bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anxiety and deterioration of quality of life factors associated with recurrent miscarriage in an observational study
Authors: Mevorach-Zussman Noa , Bolotin Arkady , Shalev Hadar , Bilenko Natalya , Mazor Moshe , Bashiri Asher
Published: June 2012

Objectives: To examine the relationship of anxiety and quality of life and sleep variables to recurrent miscarriages (RMs) in patients during two stages of their treatment in an RM-dedicated clinic – before and after the evaluation – and determine what factors could aggravate anxiety and worsen global well-being outcomes.

Study design: Thirty-nine women who had experienced two or more RMs were measured before and after their evaluation and investigation in the RM clinic. A battery of questionnaires including the STAI scale and various instruments were administered to record anxiety, mental, and physical components of quality of life and sleep quality. Several statistical tests including canonical correlation were performed.

Results: All the patients revealed a mild to moderate level of anxiety, low numbers of physical and mental health but reasonably normal values of the global quality of sleep. The evaluation in the RM clinic and investigation for possible causes accounting for RM did not significantly change anxiety levels. The children-to-pregnancies ratio introduced into the analysis proved to correlate significantly with the sleep quality and mental health. Summarized anxiety in a given RM woman could be predicted based on the set of the variables, characterizing the woman’s reproductive status and her psychological health.

Conclusions: This study establishes anxiety as a common response in RM patients, and suggests factors that predict it. Knowing these factors may help clinicians to identify more accurately those RM patients who would be prone to a high level of anxiety and therefore need more attention and reassurance.
Nanoparticle-functionalized microcapsules for in vitro delivery and sensing
Authors: Carregal-Romero Susana , Ochs Markus , Parak Wolfgang J.
Published: June 2012

Inorganic nanoparticles such as magnetic nanoparticles, fluorescent quantum dots, and plasmonic nanoparticles can be used as building blocks for designing multifunctional systems based on polymeric capsules. The properties of the inorganic nanoparticles hereby are harnessed to provide additional functionality to the polymer capsules. Biological applications towards in vitro sensing and delivery are discussed. Examples will be given in which magnetic nanoparticles are used to direct capsules with magnetic field gradients, colloidal quantum dots are used to identify capsules via the formation of optical barcodes, and gold nanoparticles are used as light-controlled heat-sources for opening capsules and releasing macromolecules from their cavity upon optical excitation. This demonstrates that combination of inorganic nanoparticles and organic/polymeric molecules as carrier matrices allow for tailoring multifunctional hybrid particles for practical applications.
Effect of Addition of Aluminum Nanoparticles on Cooling Performance and Quench Severity of Water during Immersion Quenching
Authors: Ramesh G. , Prabhu K. Narayan
Published: June 2012

In the present work, the effect of the addition of aluminum nanoparticles in concentrations varying from 0.001 to 0.5 vol. % on the cooling performance and quench severity of water during immersion quenching is investigated. The results of cooling curve analyses show that an increase in nanoparticle concentration increased the cooling rates at critical temperatures up to 0.05 vol. % and decreased them thereafter. The transition from the vapor blanket stage to the nucleate boiling stage was also altered by quenching in nanofluids. A finite difference heat transfer program was employed to generate cooling curves at different values of heat transfer coefficient from thermo-physical properties of the quench probe material. A Grossmann H quench severity versus cooling rate curve was established, and from this curve, the H factors of prepared nanofluids were estimated. An increase in nanoparticle concentration up to 0.05 vol. % resulted in an increase of the H value of water from 63 m−1 to 93 m−1, and any further increase in the concentration of nanoparticles resulted in a decrease in H. The results suggest both the enhancement and the deterioration of the cooling performance of water by the addition of aluminum nanoparticles.
Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Epilepsy, and Cerebral Palsy in Norwegian Children
Authors: Surén Pål , Bakken Inger Johanne , Aase Heidi , Chin Richard , Gunnes Nina , Lie Kari Kveim , Magnus Per , Reichborn-Kjennerud Ted , Schjølberg Synnve , Øyen Anne-Siri , Stoltenberg Camilla
Published: June 2012

BACKGROUND:

Numerous studies have investigated the prevalence of neurologic and neurodevelopmental disorders individually, but few have examined them collectively, and there is uncertainty as to what extent they overlap.

METHODS:

The study has determined the proportions of children aged 0 to 11 years with diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, and cerebral palsy (CP) in Norway. The data were obtained from the Norwegian Patient Register, which is nationwide and contains diagnoses assigned by Norwegian specialist health services (hospitals and outpatient clinics). The Norwegian Patient Register started collecting individual-level data in 2008, and the follow-up period for the study is years 2008 through 2010.

RESULTS:

For ASD, ADHD, and epilepsy, the proportions were highest in the oldest children. At age 11 years, the incidence was 0.7% for ASD, 2.9% for ADHD, and 0.9% for epilepsy. The cumulative incidence is likely to be higher because some cases diagnosed before 2008 were probably missed. For CP, the proportions were ∼0.3% for age ≥5 years. There was considerable overlap between diagnoses. For all disorders, boys had a significantly increased risk. In school-age children (aged 6–11 years) the male/female ratio was 4.3 for ASD, 2.9 for ADHD, 1.2 for epilepsy, and 1.3 for CP.

