bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carboxymethyl‐β‐cyclodextrin enhanced TiO2 removal of Acid Red R and lead ions in suspended solutions
Authors: Wang Guanghui , Yang Lanlan , Wu Feng , Deng Nansheng
Published: May 2013

Background

It is necessary to find an effective method for the removal of dyes and heavy metals from aqueous solutions. In this work, the effects of carboxymethyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (CMCD) on the photocatalytic degradation of Acid Red R (ARR) and photocatalytic reduction of Pb2+ were investigated in TiO2 suspensions, and the synergistic effects on the simultaneous conversion of ARR and Pb2+ in the presence of CMCD were also evaluated.

Results

The results showed that CMCD can enhance the photocatalytic degradation of ARR and photocatalytic reduction of Pb2+ in a single system with ARR or Pb2+, respectively. When CMCD was added to the mixed reaction system of ARR and Pb2+, the synergistic effects on the simultaneous conversion of ARR and Pb2+ in aqueous solutions were further enhanced. The photocatalytic removal rates of ARR and Pb2+ in the mixed system were markedly enhanced compared with those in the single systems, and the reaction rate constants of ARR and Pb2+ in the presence of CMCD were higher than those in the absence of CMCD.

Conclusions

CMCD can simultaneously enhance the photocatalytic removal of ARR and Pb2+ in mixed systems. CMCD‐enhanced photocatalytic technology may be a good alternative for the treatment of wastewaters containing dyes and heavy metal ions. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
Personality across working life: The longitudinal and reciprocal influences of personality on work
Authors: Woods Stephen A. , Lievens Filip , De Fruyt Filip , Wille Bart
Published: May 2013

This paper focuses on the role of personality at different stages of people's working lives. We begin by reviewing the research in industrial, work, and organizational (IWO) psychology regarding the longitudinal and dynamic influences of personality as an independent variable at different career stages, structuring our review around a framework of people's working lives and careers over time. Next, we review recent studies in the personality and developmental psychology domain regarding the influence of changing life roles on personality. In this domain, personality also serves as a dependent variable. By blending these two domains, it becomes clear that the study of reciprocal effects of work and personality might open a new angle in IWO psychology's long‐standing tradition of personality research. To this end, we outline various implications for conceptual development (e.g., trait stability) and empirical research (e.g., personality and work incongruence). Finally, we discuss some methodological and statistical considerations for research in this new research domain. In the end, our review should enrich the way that IWO psychologists understand personality at work, focusing away from its unidirectional predictivist influence on job performance toward a more complex longitudinal reciprocal interplay of personality and working life. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Is humor the best medicine? The buffering effect of coping humor on traumatic stressors in firefighters
Authors: Sliter Michael , Kale Aron , Yuan Zhenyu
Published: May 2013

Although our understanding of workplace stressors has grown across the past 30 years, this research has generally ignored traumatic workplace stressors. This is a serious omission, given that many occupations (e.g., firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and police) are frequently exposed to traumatic stressors. As such, the first purpose of the current study was to examine the impact of exposure to traumatic stressors in firefighters. Post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), burnout, and absenteeism were investigated as cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes. Additionally, we sought to investigate coping humor as a mechanism for dealing with traumatic stressors. We frame these expectations by discussing humor from a transactional theory of emotion/coping perspective, as well as through humor's social bonding feature and its ability to combat the physiological impact of stressors. We surveyed 179 firefighters at two time points on relevant variables, with dependent variables collected at Time 2. The results indicated that traumatic events significantly predicted burnout, PTSD, and absenteeism and that coping humor buffered this relationship for burnout and PTSD. We discuss the implications of these findings and call for more research investigating occupations in which traumatic stressors are a concern, as well as for more integration of humor into the workplace literature. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nucleus N5 CI500 series implant recall
Authors: Hildrew Douglas M. , Molony Timothy B.
Published: May 2013

Objectives/Hypothesis

To compare the cumulative failure percentage of the Cochlear Nucleus N5 CI500 series implant observed, both before and after the voluntary recall of unimplanted devices, to that of the Cochlear Nucleus Freedom CI24RE series implant.

Study Design

Retrospective review of 411 patients implanted with either the Nucleus Freedom or the Nucleus N5 device.

Methods

Cochlear implantation was performed in standard fashion. A database was created by combining information obtained from operative case logs, an integrated clinical electronic medical records system, and an external database of devices maintained by Cochlear Corporation.

Results

Of the 289 implants of the Nucleus Freedom CI24RE series device at this institution, the cumulative failure percentage was 0%. There were 122 implants of the Nucleus N5 CI500 series device, yielding a 9.8% cumulative failure percent; 82 were manufactured before the voluntary recall and 40 were produced afterward. The 82 implants manufactured before the recall had two associated failures, while the 40 produced afterward had 10 failures.

