bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Instabilities of natural convection in a periodically heated layer
Authors: Hossain M. Z. , Floryan J. M.
Published: September 2013

Natural convection in an infinite horizontal layer subject to periodic heating along the lower wall has been investigated using a combination of numerical and asymptotic techniques. The heating maintains the same mean temperatures at both walls while producing sinusoidal temperature variations along one horizontal direction, with its spatial distribution characterized by the wavenumber $\alpha $ and the amplitude expressed in terms of a Rayleigh number $R{a}_{p} $. The primary response of the system takes the form of stationary convection consisting of rolls with the axis orthogonal to the heating wave vector and structure determined by the particular values of $R{a}_{p} $ and $\alpha $. It is shown that for sufficiently large $\alpha $ convection is limited to a thin layer adjacent to the lower wall with a uniform conduction zone emerging above it; the temperature in this zone becomes independent of the heating pattern and varies in the vertical direction only. Linear stability of the above system has been considered and conditions leading to the emergence of secondary convection have been identified. Secondary convection gives rise to either longitudinal rolls, transverse rolls or oblique rolls at the onset, depending on $\alpha $. The longitudinal rolls are parallel to the primary rolls and the transverse rolls are orthogonal to the primary rolls, and both result in striped patterns. The oblique rolls lead to the formation of convection cells with aspect ratio dictated by their inclination angle and formation of rhombic patterns. Two mechanisms of instability have been identified. In the case of $\alpha = O(1)$, parametric resonance dominates and leads to a pattern of instability that is locked in with the pattern of heating according to the relation ${\delta }_{cr} = \alpha / 2$, where ${\delta }_{cr} $ denotes the component of the critical disturbance wave vector parallel to the heating wave vector. The second mechanism, the Rayleigh–Bénard (RB) mechanism, dominates for large $\alpha $, where the instability is driven by the uniform mean vertical temperature gradient created by the primary convection, with the critical disturbance wave vector ${\delta }_{cr} \rightarrow 1. 56$ for $\alpha \rightarrow \infty $ and the fluid response becoming similar to that found in the case of a uniformly heated wall. Competition between these mechanisms gives rise to non-commensurable states in the case of longitudinal rolls and the appearance of soliton lattices, to the formation of distorted transverse rolls, and to the appearance of the wave vector component in the direction perpendicular to the forcing direction. A rapid stabilization is observed when the heating wavenumber is reduced below $\alpha \approx 2. 2$ and no instability is found when $\alpha \lt 1. 6$ in the range of $R{a}_{p} $ considered. It is shown that $\alpha $ plays the role of an effective pattern control parameter and its judicious selection provides a means for the creation of a wide range of flow responses.
On the semiampleness of the positive part of CKM Zariski decompositions
Authors: CACCIOLA SALVATORE
Published: September 2013

We study graded rings associated to big divisors on LC pairs whose difference with the log-canonical divisor is nef. For divisors that are positive enough at the LC centers of the pair, we prove the finite generation of such rings if the pair is DLT or the dimension is low, given that a Zariski decomposition exists.
‘Leptorapide’ – a one-step assay for rapid diagnosis of human leptospirosis
Authors: BROWNLOW T. , KAVANAGH O. V. , LOGAN E. F. , HARTSKEERL R. A. , SAVAGE R. , PALMER M. F. , KRAHL M. , MACKIE D. P. , ELLIS W. A.
Published: September 2013

Leptospirosis is a globally important zoonotic infection caused by spirochaetes of the genusLeptospira. It is transmitted to humans by direct contact with infected animals or indirectly via contaminated water. It is mainly a problem of the resource-poor developing countries of the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world but outbreaks due to an increase in travel and recreational activities have been reported in developed and more industrialized areas of the world. Current methods of diagnosis are costly, time-consuming and require the use of specialized laboratory equipment and personnel. The purpose of this paper is to report the validation of the ‘Leptorapide®’ test (Linnodee Ltd, Northern Ireland) for the diagnosis of human leptospirosis. It is a simple one-step latex agglutination assay performed using equal volumes of serum sample and antigen-bound latex beads. Evidence of leptospiral antibodies is determined within minutes. Agglutination is scored on a scale of 1–5 and the results interpreted using a score card provided with the kit. Validation has been performed with a large sample size obtained from individuals originating from various parts of the world including Brazil and India. The test has shown sensitivity and specificity values of 97·1% and 94·0%, respectively, relative to the microscopic agglutination test. The results demonstrate that Leptorapide offers a cost-effective and accurate alternative to the more historical methods of antibody detection.
Prevalence of congenital heart disease among Palestinian children born in the Gaza Strip
Authors: Zaqout Mahmoud , Aslem Emad Said , Oweida Forijat Sadeldin , De Wolf Daniel
Published: September 2013

Objective

This study was designed to estimate the birth prevalence of children with congenital heart disease born in the Gaza Strip during 2010 and to compare these with estimates from elsewhere.

