bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new framework for interleaved scanning in cardiovascular MR: Application to image‐based respiratory motion correction in coronary MR angiography
Authors: Henningsson Markus , Mens Giel , Koken Peter , Smink Jouke , Botnar Rene M.
Published: March 2014

Purpose

To describe a new framework for interleaving scans and demonstrate its usefulness for image‐based respiratory motion correction in whole heart coronary MR angiography (CMRA).

Methods

Scan interleaving using the proposed approach was achieved by switching between separately defined, independent scans at arbitrary time points during their execution, using a generic function call. The scan interleaving framework was used to perform scan interleaving for image‐based respiratory navigation of CMRA with spiral, radial, and Cartesian echo‐planar imaging (EPI) navigator k‐space trajectories. Eight healthy volunteers were scanned.

Results

Improved coronary vessel sharpness and visual scores were obtained using spiral and Cartesian EPI navigators compared with radial navigators.

Conclusion

The usefulness of the proposed scan interleaving framework was demonstrated for image‐based respiratory motion correction. It facilitated more direct comparisons of image navigator acquisitions with different k‐space trajectories. Furthermore, we could demonstrate that spiral and Cartesian EPI navigators may be particularly suitable for image‐based motion correction, as they provide improved motion correction and high navigator apparent signal‐to‐noise ratio while spending very little magnetization, thereby minimizing saturation effects. Magn Reson Med 73:692–696, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Main Determinations of Female Entrepreneurs in the Construction Industry in Malaysia
Authors: Jaafar Mastura , Othman Raihanah , Jalali Alireza
Published: March 2014

This paper explores the determination of female entrepreneurs in the construction industry based on masculine and feminine characteristics in the Malaysian construction industry, using the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI). The median split method determined that female construction entrepreneurs have masculine traits. The results are not robust because of the limited number of responses; nonetheless, the findings can be used as a platform for future research on female construction entrepreneurs in the construction industry in Malaysia. To enhance the findings' contributions, this paper also discusses the industry characteristics, which are considered to have significantly contributed to the masculinity of female construction entrepreneurs.
Lixisenatide (Lyxumia): new GLP‐1 mimetic for type 2 diabetes
Authors: Chaplin Steve
Published: March 2014

Lixisenatide is a new GLP‐1 mimetic for use in type 2 diabetes with oral agents and/or insulin. In our New products review, Steve Chaplin presents the data relating to its efficacy and adverse events, and Dr Frank Joseph discusses its place in therapy.
Diagnosis and management and of irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Nagari Mithun
Published: March 2014

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common condition that may be underdiagnosed due to patients relying on self‐care. Our Drug review discusses its diagnosis and provides a guide to current management, followed by sources of further information.
Topological phases of silicene and germanene in an external magnetic field: Quantitative results
Authors: Singh N. , Schwingenschlögl U.
Published: March 2014

We investigate the topological phases of silicene and germanene that arise due to the strong spin–orbit interaction in an external perpendicular magnetic field. Below and above a critical field of 10 T, respectively, we demonstrate for silicene under 3% tensile strain quantum spin Hall and quantum anomalous Hall phases. Not far above the critical field, and therefore in the experimentally accessible regime, we obtain an energy gap in the meV range, which shows that the quantum anomalous Hall phase can be realized experimentally in silicene, in contrast to graphene (tiny energy gap) and germanene (enormous field required). (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A density functional theory study on lewis acid‐catalyzed transesterification of β‐oxodithioesters
Authors: Guo Xiaokang , Chen Lihui , Zhu Yanyan , Zhang Anqi , Wei Donghui , Tang Mingsheng
Published: March 2014

The detailed mechanisms of the Lewis acid‐catalyzed transesterification of β‐oxodithioesters at a solvent‐free condition were studied using density functional theory. Five possible reaction pathways, including one noncatalyzed (channel 1) and four Lewis acid‐catalyzed channels (SnCl2‐catalyzed channels 2 and 3 and SnCl2·2H2O‐catalyzed channels 4 and 5), were investigated. Our calculated results indicate that the energy barriers of the catalyzed channels are significantly lower than that of channel 1. Channel 5, which has an energy barrier of 33.70 kcal/mol as calculated at the B3LYP/[6‐31G(d, p)+LANL2DZ] level, is the most energy‐favorable channel. Moreover, one water molecule of SnCl2·2H2O participated in the transesterification in channel 5. Thus, we report a novel function of the SnCl2·2H2O catalyst, which is quite different from the function of the conventional nonhydrated Lewis acid SnCl2. To understand the function of these two Lewis acid catalysts better, the global reactivity indexes and natural bond orbital charge were analyzed. This work helps in understanding the function of the Lewis acid in transesterification, and it can provide valuable insight for the rational design of new Lewis acid catalysts. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bioventing of No. 2 Fuel Oil: Effects of Air Flowrate, Temperature, Nutrient Amendment, and Acclimation
Authors: King Margaret M. , Kinner Nancy E. , Deming Diana P. , Simonton Julie A. , Belden Laura M.
Published: March 2014

