bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Noncoverage Errors in Travel Surveys Due to Mobile Phone–Only Households
Authors: Son Sanghoon , Khattak Asad , Kim Nak-Kyeong
Published: October 2013

National and regional household travel surveys have conventionally sampled landline telephone households through list-assisted random digit dialing. However, recent increases in “mobile phone-only” households result in either noncoverage or undercoverage of a growing segment of the population. This result could cause a substantial bias in the representativeness of travel behavior toward the target population. To cover mobile phone-only households, an address-based sampling method is of interest. This study explores whether the characteristics and travel behavior of mobile phone-only households differ from those of households with landline telephones. In addition, this study quantifies the extent of noncoverage errors in the surveys in respondents’ travel behavior. Along with census data, the mobile phone-only sample (N = 2,988) was compared with the landline telephone sample (N = 7,774) drawn from the 2008 National Capital Region Household Travel Survey. Results show that the mobile phone-only sample consisted of relatively more single-person households; younger individuals; and Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics, who were generally identified as hard-to-reach groups. Statistical models were estimated to examine differences in travel behavior and suggested that the mobile phone-only households made more transit (41%) and walking (29%) trips. This study shows that the inclusion of the mobile phone-only households can reduce the noncoverage errors, especially for alternative modes. The implications for travel survey methods are discussed.
Application of Geographic Perturbation Methods to Residential Locations in the Oregon Household Activity Survey
Authors: Clifton Kelly J. , Gehrke Steven R.
Published: October 2013

Travel demand models have advanced from zone-based methods to favor activity-based approaches that require more disaggregate data sources. Household travel surveys gather disaggregate data that may be used to inform advanced travel demand models better and also to improve the understanding of how nonmotorized travel is influenced by a household's surrounding built environment. However, the release of these disaggregate data is often limited by a confidentiality pledge between the household participant and survey administrator. Concerns about the disclosure risk of survey respondents to household travel surveys must be addressed before these household-level data may be released at their disaggregate geography. In an effort to honor this confidentiality pledge and facilitate the dissemination of valuable travel survey data, this research (a) reviews geographical perturbation methods that seek to protect respondent confidentiality; (b) outlines a procedure for implementing one promising practice, referred to as the “doughnut masking technique”; and (c) demonstrates a proof of concept for this technique on 10 respondents to a household activity travel survey in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan region. To examine the balance between limiting disclosure risk and preserving data utility, four trials were conducted and measures of household anonymity and built environment variation were analyzed for the relocated household in relation to its actual location. Results of this demonstration revealed that increases in the potential displacement distance of a geographically perturbed household generally reduced disclosure risk and also limited data utility.
Open versus Closed
Authors: Kash Gwen
Published: October 2013

The expression of attitudes is very sensitive to variations in survey structure. With a survey with both open and closed questions of a single sample of respondents, an analysis was done on attitudes about public transportation of peak-hour transit users in Arequipa, Peru. It was found that combining both question types helped identify and compensate for the limitations of each. The results of the open and closed questions were dramatically different, even though the same individuals answered both questions. In response to nondirective, open-ended questioning, respondents emphasized experiential concerns such as comfort and travel times. However, when asked to rank transit-related issues in order of importance, respondents overwhelmingly chose social concerns such as pollution and traffic accidents over the experiential concerns they themselves previously mentioned. The psychological forces that may have led to these apparently contradictory results were explored. The paper drew on the belief-sampling model of survey response and social desirability bias to explain why open questioning may have understated the true value respondents placed on social issues, whereas the closed question may have underemphasized the importance of users’ quotidian travel experience. The participants’ willingness to change answers between the two question forms suggests that confirmation bias may not be a significant impediment to the use of mixed question types.
Longitudinal Global Positioning System Travel Data and Breach of Privacy via Enhanced Spatial and Demographic Analysis
Authors: Elango Vetri Venthan , Khoeini Sara , Xu Yanzhi , Guensler Randall
Published: October 2013

Longitudinal Global Positioning System (GPS) travel data provide a wealth of information related to travel behavior and on-road vehicle behavior that is very valuable to researchers. Sharing the data publicly allows researchers to explore the data and create new knowledge beyond the initial research objectives. However, if any data are to be used outside a secure server, the data must be processed in such a manner that ensures that the confidentiality of the data will not be breached. High-resolution GPS data (e.g., second-by-second speed and location information), when associated with the individual households or drivers, compromise privacy and have a significant potential to harm human subjects. This paper explores how data from the Commute Atlanta study in Georgia could be processed to make it useful to researchers while participants’ privacy is protected. The research developed and assessed methodologies designed to identify the individual participant's home location from processed data and then tested analytical data sets for breach of privacy. The research effort found that the home location could be identified to within reasonably small neighborhoods; when the household demographic information was included in the data sets (which was necessary for researchers), exact households could be identified. Although some new data-processing approaches might be used to eliminate privacy concerns, until such systems are developed and proved to be unbreachable through rigorous analysis, the Georgia Institute of Technology team has determined that researchers should access the high-resolution data in controlled secure labs and that the data sets should not be made public without additional efforts to ensure that home locations cannot be identified when external data sources are leveraged in the analyses.
Stochastic Imputation of Missing Physical Commodity Trade Information Using Monetary Trade Data
Authors: Ong G. P. , Farhan J. , Chin A. T. H.
Published: October 2013