CONCLUSIONS:

The findings demonstrate the significant burden of disease associated with neurologic and neurodevelopmental disorders in children and that this burden is disproportionately skewed toward boys.
Trends in Candida Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections Among NICUs, 1999–2009
Authors: Chitnis Amit S. , Magill Shelley S. , Edwards Jonathan R. , Chiller Tom M. , Fridkin Scott K. , Lessa Fernanda C.
Published: June 2012

OBJECTIVES:

To assess trends in incidence of Candida spp. central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in US NICUs, 1999–2009.

METHODS:

Data from NICUs participating in the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (1999–2004) and National Healthcare Safety Network (2006–2009) were analyzed. Overall and birth weight-specific incidence rates of Candida spp. CLABSIs per 1000 central line-days were calculated. Trends in incidence were assessed by using Poisson regression, and trends in proportion of CLABSIs identified as Candida albicans were assessed by using weighted-linear regression.

RESULTS:

Overall, 398 NICUs reported 1407 Candida spp. CLABSIs (706 due to C albicans) among 1400 neonates. Of the 1400 neonates, 963 (69%) were ≤1000 g at the time of birth, and 182 (13%) died. From 1999 to 2009, the overall incidence decreased significantly for CLABSIs due to Candida spp. (0.92 vs 0.2), C albicans (0.53 vs 0.09), and non-albicans Candida spp. (0.39 vs 0.1). Birth weight-specific incidence significantly decreased across all birth weight categories for C albicans. For CLABSIs due to non-albicans Candida spp., significant decreases were detected among all birth weight categories, except among neonates 1501 to 2500 g. The proportion of Candida spp. CLABSIs due to C albicans did not significantly change over time, remaining at ∼50%.

CONCLUSIONS:

Incidence of Candida spp. CLABSIs decreased substantially among NICU patients, regardless of birth weight. Decreases in incidence across all birth weight categories, and not only among neonates ≤1000 g in whom antifungal prophylaxis may be more common, suggest that multiple factors contributed to the declining incidence.
Peripheral Giant Cell Granuloma Associated With Dental Implants: Clinical Case and Literature Review
Authors: Peñarrocha-Diago Maria A. , Cervera-Ballester Juan , Maestre-Ferrín Laura , Peñarrocha-Oltra David
Published: June 2012

Peripheral giant cell granuloma (PGCG) associated to dental implants is a very infrequent peri-implant soft-tissue complication, with only 11 cases recorded in the literature to date. The present study describes a 54-year-old woman presenting a swelling of the alveolar margin in the fourth quadrant in relation to a fixed prosthesis cemented over implants. Treatment consisted of complete resection of the lesion with implantoplasty of the exposed implant threads. The diagnosis of PGCG was confirmed by histological study, and no relapse has been recorded after 12 months of follow-up.
Complex interactions among biocontrol agents, pollinators, and an invasive weed: a structural equation modeling approach
Authors: Swope Sarah M. , Parker Ingrid M.
Published: June 2012

Herbivores, seed predators, and pollinators can exert strong impacts on their host plants. They can also affect the strength of each other's impact by modifying traits in their shared host, producing super‐ or sub‐additive outcomes. This phenomenon is especially relevant to biological control of invasive plants because most invaders are attacked by multiple agents. Unfortunately, complex interactions among agents are rarely studied. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to quantify the effect of two biocontrol agents and generalist pollinators on the invasive weed Centaurea solstitialis, and to identify and quantify the direct and indirect interaction pathways among them. The weevil Eustenopus villosus is both a bud herbivore and a predispersal seed predator; the fly Chaetorellia succinea is also a predispersal seed predator; Apis mellifera is the primary pollinator. We conducted this work at three sites spanning the longitudinal range of C. solstitialis in California (USA) from the coast to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. SEM revealed that bud herbivory had the largest total effect on the weed's fecundity. The direct effect of bud herbivory on final seed set was 2–4 times larger in magnitude than the direct effect of seed predation by both agents combined. SEM also revealed important indirect interactions; by reducing the number of inflorescences plants produced, bud herbivory indirectly reduced the plant's attractiveness to ovipositing seed predators. This indirect, positive pathway reduced bud herbivory's direct negative effect by 11–25%. In the same way, bud herbivory also reduced pollinator visitation, although the magnitude of this pathway was relatively small. E. villosus oviposition deterred C. succinea oviposition, which is unfortunate because C. succinea is the more voracious of the seed predators. Finally, C. succinea oviposition indirectly deterred pollinator visitation, thereby enhancing its net effect on the plant. This study demonstrates the powerful insights that can be gained from the SEM approach in understanding the multiple direct and indirect interactions among agents and pollinators and their effects on an invasive weed. Such an approach may improve our ability to manage weeds with biocontrol agents by identifying pathways that could be exploited by future agents and minimizing the possibility of interference with established agents.
Efficient filtration system for paraffin-catalyst slurry separation
Authors: Khodagholi Mohammad , Hemmati Mohammad , Pour Ali
Published: June 2012

