bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fees Can't Build Good Fences
Authors: FLAMM ANNE LEDERMAN
Published: October 2014

To sustain its serene environment, YourTown, USA—which is a real town—enacted a policy designed to abate public nuisances occurring on residential properties. The nuisance ordinance authorizes the police chief, after two incidents within a twelve‐month period in which criminal activity nuisances have occurred on a property, to warn owners in writing that a third incident may result in an order to pay fees. The third finding authorizes YourTown to “abate the nuisance by responding to the activities using administrative and law enforcement actions, and the costs of such abatement shall be assessed on the nuisance property.” On one of YourTown's tree‐lined streets lives a couple with a twenty‐six‐year old son, Jeremy—a real person—whose combination of behavioral disorders produces what his psychiatrist describes as devastatingly difficult symptoms. Jeremy's behavior frequently takes him outside, where he disturbs his neighbors with screams and moans.
Saved from Themselves
Authors: Menzel Paul T.
Published: October 2014

With his Affordable Care Act decision, Chief Justice Roberts saved conservatives from themselves. A constitutional regime that prohibited a mandate for basic health insurance while permitting Medicare and the Veterans Health Administration, presumably on the basis of government taxing authority, would have been a conservative nightmare. These partial U.S. versions of single payer and national health service are permissible, but a coherent private health insurance market is not?! The surprising thing is not that the generally conservative Roberts had the historical and logical sense to realize this, but that he was the only one of his conservative colleagues who did.

It is not the only irony presented by promarket, conservative constitutionalism in this case.
Lessons to Improve the Efficiency and Equity of Health Reform
Authors: Pauly Mark V.
Published: October 2014

The recent Supreme Court decision on several provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provides an opportunity to address two kinds of design flaws in the legislation whose correction would both improve economic efficiency and some important dimensions of equity.

The Court's view that the mandate is a tax is consistent with the general economic view that defines a tax as “a compulsory payment for public purposes.” This was the viewpoint I took in my earlier work as well. However, there is considerable difference, disagreement, and ambiguity about the public purpose sought by the ACA payment. The primary purpose of the mandate in my work and in arguments for the mandate in Massachusetts was to try to get as many people as possible to have at least some insurance coverage. A secondary consequence of a mandate is to shore up community rating, although community rating per se does not contribute (and generally is harmful) to the goal of covering a greater proportion of the population.
The Carelessness of Affordable Care
Authors: Taylor James Stacey
Published: October 2014

The Affordable Care Act has been touted as a long‐overdue remedy for what is perceived to be the chronic problem of large numbers of Americans living without adequate health insurance. While much of the discussion of the ACA has focused on its legality, it should also be assessed on the basis of its economic implications and its moral acceptability. On its face, the ACA appears to do well on both counts. Given that the uninsured often secure their health care from expensive emergency room treatment (from which they cannot be excluded and whose cost is often borne by third parties), expanding insurance to cover them (and hence to give them access to less expensive treatments) appears to make economic sense. Similarly, it might appear that providing access to insurance for people who otherwise could not afford it, or who would be denied it as a result of having medical conditions that they are not responsible for, would be morally laudable. But these appearances deceive: The ACA is neither economically sound nor morally acceptable. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, to fail on one of these criteria may be misfortune; to fail on both looks like carelessness.
From theory to practice
Authors: Farrell Colleen
Published: October 2014

As I prepare to start medical school this fall and think back on my two years as a research assistant at The Hastings Center, I'm struck by how much I've learned and yet how much remains unknown to me. After two years of lunchtime conversations, project meetings, and debates in the research assistants' office, discussing issues ranging from reproduction to end‐of‐life care has become almost a way of life. At the same time, I'm reminded of a story my mom told me about her childhood piano teacher, Miss Belser, who told her that while she could certainly learn to play all the notes in the Moonlight Sonata, she was too young to know the heartache that makes the notes become music.
Are You Feeling Empowered Yet?
Authors: Sandroff Ronni
Published: October 2014

In this issue of the Report, Eric Juengst, Michael Flatt, and Richard Settersten, Jr., explore the positioning of genomic research as a “paradigm changer.” This notion has given the field a certain cache quite aside from its actual contributions to improved medical care. Genomic research is described to funders, health care leaders, and the public in language that includes a vision of the future. It will move us beyond the inadequacies of current medical care into a bold new world of personalized, predictive, preventive, and participatory medicine.
Undocumented Patients
Authors: CAPUZZI KEVIN M. , CLARK PETER A. , MOHAMMED NURAHMED
Published: October 2014

Mr. A's physician recommends immediate dialysis. However, Mr. A is in the United States illegally, has no family living in the area, and is unemployed. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act requires the hospital not only to examine Mr. A, but to provide him with any needed stabilizing treatment without considering his lack of insurance coverage or ability to pay. The needed treatment to stabilize Mr. A is dialysis. Therefore, the physician admits him and starts dialysis. But Mr. A will need to continue dialysis indefinitely. Because he has no insurance and is an illegal immigrant, he is not eligible for any outpatient dialysis units. He is also unable to afford any medical treatments. Once Mr. A is stabilized, should he be discharged? His physician and social worker turn to the hospital ethics committee for help. What should Mercy Hospital do?
Another Roadblock to Including Women in Research
Authors: Guidry‐Grimes Laura , Victor Elizabeth
Published: October 2014

