bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Competent Counseling for Middle Eastern American Clients: Implications for Trainees
Authors: Soheilian Sepideh S. , Inman Arpana G.
Published: July 2015

The authors used a factorial multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to determine whether counselor trainees’ group differences on measures of multicultural competence, empathy, and multicultural counseling self‐efficacy (CSE) when working with Middle Eastern American (MEA) clients were moderated by trainee race. Two hundred and fifty‐six trainees responded to 3 different clinical vignettes that gave information on clients who had varying degrees of MEA characteristics. MANOVA results revealed a significant main effect for trainee race. Follow‐up analyses demonstrated that trainees of color reported higher multicultural competence and multicultural CSE than White trainees.

Los autores usaron an análisis factorial multivariante de la varianza (MANOVA, por sus siglas en inglés) para determinar si las diferencias en grupos de consejeros en formación respecto a competencia multicultural, empatía y autoeficacia en consejería (CSE) multicultural al trabajar con clientes americanos con ascendencia de Oriente Medio (MEA) estaban moderadas por la raza del consejero. Doscientos cincuenta y seis consejeros en formación respondieron a 3 viñetas clínicas que ofrecían información sobre clientes que tenían diversos grados de características de MEA. Los resultados del MANOVA revelaron un efecto principal significativo para la raza del consejero. Análisis de seguimiento demostraron que los consejeros de color en formación comunicaron un mayor nivel de competencia multicultural y CSE multicultural que los consejeros blancos.
Characterization of a cypermethrin‐degrading Methylobacterium sp. strain A‐1 and molecular cloning of its carboxylesterase gene
Authors: Diegelmann Corinna , Weber Joachim , Heinzel‐Wieland Regina , Kemme Michael
Published: July 2015

A novel mesophilic bacterial strain, designated A‐1, was isolated from microbially contaminated biopolymer microcapsules. The bacterium was able to withstand and grow in liquid cultures supplemented with the pyrethroid cypermethrin in concentrations up to 400 mg L−1. Furthermore, strain A‐1 could use cypermethrin as sole carbon source and could degrade >50% of it in 12 h. Based on phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence, the strain A‐1 was identified as Methylobacterium sp., which is the first reported cypermethrin degrader of methylotrophic bacteria. A role for esterase activity in cypermethrin biodegradation was presumed. Therefore, the carboxylesterase gene mse1 was amplified from the Methylobacterium sp. strain A‐1 genome and the resulting 1 kb amplicon cloned into E. coli. Sequence analysis of the mse1‐DNA insert revealed an open reading frame of 633 bp encoding for a putative carboxylesterase of 210 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular mass of 22 kDa. The amino acid sequence of the deduced enzyme MsE1 with the catalytic triad Ser106, Asp156, and His187 was found to be similar to that of α/β‐hydrolase fold proteins. The active site Ser106 residue is located in the consensus pentapeptide motif Gly‐X‐Ser‐X‐Gly that is typical of esterases.
Perceived Norms and Marijuana Use at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Authors: Lewis Todd F. , Wahesh Edward
Published: July 2015

Relatively little is known about the extent of marijuana use and related risk‐taking behavior by college students on historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Undergraduate students (N = 212) from an HBCU in the southern region of the United States completed anonymous questionnaires that assessed their marijuana‐related behaviors and perceptions. Logistic regression analysis revealed risk factor profiles that provide college counselors with greater insight into prevention and treatment on HBCU campuses.
Spirituality/Religiosity, Life Satisfaction, and Life Meaning as Protective Factors for Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury in College Students
Authors: Kress Victoria E. , Newgent Rebecca A. , Whitlock Janis , Mease Laura
Published: July 2015

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that may protect or insulate people from engaging in nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI). College students (N = 14,385) from 8 universities participated in a web‐based survey. Results of bivariate correlations and multiple regression revealed that spirituality/religiosity, life satisfaction, and life meaning were predictive of NSSI. The authors provide practice suggestions for college counselors and other professionals charged with helping those at risk for NSSI.
Therapist‐Provided Conditions in Child‐Centered Play Therapy
Authors: JAYNE KIMBERLY M. , RAY DEE C.
Published: July 2015

The therapist‐provided conditions of congruence, unconditional positive regard, and empathy are essential to the therapeutic process in child‐centered play therapy (CCPT). This grounded theory study explored how these conditions are actualized in CCPT. Participants included 4 therapists and 12 children. A process model of the conditions and implications for practice and research are discussed.
The Working Alliance and Experiences of Clients and Counselors‐in‐Training
Authors: SACKETT CORRINE R. , LAWSON GERARD
Published: July 2015

The authors explored the strength of the alliance and the depth of meaningful experiences in counseling. Interviews of participants were conducted to elicit experiences, whereas the alliance was measured using the Working Alliance Inventory. Results indicate the stronger the alliance, the greater depth of meaningful experiences. Implications for counselors are given.
Supplements of the Self: Tracing a Deconstructive Humanism
Authors: GIVENS JOEL , LEMBERGER MATTHEW E.
Published: July 2015