The filtration efficiency for separating liquid paraffin (or water) from a
slurry consisting of 25 weight% spherical alumina in a Slurry Bubble Column
Reactor (SBCR) comprised of a cylindrical tube of 10 cm diameter and 150 cm
length was studied. Various differential pressures (?P) were applied to two
separate tubular sintered metal stainless steel filter elements with nominal
pore size of 4 and 16?m. The experimental results disclosed that the rate of
filtrations increased on applying higher differential pressure to the filter
element. Albeit this phenomenon is limited to moderate ?Ps and for ?P more
than 1 bar is neither harmful nor helpful. The highest filtration rates at
?Ps higher than 1 bar were 170 and 248 ml/minute for 4 and 16?m respectively.
Using water as the liquid in slurry the rate of filtration enhanced to 4
folds, and this issue reveals impact of viscosity on filtration efficiency
clearly. In all situations, the total amount of particles present in the
filtrate part never exceeded a few parts per million (ppm). The statistical
analysis of the SEM image of the filtrate indicated that by applying higher
pressure difference to the filter element the frequency percent of larger
particle size increases. The operation of filter cake removing was performed
with back flashing of 300 ml of clean liquid with pressures of 3-5 bar of N2
gas.
Correction: Microstructure and Properties of Plasma Sprayed Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) Ceramics. Coatings 2012, 2, 64-75
Authors: Ctibor Pavel , Pala Zdenek , Boldyryeva Hanna , Sedláček Josef , Kmetík Viliam
Published: June 2012

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper: the correct number of the project granted by the Czech Science Foundation is P108/12/1872. [...]
Field Measurements of Residential Energy Consumption and Indoor Thermal Environment in Six Chinese Cities
Authors: Hu Tianchi , Yoshino Hiroshi , Zhou Jie
Published: June 2012

The purpose of this study was to reveal the energy use and indoor environment characteristics of twelve households located in six cities in China, including daily use of gas and electricity, temperature and humidity throughout a year. The energy uses for district heating and hot water were not included. The investigated houses were separated into two groups, namely Group 1 with domestic heating, and Group 2 with district heating. The analysis showed that the energy use of Lighting and Audio visual & information for each house is not very different during the four seasons. Annual energy use varied from 13.3 to 32.4 GJ in Group 1. The energy use of House 05 was 32.4 GJ/year, which is the highest in Group 1, the space heating reached 18.5 GJ/year, accounting for 57% of the total. Energy use of House 01 increased in winter and summer, which is attributed to the use of heating in winter and cooling in summer, respectively. Annual energy use varied from 2.9 to 17.0 GJ in Group 2. Almost no change of energy use was found for the houses in Group 2 during the four seasons, but a big difference of average indoor temperature was found in the coldest days between the houses in Group 1 (around 10 °C) and Group 2 (around 20 °C), while the difference was small in summer.
Harvesting Carbon from Eastern US Forests: Opportunities and Impacts of an Expanding Bioenergy Industry
Authors: Davis Sarah C. , Dietze Michael , DeLucia Evan , Field Chris , Hamburg Steven P. , Loarie Scott , Parton William , Potts Matthew , Ramage Benjamin , Wang Dan , Youngs Heather , Long Stephen P.
Published: June 2012

Eastern forests of the US are valued both as a carbon sink and a wood resource. The amount of biomass that can be harvested sustainably from this biome for bioenergy without compromising the carbon sink is uncertain. Using past literature and previously validated models, we assessed four scenarios of biomass harvest in the eastern US: partial harvests of mixed hardwood forests, pine plantation management, short-rotation woody cropping systems, and forest residue removal. We also estimated the amount and location of abandoned agricultural lands in the eastern US that could be used for biomass production. Greater carbon storage was estimated to result from partial harvests and residue removals than from plantation management and short-rotation cropping. If woody feedstocks were cultivated with a combination of intensive management on abandoned lands and partial harvests of standing forest, we estimate that roughly 176 Tg biomass y−1 (~330,000 GWh or ~16 billion gallons of ethanol) could be produced sustainably from the temperate forest biome of the eastern US. This biomass could offset up to ~63 Tg C y−1 that are emitted from fossil fuels used for heat and power generation while maintaining a terrestrial C sink of ~8 Tg C y−1.
Prevalence of Acute Respiratory Infections in Women and Children in Western Sierra Leone due to Smoke from Wood and Charcoal Stoves
Authors: Taylor Eldred Tunde , Nakai Satoshi
Published: June 2012

Combustion of biomass fuels (wood and charcoal) for cooking releases smoke that contains health damaging pollutants. Women and children are the most affected. Exposure to biomass smoke is associated with acute respiratory infections (ARI). This study investigated the prevalence of ARI potentially caused by smoke from wood and charcoal stoves in Western Sierra Leone, as these two fuels are the predominant fuel types used for cooking. A cross sectional study was conducted for 520 women age 15–45 years; and 520 children under 5 years of age in homes that burn wood and charcoal. A questionnaire assessing demographic, household and exposure characteristics and ARI was administered to every woman who further gave information for the child. Suspended particulate matter (SPM) was continuously monitored in fifteen homes. ARI prevalence revealed 32% and 24% for women, 64% and 44% for children in homes with wood and charcoal stoves, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders for each group, the odds ratio of having suffered from ARI was similar for women, but remained large for children in homes with wood stoves relative to charcoal stoves (OR = 1.14, 95%CI: 0.71–1.82) and (OR = 2.03, 95%CI: 1.31–3.13), respectively. ARI prevalence was higher for children in homes with wood stoves compared with homes with charcoal stoves, but ARI prevalence for both types of fuels is higher compared with reported prevalence elsewhere. To achieve a reduction in ARI would require switching from wood and charcoal to cleaner fuels.
Influences of Plant Traits on Immune Responses of Specialist and Generalist Herbivores
Authors: Lampert Evan
Published: June 2012

