bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Remediation of soil contaminated by PAHs and TPH using alkaline activated persulfate enhanced by surfactant addition at flow conditions
Authors: Lominchar Miguel A , Lorenzo David , Romero Arturo , Santos Aurora 
Published: October 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDRemediation of a soil polluted with fuel oil #2 and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been carried out by alkaline activated persulfate (PS). The effect of surfactant addition on the abatement of TPH and PAHs was studied. Accordingly, four runs were performed at flow conditions using: only water, only surfactant (15 g L‐1 of Verusol‐3), activated persulfate (210 mmol L‐1 PS and 840 mmol L‐1 NaOH) and surfactant (15 g L‐1 Verusol) with activated persulfate (210 mmol L‐1 PS and 840 mmol L‐1 NaOH).RESULTSWashing with water was found to achieve negligible desorption of the pollutants. Washing with surfactant or a combination of surfactant and oxidant completely removed the contaminants from soil, however only the addition of oxidant yielded an aqueous effluent without pollutants. When adding activated persulfate alone (without surfactant), about 30% residual contamination remained in the soil.CONCLUSIONResults suggest that the combined application of surfactant and alkali persulfate produces a significant improvement in the elimination of organic compounds such as fuel oil #2 and PAHs. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Fluorine‐19 magnetic resonance imaging probe for the detection of tau pathology in female rTg4510 mice
Authors: Yanagisawa Daijiro , Ibrahim Nor Faeizah , Taguchi Hiroyasu , Morikawa Shigehiro , Kato Tomoko , Hirao Koichi , Shirai Nobuaki , Sogabe Takayuki , Tooyama Ikuo 
Published: October 2017

AbstractAggregation of tau into neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) is characteristic of tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease. Recent advances in tau imaging have attracted much attention because of its potential contributions to early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progress. Fluorine‐19 magnetic resonance imaging (19F‐MRI) may be extremely useful for tau imaging once a high‐quality probe has been formulated. In this investigation, a novel fluorine‐19–labeling compound has been developed as a probe for tau imaging using 19F‐MRI. This compound is a buta‐1,3‐diene derivative with a polyethylene glycol side chain bearing a CF3 group and is known as Shiga‐X35. Female rTg4510 mice (a mouse model of tauopathy) and wild‐type mice were intravenously injected with Shiga‐X35, and magnetic resonance imaging of each mouse's head was conducted in a 7.0‐T horizontal‐bore magnetic resonance scanner. The 19F‐MRI in rTg4510 mice showed an intense signal in the forebrain region. Analysis of the signal intensity in the forebrain region revealed a significant accumulation of fluorine‐19 magnetic resonance signal in the rTg4510 mice compared with the wild‐type mice. Histological analysis showed fluorescent signals of Shiga‐X35 binding to the NFTs in the brain sections of rTg4510 mice. Data collected as part of this investigation indicate that 19F‐MRI using Shiga‐X35 could be a promising tool to evaluate tau pathology in the brain.
Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Quantification in the Evaluation of Thyroid Elasticity in Pediatric Patients With Hashimoto Thyroiditis
Authors: Yucel Serap , Ceyhan Bilgici Meltem , Kara Cengiz , Can Yilmaz Gulay , Aydin H. Murat , Elmali Muzaffer , Tomak Leman , Saglam Dilek 
Published: October 2017

ObjectivesTo evaluate the parenchymal elasticity of the thyroid gland with acoustic radiation force impulse imaging in pediatric patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis and to compare it with healthy volunteers.MethodsTwenty‐six patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis and 26 healthy volunteers between 6 and 17 years were included. The shear wave velocity (SWV) values of both thyroid lobes in both groups were evaluated.ResultsThe age and sex characteristics of the controls and patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis were similar. The SWV of the thyroid gland in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis (mean ± SD, 1.67 ± 0.63 m/s) was significantly higher than that in the control group (1.30 ± 0.13 m/s; P < .001). There was no significant difference between the thyroid lobes in both groups. A receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed an optimal cutoff value of 1.41 m/s, with 73.1% sensitivity, 80.8% specificity, a 79.2 % positive predictive value, and a 75.0% negative predictive value (area under the curve, 0.806; P < .001). In patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis, there was a positive correlation between the SWV values versus anti‐thyroperoxidase (Pearson r = 0.46; P = .038). There were no correlations between age, body mass index, thyroid function test results, and anti‐thyroglobulin values and versus SWV values. Also, no significant differences were seen between the groups for gland size, gland vascularity, and l‐thyroxine treatment.ConclusionsAcoustic radiation force impulse elastography showed a significant difference in the stiffness of the thyroid gland between children with Hashimoto thyroiditis and the healthy group. Using acoustic radiation force impulse elastography immediately after a standard ultrasound evaluation may predict chronic autoimmune thyroiditis.
