bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy and the Environment: EPA's New Carbon Rule: Lots of Heat, Little Light
Authors: Lesser Jonathan A.
Published: July 2014

Shakespeare seems to describe appropriately the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed new Clean Power Act rule, a 645‐page monstrosity that will, supposedly, reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from electric‐generating plants by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. Although power plant emissions have already decreased significantly since 2005, thanks to the wonders of hydraulic fracturing and low‐cost natural gas, the EPA's rule nevertheless is supposed to save the world from the multitudinous horrors that will be wrought by global warming—climate change, climate volatility, or whatever today's favorite moniker happens to be.
Electric Regulation: Both Wind and Solar Threaten Financial Feasibility of Base‐Load Generation
Authors: Bowden Nicholas S.
Published: July 2014

The interconnection of and production from larger quantities of renewable generation on the nation's power system has altered the traditional operational paradigm. The intermittency of two renewable generation sources, wind and solar, also known as variable energy resources, that constitute the most substantial investment introduces new challenges for power system operators.
THRESHOLD EFFECTS IN NONLINEAR MODELS WITH AN APPLICATION TO THE SOCIAL CAPITAL‐RETIREMENT‐HEALTH RELATIONSHIP
Authors: Gannon Brenda , Harris David , Harris Mark
Published: July 2014

This paper considers the relationship between social capital and health in the years before, at and after retirement. This adds to the current literature that only investigates this relationship in either the population as a whole or two subpopulations, pre‐retirement and post‐retirement. We now investigate if there are further additional subpopulations in the years to and from retirement. We take an information criteria approach to select the optimal model of subpopulations from a full range of potential models. This approach is similar to that proposed for linear models. Our contribution is to show how this may also be applied to nonlinear models and without the need for estimating subsequent subpopulations conditional on previous fixed subpopulations. Our main finding is that the association of social capital with health diminishes at retirement, and this decreases further 10 years after retirement. We find a strong positive significant association of social capital with health, although this turns negative after 20 years, indicating potential unobserved heterogeneity. The types of social capital may differ in later years (e.g. less volunteering) and hence overall social capital may have less of an influence on health in later years. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chlorambucil–rituximab as first‐line therapy in patients affected by follicular non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma: a retrospective single‐centre study
Authors: Martinelli Giovanni , Montoro Juan , Vanazzi Anna , Andreola Giovanna , Liptrott Sarah , Radice Davide , Negri Mara , Preda Lorenzo , Pruneri Giancarlo , Laszlo Daniele
Published: July 2014

Rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody directed against the CD20 antigen, has been shown to be active in newly diagnosed and relapsed patients with follicular lymphoma (FL), both as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy. Many studies suggest that the prognosis of patients with FL may improve when it is used in combination with chemotherapy. Despite these advances, the disease remains essentially incurable with standard therapy, and novel approaches to treatment are needed because optimal therapy is not defined. The combination of chlorambucil–rituximab is one of several standard treatment options for FL. Here, we considered data arising from 75 patients with newly diagnosed FL at the European Institute of Oncology treated with the combination of rituximab plus chlorambucil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of chlorambucil and rituximab, delivered 6 mg/m2/day orally for 6 weeks and 375 mg/m2 in a standard 4‐weekly schedule, respectively. Patients responding to the induction therapy received a prolonged therapy with four additional cycles of chlorambucil plus rituximab. Seventy‐one patients (94.6%) completed the treatment; four patients discontinued treatment because of grade 3–4 hematological toxicity. The overall response rate was 97.3% including 74.7% of complete responses. Only two patients had a stable disease at revaluation after treatment. With a median follow‐up of 57 months, 72 patients (96%) are alive. Median event‐free survival (EFS) and median overall survival (OS) were not reached; 5‐year OS rate was 98.4%. The 5‐year EFS was 71.3%. By univariate and multivariate analyses, elevated beta‐2 microglobulin levels and partial responses to therapy were correlated with worse EFS. These results suggest that the combination of chlorambucil and rituximab is an active and safe regimen in patients with newly diagnosed FL, principally in those with low tumour burden and favourable prognostic factors. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Beyond cancer treatment – a review of total lymphoid irradiation for heart and lung transplant recipients
Authors: McKay Clare , Knight Kellie A. , Wright Caroline
Published: July 2014

Immunosuppressive drugs used in the management of heart and lung transplants have a large monetary and quality of life cost due to their side effects. Total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) is one method of minimising the need for or replacing post‐operative immunosuppressive drugs. A literature review was conducted on electronic databases using defined search terms. The aim was to establish the indications for the use ofTLI, its advantages and disadvantages and the weaknesses associated with the methods used in related research. Eight articles were located that focused onTLIusage in combating organ rejection. These studies identified that the use ofTLIresulted in a reduction in early rejection. One study reported a drop in rejection episodes from 0.46 to 0.14 episodes per patient per month once theTLIwas complete. While the short‐term prognosis is excellent, the long‐term outlook is less positive with an increased risk of organ rejection and myelodysplasia 3.5 years post‐TLI. This review reminds us that radiation therapy (RT) is not exclusively indicated for cancer treatment. WhileTLIcannot replace immunosuppressive drug therapy, it can offer a treatment option for people that cannot tolerate immunosuppressive drugs, or when conventional anti‐rejection treatment is no longer viable. Reported long‐term complications suggest thatTLIshould be used with caution. However, this modality should not be overlooked in cases of chronic rejection. Further research is required to establish the efficacy of RT in the treatment of transplant patients who are unsuitable for drug‐based anti‐rejection therapies.
Involvement of CsNRT1.7 in nitrate recycling during senescence in cucumber
Authors: Wu Tao , Qin Zhiwei , Fan Lianxue , Xue Cunbao , Zhou Xiuyan , Xin Ming , Du Yalin
Published: July 2014

