bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Composite piezoelectric spinal fusion implant: Effects of stacked generators
Authors: Goetzinger Nathan C. , Tobaben Eric J. , Domann John P. , Arnold Paul M. , Friis Elizabeth A. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractSpinal fusion surgeries have a high failure rate for difficult‐to‐fuse patients. A piezoelectric spinal fusion implant was developed to overcome the issues with other adjunct therapies. Stacked generators were used to improve power generation at low electrical load resistances. The effects of the number of layers on average maximum power and the optimal electrical load resistance were characterized. The effects of mechanical preload, load frequency, and amplitude on maximum power and optimal electrical load resistance were also characterized. Increasing the number of layers from one to nine was found to lower the optimal electrical load resistance from 1.00 GΩ to 16.78 MΩ while maintaining maximum power generation. Mechanical preload did not have a significant effect on power output or optimal electrical load resistance. Increases in mechanical loading frequency increased average maximum power, while decreasing the optimal electrical load resistance. Increases in mechanical loading amplitude increased average maximum power output without affecting the optimal electrical load resistance. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 158–164, 2016.
Role of Mg in mesoporous MgFe2O4 for efficient catalytic ozonation of Acid Orange II
Authors: Lu Jiang , Wei Xiaodan , Chang Yu , Tian Shuanghong , Xiong Ya 
Published: February 2015

AbstractBACKGROUNDAn ozonation catalyst needs to be recycled easily and to exhibit high activity in view of its practical application in wastewater treatment. In this study, magnetic mesoporous MgFe2O4 was successfully prepared and used as a new ozonation catalyst for degradation of Acid Orange II (AOII). The role of Mg in MgFe2O4 was revealed to explain the high activity by catalytic experiments and XPS analysis.RESULTSThe degradation efficiency of AOII in the MgFe2O4/O3 process exceeds 90% over a wide pH range of 4.6–9.6, slightly affected by the solution pH. The catalytic activity of MgFe2O4 is much higher than that of MgO, Fe2O3 and also their mixture (MgO+Fe2O3) with identical molar ratio of Mg2+ to Fe3+, indicating the first role of Mg, i.e. coupling with Fe to present a synergistically catalytic effect. Furthermore, MgFe2O4 possesses a reaction rate constant at least 2.3 times that of NiFe2O4, MnFe2O4, and CuFe2O4. It illustrates the second role of Mg, i.e. causing the high electron density on lattice oxygen in MgFe2O4 indicated by XPS and thus favoring activation of the electrophilic ozone.CONCLUSIONSThis study demonstrated the easy recycling and high activity of MgFe2O4 in catalytic ozonation, and revealed the role of Mg in MgFe2O4. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Larval growth rate and sex determine resource allocation and stress responsiveness across life stages in juvenile frogs
Authors: Warne Robin W. , Crespi Erica J. 
Published: February 2015

ABSTRACTThe extent to which interactions between environmental stressors and phenotypic variation during larval life stages impose carry‐over effects on adult phenotypes in wildlife are not clear. Using semi‐natural mesocosms, we examined how chronically low food availability and size‐specific phenotypes in larval amphibians interact and carry over to influence frog growth, resource allocation, endocrine activity and survival. We tagged three cohorts of larvae that differed in body size and developmental stage at 3 weeks after hatching, and tracked them through 10 weeks after metamorphosis in high and low food conditions. We found that growth and development rates during the early tadpole stage not only affected metamorphic rates, but also shaped resource allocation and stress responsiveness in frogs: the slowest growing larvae from low‐food mesocosms exhibited a suppressed glucocorticoid response to a handling stressor; reduced growth rate and fat storage as frogs. We also show for the first time that larval developmental trajectories varied with sex, where females developed faster than males especially in food‐restricted conditions. Last, while larval food restriction profoundly affected body size in larvae and frogs, time to metamorphosis was highly constrained, which suggests that the physiology and development of this ephemeral pond‐breeding amphibian is adapted for rapid metamorphosis despite large potential variation in nutrient availability. Taken together, these results suggest that larval phenotypic variation significantly influences multiple dimensions of post‐metamorphic physiology and resource allocation, which likely affect overall performance. J. Exp. Zool. 323A: 191–201, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pancreatic fistulae secondary to trypsinogen activation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection after pancreatoduodenectomy
Authors: Yamashita Kanefumi , Sasaki Takamitsu , Itoh Ryota , Kato Daisuke , Hatano Naoya , Soejima Toshinori , Ishii Kazunari , Takenawa Tadaomi , Hiromatsu Kenji , Yamashita Yuichi 
Published: February 2015

