Atoms, Vol. 4, Pages 10: Relativistic Ionization of Hydrogen Atoms by Positron Impact

Relativistic triple differential cross-sections (TDCS) for ionization of hydrogen atoms by positron impact have been calculated in the symmetric coplanar geometry. We have used Dirac wave functions to describe free electron's and positron's sates. The relativistic formalism is examined by taking the non relativistic limit. Present results are compared with those for the corresponding electron-impact case. In the first Born approximation, we found that the TDCS for positron impact ionization exceeds that for electron impact for all energies in accordance with the result obtained by several other theories.

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Sports, Vol. 4, Pages 17: The Age in Swimming of Champions in World Championships (1994–2013) and Olympic Games (1992–2012): A Cross-Sectional Data Analysis

(1) Background: We investigated the age of swimming champions in all strokes and race distances in World Championships (1994–2013) and Olympic Games (1992–2012); (2) Methods: Changes in age and swimming performance across calendar years for 412 Olympic and world champions were analysed using linear, non-linear, multi-level regression analyses and MultiLayer Perceptron (MLP); (3) Results: The age of peak swimming performance remained stable in most of all race distances for world champions and in all race distances for Olympic champions. Longer (i.e., 200 m and more) race distances were completed by younger (-20 years old for women and -22 years old for men) champions than shorter (i.e., 50 m and 100 m) race distances (-22 years old for women and -24 years old for men). There was a sex difference in the age of champions of -2 years with a mean age of -21 and -23 years for women and men, respectively. Swimming performance improved in most race distances for world and Olympic champions with a larger trend of increase in Olympic champions; (4) Conclusion: Swimmers at younger ages (<20 years) may benefit from training and competing in longer race distances (i.e., 200 m and longer) before they change to shorter distances (i.e., 50 m and 100 m) when they become older (>22 years).

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Geosciences, Vol. 6, Pages 15: Stratigraphic Changes in the Pliocene Carnivoran Assemblage from Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Idaho

At least 17 carnivoran taxa occur in the Pliocene Glenns Ferry Formation at Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (HAFO), Idaho. This assemblage was examined for stratigraphic changes in species distribution, specimen abundance, and species diversity. Three relatively common mustelids, Trigonictis cookii, Trigonictis macrodon, and Mustela rexroadensis, occur at most stratigraphic levels, but are absent during an interval coinciding with the coolest time segment at HAFO. It is within this gap that two less-common mustelids, Ferinestrix vorax and Buisnictis breviramus, first appear at HAFO; they persist up-section with the more common mustelids listed above. Specimens of Borophagus hilli are restricted to the warm intervals at HAFO, irrespective of the relative abundance of surface water. The other canid at HAFO, Canis lepophagus, is more abundant during the dry intervals at HAFO, regardless of the estimated paleotemperature. Most remarkable is the recovery of many taxa impacted by abrupt climate change, although a notable change is the much higher relative abundance of carnivoran species following a return to warm temperatures.

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Polymers, Vol. 8, Pages 74: Fabrication of Alkoxyamine-Functionalized Magnetic Core-Shell Microspheres via Reflux Precipitation Polymerization for Glycopeptide Enrichment

As a facile method to prepare hydrophilic polymeric microspheres, reflux precipitation polymerization has been widely used for preparation of polymer nanogels. In this article, we synthesized a phthalamide-protected N-aminooxy methyl acrylamide (NAMAm-p) for preparation of alkoxyamine-functionalized polymer composite microspheres via reflux precipitation polymerization. The particle size and functional group density of the composite microspheres could be adjusted by copolymerization with the second monomers, N-isopropyl acrylamide, acrylic acid or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. The resultant microspheres have been characterized by TEM, FT-IR, TGA and DLS. The experimental results showed that the alkoxyamine group density of the microspheres could reach as high as 1.49 mmol/g, and these groups showed a great reactivity with ketone/aldehyde compounds. With the aid of magnetic core, the hybrid microspheres could capture and magnetically isolate glycopeptides from the digested mixture of glycopeptides and non-glycopeptides at a 1:100 molar ratio. After that, we applied the composite microspheres to profile the glycol-proteome of a normal human serum sample, 95 unique glycopeptides and 64 glycoproteins were identified with these enrichment substrates in a 5 μL of serum sample.

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Materials, Vol. 9, Pages 169: Control of Magnetic Properties of NiMn2O4 by a Microwave Magnetic Field under Air

NiMn2O4 prepared by conventional heating was irradiated with a microwave H-field using a single-mode cavity under air and magnetic properties of the microwave-irradiated material were investigated. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the phase and microstructure are not affected by H-field irradiation. Measurements of the magnetization as a function of temperature revealed that the antiferromagnetic sublattice disappeared and electron spin resonance showed the existence of Mn2+, suggesting that Mn3+ is partially reduced. Moreover, the magnetization of NiMn2O4 was controlled from 35.3 to 18.2 emu/g and the coercivity from 140 to 750 Oe by changing the sample temperature during microwave irradiation. The reduction reaction of NiMn2O4 is controlled by microwave H-field irradiation, resulting in control over the magnetic properties.

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Materials, Vol. 9, Pages 160: Preparation of a Microspherical Silver-Reduced Graphene Oxide-Bismuth Vanadate Composite and Evaluation of Its Photocatalytic Activity

A novel Ag-reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) (AgGB) ternary composite was successfully synthesized via a one-step method. The prepared composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurement, Raman scattering spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible diffuse-reflection spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). The results showed that bulk monoclinic needle-like BiVO4 and Ag nanoparticles with a diameter of approximately 40 nm formed microspheres (diameter, 5–8 μm) with a uniform size distribution that could be loaded on rGO sheets to facilitate the transport of electrons photogenerated in BiVO4, thereby reducing the rate of recombination of photogenerated charge carriers in the coupled AgGB composite system. Ag nanoparticles were dispersed on the surface of the rGO sheets, which exhibited a localized surface plasmon resonance phenomenon and enhanced visible light absorption. The removal efficiency of rhodamine B dye by AgGB (80.2%) was much higher than that of pure BiVO4 (51.6%) and rGO-BiVO4 (58.3%) under visible light irradiation. Recycle experiments showed that the AgGB composite still presented significant photocatalytic activity after five successive cycles. Finally, we propose a possible pathway and mechanism for the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B dye using the composite photocatalyst under visible light irradiation.