International trade had conventionally been expressed in monetary values until the recommendations by the UN Statistics Division. Because international trade in monetary terms alone is not entirely representative of global trade from a transportation and logistics perspective, the physical dimension of international trade is attaining increased importance. However, missing physical quantities in the trade flow databases are observed; these quantities are due largely to (a) noncompliance of reporter countries with the standard units of measurement or classification, (b) confidentiality issues, and (c) erroneous collection and reporting of certain data. This paper, therefore, first presents the existing methods used in the literature to treat the issue of missing commodity weight information in international physical commodity trade databases and then proposes a stochastic multivariate imputation model using auxiliary variables such as monetary trade data and the price index to impute missing physical quantities. The relative performance of those methods in resolving the issue of incomplete physical commodity trade data is then evaluated and compared through a case study. It is concluded that the proposed approach outperforms the existing approaches for commodity flow data imputation.
Comparative Evaluation of Physical and Structural Properties of Water Retted and Non-retted Flax Fibers
Authors: Nair Gopu , Singh Ashutosh , Zimniewska Malgorzata , Raghavan Vijaya
Published: October 2013

Flax stems of Modran variety were subjected to water retting under laboratory conditions and its physical properties were compared with non-retted fibers. Physical properties including percentage of impurities, weighted average length, linear density, tenacity and elongation were analyzed and the results were compared. The analysis of retted and non-retted flax fibers showed that retting is the most important step in the processing of flax fibers and it directly affects quality attributes like strength, fineness, and homogeneity. Scanning Electron microscope images of fibers were also analyzed and the retted fibers showed much cleaner surface when compared to decorticated non-retted fibers.
Difference between Toxicities of Iron Oxide Magnetic Nanoparticles with Various Surface-Functional Groups against Human Normal Fibroblasts and Fibrosarcoma Cells
Authors: Yang Won , Lee Jong , Hong Seong , Lee Jaewook , Lee Jaebeom , Han Dong-Wook
Published: October 2013

Recently, many nanomedical studies have been focused on magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) because MNPs possess attractive properties for potential uses in imaging, drug delivery, and theranostics. MNPs must have optimized size as well as functionalized surface for such applications. However, careful cytotoxicity and genotoxicity assessments to ensure the biocompatibility and biosafety of MNPs are essential. In this study, Fe3O4 MNPs of different sizes (approximately 10 and 100–150 nm) were prepared with different functional groups, hydroxyl (–OH) and amine (–NH2) groups, by coating their surfaces with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) or TEOS/APTMS. Differential cellular responses to those surface-functionalized MNPs were investigated in normal fibroblasts vs. fibrosarcoma cells. Following the characterization of MNP properties according to size, surface charge and functional groups, cellular responses to MNPs in normal fibroblasts and fibrosarcoma cells were determined by quantifying metabolic activity, membrane integrity, and DNA stability. While all MNPs induced just about 5% or less cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in fibrosarcoma cells at lower than 500 μg/mL, APTMS-coated MNPs resulted in greater than 10% toxicity against normal cells. Particularly, the genotoxicity of MNPs was dependent on their dose, size and surface charge, showing that positively charged (APTMS- or TEOS/APTMS-coated) MNPs induced appreciable DNA aberrations irrespective of cell type. Resultantly, smaller and positively charged (APTMS-coated) MNPs led to more severe toxicity in normal cells than their cancer counterparts. Although it was difficult to fully differentiate cellular responses to various MNPs between normal fibroblasts and their cancer counterparts, normal cells were shown to be more vulnerable to internalized MNPs than cancer cells. Our results suggest that functional groups and sizes of MNPs are critical determinants of degrees of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity, and potential mechanisms of toxicity.
Form-Stable Phase Change Materials Based on Eutectic Mixture of Tetradecanol and Fatty Acids for Building Energy Storage: Preparation and Performance Analysis
Authors: Huang Jingyu , Lu Shilei , Kong Xiangfei , Liu Shangbao , Li Yiran
Published: October 2013

