bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self‐weighing behavior in individuals with eating disorders
Authors: Pacanowski Carly R. , Pisetsky Emily M. , Berg Kelly C. , Crosby Ross D. , Crow Scott J. , Linde Jennifer A. , Mitchell James E. , Engel Scott G. , Klein Marjorie H. , Smith Tracey L. , Le Grange Daniel , Wonderlich Stephen A. , Peterson Carol B.
Published: May 2016

Objective

To describe the frequency of self‐weighing and reactions to prescribed weekly weighing among individuals with eating disorder (ED) diagnoses, and to compare individuals weighing more or less frequently on mass index (BMI) and the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) subscales.

Method

Baseline EDE and demographics from five studies (N = 758).

Results

Self‐weighing was most frequent among individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), followed by those with bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED). On average, participants reacted moderately negative to prescribed weekly weighing. No relationship between weighing frequency and BMI was evident in any sample. There was indication of greater pathology (i.e., restraint, shape concern, weight concern, global) in AN with more frequent weighing. In BN, mixed evidence emerged to support a relationship between more frequent weighing and higher shape concern, weight concern, and global score. In BED, higher restraint was found in those who weighed versus those who did not.

Discussion

Weighing frequency in each eating disorder (ED) sample was to some extent associated with greater ED severity, but not BMI. Future research should examine relationships between self‐weighing, reactions to changing weighing frequency, and ED symptomatology in both ED and non‐ED groups to understand the impact of self‐weighing in heterogeneous populations. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:817–821)
The body project 4 all: A pilot randomized controlled trial of a mixed‐gender dissonance‐based body image program
Authors: Kilpela Lisa Smith , Blomquist Kerstin , Verzijl Christina , Wilfred Salomé , Beyl Robbie , Becker Carolyn Black
Published: May 2016

Objective

The Body Project is a cognitive dissonance‐based body image improvement program with ample research support among female samples. More recently, researchers have highlighted the extent of male body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors; however, boys/men have not been included in the majority of body image improvement programs. This study aims to explore the efficacy of a mixed‐gender Body Project compared with the historically female‐only body image intervention program.

Method

Participants included male and female college students (N = 185) across two sites. We randomly assigned women to a mixed‐gender modification of the two‐session, peer‐led Body Project (MG), the two‐session, peer‐led, female‐only (FO) Body Project, or a waitlist control (WL), and men to either MG or WL. Participants completed self‐report measures assessing negative affect, appearance‐ideal internalization, body satisfaction, and eating disorder pathology at baseline, post‐test, and at 2‐ and 6‐month follow‐up.

Results

Linear mixed effects modeling to estimate the change from baseline over time for each dependent variable across conditions were used. For women, results were mixed regarding post‐intervention improvement compared with WL, and were largely non‐significant compared with WL at 6‐month follow‐up. Alternatively, results indicated that men in MG consistently improved compared with WL through 6‐month follow‐up on all measures except negative affect and appearance‐ideal internalization.

Discussion

Results differed markedly between female and male samples, and were more promising for men than for women. Various explanations are provided, and further research is warranted prior to drawing firm conclusions regarding mixed‐gender programming of the Body Project. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:591–602)
Opposing effects of actin signaling and LFA‐1 on establishing the affinity threshold for inducing effector T‐cell responses in mice
Authors: Palmer Ed , Drobek Ales , Stepanek Ondrej
Published: May 2016

Mature CD8+ T cells use a narrow antigen affinity threshold to generate tissue‐infiltrating cytotoxic effector T cells and induce autoimmune pathology, but the mechanisms that establish this antigen affinity threshold are poorly understood. Only antigens with affinities above the threshold induce stable contacts with APCs, polarization of a T cell, and asymmetric T‐cell division. Previously published data indicate that LFA‐1 inside‐out signaling might be involved in establishing the antigen affinity threshold. Here, we show that subthreshold antigens weakly activate all major distal TCR signaling pathways. Low‐affinity antigens are more dependent on LFA‐1 than suprathreshold antigens. Moreover, augmenting the inside‐out signaling by hyperactive Rap1 does not increase responses to the subthreshold antigens. Thus, LFA‐1 signaling does not contribute to the affinity‐based antigen discrimination. However, we found that subthreshold antigens do not induce actin rearrangement toward an APC, mediated by Rho‐family GTPases, Cdc42, and Rac. Our data suggest that Rac and Cdc42 contribute to the establishment of the antigen affinity threshold in CD8+ T cells by enhancing responses to high‐affinity antigens, or by reducing the responses to low‐affinity antigens.
Curvilinear smoothed particle hydrodynamics
Authors: Tavakkol Sasan , Zarrati Amir Reza , Khanpour Mahdiyar
Published: May 2016

