bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Frontline rituximab monotherapy induction versus a watch and wait approach for asymptomatic advanced‐stage follicular lymphoma: A cost‐effectiveness analysis
Authors: Prica Anca , Chan Kelvin , Cheung Matthew
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND

A watch and wait (WW) strategy is the standard of care for patients with asymptomatic advanced‐stage follicular lymphoma. Recent data have demonstrated an improvement in the time to progression with rituximab induction (RI) with or without rituximab maintenance (RM) in comparison with a WW strategy wait in such patients. It remains unclear whether this is a cost‐effective strategy.

METHODS

A Markov decision analysis model was developed to compare the clinical outcomes, costs, and cost‐effectiveness of RI (4 weekly doses) plus RM (12 doses every 2 months), RI (4 weekly doses), and a WW strategy for patients newly diagnosed with low‐burden, asymptomatic advanced‐stage follicular lymphoma over a lifetime horizon. Baseline probabilities and utilities were derived from a systematic review of published studies, and they were evaluated on a 6‐month cycle. A Canadian public health payer's perspective was adopted, and costs were presented in 2012 Canadian dollars.

RESULTS

RI was the cheapest strategy. It was less costly at $59,953 versus $67,489 for the RM arm and $75,895 for the WW arm. It was also associated with a slightly lower quality‐adjusted life expectancy at 6.16 quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs) versus 6.28 QALYs for the RM strategy but was superior to WW (5.71 QALYs). In sensitivity analyses of key variables, this effectiveness was sensitive to the probability of first and second progression in the RI arm, and this indicated relatively neutral effectiveness between the 2 rituximab arms.

CONCLUSIONS

RI without maintenance for asymptomatic advanced‐stage follicular lymphoma is the preferred strategy: it minimizes costs per patient over a lifetime horizon. Cancer 2015;121:2637–2645. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Organization and detailed parcellation of human hippocampal head and body regions based on a combined analysis of Cyto‐ and chemoarchitecture
Authors: Ding Song‐Lin , Van Hoesen Gary W.
Published: April 2015

The hippocampal formation (HF) is one of the hottest regions in neuroscience because it is critical to learning, memory, and cognition, while being vulnerable to many neurological and mental disorders. With increasing high‐resolution imaging techniques, many scientists have started to use distinct landmarks along the anterior–posterior axis of HF to allow segmentation into individual subfields in order to identify specific functions in both normal and diseased conditions. These studies urgently call for more reliable and accurate segmentation of the HF subfields DG, CA3, CA2, CA1, prosubiculum, subiculum, presubiculum, and parasubiculum. Unfortunately, very limited data are available on detailed parcellation of the HF subfields, especially in the complex, curved hippocampal head region. In this study we revealed detailed organization and parcellation of all subfields of the hippocampal head and body regions on the base of a combined analysis of multiple cyto‐ and chemoarchitectural stains and dense sequential section sampling. We also correlated these subfields to macro‐anatomical landmarks, which are visible on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Furthermore, we created three versions of the detailed anatomic atlas for the hippocampal head region to account for brains with four, three, or two hippocampal digitations. These results will provide a fundamental basis for understanding the organization, parcellation, and anterior–posterior difference of human HF, facilitating accurate segmentation and measurement of HF subfields in the human brain on MRI scans. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:2233–2253, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Is TiO2(B) the Future of Titanium‐Based Battery Materials?
Authors: Fehse Marcus , Ventosa Edgar
Published: April 2015

Titania materials are gaining interest as negative electrode materials in Li‐ion batteries due to their high power capability and enhanced safety. Today, Li4Ti5O12 is the material of choice for commercial batteries, but other titania materials, namely polymorphs of TiO2, are being explored because of their similar electrochemical behavior and higher theoretical specific charge capacity. In practice, the specific charge capacity of TiO2 remains far below the theoretical value of 336 mA h g−1 due to poor electrical conductivity and slow Li‐ion mobility. This Minireview describes the main strategies developed to overcome the limitations of TiO2 polymorphs. Special attention is given to TiO2(B) since its outstanding Li‐ion mobility, the highest mobility among all TiO2 polymorphs, has led to superior electrochemical performance. Finally, the potential of titania materials in sodium‐ion batteries is also discussed.
Pd/Nb2O5/SiO2 Catalyst for the Direct Hydrodeoxygenation of Biomass‐Related Compounds to Liquid Alkanes under Mild Conditions
Authors: Shao Yi , Xia Qineng , Liu Xiaohui , Lu Guanzhong , Wang Yanqin
Published: April 2015