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Label-free fluorescence detection of microRNA based on target induced adenosine2-coralyne-adenosine2 formation

Analyst, 2016, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C6AN00001K, Communication

Jun-Jie Li, Qiang Xi, Wen-Fang Du, Ruqin Yu, Jian-Hui Jiang
This study develops a simple and label-free biosensor for sensitive and selective detection of microRNA (miRNA) based on the formation of adenosine2-coralyne-adenosine2 complex mediated by miRNA-specific polyadenosine extension.
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

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Recent advancements in ion concentration polarization

Analyst, 2016, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C6AN00194G, Minireview

Min Li, Robbyn Kimberly Anand
In this mini review, we will discuss advancements in ion concentration polarization (ICP)-based preconcentration, separation, desalination, and dielectrophoresis that have been made over the past three years. ICP as a...
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

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Education Sciences, Vol. 6, Pages 8: “Way-Centered” versus “Truth-Centered” Epistemologies

In recent years, a criticism of "indigenous knowledge" has been that this idea makes sense only in terms of acquaintance (or familiarity) type and practical (or skills-type) knowledge (knowledge-how). Understood in terms of theoretical knowledge (or knowledge-that), however, it faces the arguably insurmountable problems of relativism and superstition. The educational implications of this would be that mere beliefs or opinions unanchored by reason(s), such as bald assertions, superstitions, prejudice and bias, should not be included in the curriculum, at least not under the guise of "knowledge". Worthy of inclusion are skills and practical knowledge, as are traditional music, art, dance and folklore (qua folklore). Moreover, anything that meets the essential requirements for knowledge-that could in principle be included. Against this understanding of knowledge, and its educational implications, it has been contended that indigenous knowledge places no special emphasis on "belief", "evidence" or "truth", but that, according to indigenous practitioners, it is rather "the way" that constitutes knowledge, harmonious interaction and appropriate models of conduct. It has been argued, further, that cognitive states are (to be) seen as "maps", as useful and practical action-guides. This is why (so the argument for "polycentric epistemologies" or "polycentric global epistemology" goes) divination, rain-making, rain-discarding, shamanism, sorcery, ceremony, ritual, mysticism, etc., must be acknowledged as ways of knowing (and as educationally valuable) alongside animal husbandry, botany, medicine, mathematics, tool-making, and the like. The present paper investigates whether the "way-based" epistemological response is a plausible reply to the "truth-based" critique of indigenous knowledge (systems).

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Insects, Vol. 7, Pages 9: Pepper Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Preferences for Specific Pepper Cultivars, Plant Parts, Fruit Colors, Fruit Sizes, and Timing

Peppers (Capsicum spp.) are an important crop in the USA, with about 32,000 ha cultivated in 2007, which resulted in $588 million in farm revenue. The pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is the most troublesome insect pest of peppers in the southern United States. It is therefore urgent to find different vulnerabilities of pepper cultivars, fruit and plants parts, fruit colors and sizes, and timing to infestation by A. eugenii. Also relevant is testing whether fruit length and infestation state affect fruit numbers, weights, and proportions of fruit that are infested. Counts of A. eugenii adults and marks from oviposition and feeding suggested that C. chinense Jacquin "Habanero" was least susceptible, and C. annuum L. cultivars "SY" and "SR" were most susceptible. Comparison of plant parts and fruit sizes revealed that A. eugenii preferred the peduncle, calyx, and top of pepper fruits over the middle, bottom, leaves, or remainder of flowers. Anthonomus eugenii does not discriminate between green or yellow fruit color nor vary diurnally in numbers. Based on adult counts, medium to extra-large fruits (≥1.5 cm long) attracted more weevils than small fruits (<1.5 cm). However based on proportions of fruit numbers or fruit weights that were infested, there were no differences between large and small fruits. Choice of pepper cultivar can thus be an important part of an IPM cultural control program designed to combat A. eugenii by reduced susceptibility or by synchronous fruit drop of infested fruits. Our results are potentially helpful in developing scouting programs including paying particular attention to the preferred locations of adults and their sites of feeding and oviposition on the fruit. The results also suggested the potential value of spraying when the fruits are still immature to prevent and control infestation.

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Polymers, Vol. 8, Pages 75: Polylactide/Montmorillonite Hybrid Latex as a Barrier Coating for Paper Applications

We developed a paper coating for the potential application in food packaging based on polylactide and montmorillonite. It is applied to the paper in the form of a stable, water-based latex with a solid content of 25–28 wt %. The latex is prepared from a commercially available polylactide, surfactants, montmorillonite, a plasticizer, chloroform (to be removed later) and water by an emulsion/solvent evaporation procedure. This coating formulation is applied to the paper substrate by bar-coating, followed by hot-pressing at 150 °C. The coated papers achieved up to an 85% improvement in water vapor transmission rates when compared to the pristine papers. The coating latex is prepared from inexpensive materials and can be used for a solvent-free coating process. In addition, the ingredients of the latex are non-toxic; thus, the coated papers can be safely used for food packaging.

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Polymers, Vol. 8, Pages 73: Polyelectrolyte Threading through a Nanopore

Threading charged polymers through a nanopore, driven by electric fields E, is investigated by means of Langevin dynamics simulations. The mean translocation time 〈 τ 〉 is shown to follow a scaling law Nα, and the exponent α increases monotonically from 1.16 (4) to 1.40 (3) with E. The result is double-checked by the calculation of mean square displacement of translocation coordinate, which asserts a scaling behavior tβ (for t near τ) with β complying with the relation αβ = 2. At a fixed chain length N, 〈τ〉 displayed a reciprocal scaling behavior E−1 in the weak and also in the strong fields, connected by a transition E−1.64(5) in the intermediate fields. The variations of the radius of gyration of chain and the positions of chain end are monitored during a translocation process; far-from-equilibrium behaviors are observed when the driving field is strong. A strong field can strip off the condensed ions on the chain when it passes the pore. The total charges of condensed ions are hence decreased. The studies for the probability and density distributions reveal that the monomers in the trans-region are gathered near the wall and form a pancake-like density profile with a hump cloud over it in the strong fields, due to fast translocation.

