bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A retrospective analysis of recurrent intracranial ependymoma
Authors: Antony Reuben , Wong Kenneth E. , Patel Moneil , Olch Arthur J. , McComb Gordon , Krieger Mark , Gilles Floyd , Sposto Richard , Erdreich‐Epstein Anat , Dhall Girish , Gardner Sharon , Finlay Jonathan L.
Published: February 2014

Background

Recurrence occurs in almost 50% of patients with intracranial ependymoma, and their outcome following recurrence is poor.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 22 patients with intracranial ependymoma and subsequent relapse(s) (59 recurrences) treated at Children's Hospital Los Angeles or New York University between January 1997 and December 2012.

Results

Median duration of follow‐up was 52 months (7–171 months). Median age at initial diagnosis was 4 years (0.3–19 years) with 8 patients younger than 3 years at presentation. Eleven patients had anaplastic and 11 cellular pathologies. Eighteen patients had infratentorial tumors at diagnosis and 3 (all infratentorial) had metastatic spinal cord involvement at presentation. Cerebrospinal fluid involvement was not identified at diagnosis or relapse. Median time to first recurrence was 16 months (1.3 to 115 months). The number of recurrences in each patient ranged from 1 to 9 (median = 2). Thirty‐seven recurrences (63%) were detected asymptomatically by surveillance imaging. Fifteen recurrences (26%) arose outside the initial tumor site. Recurrences were treated by surgical resection (45), with irradiation (30), and with various oral chemotherapies (23) with (7) or without (16) conventional chemotherapy. The 5 and 10 year overall survival rates from first recurrence were 0.37 ± 0.14 and 0.25 ± 0.14.

Conclusion

Prolonged (5–10 year) survival from first relapse was noted in over one‐quarter of our patients. It remains unclear whether early radiographic diagnosis, differing treatment modalities beyond radical surgical resection or possibly unrecognized biological differences contributed towards this prolonged survival. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014;61:1195–1201. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The effect of hydroxyurea on compound heterozygotes for sickle cell‐hemoglobin D‐Punjab—A single centre experience in eastern India
Authors: Patel Siris , Purohit Prasanta , Mashon Ranjeet Singh , Dehury Snehadhini , Meher Satyabrata , Sahoo Sulia , Dash Subhransu Sekhar , Das Kishalaya , Das Padmalaya , Patel Dilip Kumar
Published: February 2014

Background

Although hydroxyurea is the only effective agent for the treatment of sickle cell disease, published experience with this drug is limited to treatment of homozygous sickle cell anemia and HbS/β thalassemia. The role of hydroxyurea in the treatment of patients with HbSD‐Punjab, a rare hemoglobinopathy with phenotypic expression similar to that of sickle cell anemia is unknown.

Procedure

Over a period of 10 years, we followed 42 patients with HbSD‐Punjab, of which 20 presented with severe clinical manifestations (≥3 episodes of VOC and/or ≥2 units of blood transfusion in the previous 12 months). These 20 patients were enrolled for treatment with hydroxyurea at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day and followed prospectively for a period of 24 months.

Results

The frequency of VOC decreased significantly and none of them required blood transfusion while receiving hydroxyurea. The HbF, total hemoglobin, MCV, MCH, and MCHC levels increased significantly, whereas HbS, WBC, platelet count, total serum bilirubin, and LDH levels decreased significantly in all the patients. No short‐term drug toxicity was observed.

Conclusion

This study describes the use of hydroxyurea therapy in patients with HbSD‐Punjab. Low dose hydroxyurea (10 mg/kg/day) was found to be effective in reducing the clinical severity in patients with HbSD‐Punjab without any short‐term toxicity. In view of easy affordability amongst poor patients, widespread acceptability by patients and doctors, the need of infrequent monitoring and its potential effectiveness, low dose hydroxyurea is suitable for treatment of patients with HbSD‐Punjab. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014; 61:1341–1346. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High‐resolution chromosomal microarrays in prenatal diagnosis significantly increase diagnostic power
Authors: Oneda Beatrice , Baldinger Rosa , Reissmann Regina , Reshetnikova Irina , Krejci Pavel , Masood Rahim , Ochsenbein‐Kölble Nicole , Bartholdi Deborah , Steindl Katharina , Morotti Denise , Faranda Marzia , Baumer Alessandra , Asadollahi Reza , Joset Pascal , Niedrist Dunja , Breymann Christian , Hebisch Gundula , Hüsler Margaret , Mueller René , Prentl Elke , Wisser Josef , Zimmermann Roland , Rauch Anita
Published: February 2014

Objective

The objective of this study was to determine for the first time the reliability and the diagnostic power of high‐resolution microarray testing in routine prenatal diagnostics.

Methods

We applied high‐resolution chromosomal microarray testing in 464 cytogenetically normal prenatal samples with any indication for invasive testing.

