bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association between Compensated Absences Liabilities and Interest Cost on Public School Districts' General Obligation Bonds
Authors: Ragland Linda G.
Published: September 2016

SYNOPSIS

In this study, I examine whether compensated absences liabilities are associated with interest cost on public school districts' general obligation bonds. This research question is motivated by the lack of transparency surrounding the accounting for compensated absences and by how the potential size of the liability can affect the government debt market. Using archival data, I analyze public school districts' bond issuance reports along with corresponding financial information. Separating the liability for compensated absences into the current and non-current portions due, I find a significant positive association between the current (but not the non-current) portion and interest cost. The results suggest that the debt market may be unsure about what is being reported as non-current. The amount may be considered too noisy a measure because of uncertainty tied to the quality of the numbers and/or thoughts that longer-term management decisions related to the liability can be altered.
Getting Caught “Sugar Coating”: The Behavioral Implications of Using a Decision Aid That Detects Linguistic Manipulations in Financial Disclosures
Authors: Triki Anis , Arnold Vicky
Published: September 2016

Evidence from recent studies suggests that management strategically uses linguistic manipulations to “sugar coat” corporate narratives particularly when it is to their advantage. Research also suggests that investors are influenced by these manipulations and that they are not capable of detecting them on their own. Emerging technologies such as textual analysis software are capable of analyzing corporate narratives; however, their impact on investors' decision making remains unknown. This manuscript explores the effect of these emerging technologies a priori to their availability and investigates whether providing investors with a decision aid (DA) that is capable of detecting linguistic manipulations can be an effective tool that can be used by investors. We theorize that these DAs may have an effect on investors' judgment and decision making and that their effect may interact with other contextual factors such as management incentive to provide a more optimistic disclosure when the news is not necessarily good. More precisely, we investigate the effect of management incentive and the detection of linguistic manipulations in management's disclosures on investors' perceptions of disclosure credibility and willingness to invest, and whether the detection of linguistic manipulations moderates the impact of management incentive. Results show that both management incentive and detection of linguistic manipulations have a significant effect on investors' perceptions of disclosure credibility and willingness to invest. Therefore, these DAs can be an effective tool that investors can use to detect linguistic manipulations.
International AC: An Education Case on Continuous Monitoring SQL Server Data with ODBC-Linked Tables in Microsoft Access
Authors: Lambert Sherwood Lane , Holladay Jon , Drum Dawna M.
Published: September 2016

This education case teaches students Continuous Auditing/Continuous Monitoring (CA/CM) using Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) connections from students' Microsoft Access (Access) to tables in Microsoft SQL Server (SQL Server). First, the institution's database administrator (DBA) imports the student tables provided with the Teaching Notes into the institution's SQL Server with read-only access. In Access, students create ODBC connections to the SQL Server student tables. Then, students create Access queries using the ODBC-linked tables to monitor for anomalies. During a scheduled week, the DBA, in coordination with the faculty member, enters anomalies in the SQL Server student tables at random times, and students run their Access queries to identify the anomalies.
Designing Audit Apps for Armchair Auditors to Analyze Government Procurement Contracts
Authors: Dai Jun , Li Qiao
Published: September 2016

Each year, governments around the world spend billions of dollars purchasing a wide variety of goods and services. These governments must spend their money wisely in order to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Although government contracting systems are supposed to be transparent, people may still take advantage of these systems to gain benefits, which leads to high-risk contracts and, sometimes, costly government frauds. Recently, governments in some countries have started open data initiatives in order to make government operations more transparent to their citizens. With the open data, a new type of auditor, called an armchair auditor, could play an important role in monitoring government spending. An armchair auditor could be anyone who has an interest in government expenditures and who usually uses technologies to perform analyses on open data. Few studies have discussed how armchair auditors can better use the open data and what data analytics tools could be applied. To that end, this paper proposes a list of audit apps that could assist armchair auditors in analyzing open government procurement data. These apps could help investigate procurement data from different perspectives, such as validating contractor qualification, detecting defective pricing, etc. This paper uses Brazilian federal government procurement contract data to illustrate the functionality of these apps; however, the apps could be applied to open government data in a variety of other nations.
Long-term skeletodental stability of mandibular symphyseal distraction osteogenesis: Tooth-borne vs hybrid distraction appliances
Authors: Durham Julia N , King John W , Robinson Quinton C , Trojan Terry M
Published: September 2016

Objective: To evaluate and compare the long-term skeletodental stability of mandibular symphyseal distraction osteogenesis (MSDO) achieved with the use of tooth-borne vs. hybrid distraction appliances.

Materials and Methods: Posttreatment and follow-up orthodontic records were collected for 33 patients. The 14 patients who underwent distraction with a tooth-borne appliance had a mean follow-up of 5.08 years. The 19 patients who underwent distraction with a hybrid appliance had a mean follow-up of 6.07 years. Records included intraoral photographs, study models, postero-anterior cephalometric radiographs, and lateral cephalometric radiographs. Total changes of 16 measurements were analyzed to compare patients who underwent the tooth-borne vs. the hybrid distraction.

