bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modified equation of motion approach for metallic ferromagnetic systems with the correlated hopping interaction
Authors: Górski Grzegorz , Mizia Jerzy , Kucab Krzysztof
Published: February 2016

We consider the extended Hubbard model with included nearest neighbors off‐diagonal correlated hopping interaction. This model is analyzed using the modified equation of motion (EOM) approach with double‐time Green's functions. In modified EOM method we calculate the retarded Green's function of the impurity by differentiating Green's functions over both time variables. The proposed model is used to investigate possibility of ferromagnetism in the itinerant system. We calculate the Curie temperature for different carrier concentrations, state densities with different asymmetry, different values of the Coulomb interaction and correlated hopping interaction. Results of our relatively simple method are compared and agree with the results of previous Quantum Monte Carlo and Modified Perturbation Theory calculations. This legitimates further use of this model in different physical applications, e.g., quantum dots.
Molecular beam epitaxy of free‐standing bulk wurtzite AlxGa1‐xN layers using a highly efficient RF plasma source
Authors: Novikov S. V. , Staddon C. R. , Sahonta S.‐L. , Oliver R. A. , Humphreys C. J. , Foxon C. T.
Published: February 2016

Recent developments with group III nitrides suggest AlxGa1‐xN based LEDs can be new alternative commercially viable deep ultra‐violet light sources. Due to a significant difference in the lattice parameters of GaN and AlN, AlxGa1‐xN substrates would be preferable to either GaN or AlN for ultraviolet device applications. We have studied the growth of free‐standing wurtzite AlxGa1‐xN bulk crystals by plasma‐assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA‐MBE) using a novel RF plasma source. Thick wurtzite AlxGa1‐xN films were grown by PA‐MBE on 2‐inch GaAs (111)B substrates and were removed from the GaAs substrate after growth to provide free standing AlxGa1‐xN samples. Growth rates of AlxGa1‐xN up to 3 µm/h have been demonstrated. Our novel high efficiency RF plasma source allowed us to achieve free‐standing bulk AlxGa1‐xN layers in a single day's growth, which makes our MBE bulk growth technique commercially viable.
Photoconductive properties of undoped and nitrogen‐doped ZnO single crystals in various ambiences
Authors: Abe Takami , Takahashi Shuzo , Kamada Shuhei , Nakagawa Akira , Chiba Tetsuya , Nakagawa Michiko , Chiba Shigeki , Kashiwaba Yasuhiro , Daibo Masahiro , Niikura Ikuo , Kashiwaba Yasube , Osada Hiroshi
Published: February 2016

The effects of ambiences on photoconductive properties of the Zn‐face of undoped ZnO and nitrogen‐doped ZnO (ZnO:N) single crystals are described. Oxygen (O2) gas affected the photocurrent spectra of the Zn‐face of both single crystals. The photocurrent was smallest in O2 gas and was largest in the vacuum ambience. The influence of ambience was very small in the visible light region but was large in the UV region. Regardless of the ambience, photocurrent of the Zn‐face of ZnO:N showed no sensitivity in the visible region. The decay time response of undoped ZnO and ZnO:N single crystals was also affected by the ambience. Decay time responses of both single crystals were fastest in O2 gas and were slowest in the vacuum ambience. The decay time response of the ZnO:N single crystal was faster than that of the undoped ZnO single crystal. These results showed that the effect of oxygen‐mediated surface recombination is strong in both large single crystals with very small surface‐to‐volume ratio and no grain boundary effect. The results also showed that doped nitrogen decreases the density of electron and hole traps near the surface region of the crystals. It is thought that steepness of band bending near the surface of a ZnO:N single crystal is smaller than that of an undoped ZnO single crystal. In conclusion, the Zn‐face of a ZnO:N single crystal sealed with O2 gas is useful as a photoconductive type UV sensor. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Statistical Monitoring of Service Levels and Staffing Adjustments for Call Centers
Authors: Li Junxiang , Liu Yafen , Tsung Fugee , Huo Jiazhen , Su Qiang
Published: February 2016

Call centers are an indispensable part of many businesses, and their economic role is important and fast growing. To remain competitive, call centers must provide high‐quality services while keeping the number of agents and hence labor costs down. It is thus vital to monitor the service level (SL), which is a common measure of the quality of service, and make suitable staffing adjustments. In this paper, we describe an engineering process control strategy to monitor SL. Staffing is adjusted according to changes in SL. An exponentially weighted moving average for SL based on upper and lower limits is determined from historical data and employed to monitor changes in SL during different time intervals so as to keep the frequency of adjustments to a minimum. Only if SL exceeds its lower or upper limit do we increase or decrease the number of agents for a given interval. Numerical tests show that we can strike a balance between SL and staffing by using our proposed method. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bounds for pairs in judicious partitioning of graphs
Authors: Fan Genghua , Hou Jianfeng
Published: February 2016

