bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Personality Traits and Relationship Satisfaction in Intimate Couples: Three Perspectives on Personality
Authors: Schaffhuser Kathrin , Allemand Mathias , Martin Mike
Published: February 2014

Personality traits are important predictors of relationship satisfaction. However, the majority of previous study findings are based on self–perceptions of personality. Thus, by means of the self–, partner–, and meta–perceptions of personality, the present study focused on three different perspectives on the Big Five personality traits to examine dyadic associations with relationship satisfaction of intimate couples. The study was based on the first measurement occasion of the Swiss longitudinal study ‘Co–Development in Personality: Longitudinal Approaches to Personality Development in Dyads across the Life Span’ and included data of 216 couples. The main analyses were based on Actor–Partner Interdependence Model. Three general findings emerged. First, the three personality perspectives represented related, albeit distinct, constructs, and showed incremental validity with respect to relationship satisfaction. Second, neuroticism was negatively related to relationship satisfaction, whereas agreeableness and conscientiousness were positively related to relationship satisfaction across all perspectives. Third, substantial associations between extraversion and relationship satisfaction were exclusively evident in terms of the partner– and meta–perception. The present results contribute to the literature by showing that each perspective is essential for the understanding of the role of personality for relationship satisfaction. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Personality Psychology
Comparison of flow and batch polymerization processes for production of vinyl ether terpolymers for use in the delivery of siRNA
Authors: Nyrop Jason L. , Soheili Arash , Xiang Rong , Meng Fanyu , Waldman Jacob H. , Jia Xiujuan , Parmar Rubina Giarre , Thuronyi B W. , Williams J. Michael , DiMichele Lisa , Journet Michel , Howell Bonnie J. , Mao Bing , Davies Ian W. , Colletti Steven L. , Sepp‐Lorenzino Laura , Guidry Erin N.
Published: February 2014

Synthetic polymers represent a modifiable class of materials that can serve as adjuvants to address challenges in numerous biomedical and medicinal chemistry applications including the delivery of siRNA. Polymer‐based therapeutics offer unique challenges in both synthesis and characterization as compared to small molecule therapeutics. The ability to control the structure of the polymer is critical in creating a therapeutic. Reported herein, are batch and flow polymerization processes to produce amphiphilic terpolymers through a Lewis acid BF3OEt2‐catalyzed polymerization. These processes focus on controlling reaction variables, which affect polymer structure in this rapid, exothermic, nonliving cationic polymerization. In addition to analytical characterization of the polymers, the in vivo activity of the polymer‐siRNA conjugates is also highlighted—demonstrating that the method of synthesis does affect the in vivo activity of the resulting polymer conjugate. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014, 52, 1119–1129
Positioning lithium ions by host–guest chemistry combined with self‐assembly using a thiophene‐based all‐conjugated amphiphilic block copolymer
Authors: Im Min Jeong , Moon Byung Joon , Lee Gang‐Young , Son Sung Yun , Park Taiho
Published: February 2014

Self‐assembly of poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) driven by π–π stacking, combined with “Host‐Guest Chemistry” of ethylene glycol oligomer and lithium ion is demonstrated using a thiophene‐based all conjugated amphiphilic block copolymer, containing 93 mol % of P3HT and 7 mol % of poly(3‐(2‐(2‐{2‐[2‐(2‐methoxy‐ethoxy)‐ethoxy]‐ethoxy}‐ethyl))thiophene), P3EGT blocks. An ion chelating ability of ethylene glycol oligomers with lithium ions in the P3EGT block is confirmed using 1H‐NMR spectrometry. This method could allow positioning lithium ions at the interface between P3HT domains and PC61BM clusters, confirmed using XRD and photoluminescence quenching experiments. The compact lamellar P3HT domains by side repulsion driven self‐assembly of amphiphilic block copolymer and the molecular engineering of the interface with an optimized lithium contents are resulted in the improvement of photovoltaic performance in an organic solar cell (2.1–3.0%). © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014, 52, 1068–1074
Synthesis of arborescent polystyrene‐g‐[poly(2‐vinylpyridine)‐b‐polystyrene] core–shell–corona copolymers
Authors: Dockendorff Jason , Gauthier Mario
Published: February 2014

Arborescent copolymers with a core‐shell‐corona (CSC) architecture, incorporating a polystyrene (PS) core, an inner shell of poly(2‐vinylpyridine), P2VP, and a corona of PS chains, were obtained by anionic polymerization and grafting. Living PS‐b‐P2VP‐Li block copolymers serving as side chains were obtained by capping polystyryllithium with 1,1‐diphenylethylene before adding 2‐vinylpyridine. A linear or arborescent (generation G0 – G3) PS substrate, randomly functionalized with acetyl or chloromethyl coupling sites, was then added to the PS‐b‐P2VP‐Li solution for the grafting reaction. The grafting yield and the coupling efficiency observed in the synthesis of the arborescent PS‐g‐(P2VP‐b‐PS) copolymers were much lower than for analogous coupling reactions previously used to synthesize arborescent PS homopolymers and PS‐g‐P2VP copolymers from the same types of coupling sites. It was determined from static and dynamic light scattering analysis that PS‐b‐P2VP formed aggregates in THF, the solvent used for the synthesis. This presumably hindered coupling of the macroanions with the substrate, and explains the low grafting yield and coupling efficiency observed in these reactions. Purification of the crude products was also problematic due to the amphipolar character of the CSC copolymers and the block copolymer contaminant. A new fractionation method by cloud‐point centrifugation was developed to purify copolymers of generations G1 and above. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014, 52, 1075–1085
Template‐Free Fabrication of Mesoporous Hollow ZnMn2O4 Sub‐microspheres with Enhanced Lithium Storage Capability towards High‐Performance Li‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Yuan Changzhou , Li Jiaoyang , Hou Linrui , Zhang Longhai , Zhang Xiaogang
Published: February 2014

