bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between levator hiatal dimensions on ultrasound during first pregnancy and mode of delivery
Authors: van Veelen G. A. , Schweitzer K. J. , van Hoogenhuijze N. E. , van der Vaart C. H.
Published: August 2014

Objectives

To determine the association between levator hiatal dimensions, measured using transperineal ultrasound, in women during their first pregnancy and the subsequent mode of delivery, stratified by the indication for intervention.

Methods

In this prospective observational study, 280 nulliparous women with a singleton pregnancy were invited for transperineal ultrasound examination at 12 and 36 weeks' gestation. Their levator hiatal dimensions were measured at rest, on pelvic floor muscle contraction and on Valsalva maneuver. The subsequent mode of delivery was classified into five categories: spontaneous vaginal delivery, instrumental vaginal delivery owing to fetal distress, instrumental vaginal delivery owing to failure to progress, Cesarean section owing to fetal distress and Cesarean section owing to failure to progress. Levator hiatal dimensions according to mode of delivery were compared by analysis of variance and Tukey's post‐hoc test. Since multiple comparison tests were performed, the statistical significance level was corrected using the Bonferroni method.

Results

Of the 252 women included, those who delivered by Cesarean section because of failure to progress had a significantly smaller levator hiatal transverse diameter on pelvic floor contraction at 12 weeks' gestation than did women who had a spontaneous vaginal delivery (Tukey's post‐hoc test, P < 0.001). There was also a trend towards a smaller hiatal area on pelvic floor contraction at 12 weeks' gestation in women who delivered by Cesarean section because of failure to progress compared to women who had a spontaneous vaginal delivery (Tukey's post‐hoc test, P = 0.005). In women who had an instrumental vaginal delivery because of failure to progress there was a trend towards a smaller levator hiatal anteroposterior diameter on pelvic floor contraction at 36 weeks' gestation compared with women who had a spontaneous vaginal delivery (Tukey's post‐hoc test, P = 0.033).

Conclusions

Smaller levator hiatal dimensions on pelvic floor contraction during first pregnancy are associated with a subsequent instrumental vaginal delivery or a Cesarean section owing to failure to progress. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Twin‐reversed arterial perfusion sequence associated with decreased fetal cerebral vascular impedance
Authors: Peyvandi S. , Feldstein V. A. , Hirose S. , Rand L. , Brook M. M. , Moon‐Grady A. J.
Published: August 2014

Objectives

Twin‐reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence affects 1% of monochorionic twin pregnancies and is caused by abnormal vascular connections between a pump twin and an acardiac mass. The effects of abnormal vascular connections on cerebral vasculature in the pump twin are unknown. We hypothesize that abnormal cerebral vascular impedance, as assessed by the pulsatility index (PI), is present in pump twins and that fetal intervention alters cerebral impedance.

Methods

Fetal echocardiograms performed between 2010 and 2013 in pregnancies diagnosed with TRAP (n = 19), recorded at presentation, and uncomplicated monochorionic twin pregnancies (controls, n = 18; 36 fetuses) were analyzed. In all subjects, the middle cerebral artery (MCA)‐PI, combined cardiac output (CCO) and cardiothoracic ratio were calculated, and the values for cases and controls were compared.

Results

The mean gestational age at the time of echocardiography was 20 weeks in both groups. MCA‐PI was lower in TRAP cases than in controls (1.55 (95% CI, 1.47–1.64) vs 1.74 (95% CI, 1.65–1.82), respectively; P = 0.004). CCO in TRAP cases was mildly elevated for gestational age (199.7 (95% CI, 138.4–261.1) mL/min) compared with that of controls (131.4 (95% CI, 102.2–160.7) mL/min). In six TRAP cases with a second echocardiogram available, the mean MCA‐PI increased after intervention, from 1.5 (95% CI, 1.3–1.7) to 1.8 (95% CI, 1.4–2.2).

Conclusions

TRAP pump twins have lower cerebral vascular impedance than do controls, suggestive of a brain‐sparing effect. MCA‐PI appeared to increase in a small group of pump twins after intervention. These findings suggest a fetal cerebral autoregulatory response to a high cardiac output state that begins to change after fetal intervention. The long‐term implications for neurodevelopmental outcome warrant further study. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Linking energy efficiency to economic productivity: recommendations for improving the robustness of the U.S. economy
Authors: Laitner John A. “Skip”
Published: August 2014

The evidence continues to mount. Energy efficiency is not just a way to save big money for households and business, or to achieve cost‐effective and very big reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; it is also a critical resource if the United States is to maintain the robustness of its economy. In short, the efficient use of energy plays a more prominent role in the economic process than is generally understood. But the role of high‐quality energy as it enable economic activity is badly defined and poorly tracked within the standard national economic accounts. The analysis builds on a new set of data and insights indicating that, based in 2010 data, the U.S. economy is only 14% energy efficient. In other words, our economic activity wastes 86% of the energy used in the production and distribution of goods and services. This level of energy inefficiency imposes an array of costs that constrain the robustness of the American economy. This assessment explores new terms and concepts—many of which are familiar to physicists and engineers, but have not generally become part of normal policy discussion. As a result, the current system of economic accounts (which tracks employment, investment, and income) limits insights and understanding about: (1) the current dynamics of productivity improvements and routine economic activity; and (2) the mix of price signals, policies, and incentives designed to redirect purposeful effort and productive investment. Applying these insights has the potential to transform the economy into one that provides both social and environmental well‐being, and that is also sustainable over the long run. WIREs Energy Environ 2015, 4:235–252. doi: 10.1002/wene.135

This article is categorized under:

Energy Efficiency > Economics and Policy

Energy Efficiency > Systems and Infrastructure
Syntheses, Crystal Structures, and Luminescent Properties of Two Cadmium(II) Complexes with CdS Network and (3,4)‐Connected Topology
Authors: Liu Lu , Zhang Zhiwei , Zhao Zhiling , Niu Shaoli , Song Aijun , Peng Youshun
Published: August 2014

Two cadmium(II) complexes with different dicarboxylate ligands, [Cd(ADC)(bib)0.5] (1) and [Cd(HIDC)(bib)0.5]n (2) [H2ADC = 1,3‐adamantanedicarboxylic acid, H3IDC = 4,5‐imidazoledicarboxylate and bib = 1,4‐bis(1‐imidazolyl) benzene] were obtained. Complexes 1 and 2 were characterized by single‐crystal and powder X‐ray diffraction, FT‐IR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The complexes showed different topological nets. Furthermore, the luminescent properties of complexes 1 and 2 were investigated in the solid state at room temperature.
Laparoscopic Major Hepatectomies: Clinical Outcomes and Classification
Authors: Di Fabio Francesco , Samim Morsal , Di Gioia Paolo , Godeseth Rosemary , Pearce Neil W. , Abu Hilal Mohammed
Published: August 2014

Background

According to the Louisville Statement, laparoscopic major hepatectomy is a heterogeneous category that includes “traditional” trisectionectomies/hemi‐hepatectomies and the technically challenging resection of segments 4a, 7, and 8. The aims of this study were to assess differences in clinical outcomes between laparoscopic “traditional” major hepatectomy and resection of “difficult‐to‐access” posterosuperior segments and to define whether the current classification is clinically valid or needs revision.

Methods

We reviewed a prospectively collected single‐center database of 390 patients undergoing pure laparoscopic liver resection. A total of 156 patients who had undergone laparoscopic major hepatectomy according to the Louisville Statement were divided into two subcategories: laparoscopic “traditional” major hepatectomy (LTMH), including hemi‐hepatectomies and trisegmentectomies, and laparoscopic “posterosuperior” major hepatectomy (LPMH), including resection of posterosuperior segments 4a, 7, and 8. LTMH and LPMH subgroups were compared with respect to demographics, intraoperative variables, and postoperative outcomes.

Results

LTMH was performed in 127 patients (81 %) and LPMH in 29 (19 %). Operation time was a median 330 min for LTMH and 210 min for LPMH (p < 0.0001). Blood loss was a median 500 ml for LTMH and 300 ml for LPMH (p = 0.005). Conversion rate was 9 % for LTMH and nil for LPMH (p = 0.219). In all, 28 patients (22 %) developed postoperative complications after LTMH and 5 (17 %) after LPMH (p = 0.801). Mortality rate was 1.6 % after LTMH and nil after LPMH. Hospital stay was a median 5 days after LTMH and 4 days after LPMH (p = 0.026).

Conclusions

The creation of two subcategories of laparoscopic major hepatectomy seems appropriate to reflect differences in intraoperative and postoperative outcomes between LTMH and LPMH.
A Meta‐Analysis of Short‐Term Outcomes of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and BMI ≤35 kg/m2 Undergoing Roux‐en‐Y Gastric Bypass
Authors: Rao Wen‐Sheng , Shan Cheng‐Xiang , Zhang Wei , Jiang Dao‐Zhen , Qiu Ming
Published: August 2014

Background

Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is effective for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with a body mass index (BMI) >35 kg/m2. It is unknown whether it benefits those with a BMI ≤35 kg/m2. In the last decade, the effect of bariatric procedures on metabolic outcomes in individuals who underwent surgery outside National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines (BMI ≤35 kg/m2) was both interesting and controversial.

Objective

We performed a systematic analysis evaluating the effect of RYGB for T2DM patients with a BMI ≤35 kg/m2.

Methods

We searched databases (Embase, Ovid, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], and Cochrane Library) and relevant journals between January 1980 and October 2013. Keywords used in electronic searching included ‘diabetes’, ‘gastric bypass’, ‘BMI’, and ‘body mass index’. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) patients who underwent RYGB; (2) sample size ≥15; (3) patients with a BMI ≤35 kg/m2; and (4) follow‐up ≥12 months. Exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) data extracted from a database; (2) trials for sleeve gastrectomy; (3) trials for laparoscopic banding; (4) trials for bilio‐pancreatic diversion; and (5) trials for duodenojejunal bypass. Participants and intervention type 2 diabetes patients with BMI ≤35 kg/m2 who underwent RYGB. Two investigators reviewed all reported studies independently. Data were extracted according to previously defined endpoints. A meta‐analysis was performed for these parameters, with homogeneity among different trials.

Results

Nine articles fulfilled inclusion criteria. After 12 months, patients with T2DM had a significant decrease in their BMI postoperatively (p < 0.00001, weighted mean difference [WMD] −7.42, 95 % confidence interval [CI] −8.87 to −5.97), and remission of diabetes (glucose: p < 0.00001, WMD −59.87, 95 % CI −67.74 to −52.01; hemoglobin A1cp < 0.00001, WMD −2.76, 95 % CI −3.41 to −2.11). There were no deaths in all trials, and the complication rate was between 6.7 and 25.9 %. Mean length of hospital stay was 2.00 to 3.20 days, and mean operative time was from 72.8 to 112.0 min. In terms of study limitations, publication and selection bias were unavoidable. Trials with small sample sizes were excluded, which may lead to a selection bias.

