bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Coherence of Mary Barton: Romance, Realism, and Utopia
Authors: Birdwell Robert Z.
Published: October 2015

Critics have argued that Elizabeth Gaskell's first novel, Mary Barton (1848), is split by a conflict between the modes of realism and romance. But the conflict does not render the novel incoherent, because Gaskell surpasses both modes through a utopian narrative that breaks with the conflict of form and gives coherence to the whole novel. Gaskell not only depicts what Thomas Carlyle called the ‘Condition of England’ in her work but also develops, through three stages, the utopia that will redeem this condition. The first stage is romantic nostalgia, a backward glance at Eden from the countryside surrounding Manchester. The second stage occurs in Manchester, as Gaskell mixes romance with a realistic mode, tracing a utopian drive toward death. The third stage is the utopian break with romantic and realistic accounts of the Condition of England and with the inadequate preceding conceptions of utopia. This third stage transforms narrative modes and figures a new mode of production.
Partial Purification and Characterization of a Thermostable β-Mannanase from Aspergillus foetidus
Authors: De Marco Juliana , Neto Geraldo , Castro Carlos , Michelin Michele , Polizeli Maria , Filho Edivaldo
Published: October 2015

An extracellular β-mannanase was isolated from samples of crude extract of the mesophilic fungus Aspergillus foetidus grown on soybean husk as a carbon source. The induction profile showed that β-mannanase reached a maximum activity level (2.0 IU/mL) on the 15th day of cultivation. The enzyme was partially purified by ultrafiltration and gel filtration chromatography procedures and was named Man 58. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrilamide electrophoresis and zymogram analysis of Man 58 showed two bands of approximately 43 and 45 kDa with β-mannanase activity. Ultrafiltration showed that β-mannanase activity was only detected in the concentrated sample. Man 58 was most active at 60 °C and at pH 4.0. It was thermostable in the temperature range of 40–60 °C for eleven days, and the half-life at 70 °C was ten days. Man 58 showed Km and Vmax values of 3.29 mg/mL and 1.76 IU/mL respectively, with locust bean gum as a substrate. It was mostly activated by FeSO4 and CoCl2 and inhibited by MgSO4, FeCl3, CuSO4, MgCl2, ZnCl2, ZnSO4, CaCl2, CuCl2, KCl and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Phenolic compounds did not inhibit the enzyme. On the other hand, auto-hydrolysis liquor showed an inhibitory effect on Man 58 activity.
Combining DMSP/OLS Nighttime Light with Echo State Network for Prediction of Daily PM2.5 Average Concentrations in Shanghai, China
Authors: Xu Zhao , Xia Xiaopeng , Liu Xiangnan , Qian Zhiguang
Published: October 2015

The objective of this study is to investigate the potential of nighttime light data, acquired with Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Operational Linescan System (DMSP/OLS) owned by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in predicting urban daily particulate matter (PM)2.5 with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 µm average concentrations. To achieve the purpose, we firstly extracted two night light indices, the Nighttime Light Intensity Index (NLII) and the Nighttime Saturated Light Area Index (NSLAI) from DMSP/OLS images. Through Gaussian fitting of the relationship between the indices and the daily PM2.5 concentrations data released by the government, we found that the intraday nighttime light indices were all more relevant with the PM2.5 average concentrations of the next day in Shanghai. Therefore, the 56 sets of data, the light indices were collected from 3 November 2013 to 28 December 2013, the daily PM2.5 concentrations data were collected from 4 November 2013 to 29 December 2013, and these were divided into two parts. The first 40 sets were used for training the model of echo state network (ESN). The last 16 sets were used for testing. The value of R2 of predicted results was as high as 0.6318. In summary, the effectiveness of nighttime light data that used for the prediction of urban daily PM2.5 average concentrations was verified in this study.
Optical Properties of Fine Particulate Matter in Upper Silesia, Poland
Authors: Pastuszka Jozef , Rogula-Kozłowska Wioletta , Klejnowski Krzysztof , Rogula-Kopiec Patrycja
Published: October 2015

Ambient particles whose aerodynamic diameters were not greater than 2.5 µm (fine fraction of Particulate Matter; PM2.5) and 1 µm (PM1; sub-fraction of PM2.5) were sampled at three sites in Upper Silesia (Poland): urban background site, rural background site, and urban traffic site. In total, 240 samples were collected between 2 August 2009 and 27 December 2010. The reflectance of the collected PM1 and PM2.5 samples was determined with a digital smoke stain reflectometer. The 24-h courses and seasonal changes of three determined optical parameters for PM1 and PM2.5 (absorption coefficient (a), mass absorption (σ), and mean light reflection coefficient (Rav)) were illustrated and discussed. The mean values of the regional background absorption coefficient (a) were 1.27 × 10−5 m−1 and 0.87 × 10−5 m−1 for PM2.5 and PM1, respectively. In Katowice (urban background), the mean absorption levels were 2.37 × 10−5 m−1 and 2.09 × 10−5 m−1 for PM2.5 and PM1, respectively. The highest values of the absorption coefficient for both PM fractions were found close to the highway (urban traffic site). In the heating season (winter), the absorption coefficient (a) for PM2.5 and PM1 increased significantly when compared with the non-heating season. The obtained results confirmed the thesis about the significant increase in the elemental PM2.5-bound carbon concentration caused by the intensified hard coal combustion in Upper Silesia in winter. Moreover, it turned out that the increase in the concentration of the PM2.5-bound sulphates was even higher, which resulted in the relative decrease of the elemental carbon content in this PM fraction in some areas. Consequently, the mass absorption value dropped there as well.
Recorded Behavior as a Valuable Resource for Diagnostics in Mobile Phone Addiction: Evidence from Psychoinformatics
Authors: Montag Christian , Błaszkiewicz Konrad , Lachmann Bernd , Sariyska Rayna , Andone Ionut , Trendafilov Boris , Markowetz Alexander
Published: October 2015

