bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Twenty-year experience of paediatric thyroid surgery using intraoperative nerve monitoring
Authors: Schneider R , Machens A , Sekulla C , Lorenz K , Weber F , Dralle H 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Background
There are few data on intermittent and continuous intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) during thyroidectomy in children.

Methods
All children aged 18 years or younger who had standard thyroid operations using intermittent or continuous IONM between January 1998 and December 2016 were included in the study. The impact of age and type of IONM on basal amplitude, latency and complications after thyroidectomy were assessed.

Results
A total of 504 children were included in the study. With continuous IONM, median basal amplitude and latency increased significantly with age, more on the left side (from 199 to 870 μV, and from 3·88 to 5·75 ms) than on the right (from 340 to 778 μV, and from 2·63 to 3·50 ms). Compared with intermittent IONM with needle electrode, continuous IONM with tube electrode resulted in an increase in median basal amplitude in children aged 13–18 years on both sides (from 675 to 778 μV on the right and from 450 to 870 μV on the left), and a decrease in median latency in all children older than 3 years: in children aged 4–6 years, from 4·20 to 3·00 ms on the right and from 6·10 to 4·63 ms on the left; in children aged 7–12 years, from 4·60 to 3·50 ms and from 6·00 to 5·25 ms respectively; and in children aged 13–18 years, from 4·60 to 3·50 ms and from 6·40 to 5·75 ms. Overall, wound infection, but not bleeding/haematoma or vocal fold palsy, affected younger children more: 3 per cent of children aged 3 years or less; 2 per cent of children aged 4–6 years; and 0 per cent of children aged over 6 years (P = 0·031). With continuous IONM, no wound infection, bleeding/haematoma or permanent vocal fold palsy was noted in any age group.

Conclusion
Continuous IONM measures nerve electrophysiology more accurately than intermittent IONM during thyroidectomy in children.
Analysis of the Relation between Coupled Sink and Purification Based on Hydrogen Network Integration
Authors: Huang Lingjun , Li Wei , Mao Jinbing , Liu Guilian 
Published: March 2018

AbstractIn a hydrogen network, sinks and sources are generally connected to reactors or purifiers, which affect their compositions and flow rates. The relationship between these streams is studied based on the integration of the hydrogen network to identify the feasible and optimal operating conditions of reactors and purifiers. Equations are deduced to describe the quantitative relationship between hydrogen consumption, hydrogen concentration, flow rates of coupled sink and source, purification feed, and purified product. The purification and hydrogen‐consuming reactor parameters can be optimized in the design and operation stage of a hydrogen network. The case study proves that the proposed method is simple, easy to understand, and can be applied to identify the variation trend line and feasible region accurately without tedious calculation.
Electro Discharge Machining – A Suitable Fabrication Process for High‐Pressure/High‐Temperature Equipment
Authors: Hertweck Benjamin , Kimmel Anna-Carina L. , Steigerwald Thomas G. , Alt Nicolas S. A. , Schlücker Eberhard 
Published: March 2018

AbstractElectro discharge machining (EDM) is an important manufacturing process for hard‐to‐cut materials like nickel‐based alloys, e.g., alloy 718. Its high yield strength at high temperature make it a suitable material for vessels for high‐pressure/high‐temperature applications, in particular for ammonothermal pressure vessels. This report first summarizes the relationship between microstructure and properties of alloy 718 for practitioners. Second, it focuses on the metallographic description of alloy 718 surfaces proceeded by EDM and its behavior during use as equipment for ammonoacidic systems. Furthermore, the finding of suitable post‐processing, namely honing, to achieve high stability of the surface at high‐pressure atmosphere is included.
Simulation and Experimental Investigation of Labyrinth Seals for Reciprocating Piston Compressors
Authors: Schaller Andreas , Darvishsefat Novin , Schlücker Eberhard 
Published: March 2018