This paper is focused on preparation and performance analysis of a series of form-stable phase change materials (FSPCMs), based on eutectic mixtures as phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage and high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) polymer as supporting materials. The PCMs were eutectic mixtures of tetradecanol (TD)–capric acid (CA), TD–lauric acid (LA), and TD–myristic acid (MA), which were rarely explored before. Thermal properties of eutectic mixtures and FSPCMs were measured by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The onset melting/solidification temperatures of form-stable PCMs were 19.13 °C/13.32 °C (FS TD–CA PCM), 24.53 °C/24.92 °C (FS TD–LA PCM), and 33.15 °C/30.72 °C (FS TD–MA PCM), respectively, and latent heats were almost greater than 90 J/g. The surface morphologies and chemical stability of form-stable PCM were surveyed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, respectively. The thermal cycling test revealed that the thermal reliability of these three form-stable PCMs was good. Thermal storage/release experiment indicated melting/solidification time was shortened by introducing 10 wt % aluminum powder (AP). It is concluded that these FSPCMs can act as potential building thermal storage materials in terms of their satisfactory thermal properties.
Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior of Porous Ti–6Al–4V Processed by Spherical Powder Sintering
Authors: Reig Lucía , Tojal Concepción , Busquets David , Amigó Vicente
Published: October 2013

Reducing the stiffness of titanium is an important issue to improve the behavior of this material when working together with bone, which can be achieved by generating a porous structure. The aim of this research was to analyze the porosity and mechanical behavior of Ti–6Al–4V porous samples developed by spherical powder sintering. Four different microsphere sizes were sintered at temperatures ranging from 1300 to 1400 °C for 2, 4 and 8 h. An open, interconnected porosity was obtained, with mean pore sizes ranging from 54.6 to 140 µm. The stiffness of the samples diminished by as much as 40% when compared to that of solid material and the mechanical properties were affected mainly by powder particles size. Bending strengths ranging from 48 to 320 MPa and compressive strengths from 51 to 255 MPa were obtained.
Patterns, Characteristics, and Correlates of Adolescent Bully-Victims in Urban Tanzania
Authors: Wilson Michael , Celedonia Karen , Kamala Benjamin
Published: October 2013

Bullying is an understudied issue of public health importance in low-income countries. In the present study, we aimed to explore social and demographic factors associated with bullying among adolescents in a low-income country urban setting. We divided a sample of 2,154 school-attending adolescents into two groups, those who had been bullied during a 30-day period and those who were not. We considered age, sex, mental health, parent-relationship, hunger and social deprivation and truancy in our comparison of these two groups using logistic regression. Multinomial regression was also used to determine if there was a dose response relationship between bullying frequency and the aforementioned selected variables. We found that school-attending adolescents in Dar es Salaam were more likely to be truant, suffer from mental health problems and have experienced hunger. Adolescents who had parents which were more aware of their free time activities, were less likely to report being bullied. There were also significant differences in bullying frequency and certain variables, most notably with truancy, economic and social deprivation, and signs of depression. School settings in Dar es Salaam offer a potential for intervening in what are potentially harmful effects of bullying behavior among bully victims.
L'Afro-brésilianité aujourd'hui : un modèle d'intégration ?
Authors: Véran Jean-François
Published: October 2013

RESUMO- Se a afro-brasilianidade já é uma construção militante bastante antiga e tradicionalmente circunscrita aos grupos activistas, o « universo » afro- brasileiro que se desenvolve mais recentemente nos setores populares de Salvador espanta pela sua irradiação. Paralelamente, a progressiva denunciação nacional do mito da « democracia racial » e a instauração pelo Estado de leis étnicas apontando a proteger os símbolos deste « universo », invita a questionar-se sobre a capacidade de uma solução afro-brasileira a redefinir os termos da questão racial brasileira.
Dimensionality of the UWES-17: An item response modelling analysis
Authors: De Bruin Deon P. , Hill Carin , Henn Carolina M. , Muller Klaus-Peter
Published: October 2013

Orientation: Questionnaires, particularly the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17), are an almost standard method by which to measure work engagement. Conflicting evidence regarding the dimensionality of the UWES-17 has led to confusion regarding the interpretation of scores.Research purpose: The main focus of this study was to use the Rasch model to provide insight into the dimensionality of the UWES-17, and to assess whether work engagement should be interpreted as one single overall score, three separate scores, or a combination.Motivation for the study: It is unclear whether a summative score is more representative of work engagement or whether scores are more meaningful when interpreted for each dimension separately. Previous work relied on confirmatory factor analysis; the potential of item response models has not been tapped.Research design: A quantitative cross-sectional survey design approach was used. Participants, 2429 employees of a South African Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company, completed the UWES-17.Main findings: Findings indicate that work engagement should be treated as a unidimensional construct: individual scores should be interpreted in a summative manner, giving a single global score.Practical/managerial implications: Users of the UWES-17 may interpret a single, summative score for work engagement. Findings of this study should also contribute towards standardising UWES-17 scores, allowing meaningful comparisons to be made.Contribution/value-add: The findings will benefit researchers, organisational consultants and managers. Clarity on dimensionality and interpretation of work engagement will assist researchers in future studies. Managers and consultants will be able to make better-informed decisions when using work engagement data.
MRI brain in monohalomethane toxic encephalopathy: A case report
Authors: Deshmukh Yogeshwari S , Atre Ashish , Shah Darshan , Kothari Sudhir
Published: October 2013

