bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Motor imagery training: Kinesthetic imagery strategy and inferior parietal fMRI activation
Authors: Lebon Florent , Horn Ulrike , Domin Martin , Lotze Martin 
Published: January 2018

AbstractMotor imagery (MI) is the mental simulation of action frequently used by professionals in different fields. However, with respect to performance, well‐controlled functional imaging studies on MI training are sparse. We investigated changes in fMRI representation going along with performance changes of a finger sequence (error and velocity) after MI training in 48 healthy young volunteers. Before training, we tested the vividness of kinesthetic and visual imagery. During tests, participants were instructed to move or to imagine moving the fingers of the right hand in a specific order. During MI training, participants repeatedly imagined the sequence for 15 min. Imaging analysis was performed using a full‐factorial design to assess brain changes due to imagery training. We also used regression analyses to identify those who profited from training (performance outcome and gain) with initial imagery scores (vividness) and fMRI activation magnitude during MI at pre‐test (MIpre). After training, error rate decreased and velocity increased. We combined both parameters into a common performance index. FMRI activation in the left inferior parietal lobe (IPL) was associated with MI and increased over time. In addition, fMRI activation in the right IPL during MIpre was associated with high initial kinesthetic vividness. High kinesthetic imagery vividness predicted a high performance after training. In contrast, occipital activation, associated with visual imagery strategies, showed a negative predictive value for performance. Our data echo the importance of high kinesthetic vividness for MI training outcome and consider IPL as a key area during MI and through MI training.
Online scan of FASD prevention and health promotion resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Authors: Williams Hayley M. , Percival Nikki A. , Hewlett Nicole C. , Cassady Rahni B. J. , Silburn Sven R. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractIssue addressedFoetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) includes a range of life‐long impairments caused by alcohol exposure in utero. Health professionals are vital to preventing FASD but many are hesitant to discuss FASD with clients due to their need for additional resources to aid the conversation. This scan sought to identify the scope and gaps in publicly available FASD prevention and health promotion resources, and assess their cultural appropriateness for use among five key groups of Indigenous Australian people including: (i) pregnant women, (ii) women of childbearing age, (iii) grandmothers and aunties, (iv) men, and (v) health professionals.MethodsRelevant resources published 1995‐2017 were identified through the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, FASD organisation websites, grey literature, Google searches, and field experts. Results were screened by inclusion and cultural appropriateness criteria developed and piloted by the research team, and further screened by health professionals attending FASD training workshops.Results115 of the 2146 identified resources were eligible. Relevant resources were found for all five key groups; however, no resources were specifically designed for men, grandmothers or aunties.ConclusionsA range of high‐quality, culturally appropriate resources were identified, however, health professionals attending the training workshops were not aware of their availability. Further resource development is suggested for men, grandmothers and aunties.So what?Prioritisation of active dissemination and implementation strategies is suggested to increase awareness and use of future resource developments. The inclusion of a resource trial among health professionals is a recommended strategy to increase awareness and use of newly developed resources.
Increasing the credibility of the twin birth instrument
Authors: Farbmacher Helmut , Guber Raphael , Vikström Johan 
Published: January 2018

