bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adiponectin may mediate the association between omentin, circulating lipids and insulin sensitivity: results from the KORA F4 study
Authors: Herder Christian , Ouwens D Margriet , Carstensen Maren , Kowall Bernd , Huth Cornelia , Meisinger Christa , Rathmann Wolfgang , Roden Michael , Thorand Barbara
Published: March 2015

Objective

Reduced circulating omentin levels have been reported in obesity and type 2 diabetes, but data were mostly derived from univariate analyses in small study samples. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between omentin, abnormal glucose tolerance and related metabolic factors in a large population-based cross-sectional study.

Design and methods

Serum omentin was measured by ELISA in 1092 participants of the German KORA F4 survey (2006–2008). Associations between omentin serum levels, glucose tolerance (assessed with an oral glucose tolerance test) and diabetes-related factors were estimated using logistic and linear regression models respectively.

Results

Serum levels of omentin were not related to categories of glucose tolerance. However, serum omentin was positively associated with whole-body insulin sensitivity index (ISI (composite)) and HDL cholesterol and showed inverse associations with 2-h post-load glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance, BMI and triglycerides (all P≤0.03 after adjustment for age, sex and lifestyle factors). Further adjustment for BMI and/or serum lipids attenuated the associations with parameters of glucose metabolism, whereas adjustment for serum adiponectin virtually abolished all aforementioned associations. In contrast, adjustment for omentin had no effect on the positive association between adiponectin levels and ISI (composite).

Conclusions

The data from this large population-based cohort show that circulating omentin levels are associated with insulin sensitivity. Our observations further suggest that omentin acts via upregulation of adiponectin, which in turn affects lipid metabolism and thereby also indirectly enhances insulin sensitivity, but mechanistic studies are required to corroborate this hypothesis.
An annotated checklist of mammals of the Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Texas, USA
Authors: Patrikeev Michael
Published: March 2015

Mammals of Lake Meredith National Recreation Area (Hutchinson, Moore and Potter counties, Texas) were surveyed between March 2002 and October 2003 as a part of the larger inventory of vertebrate animals of this protected area. Both Sherman and Tomahawk traps were used to catch small and medium-size mammals (for a total 330 trap-nights). Pit-fall traps, gopher live traps, Trailmaster™ cameras, mist-nets (for bats), and spotlight surveys were also utilized. The study detected 29 (72.5%) of the 39 mammalian species previously confirmed for Lake Meredith, and provided confirmed records for four other species (Cryptotis parva, Notiosorex crawfordi, Dasypus novemcinctus, and Sciurus niger). Four additional species were recorded in the adjacent area. This manuscript compares the 2002–2003 study with the three mammal inventories previously undertaken in the area (Blair 1954; Killebrew 1979; Yancey et al. 1998).
Systematic Literature Review and Network Meta-Analysis Comparing Bone-Targeted Agents for the Prevention of Skeletal-Related Events in Cancer Patients With Bone Metastasis
Authors: Wang Zhiyu , Qiao Dan , Lu Yaohong , Curtis Dana , Wen Xiaoting , Yao Yang , Zhao Hui
Published: March 2015

Background.

Complications from skeletal-related events (SREs) constitute a challenge in the care of cancer patients with bone metastasis (BM).

Objectives.

This study evaluated the comparative effectiveness of pamidronate, ibandronate, zoledronate, and denosumab in reducing the morbidity of SREs in cancer patients with BM.

Methods.

Medline (1948 to January 2014), Embase (1980 to January 2014), the Cochrane Library (2014 issue 1), and Web of Science with Conference Proceedings (1970 to January 2014) were searched. Only randomized controlled trials assessing denosumab, bisphosphonates, or placebo in cancer patients with BM were included. The primary outcomes were SREs and SREs by type. The network meta-analysis (NMA) was performed with a random-effects Bayesian model.

Results.

The NMA included 14 trials with 10,192 patients. Denosumab was superior to placebo in reducing the risk of SREs (odds ratio [OR]: 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31–0.75), followed by zoledronate (OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.41–0.77) and pamidronate (OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.41–0.72). Ibandronate compared with placebo could not reduce the risk of SREs. Denosumab was superior to placebo in reducing the risk of pathologic fractures (OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.32–0.79), followed by zoledronate (OR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.43–0.86). Denosumab was superior to placebo in reducing the risk of radiation (OR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.35–0.75), followed by pamidronate (OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.52–0.86) and zoledronate (OR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.52–0.96).

Conclusion.

This NMA showed that denosumab, zoledronate, and pamidronate were generally effective in preventing SREs in cancer patients with BM. Denosumab and zoledronate were also associated with reductions in the risk of pathologic fractures and radiation compared with placebo. Denosumab was shown to be the most effective of the bone-targeted agents.
Neoadjuvant Dual HER2-Targeted Therapy With Lapatinib and Trastuzumab Improves Pathologic Complete Response in Patients With Early Stage HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Prospective Clinical Trials
Authors: Hicks Mellissa , Macrae Erin R. , Abdel-Rasoul Mahmoud , Layman Rachel , Friedman Susan , Querry Jenny , Lustberg Maryam , Ramaswamy Bhuvaneswari , Mrozek Ewa , Shapiro Charles , Wesolowski Robert
Published: March 2015

Background.