Psychologists and psychiatrists commonly rely on self-reports or interviews to diagnose or treat behavioral addictions. The present study introduces a novel source of data: recordings of the actual problem behavior under investigation. A total of N = 58 participants were asked to fill in a questionnaire measuring problematic mobile phone behavior featuring several questions on weekly phone usage. After filling in the questionnaire, all participants received an application to be installed on their smartphones, which recorded their phone usage for five weeks. The analyses revealed that weekly phone usage in hours was overestimated; in contrast, numbers of call and text message related variables were underestimated. Importantly, several associations between actual usage and being addicted to mobile phones could be derived exclusively from the recorded behavior, but not from self-report variables. The study demonstrates the potential benefit to include methods of psychoinformatics in the diagnosis and treatment of problematic mobile phone use.
Synthesis of Ethanol from Syngas over Rh/MCM-41 Catalyst: Effect of Water on Product Selectivity
Authors: Lopez Luis , Velasco Jorge , Montes Vicente , Marinas Alberto , Cabrera Saul , Boutonnet Magali , Järås Sven
Published: October 2015

The thermochemical processing of biomass is an alternative route for the manufacture of fuel-grade ethanol, in which the catalytic conversion of syngas to ethanol is a key step. The search for novel catalyst formulations, active sites and types of support is of current interest. In this work, the catalytic performance of an Rh/MCM-41 catalyst has been evaluated and compared with a typical Rh/SiO2 catalyst. They have been compared at identical reaction conditions (280 °C and 20 bar), at low syngas conversion (2.8%) and at same metal dispersion (H/Rh = 22%). Under these conditions, the catalysts showed different product selectivities. The differences have been attributed to the concentration of water vapor in the pores of Rh/MCM-41. The concentration of water vapor could promote the water-gas-shift-reaction generating some extra carbon dioxide and hydrogen, which in turn can induce side reactions and change the product selectivity. The extra hydrogen generated could facilitate the hydrogenation of a C2-oxygenated intermediate to ethanol, thus resulting in a higher ethanol selectivity over the Rh/MCM-41 catalyst as compared to the typical Rh/SiO2 catalyst; 24% and 8%, respectively. The catalysts have been characterized, before and after reaction, by N2-physisorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, H2-chemisorption, transmission electron microscopy and temperature programmed reduction.
Kiwifruit Allergy in Children: Characterization of Main Allergens and Patterns of Recognition
Authors: Moreno Álvarez Ana , Sexto Leticia , Bardina Luda , Grishina Galina , Sampson Hugh.
Published: October 2015

Kiwifruit allergy has been described mostly in the adult population, but immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated allergic reactions to kiwifruit appear to be occurring more frequently in children. To date, 13 allergens from kiwifruit have been identified. Our aim was to identify kiwifruit allergens in a kiwifruit allergic-pediatric population, describing clinical manifestations and patterns of recognition. Twenty-four children were included. Diagnosis of kiwifruit allergy was based on compatible clinical manifestations and demonstration of specific IgE by skin prick test (SPT) and/or serum-specific IgE determination. SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting were performed with kiwifruit extract, and proteins of interest were further analyzed by mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. For component-resolved in vitro diagnosis, sera of kiwifruit-allergic patients were analyzed by an allergen microarray assay. Act d 1 and Act d 2 were bound by IgE from 15 of 24 children. Two children with systemic manifestations recognized a protein of 15 kDa, homologous to Act d 5. Act d 1 was the allergen with the highest frequency of recognition on microarray chip, followed by Act d 2 and Act d 8. Kiwifruit allergic children develop systemic reactions most frequently following ingestion compared to adults. Act d 1 and Act d 2 are major allergens in the pediatric age group.
Reversible Switching of Icing Properties on Pyroelectric Polyvenylidene Fluoride Thin Film Coatings
Authors: Spitzner Dirk , Bergmann Ute , Apelt Sabine , Boucher Richard , Wiesmann Hans-Peter
Published: October 2015

