bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Non-contrast agent based small vessel imaging of human thyroid using motion corrected power Doppler imaging
Authors: Nayak Rohit , Kumar Viksit , Webb Jeremy , Gregory Adriana , Fatemi Mostafa , Alizad Azra 
Published: October 2018

AbstractSingular value based spatiotemporal clutter filtering (SVD-STF) can significantly improve the sensitivity of blood flow imaging in small vessels without using contrast agents. However, despite effective clutter filtering, large physiological motion in thyroid imaging can impact coherent integration of the Doppler signal and degrade the visualization of the underlying vasculature. In this study, we hypothesize that motion correction of the clutter filtered Doppler ensemble, prior to the power Doppler estimation, can considerably improve the visualization of smalls vessels in suspicious thyroid nodules. We corroborated this hypothesis by conducting in vivo experiments on 10 female patients in the age group 44–82 yrs, with at least one thyroid nodule suspicious of malignancy, with recommendation for fine needle aspiration biopsy. Ultrasound images were acquired using a clinical ultrasound scanner, implemented with compounded plane wave imaging. Axial and lateral displacements associated with the thyroid nodules were estimated using 2D normalized cross-correlation. Subsequently, the tissue clutter associated with the Doppler ensemble was suppressed using SVD-STF. Motion correction of the clutter-filtered Doppler ensemble was achieved using a spline based sub-pixel interpolation. The results demonstrated that power Doppler images of thyroid nodules were noticeably degraded due to large physiological motion of the pulsating carotid artery in the proximity. The resultant power Doppler images were corrupted with signal distortion, motion blurring and occurrence of artificial shadow vessels and displayed visibly low signal-to-background contrast. In contrast, the power Doppler images obtained from the motion corrected ultrasound data addressed the issue and considerabley improved the visualization of blood flow. The signal-to-noise ratio and the contrast-to-noise ratio increased by up to 15.2 dB and 12.1 dB, respectively. Across the ten subjects, the highest improvement was observed for the nodule with the largest motion. These preliminary results show the ability of using motion correction to improve the visualization of small vessel blood flow in thyroid, without using any contrast agents. The results of this feasibility study were encouraging, and warrant further development and more in vivo validation in moving tissues and organs.
Macro- and microplastics affect cold-water corals growth, feeding and behaviour
Authors: Chapron L. , Peru E. , Engler A. , Ghiglione J. F. , Meistertzheim A. L. , Pruski A. M. , Purser A. , Vétion G. , Galand P. E. , Lartaud F. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractPlastic contamination is now recognized as one of the most serious environmental issues for oceans. Both macro- and microplastic debris are accumulating in surface and deep waters. However, little is known about their impact on deep marine ecosystems and especially on the deep-sea reefs built by emblematic cold-water corals. The aim of this study was to investigate whether plastics affected the growth, feeding and behaviour of the main engineer species, Lophelia pertusa. Our experiments showed that both micro- and macroplastics significantly reduced skeletal growth rates. Macroplastics induced an increased polyp activity but decreased prey capture rates. They acted as physical barriers for food supply, likely affecting energy acquisition and allocation. Inversely, microplastics did not impact polyp behaviour or prey capture rates, but calcification was still reduced compared to control and in situ conditions. The exact causes are still unclear but they might involve possible physical damages or energy storage alteration. Considering the high local accumulation of macroplastics reported and the widespread distribution of microplastics in the world ocean, our results suggest that plastics may constitute a major threat for reef aggradation by inhibiting coral growth, and thus jeopardise the resilience of cold-water coral reefs and their associated biodiversity.
Experimental filtering effect on the daylight operation of a free-space quantum key distribution
Authors: Ko Heasin , Kim Kap-Joong , Choe Joong-Seon , Choi Byung-Seok , Kim Jong-Hoi , Baek Yongsoon , Youn Chun Ju 
Published: October 2018