Randomized clinical trials (RCT) that evaluated the addition of lapatinib to trastuzumab plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with HER2-positive, operable breast cancer revealed a questionable improvement in pathologic complete response (pCR) rate. We performed a meta-analysis of prospective RCTs that examined the effect of adding lapatinib to trastuzumab and NAC on pCR rate.

Methods.

PubMed databases and abstracts from the proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium were searched for RCTs that compared lapatinib plus trastuzumab and NAC with trastuzumab in combination with NAC and that included pCR as the primary outcome. Our main objective was to estimate the effect of adding lapatinib to trastuzumab plus NAC on pCR rate, defined as no residual invasive cancer in breast and axillary lymph nodes.

Results.

In total, 1,017 patients with early stage breast cancer from 5 trials were included. Four trials examined the addition of lapatinib to trastuzumab plus NAC; this resulted in statistically significant improvement in pCR, defined as no residual carcinoma in breast and lymph nodes. The pCR rate was 55.76% and 38.36% in the lapatinib plus trastuzumab and the trastuzumab plus NAC arms, respectively (odds ratio [OR]: 1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.44–2.60). In three trials, the rates of pCR, defined as no residual invasive carcinoma in breast only, for the lapatinib plus trastuzumab and trastuzumab-alone groups were 55.01% and 40.70%, respectively, also resulting in significant improvement (OR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.27–2.50).

Conclusion.

The addition of lapatinib to trastuzumab in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy significantly improves pCR rates in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.
Effective parameters for calculating discharge of radial gates
Authors: Shayan Hossein Khalili , Farhoudi Javad , Roshan Reza
Published: March 2015

This study presents some theoretical relationships to estimate the discharge exiting from various types of radial gates under free and submerged flow conditions. These equations, which are based on energy and momentum concepts, were calibrated by means of a large number of experimental records retrieved from research conducted on three types of radial gates: hard rubber bar, sharp and music note gates. Results showed that the proposed equations could more accurately estimate the discharge of these radial gates where the mean absolute relative errors were less than 1·5 and 3·5% for free and submerged flow conditions, respectively. It was also observed that under specific circumstances, a hard rubber bar gate permits more discharge than sharp and music note gates. It is recognised that the discharge coefficient decreases with increase of lip angle. The reliability of the proposed equations was tested using 514 field data of multi-radial gates under operation in different irrigation canals. The study showed that calculating the total discharge exiting from individual gates by means of proposed equations was in close agreement with field observations. The predictive errors of the total flow discharge for 78% of the flow data were about ±10%.
High-Temperature Laboratory Testing of Illitic Sandstone Outcrop Cores With HCl-Alternative Fluids
Authors: Mahmoud M.A.. A. , Nasr-El-Din H.A.. A. , de Wolf C.A.. A.
Published: March 2015

Illitic sandstone reservoirs are sensitive to hydrochloric-acid (HCl) -based fluids. When HCl contacts illite, it breaks down and causes fines migration and formation damage. The migration of fines through the porous media will block the pores, reduce permeability, and decrease the production rate of oil and gas wells. A thorough literature review showed that all clay minerals are essentially unstable in HCl at temperatures greater than 300°F. In turn, there is a need to search for stimulation fluids other than HCl to stimulate deep sandstone reservoirs.

Alternative fluids to HCl/hydrofluoric (HF) mud acids were introduced to stimulate and remove the damage from illitic sandstone reservoirs. These fluids are chelating agents such as hydroxyl ethylene diaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA) and glutamic acid-N,N-diacetic acid (GLDA). In this study, sandstone cores with different illite contents were examined. Illite contents of 1, 10, 14, and 18 wt% of the sandstone cores were used in the coreflood experiments at 300°F. Different combinations of GLDA/HF were tested to determine the optimum ratio of chelate/HF. Computed tomography scans and permeability measurements before and after the treatment were used to assess the effectiveness of each fluid in removing the damage and in the stimulation of the sandstone cores.

The results show that 15 wt% HCl caused severe damage to sandstone cores with different illite contents. GLDA and HEDTA solutions showed a good compatibility with the illitic sandstone cores, with up to 18 wt% at 300°F. Permeability measurements showed that GLDA performed better than HEDTA at a pH of 4 and at the same molar concentration. The optimum ratio of GLDA/HF concentration was found to be 20 wt% GLDA/1 wt% HF, which gives the maximum increase in core permeability. No deconsolidation was noted with the two chelates tested. The results obtained from this study will significantly improve the outcome of acid treatments in illitic sandstone reservoirs at high temperatures.
Assessment of Fracturing-Fluid Cleanup by Use of a Rapid-Gel-Damage Method
Authors: Weaver J.D.. D. , Liang F.. , Schultheiss N.C.. C.
Published: March 2015

The primary purpose of hydraulic fracturing is to provide highly conductive paths from the reservoir to the wellbore. This is accomplished by pumping fracturing fluids at extreme pressures to create fractures in the reservoir rock. In addition to creating the fractures, the fluid is used to carry proppant into the fractures to keep them open for flow after the pressure is relieved.

