bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Early postnatal gentamicin and ceftazidime treatment in normal and food restricted neonatal wistar rats: Implications for kidney development
Authors: Bueters Ruud R.G. , Jeronimus‐Klaasen Annelies , Brüggemann Roger J.M. , van den Heuvel Lambertus P. , Schreuder Michiel F. 
Published: July 2017

BackgroundUp to two‐thirds of premature born neonates are treated for infections with aminoglycosides such as gentamicin. Although acute toxicities are well described, there is uncertainty on developmental changes after treatment of premature born neonates. We studied the effect of gentamicin and ceftazidime on kidney development in the rat. Additionally, we evaluated the modulating effect of extrauterine growth restriction.MethodsOn postnatal day (PND) 2, Wistar rats were cross‐fostered into normal sized litters (12 pups) or large litters (20 pups) to create normal food (NF) or food restricted (FR) litters to simulate growth restriction and dosed daily intraperitoneally with placebo, 4 mg/kg of gentamicin or 50 mg/kg ceftazidime until PND 8. Gentamicin pharmacokinetics were studied in a separate group of animals. Kidneys were weighed. Renal expression of 18 developmental genes was evaluated by quantitative PCR on PND 8. On PND 35, glomerular number was assessed by stereology and glomerular generations were counted.ResultsFood restricted litters showed 22% less body weight compared with controls by day 35 (p < 0.001), 1.4‐ to 1.5‐fold down regulation of Renin, Oat1, and Agtr1a (p < 0.05) expression and a 12% reduction in glomerular numbers (mean 30841 vs. 35187, p < 0.001), whereas glomerular generation count was unaffected. Gentamicin pharmacokinetic parameters were found to be in a human clinical range (mean maximum concentration in plasma of 4.88 mg/L and mean area under the plasma‐concentration time curve up to the last measured concentration after 4 hr of 10.71 mg.h/L for sexes combined) and all endpoints were unaffected. Ceftazidime reduced Renin expression by 1.7‐fold (p < 0.01).ConclusionOur experiments showed that gentamicin at clinical levels did not disturb kidney development, ceftazidime can affect Renin expression, and extrauterine growth restriction impairs kidney development, but did not modulate potential drug toxicity. Birth Defects Research 109:1228–1235, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
To be certain about the uncertainty: Bayesian statistics for13C metabolic flux analysis
Authors: Theorell Axel , Leweke Samuel , Wiechert Wolfgang , Nöh Katharina 
Published: July 2017

Abstract13C Metabolic Fluxes Analysis (13C MFA) remains to be the most powerful approach to determine intracellular metabolic reaction rates. Decisions on strain engineering and experimentation heavily rely upon the certainty with which these fluxes are estimated. For uncertainty quantification, the vast majority of13C MFA studies relies on confidence intervals from the paradigm of Frequentist statistics. However, it is well known that the confidence intervals for a given experimental outcome are not uniquely defined. As a result, confidence intervals produced by different methods can be different, but nevertheless equally valid. This is of high relevance to13C MFA, since practitioners regularly use three different approximate approaches for calculating confidence intervals. By means of a computational study with a realistic model of the central carbon metabolism ofE. coli, we provide strong evidence that confidence intervals used in the field depend strongly on the technique with which they were calculated and, thus, their use leads to misinterpretation of the flux uncertainty. In order to provide a better alternative to confidence intervals in13C MFA, we demonstrate that credible intervals from the paradigm of Bayesian statistics give more reliable flux uncertainty quantifications which can be readily computed with high accuracy using Markov chain Monte Carlo. In addition, the widely applied chi‐square test, as a means of testing whether the model reproduces the data, is examined closer.
Masquerading bundle branch block obscuring the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome: an electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic study
Authors: Konopka Isabel V. , Garro Hugo A. , Tepper Rita B. , Pizzarelli Norma , Gonzalez Mario D. , Acunzo Rafael S. 
Published: July 2017