We suggest a new set of equations to employ smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) in a curvilinear space, and we refer to it as curvSPH. In classical SPH, the horizontal and vertical resolution of discretization is supposed to be equal for fluid particles. However, curvSPH makes the horizontal and vertical resolutions independent from each other. This is performed by transformation of physical space into an appropriate computational space with a different scale in horizontal and vertical directions. Solving a problem using SPH in a curvilinear space also provides capability to model curved boundaries as straight lines. In classical SPH, special care is needed to reach a uniform mass distribution along curved boundaries; however, producing uniform mass distribution along a line using curvSPH is straight forward. Different simulations, including simulation of a flip bucket are performed to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method. Good agreement of results with experimental data and classical SPH confirms the capabilities of curvSPH. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
In Market Review, FERC Believes Prices Stay Down, Increasing Usage
Authors:   FERC Staff
Published: May 2016

Fundamental changes in the North American natural gas market substantially drove down US natural gas spot prices in 2015 (Exhibit 1). Production and storage reached record levels, while demand rose modestly, tempered by the El Niño warm weather during the 2015–16 winter. Natural gas demand increases came from the addition of new gas‐fired generation and increasing utilization rates at existing gas‐fired plants. Despite a warmer‐than‐average summer, nonwinter prices fell to their lowest levels in 20 years, which in turn led to lower wholesale electricity prices, as gas‐fired generation set the price in many power markets.
A Rapid On‐Site Method for Micromorphological Block Impregnation and Thin Section Preparation
Authors: Asscher Yotam , Goren Yuval
Published: May 2016

This article presents a new method for on‐site preparation of large‐size micromorphological thin sections. This method is applicable for a broad range of disciplines, including but not unique to sedimentology, soil science, geology, and archaeology. We focus on testing a rapid on‐site impregnation using low‐viscosity Epoxy resin, a method that cuts short the time that elapses between field sampling, oven drying, and vacuum impregnation in the laboratory. Sediment samples from different sites in the southern Levant were impregnated, and results show that this on‐site impregnation method produces high‐quality results in terms of stratigraphic intactness, and ability to identify a variety of archaeological materials. The quality of impregnation was better in silty and sandy sediments rather than in clayey sediments. The on‐site impregnation method saves weeks to months of laboratory procedures and seems to be useful in Mediterranean and arid environments. We also present one example of grinding and polishing until a rudimentary thin section was produced on‐site in a matter of 3 days from sampling to finished thin section. The ability to produce thin micromorpholgical sections in a few days will influence excavation strategies and help answer geoarchaeological questions during the excavation season.
A case of mistaken identity: CD11c‐eYFP+ cells in the normal mouse brain parenchyma and neural retina display the phenotype of microglia, not dendritic cells
Authors: Dando Samantha J. , Naranjo Golborne Cecilia , Chinnery Holly R. , Ruitenberg Marc J. , McMenamin Paul G.
Published: May 2016

Under steady‐state conditions the central nervous system (CNS) is traditionally thought to be devoid of antigen presenting cells; however, putative dendritic cells (DCs) expressing enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP) are present in the retina and brain parenchyma of CD11c‐eYFP mice. We previously showed that these mice carry the Crb1rd8 mutation, which causes retinal dystrophic lesions; therefore we hypothesized that the presence of CD11c‐eYFP+ cells within the CNS may be due to pathology associated with the Crb1rd8 mutation. We generated CD11c‐eYFP Crb1wt/wt mice and compared the distribution and immunophenotype of CD11c‐eYFP+ cells in CD11c‐eYFP mice with and without the Crb1rd8 mutation. The number and distribution of CD11c‐eYFP+ cells in the CNS was similar between CD11c‐eYFP Crb1wt/wt and CD11c‐eYFP Crb1rd8/rd8 mice. CD11c‐eYFP+ cells were distributed throughout the inner retina, and clustered in brain regions that receive input from the external environment or lack a blood‐brain barrier. CD11c‐eYFP+ cells within the retina and cerebral cortex of CD11c‐eYFP Crb1wt/wt mice expressed CD11b, F4/80, CD115 and Iba‐1, but not DC or antigen presentation markers, whereas CD11c‐eYFP+ cells within the choroid plexus and pia mater expressed CD11c, I‐A/I‐E, CD80, CD86, CD103, DEC205, CD8α and CD135. The immunophenotype of CD11c‐eYFP+ cells and microglia within the CNS was similar between CD11c‐eYFP Crb1wt/wt and CD11c‐eYFP Crb1rd8/rd8 mice; however, CD11c and I‐A/I‐E expression was significantly increased in CD11c‐eYFP Crb1rd8/rd8 mice. This study demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of CNS CD11c‐eYFP+ cells do not display the phenotype of DCs or their precursors and are most likely a subpopulation of microglia. GLIA 2016. GLIA 2016;64:1331–1349
Do Questions Get Infants Talking? Infant Vocal Responses to Questions and Declaratives in Maternal Speech
Authors: Reimchen Melissa , Soderstrom Melanie
Published: May 2016