Correlation Between the Thymic‐Thoracic Ratio and Cardiac Axis in Healthy Fetuses
Authors: Zhao Ge , Liu Jing , Meng Tao 
Published: October 2017

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the correlation between the thymic‐thoracic ratio and cardiac axis in healthy fetuses.MethodsThe fetal thymic‐thoracic ratio and cardiac axis were measured in 220 healthy fetuses. The normal ranges of the fetal thymic‐thoracic ratio and cardiac axis for each gestational week were established. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to analyze the relationship between the thymic‐thoracic ratio and cardiac axis.ResultsThe mean fetal thymic‐thoracic ratio increased slightly throughout the pregnancy, from 0.33 at 17 weeks' gestation to 0.37 at 37 weeks. No statistically significant correlation was found between the thymic‐thoracic ratio and cardiac axis in healthy fetuses.ConclusionsIn healthy fetuses, the thymus occupies an increasingly larger portion of the upper mediastinum when the pregnancy advances. The cardiac axis is not affected by the thymic‐thoracic ratio in healthy fetuses.
Snowshoe hare multi‐level habitat use in a fire‐adapted ecosystem
Authors: Gigliotti Laura C. , Jones Benjamin C. , Lovallo Matthew J. , Diefenbach Duane R. 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACTPrescribed burning has the potential to improve habitat for species that depend on pyric ecosystems or other early successional vegetation types. For species that occupy diverse plant communities over the extent of their range, response to disturbances such as fire might vary based on post‐disturbance vegetation dynamics among plant communities. Although responses of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) to fire have been studied in conifer‐dominated forests in northern parts of the species’ range, there is a lack of information on snowshoe hare habitat use in fire‐dependent communities in southern parts of their range. We used global positioning system (GPS) and very high frequency (VHF) radio‐collars to monitor the habitat use of 32 snowshoe hares in a scrub‐oak (Quercus ilicifolia)‐pitch pine (Pinus rigida) barrens complex in northeastern Pennsylvania where prescribed fire has been used for habitat restoration. The area contained stands that underwent prescribed burning 1–6 years prior to our study. Also, we investigated fine‐scale determinants of habitat use within stands. We found that regardless of season, hares did not select for areas that had been burned within 6 years prior. Hares primarily used stands of older scrub oak, conifer, or hardwoods, which contained dense understory vegetation and canopy cover. Hare habitat use also was positively associated with stand edges. Our results suggest that hares do not respond to prescribed burning of scrub oak in the short‐term. In addition, by focusing on structural determinants of habitat use, rather than broad‐scale characteristics such as stand type, management strategies for snowshoe hares can be adapted over the extent of their range despite the multitude of different land cover types across which the species occurs. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
Post‐breeding migration and connectivity of red knots in the Western Atlantic
Authors: Lyons James E. , Winn Bradford , Keyes Timothy , Kalasz Kevin S. 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACTRed knots (Calidris canutus rufa) have 3 distinct nonbreeding regions: 1 in the southeastern United States and Caribbean, another on the northeast coast of Brazil in the Maranhão region, and a third along the Patagonian coasts of Chile and Argentina. Effective conservation and recovery of this threatened long‐distance migrant will require knowledge of population structure, migration ecology, and abundance and distribution throughout the annual cycle. We conducted a stopover population and biogeographic assessment of knots at the Altamaha River Delta, Georgia, an important stopover area in the southeastern United States. We estimated stopover population size and stopover duration during post‐breeding migration in 2011 at the Altamaha study area using mark‐resight data, and we inferred nonbreeding regions for this stopover population using stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen in feathers, and observations (sightings and captures) during boreal winter from across the hemisphere. With an integrated Bayesian analysis of all these data, we also