bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen assessment points: development and application to high‐elevation lakes in the Sierra Nevada, California
Authors: Heard Andrea M. , Sickman James O.
Published: November 2016

Increased nitrogen (N) inputs to oligotrophic high‐elevation lakes are contributing to long‐term eutrophication, changes in nutrient cycles, and shifts in phytoplankton communities. State of California water quality standards do not adequately protect mountain lake ecosystems from atmospheric deposition, including lakes in national parks and other protected areas. The development of quantitative nutrient assessment points based on measurable ecological effects specific to high‐elevation lakes is an important step in long‐term protection of these ecosystems. We conducted in situ bioassay experiments during the phytoplankton growing season and modeled the response of phytoplankton to nutrient additions using algal growth models. Phytoplankton responded to nutrient additions (N and N + phosphorus) in five of seven experiments conducted in N‐limited lakes. Results were modeled using Michaelis‐Menten, Monod, and dose–response curves and used to calculate effective doses (ED) for excess phytoplankton growth. The 10%, 50%, and 90% ED estimates were determined for early and late hydrologic seasons. Results for the 10% ED were 0.33 (early hydrologic season) and 0.89 (late hydrologic season), the 50% ED were 1.0 μmol/L (early hydrologic season) and 4.0 μmol/L (late hydrologic season), and the 90% ED were 3.1 μmol/L (early hydrologic season) and 18 μmol/L (late hydrologic season). We then applied these assessment points to lake chemistry data from the National Park Service's Inventory and Monitoring Program to assess the status of lakes across Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon national parks. Mean nitrate concentration during the growing season was 4.58 μmol/L and ranged from <0.04 to 11.8 μmol/L (n = 75). The 10% ED were exceeded by 28% (late hydrologic season) and 37% (early hydrologic season) of lakes, the 50% ED were exceeded by 18% (late hydrologic season) and 29% (early hydrologic season) of lakes, and the 90% ED were exceeded by 0.0% (late hydrologic season) and 21% (early hydrologic season) of lakes. Our results suggest that phytoplankton populations in many Sierra Nevada lakes are affected by N deposition based on exceedance of growth assessment points. The most sensitive lakes are typically found at higher elevations in watersheds with steep, north‐facing slopes and minimal vegetation.
Evaluation of Ferrocenyl‐Containing Benzothiazoles as Potential Antiplasmodial Agents
Authors: Adams Muneebah , de Kock Carmen , Smith Peter J. , Chibale Kelly , Smith Gregory S.
Published: November 2016

A series of ferrocenyl‐containing benzothiazoles with amine side‐chains, both organosilane and carbon analogues, were prepared and fully characterised. The compounds were screened for their antiplasmodial activity against chloroquine‐sensitive (NF54) and chloroquine‐resistant (Dd2) strains of P. falciparum, displaying activities in the low micromolar range (0.1–1.9 µm). The moderate cytotoxicity of the benzothiazoles against a Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO) cell line demonstrated selective antiparasitic activity.
Straightforward Syntheses That Avoid Scrambling of meso‐Substituted [28]Hexaphyrins
Authors: Plamont Rémi , Balaban Teodor Silviu , Canard Gabriel
Published: November 2016

A two‐step synthesis of meso‐substituted [28]hexaphyrins in an aqueous medium was developed and optimized, and scrambling processes are avoided despite the use of a high acid concentration. The efficiency of this procedure relies on the nature of the starting material, and it can be extended to the straightforward preparation of unprecedented AB2C2D‐[28]hexaphyrins bearing up to four different kinds of meso‐appended aryl group.
Enhanced coagulation for treating the micropolluted water: Effects of dosages and pH on coagulation performance and residual Al
Authors: Hu Wenchao , Lu Shaoming , Wang Yujie
Published: November 2016

The feasibility of using enhanced coagulation which combined polyaluminum chloride (PAC) with diatomite (as coagulant aid and adsorbent) for improving coagulation performance and reducing residual Al was investigated. The effects of dosages (PAC and diatomite) and water pH on coagulation performance and residual Al were mainly discussed. Results demonstrate that compared with PAC alone, coagulation performance was obviously improved by the enhanced coagulation. Meanwhile, the contents of residual total Al (RTAl) and residual total dissolved Al (RTDAl) significantly reduced. PAC and diatomite dosages affected the results of the enhanced coagulation. The best coagulation performance was obtained at PAC dose of 20 mg/L and diatomite dose of 40 mg/L. However, RTAl and RTDAl both achieved the lowest concentrations (0.185 mg/L and 0.06 mg/L, respectively) at PAC 15 mg/L and diatomite 40 mg/L. The water pH also had significant effects on coagulation performance and residual Al. 96.31%, 37.01%, and 51.88% of turbidity, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and UV254 removals were succeeded, respectively, at pH about 7.99. RTAl and RTDAl achieved the minimum contents (0.133 mg/L and 0.044 mg/L, respectively) at pH 6.95 or so. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 35: 1687–1692, 2016
High Levels of Solar Electricity Require More Gas‐Supply Flexibility
Authors: Jacobs Michael B.
Published: November 2016