AbstractOne of the challenges of implementing free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) systems working in daylight is to remove unwanted background noise photons from sunlight. Elaborate elimination of background photons in the spectral, temporal, and spatial domains is an indispensable requirement to decrease the quantum bit error rate (QBER), which guarantees the security of the systems. However, quantitative effects of different filtering techniques and performance optimization in terms of the secure key rate have not been investigated. In this study, we quantitatively analyze how the performance of the QBER and the key rates changes for different combinations of filtering techniques in a free-space BB84 QKD system in daylight. Moreover, we optimize the conditions of filtering techniques in order to obtain the maximum secure key rate.
Ventrolateral but not Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex tDCS effectively impact emotion reappraisal – effects on Emotional Experience and Interbeat Interval
Authors: Marques Lucas M. , Morello Letícia Y. N. , Boggio Paulo S. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractEmotions can be understood as behavioral, physiological, and subjective individual’s alteration due to a given situation. Several times, an efficient regulation of these emotions can promote psychological and social survival. It has been demonstrated that the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) presents a relevant role in cognitive control, especially during emotion regulation strategies. However, evidence for the role of the PFC and emotional regulation comes mostly from neuroimaging experiments lacking from causal information. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to be an efficient noninvasive neuromodulation technique capable to address causal hypothesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of two regions of the PFC (Dorsolateral and Ventrolateral region) on different strategies of emotional reappraisal during the observation of negative images. 180 undergraduate students (mean age 21,75 ± 3,38) participated in this study, divided in two experiments (Dorsolateral PFC - n = 90; Ventrolateral PFC - n = 90). As not expected, DLPFC tDCS did not modulate the responses on the emotional regulation task. However, VLPFC tDCS resulted in less negative valence of negative images as well as decreased cardiac interbeat interval on earlier moments of emotional processing. These findings supports the general view about the role of the PFC on emotional regulation and, at the same time, advances the field by providing evidence that evaluation of negative stimuli is much more based on the VLPFC than on the DLPCF.
HBV induces inhibitory FcRL receptor on B cells and dysregulates B cell-T follicular helper cell axis
Authors: Poonia Bhawna , Ayithan Natarajan , Nandi Madhuparna , Masur Henry , Kottilil Shyam 
Published: October 2018

AbstractSpontaneous or treatment induced seroconversion in chronic HBV infection is rare and generation of anti-HBs antibodies is the current goal of HBV therapeutics. Here we investigated B and follicular T helper (Tfh) cell defects that persist in HBV infection despite long-term nucleos(t)ide analog (NUC) treatment and possible mechanisms behind them. RNA sequencing revealed that patient B cells have upregulated expression of multiple inhibitory receptors including members of FcRL family and downregulation of genes involved in antigen presentation. An expansion of atypical memory CD19+CD10−CD27−CD21− subset of B cells, that express high levels of FcRL5, is persistently present in patients. HBs antigen specific IgG response is concentrated in classical memory and not in atypical memory subset, confirming dysfunction of this subset. Activated Tfh, which expressed excessive CD40L upon polyclonal stimulation, were present in patients. Incubation of B cells from healthy individuals with HBV core (HBc) or CD40L resulted in induction of inhibitory receptors FcRL4, FcRL5 and PD-1 on CD19+ cells and resulted in altered B cell phenotypes. Mechanistically, HBc binds B cells and causes proliferation specifically of FcRL5+ B cell subset. Our results provide evidence that HBV directly causes upregulation of inhibitory pathways in B cells resulting in an accumulation of atypical B cells that lack anti-HBs function.
Proteinaceous secretion of bioadhesive produced during crawling and settlement of Crassostrea gigas larvae
Authors: Foulon Valentin , Artigaud Sébastien , Buscaglia Manon , Bernay Benoit , Fabioux Caroline , Petton Bruno , Elies Philippe , Boukerma Kada , Hellio Claire , Guérard Fabienne , Boudry Pierre 
Published: October 2018

