bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peculiar Properties of Mesoporous Synthetic Carbon/Graphene Phase Composites and their Effect on Supercapacitive Performance
Authors: Seredych Mykola , Rodríguez‐Castellón Enrique , Bandosz Teresa J.
Published: April 2015

Composites of mesoporous synthetic carbon and the graphene phase were synthesized in aqueous suspension by employing dispersive interactions of both phases. The resulting carbon‐based materials were further heat treated in air at 350 °C. The composites and their components were characterized by using adsorption of nitrogen, potentiometric titration, thermal analysis–mass spectrometry, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, SEM, high‐resolution TEM, and XRD. Then, they were tested as supercapacitors in three‐electrode cells and under visible‐light irradiation. The composites and the initial carbon share exactly the same pore‐size distributions, but they exhibit significant differences in their surface chemistry, wettability, and conductivity. This allowed us to determine the extent of their effects on their capacitive/pseudocapacitive performance. The results showed that features other than the textural properties can increase the capacitive performance by more than 100 %. The synergistic properties of the composites and their sulfur functional group related photoactivity were linked to chemical interactions between the nanoporous carbon phase and graphite oxide during the formation of the composite.
Promoting Effect of Sodium Chloride on the Solubilization and Depolymerization of Cellulose from Raw Biomass Materials in Water
Authors: Jiang Zhicheng , Yi Jian , Li Jianmei , He Ting , Hu Changwei
Published: April 2015

The development of a green system to solubilize cellulose from raw biomass is important, yet it is challenging because of the insolubility of cellulose in most solvents. Herein, a green NaCl‐H2O system is developed in which NaCl significantly enhances the dissolution and depolymerisation of cellulose from raw biomass. Nearly all the cellulose in the selected biomass types was dissolved and degraded into oligomers with molecular weights of 200–400 Da under relatively mild conditions. Cl− could interact strongly with the end OH group of the glucose unit in a 1:1 ratio, which resulted in the enhanced breaking of both inter‐ and intramolecular hydrogen bonds. In particular, the intermolecular hydrogen bond with an FTIR band at approximately =3200 cm−1 was disrupted significantly by Cl−. The FTIR band for a hydrogen bond between hemicellulose and lignin might appear at =1636 cm−1, whereas this bond could be almost totally broken under hydrothermal conditions at 220 °C.
Carbonylation of Hydrido–Phosphanido‐Bridged Dinuclear Platinum Complexes
Authors: Latronico Mario , Mastrorilli Piero , Gallo Vito , Todisco Stefano , Dell'Anna Maria Michela , Rizzuti Antonino
Published: April 2015

The carbonylation of the solvento species [(PHCy2)(L)Pt(μ‐PCy2)(μ‐H)Pt(PHCy2){κP‐P(OH)Cy2}][BF4]2(Pt–Pt) ([1‐L]2+, L = CH2Cl2, thf, CH3CN) led to the formation of a singly bridged dicarbonyl PtI compound syn‐[(PHCy2)(CO)Pt(μ‐PCy2)Pt{κP‐P(OH)Cy2}(CO)]+(Pt–Pt) (2+). The reaction proceeded in two steps: 1) Substitution of L by CO to give the intermediate syn‐[(PHCy2)(CO)Pt(μ‐PCy2)(μ‐H)Pt(PHCy2){κP‐P(OH)Cy2}]2+(Pt–Pt) ([1‐CO]2+) and 2) uptake of a second molecule of CO and elimination of [PH2Cy2]+ (as the BF4– salt) to give 2+. The dicarbonyl complex [2][BF4] was also synthesized starting from the dicyclohexylphosphanido‐bridged complex [(PHCy2)Pt(μ‐PCy2){κ2P,O‐μ‐P(O)Cy2}Pt(PHCy2)](Pt–Pt) (5). In this case the first step consisted of the carbonylation of 5 to give [(PHCy2)2Pt(μ‐PCy2)Pt{κP‐P(O)Cy2}(CO)](Pt–Pt) (6), which was transformed into 2+ by protonation with HBF4 under an atmosphere of CO. Prolonged reaction times for the carbonylation of [1‐L]2+ in halogenated solvents resulted in the formation of the symmetrical dicarbonyl compound syn‐[(CO)(PHCy2)Pt(μ‐PCy2)Pt(PHCy2)(CO)]+(Pt–Pt) (3+) along with Cy2P(H)OBF3. Complexes 6 and [1‐L][BF4]2 were also formed by the carbonylation of 5 and [1‐OMe2][BF4]2 in the solid state.
Isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic studies on Ni(II) removal from aqueous solution by Citrus limettioides seed and its carbon derivative
Authors: Ramasamy Sudha , Krishnamoorthy Srinivasan
Published: April 2015

