bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Excitation of fundamental shear horizontal wave by using face-shear (d36) piezoelectric ceramics
Authors: Miao Hongchen , Dong Shuxiang , Li Faxin
Published: May 2016

The fundamental shear horizontal (SH0) wave in plate-like structures is extremely useful for non-destructive testing (NDT) and structural health monitoring (SHM) as it is non-dispersive. However, currently, the SH0 wave is usually excited by electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMAT) whose energy conversion efficiency is fairly low. The face-shear (d36) mode piezoelectrics is more promising for SH0 wave excitation, but this mode cannot appear in conventional piezoelectric ceramics. Recently, by modifying the symmetry of poled PbZr1−xTixO3 (PZT) ceramics via ferroelastic domain engineering, we realized the face-shear d36 mode in both soft and hard PZT ceramics. In this work, we further improved the face-shear properties of PZT-4 and PZT-5H ceramics via lateral compression under elevated temperature. It was found that when bonded on a 1 mm-thick aluminum plate, the d36 type PZT-4 exhibited better face-shear performance than PZT-5H. We then successfully excite SH0 wave in the aluminum plate using a face-shear PZT-4 square patch and receive the wave using a face-shear 0.72[Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3]-0.28[PbTiO3] (PMN-PT) patch. The frequency response and directionality of the excited SH0 wave were also investigated. The SH0 wave can be dominated over the Lamb waves (S0 and A0 waves) from 160 kHz to 280 kHz. The wave amplitude reaches its maxima along the two main directions (0° and 90°). The amplitude can keep over 80% of the maxima when the deviate angle is less than 30°, while it vanishes quickly at the 45° direction. The excited SH0 wave using piezoelectric ceramics could be very promising in the fields of NDT and SHM.
Advances in monoliths and related porous materials for microfluidics
Authors: Knob Radim , Sahore Vishal , Sonker Mukul , Woolley Adam T.
Published: May 2016

In recent years, the use of monolithic porous polymers has seen significant growth. These materials present a highly useful support for various analytical and biochemical applications. Since their introduction, various approaches have been introduced to produce monoliths in a broad range of materials. Simple preparation has enabled their easy implementation in microchannels, extending the range of applications where microfluidics can be successfully utilized. This review summarizes progress regarding monoliths and related porous materials in the field of microfluidics between 2010 and 2015. Recent developments in monolith preparation, solid-phase extraction, separations, and catalysis are critically discussed. Finally, a brief overview of the use of these porous materials for analysis of subcellular and larger structures is given.
Inverted polymer solar cells with enhanced fill factor by inserting the potassium stearate interfacial modification layer
Authors: Li Jiangsheng , Jiu Tonggang , Li Bairu , Kuang Chaoyang , Chen Qiushan , Ma Sushuang , Shu Jie , Fang Junfeng
Published: May 2016

A thin potassium stearate (KSt) film combined with an optimized ZnO film was introduced to improve the fill factor (FF) of highly efficient inverted polymer solar cells (PSCs). Atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurements were used to show that the introduction of KSt did not change the morphology of interlayer. On the contrary, it is beneficial for the spread of the active layer on the interlayer. The origin of enhanced FF was systematically studied by the ideal current-voltage model for a single heterojunction solar cell and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. On the basis of the data analysis, the reduced charge recombination loss was responsible for this improved FF. At last, when KSt was replaced by sodium stearate (NaSt), the similar experiment phenomenon was observed. This indicates that inserting a metallic stearate modified layer is a promising strategy to enhance inverted PSCs performance.
Basal carbon sources and planktonic food web in a tropical lake: an isotopic approach
Authors: Reis Paula C. J. , Martinelli Luiz A. , Barbosa Francisco A. R.
Published: May 2016

Trophic connections among habitats may be central to food-web dynamics in lakes. Lacustrine zooplankton can rely on basal carbon (C) sources from different origins and plays an important link between these and organisms in higher trophic levels. We investigated the basal C sources supporting the planktonic food web and the trophic relationships among zooplankton size fractions in a tropical lake (Carioca) in Brazil. To do so, we measured the C and nitrogen (N) stable-isotope ratios in basal C sources originated in terrestrial, littoral, and pelagic habitats and in zooplankton size fractions, and data were analysed through Bayesian mixing models. Mesozooplankton showed seasonal variation in resource use, specifically a smaller dependence on algae in the wet than in the dry season. In the wet season, mesozooplankton relied more on the detritivore food chain eating mostly microzooplankton (mode: 95.1%), which in turn consumed mostly terrestrial C in this season (mode: 74.7%). Zooplankton size fractions also occupied different relative trophic positions between seasons. These variations seem to follow the seasonal dynamics of in-lake primary production and of terrestrial C inputs. Also, all size fractions of zooplankton, and particularly Chaoboridae larvae, showed low C staple-isotope values, suggesting the consumption of a missing C source.
Measured reductions in the density of camels under the Australian Feral Camel Management Project
Authors: Lethbridge Mark , Saalfeld Keith W. , Edwards Glenn P.
Published: May 2016

