bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monetary Crisis: A 2013 Update
Authors: Wolf Fran , Tackett James A.
Published: October 2013

We are in the middle of possibly the most divisive debate in the economic history of the United States. Does the Federal Reserve's policy of quantitative easing (QE) make sense? Or is it, as one prominent critic has charged, a form of “monetary cocaine”—a dangerous business and consumer addiction to near‐zero interest rates? © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Managing Cash in Turbulent Times
Authors: Edwards James B.
Published: October 2013

How much cash does your business have? “Some days there is too much. Some days there is not enough. And then some days there is barely enough,” lamented one business owner. And he's not the only one with this problem, reveals the author of this article. Many business owners have trouble coping in this roller coaster era of prevailing crisis. But is there a solution? © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High‐Tech Sales Tax Evasion
Authors: Akaaboune Ouadie , Cali Jim
Published: October 2013

Dishonest businesses and individuals now have a high‐tech device to help them evade paying taxes: the tax zapper. The authors explain how it works, the threat it poses to honest companies, and what can be done to stop fraudsters who would use it. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ESG Reporting: What Is Treasury's New Role?
Authors: Bean LuAnn
Published: October 2013

Traditionally, treasurers are responsible for managing cash and market risk. That ensures that the company has sufficient funding and can manage complex compliance issues. But in recent years, the size and complexity of treasury management and compliance issues have expanded enormously. Today's treasurers not only oversee cash management, foreign exchange, and short‐term debt; they struggle with increased responsibilities in other areas: managing capital market activities, merger‐and‐acquisition activity, insurance and pension programs, credit and receivables management, and working capital projections. These newer tasks demand that treasurers take on a new role that requires under‐standing environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) reporting risk factors. What must today's treasurers and companies do to meet these new demands? © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Corporate Liquidity Disclosures: An Update
Authors: Cole Cathy J.
Published: October 2013

Although the liquidity of U.S. companies has generally been improving since 2008, investors and creditors are always keenly interested in this area. And companies must discuss liquidity in the Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) section of reports they file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). To help companies prepare these liquidity discussions, this article looks at what some Dow Jones Industrial companies are doing with MD&A. Since these are some of the country's most widely followed companies, examining their common practices may assist others in preparing MD&A. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Investing in Cost System Accuracy
Authors: Stuart Nathan V.
Published: October 2013

This article presents a flowchart to help managers determine whether the benefits of implementing a multiple‐cost‐driver system to improve the accuracy of reported unit costs will outweigh the implementa‐tion costs. The flowchart disciplines decision makers to consider whether the firm produces multiple products, whether those products consume indirect resources in heterogeneous patterns, and whether the firm's competitive position truly depends on more accurately reported cost information. Careful use of this tool will increase the likelihood that investments in cost system accuracy will have positive net present values. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Hospitalist Experiences, Practice, Opinions, and knowledge regarding peripherally inserted central catheters: Results of a national survey
Authors: Chopra Vineet , Kuhn Latoya , Flanders Scott A. , Saint Sanjay , Krein Sarah L.
Published: October 2013

BACKGROUND

A Michigan survey found variation in hospitalist‐reported experience, practice, opinions, and knowledge related to peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs). Whether these findings reflect a national trend is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate self‐reported PICC practice among adult hospitalists in the United States.

METHODS

Society of Hospital Medicine‐administered, anonymous, Web‐based survey of practicing, adult, non‐Michigan hospitalists.

RESULTS

Of the 2112 hospitalists who were sent an electronic invitation, 381 completed the online survey (18%). Eighty‐six percent of hospitalists reported having placed a PICC solely for venous access (vs specific indications such as long‐term antibiotics or parenteral nutrition). Eighty‐two percent reported having cared for a patient who specifically requested a PICC. Only 25% of hospitalists reported examining PICCs for evidence of external problems, whereas 57% admitted to having, at least once, forgotten about the presence of a PICC. Only 9% of respondents knew that PICC tip verification was performed primarily to prevent venous thromboembolism. Finally, 42% of participants indicated that 10% to 25% of PICCs placed in their hospitals might be inappropriately placed and/or avoidable.

CONCLUSIONS

This national survey highlights several potential opportunities to improve hospitalist PICC practices. A research agenda dedicated to this issue is necessary to improve patient safety and hospital‐based practice. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:635–638. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine
DNA‐bearing membrane vesicles produced by Ahrensia kielensis and Pseudoalteromonas marina
Authors: Hagemann Sylvia , Stöger Lisa , Kappelmann Melanie , Hassl Ingrid , Ellinger Adolf , Velimirov Branko
Published: October 2013