A simple Pd‐loaded Nb2O5/SiO2 catalyst was prepared for the hydrodeoxygenation of biomass‐related compounds to alkanes under mild conditions. Niobium oxide dispersed in silica (Nb2O5/SiO2) as the support was prepared by the sol–gel method and characterized by various techniques, including N2 adsorption, XRD, NH3 temperature‐programmed desorption (TPD), TEM, and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDAX) atomic mapping. The characterization results showed that the niobium oxide species were amorphous and well dispersed in silica. Compared to commercial Nb2O5, Nb2O5/SiO2 has significantly more active niobium oxide species exposed on the surface. Under mild conditions (170 °C, 2.5 MPa), Pd/10 %Nb2O5/SiO2 was effective for the hydrodeoxygenation reactions of 4‐(2‐furyl)‐3‐buten‐2‐one (aldol adduct of furfural with acetone), palmitic acid, tristearin, and diphenyl ether (model compounds of microalgae oils, vegetable oils, and lignin), which gave high yields (>94 %) of alkanes with little CC bond cleavage. More importantly, owing to the significant promotion effect of NbOx species on CO bond cleavage and the mild reaction conditions, the CC cleavage was considerably restrained, and the catalyst showed an excellent activity and stability for the hydrodeoxygenation of palmitic acid with almost no decrease in hexadecane yield (94–95 %) in a 150 h time‐on‐stream test.
Effect of Charged Sphere Size on Electrostatic Discharge Generated While Approaching a Stationary Object
Authors: Tomita Hajime
Published: April 2015

This study experimentally clarified that changing the size of a charged object affects the characteristics of the electrostatic discharge (ESD) that occurs when a charged object moves toward a stationary, grounded object. The spark lengths and discharge currents were measured as charged, metallic, spherical electrodes of different diameters approached a stationary grounded object at different speeds. The charge voltages of the dc high‐voltage power supply were +4.0 kV and +6.5 kV. According to the results, the average spark length tended to shorten with the speed of the spherical electrodes. The change in the average spark length with the speed of the 5.0‐mm‐diameter spherical electrode was faster than that for the 15.9‐mm‐diameter spherical electrode. The average peak value of the first peak of the discharge current for the 5.0‐mm‐diameter spherical electrode was greater than the average value for the 15.9‐mm‐diameter spherical electrode when the approach speed was greater than 5 mm/s for both spherical electrodes. The peak value, rise time, and rising speed of the first peak of the discharge current also correlate with the spark length, and the correlation can be explained qualitatively an the empirical equation deduced from the resistance formula proposed by Rompe and Weizel.
Analysis of Smoothing Effect of Weather in Distribution System on PV Generation
Authors: Matsuda Katsuhiro , Futakami Takafumi , Matsumoto Takuya , Yamane Ken'ichiro , Watanabe Masahiro , Murakoshi Jun
Published: April 2015

This paper describes the smoothing effect and fluctuations of PV generation for the purpose of voltage management in a distribution system. The purpose of the analysis is to show quantitatively the fluctuations and the smoothing effect of PV generation by weather, using actual generation data from 25 distributed PVs in the distribution area. The analysis showed the impact of weather on PV output fluctuation based on the indexes of coherence and maximum fluctuation. In particular, it showed the relationship between the area size and the PV output fluctuations by frequency. It was found that the two indexes differed with the weather, and fine and cloudy days seemed to be the most difficult situation for voltage management in the distribution system.
Ribonucleotide reductase‐mediated increase in dATP improves cardiac performance via myosin activation in a large animal model of heart failure
Authors: Kadota Shin , Carey John , Reinecke Hans , Leggett James , Teichman Sam , Laflamme Michael A. , Murry Charles E. , Regnier Michael , Mahairas Gregory G.
Published: April 2015

Aims

Heart failure remains a leading cause of morbidity, hospitalizations, and deaths. We previously showed that overexpression of the enzyme ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) in cardiomyocytes increased levels of the myosin activator, 2‐deoxy‐ATP, catalysed enhanced contraction, and improved cardiac performance in rodent hearts. Here we used a swine model of myocardial infarction (MI) to test preliminarily a novel gene therapy for heart failure based on delivery of the human RNR enzyme complex under the control of a cardiac‐specific promoter via an adeno‐associated virus serotype 6 vector—designated as BB‐R12.

Methods and results

We induced heart failure following MI in Yucatan minipigs by balloon occlusion of the left anterior descending artery. Two weeks, later, pigs received BB‐R12 at one of three doses via antegrade coronary infusion. At 2 months post‐treatment, LVEF and systolic LV dimension (measured by echocardiography) improved significantly in the high‐dose group, despite further deterioration in the saline controls. Haemodynamic parameters including LV end‐diastolic pressure, +dP/dt, and –dP/dt all trended towards improvement in the high‐dose group. We observed no difference in the histopathological appearance of hearts or other organs from treated animals vs. controls, nor did we encounter any safety or tolerability concerns following BB‐R12 delivery.

Conclusion

These pilot results suggest cardiac‐specific gene therapy using BB‐R12 may reverse cardiac dysfunction by myosin activation in a large‐animal heart failure model with no observed safety concerns. Thus further research into the therapeutic potential of BB‐R12 for patients with chronic heart failure appears warranted.
Connectivity‐based parcellation of the thalamus in multiple sclerosis and its implications for cognitive impairment: A multicenter study
Authors: Bisecco Alvino , Rocca Maria A. , Pagani Elisabetta , Mancini Laura , Enzinger Christian , Gallo Antonio , Vrenken Hugo , Stromillo Maria Laura , Copetti Massimiliano , Thomas David L. , Fazekas Franz , Tedeschi Gioacchino , Barkhof Frederik , De Stefano Nicola , Filippi Massimo ,   MAGNIMS Network
Published: April 2015

