bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Window to the Unknown: Using Storytelling to Identify Learning Needs for the Intrinsic Competencies Within an Online Needs Assessment
Authors: Tseng Eric K. , Jo David , Shih Andrew W. , De Wit Kerstin , Chan Teresa M. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIntroductionNeeds assessments are important for developing online educational resources, but they frequently do not capture learning needs in the intrinsic physician competencies. Storytelling exercises, by promoting critical reflection and emphasizing values and context, may assist curriculum developers in identifying emergent knowledge gaps in these areas that are initially unknown to learners.MethodsWe developed an online curriculum for thrombosis and hemostasis based on an open‐access online needs assessment comprised of a topic list, case scenarios, and storytelling exercise. In the storytelling exercise, learners described 1) a difficult clinical case and 2) why that case was difficult. In this qualitative descriptive study, we performed a secondary thematic analysis of this storytelling data, coded for the CanMEDS 2015 intrinsic roles. Two investigators independently coded transcripts with iterative comparison.ResultsA total of 143 respondents completed the storytelling exercise. All responses yielded a gap in medical expertise, while 25 (17.5%) described an additional intrinsic role. Learning needs in all six intrinsic roles were identified. The most commonly cited learning needs were in the leader (recognizing how resource allocation impacts health care), communicator (communicating knowledge with patients), and collaborator (unclear communication between providers) roles. These excerpts were notable for how they expressed the complexity and affective components of medicine.ConclusionsStorytelling exercises can highlight context, attitudes, and relationships that provide depth to needs assessments. These narratives are a novel method of identifying gaps in intrinsic physician competencies that are initially unknown by learners (Johari window). These emergent intrinsic learning needs may be used to enrich learner‐centered curricula.
Combined CNV, haplotyping and whole exome sequencing enable identification of two distinct novel EYS mutations causing RP in a single inbred tribe
Authors: Wormser Ohad , Gradstein Libe , Kadar Einat , Yogev Yuval , Perez Yonatan , Mashkit Elena , Elbedour Khalil , Drabkin Max , Markus Barak , Kadir Rotem , Halperin Daniel , Khalaila Soltan , Levy Jaime , Lifshitz Tova , Manor Esther , Birk Ohad S. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWhole exome sequencing (WES) has become routine in clinical practice, especially in studies of recessive hereditary diseases in inbred consanguineous families, where homozygosity of a founder mutation is assumed. Multiple members of two consanguineous families of a single Bedouin tribe were diagnosed with apparently autosomal recessive/pseudo‐dominant retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Affected individuals exhibited severe visual impairment with nyctalopia, marked constriction of visual fields, markedly reduced and delayed responses on electro‐retinography (ERG) and eventual loss of central vision. Combined copy‐number variant (CNV) analysis, haplotype reconstruction and WES of the kindred identified two distinct novel mutations in EYS (RP25): a p.(W1817*) nonsense mutation (identified through WES) and a large deletion encompassing 9 of the 43 exons, that was missed by WES and was identified through microarray CNV analysis. Segregation analysis of both mutations demonstrated that all affected individuals were either homozygous for one of the mutations, or compound heterozygous for both. The two mutations are predicted to cause loss of function of the encoded protein and were not present in screening of 200 ethnically‐matched controls. Our findings of two distinct mutations in the same gene in a single inbred kindred, identified only through combined WES and microarray CNV analysis, highlight the limitations of either CNV or WES alone, as the heterozygous deletion had normal WES read‐depth values. Moreover, they demonstrate pitfalls in homozygosity mapping for disease‐causing variant identification in inbred communities.
Photoinduzierte MADIX‐Polymerisation im sichtbaren Spektrum durch wiederverwendbares, preiswertes und ungiftiges Bismutoxid als Photokatalysator
Authors: Hakobyan Karen , Gegenhuber Thomas , McErlean Christopher S. P. , Müllner Markus 
Published: December 2018