Conclusions

It is possible that the cumulative failure percentage (CFP) of the Cochlear Nucleus N5 CI500 series implant is not fully defined. While the CFP of the Nucleus Freedom CI24RE series implant at this institution was 0%, it was 9.8% for the Nucleus N5. The CFP of Nucleus N5 devices manufactured before the voluntary recall was 2.4%, while the CFP afterward was 25.0%—nearly 6‐fold higher than the company‐published value of 4.2% for all Nucleus N5 implants registered globally.

Level of Evidence

3b. Laryngoscope, 123:2829–2833, 2013
Mouse cochleostomy: A minimally invasive dorsal approach for modeling cochlear implantation
Authors: Soken Hakan , Robinson Barbara K. , Goodman Shawn S. , Abbas Paul J. , Hansen Marlan R. , Kopelovich Jonathan C.
Published: May 2013

Objectives/Hypothesis

The murine model has been used extensively to model and study human deafness. Technical difficulty in the surgical approach due to the small size of the tympanic bulla and a robust stapedial artery has limited its application for studies of cochlear implantation and electrical stimulation. We describe a minimally traumatic, stapedial artery–sparing approach to the round window that may be used to access the mouse cochlea for acute or chronic studies of implantation and stimulation.

Study Design

Animal model.

Methods

Fifteen C57BL6J mice were used to validate this approach. Auditory brainstem response threshold and distortion product otoacoustic emissions were obtained preoperatively and 2 weeks postoperatively to determine hearing preservation results.

Results

The approach provided excellent exposure for round‐window implantation. Substantial hearing was preserved in all animals with a mean postimplantation auditory brainstem response threshold increase of 27.8 dB. Otoacoustic emissions were lost in subjects with the largest threshold shifts.

Conclusions

Residual hearing after cochlear implantation is a determinant of success both with standard cochlear implant electrodes and with electrodes designed to optimize hearing preservation. Here, we have preserved usable hearing after implantation of C57BL6J mice, an endogenous model of human presbycusia. The murine model may become a powerful tool to assay the effects of cochlear intervention in different genetic backgrounds. Laryngoscope, 123:E109–E115, 2013
SNCA: Major genetic modifier of age at onset of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Brockmann Kathrin , Schulte Claudia , Hauser Ann‐Kathrin , Lichtner Peter , Huber Heiko , Maetzler Walter , Berg Daniela , Gasser Thomas
Published: May 2013

Age at onset serves as a predictor of progression and mortality in sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). Therefore, the identification of genetic modifiers for age at onset might lead to a better understanding of disease pathogenesis. We performed multivariate linear regression analysis in 1396 sporadic PD patients assessing 21 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that have been previously suggested to be associated with sporadic PD. Moreover, a cumulative risk score was assigned to each patient and correlated with age at onset. We identified the rs356219 risk allele in the SNCA gene as significantly contributing to earlier age at onset. Neither one of the other 21 SNPs tested in this analysis nor the cumulative number of risk alleles showed a significant impact on PD onset. Because sequence variants in the SNCA gene are not only associated with autosomal dominantly inherited PD and increased susceptibility for sporadic PD but also have been found to modify the phenotype such as age at onset in both sporadic and various monogenic forms of PD, this gene serves as an outstanding target for further research on PD pathogenesis, which in return might provide potential therapeutic options. © 2013 Movement Disorder Society
Variability in neuronal expression of dopamine receptors and transporters in the substantia nigra
Authors: Reyes Stefanie , Cottam Veronica , Kirik Deniz , Double Kay L. , Halliday Glenda M.
Published: May 2013

Parkinson's disease (PD) patients have increased susceptibility to impulse control disorders. Recent studies have suggested that alterations in dopamine receptors in the midbrain underlie impulsive behaviors and that more impulsive individuals, including patients with PD, exhibit increased occupancy of their midbrain dopamine receptors. The cellular location of dopamine receptor subtypes and transporters within the human midbrain may therefore have important implications for the development of impulse control disorders in PD. The localization of the dopamine receptors (D1–D5) and dopamine transporter proteins in the upper brain stems of elderly adult humans (n = 8) was assessed using single immunoperoxidase and double immunofluorescence (with tyrosine hydroxylase to identify dopamine neurons). The relative amount of protein expressed in dopamine neurons from different regions was assessed by comparing their relative immunofluorescent intensities. The midbrain dopamine regions associated with impulsivity (medial nigra and ventral tegmental area [VTA]) expressed less dopamine transporter on their neurons than other midbrain dopamine regions. Medial nigral dopamine neurons expressed significantly greater amounts of D1 and D2 receptors and vesicular monoamine transporter than VTA dopamine neurons. The heterogeneous pattern of dopamine receptors and transporters in the human midbrain suggests that the effects of dopamine and dopamine agonists are likely to be nonuniform. The expression of excitatory D1 receptors on nigral dopamine neurons in midbrain regions associated with impulsivity, and their variable loss as seen in PD, may be of particular interest for impulse control. © 2013 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Reliability and validity of the Severity of Dependence Scale for detecting cannabis dependence in frequent cannabis users
Authors: van der Pol Peggy , Liebregts Nienke , de Graaf Ron , Korf Dirk J. , van den Brink Wim , van Laar Margriet
Published: May 2013

The Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) measures with five items the degree of psychological dependence on several illicit drugs, including cannabis. Its psychometric properties have not yet been examined in young adult frequent cannabis users, an eminently high‐risk group for cannabis dependence.

