bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychosocial factors that influence men's help‐seeking for cancer symptoms: a systematic synthesis of mixed methods research
Authors: Fish Jennifer A. , Prichard Ivanka , Ettridge Kerry , Grunfeld Elizabeth A. , Wilson Carlene
Published: July 2015

Objective

Effectiveness of cancer control partly depends upon early identification and treatment. Men appear to be more likely to delay help‐seeking for symptoms, resulting in later diagnosis. This review aims to provide a mixed research synthesis of the psychosocial barriers to and facilitators of help‐seeking for cancer symptoms among men.

Methods

Systematic methods were followed, including a predefined research question and search strategy. Searches retrieved 7131 international records from online databases: MEDLINE (n = 3011), PubMed (n = 471), SCOPUS (n = 896), Informit (n = 131), PsychINFO (n = 347), and Web of Science (n = 2275). Forty studies were eligible for inclusion in the review (25 qualitative studies, 11 quantitative studies, and 4 mixed‐method studies).

Results

There was strong observational evidence for several psychosocial barriers to men's help‐seeking behaviour: low cancer knowledge and inaccurate symptom interpretation, embarrassment and fear, and conformity to masculine gender role norms. The strongest facilitating factor associated with men's help‐seeking behaviour was encouragement and support of spouses and family members. The majority of research was qualitative and used small samples, making generalisations to the wider population difficult.

Conclusions

Men's help‐seeking for cancer symptoms is influenced by several psychosocial factors, which, in part, may be gender‐specific. Health promotion initiatives to improve help‐seeking behaviour among men should aim to increase cancer knowledge, reduce embarrassment and fear, address social norms deterring timely help‐seeking, and acknowledge informal help‐seeking with spouses and family members. Increasing the theoretical grounding of research could aid cohesion across the research area and the design of effective health promotion interventions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of Viscoelastic Poisson’s Ratio of Solid Propellants using an Accuracy‐enhanced 2D Digital Image Correlation Technique
Authors: Pan Bing , Yu Liping , Yuan Jieyu , Shen Zhibin , Tang Guojin
Published: July 2015

Poisson’s ratio plays a significant role in the structural response of solid propellants, which is, in essence, a nearly incompressible viscoelastic material. Numerical models that assume a constant Poisson’s ratio generally cannot achieve good results, thus requiring an accurate knowledge of time‐dependent viscoelastic Poisson’s ratio of solid propellants. In this work, accurate determination of tensile strains and viscoelastic Poisson’s ratio of solid propellants using an accuracy‐enhanced 2D digital image correlation (DIC) technique is described. To achieve high‐accuracy measurement, great improvements were made to regular 2D‐DIC technique to maximally eliminate the errors caused by non‐ideal loading conditions, specimen deformation and lens distortion. Rigid body translation tests with zero strain state are first performed to verify the accuracy of the proposed DIC technique. Then application of the proposed technique for determining the time‐varying viscoelastic Poisson’s ratios of solid propellants in stress relaxation tests are demonstrated. The results reveal that, by adequately eliminating the measurement errors associated with the unavoidable out‐of‐plane displacements and lens distortion, the present DIC technique can be used for precise determination of viscoelastic Poisson’s ratio of solid propellants, which is found to be increasing nonlinearly to the incompressible value of 0.50 as time increases.
Non‐singular sequence folding‐based pseudorandom key generation algorithm for cryptographic processor
Authors: Soundra Pandian K. K. , Ray Kailash Chandra
Published: July 2015

In this paper, a new algorithm to construct the non‐linear‐based Boolean function using non‐singular sequence folding technique is proposed to generate pseudorandom binary key sequence for cryptographic processor. Unlike the conventional methodology to generate recursive pseudorandom nibble of 15 (60‐bit) from minimum seed of four bits, the proposed algorithm has the novelty to generate non‐recursive pseudorandom nibble of 63 (252‐bit) from the same minimum seed of four bits. In this proposed algorithm, a given binary sequence is converted to de Bruijn sequence and folded to minimum state with the strategy of binary encoding, which supports to determine the non‐linear Boolean function. Further, the next state functions with minimum logic complexity is formulated using the algebraic normal form to generate non‐recursive pseudorandom binary sequence. The key stream analysis is performed, and randomness tests for the generated pseudorandom binary sequence (key stream) is validated using National Institute of Standards and Technology test suite. The proposed algorithm in this paper has improved in terms of sequence size and number of stages compared with existing algorithms. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mixture design to develop biodegradable sheets with high levels of starch and polyvinyl alcohol
Authors: Zanela Juliano , Shirai Marianne Ayumi , Reis Mônica Oliveira , Mali Suzana , Grossmann Maria Victória Eiras , Yamashita Fabio
Published: July 2015

A mixture design was used to analyse the effects of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on glycerol‐plasticised cassava starch sheets obtained by flat extrusion from a twin‐screw extruder. PVA was the main component that improved the properties of the sheets, and glycerol presented the opposite effect. The properties ranging: tensile strength (0.22–1.5 MPa), Young's modulus (0.45–7.29 MPa), elongation at break (59–111%), puncture resistance (10–107 N/mm), puncture elongation (5.64–10.13 mm), crystallinity index (17–21%) and water vapour permeability (3.39–7.40 × 10−5 g m−1 day−1 kPa−1) for the sheets. Scanning electron microscopy showed good compatibility between the components of the blend because the resultant materials were continuous and cohesive and did not exhibit phase separation. The sheets were not significantly different from others, based on XRD and FTIR analyses, consistent with the literature. PVA was able to improve the mechanical and barrier properties of starch‐based sheets.
Optimized joint cell planning and BS on/off switching for LTE networks
Authors: Al‐Kanj Lina , El‐Beaino Wissam , El‐Hajj Ahmad M. , Dawy Zaher
Published: July 2015

