bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A survey of honor‐related practices among US obstetricians and gynecologists
Authors: Moaddab Amirhossein , McCullough Laurence B. , Chervenak Frank A. , Stark Lauren , Schulkin Jay , Dildy Gary A. , Raine Susan P. , Shamshirsaz Alireza A. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractObjectiveTo assess patterns of honor‐related practices—including virginity testing, virginity restoration, and female genital mutilation (FGM)—among US obstetrician–gynecologists (OBGYNs).MethodsBetween June 1 and August 31, 2016, 1000 members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists were invited by email to complete an anonymous online survey. The survey comprised 42 questions evaluating the demographic and practice characteristics of the respondents.ResultsOverall, 288 of the 909 practicing US OBGYNs with functioning email addresses completed the survey (31.7% response rate). In the 12 months before the survey, 168 (58.3%) respondents had provided care to one or more patients who had previously undergone FGM. Care was also provided for patients who requested virginity testing or virginity restoration by 29 (10.1%) and 16 (5.6%) respondents, respectively. Ten (3.5%) respondents performed virginity testing on request, whereas 3 (1.0%) performed virginity restoration.ConclusionSome respondents performed honor‐related practices, which indicated a need to educate all practicing US OBGYNs about their ethical and legal obligations in the care of such patients.
Retracted: Effects of long noncoding RNA SPRY4‐IT1‐mediated EZH2 on the invasion and migration of lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Wen Xin , Han Xin‐Rui , Wang Yong‐Jian , Fan Shao‐Hua , Zhuang Juan , Zhang Zi‐Feng , Shan Qun , Li Meng‐Qiu , Hu Bin , Sun Chun‐Hui , Wu Qiao , Tan Jun‐Hua , Wu Dong‐Mei , Lu Jun , Zheng Yuan‐Lin 
Published: August 2017

AbstractWe aim to investigate the interaction between the EZH2 and the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) SPRY4‐IT1. We also explore their respective effects on human lung adenocarcinoma (LA) cell invasion and migration. Both LA and adjacent normal tissues were obtained from 256 LA patients. SPTY4‐IT expression and EZH2 mRNA expressions in tissues and cells were detected by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). The siRNAs against SPRY4‐IT1 and EZH2 were co‐transfected into A549 and H1975 cells. The interaction between SPRY4‐IT1 and EZH2 was determined using a RNA pull‐down assay and a RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. A Transwell assay and scratch assay were used to evaluate the cell migration and invasion abilities. The expressions of E‐cadherin and Vimentin in the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and EZH2 protein expression were detected through western blotting. SPRY4‐IT1 expression was observed to be significantly lower, while the expression of EZH2 was higher in the LA tissues than in the adjacent normal tissues. Compared with the HBE cell line, expressions of SPRY4‐IT1 in each human LA cell line had decreased, with the lowest observed reduction in the A549 cell line, while EZH2 mRNA and protein expression increased in each human LA cell lines. After SPRY4‐IT1‐siRNA was transfected into A549 and H1975 cells, invasion and migration abilities were enhanced, in addition to a reduction in the expression of E‐cadherin, while expressions of Vimentin exhibited an increased rate. Consequently, we find that EZH2 promotes LA cell invasion and metastasis by inhibiting SPRY4‐IT1 expression.
Climatic diagnostics associated with anomalous lightning incidence during the summer 2012/2013 in Southeast Brazil
Authors: dos Santos Ana Paula Paes , Coelho Caio A. S. , Pinto Júnior Osmar , dos Santos Sérgio Rodrigo Quadros , de Lima Francisco José Lopes , de Souza Everaldo Barreiros 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTThe State of São Paulo in Southeast Brazil experienced during the 2012/2013 summer one of the most severe electrical storm events in recent years, causing various impacts to society, e.g. fires and fatalities. Thus, the objective of this work is to understand which mechanisms and climatic variability modes are associated with the lightning incidence during this summer in this region. The study includes a statistical‐temporal assessment of cloud‐to‐ground (CG) lightning occurrence comprising the 16 years period from 1999 to 2014. The results showed that, for this period of analysis, the lightning incidence was associated with climatic patterns connecting the tropical and extratropical region, through a wave train, from the Indian Ocean to South America, favouring the formation and development of convective storms over Southeast Brazil.
Future changes due to model biases in probabilities of extreme temperatures over East Asia using CMIP5 data
Authors: Seo Ye‐Won , Yun Kyung‐Sook , Lee June‐Yi , Lee Yang‐Won , Ha Kyung‐Ja , Jhun Jong‐Ghap 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTThis study examines the performances of 31 global climate models in the Coupled Model Inter‐comparison Project 5 (CMIP5) in terms of probability density functions (PDFs) for maximum (Tmax) and minimum (Tmin) air temperatures over East Asia in the present and CMIP5‐model projected future changes. In general, most of models well reproduce warm‐season peak for both Tmax and Tmin but exhibit large inter‐model spread for simulating cold‐season peak, especially for Tmin. Minimum values of Tmin and Tmax are more strongly dependent upon model selection than maximum values of them. For the last 25 years of the 21st century, under the Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 scenario, models project shifts toward warmer values in the PDFs of Tmax and Tmin and broadening in the shape of PDFs. Models with warm biases in PDFs tend to show larger shifts in temperature changes, but seasonal mean temperature biases do not affect to future changes. It is notable that the broadening of PDFs in the future influences temperature extreme events. Using the changes in probabilities of heat waves as one of extreme temperature events by comparing multi‐model ensemble (MME) and models with good performance of PDFs, this study shows that MME tends to overestimate its duration. Our findings suggest that future changes in temperature extremes projected by models are strongly come from the biases detected in those models when simulating present extreme temperature PDFs. Therefore, correcting the intrinsic biases of models rather than seasonal mean correction is necessary to reduce the uncertainties in predicting future changes in temperature extremes.
Does Ultrasound‐Enhanced Instruction of Musculoskeletal Anatomy Improve Physical Examination Skills of First‐Year Medical Students?
Authors: Walrod Bryant J. , Schroeder Allison , Conroy Mark J. , Boucher Laura C. , Bockbrader Marcia , Way David P. , McCamey Kendra L. , Hartz Clinton A. , Jonesco Michael A. , Bahner David P. 
Published: August 2017