Internal consistency and criterion validity of the SDS were investigated within an enriched community based sample of 577 Dutch frequent (≥ three days per week in the past 12 months) cannabis users between 18–30 years. Criterion validity was tested against the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) 3.0 DSM‐IV diagnosis cannabis dependence, and psychometric properties were assessed separately for males and females and for ethnic subgroups.

Principal component analysis showed that all items of the scale loaded on a single factor and reliability of the SDS total score was good (Cronbach's α = 0.70). However, criterion validity against the CIDI diagnosis cannabis dependence was low: area under curve (AUC) was 0.68 (95% confidence interval: 0.64–0.73) and at the optimal differentiating cut‐off (SDS ≥ 4), sensitivity was 61.3% and specificity 63.5%. Results were similar for subgroups on gender and ethnicity.

While internal consistency of the SDS is good, its use as a screener to differentiate between dependence and non‐dependence within populations of young adult frequent cannabis users is not recommended. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
DTI of human skeletal muscle: the effects of diffusion encoding parameters, signal‐to‐noise ratio and T2 on tensor indices and fiber tracts
Authors: Froeling Martijn , Nederveen Aart J. , Nicolay Klaas , Strijkers Gustav J.
Published: May 2013

In this study, we have performed simulations to address the effects of diffusion encoding parameters, signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) and T2 on skeletal muscle diffusion tensor indices and fiber tracts. Where appropriate, simulations were corroborated and validated by in vivo diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of human skeletal muscle. Specifically, we have addressed: (i) the accuracy and precision of the diffusion parameters and eigenvectors at different SNR levels; (ii) the effects of the diffusion gradient direction encoding scheme; (iii) the optimal b value for diffusion tensor estimation; (iv) the effects of changes in skeletal muscle T2; and, finally, the influence of SNR on fiber tractography and derived (v) fiber lengths, (vi) pennation angles and (vii) fiber curvatures. We conclude that accurate DTI of skeletal muscle requires an SNR of at least 25, a b value of between 400 and 500 s/mm2, and data acquired with at least 12 diffusion gradient directions homogeneously distributed on half a sphere. Furthermore, for DTI studies focusing on skeletal muscle injury or pathology, apparent changes in the diffusion parameters need to be interpreted with great care in view of the confounding effects of T2, particularly for moderate to low SNR values. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of moisture ingress from the perimeter of photovoltaic modules
Authors: Kempe Michael D. , Dameron Arrelaine A. , Reese Matthew O.
Published: May 2013

Many thin film photovoltaic (PV) technologies can be sensitive to corrosion induced by the presence of water vapor in the packaging materials. Typically impermeable front and backsheets are used in conjunction with an edge‐seal around the perimeter to prevent water vapor ingress. These edge‐seal materials are often made of a polyisobutylene resin filled with desiccant, which dramatically increases the time for moisture to reach sensitive module components. While edge‐seals can prevent moisture ingress, even the lowest diffusivity transparent encapsulant materials are insufficient for the lifetime of a module. To evaluate the performance of edge‐seal and encapsulant materials in a manner that simulates their function in a PV module, an optical method was devised where ingress is detected by reaction of a Ca film with water. Using this method, we have exposed test samples to heat and humidity allowing quantitative comparison of different edge‐seal and encapsulant materials. Next, we use measurements of polymer diffusivity and solubility to evaluate the ability to model this moisture ingress. Here, we find good agreement between these two methods highlighting the much greater ability of polyisobutylene materials to keep moisture out as compared with typical encapsulant materials used in the PV industry. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of Different Metal Fuels on the Characteristics for HTPB‐based Fuel Rich Solid Propellants
Authors: Pang Weiqiang , Fan Xuezhong , Zhao Fengqi , Xu Huixiang , Zhang Wei , Yu Hongjian , Li Yonghong , Liu Fangli , Xie Wuxi , Yan Ning
Published: May 2013

The microstructures and granularity distribution of different metal particles were investigated and the energy, sensitivity, and combustion properties of fuel rich solid propellants with different metal particles were studied in detail. It was found that the magnesium particles are more uniform than other metal powders, the mean diameter of the magnesium particles d50=67.6 μm is much higher than those of the other ones, which are in the range of 7.1 μm<d50<20.5 μm. Additionally, the preparation process of the Mg‐based propellant is easier than those of the other ones. The experimental results showed that the propellant containing magnesium powder was less sensitive to friction and impact (165.1 NM and 21.9 NM, respectively), whereas, the burning rates of propellants with Zr and ZrH2 particles increased, and the pressure exponents decreased.
Identification of efflux proteins using efficient radial basis function networks with position‐specific scoring matrices and biochemical properties
Authors: Ou Yu‐Yen , Chen Shu‐An , Chang Yun‐Min , Velmurugan Devadasan , Fukui Kazuhiko , Michael Gromiha M.
Published: May 2013