AbstractTo optimize the performance of oil‐free reciprocating piston compressors, the leakage flow through the piston seal has to be minimized. Therefore, the effects of the geometrical parameters and shapes of labyrinth seals on the leakage flow are examined. The main geometrical parameters and shapes are investigated by means of computational flow dynamics simulations. The optimum geometries obtained from the simulations are experimentally tested on a compressor rig. The rectangle labyrinth shows the lowest leakage followed by a novel semicircle geometry and the triangle geometry shows the highest leakage flow among the labyrinths. The straight seal exhibits the highest leakage flow rate. It can be concluded that the rectangle labyrinth reduces the leakage flow rate in the most efficient way.
Phase boundaries for synthetic light oils and gas condensate mixtures using predictive equations of state with a solid solution model
Authors: Nasrifar Khashayar , Javanmardi Jafar 
Published: March 2018

AbstractPhase boundaries for five synthetic paraffinic mixtures were predicted using a previously developed Gibbs energy minimization algorithm. In this method, the vapour and liquid phases were described by cubic equations of state (EoS). These EoS employed a predictive temperature‐dependent group‐contribution binary interaction parameter model. The solid phase was described using a universal quasi‐chemical activity coefficient (UNIQUAC) solid solution model. Using this algorithm, the phase boundaries were calculated from a temperature‐search strategy. The predicted phase boundaries were found to be in good agreement with experimental phase boundaries for vapour‐liquid (VL), solid‐liquid (SL), solid‐vapour (SV), and solid‐vapour‐liquid (SVL) regions. The model was also used to predict the phase boundaries at low temperatures where no experimental data were available.
Highly selective preparation of valuable dinitronaphthalene from catalytic nitration of 1‐nitronaphthalene with NO2 over HY zeolite
Authors: Deng Renjie , You Kuiyi , Zhao Fangfang , Liu Pingle , Luo He'an 
Published: March 2018

AbstractIn this work, a simple method for the highly selective preparation of valuable dinitronaphthalene from 1‐nitronaphthalene employing NO2 as a nitrating agent has been developed. The results demonstrated that HY zeolite as an eco‐friendly and stable catalyst exhibits good catalytic performances. The total selectivity to valuable dinitronaphthalene compounds including 1,5‐, 1,4‐, and 1,3‐dinitronaphthalene can reach 87.6 % in our present nitration reaction. Meanwhile, the physico‐chemical properties of catalysts were characterized by XRD, FTIR, TG/DTG, BET, and NH3‐TPD, and the probable nitration reaction mechanism was also suggested in this paper. The present nitration process seems to be a mild, eco‐friendly, and economical route for the preparation of valuable dinitronaphthalene compounds.
Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and Molecular Modeling Studies of Propargyl‐Containing 2,4,6‐Trisubstituted Pyrimidine Derivatives as Potential Anti‐Parkinson Agents
Authors: Kumar Bhupinder , Kumar Mohit , Dwivedi Ashish Ranjan , Kumar Vinod 
Published: March 2018

AbstractMonoamine oxidase B (MAO‐B) inhibitors are potential drug candidates for the treatment of various neurological disorders including Parkinson's disease. A total of 20 new propargyl‐containing 2,4,6‐trisubstituted pyrimidine derivatives were synthesized and screened for MAO inhibition using Amplex Red assays. All the synthesized compounds were found to be reversible and selective inhibitors of the MAO‐B isoform at sub‐micromolar concentrations. MVB3 was the most potent MAO‐B inhibitor with an IC50 value of 0.38±0.02 μμ, whereas MVB6 (IC50=0.51±0.04 μμ) and MVB16 (IC50=0.48±0.06 μμ) were the most selective for MAO‐B with a selectivity index of more than 100‐fold. In cytotoxic studies, these compounds were found to be nontoxic to human neuroblastoma SH‐SY5Y cells at concentrations of 25 μm. MVB6 was found to decrease the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species to 68 % at 10 μm concentration, whereas other compounds did not produce significant changes in reactive oxygen species levels. In molecular modeling studies, MVB3 displayed strong binding affinity for the MAO‐B isoform with a dock score of −10.45, in agreement with the observed activity. All the compounds fitted well in the hydrophobic cavity of MAO‐B. Thus, propargyl‐substituted pyrimidine derivatives can be promising leads in the development of potent, selective and reversible MAO‐B inhibitors for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Star‐Shaped Push‐Pull Molecules with a Varied Number of Peripheral Acceptors: An Insight into Their Optoelectronic Features
Authors: Klikar Milan , Seintis Kostas , Polyzos Ioannis , Pytela Oldřich , Mikysek Tomáš , Almonasy Numan , Fakis Mihalis , Bureš Filip 
Published: March 2018