Influenced by the philosophy of Derrida, the authors present deconstructive humanism as a postmodern lens for humanistic counseling. In this article, the authors describe the basic elements of this perspective and offer initial implications for counseling practice.
The application of δ13C, TOC and C/N geochemistry to reconstruct Holocene relative sea levels and paleoenvironments in the Thames Estuary, UK
Authors: KHAN NICOLE S. , VANE CHRISTOPHER H. , HORTON BENJAMIN P. , HILLIER CAROLINE , RIDING JAMES B. , KENDRICK CHRISTOPHER P.
Published: July 2015

We examined the use of δ13C, TOC and C/N geochemistry of sedimentary organic matter to reconstruct former sea levels and paleoenvironments in the absence of suitable microfossil data. The modern distribution of δ13C, TOC and C/N of 33 vegetation and 74 surface sediment samples collected from four coastal wetlands in the Thames Estuary and Norfolk, UK are described. The δ13C, TOC and C/N geochemistry of sediments varied in relation to the input of in situ vascular vegetation versus allochthonous particulate organic matter and algae, which was controlled primarily by tidal inundation. We reviewed published and unpublished studies to produce an English database of vegetation (n = 257) and sediment (n = 132) δ13C, TOC and C/N geochemistry. Four elevation‐dependent environments in the database had statistically distinct δ13C, TOC and C/N values: (1) tidal flat/low marsh (δ13C: −24.9 ± 1.2‰; TOC: 3.6 ± 1.7%; C/N: 9.9 ± 0.8); (2) middle marsh/high (δ13C: −26.2 ± 1.0‰; TOC: 9.8 ± 6.7%; C/N: 12.1 ± 1.8); (3) reed swamp (δ13C: −27.9 ± 0.7‰: TOC: 36.5 ± 11.5%; C/N: 13.9 ± 1.2); and (4) fen carr (δ13C: −29.0 ± 0.6‰; TOC: 41.6 ± 5.7%; C/N: 17.4 ± 3.1). The δ13C, TOC and C/N geochemistry database was applied to a Holocene sediment core collected from the Thames Estuary to produce three new sea‐level index points and one limiting date, illustrating the utility of δ13C, TOC and C/N values to reconstruct Holocene relative sea levels. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Monitoring the liquid phase concentration by Raman spectroscopy in a polymorphic system
Authors: Su Weiyi , Li Chunli , Hao Hongxun , Whelan Jessica , Barrett Mark , Glennon Brian
Published: July 2015

In this work, Raman spectroscopy was successfully used for the quantitative determination of the liquid phase concentration in an aqueous polymorphic system of D‐mannitol. An extensive study has initially been performed to identify the influence of the solid state, e.g. particle size, particle amount, and different polymorphs, on the intensity of the characteristic Raman solute signal. It was found that the existence of solid phase can decrease Raman intensity, and this influence is more significant when the suspension density is higher, e.g. with smaller size and larger amount of particles. Based on this information, a large number of samples were examined by Raman spectroscopy in the form of clear solutions and suspensions. The spectral preprocessing and partial least squares (PLS) regression were then used to relate the solute concentrations to these spectral data, independent of solid state. Several PLS calibration models were developed with different treatments to the spectral data, and the optimized strategy was finally demonstrated. Particularly, a reference peak at 578 cm−1 related to the sapphire in the Raman probe window was innovatively applied to reduce the influences from the equipment and other external variations, with which the full‐spectrum PLS model was seen to give more stable results rather than partial spectral regions. The optimized model was subsequently applied to predict the liquid phase concentration in a multiphase multicomponent dynamic process, the solvent mediated polymorphic transformation (SMPT) of mannitol, and it was shown that the offline measurements and the predicted values were mainly in agreement with one another. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of natural phenolic extract from defatted soybean flour by‐product for stone fruit postharvest application
Authors: Villalobos María del Carmen , Serradilla Manuel Joaquín , Martín Alberto , Ordiales Elena , Ruiz‐Moyano Santiago , Córdoba María de Guía
Published: July 2015

BACKGROUND

Fresh fruit is highly perishable during storage and transport, so there has been growing interest in finding safe and natural antimicrobial compounds as a control tool. Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites naturally present in vegetable material and have been associated with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant capacity and potential antimicrobial effect of phenolic extract obtained from defatted soybean flour against selected pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms responsible of fruit decay.