ObjectivesUltrasound imaging is commonly used to teach basic anatomy to medical students. The purpose of this study was to determine whether learning musculoskeletal anatomy with ultrasound improved performance on medical students' musculoskeletal physical examination skills.MethodsTwenty‐seven first‐year medical students were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 instructional groups: either shoulder or knee. Both groups received a lecture followed by hands‐on ultrasound scanning on live human models of the assigned joint. After instruction, students were assessed on their ability to accurately palpate 4 anatomic landmarks: the acromioclavicular joint, the proximal long‐head biceps tendon, and the medial and lateral joint lines of the knee. Performance scores were based on both accuracy and time. A total physical examination performance score was derived for each joint. Scores for instructional groups were compared by a 2‐way analysis of variance with 1 repeated measure. Significant findings were further analyzed with post hoc tests.ResultsAll students performed significantly better on the knee examination, irrespective of instructional group (F = 14.9; df = 1.25; P = .001). Moreover, the shoulder instruction group performed significantly better than the knee group on the overall assessment (t = –3.0; df = 25; P < .01). Post hoc analyses revealed that differences in group performance were due to the shoulder group's higher scores on palpation of the biceps tendon (t = –2.8; df = 25; P = .01), a soft tissue landmark. Both groups performed similarly on palpation of all other anatomic structures.ConclusionsThe use of ultrasound appears to provide an educational advantage when learning musculoskeletal physical examination of soft tissue landmarks.
Rubrene‐Based Green‐Light‐Sensitive Photoinitiating Systems of Polymerization
Authors: Xiao Pu , Zhang Jing , Graff Bernadette , Fouassier Jean Pierre , Lalevée Jacques 
Published: August 2017

AbstractRubrene, a compound that exhibits green light absorption, interacts with an iodonium salt through its excited singlet state to generate cations and free radicals under a green laser line at 532 nm or a halogen lamp delivering a low light intensity of polychromatic visible light. The photochemical mechanisms are investigated by steady‐state photolysis, fluorescence, electrochemistry, and electron spin resonance spin trapping techniques. The produced cations and free radicals initiate both the cationic photopolymerization of epoxides and the free radical photopolymerization of acrylates. Moreover, the addition of N‐vinylcarbazole into the system enhances the photopolymerization efficiency. The Rubrene/amine/chlorotriazine photoinitiating system also exhibits a much higher photoinitiation ability for the free radical photopolymerization of acrylates.
Comparison of image intensity, local, and multi‐atlas priors in brain tissue classification
Authors: Wang Liping , Labrosse Frédéric , Zwiggelaar Reyer 
Published: August 2017