In this multicenter study, we performed a tractography‐based parcellation of the thalamus and its white matter connections to investigate the relationship between thalamic connectivity abnormalities and cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS). Dual‐echo, morphological and diffusion tensor (DT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were collected from 52 relapsing‐remitting MS patients and 57 healthy controls from six European centers. Patients underwent an extensive neuropsychological assessment. Thalamic connectivity defined regions (CDRs) were segmented based on their cortical connectivity using diffusion tractography‐based parcellation. Between‐group differences of CDRs and cortico‐thalamic tracts DT MRI indices were assessed. A vertex analysis of thalamic shape was also performed. A random forest analysis was run to identify the best imaging predictor of global cognitive impairment and deficits of specific cognitive domains. Twenty‐two (43%) MS patients were cognitively impaired (CI). Compared to cognitively preserved, CI MS patients had increased fractional anisotropy of frontal, motor, postcentral and occipital connected CDRs (0.002<P<0.02). They also experienced more pronounced atrophy in anterior thalamic regions and abnormal DT MRI indices of all cortico‐thalamic tracts. Damage of specific cortico‐thalamic tracts explained global cognitive dysfunction and impairment of selected cognitive domains better than all other MRI variables. Thalamic CDR DT MRI abnormalities were correlated with abnormalities of the corresponding cortico‐thalamic tracts. Cortico‐thalamic disconnection is, at various levels, implicated in cognitive dysfunction in MS. Thalamic involvement in CI MS patients is likely related to gray matter rather than white matter damage of thalamic subregions. Hum Brain Mapp 36:2809–2825, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reanalyzing Zero Returns to Education in Germany
Authors: Kamhöfer Daniel A. , Schmitz Hendrik
Published: April 2015

Pischke and von Wachter (Review of Economics and Statistics 2008; 90(3): 592–598) find zero earnings returns to compulsory schooling in the basic school track in Germany. We reanalyze their study using a different dataset. In an extension, we use additional instruments which allow estimation of heterogeneous effects for different groups of compliers. We can confirm the previous result and also find zero returns for other compliers in higher track schools. Moreover, we do not find a causal effect of schooling on cognitive skills. This is in line with a potential reason Pischke & von Wachter (2008) give for their result, namely that basic skills are learned earlier in Germany and additional years of schooling are no longer effective. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Aluminium oxide nanoparticles induced morphological changes, cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in Chinook salmon (CHSE‐214) cells
Authors: Srikanth Koigoora , Mahajan Amit , Pereira Eduarda , Duarte Armando Costa , Venkateswara Rao Janapala
Published: April 2015

Aluminium oxide nanoparticles (Al2O3 NPs) are increasingly used in diverse applications that has raised concern about their safety. Recent studies suggested that Al2O3 NPs induced oxidative stress may be the cause of toxicity in algae, Ceriodaphnia dubia, Caenorhabditis elegans and Danio rerio. However, there is paucity on the toxicity of Al2O3 NPs on fish cell lines. The current study was aimed to investigate Al2O3 NPs induced cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and morphological abnormality of Chinnok salmon cells (CHSE‐214). A dose‐dependent decline in cell viability was observed in CHSE‐214 cells exposed to Al2O3 NPs. Oxidative stress induced by Al2O3 NPs in CHSE‐214 cells has resulted in the significant reduction of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione in a dose‐dependent manner. However, a significant increase in glutathione sulfo‐transferase and lipid peroxidation was observed in CHSE‐214 cells exposed to Al2O3 NPs in a dose‐dependent manner. Significant morphological changes in CHSE‐214 cells were observed when exposed to Al2O3 NPs at 6, 12 and 24 h. The cells started to detach and appear spherical at 6 h followed by loss of cellular contents resulting in the shrinking of the cells. At 24 h, the cells started to disintegrate and resulted in cell death. Our data demonstrate that Al2O3 NPs induce cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in a dose‐dependent manner in CHSE‐214 cells. Thus, our current work may serve as a base‐line study for future evaluation of toxicity studies using CHSE‐214 cells. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Loggerhead sea turtle environmental sex determination: Implications of moisture and temperature for climate change based predictions for species survival
Authors: Wyneken Jeanette , Lolavar Alexandra
Published: April 2015

It has been proposed that because marine turtles have environmentally determined sex by incubation temperature, elevated temperatures might skew sex ratios to unsustainable levels, leading to extinction. Elevated temperatures may also reduce availability of suitable nesting sites via sea level rise. Increased tropical storm activity can directly affect nest site moisture, embryonic development, and the probability that nests will survive. Here, we question some of these assumptions and review the limits of sex ratio estimates. Sea turtles may be more resilient to climate change than previously thought, in part because of hitherto unappreciated mechanisms for coping with variable incubation conditions. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 323B:295–314, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Automated removal of spurious intermediate cerebral blood flow volumes improves image quality among older patients: A clinical arterial spin labeling investigation
Authors: Shirzadi Zahra , Crane David E. , Robertson Andrew D. , Maralani Pejman J. , Aviv Richard I. , Chappell Michael A. , Goldstein Benjamin I. , Black Sandra E. , MacIntosh Bradley J.
Published: April 2015

Purpose

To evaluate the impact of rejecting intermediate cerebral blood flow (CBF) images that are adversely affected by head motion during an arterial spin labeling (ASL) acquisition.

