bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
BioPARR: A software system for estimating the rupture potential index for abdominal aortic aneurysms
Authors: Joldes Grand Roman , Miller Karol , Wittek Adam , Forsythe Rachael O. , Newby David E. , Doyle Barry J. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractAn abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a permanent and irreversible dilation of the lower region of the aorta. It is a symptomless condition that, if left untreated, can expand until rupture. Despite ongoing efforts, an efficient tool for accurate estimation of AAA rupture risk is still not available. Furthermore, a lack of standardisation across current approaches and specific obstacles within computational workflows limit the translation of existing methods to the clinic. This paper presents BioPARR (Biomechanics based Prediction of Aneurysm Rupture Risk), a software system to facilitate the analysis of AAA using a finite element analysis based approach. Except semi-automatic segmentation of the AAA and intraluminal thrombus (ILT) from medical images, the entire analysis is performed automatically. The system is modular and easily expandable, allows the extraction of information from images of different modalities (e.g. CT and MRI) and the simulation of different modelling scenarios (e.g. with/without thrombus). The software uses contemporary methods that eliminate the need for patient-specific material properties, overcoming perhaps the key limitation to all previous patient-specific analysis methods. The software system is robust, free, and will allow researchers to perform comparative evaluation of AAA using a standardised approach. We report preliminary data from 48 cases.
Role of biochar in biodegradation of nonylphenol in sediment: Increasing microbial activity versus decreasing bioavailability
Authors: Cheng Guanghuan , Sun Mingyang , Lu Jingrang , Ge Xinlei , Zhang Huihui , Xu Xinhua , Lou Liping , Lin Qi 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe observed strong sorption of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) to biochar presents potential implications for HOCs bioavailability and bioaccessibility in sediments, while biochar could impact sediment microbial ecology. However, the comprehensive study on the effects of biochar on HOC biodegradation coupled with bioavailability and microbial ecology are rarely documented. In this paper, the effects of biochar on the biodegradation of nonylphenol (NP) were investigated using 3 different NP concentrations (20, 50 and 500 mg/Kg) in sediments amended with different percentage of rice straw biochar (RC). Results showed that the influence of RC on NP biodegradation varied with different NP concentrations. At low NP concentrations, RC suppressed NP biodegradation by reducing NP bioavailability, while at high NP concentrations, moderate RC addition promoted biodegradation by reducing toxicity of NP to microbes. The effects of NP on microbial community structures were significant (P < 0.01), but those of RC were not significant (P > 0.05). The RC affected microorganisms through altering NP toxicity, microbial quantity and activity, but not microbial community structures. This study indicated that there could be an optimal biochar percentage in biochar-sediment systems at different HOC concentrations, which strengthened HOC biodegradation process and accelerated biodegradation rate, forming adsorption-biodegradation coupled bioremediation.
The importance of N-glycosylation on β3 integrin ligand binding and conformational regulation
Authors: Cai Xiulei , Thinn Aye Myat Myat , Wang Zhengli , Shan Hu , Zhu Jieqing 
Published: June 2017

AbstractN-glycosylations can regulate the adhesive function of integrins. Great variations in both the number and distribution of N-glycosylation sites are found in the 18 α and 8 β integrin subunits. Crystal structures of αIIbβ3 and αVβ3 have resolved the precise structural location of each N-glycan site, but the structural consequences of individual N-glycan site on integrin activation remain unclear. By site-directed mutagenesis and structure-guided analyses, we dissected the function of individual N-glycan sites in β3 integrin activation. We found that the N-glycan site, β3-N320 at the headpiece and leg domain interface positively regulates αIIbβ3 but not αVβ3 activation. The β3-N559 N-glycan at the β3-I-EGF3 and αIIb-calf-1 domain interface, and the β3-N654 N-glycan at the β3-β-tail and αIIb-calf-2 domain interface positively regulate the activation of both αIIbβ3 and αVβ3 integrins. In contrast, removal of the β3-N371 N-glycan near the β3 hybrid and I-EGF3 interface, or the β3-N452 N-glycan at the I-EGF1 domain rendered β3 integrin more active than the wild type. We identified one unique N-glycan at the βI domain of β1 subunit that negatively regulates α5β1 activation. Our study suggests that the bulky N-glycans influence the large-scale conformational rearrangement by potentially stabilizing or destabilizing the domain interfaces of integrin.
High Pressure Spectroscopic Investigation on Proton Transfer in Squaric Acid and 4,4′-Bipyridine Co-crystal
Authors: Ma Zhiwei , Li Juntao , Liu Chunyu , Sun Chenglin , Zhou Mi 
Published: June 2017