PurposeAutomated and accurate tissue classification in three‐dimensional brain magnetic resonance images is essential in volumetric morphometry or as a preprocessing step for diagnosing brain diseases. However, noise, intensity in homogeneity, and partial volume effects limit the classification accuracy of existing methods. This paper provides a comparative study on the contributions of three commonly used image information priors for tissue classification in normal brains: image intensity, local, and multi‐atlas priors.MethodsWe compared the effectiveness of the three priors by comparing the four methods modeling them: K‐Means (KM),KMcombined with a Markov Random Field (KM‐MRF), multi‐atlas segmentation (MAS), and the combination ofKM,MRF, andMAS(KM‐MRF‐MAS). The key parameters and factors in each of the four methods are analyzed, and the performance of all the models is compared quantitatively and qualitatively on both simulated and real data.ResultsTheKM‐MRF‐MASmodel that combines the three image information priors performs best.ConclusionsThe image intensity prior is insufficient to generate reasonable results for a few images. Introducing local and multi‐atlas priors results in improved brain tissue classification. This study provides a general guide on what image information priors can be used for effective brain tissue classification.
Symmetry, outliers, and geodesics in coronary artery centerline reconstruction from rotational angiography
Authors: Unberath Mathias , Taubmann Oliver , Hell Michaela , Achenbach Stephan , Maier Andreas 
Published: August 2017

PurposeThe performance of many state‐of‐the‐art coronary artery centerline reconstruction algorithms in rotational angiography heavily depends on accurate two‐dimensional centerline information that, in practice, is not available due to segmentation errors. To alleviate the need for correct segmentations, we propose generic extensions to symbolic centerline reconstruction algorithms that target symmetrization, outlier rejection, and topology recovery on asymmetrically reconstructed point clouds.MethodsEpipolar geometry‐ and graph cut‐based reconstruction algorithms are used to reconstruct three‐dimensional point clouds from centerlines in reference views. These clouds are input to the proposed methods that consist of (a) merging of asymmetric reconstructions, (b) removal of inconsistent three‐dimensional points using the reprojection error, and (c) projection domain‐informed geodesic computation. We validate our extensions in a numerical phantom study and on two clinical datasets.ResultsIn the phantom study, the overlap measure between the reconstructed point clouds and the three‐dimensional ground truth increased from 68.4 ± 9.6% to 85.9 ± 3.3% when the proposed extensions were applied. In addition, the averaged mean and maximum reprojection error decreased from 4.32 ± 3.03 mm to 0.189 ± 0.182 mm and from 8.39 ± 6.08 mm to 0.392 ± 0.434 mm. For the clinical data, the mean and maximum reprojection error improved from 1.73 ± 0.97 mm to 0.882 ± 0.428 mm and from 3.83 ± 1.87 mm to 1.48 ± 0.61 mm, respectively.ConclusionsThe application of the proposed extensions yielded superior reconstruction quality in all cases and effectively removed erroneously reconstructed points. Future work will investigate possibilities to integrate parts of the proposed extensions directly into reconstruction.
Regularly incremented phase encoding – MR fingerprinting (RIPE‐MRF) for enhanced motion artifact suppression in preclinical cartesian MR fingerprinting
Authors: Anderson Christian E. , Wang Charlie Y. , Gu Yuning , Darrah Rebecca , Griswold Mark A. , Yu Xin , Flask Chris A. 
Published: August 2017

