provide the first evidence of multiple paternity and male hierarchy in P. megacephalum. These findings suggest that multiple paternity and male hierarchy should be considered in captive breeding programs for P. megacephalum, and creating a habitat that mimics natural conditions is an effctive way to achieve successful captive breeding and investigate the mating systems of this species.
Fitness costs and benefits vary for two facultative Burkholderia symbionts of the social amoeba, Dictyostelium discoideum
Authors: Garcia Justine R. , Larsen Tyler J. , Queller David C. , Strassmann Joan E. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractHosts and their associated microbes can enter into different relationships, which can range from mutualism, where both partners benefit, to exploitation, where one partner benefits at the expense of the other. Many host–microbe relationships have been presumed to be mutualistic, but frequently only benefits to the host, and not the microbial symbiont, have been considered. Here, we address this issue by looking at the effect of host association on the fitness of two facultative members of the Dictyostelium discoideum microbiome (Burkholderia agricolaris and Burkholderia hayleyella). Using two indicators of bacterial fitness, growth rate and abundance, we determined the effect of D. discoideum on Burkholderia fitness. In liquid culture, we found that D. discoideum amoebas lowered the growth rate of both Burkholderia species. In soil microcosms, we tracked the abundance of Burkholderia grown with and without D. discoideum over a month and found that B. hayleyella had larger populations when associating with D. discoideum while B. agricolaris was not significantly affected. Overall, we find that both B. agricolaris and B. hayleyella pay a cost to associate with D. discoideum, but B. hayleyella can also benefit under some conditions. Understanding how fitness varies in facultative symbionts will help us understand the persistence of host–symbiont relationships.OPEN RESEARCH BADGES

This article has earned an Open Data Badge for making publicly available the digitally‐shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/data/15/
Measurement of quality test of aerodynamic profiles in wind turbine blades using laser triangulation technique
Authors: Moreno‐Oliva Víctor Iván , Román‐Hernández Edwin , Torres‐Moreno Eduardo , Dorrego‐Portela José Rafael , Avendaño‐Alejo Maximino , Campos‐García Manuel , Sánchez‐Sánchez Sergio 
Published: August 2019

AbstractThe development of an optical contact instrument for measuring the geometric shape of aerodynamic profiles on blades of small power wind turbines is presented. The instrument uses the triangulation principle, where a structured line laser pattern is projected onto the surface of one of the faces of the blade under test, a camera captures the image of the line and is processed to interpret the distorted form of the projected line. A linear sweep of the instrument makes it possible to measure the profile in another section of the blade. Comparison and evaluation results of two symmetric profiles of the NACA 0012 family are presented, one manufactured in a 3D printer and the other one is a metal profile AF104 of a subsonic wind tunnel. Additionally, three sections of a blade with profile FX 63‐137 of a 1.5 kW wind turbine were evaluated. An aerodynamic analysis shows a reduction in the lift coefficient and in the efficiency of the aerodynamic profile, as well as an increase in the drag coefficient. The sensitivity of the instrument is 0.1 mm on the Z‐axis.