bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Control of the Hopf Bifurcation by a Linear Feedback Control
Authors: López-Renteria J. A. , Verduzco F. , Aguirre-Hernández B.
Published: February 2015

In this work, we design a kind of linear state feedback control, via the roots connecting-curve, for a class of nonlinear systems which permits to control the Hopf bifurcation. An illustrative example is given.
Dispersive shock waves in colloids with temperature dependent compressibility
Authors: Azmi A. , Marchant T. R.
Published: January 2015

The formation of a dispersive shock wave in a colloidal medium, due to an initial jump in the light intensity, is studied. The compressibility of the colloidal particles is modeled using a series in the particle density, or packing fraction, where the virial coefficients depend on the particle interaction model. Both the theoretical hard disk and sphere repulsive models, and a model with temperature dependent compressibility, are considered. Experimental results for the second virial coefficient show that it is temperature dependent and that the particle interactions can be either repulsive or attractive. These effects are modeled using a power-law relationship. The governing equation is a focusing nonlinear Schrödinger-type equation with an implicit nonlinearity. The initial jump is resolved via a dispersive shock wave which forms before the onset of modulational instability. A semi-analytical solution is developed for the one-dimensional line bore case which predicts the amplitude of the solitary waves which form in the dispersive shock wave. The solitary wave amplitude versus jump height diagrams can exhibit three different kinds of behaviors. A unique solution, an S-shaped solution curve and multiple solution branches where the upper branch has separated from the lower branches. A bifurcation from the low to the high power branch can occur for many parameter choices as the amplitude of the initial jump increases. The effect of temperature on the evolution of the bore, the amplitude of the solitary waves and the bifurcation patterns are all discussed and the semi-analytical solutions are found to be very accurate.
Multi-peak breather stability in a dissipative discrete Nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation
Authors: Panayotaros Panayotis , Rivero Felipe
Published: January 2015

We study the stability of breather solutions of a dissipative cubic discrete NLS with localized forcing. The breathers are similar to the ones found for the Hamiltonian limit of the system. In the case of linearly stable multi-peak breathers the combination of dissipation and localized forcing also leads to stability, and the apparent damping of internal modes that make the energy around multi-peak breathers nondefinite. This stabilizing effect is however accompanied by overdamping for relatively small values of the dissipation parameter, and the appearance of near-zero stable eigenvalues.
Steering of optical solitary waves by coplanar low power beams in reorientational media
Authors: Sciberras Luke W. , Minzoni Antonmaria A. , Smyth Noel F. , Assanto Gaetano
Published: January 2015

The interaction of solitary waves in a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) with a coplanar low power optical beam is investigated. The emphasis of the study is on the control of the solitary wave trajectory by the low power beam and the transfer of momentum between the beams. The results of numerical studies are confirmed by a theoretical analysis of this momentum transfer. The implications for all-optical signal control are discussed.
Nematic liquid crystals: An excellent playground for nonlocal nonlinear light localization in soft matter
Authors: Alberucci Alessandro , Assanto Gaetano , MacNeil J. Michael L. , Smyth Noel F.
Published: January 2015

The study of optical spatial solitons in nematic liquid crystals (NLC) has greatly improved the understanding of light localization in reorientational nonlocal media. We report some of the latest progress with reference to bright and dark solitary waves in NLC, bright and dark nematicons, discussing models and methods for their description and simulation. We give an account of exact and approximate solutions, as well as nematicon bistability.
Raman spectroscopy as a versatile tool for studying of explicit contribution of anharmonicity
Authors: Joya M. R. , Gonzalez J. D. , Barba-Ortega J.
Published: January 2015

The Raman spectroscopy can be used as a didactic technique in the study of the thermal expansion of Grüneisen parameter and anharmonic behavior of materials. Here, we present exemplary, the lead titanate doped with lanthanum (PLT). However, this method can be used to study various materials. The ferroelectric ceramics have been one of the most studied compounds in the literature both in obtaining the same, as in behavior of chemical and physical properties. The structural PbTiO 3 phase may change either by the application of pressure, temperature or concentration, thereby allowing a study of behavior anharmonic of the material [M. R. Joya, J. Barba and P. S. Pizani, J. Appl. Phys.113 (2013) 013512]. This paper gives a brief review of the effect of temperature and pressure on Raman spectra.
Laser performance of rhodamine B and methyl violet B base dye mixture in solid and liquid media
Authors: Geethu Mani R. G. , Ahamed M. Basheer
Published: January 2015

The performance of a distributed feedback dye laser (DFDL) by employing methyl methacrylate (MMA) co-doped with rhodamine B and methyl violet B base dyes was investigated. The dye mixture was incorporated into a solid polymeric matrix and then in a liquid medium and a laser pulse was pumped into it using a 532 nm Nd :YAG laser. Characteristics of energy transfer DFDL and its output powers on various pump powers and acceptor concentration were evaluated both theoretically and experimentally. Slope efficiency of the dye laser as well as wavelength tunability in both liquid and solid media was studied.
On Accuracy of Analytical Modeling of Lamb Wave Scattering at Delaminations in Multilayered Isotropic Plates
Authors: Ng C. T.
Published: February 2015