AbstractStar‐shaped molecules with a gradually varied number of peripheral acceptors were designed, synthesized, and subsequently investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry, electrochemistry, and linear absorption and emission spectra. Two‐photon absorption properties were studied by two‐photon absorption fluorescence. Experimental data were completed by the results of quantum chemical calculations and thorough structure‐property relationships were elucidated. The performed analysis showed that structural features such as the number of CN groups, star‐shaped arrangement, π‐linker composition, and multipodality are the most important factors affecting optoelectronic features of the studied chromophores.
Model‐free quantification and visualization of colocalization in fluorescence images
Authors: Taylor Aaron B. , Ioannou Maria S. , Aaron Jesse , Chew Teng‐Leong 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe spatial association between fluorescently tagged biomolecules in situ provides valuable insight into their biological relationship. Within the limits of diffraction, such association can be measured using either Pearson's Correlation Coefficient (PCC) or Spearman's Rank Coefficient (SRC), which are designed to measure linear and monotonic correlations, respectively. However, the relationship between real biological signals is often more complex than these measures assume, rendering their results difficult to interpret. Here, we have adapted methods from the field of information theory to measure the association between two probes' concentrations based on their statistical dependence. Our approach is mathematically more general than PCC or SRC, making no assumptions about the type of relationship between the probes. We show that when applied to biological images, our measures provide more intuitive results that are also more robust to outliers and the presence of multiple relationships than PCC or SRC. We also devise a display technique to highlight regions in the input images where the probes' association is higher versus lower. We expect that our methods will allow biologists to more accurately and robustly quantify and visualize the association between two probes in a pair of fluorescence images. © 2018 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Electrochemical Formation of Nanostructured Gold Surfaces on Glassy Carbon for the Determination of Dopamine
Authors: Cevallos‐Morillo Carlos Alberto , Hernández‐Vargas Salvador G. , Aguilar‐Cordero Julio C. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractNanostructured gold surfaces were prepared by potentiostatic, potentiodynamic or galvanostatic Au electrodeposition on glassy carbon electrodes. The nanostructured gold electrodes (nsAu/GC) were used for the determination of dopamine (DA) in aqueous media. A directly proportional relationship was found between the peak current for DA (obtained by square wave voltammetry, SWV) and its concentration for all cases. However, the best performance for DA determination was attained with potentiodynamically electrodeposited surfaces. The SWV peak current was linearly dependent on DA concentration up to 10 μM, with a detection limit (3σ) of 0.57 μM, and a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.9966. A study on the effect of common interfering species such as ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) on DA determination was also carried out. The use of a nanostructured surface gives rise to peaks for AA and UA that appear at 0.15–0.20 V above the peak potential for DA. The detection limit obtained for dopamine is below 1 μM in the presence of 0.1 mM AA and 0.1 mM UA. Thus, nanostructuring of glassy carbon surfaces with gold conveniently and easily improves the detection of DA in the presence of their principal interfering species.
Batch‐injection Analysis Better than ever: New Materials for Improved Electrochemical Detection and On‐site Applications
Authors: Rocha Diego P. , Cardoso Rafael M. , Tormin Thiago F. , de Araujo William R. , Munoz Rodrigo A. A. , Richter Eduardo M. , Angnes Lúcio 
Published: March 2018