RESULTS

Analysis of phenolic composition by HPLC‐MS showed the presence of a wide range of compounds, with isoflavones and phenolic acids the main polyphenols identified. Furthermore, the phenolic extract had important antioxidant activity by two different assays. Related to antimicrobial activity, in vitro experiments demonstrated that phenolic extract displayed a high activity against the main foodborne pathogens, while a moderate inhibition was found against five spoilage yeasts and Monilia laxa and a scarce effect for Penicillium glabrum, Cladosporium uredinicola and Botrytis cinerea. Interestingly these compounds considerably inhibited the mycelial growth of Monilia laxa, in both in vitro and in vivo experiments.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study revealed that defatted soybean flour is an important source of phenolic compounds with remarkable antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, suggesting the possibility of using them as natural additives in postharvest treatments to extend the shelf life of fruit. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Single‐incision robotic colectomy (SIRC): Current status and future directions
Authors: Juo Yen‐Yi , Luka Samuel , Obias Vincent
Published: July 2015

By combining laparo‐endoscopic single‐site surgery (LESS) techniques with the da Vinci robotic platform, single‐incision robotic colectomy (SIRC) aims to further minimize incision‐related complications and improve cosmetic outcomes from the current standard of care, laparoscopic colectomy. While there is limited literature on SIRC, all available reports suggest SIRC to be a safe and feasible procedure in terms of perioperative outcomes. Future research should focus on further clarification of proposed benefits of SIRC such as cosmetics, ergonomics, incidence of incision‐related complications, and long‐term oncologic outcomes. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015; 112:321–325. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Determination of eight polyphenols and pantothenic acid in extra‐virgin olive oil samples by a simple, fast, high‐throughput and sensitive ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method
Authors: Gosetti Fabio , Bolfi Bianca , Manfredi Marcello , Calabrese Giorgio , Marengo Emilio
Published: July 2015

A new ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry method for a fast and sensitive determination of eight polyphenols (hydroxytyrosol, catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, oleuropein, quercetin, rutin, tyrosol) and panthotenic acid in extra‐virgin olive oil was developed. The method does not require long sample pre‐treatment and presents the lowest limit of detection and limit of quantitation values present in literature. Inter‐ and intra‐day variability, linear dynamic range of the calibration curve, recovery and matrix effect were also determined and investigated. The method was applied to several oil samples of different type and origin. Given its accuracy, precision and rapidity, the method is characterized by an interestingly high throughput, reliability, and sensitivity.
Structural Characteristics of the Allosteric Binding Site Represent a Key to Subtype Selective Modulators of Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors
Authors: Bermudez Marcel , Rakers Christin , Wolber Gerhard
Published: July 2015

The high conservation of the orthosteric acetylcholine binding site of muscarinic receptors (MAChR) represents a considerable challenge in terms of designing subtype selective drugs. A promising approach to gain subtype selectivity is to include allosteric or dualsteric targeting that aims to address more specific extracellular binding sites. Despite recent advances in crystallography of G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), structural information for all 5 MAChR subtypes is not yet available. Here we report structural models of the active and the inactive receptor state of all subtypes derived by homology modelling in combination with MD simulations. The comparison of the allosteric binding site unveils the characteristics for each subtype on a structural level and indicates anchor points for rational design of selective drugs. Additionally, homology models offer the possibility for a rational explanation of dualsteric subtype selectivity, as we show for the M2 over M5 selectivity of the dualsteric ligands Atr‐6‐naph and Iper‐6‐phth.
CLIP–ASAP‐HSQC for fast and accurate extraction of one‐bond couplings from isotropic and partially aligned molecules
Authors: Becker Johanna , Luy Burkhard
Published: July 2015

Fast measurement of heteronuclear one‐bond couplings, a class of NMR parameters valuable for structure elucidation, is highly desirable, especially if samples undergo chemical reactions or dynamic processes are observed. Methods presented so far face severe limitations in terms of resolution, accessible bandwidth, and sensitivity. We present the CLean InPhase‐Acceleration by Sharing Adjacent Polarization‐HSQC (CLIP‐ASAP‐HSQC) pulse sequence that allows fast acquisition of spectra with clean inphase multiplets in about 25 s. The performance in terms of accurate extraction of one‐bond couplings is demonstrated on three test samples including partially aligned molecules. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Three‐dimensional structure of cyclic antibiotic teicoplanin aglycone using NMR distance and dihedral angle restraints in a DMSO solvation model
Authors: Gonnella Nina C. , Grinberg Nelu , Mcloughlin Mark , Choudhary Om , Fandrick Keith , Ma Shengli
Published: July 2015

The three‐dimensional solution conformation of teicoplanin aglycone was determined using NMR spectroscopy. A combination of NOE and dihedral angle restraints in a DMSO solvation model was used to calculate an ensemble of structures having a root mean square deviation of 0.17 Å. The structures were generated using systematic searches of conformational space for optimal satisfaction of distance and dihedral angle restraints. Comparison of the NMR‐derived structure of teicoplanin aglycone with the X‐ray structure of a teicoplanin aglycone analog revealed a common backbone conformation with deviation of two aromatic side chain substituents. Experimentally determined backbone 13C chemical shifts showed good agreement with those computed at the density functional level of theory, providing a cross validation of the backbone conformation. The flexible portion of the molecule was consistent with the region that changes conformation to accommodate protein binding. The results showed that a hydrogen‐bonded DMSO molecule in combination with NMR‐derived restraints together enabled calculation of structures that satisfied experimental data. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal harvesting for a stochastic Lotka–Volterra predator‐prey system with jumps and nonselective harvesting hypothesis
Authors: Zou Xiaoling , Wang Ke
Published: July 2015