Specialist and generalist insect herbivore species often differ in how they respond to host plant traits, particularly defensive traits, and these responses can include weakened or strengthened immune responses to pathogens and parasites. Accurate methods to measure immune response in the presence and absence of pathogens and parasites are necessary to determine whether susceptibility to these natural enemies is reduced or increased by host plant traits. Plant chemical traits are particularly important in that host plant metabolites may function as antioxidants beneficial to the immune response, or interfere with the immune response of both specialist and generalist herbivores. Specialist herbivores that are adapted to process and sometimes accumulate specific plant compounds may experience high metabolic demands that may decrease immune response, whereas the metabolic demands of generalist species differ due to more broad-substrate enzyme systems. However, the direct deleterious effects of plant compounds on generalist herbivores may weaken their immune responses. Further research in this area is important given that the ecological relevance of plant traits to herbivore immune responses is equally important in natural systems and agroecosystems, due to potential incompatibility of some host plant species and cultivars with biological control agents of herbivorous pests.
Murine Lupus Susceptibility Locus Sle1c2 Mediates CD4+ T Cell Activation and Maps to Estrogen-Related Receptor γ
Authors: Perry Daniel J. , Yin Yiming , Telarico Tiffany , Baker Henry V. , Dozmorov Igor , Perl Andras , Morel Laurence
Published: June 2012

Sle1c is a sublocus of the NZM2410-derived Sle1 major lupus susceptibility locus. We have shown previously that Sle1c contributes to lupus pathogenesis by conferring increased CD4+ T cell activation and increased susceptibility to chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), which mapped to the centromeric portion of the locus. In this study, we have refined the centromeric sublocus to a 675-kb interval, termed Sle1c2. Mice from recombinant congenic strains expressing Sle1c2 exhibited increased CD4+ T cell intrinsic activation and cGVHD susceptibility, similar to mice with the parental Sle1c. In addition, B6.Sle1c2 mice displayed a robust expansion of IFN-γ–expressing T cells. NZB complementation studies showed that Sle1c2 expression exacerbated B cell activation, autoantibody production, and renal pathology, verifying that Sle1c2 contributes to lupus pathogenesis. The Sle1c2 interval contains two genes, only one of which, Esrrg, is expressed in T cells. B6.Sle1c2 CD4+ T cells expressed less Esrrg than B6 CD4+ T cells, and Esrrg expression was correlated negatively with CD4+ T cell activation. Esrrg encodes an orphan nuclear receptor that regulates oxidative metabolism and mitochondrial functions. In accordance with reduced Esrrg expression, B6.Sle1c2 CD4+ T cells present reduced mitochondrial mass and altered mitochondrial functions as well as altered metabolic pathway utilization when compared with B6 CD4+ T cells. Taken together, we propose Esrrg as a novel lupus susceptibility gene regulating CD4+ T cell function through their mitochondrial metabolism.
Better constraints on the sea-ice state using global sea-ice data assimilation
Authors: Mathiot P. , König Beatty C. , Fichefet T. , Goosse H. , Massonnet F. , Vancoppenolle M.
Published: June 2012

Abstract. Short-term and decadal sea-ice prediction systems need a realistic initial state, generally obtained using ice-ocean model simulations with data assimilation. However, only sea-ice concentration and velocity data are currently assimilated. In this work, an Ensemble Kalman Filter system is used to assimilate observed ice concentration and freeboard (i.e. thickness of emerged sea ice) data into a global coupled ocean–sea-ice model. The impact and effectiveness of our data assimilation system is assessed in two steps: firstly, through the assimilation of synthetic data (i.e., model-generated data) and, secondly, through the assimilation of satellite data. While ice concentrations are available daily, freeboard data used in this study are only available during six one-month periods spread over 2005–2007. Our results show that the simulated Arctic and Antarctic sea-ice extents are improved by the assimilation of synthetic ice concentration data. Assimilation of synthetic ice freeboard data improves the simulated sea-ice thickness field. Using real ice concentration data enhances the model realism in both hemispheres. Assimilation of ice concentration data significantly improves the total hemispheric sea-ice extent all year long, especially in summer. Combining the assimilation of ice freeboard and concentration data leads to better ice thickness, but does not further improve the ice extent. Moreover, the improvements in sea-ice thickness due to the assimilation of ice freeboard remain visible well beyond the assimilation periods.
Combining In Situ Synchrotron X‐Ray Diffraction and Absorption Techniques with Transmission Electron Microscopy to Study the Origin of Thermal Instability in Overcharged Cathode Materials for Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Nam Kyung‐Wan , Bak Seong‐Min , Hu Enyuan , Yu Xiqian , Zhou Youngning , Wang Xiaojian , Wu Lijun , Zhu Yimei , Chung Kyung‐Yoon , Yang Xiao‐Qing
Published: June 2012