Results: Both groups shared several similar and significant (P < .05) changes from posttreatment to follow-up records. Cast analysis showed a decrease in intercanine width and arch length and an increase in irregularity index. The postero-anterior cephalometric radiograph showed an increase in the width of the interincisal apices. The lateral cephalometric radiograph showed a decrease in the MP-L1 angle. The only statistically significant difference between the two appliances was the intercentral incisor contact point.

Conclusion: Changes found are consistent with those found in untreated and orthodontically treated individuals over time. The long-term changes in the current patient sample can be determined to be expected and acceptable. MSDO is a viable treatment option with the use of either a hybrid or tooth-borne appliance.
Adipocyte Glucocorticoid Receptor Deficiency Attenuates Aging- and HFD-Induced Obesity and Impairs the Feeding-Fasting Transition
Authors: Mueller Kristina M. , Hartmann Kerstin , Kaltenecker Doris , Vettorazzi Sabine , Bauer Mandy , Mauser Lea , Amann Sabine , Jall Sigrid , Fischer Katrin , Esterbauer Harald , Müller Timo D. , Tschöp Matthias H. , Magnes Christoph , Haybaeck Johannes , Scherer Thomas , Bordag Natalie , Tuckermann Jan P. , Moriggl Richard
Published: September 2016

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are important regulators of systemic energy metabolism, and aberrant GC action is linked to metabolic dysfunctions. Yet, the extent to which normal and pathophysiological energy metabolism depend on the GC receptor (GR) in adipocytes remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that adipocyte GR deficiency in mice significantly impacts systemic metabolism in different energetic states. Plasma metabolomics and biochemical analyses revealed a marked global effect of GR deficiency on systemic metabolite abundance and, thus, substrate partitioning in fed and fasted states. This correlated with a decreased lipolytic capacity of GR-deficient adipocytes under postabsorptive and fasting conditions, resulting from impaired signal transduction from β-adrenergic receptors to adenylate cyclase. Upon prolonged fasting, the impaired lipolytic response resulted in abnormal substrate utilization and lean mass wasting. Conversely, GR deficiency attenuated aging-/diet-associated obesity, adipocyte hypertrophy, and liver steatosis. Systemic glucose tolerance was improved in obese GR-deficient mice, which was associated with increased insulin signaling in muscle and adipose tissue. We conclude that the GR in adipocytes exerts central but diverging roles in the regulation of metabolic homeostasis depending on the energetic state. The adipocyte GR is indispensable for the feeding-fasting transition but also promotes adiposity and associated metabolic disorders in fat-fed and aged mice.
Vocational choices made by alumni of the Leadership Program for Veterinary Students at Cornell University
Authors: Fraser David R. , Parker John S. L. , McGregor Douglas D.
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE To compare vocational aspirations and outcomes of participants in the 10-week Leadership Program for Veterinary Students at Cornell University.

DESIGN Survey.

SAMPLE Veterinary students who participated in the program between 1990 and 2013.

PROCEDURES Questionnaires that sought information about the career aspirations of participants at the beginning and end of the program were reviewed, along with records documenting the career progression of participants, audio recordings of interviews conducted with students, and notes of vocation-oriented counseling sessions held during each year's program.

RESULTS At the conclusion of the program, 143 of 174 (82%) participants indicated they were more likely than not to undertake research training after completing their veterinary degree, compared with 106 of 174 (61%) at the beginning. Participation also stimulated interest in residency training and industry, but did little to promote interest in careers in government or the military. The percentage of participants who indicated they were more likely than not to pursue additional training in private practice decreased from 97 of 174 (56%) at the beginning of the program to 75 of 174 (43%) at the end. Information on career progression was available for 391 individuals, of whom 177 (45%) were pursuing careers of the kind envisioned by the program. However, 189 (48%) participants had a career in general or specialty clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The Leadership Program appeared to have a short-term influence on careers anticipated by program participants. However, a substantial proportion pursued careers in clinical practice after graduation.
Comparison of clinical signs and outcomes between dogs with presumptive ischemic myelopathy and dogs with acute noncompressive nucleus pulposus extrusion
Authors: Fenn Joe , Drees Randi , Volk Holger A. , De Decker Steven
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE To compare clinical signs and outcomes between dogs with presumptive ischemic myelopathy and dogs with presumptive acute noncompressive nucleus pulposus extrusion (ANNPE).

DESIGN Retrospective study.

ANIMALS 51 dogs with ischemic myelopathy and 42 dogs with ANNPE examined at 1 referral hospital.

PROCEDURES Medical records and MRI sequences were reviewed for dogs with a presumptive antemortem diagnosis of ischemic myelopathy or ANNPE. Information regarding signalment, clinical signs at initial examination, and short-term outcome was retrospectively retrieved from patient records. Long-term outcome information was obtained by telephone communication with referring or primary-care veterinarians and owners.