estimated the number of birds in the southeastern United States and northern Brazil during boreal winter. For mark‐resight analyses in Georgia, we made observations of marked individuals during 14 weeks from early August to early November 2011 and detected 814 individually marked birds. We used the Jolly‐Seber mark‐recapture model and estimated the southbound passage population at approximately 23,400 red knots. In ongoing studies elsewhere, isotope samples were collected from 175 (21%) of the 814 birds detected in our study, and ≥1 sighting or capture record during boreal winter was located in data repositories for 659 birds (81%). Isotopic signatures and boreal winter records indicate that the majority (82–96%) of the birds that stopped at the Altamaha Delta spend the boreal winter in the northern part of the nonbreeding range (southeast USA, Caribbean, and northern Brazil). Knots migrating to the southeastern United States, Caribbean, or Brazil remained on the Altamaha Delta for 42 days, whereas birds migrating to Tierra del Fuego remained only 21 days. Combining our estimate of the Altamaha stopover population size (23,400 birds) and the estimated proportion in the northern nonbreeding region (82–96%), we derived a minimum estimate of the number of knots in the southeastern United States, Caribbean, and northern South America during the boreal winter: approximately 20,800 knots, of which approximately 10,400 knots occupy the southeastern United States and 5,400 occupy Brazil. Our results provide additional evidence that coastal Georgia is an important migration area for red knots, and provide information about population structure and migratory connectivity that will be valuable for conservation planning. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
Optothermally Reversible Carbon Nanotube–DNA Supramolecular Hybrid Hydrogels
Authors: Mansukhani Nikhita D. , Guiney Linda M. , Wei Zonghui , Roth Eric W. , Putz Karl W. , Luijten Erik , Hersam Mark C. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractSupramolecular hydrogels (SMHs) are three‐dimensional constructs wherein the majority of the volume is occupied by water. Since the bonding forces between the components of SMHs are noncovalent, SMH properties are often tunable, stimuli‐responsive, and reversible, which enables applications including triggered drug release, sensing, and tissue engineering. Meanwhile, single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) possess superlative electrical and thermal conductivities, high mechanical strength, and strong optical absorption at near‐infrared wavelengths that have the potential to add unique functionality to SMHs. However, SWCNT‐based SMHs have thus far not realized the potential of the optical properties of SWCNTs to enable reversible response to near‐infrared irradiation. Here, we present a novel SMH architecture comprised solely of DNA and SWCNTs, wherein noncovalent interactions provide structural integrity without compromising the intrinsic properties of SWCNTs. The mechanical properties of these SMHs are readily tuned by varying the relative concentrations of DNA and SWCNTs, which varies the cross‐linking density as shown by molecular dynamics simulations. Moreover, the SMH gelation transition is fully reversible and can be triggered by a change in temperature or near‐infrared irradiation. This work explores a new regime for SMHs with potential utility for a range of applications including sensors, actuators, responsive substrates, and 3D printing.
Strategies to diversify natural products for drug discovery
Authors: Li Gang , Lou Hong‐Xiang 
Published: October 2017

AbstractNatural product libraries contain specialized metabolites derived from plants, animals, and microorganisms that play a pivotal role in drug discovery due to their immense structural diversity and wide variety of biological activities. The strategies to greatly extend natural product scaffolds through available biological and chemical approaches offer unique opportunities to access a new series of natural product analogues, enabling the construction of diverse natural product‐like libraries. The affordability of these structurally diverse molecules has been a crucial step in accelerating drug discovery. This review provides an overview of various approaches to exploit the diversity of compounds for natural product‐based drug development, drawing upon a series of examples to illustrate each strategy.
