bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bauzeitverzögerungen im Stahlbau
Authors: Pietschmann Peter
Published: December 2014

Treten Bauverzögerungen ein, sind die Durchsetzung berechtigter Ansprüche und die Abwehr unberechtigter Forderungen wesentliche Ziele des Vertragsmanagements. Bauzeitenclaims bilden hierbei die sachliche Grundlage für die Durchsetzung von Bauzeitverlängerungs‐ und Kostenausgleichsforderungen im Rahmen von Verhandlungen zwischen den Vertragspartnern. Für eine prozessuale Auseinandersetzung werden solche Claims gutachterlich aufbereitet und sind als substantiierter Parteienvortrag von den Gerichten zu werten. Die Rechtsprechung stellt erhebliche Anforderungen an die Darlegung von Bauzeitverlängerungsansprüchen. Den verlangten Ausgleichskosten für Werk‐ und Montageplanung, Fertigung, Materialbeschaffung, Montage u. a. liegen bestimmte Zeitansätze zugrunde. Gerade im Stahlbau mit einem hohen Leistungsanteil außerhalb der Baustelle fehlen dem Auftraggeber häufig nachvollziehbare Angaben zur Prüfung solcher Forderungen. Zur Herbeiführung zeitnaher Vertragsmodifikationen – neue Ausführungsfristen, zusätzliche Vergütung – während der Ausführung ist dem Unternehmer die frühzeitige Offenlegung “belastbarer“ Angaben zur Preisermittlung bei Angebotsabgabe und der hierbei zugrunde gelegten Zeitfaktoren zu empfehlen. Die zeitnahe Analyse des Bauablaufs ist für ein wirkungsvolles Vertragsmanagement von zentraler Bedeutung. Durch frühzeitiges Erkennen von Störungssachverhalten lässt sich deren wirtschaftlicher Schaden begrenzen.

Delays in the steel construction works – Claims presentation requirements. Timely analysis of the construction process is crucial to effective contract management. Early recognition of events hindering the works allows for a limitation of economic loss. In case of delays, central objectives of contract management comprise the assertion of justified claims and the dismissal of unjustified claims. At that, claims for extension of time are the factual basis for negotiations between the parties to the contract. In the context of litigation, a survey substantiating the claims is presented to the court for assessment. Comprehensive evidence is required in accordance with applicable construction law. Compensation payments claimed for workshop and assembly planning, pre‐fabrication of steel components, material procurement, assembly, etc. are based on specific time factors. With particular regard to steel construction where a high share of works is performed off‐site, employers often lack comprehensible information on pricing to evaluate such demands. To reach an agreement, it´s recommendable to provide substantiated pricing details in good time. Notification after delays have occurred often results in mistrust between the parties.
Cloning and expression of a novel prolyl endopeptidase from Aspergillus oryzae and its application in beer stabilization
Authors: Kang Chao , Yu Xiao-Wei , Xu Yan
Published: December 2014

A novel prolyl endopeptidase gene from Aspergillus oryzae was cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris. Amino acid sequence analysis of the prolyl endopeptidase from Aspergillus oryzae (AO-PEP) showed that this enzyme belongs to a class serine peptide S28 family. Expression, purification and characterization of AO-PEP were analyzed. The optimum pH and temperature were pH 5.0 and 40 °C, respectively. The enzyme was activated and stabilized by metal ion Ca2+ and inhibited by Zn2+, Mn2+, Al3+, and Cu2+. The K  m and k  cat values of the purified enzyme for different substrates were evaluated. The results implied that the recombinant AO-PEP possessed higher affinity for the larger substrate. A fed-batch strategy was developed for the high-cell-density fermentation and the enzyme activity reached 1,130 U/l after cultivation in 7 l fermentor. After addition of AO-PEP during the fermentation phase of beer brewing, demonstrated the potential application of AO-PEP in the non-biological stability of beer, which favor further industrial development of this new enzyme in beer stabilization, due to its reducing operational costs, as well as no beer losses unlike regeneration process and beer lost with regenerated polyvinylpolypyrrolidone system.
Adaptive components of tolerance to salinity in a saline desert grass Lasiurus scindicus Henrard
Authors: Naz Nargis , Batool Riffat , Fatima Sana , Hameed Mansoor , Ashraf Muhammad , Ahmad Farooq , Ahmad Muhammad Sajid Aqeel
Published: December 2014

Five differently adapted natural populations of the native salt desert grass Lasiurus scindicus Henrard from Lesser Cholistan Desert (Pakistan) in South Punjab of east central Pakistan, were evaluated to examine their mechanism of adaptation to saline stress based on some key morpho–anatomical and physiological characteristics. Five ecotypes were collected from one saline site, two moderately saline sites, and two highly saline sites. Anatomical adaptations in each ecotype critically supported the physiological, but the adaptations were of specific nature depending on the type of each site's normal habitat conditions. Higher salinities resulted in increased Na+, Cl−, Mg2+, Ca2+ and K+ content in root and shoot. At root level, some specific structural modifications like increased sclerification in cortical and pith regions, endodermal thickness, and number and size of xylem vessels are vital for water conservation under osmotic stress. Several characteristics were promising for increasing the plants ability to deal with osmotic stress, including at the stem level, increased sclerification, stem area, cortical region thickness and vascular bundle area, and at the leaf level, significant structural modifications such as leaf thickness, epidermal thickness, sclerenchymatous area, cortical area, metaxylem area and bulliform cell area were promising. All these may contribute towards water conservation, which ultimately account for ecotype survival under saline–induced physiological droughts.
Distal Ulna Leiomyosarcoma Treated with Custom Polymethylmethacrylate Prosthesis with a 4-Year Follow-up
Authors: Pacheco-Nuñez Jose Arturo , Sheppard Joseph E. , Mahoney Andrew P.
Published: December 2014