In this work, we rationally designed an efficient template‐free synthetic strategy to fabricate hierarchical mesoporous hollow ZnMn2O4 sub‐microspheres (HZSMs) constructed entirely from nanoparticle (NP) building blocks of size ≈15 nm. The well‐known inside‐out Ostwald ripening process was tentatively proposed to shed light on the formation mechanism of the mesoporous hollow nano‐/microarchitecture. In favor of the intrinsic structural advantages, these resulting HZSMs exhibited superior electrochemical lithium‐storage performance with high specific capacity, excellent cyclability, and good rate capability when evaluated as an anode material for advanced Li‐ion batteries (LIBs). The excellent electrochemical performance should be reasonably ascribed to the porous and hollow structure of the unique HZSMs with nanoscale subunits, which reduced the diffusion length for Li+ ions, improved the kinetic process and enhanced the structural integrity with sufficient void space for tolerating the volume variation during the Li+ insertion/extraction. These results further revealed that the as‐prepared mesoporous HZSMs would be a promising anode for high‐performance LIBs.
Structure of Urethane Copolymers of 3,3‐Bis(azidomethyl)oxetane and 3‐Azidomethyl‐3‐methyloxetane
Authors: Petrov Vladimir A. , Kuznetsova Nina V. , Muhametshin Timur I. , Gubaydullin Aydar T.
Published: February 2014

Polyurethane copolymers of 3,3‐bis (azidomethyl) oxetane (BAMO) and 3‐azidomethyl‐3‐methyloxetane (AMMO) with molecular structures of types B(AB)n, A(AB)n, (BB)n and ABn with different ratios of oligomeric units were investigated, where A is the non‐crystallizable “soft” block of oligoAMMO and B is the “hard” block of oligoBAMO and the included urethane diol fragments. The amorphous‐crystalline structures of copolymers BAMO and AMMO were elucidated by wide angle X‐ray diffraction measurements. The influences of the molecular structure and the ratio of oligomeric units on the structural parameters were identified. The degree of crystallinity is in a range from 8 to 22 % and sizes of the crystallites were determined. The defectivenesses of first and second kind in the structure were evaluated, which show high values of the first kind defectiveness (approx. 20 %), which describes the displacement of theoretical lattice sites and the existence of unequal sizes of the lattice sites, and minor values for the second kind defectiveness (approx. 3 %), which describes the lattice site disorder in large distances. Small‐angle X‐ray diffraction measurements were used to investigate the domain structures of copolymers BAMO and AMMO. The distribution and sizes of the crystallites in the structures of the copolymers were calculated.
Disorder effects in giant magnetocaloric materials
Authors: Amaral J. S. , Amaral V. S.
Published: February 2014

In striving for mass production of magnetocaloric materials for refrigeration applications, one has to face the fact that these will not be laboratory‐grade materials, and will necessarily present (at the very least) composition gradients due to lower quality precursors. One can expect some probable consequences from this, namely that the maximum value of magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) will decrease compared to a pure material, but also some broadening of the ΔSM(T) curves should occur, as observed in some elementary ferromagnets. Some theoretical work has focused on this topic, for second‐order phase transition systems via the Landau theory of phase transitions and the molecular mean‐field model. Still, these theoretical considerations do not directly apply to first‐order phase transition (giant magnetocaloric effect) systems. We here present a study on the effect of disorder on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of first‐order phase transition systems. We employ the Bean–Rodbell model, and consider disorder to be described by a width of a Curie temperature distribution. We show how disorder effects “smooth” the discontinuities of magnetization and entropy change, and also affect magnetic hysteresis. We show how for sufficiently large disorder, the shape of the magnetic entropy curves approximate the distribution function. We discuss how the magnetic field dependence of magnetic entropy change is affected by disorder, in light of recent reports of “second‐order like” dependence of magnetic entropy change on applied magnetic field, for disordered giant magnetocaloric effect La–Fe–Si‐based samples.
Observations of the site dependency of the morning wind and the role of gravity waves in the transitions
Authors: Lapworth A.
Published: February 2014