RESULTS Compared with the hospital population, English Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Border Collies were overrepresented in the ischemic myelopathy and ANNPE groups, respectively. Dogs with ANNPE were significantly older at disease onset and were more likely to have a history of vocalization at onset of clinical signs, have spinal hyperesthesia during initial examination, have a lesion at C1-C5 spinal cord segments, and be ambulatory at hospital discharge, compared with dogs with ischemic myelopathy. Dogs with ischemic myelopathy were more likely to have a lesion at L4-S3 spinal cord segments and have long-term fecal incontinence, compared with dogs with ANNPE. However, long-term quality of life and outcome did not differ between dogs with ischemic myelopathy and dogs with ANNPE.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results revealed differences in clinical signs at initial examination between dogs with ischemic myelopathy and dogs with ANNPE that may aid clinicians in differentiating the 2 conditions.
Surgical management of multiple metatarsal fractures in a chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera)
Authors: Desprez Isabelle , Pignon Charly , Decambron Adeline , Donnelly Thomas M.
Published: September 2016

CASE DESCRIPTION A 3-month-old sexually intact female chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) was examined for sudden onset of non–weight-bearing lameness of the right hind limb.

CLINICAL FINDINGS On physical examination, the right pes was swollen. An open wound on the medial aspect of the metatarsal region exposed the second metatarsal bone, and the pes was displaced laterally. Radiographs of the right pes revealed oblique displaced fractures of the 4 metatarsal bones.

TREATMENT AND OUTCOME Surgical treatment was elected, and enrofloxacin was administered prior to surgery. The protruding fragment of the second metatarsal bone was excised, and the third and fourth metatarsal bones were repaired with intramedullary pins and external skeletal fixation. The chinchilla was bearing weight on the affected limb 9 days after surgery with only mild lameness. The implants were removed 35 days after surgery when radiographs showed bony union of the third and fourth metatarsal bones and continued reduction of the fractures of the second and fifth metatarsal bones. Fifty-six days after surgery, the chinchilla was bearing full weight on the limb, and radiographs showed bony union of the third, fourth, and fifth metatarsal bones.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE Findings suggested that intramedullary pinning combined with an epoxy resin external fixator may be an effective technique for metatarsal fracture repair in chinchillas. This method allowed physiologic positioning of the limb and functional hind limb use during fracture healing. Prospective studies of fracture healing in exotic small mammals are indicated.
Survey of referring veterinarians’ perceptions of and reasons for referring patients to rehabilitation facilities
Authors: Alvarez Leilani X. , Fox Philip R. , Van Dyke Janet B. , Grigsby Patrick
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE To identify patterns of referral to US small animal rehabilitation facilities, document referring veterinarians’ perceptions of rehabilitation services, and examine factors that encouraged and impeded referral of veterinary patients to rehabilitation facilities.

DESIGN Cross-sectional survey.

SAMPLE 461 completed surveys.

PROCEDURES Referral lists were obtained from 9 US rehabilitation facilities, and surveys were emailed or mailed to 2, 738 veterinarians whose names appeared on those lists. Data obtained from respondents were used to generate descriptive statistics and perform χ2 tests to determine patterns for referral of patients to rehabilitation facilities.

RESULTS 461 surveys were completed and returned, resulting in a response rate of 16.8%. The margin of error was < 5% for all responses. Most respondents (324/461 [70.3%]) had referred patients for postoperative rehabilitation therapy. Respondents ranked neurologic disorder as the condition they would most likely consider for referral for future rehabilitation therapy. The most frequently cited reason for not referring a patient for rehabilitation therapy was perceived cost (251/461 [54.4%]) followed by distance to a rehabilitation facility (135/461 [29.3%]). Specialists were more likely than general practitioners to refer patients for rehabilitation therapy. The majority (403/461 [87.4%]) of respondents felt that continuing education in the field of veterinary rehabilitation was lacking.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated a need for continuing education in small animal rehabilitation for veterinarians. Improved knowledge of rehabilitation therapy will enable veterinarians to better understand and more specifically communicate indications and benefits for pets receiving this treatment modality.
Guidelines for reporting health research: what authors should check before submitting an article
Authors: Sharma Apurb , Aryal Diptesh
Published: September 2016

With the publication of the 2016 September issue, Journal of Society of Anesthesiologists of Nepal (JSAN) has published its revised instruction to authors. The editorial board of JSAN has taken all possible steps to ensure the quality of the material published in the journal remains high and advise the authors to use the minimum set of items needed for a complete and clear description of the research methodology, findings of the study and discussion of the results. The new instructions to authors abide by the recommendations of the Equator Network and guide the authors to follow the checklists and guidelines to report their findings.
Dexmedetomidine and magnesium sulphate as the anaesthetic adjuncts for intraoperative management for resection of pheochromocytoma - a case report
Authors: Shrestha Gentle Sunder , Rupakhetee Sachit Sharma , Pathak Sunil , Acharya Pragya , Parajuli Bashu Dev , Shrestha Anil
Published: September 2016

