bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association of CYP2R1 rs10766197 with MS risk and disease progression
Authors: Scazzone Concetta , Agnello Luisa , Ragonese Paolo , Lo Sasso Bruna , Bellia Chiara , Bivona Giulia , Schillaci Rosaria , Salemi Giuseppe , Ciaccio Marcello 
Published: August 2017

AbstractBackgroundMS is a neurodegenerative autoimmune disease resulting from a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Among these, vitamin D and genetic variants associated with vitamin D‐metabolism gain great attention. The aim of our study was to assess five SNPs in NADSYN1 and CYP2R1 genes in relation to serum 25‐OH‐vitamin D3 levels in MS patients and controls.Methods25‐OH‐vitamin D3 levels and genotyping of CYP2R1‐ and NADSYN1‐SNPs were investigated both in MS patients and in healthy controls.ResultsThe analysis revealed lower 25‐OH‐vitamin D3 concentrations in MS patients than in controls and an association of rs10766197 CYP2R1 SNP with MS risk. After stratifying MS patients according to gender, we found that the minor allele A of rs10766197 had a higher frequency in men in comparison to women affected by MS. Additionally, the presence of allele A in men was associated with disease progression, assessed by EDSS and MSSS scores.ConclusionThe findings of our study open new perspectives for a role of CYP2R1 in both risk and progression of MS, with sex‐related differences.
A micro‐Raman spectroscopic study of Cr(OH)3 and Cr2O3 nanoparticles obtained by the hydrothermal method
Authors: Gomes Adriano S. O. , Yaghini Negin , Martinelli Anna , Ahlberg Elisabet 
Published: August 2017

Cr2O3 nanoparticles, widely used in the industry, can be obtained by calcination of the nanoparticles synthesized via the hydrothermal method. The chemical nature and the morphology of as‐prepared and calcined nanoparticles are investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Our results indicate that the as‐prepared nanoparticles mainly consist of amorphous and hydrated Cr(OH)3, with only minor amounts of Cr2O3. By contrast, and as already known before, calcined nanoparticles consist of Cr2O3. We also demonstrate the effect of inappropriately chosen experimental conditions, because the use of laser intensities above 0.7 mW during the Raman experiments causes a local heating and thus induces the transformation of Cr(OH)3 into Cr2O3. The correlation between the laser power and a local heating is further corroborated by thermogravimetric analyses, which show that upon increased temperature, Cr(OH)3 first dehydrates and then partially condensates to the intermediate CrO(OH) form, to finally attain the crystalline form of Cr2O3 at about 409 °C. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Constructing a patient‐specific computer model of the upper airway in sleep apnea patients
Authors: Dhaliwal Sandeep S. , Hesabgar Seyyed M. , Haddad Seyyed M. H. , Ladak Hanif , Samani Abbas , Rotenberg Brian W. 
Published: August 2017

ObjectiveThe use of computer simulation to develop a high‐fidelity model has been proposed as a novel and cost‐effective alternative to help guide therapeutic intervention in sleep apnea surgery. We describe a computer model based on patient‐specific anatomy of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) subjects wherein the percentage and sites of upper airway collapse are compared to findings on drug‐induced sleep endoscopy (DISE).Study DesignBasic science computer model generation.MethodsThree‐dimensional finite element techniques were undertaken for model development in a pilot study of four OSA patients. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to capture patient anatomy and software employed to outline critical anatomical structures. A finite‐element mesh was applied to the volume enclosed by each structure. Linear and hyperelastic soft‐tissue properties for various subsites (tonsils, uvula, soft palate, and tongue base) were derived using an inverse finite‐element technique from surgical specimens. Each model underwent computer simulation to determine the degree of displacement on various structures within the upper airway, and these findings were compared to DISE exams performed on the four study patients.ResultsComputer simulation predictions for percentage of airway collapse and site of maximal collapse show agreement with observed results seen on endoscopic visualization.ConclusionModeling the upper airway in OSA patients is feasible and holds promise in aiding patient‐specific surgical treatment.Level of EvidenceNA. Laryngoscope, 128:277–282, 2018
Hyaluronic Acid Graft Copolymers with Cleavable Arms as Potential Intravitreal Drug Delivery Vehicles
Authors: Borke Tina , Najberg Mathie , Ilina Polina , Bhattacharya Madhushree , Urtti Arto , Tenhu Heikki , Hietala Sami 
Published: August 2017

