bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atomic‐Level Mechanisms of Nucleation of Pure Liquid Metals during Rapid Cooling
Authors: Han Jiajia , Wang Cuiping , Liu Xingjun , Wang Yi , Liu Zi‐Kui , Jiang Jianzhong
Published: October 2015

To obtain a material with the desired performance, the atomic‐level mechanisms of nucleation from the liquid to solid phase must be understood. Although this transition has been investigated experimentally and theoretically, its atomic‐level mechanisms remain debatable. In this work, the nucleation mechanisms of pure Fe under rapid cooling conditions are investigated. The local atomic packing stability and liquid‐to‐solid transition‐energy pathways of Fe are studied using molecular dynamics simulations and first‐principle calculations. The results are expressed as functions of cluster size in units of amorphous clusters (ACs) and body‐centered cubic crystalline clusters (BCC‐CCs). We found the prototypes of ACs in supercooled liquids and successfully divided these ACs to three categories according to their transition‐energy pathways. The information obtained in this study could contribute to our current understanding of the crystallization of metallic melts during rapid cooling.
Photoluminescence and Photocatalytic Properties of Ag3PO4 Microcrystals: An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation
Authors: Botelho Gleice , Andres Juan , Gracia Lourdes , Matos Leandro S. , Longo Elson
Published: October 2015

The structural, morphological, and optical properties of Ag3PO4 microcrystals were systematically characterized by using a combination of theoretical calculations and experimental techniques. These microcrystals were synthesized by the microwave‐assisted hydrothermal (MAH) method. XRD, Rietveld refinements, and FTIR spectroscopy were employed to carry out a structural analysis; the morphologies of the microcrystals were examined by FEG‐SEM. First‐principles computational studies were used to calculate the geometries of bulk Ag3PO4 and its (010), (100), (001), (110), (101), (011), and (111) surfaces. A continuous decrease in the energy of the (100) surface led to a good agreement between the experimental and theoretical morphologies. Optical properties were investigated by UV/Vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) measurements, which revealed a maximum PL emission at λ=444 nm. The MAH‐synthesized sample exhibited good activity for the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange dye under visible irradiation. The photocatalytic activity and PL behavior were correlated with the observed morphology.
Optimal transistor sizing for maximum yield in variation‐aware standard cell design
Authors: Abbas Zia , Olivieri Mauro
Published: October 2015

Process variability, in addition to wide temperature and supply voltage variation ranges, severely degrades the fabrication outcome (yield) of digital cells as for the fulfillment of performance specification bounds. This paper presents the application of mathematical optimization to the design of standard cells that are robust to process variations even in worst‐case operating conditions. The method attains the optimal sizing of individual transistors in the cell for maximizing the statistical yield referring to leakage power and propagation delay bounds, with local and global process variations specified by industrial process development kits (PDKs). The approach is demonstrated for a 40 nm low‐power standard threshold voltage Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology, for an intended operating temperature range [−40 °C, 125 °C] and supply voltage range [0.95 V, 1.05 V]. The reported optimization results show a yield improvement from an initial 50% to 99.9%, and Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE)‐level Monte Carlo analysis confirmed the estimated yield of the obtained circuits. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CD1c(+) myeloid dendritic cells in myeloid neoplasia
Authors: Meyerson Howard J. , Osei Ebenezer , Schweitzer Karen , Blidaru Georgetta , Edinger Alison , Schlegelmilch June , Awadallah Amad , Goyal Tanu
Published: October 2015

We determined the normal level and phenotype of CD1c(+) myeloid dendritic cells (MDCs) in blood and bone marrow and evaluated the level of CD1c(+) MDCs in 295 myeloid neoplasms. CD1c(+) MDCs were increased above the mean level of non‐neoplastic hospital controls in 18.0% (53/295) of myeloid malignancies, increased three standard deviations above the control mean in 14.2% (42/295) with a 10‐fold or more increase compared to mean in 6.8% (20/295). Increased CD1c(+) MDCs were associated with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) (12/24, 50%) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (31/140, 22%) with a strong association with AML with the inv(16) cytogenetic abnormality. The cells were not increased in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and rarely increased in non‐CML myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Immunohistochemical staining of cases with increased CD1c(+) MDCs did not reveal clustering of the cells unlike that observed with myeloid neoplasms associated with increased plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Our findings indicate CD1c(+) MDC elevations are not uncommon in myeloid leukemias and are associated with CMML and AML, particularly AML with inv(16). © 2015 International Clinical Cytometry Society
Electrocatalytic Study of Efficient Synthesized Graphene Nanosheets Incorporated with Pt Nanoparticles for Methanol Oxidation Reaction
Authors: Fahrul Radzi Hanifah Mohamad , Jaafar Juhana , Aziz Madzlan , Ismail A. F. , Thirmizir M. Z. A. , Othman M. H. D. , Rahman Mukhlis A. , Yusof N.
Published: October 2015

