bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Wavelet Scale Analysis of Mesoscale Convective Systems for Detecting Deep Convection From Infrared Imagery
Authors: Klein Cornelia , Belušić Danijel , Taylor Christopher M. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractMesoscale convective systems (MCSs) are frequently associated with rainfall extremes and are expected to further intensify under global warming. However, despite the significant impact of such extreme events, the dominant processes favoring their occurrence are still under debate. Meteosat geostationary satellites provide unique long‐term subhourly records of cloud top temperatures, allowing to track changes in MCS structures that could be linked to rainfall intensification. Focusing on West Africa, we show that Meteosat cloud top temperatures are a useful proxy for rainfall intensities, as derived from snapshots from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission 2A25 product: MCSs larger than 15,000 km2 at a temperature threshold of −40°C are found to produce 91% of all extreme rainfall occurrences in the study region, with 80% of the storms producing extreme rain when their minimum temperature drops below −80°C. Furthermore, we present a new method based on 2‐D continuous wavelet transform to explore the relationship between cloud top temperature and rainfall intensity for subcloud features at different length scales. The method shows great potential for separating convective and stratiform cloud parts when combining information on temperature and scale, improving the common approach of using a temperature threshold only. We find that below −80°C, every fifth pixel is associated with deep convection. This frequency is doubled when looking at subcloud features smaller than 35 km. Scale analysis of subcloud features can thus help to better exploit cloud top temperature data sets, which provide much more spatiotemporal detail of MCS characteristics than available rainfall data sets alone.
Added Value of Assimilating Himawari‐8 AHI Water Vapor Radiances on Analyses and Forecasts for “7.19” Severe Storm Over North China
Authors: Wang Yuanbing , Liu Zhiquan , Yang Sen , Min Jinzhong , Chen Liqiang , Chen Yaodeng , Zhang Tao 
Published: March 2018

AbstractHimawari‐8 is the first launched and operational new‐generation geostationary meteorological satellite. The Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) on board Himawari‐8 provides continuous high‐resolution observations of severe weather phenomena in space and time. In this study, the capability to assimilate AHI radiances has been developed within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model's data assimilation system. As the first attempt to assimilate AHI using WRF data assimilation at convective scales, the added value of hourly AHI clear‐sky radiances from three water vapor channels on convection‐permitting (3 km) analyses and forecasts of the “7.19” severe rainstorm that occurred over north China during 18–21 July 2016 was investigated. Analyses were produced hourly, and 24 h forecasts were produced every 6 h. The results showed that improved wind and humidity fields were obtained in analyses and forecasts verified against conventional observations after assimilating AHI water vapor radiances when compared to the control experiment which assimilated only conventional observations. It was also found that the assimilation of AHI water vapor radiances had a clearly positive impact on the rainfall forecast for the first 6 h lead time, especially for heavy rainfall exceeding 100 mm when verified against the observed rainfall. Furthermore, the horizontal and vertical distribution of features in the moisture fields were improved after assimilating AHI water vapor radiances, eventually contributing to a better forecast of the severe rainstorm.
Head and voice tremor improving with immunotherapy in an anti‐NF155 positive CIDP patient
Authors: Painous Cèlia , López‐Pérez Mª Ángeles , Illa Isabel , Querol Luis 
Published: March 2018

AbstractChronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy with NF155 antibodies (anti‐NF155+) constitutes a specific chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy subset with a high incidence of limb's tremor and poor response to conventional therapies. We report a patient with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy anti‐NF155+ with a severe tremor involving limbs, head and voice that responded very well to rituximab. This response correlated with a sharp decrease in the anti‐NF155 titers. This case is the first report associating head and voice tremor to chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, reinforces the hypothesis of the cerebellar origin of this tremor and provides indirect evidence that the antibodies may be the cause of the tremor in these patients.
Chronic Active Arthritis Driven by Macrophages Without Involvement of T Cells
Authors: Hagert Cecilia , Sareila Outi , Kelkka Tiina , Nandakumar Kutty Selva , Collin Mattias , Xu Bingze , Guérard Simon , Bäcklund Johan , Jalkanen Sirpa , Holmdahl Rikard 
Published: March 2018

