bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electric field assisted oxygen removal from the basal plane of the graphitic material
Authors: Liu Hongguang , Lee Jin Yong
Published: September 2012

We provide a novel strategy to eliminate the epoxy group from the basal plane of graphene platelets. Given that the current reduction methods are unsatisfactory to clean the epoxides or sometimes cause undesirable structure deformations, the proposed strategy restores the original hexagonal carbon network without creating other new defects. To the best of our knowledge, the electric field mediated graphene oxide (GO) reduction has not yet been systematically investigated. The capability would permit the improvement of existing GO reduction methods and assist in the fabrication of high‐quality graphitic materials. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Enzymatic hydrolysis from carbohydrates of barley straw pretreated by ionic liquids
Authors: Sáez F. , Ballesteros M. , Ballesteros I. , Manzanares P. , Oliva J. M. , Negro M. J.
Published: September 2012

BACKGROUND: Lignocellulosic biomass offers many potential advantages in comparison with the traditionally used sugars or starchy biomass since it is very widely available and does not compete with food and feed production. The abundance and high carbohydrates content of barley straw make it a good candidate for bioethanol production in Europe. Since biomass must be pretreated before enzymatic hydrolysis to improve the digestibility of both the cellulose and the hemicellulose biomass, the use of ionic liquids (IL) has been proposed as an environment‐friendly pretreatment of biomass.

RESULTS: Different pretreatment conditions were investigated to determine the effects of the experimental conditions (temperature and time) on the enzymatic digestibility of pretreated material. The pretreatment of barley straw with 1‐ethyl‐3‐methyl imidazolium acetate treatment resulted in up to a 9‐fold increase in the cellulose conversion and a 13‐fold increase in the xylan conversion when compared with the untreated barley straw.

CONCLUSION: Ionic liquid pretreatment of barley straw at 110°C for 30 min, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis, leads to a sugar yield of 53.5 g per 100 g raw material. It is then ready available for conversion into ethanol and is equivalent to more than 86% from potential sugars. The increase in saccharification was possible due to rupture of the lignin–hemicellulose linkages by treatment with 1‐ethyl‐3‐methyl imidazolium acetate. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Application of occupational therapy in the treatment of depression
Authors: Salo‐Chydenius Sisko
Published: September 2012

Depression as a major social and public health problem is a challenge for clinicians and occupational therapists throughout the world. This theoretical paper is based on a literature review and the author's experience as an occupational therapist in mental health in Finland, working with severely long‐term depressed patients. The basic concepts of a cognitive–behavioural model are introduced and evaluated. The relationship of depression, mourning and suicide is discussed and a model for occupational therapy intervention acting.
A survey of Israeli occupational therapists' definitions of the profession
Authors: Sachs Dalia , Jarus Tal
Published: September 2012

The broad definition of occupational therapy, its holistic basis and its unifying characteristics enable occupational therapists to treat their clients as whole human beings. Yet, the holistic basis of occupational therapy and the divergence of its specialty areas seem to be polarised. This study explores Israeli occupational therapists' perceptions of their professional role and boundaries, and how it is affected by professional background; 265 Israeli occupational therapists participated in the study. A two‐part questionnaire was constructed: (1) an attitudinal questionnaire including statements on issues that concern occupational therapists regarding the definition of the profession and its role; (2) nine items representing the main unifying characteristics of occupational therapy. Results indicate seven factors underlying the main issues concerning occupational therapists in Israel. From the seven factors two main sources of tension were revealed: strong sense of self‐value as compared to lack of recognition by others and the advantages and the pitfalls of the holistic definition of occupational therapy. The most unifying characteristic of occupational therapy was the holistic definition, and the least important was the use of arts and crafts. In addition, occupational therapists from developmental disabilities area of specialty were distinct from others in their perceptions of the profession.
The importance of inner transformation in the activity process
Authors: Piergrossi Julie Cunningham , Gibertoni Carolina
Published: September 2012

The importance of the inner world of the patients in occupational therapy has not been studied in recent occupational therapy literature. The activity process in this paper is seen as a complex mixture of internal and external transformations which occur as part of the patient's relationship with the therapist. Pertinent psychoanalytic theories are reviewed and their usefulness to occupational therapy is described. Specific sequences of therapy sessions in two case examples are presented to illustrate the dynamics of the relationship of patient, therapist and activity, and to start to identify inner transformations during activity participation. The authors consider basic research on the meaning of activity as a fundamental part of the profession.
International development through educational linkages. I: A guide to a successful outcome
Authors: Brintnell E.S.G. , Madill H.M. , Tjandrakasuma H.
Published: September 2012

