bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Stabilization of T2 relaxation and magnetization transfer in cartilage explants by immersion in perfluorocarbon liquid
Authors: Fishbein Kenneth W. , Sexton Kyle W. , Celik Hasan , Reiter David A. , Bouhrara Mustapha , Spencer Richard G. 
Published: January 2019

PurposeMagnetic resonance imaging of ex vivo cartilage measures parameters such as T2 and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), which reflect structural changes associated with osteoarthritis. Samples are often immersed in aqueous solutions to prevent dehydration and to to improve susceptibility matching. This study sought to determine the extent to which T2 and MTR changes are attributable to immersion alone and to identify immersion conditions to minimize this confounding factor.MethodsT2 and MTR were measured before and after immersion for up to 24 hours at 4°C. Bovine nasal and articular cartilage and human articular cartilage were studied. Experimental groups included undisturbed immersion in Fluorinert FC‐770, a susceptibility‐matched, hydrophobic liquid with minimal tissue penetration, and immersion in Fluorinert, Dulbecco’s phosphate‐buffered saline (DPBS), or saline, with removal from the magnet between scans. 19F and 1H‐MRI were used to detect cartilage penetration by Fluorinert and swelling, respectively.ResultsSaline and DPBS immersion rapidly increased T2, wet weight and cartilage volume and decreased MTR, suggesting increased water content for all cartilage types. Fluorinert‐immersed samples exhibited minimal changes in T2 or MTR. No ingress of Fluorinert was detected after 2 weeks of continuous immersion at 4°C.ConclusionEx vivo quantitative MR studies of cartilage may be confounded by the effects of immersion in aqueous solution, which may be comparable to or larger than effects attributed to pathology. These effects may be mitigated by immersion in perfluorocarbon liquids such as Fluorinert FC‐770.
Sparsity adaptive reconstruction for highly accelerated cardiac MRI
Authors: Chen Chong , Liu Yingmin , Schniter Philip , Jin Ning , Craft Jason , Simonetti Orlando , Ahmad Rizwan 
Published: January 2019

PurposeTo enable parameter‐free, accelerated cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).MethodsRegularized reconstruction methods, such as compressed sensing (CS), can significantly accelerate MRI data acquisition but require tuning of regularization weights. In this work, a technique, called Sparsity adaptive Composite Recovery (SCoRe) that exploits sparsity in multiple, disparate sparsifying transforms is presented. A data‐driven adjustment of the relative contributions of different transforms yields a parameter‐free CS recovery process. SCoRe is validated in a dynamic digital phantom as well as in retrospectively and prospectively undersampled cine CMR data.ResultsThe results from simulation and 6 retrospectively undersampled datasets indicate that SCoRe with auto‐tuned regularization weights yields lower root‐mean‐square error (RMSE) and higher structural similarity index (SSIM) compared to state‐of‐the‐art CS methods. In 45 prospectively undersampled datasets acquired from 15 volunteers, the image quality was scored by 2 expert reviewers, with SCoRe receiving a higher average score (p < 0.01) compared to other CS methods.ConclusionsSCoRe enables accelerated cine CMR from highly undersampled data. In contrast to other acceleration techniques, SCoRe adapts regularization weights based on noise power and level of sparsity in each transform, yielding superior performance without admitting any free parameters.
Stability in a general oligopoly model
Authors: Federgruen Awi , Hu Ming 
Published: January 2019

AbstractWe analyze a general but parsimonious price competition model for an oligopoly in which each firm offers any number of products. The demand volumes are general piecewise affine functions of the full price vector, generated as the “regular” extension of a base set of affine functions. The model specifies aproduct assortment, along with their prices and demand volumes, in contrast to most commonly used demand models. We identify afully bestresponse operator which is monotonically increasing so that the market converges to a Nash equilibrium, when firms dynamically adjust their prices, as best responses to their competitors' prices, at least when starting in one of two price regions. Moreover, geometrically fast convergence to a common equilibrium can be guaranteed for an arbitrary starting point, under an additional condition for the price sensitivity matrix.
ZnO nanoparticles as chain elasticity reducer and structural elasticity enhancer: Correlating the degradating role and localization of ZnO with the morphological and mechanical properties of PLA/PP/ZnO nanocomposite
Authors: Keshavarzi Sahar , Babaei Amir , Goudarzi Alireza , Shakeri Alireza 
Published: January 2019