Pheochromocytoma, a tumour arising from adrenal medulla or other ganglia of sympathetic nervous system is notorious for secreting catecholamines. This form of the tumour is a major challenge to anaesthesia team as acute changes in blood pressure and heart rate usually occurs due to the release of catecholamines from the tumour site before tumour resection and cessation of the same after resection leading to hemodynamic instability intraoperatively. Better hemodynamic stability is desired during this form of tumour resection as acute fluctuations in blood pressure may lead to severe intracranial or cardiovascular events. Dexmedetomidine and magnesium sulphate were used as anaesthetic adjuncts to achieve good hemodynamic stability in a 35 years old female who presented with the history of headaches, palpitation and sweating on and off since last 2 years. The use of these agents allowed us to obtain an acceptable level of hemodynamic stability along with the help of other agents such as inotropes, vasopressors, vasodilators and antihypertensive agents. Dexmedetomidine and magnesium sulphate were used before resection of the tumour in our case and stopped thereafter. These agents may be an excellent option as anaesthetic adjuncts to obtain greater hemodynamic stability during resection of pheochromocytoma.
Ultrasound guided abdominal plane blocks as anaesthetic technique for laparotomy in cancer patients: a case series
Authors: Rayamajhi Anuj Jung , Bhattarai Prajjwal Raj , Yadav Rupesh Kumar , Paudel Subash Chandra , Pandit Rabin , Shakya Vikal Chandra
Published: September 2016

Diagnosis and surgery pertaining cancer are increasing day by day in the developing world. Delay in diagnosis, poor socioeconomic status, and poor medical facilities are the challenge in treating these patients. Decreasing or preventing postoperative morbidity is of paramount importance in these cases. Ultrasound guided abdominal plane blocks like transversus abdominis plane block, rectus sheath block and coeliac plexus in combination with ketofol and/or dexmedetomidine sedation may be the alternative to general anaesthesia with an endotracheal tube or neuraxial block. These techniques, successfully used in our patients undergoing cancer surgeries, have a potential to decrease intensive care length of stay, decrease requirement of mechanical ventilation, early ambulation, and discharge.
Improvised perioperative techniques to meet the challenges of microvascular free flap surgery
Authors: Pathak Soumi , Chowdhury Itee , Bhargava Ajay Kumar
Published: September 2016

Deformities of the head and neck region after radical oncosurgery can have devastating effects on the appearance of the patient with significant impact on patients quality of life. Reconstruction of such defects continues to be an extremely demanding challenge for plastic surgeons who aim to restore form and function with minimal surgical morbidity. The purpose of this communications is to highlight the various interventions and the protocols that are adopted to decrease the free flap failure rate.
A Transdisciplinary History of the Disappearance of the Aral Sea
Authors: Fusco Idamaria , Quagliarotti Desirée A.L.
Published: September 2016

In these last decades the Aral Sea in Central Asia, one of largest inland bodies of water on the planet, has undergone a drying process with very serious environmental consequences for the whole area. Its story is very complex and has its origin in the history, in particular in the rule of this area by the former Soviet Union. Therefore, in this essay we have tried to offer a transdisciplinary interpretation of such an environmental disaster, going back to the past. In fact, we are sure that only a long-term view can help us to better understand what really happened in Central Asia. So, after a brief description of the geography of this area, we have dealt with its history, from the Tsarist period till nowadays. The present socio-economic and environmental situation in the Aral Sea area is analysed in the last part of this essay, where we also underline that such a disaster can be well explained in the light of the Marxist (and of the Soviet) idea of exploiting nature without any respect for it, in order to attain goals. In this case the goals revolved around the idea of building a strong State within the international competition exacerbated during the years of the Cold War. In this sense, beyond every difference in ideology, communism and capitalism have demonstrated that they have many things in common and, between them, an anthropocentric vision of nature. Such a vision can lead to severe environmental damage, as the Aral Sea disaster well shows.
The Rise and Fall of Dairy Cows in Socialist Cuba
Authors: Funes-Monzote Reinaldo
Published: September 2016

The Cuban revolution of 1959 represents in some sense a reaction against the traditional and omnipresent dominance of sugar cane agroindustry in the countryside and national economy. The first agrarian reform of 17 May provoked reaction from estates under foreign and local ownership and the confrontation with the US government, who supported their companies and maintained a secular control over Cuba’s economy. Consequently, the revolutionary government moved towards new alliances with the communist block and proclaimed the socialist character of the revolution. With this new support and because of difficulties with programmes for agricultural diversification and industrialisation, from 1964 there began a new age of sugar exportation under the control of the State, as an engine of the economy. At the same time, the government developed programmes for other crops and the modernisation and diversification of livestock production to create the basis for industrialisation. Until the 1980s, the intensification of Cuban agriculture depended on the huge increase of mechanisation, chemical fertilisation and irrigation in order to increase yields and replace human and animal labour. Besides increasing agricultural exportation, the goal was the growth of local food supply, for example of animal protein sources. This model had some achievements, but in parallel increased dependency on external inputs and created different environmental problems. Finally, the vulnerabilities of this model were evident after the crisis of the Cuban economy in the 1990s, when the support of the former Soviet Union ended. Intensive agriculture suffered a big collapse, mainly in the export-oriented crops and intensive livestock markets, opening a new age for an agricultural model less dependent on external inputs, with more attention to local resources, and the beginnings of some level of recovery from centuries of ecological deterioration in the rural landscape.
Environmental Degradation in China under Mao and Today: A Comparative Reflection
Authors: Shapiro Judith
Published: September 2016