Activated carbon was prepared from Citrus limettioides seed (CLSC), a novel waste material by chemical modification with sulfuric acid was applied for the adsorption Ni(II) from aqueous solutions. The effect of contact time, pH, adsorbent dose, initial metal ion concentration, and temperature were studied in batch experiments. According to the experimental results, the equilibrium time, optimum pH range, and adsorbent dosage were found to be 3 h, pH = 4.0–8.0 and 1 g L−1, respectively. In addition, raw Citrus limettioides seeds (CLS) were used as adsorbents at the same parameters. Ni(II) removal for CLSC and CLS were obtained 99.00% and 37.00% in turn. The equilibrium data agreed well with Langmuir model, which confirmed the monolayer coverage of Ni(II) ions onto CLS and CLSC. The Langmuir monolayer adsorption capacity of the CLSC was found to be 36.06 mg g−1 which was significantly about 3.5 times greater than that of CLS (10.23 mg g−1) at 300 K. The kinetic data followed pseudo‐second order model and intra‐particle diffusion was not the sole rate‐controlling factor. Surface morphology and structural analysis of CLSC prior to and after adsorption were characterized by SEM and EDX. The presence of hydroxyl, carboxylic, and sulfonic acid groups are confirmed by FTIR spectra. The adsorbents were also tested for the removal of Ni(II) from electroplating wastewater in connection with the reuse and selectivity of the adsorbents. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 34: 1384–1395, 2015
Observed and modeled effects of pH on bioconcentration of diphenhydramine, a weakly basic pharmaceutical, in fathead minnows
Authors: Nichols John W. , Du‌ Bowen , Berninger‌ Jason P. , Connors Kristin A. , Chambliss‌ C.Kevin , Erickson Russell J. , Hoffman Alex D. , Brooks Bryan W.
Published: April 2015

A need exists to better understand the influence of pH on the uptake and accumulation of ionizable pharmaceuticals in fish. In the present study, fathead minnows were exposed to diphenhydramine (DPH; disassociation constant = 9.1) in water for up to 96 h at 3 nominal pH levels: 6.7, 7.7, and 8.7. In each case, an apparent steady state was reached by 24 h, allowing for direct determination of the bioconcentration factor (BCF), blood–water partitioning (PBW,TOT), and apparent volume of distribution (approximated from the whole-body–plasma concentration ratio). The BCFs and measured PBW,TOT values increased in a nonlinear manner with pH, whereas the volume of distribution remained constant, averaging 3.0 L/kg. The data were then simulated using a model that accounts for acidification of the gill surface caused by elimination of metabolically produced acid. Good agreement between model simulations and measured data was obtained for all tests by assuming that plasma binding of ionized DPH is 16% that of the neutral form. A simpler model, which ignores elimination of metabolically produced acid, performed less well. These findings suggest that pH effects on accumulation of ionizable compounds in fish are best described using a model that accounts for acidification of the gill surface. Moreover, measured plasma binding and volume of distribution data for humans, determined during drug development, may have considerable value for predicting chemical binding behavior in fish. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:1425–1435. © 2015 SETAC
Dynamic frame aggregation scheduler for multimedia applications in IEEE 802.11n networks
Authors: Charfi Emna , Gueguen Cédric , Chaari Lamia , Cousin Bernad , Kamoun Lotfi
Published: April 2015

Providing quality of service (QoS) for real time applications over wireless local area networks is becoming a very challenging task due to the diversity of multimedia applications. Concurrently, there are numerous wireless local area networks WLAN(s) devices that are rising today. In the current paper, we focus on Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11n because it was designed to support a high data transmission rate (towards 600 Mbps). It is based on frame aggregation schemes that accumulate many subframes to be transmitted into a single larger frame. Thus overheads are reduced, efficiency and throughput are improved. However, it increases delay particularly for low rate applications. In fact, when the queue is empty, the medium access control layer (MAC) has to wait other packets to arrive in the queue to construct the whole aggregated frame. Moreover, if flows are not served, they will be accumulated in the queue causing an increased delay. To overcome these limitations, we propose a new dynamic frame aggregation (DFA) scheduler to provide QoS satisfaction to real time services. DFA schedules flows based on urgency delay and waiting delay, then it dynamically adjusts the payload size of aggregated frame. Conducted simulations prove that the proposed DFA scheduler provides QoS delay and throughput guarantee, and it reduces the number of dropped packets. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Robust Test for Threshold‐Type Nonlinearity in Multivariate Time Series Analysis
Authors: Chan Wai‐Sum , Cheung Siu Hung , Chow Wai Kit , Zhang Li‐Xin
Published: April 2015

There is growing interest in exploring potential forecast gains from the nonlinear structure of multivariate threshold autoregressive (MTAR) models. A least squares‐based statistical test has been proposed in the literature. However, previous studies on univariate time series analysis show that classical nonlinearity tests are often not robust to additive outliers. The outlier problem is expected to pose similar difficulties for multivariate nonlinearity tests. In this paper, we propose a new and robust MTAR‐type nonlinearity test, and derive the asymptotic null distribution of the test statistic. A Monte Carlo experiment is carried out to compare the power of the proposed test with that of the least squares‐based test under the influence of additive time series outliers. The results indicate that the proposed method is preferable to the classical test when observations are contaminated by outliers. Finally, we provide illustrative examples by applying the statistical tests to two real datasets. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Salivary duct carcinoma: Treatment, outcomes, and patterns of failure
Authors: Johnston Meredith L. , Huang Shao Hui , Waldron John N. , Atenafu Eshetu G. , Chan Kelvin , Cummings Bernard J. , Gilbert Ralph W. , Goldstein David , Gullane Patrick J. , Irish Jonathan C. , Perez–Ordonez Bayardo , Weinreb Ilan , Bayley Andrew , Cho John , Dawson Laura A. , Hope Andrew , Ringash Jolie , Witterick Ian J. , O'Sullivan Brian , Kim John
Published: April 2015

Background

Salivary duct carcinoma is rare, with distinct morphology and behavior. We reviewed our institutional experience with salivary duct carcinoma, aiming to characterize clinical behavior and treatment outcomes.