Materials and Methods

Eighty participants were recruited, representing a wide age range (14–90 years) and heterogeneous cerebrovascular health conditions including bipolar disorder, chronic stroke, and moderate to severe white matter hyperintensities of presumed vascular origin. Pseudocontinuous ASL and T1‐weigthed anatomical images were acquired on a 3T scanner. ASL intermediate CBF images were included based on their contribution to the mean estimate, with the goal to maximize CBF detectability in gray matter (GM). Simulations were conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed optimization procedure relative to other ASL postprocessing approaches. Clinical CBF images were also assessed visually by two experienced neuroradiologists.

Results

Optimized CBF images (CBFopt) had significantly greater agreement with a synthetic ground truth CBF image and greater CBF detectability relative to the other ASL analysis methods (P < 0.05). Moreover, empirical CBFopt images showed a significantly improved signal‐to‐noise ratio relative to CBF images obtained from other postprocessing approaches (mean: 12.6%; range 1% to 56%; P < 0.001), and this improvement was age‐dependent (P = 0.03). Differences between CBF images from different analysis procedures were not perceptible by visual inspection, while there was a moderate agreement between the ratings (κ = 0.44, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study developed an automated head motion threshold‐free procedure to improve the detection of CBF in GM. The improvement in CBF image quality was larger when considering older participants. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;42:1377–1385.
Accidental dropping or misplacement of free flaps
Authors: Wax Mark K. , Futran Neal D. , Rosenthal Eben L. , Blackwell Keith E. , Cannady Steven
Published: April 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

Standard operating procedures have been developed in many surgical practices to ensure quality of care as it relates to specimens removed from the body. Most of these specimens are sent to pathology. Some, such as calvarial bone harvested during craniotomy are replaced in the body. Free tissue transfer involves harvesting tissue from one body site, storage for a variable period of time outside of the body, and then insertion in another location. As with any system there is ample opportunity for accidental “misplacement.” We undertook a multi‐institutional study to examine the incidence, etiology, and opportunity for process improvement.

Study Design

Retrospective review.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed at five institutions (8,382 free flaps).

Results

Thirteen (0.15%) flaps were dropped or wrapped in a towel/sponge and placed in a waste bucket. Eight radial forearm, three fibula, one latissimus dorsi, and one anterolateral thigh flap were misplaced. All flaps were retrieved, washed in saline/betadine, and implanted into the patient. All flaps survived; no altered outcomes were encountered. The etiology of the misplacement of the free tissue from the sterile field included miscommunication among nursing staff (seven), miscommunication among medical staff (two), and dropping the flap (four). As a result of these events, changes in the handling procedures were instituted including standard labeling methodologies and communication strategies.

Conclusions

Inadvertent misplacement of free tissue from the sterile field does occur in a sporadic fashion. Process improvement evaluation at all institutions led to improved strategies for prevention. No long‐lasting altered outcomes were encountered.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 125:1807–1810, 2015
The effects of hot pressing on the swelling behavior of P(MMA‐co‐NVP) hydrogel discs
Authors: Smith J.R. , Radzi Z. , Czernuszka J.T.
Published: April 2015

Compression of dehydrated P(MMA‐co‐NVP) hydrogel at the glass transition temperature (161°C) results in discs which exhibit orthotropic expansion when hydrated in water. It has been found that the expansion is nonuniform, with an outer annulus expanding more rapidly than the inner core. This behavior has been investigated by comparing the crosspolarized light microscopy, swelling response, and hardness tests for discs pressed with a lower friction (PTFE) interface and those pressed with a higher friction interface (aluminum). Only in the latter case was a clear boundary observed. The outer 4 mm of a 13 mm disc showed increased radial chain alignment as compared to the inner core, as well as a lower average hardness value (81.7HK compared to 97.7HK). These results were not observed in samples pressed with a PTFE interface. This behavior has subsequently been modeled using axisymmetric loading and assuming Von Mises Criteria, showing that the change in behavior can be explained by the presence of a stick–slip boundary formed during hot pressing. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:1290–1295, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Approaching Transnational Social Protection: Methodological Challenges and Empirical Applications
Authors: Barglowski Karolina , Bilecen Başak , Amelina Anna
Published: April 2015

Transnational social spaces are multidimensional in terms of the socio‐spatial categories – that is, local, global, and national – and different actors and institutions involved. Recent developments in transnational methodology argue for a thorough reflection on the challenges of methodological nationalism, essentialism, and researchers' positionality. Therefore, in designing and conducting transnational research, reflections on methodological challenges become a crucial step. Yet, as these challenges often remain to be discussed on a methodological level, their implementation still needs to be set out clearly to be useful for empirical research in transnational social spaces such as on social protection. For that reason, we discuss transnational research designs as well as different methods of data collection and analysis. We argue for a multisited and mixed‐method research design, which includes the emigration and the immigration countries, as well as the involvement of research teams located across borders. Thereby, a combination of perspectives between emigration and immigration countries in transnational social spaces can be achieved. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sampled‐data control of nonlinear networked systems with time‐delay and quantization
Authors: Zhang Hao , Feng Gang , Yan Huaicheng , Chen Qijun
Published: April 2015