Scientists, clinicians, and bioethicists are worried about how so‐called personhood measures would limit access to certain types of contraception, research involving stem cells, and access to fertility treatments. While these measures have been struck down in Colorado, South Dakota, California, and Mississippi, the bill signed into law in Oklahoma in February deserves critical scrutiny, particularly into the ways these legal measures influence eligibility for clinical research. Oklahoma's bill states that the laws of the state “shall be interpreted and construed to acknowledge on behalf of the unborn child at every stage of development all the rights, privileges, and immunities available to other persons, citizens, and residents of this state.”
Culture and Cutting
Authors: Reis Elizabeth
Published: October 2014

The two provocative essays in this issue of the Hastings Center Report should stimulate debate not only about female genital cutting, fetal dexamethasone, and clitoral reduction surgery, but also about our fierce commitment to particular cultural norms about the body. Under what conditions may adults irreversibly modify a child's body because they think the change is in her best interest? Certainly, parents who opt for female genital cutting or for surgical reduction of an enlarged clitoris in a girl with congenital adrenal hyperplasia want to make choices that will contribute to their child's potential happiness. If cutting in Africa—or mitigating CAH symptoms here—upholds a girl's gender identity, which will translate into a fulfilled life as an adult, some argue that a parent's refusal to abide by social prescriptions does the child a serious disservice.
The Doctor‐Patient Relationship (When You're Neither)
Authors: Khullar Dhruv
Published: October 2014

Despite what I wrote in my medical school applications, my relationship with medicine wasn't always the torrid love affair I made it out to be. Organic chemistry wasn't really my favorite class (or my second favorite, or my third). My heart didn't actually skip a beat as I waited for protein isolates to complete their snail‐paced race across an agarose gel. And while I certainly enjoyed the surgeries I scrubbed into as an undergraduate, even they lost their charm during the fifth hour of standing at attention, hands glued to my chest, petrified I would break the sterile field or pass out from starvation. For me, a career in medicine was a leap of faith. I had to trust that those flashes of meaningful human interaction I experienced early on would increase in frequency and intensity over the course of my career. Fortunately, I have not been disappointed thus far.
Discrimination and the Religious Workplace
Authors: Johnson Sandra H.
Published: October 2014

Two cases in 2012 involved employment discrimination claims. In one, a Catholic diocese had refused to renew the contract of a teacher who had sought in vitro fertilization. In another, earlier case, a Lutheran elementary school had terminated the contract of a teacher for “damaging her working relationship” with the school by “threatening to take legal action” when she was not permitted to return to work after disability leave related to narcolepsy. In both cases, the employers have argued that the employee's discrimination claims should be dismissed solely because of the religious character of the employer organization. The specific legal defenses in each suit differ somewhat, but ultimately they both rely on the First Amendment to exempt religious employers from civic responsibilities imposed by law on other private employers.
Toward Acceptance of Uterus Transplants
Authors: Orentlicher David
Published: October 2014

Should surgeons offer uterus transplants to women who want to become pregnant but do not have a functioning uterus? The debate reminds us that society often neglects the interests of the infertile.

Only a handful of uterus transplants have been reported worldwide—including two this past September—but advances in technique may make the transplants available more widely. Some women are born without a functioning uterus; others have hysterectomies for cancer, postpartum hemorrhage, or other reasons. Many of these women want to become mothers and carry their own pregnancies. However, the prospect of uterus transplantation has elicited sharp criticism. According to ethics professor Rebecca Kukla, the surgery is not, “in any traditional sense, therapeutic.”
Aesthetic Enhancement? Or Human Rights Violation?
Authors: Macklin Ruth
Published: October 2014

The view that we must respect cultural traditions is a welcome change from the past, when colonial powers ridiculed native customs and often sought to eradicate them. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to ask whether there is a limit to tolerance of a ritual that has been designated a “harmful traditional practice” by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Population Fund, and the recently created agency, UN Women. The article “Seven Things To Know About Female Genital Surgeries in Africa,” by the Public Policy Advisory Network on Female Genital Surgeries in Africa, contends that a need exists for more balanced critical thinking and open debate about what the authors choose to call “female genital surgery.” No one can reasonably quarrel with the call for accurate information in descriptions of the methods and consequences of female genital cutting. The network's own discussion of the facts is highly questionable, however.
Using Facts to Moderate the Message
Authors: Nour Nawal M.
Published: October 2014