A stochastic Lotka–Volterra predator–prey system driven by both Brownian motion and Poisson counting measure is modeled and studied in this paper. A new ergodic method is proposed to solve the classical optimal harvesting problem. Equivalency between time averaged yield function and sustained yield function is proved by this new approach. The optimal harvesting strategy and the corresponding maximum yield with respect to stationary probability density are obtained. Several examples are taken to show that results in this paper are new even in the deterministic case. The method proposed in this paper can avoid trouble of solving the corresponding partial differential equations, and it can be extended to a more general high‐dimensional case or some other stochastic system. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Insulin‐like growth factor‐1 receptor (IGF‐1R) inhibition promotes expansion of human NK cells which maintain their potent antitumor activity against Ewing sarcoma cells
Authors: Jamitzky Silke , Krueger Andrea‐Caroline , Janneschuetz Saskia , Piepke Stephanie , Kailayangiri Sareetha , Spurny Christian , Rossig Claudia , Altvater Bianca
Published: July 2015

Background

Patients with primary metastatic or relapsed Ewing sarcomas (EwS) have a poor prognosis. While inhibitory insulin‐like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF‐1R)‐specific antibodies have shown single agent activity in some patients with refractory disease, effective therapeutic targeting will rely on optimal combinations with conventional or innovative therapies. Specifically, combination of inhibitory IGF‐1R antibodies with adoptive transfer of activated natural killer (NK) cells may have therapeutic benefit in EwS without adding toxicity.

Procedure

We investigated the in vitro effects of IGF‐1R targeting on the immunological profile of EwS cells and on the survival and tumor targeting capacity of K‐562‐activated NK cells.

Results

IGF‐1R inhibition reliably reduced EwS cell viability without affecting expression of immune‐modulatory and MHC molecules. In NK cells, we observed a significant superior expansion following in vitro activation in the presence of IGF‐1R‐specific antibodies, while expression of differentiation markers and activating receptors remained unaffected. Activated NK cells coincubated with EwS cells showed potent degranulation responses unaffected by IGF‐1R inhibition. These findings were reproducible in a stimulator cell‐free NK cell expansion system, suggesting that direct effects of IGF‐R1 antibodies on the IGF‐R1 pathway in NK cells induce their activation and expansion.

Conclusions

Activated human NK cells respond to IGF‐1R inhibition with superior expansion kinetics while maintaining potent antitumor responses against EwS. Combination of adoptive NK cell transfer with IGF‐1R targeting may be an efficient means to eliminate minimal residual disease after conventional therapy and thereby rescue patients at the highest risk of relapse. Pediatr Blood Cancer © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Estimating the computational limits of detection of microbial non‐model organisms
Authors: Kuhring Mathias , Renard Bernhard Y.
Published: July 2015

Mass spectrometry has become a key instrument for proteomic studies of single bacteria as well as microbial communities. However, the identification of spectra from MS/MS experiments is still challenging, in particular for non‐model organisms. Due to the limited amount of related protein reference sequences, underexplored organisms often remain completely unidentified or their spectra match to peptides of uncertain degree of relation. Alternative strategies such as error‐tolerant spectra searches or proteogenomic approaches may reduce the amount of unidentified spectra and lead to peptide matches on more related taxonomic levels. However, to what extent these strategies may be successful is difficult to judge prior to an MS/MS experiment. In this contribution, we introduce a method to estimate the suitability of databases of interest. Further, it allows estimating the possible influence of error‐tolerant searches and proteogenomic approaches on databases of interest with respect to the number of unidentified spectra and the taxonomic distances of identified spectra. Furthermore, we provide an implementation of our approach that supports experimental design by evaluating the benefit and need of different search strategies with respect to present databases and organisms under study. We provide several examples which highlight the different effects of additional search strategies on databases and organisms with varying amount of known relative species available.
Matching of received social support with need for support in adjusting to cancer and cancer survivorship
Authors: Merluzzi Thomas V. , Philip Errol J. , Yang Miao , Heitzmann Carolyn A.
Published: July 2015

Background

Optimal matching theory posits that the effects of social support are enhanced when its provision is matched with need for support. We hypothesized that matching received social support with the needs of persons with cancer, and cancer survivors would be related to better psychosocial adjustment than a mismatched condition.

Method

In a cross‐sectional design, sample 1, consisting of 171 cancer patients, and sample 2, consisting of 118 cancer survivors, completed measures of emotional and instrumental received support, physical debilitation, and psychological distress.

Results

The optimal matching theory model was confirmed; those needing support (i.e., greater physical debilitation), who did not receive it, experienced more distress than those who needed support and received it. Patients in treatment benefited from the matching of need and provision for both emotional and instrumental support, whereas survivors only benefited from the matching of emotional support.