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Coordination of cell decisions and promotion of phenotypic diversity in B. subtilis via pulsed behavior of the phosphorelay

The phosphorelay of Bacillus subtilis, a kinase cascade that activates master regulator Spo0A ∼ P in response to starvation signals, is the core of a large network controlling the cell's decision to differentiate into sporulation and other phenotypes. This article reviews recent advances in understanding the origins and purposes of the complex dynamical behavior of the phosphorelay, which pulses with peaks of activity coordinated with the cell cycle. The transient imbalance in the expression of two critical genes caused by their strategic placement at opposing ends of the chromosome proved to be the key for this pulsed behavior. Feedback control loops in the phosphorelay use these pulses to implement a timer mechanism, which creates several windows of opportunity for phenotypic transitions over multiple generations. This strategy allows the cell to coordinate multiple differentiation programs in a decision process that fosters phenotypic diversity and adapts to current conditions.

The phosphorelay of Bacillus subtilis controls differentiation into sporulation and other phenotypes in response to starvation. This kinase cascade pulses with peaks of activity coordinated with the cell cycle. We review the role of this complex dynamical behavior in timing cell fate decisions and generating phenotypic diversity at the colony level.

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High-Impact Hepatitis C Virus Testing for Injection Drug Users (HIT IDU) in an Urban Emergency Department

The American Journal of Emergency Medicine

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Effect of telbivudine versus other nucleos(t)ide analogs on HBeAg seroconversion and other outcomes in patients with chronic hepatitis B: A network meta-analysis

Advances in Therapy

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Prediction of postoperative liver failure using gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

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Metformin for chemoprevention of metachronous colorectal adenoma or polyps in post-polypectomy patients without diabetes: a multicentre double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised phase 3 trial

The Lancet Oncology

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Copy number variations in multicystic dysplastic kidney: update for prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling

Abstract

Objective

To assess the clinical implication of chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) in prenatal diagnosis of MCDK.

Methods

Thirty-seven cases with MCDKs detected by prenatal ultrasound were enrolled in the study; 33 cases were isolated MCDKs and four cases were non-isolated MCDKs. CMA was performed on the Affymetrix CytoScan HD platform. The frequencies of the detected CNVs were compared with 461 cases underwent CMA for anomalies unrelated to congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) or 124 healthy newborns as controls. All of the annotated CNVs were validated by MLPA or qPCR.

Results

Pathogenic CNVs were detected in 13.5% (5/37) of MCDKs. Two 17q12 deletions, one untypical 22q11.2 deletion, and one 22q11.2 duplication were detected in four isolated MCDK cases. Duplication of 1q31.3q44 was identified in a non-isolated MCDK case. Three of the five pathogenic CNVs were inherited. We also validated eight CNVs of uncertain significance only detected in MCDKs and five CNVs with higher frequency in MCDKs.

Conclusion

A substantial proportion of MCDKs were associated with pathogenic CNVs. Family members with the same CNV were asymptomatic or of different kind of renal malformations. It may be reasonable to perform CMA when MCDKs are identified prenatally.

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The implications of non-invasive prenatal testing failures: a review of an under-discussed phenomenon

Abstract

Introduction

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) using cell-free DNA in maternal blood is a relatively new screening modality for the common trisomies of chromosomes 21, 18 & 13 and sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs). For some patients however, results are not reported due to laboratory technical issues such as low fetal fraction and sequencing failures. In this review the clinical implications of NIPT test failures are discussed.

Methods

A Medline search was performed for all studies on NIPT that include >1000 samples. The failure rates were assessed by technology.

Results

Methods based on massive parallel sequencing (MPS) have been found to have the lowest failure rate (1.58%) while tests based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis have the highest failure rate (6.39%).

Conclusions

Recent publications suggest that patients who receive a " no call" result are at increased risk of aneuploidy. Some professional societies have therefore recommended that these patients undergo genetic counseling and be offered invasive diagnostic testing. NIPT technology that has a high failure rate may increase the false positive rates, decrease the positive predictive value and increase the procedure-related pregnancy loss. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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Forests, Vol. 7, Pages 57: Spatial Variation in Tree Density and Estimated Aboveground Carbon Stocks in Southern Africa

Variability in woody plant species, vegetation assemblages and anthropogenic activities derails the efforts to have common approaches for estimating biomass and carbon stocks in Africa. In order to suggest management options, it is important to understand the vegetation dynamics and the major drivers governing the observed conditions. This study uses data from 29 sentinel landscapes (4640 plots) across the southern Africa. We used T-Square distance method to sample trees. Allometric models were used to estimate aboveground tree biomass from which aboveground biomass carbon stock (AGBCS) was derived for each site. Results show average tree density of 502 trees·ha−1 with semi-arid areas having the highest (682 trees·ha−1) and arid regions the lowest (393 trees·ha−1). The overall AGBCS was 56.4 Mg·ha−1. However, significant site to site variability existed across the region. Over 60 fold differences were noted between the lowest AGBCS (2.2 Mg·ha−1) in the Musungwa plains of Zambia and the highest (138.1 Mg·ha−1) in the scrublands of Kenilworth in Zimbabwe. Semi-arid and humid sites had higher carbon stocks than sites in sub-humid and arid regions. Anthropogenic activities also influenced the observed carbon stocks. Repeated measurements would reveal future trends in tree cover and carbon stocks across different systems.

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Entropy, Vol. 18, Pages 84: Entropy and Fractal Antennas

The entropies of Shannon, Rényi and Kolmogorov are analyzed and compared together with their main properties. The entropy of some particular antennas with a pre-fractal shape, also called fractal antennas, is studied. In particular, their entropy is linked with the fractal geometrical shape and the physical performance.