In this paper we provide a coarse comparison between camel density estimates derived from aerial surveys conducted during the early and latter stages of the Australian Feral Camel Management Project, considering the number of camels removed between the surveys as a result of management intervention across three large and distinct geographic zones. Overall, despite the assumptions made during our analyses and possible errors associated with these, the post-aerial surveys in all three zones show a significant population decline compared with the corresponding pre-aerial surveys. The observed population decline in two zones (the Pilbara and that centred on the South Australia-Western Australia-Northern Territory border junction) were broadly consistent with the number of camels removed in each zone between aerial surveys. The population decline detected in the third zone (the Simpson Desert) was much greater than the known removals and there appeared to be another factor involved, possibly drought-induced natural mortality. We raise a number of concerns about making this type of comparison, including the limitations of working with a highly mobile species distributed across a broad landscape and the low number of aerial surveys available for this type of comparison due to a limited project monitoring budget.
Biomechanical analysis of different starting strategies utilized during cross‐country skiing starts
Authors: Wiltmann Victor Wennemar , Holmberg Hans‐Christer , Pelttari Pasi , Mikkola Jussi , Häkkinen Keijo , Ohtonen Olli , Linnamo Vesa
Published: May 2016

The present study was designed to analyse and compare the kinetics and kinematics associated with three different starting strategies during classic cross‐country ski racing. Inside a ski tunnel, 12 elite male skiers performed three sets of three 38 m starts. Each set included one start using: double poling only (DP), diagonal stride only (DIA) and freely chosen (FREE) (i.e. where subjects used the strategy or combination of strategies they felt was fastest) in random order. The first 18 m was performed on a series of force plates that measured horizontal and vertical forces followed by 20 m of a standard snow track. Additionally, cycle characteristics and joint angles were measured. DIA and FREE were faster over 38 m than DP (P < .01). Net horizontal impulse (taking into account both positive and negative impulses) 5–10 m after the start was lower during DP than during DIA and FREE (both P < .05). All subjects skied faster when using only DIA for the entire 38 m. Furthermore, the sum duration and frequency of propulsive contacts over the first 18 m was less in DP than DIA and FREE (P < .01). In conclusion, differences between the starting strategies examined was especially pronounced during the initial cycles. Transition from DIA to DP during the start also slowed the skiers, but optimal timing for such a transition was not elucidated.
Face-specific and domain-general visual processing deficits in children with developmental prosopagnosia
Authors: Dalrymple Kirsten A. , Elison Jed T. , Duchaine Brad
Published: May 2016

Evidence suggests that face and object recognition depend on distinct neural circuitry within the visual system. Work with adults with developmental prosopagnosia (DP) demonstrates that some individuals have preserved object recognition despite severe face recognition deficits. This face selectivity in adults with DP indicates that face- and object-processing systems can develop independently, but it is unclear at what point in development these mechanisms are separable. Determining when individuals with DP first show dissociations between faces and objects is one means to address this question. In the current study, we investigated face and object processing in six children with DP (5–12-years-old). Each child was assessed with one face perception test, two different face memory tests, and two object memory tests that were matched to the face memory tests in format and difficulty. Scores from the DP children on the matched face and object tasks were compared to within-subject data from age-matched controls. Four of the six DP children, including the 5-year-old, showed evidence of face-specific deficits, while one child appeared to have more general visual-processing deficits. The remaining child had inconsistent results. The presence of face-specific deficits in children with DP suggests that face and object perception depend on dissociable processes in childhood.
Isomon instabilities driven by energetic ions in Wendelstein 7-X
Authors: Kolesnichenko Ya.I. , Könies A. , Lutsenko V.V. , Drevlak M. , Turkin Yu. , Helander P.
Published: May 2016

It is found that modes of Alfvénic character affected by plasma compressibility and having equal poloidal and toroidal mode numbers (named ‘isomon modes’) can exist in W7-X. These modes, and the conditions under which they arise, are sensitive to the magnitude of the rotational transform of the field lines and the presence of energetic ions. The energetic ions produced by neutral-beam injection (having the energy 55–60 keV) interact resonantly with large-scale isomon modes (

m
=
n
≪
10

), which tends to lead to instabilities extending over a large part of the plasma cross section.
Interrelationships Among Various Measures of Central Artery Stiffness
Authors: Lim Jisok , Pearman Miriam , Park Wonil , Alkatan Mohammed , Tanaka Hirofumi
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND

A number of different techniques and methodologies have been applied to quantify stiffness of arteries. Because measures of arterial stiffness differ in regards to measurement locations as well as properties, it is not clear how well these measures that are supposed to reflect the same arterial wall properties are related.

METHODS

Interrelationships between different measures of arterial stiffness were evaluated in 50 apparently healthy subjects varying in age.