Conclusions

The results suggest that social support is contextualized by the degree of physical impairment and may be somewhat different for cancer patients in treatment compared with cancer survivors. The transition to cancer survivorship may involve a transformation in the need for as well as the type and amount of received social support. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparative Study on Infrared Irradiance Emitted from Standard and Real Rocket Motor Plumes
Authors: Kim Min Taek , Song Soonho , Yim Yoo Jin , Jang Myung Wook , Baek Gookhyun
Published: July 2015

The infrared irradiance signature from exhaust plume is essential for the design of solid rocket motors. To overcome the difficulty of conducting experiments using real rocket motors, experimental studies were carried out to compare standard rocket motors and real rocket motors of the same propellant. The static firing tests on standard and real rocket motors of NEPE and HTPB propellants were conducted. Despite different rocket motor size and methodology of spectro‐radiometric measurement, the spectral characteristics of the infrared irradiance signature for both rocket motors were quite similar. The standard and real rocket motors of HTPB propellant showed similar tendency of steady infrared irradiance emission throughout the combustion, whereas both rocket motors of NEPE propellant showed a rapid emission in the midstream of combustion. The total infrared irradiance of NEPE was about 55 % less than that of HTPB propellant for both standard and real rocket motor experiments. Additionally, the relative amounts of chemical products produced during propellant combustion came out to be similar for both rocket motors. The experimental results indicated that the spectral characteristics of infrared irradiance and combustion products were quite similar for different sized rocket motors of same propellant and that a correlation of infrared irradiance signature exists between small‐sized standard rocket motors and real rocket motors. Thus, the spectral characteristics of real rocket motors could be reasonably estimated from the results of standard rocket motors.
The Bravyi–Kitaev transformation: Properties and applications
Authors: Tranter Andrew , Sofia Sarah , Seeley Jake , Kaicher Michael , McClean Jarrod , Babbush Ryan , Coveney Peter V. , Mintert Florian , Wilhelm Frank , Love Peter J.
Published: July 2015

Quantum chemistry is an important area of application for quantum computation. In particular, quantum algorithms applied to the electronic structure problem promise exact, efficient methods for determination of the electronic energy of atoms and molecules. The Bravyi–Kitaev transformation is a method of mapping the occupation state of a fermionic system onto qubits. This transformation maps the Hamiltonian of n interacting fermions to an
‐local Hamiltonian of n qubits. This is an improvement in locality over the Jordan–Wigner transformation, which results in an O(n)‐local qubit Hamiltonian. We present the Bravyi–Kitaev transformation in detail, introducing the sets of qubits which must be acted on to change occupancy and parity of states in the occupation number basis. We give recursive definitions of these sets and of the transformation and inverse transformation matrices, which relate the occupation number basis and the Bravyi–Kitaev basis. We then compare the use of the Jordan–Wigner and Bravyi–Kitaev Hamiltonians for the quantum simulation of methane using the STO‐6G basis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A DCT‐based privacy‐preserving approach for efficient data mining
Authors: Tian Feng , Gui Xiaolin , An Jian , Yang Pan , Zhang Xuejun , Zhao Jianqiang
Published: July 2015

With the rapid growth of various data collected by companies and organizations, there is an increasing need for the data owners to share their data with the third party for the purpose of data mining. Therefore, protecting the privacy of the shared data has received considerable attention from academia and industry. However, existing methods do not work well for distance‐based mining algorithms. This paper proposes a novel privacy‐preserving approach to support distance‐based mining algorithms while reducing the shared data size. This approach transforms the shared data to discrete cosine transformation (DCT) coefficients, and adaptively selects DCT coefficients so as to form the compressed coefficient matrix. To enhance data privacy, this approach employs rotation‐based transformation with modified constraints to process the compressed coefficient matrix. Extensive experiments show that the proposed approach achieves the best tradeoff between data privacy and mining quality comparing with other existing ones. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fabrication of Supported AuPt Alloy Nanocrystals with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity for Formic Acid Oxidation through Conversion Chemistry of Layer‐Deposited Pt2+ on Au Nanocrystals
Authors: Kim Seong Hyeon , Jeong Hwakyeung , Kim Jongwon , Lee In Su
Published: July 2015

The exploitation of nanoconfined conversion of Au‐ and Pt‐containing binary nanocrystals for developing a controllable synthesis of surfactant‐free AuPt nanocrystals with enhanced formic acid oxidation (FAO) activity is reported, which can be stably and evenly immobilized on various support materials to diversify and optimize their electrocatalytic performance. In this study, an atomic layer of Pt2+ species is discovered to be spontaneously deposited in situ on the Au nanocrystal generated from a reverse‐microemulsion solution. The resulting Au/Pt2+ nanocrystal thermally transforms into a reduced AuPt alloy nanocrystal during the subsequent solid‐state conversion process within the SiO2 nanosphere. The alloy nanocrystals can be isolated from SiO2 in a surfactant‐free form and then dispersedly loaded on the carbon sphere surface, allowing for the production of a supported electrocatalyst that exhibits much higher FAO activity than commercial Pt/C catalysts. Furthermore, by involving Fe3O4 nanocrystals in the conversion process, the AuPt alloy nanocrystals can be grown on the oxide surface, improving the durability of supported metal catalysts, and then uniformly loaded on a reduced graphene oxide (RGO) layer with high electroconductivity. This produces electrocatalytic AuPt/Fe3O4/RGO nanocomposites whose catalyst‐oxide‐graphene triple‐junction structure provides improved electrocatalytic properties in terms of both activity and durability in catalyzing FAO.
Exploring factors affecting decision outcome and lead time in large‐scale requirements engineering
Authors: Wnuk Krzysztof , Kabbedijk Jaap , Brinkkemper Sjaak , Regnell Björn , Callele David
Published: July 2015

