bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical investigation of the effectiveness of a step-shaped trench in reducing train-induced vibrations
Authors: Zakeri Jabbar-Ali , Esmaeili Morteza , Mosayebi Seyed-Ali
Published: January 2013

In this paper, a step-shaped trench was introduced for the attenuation of train-induced vibration levels on trackside buildings. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed type of trench in comparison with a standard rectangular trench, a two-dimensional finite element model was developed under plane strain conditions using the ABAQUS software. The validity of the preliminary model of the track including a rectangular-shaped trench was confirmed by a close agreement of obtained results with those of previous studies. The effectiveness of the step-shaped trench compared with the rectangular type was studied in open and in-filled forms in terms of decreasing the effects of ground-borne vibrations on trackside structures. The obtained results for open and in-filled step-shaped trenches respectively showed 21% and 26.2% decreases in the maximum amplitude reduction ratio with respect to the common rectangular trench. Moreover, in the case of a real train moving loads, the proposed trench shape further decreased the values of peak particle velocity, root mean square and particle velocity decibel on a trackside structure compared with the values obtained for a rectangular-shaped trench.
Towards more integrated safety management tools for airlines
Authors: Maille Nicolas P , Chaudron Laurent
Published: January 2013

This article describes a new methodology allowing a combined exploration of experience feedback databases. Based on a small set of data provided by an airline, the study demonstrates the feasibility and the benefit for safety management of this new approach, which highlights links between human-factor components revealed by crew reports and operational deviations detected through digital flight data. Such a new understanding of the insight of the operations could have a major impact on safety management and should contribute to the proactive safety management culture that many airlines try to promote.
Investigation of particle size effect on flame velocity in the combustion of nano/micron-sized aluminum particles in air
Authors: Bidabadi M , Fereidooni J , Hosseini SN , Asadollahzadeh P
Published: January 2013

It is observed that a diffusion-controlled mechanism applied to the burning of micron-sized particles is not applicable to the combustion of nano-sized particles burning under kinetically controlled conditions. Furthermore, when heat transfer occurs between micron-sized particles and air, Nusselt number can be assumed to be constant and equal to 2, while this number is a function of Knudsen number when heat transfer occurs between nano-sized particles and air. Ignition temperatures of micron- and nano-sized particles are also different. In this article, mass and energy conservation equations for both particle and gas phases are solved. By doing so, flame velocity is obtained. Afterwards, with respect to different combustion characteristics of micron-and nano-sized particles such as ignition temperature, burning time, and Nusselt number, the effect of particle size on the flame velocity of aluminum particles combustion in air is studied and compared with experimental and numerical results. At the equivalence ratio of 0.85, it is shown that flame velocity is proportional to d−0.94 and d−0.56 for micron- and nano-sized aluminum particles, respectively.
Pilot validation study on a quasi-static weight-bearing knee rig
Authors: Van Haver Annemieke , De Roo Karel , Claessens Tom , De Beule Matthieu , Verdonk Peter , De Baets Patrick
Published: January 2013

This article presents a pilot study on a quasi-static knee rig designed to investigate the influence of pathologies and surgical interventions on the patellofemoral kinetics of cadaveric knees. The knee rig allows cadaveric knees to flex and extend under a simulated body weight by transmitting a force to the quadriceps tendon. During the squat simulation, the ground reaction force stays within physiological values. Before using this device to answer clinical questions, two knee specimens were tested to assess the repeatability of the rig. Four repeated flexion–extension cycles were performed under a simulated body weight of 700 N, with an isolated force on the quadriceps tendon up to 2700 N and with a ground reaction force close to 350 N. The resulting patellofemoral contact area shifted from distal to proximal during knee flexion. From 20° to 60° of knee flexion, the mean contact area and pressure increased from 80.2 ± 3.3 to 349.5 ± 10.1 mm2 and from 0.9 ± 0.2 to 5.9 ± 0.7 MPa, respectively. The transmitted force on the quadriceps tendon, the ground reaction force and the patellofemoral contact area and pressure were continuously measured and showed a relative variability of 1.6%, 2.4%, 2.8% and 3.2%, respectively. The presented knee rig shows a good repeatability that allows us to use this knee rig to quantify the influence of anatomical changes on the patellofemoral contact area and pressures during a squat simulation.
Life-History Strategy, Food Choice, and Caloric Consumption
Authors: Laran Juliano , Salerno Anthony
Published: January 2013

Do people’s perceptions that they live in a harsh environment influence their food choices? Drawing on life-history theory, we propose that cues indicating that the current environment is harsh (e.g., news about an economic crisis, the sight of people facing adversity in life) lead people to perceive that resources in the world are scarce. As a consequence, people seek and consume more filling and high-calorie foods, which they believe will sustain them for longer periods of time. Although perceptions of harshness can promote unhealthy eating, we show how this effect can be attenuated and redirected to promote healthier food choices.
When the Economy Falters, Do People Spend or Save? Responses to Resource Scarcity Depend on Childhood Environments
Authors: Griskevicius Vladas , Ackerman Joshua M. , Cantú Stephanie M. , Delton Andrew W. , Robertson Theresa E. , Simpson Jeffry A. , Thompson Melissa Emery , Tybur Joshua M.
Published: January 2013