The study investigates the accuracy of analytical solutions to the fundamental anti-symmetric Lamb wave scattering at delamination in multilayered isotropic plates. The analytical models are based on the wave function expansion method and Born approximation within the framework of Mindlin plate theory. The study validates the accuracy of modeling the delamination as an inhomogeneity with reduced bending rigidity in predicting Lamb wave scattering induced by geometry change at the delaminated region. A good agreement is observed between the analytical solutions and results of experimentally verified 3D explicit finite element (FE) simulations. The findings support the inhomogeneity assumption in Lamb wave scattering problems and show the feasibility of employing it in delamination characterization.
Spin Fluctuation Effect on Electrical Resistivity of La0.8Ca0.2MnO3 Manganite Nanoparticles
Authors: Choudhary K. K.
Published: January 2015

The electrical resistivity ρ(T) of La 0.8 C 0.2 MnO 3 manganite nanoparticles (particle size 18 nm and 70 nm) significantly depends on temperature and size of nanoparticles. ρ(T) of 70 nm La 0.8 C 0.2 MnO 3 manganite exhibits metallic phase in low temperature regime (T < 250 K ), develops a maxima near 250 K and decrease with T at high temperatures (250 K < T < 300 K ). However, the ρ(T) of 18 nm La 0.8 C 0.2 MnO 3 manganite shows insulating phase in overall temperature regime, where resistivity decrease with temperature. The resistivity in metallic phase is theoretically analyzed by considering the strong spin fluctuations effect which is modelled using Drude–Lorentz type function. In addition to the spin fluctuation-induced contribution the electron-phonon and electron-electron ρe-e(T) = BT2 contributions are also incorporated for complete understanding of experimental data. The contributions to the resistivity by inherent acoustic phonons (ρac) as well as high frequency optical phonons (ρop) were estimated using Bloch–Gruneisen [BG] model of resistivity. It is observed that the resistivity contribution due to electron-electron interaction shows typical quadratic temperature dependence. Resistivity in Semiconducting/insulating phase is discussed with small polaron conduction (SPC) model. Finally the theoretically calculated resistivity compared with experimental data which found consistent in wide range of temperature.
DNA Sensors for Malaria Diagnosis
Authors: Hede Marianne Smedegaard , Fjelstrup Søren , Knudsen Birgitta Ruth
Published: January 2015

In the field of malaria diagnosis much effort is put into the development of faster and easier alternatives to the gold standard, blood smear microscopy. Nucleic acid amplification based techniques pose some of the most promising upcoming diagnostic tools due to their potential for high sensitivity, robustness and user-friendliness. In the current review, we will discuss some of the different DNA-based sensor systems under development for the diagnosis of malaria.
Asset Return Predictability in a Heterogeneous Agent Equilibrium Model
Authors: Carlson Murray , Chapman David A. , Kaniel Ron , Yan Hong
Published: February 2015

We use a general equilibrium model as a laboratory for generating predictable excess returns and for assessing the properties of the estimated consumption/portfolio rules, under both the empirical and the true dynamics of excess returns. The advantage of this approach, relative to the existing literature, is that the equilibrium model delineates the precise nature of the risk/return trade-off within an optimizing setting that endogenizes return predictability. In the experiments that we consider, the estimation issues are so severe that simple unconditional consumption and portfolio rules actually outperform (in a utility cost sense) both simple and bias-corrected empirical estimates of conditionally optimal policies.
THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF Ba0.5Sr0.5CoxFe1-x-yNiyO3-δ (x = 0.4, 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.25) AS CATHODE MATERIAL FOR IT-SOFCs
Authors: BURNWAL SUMAN KUMAR , KISTAIAH P.
Published: February 2015

Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 Co x Fe 1-x-y Ni y O 3-δ (BSCFNi; x = 0.4, 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.25) were studied in relation to their potential use as intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (IT-SOFC) cathode. An emphasis is made on the effect of Ni -doping on crystal structure, thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) and dc electrical conductivity. A cubic perovskite structure was observed in the X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement. The TEC of BSCFNi obtained for 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.25, varies in the range of (12.38–18.81) × 10-6 K-1, measured in the temperature range of 30°C to 800°C. The electrical conductivity which is a major defect of Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 Co x Fe 1-x O 3-δ (BSCF) was improved by Ni -doping. The compound with y = 0.20 and 0.25 demonstrated a conductivity of σ = 62.59 S-cm-1 and 72.64 S-cm-1 at 400°C and 77.01 S-cm-1 and 89.68 S-cm-1 at 500°C.
D3D-MDS: A Distributed 3D Localization Scheme for an Irregular Wireless Sensor Network Using Multidimensional Scaling
Authors: Fan Jin , Zhang Baohui , Dai Guojun
Published: February 2015

This paper proposes a distributed localization algorithm which can be applied to an irregular three-dimensional wireless sensor network, considering the algorithm accuracy and complexity. The algorithm uses clusters to eliminate the multihop distance errors. An anchor node position optimization scheme is proposed to maximize the uniformity of each subnetwork. The proposed algorithm also employs a new three-dimensional coordinate transformation algorithm, which helps to reduce the errors introduced by coordinate integration between clusters and improves the localization precision. The simulation and performance analysis results show that the localization accuracy of the D3D-MDS algorithm increases by 49.1% compared with 3D-DV-HOP and 38.6% compared with 3D-MDS-MAP. This distributed localization scheme also demonstrates a low computational complexity compared with other centralized localization algorithms.
Autophagy Upregulation and Apoptosis Downregulation in DAHP and Triptolide Treated Cerebral Ischemia
Authors: Yang Yang , Gao Keqiang , Hu Zhiying , Li Weiyun , Davies Henry , Ling Shucai , Rudd John A. , Fang Marong
Published: February 2015

