bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prospective validation study of transorbital Doppler ultrasound imaging for the detection of transient cerebral microemboli
Authors: Saedon M , Dilshad A , Tiivas C , Virdee D , Hutchinson C E , Singer D R J , Imray C H E
Published: September 2014

Background

Transient cerebral microemboli are independent biomarkers of early risk of ischaemic stroke in acute carotid syndromes. Transcranial Doppler imaging (TCD) through the temporal bone is the standard method for detection of cerebral microemboli, but an acoustic temporal bone window for TCD is not available in around one in seven patients. Transorbital Doppler imaging (TOD) has been used when TCD is not possible. The aim of this study was to validate the use of TOD against TCD for detecting cerebral microemboli.

Methods

The study included patients undergoing elective carotid endarterectomy; all had confirmed temporal and orbital acoustic windows. Subjects gave written informed consent to postoperative TCD and TOD monitoring, which was performed simultaneously for 30 min by two vascular scientists.

Results

The study included 100 patients (mean(s.e.m.) age 72(1) years; 65 men). Microemboli were detected by one or both methods in 40·0 per cent of patients: by TOD and TCD in 24 patients, by TOD alone in ten and by TCD alone in six. For detecting microemboli, TOD had a sensitivity of 80·0 per cent, specificity of 86·1 per cent, positive predictive value of 71·6 per cent and negative predictive value of 91·2 per cent. Bland–Altman analysis revealed no significant bias (bias 0·11 (95 per cent c.i. −0·52 to 0·74) microemboli; P = 0·810) with upper and lower limits of agreement of +6 and −6 microemboli.

Conclusion

TOD appears a valid alternative to TCD for detecting microembolic signals in patients with no suitable temporal acoustic window.
Systematic review of methodological quality of individual performance measurement in surgery
Authors: Maruthappu M , El-Harasis M A , Nagendran M , Orgill D P , McCulloch P , Duclos A , Carty M J
Published: September 2014

Background

Calls for greater transparency with improved quality, safety and outcomes have led to performance tracking of individual surgeons. This study evaluated the methodology of studies investigating individual performance in surgery.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, AMED and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (from their inception to July 2014) were searched. Two authors independently reviewed citations using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria; 91 data points per study were extracted.

Results

The search strategy yielded 8514 citations; 101 were eligible, comprising 1 006 037 procedures by 14 455 surgeons. Thirty-four studies were prospective and 66 were retrospective. The aim of the studies was either to assess individual performance and describe the learning curve of a procedure, to describe factors influencing performance, or to describe methods for routine performance monitoring. Some 51·5 per cent of the studies investigated 500 or fewer procedures. Most (77 of 101) were single-centre studies. Less than half of the studies (42, 41·6 per cent) employed statistical modelling or stratification to adjust performance measures. Forty studies (39·6 per cent) adjusted outcomes for case mix. Seventeen (16·8 per cent) adjusted metrics for surgeon-specific factors. Thirteen studies (12·9 per cent) considered clustering in their analyses. The most frequent outcome studied was duration of operation (59·4 per cent), followed by complication rate (45·5 per cent) and reoperation rate (29·7 per cent); 15·8 per cent of studies recorded mortality, and 4·0 per cent explored patient satisfaction. Only 48·5 per cent of studies displayed procedural learning curves using a graph.

Conclusion

There exist substantial shortcomings in methodological quality, outcome measurements and quality improvement evaluation among current studies of individual surgical performance. Methodological guidelines should be established to ensure that assessments are valid.
Lessons learned from national surgical audits
Authors: Raju R S , Maddern G J
Published: September 2014

Properly funded national audits are vital
Thermodynamic study of transthyretin association (wild‐type and senile forms) with heparan sulfate proteoglycan: pH effect and implication of the reactive histidine residue
Authors: Geneste Ambre , André Claire , Magy‐Bertrand Nadine , Lethier Lydie , Tijani Gharbi , Guillaume Yves Claude
Published: September 2014

The tetramer destabilization of transthyretin into monomers and its fibrillation are phenomena leading to amyloid deposition. Heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) has been found in all amyloid deposits. A chromatographic approach was developed to compare binding parameters between wild‐type transthyretin (wtTTR) and an amyloidogenic transthyretin (sTTR). Results showed a greater affinity of sTTR for HSPG at pH 7.4 compared with wtTTR owing to the monomeric form of sTTR. Analysis of the thermodynamic parameters showed that van der Waals interactions were involved at the complex interface for both transthyretin forms. For sTTR, results from the plot representing the number of protons exchanged vs pH showed that the binding mechanism was pH‐dependent with a critical value at a pH 6.5. This observation was due to the protonation of a histidine residue as an imidazolium cation, which was not accessible when TTR was in its tetrameric structure. At pH >6.5, dehydration at the binding interface and several contacts between nonpolar groups of sTTR and HSPG were also coupled to binding for an optimal hydrogen‐bond network. At pH <6.5, the protonation of the His residue from sTTR monomer when pH decreased broke the hydrogen‐bond network, leading to its destabilization and thus producing slight conformational changes in the sTTR monomer structure. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Primary human papillomavirus screening for cervical cancer in the United States—US Food and Drug Administration approval, clinical trials, and where we are today
Authors: Nayar Ritu , Goulart Robert A. , Tiscornia‐Wasserman Patricia G. , Davey Diane Davis
Published: September 2014