This essay reflects on the arguments made in two books on China’s environmental degradation, the first on the Mao period (
Mao’s War against Nature
), the second on contemporary China (
China’s Environmental Challenges
). It identifies continuities and discontinuities in the underlying forces driving China’s extreme environmental problems. Under Mao, the deep drivers of environmental harm included political repression, utopian urgency, dogmatic formalism and forcible relocations. Nowadays, drivers include globalisation, population increase, urbanisation, the rise of the middle class, challenges of governance and weak civil society, and the displacement of environmental harm across time and space. To what extent has China’s willingness to become the world’s manufacturing hub changed the basic dynamics of environmental harm in the country? Do themes such as lack of public participation and access to information, as well as the State’s need to secure resources in its border territories (and, now, overseas) point to continuities, even as the level of degradation has risen to levels unimaginable as China stood on the brink of reform in 1978? This essay argues that there are both continuities and discontinuities. It concludes with a discussion of the drivers of environmental protection, and an acknowledgment that the Chinese government is going to great lengths to deal with China’s environmental crisis. Although some drivers of environmental harm are intractable, others may yet be redirected and permit grounds for hope.
The Danube Pontoon Bridge of Pest-Buda (1767-1849) as an Indicator and Victim of the Climate Change of the Little Ice Age
Authors: Rácz Lajos
Published: September 2016

Traffic began flowing over the pontoon bridge connecting Pest and Buda in 1767. The pontoon bridge was rebuilt many times in the course of its 82-year history. During the winter months it could not be used because of ice flows on the river. The history of the bridge’s use is relatively well documented, with contemporary newspapers reporting regularly on events connected to the pontoon bridge’s use. The bridge was dismantled at the onset of lasting cold weather and the appearance of ice on the river and only replaced after the annual thaw. We can describe the duration of cold weather in the winter impacting on the disintegration and rebuilding of the pontoon bridge as an ‘outer winter’ and the duration the Danube was frozen, the long cold period, as an ‘inner winter’. As the two cases complement each other in several aspects, use was also made of new reports concerning the pontoon bridge in Pozsony (now Bratislava, Slovakia) in addition to the data from the pontoon bridge of Pest-Buda. The winters of the last decade of the eighteenth and first decade of the nineteenth century were unusually mild and it is certain that the Danube did not freeze up on eleven occasions in two decades. However, from the 1810s, ice-free winters became extraordinarily rare and it is clearly visible that a new climatic regime had got underway. The transitional period fell in the 1810s as the centre of gravity of last big cooling period of the Little Ice Age, based on the mean temperature of winters, started from the middle of the 1820s and ended in the mid-1840s in the Carpathian Basin.
The History of Sexuality and Historical Methodology
Authors: Clark-Huckstep Andrew E.
Published: September 2016

Michel Foucault's The History of Sexuality has been the subject of debate among historians for decades. More specifically, his assertion, ‘the sodomite was a temporary aberration, the homosexual was now a species,’ has been used to support an ‘acts-to-identity’ theory that locates in the late-nineteenth century a shift in thinking about sexuality. The author argues that a re-reading of Foucault shifts the focus of historical inquiry from identities towards the process of knowledge creation, allowing for ambiguity that the concept ‘identity’ might foreclose. This essay examines the debate and offers a new reading of Foucault based on the work of Lynne Huffer. Finally, the author seeks to centre a source-driven approach in conjunction with The History of Sexuality, providing readings of patients and informants from the work of Richard von Krafft-Ebing and Havelock Ellis.
The Characteristics of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Heavy-Duty Trucks in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) Region in China
Authors: Xing Yi , Song Hongqing , Yu Mingxu , Wang Cheng , Zhou Yang , Liu Guanghui , Du Li
Published: September 2016

This paper aims to study the characteristics of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from heavy-duty trucks in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region, which is located in Northern China. The multiyear emissions of GHG (CO2, CH4 and N2O) from heavy-duty trucks fueled by diesel and natural gas during the period of 2006–2015 were compared and analyzed. The results show that the GHG emissions from heavy-duty trucks increase with time, which is consistent with the trend of the population growth. The total amount of carbon dioxide equivalence (CO2e) emissions in the BTH region was about 5.12 × 106 t in 2015. Among the three sub-regions, Hebei possesses the largest number of heavy-duty trucks due to the size of its heavy-duty industries. As a consequence, the GHG emissions are about 10 times compared to Beijing and Tianjin. Tractor trailers account for the major proportion of heavy-duty trucks and hence contribute to about 74% of GHG emissions. Diesel- and liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered heavy-duty trucks can reduce GHG emissions more effectively under current national standard IV than can the previous standard. The widespread utilization of the alternative fuel of LNG to mitigate emissions must be accompanied with engine technology development in China. This study has provided new insight on management methods and the policy-making as regards trucks in terms of environmental demand.
Food Leftover Practices among Consumers in Selected Countries in Europe, South and North America
Authors: Koppel Kadri , Higa Federica , Godwin Sandria , Gutierrez Nelson , Shalimov Roman , Cardinal Paula , Di Donfrancesco Brizio , Sosa Miriam , Carbonell-Barrachina Angel , Timberg Loreida , Chambers Edgar
Published: September 2016