AbstractBackgroundPancreatic fistula after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Trypsinogen activation and bacteria, although hypothesized to be interrelated etiopathogenetically, have not had their relationship and pathogenic mechanisms elucidated. This study investigated bacterial involvement in pancreatic juice activation perioperatively after PD at sites of pancreatic fistula formation.MethodsFifty patients underwent PD; postoperative pancreatic fistulae were graded based on the International Study Group for Pancreatic Fistula grading criteria. Bacteria were isolated from cultures of drainage fluid. Digested peptides from trypsinogen and bacterial culture supernatants underwent sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE) separation and mass spectrometric analysis. Zymography was used to detect the trypsinogen activator.ResultsPseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter cloacae isolated from drainage fluid in patients with grades B and C pancreatic fistulae could cause trypsinogen activation. Trypsinogen activation by P. aeruginosa and E. cloacae were preventable by the use of a serine protease inhibitor in vitro. A protease in the supernatant from P. aeruginosa‐positive cultures acted as the trypsinogen activator.ConclusionsInfection with P. aeruginosa perioperatively to PD entails secretion of a protease activator of trypsinogen to trypsin. Bacterial infection control in the perioperative PD period could be crucial to prevent development of pancreatic fistula.
Hypolipidaemic effects of oat flakes and β‐glucans derived from four Chinese naked oat (Avena nuda) cultivars in Wistar–Lewis rats
Authors: Zhou Xianrong , Lin Weijing , Tong Litao , Liu Xingxun , Zhong Kui , Liu Liya , Wang Lili , Zhou Sumei 
Published: February 2015

AbstractBACKGROUNDβ‐Glucan is widely considered to be the major ingredient responsible for the hypolipidaemic effects of oat. Determination of the β‐glucan content in naked oat cultivars in China has been largely performed for breeding and food processing. Since oat is generally consumed as oat flakes in China, evaluation of the bioactivity of oat flakes might be more direct and comprehensive than determination of the internal β‐glucan. However, the hypolipidaemic activity of oat flakes processed from Chinese oat cultivars has rarely been reported.RESULTSThe nutritional components of four naked oat cultivars were analysed before they were processed to oat flakes. The hypolipidaemic effects of oat flakes and the extracted β‐glucans were tested on rats fed a high‐fat diet for 30 days. Oat flakes and β‐glucans of different origins showed different preventative effects on hyperlipidaemia. Among the four cultivars, β‐glucan of ‘Bayou‐1’ showed the greatest hypolipidaemic effect. However, oat flake processed from ‘Dingyou‐7’ showed the best bioactivity to mediate the increase of serum lipid.CONCLUSIONThe hypolipidaemic effect of oat might not only depend on β‐glucan, but might also be related to other components. ‘Dingyou‐7’ might be suitable for oat flake processing because of its superior bioactivity. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Pharyngeal myotomy for vocal rehabilitation postlaryngectomy
Authors: Chodosh Paul L. , Giancarlo Hector R. , Goldstein Jerome 
Published: February 2015