The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved the additional indication of Primary Screening for the Roche cobas human papillomavirus test. This commentary includes an overview of the supporting clinical trial data, issues this approval will present for laboratorians, and proposed clinical management guidelines for abnormal screening results.
Catecholamine inputs to expiratory laryngeal motoneurons in rats
Authors: Zhao Wen‐Jing , Sun Qi‐Jian , Guo Rui‐Chen , Pilowsky Paul M.
Published: September 2014

Many respiration‐related interneurons and motoneurons receive a catecholaminergic input, but the extent and distribution of this input to recurrent laryngeal motoneurons that innervate intrinsic muscles of the larynx are not clear. In the present study, we examined the catecholaminergic input to expiratory laryngeal motoneurons in the caudal nucleus ambiguus by combining intracellular labeling of single identified motoneurons, with immunohistochemistry to reveal tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive (catecholaminergic) terminal varicosities. Close appositions were found between the two structures, with 18 ± 5 close appositions per motoneuron (n = 7). Close appositions were more frequently observed on distal rather than proximal dendrites. Axosomatic appositions were not seen. In order to determine the source of this input, microinjections of cholera toxin B subunit (1%, 20 nl) were made into the caudal nucleus ambiguus. Retrogradely labeled neurons, located in the ipsilateral nucleus tractus solitarius and the area postrema, were tyrosine hydroxylase‐positive. Our results not only demonstrate details of the extent and distribution of potential catecholamine inputs to the expiratory laryngeal motoneuron, but further indicate that the inputs, at least in part, originate from the dorsomedial medulla, providing a potential anatomical basis for previously reported catecholaminergic effects on the laryngeal adductor reflex. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:381–390, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Hepatotoxicity and liver injury induced by hydroxyapatite nanoparticles
Authors: Chen Qingqing , Xue Yang , Sun Jiao
Published: September 2014

As hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HA NPs) are increasingly used in biomedical and biotechnological fields, risk assessment of HA NPs has attracted extensive attention. Nevertheless, little is known about the potential adverse effects of HA NPs on normal hepatocytes and the liver. In the present study, we conducted an in vitro study in which 80‐nm HA NPs were incubated with normal Buffalo rat liver (BRL) cells. By analyzing the changes in cell viability, apoptosis/necrosis and the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, we investigated the cytotoxicity and potential mechanism of HA NPs in hepatocytes. Furthermore, we used the serum hematology and histopathology examinations to explore the in vivo effects of HA NPs on the structure and function of the liver. Our results showed that exposure to HA NPs at a concentration above 200 µg ml−1 decreased cell viability, increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, induced apoptosis and necrosis, and triggered the MAPK signaling pathway in BRL cells in a dose‐dependent manner. Moreover, our in vivo study indicated that HA NPs increased the white blood cell count (WBC) and the levels of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the serum, caused inflammatory cell infiltration at the portal area in the liver, and induced hepatic oxidative stress with elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA). These data demonstrate that at certain concentrations, 80‐nm HA NPs cause hepatotoxicity and liver injury. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Examination of Changes in Enzyme Activities of Erythrocyte Glucose 6‐Phosphate Dehydrogenase and 6‐Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase in Rats Given Naringenin and Lead Acetate
Authors: Demirdag Ramazan , Comakli Veysel , Ozkaya Ahmet , Sahin Zafer , Dag Uzeyir , Yerlikaya Emrah , Kuzu Muslum
Published: September 2014

In our study, controlled experimental groups were performed by giving substances Lead acetate, Naringenin and Naringenin + Lead acetate to rats in vivo conditions Changes in the glucose 6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6‐phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) enzyme activities in erythrocytes of rats in these groups were compared to the Control group. An inhibition significant degree for G6PD enzyme activity was observed in all groups when compared to the Control group (p < 0.001). While inhibition significant degree for 6PGD enzyme activity was observed in Lead acetate groups (p < 0.001), no significant effect was observed in the Naringenin and Naringenin + Lead acetate groups (p > 0.05). In addition, lead levels in the groups of rats were determined using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP‐MS) device. As a result of measurements by the ICP‐MS device, lead levels were found as an average of 42.9 ± 2.51, 36.71 ± 1.13, 172.16 ± 9.63, and 95.07 ± 5.87 ppm in the Control, Naringenin, Lead acetate and Naringenin + Lead acetate groups, respectively. Our results were shown that Naringenin has protective effects on the Lead acetate induced oxidative stress erythrocytes in rat.
Graphene Oxide/Carbon Nanotube Composite Hydrogels—Versatile Materials for Microbial Fuel Cell Applications
Authors: kumar G. Gnana , Hashmi Saud , Karthikeyan Chandrasekaran , GhavamiNejad Amin , Vatankhah‐Varnoosfaderani Mohammad , Stadler Florian J.
Published: September 2014

Carbonaceous nanocomposite hydrogels are prepared with an aid of a suspension polymerization method and are used as anodes in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). (Poly N‐Isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogels filled with electrically conductive carbonaceous nanomaterials exhibit significantly higher MFC efficiencies than the unfilled hydrogel. The observed morphological images clearly show the homogeneous dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene oxide (GO) in the PNIPAM matrix. The complex formation of CNTs and GO with NIPAM is evidenced from the structural characterizations. The effectual MFC performances are influenced by combining the materials of interest (GO and CNTs) and are attributed to the high surface area, number of active sites, and improved electron‐transfer processes. The obtained higher MFC efficiencies associated with an excellent durability of the prepared hydrogels open up new possibilities for MFC anode applications.

