bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Patients' choice and preference for common disease diagnosis and diabetes care: A discrete choice experiment
Authors: Zhu Jingrong , Li Jinlin , Zhang Zengbo , Li Hao 
Published: July 2019

SummaryObjectiveTo examine the impact of policy incentives on patient's choice of health‐care providers for primary care and to capture the preferences for general practitioner (GP) care.Study designDiscrete choice experiment.MethodsA random sample of 704 adults and of 181 diabetics were independently surveyed to elicit patients' preferences for common disease diagnosis and diabetes care. Mixed logit regression was used for the analysis.ResultsOn average, the most valued attribute in GP care are the organizational factors related to whether the provider has sufficient medicine and equipment to provide capable primary care service. Policy incentives, such as reducing waiting time, providing prior expert access, and increasing Medicare reimbursement, can facilitate the utilization of the GP system. Significant preference heterogeneity was identified; specifically, patient preferences significantly differ with regard to demand for common disease diagnosis and diabetes care.ConclusionThe identification of the preferences of specific groups in regard to GP care is an organizational and political imperative. Policy incentives are useful tools to guide patients' health care seeking behavior. To change the perceptions of Chinese patients with regard to health care, policy makers should consider the heterogeneous responses of residents to policy incentives and focus their efforts on key cohorts.
Sources of inherent infiltration variability in postwildfire soils
Authors: Moody John A. , Martin Richard G. , Ebel Brian A. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractAn automated disc infiltrometer was developed to improve the measurements of soil hydraulic properties (saturated hydraulic conductivity and sorptivity) of soils affected by wildfire. Guidelines are given for interpreting curves showing cumulative infiltration as a function of time measured by the autodisc. The autodisc was used to measure the variability of these soil hydraulic properties in three different sample sets: (a) a reference soil consisting of a nonrepellent, uniform, fine sand; (b) soils with the same soil textural classification derived from the same bedrock geology but having different initial burn severities; and (c) soils from different bedrock geology but having the same burn severity. The autodisc infiltrometer had greater sampling rates and volume resolution when compared with the visual minidisc infiltrometer from previous studies. There was no statistical difference in the mean values measured using the autodisc and visual minidisc, but the variability of the autodisc measurements was significantly less than the visual minidisc for a given set of samples. The greatest variability of soil hydraulic properties in reference samples with uniform particle size was attributed to different pore geometries (coefficient of variation [COV] = 0.28–0.34). Unburned field samples (same soil type) with heterogeneous particle sizes had greater variability (COV = 0.57–0.78) than the reference samples. However, this basic variability decreased or remained constant in these field samples as burn severity increased. Additional sources of variability (COV = 0.53–1.99) were attributed to multiple layers resulting from ash or sediment deposition. Results indicate that resolving differences in soil hydraulic properties from different sites requires more than the common 10 random samples because of the multiple sources of variability.
Combination of en bloc transurethral resection with laparoscopic partial cystectomy for paraganglioma of the bladder
Authors: Urabe Fumihiko , Miki Jun , Kimura Takahiro , Hisakane Akira , Iwatani Kosuke , Takahashi Kazuhiro , Yanagisawa Takafumi , Takahashi Hiroyuki , Kishimoto Koichi , Egawa Shin 
Published: July 2019

IntroductionParaganglioma of the bladder is an extremely rare tumor, and special attention should be paid to elevation of blood pressure during tumor resection.Case presentationA 64‐year‐old woman presented with elevation of blood pressure during thoracic surgery. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging revealed a bladder tumor, and noradrenalin levels were elevated in plasma and urine. The tumor was surgically removed by en bloc transurethral resection with laparoscopic partial cystectomy of bladder tumor. The margin of the tumor was easily identified, and perioperative blood pressure was stable. There was no evidence of residual tumor, local recurrence, or distant metastasis during 2‐year follow‐up.ConclusionTo our knowledge, we report the first case of paraganglioma of the bladder resected by a minimally invasive and safe procedure: combination of en bloc transurethral resection and laparoscopic partial cystectomy.
Identification of differentially expressed genes and functional annotations associated with metastases of the uveal melanoma
Authors: Xu Yue , Han Wei , Xu Wen‐Hao , Wang Yun , Yang Xiao‐Long , Nie Hui‐Ling , Yao Jin , Shen Guo‐Liang , Zhang Xiao‐Feng 
Published: July 2019