Lead time, defined as the duration between the moment a request was filed and the moment the decision was made, is an important aspect of decision making in market‐driven requirements engineering. Minimizing lead time allows software companies to focus their resources on the most profitable functionality and enables them to remain competitive within the quickly changing software market. Achieving and sustaining low decision lead time and the resulting high decision efficiency require a better understanding of factors that may affect both decision lead time and outcome. In order to identify possible factors, we conducted an exploratory two‐stage case study that combines the statistical analysis of seven possible relationships among decision characteristics at a large company with a survey of industry participants. Our results show that the number of products affected by a decision increases the time needed to make a decision. Practitioners should take this aspect into consideration when planning for efficient decision making and possibly reducing the complexity of decisions. Our results also show that when a change request originates from an important customer, the request is more often accepted. The results provide input into the discussion of whether a large company should focus on only a few of its large customers and disregard its significantly larger group of small customers. The results provide valuable insights for researchers, who can use them to plan research of decision‐making processes and methods, and for practitioners, who can use them to optimize their decision‐making processes. In future work, we plan to investigate other decision characteristics, such as the number of stakeholders involved in the discussion about the potential change or the number of dependencies between software components. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Choosing change strategy for ISO/IEC 33014
Authors: Pries‐Heje Jan , Johansen Jørn
Published: July 2015

The ISO/IEC 33014.2013standard on process improvement includes a core activity called ‘identify the overall change strategy’, which includes selecting a change strategy among the many available. This selection can be carried out using the ImprovAbility modelin which there is a framework of how to select change strategy. The framework contains 10 different change strategies to choose from. But which ones are chosen in practice? To answer that, we have analyzed data from 134 assessments in 129 organizations that have used the framework. We give a ranking of strategies chosen, and we analyze how they adapt the change strategy to their specific conditions. We conclude that the most often recommended organizational change strategy is optionality followed by three other strategies: specialist‐driven, production‐organized, and learning‐driven. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inhibition of connective tissue growth factor attenuates paraquat‐induced lung fibrosis in a human MRC‐5 cell line
Authors: Huang Min , Yang Huifang , Zhu Lingqin , Li Honghui , Zhou Jian , Zhou Zhijun
Published: July 2015

Chronic exposure to Paraquat (PQ) may result in progressive pulmonary fibrosis and subsequent chronic obstructive pulmonary malfunction. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has been proposed as a key determinant in the development of lung fibrosis. We investigated thus whether knock down of CTGF can prevent human lung fibroblasts (MRC‐5) activation and proliferation with the subsequent inhibition of PQ‐induced fibrosis. MRC‐5 was transfected with CTGF‐siRNAs and exposed to different concentrations of PQ. The siRNA‐silencing efficacy was evaluated using western blotting analyses, qRT‐PCR and flow cytometry. Next, the viability and migration of MRC‐5 was determined. MMP‐2, MMP‐9, and TIMP‐1 accumulation were quantified to evaluate the lung fibrosis exposure to PQ. Over expression of CTGF mRNA was observed in human MRC‐5 cell as early as 6 h following PQ stimulation. CTGF gene expression in MRC‐5 cells was substantially reduced by RNAi, which significantly suppressed the expression of the lung fibrosis markers such as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‐2 (TIMP‐2), Matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2) and Matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) that were stimulated by PQ. Inhibition of CTGF expression suppressed impeded the proliferation and migration ability of MRC‐5 cells and resulted in cell‐extracellular matrix (ECM) protein accumulation in cells. Our results suggest that CTGF promoted the development of PQ‐induced lung fibrosis in collaboration with transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1). Furthermore, the observed arresting effects of CTGF knock down during this process suggested that CTGF is the potential target site for preventing PQ‐induced pulmonary fibrosis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1620–1626, 2016.
Comparison of Pneumoperitoneum Volumes in Lift Laparoscopy With Variable Lift Locations and Tensile Forces
Authors: Kennedy Katie C. , Fransson Boel A. , Gay John M. , Roberts Gregory D.
Published: July 2015

Objective

Evaluate the effect of peritoneal lift location and tensile force on peritoneal volume.

Study Design

Complete randomized block design.

Animals

Eleven fresh canine cadavers.