The performance of fracturing fluids is generally determined by their ability to create fracture width and length with minimal loss of energy caused by friction, to transport proppant efficiently through the tubulars and deep into the fracture, to keep the proppant suspended to help distribute proppant vertically in the fracture, to break on a planned schedule to permit rapid and efficient flowback without producing back the proppant, and to perform all of these goals economically.

There are several good methods available to determine fluid efficiencies, proppant-transport properties, and fluid-break times that are important to a stimulation engineer when designing fracture treatments. However, there are few methods available that adequately simulate post-fracturing fluid recovery and that provide the expected well-cleanup rate, efficiency, and impairment of proppant-pack conductivity.

This paper presents the development of a laboratory method that permits a rapid assessment and screening of fluids for post-fracture cleanup parameters of a fluid system under realistic reservoir conditions. Fluid-rheology and fluid-recovery data are presented that compare commonly used fracturing-fluid systems with a variety of breakers and proppant types. The use of these data should aid in determining which fluid systems are appropriate for future detailed evaluation.
Design and Field Evaluation of Tubing-Deployed Passive Outflow-Control Devices in Steam-Assisted-Gravity-Drainage Injection Wells
Authors: Medina Max
Published: March 2015

The integration of horizontal wells and thermal-oil-recovery methods, such as steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), has enabled the economic exploitation of extraheavy-oil resources, mainly in Canada. The use of passive outflow-control devices (OCDs) in SAGD wells adds steam-injection points along the horizontal wellbore, influencing steam placement and chamber growth, thus potentially reducing the steam/oil ratio, minimizing productivity uncertainty, and accelerating production.

To design OCD installations in SAGD, we need to address two main aspects. The first is the interface between horizontal-wellbore hydraulics and reservoir injectivity, which allows for the determination of the number and location of steam-injection points for improved performance. The other aspect is the design of the OCD itself, which involves selecting and configuring the device with a hydraulic performance that is fit for purpose. For this study, we will focus specifically on straight-orifice-choke passive OCDs.

This paper presents a comprehensive design methodology for tubing-deployed passive OCDs in SAGD. The completion design is carried out with a steady-state model of the injection well from a commercial thermal wellbore simulator.

The field-performance evaluation of tubing-deployed passive OCDs is critical for verifying the effectiveness of the design methodology and the hydraulic performance of the devices under real field conditions. The field evaluation is performed by history matching the injection pressure vs. the steam-rate data with a model developed in the thermal wellbore simulator. A dynamic pressure gradient (under flowing conditions) inside the injection string carrying the OCDs is obtained with a temperature log, taken with fiber-optic technology, in which the temperature data are converted to pressure by virtue of the properties of saturated steam. This method for measuring the dynamic pressure gradient during steam injection is novel for the SAGD industry.

The hydraulic field performance of the OCDs was matched successfully with the simulated model, which indicates the effectiveness of the design methodology, the field-performance-evaluation techniques, and the OCDs in delivering the desired amount of steam at each location.
New Secondary Balancing Method Saves Energy for Crank-Balanced Rod-Pumping Application
Authors: Zi-Ming Feng , Huan-Huan Ding , Min-Zheng Jiang
Published: March 2015

With the goal of saving energy and reducing emissions, a secondary-balance technology was used to reform the conventional beam-pumping unit. The output torque from the reduction gearbox of conventional beam-pumping units is usually characterized by its periodic dramatic changes. On the basis of the idea of “cutting peak and filling valley” and the theory of the Fourier-series expansion for the torque curve, the secondary-balance device is designed to slow down the fluctuations in the torque curve. The secondary-balance device, with a balance principle similar to that of the crank balance, is connected to the output shaft of the reduction gearbox and can further reduce torque-fluctuation rate and peak torque. The field-test result of the secondary-balance device shows that the root-mean-square torque is decreased by 22.7%, and the energy-saving rate of the motor reaches 6.54%.
Influence of grinding method and grinding intensity of corn on mill energy consumption and pellet quality
Authors: Vukmirovic Djuro , Levic Jovanka , Fistes Aleksandar , Colovic Radmilo , Brlek Tea , Colovic Dusica , Djuragic Olivera
Published: March 2015