AbstractDer Einbezug von Photokatalyse in Methoden der radikalischen Polymerisation mit reversibler Deaktivierung (RDRP, reversible deactivation radical polymerisation) hat in den letzten Jahren ein schnell wachsendes Forschungsfeld in der Polymerforschung begründet. In dieser Zuschrift präsentieren wir die Verwendung von Bismutoxid (Bi2O3) als heterogenen Photokatalysator für Polymerisationen, welcher unter Bestrahlung mit sichtbarem Licht bei Raumtemperatur aktiv ist. Bismutoxid als Katalysator ermöglicht eine hervorragende Kontrolle bei degenerativen Kettentransferpolymerisation, so z. B. beim makromolekularen Design durch den Austausch von Xanthaten (MADIX) und in reversiblen Additions‐Fragmentierungs‐Kettentransfer(RAFT)‐Polymerisation. Es wurden enge Molekulargewichtsverteilungen erzielt, welche, neben einer exzellenten zeitaufgelösten Kontrolle, einem photoinduzierten Elektronentransfer(PET)‐Prozess zuzuschreiben sind. Die Methode wurde zur Synthese von Diblockcopolymeren verwendet, bei der unterschiedlich stark aktivierte Monomere zum Einsatz kamen. Bismutoxid als Katalysatorsystem zeichnet sich durch geringe Toxizität, Wiederverwendbarkeit, geringe Kosten und die einfache Abtrennung vom Reaktionsgemisch aus.
Reduction of H∞ state feedback control problems for the MIMO servo systems
Authors: Waki Hayato , Sebe Noboru 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWe deal with H∞ state feedback control problem for the multi‐input‐multi‐output (MIMO) servo system and discuss the advantages of the facial reduction (FR) to the resulting linear matrix inequality (LMI) problems. In fact, as far as our usual setting, the dual of the LMI problem is not strictly feasible because the generalized plant has always stable invariant zeros. Thus FR is available to such LMI problems, and we can reduce and simplify the original LMI problem to a smaller‐size LMI problem. As a result, we observe that the numerical performance of the SDP solvers is improved. Also, as a by‐product, we obtain the best performance index of the reduced LMI problem with a closed‐form expression. This helps the H∞ performance limitation analysis. Another contribution is to reveal that the resulting LMI problem obtained from H∞ control problem has a finite optimal value, but no optimal solutions under an additional assumption. This is also confirmed in the numerical experiment of this paper. FR also plays an essential role in this analysis.
UPLC–Q‐TOF–MS and UPLC–MS/MS methods for metabolism profiles and pharmacokinetics of major compounds in Xuanmai Ganjie Granules
Authors: Wu Yin , Wang Pengqian , Yang Haotian , Sui Feng 
Published: December 2018

AbstractXuanmai Ganjie Granules (XMGJ), a widely used Chinese herbal formula in the clinic, is used for treatment of sore throats and coughs. Despite the chemical constituents having been clarifying by our previous studies, both of the metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies of XMGJ are unclear. This study aimed to explore the disposition process of XMGJ in vivo. A sensitive and selective ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (UPLC–Q‐TOF–MS) method was developed to analyze the absorbed components and metabolites in rat plasma and urine after oral administration of XMGJ. A total of 42 absorbed components, including 16 prototype compounds and 26 metabolites, were identified or tentatively characterized in rat plasma and urine after oral administration of XMGJ. Moreover, the pharmacokinetic studies of five compounds of XMGJ were investigated using ultra‐high liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method. The results indicated that liquiritin, harpagoside, glycyrrhetic acid, liquiritigenin, formononetin and their metabolites might be the major components involved in the pharmacokinetic and metabolism process of XMGJ. This research showed a comprehensive investigation of XMGJ in vivo, which could provide a meaningful basis for further material basis and pharmacological as well as toxicological research.
Experimental pKa Value Determination of All Ionizable Groups of a Hyperstable Protein
Authors: Raum Heiner N. , Weininger Ulrich 
Published: December 2018