Just as modern economies undergo periods of boom and bust, human ancestors experienced cycles of abundance and famine. Is the adaptive response when resources become scarce to save for the future or to spend money on immediate gains? Drawing on life-history theory, we propose that people’s responses to resource scarcity depend on the harshness of their early-life environment, as reflected by childhood socioeconomic status (SES). In the three experiments reported here, we tested how people from different childhood environments responded to resource scarcity. We found that people who grew up in lower-SES environments were more impulsive, took more risks, and approached temptations more quickly. Conversely, people who grew up in higher-SES environments were less impulsive, took fewer risks, and approached temptations more slowly. Responses similarly diverged according to people’s oxidative-stress levels—a urinary biomarker of cumulative stress exposure. Overall, whereas tendencies associated with early-life environments were dormant in benign conditions, they emerged under conditions of economic uncertainty.
From the wizard to the doubter: Prototypes of scientists and engineers in fiction and non-fiction media aimed at Dutch children and teenagers
Authors: Van Gorp Baldwin , Rommes Els , Emons Pascale
Published: January 2013

The aim of this paper is to gain insight into the prototypical scientists as they appear in fiction and non-fiction media consumed by children and teenagers in the Netherlands. A qualitative-interpretive content analysis is used to identify seven prototypes and the associated characteristics in a systematic way. The results show that the element of risk is given more attention in fiction than in non-fiction. Also, eccentric scientists appear more often in fiction. In non-fiction, the dimension useful/useless is more important. Furthermore, fictional scientists are loners, although in practice scientists more often work in a team. In both fiction and non-fiction, the final product of the scientific process gets more attention than the process itself. The prototype of the doubter is introduced as an alternative to the dominant representations because it represents scientists and engineers in a more nuanced way.
Combined joining technique for thermoplastic composites with embedded sensor networks
Authors: Hufenbach Werner , Adam Frank , Körner Ivonne , Winkler Anja , Weck Daniel
Published: January 2013

Lightweight components suitable for high-volume production are realizable by utilizing textile-reinforced thermoplastics. These composite structures can be equipped with additional functionalities by embedding sensor networks. With regard to assembly processes, material- and function-adapted joining techniques are required to connect such components efficiently. Therefore, the joint should enable both the transmission of mechanical loads and electrical signals. In order to fulfill these requirements, a combined joining technique based on blind riveting is analyzed in this article. Specimen plates made of glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene were fabricated by compression molding. They contained adapted conductors embedded between the glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene layers. In a next step, specimens were joined by blind riveting. The experimental analysis of several joint configurations revealed differences in interface quality and electrical performance. Finally, the reliability of the selected joining concept was verified by the experimental investigation of single-lap specimens under thermal and tensile loading.
Revisiting the Quality and Use of Race-Specific Homicide Data
Authors: Messner Steven F. , Beaulieu Mark , Isles Stacey N. , Mitchell Lacy
Published: January 2013

Our research revisits prior work by Neapolitan (2005) on the quality and use of race-specific homicide data. Neapolitan reported that correlations between Black homicide offending rates based on arrest data and rates based on data from the Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHR) for samples of large U.S. cities are only moderately strong. He proposed that, given these findings, the respective rates cannot be regarded as valid indicators of the same concept. We extend Neapolitan’s research by estimating regression models to determine the extent to which conclusions about the structural covariates of Black homicide offending rates differ depending on the specific measure of the dependent variable. In addition, we have computed three different Black homicide offending rates with the SHR data: (1) A rate based on single victim/single offender incidents; (2) a rate based on all offenders of known race; and (3) a rate based on the number of Black offenders when the race of offender has been imputed. Our analyses reveal that, consistent with Neapolitan’s findings, the correlations between the Black offending rate based on the arrest data and the various SHR-based rates are only moderately strong. In the regression analyses, explained variance is comparatively low in the model with the Black offending rate based on arrest data. However, the regression coefficients do not diverge much across models. Overall, our results suggest that empirical findings and substantive conclusions about city-level covariates of Black offending rates might be less sensitive to the selection of data source than is often assumed.
Free spirits? The academic on the aeroplane
Authors: Parker Martin , Weik Elke
Published: January 2013

Like business executives and politicians, academics form part of the super-mobile population of the global north. Their freedom to travel, which entails a freedom from certain local obligations, is not always voluntary but part and parcel of professional expectations and is subject to peer and managerial evaluation. In this article, we argue that there are a lot of structural and institutional constraints built into academic mobility. The original notion of intellectual detachment and academic freedom has developed into a demand for social and moral detachment by the ever-growing circuit of international ‘visibility’ as celebrated at international conferences. It excludes all those whose attachment to persons or causes requires bodily presence, and such an exclusion transforms the contents and values of academic knowledge – not for the better, we believe.
Municipal unemployment and municipal typologies as predictors of disability pensioning in Norway: A multilevel analysis
Authors: Reime Leif Jostein , Claussen Bjørgulf
Published: January 2013