Results

High‐resolution testing revealed a diagnostic yield of 6.9% and 1.6% in cases of fetal ultrasound anomalies and cases of advanced maternal age (AMA), respectively, which is similar to previous studies using low‐resolution microarrays. In three (0.6%) additional cases with an indication of AMA, an aberration in susceptibility risk loci was detected. Moreover, one case (0.2%) showed an X‐linked aberration in a female fetus, a finding relevant for future family planning. We found the rate of cases, in which the parents had to be tested for interpretation of unreported copy number variants (3.7%), and the rate of remaining variants of unknown significance (0.4%) acceptably low. Of note, these findings did not cause termination of pregnancy after expert genetic counseling. The 0.4% rate of confined placental mosaicism was similar to that observed by conventional karyotyping and notably involved a case of placental microdeletion.

Conclusion

High‐resolution prenatal microarray testing is a reliable technique that increases diagnostic yield by at least 17.3% when compared with conventional karyotyping, without an increase in the frequency of variants of uncertain significance. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Levofloxacin and proton pump inhibitor‐based triple therapy versus standard triple first‐line therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication
Authors: Ye Chen‐Li , Liao Guo‐Ping , He Shuai , Pan Yan‐Na , Kang Ying‐Bo , Zhang Zhong‐Yi
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACTS

Background

Standard triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection fails in up to one quarter of patients. Levofloxacin‐based triple therapy may be more efficacious.

Objective

The aim of this paper was to compare levofloxacin and proton pump inhibitor‐based triple therapy with standard triple therapy for H. pylori infection.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, Google Scholar, and Ovid were systematically searched to identify randomized controlled trials comparing levofloxacin and proton pump inhibitor‐based therapy with standard triple therapy in treatment‐naive patients with H. pylori infection until August 2013.

Results

Ten randomized controlled trials involving 2676 patients (1357 in the levofloxacin group and 1319 in the control group) met the inclusion criteria. The pooled odds ratio by intention‐to‐treat analysis and by per protocol analysis in the levofloxacin regimen versus standard regimen was 1.28 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88–1.85] and 1.23 (95% CI: 0.82–1.84) by the random effects model, respectively. There was no statistical significance of the incidence of total side effects between the groups, but levofloxacin‐based therapy was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of taste disturbance compared with standard third therapy.

Conclusion

Levofloxacin‐based therapy was as safe and effective as triple therapy for H. pylori infection and could be considered as an additional treatment option. However, more rigorous research is required to accurately assess the role of levofloxacin in eradicating H. pylori infection. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differences among admitting departments in alerts and alert overrides for drug–drug interaction
Authors: Ahn Eun Kyoung , Kam Hye Jin , Park Dong Kyun , Jung Eun Young , Lee Youngho , Park Rae Woong
Published: February 2014

Objective

To determine differences in the incidence and risk factors of alerts for drug–drug interaction (DDI) and the rate of alert overrides by an admitting department.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed using electronic health records of a Korean tertiary teaching hospital including all hospitalized adult patients for 18 months. The main outcome measures included incidence rates of alerts for DDI and their override, hazard ratios (HRs) for DDI alerts, and odds ratios (ORs) for alert overrides by admitting department (emergency department [ED], general ward [GW], and intensive care unit [ICU]) after adjusting for other known risk factors.

Results

Among 102 379 incident admissions, 6060 had alerts for DDI (5.4/person‐year). After adjusting for covariates, patients admitted to the ED (HR, 4.02; confidence interval [CI], 3.69–4.38) or ICU (HR, 1.62; CI, 1.29–2.04) showed higher risks for DDI compared with those admitted to the GW. The alert‐override rate was significantly higher in the ED (OR 1.68) than in the GW; however, there was no significant difference between GW and ICU. The prevalence of DDI alerts and their override rate were also demonstrated.

Discussion

The incidence of DDI and the alert‐override rate differed by admitting department. The ED and ICU were associated with higher risks for alerts on DDI than did the GW after adjusting for other known risk factors.

Conclusions

Admitting department was an independent risk factor for alerts and alert overrides. Strategies to reduce alerts and alert overrides should consider the admitting department. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Numerical simulation and experimental study of pressure and residence time distribution of triple‐screw extruder
Authors: Yang Kunxiao , Xin Chunling , Yu Dongquan , Yan Baorui , Pang Junjian , He Yadong
Published: February 2014

Three‐dimensional flow field of triangle arrayed triple‐screw extruder (TTSE) in different feed rates, screw speeds and screw configurations were simulated by POLYFLOW. Polypropylene processing by TTSE was tested to validate the numerical simulation. The reliability of simulation was tested directly and indirectly by comparing the axial pressure difference and residence time distribution (RTD) separately. The results show that the axial pressure differences from the simulations and experiments were in high agreement. The simulated and experimental RTD curves show the same trend, and so are the simulated and experimental average residence times. These results prove the reliability of simulation and its guidance to the experiment. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:156–162, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
p‐CuO/n‐Si heterojunction solar cells with high open circuit voltage and photocurrent through interfacial engineering
Authors: Masudy‐Panah Saeid , Dalapati Goutam Kumar , Radhakrishnan K. , Kumar Avishek , Tan Hui Ru , Naveen Kumar Elumalai , Vijila Chellappan , Tan Cheng Cheh , Chi DongZhi
Published: February 2014