Methods

We reviewed the medical records of all children born in 2010 who were diagnosed, treated, and/or followed up in the four paediatric cardiology clinics in the Gaza Strip. Data were also obtained from El Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem and from the Schneider Hospital, Wolfson Medical Center, and Tel HaShomer Hospital in Israel, where we had referred some of our patients for percutaneous or surgical treatment.

Results

A total of 598 children with congenital heart disease were detected among the 59,757 children born alive in the Gaza Strip during 2010, yielding a birth incidence of 10 per 1000 live births. The most frequently occurring conditions were ventricular septal defects (28%), ostium secundum atrial septal defects (17%), patent ductus arteriosus (8.5%), and pulmonary valve abnormalities (8%). In this study, 7% of the children died. The actuarial survival at 6 months and 1 year of age was 94% and 93%, respectively, and remained stable over 18 months of follow-up.

Conclusion

The birth incidence of congenital heart disease in the Gaza Strip in 2010 (10 per 1000) is higher than most estimates in Western Europe (8.2 per 1000 live births) and North America (6.9 per 1000 live births) but is similar to estimates from other parts of Asia (9.3 per 1000 live births).
Inverse relationship between vitamin D status and insulin resistance and the risk of impaired fasting glucose in Korean children and adolescents: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2009–2010
Authors: Chung Seung Joon , Lee Young Ah , Hong Hyunsook , Kang Min Jae , Kwon Hyun Jin , Shin Choong Ho , Yang Sei Won
Published: September 2013

Objective

To investigate whether low vitamin D status was related to insulin resistance (IR) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in Korean adolescents, after adjusting for total body fat mass (FM).

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting

Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNAHNES) 2009–2010.

Subjects

In total, 1466 participants (769 males) aged 10–19 years were assessed for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels, for FM by whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and for IR by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) after an 8 h fast.

Results

Age-, sex-, season- and physical-activity-adjusted regression models showed that serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly related to markers of adiposity (P = 0·016 for FM (g), P = 0·023 for FM (%) and P = 0·035 for fat mass index). When the participants were stratified into three 25(OH)D categories (<37·5 nmol/l (n 553), 37·5 to < 50 nmol/l (n 543) and ≥ 50 nmol/l (n 370)), significantly decreasing trends were observed for fasting insulin (all P < 0·001), HOMA-IR (all P < 0·001) and the odds ratios for IFG (all P for trend < 0·05) from the lowest to the highest 25(OH)D category, after adjustments for age, sex, physical activity and all markers of adiposity. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the likelihood of participants in the lowest serum 25(OH)D category having IFG was 2·96–3·15 compared with those in the highest 25(OH)D category (all P < 0·05).

Conclusions

There was a significant inverse relationship between vitamin D status and IR and the risk of IFG, independent of adiposity, in Korean adolescents.
Welsh Devolution
Authors: Greenberg Daniel
Published: September 2013

The emergence of the National Assembly for Wales as a devolved legislature producing first Measures and now Acts, together with the establishment of a Welsh Government with a range of powers to make secondary legislation, has added a new layer of complication to the already over-complicated legislative landscape of the United Kingdom. This article, written by Daniel Greenberg, examines briefly some of the resulting complications.
Trends in Legal Education and the Legal Profession: Comparative Perspectives
Authors: Bird Ruth
Published: September 2013

Legal education in each of the jurisdictions varies in the requirements of its lawyers. In this paper, Ruth Bird, addresses the requirements in each country to study law; the specific requirement for foreign law graduates to study law, and which bodies regulate legal education. The answers to these questions are presented in a series of charts to provide a degree of clarity for the reader.
The Globalisation of the Australian Legal Profession in the Asian Century: a Report of the Paper Presented at the Joint Study Institute, 2013
Authors: Kelly Celine
Published: September 2013

This piece, by Celine Kelly, is a report on a paper that was presented at the JSI 2013 in Melbourne and explores the key points made by Andrew Godwin on the globalisation and liberalisation of legal services in the Australasia region. The talk included a discussion on the pros and cons of globalisation and case studies of legal services in South Korea, Singapore, Japan, China, India and Australia.
Normative fault-lines of trans-national human rights jurisprudence: National pride and religious prejudice in the European legal space
Authors: AUGENSTEIN DANIEL
Published: September 2013

The article explores the relationship between religious pluralism and national-majoritarian models of social cohesion in European human rights jurisprudence. Comparing the German, French and British interpretation of the ‘social cohesion limitation’ of freedom of religion it contends that, at the national level, concerns for social cohesion are fuelled by attitudes towards religious diversity that range from indifference to intolerance and that are difficult to reconcile with the normative premises of religious pluralism in a democratic society. The second section of the article traces the relationship between religious pluralism and social cohesion in the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. The analysis suggests that the diversity of national-majoritarian approaches to social cohesion in Europe prevents the Court from ensuring an effective trans-national protection of religious pluralism. The third section turns to the controversial Lautsi judgments of the European Court of Human Rights to place the Court’s approach to religious minority protection in the context of trans-national judicial politics in the European legal space. The concluding section suggests an alternative approach to religious pluralism and social cohesion that vindicates religious diversity and does justice to the counter-majoritarian telos of human rights protection.
Dynamically correlated mutations drive human Influenza A evolution
Authors: Tria F. , Pompei S. , Loreto V.
Published: September 2013

