bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of tri‐exponential decay versus bi‐exponential decay and full fitting versus segmented fitting for modeling liver intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion MRI
Authors: Chevallier Olivier , Zhou Nan , Cercueil Jean‐Pierre , He Jian , Loffroy Romaric , Wáng Yì Xiáng J. 
Published: July 2019

ObjectivesTo determine whether bi‐ or tri‐exponential models, and full or segmented fittings, better fit the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging signal of healthy livers.MethodsDiffusion‐weighted images were acquired with a 3 T scanner using a respiratory‐triggered echo‐planar sequence and 16b‐values (0–800 s/mm2). Eighteen healthy volunteers had their livers scanned twice in the same session, and then once in another session. Liver parenchyma region‐of‐interest‐based measurements were processed with bi‐exponential and tri‐exponential models, with both full fitting and segmented fitting (thresholdb‐value = 200 s/mm2).ResultsWith the signal of all scans averaged, bi‐exponential model full fitting showedDslow = 1.14 × 10−3 mm2/s,Dfast = 193.6 × 10−3 mm2/s, and perfusion fraction (PF) = 16.9%, and segmented fitting showedDslow = 0.98 × 10−3 mm2/s,Dfast = 42.2 × 10−3 mm2/s, and PF = 23.3%. IVIM parameters derived from the tri‐exponential model were similar for full fitting and segmented fitting, with slow (D'slow = 0.98 × 10−3 mm2/s;F'slow = 76.4 or 76.6%), fast (D'fast = 15.1 or 15.4 × 10−3 mm2/s;F'fast = 11.8 or 11.7%) and very fast (D'Vfast = 445.0 or 448.8 × 10−3 mm2/s;F'Vfast = 11.8 or 11.7%) diffusion compartments. The tri‐exponential model provided an overall better fit than the bi‐exponential model. For the bi‐exponential model, full fitting provided a better fit at very low and lowb‐values compared with segmented fitting, with the latter tending to underestimateDfast; however, the segmented method demonstrated lower error in signal prediction for highb‐values. Compared with full fitting, tri‐exponential segmented fitting offered better scan‐rescan reproducibility.ConclusionFor healthy liver, tri‐exponential modeling is preferred to bi‐exponential modeling. For the bi‐exponential model, segmented fitting underestimatesDfast, but offers a more accurate estimation ofDslow.
Facilitators to the continuous abuse of tramadol among the youth: A qualitative study in Northern Ghana
Authors: Fuseini Abdul‐Ganiyu , Afizu Alhassan , Yakubu Yakubu H. , Nachinab Gilbert 
Published: July 2019

AbstractStudy aimConsidering the alarming rate at which young people abuse tramadol, as evidenced by the numerous media reports on the subject, this qualitative study was conducted to explore the facilitators to the abuse of tramadol by young people.Design and methodsA qualitative exploratory descriptive design was employed in conducting the study. A total of 18 participants were purposively sampled. Data for the study were collected through two focused group discussions and three in‐depth‐interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.ResultsThe findings of the study revealed four main themes. These themes were initiating factors of abuse; desirable physical effects; desirable psychological effects; and undesirable effects. It was revealed that many young people initially get into tramadol abuse because of peer pressure, curiosity or post‐traumatic addiction. However, they often continue the practice for various physical and psychological gratifications including euphoria, attentiveness, high energy levels, pain relief and improved sexual performance. The study also revealed some unpleasant side effects of tramadol abuse such as severe vomiting, loss of appetite, seizures, emotional aloofness and irritability. Many of the participants in this study also expressed willingness to quit tramadol abuse because of social discrimination and the enormous side effects that come with the abuse of the drug.
A Systematic Scoping Review of Surgically Manipulated Adipose Tissue and the Regulation of Energetics and Body Fat in Animals
Authors: Murillo Anarina L. , Kaiser Kathryn A. , Smith Daniel L. , Peterson Courtney M. , Affuso Olivia , Tiwari Hemant K. , Allison David B. 
Published: July 2019