The thermal instability of the cathode materials in lithium‐ion batteries is an important safety issue, requiring the incorporation of several approaches to prevent thermal runaway and combustion. Systematic studies, using combined well‐defined in situ techniques, are crucial to obtaining in‐depth understanding of the structural origin of this thermal instability in overcharged cathode materials. Here time‐resolved X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray absorption, mass spectroscopy, and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy during heating are combined to detail the structural changes in overcharged LixNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 and LixNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 cathode materials. By employing these several techniques in concert, various aspects of the structural changes are investigated in these two materials at an overcharged state; these include differences in phase‐distribution after overcharge, phase nucleation and propagation during heating, the preferred atomic sites and migration paths of Ni, Co, and Mn, and their individual contributions to thermal stability, together with measuring the oxygen release that accompanies these structural changes. These results provide valuable guidance for developing new cathode materials with improved safety characteristics.
One‐Step Synthesis and Optical Properties of Benzoate‐ and Biphenolate‐Capped ZrO2 Nanoparticles
Authors: Bai Xue , Pucci Andrea , Freitas Vania T. , Ferreira Rute A. S. , Pinna Nicola
Published: June 2012

A simple one‐pot approach based on the “benzyl alcohol route” is used for the preparation of benzoate‐ and biphenolate‐capped zirconia and, benzoate‐capped Eu‐doped zirconia nanoparticles. Powder X‐ray diffraction studies and high‐ resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM) showed that the nanoparticles present high crystallinity and uniform particle sizes ranging from 3 to 4 nm. FT‐IR and solid state NMR (SS‐NMR) studies revealed that the nanoparticles are coated with a large amount of organic species when the reaction temperature is above 300 °C. It was found that the alcohol used as solvent is oxidized at the surface of the nanoparticles to the respective carboxylic acid which acts as a stabilizer, controlling the nanoparticles growth. The optical properties of these hybrid nanoparticles were studied by room and low (12K) temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy, time‐resolved spectroscopy and absolute emission quantum yield. The as‐synthesized benzoate‐ and biphenolate‐capped nanoparticles exhibit interesting emission properties in the UV and blue spectral regions together with values of emission quantum yields much higher than those reported for zirconia nanoparticles of similar size. The photoluminescent properties were attributed to a cooperative effect of the capping ligands and the defects associated to the ZrO2 nanoparticles. Due to the overlapping of the various emission components involved (i.e., the emission of europium(III) intra‐4f6 transitions, defects in the zirconia and capping ligands) a tunable emission color ranging from purplish‐pink to greenish‐blue could be obtained for the europium‐doped zirconia nanoparticles by simply selecting different excitation wavelengths.
Synthesis and Structure–Property Correlations of Dicyanovinyl‐Substituted Oligoselenophenes and their Application in Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Haid Stefan , Mishra Amaresh , Weil Matthias , Uhrich Christian , Pfeiffer Martin , Bäuerle Peter
Published: June 2012

The convergent synthesis of a series of acceptor–donor–acceptor (A‐D‐A) type dicaynovinyl (DCV)‐substituted oligoselenophenes DCVnS (n = 3–5) is presented. Trends in thermal and optoelectronic properties are studied, in dependence on the length of the conjugated backbone. Optical measurements reveal red‐shifted absorption spectra and electrochemical investigations show lowering of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy levels for DCVnS compared to the corresponding thiophene analogs DCVnT. As a consequence, a lowering of the bandgap is observed. Single crystal X‐ray structure analysis of tetramer DCV4S provides important insight into the packing features and intermolecular interactions of the molecules, further corroborating the importance of the DCV acceptor groups for the molecular ordering. DCV4S and DCV5S are used as donor materials in planar heterojunction (PHJ) and bulk‐heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells. The devices show very high fill factors (FF), a high open circuit voltage, and power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of up to 3.4% in PHJ solar cells and slightly reduced PCEs of up to 2.6% in BHJ solar cells. In PHJ devices, the PCE for DCV4S almost doubles compared to the PCE reported for the oligothiophene analog DCV4T, while DCV5S shows an about 30% higher PCE than DCV5T.
A Mild and Versatile Method for the Synthesis of Alkyl Ethers from Methoxymethyl Ethers and Application to the Preparation of Sterically Crowded Ethers
Authors: Minamitsuji Yutaka , Kawaguchi Atsuhisa , Kubo Ozora , Ueyama Yoshifumi , Maegawa Tomohiro , Fujioka Hiromichi
Published: June 2012

A mild and divergent route for the synthesis of alkyl ethers from methoxymethyl (MOM) and methoxyethyl (ME) ether derivatives via pyridinium‐type salt intermediates has been developed. The addition of organocuprates to the salts afforded the corresponding alkyl ethers, including highly crowded ones, in high yields even in the presence of acid‐ or base‐sensitive functional groups.
Inherited hematological disorders due to defects in coat protein (COP)II complex
Authors: Russo Roberta , Esposito Maria Rosaria , Iolascon Achille
Published: June 2012