AbstractIn attempt to the obtain detailed geometric information of proton transfer compound (subsequently denote as SQBP) formed between squaric acid (SQ)and 4,4′-bipyridine(BP), and to investigate the mechanisms of pressure-induced double proton transfer and related structural phase transition, we carried out in-situ high pressure Raman spectroscopy of SQBP up to 20 GPa. A solid-solid phase transition together with double proton transfer phenomenon was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy at about 1.5 GPa, and the activation of C = O stretching mode in Raman spectra indicates a square-ring structure of SQ with four symmetric C = O bond formation. These results are further supported by first-principals calculations and in-situ high pressure infrared absorption spectroscopy. Additionally, Raman intensity analysis suggests that a higher-order phase transition with planar BP molecular structure occurred in the pressure range of 3~6 GPa. As a result, the π electron delocalization effect in BP dominated the intensity enhancement of C = O stretching mode in SQ. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time observation of the intensity enhancement of proton donor’s normal modes induced by proton acceptor’s π electron delocalization.
Fabrication of Single Crystal Gallium Phosphide Thin Films on Glass
Authors: Emmer Hal , Chen Christopher T. , Saive Rebecca , Friedrich Dennis , Horie Yu , Arbabi Amir , Faraon Andrei , Atwater Harry A. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractDue to its high refractive index and low absorption coefficient, gallium phosphide is an ideal material for photonic structures targeted at the visible wavelengths. However, these properties are only realized with high quality epitaxial growth, which limits substrate choice and thus possible photonic applications. In this work, we report the fabrication of single crystal gallium phosphide thin films on transparent glass substrates via transfer bonding. GaP thin films on Si (001) and (112) grown by MOCVD are bonded to glass, and then the growth substrate is removed with a XeF2 vapor etch. The resulting GaP films have surface roughnesses below 1 nm RMS and exhibit room temperature band edge photoluminescence. Magnesium doping yielded p-type films with a carrier density of 1.6 × 1017 cm−3 that exhibited mobilities as high as 16 cm2V−1s−1. Due to their unique optical properties, these films hold much promise for use in advanced optical devices.
Disruption of key NADH-binding pocket residues of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis InhA affects DD-CoA binding ability
Authors: Shaw Daniel J. , Robb Kirsty , Vetter Beatrice V. , Tong Madeline , Molle Virginie , Hunt Neil T. , Hoskisson Paul A. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractTuberculosis (TB) is a global health problem that affects over 10 million people. There is an urgent need to develop novel antimicrobial therapies to combat TB. To achieve this, a thorough understanding of key validated drug targets is required. The enoyl reductase InhA, responsible for synthesis of essential mycolic acids in the mycobacterial cell wall, is the target for the frontline anti-TB drug isoniazid. To better understand the activity of this protein a series of mutants, targeted to the NADH co-factor binding pocket were created. Residues P193 and W222 comprise a series of hydrophobic residues surrounding the cofactor binding site and mutation of both residues negatively affect InhA function. Construction of an M155A mutant of InhA results in increased affinity for NADH and DD-CoA turnover but with a reduction in Vmax for DD-CoA, impairing overall activity. This suggests that NADH-binding geometry of InhA likely permits long-range interactions between residues in the NADH-binding pocket to facilitate substrate turnover in the DD-CoA binding region of the protein. Understanding the precise details of substrate binding and turnover in InhA and how this may affect protein-protein interactions may facilitate the development of improved inhibitors enabling the development of novel anti-TB drugs.
Prevalence and Penetrance of BRCA1 and BRCA2 Germline Mutations in Colombian Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Torres D. , Bermejo J. Lorenzo , Rashid M. U. , Briceño I. , Gil F. , Beltran A. , Ariza V. , Hamann U. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractPathogenic BRCA1/2 germline mutations confer high risks of breast and ovarian cancer to women of European ancestry. Characterization of BRCA1/2 mutations in other ethnic groups is also medically important. We comprehensively screened 68 Colombian breast/ovarian cancer families for small-range mutations, 221 families for large-genomic rearrangements, and 1,022 unselected breast cancer cases for Colombian founder mutations in BRCA1/2. The risk of cancer among relatives of mutation carriers and the mutation penetrance were estimated by survival analysis. Identified BRCA2 mutations included 6310delGA and the recurrent 1991del4 mutations. A novel large BRCA2 deletion was found in 0.9% of the screened families. Among unselected breast cancer cases, 3.3% tested positive for BRCA1/3450del4, 2.2% for BRCA1/A1708E, 1.1% for BRCA2/3034del4, and 0.4% for BRCA2/1991del4. Female relatives of carriers of BRCA1/2 founder mutations showed a 5.90 times higher risk of breast cancer, when the woman herself carried a BRCA1 mutation compared to a non-carrier (95% CI 2.01–17.3). The estimated cumulative risk of breast cancer by age 70 years for BRCA1 mutations carriers was 14% (95% CI 5–38) compared to 3% for the general Colombian population (relative risk of breast cancer 4.05). Together with known founder mutations, reported novel variants may ease a cost-effective BRCA1/2 screening in women with Colombian ancestry.
Design of an asymmetrical rotor for easy assembly and repair of field windings in synchronous machines
Authors: Yang Nan , Cao Wenping , Liu Zheng , Morrow John 
Published: June 2017