Graphene nanosheets/Pt (GNS/Pt) nanocomposite was successfully fabricated via clean chemical reduction method. The nanocomposite was characterized by X‐ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope and high resolution transmission electron microscope, which revealed that Pt nanoparticles were completely formed and homogenously distributed on the GNS. The electrochemical activities of the catalysts were investigated by cyclic voltammogram. The experimental results showed that GNS/Pt nanocomposites catalyst exhibited superior electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation. These results suggest that GNS/Pt nanocomposites would be a promising anode catalyst for DMFC.
Diamond as Advanced Material for Scanning Probe Microscopy Tips
Authors: Kranz Christine
Published: October 2015

Synthetic diamond and conductive, doped forms of diamond are ideally suited materials for scanning probe microscopy tips due to their inherent physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. In particular for atomic force microscopy (AFM) and related techniques, which require a conductive tip in permanent contact to the sample surface, boron‐doped diamond (BDD) is an excellent material. Only few examples have so far been demonstrated using boron‐doped diamond microelectrodes as probes for scanning electrochemical microscopy (SEM) or AFM‐SECM. This review focuses on the state‐of‐the‐art using diamond‐coated SPM tips and conductive boron‐doped diamond as probe material discussing advantages and disadvantages.
Magneto‐switchable Electrodes and Electrochemical Systems
Authors: Katz Evgeny
Published: October 2015

This article is an overview of extensive research efforts in many laboratories in the last two decades in the area of magneto‐switchable electrochemical systems. Electrochemical reactions, including electrocatalytic and bioelectrocatalytic processes, have been reversibly activated and inhibited upon physical translocation and reorientation of different magnetic micro/nano‐species on electrode surfaces, particularly using magnetic micro/nanoparticles, adaptive nanowires and hybrid‐graphene sheets. These processes were triggered by repositioning an external magnet, thus resulting in changes in magnetic field at the electrode interfaces. Coupling of the magneto‐activated electrochemical systems with enzymatic reactions of various complexity allowed sophisticated bioelectronic devices for tunable biosensing, on‐demand power production, unconventional computing and other novel bioelectronic applications.
Characterisation of odour‐active compounds in cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.) fruit
Authors: Pino Jorge A. , Roncal Elda
Published: October 2015

Optimized solid‐phase microextraction GC‐Olfactometry, and solvent‐assisted flavour evaporation, combined with aroma extract dilution analysis and with the determination of odour activity values by quantitative GC‐FID and GC‐MS were used to analyse volatile compounds from cherimoya fruit and to estimate the most odour‐active compounds. The analysis led to the identification of 92 compounds, 78 of them were positively identified. 18 odourants were considered as potentially odour‐active compounds and contribute to the typical cherimoya aroma, from which 3‐methylbutyl butanoate, α‐pinene, methyl 2‐methylbutanoate, butyl butanoate, and 3‐methylbutyl 3‐methylbutanoate were the most odour‐active compounds. HS‐SPME‐GC‐O has a great potential as fast and simple tool to control and assess aroma quality of cherimoya fruit. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Energy dissipative characteristic schemes for the diffusive Oldroyd‐B viscoelastic fluid
Authors: Lukáčová ‐ Medvid'ová Mária , Notsu Hirofumi , She Bangwei
Published: October 2015

In this paper, we propose new energy dissipative characteristic numerical methods for the approximation of diffusive Oldroyd‐B equations that are based either on the finite element or finite difference discretization. We prove energy stability of both schemes and illustrate their behavior on a series of numerical experiments. Using both the diffusive model and the logarithmic transformation of the elastic stress, we are able to obtain methods that converge as mesh parameter is refined. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Authenticity of raspberry flavor in food products using SPME‐chiral‐GC‐MS
Authors: Hansen Anne‐Mette S. , Frandsen Henrik L. , Fromberg Arvid
Published: October 2015

A fast and simple method for authenticating raspberry flavors from food products was developed. The two enantiomers of the compound (E)‐α‐ionone from raspberry flavor were separated on a chiral gas chromatographic column. Based on the ratio of these two enantiomers, the naturalness of a raspberry flavor can be evaluated due to the fact that a natural flavor will consist almost exclusively of the R enantiomer, while a chemical synthesis of the same compound will result in a racemic mixture. Twenty‐seven food products containing raspberry flavors where investigated using SPME‐chiral‐GC‐MS. We found raspberry jam, dried raspberries, and sodas declared to contain natural aroma all contained almost only R‐(E)‐α‐ionone supporting the content of natural raspberry aroma. Six out of eight sweets tested did not indicate a content of natural aroma on the labeling which was in agreement with the almost equal distribution of the R and S isomer. Two products were labeled to contain natural raspberry flavors but were found to contain almost equal amounts of both enantiomers indicating a presence of synthetic raspberry flavors only. Additionally, two products that were labeled to contain both raspberry juice and flavor showed equal amounts of both enantiomers, indicating the presence of synthetic flavor.
On the Intraday Relation Between the VIX and its Futures
Authors: Frijns Bart , Tourani‐Rad Alireza , Webb Robert I.
Published: October 2015