Educational linkages are an important source of foreign aid to Asian countries. In this first of two articles, the authors' experiences with such a project form the background for a discussion of the factors that contributed to the outcome of the project: partner selection, strategic planning, balancing flexibility and accountability, and coping with differences in culture and values. Key concepts of ‘international development’ and ‘sustainability’ are introduced. In the second article, the focus is on curriculum development and implementing educational standards of the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT). The information and experiences shared in these articles may be useful to those embarking on similar projects.
International development through educational linkages. II: Implementing WFOT educational standards
Authors: Madill H.M. , Brintnell E.S.G. , Nelson C.L.A. , Tjandrakasuma H.
Published: September 2012

Educational linkages are an important source of foreign aid to Asian countries. In the second of these two articles, the focus is on curriculum development and implementing educational standards of the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT). The information and experiences shared in these articles may be useful to those embarking on similar projects.
A survey of mothers' relationships with their preschoolers
Authors: Esdaile Susan A. , Greenwood Kenneth M.
Published: September 2012

A survey of mother‐child relationships was conducted in a socially deprived, industrial area of Melbourne, Australia. The paper explores the relationships between child, temperament and behaviour, mother's causal attributions from mother‐child interaction outcomes, their perceived stress and self‐concept as educators of their child. The study included 103 subjects, recruited through community‐based maternal and child health centres. Analysis revealed that mother's low self‐concept as educators of the child was predictive of maternal stress. Also, mothers' ratings of child temperament as difficult or easy affected relationships between mothers' attributions of responsibility for mother‐child interaction outcomes and perceived stress. The implications of these findings are relevant to occupational therapy's role in facilitating healthy relationships between mother and child.
Other worlds and other lives: A study of occupational therapy student perceptions of cultural difference
Authors: Whiteford Gail E
Published: September 2012

The research described in this article was a study of 22 first year occupational therapy students at the beginning of their educational programme, ie. Bachelor of Health Science (Occupational Therapy) at the Auckland Institute of Technology. The research design was qualitative with a phenomenological orientation and utilised a semi‐structured interview format. This ‘snapshot’ of occupational therapy students at the beginning of their education constitutes part of a larger, longitudinal study done in conjunction with the school of occupational therapy at the University of British Columbia, Canada. The findings from this phase of the research indicated that students' perceptions of themselves as people influenced their perceptions of cultural difference. Perhaps not surprisingly, prior learning in the shape of work experiences, friendships and travel appeared to be significant influences on the students' perceptions of individuals from differing cultural backgrounds to themselves.

There is a need for occupational therapy educators to acknowledge and value the life experiences and skills of their students at entry to the programme. Similarly, issues of culture, cultural difference, race and ethnicity need to be dealt with in the context of a coherent curriculum model with context specific features. Recommendations arising from this research relate to greater articulation of the issues outlined above to students, as well as clear statements regarding the value orientation of the school/department in relation to cultural difference. This is necessary as, in the absence of this information, students are only able to work from a largely assumptive basis. The most important recommendation is that this longitudinal study continue so that more detailed data can be gathered over time that will assist in the development of a deeper understanding of how students develop knowledge and skills in working with individuals who are culturally different over he duration of their educational programme.
Cancer incidence and mortality in Indigenous Australian children, 1997–2008
Authors: Valery Patricia C. , Youlden Danny R. , Baade Peter D. , Ward Leisa J. , Green Adele C. , Aitken Joanne F.
Published: September 2012

We report cancer incidence and mortality among Indigenous children in Australia and compare the results with corresponding data for non‐Indigenous children. This information is important in understanding the overall burden of cancer in this population, and where disparities exist, to plan what action is required. Age‐standardized rates, and indirectly standardized incidence and mortality ratios (SIRs and SMRs) were calculated for the years 1997–2008. There were 224 cancers identified among Indigenous children (99.5 per million per year) and 52 Indigenous children died from cancer during the study period (22.9 per million per year). The SIR for all cancers was 0.64 (95% CI = 0.56–0.73; P < 0.001) while the SMR was 0.81 (95% CI = 0.61–1.07). These results provide a baseline with which to monitor cancer among Indigenous children over time. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013; 60: 156–158. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Whole exome sequencing of pediatric gastric adenocarcinoma reveals an atypical presentation of Li‐Fraumeni syndrome
Authors: Chang Vivian Y. , Federman Noah , Martinez‐Agosto Julian , Tatishchev Sergei F. , Nelson Stanley F.
Published: September 2012

Background

Gastric adenocarcinoma is a rare diagnosis in childhood. A 14‐year‐old male patient presented with metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma, and a strong family history of colon cancer. Clinical sequencing of CDH1 and APC were negative. Whole exome sequencing was therefore applied to capture the majority of protein‐coding regions for the identification of single‐nucleotide variants, small insertion/deletions, and copy number abnormalities in the patient's germline as well as primary tumor.

Materials and Methods

DNA was extracted from the patient's blood, primary tumor, and the unaffected mother's blood. DNA libraries were constructed and sequenced on Illumina HiSeq2000. Data were post‐processed using Picard and Samtools, then analyzed with the Genome Analysis Toolkit. Variants were annotated using an in‐house Ensembl‐based program. Copy number was assessed using ExomeCNV.