Monohalomethanes are alkylating agents that have been used as methylating agents, laboratory reagents, refrigerants, aerosol propellants, pesticides, fumigants, fire-extinguishing agents, anesthetics, degreasers, blowing agents for plastic foams, and chemical intermediates. Compounds in this group are methyl chloride, methyl bromide, methyl iodide (MI), and methyl fluoride. MI is a colorless volatile liquid used as a methylating agent to manufacture a few pharmaceuticals and is also used as a fumigative insecticide. It is a rare intoxicant. Neurotoxicity is known with both acute and chronic exposure to MI. We present the characteristic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain findings in a patient who developed neuropsychiatric symptoms weeks after occupational exposure to excessive doses of MI.
Validation of the global reference for fetal weight and birth weight percentiles
Authors: Badade Anirudh B , Bhide Amar , Satoskar Purnima , Wadekar Darshan
Published: October 2013

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the global reference curves adapted on the basis of WHO data for India and the Hadlock reference curves fit the population in India and to validate the reference curves. The data were retrieved retrospectively from the records of women registration for antenatal care at a charitable maternity hospital in Mumbai, India. All pregnancies were dated on CRL obtained before 14 weeks. Births before 34 th week were excluded. The expected frequencies of birth weights below the 1 st , 5 th , 10 th , 50 th , 90 th , 95 th and 99 th centiles from three reference ranges were compared with observed frequencies. It was found that the WHO generic reference adapted to India significantly underpredicted the birth weights and that the Hadlock reference ranges significantly overpredicted the birth weights. The use of generic reference adapted to Sri Lanka showed a better fit to the observed data. We concluded that global reference curves adapted on the basis of WHO data for India and the Hadlock reference ranges do not fit all the population in India and the charts need validation. Reference charts modified on the basis of data for Sri Lankan population show a better fit to the observed data, and therefore are more appropriate for use in clinical practice in South India.
Current Understanding of the Mechanisms for Clearance of Apoptotic Cells—A Fine Balance
Authors: Hawkins Lois A. , Devitt Andrew
Published: October 2013

Apoptosis is an important cell death mechanism by which multicellular organisms remove unwanted cells. It culminates in a rapid, controlled removal of cell corpses by neighboring or recruited viable cells. Whilst many of the molecular mechanisms that mediate corpse clearance are components of the innate immune system, clearance of apoptotic cells is an anti-inflammatory process. Control of cell death is dependent on competing pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic signals. Evidence now suggests a similar balance of competing signals is central to the effective removal of cells, through so called ‘eat me’ and ‘don't eat me’ signals. Competing signals are also important for the controlled recruitment of phagocytes to sites of cell death. Consequently recruitment of phagocytes to and from sites of cell death can underlie the resolution or inappropriate propagation of cell death and inflammation. This article highlights our understanding of mechanisms mediating clearance of dying cells and discusses those mechanisms controlling phagocyte migration and how inappropriate control may promote important pathologies.
Efficacy of Retigabine in Adjunctive Treatment of Partial Onset Seizures in Adults
Authors: Splinter Michele Y.
Published: October 2013

Objective

To evaluate efficacy and tolerability of retigabine (ezogabine, US adopted name) in the adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults. Retigabine is the first anticonvulsant in its class, decreasing neuronal excitability by opening voltage-gated potassium channels.

Methods

MEDLINE and EMBASE were systematically searched using search terms retigabine and ezogabine for randomized controlled trials published from 1980 through August 17, 2013. Additionally, articles relating to pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, tolerability and interactions were examined for inclusion. Published abstracts and websites of the Food and Drug Administration and European Medication Agency were reviewed for additional relevant information.

Results

One phase IIb and two phase III trials were identified. Retigabine has been reported to have dose dependent efficacy in adjunctive treatment of resistant partial-onset seizures in adults in doses of 600, 900 and 1200 mg/day. Similar to other anticonvulsants, the most common adverse events were central nervous system related. Retigabine has several unique adverse events compared to other anticonvulsants: urinary retention and, with extended use, pigment changes to the skin and retina. Retigabine is metabolized by glucuronidation and acetylation. There are few drug interactions with retigabine.

Conclusions

Retigabine has been shown to have efficacy when used as adjunctive therapy in partial-onset seizures. It has a novel mechanism of action, activation of voltage-gated potassium channels. It has less drug interactions than many other anticonvulsants because it is not metabolized through the P-450 system. Its place in therapy has yet to be determined, especially with recent reports of pigment discoloration of skin and the retina with extended use.
A multichannel scheme in smooth scattering theory
Authors: Pushnitski Alexander , Yafaev Dmitri
Published: October 2013

In this paper we develop the scattering theory for a pair of self-adjoint operators \mbox{

A_{0}=A_{1}\oplus\dots \oplus A_{N}

} and

A=A_{1}+\dots +A_{N}

under the assumption that all pair products

A_{j}A_{k}

with

j\neq k

satisfy certain regularity conditions. Roughly speaking, these conditions mean that the products