SummaryTwin births are an important instrument for the endogenous fertility decision. However, twin births are not exogenous either as dizygotic twinning is correlated with maternal characteristics. Following the medical literature, we assume that monozygotic twins are exogenous, and construct a new instrument, which corrects for the selection although monozygotic twinning is usually unobserved in survey and administrative datasets. Using administrative data from Sweden, we show that the usual twin instrument is related to observed and unobserved determinants of economic outcomes, while our new instrument is not. In our applications we find that the classical twin instrument underestimates the negative effect of fertility on labor income. This finding is in line with the observation that high earners are more likely to delay childbearing and hence have a higher risk to get dizygotic twins.
Inhibitory effect of circulating fibrocytes on injury repair in acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome mice model
Authors: Tai Wenlin , Zhou Zeping , Zheng Boyang , Li Jinyu , Ding Jiawei , Wu Hanxin , Gao Ling , Dong Zhaoxing 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe study was aimed to explore the functions of circulating fibrocytes (CFs) on injury repair in acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) mice model and its clinical value as a biomarker for ALI/ARDS. ALI/ARDS mice model was established by intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood of ALI/ARDS model and flow cytometry was used to measure CFs defined as cells positive for CD45 and collagen‐1. Histological changes of lung tissues were evaluated by H&E staining and Masson's trichrome staining. The correlations of CFs counts with damnification of lung tissue and the severity of pulmonary fibrosis were evaluated by Pearson correlation analyses. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of collagen‐1. ELISA was applied to determine cytokine CXCL12 concentration. Clinical relevance between CFs and ALI/ARDS was investigated. The greater number of CFs in the ALI/ARDS group implied higher degree of lung injury and more severe pulmonary fibrosis. The protein expression of collagen‐1 and concentration of cytokine CXCL12 in ALI/ARDS group were higher than that in control group. Clinical and prognostic analysis revealed the higher injury degree and death rates in ALI/ARDS group than those in control group, and identified a greater severity and mortality for patients with ARDS than those with ALI. ROC curve analysis indicated the counts of CFs greater than 5.85% can predict death rates with AUC = 0.928. CFs had an inhibitory effect on injury repair in ALI/ARDS mice model. This might be unfavorable as a clinical marker for progression of ALI/ARDS.
An external compensation method for AMOLED using the concept of ramp‐stop
Authors: Tai Ya‐Hsiang , Lin Chi‐Hao 
Published: January 2018

AbstractIn this paper, we propose an external feedback method to compensate the device variation for active‐matrix organic light‐emitting diode. The pixel data current is controlled by ramping the gate voltage and converted to the sensed voltage Vsense in real time. When Vsense is equal to a preset voltage Vdata, the switching block outputs the low potential to stop the ramping. Therefore, the gate voltage is locked at the value corresponding to the target data current. This circuit is implemented with three thin‐film transistors in the active area and some functional blocks in driver integrated circuit (IC), namely, sentinel block, current‐voltage converting block, and switching block. Unlike the other usual methods of external compensation requiring double number of connections between driver IC and glass, by using the common ramping signal and a simple circuit made on glass, the proposed method can be implemented with only one pin per column.
Linking the Gold Nanoparticles Formation Kinetics with Their Morphology
Authors: Luty‐Błocho M. , Wojnicki M. , Grzonka J. , Kurzydłowski K. J. , Fitzner K. 
Published: January 2018

ABSTRACTIn this paper, we show that using different concentrations of reagents, it is possible to produce gold nanoparticles with different morphology (size, shape). The color of obtained colloidal gold change from pink, violet to blue, and it corresponds to the shape change. The pink color corresponds to spherical nanoparticles and the blue one to a star shape. The mixture of those two types of nanoparticles result in a violet tone. It was also shown that kinetics of nucleation and growth process is controlled by the reaction on the gold atoms surface, i.e., comproportionation of Au(III) and Au(0) to Au(I), which can be inhibited by varying precursor and reductant concentration.
Comparing topsoil charcoal, ash, and stone cover effects on the postfire hydrologic and erosive response under laboratory conditions
Authors: Prats Sergio Alegre , Abrantes João Rafael Cardoso de Brito , Coelho Celeste de Oliveira Alves , Keizer Jan Jacob , de Lima João Luis Mendes Pedroso 
Published: January 2018