Methods

All salivary duct carcinomas treated curatively between 1999 and 2010 were reviewed. Overall survival (OS), locoregional control, distant control, and patterns of failure were analyzed. Multivariate analysis identified predictors of OS.

Results

Fifty‐four patients with salivary duct carcinoma (parotid gland = 49; submandibular gland = 5) were included in the analysis. Fifty‐three patients underwent primary surgery, and 48 (89%) received postoperative radiotherapy (RT; median dose = 60 Gy). Median follow‐up was 5.7 years. The 5‐year OS, locoregional control, and distant control were 43%, 70%, and 48%, respectively. Nine local (6 involving facial nerve), 10 regional, and 28 distant failures were identified. Multiple pathologic involved lymph nodes (pN2b/N2c) predicted reduced OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.6; p = .02).

Conclusion

Distant recurrence is common. Presence of pN2b/N2c disease is associated with reduced OS. Local recurrence frequently involves the facial nerves. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E820–E826, 2016
Significance of mammalian target of rapamycin in patients with locally advanced stage IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma receiving induction chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil
Authors: Li Shau‐Hsuan , Lin Wei‐Che , Huang Tai‐Lin , Chen Chang‐Han , Chiu Tai‐Jan , Fang Fu‐Min , Huang Wan‐Ting , Hsu Cheng‐Ming , Luo Sheng‐Dean , Lai Chi‐Chih , Su Yan‐Ye , Chuang Hui‐Ching , Chien Chih‐Yen
Published: April 2015

Background

This study evaluated the significance of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation on the prognosis of patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) receiving induction chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (TPF).

Methods

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for phosphorylated‐mTOR and phosphorylated‐p70 ribosomal S6 protein kinase (p70S6K) examined in 107 patients with locally advanced HNSCC receiving TPF was correlated with treatment outcome. The effect of mTOR inhibition on HNSCC cell lines was investigated in vitro and in vivo.

Results

Phosphorylated‐mTOR expression was independently significantly associated with response to TPF, progression‐free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). In cell lines and xenograft models, mTOR inhibitor, everolimus, enhanced the effect of docetaxel.

Conclusion

In patients with locally advanced HNSCC treated with TPF, phosphorylated‐mTOR expression was independently associated with prognosis. In vitro and in vivo, concomitant inhibition of mTOR enhanced the effect of docetaxel. Our findings suggest the potential of mTOR as a therapeutic target for locally advanced HNSCC. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E844–E852, 2016
Clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of primary and recurrent malignancy involving the salivary glands in children
Authors: Qureshi Sajid S. , Bhagat Monica , Singhal Nitin , Tathe Nitin , Kembhavi Seema , Laskar Siddharth , Ramadwar Mukta , Yadav Prabha
Published: April 2015

Background

Malignant salivary gland neoplasms are rare in children. The purpose of this study was to present our experience in the treatment of primary and recurrent salivary gland neoplasm and contribute to the fractional available data.

Methods

All patients <18 years, treated between June 2005 and April 2014 were included in this study.

Results

The parotid gland was the most common site for both primary (n = 18) and recurrent (n = 6) tumors and mucoepidermoid carcinoma, low or intermediate grade, main histological type. Surgical excision was performed in all patients, of which 13 patients received radiotherapy. Lymph node metastasis was present in 3 patients with primary tumor, which were assessed accurately on frozen section examination. Local recurrence occurred in 1 patient with primary tumor and all patients are alive.

Conclusion

Surgery is the prime modality of treatment for malignant salivary gland neoplasm and is associated with excellent outcomes. The role of lymph node sampling and frozen section examination needs further evaluation in identifying lymph node metastasis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 852–856, 2016
Innovating Beyond the Horizon: CEO Career Horizon, Top Management Composition, and R&D Intensity
Authors: Heyden Mariano L. M. , Reimer Marko , Van Doorn Sebastiaan
Published: April 2015

Decreasing research and development (R&D) can impair the ability of firms to remain innovative in the long run. CEOs have been accused of curtailing R&D investments as they approach expected retirement, yet received findings on R&D investment behaviors of late‐career CEOs are mixed. We argue that one reason for these inconsistent findings could be that traditional approaches overlook the fact that CEOs are not isolated agents in making R&D decisions. We build on the premise that CEOs interact with their top management team (TMT) when shaping R&D strategy and advance a contextualized view of CEO dispositions in their late career stages as being constrained or enabled by their TMT. We hypothesize that some TMT attributes (e.g., tenure and age) may amplify, whereas others (e.g., functional experience and education) may mitigate inclinations to reduce R&D. Our findings, based on a longitudinal sample of 100 US manufacturing firms from 1998 to 2008, provide nuanced insights into how different TMT characteristics influence CEO‐TMT dynamics, with TMT age and TMT tenure playing particularly pronounced roles. We discuss implications of our CEO‐TMT interface approach for theory and practice. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
How Do Controls Impact Employee Trust in the Employer?
Authors: Weibel Antoinette , Den Hartog Deanne N. , Gillespie Nicole , Searle Rosalind , Six Frédérique , Skinner Denise
Published: April 2015