AbstractUveal melanoma (UVM) is an adult intraocular malignancy which is the most frequent and has a high tendency for metastasis. This study aims to develop significant differential gene subnetwork between primary and metastatic UVM to identify potential prognostic biomarkers. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among three chip datasets were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus and identified according to standardization annotation information. Genetic enrichment analyses were utilized to describe biologic functions. The protein‐protein interaction network of DEGs was developed and the module analysis was constructed by STRING and Cytoscape. Kaplan‐Meier method of the integrated expression score was applied to analyze survival outcomes. Functional annotation was assessed to perform GO and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis. In addition, ClueGO and gene set enrichment analysis were analyzed to detect underlying significant genes and involved signaling pathways. A total of 103 DEGs with function enrichment were recognized and might be considered as candidate prognostic biomarkers between primary and metastatic UVM. Furthermore, Kaplan‐Meier method suggested that SCD5, SPTBN1, FABP5, SQLE, PTPLA (HACD1), and CDC25B were independent prognostic factors in UVM. Functional annotations indicated that the most involved significant pathways including interferon‐gamma response, IL‐6 JAK STAT3 signaling, TNFA signaling via NFKB and inflammatory response. Significant DEGs between primary and metastatic UVM tissue were identified and might have involved in the metastasis of UVM. SCD5, SPTBN1, FABP5, SQLE, PTPLA (HACD1), and CDC25B transcription levels were of high prognostic value, which might assist us to understand the underlying carcinogenesis or advancement of UVM better.
Functional mimetic peptide discovery isolated by phage display interacts selectively to fibronectin domain and inhibits gelatinase
Authors: Shoari Alireza , Rasaee Mohammad J. , Kanavi Mozhgan R. , Daraei Bahram 
Published: July 2019

AbstractMatrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play critical roles in a multiple number of autoimmunity diseases progression and metastasis of solid tumor. Gelatinases including MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 are extremely overexpressed in multiple pathological processes. MMP‐9 and MMP‐2 breakdown the extracellular matrix component gelatin very efficaciously. Therefore, designing and expansion of MMPs inhibitors can be an engrossing plan for therapeutic intermediacy. Anyway, a wide range of MMPs inhibitors face failure in several clinical trials. Due to sequence and structural conservation across the various MMPs, achieving specific and selective inhibitors is very demanding. In the current study, a phage‐displayed peptide library was screened using active human recombinant MMP‐9 protein and evaluated by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Here, we isolate novel peptide sequence from phage display peptide libraries that can be a specific gelatinase inhibitor. Interestingly, in silico molecular docking showed strong interactions between the peptide three‐dimensional models and some important residues of the MMP‐9 and MMP‐2 proteins at the fibronectin domain. A consensus peptide sequence was then synthesized (named as RSH‐12) to evaluate its inhibitory potency by in vitro assays. Zymography assay was employed to evaluate the effect of RSH‐12 on gelatinolysis activity of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 secretion from the HT1080 cells using different concentrations of RSH‐12 and inhibiting MMP‐9‐ and MMP‐2‐driven gelatin proteolysis, measured by fluorescein isothiocyanate‐gelatin degradation assay and HT1080 cell invasion assay on Matrigel (gelatinous protein mixture). The negative control peptide (CP) with the irrelevant sequence and no MMP inhibition properties and the positive control compound (GM6001) as a potent inhibitor of MMPs were used to assess the selectivity and specificity of gelatinases inhibition by RSH‐12. Therefore, RSH‐12 decreased the gelatin degradation by specifically preventing gelatin binding to MMP‐9 and MMP‐2. Selective gelatinase inhibitors may prove the usefulness of the new peptide discovered in tumor targeting and anticancer and anti‐inflammation therapies.
Theoretical investigation of the molecular structure, vibrational spectra, and molecular docking of tramadol using density functional theory
Authors: Umar Yunusa , Abdalla Sahar , Haque SK Manirul , Moran Guillermo Salgado , Ishaq Abdurrahman , Villada Wilson Cardona , Leone Jorge Dagnino , Bunster Marta 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThe optimized molecular structures, harmonic vibrational wavenumbers, and the corresponding vibrational assignments of (1S,2S)‐tramadol and (1R,2R)‐tramadol are computationally examined using the B3LYP density functional theory method together with the standard 6–311++G(d,p) and def2‐TVZP basis sets. The optimized structures show that phenolic rings of both 1R,2R and 1S,2S tramadol adopt planar geometry, which are slightly distorted due to the substitution at the meta‐position; and the six‐membered cyclohexane adopts a slightly distorted chair conformation. The 1S,2S enantiomer is energetically more favorable than 1R,2R with the energy differences of 1.32 and 1.03 kcal/mol obtained at B3LYP/6–311++G(d,p) and B3LYP/Def2‐TVZP levels, respectively. The analysis of the binding pocket in the silico molecular docking with the m‐opioid receptor shows that it originated two clusters with the 1S,2S enantiomer and one cluster with the 1R,2R enantiomer of tramadol. The results point to a more stable complex of the m‐opioid receptor with the 1R,2R enantiomer of tramadol.
Effect of direct ultrasound synthesis via a sesquihydrate route on bismuth‐promoted vanadyl pyrophosphate catalysts
Authors: Goo Kang‐Zhi , Yap Yeow‐Hong , Lin Kuen‐Song , Leong Loong‐Kong 
Published: July 2019

