bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water-deficient templating system: a general, versatile and efficient synthetic approach for mesoporous silicas
Authors: Wang Wei , Zhao Jing , Xu Yufeng , Zhang Cuiping , Shan Weijun , Nguyen Dongthanh , Ru Hongqiang
Published: October 2013

Bridging two current templating systems: diluted surfactant solution and liquid crystal templating approaches, water-deficient templating system allows facile control over mesostructures and morphologies of mesoporous silicas in an efficient way.
Seeking a Valid Gold Standard for an Innovative, Dialect-Neutral Language Test
Authors: Pearson Barbara Zurer , Jackson Janice E. , Wu Haotian
Published: October 2013

Purpose

In this study, the authors explored alternative gold standards to validate an innovative, dialect-neutral language assessment.

Method

Participants were 78 African American children, ages 5;0 (years;months) to 6;11. Twenty participants had previously been identified as having language impairment. The Diagnostic Evaluation of Language Variation—Norm Referenced (DELV–NR; Seymour, Roeper, & J. de Villiers, 2005) was administered, and concurrent language samples (LSs) were collected. Using LS profiles as the gold standard, sensitivity, specificity, and other measures of diagnostic accuracy were compared for diagnoses made from the DELV–NR and participants' clinical status prior to recruitment. In a second analysis, the authors used results from the first analysis to make evidence-based adjustments in the estimates of DELV–NR diagnostic accuracy.

Results

Accuracy of the DELV–NR relative to LS profiles was greater than that of prior diagnoses, indicating that the DELV–NR was an improvement over preexisting diagnoses for this group. Specificity met conventional standards, but sensitivity was somewhat low. Reanalysis using the positive and negative predictive power of the preexisting diagnosis in a discrepant-resolution procedure revealed that estimates for sensitivity and specificity for the DELV–NR were .85 and .93, respectively.

Conclusion

The authors found that, even after making allowances for the imperfection of available gold standards, clinical decisions made with the DELV–NR achieved high values on conventional measures of diagnostic accuracy.
Ependymal Cyst Presenting with Lhermitte Sign
Authors: Franceschini Paulo Roberto , Worm Paulo Valdeci
Published: October 2013

Study Design

Case report and review of the literature.

Objective

To present an unusual case of conus medullaris ependymal cyst.

Methods

This is a case of a 41-year-old woman with a diagnosis of ependymal cyst who presented with a history of shock-like pain to the lower limbs.

Results

The patient underwent a successful cyst decompression.

Conclusion

A few cases have been reported in the literature. Including this case, there are a total of eight cases of ependymal cyst in the conocaudal segment reported.
Electrical design of InAs-Sb/GaSb superlattices for optical detectors using full bandstructure sp3s* tight-binding method and Bloch boundary conditions
Authors: Mir Raja N. , Frensley William R.
Published: October 2013

InAs-Sb/GaSb type-II strain compensated superlattices (SLS) are currently being used in mid-wave and long-wave infrared photodetectors. The electronic bandstructure of InSb and GaSb shows very strong anisotropy and non-parabolicity close to the Γ-point for the conduction band (CB) minimum and the valence band (VB) maximum. Particularly around the energy range of 45–80 meV from band-edge we observe strong non-parabolicity in the CB and light hole VB. The band-edge dispersion determines the electrical properties of a material. When the bulk materials are combined to form a superlattice we need a model of bandstructure which takes into account the full bandstructure details of the constituents and also the strong interaction between the conduction band of InAs and valence bands of GaSb. There can also be contact potentials near the interface between two dissimilar superlattices which will not be captured unless a full bandstructure calculation is done. In this study, we have done a calculation using second nearest neighbor tight binding model in order to accurately reproduce the effective masses. The calculation of mini-band structure is done by finding the wavefunctions within one SL period subject to Bloch boundary conditions ψ(L)=ψ(0)eikL. We demonstrate in this paper how a calculation of carrier concentration as a function of the position of the Fermi level (EF) within bandgap(Eg) should be done in order to take into account the full bandstructure of broken-bandgap material systems. This calculation is key for determining electron transport particularly when we have an interface between two dissimilar superlattices.
Carbon beam extraction with 14.5 GHz electron cyclotron resonance ion source at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute
Authors: Lee Cheol Ho , Oh Byung-Hoon , Chang Dae-Sik , Jeong Sun-Chan
Published: October 2013

A 14.5 GHz Electron Cyclotron Resonance ion source (ECRIS) has been made to produce C4+ beam for using a carbon therapy facility and recently tested at KAERI. Highly charged carbon ions have been successfully extracted. When using only CO2 gas, the beam current of C4+ was almost 14 μA at 15 kV extraction voltage. To get higher current of the C4+ beam, while optimizing confinement magnetic field configuration (e.g., axial strengths at minimum and extraction side), gas-mixing (CO2/He), and biased disk were introduced. When the gas mixing ratio of the CO2/He gas is 1:8 at an operational pressure of 5 × 10−7 mbar and the disk was biased to −150 V relative to the ion source body, the highest current of the C4+ beam was achieved to be 50 μA, more than three times higher than previously observed only with CO2 gas. Some details on the operating conditions of the ECRIS were discussed.
Cooling-induced shape memory effect and inverse temperature dependence of superelastic stress in Co2Cr(Ga,Si) ferromagnetic Heusler alloys
Authors: Xu Xiao , Omori Toshihiro , Nagasako Makoto , Okubo Akinari , Umetsu Rie Y. , Kanomata Takeshi , Ishida Kiyohito , Kainuma Ryosuke
Published: October 2013