In recent years there is an emerging trend of coarse grinding of cereals in
production of poultry feed due to positive influence of coarse particles on
poultry digestive system. Influence of grinding method (hammer mill vs.
roller mill) and grinding intensity of corn (coarseness of grinding) on mill
specific energy consumption and pellet quality was investigated. By
decreasing grinding intensity of corn (coarser grinding), specific energy
consumption of both hammer mill and roller mill was significantly decreased
(p < 0.05). When comparing similar grinding intensities on hammer mill and
roller mill (similar geometric mean diameter or similar particle size
distribution), specific energy consumption was higher for the hammer mill.
Pellet quality decreased with coarser grinding on hammer mill but, however,
this effect was not observed for the roller mill. Generally, pellet quality
was better when roller mill was used. It can be concluded that significant
energy savings could be achieved by coarser grinding of corn before pelleting
and by using roller mill instead of hammer mill. From the aspect of pellet
quality, if coarser grinding is applied it is better to use roller mill,
concerning that more uniform particle size distribution of corn ground on
roller mill probably results in more uniform particle size distribution in
pellets and this provides better pellet quality.
Application of the Goertzel’s algorithm in the airgap mixed eccentricity fault detection
Authors: Reljic Dejan , Tomic Josif , Kanovic Zeljko
Published: March 2015

In this paper, a suitable method for the on-line detection of the airgap
mixed eccentricity fault in a three-phase cage induction motor has been
proposed. The method is based on a Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA)
approach, a technique that is often used for an induction motor condition
monitoring and fault diagnosis. It is based on the spectral analysis of the
stator line current signal and the frequency identification of specific
components, which are created as a result of motor faults. The most commonly
used method for the current signal spectral analysis is based on the Fast
Fourier transform (FFT). However, due to the complexity and memory demands,
the FFT algorithm is not always suitable for real-time systems. Instead of
the whole spectrum analysis, this paper suggests only the spectral analysis
on the expected airgap fault frequencies employing the Goertzel?s algorithm
to predict the magnitude of these frequency components. The method is simple
and can be implemented in real-time airgap mixed eccentricity monitoring
systems without much computational effort. A low-cost data acquisition
system, supported by the LabView software, has been used for the hardware and
software implementation of the proposed method. The method has been validated
by the laboratory experiments on both the line-connected and the inverter-fed
three-phase fourpole cage induction motor operated at the rated frequency and
under constant load at a few different values. In addition, the results of
the proposed method have been verified through the motor?s vibration signal
analysis.
Modeling and PSPICE simulation of NBTI effects in VDMOS transistors
Authors: Marjanovic Milos , Dankovic Danijel , Prijic Aneta , Prijic Zoran , Jankovic Nebojsa , Davidovic Vojkan
Published: March 2015

In this paper the results of modeling and simulation of NBTI effects in
p-channel power VDMOS transistor have been presented. Based on the
experimental results, the threshold voltage shifts and changes of
transconductance during the NBT stress have been modeled and implemented in
the PSPICE model of the IRF9520 transistor. By predefining the threshold
voltage value before the NBT stress, and by assigning the stress time,
transfer characteristics of the transistor are simulated. These
characteristics are within (1.33?11.25)% limits in respect to the measured
ones, which represents a good agreement.
Compliant behaviour of redundant robot arm - experiments with null-space
Authors: Petrovic Petar , Lukic Nikola , Danilov Ivan
Published: March 2015

This paper presents theoretical and experimental aspects of Jacobian
nullspace use in kinematically redundant robots for achieving
kinetostatically consistent control of their compliant behavior. When the
stiffness of the robot endpoint is dominantly influenced by the compliance of
the robot joints, generalized stiffness matrix can be mapped into joint space
using appropriate congruent transformation. Actuation stiffness matrix
achieved by this transformation is generally nondiagonal. Off-diagonal
elements of the actuation matrix can be generated by redundant actuation only
(polyarticular actuators), but such kind of actuation is very difficult to
realize practically in technical systems. The approach of solving this
problem which is proposed in this paper is based on the use of kinematic
redundancy and nullspace of the Jacobian matrix. Evaluation of the developed
analytical model was done numerically by a minimal redundant robot with one
redundant d.o.f. and experimentally by a 7 d.o.f. Yaskawa SIA 10F robot arm.
ATA Tax Policy Committee Report—Book-Tax Differences
Authors: Salbador Debra A. , Anderson Susan E. , Raabe William A. , Schadewald Michael S.
Published: March 2015

This monograph examines the history of selected important book-tax differences since the inception of the income tax and the financial and tax reporting that has evolved over time that addresses these differences. The purpose is to provide a framework for discussion of policy issues regarding tax reporting and its relation to financial reporting. The focus of this paper is financial and tax reporting requirements. Because the starting point for tax reporting is financial reporting, changes in one have an immediate impact on the other. With movement toward corporate tax reform and continuing consideration of possible convergence with IFRS, it is important to engage in a discussion of this relation and its impact on tax reform.
Inactivation of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases Enhances Interferon Signaling in Pancreatic Islets
Authors: Stanley William J. , Litwak Sara A. , Quah Hong Sheng , Tan Sih Min , Kay Thomas W.H. , Tiganis Tony , de Haan Judy B. , Thomas Helen E. , Gurzov Esteban N.
Published: March 2015