Human Influenza A virus undergoes recurrent changes in the hemagglutinin (HA) surface protein, primarily involved in the human antibody recognition. Relevant antigenic changes, enabling the virus to evade host immune response, have been recognized to occur in parallel to multiple mutations at antigenic sites in HA. Yet, the role of correlated mutations (epistasis) in driving the molecular evolution of the virus still represents a challenging puzzle. Further, though circulation at a global geographic level is key for the survival of Influenza A, its role in shaping the viral phylodynamics remains largely unexplored. Here we show, through a sequence based epidemiological model, that epistatic effects between amino acids substitutions, coupled with a reservoir that mimics worldwide circulating viruses, are key determinants that drive human Influenza A evolution. Our approach explains all the up-to-date observations characterizing the evolution of H3N2 subtype, including phylogenetic properties, nucleotide fixation patterns and composition of antigenic clusters.
Pharmacologic Management of Dopaminergic‐Induced Dyskinesias in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Gottwald Mildred D. , Aminoff Michael J.
Published: September 2013

Despite the introduction of other classes of dopaminergic therapies, levodopa remains the most effective treatment for managing the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. However, with chronic levodopa exposure, troublesome dyskinesias frequently emerge and limit the potential for maximizing therapy. Although dopamine agonists such as pramipexole or ropinirole may delay the need for levodopa, dyskinesias emerge once levodopa is added to manage motor symptoms. Provision of dopaminergic therapy using parenteral methods for more continuous delivery (e.g., subcutaneous or direct intraintestinal administration) has minimized motor fluctuations and the severity and duration of dyskinesias. Amantadine and, to some extent, clozapine have demonstrated anti‐dyskinetic effects in controlled studies and support the notion that other pharmacologic pathways may be involved. These pathways may provide an opportunity for pharmacologic intervention. Oral therapies such as preladenant, pardoprunox, and levitiracetam are among compounds that may delay or prevent the onset of dyskinesias, and compounds targeting other biochemical pathways are in the early stages of development.
In vivo characterization of the properties of SUMO1-specific monobodies
Authors: Berndt Anja , Wilkinson Kevin A. , Heimann Michaela J. , Bishop Paul , Henley Jeremy M.
Published: September 2013

Monobodies are small recombinant proteins designed to bind with high affinity to target proteins. Monobodies have been generated to mimic the SIM [SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier)-interacting motif] present in many SUMO target proteins, but their properties have not been determined in cells. In the present study we characterize the properties of two SUMO1-specific monobodies (hS1MB4 and hS1MB5) in HEK (human embyronic kidney)-293 and HeLa cells and examine their ability to purify SUMO substrates from cell lines and rat brain. Both hS1MB4 and hS1MB5 compared favourably with commercially available antibodies and were highly selective for binding to SUMO1 over SUMO2/3 in pull-down assays against endogenous and overexpressed SUMO and SUMOylated proteins. Monobodies expressed in HeLa cells displayed a nuclear and cytosolic distribution that overlaps with SUMO1. Expression of the monobodies effectively inhibited protein SUMOylation by SUMO1 and, surprisingly, by SUMO2/3, but were not cytotoxic for at least 36 h. We attribute the effects on SUMO2/3 to the role of SUMO1 in chain termination and/or monobody inhibition of the SUMO-conjugating E1 enzyme complex. Taken together, these data provide the first demonstration that monobodies represent useful new tools both to isolate SUMO conjugates and to probe cell SUMOylation pathways in vivo.
Analysis of diamond surface channel field-effect transistors with AlN passivation layers
Authors: Pietzka C. , Scharpf J. , Fikry M. , Heinz D. , Forghani K. , Meisch T. , Diemant Th. , Behm R. J. , Bernhard J. , Biskupek J. , Kaiser U. , Scholz F. , Kohn E.
Published: September 2013

Diamond surface channel field effect transistors were passivated with thin AlN layers grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition in order to improve the chemical stability of the surface-near p-type channel. Electrical characterization showed that the surface-near conductivity in the diamond is preserved during AlN overgrowth if the process temperature does not exceed 800 °C. However, the sheet carrier density is decreased by a factor of about 5 compared to the unpassivated hydrogen-terminated surface. A combination of TEM and XPS analysis showed that this effect is not induced by a partial modification of the surface termination or by a polarization of the AlN passivation. The preserved, but reduced surface-near conductivity in the diamond can however be explained by a hydrogen double bond between the diamond and the AlN film. Field-effect transistor structures fabricated on the passivated diamond substrates showed stable operation up drain-source voltages to −70 V and might therefore be promising candidates for future high-voltage applications.
Doubling the critical current density of high temperature superconducting coated conductors through proton irradiation
Authors: Jia Y. , LeRoux M. , Miller D. J. , Wen J. G. , Kwok W. K. , Welp U. , Rupich M. W. , Li X. , Sathyamurthy S. , Fleshler S. , Malozemoff A. P. , Kayani A. , Ayala-Valenzuela O. , Civale L.
Published: September 2013

