bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What we can learn about recovery: Lessons from the Fukushima survivors
Authors: Tone Mayuko , Stone Teresa
Published: March 2014

Recovery from disaster can take a lifetime, and people looking in from outside might not appreciate the stages of recovery. Little talked about is the stigma, which might attach to the survivors of a disaster, especially if it is a man‐made disaster. This paper documents the account of a Japanese nursing student who visited the area 18 months after the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami, talked to the people there, and shared her reflections. The experiences of the Fukushima survivors are linked to those of victims of other disasters, whose recovery was impeded by being discriminated against and stigmatized.
Failure of DNA barcoding in discriminating Calligonum species
Authors: Li Yan , Feng Ying , Wang Xi‐Yong , Liu Bin , Lv Guang‐Hui
Published: March 2014

We tested the effectiveness of four DNA barcoding markers (rbcL, matK, ITS and trnLF region) for land plants in identifying Calligonum species. High quality sequences were obtained for rbcL, matK and trnLF with the universal primers whereas ITS sequences were of poor quality. RbcL and matK were highly conservative and failed in species discrimination. When rbcL, matK and trnLF were combined, the species resolution was up to 6.25%. Low sequence variation resulted in poorly resolved tree topologies. Among the sixteen sampled species, only three were recovered as a monophyletic group. Our results show that although DNA barcoding is an important tool for species identification, it fails in discriminating Calligonum species. Further research will be needed to develop markers capable to discriminate species in this taxonomy complicated and recently diverged genus.
Macroevolution of plant defenses against herbivores in the evening primroses
Authors: Johnson Marc T. J. , Ives Anthony R. , Ahern Jeffrey , Salminen Juha‐Pekka
Published: March 2014

Plant species vary greatly in defenses against herbivores, but existing theory has struggled to explain this variation. Here, we test how phylogenetic relatedness, tradeoffs, trait syndromes, and sexual reproduction affect the macroevolution of defense.

To examine the macroevolution of defenses, we studied 26 Oenothera (Onagraceae) species, combining chemistry, comparative phylogenetics and experimental assays of resistance against generalist and specialist herbivores.

We detected dozens of phenolic metabolites within leaves, including ellagitannins (ETs), flavonoids, and caffeic acid derivatives (CAs). The concentration and composition of phenolics exhibited low to moderate phylogenetic signal. There were clear negative correlations between multiple traits, supporting the prediction of allocation tradeoffs. There were also positively covarying suites of traits, but these suites did not strongly predict resistance to herbivores and thus did not act as defensive syndromes. By contrast, specific metabolites did correlate with the performance of generalist and specialist herbivores. Finally, that repeated losses of sex in Oenothera was associated with the evolution of increased flavonoid diversity and altered phenolic composition.

These results show that secondary chemistry has evolved rapidly during the diversification of Oenothera. This evolution has been marked by allocation tradeoffs between traits, some of which are related to herbivore performance. The repeated loss of sex appears also to have constrained the evolution of plant secondary chemistry, which may help to explain variation in defense among plants.
Implementation of pregnancy weight management and obesity guidelines: a meta‐synthesis of healthcare professionals' barriers and facilitators using the Theoretical Domains Framework
Authors: Heslehurst N. , Newham J. , Maniatopoulos G. , Fleetwood C. , Robalino S. , Rankin J.
Published: March 2014

Obesity in pregnancy is rising and is associated with severe health consequences for both the mother and the child. There is an increasing international focus on guidelines to manage the clinical risks of maternal obesity, and for pregnancy weight management. However, passive dissemination of guidelines is not effective and more active strategies are required for effective guideline implementation into practice. Implementation of guidelines is a form of healthcare professional behaviour change, and therefore implementation strategies should be based on appropriate behaviour change theory. This systematic review aimed to identify the determinants of healthcare professionals' behaviours in relation to maternal obesity and weight management. Twenty‐five studies were included. Data synthesis of the existing international qualitative and quantitative evidence base used the Theoretical Domains Framework to identify the barriers and facilitators to healthcare professionals' maternal obesity and weight management practice. The domains most frequently identified included ‘knowledge’, ‘beliefs about consequences’ and ‘environmental context and resources’. Healthcare professionals' weight management practice had the most barriers compared with any other area of maternal obesity practice. The results of this review will be used to inform the development of an intervention to support healthcare professional behaviour change.
The effect of obesity prevention interventions according to socioeconomic position: a systematic review
Authors: Beauchamp A. , Backholer K. , Magliano D. , Peeters A.
Published: March 2014