Heterojunction solar cells of p‐type cupric oxide (CuO) and n‐type silicon (Si), p‐CuO/n‐Si, have been fabricated using conventional sputter and rapid thermal annealing techniques. Photovoltaic properties with an open‐circuit voltage (Voc) of 380 mV, short circuit current (Jsc) of 1.2 mA/cm2, and a photocurrent of 2.9 mA/cm2 were observed for the solar cell annealed at 300 °C for 1 min. When the annealing duration was increased, the photocurrent increased, but the Voc was found to reduce because of the degradation of interface quality. An improvement in the Voc resulting to a record value of 509 mV and Jsc of 4 mA/cm2 with a high photocurrent of ~12 mA/cm2 was achieved through interface engineering and controlling the phase transformation of CuO film. X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis have been used to investigate the interface properties and crystal quality of sputter‐deposited CuO thin film. The improvement in Voc is mainly due to the enhancement of crystal quality of CuO thin film and interface properties between p‐CuO and n‐Si substrate. The enhancement of photocurrent is found to be due to the reduction of carrier recombination rate as revealed by transient photovoltage spectroscopy analysis. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lotus bioinspired superhydrophobic, self‐cleaning surfaces from hierarchically assembled templates
Authors: Ho Audrey Yoke Yee , Luong Van Emma , Lim Chee Tiong , Natarajan Sriram , Elmouelhi Noha , Low Hong Yee , Vyakarnam Murty , Cooper Kevin , Rodriguez Isabel
Published: February 2014

The super hydrophobic, self‐cleaning properties of natural species derive from the fine hierarchical topography evolved on their surfaces. Hierarchical architectures which are function‐mimetic of the lotus leaf are here described and created from multi‐scale hierarchical assembled templates. The first level of hierarchy was a micromachined dome structure template and the second level of hierarchy was added by layering a thin nanoporous membrane such as porous anodized alumina or an ion track etch membrane. The assembled templates were nanoimprinted by a single step process on thermoplastic films. The wetting angle of the surfaces reached a value of 160° and the self‐cleaning behavior was observed. The superhydrophobic behavior remained over 1 year after fabrication, which demonstrates the stability of these polymeric self‐cleaning topographies. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. Part B. Polym. Phys. 2014, 52, 603–609
Enhanced Antibacterial Activity of Melt Processed Poly(propylene) Ag and Cu Nanocomposites by Argon Plasma Treatment
Authors: España‐Sánchez Beatriz L. , Ávila‐Orta Carlos A. , Padilla‐Vaca Felipe , Neira‐Velázquez María G. , González‐Morones Pablo , Rodríguez‐González José A. , Hernández‐Hernández Ernesto , Rangel‐Serrano Ángeles , Barriga‐C. Enrique Díaz , Yate Luis , Ziolo Ronald F.
Published: February 2014

Argon surface plasma treatment (APT) of poly(propylene)/silver (PP/Ag) and poly(propylene)/copper (PP/Cu) nanocomposite improves their antibacterial properties against pathogenic bacteria. Dispersions of PP/Ag and PP/Cu nanocomposites were prepared by sonication assisted melt mixing 0.05, 0.5, and 5 w/w% metal nanoparticle/polymer compositions, and then melt casted to form films that were surface treated with argon plasma. Scanning electron and atomic force microscopy showed that APT increase the surface roughness and the exposed nanoparticles. Also, APT produced implanted oxygen and nitrogen species as demonstrated by XPS analysis and enhanced the surface wettability. Antibacterial activity (AA) against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa of the plasma treated NC films was significantly increased in all conditions tested such as NP loading and interaction time; copper NCs were more effective than silver NCs. Surface activation of the PP/Ag and PP/Cu NC films by APT is a viable technique to increase the antibacterial activity of nanocomposites, an important issue in medical and health care applications.
Enhancement of the 808 nm Photothermal Effect of Gold Nanorods by Thiol‐Induced Self‐Assembly
Authors: Sheng Yu , Lin Min , Li Xiangwei , Hao Hongxia , Lin Xiaoying , Sun Hongchen , Zhang Hao
Published: February 2014

Gold (Au) nanomaterials are promising photothermal agents for the selective treatment of tumor cells owing to the strong capability to convert near‐infrared (NIR) irradiation into heat energy. One basic issue for practical photothermal therapy is the enhancement of photothermal effect in NIR region. Here, various low‐molecular‐weight thiols are applied to induce one‐dimensional (1D) self‐assembly of Au nanorods (NRs), which leads to the redshift of absorption peak towards NIR region. As a result, the 1D assembled Au NRs exhibit improved photothermal effect at 808 nm in comparison to unassembled Au NRs.
Transparent and Superamphiphobic Surfaces from One‐Step Spray Coating of Stringed Silica Nanoparticle/Sol Solutions
Authors: Ge Dengteng , Yang Lili , Zhang Youfa , Rahmawan Yudi , Yang Shu
Published: February 2014