We study the intraday dynamics of the VIX and VIX futures for the period January 2, 2008 to December 31, 2014. Considering first the results of a Vector Autoregression (VAR) using daily data, we observe that there is some evidence of causality from VIX futures to the VIX. Estimating a VAR using our ultra‐high frequency data, we find strong evidence for bi‐directional Granger causality between the VIX and the VIX futures. Overall, this effect appears to be stronger from VIX futures to the VIX than the other way around. Impulse response functions and variance decompositions confirm the dominance of the VIX futures. Lastly, we show that the causality from the VIX futures to the VIX has been increasing over our sample period, whereas the reverse causality has been decreasing. We observe that the VIX futures have become increasingly more important in the pricing of volatility. We further document that the VIX futures dominate the VIX more on days with negative returns, and on days with high values of the VIX, suggesting that those are the days when investors use VIX futures to hedge their positions rather than trading in the S&P500 index options. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 36:870–886, 2016
Does the Size of the Effect of Adverse Events at High Ages on Daily‐Life Physical Functioning Depend on the Economic Conditions Around Birth?
Authors: Scholte Robert , van den Berg Gerard J. , Lindeboom Maarten , Deeg Dorly J.H.
Published: October 2015

This paper considers determinants of physical functional limitations in daily‐life activities at high ages. Specifically, we quantify the extent to which the impact of adverse life events on this outcome is larger in case of exposure to adverse economic conditions early in life. Adverse life events include bereavement, severe illness in the family, and the onset of chronic diseases. We use a longitudinal data set of individuals born in the first decades of the 20th century. The business cycle around birth is used as an indicator of economic conditions early in life. We find that the extent to which functional limitations suffer from the onset of chronic diseases is larger if the individual was born in a recession. The long‐run effect of economic conditions early in life on functional limitations at high ages runs primarily via this life event. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anomalous drip in the Punkva caves (Moravian Karst): relevant implications for paleoclimatic proxies
Authors: Pracný Pavel , Faimon Jiří , Sracek Ondra , Kabelka Ludvík , Hebelka Jiří
Published: October 2015

The anomalous drip in the Punkva caves (Moravian Karst) shows specific hydrogeochemical properties such as low SIcalcite ~ 0.14 ± 0.11 (standard deviation), low mineralization (4.53 ± 0.42) × 10−3 mol l−1, and enhanced values of δ13C (−7.85 to −8.35‰ VPDB), Mg/Ca × 1000 ratio (45.7 ± 3.3), and Sr/Ca × 1000 ratio (0.65 ± 0.06). By these properties, the anomalous drip significantly differs from other regular drips in the same cave and other caves in the region. The study suggests that the anomalous drip properties are a consequence of prior calcite precipitation or/and water mixing along the water flow path. As the former processes are spatially controlled, the knowledge of dripwater flow path seems to be necessary for correct paleoclimatic/paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Silver/silver chloride microneedles can detect penetration through the round window membrane
Authors: Wazen Joseph M. , Stevens James P. , Watanabe Hirobumi , Kysar Jeffrey W. , Lalwani Anil K.
Published: October 2015

Hypothesis: Silver‐plated microneedles can be used to confirm penetration of semi‐permeable membranes such as the round window membrane (RWM) by detection of voltage change at the moment of perforation. Background: The introduction of microperforations in the RWM can significantly enhance intracochlear delivery of therapeutics. However, the moment of needle penetration through the RWM cannot be reliably detected by visualization or sensation alone. We explore the ability of electrochemical detection of penetration in defining the precise instant a microneedle enters the inner ear. Methods: 0.2 mm diameter stainless steel Minutien pins were electroplated with copper, then silver. Pins were then soaked in bleach for 24 h to complete Ag/AgCl plating. Experiments were performed using a 3 mL Franz cell diffusion system with 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5% saline solution in the donor chamber and artificial perilymph solution in the receptor chamber separated by 5‐μm pore synthetic membrane. Continuous voltage measurements were made throughout the process of membrane penetration by the microneedle (N = 6 for each saline concentration). Results: Silver‐plated needles were able to detect an instantaneous change in voltage when traversing the membrane from saline solution into artificial perilymph. As calculated, the magnitude of the change in voltage upon penetration increased with increasing saline concentration and was stable across trials. Conclusion: Ag/AgCl coated microneedles are effective in detecting the moment of penetration across semi‐permeable membranes. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 307–311, 2017.
Spin‐orbit ZORA and four‐component Dirac–Coulomb estimation of relativistic corrections to isotropic nuclear shieldings and chemical shifts of noble gas dimers
Authors: Jankowska Marzena , Kupka Teobald , Stobiński Leszek , Faber Rasmus , Lacerda Evanildo G. , Sauer Stephan P. A.
Published: October 2015