Foodborne illnesses may be related to many food production factors with home practices of consumers playing an important role in food safety. Consumer behavior for handling food leftovers has been studied, however little work on comparisons among countries has been published. The objective of this study was to investigate home food leftover practices of people from North American, South American, and European countries. Surveys were conducted with approximately 100 or more consumers in Argentina, Colombia, the United States, Estonia, Italy, Russia, and Spain. The participants responded to questions related to the length of time different types of food leftovers; such as meat, fresh salads, or restaurant dishes would be kept refrigerated or would be left at room temperature before refrigeration. Researchers also investigated how consumers would determine if the food was still safe for consumption. Potentially risky behaviors were observed in all seven countries. For instance, 55.8% of Estonians, 25% of Russians and 25.8% of Argentinean participants left food out at room temperature for several hours before storing in the refrigerator. Furthermore, 25%–29% of Colombian, Estonian, and Spanish consumers would look, smell, and taste leftovers to determine its probable safety. Correct handling of leftovers is an important aspect of consumer food safety. Although the surveys cannot be representative of all consumers in each country, they do provide an initial overview of comparative practices for handling leftovers among different countries. This provides government and educators with information on potential universal and unique consumer food safety issues related to handling leftover foods among various countries.
Differential Impact of Hyperglycemia in Critically Ill Patients: Significance in Acute Myocardial Infarction but Not in Sepsis?
Authors: Wernly Bernhard , Lichtenauer Michael , Franz Marcus , Kabisch Bjoern , Muessig Johanna , Masyuk Maryna , Kelm Malte , Hoppe Uta , Jung Christian
Published: September 2016

Hyperglycemia is a common condition in critically ill patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). These patients represent an inhomogeneous collective and hyperglycemia might need different evaluation depending on the underlying disorder. To elucidate this, we investigated and compared associations of severe hyperglycemia (>200 mg/dL) and mortality in patients admitted to an ICU for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or sepsis as the two most frequent admission diagnoses. From 2006 to 2009, 2551 patients 69 (58–77) years; 1544 male; 337 patients suffering from type 2 diabetes (T2DM)) who were admitted because of either AMI or sepsis to an ICU in a tertiary care hospital were investigated retrospectively. Follow-up of patients was performed between May 2013 and November 2013. In a Cox regression analysis, maximum glucose concentration at the day of admission was associated with mortality in the overall cohort (HR = 1.006, 95% CI: 1.004–1.009; p < 0.001) and in patients suffering from myocardial infarction (HR = 1.101, 95% CI: 1.075–1.127; p < 0.001) but only in trend in patients admitted to an ICU for sepsis (HR = 1.030, 95% CI: 0.998–1.062; p = 0.07). Severe hyperglycemia was associated with adverse intra-ICU mortality in the overall cohort (23% vs. 13%; p < 0.001) and patients admitted for AMI (15% vs. 5%; p < 0.001) but not for septic patients (39% vs. 40%; p = 0.48). A medical history of type 2 diabetes (n = 337; 13%) was not associated with increased intra-ICU mortality (15% vs. 15%; p = 0.93) but in patients with severe hyperglycemia and/or a known medical history of type 2 diabetes considered in combination, an increased mortality in AMI patients (intra-ICU 5% vs. 13%; p < 0.001) but not in septic patients (intra-ICU 38% vs. 41%; p = 0.53) could be evidenced. The presence of hyperglycemia in critically ill patients has differential impact within the different etiological groups. Hyperglycemia in AMI patients might identify a sicker patient collective suffering from pre-diabetes or undiagnosed diabetes with its’ known adverse consequences, especially in the long-term. Hyperglycemia in sepsis might be considered as adaptive survival mechanism to hypo-perfusion and consecutive lack of glucose in peripheral cells. AMI patients with hyperglycemic derailment during an ICU-stay should be closely followed-up and extensively screened for diabetes to improve patients’ outcome.
Structure-Based Reverse Vaccinology Failed in the Case of HIV Because it Disregarded Accepted Immunological Theory
Authors: Van Regenmortel Marc
Published: September 2016

Two types of reverse vaccinology (RV) should be distinguished: genome-based RV for bacterial vaccines and structure-based RV for viral vaccines. Structure-based RV consists in trying to generate a vaccine by first determining the crystallographic structure of a complex between a viral epitope and a neutralizing monoclonal antibody (nMab) and then reconstructing the epitope by reverse molecular engineering outside the context of the native viral protein. It is based on the unwarranted assumption that the epitope designed to fit the nMab will have acquired the immunogenic capacity to elicit a polyclonal antibody response with the same protective capacity as the nMab. After more than a decade of intensive research using this type of RV, this approach has failed to deliver an effective, preventive HIV-1 vaccine. The structure and dynamics of different types of HIV-1 epitopes and of paratopes are described. The rational design of an anti-HIV-1 vaccine is shown to be a misnomer since investigators who claim that they design a vaccine are actually only improving the antigenic binding capacity of one epitope with respect to only one paratope and not the immunogenic capacity of an epitope to elicit neutralizing antibodies. Because of the degeneracy of the immune system and the polyspecificity of antibodies, each epitope studied by the structure-based RV procedure is only one of the many epitopes that the particular nMab is able to recognize and there is no reason to assume that this nMab must have been elicited by this one epitope of known structure. Recent evidence is presented that the trimeric Env spikes of the virus possess such an enormous plasticity and intrinsic structural flexibility that it is it extremely difficult to determine which Env regions are the best candidate vaccine immunogens most likely to elicit protective antibodies.
Opening up the Black Box of Sensor Processing Algorithms through New Visualizations
Authors: Morison Alexander , Woods David
Published: September 2016