AbstractElectrostatic interactions significantly contribute to the stability and function of proteins. The stabilizing or destabilizing effect of local charge is reflected in the perturbation of the pKa value of an ionizable group from the intrinsic pKa value. Herein, the charge network of a hyperstable dimeric protein (ribbon–helix–helix (rhh) protein from plasmid pRN1 from Sulfolobus islandicus) is studied through experimental determination of the pKa values of all ionizable groups. Transitions were monitored by multiple NMR signals per ionizable group between pH 0 and 12.5, prior to a global analysis, which accounted for the effects of neighboring residues. It is found that for several residues involved in salt bridges (four Asp and one Lys) the pKa values are shifted in favor of the charged state. Furthermore, the pKa values of residues C40 and Y47, both located in the hydrophobic dimer interface, are shifted beyond 13.7. The necessary energy for such a shift is about two‐thirds of the total stability of the protein, which confirms the importance of the hydrophobic core to the overall stability of the rhh protein.
Genetic Code Evolution Investigated through the Synthesis and Characterisation of Proteins from Reduced‐Alphabet Libraries
Authors: Newton Matilda S. , Morrone Dana J. , Lee Kun‐Hwa , Seelig Burckhard 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe universal genetic code of 20 amino acids is the product of evolution. It is believed that earlier versions of the code had fewer residues. Many theories for the order in which amino acids were integrated into the code have been proposed, considering factors ranging from prebiotic chemistry to codon capture. Several meta‐analyses combined these theories to yield a feasible consensus chronology of the genetic code's evolution, but there is a dearth of experimental data to test the hypothesised order. We used combinatorial chemistry to synthesise libraries of random polypeptides that were based on different subsets of the 20 standard amino acids, thus representing different stages of a plausible history of the alphabet. Four libraries were comprised of the five, nine, and 16 most ancient amino acids, and all 20 extant residues for a direct side‐by‐side comparison. We characterised numerous variants from each library for their solubility and propensity to form secondary, tertiary or quaternary structures. Proteins from the two most ancient libraries were more likely to be soluble than those from the extant library. Several individual protein variants exhibited inducible protein folding and other traits typical of intrinsically disordered proteins. From these libraries, we can infer how primordial protein structure and function might have evolved with the genetic code.
Distribution of global health measures from routinely collected PROMIS surveys in patients with breast cancer or prostate cancer
Authors: Seneviratne Martin G. , Bozkurt Selen , Patel Manali I. , Seto Tina , Brooks James D. , Blayney Douglas W. , Kurian Allison W. , Hernandez‐Boussard Tina 
Published: December 2018

BackgroundThe collection of patient‐reported outcomes (PROs) is an emerging priority internationally, guiding clinical care, quality improvement projects and research studies. After the deployment of Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) surveys in routine outpatient workflows at an academic cancer center, electronic health record data were used to evaluate survey completion rates and self‐reported global health measures across 2 tumor types: breast and prostate cancer.MethodsThis study retrospectively analyzed 11,657 PROMIS surveys from patients with breast cancer and 4411 surveys from patients with prostate cancer, and it calculated survey completion rates and global physical health (GPH) and global mental health (GMH) scores between 2013 and 2018.ResultsA total of 36.6% of eligible patients with breast cancer and 23.7% of patients with prostate cancer completed at least 1 survey, with completion rates lower among black patients for both tumor types (P < .05). The mean T scores (calibrated to a general population mean of 50) for GPH were 48.4 ± 9 for breast cancer and 50.6 ± 9 for prostate cancer, and the GMH scores were 52.7 ± 8 and 52.1 ± 9, respectively. GPH and GMH were frequently lower among ethnic minorities, patients without private health insurance, and those with advanced disease.ConclusionsThis analysis provides important baseline data on patient‐reported global health in breast and prostate cancer. Demonstrating that PROs can be integrated into clinical workflows, this study shows that supportive efforts may be needed to improve PRO collection and global health endpoints in vulnerable populations.
Data agility through clustered edge computing and stream processing
Authors: Dautov Rustem , Distefano Salvatore , Bruneo Dario , Longo Francesco , Merlino Giovanni , Puliafito Antonio 
Published: December 2018