Hartree–Fock and density functional theory with the hybrid B3LYP and general gradient KT2 exchange‐correlation functionals were used for nonrelativistic and relativistic nuclear magnetic shielding calculations of helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon dimers and free atoms. Relativistic corrections were calculated with the scalar and spin‐orbit zeroth‐order regular approximation Hamiltonian in combination with the large Slater‐type basis set QZ4P as well as with the four‐component Dirac–Coulomb Hamiltonian using Dyall's acv4z basis sets. The relativistic corrections to the nuclear magnetic shieldings and chemical shifts are combined with nonrelativistic coupled cluster singles and doubles with noniterative triple excitations [CCSD(T)] calculations using the very large polarization‐consistent basis sets aug‐pcSseg‐4 for He, Ne and Ar, aug‐pcSseg‐3 for Kr, and the AQZP basis set for Xe. For the dimers also, zero‐point vibrational (ZPV) corrections are obtained at the CCSD(T) level with the same basis sets were added. Best estimates of the dimer chemical shifts are generated from these nuclear magnetic shieldings and the relative importance of electron correlation, ZPV, and relativistic corrections for the shieldings and chemical shifts is analyzed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Protein folds recognized by an intelligent predictor based‐on evolutionary and structural information
Authors: Cheung Ngaam J. , Ding Xue‐Ming , Shen Hong‐Bin
Published: October 2015

Protein fold recognition is an important and essential step in determining tertiary structure of a protein in biological science. In this study, a model termed NiRecor is developed for recognizing protein folds based on artificial neural networks incorporated in an adaptive heterogeneous particle swarm optimizer. The main contribution of NiRecor is that it is a data‐driven and highly‐performing predictor without manually tuning control parameters for different data sets. In biological science, since evolutionary‐ and structure‐based information of amino acid sequences is greatly important in determination of tertiary structure of a protein, accordingly, in NiRecor we employ two different feature sets, which involve position specific scoring matrix and secondary structure prediction matrix, to predict the structural classes of protein folds. The experimental results demonstrate the proposed method is powerful in predicting protein folds with higher precisions by improvements of 1.1 ∼7.8 percentages on three benchmark datasets by comparing with several existing predictors. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tight Co‐Degree Condition for Packing of Loose Cycles in 3‐Graphs
Authors: Czygrinow Andrzej
Published: October 2015

We show that for every even integer there is n0 such that, if H is a 3‐uniform hypergraph on , vertices such that the minimum co‐degree of H is at least , then H can be tiled with copies of a loose cycle on s vertices. The co‐degree condition is tight.
A review of chromatographic methods for the determination of water‐ and fat‐soluble vitamins in biological fluids
Authors: Karaźniewicz‐Łada Marta , Główka Anna
Published: October 2015

Vitamins are an essential element of nutrition and thus contribute to human health. Vitamins catalyze many biochemical reactions and their lack or excess can cause health problems. Therefore, monitoring vitamin concentrations in plasma or other biological fluids may be useful in the diagnosis of various disorders as well as in the treatment process. Several chromatographic methods have been developed for the determination of these compounds in biological samples, including high‐performance liquid chromatography with UV and fluorescence detection. Recently, high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry methods have been widely used for the determination of vitamins in complex matrices because of their high sensitivity and selectivity. This method requires preconditioning of samples for analysis, including protein precipitation and/or various extraction techniques. The choice of method may depend on the desired cost, convenience, turnaround time, specificity, and accuracy of the information to be obtained. This article reviews the recently reported chromatographic methods used for determination of vitamins in biological fluids. Relevant papers published mostly during the last 5 years were identified by an extensive PubMed search using appropriate keywords. Particular attention was given to the preparation steps and extraction techniques. This report may be helpful in the selection of procedures that are appropriate for certain types of biological materials and analytes.
Stereotactic anatomical localization in complex sinus surgery: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Vreugdenburg Thomas D. , Lambert Robyn S. , Atukorale Yasoba N. , Cameron Alun L.
Published: October 2015

Objective

It is recognized that stereotactic anatomical localization (SAL) is a useful tool in endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), but it may be most beneficial for complex rather than routine sinus procedures. This review sought to determine the safety and efficacy of SAL in complex indications for ESS.

Data Sources

PubMed, EMBASE, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception up to April 4, 2014.

Review Methods

English studies comparing ESS with and without SAL in complex cases were included. Complex surgery included revision surgery, inverted papilloma, extensive sinus disease, or biopsy of tumors that are not exophytic. Safety outcomes included total, major, minor, orbital, dural, and major hemorrhage complications. Efficacy outcomes included operation completion, revision surgery, and patient‐reported outcomes. Meta‐analysis generated fixed‐effects Mantel‐Haenszel odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI).

Results

A total of 2,381 studies were identified, of which nine met the inclusion criteria. Meta‐analyses indicated a reduction in the likelihood of total (OR = 0.58; 95% CI, 0.37–0.92), major (OR = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.18–0.75), and orbital complications (OR = 0.38; 95% CI, 0.17–0.83). There was no demonstrated benefit of SAL at reducing revision surgery (OR = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.38–1.08), major hemorrhage (OR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.29–2.06), or minor complications (OR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.48–1.50).