Background and aims: The rise in the number of disability pensioners in Norway has been given much attention by the government and by researchers due to the resulting financial and societal challenges entailed. Eligibility for a disability pension is decided by The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV), and is closely correlated with several socioeconomic predictors. Geographical differences have also been observed in the allocations to recipients of disability pensions, and the purpose of this study was to investigate whether municipal unemployment rates and municipal typologies in Norway may explain some of the geographical variance in individual disability pensioning. Methods: 436 municipalities in Norway and all 1,507,192 Norwegian males and females between the ages of 30–55 years in 1997 were included in the analysis. Multilevel random intercept analysis was performed to assess the influence on disability pensioning of the individual factors age, education and income together with the contextual factors municipal unemployment, centrality, industry affiliation and residential density. Results: Individuals in high unemployment municipalities had a 7–17% higher risk of disability pension. Of the total variability in disability pensioning, 2.5% for males and 1.9% for females was between municipalities. The other municipal factors had only small influences. Conclusion: In addition to individual socioeconomic factors, contextual factors seem to be important determinants of disability pension rates. Municipal unemployment had the greatest influence.
“Sensible” Suicide, Brutal Selfishness, and John Hughes’s Queer Bonds
Authors: Goltz Dustin Bradley
Published: January 2013

Queer bonds conceptualize inventive and resistant modes of belonging, sociability, and relation that push at, through, and outside normative relational systems and their normative commitments. The essay juxtaposes contemporary gay suicide discourse, specifically the “It Gets Better” campaign and 2009’s Prayers for Bobby with the 1985 Molly Ringwald made-for-TV film Surviving: A Family in Crisis, examining how normative familial bonds in discourses of heterosexual suicide produce a resistant and relational discourse of brutal selfishness. Contrary to a rhetoric of selfishness, mediated representation of gay youth suicide reproduces a discursive link between gay identity and suicide that constructs gay suicide as problematically logical, sensible, and intelligible. Conceptualizing a queered rhetoric of selfishness, resisting gay suicidal logics, the essay looks to queer bonds forged in John Hughes’s ‘Brat Pack” films of otherness as maps of relational resistance and inventive articulations of non-normative modes of queer selfishness and belonging.
Information about assisted dying: an evaluation of web-based information resources
Authors: Haigh Carol , Costa Cristina
Published: January 2013

Aim

This paper is a report of a study of the quality of information that is available on the World Wide Web around the topic of assisted dying by sampling information from a number of web pages about assisted dying with a view to evaluating the nature, content and rigour of the information they contain.

Background

The Internet is seen as one of the first places people will go for information about their health or health-related topics. However, whilst it would appear that, as a source of factual health-related information, the Internet has a degree of reliability and credibility, there is a dearth of information about how the information may contribute to opinion formation and attitudes around important health debates.

Methods

The study used content analysis of web-based material to evaluate the nature, content, currency and rigour of the information they contained against 27 criteria. Each website was independently assessed by two people, and discrepancies were resolved by discussion. In addition the readability and reading age level of each site was evaluated objectively using ‘The Readability Test Tool’ website (Simpson, 2009). The web page data were collected on three separate days in November 2010.

Results/Findings

The majority of sites showed accuracy (76%, n = 43) with 7 (14%) being assessed as highly accurate. This was reflected in the completeness of the site evaluated. All sites were readable with 12 pages (24%) being rated at 3.

Conclusion

There is a discrepancy between web-based information that is aimed at ‘scholars’ and that aimed at the general public. This does have implications for those service users who wish to make health-related decisions based upon reliable information.
Negotiating ungovernable spaces between the personal and the political: Oral history and the left in post-war Britain
Authors: Hughes Celia
Published: January 2013

In this article, I consider the value and challenges of using oral history interviews to access and interpret narrative memories of men and women who became active in the left network around Britain’s anti-war movement, the Vietnam Solidarity Campaign. I focus in-depth on the individual stories of one man and one woman who, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, joined far left Trotskyist organisations. The stories reveal a two-fold search for past revolutionary and current selves. Reading between the shifting layers of past and present, the article will explore what deeper insights interviewing offers into the complex ways in which activists shaped subjectivities both in their far left groups and in the interview itself. It engages with the concept of inter-subjectivity to reflect on the interpersonal relationship between interviewer and interviewee in the oral history encounter. It thus considers the meeting of particular subjectivities and the role they played in shaping the oral history narratives. Through careful attention to my own internal state at the time of interviewing, and to how the interviewees’ stories made me feel, I seek to understand unconsidered political, social and emotional gendered experiences of life on the British far left around 1968.
The association of Kienböck’s disease and ulnar variance in the Iranian population
Authors: Afshar A , Aminzadeh-Gohari A. , Yekta Z.
Published: January 2013