Key Clinical MessageWe describe the induction of a masquerading bundle branch block in two patients with Brugada syndrome following the administration of Ajmaline. The development of this conduction disturbance prevented the correct electrocardiographic diagnosis. However, the simultaneously obtained vectocardiogram identified both the Brugada pattern and the masquerading bundle branch block.
Particle Kinematics in Spheronization of Pharmaceutical Pellets
Authors: Weis Dominik , Niesing Maria , Thommes Markus , Antonyuk Sergiy 
Published: July 2017

AbstractDie Herstellung pharmazeutischer Pellets wird häufig in einem kombinierten Extrusions‐ und Sphäronisationsverfahren durchgeführt, wobei die Partikelkinematik die Abrundung im Sphäroniser stark beeinflusst. In dieser Studie wurde die Partikelkinematik der realen pharmazeutischen Pellets analysiert. Dazu wurden Materialparameter wie Stoßzahl und Steifigkeit bei Be‐ und Entlastung durch Druck‐ und Stoßversuche ermittelt. Anhand dieser Parameter wurde ein Kontaktmodell für die Simulation der Partikelbewegung entwickelt. Die Simulationsergebnisse wurden mit experimentellen Untersuchungen validiert.
Empowerment in adolescents and young adults with cancer: Relationship with health‐related quality of life
Authors: Kaal Suzanne E.J. , Husson Olga , van Duivenboden Saskia , Jansen Rosemarie , Manten‐Horst Eveliene , Servaes Petra , Prins Judith B. , van den Berg Sanne W. , van der Graaf Winette T.A. 
Published: July 2017

BACKGROUNDThe difficulties adolescents and young adults (AYAs) encounter during a cancer experience may result in a reduction in or absence of empowerment. The aims of the current study were to assess levels of empowerment and associated (demographic, clinical, or psychological) factors and examine the association between empowerment and health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) among AYA patients with cancer.METHODSPatients aged 18 to 35 years at time of cancer diagnosis and who were seen by 1 of the members of the specialized multidisciplinary AYA team of the Radboud University Medical Center were invited to complete questionnaires regarding empowerment; HRQOL; and sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological characteristics (autonomy, coping, unmet social support needs, and psychological distress).RESULTSA total of 83 AYA patients completed the questionnaires. The mean age of the participants at the time of diagnosis was 27.5 years. The vast majority had been treated with chemotherapy (86%), had a more advanced stage of disease, and had completed treatment at the time of participation (74%). The mean empowerment level was 154.1 (standard deviation, 17.8) with a range of 114 to 200. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the autonomy subscales of self‐awareness (β = .35), capacity for managing new situations (β = .19), and social support (β = .35) were found to be positively associated with empowerment. Coping difficulties (β = ‐.19) were found to be negatively associated with empowerment. Empowerment was independently associated with physical (β = .31), psychological (β = .50), social (β = .39), religious (β = .33), and total HRQOL (β = .52; all P<.01).CONCLUSIONSLow levels of empowerment were associated with low levels of autonomy and social support, female sex, and coping difficulties among AYA patients with cancer. Recognizing these patients as candidates for empowerment interventions ultimately could help to improve HRQOL in late adolescence and young adulthood. Cancer 2017;123:4039‐47. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‐NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Relationships Between Self‐Reported and Observed Parenting Behaviour, Adolescent Disordered Eating Attitudes and Behaviours, and the 5‐HTTLPR Polymorphism: Data From the Australian Temperament Project
Authors: Rozenblat Vanja , Ryan Joanne , Wertheim Eleanor , King Ross , Olsson Craig A. , Letcher Primrose , Krug Isabel 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThis study examined whether self‐reported and observationally measured parental behaviours were associated with disordered eating, and investigated possible moderation by a serotonin‐transporter polymorphism (5‐HTTLPR). Study 1 included 650 adolescents from the Australian Temperament Project who completed the Eating Disorder Inventory‐2 Drive for Thinness and Bulimia scales at 15/16 years and were genotyped for 5‐HTTLPR. Parents completed an Australian Temperament Project‐devised measure of parental warmth and harsh punishment. Study 2 included a subgroup of 304 participants who also engaged in a video‐recorded family interaction, with observed parental warmth and hostility coded by the Iowa Family Interaction Rating Scale. Greater self‐reported parental warmth was associated with lower bulimia scores. Conversely, observationally measured parental warmth was associated with lower drive for thinness, but not bulimia. Self‐reported parental harsh punishment was associated with bulimia only, with observed parental hostility associated with neither outcome. 5‐HTTLPR genotype did not moderate the relationship between parent behaviours and adolescent disordered eating. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Feedforward inhibition is randomly wired from individual granule cells onto CA3 pyramidal cells
Authors: Neubrandt Máté , Oláh Viktor János , Brunner János , Szabadics János 
Published: July 2017