RESULTS

Significant relations ranging from mild to strong were observed among measures of arterial stiffness while some measures were not significantly associated. Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) was significantly associated with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Ultrasound-derived measures of arterial stiffness (e.g., compliance, distensibility) were weakly or not significantly related to pulse wave velocity (PWV) measures. The limits of agreement between each of arterial stiffness measures based on the Bland–Altman analyses indicate that there were close agreements (CI = 1.12–1.52) between CAVI, cfPWV, and baPWV. However, agreements between PWV measures and ultrasound-derived measures were mild to moderate. β-stiffness index demonstrated large 95% CIs with other measures. When associations between relative changes in various measures of arterial stiffness in response to isometric handgrip exercise were evaluated, the general trend of associations was similar to the relations observed at rest. β-stiffness index was not related to most measures of arterial stiffness.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the techniques used to assess arterial stiffness may not be interchangeable in clinical and research settings and that comparisons of findings obtained with different arterial stiffness measures should be conducted with caution.
FastHiC: a fast and accurate algorithm to detect long-range chromosomal interactions from Hi-C data
Authors: Xu Zheng , Zhang Guosheng , Wu Cong , Li Yun , Hu Ming
Published: May 2016

Motivation: How chromatin folds in three-dimensional (3D) space is closely related to transcription regulation. As powerful tools to study such 3D chromatin conformation, the recently developed Hi-C technologies enable a genome-wide measurement of pair-wise chromatin interaction. However, methods for the detection of biologically meaningful chromatin interactions, i.e. peak calling, from Hi-C data, are still under development. In our previous work, we have developed a novel hidden Markov random field (HMRF) based Bayesian method, which through explicitly modeling the non-negligible spatial dependency among adjacent pairs of loci manifesting in high resolution Hi-C data, achieves substantially improved robustness and enhanced statistical power in peak calling. Superior to peak callers that ignore spatial dependency both methodologically and in performance, our previous Bayesian framework suffers from heavy computational costs due to intensive computation incurred by modeling the correlated peak status of neighboring loci pairs and the inference of hidden dependency structure.

Results: In this work, we have developed FastHiC, a novel approach based on simulated field approximation, which approximates the joint distribution of the hidden peak status by a set of independent random variables, leading to more tractable computation. Performance comparisons in real data analysis showed that FastHiC not only speeds up our original Bayesian method by more than five times, bus also achieves higher peak calling accuracy.

Availability and Implementation: FastHiC is freely accessible at: http://www.unc.edu/∼yunmli/FastHiC/

Contacts : yunli@med.unc.edu or ming.hu@nyumc.org

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Racism
Authors: Pettigrew Thomas F.
Published: May 2016

Racism is a doctrine that holds that the world’s human population consists of various “races” that are the primary determinants of human traits and capacities. This doctrine typically regards one’s own race as superior to other races. Intergroup hatred and discrimination generally accompanies racist doctrines. Social science investigates racism at three interrelated levels. First, individual racism involves those individuals who hold racist beliefs. Here racist ideas often overlap with such concepts as prejudice, xenophobia, bigotry, and intolerance. But the key distinguishing feature of individual racism is that the group differences are viewed as innate and unchangeable. If assimilation or conversion is viewed as possible, then intolerance is involved but not racism. Second, situational racism occurs when racist behavior is shaped by the social context. This occurs when face-to-face situations are patterned, based on racist beliefs, to place one group in an inferior position in intergroup interaction. This occurs, for example, when one racial group in a situation possesses most of the resources that emphasize the status differences between the groups. Finally, third, structural and cultural racism results when a society’s institutions are shaped by racist beliefs and results in group discrimination. Indeed, racism’s effects can invade virtually all of a society’s institutions. Thus, racism differentiates human beings from one another by presumed “races,” and this leads to unequal access to resources and opportunities as well as to other forms of inequality such as gender-, ethnic-, and class-based inequity. Much of the research on racism has focused on anti-Black racism in the United States; but non-American references with other racist targets are included.
Existential
Authors: McNally Louise
Published: May 2016

Many languages use specialized clause structures, known as existential sentences or existential constructions, the main function of which is to express a proposition about the existence or presence of someone or something. Existential constructions have been discussed in the syntax literature because they often manifest noncanonical agreement, case marking, and word order. These constructions have attracted attention in the semantics and pragmatics literature because of the restrictions on definite and quantificational determiners in the so-called existential pivot nominal (the nominal that describes the entity whose existence/presence is asserted or denied in a declarative existential), the restrictions on the so-called coda predicate that appears in the construction in some languages (e.g., “sick” in “There were several people sick”), and their special information structural properties. Existentials often constitute an extension or specialization of expletive, copular, inversion, possessive, or locative constructions, although there is considerable cross-linguistic variation in the details. This article includes references on syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic aspects of the constructions, as well as selected references on specific languages. Many references address more than one aspect of existentials; the classification has been made according to the main focus of the reference or aspect that most distinguishes it from other references in this article. Acquisition/processing studies are not included, nor are, in general, references to the vast related literature on more general aspects of expletive subjects/topics, unaccusativity, or subject inversion.
Indo-European Etymology
Authors: de Vaan Michiel
Published: May 2016