AbstractTreatment of retinal diseases currently demands frequent intravitreal injections due to rapid clearance of the therapeutics. The use of high molecular weight polymers can extend the residence time in the vitreous and prolong the injection intervals. This study reports a water soluble graft copolymer as a potential vehicle for sustained intravitreal drug delivery. The copolymer features a high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA) backbone and poly(glyceryl glycerol) (PGG) side chains attached via hydrolysable ester linkers. PGG, a polyether with 1,2‐diol groups in every repeating unit available for conjugation, serves as a detachable carrier. The influence of synthesis conditions and incubation in physiological media on the molecular weight of HA is studied. The cleavage of the PGG grafts from the HA backbone is quantified and polymer‐from‐polymer release kinetics are determined. The biocompatibility of the materials is tested in different cell cultures.
Controlling Polymer Crystallization Kinetics by Sample History
Authors: Poudel Purushottam , Chandran Sivasurender , Majumder Sumit , Reiter Günter 
Published: August 2017

AbstractIn this paper systematic changes in the isothermal crystallization kinetics (at Tc = 200 °C) of nonequilibrated isotactic polystyrene films, generated through spin coating are reported. Kinetics is tuned by annealing films at Ta = 250 °C, i.e., above their nominal melting temperature (TmDSC = 220 °C). An exponential decrease in growth rate and a significant decrease of crystal nucleation density by approximately three orders of magnitude are observed by increasing the time (ta) provided for equilibration at Ta. The characteristic exponential decay time is approximately four orders of magnitude longer than the equilibrium reptation time at Ta. Interestingly, with increasing ta, a change in the morphology of lamellar crystals varying from spherulites to hexagons of rather uniform height to finally hexagons exhibiting periodic modulations in height is observed. These observations reveal that understanding and tuning the crystallization kinetics of polymer films under quiescent conditions requires knowledge on how strongly chain conformations deviate from equilibrium.
High‐Impact Polyamide Composites with Linear Ethylene–Norbornene Anhydride Copolymers from Insertion Polymerization
Authors: Schuster Nicole , Krumova Marina , Richter Florian , Schneller Arnold , Mecking Stefan 
Published: August 2017