Conclusion

Due to the rare outcomes under investigation, the included primary studies largely lacked the power to identify a statistically meaningful effect of SAL in ESS. However, meta‐analyses of primary studies demonstrated a decreased likelihood of total, major, and orbital complications in complex ESS with the use of SAL. Laryngoscope, 126:51–59, 2016
Block Copolymer Micelle Nanotubes by the Solvent‐Annealing‐Induced Nanowetting in Anodic Aluminum Oxide Templates
Authors: Yao I‐Chun , Cheng Ming‐Hsiang , Chen Jiun‐Tai
Published: October 2015

Block copolymer micelles are generally formed by the self‐assembly of amphiphilic copolymer molecules in aqueous medium. Although different types of block copolymer micelles have been studied, the self‐assembly behavior of block copolymer micelles in confined geometries have been rarely studied. In this work, the fabrication of polystyrene‐block‐poly(4‐vinylpyridine) (PS‐b‐P4VP) micelle nanotubes in the cylindrical nanopores of anodic aluminum oxide templates using a solvent‐annealing‐assisted wetting method is presented. The PS‐b‐P4VP chains wet the pore walls in the form of micelles when the sample is annealed in the vapor of toluene, a good solvent for PS and a nonsolvent for P4VP. The formation of the PS‐b‐P4VP micelle nanotubes instead of nanorods implies that the micelles wet the nanopores in the complete wetting regime. This study not only contributes to a deeper understanding of the self‐assembly behavior of block polymer micelles in confined geometries, but also provides more possible variations and design freedoms in the application of block copolymer micelles.

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Microbial responses to southward and northward Cambisol soil transplant
Authors: Wang Mengmeng , Liu Shanshan , Wang Feng , Sun Bo , Zhou Jizhong , Yang Yunfeng
Published: October 2015

Soil transplant serves as a proxy to simulate climate changes. Recently, we have shown that southward transplant of black soil and northward transplant of red soil altered soil microbial communities and biogeochemical variables. However, fundamental differences in soil types have prevented direct comparison between southward and northward transplants. To tackle it, herein we report an analysis of microbial communities of Cambisol soil in an agriculture field after 4 years of adaptation to southward and northward soil transplants over large transects. Analysis of bare fallow soils revealed concurrent increase in microbial functional diversity and coarse‐scale taxonomic diversity at both transplanted sites, as detected by GeoChip 3.0 and DGGE, respectively. Furthermore, a correlation between microbial functional diversity and taxonomic diversity was detected, which was masked in maize cropped soils. Mean annual temperature, soil moisture, and nitrate (NO3¯‐N) showed strong correlations with microbial communities. In addition, abundances of ammonium‐oxidizing genes (amoA) and denitrification genes were correlated with nitrification capacity and NO3¯‐N contents, suggesting that microbial responses to soil transplant could alter microbe‐mediated biogeochemical cycle at the ecosystem level.
Poor survival of Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus on inanimate objects in the public spaces
Authors: Domon Hisanori , Uehara Yoshio , Oda Masataka , Seo Hiromi , Kubota Noriko , Terao Yutaka
Published: October 2015

We investigated the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus on shopping baskets in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Multilocus sequence typing was performed to determine the genotypes of S. aureus isolates, and then a polymerase chain reaction method was used to detect staphylococcal enterotoxins and antibiotic resistance genes. In addition, desiccation tolerance of S. aureus isolates was evaluated in vitro. Forty‐six (6.2%) S. aureus isolates were collected from 740 shopping baskets, though only one MRSA strain was identified. In multilocus sequence typing findings, ten sequence types and 24 singletons were classified, which were divided into ten clonal complexes and six singletons. The most frequent staphylococcal enterotoxin gene was seg (30.4%). Our in vitro findings demonstrated that 70% of the S. aureus isolates, including the MRSA strain, became undetectable at 12 h after desiccation at an appropriate cell density, while the others remained viable for up to 24 h. Thus, it is difficult for MRSA organisms to survive on dry surfaces found in public areas. We speculated that inanimate objects in the community are unlikely to be a potential source for transmission of MRSA and that S. aureus on such objects outside of hospital settings is not a public health threat.
Learning More from Finger Tapping in Parkinson's Disease: Up and Down from Dyskinesia to Bradykinesia
Authors: Picillo Marina , Vincos Gustavo B. , Kern Drew S. , Fox Susan H. , Lang Anthony E. , Fasano Alfonso
Published: October 2015

The finger tapping test evaluates bradykinesia, focusing on decrement in rate, amplitude, or both with repetitive action. Vertical positioning of the hands during this task may also be clinically relevant. We developed a “TAP score,” measuring the vertical level above the lap where the patient performs the finger tapping ranging from 1 (task performed with the hand close to the lap) to 4 (above the head). In this pilot study, we retrospectively applied the TAP score in addition to usual motor scales during acute levodopa challenge in 123 PD patients (of whom 88 presented l‐dopa‐induced dyskinesia [LID]). TAP ON was higher than TAP OFF. Patients with LID presented higher TAP ON. TAP ON was related to LID severity, whereas TAP OFF was inversely related to the OFF motor symptoms. The TAP score may be a measure of proximal movement amplitude representing an easy method to evaluate defective or excessive motor output in patients with advanced disease.
On equivalence between the proportionate flow shop and single‐machine scheduling problems
Authors: Panwalkar S.S. , Koulamas Christos
Published: October 2015