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on the morphological, mechanical, thermal, and rheological properties of PLA/PP blend. In this regard, nanocomposites containing 1, 3, and 5 wt% of ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by melt mixing. In addition, three different mixing procedures were adopted to study their effects on the microstructure of nanocomposites. The rheological behaviors demonstrated a higher elasticity and less compatibility for two phases in the case of nanocomposites containing nanoparticles in harmony with the morphological observations. Accordingly, it was correlated to the elasticity originating from the interphase, anticipated coalescence of dispersed particles as a result of degradation of PLA chains triggered by ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO‐NPs) and also agglomeration of ZnO‐NPs depending on the content of nanoparticles and chosen mixing procedure. It was also found that mixing method puts a remarkable influence on the microstructure and rheological behavior of nanocomposites. Results of mechanical characterizations and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) also confirmed the degradation induced by ZnO nanoparticles.
NSD2 circular RNA promotes metastasis of colorectal cancer by targeting miR‐199b‐5p‐mediated DDR1 and JAG1 signalling
Authors: Chen Liang‐Yan , Zhi Zheng , Wang Lian , Zhao Yuan‐Yuan , Deng Min , Liu Yu‐Hong , Qin Yan , Tian Meng‐Meng , Liu Yao , Shen Tong , Sun Li‐Na , Li Jian‐Ming 
Published: January 2019

AbstractLiver metastasis is the main cause of death in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, we searched for CRC metastasis‐associated circular RNA in a mouse model of liver metastasis of CRC by using RNA (transcriptome)‐sequencing. We identified a novel and conserved circular RNA, circ‐NSD2, functioning as a promoter of CRC metastasis. Circ‐NSD2 expression was elevated in CRC tissues and was markedly increased in advanced stages or metastatic tumours of CRC patients. Gain‐of‐function and loss‐of‐function experiments demonstrated that circ‐NSD2 promoted migration and metastasis of CRC in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circ‐NSD2 acted as a sponge for the tumour suppressor miR‐199b‐5p and activated DDR1 (discoidin domain receptor tyrosine kinase 1) and JAG1 (Jagged 1) genes, which synergistically helped with cell–matrix interaction, migration and metastasis of CRC cells. Taken together, our findings highlight a novel oncogenic function of circ‐NSD2 and uncover a key mechanism for the circ‐NSD2/miR‐199b‐5p/DDR1/JAG1 axis in CRC metastasis, which may serve as a prognostic factor and therapeutic target for antimetastatic therapy in CRC patients. Copyright © 2019 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Laboratory and field survival of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Bt and non‐Bt maize and its susceptibility to insecticides
Authors: Muraro Dionei S , Garlet Cinthia G , Godoy Daniela N , Cossa Gisele E , Rodrigues Junior Gerson L dos S , Stacke Regis F , Medeiros Sandro LP , Guedes Jerson VC , Bernardi Oderlei 
Published: January 2019

AbstractBACKGROUNDField‐evolved resistance of fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith), has been reported to Bt maize technologies in Brazil. The control failures of FAW by Bt maize increased the use of insecticides for their control. However, no information is available on the interaction between resistant FAW and their response to insecticides. Here, we evaluated the survival of FAW strains on Bt and non‐Bt maize in laboratory and field conditions, and their susceptibility to insecticides.RESULTSIn the laboratory, resistant FAW larvae reared on Bt and non‐Bt maize showed a similar susceptibility to spinetoram (LC50 = 0.16–0.18 µg a.i. cm−2) and chlorfenapyr (LC50 = 0.17–0.20 µg a.i. cm−2). However, their susceptibility was lower than that of the susceptible strain reared on non‐Bt maize: LC50 = 0.05 (spinetoram) and 0.08 (chlorfenapyr) µg a.i. cm−2. In contrast, heterozygous strains had similar susceptibility to the susceptible strain. In field trials, no differences in FAW survival were detected between strains when the commercial dose of two insecticides was applied in Bt and non‐Bt maize.CONCLUSIONFAW strains surviving on Bt and non‐Bt maize, at the same development stage, have similar susceptibility to insecticides. The integrated pest management practices and insect resistance management importance of these results are discussed. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
A new approach for free vibration analysis of nonuniform tall building structures with axial force effects
Authors: Ramezani Mehrnoosh , Mohammadizadeh Mohammad Reza , Shojaee Saeed 
Published: January 2019