This study introduces a new asymmetrical rotor design for easy assembly and repair of field windings in synchronous machines. A new rotor geometry is adopted in order to simplify the manufacture and maintenance process of installing the rotor windings. The asymmetrical rotor design is simulated by the two‐dimensional finite element analysis, and verified by experimental tests on a 27.5 kVA prototype machine. The proposed topology can drive down the maintenance and repair costs of the machine without impacting on the machine's electro‐magnetic performance. This design will have significant economic implications for machine design and repair industry, especially for mass production markets such as wind turbines and engine‐generators.
Peculiar Clinical Presentation of Coxsackievirus B4 Infection: Neonatal Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Le Van Quyen Pauline , Desprez Philippe , Livolsi Angelo , Lindner Véronique , Fafi-Kremer Samira , Helms Pauline , Antal Maria 
Published: June 2017

Introduction Restrictive cardiomyopathy in fetuses and neonates is extremely rare and has a poor outcome. Its etiology in neonates is elusive: metabolic diseases (e.g., Gaucher, Hurler syndrome), neuromuscular disorders (e.g., muscular dystrophies, myofibrillar myopathies), or rare presentation of genetic syndromes (e.g., Coffin–Lowry syndrome) account for a minority of the cases, the majority remaining idiopathic.
Case Study We report the case of a 17-day-old male infant presenting cardiogenic shock following a restrictive dysfunction of the left ventricle. Postmortem investigations revealed coxsackievirus B4 myocarditis with histological lesions limited to the left heart. However, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for coxsackievirus B4 was positive in the left as well as in the right ventricular samples.
Conclusion In conclusion, coxsackievirus myocarditis is a cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy, and its diagnosis should involve PCR screening as a more sensitive technique.
Hong Kong’s language ecology and the racialized linguistic order
Authors: Fleming Kara 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThis paper will argue that the role and status of the languages promoted as part of Hong Kong’s “trilingualism and biliteracy” policy cannot be understood without reference to each other and to their wider social, political and linguistic context. Particularly, in Hong Kong, race is a key mediating factor that structures social orders in which language is used and evaluated, and therefore its role in the ecology must be emphasized. This article will outline the links between language and social hierarchies of race, focusing particularly on the positioning of Hong Kong South Asians, based on ethnographic research in a Hong Kong secondary school and analysis of media and policy data. This approach is key to understanding the apparent contradictions in the evaluation of various languages spoken in Hong Kong, and demonstrates the necessity of a holistic, contextualized analysis of language and race.
Vicissitudes of laughter
Authors: McKenzie Kevin 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThis paper is concerned with the way that laughter is employed to manage threats to interlocutor affiliation in talk among humanitarian aid workers as they describe their professional activities in settings of armed conflict. I first set out to situate my analysis within the tradition of work in ethnomethodology and conversation analysis (EM), exploring how that approach differs in significant ways from work in pragmatics and related traditions of discourse analytic research. Unlike the latter approaches, EM examines laughter for the intelligibility it is deployed by speakers to furnish, so that the presumption of laughter’s revelatory nature which characterizes a pragmatically-oriented analysis is seen as a participant resource for rendering the situated significance of actions visible by and for the involved parties of a given episode of interaction. Following this, I examine talk from open-ended interviews with aid agency operatives who work in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, exploring how laughter is employed to manage threats to interlocutor affiliation where the potential accusation of opportunism arises in accounts of personal job satisfaction as against the legitimacy otherwise afforded with an appeal to altruism and self-sacrifice. Where speakers attend to the criticism of humanitarian activity for its significance in affecting outcomes of warfare, the management of these different demands is accomplished in reflexive work to ironize their own and others’ formulations of motivation for pursuing humanitarian work.
The effect of stellar and AGN feedback on the low-redshift Lyman α forest in the Sherwood simulation suite
Authors: Nasir Fahad , Bolton James S. , Viel Matteo , Kim Tae-Sun , Haehnelt Martin G. , Puchwein Ewald , Sijacki Debora 
Published: June 2017