Background

Intraosseous leiomyosarcoma is a rare neoplasm having an aggressive biologic behavior. The distal end of the ulna is a very uncommon site for this type of primary bone tumor frequently mistaken for benign lesions. En bloc resection of the distal ulna with reconstruction is a valid option as a limb salvage procedure for the treatment of this difficult problem, minimizing local recurrence while preserving hand function.

Case description

We present an unusual case of a 63-year-old woman with a primary leiomyosarcoma arising from the distal end of the ulna treated successfully with a wide excision and custom distal ulna, with 4-year follow-up and no recurrence.

Literature review

Tumors to develop at the distal end of the ulna have been reported as part of large series such as Dahlin and few case reports. According to Cooney, Exner, and Mankin, reconstruction for distal ulnar neoplasms is not necessary to maintain function. However, Noble and Laurentin-Perez disagree because stabilization of the distal ulna following large resection, as in our case, can be a significant problem with associated pain and weakness due to a decreased interosseous space with ulnar stump impingement on the radial metaphysis and ulnar translation of the carpus. Clinical relevance Custom methacrylate in situ radioulnar joint prosthesis for reconstruction of a large segment of the distal ulna can be a valid option to reestablish the mechanical continuity of the forearm, reducing pain and improving strength and function.
Dietary ALA, But not LNA, Increase Growth, Reduce Inflammatory Processes, and Increase Anti‐Oxidant Capacity in the Marine Finfish Larimichthys crocea
Authors: Zuo Rantao , Mai Kangsen , Xu Wei , Turchini Giovanni M. , Ai Qinghui
Published: December 2014

Whilst aquaculture feed is increasingly formulated with the inclusion of plant oils replacing fish oil, and increasing research effort has been invested in understanding the metabolic effects of reduced dietary n‐3 long chain poly unsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 LC‐PUFA), relatively little information is available on the potential direct metabolic roles of dietary alpha‐linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n‐3) and alpha‐linolenic acid/linoleic acid (LNA, 18:2n‐6) ratio in cultured marine finfish species. In this study, four plant oil based diets, with varying ALA/LNA ratio (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5) were fed to juvenile large yellow croakers (Larimichthys crocea) and compared to a fish oil‐based control diet (CD) to evaluate the resulting effects on growth, nonspecific immunity, anti‐oxidant capacity and related gene expression. High dietary LNA negatively impacted fish growth performance, nonspecific immunity and antioxidant capacity, but growth and immunity were maintained to levels comparable to CD by increasing the ratio of dietary ALA/LNA. The over‐expression of genes associated with inflammation (cyclooxygenase‐2 and interleukin‐1β) and fatty acid oxidation (carnitine palmitoyl transferase I and acyl CoA oxidase) in croakers fed high concentrations of LNA were reduced to levels comparable to those fed CD by increasing dietary ALA/LNA. This study showed that dietary ALA, by increasing the overall n‐3/n‐6 PUFA ratio, exerts direct anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects, similar to those exerted by dietary n‐3 LC‐PUFA.
The Safety and Anti‐Hypercholesterolemic Effect of Coptisine in Syrian Golden Hamsters
Authors: He Kai , Ye Xiaoli , Wu Hao , Wang YanZhi , Zou Zongyao , Ning Na , Hu Yinran , Chen Biao , Fang Xuedong , Li Xuegang
Published: December 2014

Current work was conducted to evaluate the cholesterol‐lowering effect of coptisine extracted from Rhizomacoptidis in Syrian golden hamsters. The safety results indicated that coptisine was a safe and low‐toxic compound. Coptisine showed a beneficial effect in the abnormal serum lipid levels induced by a high‐fat and high‐cholesterol diet (HFHC): at a concentration of 70.05 mg/kg, coptisine significantly led to a decrease in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐c) levels by 26.70, 15.38, and 22.22 %, respectively, and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐c) was increased by 41.74 % in serum of hamsters (p < 0.01). In addition, total bile acid (TBA) levels in feces of hamsters were elevated after coptisine administration. Further investigation has suggested that the mRNA and protein expression of 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐glutaryl‐CoA reductase (HMGCR) in the liver of hamsters was down‐regulated by high‐dosage coptisine treatment (p < 0.05); mRNA and protein expression of low‐density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and cholesterol 7α‐hydroxylase (CYP7A1) were dramatically up‐regulated by coptisine administration. The apical sodium‐dependent bile salt transporter expression was down‐regulated in the coptisine‐treated animals, but showed no significant differences from the HFHC groups. Taken together, our results demonstrate that a high dosage of coptisine could inhibit cholesterol synthesis via suppressing the HMGCR expression and promoting the use and excretion of cholesterol via up‐regulating LDLR and CYP7A1 expression. These findings suggest a critical role for coptisine in anti‐ hypercholesterolemia, and thus it needs to be considered as a potential natural cholesterol lowering agent.
Effect of Alumina Content and Surface Area of Acid‐Activated Kaolin on Bleaching of Rice Bran Oil
Authors: Aung Lei Lei , Tertre Emmanuel , Suksabye Parinda , Worasith Niramon , Thiravetyan Paitip
Published: December 2014