A senescence‐induced gene named CsNRT1.7 was cloned from a cucumber cultivar with high capacity for low‐N tolerance using a homologous cloning technique based on bioinformatics analysis and cucumber genome information. The full‐length cDNA of CsNRT1.7 was 1803 bp with an open reading frame encoding 601 amino acids. Homology analysis showed that CsNRT1.7 had high homology (74%) to the Arabidopsis nitrate transporter gene NRT1.7. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that CsNRT1.7 had a close relationship with NRT1.7 among different nitrate transporters in Arabidopsis. Quantitative RT‐PCR and CsNRT1.7pro:GUS reporter analysis showed that CsNRT1.7 was a senescence‐induced gene, whose transcription was much stronger in old leaf, followed by mature leaf and young leaf of cucumber plants. CsNRT1.7 could also be induced by low‐nitrogen treatment. The transient expression of CsNRT1.7:EGFP in onion epidermal cells indicated that CsNRT1.7 was localized in the plasma membrane. Further functional analysis revealed that 35S:CsNRT1.7/nrt1.7‐2 transgenic Arabidopsis plants showed lower nitrate content and larger leaf size than nrt1.7‐2 T‐DNA insertion Arabidopsis plants. These results provide new clues to further understand the function of CsNRT1.7 regarding senescence‐regulated low‐nitrogen tolerance in cucumber.
The Hidden History of Coaching
Authors: Brennan Diane
Published: July 2014

By Leni Wildflower

Maidenhead, UK: McGraw‐Hill International, 2013. 184 pp. ISBN: 978‐0‐33‐524540‐6. $45.98

Reviewed by Diane Brennan, MBA, MCC, FACMPE
Reconfigurable independent multiband CPW‐fed printed F‐antenna for USB applications
Authors: Soliman Ahmed M. , Elsheakh Dalia M. , Abdallah Esmat A. , El‐Hennawy Hadia
Published: July 2014

A low‐profile compact printed pentaband inverted F‐antenna (IFA) for wireless universal serial bus is presented in this article. The proposed antenna consists of four printed arms capacitive loaded IFA in one side and one parasitic ring slot with open end on the other side. The capacitive plate is added at end of each arm for size reduction. The proposed antenna is designed to operate at long term evaluation band 8, GSM 1800 MHz; Bluetooth 2.4 GHz, WI‐MAX 3.5 GHz, and WLAN 5.2 GHz. PIN diodes are used to reconfigure the operating frequencies by switching ON/OFF modes. The proposed antennas are studied using high frequency structure simulator version 13. The components interaction including housing case, laptop, desk, and chair are studied. The proposed antennas with and without PIN diodes are fabricated. The results show good agreement between simulated and measured results. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2237–2245, 2014
Dual frequency and dual circular polarization slot antenna for BeiDou navigation satellite system applications
Authors: Wang Xiao‐Yi , Yang Guo‐Min
Published: July 2014

A new design of a dual frequency and dual circular polarization slot ring antenna for BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) applications is presented in this article. The dual frequency is achieved by two slot rings and the dual circular polarization is obtained by asymmetry slots adjacent to the rings. An antenna used for BDS applications with optimized parameters is designed, fabricated, and measured. Measured results show that the proposed antenna has good circular polarization for both right‐hand circular polarization and left‐hand circular polarization. The −10 dB return loss relative bandwidths for the lower and higher bands are about 4.4 and 12.0 %, respectively. The 3 dB axial ratio bandwidths are both about 5% with respect to the center frequencies of 1615.68 and 2491.75 MHz, respectively. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2222–2225, 2014
Miniaturized dual broadband printed slot antenna with parasitic slot and patch
Authors: Baudha Sudeep , Kumar V. Dinesh
Published: July 2014

In this article, a miniaturized dual broadband printed slot antenna with parasitic slot and patch is presented. Antenna is excited by a 50‐Ω microstrip line from the bottom. A wide slot antenna with a parasitic patch is taken as reference antenna. By the use of parasitic slot and patch an additional band is excited. Simulated results show that the impedance bandwidth, defined by 10‐dB return loss can operate from 2.4 to 6.1 GHz and 9.4 to 13.8 GHz, showing dual band nature. Experimental result shows agreement with the simulated results. Also, gain enhancement of 2 dB in second band has been observed. The proposed antenna is miniaturized to 60% in comparison to the reference antenna. The antenna is useful for 2.4/5.2/5.8‐GHz WLAN bands, 2.5/3.5/5.5‐GHz WiMAX bands and other wireless communication services. Proposed antenna details are described and experimental results are elaborated. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2260–2265, 2014
Ultra‐wideband antenna using Minkowski‐like fractal geometry
Authors: Tripathi Shrivishal , Mohan Akhilesh , Yadav Sandeep
Published: July 2014