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Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 330: Modeling the Insertion Mechanics of Flexible Neural Probes Coated with Sacrificial Polymers for Optimizing Probe Design

Single-unit recording neural probes have significant advantages towards improving signal-to-noise ratio and specificity for signal acquisition in brain-to-computer interface devices. Long-term effectiveness is unfortunately limited by the chronic injury response, which has been linked to the mechanical mismatch between rigid probes and compliant brain tissue. Small, flexible microelectrodes may overcome this limitation, but insertion of these probes without buckling requires supporting elements such as a stiff coating with a biodegradable polymer. For these coated probes, there is a design trade-off between the potential for successful insertion into brain tissue and the degree of trauma generated by the insertion. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a finite element model (FEM) to simulate insertion of coated neural probes of varying dimensions and material properties into brain tissue. Simulations were performed to predict the buckling and insertion forces during insertion of coated probes into a tissue phantom with material properties of brain. The simulations were validated with parallel experimental studies where probes were inserted into agarose tissue phantom, ex vivo chick embryonic brain tissue, and ex vivo rat brain tissue. Experiments were performed with uncoated copper wire and both uncoated and coated SU-8 photoresist and Parylene C probes. Model predictions were found to strongly agree with experimental results (<10% error). The ratio of the predicted buckling force-to-predicted insertion force, where a value greater than one would ideally be expected to result in successful insertion, was plotted against the actual success rate from experiments. A sigmoidal relationship was observed, with a ratio of 1.35 corresponding to equal probability of insertion and failure, and a ratio of 3.5 corresponding to a 100% success rate. This ratio was dubbed the "safety factor", as it indicated the degree to which the coating should be over-designed to ensure successful insertion. Probability color maps were generated to visually compare the influence of design parameters. Statistical metrics derived from the color maps and multi-variable regression analysis confirmed that coating thickness and probe length were the most important features in influencing insertion potential. The model also revealed the effects of manufacturing flaws on insertion potential.

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Water, Vol. 8, Pages 87: Objective Classification of Rainfall in Northern Europe for Online Operation of Urban Water Systems Based on Clustering Techniques

This study evaluated methods for automated classification of rain events into groups of "high" and "low" spatial and temporal variability in offline and online situations. The applied classification techniques are fast and based on rainfall data only, and can thus be applied by, e.g., water system operators to change modes of control of their facilities. A k-means clustering technique was applied to group events retrospectively and was able to distinguish events with clearly different temporal and spatial correlation properties. For online applications, techniques based on k-means clustering and quadratic discriminant analysis both provided a fast and reliable identification of rain events of "high" variability, while the k-means provided the smallest number of rain events falsely identified as being of "high" variability (false hits). A simple classification method based on a threshold for the observed rainfall intensity yielded a large number of false hits and was thus outperformed by the other two methods.

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Inventions, Vol. 1, Pages 4: Residual Strain Measurement Using Wire EDM and DIC in Aluminum

In this paper, a technique that combines digital image correlation and wire electrical discharge machining for the measurement of the residual strain is presented. The significant potential benefits of this work include noncontact, high-speed, and online measurement. A ring-core-based groove in the surface of the specimen is cut to release the residual stresses present inside the core. The deformation due to these stresses can be measured by digital image correlation to measure the relieved strains. Moreover, the sizes of the reference areas on the specimens and the tracks of these areas after wire electrical discharge machining are investigated. The proposed method is applied to six different specimens to characterize their relieved strains.

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Water, Vol. 8, Pages 82: Computing Economies of Scope Using Robust Partial Frontier Nonparametric Methods

This paper proposes a methodology to examine economies of scope using the recent order-α nonparametric method. It allows us to investigate economies of scope by comparing the efficient order-α frontiers of firms that produce two or more goods with the efficient order-α frontiers of firms that produce only one good. To accomplish this, and because the order-α frontiers are irregular, we suggest to linearize them by the DEA estimator. The proposed methodology uses partial frontier nonparametric methods that are more robust than the traditional full frontier methods. By using a sample of 67 Portuguese water utilities for the period 2002–2008 and, also, a simulated sample, we prove the usefulness of the approach adopted and show that if only the full frontier methods were used, they would lead to different results. We found evidence of economies of scope in the provision of water supply and wastewater services simultaneously by water utilities in Portugal.

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Materials, Vol. 9, Pages 159: Lamellae Evolution of Stereocomplex-Type Poly(Lactic Acid)/Organically-Modified Layered Zinc Phenylphosphonate Nanocomposites Induced by Isothermal Crystallization

Stereocomplex-type poly(lactic acid) (SC-PLA)/oleylamine-modified layered zinc phenylphosphonate (SC-PLA/m-PPZn) nanocomposites are successfully fabricated using a solution mixing process. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) analysis reveals that the structural arrangement of the oleylamine-modified PPZn exhibits a large interlayer spacing of 30.3 Å. In addition, we investigate the temperature effect on the real-time structural arrangement of PPZn and m-PPZn. The results indicated that the lattice expansion of m-PPZn with increasing temperature leads to an increase in the interlayer spacing from 30.3 to 37.1 Å as the temperature increases from 30 to 150 °C. The interlayer spacing decreases slightly as the temperature further increases to 210 °C. This behavior might be attributed to interlayer oleylamine elimination, which results in hydrogen bonding destruction between the hydroxide sheets and water molecules. As the temperature reaches 240 °C, the in situ WAXD patterns show the coexistence of m-PPZn and PPZn. However, the layered structures of m-PPZn at 300 °C are almost the same as those of PPZn, after the complete degradation temperature of oleylamine. The morphology of the SC-PLA/m-PPZn nanocomposites characterized using WAXD and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrates that most partial delamination layered materials are randomly dispersed in the SC-PLA matrix. Small-angle X-ray scattering reveals that higher crystal layer thickness and lower surface free energy is achieved in 0.25 wt% SC-PLA/m-PPZn nanocomposites. These results indicate that the introduction of 0.25 wt% m-PPZn into SC-PLA reduces the surface free energy, thereby increasing the polymer chain mobility.

