bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Translesional pressure gradient and leptomeningeal collateral status in symptomatic middle cerebral artery stenosis
Authors: Leng X. , Lan L. , Ip H. L. , Fan F. , Ma S. H. , Ma K. , Liu H. , Yan Z. , Liu J. , Abrigo J. , Soo Y. O. Y. , Liebeskind D. S. , Wong K. S. , Leung T. W. 
Published: November 2017

Background and purposeLeptomeningeal collateral (LMC) status governs the prognosis of large artery occlusive stroke, although factors determining LMC status are not fully elucidated. The aim was to investigate metrics affecting LMC status in such patients by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models based on computed tomography angiography (CTA).MethodsIn this cross‐sectional study, patients with recent ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack attributed to atherosclerotic M1 middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis (50%–99%) were recruited. Demographic, clinical and imaging data of these patients were collected. Ipsilesional LMC status was graded as good or poor by assessing the laterality of anterior and posterior cerebral arteries in CTA. A CFD model based on CTA was constructed to reflect focal hemodynamics in the distal internal carotid artery, M1 MCA and A1 anterior cerebral artery. Pressure gradients were calculated across culprit MCA stenotic lesions in CFD models. Predictors for good LMC status were sought in univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsAmongst the 85 patients enrolled (mean age 61.5 ± 10.9 years), 38 (44.7%) had good ipsilesional LMC status. The mean pressure gradient across MCA lesions was 14.8 ± 18.1 mmHg. Advanced age (P = 0.030) and a larger translesional pressure gradient (P = 0.029) independently predicted good LMCs. A lower fasting blood glucose level also showed a trend for good LMCs (P = 0.058).ConclusionsOur study suggested a correlation between translesional pressure gradient and maturation of LMCs in intracranial atherosclerotic disease. Further studies with more exquisite and dynamic monitoring of cerebral hemodynamics and LMC evolution are needed to verify the current findings.
Oral keratinocytes synthesize CTACK: A new insight into the pathophysiology of the oral mucosa
Authors: Marshall Alison , Celentano Antonio , Cirillo Nicola , McCullough Michael , Porter Stephen 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe skin‐associated chemokine CTACK plays a key role in many inflammatory conditions and could be instrumental in the pathophysiology of tissue‐specific immunological diseases such as oral lichen planus (OLP). In this study, we investigated, by RT‐PCR, ELISA, chemotaxis assays, and fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS), the production of CTACK in oral keratinocytes, its expression in tissues from normal and OLP patients, and its role in T‐cell recruitment.CTACK was produced by the oral epithelium, and it affects chemotaxis of memory CLA+ cells to the oral epithelium. CTACK mRNA was expressed constitutively in primary oral epithelium and was increased during pro‐inflammatory IFN‐γ treatment. We found a constitutive production of CTACK at a protein level in oral primary cells that increased after IFN‐γ treatment. Moreover, we confirmed that CTACK attracts memory T cells and those T cells that express CLA above the level of basal migration.
The influence of piston shape on air‐spring fatigue life
Authors: Oman S. , Nagode M. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis paper presents how the piston shape of an air‐spring can influence both its load‐deflection characteristic and the fatigue life. Two piston shapes are considered in this study for which load‐deflection characteristics and fatigue lives are compared. A method for the estimation of air‐spring fatigue life is upgraded by adding the influence of the mean stress level and afterwards used together with finite element analysis to predict the fatigue life and, ultimately, the timing and global location of failure within the air‐spring. These predictions are then compared with measured results and show good agreement thus proving the validity of the method used here for calculating fatigue life. Both experimental and predicted results show that the highest fatigue life can be expected if a noncylindrical, back tapered piston is used. This is only the case if the air‐spring is mounted at its optimal design height as the study also shows that moving away from optimal design height does have a detrimental effect on the fatigue life of back tapered air‐springs. This is due to the appearance of higher stress amplitudes in the flex member during operation. Such stress amplitudes and consequently fatigue damage can be reduced by avoiding sharp transitions in the piston design that cause additional bending of the flex member in a direction opposite to the deflection in the flex member fold.