AbstractToughening of polyamide 66 with novel linear norbornene anhydride functionalized polyethylenes leads to an impact performance in the Charpy‐notch impact testing at 23 °C and −30 °C as high as aCN = 18.0 ± 1.0 and 13.7 ± 0.8 kJ m−2, respectively, which compares favorably to a state of the art functional low density polyethylene (LDPE) from high‐pressure copolymerization with a Charpy‐notch impact strength of aCN = 16.8 ± 0.0 and 13.8 ± 2.1 kJ m−2 at 23 and −30 °C, respectively. The linear copolymers are obtained by insertion polymerization at mild ethylene pressures of 5 to 15 bars with phosphinesulfonato Pd (II) catalysts, to yield linear copolymers with norbornene anhydride incorporations as high as 4.8 mol% along with a polymer molecular weight of >105 g mol−1. Furthermore, the norbornene anhydride functionality serves as a reaction site for postpolymerization functionalization with alcohols to obtain the respective half‐ and diesters of the anhydride functionality. Notably, the impact performance is improved with the increase of the alkyl chain length and degree of branching of the ester functionality in the order methanol < n‐butanol < 2‐ethyl hexanol from 10.0 to 13.8 kJ m−2.
Temporal and spatial variations of the thermal growing season in China during 1961–2015
Authors: Cui Linli , Shi Jun , Ma Yue 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTBased on the daily mean air temperature at 1863 meteorological stations over China from 1961 to 2015, the temporal and spatial tendencies in the growing season parameters (the start date of the growing season, GSS; the end date of the growing season, GSE; and the length of the growing season, GSL) for 0, 3, 5 and 10 °C temperature thresholds were investigated; the results showed that in the past 55 years GSL exhibited a significant extending trend at speeds of 1.5–5.0 days per 10 years in most areas of northwest China (NWC), north China (NC), northeast China (NEC) and western southwest China (SWC). The extension of GSL was attributed to an earlier GSS at a rate of 1.5–3.0 days per 10 years in most areas of NEC and NC and some parts of NWC and SWC, and a later GSE at speeds of 1.0–2.0 days per 10 years in most of NWC and northern SWC and some parts of NEC and northwestern NC. The extending trend of the GSL was prominent in northern and western China relative to southern China. The temporal variations in the regional average growing season parameters were different for four temperature thresholds and in six regions. In general, the regional GSL (GSS, GSE) was extended (advanced, delayed) continuously during 1961–2015 or had no significant trend before about 1980 and then extended (advanced, delayed) continuously. The temporal variations of the GSE were weaker than those of the GSS in most regions.
Synoptic analysis of an intense rainfall event in Paraíba do Sul river basin in southeast Brazil
Authors: Brasiliense Camila Silva , Dereczynski Claudine Pereira , Satyamurty Prakki , Chou Sin Chan , da Silva Santos Victor Rander , Calado Renata Novaes 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of an intense rainfall event that occurred in the Paraíba do Sul river basin, southeast Brazil, in early 2000. Rainfall data from conventional meteorological stations and automatic weather stations, satellite images and datasets from the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis, National Centers for Environmental Prediction, were employed. After the arrival of a cold front in the state of São Paulo on 1 January, the first episode of the South Atlantic convergence zone (SACZ) of the year was established, lasting for 8 days. A dipole blocking pattern over the state of Rio Grande do Sul and Uruguay, with a cold core cyclone and a warm core anticyclone in the upper troposphere, weakened the westerly flow from the Pacific, favouring slow displacement of the SACZ. Intense moisture fluxes from the southern Amazon and tropical South Atlantic converged over southeast Brazil providing copious amounts of moisture for convective activity during the first 4 days of January 2000. The most notable aspect of this event was the development of a cyclonic vortex embedded in the SACZ (CVES) in the Atlantic Ocean, with a warm core in the lower troposphere and a cold core at higher levels, which intensified rain in the study region. After the weakening of the blocking on 4 January, the CVES moved southeastward in the Atlantic. The symmetry of the CVES and conditions of the thermal gradient in the lower and higher troposphere suggest that the system presented subtropical characteristics during the first few days and became an extratropical cyclone later.
Ultrahigh resolution wind forecasting for the sailing events at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Summer Olympic Games
Authors: Giannaros Theodore M. , Kotroni Vassiliki , Lagouvardos Konstantinos , Dellis Dimitrios , Tsanakas Panayiotis , Mavrellis Gabriel , Symeonidis Panagiotis , Vakkas Theodoros 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTThe current study presents AEOLUS‐RIO2016, an ultrahigh resolution wind forecasting system that was developed and implemented operationally for supporting the Hellenic Olympic Sailing Team during the sailing events at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Summer Olympic Games. The forecasting system was built around the state‐of‐the‐art numerical weather prediction Weather Research and Forecasting model, ported to a high performance computing infrastructure that ensured the reliability and timeliness of the provided service. Advanced web mapping tools were employed for communicating forecasts effectively to the athletes and coaches throughout the period of the sailing events. Prior to the operational deployment of AEOLUS‐RIO2016, sensitivity experiments were carried out, focusing on the representation of topography and land use and aiming at improving wind forecasts. The results suggest that the employment of very high resolution and up‐to‐date terrestrial data allowed model performance to be improved, especially in terms of the wind direction guidance provided. Considering the period of the sailing events, the evaluation of AEOLUS‐RIO2016 revealed an overall satisfactory performance. Notably, however, it was found that the system failed to provide reliable wind guidance on specific days. A posteriori implementation of the model using an alternative source for providing initial and lateral boundary conditions showed notable improvements in model performance.
A homogenization method for ductile‐brittle composite laminates at large deformations
Authors: Poulios Konstantinos , Niordson Christian F. 
Published: August 2017