AbstractWildfires typically transform vegetation and litter into a heterogeneous layer of ash and charred material covering the soil surface that can substantially modify the postfire hydrological and erosive response. To further elucidate the influence of postfire covering layers on sheet and concentrated flow erosion, we carried out laboratory rainfall and inflow simulations on 5 distinct soil surface conditions: bare soil, with a protective cover of char, ash, stones, and a combination thereof simulating field conditions. Each of 3 replicate simulations per treatment involved 4 runs, the first 2 simulating just rain (at 56 mm hr−1) under dry and wet soil conditions and the next 2 simulating rain together with inflow at high and extreme rates (0.76 and 1.4 L min−1). Overall runoff over the 4 runs together was lower for all 4 types of protective cover than for bare soil, but ash and char were clearly less effective than stones and, in particular, field conditions with runoff reductions of 25%, 23%, 40%, and 70%, respectively. Stones and field conditions were similarly effective in reducing overall erosion rates (with 47% and 77%, respectively), whereas ash and char even slightly increased overall erosion rates compared to bare soil. Ash and char were effective in reduction erosion but only during the first 2 runs under simulated rainfall. The greater effectiveness of the field conditions suggested synergistic effects between its 3 components, probably due to the stones enhancing infiltration and increasing flow resistance, thereby hampering detachment of ash and char and/or enhancing their deposition.
Wear particle classification using genetic programming evolved features
Authors: Xu Bin , Wen Guangrui , Zhang Zhifen , Chen Feng 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThis paper explores the feasibility of applying genetic programming (GP) to classify wear particles. A marking threshold filter is proposed to preprocess ferrographic images before optimising the feature space of wear particles using GP. Subsequently, evolved features by GP are quantitatively evaluated by the Fisher criterion and distance fitness function, and clustering performance is evaluated qualitatively. The evolved features are compared with a conventional feature set as the inputs to support vector machines, probabilistic neural networks, and k‐nearest neighbour. Results demonstrated that the evolved features indicated a significant improvement in classification accuracy and robustness compared with conventional features. Finally, 3 typical wear particles, sliding, cutting, and oxidative, are successfully classified.
Head and Neck Cancer Tumor Seeding at the Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Site
Authors: Greaves June R. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute estimates that over 13,000 new cases of head and neck cancer (HNC) will be diagnosed in 2017. Patients with HNC often require enteral nutrition (EN) via gastrostomy tube to provide nutrition support and hydration because of tumor obstruction of the oropharynx and/or cumulative effects of chemoradiation therapy. The percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube has become the preferred technique for EN access because placement is considered a minimally invasive procedure. There are 3 methods of PEG placement: Gauderer‐Ponsky “pull,” Sachs‐Vine “push,” and Russell “push” method. The Gauderer‐Ponsky “pull” method has become the preferred method of PEG placement. It has been previously reported that the rate of stomal metastasis can be 0.5%–1% of those undergone the Gauderer‐Ponsky “pull” method that is consistent with HNC morphology. Other researchers believe the rate may be as high as 0.5%–3%. This article reviews the 3 methods of PEG placement, as well as all potential complications, including metastatic seeding at the PEG site. In addition, 1 additional case of tumor seeding at the PEG site will be reviewed. Consideration for avoidance of the Gauderer‐Ponsky pull method of PEG placement or other methods of feeding tube placement where the gastrostomy tube has to pass through the oral cavity before exiting the abdominal wall in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck should be considered.
Spatial stability for the monolithic and sequential methods with various space discretizations in poroelasticity
Authors: Yoon Hyun C. , Kim Jihoon 
Published: January 2018

SummaryWe investigate spatial stability with various numerical discretizations in displacement and pressure fields for poroelasticity. We study 2 sources of the early time instability: discontinuity of pressure and violation of the inf‐sup condition. We consider both compressible and incompressible fluids by employing the monolithic, stabilized monolithic, and fixed‐stress sequential methods. Four different spatial discretization schemes are used: Q1Q1, Q2Q1, Q1P0, and Q2P0. From mathematic analysis and numerical tests, the piecewise constant finite volume method for flow provides stability at the early time for the case of the pressure discontinuity. On the other hand, a piecewise continuous (or higher‐order) interpolation of pressure shows spatial oscillation, having lower limits of time step size, although lower approximations of pressure than displacement can alleviate the oscillation. For an incompressible fluid, Q2Q1 can be better than Q1P0, because Q1P0 might not satisfy the inf‐sup condition. However, regardless of fluid compressibility and the pressure discontinuity, the fixed‐stress method can effectively stabilize the oscillation without an artificial stabilizer. Even when Q1P0 and Q1Q1 with the monolithic method cannot satisfy the inf‐sup condition, the fixed‐stress method can yield the full‐rank linear system, providing stability. Thus, the fixed‐stress method with Q1P0 can effectively circumvent the aforementioned 2 types of instability.
Public disclosure in acquisitions
Authors: Subrahmanyam Avanidhar , Xu Wenyuan 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThis paper analyzes firms’ optimal choice of information disclosure before an acquisition. The intuition is that value‐maximizing firms face the following tradeoffs. First, a more precise disclosure reduces risk premia. Second, too precise a disclosure that allows targets to profit increases the price paid for the target in an acquisition. The main conclusion is that firm chooses to disclose either all information or the minimum information required by the regulators, depending on the disclosure requirements, investors’ risk aversion, and the uncertainty embedded in technology shocks.
Bioinspired Universal Flexible Elastomer‐Based Microchannels
Authors: Wu Feng , Chen Songyue , Chen Baiyi , Wang Miao , Min Lingli , Alvarenga Jack , Ju Jie , Khademhosseini Ali , Yao Yuxing , Zhang Yu Shrike , Aizenberg Joanna , Hou Xu 
Published: January 2018