Etymology, defined as a branch of linguistics, investigates word histories. Latin etymologia was taken from Ancient Greek etumologíā. It consists of Greek étumo- (“true”) and -logíā (“study, investigation”) hence the literal meaning was “study of the truth [in words].” As a concrete noun, an etymology is the account of a specific word’s history. “History” by definition, primarily refers to the linguistic history of the word: When did it first appear in the language? Did it develop from previous words, or was it borrowed from another language? How did it arise, and by which phonological or morphological operations? How did it change in the course of time, between older and recent stages of the language? To which persons, objects, situations, or acts did and does the word refer? The last question shows that “history” also involves the extralinguistic aspects of meaning, prompting questions such as the following: In what ways did the technique of plowing change through time? When were oranges first imported into Europe? When did politeness distinctions in forms of address arise or disappear? As opposed to most other branches of linguistics, which focus on a specific level of linguistic description (e.g., phonetics, phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, or pragmatics), etymology takes into account all possible changes in the form and meaning of language. Philip Durkin, in the introduction to The Oxford Guide to Etymology (Durkin 2009, cited under Etymology Textbooks), thus arrives at a more elaborate definition of etymology, which is “the application, at the level of an individual word, of methods and insights drawn from many different areas of historical linguistics, in order to produce a coherent account of that word’s history.” Etymology, then, is not a separate scientific discipline but rather an interdisciplinary practice. The Indo-European languages are among the most intensively studied languages in the world and have been for more than two hundred years. An enormous amount of specialist literature on etymological topics is found in one or more Indo-European languages. At irregular intervals, they are collected in etymological dictionaries; therefore, most of the references in this article will be to such summarizing works. The emphasis will be on the more recent editions and other work relevant to the reconstruction of the Indo-European language family as a whole. Please note that the author was bound by the series guidelines to restrict the number of citations to ten per section. In some cases, therefore, references had to be suppressed for purely numerical reasons.
Subtractive Morphology
Authors: Manova Stela
Published: May 2016

Subtraction consists in a shortening of a morphological base as in the Russian derivation mikrobiologija ‘microbiology’ → mikrobiolog ‘microbiologist.’ Of course, one can doubt the correctness of the direction of this derivation and claim that the shorter form mikrobiolog serves as a base for mikrobiologija and not vice versa. However, from the literature on word-formation it is well known that the most important diagnostic criterion for being a product of a derivation is semantic dependence; i.e., the definition of the derivative depends on the meaning of its base. In our case, the definition of mikrobiolog depends on mikrobiologija (a microbiologist is not a microscopic biologist but a person specialized in the field of microbiology; microbiology is the study of microscopic organisms). As can be seen from the Russian example, subtraction differs from concatenative affixation, i.e., from affixation by addition of a discrete affix (see the Oxford Bibliographies article “Affixation.” Therefore, in the literature, subtraction is seen as an instance of nonconcatenative morphology and is usually analyzed either as process morphology without morphemes or as addition of defective phonological material. Subtraction has been reported in derivation and inflection and in well-studied and lesser-studied languages. Among the most frequently cited examples of subtraction in textbooks and reference resources are the masculine forms of some French adjectives (e.g., masc. bon /bõ/ ‘good’—fem. bonne /bon/) and the formation of perfective verbs from imperfective ones in the Uto-Aztekan language Tohono O’odham (called “Papago” in some sources) (e.g., singular: imperf. him ‘walk’—perf. hi:, plural: imperf. hihim—perf. hihi). However, it has to be mentioned here that numerous studies on theoretical morphology have provided alternative, nonsubtractive analyses of those French and Tohono O’odham data. Additionally, opinions differ on how much form can be deleted in subtraction. Some linguists claim that subtraction deletes a phoneme, others speak of a mora, and still others assume that subtractive morphology deletes segments of different lengths. Some linguists postulate subtraction only if the shortened material does not coincide with an existing morpheme elsewhere in a language, whereas others show that the deleted material can be equal in form with an existing affix. Opinions also differ on what a proper word-formation process is and which morphological derivations involve subtraction. Unlike most morphology textbooks, some theoretical studies see hypocoristics, blends, and clippings as instances of (more or less regular) word-formation and refer to them as either “subtractive truncation” or “subtractive word-formation.” Thus we come to terminology; in the literature, different labels have been used to refer to subtraction(-like) formations: minus feature, minus formation, disfixation, subtractive morph, (subtractive) truncation, backformation, or just shortening.
International Investment Arbitration
Authors: Lim C.L. , Ho Jean
Published: May 2016