In this work a new approach for ice repellent coatings is presented. It was shown that the coatings cause a decrease or increase in the freezing temperature of water depending on the alignment of an external electric field. For this coating the commonly used pyroelectric polymer polyvenylidene fluoride was deposited as a thin film on glass. The samples were dip-coated and subsequently thermally-treated at 140 °C for 1 h. All samples were found to cause a reduction of the icing temperature of water on their surface in comparison to uncoated glass. On several samples an external electric field was applied during this thermal treatment. The field application was found to cause a remarkable reduction of the icing temperature where a maximum lowering of the freezing temperature of 3 K compared to uncoated glass could be achieved. The actual achieved reduction of the icing temperature was observed to depend on the polarity of the field applied during the thermal treatment. Furthermore, a repetition of the thermal treatment under oppositely directed electric fields led to a switchable freezing behavior of water according to the direction of the applied field. With an increasing number of cycles of switching of the icing property a slight training effect towards lower freezing temperatures was observed.
To What Extent do Biology Textbooks Contribute to Scientific Literacy? Criteria for Analysing Science-Technology-Society-Environment Issues
Authors: Calado Florbela , Scharfenberg Franz-Josef , Bogner Franz
Published: October 2015

Our article proposes a set of six criteria for analysing science-technology-society-environment (STSE) issues in regular textbooks as to how they are expected to contribute to students’ scientific literacy. We chose genetics and gene technology as fields prolific in STSE issues. We derived our criteria (including 26 sub-criteria) from a literature review of the debate in science education on how to increase scientific literacy. We inspected the textbooks regarding the relationships between science, technology, society, and environment, and considered the presence of the decontextualized and socially neutral view of science as distorted view. We, qualitatively and quantitatively, applied our set of criteria to two German Biology textbooks and identified, in total, 718 STSE statements. Based on the frequencies of different criteria and sub-criteria in the textbooks, we drew conclusions concerning STSE issues and the underlying conceptions of science and technology, which might hinder the furtherance of scientific literacy. The applicability of our approach in other science education contexts is discussed.
Geothermal Energy: Delivering on the Global Potential
Authors: Younger Paul
Published: October 2015

Geothermal energy has been harnessed for recreational uses for millennia, but only for electricity generation for a little over a century. Although geothermal is unique amongst renewables for its baseload and renewable heat provision capabilities, uptake continues to lag far behind that of solar and wind. This is mainly attributable to (i) uncertainties over resource availability in poorly-explored reservoirs and (ii) the concentration of full-lifetime costs into early-stage capital expenditure (capex). Recent advances in reservoir characterization techniques are beginning to narrow the bounds of exploration uncertainty, both by improving estimates of reservoir geometry and properties, and by providing pre-drilling estimates of temperature at depth. Advances in drilling technologies and management have potential to significantly lower initial capex, while operating expenditure is being further reduced by more effective reservoir management—supported by robust models—and increasingly efficient energy conversion systems (flash, binary and combined-heat-and-power). Advances in characterization and modelling are also improving management of shallow low-enthalpy resources that can only be exploited using heat-pump technology. Taken together with increased public appreciation of the benefits of geothermal, the technology is finally ready to take its place as a mainstream renewable technology, exploited far beyond its traditional confines in the world’s volcanic regions.
Numerical Validation of a Vortex Model against ExperimentalData on a Straight-Bladed Vertical Axis Wind Turbine
Authors: Dyachuk Eduard , Goude Anders
Published: October 2015

Cyclic blade motion during operation of vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) imposes challenges on the simulations models of the aerodynamics of VAWTs. A two-dimensional vortex model is validated against the new experimental data on a 12-kW straight-bladed VAWT, which is operated at an open site. The results on the normal force on one blade are analyzed. The model is assessed against the measured data in the wide range of tip speed ratios: from 1.8 to 4.6. The predicted results within one revolution have a similar shape and magnitude as the measured data, though the model does not reproduce every detail of the experimental data. The present model can be used when dimensioning the turbine for maximum loads.
Oranges and Sunshine: The Story of a Traumatic Encounter
Authors: Herrero Dolores
Published: October 2015

This paper will rely on some well-known theories on trauma, memory and ethics to study how Jim Loach’s debut film Oranges and Sunshine (2010) testifies to the traumatic deportation of up to 150,000 British children to distant parts of the Empire, mainly Australia, until 1970. Oranges and Sunshine was based on Margaret Humphreys’ moving memoir, originally entitled Empty Cradles (1994) but later re-titled Oranges and Sunshine after Loach’s film. What these two texts basically claim is the need to recover historic memory through heart-breaking acts of remembrance, which can alone denounce the atrocities that were concomitant with the colonial enterprise and pave the way for disclosing and working through individual and collective traumas.
Sedentary Behavior in Preschoolers: How Many Days of Accelerometer Monitoring Is Needed?
Authors: Byun Wonwoo , Beets Michael , Pate Russell
Published: October 2015