Maternal questions play a crucial role in early language acquisition by virtue of their special grammatical, prosodic and lexical forms, and their abundance in the input. Infants are able to discriminate questions from other sentence types and produce rising intonations in their own requests. This study examined whether caregiver questions were related to the quantity of infant vocalizations. Thirty‐six infants aged 10 and 14 months participated in a laboratory play session with their mothers. In separate blocks, mothers were instructed to ask questions and to refrain from asking questions. Both block‐level and utterance‐level analyses found no evidence that maternal questions affected the amount of infant‐response vocalizations. Mothers of 14‐month‐olds (but not 10‐month‐olds) tended to repeat questions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Average and Marginal Returns to Upper Secondary Schooling in Indonesia
Authors: Carneiro Pedro , Lokshin Michael , Umapathi Nithin
Published: May 2016

This paper estimates average and marginal returns to schooling in Indonesia using a semiparametric selection model. Identification of the model is given by geographic variation in access to upper secondary schools. We find that the return to upper secondary schooling varies widely across individuals: it can be as high as 50% per year of schooling for those very likely to enroll in upper secondary schooling, or as low as −10% for those very unlikely to do so. Average returns for the student at the margin are substantial, but they are also well below those for the average student attending upper secondary schooling. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acetyl L‐carnitine targets adenosine triphosphate synthase in protecting zebrafish embryos from toxicities induced by verapamil and ketamine: An in vivo assessment
Authors: Guo Xiaoqing , Dumas Melanie , Robinson Bonnie L. , Ali Syed F. , Paule Merle G. , Gu Qiang , Kanungo Jyotshna
Published: May 2016

Verapamil is a Ca2+ channel blocker and is highly prescribed as an anti‐anginal, antiarrhythmic and antihypertensive drug. Ketamine, an antagonist of the Ca2+‐permeable N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate‐type glutamate receptors, is a pediatric anesthetic. Previously we have shown that acetyl l‐carnitine (ALCAR) reverses ketamine‐induced attenuation of heart rate and neurotoxicity in zebrafish embryos. Here, we used 48 h post‐fertilization zebrafish embryos that were exposed to relevant drugs for 2 or 4 h. Heart beat and overall development were monitored in vivo. In 48 h post‐fertilization embryos, 2 mm ketamine reduced heart rate in a 2 or 4 h exposure and 0.5 mm ALCAR neutralized this effect. ALCAR could reverse ketamine's effect, possibly through a compensatory mechanism involving extracellular Ca2+ entry through L‐type Ca2+ channels that ALCAR is known to activate. Hence, we used verapamil to block the L‐type Ca2+ channels. Verapamil was more potent in attenuating heart rate and inducing morphological defects in the embryos compared to ketamine at specific times of exposure. ALCAR reversed cardiotoxicity and developmental toxicity in the embryos exposed to verapamil or verapamil plus ketamine, even in the presence of 3,4,5‐trimethoxybenzoic acid 8‐(diethylamino)octyl ester, an inhibitor of intracellular Ca2+ release suggesting that ALCAR acts via effectors downstream of Ca2+. In fact, ALCAR's protective effect was blunted by oligomycin A, an inhibitor of adenosine triphosphate synthase that acts downstream of Ca2+ during adenosine triphosphate generation. We have identified, for the first time, using in vivo studies, a downstream effector of ALCAR that is critical in abrogating ketamine‐ and verapamil‐induced developmental toxicities. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Sex- and Site-Specific Normative Data Curves for HR-pQCT
Authors: Burt Lauren A , Liang Zhiying , Sajobi Tolulope T , Hanley David A , Boyd Steven K
Published: May 2016

The purpose of this study was to develop age-, site-, and sex-specific centile curves for common high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) and finite-element (FE) parameters for males and females older than 16 years. Participants (n = 866) from the Calgary cohort of the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMos) between the ages of 16 and 98 years were included in this study. Participants’ nondominant radius and left tibia were scanned using HR-pQCT. Standard and automated segmentation methods were performed and FE analysis estimated apparent bone strength. Centile curves were generated for males and females at the tibia and radius using the generalized additive models for location, scale, and shape (GAMLSS) package in R. After GAMLSS analysis, age-, sex-, and site-specific centiles (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th) for total bone mineral density and trabecular number as well as failure load have been calculated. Clinicians and researchers can use these reference curves as a tool to assess bone health and changes in bone quality. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Cycloheximide Inhibits Actin Cytoskeletal Dynamics by Suppressing Signaling via RhoA
Authors: Darvishi Emad , Woldemichael Girma M.
Published: May 2016

Genome‐wide screening of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae knockout collection was used to characterize chemical‐genetic interactions of cycloheximide (CHX). The results showed that while the act1Δ mutant was the only deletion mutant in the heterozygous essential gene deletion collection that showed hypersensitivity to sub‐inhibitory concentrations of CHX, deletion of nonessential genes that work in concert with either cytoplasmic or nuclear actin in the homozygous deletion collection also highly sensitized yeast to CHX. Fluorescence microscopy analysis revealed that CHX disrupts filamentous actin structures and fluid phase endocytosis in the yeast cell. It also showed that CHX disrupts transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1)‐induced actin reorganization and polygonal architecture of microfilaments in mammalian cells. This inhibitory effect is mediated, at least in part, through the actin dynamics signaling pathway via suppression of activation of the small GTPase RhoA. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2886–2898, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fully Automated RNAscope In Situ Hybridization Assays for Formalin‐Fixed Paraffin‐Embedded Cells and Tissues
Authors: Anderson Courtney M. , Zhang Bingqing , Miller Melanie , Butko Emerald , Wu Xingyong , Laver Thomas , Kernag Casey , Kim Jeffrey , Luo Yuling , Lamparski Henry , Park Emily , Su Nan , Ma Xiao‐Jun
Published: May 2016