In this letter, a Minkowski‐like fractal geometry‐based ultra‐wideband (UWB) monopole antenna is proposed and investigated. The radiator of the antenna is designed using similar segments of the Minkowski‐like structure. The multiple resonance phenomena of fractal geometry are utilized in the proposed structure to obtain the wideband operability by repetition of similar segments in the radiator structure of the antenna. The self‐similar nature of this geometry provides higher effective antenna length and wide operating bandwidth. The multiple slots are introduced in the ground plane to improve the reflection coefficient over the entire UWB frequency range. The proposed antenna has an optimized dimension of 23.5 × 26.5 mm2 and shows the operating bandwidth from 1.4 to 10.4 GHz. The proposed design is fabricated, and its measured result shows good agreement with the simulated one. The proposed antenna exhibits nearly omnidirectional radiation pattern, proper impedance matching over the entire UWB frequency range. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2273–2279, 2014
Frequency selective surfaces design for a dual‐channel quasi‐optical system
Authors: Liu Xiaoming , Xu Liang , Yu Junsheng , Chen Xiaodong , Yao Yuan , Liu Hairui
Published: July 2014

With the renewed applications of millimeter wave technologies in remote sensing, radio astronomy, and quasi‐optical (QO) systems have been widely used in various radiometer systems. Frequency selective surface (FSS) is one of the key components in a QO system, functioning as frequency separation. For a practical FSS component, small insertion loss and narrow transition band from pass band to stop band are preferred to maintain signal level and reject out‐of‐band noise, respectively. In addition, the bandwidth is also a concerned parameter. In this article, perforated array is used for the design and fabrication of FSS for a dual‐channel QO system. The agreement between measurement and simulation is satisfactory. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2365–2369, 2014
Monopole antenna loaded by stacked annular ring dielectric resonators for ultrawide bandwidth
Authors: Ozzaim Cengiz
Published: July 2014

Two cylindrical ring dielectric resonators each having a step in its outer diameter are stacked and excited by an axi‐symmetric coaxial monopole. The bandwidth is improved by an additional resonance, where the monopole is about a full wavelength long. Numerical and measured data are compared to validate the results. The proposed hybrid antenna offers a fractional impedance bandwidth up to 140% with monopole type radiation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2395–2398, 2014
Improved modeling of parallel‐coupled three‐line for wideband filters
Authors: Chen Chun‐Ping , Imashiro Wataru , Anada Tetsuo , Ma Zhewang
Published: July 2014

An improved equivalent circuit of a parallel‐coupled three‐line section is derived for the design of wideband filter. Compared with the conventional model, the cross‐coupling between nonadjacent lines is taken into consideration and shows a better accuracy. A wideband filter composed of three‐line sections is then synthesized using the new equivalent circuit. The simulation and measurement results agree well with the theoretical ones, which validates the new model as well as the synthesis method. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2392–2395, 2014
Pattern reconfigurable patch array for 2.4 GHz WLAN systems
Authors: Nemati Mohammad Hossein , Kazemi Reza , Tekin Ibrahim
Published: July 2014

In this project, a pattern reconfigurable simple two patch array antenna has been designed and implemented to operate at a fixed frequency of 2.4 GHz for beam scanning purpose. Proposed antenna operates at three different modes in which the radiation pattern steers 0°, ±30° with respect to the antenna broadside. In this article, a different approach has been taken to implement the reconfigurable antenna which is very simple and cost effective compared to previous works. For this, a SP3 RF switch is used to steer the radiation pattern by applying phase difference between the two antenna elements. A reconfigurable patch array is designed on a Rogers 5880 RT/DUROID substrate in which antenna element is fed in inset configuration. Measured and simulated results are well matched but with some minor deviations. Designed antenna array has a gain of 9 dBi in broadside and the gain drops to 7.5 dB when the beam is rotated by either ±30°. Pattern reconfigurable antenna can be used in wireless communication systems, where antenna pattern needs to be aligned with strongest signal sources or when the antenna needs to be kept away from noisy environments or interfering signals. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2377–2381, 2014
Remote sensing enhancement of objects using horizontal polarization of beam wave incidence in random media
Authors: El‐Ocla Hosam
Published: July 2014

We aim to enhance the capability of remote sensing process through calculating the accuracy of the laser radar cross section (LRCS) in different levels of fluctuated media. In this regard, we present a study on the effects of turbulence on LRCS of conducting objects such as aircraft with different sizes. Consequently, sensed or measured LRCS can be adjusted. We pursue this through the calculation of the backscattering enhancement factor. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2406–2411, 2014
Broadband monopole antenna with split ring resonator loaded substrate for good impedance matching
Authors: Pandeeswari Ramasamy , Raghavan Singaravelu
Published: July 2014