In 2002, Bollobás and Scott posed the following problem: for an integer and a graph G of m edges, what is the smallest f(k, m) such that V(G) can be partitioned into V 1,…,Vk in which for all , where denotes the number of edges with both ends in ? In this paper, we solve this problem asymptotically by showing that . We also show that V(G) can be partitioned into such that for , where Δ denotes the maximum degree of G. This confirms a conjecture of Bollobás and Scott. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 50, 59–70, 2017
ToF‐SIMS depth profiles on Argon‐implanted amorphous carbon. Damage effect and hydrogen characterization
Authors: Grasso Salvatore , Fumagalli Francesco , Polignano Marialuisa , Ravizza Enrica , Spadoni Simona , Soncini Valter
Published: February 2016

Any noble gas characterization that includes chemical ionization for the detection process is hard to manage because of the very high ionization potential: the range is from 10 to 25eV; electronic affinity is also close to zero. So ionization processes used in secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) analysis have very poor cross section. It is known that amorphous carbon mechanical properties are changed by implant; sp2/sp3 ratio and H content in the film are modified, allowing high density and good transparency needed for dry etching and lithography steps. In this paper, we propose to monitor secondary ion clusters Cx–Hy by time of flight‐SIMS to obtain information on amorphous carbon layer implanted with Ar and to study Cn/C5 ratio to understand sp2/sp3 ratio behavior. Further consideration on 13CH as hydrogen representative will be addressed. A binary collision code Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM) was used to estimate the depth of the region damaged by Ar+ implantation. In implanted samples, the profiles of Cx–Hy clusters have an in‐depth gradient. This is an indication that the film was involved in an energy release process. Therefore, these profiles give information on the implanted region even if the Ar profile is not collected. Although the SIMS technique uses ion beams that produce damages similar to those due to the implant process, a 13CN depth profile behavior was found able to discriminate between damage effects produced by that or the other. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ToF‐SIMS study of stages in the electrochemical growth of insulating poly(o‐aminophenol) films
Authors: Carbone M. E. , Ciriello R. , Salvi A. M. , Castle J. E.
Published: February 2016

Previous XPS investigations of insulating poly(o‐aminophenol) (PoAP), electrosynthesized by cyclic voltammetry on Pt substrates, revealed the formation of a thin film of about 7 nm of thickness, firmly adherent onto the electrode surface and stable even under Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) conditions. A constant repeat formula made of alternating quinoneimine and monomer units was derived with polymer chains terminating as carbonyl‐type groups. Based on these findings, we have continued our investigation on insulating PoAP by employing time‐of‐flight SIMS whose superior surface sensitivity is well‐known. The aim was to corroborate the polymer structure with particular reference to the top surface layers in view of possible bio‐applications and to understand the possible way of interaction with the underlying platinum electrode surface. In order to do this, we analyzed PoAP films grown at different levels of the electrochemical synthesis (1, 5, and 20 scan cycles) and the platinum substrate itself. The individuation of the main characteristic fragments and the behavior of their intensity by varying the stage of the electropolymerization allowed to confirm the polymer structure and the presence of terminating carbonyl groups. Remarkably, from the analysis of the PoAP/Pt interface at the early stage of the polymer formation, it was possible to discern that polymer chains tend to interact with the electrode surface preferentially by the nitrogen atom of the oxidized monomers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inverse gas chromatographic determination of the surface energy of PMMA and PMMA/organophilic montmorillonite nanocomposites
Authors: Karakehya Naile , Bilgiç Ceyda
Published: February 2016

Poly(methyl methacrylate)/organo‐montmorillonite (PMMA/OMt) nanocomposites containing 2% and 5% OMt by mass were prepared using the solution blending method with sonication. X‐ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and inverse gas chromatography (IGC) were used for characterization of the nanocomposites. IGC studies were operated at infinite dilution, in the temperature range of 40 to 70 °C. The dispersive component of surface free energies of PMMA and PMMA/OMt nanocomposite systems was calculated by using the Lavielle–Schultz method. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correcting treatment effect for treatment switching in randomized oncology trials with a modified iterative parametric estimation method
Authors: Zhang Jin , Chen Cong
Published: February 2016

In randomized oncology trials, patients in the control arm are sometimes permitted to switch to receive experimental drug after disease progression. This is mainly due to ethical reasons or to reduce the patient dropout rate. While progression‐free survival is not usually impacted by crossover, the treatment effect on overall survival can be highly confounded. The rank‐preserving structural failure time (RPSFT) model and iterative parametric estimation (IPE) are the main randomization‐based methods used to adjust for confounding in the analysis of overall survival. While the RPSFT has been extensively studied, the properties of the IPE have not been thoroughly examined and its application is not common. In this manuscript, we clarify the re‐censoring algorithm needed for IPE estimation and incorporate it into a method we propose as modified IPE (MIPE). We compared the MIPE and RPSFT via extensive simulations and then walked through the analysis using the modified IPE in a real clinical trial. We provided practical guidance on bootstrap by examining the performance in estimating the variance and confidence interval for the MIPE. Our results indicate that the MIPE method with the proposed re‐censoring rule is an attractive alternative to the RPSFT method. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stress and its Impact on the Neurocognitive Performance of Australian Nurses
Authors: Lees Ty , Lal Sara
Published: February 2016

Nurses function inside a particularly stressful occupation that requires the provision of continuous care to individuals who are often in great need. Stress has been shown to impair performance and specifically shown to impair nursing quality. However, we do not yet know how stress influences the cognitive performance of nurses, and hence, the present study investigated the associations between stress and cognitive performance in nurses using electroencephalography and administered cognitive assessments.