The in-field critical current of commercial YBa2Cu3O7 coated conductors can be substantially enhanced by post-fabrication irradiation with 4 MeV protons. Irradiation to a fluence of 8 × 1016 p/cm2 induces a near doubling of the critical current in fields of 6 T || c at a temperature of 27 K, a field and temperature range of interest for applications, such as rotating machinery. A mixed pinning landscape of preexisting precipitates and twin boundaries and small, finely dispersed irradiation induced defects may account for the improved vortex pinning in high magnetic fields. Our data indicate that there is significant head-room for further enhancements.
Gas temperature dependence of coagulation onset times for nanoparticles in low pressure hydrocarbon plasmas
Authors: Beckers J. , Kroesen G. M. W.
Published: September 2013

Onset times for coagulation of nanoparticles in chemical reactive low pressure Ar/C2H2 and Ar/CH4 radiofrequency (rf) discharges have been measured as a function of the gas temperature while either the gas pressure or the gas density was kept constant. As a diagnostic, the phase angle between rf voltage and rf current was monitored. The results demonstrate, within the temperature range 25 °C–150 °C, that for both gases coagulation is delayed significantly (by more than a factor of 10) for increasing temperatures. These results are explained in terms of the temperature dependence of the Brownian diffusion coefficient.
Anisotropic electromagnetic properties of polymer composites containing oriented multiwall carbon nanotubes in respect to terahertz polarizer applications
Authors: Bychanok D. S. , Shuba M. V. , Kuzhir P. P. , Maksimenko S. A. , Kubarev V. V. , Kanygin M. A. , Sedelnikova O. V. , Bulusheva L. G. , Okotrub A. V.
Published: September 2013

Polystyrene composites with 0.5 wt. % loading of oriented multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been produced by forge rolling method. The composites showed anisotropy of transmission and reflection of terahertz radiation depending on sample orientation relative to the polarization of electromagnetic wave. The structural characteristics of composites (nanotube ordering, length, defectiveness) were estimated by fitting the theoretical dependencies calculated within the Clausius-Mossotti formalism for cylindrical particles to the experimental data. The presented model was used for prediction of electromagnetic response of composites containing oriented MWCNTs with various structural parameters in THz region.
Measurements of methane emissions at natural gas production sites in the United States
Authors: Allen David T. , Torres Vincent M. , Thomas James , Sullivan David W. , Harrison Matthew , Hendler Al , Herndon Scott C. , Kolb Charles E. , Fraser Matthew P. , Hill A. Daniel , Lamb Brian K. , Miskimins Jennifer , Sawyer Robert F. , Seinfeld John H.
Published: September 2013

Significance

This work reports direct measurements of methane emissions at 190 onshore natural gas sites in the United States. The measurements indicate that well completion emissions are lower than previously estimated; the data also show emissions from pneumatic controllers and equipment leaks are higher than Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) national emission projections. Estimates of total emissions are similar to the most recent EPA national inventory of methane emissions from natural gas production. These measurements will help inform policymakers, researchers, and industry, providing information about some of the sources of methane emissions from the production of natural gas, and will better inform and advance national and international scientific and policy discussions with respect to natural gas development and use.
Homologous RIG-I–like helicase proteins direct RNAi-mediated antiviral immunity in
C. elegans
by distinct mechanisms
Authors: Guo Xunyang , Zhang Rui , Wang Jeffrey , Ding Shou-Wei , Lu Rui
Published: September 2013

Significance

Retinoic acid inducible gene I-like RNA helicases (RLHs) act as virus sensors in mammalian antiviral immunity. RLHs also play an essential role in antiviral RNAi in the nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans
through a currently unknown mechanism. Here, we show that the retinoic acid inducible gene I domains involved in virus sensing functionally replace the corresponding domain of Dicer-related RNA helicase 1 (DRH-1), one of the worm RLHs, suggesting that DRH-1 contributes to antiviral RNAi by acting as a virus sensor. Consistent with this observation, virus-derived primary siRNAs were significantly reduced in
drh-1
mutants. We further show that DRH-3, another worm RLH that shares domain structure with DRH-1, is required for the biogenesis of virus-derived secondary, but not primary, siRNAs, suggesting that DRH-1 and DRH-3 contribute to antiviral RNAi through distinct mechanisms.
The relative age effect in the German Football TID Programme: Biases in motor performance diagnostics and effects on single motor abilities and skills in groups of selected players
Authors: Votteler Andreas , Höner Oliver
Published: September 2013