Biomarkers such as DNA, RNA, and protein are powerful tools in clinical diagnostics and therapeutic development for many diseases. Identifying RNA expression at the single cell level within the morphological context by RNA in situ hybridization provides a great deal of information on gene expression changes over conventional techniques that analyze bulk tissue, yet widespread use of this technique in the clinical setting has been hampered by the dearth of automated RNA ISH assays. Here we present an automated version of the RNA ISH technology RNAscope that is adaptable to multiple automation platforms. The automated RNAscope assay yields a high signal‐to‐noise ratio with little to no background staining and results comparable to the manual assay. In addition, the automated duplex RNAscope assay was able to detect two biomarkers simultaneously. Lastly, assay consistency and reproducibility were confirmed by quantification of TATA‐box binding protein (TBP) mRNA signals across multiple lots and multiple experiments. Taken together, the data presented in this study demonstrate that the automated RNAscope technology is a high performance RNA ISH assay with broad applicability in biomarker research and diagnostic assay development. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2201–2208, 2016. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
6,7‐Dimethoxy‐quinazolin‐4‐yl‐amino‐thiophene‐2‐carboxamides as Potent Inhibitors of VEGF Receptors 1 and 2
Authors: Ashok Abhishek , Thanukrishnan Kannan , Bhojya Naik Halehatty S. , Shaik Abdul Gaffar
Published: May 2016

The identification of agents with antiproliferative activity against endothelial cells has significant value for the treatment of many angiogenesis‐dependent pathologies. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors have been implicated as key factors in tumor angiogenesis and are major targets in cancer therapy. A series of novel 6,7‐dimethoxy‐quinazolin‐4‐yl‐amino‐thiophene‐2‐carboxamides were synthesized and evaluated as antagonists of VEGFR‐1 and VEGFR‐2. More specifically, several analogues exhibited low micromolar to nanomolar potency in the inhibition of VEGFR‐1 and VEGFR‐2. The most potent compound in this series, compound 7b, was found to be a potent inhibitor of VEGFR‐2 in a homogeneous time‐resolved fluorescence enzymatic assay with an IC50 as low as 87 nm.
Features of successful academic hospitalist programs: Insights from the SCHOLAR (SuCcessful HOspitaLists in academics and research) project
Authors: Seymann Gregory B. , Southern William , Burger Alfred , Brotman Daniel J. , Chakraborti Chayan , Harrison Rebecca , Parekh Vikas , Sharpe Bradley A. , Pile James , Hunt Daniel , Leykum Luci K.
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND

As clinical demands increase, understanding the features that allow academic hospital medicine programs (AHPs) to thrive has become increasingly important.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate a quantifiable definition of academic success for AHPs.

METHODS

A working group of academic hospitalists was formed. The group identified grant funding, academic promotion, and scholarship as key domains reflective of success, and specific metrics and approaches to assess these domains were developed. Self‐reported data on funding and promotion were available from a preexisting survey of AHP leaders, including total funding/group, funding/full‐time equivalent (FTE), and number of faculty at each academic rank. Scholarship was defined in terms of research abstracts presented over a 2‐year period. Lists of top performers in each of the 3 domains were constructed. Programs appearing on at least 1 list (the SCHOLAR cohort [SuCcessful HOspitaLists in Academics and Research]) were examined. We compared grant funding and proportion of promoted faculty within the SCHOLAR cohort to a sample of other AHPs identified in the preexisting survey.

RESULTS

Seventeen SCHOLAR programs were identified, with a mean age of 13.2 years (range, 6–18 years) and mean size of 36 faculty (range, 18–95). The mean total grant funding/program was $4 million (range, $0–$15 million), with mean funding/FTE of $364,000 (range, $0–$1.4 million); both were significantly higher than the comparison sample. The majority of SCHOLAR faculty (82%) were junior, a lower percentage than the comparison sample. The mean number of research abstracts presented over 2 years was 10.8 (range, 9–23).