This study investigated the effect of kaolin acid activation on alumina losses, surface area changes and oil bleaching performance. Ground kaolin was treated with hydrochloric or citric acid, and bleaching tests were performed on rice bran oil. The adsorption studies showed that the optimal bleaching of ~83 or ~81 % were achieved by activation with 0.5 M hydrochloric or citric acid, respectively, whereas bleaching with a commercial clay was ~82 %. The highest bleaching value was not associated with the maximum clay surface area or porosity. X‐ray fluorescence showed that alumina contents of 31–34 % were suggestive for optimum bleaching depending on the different acid used. Treating ground kaolin with the same hydrochloric acid strength by varying the acid concentration and clay/acid ratio also confirmed that the best Al3+ content was ~32 %, and a value lower than one indicated the extensively destruction of kaolinite proportions leading to a decrease in its bleaching capacity, even though it had the maximum surface area. The decrease in capacity was due to the reduction of alumina content, and the parallel formation of high amorphous silica was favorable for the adsorption of anionic pigments, such as chlorophyll‐a.
MiR‐10a and miR‐181c regulate collagen type I generation in hypertrophic scars by targeting PAI‐1 and uPA
Authors: Li Chao , Zhu Hua-Yu , Bai Wen-Dong , Su Lin-Lin , Liu Jia-Qi , Cai Wei-Xia , Zhao Bin , Gao Jian-Xin , Han Shi-Chao , Li Jun , Hu Da-Hai
Published: December 2014

Urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1) have been proposed to play key roles in extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in hypertrophic scars (HS). Here, we found that in HS fibroblasts (HFs) miR‐181c and miR‐10a were differentially‐expressed and targeted uPA and PAI‐1, respectively. The production of Type 1 collagen (Col1) was inhibited by miR‐181c knockdown or miR‐10a overexpression in HFs, and this resulted in increased levels of metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1). These results suggest that the miR‐181c–uPA and miR‐10a–PAI‐1 regulatory pathways have an integral role in HS pathogenesis.
Antibiotics for Respiratory Tract Infections: A Comparison of Prescribing in an Outpatient Setting
Authors: Barlam Tamar F. , Morgan Jake R. , Wetzler Lee M. , Christiansen Cindy L. , Drainoni Mari-Lynn
Published: December 2014

Objective

To examine inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in ambulatory care to help target antimicrobial stewardship interventions.

Design and Setting

Retrospective analysis of RTI visits within general internal medicine (GIM) and family medicine (FM) ambulatory practices at an inner-city academic medical center from 2008 to 2010.

Methods

Patient, physician, and practice characteristics were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression to determine factors predictive of inappropriate prescribing; physicians in the highest and lowest antibiotic-prescribing quartiles were compared using χ2 analysis.

Results

Visits with FM providers, female gender, and self-reported race/ethnicity as white or Hispanic were significantly associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Physicians in the lowest quartile prescribed antibiotics for 5%–28% (mean, 21%) of RTI visits; physicians in the highest quartile prescribed antibiotics for 54%–85% (mean, 65%) of RTI visits. High prescribers had fewer African-American patients and more patients who were younger and privately insured. High prescribers had more patients with chronic lung disease. A GIM practice pod with a low prescriber was 3.0 times more likely to have a second low prescriber than other practice pods, whereas pods with a high prescriber were 1.3 times more likely to have a second high prescriber.

Conclusions

Medical specialty was the only physician factor predictive of inappropriate prescribing when patient gender, race, and comorbidities were taken into account. Possible disparities in care need further study. Stewardship education in medical school, enlisting low prescribers as physician leaders, and targeting interventions to the highest prescribers might be more effective approaches to antimicrobial stewardship.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;00(0): 1–7
Impact of Electronic Faucets and Water Quality on the Occurrence ofPseudomonas aeruginosain Water: A Multi-Hospital Study
Authors: Charron Dominique , Bédard Emilie , Lalancette Cindy , Laferrière Céline , Prévost Michèle
Published: December 2014

OBJECTIVE

To comparePseudomonas aeruginosaprevalence in electronic and manual faucets and assess the influence of connecting pipes and water quality.

SETTING

Faucets in 4 healthcare centers in Quebec, Canada.

METHODS

Water samples from 105 electronic, 90 manual, and 14 foot-operated faucets were analyzed forP. aeruginosaby culture and enzymatic detection, and swab samples from drains and aerators were analyzed by culture. Copper and residual chlorine concentrations, temperature, and flow rate were measured.P. aeruginosaconcentrations were analyzed in 4 consecutive volumes of cold water and a laboratory study was conducted on copper pipes and flexible hoses.