International investment arbitration is heterogeneous. At its core, it represents the settlement of international investment disputes between foreign investors and host States by arbitration. However, as there are different ways to institute arbitral proceedings, the structural and substantive aspects of international investment arbitration are colored by the mode of commencement of arbitration. An early iteration of international investment arbitration was the submission of investment claims to Mixed Claims Commissions. These had been established by a series of bilateral conventions concluded between the mid-1800s and the early 1900s in order to adjudicate disputes between the nationals of a party State to the convention and the other party State. The types of disputes that fell within the jurisdiction of a Commission were specified in the conventions and varied, depending upon which convention was invoked. This form of international investment arbitration never achieved great prominence because of the small number of investment claims heard but they were a useful source of early jurisprudence and the basic form has continued to be employed in various guises, most notably in the case of the subsequent Iran-US Claims Tribunal. In the early 21st century, however, the two dominant iterations of international investment arbitration are contractually based investment arbitration and treaty-based investment arbitration. In investment contract arbitration, the legal basis for the arbitration is an arbitration clause in a contract which is binding on all contracting parties. In investment treaty arbitration, however, the legal basis for arbitration is a binding offer in a treaty clause by a host State to arbitrate with all protected investors, which any protected investor is then free to accept or reject. For this reason, the latter has been referred to, sometimes derisively, as “arbitration without privity,” a phrase coined by Jan Paulsson. There is also a third category of consent to investment arbitration by acceptance of a unilateral offer of a State through domestic investment laws. Having said that, many investment treaties also record an agreement between the Contracting States to arbitrate disputes arising from the interpretation or application of the treaty. In sum, investment treaty arbitration encompasses investor-State arbitration, which may have a variety of legal bases, and also State-to-State arbitration.
Carbon Source-Dependent Effects of Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation on Soil Microbiome and Suppression ofRhizoctonia solaniAG-5 andPratylenchus penetrans
Authors: Hewavitharana Shashika S. , Mazzola Mark
Published: May 2016

The effect of carbon source on efficacy of anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) toward suppression of apple root infection by Rhizoctonia solani AG-5 and Pratylenchus penetrans was examined. Orchard grass (GR), rice bran (RB), ethanol (ET), composted steer manure (CM), and Brassica juncea seed meal (SM) were used as ASD carbon inputs, with plant assays conducted in natural and pasteurized orchard soils. Subsequent studies investigated the effect of GR application rate used in ASD on control of these pathogens. In general, apple root infection by R. solani AG-5 was significantly lower in ET, GR, RB, and SM ASD treatments compared with the control. Among different ASD treatments, apple seedling growth was significantly greater when GR or SM was used as the carbon input relative to all other ASD treatments. R. solani AG-5 DNA abundance was significantly reduced in all ASD treatments, regardless of amendment type, compared with the control. In independent experiments, ASD-GR was consistently superior to ASD-CM for limiting pathogen activity in soils. ASD treatment with a grass input rate of 20 t ha−1provided superior suppression of P. penetrans but grass application rate did not affect ASD efficacy in control of R. solani AG-5. The soil microbiome from ASD-GR-treated soils was clearly distinct from the control and ASD-CM-treated soils. In contrast, composition of the microbiome from control and ASD-CM-treated soils could not be differentiated. Comparative results from pasteurized and nonpasteurized soils suggest that there is potential for GR based ASD treatment to recruit microbial elements that persist over the anaerobic phase of soil incubation, which may functionally contribute to disease suppression. When ASD was conducted with GR, microbial diversity was markedly reduced relative to the control or ASD-CM soil suggesting that this parameter, typically associated with system resilience, was not instrumental to the function of ASD-induced soil suppressiveness.
Ethnic Inequalities in Rectal Cancer Care in a Universal Access Healthcare System: A Nationwide Register-Based Study
Authors: Elferink Marloes A. G. , Lamkaddem Majda , Dekker Evelien , Tanis Pieter J. , Visser Otto , Essink-Bot Marie-Louise
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND:

Ethnic inequalities in colorectal cancer care were reported previously in the United States. Studies specifically reporting on ethnic inequalities in rectal cancer care are limited.

OBJECTIVE:

This study aimed to explore potential ethnic inequalities in rectal cancer care in the Netherlands.

DESIGN:

This was a nationwide, population-based observational study.

SETTINGS:

The study linked data of the Netherlands Cancer Registry with the Dutch population registry and the Social Statistics Database of Statistics Netherlands. Data were analyzed using stepwise multivariable logistic regression models.

PATIENTS:

All of the patients diagnosed with rectal carcinoma in 2003–2011 in the Netherlands (N = 27,159) were included.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

We analyzed 2 rectal cancer treatment indicators (preoperative radiotherapy and sphincter-sparing surgery) and 2 indicators of short-term outcome of rectal cancer surgery (anastomotic leakage and 30-day postoperative mortality).

RESULTS:

Patients of Western non-Dutch and non-Western origin with rectal cancer were significantly younger and had a higher tumor stage than ethnic Dutch patients. Considering preoperative radiotherapy, anastomotic leakage, and 30-day postoperative mortality, no ethnic inequalities were detected. After adjustment for age, sex, disease characteristics, and socioeconomic status, Western non-Dutch and non-Western patients were significantly more likely to receive sphincter-sparing surgery than ethnic Dutch patients (OR = 1.27 (95% CI, 1.04–1.55) and OR = 1.57 (95% CI, 1.02–2.42)).

LIMITATIONS:

This study was limited by the relatively low numbers of non-Dutch patients with rectal cancer.