DISCUSSION

Our approach effectively identified a subset of successful AHPs. Despite the relative maturity and large size of the programs in the SCHOLAR cohort, they were comprised of relatively few senior faculty members and varied widely in the quantity of funded research and scholarship. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:708–713. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine
Osteological Observations on the Alytid Anura Latonia nigriventer with Comments on Functional Morphology, Biogeography, and Evolutionary History
Authors: Biton Rebecca , Boistel Renaud , Rabinovich Rivka , Gafny Sarig , Brumfeld Vlad , Bailon Salvador
Published: May 2016

The Hula Painted Frog (Latonia nigriventer) is a rare frog species endemic to the Hula Valley, Israel. The species is the sole relict of a clade that was widespread mainly in Europe from the Oligocene until the beginning of the Pleistocene. The osteological characteristics of L. nigriventer are described based on X‐ray microtomography scans of extant specimens and Pleistocene bones from the Hula Valley, to elucidate the evolutionary history of Alytidae and more specifically of Latonia. Based on the osteological description of L. nigriventer, we now better understand the differences, between Latonia and its sister taxon Discoglossus. They differ mainly in their cranial structure with the reinforced skull of Latonia having powerful jaws. Latonia nigriventer can achieve great force while closing its jaws, due to increased adductor muscle insertion surfaces as expressed by the presence of an additional paracoronoid process and an enlarged upper margin of the postero‐lateral wall of the lower jaw. In addition, a wider pterygoid fossa and higher canthus postero‐lateralis of the frontoparietal, compared to that of Discoglossus, also suggest the presence of well‐developed adductor muscles. Furthermore, L. nigriventer have particularly strong skulls as expressed by: long articulations between different skull elements, interdigitation in the contact area between the nasals and between nasals and the frontoparietals, and fused frontoparietals. Both males and females L. nigriventer have very robust forelimbs, as indicated by well‐developed medial crests of the humerus. Based on limited eastern Mediterranean paleontological data, we can only suspect that the dispersal of Latonia into the Levant from Asia Minor occurred at some point during the Miocene or later. The first appearance of L. nigriventer in the Hula Valley, its current habitat, dates to approximately 780 thousand years ago at the archaeological site of Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov. J. Morphol. 277:1131–1145, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Regulated Approach of Managing Complex Projects in Strategic Planning and Risk Control
Authors: Amedzro St‐Hilaire Walter
Published: May 2016

Various components of complex project planning can be identified in light of different contributions of theory in applied economics.
Isolated limb perfusion in Merkel cell carcinoma offers high rate of complete response and durable local–regional control: Systematic review and institutional experience
Authors: Thiels Cornelius A. , Gonzalez Alexandra B. , Gray Richard J. , Jakub James W.
Published: May 2016

Introduction

Hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion (HILP) has an established role in the management of melanoma, but its role for Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is less well defined.

Methods

Retrospective review of our institutional experience with HILP for MCC was conducted (2009–2015). Literature search was performed through 04/2015 and 10 studies met inclusion criteria.

Results

Four patients underwent HILP for MCC at our institution. There were no major complications and complete response was achieved in all patients. Early metastatic recurrence developed in two patients. The remaining two had no evidence of disease at last follow‐up (36 months) or death (39 months). Systematic review identified an additional 12 pts that underwent HILP for MCC, for a total of 16 cases. Median age was 73 [IQR 69–78] years and 56% were men. Of the patients with reported follow‐up, 12 (86%) had complete response, 1 had stable disease, and 1 partial response. Four patients developed local–regional recurrence and six distant metastases, all within 6 months. Overall median follow‐up time was 15 [7–36] months.

Conclusion

Among a highly selective group of patients, regional perfusion for MCC is safe and has a high complete response rate. HILP is an acceptable therapeutic modality for obtaining durable loco‐regional control but early distant metastatic disease remains a significant cause of mortality. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:187–192. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adjusting Local Molecular Environment for Giant Ambient Thermal Contraction
Authors: Shen Xingyuan , Connolly Timothy , Huang Yuhui , Colvin Michael , Wang Changchun , Lu Jennifer
Published: May 2016

A low‐energy triggered switch that can generate mechanoresponse has great technological potential. A submolecular moiety, S‐dibenzocyclooctadiene (DBCOD) that is composed of a flexible eight‐membered ring connecting to a phenyl ring at each end, undergoes a conformational change from twist‐boat to chair under a low‐energy stimulus such as near infrared irradiation, resulting in thermal contraction of DBCOD‐based polymer. Experimental evidence corroborated by theoretical calculations indicates that introducing molecular asymmetry can reduce crystallinity significantly and consequently facilitate the kinetics of the conformational change. It has been demonstrated that the negative thermal expansion (NTE) coefficient of a DBCOD‐based polymer system can be adjusted in a range from −1140 to −2350 ppm K−1. −2350 ppm K−1 is ≈10 times better than the value reported by the second best NTE system.