Results

Each sample was sequenced to a mean depth of coverage of greater than 120×. A rare non‐synonymous coding single‐nucleotide variant (SNV) in TP53 was identified in the germline. There were 10 somatic cancer protein‐damaging variants that were not observed in the unaffected mother genome. ExomeCNV comparing tumor to the patient's germline, identified abnormal copy number, spanning 6,946 genes.

Conclusion

We present an unusual case of Li‐Fraumeni detected by whole exome sequencing. There were also likely driver somatic mutations in the gastric adenocarcinoma. These results highlight the need for more thorough and broad scale germline and cancer analyses to accurately inform patients of inherited risk to cancer and to identify somatic mutations. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013; 60: 570–574. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Use of joint commission international standards to evaluate and improve pediatric oncology nursing care in Guatemala
Authors: Day Sara W. , McKeon Leslie M. , Garcia Jose , Wilimas Judith A. , Carty Rita M. , de Alarcon Pedro , Antillon Federico , Howard Scott C.
Published: September 2012

Background

Inadequate nursing care is a major impediment to development of effective programs for treatment of childhood cancer in low‐income countries. When the International Outreach Program at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital established partner sites in low‐income countries, few nurses had pediatric oncology skills or experience. A comprehensive nursing program was developed to promote the provision of quality nursing care, and in this manuscript we describe the program's impact on 20 selected Joint Commission International (JCI) quality standards at the National Pediatric Oncology Unit in Guatemala. We utilized JCI standards to focus the nursing evaluation and implementation of improvements. These standards were developed to assess public hospitals in low‐income countries and are recognized as the gold standard of international quality evaluation.

Methods

We compared the number of JCI standards met before and after the nursing program was implemented using direct observation of nursing care; review of medical records, policies, procedures, and job descriptions; and interviews with staff.

Results

In 2006, only 1 of the 20 standards was met fully, 2 partially, and 17 not met. In 2009, 16 were met fully, 1 partially, and 3 not met. Several factors contributed to the improvement. The pre‐program quality evaluation provided objective and credible findings and an organizational framework for implementing change. The medical, administrative, and nursing staff worked together to improve nursing standards.

Conclusion

A systematic approach and involvement of all hospital disciplines led to significant improvement in nursing care that was reflected by fully meeting 16 of 20 standards. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013; 60: 810–815. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Acute onset of ovarian dysfunction in young females after start of cancer treatment
Authors: Mörse Helena , Elfving Maria , Lindgren Anna , Wölner‐Hanssen Pål , Andersen Claus Yding , Øra Ingrid
Published: September 2012

Background

Female childhood cancer survivors are at risk of ovarian failure and premature ovarian insufficiency. We hereby present an interim analysis of a prospective observational study of ovarian function during cancer treatment of young females in relation to clinical factors.

Procedure

Thirty‐four consecutive female cancer patients aged 0–18 year were included after informed consent. Serum/Plasma levels of anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH), inhibin B, FSH, LH, and oestradiol (E2) were measured at diagnosis and every 3–4 months during and after treatment.

Results

All patients had detectable AMH levels at diagnosis. Eleven patients had reached menarche (mean age 14½ years) and the remaining patients had a mean age of 6½ years. They all showed a rapid decline in AMH after 3 months of treatment, regardless of AMH at diagnosis, age, menarche, or treatment given. Those given radiotherapy below the diaphragm and/or stem cell transplantation (SCT) (n = 9) had no ovarian recovery during or 1½‐year after treatment. However, recovery was observed in those given standard treatment for acute lymphatic leukemia (n = 7) already during maintenance chemotherapy. For the remaining patients, longer follow‐up is required for analysis of ovarian recovery after treatment.

Conclusions

Rapid ovarian dysfunction is observed in all females after initiation of cancer treatment as measured by AMH and inhibin B. Our data regarding those who require abdominal radiotherapy and/or SCT confirms the recommendations in the Nordic countries where these patients are eligible for cryopreservation of ovarian cortical tissue before start of cancer treatment. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013; 60: 676–681. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Properties of grafted polymer metal complexes as ion exchangers and its electrical conductivity
Authors: El‐Arnaouty M.B. , Abdel Ghaffar A.M. , Eid M.
Published: September 2012