AbstractWe study the effect of different feedback prescriptions on the properties of the low-redshift (z ≤ 1.6) Lyα forest using a selection of hydrodynamical simulations drawn from the Sherwood simulation suite. The simulations incorporate stellar feedback, active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback and a simplified scheme for efficiently modelling the low column density Lyα forest. We confirm a discrepancy remains between Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) observations of the Lyα forest column density distribution function (CDDF) at z ≃ 0.1 for high column density systems ($N_{\rm H\,\rm {\small I}}&gt;10^{14}\rm \,cm^{-2}$), as well as Lyα velocity widths that are too narrow compared to the COS data. Stellar or AGN feedback – as currently implemented in our simulations – has only a small effect on the CDDF and velocity width distribution. We conclude that resolving the discrepancy between the COS data and simulations requires an increase in the temperature of overdense gas with Δ = 4–40, either through additional He$\,\rm \scriptstyle II\,$photoheating at z &gt; 2 or fine-tuned feedback that ejects overdense gas into the intergalactic medium at just the right temperature for it to still contribute significantly to the Lyα forest. Alternatively a larger, currently unresolved turbulent component to the line width could resolve the discrepancy.
Does information entropy play a role in the expansion and acceleration of the Universe?
Authors: Pandey Biswajit 
Published: June 2017

Abstract
We propose an interpretation of the expansion and acceleration of the Universe from an information theoretic perspective. We obtain the time evolution of the configuration entropy of the mass distribution in a static universe and show that the process of gravitational instability leads to a rapid dissipation of configuration entropy during the growth of the density fluctuations making such a Universe entropically unfavourable. We find that in an expanding universe, the configuration entropy rate is governed by the expansion rate of the Universe and the growth rate of density fluctuations. The configuration entropy rate becomes smaller but still remains negative in a matter-dominated universe and eventually becomes zero at some future time in a Λ-dominated universe. The configuration entropy may have a connection to the dark energy and possibly plays a driving role in the current accelerating expansion of the Universe leading the Universe to its maximum entropy configuration.
Lipoabdominoplasty with Progressive Traction Sutures
Authors: Vera Cucchiaro Javier , Lostia Horacio , Velazquez Patricia , Liska Elizabeth 
Published: June 2017

Background:
Proactively preserving Scarpa’s fascia and thus its intrinsic lymphatic drainage and tensile strength for suture placement can eliminate the need for drains after lipoabdominoplasty and therefore reduce the rate of seroma development. In this article, we describe the effectiveness of a modified progressive traction suture (PTS) technique, which enables us to lessen the most common complications and avoid hospital readmission; these sutures take 3–5 minutes of additional surgery time.