Most of the discussion of the adoption of high levels of renewable energy in the electricity sector has focused on the adaptations and flexibility of the electricity power system. When these studies are made with assumptions about flexible natural gas generation, there is rarely a mention of the impacts on gas pipeline operations. The gas industry—in particular, the pipeline operators—has an opportunity to adapt to changes in the electric power system by recognizing and meeting the growing need for operational flexibility.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells Progressing as Power Source
Authors: El‐Shahat Adel
Published: November 2016

Pure hydrogen with a fuel cell could generate electrical power. It is one of the best methods to generate alternative energy with noticeable carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction.1
When Worlds Collide: Universal Challenges in Natural Gas and Electricity Markets
Authors: Makholm Jeff D.
Published: November 2016

Major industries often enough intersect with others, creating difficult regulatory problems in the intersection.
Death wishes among older people assessed for home support and long‐term aged residential care
Authors: Cheung Gary , Edwards Siobhan , Sundram Frederick
Published: November 2016

Objective

Death wishes in older people are common and may progress to suicidal ideation and attempts. This study used routinely collected data from the interRAI Home Care assessment to examine the prevalence and clinical predictors of death wishes in older New Zealanders assessed for home support and long‐term aged residential care.

Methods

Data were collected from 35 734 people aged over 65 during 2012–2014. Chi‐squared analyses were used to determine significant relationships between the presence of death wishes and demographic factors, health and functional status, and emotional and psychosocial well‐being. A three‐step hierarchical logistic regression model was used to determine the predictive variables of death wishes, and odds ratios were calculated.

Results

Death wishes were present in 9.5% of the sample. The following factors were significantly associated with death wishes: physical health (poor self‐reported health, recurrent falls, severe fatigue and inadequate pain control), psychological factors (depression, major stressors and anxiety), social factors (loneliness and decline in social activities) and impaired cognition. Depression (odds ratio = 2.54, 95% confidence interval = 2.29–2.81), loneliness (odds ratio = 2.40, 95% confidence interval = 2.20–2.63) and poor self‐reported health (odds ratio = 2.34, 95% confidence interval = 1.78–3.07) had the greatest odds ratios in the full model.

Conclusions

Clinically significant depression alone cannot fully account for the development of death wishes in the elderly, and several factors are independently associated with death wishes. This knowledge can help clinicians caring for older persons to identify people who are most at risk of developing death wishes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide biosynthesis promotes liver regeneration
Authors: Mukherjee Sarmistha , Chellappa Karthikeyani , Moffitt Andrea , Ndungu Joan , Dellinger Ryan W. , Davis James G. , Agarwal Beamon , Baur Joseph A.
Published: November 2016

The regenerative capacity of the liver is essential for recovery from surgical resection or injuries induced by trauma or toxins. During liver regeneration, the concentration of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) falls, at least in part due to metabolic competition for precursors. To test whether NAD availability restricts the rate of liver regeneration, we supplied nicotinamide riboside (NR), an NAD precursor, in the drinking water of mice subjected to partial hepatectomy. NR increased DNA synthesis, mitotic index, and mass restoration in the regenerating livers. Intriguingly, NR also ameliorated the steatosis that normally accompanies liver regeneration. To distinguish the role of hepatocyte NAD levels from any systemic effects of NR, we generated mice overexpressing nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, a rate‐limiting enzyme for NAD synthesis, specifically in the liver. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase overexpressing mice were mildly hyperglycemic at baseline and, similar to mice treated with NR, exhibited enhanced liver regeneration and reduced steatosis following partial hepatectomy. Conversely, mice lacking nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase in hepatocytes exhibited impaired regenerative capacity that was completely rescued by administering NR. Conclusion: NAD availability is limiting during liver regeneration, and supplementation with precursors such as NR may be therapeutic in settings of acute liver injury. (Hepatology 2017;65:616‐630).
An Integrative Drug Repurposing Pipeline: Switching Viral Drugs to Breast Cancer
Authors: Karuppasamy Ramanathan , Verma Kanika , Sequeira Velin Marita , Basavanna Lokapriya Nandan , Veerappapillai Shanthi
Published: November 2016

The growing incidence rate of breast cancer, coupled with cellular chemotherapeutic resistance, has made this disease one of the most prevalent cancers among women worldwide. Despite the recent efforts to understand the underlying cause of the resistance due to mutation, there are no feasible tactics to overcome this bottleneck. This issue could be addressed by the concept of polypharmacology‐disguising drugs present in the pharmacopeia for novel purposes (drug repurposing). Of note, we have proposed a multi‐modal computational drug‐repositioning stratagem to predict drugs possessing anti‐proliferative effect. Our results suggest that Ombitasvir, a Hepatitis C NS5B polymerase inhibitor, could be “repurposed” for the control and prevention of beta‐tubulin‐driven breast cancers. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1412–1422, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Citral stabilization and characterization of nanoemulsions stabilized by a mixture of gelatin and Tween 20 in an acidic system
Authors: Tian Huaixiang , Li Danfeng , Xu Ting , Hu Jing , Rong Yuzhi , Zhao Bo
Published: November 2016

BACKGROUND

Citral is one of the most important flavor compounds in fresh juice and lemon oil. Unfortunately, citral is chemically unstable and degrades over time in aqueous solutions. Here, citral nanoemulsions including a mixture of gelatin and Tween 20 as emulsifiers were produced in an effort to maintain the stability of citral in an acidic system.