Methods

Cadavers underwent abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans after each treatment; 1) no lift, 2) umbilical lift with 15% body weight (BW) tension, 3) umbilical lift with 20% BW, 4) umbilical lift with 25% BW, 5) caudal lift with 15% BW, and 6) both umbilical and caudal lift with 15% BW shared equally between devices (dual lift). Isobaric pneumoperitoneal volume, instrument working distances, and transverse measures were calculated and normalized for each dog and compared across treatments.

Results

Increasing tensile force created a correspondingly larger pneumoperitoneal volume for the umbilical lift (0.34–0.40 total abdominal volume). Dual lifting created a larger pneumoperitoneal volume than either location alone at the same tension (0.39 total abdominal volume). Increasing lift tensions increased working distances, except to caudal abdominal structures. Increasing lift tensions at the umbilical location reduced the transverse diameter of the abdomen at the level of the kidney (0.92–0.86 total abdominal volume) and increased the transverse diameter at the midperitoneum (1.0–1.05 total abdominal volume).

Conclusions

Larger isobaric penumoperitoneal volumes are produced with increased tensile force, or with dual lifting at lower force. A caudal lift leads to a small pneumoperitoneal volume but equivalent working space to caudal abdominal structures. Using an umbilical lift with moderate tensile force is preferable, providing good visualization and working space. Caudal lifting may be utilized to access caudal abdominal structures.
Synthesis, Characterization, Thermal Property of Si(c‐C5H9NH)4 and Its Potential as CVD Precursor for SiC Film
Authors: Du Liyong , Chu Wenxiang , Miao Hongyan , Wang Dawei , Xu Chongying , Ding Yuqiang
Published: July 2015

Silicon(IV) amide Si(c‐C5H9NH)4 (1), was synthesized and characterized by 1H, 13C, and 29Si NMR spectroscopy, EI‐MS, elemental analysis, and X‐ray diffraction. Its thermal stability and volatility were also investigated. The as‐grown film, which was characterized by SEM, AFM, XRD and XPS, was deposited using 1 as single precursor through a low‐pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) process at a temperature as low as 600 °C. The results demonstrated that silicon(IV) amides can be promising single‐precursor for deposition of low‐temperature SiC films.
Exploring Mexican American adolescent romantic relationship profiles and adjustment
Authors: Moosmann Danyel A.V. , Roosa Mark W.
Published: July 2015

Although Mexican Americans are the largest ethnic minority group in the nation, knowledge is limited regarding this population's adolescent romantic relationships. This study explored whether 12th grade Mexican Americans' (N = 218; 54% female) romantic relationship characteristics, cultural values, and gender created unique latent classes and if so, whether they were linked to adjustment. Latent class analyses suggested three profiles including, relatively speaking, higher, satisfactory, and lower quality romantic relationships. Regression analyses indicated these profiles had distinct associations with adjustment. Specifically, adolescents with higher and satisfactory quality romantic relationships reported greater future family expectations, higher self‐esteem, and fewer externalizing symptoms than those with lower quality romantic relationships. Similarly, adolescents with higher quality romantic relationships reported greater academic self‐efficacy and fewer sexual partners than those with lower quality romantic relationships. Overall, results suggested higher quality romantic relationships were most optimal for adjustment. Future research directions and implications are discussed.
The Deafening Silence of the Korean “Comfort Women”: A Response Based on Lyotard and Irigaray
Authors: LEE Constance Youngwon , CROWE Jonathan
Published: July 2015

This article reflects upon the continuing historical denialism concerning the Korean “comfort women” forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II. We argue that the refusal of the Japanese government and others to squarely confront this wrong is made possible through the exploitation of adifférendin Jean-François Lyotard’s sense of the term. Thedifférendarises from a complex set of social, cultural, and legal sources, including patriarchal, colonial, and nationalistic constructions of the wrong and its victims. We seek to tentatively expose the nature of thedifférendby identifying these factors. We then sketch the beginnings of a possible response, drawing on Luce Irigaray’s strategy of emphasizing sexual difference and separation to pave the way for reciprocality between the sexes. The testimonies of the “comfort women” must be allowed to speak for themselves before a response can emerge based in other discourses.
Functional and Existential Authorities
Authors: Cyr Hugo
Published: July 2015

This article explores how political authority is conceived and how we attempt to make sense of its legitimacy in a world that we imagine made of relatively equal and autonomous individuals who are members of multiple collective agencies. One such way is the Razian “Service Conception” of authority. This conception suffers from a variety of internal weaknesses and shortcomings. More importantly, while the Service Conception may be promoted as a normatively appealing theory of authority, it does not appear to fit the description of the central case of practical authority or, at least, it does not exhaust the list of central cases. Indeed, political authorities are often justified by self-assertive reasons that bind the subject to the authority claimant. Such cases are what we call “existential authorities”, as opposed to "functional authorities" associated with the Service Conception. The interplay between those types of authorities and their respective background assumptions forces us to take seriously the perceptions that subjects have of the nature of authority claimants as such perceptions will determine the attitudes of the subjects towards the directives issued by the authority claimants. We must therefore be able to distinguish between institutions meant to embody collective identities – “existential communities” – from institutions perceived as mere “functional regimes”. Indeed, the nature of the standards used to evaluate the actions and powers of each will differ accordingly.
Is Democracy Sufficient for Political Obligation?
Authors: Walton Kevin
Published: July 2015