The reliability of accelerometry for measuring sedentary behavior in preschoolers has not been determined, thus we determined how many days of accelerometry monitoring are necessary to reliably estimate daily time spent in sedentary behavior in preschoolers. In total, 191 and 150 preschoolers (three to five years) wore ActiGraph accelerometers (15-s epoch) during the in-school (≥4 days) and the total-day (≥6 days) period respectively. Accelerometry data were summarized as time spent in sedentary behavior (min/h) using three different cutpoints developed for preschool-age children (<37.5, <200, and <373 counts/15 s). The intraclass correlations (ICCs) and Spearman-Brown prophecy formula were used to estimate the reliability of accelerometer for measuring sedentary behavior. Across different cutpoints, the ICCs ranged from 0.81 to 0.92 for in-school sedentary behavior, and from 0.75 to 0.81 for total-day sedentary behavior, respectively. To achieve an ICC of ≥0.8, two to four days or six to nine days of monitoring were needed for in-school sedentary behavior and total-day sedentary behavior, respectively. These findings provide important guidance for future research on sedentary behavior in preschool children using accelerometry. Understanding the reliability of accelerometry will facilitate the conduct of research designed to inform policies and practices aimed at reducing sedentary behavior in preschool children.
Stress Sensitivity Is Associated with Differential Accumulation of Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species in Maize Genotypes with Contrasting Levels of Drought Tolerance
Authors: Yang Liming , Fountain Jake , Wang Hui , Ni Xinzhi , Ji Pingsheng , Lee Robert , Kemerait Robert , Scully Brian , Guo Baozhu
Published: October 2015

Drought stress decreases crop growth, yield, and can further exacerbate pre-harvest aflatoxin contamination. Tolerance and adaptation to drought stress is an important trait of agricultural crops like maize. However, maize genotypes with contrasting drought tolerances have been shown to possess both common and genotype-specific adaptations to cope with drought stress. In this research, the physiological and metabolic response patterns in the leaves of maize seedlings subjected to drought stress were investigated using six maize genotypes including: A638, B73, Grace-E5, Lo964, Lo1016, and Va35. During drought treatments, drought-sensitive maize seedlings displayed more severe symptoms such as chlorosis and wilting, exhibited significant decreases in photosynthetic parameters, and accumulated significantly more reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) than tolerant genotypes. Sensitive genotypes also showed rapid increases in enzyme activities involved in ROS and RNS metabolism. However, the measured antioxidant enzyme activities were higher in the tolerant genotypes than in the sensitive genotypes in which increased rapidly following drought stress. The results suggest that drought stress causes differential responses to oxidative and nitrosative stress in maize genotypes with tolerant genotypes with slower reaction and less ROS and RNS production than sensitive ones. These differential patterns may be utilized as potential biological markers for use in marker assisted breeding.
PARP Inhibitor PJ34 Suppresses Osteogenic Differentiation in Mouse Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Modulating BMP-2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Kishi Yuta , Fujihara Hisako , Kawaguchi Koji , Yamada Hiroyuki , Nakayama Ryoko , Yamamoto Nanami , Fujihara Yuko , Hamada Yoshiki , Satomura Kazuhito , Masutani Mitsuko
Published: October 2015

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is known to be involved in a variety of cellular processes, such as DNA repair, cell death, telomere regulation, genomic stability and cell differentiation by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). While PARP inhibitors are presently under clinical investigation for cancer therapy, little is known about their side effects. However, PARP involvement in mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation potentiates MSC-related side effects arising from PARP inhibition. In this study, effects of PARP inhibitors on MSCs were examined. MSCs demonstrated suppressed osteogenic differentiation after 1 µM PJ34 treatment without cytotoxicity, while differentiation of MSCs into chondrocytes or adipocytes was unaffected. PJ34 suppressed mRNA induction of osteogenic markers, such as Runx2, Osterix, Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2, Osteocalcin, bone sialoprotein, and Osteopontin, and protein levels of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2, Osterix and Osteocalcin. PJ34 treatment also inhibited transcription factor regulators such as Smad1, Smad4, Smad5 and Smad8. Extracellular mineralized matrix formation was also diminished. These results strongly suggest that PARP inhibitors are capable of suppressing osteogenic differentiation and poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation may play a physiological role in this process through regulation of BMP-2 signaling. Therefore, PARP inhibition may potentially attenuate osteogenic metabolism, implicating cautious use of PARP inhibitors for cancer treatments and monitoring of patient bone metabolism levels.
Antiproliferative Activity and in Vivo Toxicity of Double-Point Modified Analogs of 1,25-Dihydroxyergocalciferol
Authors: Trynda Justyna , Turlej Eliza , Milczarek Magdalena , Pietraszek Anita , Chodyński Michał , Kutner Andrzej , Wietrzyk Joanna
Published: October 2015