Normally, shape memory effect (SME) is obtained by the reverse martensitic transformation, therefore only induced by heating a sample from the deformed martensite phase. In this study, we report a phenomenon of cooling-induced SME, observed in a Co2Cr(Ga,Si) Heusler alloy, where the normal heating-induced SME can be obtained at the same time. The cooling-induced SME is attributed to an abnormal martensitic transformation in Co2Cr(Ga,Si) Heusler alloy. Moreover, an inverse temperature dependence of superelastic stress was also observed. The discoveries of these phenomena provide application possibilities for shape memory alloys, especially at low temperatures.
Effects of probe field intensity in nonlinear optical processes in asymmetric semiconductor quantum dots
Authors: Paspalakis Emmanuel , Boviatsis John , Baskoutas Sotirios
Published: October 2013

We study nonlinear optical absorption and nonlinear optical rectification in an asymmetric semiconductor quantum dot structure under a strong probe field excitation. We apply a form of the rotating wave approximation for asymmetric quantum systems, solve the relevant density matrix equations under steady state conditions, and derive the formulae for nonlinear optical absorption and nonlinear optical rectification under the interaction with a strong probe field. The differences between our formulae and those of a previous study are also presented for the case of an electron confined in an asymmetric double quantum dot nanostructure.
The effect of the temperature-dependent nonlinearities on the temperature stability of micromechanical resonators
Authors: Kyu Lee Hyung , Melamud Renata , Kim Bongsang , Chandorkar Saurabh , Salvia James C. , Kenny Thomas W.
Published: October 2013

Micromechanical resonators show a discrepancy between the frequency-temperature (f-T) characteristics they have in open-loop and closed-loop measurements, and this discrepancy adversely affects resonator's temperature stability performance. We explain the discrepancy with a model that combines the temperature-dependent quality factor (Q) with the nonlinear amplitude-frequency (A-f) effect; we then experimentally verify the model using two types of double-ended tuning fork resonators. In addition, we present an improved closed-loop system that removes the discrepancy, thus improving the temperature stability.
Effect of collisions on amplification of laser beams by Brillouin scattering in plasmas
Authors: Humphrey K. A. , Trines R. M. G. M. , Fiuza F. , Speirs D. C. , Norreys P. , Cairns R. A. , Silva L. O. , Bingham R.
Published: October 2013

We report on particle in cell simulations of energy transfer between a laser pump beam and a counter-propagating seed beam using the Brillouin scattering process in uniform plasma including collisions. The results presented show that the ion acoustic waves excited through naturally occurring Brillouin scattering of the pump field are preferentially damped without affecting the driven Brillouin scattering process resulting from the beating of the pump and seed fields together. We find that collisions, including the effects of Landau damping, allow for a more efficient transfer of energy between the laser beams, and a significant reduction in the amount of seed pre-pulse produced.
Blue and aquamarine stress-relaxed semipolar (112¯2) laser diodes
Authors: Shan Hsu Po , Wu Feng , Young Erin C. , Romanov Alexey E. , Fujito Kenji , DenBaars Steven P. , Speck James S. , Nakamura Shuji
Published: October 2013

Strain compensated AlGaN/InGaN superlattice electron/hole blocking layers were utilized in semipolar (112¯2) laser diodes grown on intentionally stress-relaxed n-InGaN waveguiding layers. The use of an AlGaN/InGaN superlattice instead of a single compositional layer of AlGaN suppressed the formation of misfit dislocations at the electron/hole blocking layer heterointerfaces. Using this design, lasing at 447 nm was achieved with a threshold current density of 7.2 kA/cm2, which is remarkably lower than previous results. Furthermore, we demonstrate a 497 nm aquamarine-emitting semipolar (112¯2) laser diode under pulsed operation.
Demonstration of surface electron rejection with interleaved germanium detectors for dark matter searches
Authors: Agnese R. , Anderson A. J. , Balakishiyeva D. , Basu Thakur R. , Bauer D. A. , Borgland A. , Brandt D. , Brink P. L. , Bunker R. , Cabrera B. , Caldwell D. O. , Cerdeno D. G. , Chagani H. , Cherry M. , Cooley J. , Cornell B. , Crewdson C. H. , Cushman P. , Daal M. , Di Stefano P. C. F. , Do Couto E Silva E. , Doughty T. , Esteban L. , Fallows S. , Figueroa-Feliciano E. , Fox J. , Fritts M. , Godfrey G. L. , Golwala S. R. , Hall J. , Harris H. R. , Hasi J. , Hertel S. A. , Hines B. A. , Hofer T. , Holmgren D. , Hsu L. , Huber M. E. , Jastram A. , Kamaev O. , Kara B. , Kelsey M. H. , Kenany S. A. , Kennedy A. , Kenney C. J. , Kiveni M. , Koch K. , Loer B. , Lopez Asamar E. , Mahapatra R. , Mandic V. , Martinez C. , McCarthy K. A. , Mirabolfathi N. , Moffatt R. A. , Moore D. C. , Nadeau P. , Nelson R. H. , Novak L. , Page K. , Partridge R. , Pepin M. , Phipps A. , Prasad K. , Pyle M. , Qiu H. , Radpour R. , Rau W. , Redl P. , Reisetter A. , Resch R. W. , Ricci Y. , Saab T. , Sadoulet B. , Sander J. , Schmitt R. , Schneck K. , Schnee R. W. , Scorza S. , Seitz D. , Serfass B. , Shank B. , Speller D. , Tomada A. , Villano A. N. , Welliver B. , Wright D. H. , Yellin S. , Yen J. J. , Young B. A. , Zhang J. ,   The SuperCDMS Collaboration
Published: October 2013