PurposeThe regularly incremented phase encoding–magnetic resonance fingerprinting (RIPE‐MRF) method is introduced to limit the sensitivity of preclinical MRF assessments to pulsatile and respiratory motion artifacts.MethodsAs compared to previously reported standard Cartesian–MRF methods (SC‐MRF), the proposed RIPE‐MRF method uses a modified Cartesian trajectory that varies the acquired phase‐encoding line within each dynamic MRF dataset. Phantoms and mice were scanned without gating or triggering on a 7T preclinical MRI scanner using the RIPE‐MRF and SC‐MRF methods. In vitro phantom longitudinal relaxation time (T1) and transverse relaxation time (T2) measurements, as well as in vivo liver assessments of artifact‐to‐noise ratio (ANR) and MRF‐based T1 and T2 mean and standard deviation, were compared between the two methods (n = 5).ResultsRIPE‐MRF showed significant ANR reductions in regions of pulsatility (P < 0.005) and respiratory motion (P < 0.0005). RIPE‐MRF also exhibited improved precision in T1 and T2 measurements in comparison to the SC‐MRF method (P <  0.05). The RIPE‐MRF and SC‐MRF methods displayed similar mean T1 and T2 estimates (difference in mean values < 10%).ConclusionThese results show that the RIPE‐MRF method can provide effective motion artifact suppression with minimal impact on T1 and T2 accuracy for in vivo small animal MRI studies. Magn Reson Med 79:2176–2182, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Diagnostic value of the near‐nerve needle sensory nerve conduction in sensory inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
Authors: Odabasі Zekі , Oh Shin J. 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTIntroductionIn this study we report the diagnostic value of the near‐nerve needle sensory nerve conduction study (NNN‐SNCS) in sensory inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (IDP) in which the routine nerve conduction study was normal or non‐diagnostic.MethodsThe NNN‐SNCS was performed to identify demyelination in the plantar nerves in 14 patients and in the median or ulnar nerve in 2 patients with sensory IDP.ResultsIn 16 patients with sensory IDP, routine NCSs were either normal or non‐diagnostic for demyelination. Demyelination was identified by NNN‐SNCS by dispersion and/or slow nerve conduction velocity (NCV) below the demyelination marker. Immunotherapy was initiated in 11 patients, 10 of whom improved or remained stable.DiscussionNNN‐SNCS played an essential role in identifying demyelinaton in 16 patients with sensory IDP, leading to proper treatment. Muscle Nerve 57: 414–418, 2018
Colloidal quantum dot solar cell power conversion efficiency optimization using analysis of current‐voltage characteristics and electrode contact imaging by lock‐in carrierography
Authors: Hu Lilei , Liu Mengxia , Mandelis Andreas , Melnikov Alexander , Sargent Edward H. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractAlthough the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of colloidal quantum dot solar cells (CQDSCs) has increased sharply, researchers are struggling with the lack of comprehensive device efficiency optimization strategies, which retards significant progress in CQDSC improvement. This paper addresses this critical issue through analyzing the impact of colloidal quantum dot (CQD) carrier hopping mobility, bandgap energy, illumination intensity, and electrode/CQD interface on device performance to develop a guiding criterion for CQDSC PCE optimization. This general strategy has been used for the successful fabrication of high‐efficiency CQDSCs yielding certified PCEs as high as 11.28 %. A major experimental finding of this work is that the widely used constant photocurrent density (Jph) assumption is invalid as Jph is external‐voltage dependent due to the low carrier hopping mobility. Furthermore, the theoretical model developed herein predicts the nonmonotonic dependence of CQDSC PCE on carrier hopping mobility and bandgap energy, which were also demonstrated with the high‐efficiency CQDSCs. These results constitute a revision basis of the widespread belief that higher mobility and lower bandgap energy correspond to a higher CQDSC efficiency. Furthermore, electrode/CQD interface‐dependent surface recombination velocities were investigated in the framework of our abovementioned theoretical model using lock‐in carrierography, a contactless, large‐area frequency‐domain photocarrier diffusion‐wave imaging methodology that elucidated the carrier collection process at the electrodes through open‐circuit voltage distribution imaging. Lock‐in carrierography eliminates the limitations of today's widely used small‐spot (<0.1 cm2) testing methods which, however, raise questionable overall solar cell performance and stability estimations.
A Novel Class of Nitrogen‐rich Explosives Containing High Oxygen Balance to Use as High Performance Oxidizers in Solid Propellants
Authors: Keshavarz Mohammad Hossein , Abadi Yasin Hayat , Esmaeilpour Karim , Damiri Sajjad , Oftadeh Mohsen 
Published: August 2017