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Energies, Vol. 9, Pages 165: An Effective Approach towards the Immobilization of PtSn Nanoparticles on Noncovalent Modified Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Ethanol Electrooxidation

In this article, we describe an effective method to tether Pt and PtSn nanoparticles (NPs) on polyelectrolyte modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for ethanol electrooxidation. By using a polymer wrapping technique, positively charged polyethyleneimine (PEI) was attached onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to provide preferential linking sites for metal precursors. Well-dispersed Pt and PtSn nanocrystals (2–5 nm) were subsequently decorated on PEI-functionalized MWCNTs through the polyol reduction method. The successful non-covalent modification of MWCNTs was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Zeta potential measurements. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum indicates approximately 20 wt % Pt loading and a desirable Pt:Sn atomic ratio of 1:1. Electrochemical analysis demonstrated that the as-synthesized PtSn/PEI-MWCNTs nanocomposite exhibited improved catalytic activity and higher poison tolerance for ethanol oxidation as compared to Pt/PEI-MWCNTs and commercial Pt/XC-72 catalysts. The enhanced electrochemical performance may be attributed to the uniform dispersion of NPs as well as the mitigating of CO self-poisoning effect by the alloying of Sn element. This modification and synthetic strategy will be studied further to develop a diversity of carbon supported Pt-based hybrid nanomaterials for electrocatalysis.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 339: Local Anesthetic-Induced Neurotoxicity

This review summarizes current knowledge concerning incidence, risk factors, and mechanisms of perioperative nerve injury, with focus on local anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity. Perioperative nerve injury is a complex phenomenon and can be caused by a number of clinical factors. Anesthetic risk factors for perioperative nerve injury include regional block technique, patient risk factors, and local anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity. Surgery can lead to nerve damage by use of tourniquets or by direct mechanical stress on nerves, such as traction, transection, compression, contusion, ischemia, and stretching. Current literature suggests that the majority of perioperative nerve injuries are unrelated to regional anesthesia. Besides the blockade of sodium channels which is responsible for the anesthetic effect, systemic local anesthetics can have a positive influence on the inflammatory response and the hemostatic system in the perioperative period. However, next to these beneficial effects, local anesthetics exhibit time and dose-dependent toxicity to a variety of tissues, including nerves. There is equivocal experimental evidence that the toxicity varies among local anesthetics. Even though the precise order of events during local anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity is not clear, possible cellular mechanisms have been identified. These include the intrinsic caspase-pathway, PI3K-pathway, and MAPK-pathways. Further research will need to determine whether these pathways are non-specifically activated by local anesthetics, or whether there is a single common precipitating factor.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 338: Amyloid-β and Astrocytes Interplay in Amyloid-β Related Disorders

Amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology is known to promote chronic inflammatory responses in the brain. It was thought previously that Aβ is only associated with Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome. However, studies have shown its involvement in many other neurological disorders. The role of astrocytes in handling the excess levels of Aβ has been highlighted in the literature. Astrocytes have a distinctive function in both neuronal support and protection, thus its involvement in Aβ pathological process may tip the balance toward chronic inflammation and neuronal death. In this review we describe the involvement of astrocytes in Aβ related disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Down syndrome, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, and frontotemporal dementia.

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Safety of Drugs during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding in Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Health management of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients should be maximized during pregnancy and breastfeeding because of its significant impact on the maternal and newborn outcomes. Thus, numerous drugs will have to be continued during pregnancy and lactation. Most of the drugs representing CF treatment lines cross the placenta or are excreted into human milk. Research addressing the risks and benefits of drugs used in CF patients during pregnancy and lactation is often incomplete or challenged by limited methodology, which often leads to conflicting or inconclusive results. Yet, potential treatment benefits for CF pregnant patients most often outbalance potential risks for the unborn child.
Respiration

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Polymers, Vol. 8, Pages 72: Processing-Induced Inhomogeneity of Yield Stress in Polycarbonate Product and Its Influence on the Impact Behavior

In this study, an integrated methodology for impact analysis of polycarbonate (PC) product is proposed which incorporates the processing-induced inhomogeneity of yield stress. A previously developed model is extended to predict the inhomogeneous yield stress distribution along the specimen by using the thermal history experienced during injection molding. A strain rate-dependent elastic-plastic model combining the processing-induced yield stress is applied to model the mechanical behavior of PC. Finite element simulation for notched Izod impact test is then conducted to analyze the impact behaviors of PC specimens with different thermal histories. Numerical results of the fracture energies are compared with experimental measurements.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 337: From Olive Fruits to Olive Oil: Phenolic Compound Transfer in Six Different Olive Cultivars Grown under the Same Agronomical Conditions

Phenolic compounds are responsible of the nutritional and sensory quality of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). The composition of phenolic compounds in EVOO is related to the initial content of phenolic compounds in the olive-fruit tissues and the activity of enzymes acting on these compounds during the industrial process to produce the oil. In this work, the phenolic composition was studied in six major cultivars grown in the same orchard under the same agronomical and environmental conditions in an effort to test the effects of cultivars on phenolic composition in fruits and oils as well as on transfer between matrices. The phenolic fractions were identified and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry. A total of 33 phenolic compounds were determined in the fruit samples and a total of 20 compounds in their corresponding oils. Qualitative and quantitative differences in phenolic composition were found among cultivars in both matrices, as well as regarding the transfer rate of phenolic compounds from fruits to oil. The results also varied according to the different phenolic groups evaluated, with secoiridoids registering the highest transfer rates from fruits to oils. Moreover, wide-ranging differences have been noticed between cultivars for the transfer rates of secoiridoids (4.36%–65.63% of total transfer rate) and for flavonoids (0.18%–0.67% of total transfer rate). 'Picual' was the cultivar that transferred secoiridoids to oil at the highest rate, whereas 'Changlot Real' was the cultivar that transferred flavonoids at the highest rates instead. Principal-component analysis confirmed a strong genetic effect on the basis of the phenolic profile both in the olive fruits and in the oils.