SummaryDynamic analysis of beam‐like structures is significantly important in modeling actual cases such as tall buildings and several other related applications as well. This article studies free vibration analysis of tall buildings with nonuniform cross‐section structures. A novel and simple approach is presented to solve natural frequencies of free vibration of cantilevered tall structures with variable flexural rigidity and mass densities. These systems could be replaced by a cantilever Timoshenko beam with varying cross‐sections. The governing partial differential equation for vibration of a nonuniform Timoshenko beam under variable axial loads is transformed with varying coefficients to its weak form of integral equations. Natural frequencies can be determined by requiring the resulting integral equation, which has a nontrivial solution. The presented method in this study has fast convergence. Including high accuracy for the obtained numerical results as well. Numerical examples including framed tube as well as tube‐in‐tube structures are carried out in the study and compared with available results in the literature, and also with the results obtained from finite element analysis in order to show the accuracy of the proposed method in the study. Obtained results indicate that the presented method in this study is powerful enough for the free vibration analysis of tall buildings.
Scenarios for sustainable energy in Scotland
Authors: Child Michael , Ilonen Roope , Vavilov Mihail , Kolehmainen Mikko , Breyer Christian 
Published: January 2019

AbstractHigh shares of renewable energy, particularly wind power, were modelled in several future scenarios for the Scottish energy system. In the first part of this work, it was determined that Scotland could produce the equivalent baseload power for supply to England at a lower overall cost (99 €/MWh) than the proposed subsidized price (112 €/MWh) to be paid for electricity generated from the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant. This cost includes all extra generation capacity and transmission lines. In the second part of this work, it was determined that a 100% renewable energy system could be achieved at an annualized cost of 10.7 b€/a, approximately 8% less than the 11.7 b€/a expected for an energy system composed of 75% renewable energy. In the 100% renewable energy system, cost savings are achieved through effective energy storage, sector integration, and flexible generation from dispatchable renewable energy resources, such as hydropower (1.7 GWe), bioenergy, and synthetic fuels. Complementary resources to 23.4 GWe of wind power also included solar photovoltaics (10.1 GWe), tidal power (1.5 GWe), and wave power (0.3 GWe). It was also determined that carbon capture and utilization would be a preferable strategy to carbon capture and storage for Scotland. Complete defossilization of the Scottish energy system appears feasible by 2050, given the assumptions used in this study.
Water treatment residual‐coated wood mulch for addressing urban stormwater pollution
Authors: Soleimanifar Hanieh , Deng Yang , Barrett Kirk , Feng Huan , Li Xiaona , Sarkar Dibyendu 
Published: January 2019

AbstractInnovative treatment materials and technologies are demanded to address urban stormwater pollutants that challenge traditional infrastructure. This study aimed to investigate adsorption behaviors of aluminum‐based water treatment residual (WTR)‐coated mulch for capturing representative runoff pollutants (i.e., P, Cu, Zn, and Pb) and evaluate its treatment performance in a filtration bed. Data from batch studies were fit using the nonlinear least square optimization technique. Adsorption kinetic data followed the pseudo‐2nd‐order reaction patterns, while the adsorption isotherm data obeyed the Freundlich models. Model fitting passed the chi‐square tests, as a statistical goodness‐of‐fit criterion, at a 90% confidence level. Column studies indicate that the WTR‐coated mulch with a bed depth of 5.1 or 10.2 cm could effectively alleviate flow‐weighted mean concentrations of these pollutants, with a minimal aluminum release, during treatment of the equivalent annual runoff in a typical U.S. Northeastern catchment. This study demonstrates that WTR‐coated mulch is an effective and safe adsorbent media to tackle urban stormwater pollution.Practitioner points

Aluminum‐based WTR‐coated wood mulch can simultaneously and effectively capture representative metals and phosphate in urban runoff.

The pollutant adsorption follows the pseudo‐2nd‐order kinetic reaction patterns and the Freundlich isotherm model.

WTR‐coated mulch (5.1–10.2 cm bed depth) sufficiently treats the runoff generated annually in a typical U.S. Northeastern catchment.

Higher and more reliable pollutant removals can be achieved with a greater bed depth of the coated mulch in a filtration bed.

