bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Receptor Kinase IMPAIRED OOMYCETE SUSCEPTIBILITY1 Attenuates Abscisic Acid Responses in Arabidopsis
Authors: Hok Sophie , Allasia Valérie , Andrio Emilie , Naessens Elodie , Ribes Elsa , Panabières Franck , Attard Agnès , Ris Nicolas , Clément Mathilde , Barlet Xavier , Marco Yves , Grill Erwin , Eichmann Ruth , Weis Corina , Hückelhoven Ralph , Ammon Alexandra , Ludwig-Müller Jutta , Voll Lars M. , Keller Harald
Published: October 2014

In plants, membrane-bound receptor kinases are essential for developmental processes, immune responses to pathogens and the establishment of symbiosis. We previously identified the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) receptor kinase IMPAIRED OOMYCETE SUSCEPTIBILITY1 (IOS1) as required for successful infection with the downy mildew pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis. We report here that IOS1 is also required for full susceptibility of Arabidopsis to unrelated (hemi)biotrophic filamentous oomycete and fungal pathogens. Impaired susceptibility in the absence of IOS1 appeared to be independent of plant defense mechanism. Instead, we found that ios1-1 plants were hypersensitive to the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA), displaying enhanced ABA-mediated inhibition of seed germination, root elongation, and stomatal opening. These findings suggest that IOS1 negatively regulates ABA signaling in Arabidopsis. The expression of ABA-sensitive COLD REGULATED and RESISTANCE TO DESICCATION genes was diminished in Arabidopsis during infection. This effect on ABA signaling was alleviated in the ios1-1 mutant background. Accordingly, ABA-insensitive and ABA-hypersensitive mutants were more susceptible and resistant to oomycete infection, respectively, showing that the intensity of ABA signaling affects the outcome of downy mildew disease. Taken together, our findings suggest that filamentous (hemi)biotrophs attenuate ABA signaling in Arabidopsis during the infection process and that IOS1 participates in this pathogen-mediated reprogramming of the host.
A new detector for sub-millisecond EXAFS spectroscopy at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
Authors: Kantor Innokenty , Labiche Jean-Claude , Collet Emmanuel , Siron Laurent , Thevenin Jean-Jacques , Ponchut Cyril , Borrel Jacques , Mairs Trevor , Marini Carlo , Strohm Cornelius , Mathon Olivier , Pascarelli Sakura
Published: October 2014

A new FReLoN (Fast-Readout Low-Noise) high-frame-rate detector adopted for the fast continuous collection of X-ray absorption spectra is presented. The detector is installed on the energy-dispersive X-ray absorption beamline ID24 at the ESRF and is capable of full time-resolved EXAFS spectra collection with over 4 kHz repetition rate and 0.2 ms exposure time. An example of thein situkinetic study of the high-temperature oxidation of metallic iron is presented.
Quantifying phosphoric acid in high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell components by X-ray tomographic microscopy
Authors: Eberhardt S. H. , Marone F. , Stampanoni M. , Büchi F. N. , Schmidt T. J.
Published: October 2014

Synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy is investigated for imaging the local distribution and concentration of phosphoric acid in high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Phosphoric acid fills the pores of the macro- and microporous fuel cell components. Its concentration in the fuel cell varies over a wide range (40–100 wt% H3PO4). This renders the quantification and concentration determination challenging. The problem is solved by using propagation-based phase contrast imaging and a referencing method. Fuel cell components with known acid concentrations were used to correlate greyscale values and acid concentrations. Thus calibration curves were established for the gas diffusion layer, catalyst layer and membrane in a non-operating fuel cell. The non-destructive imaging methodology was verified by comparing image-based values for acid content and concentration in the gas diffusion layer with those from chemical analysis.
Full-field X-ray reflection microscopy of epitaxial thin-films
Authors: Laanait Nouamane , Zhang Zhan , Schlepütz Christian M. , Vila-Comamala Joan , Highland Matthew J. , Fenter Paul
Published: October 2014

Novel X-ray imaging of structural domains in a ferroelectric epitaxial thin film using diffraction contrast is presented. The full-field hard X-ray microscope uses the surface scattering signal, in a reflectivity or diffraction experiment, to spatially resolve the local structure with 70 nm lateral spatial resolution and sub-nanometer height sensitivity. Sub-second X-ray exposures can be used to acquire a 14 µm × 14 µm image with an effective pixel size of 20 nm on the sample. The optical configuration and various engineering considerations that are necessary to achieve optimal imaging resolution and contrast in this type of microscopy are discussed.
Terroirin the media: the poetry of people, place and palate
Authors: Spielmann Nathalie , Jolly Sylvie , Parisot Fabrice
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to review the use of the wordterroirby print media in France using a multi-method approach. The objective is to uncover whether and how the media framesterroir-marketed products as being qualitatively superior to non-terroirproducts.