A 14‐month pilot‐scale bioventing study, sponsored by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, was conducted by the University of New Hampshire to determine the effects of the time between the contamination event and the onset of bioventing, as well as air flowrate, temperature, and nutrient amendments. Freshly contaminated soil was not readily amenable to bioventing. Bioventing was effective (82–92.5 percent removal) for acclimated soil amended with nutrients at 10 °C and 20 °C for the 275 cm3/min and 140 cm3/min air flowrates, respectively. First order degradation rates after nutrient addition were −6.11 ± 0.83 (×10−3)/day and −6.57 ± 1.71 (×10−3)/day, respectively. The results indicate that bioventing will be best applied when the contamination has occurred at least two years before the onset of treatment. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mitigation of peer‐to‐peer overlay attacks in the automatic metering infrastructure of smart grids
Authors: Rottondi Cristina , Savi Marco , Verticale Giacomo , Krauß Christoph
Published: March 2014

Measurements gathered by smart metres and collected through the automatic metering infrastructure of smart grids can be accessed by numerous external subjects for different purposes, ranging from billing to grid monitoring. Therefore, to prevent the disclosure of personal information through the analysis of energy consumption patterns, the metering data must be securely handled. Peer‐to‐peer networking is a promising approach for interconnecting communication nodes among the automatic metering infrastructure to efficiently perform data collection while ensuring privacy and confidentiality, but it is also prone to various security attacks. This paper discusses the impact of the most relevant peer‐to‐peer attack scenarios on the performance of a protocol for privacy preserving aggregation of metering data. The protocol relies on communication gateways located in the customers’ households and interconnected by means of a variant of the Chord overlay. We also propose some countermeasures to mitigate the effects of such attacks: we integrate a verifiable secret sharing scheme based on Pedersen commitments in the aggregation protocol, which ensures data integrity, with compliance checks aimed at identifying the injection of altered measurements. Moreover, we introduce Chord auxiliary routing tables to counteract the routing pollution performed by dishonest nodes. The paper evaluates the computational complexity and effectiveness of the proposed solutions through analytical and numerical results. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Positron Emitting Magnetic Nanoconstructs for PET/MR Imaging
Authors: Aryal Santosh , Key Jaehong , Stigliano Cinzia , Landis Melissa D. , Lee Daniel Y. , Decuzzi Paolo
Published: March 2014

Hybrid PET/MRI scanners have the potential to provide fundamental molecular, cellular, and anatomic information essential for optimizing therapeutic and surgical interventions. However, their full utilization is currently limited by the lack of truly multi‐modal contrast agents capable of exploiting the strengths of each modality. Here, we report on the development of long‐circulating positron‐emitting magnetic nanoconstructs (PEM) designed to image solid tumors for combined PET/MRI. PEMs are synthesized by a modified nano‐precipitation method mixing poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA), lipids, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains with 5 nm iron oxide nanoparticles (USPIOs). PEM lipids are coupled with 1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7,10‐tetraacetic acid (DOTA) and subsequently chelated to 64Cu. PEMs show a diameter of 140 ± 7 nm and a transversal relaxivity r2 of 265.0 ± 10.0 (mM × s)−1, with a r2/r1 ratio of 123. Using a murine xenograft model bearing human breast cancer cell line (MDA‐MB‐231), intravenously administered PEMs progressively accumulate in tumors reaching a maximum of 3.5 ± 0.25% ID/g tumor at 20 h post‐injection. Correlation of PET and MRI signals revealed non‐uniform intratumoral distribution of PEMs with focal areas of accumulation at the tumor periphery. These long‐circulating PEMs with high transversal relaxivity and tumor accumulation may allow for detailed interrogation over multiple scales in a clinically relevant setting.
Function of DNA methyltransferase 3a in lead (Pb2+)‐Induced Cyclooxygenase‐2 gene
Authors: Tsai Yao‐Ting , Chang Che‐Mai , Wang Jaw‐Yuan , Hou Ming‐Feng , Wang Ju‐Ming , Shiurba Robert , Chang Wen‐Chang , Chang Wei‐Chiao
Published: March 2014

Lead ions (Pb2+) are toxic industrial pollutants associated with chronic inflammatory diseases in humans and animals. Previously, we found that Pb2+ ions induce COX‐2 gene expression via the EGF receptor/nuclear factor‐κB signal transduction pathway in epidermoid carcinoma cell line A431. In this study, to see whether Pb2+ ions affect COX‐2 expression by epigenetic mechanisms, we looked at the mRNAs of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) using real‐time PCR of total RNA from these cells. Cells exposed to Pb2+ had low levels of DNMT3a mRNA, whereas the levels of DNMT1 and DNMT3b mRNAs remained unchanged. Pretreatment of cells with DNMT inhibitor 5‐aza‐2'‐deoxycytidine (5 μM) followed by Pb2+ (1 μM) significantly increased levels of COX‐2 mRNA compared with cells treated with Pb2+ alone. Overexpression of tumor suppressor gene Rb correlated with an increase in COX‐2 mRNA and a decrease in DNMT3a mRNA. Conversely, overexpression of transcription factor E2F1 correlated with a decrease in COX‐2 mRNA and an increase in DMNT3a mRNA. Pretreatment with EGFR inhibitors AG1478 and PD153035 significantly limited Pb2+‐induced reduction in DNMT3a mRNA. In addition, gene knockdown of DNMT3a with short hairpin RNA correlated with increased COX‐2 mRNA induced by Pb2+. Our findings suggest Pb2+ ions induce COX‐2 expression indirectly by reducing DNMT3a methylation of the COX‐2 promoter via transcription factors Rb and E2F1. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 1024–1032, 2015.
Influence of equipment and settings on myocardial performance index repeatability and definition of settings to achieve optimal reproducibility
Authors: Lobmaier S. M. , Cruz‐Lemini M. , Valenzuela‐Alcaraz B. , Ortiz J. U. , Martinez J. M. , Gratacos E. , Crispi F.
Published: March 2014

Objective

To compare left myocardial performance index (MPI) values and reproducibility using different settings and ultrasound equipment in order to standardize optimal machine settings.