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Micromachines, Vol. 7, Pages 41: Capillary Self-Alignment of Microchips on Soft Substrates

Soft micro devices and stretchable electronics have attracted great interest for their potential applications in sensory skins and wearable bio-integrated devices. One of the most important steps in building printed circuits is the alignment of assembled micro objects. Previously, the capillary self-alignment of microchips driven by surface tension effects has been shown to be able to achieve high-throughput and high-precision in the integration of micro parts on rigid hydrophilic/superhydrophobic patterned surfaces. In this paper, the self-alignment of microchips on a patterned soft and stretchable substrate, which consists of hydrophilic pads surrounded by a superhydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) background, is demonstrated for the first time. A simple process has been developed for making superhydrophobic soft surface by replicating nanostructures of black silicon onto a PDMS surface. Different kinds of PDMS have been investigated, and the parameters for fabricating superhydrophobic PDMS have been optimized. A self-alignment strategy has been proposed that can result in reliable self-alignment on a soft PDMS substrate. Our results show that capillary self-alignment has great potential for building soft printed circuits.

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Laws, Vol. 5, Pages 12: Can a Patriarchal World Be Corrected by a Criminal Law? Feminist Struggles, Penal Justice and Legal Reform in France (1970–1980)

This article describes (1) the relationship between the demands made by feminist movements of the 1970s in cases of sexual violence and criticism of the criminal justice system by these movements and other groups, including the prisoners' movement; and (2) the relationship between this debate and the legal process of reforming the definition and punishment of rape. Two periods are analyzed. In the early 1970s, the common cause of very different movements targeting the law was the priority given to the defense against forms of repression and disciplinary institutions. After 1975, the demands of feminist and prisoner movements diverged and even conflicted. One camp called for an offensive approach to changing the legal punishment of rape whereas the other camp fought against penal reforms imposed by the government and, more specifically, against long sentences.

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Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 328: Efficient Banknote Recognition Based on Selection of Discriminative Regions with One-Dimensional Visible-Light Line Sensor

Banknote papers are automatically recognized and classified in various machines, such as vending machines, automatic teller machines (ATM), and banknote-counting machines. Previous studies on automatic classification of banknotes have been based on the optical characteristics of banknote papers. On each banknote image, there are regions more distinguishable than others in terms of banknote types, sides, and directions. However, there has been little previous research on banknote recognition that has addressed the selection of distinguishable areas. To overcome this problem, we propose a method for recognizing banknotes by selecting more discriminative regions based on similarity mapping, using images captured by a one-dimensional visible light line sensor. Experimental results with various types of banknote databases show that our proposed method outperforms previous methods.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 281: Toxicity of Smokeless Tobacco Extract after 184-Day Repeated Oral Administration in Rats

The use of smokeless tobacco (ST) is growing rapidly and globally. The consumption of ST is associated with an increased risk for developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and myocardial infarction, and has led to many public health problems. It is very important to access the toxicity of ST. This experiment presents data from 184-day toxicology studies in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats designed to characterize the chronic effects of a smokeless tobacco extract (STE). The control group and treatment groups were matched for a range of nicotine levels. Animals were given STE by oral gavage with doses of 3.75 (low-dose), 7.50 (mid-dose) and 15.00 (high-dose) mg·nicotine/kg body weight/day for 184 days, followed by 30 days for recovery. Variables evaluated included body weights, feed consumption, clinical observations, clinical and anatomic pathology (including organ weights), and histopathology. Decreased body weights and organ weights (heart, liver and kidney) were found in animals in the mid-dose and high-dose groups. STE also showed moderate and reversible toxicity in esophagus, stomach, liver, kidney and lung.

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Energies, Vol. 9, Pages 159: Aggregator-Based Interactive Charging Management System for Electric Vehicle Charging

With the ongoing large-scale implementation of electric vehicles (EVs), the exploration of a more flexible approach to maintain fair interaction between EVs and the power grid is urgently required. This paper presents an aggregator-based interactive charging management scheme adopting interruptible load (IL) pricing, in which the EV aggregator will respond to the load control command of the grid in an EV interactive mode. Charging managements are carried out according to battery state-of-charge and the EV departure time in EV charging stations. A power-altering charging (PAC) control method is proposed to dispatch the EVs charging fairly in a station and guarantee EV owners' preferences. The method does not require classical iterative procedures or heavy computations; furthermore, it is beneficial for EVs to depart earlier than expected for reasons beyond keeping homeostatic charging. The proposed scheme, which is tested to charge individual EVs well according to its preference, was implemented as part of an "EV Beijing" project. The proposed management scheme provides new insight into EV charging strategy and provides another choice to EV users.

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Materials, Vol. 9, Pages 153: Preparation and Characterization of Ni Spines Grown on the Surface of Cubic Boron Nitride Grains by Electroplating Method

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) is widely applied in cutting and grinding tools. cBN grains plated by pure Ni and Ni/SiC composite were produced under the same conditions from an additive-free nickel Watts type bath. The processed electroplating products were characterized by the techniques of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermoanalysis (TG-DTA). Due to the presence of SiC particles, there are some additional nodules on the surface of Ni/SiC plated cBN compared with the pure Ni plated cBN. The unique morphology of Ni/SiC plated cBN should attain greater retention force in resin bond. Moreover, the coating weight of cBN grains could be controlled by regulating the plating time. cBN grains with 60% coating weight possess the optimum grinding performance due to their roughest and spiniest surface. In addition, Ni spines plated cBN grains show good thermal stability when temperature is lower than 464 °C. Therefore, the plated cBN grains are more stable and suitable for making resin bond abrasive tools below 225 °C. Finally, the formation mechanism of electroplating products is also discussed.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 319: Molecular Cloning and Expression Analysis of Eight PgWRKY Genes in Panax ginseng Responsive to Salt and Hormones