Obesity prevention is a major public health priority. It is important that all groups benefit from measures to prevent obesity, but we know little about the differential effectiveness of such interventions within particular population subgroups. This review aimed to identify interventions for obesity prevention that evaluated a change in adiposity according to socioeconomic position (SEP) and to determine the effectiveness of these interventions across different socioeconomic groups. A systematic search of published and grey literature was conducted. Studies that described an obesity prevention intervention and reported anthropometric outcomes according to a measure of SEP were included. Evidence was synthesized using narrative analysis. A total of 14 studies were analysed, representing a range of study designs and settings. All studies were from developed countries, with eight conducted among children. Three studies were shown to have no effect on anthropometric outcomes and were not further analysed. Interventions shown to be ineffective in lower SEP participants were primarily based on information provision directed at individual behaviour change. Studies that were shown to be effective in lower SEP participants primarily included community‐based strategies or policies aimed at structural changes to the environment. Interventions targeting individual‐level behaviour change may be less successful in lower SEP populations. It is essential that our efforts to prevent obesity do not leave behind the most disadvantaged members of society.
The secure base script: Associated with early maladaptive schemas related to attachment
Authors: McLean Heather R. , Bailey Heidi N. , Lumley Margaret N.
Published: March 2014

Objectives

To examine the relations between traditionally assessed early maladaptive schemas and the attachment‐specific secure base script (a script‐like representation of what individuals expect to happen when they face distress), to inform our understanding of beliefs about the self in relation to others. The present study took an ecologically driven approach, assessing knowledge of the secure base script from descriptions of current relationships.

Design

A cross‐sectional design was used.

Methods

One hundred forty‐six undergraduate students, recruited as part of a larger study on adversity and self‐concept, provided narrative descriptions of their current relationships. Narratives were coded for attachment‐related ‘secure base’ content using a secure base script scale for relationship narratives. Early maladaptive schemas were assessed with the Young Schema Questionnaire, and attachment was additionally evaluated using the Experiences in Close Relationships questionnaire.

Results

Self‐reported attachment avoidance and anxiety were related to secure base script content in theory‐consistent ways. The extent to which participants described secure base script content was inversely associated with four out of five maladaptive schemas characterized most centrally by disconnection from others. Furthermore, these associations remained significant when controlling for self‐reported attachment style. Self‐reported attachment avoidance and anxiety also were related to maladaptive schemas in a predictable pattern.

Conclusions

Results bridge cognitive and attachment theories, supporting the interrelatedness of secure base script knowledge assessed in current relationships, and schema‐related content regarding connectedness with others. Better integration of theories regarding internal representations may serve to enrich psychotherapeutic formulation from a variety of clinical perspectives.

Practitioner points

Schema Therapy's (Young, Klosko, & Weishaar, , Schema therapy: A practitioner's guide. New York: Guilford Press) early maladaptive schemas, with themes of disconnection from others/in relationships, are related to the attachment construct of knowledge of a secure base script.

Applying secure base script coding procedure to a relationship speech task provides a potentially valuable performance‐based tool for evaluating important attachment related constructs in a brief, non‐obtrusive format.

Better understanding of how self‐schema and attachment constructs are associated may be of benefit to case formulation for psychotherapeutic intervention.
Proton cellular influx as a probable mechanism of variation potential influence on photosynthesis in pea
Authors: SUKHOV VLADIMIR , SHERSTNEVA OKSANA , SUROVA LYUBOV , KATICHEVA LYUBOV , VODENEEV VLADIMIR
Published: March 2014

Electrical signals (action potential and variation potential, VP) caused by environmental stimuli are known to induce various physiological responses in plants, including changes in photosynthesis; however, their functional mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, the influence of VP on photosynthesis in pea (Pisum sativum L.) was investigated and the proton participation in this process analysed. VP, induced by local heating, inactivated photosynthesis and activated respiration, with the initiation of the photosynthetic response connected with inactivation of the photosynthetic dark stage; however, direct VP influence on the light stage was also probable. VP generation was accompanied with pH increases in apoplasts (0.17–0.30 pH unit) and decreases in cytoplasm (0.18–0.60 pH unit), which probably reflected H+‐ATPase inactivation and H+ influx during this electrical event. Imitation of H+ influx using the protonophore carbonyl cyanide m‐chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) induced a photosynthetic response that was similar with a VP‐induced response. Experiments on chloroplast suspensions showed that decreased external pH also induced an analogous response and that its magnitude depended on the magnitude of pH change. Thus, the present results showed that proton cellular influx was the probable mechanism of VP's influence on photosynthesis in pea. Potential means of action for this influence are discussed.
Pharmaceutical new product development: why do clinical trials fail?
Authors: Buonansegna Erika , Salomo Søren , Maier Anja M. , Li‐Ying Jason
Published: March 2014