Transparent and superamphiphobic coatings that repel both water and low‐surface‐tension oil offer energy and environmental benefits to building windows, solar cell panels, electronic displays, and other optical equipment. Here, we developed a solution consisting of stringed amphiphilic silica nanoparticles (NPs) and an amphiphilic sol, which could be spray coated onto a variety of planar and curved substrates in one step. High transparency, water/oil contact angles greater than 150° and roll‐off angles less than 10° were demonstrated. The stringed NPs formed a fractal‐like nanoporous network, while the sol acted as a surface modifier and binder to enhance the coating robustness against heating (up to 400 °C), water jetting, and sand abrasion.
Proteases and proteomics: Cutting to the core of human skin pathologies
Authors: de Veer Simon J. , Furio Laetitia , Harris Jonathan M. , Hovnanian Alain
Published: February 2014

Preserving the integrity of the skin's outermost layer (the epidermis) is vital for humans to thrive in hostile surroundings. Covering the entire body, the epidermis forms a thin but impenetrable cellular cordon that repels external assaults and blocks escape of water and electrolytes from within. This structure exists in a perpetual state of regeneration where the production of new cellular subunits at the base of the epidermis is offset by the release of terminally differentiated corneocytes from the surface. It is becoming increasingly clear that proteases hold vital roles in assembling and maintaining the epidermal barrier. More than 30 proteases are expressed by keratinocytes or infiltrating immune cells and the activity of each must be maintained within narrow limits and confined to the correct time and place. Accordingly, over‐ or under‐exertion of proteolytic activity is a common factor in a multitude of skin disorders that range in severity from relatively mild to life‐threatening. This review explores the current state of knowledge on the involvement of proteases in skin diseases and the latest findings from proteomic and transcriptomic studies focused on uncovering novel (patho)physiological roles for these enzymes.
A comprehensive resequence‐analysis of 250 kb region of 8q24.21 in men of African ancestry
Authors: Chung Charles C. , Hsing Ann W. , Yeboah Edward , Biritwum Richard , Tettey Yao , Adjei Andrew , Cook Michael B. , De Marzo Angelo , Netto George , Tay Evelyn , Boland Joseph F. , Yeager Meredith , Chanock Stephen J.
Published: February 2014

BACKGROUND

Genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have identified that a ∼1 M region centromeric to the MYC oncogene on chromosome 8q24.21 harbors at least five independent loci associated with prostate cancer risk and additional loci associated with cancers of breast, colon, bladder, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Because GWAS identify genetic markers that may be indirectly associated with disease, fine‐mapping based on sequence analysis provides important insights into patterns of linkage disequilibrium (LD) and is critical in defining the optimal variants to nominate for biological follow‐up.

METHODS

To catalog variation in individuals of African ancestry, we resequenced a region (250 kb; chr8:128,050,768–128,300,801, hg19) containing several prostate cancer susceptibility loci as well as a locus associated with CLL. Our samples included 78 individuals from Ghana and 47 of African‐Americans from Johns Hopkins University.

RESULTS

After quality control metrics were applied to next‐generation sequence data, 1,838 SNPs were identified. Of these, 285 were novel and not yet reported in any public database. Using genotypes derived from sequencing, we refined the LD and recombination hotspots within the region and determined a set of tag SNPs to be used in future fine‐mapping studies. Based on LD, we annotated putative risk loci and their surrogates using ENCODE data, which should help guide laboratory studies.

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison to the 1000 Genome Project data, we have identified additional variants that could be important in establishing priorities for future functional work designed to explain the biological basis of associations between SNPs and both prostate cancer and CLL. Prostate 74:579–589, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of the thermal stability of propylene oxide in different environments
Authors: Zhang Fan , Zou Jin , Yu Shitao , Xie Chuan‐xin , Shi Ning
Published: February 2014

Propylene oxide (PO) is commonly employed as an intermediate for polymerization. Due to its unstable structure and extensive heat release during disturbance, PO has caused many thermal explosions during the manufacturing process. This study employed a C80 calorimeter to investigate the properties of PO when combined with various materials. The kinetic and safety parameters were evaluated via numerical simulation, and the runaway scenarios for a barrel of PO containing different contaminants were subsequently calculated. The results indicated that refined PO is thermally stable, even at high temperatures, but contaminants, such as water, acid, base, and metal ions, could accelerate the reaction dramatically. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 33: 369–373, 2014
Top–down fabrication and characterization of axial and radial III‐nitride nanowire LEDs
Authors: Wang George T. , Li Qiming , Wierer Jonathan J. , Koleske Daniel D. , Figiel Jeffrey J.
Published: February 2014

Complex axial and radial type III‐nitride InGaN/GaN nanowire LEDs are realized using a recently developed top–down fabrication approach which enables high quality GaN‐based nanowires with independently controlled height, pitch, and diameter. In this paper, we report on the fabrication, structural characterization, and luminescence of these two different structures and discuss their relative merits, weaknesses, and prospects in the context of the field.

