bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Psychometric evaluation of the Caregiver Preparedness Scale in caregivers of adults with heart failure
Authors: Petruzzo Antonio , Paturzo Marco , Buck Harleah G. , Barbaranelli Claudio , D'Agostino Fabio , Ausili Davide , Alvaro Rosaria , Vellone Ercole 
Published: September 2017

ABSTRACTWell‐prepared informal caregivers play an important role in heart failure (HF) care, so an instrument to evaluate their preparedness to care is important. To date, HF caregiver preparedness has been rarely investigated quantitatively. The Caregiver Preparedness Scale (CPS) has been used in other chronic condition populations, but its psychometric characteristics have never been tested in HF caregivers. The purpose of this study was to test the validity and reliability of the 8‐item CPS in HF caregivers. In a convenience sample of 317 HF caregivers (72.4% female, mean age 54), we tested the CPS' factorial structure with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and its concurrent validity with the Caregiver Contribution to Self‐Care of HF Index (CC‐SCHFI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). We also tested CPS' reliability with composite reliability indicators, Cronbach's alpha, factor score determinacy coefficient, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The CFA for a one‐factor model resulted in supportive fit indices (e.g., comparative fit index .97). Significant correlations (p < .05) of the CPS with both the CC‐SCHFI and the HADS supported concurrent validity. The composite reliability index, Cronbach's alpha, factor score determinacy coefficient, and ICC were .89, .91, .96, .91, respectively, supporting reliability. Our study provides evidence that the CPS is a valid and reliable instrument to measure HF caregiver preparedness, enabling clinicians, and researchers to target specific interventions to HF caregivers.
Semi‐feedback optimal control design for nonlinear problems
Authors: Moghadasian Mehdi , Roshanian Jafar 
Published: September 2017

SummaryIn this paper, a simple novel approach for feedback optimal control design of nonlinear problems which can nullify deviations from nominal trajectory has been proposed. On the basis of the proposed method, after solving the optimal control problem using a numerical method to achieve nominal trajectory and control command, one can take an arbitrary form of state feedback structure. Afterwards, by taking advantage of a simple process of the feedback bundle parameter optimization, the solution of the problem as a semi‐feedback optimal control policy will be available. In application, because of this specific structure, there is no need to use the nominal trajectory to calculate deviations. However, the semi‐feedback solution is able to keep the deviated trajectories near the nominal one without any information from deviations. To show the implementation of this approach, 2 simple examples have been solved, and then, the semi‐feedback solution for this problem has been verified by Monte Carlo simulation.
On the road to replacing invasive testing with cell‐based NIPT: Five clinical cases with aneuploidies, microduplication, unbalanced structural rearrangement, or mosaicism
Authors: Vestergaard Else Marie , Singh Ripudaman , Schelde Palle , Hatt Lotte , Ravn Katarina , Christensen Rikke , Lildballe Dorte Launholt , Petersen Olav Bjørn , Uldbjerg Niels , Vogel Ida 
Published: September 2017

AbstractObjectiveTrophoblastic fetal cells harvested from maternal blood have the capacity to be used for copy number analyses in a cell‐based non‐invasive prenatal test (cbNIPT). Potentially, this will result in increased resolution for detection of subchromosomal aberrations due to high quality DNA not intermixed with maternal DNA. We present 5 selected clinical cases from first trimester pregnancies where cbNIPT was used to demonstrate a wide range of clinically relevant aberrations.MethodBlood samples were collected from high risk pregnancies in gestational week 12 + 1 to 12 + 5. Fetal trophoblast cells were enriched and stained using fetal cell specific antibodies. The enriched cell fraction was scanned, and fetal cells were picked using a capillary‐based cell picking instrument. Subsequently, whole genome amplification (WGA) was performed on fetal cells, and the DNA was analyzed blindly by array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH).ResultsWe present 5 cases where non‐invasive cell‐based prenatal test results are compared with aCGH results on chorionic villus samples (CVS), demonstrating aneuploidies including mosaicism, unbalanced translocations, subchromosomal deletions, or duplications.ConclusionAneuploidy and subchromosomal aberrations can be detected using fetal cells harvested from maternal blood. The method has the future potential of being offered as a cell‐based NIPT with large high genomic resolution.
Thermal Behavior and Specific Heat Capacity of 1‐t‐Butyl‐3,3‐dinitroazetidinium Perchlorate
Authors: Yan Biao , Li Hongya , Guan Yulei , Ma Haixia , Song Jirong , Zhao Fengqi 
Published: September 2017