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the result of an autoimmune assault against the insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells, where chronic local inflammation (insulitis) leads to β-cell destruction. T cells and macrophages infiltrate into islets early in T1D pathogenesis. These immune cells secrete cytokines that lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and T-cell invasion and activation. Cytokine-signaling pathways are very tightly regulated by protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) to prevent excessive activation. Here, we demonstrate that pancreata from NOD mice with islet infiltration have enhanced oxidation/inactivation of PTPs and STAT1 signaling compared with NOD mice that do not have insulitis. Inactivation of PTPs with sodium orthovanadate in human and rodent islets and β-cells leads to increased activation of interferon signaling and chemokine production mediated by STAT1 phosphorylation. Furthermore, this exacerbated STAT1 activation–induced cell death in islets was prevented by overexpression of the suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 or inactivation of the BH3-only protein Bim. Together our data provide a mechanism by which PTP inactivation induces signaling in pancreatic islets that results in increased expression of inflammatory genes and exacerbated insulitis.
Teacher Placement Into Immigrant English Learner Classrooms
Authors: Dabach Dafney Blanca
Published: March 2015

This qualitative study examined how secondary teachers were assigned to teach courses intended to expand English learners’ (ELs’) access to academic subjects. Theoretically, this research extends the “contexts of reception” framework from immigration studies into the educational realm by investigating how teachers—as one important contextual variable—entered into settings designed for immigrant-origin ELs. Analysis examined institutional processes, norms, and policies as well as participants’ practices. Findings suggest that novice teachers were most likely to be placed into separate EL content-area classrooms, unless more senior teachers requested these assignments or administrators intervened. Ultimately, this article uses teacher assignment processes to illustrate how contexts for immigrant-origin youth are constructed and contested and how ELs’ opportunities to learn were jeopardized in local settings.
Combinatorial Optimization for the Guangzhou, China, Bus Rapid Transit System
Authors: Lin Peiqun , Zhang Ning , Xu Jianmin , Wang Yu
Published: March 2015

Bus rapid transit (BRT) has become an efficient mode of public transportation to mitigate urban traffic congestion. Research on improving the performance of BRT systems is still in the early stages, despite booming growth of BRT projects. In some busy BRT systems, the challenge is to assign multiple substops reasonably and accurately to bus routes at the station. Bus queuing at the station is the major cause of traffic congestion in the Guangzhou, China, BRT (GBRT) system, which is the highest volume BRT system in Asia. To reduce queuing at the station and enhance the mobility of BRT buses, this study proposed a combinatorial optimization model (BCOM) to assign multiple substops to bus routes at the same station. The objective of the proposed method was to minimize the probability of bus queuing at BRT stations. The study used a novel genetic algorithm to obtain suboptimal solutions of the BCOM. Operating data from the GBRT system were analyzed, and it was found that the BRT bus arrival rate and dwell time obeyed a Poisson distribution and negative exponential distribution, respectively. A simulation tool for the GBRT system, based on VISSIM, was developed to evaluate the proposed solution. The simulation and application results demonstrated that the proposed solution could decrease bus queuing length effectively and could reduce bus dwell time and travel time and the service saturation of substops simultaneously. This study provides a useful and practical solution to improve the performance and operation of BRT systems and other traditional bus systems.
User Behavior in Multiroute Bus Corridors
Authors: Viggiano Cecilia , Koutsopoulos Haris N. , Attanucci John
Published: March 2015

Multiroute corridors are a common feature of bus networks. In these corridors, passengers select a route from a set of parallel routes that serve the desired destinations. Understanding how passengers make these decisions can help measure passenger experience and inform network and service planning. A web-based survey was used to collect information on users of a multiroute corridor in London that includes both local and limited-stop bus service. The survey was used both as a tool to understand behavior and as a demonstration case for the viability of web-based surveys, a relatively new methodology for data collection on public transport user behavior. The representativeness and the accuracy of the survey responses were analyzed. The results revealed that online surveys could collect detailed information from a large, fairly representative sample of bus passengers. The responses to questions in the survey were used to categorize passenger behavior by route choice strategy. Passengers could either wait for a bus of a specific route or take the first bus to arrive that serves their destination. The survey data showed that passengers’ route choice strategies were influenced by several factors, including trip length, trip purpose, passenger income, use of countdown next-bus information, passenger attitudes toward crowding, and levels of risk aversion.
Performance Measures of Manual Multimodal Traffic Signal Control
Authors: Ding Nan , He Qing , Wu Changxu
Published: March 2015

Representatives of traffic control agencies (TCAs)—including police officers, firefighters, and other traffic law enforcement officers who override automatic traffic signal controls—are crucial to the mitigation of nonrecurrent traffic congestion caused by planned and unplanned events. An unanswered question is how well TCA officers perform compared with state-of-practice automatic traffic signal controls. This study assessed the performance of TCA manual multimodal traffic signal control during special events. First, an interview was designed to promote understanding of the control rules of TCAs and the practice of manual traffic signal control. Next, a simulation experiment was conducted to record control actions during multimodal traffic flows containing buses, pedestrians, and passenger cars. Third, a TCA performance index was developed through a comparison of manual control with actuated signal control and optimal control solutions from an online optimization model, which assumed the availability of rich vehicle information, to determine the best control strategies. The results show that manual traffic control can significantly improve control performance, even to the point of approaching the performance of the optimized timing plan. Large variations, however, were observed during the study.
Novel Method for Moisture Susceptibility and Rutting Evaluation Using Hamburg Wheel Tracking Test
Authors: Yin Fan , Arambula Edith , Lytton Robert , Martin Amy Epps , Cucalon Lorena Garcia
Published: March 2015