Energy is becoming a main concern nowadays due to the increasing demands on natural energy resources. Base stations (BSs) consume up to 80% of the total energy expenditure in a cellular network. In this paper, we propose and evaluate a green radio network planning approach by jointly optimizing the number of active BSs and the BS on/off switching patterns based on the changing traffic conditions in the network in an effort to reduce the total energy consumption of the BSs. The problem is formulated as an integer optimization problem, which proves to be NP‐complete, and thus it can be efficiently solved for small to medium network sizes. For large network sizes, we propose a heuristic solution with close to optimal performance because the optimal solution becomes computationally complex. Planning is performed based on two approaches: a reactive and a proactive approach. In the proactive approach, planning will be performed starting with the lowest traffic demand until reaching the highest traffic demand, whereas in the reactive approach, the reverse way is considered. Performance results are presented for various case studies and are complemented by testing the proposed approaches using commercial radio network planning tools. Results demonstrate considerable energy savings reaching up to 40% through dynamic adaptation of the number of simultaneously active BSs. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High‐throughput computation and the applicability of Monte Carlo integration in fatigue load estimation of floating offshore wind turbines
Authors: Graf Peter A. , Stewart Gordon , Lackner Matthew , Dykes Katherine , Veers Paul
Published: July 2015

Long‐term fatigue loads for floating offshore wind turbines are hard to estimate because they require the evaluation of the integral of a highly nonlinear function over a wide variety of wind and wave conditions. Current design standards involve scanning over a uniform rectangular grid of metocean inputs (e.g., wind speed and direction and wave height and period), which becomes intractable in high dimensions as the number of required evaluations grows exponentially with dimension. Monte Carlo integration offers a potentially efficient alternative because it has theoretical convergence proportional to the inverse of the square root of the number of samples, which is independent of dimension. In this paper, we first report on the integration of the aeroelastic code FAST into NREL's systems engineering tool, WISDEM, and the development of a high‐throughput pipeline capable of sampling from arbitrary distributions, running FAST on a large scale, and postprocessing the results into estimates of fatigue loads. Second, we use this tool to run a variety of studies aimed at comparing grid‐based and Monte Carlo‐based approaches with calculating long‐term fatigue loads. We observe that for more than a few dimensions, the Monte Carlo approach can represent a large improvement in computational efficiency, but that as nonlinearity increases, the effectiveness of Monte Carlo is correspondingly reduced. The present work sets the stage for future research focusing on using advanced statistical methods for analysis of wind turbine fatigue as well as extreme loads. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
pH Dependent Synthesis of Two Manganese Compounds based on 5‐(2‐Pyrimidyl)tetrazole‐1‐acetic Acid
Authors: Li Xiu Yun , Zhang Ping , Tian He , Zhu Da Liang , Zhang Fei Fei , Li Qiao Yun , Yang Gao Wen , Wei Bo , Zou Jian Hua
Published: July 2015

Reactions of Hpymtza [Hpymtza = 5‐(2‐pyrimidyl)tetrazole‐1‐acetic acid] with MnCl2·4H2O under different pH conditions, afforded the complexes [Mn(pymtza)2(H2O)4] (1) and [Mn2(pymtza)2Cl2(EtOH)]·H2O (2). The compounds were structurally characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Compound 1 shows a mononuclear structure, whereas complex 2 has a 1D chain structure. In compound 1, the pymtza ligand only acts in a monodentate manner to coordinate to one central MnII atom by one carboxylate atom, In 2, pymtza acts as tetradentate ligand to connect three MnII ions. Compounds 1 and 2 display 3D networks by hydrogen bonding interactions. Furthermore, the luminescence properties of Hpymtza as well as compounds 1 and 2 were investigated at room temperature in the solid state.
Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Thermal Analyses of ­Copper(II) and Manganese(II) Mixed‐Ligand Coordination Polymers Constructed from Benzimidazole‐5, 6‐dicarboxylic Acid and N‐Donor Ligands
Authors: Wang Yongli , Wei Zhen , Geng Lili , Yang Xiaoqian , An Xiaoying , Liang Siyu
Published: July 2015

The coordination polymers, {[Cu(Hbidc)(2, 2′‐bpy)(H2O)]·2H2O}n (1) and {[Mn(Hbidc)(2, 2′‐bpy) (H2O)2]·2H2O}n (2) (H3bidc = benzimidazole‐5, 6‐dicarboxylic acid, 2, 2′‐bpy = 2, 2′‐bipyridine), were synthesized in solution and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Complexes 1 and 2 consist of different 1D chain structures. In both compounds, 2, 2′‐bpy is chelating in a bidentate manner, whereas the Hbidc ligands in complexes 1 and 2 display chelating‐bridging tridentate and bridging bidentate coordination modes. The two complexes are further extended into 3D supramolecular structures through O–H···O and N–H···O hydrogen bonds. The thermal stabilities of complexes 1 and 2 were studied by thermogravimetric analyses (TGA).
Synthesis and Characterization of Bis(2‐iminopyrrolyl) Iron(II) Complexes by N–H Bond Activation
Authors: Jiao Guili , Zhu Gengyu , Zhang Shumiao , Sun Hongjian
Published: July 2015