AbstractFeedforward inhibition (FFI) between the dentate gyrus (DG) and CA3 sparsifies and shapes memory‐ and spatial navigation‐related activities. However, our understanding of this prototypical FFI circuit lacks essential details, as the wiring of FFI is not yet mapped between individual DG granule cells (GCs) and CA3 pyramidal cells (PCs). Importantly, theoretically opposite network contributions are possible depending on whether the directly excited PCs are differently inhibited than the non‐excited PCs. Therefore, to better understand FFI wiring schemes, we compared the prevalence of disynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic events (diIPSCs) between pairs of individually recorded GC axons or somas and PCs, some of which were connected by monosynaptic excitation, while others were not. If FFI wiring is specific, diIPSCs are expected only in connected PCs; whereas diIPSCs should not be present in these PCs if FFI is laterally wired from individual GCs. However, we found single GC‐elicited diIPSCs with similar probabilities irrespective of the presence of monosynaptic excitation. This observation suggests that the wiring of FFI between individual GCs and PCs is independent of the direct excitation. Therefore, the randomly distributed FFI contributes to the hippocampal signal sparsification by setting the general excitability of the CA3 depending on the overall activity of GCs.
Exploring the potential of natural and synthetic neuroprotective steroids against neurodegenerative disorders: A literature review
Authors: Bansal Ranju , Singh Ranjit 
Published: July 2017

AbstractNeurodegeneration is a complex process, which leads to progressive brain damage due to loss of neurons. Despite exhaustive research, the cause of neuronal loss in various degenerative disorders is not entirely understood. Neuroprotective steroids constitute an important line of attack, which could play a major role against the common mechanisms associated with various neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Natural endogenous steroids induce the neuroprotection by protecting the nerve cells from neuronal injury through multiple mechanisms, therefore the structural modifications of the endogenous steroids could be helpful in the generation of new therapeutically useful neuroprotective agents. The review article will keep the readers apprised of the detailed description of natural as well as synthetic neuroprotective steroids from the medicinal chemistry point of view, which would be helpful in drug discovery efforts aimed toward neurodegenerative diseases.
Modulation of lateral positions of Bragg peaks via magnetic fields inside cancer patients: Toward magnetic field modulated proton therapy
Authors: Shao Wencheng , Tang Xiaobin , Bai Yanling , Geng Changran , Shu Diyun , Gong Chunhui , Chen Da 
Published: July 2017

PurposeThis work investigated whether the Bragg peak (BP) positions of proton beams can be modulated to produce uniform doses and cover a tumor under the magnetic fields inside cancer patients, and whether magnetic field modulated proton therapy (MMPT) is effective in vital organ protection.MethodsThe authors initially constructed an ideal water phantom comprising a central tumor surrounded by cuboid organ regions using GEANT4. Second, we designed the proton beams passing through the gap between two adjacent organ regions during beam configuration. Third, we simulated the beam transports under magnetic fields inside the phantom through GEANT4. Then, the beams were discarded, which did not stop in the tumor. Fourth, the authors modulated the intensities of the remaining beams to produce uniform tumor doses. Subsequently, the calculated MMPT doses were compared with those of traditional methods, such as single, opposing, orthogonal, and box fields. Moreover, the authors repeated the above research procedures for abdominal anatomies comprising tumors at the pancreatic tail and liver to evaluate whether MMPT is effective for the human anatomy.ResultsFor the water phantom, the vital organ doses were approximately 50%, 30%, 30%, and 15% for the single, opposing, orthogonal, and box fields, respectively. As the vital organ doses decreased, the organ volume receiving proton irradiations for the opposing, orthogonal, and box fields increased by two, two, and four times compared with that for the single field. The vital organ volume receiving proton irradiations were controlled to a fairly low level through MMPT, whereas the BP positions of the proton beams were properly modulated through the magnetic fields inside the phantom. The tumor was sufficiently covered by a 95% dose line, and the maximum tumor doses were smaller than 110%. For the pancreatic tumor case, the proton beams were curved and bypassed the kidney to generate uniform doses inside the tumor through MMPT. In the liver tumor case, the liver volume receiving proton irradiations was reduced by approximately 40% through MMPT compared with traditional methods.ConclusionsThe BP positions can be intentionally modulated to produce uniform tumor doses under the magnetic fields inside cancer patients. In some special cases, the vital organs surrounding the tumor can almost be exempted from proton irradiations without sacrificing tumor dose coverage through MMPT. For the tumors inside parallel organs, the parallel organ volume receiving proton irradiations was largely reduced through MMPT. The results of this study can serve as beneficial implications for future proton therapy studies with reduced vital organ damage and complications.
Responses of chemically active and naturally fractured shale under time‐dependent mechanical loading and ionic solution exposure
Authors: Liu Chao , Hoang Son K. , Abousleiman Younane N. 
Published: July 2017