The Hamburg wheel tracking test (HWTT) has been widely used as a standard laboratory test to evaluate the moisture susceptibility and rutting resistance of asphalt mixtures. The stripping infection point and the rut depth at a certain number of load cycles are two common parameters obtained from the test. Although these parameters have been widely adopted by several transportation agencies, the accuracy and variability in characterizing mixture properties of these parameters have been questioned. In this study, a novel method to analyze the HWTT results is introduced and three new parameters are proposed to measure the moisture susceptibility and rutting resistance of asphalt mixtures. The new parameters are compared against the current ones to assess their capability to discriminate between three types of asphalt mixtures with different performance results in the HWTT. Significant advantages in characterizing mixture resistance to stripping and rutting are demonstrated by the new parameters. In addition, the effect of antistripping additives and recycled materials on mixture performance in the HWTT is evaluated with mixtures from a field project in Texas. Test results for the new parameters show that the addition of antistripping additives improves the susceptibility of asphalt mixtures to moisture. Specifically, the use of lime is more beneficial for improving mixture performance than a liquid antistripping agent. Conversely, the addition of recycled materials provides mixtures with increased moisture susceptibility but improved rutting resistance.
Evaluating Moisture Susceptibility of Cold-Mix Asphalt
Authors: Ling Cheng , Hanz Andrew , Bahia Hussain
Published: March 2015

Moisture damage–related distress is a primary concern limiting the application of cold-mix asphalt (CMA) as an alternative to hot-mix asphalt in the field. Thus, a simple and effective method is needed in the materials selection process to identify moisture susceptible materials. This study presents a modification to the boiling test procedure specified in ASTM D3625 based on the concept that a mix designer can limit moisture damage by controlling coating quality. The test was modified to present CMA-specific sample preparation guidelines and to remove subjectivity from the test by quantifying coating according to image analysis. Coating quality was evaluated with the coating loss ratio, defined as an index to compare coating before and after the boiling of cured loose mixtures. The relationship between coating quality and moisture resistance was verified with two separate tests: the AASHTO TP-91 binder bond strength test and the AASHTO T-283 tensile strength ratio test. The binder bond strength test provided a direct measure of the bond between binder and aggregate and how it was influenced by moisture. The effect of coating quality on bulk mixture performance was evaluated through comparison with the tensile strength ratio test. All compacted mixtures were produced with a newly developed CMA mix design method to maintain air void levels between samples. Results show that image analysis can be effectively applied to quantify the results of the boiling test, and rankings from all three tests are consistent; this efficacy suggests that the evaluation of coating quality with the modified boiling test can be used as an effective initial evaluation of the potential for CMA moisture susceptibility.
CO2-system development in young sea ice and CO2 gas exchange at the ice/air interface mediated by brine and frost flowers in Kongsfjorden, Spitsbergen
Authors: Fransson Agneta , Chierici Melissa , Abrahamsson Katarina , Andersson Maria , Granfors Anna , Gårdfeldt Katarina , Torstensson Anders , Wulff Angela
Published: March 2015

In March and April 2010, we investigated the development of young landfast sea ice in Kongsfjorden, Spitsbergen, Svalbard. We sampled the vertical column, including sea ice, brine, frost flowers and sea water, to determine the CO2 system, nutrients, salinity and bacterial and ice algae production during a 13 day interval of ice growth. Apart from the changes due to salinity and brine rejection, the sea-ice concentrations of total inorganic carbon (CT), total alkalinity (AT), CO2 and carbonate ions (CO32–) in melted ice were influenced by dissolution of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitates (25–55 μmol kg-1) and played the largest role in the changes to the CO2 system. The CT values were also influenced by CO2 gas flux, bacterial carbon production and primary production, which had a small impact on the CT. The only exception was the uppermost ice layer. In the top 0.05 m of the ice, there was a CO2 loss of ∼20 μmol kg-1 melted ice (1 mmol m-2) from the ice to the atmosphere. Frost flowers on newly formed sea ice were important in promoting ice-air CO2 gas flux, causing a CO2 loss to the atmosphere of 140-800 μmol kg--1 d-1 melted frost flowers (7-40 mmol m-2 d–1).
‘Her hair over her arms and her arms full of flowers’: Love and Unknowing in Alina Marazzi's Un'ora sola ti vorrei (For One More Hour with You) (2002)
Authors: Wilson Emma
Published: March 2015