AbstractFlexible and stretchable microscale fluidic devices have a broad range of potential applications, ranging from electronic wearable devices for convenient digital lifestyle to biomedical devices. However, simple ways to achieve stable flexible and stretchable fluidic microchannels with dynamic liquid transport have been challenging because every application for elastomeric microchannels is restricted by their complex fabrication process and limited material selection. Here, a universal strategy for building microfluidic devices that possess exceptionally stable and stretching properties is shown. The devices exhibit superior mechanical deformability, including high strain (967%) and recovery ability, where applications as both strain sensor and pressure‐flow regulating device are demonstrated. Various microchannels are combined with organic, inorganic, and metallic materials as stable composite microfluidics. Furthermore, with surface chemical modification these stretchable microfluidic devices can also obtain antifouling property to suit for a broad range of industrial and biomedical applications.
A Bifunctional Highly Efficient FeNx/C Electrocatalyst
Authors: Li Erling , Yang Fa , Wu Zhemin , Wang Yong , Ruan Mingbo , Song Ping , Xing Wei , Xu Weilin 
Published: January 2018

AbstractHerein, a type of Fe, N‐codoped carbon electrocatalyst (FeNx/C, Fe‐N‐BCNT#BP) containing bamboo carbon nanotubes and displaying bifunctional high catalytic efficiency for both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) is reported. It shows high electrocatalytic activity and stability for both the ORR process with onset potential of 1.03 VRHE in alkaline and the CO2RR to CO with high faradic efficiency up to 90% and selectivity of about 100% at low overpotential of 0.49 V. For CO2RR to CO, it is revealed that Fe3C is active but the activity of FeNx centers is lower than that of C–N‐based centers, contrary with that observed for ORR. Due to its low cost and high electrocatalytic performance for these two reduction reactions, the obtained catalyst is very promising for extensive application in future. The revealed huge activity difference of the same types of active sites for different reactions can efficiently guide the synthesis of advanced materials with multifunction.
A Transformable Chimeric Peptide for Cell Encapsulation to Overcome Multidrug Resistance
Authors: Zhang Chi , Liu Li‐Han , Qiu Wen‐Xiu , Zhang Yao‐Hui , Song Wen , Zhang Lu , Wang Shi‐Bo , Zhang Xian‐Zheng 
Published: January 2018

AbstractMultidrug resistance (MDR) remains one of the biggest obstacles in chemotherapy of tumor mainly due to P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp)‐mediated drug efflux. Here, a transformable chimeric peptide is designed to target and self‐assemble on cell membrane for encapsulating cells and overcoming tumor MDR. This chimeric peptide (C16‐K(TPE)‐GGGH‐GFLGK‐PEG8, denoted as CTGP) with cathepsin B‐responsive and cell membrane‐targeting abilities can self‐assemble into nanomicelles and further encapsulate the therapeutic agent doxorubicin (termed as CTGP@DOX). After the cleavage of the Gly‐Phe‐Leu‐Gly (GFLG) sequence by pericellular overexpressed cathepsin B, CTGP@DOX is dissociated and transformed from spherical nanoparticles to nanofibers due to the hydrophilic–hydrophobic conversion and hydrogen bonding interactions. Thus obtained nanofibers with cell membrane‐targeting 16‐carbon alkyl chains can adhere firmly to the cell membrane for cell encapsulation and restricting DOX efflux. In comparison to free DOX, 45‐time higher drug retention and 49‐fold greater anti‐MDR ability of CTGP@DOX to drug‐resistant MCF‐7R cells are achieved. This novel strategy to encapsulate cells and reverse tumor MDR via morphology transformation would open a new avenue towards chemotherapy of tumor.
Self‐Collapsing of Single Molecular Poly‐Propylene Oxide (PPO) in a 3D DNA Network
Authors: Wu Fen , Zhao Zhiyong , Chen Chun , Cao Tianyang , Li Chuang , Shao Yu , Zhang Yiyang , Qiu Dong , Shi Qian , Fan Qing‐Hua , Liu Dongsheng 
Published: January 2018