Axial (left) and radial (right) nanowire LEDs fabricated by a two‐step top–down method.
Investigation of the conduction processes in PZT‐based multiferroics: Analysis from Jonscher's formalism
Authors: Guerra J. D. S. , Portugal R. J. , Silva A. C. , Guo R. , Bhalla A. S.
Published: February 2014

The conductive processes in multiferroic ceramic composites based on PbZr0.65Ti0.35O3 (PZT) and BaFe12O19 (BaM), synthesized by the conventional solid‐state reaction method, have been investigated. The DC and AC electrical conductivities have been analyzed in a wide temperature and frequency range and the influence of the BaM content on the electrical properties of the PZT–xBaM composites has been taken into account. It has been observed that the inclusion of the BaM in the PZT ferroelectric matrix promotes conduction mechanisms with magnetic‐order characteristics on the ceramics, which were related to doubly ionized oxygen vacancies, superexchange, and double‐exchange‐type interactions. The obtained results are discussed in the framework of Jonscher's formalism.
Mesoscale organization and structure of orographic precipitation producing flash floods in the Lago Maggiore region
Authors: Panziera L. , James C. N. , Germann U.
Published: February 2014

This article investigates the mesoscale precipitation mechanisms affecting the severest flood events observed from 2005 to 2012 in the Maggia River, located in the Lago Maggiore region on the southern side of the European Alps. High‐resolution volumetric radar data are used to describe the horizontal and vertical structure of precipitation, while sounding data depict the airflow conditions.

The events causing the nine highest peak discharge rates in the river in the last eight years are characterized by the presence of convection, which is generally absent in the storms that produced lower peak flow rates. During major floods, convective cells repeatedly propagate over the watershed over time. At large temporal scales, precipitation patterns assume the form of an elongated band of precipitation. The main reason for the formation of the band is the different direction of the low‐level and upper‐level flow in relation to the orientation of the Alpine orography. When pre‐frontal, moist and conditionally unstable air over the Po Valley is advected towards the Alpine chain by a southsoutheasterly low‐level jet, convection develops over the slopes west of Lago Maggiore where the low‐level flow is perpendicular to the terrain orientation. Convective cells are then transported towards the northeast by the upper‐level southwesterly steering flow, reaching maturity over the Maggia watershed. This mesoscale process can trigger and maintain moist convection for a long time over the same region. Statistical analyses show that the strength and stability of the upstream flow at low levels (<1.5 km) determine to what extent precipitation will be convective.

A comparison with the Mesoscale Alpine Program Intensive Observing Period (MAP IOP) precipitation cases shows that MAP IOP 2b and 3 are representative of the type of event that produces the biggest floods in the Lago Maggiore area.
Analytic energy derivatives in relativistic quantum chemistry
Authors: Cheng Lan , Stopkowicz Stella , Gauss Jürgen
Published: February 2014

In this review, we discuss the current status of analytic derivative theory in relativistic quantum chemistry. A brief overview of the basic theory for the available relativistic quantum chemical methods as well as the state‐of‐the‐art development of their analytic energy derivatives is given. Among the various relativistic quantum chemical methods, cost‐effective approaches based on spin separation and/or on the matrix representation of two‐component theory have been proven particularly promising for the accurate and efficient treatment of relativistic effects in electron correlation calculations. We highlight analytic derivative techniques for these cost‐effective relativistic quantum chemical approaches including direct perturbation theory, the spin‐free Dirac‐Coulomb approach, and the exact two‐component theory in its one‐electron variant. An outlook is given on future developments of analytic energy derivative techniques for relativistic quantum chemical methods, again with an emphasis on cost‐effective schemes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Safe Water Adaptability for Salinity, Arsenic and Drought Risks in Southwest of Bangladesh
Authors: Abedin Md. Anwarul , Shaw Rajib
Published: February 2014

In recent years, access to safe drinking water has been a major problem in many countries in the world. The scarcity of safe drinking water is increasing due to increase in population, changing lifestyles and urbanization. Bangladesh, known as the “land of water,” also faces a safe drinking water crisis. Particularly, the Southwestern part of Bangladesh experiences scarcity of safe drinking water due to salinity intrusion along with arsenic‐contaminated groundwater and recurring drought. In this context, an exploratory study is undertaken in two severe safe water scarce areas namely Khulna and Satkhira districts of Bangladesh. The study developed and utilized the SIPE approach to measure safe water adaptability index considering socio‐economic, institutional, physiochemical, and environmental perspectives of the targeted area. With regard to overall safe water adaptability index, results show that overall safe water adaptability scores range from 2.16 to 3.13. Moreover, based on the score, five upazilas (sub‐districts) have medium, 10 upazilas have low and one upazila has very low adaptability among 16 upazilas in Khulna and Satkhira districts. Through the adaptability index, the capacity of upazilas and gap between different levels is measured which can guide the review of existing policy and provide recommendations for a safe water adaptability action plan.
Nonprofit and Public Sector Participation in Self‐Organizing Information Networks: Twitter Hashtag and Trending Topic Use During Disasters
Authors: Wukich Clayton , Steinberg Alan
Published: February 2014