ObjectiveSurgical manipulations of adipose tissue by removal, or partial lipectomy, have demonstrated body fat compensation and recovered body weight, suggesting that the body is able to resist changes to body composition. However, the mechanisms underlying these observations are not well understood. The purpose of this scoping review is to provide an update on what is currently known about the regulation of energetics and body fat after surgical manipulations of adipose tissue in small mammals.MethodsPubMed and Scopus were searched to identify 64 eligible studies. Outcome measures included body fat, body weight, food intake, and circulating biomarkers.ResultsSurgeries performed included lipectomy (72%) or transplantation (12%) in mice (35%), rats (35%), and other small mammals. Findings suggested that lipectomy did not have consistent long‐term effects on reducing body weight and fat because regain occurred within 12 to 14 weeks post surgery. Hence, biological feedback mechanisms act to resist long‐term changes of body weight or fat. Furthermore, whether this weight and fat regain occurred because of “passive” and “active” regulation under the “set point” or “settling point” theories cannot fully be discerned because of limitations in study designs and data collected.ConclusionsThe regulation of energetics and body fat are complex and dynamic processes that require further studies of the interplay of genetic, physiological, and behavioral factors.
Towards New Robust Zn(II) Complexes for the Ring‐Opening Polymerization of Lactide Under Industrially Relevant Conditions
Authors: Schäfer Pascal M. , Dankhoff Katja , Rothemund Matthias , Ksiazkiewicz Agnieszka N. , Pich Andrij , Schobert Rainer , Weber Birgit , Herres‐Pawlis Sonja 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThe synthesis of bio‐based and biodegradable plastics is a hot topic in research due to growing environmental problems caused by omnipresent plastics. As a result, polylactide, which has been known for years, has seen a tremendous increase in industrial production. Nevertheless, the manufacturing process using the toxic catalyst Sn(Oct)2 is very critical. As an alternative, five zinc acetate complexes have been synthesized with Schiff base‐like ligands that exhibit high activity in the ring‐opening polymerization of non‐purified lactide. The systems bear different side arms in the ligand scaffold. The influence of these substituents has been analyzed. For a detailed description of the catalytic activities, the rate constants kapp and kp were determined using in‐situ Raman spectroscopy at a temperature of 150 °C. The polymers produced have molar masses of up to 71 000 g mol−1 and are therefore suitable for a variety of applications. Toxicity measurements carried out for these complexes proved the nontoxicity of the systems.
Antidepressant use during pregnancy and risk of congenital heart defects: A case‐time‐control study
Authors: Sun Yuelian , Pedersen Lars Henning , Wu Chun Sen , Petersen Irene , Sørensen Henrik Toft , Olsen Jørn 
Published: July 2019

AbstractPurposeWe estimated the association between maternal antidepressant (AD) use in early pregnancy and risk of congenital heart defects.MethodsWe applied a case‐time‐control design with the aim of controlling for confounding from time‐invariant factors and compared the results of the design to results from a cohort design in a population of 792 685 singletons born alive in Denmark during 1995‐2008. In the case‐time‐control design, we identified children diagnosed with a congenital heart defect in the first 5 years of life (cases) and compared maternal AD use in the risk period (the first 3 months of pregnancy) and the reference period (gestational months 5‐7). A nondiseased control group was included to adjust for time trends of exposure. In the cohort design, we identified children whose mothers redeemed at least one AD prescription in the first 3 months of pregnancy (the exposed) and two other groups including the unexposed children with maternal AD prescriptions in the 12 months before pregnancy. We applied conditional logistic regression and logistic regression to compute odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsThe case‐time‐control OR for any congenital heart defect was 1.03 (95% CI, 0.61‐1.73), which was similar to the OR (1.09, 95% CI, 0.88‐1.35) from the cohort design when we compared the exposed children with the unexposed children with maternal AD use before pregnancy.ConclusionsThe case‐time‐control design provided results similar to the cohort design when the cohort design had a better confounder control strategy. We discussed the strengths and drawbacks of case‐time‐control design.
Ceramide cross‐linking leads to pore formation: Potential mechanism behind CAP enhancement of transdermal drug delivery
Authors: Van der Paal Jonas , Fridman Gregory , Bogaerts Annemie 
Published: July 2019