SummaryIn this paper, the analytical dual‐porosity dual‐permeability poromechanics solution for saturated cylinders is extended to account for electrokinetic effects and material transverse isotropy, which simulate the responses of chemically active naturally fractured shale under time‐dependent mechanical loading and ionic solution exposure. The solution addresses the stresses, fracture pore pressure, matrix pore pressure, fluid fluxes, ion concentration evolution, and displacements due to the applied stress, pore pressure, and solute concentration difference between the sample and the circulation fluid. The presented solution will not only help validate numerical simulations but also assist in calibrating and interpreting laboratory results on dual‐porosity dual‐permeability shale. It is recommended that the analytical solutions of radial and axial displacements be used to match the corresponding laboratory‐recorded data to determine shale dual permeability and chemo‐electrical parameters including membrane coefficient, ions diffusion coefficients, and electro‐osmotic permeability.
A software‐defined networking approach to improve service provision in residential networks
Authors: Flores Moyano Ricardo , Fernández David , Bellido Luis , González Carlos 
Published: July 2017

SummaryWithin the Internet service provider landscape, the residential gateway (RGW) plays a key role in service provision. The RGW should be an enabler for the provision of new and better services for residential users, but it is often instead an obstacle for innovation. This paper discusses how to improve the provision of innovative services and to increase the usability of residential networks by upgrading the residential gateway in alignment with the current paradigms of software‐defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization. In this approach, SDN contributes by providing a fine‐grained control of the traffic and network function virtualization contributes by outsourcing traditional and specialized network functions running inside the RGW like routing or network address translation to the Internet service provider premises. Based on this approach, a management framework has been designed by considering 2 aspects: the involvement of the residential user in the management tasks through the provision of network management applications and the need to decouple network applications from the underlying SDN controller technology to encourage the development of innovative network applications. In addition, a virtualized management and networking domain has been defined to complement the approach and leverage cloud technologies. The advantages and challenges of this approach are analyzed based on a proof of concept development.
Acoustic shape optimization using cut finite elements
Authors: Bernland Anders , Wadbro Eddie , Berggren Martin 
Published: July 2017

SummaryFictitious domain methods are attractive for shape optimization applications, since they do not require deformed or regenerated meshes. A recently developed such method is the CutFEM approach, which allows crisp boundary representations and for which uniformly well‐conditioned system matrices can be guaranteed. Here, we investigate the use of the CutFEM approach for acoustic shape optimization, using as test problem the design of an acoustic horn for favorable impedance‐matching properties. The CutFEM approach is used to solve the Helmholtz equation, and the geometry of the horn is implicitly described by a level‐set function. To promote smooth algorithmic updates of the geometry, we propose to use the nodal values of the Laplacian of the level‐set function as design variables. This strategy also improves the algorithm's convergence rate, counteracts mesh dependence, and, in combination with Tikhonov regularization, controls small details in the optimized designs. An advantage with the proposed method is that the exact derivatives of the discrete objective function can be expressed as boundary integrals, as opposed to when using a traditional method that uses mesh deformations. The resulting horns possess excellent impedance‐matching properties and exhibit surprising subwavelength structures, not previously seen, which are possible to capture due to the fixed mesh approach.
New methods for the synthesis of 4H‐dithieno[3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d]pyrrole
Authors: Förtsch Sebastian , Vogt Astrid , Bäuerle Peter 
Published: July 2017