The reactions of 2‐iminopyrroles 1–3 with Fe(PMe3)4 afforded the N–H activated bis(2‐iminopyrrolyl) iron(II) complexes 4–6. The structures of compounds 4–6 were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The formation mechanism of complexes 4–6 was discussed.
Metal Ion Induced Assembly of Two Coordination Polymers with Different Topological Nets: Syntheses, Crystal Structures, and Luminescent Properties
Authors: Du Jie , Zou Guanglong
Published: July 2015

The coordination polymers [Zn2(NDA)(HNDA)2(IPT)2]n (1) and [Mn(NDA)(IPT)]n (2) [H2NDA = naphthalene‐1,4‐dicarboxylic acid and IPT = 4′‐(4‐(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)phenyl)‐4,2′:6′,4′′‐terpyridine] were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Complex 1 features a one‐dimensional ladder‐like chain, whereas complex 2 shows a three‐dimensional CdS topology. The different coordination modes for organic ligands and topological nets for complexes 1 and 2 are mainly related with the metal ions.
A Novel One‐Dimensional Copper Mellitate Complex Featured by {Cu(H2O)2(urea)[C6(COO)4(COOH)2]}n2n– Polyanions
Authors: Köferstein Roberto , Robl Christian
Published: July 2015

Blue monoclinic single crystals of the novel one‐dimensional [H3N‐(CH2)6‐NH3][Cu(H2O)2(urea)(μ2‐C6(COO)4(COOH)2)]·H2O coordination polymer were prepared in aqueous solution at room temperature in the presence of 1,6‐diaminohexane and urea [space group P21/n (no. 14) with a = 958.48(9), b = 1465.74(11), c = 1821.14(12) pm, β = 97.655(8)°]. The Cu2+ cation is coordinated in a square pyramidal manner by two oxygen atoms stemming from the dihydrogen mellitate tetraanion, one oxygen atom from the urea molecule, and two water molecules. The Cu–O distances are in the range of 193.3(2) and 229.4(2) pm. The connection between Cu2+ and [C6(COO)4(COOH)2]4– yields infinite chain‐like polyanions parallel to [1$\bar{}$01] with a composition of {Cu(H2O)2(urea)[C6(COO)4(COOH)2]}n2n–. The dihydrogen mellitate tetraanion adopts a μ2 coordination mode. The [(H3N–(CH2)6–NH3)]2+ cations are accommodated between the chains as counter cations. The hexane‐1,6‐diammonium cations adopt a partial synclinal conformation. The chains are connected by strong and weak hydrogen bonds. Magnetic measurements reveal a paramagnetic Curie‐Weiss behavior and a magnetic moment of 1.93 μB per Cu2+. Thermoanalytical investigations in air show that the complex is stable up to 135 °C, and the following decomposition processes yield CuO.
Child and family experiences with inborn errors of metabolism: a qualitative interview study with representatives of patient groups
Authors: Khangura Sara D. , Tingley Kylie , Chakraborty Pranesh , Coyle Doug , Kronick Jonathan B. , Laberge Anne‐Marie , Little Julian , Miller Fiona A , Mitchell John J. , Prasad Chitra , Siddiq Shabnaz , Siriwardena Komudi , Sparkes Rebecca , Speechley Kathy N. , Stockler Sylvia , Trakadis Yannis , Wilson Brenda J. , Wilson Kumanan , Potter Beth K. ,   on behalf of the Canadian Inherited Metabolic Diseases Research Network (CIMDRN)
Published: July 2015

Background

Patient‐centered health care for children with inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) and their families is important and requires an understanding of patient experiences, needs, and priorities. IEM‐specific patient groups have emerged as important voices within these rare disease communities and are uniquely positioned to contribute to this understanding. We conducted qualitative interviews with IEM patient group representatives to increase understanding of patient and family experiences, needs, and priorities and inform patient‐centered research and care.

Methods

We developed a sampling frame of patient groups representing IEM disease communities from Canada, the United States, and United Kingdom. With consent, we interviewed participants to explore their views on experiences, needs, and outcomes that are most important to children with IEM and their families. We analyzed the data using a qualitative descriptive approach to identify key themes and sub‐themes.

Results

We interviewed 18 organizational representatives between February 28 and September 17, 2014, representing 16 IEMs and/or disease categories. Twelve participants voluntarily self‐identified as parents and/or were themselves patients. Three key themes emerged from the coded data: managing the uncertainty associated with raising and caring for a child with a rare disease; challenges associated with the affected child's life transitions, and; the collective struggle for improved outcomes and interventions that rare disease communities navigate.