This paper examines the apparently widespread belief that the democratic pedigree of a state implies a moral obligation to obey its laws. The analysis focuses on the work of Ronald Dworkin, who is, perhaps surprisingly, alone among theorists of democracy in claiming that those whom the law addresses are morally bound to obey it whenever it is democratic. From Dworkin’s expansive conception of democracy, political obligation follows. But democracy should not be construed so widely. Rather, it ought to be conceived more narrowly, such that, as other theorists concede, it cannot be more than part of a case for a moral obligation to obey the law. Hence, belief in the sufficiency of democracy for political obligation, notwithstanding its ostensible popularity, has yet to be justified.
Networks of Preparedness and Response During Australian H1N1 Outbreak
Authors: Hossain Liaquat , Bdeir Fadl , Crawford John W , Wigand Rolf T.
Published: July 2015

Objective

New theoretical and practical approaches were used to determine the outcome of complex interorganizational networks during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak in Australia.

Methods

Seventy health professionals from different skill sets and organizational positions who participated in the 2009 swine influenza H1N1 outbreak in Australia were surveyed. Interviews were designed to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to build a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the dynamics of interorganizational networks that evolve during the coordinated response to the H1N1 outbreak. Three main components of network theory, ie, degree centrality, connectedness, and tie strength, were used to construct a performance model for assessing networks of preparedness and response.

Results

We observed that increasing communication frequency and diversifying the tiers of the interorganizational links enhanced the overall network’s performance in the case of formal coordination. Network measures such as centrality, connectedness, and tie strength were relevant and resulted in improving the entire network’s performance during the outbreak.

Conclusion

In the context of a disease outbreak in a complex environment and a large geographical area, this investigation has provided a new perspective for understanding how the structure of a collaborative network of personnel affects the performance of the overall network. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:155-165)
Influenza Vaccination in Patients With Cancer: Factors Associated With Vaccination Practices for Patients and Their Household Members
Authors: Ariza-Heredia Ella J. , Azzi Jacques , Shah Dimpy P. , Nesher Lior , Ghantoji Shashank S. , Michailidis Lamprinos , Marsh Lisa , Chemaly Roy F.
Published: July 2015

Presented in part: IDWeek 2014; Philadelphia, PA; October 8-12, 2014 (Poster 1120).

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;36(10):1239–1241
The Party in Time
Authors: White Jonathan
Published: July 2015

Trends of falling membership and support spell a time of crisis for political parties, possibly of transformation. Dilemmas of principle arise: should partisans revise their normative commitments in whatever way garners new supporters, or would that be to sell their party’s soul? This article investigates this as a problem of intergenerational obligation, examining what consideration (if any) partisans owe their party’s past and future. It seeks to show the limits of conceiving partisanship as a ‘presentist’ activity that is legitimately governed exclusively by the concerns of the present generation, and argues that it must include some notion of showing loyalty to the actions of predecessors and advancing the prospects of those to come. Two corresponding norms of ethical partisanship – fidelity and sustainability – are outlined and discussed. The article’s goal is to refine our concept of what a party is, and in so doing contribute to a broader ethics of activism.
Neurogenetics in Argentina: diagnostic yield in a personalized research based clinic
Authors: RODRÍGUEZ-QUIROGA SERGIO ALEJANDRO , CORDOBA MARTA , GONZÁLEZ-MORÓN DOLORES , MEDINA NANCY , VEGA PATRICIA , DUSEFANTE CECILIA VAZQUEZ , ARAKAKI TOMOKO , GARRETTO NÉLIDA SUSANA , KAUFFMAN MARCELO ANDRES
Published: July 2015

As a whole neurogenetic diseases are a common group of neurological disorders. However, the recognition and molecular diagnosis of these disorders is not always straightforward. Besides, there is a paucity of information regarding the diagnostic yield that specialized neurogenetic clinics could obtain. We performed a prospective, observational, analytical study of the patients seen in a neurogenetic clinic at a tertiary medical centre to assess the diagnostic yield of a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation that included a personalized clinical assessment along with traditional and next-generation sequencing diagnostic tests. We included a cohort of 387 patients from May 2008 to June 2014. For sub-group analysis we selected a sample of patients whose main complaint was the presence of progressive ataxia, to whom we applied a systematic molecular diagnostic algorithm. Overall, a diagnostic mutation was identified in 27·4% of our cohort. However, if we only considered those patients where a molecular test could be performed, the success rate rises to 45%. We obtained diagnostic yields of 23·5 and 57·5% in the global group of ataxic patients and in the subset of ataxic patients with a positive family history, respectively. Thus, about a third of patients evaluated in a neurogenetic clinic could be successfully diagnosed.