Analogs of 1,25-dihydroxyergocalciferol, modified in the side-chain and in the A-ring, were tested for their antiproliferative activity against a series of human cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo toxicity. The proliferation inhibition caused by the analogs was higher than that of the parent compounds, while the toxicity, measured as the serum calcium level, was lower. All analogs were able to induce, in HL-60 and MV4-11 leukemic cells, G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and differentiation expressed as morphological signs typical for monocytes. The analogs also induced the expression of CD11b and/or CD14 cell-differentiation markers. The most potent analogs, PRI-5105, PRI-5106, PRI-5201 and PRI-5202, were also able to induce vitamin D receptor (VDR) protein expression, mainly in the cytoplasmic fraction of HL-60 or MV4-11 cells. The most active analogs were the 19-nor ones with an extended and rigidified side-chain (PRI-5201 and PRI-5202), as in the former analogs PRI-1906 and PRI-1907. Epimerization at C-24 (PRI-5101) or introduction of an additional hydroxyl at C-23 (PRI-5104) reduced the toxicity of the analog with retained antiproliferative activity.
Radiation Hardened NULL Convention Logic Asynchronous Circuit Design
Authors: Zhou Liang , Smith Scott , Di Jia
Published: October 2015

This paper proposes a radiation hardened NULL Convention Logic (NCL) architecture that can recover from a single event latchup (SEL) or single event upset (SEU) fault without deadlock or any data loss. The proposed architecture is analytically proved to be SEL resistant, and by extension, proved to be SEU resistant. The SEL/SEU resistant version of a 3-stage full-word pipelined NCL 4 × 4 unsigned multiplier was implemented using the IBM cmrf8sf 130 nm 1.2 V process at the transistor level and simulated exhaustively with SEL fault injection to validate the proposed architectures. Compared with the original version, the SEL/SEU resilient version has 1.31× speed overhead, 2.74× area overhead, and 2.79× energy per operation overhead.
Longer-Term Mental and Behavioral Health Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill
Authors: Hansel Tonya , Osofsky Howard , Osofsky Joy , Speier Anthony
Published: October 2015

Mental health issues are a significant concern after technological disasters such as the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill; however, there is limited knowledge about the long-term effects of oil spills. The study was part of a larger research effort to improve understanding of the mental and behavioral health effects of the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill. Data were collected immediately following the spill and the same individuals were resampled again after the second anniversary (n = 314). The results show that mental health symptoms of depression, serious mental illness and posttraumatic stress have not statistically decreased, and anxiety symptoms were statistically equivalent to immediate symptoms. Results also showed that the greatest effect on anxiety is related to the extent of disruption to participants’ lives, work, family, and social engagement. This study supports lessons learned following the Exxon Valdez spill suggesting that mental health effects are long term and recovery is slow. Elevated symptoms indicate the continued need for mental health services, especially for individuals with high levels of disruption resulting in increased anxiety. Findings also suggest that the longer-term recovery trajectories following the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill do not fall within traditional disaster recovery timelines.
Numerical Analysis of the Bending Properties of Cathay Poplar Glulam
Authors: Gao Ying , Wu Yuxuan , Zhu Xudong , Zhu Lei , Yu Zhiming , Wu Yong
Published: October 2015

This paper presents the formulae and finite element analysis models for predicting the Modulus of Elastic (MOE) and Modulus of Rupture (MOR) of Cathay poplar finger-jointed glulam. The formula of the MOE predicts the MOE of Cathay poplar glulam glued with one-component polyurethane precisely. Three formulae are used to predict the MOR, and Equation (12) predicts the MOR of Cathay poplar glulam precisely. The finite element analysis simulation results of both the MOE and MOR are similar to the experimental results. The predicted results of the finite element analysis are shown to be more accurate than those of the formulae, because the finite element analysis considers the glue layers, but the formulae do not. Three types of typical failure modes due to bending were summarized. The bending properties of Cathay poplar glulam were compared to those of Douglas fir glulam. The results show that Cathay poplar glulam has a lower stiffness, but a marginally higher strength. One-component polyurethane adhesive is shown to be more effective than resorcinol formaldehyde resin adhesive for Cathay poplar glulam. This study shows that Cathay poplar has the potential to be a glulam material in China.
Dendrimer-Functionalized Laponite Nanodisks as a Platform for Anticancer Drug Delivery
Authors: Mustafa Rania , Luo Yu , Wu Yilun , Guo Rui , Shi Xiangyang
Published: October 2015

In this study, we synthesized dendrimer-functionalized laponite (LAP) nanodisks for loading and delivery of anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). Firstly, LAP was modified with silane coupling agents and succinic anhydride to render abundant carboxyl groups on the surface of LAP. Then, poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer of generation 2 (G2) were conjugated to form LM-G2 nanodisks. Anticancer drug DOX was then loaded on the LM-G2 with an impressively high drug loading efficiency of 98.4% and could be released in a pH-sensitive and sustained manner. Moreover, cell viability assay results indicate that LM-G2/DOX complexes could more effectively inhibit the proliferation of KB cells (a human epithelial carcinoma cell line) than free DOX at the same drug concentration. Flow cytometry analysis and confocal laser scanning microscope demonstrated that LM-G2/DOX could be uptaken by KB cells more effectively than free DOX. Considering the exceptional high drug loading efficiency and the abundant dendrimer amine groups on the surface that can be further modified, the developed LM-G2 nanodisks may hold a great promise to be used as a novel platform for anticancer drug delivery.
Association of Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) Use with Energy Intake, Physical Activity, and Weight Gain
Authors: Czwornog Jennifer , Austin Gregory
Published: October 2015