It has previously been demonstrated that ischemic stroke activates autophagy pathways; however, the mechanism remains unclear. The aim of this study is to further investigate the role that autophagy plays in cerebral ischemia. 2, 4‐diamino‐6‐hydroxy‐pyrimidine (DAHP), for its nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibiting neuroprotective effect, and triptolide (TP), for its anti‐inflammatory property, were selected to administer pre middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The drugs were administered 12 hours prior to MCAO. Both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 2, 3, 5‐triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining showed that the drugs reduce the area of infarction. Immunoblotting analysis revealed increases in Beclin‐1 and myeloid cell leukelia‐1(Mcl‐1) in treated rats. This could be a contributing factor to the reduction in autophagy induced damage. Immunochemistry and western blot showed that mTOR expression in treated rats was marginally different 24 h after injury, and this could also be significant in the mechanism. Furthermore, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐ (TdT‐) mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining proved that the drugs are effective in reducing apoptosis. The upregulation of Beclin‐1 and Mcl‐1 and downregulation of Bcl‐2, caspase‐3, and the Bcl‐2/Beclin‐1 ratio infer that the neuroprotective effect of DAHP and TP act via the mediation of autophagy and apoptosis pathways.
Primary Cutaneous Cryptococcosis Treated with Debridement and Fluconazole Monotherapy in an Immunosuppressed Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Wang Jennifer , Bartelt Luther , Yu Deborah , Joshi Anjali , Weinbaum Bradley , Pierson Tiffany , Patrizio Michael , Warren Cirle A. , Hughes Molly A. , Donowitz Gerald
Published: February 2015

Cryptococcus neoformansis an opportunistic yeast present in the environment. Practitioners are familiar with the presentation and management of the most common manifestation of cryptococcal infection, meningoencephalitis, in patients with AIDS or other conditions of immunocompromise. There is less awareness, however, of uncommon presentations where experience rather than evidence guides therapy. We report a case of primary cutaneous cryptococcosis (PCC) in a patient who had been immunosuppressed by chronic high-dose corticosteroid for the treatment of severe asthma. This case highlights the importance of early recognition of aggressive cellulitis that fails standard empiric antibiotic treatment in an immunocompromised patient. It also demonstrates successful treatment of PCC with a multispecialty approach including local debridement and fluconazole monotherapy.
A Peculiar Case of the Abscopal Effect: Radioactive Iodine Therapy Incidentally Palliating Marginal Zone Lymphoma
Authors: Kornas Robert C. , Shields Sarah-Kim , Goldman Lyle S.
Published: February 2015

The abscopal effect is an extremely rare phenomenon occurring when irradiation or treatment of a primary tumor burden not only results in debulking of the targeted site but also reduces tumor size at distant sites from the intended treatment area. We present the abscopal effect occurring in a patient with low-grade marginal zone lymphoma who subsequently received radioactive iodine therapy for papillary thyroid carcinoma. She was 67 years old when a routine complete blood count at her primary care physician’s office yielded a persistent leukocytosis of 14,500/μL with lymphocytosis of 9,870/μL. Immunophenotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis confirmed low-grade marginal zone lymphoma. Over eight years, her peak leukocyte and lymphocyte counts were 24,100/μL and 18,100/μL, respectively. Subsequently, she was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma after presenting with a new complaint of dysphagia. A total thyroidectomy was performed, followed by 172.1 millicuries of oral I-131 sodium iodine radioactive ablation therapy. Following treatment, her leukocyte and lymphocyte counts were 3,100/μL and 1,100/μL, respectively. Over the next four years, her leukocyte and lymphocyte counts remained within normal limits and she remained symptom free. To our knowledge, there has never been a published report describing the use of radioactive iodine causing abscopal effect benefits for patients with underlying lymphoproliferative diseases.
Allicin Alleviates Inflammation of Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid‐Induced Rats and Suppresses P38 and JNK Pathways in Caco‐2 Cells
Authors: Li Chen , Lun Weijian , Zhao Xinmei , Lei Shan , Guo Yandong , Ma Jiayi , Zhi Fachao
Published: February 2015