Thirty‐six nurses (34 women) of mean age 37.77 ± 11.40 years were recruited. Stress was examined using the Lifestyle Appraisal Questionnaire. Broad spectrum electroencephalogram activity at positions Fp1, Fp2, C3 and C4 was recorded for a 5‐min baseline and active phase to physiologically assess cognitive performance. Additionally, the Mini‐Mental State Exam and Cognistat were also used to measure cognitive performance.

Assessed cognitive performance was not associated to stress, however, lifestyle factors, as well as a number of the examined cognitive electroencephalographic variables including changes in theta, alpha activity and gamma reactivity were.

Definitively determining how stress affects the cognitive performance of nurses requires additional research; the present study forms a foundation from which future research can further expand the examination of stress exposure in nurses. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Incubation of an industry: Heterogeneous knowledge bases and modes of value capture
Authors: Moeen Mahka , Agarwal Rajshree
Published: February 2016

Research summary: We examine firms' technological investments during an industry's incubation stage—the period between a technological breakthrough and the first instance of its commercialization. Using the agricultural biotechnology context, we develop stylized findings regarding the understudied knowledge evolution preceding product evolution in an industry's life cycle, the trend and diversity of firms undertaking technological investments in anticipation of industry emergence, their leverage of markets for technology and corporate control, and their use of alternative modes of value capture. We juxtapose these stylized findings with existing literature to identify new theoretical insights, and set the stage for future scholarly work to develop and test new theories for the incubation period, examine its existence in other industries, and study its impact on subsequent firm and industry evolution.

Managerial summary: New technological breakthroughs present managers of existing firms and aspiring entrepreneurs with opportunities to create altogether new industries. During the vibrant incubation period, we find that multiple firms capitalize on diverse knowledge bases to shape the industry's knowledge evolution and also capture economic value in diverse ways. Existing firms in the obsolescing industry are more likely to become targets in acquisitions given their complementary knowledge. Science‐based start‐ups are more likely to engage in acquisitions and collaborations with established firms. Diversifying firms are more likely to commercialize products after leveraging of internal development, acquisitions, and alliances. Our study highlights the importance for managers to think about “success” and “failure” across multiple yardsticks of performance, rather than only as product commercialization as the sole goal. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nanoporous Carbons Derived from Metal‐Organic Frameworks as Novel Matrices for Surface‐Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Shih Yung‐Han , Fu Chien‐Ping , Liu Wan‐Ling , Lin Chia‐Her , Huang Hsi‐Ya , Ma Shengqian
Published: February 2016

Surface‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI‐MS) represents a powerful tool for the analysis of biomolecules, synthetic polymers, and even small organic compounds; its performances largely depend on the type of matrix materials utilized. Here, for the first time the employment of nanoporous carbons derived from metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) as novel matrices for SALDI‐MS is demonstrated. The nanoporous carbons derived from MOFs not only circumvent the shortcomings of existing matrix materials but also demonstrate much higher efficiency of laser desorption/ionization for various compounds than any other nanoporous carbons reported so far. A new perspective for the development of matrix materials for SALDI‐MS application is therefore provided.
Designing Bioinspired Anti‐Biofouling Surfaces based on a Superwettability Strategy
Authors: Zhang Pengchao , Lin Ling , Zang Dongmian , Guo Xinglin , Liu Mingjie
Published: February 2016

Anti‐biofouling surfaces are of high importance owing to their crucial roles in biosensors, biomedical devices, food processing, the marine industry, etc. However, traditional anti‐biofouling surfaces based on either the release of biocidal compounds or surface chemical/physical design cannot satisfy the practical demands when meeting real‐world complex conditions. The outstanding performances of natural anti‐biofouling surfaces motivate the development of new bioinspired anti‐biofouling surfaces. Herein, a novel strategy is proposed for rationally designing bioinspired anti‐biofouling surfaces based on superwettability. By utilizing the trapped air cushions or liquid layers, Lotus leaf inspired superhydrophobic surfaces, fish scales inspired underwater superoleophobic surfaces, and Nepenthes pitcher plants inspired omniphobic slippery surfaces have been successfully designed as anti‐biofouling surfaces to effectively resist proteins, bacteria, cells, and marine organisms. It is believed that these novel superwettability‐based anti‐biofouling surfaces will bring a new era to both biomedical technology and the marine industry, and will greatly benefit human health and daily life in the near future.
A continuation‐based task programming model for C++: design of the Causeway library
Authors: Čukić Ivan
Published: February 2016