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from the alphaproteobacterium Ahrensia kielensis and from Pseudoalteromonas marina, a gammaproteobacterium, were sampled from liquid cultures in order to extract the MV‐associated DNA, establish a shotgun library, and sequence randomly chosen clones to determine the origins of their DNA. We show that OMVs from A. kielensis and from P. marina both harbour DNA larger than 20 or 30 kbp. Transmission electron microscopical inspection of OMVs of A. kielensis and P. marina showed two types of vesicles: bilayered OMVs with a diameter between 30 and 250 nm and double bilayered OMVs ranging between 80 and 200 nm. Bilayered OMVs are either characterized by the presence of a large electron‐dense substance or are elctron translucent. Double bilayered OMVs contained an electron dense substance in the core region surrounded by the second bilayer. 30,094 bp of the genome from OMV of A. kielensis and 45,981 bp of that from P. marina were sequenced. The results indicated that all sequences were single copy and that all sequences, with one exception, were similar to prokaryotic sequences, inserted viral sequences were not detected.
Farmers' accuracy interpreting seasonal climate forecast probability
Authors: Coventry W. L. , Dalgleish L. I.
Published: October 2013

We explored errors interpreting the seasonal climate forecast (SCF) statement ‘In the next 3 months, the probability of exceeding median rainfall is 30%’ used by the Australian media. Study one comprised 73 farmers and 12 climate staff and (1) developed a five‐item multiple‐choice questionnaire assessing understanding for the SCF, and (2) assessed errors interpreting the statement. The farmers who incorrectly interpreted the statement (29%) as forecasting a wetter season than normal had a lower understanding of the statement, in contrast to farmers making the correct interpretation (56%) and the climate staff. The statement appeared to be misinterpreted as a specific value of rain that was above the median by 30%, because of (1) difficulty conceptualizing above median rainfall and below median rainfall as distinct events, and (2) the percentage being interpreted as a specific value and not as a notion of chance. Study two, with 72 laypersons, showed more errors and slower responses with statements of probabilities less than 50% (i.e. 30%) than statements of probabilities greater than 50% (i.e. 70%), explained by the positive connotation biases of the event above median rainfall and/or the use of the term probability.
Use of hepatitis B surface antigen–positive grafts in liver transplantation: A matched analysis of the US National database
Authors: Li Zhiwei , Hu Zhenhua , Xiang Jie , Zhou Jie , Yan Sheng , Wu Jian , Zhou Lin , Zheng Shusen
Published: October 2013

The scarcity of available donor organs is the key challenge in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). A viable way of expanding the donor pool is the use of liver grafts from hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)–positive donors. The present study used the US Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database (1987-2010), and each of the 78 patients who underwent OLT with HBsAg-positive grafts was matched with 4 patients who received HBsAg-negative grafts by urgent status, donor sex, recipient sex, donor age, recipient age, transplant date, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, and warm ischemia time. The overall graft and patient survival rates were similar for recipients of HBsAg-positive grafts and matched controls: the 5-year graft survival rates were 66% and 64%, respectively (P = 0.95), and the 5-year patient survival rates were 71% and 71%, respectively (P = 0.87). A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis that was adjusted for other variables showed no impact of the donor HBsAg status on graft or patient survival. The use of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) was independently associated with better posttransplant graft survival [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.06-0.81] and patient survival (HR = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.04-0.75) for recipients of HBsAg-positive grafts. In conclusion, the use of HBsAg-positive liver grafts did not reduce posttransplant graft or patient survival. Moreover, matching these donors to recipients treated with HBIG may improve safety. Liver Transpl 20:35–45, 2014. © 2013 AASLD.
A coupled analysis of cavity and pore volume changes for pulse tests conducted in soft clay deposits
Authors: Duhaime François , Chapuis Robert P.
Published: October 2013

This paper presents a new interpretation method for pulse tests, a field permeability test that allows for rapid measurements of hydraulic conductivity k in aquitards. This new method applies to soft clay deposits. To initiate a pulse test, a known volume of water is injected into the sand filter of a monitoring well isolated by a packer. The resulting pressure increase yields an outward movement of the sand filter cavity wall. After presenting the usual interpretation methods and their limits, this paper proposes a new interpretation method based on a coupled analysis of the pressure and displacement fields in the soil using the Biot–Darcy formulation. A series of analytical and numerical non‐dimensional velocity graphs, normalized plots of the mean hydraulic head difference versus its rate of change, are given. For a linear elastic material, these type curves show relatively small variations with the sand filter aspect ratio and the Poisson ratio of the tested clay. The type curves are also found to be independent of the clay compressibility (mv) and k, an important result. A series of pulse tests conducted in a soft marine clay deposit near Montreal, Canada, are interpreted with the proposed method. The hydraulic conductivity values calculated from these tests are closely correlated with independent estimates obtained using long‐duration variable‐head tests. Compared with previous interpretation methods, the proposed method allows soil volume changes to be reconciled with cavity expansion phenomena and the range of type curves available for the interpretation of test data to be constrained. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Variable selection on large case‐crossover data: application to a registry‐based study of prescription drugs and road traffic crashes
Authors: Avalos Marta , Orriols Ludivine , Pouyes Hélène , Grandvalet Yves , Thiessard Frantz , Lagarde Emmanuel ,   on behalf of the CESIR research group
Published: October 2013

Purpose

In exploratory analyses of pharmacoepidemiological data from large populations with large number of exposures, both a conceptual and computational problem is how to screen hypotheses using probabilistic reasoning, selecting drug classes or individual drugs that most warrant further hypothesis testing.