A coplanar waveguide‐fed monopole antenna with split ring resonator (SRR) loaded substrate is introduced to obtain good impedance matching over a wide band of frequency. SRR is loaded on the backside of the substrate used to obtain a wideband covering from 3.87 to 7.63 GHz, which covers the 5 GHz WLAN and 5.8 GHz RFID applications. The size of the antenna is 31 × 24.57 × 1.6 mm3. A prototype of the proposed antenna has been fabricated and measured. The radiation pattern measured at resonance is omnidirectional in the H‐plane and bidirectional in the E‐plane. Details of the proposed antenna design and measured results are presented and discussed. The measured peak antenna gain is 2.51 dBi. SRR characteristics are also discussed to validate the results and parametric study of SRR is also done. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2388–2392, 2014
An AlGaAs/GaAs‐based planar Gunn diode oscillator with a fundamental frequency operation of 120 GHz
Authors: Maricar Mohamed Ismaeel , Glover James , Khalid Ata , Li Chong , Evans Gwynne , Cumming David S. R. , Oxley Christopher H.
Published: July 2014

This letter reports the highest fundamental oscillator operating frequency of 120 GHz for gallium arsenide (GaAs)‐based Gunn diode. The letter describes the design, fabrication, and test of the aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs)/(GaAs) planar Gunn diode with an anode to cathode separation of 1 μm and channel width of 120 μm. The planar Gunn diode was designed with an integrated series inductor in coplanar waveguide format. The experimental results showed that the planar Gunn diode oscillated at a fundamental frequency of 120.47 GHz with an RF output power −9.14 dBm. This is highest fundamental frequency and power recorded for a GaAs‐based Gunn diode. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2449–2451, 2014
A high gain and high linearity current‐reused CMOS LNA using modified derivative superposition technique with bulk‐bias control
Authors: Dai Ruofan , Zheng Yunlong , Zhu Hongwei , Kong Weiran , Zou Shichang
Published: July 2014

This article presents the design of a 2.4 GHz low power high gain and high linearity current‐reused CMOS low noise amplifier (LNA) using modified derivative superposition (MDS) technique with bulk‐bias control. The MDS technique with bulk‐bias control is used to extend the auxiliary transistor's bias control range and enhance the linearity performance. The current‐reused topology is utilized to fulfill the low power consumption and high gain, simultaneously. The proposed LNA is fabricated in a 0.18‐μm 1P6M SiGe BiCMOS process and consumes a 6.53 mA quiescent current from a 1 V voltage supply. The measurement results show that the proposed LNA achieves a 24.1 dB power gain, 1.7 dB NF, −18 dB input P1dB, 8.75 dBm IIP3, 13.9 and 19.5 dB input and output return loss, respectively. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2444–2446, 2014
A down‐conversion mixer using 90‐nm CMOS process for 60‐Ghz applications
Authors: Huang Chia‐Yang , Chang Yu‐Hsin , Chiang Yen‐Chung
Published: July 2014

This article proposes a double‐balanced 60‐ to 12‐GHz down‐conversion mixer fabricated in the 90‐nm CMOS process. The proposed mixer has a 5.825 dB measured conversion gain and 13–16 dB noise figure. The input P1dB of the mixer is −4.4 dBm and the measured LO‐IF, LO‐RF, and RF‐IF isolations are above 42, 44, and 41.5 dB, respectively. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2456–2458, 2014
Rotation of curl‐conforming elements with decomposition into loop‐star subspaces applied to the surface integral equation
Authors: Gil José Ma
Published: July 2014

An useful method to develop div‐conforming elements for the surface integral equation is presented. The elements are obtained by rotating curl‐conforming bases used in the finite elements method. The procedure, throughout the theorem of trace, transforms the Helmholtz decomposition for electromagnetic fields into Hodge decomposition for surface currents. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2458–2462, 2014
A new design of focused antenna arrays
Authors: Wang Xiao‐Yi , Yang Guo‐Min , Geyi Wen
Published: July 2014

Focused antenna arrays may be designed to realize the desired near field patterns by optimizing the power transmission efficiency between the focused antenna array and a testing antenna introduced at the focal plane. The optimization theory takes the mutual coupling effects into the design consideration and can control the focal distance more precisely. In this article, a 4 × 4 focused microstrip antenna array with feeding network on the backside has been designed with the optimization theory. The target focal distance is chosen 10 cm away from the focused antenna array, and the maximum field intensity occurs 8 cm away from the array, which is about 80% of the focal distance. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2464–2468, 2014
Trust in leader and its effect on job satisfaction and intent to leave in a healthcare setting
Authors: Gibson David , Petrosko Joseph
Published: July 2014

This article examines trust in leader and its effect on job satisfaction and intent to leave among 294 nurses working in hospitals within two healthcare organizations. Nurses were asked to assess the level of trust in his/her own nurse manager as well as his/her own level of job satisfaction and intent to leave. Results suggest that trust in leader has a direct effect on job satisfaction. Interestingly results also suggest that trust in leader has a direct effect on intent to leave independent of job satisfaction. The findings of this research indicate that trust in leader is a more important variable of study than what may have been previously thought, especially in the job satisfaction and turnover literature.
Perspectives in AE—“A feminist is a feminist”: The continued activism of Dr. Juanita Johnson‐Bailey
Authors: Johnson Brenda W.
Published: July 2014