We retrospectively determined the distribution of ulnar variance in 60 patients with Kienböck’s disease. We also measured the ulnar variances in 400 standard wrist radiographs in the normal adult population. The mean ulnar variance of the Kienböck’s group was −1.1 mm (SD 1.7) and the mean ulnar variance of the general population was +0.7 (SD 1.5), which was significantly different. In the Kienböck’s disease group there were 38 (63%) with ulnar negative, 16 (27%) neutral and six (10%) with ulnar positive variance. The preponderance of ulnar negative variance was statistically significant. There was an association between ulnar negative variance and the development of Kienböck’s disease in this study.
Operative Techniques in Association With Arrhythmia Surgery in Patients With Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Mavroudis Constantine , Deal Barbara , Backer Carl L. , Stewart Robert D.
Published: January 2013

Arrhythmia surgery in patients with congenital disease is challenged by the range of anatomic variants, arrhythmia types, and intramyocardial scar location. Experimental and clinical studies have elucidated the mechanisms of arrhythmias for accessory connections, atrial fibrillation, atrial reentry tachycardia, nodal reentry tachycardia, focal or automatic atrial tachycardia, and ventricular tachycardia. The surgical and transcatheter possibilities are numerous, and the congenital heart surgeon should have a comprehensive understanding of all arrhythmia types and potential methods of ablation. The purpose of this article is to introduce resternotomy techniques for safe mediastinal reentry and to review operative techniques of arrhythmia surgery in association with congenital heart disease.
Ventricular Septal Defect and Bidirectional Shunting? Things Are Not What They Seem
Authors: González Juan Carlos Bonaque , Navarro Francisco , Valencia Félix , Aguado María J.
Published: January 2013

This report describes the case of a 19-year-old woman with a diagnosis of muscular ventricular septal defect. Bidirectional shunting was observed during a transthorathic echocardiography evaluation which also suggested normal pulmonary arterial pressure. Moreover, anomalous and hypertrophic right ventricular muscular bands were observed. After having ruled out other possibilities, the plausible explanation is one, which is not described in the literature. The findings may be explained as a sequestrated portion of the cavity of the right ventricle that remains isolated from the rest of the right ventricle (RV) by anomalous and hypertrophic right ventricular muscular bands, with communication only between the left ventricle and the sequestrated part of the RV. This is an unusual variant of two-chambered RV simulating two-chambered left ventricle.
Why Should We Care About Ethical and Policy Challenges in Congenital Heart Disease?
Authors: Kirkpatrick James N. , Kaufman Beth
Published: January 2013

Congenital heart disease (CHD) affects 1% of infants worldwide, and approximately 90% of children with serious CHD who have access to surgery survive to adulthood. Particularly as this population ages, there are unique ethical and policy challenges pertaining to this diverse population of children and adults, which also serve as a paradigm for other chronic diseases. A unique forum to discuss these issues occurred at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia on March 16 to 17, 2012, and was entitled “Ethics of the Heart: Ethical and Policy Challenges in Adult and Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease.” The conference convened a multidisciplinary panel of nationally known experts in the fields of Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease, Adult Congenital Heart Disease, and Bioethics to identify and discuss the most important ethical issues in CHD through talks, panel discussions, and one-on-one interviews in six topic areas: genetic testing, transitions of care from pediatric to adult CHD, transplantation and mechanical circulatory support, research and development in CHD, the social and personal costs of success in treating CHD, and end-of-life considerations. This article is an introduction to the topics discussed.
Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connections and Related Anomalies
Authors: Walsh Michael J. , Ungerleider Ross M. , Aiello Vera D. , Spicer Diane , Giroud Jorge M.
Published: January 2013

This article combines material from three complementary overviews presented in the Symposium on Pulmonary Venous Anomalies during the Joint Meeting of the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery and Sociedad Latina de Cardiologia y Cirugia Cardiovascular Pediátrica in Lima, Peru. We discuss the embryologic basis for nomenclature, the hierarchical diagnostic categories, and the important anatomic and morphologic characteristics of anomalous pulmonary venous connections. The anatomic descriptions help to guide an understandable and sensible approach to the diagnosis and surgical management of these various disorders.
Pseudoaneurysm of Surgically Reconstructed Right Ventricular Outflow Tract
Authors: Sah Serena , Berdjis Farhouch , Valdez Sonia , Gates Richard
Published: January 2013

Surgical reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) for congenital heart disease can rarely result in the serious complication of pseudoaneurysm development, with or without symptoms. We report on a case of clinically apparent pseudoaneurysm of the RVOT after homograft replacement for a patient with a history of tetralogy of Fallot.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of a Restrictive Atrial Septal Defect in a Univentricular Connection
Authors: Zvaigzne Cheryl G. , Moorjani Vijay , Patton David J. , Fruitman Deborah
Published: January 2013