This study examined the disturbing effects of relative age on the talent identification process in the talent development programme of the German Football Association. The bias in the selection rate was examined via the extent of relative age effects. The bias in motor performance diagnostics was analysed by comparing the motor performance of selected players with normal motor development. The mechanisms underlying the relative age biases in motor performance were examined by modelling the direct and indirect effects of relative age on single motor performance tests for sprint, running agility, dribbling and ball passing and control. Data from 10,130 selected football players from the U12 to U15 age groups were collected in autumn 2010. The birth distribution differed significantly from the reference population with approximately 61% of the players born in the first half of the year. The selection probability was approximately two times higher for players born in the first quarter of the year than for players born in the last quarter. Revised motor performance diagnostics showed better results on average for relatively younger players. Path analysis revealed significant direct and indirect relative age effects for physiologically demanding tests and almost no effects for technically demanding tests. Large sample sizes allowed high resolution in relative age with additional informational content and multivariate modelling of the complex relationships among relative age, physical development and motor performance. The results are discussed on how relative age affects the effectiveness and fairness of talent identification and development processes.
The impact of the achievement motive on athletic performance in adolescent football players
Authors: Zuber Claudia , Conzelmann Achim
Published: September 2013

Researchers largely agree that there is a positive relationship between achievement motivation and athletic performance, which is why the achievement motive is viewed as a potential criterion for talent. However, the underlying mechanism behind this relationship remains unclear. In talent and performance models, main effect, mediator and moderator models have been suggested. A longitudinal study was carried out among 140 13‐year‐old football talents, using structural equation modelling to determine which model best explains how hope for success (HS) and fear of failure (FF), which are the aspects of the achievement motive, motor skills and abilities that affect performance. Over a period of half a year, HS can to some extent explain athletic performance, but this relationship is not mediated by the volume of training, sport‐specific skills or abilities, nor is the achievement motive a moderating variable. Contrary to expectations, FF does not explain any part of performance. Aside from HS, however, motor abilities and in particular skills also predict a significant part of performance. The study confirms the widespread assumption that the development of athletic performance in football depends on multiple factors, and in particular that HS is worth watching in the medium term as a predictor of talent.
A computational study of barium blockades in the KcsA potassium channel based on multi-ion potential of mean force calculations and free energy perturbation
Authors: Rowley Christopher N. , Roux Benoît
Published: September 2013

Electrophysiological studies have established that the permeation of Ba2+ ions through the KcsA K+-channel is impeded by the presence of K+ ions in the external solution, while no effect is observed for external Na+ ions. This Ba2+ “lock-in” effect suggests that at least one of the external binding sites of the KcsA channel is thermodynamically selective for K+. We used molecular dynamics simulations to interpret these lock-in experiments in the context of the crystallographic structure of KcsA. Assuming that the Ba2+ is bound in site S2 in the dominant blocked state, we examine the conditions that could impede its translocation and cause the observed “lock-in” effect. Although the binding of a K+ ion to site S1 when site S2 is occupied by Ba2+ is prohibitively high in energy (>10 kcal/mol), binding to site S0 appears to be more plausible (ΔG > 4 kcal/mol). The 2D potential of mean force (PMF) for the simultaneous translocation of Ba2+ from site S2 to site S1 and of a K+ ion on the extracellular side shows a barrier that is consistent with the concept of external lock-in. The barrier opposing the movement of Ba2+ is very high when a cation is in site S0, and considerably smaller when the site is unoccupied. Furthermore, free energy perturbation calculations show that site S0 is selective for K+ by 1.8 kcal/mol when S2 is occupied by Ba2+. However, the same site S0 is nonselective when site S2 is occupied by K+, which shows that the presence of Ba2+ affects the selectivity of the pore. A theoretical framework within classical rate theory is presented to incorporate the concentration dependence of the external ions on the lock-in effect.
Toxygates: interactive toxicity analysis on a hybrid microarray and linked data platform
Authors: Nyström-Persson Johan , Igarashi Yoshinobu , Ito Maori , Morita Mizuki , Nakatsu Noriyuki , Yamada Hiroshi , Mizuguchi Kenji
Published: September 2013

Motivation: In early stage drug development, it is desirable to assess the toxicity of compounds as quickly as possible. Biomarker genes can help predict whether a candidate drug will adversely affect a given individual, but they are often difficult to discover. In addition, the mechanism of toxicity of many drugs and common compounds is not yet well understood. The Japanese Toxicogenomics Project provides a large database of systematically collected microarray samples from rats (liver, kidney and primary hepatocytes) and human cells (primary hepatocytes) after exposure to 170 different compounds in different dosages and at different time intervals. However, until now, no intuitive user interface has been publically available, making it time consuming and difficult for individual researchers to explore the data.