There is a big class of problems that requires writing programs in an asynchronous manner. Cloud computing, service‐oriented architectures, multi‐core and heterogeneous systems all require programs to be written with asynchronous components. The necessity of concurrency and asynchronous execution brings in the added complexity of the inversion of control into the system, either through message passing or through event processing. In this paper, we introduce explicit programming language support for asynchronous programming that completely hides inversion of control. The presented programming model defines a common abstraction of the different types of tasks, both synchronous and asynchronous. It defines common imperative control constructs equivalent to those of the host programming language, along with a few more advanced ones for transactional and parallel execution that can universally work for any task type. It allows the programmer to implement the logic of an asynchronous system in a natural way by writing simple, seemingly, synchronous imperative code. We will show that the programs written using this approach are easier to understand by programmers. They are also easier to design automated tests for, and for performing computer‐based static analysis of the program logic. The principles behind this approach were tested in a couple of real‐world systems with worldwide user base. Our experience shows that it makes the complex code with a lot of interdependencies between asynchronously executed tasks easy to write and reason about. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of extrusion factors and particle size on starch properties of nixtamalized whole blue corn snacks
Authors: Escalante‐Aburto Anayansi , Ponce‐García Néstor , Ramírez‐Wong Benjamín , Santiago‐Ramos David , Véles‐Medina José Juan , de Dios Figueroa Cárdenas Juan
Published: February 2016

The aim of this study, was to evaluate the effect of extrusion conditions and particle size index on the starch properties of expanded nixtamalized snacks elaborated with whole blue corn. Whole grains were ground to achieve two different particle size indexes (PSI), 83.9 and 94.1, and were extruded at three feed moistures (14, 16.5, and 20.5%). The data suggested that the severity of milling and the extrusion process resulted in higher starch degradation, specifically in the snacks obtained with a feed moisture of 20.5%, which showed the higher values of starch damage. Nixtamalization by extrusion produced minimum amounts of resistant starch, mainly as retrograded starch and amylose‐lipid complex, as demonstrated by thermal and structural analyses. Snacks produced with feed moisture of 16.5–20.5% and a PSI of 94.1 showed the highest values of resistant starch. The rheological properties of snacks with PSI of 83.9 indicated lower starch degradation and presented lower amounts of resistant starch than snacks with higher PSI. The feed moisture affected all the parameters evaluated in the snacks more than the PSI.
Flexural capacity enhancement of rectangular high‐strength concrete columns confined with post‐tensioned steel straps: experimental investigation and analytical modelling
Authors: Ma Chau‐Khun , Awang Abdullah Zawawi , Omar Wahid , Liang Maybelle , Jaw Siow‐Wei , Azimi Mohammadamin
Published: February 2016

The load‐carrying capacity and deformability of concrete columns can be substantially enhanced by confining with post‐tensioned steel straps. As interest in high‐strength concrete (HSC) grows among structural engineers and researchers due to its superior performance, this confining technique is being extended to HSC columns with the hope that it can eliminate the undesired properties of HSC, especially its brittleness. However, experimental studies involving confined HSC columns subjected to eccentric loads are comparatively limited. It can be seen from past research that most studies of external confinement were conducted on small‐scale normal‐strength concrete (NSC) cylinders subjected to concentric loads. Since most columns are subjected to eccentric loads in reality, the scarcity of test data has prevented the potential of this confining technique from being fully exploited. In this paper, this confining technique is called the steel‐strapping tensioning technique (SSTT) for brevity. Nine HSC columns were tested under eccentric loads. The specimens were grouped into three groups with each group having an unconfined HSC column as a control specimen, a two‐layer SSTT‐confined HSC column and a four‐layer confined HSC column. The experimental results show that the flexural capacities of HSC columns can be enhanced with SSTT. The deformability of confined HSC columns is significantly improved with such confinement.
Cyclic behaviour of interior reinforced concrete beam‐column connection with self‐consolidating concrete
Authors: Mobin Jalal Salehi , Kazemi Mohammad Taghi , Attari Nader K.A.
Published: February 2016

A significant amount of research on self‐consolidating concrete (SCC) technology has been devoted to evaluating the suitability of the material for its use in structural applications. However, more research is required to confirm the adequacy of SCC structural members for resisting gravity and seismic loads. This study focuses on the experimental investigation of the seismic performance of interior reinforced concrete beam‐column connections with SCC. Four beam‐column connection specimens, three with SCC and one with normally vibrated concrete (NC), were designed for this experimental study. Factors such as concrete type (SCC or NC) and axial load ratio (0, 7.5 and 15 % of column section capacity) were assumed to be the variables in designing the specimens. Beam‐column connections made with NC and SCC were studied and compared under reversed cyclic loading. The performance of SCC specimens is comparable with NC specimens in terms of strength, displacement and ductility, but SCC specimens show lower energy dissipation capacity.
N‐Modified Carbon‐Based Materials: Nanoscience for Catalysis
Authors: Prati Laura , Chan‐Thaw Carine E. , Campisi Sebastiano , Villa Alberto
Published: February 2016