A_{j}A_{k}

,

j\neq k

, can be represented as integral operators with smooth kernels in the spectral representation of the operator

A_{0}

. We show that the absolutely continuous parts of the operators

A_{0}

and

A

are unitarily equivalent. This yields a smooth version of Ismagilov's theorem known earlier in the trace class framework. We also prove that the singular continuous spectrum of the operator

A

is empty and that its eigenvalues may accumulate only to "thresholds'' of the absolutely continuous spectra of the operators

A_{j}

. Our approach relies on a system of resolvent equations which can be considered as a generalization of Faddeev's equations for three particle quantum systems.
Introduction to the Special Issue on Incremental Processing in Dialogue
Authors: Rieser Hannes , Schlangen David
Published: October 2013

A brief introduction to the topics discussed in the special issue, and to the individual papers.
Question Generation based on Lexico-Syntactic Patterns Learned from the Web
Authors: Curto Sergio , Mendes Ana Cristina , Coheur Luisa
Published: October 2013

THE MENTOR automatically generates multiple-choice tests from a given text. This tool aims at supporting the dialogue system of the FalaComigo project, as one of FalaComigo's goals is the interaction with tourists through questions/answers and quizzes about their visit. In a minimally supervised learning process and by leveraging the redundancy and linguistic variability of the Web, THE MENTOR learns lexico-syntactic patterns using a set of question/answer seeds. Afterward, these patterns are used to match the sentences from which new questions (and answers) can be generated. Finally, several ï¬lters are applied in order to discard low quality items. In this paper we detail the question generation task as performed by T- Mand evaluate its performance.
A Detailed Account of The First Question Generation Shared Task Evaluation Challenge
Authors: Rus Vasile , Wyse Brendan , Piwek Paul , Lintean Mihai , Stoyanchev Svetlana , Moldovan Cristian
Published: October 2013

The paper provides a detailed account of the First Shared Task Evaluation Challenge on Question Generation that took place in 2010. The campaign included two tasks that take text as input and produce text, i.e. questions, as output: Task A - “ Question Generation from Paragraphs and Task B - “ Question Generation from Sentences. Motivation, data sets, evaluation criteria, guidelines for judges, and results are presented for the two tasks. Lessons learned and advice for future Question Generation Shared Task Evaluation Challenges (QG-STEC) are also offered.
Teaching Structure in Algebra
Authors: Merlin Ethan M.
Published: October 2013

Exercises about glue and trees and addresses can inoculate students against their notorious tendency to reduce incorrectly when simplifying expressions.
What silent mutations say about the human airways
Authors: Donne Matthew L , Rock Jason R
Published: October 2013

A technique for tracing stem cells and their descendants reveals how the lining of the airways is maintained, and how this process is altered in smokers.
Sex‐Related Changes in Tissue Doppler Imaging Parameters Among Patients With Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism
Authors: Jenab Yaser , Ghaffari-Marandi Neda , Safir Azam , Ejmalian Gita , Zoroufian Arezou , Jalali Arash , Sahebjam Mohammad
Published: October 2013

Objectives

There are few studies evaluating serial changes in tissue Doppler imaging parameters in acute pulmonary thromboembolism. We aimed to compare these changes in male and female patients separately.

Methods

Between September 2010 and September 2011, 41 of 64 hemodynamically stable acute patients with pulmonary thromboembolism were included in the study. Twenty‐two healthy individuals served as a control group.

Results

Compared to the control group, the acute pulmonary thromboembolism group had a lower tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, basal peak systolic velocity of the tricuspid valvular annulus, right ventricular (RV) peak systolic strain, and RV peak systolic strain rate and a higher RV diameter, peak systolic pulmonary artery pressure, and RV myocardial performance index (P < .05). Values for these parameters were not different between men and women in the patient group. In men, compared to admission, predischarge echocardiography showed significant improvement in the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (mean ± SD, 16.08 ± 4.33 versus 19.29 ± 3.74 mm; P = .002), basal tricuspid annular peak systolic velocity (10.11 ± 3.66 versus 11.66 ± 3.38 cm/s; P = .007), and peak systolic strain (−13.00% ± 14.99% versus −23.20% ± 10.23%; P = .001), whereas in women, predischarge and 3‐month follow‐up echoacrdiography showed marked improvement in the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (17.50 ± 4.88 versus 19.79 ± 5.58 mm; P = .021) and peak systolic strain (−15.70% ± 13.52% versus −21.01% ± 10.57%, respectively; P= .045). Female patients did not show improvement in these parameters during hospitalization.