Do organizational controls facilitate or hinder employees’ trust in their organization? We addressed this question through a mixed‐methods design using three studies. Based on a literature review and an open‐response survey study (Study 1), we developed a theoretical model proposing that organizational control is positively related to employees’ trust in their organization, and that this relationship is mediated by procedural fairness and organizational prestige. This mediated model was tested and supported in a quantitative survey of 582 European managers and professional employees from a range of organizations (Study 2). A complementary, qualitative interview‐based study (Study 3) confirmed that well‐implemented controls facilitate trust in the organization; however, poorly implemented control systems that are inconsistent, overly rigid, or incentivize untrustworthy behavior can undermine trust in the organization. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Purification and Characterization of a New Serine Protease (VLCII) Isolated from Vipera lebetina Venom: Its Role in Hemostasis
Authors: Amel Kadi‐Saci , Fatima Laraba‐Djebari
Published: April 2015

Snake venom serine proteinases (SVSPs) affect various physiological functions including blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, and platelet aggregation. Coagulant serine proteinase (VLCII) was purified from Vipera lebetina venom using three chromatographic steps: gel filtration on SephadexG‐75, DEAE‐Sephadex A‐50, and reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) on C8 column. VLCII appeared homogenous (60 kDa) when tested on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE). VLCII as a thrombin‐like enzyme was able to hydrolyze Nα‐CBZ L‐arginine‐p‐nitroanilide hydrochloride and could be a serine protease because it is inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. The proteolytic activity of VLCII was not affected by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and 1.10‐phenanthroline. It showed high coagulant activity against human plasma and cleaved both Aα chain and Bβ chain of bovine fibrinogen. The isolated VLCII displayed proaggregating effect on human platelet in a concentration‐dependent manner with an absence of lag time. Clopidogrel P2Y12 adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor inhibitor reduced markedly the aggregating effect induced by VLCII than aspirin, indicating the involvement of ADP signaling pathway.
Atorvastatin Increases miR‐124a Expression: A Mechanism of Gamt Modulation in Liver Cells
Authors: Phulukdaree Alisa , Moodley Devapregasan , Khan Sajidah , Chuturgoon Anil A.
Published: April 2015

Atorvastatin is used to control cholesterol and lipid levels in hyperlipidaemic and hypercholesterolaemic patients. Myopathy and hepatotoxicity, however, have been reported as side effects in a small percentage of statin users. This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxicity and the effect of atorvastatin on microRNA expression in HepG2 cells. The methylthiazol tetrazolium assay was used to assess hepatocyte viability and at 20 μM atorvastatin (24 h) treatment were 82 ± 1.5% viable (P = 0.0002). Levels of intracellular ATP in cells treated with 20 μM atorvastatin were reduced by 1.25‐fold, P = 0.002. Cytotoxicity, measured by the release of intracellular lactate dehydrogenase, was increased from 0.95 ± 0.29 units in control cells to 1.12 ± 0.02 units (P = 0.002) in atorvastatin treated cells. A panel of 84‐miRNA species was used to evaluate the effect of atorvastatin on miRNA expression. MiR‐124a was significantly up‐regulated by atorvastatin (12.94‐fold). A significant decrease in GAMT expression (3.54‐fold) was observed in atorvastatin treated cells following quantitative PCR analysis. In addition, western blotting data showed GAMT protein levels were significantly lower than the controls (3.02‐fold) and analysis of creatine levels in treated cells showed a significant decrease in the atorvastatin treated culture supernatant compared to control culture supernatant (32.33 ± 3.51 μM/l vs. 59.67 ± 1.52μM/l, P = 0.0056). This is the first study to show that atorvastatin up‐regulates miR‐124a levels and consequently modulates GAMT expression in hepatocytes. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 2620–2627, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Histone Demethylase Utx Regulates Differentiation and Mineralization in Osteoblasts
Authors: Yang Di , Okamura Hirohiko , Teramachi Jumpei , Haneji Tatsuji
Published: April 2015

Alteration of methylation status of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27) associates with dramatic changes in gene expression in response to various differentiation signals. Demethylation of H3K27 is controlled by specific histone demethylases including ubiquitously transcribed tetratricopeptide repeat X chromosome (Utx). However, the role of Utx in osteoblast differentiation remains unknown. In this study, we examined whether Utx should be involved in osteoblast differentiation. Expression of Utx increased during osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3‐E1 cells and primary osteoblasts. GSK‐J1, a potent inhibitor of H3K27 demethylase, increased the levels of trimethylated H3K27 (H3K27me3) and decreased the expressions of Runx2 and Osterix and ALP activity in MC3T3‐E1 cells. Stable knockdown of Utx by shRNA attenuated osteoblast differentiation and decreased ALP activity, calcium content, and bone‐related gene expressions. Silencing of Utx increased the level of H3K27me3 on the promoter regions of Runx2 and Osterix and decreased the promoter activities of Runx2 and Osterix. Taken together, our present results propose that Utx plays important roles in osteoblast differentiation by controlling the expressions of Runx2 and Osterix. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 2628–2636, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Women in Recovery: Predictors of Internal and External Work Locus of Control
Authors: Campagna Kristina , Wilson Rebecca , Callahan Sarah , Jason Leonard A.
Published: April 2015