RESULTS

P. aeruginosacontamination was found in drains more frequently (51%) than in aerators (1%) or water (culture: 4%, enzyme detection: 16%). Prevalence in water samples was comparable between manual (14%) and 2 types of electronic faucets (16%) while higher for foot-operated faucets (29%). However, type 2 electronic faucets were more often contaminated (31%) than type 1 (14%), suggesting that faucet architecture and mitigated volume (30 mL vs 10 mL) influenceP. aeruginosagrowth. Concentrations were 100 times higher in the first 250 mL than after flushing. Flexible hoses were more favorable toP. aeruginosagrowth than copper and a temperature of 40°C led to higher counts.

CONCLUSIONS

The types of faucets and connecting pipes, flow rate, and water quality are important parameters influencing the prevalence and the concentrations ofP. aeruginosain faucets. High concentrations ofP. aeruginosain the first 250 mL suggest increased risk of exposure when using the first flush.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;00(0): 1–9
An Evaluation of Surgical Site Infection Surveillance Methods for Colon Surgery and Hysterectomy in Colorado Hospitals
Authors: Reese Sara M. , Knepper Bryan C. , Price Connie S. , Young Heather L.
Published: December 2014

Surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance techniques for colon surgery and hysterectomy among Colorado infection preventionists were characterized through an online survey. Considerable variation was found in SSI surveillance practices, specifically varying use of triggers for SSI review, including laboratory values, healthcare personnel communication, and postoperative visits.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;00(0): 1–3
Challenging the large eddy simulation technique with advanced a posteriori tests
Authors: Bou-Zeid Elie
Published: December 2014

The large eddy simulation (LES) technique will soon be 50 years old. Since Deardorff’s first papers in 1970 introducing this approach, major advances in the theory of LES and its computational implementation have been made and widely adopted. However, in terms of validation, LES studies continue to largely focus on the first- and second-order statistics, which in fact are the same tests that Deardorff conducted 45 years ago. Further advances in LES and wider adoption for new flows require advanced and more challenging tests to be developed and documented to serve as benchmarks. The paper by Stevens, Wilczek & Meneveau (J. Fluid Mech., 2014, vol. 757, pp. 888–907) does precisely that. The authors demonstrate the ability of LES to capture the recently established log-law of streamwise velocity variance and the related log-laws for even-order statistics up to order 10, as well as the departure of these statistics from a Gaussian distribution. The paper also provides key insights into the role of grid resolution on the computed turbulence field.
Towards a Tipping Point: The Botswana Competition Act and theNemo JudexRule
Authors: Kebonang Zein
Published: December 2014

While the Botswana Competition Act creates a hierarchical relationship between the Competition Commission and the Competition Authority, it also confers on the Competition Commission judicial powers over competition cases involving the Competition Authority and/or third parties. Although the Competition Authority's decisions have not yet been tested before either the Competition Commission or the High Court, this article argues that the institutional structure underpinning the Competition Authority is not sound, as it opens the Competition Commission to potential attacks of bias and other constitutional challenges. This article therefore makes a case for the creation of two separate bodies: one concerned purely with adjudicating competition cases and the other with administrative oversight of the Competition Authority.
Nasopharyngeal airway stenting devices for obstructive sleep apnoea: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kumar A R , Guilleminault C , Certal V , Li D , Capasso R , Camacho M
Published: December 2014

Objective:

To systematically review outcomes of adults with obstructive sleep apnoea treated with nasopharyngeal airway stenting devices.

Methods:

Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library databases were searched, and data on device use and tolerability, sleepiness, oxygen saturation, apnoea index, apnoea–hypopnoea index, and sleep quality were collected.

Results:

Of 573 potential studies, 29 were retrieved for detailed evaluation and 16 met the study criteria. Polysomnography data for patients treated with nasal trumpets as an isolated therapy were pooled for meta-analysis. The mean apnoea index ± standard deviation, for 53 patients, decreased from 32.4 ± 15.9 to 9.0 ± 7.2 episodes per hour (p < 0.00001). The mean apnoea–hypopnoea index, for 193 patients, decreased from 44.1 ± 18.9 to 22.7 ± 19.3 episodes per hour (p < 0.00001). The mean lowest oxygen saturation, for 193 patients, increased from 66.5 ± 14.2 to 75.5 ± 13.9 per cent (p < 0.00001).

Conclusion:

Some studies have demonstrated limited effectiveness and low tolerability of nasopharyngeal airway stenting devices, while other studies have shown a significant benefit in treating obstructive sleep apnoea, with a high level of patient acceptance. Nasal trumpets have been successful in decreasing airway obstruction in the short term.
Mediterranean hexactinellid sponges, with the description of a newSympagellaspecies (Porifera, Hexactinellida)
Authors: Boury-Esnault Nicole , Vacelet Jean , Reiswig Henry M. , Fourt Maïa , Aguilar Ricardo , Chevaldonné Pierre
Published: December 2014

An overview is proposed of the hexactinellid sponge fauna of the Mediterranean Sea, including the description of a new species ofSympagella,S. delauzeisp. nov., collected by ROV during the exploration of deep-sea canyons of the NW Mediterranean and of deep banks and seamounts of the Alboran Sea. The type species ofSympagella,S. nux, is redescribed from specimens from the type locality. An 18S rDNA sequence of the new species was obtained and included in a phylogenetic tree of related hexactinellids. Some modifications to the classification of Rossellidae are proposed according to the new morphological and molecular data obtained during this study: the generaCaulophacus, andCaulophacellaare accordingly moved from Rossellinae to Lanuginellinae.
Breeding loggerhead marine turtles Caretta caretta in Dry Tortugas National Park, USA, show high fidelity to diverse habitats near nesting beaches
Authors: Hart Kristen M. , Zawada David G. , Sartain Autumn R. , Fujisaki Ikuko
Published: December 2014