Conclusion

RYGB was effective for T2DM patients with BMI ≤35 kg/m2. Further clinical studies with long‐term follow‐up data are necessary to clarify this issue.
miR‐124 controls Drosophila behavior and is required for neural development
Authors: Wang Chao , Feng Tongbao , Wan Qian , Kong Yan , Yuan Liudi
Published: August 2014

MicroRNA‐124 (miR‐124) is an evolutionarily conserved, small, noncoding RNA molecule that participates in the central nervous system (CNS) developmental control of gene expression. In the current study, we found that Drosophila embryos lacking the mir‐124 gene did not exhibit detectable defects in axon growth or CNS development. On the other hand, adult mutants showed severe problems in locomotion, flight, and female fertility. Furthermore, the deficits that we observed in the adult stage could be marginally rescued with elav‐GAL4 driven expression of miR‐124, making elav‐GAL4 an excellently simulated driver to induce entopic over‐expression of miR‐124. Further developmental assessment in the third instar larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and dendritic arborization (DA) neurons was performed with miR‐124 knock outs, flies over‐expressing miR‐124, and rescue models. Typically, the absence and over‐abundance of a molecular signal exerts opposite effects on development or phenotype. However, we determined that both miR‐124 knock‐outs and over‐expressing flies displayed reduced NMJ 6/7 bouton number and branch length. Similarly, reduced ddaE branching numbers were observed between the two mutant lines. As to ddaF, we found that branching number was not influenced by mir‐124 knock out, but was statistically reduced by miR‐124 over‐expression. While we were not able to determine any causal relationship between behavioral defects and dysplasia of NMJs or DA neurons, there were some accompanying relationships among behavioral phenotypes, NMJ abnormalities, and ddaE/ddaF dendritic branching which were all controlled by miR‐124.
Violence and Social Memory in Twentieth-Century Belfast: Stories of Buck Alec Robinson
Authors: O'Connell Sean
Published: August 2014

This article explores the life and commemoration of Buck Alec Robinson. A feared loyalist killer in 1920s Belfast, in more recent times he has featured as a lion-keeping “character” on wall murals and in tourist guide books. Robinson is employed as a case study to investigate two separate but, in this case, interlinked historiographical debates. The first involves Norbert Elias's analysis of the decline of violence. The second relates to discussion of the analysis of social memory in working-class communities, with violence being placed therein. The article supports historical assessments suggesting that the “civilizing offensive” had an uneven impact. That point is usually made in the context of working-class men. This article extends it to political elites in Belfast and probes their flirtations with violent hard men. The case is made that it is a mistake to assume the “civilizing” dynamic is to be understood as a teleological or top-down process.
NUTRIENT BALANCES AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN URBAN AND PERI-URBAN VEGETABLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS OF THREE WEST AFRICAN CITIES
Authors: ABDULKADIR AISHA , SANGARÉ SHEICK K. , AMADOU HAMADOUN , AGBENIN JOHN O.
Published: August 2014

Urban and peri-urban (UPA) cultivation supplies fresh vegetables and employment for the increasing number of urban inhabitants. It is characterized by the use of large nutrient inputs to increase productivity and often associated with negative environmental risks. For these reasons, this study quantified nutrient (nitrogen, N; phosphorus, P; and potassium, K) flows and economic performance of UPA gardening of the three West African cities of Kano, Nigeria; Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; Sikasso, Mali, during a 2-year period using theMonitoring forQualityImprovement (MonQI) toolbox considering inflows and outflows sources. Average annual N, P and K balances were positive for all gardens in the three cities with N balances of 279, 1127 and 74 kg N ha−1in Kano, Bobo Dioulasso and Sikasso, respectively, except for annual K deficits of 222 and 187 kg K ha−1in Kano and Sikasso, respectively. Nitrogen use efficiencies were 63%, 51% and 87% in Kano, Bobo Dioulasso and Sikasso, respectively, with poor P use efficiencies due to excess application in all three cities. However, a high K efficiency was observed in Bobo Dioulasso (87%) while applications of K were lower than required in Kano and Sikasso with efficiencies of 121% and 110%, indicating possible K mining. The average annual gross margins from gardening indicated a statistically higher (p< 0.05) return of US$3.83 m−2in Bobo Dioulasso than returns obtained in Kano (US$0.92 m−2) and Sikasso (US$1.37 m−2). Although an economically vibrant activity, intensive UPA vegetable production needs to be reviewed for strategic planning towards improving N and P use efficiencies in order to maintain its productivity as well as safeguard the environment. Appropriate K fertilization is necessary to avoid long term K depletion in Kano and Sikasso UPA gardening.
The fingerprint of Precambrian basement in the Chinese Central Tianshan: evidence from inherited/xenocrystic zircons of magmatic rocks
Authors: MA XUXUAN , SHU LIANGSHU , MEERT JOSEPH G. , XU ZHIQIN
Published: August 2014

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt is an accretionary orogen with many distinct terranes including the Chinese Central Tianshan, whose Precambrian tectonic affinity is not yet clearly known. We present Precambrian age spectra of inherited/xenocrystic zircons from magmatic rocks in the Chinese Central Tianshan, collected from published papers. The age patterns are dominated by zircons with ages ranging from 3261 to 541 Ma. These spectra provide robust clues regarding the Precambrian affinity of the Chinese Central Tianshan. The age spectra record two major tectonothermal events, represented by salient age peaks of c. 950 and 900 Ma within the ‘Grenville Orogeny’ period, and age peaks at c. 750 and 630 Ma, synchronous with magmatic events corresponding to Rodinia break-up. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the Chinese Central Tianshan was part of the Tarim craton during Precambrian time as well as documenting its incorporation into, and separation from the Rodinia landmass.
Struggles over an ‘Old, Nasty, and Inconvenient Monopoly’: Municipal Slaughterhouses and the Meat Industry in Rio de Janeiro, 1880–1920s
Authors: LOPES MARIA-APARECIDA
Published: August 2014