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Method of determination of enthalpy and entropy for the technology of laser cutting
Authors: Harničárová M. , Valíček J. , Kušnerová M. , Hutyrová Z. , Panda A. , Temuçin T.
Published: May 2016

This paper is devoted to the mechanisms of laser cutting of material from the point of view of thermodynamics. Thanks to the special properties of a laser beam, lasers have proved to be a reliable tool for the industry. Scientific databases currently include many papers devoted to scientific and engineering research aimed at the development and application of the technology of lasers. Operating costs of a laser system are high when operated inefficiently, therefore efficient operation is quite desirable. High dimensional accuracy and mainly good final product quality must be achieved in order to ensure the effective laser cutting. Investigation into thermodynamic efficiencies and quality assessment of the final product in laser cutting is essential. We have created an analytical expression of the thermo‐dynamic parameters of the cut. By expression of the entropy S, enthalpy H, heat flow density q and Gibbs' function of free energy G a complex image of thermo‐dynamic conditions of the process was achieved. These are the basic thermodynamic parameters of the laser cutting of materials. All these factors under operating conditions had an impact on the surface quality of the cut, depth of the cut and also on the intensity of changes in the mechanical properties of the material, and last but not least, on productivity and competitiveness. This can be used both for predictions concerning the technology process, as well as for control of the process.
A new approach for the determination of technological parameters for hydroabrasive cutting of materials
Authors: Valíček J. , Harničárová M. , Hlavatý I. , Grznárik R. , Kušnerová M. , Hutyrová Z. , Panda A.
Published: May 2016

A method for the design of a technology for the abrasive waterjet cutting of materials is based on the determination of the constant of cuttability of materials using an abrasive waterjet Kawj according to four different versions. Version A, where three deformation parameters are measured on the test cut/sample, namely selected depth hx [mm], local roughness Rax [μm] at depth hx and local deviation of the cut trace from the normal plane Yretx at depth hx. Version B, where merely two deformation parameters are measured, namely the reference depth het [mm] and deviation of the cut trace from the normal plane Yretx [mm] or, according to version C, where one parameter is mearured, namely either the ultrasonic wave speed vLUZ [m · s–1] or Young's modulus Emat [MPa]; Kawj being calculated from relevant deformation parameters. The last option is version D, where the design of the whole technology is carried out by calculation of Kawj according to the Young's modulus Emat or according to the ultrasonic wave speed vLUZ of the cut material.
Targets and Resources: A Screening Perspective
Authors: Sikdar Shiva
Published: May 2016

To secure funding for a project, an agent (informed about the project's type) announces a target output. The principal provides more generous resources for high targets but makes compensation tied to performance relative to the projection. The incentive mechanism is geared towards screening project/agent types for resource disbursement at the ex‐ante stage and motivating appropriate efforts at the interim stage. These dual objectives are embedded in an optimal share contract solution: a pair of startup funds and output share between the principal and agent. The target mechanism's performance is then assessed with respect to implementation of the optimal share contract solution. The focus is on linear contracts for their applicability and practical relevance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Do You Prefer Having More or More than Others in the Workplace? A Quasi‐experimental Survey in Algeria
Authors: Barbara Latifa , Grolleau Gilles , Mzoughi Naoufel
Published: May 2016

We examine the relevance of relative standings in Algeria (North Africa). We focus on the workplace, by considering domains generally important in this specific context: income, extra wage, office size, free days, worked hours, days being ill, offered company car, traffic jam when going to work, and being praised and berated by supervisor. Respondents prefer equality situations (i.e., where everyone has the same endowment) rather than positional and absolute ones (i.e., where they have the highest relative and absolute levels, respectively). An exception is found regarding praise by supervisor where the proportions of individuals choosing positional states are the highest. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dentate nucleus iron deposition is a potential biomarker for tremor‐dominant Parkinson's disease
Authors: He Naying , Huang Pei , Ling Huawei , Langley Jason , Liu Chunlei , Ding Bei , Huang Juan , Xu Hongmin , Zhang Yong , Zhang Zhongping , Hu Xiaoping , Chen Shengdi , Yan Fuhua
Published: May 2016

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder with variable clinicopathologic phenotypes and underlying neuropathologic mechanisms. Each clinical phenotype has a unique set of motor symptoms. Tremor is the most frequent initial motor symptom of PD and is the most difficult symptom to treat. The dentate nucleus (DN) is a deep iron‐rich nucleus in the cerebellum and may be involved in PD tremor. In this study, we test the hypothesis that DN iron may be elevated in tremor‐dominant PD patients using quantitative susceptibility mapping. Forty‐three patients with PD [19 tremor dominant (TD)/24 akinetic rigidity (AR) dominant] and 48 healthy gender‐ and age‐matched controls were recruited. Multi‐echo gradient echo data were collected for each subject on a 3.0‐T MR system. Inter‐group susceptibility differences in the bilateral DN were investigated and correlations of clinical features with susceptibility were also examined. In contrast with the AR‐dominant group, the TD group was found to have increased susceptibility in the bilateral DN when compared with healthy controls. In addition, susceptibility was positively correlated with tremor score in drug‐naive PD patients. These findings indicate that iron load within the DN may make an important contribution to motor phenotypes in PD. Moreover, our results suggest that TD and AR‐dominant phenotypes of PD can be differentiated on the basis of the susceptibility of the DN, at least at the group level. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Online traffic prediction in the cloud
Authors: Dalmazo Bruno L. , Vilela João P. , Curado Marilia
Published: May 2016