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Resolution of Othello Syndrome After Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation in 3 Patients with Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Adam Robert J. , McLeod Robert , Ha Ainhi D. , Colebatch James G. , Menzies Graham , de Moore Gregory , Mahant Neil , Fung Victor S.C.
Published: September 2014

Psychiatric symptoms are historically thought a relative contraindication to DBS for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, in the case of drug‐induced mental illness, DBS may provide an acceptable alternative for the treatment of motor symptoms. This allows reduction of pharmacological dopaminergic therapy that might otherwise cause negative psychiatric consequences. For example, DBS is increasingly used to ameliorate specific complications of PD treatment, such as impulse control disorders. We present a series of 3 cases of young male patients who developed Othello syndrome (OS) during treatment with dopamine agonists. In each case, the OS resolved with withdrawal of the offending drug. Subsequent treatment with bilateral STN DBS improved motor symptoms and allowed reduction in their dopaminergic drug regimen. We therefore propose that drug‐induced psychopathology may be an indication (rather than a contraindication) for DBS in selected cases.
Is Holm Zone III safe from fat necrosis in medial row perforator‐based deep inferior epigastric perforator flaps?
Authors: Lee Kyeong‐Tae , Lee Jeong‐Eon , Nam Seok‐Jin , Han Boo‐Kyung , Mun Goo‐Hyun
Published: September 2014

Background

This study investigated which zonal tissue would be more secure from the risk of fat necrosis between Holm zones II and III and examined the risk factors of fat necrosis in a clinical series of medial row perforator‐based deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flaps.

Patients and Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed for patients undergoing unilateral breast reconstructions with medial row perforator DIEP flaps. Data regarding patients, operation‐related characteristics, and complications including fat necrosis were collected. Fat necrosis was mainly diagnosed by ultrasound examination, and its location was also assessed.

Results

A total of 103 cases were analyzed. Fat necrosis was diagnosed in 13.6% of patients and developed more frequently in zone III (7.8%) than in zone II (4.9%). In risk factor analysis, the inset rate, the weight ratio of the inset flap to harvested flap, was significantly associated with the development of fat necrosis. The flaps with inset rates more than 79% showed 16 times higher risk of fat necrosis than those below 79% in multivariate analysis. The incidence of fat necrosis in zone III was significantly increased in the high inset rate group when compared with the low inset rate group, whereas the incidence in zone II did not change.

Conclusions

In unilateral breast reconstruction using medial row perforator DIEP flaps, fat necrosis developed more frequently in zone III than in zone II, and this tendency was more prominent in high inset rate group. Not transferring excessive contralateral tissue including lateral zone III tissue might be helpful for reducing the risk of fat necrosis. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 35:272–278, 2015.
The in vivo J‐difference editing MEGA‐PRESS technique for the detection of n‐3 fatty acids
Authors: Škoch Antonín , Tošner Zdeněk , Hájek Milan
Published: September 2014

In this study, we present a method for the detection of n‐3 fatty acid (n‐3 FA) signals using MRS in adipose tissue in vivo. This method (called oMEGA‐PRESS) is based on the selective detection of the CH3 signal of n‐3 FA using the MEGA‐PRESS (MEshcher–GArwood Point‐RESolved Spectroscopy) J‐difference editing technique. We optimized the envelope shape and frequency of spectral editing pulses to minimize the spurious co‐editing and incomplete subtraction of the CH3 signal of other FAs, which normally obscure the n‐3 FA CH3 signal in MR spectra acquired using standard PRESS techniques. The post‐processing of the individual data scans with the phase and frequency correction before data subtraction and averaging was implemented to further improve the quality of in vivo spectra. The technique was optimized in vitro on lipid phantoms using various concentrations of n‐3 FA and examined in vivo at 3 T on 15 healthy volunteers. The proportion of n‐3 FA estimated by the oMEGA‐PRESS method in phantoms showed a highly significant linear correlation with the n‐3 FA content determined by gas chromatography. The signal attributed to n‐3 FA was observed in all subjects. Comparisons with the standard PRESS technique revealed an enhanced identification of the n‐3 FA signal using oMEGA‐PRESS. The presented method may be useful for the non‐invasive quantification of n‐3 FA in adipose tissue, and could aid in obtaining a better understanding of various aspects of n‐3 FA metabolism. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Glaciers and society: attributions, perceptions, and valuations
Authors: Gagné Karine , Rasmussen Mattias Borg , Orlove Ben
Published: September 2014

As icons of a world set in motion by human action, glaciers are often highlighted as quintessential evidences of global climate change. Although there is a general agreement among scientists that glaciers around the world are receding, much of the discussions on the subject tend to be oriented toward technological methodologies. Yet, as elements of the landscape, glaciers are strongly integrated to various societies around the world in ways that exceed their role as provider of fundamental sources of water. The relation between glaciers and societies is therefore marked by processes of attribution, perception, and valuation by local and distant actors. As a consequence, as they recede, glaciers often become the loci of interactions between actors of various scales. But besides melting, glaciers also transform from being objects of local to national and global concern. This is particularly true when esthetic and economic values are assigned to glaciers. Real and perceived changes in the form, reach and out‐flow of water impact the local populations, and shape the kinds of action undertaken by communities, local actors, state authorities, and international organizations. The paper concludes by arguing that place‐based research is fundamental to discuss a global environmental phenomenon such as glacier recession.WIREs Clim Change2014, 5:793–808. doi: 10.1002/wcc.315

This article is categorized under:

Climate, History, Society, Culture > Ideas and Knowledge

Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Learning from Cases and Analogies

Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Sociology/Anthropology of Climate Knowledge
The Influence of a Single Transition Metal Atom on the Reactivity of Main Group Metal Clusters in the Gas Phase
Authors: Neumaier Marco , Schenk Christian , Schnöckel Hansgeorg , Schnepf Andreas
Published: September 2014

Collision induced dissociation experiments of the metalloid clusters [(CO)5CrGe9R3]– 2 and [(CO)3CrGe9R3]– 3 are presented, showing that 2 can lose Cr(CO)5 or CO to give [Ge9R3]– 1 or 3, respectively. Further dissociation from 3 leads first of all to the metalloid cluster [CrGe9R3]– 4, from which different elimination routes start. Thereby significant differences with respect to the chromium free cluster [Ge9R3]– 1 are observed, where beside C–H also Si–C and Si–Si bond dissociation at low threshold energy take place, showing that 4, with its additional chromium atom, is an ideal model system for a single atom catalyst.
Synthesis and Crystal Structure of InFeO3(ZnO)4
Authors: Erichsen Svante Carl v. , Assenmacher Wilfried , Schnakenburg Gregor , Mader Werner
Published: September 2014

InFeO3(ZnO)4 was prepared from binary oxides as starting materials at 1350 °C in sealed platinum tubes as an earth brown powder. Single crystals were grown from a K2MoO4 flux in sealed Pt‐tubes using cooling rates of –0.1 K min–1. The structure of InFeO3(ZnO)4 was refined in space group P63/mmc; No. 194 (a = 3.211(6) Å; c = 33.032(6) Å; Z = 2; R1 = 3.68 %) from XRD data and revealed a build‐up from alternate stacking of layers of edge‐sharing InO6 octahedra and 5 layers of corner‐sharing (Zn/Fe)O4 tetrahedra. Inversions of the (Zn/Fe)O4 tetrahedra occurs (i) at the InO6 octahedral layer and (ii) halfway in the wurtzite type region where the inversion boundary is built by cations in 4+1 trigonal bipyramidal coordination. The position of the cations in their oxygen surrounding is described by a factor t which quantifies the displacement of the cation from the center of a trigonal bipyramid towards one of the constituting tetrahedra. Refining the site occupation factors of the cations in the (Zn/Fe)O4 tetrahedra results in a clear and reasonable gradient for the distribution of iron. Refinement of the oxygen position reveals split positions for the oxygen atoms at the second inversion boundary in the center of the wurtzite type region which shows similarities to inversion domain boundaries at fivefold coordinated cations in the wurtzite type region of compounds of type ARO3(ZnO)m with m > 15. Thus, it is more likely to describe InFeO3(ZnO)4 as a closest‐packed structure of cations with oxygen filling the interstices.
Effects of neonicotinoids and fipronil on non-target invertebrates
Authors: Pisa L. W. , Amaral-Rogers V. , Belzunces L. P. , Bonmatin J. M. , Downs C. A. , Goulson D. , Kreutzweiser D. P. , Krupke C. , Liess M. , McField M. , Morrissey C. A. , Noome D. A. , Settele J. , Simon-Delso N. , Stark J. D. , Van der Sluijs J. P. , Van Dyck H. , Wiemers M.
Published: September 2014

We assessed the state of knowledge regarding the effects of large-scale pollution with neonicotinoid insecticides and fipronil on non-target invertebrate species of terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. A large section of the assessment is dedicated to the state of knowledge on sublethal effects on honeybees (Apis mellifera) because this important pollinator is the most studied non-target invertebrate species. Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Lumbricidae (earthworms), Apoidae sensu lato (bumblebees, solitary bees) and the section “other invertebrates” review available studies on the other terrestrial species. The sections on freshwater and marine species are rather short as little is known so far about the impact of neonicotinoid insecticides and fipronil on the diverse invertebrate fauna of these widely exposed habitats. For terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate species, the known effects of neonicotinoid pesticides and fipronil are described ranging from organismal toxicology and behavioural effects to population-level effects. For earthworms, freshwater and marine species, the relation of findings to regulatory risk assessment is described. Neonicotinoid insecticides exhibit very high toxicity to a wide range of invertebrates, particularly insects, and field-realistic exposure is likely to result in both lethal and a broad range of important sublethal impacts. There is a major knowledge gap regarding impacts on the grand majority of invertebrates, many of which perform essential roles enabling healthy ecosystem functioning. The data on the few non-target species on which field tests have been performed are limited by major flaws in the outdated test protocols. Despite large knowledge gaps and uncertainties, enough knowledge exists to conclude that existing levels of pollution with neonicotinoids and fipronil resulting from presently authorized uses frequently exceed the lowest observed adverse effect concentrations and are thus likely to have large-scale and wide ranging negative biological and ecological impacts on a wide range of non-target invertebrates in terrestrial, aquatic, marine and benthic habitats.
Promoting Preventive Health Behaviour among Young Malaysian Consumers: Toward an Integrated Conceptual Framework
Authors: Yap Sheau-Fen , Noor Nor Azila Mohammad , Marshall Roger , Liew Kok-Hong
Published: September 2014