Design/methodology/approach

– Every issue of five print magazines in France was analyzed over the period of one year. All references toterroirwere coded as well as all tasting notes with and withoutterroirreferences. > 6,500 tasting notes and 800 uses ofterroirin wine and food-related text from > 3,800 pages in 30 issues were identified and analyzed.

Findings

– The results show that although it is not a frequently used word,terroirin tasting notes leads to significantly higher scores and prices for wines than whenterroiris not included in the note. A further analysis reveals thatterroiris most often related to subjective experiences of taste.

Practical implications

– Wine managers should often use the wordterroirin their press releases and communication pieces. However, the dimension ofterroirthat brand managers put forward in their communication pieces will influence the way in which the media frame their product.

Originality/value

– Prior to this research there were no empirical results regarding how the media usesterroir. This research contributes to the growing body of research that seeks to understand the value ofterroiras a marketing attribute.
Organising cleaning in Norwegian public FM
Authors: Johanne Klungseth Nora
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to give an overview of the alternatives that Norwegian municipalities have regarding organisational models for their facility management (FM) and cleaning organisations, and to investigate what organisational models they apply, if building category or size of municipality influences their use of organisational models and whether their FM and cleaning organisations are organised similarly within identical municipalities.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research is based on a national survey conducted during year 2010. All Norwegian municipalities were invited to respond. The survey asked the head of the FM departments (or the chief executive officer [CEO] if the first could not answer) what organisational models they used for their FM and cleaning organisations and what changes they planned for the organisation in the future. All questions were asked according to different building categories to determine whether building category had any influence on their choices.

Findings

– Limited research has been published regarding the structure of the FM organisations in Norwegian municipalities and even less regarding their cleaning organisations. The results show that Norwegian municipalities prefer integrated models and also purchasing services from the private sector prior to applying decoupled models as inter-municipal alternatives and Municipal Limited Companies. The results do also indicate that Norwegian municipalities’ interest in such models is rising and that they seem to be moving away from traditional and integrated alternatives.

Research limitations/implications

– Although all municipalities were invited to the survey, only one-third responded.

Originality/value

– The article may represent a first thorough overview of what organisational models and what combinations of models Norwegian municipalities use for their FM and cleaning organisations. Compared to former studies, this article explores a greater variety in organisational models and a greater variety in researched building categories.
Determining finite difference weights for the acoustic wave equation by a new dispersion‐relationship‐preserving method
Authors: Liang Wenquan , Wang Yanfei , Yang Changchun
Published: October 2014

Numerical simulation of the acoustic wave equation is widely used to theoretically synthesize seismograms and constitutes the basis of reverse‐time migration. With finite‐difference methods, the discretization of temporal and spatial derivatives in wave equations introduces numerical grid dispersion. To reduce the grid dispersion effect, we propose to satisfy the dispersion relation for a number of uniformly distributed wavenumber points within a wavenumber range with the upper limit determined by the maximum source frequency, the grid spacing and the wave velocity. This new dispersion‐relationship‐preserving method relatively uniformly reduces the numerical dispersion over a large‐frequency range. Dispersion analysis and seismic numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Wavefield tomography based on local image correlations
Authors: Perrone Francesco , Sava Paul , Panizzardi Jacopo
Published: October 2014

The estimation of a velocity model from seismic data is a crucial step for obtaining a high‐quality image of the subsurface. Velocity estimation is usually formulated as an optimization problem where an objective function measures the mismatch between synthetic and recorded wavefields and its gradient is used to update the model. The objective function can be defined in the data‐space (as in full‐waveform inversion) or in the image space (as in migration velocity analysis). In general, the latter leads to smooth objective functions, which are monomodal in a wider basin about the global minimum compared to the objective functions defined in the data‐space. Nonetheless, migration velocity analysis requires construction of common‐image gathers at fixed spatial locations and subsampling of the image in order to assess the consistency between the trial velocity model and the observed data. We present an objective function that extracts the velocity error information directly in the image domain without analysing the information in common‐image gathers. In order to include the full complexity of the wavefield in the velocity estimation algorithm, we consider a two‐way (as opposed to one‐way) wave operator, we do not linearize the imaging operator with respect to the model parameters (as in linearized wave‐equation migration velocity analysis) and compute the gradient of the objective function using the adjoint‐state method. We illustrate our methodology with a few synthetic examples and test it on a real 2D marine streamer data set.
Size and Shape Differences in the Distal Femur and Proximal Tibia between Normal Weight and Obese American Whites
Authors: Harrington Katherine I. , Wescott Daniel J.
Published: October 2014