After 20 years I was back in school faced with an assignment to research an adult education scholar, leader, or practitioner. After a quick review of the list we were provided I was drawn to Dr. Johnson‐Bailey as the focus of my paper primarily because our lives paralleled in so many ways. She was on staff at my Alma Mater, The University of Georgia. We were both raised in military families with humble southern roots, we have both worked as federal employees, we were both re‐entry students going through graduate school while still raising a family and we are both graduates of the University of Georgia in the 90's‐‐me from the Master's in Social Work program and her from the Adult Education Program. Her research and books accurately reflect similar challenges I faced as an African American student in a predominantly white higher education institution. As we spoke, she surprised me when she repeated a quote that her mother often told her because my father also frequently told me that “Education is the one thing that no one can take away from you”. That quote has now been frequently repeated to my children and has always stuck in my mind and likely contributed to my lifelong learning mindset. I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Johnson‐Bailey on October 12, 2012, and am pleased to share the perspectives I learned about this Adult Education leader scholar forNew Horizons.
Intra‐arterial methylprednisolone for severe steroid refractory gastrointestinal graft‐versus‐host disease
Authors: Bhuller Kaljit S. , Heran Manraj K.S. , Wu John K.M. , Rassekh S. Rod
Published: July 2014

Acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a significant complication of bone marrow transplantation with approximately half of patients being refractory to steroids. There are numerous second‐line systemic immunosuppressive treatments but the overall prognosis is poor and these therapies are associated with high mortality due to infection. An alternative approach to systemic treatment for GVHD is targeted delivery of immunosuppression. We present two pediatric cases with steroid‐refractory gastrointestinal GVHD who clinically responded to intra‐arterial steroid administration. We also review the literature regarding this treatment modality with a particular emphasis in children. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014;61:2321–2323. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of reduced graphene oxide functionalization by sulfanilic acid on the mechanical properties of poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile)/reduced graphene oxide composites
Authors: Vu Thi Diem Tuyet , Pham Viet Hung , Hur Seung Hyun , Chung Jin Suk
Published: July 2014

The sulfonation of reduced graphene oxide (SRGO) by the aryl diazonium salt of sulfanilic acid was focused to examine the enhancement effect on the mechanical properties of poly styrene‐acrylonitrile (SAN). The SAN was prepared by surfactant‐free emulsion copolymerization using a cationic initiator. By mixing sulfonated RGO (SRGO) into the SAN polymer matrix, positively‐charged SAN particles were attracted to the negatively‐charged surfaces of SRGO sheets via electrostatic interactions. The storage modulus of SAN‐SRGO increased to 46% at 4 wt% SRGO loading. This improvement is attributed to strong interactions between sulfonated groups on the surface SRGO and the nitrile groups of SAN. POLYM. COMPOS., 44–50, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Clinical activity of enzalutamide versus docetaxel in men with castration‐resistant prostate cancer progressing after abiraterone
Authors: Suzman Daniel L. , Luber Brandon , Schweizer Michael T. , Nadal Rosa , Antonarakis Emmanuel S.
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND

The optimal sequencing of the multiple active agents now available for metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is unclear. Prior reports have suggested diminished responses to sequential lines of androgen receptor (AR)‐targeted therapies, but it is unknown whether subsequent taxane‐based chemotherapy may be more effective than sequential AR‐targeting treatment. We sought to evaluate the clinical activity of enzalutamide versus docetaxel in men with mCRPC who progressed on abiraterone.

METHODS

We performed a single‐institution retrospective analysis of consecutive mCRPC patients who had progressed on abiraterone therapy and subsequently received either enzalutamide (n = 30) or docetaxel (n = 31). We evaluated clinical outcomes including prostate‐specific antigen decline of >30% (PSA30) or >50% (PSA50), PSA‐progression‐free survival (PSA‐PFS), and clinical/radiographic PFS. We performed multivariable modeling to control for baseline and on‐treatment differences between groups.

RESULTS

Compared to subjects who received enzalutamide post‐abiraterone, subjects who received docetaxel post‐abiraterone had more bone metastases, more visceral metastases, higher baseline PSA, and had more frequent PSA tests while on‐treatment. There were no significant differences in PSA30 (41% for enzalutamide vs. 53% for docetaxel) or PSA50 (34% vs. 40%) response rates between the two groups; there remained no difference after stratifying by presence/absence of prior response to abiraterone. Median PSA‐PFS was 4.1 versus 4.1 months for the enzalutamide and docetaxel cohorts, respectively (HR 1.35, 95% CI, 0.53–3.66, P = 0.502). Median PFS was 4.7 versus 4.4 months, respectively (HR 1.44, 95% CI, 0.77–2.71, P = 0.257). PSA‐PFS and PFS did not differ after stratifying by prior response to abiraterone. In multivariable analyses, there were no significant differences in PSA‐PFS or PFS between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with either enzalutamide or docetaxel produced modest PSA responses and PFS intervals in this abiraterone‐pretreated mCRPC population. In this retrospective study with small sample size, no significant differences in outcomes were observed between groups. Therefore, either enzalutamide or docetaxel may be a reasonable option in men who have progressed on abiraterone. Prostate 74: 1278–1285, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Development of an Electrically Driven Molecular Motor
Authors: Murphy Colin J. , Sykes E. Charles H.
Published: July 2014