The SuperCDMS experiment in the Soudan Underground Laboratory searches for dark matter with a 9-kg array of cryogenic germanium detectors. Symmetric sensors on opposite sides measure both charge and phonons from each particle interaction, providing excellent discrimination between electron and nuclear recoils, and between surface and interior events. Surface event rejection capabilities were tested with two 210Pb sources producing ∼130 beta decays/hr. In ∼800 live hours, no events leaked into the 8–115 keV signal region, giving upper limit leakage fraction 1.7 × 10−5 at 90% C.L., corresponding to < 0.6 surface event background in the future 200-kg SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment.
Optical evaluation of heliostat mirrors using caustics
Authors: Georgiou M. D. , Bonanos A. M. , Georgiadis J. G.
Published: October 2013

Solar thermal power generation is based on the concept of concentrating solar radiation to provide high temperature heat for electricity generation via conventional power cycles. The high relative cost of optical subsystems necessitates a careful study of their components. Solar collector fields are typically modeled by ray-tracing or convolution methods; however, no general method is available for engineering analysis. We propose the use of caustics to predict the image of the sun reflected by an arbitrary mirror of focal length F and aperture a on a target. The mirror surface is described parametrically by a quadric and placed at a distance L from the target on a heliostat. The method of caustics was validated against SolTRACE, a ray-tracing code developed by U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratories . We show that there is a value of aF which depends on aL, for which the incident average energy flux to the target reaches a maximum. The method of caustics allows the efficient computation of the image on an arbitrary target surface and obviates many of the difficulties with ray-tracing methods.
Diode-like volatile resistive switching properties in amorphous Sr-doped LaMnO3 thin films under lower current compliance
Authors: Liu Dongqing , Cheng Haifeng , Wang Guang , Zhu Xuan , Wang Nannan
Published: October 2013

Amorphous Sr-doped LaMnO3 (a-LSMO) thin films can exhibit diode-like volatile resistive switching (RS) properties under lower compliance current (CC). The Ag/a-LSMO/Pt cell exhibits stable volatile RS cycles up to 100 times with rectification ratio above 102. The volatility depends strongly on the temperature as well as the CC-controlled dimension of the Ag nanofilament forming in a-LSMO. The conductive atomic force microscopy current-mapping images confirm the instability of conducting nanofilaments forming under lower CC. The volatile RS behaviors could be explained by the Rayleigh instability of the Ag nanofilament, together with the diffusion of Ag atoms to the a-LSMO matrix. The diode-like volatile RS properties have great application potential in the beyond von-Neumann computers.
Y 19 manas.paoiriia- and aa.paoiriia-
Authors: Ahmadi Amir
Published: October 2013

Yasna 19 contains an Avestan exegesis of the Gāthic stanza Ahuna Vairiia, the most revered text in Zoroastrianism. The stanza is traditionally understood to be the essential statement of the religion of Mazdā. Thus, in Y 19 we have a unique opportunity to ask about the significance that the Gāthās of Zarathuštra held for the later Avestan tradition. In what intellectual horizon did Zoroastrian priests place their founding text? Although Y 19 exegesis of the Ahuna Vairiia contains semantic obscurities, it is possible to establish the meaning of the commentary through syntactic and conceptual analysis of two key terms and the phrases where they occur. The article critically examines the earlier interpretations of the text. Having found these inadequate, it proposes a new reading and understanding of the Avestan exegesis. In particular, the article argues that the Avestan exegete understood the Gāthic stanza within an eschatological horizon.
Specific deletion ofCdc42does not affect meiotic spindle organization/migration and homologous chromosome segregation but disrupts polarity establishment and cytokinesis in mouse oocytes
Authors: Wang Zhen-Bo , Jiang Zong-Zhe , Zhang Qing-Hua , Hu Meng-Wen , Huang Lin , Ou Xiang-Hong , Guo Lei , Ouyang Ying-Chun , Hou Yi , Brakebusch Cord , Schatten Heide , Sun Qing-Yuan
Published: October 2013