Studies suggest proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use impacts body weight regulation, though the effect of PPIs on energy intake, energy extraction, and energy expenditure is unknown. We used data on 3073 eligible adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Medication use, energy intake, diet composition, and physical activity were extracted from NHANES. Multivariate regression models included confounding variables. Daily energy intake was similar between PPI users and non-users (p = 0.41). Diet composition was similar between the two groups, except that PPI users consumed a slightly greater proportion of calories from fat (34.5% vs. 33.2%; p = 0.02). PPI users rated themselves as being as physically active as their age/gender-matched peers and reported similar frequencies of walking or biking. However, PPI users were less likely to have participated in muscle-strengthening activities (OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.30–0.95). PPI users reported similar sedentary behaviors to non-users. Male PPI users had an increase in weight (of 1.52 ± 0.59 kg; p = 0.021) over the previous year compared to non-users, while female PPI users had a non-significant increase in weight. The potential mechanisms for PPI-associated weight gain are unclear as we did not find evidence for significant differences in energy intake or markers of energy expenditure.
Using High-Resolution Hyperspectral and Thermal Airborne Imagery to Assess Physiological Condition in the Context of Wheat Phenotyping
Authors: Gonzalez-Dugo Victoria , Hernandez Pilar , Solis Ignacio , Zarco-Tejada Pablo
Published: October 2015

There is a growing need for developing high-throughput tools for crop phenotyping that would increase the rate of genetic improvement. In most cases, the indicators used for this purpose are related with canopy structure (often acquired with RGB cameras and multispectral sensors allowing the calculation of NDVI), but using approaches related with the crop physiology are rare. High-resolution hyperspectral remote sensing imagery provides optical indices related to physiological condition through the quantification of photosynthetic pigment and chlorophyll fluorescence emission. This study demonstrates the use of narrow-band indicators of stress as a potential tool for phenotyping under rainfed conditions using two airborne datasets acquired over a wheat experiment with 150 plots comprising two species and 50 varieties (bread and durum wheat). The flights were performed at the early stem elongation stage and during the milking stage. Physiological measurements made at the time of flights demonstrated that the second flight was made during the terminal stress, known to largely determine final yield under rainfed conditions. The hyperspectral imagery enabled the extraction of thermal, radiance, and reflectance spectra from 260 spectral bands from each plot for the calculation of indices related to photosynthetic pigment absorption in the visible and red-edge regions, the quantification of chlorophyll fluorescence emission, as well as structural indices related to canopy structure. Under the conditions of this study, the structural indices (i.e., NDVI) did not show a good performance at predicting yield, probably because of the large effects of terminal water stress. Thermal indices, indices related to chlorophyll fluorescence (calculated using the FLD method), and carotenoids pigment indices (PRI and CAR) demonstrated to be better suited for screening complex traits such as crop yield. The study concludes that the indicators derived from high-resolution thermal and hyperspectral airborne imagery are efficient tools for field-based phenotyping providing additional information to standard NDVI imagery currently used.
Evaluation of Polarized Remote Sensing of Aerosol Optical Thickness Retrieval over China
Authors: Chen Hao , Cheng Tianhai , Gu Xingfa , Li Zhengqiang , Wu Yu
Published: October 2015

The monitoring capability of a polarized instrument (POLDER) under high aerosol loading conditions over China is investigated. The aerosol optical thickness (AOT), which infers the aerosol burden, is used to measure the satellite monitoring capabilities. AOT products retrieved from POLDER on low aerosol loading days, and products from a radiometric instrument (MODIS) on high and low aerosol loading days, are presented for comparison. Our study reveals that for high aerosol days, the monitoring capability of the polarized instrument is lower than that of the traditional instrument. The accuracy of matched POLDER fine-AOTs is lower than that of MODIS-matched AOTs. On low aerosol loading days, the performance of the polarized instrument is good when monitoring the aerosol optical thickness. Further analysis reveals that for the high aerosol loading days, the mean relative errors of matched POLDER fine AOTs and MODIS AOTs with respect to AERONET measurements are 44% and 16%, respectively. For the low aerosol loading days, the mean relative errors of POLDER and MODIS measurements with respect to AERONET measurements are 41% and 40%, respectively. During high aerosol days, POLDER-retrieved fine-AOTs reveal a poor accuracy with only 14% of matches falling within the error range, which is nearly one fourth of the MODIS regression results (51.59%). For the low aerosol loading days, the POLDER regression results are good. Approximately 62% of the POLDER measurements fall within the expected error range ±(0.05 + 15%) compared with the AERONET observed values.
A Biologically-Inspired Framework for Contour Detection Using Superpixel-Based Candidates and Hierarchical Visual Cues
Authors: Sun Xiao , Shang Ke , Ming Delie , Tian Jinwen , Ma Jiayi
Published: October 2015