Values of 10 m wind speed have been plotted against screen temperature during morning warming and averaged over several years for a number of sites within Great Britain. When the temperature is referenced to that at the time of the coming evening transition the plots give consistent lines with a gradient dependent on geostrophic wind. However the gradient for a given geostrophic wind varies between sites. Comparison with similar plots made during evening cooling shows that the wind plot against temperature increases relatively abruptly at some stage during the early hours of the morning and then increases to its midday maximum with a reduced wind–temperature gradient to that in the evening. However, as with the evening plots, the gradients of the morning plots increase in hillier terrain. The effect of wind direction on the gradients during morning and evening is also described in order to verify that the effect of topography on the plots is consistent. A one‐dimensional numerical model is used to simulate both transitions. It is shown that external drag factors such as form drag in the region of low hills are not sufficient to explain the observations. Only an external drag of the type given by a simple formulation of gravity wave generation and absorption within the stable boundary layer gives good agreement with the observations. This suggests that an important factor causing the wind to drop during the evening cooling is gravity wave drag and its relative absence, due to the near‐surface convective layer, is a factor during the morning wind increase.
Sensitivity of the atmospheric energy budget to two‐moment representation of cloud microphysics in idealized simulations of convective radiative quasi‐equilibrium
Authors: Baba Yuya
Published: February 2014

Sensitivity of the atmospheric energy budget to two‐moment (2M) representation of cloud microphysics in idealized convective radiative quasi‐equilibrium (CRQE) is studied using partial and full 2M schemes. The focus is especially given to the sensitivity to 2M scheme for large hydrometeors. The atmospheric energy budget is found to be sensitive to the first indirect effect, but the energy budget is more sensitive to the 2M treatment for large hydrometeors. The top and bottom of atmosphere (TOA and BOA) energy budgets depend on 2M treatment especially for large ice hydrometeors (snow and graupel). The predicted number concentration of graupel dominates BOA energy budgets by increasing rain size leading to decrease of sensible heat flux, and that of snow dominates TOA energy budgets by enhancing updraught cloud mass flux in both low and middle clouds. In conclusion, the energy budgets are controlled not only by 2M representation of rain but also by representation of large ice hydrometeors. Sensitivity of the energy budget to 2M treatment for large ice hydrometeors is more significant than that for rain because the treatment impacts properties of surface heat fluxes and both low and mid‐level clouds.
The force matching approach to multiscale simulations: Merits, shortcomings, and future perspectives
Authors: Masia Marco , Guàrdia Elvira , Nicolini Paolo
Published: February 2014

Among the various approaches to multiscale simulations, in recent years, force matching has been known for a quick growth. The method is based on a least‐square fit of reference properties obtained from simulations at a certain scale, to parameterize the force field for coarser‐grained scale simulations. Its advantage with respect to conventional schemes used for parameterizing force fields, lies in that only physically accessible configurations are sampled, and that the number of reference data per configuration is large. In this perspective article, we discuss some recent findings on the tailoring of the objective function, on the choice of the empirical potential, and on the way to improve the quality of the reference calculations. We present pros and cons of the algorithm, and we propose a road map to future developments. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization of IgG‐protein‐coated polymeric nanoparticles using complementary particle sizing techniques
Authors: Minelli C. , Garcia‐Diez R. , Sikora A. E. , Gollwitzer C. , Krumrey M. , Shard A. G.
Published: February 2014

When nanoparticles are introduced into biological media, they acquire a protein corona. The thickness of immunoglobulin G protein on 105 nm polystyrene particles has been determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS), differential centrifugal sedimentation (DCS) and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). All three techniques measured an increase of the protein shell thickness with increasing concentration of the proteins during incubation with the nanoparticles. DLS measurements showed the highest increase, indicating a possible effect of particle agglomeration on the DLS results. DCS accuracy critically depends on the knowledge of the protein shell density but the data allows an estimation of the effective shell density when the thickness was independently determined. SAXS measurements revealed the complex core/shell structure of the bare polystyrene particles. © 2014 Crown Copyright. Surface and Interface Analysis © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Complementarities and competition: Unpacking the drivers of entrants' technology choices in the solar photovoltaic industry
Authors: Kapoor Rahul , Furr Nathan R.
Published: February 2014

Entrants in new industries pursue distinct technologies in hopes of winning the technology competition and achieving sustainable competitive advantage. We draw on the complementary assets framework to predict entrants' technology choices in an emerging industry. Evidence from the global solar photovoltaic industry supports our arguments that entrants are more likely to choose technologies with higher technical performance and for which key complementary assets are available in the ecosystem. However, diversifying entrants are more likely to trade off superior performance for complementary asset availability whereas start‐up entrants are more likely to trade off complementary asset availability for superior performance. This difference is largely due to diversifying entrants with pre‐entry capabilities related to the industry. The study offers a novel illustration of how complementarities and competition shape entry strategies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gold Nanoshelled Liquid Perfluorocarbon Nanocapsules for Combined Dual Modal Ultrasound/CT Imaging and Photothermal Therapy of Cancer
Authors: Ke Hengte , Yue Xiuli , Wang Jinrui , Xing Sen , Zhang Qian , Dai Zhifei , Tian Jie , Wang Shumin , Jin Yushen
Published: February 2014