In this paper, the stabilization problem of a class of nonlinear networked systems with time‐delay and quantization through sampled‐data control is investigated. With sampled‐data control, sufficient conditions to guarantee the trivial solution of the nonlinear networked system to be asymptotically stable without any quantization or with uniform quantization are derived. Finally, an example of a continuous‐time nonlinear system controlled through a digital controller and a communication channel is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control methods. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Concise Review: Energy Metabolites: Key Mediators of the Epigenetic State of Pluripotency
Authors: Moussaieff Arieh , Kogan Natalya M. , Aberdam Daniel
Published: April 2015

Recent studies suggest that the metabolic network is an important part of the molecular circuitry that underlies pluripotency. Of the metabolic pathways that were implicated in the pluripotency balance, “energy” metabolism is particularly notable. Its mechanism of action on pluripotency-regulating genes has been partially elucidated when three metabolites, namely acetate, S-adenosylmethionine, and O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine were recently shown to link cytosolic signals to pluripotent gene expression. The cytosolic levels of these metabolites are the result of environmental perturbations, making them sensitive messengers, which are assumed to diffuse through the nuclear pores, being small molecules. Recent work also suggests that the modulation of the levels of these metabolites in pluripotent cells controls the balance between pluripotency and early commitment via epigenetic modifications. Here, we review recent studies that link metabolism and pluripotency via epigenetic modifications that occur through these three metabolites. Stem Cells  2015;33:2374–2380
Automatic fault localization for client‐side JavaScript
Authors: Ocariza Frolin S. , Li Guanpeng , Pattabiraman Karthik , Mesbah Ali
Published: April 2015

JAVASCRIPT is a scripting language that plays a prominent role in web applications today. It is dynamic, loosely typed and asynchronous and is extensively used to interact with the Document Object Model (DOM) at runtime. All these characteristics make JAVASCRIPT code error‐prone; unfortunately, JAVASCRIPT fault localization remains a tedious and mainly manual task. Despite these challenges, the problem has received very limited research attention. This paper proposes an automated technique to localize JAVASCRIPT faults based on dynamic analysis, tracing and backward slicing of JAVASCRIPT code. This technique is capable of handling features of JAVASCRIPT code that have traditionally been difficult to analyse, including eval, anonymous functions and minified code. The approach is implemented in an open source tool called AUTOFLOX, and evaluation results indicate that it is capable of (1) automatically localizing DOM‐related JAVASCRIPT faults with high accuracy (over 96%) and no false‐positives and (2) isolating JAVASCRIPT faults in production websites and actual bugs from real‐world web applications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhanced leavening ability of baker’s yeast by overexpression of SNR84 with PGM2 deletion
Authors: Lin Xue , Zhang Cui-Ying , Bai Xiao-Wen , Xiao Dong-Guang
Published: April 2015

Dough-leavening ability is one of the main aspects considered when selecting a baker’s yeast strain for baking industry. Generally, modification of maltose metabolic pathway and known regulatory networks of maltose metabolism were used to increase maltose metabolism to improve leavening ability in lean dough. In this study, we focus on the effects of PGM2 (encoding for the phosphoglucomutase) and SNR84 (encoding for the H/ACA snoRNA) that are not directly related to both the maltose metabolic pathway and known regulatory networks of maltose metabolism on the leavening ability of baker’s yeast in lean dough. The results show that the modifications on PGM2 and/or SNR84 are effective ways in improving leavening ability of baker’s yeast in lean dough. Deletion of PGM2 decreased cellular glucose-1-phosphate and overexpression of SNR84 increased the maltose permease activity. These changes resulted in 11, 19 and 21 % increases of the leavening ability for PGM2 deletion, SNR84 overexpression and SNR84 overexpression combining deleted PGM2, respectively.
4‐Oxo‐(E)‐2‐hexenal produced by Heteroptera induces permanent locomotive impairment in crickets that correlates with free thiol depletion
Authors: Noge Koji , Becerra Judith X.
Published: April 2015

Heteropterans produce 2‐alkenals and 4‐keto‐2‐alkenals that function as defense substances or pheromones. However, in spite of advances in heteropteran chemistry, it is still unclear how these compounds affect insect physiology. We found that exposure to 4‐oxo‐(E)‐2‐hexenal (OHE) induced permanent paralysis and death in crickets, an experimental model. The depletion of free thiols in leg tissues of OHE‐treated crickets and thein vitro adduct formation of OHE with a thiol compound suggest that covalent binding of OHE to biologically active thiols is a potential cause affecting crickets’ locomotion.
Comparative Cost of Stockpiling Various Types of Respiratory Protective Devices to Protect the Health Care Workforce During an Influenza Pandemic
Authors: Baracco Gio , Eisert Sheri , Eagan Aaron , Radonovich Lewis
Published: April 2015