Efflux proteins are membrane proteins, which are involved in the transportation of multidrugs. The annotation of efflux proteins in genomic sequences would aid to understand the function. Although the percentage of membrane proteins in genomes is estimated to be 25–30%, there is no information about the content of efflux proteins. For annotating such class of proteins it is necessary to develop a reliable method to identify efflux proteins from amino acid sequence information. In this work, we have developed a method based on radial basis function networks using position specific scoring matrices (PSSM) and amino acid properties. We noticed that the C‐terminal domain of efflux proteins contain vital information for discrimination. Our method showed an accuracy of 78 and 92% in discriminating efflux proteins from transporters and membrane proteins, respectively using fivefold cross‐validation. We utilized our method for annotating the genomes E. coli and P. aeruginosa and it predicted 8.7 and 9.2% of proteins as efflux proteins in these genomes, respectively. The predicted efflux proteins have been compared with available experimental data and we observed a very good agreement between them. Further, we developed a web server for classifying efflux proteins and it is freely available at http://rbf.bioinfo.tw/∼sachen/EFFLUXpredict/Efflux‐RBF.php. We suggest that our method could be an effective tool for annotating efflux proteins in genomic sequences.Proteins 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparison of high‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry and high‐performance liquid chromatography/photo‐diode array detection for the quantitation of carotenoids, retinyl esters, α‐tocopherol and phylloquinone in chylomicron‐rich fractions of human plasma
Authors: Kopec Rachel E. , Schweiggert Ralf M. , Riedl Ken M. , Carle Reinhold , Schwartz Steven J.
Published: May 2013

RATIONALE

Bioavailability of essential lipophilic micronutrients and carotenoids is of utmost interest for human health, as the consumption of these compounds may help alleviate major nutritional deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. High‐performance liquid chromatography/photo‐diode array detection (HPLC‐PDA) and high‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS) were compared for the quantitative analysis of α‐ and β‐carotene, β‐cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene, α‐tocopherol, phylloquinone, and several retinyl esters from chylomicron‐containing triglyceride rich lipoprotein (TRL) fractions of human plasma obtained from two clinical trials.

METHODS

After selecting an efficient extraction method for the analytes, both the HPLC/PDA and the HPLC/MS/MS methods were developed and several parameters validated using an HP 1200 series HPLC system interfaced with a HP 1200 series diode‐array detector (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, USA) and a QTRAP 5500 (AB Sciex, Foster City, CA, USA) via an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) probe operated in positive ion mode.

RESULTS

For lycopene, α‐ and β‐carotene, HPLC/MS/MS was up to 37 times more sensitive than HPLC‐PDA. PDA detection was shown to be up to 8 times more sensitive for lutein. MS/MS signals were enhanced by matrix components for lutein and β‐cryptoxanthin, as determined by referencing to the matrix‐independent PDA signal. In contrast, matrix suppression was observed for retinyl palmitate, α‐carotene, and β‐carotene. Both detectors showed similar suitability for α‐tocopherol, lycopene and retinyl palmitate (representing ~73% of total retinyl esters). MS/MS exclusively allowed the quantitation of minor retinyl esters, phylloquinone, and (Z)‐lycopene isomers.

CONCLUSIONS

HPLC/MS/MS was more sensitive than HPLC‐PDA for six of the eight analytes and represents a powerful tool for the analysis of chylomicron samples and potentially other biological samples of limited sample size. When internal standards are available for the target carotenoid, employing MS/MS detection may reduce the necessary blood sample volume, which is particularly advantageous for minimizing risk and discomfort to human subjects during clinical studies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electrospray tandem mass spectrometry analysis of methylenedioxy chalcones, flavanones and flavones
Authors: Menezes José C. J. M. D. S. , Cavaleiro José A. S. , Kamat Shrivallabh P. , Barros Cristina M. R. F. , Domingues M. Rosário M.
Published: May 2013

RATIONALE

Several methylenedioxy chalcones, flavanones and flavones substituted with mono‐, di‐ and trimethoxy groups have been used in the treatment of proliferative conditions like cancer and inflammatory diseases. The application of these flavonoids in biology requires an analytical method to ensure a detailed knowledge of their structures after drug metabolism.

METHODS

Electrospray ionization mass (ESI‐MS) and tandem mass (ESI‐MS/MS) spectra were acquired using a Q‐TOF 2 instrument. Fragmentation patterns and their pathways were analyzed by CID‐MS2–3 spectra acquired in a LXQ linear ion trap mass spectrometer using standard isolation and excitation procedures (activation q value of 0.25, activation time of 30 ms). ESI‐MS and ESI‐MSn conditions: spray voltage 5 kV, nitrogen 8.00 sheath gas flow rate (arb), heated capillary temperature 275°C, capillary voltage 10.99 V; tube lens voltage 75.01 V.