This paper examines the meat supply system in Rio de Janeiro from the late nineteenth century to the 1920s. For a period of time the city's monopoly over meat processing and retailing guaranteed a steady supply at predictable prices. However, at the turn of the century, ‘interlopers’, as municipal officials labelled those who attempted to introduce their product into Rio's market, began to question this century-old monopoly. Hence, for a relatively short period, Rio de Janeiro implemented a number of measures: curtailing the long-standing custom of clandestine slaughtering; establishing a centralised and somewhat regulated public abattoir system; and, finally, introducing meat-packing companies. This study considers these developments by undertaking a broader inquiry into how they affected per capita meat availability in Rio de Janeiro from the 1890s to the 1920s.
Empowering the Police: How the Chinese Communist Party Manages Its Coercive Leaders
Authors: Wang Yuhua
Published: August 2014

How does the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) secure the loyalty of its coercive leaders, and its public security chiefs in particular, in the face of numerous domestic protests every year? This article presents the first quantitative analysis of contemporary China's coercive leaders using an original data set of provincial public security chiefs and public security funding during the reform era. I demonstrate that the CCP, owing to its concern for regime stability, has empowered the public security chiefs by incorporating them into the leadership team. Empowered public security chiefs then have stronger bargaining power over budgetary issues. I rely on fieldwork, qualitative interviews and an analysis of Party documents to complement my statistical analysis. The findings of this analysis shed light on the understanding of regime durability, contentious politics and the bureaucracy in China.
Intervening to enhance cortisol regulation among children at risk for neglect: Results of a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Bernard Kristin , Dozier Mary , Bick Johanna , Gordon M. Kathleen
Published: August 2014

The hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis is particularly sensitive to conditions of maltreatment. In particular, neglected children have shown a flatter slope with lower wake-up values relative to nonneglected children. An intervention, the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up (ABC), was developed to enhance biological and behavioral regulation in young children at risk for neglect. The effectiveness of the intervention was assessed in a randomized clinical trial for children with involvement with Child Protective Services. Following the intervention, children receiving the ABC intervention (n= 49) showed more typical cortisol production, with higher wake-up cortisol values and a steeper diurnal slope, than children receiving the control intervention (n= 51). These results suggest that the ABC intervention is effective in enhancing biological regulation.
The use of prosody during syntactic processing in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Diehl Joshua John , Friedberg Carlyn , Paul Rhea , Snedeker Jesse
Published: August 2014

In this study, we employed an eye-gaze paradigm to explore whether children (ages 8–12) and adolescents (ages 12–18) with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are able to use prosodic cues to determine the syntactic structure of an utterance. Persons with ASD were compared to typically developing (TD) peers matched on age, IQ, gender, and receptive language abilities. The stimuli were syntactically ambiguous but had a prosodic break that indicated the appropriate interpretation (feel the frog … with the feathervs.feel … the frog with the feather). We found that all groups were equally sensitive to the initial prosodic cues that were presented. Children and teens with ASD used prosody to interpret the ambiguous phrase as rapidly and efficiently as their TD peers. However, when a different cue was presented in subsequent trials, the younger ASD group was more likely to respond in a manner consistent with the initial prosodic cue rather than the new one. Eye-tracking data indicated that both younger groups (ASD and TD) had trouble shifting their interpretation as the prosodic cue changed, but the younger TD group was able to overcome this interference and produce an action consistent with the prosodic cue.
Solvency II technical provisions for general insurers (Brian Hey prize) ‐ Abstract of the London Discussion
Authors: Dreksler Susan
Published: August 2014

This abstract relates to the following paper: DrekslerS.,AllenC.,Akoh-ArreyA.,CourcheneJ. A., JunaidB.,KirkJ.,LoweW.,O’DeaS.,PiperJ.,ShahM.,ShawG.,StormanD.,ThaperS.,ThomasL.,WheatleyM. and WilsonM. Solvency II technical provisions for general insurers. British Actuarial Journal, doi: 10.1017/S1357321714000099
Evaluation of Agave Fiber Delignification by Means of Microscopy Techniques and Image Analysis
Authors: Hernández-Hernández Hilda M. , Chanona-Pérez Jorge J. , Calderón-Domínguez Georgina , Perea-Flores María. J. , Mendoza-Pérez Jorge A. , Vega Alberto , Ligero Pablo , Palacios-González Eduardo , Farrera-Rebollo Reynold R.
Published: August 2014

Recently, the use of different types of natural fibers to produce paper and textiles from agave plants has been proposed. Agave atrovirens can be a good source of cellulose and lignin; nevertheless, the microstructural changes that happen during delignification have scarcely been studied. The aim of this work was to study the microstructural changes that occur during the delignification of agave fibers by means of microscopy techniques and image analysis. The fibers of A. atrovirens were obtained from leaves using convective drying, milling, and sieving. Fibers were processed using the Acetosolv pulping method at different concentrations of acetic acid; increasing acid concentration promoted higher levels of delignification, structural damage, and the breakdown of fiber clumps. Delignification followed by spectrometric analysis and microstructural studies were carried out by light, confocal laser scanning and scanning electron microscopy and showed that the delignification process follows three stages: initial, bulk, and residual. Microscopy techniques and image analysis were efficient tools for microstructural characterization during delignification of agave fibers, allowing quantitative evaluation of the process and the development of linear prediction models. The data obtained integrated numerical and microstructural information that could be valuable for the study of pulping of lignocellulosic materials.
Characterization ofSatureja khuzestanicaLeaf as a Herbal Medicine
Authors: Malmir Maryam , Serrano Rita , Reza Gohari Ahmad , Silva Olga
Published: August 2014