ObjectiveTo develop a new chronic rheumatoid arthritis model that is driven by the innate immune system.MethodsInjection of a cocktail of 4 monoclonal antibodies against type II collagen, followed on days 5 and 60 by intraperitoneal injections of mannan (from Saccharomyces cerevisiae), was used to induce development of chronic arthritis in B10.Q mice. The role of the innate immune system as compared to the adaptive immune system in this arthritis model was investigated using genetically modified mouse strains.ResultsA new model of chronic relapsing arthritis was characterized in B10.Q mice, in which a persistently active, chronic disease was found. This relapsing disease was driven by macrophages lacking the ability to mount a reactive oxygen species response against pathogens, and was associated with the classical/alternative pathway, but not the lectin pathway, of complement activation. The disease was independent of Fcγ receptor type III, and also independent of the activity of adaptive immune cells (B and T cells), indicating that the innate immune system, involving complement activation, could be the sole driver of chronicity.ConclusionChronic active arthritis can be driven innately by macrophages without the involvement of T and B cells in the adaptive immune system.
Synthesis of a Bis‐Urea Dimer and Its Effects on the Physical Properties of an Amphiphilic Tris‐Urea Supramolecular Hydrogel
Authors: Sawada Hiroki , Yamanaka Masamichi 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe successful development of stiff supramolecular gels is an important goal toward their practical application. One approach to stiffen supramolecular gels is to introduce covalent cross‐links. The bis‐urea dimer 2, having a structure similar to that of the low‐molecular‐weight gelator 1, was synthesized. Supramolecular hydrogels were formed from mixtures of 1 and 2 in appropriate ratios, with 2 acting as a covalent cross‐linker to connect the fibrous aggregates formed by the self‐assembly of 1. The introduction of these covalent cross‐links greatly influenced the dynamic viscoelasticity of the supramolecular hydrogels. In the supramolecular hydrogel of 1 mixed with 5 % 2, the storage modulus was 1.35 times higher than that of the supramolecular hydrogel of 1 alone, and the crossover strain was extended from 5 % to over 20 %. The supramolecular hydrogel of 1 and 2 was free‐standing and supported 13 times its own weight.
Nomograms forecasting long‐term overall and cancer‐specific survival of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Wang Fengze , Zhang Hui , Wen Jiao , Zhou Jun , Liu Yuan , Cheng Bingkun , Chen Xun , Wei Jianhua 
Published: March 2018

AbstractOur aim was to establish a “nomogram” model to forecast the overall survival (OS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients. The clinicopathological data for the 10,533 OSCC patients were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. We used a credible random split‐sample method to divide 10,533 patients into two cohorts: 7046 patients in the modeling cohort and 3487 patients in the external validation cohort (split‐ratio = 2:1). The median follow‐up period was 32 months (1–119 months). We developed nomograms to predict 5‐ and 8‐year OS and CSS of OSCC patients with a Cox proportional hazards model. The precision of the nomograms was assessed by the concordance index (C‐index) and calibration curves through internal and external validation. The C‐indexes of internal validation regarding 5‐ and 8‐year OS and CSS were 0.762 and 0.783, respectively. In addition, the external validation's C‐indexes were 0.772 and 0.800. Based on a large‐sample analysis targeting the SEER database, we established two nomograms to predict long‐term OS and CSS for OSCC patients successfully, which can assist surgeons in developing a more effective therapeutic regimen and conducting personalized prognostic evaluations.
Incidence and predictors of target lesion failure in a multiethnic Asian population receiving the SYNERGY coronary stent: A prospective all‐comers registry
Authors: Ananthakrishna Rajiv , Kristanto William , Liu Li , Chan Siew‐Pang , Loh Poay Huan , Tay Edgar L. , Chan Koo Hui , Chan Mark Y. , Lee Chi‐Hang , Low Adrian F. , Tan Huay Cheem , Loh Joshua P. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractObjectivesTo evaluate the target lesion failure (TLF) rate of the SYNERGY stent in all‐comers, multiethnic Asian population.BackgroundCurrently, most drug eluting stents deliver anti‐proliferative drugs from a durable polymer which is associated with a risk of late stent thrombosis. The novel everolimus‐eluting, platinum chromium SYNERGY stent is coated with a bioabsorbable abluminal polymer that resolves within 4 months.MethodsThis was a prospective, single center registry of consecutive patients treated with the SYNERGY stent between December 2012 and April 2015. The primary outcome was the incidence of TLF, defined as the combination of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 1 year.ResultsA total of 807 patients received the SYNERGY stent during the study period. One‐year clinical outcome data was available for 765 patients (94.8%) and were considered for statistical analysis. The mean age was 60.7 ± 10.8 years, and 83.4% were males. Patients with acute myocardial infarction consisted of 50.3% (ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction: 23.0%, Non‐ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction: 27.3%) of the study population. The treated lesions were complex (ACC/AHA type B2/C: 72.7%). The primary end point of TLF at 1 year was 5.8%. Rates of cardiac mortality, target vessel myocardial infarction, and TLR were 4.2, 1.0, and 1.3%, respectively, at 1 year. Predictors of the incidence and time to early TLF were female gender, Malay ethnicity, diabetes mellitus, acute myocardial infarction at presentation, a prior history of coronary artery bypass surgery and the presence of lesion calcification. The incidence of definite stent thrombosis was 0.4% at 1 year.ConclusionsIn this registry, the use of the SYNERGY stent was associated with low rates of TLF at 1 year.
Modification of Salt‐Templated Carbon Surface Chemistry for Efficient Oxidation of Glucose with Supported Gold Catalysts
Authors: Lama Sandy M. G. , Schmidt Johannes , Malik Ankita , Walczak Ralf , Silva Daniel Varon , Völkel Antje , Oschatz Martin 
Published: March 2018