Network traffic prediction is a fundamental tool to harness several management tasks, such as monitoring and managing network traffic. Online traffic prediction is usually performed based on large sets of historical data used in training algorithms, for example, to determine the size of static windows to bound the amount of traffic under consideration. However, using large sets of historical data may not be suitable in highly volatile environments, such as cloud computing, where the coupling between time series observations decreases rapidly with time. To fill this gap, this work presents a dynamic window size algorithm for traffic prediction that contains a methodology to optimize a threshold parameter alpha that affects both the prediction and computational cost of our scheme. The alpha parameter defines the minimum data traffic variability needed to justify dynamic window size changes. Thus, with the optimization of this parameter, the number of operations of the dynamic window size algorithm decreases significantly. We evaluate the alpha estimation methodology against several prediction models by assessing the normalized mean square error and mean absolute percent error of predicted values over observed values from two real cloud computing datasets, collected by monitoring the utilization of Dropbox, and a data center dataset including traffic from several common cloud computing services. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Applications of cubic B‐splines collocation method for solving nonlinear inverse parabolic partial differential equations
Authors: Pourgholi Reza , Saeedi Akram
Published: May 2016

In this article, we discuss a numerical method for solving some nonlinear inverse parabolic partial differential equations with Dirichlet's boundary conditions. The approach used, is based on collocation of cubic B‐splines over finite elements, so we have continuity of the dependent variable and its first two derivatives throughout the solution range. We apply cubic B‐splines for spatial variable and derivatives, which produce an ill‐posed system. We solve this system using the Tikhonov regularization method. The accuracy of the proposed method is demonstrated by applying it on two test problems. The figures and comparisons have been presented for clarity. Also the stability of this method has been discussed. The main advantage of the resulting scheme is that the algorithm is very simple, so it is very easy to implement. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 33: 88–104, 2017
High‐efficiency GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs solar cells grown by combined MBE‐MOCVD technique
Authors: Tukiainen Antti , Aho Arto , Gori Gabriele , Polojärvi Ville , Casale Mariacristina , Greco Erminio , Isoaho Riku , Aho Timo , Raappana Marianna , Campesato Roberta , Guina Mircea
Published: May 2016

Triple‐junction GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs solar cells with conversion efficiency of ~29% at AM0 are demonstrated using a combination of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal‐organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) processes. The bottom junction made of GaInNAs was first grown on a GaAs substrate by MBE and then transferred to an MOCVD system for subsequent overgrowth of the two top junctions. The process produced repeatable cell characteristics and uniform efficiency pattern over 4‐inch wafers. Combining the advantages offered by MBE and MOCVD opens a new perspective for fabrication of high‐efficiency tandem solar cells with three or more junctions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A reference library of peripheral blood mononuclear cells for SWATH‐MS analysis
Authors: Silva Carolina , Santa Cátia , Anjo Sandra Isabel , Manadas Bruno
Published: May 2016

Purpose

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) play quite diverse and important roles in monitoring immune homeostasis. Thus, this subset of blood cells may provide access to potential physiological relevant biomolecules, namely proteins. For this reason, PBMCs represent a promising alternative biological sample in scientific research, particularly as a source of potential biomarkers. Prior proteomic studies of PBMCs from healthy individuals focused only on a qualitative analysis, lacking the quantitative analysis information crucial for biomarker discovery, since most of the biological alterations result in slight changes in protein levels, not affecting the overall proteome composition. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive PBMCs proteome library to be use in protein quantification by SWATH‐MS.

Experimental design

A SWATH‐MS library was generated by a comprehensive 2D‐LC‐MS/MC analysis of a pooled sample of PBMCs from 6 different donors. GeLC‐SWATH‐MS analysis of the 6 donors was further used to test the generated library.

Results

The generated library comprises 1102 proteins involved in diverse human diseases and in immune system‐related pathways. When tested in biological samples this library allowed the quantification of 920 different proteins, and around 700 per individual.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

The provided PBMCs proteome library will be useful in further studies that aim to reproducibly quantify a large number of PBMCs' proteins without the need to perform protein identification. Furthermore, this robust microLC‐SWATH‐MS analysis is suitable with clinical practice
A Comparison of the Structure, Synthesis, and Properties of Insensitive Energetic Compounds
Authors: Pagoria Philip
Published: May 2016

The continued interest in improving the safety of munitions towards unintentional insults has led to a significant amount of research in the synthesis of new insensitive energetic compounds. This paper discusses various approaches to the synthesis of insensitive energetic compounds, theoretical modeling and correlations of structural properties that contribute to reducing the sensitivity of energetic compounds, and how synthetic chemists integrate theoretical predictions into the design and synthesis of new insensitive energetic compounds.
The elastic properties of hexagonal auxetics under pressure
Authors: Goldstein Robert V. , Gorodtsov Valentin A. , Lisovenko Dmitry S.
Published: May 2016

Elastic properties of the hexagonal crystals under pressure were analyzed. Seven crystals with negative Poisson's ratio (auxetics) were revealed at zero pressure. These are crystals of MoS2, Zn, Be, BeCu (alloy with 2.4 at.% Cu), TiB2, C7H12, and MnAs. Analytical expressions of extreme values of Poisson's ratio and Young's modulus were obtained. For these materials, the variability of Poisson's ratio and Young's modulus was analyzed at pressure change. It was shown that all seven hexagonal auxetics may become completely auxetic under certain pressure values. The variability of the elastic properties of graphite and SiC, being non‐auxetics at zero pressure, was considered. These crystals become partially auxetic at negative pressure (−15 GPa for graphite and −56 GPa for silicon carbide) and completely auxetic at −114 and −122 GPa, respectively.