Carbon‐based materials constitute a large family of materials characterized by some peculiarities such as resistance to both acidic and basic environments, flexibility of structure, and surface chemical groups. Moreover, they can be deeply modified by simple organic reactions (acid–base or redox) to acquire different properties. In particular, the introduction of N‐containing groups, achieved by post‐treatments or during preparation of the material, enhances the basic properties. Moreover, it has been revealed that the position and chemical nature of the N‐containing groups is important in determining the interaction with metal nanoparticles, and thus, their reactivity. The modified activity was addressed to a different metal dispersion. Moreover, experiments on catalysts, showing the same metal dispersion, demonstrated that the best results were obtained when N was embedded into the carbon structure and not very close to the metal active site.
Endothelial dysfunction and vascular stiffness in women with previous pregnancy complicated by early or late pre‐eclampsia
Authors: Orabona R. , Sciatti E. , Vizzardi E. , Bonadei I. , Valcamonico A. , Metra M. , Frusca T.
Published: February 2016

Objectives

Pre‐eclampsia (PE) is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk later in life. The persistence of endothelial dysfunction after delivery may represent the link between PE and cardiovascular disease. We aimed to evaluate endothelial function and arterial stiffness after delivery of pregnancy complicated by early‐onset (EO) or late‐onset (LO) PE and their correlation with gestational age and mean uterine artery pulsatility index at PE diagnosis and birth‐weight percentile.

Methods

The study included 30 women with previous EO‐PE, 30 with previous LO‐PE and 30 controls with no previous PE. Participants were examined at between 6 months and 4 years after delivery. All included women were free from cardiovascular risk factors and drugs. Data on demographic and clinical characteristics during pregnancy were collected retrospectively from obstetrical charts. Endothelial function and arterial stiffness were assessed by peripheral arterial tonometry and pulse‐wave analysis.

Results

All vascular parameters were significantly different, indicating circulatory impairment, in women with previous EO‐PE. Women with previous LO‐PE had higher vascular rigidity than did controls and all had normal values of reactive hyperemia index, although they were significantly lower when compared with those of controls. On multivariate analysis, gestational age and mean uterine artery pulsatility index at the time of PE diagnosis, and birth‐weight percentile were all statistically related to the vascular indices studied, after correcting for confounding parameters.

Conclusions

Women with previous pregnancy complicated by PE, in particular those with early‐onset disease, showed persistent microcirculatory dysfunction, as suggested by a significant reduction in reactive hyperemia index value, and increased arterial stiffness. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Technological evolution of onshore wind turbines—a market‐based analysis
Authors: Serrano‐González Javier , Lacal‐Arántegui Roberto
Published: February 2016

Wind energy technology is evolving towards larger machines (longer blades, taller towers and more powerful generators). Scaling up wind turbines is a challenging task, which requires innovative solutions as well as new configurations and designs. The size of wind turbines (in terms of rotor diameter, hub height and rated power) has increased extraordinary from 30 m rotor diameter, 30 m of hub height and 300 kW rated power, usual in the late 1980s, to 92.7 m rotor diameter, 87.7 m of height and 2.1 MW on average at the end of 2014. However, technological evolution has not only been focused on the scaling up process but also on developing innovative solutions that minimize costs at the same time as they deal with aspects of different nature, such as grid code requirements, reliability, quality of the wind resource or prices and availability of certain commodities, among others.

This paper analyses the evolution of wind technology from a market‐based perspective by identifying trends in the most relevant technological indicators at the same time as stressing the key differentiating aspects between regions/markets. Evolution and trends in indicators such as rated power, rotor diameter, hub height, specific power, wind class, drive train configuration and power control systems are presented and analysed, showing an intense and fast technological development, which is enabling wind energy to reduce costs and becoming increasingly more competitive with conventional fuel‐based generating technologies. © 2016 The Authors Wind Energy Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Long‐Term Follow‐Up of Patients Undergoing Resection of TNM Stage I Colorectal Cancer: An Analysis of Tumour and Host Determinants of Outcome
Authors: Mansouri David , Powell Arfon G. , Park James H. , McMillan Donald C. , Horgan Paul G.
Published: February 2016

Background

Screening for colorectal cancer improves cancer‐specific survival (CSS) through the detection of early‐stage disease; however, its impact on overall survival (OS) is unclear. The present study examined tumour and host determinants of outcome in TNM Stage I disease.

Methods

All patients with pathologically confirmed TNM Stage I disease across 4 hospitals in the North of Glasgow between 2000 and 2008 were included. The preoperative modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) was used as a marker of the host systemic inflammatory response (SIR).

Results

There were 191 patients identified, 105 (55 %) were males, 91 (48 %) were over the age of 75 years and 7 (4 %) patients underwent an emergency operation. In those with a preoperative CRP result (n = 150), 35 (24 %) patients had evidence of an elevated mGPS. Median follow‐up of survivors was 116 months (minimum 72 months) during which 88 (46 %) patients died; 7 (8 %) had postoperative deaths, 15 (17 %) had cancer‐related deaths and 66 (75 %) had non‐cancer‐related deaths. 5‐year CSS was 95 % and OS was 76 %. On univariate analysis, advancing age (p < 0.001), emergency presentation (p = 0.008), and an elevated mGPS (p = 0.012) were associated with reduced OS. On multivariate analysis, only age (HR = 3.611, 95 % CI 2.049–6.365, p < 0.001) and the presence of an elevated mGPS (HR = 2.173, 95 % CI 1.204–3.921, p = 0.010) retained significance.