RESULTS

The mean droplet size and polydispersity index of the citral nanoemulsion were 467.83 nm and 0.259 respectively when the mass ratio of gelatin/Tween 20 was 3:1 and the total emulsifier concentration of the emulsion system was 10 g kg−1. The citral nanoemulsion remained stable during storage for 14 days at 30 °C. Therefore this nanoemulsion system effectively protected citral from degradation and decreased the formation of off‐flavor compounds (e.g. p‐cymene, p‐cresol and p‐methylacetophenone) relative to a single emulsifier.

CONCLUSION

The mixture of gelatin and Tween 20 enhanced the stability of citral under acidic conditions and could be used as an effective emulsifier to protect citral from degradation under acidic environments in the food industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Microwave drying of germinated corn and its effect on phytochemical properties
Authors: Bualuang Oraporn , Onwude Daniel Iroemeha , Pracha Kwanta
Published: November 2016

BACKGROUND

Drying is a preservation method that removes or reduces the moisture content of a product. This process can affect the nutritional properties of agricultural crops. Therefore this research sought to investigate the effect of microwave drying power (100–700 W) on the drying rate, effective diffusivity, β‐carotene content (BCC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity of sprouted corn, which can be applied as a rich antioxidant source.

RESULTS

With increasing microwave drying power from 100 to 700 W, the effective diffusivity was in the range from 1.50 × 10−6 to 1.81 × 10−5 m2 s−1, while BCC ranged from 614.20 ± 3.10 to 229.90 ± 1.00 µg β‐carotene equivalent g−1 dry weight (DW), decreasing gradually by 62.57%. Meanwhile, TPC and TFC of samples dried at 300 W were the highest, with levels of 315.94 ± 0.69 mg gallic acid equivalent g−1 DW and 190.16 ± 1.33 mg catechin equivalent g−1 DW respectively, which were higher by 8.66 and 98.97% as compared with samples dried at 100 W. Similar development was found in the antioxidant ability of germinated corn.

CONCLUSION

Drying at a microwave power of 300 W provided the highest nutritive and antioxidant values. The results of this study are useful in the selection of optimal drying conditions during microwave drying of germinated corn, as a baseline for other agricultural crops. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Effect of the grafting ratio of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) on thermally responsive polymer brush surfaces
Authors: Shen Yangyang , Dong Lianqing , Liang Yanli , Liu Zongjian , Dai Rongji , Meng Weiwei , Deng Yulin
Published: November 2016

Four kinds of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐grafted silicas with different grafting ratios and the same grafting density were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization. The chemical groups in the stationary phase was verified by FTIR spectroscopy, and the content of elements was measured by elemental analysis. The grafting ratio of thermoresponsive chromatographic materials was measured by thermogravimetric analysis and was 2.36–21.10% mg/m2. The retention behaviors of the stationary phase with different grafting ratios were evaluated by separating five kinds of steroids and ten kinds of different hydrophobic properties compounds. With the increase in grafting ratio, the retention time of analytes was prolonged in high‐performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that grafting ratio had a significant influence on the separation effect under the same grafting density. And the optimal grafting ratio of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) was 5.81–13.15%.
Psychosocial Group Intervention Among War‐Affected Children: An Analysis of Changes in Posttraumatic Cognitions
Authors: Kangaslampi Samuli , Punamäki Raija‐Leena , Qouta Samir , Diab Marwan , Peltonen Kirsi
Published: November 2016

Cognitive theories point to reduction in dysfunctional posttraumatic cognitions (PTCs) as one mechanism involved in recovery from posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), yet research findings have shown individual differences in the recovery process. We tested the cognitive mediation hypothesis above in a previously published psychosocial group intervention among war‐affected children. We also examined heterogeneity in children's PTCs during the intervention. We used a cluster randomized trial of Smith et al.'s (2002) teaching recovery techniques (TRT) intervention among 482 Palestinians 10–13 years of age (n = 242 for intervention group, n = 240 for control group). Children reported PTSS, PTCs, and depressive symptoms at baseline, midpoint, postintervention, and at 6‐month follow‐up. Path analysis results showed that TRT was not effective in reducing dysfunctional PTCs, and the reductions did not mediate intervention effects on PTSS. Using latent class growth analysis, we chose the model with 3 differing trajectories in the intervention group: high, decreasing, moderate, downward trending, and severe, stable levels of PTCs. Higher PTSS and depressive symptoms at baseline were associated with membership in the severe, stable trajectory. The intervention did not produce the kind of beneficial cognitive change needed in the cognitive mediation conceptualization. Nevertheless, cognitive changes differed substantially across children during the intervention, and were associated with their preintervention mental health status. These findings call for more detailed examination of the process of cognitive mediation.
Transport in PEG‐Based Hydrogels: Role of Water Content at Synthesis and Crosslinker Molecular Weight
Authors: Stocke Nathanael A. , Zhang Xiaolu , Hilt J. Zach , DeRouchey Jason E.
Published: November 2016