AbstractIn those patients requiring total laryngectomy, esophageal speech appears to be the most desirable form of rehabilitation. Satisfactory esophageal speech is only obtained in 40 to 65% of the patients. Tracheoesophageal shunts as per Singer and Panje have provided solutions for a significant number of non‐speakers, but still present problems as well as failures. Efforts to correct these failures have led to the concept of constrictor and cricopharyngeal discoordination. Pharyngeal block has demonstrated not only temporary correction of tracheoesophageal shunt failure but improvement and production of esophageal speech in non‐shunted patients. Subsequently myotomy has provided permanent esophageal speech. This paper proposes consideration of this procedure in esophageal speech failures, when the Taub test and/or pharyngeal block demonstrates the presence of constrictor‐cricopharyngeus discoordination. Representative cases are presented.
Stabilization of Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes Aqueous Dispersion with Poly‐N‐vinylpyrrolidone via Polymer‐Wrapping
Authors: Karpushkin Evgeny , Berkovich Anna , Sergeyev Vladimir 
Published: February 2015

SummaryWe report on systematic study of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes dispersing in aqueous medium, assisted by wrapping with poly‐N‐vinylpyrrolidone. We have prepared stable dispersions of multi‐walled nanotubes via a gentle procedure avoiding the nanotubes breakage upon dispersion. Concentration of the nanotubes in the stable dispersions can be fairly high, depending on the initial mixture composition and the inherited physical properties, in particular, on viscosity. The best dispersion conditions have been elaborated.
Effect of neurostimulation on camptocormia in Parkinson's disease depends on symptom duration
Authors: Schulz‐Schaeffer Walter J. , Margraf Nils G. , Munser Sari , Wrede Arne , Buhmann Carsten , Deuschl Günther , Oehlwein Christian 
Published: February 2015

ABSTRACTAlthough some reports on neurostimulation are positive, no effective treatment method for camptocormia in Parkinson's disease (PD) is known to date. We aim to identify prognostic factors for a beneficial DBS effect on camptocormia. In an observational cohort study, we investigated 25 idiopathic PD patients, who suffered additionally from camptocormia, and underwent bilateral neurostimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) to improve classical PD symptoms. Using an established questionnaire, we examined deep brain stimulation (DBS) effects on camptocormia in addition to general neurostimulation effects. A beneficial neurostimulation effect on camptocormia was defined as an improvement in the bending angle of a least 50%. In 13 patients, the bending angle of camptocormia improved, in 12 patients it did not. A multifactorial analysis revealed a short duration between onset of camptocormia and start of neurostimulation to be the relevant factor for outcome. All patients with duration of camptocormia up to 1.5 years showed a beneficial effect; patients between 1.5 and ∼3 years showed mixed results, but none with a duration of more than 40 months improved except for 1 patient whose camptocormia was levodopa responsive. The bending angle was not a prognostic factor. Our data indicate that the main prognostic factor for a beneficial DBS effect on camptocormia is its short duration. As an explanation, we suggest that neurostimulation may improve camptocormia only as long as muscle pathology is limited. Our findings may help to elucidate the mode of action of neurostimulation. A prospective study is necessary. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Chronic retinyl palmitate supplementation to middle‐aged Wistar rats disrupts the brain redox homeostasis and induces changes in emotional behavior
Authors: Schnorr Carlos Eduardo , Bittencourt Leonardo da Silva , Petiz Lyvia Lintzmaier , Gelain Daniel Pens , Zeidán‐Chuliá Fares , Moreira José Cláudio Fonseca 
Published: February 2015

ScopeAging process makes older adults especially vulnerable to neurodegeneration and mental disorders. Overconsumption‐related neurotoxic effects of certain dietary nutrients by older population could represent a contribution factor for the development of neuropsychiatric conditions by this subpopulation. Thus, we here investigated whether chronic supplementation with retinyl palmitate, at doses commonly found in vitamin supplements (300, 600, and 3000 mcg of RAE/kg/day), could have an impact on emotional behavior of middle‐aged Wistar rats.Methods and resultsWe report that supplementation with retinyl palmitate for 28 days induces an altered emotional state of middle‐aged Wistar rats and oxidative stress in cerebellum, cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and striatum, associated with imbalance of enzymatic antioxidant defenses, decrease in non‐enzymatic antioxidant defenses, and increase in protein and lipid damages.ConclusionOur data show evidence for (i) changes in emotional reactivity, similar to anxiety, in middle‐aged rats chronically supplemented with retinyl palmitate; and (ii) suggest a possible interrelation between pro‐oxidant events in the brain and these differences in the behavioral profile that cannot be attributed to hepatotoxicity. Our results invite for additional studies to further investigate such interrelation.
Know how social media can help you connect with adults
Authors: Silva‐Ford Liana 
Published: February 2015