SummaryThe Internet of Things is underpinned by the global penetration of network‐connected smart devices continuously generating extreme amounts of raw data to be processed in a timely manner. Supported by Cloud and Fog/Edge infrastructures – on the one hand, and Big Data processing techniques – on the other, existing approaches, however, primarily adopt a vertical offloading model that is heavily dependent on the underlying network bandwidth. That is, (constrained) network communication remains the main limitation to achieve truly agile IoT data management and processing. This paper aims to bridge this gap by defining Clustered Edge Computing – a new approach to enable rapid data processing at the very edge of the IoT network by clustering edge devices into fully functional decentralized ensembles, capable of workload distribution and balancing to accomplish relatively complex computational tasks. This paper also proposes ECStream Processing that implements Clustered Edge Computing using Stream Processing techniques to enable dynamic in‐memory computation close to the data source. By spreading the workload among a cluster of collocated edge devices to process data in parallel, the proposed approach aims to improve performance, thereby supporting agile data management. The experimental results confirm that such a distributed in‐memory approach to data processing at the very edge of an IoT network can outperform currently adopted Cloud‐enabled architectures, and has the potential to address a wide range of IoT‐related data‐intensive time‐critical scenarios.
Cracking Behavior and Mechanism of Gibbsite Crystallites during Calcination
Authors: Zhang Jinxuan , Ge Lei , Chen Zhi‐Gang , Boom Eric , Zhu Zhonghua 
Published: December 2018

AbstractCracking is one of the major contributors to the breakage of gibbsite particles during calcination, which generates superfine particles causing detrimental effects to the quality of product in the downstream smelter grade alumina production. Therefore, understanding the cracking behavior and mechanism can provide a solution to avoid the generation of superfine particles. In this study, for the first time, the phase transformation and structural evolutions from gibbsite to boehmite then to amorphous alumina during calcination via using focus ion beam–scanning electronic microscopy and in situ transmission electron microscopy are investigated. After detailed and real‐time observations, it is illustrated that the crack formation on gibbsite particles during calcination can be attributed to the stress introduced by crystal shrinkage inside the crystallites during the phase transformation. Moreover, cracks in calcined gibbsite crystallites are found to initiate as pores inside the crystallites, which grow toward the surface and then form open cracks. Studies will open the possibility to tune the breakage of gibbsite particles.
Twenty‐nine years of population dynamics in a small‐bodied montane amphibian
Authors: Muths E. , Scherer R. D. , Amburgey S. M. , Corn P. S. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIdentifying population declines before they reach crisis proportions is imperative given the current global decline in vertebrate fauna and associated challenges and expense of recovery. Understanding life histories and how the environment influences demography are critical aspects of this challenge, as is determining the biological relevance of covariates that are best supported by the data. We used 29 yr of data on chorus frogs at two sites to estimate demographic parameters, examine life history, assess weather‐related covariates, and determine the magnitude of process variation in target parameters. Average estimates of survival probabilities were 0.51 (Standard Error [SE] = 0.04) and 0.43 (SE = 0.04), and average estimates of recruitment probabilities were 0.64 (SE = 0.07) and 0.44 (SE = 0.04). Process variation accounted for ≥76% of the total temporal variation in both parameters at one pond and in survival probability alone at the other, suggesting that the covariates in our top models were explaining predominantly process rather than sampling variation. Estimates of population growth rates indicated a declining population at one pond (i.e., negative population growth rates in 15 of 18 yr), and comparisons with historical estimates suggested declines in survival probability at the other. The amount of deviance explained was low, providing little support for the influence of covariates on target parameters, despite model selection support. Synthesis and applications: This analysis illustrates the value of disentangling components of variance when assessing demographic drivers and highlights the need for adequate demographic information in assigning conservation labels.
B7H6 is a functional ligand for NKp30 in rat and cattle and determines NKp30 reactivity toward human cancer cell lines
Authors: Bjørnsen Elisabeth G. , Thiruchelvam‐Kyle Lavanya , Hoelsbrekken Sigurd E. , Henden Camilla , Saether Per C. , Boysen Preben , Daws Michael R. , Dissen Erik 
Published: December 2018