The Effectiveness of Video‐Based Shadowing and Tracking Pronunciation Exercises for Foreign Language Learners
Authors: Martinsen Rob , Montgomery Cherice , Willardson Véronique 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis exploratory classroom study investigated the effects of two video‐assisted pronunciation interventions on the French pronunciation of 12 males and 7 females (n = 19) enrolled in a fourth‐year high school French class. Interventions occurred three times per week over a semester and required participants to repeat what they heard while watching subtitled, cultural videos in French—both during class and in self‐directed computer‐lab exercises. Researchers assessed the improvement in pronunciation performance using pre‐ and posttests consisting of both read‐aloud and oral free response tasks. Statistically significant improvements were observed on both tasks, with the most striking on the read‐aloud task. Participants’ perceptions of interventions were also examined using both qualitative and quantitative surveys, which indicated that students appreciated the authenticity and learning autonomy of the self‐directed exercises. Findings suggest that distributed practice through culturally contextualized, video‐based interventions may offer an engaging way to incorporate explicit pronunciation instruction into the high school classroom.
Soil pH as the chief modifier for regional nitrous oxide emissions: New evidence and implications for global estimates and mitigation
Authors: Wang Yajing , Guo Jingheng , Vogt Rolf David , Mulder Jan , Wang Jingguo , Zhang Xiaoshan 
Published: November 2017

AbstractNitrous oxide (N2O) is a greenhouse gas that also plays the primary role in stratospheric ozone depletion. The use of nitrogen fertilizers is known as the major reason for atmospheric N2O increase. Empirical bottom‐up models therefore estimate agricultural N2O inventories using N loading as the sole predictor, disregarding the regional heterogeneities in soil inherent response to external N loading. Several environmental factors have been found to influence the response in soil N2O emission to N fertilization, but their interdependence and relative importance have not been addressed properly. Here, we show that soil pH is the chief factor explaining regional disparities in N2O emission, using a global meta‐analysis of 1,104 field measurements. The emission factor (EF) of N2O increases significantly (p < .001) with soil pH decrease. The default EF value of 1.0%, according to IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) for agricultural soils, occurs at soil pH 6.76. Moreover, changes in EF with N fertilization (i.e. ΔEF) is also negatively correlated (p < .001) with soil pH. This indicates that N2O emission in acidic soils is more sensitive to changing N fertilization than that in alkaline soils. Incorporating our findings into bottom‐up models has significant consequences for regional and global N2O emission inventories and reconciling them with those from top‐down models. Moreover, our results allow region‐specific development of tailor‐made N2O mitigation measures in agriculture.
Torsional fatigue resistance of pathfinding instruments manufactured from several nickel‐titanium alloys
Authors: Alcalde M. P. , Duarte M. A. H. , Bramante C. M. , Tanomaru‐filho M. , Vasconcelos B. C. , Só M. V. R. , Vivan R. R. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractAimTo evaluate the torsional properties of pathfinding nickel‐titanium (NiTi) rotary instruments manufactured from several NiTi alloys, ProGlider (M‐wire), Hyflex GPF (conventional NiTi Wire and controlled memory wire), Logic (conventional NiTi wire and controlled memory wire) and Mtwo (conventional NiTi wire).MethodologyA total of 56 NiTi instruments from Glidepath rotary systems (n = 8) were used: Logic (size 25, .01 taper), Logic CM (size 25, .01 taper), ProGlider (size 16, .02 taper), Hyflex GPF (size 15, .01 taper), Hyflex GPF CM (size 15, .02 taper; size 20, .02 taper) and Mtwo (size 10, .04 taper). The torsion tests were performed based on ISO 3630‐1 (1992). Three millimetres of each instrument tip was clamped to a small load cell by a lever arm linked to the torsion axis. Data were analysed using a one‐way analysis of variance (anova) and Tukey test with a significance level at a = 5%.ResultsThe Logic size 25, .01 taper had significantly higher torsional strength values (P < 0.05). The ProGlider was significantly different when compared with Hyflex GPF size 15, .01 taper and size 15, .02 taper (P < 0.05). The Logic CM size 25, .01 taper had significantly higher torsional strength than Hyflex GPF size 15, .01 taper and size 15, .02 taper (P < 0.05). No difference was found amongst Mtwo size 10, .04 taper and Hyflex GPF groups (size 15, .01 taper; size 15, .02 taper; size 20, .02 taper). In relation to the angle of rotation, Logic CM size 25, .01 taper and Hyflex GPF size 15, .01 taper had the highest angle values (P < 0.05). The ProGlider had the lowest angle values in comparison with all the groups (P < 0.05) followed by Mtwo size 10, .04 taper. The Logic size 25, .01 taper had significantly higher angle of rotation values than ProGlider and Mtwo size 10, .04 taper (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe Logic size 25, .01 taper instrument made of conventional NiTi alloy had the highest torsional strength of all instruments tested. In addition, the ProGlider instrument manufactured from M‐Wire alloy had the lowest angle of rotation to fracture in comparison with the other instruments.