Mammalian oocyte maturation is distinguished by highly asymmetric meiotic divisions during which a haploid female gamete is produced and almost all the cytoplasm is maintained in the egg for embryo development. Actin-dependent meiosis I spindle positioning to the cortex induces the formation of a polarized actin cap and oocyte polarity, and it determines asymmetric divisions resulting in two polar bodies. Here we investigate the functions of Cdc42 in oocyte meiotic maturation by oocyte-specific deletion of Cdc42 through Cre-loxP conditional knockout technology. We find that Cdc42 deletion causes female infertility in mice. Cdc42 deletion has little effect on meiotic spindle organization and migration to the cortex but inhibits polar body emission, although homologous chromosome segregation occurs. The failure of cytokinesis is due to the loss of polarized Arp2/3 accumulation and actin cap formation; thus the defective contract ring. In addition, we correlate active Cdc42 dynamics with its function during polar body emission and find a relationship between Cdc42 and polarity, as well as polar body emission, in mouse oocytes.
Thymine distribution in genes provides novel insight into the functional significance of the proteome of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum 3D7
Authors: Palanisamy Balamurugan , Ekambaram Rajasekaran , Heese Klaus
Published: October 2013

Summary: Plasmodium falciparum (Pf)-mediated malaria is one of the most devastating diseases in the world, and the search for suitable antimalarial drugs remains an extraordinary challenge for scientists working in this area. Novel unconventional approaches could reveal new potential targets that may be useful for the treatment of malaria. We used a bioinformatics approach to analyze the entire genome of the Pf3D7 strain. Because the carbon (C-) content is a pivotal parameter that determines the hydrophobicity of a protein, which in turn controls protein folding and function, we analyzed the entire Pf3D7 proteome based on the gene’s thymine (T)-controlled amino acid expression. Our data disclose a total of 14 proteins encoded by chromosome-4 and chromosome-9 that have an outstanding T-encoded and C-controlled hydrophobic character. The identification of these proteins could open new pivotal drug-targeting avenues.

Contact: klaus@hanyang.ac.kr

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The effects of periodic marine inflow into the Baltic Sea on the migration patterns of Western Baltic spring-spawning herring
Authors: Miethe Tanja , Gröhsler Tomas , Böttcher Uwe , von Dorrien Christian
Published: October 2013

Western Baltic spring-spawning herring (WBSSH, Clupea harengus L.) perform seasonal migrations between feeding grounds in the Skagerrak and Kattegat and their spawning sites in the Western Baltic Sea. The Sound, connecting the Kattegat to the Western Baltic Sea, is an important aggregation and transition zone for this herring stock during its spawning migration. We analysed data from the German autumn acoustic surveys of the years 1993–2009. These data revealed at least two different distribution patterns of herring in autumn: herring generally aggregated in the Sound, but in some years the majority of herring were detected further south, being outside of the Sound by the time of the survey. We tested whether observed annual differences in the herring migration can be explained by either stock characteristics (age and size) or hydrographical variables (salinity and oxygen concentration). Our results suggest that rather than being related to stock characteristics, the distribution pattern of herring was related to environmental conditions, i.e. to marine inflow events into the Baltic Sea. Barotropic inflow events in late summer and early autumn seem to prevent deoxygenation in the Sound and thereby favour the prolonged aggregation of herring in the Sound.
Control of Soilborne Pathogens of Zingiber officinale by Methyl Iodide and Chloropicrin in China
Authors: Li Yuan , Chi Lida , Mao Liangang , Yan Dongdong , Wu Zhuanfang , Ma Taotao , Guo Meixia , Wang Qiuxia , Ouyang Canbin , Cao Aocheng
Published: October 2013

Development of effective alternative soil fumigants is essential to the phasing out of methyl bromide (MeBr) while keeping major soilborne pathogens under control. Here, we report on the laboratory studies and field trials evaluating methyl iodide (MeI) and chloropicrin (Pic) for control of major soilborne ginger (Zingiber officinale) pathogens Ralstonia solanacearum, Pythium spp., Fusarium oxysporum, and Meloidogyne incognita in Shandong province of China. Laboratory studies indicated that MeI at 24 mg/kg of soil was most effective, reducing four pathogens by >90%. Treatments with MeI+Pic at 12 mg/kg (1:3 and 1:5) also reduced these pathogens by >82%. In the field trials, MeI at 30 or 40 g/m2 and MeI+Pic (1:3) at 40 g/m2 yielded excellent long-term control of all target pathogens. These treatments allowed ginger plants to maintain vigorous growth and produce a greater number of tillers (>12 per plant), and increased ginger yields by >80% compared with the nontreated controls. MeI at a reduced rate of 20 g/m2 or Pic at 40 g/m2 provided levels of disease control similar to MeBr. These studies demonstrated that injection treatments with MeI at 30 and 40 g/m2, and MeI+Pic (1:3) at 40 g/m2, followed by covering with virtually impermeable film, are effective alternatives of soil fumigation for control of the major ginger pathogens in Shandong.
Comparative Pathogenicity, Biocontrol Efficacy, and Multilocus Sequence Typing of Verticillium nonalfalfae from the Invasive Ailanthus altissima and Other Hosts
Authors: Kasson M. T. , Short D. P. G. , O'Neal E. S. , Subbarao K. V. , Davis D. D.
Published: October 2013

Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium nonalfalfae, is currently killing tens of thousands of highly invasive Ailanthus altissima trees within the forests in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia and is being considered as a biological control agent of Ailanthus. However, little is known about the pathogenicity and virulence of V. nonalfalfae isolates from other hosts on Ailanthus, or the genetic diversity among V. nonalfalfae from confirmed Ailanthus wilt epicenters and from locations and hosts not associated with Ailanthus wilt. Here, we compared the pathogenicity and virulence of several V. nonalfalfae and V. alfalfae isolates, evaluated the efficacy of the virulent V. nonalfalfae isolate VnAa140 as a biocontrol agent of Ailanthus in Pennsylvania, and performed multilocus sequence typing of V. nonalfalfae and V. alfalfae. Inoculations of seven V. nonalfalfae and V. alfalfae isolates from six plant hosts on healthy Ailanthus seedlings revealed that V. nonalfalfae isolates from hosts other than Ailanthus were not pathogenic on Ailanthus. In the field, 100 canopy Ailanthus trees were inoculated across 12 stands with VnAa140 from 2006 to 2009. By 2011, natural spread of the fungus had resulted in the mortality of >14,000 additional canopy Ailanthus trees, 10,000 to 15,000 Ailanthus sprouts, and nearly complete eradication of Ailanthus from several smaller inoculated stands, with the exception of a few scattered vegetative sprouts that persisted in the understory for several years before succumbing. All V. nonalfalfae isolates associated with the lethal wilt of Ailanthus, along with 18 additional isolates from 10 hosts, shared the same multilocus sequence type (MLST), MLST 1, whereas three V. nonalfalfae isolates from kiwifruit shared a second sequence type, MLST 2. All V. alfalfae isolates included in the study shared the same MLST and included the first example of V. alfalfae infecting a non-lucerne host. Our results indicate that V. nonalfalfae is host adapted and highly efficacious against Ailanthus and, thus, is a strong candidate for use as a biocontrol agent.
Detection of Citrus Huanglongbing-Associated ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ in Citrus and Diaphorina citri in Pakistan, Seasonal Variability, and Implications for Disease Management
Authors: Razi Muhammad F. , Keremane Manjunath L. , Ramadugu Chandrika , Roose Mikeal , Khan Iqrar A. , Lee Richard F.
Published: October 2013

We report the detection of the huanglongbing (HLB)-associated bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ from both plants and insects in Pakistan and the seasonal variability in the numbers of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’-positive psyllid vector, Diaphorina citri. Our studies showed that ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ was detectable from trees in areas with maximum temperatures reaching nearly 50°C (average maximum of 42°C). However, the bacterium was present at very low levels in psyllids both in summer (June to August) and autumn (September to November) in contrast to reports from Florida, where the bacterium was detectable at very high levels during October to November. We hypothesize that hot summer temperatures in Pakistan may interfere with acquisition and replication of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ in psyllids and may lead to dead or nontransmissible ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ in plants. Psyllid counts were very low in both summer and winter, showed a population peak (‘Ca. L. asiaticus’-positive vectors) in spring, and showed a larger peak (‘Ca. L. asiaticus’-free psyllids) in autumn. Natural thermotherapy during hot summers and a low vector population during environmental extremes may have played a major role in long-term survival of the citrus industry in Pakistan. These results may be useful in developing management strategies for U.S. citrus industries in Texas and California.
MRI May Serve as a Valid Alternative to Standing Radiography in Evaluating the Sagittal Alignment of the Upper Thoracic Spine
Authors: Wang Fei , Sun Xu , Mao Saihu , Liu Zhen , Qiao Jun , Zhu Feng , Zhu Zezhang , Pan Tao , Chen Ling , Zhao Qinghua , Qiu Yong
Published: October 2013

Study Design:

This study is of a retrospective radiographic design.

Objective:

The objective of the study was to compare supine magnetic resonance images (MRI) with standing x-ray scanning in the evaluation of the sagittal alignment of the upper thoracic spine.

Summary of Background Data:

X-ray films have been reported to be inaccurate in evaluating the proximal thoracic sagittal alignment because of poor visibility of the upper thoracic region. Previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of supine MRI in evaluating spinal deformities in the coronal plane. However, no study has addressed the use of MRI for evaluating the sagittal alignment of the upper thoracic region.

Methods:

Ninety-six adolescents with idiopathic thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis were enrolled. The visibility of the upper thoracic spine landmarks from C7 to T6 in the lateral standing x-ray films was first graded. For patients with moderate or good clarity of the landmarks of each vertebra from C7 to T6 on x-ray films, the vertebral sagittal angles from T1 to T5 and the angle of T2–T5 kyphosis were measured by 3 observers on standing x-ray films and supine MRI images, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to determine the intraobserver, interobserver, and method reliability. The paired t test was performed to compare the measurements between the 2 methods.

Results:

The visibility of the upper thoracic region in x-ray films was generally unsatisfactory, especially for T1 and T2, whereas all the vertebrae were clear in MRI images. Only 50 patients’ x-ray films were graded as moderate or good visibility in the upper thoracic spine. Measurements on MRI images gave excellent intraobserver and interobserver reliability (0.914–0.924 and 0.838–0.920, respectively), which were better than that on x-ray films (0.767–0.891 and 0.713–0.883, respectively). No significant difference was found between the 2 modalities in terms of sagittal angles of T3, T4, and T5 (P=0.680, 0.595, and 0.239, respectively) and T2–T5 kyphosis (P=0.105).