We derive sufficient conditions which, when satisfied, guarantee that an optimal solution for a single‐machine scheduling problem is also optimal for the corresponding proportionate flow shop scheduling problem. We then utilize these sufficient conditions to show the solvability in polynomial time of numerous proportionate flow shop scheduling problems with fixed job processing times, position‐dependent job processing times, controllable job processing times, and also problems with job rejection. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 62: 595–603, 2015
Controlling the onset of numerical fracture in parallelized implementations of the material point method (MPM) with convective particle domain interpolation (CPDI) domain scaling
Authors: Homel Michael A. , Brannon Rebecca M. , Guilkey James
Published: October 2015

The material point method is well suited for large‐deformation problems in solid mechanics but requires modification to avoid cell‐crossing errors as well as extension instabilities that lead to numerical (nonphysical) fracture. A promising solution is convected particle domain interpolation (CPDI), in which the integration domain used to map data between particles and the background grid deforms with the particle, based on the material deformation gradient. While eliminating the extension instability can be a benefit, it is often desirable to allow material separation to avoid nonphysical stretching. Additionally, large stretches in material points can complicate parallel implementation of CPDI if a single particle domain spans multiple computational patches. A straightforward modification to the CPDI algorithm allows a user‐specified scaling of the particle integration domain to control the numerical fracture response, which facilitates parallelization. Combined with particle splitting, the method can accommodate materials with arbitrarily large failure strains. Used with a smeared damage/softening model, this approach will prevent nonphysical numerical fracture in situations where the material should remain intact, but the effect of a single velocity field on localization may still produce errors in the post‐failure response. Details are given for both 2‐D and 3‐D implementations of the scaling algorithm. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of explicit and semi‐explicit classes of model‐based algorithms for direct integration in structural dynamics
Authors: Kolay Chinmoy , Ricles James M.
Published: October 2015

The ‘model‐based’ algorithms available in the literature are primarily developed for the direct integration of the equations of motion for hybrid simulation in earthquake engineering, an experimental method where the system response is simulated by dividing it into a physical and an analytical domain. The term ‘model‐based’ indicates that the algorithmic parameters are functions of the complete model of the system to enable unconditional stability to be achieved within the framework of an explicit formulation. These two features make the model‐based algorithms also potential candidates for computations in structural dynamics. Based on the algorithmic difference equations, these algorithms can be classified as either explicit or semi‐explicit, where the former refers to the algorithms with explicit difference equations for both displacement and velocity, while the latter for displacement only. The algorithms pertaining to each class are reviewed, and a new family of second‐order unconditionally stable parametrically dissipative semi‐explicit algorithms is presented. Numerical characteristics of these two classes of algorithms are assessed under linear and nonlinear structural behavior. Representative numerical examples are presented to complement the analytical findings. The analysis and numerical examples demonstrate the advantages and limitations of these two classes of model‐based algorithms for applications in structural dynamics. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Treatment of Omethoate on Edible Wolfberry by Atmospheric Pressure Air Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge
Authors: Zong Zichao , Zhou Renwu , Liu Dongping , Song Ying , Niu Jinhai
Published: October 2015

In this study, the effect of atmospheric‐pressure air surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) on the degradation of Omethoate smeared edible wolfberry was investigated by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The degradation efficiency of SDBD on Omethoate is shown to be strongly dependent on the discharge voltage and plasma treatment time. The plasma‐induced degradation mechanisms were studied through identification of the intermediates or by‐products generated during SDBD plasma treatment. The results show that the degradation efficiency may be higher than 99% under the optimum discharge conditions, i.e., at the applied voltage of 10 kV and the treatment time of 30 min. It is concluded that the atmospheric‐pressure SDBD plasma may degrade pesticide residue into nontoxic species (such as PO43−, H2O, SO42−, and CO2) during the plasma treating process.
Amino acid positions subject to multiple coevolutionary constraints can be robustly identified by their eigenvector network centrality scores
Authors: Parente Daniel J. , Ray J. Christian J. , Swint‐Kruse Liskin
Published: October 2015