Specific guidance on the size and composition of respiratory protective device (RPD) stockpiles for use during a pandemic is lacking. We explore the economic aspects of stockpiling various types and combinations of RPDs by adapting a pandemic model that estimates the impact of a severe pandemic on a defined population, the number of potential interactions between patients and health care personnel, and the potential number of health care personnel needed to fulfill those needs. Our model calculates the number of the different types of RPDs that should be stockpiled and the consequent cost of purchase and storage, prorating this cost over the shelf life of the inventory. Compared with disposable N95 or powered air-purifying respirators, we show that stockpiling reusable elastomeric half-face respirators is the least costly approach. Disposable N95 respirators take up significantly more storage space, which increases relative costs. Reusing or extending the usable period of disposable devices may diminish some of these costs. We conclude that stockpiling a combination of disposable N95 and reusable half-face RPDs is the best approach to preparedness for most health care organizations. We recommend against stockpiling powered air-purifying respirators as they are much more costly than alternative approaches. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:313-318)
WHAT THE INTERNALIST SHOULD SAY TO THE TORTOISE
Authors: Fumerton Richard
Published: April 2015

Carroll's (1895) short piece “What the Tortoise said to Achilles” in many ways anticipates issues that arise in a number of contemporary controversies. One might argue, for example, that initially plausible attempts to deal with the problem of easy knowledge will land one in the unfortunate position of Achilles who followed the Tortoise down a road that leads to vicious infinite regress. Or consider the conditions required for inferential justification. For idealized inferential justification, I have defended (1995, 2004, 2006) the view that to be justified in believing P on the basis of E one needs to be not only justified in believing E, but justified in believing that E makes probable P (where entailment is the upper limit of making probable). And again, critics have argued that such a strong requirement fails to learn the lesson that Achilles should have been taught by the Tortoise. Even more generally, one might well argue that strong access internalists will need to deal with a variation of Carroll's puzzle even for their accounts of non-inferential justification. In this paper I'll examine these controversies with a mind to reaching a conclusion about just exactly how one can accept intellectually demanding conditions on justified belief without encountering vicious regress.
Gendering Access to Credit: Business Legitimacy in Mandate Palestine
Authors: PFEFFERMAN TALIA , DE VRIES DAVID
Published: April 2015

Although business historiography has demonstrated a variety of impediments placed on women’s entry to entrepreneurship and business, the negotiated mechanisms that constructed the gendered selection has been understudied. Based on an analysis of loan applications by Jewish women in British-ruled Palestine before 1948, this article shows how material considerations to approve the loans and facilitate entry to business activity were based not merely on gender-oriented perceptions on the legitimacy of doing business, but also on a mosaic of normative constructions of family, community, and nation building.
“Men of the World”: British Mariners, Consumer Practice, and Material Culture in an Era of Global Trade, c. 1660–1800
Authors: Lemire Beverly
Published: April 2015

Growing numbers of sailors powered British fleets during the long eighteenth century. By exploring mariners' habits, dress, and material practice when in port, this article uncovers their roles as agents of cultural change. These men complicated material hierarchies, with a broad impact on developing western consumer societies, devising a distinctive material practice. They shaped important systems of transnational exchange and redefined networks of plebeian material culture. Mariners were also endowed with a growing rhetorical authority over the long eighteenth century, embodying new plebeian cosmopolitanism, while expressing facets of a dawning imperial masculinity. Marcus Rediker described eighteenth-century Anglo-American mariners as plain dealers, wageworkers, and pirates, as well as “men of the world.” This international contingent mediated between world communities, while demonstrating new tastes and new fashions. They also personified the manly traits celebrated in Britain's burgeoning imperial age.
J. A. Hobson and the Machinery Question
Authors: Wilson Daniel C. S.
Published: April 2015

The effects of industrialization on British life were the subject of a broad and intelligible set of debates during the early nineteenth century, often described as the “machinery question.” This question, concerning what today is called “technology,” was framed to include its effects on the whole of human life—an approach rarely seen by the late nineteenth century, a period marked instead by disciplinary specialization. An exception to this trend can be found in the work of the social critic and heterodox economist J. A. Hobson (1858–1940), better known for his critique of imperialism. From the 1890s, Hobson reopened the machinery question by offering anethicalanalysis of mechanization which was both holistic and sustained. In addition to proposing this new lens for viewing Hobson, this article explores the challenges—as well as the opportunities—facing those returning to the machinery question more generally.
Transatlantic Influence in the Shaping of Business Education: The Origins of IMD, 1946–1990
Authors: David Thomas , Schaufelbuehl Janick Marina
Published: April 2015

The history of the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), one of the most prestigious business schools in the world, highlights the role of multinationals in establishing business education in Europe and the problem of legitimacy. The creation of IMD's predecessors CEI and IMEDE by Alcan and Nestlé also illuminates the role of Harvard Business School in their development and the reciprocal influences of American and European management education after World War II.
Antidumping and Strategic Industrial Policy: Tit-for-Tat Trade Remedies and theChina–X-Ray EquipmentDispute
Authors: MOORE MICHAEL O. , WU MARK
Published: April 2015