Despite the importance of WRKY genes in plant physiological processes, little is known about their roles in Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. Forty-eight unigenes on this species were previously reported as WRKY transcripts using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Subsequently, one gene that encodes PgWRKY1 protein belonging to subgroup II-d was cloned and functionally characterized. In this study, eight WRKY genes from the NGS-based transcriptome sequencing dataset designated as PgWRKY2-9 have been cloned and characterized. The genes encoding WRKY proteins were assigned to WRKY Group II (one subgroup II-c, four subgroup II-d, and three subgroup II-e) based on phylogenetic analysis. The cDNAs of the cloned PgWRKYs encode putative proteins ranging from 194 to 358 amino acid residues, each of which includes one WRKYGQK sequence motif and one C2H2-type zinc-finger motif. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis demonstrated that the eight analyzed PgWRKY genes were expressed at different levels in various organs including leaves, roots, adventitious roots, stems, and seeds. Importantly, the transcription responses of these PgWRKYs to methyl jasmonate (MeJA) showed that PgWRKY2, PgWRKY3, PgWRKY4, PgWRKY5, PgWRKY6, and PgWRKY7 were downregulated by MeJA treatment, while PgWRKY8 and PgWRKY9 were upregulated to varying degrees. Moreover, the PgWRKY genes increased or decreased by salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA), and NaCl treatments. The results suggest that the PgWRKYs may be multiple stress–inducible genes responding to both salt and hormones.

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Chromatography, Vol. 3, Pages 8: On the Extraction of Antibiotics from Shrimps Prior to Chromatographic Analysis

The widespread use of antibiotics in veterinary practice and aquaculture has led to the increase of antimicrobial resistance in food-borne pathogens that may be transferred to humans. Global concern is reflected in the regulations from different agencies that have set maximum permitted residue limits on antibiotics in different food matrices of animal origin. Sensitive and selective methods are required to monitor residue levels in aquaculture species for routine regulatory analysis. Since sample preparation is the most important step, several extraction methods have been developed. In this review, we aim to summarize the trends in extraction of several antibiotics classes from shrimps and give a comparison of performance characteristics in the different approaches.

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Remote Sensing, Vol. 8, Pages 208: Erratum: Chen, F. et al. A Space View of Radar Archaeological Marks: First Applications of COSMO-SkyMed X-Band Data. Remote Sens. 2015, 7(1), 24–50

In this paper [1], the author, Rosa Lasaponara, should have been numbered as 1 and 6, instead of only 6.[...]

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Materials, Vol. 9, Pages 157: Effects of Complex Modification by Sr–Sb on the Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Al–18 wt % Mg2Si–4.5Cu Alloys

This research was carried out to investigate the influence of Sr–Sb on the microstructures and mechanical properties of Al–18 wt % Mg2Si–4.5Cu alloys. After the addition of 0.2 wt % Sr–Sb, the morphologies of primary Mg2Si transformed from equiaxed dendrite to cube in as-cast alloys and the average size of primary Mg2Si decreased from ~50 to ~20 μm. The shape of eutectic Mg2Si changed from Chinese script to short rod. After extrusion and T6 heat treatment, the ultimate tensile strength of modified alloy at room temperature (RT) and 100 °C increased respectively from 229 to 288 MPa, and from 231 to 272 MPa. The elongation-to-failure only slightly improved from 2.9% to 3.8% and from 3.3% to 3.7% at RT and 100 °C, respectively. The tensile fracture surface revealed a transition from brittle fracture to ductile fracture after modifying by 0.2 wt % Sr–Sb.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 336: The Functions of Metallothionein and ZIP and ZnT Transporters: An Overview and Perspective

Around 3000 proteins are thought to bind zinc in vivo, which corresponds to ~10% of the human proteome. Zinc plays a pivotal role as a structural, catalytic, and signaling component that functions in numerous physiological processes. It is more widely used as a structural element in proteins than any other transition metal ion, is a catalytic component of many enzymes, and acts as a cellular signaling mediator. Thus, it is expected that zinc metabolism and homeostasis have sophisticated regulation, and elucidating the underlying molecular basis of this is essential to understanding zinc functions in cellular physiology and pathogenesis. In recent decades, an increasing amount of evidence has uncovered critical roles of a number of proteins in zinc metabolism and homeostasis through influxing, chelating, sequestrating, coordinating, releasing, and effluxing zinc. Metallothioneins (MT) and Zrt- and Irt-like proteins (ZIP) and Zn transporters (ZnT) are the proteins primarily involved in these processes, and their malfunction has been implicated in a number of inherited diseases such as acrodermatitis enteropathica. The present review updates our current understanding of the biological functions of MTs and ZIP and ZnT transporters from several new perspectives.

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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 290: Withaferin-A—A Natural Anticancer Agent with Pleitropic Mechanisms of Action

Cancer, being the second leading cause of mortality, exists as a formidable health challenge. In spite of our enormous efforts, the emerging complexities in the molecular nature of disease progression limit the real success in finding an effective cancer cure. It is now conceivable that cancer is, in fact, a progressive illness, and the morbidity and mortality from cancer can be reduced by interfering with various oncogenic signaling pathways. A wide variety of structurally diverse classes of bioactive phytochemicals have been shown to exert anticancer effects in a large number of preclinical studies. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that withaferin-A can prevent the development of cancers of various histotypes. Accumulating data from different rodent models and cell culture experiments have revealed that withaferin-A suppresses experimentally induced carcinogenesis, largely by virtue of its potent anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing properties. Moreover, withaferin-A sensitizes resistant cancer cells to existing chemotherapeutic agents. The purpose of this review is to highlight the mechanistic aspects underlying anticancer effects of withaferin-A.