Work locus of control (WLC) is an established construct that has predicted employment attainment, satisfaction, and outcomes. Studies of WLC in general populations have found internal locus to be positively associated with favorable work outcomes, while external locus of control is associated with high turnover. However, few studies have focused on WLC with either women or at‐risk populations. The current study used a hierarchical multiple regression with demographics, self‐esteem, and perceptions of barriers to employment to predict WLC in a nationwide sample of 151 women in recovery from substance abuse. Age and self‐esteem were significant predictors of scores on WLC. The implications of these findings suggest that higher self‐esteem predicts internal locus of control, and that there may be age‐specific differences in WLC for women in recovery. Future research should be conducted to explore women, WLC, and age‐specific correlates in order inform policies to help women in recovery obtain and retain employment.
Elevated expression of CCAT2 is associated with poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Xuelin , Xu Yunhua , He Chunya , Guo Xiaowei , Zhang Jian , He Chengzhi , Zhang Ling , Kong Min , Chen Baofu , Zhu Chengchu
Published: April 2015

Background and Objectives

CCAT2, a novel long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs), is found to promote the metastasis and invasion of colon, lung, and breast cancers. This study aimed to investigate the level of CCAT2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and to elucidate its clinical significance.

Methods

The expression level of CCAT2 and the status of MYC amplification were examined in 229 ESCC samples using quantitative real‐ time PCR.

Results

CCAT2 was upregulated in ESCC tissues, especially in cases with lymph node metastasis (LNM), advanced TNM stages, and MYC amplification. Furthermore, the level of CCAT2 was positively correlated with TNM stages, LNM, and the number of positive lymph nodes. High CCAT2 expression and MYC amplification were significantly associated with TNM stages and LNM. Survival analyses revealed that high CCAT2 expression and MYC amplification were significantly associated with poorer overall survival in ESCC patients. Furthermore, patients with high CCAT2 expression and MYC amplification had a 2.199‐fold increased risk of death compared with those with low CCAT2 expression and MYC non‐amplification.

Conclusions

Our study provides the first evidence associating CCAT2 expression and poor survival in ESCC. CCAT2 may be a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for ESCC. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:834–839. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Trends and predictors of resection of the primary tumor for patients with stage IV colorectal cancer
Authors: Shapiro Mia , Rashid Naim U. , Whang Edward E. , Boosalis Valia A. , Huang Qin , Yoon Charles , Saund Mandeep S. , Gold Jason S.
Published: April 2015

Background and Objectives

Over 130,000 patients are diagnosed with colorectal cancer annually, with approximately 20% presenting with unresectable metastatic disease. Recent consensus guidelines recommend against primary tumor resection for asymptomatic patients with unresectable metastases. Our goal was to examine the trends and predictors of surgical resection.

Methods

Cases of colorectal cancer with synchronous metastases diagnosed between 1988–2010 were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Database. Associations between resection and clinicopathologic variables were sought using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Overall, 68% of patients with synchronous metastatic colorectal cancer underwent primary tumor resection. Resection rates were as high as 76% in the earliest time period (1988–1992) and steadily dropped to 60% in the most recent period (2008–2010). Socioeconomic factors associated with resection on univariate analysis included age, race, gender, marital status, insurance status, and geographic region. Clinicopathologic characteristics associated with resection included tumor location, grade, size, and CEA level. In the multivariate model, gender, geographic region, insurance status, tumor location, grade and CEA level were independent predictors of primary tumor resection.

Conclusions

Surgical resection of the primary site remains common practice for patients with synchronous metastatic colorectal cancer. Treatment disparities are associated with socioeconomic as well as clinicopathologic factors. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:911–916. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bioactive Chitosan Nanoparticles Loaded with Retinyl Palmitate: A Simple Route Using Ionotropic Gelation
Authors: Fernández‐Gutiérrez Mar , Bossio Ornella , Gómez‐Mascaraque Laura G. , Vázquez‐Lasa Blanca , Román Julio San
Published: April 2015

Nowadays, there is an increasing demand in incorporating antioxidants into biopolymeric nanoparticles (NPs) in order to enlarge their applications in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. The challenge of the work is to investigate the feasibility of encapsulating retinyl palmitate (RP) into chitosan (Ch) NP via ionotropic gelation. Two routes are addressed in the preparation of the systems, and they have an influence on the physicochemical properties of the NP in addition to the antioxidant amount loaded. The resulting RP‐encapsulated NP has pseudo spherical morphology, average hydrodynamic diameters between 230 and 350 nm and zeta potential values between +12.5 and +30 mV, depending on RP load and procedure. Encapsulation efficiency ranges from about 35% to 64%, and the loading capacity between 4% and 10%. The antioxidant activity studied by the 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picryl‐hydrazyl (DPPH) assay and cytotoxicity of RP‐loaded NP evaluated against human dermal fibroblasts is dependent on RP content and NP concentration.