The Pew Research Center's 2013 “Social Media Update” stated that 73 percent of those adults they surveyed who were online had a profile on a social‐media site of some sort, and 42 percent of adults have a profile on more than one site. While institutions have traditionally used social‐media channels as a way to reach out to and engage younger students, this is a strategy that could help you better connect with your adult learners.
US adults recommended for weight reduction by 1998 and 2013 obesity guidelines, NHANES 2007‐2012
Authors: Stevens June , Oakkar Eva Erber , Cui Zhaohui , Cai Jianwen , Truesdale Kimberly P 
Published: February 2015

ObjectiveTo determine the number and proportion of American adults recommended for weight loss treatment under the 1998 and 2013 guidelines on the management of overweight and obesity in adults and to compare characteristics of individuals recommended for treatment.MethodsA total of 6,692 adult, non‐pregnant participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007‐2012 with complete data on demographics, anthropometrics, and biomedical measures were analyzed.ResultsCompared to the 1998 guidelines, the 2013 guidelines increased the number of adults recommended for weight loss treatment by 20.9% from 116.0 million to 140.2 million, making 64.5% of non‐pregnant, non‐institutionalized US adults candidates for treatment. The new guidelines recommended treatment for a larger proportion of those overweight, having only one risk factor, or having a large waist circumference. Up to 53.4% of adults could be considered for pharmacologic therapy in addition to lifestyle therapy, and up to 14.7% could be considered for bariatric surgery.ConclusionsThe 2013 guidelines increased the number of adults to be treated with weight loss by 24.2 million, with the increases spread across groups that differ in socio demographic characteristics.
Individual differences in susceptibility to large portion sizes among obese and normal‐weight children
Authors: Mooreville Mira , Davey Adam , Orloski Alexandria , Hannah Elizabeth L. , Mathias Kevin C. , Birch Leann L. , Kral Tanja V.E. , Zakeri Issa F. , Fisher Jennifer O. 
Published: February 2015

ObjectiveDetermine the association of children's susceptibility to large food portion sizes with appetite regulation and obesity.MethodsNormal‐weight and obese non‐Hispanic black children (n = 100) aged 5‐6 years were observed in four dinner conditions of varying portion size; portions of all foods (except milk) offered were: 100% (677 kcal), 150% (1015 kcal), 200% (1353 kcal), or 250% (1691 kcal) of those in the reference condition (100%). Condition order was randomly assigned to 2‐4 children who ate together at each meal. Child height and weight were measured and caregiver reports of child appetite were obtained. Hierarchical growth curve models were used to estimate associations of meal energy intake with portion size condition, child weight status, and appetite regulation traits, controlling for demographics.ResultsTotal energy intake increased across conditions of increasing food portion size (P < 0.001). The effect of portion size condition on total energy intake varied with food responsiveness (P = 0.05) and satiety responsiveness (P < 0.05), but not weight status (P = 0.682). Children with lower satiety responsiveness and greater food responsiveness showed greater increases in meal energy across conditions.ConclusionsChildren with poorer appetite regulation may be more vulnerable to obesogenic dietary environments offering large food portions than other children.
Endoglin (CD 105) as a potential prognostic factor in neuroblastoma
Authors: Ćavar Stanko , Jelašić Dražen , Seiwerth Sven , Milošević Milan , Hutinec Zdravka , Mišić Marija 
Published: February 2015