Methods

Left MPI was prospectively evaluated by one observer performing conventional Doppler in 62 fetuses (28–36 weeks of gestational age) using different settings (changing sweep speed, gain and wall motion filter (WMF)) and two different ultrasound devices (Siemens Antares, Siemens; Voluson 730 Expert, GE Medical Systems). Intraclass coefficients of agreement (ICCs) were calculated using Bland–Altman analysis.

Results

Using baseline settings on the Siemens, mean (SD) MPI was 0.44 (0.05) with an ICC of 0.81. Decreasing the sweep speed resulted in decreasing average MPI values (0.43) and decreasing ICC (0.61). Lowering gain also influenced average MPI values (0.46) and ICC (0.76). Raising gain resulted in similar MPI values (0.45) with better ICC (0.90) compared with baseline settings. Raising wall motion filter (WMF) provided the best ICC (0.94) compared with the other settings. Changing the ultrasound equipment resulted in an ICC of 0.64. The optimal settings to achieve the highest reproducibility in measurement of MPI were sweep speed 8, gain 60 dB and WMF 281 Hz for Siemens Antares and sweep speed 5, gain −10 dB and WMF 210 Hz for Voluson 730 Expert.

Conclusion

Changing ultrasound settings or equipment may affect the calculation and repeatability of measurement of MPI values. Strict standardization of methods decreases the variability of this parameter for fetal cardiac function assessment. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Trailing edge noise reduction of wind turbine blades by active flow control
Authors: Wolf Alexander , Lutz Thorsten , Würz Werner , Krämer Ewald , Stalnov Oksana , Seifert Avraham
Published: March 2014

In the current study, we investigate a route to reduction of the turbulent boundary layer–trailing edge interaction noise. The trailing edge noise is generated by surface pressure fluctuations beneath a turbulent boundary and scattered at the trailing edge of wind turbine blades. Trailing edge noise is considered to be the dominant noise source of modern wind turbines. Therefore, efforts are constantly made to attenuate the noise. Today, noise emission can be reduced by proper airfoil design or passive devices, such as trailing edge serrations. A further improved candidate technology for trailing edge noise attenuation is active flow control in the form of wall‐normal suction. With active flow control, the boundary layer features responsible for trailing edge noise generation can be manipulated, and correspondingly the trailing edge noise can be reduced. Detailed experimental investigations were performed at the Universities of Tel‐Aviv and Stuttgart. The tests showed that steady wall‐normal suction has a positive effect on the trailing edge noise by reducing the boundary layer thickness, and with it the integral length scales of the eddies within the boundary layer. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of experimentally‐induced maternal hypothyroidism on crucial offspring rat brain enzyme activities
Authors: Koromilas Christos , Liapi Charis , Zarros Apostolos , Stolakis Vasileios , Tsagianni Anastasia , Skandali Nikolina , Al‐Humadi Hussam , Tsakiris Stylianos
Published: March 2014

Hypothyroidism is known to exert significant structural and functional changes to the developing central nervous system, and can lead to the establishment of serious mental retardation and neurological problems. The aim of the present study was to shed more light on the effects of gestational and/or lactational maternal exposure to propylthiouracil‐induced experimental hypothyroidism on crucial brain enzyme activities of Wistar rat offspring, at two time‐points of their lives: at birth (day‐1) and at 21 days of age (end of lactation). Under all studied experimental conditions, offspring brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was found to be significantly decreased due to maternal hypothyroidism, in contrast to the two studied adenosinetriphosphatase (Na+,K+‐ATPase and Mg2+‐ATPase) activities that were only found to be significantly altered right after birth (increased and decreased, respectively, following an exposure to gestational maternal hypothyroidism) and were restored to control levels by the end of lactation. As our findings regarding the pattern of effects that maternal hypothyroidism has on the above‐mentioned crucial offspring brain enzyme activities are compared to those reported in the literature, several differences are revealed that could be attributed to both the mode of the experimental simulation approach followed as well as to the time‐frames examined. These findings could provide the basis for a debate on the need of a more consistent experimental approach to hypothyroidism during neurodevelopment as well as for a further evaluation of the herein presented and discussed neurochemical (and, ultimately, neurodevelopmental) effects of experimentally‐induced maternal hypothyroidism, in a brain region‐specific manner.
Serendipity: Conducting Research on Social History in Ghana’s Archives
Authors: Ntewusu Samuel Aniegye
Published: March 2014

This report provides practical ideas and methodological warnings regarding the use of Ghanaian archives for the writing of social history.
On the laminar–turbulent transition of the rotating-disk flow: the role of absolute instability
Authors: Imayama Shintaro , Alfredsson P. Henrik , Lingwood R. J.
Published: March 2014