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SPG11 Mutations Associated With a Complex Phenotype Resembling Dopa‐Responsive Dystonia
Authors: Wijemanne Subhashie , Shulman Joshua M. , Jimenez‐Shahed Joohi , Curry Daniel , Jankovic Joseph
Published: April 2015

Background: The aim of this study was to describe a case of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) resulting from SPG11 mutations, presenting with a complex phenotype of dopa‐responsive dystonia (DRD), diagnosed using whole exome sequencing (WES). HSP resulting from SPG11 typically presents with spasticity, cognitive impairment, and radiological evidence of thin corpus callosum. Initial presentation with DRD has not been previously reported on. Methods: This 11‐year‐old boy with delay in fine motor skills, presented at 8 years of age with progressive, generalized dystonia with diurnal variation, bradykinesia, and stiff gait. There was marked improvement in dystonia with levodopa, but he soon developed wearing‐off phenomenon and l‐dopa‐induced dyskinesia. Family history was unremarkable. Results: Brain MRI showed thinning of the anterior corpus callosum with periventricular white matter changes. 123I‐ioflupane single‐photon emission coupled tomography showed bilateral severe presynaptic dopamine deficiency. WES identified transheterozygous allelic variants in the SPG11 on chromosome 15, including a truncating STOP mutation (p.E1630X) and a second heterozygous coding variant (p.L2300R). Dystonia improved with globus pallidus internus (GPi) DBS surgery. Conclusions: HSP resulting from SPG11 should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient presenting with DRD, parkinsonism, and spasticity. This case expands the HSP genotype and phenotype. GPi DBS may be a therapeutic option in selected patients.
‘Wax bloom’ on beeswax cultural heritage objects: Exploring the causes of the phenomenon
Authors: Bartl B. , Kobera L. , Drábková K. , Ďurovič M. , Brus J.
Published: April 2015

The term ‘wax bloom’ is used to describe a thin whitish crystalline layer that develops on the surface of beeswax objects under specific conditions. This phenomenon is undesirable, especially in the cases of objects with aesthetic or informational value, such as wax sculptures or historical seals. A combination of solid‐state NMR and FTIR measurements allowed to obtain fairly detailed insight into the problem and to suggest a probable mechanism of its development. Secondary crystallization of unsaturated hydrocarbons from beeswax was determined as a primary cause. After the macroscopic solidification of beeswax from the melt, these molecules remain for months in a highly mobile, liquid‐like state. This facilitates their diffusion to the surface, where they eventually crystallize, forming the ‘wax bloom’ effect. Although these results are of particular interest with respect to the conservation of beeswax artifacts, they are relevant to this material in general and help with understanding its unique properties. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Building community? The characteristics of America's most civic cities
Authors: Engbers Trent A.
Published: April 2015

A tremendous amount is known about individual civic and political participation. Those who participate are more educated, more affluent and easier to mobilize. Yet, the social value of participation lies not in its individual impact but in democratically meaningful units such as local governments. Little is known about why some communities display vibrant patterns of participation while others are characterized by disengagement. This paper furthers this understanding by examining what corporate, political and nonprofit leaders in 10 America's cities see as fostering their civic life. This study finds that institutional factors unite those cities with the highest levels of participation. These include a strong corporate presence, mechanisms for mobilization, a strong community identity, public spaces, good government and investment in youth. This serves as a basis for fostering pro‐civic policies. This is a practitioner‐oriented paper that while grounded in research is designed to foster policy solutions rather than prove casual mechanisms. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The role of polymers in random lasing
Authors: Sznitko Lech , Mysliwiec Jaroslaw , Miniewicz Andrzej
Published: April 2015

In this review article, we describe the basic principles of random laser operation with particular emphasis on π‐conjugated, dye‐doped and biologically inspired polymers. Random lasers are unusual types of lasers that use disorder in the light amplifying medium to provide positive feedback for laser operation. Organic systems like polymers are affected with disorder resulting both from their molecular structure and fabrication techniques. Due to this fact polymers seem to fit to role of random lasers and now are being extensively studied in this direction. Despite multiline and multidirectional operation polymeric random lasers have potential for several interesting applications. Here we show that they can be successfully applied to sensing in biology and medicine, encoding of information, display technology and search and rescue. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015, 53, 951–974
Hydrogen–vacancy interactions in ferromagnetic and paramagnetic bcc iron: Ab initio calculations
Authors: Mirzoev Alexander Aminulaevich , Mirzaev Dzhalal Aminulovich , Verkhovykh Anastasiia Vladimirovna
Published: April 2015