The integration of multimodal contrast‐enhanced diagnostic imaging and therapeutic capabilities could utilize imaging guided therapy to plan the treatment strategy based on the diagnostic results and to guide/monitor the therapeutic procedures. Herein, gold nanoshelled perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB) nanocapsules with PEGylation (PGsP NCs) are constructed by oil‐in‐water emulsion method to form polymeric PFOB nanocapsules, followed by the formation of PEGylated gold nanoshell on the surface. PGsP NCs could not only provide excellent contrast enhancement for dual modal ultrasound and CT imaging in vitro and in vivo, but also serve as efficient photoabsorbers for photothermal ablation of tumors on xenografted nude mouse model. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of gold nanoshell serving as both CT contrast agents and photoabsorbers for photothermal therapy. The novel multifunctional nanomedicine would be of great value to offer more comprehensive diagnostic information to guide more accurate and effective cancer therapy.
Anthropogenic versus climatic control in a high-resolution 1500-year chironomid stratigraphy from a southwestern Greenland lake
Authors: Millet Laurent , Massa Charly , Bichet Vincent , Frossard Victor , Belle Simon , Gauthier Emilie
Published: February 2014

We performed a high-resolution study of chironomid assemblages in a sediment core retrieved from Lake Igaliku in southern Greenland. The well-dated core is located within the former Norse Eastern Settlement and covered the last 1500 yr. The comparison of chironomid stratigraphy (PCA axis scores) with instrumental temperature data, land use history and organic matter in the sediment over the last 140 yr suggested that the primary changes in chironomid fauna in 1988 ± 2 yr were driven by the shift to modern agriculture in the catchment. This unprecedented change in chironomid fauna was most likely triggered by a shift in in-lake processes. Within the instrumental period, subtle variations in the chironomid assemblages that occurred before 1988 ± 2 yr were significantly correlated with summer temperatures even in times of traditional extensive sheep farming in the catchment. The relevance of the chironomid-derived climate signal over the last 1500 yr was supported by its good concordance with previous studies in west Greenland and in the Arctic. The chironomid assemblage therefore appeared to be a valuable proxy for climate changes within the Norse colony area. Synchronous changes in Norse diet and chironomid-reconstructed climate give new insights into the interplay of Norse society with climate.
Global linear stability analysis of the wake and path of buoyancy-driven disks and thin cylinders
Authors: Tchoufag Joël , Fabre David , Magnaudet Jacques
Published: February 2014

The stability of the vertical path of a gravity- or buoyancy-driven disk of arbitrary thickness falling or rising in a viscous fluid, recently studied through direct numerical simulation by Auguste, Magnaudet & Fabre (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 719, 2013, pp. 388–405), is investigated numerically in the framework of global linear stability. The disk is allowed to translate and rotate arbitrarily and the stability analysis is carried out on the fully coupled system obtained by linearizing the Navier–Stokes equations for the fluid and Newton’s equations for the body. Three disks with different diameter-to-thickness ratios are considered: one is assumed to be infinitely thin, the other two are selected as archetypes of thin and thick cylindrical bodies, respectively. The analysis spans the whole range of body-to-fluid inertia ratios and considers Reynolds numbers (based on the fall/rise velocity and body diameter) up to $350$. It reveals that four unstable modes with an azimuthal wavenumber $m=\pm 1$ exist in each case. Three of these modes result from a Hopf bifurcation while the fourth is associated with a stationary bifurcation. Varying the body-to-fluid inertia ratio yields rich and complex stability diagrams with several branch crossings resulting in frequency jumps; destabilization/restabilization sequences are also found to take place in some subdomains. The spatial structure of the unstable modes is also examined. Analyzing differences between their real and imaginary parts (which virtually correspond to two different instants of time in the dynamics of a given mode) allows us to assess qualitatively the strength of the mutual coupling between the body and fluid. Qualitative and quantitative differences between present predictions and known results for wake instability past a fixed disk enlighten the fact that the first non-vertical regimes generally result from an intrinsic coupling between the body and fluid and not merely from the instability of the sole wake.
The Zakharov equation with separate mean flow and mean surface
Authors: Gramstad Odin
Published: February 2014

Using the Hamiltonian approach of Krasitskii (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 272, 1994, pp. 1–20), we derive a variant of the Zakharov equation in which the wave-induced mean surface elevation and the surface potential of the wave-induced mean flow are represented as separate variables governed by separate evolution equations. The kernel function of this new variant is simpler, and in particular also well defined in the uniform-wave-train limit for waves on finite depth. This form of the Zakharov equation may be advantageous in some applications. One example is the derivation of nonlinear Schrödinger equations in the narrow-band limit, where the handling of the mean flow and mean surface is significantly simpler than when starting from the original Zakharov equation. In this paper we have used the alternative form of the Zakharov equation to derive a Hamiltonian nonlinear Schrödinger equation for directional waves on arbitrary depth, valid to one order higher in bandwidth than the Hamiltonian equation recently presented by Craig, Guyenne and Sulem (Wave Motion, vol. 47, 2010, pp. 552–563).
VLBI Constraints on Type I b/c Supernovae
Authors: Bietenholz Michael F.
Published: February 2014