Silicon nitride bioceramics in healthcare
Authors: Rahaman Mohamed , Xiao Wei 
Published: November 2017

AbstractSilicon nitride (Si3N4) is biocompatible and stable in vivo, and these properties, when combined with its superior mechanical properties, make Si3N4an attractive ceramic implant material in some healthcare applications, particularly in orthopedic surgery. Si3N4is used in spinal fusion surgery, is under development for use as bearings in joint replacement, and is being considered for use as dental implants. While Si3N4implants are currently created using conventional ceramic processing techniques, additive manufacturing provides the capacity to create custom implants with the required anatomical shape, precise dimensions, and well‐controlled microstructure. Si3N4can be created with a smooth or microrough surface topography, and its surface chemistry can be varied from a silica‐rich to a predominantly silicon‐amine composition, which can influence the response of cells, tissues, and bacteria in vivo. Si3N4implants have shown attractive osseointegration and antimicrobial activity in vivo, while Si3N4bearings have shown low wear rates when articulating against itself or against polyethylene. The objective of this article is to review recent developments in the design, processing, and evaluation of Si3N4implants for healthcare applications.
Doing what we can, but knowing our place: Being an ally to promote consumer leadership in mental health
Authors: Happell Brenda , Scholz Brett 
Published: November 2017

AbstractConsumer participation in all aspects of mental health services is clearly articulated as an expectation of contemporary mental health policy. Consumer leadership has been demonstrated to be beneficial to mental health services. Barriers to implementation have limited the realization of this goal. In this discursive paper, we argue that non‐consumers who support consumer partnerships and leadership (known as ‘allies’) have an important role to play in facilitating and supporting consumers in leadership roles. Allies currently have more potential to influence resource allocation, and might be viewed more credibly by their peers than consumer leaders themselves. We call for allies to ensure their role is one of support and facilitation (doing what they can), rather than directing the content or speaking on behalf of the consumer movement (knowing their place). In the present study, we address the importance of allies for the consumer movement. It proposes some ‘rules of engagement’ to ensure that allies do not intentionally or otherwise encroach on consumer knowledge and expertise, so that they maintain the important position of supporting consumers and facilitating the valuing and use of consumer knowledge, expertise, and ultimately, leadership.