Conclusion

Health care providers can support children with IEM and their families by acknowledging and reducing uncertainty, supporting families through children's life transitions, and contributing to rare disease communities’ progress toward improved interventions, experiences, and outcomes.
Optimal regularity in the optimal switching problem
Authors: Aleksanyan Gohar
Published: July 2015

In this article we study the optimal regularity for solutions to the following weakly coupled system with interconnected obstacles

\left\{
\begin{align*}
&\mathrm{\min }⁡(−\mathrm{\Delta }u^{1} + f^{1},u^{1}−u^{2} + \psi ^{1}) = 0 \\
&\mathrm{\min }⁡(−\mathrm{\Delta }u^{2} + f^{2},u^{2}−u^{1} + \psi ^{2}) = 0,
\end{align*}\right.

arising in the optimal switching problem with two modes.

We derive the optimal

C^{1,1}

-regularity for the minimal solution under the assumption that the zero loop set

\mathscr{L}: = \{\psi ^{1} + \psi ^{2} = 0\}

is the closure of its interior. This result is optimal and we provide a counterexample showing that the

C^{1,1}

-regularity does not hold without the assumption

\mathscr{L} = \overline{\mathscr{L}^{0}}

.
Assessment of pain in children with cerebral palsy focused on translation and clinical feasibility of the revised FLACC score
Authors: Pedersen Line Kjeldgaard , Rahbek Ole , Nikolajsen Lone , Møller-Madsen Bjarne
Published: July 2015

Graphical Abstract
The revised FLACC score: Reliability and validation for pain assessment in children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Pedersen Line Kjeldgaard , Rahbek Ole , Nikolajsen Lone , Møller-Madsen Bjarne
Published: July 2015

Graphical Abstract
Normative Versus Baseline Paradigms for Detecting Neuropsychological Impairment Following Sports-Related Concussion
Authors: Hinton-Bayre Anton Dominic
Published: July 2015

Objective: Obtaining baseline neuropsychological (NP) data to assist management of sports-related concussion has been considered the standard of care. The validity of this approach has been questioned, with suggestions that post-concussion testing alone will suffice. The present study compared the sensitivity of baseline and normative paradigms in the setting of sports-related concussion.

Method: Baseline NP data were collected for 194 Australian rugby league athletes on a brief battery of paper-and-pencil NP tests. During competition, 27 athletes sustaining concussion referred from a sports physician were retested within two days of injury. Twenty-six uninjured controls were assessed at similar intervals. The baseline paradigm was assessed using a reliable change index for pre- and post-concussion scores. The normative paradigm was assessed comparing the post-concussion score to a normative mean.

Results: The baseline paradigm was consistently more sensitive to negative change following concussion than the normative paradigm when using continuous data, despite reasonable agreement. However, when data were categorised as ‘impaired’ or ‘not-impaired’, using either 68% or 90% confidence intervals, the difference between paradigms failed to reach significance. Comparison of ROC curves for both paradigms found superior overall classification for one test and the composite score using baseline comparison data.

Conclusions: Despite being a time and resource intensive process, the baseline paradigm as a repeated-measures design may be more sensitive than the between-subjects design of the normative paradigm for detecting changes following concussion. Further work is required to determine the validity of normative assessment in sports-related concussion.
Troponin elevation after black widow spider envenomation
Authors: Bush Sean P. , Davy J. Veeran
Published: July 2015

Black widow spider envenomation generally results in self-limiting pain that can be treated in the emergency department (ED) with analgesics and benzodiazepines, usually with no further intervention. Occasionally, a patient has to be admitted or treated with antivenom for refractory pain or a venom-induced complication. We present the case of an 84-year-old man who presented to our ED with chest pain and dyspnea after being bitten on the foot by a western black widow spider (Lactrodectus hesperus). His initial cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was elevated at 0.07 ng/ml and continued to rise to a peak of 0.17 ng/ml. He also had rhabdomyolysis, another uncommon complication of black widow envenomation. An elevated cTnI generally signifies myocardial injury and is rarely seen after black widow envenomation. We discuss the possible etiologies for an elevated cardiac biomarker, in this context, and review potentially serious complications of widow spider envenomation presenting with chest symptoms and an elevated cardiac biomarker.
Mechanisms of flame stabilisation at low lifted height in a turbulent lifted slot-jet flame
Authors: Karami Shahram , Hawkes Evatt R. , Talei Mohsen , Chen Jacqueline H.
Published: July 2015

A turbulent lifted slot-jet flame is studied using direct numerical simulation (DNS). A one-step chemistry model is employed with a mixture-fraction-dependent activation energy which can reproduce qualitatively the dependence of the laminar burning rate on the equivalence ratio that is typical of hydrocarbon fuels. The basic structure of the flame base is first examined and discussed in the context of earlier experimental studies of lifted flames. Several features previously observed in experiments are noted and clarified. Some other unobserved features are also noted. Comparison with previous DNS modelling of hydrogen flames reveals significant structural differences. The statistics of flow and relative edge-flame propagation velocity components conditioned on the leading edge locations are then examined. The results show that, on average, the streamwise flame propagation and streamwise flow balance, thus demonstrating that edge-flame propagation is the basic stabilisation mechanism. Fluctuations of the edge locations and net edge velocities are, however, significant. It is demonstrated that the edges tend to move in an essentially two-dimensional (2D) elliptical pattern (laterally outwards towards the oxidiser, then upstream, then inwards towards the fuel, then downstream again). It is proposed that this is due to the passage of large eddies, as outlined in Suet al.(Combust. Flame, vol. 144 (3), 2006, pp. 494–512). However, the mechanism is not entirely 2D, and out-of-plane motion is needed to explain how flames escape the high-velocity inner region of the jet. Finally, the time-averaged structure is examined. A budget of terms in the transport equation for the product mass fraction is used to understand the stabilisation from a time-averaged perspective. The result of this analysis is found to be consistent with the instantaneous perspective. The budget reveals a fundamentally 2D structure, involving transport in both the streamwise and transverse directions, as opposed to possible mechanisms involving a dominance of either one direction of transport. It features upstream transport balanced by entrainment into richer conditions, while on the rich side, upstream turbulent transport and entrainment from leaner conditions balance the streamwise convection.
Meta-analysis of the association of brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism with obsessive–compulsive disorder
Authors: Wang Jun , Zhang Fuquan , Zhu Wenxian , Liu Yansong , Zhou Zhenhe
Published: July 2015