A polyelectrolyte has been prepared, as a potential proton exchange polymer, by grafting acrylic acid/acrylamide (AAc/AAm) and acrylic acid/acrylonitrile (AAc/AN) comonomers onto a low‐density polyethylene film via gamma irradiation. The developed polymers were characterized by evaluating their physico‐chemical properties such as ion exchange capacity (IEC) and electrical conductivity as functions of grafting yield. The grafted film at different compositions was characterized by Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. IEC of the grafted film at grafting % 191 and monomer concentration ratio 50:50 for (LDPE‐g‐AAc/AAm) was found to be more than that for (LDPE‐g‐AAc/AN). The electrical conductivity was found to be greatly affected by the comonomer composition, were it increased as the degree of grafting increased for all grafted films. After alkaline treatment with 3% KOH (3% potassium hydroxide), the electrical conductivity of the grafted films found to be increased. The presence of potassium as counter ion maximized the electrical conductivity of the grafted films. The electrical conductivity of Cu‐membrane complexes was higher than that of both Co (cobalt) and Ni (Nickel) complexes. It has been indicated that, the electrical conductivity increased by increasing both Cu ion content and temperature. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Processing and properties of hydrophilic electrospun polylactic acid/beta‐tricalcium phosphate membrane for dental applications
Authors: Hu Hsin‐Tai , Lee Sheng‐Yang , Chen Chien‐Chung , Yang Yen‐Cheng , Yang Jen‐Chang
Published: September 2012

Typical electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) membranes revealing potential hydrophobicity and inflammation from acid release during degradation are major drawbacks as an ideal guided tissue regeneration (GTR) barrier. This study investigated the in vitro degradation properties of electrospun PLA/beta‐tricalcium phosphate (β‐TCP) membranes treated by polyethylene oxide dip‐coating process. After surface modification, the membranes revealed good wettability in contact angle measurement. The addition of β‐TCP can render good pH buffering properties for electrospun PLA membranes during the in vitro degradation test. The mechanical properties of the hybrid membrane showed no significant difference in suture pullout force at a dried or wetted state. For cell adhesion and proliferation, the membranes with hydrophilicity can enhance the cell attachment at early stage. Overall, these results show that electrospinning combined with dip coating is a feasible processing technology for producing hydrophilic fibrous GTR membranes. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Interest and Expertise Moderate the Relationship between Right–Wing Attitudes, Ideological Self–Placement and Voting
Authors: Leone Luigi , Desimoni Marta , Chirumbolo Antonio
Published: September 2012

Previous research has suggested that the association between right–wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) is moderated by political interest and involvement. It is here hypothesized that interest also strengthens the association of authoritarianism with political self–placement and that higher levels of interest in politics shape voting choices that are more strongly associated with authoritarianism. Authoritarianism was defined as a second–order factor reflecting onto SDO and RWA in a structural equation modelling approach. In Study 1 (two samples, total N = 873), interest was found to moderate the impact of authoritarianism, as hypothesized. In Study 2 (N = 721), a higher order interaction involving interest and political expertise was detected. These results were obtained with different measures and in different electoral campaigns. The motivational and cognitive underpinnings of the moderating effects are discussed. Copyright © 2012 European Association of Personality Psychology.
Assessment of the Association Between Colchicine Therapy and Serious Adverse Events
Authors: Todd Brittany A. , Billups Sarah J. , Delate Thomas , Canty Kara E. , Kauffman Amy B. , Rawlings Julia E. , Wagner Theresa M.
Published: September 2012

Study Objective

As data that prompted a 2009 labeling change detailing contraindications, precautions, and dosing recommendations for the first branded colchicine product were limited to case reports of myotoxicity and blood dyscrasias ascribed to the drug, we sought to quantify the association of colchicine therapy with serious adverse outcomes in a cohort of insured patients.

Design

Case‐control study.

Data Source

Kaiser Permanente Colorado electronic data warehouses and electronic medical records.

Patients

Cases were patients with a creatine kinase (CK) level of at least 2000 U/L or who developed a clinically significant non–cancer‐related blood dyscrasia (thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, leukopenia, aplastic anemia, or pancytopenia) between January 1, 2006, and June 30, 2009 (954 cases). Each case was matched to up to 10 controls by age, sex, and index date (date of the increased CK level or blood dyscrasia–supporting laboratory value). Controls were patients without elevated CK levels or blood dyscrasias who had a routine health maintenance examination during the same time period (index date was the date of their health maintenance examination [9007 controls]).

Measurements and Main Results

The primary study outcome was colchicine exposure, defined as a colchicine prescription purchase in the 100 days before the index date. The likelihood of colchicine exposure was examined with conditional logistic regression. Cases experienced a higher rate of previous colchicine exposure compared with controls (0.6% vs 0.2%, odds ratio 3.9, 95% confidence interval 1.4–10.7). In addition, cases had higher hospitalization rates (14.9% vs 5.0%, p<0.001), higher mean chronic disease scores (2.5 vs 0.0, p<0.001), and were more likely to have been exposed to drugs that may increase the risk of adverse events due to an interaction with a CYP3A4 inhibitor drug (6.9% vs 2.3%, p<0.001).