CONCLUSIONS:

Non-Dutch ethnic origin was associated with a higher rate of sphincter-sparing surgery. The absence of ethnic inequalities in preoperative radiotherapy, anastomotic leakage, and 30-day postoperative mortality suggests that ethnic minority patients have similar chances of optimal rectal cancer care outcomes as Dutch patients.
Peritoneal Cytokine Levels Can Predict Anastomotic Leak on the First Postoperative Day.
Authors: Sammour Tarik , Singh Parry P. , Zargar-Shoshtari Kamran , Su’a Bruce , Hill Andrew G.
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND:

Accumulating evidence suggests that peritoneal cytokine concentrations may predict anastomotic leak after colorectal surgery, but previous studies have been underpowered.

OBJECTIVE:

We aimed to test this hypothesis by using a larger prospectively collected data set.

DESIGN:

This study is an analysis of prospectively collected data.

SETTINGS:

This study was conducted at 3 public hospitals in Auckland, New Zealand.

PATIENTS:

Patients undergoing colorectal surgery recruited as part of 3 previous randomized controlled trials were included.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Data on peritoneal and plasma levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α on day 1 after colorectal surgery were reanalyzed to evaluate their predictive value for clinically important anastomotic leak. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed.

RESULTS:

A total of 206 patients with complete cytokine data were included. The overall anastomotic leak rate was 8.3%. Concentration levels of peritoneal interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 on day 1 after colorectal surgery were predictive of anastomotic leak (area under receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.72 and 0.74;p= 0.006 and 0.004). Plasma cytokine levels of interleukin-6 were higher on day 1 after colorectal surgery in patients who had an anastomotic leak, but this was a poor predictor of anastomotic leak. Levels of other peritoneal and plasma cytokines were not predictive.

LIMITATIONS:

The study was not powered a priori for anastomotic leak prediction. Although the current data do suggest that peritoneal levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 are predictive of leak, the discriminative value in clinical practice remains unclear.

CONCLUSIONS:

Peritoneal levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 on day 1 after colorectal surgery can predict clinically important anastomotic leak.
RAPID MACULAR HOLE FORMATION, SPONTANEOUS CLOSURE, AND REOPENING AFTER PARS PLANA VITRECTOMY FOR MACULA-SPARING RETINAL DETACHMENT
Authors: Sridhar Jayanth , Townsend Justin H. , Rachitskaya Aleksandra V.
Published: May 2016

Background/Purpose:

To report a single case of macular hole (MH) opening, spontaneous closure, and reopening in the 3-month period after pars plana vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

Methods:

Case report.

Results:

A 59-year-old man with a macula-sparing RRD underwent uncomplicated pars plana vitrectomy with gas tamponade. The patient developed a FTMH 2 months postoperatively. The hole was noted to spontaneously close 3 months postoperatively, but then reopened 4 months postoperatively and required repeat pars plana vitrectomy and inner limiting membrane peel for definitive closure. The rapidity with which the MH developed after pars plana vitrectomy for macula-sparing RRD and its dynamic behavior have not been previously reported.

Conclusion:

Full-thickness macular holes may rarely develop rapidly, spontaneous close, and reopen after pars plana vitrectomy for RRD, even in macula-sparing cases.
Mechanisms and Genetic Susceptibility of Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Patients With Breast Cancer
Authors: Mihalcea Diana J. , Florescu Maria , Vinereanu Dragos
Published: May 2016

Background:

Cardiotoxicity remains an important adverse reaction of chemotherapy used in the treatment of breast cancer, leading to increased morbidity and mortality.

Data Sources:

Anthracyclines, taxanes, and trastuzumab are the most commonly used cytotoxic drugs for the treatment of breast cancer. Cardiotoxicity may vary from asymptomatic forms to irreducible heart failure and death.

Areas of Uncertainty:

Susceptibility for the occurrence of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity and treatment resistance is multifactorial, with interindividual variability, determined by the interaction between genetic and phenotypic factors. Implementation of pharmacogenomic findings into clinical practice might be useful, to predict cardiotoxicity and to allow appropriate therapeutic measures.

Results and Conclusions:

This review will summarize the cellular mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in breast cancer patients and will discuss the role of the genetic susceptibility for cardiac dysfunction.
Brief Report: Geographical Variation in Prevalence of Cryptococcal Antigenemia Among HIV-Infected, Treatment-Naive Patients in Nigeria: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Ezeanolue Echezona E. , Nwizu Chidi , Greene Gregory S. , Amusu Olatilewa , Chukwuka Chinwe , Ndembi Nicaise , Smith Rachel M. , Chiller Tom , Pharr Jennifer , Kozel Thomas R.
Published: May 2016

Objective:

Worldwide, HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis affects approximately 1 million persons and causes 600,000 deaths each year mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. Limited data exist on cryptococcal meningitis and antigenemia in Nigeria, and most studies are geographically restricted. We determined the prevalence of cryptococcal antigenemia (CrAg) among HIV-infected, treatment-naive individuals in Nigeria.