This paper describes a detailed experimental study using hot-wire anemometry of the laminar–turbulent transition region of a rotating-disk boundary-layer flow without any imposed excitation of the boundary layer. The measured data are separated into stationary and unsteady disturbance fields in order to elaborate on the roles that the stationary and the travelling modes have in the transition process. We show the onset of nonlinearity consistently at Reynolds numbers, $R$, of $\sim $510, i.e. at the onset of Lingwood’s (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 299, 1995, pp. 17–33) local absolute instability, and the growth of stationary vortices saturates at a Reynolds number of $\sim $550. The nonlinear saturation and subsequent turbulent breakdown of individual stationary vortices independently of their amplitudes, which vary azimuthally, seem to be determined by well-defined Reynolds numbers. We identify unstable travelling disturbances in our power spectra, which continue to grow, saturating at around $R=585$, whereupon turbulent breakdown of the boundary layer ensues. The nonlinear saturation amplitude of the total disturbance field is approximately constant for all considered cases, i.e. different rotation rates and edge Reynolds numbers. We also identify a travelling secondary instability. Our results suggest that it is the travelling disturbances that are fundamentally important to the transition to turbulence for a clean disk, rather than the stationary vortices. Here, the results appear to show a primary nonlinear steep-fronted (travelling) global mode at the boundary between the local convectively and absolutely unstable regions, which develops nonlinearly interacting with the stationary vortices and which saturates and is unstable to a secondary instability. This leads to a rapid transition to turbulence outward of the primary front from approximately $R=565$ to 590 and to a fully turbulent boundary layer above 650.
Newton's Laws of Motion Based Substantial Aether Theory of the Universal Gravity Force
Authors: Lin T.-W. , Lin H.
Published: March 2014

Even though the universal gravity force has been formulated and used for more than three hundred years, the cause of the universal gravity force has not been fully understood. This paper proposes a substantial aether model to derive universal gravity force based on Newton's laws of motion and Bernoulli's equation. The authors suggest that every aether particle has a mass and occupies a volume in space. Every aether particle has translational movement and particle spin movement. The particle spin movement does not produce the universal gravity force. The translational movement is similar to the gas particle moving in the air and produces aether pressure. The difference of aether pressure generates an aether flow velocity. The difference of aether flow velocities creates a pressure difference according to Bernoulli's equation. The summation of aether pressure difference around an object is shown to be the universal gravity force. A detailed derivation of universal gravity force from the proposed substantial aether model is presented in this paper to show the validation of this model.
Measuring the difference between actual and reported food intakes in the context of energy balance under laboratory conditions
Authors: Stubbs R. James , O'Reilly Leona M. , Whybrow Stephen , Fuller Zoë , Johnstone Alexandra M. , Livingstone M. Barbara E. , Ritz Patrick , Horgan Graham W.
Published: March 2014

To date, no study has directly and simultaneously measured the discrepancy between what people actually eat and what they report eating under observation in the context of energy balance (EB). The present study aimed to objectively measure the ‘extent’ and ‘nature’ of misreporting of dietary intakes under conditions in which EB and feeding behaviour were continuously monitored. For this purpose, a total of fifty-nine adults were recruited for 12 d, involving two 3 d overt phases and two 3 d covert phases of food intake measurement in a randomised cross-over design. Subjects hadad libitumaccess to a variety of familiar foods. Food intake was covertly measured using a feeding behaviour suite to establish actual energy and nutrient intakes. During the overt phases, subjects were instructed to self-report food intake using widely accepted methods. Misreporting comprised two separate and synchronous phenomena. Subjects decreased energy intake (EI) when asked to record their food intake (observation effect). The effect was significant in women ( − 8 %,P< 0·001) but not in men ( − 3 %,P< 0·277). The reported EI was 5 to 21 % lower (reporting effect) than the actual intake, depending on the reporting method used. Semi-quantitative techniques gave larger discrepancies. These discrepancies were identical in men and women and non-macronutrient specific. The ‘observation’ and ‘reporting’ effects combined to constitute total misreporting, which ranged from 10 to 25 %, depending on the intake measurement assessed. When studied in a laboratory environment and EB was closely monitored, subjects under-reported their food intake and decreased the actual intake when they were aware that their intake was being monitored.
Inverse Semigroup C*-Algebras Associated with Left Cancellative Semigroups
Authors: Norling Magnus Dahler
Published: March 2014

To each discrete left cancellative semigroup S one may associate an inverse semigroup Il(S), often called the left inverse hull of S. We show how the full and reduced C*-algebras of Il(S) are related to the full and reduced semigroup C*-algebras for S, recently introduced by Li, and give conditions ensuring that these algebras are isomorphic. Our picture provides an enhanced understanding of Li's algebras.
Chinese biobanks: present and future
Authors: CHENG LE , SHI CHUAN , WANG XIAN , LI QIYUAN , WAN QIAN , YAN ZHIXIANG , ZHANG YONG
Published: March 2014

As the demands of scientific research and application for specimens increase rapidly, biobanks in China have been springing up over the recent years. This paper summarizes Chinese biobanks through investigation and survey on operative, managerial, ethical conditions and challenges of biobanks. At present, hospitals and research institutes in China set up and operate most of the biobanks, collecting human specimens to support clinical and scientific research. With the development of bio-industry and arrival of the big data era, biobanks need not only collect and store human and non-human specimens but also to manage the big data associated with these specimens.
A sustained hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis response to acute psychosocial stress in irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Kennedy P. J. , Cryan J. F. , Quigley E. M. M. , Dinan T. G. , Clarke G.
Published: March 2014

Background

Despite stress being considered a key factor in the pathophysiology of the functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), there is a paucity of information regarding the ability of IBS patients to respond to acute experimental stress. Insights into the stress response in IBS could open the way to novel therapeutic interventions. To this end, we assessed the response of a range of physiological and psychological parameters to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in IBS.