Abstract1‐t‐Butyl‐3,3‐dinitroazetidinium perchlorate (TDNAZ ⋅ HClO4) was synthesized, DSC and TG/DTG methods were used to study the thermal behavior of TDNAZ⋅HClO4 under a non–isothermal condition. The intense exothermic decomposition process of DSC curves were analyzed to obtain its kinetic parameters. Continuous specific heat capacity (Cp) mode of micro–calorimeter was used to determine its Cp, its specific molar heat capacity (Cp,m) was 365.70 J mol−1 K−1 at 298.15 K. The self‐accelerating decomposition temperature (TSADT), thermal ignition temperature (TTIT), and critical temperature of thermal explosion (Tb) were obtained to evaluate its thermal stability and safety. The above results of TDNAZ ⋅ HClO4 were compared with those of 3,3‐dinitroazetidinium perchlorate (DNAZ ⋅ HClO4), and the effect of tert‐butyl group on them was discussed.
Dockground: A comprehensive data resource for modeling of protein complexes
Authors: Kundrotas Petras J. , Anishchenko Ivan , Dauzhenka Taras , Kotthoff Ian , Mnevets Daniil , Copeland Matthew M. , Vakser Ilya A. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractCharacterization of life processes at the molecular level requires structural details of protein interactions. The number of experimentally determined structures of protein–protein complexes accounts only for a fraction of known protein interactions. This gap in structural description of the interactome has to be bridged by modeling. An essential part of the development of structural modeling/docking techniques for protein interactions is databases of protein–protein complexes. They are necessary for studying protein interfaces, providing a knowledge base for docking algorithms, and developing intermolecular potentials, search procedures, and scoring functions. Development of protein–protein docking techniques requires thorough benchmarking of different parts of the docking protocols on carefully curated sets of protein–protein complexes. We present a comprehensive description of the Dockground resource (http://dockground.compbio.ku.edu) for structural modeling of protein interactions, including previously unpublished unbound docking benchmark set 4, and the X‐ray docking decoy set 2. The resource offers a variety of interconnected datasets of protein–protein complexes and other data for the development and testing of different aspects of protein docking methodologies. Based on protein–protein complexes extracted from the PDB biounit files, Dockground offers sets of X‐ray unbound, simulated unbound, model, and docking decoy structures. All datasets are freely available for download, as a whole or selecting specific structures, through a user‐friendly interface on one integrated website.
Silicon amino acids
Authors: Czapla Marcin 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe existence and gas phase stability of silicon analogues of three natural amino acids (i.e., silicon glycine, silicon alanine, and silicon valine) belonging to the novel class of compounds termed silicon amino acids (SiAA) are investigated theoretically on the basis of ab initio QCISD/aug‐cc‐pVTZ and MP2/aug‐cc‐pVTZ calculations. All molecules studied (in their gas phase canonical forms) are structurally comparable to their proteinogenic counterparts (i.e., glycine, l‐alanine, and l‐valine) and capable of forming several structural isomers as such. These higher energy isomers are characterized by small relative energies (not exceeding 4 kcal mol−1). The simulated IR spectra of the Si‐Gly, Si‐Ala, and Si‐Val global minima are also presented and discussed.
Longitudinal and temporal water temperature patterns in the Yangtze River and its influence on spawning of the Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensisGray 1835)
Authors: Chang T. , Gao X. , Danley P. D. , Lin P. , Li M. , Liu H. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractIn this study, water temperature longitudinal and temporal patterns were investigated in four locations of the Yangtze River to identify their influence on spawning of the Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensisGray 1835). The results showed that, historically (1960–1980), the four locations, Pingshan (PS, 2,687 river kilometres [rkm]), Yichang (YC, 1,640 rkm), Chenglingji (CLJ, 1,265 rkm), and Hukou (HK, 805 rkm), all had similar average annual water temperatures (around 18.0 °C) but very different amplitudes: The upper two locations, PS (11.4–23.2 °C) and YC (9.1–25.9 °C), were relatively stable and had smaller amplitude than the lower two ones, CLJ (6.0–30.0 °C) and HK (5.9–30.8 °C). On the basis of the physiological effects for Chinese sturgeon, we defined three water temperature ranges: stressing (>23 °C), holding (23–20 °C), and spawning (20–16 °C). We found that the upper two locations with successful spawning of the Chinese sturgeon (PS and YC) had short or no stressing period but long holding and spawning periods. Currently (2013–2016), the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir increases the time for water temperature decreasing to 20 °C at the current spawning ground (YC) in autumn, which increases the stressing and holding periods, and has significant negative impact on the spawning of Chinese sturgeon. Nonetheless, considering the very high stressing temperature and the short duration of the holding and spawning periods at CLJ and HK, we propose that YC is still the most suitable spawning location for the Chinese sturgeon.
Superaerophobic Ultrathin Ni–Mo Alloy Nanosheet Array from In Situ Topotactic Reduction for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Zhang Qian , Li Pengsong , Zhou Daojin , Chang Zheng , Kuang Yun , Sun Xiaoming 
Published: September 2017

AbstractHydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has prospect to becoming clean and renewable technology for hydrogen production and Ni–Mo alloy is among the best HER catalysts in alkaline electrolytes. Here, an in situ topotactic reduction method to synthesize ultrathin 2D Ni–Mo alloy nanosheets for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution is reported. Due to its ultrathin structure and tailored composition, the as‐synthesized Ni–Mo alloy shows an overpotential of 35 mV to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2, along with a Tafel slope of 45 mV decade−1, demonstrating a comparable intrinsic activity to state‐of‐art commercial Pt/C catalyst. Besides, the vertically aligned assemble structure of the 2D NiMo nanosheets on conductive substrate makes the electrode “superaerophobic,” thus leading to much faster bubble releasing during HER process and therefore shows faster mass transfer behavior at high current density as compared with drop drying Pt/C catalyst on the same substrate. Such in situ topotactic conversion finds a way to design and fabricate low‐cost, earth‐abundant non‐noble metal based ultrathin 2D nanostructures for electrocatalytic issues.
Dietary Fatty Acid Composition Modulates Obesity and Interacts with Obesity‐Related Genes
Authors: Hammad Shatha S. , Jones Peter J. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe prevalence of obesity is skyrocketing worldwide. The scientific evidence has associated obesity risk with many independent factors including the quality of dietary fat and genetics. Dietary fat exists as the main focus of dietary guidelines targeting obesity reduction. To prevent/minimize the adipogenic effect of dietary fatty acids (FA), intakes of long‐chain saturated‐ andtrans‐FA should be reduced and substituted with unsaturated FA. The optimal proportions of dietary unsaturated FA are yet to be defined, along with a particular emphasis on the need to achieve a balanced ratio of n‐3:n‐6 polyunsaturated FA and to increase monounsaturated FA consumption at the expense of saturated FA. However, inter‐individual variability in weight loss in response to a dietary intervention is evident, which highlights the importance of exploring gene–nutrient interactions that can further modulate the risk for obesity development. The quality of dietary fat was found to modulate obesity development by interacting with genes involved in fatty acid metabolism, adipogenesis, and the endocannabinoid system. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the effect of the quality of dietary fat on obesity phenotype and obesity‐related genes. The evidence is not only supporting the modulatory effect of fat quality on obesity development but also presenting a number of interactions between obesity‐related genes and the quality of dietary fat. The identified gene–FA interaction may have a clinical importance and holds a promise for the possibility of using genetically targeted dietary interventions to reduce obesity risk in the future.
In Situ Effects of Shoreline Type and Watershed Land Use on Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Habitat Quality in the Chesapeake and Mid-Atlantic Coastal Bays
Authors: Landry J. Brooke , Golden Rebecca R. 
Published: September 2017

Abstract
Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) is an ecologically and economically valuable component of coastal estuaries that acts as an early indicator of both degrading and improving water quality. This study aimed to determine if shoreline hardening, which is associated with increased population pressure and climate change, acts to degrade SAV habitat quality at the local scale. In situ comparisons of SAV beds adjacent to both natural and hardened shorelines in 24 subestuaries throughout the Chesapeake and Mid-Atlantic Coastal Bays indicated that shoreline hardening does impact adjacent SAV beds. Species diversity, evenness, and percent cover were significantly reduced in the presence of riprap revetment. A post hoc analysis also confirmed that SAV is locally affected by watershed land use associated with increased population pressure, though to a lesser degree than impacts observed from shoreline armoring. When observed over time, SAV recovery at the local level took approximately 3 to 4 years following storm impacts, and SAV adjacent to natural shorelines showed more resilience to storms than SAV adjacent to armored shorelines. The negative impacts of shoreline hardening and watershed development on SAV shown here will inform coastal zone management decisions as increasing coastal populations and sea level rise drive these practices.
Interferon-α induces negative biases in emotional processing in patients with hepatitis C virus infection: a preliminary study
Authors: Cooper C. M. , Godlewska B. , Sharpley A. L. , Barnes E. , Cowen P. J. , Harmer C. J. 
Published: September 2017

BackgroundTreatment of medical patients with the inflammatory cytokine, interferon-α (IFN-α), is frequently associated with the development of clinical depressive symptomatology. Several important biological correlates of the effect of IFN-α on mood have been described, but the neuropsychological changes associated with IFN-α treatment are largely unexplored. The aim of the present preliminary study was to assess the effect of IFN-α on measures of emotional processing.MethodWe measured changes in emotional processing over 6–8 weeks in 17 patients receiving IFN-α as part of their treatment for hepatitis C virus infection. Emotional processing tasks included those which have previously been shown to be sensitive to the effects of depression and antidepressant treatment, namely facial expression recognition, emotional categorisation and the dot probe attentional task.ResultsFollowing IFN-α, patients were more accurate at detecting facial expressions of disgust; they also showed diminished attentional vigilance to happy faces. IFN-α produced the expected increases in scores on depression rating scales, but there was no correlation between these scores and the changes in emotional processing.ConclusionsOur preliminary findings suggest that IFN-α treatment produces negative biases in emotional processing, and this effect is not simply a consequence of depression. It is possible that increased recognition of disgust may represent a neuropsychological marker of depressive disorders related to inflammation.
Norbert Elias’s contribution to Andrew Linklater’s contribution to International Relations
Authors: Mennell Stephen 
Published: September 2017