The Public Policy Advisory Network on Female Genital Surgeries in Africa has written an article expressing concern about the media's inaccurate depiction of this practice and suggesting a more fact‐based approach to reporting on it. I applaud the network for soliciting input from various fields. I cannot agree more that some in the media have misconstrued, exaggerated, and used inflammatory language; words like “torture,” “barbaric,” and “horrific” will likely enrage readers while reinforcing discrimination against women who practice or have undergone genital cutting. The authors also assert that “any genuine public policy debate should be grounded in the best available evidence and begins with fact checking.” Again, I couldn't agree more. My concern is that there is bias in the way some of the data are presented in this article.
Clinicians’ Power and Leadership
Authors: Schei Edvin , Cassell Eric
Published: October 2014

Despite medical leaders’ increasing acceptance of the idea that the whole person should be the focus of care, empirical studies show clinicians generally remain focused on narrower goals: disease categories, standardized treatment procedures, and objective measurements of health improvements. We assume doctors want to do a good job, consistent with their perception of the goals and norms of their profession, so they practice medicine based on the illusion that clinical medicine is “knowledge treating disease,” not people treating people. We believe that doctors’ seeming reduction of patients to clinical objects results from not seeing themselves as leaders for their patients or accepting their constructive power in clinical encounters.
Development and Validation of an Employee Voice Strategy Scale through Four Studies in Japan
Authors: Matsunaga Masaki
Published: October 2014

Employee voice is an important organizational behavior that affects work group performance, and many studies have explored its mechanism; nonetheless, the existing literature narrowly defines the construct and overlooks a variety of strategic approaches employees take as they engage in voice. Based on this problematization, the current research has developed and validated a scale of employee voice strategy through four studies in Japan (total N = 1,156). Employee voice strategy is defined as a set of direct and indirect communicative approaches that organizational members utilize to share ideas with intentions to exert constructive influence to their work group. Studies 1 and 2 analyzed interview narratives to develop an initial typology, which was refined in Study 3 into a six‐factor scale. Study 4 replicated it through confirmatory factor analyses. Construct validity of the scale was also examined by testing the strategy factors’ nomological network—as expected, proactive personality was positively associated with assertive strategies, while relationship maintenance goal orientation was linked to conciliatory, nonconfrontational strategies; negative emotion display showed negative associations with voice strategy use in general. These findings were discussed vis‐à‐vis culturally inclusive human resource management practices, as well as theoretical exploration of the employee voice phenomena from process‐centered perspectives. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Induction of VEGF Expression by Alpha‐Tocopherol and Alpha‐Tocopheryl Phosphate via PI3Kγ/PKB and hTAP1/SEC14L2‐Mediated Lipid Exchange
Authors: Zingg Jean‐Marc , Azzi Angelo , Meydani Mohsen
Published: October 2014

In several studies, vitamin E has been observed to influence angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. We recently showed that the phosphorylated form of α‐tocopherol (αT), α‐tocopheryl phosphate (αTP), increases the expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Thus, αTP may act as an active lipid mediator increasing VEGF expression, angiogenesis, and vasculogenesis. Here, we investigated the molecular signaling mechanisms by which αTP induces VEGF expression using cultured HEK293 cells as model system. αT and more so αTP increased VEGF‐promoter activity in a phosphatidylinositol‐3‐kinase gamma (PI3Kγ)‐dependent manner. In contrast, after overexpression of PI3Kγ and/or protein kinase B (PKB), VEGF promoter activity was inhibited by αT and more so by αTP. Inhibition by αT and αTP was dependent on the lipid kinase activity of PI3Kγ, whereas an induction was seen with the protein kinase activity, consistent with a model in which PKB inhibition by αT or αTP occurs only when activated at the plasma membrane and possibly involves a phosphatase such as PHLPP1. PI3Kγ‐induced VEGF expression was reduced when the human tocopherol‐associated protein 1 (hTAP1/SEC14L2) was overexpressed suggesting formation of an inactive PI3Kγ/hTAP1 heterodimer, that could be reactivated by αT and more so by αTP. We suggest a novel signaling mechanism by which αTP stimulates PI3Kγ activity by stimulating hTAP‐mediated phosphatidylinositol exchange and presentation to the enzyme and/or dissociation of an inactive heterodimer. At cellular level, hTAP may act as sensor for intracellular lipid information (location, type, and amount of lipid) and translate it into responses of PI3K‐mediated signaling and gene expression. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 398–407, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Epigenetic Pathways and Glioblastoma Treatment: Insights From Signaling Cascades
Authors: Allen Bryce K. , Stathias Vasileios , Maloof Marie E. , Vidovic Dusica , Winterbottom Emily F. , Capobianco Anthony J. , Clarke Jennifer , Schurer Stephan , Robbins David J. , Ayad Nagi G.
Published: October 2014

There is an urgent need to identify novel therapies for glioblastoma (GBM) as most therapies are ineffective. A first step in this process is to identify and validate targets for therapeutic intervention. Epigenetic modulators have emerged as attractive drug targets in several cancers including GBM. These epigenetic regulators affect gene expression without changing the DNA sequence. Recent studies suggest that epigenetic regulators interact with drivers of GBM cell and stem‐like cell proliferation. These drivers include components of the Notch, Hedgehog, and Wingless (WNT) pathways. We highlight recent studies connecting epigenetic and signaling pathways in GBM. We also review systems and big data approaches for identifying patient specific therapies in GBM. Collectively, these studies will identify drug combinations that may be effective in GBM and other cancers. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 351–363, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
van der Waals corrected density functional calculations of the adsorption of benzene on the Cu (111) surface
Authors: Carter Damien J. , Rohl Andrew L.
Published: October 2014