Design/Methods:

This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study across 4 geographic regions in Nigeria. We performed CrAg testing using a lateral flow immunoassay on archived whole-blood samples collected from HIV-infected participants at US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)-supported sites selected to represent the major geographical and ethnic diversity in Nigeria. Eligible samples were collected from consenting patients (>15 years) naive to antiretroviral therapy with CD4+ count less than 200 cells per cubic millimeter and were stored in an −80°C freezer.

Results:

A total of 2752 stored blood samples were retrospectively screened for CrAg. Most of the samples were from participants aged 30–44 years (57.6%), and 1570 (57.1%) were from women. The prevalence of CrAg positivity in specimens with CD4 <200 cells per cubic millimeter was 2.3% (95% confidence interval: 1.8% to 3.0%) and varied significantly across the 4 regions (P < 0.001). At 4.4% (3.2% to 5.9%), the South East contained the highest prevalence.

Conclusions:

The significant regional variation in CrAg prevalence found in Nigeria should be taken into consideration as plans are made to integrate routine screening into clinical care for HIV-infected patients.
Sexual selection of male parental care in giant water bugs
Authors: Ohba Shin-ya , Okuda Noboru , Kudo Shin-ichi
Published: May 2016

Paternal care can be maintained under sexual selection, if it helps in attracting more mates. We tested the hypothesis in two giant water bug species,
Appasus major
and
Appasus japonicus
, that male parental care is sexually selected through female preference for caring males. Females were given an opportunity to choose between two males. In the first test of female mate choice, one male carried eggs on its back, while the other did not. The egg status was switched between these two males in the second test. The experiment revealed that females of both species preferred caring males (i.e. egg-bearing) to non-caring males. Nonetheless, the female mate preference for egg-bearing males was stronger in
A. major
than in
A. japonicus
. Our results suggest that sexual selection plays an important role in maintaining elaborate paternal care in giant water bugs, but the importance of egg-bearing by males in female mate choice varies among species.
The need for speed: global optic flow speed influences steering
Authors: Kountouriotis Georgios K. , Mole Callum D. , Merat Natasha , Wilkie Richard M.
Published: May 2016

How do animals follow demarcated paths? Different species are sensitive to optic flow and one control solution is to maintain the balance of flow symmetry across visual fields; however, it is unclear whether animals are sensitive to changes in asymmetries when steering along curved paths. Flow asymmetries can alter the global properties of flow (i.e. flow speed) which may also influence steering control. We tested humans steering curved paths in a virtual environment. The scene was manipulated so that the ground plane to either side of the demarcated path produced larger or smaller asymmetries in optic flow. Independent of asymmetries and the locomotor speed, the scene properties were altered to produce either faster or slower globally averaged flow speeds. Results showed that rather than being influenced by changes in flow asymmetry, steering responded to global flow speed. We conclude that the human brain performs global averaging of flow speed from across the scene and uses this signal as an input for steering control. This finding is surprising since the demarcated path provided sufficient information to steer, whereas global flow speed (by itself) did not. To explain these findings, existing models of steering must be modified to include a new perceptual variable: namely global optic flow speed.
Signalling with a cryptic trait: the regularity of barred plumage in common waxbills
Authors: Marques Cristiana I. J. , Batalha Helena R. , Cardoso Gonçalo C.
Published: May 2016

Sexual signals often compromise camouflage because of their conspicuousness. Pigmentation patterns, on the contrary, aid in camouflage. It was hypothesized that a particular type of pattern—barred plumage in birds, whereby pigmented bars extend across feathers—could simultaneously signal individual quality, because disruptions of these patterns should be perceptually salient at close range and help assess plumage condition. Here we show that common waxbills (Estrilda astrild), which have extensive barred plumage, have more regular patterns as adults than as juveniles, and that adult males have more regular patterns than females. Both these differences are indicative of sexual signalling in species with conventional sex roles. More regular barred plumage was related to better body condition in adult males. Colour ornamentation traits were also related to aspects of quality, either the same as barred plumage (body condition) or a different one (good feather development), supporting both the ‘redundant message’ and the ‘multiple message’ hypotheses for the coexistence of multiple sexual signals. Although receiver responses to the regularity of barred plumage were not studied here, research on other species has shown that barred plumage can mediate social interactions. We conclude that using barred plumage as a signal of quality helps circumvent the functional compromise between camouflage and communication.
A monoclinic to tetragonal crossover in (Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3)(1−x)(BaZrO3)xceramic: a lead-free ferroelectric material
Authors: Selvamani Rachna , Singh Gurvinderjit , Tiwari V. S.
Published: May 2016