For molecules to be used as components in molecular machinery, methods are required that couple individual molecules to external energy sources in order to selectively excite motion in a given direction. While significant progress has been made in the construction of synthetic molecular motors powered by light and by chemical reactions, there are few experimental examples of electrically driven molecular motors. To this end, we pioneered the use of a new, stable and tunable molecular rotor system based on surface‐bound thioethers to comprehensively study many aspects of molecular rotation. As biological molecular motors often operate at interfaces, our synthetic system is especially amenable to microscopic interrogation as compared to solution‐based systems. Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory, we studied the rotation of surface‐bound thioethers, which can be induced either thermally or by electrons from the STM tip in a two‐terminal setup. Moreover, the temperature and electron flux can be adjusted to allow each rotational event to be monitored at the molecular scale in real time. This work culminated in the first experimental demonstration of a single‐molecule electric motor, where the electrically driven rotation of a butyl methyl sulfide molecule adsorbed on a copper surface could be directionally biased. The direction and rate of the rotation are related to the chirality of both the molecule and the STM tip (which serves as the electrode), illustrating the importance of the symmetry of the metal contacts in atomic‐scale electrical devices.
Whole genome RNAi screens reveal a critical role of REV3 in coping with replication stress
Authors: Kotov Ilya N. , Siebring-van Olst Ellen , Knobel Philip A. , van der Meulen-Muileman Ida H. , Felley-Bosco Emanuela , van Beusechem Victor W. , Smit Egbert F. , Stahel Rolf A. , Marti Thomas M.
Published: July 2014

REV3, the catalytic subunit of translesion polymerase zeta (polζ), is commonly associated with DNA damage bypass and repair. Despite sharing accessory subunits with replicative polymerase δ, very little is known about the role of polζ in DNA replication. We previously demonstrated that inhibition of REV3 expression induces persistent DNA damage and growth arrest in cancer cells. To reveal determinants of this sensitivity and obtain insights into the cellular function of REV3, we performed whole human genome RNAi library screens aimed at identification of synthetic lethal interactions with REV3 in A549 lung cancer cells. The top confirmed hit was RRM1, the large subunit of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), a critical enzyme of de novo nucleotide synthesis. Treatment with the RNR‐inhibitor hydroxyurea (HU) synergistically increased the fraction of REV3‐deficient cells containing single stranded DNA (ssDNA) as indicated by an increase in replication protein A (RPA). However, this increase was not accompanied by accumulation of the DNA damage marker γH2AX suggesting a role of REV3 in counteracting HU‐induced replication stress (RS). Consistent with a role of REV3 in DNA replication, increased RPA staining was confined to HU‐treated S‐phase cells. Additionally, we found genes related to RS to be significantly enriched among the top hits of the synthetic sickness/lethality (SSL) screen further corroborating the importance of REV3 for DNA replication under conditions of RS.
An experimental study of hydroxo complex formation in basic and near-neutral solutions of rare-earth elements and yttrium at 25 ºC
Authors: Stepanchikova S.A. , Biteikina R.P. , Shironosova G.P. , Kolonin G.R.
Published: July 2014

We have studied the hydrolytic behavior of Y3+ and trivalent ions of rare earth elements in aqueous solutions at 25 ºC. The stepwise stability constants of hydroxide complexes were measured by spectrophotometry, using m-cresol purple and 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol as pH indicators at an ionic strength no more than 0.0005. The results showed that at pH ranging between 6.0 and 11.0 in freshly prepared solutions of REE trichlorides, lanthanides are presented as Ln3+, Ln(OH)2+, Ln(OH)2+, and Ln(OH)30. The plots of the formation constants of monohydroxo complexes of 4f n ions M3+ versus atomic number Z deviate from smooth ones and consist of four convex curves. This phenomenon is also observed in normalized spectra of REE concentrations in natural objects and is known as the tetrad effect. The obtained data give an insight into the relationship between REE complex formation and REE fractionation in geochemical processes and can be used for physicochemical modeling of geochemical systems.
The new Ordovician stage standard as applied to the stratigraphic units of the western Altai–Sayan Folded Area
Authors: Sennikov N.V. , Lykova E.V. , Obut O.T. , Tolmacheva T.Yu. , Izokh N.G.
Published: July 2014

Data are provided on the new Ordovician stage standard of the International Stratigraphic Chart: Tremadocian, Floian, Dapingian, Darriwilian, Sandbian, Katian, and Hirnantian. Graptolite and conodont zonal and infrazonal successions are used for a precise estimation of the chronostratigraphic position of the boundaries of the previous and newly proposed Ordovician regional stratigraphic units (horizons) in the western Altai–Sayan Folded Area. The chronostratigraphic position of the boundaries of most of the Ordovician formations showing a wide lateral distribution in southern Siberia has been described in detail in terms of the new stage standard of the General Stratigraphic Scale of Russia.
Oil potential of the Lower Mesozoic deposits of the Khapchagai megaswell of the Vilyui syneclise
Authors: Safronov A.F. , Sivtsev A.I. , Chernenko V.B.
Published: July 2014