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides accurate and valuable information regarding cardiac shunts including their location, size, and flow. We describe the MRI findings of a restrictive atrial septal defect within a complex case of congenital heart disease: univentricular atrioventricular connection of left ventricular type with right-sided discordant atrioventricular connection (single), absent left atrioventricular connection, and ventriculoarterial discordance. Few similar cases are reported in the literature. Magnetic resonance imaging may add valuable information regarding restrictive atrial shunts in univentricular hearts.
Suppression-Induced Reduction in the Specificity of Autobiographical Memories
Authors: Stephens Elizabeth , Braid Amy , Hertel Paula T.
Published: January 2013

To extend its relevance to everyday forgetting, we applied the think/no-think (TNT) suppression method devised by M. C. Anderson and Green to autobiographical memories. Dysphoric and nondysphoric participants first generated autobiographical memories and corresponding titles to neutral and emotionally positive or negative cues. During the TNT phase, participants repeatedly practiced responding to some cues with their associated titles and avoiding thoughts about titles and memories associated with other cues. Later, they were asked to report memories associated with all cues, including baseline cues not presented during the TNT phase. Results revealed impaired recall, as measured by reductions in specificity, for suppressed memories relative to baseline memories. Also, regardless of TNT instructions, memories of dysphoric students who had received negative cues became less specific and less negative than they were at the outset.
Transcriptional profiling of Chinese medicinal formula Si-Wu-Tang on breast cancer cells reveals phytoestrogenic activity
Authors: Liu Mandy , Fan Jeffery , Wang Steven , Wang Zhijun , Wang Charles , Zuo Zhong , Chow Moses SS , Shi Leming , Wen Zhining , Huang Ying
Published: January 2013

Background

Si-Wu-Tang (SWT), comprising the combination of four herbs, Paeoniae, Angelicae, Chuanxiong and Rehmanniae, is one of the most popular traditional oriental medicines for women’s diseases. In our previous study, the microarray gene expression profiles of SWT on breast cancer cell line MCF-7 were found similar to the effect of β-estradiol (E2) on MCF-7 cells in the Connectivity Map database.

Methods

Further data analysis was conducted to find the main similarities and differences between the effects of SWT and E2 on MCF-7 gene expression. The cell proliferation assay on MCF-7 (ER-positive) and MDA-MB-231 (ER-negative) cells were used to examine such estrogenic activity. The estrogenic potency of SWT was further confirmed by estrogen-responsive element (ERE) luciferase reporter assay in MCF-7 cells.

Results

Many estrogen regulated genes strongly up-regulated by E2 were similarly up-regulated by SWT, e.g., GREB1, PGR and EGR3. Of interest with regard to safety of SWT, the oncogenes MYBL1 and RET were strongly induced by E2 but not by SWT. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed a highly concordant expression change in selected genes with data obtained by microarrays. Further supporting SWT’s estrogenic activity, in MCF-7 but not in MDA-MB-231 cells, SWT stimulated cell growth at lower concentrations (< 3.0 mg/ml), while at high concentrations, it inhibits the growth of both cell lines. The growth inhibitory potency of SWT was significantly higher in MDA-MB-231 than in MCF-7 cells. The SWT-induced cell growth of MCF-7 could be blocked by addition of the estrogen receptor antagonist tamoxifen. In addition, SWT was able to activate the ERE activity at lower concentrations. The herbal components Angelicae, Chuanxiong and Rehmanniae at lower concentrations (< 3.0 mg/ml) also showed growth-inducing and ERE-activating activity in MCF-7 cells.

Conclusions

These results revealed a new mechanism to support the clinical use of SWT for estrogen related diseases and possibly for cancer prevention. This study also demonstrated the feasibility of using microarray transcriptional profiling to discover phytoestrogenic components that are present in natural products.
Control of epitaxial relationships of ZnO/SrTiO3 heterointerfaces by etching the substrate surface
Authors: Jia Caihong , Chen Yonghai , Liu Xianglin , Yang Shaoyan , Zhang Weifeng , Wang Zhanguo
Published: January 2013

Wurtzite ZnO thin films with different epitaxial relationships are obtained on as-received and etched (001), (011), and (111) SrTiO3 (STO) by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). ZnO films exhibit nonpolar (1120) orientation with in-plane orientation relationship of <0001>ZnO//<110>STO on as-received (001) STO, and polar c-axis growth with <1100>ZnO//<110>STO on etched (001) STO substrates. ZnO films change from polar (0001) to semipolar (1012) oriented on as-received and etched (011) STO. On as-received and etched (111) STO, ZnO films show the same growing direction of polar (0001), but different in-plane orientations with 30° rotation. The change of epitaxial relationship of ZnO films on as-received and etched (001), (011), and (111) STO substrates is accompanied with the increase of lattice mismatch, decrease of bond density, and increase of substrate surface roughness. In other words, the epitaxial relationships of ZnO/STO heterointerfaces can be controlled by etching the substrates. These results show that polar, nonpolar, and semipolar ZnO films for different applications can be grown epitaxially on STO substrates by MOCVD.
Novel lanthanide-labeled metal oxide nanoparticles improve the measurement of in vivo clearance and translocation
Authors: Abid Aamir D , Anderson Donald S , Das Gautom K , Van Winkle Laura S , Kennedy Ian M
Published: January 2013