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels are hydrophilic, high water content, polymeric networks that represent excellent candidates as engineering biomaterials for a broad range of applications. A key challenge for many biomedical applications is the control of transport properties within the resulting 3D crosslinked gels. The effects of the water content at synthesis and crosslinker molecular weights on gel chemical structure and equilibrium volumetric swelling ratio, Q, are studied for a series of PEG hydrogels. In addition, the translational diffusion coefficients of a model probe molecule, Rhodamine 110, are determined directly within the hydrogels by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements. Increasing the water content at synthesis results in larger observed swelling behavior and faster particle transport within the formed PEG hydrogels for two different crosslinker molecular weights due to fewer physical crosslinks in the gels. Comparison of the particle translational diffusion coefficient to the swelling ratio shows a linear relationship for all crosslink densities examined.

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The Stokes equations in layer domains on spaces of bounded and integrable functions
Authors: von Below Lorenz , Bolkart Martin
Published: November 2016

The Stokes equations in a layer domain are investigated. For the case of a two‐dimensional layer it is shown by resolvent estimates that there exists a semigroup of angle on solenoidal subspaces of and L1. Furthermore, the stationary problem for dimension two is solvable in these spaces. It is also shown that both results cannot be extended to three and higher dimensions in the same setting.
Clustering Approach for Multidisciplinary Optimum Design of Cross‐Linked Polymer
Authors: Oya Yutaka , Kikugawa Gota , Okabe Tomonaga
Published: November 2016

This paper proposes a new and systematic approach for optimum design of thermosetting resin systems based on molecular‐dynamics simulations. Specifically, the results of simulations for chemical reaction (cross‐linking) and mechanical properties of epoxy resin are clustered with a self‐organizing map (SOM) that enables to comprehensibly visualize the characteristics of complex structured polymers. Moreover, the scatter‐plot matrix (SPM) is introduced to analyze the specific data. Thus, SOM is used to find common features in a molecular structure, and SPM helps to clarify molecular‐scale mechanism in the clusterization. Through the analysis, the authors find that base resins with multireactive functional groups contribute to superior mechanical properties, and these properties stem from the hydrogen‐bond network distributed throughout the system. The approach, which is thought to be one of chemical informatics, has broad ranges of applications that are not limited to epoxy resin but can be applied to any kind of thermosetting resins.

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Design of monolithic compliant mechanisms with beam elements of distributed stiffness
Authors: Hanke U. , Zichner M. , Tudorache A. , Modler N. , Ashir M.
Published: November 2016

Lightweight structures made of fiber‐reinforced composites exhibit a considerable application potential for designing fully compliant monolithic mechanisms. The substitution of classical joints by flexible elements exhibits benefits in assembling these linkages. The inherently high ability for function integration and the specifically adjustable compliances offers the possibility to transmit motions only by structural deformations. Especially flexible beam elements with distributed stiffness enhance the synthesis of compliant mechanisms. With the predefined beam deflection with constant curvature, the adjusted material properties are directly defined without solving the Bernoulli – ordinary differential equation. The generalized synthesis of bistable monolithic compliant mechanisms deals with a three body system connected by three flexible elements by solving a two pose tasks.
7 Tesla 22‐channel wrap‐around coil array for cervical spinal cord and brainstem imaging
Authors: Zhang Bei , Seifert Alan C. , Kim Joo‐won , Borrello Joseph , Xu Junqian
Published: November 2016

Purpose

Increased signal‐to‐noise ratio and blood oxygenation level‐dependent sensitivity at 7 Tesla (T) have the potential to enable high‐resolution imaging of the human cervical spinal cord and brainstem. We propose a new two‐panel radiofrequency coil design for these regions to fully exploit the advantages of ultra‐high field.

Methods

A two‐panel array, containing four transmit/receive and 18 receive‐only elements fully encircling the head and neck, was constructed following simulations demonstrating the
and specific absorption rate (SAR) benefits of two‐panel over one‐panel arrays. This array was compared with a previously reported posterior‐only array and tested for safety using a phantom. Its anatomical, functional, and diffusion MRI performance was demonstrated in vivo.

Results

The two‐panel array produced more uniform
across the brainstem and cervical spinal cord without compromising SAR, and achieved 70% greater receive sensitivity than the posterior‐only array. The two‐panel design enabled acceleration of R = 2 × 2 in two dimensions or R = 3 in a single dimension. High quality in vivo anatomical, functional, and diffusion images of the human cervical spinal cord and brainstem were acquired.