Method

Thirteen female patients with IBS and 15 healthy female age-matched control participants underwent a single exposure to the TSST. Salivary cortisol, salivary C-reactive protein (CRP), skin conductance level (SCL), GI symptoms, mood and self-reported stress were measured pre- and post-exposure to the TSST.

Results

The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis response to the TSST was sustained in IBS, as shown by a greater total cortisol output throughout (p = 0.035) and higher cortisol levels measured by an area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCG) analysis (p = 0.044). In IBS patients, GI symptoms increased significantly during the recovery period following exposure to the TSST (p = 0.045). Salivary CRP and SCL activity showed significant changes in relation to stress but with no differential effect between experimental groups.

Conclusions

Patients with IBS exhibit sustained HPA axis activity, and an increase in problematic GI symptoms in response to acute experimental psychosocial stress. These data pave the way for future interventional studies aimed at identifying novel therapeutic approaches to modulate the HPA axis and GI symptom response to acute psychosocial stress in IBS.
Isolating stereotypical gender in a grammatical gender language: Evidence from eye movements
Authors: REALI CHIARA , ESAULOVA YULIA , VON STOCKHAUSEN LISA
Published: March 2014

The present study investigates the effects of stereotypical gender during anaphor resolution in German. The study aims at isolating the effects of gender-stereotypical cues from the effects of grammatical gender. Experiment 1 employs descriptions of typically male, female, and neutral occupations that contain no grammatical cue to the referent gender, followed by a masculine or feminine role noun, in a reaction time priming paradigm. Experiment 2 uses eye-tracking methodology to examine how the gender typicality of these descriptions affects the resolution of a matching or mismatching anaphoric pronoun. Results show a mismatch effect manifest at very early stages of processing. Both experiments also reveal asymmetries in the processing of the two genders suggesting that the representation of female rather than male referents is more flexible in counterstereotypical contexts. No systematic relation is found between eye movements and individual gender attitude measures, whereas a reliable correlation is found with gender typicality ratings.
Core academic language skills: An expanded operational construct and a novel instrument to chart school-relevant language proficiency in preadolescent and adolescent learners
Authors: UCCELLI PAOLA , BARR CHRISTOPHER D. , DOBBS CHRISTINA L. , GALLOWAY EMILY PHILLIPS , MENESES ALEJANDRA , SÁNCHEZ EMILIO
Published: March 2014

Beyond academic vocabulary, the constellation of skills that comprise academic language proficiency has remained imprecisely defined. This study proposes an expanded operationalization of this construct referred to as core academic language skills (CALS). CALS refers to the knowledge and deployment of a repertoire of language forms and functions that co-occur with school learning tasks across disciplines. Using an innovative instrument, we explored CALS in a cross-sectional sample of 235 students in Grades 4–8. The results revealed between- and within-grade variability in CALS. Psychometric analyses yielded strong reliability and supported the presence of a single CALS factor, which was found to be predictive of reading comprehension. Our findings suggest that the CALS construct and instrument appear promising for exploring students’ school-relevant language skills.
OPTIMAL STATIC ASSIGNMENT AND ROUTING POLICIES FOR SERVICE CENTERS WITH CORRELATED TRAFFIC
Authors: Lee Nelson , Kulkarni Vidyadhar G. , Hirasawa Yasutaka
Published: March 2014

A service center is a facility with multiple heterogeneous servers providing specialized service to multiple types of customers. An assignment policy specifies which server is enabled to serve which types of customer, and a routing policy specifies which server a customer will be routed to for service. Thus, a server can be enabled to serve many types of customer, and a customer may have many alternate servers who can serve him. This paper aims to provide decision models to determine optimal static assignment and routing policies, explicitly taking into account the stochastic fluctuations of demand along with the autocorrelations and cross-correlations of the different traffic streams. We consider several possible performance measures and formulate the optimization problem as a mixed integer nonlinear programming problem. We also develop an efficient heuristic algorithm to enhance scalability. Finally, we compare the different policies using the heuristic algorithms. We observe numerically that the routing policy tries to combine the negatively correlated traffic streams, and separate the positively correlated traffic streams.
Topology of helical fluid flow
Authors: ANDERSEN MORTEN , BRØNS MORTEN
Published: March 2014