Objective

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in neural survival and was proposed to be related to psychiatric disorders. Val66Met (also known as rs6265 or G196A), the only known functional polymorphism of the BDNF gene, has been widely studied and considered to be associated with risk of some psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. However, studies evaluating its association with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) obtained inconsistent results. The purpose of this study was to derive a more precise estimation of the association between BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and OCD susceptibility by a meta-analysis.

Method

We carried a structured literature search in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and Chinese Biomedical Database up to December 2014; and retrieved all eligible case–control studies according to the including criteria. Meta-analysis was performed for four genetic models: allelic model: Met versus Val; additive model: Met/Met versus Val/Val; recessive model: Met/Met versus Val/Val+Val/Met; and dominant model: Val/Met+Met/Met versus Val/Val. Stratified analyses were performed by ethnicity and gender where appropriate.

Results

A total of eight articles with nine studies including 1632 OCD cases and 2417 controls were identified. No significant association was detected in any comparison when the whole data were pooled together or stratified by ethnicity or gender in all four genetic models (p>0.05 for each comparison).

Conclusion

Despite some limitations, our meta-analysis suggests that no significant association exists between the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and OCD susceptibility.
Is there an association of vitamin B12status with neurological function in older people? A systematic review
Authors: Miles Lisa M. , Mills Kerry , Clarke Robert , Dangour Alan D.
Published: July 2015

Low vitamin B12status is common in older people; however, its public health significance in terms of neurological manifestations remains unclear. The present systematic review evaluated the association of vitamin B12status with neurological function and clinically relevant neurological outcomes in adults aged 50+ years. A systematic search of nine bibliographic databases (up to March 2013) identified twelve published articles describing two longitudinal and ten cross-sectional analyses. The included study populations ranged in size (n28–2287) and mean/median age (range 65–81 years). Studies reported various neurological outcomes: nerve function; clinically measured signs and symptoms of nerve function; self-reported neurological symptoms. Studies were assessed for risk of bias, and results were synthesised qualitatively. Among the general population groups of older people, one longitudinal study reported no association, and four of seven cross-sectional studies reported limited evidence of an association of vitamin B12status with some, but not all, neurological outcomes. Among groups with clinical and/or biochemical evidence of low vitamin B12status, one longitudinal study reported an association of vitamin B12status with some, but not all, neurological outcomes and three cross-sectional analyses reported no association. Overall, there is limited evidence from observational studies to suggest an association of vitamin B12status with neurological function in older people. The heterogeneity and quality of the evidence base preclude more definitive conclusions, and further high-quality research is needed to better inform understanding of public health significance in terms of neurological function of vitamin B12status in older people.
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on selected inflammatory biomarkers in older adults: a secondary analysis of data from a randomised, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Waterhouse Mary , Tran Bich , Ebeling Peter R. , English Dallas R. , Lucas Robyn M. , Venn Alison J. , Webb Penelope M. , Whiteman David C. , Neale Rachel E.
Published: July 2015

Observational studies have suggested that 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are associated with inflammatory markers. Most trials reporting significant associations between vitamin D intake and inflammatory markers used specific patient groups. Thus, we aimed to determine the effect of supplementary vitamin D using secondary data from a population-based, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial (Pilot D-Health trial 2010/0423). Participants were 60- to 84-year-old residents of one of the four eastern states of Australia. They were randomly selected from the electoral roll and were randomised to one of three trial arms: placebo (n 214), 750 μg (n 215) or 1500 μg (n 215) vitamin D3, each taken once per month for 12 months. Post-intervention blood samples for the analysis of C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, IL-10, leptin and adiponectin levels were available for 613 participants. Associations between intervention group and biomarker levels were evaluated using quantile regression. There were no statistically significant differences in distributions of CRP, leptin, adiponectin, leptin:adiponectin ratio or IL-10 levels between the placebo group and either supplemented group. The 75th percentile IL-6 level was 2·8 pg/ml higher (95 % CI 0·4, 5·8 pg/ml) in the 1500 μg group than in the placebo group (75th percentiles:11·0 v. 8·2 pg/ml), with a somewhat smaller, non-significant difference in 75th percentiles between the 750 μg and placebo groups. Despite large differences in serum 25(OH)D levels between the three groups after 12 months of supplementation, we found little evidence of an effect of vitamin D supplementation on cytokine or adipokine levels, with the possible exception of IL-6.
A War of (Mis)Information: The Political Effects of Rumors and Rumor Rebuttals in an Authoritarian Country
Authors: Huang Haifeng
Published: July 2015