Contour detection has been extensively investigated as a fundamental problem in computer vision. In this study, a biologically-inspired candidate weighting framework is proposed for the challenging task of detecting meaningful contours. In contrast to previous models that detect contours from pixels, a modified superpixel generation processing is proposed to generate a contour candidate set and then weigh the candidates by extracting hierarchical visual cues. We extract the low-level visual local cues to weigh the contour intrinsic property and mid-level visual cues on the basis of Gestalt principles for weighting the contour grouping constraint. Experimental results tested on the BSDS benchmark show that the proposed framework exhibits promising performances to capture meaningful contours in complex scenes.
A Novel Approach for the Removal of Lead(II) Ion from Wastewater Using Mucilaginous Leaves of Diceriocaryum eriocarpum Plant
Authors: Edokpayi Joshua , Odiyo John , Msagati Titus , Popoola Elizabeth
Published: October 2015

Lead(II) ion is a very toxic element known to cause detrimental effects to human health even at very low concentrations. An adsorbent prepared using mucilaginous leaves from Diceriocaryum eriocarpum plant (DEP) was used for the adsorption of lead(II) ion from aqueous solution. Batch experiments were performed on simulated aqueous solutions under optimized conditions of adsorbent dosage, contact time, pH and initial lead(II) ion concentration at 298 K. The Langmuir isotherm model more suitably described the adsorption process than the Freundlich model with linearized coefficients of 0.9661 and 0.9547, respectively. Pseudo-second order kinetic equation best described the kinetics of the reaction. Fourier transform infra-red analysis confirmed the presence of amino (–NH), carbonyl (–C=O) and hydroxyl (–OH) functional groups. Application of the prepared adsorbent to wastewater samples of 10 mg/L and 12 mg/L of lead(II) ion concentration taken from a waste stabilization pond showed removal efficiencies of 95.8% and 96.4%, respectively. Futhermore, 0.1 M HCl was a better desorbing agent than 0.1 M NaOH and de-ionized water. The experimental data obtained demonstrated that mucilaginous leaves from DEP can be used as a suitable adsorbent for lead(II) ion removal from wastewater.
The Efficiency and Its Determinants for China’s Medical Care System: Some Policy Implications for Northeast Asia
Authors: Chu Kejia , Zhang Ning , Chen Zhongfei
Published: October 2015

The medical care system in China has experienced significant changes during three decades of reform, and thus result in a need to investigate the effects of medical reform. This paper investigates the technical efficiency of Chinese hospitals in 31 provinces during the period from 2002 to 2013 by proposing a new global generalized directional distance function (GGDDF) approach taking account of undesirable output, i.e., mortality. Results show that despite the technical efficiency had being improved with time trend, most Chinese provinces are not performing well on hospitals’ technical efficiency and leave a large potential to improve. Some provinces display better performance compared to other provinces of China. We further investigate the factors that affect the technical efficiency of Chinese hospitals with Tobit models. It concludes that the medical insurance reforms have improved the performance of Chinese hospitals, while public subsidies have decreased it. The provinces with higher GDP per capital and population density, the performance of their hospitals is better. The related policy implications for Northeast Asia are derived, including encouraging the development of private hospitals, enlarging the coverage of medical services, and pursuing different policies for the provinces with higher GDP per capital and population density.
Age Estimation-Based Soft Biometrics Considering Optical Blurring Based on Symmetrical Sub-Blocks for MLBP
Authors: Nguyen Dat , Cho So , Park Kang
Published: October 2015

Because of its many useful applications, human age estimation has been considered in many previous studies as a soft biometrics. However, most existing methods of age estimation require a clear and focused facial image as input in order to obtain a trustworthy estimation result; otherwise, the methods might produce increased estimation error when an image of poor quality is used as input. Image blurring is one of major factors that affect estimation accuracies because it can cause a face to appear younger (i.e., reduce the age feature in the face region). Therefore, we propose a new human age estimation method that is robust even with an image that has the optical blurring effect by using symmetrical focus mask and sub-blocks for multi-level local binary pattern (MLBP). Experiment results show that the proposed method can enhance age estimation accuracy compared with the conventional system, which does not consider the effects of blurring.
Sequence and Structure Analysis of Distantly-Related Viruses Reveals Extensive Gene Transfer between Viruses and Hosts and among Viruses
Authors: Caprari Silvia , Metzler Saskia , Lengauer Thomas , Kalinina Olga
Published: October 2015

The origin and evolution of viruses is a subject of ongoing debate. In this study, we provide a full account of the evolutionary relationships between proteins of significant sequence and structural similarity found in viruses that belong to different classes according to the Baltimore classification. We show that such proteins can be found in viruses from all Baltimore classes. For protein families that include these proteins, we observe two patterns of the taxonomic spread. In the first pattern, they can be found in a large number of viruses from all implicated Baltimore classes. In the other pattern, the instances of the corresponding protein in species from each Baltimore class are restricted to a few compact clades. Proteins with the first pattern of distribution are products of so-called viral hallmark genes reported previously. Additionally, this pattern is displayed by the envelope glycoproteins from Flaviviridae and Bunyaviridae and helicases of superfamilies 1 and 2 that have homologs in cellular organisms. The second pattern can often be explained by horizontal gene transfer from the host or between viruses, an example being Orthomyxoviridae and Coronaviridae hemagglutinin esterases. Another facet of horizontal gene transfer comprises multiple independent introduction events of genes from cellular organisms into otherwise unrelated viruses.
Physician Preferences for Bone Metastasis Drug Therapy in Canada
Authors: Arellano J. , González J.M. , Qian Y. , Habib M. , Mohamed A.F. , Gatta F. , Hauber A.B. , Posner J. , Califaretti N. , Chow E.
Published: October 2015