Research aimed at uncovering the motives for the use of dietary supplements among young consumers is of both marketing and public policy importance, and thus deserving of research effort. This research addresses this important health issue from a consumer research perspective, as it is believed that the ultimate responsibility for health maintenance rests with the individual. Drawing on the theory of planned behaviour, this research developed an integrated model to explain dietary supplement consumption, by incorporating a comprehensive set of consumer characteristics. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey of 438 undergraduate students in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling was used to assess the hypothesised relationships. Findings reveal that health consciousness, health motivation and health value account for significant additional variance, suggesting the particular relevance of these consumer characteristics, in addition to social cognitive factors, in explaining dietary supplement use. This research contributes to marketing theory and practice as well as public health policy formulation.
Crystal structure of the stomatin operon partner protein from Pyrococcus horikoshii indicates the formation of a multimeric assembly
Authors: Yokoyama Hideshi , Matsui Ikuo
Published: September 2014

Stomatin, prohibitin, flotillin, and HflK/C (SPFH) domain proteins are found in the lipid raft microdomains of various cellular membranes. Stomatin/STOPP (stomatin operon partner protein) gene pairs are present in both archaeal and bacterial species, and their protein products may be involved in the quality control of membrane proteins. In the present study, the crystal structure of the C‐terminal soluble domain of STOPP PH1510 (1510‐C) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii was determined at 2.4 Å resolution. The structure of 1510‐C had a compact five‐stranded β‐barrel fold known as an oligosaccharide/oligonucleotide‐binding fold (OB‐fold). According to crystal packing, 1510‐C could assemble into multimers based on a dimer as a basic unit. 1510‐C also formed a large cylinder‐like structure composed of 24 subunits or a large triangular prism‐like structure composed of 12 subunits. These results indicate that 1510‐C functions as a scaffold protein to form the multimeric assembly of STOPP and stomatin.
Hadamard–Perron theorems and effective hyperbolicity
Authors: CLIMENHAGA VAUGHN , PESIN YAKOV
Published: September 2014

We prove several new versions of the Hadamard–Perron theorem, which relates infinitesimal dynamics to local dynamics for a sequence of local diffeomorphisms, and in particular establishes the existence of local stable and unstable manifolds. Our results imply the classical Hadamard–Perron theorem in both its uniform and non-uniform versions, but also apply much more generally. We introduce a notion of ‘effective hyperbolicity’ and show that if the rate of effective hyperbolicity is asymptotically positive, then the local manifolds are well behaved with positive asymptotic frequency. By applying effective hyperbolicity to finite-orbit segments, we prove a closing lemma whose conditions can be verified with a finite amount of information.
Combinatorial and probabilistic properties of systems of numeration
Authors: BARAT GUY , GRABNER PETER
Published: September 2014

Let$G=(G_{n})_{n}$be a strictly increasing sequence of positive integers with$G_{0}=1$. We study the system of numeration defined by this sequence by looking at the corresponding compactification${\mathcal{K}}_{G}$of$\mathbb{N}$and the extension of the addition-by-one map${\it\tau}$on${\mathcal{K}}_{G}$(the ‘odometer’). We give sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of${\it\tau}$-invariant measures on${\mathcal{K}}_{G}$in terms of combinatorial properties of$G$.
Tobacco, God, and Books: The Perils of Barbarism in Eighteenth-Century Korea
Authors: Evon Gregory N.
Published: September 2014

Late eighteenth-century East Asia witnessed similar events with the Qianlong emperor's (r. 1736–96) literary inquisition in China, King Chŏngjo's (r. 1776–1800) fight against heterodoxy in Korea, and Matsudaira Sadanobu's (1759–1829) Ban on Heterodoxy (Igaku no kin, 1790) in Japan. As is well known, Qianlong sought to destroy anti-Manchu writings, whereas Matsudaira sought to impose order by mandating the neo-Confucian orthodoxy of Zhu Xi (1130–1200) in elite education. Chŏngjo's activities are less understood, but equally significant. His own literary inquisition developed around threats Catholicism posed to the centrality of neo-Confucian orthodoxy, but it encompassed wider concerns over heterodox books imported from Qing China (1644–1911). What Matsudaira desired, Chŏngjo took for granted as defining Chosŏn (1392–1910) Korea's historic claim to guard civilization, and his fears over the threats of barbarism intensified as Catholicism and other forms of heterodoxy arrived via Qing China. This study examines Chŏngjo's response to those threats.
Pan-Asianism's Religious Undercurrents: The Reception of Islam and Translation of the Qur'ān in Twentieth-Century Japan
Authors: Krämer Hans Martin
Published: September 2014

Recent scholarship has highlighted the importance of Islam for prewar Japanese pan-Asianists. Yet, by considering Islam solely as a political factor, this strand of scholarship has largely overlooked the religious dimension of Japanese pan-Asianism. The existence of six different complete translations of the Qur'ān into Japanese, however, amply bespeaks a genuinely religious interest in Islam, an impression that is corroborated by a look at the sociopolitical contexts of the translations and the biographical backgrounds of the translators. While explicitly anti-modern, anti-Western, and anti-Christian notions were at work in these broadly pan-Asianist Japanese appropriations of Islam, an analysis of the terminology used in the translations shows that, ironically, Christian precedents were not easily overcome.
Reduction of benzimidazole resistance in established Haemonchus contortus populations in goats using a single infection with a benzimidazole-susceptible isolate
Authors: Chan-Pérez J.I. , Torres-Acosta J.F.J. , Rodríguez-Vivas R.I. , Villegas-Pérez S.L.
Published: September 2014