AbstractIn recent years, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been proposed as a novel method to enhance transdermal drug delivery, while avoiding tissue damage. However, the underlying mechanism for the increasing skin permeability upon CAP treatment is still undefined. We propose a mechanism in which CAP‐generated reactive species induce cross‐linking of skin lipids, leading to the generation of nanopores, thereby facilitating the permeation of drug molecules. Molecular dynamics simulations support this proposed mechanism. Furthermore, our results indicate that to achieve maximum enhancement of the permeability, the optimal treatment will depend on the exact lipid composition of the skin, as well as on the CAP source used.
Carbon‐Doped Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Prepared from Metal Nitrates in Supercritical CO2‐Enabled Polymer Nanoreactors
Authors: Jiang Nina , Wang Yiwei , Li Danyang , Niu Jie , Wang Shibin , Chen Aizheng 
Published: July 2019

AbstractVarious C‐doped metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are prepared from metal nitrates in poly‐(methyl vinyl ether‐co‐maleic anhydride) (PVM/MA) nanoreactors. The loading of metal nitrates in the nanoreactors is realized via a process of solution‐enhanced dispersion by supercritical CO2. When the temperature exceeds the thermal decomposition temperature of the nitrates, the nitrates‐loaded nanoreactors transform into C‐doped metal oxide NPs. ZnO, NiO, and Co3O4 NPs as representative of the doped oxides are successfully fabricated. A precise control over the doping concentration and doping site in the lattice is achieved by changing the mass ratio between PVM/MA and metal nitrate. The controllable carbon doping avoids undesirable aggregation of carbon species and metal oxide NPs, endows the NPs with broad and strong absorption bands in the visible light region, and creates channels for separation of photo‐generated electrons and holes. In this regard, the resultant C‐doped metal oxide NPs exhibit excellent photocatalytic, photo‐induced antibacterial, and photothermal performances.
ADN and HAN‐Based Monopropellants – A Minireview on Compatibility and Chemical Stability in Aqueous Media
Authors: Freudenmann Dominic , Ciezki Helmut K. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThis article gives a short review on compatibility and chemical stability of selected aqueous ADN and HAN‐based energetic formulations. A brief introduction will outline Energetic Ionic Liquids (EILs) as a new class of energetic materials with beneficial physical‐chemical properties which make them valuable for application in propulsion technologies. EILs combine the advantages of e. g. low toxicity, showing equal or superior propulsion power compared to the state‐of‐the‐art monopropellant hydrazine. Focus is set on open access ADN and HAN‐based monopropellant formulations that are e. g. realized in the advanced blends LMP‐103S, FLP‐106 or LGP 1845.
Clinical and metabolic responses to crocin in patients under methadone maintenance treatment: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Ghaderi Amir , Rasouli‐Azad Morad , Vahed Neda , Banafshe Hamid Reza , Soleimani Anvar , Omidi Abdollah , Ghoreishi Fatemeh Sadat , Asemi Zatollah 
Published: July 2019

Patients under methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) programs are susceptible to several complications including metabolic and clinical disorders. This study was designed to determine the effect of crocin supplementation on mental health parameters and metabolic profiles in subjects under MMT. The current randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, clinical trial was conducted among 53 patients under MMT to receive either 15 mg/day of crocin (n = 26) or placebo (n = 27) twice a day for 8 weeks. Crocin administration significantly decreased Beck Depression Inventory score (P = 0.01) and Beck Anxiety Inventory score (P = 0.008) compared with the placebo. In addition, crocin administration resulted in a significant reduction in fasting glucose (P = 0.003), insulin levels (P = 0.01), insulin resistance (P = 0.008), triglycerides (P = 0.001), very low‐density lipoprotein (P = 0.001), total cholesterol levels (P = 0.03), and a significant increase in insulin sensitivity (.003) compared with the placebo. Additionally, crocin intake was associated with a significant reduction in high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (p < .001) and malondialdehyde (P = 0.001) and a significant rise in total antioxidant capacity levels (P = 0.01) compared with the placebo. The findings of this clinical trial indicate that taking crocin for 8 weeks by patients under MMT had beneficial effects on their mental health and improved their metabolic profiles.
A new age‐ and state‐dependent degradation process with possibly negative increments
Authors: Giorgio Massimiliano , Pulcini Gianpaolo 
Published: July 2019