Aluminium release is minimal during application of the WTR‐coated wood mulch.
Quantitative estimates for bending energies and applications to non-local variational problems
Authors: Goldman Michael , Novaga Matteo , Röger Matthias 
Published: January 2019

AbstractWe discuss a variational model, given by a weighted sum of perimeter, bending and Riesz interaction energies, that could be considered as a toy model for charged elastic drops. The different contributions have competing preferences for strongly localized and maximally dispersed structures. We investigate the energy landscape in dependence of the size of the ‘charge’, that is, the weight of the Riesz interaction energy.In the two-dimensional case, we first prove that for simply connected sets of small elastica energy, the elastica deficit controls the isoperimetric deficit. Building on this result, we show that for small charge the only minimizers of the full variational model are either balls or centred annuli. We complement these statements by a non-existence result for large charge. In three dimensions, we prove area and diameter bounds for configurations with small Willmore energy and show that balls are the unique minimizers of our variational model for sufficiently small charge.
Binary quadratic forms and ray class groups
Authors: Eum Ick Sun , Koo Ja Kyung , Shin Dong Hwa 
Published: January 2019

AbstractLetKbe an imaginary quadratic field different from$\open{Q}(\sqrt {-1})$and$\open{Q}(\sqrt {-3})$. For a positive integerN, letKNbe the ray class field ofKmodulo$N {\cal O}_K$. By using the congruence subgroup ± Γ1(N) of SL2(ℤ), we construct an extended form class group whose operation is basically the Dirichlet composition, and explicitly show that this group is isomorphic to the Galois group Gal(KN/K). We also present an algorithm to find all distinct form classes and show how to multiply two form classes. As an application, we describe Gal(KNab/K) in terms of these extended form class groups for whichKNabis the maximal abelian extension ofKunramified outside prime ideals dividing$N{\cal O}_K$.
Associations between dietary insulin load with cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory parameters in elderly men: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Mozaffari Hadis , Namazi Nazli , Larijani Bagher , Surkan Pamela J. , Azadbakht Leila 
Published: January 2019

AbstractGiven the limited research on dietary insulin load (DIL), we examined DIL in relation to cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory biomarkers in elderly men. For the present cross-sectional study, we recruited 357 elderly men. Dietary intake was assessed using FFQ. DIL was estimated by multiplying the insulin index of each food by its energy content and frequency of consumption and then summing the final value of all food items. After adjustment for covariates, a significant positive association was observed between high DIL with fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels (OR: 7·52; 95 % CI 3·38, 16·75; P=0·0001) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (OR: 3·03; 95 % CI 1·54, 5·94; P=0·001). However, there was no association between high DIL and BMI (OR: 1·43; 95 % CI 0·75, 2·75; P=0·27), serum TAG level (OR: 0·82; 95 % CI 0·26, 2·59; P=0·73), HDL-cholesterol (OR: 2·03; 95 % CI 0·79, 5·23; P=0·13) and fibrinogen (OR: 1·57; 95 % CI 0·80, 3·06; P=0·18). Overall, elderly men with high DIL had higher FBS and hs-CRP levels than those with low DIL. Future studies are needed to clarify the association between DIL and other cardiovascular risk factors in both men and women.
Stunting, wasting and breast-feeding as correlates of body composition in Cambodian children at 6 and 15 months of age
Authors: Skau Jutta K. H. , Grenov Benedikte , Chamnan Chhoun , Chea Mary , Wieringa Frank T. , Dijkhuizen Marjoleine A. , Ritz Christian , Wells Jonathan C. , Berger Jacques , Filteau Suzanne , Roos Nanna , Michaelsen Kim F. , Friis Henrik 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThe study aimed at assessing stunting, wasting and breast-feeding as correlates of body composition in Cambodian children. As part of a nutrition trial (ISRCTN19918531), fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured using2H dilution at 6 and 15 months of age. Of 419 infants enrolled, 98 % were breastfed, 15 % stunted and 4 % wasted at 6 months. At 15 months, 78 % were breastfed, 24 % stunted and 11 % wasted. Those not breastfed had lower FMI at 6 months but not at 15 months. Stunted children had lower FM at 6 months and lower FFM at 6 and 15 months compared with children with length-for-agez≥0. Stunting was not associated with height-adjusted indexes fat mass index (FMI) or fat-free mass index (FFMI). Wasted children had lower FM, FFM, FMI and FFMI at 6 and 15 months compared with children with weight-for-lengthz(WLZ) ≥0. Generally, FFM and FFMI deficits increased with age, whereas FM and FMI deficits decreased, reflecting interactions between age and WLZ. For example, the FFM deficits were –0·99 (95 % CI –1·26, –0·72) kg at 6 months and –1·44 (95 % CI –1·69; –1·19) kg at 15 months (interaction,P<0·05), while the FMI deficits were –2·12 (95 % CI –2·53, –1·72) kg/m2at 6 months and –1·32 (95 % CI –1·77, –0·87) kg/m2at 15 months (interaction,P<0·05). This indicates that undernourished children preserve body fat at the detriment of fat-free tissue, which may have long-term consequences for health and working capacity.
‘If I Speak, They Will Kill Me, to Remain Silent Is to Die’: Poetry of resistance in General Zia's Pakistan (1977–88)
Authors: KALRA VIRINDER S. , BUTT WAQAS 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThe ethnic and sectarian divisions that were part of General Zia's (1977–88) political strategies in Pakistan were resisted not only through street protest and political opposition, but also in the realm of culture. In particular, poetry was a vehicle through which to express discontent as well as to mobilize the population. By offering an analysis of a number of poems and the biographies of the political poets who wrote them, this article offers another perspective on the question of resistance in this period of Pakistan's history. Whilst the outcome of the policy of ethnic division was to divide the struggle against General Zia into a broad anti-Punjab front, this article highlights how it was class division and the securing of elite consent that were the major achievements of the Zia regime. In contrast to previous research, we highlight how resistance came from all groups in Pakistan as reflected in the poetry and literature of the time.
Oxygenic photosynthesis: history, status and perspective
Authors: Junge Wolfgang 
Published: January 2019