Conclusions:

With excellent measurement reproducibility, a supine MRI image may serve as a valid alternative to a standing x-ray film for the measurement for T3, T4, and T5 sagittal angles and for the evaluation of upper thoracic kyphosis.
Surgical Site Infections Following the Transoral Approach
Authors: Yin QingShui , Xia Hong , Wu ZengHui , Ma XiangYang , Ai FuZhi , Zhang Kai , Wang JianHua , Zhang Tao , Bai ZhaoHui , Wang ZhiYun
Published: October 2013

Study Design:

A retrospective review.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to discuss the characteristics, treatment, and incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) following transoral approach surgery.

Summary of Background Data:

One of the primary risks associated with transoral approach surgery is postoperative SSI. Few reports exist detailing the specific circumstances, treatment options, and incidence of SSIs following transoral approach surgery in a large series of consecutive cases.

Materials and Methods:

From January 2005 to September 2010, 172 consecutive transoral surgeries were performed at a single tertiary referral center. Information on patients, treatment methods, and complication incidence and resolution was collected.

Results:

There were 6 cases of SSI (3.5%), all in complex craniocervical patients. Of the 6 cases, 2 (1.2%) were isolated local infections, whereas 4 (2.3%) resulted in intracranial infection. Of those with intracranial infections, 3 (75%) were instrumented, whereas 1 (25%) was uninstrumented. Four intraoperative dural lacerations occurred in the entire series (2.3%), all of which developed into intracranial infections. Full SSI resolution occurred in 4 (67%) patients following active treatment: in 3 of 4 patients (75%) with intracranial infections and in 1 of 2 patients (50%) with local infections. Of the 2 remaining unresolved cases, one patient (intracranial) refused removal of instrumentation and subsequently discontinued the treatment, and the other (local) experienced a delayed postoperative infection and died after not receiving treatment because of economic reasons. Following full implementation of care guidelines to avoid SSI in transoral patients, no further SSIs were observed.

Conclusions:

SSI rate following transoral exposure has increased from the authors’ earlier reports (0%), likely because of the increasing complexity and instrumentation of transoral approach cases. Cerebrospinal fluid leakage caused by dural injury highly predisposes to intracranial infection. Lumbar puncture, cranial computed tomography, continuous drainage diversion, and intrathecal injection of antibiotics are adequate methods of treatment. Strict consideration of surgical indications, adequate preoperative preparation, careful surgical technique to avoid dural injury, and postoperative oropharyngeal care are important steps for preventing SSI through the transoral approach.
Mucilaginibacter defluvii sp. nov., isolated from a dye wastewater treatment facility
Authors: Hwang Yeoung Min , Baik Keun Sik , Seong Chi Nam
Published: October 2013

A non-motile, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain A5T, was isolated from a dye wastewater treatment facility in the Republic of Korea. Cells were Gram-reaction-negative, aerobic, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. The major fatty acids were C16 : 0, C18 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω6c and/or C16 : 1ω7c) and the major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. The strain contained MK-7 as the only isoprenoid quinone and the DNA G+C content was 41.2 mol%. A phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain A5T forms an evolutionary lineage within the radiation encompassing the members of genus

Mucilaginibacter

, with

Mucilaginibacter lutimaris

BR-3T as its nearest neighbour (96.6 % sequence similarity). A number of phenotypic characteristics distinguished strain A5T from the members of the genus

Mucilaginibacter

. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, strain A5T represents a novel species, for which the name Mucilaginibacter defluvii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is A5T ( = KCTC 23922T = JCM 18283T).
Description of Galbitalea soli gen. nov., sp. nov., and Frondihabitans sucicola sp. nov.
Authors: Kim Soo-Jin , Lim Jun-Muk , Ahn Jae-Hyung , Weon Hang-Yeon , Hamada Moriyuki , Suzuki Ken-ichiro , Ahn Tae-Young , Kwon Soon-Wo
Published: October 2013

Bacterial strains KIS82-1T and GRS42T were isolated from soil and from sap of Acer mono, respectively, in the Republic of Korea. Both strains were aerobic, Gram-stain-positive, mesophilic, rod-shaped and motile. Phylogenetically, both strains belonged to the family

Microbacteriaceae

of the phylum

Actinobacteria

. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain KIS82-1T showed the highest similarity to those of

Frondihabitans peucedani

RS-15T (97.6 %),

Frigoribacterium mesophilum

MSL-08T (97.2 %) and

Labedella gwakjiensis

KSW2-17T (97.0 %), while strain GRS42T showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to

Frondihabitans peucedani

RS-15T (98.7 %),

Frondihabitans cladoniiphilus

CafT13T (98.4 %),

Frondihabitans australicus

E1HC-02T (98.2 %) and

Frigoribacterium faeni

801T (97.3 %). The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between GRS42T and KIS82-1T was 97.0 %. Phylogenetic trees indicated that strain GRS42T was firmly grouped into the genus

Frondihabitans

, while strain KIS82-1T did not show a clear affiliation to any genus within the family

Microbacteriaceae

. Strain KIS82-1T showed type B1β peptidoglycan with 2,4-diamino-l-butyric acid as the diamino acid. It had MK-11, MK-10 and MK-12 as respiratory quinones, anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and iso-C14 : 0 as major cellular fatty acids and diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and an unknown glycolipid as predominant polar lipids. The peptidoglycan of strain GRS42T was of type B2β with d-ornithine as the diamino acid. The strain contained MK-8, MK-9 and MK-7 as respiratory quinones, summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω6c and/or C18 : 1ω7c) as major cellular fatty acid and diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and three unknown glycolipids as predominant polar lipids. Strain GRS42T revealed low DNA–DNA hybridization (<50 % relatedness) with closely related strains. Based on the data obtained in the present polyphasic taxonomic study, we propose that strain KIS82-1T represents a novel genus and species and that strain GRS42T represents a novel species in the family