We used satellite telemetry to identify in-water habitat used by individuals in the smallest North-west Atlantic subpopulation of adult nesting loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta during the breeding season. During 2010, 2011 and 2012 breeding periods, a total of 20 adult females used habitats proximal to nesting beaches with various levels of protection within Dry Tortugas National Park. We then used a rapid, high-resolution, digital imaging system to map habitat adjacent to nesting beaches, revealing the diversity and distribution of available benthic cover. Turtle behaviour showing measurable site-fidelity to these diverse habitats has implications for managing protected areas and human activities within them. Protecting diverse benthic areas adjacent to loggerhead turtle nesting beaches here and elsewhere could provide benefits for overall biodiversity conservation.
Poa annuaL. in the maritime Antarctic: an overview
Authors: Chwedorzewska K.J. , Giełwanowska I. , Olech M. , Molina-Montenegro M.A. , Wódkiewicz M. , Galera H.
Published: December 2014

Poa annuais the only flowering plant species that has established a breeding population in the maritime Antarctic, through repeated anthropogenic introduction. The first appearance of this species in the Antarctic was observed in 1953. Annual bluegrass inhabits mainly anthropogenic sites, but recently has entered tundra communities. The functioning ofP. annuain the Antarctic could not have been possible without adaptations that enable the plants to persist in the specific climatic conditions typical for this zone.Poa annuais highly adaptable to environmental stress and unstable habitats: huge phenotypic and genotypic variability, small size, plastic life cycle (life-history types ranging from annual to perennial forms). The spreading ofP. annuain the Antarctic Peninsula region is a classic example of the expansion process following anthropogenic introduction of an invasive species, and illustrates the dangers to Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems that are associated with increasing human traffic.
“They're sufferin' the same things we're sufferin'”: Ideology and Racism in the Federal Theatre Project'sThe Sun Rises in the West
Authors: Brady Amy
Published: December 2014

Myth hides nothing: its function is to distort.

—Roland Barthes

In Los Angeles, California, the home of the nation's second largest Federal Theatre Project (FTP), a group of FTP artists spent over a year developingThe Sun Rises in the West, a popular and critically well-received but forgotten play about the Dust Bowl migration and its effects on California's agricultural valleys. The play was mounted by the Southwest Theatre Unit (SWTU), an experimental branch of the Los Angeles Federal Theatre Project that worked as a collective to produce plays independently of the FTP's more mainstream endeavors. The SWTU attracted ample publicity during the latter half of the 1930s for its experimental, politically charged material, but because the group's artistic record has been buried for decades in government and university archives, much critical work remains to be done on its contributions to theatre history. This essay seeks to remedy this gap with a brief sketch of the SWTU as an avant-garde force in Los Angeles and an analysis of the SWTU's original play,The Sun Rises in the West.
Event coding, executive control, and task-switching
Authors: Meiran Nachshon
Published: December 2014

Like the Theory of Event Coding (TEC), theories of executive functions depict cognition as a flexible and goal-directed system rather than a reflex-like one. Research on task-switching, a dominant paradigm in executive control, has revealed complex and some apparently counterintuitive results. Many of these are readily explained by assuming, like TEC, that cognitive control is based on selecting information from commensurate representations of stimuli and actions.
The impact of first language background and visual information on the effectiveness of low-variability input
Authors: FULGA ANGELICA , McDONOUGH KIM
Published: December 2014

This study investigated whether first language (L1) background and visual information impact the effectiveness of skewed and balanced input at promoting pattern detection. Participants (N= 84) were exposed to Esperanto sentences with the transitive construction under skewed (one noun with high token frequency) or balanced (equal token frequency) input conditions while viewing either color or black-and-white visuals. Their ability to detect the relevant morphological and syntactic features of the transitive construction was tested through a forced-judgment task using novel nouns. The results indicated no significant main effect for visual information or input type. There was, however, a significant main effect for L1 on learners’ detection of the novel pattern. Implications are discussed in terms of the potential effect of L1-specific transitive encodings on second language speakers’ ability to abstract novel patterns.
Simulation of risk of tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers in hospitals of an intermediate incidence country
Authors: OCHOA J. , HINCAPIÉ-PALACIO D. , SEPÚLVEDA H. , RUIZ D. , MOLINA A. , ECHEVERRI S. , LEÓN A. L. , ESCOMBE A. R. , ARBELÁEZ M. P.
Published: December 2014

We simulated the frequency of tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers in order to classify the risk of TB transmission for nine hospitals in Medellín, Colombia. We used a risk assessment approach to estimate the average number of infections in three risk groups of a cohort of 1082 workers exposed to potentially infectious patients over 10- and 20-day periods. The risk level of the hospitals was classified according to TB prevalence: two of the hospitals were ranked as being of very high priority, six as high priority and one as low priority. Consistent results were obtained when the simulation was validated in two hospitals by studying 408 healthcare workers using interferon gamma release assays and tuberculin skin testing. The latent infection prevalence using laboratory tests was 41% [95% confidence interval (CI) 34·3–47·7] and 44% (95% CI 36·4–51·0) in those hospitals, and in the simulation, it was 40·7% (95% CI 32·3–49·0) and 36% (95% CI 27·9–44·0), respectively. Simulation of risk may be useful as a tool to classify local and regional hospitals according to their risk of nosocomial TB transmission, and to facilitate the design of hospital infection control plans.
Arrhythmias in paediatric valvar disease
Authors: Decker Jamie A.
Published: December 2014