Very long baseline interferometry observations of supernovae and gamma-ray bursts provide almost the only way of obtaining spatially resolved information about the sources. In particular, a determination of the expansion velocity of the forward shock, as well as the geometry of the fireball and its evolution with time are possible for relatively nearby events, provided they are radio bright. Monitoring the expansion of the shock front can provide information on the density profiles of both the circumstellar material and on the ejecta. Very long baseline interferometry observations can also potentially resolve gamma-ray burst jets which are not directed along the line of sight, providing crucial confirmation of relativistic expansion in such objects. This review gives an overview of recent results from supernovae, including the Type I b/c SNe 2011dh, 2009bb, and 2007gr, and discusses the prospects for future observations.
Exploring the spatial variation in the fertilizer-nitrogen requirement of wheat within fields
Authors: KINDRED D. R. , MILNE A. E. , WEBSTER R. , MARCHANT B. P. , SYLVESTER-BRADLEY R.
Published: February 2014

The fertilizer-nitrogen (N) requirement for wheat grown in the UK varies from field to field. Differences in the soil type, climate and cropping history result in differences in (i) the crops’ demands for N, (ii) the supply of N from the soil (SNS) and (iii) the recovery of the fertilizer by the crops. These three components generally form the basis of systems for N recommendation. Three field experiments were set out to investigate the variation of the N requirement for wheat within fields and to explore the importance of variation in the crops’ demands for N, SNS and fertilizer recovery in explaining the differences in the economic optima for N. The N optima were found to vary by >100 kg N/ha at two of the sites. At the other site, the yield response to N was small. Yields at the optimum rate of N varied spatially by c. 4 t/ha at each site. Soil N supply, which was estimated by the unfertilized crops’ harvested N, varied spatially by 120, 75 and 60 kg/ha in the three experiments. Fertilizer recovery varied spatially from 30% to >100% at each of the sites. There were clear relationships between the SNS and the N optima at all the three sites. The expected relationship between the crop's demand for N and N optima was evident at only one of the three sites. There was no consistent relationship between the N recovery and the N optima. A consistent relationship emerged, however, between the optimal yield and SNS; areas with a greater yield potential tending to also supply more N from the soil. This moderated the expected effect of the SNS and the crop's demand for N on the N optima.
Architecture and the Swedish welfare state: three architectural competitions that innovated space for dependent and frail older people
Authors: ANDERSSON JONAS E.
Published: February 2014

In 2012, three architectural competitions were held as part of the strategic programme ‘Living Well, Growing Old’, launched by the Swedish government in 2010. The intention was to use the innovative quality of the architectural competition in order to conceive future-oriented built environments for the ageing Swedish society. In Sweden, several architectural competitions with a focus on space for dependent and frail older people have been organised over the past century. Architectural design has been incorporated into reforms for social care of older people. This study focuses on the relationship between architecture and socio-political visions in three architectural competitions, realised in 1907, 1948 and 1979. The study demonstrates that architectural competitions within this field are more than a list of functional and spatial requirements for architects to respect. Instead, they are socio-political statements that define spatial frameworks within an ideological view on how ethically to provide care for dependent and frail older people in a welfare regime.
Non-standard vernaculars in education
Authors: Todd Loreto
Published: February 2014

Even before one opens this book, a potential reader is impressed by the suggested coverage and by the quality of the authors, two of whom are very well known in the fields of creolistics, education and linguistics. A closer survey confirms the coverage, revealing a listing and categorisation of 1626 (p. xviii) or 1624 (p. xix) texts written over the last fifty years and covering.
English in China's universities today
Authors: Botha Werner
Published: February 2014

According to Bolton (2013), Chinese university students are invariably multilingual, not only acquiring English at school, but increasingly outside of their formal curricula, through the Internet, music, computer games, movies, and television series. Indeed, many of these students are also highly mobile, and in most cases migrate throughout Greater China (and abroad) in order to pursue higher education degrees. Bolton (2012, 2013) also points out that current theorizing about English in Greater China needs to take into account what he calls ‘the language worlds’ of these young people, especially with regard to how they use various languages in various aspects of their lives, increasingly sampling different ‘worlds’, both ‘physical’ as well as ‘imaginary’ (see also Blommaert, 2010). Studies of migration and mobility within Greater China – particularly with regard to how this relates to the use of English in the context of local languages and language varieties – have received very little attention. This paper aims to fill this gap by providing a sociolinguistic account of the contemporary use of English in China's higher education, by specifically reporting on a recent large-scale sociolinguistic study that was carried out in Macau and Guangzhou, in southern China. The study reported on in this paper captures the increasing use of English as a medium (or additional medium) of instruction in two universities at these locations. The study also reveals how English is used in the personal lives of ordinary Chinese students.
Saying sorry in advance for not turning up: a study of EFL teachers' text messages
Authors: Wyatt Mark
Published: February 2014

A few years ago, I spent one year as Director of Studies (DoS) of a language school on the south coast of England, a first job back in the UK after living abroad for 18 years. The job was fine, but one particular responsibility was occasionally stressful: arranging cover for absent teachers at short notice. Sometimes I was free to teach the class myself and happily did so, but there were times when I had other things to do. Sometimes, several teachers would phone in sick at the same time.
COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF HUMAN LEUKOCYTE ANTIGEN MATCHING IN PENETRATING KERATOPLASTY
Authors: Bäumler Michael , Sundmacher Leonie , Reinhard Thomas , Böhringer Daniel
Published: February 2014

Background:The matching of favorable human leukocyte antigen (HLA) combinations is rarely performed in penetrating keratoplasty procedures for primary prophylaxis of immune reactions. However, clinical studies suggest that the incidence of graft rejection decreases substantially when patients receive favorably matched grafts.