Background. Allicin has anti‐inflammatory, antioxidative and proapoptotic properties. Aims. To evaluate the effects and investigate the mechanism of allicin on trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid‐induced colitis, specifically with mesalazine or sulfasalazine. Methods. 80 rats were divided equally into 8 groups: control; trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid; allicin prevention; allicin; mesalazine; sulfasalazine; allicin + sulfasalazine, and mesalazine + allicin. Systemic and colonic inflammation parameters were analysed. In addition, protein and culture medium of Caco‐2 cells treated with various concentrations of IL‐1β or allicin were collected for investigation of IL‐8, NF‐κB p65 P38, ERK, and JNK. One‐way ANOVA and Kruskal‐Wallis H test were used for parametric and nonparametric tests, respectively. Results. Allicin reduced the body weight loss of trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid‐induced rats, histological score, serum TNF‐α and IL‐1β levels, and colon IL‐1β mRNA level and induced serum IL‐4 level, particularly in combination with mesalazine. In addition, 1 ng/mL IL‐1β stimulated the P38, ERK, and JNK pathways, whereas pretreatment with allicin depressed this phenomenon, except for the ERK pathway. Conclusions. The inflammation induced by trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid is mitigated significantly by allicin treatment, particularly combined with mesalazine. Allicin inhibits the P38 and JNK pathways and the expression of NF‐κB which explained the potential anti‐inflammatory mechanisms of allicin.
The Novel Quantitative Technique for Assessment of Gait Symmetry Using Advanced Statistical Learning Algorithm
Authors: Wu Jianning , Wu Bin
Published: February 2015

The accurate identification of gait asymmetry is very beneficial to the assessment of at-risk gait in the clinical applications. This paper investigated the application of classification method based on statistical learning algorithm to quantify gait symmetry based on the assumption that the degree of intrinsic change in dynamical system of gait is associated with the different statistical distributions between gait variables from left-right side of lower limbs; that is, the discrimination of small difference of similarity between lower limbs is considered the reorganization of their different probability distribution. The kinetic gait data of 60 participants were recorded using a strain gauge force platform during normal walking. The classification method is designed based on advanced statistical learning algorithm such as support vector machine algorithm for binary classification and is adopted to quantitatively evaluate gait symmetry. The experiment results showed that the proposed method could capture more intrinsic dynamic information hidden in gait variables and recognize the right-left gait patterns with superior generalization performance. Moreover, our proposed techniques could identify the small significant difference between lower limbs when compared to the traditional symmetry index method for gait. The proposed algorithm would become an effective tool for early identification of the elderly gait asymmetry in the clinical diagnosis.
CaRo 2.0: An Interactive System for Expressive Music Rendering
Authors: Canazza Sergio , De Poli Giovanni , Rodà Antonio
Published: February 2015

In several application contexts in multimedia field (educational, extreme gaming), the interaction with the user requests that system is able to render music in expressive way. The expressiveness is the added value of a performance and is part of the reason that music is interesting to listen. Understanding and modeling expressive content communication is important for many engineering applications in information technology (e.g., Music Information Retrieval, as well as several applications in the affective computing field). In this paper, we present an original approach to modify the expressive content of a performance in a gradual way, applying a smooth morphing among performances with different expressive content in order to adapt the audio expressive character to the user’s desires. The system won the final stage of Rencon 2011. This performance RENdering CONtest is a research project that organizes contests for computer systems generating expressive musical performances.
Metformin Use and Lung Cancer Risk in Patients with Diabetes
Authors: Sakoda Lori C. , Ferrara Assiamira , Achacoso Ninah S. , Peng Tiffany , Ehrlich Samantha F. , Quesenberry Charles P. , Habel Laurel A.
Published: February 2015

Methodologic biases may explain why observational studies examining metformin use in relation to lung cancer risk have produced inconsistent results. We conducted a cohort study to further investigate this relationship, accounting for potential biases. For 47,351 patients with diabetes ages ≥40 years, who completed a health-related survey administered between 1994 and 1996, data on prescribed diabetes medications were obtained from electronic pharmacy records. Follow-up for incident lung cancer occurred from January 1, 1997, until June 30, 2012. Using Cox regression, we estimated lung cancer risk associated with new use of metformin, along with total duration, recency, and cumulative dose (all modeled as time-dependent covariates), adjusting for potential confounding factors. During 428,557 person-years of follow-up, 747 patients were diagnosed with lung cancer. No association was found with duration, dose, or recency of metformin use and overall lung cancer risk. Among never smokers, however, ever use was inversely associated with lung cancer risk [HR, 0.57; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.33–0.99], and risk appeared to decrease monotonically with longer use (≥5 years: HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.21–1.09). Among current smokers, corresponding risk estimates were >1.0, although not statistically significant. Consistent with this variation in effect by smoking history, longer use was suggestively associated with lower adenocarcinoma risk (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.40–1.17), but higher small cell carcinoma risk (HR, 1.82; 95% CI, 0.85–3.91). In this population, we found no evidence that metformin use affects overall lung cancer risk. The observed variation in association by smoking history and histology requires further confirmation. Cancer Prev Res; 8(2); 174–9. ©2014 AACR.
A new species of Rock-Dwelling Scinax Wagler (Anura: Hylidae) from Chapada dos Veadeiros, Central Brazil
Authors: ARAUJO-VIEIRA KATYUSCIA , BRANDÃO REUBER ALBUQUERQUE , FARIA DANIELE CARVALHO DO CARMO
Published: February 2015