Microbacteriaceae

. The genus Galbitalea gen. nov. is proposed, with strain KIS82-1T ( = KACC 15520T = NBRC 108727T) as the type strain of the type species, Galbitalea soli sp. nov. Strain GRS42T ( = KACC 15521T = NBRC 108728T) is proposed as the type strain of Frondihabitans sucicola sp. nov.
Effects of AC interference on the optimum cathodic protection potential of X70 steel in soil solution
Authors: Ding Qingmiao , Li Zili , Hao Hongna
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The presence of alternating current (AC) causes serious damage on buried pipelines even when the off potential matches the −0.85 V/CSE criterion. The optimum cathodic protection potential (OCPP) is more accurate for cathodic protection. The paper aims to study how to get the optimum cathodic protection by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the effects of AC on the OCPP.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper describes the application of EIS to investigate the OCPP of X70 steel in a soil simulating solution with different AC interferences.

Findings

– The experimental results indicate that AC interference makes the OCPP decrease and the −0.85 V/CSE criterion is not reasonable when there is AC interference. When the AC voltage is less than 6 V, the OCPP is approximately −900 mV/SCE, and when AC voltage is more than 7 V, the OCPP is roughly −1,000 mV/SCE.

Originality/value

– There have been some researches on the OCPP, and the paper is the first one to study the AC effects on the OCPP and found that the OCPP changed when there was AC interference.
An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical study of the self-assembled monolayer phytic acid on the 430 stainless steel in NaCl solution
Authors: Cao Zhiyong , Wang Hairen , Jiang Yan , Qu June
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of inositol hexakisphosphoric (IP6) formed in NaCl solution at room temperature on the surface of Type 430 stainless steel (SS430) were studied. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The corrosion inhibition behavior of the SAMs was examined by electrochemical polarization curves, and surface characterizations were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Findings

– The results showed that the IP6 molecules were adsorbed successfully on the SS430 surface and demonstrated the capability of corrosion inhibition. A maximum IE value of 71.81 percent was achieved due to co-adsorption of water. The SS430 electrodes exposed to media containing 5×10−3 mol/L of IP6 exhibited the best anti-corrosive performance.

Originality/value

– The present paper will report for the first time the adsorption and corrosion inhibition performances of IP6 SAMs on the SS430.
A Planet-Wide Information System
Authors: Ahamer Gilbert
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– Various economic growth theories propose a view of globalisation resulting in economic convergence. However, others suggest economic divergence (i.e. a widening gap between global rich and poor) and others still, different patterns of development. Hence it is necessary to validate such globalisation hypotheses with sound quantitative data.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper proposes the “Global Change Data Base” (GCDB) that includes an analytical tool (AT) providing correlations between primary and secondary data (by country by year) from the fields of population, agriculture, economy, energy and human development.

Findings

– The AT is able to first test the hypotheses on global development and globalisation and second to suggest new hypotheses on the mechanisms of globalisation. Results can be used in curricula of Global Studies worldwide.

Research limitations/implications

– These data analysis has still to be complemented by sociological, political and economic theories providing insights into global restructuration processes and structural transitions through globalisation.

Practical implications

– “Forward-looking” as an emerging scientific discipline is supported by the proposed detailed analytical methods, namely by providing quantitative, in-depth techno-socio-economic megatrends.

Social implications

– The perception of globalisation might be rendered more inter-subjectively traceable by the GCDB.

Originality/value

– Up-to-date means of forward-looking are less detailed regarding economic sectors and energy sources compared to the proposed GCDB.
Global Education – an educational perspective to cope with globalisation?
Authors: Lehner Daniela , Wurzenberger Julia
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of Global Education (GE) from a “theory of action plan” and an “evolutionary and systems theory” approach as an educational perspective to cope with globalisation – more specifically, the challenges of globalisation. Moreover, an additional aim is to analyse the linkages of GE according to global society, global citizenship and transformative learning concepts.

Design/methodology/approach

– The analysis is based on a literature review regarding the challenges of globalisation combined with the theoretical pattern of GE separated into the following dimensions: objective/issues, temporal, spatial and social based on Lang-Wojtasik (2012), which will be further complemented with approaches from Selby and Rathenow (2006).

Findings

– GE is an educational perspective to cope with globalisation in consideration of different definitions and approaches of GE. The methods of GE, such as promoting a holistic view on the world, are designed based on the challenges of globalisation and, as a result, GE can provide perspectives for coping with globalisation.

Originality/value

– The challenges of globalisation are more and more noticeable in daily life. Therefore, it seems meaningful to the authors to resume an educational concept dealing with these challenges.
Measuring globalization
Authors: Zinkina Julia , Korotayev Andrey , I. Andreev Aleksey
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to encourage discussions regarding the existing approaches to globalization measurement (taking mainly the form of indices and rankings) and their shortcomings in terms of applicability to developing Global Studies curricula. Another aim is to propose an outline for the globalization measurement methodology that would take a systemic approach to revealing the global flows (both their direction and content) and networks, which will allow the multidimensionality in globalization measurement crucial for proposing and verifying formal explanations and hypotheses, as well as for developing globalization forecasts.