AbstractIn this study, density functional theory (DFT) calculations and the best available reliable predictive methods are used to assess performance, thermodynamics, physical and sensitivity of several high nitrogen content energetic tetrazole derivatives. Detonation pressure and velocity of these compounds are greater than 470 GPa and 10.2 km/s, respectively. Furthermore, suitable methods are used to study the condensed phase heat of formation, Gibbs free energy of formation, heat of sublimation, heat of combustion, melting point, enthalpy of fusion, entropy of fusion, specific impulse, Gurney velocity, strength, deflagration temperature, impact sensitivity and shock sensitivity of the novel compounds. The predicted results of the new compounds are compared with the calculated and experimental values of N,N‐bis(1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl)amine (HTBA), dihydroxylammonium 5,5′‐bistetrazole‐1,1′‐diolate (TKX‐50) and 1,3,5,7‐tetranitro‐1,3,5,7‐tetrazocine (HMX) as high performance energetic compounds.
Elucidation of insulin assembly at acidic and neutral pH: Characterization of low molecular weight oligomers
Authors: Mawhinney Matthew T. , Williams Thomas L. , Hart James L. , Taheri Mitra L. , Urbanc Brigita 
Published: August 2017

AbstractDeficiency in insulin secretion and function that characterize type 2 diabetes often requires administration of extraneous insulin, leading to injection‐site amyloidosis. Insulin aggregation at neutral pH is not well understood. Although oligomer formation is believed to play an important role, insulin oligomers have not been fully characterized yet. Here, we elucidate similarities and differences between in vitro insulin aggregation at acidic and neutral pH for a range of insulin concentrations (2.5–100 μM) by using kinetic thioflavin T fluorescence, circular dichroism, atomic force and electron microscopy imaging. Importantly, we characterize the size distribution of insulin oligomers at different assembly stages by the application of covalent cross‐linking and gel electrophoresis. Our results show that at the earliest assembly stage, oligomers comprise up to 40% and 70% of soluble insulin at acidic and neutral pH, respectively. While the highest oligomer order increases with insulin concentration at acidic pH, the opposite tendency is observed at neutral pH, where oligomers up to heptamers are formed in 10 μM insulin. These findings suggest that oligomers may be on‐ and off‐pathway assemblies for insulin at acidic and neutral pH, respectively. Agitation, which is required to induce insulin aggregation at neutral pH, is shown to increase fibril formation rate and fibrillar mass both by an order of magnitude. Insulin incubated under agitated conditions at neutral pH rapidly aggregates into large micrometer‐sized aggregates, which may be of physiological relevance and provides insight into injection‐site amyloidosis and toxic pulmonary aggregates induced by administration of extraneous insulin.
Antimicrobial activity of leucine‐substituted decoralin analogs with lower hemolytic activity
Authors: Torres Marcelo Der Torossian , Pedron Cibele Nicolaski , da Silva Lima Julia Aparecida , da Silva Pedro Ismael , da Silva Fernanda Dias , Oliveira Vani Xavier 
Published: August 2017

Linear cationic α‐helical antimicrobial peptides are promising chemotherapeutics. Most of them act by different mechanisms, making it difficult to microorganisms acquiring resistance. Decoralin is an example of antimicrobial peptide; it was described by Konno et al. and presented activity against microorganisms, but with pronounced hemolytic activity. We synthesized leucine‐substituted decoralin analogs designed based on important physicochemical properties, which depend on the maintenance of the amphiphilic α‐helical tendency of the native molecule. Peptides were synthesized, purified, and characterized, and the conformational studies were performed. The results indicated that the analogs presented both higher therapeutic indexes, but with antagonistic behavior. While [Leu]10‐Dec‐NH2 analog showed similar activity against different microorganisms (c.a. 0.4–0.8 μmol L−1), helical structuration, and some hemolytic activity, [Leu]8‐Dec‐NH2 analog did not tend to helical structure and presented antimicrobial activities two orders higher than the other two peptides analyzed. On the other hand, this analog showed to be the less hemolytic (MHC value = 50.0 μmol L−1). This approach provided insight for understanding the effects of the leucine substitution in the amphiphilic balance. They led to changes on the conformational tendency, which showed to be important for the mechanism of action and affecting antimicrobial and hemolytic activities. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.