A new species of the Scinax ruber clade is described from Chapada dos Veadeiros region, Central Brazil. The new species is diagnosed by having SVL 21.9–27.7 mm in males and 26.7–31.7 mm in females; snout acuminate in dorsal view and rounded in profile; medium-sized tympanum; vocal sac single, median, subgular, that does not reach the pectoral region; iris iridescent yellow, with some thin, darker reticulations; tadpoles with ventral oral disc; P-3 regular and unmodified as a labial arm; absence of keratinized and colored plates on the sides of the lower jaw-sheath; presence of a keratinized and colored spur on each side behind the lower jaw-sheath; dorsolateral eyes, ventrally invisible; and advertisement call composed of 8–14 notes each with 4–18 pulses, and duration of 290–420 ms. The new species uses temporary creeks in rock meadows above 1.000 m a.s.l. and males calls from rock outcrops. The dorsal color pattern enables this species to camouflage in this kind of surfaces.
Atmospheric Responses to Kuroshio SST Front in the East China Sea under Different Prevailing Winds in Winter and Spring
Authors: Xu Mimi , Xu Haiming
Published: February 2015

Atmospheric responses to the Kuroshio SST front in the East China Sea under different prevailing winds are examined using high-resolution observations and numerical modeling. Satellite data reveal a significant in-phase relationship between SST and surface wind speed, indicative of ocean-to-atmosphere influence. The atmospheric response varies according to the relative surface wind direction with respect to the SST front orientation. Under the alongfront condition, low (high) SLP anomalies are found on the warmer (colder) flank of the front, accompanied by surface wind convergence (divergence). Enhanced precipitation and frequent cumulus convection appear over the warm Kuroshio, suggesting an atmospheric response extending into the free troposphere. Under the cross-front condition, when the air blows from cold to warm (warm to cold) SST, divergence (convergence) is located directly over the SST front, and its magnitude is proportional to the downwind SST gradient. Under such prevailing winds, the SST front has little effect on the SLP and precipitation.

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model is used to investigate the mechanism responsible for the atmospheric adjustment. The results show that under the alongfront condition, large temperature and pressure perturbations in the boundary layer are caused by SST gradients, while stability and turbulent mixing are less affected. By contrast, under the cross-front condition, the perturbations of temperature and pressure are small and shifted downstream, while the SST gradient exerts stronger impact on vertical mixing. The modeling results confirm that the pressure adjustment mechanism contributes more to the atmospheric response under alongfront prevailing winds, while the vertical mixing mechanism dominates the atmospheric adjustment under cross-front winds.
Efficacy of JAK/STAT pathway inhibition in murine xenograft models of early T-cell precursor (ETP) acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Maude Shannon L. , Dolai Sibasish , Delgado-Martin Cristina , Vincent Tiffaney , Robbins Alissa , Selvanathan Arthavan , Ryan Theresa , Hall Junior , Wood Andrew C. , Tasian Sarah K. , Hunger Stephen P. , Loh Mignon L. , Mullighan Charles G. , Wood Brent L. , Hermiston Michelle L. , Grupp Stephan A. , Lock Richard B. , Teachey David T.
Published: February 2015

Key Points

ETP-ALL, a high-risk subtype of T-ALL, is characterized by aberrant activation of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. The JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib demonstrates robust activity in patient-derived xenograft models of ETP-ALL.
Strong localization effect and carrier relaxation dynamics in self-assembled InGaN quantum dots emitting in the green
Authors: Weng Guo-En , Zhao Wan-Ru , Chen Shao-Qiang , Akiyama Hidefumi , Li Zeng-Cheng , Liu Jian-Ping , Zhang Bao-Ping
Published: February 2015

Strong localization effect in self-assembled InGaN quantum dots (QDs) grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition has been evidenced by temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) at different excitation power. The integrated emission intensity increases gradually in the range from 30 to 160 K and then decreases with a further increase in temperature at high excitation intensity, while this phenomenon disappeared at low excitation intensity. Under high excitation, about 40% emission enhancement at 160 K compared to that at low temperature, as well as a higher internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of 41.1%, was observed. A strong localization model is proposed to describe the possible processes of carrier transport, relaxation, and recombination. Using this model, the evolution of excitation-power-dependent emission intensity, shift of peak energy, and linewidth variation with elevating temperature is well explained. Finally, two-component decays of time-resolved PL (TRPL) with various excitation intensities are observed and analyzed with the biexponential model, which enables us to further understand the carrier relaxation dynamics in the InGaN QDs.
The development and implementation of a training package for dietitians on cow's milk protein allergy in infants and children based on UK RCPCH competencies for food allergies – a pilot study
Authors: Reeves Liane , Meyer Rosan , Holloway Judith , Venter Carina
Published: February 2015

Background

Many food allergy guidelines have been published worldwide over recent years. The United Kingdom National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines and The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health food allergy care pathways require dietitians to assist with the diagnosis and management of food allergies, which highlighted the need for further education of dietitians to meet these competencies. The aim of this study was to design a competence based one day education course for dietitians on the diagnosis and management of cow's milk protein allergy in infants and children.

Methods

A one day training course was developed. Dietitians’ knowledge was assessed via multiple choice questions before and on the day of the course and retention of knowledge was assessed one month after the course. Pre course reading was given once the first assessment was completed.