Despite the prevalence of anti-government rumors in authoritarian countries, little is currently known about their effects on citizens’ attitudes toward the government, and whether the authorities can effectively combat rumors. With an experimental procedure embedded in two surveys about Chinese internet users’ information exposure, this study finds that rumors decrease citizens’ trust in the government and support of the regime. Moreover, individuals from diverse socio-economic and political backgrounds are similarly susceptible to thinly evidenced rumors. Rebuttals generally reduce people’s belief in the specific content of rumors, but often do not recover political trust unless the government brings forth solid and vivid evidence to back its refutation or win the endorsement of public figures broadly perceived to be independent. But because such high-quality and strong rebuttals are hard to come by, rumors will erode political support in an authoritarian state. These findings have rich implications for studies of rumors and misinformation in general, and authoritarian information politics in particular.
Archaeocyathan zonation of the Yangtze Platform: Implications for regional and global correlation of lower Cambrian stages
Authors: YANG AIHUA , ZHU MAOYAN , ZHURAVLEV ANDREY YU , YUAN KEXING , ZHANG JUNMING , CHEN YAQIAN
Published: July 2015

Detailed analysis of the distribution of archaeocyaths in five lower Cambrian sections in South China has resulted in the erection of four new archaeocyathan zones and one new archaeocyathan bed. Listed in order of ascending age, these are: theDailycyathus xiuqiensisZone; theDictyocyathus shaanxiensisZone; theSpirillicyathus duplexRange Zone; theSibirecyathus meitanensisRange Zone; and theArchaeocyathus yanjiaoensisbeds. These new subdivisions permit a correlation of lower Cambrian strata both within the area of the Yangtze Platform (South China) as well as between this region and Siberia, Australia, Western Europe and North America. Within the Yangtze Platform area, archaeocyaths of theDailycyathus xiuqiensisandDictyocyathus shaanxiensiszones co-occur with trilobites of the middle and upperEoredlichiaTrilobite Zone of the Qiongzhusian Stage. TheSpirillicyathus duplexand theSibirecyathus meitanensisRange Zone correspond to theMalungia, Yiliangella–YunnanaspisandDrepanuroidesTrilobite zones of the basal and middle Canglangpuan Stage, respectively. Finally, theArchaeocyathus yanjiaoensisbeds belong to thePalaeolenus fengyangensisTrilobite Zone of the upper Canglangpuan Stage. Global correlations based on archaeocyath assemblage zones suggest that: (1) the middle–upper Qiongzhusian of South China correlates with the middle Atdabanian Stage of the Siberian Platform, theWarriootacyathus wilkawillinensisArchaeocyath Zone in South Australia, the middle Issendalenian Stage of Morocco and the lower Ovetian Stage in Spain; (2) the lowermost Canglangpuan Stage of South China correlates with the uppermost Atdabanian of the Siberian Platform, theSpirillicyathus tenuis – Jugalicyathus tardusarchaeocyath zones in South Australia, the uppermost Issendalenian – lower Banian stages of Morocco, the middle Ovetian Stage of Spain and the middle Montezuman Stage of North America; (3) the middle Canglangpuan Stage approximates the lowermost Botoman Stage of the Siberian Platform, middle Banian Stage of Morocco, the uppermost Ovetian – lowermost Marianian stages of Spain and the upper Montezuman Stage of North America; (4) the uppermost Canglangpuan Stage is equivalent of the middle Toyonian Stage of the Siberian Platform,Archaeocyathus abacusbeds in Australia, the middle Bilbilian Stage in Spain and the middle Dyeran Stage (Bolbolenellus eurypariaTrilobite Zone) in North America.
LARGE P-GROUPS WITHOUT PROPER SUBGROUPS WITH THE SAME DERIVED LENGTH
Authors: CRESTANI ELEONORA , LUCCHINI ANDREA
Published: July 2015

We construct a subgroup Hd of the iterated wreath product Gd of d copies of the cyclic group of order p with the property that the derived length and the smallest cardinality of a generating set of Hd are equal to d while no proper subgroup of Hd has derived length equal to d. It turns out that the two groups Hd and Gd are the extreme cases of a more general construction that produces a chain Hd=K1<···< Kp−1=Gd of subgroups sharing a common recursive structure. For i ∈ {1,. . .,p−1}, the subgroup Ki has nilpotency class (i+1)d−1.
JAMES MACKINTOSH AND EARLY NINETEENTH-CENTURY CRIMINAL LAW
Authors: HANDLER PHILIP
Published: July 2015

This article examines the criminal law reform career of James Mackintosh (1765–1832). As Recorder of Bombay (1804–11), writer and Whig MP (1813–32), Mackintosh engaged with diverse aspects of criminal law. His view of the organic relationship between law, society, and public opinion, which was shaped by his Scottish intellectual background and Foxite Whig politics, was distinct from the radical and liberal political perspectives most often associated with criminal law reform. The article traces the implications of Mackintosh's approach for the practice of politics and legislation in the period and suggests cause to revise assessments of its outcomes.
Applying urine collected from non-lactating dairy cows dosed with dicyandiamide to lysimeters and grass plots: effects on nitrous oxide emissions, nitrate leaching and herbage production
Authors: O'CONNOR P. J. , MINOGUE D. , LEWIS E. , LYNCH M. B. , HENNESSY D.
Published: July 2015