Breath detection by transcutaneous electromyography of the diaphragm and the Graseby capsule in preterm infants
Authors: de Waal Cornelia G. , Kraaijenga Juliette V. , Hutten Gerard J. , de Jongh Frans H. , van Kaam Anton H. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractObjectiveTo compare triggering, breath detection and delay time of the Graseby capsule (GC) and transcutaneous electromyography of the diaphragm (dEMG) in spontaneous breathing preterm infants.MethodsIn this observational study, a 30 minutes respiration measurement was conducted by respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP), the GC, and dEMG in stable preterm infants. Triggering was investigated with an in vitro set‐up using the Infant Flow® SiPAPTM system. The possibility to optimize breath detection was tested by developing new algorithms with the abdominal RIP band (RIPAB) as gold standard. In a subset of breaths, the delay time was calculated between the inspiratory onset in the RIPAB signal and in the GC and dEMG signal.ResultsFifteen preterm infants with a mean gestational age of 28 ± 2 weeks and a mean birth weight of 1086 ± 317 g were included. In total, 14 773 breaths were analyzed. Based on the GC and dEMG signal, the Infant Flow® SiPAP™ system, respectively, triggered 67.8% and 62.6% of the breaths. Breath detection was improved to 99.9% for the GC and 113.4% for dEMG in new algorithms. In 1492 stable breaths, the median delay time of inspiratory onset detection was +154 ms (IQR +118 to +164) in the GC and −50 ms (IQR −90 to −22) in the dEMG signal.ConclusionBreath detection using the GC can be improved by optimizing the algorithm. Transcutaneous dEMG provides similar breath detection but with the advantage of detecting the onset of inspiration earlier than the GC.
Agreeing to disagree: Reconciling conflicting taxonomic views using a logic‐based approach
Authors: Cheng Yi‐Yun , Franz Nico , Schneider Jodi , Yu Shizhuo , Rodenhausen Thomas , Ludäscher Bertram 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACTTaxonomy alignment is a way to integrate two or more taxonomies. Semantic interoperability among datasets, information systems and knowledge bases is facilitated by combining the different input taxonomies into merged taxonomies that reconcile apparent differences or conflicts. We show how alignment problems can be solved with a logic‐based region connection calculus (RCC‐5) approach, using five base relations to compare concepts: congruence, inclusion, inverse inclusion, overlap and disjointness. To illustrate this method, we use different geo‐taxonomies, which organize the United States into several, apparently conflicting, geospatial hierarchies. For example, we align TCEN, a taxonomy derived from the Census Bureau's regions map, with TNDC, from the National Diversity Council (NDC), and with TTZ, a taxonomy capturing the U.S. time zones. Using these case studies, we show how this logic‐based approach can reconcile conflicts between taxonomies. We have implemented these case studies with an open source tool called Euler/X which has been applied primarily for solving complex alignment problems in biological classification. In this paper, we demonstrate the feasibility and broad applicability of this approach to other domains and alignment problems in support of semantic interoperability.
Toward a characterization of digital humanities research collections: A contrastive analysis of technical designs
Authors: Fenlon Katrina 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACTScholarship across disciplines is changing in the face of digital methodologies, novel forms of evidence and new communication technologies. In the humanities, scholars are confronting and often pioneering innovative ways of viewing, reading, interacting with, collecting, interpreting, contextualizing and sharing their sources, including digital primary sources and data derivatives. This paper reports on one piece of a multimodal study that aims to help us characterize an important, still evolving genre of digital scholarship: the thematic research collection. Using a close, systematic analysis of collections' data models and infrastructures, this study considers the questions: How do the technical designs of thematic research collections contribute to their purposes, functions and uses? What do variations in their designs teach us about the genre as a whole? An analysis of the purposes and designs of scholar‐built collections of humanities evidence has implications for the development of digital collections and aggregations generally and the future shapes of digital scholarship and communication.