Dried leaves ofSatureja khuzestanicaJamzad are a popular herbal medicine and dental anesthetic among the nomadic inhabitants of southwestern Iran. The present study establishes criteria for identification ofS. khuzestanicadried whole, fragmented and powdered leaves for specification as a herbal substance using macroscopic and microscopic characterization. Quantitative microscopy techniques were also considered. Macroscopically leaves exhibit a grayish-green color, are broadly ovate in shape with an acute apex, attenuate base, and ciliate margin and have a surface covered by an indumentum of glandular and non-glandular trichomes. Microscopically leaves have an isobilateral amphistomatic structure containing peltate glandular trichomes consisting of a multiseriate stalk (five cells) and an enlarged secretory head composed of 12 cells, capitate glandular trichomes of variable morphology together with two types of non-glandular trichomes. Oval-shaped hygromorphic diacytic stomata with an adaxial stomatal index of 13.54, collateral vascular bundles consisting of xylem, and three layers of sclerenchymatous tissue close to phloem together with cluster, prismatic and raphide calcium oxalate crystals were also identified as useful pharmacognostic parameters for identification ofS. khuzestanicadried leaves.
Five-year survival after palliative radiotherapy of T4/N3 lung cancer: case series and review of the literature
Authors: Ampil Federico , Devarakonda Srinivas , Previgliano Carlos , Mills Glenn
Published: August 2014

There is sparse literature regarding extended survival of patients treated for T4 and/or N3 lung cancers. We present the results of a case series from our radiotherapeutic experience over the last 12 years to provide additional information. Out of 189 individuals diagnosed with lung cancer between 1997 and 2008, seven treated patients who survived five years or longer were identified. The median age was 56 years. More than half of the subjects were symptomatic at the time of hospitalization, possessed voluminous, non-small-cell histologic type malignant neoplasms, and received chemotherapy also. All individuals responded to treatment, and their survival ranged from 60 to 169 months. Our observed long-term survivors seem to justify the continued practice of modern standards of care in patients with lung cancer.
Towards the production of radiotherapy treatment shells on 3D printers using data derived from DICOM CT and MRI: preclinical feasibility studies
Authors: Laycock S. D. , Hulse M. , Scrase C. D. , Tam M. D. , Isherwood S. , Mortimore D. B. , Emmens D. , Patman J. , Short S. C. , Bell G. D.
Published: August 2014

Background:

Immobilisation for patients undergoing brain or head and neck radiotherapy is achieved using perspex or thermoplastic devices that require direct moulding to patient anatomy. The mould room visit can be distressing for patients and the shells do not always fit perfectly. In addition the mould room process can be time consuming. With recent developments in three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies comes the potential to generate a treatment shell directly from a computer model of a patient. Typically, a patient requiring radiotherapy treatment will have had a computed tomography (CT) scan and if a computer model of a shell could be obtained directly from the CT data it would reduce patient distress, reduce visits, obtain a close fitting shell and possibly enable the patient to start their radiotherapy treatment more quickly.

Purpose:

This paper focuses on the first stage of generating the front part of the shell and investigates the dosimetric properties of the materials to show the feasibility of 3D printer materials for the production of a radiotherapy treatment shell.

Materials and methods:

Computer algorithms are used to segment the surface of the patient’s head from CT and MRI datasets. After segmentation approaches are used to construct a 3D model suitable for printing on a 3D printer. To ensure that 3D printing is feasible the properties of a set of 3D printing materials are tested.

Conclusions:

The majority of the possible candidate 3D printing materials tested result in very similar attenuation of a therapeutic radiotherapy beam as the Orfit soft-drape masks currently in use in many UK radiotherapy centres. The costs involved in 3D printing are reducing and the applications to medicine are becoming more widely adopted. In this paper we show that 3D printing of bespoke radiotherapy masks is feasible and warrants further investigation.
401(k) participant behavior in a volatile economy
Authors: BUTRICA BARBARA A. , SMITH KAREN E.
Published: August 2014

The booms and busts of the late 1990s and 2000s have taken 401(k) plan participants on a rollercoaster ride. Using data from administrative tax records and household surveys, this paper examines how participants responded to these periods of economic expansions and contractions by documenting changes in 401(k) participation, contributions, and contribution rates from 1990 to 2009. Controlling for earnings, job changes, and other household factors, we find that workers reduce their 401(k) participation and contributions during recessions – suggesting that they may be responding to changes in their expectations about the economy and stock market. We estimate that changes in participant behavior during the Great Recession, in particular, could lower 401(k) assets of the typical 30-year-old by as much as 8% at age 62.
Best estimate reserves and the claims development results in consecutive calendar years
Authors: Saluz Annina , Gisler Alois
Published: August 2014

The claims development result (CDR) is the difference between the best estimate predictions of the ultimate claim in 2 successive years. With best estimate reserves it is often argued that CDR’s in consecutive years should fluctuate randomly around zero. However, in practice one frequently observes that CDR’s in a given line of business have the same sign over several consecutive years. We show that this is a phenomenon which is not unusual and to be expected in situations of change. Moreover, we show how situations of change can adequately be described by a model, taking into account the evolving external information.
The Ghosts of the Temple of Preah Vihear/Phra Viharn in the 2013 Judgment
Authors: KATTAN Victor
Published: August 2014