AbstractOn the basis of DNA self‐assembly, a thermal responsive polymer polypropylene oxide (PPO) is evenly inserted into a rigid 3D DNA network for the study of single molecular self‐collapsing process. At low temperature, PPO is hydrophilic and dispersed uniformly in the network; when elevating temperature, PPO becomes hydrophobic but can only collapse on itself because of the fixation and separation of DNA rigid network. The process has been characterized by rheological test and Small Angle X‐Ray Scattering test. It is also demonstrated that this self‐collapsing process is reversible and it is believed that this strategy could provide a new tool to study the nucleation‐growing process of block copolymers.
Nano Silver Vanadate AgVO3: Synthesis, New Functionalities and Applications
Authors: de Melo Monteiro Ana Paula , Dias Holtz Raphael , Carneiro Fonseca Leandro , Zanini Martins Carlos Henrique , de Sousa Marcelo , de Luna Luis Augusto Visani , de Sousa Maia Djalma Lucas , Alves Oswaldo Luiz 
Published: January 2018

AbstractSilver vanadates have been widely investigated because of their many interesting properties and their potential use in several applications. In addition to this, a large number of groups have investigated silver vanadates in the form of nanostructures. Here, we address first the synthesis and properties of nanosilver vanadate. Different techniques, such as precipitation, thermal decomposition, hydrothermal treatment, and sol‐gel, are among the methods that have been employed for the controlled synthesis of silver vanadate. The use of nanosilver vanadate for the development of novel electronic devices, catalysts, and antibacterial agents for industry and biomedical applications will then be discussed. In this sense, the present review highlights the major advances regarding the synthesis, properties and applications of nanostructured silver vanadates.
Gene–gene and gene–environment interactions in complex traits in yeast
Authors: Yadav Anupama , Sinha Himanshu 
Published: January 2018

AbstractOne of the fundamental questions in biology is how the genotype regulates the phenotype. An increasing number of studies indicate that, in most cases, the effect of a genetic locus on the phenotype is context‐dependent, i.e. it is influenced by the genetic background and the environment in which the phenotype is measured. Still, the majority of the studies, in both model organisms and humans, that map the genetic regulation of phenotypic variation in complex traits primarily identify additive loci with independent effects. This does not reflect an absence of the contribution of genetic interactions to phenotypic variation, but instead is a consequence of the technical limitations in mapping gene–gene interactions (GGI) and gene–environment interactions (GEI). Yeast, with its detailed molecular understanding, diverse population genomics and ease of genetic manipulation, is a unique and powerful resource to study the contributions of GGI and GEI in the regulation of phenotypic variation. Here we review studies in yeast that have identified GGI and GEI that regulate phenotypic variation, and discuss the contribution of these findings in explaining missing heritability of complex traits, and how observations from these GGI and GEI studies enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying genetic robustness and adaptability that shape the architecture of the genotype–phenotype map.
A Two-Pillar Phillips Curve for Switzerland
Authors: Gerlach-Kristen Petra 
Published: January 2018

SummaryMonetary aggregates have historically been important in Swiss monetary policy. The Swiss National Bank used money growth targets until 1999. The new policy framework introduced in 2000 focuses on an inflation forecast that relies on money growth as an indicator. How useful is money growth for explaining inflation in Switzerland? Using data spanning 1979 to 2007, we estimate a Phillips curve model that incorporates a measure of “trend” money growth and find that it impacts on inflation if one takes the downward shift in nominal interest rates over the sample into account. Including money growth reduces the in-sample forecasting errors by 15%.