Many diseases attributed to trafficking defects are primary disorders of protein folding and assembly. However, an increasing number of disease states are directly attributable to defects in trafficking machinery. In this context, the cytoplasmic coat protein (COP)II complex plays a pivotal role: it mediates the anterograde transport of correctly folded secretory cargo from the endoplasmic reticulum towards the Golgi apparatus. This review attempts to describe the involvement of COPII complex alteration in the pathogenesis of human genetic disorders; particularly, we will focus on two disorders, the Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anemia type II and the Combined Deficiency of Factor V and VIII. Am. J. Hematol., 88:135–140, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Applying morphometrics to choose optimal captive brood stock for an endangered species: a case study using the freshwater pearl mussel, Margaritifera margaritifera (L.)
Authors: Wilson Conor D. , Jane Preston S. , Moorkens Evelyn , Dick Jaimie T.A. , Lundy Mathieu G.
Published: June 2012

To maximize captive breeding success for the globally endangered freshwater mussel Margaritifera margaritifera, morphometrics was applied to develop a tool for selecting optimal brood stock.

There was high discrimination between brooding and non‐brooding individuals and the presence of brood explained the variation in the percentage of mussels with a typical brooding morphology. Brooding individuals were significantly wider than non‐brooding individuals. However, after reclassifying those non‐brooding individuals with morphology highly indicative of brooding individuals using Mahalanobis distance modelling, only shell curvature along the ventral region differed significantly. The Mahalanobis model explained more variation in shell morphology than a model based on field observations, highlighting that shell morphology is a good predictor of brooding mussels.

In addition, it could be argued that an identified novel morph is that of hermaphroditic M. margaritifera, which has developed in response to historic low population density.

This is the first application of a non‐invasive, morphometric technique to optimize captive breeding programmes for an endangered species. Since a greater number of species are under threat of extinction from climate change, there will be a demand for captive breeding programmes, emphasizing the importance of this study. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Recent Developments on the Trifluoromethylation of (Hetero)Arenes
Authors: Wu Xiao‐Feng , Neumann Helfried , Beller Matthias
Published: June 2012

Aryl‐CF3 as an extremely important family of fluorinated organic compounds holds wide applications in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and advanced materials. Traditionally, such trifluoromethylated compounds have been synthesized from the corresponding aryl trichlorides via Cl exchange reactions (Scheme 1). This Focus review gives an overview over the recent development of trifluoromethylation of (hetero)arenes.
A Laplacian spectral method in phase I analysis of profiles
Authors: Neto Francisco Moura , De Magalhães Maysa S.
Published: June 2012

The statistical process control of certain complex production processes or products rely on the monitoring of profiles. In this work, we consider a spectral‐based method to distinguish between outlier and nonoutlier observations to establish profile parameters. The proposed method is based on the spectral theory of the Laplacian of a graph, more specifically, a Laplacian eigenmap. The graph is constructed by considering each profile as a node, and by adjusting edge weights on the graph to reflect the resemblance between profiles. Laplacian eigenmaps have been used to represent data, to reduce data dimension, and for clustering. The proposed method can be used for complex profiles because it does not require the function between the dependent and independent variables. We apply the proposed method to an artificially generated data set from a nonlinear profile and to a wood board production problem. The results are compared with existing methods in the literature and show that the proposed method performs satisfactorily. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using automatic number plate recognition technology to observe drivers' headway preferences
Authors: Gunay Banihan
Published: June 2012

The paper investigates whether more meaningful interpretation of time headways could be achieved when vehicle identities are taken into account as opposed to the conventional headway studies with no vehicle identification. The idea of spotting those vehicles that are in close car‐following fashion, through automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology, was the initial motive of the research. With the use of a set of ANPR data collected in the Republic of Ireland, a number of empirical observations were made, which, in turn, attracted further attention. It was found that the distribution of headways with respect to time was more skewed to the right compared with the overall distribution of all data that had no particular reference to the vehicle identities. It was also interesting to show preliminarily that the ratio of standard deviation to the mean of the time headways (when vehicle identities are taken into consideration) was smaller than that of the headways obtained from the overall population without any number plate identities. It is therefore highlighted that there is need for research to explore the issue further from both points of view of academic studies and enforcement bodies. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dynamic process models of combined traffic assignment and control with different signal updating strategies
Authors: Meneguzzer Claudio
Published: June 2012

Dynamic process (DP) models of route choice provide a sensible representation of the day‐to‐day evolution of network flows, but their application to the combined modeling of traffic assignment and signal control is not well documented in the literature. In this study, two alternative deterministic, discrete‐time DP models of the interaction between signal control and route choice are proposed and compared with the conventional iterative optimization and assignment (IOA) method for network traffic signal setting. Convergence and equilibrium properties of the two DP models and of IOA are assessed on the basis of extensive numerical tests conducted on a small but realistic network. The frequency of signal resetting is shown to affect significantly the duration of the dynamic process needed to achieve a network flow‐control equilibrium. Our findings also suggest that the realism of IOA may be questioned because of its lack of consideration for important behavioral features such as driver memory and habit. Finally, the possible emergence of instabilities in the DP models is demonstrated through the analysis of bifurcation examples. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
RDAP12 program overview
Authors: Moore Reagan , Weaver Melissa
Published: June 2012