SummaryThis paper presents a high fidelity homogenization method for periodically layered composite structures that accounts for plasticity in the matrix material and quasi‐brittle damage in the reinforcing layers, combined with strong geometrical nonlinearities. A set of deliberately chosen internal kinematic variables results in a rigorous representation of the kinematics of the 2 constituents, which in turn allows for complex constitutive laws per constituent to be used directly in the formulation. The model accounts for hyper‐elastoplastic behavior in the matrix phase and hyper‐elastic behavior in the reinforcement as well as for the bending stiffness of the reinforcement layers. Additionally to previously proposed models, the present method includes Lemaitre‐type damage for the reinforcement, making it applicable to a wider range of engineering applications. The capability of the proposed method in representing the combined effect of plasticity, damage, and buckling at microlevel within a homogenized setting is demonstrated by means of direct comparisons to a reference discrete model.
Isolation of a phytotoxic isocoumarin from Diaporthe eres‐infected Hedera helix (English ivy) and synthesis of its phytotoxic analogs
Authors: Meepagala Kumudini M , Briscoe William E , Techen Natascha , Johnson Robert D , Clausen Brandon M , Duke Stephen O 
Published: August 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe fungus Diaporthe eres was isolated from a fungal pathogen‐infected leaf of Hedera helix (English ivy) exhibiting necrosis. It is hypothesized that the causative fungus produces phytotoxins as evidenced by necrotic lesions on the leaves.RESULTSThe fungus was isolated and grown in Czapek Dox broth culture medium and potato dextrose broth culture medium and identified as Diaporthe eres. The ethyl acetate extracts of the culture broths were phytotoxic to lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). 3,4‐Dihydro‐8‐hydroxy‐3,5‐dimethylisocoumarin (1) and tyrosol (2) were isolated and identified as the phytotoxic constituents. Six analogs of 3,4‐dihydro‐isocoumarin were synthesized and shown to be phytotoxic. The synthesized 3,4‐dihydro‐8‐hydroxy‐3,7‐dimethylisocoumarin and 3,4‐dihydro‐8‐hydroxy‐3,3,7‐trimethylisocoumarin were two‐ to three‐fold more phytotoxic than the naturally occurring 1 in a Lemna paucicostata growth bioassay.CONCLUSIONSynthesis and herbicidal activities of the several new analogs of 1 are reported for the first time. These promising molecules should be used as templates for synthesis and testing of more analogs. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Exploring the attitudes to and uptake of biosecurity practices for invasive non-native species: views amongst stakeholder organisations working in UK natural environments
Authors: Sutcliffe C. , Quinn C. H. , Shannon C. , Glover A. , Dunn A. M. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractInvasions by invasive non-native species (INNS) can have profound consequences for natural environments, impacting on biodiversity and the biophysical landscape in ways that can endanger other species, human wellbeing and infrastructure. The financial costs of dealing with established INNS populations can be extremely high. Biosecurity measures (simple procedures designed to reduce the risk of human activities spreading INNS to new areas) are being promoted in order to minimize these negative impacts and associated costs. This paper reports on research undertaken with stakeholder organisations that operate within UK natural environments. It aims to evaluate stakeholder perceptions of their role in INNS biosecurity practice in the UK, and the implications of this for INNS strategy more broadly. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with organisation representatives to explore current practices and communications about INNS and perceptions of barriers and opportunities to implement better biosecurity. Whilst participants generally agreed on the need for biosecurity, there were variations among participants in levels of knowledge about INNS (related to background) and the capacity of organisations to engage in biosecurity practices (related to organisational size). Critical barriers to biosecurity were identified as costs, lack of clear guidance, difficulties changing attitudes and implementing collective responsibility, and reactionary versus precautionary approaches. As a result, partnership working on INNS is difficult and action tends to focus on individual species perceived as the most threatening to a particular organisations’ interests. In this way, action on INNS biosecurity faces the kinds of barriers that are common to many environmental problems where individuals/organisations prioritise self-interest despite the potential to obtain greater benefits if collective action could be achieved.
Effects of Local Watershed Land Use on Water Quality in Mid-Atlantic Coastal Bays and Subestuaries of the Chesapeake Bay
Authors: Jordan Thomas E. , Weller Donald E. , Pelc Carey E. 
Published: August 2017