AbstractBioadhesion of marine organisms has been intensively studied over the last decade because of their ability to attach in various wet environmental conditions and the potential this offers for biotechnology applications. Many marine mollusc species are characterized by a two-phase life history: pelagic larvae settle prior to metamorphosis to a benthic stage. The oyster Crassostrea gigas has been extensively studied for its economic and ecological importance. However, the bioadhesive produced by ready to settle larvae of this species has been little studied. The pediveliger stage of oysters is characterized by the genesis of a specific organ essential for adhesion, the foot. Our scanning electron microscopy and histology analysis revealed that in C. gigas the adhesive is produced by several foot glands. This adhesive is composed of numerous fibres of differing structure, suggesting differences in chemical composition and function. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy indicated a mainly proteinaceous composition. Proteomic analysis of footprints was able to identify 42 proteins, among which, one uncharacterized protein was selected on the basis of its pediveliger transcriptome specificity and then located by mRNA in situ hybridization, revealing its potential role during substrate exploration before oyster larva settlement.
Mannosidase activity of EDEM1 and EDEM2 depends on an unfolded state of their glycoprotein substrates
Authors: Shenkman Marina , Ron Efrat , Yehuda Rivka , Benyair Ron , Khalaila Isam , Lederkremer Gerardo Z. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractExtensive mannose trimming of nascent glycoprotein N-glycans signals their targeting to endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD). ER mannosidase I (ERManI) and the EDEM protein family participate in this process. However, whether the EDEMs are truly mannosidases can be addressed only by measuring mannosidase activity in vitro. Here, we reveal EDEM1 and EDEM2 mannosidase activities in vitro. Whereas ERManI significantly trims free N-glycans, activity of the EDEMs is modest on free oligosaccharides and on glycoproteins. However, mannosidase activity of ERManI and the EDEMs is significantly higher on a denatured glycoprotein. The EDEMs associate with oxidoreductases, protein disulfide isomerase, and especially TXNDC11, enhancing mannosidase activity on glycoproteins but not on free N-glycans. The finding that substrate unfolded status increases mannosidase activity solves an important conundrum, as current models suggest general slow mannose trimming. As we show, misfolded or unfolded glycoproteins are subject to differentially faster trimming (and targeting to ERAD) than well-folded ones.
Aktuelle Bewertung von Homocystein als Risikofaktor für Demenz
Authors: Obeid Rima 
Published: October 2018

ZusammenfassungMit zunehmendem Lebensalter steigen die Homocysteinwerte im Blutplasma, unter anderem bedingt durch einen Mangel an B-Vitaminen wie Folat und den Vitaminen B6 und B12. In jüngeren Studien erwies sich die Hyperhomocystämie als ein modifizierbarer Risikofaktor für Demenz. Eine Senkung des Plasma-Homocysteins bei Patienten mit leichter kognitiver Dysfunktion und mehr als 14µmol / l Gesamthomocystein könnte eventuell den kognitiven Leistungsabbau bremsen.
Evaluation of the static magnetic field interactions for a newly developed magnetic ophthalmic implant at 3 Tesla MRI
Authors: Bodenstein Ann-Kathrin , Lüpke Matthias , Seiler Christian , Goblet Frank , Nikolic Stephan , Hinze Ulf , Chichkov Boris , Windhövel Claudia , Bach Jan-Peter , Harder Lisa , Seifert Hermann 
Published: October 2018

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the static magnetic field interactions for an ophthalmic-magnetic shunt implant with a ferromagnetic steel plate in a thin silicon layer. The plate is used for opening of a valve flap. Ten different sizes of this steel plate were investigated to characterize the relationship between the size of the metal and the magnetic forces of the static magnetic field of a 3.0 T MRI.
Materials and Methods The magnetic translation force Fz was quantified by determining the deflection angle using the deflection angle test (ASTM F 2052). The torque was qualitatively estimated by using a 5-point grading scale (0: no torque; + 4: very strong torque) according to Sommer et al. 11. For the visual investigation of the function of the metal plate both prototypes were positioned at the magnetic field’s spatial gradient and at the magnet’s isocenter. The stitches were exposed to the thousandfold of the translational force by a dynamometer.
Results The translational force was found to be 10 times greater than the weight of a single plate. The plates were exposed to a high torque (grade 3 to 4). The seams and the tissue withstood more than a thousandfold of the determined translational force. No spontaneous, uncontrolled opening of the valve flap was visible in the MRI, as a result of which the intraocular pressure could decrease considerably.
Conclusion Due to the small size of the plates the translational force and the torque will be compensated by the silicon layer and also by the fixation in the eye.
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Citation Format
Transnasal Esophagoscopy—Our Experience
Authors: Rocke John , Ahmed Shadaba 
Published: October 2018