This article examines the relationship between antidumping duties and strategic industrial policy. We argue that the dynamic between the two instruments is more complex and elaborate than that offered by the conventional account. We use the recentChina–X-Ray Equipmentdispute as a case study to show that linkage between the two instruments may not be the consequence of a government-led policy but instead a result of firm-driven responses to an industrial policy. This in turn may lead to antidumping tit-for-tat behavior between WTO members. We also analyze how WTO litigation serves as a means to alter the payoff and discuss the implications and unresolved questions that remain following theChina–X-Ray Equipmentruling by the WTO.
China – Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duty Measures on Broiler Products from the United States: How the chickens came home to roost
Authors: PRUSA THOMAS J. , VERMULST EDWIN
Published: April 2015

The WTO Panel report on China – Anti-dumping and Countervailing Duty Measures on Broiler Products from the United States was circulated to Members on 2 August 2013. In the report, the Panel examined a variety of issues challenged by the United States under various provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, the Anti-dumping Agreement and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. The Panel upheld the United States' claims on the majority of the issues, which covered certain procedural aspects of the anti-dumping and countervailing investigations such as the right to disclosure of ‘essential facts', as well as the substantive determinations including costing issues, the imposition of the ‘all others' rate on the basis of ‘facts available’, the price effects' analyses, the sufficiency of the public notices, and others. Notably the costing issues that came up in the case, although decided mostly on procedural grounds, provide food for thought, and are likely to feature again in future disputes.
Soundings amid the Avalanche: Prospects for Anglican Theological Education
Authors: McGowan Andrew
Published: April 2015

Recent events in the USA and the UK reveal how theological education is changing, reflecting wider issues in global higher education as well as local and ecclesial concerns. Those responsible for seminary leadership and governance might pay closer to attention to those wider developments, and not neglect wider benefits to the Church of theological discourse generated in these institutions beyond vocational training.
Why has our recovery rate dropped? An audit examining waiting times, starting scores and length of treatment in relation to recovery within an IAPT service
Authors: Vaillancourt Kyla , Manley John , McNulty Nicholas
Published: April 2015

The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) initiative was created to provide mental health services for those experiencing mild to moderate depression and anxiety. IAPT is commissioned on the basis that it achieves adequate performance on a number of ‘key performance indicators’, one of which is the proportion of clients who ‘move towards recovery’ following treatment. The impetus for the current evaluation was a significant reduction in the proportion of clients recovering within an IAPT service. Data for this clinical audit was obtained from IAPT electronic records (IAPTus). Three factors (waiting times, clinical contact and starting scores on the PHQ-9 and GAD-7) were examined and explored separately for each level of care (i.e. steps 2 and 3). These factors were analysed in relation to recovery and compared between periods of low and high recovery within the service. Results reveal that there was little change in the severity of clients’ starting scores between the periods of low and high recovery. Increased waiting time in the period of low recovery was not associated with recovery status. The amount of clinical contact was related to recovery at both time periods. Limitations and implications of the findings are discussed.
Water Beneath the Surface of Mars, Bound Up in Sulfates
Authors: Palus Shannon
Published: April 2015

Researchers present maps of hydrogen and sulfur that hint at water locked in hydrous sulfates in Mars's southern hemispheric soil.
Qin Receives the 2014 Fred L. Scarf Award
Authors:   AGU
Published: April 2015

Jianqi Qin has been awarded the Fred L. Scarf Award. He was formally presented with the award at the 2014 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, held 15–19 December in San Francisco, Calif.
Scherrer Receives 2014 Space Physics and Aeronomy Richard Carrington Award
Authors:   AGU
Published: April 2015

Deborah Scherrer received the 2014 Space Physics and Aeronomy Richard Carrington Award at the 2014 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, held 15–19 December in San Francisco, Calif. The award is given in recognition of significant and outstanding impact on students' and the public's understanding of our science through education and/or outreach activities.
Improved Models for Plasma Radiometabolite Correction and their Impact on Kinetic Quantification in PET Studies
Authors: Tonietto Matteo , Veronese Mattia , Rizzo Gaia , Zanotti-Fregonara Paolo , Lohith Talakad G , Fujita Masahiro , Zoghbi Sami S , Bertoldo Alessandra
Published: April 2015

The quantification of dynamic positron emission tomography studies performed with arterial sampling usually requires correcting the input function for the presence of radiometabolites by using a model of the plasma parent fraction (PPf). Here, we show how to include the duration of radioligand injection in the PPf model formulations to achieve a more physiologic description of the plasma measurements. This formulation (here called convoluted model) was tested on simulated data and on three datasets with different parent kinetics: [11C]NOP-1A, [11C]MePPEP, and [11C](R)-rolipram. Results showed that convoluted PPf models better described the fraction of unchanged parent in the plasma compared with standard models for all three datasets (weighted residuals sum of squares up to 25% lower). When considering the effect on tissue quantification, the overall impact on the total volume of distribution (VT) was low. However, the impact was significant and radioligand-dependent on the binding potential (BP) and the microparameters ( K1, k2, k3, and k4). Simulated data confirmed that quantification is sensitive to different degrees to PPf model misspecification. Including the injection duration allows obtaining a more accurate correction of the input function for the presence of radiometabolites and this yields a more reliable quantification of the tissue parameters.
Carbon Dioxide Induced Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow and Flow Velocity: Role of Cerebrovascular Resistance and Effective Cerebral Perfusion Pressure
Authors: Grüne Frank , Kazmaier Stephan , Stolker Robert J , Visser Gerhard H , Weyland Andreas
Published: April 2015