An in vivo study in goats evaluated the effect of superimposing a single artificial infection with a benzimidazole (BZ)-susceptible Haemonchus contortus isolate upon established H. contortus populations of known BZ resistance by measuring the phenotypic BZ resistance of eggs collected from faeces before and after re-infection. Two H. contortus isolates, one benzimidazole resistant (BZR) and the other susceptible (BZS), were used to infect worm-free goats. Eight goats were initially infected with 2000 third-stage larvae (L3). In each case the inoculum contained a pre-determined proportion of the two isolates: 100% BZS (one goat), 75% BZS/25% BZR (two goats), 50% BZS/50% BZR (two goats), 25%BZS/75% BZR (two goats) and, finally, 100% BZR (one goat). The phenotypic BZ susceptibility of the H. contortus population formed in each goat after the first infection was determined on days 30 and 36 post-infection using an egg-hatch assay (EHA) that estimated the concentration of thiabendazole (TBZ) required for 95% inhibition of larval hatching (EC95) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). On day 49 post-infection, goats were re-infected with 2000 L3 of the BZS isolate alone. A second set of EHA bioassays was performed 28 days and 34 days after re-infection. The first infection protocol produced three populations classified as BZS (EC95 0.055–0.065 μg TBZ/ml) while four were categorized as BZR (EC95 0.122–0.344 μg TBZ/ml). The status of one other population could not be determined. After re-infection with BZS L3, the number of susceptible populations increased to six (EC95 0.043–0.074 μg TBZ/ml) while the remaining two were deemed resistant (EC95 0.114–119 μg TBZ/ml). Re-infection with BZS L3 thereby reduced the resistance status of most H. contortus populations.
Bioinformatics in otolaryngology research. Part one: concepts in DNA sequencing and gene expression analysis
Authors: Ow T J , Upadhyay K , Belbin T J , Prystowsky M B , Ostrer H , Smith R V
Published: September 2014

Background:

Advances in high-throughput molecular biology, genomics and epigenetics, coupled with exponential increases in computing power and data storage, have led to a new era in biological research and information. Bioinformatics, the discipline devoted to storing, analysing and interpreting large volumes of biological data, has become a crucial component of modern biomedical research. Research in otolaryngology has evolved along with these advances.

Objectives:

This review highlights several modern high-throughput research methods, and focuses on the bioinformatics principles necessary to carry out such studies. Several examples from recent literature pertinent to otolaryngology are provided. The review is divided into two parts; this first part discusses the bioinformatics approaches applied in nucleotide sequencing and gene expression analysis.

Conclusion:

This paper demonstrates how high-throughput nucleotide sequencing and transcriptomics are changing biology and medicine, and describes how these changes are affecting otorhinolaryngology. Sound bioinformatics approaches are required to obtain useful information from the vast new sources of data.
The rebellion of Zhang Yuxian 張遇賢 (942–943)
Authors: Kurz Johannes L.
Published: September 2014

This paper is about a rebellion in southern China in the first half of the tenth century and its depiction in historical sources from the tenth to the seventeenth centuries. At the core of this study is Zhang Yuxian, the rebel leader, and his allegiance to a spirit. The latter suggested moving from Guangdong, the territory of the Southern Han empire (917–971), and the original area of the rebellion, to Jiangxi, the territory of the Southern Tang empire (937–976). The approach of the paper is twofold: first, it examines the historical setting and context; and second, through a close reading of some of the major features of the sources, such as the labelling of Zhang as ayaozei, the adoption of red clothes by the rebels, and so forth, the essay makes evident the close relationship and dependency between successive historical texts.
REGULAR VARIATION AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF GENERALIZED ACCELERATED FAILURE-TIME MODELS
Authors: Abbring Jaap H. , Ridder Geert
Published: September 2014

Ridder (1990,Review of Economic Studies57, 167–182) provides an identification result for the Generalized Accelerated Failure-Time (GAFT) model. We point out that Ridder’s proof of this result is incomplete, and provide an amended proof with an additional necessary and sufficient condition that requires that a function varies regularly at 0 and ∞. We also give more readily interpretable sufficient conditions on the tails of the error distribution or the asymptotic behavior of the transformation of the dependent variable. The sufficient conditions are shown to encompass all previous results on the identification of the Mixed Proportional Hazards (MPH) model. Thus, this paper not only clarifies, but also unifies the literature on the nonparametric identification of the GAFT and MPH models.
The Campaign for Islamic Law in Fiji: Comparison, Codification, Application
Authors: Koya Riyad Sadiq
Published: September 2014

In September 1939, Fiji's Legislative Council debated a testamentary disposition bill, patterned after the English Inheritance (Family Provision) Act of 1938. The bill's introduction followed a routine procedure of the transplantation of English legislation to colonial jurisdictions. The bill empowered the court to modify wills in which the testator had deprived the spouse and children of reasonable maintenance. As debate ensued, Said Hasan, the recently nominated Muslim Member of the Legislative Council, rose to offer his support. He noted that the bill gave partial effect to “the underlying principle of Mohammedan law.” The “policy” of Mohammedan law, he argued, was to prevent the testator from interfering with the devolution of property to family members in “fixed and definite shares.” A testator was entitled to will only a “bequeathable third” of the estate beyond the fixed shares assigned to dependents. Hasan further declared that the bill was a “tacit admission” of the injustice suffered by dependents excluded from their rightful share in family property.
Predictability of the Call Triage Protocol to Detect if Dispatchers Should Activate Community First Responders
Authors: Narikawa Kenji , Sakamoto Tetsuya , Kubota Katsuaki , Suzukawa Masayuki , Yonekawa Chikara , Yamashita Keisuke , Toyokuni Yoshiki , Yasuda Yasuharu , Kobayashi Akihiro , Iijima Kazunori
Published: September 2014

Introduction

Shortening response time to an emergency call leads to the success of resuscitation by chest compression and defibrillation. However, response by ambulance or fire truck is not fast enough for resuscitation in Japan. In rural areas, response times can be more than 10 minutes. One possible way to shorten the response time is to establish a system of first responders (eg, police officers or firefighters) who are trained appropriately to perform resuscitation. Another possible way is to use a system of Community First Responders (CFRs) who are trained neighbors. At present, there are no call triage protocols to decide if dispatchers should activate CFRs.