Conclusion

Patients with confirmed elevations in CK level and/or blood dyscrasias had a higher rate of previous colchicine exposure, although low overall, and greater hospitalization rates and exposure to drugs that may increase the risk of adverse events compared with controls. These findings support the 2009 United States Food and Drug Administration labeling for the first branded colchicine product, cautioning use in patients with liver impairment or renal dysfunction and/or those receiving concurrent drugs that may increase risk of adverse events.
Advances in square arrays through self‐assembly and directed self‐assembly of block copolymers
Authors: Hardy Christopher G. , Tang Chuanbing
Published: September 2012

This review covers recent advances in developing square arrays in thin films using block copolymers. Theoretical and experimental results from self‐assembly of block copolymers in bulk and thin films, directed self‐assembly of block copolymers confined in small wells, on substrates with arrays of posts, and on chemically nanopatterned substrates, as well as applications as nanolithography are reviewed. Some future work and hypothesis are discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2013
Electronic structure and the ground‐state properties of cobalt antimonide skutterudites: Revisited with different theoretical methods
Authors: Hammerschmidt Lukas , Schlecht Sabine , Paulus Beate
Published: September 2012

We have computed the lattice structure, bulk modulus, electronic structure, and cohesive energies for the CoSb3skutterudite by performing plane wave and atomic basis set DFT, as well as HF atomic basis set calculations. We find that plane wave and atomic basis set DFT calculations compare almost perfectly well. Band gaps vary significantly, depending on the applied functional and subtle changes of the lattice structure of CoSb3. Where LDA strongly overestimates the binding, cohesive energies are reasonably well described by GGA and hybrid DFT functionals within 2 eV in comparison to experiment. HF results are unreasonably far off compared to DFT and experimental values for all calculated properties, which indicates that correlation effects play an important role in the characterization of skutterudites.
Embedded metal nanopatterns for near‐field scattering‐enhanced optical absorption
Authors: Ye Fan , Burns Michael J. , Naughton Michael J.
Published: September 2012

Simulations of metal nanopatterns embedded in a thin photovoltaic (PV) absorber show significantly enhanced absorbance within the semiconductor, with a more than 300% increase for λ = 800 nm. Integrating with AM1.5 solar irradiation, this yields a 70% increase in simulated short circuit current density in a 60 nm amorphous silicon film. Embedding such metal patterns inside an absorber maximally utilizes enhanced electric fields that result from intense, spatially organized, near‐field scattering in the vicinity of the pattern. Appropriately configured (i.e., with a thin insulating coating), this optical metamedium architecture may be useful for increasing PV efficiency in thin film solar cells, including offering prospects for realistic ultrathin hot electron cells.

Simulated time averaged power loss density within a‐Si in the vicinity of a silver cross EMN, for unpolarized 700 nm light.

magnified image
A fault tolerant control scheme based on sensor–actuation channel switching and dwell time
Authors: Stoican Florin , Olaru Sorin , Seron María M. , De Doná José A.
Published: September 2012

The present paper proposes a switching control scheme for a plant with multiple sensor–estimator/control–actuator pairs. The scheme is shown to handle the specific stability problems originated by the switching between the different feedback loops and accommodate to faults in the measurement (sensors) channels. The main contribution is a fault tolerant switching scheme with stability guarantees assured by a pre‐imposed dwell time. The detection and the fault tolerance capabilities are achieved through the separation of sets associated with suitable residual signals corresponding to healthy and faulty functioning. Another contribution of the paper resides in a recovery technique for the post‐fault reintegration of the biased estimations. This technique makes use of a virtual sensor whose associated estimation, based on an optimization procedure, minimizes the recovery time. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Activation of GABAA receptors suppresses ethanol‐induced upregulation of type 1 IP3 receptors
Authors: Mizuno Koji , Kurokawa Kazuhiro , Ohkuma Seitaro
Published: September 2012

Although Type 1 inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs‐1) are one of the major calcium channels to regulate intracellular Ca2+ concentration, there have been few available data how their expression is modified by long‐term exposure to ethanol. The present study attempted to clarify mechanisms of modification of IP3R‐1 expression during long‐term ethanol exposure by γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptors using mouse cerebral cortical neurons. Long‐term exposure to ethanol induced IP3R‐1 protein upregulation following increased expression of its mRNA. Pretreatment with muscimol, a selective GABAA receptor agonist, significantly suppressed the ethanol‐induced upregulation of IP3R‐1 protein and its mRNA, which was significantly abolished by bicuculline, a selective GABAA receptor antagonist. These results indicate that GABAA receptors negatively regulate the ethanol‐induced upregulation of IP3R‐1 protein expression via the suppression of gene transcription. Synapse, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Amyloid β‐protein suppressed nicotinic acetylcholine receptor‐mediated currents in acutely isolated rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons
Authors: He Ye‐Xin , Wu Mei‐Na , Zhang Hui , Qi Jin‐Shun
Published: September 2012