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Diagnostics, Vol. 6, Pages 13: Auto Diagnostics of Lung Nodules Using Minimal Characteristics Extraction Technique

Computer-aided detection (CAD) systems provide useful tools and an advantageous process to physicians aiming to detect lung nodules. This paper develops a method composed of four processes for lung nodule detection. The first step employs image acquisition and pre-processing techniques to isolate the lungs from the rest of the body. The second stage involves the segmentation process using a 2D algorithm to affect every layer of a scan eliminating non-informative structures inside the lungs, and a 3D blob algorithm associated with a connectivity algorithm to select possible nodule shape candidates. The combinations of these algorithms efficiently eliminate the high rates of false positives. The third process extracts eight minimal representative characteristics of the possible candidates. The final step utilizes a support vector machine for classifying the possible candidates into nodules and non-nodules depending on their features. As the objective is to find nodules bigger than 4mm, the proposed approach demonstrated quite encouraging results. Among 65 computer tomography (CT) scans, 94.23% of sensitivity and 84.75% in specificity were obtained. The accuracy of these two results was 89.19% taking into consideration that 45 scans were used for testing and 20 for training. The rate of false positives was 0.2 per scan.

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Materials, Vol. 9, Pages 162: Finite Element Analysis of Aluminum Honeycombs Subjected to Dynamic Indentation and Compression Loads

The mechanical behavior of aluminum hexagonal honeycombs subjected to out-of-plane dynamic indentation and compression loads has been investigated numerically using ANSYS/LS-DYNA in this paper. The finite element (FE) models have been verified by previous experimental results in terms of deformation pattern, stress-strain curve, and energy dissipation. The verified FE models have then been used in comprehensive numerical analysis of different aluminum honeycombs. Plateau stress, σpl, and dissipated energy (EI for indentation and EC for compression) have been calculated at different strain rates ranging from 102 to 104 s−1. The effects of strain rate and t/l ratio on the plateau stress, dissipated energy, and tearing energy have been discussed. An empirical formula is proposed to describe the relationship between the tearing energy per unit fracture area, relative density, and strain rate for honeycombs. Moreover, it has been found that a generic formula can be used to describe the relationship between tearing energy per unit fracture area and relative density for both aluminum honeycombs and foams.

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Imaging of Rare Primary Malignant Hepatic Tumors in Adults With Histopathological Correlation.

Hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma are the most common primary liver malignancies in adults (comprising >85%); however, liver is also host to some unusual primary malignant tumors. Some of these tumors show distinct demographic, clinicopathologic, and imaging features. Imaging features of these uncommon primary malignant liver tumors are presented with an attempt to correlate them with histopathology. Copyright (C) 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Fat Embolism Syndrome: Lung Computed Tomography Findings in 18 Patients.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the lung computed tomography (CT) findings in fat embolism (FE) syndrome. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 19 CT examinations of 18 patients with FE syndrome, diagnosed clinically using the Gurd and Wilson criteria. Result: Fat embolism syndrome showed 3 patterns: negative examination, bilateral interstitial-alveolar involvement, and adult respiratory distress syndrome like. Frequent findings included consolidations (17 patients), mostly with gravity dependent distribution, and ground-glass opacities (17 patients), mostly with patchy distribution. Fifteen patients showed an overlapping random nodular pattern. Less common findings included lobular ground-glass opacities and lobular consolidations, smooth septal thickening, thickening of the bronchial wall, and areas of crazy paving. The extension of the consolidations correlates with the duration of assisted ventilation. Conclusions: In FE syndrome, pulmonary CT findings are ground-glass opacities and dependent consolidations, associated with other variably overlapping signs, such as lobular opacities, random nodules, septal thickening, and bronchial wall thickening. Copyright (C) 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Feasibility of Dual Flip Angle-Based Fast 3-Dimensional T1 Mapping for Delayed Gadolinium-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Cartilage of the Knee: A Histologically Controlled Study.

Objective: The aim of the study was to validate dual-flip angle-based fast 3-dimensional (3D) T1 mapping for delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of cartilage (dGEMRIC) by means of histological analyses in the assessment of the cartilage of the knee in a porcine model. Methods: A total of 15 mini pigs were included in this study. The left knee anterior cruciate ligaments of all mini pigs were transected. The mini pigs were divided into 3 groups postoperatively, with 5 pigs randomly assigned to 1 group. Dual-flip angle-based fast T1 mapping for dGEMRIC was obtained in the sagittal planes at 0 week (group 1), 3 weeks (group 2), and 6 weeks (group 3) after operation, using an 8-channel knee coil. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed at 3T with dual-flip angle-based fast 3D T1 mapping sequence for morphological cartilage assessment of dGEMRIC T1 values. After MRI analysis, histological and biochemical composition (water, collagen, and glycosaminoglycan [GAG]) of the knee cartilage in the medial femoral condyle was quantified ex vivo. Results: The T1 values obtained by the dual-flip angle-based fast 3D T1 mapping were positively correlated with the glycosaminoglycan content (r = 0.85; P

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Computed Tomography Features of Septic Pulmonary Embolism Caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae Liver Abscess Associated With Extrapulmonary Metastatic Infection.

Objectives: The aims of the study were to investigate the computed tomography (CT) features and clinical course of septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess (KPLA) and to explore the possible mechanism underlying the spread of infection. Methods: Twenty-one patients with KPLA-induced SPE admitted to our hospital between January 2010 and May 2015 were evaluated. According to the presence or absence of extrapulmonary metastatic infection (EMI), they were divided into EMI and non-EMI groups and clinical and CT features of the 2 groups were compared. Hepatic vein thrombophlebitis was evaluated on liver CT images. Chest CT features included nodules, wedge-shaped lesions, ground-glass opacity, consolidation, cavitation, feeding vessel sign, pleural effusion, and lymphadenopathy. Results: All the vessels within the so-called feeding vessel sign were confirmed as pulmonary veins by multiplanar reconstruction, so we used an alternative name draining vessel sign (DVS) instead. Peripheral nodules, DVS, and consolidation were the main CT features of KPLA-induced SPE. Peripheral nodules and DVS were more frequently seen in the EMI group than in the non-EMI group (P = 0.019 and 0.008, respectively). Five of 8 patients with hepatic vein thrombophlebitis had lung consolidation, whereas only 3 of 13 patients without hepatic vein thrombophlebitis had lung consolidation, although the difference was not significant (P = 0.09). Conclusions: Multiple pulmonary nodules and DVS were associated with EMI. Hepatic and pulmonary vein invasion are possible causes underlying the metastatic spread of infection. Copyright (C) 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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