A high percentage of new drug candidates fail to reach the market during clinical trials, and these failures imply massive financial losses for the pharmaceutical companies. Clinical trials have distinctive characteristics and additional complexity compared with the late stages of product development in many other industrial sectors. Although the current literature on clinical trial has offered explanations for why a drug is abandoned during clinical trials (e.g., toxicity, lack of efficacy, and economics), studies investigating non‐drug‐related causes of failure are scarce. New product development (NPD) failures also differ from one another; however, no comprehensive conceptual framework in the NPD literature describes how to classify failures. This study suggests a conceptual framework for explaining NPD failures in the pharmaceutical industry by drawing on clinical trial literature combined with an exploratory empirical approach based on 17 interviews with industry experts. The initial interviews were used to identify managerial issues related to clinical trial failure, and the later interviews had a more iterative character to validate the issues identified in the previous round. We identified seven critical management issues causing failures in clinical trials. Our findings indicate that chaotic and slow patient recruitment, lack of experience in choosing and monitoring partners, lack of feasibility of the study protocol, low quality of the registered data, too high incidence of serious adverse events and severe incidents, unmanageable level of portfolio complexity, and incorrect assessment of the market potential or returns cause the failure of clinical trials. The conceptual framework for failures proposed in this paper combines project and product failures while acknowledging relevant specificities in clinical trials. Clinical trial managers are also supported in their decision making in clinical trials with an identified list of critical management issues that require attention to reducing the chance of failure. This study provides a basis for future empirical testing, including measuring interdependencies among the critical management issues and their adequacy for predicting failure.
A Scalable Bootstrap for Massive Data
Authors: Kleiner Ariel , Talwalkar Ameet , Sarkar Purnamrita , Jordan Michael I.
Published: March 2014

The bootstrap provides a simple and powerful means of assessing the quality of estimators. However, in settings involving large data sets—which are increasingly prevalent—the calculation of bootstrap-based quantities can be prohibitively demanding computationally. Although variants such as subsampling and the m out of n bootstrap can be used in principle to reduce the cost of bootstrap computations, these methods are generally not robust to specification of tuning parameters (such as the number of subsampled data points), and they often require knowledge of the estimator's convergence rate, in contrast with the bootstrap. As an alternative, we introduce the ‘bag of little bootstraps’ (BLB), which is a new procedure which incorporates features of both the bootstrap and subsampling to yield a robust, computationally efficient means of assessing the quality of estimators. The BLB is well suited to modern parallel and distributed computing architectures and furthermore retains the generic applicability and statistical efficiency of the bootstrap. We demonstrate the BLB's favourable statistical performance via a theoretical analysis elucidating the procedure's properties, as well as a simulation study comparing the BLB with the bootstrap, the m out of n bootstrap and subsampling. In addition, we present results from a large-scale distributed implementation of the BLB demonstrating its computational superiority on massive data, a method for adaptively selecting the BLB's tuning parameters, an empirical study applying the BLB to several real data sets and an extension of the BLB to time series data.
Excursion and Contour Uncertainty Regions for Latent Gaussian Models
Authors: Bolin David , Lindgren Finn
Published: March 2014

In several areas of application ranging from brain imaging to astrophysics and geostatistics, an important statistical problem is to find regions where the process studied exceeds a certain level. Estimating such regions so that the probability for exceeding the level in the entire set is equal to some predefined value is a difficult problem connected to the problem of multiple significance testing. In this work, a method for solving this problem, as well as the related problem of finding credible regions for contour curves, for latent Gaussian models is proposed. The method is based on using a parametric family for the excursion sets in combination with a sequential importance sampling method for estimating joint probabilities. The accuracy of the method is investigated by using simulated data and an environmental application is presented.
A Non-Parametric Entropy-Based Approach to Detect Changes in Climate Extremes
Authors: Naveau Philippe , Guillou Armelle , Rietsch Théo
Published: March 2014

The paper focuses primarily on temperature extremes measured at 24 European stations with at least 90 years of data. Here, the term extremes refers to rare excesses of daily maxima and minima. As mean temperatures in this region have been warming over the last century, it is automatic that this positive shift can be detected also in extremes. After removing this warming trend, we focus on the question of determining whether other changes are still detectable in such extreme events. As we do not want to hypothesize any parametric form of such possible changes, we propose a new non-parametric estimator based on the Kullback–Leibler divergence tailored for extreme events. The properties of our estimator are studied theoretically and tested with a simulation study. Our approach is also applied to seasonal extremes of daily maxima and minima for our 24 selected stations.
Stochastic Partial Differential Equation Based Modelling of Large Space–Time Data Sets
Authors: Sigrist Fabio , Künsch Hans R. , Stahel Werner A.
Published: March 2014