RESULTS

The ESI‐MS/MS spectra of chalcones were nearly identical to their corresponding isomeric flavanones with 0,αA+/1,3A+ and 0,1'B+/1,4B+ cleavages. Other common losses are of •CH3, H2O, HCHO and C2H2O. The characteristic loss of C2H2O and absence of a 0,αB+/1,3B+ product ion allows to distinguish between the 2‐ or 4‐methoxy‐substituted chalcones and flavanones. Common losses of •CH3, •CH3 and •H, and C2H2O2 characteristic for the presence of methylenedioxy groups were observed in flavones.

CONCLUSIONS

The substitution pattern on the B‐ring leads to distinct base peak formation in the flavones. In addition, differentiation of isomers with methoxy substituents in ortho and para positions of the B‐ring was achieved using MS/MS in chalcones and flavanones. This method will be helpful for identification of these compounds in biological mixtures. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Continuous‐flow liquid microjunction surface sampling probe connected on‐line with high‐performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for spatially resolved analysis of small molecules and proteins
Authors: Van Berkel Gary J. , Kertesz Vilmos
Published: May 2013

RATIONALE

A continuous‐flow liquid microjunction surface sampling probe extracts soluble material from surfaces for direct ionization and detection by mass spectrometry. Demonstrated here is the on‐line coupling of such a probe with high‐performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) enabling extraction, separation and detection of small molecules and proteins from surfaces in a spatially resolved (~0.5 mm diameter spots) manner.

METHODS

A continuous‐flow liquid microjunction surface sampling probe was connected to a six‐port, two‐position valve for extract collection and injection to an HPLC column. A QTRAP® 5500 hybrid triple quadrupole linear ion trap equipped with a Turbo V™ ion source operated in positive electrospray ionization (ESI) mode was used for all experiments. The system operation was tested with the extraction, separation and detection of propranolol and associated metabolites from drug dosed tissues, caffeine from a coffee bean, cocaine from paper currency, and proteins from dried sheep blood spots on paper.

RESULTS

Confirmed in the tissue were the parent drug and two different hydroxypropranolol glucuronides. The mass spectrometric response for these compounds from different locations in the liver showed an increase with increasing extraction time (5, 20 and 40 s). For on‐line separation and detection/identification of extracted proteins from dried sheep blood spots, two major protein peaks dominated the chromatogram and could be correlated with the expected masses for the hemoglobin α and β chains.

CONCLUSIONS

Spatially resolved sampling, separation, and detection of small molecules and proteins from surfaces can be accomplished using a continuous‐flow liquid microjunction surface sampling probe coupled on‐line with HPLC/MS detection. Published in 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Predicting county‐level cancer incidence rates and counts in the USA
Authors: Yu Binbing
Published: May 2013

Many countries, including the USA, publish predicted numbers of cancer incidence and death in current and future years for the whole country. These predictions provide important information on the cancer burden for cancer control planners, policymakers and the general public. Based on evidence from several empirical studies, the joinpoint (segmented‐line linear regression) model (JPM) has been adopted by the American Cancer Society to estimate the number of new cancer cases in the USA and in individual states since 2007. Recently, cancer incidence in smaller geographic regions such as counties, and local policy makers are increasingly interested with Federal Information Processing Standard code regions. The natural extension is to directly apply the JPM to county‐level cancer incidence data. The direct application has several drawbacks and its performance has not been evaluated. To address the concerns, we developed a spatial random‐effects JPM for county‐level cancer incidence data. The proposed model was used to predict both cancer incidence rates and counts at the county level. The standard JPM and the proposed method were compared through a validation study. The proposed method outperformed the standard JPM for almost all cancer sites, especially for moderate or rare cancer sites and for counties with small population sizes. As an application, we predicted county‐level prostate cancer incidence rates and counts for the year 2011 in Connecticut. Published 2013. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Those peculiar structures in cold‐formed steel: “racking & shelving”
Authors: Tilburgs Kees
Published: May 2013

One of the applications of cold‐formed steel in which a considerable tonnage is involved is corrugated steel sheets for wall and roof cladding. Another is racking and shelving (R&S), those peculiar spatial steel structures used for economic and logistics‐effective storage of goods in warehouses. R&S has to be flexible in use and therefore adjustable. It has to be competitive by providing mass production in combination with standardized components. The use of cold‐formed steel members and components was already matter of course at the very first stage of the development of R&S products around World War 2. Flexibility in shape and material leads to cost‐effectiveness in combination with special connections to realize adjustability.

Considering the non‐traditional R&S detailing, the structural Eurocodes do not provide sufficient guidance to the rack designer for quite a number of design phenomena. Thus, the steel and racking industry, organized in the European Racking Federation ERF/FEM R&S, a member of the European Federation of Materials Handling (FEM), worked out a pan‐European approach to the harmonization and standardization of R&S structural design and use. However, it took until 2008/2009 to have EN standards published, following the first FEM codes in 2000–2002.

For the cold‐formed members and components typically used in R&S structures, insufficient analytical approaches are available, or they have to be validated by tests. “Design assisted by testing” is a substantial part of R&S structural engineering. With the publication of EN 15512 in March 2009 for adjustable beam pallet racking, a number of European testing laboratories were commissioned by the racking industry to conduct the obligatory testing, resulting in intensive collaboration between the R&S industry and “science”, e. g. ECCS TWG 7.5.