AbstractGold nanoparticles dispersed on high‐surface‐area carbon materials were investigated as heterogeneous catalysts for the selective oxidation of d‐glucose to d‐gluconic acid in aqueous solution with molecular oxygen. Salt‐templated porous carbon supports were obtained from different precursors with and without nitrogen and treated under air or hydrogen atmosphere to functionalize the surface with nitrogen, oxygen, or hydrogen. The influence of the surface atomic structure of the carbonaceous supports with similar pore structure on the size and catalytic properties of the metallic nanoparticles was studied at gold nanoparticle loadings of 0.4–0.7 wt %. The functionalisation significantly influences the surface polarity of the support materials and the strength of the interaction with the gold nanoparticles. The surface polarity influences the structure and properties of the catalysts because both the gold deposition and the glucose oxidation reaction take place in the aqueous phase. Rather hydrophilic supports are obtained by doping with oxygen and nitrogen and lead to large gold nanoparticles with low catalytic activity. In contrast, the rather hydrophobic as‐made and hydrogen‐treated supports provide higher catalytic activity (metal time yield up to 1.5 molGlucose molAu−1 s−1) resulting from their smaller gold particles of 3–5 nm in diameter.
Fixed‐Bed and Batch Adsorption of Pharmaceuticals from Aqueous Solutions on Ionic Liquid‐Modified Montmorillonite
Authors: Lawal Isiaka A. , Moodley Brenda 
Published: March 2018

AbstractBatch and column adsorption of four pharmaceuticals, namely, tetracycline (TC), sulfamethoxazole (SMZ), nalidixic acid (NAD), and chloramphenicol (CHL) on ionic liquid modified montmorillonite (Mt‐IL) was evaluated. The effects of variation in pH and contact time were analyzed and the data were fitted to kinetics and isotherm models. The equilibrium experimental data were best explained by the Freundlich model. A pseudo second‐order kinetic model described all pharmaceuticals adsorbed on Mt‐IL. In column studies, the exchange zone depth, adsorption capacity, the required time for the pharmaceuticals to move through the height of the adsorbent in the column, and adsorption rates were investigated by the Yoon‐Nelson and the Thomas and Adams‐Bohart models.
Niobium Oxyhydroxide‐Polyoxometalate Composite as an Efficient Proton‐Conducting Solid Electrolyte
Authors: Wang Yi‐Di , Wang Jia‐Xuan , Wei Mei‐Jie , Liu Bai‐Ling , Zang Hong‐Ying , Tan Hua‐Qiao , Wang Yong‐Hui , Li Yang‐Guang 
Published: March 2018