Screening for risk of violence using service users’ self‐perceptions: A prospective study from an acute mental health unit
Authors: Lockertsen Øyvind , Procter Nicolas , Vatnar Solveig Karin Bø , Færden Ann , Eriksen Bjørn Magne S. , Roaldset John Olav , Varvin Sverre 
Published: November 2017

AbstractService users’ self‐perception of risk has rarely been emphasized in violence risk assessments. A recent review pointed to the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, because different perspectives may provide a deeper and improved understanding of risk assessment. The aim of this study was to investigate service users’ perceptions of their own risk of committing violence, using a self‐report risk scale, to determine the feasibility and efficacy of this potential violence risk marker during acute mental health hospitalization. All service users admitted to a psychiatric emergency hospital in Norway during one calendar year were included (N = 512). Nearly 80% self‐reported no risk or low risk; only seven (1.4%) reported moderate risk or high risk. Service users who reported moderate risk, high risk, don't know, or won't answer were more likely to be violent (OR = 4.65, 95% CI = 2.79–7.74) compared with those who reported no risk or low risk. There was a significant gender interaction with higher OR for women on both univariate and multivariate analyses. Although the OR was higher for women, women's violence rate (11.0%) was almost half that of men (21.8%). For women, sensitivity and specificity were 0.55 and 0.88, respectively; corresponding values for men were 0.40 and 0.80. Inclusion of self‐perception of violence risk is the first step towards service users’ collaborative involvement in violence prediction; these results indicate that self‐perception can contribute to violence risk assessments in acute mental health settings. Findings also indicate that there are gender differences in these assessments.
I had no other option: Women, electroconvulsive therapy, and informed consent
Authors: Clarke Karen‐Ann , Barnes Margaret , Ross Dyann 
Published: November 2017

AbstractElectroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a controversial procedure used in the management of depression. Whilst it may be administered under mental health legislation, it is usually given to people who voluntarily consent. At the practice level, the consent process for ECT requires a detailed explanation of the procedure. The person consenting must have capacity to make this decision, and consent must be given freely and without coercion. Research using a feminist narrative approach unexpectedly highlighted the issue of potential coercion in the context of explaining the procedure. In‐depth interviews were used to understand seven women's accounts of deciding to receive ECT. A thematic analysis of their narratives uncovered a shared concern with how they consented to the treatment. Four subthemes were identified that related to the way in which they provided their consent: (i) ‘Not enough information’; (ii) ‘I had no other choice’; (iii) ‘Just go along with it’; and (iv) ‘Lacking capacity’. A consent process that includes elements of passive coercion and a lack of timely and appropriate information influences the way some women make decisions. These factors can disempower women at the point of decision‐making. A practice shift is needed where women are enabled to have control over decisions. Further, there is a need to adhere more rigorously to noncoercive practice when obtaining consent.
Metabolic scaling in modular animals
Authors: Burgess Scott C. , Ryan Will H. , Blackstone Neil W. , Edmunds Peter J. , Hoogenboom Mia O. , Levitan Don R. , Wulff Janie L. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractMetabolic scaling is the relationship between organismal metabolic rate and body mass. Understanding the patterns and causes of metabolic scaling provides a powerful foundation for predicting biological processes at the level of individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems. Despite intense interest in, and debate on, the mechanistic basis of metabolic scaling, relatively little attention has been paid to metabolic scaling in clonal animals with modular construction, such as colonial cnidarians, bryozoans, and colonial ascidians. Unlike unitary animals, modular animals are structural individuals subdivided into repeated morphological units, or modules, each able to acquire, process, and share resources. A modular design allows flexibility in organism size and shape with consequences for metabolic scaling. Furthermore, with careful consideration of the biology of modular animals, the size and shape of individual colonies can be experimentally manipulated to test competing theories pertaining to metabolic scaling. Here, we review metabolic scaling in modular animals and find that a wide range of scaling exponents, rather than a single value, has been reported for a variety of modular animals. We identify factors influencing variation in intraspecific scaling in this group that relate to the general observation that not all modules within a colony are identical. We highlight current gaps in our understanding of metabolic scaling in modular animals, and suggest future research directions, such as manipulating metabolic states and comparisons among species that differ in extent of module integration.