AbstractCyanobacteria and plants carry out oxygenic photosynthesis. They use water to generate the atmospheric oxygen we breathe and carbon dioxide to produce the biomass serving as food, feed, fibre and fuel. This paper scans the emergence of structural and mechanistic understanding of oxygen evolution over the past 50 years. It reviews speculative concepts and the stepped insight provided by novel experimental and theoretical techniques. Driven by sunlight photosystem II oxidizes the catalyst of water oxidation, a hetero-metallic Mn4CaO5(H2O)4cluster. Mn3Ca are arranged in cubanoid and one Mn dangles out. By accumulation of four oxidizing equivalents before initiating dioxygen formation it matches the four-electron chemistry from water to dioxygen to the one-electron chemistry of the photo-sensitizer. Potentially harmful intermediates are thereby occluded in space and time. Kinetic signatures of the catalytic cluster and its partners in the photo-reaction centre have been resolved, in the frequency domain ranging from acoustic waves via infra-red to X-ray radiation, and in the time domain from nano- to milli-seconds. X-ray structures to a resolution of 1.9 Å are available. Even time resolved X-ray structures have been obtained by clocking the reaction cycle by flashes of light and diffraction with femtosecond X-ray pulses. The terminal reaction cascade from two molecules of water to dioxygen involves the transfer of four electrons, two protons, one dioxygen and one water. A rigorous mechanistic analysis is challenging because of the kinetic enslaving at millisecond duration of six partial reactions (4e−, 1H+, 1O2). For the time being a peroxide-intermediate in the reaction cascade to dioxygen has been in focus, both experimentally and by quantum chemistry.Homo sapienshas relied on burning the products of oxygenic photosynthesis, recent and fossil. Mankind's total energy consumption amounts to almost one-fourth of the global photosynthetic productivity. If the average power consumption equalled one of those nations with the highest consumption per capita it was four times greater and matched the total productivity. It is obvious that biomass should be harvested for food, feed, fibre and platform chemicals rather than for fuel.
Coattails, Raincoats, and Congressional Election Outcomes
Authors: Rogers Steven 
Published: January 2019

ABSTRACTMore than 60 years ago, Angus Campbell offered an explanation for why the president’s party regularly loses congressional seats in midterm elections. He argued that peripheral voters “surge” to the polls in presidential elections and support the president’s congressional co-partisans but “decline” to turn out in the midterm. In his turnout-based explanation for midterm loss, Campbell speculated that “bad weather or an epidemic may affect the vote” but largely dismissed weather’s utility to test his theory (Campbell 1960, 399). I revisit Campbell’s speculation and employ a new identification strategy to investigate the “surge and decline” account of midterm loss. I show that as the costs of voting increase—due to above-average rainfall on Election Day—the strength of the relationship between presidential and congressional voting weakens.