This paper revisits the ICJ's original 1962 Decision in the case of the Temple of Preah Vihear, examining its legacy in the light of the 2013 Decision. The 2013 Decision, when read in isolation from the 1962 Judgment, does not provide any indication that the original Judgment was controversial. In contrast to the unanimous Decision of the Court in 2013, in 1962 three of the judges appended Dissenting Opinions. They dissented because they could not agree with the majority that the Temple was located in Cambodia. The 1962 Judgment was controversial because it relied on an inaccurate sketch map and deduced Thai acquiescence from a single photograph of a brief meeting between a dead Thai prince and a dead French official. The unanimous decision of the 2013 Court therefore appears to be to a conscious decision by the Court to reinforce a Judgment that was, in retrospect, evidentially weak.
Blutige Diarrhoe – Ätiologie, Diagnostik und Therapie
Authors: Heinrich Henriette , Vavricka Stephan R.
Published: August 2014

Das Auftreten einer blutigen Diarrhoe ist immer ein Warnzeichen, das eine genaue Anamnese über die Dauer, Begleiterscheinungen, Medikamenteneinnahme (Antibiotika, NSAR) und auch über mögliche Vorerkrankungen des Patienten (HIV, Transplantatempfänger, CED) notwendig macht. In diesem Übersichtsartikel wird auf die häufigsten bakteriellen, viralen und parasitären Erreger einer blutigen Diarrhoe sowie auf weitere wichtige Ursachen, wie die Strahlencolitis oder eine ischämische Colitis eingegangen. Zusätzlich werden notwendige diagnostische Schritte wie das Abnehmen von Stuhlkulturen bei möglichen infektiösen Ursachen, die Bestimmung von Calprotektin bei entzündlichen Darmkrankheiten oder die Durchführung einer Bildgebung (CT und Endoskopie) bei der ischämischen Colitis diskutiert. Zusätzlich werden die häufigsten Ursachen, einer blutigen Diarrhoe bei immunsupprimierten Patienten besprochen und ein besonderer Fokus auf die chronisch entzündlichen Darmerkrankungen als Ursache einer blutigen Diarrhoe gelegt.
Observations of the cold wake of Typhoon Fanapi (2010)
Authors: Mrvaljevic Rosalinda K. , Black Peter G. , Centurioni Luca R. , Chang Ya‐Ting , D'Asaro Eric A. , Jayne Steven R. , Lee Craig M. , Lien Ren‐Chieh , Lin I‐I , Morzel Jan , Niiler (deceased) Pearn P. , Rainville Luc , Sanford Thomas B.
Published: August 2014

Several tens of thousands of temperature profiles are used to investigate the thermal evolution of the cold wake of Typhoon Fanapi, 2010. Typhoon Fanapi formed a cold wake in the Western North Pacific Ocean on 18 September characterized by a mixed layer that was >2.5 °C cooler than the surrounding water, and extending to >80 m, twice as deep as the preexisting mixed layer. The initial cold wake became capped after 4 days as a warm, thin surface layer formed. The thickness of the capped wake, defined as the 26 °C–27 °C layer, decreased, approaching the background thickness of this layer with an e‐folding time of 23 days, almost twice the e‐folding lifetime of the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) cold wake (12 days). The wake was advected several hundreds of kilometers from the storm track by a preexisting mesoscale eddy. The observations reveal new intricacies of cold wake evolution and demonstrate the challenges of describing the thermal structure of the upper ocean using sea surface information alone.
Internalization and TLR‐dependent type I interferon production by monocytes in response to Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Han Seong‐Ji , Melichar Heather J , Coombes Janine L , Chan Shiao Wei , Koshy Anita A , Boothroyd John C , Barton Gregory M , Robey Ellen A
Published: August 2014

The classic anti‐viral cytokine interferon (IFN)‐β can be induced during parasitic infection, but relatively little is know about the cell types and signaling pathways involved. Here we show that inflammatory monocytes (IMs), but not neutrophils, produce IFN‐β in response to T. gondii infection. This difference correlated with the mode of parasite entry into host cells, with phagocytic uptake predominating in IMs and active invasion predominating in neutrophils. We also show that expression of IFN‐β requires phagocytic uptake of the parasite by IMs, and signaling through Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) and MyD88. Finally, we show that IMs are major producers of IFN‐β in mesenteric lymph nodes following in vivo oral infection of mice, and mice lacking the receptor for type I IFN‐1 show higher parasite loads and reduced survival. Our data reveal a TLR and internalization‐dependent pathway in IMs for IFN‐β induction to a non‐viral pathogen.
Unconventionally secreted effectors of two filamentous pathogens target plant salicylate biosynthesis
Authors: Liu Tingli , Song Tianqiao , Zhang Xiong , Yuan Hongbo , Su Liming , Li Wanlin , Xu Jing , Liu Shiheng , Chen Linlin , Chen Tianzi , Zhang Meixiang , Gu Lichuan , Zhang Baolong , Dou Daolong
Published: August 2014

Plant diseases caused by fungi and oomycetes pose an increasing threat to food security and ecosystem health worldwide. These filamentous pathogens, while taxonomically distinct, modulate host defense responses by secreting effectors, which are typically identified based on the presence of signal peptides. Here we show that Phytophthora sojae and Verticillium dahliae secrete isochorismatases (PsIsc1 and VdIsc1, respectively) that are required for full pathogenesis. PsIsc1 and VdIsc1 can suppress salicylate-mediated innate immunity in planta and hydrolyse isochorismate in vitro. A conserved triad of catalytic residues is essential for both functions. Thus, the two proteins are isochorismatase effectors that disrupt the plant salicylate metabolism pathway by suppressing its precursor. Furthermore, these proteins lack signal peptides, but exhibit characteristics that lead to unconventional secretion. Therefore, this secretion pathway is a novel mechanism for delivering effectors and might play an important role in host–pathogen interactions.
Haptens, bioconjugates, and antibodies for penthiopyrad immunosensing
Authors: Ceballos-Alcantarilla Eric , Abad-Fuentes Antonio , Aloisio Vincenzo , Agulló Consuelo , Abad-Somovilla Antonio , Mercader Josep V.
Published: August 2014