BackgroundEndoglin (CD105) is a cytokine that modulates angiogenesis by regulating different cellular functions, including endothelial proliferation, differentiation, migration and formation of microvessels. CD105 is expressed strongly in the tumor vasculature, and intratumoral microvessel density (IMVD), as determined by the use of antibodies to CD105, it has been found to be an important prognostic indicator for outcome in various malignances. This study aims to determine if the clinical outcome of children with neuroblastoma is correlated with IMVD, as determined by CD105 staining and other prognostic factors.ProcedureTumor tissue specimens from 38 patients with peripheral neuroblastic tumors who underwent surgical resection or biopsy of their primary tumor without any preoperative therapy were retrospectively reviewed. IMVD was identified immunohistochemically using monoclonal antibodies against CD105. Prognostic factors, such as the MYCN oncogene, disease stage, histopathology and age, were correlated with outcome.ResultsAmong 38 examined specimens, the median IMVD value was 23.2 (15.1–28.4). The IMVD identified by CD105 was significantly higher in patients with unfavorable histology, metastatic disease, MYCN amplification and COG high risk group. ROC analysis was used to find significant IMVD level regarding EFS. The cut‐off >18 was selected according to the greatest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (68.42%). The multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that MYCN amplification and IMVD were significant prognostic factors in predicting EFS (hazard ratio for MYCN amplification: 3.61; 95% CI: 1.20–10.90; P = 0.023 and for IMVD: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00–1.09; P = 0.037).ConclusionIMVD determined by CD105 appeared to be an independent prognostic factor for neuroblastoma. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:770–775. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Investigation of cubic GaN quantum dots grown by the Stranski‐Krastanov process
Authors: Bürger M. , Lindner J. K. N. , Reuter D. , As D. J. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractWe investigate the formation of cubic GaN quantum dots (QDs) on pseudomorphic strained cubic AlN layers on 3C‐SiC (001) substrates grown by means of molecular beam epitaxy. Surface morphologies of various QD sizes and densities were obtained from uncapped samples by atomic force microscopy. These results were correlated with similar but capped samples by photoluminescence experiments. The QD density varies by one order of magnitude from ∼1x1010 cm‐2 to ∼1x1011 cm‐2 as a function of the GaN coverage on the surface. The initial layer thickness for the creation of cubic GaN QDs on cubic AlN was obtained to 1.95 monolayers by a comparison between the experimental results and an analytical model. Our results reveal the strain‐driven Stranski‐Krastanov growth mode as the main formation process of the cubic GaN QDs. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A robust continuous‐time fixed‐lag smoother for nonlinear uncertain systems
Authors: Rehman Obaid Ur , Petersen Ian R. 
Published: February 2015

SummaryThis paper presents a scheme for the design of a robust fixed‐lag smoother for a class of nonlinear uncertain systems. The proposed approach combines a nonlinear robust estimator with a stable fixed‐lag smoother, to improve the estimation error covariance. The robust fixed‐lag smoother is based on the use of integral quadratic constraints and minimax linear quadratic regulator estimation and control theory. The state estimator uses a copy of the system nonlinearity in the estimator and combines an approximate model of the delayed states to produce a smoother signal. Also in this work, a characterization of the delay approximation error is presented, and the corresponding integral quadratic constraint is included in the design, which gives a guaranteed bound on the performance cost function. In order to see the effectiveness of the method, it is applied to a quantum optical phase estimation problem. Results show a significant improvement in the error covariance of the estimator when compared with a robust nonlinear filter. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Truncated differential cryptanalysis of PRINCE
Authors: Zhao Guangyao , Sun Bing , Li Chao , Su Jinshu 
Published: February 2015

AbstractPRINCE is a lightweight block cipher whose block size and key size are 64‐bit and 128‐bit, respectively. The core component of PRINCE is PRINCE
which is wrapped by the initial and final key whitening. PRINCEcore adopts a 12‐round SPN structure. This paper exploits some new vulnerabilities of PRINCE from an aspect different from previous results, and applies truncated differential cryptanalysis to PRINCE. The result demonstrates that for several reduced versions of PRINCE, there exist 5‐round and 6‐round (out of 12 rounds) truncated differential distinguishers. We introduce a key‐recovery attack on 7‐round PRINCEcore using two 5‐round distinguishers, the data complexity is 250 chosen plaintexts and the time complexity is 248.2 7‐round encryptions, with a storage of about 222.6 counters. Both the distinguishers and key‐recovery attacks are not related to the value of α. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.