The deposition, clearance and translocation of europium-doped gadolinium oxide nanoparticles in a mouse lung were investigated experimentally. Nanoparticles were synthesized by spray flame pyrolysis. The particle size, crystallinity and surface properties were characterized. Following instillation, the concentrations of particles in organs were determined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The protein corona coating the nanoparticles was found to be similar to the coating on more environmentally relevant nanoparticles such as iron oxide. Measurements of the solubility of the nanoparticles in surrogates of biological fluids indicated very little propensity for dissolution, and the elemental ratio of particle constituents did not change, adding further support to the contention that intact nanoparticles were measured. The particles were intratracheally instilled into the mouse lung. After 24 hours, the target organs were harvested, acid digested and the nanoparticle mass in each organ was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The nanoparticles were detected in all the studied organs at low ppb levels; 59% of the particles remained in the lung. A significant amount of particles was also detected in the feces, suggesting fast clearance mechanisms. The nanoparticle system used in this work is highly suitable for quantitatively determining deposition, transport and clearance of nanoparticles from the lung, providing a quantified measure of delivered dose.
Propionic acidemia: clinical course and outcome in 55 pediatric and adolescent patients
Authors: Grünert Sarah C , Müllerleile Stephanie , De Silva Linda , Barth Michael , Walter Melanie , Walter Kerstin , Meissner Thomas , Lindner Martin , Ensenauer Regina , Santer René , Bodamer Olaf A , Baumgartner Matthias R , Brunner-Krainz Michaela , Karall Daniela , Haase Claudia , Knerr Ina , Marquardt Thorsten , Hennermann Julia B , Steinfeld Robert , Beblo Skadi , Koch Hans-Georg , Konstantopoulou Vassiliki , Scholl-Bürgi Sabine , van Teeffelen-Heithoff Agnes , Suormala Terttu , Sperl Wolfgang , Kraus Jan P , Superti-Furga Andrea , Schwab Karl Otfried , Sass Jörn Oliver
Published: January 2013

Background

Propionic acidemia is an inherited disorder caused by deficiency of propionyl-CoA carboxylase. Although it is one of the most frequent organic acidurias, information on the outcome of affected individuals is still limited.

Study design/methods

Clinical and outcome data of 55 patients with propionic acidemia from 16 European metabolic centers were evaluated retrospectively. 35 patients were diagnosed by selective metabolic screening while 20 patients were identified by newborn screening. Endocrine parameters and bone age were evaluated. In addition, IQ testing was performed and the patients’ and their families’ quality of life was assessed.

Results

The vast majority of patients (>85%) presented with metabolic decompensation in the neonatal period. Asymptomatic individuals were the exception. About three quarters of the study population was mentally retarded, median IQ was 55. Apart from neurologic symptoms, complications comprised hematologic abnormalities, cardiac diseases, feeding problems and impaired growth. Most patients considered their quality of life high. However, according to the parents’ point of view psychic problems were four times more common in propionic acidemia patients than in healthy controls.

Conclusion

Our data show that the outcome of propionic acidemia is still unfavourable, in spite of improved clinical management. Many patients develop long-term complications affecting different organ systems. Impairment of neurocognitive development is of special concern. Nevertheless, self-assessment of quality of life of the patients and their parents yielded rather positive results.
Electronic Properties of Poly[3-(1,1-dimethylpropyl)thiophene] and Poly(3-cyclohexylthiophene)
Authors: Aoyama Yoshinori , Hatakeyama Kouji , Mukai Takuma , Koizumi Hitoshi
Published: January 2013

Poly(3-alkylthiophene) (P3AT) with alkyl side chains longer than or equal to butyl is soluble in some solvents and fusible. However, conductive states of P3AT are unstable. In order to develop soluble conductive polymers with a stable conductive state, electronic properties of poly[3-(1,1-dimethylpropyl)thiophene] (P3DMPT) and poly(3-cyclohexylthiophene) (P3cHT) were compared with those of poly(3-octylthiophene) (P3OT). The photoabsorption spectrum of P3DMPT did not change before and after doping with NOBF4. This is due to its high oxidation potential. The oxidation peak in the cyclic voltammogram of P3DMPT was 1.65 V vs. Ag/Ag+, which is too high to be doped with NOBF4. Polaron peaks were observed after the doping of P3cHT. The polarons of P3cHT decayed faster than those of P3OT with time. However, the behavior of the electron spin resonance spectrum of P3cHT was different from that of P3OT: the spin concentration of P3cHT decreased, whereas the spin concentration of P3OT increased with time. The conductive state of P3cHT will decay through different mechanism of P3OT: their dedoping will be a reverse process of doping. The reverse dedoping processes of P3cHT will be due to the high oxidation potentials of P3cHT.
Establishing Equivalence: Methodological Progress in Group-matching Design and Analysis
Authors: Kover Sara T. , Atwood Amy K.
Published: January 2013