AbstractNK cells kill cancer cells and infected cells upon activation by cell surface receptors. Human NKp30 is an activating receptor expressed by all mature NK cells. The B7 family member B7H6 has been identified as one ligand for NKp30. Several alternative ligands have also been reported, and the field remains unsettled. To this end, we have identified full‐length functional B7H6 orthologs in rat and cattle, demonstrated by phylogenetic analysis and transfection experiments. In cell–cell contact‐dependent assays, chimeric NKp30 reporter cells responded strongly to B7H6 in rat and cattle. Likewise, rat NKp30 expressing target cells induced strong activation of B7H6 reporter cells. Together, these observations demonstrate that B7H6 is conserved as a functional ligand for NKp30 in mammalian species separated by more than 100 million years of evolution. B7H6 and NKp30 are pseudogenes in laboratory mice. The rat thus represents an attractive experimental animal model to study the NKp30‐B7H6 interaction in vivo. B7H6 was widely expressed among human cancer cell lines, and the expression level correlated strongly with the activation of human NKp30 reporter cells. Furthermore, siRNA knockdown of B7H6 abolished NKp30 reporter responses, suggesting that B7H6 is the major functionally relevant expressed ligand for NKp30 on these cancer cell lines.
Activation of the hippocampal AC‐cAMP‐PKA‐CREB‐BDNF signaling pathway using WTKYR in depression model rats
Authors: Peng Yangzhi , Zhang Chengchen , Su Yue , Wang Zewen , Jiang Yong 
Published: December 2018

AbstractDepression, also called “depression disorder,” is characterized by a significant and persistent low mood. It has become a major refractory disease in the 21st century. In recent years, Chinese medicine has shown some important clinical value in the treatment of depression. Among them, the Warming and “Tonifying” Kidney‐Yang Recipe (WTKYR) has been demonstrated to have obvious effects in the clinical treatments of depression; however, the mechanism remains unclear. This study is based on the adenylyl cyclase (AC)—cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)—protein kinase A (PKA)—cAMP response element‐binding protein (CREB)—brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling pathway, aiming to investigate the mechanism of WTKYR. The results showed that WTKYR can upregulate AC‐cAMP‐PKA‐CREB‐BDNF in the hippocampus of depression model rats and alleviate its depressive symptoms, which may be the mechanism of WTKYR.
Eocene porphyry copper deposits in the eastern Tibetan Plateau, China: Uplift, denudation, and implications for mineral exploration
Authors: Zhou Jie , Li Sanzhong , Wang Genhou , Santosh M. , Zhang Li , Yu Shengyao , Suo Yanhui , Liu Yiming , Li Xiyao 
Published: December 2018

The subduction–collision processes associated with the Indo‐Eurasian plates resulted in the formation of a major belt of porphyry copper deposits in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Identifying the emplacement depths of the ore‐hosting porphyry intrusions and quantifying their denudation degree, which in turn is a function of the uplift and structural history, are fundamental to formulate guidelines for ore prospecting. In this study, we investigate three important porphyry deposits located adjacent to the Diancangshan–Ailaoshan Suture. From SW to NE, these are the Bijiashan, Xiaolongtan, and Fenshuiling deposits. Our study focuses on the relationship among uplift, denudation, and mineral preservation through the application of mineral thermobarometry, integrated with published zircon U–Pb dates. Application of amphibole–plagioclase thermobarometry yields emplacement temperature–pressure (T–P) conditions of 833.99°C and 284.18 MPa for Bijiashan, 804.72°C and 163.88 MPa for Xiaolongtan, and 748.67°C and 116.70 MPa for Fenshuiling. Our data show a progressive decrease in the emplacement depth from southwest to northeast, with average depths of 9.80 km in the Bijiashan deposit, 5.65 km in the Xiaolongtan deposit, and 4.02 km in the Fenshuiling deposit, providing important clues on the exhumation history since the Eocene in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Higher degree of denudation and faster uplift are noticed close to the Diancangshan–Ailaoshan Suture, with all the deposits belonging to the shallow denudation category and large prospecting potential. We integrate these results with geochronological data, alteration characteristics, and exhumation parameters to trace the tectonic history and to provide guidelines for exploration.