Increasingly larger data sets of processes in space and time ask for statistical models and methods that can cope with such data. We show that the solution of a stochastic advection–diffusion partial differential equation provides a flexible model class for spatiotemporal processes which is computationally feasible also for large data sets. The Gaussian process defined through the stochastic partial differential equation has, in general, a non-separable covariance structure. Its parameters can be physically interpreted as explicitly modelling phenomena such as transport and diffusion that occur in many natural processes in diverse fields ranging from environmental sciences to ecology. To obtain computationally efficient statistical algorithms, we use spectral methods to solve the stochastic partial differential equation. This has the advantage that approximation errors do not accumulate over time, and that in the spectral space the computational cost grows linearly with the dimension, the total computational cost of Bayesian or frequentist inference being dominated by the fast Fourier transform. The model proposed is applied to post-processing of precipitation forecasts from a numerical weather prediction model for northern Switzerland. In contrast with the raw forecasts from the numerical model, the post-processed forecasts are calibrated and quantify prediction uncertainty. Moreover, they outperform the raw forecasts, in the sense that they have a lower mean absolute error.
Inhibiting Interference – a grounded theory of health professionals' pattern of behaviour related to the relatives of older patients in fast‐track treatment programmes
Authors: Bøttcher Berthelsen Connie , Lindhardt Tove , Frederiksen Kirsten
Published: March 2014

Aim

To generate a grounded theory explaining health professionals' pattern of behaviour and experience related to the relatives of older patients in fast‐track treatment programmes during total joint replacement.

Background

Health professionals uphold standardised care for patients, and effect on quality is seen when relatives support patients during total joint replacement. Since health professionals often have problematic relationships with relatives, knowledge is needed of the health professionals' pattern of behaviour in relation to relatives of older patients in fast‐track treatment programme.

Design

Grounded theory according to Glaser's methodology was used to generate substantive theory of health professionals' pattern of behaviour.

Methods

Data were collected from 2010 to 2011 by 44 health professionals in orthopaedic wards at two Danish hospitals. Data from nonparticipant observations, formal interviews, group interviews, informal interviews and written information material were collected, coded and analysed through the constant comparative method.

Findings

Inhibiting Interference emerged as health professionals' pattern of behaviour through which they resolved their main concern, striving for maintenance of the fast‐track treatment programme and principles. Their main concern was resolved by a main strategy: Focusing on Principles, by striving for patients' full compliance during the trajectory, followed by two strategies of social control: Accepting Compliant Motivators, by involving well‐informed relatives, and Avoiding Disobedient Doubters, by excluding relatives who do not comply with programme principles.

Conclusion

In the health professionals' strive to maintain programme principles, relatives were perceived as interferences, if noncompliant with trajectory rules, resulting in exclusion with consequences for their potential of being resources for patients.
Recognizing products of palaeoclimate fluctuation in the fluvial stratigraphic record: An example from the Pennsylvanian to Lower Permian of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
Authors: Allen Jonathan P. , Fielding Christopher R. , Gibling Martin R. , Rygel Michael C.
Published: March 2014

Tectonics and climate are the major extrinsic upstream controls on both the external and internal architectures of fluvial channels. While the role of tectonics has been well‐documented, the role of climate has received less attention. Because both tectonics and climate can produce similar stratigraphic architectures, the ability to recognize and differentiate these has major ramifications for the interpretation of fluvial stratigraphy. The Pennsylvanian to Permian succession of the Maritimes Basin complex on Cape Breton Island is ca 5 km thick, and is composed of predominantly non‐marine strata deposited within a series of depocentres characterized by different subsidence regimes. Basins in the west are transtensional depocentres characterized by episodic fault movement. In contrast, basins in the east were formed during prolonged periods of passive thermal subsidence. The stratigraphy is composed of four second‐order sequences (A to D), each 5 to 10 Myr in duration. These sequences are composed of amalgamated fluvial channel deposits that fine upwards into extensive mud‐dominated floodplain deposits with isolated fluvial channel bodies. A spectrum of fluvial styles is recorded within the study area including perennial, perennial/intermittent and ephemeral. Four stratigraphic intervals (E1 to E4) are recognized in which the deposits of strongly seasonal perennial/intermittent fluvial deposits are predominant. These intervals, 2 to 6 Myr in duration, are correlated across the study area between basins with differing tectonic regimes and do not correlate with a particular position in second‐order sequences. This suggests that climate exerted the dominant influence on the formation of these intervals and can be differentiated from tectonic imprints. While the tectonic regime of a particular basin exerted a fundamental control on the external architecture, a coherent record of climate change is recognized in the internal architecture of fluvial units. This study demonstrates that tectonic and climatic controls can be recognized and differentiated in vertical successions by evaluating the changes in fluvial architecture.
Direct physical evidence of dolomite recrystallization
Authors: Kaczmarek Stephen E. , Sibley Duncan F.
Published: March 2014