Twitter's hashtag categorizations and trending topics offer accessible tools through which people communicate and self‐organize during disasters. This article examines Twitter communication networks, specifically the roles played by nonprofit and government agencies, that were engaged during four disasters: (1) The Boston Marathon bombing, (2) The West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion, (3) The Midwest spring flooding in Peoria, Illinois, and (4) The Moore, Oklahoma tornado. NodeXL and UCINET were used to collect and analyze data and determine network composition and structure. Nonprofit and government Twitter pages provided additional data. Findings indicate varied levels of engagement. While several state‐level public agencies and regional nonprofits used Twitter with some regularity, many failed to participate in hashtag networks that penetrated disparate user groups. The article concludes with a discussion on how organizations might more effectively promote response efforts through this medium.
Influence of hydrothermal exposure on surface characteristics and corrosion behaviors of anodized titanium
Authors: Chen Zhaoxiang , Zhou Kun , Lu Xuehong , Lam Yee Cheong
Published: February 2014

Titanium surface was modified by anodization in phosphoric acid solution at the voltages of 100 and 250 V, respectively. Surface characteristics and corrosion behaviors of anodized titanium were investigated before and after hydrothermal exposure in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution at 160 °C for 24 h. It was found that anodization at 100 and 250 V resulted in the formation of a dense and a porous TiO2 layer, respectively. The existence of anatase in the oxide layers of the 250‐V samples was confirmed by X‐ray diffraction analysis but not in the oxide layers of the 100‐V samples. After the hydrothermal exposure, the surface morphology of the 100‐V sample changed significantly, and discrete nanorods were formed on the surface. In contrast, the 250‐V sample basically preserved their original surface structures after the exposure except that numerous closely packed nanoparticles emerged on the surface. X‐ray diffraction analysis indicated that the exposure transformed the amorphous oxides into crystalline anatase. The corrosion behavior investigation of anodized titanium showed that the hydrothermal exposure had slight influence on the corrosion resistance of the 100‐V samples but decreased the corrosion resistance of the 250‐V samples significantly. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A sequential enriched design for target patient population in psychiatric clinical trials
Authors: Chen Yeh‐Fong , Zhang Xiangmin , Tamura Roy N. , Chen Chiung M.
Published: February 2014

High placebo response is widely believed to be one major reason why many psychiatric clinical trials fail to demonstrate drug efficacy. In order to alleviate this problem, research has developed several enrichment designs, including the parallel design with a placebo lead‐in phase, the sequential parallel design, and a recently proposed two‐way enriched design. While these designs have been evaluated and discussed individually, their effectiveness against each other has not been rigorously compared. The current study examines the various enrichment designs simultaneously. Building on their strengths, we introduce a new improved design named ‘sequential enriched design’ (SED) aimed at removing not only patients with high placebo response but also patients who do not respond to any treatment from the study. The SED begins with a double‐blind placebo lead‐in phase followed by a traditional parallel design in the first stage. Only patients who respond to the drug in the first stage are re‐randomized to the drug or placebo at the second stage. We simulate data for a mixed population composed of four subgroups of patients who are predetermined as to whether they respond to drug or not as well as to placebo or not. By focusing on the target patients whose responses reflect the drug's efficacy, we evaluate the bias, mean squared error, and power for different designs. We demonstrate that the SED produces a less biased estimate for the target treatment effect and yields reasonably high power in general compared with the other designs. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Looking good by doing good: The antecedents and consequences of stakeholder attention to corporate disaster relief
Authors: Madsen Peter M. , Rodgers Zachariah J.
Published: February 2014

Stakeholder theory suggests a relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financial performance (CFP) because certain stakeholders reward certain types of CSR. This argument assumes that stakeholders attend to firms' CSR activities—an assumption that has yet to be examined. We fill this gap by extending stakeholder theory to the context of stakeholder attention to firm CSR and exploring the antecedents and consequences of stakeholder attention to corporate disaster relief CSR. We test the resulting hypotheses on a sample of public companies that engaged in natural disaster relief efforts, finding that stakeholder attention partially mediated the relationship between disaster relief and CFP and that stakeholder attention to corporate disaster relief was driven by the legitimacy, urgency, and enactment of disaster relief CSR initiatives. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Managerial cognitive capabilities and the microfoundations of dynamic capabilities
Authors: Helfat Constance E. , Peteraf Margaret A.
Published: February 2014

The microfoundations of dynamic capabilities have assumed greater importance in the search for factors that facilitate strategic change. Here, we focus on microfoundations at the level of the individual manager. We introduce the concept of “managerial cognitive capability,” which highlights the fact that capabilities involve the capacity to perform not only physical but also mental activities. We identify specific types of cognitive capabilities that are likely to underpin dynamic managerial capabilities for sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring, and explain their potential impact on strategic change of organizations. In addition, we discuss how heterogeneity of these cognitive capabilities may produce heterogeneity of dynamic managerial capabilities among top executives, which may contribute to differential performance of organizations under conditions of change. Finally, we propose possible directions for future research. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal Control of a Cooling Line for Production of Hot Rolled Dual Phase Steel
Authors: Bleck Wolfgang , Hömberg Dietmar , Prahl Ulrich , Suwanpinij Piyada , Togobytska Nataliya
Published: February 2014