Results

Thirty seven dietitians attended the course and 32 completed all three assessments. A significant improvement in assessment scores was seen between the pre course and on the day assessments of 7.2% (p < 0.001) and between pre course and post course assessments of 8.9% (p < 0.001). In delegates who rated their perceived level of knowledge as high, a significant increase was seen between pre course and on the day and between pre course and post course (both p < 0.001). Actual increase in knowledge was seen alongside a significant increase in high rating of perceived level of confidence between pre course and on the day and between pre course and post course (both p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Educating dietitians using the format of one day teaching with pre and post course assessment has improved both knowledge and competencies in the diagnosis and management of cow's milk protein allergy. Further courses in other areas of food allergy could be developed using this approach within the UK and worldwide.
Survival outcomes of First Nations patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (Poliquin 2014)
Authors: Erickson Bree , Biron Vincent L , Zhang Han , Seikaly Hadi , Côté David WJ
Published: February 2015

Background

Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) is the most common head and neck cancer, affecting approximately 2000 Canadians yearly. Analysis of Canadian Cancer Registry data has shown that the incidence of oral cavity cancer is decreasing and survival outcomes are improving. There are significant health disparities in First Nations (FN) people in Canada. The incidence of cancer in FN groups is significantly lower when compared to the general population, but the cancer-related morbidity and mortality is significantly higher. There is no Canadian literature currently for OCSCC, or any other head and neck cancer, that compares survival outcomes of FN to the overall population. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine whether there is a difference in epidemiology and survival outcomes between FN and non-FN patients with OCSCC.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of a population-based, prospectively-collected database from Alberta Cancer Registry (ACR). Patients with OCSCC, diagnosed and treated in Alberta between 1998 and 2009 were included. ACR data collected included patient gender, age at diagnosis, tobacco and alcohol use, FN status, TNM staging, performance status, date of death, cause of death, and follow-up. FN status was identified through the Alberta Health and Wellness registry and through postal code correlation for those who live on reserves.

Results

A total of 583 patients with OCSCC were included in this study. Of these, 19 were identified as being FN, leaving 564 non-FN patients. When comparing the FN and non-FN groups, there is no significant difference in baseline demographics. Estimated yearly incidences for OCSCC in the Alberta population (all ages) and FN patients are 1.74/100,000 and 1.32/100,000 respectively (p = 0.23). Significant differences are seen in overall survival (OS) (5-year OS 58.1% for non-FN and 33.7% for FN) and for disease-specific survival (DSS) (5-year DSS 67.8% for non-FN and 44.5% for FN). Multivariate analysis confirmed FN patients have a significant increase risk of death in OS and DSS, with hazard ratios of 4.20 (p = 0.01) and 4.57 (p = 0.02), respectively.

Conclusions

The overall survival and disease specific survival are significantly lower in FN patients compared to non-FN patients with OCSCC.
The Mcgill thyroid nodule score – does it help with indeterminate thyroid nodules?
Authors: Varshney Rickul , Forest Veronique-Isabelle , Mascarella Marco A , Zawawi Faisal , Rochon Louise , Hier Michael P , Mlynarek Alex , Tamilia Michael , Payne Richard J
Published: February 2015

Background

Ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration (USFNA) biopsy of thyroid nodules often gives a result of indeterminate pathology, placing thyroid specialists in difficult management situations. The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of malignancy in patients undergoing surgery and to correlate these results with the McGill Thyroid Nodule Score (MTNS).

Methods

We performed a retrospective study comparing USFNA results, MTNS and histopathology of patients undergoing thyroid surgery between 2010 and 2012. Pre-operative USFNA results were divided into three subgroups: benign, indeterminate and suspicious for/malignant. The indeterminate USFNA subgroup comprised of Bethesda type III (atypia of undetermined significance) and Bethesda type IV (follicular neoplasms, including Hurthle cell neoplasms) lesions. Post-operative histopathology was divided into benign or malignant groups.

Results

Of the 437 patient charts reviewed, 57.0% had an indeterminate USFNA biopsy. Within the indeterminate group, the malignancy rate was 39.8%. For indeterminate USFNA, the median MTNS was 7 (32% risk of malignancy) for benign nodules and 9 (63% risk of malignancy) for malignant nodules on post-operative histopathology ( p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The rate of malignancy in operated patients with an indeterminate USFNA result was 39.8%. The MTNS can be of value to thyroid specialists in pre-operative decision-making when dealing with an indeterminate result of a thyroid nodule on USFNA.
Determinants of trade intensity of Egypt with COMESA Countries
Authors: SA Elmorsy Samah
Published: February 2015

Egypt has joined to COMESA since May 1998 in order to promote its economic relations with the rest of member states, especially the trade relations, so the aim of the paper is to assess COMESA regional integration efforts and to identify the most effective and important variables that determine trade intensity of Egypt with COMESA countries. To achieve the aim of the paper, estimation of Trade Intensity Index (TII) of Egypt with COMESA was adopted, and econometric methodology (gravity model) was used to estimate the variables that have the major effect on Egypt’s trade with COMESA.