Introduction Transnasal esophagoscopy (TNE) is a widely used tool both in the diagnosis and treatment of patients presenting complaints within the head and the neck. This is because this investigative adjunct examination provides the advantage of visualizing above the level of the cricopharyngeus muscle when compared to the more widely used esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD).
Objectives We have assessed if the implementation of TNE within a district general hospital (DGH) was feasible, and investigated if the resources of our patients could be better directed away from other investigations such as barium swallow and EGD in favor of this novel technique. The TNE technique has been largely applied in central teaching hospitals within the United Kingdom, but there are still no published reports of a DGH investigating its applicability in this smaller-sized clinical environment.
Method We have analyzed our theater database to find all the patients who had undergone TNE, and recorded their reason for presenting, the preceding investigations, and the procedural findings.
Results In most cases, the TNE was conducted without technical issues, and we were able to identify positive findings in 43% of the patients who underwent Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). We were able to treat patients successfully during the investigation when a cricopharyngeal stricture or narrowing was found. A normal EGD did not preclude further investigations with TNE. All but one of our patients were treated as day-case procedures.
Conclusion Transnasal esophagoscopy can be successfully delivered within a DGH. A previous EGD does not mean that the TNE will not reveal positive findings due to its superior visualization of the pharynx and the upper esophagus.
Comparison of Pediatric Risk of Mortality III, Pediatric Index of Mortality 2, and Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 in Predicting Mortality in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Tyagi Priyamvada , Agrawal Mukesh , Tullu Milind 
Published: October 2018

Aims To compare and validate the Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) III, Pediatric Index of Mortality (PIM) 2, and PIM 3 scores in a tertiary care pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) (Indian setting).
Materials and Methods All consecutively admitted patients in the PICU of a public hospital (excluding those with unstable vital signs or cardiopulmonary resuscitation within 2 hours of admission, cardiopulmonary resuscitation before admission, and discharge or death in less than 24 hours after admission) were included. PRISM III, PIM 2, and PIM 3 scores were calculated. Mortality discrimination for the three scores was calculated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and calibration was performed using the Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test.
Results A total of 350 patients were included (male:female = 1.3:1) over the study duration of 18 months (median age: 12 months [interquartile range: 4–60 months]). Nearly half were infants (47.4%). Patients with central nervous system disease were the highest (22.8%) followed by cardiovascular system (20.6%). Mortality rate was 39.4% (138 deaths). The area under the ROC curve for the PRISM III score was 0.667, and goodness-of-fit test showed no significant difference between the observed and expected mortalities in any of these categories (p > 0.5), showing good calibration. Areas under the ROC curve for the PIM 2 and PIM 3 scores were 0.728 and 0.726, respectively. For both the scores, the goodness-of-fit test showed good calibration.
Conclusions Although all the three scores demonstrate good calibration, the PIM 2 and PIM 3 scores have an advantage regarding the better discrimination ability, ease of data collection, simplicity of computation, and inherent capacity of not being affected by treatment in PICU.
Preventing shrinkage defects in investment casting of SUS310 stainless steel feather keys
Authors: Huang Pei-Hsing , Huang Wei-Ju 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
In this study, we employed computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis technology to examine the casting scheme used in the fabrication of SUS310 stainless steel feather keys. Our focus was on the evolution of thermodynamic behavior and the formation of porosity defects in the casting scheme. Our results provide a valuable reference for the elimination of defects and the formulation of design solutions aimed at reducing the time and costs associated with trials and production development.
Investigation on machinability of the oxide layer in anodic oxidation of reaction-sintered silicon carbide by pure-water
Authors: Yang Xiaocui , Shen Xinmin , Li Zhizhong , Tu Qunzhang , Yin Qin 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Oxidation-assisted polishing has been developed as an efficient method for precision machining of reaction-sintered silicon carbide (RS-SiC), and characteristic of the oxide layer is the critical factor to obtain a fine surface property. Machinability of the oxide layer obtained in anodic oxidation of RS-SiC by the pure-water under high-frequency-square-wave potential is investigated by the ceria slurry polishing in this study. Quantitative analysis of surface quality of the oxidized RS-SiC sample is conducted by the scanning white light interferometer (SWLI) measurement. Along with increase of the oxidation time, surface quality of the oxidized RS-SiC is changing better at the beginning, and rapidly deteriorated in further oxidation process. Surface qualities of the RS-SiC sample before oxidation, after oxidation, after HF etching, and after abrasive polishing, are compared by the SWLI measurement. Surface roughness rms after anodic oxidation for 60min is 189.004nm. After removing the oxide by ceria slurry polishing, the rms can reach 3.688nm. Meanwhile, there is no visible scratch on the new revealed surface. Therefore, combination of anodic oxidation of RS-SiC by pure water and abrasive polishing of oxide layer by ceria slurry can be considered as an efficient method to machine RS-SiC.
MetaSMC: a coalescent-based shotgun sequence simulator for evolving microbial populations
Authors: Liao Ki-Hok , Hon Wing-Kai , Tang Chuan-Yi , Hsieh Wen-Ping 
Published: October 2018