This study tests for differences in articular and diaphyseal size and shape of the distal femur and proximal tibia between normal weight and obese individuals, and discusses the effects of obesity on the patterns of sexual dimorphism and secular change in the skeletal morphology of the knee. Measurements of the femur and tibia were recorded for 143 American White adult males and females born in the 20th century. The sample was divided into normal and obese weight categories based on the body mass index. Results show differences between normal weight and obese individuals in the size and shape of the femoral shaft and the medial side of the knee joint, none of which affect the pattern of sexual dimorphism. While changes in skeletal morphology associated with obesity may be observed in recent secular changes, its role is still unclear because of the relatively recent increase in obesity prevalence.
Post‐release survival of captive‐reared Allegheny woodrats
Authors: Blythe R. M. , Smyser T. J. , Johnson S. A. , Swihart R. K.
Published: October 2014

Captive breeding to augment wild animal populations is an important tool in the recovery of imperiled species, but low post‐release survival and substantial program expenses require methodologies that maximize utility. We evaluated post‐release survival of captive‐reared Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister) introduced into a declining metapopulation in southern Indiana. We hard‐released 16 captive‐reared woodrats in 2011 and soft‐released 14 woodrats in 2012, while monitoring parallel samples of 16 and 17 wild‐born individuals in each year, respectively. We obtained Kaplan–Meier estimates of survivorship for both groups and used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate the association between survival and rearing environment (wild or captive), release strategy, sex, body condition and age at release. We quantified movement patterns and related the results of survival models to behavioral tendencies. Survivorship of wild‐born individuals was consistently higher than captive‐reared individuals. Patterns of survival were best explained by rearing environment and its interaction with time, although disparities in survival between wild‐born and captive‐reared animals decreased over time. Higher mortality among captive‐reared individuals may have been due to more exploratory behavior, as captive‐reared woodrats used more dens and traveled farther among successive relocations than wild‐born conspecifics. Soft‐released individuals had higher initial survival rates and tended to choose dens similar to those of wild individuals, providing evidence that this strategy eased the transition to a wild environment. We recommend future programs use soft‐release techniques but also explore other pre‐release preparatory strategies such as anti‐predator conditioning and environmental enrichment to increase survival.
Senile scleral plaques imaged with enhanced depth optical coherence tomography
Authors: Beck Marco , Schlatter Bettina , Wolf Sebastian , Zinkernagel Martin S.
Published: October 2014

Purpose

Senile scleral plaques (SSP) are sharply demarcated greyish areas located just anterior to the insertions of the horizontal rectus muscles and thus are frequently encountered during transscleral intravitreal injections. The aim of this study was to characterize SSP using enhanced depth imaging spectral domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) in a cohort of patients attending intravitreal injection clinics.

Methods

Prospective cross‐sectional study of 380 patients attending the clinic for intravitreal injections at the Department of Ophthalmology at the Bern University Hospital. Thirty‐two patients with SSP were identified and the anatomical features were assessed using anterior segment OCT.

Results

In our patient cohort, we found a SSP prevalence of 8.2%. Senile scleral plaques were easily identifiable using anterior segment OCT and were found at the insertion sites of the horizontal recti muscles. The mean horizontal diameter was 2.2 mm (±760 μm SD), the mean vertical diameter was 3.3 mm (±144 μm SD), and the average surface area was 5.3 mm2 (±0.4 mm2 SD). The mean senile scleral plaque thickness was 0.6 mm (±149 μm SD). The mean distance from the limbus was 2.24 mm for nasally located SSP and 3.22 mm for temporally located SSP.

Conclusion

SSP are frequently encountered during intravitreal injections as they are located just anterior to the insertion sites of the horizontal recti muscles. Because the scleral stroma is rarefied and due to calcifications within SSP, these areas should be avoided when performing multiple intravitreal injections as this may result in rupture of the sclera.
Longitudinal study of thinness from birth to early childhood: the association with parental thinness
Authors: Kato Rena , Kubota Masaru , Higashiyama Yukie , Nagai Ayako
Published: October 2014

Aim

Epidemiological research on thinness, particularly in early childhood, is limited. This study tracked thin children aged 5 years back to birth, compared them with normal‐weight children and investigated the relationship with parental thinness.