This methodological review draws attention to the challenges faced by intellectual and developmental disabilities researchers in the appropriate design and analysis of group comparison studies. We provide a brief overview of matching methodologies in the field, emphasizing group-matching designs used in behavioral research on cognition and language in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, Fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and Williams syndrome. The limitations of relying on p values to establish group equivalence are discussed in the context of other existing methods: equivalence tests, propensity scores, and regression-based analyses. Our primary recommendation for advancing research on intellectual and developmental disabilities is the use of descriptive indices of adequate group matching: effect sizes (i.e., standardized mean differences) and variance ratios.
Comparison of the Leiter International Performance Scale—Revised and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, 5th Edition, in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Grondhuis Sabrina Nicole , Mulick James A.
Published: January 2013

A review of hospital records was conducted for children evaluated for autism spectrum disorders who completed both the Leiter International Performance Scale—Revised (Leiter-R) and Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, 5th Edition (SB5). Participants were between 3 and 12 years of age. Diagnoses were autistic disorder (n  =  26, 55%) and pervasive developmental disorder–not otherwise specified (n  =  21, 45%). Analysis showed that the full sample received significantly higher scores on the Leiter-R than SB5 (mean discrepancy of 20.91 points), specific diagnosis was not a significant factor, and younger children had a larger discrepancy between tests. These analyses strongly suggest that the Leiter-R and the SB5 may not be equivalent measures of intellectual functioning in children with autism spectrum disorders, and that use of one or the other exclusively could lead to misclassification of intellectual capacity.
Discretion and Manipulation by Experts: Evidence from a Vehicle Emissions Policy Change
Authors: Pierce Lamar , Snyder Jason A.
Published: January 2013

Environmental regulation seeks to limit pollution through strict emissions thresholds for existing cars, yet it remains unclear how frequently inspectors enforce these regulations and what impact test manipulation has on policy efficacy. We demonstrate (1) that there is a distinct discontinuous drop in the distribution of emissions results at the regulatory threshold (2) that when the state tightens emissions standards, over 50% of the vehicles newly at risk for failure now pass instantaneously after the regulation changes. These improvements cannot be explained by legitimate repairs but are consistent with facilities exploiting procedural discretion in order to help consumers evade the strengthened regulations.
Testing for Cointegration in the Presence of Moving Average Errors
Authors: Mallory Mindy , Lence Sergio H.
Published: January 2013

This study explores performance of the Johansen cointegration statistics on data containing negative moving average (NMA) errors. Monte Carlo experiments demonstrate that the asymptotic distributions of the statistics are sensitive to NMA parameters, and that using the standard 5% asymptotic critical values results in severe underestimation of the actual test sizes. We demonstrate that problems associated with NMA errors do not decrease as sample size increases; instead, they become more severe. Further we examine evidence that many U.S. commodity prices are characterized by NMA errors. Pretesting data is recommended before using standard asymptotic critical values for Johansen’s cointegration tests.
RNAi and retroviruses: are they in RISC?
Authors: Vasselon Thierry , Bouttier Manuella , Saumet Anne , Lecellier Charles-Henri
Published: January 2013

RNA interference (RNAi) is a potent cellular system against viruses in various organisms. Although common traits are observed in plants, insects, and nematodes, the situation observed in mammals appears more complex. In mammalian somatic cells, RNAi is implicated in endonucleolytic cleavage mediated by artificially delivered small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) as well as in translation repression mediated by microRNAs (miRNAs). Because siRNAs and miRNAs recognize viral mRNAs, RNAi inherently limits virus production and participates in antiviral defense. However, several observations made in the cases of hepatitis C virus and retroviruses (including the human immunodeficiency virus and the primate foamy virus) bring evidence that this relationship is much more complex and that certain components of the RNAi effector complex [called the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC)], such as AGO2, are also required for viral replication. Here, we summarize recent discoveries that have revealed this dual implication in virus biology. We further discuss their potential implications for the functions of RNAi-related proteins, with special emphasis on retrotransposition and genome stability.
CYP3A4/5 combined genotype analysis for predicting statin dose requirement for optimal lipid control
Authors: Kitzmiller Joseph Paul , Sullivan Danielle M. , Phelps Mitchell A. , Wang Danxin , Sadee Wolfgang
Published: January 2013

Background: Statins are indicated for prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Metabolism of certain statins involves the cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) enzymes, and CYP3A4*22 significantly influences the dose needed for achieving optimal lipid control for atorvastatin, simvastatin, and lovastatin. CYP3A4/5 combined genotype approaches have proved useful in some studies involving CYP3A substrates. We intend to compare a combined genotype analysis to our previously reported single gene CYP3A4 analysis.

Methods: A total of 235 patients receiving stable statin doses were genotyped and grouped by CYP3A4/5 status.

Results: The number and demographic composition of the patients categorized into the combined genotype groups were consistent with those reported for other cohorts. Dose requirement was significantly associated with the ordered combined-genotype grouping; median daily doses were nearly 40% greater for CYP3A4/5 intermediate metabolizers compared with poor metabolizers, and median daily doses were nearly double for extensive metabolizers compared with poor metabolizers. The combined-genotype approach, however, did not improve the genotype-dosage correlation p-values when compared with the previously-reported analysis; values changed from 0.129 to 0.166, 0.036 to 0.185, and 0.014 to 0.044 for atorvastatin, simvastatin, and the combined statin analysis, respectively.