In her first documentary film, For One More Hour with You (2002), Alina Marazzi explores ways of using cinema, and in particular carefully edited found footage, to attend to sensory presence, to girlhood, to female sexuality, to sensuality and love. Marazzi's work is sensitive to ways in which cinema may conjure another individual as sensate and animate, as affectively and erotically present, as touched, elated and damaged. Yet her work is also finely attuned to protection and to ethical delicacy, forging a responsive sensibility, reminding us of all that we also don't know of each other. Her focus on her mother Liseli Hoepli Marazzi, on her loves, on the moves from girlhood into more charged erotic and affective experience, is part of a broader feminist agenda. Marazzi's work encourages viewers to feel, to attend to sensation, whilst remaining uncertain of what is seen or heard.
The CrossFit Sensorium: Visuality, Affect and Immersive Sport
Authors: Heywood Leslie
Published: March 2015

By contrast to the competitive and participatory models of sport, the immersive model (Heywood 2006, 2008) shows greater potentiality as a healthful practice more distant from transcendent, technocratic aspects of other models, instead accepting the body's immanence as part of evolutionary history and the natural world. Because of the largely unconscious, evolutionarily based responses to one's environment, the environment in which a sporting activity takes place has a tangible impact on performance. As our most evolutionarily recent sense system, visuality is linked to the Social Engagement System (Porges 2011). The mediated experience of sport through visual culture might catalyse the Social Engagement System and the perception that the sporting activity is communal and welcoming. Particularly the subculture surrounding the sport of CrossFit, which spread almost entirely through website presence and the posting of videos of workouts on the mainsite, might be said to exemplify how growth in new sports is augmented by visuality and the formation of virtual communities that then become embodied.
Early Neolithic pits, an Iron Age ring-ditch house and associated features at Coul Brae, Mosstodloch, Moray
Authors: Gray Héléna , Suddaby Ian
Published: March 2015

Excavations at Coul Brae, Mosstodloch, Moray, revealed the remains of a multi-period site including two Early Neolithic pits containing large quantities of Carinated Bowl in the modified ‘North-East Style’, lithics, a broken saddle quern and charred oak. To the south of these features lay the remains of an Early to Middle Iron Age ring-ditch house. This contained few artefacts other than a saddle quern. Two other Iron Age features, one a possible bowl hearth and another pit containing burnt antler remains, were also excavated. An Early Historic cannel coal bangle was recovered from one of the Neolithic pits, and carbonised remains from another pit returned 1st Millennium AD dates. The excavations were conducted in advance of the proposed Fochabers to Mosstodloch bypass.
Excavation of a prehistoric enclosure at Mar Hall, Bishopton, Renfrewshire
Authors: Cavers Graeme , Clements Victoria , Lynchehaun Sarah
Published: March 2015

Remains of a multi-palisaded and ditched enclosure were identified during an archaeological watching brief and evaluation carried out in July 2007. In accordance with planning conditions an archaeological excavation was subsequently undertaken between August and December 2007, on behalf of Mar Estates Ltd. The excavation identified two phases of construction at the enclosure, the multiple palisades and entrance dating to the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age and a large ditch dating to the Middle-Late Iron Age. A Bronze Age burnt mound was found nearby.
A Contemporary Introduction to Essential Oils: Chemistry, Bioactivity and Prospects for Australian Agriculture
Authors: Sadgrove Nicholas , Jones Graham
Published: March 2015

This review is a comprehensive introduction to pertinent aspects of the extraction methodology, chemistry, analysis and pharmacology of essential oils, whilst providing a background of general organic chemistry concepts to readers from non-chemistry oriented backgrounds. Furthermore, it describes the historical aspects of essential oil research whilst exploring contentious issues of terminology. This follows with an examination of essential oil producing plants in the Australian context with particular attention to Aboriginal custom use, historical successes and contemporary commercial prospects. Due to the harsh dry environment of the Australian landmass, particularly to the cyclical climatic variation attendant upon repeated glaciation/post-glaciation cycles, the arid regions have evolved a rich assortment of unique endemic essential oil yielding plants. Though some of these aromatic plants (particularly myrtaceous species) have given birth to commercially valuable industries, much remains to be discovered. Given the market potential, it is likely that recent discoveries in our laboratory and elsewhere will lead to new product development. This review concludes with an emphasis on the use of chemotaxonomy in selection of commercially viable cultivar chemotypes from the Australian continent. Finally, drawing largely from our own results we propose a list of Australian endemic species with novel commercial potential.
HGF/Met-Signaling Contributes to Immune Regulation by Modulating Tolerogenic and Motogenic Properties of Dendritic Cells
Authors: Hübel Jessica , Hieronymus Thomas
Published: March 2015

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-signaling via Met can induce mitogenic, morphogenic, and motogenic activity in various cell types. Met expression in the immune system is limited to cells with antigen-presenting capacities, including dendritic cells (DCs). Thus, it appears highly conceivable that Met-signaling impacts on adaptive immune responses. However, the mechanisms by which HGF imparts its effects on immunological responses are not yet fully understood. DCs possess unique functionalities that are critically involved in controlling both tolerance and immunity. HGF conveys immunoregulatory functions, which strongly correlate with that of DCs orchestrating the apt immune response in inflammation. Therefore, this review focuses on the current knowledge of Met-signaling in DCs with specific emphasis on the morphogenic and motogenic activities. HGF has been identified to play a role in peripheral immune tolerance by directing DC differentiation towards a tolerogenic phenotype. In skin immunity, Met-signaling was shown to drive mobilization of DCs by regulating matrix metalloproteinase activities. This is strikingly reminiscent of the role of Met for regulating a cell fate program during embryonic development, wound healing, and in tumor invasion known as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Thus, the concept emerges that an EMT program is executed by Met-signaling in DCs, which will be also discussed.
MV and LV Residential Grid Impact of Combined Slow and Fast Charging of Electric Vehicles
Authors: Leemput Niels , Geth Frederik , Van Roy Juan , Olivella-Rosell Pol , Driesen Johan , Sumper Andreas
Published: March 2015