Methods:
Two hundred seventy-six patients (mean age, 38 years; range, 19–67 years), with a mean body mass index of 25 were included in this study. All patients underwent complete lipoabdominoplasty with ultrasound-assisted liposuction (VASER) throughout the abdomen and flanks. Abdominal rectus plication was performed in 100% of cases. All patients were operated on under spinal anesthesia and stayed overnight in hospital.

Results:
Of the 276 patients, 1.8% developed postoperative seromas. No patients developed hematomas. New wound closure was needed in 1.4% of patients, performed within 7–10 days of surgery, scar revision in 4.7%, residual liposuction under local anesthesia in 9.7%, and liposuction under sedation in 1%; deep vein thrombosis without thromboembolic phenomenon developed in 1%, none resulting in death. In addition, the use of a PTS technique is a time-saving procedure because it takes the surgeons between 3–5 minutes of operative time, unlike that of adhesion and/or separate traction, which takes between 30 and 45 minutes.

Conclusions:
The use of PTSs helped diminish complications such as seroma and hematoma and prevent additional cost involving hospital readmission and/or further surgery. Furthermore, use of these sutures required only 3–5 minutes of additional operative time.
Using Prospective Risk Analysis Tools to Improve Safety in Pharmacy Settings: A Systematic Review and Critical Appraisal
Authors: Stojkovic Tatjana , Marinkovic Valentina , Manser Tanja 
Published: June 2017

Objectives
This study aimed to review and critically appraise the published literature on 2 selected prospective risk analysis tools, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis and Socio-Technical Probabilistic Risk Assessment, as applied to the dispensing of medicines in both inpatient and outpatient pharmacy settings.

Methods
A comprehensive search of electronic databases (PubMed and Scopus) was conducted (January 1990–March 2016), supplemented by hand search of reference lists. Eligible articles were assessed for data sources used for the risk analysis, uniformity of the risk quantification framework, and whether the analysis teams assembled were multidisciplinary.

Results
Of 1011 records identified, 11 articles met our inclusion criteria. These studies were mainly focused on dispensing of high-alert medications, and most were conducted in inpatient settings. The main risks identified were transcription, preparation, and selection errors, whereas the most common corrective actions included electronic transmission of prescriptions to the pharmacy, use of barcode, and medication safety training. Significant risk reduction was demonstrated by implementing corrective measures in both inpatient and outpatient pharmacy settings. The main Failure Mode and Effects Analysis limitations were its subjectivity and the lack of common risk quantification criteria.

Conclusions
The prospective risk analysis methods included in this review revealed relevant safety issues and hold significant potential for risk reduction. They were deemed suitable for application in both inpatient and outpatient pharmacy settings and should form an integral part of any patient safety improvement strategy.
Drug-Related Problems Identified at Patients’ Home: A Prospective Observational Study in a Rural Area of Thailand
Authors: Kongkaew Chuenjid , Methaneethorn Janthima , Mongkhon Pajaree , Dechanont Supinya , Taburee Watcharaporn 
Published: June 2017

Objective
The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence rates, nature, and predictors of drug-related problems (DRPs) experienced in participants living at home in a rural Thailand.

Method
A cross-sectional observational study was undertaken during December 2015 to January 2016. Drug-related problems were identified within a rural township having a population of 5256 by means of home visits by pharmacists. All suspected cases were then assessed for severity and preventability by clinical specialists. Drug-related problems were categorized according to Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe classification (revised 2010).v.6.2

Results
From a systematically recruited cohort of 359 participants, suspected DRPs were identified in 160 participants. After detailed reviews by clinical specialists, 141 cases (39.3%) were deemed to have DRPs. Types of DRPs with prevalence rates were the following: problems of treatment effectiveness (3.7% of DPRs), adverse reactions (15.3%), treatment cost (28.4%), nonadherence to drugs (42.1%), and poor drug storage (10.5%). The most common drug to involve DRPs was those treating cardiovascular disease, especially simvastatin.

Conclusions
Nearly half of community living participants experienced DRPs, especially nonadherence to drugs, and has implications for other rural elderly persons of low education attainment for similar rural economies around the globe. Appropriate interventions should focus on reducing polypharmacy, providing outreach programs, and rigorous pharmacovigilance.