Simulation of the paramagnetic state is still a challenge for computer material science. At the same time, for iron alloys the region of the paramagnetic state is important from the viewpoint of processing. The paper presents results of ab initio modeling of interaction of hydrogen atom with a vacancy in both ferromagnetic and (for the first time) paramagnetic bcc iron. The interaction energy calculations are carried out in the framework of the local spin density approximation (LSDA) by using the supercell LAPW‐WIEN‐2k method. To obtain the disordered distribution of magnetic moments the program package BINAR was used. Fifteen nonequivalent magnetic configurations were obtained. Five of them having the lowest energy were chosen for further analysis. The H–O site distance is 0.23 Å in both paramagnetic and ferromagnetic bcc iron. The energy of hydrogen trapping by the vacancy is 0.60 and 0.27 for paramagnetic and ferromagnetic state, respectively. It is found that weakening of the H–V interaction in the paramagnetic state is the consequence of magnetic effects.
Impedance Spectroscopy of Ionic Ligand‐Modulated Charge Transport of Gold Nanoparticle Films
Authors: Yu Xi , Malvankar Nikhil , Landis Ryan , Eymur Serkan , Miranda Oscar R. , Rotello Vincent M.
Published: April 2015

Assembled monolayer‐protected nanoparticles (NPs) possess unique electrical properties that are determined by the coupled effects of their nano‐sized electroactive inorganic cores that are capable of donating and accepting electrons and the organic shells. Core and ligand engineering for NP conductance modulation has been extensively explored; however, most studies focus on electron transport and not the interplay between the ion and electron transport processes. It is demonstrated here that electronic‐ and ionic‐conducting properties of nanoparticle assemblies can be controlled by engineering the charge and flexibility of the ligand shell. By using impedance spectroscopy, the electronic, mixed ionic and electronic, and responsive conductance of the nanoparticle film and structure‐function correlation are systematically investigated, and this correlation is used to provide a prototype volatile gas sensor based on the combined ionic and electronic conductance behavior of ionic ligand‐functionalized gold NPs.
The impact of vocabulary normalization
Authors: Binkley Dave , Lawrie Dawn
Published: April 2015

Software development, evolution, and maintenance depend on ever increasing tool support. Recent tools have incorporated increasing analysis of the natural language found in source code, predominately in the identifiers and comments. However, when coders combine abbreviations and acronyms to form multi‐word identifiers, they, in essence, invent new vocabulary making the source code's vocabulary differ from that of other software artifacts. This vocabulary mismatch is a potential problem for many techniques imported from information retrieval and natural language processing, which implicitly assume the use of a single common vocabulary. Vocabulary normalization aims to bring the vocabulary of the source in line with that of other artifacts.

A prior small‐scale experiment demonstrated the value of vocabulary normalization for C code. A more comprehensive experiment using Java code is presented where normalization fails to bring benefit. To investigate the potential underlying causes, over 20,000 non‐dictionary words extracted from the program JabRef were normalized by hand (often requiring significant external information). The experiment, repeated using the hand‐normalized identifiers, again found that normalization brought no improvement. In response to this unexpected result, the vocabulary differences between Java and C codes are considered and used to help frame directions for future work. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Do E‐verify mandates improve labor market outcomes of low‐skilled native and legal immigrant workers?
Authors: Bohn Sarah , Lofstrom Magnus , Raphael Steven
Published: April 2015

We examine the impact of the 2007 Legal Arizona Workers Act (LAWA) on employment outcomes of low‐skilled legal workers. We use the synthetic control method to select a group of states against which the labor market trends of Arizona can be compared. Our results suggest that contrary to its intent, LAWA does not appear to have improved labor market outcomes of legal low‐skilled workers who compete with unauthorized immigrants, the target of the legislation. In fact, we find some evidence of diminished employment and increased unemployment among legal low‐skilled workers in Arizona. These findings are concentrated on the largest demographic group of workers—non‐Hispanic white men. While they are less likely to find employment, those who do have on average higher earnings as a result of LAWA. The pattern of results points to both labor supply and labor demand contractions due to LAWA, with labor supply dominating in terms of magnitude.
Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Luminescent Properties of Two Complexes based on 5‐tert‐Butylisophthalic Acid and 1, 2‐Bis(4‐pyridyl) Ethane
Authors: Xu Bo , Guo Shan , Li Zhi Wang , Li Cun Cheng
Published: April 2015

Abstract. Two coordination polymers, namely, [Zn(bpe)0.5(Htbip)(tbip)0.5]·H2O (1) and [Cd(bpe)0.5(tbip)] (2) [H2tbip = 5‐tert‐butylisophthalic acid and bpe = 1, 2‐ bis(4‐pyridyl) ethane] were synthesized through hydrothermal reactions. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis reveals that complex 1 presents a three‐dimensional (3D) six‐connected uninodal structure with the type of topology of svi‐x/I4/mcm → Ibam, whereas complex 2 holds a 2D 44‐sql layer structure. Moreover, the photoluminescent properties of the complexes at room temperature were investigated.
Infrared Spectroscopy and Multivariate Calibration for Quantification of Soybean Oil as Adulterant in Biodiesel Fuels
Authors: Guimarães Eloiza , Mitsutake Hery , Gontijo Lucas Caixeta , de Santana Felipe Bachion , Santos Douglas Queiroz , Neto Waldomiro Borges
Published: April 2015