This paper gives an impression of R&S structures, the structural engineering challenge, the present state of the art and developments as well as the research still needed.
A comparison of bird‐feeding practices in the United States and Canada
Authors: Horn David J. , Johansen Stacey M.
Published: May 2013

Millions of Americans and Canadians participate in the feeding of wild birds. We surveyed hobbyists about their bird‐feeding experience, and examined demographic and regional differences in responses, to determine the types of bird‐feeding practices taking place and to identify themes important for wildlife managers to communicate with people who feed birds. Between autumn 2005 and winter 2008–2009, we recruited a non‐random sample from the interested public though both print and electronic media. We had 1,291 individuals from 48 states (USA) and 7 Canadian provinces who completed our mail and website survey. Survey respondents were primarily female (67%) and ≥45 years old (77%). Most respondents offered alternative foods in addition to traditional bird seed (≥82%) and provided other resources besides food to attract birds (≥75%). Our respondents fed birds because it brought nature (84%) and accompanying sound (81%) to the area, as a hobby (79%), and to help the birds (79%). Respondents felt attracting more bird species (69%), a greater number of birds (41%), and no pests (35%) would make their bird‐feeding experience more satisfying. Given the interested public's desire to increase bird diversity at their feeders and to help birds, managers have the opportunity to develop messages promoting habitat enhancement in addition to feeding, and provide suggestions for reducing the risk of disease transmission and pest species at feeders. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
Study of main and signature sources of particulate matter pollutants in Limeira City (Brazil) using SR‐TXRF
Authors: Canteras Felippe Benavente , Moreira Silvana , de Faria Bruna Fernanda
Published: May 2013

The study's objective was to identify the main generating sources of particulate matter from the Limeira City (SP), Brazil. Particulate matter collections were carried out at the meteorological station of the Technology Department of Campinas State University by using a sequential filtration sampling system. Using synchrotron radiation total reflection X‐ray fluorescence makes it possible to perform quality quantitative analysis of the particulate matter collected during the years 2008 and 2009. Respirable particulate matter's coarse and fine fractions that affect the upper and lower respiratory tract were collected on polycarbonate filters arranged in series. At the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory, samples were analyzed by synchrotron radiation total reflection X‐ray fluorescence after removal from acid. Results indicated that the coarse fraction made the greatest contribution to PM10 formation. As per the particulate matter composition, 16 elements were found in both fractions: S, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, Sr, Ba, and Pb. The determination of the probable emission sources contributing to the formation of particulate material was possible by applying multivariate statistical analyses, namely principal components analysis and cluster analysis. The primary emission source for the coarse fraction was soil dust, which contributed 57%, followed by 30% from vehicular emissions, and lastly, only 13% from industrial emissions. The primary emission source for the fine fraction was soil dust, which contributed 79%, followed by 13% from vehicular emissions, and lastly, only 8% from industrial emissions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Instanton bound states in ABJM theory
Authors: Hatsuda Yasuyuki , Moriyama Sanefumi , Okuyama Kazumi
Published: May 2013

Abstract

The partition function of the ABJM theory receives non-perturbative corrections due to instanton effects. We study these non-perturbative corrections, including bound states of worldsheet instantons and membrane instantons, in the Fermi-gas approach. We require that the total non-perturbative correction should be always finite for arbitrary Chern-Simons level. This finiteness is realized quite non-trivially because each bound state contribution naively diverges at some levels. The poles of each contribution should be canceled out in total. We use this pole cancellation mechanism to find unknown bound state corrections from known ones. We conjecture a general expression of the bound state contribution. Summing up all the bound state contributions, we find that the effect of bound states is simply incorporated into the worldsheet instanton correction by a redefinition of the chemical potential in the Fermi-gas system. Analytic expressions of the 3- and 4-membrane instanton corrections are also proposed.
Relevance of Bilateral Cervical Thymectomy in Patients with Renal Hyperparathyroidism: Analysis of 161 Patients Undergoing Reoperative Parathyroidectomy
Authors: Schneider Ralph , Bartsch Detlef K. , Schlosser Katja
Published: May 2013

Background

The most frequent location of ectopic or supernumerary inferior parathyroid is the thymus. Bilateral cervical thymectomy has therefore been recommended as an essential part of the initial surgery for renal hyperparathyroidism (rHPT) to avoid persistent or recurrent cervical disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate how often reoperation might have been avoidable if an appropriate cervical thymectomy had been performed during initial surgery.

Methods

A prospective database of patients with rHPT was screened for patients on permanent dialysis who underwent reoperative parathyroidectomy (PTX) between 1976 and 2010. Data were retrospectively analyzed for the performance of bilateral cervical thymectomy during previous surgeries and the presence of ectopic and/or supernumerary intrathymic parathyroid glands during reoperative PTX.