As proteins evolve, amino acid positions key to protein structure or function are subject to mutational constraints. These positions can be detected by analyzing sequence families for amino acid conservation or for coevolution between pairs of positions. Coevolutionary scores are usually rank‐ordered and thresholded to reveal the top pairwise scores, but they also can be treated as weighted networks. Here, we used network analyses to bypass a major complication of coevolution studies: For a given sequence alignment, alternative algorithms usually identify different, top pairwise scores. We reconciled results from five commonly‐used, mathematically divergent algorithms (ELSC, McBASC, OMES, SCA, and ZNMI), using the LacI/GalR and 1,6‐bisphosphate aldolase protein families as models. Calculations used unthresholded coevolution scores from which column‐specific properties such as sequence entropy and random noise were subtracted; “central” positions were identified by calculating various network centrality scores. When compared among algorithms, network centrality methods, particularly eigenvector centrality, showed markedly better agreement than comparisons of the top pairwise scores. Positions with large centrality scores occurred at key structural locations and/or were functionally sensitive to mutations. Further, the top central positions often differed from those with top pairwise coevolution scores: instead of a few strong scores, central positions often had multiple, moderate scores. We conclude that eigenvector centrality calculations reveal a robust evolutionary pattern of constraints—detectable by divergent algorithms—that occur at key protein locations. Finally, we discuss the fact that multiple patterns coexist in evolutionary data that, together, give rise to emergent protein functions. Proteins 2015; 83:2293–2306. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Survival probabilities with time‐dependent treatment indicator: quantities and non‐parametric estimators
Authors: Bernasconi Davide Paolo , Rebora Paola , Iacobelli Simona , Valsecchi Maria Grazia , Antolini Laura
Published: October 2015

The ‘landmark’ and ‘Simon and Makuch’ non‐parametric estimators of the survival function are commonly used to contrast the survival experience of time‐dependent treatment groups in applications such as stem cell transplant versus chemotherapy in leukemia. However, the theoretical survival functions corresponding to the second approach were not clearly defined in the literature, and the use of the ‘Simon and Makuch’ estimator was criticized in the biostatistical community.

Here, we review the ‘landmark’ approach, showing that it focuses on the average survival of patients conditional on being failure free and on the treatment status assessed at the landmark time. We argue that the ‘Simon and Makuch’ approach represents counterfactual survival probabilities where treatment status is forced to be fixed: the patient is thought as under chemotherapy without possibility to switch treatment or as under transplant since the beginning of the follow‐up. We argue that the ‘Simon and Makuch’ estimator leads to valid estimates only under the Markov assumption, which is however less likely to occur in practical applications. This motivates the development of a novel approach based on time rescaling, which leads to suitable estimates of the counterfactual probabilities in a semi‐Markov process. The method is also extended to deal with a fixed landmark time of interest. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The role of regimes in short‐term wind speed forecasting at multiple wind farms
Authors: Kazor Karen , Hering Amanda S.
Published: October 2015

Large‐scale integration of wind energy into electric utility systems requires accurate short‐term wind speed forecasts. At these horizons, statistical models that account for spatial and temporal information have demonstrated improved accuracy over both physical models and statistical models that ignore spatial information. Off‐site information can be incorporated by modelling wind speeds conditional on a set of regimes that capture the predominant wind patterns within a geographic region. Identifying these regimes is a crucial model‐building step. Herein, we propose a new forecasting method that relies on regimes identified by fitting a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) to the wind vector, and we build regimes based on a single site, a local average of sites, and a region‐wide average. We compare the performance of the models with GMM‐identified regimes with three state‐of‐the‐art reference models that each account for wind regimes differently. The models are evaluated at 30‐minute, 1‐hour, and 2‐hour ahead horizons at ten sites across the Pacific Northwest. GMM regimes based on local information produce the best forecasts and have a significantly improved accuracy at a region‐wide level over the state‐of‐the‐art models. Even greater improvements are achieved when an average of the forecasts produced by each method is constructed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Dysregulation Results in Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Bhatwadekar Ashay D. , Duan Yaqian , Chakravarthy Harshini , Korah Maria , Caballero Sergio , Busik Julia V. , Grant Maria B.
Published: October 2015

Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) acts as a defense against a variety of bone marrow (BM) stressors. We hypothesized that ATM loss in BM-hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) would be detrimental to both HSC function and microvascular repair while sustained ATM would be beneficial in disease models of diabetes. Chronic diabetes represents a condition associated with HSC depletion and inadequate vascular repair. Gender mismatched chimeras of ATM−/− on wild type background were generated and a cohort were made diabetic using streptozotocin (STZ). HSCs from the STZ-ATM−/−chimeras showed (a) reduced self-renewal; (b) decreased long-term repopulation; (c) depletion from the primitive endosteal niche; (d) myeloid bias; and (e) accelerated diabetic retinopathy (DR). To further test the significance of ATM in hematopoiesis and diabetes, we performed microarrays on circulating angiogenic cells, CD34+ cells, obtained from a unique cohort of human subjects with long-standing (>40 years duration) poorly controlled diabetes that were free of DR. Pathway analysis of microarrays in these individuals revealed DNA repair and cell-cycle regulation as the top networks with marked upregulation of ATM mRNA compared with CD34+ cells from diabetics with DR. In conclusion, our study highlights using rodent models and human subjects, the critical role of ATM in microvascular repair in DR.
Confusion diagnosis and avoidance of discrete event systems using supervisory control
Authors: Chen Xiaoliang , Li Zhiwu , Wu Naiqi , Al‐Ahmari Abdulrahman , El‐Tamimi Abdulaziz Mohammed , Nasr Emad Abouel
Published: October 2015