We investigate the performance of several van der Waals (vdW) functionals at calculating the interactions between benzene and the copper (111) surface, using the local orbital approach in the SIESTA code. We demonstrate the importance of using surface optimized basis sets to calculate properties of pure surfaces, including surface energies and the work function. We quantify the errors created using (3 × 3) supercells to study adsorbate interactions using much larger supercells, and show non‐negligible errors in the binding energies and separation distances. We examine the eight high‐symmetry orientations of benzene on the Cu (111) surface, reporting the binding energies, separation distance, and change in work function. The optimized vdW‐DF(optB88‐vdW) functional provides superior results to the vdW‐DF(revPBE) and vdW‐DF2(rPW86) functionals, and closely matches the experimental and experimentally deduced values. This work demonstrates that local orbital methods using appropriate basis sets combined with a vdW functional can model adsorption between metal surfaces and organic molecules.
Association between the 8‐item Morisky medication adherence scale (MMAS‐8) score and glycaemic control among Chinese diabetes patients
Authors: Wong Martin C.S. , Wu Carmen H.M. , Wang Harry H.X. , Li Heung Wing , Hui Eric M.T. , Lam Augustine T. , Chung Roger Y.N. , Yip Benjamin H.K. , Morisky Donald E.
Published: October 2014

Adherence with oral hypoglycaemic agent is crucial to achieve optimal glycaemic control. The 8‐item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS‐8) has been frequently used, yet the association between MMAS‐8 score and glycaemic control among Chinese diabetes patients is largely unknown. Two general out‐patient clinics were randomly selected in a district with socio‐demographic characteristics representative of the entire Hong Kong population. A consecutive sample of adult type‐2 diabetes patients currently taking oral hypoglycaemic agents was included. The glycaemic control was reflected by the level of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) taken within the previous 6 months. Factors associated with poor glycaemic control (HbA1c ≥ 7.0%) were evaluated by linear regression analysis. From 565 eligible Chinese patients with an average age of 63.2 years (SD 9.7) and male proportion of 46.5%, the average HbA1c was 7.1% (SD 1.1%), and 52.0% had poor glycaemic control. The proportion of poor medication adherence (MMAS‐8 ≤ 6) was 32.2%. After controlling for socio‐demographics, lifestyle, medication use, and health characteristics, the MMAS‐8 score was correlated with better glycaemic control (beta −0.095; 95%CI −0.164 to −0.026, P = .007). The MMAS‐8 score had a weak and negative correlation with HbA1c level. The instrument should be applied with caution when predicting glycaemic control in clinical practice.
Effect of resistance training on neuromuscular junctions of young and aged muscles featuring different recruitment patterns
Authors: Deschenes Michael R. , Sherman E. Grace , Roby Mackenzie A. , Glass Emily K. , Harris M. Brennan
Published: October 2014

To examine the effects of aging on neuromuscular adaptations to resistance training (i.e., weight lifting), young (9 months of age) and aged (20 months of age) male rats either participated in a 7‐week ladder climbing protocol with additional weight attached to their tails or served as controls (n = 10/group). At the conclusion, rats were euthanized and hindlimb muscles were quickly removed and frozen for later analysis. Longitudinal sections of the soleus and plantaris muscles were collected, and pre‐ and postsynaptic features of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) were visualized with immunofluorescence staining procedures. Cross‐sections of the same muscles were histochemically stained to determine myofiber profiles (fiber type and size). Statistical analysis was by two‐way ANOVA (main effects of age and treatment) with significance set at P ≤ 0.05. Results revealed that training‐induced remodeling of NMJs was evident only at the postsynaptic endplate region of soleus fast‐twitch myofibers. In contrast, aging was associated with pre‐ and postsynaptic remodeling in fast‐ and slow‐twitch myofibers of the plantaris. Although both the soleus and the plantaris muscles failed to display either training or aging‐related alterations in myofiber size, aged plantaris muscles exhibited an increased expression of type I (slow‐twitch) myofibers in conjunction with a reduced percentage of type II (fast‐twitch) myofibers, suggesting early stages of sarcopenia. These data demonstrate the high degree of specificity of synaptic modifications made in response to exercise and aging and that the sparsely recruited plantaris is more vulnerable to the effects of aging than the more frequently recruited soleus muscle. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Investigation on the effects of ϵ‐poly‐L‐lysine on a producing strain Streptomyces ahygroscopicus GIM8, for better understanding its biosynthesis
Authors: Liu Sheng‐Rong , Wu Qing‐Ping , Zhang Ju‐Mei , Mo Shu‐Ping , Xiao Chun , Yang Xiao‐Juan
Published: October 2014