Vehicles and platforms with multiple sensors connect people in multiple roles with different responsibilities to scenes of interest. For many of these human–sensor systems there are a variety of algorithms that transform, select, and filter the sensor data prior to human intervention. Emergency response, precision agriculture, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) are examples of these human–computation–sensor systems. The authors examined a case of the latter to understand how people in various roles utilize the algorithms output to identify meaningful properties in data streams given uncertainty. The investigations revealed: (a) that increasingly complex interactions occur across agents in the human–computation–sensor system; and (b) analysts struggling to interpret the output of “black box” algorithms given uncertainty and change in the scenes of interest. The paper presents a new interactive visualization concept designed to “open up the black box” of sensor processing algorithms to support human analysts as they look for meaning in feeds from sensors.
The Effect of 4-Octyldecyloxybenzoic Acid on Liquid-Crystalline Polyurethane Composites with Triple-Shape Memory and Self-Healing Properties
Authors: Ban Jianfeng , Zhu Linjiang , Chen Shaojun , Wang Yiping
Published: September 2016

To better understand shape memory materials and self-healing materials, a new series of liquid-crystalline shape memory polyurethane (LC-SMPU) composites, named SMPU-OOBAm, were successfully prepared by incorporating 4-octyldecyloxybenzoic acid (OOBA) into the PEG-based SMPU. The effect of OOBA on the structure, morphology, and properties of the material has been carefully investigated. The results demonstrate that SMPU-OOBAm has liquid crystalline properties, triple-shape memory properties, and self-healing properties. The incorporated OOBA promotes the crystallizability of both soft and hard segments of SMPU, and the crystallization rate of the hard segment of SMPU decreases when the OOBA-content increases. Additionally, the SMPU-OOBAm forms a two-phase separated structure (SMPU phase and OOBA phase), and it shows two-step modulus changes upon heating. Therefore, the SMPU-OOBAm exhibits triple-shape memory behavior, and the shape recovery ratio decreases with an increase in the OOBA content. Finally, SMPU-OOBAm exhibits self-healing properties. The new mechanism can be ascribed to the heating-induced “bleeding” of OOBA in the liquid crystalline state and the subsequent re-crystallization upon cooling. This successful combination of liquid crystalline properties, triple-shape memory properties, and self-healing properties make the SMPU-OOBAm composites ideal for many promising applications in smart optical devices, smart electronic devices, and smart sensors.
Highly Absorbent Antibacterial Hemostatic Dressing for Healing Severe Hemorrhagic Wounds
Authors: Li Ting-Ting , Lou Ching-Wen , Chen An-Pang , Lee Mong-Chuan , Ho Tsing-Fen , Chen Yueh-Sheng , Lin Jia-Horng
Published: September 2016

To accelerate healing of severe hemorrhagic wounds, a novel highly absorbent hemostatic dressing composed of a Tencel®/absorbent-cotton/polylactic acid nonwoven base and chitosan/nanosilver antibacterial agent was fabricated by using a nonwoven processing technique and a freeze-drying technique. This study is the first to investigate the wicking and water-absorbing properties of a nonwoven base by measuring the vertical wicking height and water absorption ratio. Moreover, blood agglutination and hemostatic second tests were conducted to evaluate the hemostatic performance of the resultant wound dressing. The blending ratio of fibers, areal weight, punching density, and fiber orientation, all significantly influenced the vertical moisture wicking property. However, only the first two parameters markedly affected the water absorption ratio. After the nonwoven base absorbed blood, scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation showed that erythrocytes were trapped between the fibrin/clot network and nonwoven fibers when coagulation pathways were activated. Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) blood agglutination of the resultant dressing decreased to 14.34 and 50.94 s, respectively. In the femoral artery of the rate bleeding model, hemostatic time was saved by 87.2% compared with that of cotton cloth. Therefore, the resultant antibacterial wound dressing demonstrated greater water and blood absorption, as well as hemostatic performance, than the commercially available cotton cloth, especially for healing severe hemorrhagic wounds.
Biotin Auxotrophy and Biotin Enhanced Germ Tube Formation in Candida albicans
Authors: Ahmad Hussin Nur , Pathirana Ruvini , Hasim Sahar , Tati Swetha , Scheib-Owens Jessica , Nickerson Kenneth
Published: September 2016