AbstractIt is still challenging to develop new and low‐cost proton‐conductive solid electrolytes using a simple synthetic procedure. Herein, a new proton‐conducting material was synthesized for the first time through a sol‐gel method by merging niobium oxyhydroxide with polyoxometalate (POM). NbO2(OH)‐PW12 exhibited higher proton conductivity than that of niobium oxyhydroxide with varying humidity. Additionally, the molar ratio of Nb:{PW12} played a vital role in the proton conductivity and, when the molar ratio of Nb:{PW12} was 67 : 1, the material showed the maximum proton conductivity with a value of 7.25 mS cm−1 at 77 °C under 97 % RH, which was 10000 times higher than that of niobium oxyhydroxide. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first niobium‐oxyhydroxide‐based intrinsic proton conductor with such high proton conductivity below 100 °C. The kinetics study suggested that the proton conduction mechanism of NbO2(OH)‐PW12 might follow the Grotthuss mechanism.
Importance of baseline heart rate as a predictor of cardiac functional recovery in newly diagnosed heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Valika Ali , Paprockas Kim , Villines Dana , Costanzo Maria Rosa 
Published: March 2018

BackgroundLeft ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) has shown to predict outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Left ventricular recovery (LVR) has shown to improve prognosis.Hypothesis.Guideline‐directed medical therapy will predict LVR in patients with HF and reduced LVEF.MethodsWe studied 244 patients with newly diagnosed HF and an LVEF ≤35%. LVR was defined as an increase in LVEF ≥40%. Patients who experienced LVR were compared with those who had persistent left ventricular dysfunction.ResultsPopulation characteristics included ischemic etiology, 38.1%; baseline LVEF, 23% ±6%; and mean baseline heart rate (HR), 75 ±13 bpm. Guideline‐directed medical therapy was achieved as follows: angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors, 74.3%; β‐blockers (BB), 95.4%; target dosing of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors, 33.7%; target dosing of BB, 40.2%. LVR occurred in 154/244 patients (63.1%). By multivariable analysis, baseline HR ≤70 bpm was the only independent predictor of LVR (odds ratio: 3.39, 95% confidence interval: 1.5–7.5, P = 0.003). Target dosing of BB therapy was predictive of LVR only in the univariate analysis (odds ratio: 1.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.1–3.4, P = 0.03). Furthermore, the composite endpoint of HF hospitalization or mortality occurred less frequently in those who did vs those who did not achieve target BB doses (5.4% vs 16.7%, respectively; P = 0.023).ConclusionsThe novel findings of our analysis reveal that the only predictor of LVR in this study was a low baseline HR. Early modulation of HR in newly diagnosed HF patients may increase the rates of LVR.
Transthyretin Mimetics as Anti‐β‐Amyloid Agents: A Comparison of Peptide and Protein Approaches
Authors: Pate Kayla M. , Kim Brandon J. , Shusta Eric V. , Murphy Regina M. 
Published: March 2018

Abstractβ‐Amyloid (Aβ) aggregation is causally linked to neuronal pathology in Alzheimer's disease; therefore, several small molecules, antibodies, and peptides have been tested as anti‐Aβ agents. We developed two compounds based on the Aβ‐binding domain of transthyretin (TTR): a cyclic peptide cG8 and an engineered protein mTTR, and compared them for therapeutically relevant properties. Both mTTR and cG8 inhibit fibrillogenesis of Aβ, with mTTR inhibiting at a lower concentration than cG8. Both inhibit aggregation of amylin but not of α‐synuclein. They both bind more Aβ aggregates than monomer, and neither disaggregates preformed fibrils. cG8 retained more of its activity in the presence of biological materials and was more resistant to proteolysis than mTTR. We examined the effect of mTTR or cG8 on Aβ binding to human neurons. When mTTR was co‐incubated with Aβ under oligomer‐forming conditions, Aβ morphology was drastically changed and Aβ‐cell deposition significantly decreased. In contrast, cG8 did not affect morphology but decreased the amount of Aβ deposited. These results provide guidance for further evolution of TTR‐mimetic anti‐amyloid agents.
Fuel Cell Measurements with Cathode Catalysts of Sputtered Pt3Y Thin Films
Authors: Lindahl Niklas , Eriksson Björn , Grönbeck Henrik , Lindström Rakel Wreland , Lindbergh Göran , Lagergren Carina , Wickman Björn 
Published: March 2018