This article investigates the combined low voltage (LV) and medium voltage (MV) residential grid impact for slow and fast electric vehicle (EV) charging, for an increasing local penetration rate and for different residential slow charging strategies. A realistic case study for a Flemish urban distribution grid is used, for which three residential slow charging strategies are modeled: uncoordinated charging, residential off-peak charging, and EV-based peak shaving. For each slow charging strategy, the EV hosting capacity is determined, with and without the possibility of fast charging, while keeping the grid within its operating limits. The results show that the distribution grid impact is much less sensitive to the presence of fast charging compared to the slow charging strategy. EV-based peak shaving results in the lowest grid impact, allowing for the highest EV hosting capacity. Residential off-peak charging has the highest grid impact, due the load synchronization effect that occurs, resulting in the lowest EV hosting capacity. Therefore, the EV users should be incentivized to charge their EVs in a more grid-friendly manner when the local EV penetration rate becomes significant, as this increases the EV hosting capacity much more than the presence of fast charging decreases it.
Association between Experience of Child Abuse and Severity of Drug Addiction Measured by the Addiction Severity Index among Japanese Drug-Dependent Patients
Authors: Ogai Yasukazu , Senoo Eiichi , Gardner Fumiyuki , Haraguchi Ayako , Saito Tamaki , Morita Nobuaki , Ikeda Kazutaka
Published: March 2015

The aim of the present study was to clarify the association between child abuse experiences and drug addiction severity among Japanese drug-dependent patients using the Addiction Severity Index-Japanese version (ASI-J). One hundred and eleven inpatients and outpatients with drug dependence participated in the study. Some of the questions on the ASI-J asked about lifetime experiences of abuse. A higher percentage of female participants experienced child abuse compared with male participants. Male participants who experienced child abuse (MEA) had a significantly higher severity of drug use than men who did not experience it (MNEA). Female participants who experienced child abuse (FEA) had significantly more serious problems in family/social relationships than female participants who did not experience it (FNEA). Patients in the MEA group were arrested less frequently for drug charges, experienced more serious problems with their fathers, and experienced more severe anxiety in their lifetime compared with the MNEA group. The FEA group experienced more serious troubles with their sexual partners, close friends, and families and experienced more severe psychiatric problems in their lifetime compared with the FNEA group. These results suggest gender differences in the problems experienced by drug-dependent patients with child abuse experiences, and gender-specific interventions may be more effective in treating their drug dependence.
Real-Time Duplex Applications of Loop-Mediated AMPlification (LAMP) by Assimilating Probes
Authors: Kubota Ryo , Jenkins Daniel
Published: March 2015

Isothermal nucleic-acid amplification methods such as Loop-Mediated isothermal AMPlification (LAMP) are increasingly appealing alternatives to PCR for use in portable diagnostic system due to the low cost, weight, and power requirements of the instrumentation. As such, interest in developing new probes and other functionality based on the LAMP reaction has been intense. Here, we report on the development of duplexed LAMP assays for pathogen detection using spectrally unique Assimilating Probes. As proof of principle, we used a reaction for Salmonella enterica as a model coupled with a reaction for λ-phage DNA as an internal control, as well as a duplexed assay to sub-type specific quarantine strains of the bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum. Detection limits for bacterial DNA analyzed in individual reactions was less than 100 genomic equivalents in all cases, and increased by one to two orders of magnitude when reactions were coupled in duplexed formats. Even so, due to the more robust activity of newly available strand-displacing polymerases, the duplexed assays reported here were more powerful than analogous individual reactions reported only a few years ago, and represent a significant advance for incorporation of internal controls to validate assay results in the field.
Extracellular Vesicles in Alzheimer’s Disease: Friends or Foes? Focus on Aβ-Vesicle Interaction
Authors: Joshi Pooja , Benussi Luisa , Furlan Roberto , Ghidoni Roberta , Verderio Claudia
Published: March 2015

The intercellular transfer of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins has received increasing attention in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Among other transfer modes, Aβ and tau dissemination has been suggested to occur through release of Extracellular Vesicles (EVs), which may facilitate delivery of pathogenic proteins over large distances. Recent evidence indicates that EVs carry on their surface, specific molecules which bind to extracellular Aβ, opening the possibility that EVs may also influence Aβ assembly and synaptotoxicity. In this review we focus on studies which investigated the impact of EVs in Aβ-mediated neurodegeneration and showed either detrimental or protective role for EVs in the pathology.