Conclusion

We have designed and constructed a wrap‐around coil array with excellent performance for cervical spinal cord and brainstem MRI at 7T, which enables simultaneous human cervical spinal cord and brainstem functional MRI. Magn Reson Med 78:1623–1634, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Terminal allocation problem in a transshipment hub considering bunker consumption
Authors: Zhen Lu , Wang Shuaian , Wang Kai
Published: November 2016

This article investigates the method of allocating arriving vessels to the terminals in transshipment hubs. The terminal allocation decision faced by a shipping alliance has the influence on the scheduled arrival time of vessels and further affects the bunker consumption cost for the vessels. A model is formulated to minimize the bunker consumption cost as well as the transportation cost of inter‐terminal transshipment flows/movements. The capacity limitation of the port resources such as quay cranes (QCs) and berths is taken into account. Besides the terminal allocation, the QC assignment decision is also incorporated in the proposed model. A local branching based method and a particle swarm optimization based method are developed to solve the model in large‐scale problem instances. Numerical experiments are also conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model, which can save around 14% of the cost when compared with the “First Come First Served” decision rule. Moreover, the proposed solution methods not only solve the proposed model within a reasonable computation time, but also obtain near‐optimal results with about 0.1∼0.7% relative gap. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 63: 529–548, 2016
Link program planning to market needs for high job‐placement rates
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: November 2016

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Building programs that attract high enrollment for both your institution and the program can be difficult with limited resources. However, robust academic program planning is part of shaping a bright future for your institution. Being nimble enough to meet student needs and workforce demands can be a challenge for an institution of higher education, but there are ways to develop program planning in alignment with resources and evolving demand.
Fraser syndrome: features suggestive of prenatal diagnosis in a review of 38 cases
Authors: Tessier Aude , Sarreau Mélie , Pelluard Fanny , André Gwenaelle , Blesson Sophie , Bucourt Martine , Dechelotte Pierre , Faivre Laurence , Frébourg Thierry , Goldenberg Alice , Goua Valérie , Jeanne‐Pasquier Corinne , Guimiot Fabien , Laquerriere Annie , Laurent Nicole , Lefebvre Mathilde , Loget Philippe , Maréchaud Martine , Mechler Charlotte , Perez Marie‐Josée , Sabourin Jean Christophe , Verloes Alain , Patrier Sophie , Guerrot Anne‐Marie
Published: November 2016

Objective

Fraser syndrome (FS) is a rare malformation recessive disorder. Major criteria are cryptophtalmos, syndactyly, respiratory, genital and urinary tract anomalies. Few prenatal presentations have been reported.

Method

We analyzed the prenatal and postnatal fetal phenotype in 38 cases of FS, including 25 pregnancy termination cases, 8 intra‐uterine death cases and 4 cases that died after birth.

Results

Including both prenatal and postnatal fetal phenotypic evaluation, all cases presented dysmorphic features with nose and ear dysplasia. Renal anomalies and syndactyly were present in 37/38 cases, cryptophtalmos in 36/38, airways anomalies in 30/37 and genital anomalies in 30/35 cases. Anomalies of the abdominal wall such as low set umbilicus and omphalocele were found in 31 cases. Among the 26 cases for which ultrasound data were available, detectable anomalies included oligohydramnios (22), ascites/hydrops (9), renal anomalies (20), evidence for high airways obstruction (11), ophthalmologic anomalies (4), ear dysplasia (2) and syndactyly (2).

Conclusion

This study shows that the postnatal phenotype of FS is very specific, whereas oligohydramnios hampers the prenatal recognition of the cardinal FS diagnosis criteria. Association of oligohydramnios, kidney agenesis and CHAOS should lead to consider this diagnosis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Long‐term use of proton pump inhibitors and prevalence of disease‐ and drug‐related reasons for gastroprotection—a cross‐sectional population‐based study
Authors: Wallerstedt Susanna M. , Fastbom Johan , Linke Johannes , Vitols Sigurd
Published: November 2016

Purpose

To analyse the prevalence of long‐term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) with respect to underlying diseases and drugs, and to find predictors for such treatment when an evident rationale for the PPI treatment is lacking.

Methods

The study cohort consisted of individuals, ≥65 years in 2010, residing in the Region Västra Götaland during 2005–2010. For individuals with and without long‐term use of PPI in 2010, we investigated the prevalence of an underlying diagnosis, that is, an acid‐related disease during the five preceding years, as well as concomitant long‐term use of antiplatelet agents or cyclooxygenase inhibitors.

Results

In all, 278 205 individuals (median age: 74 years; 55% female; median 3 drugs per person; 5% nursing home residents, 11% with multi‐dose drug dispensing) were included in the analyses, 32 421 (12%) of whom were on long‐term treatment with PPI in 2010. For 12 253 individuals (38%) with such treatment, no underlying rationale was found. In individuals without a disease‐ or a drug‐related reason for PPI use, nursing home residence, number of drugs, female sex, but not multi‐dose drug dispensing, were associated with long‐term use of PPI; adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval): 1.63 (1.49; 1.78), 1.27 (1.26; 1.28), 1.24 (1.19; 1.29), and 0.94 (0.88; 1.01), respectively.