In addition to cerebrovascular resistance (CVR) zero flow pressure (ZFP), effective cerebral perfusion pressure (CPPe) and the resistance area product (RAP) are supplemental determinants of cerebral blood flow (CBF). Until now, the interrelationship of PaCO2 -induced changes in CBF, CVR, CPPe, ZFP, and RAP is not fully understood. In a controlled crossover trial, we investigated 10 anesthetized patients aiming at PaCO2 levels of 30, 37, 43, and 50 mm Hg. Cerebral blood flow was measured with a modified Kety-Schmidt-technique. Zero flow pressure and RAP was estimated by linear regression analysis of pressure–flow velocity relationships of the middle cerebral artery. Effective cerebral perfusion pressure was calculated as the difference between mean arterial pressure and ZFP, CVR as the ratio CPPe/CBF. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way RM-ANOVA. When comparing hypocapnia with hypercapnia, CBF showed a significant exponential reduction by 55% and mean VMCA by 41%. Effective cerebral perfusion pressure linearly decreased by 17% while ZFP increased from 14 to 29 mm Hg. Cerebrovascular resistance increased by 96% and RAP by 39%; despite these concordant changes in mean CVR and Doppler-derived RAP correlation between these variables was weak ( r = 0.43). In conclusion, under general anesthesia hypocapnia-induced reduction in CBF is caused by both an increase in CVR and a decrease in CPPe, as a consequence of an increase in ZFP.
Model-Free Quantification of Dynamic PET Data Using Nonparametric Deconvolution
Authors: Zanderigo Francesca , Parsey Ramin V , Ogden R Todd
Published: April 2015

Dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) data are usually quantified using compartment models (CMs) or derived graphical approaches. Often, however, CMs either do not properly describe the tracer kinetics, or are not identifiable, leading to nonphysiologic estimates of the tracer binding. The PET data are modeled as the convolution of the metabolite-corrected input function and the tracer impulse response function (IRF) in the tissue. Using nonparametric deconvolution methods, it is possible to obtain model-free estimates of the IRF, from which functionals related to tracer volume of distribution and binding may be computed, but this approach has rarely been applied in PET. Here, we apply nonparametric deconvolution using singular value decomposition to simulated and test–retest clinical PET data with four reversible tracers well characterized by CMs ([11C]CUMI-101, [11C]DASB, [11C]PE2I, and [11C]WAY-100635), and systematically compare reproducibility, reliability, and identifiability of various IRF-derived functionals with that of traditional CMs outcomes. Results show that nonparametric deconvolution, completely free of any model assumptions, allows for estimates of tracer volume of distribution and binding that are very close to the estimates obtained with CMs and, in some cases, show better test–retest performance than CMs outcomes.
Cavity ring-up spectroscopy for ultrafast sensing with optical microresonators
Authors: Rosenblum Serge , Lovsky Yulia , Arazi Lior , Vollmer Frank , Dayan Barak
Published: April 2015

Spectroscopy of whispering-gallery mode microresonators has become a powerful scientific tool, enabling the detection of single viruses, nanoparticles and even single molecules. Yet the demonstrated timescale of these schemes has been limited so far to milliseconds or more. Here we introduce a scheme that is orders of magnitude faster, capable of capturing complete spectral snapshots at nanosecond timescales—cavity ring-up spectroscopy. Based on sharply rising detuned probe pulses, cavity ring-up spectroscopy combines the sensitivity of heterodyne measurements with the highest-possible, transform-limited acquisition rate. As a demonstration, we capture spectra of microtoroid resonators at time intervals as short as 16 ns, directly monitoring submicrosecond dynamics of their optomechanical vibrations, thermorefractive response and Kerr nonlinearity. Cavity ring-up spectroscopy holds promise for the study of fast biological processes such as enzyme kinetics, protein folding and light harvesting, with applications in other fields such as cavity quantum electrodynamics and pulsed optomechanics.
Crowding-induced Cooperativity in DNA Surface Hybridization
Authors: Lei Qun-li , Ren Chun-lai , Su Xiao-hang , Ma Yu-qiang
Published: April 2015

High density DNA brush is not only used to model cellular crowding, but also has a wide application in DNA-functionalized materials. Experiments have shown complicated cooperative hybridization/melting phenomena in these systems, raising the question that how molecular crowding influences DNA hybridization. In this work, a theoretical modeling including all possible inter and intramolecular interactions, as well as molecular details for different species, is proposed. We find that molecular crowding can lead to two distinct cooperative behaviours: negatively cooperative hybridization marked by a broader transition width and positively cooperative hybridization with a sharper transition, well reconciling the experimental findings. Moreover, a phase transition as a result of positive cooperativity is also found. Our study provides new insights in crowding and compartmentation in cell and has the potential value in controlling surface morphologies of DNA functionalized nano-particles.