Methods

We report the use of a shrinkage technique, the Lasso, in the exploratory analysis of the data on prescription drugs and road traffic crashes, resulting from the case‐crossover matched‐pair interval approach described by Orriols and colleagues (PLoS Med 2010; 7:e1000366). To prevent false‐positive results, we consider a bootstrap‐enhanced version of the Lasso. To highlight the most stable results, we extensively examine sensitivity to the choice of referent window.

Results

Antiepileptics, benzodiazepine hypnotics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, antithrombotic agents, mineral supplements, drugs used in diabetes, antiparkinsonian treatment, and several cardiovascular drugs showed suspected associations with road traffic accident involvement or accident responsibility.

Conclusion

These results, in relation to other findings in the literature, provide new insight and may generate new hypotheses on the association between prescription drugs use and impaired driving ability. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation of a novel stabilizer and its thermal‐oxidative stabilization effect on polyamide 6
Authors: Xia Lei , Shentu Baoqing , Weng Zhixue
Published: October 2013

A novel stabilizer containing hindered phenol and hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) group in one molecule was prepared through the acyl chloride reaction followed by the amidation reaction. Its structure was characterized by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR). The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results under nitrogen and air atmosphere indicated that the addition of the novel stabilizer efficiently improved the thermal and thermal‐oxidative stability of polyamide 6 (PA6). The thermal‐oxidative stabilization effect of the novel stabilizer on PA6 was further evaluated in terms of reduced viscosity, tensile properties, and chemical structure after accelerated thermal aging in an air circulating oven at 150°C. The results indicated that the novel stabilizer could improve the thermal‐oxidative stability of PA6 effectively, resulting in the high retention of reduced viscosity and tensile strength, and the low ratio of terminal carboxyl group to amino group. The mechanism of the novel stabilizer on the thermal‐oxidative stabilization of PA6 was also discussed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2197–2206, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Aberration‐corrected microscopy and spectroscopy analysis of pristine, nitrogen containing detonation nanodiamond
Authors: Turner Stuart , Shenderova Olga , Da Pieve Fabiana , Lu Ying‐gang , Yücelen Emrah , Verbeeck Jo , Lamoen Dirk , Van Tendeloo Gustaaf
Published: October 2013

Aberration‐corrected transmission electron microscopy, electron energy‐loss spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to solve several key questions about the surface structure, the particle morphology, and the distribution and nature of nitrogen impurities in detonation nanodiamond (DND) cleaned by a recently developed ozone treatment. All microscopy and spectroscopy measurements are performed at a lowered acceleration voltage (80/120 kV), allowing prolonged and detailed experiments to be carried out while minimizing the risk of knock‐on damage or surface graphitization of the nanodiamond. High‐resolution TEM (HRTEM) demonstrates the stability of even the smallest nanodiamonds under electron illumination at low voltage and is used to image the surface structure of pristine DND. High resolution electron energy‐loss spectroscopy (EELS) measurements on the fine structure of the carbon K‐edge of nanodiamond demonstrate that the typical π* pre‐peak in fact consists of three sub‐peaks that arise from the presence of, amongst others, minimal fullerene‐like reconstructions at the nanoparticle surfaces and deviations from perfect sp3 coordination at defects in the nanodiamonds. Spatially resolved EELS experiments evidence the presence of nitrogen within the core of DND particles. The nitrogen is present throughout the whole diamond core, and can be enriched at defect regions. By comparing the fine structure of the experimental nitrogen K‐edge with calculated energy‐loss near‐edge structure (ELNES) spectra from DFT, the embedded nitrogen is most likely related to small amounts of single substitutional and/or A‐center nitrogen, combined with larger nitrogen clusters.
Reduction of current collapse in AlGaN/GaN MISHEMT with bilayer SiN/Al2O3 dielectric gate stack
Authors: Anand M. J. , Ng G. I. , Vicknesh S. , Arulkumaran S. , Ranjan K.
Published: October 2013

We have studied the drain current dispersion characteristics of conventional AlGaN/GaN HEMTs and SiN/Al2O3/AlGaN/GaN metal‐insulator‐semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MISHEMT) fabricated on silicon substrate. The fabricated MISHEMT exhibited an IDmaxof >1000 mA/mm and gmmax of 241 mS/mm. Compared to conventional AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, about an order of magnitude lower gate leakage current and a ∼ 60% reduction in drain current (ID) collapse was observed in the MISHEMTs. The observation of low ID collapse is due to the occurrence of low interface state density (6.39 × 1010 eV‐1 cm‐2) between the bilayer dielectric (SiN/Al2O3) and GaN surface which is confirmed through the AC‐conductance method. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Current injected spectrum change in flat‐topped InAs/InP QD arrayed waveguide LED with different QD heights
Authors: Yoshikawa Shohei , Yamauchi Masayuki , Yamamoto Yuta , Shimomura Kazuhiko
Published: October 2013