In this article, the optimal control of a cooling line for production of dual phase steel in a hot rolling process is discussed. In order to achieve a desired dual phase steel microstructure an optimal cooling strategy has to be found. The cooling strategy should be such that a desired final distribution of ferrite in the steel slab is reached most accurately. This problem has been solved by means of mathematical control theory. The results of the optimal control of the cooling line have been verified in hot rolling experiments at the pilot hot rolling mill at the Institute for Metal Forming (IMF), TU Bergakademie Freiberg.
Environmental Metallurgy: Continuity or New Discipline?
Authors: Birat Jean‐Pierre L.
Published: February 2014

In neoclassical economics, the environment is an externality and environmental issues are treated as an add‐on feature. In metallurgy, the environment is handled in a similar way, for similar reasons: environmental issues are both external to the core themes of metallurgy and to the economics of process metallurgy. Environmental issues range from corrosion, to generation of by‐products, to air and water emissions, to environmental footprints (carbon footprint, water footprint, etc.), a measure of the burdens/liabilities that metals production and use impose on the “planet”, to social footprint, a measure of the assets brought about by the economic activities they generate, and to recycling, re‐use and nega‐use issues.
A note on the tails of the GO‐GARCH process
Authors: Muriel Nelson
Published: February 2014

The possibility of modeling heavy tails using generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) models has been rigorously established in the univariate case, and the consequences that this heavy tailedness has on the distributional limits of the sample autocovariance function are well known. In the multivariate case, however, the results have not as yet been provided, and the asymptotic properties of the autocovariance function are not fully understood. In this note, we focus on the generalized orthogonal GARCH (GO‐GARCH) model, a multivariate specification that has recently received some attention in the literature. We first show that marginal heavy tailedness is a simple consequence of the definition of the process and argue that all tail indexes should be equal. Next, we show that the finite‐dimensional distributions of the GO‐GARCH model possess some of the properties known to hold for univariate GARCH and comment on some implications of this fact, which are of practical import. Specifically, we show that the sample autocovariance function may either have a random limit or converge rather slowly to its population counterpart depending on how heavy the tails of the process are. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Aloe vera affects changes induced in pulmonary tissue of mice caused by cigarette smoke inhalation
Authors: Koul Ashwani , Bala Shashi , Yasmeen  , Arora Neha
Published: February 2014

This study was undertaken to determine the influence of Aloe vera (AV) on changes induced in pulmonary tissue of cigarette smoke (CS) inhaling mice. CS inhalation for 4 weeks caused pulmonary damage as evident by histoarchitectural alterations and enhanced serum and tissue lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities. CS inhalation also led to increased mucin production as revealed by mucicarmine and Alcian Blue‐Periodic Acid Schiff (AB‐PAS) staining. Studies on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (balf) of CS exposed animals revealed structural changes in phospholipids and increase in surface tension when compared with control counterparts. These changes were accompanied by enhanced nitric oxide (NO) levels, citrulline levels, peroxidative damage, and differential modulation of antioxidant defense system. AV administration (seven weeks, 500 mg/kg b.w. daily) to CS inhaling mice led to modulation of CS induced pulmonary changes as revealed by lesser degree of histoarchitectural alterations, lesser mucin production, decreased NO levels, citrulline levels, peroxidative damage, and serum LDH activity. AV treatment to CS inhaling mice was associated with varying response to antioxidant defense system, however balf of CS + AV treated animals did not exhibit appreciable changes when compared with that of CS exposed animals. These observations suggest that AV has the potential to modulate CS induced changes in the pulmonary tissue which could have implications in management of CS associated pulmonary diseases, however, further investigations are required to explore its complete mechanism of action. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 999–1013, 2015.
Hyperphosphorylation of microfilament‐associated proteins is involved in microcystin‐LR‐induced toxicity in HL7702 cells
Authors: Zeng Jing , Tu Wei‐wei , Lazar Lissy , Chen Dong‐ni , Zhao Jin‐shun , Xu Jin
Published: February 2014

Microcystin‐LR (MC‐LR) has been regarded as a hepatotoxin, which can cause cytoskeletal reorganization, especially of the actin filaments. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, whether MC‐LR could induce microfilaments disruption was verified in the normal human liver cell line HL7702; and then the transcription, translation, and phosphorylation levels of major microfilament‐associated proteins were measured; finally, the underlying mechanisms was investigated. After treatment with MC‐LR, the actin filaments lost their characteristic filamentous organization in the cells, demonstrating increased actin depolymerization. The mRNA and protein levels of ezrin, vasodilator‐stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), actin‐related protein2/3, and cofilin remained unchanged. However, the phosphorylation levels of ezrin and VASP were increased, when treated with 10 μM MC‐LR. Moreover, P38 and ERK1/2 were involved in MC‐LR‐induced hyperphosphorylation of microfilament‐associated proteins. In summary, this study demonstrates that MC‐LR can cause disruption of actin filaments in HL7702 cells due to MC‐LR‐induced mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway activation and hyperphosphorylation of different types of microfilament‐associated proteins. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 981–988, 2015.
From environmental to climate justice: climate change and the discourse of environmental justice
Authors: Schlosberg David , Collins Lisette B.
Published: February 2014