AbstractA new age‐ and state‐dependent degradation process is proposed, which can be used in the case the degradation phenomenon under study is not necessarily monotonic increasing. In particular, the degradation increments of the proposed model are assumed to be possibly dependent on each other and negative. The model is obtained by generalizing the well‐known and largely applied Wiener process and partially preserves the mathematically tractability of the Wiener process. In the paper, the main features and properties of the proposed model are first discussed and the maximum likelihood estimators of its parameters are derived. An applicative example is finally developed, which shows the feasibility and the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Models and monitoring of zero‐inflated processes: The past and current trends
Authors: Mahmood Tahir , Xie Min 
Published: July 2019

AbstractAs product quality has increased rapidly in recent years, monitoring and control of products have become more and more difficult. The items were produced with zero defects, and zero‐inflated distributions are used to fit the defect count data. Recently, many studies were designed for the estimation and monitoring methods based on the zero‐inflated distributions. As zero‐inflated models are useful in the modeling of high‐yield and rare health‐related processes, so, the stated study is designed to provide a summary of past and current trends of monitoring methods under the zero‐inflated models. Moreover, a review is done on the several zero‐inflated models and their applications in different industries. Finally, some future directions are also highlighted to overcome existing unsolved issues.
Mixed modeling of the social network mechanisms for the sustainable development of tourism: The case of Iranian Kurdistan
Authors: Sobhanifard Yaser , Vaeysi Mohammad 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThis study explores mixed modeling of social networking mechanisms for the sustainable development of tourism. The present study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, thematic analysis was used, and in the second stage, DEMATEL method was used. The results of this study showed that the social network can improve the sustainable development of tourism using 36 basic themes (mechanisms) abstracted to six organizing themes. This model also ranks these six mechanisms using four views. Findings of the present study may find useful applications in three scopes, namely, personal, business, and governmental sectors. The present research is the first to seek mechanisms founded on social networks, via which one can contribute to the sustainable development of tourism. Accordingly, once finished with exploring the respective model, related mechanisms are ranked at different levels to introduce the required future orientations for achieving sustainable development of tourism.
Organocatalyzed Annulation Cascade toward Asymmetric Functionalization of Dibenzoxazepines and Dibenzothiazepines with Vicinal Tertiary Stereogenic Centers
Authors: Ramakrishna Isai , Reddy Mallu Kesava , Baidya Mahiuddin 
Published: July 2019

AbstractAn efficient organocatalyzed annulation cascade has been established for the stereoselective functionalization of dibenzoxazepine and dibenzothiazepine scaffolds. The protocol used ready‐stock proline as a catalyst and a variety biologically important oxa/thiazepine based polycyclic frameworks featuring congested chiral vicinal tertiary centers were obtained in high yields and excellent diastereoselectivities (>20:1 dr) and enantioselectivities (>96:4 er). Synthetic utility was showcased through the gram‐scale reaction and diverse derivatization sequences.
Seismic design and performance analysis of buckling‐restrained braced RC frame structures
Authors: Pan Yi , An Renbing , Bai Jiulin , Yan Xunzhang , Jin Shuangshuang 
Published: July 2019