Valvar heart disease can be complicated by hemodynamic derangements, depending on the degree of the abnormality. Stenosis causes pressure overload of the chamber draining through the valve and regurgitation results in volume overload. Many lesions have a component of both, resulting in both pressure and volume overload. Increased wall stress causes myocardial stretching and fibrosis, resulting in scarring; a nidus for arrhythmia development. Arrhythmias can complicate the clinical picture and increase the morbidity and mortality in patients with both congenital and acquired valvar disease. In adults with congenital heart disease, arrhythmias are the most common cause of sudden death, followed by heart failure. Valvar stenosis and insufficiency certainly contribute to this. This article highlights the need for arrhythmia surveillance for high-risk valvar lesions.
Repairing the tricuspid valve in congenital heart diseases other than Ebstein’s
Authors: Dodge-Khatami Ali , Mavroudis Constantine D. , Frost Jennifer , Jacobs Jeffrey P. , Mavroudis Constantine
Published: December 2014

The tricuspid valve is being increasingly recognised as an important safeguard to the heart with congenital heart disease. Both structural anomalies of the valve and functional burdens from other malformations of the right heart can lead to major haemodynamic consequences both upstream and downstream. The indications to surgically intervene on the tricuspid valve are evolving and vary depending on the malformation. The extant surgical techniques and their applications to corresponding frequent congenital anomalies of the tricuspid valve are reviewed.
Pulmonary valve preservation and restoration strategies for repair of tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Mavroudis Constantine D. , Frost Jennifer , Mavroudis Constantine
Published: December 2014

Despite tremendous advances in surgical treatment of tetralogy of Fallot, augmenting the small right ventricular outflow tract remains a challenge. Transannular patch augmentation revolutionised surgical management, but did so at the expense of rendering patients with pulmonary insufficiency and the resulting problems associated therewith. Recent surgical efforts have focused on pulmonary valve preservation at initial correction and pulmonary valve restoration after transannular patching, with favourable results. In this manuscript, we review methods of pulmonary valve preservation and restoration.
A three-step technique for repair of rheumatic disease of the mitral valve
Authors: Thomas Matthew P. , Badhwar Vinay
Published: December 2014

This manuscript presents a technically straightforward technique to allow for mitral valve repair in the patient with rheumatic mitral stenosis. This non-resection technique allows for the correction of both mitral stenosis and regurgitation without requiring complex subvalvar procedures and eliminates the concerns for postoperative systolic anterior motion. The authors feel this three-part technique of bi-commissural release, anterior leaflet augmentation, and oversized annuloplasty may allow for a more reproducible approach to repair of the rheumatic mitral valve.
The Ross, Konno, and Ross–Konno operations for congenital left ventricular outflow tract abnormalities
Authors: Mavroudis Constantine , Mavroudis Constantine D. , Jacobs Jeffrey P.
Published: December 2014

Operations for left ventricular outflow tract abnormalities are centred on hemodynamic conditions that relate to subvalvar stenosis, valvar stenosis/regurgitation, aortic annular hypoplasia, and supravalvar aortic stenosis. Operative interventions over the years have evolved because the intervening outcomes proved to be unsatisfactory. The resection for subvalvar aortic stenosis has progressed from a fibrous “membrane” resection to a more extensive fibromuscular resection. Operative solutions for valvar aortic stenosis and regurgitation have resulted in operative interventions that depend on simple commissurotomy, leaflet extensions, prosthetic mechanical valve replacement, biologic valve replacement, including the pulmonary autograft, and operations to treat aortic annular stenosis. Although there are enthusiastic proponents for all of these strategies, the fact remains that none have proven to be curative; patients can expect to undergo further procedures during their lifetimes. The short- and mid-term solutions to these left ventricular outflow tract abnormalities have improved based on operations that have been attended by increasing operative complexity. The purpose of this review is to chronicle the operative steps of the Ross operation, the Konno–Rastan operation, the modified Konno operation, the Ross–Konno operation, and the modified Ross–Konno operation.
Echocardiography of congenital mitral valve disorders: echocardiographic–morphological comparisons
Authors: Silverman Norman H.
Published: December 2014

I surveyed our echocardiographic database of the years between 1998 and 2012 for congenital abnormalities of the mitral valve in patients over 14 years. A total of 249 patients with mitral valve abnormalities were identified. Abnormalities included clefts in the mitral valve in 58 patients, double orifice of the mitral valve in 19, mitral stenosis with two papillary muscles in 72, and mitral stenosis with one papillary muscle in 51 patients. Supravalvar rings were found in 35 patients with a single papillary muscle, and mitral stenoses with two papillary muscles were found in 22 patients. Mitral prolapse occurred in 44 patients and mitral valvar straddle in five patients. The patients were evaluated by all modalities of ultrasound available over the course of time. Although some lesions were isolated, there were many lesions in which more than one mitral deformity presented in the same patient. The patients are presented showing anatomical correlation with autopsy specimens, some of which came from the patients in this series, and others matched to show correlative anatomy. These lesions remain rare as a group and continue to have high morbidity and mortality.
Left ventricular to coronary connections in newborns with a hypoplastic left heart
Authors: Rothman Abraham , Galindo Alvaro , Evans William N.
Published: December 2014