AbstractAndrew Linklater’s projected trilogy of books for Cambridge University Press rests distinctively on the work of the sociologist Norbert Elias (1897–1990). Linklater is creating a powerful theoretical orientation for the field of International Relations by synthesising the ideas of Martin Wight and the ‘English School’ of IR with those of Elias. Though Elias is best known for his theory of civilising processes – on which Linklater draws most prominently – his writings are far more extensive. In particular, his sociological theory of knowledge and the sciences underlies Linklater’s recent writings, even if that is not immediately apparent on a cursory reading. This article spells out some of the ‘Eliasian infrastructure’ that may not be familiar to many of Linklater’s readers. It also discusses ways in which common misunderstandings of Elias’s ideas may lead to parallel misunderstandings of Linklater’s. The article concludes by asking whether, even if Linklater’s vision of the growth of ‘cosmopolitan responsibility’ may prove correct in the long term, we may nevertheless be experiencing something of a (possibly short-term) reversal towards ‘cosmopolitan irresponsibility’.
Examining the conditions of using an on-line dictionary to learn words and comprehend texts
Authors: Dilenschneider Robert Francis 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThis study investigated three look-up conditions for language learners to learn unknown target words and comprehend a reading passage when their attention is transferred away to an on-line dictionary. The research questions focused on how each look-up condition impacted the recall and recognition of word forms, word meanings, and passage comprehension. The participants were 84 first-year Japanese medical university students. The recall and recognition of word forms and word meanings, and passage comprehension data were analysed using the Rasch model. Probabilities ofp<.05 were considered measurably different for the sample population used in this study, and probabilities ofp<.003 were considered statistically significant and generalizable to a larger population. Overall, the results suggest three findings with regard to the on-line dictionary study. First, if only the results that were statistically significant are considered, there might be two conditions to learn words and comprehend reading passages: the spell condition seems to be best for learning the forms and meanings of words, and the control condition for promoting passage comprehension. Second, if the results that were both statistically significant and measurably different are considered, the spell, click, and control conditions might promote the learning of word forms, word meanings, and passage comprehension, respectively. Third, however, the click condition might promote both the learning of word meanings and passage comprehension because its effects were measurably higher to the spell condition on these measures. The results are consistent with the type of processing-resource allocation model for learning the forms and meanings of words and cognitive load theory for comprehending reading passages.
Enhancement of diuresis with metolazone in infant paediatric cardiac intensive care patients
Authors: Wise Russell T. , Moffett Brady S. , Akcan-Arikan Ayse , Galati Marianne , Afonso Natasha , Checchia Paul A. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractBackgroundFew data are available regarding the use of metolazone in infants in cardiac intensive care. Researchers need to carry out further evaluation to characterise the effects of this treatment in this population.MethodsThis is a descriptive, retrospective study carried out in patients less than a year old. These infants had received metolazone over a 2-year period in the paediatric cardiac intensive care unit at our institution. The primary goal was to measure the change in urine output from 24 hours before the start of metolazone therapy to 24 hours after. Patient demographic variables, laboratory data, and fluid-balance data were analysed.ResultsThe study identified 97 infants with a mean age of 0.32±0.25 years. Their mean weight was 4.9±1.5 kg, and 58% of the participants were male. An overall 63% of them had undergone cardiovascular surgery. The baseline estimated creatinine clearance was 93±37 ml/minute/1.73 m2. Initially, the participants had received a metolazone dose of 0.27±0.10 mg/kg/day, the maximum dose being 0.43 mg/kg/day. They had also received other diuretics during metolazone initiation, such as furosemide (87.6%), spironolactone (58.8%), acetazolamide (11.3%), bumetanide (7.2%), and ethacrynic acid (1%). The median change in urine output after metolazone was 0.9 ml/kg/hour (interquartile range 0.15–1.9). The study categorised a total of 66 patients (68.0%) as responders. Multivariable analysis identified acetazolamide use (p=0.002) and increased fluid input in the 24 hours after metolazone initiation (p<0.001) as being significant for increased urine output. Changes in urine output were not associated with the dose of metolazone (p>0.05).ConclusionsMetolazone increased urine output in a select group of patients. Efficacy can be maximised by strategic selection of patients.