Results: We present Toxygates, a user-friendly integrated analysis platform for this database. Toxygates combines a large microarray dataset with the ability to fetch semantic linked data, such as pathways, compound–protein interactions and orthologs, on demand. It can also perform pattern-based compound ranking with respect to the expression values of a set of relevant candidate genes. By using Toxygates, users can freely interrogate the transcriptome’s response to particular compounds and conditions, which enables deep exploration of toxicity mechanisms.

Availability and implementation: Toxygates is freely available to the public at http://toxygates.nibio.go.jp.

Contact: johan@nibio.go.jp, kenji@nibio.go.jp or y-igarashi@nibio.go.jp

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Lubiprostone for the Treatment of Functional Constipation in Children
Authors: Hyman Paul E. , Di Lorenzo Carlo , Prestridge Laurel L. , Youssef Nader N. , Ueno Ryuji
Published: September 2013

Objectives:

Pediatric functional constipation is common; effective, easily administered treatment options are limited. Lubiprostone is an oral chloride channel protein‐2 activator that stimulates gastrointestinal fluid secretion, softens stools, and facilitates bowel movements (BMs). We evaluated the safety and effectiveness of lubiprostone in children and adolescents with functional constipation.

Methods:

Patients ≥12 kg, 17 years or younger, and with <3 spontaneous BMs (SBMs; ie, BMs that did not occur within 24 hours of rescue medication use) per week were enrolled at 22 US general pediatric and pediatric gastroenterology centers (January 2007–October 2008). Patients received 4 weeks of open‐label lubiprostone at doses of 12 μg once daily (QD), 12 μg twice daily (BID), or 24 μg BID based on age and weight. The primary endpoint was SBM frequency during week 1 versus baseline.

Results:

Of 127 enrolled patients, 124 were treated and analyzed (12 μg QD, n = 27; 12 μg BID, n = 65; 24 μg BID, n = 32), and 109 completed the study. The mean age of treated patients was 10.2 years (range 3−17 years); 65 were boys. Mean SBM frequency significantly increased compared with baseline at week 1 (3.1 vs 1.5 SBMs/week, P < 0.0001). SBM frequency was improved significantly from baseline overall (P < 0.0001) and for individual dose groups (P ≤ 0.0062) during weeks 2, 3, and 4. Common (≥5%) adverse events included nausea (18.5%), vomiting (12.1%), diarrhea (8.1%), abdominal pain (7.3%), and headache (5.6%). Two patients experienced serious adverse events (unrelated abdominal pain; unrelated sickle cell crisis).

Conclusions:

Lubiprostone was efficacious and well tolerated in children and adolescents with functional constipation.
Elevated C‐Reactive Protein and Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in Children With Chronic Liver Disease and Ascites
Authors: Preto‐Zamperlini Marcela , Farhat Sylvia Costa Lima , Perondi Maria Beatriz Moliterno , Pestana Adriana Pozzi , Cunha Patricia Salles , Pugliese Renata Pereira Sustovich , Schvartsman Cláudio
Published: September 2013

Objectives:

The aims of this study were to compare laboratory indices of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) and noninfected ascites in children with chronic liver disease and to determine the infectious agents involved in SBP.

Methods:

The medical records of 90 children with chronic liver disease and ascites studied between January 2005 and August 2011 were reviewed for laboratory data of diagnostic significance in SBP. Standard laboratory tests included blood cell count, coagulation indices, liver and renal function tests, C‐reactive protein (CRP), serum sodium concentration, serum albumin, and serum cultures. Ascitic fluid obtained from 152 paracentesis procedures was assayed for cytology, Gram stains, neutrophil counts, and bacteriological cultures.

Results:

The SBP group manifested significantly lower albumin levels and elevated CRP levels, prothrombin times, international normalized ratios, and leukocyte number (P < 0.05 in each case). CRP was shown to be an independent variable in the prediction of SBP. Values of serum creatinine, sodium concentration, urea, total bilirubin and differential leukocyte shift were comparable in SBP and noninfected ascites. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most prevalent infectious agent in the ascitic fluid (44%).

Conclusions:

CRP may be useful in early detection and monitoring of SBP in children with liver disease.
The PRISM (Pliocene palaeoclimate) reconstruction: time for a paradigm shift
Authors: Dowsett Harry J. , Robinson Marci M. , Stoll Danielle K. , Foley Kevin M. , Johnson Andrew L. A. , Williams Mark , Riesselman Christina R.
Published: September 2013