The paper concludes that there are opportunities to increase Egypt’s Trade with COMESA, after applying gravity model paper concludes that Gross Domestic Product and existence of sharing borders are the most effective variables that determine Egypt trade with COMESA, paper also defined the major obstacles of regional integration in COMESA and presented some policy implication.
Envisioning South-South relations in the fields of environmental change and migration in the Pacific Islands - past, present and futures
Authors: Weber Eberhard
Published: February 2015

Climate change poses severe threats to developing countries. Scientists predict entire states (e.g. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Maldives) will become inhabitable. People living in these states have to resettle to other countries. Media and politicians warn that climate change will trigger migration flows in dimensions unknown to date. It is feared that millions from developing countries overwhelm developed societies and increase pressures on anyway ailing social support systems destabilizing societies and becoming a potential source of conflict.

Inhabitants of Pacific Islandsa have been mobile since the islands were first settled not longer than 3,500 years ago. Since then people moved around, expanded their reach, and traded with neighbouring tribes (and later countries). With the event of European powers in the 15th century independent mobility became restricted after the beginning of the 19th century. From the second half of the 19th century movements of people predominately served economic interests of colonial powers, in particular a huge colonial appetite for labour. After independence emigration from Pacific Island countries continued to serve economic interest of metropolitan countries at the rim of the Pacific Ocean, which are able to direct migration flows according to their economic requirements.

If climate change resettlements become necessary in big numbers then Pacific Islanders do not want to become climate change refugees. To include environmental reasons in refugee conventions is not what Pacific Islanders want. They want to migrate in dignity, if it becomes unavoidable to leave their homes. There are good reasons to solve the challenges within Pacific Island societies and do not depend too much on metropolitan neighbours at the rim of the Pacific such as Australia, New Zealand and the USA. To rise to the challenge requires enhanced Pan-Pacific Island solidarity and South-South cooperation. This then would result in a reduction of dependencies. For metropolitan powers still much can be done in supporting capacity building in Pacific Island countries and helping the economies to proposer so that climate change migrants easier can be absorbed by expanding labour markets in Pacific Island countries.
Providing free heroin to addicts participating in research – ethical concerns and the question of voluntariness
Authors: Henden Edmund , Bærøe Kristine
Published: February 2015

Providing heroin to people with heroin addiction taking part in medical trials assessing the effectiveness of the drug as a treatment alternative breaches ethical research standards, some ethicists maintain. Heroin addicts, they say, are unable to consent voluntarily to taking part in these trials. Other ethicists disagree. In our view, both sides of the debate have an inadequate understanding of ‘voluntariness’. In this article we therefore offer a fuller definition of the concept, one which allows for a more flexible, case-to-case approach in which some heroin addicts are considered capable of consenting voluntarily, others not. An advantage of this approach, it is argued, is that it provides a safety net to minimise the risk of inflicting harm on trial participants.
Photocatalytic Water Splitting and CO2 Reduction over KCaSrTa5O15 Nanorod Prepared by a Polymerized Complex Method
Authors: Takayama Tomoaki , Iwase Akihide , Kudo Akihiko
Published: January 2015

Single-crystal KCaSrTa5O15 nanorods were successfully synthesized by a polymerized complex method. SEM and TEM observations revealed that the nanorods growing along the c axis of a tungsten bronze structure measured 40–100 nm in diameter and 100–300 nm in length. Tb(0.03 atom %)-doped KCaSrTa5O15 nanorods gave a green luminescence due to the 5D4 → 7F6 and 5D4 → 7F5 transition of Tb3+, when the KCaSrTa5O15 host was excited. The intensity of the luminescence was much higher than that by polycrystalline KCaSrTa5O15 prepared by a solid-state reaction. This indicates that nonradiative deactivation at grain boundaries was suppressed in the KCaSrTa5O15 nanorods compared to the polycrystalline KCaSrTa5O15. NiO cocatalyst-loaded KCaSrTa5O15 nanorods split water into H2 and O2 with an apparent quantum yield of 6.6% at 254 nm. The efficiency was three times as high as that of the polycrystalline KCaSrTa5O15. The KCaSrTa5O15 nanorods also showed photocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction, when a Ag-cocatalyst was loaded. Stoichiometric amounts of CO and H2 as reduction products and O2 as an oxidation product were obtained. The activity for CO2 reduction was improved by adding NaHCO3 into the reactant solution, giving about 90% CO selectivity (CO/(CO + H2)).
Cultural semiotics, translatability, and informational loss in visual texts of the biotech industry
Authors: Yoka Charikleia , Kourdis Evangelos
Published: February 2015

The paper examines a specific advertising campaign of a biotech company characteristic of the whole biotech industry and discusses how the evocation of universal values, such as the protection and correct management of the planet’s resources, the struggle against poverty and against the shortage of raw materials, the support of farmers and their families, distorts information about nature, global agriculture and the biotech industry’s products. This distortion is a necessary and vital part of this industry’s existence. The rhetorical techniques of conscious informational repression and distortion, which are often discussed only in terms of informational loss, are expressly evident and even taken to their extremes in the case of biotechnology. Yet on the other hand they are characteristic of a translation process that takes place in the rhetoric of advertisement in general, as is evident in the use of Göran Sonesson’s translation model which we suggest is appropriate for the definition and study of advertising codes.
The AMEDD Uses Goal Programming to Optimize Workforce Planning Decisions
Authors: Bastian Nathaniel D. , McMurry Pat , Fulton Lawrence V. , Griffin Paul M. , Cui Shisheng , Hanson Thor , Srinivas Sharan
Published: February 2015

The mission of the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) is to provide medical and healthcare delivery for the U.S. Army. Given the large number of medical specialties in the AMEDD, determining the appropriate number of hires and promotions for each medical specialty is a complex task. The AMEDD Personnel Proponency Directorate (APPD) previously used a manual approach to project the number of hires, promotions, and personnel inventory for each medical specialty across the AMEDD to support a 30-year life cycle. As a means of decision support to APPD, we proffer the objective force model (OFM) to optimize AMEDD workforce planning. We also employ a discrete-event simulation model to verify and validate the results.