Editor's Summary

After welcoming remarks, the 3rd ASIS&T Summit on Research Data Access & Preservation (RDAP) got underway with a panel discussion on data management plans and policies. Panelists described a variety of data management projects in the U.S. and the European Union and the challenges faced during implementation. Additional panels focused on data citation, data curation service models and education for data management practitioners. Data management supporting a sustainability environment was the topic of the Digital Libraries Sustainability SIG panel. The summit closed with a series of fast‐paced lightning talks and with demonstrations of the DataNet Federation Consortium, a proposed nationwide data management infrastructure, and RUcore, the Rutgers University community repository.
RDAP12 summit: Challenges and opportunities for data management
Authors: Wickett Karen M. , Hu Xiao , Thomer Andrea
Published: June 2012

Editor's Summary

Librarians, data managers and educators convened at ASIS&T's third annual Research Data Access and Preservation Summit in March 2012 to discuss the complex issues involved in managing research data. Major topics included the sociocultural landscape of data management, education and training for data managers, and data citation practices. Among the many questions without answers were the issues of revenue sources and whether science data curation services are better handled by institutions or scientific communities. Financial and technical sustainability are critical, together with human sustainability, including data managers' training and education. While the relative importance of data management theory and technical skills was a matter of debate, all supported the need for continuing education in data curation. There was agreement that current data citation practices are inconsistent and that citation metadata standards and unique and persistent identifiers for datasets are necessary.
Data citation initiatives and issues
Authors: Mayernik Matthew S.
Published: June 2012

Editor's Summary

The importance of formally citing scientific research data has been recognized for decades but is only recently gaining momentum. Several federal government agencies urge data citation by researchers, DataCite and its digital object identifier registration services promote the practice of citing data, international citation guidelines are in development and a panel at the 2012 ASIS&T Research Data Access and Preservation Summit focused on data citation. Despite strong reasons to support data citation, the lack of individual user incentives and a pervasive cultural inertia in research communities slow progress toward broad acceptance. But the growing demand for data transparency and linked data along with pressure from a variety of stakeholders combine to fuel effective data citation. Efforts promoting data citation must come from recognized institutions, appreciate the special characteristics of data sets and initially emphasize simplicity and manageability.
The changed and changing ADI/ASIS/ASIS&T after 75 years
Authors: Williams Robert V.
Published: June 2012

Editor's Summary

A review of the history and growth of ASIS&T since its origin as the American Documentation Institute (ADI) reflects the development of the concept of information science. Spearheaded by Watson Davis in 1937, the ADI focused on micro‐photographic techniques and bibliography and on documentation principles and practices. Despite a shaky start and meager funding, the ADI adapted to new technologies, terminology and subject analysis methods, and started the journal American Documentation in 1950. Growth in science research in the '50s and '60s sparked an explosion of technical reports, prompting coordination with the Special Libraries Association and other groups and leading to a demand for more specialized professional skills, which was met in the '60s and '70s by expansion and focus on education in information science. The membership shifted to a majority in academia and shrinking minority in industry, and debate continued over the geographic scope and name of the organization, which added “and Technology” to its name in 2000. American Documentation transitioned in stages into the Journal of the American Society for Information and Technology, while the Bulletin and Annual Review were added, and annual conferences provided another educational resource. The publications became the basis of an arrangement with the publisher Wiley that would stabilize finances. Over 75 years, from ADI to ASIS to ASIS&T, the organization has met the evolving needs of the information science and technology community.
The cost‐effectiveness of the dangerous and severe personality disorder programme
Authors: Barrett Barbara , Tyrer Peter
Published: June 2012

Background

Much resource (c £500M) has been spent in setting up the programme of treatment for those deemed to be suffering from dangerous and severe personality disorder (DSPD). It has now begun to contract, and it is an appropriate time to evaluate its cost‐effectiveness.

Aims

The aim of the study was to review all published and known unpublished material, examining the cost, cost function and cost‐effectiveness of the DSPD programme since its introduction in 1999.

Methods

Narrative review of studies was used.

Results

Four studies, one unpublished, were identified. The costs of treating people in the DSPD programme are considerably higher than those in other parts of the prison service. This could be justified if the gains justified this increased investment, but the evidence suggests that the outcomes in the short term are not good, and the monetary value of reductions in serious offences is very small compared with the extent of the higher costs incurred. There is a dearth of randomised trials that would allow an adequate assessment of cost‐effectiveness.