Global palaeoclimate reconstructions have been invaluable to our understanding of the causes and effects of climate change, but single-temperature representations of the oceanic mixed layer for data–model comparisons are outdated, and the time for a paradigm shift in marine palaeoclimate reconstruction is overdue. The new paradigm in marine palaeoclimate reconstruction stems the loss of valuable climate information and instead presents a holistic and nuanced interpretation of multi-dimensional oceanographic processes and responses. A wealth of environmental information is hidden within the US Geological Survey's
P
liocene
R
esearch,
I
nterpretation and
S
ynoptic
M
apping (PRISM) marine palaeoclimate reconstruction, and we introduce here a plan to incorporate all valuable climate data into the next generation of PRISM products. Beyond the global approach and focus, we plan to incorporate regional climate dynamics with emphasis on processes, integrating multiple environmental proxies wherever available in order to better characterize the mixed layer, and developing a finer time slice within the Mid-Piacenzian Age of the Pliocene, complemented by underused proxies that offer snapshots into environmental conditions. The result will be a proxy-rich, temporally nested, process-oriented approach in a digital format—a relational database with geographic information system capabilities comprising a three-dimensional grid representing the surface layer, with a plethora of data in each cell.
Towards a detailed resolution smearing kernel for time-of-flight neutron reflectometers
Authors: Nelson Andrew Robert John
Published: September 2013

In this article a `detailed' form of the resolution kernel used to analyse data from reactor-based time-of-flight (TOF) neutron reflectometers is derived. In contrast to monochromatic neutron reflectometers, where the resolution kernel is close to Gaussian, TOF neutron reflectometers can have trapezoidal resolution kernels. This is a consequence of the disc chopper systems used to pulse the beam having a wavelength uncertainty that is rectangular in shape. The effect of using the detailed and approximate kernels is compared, with the main effects occurring where the width of the kernel is approximately the same as the width of the features in the reflectivity curve,i.e.around the critical edge and at highQz. The difference between the two kernels is greatest when the wavelength and angular components are of different sizes.
Measuring the emotional development of adults with ID
Authors: Frankish Pat
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– This paper demonstrates that it is both possible and useful to measure the emotional developmental stage of people with intellectual disability.

Design/methodology/approach

– A tool was designed, based on a stage theory of development and tested for reliability and validity.

Findings

– The tool was found to be both reliable and valid.

Originality/value

– This is new work with no predecessor.
Value-based consumer segmentation: the key to sustainable agri-food chains
Authors: Macharia John , Collins Ray , Sun Tim
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The final consumer has the exclusive right to define what constitutes value in a product or service. Under increasing pressures of globalization and urbanization, a consumer-focused approach to performance improvement in supply chains can lead to more satisfied consumers and improved returns to growers and retailers. This paper aims to demonstrate that such an orientation, though lacking in agri-food supply chains in developing countries, can mitigate threats to food safety, consumer health and environmental quality.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected through random survey intercepts (n=418) at different retail outlets for fresh vegetables in Nairobi, Kenya in 2010. Multi-step cluster analysis (Ward Method, K-means) was used to classify fresh vegetable consumers, in terms of their product, production and marketing process preferences.

Findings

– Four heterogeneous segments in terms of value preferences, behaviour and personal profiles (p<0.05) were derived. They were labelled Prestigious Shoppers (25 per cent), Market Enthusiasts (18 per cent), Ethics Crusaders (41 per cent) and Safety Sceptics (16 per cent). All segments expressed high or moderate preferences for product quality. In addition, the Prestigious Shoppers expressed a moderate preference for customer service. Market Enthusiasts attached the highest values to market conditions and customer service. Ethics Crusaders most highly preferred customer service, while Safety Sceptics most highly preferred safe production.

Research limitations/implications

– Since it is difficult to predict consumer behaviour precisely, these findings may be contextual. Yet, the segments have unique value preferences despite actors treating them as homogeneous. Ignoring these differences can lead to unsustainable attempts to improve chain practice and policies.

Originality/value

– This paper is the first of its kind. It advocates for use of universal value profiles as a basis for development of consumer-focused strategies for sustainable performance improvement in agri-food chains in developing countries.
Optimization of multistage depressed collectors using fem and parallel algorithm MeTEO
Authors: Coco Salvatore , Laudani Antonino , Pulcini Giuseppe , Riganti Fulginei Francesco , Salvini Alessandro
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– This paper aims the application of a novel hybrid algorithm, called MeTEO, based on the combination of three heuristics inspired by artificial life to the optimization of electrodes voltages of multistage depressed collector.

Design/methodology/approach

– The flock-of-starlings optimization (FSO), the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and the bacterial chemotaxis algorithm (BCA) were adapted to implement a hybrid and parallel algorithm: the FSO has been powerfully employed for exploring the whole space of solutions, whereas the PSO+BCA has been used to refine the FSO-found solutions, exploiting their better performances in local search.

Findings

– The optimization of the voltage of the electrodes of multistage depressed collector are efficiently handled with a moderate computational effort.

Practical implication

– The development of an efficient method for the solution of a complicated electromagnetic optimization problem, exploiting the different characteristic of different approaches based on evolutionary computation algorithm.