ϵ‐Poly‐L‐lysine (ϵ‐PL) is an L‐lysine homopolymer with strong antimicrobial activity, which is generally produced by Streptomyces strains. ϵ‐PL is only produced under acidic conditions in liquid culture, and to improve the current understanding of ϵ‐PL biosynthesis, the present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of ϵ‐PL on its producer Streptomyces ahygroscopicus GIM8, under acidic and neutral conditions. The results indicated that a neutral pH favored ϵ‐PL adsorption onto the cells, whereas minimal adsorption occurred at pH 4.0, the maximum pH for ϵ‐PL production. At pH 7.0, small amounts of ϵ‐PL caused considerable ATP leakage from the cells, which showed increased membrane permeability. Conversely, ATP leakage was inhibited by ϵ‐PL at pH 4.0. Transmission electron microscopy investigation indicated that the cytoplasmic membrane was the primary site of ϵ‐PL activity at pH 7.0, and that cell shape was maintained. Metabolic activity profiles revealed that ϵ‐PL decreased cellular metabolic activity at a relatively low rate at pH 7.0. However, the toxic effect was significantly enhanced at pH 4.0. Based on these data, a mechanism for the effect of ϵ‐PL on ϵ‐PL‐producing cells under neutral and acidic conditions is proposed. Additionally, acidic conditions may potentially be required for ϵ‐PL biosynthesis in liquid culture because low pH can increase membrane permeability and prevent binding of ϵ‐PL onto cells, both of which favor the secretion of the ϵ‐PL produced by the cells into the broth. This research contributes to the current understanding of ϵ‐PL biosynthesis.
Causes and consequences of adult laryngotracheal stenosis
Authors: Gelbard Alexander , Francis David O. , Sandulache Vlad C. , Simmons John C. , Donovan Donald T. , Ongkasuwan Julina
Published: October 2014

Objectives/Hypothesis

Laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) is largely considered a structural entity, defined on anatomic terms (i.e., percent stenosis, distance from vocal folds, overall length). This has significant implications for identifying at‐risk populations, devising systems‐based preventive strategies, and promoting patient‐centered treatment. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that LTS is heterogeneous with regard to etiology, natural history, and clinical outcome.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study of consecutive adult tracheal stenosis patients from 1998 to 2013.

Methods

Subjects diagnosed with laryngotracheal stenosis (ICD‐9: 478.74, 519.19) between January 1, 1998, and January 1, 2013, were identified. Patient characteristics (age, gender, race, follow‐up duration) and comorbidities were extracted. Records were reviewed for etiology of stenosis, treatment approach, and surgical dates. Stenosis morphology was derived from intraoperative measurements. The presence of tracheostomy at last follow‐up was recorded.

Results

One hundred and fifty patients met inclusion criteria. A total of 54.7% had an iatrogenic etiology, followed by idiopathic (18.5%), autoimmune (18.5%), and traumatic (8%). Tracheostomy dependence differed based on etiology (P < 0.001). Significantly more patients with iatrogenic (66%) and autoimmune (54%) etiologies remained tracheostomy‐dependent compared to traumatic (33%) or idiopathic (0%) groups. On multivariate regression analysis, each additional point on Charlson Comorbidity Index was associated with a 67% increased odds of tracheostomy dependence (odds ratio 1.67; 95% confidence interval 1.04–2.69; P = 0.04).

Conclusions

Laryngotracheal stenosis is not a homogeneous clinical entity. It has multiple distinct etiologies that demonstrate disparate rates of long‐term tracheostomy dependence. Understanding the mechanism of injury and contribution of comorbid illnesses is critical to systems‐based preventive strategies and patient‐centered treatment.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 125:1137–1143, 2015
Influence of changes of the bending plane position on the fatigue life
Authors: Krzyżak D. , Kurek M. , Łagoda T. , Sówka D.
Published: October 2014

The paper concerns influence of changes of the bending plane position on the fatigue life. The obtained results were analyzed and compared with the fatigue results for oscillatory bending.

The applied specimens were smooth, they had round sections, and they were made of the leaded brass CuZn40Pb2 (MO58). The results obtained under cyclic bending with the plane position change were compared with the results obtained for the specimens with the same parameters under pure oscillatory bending. A change of the bending plane position occurred every 10% fatigue life determined under pure oscillatory bending at the given amplitude of the bending moment, according to the defined fatigue characteristics. Calculated values of nominal stress in a cross section were recalculated according with cyclic material properties and values of elasto‐plastic stress were obtained.
On the RF heating of coronary stents at 7.0 Tesla MRI
Authors: Winter Lukas , Oberacker Eva , Özerdem Celal , Ji Yiyi , von Knobelsdorff‐Brenkenhoff Florian , Weidemann Gerd , Ittermann Bernd , Seifert Frank , Niendorf Thoralf
Published: October 2014

Purpose

Examine radiofrequency (RF) induced heating of coronary stents at 7.0 Tesla (T) to derive an analytical approach which supports RF heating assessment of arbitrary stent geometries and RF coils.