Implications for practice

Future plans for expansion or development of DSPD and similar services need to have cost‐effectiveness of agreed outcomes assessed as a central element. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correlating DFT‐Calculated Energy Barriers to Experiments in Nonheme Octahedral FeIVO Species
Authors: Cho Kyung‐Bin , Kim Eun Jeong , Seo Mi Sook , Shaik Sason , Nam Wonwoo
Published: June 2012

The experimentally measured bimolecular reaction rate constant, k2, should in principle correlate with the theoretically calculated rate‐limiting free energy barrier, ΔG≠, through the Eyring equation, but it fails quite often to do so due to the inability of current computational methods to account in a precise manner for all the factors contributing to ΔG≠. This is further aggravated by the exponential sensitivity of the Eyring equation to these factors. We have taken herein a pragmatic approach for CH activation reactions of 1,4‐cyclohexadiene with a variety of octahedral nonheme FeIVO complexes. The approach consists of empirically determining two constants that would aid in predicting experimental k2 values uniformly from theoretically calculated electronic energy (ΔE≠) values. Shown in this study is the predictive power as well as insights into energy relationships in FeIVO CH activation reactions. We also find that the difference between ΔG≠ and ΔE≠ converges at slow reactions, in a manner suggestive of changes in the importance of the triplet spin state weight in the overall reaction.
Sandwich Double‐Decker Lanthanide(III) “Intracavity” Complexes Based on Clamshell‐Type Phthalocyanine Ligands: Synthesis, Spectral, Electrochemical, and Spectroelectrochemical Investigations
Authors: Pushkarev Victor E. , Tolbin Alexander Yu. , Zhurkin Fedor E. , Borisova Nataliya E. , Trashin Stanislav A. , Tomilova Larisa G. , Zefirov Nikolay S.
Published: June 2012

Phthalocyanine compounds of novel type based on a bridged bis‐ligand, denoted “intracavity” complexes, have been prepared. Complexation of clamshell ligand 1,1′‐[benzene‐1,2‐diylbis(methanediyloxy)]bis[9(10),16(17),23(24)‐tri‐tert‐butylphthalocyanine] (clam,tBuPc2H4, 1) with lanthanide(III) salts [Ln(acac)3]⋅n H2O (Ln=Eu, Dy, Lu; acetylacetonate) led to formation of double‐deckers clam,tBuPc2Ln (2 a–c). Formation of high molecular weight oligophthalocyanine complexes was demonstrated as well. The presence of an intramolecular covalent bridge affecting the relative arrangement of macrocycles was shown to result in specific physicochemical properties. A combination of UV/Vis/NIR and NMR spectroscopy, MALDI‐TOF mass‐spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry, and spectroelectrochemistry provided unambiguous characterization of the freshly prepared bis‐phthalocyanines, and also revealed intrinsic peculiarities in the structure–property relationship, which were supported by theoretical calculations. Unexpected NMR activity of the paramagnetic dysprosium complex 2 b in the neutral π‐radical form was observed and examined as well.
A General and High‐Yield Galvanic Displacement Approach to AuM (M=Au, Pd, and Pt) Core–Shell Nanostructures with Porous Shells and Enhanced Electrocatalytic Performances
Authors: Kuai Long , Geng Baoyou , Wang Shaozhen , Sang Yan
Published: June 2012

In this work, we utilize the galvanic displacement synthesis and make it a general and efficient method for the preparation of AuM (M=Au, Pd, and Pt) core–shell nanostructures with porous shells, which consist of multilayer nanoparticles. The method is generally applicable to the preparation of AuAu, AuPd, and AuPt core–shell nanostructures with typical porous shells. Moreover, the AuAu isomeric core–shell nanostructure is reported for the first time. The lower oxidation states of AuI, PdII, and PtII are supposed to contribute to the formation of porous core–shell nanostructures instead of yolk‐shell nanostructures. The electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance of porous AuPd core–shell nanostructures are assessed as a typical example for the investigation of the advantages of the obtained core–shell nanostructures. As expected, the AuPd core–shell nanostructure indeed exhibits a significantly reduced overpotential (the peak potential is shifted in the positive direction by 44 mV and 32 mV), a much improved CO tolerance (If/Ib is 3.6 and 1.63 times higher), and an enhanced catalytic stability in comparison with Pd nanoparticles and Pt/C catalysts. Thus, porous AuM (M=Au, Pd, and Pt) core–shell nanostructures may provide many opportunities in the fields of organic catalysis, direct alcohol fuel cells, surface‐enhanced Raman scattering, and so forth.
Hepatic Differentiation of Rat Mesenchymal Stem Cells by a Small Molecule
Authors: Ouyang Jingfeng , Shao Jiaan , Zou Hongbin , Lou Yijia , Yu Yongping
Published: June 2012

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are capable of self‐renewal and multilineage differentiation. A periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) stain‐based assay was developed to screen for small‐molecule inducers of hepatic differentiation of bone marrow MSCs. 2‐(4‐Bromophenyl)‐N‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐3‐propyl‐3H‐imidazo[4,5‐b]pyridin‐5‐amine (SJA710‐6) was identified as a novel small molecule able to induce the differentiation of rat MSCs (rMSCs) toward hepatocyte‐like cells in vitro, where rMSCs treated with SJA710‐6 have typical morphological and functional characteristics of hepatic cells, including glycogen storage, urea secretion, uptake of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and expression of hepatocyte‐specific genes and proteins. Expression of FoxH1 (FAST1/2) induces the differentiation of rMSCs towards hepatocyte‐like cells, suggesting that this gene plays an important role in the hepatic fate specification of rMSCs.