We have investigated the current injected spectrum of flat‐topped LED using self‐assembled Stranski‐Krastanov (S‐K) InAs/InP quantum dots (QDs) grown by selective area low pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy and a double‐capping procedure. Selective area growth using an SiO2 mask with narrow stripes was carried out to tailor a wide emission range for the QDs in sixteen arrayed waveguides. Each waveguide core con‐tained three stacked QD layers with different QD heights and Ga content in the GaInAs buffer layer. We have measured the spectrum change of current injection, and have estimated the intensity variation in each QDs layer. By increasing the FCL thickness of three QDs layers, output intensity of each layer has become equal, and we have obtained more than 500 nm spectrum width with flat‐topped spectrum shape. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Polarization controlled emisson from closely stacked InAs/GaAs quantum dots
Authors: Suwa Masaya , Takahashi Akihiro , Ueda Tatsuya , Yusuke Bessho , Harada Yukihiro , Kita Takashi
Published: October 2013

We have controlled the electronic states of closely‐stacked InAs/GaAs quantum dots with a 4.0 nm spacer layer and investigated the optical gain characteristics. With an increase in the stacking‐layer number (SLN), the [001] transverse‐magnetic (TM) polarization component increases as well as the linear polarization anisotropy in the (001) plane becomes remarkable. These SLN‐dependent polarization characteristics result from the valence‐band mixing induced by the vertically‐coupled electronic states in stacked QDs. We have systematically studied polarized electroluminescence properties of a semiconductor‐optical amplifier devise containing 30‐stacked InAs/GaAs QDs. The net modal gain was analyzed by using the Hakki‐Paoli method. The injection current dependence of the gain spectra shows a state filling effect and a change in the contribution of the TM polarization component. The polarization insensitive gain feature within ±1 dB has been achieved in the low injection current condition. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Fabrication and characterization of VCSELs applying quantum well intermixing using spin‐on‐glass
Authors: Akutsu Tomohiro , Ushio Takuya , Matsutani Akihiro , Miyamoto Tomoyuki
Published: October 2013

The applicability of the quantum well intermixing using a spin‐on‐glass (SOG) to the fabrication process of a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) was investigated to control the carrier confinement in the active layer. The intermixing by using the non‐doped SOG showed a large emission energy shift. The SOG coating of the mesa side‐wall of the VCSEL and following heat‐treatment are simple processes that can add to the conventional one. The fabricated VCSELs with a 30 μm‐square mesa showed lasing operation, and therefore the technique can be applicable as the VCSEL process for improving the performance of the small mesa devices. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Composition control of quinary GaInNAsSb alloy grown by molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: Miyashita Naoya , Ahsan Nazmul , Islam Muhammad Monirul , Okada Yoshitaka
Published: October 2013

In order to precisely control the composition of quinary GaInNAsSb alloy, we investigated the incorporation behavior of constituent atoms during atomic hydrogen‐assisted molecular beam epitaxial growth. The nitrogen (N) composition, in comparison of GaNAs and GaNAsSb, increased by the supply of antimony (Sb). However, addition of indium (In) decreases the N composition during Sb mediated growth of GaInNAsSb, which enables obtaining the same N composition when an adequate In composition is chosen. It was revealed that Sb incorporation was increased when (i) In composition decreased, (ii) Sb flux increased, (iii) growth temperature decreased, and (iv) growth rate increased. These results are thought to be related to the effect of competitive role among strain, coverage, desorption, and segregation. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Dynamically consistent shallow‐atmosphere equations with a complete Coriolis force
Authors: Tort M. , Dubos T.
Published: October 2013

Shallow‐atmosphere equations retaining both the vertical and horizontal components of the Coriolis force (the latter being neglected in the traditional approximation) are obtained. The derivation invokes Hamilton's principle of least action with an approximate Lagrangian capturing the small increase with height of the solid‐body velocity due to planetary rotation. The conservation of energy, angular momentum and Ertel's potential vorticity are ensured in both quasi‐ and non‐hydrostatic systems.
Surface modification of malonic acid‐catalyzed carbon xerogels and their high performance for adsorption of Cu (II) ions
Authors: Xiao Zhenghui , Peng Fangfang , Li Xueliang , Zhang Rui , He Wenxiang , Zhou Taofa
Published: October 2013

The preparation of malonic acid‐catalyzed carbon xerogels modified with nitric acid and their high performance for adsorption of Cu2+ were investigated. The treated and untreated carbon xerogels (nitrogen‐doped carbon xerogel and carbon xerogel) are mainly microporous with high surface areas (1150.18 and 1201.46 m2 g−1) based on the analysis of N2 adsorption isotherm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study demonstrates that modification process generates a number of functional groups such as carboxyl, carbonyl, and nitrate groups. X‐ray photoelectron spectra analysis shows an increase in the content of O and N after oxidation. The adsorption performance for Cu2+ using different process parameters like initial concentration, contact time, and temperature was investigated. The result indicates that the pseudo‐second order correlates with the experimental data, and the activation energy of Cu2+ adsorption onto nitrogen‐doped carbon xerogel and carbon xerogel is calculated as 15.62 kJ mol−1 and 2.79 kJ mol−1, respectively, indicating the coexistence of chemisorption and ion‐exchange. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were used to describe the adsorption behavior of Cu2+. The adsorption of Cu2+ by carbon xerogels modified with nitric acid was fast and had noticeable adsorption capacity, with a higher adsorption capacity than the original carbon xerogels (299.41 vs 260.42 mg g−1). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Service Science: Reframing Progress with Universities
Authors: Spohrer Jim , Giuiusa Alessio , Demirkan Haluk , Ing David
Published: October 2013