Conclusions

In patients undergoing resection for TNM Stage I colorectal cancer, an elevated mGPS was an objective independent marker of poorer OS. These patients may benefit from a targeted intervention.
Managing Soft Tissue Sarcomas in a Developing Health System
Authors: Boam Tristan , Hueschelrath Andreas , Tho Ly , da Costa Thomas Mendes , McMurrey Anne , Gollogly James
Published: February 2016

Background

The gold standard for treatment of soft tissue sarcomas (STS) includes wide local excision and limb salvage surgery. There is currently a lack of reports on the effectiveness of these techniques in a resource‐poor setting with a lack of access to imaging and adjuvant therapies. This article reports the experience and outcome of patients presenting with STS to the Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Methods

Patients with a diagnosis of STS and the operations they received were retrospectively sourced from the CSC database. Follow‐up data were obtained through a telephone questionnaire and home visits.

Results

Forty STS patients were identified. Definitive surgery was performed in 31 cases, the majority receiving initial local excision of the lesion (19/31), some went on to have secondary amputations (5/19), and the rest had primary amputation (12/31). Eight patients suffered perioperative complications: 6 had infections, 1 haemorrhage, and 1 patient suffered from prolonged pain. Follow‐up information was available for 25 patients, 8 of whom survived whilst 17 had died. Two of the deceased and 2 of the surviving patients had received adjuvant therapy. Seven survivors reported that they had resumed employment. Estimated average survival for STS in Cambodia was 25 months with a 58 % 1‐year survival rate in treated cases.

Conclusions

Despite the loss to follow‐up, some STS patients in Cambodia have been successfully managed by the CSC. An evolving increase in survival will hopefully be seen as access to adjuvant therapies and imaging technology improves.
Put Yourself at the Helm: Charting New Territory, Correcting Course, and Weathering the Storm of Career Trajectories
Authors: Hippman Catriona , Davis Claire ,   on behalf of the Committee on Advanced Training for Certified Genetic Counselors
Published: February 2016

What bearing have you set you set your sights on? How do you navigate the ever‐changing swells and winds of our professional landscape? Are you feeling a nebulous desire for change, that your career is not going in the direction you were expecting, worry about lack of future opportunities, or even a deep dissatisfaction in your current position? You are not alone. The formation of the Committee on Advanced Training for Certified Genetic Counselors (CATCGC) was partly in response to such sentiments, expressed within a vibrant dialogue amongst members of the genetic counseling community. The CATCGC sought to understand how genetic counselors chart courses for their careers by conducting a Decision Points exercise during a pre‐conference symposium (PCS) at the 2014 NSGC Annual Education Conference. Participants were asked to identify a decision point at which they were most satisfied with their careers and one at which they were least satisfied and to describe the situation, their personal goals and intentions, any actions they took, and the outcomes. Qualitative analysis in the constructivist tradition was conducted on participants’ responses and facilitators’ notes from the PCS to explore what personal meanings were made of the decision points; twelve themes related to Career High Points, Low Points, and how genetic counselors made career transitions were identified. Using a constructivist framework, themes are presented in the context of the authors’ personal experiences, and the authors’ share their reflections on these data. We wrote this article to offer you a window into your peers’ experiences ‐ the good, the bad, and the ugly ‐ hoping to encourage and challenge you to reflect deeply, no matter where you are on your career journey.
Back to Basics: Counting Soft Surgical Goods
Authors: Spruce Lisa
Published: February 2016

Retained surgical items (RSIs) pose serious consequences for patients and are a significant threat to patient safety. Perioperative team members are morally and ethically responsible for the prevention of RSIs and should understand how to reduce the risk of occurrence. The prevention of RSIs does not rest in the hands of one individual. It is a multidisciplinary endeavor that aims to reduce the risk of RSIs, and team members should hold each other accountable. This Back to Basics article focuses on the process of counting soft surgical goods, which are the most common RSIs.
Perioperative Care of Prisoners: Providing Safe Care
Authors: Smith Francis Duval
Published: February 2016

Correctional nurses are trained to care for prisoners in a controlled security environment; however, when a convict is transferred to a noncorrectional health care facility, the nurses there are often unfamiliar with custody requirements or how to safely care for these patients. The care of prisoners outside of prison has not been adequately investigated, and a gap exists between research and nursing education and practice. Nurses rarely have to consider how providing care for a prisoner in custody affects their practice, the potential dissonance between routine nursing care and the requirements to maintain security, or that care of prisoners in unsecured clinical areas places the nurse and other personnel at risk for physical assault or prisoner escape. Educating perioperative nurses in the care of prisoners in a public hospital environment is important for the provision of safe care and prevention of physical and emotional repercussions to personnel.
Targeted for Diffusion? How the Use and Acceptance of Stereotypes Shape the Diffusion of Criminal Justice Policy Innovations in the American States
Authors: BOUSHEY GRAEME
Published: February 2016