Conclusions

Patterns of changes in the RV function over time during a 3‐month follow‐up might differ between male and female patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism, and the recovery process could be slower in women. Moreover, the midventricular peak systolic strain might be useful for serial evaluation of the recovery process.
Mimickers of Breast Malignancy on Breast Sonography
Authors: Cho So Hyun , Park Sung Hee
Published: October 2013

The aim of this article is to review benign breast lesions that can mimic carcinoma on sonography. Cases of benign lesions mimicking carcinoma on sonography were collected among lesions that were initially assessed as suspicious on sonography according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category. Sonographically guided core needle biopsy was performed, and the pathologic types were confirmed to be benign. Cases of benign lesions mimicking carcinoma on sonography were shown to include fat necrosis, diabetic mastopathy, fibrocystic changes, sclerosing adenosis, ruptured inflammatory cysts, inflammatory abscesses, granulomatous mastitis, fibroadenomas, fibroadenomatous mastopathy, and apocrine metaplasia. Benign breast lesions may present with malignant features on imaging. A clear understanding of the range of appearances of benign breast lesions that mimic malignancy is important in radiologic‐pathologic correlation to ensure that benign results are accepted when concordant with imaging and clinical features but, when discordant, there is no delay in further evaluation up to and including excisional biopsy.
An authoritative global database for active submarine hydrothermal vent fields
Authors: Beaulieu Stace E. , Baker Edward T. , German Christopher R. , Maffei Andrew
Published: October 2013

The InterRidge Vents Database is available online as the authoritative reference for locations of active submarine hydrothermal vent fields. Here we describe the revision of the database to an open source content management system and conduct a meta‐analysis of the global distribution of known active vent fields. The number of known active vent fields has almost doubled in the past decade (521 as of year 2009), with about half visually confirmed and others inferred active from physical and chemical clues. Although previously known mainly from mid‐ocean ridges (MORs), active vent fields at MORs now comprise only half of the total known, with about a quarter each now known at volcanic arcs and back‐arc spreading centers. Discoveries in arc and back‐arc settings resulted in an increase in known vent fields within exclusive economic zones, consequently reducing the proportion known in high seas to one third. The increase in known vent fields reflects a number of factors, including increased national and commercial interests in seafloor hydrothermal deposits as mineral resources. The purpose of the database now extends beyond academic research and education and into marine policy and management, with at least 18% of known vent fields in areas granted or pending applications for mineral prospecting and 8% in marine protected areas.
The cloud population and onset of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation over the Indian Ocean during DYNAMO‐AMIE
Authors: Powell Scott W. , Houze Robert A.
Published: October 2013

Variability of the cloud population in the central equatorial Indian Ocean was observed in the context of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) during the Dynamics of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (DYNAMO) and Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Madden‐Julian Investigation Experiment (AMIE) field campaigns. Radar observations from the polarimetric S‐band radar on Addu Atoll in the Maldives characterize the types of convective and stratiform radar echoes and the heights their 20 dBZ contours reach. To gain insight into the relationship between clouds and humidification of the troposphere leading up to and during an active MJO event, the work relates variability of the observed precipitation structure to that of tropospheric humidity and upper level zonal wind. The variability in stratiform precipitation areas dominates variability in the nature of precipitating convection associated with the MJO. Areal coverage of precipitating radar echo, convective echo top height, and tropospheric humidity above 850 hPa rapidly increase over ~3–7 days near MJO onset. This rate of increase is substantially faster than the 10–20 days needed for buildup of moisture prior to MJO onset as hypothesized by the “discharge‐recharge” hypothesis. Convective echoes become more common during the days prior to MJO onset, and the increased convection occurs before low‐tropospheric moistening. The upper troposphere rapidly moistens as the first widespread stratiform region passes over an area. Thus, clouds likely play a role in tropospheric humidification. Whether increased low‐tropospheric humidity causes vertical growth of convection has not yet been determined.
Rare Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Regulatory Regions of the Superoxide Dismutase Genes in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Kovač Jernej , Macedoni Lukšič Marta , Trebušak Podkrajšek Katarina , Klančar Gašper , Battelino Tadej
Published: October 2013

Oxidative stress is suspected to be one of the several contributing factors in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We analyzed genes of the superoxide dismutase family (SOD1,SOD2, andSOD3) that are part of a major antioxidative stress system in human in order to detect the genetic variants contributing to the development ofASD. Using the optimized high‐resolution melting (HRM) analysis, we identified two rare single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with the etiology ofASD. Both are located in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene and have a minor allele frequency in healthy population ∼5%. TheSNPc.239 + 34A>C(rs2234694) andSNPg.3341C>G(rs36233090) were detected with an odds ratio of 2.65 andP < 0.01. Both are located in the noncoding potentially regulatory regions of theSOD1gene. This adds to the importance of rareSNPs in the etiology of complex diseases as well as to the importance of noncoding genetic variants analysis with a potential influence on the regulation of gene expression.Autism Res2014, 7: 138–144.© 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Flux response of glycolysis and storage metabolism during rapid feast/famine conditions in Penicillium chrysogenum using dynamic 13C labeling
Authors: de Jonge Lodewijk , Buijs Nicolaas A. A. , Heijnen Joseph J. , van Gulik Walter M. , Abate Alessandro , Wahl S. Aljoscha
Published: October 2013