Abstract
Nutrient inputs have degraded estuaries worldwide. We investigated the sources and effects of nutrient inputs by comparing water quality at shallow (< 2m deep) nearshore (within 200 m) locations in a total of 49 Chesapeake subestuaries and Mid-Atlantic coastal bays with differing local watershed land use. During July–October, concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), dissolved ammonium, dissolved inorganic N (DIN), and chlorophyll a were positively correlated with the percentages of cropland and developed land in the local watersheds. TN, DIN, and nitrate were positively correlated with the ratio of watershed area to subestuary area. Total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved phosphate increased with cropland but were not affected by developed land. The relationships among N, P, chlorophyll a, and land use suggest N limitation of chlorophyll a production from July–October. We compared our measurements inside the subestuaries to measurements by the Chesapeake Bay Program in adjacent estuarine waters outside the subestuaries. TP and dissolved inorganic P concentrations inside the subestuaries correlated with concentrations outside the subestuaries. However, water quality inside the subestuaries generally differed from that in adjacent estuarine waters. The concentration of nitrate was lower inside the subestuaries, while the concentrations of other forms of N, TP, and chlorophyll a were higher. This suggests that shallow nearshore waters inside the subestuaries import nitrate while exporting other forms of N as well as TP and chlorophyll a. The importance of local land use and the distinct biogeochemistry of shallow waters should be considered in managing coastal systems.
Qualitative analysis of Parkinson’s disease information on social media: the case of YouTube™
Authors: Al-Busaidi Ibrahim Saleh , Anderson Tim J. , Alamri Yassar 
Published: August 2017

Abstract

Introduction
There is a paucity of data pertaining to the usefulness of information presented on social media platforms on chronic neuropsychiatric conditions such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). The aim of this study was to examine the quality of YouTube™ videos that deliver general information on PD and the availability and design of instructional videos addressing the caregiving role in PD.

Methods
YouTube™ was searched using the keyword “Parkinson’s disease” for relevant videos. Videos were assessed for usefulness and accuracy based on pre-defined criteria. Data on video characteristics including total viewership, duration, ratings, and source of videos were collated. Instructional PD videos that addressed the role of caregivers were examined closely for the design and scope of instructional content.

Results
A total of 100 videos met the inclusion criteria. Just under a third of videos (28%) was uploaded by trusted academic organisations. Overall, 15% of PD videos were found to be somewhat useful and only 4% were assessed as providing very useful PD information; 3% of surveyed videos were misleading. The mean number of video views (regardless of video source) was not significantly different between the different video ratings (p = 0.86). Although personal videos trended towards being less useful than videos from academic organisations, this association was not statistically significant (p = 0.13).

Conclusion
To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the usefulness of PD information on the largest video-sharing website, YouTube™. In general, the overall quality of information presented in the videos screened was mediocre. Viewership of accurate vs. misleading information was, however, very similar. Therefore, healthcare providers should direct PD patients and their families to the resources that provide reliable and accurate information.