Methods

Simulations are performed to detail electromagnetic fields (EMF), local specific absorption rates (SAR) and temperature changes. For validation E‐field measurements and RF heating experiments are conducted. To progress to clinical setups RF coils tailored for cardiac MRI at 7.0T and coronary stents are incorporated into EMF simulations using a human voxel model.

Results

Our simulations of coronary stents at 297 MHz were confirmed by E‐field and temperature measurements. An analytical solution which describes SAR(1g tissue voxel) induced by an arbitrary coronary stent interfering with E‐fields generated by an arbitrary RF coil was derived. The analytical approach yielded a conservative estimation of induced SAR(1g tissue voxel) maxima without the need for integrating the stent into EMF simulations of the human voxel model.

Conclusion

The proposed analytical approach can be applied for any patient, coronary stent type, RF coil configuration and RF transmission regime. The generalized approach is of value for RF heating assessment of other passive electrically conductive implants and provides a novel design criterion for RF coils. Magn Reson Med 74:999–1010, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ensuring continued progress in biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Turner Martin R. , Benatar Michael
Published: October 2014

Multiple candidate biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have emerged across a range of platforms. Replication of results, however, has been absent in all but a few cases, and the range of control samples has been limited. If progress toward clinical translation is to continue, the specific biomarker needs of ALS, which differ from those of other neurodegenerative disorders, as well as the challenges inherent to longitudinal ALS biomarker cohorts, must be understood. Appropriate application of multimodal approaches, international collaboration, presymptomatic studies, and biomarker integration into future therapeutic trials are among the essential priorities going forward. Muscle Nerve 51: 14–18, 2015
THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF PENSION REFORMS IN INDIA
Authors: Bali Azad Singh
Published: October 2014

India's far‐reaching civil service pension reforms in 2008 provided its fragmented and diffuse pension system a unifying organizing framework. The design and architecture of the reformed civil service program, the National Pension System, was subsequently extended to those employed in private formal and informal sectors. The article assesses India's pension reforms and identifies challenges for the National Pension System in providing old‐age income security. The article also presents estimates for universal social pension scheme and argues that its implementation is constrained by political factors and not necessarily by fiscal constraints. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
GOVERNANCE AND STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT IN THE DUTCH PENSION INDUSTRY, LESSONS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Authors: de Kruijf Johan A. M. , de Vries Michiel S.
Published: October 2014

The article discusses governance structure and stakeholder involvement in pension plan reforms. Although the global financial crisis has put pressure on pension reforms, some reforms were implemented earlier because of sustainability issues that had emerged on the basis of, among other issues, demographic trends. We show, based on Dutch experiences, that stakeholders and individual participants in particular were only partially involved in these changes. On the basis of these findings, we propose some tools to improve stakeholder involvement, which can contribute to sustainable support from stakeholders to pension plans. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PENSION REFORM IN THE EUROPEAN PERIPHERY: THE ROLE OF EU REFORM ADVOCACY
Authors: Stepan Matthias , Anderson Karen M.
Published: October 2014

This paper analyzes the impact of international reform advocacy on national pension reforms. We analyze European Union (EU) reform advocacy in two EU member states: Greece and Hungary. Although the EU has articulated a fairly coherent template for sustainable pensions, its use of soft coordination to influence national reforms has repeatedly collided with resistance to reform in the member states. As a result, EU soft law initiatives have had limited impact on pension reforms. In contrast, the sovereign debt crisis that began in 2009 provided a new push for EU reform advocacy because it gave the “troika” (the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund) substantial influence on pension reform in two countries affected by the debt crisis: Greece and Hungary. Analysis of the two countries' pension reform trajectories allows us first to determine to what extent Greek and Hungarian pension reforms conform to the EU's reform template and, second, how the troika conditionality has a causal impact on the content of reforms in both countries. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structure and properties of polyimide fibers containing benzimidazole and Amide Units
Authors: Yin Chaoqing , Dong Jie , Zhang Zixin , Zhang Qinghua , Lin Jinyou
Published: October 2014

Co‐polyimide (co‐PI) fibers with outstanding mechanical properties were fabricated via thermal imidization of polyamic acids, derived from a new design of combining the amide and benzimidazole diamine monomers, 4‐amino‐N‐(4‐aminophenyl)benzamide (DABA) and 2‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐5‐aminobenzimidazole (BIA), with 3,3′,4,4′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA). The crystalline structure and micromorphology of the prepared co‐PI fibers were investigated by synchrotron wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). The two‐dimensional WAXD spectra imply that the co‐PI fibers possess a structure between smectic‐like and three‐dimensionally ordered crystalline phase, and all the obtained fibers are highly oriented along the fiber axis. SAXS patterns exhibit a pair of meridional scattering streaks for the homo‐PI (BPDA/BIA) fiber, suggesting the presence of periodic lamellar structure. The incorporation of DABA into the polymer chains destroyed the lamellar structure but led to smaller size of microvoids upon increasing DABA moiety, based on SAXS analysis. The co‐PI fibers, with the molar ratio of BIA/DABA being 7/3, exhibited the optimum tensile strength and modulus of 1.96 and 108.3 GPa, respectively, attributed to the well‐defined ordered and dense structure. The chemical structure and molecular packing significantly affected the thermal stability of fibers, resulting in the different glass transition temperatures (Tg) from 350 to 380 °C. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015, 53, 183–191
Coarse‐grained molecular dynamics simulations of stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(vinyl chloride) blends
Authors: Wu Chaofu
Published: October 2014

The stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(vinyl chloride) blends with a wide formulation range are extensively simulated using the coarse‐grained (CG) molecular dynamics (MD) method. To improve the representability, the bonded CG potentials are re‐parameterized against the atomistic simulated melt systems whereas the nonbonded CG potentials are adopted as developed in our previous work. Based on the CG potentials, the MD simulations reproduce all the local distributions of pure systems and the miscibility of mixed systems. Moreover, the global conformational properties are also closer to the target ones than those obtained using the previous CG potentials. The changes in density and volume upon mixing are computed together with the energies of mixing. They are all negative over the entire composition range and indicate stronger intermolecular interactions between distinct components than those between identical components. In particular, it is found that upon mixing the changes in density are insensible to chain tacticity but the changes in volume and the energies of mixing do, which quantitatively confirms that both inter‐molecular interactions and free‐volumes mainly contribute to the observed phase behaviors. Such models and methods reported herein can be used to quickly optimize formulations of polymer blends. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015, 53, 203–212
Discovery of serum biomarkers of ovarian cancer using complementary proteomic profiling strategies
Authors: Timms John F. , Arslan‐Low Elif , Kabir Musarat , Worthington Jenny , Camuzeaux Stephane , Sinclair John , Szaub Joanna , Afrough Babak , Podust Vladimir N. , Fourkala Evangelia‐Ourania , Cubizolles Myriam , Kronenberg Florian , Fung Eric T. , Gentry‐Maharaj Aleksandra , Menon Usha , Jacobs Ian
Published: October 2014

Purpose

Ovarian cancer is a devastating disease and biomarkers for its early diagnosis are urgently required. Serum may be a valuable source of biomarkers that may be revealed by proteomic profiling. Herein, complementary serum protein profiling strategies were employed for discovery of biomarkers that could discriminate cases of malignant and benign ovarian cancer.

Experimental design

Identically collected and processed serum samples from 22 cases of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer, 45 benign ovarian neoplasms, and 64 healthy volunteers were subjected to immunodepletion and protein equalization coupled to 2D‐DIGE/MS and multidimensional fractionation coupled to SELDI‐TOF profiling with MS/MS for protein identification. Selected candidates were verified by ELISA in samples from malignant (n = 70) and benign (n = 89) cases and combined marker panels tested against serum CA125.

Results

Both profiling platforms were complementary in identifying biomarker candidates, four of which (A1AT, SLPI, APOA4, VDBP) significantly discriminated malignant from benign cases. However, no combination of markers was as good as CA125 for diagnostic accuracy. SLPI was further tested as an early marker using prediagnosis serum samples. While it rose in cases toward diagnosis, it did not discriminate prediagnosis cases from controls.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

The candidate biomarkers warrant further validation in independent sample sets.
Competition between halogen bond and hydrogen bond in complexes of superalkali Li3S and halogenated acetylene XCCH (X = F, Cl, Br, and I)
Authors: Tian WenKai , Li QingZhong
Published: October 2014

Complexes of superalkali Li3S and XCCH (X = F, Cl, Br, and I) have been studied with theoretical calculations at the MP2/aug‐cc‐pVTZ level. Three types of structures are found: (A) the X atom combines with the S atom through a halogen bond; (B) the X atom interacts with the π electron of Li3S by a π halogen bond; (C) the H atom combines with the S atom through a hydrogen bond. For A and B, a heavier halogen atom makes the interaction stronger, while for C, the change of interaction energy is not obvious, showing a small dependence on the nature of the X atom in HCCX. A is more stable than B and their difference in stability decreases as X varies from Cl to I. For the F and Cl complexes, A is weaker than C, however, the former is stronger than the latter in the Br and I complexes. The above three types of interactions have been analyzed by means of electron localization function, electron density difference, and energy decomposition, and the results show that they have similar nature and features with conventional interactions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Using the Concept of Zone of Proximal Development to Explore the Challenges of and Opportunities in Designing Discourse Activities Based on Practical Work
Authors: MESTAD IDAR , KOLSTØ STEIN DANKERT
Published: October 2014