Conclusions

Long‐term use of PPI occurs in one out of nine individuals in the older population. For four out of ten of these, no reason for PPI use can be identified. Nursing home residence, female sex, and greater number of drugs predict non‐rational long‐term use of PPI. © 2016 The Authors. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Electropolymerized AIE‐active polymer film with high quantum efficiency and its application in OLED
Authors: Li Jinyu , Han Xiao , Bai Qing , Shan Tong , Lu Ping , Ma Yuguang
Published: November 2016

A carbazole functionalized electro‐active AIE‐activity molecule, TPE‐DFCz, was designed, synthesized, and well characterized. The clear difference in oxidation potentials between tetraphenylethylene (TPE) unit and carbazole groups was found which guaranteed that polymerization occurred only at the peripheral carbazole groups and the TPE unit remained unchanged. Its luminescent network film was prepared conveniently by electrochemical polymerization (EP). The cross‐linked film exhibited green emission with high quantum efficiency of 63%, relatively smooth surface, and good thermal stability. The effect of different scan cycles on the optical property was also investigated. The electroluminescent device using the optimized polymer film as active layer showed a maximum luminance of 3200 cd m−2 and a maximum luminance efficiency of 1.16 cd A−1 with very low roll‐off of the efficiency. The AIE‐active EP films afford more opportunities to develop polymer films with high quantum efficiency via a simple, effective method and promote the potential applications in display devices. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 707–715
Effects of a health education and telephone counseling program on patients with a positive fecal occult blood test result for colorectal cancer screening: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chiu Hui‐Chuan , Hung Hsin‐Yuan , Lin Hsiu‐Chen , Chen Shu‐Ching
Published: November 2016

Objective

Our purpose was to evaluate the effects of a health education and telephone counseling program on knowledge and attitudes about colorectal cancer and screening and the psychological impact of positive screening results.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 2 groups using a pretest and posttest measures design. Patients with positive colorectal cancer screening results were selected and randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 51) or control (n = 51) group. Subjects in the experimental group received a health education and telephone counseling program, while the control group received routine care only. Patients were assessed pretest before intervention (first visit to the outpatient) and posttest at 4 weeks after intervention (4 weeks after first visit to the outpatient).

Results

Patients in the experimental group had a significantly better level of knowledge about colorectal cancer and the psychological impact of a positive screening result than did the control group. Analysis of covariance revealed that the health education and telephone counseling program had a significant main effect on colorectal cancer knowledge.

Conclusions

A health education and telephone counseling program can improve knowledge about colorectal cancer and about the psychological impact in patients with positive colorectal cancer screening results. The health education and telephone counseling program is an easy, simple, and convenient method of improving knowledge, improving attitudes, and alleviating psychological distress in patients with positive colorectal cancer screening results, and this program can be expanded to other types of cancer screening.
Electro‐mechanical properties of inkjet‐printed graphene oxide nanosheets
Authors: Nikolaou Ioannis , Hallil Hamida , Conédéra Véronique , Plano Bernard , Tamarin Ollivier , Lachaud Jean‐Luc , Talaga David , Bonhommeau Sébastien , Dejous Corinne , Rebière Dominique
Published: November 2016

This study deals with the deposition of graphene oxide (G‐O) thin films by inkjet printing method on Love wave devices, forming up G‐O nanosheets in between the inter‐digitated transducers (IDTs) of the device. Experimental results were compared with 3D finite element calculations. Enhanced properties were observed by amalgamating ultra‐thin G‐O films with SiO2 and lead to optimized guided surface acoustic wave propagation. The structural model of the G‐O films provided useful information regarding the Young and the Shear modulus of the device, which are found near 470 and 196 GPa, respectively. The resulting Maxwelian viscoelastic components of G‐O sheets were compared theoretically and experimentally to each other based on the providing losses on the Love wave devices through the scattering parameters (S‐parameters). Similarly, the theoretical and experimental resonance frequency data showed a very good agreement. This behavior is attributed to the different mechanisms, thus combining the viscoelastic and gravimetric effects of the G‐O on the Love wave devices. Finally, The G‐O film was characterized using colocalized AFM/Raman imaging in order to assess its roughness and chemical homogeneity.
The influence of the quantum‐confined Stark effect on InGaN/AlGaN quantum dots
Authors: Zakizade E. , Figge S. , Laurus C. , Mehrtens T. , Rosenauer A. , Hommel D. , Gutowski J. , Sebald K.
Published: November 2016

We report on micro‐photoluminescence studies on InGaN/ AlGaN quantum dots grown by metal‐organic vapor phase epitaxy. The excitonic emission lines can be observed up to 100 K. Investigations of the quantum‐confined Stark effect in dependence on an external electric field show a partial compensation of internal fields and an enhancement of the overlap between electron and hole wave function in the quantum dots. As a consequence, an increase of the PL intensity and a blue shift of the single‐quantum‐dot emission line is observed. Furthermore, we show how the internal electric field strongly affects the photoluminescence intensity of the emission line up to 40 K. In addition, by investigating the excitonic and biexcitonic states, we demonstrate that the partial compensation of the internal field increases the biexciton binding energy and influences the intensity of its emission.
A New Integrated Framework for Stakeholder Involvement in Sustainability Policymaking – A Multidisciplinary Approach
Authors: Kua Harn Wei
Published: November 2016