Service science offers fresh perspective to reorient the debate on what is ‘progress’ and whether or not it is slowing down, and if so, what might be done to reframe progress ‘at the speed limit of what is possible’ with universities. When it comes to the ‘rate of progress’, universities can play a greater role in improving the deeply interconnected societal measures of innovativeness, competitive parity, sustainability and resiliency. During the current ‘great recession’, much is now being written about progress slowing down. From education levels to scientific discoveries to technical innovations to economic and environmental collapse, rhetoric about progress slowing down or nearing collapse or becoming uncompetitive in developed economies is on the rise. Boulding suggested in ‘the skeleton of science’ that over‐specialization could create communication barriers between scientific specialists slowing down profitable talk. We propose that a service science reframing of progress with universities as essential institutional actors might positively reorient the debate. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spherical gradient operator
Authors: Li Shigang
Published: October 2013

In this paper, a spherical gradient operator is proposed that computes the gradient from a discrete spherical image with irregular pixels. In contrast to the conventional methods which approximate spherical pixels as regular hexagons, the proposed method can cope with irregular pixels and compute the gradient vector relative to the camera coordinate system directly. We also show that the conventional Sobel operator can be treated as a special case of the proposed approach. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Power analysis for asynchronous network‐on‐chip
Authors: Abd El Ghany Mohamed A. , Reehal Gursharan , Ismail Mohammed
Published: October 2013

An asynchronous architecture is proposed to achieve a low‐power network‐on‐chip (NoC). The area of the asynchronous switch is increased by 25% as compared to the synchronous switch. However, the power dissipation of the asynchronous architecture could be decreased by up to 55%. Even though clock gating is used, the asynchronous design achieves significant power reduction of 28%. The total metal resource required to implement the asynchronous design is decreased by up to 12%. As technology advances and network density increases, the reduction in power dissipation reaches 22% for 256 IPs with the same chip size. The asynchronous butterfly fat tree (BFT) architecture dissipates the minimum power as compared to other NoC topologies. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Rat lung response to ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposures
Authors: Wang Guanghe , Zhao Jinzhuo , Jiang Rongfang , Song Weimin
Published: October 2013

Exposure to different ambient pollutants maybe more toxic to lung than exposure to a single pollutant. In this study, we discussed the inflammation and oxidative stress responses of rat lung caused by ozone and PM2.5 versus that of rats exposed to saline, ozone, or single PM2.5. Wistar rats inhaled 0.8 ppm ozone or air for 4 h and then placed in air for 3 h following intratracheal instillation with 0, 0.2 (low dose), 0.8 (medium dose), 3.2 (high dose) mg/rat PM2.5 dissolved in sterile saline (0.25 mL/rat), repeated twice per week for 3 weeks, the cumulative doses of PM2.5 in animals were 1.2, 4.8, and 19.2 mg. Rats were sacrificed 24 h after the last (sixth) exposure. The collected bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was analyzed for inflammatory cells and cytokines. Lung tissues were processed for light microscopic and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) examinations. Results showed that total cell number in BALF of PM2.5‐exposed groups were higher than control (p < 0.05). PM2.5 instillation caused dose‐trend increase in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α), interleukin‐6, lactate dehydrogenase, and total protein of BALF. Exposure to ozone alone only caused TNF‐α significant change in above‐mentioned indicators of lung injury. On the other hand, ozone could enhance PM2.5‐induced inflammatory changes and pathological characters in rat lungs. SOD and GSH‐Px activities in lung were reduced in PM2.5‐exposed rats with and without prior ozone exposure compared to control. To determine whether the PM2.5 and ozone affect endothelium system, iNOS, eNOS, and ICAM‐1 mRNA levels in lung were analyzed by real‐time PCR. These data demonstrated that inflammation and oxidative stress were involved in toxicology mechanisms of PM2.5 in rat lung and ozone potentiated these effects induced by PM2.5. These results have implications for understanding the pulmonary effects induced by ozone and PM2.5. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 343–356, 2015.
Perceptions and communication strategies for the many uncertainties relevant for climate policy
Authors: Patt Anthony G. , Weber Elke U.
Published: October 2013

Public opinion polls reveal that the perception of climate change as an uncertain phenomenon is increasing, even as consensus has increased within the scientific community of its reality and its attribution to human causes. At the same time, the scientific community has sought to improve its communication practices, in order to present a more accurate picture to the public and policy makers of the state of scientific knowledge about climate change. In this review article, we examine two sets of insights that could influence the success of such communication efforts. The first set questions which uncertainties matter for effective climate policy. While the literature has focused disproportionately on uncertainties with respect to the climate system, we draw attention here to uncertainties associated with the solution space. The second set examines which factors lead people to take slow and deliberated decisions versus quick and spontaneous ones, and looks at the results of these two systems of thought on climate change action. From the review of these two sets of literature, we propose a new hypothesis: that the gap between public and scientific attitudes toward climate change will narrow not because of greater attention to and communication of climate system risks and uncertainties, but rather out of growing experience with the policies and technological systems needed to address the problem.WIREs Clim Change2014, 5:219–232. doi: 10.1002/wcc.259