Music for reducing the anxiety and pain of patients undergoing a biopsy: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Song Mingzhi , Li Nanyang , Zhang Xianbin , Shang Yuru , Yan Litao , Chu Jin , Sun Ran , Xu Yun 
Published: November 2017

AbstractAimThis study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of music therapy for reducing the anxiety and pain of patients who underwent a biopsy.BackgroundMusic can affect human anxiety and pain by triggering a neuroendocrine effect. Clinical study results indicated that music can influence the anxiety and pain caused by invasive procedures. There is no effective solution for anxiety and pain arising from a biopsy. Although researchers in this field have different views, music still holds promise in reducing the anxiety and pain in patients undergoing the biopsy.DesignSystematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials.Data SourcesSystematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Medline and Cochrane databases for studies reported in the English language. The review period covered 2000 ‐ December 2016. The outcome measure of interest was anxiety and pain.MethodsThis review followed Cochrane methods. Studies were selected according to the PICOS framework. The methodological quality of studies was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias tool. A systematic review of effectiveness was conducted by using GRADE approach.ResultsNine randomized controlled trials with a total of 326 participants in the music intervention group and 323 controls met the inclusion criteria. Music had a tendency towards decreasing systolic blood pressure before the biopsy, State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory scores after the biopsy, diastolic blood pressure after the biopsy and heart rate after the biopsy. Similarly, music also tended to be more effective for controlling pain after the biopsy. There was moderate quality evidence for the outcome: State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory scores after the biopsy; and low‐ or very low‐quality evidence for other outcomes.ConclusionMusic can be used for patients before and during the biopsy procedure. This approach may be performed by nurses to promote the recovery of patients after the biopsy.
The effects of computer simulation and animation (CSA) on students' cognitive processes: A comparative case study in an undergraduate engineering course
Authors: Fang N. , Tajvidi M. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis study focuses on the investigation of the effects of computer simulation and animation (CSA) on students' cognitive processes in an undergraduate engineering course. The revised Bloom's taxonomy, which consists of six categories in the cognitive process domain, was employed in this study. Five of the six categories were investigated, including remember, understand, apply, analyze, and evaluate. Data were collected via a think‐aloud protocol involving two groups of student participants: One group learned a worked example problem with a CSA module, and the other group learned the same problem with traditional textbook‐style instruction. A new concept called frequency index was proposed for use in qualitative research that involves the quantitative comparison of the overall popularity of a particular mental activity performed by two groups of students. The results show that as compared to traditional textbook‐style instruction, CSA significantly increases students' activities in the understand category of the revised Bloom's taxonomy during learning and significantly increases students' activities in the understand, apply, analyse, and evaluate categories during subsequent problem‐solving. That learning via CSA has a profound impact on subsequent problem‐solving is attributed to intensive human–computer interactions built in the CSA learning module.
Stronger selective constraint on downstream genes in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway of cetaceans
Authors: Tian R. , Xu S. , Chai S. , Yin D. , Zakon H. , Yang G. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) pathway is an efficient way to produce energy via adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is critical for sustaining an energy supply for cetaceans in a hypoxic environment. Several studies have shown that natural selection may shape the evolution of the genes involved inOXPHOS. However, how network architecture drivesOXPHOSprotein sequence evolution remains poorly explored. Here, we investigated the evolutionary patterns of genes in theOXPHOSpathway across six cetacean genomes within the framework of a functional network. Our results show a negative correlation between the strength of purifying selection and pathway position. This result indicates that downstream genes were subjected to stronger evolutionary constraints than upstream genes, which may be due to the dual function ofATPsynthase in theOXPHOSpathway. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between codon usage bias and omega (ω = dN/dS) and a negative correlation with synonymous substitution rate (dS), indicating that the stronger selective constraint on genes (with less biased codon usage) along theOXPHOSpathway is attributable to an increase in the rate of synonymous substitution. Surprisingly, there was no significant correlation between protein–protein interactions and the evolutionary estimates, implying that highly connected enzymes may not always show greater evolutionary constraints. Compared with that observed for terrestrial mammals, we found that the signature of positive selection detected in five genes (ATP5J,LHPP,PPA1,UQCRC1 andUQCRQ) was cetacean‐specific, reflecting the importance ofOXPHOSfor survival in hypoxic, aquatic environments.