The surface of auxeticity ν(θ, ψ; p) = 0 for hexagonal auxetic MoS2.
RICA: A Tracked Robot for Sampling and Radiological Characterization in the Nuclear Field
Authors: Ducros Christian , Hauser Gérard , Mahjoubi Najib , Girones Philippe , Boisset Laurence , Sorin Antoine , Jonquet Eric , Falciola Jean Michel , Benhamou Albert
Published: May 2016

Throughout the lifetime of nuclear facilities, radiological inspections are of vital importance, as controlling the radiological state of these facilities is necessary to ensure that their operations remain safe. These inspections are equally important during dismantling and decommissioning (D&D). Inspections of facilities that have contained radionuclides, particularly high activity cells, and very high activity cells are the first step when planning to carry out maintenance and D&D operations. Therefore, the development of investigation robots for hostile environments is a strategic approach in the nuclear field in order to meet these needs. The CEA and CYBERIA have worked together to develop the RICA robot (Robot d'Inspection pour Cellules Aveugles, or blind cell inspection robot), which can locate and measure the activity of radioactive sources. Since 2007, RICA is one of the strategic apparatuses that the CEA has been using for dismantling operations in its nuclear facilities. This small tracked robot was developed to offer a good level of modularity in terms of the onboard equipment able to carry out inspection and sampling missions in extremely hostile environments. To be able to do this, it can be operated either with a complete unit of radiological measurement tools or with a remote‐handling arm. The measurement unit consists of a gamma camera, a gamma spectrometer, and a dose rate detector. This innovative radiological measurement unit enables in situ activity quantification and the collection of all the information necessary to interpret the radiological spectra. On the other hand, when equipped with a remote‐handling arm, the unit can be used to carry out samplings, which will then be analyzed in a laboratory. This paper first presents the RICA robot, giving its main technical features. The innovative radiological measurement unit is described, explaining each of its bricks. The gamma irradiator tests that qualified the robot's functioning under irradiation are described, and the dose resistance results are analyzed. Lastly, examples of tasks in which RICA has been used in CEA nuclear facilities illustrate the robot's modularity.
Study design for non‐recurring, time‐to‐event outcomes in the presence of error‐prone diagnostic tests or self‐reports
Authors: Gu Xiangdong , Balasubramanian Raji
Published: May 2016

Sequentially administered, laboratory‐based diagnostic tests or self‐reported questionnaires are often used to determine the occurrence of a silent event. In this paper, we consider issues relevant in design of studies aimed at estimating the association of one or more covariates with a non‐recurring, time‐to‐event outcome that is observed using a repeatedly administered, error‐prone diagnostic procedure. The problem is motivated by the Women's Health Initiative, in which diabetes incidence among the approximately 160,000 women is obtained from annually collected self‐reported data. For settings of imperfect diagnostic tests or self‐reports with known sensitivity and specificity, we evaluate the effects of various factors on resulting power and sample size calculations and compare the relative efficiency of different study designs. The methods illustrated in this paper are readily implemented using our freely availableRsoftware packageicensmis, which is available at the Comprehensive R Archive Network website. An important special case is that when diagnostic procedures are perfect, they result in interval‐censored, time‐to‐event outcomes. The proposed methods are applicable for the design of studies in which a time‐to‐event outcome is interval censored. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimating the expected value of partial perfect information in health economic evaluations using integrated nested Laplace approximation
Authors: Heath Anna , Manolopoulou Ioanna , Baio Gianluca
Published: May 2016

The Expected Value of Perfect Partial Information (EVPPI) is a decision‐theoretic measure of the ‘cost’ of parametric uncertainty in decision making used principally in health economic decision making. Despite this decision‐theoretic grounding, the uptake of EVPPI calculations in practice has been slow. This is in part due to the prohibitive computational time required to estimate the EVPPI via Monte Carlo simulations. However, recent developments have demonstrated that the EVPPI can be estimated by non‐parametric regression methods, which have significantly decreased the computation time required to approximate the EVPPI. Under certain circumstances, high‐dimensional Gaussian Process (GP) regression is suggested, but this can still be prohibitively expensive. Applying fast computation methods developed in spatial statistics using Integrated Nested Laplace Approximations (INLA) and projecting from a high‐dimensional into a low‐dimensional input space allows us to decrease the computation time for fitting these high‐dimensional GP, often substantially. We demonstrate that the EVPPI calculated using our method for GP regression is in line with the standard GP regression method and that despite the apparent methodological complexity of this new method, R functions are available in the package BCEA to implement it simply and efficiently. © 2016 The Authors.Statistics in MedicinePublished by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.