AbstractVarious alternative methods for the synthesis of 4H‐dithieno[3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d]pyrrole (DTP) starting from commercially available bromothiophene precursors are presented. Crucial steps involve the Cadogan reaction, Ullmann‐type C─N couplings, or Buchwald‐Hartwig–type aminations to build up the central pyrrole ring of DTP, respectively. The use of ammonia surrogates afforded the fused target heteroacene in overall yields of 33% to 63%, and the corresponding methods are applicable on large scale.
Evaluation of poly(4‐methyl‐1‐pentene) as a dielectric capacitor film for high‐temperature energy storage applications
Authors: Gupta Sahil , Offenbach Ido , Ronzello JoAnne , Cao Yang , Boggs Steven , Weiss Robert A. , Cakmak Mukerrem 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACTPoly(4‐methyl‐1‐pentene) (P4MP) was characterized to evaluate its viability as a high‐temperature dielectric film for capacitors. Detailed investigation of thermal, mechanical, rheological, and dielectric properties was carried out to assess its high‐temperature performance and processability. P4MP was melt‐processable below 270 °C without degradation and application temperatures as high as 160–190 °C can be achieved. The dielectric constant and loss of melt‐processed P4MP films was comparable to biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) capacitor films, although the dielectric strength was lower. Enhancements in dielectric strength up to 250–300% were achieved via solution‐processing P4MP films, which could be easily scaled up on a roll‐to‐roll platform to yield isotropic, free‐standing films as thin as 3–5 μm. The influence of crystal structure, crystallinity, and surface morphology of these films on the dielectric properties was examined. The dielectric strength was further increased by 450% through biaxial stretching of solution‐cast films, and a Weibull breakdown field of 514 V/μm was obtained. The dielectric constant was very stable as a function of frequency and temperature and the dielectric loss was restricted to <1–2%. Overall, these results suggest that BOP4MP is a promising candidate to obtain similar energy density as a BOPP capacitor film but at much higher operating temperatures. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017, 55, 1497–1515
Warm season precipitation signal in δ2H values of wood lignin methoxyl groups from high elevation larch trees in Switzerland
Authors: Riechelmann Dana F.C. , Greule Markus , Siegwolf Rolf T.W. , Anhäuser Tobias , Esper Jan , Keppler Frank 
Published: July 2017

RationaleIn this study, we tested stable hydrogen isotope ratios of wood lignin methoxyl groups (δ2Hmethoxyl values) as a palaeoclimate proxy in dendrochronology. This is a quite new method in the field of dendrochronology and the sample preparation is much simpler than the methods used before to measure δ2H values from wood.MethodsWe measured δ2Hmethoxyl values in high elevation larch trees (Larix decidua Mill.) from Simplon Valley (southern Switzerland). Thirty‐seven larch trees were sampled and five individuals analysed for their δ2Hmethoxyl values at annual (1971–2009) and pentadal resolution (1746–2009). The δ2Hmethoxyl values were measured as CH3I released upon treatment of the dried wood samples with hydroiodic acid. 10–90 μL from the head‐space were injected into the gas chromatography/high‐temperature conversion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/HTC‐IRMS) system.ResultsTesting the climate response of the δ2Hmethoxyl values, the annually resolved series show a positive correlation of r = 0.60 with June/July precipitation. The pentadally resolved δ2Hmethoxyl series do not show any significant correlation to climate parameters.ConclusionsIncreased precipitation during June and July, which are on average warm and relatively dry months, results in higher δ2H values of the xylem water and, therefore, higher δ2H values in the lignin methoxyl groups. Therefore, we suggest that δ2Hmethoxyl values of high elevation larch trees might serve as a summer precipitation proxy.