Objective:The aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of HLA matching for patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty in everyday clinical practice.

Methods:In the absence of a randomized controlled clinical trial, we used administrative data from the Freiburg University Eye Hospital in Germany. Our study population consisted of all patients who underwent their first keratoplasty between 11/2003 and 01/2010 and for whom information on HLA histocompatibility was available. We used propensity score matching to estimate a causal effect of favorable HLA matching, parametric survival regression techniques to predict graft survival and expert opinion to model incremental cost for HLA matching. Because the availability of favorable HLA histocompatibility ultimately depends on the patients’ HLA phenotype, we modeled the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) as a function of the probability that a patient will receive a favorably matched HLA, and used expert opinion to set a point estimate.

Results:We predicted that corneal grafts with favorable HLA matching were associated with improved rejection-free graft survival time (more than 1,000 days). We estimated the incremental cost of HLA matching at EUR 1,200 and the ICER at EUR 4.62 per additional day of graft survival.

Conclusions:The ICER of HLA matching is acceptable, given the high cost of alternative treatment and the shortage of corneal donors in Germany.
RESPONSIVENESS OF THE EQ-5D TO CLINICAL CHANGE: IS THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED?
Authors: Tordrup David , Mossman Jean , Kanavos Panos
Published: February 2014

Objectives: In many economic evaluations and reimbursement decisions, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) are used as a measure of benefit to assess effectiveness of novel therapies, often based on the EQ-5D 3-level questionnaire. As only five dimensions of physical and mental well-being are reflected in this tool, significant aspects of the patient experience may be missed. We evaluate the use of the EQ-5D as a measurement of clinical change across a wide range of disorders from dermatological (acne) to life-threatening (metastatic cancers).

Methods: We analyze published studies on the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D 3-level questionnaire, extracting information on the Visual Analogue Scale versus Index score, Standardized Response Mean, and Effect Size. These are compared with ranges generally accepted to represent good responsiveness in the psychometric literature.

Results: We find that only approximately one in five study populations report subjective health state valuation of patients within 5 percent of the score attributed by the EQ-5D index, and more than 40 percent of studies report unacceptable ceiling effects. In the majority of studies, responsiveness of the EQ-5D index was found to be poor to moderate, based on Effect Size (63 percent poor–moderate) and Standardized Response Mean (72 percent poor–moderate).

Conclusions: We conclude that the EQ-5D index does not adequately reflect patient health status across a range of conditions, and it is likely that a significant proportion of the subjective patient experience is not accounted for by the index. This has implications for economic evaluations of novel drugs based on evidence generated with the EQ-5D.
Assessing the risk of Nipah virus establishment in Australian flying-foxes
Authors: ROCHE S. E. , COSTARD S. , MEERS J. , FIELD H. E. , BREED A. C.
Published: February 2014

Nipah virus (NiV) is a recently emerged zoonotic virus that causes severe disease in humans. The reservoir hosts for NiV, bats of the genusPteropus(known as flying-foxes) are found across the Asia-Pacific including Australia. While NiV has not been detected in Australia, evidence for NiV infection has been found in flying-foxes in some of Australia's closest neighbours. A qualitative risk assessment was undertaken to assess the risk of NiV establishing in Australian flying-foxes through flying-fox movements from nearby regions. Events surrounding the emergence of new diseases are typically uncertain and in this study an expert opinion workshop was used to address gaps in knowledge. Given the difficulties in combining expert opinion, five different combination methods were analysed to assess their influence on the risk outcome. Under the baseline scenario where the median was used to combine opinions, the risk was estimated to be very low. However, this risk increased when the mean and linear opinion pooling combination methods were used. This assessment highlights the effects that different methods for combining expert opinion have on final risk estimates and the caution needed when interpreting these outcomes given the high degree of uncertainty in expert opinion. This work has provided a flexible model framework for assessing the risk of NiV establishment in Australian flying-foxes through bat movements which can be updated when new data become available.
Association between human papillomavirus (HPV) and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis
Authors: HARDEFELDT H. A. , COX M. R. , ESLICK G. D.
Published: February 2014

The oncogenic potential of human papillomaviruses (HPV) is well known in the context of cervical carcinoma; however, their role in the development of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is less clear. We aimed to determine the extent of the association between HPV infection and OSCC. A comprehensive literature search found 132 studies addressing HPV and OSCC in human cases, and a meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. There was evidence of an increased risk of OSCC in patients with HPV infection [odds ratio (OR) 2·69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2·05–3·54]. The prevalence of HPV in OSCC was found to be 24·8%. There was an increased risk associated with HPV-16 infection (OR 2·35, 95% CI 1·73–3·19). Subgroup analyses showed geographical variance, with Asia (OR 2·94, 95% CI 2·16–4·00), and particularly China (OR 2·85, 95% CI 2·05–3·96) being high-risk areas. Our results confirm an increase in HPV infection in OSCC cases.
Alcohol misuse and illicit drug use are associated with HCV/HIV co-infection
Authors: SIMON D. , MICHITA R. T. , BÉRIA J. U. , TIETZMANN D. C. , STEIN A. T. , LUNGE V. R.
Published: February 2014