This article explores the diffusion of criminal justice policy in the American states. Drawing on policy design theory, I code newspaper coverage of 44 criminal justice policies adopted across state governments from 1960–2008, identifying the image and power oftarget populations—the group singled out for special treatment under law. I test whether electoral pressure leads governments to disproportionally emulate innovations that reinforce popular stereotypes regarding who is entitled to policy benefits or deserving of policy burdens. I find strong support for this theory: State governments are more likely to adopt innovations that extend benefits to strong, popular, and powerful target populations or that impose burdens on weak and politically marginalized groups. This bias can be explained by pressures for responsive policy making, as my findings indicate that it is the national salience of the crime problem—but not the competitiveness or timing of state elections—that influences state adoption of popular “law and order” policy innovations.
Chinese L1 children's English L2 verb morphology over time: individual variation in long-term outcomes
Authors: PARADIS JOHANNE , TULPAR YASEMIN , ARPPE ANTTI
Published: February 2016

This study examined accuracy in production and grammaticality judgements of verb morphology by eighteen Chinese-speaking children learning English as a second language (L2) followed longitudinally from four to six years of exposure to English, and who began to learn English at age 4;2. Children's growth in accuracy with verb morphology reached a plateau by six years, where 11/18 children did not display native-speaker levels of accuracy for one or more morphemes. Variation in children's accuracy with verb morphology was predicted by their English vocabulary size and verbal short-term memories primarily, and quality and quantity of English input at home secondarily. This study shows that even very young L2 learners might not all catch up to native speakers in this time frame and that non-age factors play a role in determining individual variation in child L2 learners’ long-term outcomes with English morphology.
The impact of a conditional cash transfer programme on determinants of child health: evidence from Colombia
Authors: Lopez-Arana Sandra , Avendano Mauricio , van Lenthe Frank J , Burdorf Alex
Published: February 2016

Objective

Conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes provide income to low-income families in return for fulfilling specific behavioural conditions. CCT have been shown to improve child health, but there are few systematic studies of their impact on multiple determinants of child health. We examined the impact of a CCT programme in Colombia on: (i) use of preventive health services; (ii) food consumption and dietary diversity; (iii) mother’s knowledge, attitudes and practices about caregiving practices; (iv) maternal employment; and (v) women’s empowerment.

Design

Secondary analysis of the quasi-experimental evaluation of theFamilias en Accionprogramme. Children and families were assessed in 2002, 2003 and 2005–06. We applied a difference-in-differences approach using logistic or linear regression, separately examining effects for urban and rural areas.

Setting

Colombia.

Subjects

Children (n1450) and their families in thirty-one treatment municipalities were compared with children (n1851) from sixty-five matched control municipalities.

Results

Familias en Accionwas associated with a significant increase in the probability of using preventive care services (OR=1·85, 95 % CI 1·03, 3·30) and growth and development check-ups (β=1·36, 95 % CI 0·76, 1·95). It had also a positive impact on dietary diversity and food consumption. No effect was observed on maternal employment, women’s empowerment, and knowledge, attitudes and practices about caregiving practices. Overall,Familias en Accion’s impact was more marked in rural areas.

Conclusion

CCT in Colombia increase contact with preventive care services and improve dietary diversity, but they are less effective in influencing mother’s employment decisions, empowerment and knowledge of caregiving practices.
Fungal-Induced Deterioration of Mural Paintings:In Situand Mock-Model Microscopy Analyses
Authors: Unković Nikola , Grbić Milica Ljaljević , Stupar Miloš , Savković Željko , Jelikić Aleksa , Stanojević Dragan , Vukojević Jelena
Published: February 2016

Fungal deterioration of frescoes was studiedin situon a selected Serbian church, and on a laboratory model, utilizing standard and newly implemented microscopy techniques. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray confirmed the limestone components of the plaster. Pigments used were identified as carbon black, green earth, iron oxide, ocher, and an ocher/cinnabar mixture.In situmicroscopy, applied via a portable microscope ShuttlePix P-400R, proved very useful for detection of invisible micro-impairments and hidden, symptomless, microbial growth. SEM and optical microscopy established that observed deterioration symptoms, predominantly discoloration and pulverization of painted layers, were due to bacterial filaments and fungal hyphal penetration, and formation of a wide range of fungal structures (i.e., melanized hyphae, chlamydospores, microcolonial clusters,Cladosporium-like conidia, andChaetomiumperithecia and ascospores). The all year-round monitoring of spontaneous and induced fungal colonization of a “mock painting” in controlled laboratory conditions confirmed the decisive role of humidity level (70.18±6.91% RH) in efficient colonization of painted surfaces, as well as demonstrated increased bioreceptivity of painted surfaces to fungal colonization when plant-based adhesives (ilinocopie, murdent), compared with organic adhesives of animal origin (bone glue, egg white), are used for pigment sizing.
GLOBALIZATION OF TWISTED PARTIAL HOPF ACTIONS
Authors: ALVES MARCELO M. S. , BATISTA ELIEZER , DOKUCHAEV MICHAEL , PAQUES ANTONIO
Published: February 2016

In this work, we review some properties of twisted partial actions of Hopf algebras on unital algebras and give necessary and sufficient conditions for a twisted partial action to have a globalization. We also elaborate a series of examples.
The Influence of Company Rules, Ethical Climate, and Individual Characteristics on Sales Representative's Honesty
Authors: Grover Steven L. , Enz Cathy A.
Published: February 2016