A single-phase solid solution of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3(NBT) and BaZrO3(BZ),i.e.(NBT)(1−x)(BaZrO3)x(x= 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07), was synthesized using the solid-state reaction method. It is found that the temperature for single-phase formation increases with increasing BZ content. A detailed structural investigation was carried out as a function of composition using Rietveld analysis of powder X-ray diffraction data. The structural refinement reveals a crossover from monoclinic (Cc) to tetragonal (P4mm) symmetry in the composition range 0.03 <x< 0.05. The intensity of superlattice reflection due toa−a−c−tilting of oxygen octahedra in theCcphase was found to decrease with increasing BZ content. The unit-cell volume was also found to increase with BZ content, which was attributed to the higher ionic radii of Ba2+and Zr4+in comparison to Bi3+(Na+) and Ti4+. The structural phase boundary observed in (NBT)(1−x)(BaZrO3)xis concurrent with the observation of morphotropic phase boundary like behaviour.
Film thermal stability correlation with seeding modes in the growth of YBa2Cu3O7−δcrystals
Authors: Xiang Hui , Wang Wei , Li Hao-Chen , Cui Xiang-Xiang , Fan Wen-Shuo , Guo Lin-Shan , Yao Xin , Zou Zhi-Qiang , Xiong Jie
Published: May 2016

High-quality and large YBa2Cu3O7−δ(YBCO or Y123) single crystals are necessary for both fundamental studies and practical applications. The recently exploited modified melt growth (MMG) procedure realizes a high efficiency of growth and high purity of Y123. However, it was unexpectedly found that the thermal stability of the NdBa2Cu3O7−δ(Nd123) film seed applied in MMG is greatly reduced owing to a change in the liquid property. In order to solve this problem, a new top-seeding mode, buried seeding, is developed to strengthen the film thermal stability, leading to a remarkable enhancement of endurable maximum processing temperature of over 30 K in low supersaturation. Furthermore, the correlation of the thermal stability of the film seed in melt growth with the liquid property and top-seeding modes is clarified. Most importantly, the buried-seeding mode was successfully applied in this work, opening a promising pathway for the effective growth of single crystals of other REBCO (RE = Nd, Sm, Gd) oxides (possessing a higher peritectic temperature than YBCO), as well as other functional oxides.
Crystal structure of the inverse crown ether tetrakis[μ2-bis(trimethylsilyl)amido]-μ4-oxido-dicobalt(II)disodium, [Co2Na2{μ2-N(SiMe3)2}4](μ4-O)
Authors: Hansen Christopher B. , Filatov Alexander S. , Hillhouse Gregory L.
Published: May 2016

The title compound, [Co2Na2{μ2-N(SiMe3)2}4](μ4-O), (I), represents a new entry in the class of inverse crown ethers. In the molecule, each Co atom is formally in the oxidation state +II. The structure contains one half of a unique molecule per asymmetric unit with the central μ4-oxido ligand residing on an inversion center, leading to a planar coordination to the Na and Co atoms. In the crystal, bulky trimethylsilyl substituents prevent additional interactions with cobalt. However, weak intermolecular Na...H3C—Si interactions form an infinite chain along [010]. The structure is isotypic with its Mg, Mn and Zn analogues.
BenzimidazoliumL-aspartate
Authors: Amudha M. , Kumar P. Praveen , Chakkaravarthi G.
Published: May 2016

In the cation of the title molecular salt, C7H7N2+·C4H6NO4−(systematic name: 1H-benzo[d]imidazol-3-ium 2-azaniumylsuccinate), the benzimidazole ring system is almost planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.012 Å). The cation is protonated at the N atom and the L-aspartate zwitterion is deprotonated at both carboxyl groups. In the anion, an N—H...O hydrogen bond and an N—H...O short contact generateS(6) graph-set motifs. In the crystal, the anions are linkedviathree N—H...O hydrogen bonds involving the NH3+group, forming layers parallel to theabplane. The benzimidazolium cations are linked to these layers by N—H...O hydrogen bonds. The layers are linkedviaC—H...O hydrogen bonds involving the benzimidazolium cation, forming a three-dimensional structure. There are also C—H...π interactions present involving inversion-related benzimidazolium cations.
Competitive service quality benchmarking in airline industry using AHP
Authors: Singh Alok Kumar
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to measure competitive service quality (SQ) performances of domestic full service airlines in India by providing a framework based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP), in order to benchmark their SQ thus, enhancing competitiveness and gaining competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

– The present study has used the AHP methodology to benchmark the SQ of airlines in India. Subsequently, competitive SQ gap analysis is performed to evaluate and compare strength and weakness of focal firm (Airline “B”) against its competitors.

Findings

– In this research work, total of 23 SQ attributes and five dimensions have been identified based on extensive literature review, focus group brainstorming and experts opinion from the Indian airline industry. The study reveals that air travelers rate assurance as the most important criteria and safety as the most important sub criteria followed by on time performance, performing the services right, the first time and remedial process for delayed or missing baggage. Furthermore, based on AHP methodology, the result shows that Airline “A” has emerged as a market leader and is considered as a benchmark airline.

Practical implications

– This framework will help airline management and policy makers to identify area of service improvements and identify SQ gaps with respect to the benchmark airline. This will help in formulating suitable competitive strategies for SQ improvements, thus gaining competitive advantage.

Originality/value

– In this research work, AHP-based SQ framework have been applied in Indian domestic aviation industry for competitive SQ benchmarking which is a novel contribution, thus widening the existing knowledge base in aviation SQ literature.