This work quantifies the adulteration of ethyl and methyl soybean biodiesels/diesel (B5) blended with soybean oil using mid‐infrared spectroscopy associated with multivariate calibration. The models constructed by the method of partial least squares (PLS) presented low values of root‐mean‐square error of prediction 0.22 % (w/w) and 0.26 % (w/w), respectively, for models containing ethyl and methyl soybean biodiesel. Along with the parameters of error, accuracy was evaluated by the use of an elliptical joint confidence region (EJCR). The EJCR for the both PLS models showed there was no significant difference between the prepared concentration values and PLS predicted concentration values, and that there was no evidence of bias within the 95 % confidence level. The PLS models showed excellent correlation in the prediction set (R = 0.999) and did not present systematic errors according to the ASTM E1655 standard. Therefore, the models presented excellent performance in quantifying soybean oil as an adulterant in B5 blends, in concentrations within the range 1.00–30.00 % (w/w). The proposed methodology showed itself to be efficient for quality control of B5 contaminated with vegetable oil.
Ileal ulcers in a patient with Henoch‐Schönlein purpura
Authors: Shih Ying‐Yu , Liang Cheng‐Chao , Lin Cheng‐Kuan , Hsu Wei‐Fan , Wu Chien‐Sheng , Chung Chen‐Shuan
Published: April 2015

Henoch‐Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a systemic vasculitis characterized by a classic tetrad of nonthrombocytopenic palpable purpura, arthritis, gastrointestinal, and renal involvement. The most common gastrointestinal complaint is abdominal pain. The characteristic endoscopic findings are ulcers seen in the second portion of the duodenum. We present the case of a 45‐year‐old man suffering from abdominal pain. Erythematous purpura over bilateral lower extremities and soreness of the joints developed 3 days before abdominal pain. An abdominal computed tomography showed an edematous change of the intestinal wall and the distal part of the ileum. A retrograde single balloon enteroscopy revealed several discrete ulcers and hyperemic mucosa in the distal ileum. The middle, proximal, and terminal ileum and ileocecal valve to the rectum were not affected. Under the impression of HSP, nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs and prednisolone were administered. We concluded that balloon‐assisted enteroscopy is helpful for differential diagnosis of small bowel lesions in adult patients with HSP.
Thickness and clearance visualization based on distance field of 3D objects
Authors: Inui Masatomo , Umezu Nobuyuki , Wakasaki Kazuma , Sato Shunsuke
Published: April 2015

This paper proposes a novel method for visualizing the thickness and clearance of 3D objects in a polyhedral representation. The proposed method uses the distance field of the objects in the visualization. A parallel algorithm is developed for constructing the distance field of polyhedral objects using the GPU. The distance between a voxel and the surface polygons of the model is computed many times in the distance field construction. Similar sets of polygons are usually selected as close polygons for close voxels. By using this spatial coherence, a parallel algorithm is designed to compute the distances between a cluster of close voxels and the polygons selected by the culling operation so that the fast shared memory mechanism of the GPU can be fully utilized. The thickness/clearance of the objects is visualized by distributing points on the visible surfaces of the objects and painting them with a unique color corresponding to the thickness/clearance values at those points. A modified ray casting method is developed for computing the thickness/clearance using the distance field of the objects. A system based on these algorithms can compute the distance field of complex objects within a few minutes for most cases. After the distance field construction, thickness/clearance visualization at a near interactive rate is achieved.
A Dual-enzyme Product Containing Protease in Broiler Diet: Efficacy and Tolerance
Authors: Kocher A. , Hower J.M. , Moran C.A.
Published: April 2015

Exogenous enzymes are commonly added to poultry diets to improve nutrient utilisation, reduce excretion of nutrients into the environment as well as to improve zootechnical performance and reduce the cost of production. A series of four experiments were conducted in broilers to determine the efficacy and tolerance to an enzyme product (Vegpro™) containing protease and xylanase activities in wheat-soybean meal (SBM) diets fed to broilers from 1 to 39 or 42 d of age. Collectively, four experiments tested the following exogenous protease activity levels in wheat-SBM diet at levels of 0, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000 or 100,000 HUT/kg of feed. Analysis of the four experiments together confirmed that Vegpro™ improved average daily gain and feed conversion ratio, especially in birds up to 21 d of age. Overall, inclusion of Vegpro™ to broiler diets at 10,000 HUT protease per kg of feed was shown to provide the maximum performance benefit (i.e. weight gain and feed conversion ratio). An exceptionally high protease activity (100,000 HUT/kg, ten times the manufacturer's recommended inclusion rate) was well tolerated and did not adversely affect the measured health and performance indicators from 1 to 42 d of age.
Plume emission statistics in turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard convection
Authors: van der Poel Erwin P. , Verzicco Roberto , Grossmann Siegfried , Lohse Detlef
Published: April 2015

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of turbulent thermal convection in a $\mathit{Pr}=0.7$ fluid up to $\mathit{Ra}=10^{12}$ are used to study the statistics of thermal plumes. At various vertical locations in a cylindrical set-up with aspect ratio ${\it\Gamma}=\text{width}/\text{height}=1/3$, plumes are identified and their properties extracted. It is found that plumes are much less likely to be emitted from plate regions with large wind shear. Close to the plates, the plumes have a unimodal log–normal distribution, whereas at more central locations the distribution becomes weakly bimodal, which can be traced back to clustering of the plumes and influence of the large-scale circulation. The number of hot plumes decreases with height. The width of the plumes scales with $\mathit{Ra}$ approximately as $\mathit{Nu}^{-1}$, indicating that it is determined by the thermal boundary layer thickness.