The possibility of recrystallization is a long‐standing barrier to deciphering the genetic origin of dolomites. There is often uncertainty regarding whether or not characteristics of ancient dolomites are primary or the consequence of later recrystallization unrelated to the original dolomitization event. Results from 65 new high‐temperature dolomite synthesis experiments (1 m, 1·0 Mg/Ca ratio solutions at 218°C) demonstrate dolomite recrystallization affecting stoichiometry, cation ordering and nanometre‐scale surface texture. The data support a model of dolomitization that proceeds by a series of four unique phases of replacement and recrystallization, which occur by various dissolution–precipitation reactions. During the first phase (induction period), no dolomite forms despite favourable conditions. The second phase (replacement period) occurs when Ca‐rich dolomite products, with a low degree of cation ordering, rapidly replace calcite reactants. During the replacement period, dolomite stoichiometry and the degree of cation ordering remain constant, and all dolomite crystal surfaces are covered by nanometre‐scale growth mounds. The third phase (primary recrystallization period), which occurs in the experiments between 97% and 100% dolomite, is characterized by a reduced replacement rate but concurrent increases in dolomite stoichiometry and cation ordering. The end of the primary recrystallization period is marked by dolomite crystal growth surfaces that are covered by flat, laterally extensive layers. The fourth phase of the reaction (secondary recrystallization period) occurs when all calcite is consumed and is characterized by stoichiometric dolomite with layers as well as a continued increase in the degree of cation ordering with time. Inferences of recrystallization, in natural dolomite, based on cation order or stoichiometry of dolomite, usually depend on assumptions about the precursor dolomite subjected to recrystallization. If it is assumed that the experimental evidence presented here is applicable to natural, low‐temperature dolomites, then the presence of mounds is direct evidence of a lack of recrystallization and the presence of layers is direct evidence of recrystallization.
Informed consent comprehension in African research settings
Authors: Afolabi Muhammed O. , Okebe Joseph U. , McGrath Nuala , Larson Heidi J. , Bojang Kalifa , Chandramohan Daniel
Published: March 2014

Objective

Previous reviews on participants' comprehension of informed consent information have focused on developed countries. Experience has shown that ethical standards developed on Western values may not be appropriate for African settings where research concepts are unfamiliar. We undertook this review to describe how informed consent comprehension is defined and measured in African research settings.

Methods

We conducted a comprehensive search involving five electronic databases: Medline, Embase, Global Health, EthxWeb and Bioethics Literature Database (BELIT). We also examined African Index Medicus and Google Scholar for relevant publications on informed consent comprehension in clinical studies conducted in sub‐Saharan Africa. 29 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria; meta‐analysis was possible in 21 studies. We further conducted a direct comparison of participants' comprehension on domains of informed consent in all eligible studies.

Results

Comprehension of key concepts of informed consent varies considerably from country to country and depends on the nature and complexity of the study. Meta‐analysis showed that 47% of a total of 1633 participants across four studies demonstrated comprehension about randomisation (95% CI 13.9–80.9%). Similarly, 48% of 3946 participants in six studies had understanding about placebo (95% CI 19.0–77.5%), while only 30% of 753 participants in five studies understood the concept of therapeutic misconception (95% CI 4.6–66.7%). Measurement tools for informed consent comprehension were developed with little or no validation. Assessment of comprehension was carried out at variable times after disclosure of study information. No uniform definition of informed consent comprehension exists to form the basis for development of an appropriate tool to measure comprehension in African participants.

Conclusions

Comprehension of key concepts of informed consent is poor among study participants across Africa. There is a vital need to develop a uniform definition for informed consent comprehension in low literacy research settings in Africa. This will be an essential step towards developing appropriate tools that can adequately measure informed consent comprehension. This may consequently suggest adequate measures to improve the informed consent procedure.
Wound duration and healing rates: Cause or effect?
Authors: Bosanquet David C. , Harding Keith G.
Published: March 2014

Multiple factors affect the likelihood of a wound healing. One of these factors, wound duration, is well known to be related to healing rates, with numerous publications showing that older wounds are less likely to heal. However, disentangling the effect of this factor on wound healing rates is complex. Is this simply an observation of the obvious; wounds of longer duration will by definition be harder to heal? Or does time represent an independent factor, implying that should treatments be given earlier in the disease process, better outcomes may result? This review summarizes the available evidence of the effects of wound duration on healing rates and examines potential biological aberrations identified in chronic wounds, which may be significant in making chronic wounds difficult to heal. Wounds of longer duration are associated with excessive inflammation, fibroblast senescence, and alterations in wound bed flora, which appears to have a temporal relationship. Early and aggressive treatment of ulcers that fail to respond to standard care may well aid in reducing the burden of wounds that become chronic.
Comparative effectiveness of advanced wound dressings for patients with chronic venous leg ulcers: A systematic review
Authors: Valle M. Frances , Maruthur Nisa M. , Wilson Lisa M. , Malas Mahmoud , Qazi Umair , Haberl Elisabeth , Bass Eric B. , Zenilman Jonathan , Lazarus Gerald
Published: March 2014