Amyloid β protein (Aβ) is responsible for the deficits of learning and memory in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The high affinity between Aβ and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) suggests that the impairment of cognitive function in AD might be involved in the Aβ‐induced damage of nAChRs. This study investigated the effects of Aβ fragments on nAChR‐mediated membrane currents in acutely isolated rat hippocampal pyramidal neurons by using whole‐cell patch clamp technique. The results showed that: (1) nonspecific nAChR agonist nicotine, selective α7 nAChR agonist choline, and α4β2 nAChR agonist epibatidine all effectively evoked inward currents in CA1 neurons at normal resting membrane potential, with different desensitization characteristics; (2) acute application of different concentrations (pM–μM) of Aβ25‐35, Aβ31‐35, or Aβ35‐31 alone did not trigger any membrane current, but pretreatment with 1 μM Aβ25‐35 and Aβ31‐35 similarly and reversibly suppressed the nicotine‐induced currents; (3) further, choline‐ and epibatidine‐induced currents were also reversibly suppressed by the Aβ pretreatment, but more prominent for the choline‐induced response. These results demonstrate that the functional activity of both α7 and α4β2 nAChRs in the membrane of acutely isolated hippocampal neurons was significantly downregulated by Aβ treatment, suggesting that nAChRs, especially α7 nAChRs, in the brain may be the important biological targets of neurotoxic Aβ in AD. In addition, the similar suppression of nAChR currents by Aβ25‐35 and Aβ31‐35 suggests that the sequence 31‐35 in Aβ molecule may be a shorter active center responsible for the neurotoxicity of Aβ in AD. Synapse, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An effective preprocessing method for subspace face recognition using genetic‐based clustering in ideal and noisy conditions
Authors: Zhang Deng , Mabu Shingo , Wen Feng , Hirasawa Kotaro
Published: September 2012

Face recognition using principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) suffer from the loss of accuracy when the number of classes becomes large. This paper presents an effective genetic‐based clustering algorithm (GCA) to preprocess a facial database into a two‐layer database. Then, face recognition is done to minimize the similarity criterion in a specific cluster as in the traditional PCA‐ and LDA‐based face recognition algorithms. Different from K‐means clustering, the proposed GCA introduces a novel distance and a balance factor. The distance is defined to measure the similarity effectively between a class and the centroid of each cluster, and the balance factor is designed to achieve balanced clustering results. Experimental results on the Yale‐B database in ideal and noisy conditions indicate that the proposed preprocessing method improves the recognition accuracy of the subspace recognition algorithms compared with K‐means clustering. The proposed preprocessing method is also applicable to other recognition algorithms. © 2012 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Fast multidimensional directed information analysis
Authors: Sakata Osamu , Ohki Makoto , Saito Yoichi
Published: September 2012

Multidimensional directed information (MDI) analysis is a signal processing method to quantify and visualize the causality of multichannel time series in the form of information flow. MDI analysis is defined as conditional mutual information and needs large calculations. Although MDI is used for electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis, large computation time is a problem. MDI can be calculated without direct probability calculations, assuming that the multichannel time series has Gaussian profiles. However, the amount of calculation increases exponentially with increase in the number of channels. Such large calculations have prevented practical use of MDI analysis in medical fields such as clinical EEG analysis in which many multidimensional time series need to be processed. In this paper, we propose a new calculation approach to drastically decrease the calculation time of MDI analysis. The proposed method makes it possible to decrease the calculation time exponentially for multichannel time series that can be approximated with multidimensional autoregressive models. © 2012 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Great Storm of 16 October 1987
Authors: Prichard Bob
Published: September 2012

This article describes the development and impact of one of southeastern Britain's most violent weather events of the twentieth century: the Great Storm of 16 October 1987. It draws on material from Weather's Special issue of March 1988, but includes some new insights and photographs.
Global experience with energy efficiency and the role of the private sector
Authors: Kumar Saurabh
Published: September 2012

Energy efficiency has the potential of enhancing energy security of countries in addition to delivering significant mitigation actions. However, markets for energy efficiency require explicit government interventions in forms of robust regulatory and policy framework, measures to reduce risks and overcome barriers, and reduced transaction costs, to name a few. Energy efficiency is usually an interdisciplinary subject and therefore requires the right packaging with due alignment of incentives of each stakeholder to attract private investments. The package must include a robust legal framework, policy and regulatory certainty, strong institutional structure, identification of sector‐specific barriers and implementation of measures to overcome them, consultations with key stakeholders, enhanced awareness and information dissemination, and proactive approach to risk mitigation and reduced transaction costs. The implementation of the household efficient lighting program in India by leveraging Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) revenues is a successful example of attractively packaging the business model that ringfences risks and aligns the incentives of all stakeholders. Effective use Programme of Activities (PoA), an instrument of CDM, has stimulated private sector investment. PoA enabled bundling of projects and thereby reducing transaction costs. As of now about 25 million CFLs have been installed and an investment worth $60 million has been made during the last one year. The well‐defined medium‐term action plan announced by Bureau of Energy Efficiency in the backdrop of the robust legal, regulatory, and institutional structure has helped enhance investors comfort and thereby investment flows.