Conclusions: The previously-reported single-gene approach was superior for predicting statin dose requirement in this cohort.
Why not just switch on the light?: light and its versatile applications in the field of nanomedicine
Authors: Lehner Roman , Hunziker Patrick
Published: January 2013

Over the last decade, the emerging field of nanomedicine has undergone rapid progresses. Different internal and external stimuli like pH, temperature, radiation, ultrasound or light have been introduced to expand the diagnostic and therapeutic options of various applications within the field. This review focuses on the novel application of light in the field of nanomedicine as a mechanism to control drug delivery, release and biochemical and genetic functionality at the target. The field of functional nanomaterials for medicine, and in particular of light responsive nanocarriers, polymers and biomolecules offer new therapeutic options but also requires substantial further research to render this approach broadly applicable in clinical practice.
Injective objects and retracts of Fraïssé limits
Authors: Kubiś Wiesław
Published: January 2013

We present a purely category-theoretic characterization of retracts of Fraïssé limits. For this aim, we consider a natural version of injectivity with respect to a pair of categories (a category and its subcategory). It turns out that retracts of Fraïssé limits are precisely the objects that are injective relatively to such a pair. One of the applications is a characterization of non-expansive retracts of Urysohn's universal metric space.
A Single-To-Differential LNA using Differential Active Inductor for GPS Applications
Authors: Babaei Kia Hojjat , Khari A'ain Abu
Published: January 2013

This paper presents the design of a single-ended input, differential output low noise amplifier for GPS applications in 0.18 µm CMOS technology. This Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) is composed of a common source (CS) amplifier adopted with a common gate, common source (CGCS) balun load. Instead of spiral on-chip inductor, a differential active inductor circuit (DAI) is used as an active load of balun and also
Hot Corrosion of Co-based Alloys with 25%NaCl+75%Na2SO4 Coating at 1173 K
Authors: Fu Guangyan , Guo Xingxing , Liu Qun , Zhao Xin , Su Yong
Published: January 2013

Hot corrosion behavior of pure Co, Co-10Cr and Co-10Cr-5Al alloys in the presence of a salt coat of Na2SO4+NaCl in air at 1173 K was studied. The results indicated that among the three samples, the mass gain of Co-10Cr-5Al alloy is the smallest, while that of Co-10Cr is biggest. The corrosion products of Co-10Cr-5Al can be divided into three layers, of which the outside layer is CoO, the middle layer consists of Cr2O3 and Al2O3, and the inside layer is a small amount of Chromium sulfide and aluminum sulfide. The corrosion products of Co-10Cr can also be divided into three layers, from the outermost to the innermost layer are CoO, Cr2O3, and small amount of Cr2S3. The corrosion resistance of Co-10Cr-5Al alloy is better than that of Co-10Cr alloy.
Idempotents of the Norton–Sakuma algebras
Authors: Castillo-Ramirez Alonso
Published: January 2013

The concept of Majorana representation was introduced by A. A. Ivanov (2009), as a tool to identify and study subalgebras of the Conway–Griess–Norton Monster algebra
Comparison between antenatal neurodevelopmental test and fetal Doppler in the assessment of fetal well being
Authors: Kurjak Asim , Talic Amira , Honemeyer Ulrich , Stanojevic Milan , Zalud Ivica
Published: January 2013

Aims: The primary aim of this study was to compare circulatory changes in the fetal brain under certain pathological conditions with alterations in fetal behavior.

Patients and methods: A prospective longitudinal cohort study on fetal behavior of fetuses from singleton pregnancies between the 28th and 38th gestational week in the period from March 2009 to October 2011 was undertaken. There were 596 fetuses in the high-risk group and 273 fetuses in the low-risk group. Elevated umbilical artery Doppler pulsatility index and reduced middle cerebral artery pulsatility index obtained in the absence of fetal movements were considered abnormal. The Kurjak Antenatal Neurodevelopmental Test (KANET) was used to assess fetal behavior.

Results: Statistically significant differences in the distribution of normal, abnormal, and borderline KANET scores between low-risk and high-risk groups were found. Furthermore, 596 fetuses from the high-risk group were subdivided into subgroups according to the risk factor. The largest proportion of abnormal KANET scores (23.9%) was in the subgroup of fetuses whose mothers had an offspring diagnosed with cerebral palsy (23.9%), followed by the proportion of borderline KANET scores in the subgroup of fetuses from febrile mothers (12.7%). Fetal behavior was significantly different between the normal group and the following subgroups of fetuses: fetal growth restriction (FGR), gestational diabetes mellitus, threatened preterm birth, antepartal hemorrhage, maternal fever, sibling with cerebral palsy, and polyhydramnios.

Conclusions: A new clinical application of the KANET test in early identification of fetuses at risk for adverse neurological outcome was demonstrated.