AbstractSince the development of batch‐injection analysis (BIA) in 1990, the technique has been constantly upgraded, especially for electrochemical systems, including the creation of novel cell designs and association with new accessories to cover a wide range of applications. BIA systems have provided faster, portable, and more precise analyses. In addition, application of new materials as working electrodes provide improvement on sensitivity and selectivity, resulting in unique advantages for such analytical systems. This review focuses on the most recent advances of BIA systems, including the evolution of designs and materials used to construct BIA cells, with special emphasis to novel materials applied for improved electrochemical sensing. Modified electrodes with inorganic and organic nanomaterials on different substrates, including disposable platforms (screen‐printed electrodes and paper‐based devices) are highlighted. Boron‐doped diamond electrodes (BDDE), carbon‐nanotube and graphene‐modified electrodes have been combined with BIA systems for a wide range of applications that demand on‐site analyses.
Chromatographic Determination of Sugar Probes Used for Gastrointestinal Permeability Test by Employing Nickel‐Copper Nanoalloy Embedded in Carbon Film Electrodes
Authors: Shiba Shunsuke , Maruyama Rina , Kamata Tomoyuki , Kato Dai , Niwa Osamu 
Published: March 2018

AbstractCo‐sputtered Ni/Cu nanoalloy embedded in carbon film electrodes were applied to an isocratic high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) electrochemical detector to analyze urinary sugar probes used to assess gastrointestinal permeability. Electrode activity was easily controlled by varying the amounts of embedded nanoalloys without changing the Ni/Cu ratio. The high electrocatalytic activity of a nanoalloy makes it possible to achieve a limit of detection (LOD) of several tens of nM, which is one or two orders of magnitude lower than that of conventional pulsed amperometric detection using a gold electrode (Au‐PAD). Moreover, Ni/Cu nanoalloy embedded in carbon film exhibits higher resistivity to electrode fouling by artificial urine components than Au‐PAD, indicating that our electrode is a promising material for detecting sugar probes in real urine samples even under normal amperometric conditions.
Simple, low‐cost fabrication of semi‐circular channel using the surface tension of solder paste and its application to microfluidic valves
Authors: Yan Sheng , Li Yuxing , Zhu Yuanqing , Liu Minsu , Zhao Qianbin , Yuan Dan , Yun Guolin , Zhang Shiwu , Wen Weijia , Tang Shi‐Yang , Li Weihua 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThis work presents a simple, low‐cost method to fabricate semi‐circular channels using solder paste, which can amalgamate the cooper surface to form a half‐cylinder mold using the surface tension of Sn–Pd alloy (the main component in solder paste). This technique enables semi‐circular channels to be manufactured with different dimensions. These semi‐circular channels will then be integrated with a polymethylmethacrylate frame and machine screws to create miniaturized, portable microfluidic valves for sequential liquid delivery and particle synthesis. This approach avoids complicated fabrication processes and expensive facilities and thus has the potential to be a useful tool for lab‐on‐a‐chip applications.
Early diabetes screening in pregnancy
Authors: Shinar Shiri , Berger Howard 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe present literature review was conducted to evaluate early diabetes screening in pregnancy. The review focuses on the various guidelines for early screening, the target populations for screening, and the assessment of various early screening targets and strategies. The advantages and disadvantages of each screening method are highlighted. The review emphasizes that there are no validated criteria for selecting high‐risk pregnant women for early screening. The different early screening modalities, including fasting plasma glucose, random plasma glucose, postload glucose, and hemoglobin A1c, lack concordance and have not been validated for the early diagnosis of diabetes in pregnancy. Moreover, the benefit of early screening by earlier initiation of treatment has not been shown. Until a randomized controlled trial demonstrates benefit to screening and validates a particular screening method, it is not possible to provide evidence to support any single strategy for early diabetes screening in pregnancy.
The effect of premature luteinizing hormone increases among high ovarian responders undergoing a gonadotropin‐releasing hormone antagonist ovarian stimulation protocol
Authors: Geng Yudi , Lai Qiaohong , Xun Yang , Jin Lei 
Published: March 2018