The scale‐up of fermentation processes frequently leads to a reduced productivity compared to small‐scale screening experiments. Large‐scale mixing limitations that lead to gradients in substrate and oxygen availability could influence the microorganism performance. Here, the impact of substrate gradients on a penicillin G producing Penicillium chrysogenum cultivation was analyzed using an intermittent glucose feeding regime. The intermittent feeding led to fluctuations in the extracellular glucose concentration between 400 μM down to 6.5 μM at the end of the cycle. The intracellular metabolite concentrations responded strongly and showed up to 100‐fold changes. The intracellular flux changes were estimated on the basis of dynamic 13C mass isotopomer measurements during three cycles of feast and famine using a novel hybrid modeling approach. The flux estimations indicated a high turnover of internal and external storage metabolites in P. chrysogenum under feast/famine conditions. The synthesis and degradation of storage requires cellular energy (ATP and UTP) in competition with other cellular functions including product formation. Especially, 38% of the incoming glucose was recycled once in storage metabolism. This result indicated that storage turnover is increased under dynamic cultivation conditions and contributes to the observed decrease in productivity compared to reference steady‐state conditions.
Limiting the Pollutant Content in the Sewage Sludge Producer Gas through Staged Gasification
Authors: Hernández A. B. , Ferrasse J.‐H. , Roche N.
Published: October 2013

Sewage sludge gasification deals with the release of nitrogen and sulfur compounds, the main sources for pollutants during the final combustion. In order to handle these compounds, a staged gasification process is proposed. During the low‐temperature thermal treatment of the first stage, nitrogen and sulfur compounds are removed from the solid fuel. The second stage converts the remaining solid into combustible compounds through gasification reactions. The producer gas obtained during this stage is compared to the producer gas of a simple gasification. The presence of pollutant precursors was considerably diminished during the staged experiments. A successful staged gasification may eliminate the need for downstream cleanup and thus limit the energy consumption. This work proves that staged gasification may be the key to obtain energy from waste fuel, limiting the concerns about pollutants.
Efficient Chemical and Visible‐Light‐Driven Water Oxidation using Nickel Complexes and Salts as Precatalysts
Authors: Chen Gui , Chen Lingjing , Ng Siu‐Mui , Lau Tai‐Chu
Published: October 2013

Chemical and visible‐light‐driven water oxidation catalyzed by a number of Ni complexes and salts have been investigated at pH 7–9 in borate buffer. For chemical oxidation, [Ru(bpy)3]3+ (bpy=2,2′‐bipyridine) was used as the oxidant, with turnover numbers (TONs) >65 and a maximum turnover frequency (TOFmax) >0.9 s−1. Notably, simple Ni salts such as Ni(NO3)2 are more active than Ni complexes that bear multidentate N‐donor ligands. The Ni complexes and salts are also active catalysts for visible‐light‐driven water oxidation that uses [Ru(bpy)3]2+ as the photosensitizer and S2O82− as the sacrificial oxidant; a TON>1200 was obtained at pH 8.5 by using Ni(NO3)2 as the catalyst. Dynamic light scattering measurements revealed the formation of nanoparticles in chemical and visible‐light‐driven water oxidation by the Ni catalysts. These nanoparticles aggregated during water oxidation to form submicron particles that were isolated and shown to be partially reduced β‐NiOOH by various techniques, which include SEM, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, XRD, and IR spectroscopy. These results suggest that the Ni complexes and salts act as precatalysts that decompose under oxidative conditions to form an active nickel oxide catalyst. The nature of this active oxide catalyst is discussed.
Hierarchical Sulfur‐Based Cathode Materials with Long Cycle Life for Rechargeable Lithium Batteries
Authors: Wang Jiulin , Yin Lichao , Jia Hao , Yu Haitao , He Yushi , Yang Jun , Monroe Charles W.
Published: October 2013

Composite materials of porous pyrolyzed polyacrylonitrile–sulfur@graphene nanosheet (pPAN–S@GNS) are fabricated through a bottom‐up strategy. Microspherical particles are formed by spray drying of a mixed aqueous colloid of PAN nanoparticles and graphene nanosheets, followed by a simple heat treatment with elemental sulfur. The pPAN–S primary nanoparticles are wrapped homogeneously and loosely within a three‐dimensional network of graphene nanosheets (GNS). The hierarchical pPAN–S@GNS composite shows a high reversible capacity of 1449.3 mAh g−1sulfur or 681.2 mAh g−1composite in the second cycle; after 300 cycles at a 0.2 C charge/discharge rate the capacity retention is 88.8 % of its initial reversible value. Additionally, the coulombic efficiency (CE) during cycling is near 100 %, apart from in the first cycle, in which CE is 81.1 %. A remarkable capacity of near 700 mAh g−1sulfur is obtained, even at a high discharge rate of 10 C. The superior performance of pPAN–S@GNS is ascribed to the spherical secondary GNS structure that creates an electronically conductive 3D framework and also reinforces structural stability.
Water use of Juniperus virginiana trees encroached into mesic prairies in Oklahoma, USA
Authors: Caterina Giulia L. , Will Rodney E. , Turton Donald J. , Wilson Duncan S. , Zou Chris B.
Published: October 2013

Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar) is encroaching into mesic prairies of the southern Great Plains, USA, and is altering the hydrologic cycle. We used the thermal dissipation technique to quantify daily water use of J. virginiana into a mesic prairie by measuring 19 trees of different sizes from different density stands located in north‐central Oklahoma during 2011. We took the additional step to calibrate our measurements by comparing thermal dissipation technique estimates to volumetric water use for a subset of trees. Except for days with maximum air temperature below −3 °C, J. virginiana trees used water year round, reached a peak in late May, and exhibited reduced water use in summer when soil water availability was low. Overall daily average water use was 24 l (±21.8 l s.d.) per tree. Trees in low density stands used more water than trees with similar diameters from denser stands. However, there was no difference in water use between trees in different density stands when expressed on a canopy area basis. Approximately 50% of variation in water use that remained after accounting for the factors site, tree, and day was explained using a physiologically‐based model that included daily potential evapotranspiration, maximum vapour pressure deficit, maximum temperature, solar radiation, and soil water storage between 0 and 10 cm. Our model suggested that a J. virginiana woodland with a closed canopy is capable of transpiring almost all precipitation reaching the soil in years with normal precipitation, indicating the potential for encroachment to reduce water yield for streamflow and groundwater recharge. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Biodegradable sodium alginate‐based semi‐interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels for antibacterial application
Authors: Madhusudana Rao K. , Krishna Rao K. S. V. , Ramanjaneyulu G. , Chowdoji Rao K. , Subha M. C. S. , Ha Chang‐Sik
Published: October 2013

A series of biodegradable, semi‐interpenetrating polymer network (semi‐IPN) hydrogels were synthesized from a combination of carbohydrate polymer and sodium alginate (NaAlg) with acrylamide and dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate, and crosslinked with N,N‐methylenebisacrylamide via radical redox polymerization. The cytocompatibility of the hydrogels with respect to their monomers and semi‐IPN hydrogels was evaluated in vitro using cultures of mouse fibroblast cell lines. This study allowed the entrapment of silver nanoparticles (NPs) into semi‐IPN hydrogel networks by the in situ reduction of Ag+ ions using NaBH4 as a reducing agent. UV–visible spectroscopy confirmed the formation of silver NPs in the semi‐IPN hydrogel matrix. The formation of silver NPs was also confirmed from a themogravimetric analysis weight loss difference between hydrogel and silver nanocomposite as 32%. The morphology and structure of the AgNPs present in the hydrogel networks were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy revealed silver NPs with a size of ∼5 nm. The silver nanocomposite hydrogel exhibited good antibacterial activity against both gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. These results suggest that the hydrogel can be applied as wound dressings and for water purification purposes. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 3196–3206, 2014.
Reinvestigation of the Synthesis of Ketanserin (5) and its Hydrochloride Salt (5.HCl) via 3‐(2‐Chloroethyl)‐2,4‐(1H,3H)‐quinazolinedione (2) or Dihydro‐5H‐oxazole(2,3‐b)quinazolin‐5‐one (1)
Authors: Fakhraian Hossein , Heydary Mehdi
Published: October 2013

The synthesis of ketanserin (5) and its hydrochloride salt (5.HCl) using respectively equimolar amounts of 3‐(2‐chloroethyl)‐2,4‐(1H,3H)‐quinazolinedione (2) with 4‐(parafluorobenzoyl)piperidine (3) and dihydro‐5H‐oxazole(2,3‐b)quinazolin‐5‐one (1) with hydrochloride salt of 4‐(parafluorobenzoyl)piperidine (3.HCl) is reinvestigated. The one‐pot reaction of ethyl‐2‐aminobenzoate with ethyl chloroformate and ethanol amine has afforded 3‐(2‐chloroethyl)‐2,4‐(1H,3H)‐quinazolinedione (2) (86%) that was then refluxed with 4‐(parafluorobenzoyl)piperidine (3) in ethyl methyl ketone in the presence of sodium carbonate to obtain free base of ketanserin (87%). In another attempt, a very pure hydrochloride salt of ketanserin (5.HCl) was synthesized using equimolar amounts of dihydro‐5H‐oxazole(2,3‐b)quinazolin‐5‐one (1) and hydrochloride salt of 4‐(parafluorobenzoyl)piperidine (3.HCl) by a solvent‐less fusion method. Thus, under optimized conditions, 180°C and a reaction time of 30 min, the powder mixture was transformed into glassy crystals that were initially readily soluble in chloroform but were transformed afterwards over time (2 h) to white precipitates (5.HCl) suspended in chloroform with a yield of 72%.