The importance of involving stakeholders in sustainability policymaking is widely recognized. Current methods of stakeholder involvement in environmental policymaking neither systematically identify stakeholders based on their roles in sustainability nor understand them from a behavioural level; moreover, strategies formulated to address the problems do not explicitly address possible conflicts among different policies. To fill these gaps, an integrated framework for stakeholder identification, understanding, engagement and role management is proposed. This framework is based on extensive review and application of principles in sustainability, life cycle assessment, behavioural science, soft operational research and coherently integrated sustainability policymaking. This framework was partially applied to a case study of a household energy intervention program in the South West District of Singapore. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Cultural Sustainability and Space – a Comparison of two Cases in Kathmandu, Nepal
Authors: Singh Bijay , Keitsch Martina Maria
Published: November 2016

One of the major challenges today is to learn how to act collaboratively in public space. This does not just relate to the use of old public space; it is also about creating new common platforms where people can participate in any kind of development process. Apparently, cultural, social and economic activities of certain societal groups influence decisions in the development process, but these activities do not necessarily include all users. The aim of this article is to analyse how local stakeholders negotiate and conduct socio‐cultural activities, how activities form and change, how they permit and confine access for different users in any kind of development process, and how they relate to cultural sustainability. We analyse and compare two cases of place conservation, one from a courtyard in the residential area of Itumbahal in Kathmandu and the other from the close‐by Indrachowk Square. Results of the comparison show that the ability and willingness of local stakeholders to interact with other groups had a great influence on the success or failure of these conservation projects. Another important factor was the influence and actions of external stakeholders, e.g. the Department of Archaeology and donors, and how local stakeholders responded to them. Drawing on aspects of heritage, social and cultural sustainability and stakeholder theories, this study recommends mapping stakeholders’ interactions before starting a conservation project, deliberately fostering common discussions on the use and conservation of space between diverging socio‐cultural groups and introducing control mechanisms to guarantee that responsibilities are met. Further research has to show if and how these recommendations are transferable to other cultural sustainability processes in urban and rural settings. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Sustainable Design, Cultural Landscapes and Heritage Parks; the Case of the Mondego River
Authors: Martins A. Nuno
Published: November 2016

Over the past few decades, in both the USA and Europe, many cultural landscapes (CLs) facing social and economic decline have been revitalized through processes embracing planning, design, touristic ideas, heritage resources, local administrations and communities, resulting in cultural or heritage parks (HPs). This paper forms part of the debate on CLs and highlights their rehabilitation via HPs. The research raises the question of the role HPs have played within the restoration of CLs while aiming to bring the discussion into the current sustainable planning and land design debate. As a case study, it takes the experience of the Mondego River Heritage Park (MRHP), located in the central region of Portugal. The MRHP builds upon the European Landscape Convention, HPs' accomplishments and academic studies. Conclusions suggest heritage to be an effective driving force for sustainable development and the HP as an operative concept in the planning, land design and management of the territory. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Clustering VoIP caller for SPIT identification
Authors: Azad Muhammad Ajmal , Morla Ricardo , Arshad Junaid , Salah Khaled
Published: November 2016

The number of unsolicited and advertisement telephony calls over traditional and Internet telephony has rapidly increased over recent few years. Every year, the telecommunication regulators, law enforcement agencies and telecommunication operators receive a very large number of complaints against these unsolicited, unwanted calls. These unwanted calls not only bring financial loss to the users of the telephony but also annoy them with unwanted ringing alerts. Therefore, it is important for the operators to block telephony spammers at the edge of the network so to gain trust of their customers. In this paper, we propose a novel spam detection system by incorporating different social network features for combating unwanted callers at the edge of the network. To this extent the reputation of each caller is computed by processing call detailed records of user using three social network features that are the frequency of the calls between caller and the callee, the duration between caller and the callee and the number of outgoing partners associated with the caller. Once the reputation of the caller is computed, the caller is then places in a spam and non‐spam clusters using unsupervised machine learning. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated using a synthetic dataset generated by simulating the social behaviour of the spammers and the non‐spammers. The evaluation results reveal that the proposed approach is highly effective in blocking spammer with 2% false positive rate under a large number of spammers. Moreover, the proposed approach does not require any change in the underlying VoIP network architecture, and also does not introduce any additional signalling delay in a call set‐up phase. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A smart fuzzing method for detecting heap‐based vulnerabilities in executable codes
Authors: Mouzarani Maryam , Sadeghiyan Babak , Zolfaghari Mohammad
Published: November 2016

In this paper, we present a smart fuzzing method for detecting six classes of heap‐based vulnerabilities in executable codes, that is, heap‐based buffer overflow, buffer underwrite, buffer over‐read, buffer under‐read, double‐free, and use‐after‐free vulnerabilities. In the proposed method, the executable code is instrumented to perform concolic (concrete + symbolic) execution and calculate the constraints on input data for executing a specific path. We also define a number of vulnerability constraints that determine the characteristics of input data that activate specific vulnerabilities in an execution path. By calculating symbolic path and vulnerability constraints in each executed path, we generate appropriate concrete input data that traverse other paths in the program and detect the vulnerabilities in the executed paths. We have implemented the proposed smart fuzzing method as a plug‐in for Valgrind framework and tested it on different groups of benchmark programs. The results demonstrate that the calculated vulnerability constraints are accurate, and our fuzzer is able to detect the vulnerabilities in these programs. We have also compared the implemented fuzzer with three other fuzzers and demonstrated how calculating the path and vulnerability constraints in our method helps to fuzz a program more efficiently. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Generalisations of NTRU cryptosystem
Authors: Singh Sonika , Padhye Sahadeo
Published: November 2016