Considering a coordinate-free formulation of helical symmetry rather than more traditional definitions based on coordinates, we discuss basic properties of helical vector fields and compare results from the literature obtained with other approaches. In particular, we discuss the role of the stream function for the topology of the streamline pattern in incompressible flows. On this basis, we perform a comprehensive study of the topology of the flow field generated by a helical vortex filament in an ideal fluid. The classical expression for the stream function obtained by Hardin (Hardin, J. C. 1982 Phys. Fluids25, 1949–1952) contains an infinite sum of modified Bessel functions. Using the approach by Okulov (Okulov, V. L. 1995 Russ. J.Eng. Thermophys.5, 63–75) we obtain a closed-form approximation which is considerably easier to analyse. Critical points of the stream function can be found from the zeroes of a single real function of one variable, and we show that three different flow topologies can occur, depending on a single dimensionless parameter. By including the self-induced velocity on the vortex filament by a localised induction approximation, the stream function is slightly modified and an extra parameter is introduced. In this setting two new flow topologies arise, but not more than two critical points occur for any combination of parameters.
Food supply and actions to improve dietary behaviour of students – a comparison between secondary schools participating or not participating in the ‘Healthy School Canteen Program’
Authors: Milder Ivon EJ , Mikolajczak Jochen , van den Berg Saskia W , van de Veen-van Hofwegen Madelon , Bemelmans Wanda JE
Published: March 2014

Objective

(i) To identify determinants of participation in the ‘Healthy School Canteen Program’, a programme that encourages schools to set up their canteen in a way that promotes healthy dietary behaviour. (ii) To compare food supply and actions between participating and non-participating schools. (iii) To investigate what reasons schools have to increase attention for nutrition in the curriculum.

Design

A cross-sectional study based on information from questionnaires performed in 2010/2011.

Setting

All secondary schools (age group 12–18 years) in the Netherlands (n 1145).

Subjects

Response was 33 % (n 375). Analyses included all schools with a canteen in which food is offered (28 %, n 325).

Results

None of the investigated determinants was associated with participation. Participating schools offered significantly (P < 0·001) more of eleven inventoried healthy foods (e.g. sandwiches, (butter)milk, fruit, light soft drinks, yoghurt and salad) than non-participating schools. However, there was no difference in the number of less healthy products offered (e.g. candy bars, cakes and regular soft drinks). Participating schools reported more often that they took actions to improve dietary behaviour and more often had a policy on nutrition. Participating schools more often increased attention for nutrition in the curriculum in recent years than non-participating schools (57 % v. 43 %, P = 0·01). Reported reasons were similar and included media attention, eating behaviour of students and ‘overweight’.

Conclusions

Schools that participate in the programme seemed to offer more healthy products in their canteens and took more actions to improve dietary behaviour than non-participating schools. However, at all schools less healthy foods were also available.
THE DEFENSE OF ATHEISM
Authors: Watson Brenda
Published: March 2014

Reginald Williams in ‘The Case Against Theism’ (Think Autumn 2011) argued that the ‘empirically verifiable’ psychological need ‘to believe that good things exist when in fact they don't’ offers ‘the best reason anyone should expect’ for endorsing atheism over theism. My article outlines six objections to his thesis, questioning how empirically verifiable the evidence he adduces is, and pointing out various logical fallacies such as illicit use of generalizations and begging the question. It concludes that atheism needs defending on stronger grounds.
RIPPING APART THE OMNIVORE'S ARGUMENT
Authors: Van Den Berg Floris
Published: March 2014

People often say that humans are omnivores in order to justify eating meat as normal and veganism as abnormal. The ‘Omnivore's Argument’ is one of the arguments that vegetarians and vegans encounter when meat-eaters try to defend the moral acceptability of body parts on their plate. When responding to this argument, the position of the vegan is similar to the atheist who time and again is confronted with the same fallacious arguments in support of the existence of god(s). Veganism and atheism are both ethical default positions. Similarly, not killing other people is also a default position.
THIS HAS GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH GEORGE
Authors: Oberg Andrew
Published: March 2014

Security cameras have become a ubiquitous part of everyday life in most major cities, yet each new camera seems to come with cries of foul play by defenders of privacy rights. Our long history with these cameras and CCTV networks does not seem to have alleviated our concerns with being watched, and as we feel ourselves losing privacy in other areas the worry generated by security cameras has remained. Our feelings of disquiet, however, are unnecessary as they stem from an erroneous view of the self. The following argues that this view of an autonomous and atomistic self is both detrimental and inaccurate.
THE ARGUMENT FROM APPARENT DESIGN
Authors: Dore Clement
Published: March 2014

I point out that, though animal bodies and their parts are not sufficiently similar to the products of conscious design to warrant an inference to a supernatural designer of the former things, the proponent of the design argument would be on firmer ground were he to base his inference on the more specific resemblance of well-functioning human eyes and brains to well-functioning cameras and computers. Though I argue that Darwin has not refuted the design argument, I conclude that the design arguer needs to show that there is a first cause in the enormously lengthy causal sequences which have culminated in human eyes and brains.
CAN A BAD PERSON BE A GREAT PHILOSOPHER?
Authors: Clarke David
Published: March 2014

In so far as philosophers can agree about anything, a majority would agree that the two most influential philosophers of the twentieth century were Ludwig Wittgenstein and Martin Heidegger. Both possessed unmatched philosophical profundity, both challenged and overturned fundamental areas of philosophical discourse and both changed philosophy forever. Both were charismatic teachers who generated and inspired a legion of followers and both spawned trajectories of philosophical research which remain vital to this day. And one of them – Martin Heidegger – supported the most evil regime in history.
Civil liberty and economic growth in the world: a long-run perspective, 1850–2010
Authors: ALFONSO-GIL JAVIER , LACALLE-CALDERÓN MARICRUZ , SÁNCHEZ-MANGAS ROCÍO
Published: March 2014