SummaryDue to the stable hysteretic behavior, buckling‐restrained braces (BRBs) have been increasingly adopted in reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures to develop a dual structural system (BRB‐RCF). This study proposed an alternative strength‐based design approach that decomposes the dual BRB‐RCF system into two independent RC frame and BRB system using the BRB‐carrying story shear ratio. The design of RC frame is performed in an integrated manner by considering the BRB postyielding force demands. Three RC frames with five, 10, and 15 stories were employed as prototype structures, and seven story shear ratios ranging from 0.1 to 0.7 were used to generate a total of 21 structural modes. The material usage, maximum axial compression ratio of columns, and elastic interstory drift ratio were compared for different story shear ratios. Nonlinear dynamic analysis of the BRB‐RCFs subjected to 12 ground motions were carried out. The seismic response including the maximum interstory drift ratio, hysteretic energy dissipation ratio, and actual BRB‐carrying story shear ratio were systematically assessed for different design story shear ratios. Based on the considerations of material usage and seismic performance, it is suggested that the design BRB‐carrying story shear ratio should be in the range of 0.3 to 0.5.
An investigation on the impacts of passive and semiactive structural control on a fixed bottom and a floating offshore wind turbine
Authors: Park Semyung , Lackner Matthew A. , Pourazarm Pariya , Rodríguez Tsouroukdissian Arturo , Cross‐Whiter John 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThe application of structural control to offshore wind turbines (OWTs) using tuned mass dampers (TMDs) has shown to be effective in reducing the system loads. The parameters of a magnetorheological (MR) damper modeled by the Bouc‐Wen model are modified to utilize it as a damping device of the TMD. Rather than showcasing the intricate design policy, this research focuses on the availability of the MR damper model on TMDs and its significance on structural control. The impact of passive and semiactive (S‐A) TMDs applied to both fixed bottom and floating OWTs is evaluated under the fatigue limit state (FLS) and the ultimate limit state (ULS). Different S‐A control logics based on the ground hook (GH) control policy are implemented, and the frequency response of each algorithm is investigated. It is shown that the performance of each algorithm varies according to the load conditions such as a normal operation and an extreme case. Fully coupled time domain simulations are conducted through a newly developed simulation tool, integrated into FASTv8. Compared with the passive TMD, it is shown that the S‐A TMD results in higher load reductions with smaller strokes under both the FLS and the ULS conditions. The S‐A TMD using displacement‐based GH control is capable of reducing the fore‐aft and side‐to‐side damage equivalent loads for the monopile by approximately 12% and 64%, respectively. The ultimate loadings at the tower base for the floating substructure are reduced by 9% with the S‐A TMD followed by inverse velocity‐based GH control (IVB‐GH).
Introduction
Authors: Slote Michael 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThis book seeks overall to identify some important but previously unnoticed ways in which psychology can help philosophers. The early chapters discuss the relative merits of Chinese and Western philosophy. Chapter 2 argues that the Chinese notion of heart-mind is accurate to our psychology in a way that the Western concept of mind is not. Chapter 3 criticizes traditional Chinese and Western ideas about moral self-cultivation, and Chap. 4 speaks more generally of the comparative strengths and weaknesses of the two traditions. Chapter 5 describes how the psychology of empathy is relevant to speech act theory. Chapter 6 discusses how recent psychology can help us show that justice “pays.” And Chap. 7 seeks to demonstrate that psychological egoism is much less of a challenge to ethics and our self-understanding than is commonly believed. Chapter 8 expands on some of the themes of earlier chapters.
Yin-Yang, Mind, and Heart-Mind
Authors: Slote Michael 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThe Chinese/Asian notion of heart-mind is more accurate to human psychology than the West’s constantly used notion of mind. The latter implies that thinking and reasoning can go on in the absence of all emotion, the former precisely does not. But it turns out that belief essentially involves emotion, epistemic emotion, in just the way confidence does, and because belief is essential to all cognitive processes, we can conclude that in all accuracy there is no such thing as mind. The heart-mind is thus vindicated, but turns out, in turn, to be further explainable in terms of updated philosophical notions of yin and yang. Our beliefs, desires, motives, and moral virtues can be fundamentally conceptualized in terms of yin understood as receptivity and yang understood as directed active purpose.
Moral Self-Cultivation East and West: A Critique
Authors: Slote Michael 
Published: July 2019

AbstractChinese thought places great emphasis on moral self-cultivation, but offers no clear view of why people should want to become more virtuous and of how they can do so largely through their own efforts. Chinese philosophers like Mencius talk of extending our benevolence from our own family to people outside the family but offer no guidelines about how or whether to do this. Similarly, in the West, both Aristotle and Kant offer theories of how we can improve ourselves morally. Both emphasize habituation: habitual repetition of virtuous actions or habitual refusal to yield to immoral temptations. But recent psychology has been skeptical of the efficacy of these particular modes of moral self-improvement. Moral improvement more easily occurs through the influence of other people than through one’s own efforts.