AbstractObjectiveTo explore factors causing a premature rise in luteinizing hormone among high ovarian responders undergoing the gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist ovarian stimulation protocol.MethodsThe present retrospective study included healthy women undergoing fresh cycles using a fixed GnRH antagonist protocol with a predicted high response and antral follicle count (AFC) of at least 15 at the Reproductive Medicine Center of Tongji Hospital, China, between January 1 and December 31, 2016. Treatment‐related characteristics, hormone changes, and pregnancy outcomes were compared between patients who did or did not experience a premature luteinizing hormone rise.ResultsThere were 314 patients included; 49 experienced premature luteinizing hormone increases. Among patients who experienced a premature rise in luteinizing hormone, a lower two pronuclear embryo rate (P=0.038); fewer high‐quality embryos (P=0.020); higher serum luteinizing hormone (P=0.006), progesterone (P=0.013), and estradiol (E2) levels (P=0.003) on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration; a lower clinical pregnancy rate (P=0.031); and a higher cancellation rate (P=0.006) were observed. AFC of at least 22 (P=0.001) and E2 of 669 pg/mL or higher at the start of GnRH antagonist administration were predictive of early (P=0.036) and late (P=0.033) premature luteinizing hormone increases.ConclusionEarlier administration of GnRH antagonist could avoid premature luteinizing hormone increases among high ovarian responders, especially those with a starting AFC of 22 or more.
Procyanidin‐B2 enriched fraction of cinnamon acts as a proteasome inhibitor and anti‐proliferative agent in human prostate cancer cells
Authors: Gopalakrishnan Srividya , Ediga Harshavardhana H. , Reddy S. Sreenivasa , Reddy G. Bhanuprakash , Ismail Ayesha 
Published: March 2018

AbstractAltered activity of the proteolytic machine—the 26S proteasome is observed in many disease conditions. Hence, either inhibition or activation of the 26S proteasome is thought to be a novel therapy for treatment of certain diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we tested the potential of cinnamon and one of its active ingredients, procyanidin‐B2 (PCB2), in inhibiting the catalytic activities of the proteasome and suppressing prostate cancer cell growth. Proteasome activities were measured using fluorogenic substrates specific for the different enzymatic activities of the 26S proteasome by flourometry. Cell viability was assessed using the 3‐[4, 5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2.5‐diphenyl‐tetrazolium bromide assay, while apoptosis was examined by Hoechst and propidium iodide staining and caspase‐3 activity. Both, the cinnamon extract and its PCB2‐enriched F2 fraction inhibited the catalytic activities of the purified proteasome and the proteasome in cancer cells but not in normal cells. Furthermore, cinnamon and its active component decreased cell proliferation of human prostate cancer cells but not normal lung cells, decreased expression of anti‐apoptotic and angiogenic markers in prostate cancer cell lysates. These results demonstrate that cinnamon extract and its PCB2‐enriched fraction act as proteasome inhibitors and have prospects as anti‐cancer agents. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 70(5):445–457, 2018
Literary Analysis Using Minecraft: An Asian American Youth Crafts Her Literacy Identity
Authors: Marlatt Rick 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThis article describes a recent teacher researcher's investigation of digitized literature study at a Midwestern U.S. high school during the 2015–2016 school year that explored the use of digital literacies to support student‐centered literary analysis. Digital literacy practices position literature students to connect with texts in authentic ways. In their reading of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, students used the video game Minecraft to re‐create scenes, respond to literary elements, and analyze deeper meanings. The analyses of one particular student resulted in powerful explorations of identity. Using qualitative research tools, the author analyzed her case through observations, interviews, and student‐created artifacts to understand how this popular technology could facilitate literary analysis at the secondary level.
A kink that makes you sick: The effect of sick pay on absence
Authors: Böckerman Petri , Kanninen Ohto , Suoniemi Ilpo 
Published: March 2018

SummaryWe exploit a regression kink design to estimate the elasticity of the duration of sickness absence with respect to replacement rate. Elasticity is a central parameter in defining the optimal social insurance scheme compensating for lost earnings due to sickness. We use comprehensive administrative data and a kink in the policy rule near the median earnings. We find a statistically significant estimate of the elasticity of the order of one.