Design/methodology/approach

– Several methodologies for globalization measurements are compared in the paper, among the most important are variations of the index compilation methodology, and methods of network analysis.

Findings

– For Global Studies curricula, globalization measurement tools much more complex than indices are needed. A possible solution could lie in the analysis of country-to-country flows (and networks which these flows form), which appears much more data- and effort-consuming than the methodologies behind the index compilation, will allow the elaboration of a systemic vision of globalization and the interactions between its various aspects, which should necessarily underlie the Global Studies curricula.

Research limitations/implications

– The research concentrates upon the most widespread approaches to globalization measurements, such as the most widely recognized globalization indices, and the few attempts at country-to-country flows and networks measurement.

Originality/value

– The paper's originality/value lies in proposing an outline for a new multidimensional approach to measuring globalization based upon country-to-country flows and networks.
The impact of globalization on the formation of a global political system
Authors: V. Ilyin Ilya , Sergeevich Rozanov Alexander
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of globalization on the formation of a global political system.

Design/methodology/approach

– Taking into account the fact of global political evolution, the authors of the paper point out that the global political structures tend to change.

Findings

– During the past millennium the global political architecture has changed greatly from a state of low degree of cohesion and a simple structure to a fairly high level of unity and strong structure of today. Moreover, this development of the global political order was not just a simple change in the system of social relations, but also a directed search for such forms of organization that will be acceptable for a growing population.

Research limitations/implications

– The authors examine the development of a political system changing from the world phase to the global era. The paper aims to deepen the understanding of global political processes.

Practical implications

– The results of the research can be used as recommendations for state governments to strengthen the position of civil society and political institutions within a certain country.

Originality/value

– The development of a global political order was evolutionary in the sense that it took place as a “natural” process of “trial and error” (it can be viewed as a phenomenon of the deployment of evolution), which does not require the postulation of a general plan or focus. Political globalization is closely connected with the process of informatization. The global political system makes it easier to use information technologies as an instrument of political pressure.
Robust nonlinear HVAC systems control with evolutionary optimisation
Authors: Counsell John , Zaher Obadah , Brindley Joseph , Murphy Gavin
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this research is to design a robust high-performance nonlinear multi-input multi-output heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system controller for temperature and relative humidity regulation. Buildings are complex systems which are subjected to many unknown disturbances. Further complicating the control problem is the fact that, in practice, buildings and their systems have static nonlinearities such as power saturation that make stability difficult to guarantee. Therefore, in order to overcome these issues, a control system must be designed to be robust (performance insensitive) against uncertainties, static nonlinearities and effectively respond to unknown heat load and moisture disturbances.

Design/methodology/approach

– A state of the art nonlinear inverse dynamics (NID) technique is combined with a genetic algorithm (GA) optimisation scheme in order to improve robustness against uncertainty in the system's modelling assumptions. The parameter uncertainty problem is addressed by optimising the control system parameters over a specified range of uncertainty. The NID control structure provides further robustness with effective disturbance handling and a stability criteria that holds in the presence of actuator saturation.

Findings

– The proposed method delivers significantly more energy efficient performance whilst achieving improved thermal comfort when compared with a current industry standard HVAC controller design such as proportional-integral-derivative. The expected excellent response to disturbances is also demonstrated.

Research limitations/implications

– This method can easily be extended to account for other parameters with a specified uncertainty range.

Practical implications

– This research presents a method of optimised NID controller design which can be easily implemented in real HVAC controllers of building energy management systems with a high degree of confidence to provide high levels of thermal comfort whilst significantly reducing energy usage.

Originality/value

– A novel HVAC optimised NID control strategy using the robust inverse dynamics estimation feedback control topology with GA optimisation for improved robustness and tuning over a range of parameter uncertainty is described, designed and its performance benefits shown through simulation studies.
Multi-objective optimization for laminated steel sheet forming process based on desirability function approach and reliability analysis
Authors: Li Haibo , Chen Jun , Xiao Yuzhong
Published: October 2013

Purpose

– There are process uncertainties and material property variations during laminated steel sheet forming, and those fluctuations may result in non-reliable forming quality issues such as fracture and delamination. Additionally, the optimization of sheet forming process is a typical multi-objective optimization problem. The target is to find a multi-objective design optimization and improve the process design reliability for laminated sheet metal forming. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– Desirability function approach is adopted to conduct deterministic multi-objective optimization, and response surface is used as meta-model. Reliability analysis is conducted to evaluate the robustness of the multi-objective design optimization. The proposed method is implemented in a step-bottom square cup drawing process. First, forming process parameters and three noise factors are assumed as probability variables to conduct reliability assessment of the laminated steel sheet forming process using Monte Carlo simulation. Next, only two forming process parameters, blank holding force and frictional coefficient, are considered as probability variables to investigate the influence of the forming parameter deviation on the variance of the response using the first-order second-moment method.

Findings

– The results indicate that multi-objective design optimization using desirability function method has high efficiency, and an optimized robust design can be obtained after reliability assessment.

Originality/value

– The proposed design procedure has potential as a simple and practical approach in the laminated steel sheet forming process.