This article is categorized under:

Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Communication
Syntheses and Crystal Structures of Novel Functionalized Lithium Silylamides R(4–n)Si(N(Li)CH2CH2NR'2)n (R = Me, Ph, R' = Me, iPr; n = 2, 3)
Authors: Lechner Bob‐Dan , Hahn Sven , Wagner Christoph , Merzweiler Kurt
Published: October 2013

The difunctional aminosilanes Ph2Si(NHCH2CH2NMe2)2 (1), Me2Si(NHCH2CH2NiPr2)2 (2) and Ph2Si(NHCH2CH2NiPr2)2 (3) were prepared by aminolysis of the chlorosilanes R2SiCl2 (R = Ph, Me) and the corresponding ethylenediamine derivatives H2NCH2CH2NR'2 (R' = Me, iPr). The trifunctional aminosilane MeSi(NHCH2CH2NiPr2)3 (4) was synthesized from MeSiCl3 and H2NCH2CH2NiPr2 in the presence of triethylamine as auxiliary base. Compounds 1–4 were obtained as pale yellow viscous oils that have been characterized by 1H, 13C and 29Si NMR spectroscopy. Treatment of the aminosilanes 1–3 with two equivalents and 4 with three equivalents of nBuLi in hexane led to the corresponding lithium salts, which were recrystallized from n‐hexane at –25 °C. The crystal structure analysis of Ph2Si(N(Li)CH2CH2NMe2)2 (5) and Me2Si(N(Li)CH2CH2NiPr2)2 (6) revealed dimeric molecules which contain a central Li4N4 heterocubane core. Additionally, the lithium atoms are coordinated intramolecularly by NR2 donor groups. For Ph2Si(N(Li)CH2CH2NiPr2)2 (7) dimers with Si2N4Li4 adamantane core were observed. MeSi(N(Li)CH2CH2NiPr2)3 (8) displays dimers with a rhombododecahedral Si2N6Li6 core. Like in compounds 5–7 the cluster structure is supported by intramolecular coordination of the NiPr2 donor group.
Iron(II), Cobalt(II), and Nickel(II) Complexes of a Cyclic (Alkyl)(amino)carbene
Authors: Pelties Stefan , Wolf Robert
Published: October 2013

Reactions of a sterically demanding cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC) with FeCl2(thf)1.5, CoBr2, and NiBr2(dme) afforded the complexes [FeCl(μ‐Cl)(CAAC)]2 (1), [CoBr(μ‐Br)(CAAC)]2 (2), and [NiBr(μ‐Br)(CAAC)]2 (3) in moderate yields. Compounds 1–3 were characterized by X‐ray crystallography, 1H NMR, and UV/Vis spectroscopy. Dimeric, halide‐bridged structures were observed in the solid state, in which the metal atoms are coordinated in a distorted tetrahedral fashion by the CAAC and three halide ligands. The solution magnetic moments in THF and dichloromethane indicate a high‐spin electronic configuration.
Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding of a Chloride Acceptor Supported by a Dinuclear Nickel(II) Complex with N‐Salicylidene Hydrazide Ligand: Crystal Structure and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Burkhardt Anja , Buchholz Axel , Görls Helmar , Plass Winfried
Published: October 2013

The dinuclear phenoxido‐bridged nickel(II) complex [{Ni(Hsalhyph)Cl(H2O)}2] with the hydrazone ligand H2salhyph, derived from salicylaldehyde and benzoic acid hydrazide, has been synthesized and structurally characterized. The dinuclear Ni2O2 core unit of the complex facilitates the formation of intramolecular O–H···Cl hydrogen bonds. The chlorido ligand is involved in additional N–H···Cl hydrogen bonding leading to an aggregation of the dinuclear complexes forming one‐dimensional staged chains. Within the chains the supramolecular structure is governed by hydrogen bonding and π–π‐stacking interactions. In the crystal structure two additional DMF molecules of crystallization are present per dinuclear complex. The DMF molecules are located between the chains and involved in O–H···O=C hydrogen bonding with the aqua ligands of the dinickel core. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show the presence of antiferromagnetic exchange interactions (H = –JS1S2) with J = –14.8 cm–1 between the nickel(II) ions and indicate a zero‐field‐splitting of D = 12.6 cm–1.
Euclidian 4d quantum gravity with a non-trivial measure term
Authors: Ambjørn J. , Glaser L. , Görlich A. , Jurkiewicz J.
Published: October 2013

Abstract

We explore an extended coupling constant space of 4d regularized Euclidean quantum gravity, defined via the formalism of dynamical triangulations. We add a measure term which can also serve as a generalized higher curvature term and determine the phase diagram and the geometries dominating in the various regions. A first order phase transition line is observed, but no second order transition point is located. As a consequence we cannot attribute any continuum physics interpretation to the so-called crinkled phase of 4d dynamical triangulations.
Understanding WHO Surgical Checklist Implementation: Tricks and Pitfalls. An Observational Study
Authors: Saturno Pedro J. , Soria‐Aledo Víctor , Da Silva Gama Zenewton A. , Lorca‐Parra Felipe , Grau‐Polan Marina
Published: October 2013

Background

The purpose of the present study was to assess the reliability of implementation data regarding the surgical safety checklist (SSC) and to identify which factors influence actual implementation.