AbstractA series of 1, 3, and 5% Bi‐doped vanadium phosphate catalyst catalysts were prepared via sesquihydrate route using direct ultrasound method and were denoted as VPSB1, VPSB3, and VPSB5, respectively. These catalysts were synthesized solely using a direct ultrasound technique and calcined in a n‐butane/air mixture. This study showed that catalyst synthesis time can be drastically reduced to only 2 hr compared to conventional 32–48 hr. All Bi‐doped catalysts exhibited a well‐crystallized (VO)2P2O7 phase. In addition, two V5+ phases, that is, β‐VOPO4 and αII‐VOPO4, were observed leading to an increase in the average oxidation state of vanadium. All catalysts showed V2p3/2 at approx. 517 eV, giving the vanadium oxidation state at approx. 4.3–4.6. Field‐emission scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed the secondary structure consisting of thin and small plate‐like crystal clusters due to the cavitation effect of ultrasound waves. VPSB5 showed the highest amount of oxygen species removed associated with the V5+ and V4+ species in temperature‐programmed reduction in H2 analyses. TheX‐ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) measurement showed the occurrence of vanadium oxide reductions in hydrogen gas flow, indicating the presence of V4+ and V5+ species. Higher average valence states of V5+, indicating more V5+ phases, were present. The addition of bismuth has increased the activity and selectivity to maleic anhydride.
Brivanib, a multitargeted small‐molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor, suppresses laser‐induced CNV in a mouse model of neovascular AMD
Authors: Li Lele , Zhu Manhui , Wu Wenli , Qin Bai , Gu Jiayi , Tu Yuanyuan , Chen Jianing , Liu Dong , Shi Yunwei , Liu Xiaojuan , Sang Aimin , Ding Dongmei 
Published: July 2019

AbstractIn age‐related macular degeneration (AMD), choroidal neovascularization (CNV), a major pathologic feature of neovascular AMD (nAMD), affects 10% of patients, potentially causing serious complications, including vision loss. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) contribute to the pathogenesis of CNV. Brivanib is an oral selective dual receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor of FGFRs and VEGFRs, especially VEGFR2 and FGFR1. In this study, brivanib inhibited zebrafish embryonic angiogenesis without impairing neurodevelopment. In a mouse CNV model, brivanib intravitreal injection blocked phosphorylation of FGFR1 and VEGFR2 and reduced CNV leakage, area, and formation without causing intraocular toxicity. Moreover, brivanib oral gavage reduced CNV leakage and area. Accordingly, brivanib remained at high concentrations (above 14,000 ng/ml) in retinal/choroidal/scleral tissues following intravitreal injection. Similarly, brivanib remained at high concentrations (over 10,000 ng/ml) in retinal/choroidal/scleral tissues following oral gavage. Finally, in vitro cell experiments demonstrated that brivanib inhibited the proliferation, migration and tube formation of microvascular endothelial cells. In conclusion, our study suggested that brivanib treatment could be a novel therapeutic strategy for nAMD.
Black Adult Patients With Acute Liver Failure Are Sicker and More Likely to Undergo Liver Transplantation Than White Patients
Authors: Nephew Lauren , Zia Zahra , Ghabril Marwan , Orman Eric , Lammert Craig , Chalasani Naga 
Published: July 2019