Due to the increased number of immunocompromised patients, infections with the pathogen Candida albicans have significantly increased in recent years. C. albicans transition from yeast to germ tubes is one of the essential factors for virulence. In this study we noted that Lee’s medium, commonly used to induce filamentation, contained 500-fold more biotin than needed for growth and 40-fold more biotin than is typically added to growth media. Thus, we investigated the effects of excess biotin on growth rate and filamentation by C. albicans in different media. At 37 °C, excess biotin (4 µM) enhanced germ tube formation (GTF) ca. 10-fold in both Lee’s medium and a defined glucose-proline medium, and ca. 4-fold in 1% serum. Two biotin precursors, desthiobiotin and 7-keto-8-aminopelargonic acid (KAPA), also stimulated GTF. During these studies we also noted an inverse correlation between the number of times the inoculum had been washed and the concentration of serum needed to stimulate GTF. C. albicans cells that had been washed eight times achieved 80% GTF with only 0.1% sheep serum. The mechanism by which 1–4 µM biotin enhances GTF is still unknown except to note that equivalent levels of biotin are needed to create an internal supply of stored biotin and biotinylated histones. Biotin did not restore filamentation for any of the four known filamentation defective mutants tested. C. albicans is auxotrophic for biotin and this biotin auxotrophy was fulfilled by biotin, desthiobiotin, or KAPA. However, biotin auxotrophy is not temperature dependent or influenced by the presence of 5% CO2. Biotin starvation upregulated the biotin biosynthetic genes BIO2, BIO3, and BIO4 by 11-, 1500-, and 150-fold, respectively, and BIO2p is predicted to be mitochondrion-localized. Based on our findings, we suggest that biotin has two roles in the physiology of C. albicans, one as an enzymatic cofactor and another as a morphological regulator. Finally, we found no evidence supporting prior claims that C. albicans only forms hyphae at very low biotin (0.1 nM) growth conditions.
Virtual Screening for Potential Allosteric Inhibitors of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2 from Traditional Chinese Medicine
Authors: Lu Fang , Luo Ganggang , Qiao Liansheng , Jiang Ludi , Li Gongyu , Zhang Yanling
Published: September 2016

Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), a member of Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), plays an important role in cell division and DNA replication. It is regarded as a desired target to treat cancer and tumor by interrupting aberrant cell proliferation. Compared to lower subtype selectivity of CDK2 ATP-competitive inhibitors, CDK2 allosteric inhibitor with higher subtype selectivity has been used to treat CDK2-related diseases. Recently, the first crystal structure of CDK2 with allosteric inhibitor has been reported, which provides new opportunities to design pure allosteric inhibitors of CDK2. The binding site of the ATP-competition inhibitors and the allosteric inhibitors are partially overlapped in space position, so the same compound might interact with the two binding sites. Thus a novel screening strategy was essential for the discovery of pure CDK2 allosteric inhibitors. In this study, pharmacophore and molecular docking were used to screen potential CDK2 allosteric inhibitors and ATP-competition inhibitors from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In the docking result of the allosteric site, the compounds which can act with the CDK2 ATP site were discarded, and the remaining compounds were regarded as the potential pure allosteric inhibitors. Among the results, prostaglandin E1 and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) were available and their growth inhibitory effect on human HepG2 cell lines was determined by MTT assay. The two compounds could substantially inhibit the growth of HepG2 cell lines with an estimated IC50 of 41.223 μmol/L and 45.646 μmol/L. This study provides virtual screening strategy of allosteric compounds and a reliable method to discover potential pure CDK2 allosteric inhibitors from TCM. Prostaglandin E1 and NDGA could be regarded as promising candidates for CDK2 allosteric inhibitors.
The Anticonvulsant Activity of a Flavonoid-Rich Extract from Orange Juice Involves both NMDA and GABA-Benzodiazepine Receptor Complexes
Authors: Citraro Rita , Navarra Michele , Leo Antonio , Donato Di Paola Eugenio , Santangelo Ermenegildo , Lippiello Pellegrino , Aiello Rossana , Russo Emilio , De Sarro Giovambattista
Published: September 2016

The usage of dietary supplements and other natural products to treat neurological diseases has been growing over time, and accumulating evidence suggests that flavonoids possess anticonvulsant properties. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a flavonoid-rich extract from orange juice (OJe) in some rodent models of epilepsy and to explore its possible mechanism of action. The genetically audiogenic seizures (AGS)-susceptible DBA/2 mouse, the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures in ICR-CD1 mice and the WAG/Rij rat as a genetic model of absence epilepsy with comorbidity of depression were used. Our results demonstrate that OJe was able to exert anticonvulsant effects on AGS-sensible DBA/2 mice and to inhibit PTZ-induced tonic seizures, increasing their latency. Conversely, it did not have anti-absence effects on WAG/Rij rats. Our experimental findings suggest that the anti-convulsant effects of OJe are likely mediated by both an inhibition of NMDA receptors at the glycine-binding site and an agonistic activity on benzodiazepine-binding site at GABAA receptors. This study provides evidences for the antiepileptic activity of OJe, and its results could be used as scientific basis for further researches aimed to develop novel complementary therapy for the treatment of epilepsy in a context of a multitarget pharmacological strategy.