Methods

The study was a retrospective record‐based evaluation in a regional network of nine Spanish hospitals, combined with a complementary direct‐observation study that included a survey of the surgical teams’ attitudes. SSC compliance and associated factors were assessed and compared in a retrospective sample of 280 operations and a concurrent sample of another 85 surgical interventions.

Results

In the retrospective evaluation the SSC was present in 83.1 % of cases, fully completed in 28.4 %, with 69.3 % of all possible items checked. The concurrent direct‐observation study showed that recorded compliance was unreliable (κ < 0.13 for all items) and significantly higher (p < 0.001) than actual compliance. Over‐registration occurred across hospitals and surgical specialties. Factors associated with recorded compliance included hospital size, surgical specialty, and the use of an electronic format. In actual (direct‐observation) compliance, a positive attitude on the part of the surgeon is an overriding significant factor (OR 12.8), along with using the electronic format, which is consistently and positively associated with recorded compliance but negatively related to actual compliance.

Conclusions

Recorded SSC compliance may be widely unreliable and higher than actual compliance, particularly when recording is facilitated by using an electronic format. A positive attitude on the part of the surgical team, particularly surgeons, is associated with actual compliance. Effective use of the SSC is a far more complex adaptive process than the usual mandatory strategy.
Small Bowel Obstruction in Patients with a Prior History of Cancer: Predictive Findings of Malignant Origins
Authors: Prost à la Denise J. , Douard R. , Malamut G. , Mecheri F. , Wind P.
Published: October 2013

Background

Determining the cause of acute small bowel obstruction (SBO) in patients previously treated for cancer is necessary for adequate management, especially to avoid incorrectly classing the patient as palliative. We aimed to identify predictive factors for a malignant or a benign origin of SBO.

Methods

We retrospectively studied data for all patients with a prior history of cancer who had undergone operations for SBO between January 2002 and December 2011. Of the 124 patients included, 36 patients had a known cancer recurrence before surgery for SBO, whereas 88 had none.

Results

Causes of SBO were benign (post‐operative adhesions, post‐irradiation strictures) in 68 patients (54.8 %) and malignant in 56 (45.2 %). Incomplete obstruction, acute clinical onset, non‐permanent abdominal pain, a shorter period between primary cancer surgery and the first episode of obstruction, and a known cancer recurrence were significant predictors of a malignant SBO. Benign causes of SBO were observed in 72.8 % of patients who had no known cancer recurrence, but were observed in only 11.1 % of patients whose recurrences were known. In patients with cancer recurrence‐related SBO, post‐operative mortality was 28.6 %, with a median overall survival of 120 days. 1 month after surgery, 38 (67.8 %) of these patients tolerated oral intake.

Conclusion

A benign cause of SBO was observed in half of the patients with a prior history of cancer and in two‐thirds of those without known recurrence. Even in the absence of bowel strangulation, surgery must be considered soon after failure of medical management to treat a possible adhesion‐related SBO.
Lessons learned from the transformation of natural product discovery to a genome-driven endeavor
Authors: Deane Caitlin D , Mitchell Douglas A
Published: October 2013

Natural product discovery is currently undergoing a transformation from a phenotype-driven field to a genotype-driven one. The increasing availability of genome sequences, coupled with improved techniques for identifying biosynthetic gene clusters, has revealed that secondary metabolomes are strikingly vaster than previously thought. New approaches to correlate biosynthetic gene clusters with the compounds they produce have facilitated the production and isolation of a rapidly growing collection of what we refer to as “reverse-discovered” natural products, in analogy to reverse genetics. In this review, we present an extensive list of reverse-discovered natural products and discuss seven important lessons for natural product discovery by genome-guided methods: structure prediction, accurate annotation, continued study of model organisms, avoiding genome-size bias, genetic manipulation, heterologous expression, and potential engineering of natural product analogs.
Critical points of the Trudinger–Moser trace functional with high energy levels
Authors: Deng Shengbing , Musso Monica
Published: October 2013

Let

Ω

be a bounded domain in

\mathbb{R}^{2}

with smooth boundary. In this paper we are concerned with the existence of critical points for the supercritical Trudinger–Moser trace functional

\int \limits_{\partial \Omega }e^{k\pi (1 + \mu )u^{2}}

in the set

\{u \in H^{1}(\Omega ):\int _{\Omega }(|\mathrm{∇}u|^{2} + u^{2})\:dx = 1\}

, where

k⩾1

is an integer and

\mu > 0

is a small parameter. For any integer

k⩾1

and for any

\mu > 0

sufficiently small, we prove the existence of a pair of

k

-peaks constrained critical points of the above problem.
Polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) associates with intronic and exonic domains to squelch nuclear export of unspliced RNA
Authors: Roy Dipika , Bhanja Chowdhury Joydip , Ghosh Sagarmoy
Published: October 2013