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature on the benefits and harms of advanced wound dressings on wound healing, mortality, quality of life, pain, condition of the wound bed, and adverse events for patients with chronic venous leg ulcers as compared with treatment with compression alone. We searched for primary studies in the databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature® from January 1980 through July 2012. Each study title, abstract, and full article was evaluated by two independent reviewers. Thirty‐seven studies met our specific search criteria, although most evidence was of low or insufficient quality. Cellular dressings, collagen, and some antimicrobial dressings may improve healing rates of chronic venous leg ulcers vs. compression alone or other dressings. Limited data were available on other outcomes. The poor quality of the literature limits conclusions and necessitates future, well‐conducted studies to evaluate the effectiveness of advanced wound dressings on chronic venous ulcers.
The importance of both fibroblasts and keratinocytes in a bilayered living cellular construct used in wound healing
Authors: Wojtowicz Abigail M. , Oliveira Steve , Carlson Mark W. , Zawadzka Agatha , Rousseau Cecile F. , Baksh Dolores
Published: March 2014

Cross talk between fibroblasts and keratinocytes, which maintains skin homeostasis, is disrupted in chronic wounds. For venous leg ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers, a bilayered living cellular construct (BLCC), containing both fibroblasts and keratinocytes that participate in cross talk, is a safe and effective product in healing chronic wounds. To show the importance of both cell types in BLCC, constructs were generated containing only fibroblasts or only keratinocytes and compared directly to BLCC via histology, mechanical testing, gene/protein analysis, and angiogenesis assays. BLCC contained a fully differentiated epithelium and showed greater tensile strength compared with one‐cell‐type constructs, most likely due to formation of intact basement membrane and well‐established stratum corneum in BLCC. Furthermore, expression of important wound healing genes, cytokines, and growth factors was modulated by the cells in BLCC compared with constructs containing only one cell type. Finally, conditioned medium from BLCC promoted greater endothelial network formation compared with media from one‐cell‐type constructs. Overall, this study characterized a commercially available wound healing product and showed that the presence of both fibroblasts and keratinocytes in BLCC contributed to epithelial stratification, greater tensile strength, modulation of cytokine and growth factor expression, and increased angiogenic properties compared with constructs containing fibroblasts or keratinocytes alone.
Variable Kinematic One-Dimensional Finite Elements for the Analysis
of Rotors Made of Composite Materials
Authors: Carrera E. , Filippi M.
Published: March 2014

This paper deals with the dynamic response of rotors made of anisotropic, laminated composite materials. It is a sequel to the authors’ previous work, which was devoted to the rotordynamics of metallic structures. The used variable kinematic one-dimensional models describe any cross-sectional deformation of the rotor and go beyond the plane strain assumptions of classical Euler–Bernoulli and Timoskenko beam theories. Refined theories are obtained by applying the Carrera unified formulation, which is extended here to the rotordynamics of multilayered composites. The displacement variables over the rotor cross section x-z plane are approximated by x,z polynomials of any order N. Thin-walled cylindrical shafts and boxes are analyzed. These structures are made of unidirectional layers, whose fiber orientation can vary with respect to the rotor–axis as well as in the x-z plane. Several analyses have been carried out to determine the vibrational response as a function of the rotating speed. Classical beam theories are obtained as particular cases and results available in the literature, including shell results, are used to assess the presented theory. The proposed refined models are very effective in investigating the dynamic behavior of laminated composite rotors.
Experimental and Computational Study of n-Heptane Autoignition in a Direct-Injection Constant-Volume Combustion Chamber
Authors: Allen James C. , Pitz William J. , Fisher Brian T.
Published: March 2014

The purpose of this study was to characterize experimental n-heptane combustion behavior in a direct-injection constant-volume combustion chamber (DI-CVCC), using chamber pressure to infer ignition delay and heat-release rate. Measurements generally displayed expected trends and indicated entirely premixed combustion with no mixing-controlled phase. A significant finding was the observation of negative temperature coefficient (NTC) behavior. Comparing results with CHEMKIN-PRO simulations, it was found that a homogeneous combustion model was reasonably accurate for ignition delays longer than 5 ms. The combination of NTC behavior and homogeneous fuel-air mixtures suggests that this DI-CVCC can be useful for validation of chemical-kinetic mechanisms.
High-Performance Lead-Free Electroplated Composite Bearing Overlay for Heavy Duty Applications
Authors: Gorges Roger , Brock Ronald
Published: March 2014