We present images and brief clinical summaries of four infants with prominent left ventricular to coronary arterial connections in the setting of hypoplastic left heart, mitral stenosis, and aortic atresia.
Race and the Tea Party in the Old Dominion: Split-Ticket Voting in the 2013 Virginia Elections
Authors: Hood M. V. , Kidd Quentin , Morris Irwin L.
Published: December 2014

In 2013, Virginia Republicans nominated two Tea Party conservatives for statewide office: Ken Cuccinelli and Earl Walker Jackson, Sr. They differed in two significant respects: (1) Cuccinelli has more political experience, and (2) Cuccinelli is white and Jackson is black. For this article, we used this quasi-experimental opportunity to examine the racial resentment explanation for Tea Party support. We found no evidence of voting patterns consistent with this characterization of Tea Party supporters. There was no significant gap between Tea Party support for Cuccinelli and Jackson, and Tea Party supporters were far more likely to cast ballots for both candidates than they were to choose one or the other. In fact, we found that racial resentment ispositivelyassociated with support for Jackson. In this election, neither Tea Party support nor racial resentment negatively affected support for the black Republican candidate for lieutenant governor.
Modulating the serotonin system in the treatment of major depressive disorder
Authors: Morrissette Debbi Ann , Stahl Stephen M.
Published: December 2014

Learning Objective: Discuss the theory of modulation of receptor activity or the blockade of the reuptake of multiple neurotransmitter systems for the future treatment of MDD.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious and often crippling psychiatric illness with a high risk of relapse and treatment resistance. In this article, we discuss the role of the serotonergic system in MDD including our current understanding of how various serotonin (5HT) receptors modulate monoamine neurotransmission and behavior. We also discuss how pharmacologic interventions, including novel and existing antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics, may be utilized to adjust serotonergic neurotransmission and provide more effective treatments for patients with MDD.
PROBABILISTIC CAUSATION IN EFFICIENCY-BASED LIABILITY JUDGMENTS
Authors: Papayannis Diego M.
Published: December 2014

In this paper I argue that economic theories have never been able to provide a coherent explanation of the causation requirement in tort law. The economic characterization of this requirement faces insurmountable difficulties, because discourse on tort liability cannot be reduced to a cost-benefit analysis without a loss of meaning. More seriously, I try to show that by describing causation in economic terms, economic theories offer an image of the practice in which the participants incur in logical contradictions and develop patterns of inference that are far from intuitive. For this reason, efficiency cannot be the fundamental principle underlying tort law. Finally, I suggest that economic analysis of law can provide a genuine explanation of certain aspects of legal practice if it relinquishes its reductionist claims.
‘Sustainability does not quite get the attention it deserves’: synergies and tensions in the sustainability frames of Australian food policy actors
Authors: Trevena Helen , Kaldor Jenny Claire , Downs Shauna M
Published: December 2014

Objective

The development of food policy is strongly influenced by the understanding and position actors adopt in their ‘framing’ of sustainability. The Australian Government developed a National Food Plan (2010–2013). In public consultations on the National Food Plan Green Paper, the government sought stakeholders’ views on sustainability. The present study examined the way in which the food industry and civil society organizations framed sustainability in their submissions to the Green Paper.

Design

Submissions by food industry actors and civil society organizations were analysed using a framing matrix that examined positioning, drivers, underlying principles and policy solutions related to sustainability. Submissions were open coded and subsequently organized based on themes within the framing matrix.

Setting

Australia.

Subjects

One hundred and twenty-four written submissions (1420 pages).

Results

While submissions from industry and civil society organizations often framed sustainability similarly, there were also major differences. Civil society organizations were more likely to make the link between the food supply and population health, while industry was more likely to focus on economic sustainability. Both viewed consumer demand as a driver of sustainability, welcomed the idea of a whole-of-government approach and stressed the need for investment in research and development to improve productivity and sustainable farming practices.

Conclusions

The meaning of sustainability shifted throughout the policy process. There are opportunities for creating shared value in food policy, where the health, environment and economic dimensions of sustainability can be compatible. However, despite pockets of optimism there is a need for a shared vision of sustainability if Australia is to have a food policy integrating these dimensions.
POSTRACIAL POLITICS?
Authors: Liu Baodong
Published: December 2014

This paper examines the claim that the historical election of Barack Obama demonstrated a new era of postracial politics in America (Ceaser et al., 2009). Drawing on arguments in the recent American political development literature (King and Smith, 2005; Novkov 2008), this research proposes a racial tension theory to link Obama’s White voter support to the deep-seated racial tension at the state level. In doing so, a theoretic and empirical solution is offered to solve the problem of high correlations between the major contextual variables measuring Black density (Key 1949), racial diversity (Hero 1998), state political culture (Elazar 1984), and social capital (Putnam 2000). The converged findings based on multiple methods clearly show that the state-level White support for Obama in both 2008 and 2012 was directly related to the racial tension of a state. In contrast, racial tension did not affect the White vote for John Kerry, the Democratic nominee in the 2004 Presidential election.
RACE COGNIZANCE AND COLORBLINDNESS
Authors: Vasquez Jessica M.
Published: December 2014