In agricultural production systems, nitrogen (N) losses to the environment can occur through nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and nitrate (NO3−) leaching. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate: (1) if urine excreted by non-lactating dairy cows pulse-dosed with dicyandiamide (DCD) and applied to lysimeters reduced N2O-N emissions and NO3−-N leaching on two soil types; and (2) if urine + DCD would increase herbage production over winter. Lysimeters were used to measure N2O emissions and NO3-N leaching. The soils used were a free-draining acid brown earth of sandy loam to loam texture (termed free-draining) and a poorly drained silt loam gley (termed poorly drained). Grass plots were established on the free-draining soil to measure herbage production. The N loading rate of the urine + DCD was 508 kg N/ha and the urine without DCD (urine only) was 451 kg N/ha. Total NO3−-N leaching losses from the free-draining and poorly draining soils were reduced from 100 and 81 kg NO3−-N/ha on the urine-only treatment, respectively, to 9 and 11·6 kg NO3−-N/ha on the urine + DCD treatment, respectively. Total N2O-N emissions from the free-draining and poorly drained soils were reduced significantly from 13·6 and 12·1 kg N2O-N/ha on the urine-only treatment, respectively, to 2·23 and 5·24 kg N2O-N/ha on the urine + DCD treatment, respectively. Applying urine with DCD to pastures inhibited the nitrification process for up to 56 days after treatment application. In the current experiment, there was no significant effect on spring herbage production when urine + DCD was applied to grass plots. Therefore, feeding DCD to dairy cows to apply DCD directly in urine patches was shown to be an effective mitigation strategy to reduce NO3−-N leaching and N2O-N emissions but did not appear to increase spring herbage production.
The status of the conservation priority species Calicium corynellum in the British Isles
Authors: Yahr Rebecca
Published: July 2015

Conservation organisations are tasked with protection of biodiversity but are challenged by limited resources; consequently, the highest conservation priority species have designations that should correspond with the level of protection needed. In Britain, the saxicolous Calicium corynellum receives the highest conservation priority as a consequence of its rarity, combined with dramatic population declines over the last several decades, having disappeared from 2 of its 4 British sites and declined in one other. However, there is some uncertainty associated with the taxonomic status of the entity referred to as C. corynellum in Britain, partly because its common congener, C. viride has been recorded on trees overhanging several of the populations of C. corynellum, but also because the morphology of British material is very similar to the common C. viride, but found on rock. Standard fungal barcode nr ITS sequences of C. corynellum from both extant British populations of C. corynellum were successfully amplified, along with C. viride from trees overhanging one of the sites and from other British sites. In addition, morphological features were compared among specimens of both taxa. There is no evidence to support the distinction of British C. corynellum from its more common congener, and its conservation status is Britain should be re-evaluated.
THE MINOAN AMPHOROID KRATER: FROM PRODUCTION TO CONSUMPTION
Authors: Crouwel J.H. , Morris C.E.
Published: July 2015

This article focuses on a distinct type of clay vessel which formed part of both the Late Minoan and the Mycenaean repertoire: the amphoroid krater.

In contrast to the Mycenaean version of the shape, with its often elaborate decoration of chariots and other pictorial designs, the Minoan amphoroid krater has up to now not received much attention. The present paper intends to redress this imbalance by exploring the origin and development of the Minoan amphoroid krater, its function(s) and its relationship with its Mycenaean counterpart.
Efficient parallel and incremental parsing of practical context-free languages
Authors: BERNARDY JEAN-PHILIPPE , CLAESSEN KOEN
Published: July 2015

We present a divide-and-conquer algorithm for parsing context-free languages efficiently. Our algorithm is an instance of Valiant's (1975; General context-free recognition in less than cubic time. J. Comput. Syst. Sci.10(2), 308–314), who reduced the problem of parsing to matrix multiplications. We show that, while the conquer step of Valiant's is O(n3), it improves to O(log2n) under certain conditions satisfied by many useful inputs that occur in practice, and if one uses a sparse representation of matrices. The improvement happens because the multiplications involve an overwhelming majority of empty matrices. This result is relevant to modern computing: divide-and-conquer algorithms with a polylogarithmic conquer step can be parallelized relatively easily.
An evaluation of support of patients with prostate cancer during and beyond radiotherapy treatment. A local perspective on future provision
Authors: Ormerod Alison Mary , Jessop Anne J.
Published: July 2015

Purpose

This study was designed to evaluate whether radiographer-led on-treatment review clinics are meeting the wider needs of prostate patients receiving radiotherapy.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit patient and staff perspectives. Interviews are used extensively in qualitative research to produce a breadth and depth of insight into participants’ experiences and opinions. Seven patients and two radiographers participated in individual audio-taped interviews. Thematic analysis of the data identified some key themes and their perceived importance within the review service for both patients and staff.

Results

Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit patient and staff views. Several themes emerged from patient and radiographer perspectives. Radiographers and patients both expressed overall satisfaction with the service. Strengths included staff communication, relaxed environment, individualised support, regular information spread throughout the review pathway and consistency in managing acute side effects. Weaknesses included information and communication gaps at the beginning and end of treatment, information inconsistency between staff groups, gaps in specialist knowledge and a possible gap in skills where staff could train as supplementary prescribers.