In this paper, we describe the OFM applied to the Medical Specialist Corps, one of the six officer corps in the AMEDD. The OFM permits better transparency of personnel for senior AMEDD decision makers, whereas effectively projecting the optimal number of officers to meet the demands of the current workforce structure. The OFM provides tremendous value to APPD in terms of time, requiring only seconds to solve rather than months; this enables APPD to conduct quick what-if analyses for decision support, which was impossible to do manually.
The Politics of Frontier Mining: Local Chieftains, Chinese Miners, and Upland Society in the Nông Văn Vân Uprising in the Sino-Vietnamese Border Area, 1833–1835
Authors: Luân Vũ Đường
Published: January 2015

This article, part of a longer study of the history of mining in Vietnam, argues that the Nông Văn Vân uprising (1833–1835) in the northern uplands of Vietnam brings into relief the importance of mining in the Vietnamese economy of the nineteenth century. It also highlights the consequences of Emperor Minh Mệnh’s dual agenda of extracting more tax revenues from mining operations and expanding the reach of the state by replacing hereditary tribal chieftains with imperial bureaucrats. While the uprising was quelled, the imperial agenda could not be fully realized in the face of local opposition and declining revenue from mining. The uprising reflected the multiethnic nature of border society, composed as it was of Vietnamese, local minority populations, and a significant number of Chinese mine owners, workers, and providers of goods and services to the mining towns. In ordinary times, the border was regularly flouted as kinship relations, trading networks, and ethnic affinity transcended allegiance to either the Qing or the Nguyễn in this borderland. Although the uprising was formally contained within the Vietnamese territory, rebels were able to seek refuge and recruit new adherents in China. And while the Nguyễn court was eventually able to subdue the rebels, its centralizing policies and attempts at extracting more revenues from mining were ultimately unsuccessful in the face of reemerging local and transborder forces.
Defining Shariʿa in China: State, Ahong , and the Postsecular Turn
Authors: S. Erie Matthew
Published: January 2015

Just as shariʿa (Islamic law) has been demonized globally, so too, paradoxically, have governments sought to appropriate Islamic authority for secular rule. Based on nineteen months of field research in northwest China, this article offers some preliminary thoughts on the ways in which the party-state manipulates shariʿa for purposes of rule. Through the example of the China Islamic Association, an organization constituted under the Chinese Communist Party in 1953, the author argues that the party-state’s evolving relationship to Islamic authority demonstrates what he calls the “postsecular.” Rather than discursively demarcating (legitimate) secular law from (illegitimate) religious law, the China Islamic Association has, since 2001, a watershed year in the relationship between secular and Islamic authority, sought to expound law from the revealed sources of Islam that are congruent with Chinese socialism and nationalism.
Rebellion and Rule under Consular Optics: Changing Ways of Seeing the China-Vietnam Borderlands, 1874–1879
Authors: Davis Bradley Camp
Published: January 2015

This article contributes to the continuing discussion concerning the changing relationships between China and its neighbors in the nineteenth century. Focusing on Vietnam, a country within the metaphorical framework of the “tribute system,” it analyzes the complex range of relationships in the borderlands during the 1870s. Following the establishment of French consular offices in northern Vietnam, rebellions, counterinsurgency, communities, and commerce in the borderlands fell under a new kind of official gaze, one that ultimately provided self-serving justification to advocates of French imperialism in Southeast Asia. As emblems of foreign influence, French consulates soon became elements in factional struggles that unfolded within the Vietnamese bureaucracy over the role of China in Vietnam, the employment of surrendered bandits as officials, and borderlands administration.
China in Islam: Turki Views from the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
Authors: Thum Rian
Published: January 2015

This article questions dominant understandings of “China,” “Islam,” and the relationship between the two. It does so by uncovering an alternative understanding of China, one held by a group of people living within the Qing Empire and, later, the Republic of China: the Turki-speaking Muslims of Altishahr, known today as Uyghurs. Turki manuscript sources depict China as a distant and distasteful power, as a khanate in the Inner Asian tradition, and as a city synonymous with its ruler, characterized above all else by its rejection of Islam, yet vulnerable to conversion by charismatic Sufis. This notion of China, it is argued, is no more culturally determined than the predominant understanding of China that undergirds most scholarly studies of China, and no less enlightening. And yet Altishahri and other Islamic perspectives have been excluded from our notion of China, largely through a dependence on the concept of “syncretism.” As an alternative to the syncretism approach to cultural interchange, the article advocates for a greater focus on overlapping networks of shared meaning. Applied to the Altishahri case, this approach gives a sense of what is lost in the privileging of Islam and China as dominant categories, and shows the distortions involved in bounding these categories.