Material selection for engine internal components, e.g., bearings, is becoming increasingly more complex and demanding as the operating environments become more aggressive with the introduction of new technologies for the reduction of CO2 emissions. Historically, engine bearings contained lead, which has excellent fundamental bearing properties such as compatibility (run satisfactorily under conditions of marginal lubrication), conformability (deform and accept small scale geometrical inaccuracies of the crankshaft), and embeddability (tolerance to dirt and other foreign materials) while being readily alloyed to achieve good wear and fatigue resistance. However, facing new challenges, many original equipment manufacturers have started development programs to replace lead-containing with lead-free engine components in order to comply with new end-of-life vehicle directives or anticipated future directives. For more than 15 years, MAHLE has been successfully supplying the light, medium, and heavy duty market, with premium electroplated leaded composite bearings, which are designed to improve wear resistance. Some of this market now demands a switch to lead-free materials, while maintaining or exceeding its aforementioned requirements on bearing material properties. Composites of hard particles in a softer metal matrix are in this context ideally suited bearing materials as they can be tailored to obtain the optimal mix between soft and hard properties for the individual application. Typical hard particles that are commonly used comprise of metal oxides, nitrides or carbides. In addition to higher load carrying capabilities and longer service life, new engine technology trends demand that bearings also must operate under mixed or boundary lubrication conditions without having any adverse effect on the performance and integrity of the engine system. Boundary lubrication is commonly observed upon starting the engine before the elastohydrodynamic oil film is fully established. In this state, load is carried by surface asperities rather than by the lubricant. So far, the incorporation and even distribution of the hard particles into an electroplated lead-free matrix was not achievable using conventional direct current electroplating techniques. MAHLE, therefore, has developed a patented pulse plating technique in order to incorporate hard particles into the overlay metal matrix. The refined and modified crystal structure of the resulting lead-free overlay, with incorporated hard particles, yields a premium electroplated bearing with superior wear and fatigue resistance. Corresponding rig and engine test results have been completed to support the material development.
Treatment of trivalvular rheumatic heart disease: why it matters where we live
Authors: Kelly Mairead Christine , Jennings Robert , Heron Matthew
Published: March 2014

A 42-year-old woman who had recently emigrated to the UK from Ethiopia presented to her general practitioner with increasing breathlessness and palpitations. Transoesophageal echocardiogram revealed rheumatic heart disease affecting three valves, and severe aortic stenosis. ECG demonstrated atrial fibrillation. She was treated operatively with mitral and aortic valve replacement and tricuspid valve repair and put on lifelong warfarin. Four months later she remains well, with substantially increased exercise tolerance. This case report summarises treatment options for severe rheumatic heart disease and discusses differences in prevention and management between patients presenting in the UK and in the developing world.
WHAT FACTORS AFFECT BUNDLE ADOPTION IN A VOLUNTARY QUALITY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN?: AN ASSESSMENT OF PROJECT JOINTS
Authors: Khodyakov Dmitry , Susan Ridgely M , Huang Christina , Sorbero Melony E , Schneider Eric C
Published: March 2014

Introduction

While innovative strategies have been used to accelerate the spread of complex, evidence-based practices, few have been rigorously evaluated. Project JOINTS is a national QI campaign in the U.S. undertaken by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to spread evidence-based practices to prevent surgical site infection (SSI) after hip and knee arthroplasty. Building on social network theory, Project JOINTS was designed to activate a “rapid spread network” (RSN) of state-level organizations (“nodes”) to help disseminate an enhanced SSI prevention bundle. An evaluation by the RAND Corporation aimed to (a) describe the RSN and the role of nodes, and (b) determine whether campaign engagement affects the uptake of a bundle of evidence-based practices.

Methods

After the 6–month intervention period, RAND conducted telephone interviews to measure node and hospital engagement with Project JOINTS, hospital adherence to QI methods, and hospital bundle uptake. We interviewed representatives of node organizations in nine out of ten states participating in Project JOINTS. We also interviewed representatives of 73 of the 109 participating Project JOINTS hospitals (67% participation rate) in five of the states. Thematic analysis was used to describe the RSN; logistic and OLS regression models were used to evaluate the impact of hospital engagement and adherence to QI methods on bundle uptake.

Results

Qualitative results show that nodes helped recruit hospitals and disseminate campaign information. Quantitative findings suggest that complete bundle uptake was positively associated with both adherence to the QI methods and hospital engagement. Initiation of and improved adherence to individual bundle components was positively associated only with hospital engagement, and especially with the use of project materials and tools.

Discussion

Our qualitative results illustrate the important role nodes play in helping IHI recruit hospitals and disseminating campaign information, thereby serving as trust brokers. While nodes may be a necessary component of a successful QI campaign, campaign organizers may also need to reach out to hospitals directly, or ask their nodes to more actively encourage hospitals to use campaign resources and participate in campaign activities, to facilitate intervention uptake. Our quantitative results further support QI campaigns as a means of increasing adoption of evidence-based patient safety bundles in orthopedic practice and stress the importance of relying on QI methods and actively engaging hospitals.