Effects of a visual representation of search engine results on performance, user experience and effort
Authors: González‐IbáñTez Roberto , Proaño‐Ríos Verónica , Fuenzalida Gary , Martinez‐Ramirez Gonzalo 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACTSearch engine results have been predominantly displayed as a vertical list of textual items. While this presentation approach has proven effective in well‐known search engines, there are search tasks where users could benefit from other presentation styles. In this study, we compare two approaches to displaying search engine results. The first corresponds to a traditional one (vertical list) with 10 results per page, whereas the second one consists of a visual representation of 400 results displayed at once. We perform this comparison in the context of a recall‐oriented search task where multiple relevance criteria must be satisfied. Our study focuses on the effects of the two representation approaches on performance, user experience and effort. Results from this study suggest that exposing participants to a large number of search results using adequate visual cues helps to reduce visual and physical effort without compromising to a great extent performance and user experience. More importantly, the exposure to a large volume of results does not increase cognitive load, nor worsen affective experience.
F#%@ that noise: SoundCloud as (A‐)social media?
Authors: Hubbles Chris , McDonald David W. , Lee Jin Ha 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACTSoundCloud is an audio uploading, streaming and sharing website. The site allows listeners to leave public comments at specific time stamps within a graphical display of an audio file as it plays and offers support for user communication through a publicly viewable reply function. We extracted user comments and conducted a qualitative content analysis in order to characterize and examine participation on the site. Commenting consisted primarily of short, positive comments toward the song or artist and use of the reply function was minimal, though some artists made use of it to communicate with listeners. We speculate that the commenting function is used less as a means toward community‐building or social interaction and more for fostering or indicating shared mutual experiences. Comment design implications are also explored.
Questioning science with science: The evolution of the vaccine safety movement
Authors: Koltai Kolina S. , Fleischmann Kenneth R. 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACTThis paper sets out to understand the values that motivate vaccine safety advocates who question the safety of vaccines and oppose vaccination mandates. As is generally the case for public scientific controversies, the vaccination debate is inherently asymmetrical. The vast majority of medical researchers advocate for vaccination mandates. While a (smaller) majority of the general public also support vaccination mandates, a vocal and growing minority opposes vaccination mandates. This minority is generally dismissed by most mainstream voices in the scientific literature and the mass media as uninformed and irrational. However, efforts to sway these individuals through public health campaigns have been largely ineffective to date. To understand the factors that motivate individuals within the vaccine safety movement, we conducted interviews with 10 individuals who self‐identify as vaccine safety advocates, asking them about the values and information behaviors that have shaped their skepticism of vaccines. Using thematic analysis, we identified four key themes that reoccurred across these interviews: benevolence toward children, intellectual curiosity about vaccines, skepticism toward scientific elites, and respect for the scientific method. The results of this study can help us to understand how values motivate individuals to take positions outside of the mainstream in public scientific controversies, such as climate change and genetically modified foods. Further, the findings help to demonstrate that enhanced understanding of the values that motivate vaccine safety advocates can help us to create shared dialogues that unite rather than divide factions within the vaccination debate, moving from conflict to consensus.
Assessing the implementation of authentic, client‐facing student projects in user experience (UX) education: Insights from multiple stakeholders
Authors: MacDonald Craig M. , Rozaklis Lillian 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACTUser experience (UX) is often cited as one of the fastest growing occupations, creating opportunities across nearly every sector for individuals skilled in the application of user‐centered design principles and methods. Many information and library schools have responded to this demand by introducing more UX coursework into their curriculum, but the proliferation of agile software development and lean product design has incentivized organizations to look for experienced individuals for UX roles, even those that are considered entry‐level. As a result, aspiring information professionals face a paradoxical situation in which they are required to have UX experience before they can gain UX experience. This article provides an assessment of one institution's efforts to overcome this experience gap by offering opportunities for students to participate in three types of authentic client‐facing UX projects. Through surveys of students and clients served over four academic years, we provide a set of lessons learned and recommended best practices for incorporating project‐based learning opportunities into UX courses.