Analysis of all available geological, geophysical, and field data on some gas condensate fields discovered within the Khapchagai megaswell (Vilyui syneclise of the Siberian Platform) as early as the 1960s shows the presence of oil rims in Lower Triassic (horizon T1-III in the Srednevilyuiskoe and Tolonskoe gas condensate fields and horizon T1-Kh in the Mastakhskoe gas condensate field) and Lower Jurassic (horizons J1-I and J1-II in the Mastakhskoe gas condensate field) deposits. The C3 oil reserves in these rims are estimated at several tens of millions of tons of oil. The results are indicative of the oil potential of the Lower Mesozoic deposits not only of the Vilyui syneclise but also of the Lena–Vilyui petroliferous province as a whole, which was always characterized as a gas-bearing province in summary reports.
Dielectric spectra of water–oil-saturated porous media for the kHz range and determination of volume fractions of system components
Authors: Eltsov T.I. , Dorovsky V.N. , Gapeev D.N.
Published: July 2014

The article presents a novel procedure of finding the water–oil ratio in a saturated porous medium by dielectric spectroscopy. Based on the study of experimental measurements of dielectric permittivity and the dielectric loss factor, it has been established that the dielectric spectrum in the kHz and MHz frequency range of the electromagnetic field in a porous medium saturated with fresh water is a characteristic symmetrical curve, whose symmetry may be distorted when oil is introduced into the system. The type of symmetry, degree of distortion, and corresponding physical mechanisms of polarization enable one to find the water–oil ratio without resorting to the mixture formulae traditionally used for finding the water–oil ratio in Maxwell–Wagner relaxation.
Geologic hazards associated with seismogenic faulting in southern Siberia and Mongolia: forms and location patterns
Authors: Lunina O.V. , Andreev A.V. , Gladkov A.A.
Published: July 2014

The forms and location patterns of geologic hazards induced by earthquakes in southern Siberia, Mongolia, and northern Kazakhstan in

1950 through 2008 have been investigated statistically, using a database of coseismic effects created as a GIS MapInfo application, with a handy input box for large data arrays. The database includes 689 cases of macroseismic effects from MS= 4.1–8.1 events at 398 sites. Statistical analysis of the data has revealed regional relationships between the magnitude of an earthquake and the maximum distance of its environmental effects (soil liquefaction and subsidence, secondary surface rupturing, and slope instability) to the epicenter and to the causative fault. Thus estimated limit distances to the fault for the MS= 8.1 largest event are 40 km for soil subsidence (sinkholes), 80 km for surface rupture, 100 km for slope instability (landslides etc.), and 130 km for soil liquefaction. These distances are 3.5–5.6 times as short as those to the epicenter, which are 150, 450, 350, and 450 km, respectively. Analysis of geohazard locations relative to nearest faults in southern East Siberia shows the distances to be within 2 km for sinkholes (60% within 1.5 km), 4.5 km for landslides (90% within 1.5 km), 8 km for liquefaction (69% within 1 km), and 35.5 km for surface rupture (86% within 2 km). The frequency of hazardous effects decreases exponentially away from both seismogenic and nearest faults. Cases of soil liquefaction and subsidence are analyzed in more detail in relation to rupture patterns. Equations have been suggested to relate the maximum sizes of secondary structures (sinkholes, dikes, etc.) with the earthquake magnitude and shaking intensity at the site. As a result, a predictive model has been created for locations of geohazard associated with reactivation of seismogenic faults, assuming an arbitrary fault pattern. The obtained results make basis for modeling the distribution of geohazards for the purposes of prediction and estimation of earthquake parameters from secondary deformation.
Prevalence and Organisational Factors of Psychological Injury Among Australian School Teachers
Authors: Garrick Adam , Winwood Peter C. , Mak Anita S. , Cathcart Stuart , Bakker Arnold B. , Lushington Kurt
Published: July 2014

In this study, we investigated the prevalence, severity, and organisational factors of risk for psychological injury in a national sample of Australian school teachers, using the Psychological Injury Risk Indicator. We predicted that teachers would report higher levels of risk for psychological injury if working in schools located in rural areas, with a low socioeconomic index, and low psychosocial safety climate. Teachers from across Australia (N = 960) completed an online survey that measured risk for psychological injury and relevant organisational factors. We found a high number of teachers (26%) whose responses showed high risk, indicating the need for professional intervention in order to avoid potentially debilitating psychological injury. Analyses also showed main effects for two organisational factors, indicating that teachers most at risk for psychological injury tended to be employed by schools with low psychosocial safety climate and in areas with a low socioeconomic index. These results highlight the severe levels of work-related psychological injury risk in the Australian teacher population, and the important role for school administration and education departments in maintaining a working environment that supports staff psychologically.
International Negotiations in the Shadow of National Elections
Authors: Rickard Stephanie J. , Caraway Teri L.
Published: July 2014

This study examines the role elections play in negotiations between states and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Although loans made by the IMF often require countries to introduce painful austerity measures that provoke a backlash from angry citizens, some governments are able to negotiate more favorable terms than others. Original data on the substantive content of IMF loans show that governments leverage imminent elections to obtain more lenient loan terms. Conditions that require labor market reforms in exchange for IMF financing are relatively less stringent in loans negotiated within six months before a pending democratic election, all else equal. The further away elections are from loan negotiations, the more stringent the labor conditions included in countries’ loan programs. Elections give governments leverage in their international negotiations and this leverage is effective even when states negotiate with unelected bureaucrats during times of economic crisis.
Vertical nystagmus during the seated–supine positional (straight head-hanging) test in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Authors: Yetiser S , Ince D
Published: July 2014

Objective:

This study describes the clinical features of up-beating vertical nystagmus observed during the seated–supine positional (straight head-hanging) test in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Methods:

A total of 190 patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo symptoms who had presented between 2009 and 2012 were enrolled for this retrospective case series. Twelve patients with positional up-beating vertical nystagmus, as confirmed by video-nystagmography during the seated–supine positional test, were selected.