This article reports a study in which two researchers collaborated with five teachers to facilitate discourse activities aimed to enhance students’ learning from practical activities. The paper explores how certain teacher practices support or hinder students’ learning. Four cases from the study were analyzed in depth using Vygotsky's concept “the zone of proximal development” and Wallace's notion of language authenticity. The analyses indicated that although respected pedagogical principles underlie teaching, students’ use their own prior concepts to a limited degree to express their developing understanding of inquiry into scientific phenomena and ideas. The analyses showed how the teachers emphasized theoretical knowledge and hoped to enable the students to correctly interpret their observations and apply scientific theory. However, this emphasis hindered students’ articulations of their developing understanding. The results indicated that working within students’ zones of proximal development during practical activities requires a novel approach. Based on Wallace's notion of “third space,” we argue that it is important to encourage students to work with their own authentic language to develop a more scientific language when performing practical work.
Conodonts in the Upper Ordovician Keisley Limestone of northern England: taxonomy, biostratigraphical significance and biogeographical relationships
Authors: Bergström Stig M. , Ferretti Annalisa
Published: October 2014

The classical fauna from the Keisley Limestone, one of the first Upper Ordovician conodont faunas described from the UK, is re‐evaluated based on relatively abundant collections of well‐preserved conodont elements representing 20 multielement taxa. Common taxa are representatives of Amorphognathus duftonus, Birksfeldia circumplicata, Eocarniodus aff. E. gracilis, Hamarodus brevirameus, Scabbardella altipes, Strachanognathus parvus and several coniform species. These occur with more rare specimens of, among others, Aphelognathus nudus, Amorphognathus aff. A. ordovicicus, Dapsilodus mutatus, Icriodella prominens, Icriodella rhodesi sp. nov. and Protopanderodus liripipus. One new species is proposed, and the concepts of Birksfeldia, Gamachignathus, Icriodella and Notiodella are discussed. It is proposed that Birksfeldia is a senior synonym of Gamachignathus and Notiodella a junior synonym of Icriodella. The described Keisley species association, which represents the A. ordovicicus Zone and is of late Katian (Ka4) age, is closely similar to those of the Boda Limestone of south‐central Sweden and some other European faunas, but coeval shallow‐water faunas from eastern North America differ in several respects from these European faunas. Biostratigraphy and carbon isotope chemostratigraphy indicate that most of the Keisley Limestone is of late Katian age.
Additive models for conditional copulas
Authors: Sabeti Avideh , Wei Mian , Craiu Radu V.
Published: October 2014

Conditional copulas are flexible statistical tools that couple joint conditional and marginal conditional distributions. In a linear regression setting with more than one covariate and two dependent outcomes, we consider additive models for studying the dependence between covariates and the copula parameter. We examine the computation and model selection tools needed for Bayesian inference. The method is illustrated using simulations and a real example. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of 3 surveys for estimating forest grouse population trends
Authors: Hansen Michael C. , Hagen Christian A. , Budeau David A. , Coggins Victor L. , Reishus Brandon S.
Published: October 2014

Biologists in Oregon, USA, have routinely collected information on forest grouse populations over a 31‐year period (1981–2011) by 3 methods; however, it is unknown how well these methods detected variation in forest grouse abundance over time. We compared brood surveys, collection of hunter‐harvested grouse parts (wings and tails), and hunter‐harvest surveys to determine which annual survey was most useful as an index to forest grouse population trends in northeastern Oregon. All 3 surveys tracked both dusky (Dendragapus obscurus) and ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) through 2 peaks in abundance separated by 14 years; however, stochastic variation resulting from small sample sizes reduced annual correlations among the methods. Grouse wing and tail collection was more informative than the other 2 indices because it exhibited the least annual variation, as well as provided estimates of both reproductive success and population size. Usefulness of hunter surveys was limited by funding, quality control, and lack of information on reproductive success. Brood surveys were the least useful of these indices because of inadequate sample sizes, particularly for ruffed grouse. The primary advantage of the brood survey was that it was available prior to the hunting season and could potentially help forecast the number of grouse available for the autumn hunting season. We recommend that grouse wing collections be continued, that consistency of hunter surveys be emphasized, and that sample size of brood surveys be increased to provide more reliable data. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.
Getting rid of the unwanted: highlights of developments and challenges of biobeneficiation of iron ore minerals—a review
Authors: Adeleke Rasheed A
Published: October 2014

The quest for quality mineral resources has led to the development of many technologies that can be used to refine minerals. Biohydrometallurgy is becoming an increasingly acceptable technology worldwide because it is cheap and environmentally friendly. This technology has been successfully developed for some sulphidic minerals such as gold and copper. In spite of wide acceptability of this technology, there are limitations to its applications especially in the treatment of non-sulphidic minerals such as iron ore minerals. High levels of elements such as potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) in iron ore minerals are known to reduce the quality and price of these minerals. Hydrometallurgical methods that are non-biological involving the use of chemicals are usually used to deal with this problem. However, recent advances in mining technologies favour green technologies, known as biohydrometallurgy, with minimal impact on the environment. This technology can be divided into two, namely bioleaching and biobeneficiation. This review focuses on Biobeneficiation of iron ore minerals. Biobeneficiation of iron ore is very challenging due to the low price and chemical constitution of the ore. There are substantial interests in the exploration of this technology for improving the quality of iron ore minerals. In this review, current developments in the biobeneficiation of iron ore minerals are considered, and potential solutions to challenges faced in the wider adoption of this technology are proposed.