Environmental justice is a major movement and organizing discourse in the environmental politics arena, and both the movement and the idea have had a large influence on the way that climate justice has been conceptualized. While most discussions of climate justice in the academic literature focus on ideal conceptions and normative arguments of justice theory, or on the pragmatic policy of the more elite environmental nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), a distinct discourse has developed out of the grassroots. In these movement articulations of climate justice, the concerns and principles of environmental justice are clear and consistent. Here, climate justice focuses on local impacts and experience, inequitable vulnerabilities, the importance of community voice, and demands for community sovereignty and functioning. This review traces the discourse of environmental justice from its development, through the range of principles and demands of grassroots climate justice movements, to more recent articulations of ideas for just adaptation to climate change.

This article is categorized under:

Climate, Nature, and Ethics > Climate Change and Global Justice

Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Climate Science and Social Movements
Characterizing the response of a wind turbine model under complex inflow conditions
Authors: Howard K. B. , Hu J. S. , Chamorro L. P. , Guala M.
Published: February 2014

A horizontal axis wind turbine model was tested in a closed‐circuit wind tunnel under various inflow conditions. Separate experiments placed the test turbine (i) in the wake of a three‐dimensional, sinusoidal hill, (ii) in the wake of another turbine and (iii) in the turbulent boundary layer, as a reference case. Simultaneous high‐frequency measurements of the turbine output voltage, rotor angular velocity along with streamwise and wall normal velocity components were collected at various locations through the turbine's miniature direct‐current (DC) generator, a high‐resolution laser tachometer and cross‐wire anemometer, respectively. Validation trials were conducted first in order to characterize the test turbine's output and response to the baseline turbulent boundary layer. Analysis was performed by comparing the cross‐wire anemometry measurements of the incoming flow with the turbine voltage output to investigate the unsteady rotor kinematics under different flow perturbations. Using spectral, auto‐correlation and cross‐correlation methods, it was found that the flow structures developing downwind of the hill leave a stronger signature on the fluctuations and spectrum of the rotor angular velocity, as compared with those flow structures filtered or deflected by placing a turbine upwind. In summary, we show that the effects on downwind turbines of complex terrain and multi‐turbine arrangements are consistent with the induced modifications by the hill or turbine on the large scale structures in the incoming flow. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Wildlife strikes with military rotary‐wing aircraft during flight operations within the United States
Authors: Washburn Brian E. , Cisar Paul J. , DEvault Travis L.
Published: February 2014

Wildlife–aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) with civilian and military aircraft pose notable risks and economic losses. The 4 military services within the U.S. Department of Defense maintain records regarding wildlife strikes with military aircraft. Although rotary‐wing aircraft operations comprise important mission components within all 4 military services, no assessment of wildlife strikes to military rotary‐wing aircraft has been conducted. The objectives of this project were to 1) conduct a comprehensive analysis of data available from all military services regarding wildlife strikes with rotary‐wing aircraft, and 2) provide recommendations to reduce the frequency and negative impacts of these strikes. We acquired all available wildlife strike records and parsed our database to include only wildlife strikes to military rotary‐wing aircraft occurring within the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, or within near‐shore areas along the coasts. We assessed the effects of year, month, time of day, event location (i.e., on‐ or off‐airfield), and wildlife group involved on the frequency of wildlife strikes with rotary‐wing aircraft. The frequency of wildlife strikes was highest during autumn (Sept–Nov; 41.6% of all strikes) and lowest during winter (Dec–Feb; 10.4%). Wildlife strikes occurred most often when aircraft were traveling en route (38.3%) or were engaged in terrain flight (28.9%). Raptors and vultures were commonly associated with wildlife strikes that caused damage to aircraft. Wildlife strikes to military rotary‐wing aircraft during flight operations within the United States are both costly (averaging US$12,184–$337,281/strike event among the military services) and deadly (2 pilots were killed). Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Community Engagement as a Process and an Outcome of Developing Culturally Grounded Health Communication Interventions: An Example from the DECIDE Project
Authors: Palmer-Wackerly Angela L. , Krok Jessica L. , Dailey Phokeng M. , Kight Linda , Krieger Janice L.
Published: February 2014

Community engagement is a process often used in developing effective health communication interventions, especially in traditionally underserved cultural contexts. While the potentially positive outcomes of community engagement are well established, the communication processes that result in engagement with cultural groups are less apparent. The focus on the outcomes of engagement at the expense of describing how engagement occurs makes it difficult for methods to be improved upon and replicated by future studies. The purpose of the current manuscript is to illustrate the process of achieving community engagement through the development of a culturally grounded health communication intervention. We offer practical suggestions for implementing community engagement principles, as well as the benefits and challenges inherent in this approach to research. Key points are illustrated using examples from the DECIDE Project, a culturally grounded intervention for improving communication about clinical trials in the medically underserved Appalachian region.