This study examined the impact of situational and individual characteristics on sales representatives' propensity to lie or to tell the truth. The situational elements were the honesty of the organisation climate and its formal rules about lying to customers. The individual elements were the participants' degree of Machiavellianism and tolerance for ambiguity. The results indicated that more Machiavellian people were more likely to lie and that they were less guided by the rules than people who were low in this trait. In addition, rules and climate work together for people with a high tolerance for ambiguity in a complex manner.
Nitrification and its influence on biogeochemical cycles from the equatorial Pacific to the Arctic Ocean
Authors: Shiozaki Takuhei , Ijichi Minoru , Isobe Kazuo , Hashihama Fuminori , Nakamura Ken-ichi , Ehama Makoto , Hayashizaki Ken-ichi , Takahashi Kazutaka , Hamasaki Koji , Furuya Ken
Published: February 2016

We examined nitrification in the euphotic zone, its impact on the nitrogen cycles, and the controlling factors along a 7500 km transect from the equatorial Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean. Ammonia oxidation occurred in the euphotic zone at most of the stations. The gene and transcript abundances for ammonia oxidation indicated that the shallow clade archaea were the major ammonia oxidizers throughout the study regions. Ammonia oxidation accounted for up to 87.4% (average 55.6%) of the rate of nitrate assimilation in the subtropical oligotrophic region. However, in the shallow Bering and Chukchi sea shelves (bottom ⩽67 m), the percentage was small (0–4.74%) because ammonia oxidation and the abundance of ammonia oxidizers were low, the light environment being one possible explanation for the low activity. With the exception of the shallow bottom stations, depth-integrated ammonia oxidation was positively correlated with depth-integrated primary production. Ammonia oxidation was low in the high-nutrient low-chlorophyll subarctic region and high in the Bering Sea Green Belt, and primary production in both was influenced by micronutrient supply. An ammonium kinetics experiment demonstrated that ammonia oxidation did not increase significantly with the addition of 31–1560 nm ammonium at most stations except in the Bering Sea Green Belt. Thus, the relationship between ammonia oxidation and primary production does not simply indicate that ammonia oxidation increased with ammonium supply through decomposition of organic matter produced by primary production but that ammonia oxidation might also be controlled by micronutrient availability as with primary production.
A novel cold-adapted and highly salt-tolerant esterase from Alkalibacterium sp. SL3 from the sediment of a soda lake
Authors: Wang Guozeng , Wang Qiaohuang , Lin Xianju , Bun Ng Tzi , Yan Renxiang , Lin Juan , Ye Xiuyun
Published: February 2016

A novel esterase gene (estSL3) was cloned from the Alkalibacterium sp. SL3, which was isolated from the sediment of soda lake Dabusu. The 636-bp full-length gene encodes a polypeptide of 211 amino acid residues that is closely related with putative GDSL family lipases from Alkalibacterium and Enterococcus. The gene was successfully expressed in E. coli and the recombinant protein (rEstSL3) was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity and characterized. rEstSL3 exhibited the highest activity towards pNP-acetate and had no activity towards pNP-esters with acyl chains longer than C8. The enzyme was highly cold-adapted, showing an apparent temperature optimum of 30 °C and remaining approximately 70% of the activity at 0 °C. It was active and stable over the pH range from 7 to 10 and highly salt-tolerant up to 5 M NaCl. Moreover, rEstSL3 was strongly resistant to most tested metal ions, chemical reagents, detergents and organic solvents. Amino acid composition analysis indicated that EstSL3 had fewer proline residues, hydrogen bonds and salt bridges than mesophilic and thermophilic counterparts, but more acidic amino acids and less hydrophobic amino acids when compared with other salt-tolerant esterases. The cold active, salt-tolerant and chemical-resistant properties make it a promising enzyme for basic research and industrial applications.
Using mutagenesis to explore conserved residues in the RNA-binding groove of influenza A virus nucleoprotein for antiviral drug development
Authors: Liu Chia-Lin , Hung Hui-Chen , Lo Shou-Chen , Chiang Ching-Hui , Chen I-Jung , Hsu John T.-A. , Hou Ming-Hon
Published: February 2016

Nucleoprotein (NP) is the most abundant type of RNA-binding viral protein in influenza A virus–infected cells and is necessary for viral RNA transcription and replication. Recent studies demonstrated that influenza NP is a valid target for antiviral drug development. The surface of the groove, covered with numerous conserved residues between the head and body domains of influenza A NP, plays a crucial role in RNA binding. To explore the mechanism by which NP binds RNA, we performed a series of site-directed mutagenesis in the RNA-binding groove, followed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR), to characterize the interactions between RNA and NP. Furthermore, a role of Y148 in NP stability and NP-RNA binding was evaluated. The aromatic residue of Y148 was found to stack with a nucleotide base. By interrupting the stacking interaction between Y148 and an RNA base, we identified an influenza virus NP inhibitor, (E, E)-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) -1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione; this inhibitor reduced the NP’s RNA-binding affinity and hindered viral replication. Our findings will be useful for the development of new drugs that disrupt the interaction between RNA and viral NP in the influenza virus.