Results

Of 161 patients who underwent reoperative PTX, 95 had neck reexploration. Among them were 29 patients with total PTX and autotransplantation, seven with subtotal PTX (3.5 glands resected), and 59 with incomplete PTX during the initial surgery. Bilateral cervical thymectomy during the initial PTX was performed in only 12 of 95 patients (12.6 %). It was revealed to be incomplete in six of them, inheriting an intrathymic parathyroid gland during reoperative interventions. Reoperative PTX revealed intrathymic parathyroid glands in 27 of 95 patients (28.4 %). The intrathymic parathyroid glands were ectopic in 17 (63.0 %) patients and supernumerary in 8 (29.6 %). Both ectopic and supernumerary intrathymic parathyroid glands were found in two patients (7.4 %).

Conclusions

The risk for persistent and recurrent disease based on intrathymic parathyroid glands is a relevant problem during initial surgery for rHPT. Thus, routine bilateral cervical thymectomy that is as complete as possible is essential during the initial PTX for rHPT.
Pathophysiology of fatty acid oxidation disorders and resultant phenotypic variability
Authors: Olpin Simon E
Published: May 2013

Fatty acids are a major fuel for the body and fatty acid oxidation is particularly important during fasting, sustained aerobic exercise and stress. The myocardium and resting skeletal muscle utilise long‐chain fatty acids as a major source of energy. Inherited disorders affecting fatty acid oxidation seriously compromise the function of muscle and other highly energy‐dependent tissues such as brain, nerve, heart, kidney and liver. Such defects encompass a wide spectrum of clinical disease, presenting in the neonatal period or infancy with recurrent hypoketotic hypoglycaemic encephalopathy, liver dysfunction, hyperammonaemia and often cardiac dysfunction. In older children, adolescence or adults there is often exercise intolerance with episodic myalgia or rhabdomyolysis in association with prolonged aerobic exercise or other exacerbating factors. Some disorders are particularly associated with toxic metabolites that may contribute to encephalopathy, polyneuropathy, axonopathy and pigmentary retinopathy. The phenotypic diversity encountered in defects of fat oxidation is partly explained by genotype/phenotype correlation and certain identifiable environmental factors but there remain many unresolved questions regarding the complex interaction of genetic, epigenetic and environmental influences that dictate phenotypic expression. It is becoming increasingly clear that the view that most inherited disorders are purely monogenic diseases is a naive concept. In the future our approach to understanding the phenotypic diversity and management of patients will be more realistically achieved from a polygenic perspective.
Contralateral Electrodiagnosis in Patients with Abnormal Median Distal Sensory Latency
Authors: Hoogstins Charlotte E. S. , Becker Stéphanie J. E. , Ring David
Published: May 2013

Background

We hypothesized that electrodiagnostic evidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) on the contralateral, less-severe side correlates with disease severity.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 285 adults that had bilateral electrodiagnostic testing and a median distal sensory latency (DSL) greater than 3.6 ms on at least one side. Variables associated with abnormal contralateral median DSL were analyzed in bivariable and multivariable analysis.

Results

Patients with a nonrecordable median DSL on the worst side were significantly more likely to have electrodiagnostic evidence of contralateral CTS compared to patients with a prolonged DSL on the worst side (90 versus 65 %, respectively; p<0.001). Bilateral symptoms were reported by 75 % of patients. The best logistic regression model for electrodiagnostic evidence of contralateral CTS included nonrecordable median DSL of the worst side and polyneuropathy ( p<0.001 and p=0.14, respectively).

Conclusions

The finding that disease severity relates to the probability of contralateral abnormalities is consistent with the concept that CTS is typically bilateral. Patients with CTS on one side should be advised of the likelihood that it can be present or may develop on the other side.
Development of a practical screening tool to predict low muscle mass using NHANES 1999–2004
Authors: Goodman Michael J. , Ghate Sameer R. , Mavros Panagiotis , Sen Shuvayu , Marcus Robin L. , Joy Elizabeth , Brixner Diana I.
Published: May 2013

Background

Skeletal muscle mass declines after the age of 50. Loss of skeletal muscle mass is associated with increased morbidity and mortality.

Objective

This study aims to identify predictors of low skeletal muscle mass in older adults toward development of a practical clinical assessment tool for use by clinicians to identify patients requiring dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) screening for muscle mass.

Methods

Data were drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 1999 to 2004. Appendicular skeletal mass (ASM) was calculated based on DXA scans. Skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was defined as the ratio of ASM divided by height in square centimeters. Elderly participants were classified as having low muscle mass if the SMI was 1 standard deviation (SD) below the mean SMI of young adults (20–40 years old). Logistic regression was conducted separately in males and females age ≥65 years of age to examine the relationship between patients identified as having low muscle mass and health behavior characteristics, adjusting for comorbid conditions. The model was validated on a separate sample of 200 patients.