Abstract

Motivation
High-throughput sequencing technology has revolutionized the study of metagenomics and cancer evolution. In a relatively simple environment, a metagenomics sequencing data is dominated by a few species. By analyzing the alignment of reads from microbial species, single nucleotide polymorphisms can be discovered and the evolutionary history of the populations can be reconstructed. The ever-increasing read length will allow more detailed analysis about the evolutionary history of microbial or tumor cell population. A simulator of shotgun sequences from such populations will be helpful in the development or evaluation of analysis algorithms.

Results
Here, we described an efficient algorithm, MetaSMC, which simulates reads from evolving microbial populations. Based on the coalescent theory, our simulator supports all evolutionary scenarios supported by other coalescent simulators. In addition, the simulator supports various substitution models, including Jukes-Cantor, HKY85 and generalized time-reversible models. The simulator also supports mutator phenotypes by allowing different mutation rates and substitution models in different subpopulations. Our algorithm ignores unnecessary chromosomal segments and thus is more efficient than standard coalescent when recombination is frequent. We showed that the process behind our algorithm is equivalent to Sequentially Markov Coalescent with an incomplete sample. The accuracy of our algorithm was evaluated by summary statistics and likelihood curves derived from Monte Carlo integration over large number of random genealogies.

Availability and implementation
MetaSMC is written in C. The source code is available at https://github.com/tarjxvf/metasmc.

Supplementary information
Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Young Carers in Northern Ireland: Perceptions of and Responses to Illness and Disability within the Family
Authors: McGibbon Marlene , Spratt Trevor , Davidson Gavin 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
This paper reports findings from a qualitative study undertaken with twenty-two young carers across Northern Ireland aged between eight and eighteen. It focuses on their experiences as informal care-givers in households where at least one family member was living with an illness and/or disability. While much has been written about the quantifiable aspects of informal care including the number of hours spent caring and the physical nature of caring tasks, this approach has tended to subsume individual experiences within the category ‘young carer’ and fails to differentiate between sub-populations of children and young people whose caring relationships may be very disparate. Whilst there has been a tendency to focus on the vulnerability of young carers, explanations as to why some experience greater physical, emotional and psycho-social difficulties than others are underdeveloped. It has been suggested that differential outcomes may be attributable to a capacity for resilience, which can lessen vulnerability. The study examined the protective and risk factors, which might help to promote or challenge the resilience of young carers. It was found that knowledge of and response to both the nature and trajectory of illness or disability contributed to young carers’ capacity for resilience.