Racial and ethnic differences in the presentation and outcomes of patients wait‐listed with acute liver failure (ALF) have not been explored. Adult patients with ALF wait‐listed for liver transplantation (LT) from 2002 to 2016 were investigated using the United Network for Organ Sharing database. Clinical characteristics and causative etiologies were compared between white, black, Hispanic, and Asian patients with ALF who were wait‐listed as status 1. A competing risk analysis was used to explore differences in LT and wait‐list removal rates. Kaplan‐Meier survival curves were used to explore differences in 1‐year posttransplant survival. There were 8208 patients wait‐listed with a primary diagnosis of ALF; 4501 were wait‐listed as status 1 (55.3% of whites, 64.4% of blacks, 51.6% of Hispanics, 40.7% of Asians; P < 0.001). Black patients had higher bilirubin and Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease at wait‐listing than other groups. White patients were the most likely to have acetaminophen toxicity as a causative etiology, whereas black patients were the most likely to have autoimmune liver disease. Black patients were significantly more likely to undergo LT than white patients (hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.08‐1.30). There was no difference in wait‐list removal because of death or clinical deterioration among racial/ethnic groups. The 1‐year posttransplant survival was lowest in black patients (79.6%) versus white (82.8%), Hispanic (83.9%), and Asian (89.3%) patients (P = 0.02). In conclusion, etiologies of ALF vary by race and ethnicity. Black patients with ALF were more likely to be wait‐listed as status 1 and undergo LT than white patients, but they were sicker at presentation. The 1‐year posttransplant survival rate was lowest among black patients.
Diet Consisting of Balanced Yogurt, Fruit, and Vegetables Modifies the Gut Microbiota and Protects Mice against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Kong Chao‐Yue , Li Zhan‐Ming , Han Bing , Zhang Zheng‐Yan , Chen Hui‐Ling , Zhang Shi‐Long , Xu Jia‐Qi , Mao Yu‐Qin , Zhao Yan‐Ping , Wang Li‐Shun 
Published: July 2019

BackgroundCalorie restriction (CR) is a therapeutically effective method for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. However, the compliance of the CR method is relatively poor. New CR methods are needed.Methods and ResultsEach week, mice are given a 5‐day high‐fat diet (HFD) ad libitum plus 2 days of an intermittent calorie restriction (ICR) diet (50% calorie restriction) consisting of yogurt, fruit, and vegetables, for 16 weeks. The effect of the ICR diet model on the fatty liver of mice is examined. Compared with continuous HFD‐fed mice, the mice feeding HFD+ICR have lower body weight and hepatic steatosis, reduced serum lipid and transaminase levels, increased fatty acid oxidation gene of Cpt1a, and decreased hepatic lipid synthesis gene of Pparγ and Srebf‐1c, as well as improved insulin resistance and lower level of inflammation. Moreover, ICR reverses the dysbacteriosis in HFD group, including the lower Shannon diversity indexes and lower abundance of Lactobacillus.ConclusionAn ICR diet consisting of yogurt, fruit, and vegetables attenuates the development of HFD‐induced hepatic steatosis in mice. Furthermore, HFD+ICR diet is associated with a different fecal microbiota that tends to be more similar to normal diet controls.
Quad frequency stacked patch planar antenna array for radar and navigational applications
Authors: Sai Vinay Kumar Polepalli , Giri Prasad Mahendra N. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThis paper presented a quad frequency passive array stacked patch antenna, which work on the L and S band frequencies of 1.1.76 GHz, 1.575 GHz, 1.60 GHz, and 2.492 GHz. The array contained 24 rectangular stacked patch antenna elements and this 3 × 8 array is fed by independent coaxial method. This design reduced the effects of the complex feeding network on antenna performance and the distance between each antenna element is only half of free space wavelength, so the size of whole array was reduced significantly. Proposed antenna is designed and fabricated using FR4 epoxy substrate and the performance of the antenna is analyzed using ANSYS HFSS software. This antenna can also be combined into a bigger array with more elements, then make the miniaturization of the array with multifunctional operation more obvious.
Characterizing a short T2* signal component in the liver using ultrashort TE chemical shift‐encoded MRI at 1.5T and 3.0T
Authors: Zhu Ante , Hernando Diego , Johnson Kevin M. , Reeder Scott B. 
Published: July 2019