The objective of this paper is to study the relationship between economic growth and civil liberty across the globe in the long run. To fulfill this aim, we use an unbalanced panel of 149 countries for the period 1850–2010 with data on gross domestic product (GDP) from Maddison, and data on civil liberties from Polity IV. The dynamics of both variables are investigated. Once country and time effects are accounted for in a dynamic panel data model, our results show that movements toward higher levels of civil liberty are associated with higher economic growth rates. Therefore, we find that civil liberties are a relevant factor to explain economic growth. We perform some sensitivity tests that confirm the robustness of our results.
Risk of post-traumatic stress disorder following traumatic events in a community sample
Authors: White J. , Pearce J. , Morrison S. , Dunstan F. , Bisson J. I. , Fone D. L.
Published: March 2014

Aims.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is typically associated with high-risk population groups, but the risk of PTSD that is associated with trauma experienced in the community, and effect of changes in diagnostic criteria in DSM-5 on prevalence in the general population, is unknown.

Methods.

Cross-sectional analysis of population-based data from 4558 adults aged 25–83 years resident in Caerphilly county borough, Wales, UK. Exposure to different traumatic events was assessed using categorisation of free-text descriptions of trauma. PTSD caseness was determined using items assessing Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV) and DSM-5 A criteria and the Traumatic Screening Questionnaire.

Results.

Of the 4558 participants, 1971 (47.0%) reported a traumatic event. The most common DSM-IV A1 qualifying trauma was life-threatening illnesses and injuries (13.6%). The highest risk of PTSD was associated with assaultive violence [34.1%]. The prevalence of PTSD using DSM-IV A criteria was 14.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 12.8, 15.9%). Using DSM-5 A criteria reduced the prevalence to 8.0 (95% CI = 6.9, 9.4%), primarily due to exclusion of DSM-IV A1 qualifying events, such as life-threatening illnesses.

Conclusions.

Nearly one-half of a general community sample had experienced a traumatic event and of these around one in seven was a DSM-IV case of PTSD. Although the majority of research has concentrated on combat, rape and assaultive violence, life threatening illness is a more common cause of PTSD in the community. Removal of this traumatic event in DSM-5 could reduce the number of cases of PTSD by around 6.0%.
Implementation of Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes in Pediatric Daily Clinical Practice: The KLIK Experience
Authors: Haverman Lotte , van Oers Hedy A. , Limperg Perrine F. , Hijmans Channa T. , Schepers Sasja A. , Sint Nicolaas Simone M. , Verhaak Chris M. , Bouts Antonia H. M. , Fijnvandraat Karin , Peters Marjolein , van Rossum Marion A. , van Goudoever Johannes B. , Maurice-Stam Heleen , Grootenhuis Martha A.
Published: March 2014

The use of patient reported outcomes (PROs) in pediatric practice is effective in increasing discussion about emotional and psychosocial functioning. This finding forms the basis for implementing KLIK: a web-based program using electronic PROs (ePROs). The aim of this article is to describe the KLIK implementation in line with the 8 methodological recommendations composed by the International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL). (1) Goal of KLIK: to monitor and screen children (aged 0–18) with chronic illnesses over extended periods of time. (2) Children aged 8–18 complete the questionnaires themselves. Parents complete the questionnaires for young children. (3) The basis is a generic HRQOL questionnaire. Disease-specific HRQOL and psychosocial questionnaires are also available. (4) A web-based mode was selected. (5) The questionnaires in KLIK are available prior to a consultation. Pediatricians retrieve the ePROfile from the website ( www.hetklikt.nu ) and discuss it with the patients. The ePROfile consists of a literal representation of the answers and a graphic presentation. (6) Various tools are used to aid in its interpretation. (7) All members of the multidisciplinary team receive training in how to use the website and how to adequately respond to the patient’s ePROfile. (8) Improvements to and evaluation of KLIK are ongoing. Since implementation began, 17 patient groups, 160 professionals and >1,450 patients have started using KLIK. The implementation of KLIK appears to be feasible and workable. Many pediatricians have shown an interest in using KLIK and it is therefore being expanded and adapted for different patient groups and hospitals.
Vocal Cord Dysfunction: Evaluation of a Four-Session Cognitive–Behavioral Intervention
Authors: Richards-Mauzé Margaret M. , Banez Gerard A.
Published: March 2014

Using paired samples t tests analyses, we examined the impact of a four-session cognitive–behavioral intervention to assess adolescents’ ratings of symptom management and functional disability of Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD). Participants included 36 children and adolescents ( M = 14.80, SD = 2.08) and their parents referred by their pulmonologists to a pediatric behavioral medicine clinic for symptom management of vocal cord dysfunction. Results demonstrated significant reduction in VCD specific symptoms and VCD symptom severity, as well as significant improvement in participants’ perceptions of self-directed control and coping with VCD related symptoms. Results also indicated significant improvement in child/adolescent-reported functional disability scores postintervention. Our results suggest that cognitive–behavioral intervention is associated with symptom-specific reduction as well as improvement in individual control and coping ability related to symptoms.
Integrating Behavioral Health Services Into Pediatric Gastroenterology: A Model of an Integrated Health Care Program
Authors: Moser Natalie L. , Plante Wendy A. , LeLeiko Neal S. , Lobato Debra J.
Published: March 2014