Results:

The incidence and duration of symptoms of multiple canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo were significantly lower compared with the other types of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (p = 0.029 and p = 0.048 respectively). Trauma was the leading aetiological factor in those patients (p = 0.012). The average number of therapeutic manoeuvres required for the relief of symptoms in patients with multiple canal involvement was significantly higher than in the other groups (p = 0.041).

Conclusion:

In patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, the presence of vertical up-beating nystagmus while lying down is a unique peripheral sign and could indicate multiple canal involvement. Therefore, the seated–supine positional test should always be included in the test battery.
Persistence and protection of the Vulnerable Bengal slow loris Nycticebus bengalensis in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, north-east India
Authors: Das Nabajit , Nekaris K.A.I. , Biswas J. , Das J. , Bhattacharjee P.C.
Published: July 2014

The Bengal slow loris Nycticebus bengalensis is the only strepsirrhine primate in north-east India. It is categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The limited information on its status and ecology is the main hindrance to developing a conservation strategy for this species in India. Therefore during February 2009–May 2010 we surveyed the species in 16 protected areas in Assam and one protected area in Arunachal Pradesh. We used recce transects to estimate encounter rates for the species. A team of 3–4 conducted night-time surveys (18.00–03.00) on foot, covering 370 km over 99 full and 28 partial nights. We recorded lorises a total of 22 times in nine protected areas in Assam and three times in the protected area in Arunachal Pradesh. The mean distance of lorises from transects at the time of encounter was 15.04 m, at a mean height of 12.36 m above ground. The encounter rate was 0.06–0.2 lorises per km, which is relatively low compared to encounter rates for slow lorises elsewhere in their range but higher than recorded by other studies in north-east India. We found that despite hunting and habitat loss Bengal slow lorises still exist in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, albeit patchily within a forest block. The protected area network in these states is important for their conservation.
Mixed method approaches to evaluate conservation impact: evidence from decentralized forest management in Tanzania
Authors: LUND JENS FRIIS , BURGESS NEIL D. , CHAMSHAMA SHABANI A. O. , DONS KLAUS , ISANGO JACK A. , KAJEMBE GEORGE C. , MEILBY HENRIK , MOYO FRANCIS , NGAGA YONIKA M. , NGOWI STEPHEN E. , NJANA MARCO A. , MWAKALUKWA EZEKIEL E. , SKEIE KATHRINE , THEILADE IDA , TREUE THORSTEN
Published: July 2014

Nearly 10% of the world's total forest area is formally owned by communities and indigenous groups, yet knowledge of the effects of decentralized forest management approaches on conservation (and livelihood) impacts remains elusive. In this paper, the conservation impact of decentralized forest management on two forests in Tanzania was evaluated using a mixed method approach. Current forest condition, forest increment and forest use patterns were assessed through forest inventories, and changes in forest disturbance levels before and after the implementation of decentralized forest management were assessed on the basis of analyses of Landsat images. This biophysical evidence was then linked to changes in actual management practices, assessed through records, interviews and participatory observations, to provide a measure of the conservation impact of the policy change. Both forests in the study were found to be in good condition, and extraction was lower than overall forest increment. Divergent changes in forest disturbance levels were in evidence following the implementation of decentralized forest management. The evidence from records, interviews and participatory observations indicated that decentralized management had led to increased control of forest use and the observed divergence in forest disturbance levels appeared to be linked to differences in the way that village-level forest managers prioritized conservation objectives and forest-based livelihood strategies. The study illustrates that a mixed methods approach comprises a valid and promising way to evaluate impacts of conservation policies, even in the absence of control sites. By carefully linking policy outcomes to policy outputs, such an approach not only identifies whether such policies work as intended, but also potential mechanisms.
Overcoming Legal Formalism: The Treatment of the Constitution, the Courts and Judicial Behaviour in Canadian Political Science.
Authors: Russell Peter H.
Published: July 2014

In the study of the constitution, courts and judicial behaviour, two distinct strands can be identified. First, the study of constitutional law, which in the 1920s was a paramount concern of the emergent political science discipline, had become by the 1960s a very marginal interest of Canadian political scientists. Although recent events have led to a revival of interest, still only a small handful of political scientists in the English or French-speaking branches of the discipline devote much of their scholarly attention to the law of the constitution. The study of judicial interpretation of the constitution has been almost completely preempted by legal academics. In the meantime, the empirical investigation of courts and judicial behaviour, a subject which in earlier years attracted the attention of neither lawyers nor political scientists, has been slowly emerging as a distinct field of interest for social scientists and empirically oriented legal scholars, although it remains very much at the margin of political science.