AbstractFuel cells are foreseen to have an important role in sustainable energy systems, provided that catalysts with higher activity and stability are developed. In this study, highly active sputtered thin films of platinum alloyed with yttrium (Pt3Y) are deposited on commercial gas diffusion layers and their performance in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell is measured. After acid pretreatment, the alloy is found to have up to 2.5 times higher specific activity than pure platinum. The performance of Pt3Y is much higher than that of pure Pt, even if all of the alloying element was leached out from parts of the thin metal film on the porous support. This indicates that an even higher performance is expected if the structure of the Pt3Y catalyst or the support could be further improved. The results show that platinum alloyed with rare earth metals can be used as highly active cathode catalyst materials, and significantly reduce the amount of platinum needed, in real fuel cells.
Selective Aerobic Oxidation of 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5‐Diformylfuran or 2‐Formyl‐5‐furancarboxylic Acid in Water by using MgO⋅CeO2 Mixed Oxides as Catalysts
Authors: Ventura Maria , Lobefaro Francesco , de Giglio Elvira , Distaso Monica , Nocito Francesco , Dibenedetto Angela 
Published: March 2018

AbstractMixed oxides based on MgO⋅CeO2 were used as efficient catalysts in the aerobic oxidation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (5‐HMF) to afford, with very high selectivity, either 2,5‐diformylfuran (DFF, 99 %) or 2‐formyl‐5‐furancarboxylic acid (FFCA, 90 %), depending on the reaction conditions. 5‐Hydroxymethyl‐2‐furancarboxylic acid (HMFCA, 57–90 %) was formed only at low concentration of 5‐HMF (<0.03 m) or in presence of external bases. The conversion of 5‐HMF ranged from a few percent to 99 %, according to the reaction conditions. The oxidation was performed in water, with O2 as oxidant, without any additives. The surface characterization of the catalysts gave important information about their acid–base properties, which drive the selectivity of the reaction towards DFF. FFCA was formed from DFF at longer reaction times. Catalysts were studied by XPS and XRD before and after catalytic runs to identify the reason why they undergo reversible deactivation. XRD showed that MgO is hydrated to Mg(OH)2, which, even if not leached out, changes the basic properties of the catalyst that becomes less active after some time. Calcination of the recovered catalyst allows recovery of its initial activity. The catalyst is thus recoverable (>99 %) and reusable. The use of mixed oxides allows tuning of the basicity of the catalysts, avoiding the need for external bases for efficient and selective conversion of 5‐HMF and waste formation, resulting in an environmentally friendly, sustainable process.
J. Heyrovský's Oscillographic Polarography. Roots of Present Chronopotentiometric Analysis of Biomacromolecules
Authors: Paleček Emil , Heyrovský Michael , Dorčák Vlastimil 
Published: March 2018

AbstractIn 1941 J. Heyrovský invented Oscillographic Polarography (OP) with controlled alternating current (a.c.). The method was developed during the World War and the first commercially available instruments for OP were produced in Czechoslovakia at the beginning of the 1950’s. Such instruments offered derivative and cyclic OP curves allowing simple analysis of various compounds and stimulated the publication of hundreds of papers. Thanks to OP, electrochemical analysis of DNA started already in 1958. According to the present nomenclature, OP can be denominated as a.c. chronopotentiometry. Surprisingly, authors who later described derivative and cyclic chronopotentiometry did not consider J. Heyrovský’s OP methodology in their work. Present electrochemical studies of biomacromolecules take advantage of modern instruments for constant current chronopotentiometric stripping, allowing DNA and protein structure‐sensitive analysis. Recent progress in these studies is reviewed.
Study of the enantiomeric separation of the anticholinergic drugs on two immobilized polysaccharide‐based chiral stationary phases by HPLC and the possible chiral recognition mechanisms
Authors: Li Meng , Zhao Yu , Zhou Li , Yu Jia , Wang Jian , Guo Xingjie 
Published: March 2018

AbstractIn this work, the enantiomeric separation of ten anticholinergic drugs was first examined on two derivative polysaccharide chiral stationary phases (CSPs), i.e., Chiralpak ID and Chiralpak IA in the normal phase mode. Except for scopolamine hydrobromide, the remaining nine analytes could be completely separated with good resolutions using both columns under the optimized mobile phase conditions. And the enantiomeric discrimination ability of the studied CSPs towards nine analytes was in the order of Chiralpak ID > Chiralpak IA. The influences of organic modifier types, alcohol content, and base/acid additives on the enantiomeric separation were evaluated and optimized. According to the experimental results, the effect of the structures of analytes on enantiomeric separation was discussed. Additionally, the chiral recognition mechanisms were proposed based on the thermodynamic analysis of the experimental data.