Integration of behavioral health services into pediatric health care is critical to optimal patient care, but logistic and financial barriers often prevent integration. We describe an integrated clinical, research, and training program bringing pediatric psychologists into a hospital-based pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Almost 300 pediatric patients with gastroenterology problems were seen by pediatric psychologists over the first 31 months. The 3 most common gastroenterology presentations included encopresis, abdominal pain, and irritable bowel syndrome. One third of the patients followed by psychologists were in therapy for less than 1 month and an additional third were seen for between 1 and 4 months, supporting a short-term model of care. Financial arrangements, clinical service reimbursement data, and research and training integration are described. Demonstrations of feasibility and acceptance of psychology services integrated into pediatric care are crucial for new models of health care delivery that more closely align with our biopsychosocial models of health.
Cell-surface localization of Pellino antagonizes Toll-mediated innate immune signalling by controlling MyD88 turnover in Drosophila
Authors: Ji Shanming , Sun Ming , Zheng Xiudeng , Li Lin , Sun Liwei , Chen Dahua , Sun Qinmiao
Published: March 2014

Innate immunity mediated by Toll signalling has been extensively studied, but how Toll signalling is precisely controlled in balancing innate immune responses remains poorly understood. It was reported that the plasma membrane localization of Drosophila MyD88 is necessary for the recruitment of cytosolic adaptor Tube to the cell surface, thus contributing to Toll signalling transduction. Here we demonstrate that Drosophila Pellino functions as a negative regulator in Toll-mediated signalling. We show that Pellino accumulates at the plasma membrane upon the activation of Toll signalling in a MyD88-dependent manner. Moreover, we find that Pellino is associated with MyD88 via its CTE domain, which is necessary and sufficient to promote Pellino accumulation at the plasma membrane where it targets MyD88 for ubiquitination and degradation. Collectively, our study uncovers a mechanism by which a feedback regulatory loop involving MyD88 and Pellino controls Toll-mediated signalling, thereby maintaining homeostasis of host innate immunity.
Solid-phase membrane tip extraction combined with liquid chromatography for the determination of azole antifungal drugs in human plasma
Authors: Yahaya Noorfatimah , Sanagi Mohd Marsin , Nur Hadi , Wan Ibrahim Wan Aini , Kamaruzaman Sazlinda , Aboul-Enein Hassan Y.
Published: March 2014

A simple and efficient solid-phase membrane tip extraction (SPMTE) was developed using mesoporous silica MCM-41 adsorbent for the determination of three azole antifungal drugs in human plasma prior to HPLC.
Consequences of CO2 solubility for hydrate formation from carbon dioxide containing water and other impurities
Authors: Kvamme Bjørn , Kuznetsova Tatiana , Jensen Bjørnar , Stensholt Sigvat , Bauman Jordan , Sjøblom Sara , Nes Lervik Kim
Published: March 2014

Deciding on the upper bound of water content permissible in a stream of dense carbon dioxide under pipeline transport conditions without facing the risks of hydrate formation is a complex issue.
Lithium cation conducting TDI anion-based ionic liquids
Authors: Niedzicki Leszek , Karpierz Ewelina , Zawadzki Maciej , Dranka Maciej , Kasprzyk Marta , Zalewska Aldona , Marcinek Marek , Zachara Janusz , Domańska Urszula , Wieczorek Władysław
Published: March 2014

LiTDI salt in TDI-imidazole ionic liquids tested as lithium electrolytes shown high ionic conductivity and high lithium transference number.
A novel PPARgamma agonist monascin's potential application in diabetes prevention
Authors: Hsu Wei-Hsuan , Pan Tzu-Ming
Published: March 2014

Edible fungi of theMonascusspecies have been used as traditional Chinese medicine in eastern Asia for several centuries.
Combretastatin A-4 inspired novel 2-aryl-3-arylamino-imidazo-pyridines/pyrazines as tubulin polymerization inhibitors, antimitotic and anticancer agents
Authors: Sanghai Nitesh , Jain Vaibhav , Preet Ranjan , Kandekar Somnath , Das Sarita , Trivedi Neha , Mohapatra Purusottam , Priyadarshani Garima , Kashyap Maneesh , Das Dipon , Satapathy Shakti Ranjan , Siddharth Sumit , Guchhait Sankar K. , Kundu Chanakya N. , Bharatam Prasad V.
Published: March 2014

Novel 2-aryl-3-arylamino-imidazo-pyridines/pyrazines that exhibit potent tubulin polymerization inhibition, anticancer activity, anti-migration of cancer cells, chromosomal damage, and apoptosis have been developed.
Designs of fullerene-based frameworks for hydrogen storage
Authors: Gao Yi , Wu Xiaojun , Zeng Xiao Cheng
Published: March 2014

Two types of hybrid metallofullerene framework are theoretically designed, and their structural stabilities are examined using the density functional theory (DFT) computation.
A highly sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the analysis of a toxic water disinfection by-product, N-nitrosomethylethylamine
Authors: Kadmi Yassine , Favier Lidia , Lotfi Mouni , Nasrallah Noureddine , Wolbert Dominique
Published: March 2014

Recently, among the emerging contaminants, N-nitrosomethylethylamine has become of special concern because it is a potent human mutagenic and carcinogenic contaminant detected in chlorinated water.