Two penthiopyrad haptens with opposite linker tethering sites affording antibodies with affinities in the nanomolar range have been prepared with analytical purposes.
Ultrafast cation intercalation in nanoporous nickel hexacyanoferrate
Authors: Shibata Takayuki , Moritomo Yutaka
Published: August 2014

Ultrafast cation intercalation is observed in nanoporous nickel hexacyanoferrate, which is ascribed to a fast cation diffusion constant. The cations deeply intercalate without colliding with residual surface cations.
Omnidispersible poly(ionic liquid)-functionalized cellulose nanofibrils: surface grafting and polymer membrane reinforcement
Authors: Grygiel Konrad , Wicklein Bernd , Zhao Qiang , Eder Michaela , Pettersson Torbjörn , Bergström Lennart , Antonietti Markus , Yuan Jiayin
Published: August 2014

Poly(ionic liquid)s were grafted onto cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) to provide superior dispersibility to CNFs in water and various organic solvents.
Bypassing a highly unstable frustrated Lewis pair: dihydrogen cleavage by a thermally robust silylium–phosphine adduct
Authors: Herrington Thomas J. , Ward Bryan J. , Doyle Laurence R. , McDermott Joe , White Andrew J. P. , Hunt Patricia A. , Ashley Andrew E.
Published: August 2014

The thermally robust silylium complex [iPr3Si–PtBu3]+[B(C6F5)4]− (1) activates H2/D2 at 90 °C (PhCl). However, experimental evidence and DFT calculations show no evidence for dissociation into the separated Lewis pair.
Detection of multiple mutations in a single codon of genomic DNA
Authors: Sayyed Danishmalik Rafiq , Nimse Satish Balasaheb , Song Keum-Soo , Kim Taisun
Published: August 2014

The controller DNA technology allows the detection of multiple mutations in a single codon of genomic DNA.
Energetics, thermal isomerisation and photochemistry of the linkage-isomer system [Ni(Et4dien)(η2-O,ON)(η1-NO2)]
Authors: Skelton Jonathan M. , Crespo-Otero Rachel , Hatcher Lauren E. , Parker Stephen C. , Raithby Paul R. , Walsh Aron
Published: August 2014

Isomerisation of an NO2 ligand coordinated to Ni in a molecular crystal is explored using a range of quantum chemical techniques.
Theoretical investigation on structural and electronic properties of organic dye C258 on TiO2(101) surface in dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Sun Ping-Ping , Li Quan-Song , Yang Li-Na , Sun Zhu-Zhu , Li Ze-Sheng
Published: August 2014

Electron gets directly transferred from the HOMO of C258 to the bottom conduction band of TiO2 in bidentate bridging adsorption mode.
Direct imaging of layered O3- and P2-NaxFe1/2Mn1/2O2structures at the atomic scale
Authors: Lu Xia , Wang Yuesheng , Liu Pin , Gu Lin , Hu Yong-Sheng , Li Hong , Demopoulos George P. , Chen Liquan
Published: August 2014

The atomic-scale structures of P2 and O3 phase NaxFe0.5Mn0.5O2are clearly acquired using a spherical aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) technique for the development of a sodium-ion battery.
Hydration structures of lactic acid: characterization of the ionic clathrate hydrate formed with a biological organic acid anion
Authors: Muromachi Sanehiro , Abe Toru , Yamamoto Yoshitaka , Takeya Satoshi
Published: August 2014

Lactic acid is incorporated in the ionic clathrate hydrate showing various water clustering patterns.
Metal-catalyzed activation of ethers via C–O bond cleavage: a new strategy for molecular diversity
Authors: Cornella Josep , Zarate Cayetana , Martin Ruben
Published: August 2014

This review highlights the prospective impact of simple ethers as aryl halide surrogates in the cross-coupling arenaviaC–O bond-activation.
Structure and photoluminescence of silver(i) trinuclear halopyrazolato complexes
Authors: Morishima Yui , Young David James , Fujisawa Kiyoshi
Published: August 2014

Luminescent silver(i) complexes of substituted halopyrazolate anions are either dimeric trinuclear or trinuclear structures held together with weak interactions.
Hysteresis and transient behavior in current–voltage measurements of hybrid-perovskite absorber solar cells
Authors: Unger E. L. , Hoke E. T. , Bailie C. D. , Nguyen W. H. , Bowring A. R. , Heumüller T. , Christoforo M. G. , McGehee M. D.
Published: August 2014

This report discusses slow transient and hysteretic phenomena in perovskite-absorber solar cells.
State of Fukushima nuclear fuel debris tracked by Cs137 in cooling water
Authors: Grambow B. , Mostafavi M.
Published: August 2014

Irradiation enhanced interaction of Fukushima nuclear fuel with cooling water leads to continuous dissolution of 1.8% of137Cs per year.
Edible oleogels based on water soluble food polymers: preparation, characterization and potential application
Authors: Patel Ashok R. , Cludts Nick , Sintang Mohd Dona Bin , Lesaffer Ans , Dewettinck Koen
Published: August 2014

We demonstrate a novel way of using food polysaccharides to structure liquid oil into oleogels and further explore its potential application as a shortening alternative.
Rapid, energy-efficient synthesis of the layered carbide, Al4C3
Authors: Kennedy Jennifer L. , Drysdale Timothy D. , Gregory Duncan H.
Published: August 2014