Background: Currently in Canada, several bone-targeted agents (BTAS) with varying characteristics are available for the prevention of skeletal-related events (SRES) in patients with bone metastasis secondary to solid tumours. In the present study, we evaluated the preferences of physicians in Canada for the various attributes of the available BTAS. Methods: Physicians treating patients with bone metastasis from solid tumours were invited to complete an online discrete-choice experiment. Respondents were asked to choose between pairs of hypothetical medications for virtual patients. Each hypothetical medication was described based on predefined key attributes: time until first sre, time until worsening of pain, medication-related annual risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), medication-related annual risk of renal impairment, and mode of administration. A random-parameters logit model was used to analyze the choices between hypothetical medications and thus infer physician preferences for medication attributes. Results: Responses from the 200 physicians who completed the discrete-choice experiment suggested that months until first sre, risk of renal impairment, and months until worsening of pain were considered the most important attributes affecting choice of BTA. The annual risk of ONJ was considered the least important attribute. Conclusions: When making treatment decisions about the choice of bta for patients with bone metastasis from solid tumours, delaying sres and worsening of pain, and reducing the risk of renal impairment are primary considerations for physicians in Canada.
Causes of Death and Subsequent Treatment after Initial Radical or Palliative Therapy of Stage iii Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Robinson A.G. , Young K. , Balchin K. , Ashworth A. , Owen T.
Published: October 2015

Introduction: Stage iii lung cancer is the most advanced stage of lung cancer for which radical (potentially curative) treatment is often discussed. Understanding the reasons for mortality and subsequent treatments in patients with stage iii non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc) is important. Methods: This retrospective cohort study extracted demographic, clinical, treatment, and outcomes data for patients with newly diagnosed stage iii nsclc diagnosed between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2012 at a single institution. Results: The study included 237 patients with stage iii nsclc, 130 of whom were not treated with radical or curative intent (55%). Median survival in the entire cohort was 14 months from diagnosis. For patients treated with radical-intent therapy, causes of death varied with the time period. The hazard rate for death was approximately 2.8 per 100 person–months of follow-up over the entire disease course and was highest between 6 months and 24 months. Over the entire time period, local causes accounted for 29% of deaths; systemic non–central nervous system metastases, for 25%; and brain metastases, for 14%. For patients treated with palliative intent, the overwhelming cause of death was local disease complications or progression (56% of deaths). Only 12% of patients in the palliative treatment group who progressed received subsequent chemotherapy; 23% of patients in the radical group who progressed received palliative chemotherapy. The most frequent subsequent treatment in both groups was radiation therapy. Conclusions: The eventual life-ending event in stage iii nsclc varied for the patients who qualified for, and were treated with, radical or curative intent and for the patients who received palliative-intent therapy. Utilization of systemic chemotherapy in patients not fit for radical therapy is low.
Preliminary Results of Proton-Beam Therapy for Stage iii Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Hatayama Y. , Nakamura T. , Suzuki M. , Azami Y. , Ono T. , Yamaguchi H. , Hayashi Y. , Tsukiyama I. , Hareyama M. , Kikuchi Y. , Takai Y.
Published: October 2015

Background: We conducted a preliminary retrospective evaluation of the efficacy and toxicity of proton-beam therapy (pbt) for stage iii non-small-cell lung cancer. Methods: Between January 2009 and August 2013, 27 patients (26 men, 1 woman) with stage iii non-small-cell lung cancer underwent pbt. The relative biologic effectiveness value of the proton beam was defined as 1.1. The beam energy and spread-out Bragg peak were fine-tuned such that the 90% isodose volume of the prescribed dose encompassed the planning target volume. Of the 27 patients, 11 underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Cumulative survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Treatment toxicities were evaluated using version 4 of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Results: Median age of the patients was 72 years (range: 57–91 years), and median follow-up was 15.4 months (range: 7.8–36.9 months). Clinical stage was iiia in 14 patients (52%) and iiib in 13 (48%). The median dose of pbt was 77 GyE (range: 66–86.4 GyE). The overall survival rate in the cohort was 92.3% at 1 year and 51.1% at 2 years. Locoregional failure occurred in 7 patients, and distant metastasis, in 10. In 2 patients, initial failure was both locoregional and distant. The 1-year and 2-year rates of local control were 68.1% and 36.4% respectively. The 1-year and 2-year rates of progression-free survival were 39.9% and 21.4% respectively. Two patients experienced grade 3 pneumonitis. Conclusions: For patients with stage iii non-small-cell lung cancer, pbt can be an effective and safe treatment option.