This article is categorized under:

Energy Efficiency > Systems and Infrastructure
The Higgs sector of the phenomenological MSSM in the light of the Higgs boson discovery
Authors: Arbey A. , Battaglia M. , Djouadi A. , Mahmoudi F.
Published: September 2012

Abstract

The long awaited discovery of a new light scalar boson at the LHC opens up a new era of studies of the Higgs sector in the Standard Model and in its extensions. In this paper we discuss the consequences of the observation of a light Higgs boson with the mass and rates reported by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations on the parameter space of the phenomenological MSSM, accounting also for the LHC searches for heavier Higgs bosons and supersymmetric particle partners, as well as constraints from B-physics and dark matter. We explore the various regimes of the MSSM Higgs sector, depending on the parameters M

A
and tan β, and show that only two of them are still allowed by all present experimental constraints: the decoupling regime, in which there is only one light and standard-like Higgs boson while the heavier Higgs states decouple from gauge bosons, and the supersymmetric regime, in which there are light supersymmetric particle partners which might affect the decay properties of the light Higgs boson, in particular its di-photon and invisible decays.
Use of Amylase and Alanine Transaminase to Predict Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis in a Population with High HIV Prevalence
Authors: Moolla Zaheer , Anderson Frank , Thomson Sandie R.
Published: September 2012

Background

The etiology of acute pancreatitis can be difficult to determine early in the course of the disease. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between biochemical parameters and the cause of acute pancreatitis.

Methods

A prospectively collected database of patients admitted with acute pancreatitis between 2001 and 2008 was analyzed. The relationships between etiology and age, sex, admission serum amylase level, and admission alanine transaminase (ALT) level were evaluated.

Results

Acute pancreatitis was diagnosed in 464 patients. The disease was related to alcohol in 275 cases, gallstones in 81 cases, HIV in 49 cases, dyslipidemia in 42 cases, and it was idiopathic in 17 cases. Alcoholic pancreatitis was more common in men, whereas the other identifiable causes were more common in women (P < 0.001). Mean age at presentation was 39 years with no difference in age in relation to etiology (P = 0.057). When compared to patients with non‐biliary causes of pancreatitis, patients with gallstone pancreatitis had greater median (range) serum amylase activity [1,423 U/l (153–7,500 U/l) versus 589 U/l (58–11,144 U/l); P < 0.001] and ALT activity [153 U/l (8–13,233 U/l) versus 31 U/l (6–421 U/l); P < 0.001]. No significant differences in amylase or ALT activity were found between non‐biliary etiologies (P > 0.05). Alanine transaminase was the only factor independent of sex to predict gallstone etiology, with activity >150 U/l having a specificity of 97 %.

Conclusions

In patients with acute gallstone pancreatitis, the serum amylase and ALT activities were more than double those of other etiologies. An ALT level of >150 U/l was highly predictive of gallstone etiology independent of gender. Neither amylase nor ALT could differentiate non‐biliary etiologies. The combination of amylase and ALT offered no improvement in predicting etiology over each alone.
Preoperative Assessment of Tumor Location and Station‐Specific Lymph Node Status in Patients with Adenocarcinoma of the Gastroesophageal Junction
Authors: Grotenhuis Brechtje A. , Wijnhoven Bas P. L. , Poley Jan Werner , Hermans John J. , Biermann Katharina , Spaander Manon C. W. , Bruno Marco J. , Tilanus Hugo W. , van Lanschot J. Jan B.
Published: September 2012

Background

In esophageal cancer patients preoperative staging will determine the type of surgical procedure and use of neoadjuvant therapy. Tumor location and lymph node status play a pivotal role in this tailored strategy. The aim of the present study was to prospectively evaluate the accuracy of preoperative assessment of tumor location according to the Siewert classification and lymph node status per station with endoscopy/endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and computed tomography (CT).

Methods

In 50 esophagectomy patients with adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), tumor location according to Siewert and N‐stage per nodal station as determined preoperatively by endoscopy/EUS and CT were compared with the histopathologic findings in the resection specimen.

Results

Overall accuracy in predicting tumor location according to the Siewert classification was 70 % for endoscopy/EUS and 72 % for CT. Preoperative data could not be compared with the pathologic assessment in 11 patients (22 %), as large tumors obscured the landmark of the gastric folds. The overall accuracy for predicting the N‐stage in 250 lymph node stations was 66 % for EUS and 68 % for CT. The accuracy was good for those stations located high in the thorax, but poor for celiac trunk nodes.