Single-phase aluminium carbide, Al4C3, can be synthesised from the elements energy-efficiently in 30 min using simple multi-mode microwave techniques; syntheses are atmosphere-dependent with open reactions leading to the preferential formation of oxycarbides.
Analogues of the marine alkaloids oroidin, clathrodin, and hymenidin induce apoptosis in human HepG2 and THP-1 cancer cells
Authors: Tomašič Tihomir , Nabergoj Dominik , Vrbek Sanja , Zidar Nace , Jakopin Žiga , Žula Aleš , Hodnik Žiga , Jukič Marko , Anderluh Marko , Ilaš Janez , Dolenc Marija Sollner , Peluso Jean , Ubeaud-Séquier Geneviève , Muller Christian D. , Mašič Lucija Peterlin , Kikelj Danijel
Published: August 2014

Structural modification of the marine alkaloid oroidin resulted in improved apoptosis inducing activity in HepG2 and THP-1 cell lines.
Synthesis and characterization of a ZrO2/g-C3N4 composite with enhanced visible-light photoactivity for rhodamine degradation
Authors: Wang Xiaoxing , Zhang Lihong , Lin Hongjun , Nong Qinyan , Wu Ying , Wu Tinghua , He Yiming
Published: August 2014

A ZrO2/g-C3N4 composite was prepared by directly heating a ZrO2–melamine mixture and showed excellent activity in rhodamine photodegradation.
Synthesis and optical properties of emission-tunable PbS/CdS core–shell quantum dots for in vivo fluorescence imaging in the second near-infrared window
Authors: Tsukasaki Yoshikazu , Morimatsu Masatoshi , Nishimura Goro , Sakata Takao , Yasuda Hidehiro , Komatsuzaki Akihito , Watanabe Tomonobu M. , Jin Takashi
Published: August 2014

This paper describes the synthesis and optical properties of PbS/CdS quantum dots for in vivo fluorescence imaging.
Natural amino acids/H2O as a metal- and halide-free catalyst system for the synthesis of propylene carbonate from propylene oxide and CO2under moderate conditions
Authors: Tharun Jose , Roshan Kuruppathparambil Roshith , Kathalikkattil Amal Cherian , Kang Dong-Heon , Ryu Hyun-Mo , Park Dae-Won
Published: August 2014

Amino acid/H2O catalytic system (metal- and halide-free) for the synthesis of propylene carbonate from propylene oxide and CO2.
A synthetic and mechanistic investigation into the cobalt(i) catalyzed amination of aryl halides
Authors: Brennan Marshall R. , Kim Dongyoung , Fout Alison R.
Published: August 2014

The Co(i) catalyzed amination of aryl halides with lithium hexamethyldisilazide is reported.
Accurate surface control of core–shell structured LiMn0.5Fe0.5PO4@C for improved battery performance
Authors: Chi Zi-Xiang , Zhang Wei , Wang Xu-Sheng , Cheng Fu-Quan , Chen Ji-Tao , Cao An-Min , Wan Li-Jun
Published: August 2014

Core–shell structured LiMn0.5Fe0.5PO4@C was achievedvia in situresorcinol–formaldehyde polymerization followed by graphitization. A 3 nm carbon coating produced the best battery performance. The carbon shell can inhibit the metal dissolution and reduce the heat released during cycling.
Evolution of nanoscale morphology in single and binary metal oxide microparticles during reduction and oxidation processes
Authors: Qin Lang , Majumder Ankita , Fan Jonathan A. , Kopechek David , Fan Liang-Shih
Published: August 2014

Metal oxide composites are enabling materials for many energy conversion systems such as chemical looping and photocatalysis.
Specific aromatic foldamers potently inhibit spontaneous and seeded Aβ42 and Aβ43 fibril assembly
Authors: Seither Katelyn M. , McMahon Heather A. , Singh Nikita , Wang Hejia , Cushman-Nick Mimi , Montalvo Geronda L. , DeGrado William F. , Shorter James
Published: August 2014

Amyloid fibrils are self-propagating entities that spread pathology in several devastating disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD). In AD, amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides form extracellular plaques that contribute to cognitive decline. One potential therapeutic strategy is to develop inhibitors that prevent Aβ misfolding into proteotoxic conformers. Here, we design specific aromatic foldamers, synthetic polymers with an aromatic salicylamide (Sal) or 3-amino benzoic acid (Benz) backbone, short length (four repetitive units), basic arginine (Arg), lysine (Lys) or citrulline (Cit) side chains, and various N- and C-terminal groups that prevent spontaneous and seeded Aβ fibrillization. Ac-Sal-(Lys-Sal)3-CONH2 and Sal-(Lys-Sal)3-CONH2 selectively inhibited Aβ42 fibrillization, but were ineffective against Aβ43, an overlooked species that is highly neurotoxic and frequently deposited in AD brains. By contrast, (Arg-Benz)4-CONH2 and (Arg-Sal)3-(Cit-Sal)-CONH2 prevented spontaneous and seeded Aβ42 and Aβ43 fibrillization. Importantly, (Arg-Sal)3-(Cit-Sal)-CONH2 inhibited formation of toxic Aβ42 and Aβ43 oligomers and proteotoxicity. None of these foldamers inhibited Sup35 prionogenesis, but Sal-(Lys-Sal)3-CONH2 delayed aggregation of fused in sarcoma (FUS), an RNA-binding protein with a prion-like domain connected with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. We establish that inhibitors of Aβ42 fibrillization do not necessarily inhibit Aβ43 fibrillization. Moreover, (Arg-Sal)3-(Cit-Sal)-CONH2 inhibits formation of toxic Aβ conformers and seeding activity, properties that could have therapeutic utility.