Retention of unspliced pre‐messenger RNA (pre‐mRNA) in the nucleus is essential for cell survival. Available nuclear factors must recognize and discern between diverse export signals present in pre‐mRNA to establish an export inhibitory complex. We found that polypyrimidine domains present in both intron and exon were important for export inhibition of a minigene transcript based on hepatitis B virus pregenomic RNA. Overexpression of PTB drastically reduced export and presence of RRM4 domain seemed critical. This inhibitory network overrode stimulation from an exonic export‐facilitating element. We posit that binding of PTB to multiple loci on pre‐mRNA regulates nuclear retention.
Ancient landslide-dam events in the Jishi Gorge, upper Yellow River valley, China
Authors: Dong Guanghui , Zhang Fanyu , Ma Minmin , Fan Yuxin , Zhang Jiawu , Wang Zongli , Chen Fahu
Published: October 2013

Some scholars have argued that the formation and outburst of an ancient dammed lake in the Jishi Gorge at ca. 3700 cal yr BP resulted in the destruction of Lajia, the site of a famous prehistoric disaster in the Guanting Basin, upper Yellow River valley, China. However, the cause of the dammed lake and the exact age of the dam breaching are still debated. We investigated ancient landslides and evidence for the dammed lake in the Jishi Gorge, including dating of soil from the shear zone of an ancient landslide, sediments of the ancient dammed lake, and loess above lacustrine sediments using radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating methods. Six radiocarbon dates and two OSL dates suggested that the ancient landslides and dammed lake events in the Jishi Gorge probably occurred around 8100 cal yr BP, and the ancient dammed lake was breached between 6780 cal yr BP and 5750 cal yr BP. Hence, the outburst of the ancient dammed lake in the Jishi Gorge was unrelated to the ruin of the Lajia site, but likely resulted in flood disasters in the Guanting Basin around 6500 cal yr BP.
STATISTICAL APPROACH FOR OPEN BONUS MALUS
Authors: Guerreiro Gracinda Rita , Mexia João Tiago , de Fátima Miguens Maria
Published: October 2013

In this paper, following an open portfolio approach, we show how to estimate a Bonus-malus system evolution.

Considering a model for the number of new annual policies, we obtain ML estimators, asymptotic distributions and confidence regions for the expected number of new policies entering the portfolio in each year, as well as for the expected number and proportion of insureds in each bonus class, by year of enrollment. Confidence regions for the distribution of policyholders result in confidence regions for optimal bonus scales.

Our treatment is illustrated by an example with numerical results.
Examining the Potential Use of the Collaborative-Geomatics Informatics Tool to Foster Intergenerational Transfer of Knowledge in a Remote First Nation Community
Authors: Isogai Andrea , McCarthy Daniel D. , Gardner Holly L. , Karagatzides Jim D. , Vandenberg Skye , Barbeau Christine , Charania Nadia , Edwards Vicky , Cowan Don , Tsuji Leonard J.S.
Published: October 2013

Northern First Nations in Canada have experienced environmental change throughout history, adapting to these changes based on personal experience interacting with their environment. Community members of Fort Albany First Nation of northern Ontario, Canada, have voiced their concern that their youths’ connection to the land is diminishing, making this generation more vulnerable to environmental change. Community members previously identified the collaborative-geomatics informatics tool as potentially useful for fostering intergenerational knowledge transfer. In this article, we assess the potential of the informatics tool to reconnect youth with the surrounding land in order to strengthen the adaptive capacity of Fort Albany First Nation. The tool was introduced to students in an environmental-outreach camp that included traditional activities. Students used global positioning systems and geo-tagged photographs that were loaded onto the informatics tool. Semi-directed interviews revealed that the students enjoyed the visual and spatial capabilities of the system, and recognised its potential to be used in conjunction with traditional activities. This pilot study suggests that the tool has the potential to be used by youth to provide an opportunity for the intergenerational transfer of Indigenous knowledge, but further evaluation is required.
New Digital Technologies: Educational Opportunities for Australian Indigenous Learners
Authors: Watson Shalini
Published: October 2013

This article presents a number of possibilities that digital technologies can offer to increase access for Indigenous people to higher education in Australia. Such technologies can assist Indigenous high school students acquire the knowledge and skills they require to be accepted into higher education courses. They can also assist Indigenous students to be more successful in their higher education studies. While this article is contextualised to the Australian higher education setting specifically, the principles derived within may be applied to other disadvantaged groups worldwide. It may be concluded that the despite the barriers to the uptake of digital technologies, the potential offered holds much promise for such groups. In Australia, Indigenous people are the most severely under-represented in higher education, with access rates that have been declining over the past 6 years. Therefore, this issue has been classified as a matter of the highest national priority (Bradley, Noonan, Nugent, & Scales, 2008, p. 16). Concurrently, evidence is mounting that digital learning environments are able to produce positive learning outcomes for Indigenous students, albeit with a number of barriers to their uptake. This literature review explores: current trends in digital technologies and tertiary instructional practices, barriers to the uptake of digital technologies for Indigenous learners in Australia, and the potential of digital technologies for accommodating Indigenous learning styles. A number of implications for practice are discussed, based on the review of the literature.