Latino racial/ethnic intermarriage has grown over time, increases with each generation in the United States, and occurs most frequently with non-Hispanic Whites. This article answers the question: How does intermarriage change racial/ethnic consciousness for both partners? Drawing on in-depth interviews with thirty intermarried Latinos and non-Hispanic Whites, I critique assimilation, Whiteness, and colorblindness theories, finding two predominant racial consciousness outcomes of intermarriage: race cognizance and racial colorblindness. First, intermarriage can enhance Whites’ understanding of race/ethnicity and racism, a phenomenon I call race cognizance. Second, intermarriage can produce colorblind discourse that focuses on similarity, yet in ways inconsistent with colorblind racism. Racial consciousness varies by ethnicity: most intermarried Whites reported race cognizance, an outcome unforeseen by traditional theories of integration, whereas Latinos more often espoused colorblindness. These understandings are used in different contexts: race cognizance is stimulated by the public domain, whereas colorblindness is evoked in private space. These findings demonstrate that racial consciousness is fluid, and influenced by intermarriage and ethnicity.
Multiple Births in Sub-Saharan Africa: Epidemiology, Postnatal Survival, and Growth Pattern
Authors: Gebremedhin Samson
Published: December 2014

The study endeavored to assess the epidemiology, postnatal survival, and growth pattern of multiple births in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It was based on the data of 25 demographic health surveys conducted in the subcontinent since 2008. The records of 213,889 children born in the preceding 59 months of the surveys were included. The multiple birth rate was computed as the number of multiple confinements per 1,000 births. Factors associated with multiple births were identified using logistic regression and their survival pattern was assessed using the Kaplan–Meier method. The multiple birth rate was 17.1 (95% confidence interval: 17.7–16.6) and showed considerable variation across the 25 countries included in the study. Odds of multiple births were significantly increased with advanced maternal age, parity, and maternal height but not with wealth index, age at first birth, and month of birth. At the end of the fourth year of age, the cumulative survival probability was as low as 0.77 in multiple births as compared to 0.93 in their counterparts. The odds of neonatal, infant and under-five mortality were 5.55, 4.39, and 3.72 times increased in multiple births, respectively. Multiple births tend to be malnourished than singletons and the odds of wasting, stunting, and underweight were 1.31, 1.83, and 1.73 times raised, consecutively. Nevertheless, multiple births regain their weight-for-age (WFA) and height-for-age (HFA) deficits by the end of the fourth year of age. Counseling pregnant mothers with multiple gestation to give birth at a health institution and providing close medical follow-up during and after the neonatal period can improve the survival of multiple births.
Optical monitoring of faradaic reaction using single plasmon-resonant nanorods functionalized with graphene
Authors: Zhou Hao , Liu Qing , Rawson Frankie J. , Ma Wei , Li Da-Wei , Li Di , Long Yi-Tao
Published: December 2014

A platform based on single gold nanorods was applied to real time monitoring of the electrochemical oxidation of NADH. The charge accumulation on single gold nanorods depends on the charging rate of competing faradaic and double-layer charging reactions.
Hierarchical nanostructures of γ-TaON flowers for enhanced visible light driven photocatalytic activities
Authors: Wang Zheng , Xie Keng , Zhao Lei , Zhang Bangsheng
Published: December 2014

Hierarchical nanostructures of single phase γ-TaON flowers as novel photocatalysts were synthesized for the first time via a facile hydrothermal method exhibiting a high photocatalytic hydrogen production rate under visible light irradiation.
Biodegradation of carbon nanohorns in macrophage cells
Authors: Zhang Minfang , Yang Mei , Bussy Cyrill , Iijima Sumio , Kostarelos Kostas , Yudasaka Masako
Published: December 2014

Biodegradation of carbon nanohorns by MPO catalytic oxidation and by mouse and human monocyte-derived macrophages is presented. MPO catalytic oxidation and macrophages degrade approximately 60 wt% and 30 wt% of CNHs, respectively. Uptake of CNHs by macrophage cells induces the release of reactive oxygen species that results in CNH degradation.
Practical witness for electronic coherences
Authors: Johnson Allan S. , Yuen-Zhou Joel , Aspuru-Guzik Alán , Krich Jacob J.
Published: December 2014

The origin of the coherences in two-dimensional spectroscopy of photosynthetic complexes remains disputed. Recently, it has been shown that in the ultrashort-pulse limit, oscillations in a frequency-integrated pump-probe signal correspond exclusively to electronic coherences, and thus such experiments can be used to form a test for electronic vs. vibrational oscillations in such systems. Here, we demonstrate a method for practically implementing such a test, whereby pump-probe signals are taken at several different pulse durations and used to extrapolate to the ultrashort-pulse limit. We present analytic and numerical results determining requirements for pulse durations and the optimal choice of pulse central frequency, which can be determined from an absorption spectrum. Our results suggest that for numerous systems, the required experiment could be implemented by many ultrafast spectroscopy laboratories using pulses of tens of femtoseconds in duration. Such experiments could resolve the standing debate over the nature of coherences in photosynthetic complexes.