PurposeRecent studies have suggested the presence of short‐T2* signals in the liver, which may confound chemical shift‐encoded (CSE) fat quantification when using short echo times (TEs). The purpose of this study was to characterize the liver signal at short echo times and to determine its impact on liver fat quantification.MethodsAn ultrashort echo time (UTE) chemical shift‐encoded MRI (CSE‐MRI) technique and a multicomponent reconstruction were developed to characterize short‐T2* liver signals. Subsequently, liver fat fraction was quantified using a short‐TE (first TE = 0.7 ms) and UTE CSE‐MRI acquisitions and compared with a standard CSE‐MRI (first TE = 1.2 ms).ResultsShort‐T2* signals were consistently observed in the liver of all healthy volunteers imaged at both 1.5T and 3.0T. At 3.0T, short‐T2* signal fractions of 9.6 ± 1.5%, 7.0 ± 1.7%, and 7.4 ± 1.7% with T2* of 0.23 ± 0.05 ms, 0.20 ± 0.05 ms, and 0.10 ± 0.02 ms were measured in healthy volunteers, patients with liver cirrhotic disease, and patients with hepatic steatosis (but no cirrhosis), respectively. For proton density fat fraction (PDFF) estimation, 1.7% (P < .01) and 3.4% (P < .01) biases were observed in subjects imaged using short‐TE CSE‐MRI and using UTE CSE‐MRI at 1.5T, respectively. The biases were reduced to 0.4% and −0.7%, respectively, by excluding short echoes less than 1 ms. A 3.2% bias (P < .01) was observed in subjects imaged using UTE CSE‐MRI at 3.0T, which was reduced to 0.1% by excluding short echoes <1 ms.ConclusionsA liver short‐T2* signal component was consistently observed and was shown to confound liver fat quantification when short echo times were used with CSE‐MRI.
A gradient recovery–based adaptive finite element method for convection‐diffusion‐reaction equations on surfaces
Authors: Xiao Xufeng , Feng Xinlong , Li Zhilin 
Published: July 2019

SummaryIn this paper, we present an adaptive mesh refinement method for solving convection‐diffusion‐reaction equations on surfaces, which is a fundamental subproblem in many models for simulating the transport of substances on biological films and solid surfaces. The method considered is a combination of well‐known techniques: the surface finite element method, streamline diffusion stabilization, and the gradient recovery–based Zienkiewicz‐Zhu error estimator. The streamline diffusion method overcomes the instability issue of the finite element method for the dominance of the convection. The gradient recovery–based adaptive mesh refinement strategy enables the method to provide high‐resolution numerical solutions by relatively fewer degrees of freedom. Moreover, the implementation detail of a surface mesh refinement technique is presented. Various numerical examples, including the convection‐dominated diffusion problems with large variations of solutions, nearly singular solutions, discontinuous sources, and internal layers on surfaces, are presented to demonstrate the efficacy and accuracy of the proposed method.
Heterolepic β‐Ketoiminate Zinc Phenoxide Complexes as Efficient Catalysts for the Ring Opening Polymerization of Lactide
Authors: Ghosh Swarup , Schäfer Pascal M. , Dittrich Dennis , Scheiper Christoph , Steiniger Phillip , Fink Gerhard , Ksiazkiewicz Agnieszka N. , Tjaberings Alexander , Wölper Christoph , Gröschel André H. , Pich Andrij , Herres‐Pawlis Sonja , Schulz Stephan 
Published: July 2019

AbstractZinc phenoxide complexes L1ZnOAr 1–4 (L1=Me2NC2H4NC(Me)CHC(Me)O) and L2ZnOAr 5–8 (L2=Me2NC3H6NC(Me)CHC(Me)O) with donor‐functionalized β‐ketoiminate ligands (L1/2) and OAr substituents (Ar=Ph 1, 5; 2,6‐Me2‐C6H3 2, 6; 3,5‐Me2‐C6H3 3, 7; 4‐Bu‐C6H4 4, 8) with tuneable electronic and steric properties were synthesized and characterized. 1–8 adopt binuclear structures in the solid state except for 5, while they are monomeric in CDCl3 solution. 1–8 are active catalysts for the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of lactide (LA) in CH2Cl2 at ambient temperature and the catalytic activity is controlled by the electronic and steric properties of the OAr substituent, yielding polymers with high average molecular weight (Mn) and moderately controlled molecular weight distribution (MWDs). 1 and 5 showed a living polymerization character and kinetic studies on the ROP of L–LA with 1 and 5 proved first order dependencies on the monomer concentration. Homonuclear decoupled 1H‐NMR analyses of polylactic acid (PLA) formed with rac‐LA proved isotactic enrichment of the PLA microstructure.