Originality/value

– The paper shows that the combination of stochastic methods having different exploration properties with appositely developed FE electromagnetic simulator allows us to produce effective solutions of multimodal electromagnetic optimization problems, with an acceptable computational cost.
Near-field numerical analysis of surface plasmon polariton propagation on metallic gratings
Authors: Ruffato Gianluca , Romanato Filippo
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to simulate and analyze the excitation and propagation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on sinusoidal metallic gratings in conical mounting.

Design/methodology/approach

– Chandezon's method has been implemented in MATLAB environment in order to compute the optical response of metallic gratings illuminated under azimuthal rotation. The code allows describing the full optical features both in far- and near-field terms, and the performed analyses highlight the fundamental role of incident polarization on SPP excitation in the conical configuration.

Findings

– Results of far-field polarization conversion and plasmonic near-field computation clearly show that azimuthally rotated metallic gratings can support propagating surface plasmon with generic polarization.

Originality/value

– The recent papers experimentally demonstrated the benefits in sensitivity and the polarization phenomenology that are originated by an azimuthal rotation of the grating. In this work, numerical simulations confirm these experimental results and complete the analysis with a study of the excited SPP near-field on the metal surface.
Discussing three models of client: consultant collaboration for effective training interventions -- a case study approach
Authors: Marks Tony
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– This article aims to draw parallels between literature discussing the benefits of management consultancy and three different role types adopted by consultants to provide an effective training intervention.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using three case studies, it highlights the way each consulting model has been enacted by 20|20 to support its clients, all of whom are multinational businesses who invest a significant proportion of their annual budgets on industrial training.

Findings

– The relationship between a consultant training provider and client is critical to the success of any training intervention. Linked to this is an appreciation of the cultural differences to be found within any single client organisation. For some organisations, this difference begins with the way training itself is defined, and even whether it is a part of the wider organisational identity and communications vocabulary.

Originality/value

– As this article illustrates, the provision of industrial training is so much more than the ostensibly “tickbox” exercise of simply imparting functional knowledge through a standard set of courseware. Successful training interventions require a cultural approach to be taken in order to achieve their full potential.
Determinants of involuntary cross-listing: US restaurant companies' perspective
Authors: Koh Yoon , Lee Seoki , Basu Sudipta , S. Roehl Wesley
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to identify determinants of involuntary cross-listing (CL) of US restaurant companies on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE).

Design/methodology/approach

– The study utilizes a mixed method design with an interview and a pooled logistic regression analysis with panel dataset using the company-clustered standard error to develop and test the hypotheses.

Findings

– The empirical investigation identified determinants of involuntary CL by examining ten factors, including size, firm growth opportunities, leverage, financial flexibility, international operation, profitability, overall German economic condition, industry growth opportunities, restaurant type, and local operation. The study found three determinants – large size, favorable economic condition in Germany and positive industry growth opportunities – utilizing the sample that covers the entire periods of involuntary CL of US restaurant companies on the FSE.

Originality/value

– This paper uncovers the phenomenon of involuntary CL, which many stock exchanges have strategically adopted by simplifying listing requirements for companies already listed in other stock markets, focusing on US restaurant companies. The number of involuntarily cross-listed US restaurant companies greatly increased to 50 percent of domestically listed US restaurant companies while those companies are largely unaware of the phenomenon. The research advances understanding of involuntary CLs, which previously received little attention.
Improvement of fatigue limit by overload for high-tensile strength steel containing a crack in the stress concentration zone
Authors: Houjou Keiji , Takahashi Koji , Ando Kotoji
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of overload (bending moment with plastic deformation: Mp) on three point bending specimen at the fatigue limit of high-tensile-strength steel containing a crack in the stress concentration zone.

Design/methodology/approach

– An artificial semi-circular slit was introduced and Mp was applied after which bending fatigue tests were carried out.

Findings

– The relationship between the level of Mp and the fatigue limit (σw) was proportional; the fatigue limits of specimens containing 0.2- and 0.3-mm-deep slits are improved by the Mp process as much as twice the original values; the slit size that can be rendered harmless by the Mp process is a=0.05 mm in depth; and all non-propagating cracks appeared around the artificial slit.

Originality/value

– Very few studies have been conducted on the fatigue limit of materials containing crack-like surface defects after overload in the stress concentration zone. This study elucidated the effect of Mp on the fatigue limit.
The adoption of tele-presence systems
Authors: Park Eunil
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– Due to rapid increases in theoretical progress, the paper investigated user perceptions toward tele-presence systems with possible and antecedent motivations that affect attitude and intention to use. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper conducted an internet survey. Responses from 1,620 participants were collected and investigated to identify motivations and possible factors.

Findings

– The results demonstrate that attitude has the most powerful effect on intention to use. In addition, social presence and perceived usefulness have significant effects on the intention to use. The results also demonstrate the crucial roles of perceived adaptivity and system quality on attitude. The factors examined in the study may be core features of user acceptance toward tele-presence systems with significant implications for improving and creating better and friendlier tele-presence systems for users.

Originality/value

– This paper is of value to researchers designing and improving tele-operation and tele-presence services in the society.