Since the proposal of NTRU cryptosystem, many variants were proposed by the researcher using different‐different algebraic structure. In this article, we try to explore the existing variants of NTRU cryptosystem with their comparative study. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A studentized permutation test for three‐arm trials in the ‘gold standard’ design
Authors: Mütze Tobias , Konietschke Frank , Munk Axel , Friede Tim
Published: November 2016

The ‘gold standard’ design for three‐arm trials refers to trials with an active control and a placebo control in addition to the experimental treatment group. This trial design is recommended when being ethically justifiable and it allows the simultaneous comparison of experimental treatment, active control, and placebo. Parametric testing methods have been studied plentifully over the past years. However, these methods often tend to be liberal or conservative when distributional assumptions are not met particularly with small sample sizes. In this article, we introduce a studentized permutation test for testing non‐inferiority and superiority of the experimental treatment compared with the active control in three‐arm trials in the ‘gold standard’ design. The performance of the studentized permutation test for finite sample sizes is assessed in a Monte Carlo simulation study under various parameter constellations. Emphasis is put on whether the studentized permutation test meets the target significance level. For comparison purposes, commonly used Wald‐type tests, which do not make any distributional assumptions, are included in the simulation study. The simulation study shows that the presented studentized permutation test for assessing non‐inferiority in three‐arm trials in the ‘gold standard’ design outperforms its competitors, for instance the test based on a quasi‐Poisson model, for count data. The methods discussed in this paper are implemented in the R package ThreeArmedTrials which is available on the comprehensive R archive network (CRAN). Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dextran‐Coated Ultrasmall Gd2O3 Nanoparticles as Potential T1 MRI Contrast Agent
Authors: Xu Wenlong , Miao Xu , Oh In‐Taek , Chae Kwon Seok , Cha Hyunsil , Chang Yongmin , Lee Gang Ho
Published: November 2016

Ultrasmall gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) nanoparticles coated with dextran (
r=1500 amu) were prepared through one‐pot synthesis and their potential to act as a T1 MRI contrast agent was investigated. The dextran‐coated ultrasmall Gd2O3 nanoparticles were highly water‐dispersible, with an average particle diameter of 1.5 nm and an average hydrodynamic diameter of 12.4 nm, and non‐toxic, as determined in a cellular cytotoxicity test. The longitudinal (r1) and transverse (r2) water proton relaxivities were estimated to be 12.2 and 29.3 s−1mM−1 (r2/r1=2.4), respectively, larger than those of commercial Gd‐chelates. This r1 value is also greater than those for previously reported dextran‐coated large Gd2O3 nanoparticles with particle diameter bigger than 20 nm. Positive contrast magnetic resonance (MR) images were obtained after intravenous injection of a sample solution into a mouse tail, demonstrating the potential of dextran‐coated ultrasmall Gd2O3 nanoparticles as a T1 MRI contrast agent.
Regioselective Synthesis of Pyrrolylpyrazole as a Multifunctional Compound: Potential Antibacterial as well as Anticancer Agent
Authors: Divakar Mathiyazhagan Arun , Shanmugam Sivakumar , Muneeswaran Thillaichidambaram , Ramakritinan Muthiah
Published: November 2016

A regioselective synthesis of 3‐pyrazolyl‐4‐aryl substituted pyrrole derivatives fromα‐aroylidineketene dithioacetals using a convenient and efficient protocol. The pyrrolylpyrazole molecules were expected to have good application in biological system consequently most of the compounds shows excellent antibacterial activity when compared with streptomycin drug. All the synthesized compounds were studied for their anticancer activity in which5 b,5 e,5 g,5 ihave cytotoxic potential on cervical cancer cells at lower concentration.
Development of Crosslinked Chitosan/Au Nanocomposite, Its Characterization and Application towards Solar Light Driven Photocatalytic Degradation of Toxic Organic Compounds
Authors: Midya Lipi , Pal Aniruddha , Pal Sagar
Published: November 2016

Recently, we have developed a novel nanocomposite [cl‐Ch‐p(DEAEM)/Au] comprised of in‐situ deposition on AuNPs on cationically functionalized chitosan (in presence of chemical crosslinker) and its potential application towards efficient photocatalytic degradation of Reactive Black 5 (RB 5) and Congo red (CR) dyes under exposure of sunlight. The physical, morphological and structural properties of nanocomposite have been characterised using UV‐Vis, FT‐IR, 1H and 13C NMR, PL, FESEM, TEM, EDAX, TGA, XRD, LC–MS and Zeta potential analyses. Here, it has been observed that the nanocomposite can remove both RB 5 and CR dyes rapidly and efficiently through adsorption, followed by photocatalytic degradation under exposure of sunlight. Besides, the adsorbed dyes have been isolated effectively and the nanocomposite has been regenerated in presence of sunlight just by altering the pH of the media and could be reusable for at least 4 times without remarkable decrease in its efficacy.