Nondeterministic firing of concurrent transitions in Petri nets (PNs) may lead to the disappearance of conflicts. The disappearance implies that the partial conflicting transitions in a conflict become disabled before the resolution of the conflict. The phenomenon is called confusions that are caused by the interlacement of conflicting and concurrent transitions in PNs, which generates incomplete and faulty system conflicting behavior such that conflicts cannot be correctly resolved. In this paper, conflict‐increasing confusions (CICs) and conflict‐decreasing confusions (CDCs) in a PN are investigated. The relation graph of conflicts and confusions (RGC2) in a PN is proposed to detect the structure of confusions. To avoid the occurrence of confusions in a PN, an algorithm based on generalized mutual exclusion constraints (GMECs) is proposed, which can generate confusion‐avoidance supervisors such that the occurrence of conflicts can be ensured in a PN. Finally, an example of confusion detection and avoidance in a flexible assembly system is presented. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A method for describing industrial control system network attack using object Petri net
Authors: Wu Kehe , Li Yi , Chen Fei , Chen Long
Published: October 2015

Nowadays, the threats industrial control systems face from the inside and outside are becoming more and more serious. However, there are very few works describing industrial control system network attacks, which in turn make it very essential for industrial control system network attack researches to describe and model such attacks. This paper proposes an approach to describe the procedure of industrial control system network attacks using the object Petri net, and takes a case study of smart substation attack as example to help introduce this method of description and modeling. This method adopts a hierarchical form of Petri net to describe the entire process of a network attack, which can control the scale of the Petri net model effectively and can describe the attack process in more detail and accurately at the same time. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Public Services and Market Mechanisms
Authors: Walsh Kieron
Published: October 2015

The introduction of market mechanisms and a new public management are transforming government and public service throughout the world. Drawing on the experience of a number of countries but focusing, in particular, on the UK where change has progressed furthest and on the broadest front, this is the first comprehensive account of the impact of a whole range of innovations such as charging, contracting, internal markets and the creation of devolved agencies.
Measuring psychological engagement in youth activity involvement☆
Authors: Ramey Heather L. , Rose‐Krasnor Linda , Busseri Michael A. , Gadbois Shannon , Bowker Anne , Findlay Leanne
Published: October 2015

Although psychological engagement (e.g., enjoyment, concentration) may be critical in fostering positive outcomes of youth activity participation, too few studies have been conducted to establish its role in development. Furthermore, an established measurement tool is lacking. In the current study, we evaluated a brief engagement measure with two Canadian samples of youth (Sample 1, N = 290, mean age = 16.9 years, 62% female; Sample 2, N = 1827, mean age = 13.1 years, 54% female). We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling to examine the hypothesized structure of the model. We also assessed the measure's validity by testing relations between engagement and both perceived outcomes and positive features of activity settings. Psychological engagement was best captured by three latent cognitive, affective, and relational/spiritual factors and a second‐order latent factor. Also, as anticipated, psychological engagement was associated with features of the activity setting and perceived impact.
Heat stroke during treatment with olanzapine, trihexyphenidyl, and trazodone in a patient with schizophrenia
Authors: Lee Chin-Pang , Chen Pei-Jung , Chang Chia-Ming
Published: October 2015

Objective

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Psychiatric patients are particularly susceptible to heat stroke. Therefore, awareness and preventive measures of heat stroke are important for both clinicians and patients.

Case description

A 49-year-old man with schizophrenia, who was under maintenance treatment with olanzapine 20 mg/day, trihexyphenidyl 4 mg/day, and trazodone 50 mg/day, suffered from heat stroke in a heat wave and required intensive care. He recovered with the medical treatment provided.

Discussion

Several factors could have contributed to the impaired thermoregulation and the occurrence of heat stroke in this case: schizophrenia, the psychotropic regimen, and lack of preventive measures. Possible differential diagnoses of heat stroke in this case include infection, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and serotonin syndrome.

Conclusion

Heat stroke can occur during the maintenance treatment of olanzapine, trihexyphenidyl, and trazodone for schizophrenia. Clinicians should be proactive to reduce the risk of heat stroke in psychiatric patients.
Sophistication, Sentiment, and Misreaction
Authors: Chang Chuang-Chang , Hsieh Pei-Fang , Wang Yaw-Huei
Published: October 2015

This study investigates whether the existence or strength of any misreaction in the options market is affected by investor sophistication and investor sentiment. Based on a unique data set of the complete history of all transactions in the Taiwan options market, we find that individual investors exhibit significant misreaction to information and that this misreaction becomes stronger during periods of high investor sentiment. In addition, more active or aggressive individual investors always exhibit misreaction and do not learn from their past mistakes. Our empirical results are robust to alternative measures of investor sentiment and definitions of long- and short-term horizons.