Conclusions

Given the frequent discrepancy between the endoscopic and pathologic location of the GEJ and the common problem of advanced tumors obscuring the landmarks used in the assessment of the Siewert classification, its usefulness is limited. The overall accuracy for EUS and CT in predicting the N‐stage per station was moderate.
Free Lipase‐Catalyzed Esterification of Oleic Acid for Fatty Acid Ethyl Ester Preparation with Response Surface Optimization
Authors: Ren Hongjie , Li Yang , Du Wei , Liu Dehua
Published: September 2012

Free lipase‐mediated alcoholysis for biodiesel production has drawn increasing attention in recent years due to its advantages of lower cost and faster reaction rate compared to immobilized lipase. Ethanol, derived from renewable biomass, has a great potential for biodiesel production. A previous study showed that free lipase NS81006 could effectively catalyze the ethanolysis of triglycerides for biodiesel preparation. Since most crude plant oils always contain an amount of free fatty acids, oleic acid was used as the model substrate for this study on lipase‐mediated esterification for biodiesel production. The central composite design of the response surface methodology was adopted for process optimization. A biodiesel yield of over 90 % was achieved under optimal reaction conditions and the repeated use of the free lipase was easily realized through phase separation either by natural gravity force or centrifugation.
GLOBAL SOLUTIONS OF THE EQUATION OF THE KIRCHHOFF ELASTIC ROD IN SPACE FORMS
Authors: KAWAKUBO SATOSHI
Published: September 2012

The Kirchhoff elastic rod is one of the mathematical models of equilibrium configurations of thin elastic rods, and is defined to be a solution of the Euler–Lagrange equations associated to the energy with the effect of bending and twisting. In this paper, we consider Kirchhoff elastic rods in a space form. In particular, we give the existence and uniqueness of global solutions of the initial-value problem for the Euler–Lagrange equations. This implies that an arbitrary Kirchhoff elastic rod of finite length extends to that of infinite length.
Integrity and Impartial Morality
Authors: Scherkoske Greg
Published: September 2012

ABSTRACT: Among recent criticisms of impartial moral theories, especially in consequentialist and deontological forms, Bernard Williams’ integrity objection is perhaps the most tantalizing. This objection is a complaint—at once both general and deep—that impartial moral theories are systematically incapable of finding room for integrity in human life and character. Kantians have made forceful responses to this integrity objection and have moved on. Consequentialists have found the objection more trying. I offer reasons to think that consequentialists too can safely move on. These reasons suggest the relationship between integrity and impartiality is less antagonistic than often supposed.

RÉSUMÉ : Parmi les récentes critiques des théories morales impartiales, notamment les critiques conséquentialiste et déontologique, l’objection d’intégrité de Bernard Williams est possiblement la plus attrayante. Cette objection—à la fois générale et profonde—reproche aux théories morales impartiales d’être incapables de retrouver l’intégrité dans la vie et le caractère humains. Les kantiens ont répondu vigoureusement à cette objection, puis sont passés à autre chose. Les conséquentialistes ont trouvé l’objection plus éprouvante. Je soutiens que les conséquentialistes peuvent, eux aussi, passer à autre chose, en suggérant que le rapport entre l’intégrité et l’impartialité est moins antagonique que supposé.
Between learning and playing? Exploring learners’ perceptions of corrective feedback in an immersive game for English pragmatics
Authors: Cornillie Frederik , Clarebout Geraldine , Desmet Piet
Published: September 2012

This paper aims to provide a rationale for the utility of corrective feedback (CF) in digital games designed for language learning, with specific reference to learners’ perceptions. Explicit and elaborate CF has the potential to increase learners’ understanding of language, but might not be found useful in a game-based learning environment where the primary focus for the learner is on meaningful interaction and experiential learning. Also, as CF can be perceived as a measure of performance, it could harm learners’ perception of competence. Eighty-three learners of English as a foreign language participated in a mixed-method experimental study that aimed to first explore the perceived usefulness of, and preferences for, explicit and implicit CF in an immersive educational game, and to secondly chart the relation between learners’ perceptions of CF as they pertain to three individual difference factors related to learners’ self-perception, namely intrinsic goal orientation, perceived competence and game experience. Survey and interview data showed that CF was found to be generally useful. A regression model indicated that the three measures of self-perception affected learners’ perceptions of explicit CF positively, and that there was no impact on perceptions of implicit CF. Further, learners reported having enjoyed the implicit CF, although they did not find it particularly useful for learning. These findings indicate that the type of CF should be considered in the design of effective and enjoyable educational games.
Multimodal analysis of language learning in World of Warcraft play: Languaging as Values-realizing
Authors: Zheng Dongping , Newgarden Kristi , Young Michael F.
Published: September 2012

Applying Communicative Project theory (Linell, 2009), we identify and distinguish between the different coordination and language activities that emerged during an episode ofWorld of Warcraft(WoW) gameplay involving English Language learners (ELLs). We further investigate ELLs’ coordinations between killing and caring, self and others, in which language and action arise. Using multimodal analysis, we found: 1) a diverse tapestry of communicative activities unlikely to match what would be found in a classroom environment; 2) that the values realizing involved in killing (a typical action inWoW) demonstrates a strong covariate tie with caring; and 3) that players’ values realizing is multi-layered, heterarchical and dynamic at a given time and space of situated interaction. We conclude by making suggestions for 1) the design of learning environments based on affordances for coaction and rich communicative activities and 2) the reconceiving of language learning as skilled linguistic action (Cowley, in press) grounded in situated learning and participation in intercultural, technology-mediated L2 networks.