We studied hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence and risk factors for HCV infection in a sample of Brazilian HIV-positive patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 580 HIV-positive patients from a specialized HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment centre in southern Brazil. All patients were interviewed for socio-demographic and risk factors and tested for HCV antibodies and HCV-RNA detection. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for HCV infection. A total of 138 (24%) patients had past or chronic hepatitis C. The following risk factors were associated with HCV infection for each gender: alcohol misuse and injecting drug use in women (P < 0·001) and low educational level, smoking drug use, and injecting drug use in men (P < 0·01). These results suggest that alcohol misuse, low educational level, smoking drug use, and injecting drug use are probable risk factors for HCV infection in HIV-positive patients. This information contributes to an understanding of the epidemiology of HIV/HCV co-infection in Brazil.
Blowback: new formal perspectives on agriculturally driven pathogen evolution and spread
Authors: WALLACE R. , WALLACE R. G.
Published: February 2014

By their diversity in time, space, and mode, traditional and conservation agricultures can create barriers limiting pathogen evolution and spread analogous to a sterilizing temperature. Large-scale monocropping and confined animal feeding-lot operations remove such barriers, resulting, above agroecologically specific thresholds, in the development and wide propagation of novel disease strains. We apply a newly developed class of necessary-conditions statistical models of evolutionary process, first using the theory on an evolutionarily stable viral pathogen vulnerable to vaccine treatment: post-World War II poliomyelitis emerged in the UK and USA from sudden widespread adoption of automobile ownership and usage. We then examine an evolutionarily variable pathogen, swine influenza in North America. The model suggests epidemiological blowback from globalizing intensive husbandry and the raising and shipping of monoculture livestock across increasing expanses, is likely to be far more consequential, driving viral selection for greater virulence and lowered response to biomedical intervention.
Factors Associated with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Veterans and Military Personnel: A Systematic Review
Authors: O'Neil Maya E. , Carlson Kathleen F. , Storzbach Daniel , Brenner Lisa A. , Freeman Michele , Quiñones Ana R. , Motu'apuaka Makalapua , Kansagara Devan
Published: February 2014

A history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is common among military members who served in Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND). We completed a systematic review to describe the cognitive, mental health, physical health, functional, social, and cost consequences of mTBI in Veteran and military personnel. Of 2668 reviewed abstracts, the 31 included studies provided very low strength evidence for the questions of interest. Cognitive, physical, and mental health symptoms were commonly reported by Veterans/military members with a history of mTBI. On average, these symptoms were not significantly more common in those with a history of mTBI than in those without, although a lack of significant mean differences does not preclude the possibility that some individuals could experience substantial effects related to mTBI history. Evidence of potential risk or protective factors moderating mTBI outcomes was unclear. Although the overall strength of evidence is very low due to methodological limitations of included studies, our findings are consistent with civilian studies. Appropriate re-integration services are needed to address common comorbid conditions, such as treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, headaches, and other difficulties that Veterans and members of the military may experience after deployment regardless of mTBI history. (JINS, 2014,20, 1–13)
Limited geographic distribution of the novel cyclovirus CyCV-VN
Authors: Tan Le Van , de Jong Menno D. , Van Kinh Nguyen , Trung Nguyen Vu , Taylor Walter , Wertheim Heiman F. L. , van der Ende Arie , van der Hoek Lia , Canuti Marta , Crusat Martin , Sona Soeng , Uyen Nguyen Hanh , Giri Abhishek , Thi Thuy Chinh BKrong Nguyen , Nghia Ho Dang Trung , Farrar Jeremy , Bryant Juliet E. , Hien Tran Tinh , Van Vinh Chau Nguyen , van Doorn H. Rogier
Published: February 2014

A novel cyclovirus, CyCV-VN, was recently identified in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with central nervous system (CNS) infections in central and southern Vietnam. To explore the geographic distribution of this novel virus, more than 600 CSF specimens from patients with suspected CNS infections in northern Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal and The Netherlands were screened for the presence of CyCV-VN but all were negative. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis between CyCV-VN and another novel cyclovirus recently identified in CSF from Malawian patients indicated that these represent distinct cycloviral species, albeit phylogenetically closely related. The data suggest that CyCV-VN has a limited geographic distribution within southern and central Vietnam. Further research is needed to determine the global distribution and diversity of cycloviruses and importantly their possible association with human disease.
First Principles Prediction of the Magnetic Properties of Fe-X6 (X = S, C, N, O, F) Doped Monolayer MoS2
Authors: Feng Nan , Mi Wenbo , Cheng Yingchun , Guo Zaibing , Schwingenschlögl Udo , Bai Haili
Published: February 2014