Conclusion

Interviews produced an in-depth view of patient and staff experiences. Staff and patients identified both strengths and areas for improvement within the local service. Study findings support review radiographers in sourcing additional specialist training and a closer collaboration with other staff groups, which will further develop the service. As a next step, triangulation of research methods with questionnaires could be used to evaluate whether this small sample of patients is characteristic of prostate patients in general.
Exploration of risk factors for weight loss in head and neck cancer patients
Authors: Dawson Patrick , Taylor Amy , Bragg Chris
Published: July 2015

Introduction

Head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy can experience a number of toxicities, including weight loss and malnutrition, which can impact upon the quality of treatment. The purpose of this retrospective cohort study is to evaluate weight loss and identify predictive factors for this patient group.

Materials and methods

A total of 40 patients treated with radiotherapy since 2012 at the study centre were selected for analysis. Data were collected from patient records. The association between potential risk factors and weight loss was investigated.

Results

Mean weight loss was 5 kg (6%). In all, 24 patients lost >5% starting body weight. Age, T-stage, N-stage, chemotherapy and starting body weight were individually associated with significant differences in weight loss. On multiple linear regression analysis age and nodal status were predictive.

Conclusion

Younger patients and those with nodal disease were most at risk of weight loss. Other studies have identified the same risk factors along with several other variables. The relative significance of each along with a number of other potential factors is yet to be fully understood. Further research is required to help identify patients most at risk of weight loss; and assess interventions aimed at preventing weight loss and malnutrition.
The Persistence of Apparent Non-Magnetostatic Equilibrium in NOAA 11035
Authors: Jaeggli Sarah A.
Published: July 2015

NOAA 11035 was a highly sheared active region that appeared in December 2009 early in the new activity cycle. The leading polarity sunspot developed a highly unusual feature in its penumbra, an opposite polarity pore with a strong magnetic field in excess of 3500 G along one edge, which persisted for several days during the evolution of the region. This region was well observed by both space- and ground-based observatories, including Hinode, FIRS, TRACE, and SOHO. These observations, which span wavelength and atmospheric regimes, provide a complete picture of this unusual feature which may constitute a force-free magnetic field in the photosphere which is produced by the reconnection of magnetic loops low in the solar atmosphere.
Detection and characteristics of magnetic fields in evolved intermediate mass stars
Authors: Sabin Laurence
Published: July 2015

The role of magnetic fields in late type stars, such as Asymptotic Giant Branch stars (AGBs), Post-AGBs and Planetary Nebulae (PNe), is poorly known from an observational point of view. Magnetic fields are however believed to have a non-negligible influence on the dynamics (via mass loss control, outflows shaping) and even on the chemistry (e.g. extra mixing) of these stellar objects. We are therefore presenting two different types of investigation, both based on the use of polarimetry, which aim at filling the gap between the observations on the one hand and the theoretical predictions on the other hand.
The DAO Liquid Crystal Spectropolarimeter dimaPol
Authors: Monin Dmitry , Bohlender David , Hardy Tim , Saddlemyer Les
Published: July 2015

The spectropolarimeter dimaPol measures circular polarization in spectral lines of stellar objects. The instrument is used to simultaneously detect polarization signals in the hydrogen Hβ line as well as nearby metallic lines. A fast switching ferro-electric liquid crystal waveplate synchronized with charge shuffling on the CCD is employed to greatly reduce instrumental systematics. dimaPol has been in use on the DAO 1.8-m Plaskett telescope since 2007. In this presentation we show the capabilities of the instrument as well as some of the main results obtained with it to date.
Emission line spectropolarimetry and circumstellar structures
Authors: Vink Jorick S.
Published: July 2015

We discuss the role of linear emission-line polarimetry in a wide set of stellar environments, involving the accretion disks around young pre-main sequence stars, to the aspherical outflows from O stars, luminous blue variables and Wolf-Rayet stars, just prior to explosion as a supernova or a gamma-ray burst. We predict subtle QU line signatures, such as single/double QU loops for un/disrupted disks. Whilst there is plenty of evidence for single QU loops, suggesting the presence of disrupted disks around young stars, current sensitivity (with S/N of order 1000) is typically not sufficient to allow for quantitative 3D Monte Carlo modeling. However, the detection of our predicted signatures is expected to become feasible with the massive improvement in sensitivity of extremely large mirrors.
High-velocity Wind from IRS 1 in the NGC 2071IR
Authors: Trinidad Miguel Angel
Published: July 2015

We present the results of 1.3 and 3.6 cm radio continuum emission toward the NGC 2071IR star-forming region, carried out with the VLA in its A configuration. We detect continuum emission toward the infrared sources IRS 1 and IRS 3 at both wavelengths. In particular, IRS 1 breaks up into three continuum peaks (IRS 1E, 1C, and 1W), aligned in the east-west direction, being IRS 1 the central source. The morphology of the condensation IRS 1W is very interesting, which has an elongated structure and shows a significant curvature towards the north. We suggest that this morphology could be explained as the impact of a high-velocity wind or jetlike outflow from IRS 1 on a close companion or other obstruction, which also explains the strong water maser emission observed toward IRS 1W.