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the predictability to detect if dispatchers should activate CFRs.

Methods

Two CFR call triage protocols (CFR protocol Ver.0 and Ver.1) were established. The predictability of CFR protocols was examined by comparing the paramedic field reports. From the results of sensitivity of CFR protocol, the numbers of annual CFR activations were calculated. All data were collected, prospectively, for four months from October 1, 2012 through January 31, 2013.

Results

The ROC-AUC values appear slightly higher in CFR protocol Ver.1 (0.857; 95% CI, 79.8-91.7) than in CFR protocol Ver.0 (0.847; 95% CI, 79.0-90.3). The number of annual CFR activations is higher in CFR protocol Ver.0 (7.47) than in CFR protocol Ver.1 (5.45).

Conclusion

Two call triage protocols have almost the same predictability as the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS). The study indicates that CFR protocol Ver.1 is better than CFR protocol Ver.0 because of the higher predictability and low number of activations. Also, it indicates that CFRs who are not medical professionals can respond to a patient with cardiac arrest.

NarikawaK, SakamotoT, KubotaK, SuzukawaM, YonekawaC, YamashitaK, ToyokuniY, YasudaY, KobayashiA, IijimaK. Predictability of the call triage protocol to detect if dispatchers should activate Community First Responders. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(5):1-5.
DEFAULT RISK PREMIA ON GOVERNMENT BONDS IN A QUANTITATIVE MACROECONOMIC MODEL
Authors: Juessen Falko , Linnemann Ludger , Schabert Andreas
Published: September 2014

We develop a macroeconomic model in which the government does not guarantee to repay debt. We ask whether movements in the price of government bonds can be rationalized by lenders' unwillingness to fully roll over debt when the outstanding level of debt exceeds the government's repayment capacity. Investors do not support a Ponzi game in this case, but ration credit supply, thus forcing default at an endogenously determined fractional repayment rate. Interest rates on government bonds reflect expectations of this event. Numerical results show that default premia can emerge at moderately high debt-to-GDP ratios where even small changes in fundamentals lead to steeply rising interest rates. The behavior of risk premia broadly accords with recent observations for several European countries that experienced a worsening of fundamental fiscal conditions.
Visualizing mass transport in desorption electrospray ionization using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry: a look at the geometric configuration of the spray
Authors: Muramoto Shin
Published: September 2014

The desorption profile of analyte molecules desorbed by desorption electrospray ionization was imaged and characterized using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry.
Charge-transfer interactions for the fabrication of multifunctional viral nanoparticles
Authors: Hu Jun , Wang Peiyi , Zhao Xia , Lv Lin , Yang Song , Song Baoan , Wang Qian
Published: September 2014

In this paper, a facile strategy to fabricate multifunctional viral nanoparticles was described by introducing charge-transfer interactions between a pyrenyl motif with dinitrophenyl and pyridinium-contained guest molecules.
Kinetic study of the heterogeneous photocatalysis of porous nanocrystalline TiO2 assemblies using a continuous random walk simulation
Authors: Liu Baoshun , Zhao Xiujian
Published: September 2014

The Monte Carlo continuous time random walk method was used to study the photocatalytic kinetics of nanocrystalline TiO2 materials in this research.
A two rotor model with spin for magnetic nanoparticles
Authors: Hatada Keisuke , Hayakawa Kuniko , Marcelli Augusto , Palumbo Fabrizio
Published: September 2014

We argue that a kind of magnetic nanoparticle might exist characterized by the locking of the constituent spins with the density profile of the macrospin.
One-pot synthesis of (R)-2-acetoxy-1-indanone from 1,2-indanedione combining metal catalyzed hydrogenation and chemoenzymatic dynamic kinetic resolution
Authors: Långvik Otto , Sandberg Thomas , Wärnå Johan , Murzin Dmitry Yu. , Leino Reko
Published: September 2014

A heterogeneously catalyzed one-pot reaction for synthesis of (R)-2-acetoxy-1-indanone is described.
The impact of mastication, salivation and food bolus formation on salt release during bread consumption
Authors: Tournier Carole , Grass Manon , Septier Chantal , Bertrand Dominique , Salles Christian
Published: September 2014

Health authorities recommend higher fibre and lower salt content in bread products.
Innovative combined dry fractionation technologies for rice straw valorization to biofuels
Authors: Chuetor Santi , Luque Rafael , Barron Cécile , Solhy Abderrahim , Rouau Xavier , Barakat Abdellatif
Published: September 2014

Development of an innovative lignocellulosic biorefinery: milling combined with electrostatic (EF-T) and turbo (TF-T) fractionation technologies of lignocellulose biomass. EF-T and TF-T appear to be interesting technologies for biofuel production from waste feedstocks (e.g. rice straw) without any chemical or water inputs and minimizing waste generation.
Modelling ligand selectivity of serine proteases using integrative proteochemometric approaches improves model performance and allows the multi-target dependent interpretation of features
Authors: Ain Qurrat U. , Méndez-Lucio Oscar , Ciriano Isidro Cortés , Malliavin Thérèse , van Westen Gerard J. P. , Bender Andreas
Published: September 2014