Using first-principles calculations, we have investigated the electronic structure and magnetic properties of Fe-X6 clusters (X = S, C, N, O and F) incorporated in 4 × 4 monolayer MoS2, where a Mo atom is substituted by Fe and its nearest S atoms are substituted by C, N, O and F. Single Fe and Fe-F6 substituions make the system display half-metallic properties, Fe-C6 and Fe-N6 substitutions lead to a spin gapless semiconducting behavior and Fe-O6 doped monolayer MoS2 is semiconducting. Magnetic moments of 1.93, 1.45, 3.18, 2.08 and 2.21 μB are obtained for X = S, C, N, O and F, respectively. The different electronic and magnetic characters originate from hybridization between the X and Fe/Mo atoms. Our results suggest that cluster doping can be an efficient strategy for exploring two-dimensional diluted magnetic semiconductors.
Single-point mutation detection in RNA extracts using gold nanoparticles modified with hydrophobic molecular beacon-like structures
Authors: Latorre Alfonso , Posch Christian , Garcimartín Yolanda , Ortiz-Urda Susana , Somoza Álvaro
Published: February 2014

The functionalization of gold nanoparticles with a cholesterol derivative affords a sensor that is able to detect single-point mutations. The solubility of the nanoparticles is modulated by the presence of the target sequence inducing its aggregation.
Theoretical design of molecular grippers for anion recognition based on subporphyrazines and subphthalocyanines
Authors: Sánchez-Lozano Marta , Estévez Carlos M. , Hermida-Ramón Jose M.
Published: February 2014

Subphthalocyanines are used as frameworks to build chromogenic grippers for anion capture, even in solvents like water.
Cyclometalated [Cp*M(C^X)] (M = Ir, Rh; X = N, C, O, P) complexes
Authors: Han Ying-Feng , Jin Guo-Xin
Published: February 2014

Isolated and well-defined cyclometalated iridium/rhodium complexes that contain a Cp*M–C (M = Ir, Rh) bond stabilised by the intramolecular coordination of neutral donor atoms (N, C, O or P), together with their applications, were summarized.
Investigating charge dynamics in halide perovskite-sensitized mesostructured solar cells
Authors: Roiati V. , Colella S. , Lerario G. , De Marco L. , Rizzo A. , Listorti A. , Gigli G.
Published: February 2014

Evidence of complementary carrier percolation paths in halide perovskite-sensitized mesostructured solar cells.
Transition of cellulose crystalline structure in biodegradable mixtures of renewably-sourced levulinate alkyl ammonium ionic liquids, γ-valerolactone and water
Authors: Boissou Florent , Mühlbauer Andrea , De Oliveira Vigier Karine , Leclercq Loïc , Kunz Werner , Marinkovic Sinisa , Estrine Boris , Nardello-Rataj Véronique , Jérôme François
Published: February 2014

Here we report the dissolution of cellulose in technical grade and renewably sourced-ILs.
Selective anticancer copper(ii)-mixed ligand complexes: targeting of ROS and proteasomes
Authors: Ng Chew Hee , Kong Siew Ming , Tiong Yee Lian , Maah Mohd Jamil , Sukram Nurhazwani , Ahmad Munirah , Khoo Alan Soo Beng
Published: February 2014

The ternary copper(ii) complexes 1–4 exhibited anticancer selectivity, as evidenced by MTT assay, % apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, ROS induction and DNA DSBs. Proteasome of cancer cells are also inhibited.
Highly photoactive SnO2 nanostructures engineered by electrochemically active biofilm
Authors: Ansari Sajid Ali , Khan Mohammad Mansoob , Omaish Ansari Mohd , Lee Jintae , Cho Moo Hwan
Published: February 2014

This paper reports the defect-induced band gap narrowing of pure SnO2 nanostructures (p-SnO2) using an electrochemically active biofilm (EAB).
A block copolymer-stabilized co-precipitation approach to magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for potential use as MRI contrast agents
Authors: Basuki Johan S. , Jacquemin Alexandre , Esser Lars , Li Yang , Boyer Cyrille , Davis Thomas P.
Published: February 2014

A library of magnetic nanoparticles was generated usingin situco-precipitation of ferrous (Fe2+) and ferric (Fe3+) ions from aqueous solutions in the presence of functional block copolymers.
Strain-promoted sydnone bicyclo-[6.1.0]-nonyne cycloaddition
Authors: Wallace Stephen , Chin Jason W.
Published: February 2014

We report the strain-promoted sydnone bicyclo-[6.1.0]-nonyne cycloaddition and demonstrate that this bioorthogonal reaction enables site-specific protein labelling.
Does functionalisation enhance CO2 uptake in interpenetrated MOFs? An examination of the IRMOF-9 series
Authors: Babarao Ravichandar , Coghlan Campbell J. , Rankine Damien , Bloch Witold M. , Gransbury Gemma K. , Sato Hiroshi , Kitagawa Susumu , Sumby Christopher J. , Hill Matthew R. , Doonan Christian J.
Published: February 2014

Simulation and experimental data show that network topology and chemical functionality are crucial parameters for CO2 adsorption in an interpenetrated MOF.
1D, 2D and 3D coordination polymers of 1,3-phenylene diisonicotinate with Cu(i)/Cu(ii): Cu2I2 building block, anion influence and guest inclusions
Authors: Mukherjee Gargi , Biradha Kumar
Published: February 2014

The reactions of a flexible bidentate ligand 1,3-phenylene diisonicotinate (L) with Cu(i/ii) salts afforded coordination polymers with varied dimensionalities and guest inclusion capabilities.