Results

Among the NHANES study population, 551 (39.7 %) males and 374 (27.5 %) females had a SMI below the 1 SD cutoff point. NHANES study subjects with a low SMI were older (mean age, 76.2 vs. 72.7 for male; 76.0 vs. 73.7 for female; and both p < 0.0001) and had a lower body mass index (mean BMI, 24.1 vs. 29.4 for male; 22.9 vs. 29.7 for female; p < 0.0001). In adjusted logistic regression analyses, age (for males) and BMI (for both males and females) remained statistically significant. A parsimonious logistic regression model adjusting for age and BMI only had a C statistic of 0.89 for both males and females. The discriminatory power of the parsimonious model increased to 0.93 for males and 0.95 for females when the cutoff defining low SMI was set to 2 SD below the SMI of young adults. In the validation sample, the sensitivity was 81.6 % for males and 90.6 % for females. The specificity was 66.2 % for males and females.

Conclusions

BMI was strongly associated with a low SMI and may be an informative predictor in the primary care setting. The predictive model worked well in a validation sample.
Cognitive, personality, and social factors associated with adolescents' online personal information disclosure
Authors: Liu Cong , Ang Rebecca P. , Lwin May O.
Published: May 2013

The current study aims to understand the factors that influence adolescents' disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) on social networking sites (SNSs). A survey was conducted among 780 adolescent participants (between 13 and 18) who were Facebook users. Structural equation modeling was used for analyzing the data and obtaining an overarching model that include cognitive, personality, and social factors that influence adolescents' PII disclosure. Results showed privacy concern as the cognitive factor reduces adolescents' PII disclosure and it serves as a potential mediator for personality and social factors. Amongst personality factors, narcissism was found to directly increase PII disclosure, and social anxiety indirectly decreases PII disclosure by increasing privacy concern. Amongst social factors, active parental mediation decreases PII disclosure directly and indirectly by increasing privacy concern. Restrictive parental mediation decreases PII disclosure only indirectly by increasing privacy concern. Implications of the findings to parents, educators, and policy makers were discussed.
Rehabilitation Approaches to the Management of Aggressive Behaviour Disorders after Acquired Brain Injury
Authors: Alderman Nick , Knight Caroline , Brooks Jennifer
Published: May 2013

Symptoms of neurobehavioural disability acquired through brain injury, especially aggression, are associated with severe social handicap. Differences in terminology have resulted in varying estimates, but aggressive behaviour disorder appears to be characteristic of survivors at some point in their recovery journey. This paper provides a brief review regarding the prevalence, development and causes of aggression associated with acquired brain injury (ABI), and what can be done to help manage them. The advantages of using standardised measures conceptualised for ABI in the assessment and formulation of aggressive behaviour disorders are especially highlighted. A range of treatment methods and the evidence base relating to these are described. The contribution of pharmacological therapies, cognitive behavioural therapy and behavioural interventions are explored. It is argued that the strongest evidence base is associated with behaviour therapy, especially when carried out in the context of neurobehavioural rehabilitation, and two case studies are described to illustrate the clinical advantages of interventions derived from operant theory. Comparative lack of ABI experts trained in the management of post-acute behaviour disorders remains a limiting factor.
Flow physics in the turbulent near wake of a flat plate
Authors: Rai Man Mohan
Published: May 2013

The symmetric near wake of a flat plate with a circular trailing edge, exhibiting pronounced shedding of wake vortices, is investigated via a direct numerical simulation. The separating plate boundary layers are turbulent and statistically identical. The present study focuses on the vortical structures, the distribution of phase-averaged velocity statistics and vorticity fluctuations in the near wake. Braid and vortex core regions are investigated via contours of instantaneous vorticity and pressure with an emphasis on the three-dimensionality of near-wake structures. Rib vortices are observed in the braids. The vortex cores are populated with both ribs that wrap themselves around the cores and spanwise-elongated regions of spanwise vorticity near the centres of the cores. Production terms in the transport equations for phase-averaged fluctuating vorticity show that stretching of rib vortices via the phase-averaged strain rate produces significantly less turbulent vorticity than turbulent stretching in the braids and cores.
Conflicting Group Meanings of Territorial Rights in Central Mindanao: Muslim–Christian Social Representations of Land Entitlement
Authors: Montiel Cristina J. , Baquiano Marshaley , Inzon Charlie M.
Published: May 2013

Using a social representations lens, we examined subjective meanings of land entitlements in Central Mindanao among Muslims and Christians. In Study 1, we collected survey data from 231 students from the University of Southern Mindanao in Central Mindanao, asking them: ‘If you were to tell the story of land ownership in Cotabato, what three topics would you want to include in your story?’ Results of our hierarchical evocation analysis show that Christians are concerned with direct conflicts or actual intergroup confrontations while Muslims emphasise land issues. Study 2 implemented Focauldian Discursive Analysis to evaluate two separate focused group discussions by Muslim and Christian village leaders on the question: ‘Who really owns the land in Cotabato, specifically here in Midsayap?’ Findings indicate that Christians hold on to a legal story while Muslims use the ancestral domain narrative to cohere subjective claims to the contested territory. We discuss our results in the light of the role of legalese in an asymmetric territorial conflict and more specifically, the Framework Agreement signed last October 2012 by both the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.