Predicting ligand selectivity of serine proteases by integrating biological and chemical similarity into proteochemometric modelling approaches.
Lewis acid promoted construction of chromen-4-one and isoflavone scaffolds via regio- and chemoselective domino Friedel–Crafts acylation/Allan–Robinson reaction
Authors: Chanda Tanmoy , Chowdhury Sushobhan , Koley Suvajit , Anand Namrata , Singh Maya Shankar
Published: September 2014

An efficient one-pot synthesis of chromen-4-ones and isoflavones is achieved directly from phenols via the regio- and chemoselective domino Friedel–Crafts acylation/Allan–Robinson reaction.
Robust asymmetric synthesis of unnatural alkenyl amino acids for conformationally constrained α-helix peptides
Authors: Aillard Boris , Robertson Naomi S. , Baldwin Adam R. , Robins Siobhan , Jamieson Andrew G.
Published: September 2014

The efficient asymmetric synthesis of unnatural alkenyl amino acids required for peptide ‘stapling’ has been achieved using alkylation of a fluorine-modified NiII Schiff base complex as the key step.
An efficient noble metal-free Ce–Sm/SiO2 nano-oxide catalyst for oxidation of benzylamines under ecofriendly conditions
Authors: Sudarsanam Putla , Rangaswamy A. , Reddy Benjaram M.
Published: September 2014

Nanosized Ce–Sm/SiO2 mixed oxide is an efficient reusable noble metal-free catalyst for aerobic oxidation of benzylamines.
Composite free-standing films of polydopamine/polyethyleneimine grown at the air/water interface
Authors: Yang Hao-Cheng , Xu Wei , Du Yong , Wu Jian , Xu Zhi-Kang
Published: September 2014

A polydopamie/polyethyleneimine composite free-standing film is obtained via a facile oxidation and cross-linking process at the air/solution interface.
Luminescent group 12 metal tetracarboxylate networks as probe for metal ions
Authors: Ren Hai-Yun , Han Cai-Yun , Qu Mei , Zhang Xian-Ming
Published: September 2014

Hydrothermalin situdecomposition of DMF generated three [NH2(CH3)2]+templated anionic zinc and cadmium terphenyl-3,2′′,5′′,3′-tetracarboxylate frameworks, which show tunable luminescence in the presence of metal ions. In particular,1could be a luminescent sensor for selectively detecting traces of Ca2+ions at ppm level in a pyridine suspension.
Fabrication of TiO2 nanotube arrays and their application in flexible dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Liu Yueli , Cheng Yuqing , Chen Keqiang , Peng Zhuoyin , Yang Guojie , Zakharova Galina S. , Chen Wen
Published: September 2014

Transferring and fabrication process of the flexible TiO2 nanotubes arrays solar cells.
Extraction mechanism and γ-radiation effect on the removal of Eu3+ by a novel BTPhen/[Cnmim][NTf2] system in the presence of nitric acid
Authors: Zhou Hanyang , Ao Yinyong , Yuan Jie , Peng Jing , Li Jiuqiang , Zhai Maolin
Published: September 2014

The extraction mechanism of Eu3+ by using BTPhen/[Cnmim][NTf2] (n = 2, 4, 8) was investigated in the presence of nitric acid, and the new extraction system shows high radiation stability.
Multifunctional nanocomposite Fe3O4@SiO2–mPD/SP for selective removal of Pb(ii) and Cr(vi) from aqueous solutions
Authors: Tan Lisha , Xu Jiang , Xue Xiaoqin , Lou Zimo , Zhu Jin , Baig Shams Ali , Xu Xinhua
Published: September 2014

Silica-coated magnetite (Fe3O4@SiO2) nanoparticles functionalized with amino, imino and sulfonic groups (Fe3O4@SiO2–mPD/SP) were successfully synthesized via a facile chemical oxidative polymerization of m-phenylenediamine (mPD) and m-sulfophenylenediamine-4-sulfonic acid (SP) monomers, and utilized for selective removal of Pb(ii) and Cr(vi) from aqueous solutions.
Photogalvanic cells: comparative study of various synthetic dyes and natural photo sensitizers present in spinach extract
Authors: Koli Pooran
Published: September 2014

Photogalvanic cells (PG) are dye sensitized solution based solar power generation and storage devices.
Hierarchically designed ZnO nanostructure based high performance gas sensors
Authors: Alenezi Mohammad R. , Alzanki T. H. , Almeshal A. M. , Alshammari A. S. , Beliatis M. J. , Henley S. J. , Silva S. R. P.
Published: September 2014

Enhanced gas sensing properties of ZnO were achieved by designing hierarchical nanostructures with high surface-to-volume ratios and more exposed polar facets.
Effect of surface chemistry on the double layer capacitance of polypyrrole-derived ordered mesoporous carbon
Authors: Shrestha Sujan , Morse Nicholas , Mustain William E.
Published: September 2014

In this work, the effect of nitrogen on the double layer (DL) capacitance of nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbon (NOMC) is studied.
Matrix coating assisted by an electric field (MCAEF) for enhanced tissue imaging by MALDI-MS
Authors: Wang Xiaodong , Han Jun , Yang Juncong , Pan Jingxi , Borchers Christoph H.
Published: September 2014

A novel technique, termed matrix coating assisted by an electric field (MCAEF) for enhancing tissue imaging by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) was developed in this study.