Declaration of competing interests

This study was funded by a demonstration and evaluation grant (1 R18 AE000051) awarded to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the RAND Corporation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. All authors report no competing interests.
Crystallization of amorphous silicon films by rapid thermal annealing for heterojunction photovoltaic solar cells
Authors: Baldus-Jeursen C. , Tarighat R. , Fathi E. , Sivoththaman S.
Published: March 2014

Low thermal budget rapid thermal annealing is a promising method of forming highly crystalline silicon thin films on silicon substrates for heterojunction solar cells. In this work, the extent of crystallization was examined by Raman and ultraviolet reflectance spectroscopy, and ellipsometry was used to derive film optical properties. Solar cells were fabricated and analyzed using dark and illuminated current–voltage characteristics, external quantum efficiency, and solar simulator measurements with device efficiency approaching 14%.
Comparative analyses of a putativeFrancisellaconjugative element
Authors: Siddaramappa Shivakumara , Challacombe Jean F. , Petersen Jeannine M. , Pillai Segaran , Kuske Cheryl R.
Published: March 2014

A large circular plasmid detected in Francisella novicida-like strain PA10-7858, designated pFNPA10, was sequenced completely and analyzed. This 41 013-bp plasmid showed no homology to any of the previously sequenced Francisella plasmids and was 8–10 times larger in size than them. A total of 57 ORFs were identified within pFNPA10 and at least 9 of them encoded putative proteins with homology to different conjugal transfer proteins. The presence of iteron-like direct repeats and an ORF encoding a putative replication protein within pFNPA10 suggested that it replicated by the theta mode. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that pFNPA10 had no near neighbors in the databases and that it may have originated within an environmental Francisella lineage. Based on its features, pFNPA10 appears to be a novel extra-chromosomal genetic element within the genus Francisella. The suitability of pFNPA10 as a vector for transformation of species of Francisella by conjugation remains to be explored.
Nuclear theory and science of the facility for rare isotope beams
Authors: Balantekin A. B. , Carlson J. , Dean D. J. , Fuller G. M. , Furnstahl R. J. , Hjorth-Jensen M. , Janssens R. V. F. , Li Bao-An , Nazarewicz W. , Nunes F. M. , Ormand W. E. , Reddy S. , Sherrill B. M.
Published: March 2014

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) will be a world-leading laboratory for the study of nuclear structure, reactions and astrophysics. Experiments with intense beams of rare isotopes produced at FRIB will guide us toward a comprehensive description of nuclei, elucidate the origin of the elements in the cosmos, help provide an understanding of matter in neutron stars and establish the scientific foundation for innovative applications of nuclear science to society. FRIB will be essential for gaining access to key regions of the nuclear chart, where the measured nuclear properties will challenge established concepts, and highlight shortcomings and needed modifications to current theory. Conversely, nuclear theory will play a critical role in providing the intellectual framework for the science at FRIB, and will provide invaluable guidance to FRIB's experimental programs. This review overviews the broad scope of the FRIB theory effort, which reaches beyond the traditional fields of nuclear structure and reactions, and nuclear astrophysics, to explore exciting interdisciplinary boundaries with other areas.
Modeling $\bar{p}p$ and recent LHC pp total cross-sections
Authors: Radi Amr , El-Khateeb Esraa
Published: March 2014

New technique is presented for modeling total cross-section of both pp and [Formula: see text] collisions from low to ultra high energy regions using an efficient artificial neural network (ANN). We have used the input (center-of-mass energy, [Formula: see text], and type of particle P) and output (total cross-section σ tot ) data to build a prediction model by ANN. The neural network has been trained to produce a function that studies the dependence of σ tot on [Formula: see text] and P. The trained ANN model shows a good performance in matching the trained distributions, predicts cross-sections that are not presented in the training set. The general trend of the predicted values shows a good agreement with the recent Large Hadron Collider (LHC) measurements, where the total cross-section at [Formula: see text] and 8 TeV are measured to be 98.6 mb and 101.7 mb, respectively. The predicted values of the total cross-section at [Formula: see text] and 14 TeV are found to be 105.8 mb and 111.7 mb, respectively. Those predictions are in good agreement with Block, Cudell and Nakamura.
Abelian-Higgs model from Cho–Faddeev–Niemi decomposition
Authors: Mohamadnejad A. , Deldar S.
Published: March 2014

Applying Cho–Faddeev–Niemi decomposition for SU(2) Yang–Mills field, we obtain the Abelian–Higgs Lagrangian by some approximation. Abelian–Higgs Lagrangian with a spontaneous symmetry breaking potential has vortex solutions known as Nielsen–Olesen solutions. We conclude that vortices as well as magnetic monopoles can exist in Cho–Faddeev–Niemi decomposition of SU(2) Yang–Mills field.