Methods

We enrolled 2678 children (50.5% boys) aged 5 years and attending kindergarten or nursery in the Nara Prefecture of Japan. The children's height and weight at birth, 1.5 years and 3.5 years, were obtained from mother–child health records. Child thinness was defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of less than the fifth percentile of the reference values for Japanese children, and parental thinness was defined as a BMI of <18.5.

Results

The overall prevalence of thinness at 5 years of age was 4%, with no significant difference between genders. At every age, weight z‐scores and BMI percentiles were significantly lower in thin children than normal‐weight children. The increment in weight z‐scores between birth and the age of 1.5 years was significantly lower in thin children. The only parental link was paternal thinness and thinness in boys.

Conclusion

Careful observation of body weight from birth is important to reduce thinness at 5 years of age. Paternal thinness may be a risk factor for thinness in boys.
Anti‐inflammatory cytokine therapy in dystrophinopathies
Authors: Suzumura Akio
Published: October 2014

The precise cause of dystrophinopathies is still elucidative. Some studies have suggested involvement of immune‐mediated mechanisms in the disease progression. Recently, it has been reported that anti‐inflammatory cytokine therapy improves muscle pathology as well as progression of muscle weakness in model mice. However, mechanisms of how blocking of anti‐inflammatory cytokines alleviates dystrophinopathy are yet to be clarified. In addition, there is another conflicting report against the efficacy of anti‐inflammatory cytokine therapy in dystrophinopathy.
ALLIANCES IN THE SHADOW OF CONFLICT
Authors: Ke Changxia , Konrad Kai A. , Morath Florian
Published: October 2014

Victorious alliances often fight about the spoils of war. This article presents an experiment on the determinants of whether alliances break up and fight internally after having defeated a joint enemy. First, if peaceful sharing yields an asymmetric rent distribution, this increases the likelihood of fighting. In turn, anticipation of the higher likelihood of internal fight reduces the alliance's ability to succeed against the outside enemy. Second, the option to make nonbinding nonaggression declarations between alliance members does not make peaceful settlement within the alliance more likely. Third, higher differences in the alliance players' contributions to alliance effort lead to more internal conflict and more intense fighting. (JELD72, D74)
Validation of the Chinese version of the Canadian Haemophilia Outcomes‐Kids' Life Assessment Tool (the CHO‐KLAT)
Authors: Wu R. , Zhang J. , Sun J. , Zhou M. , Wu J. S. , Li N. , Li X. , Luke K. H. , Poon M.‐C. , Blanchette V. S. , Young N. L.
Published: October 2014

It is important to assess the health‐related quality of life outcomes of boys in China, but there are no tools validated for this purpose. The objective of the study was to assess the validity of the Simplified Chinese version of the CHO‐KLAT2.0. We recruited 60 boys with either haemophilia A (HA) or haemophilia B (HB) and their parents from four regions in China, and assessed the validity of CHO‐KLAT compared to the PedsQL. All participants complete the CHO‐KLAT a second time 1–2 weeks later to assess reliability. The boys ranged in age from 7 to 18 (mean = 12.4; SD = 3.03) years. The severity distribution was: mild (9), moderate (10) and severe (41). On‐demand therapy was received by 26 boys, while 18 received low‐dose prophylaxis (HA: 10 IU kg−1 2–3 times week−1, and HB: 20 IU kg−1 1 time week−1). The mean CHO‐KLAT scores were 63.7 (SD = 10.6) for child‐report and 58.3 (SD = 11.4) for parent‐report. Validity was supported by a correlation of 0.67 (P < 0.0001) with the PedsQL for child‐report and 0.64 (P < 0.0001) for parent‐report. The test–retest reliability was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.82–0.94) for child‐report, and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.86–0.95) for parent‐report. Inter‐rater reliability was 0.46 (95% CI: 0.26–0.66). CHO‐KLAT scores were 11 points higher among patients who had been on prophylaxis 3 times per week for ≥24 weeks. These results confirm the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the CHO‐KLAT. This measure is suitable for use in prospective clinical trials in boys with haemophilia in China.
Developing a two‐sided intervention to facilitate shared decision‐making in haemophilia: decision boxes for clinicians and patient decision aids for patients
Authors: Athale A. , Giguere A. , Barbara A. , Krassova S. , Iorio A.
Published: October 2014

Background

People with haemophilia face many treatment decisions, which are largely informed by evidence from observational studies. Without evidence‐based ‘best’ treatment options, patient preferences play a large role in decisions regarding therapy. The shared decision‐making (SDM) process allows patients and health care providers to make decisions collaboratively based on available evidence, and patient preferences. Decision tools can help the SDM process. The objective of this project was to develop two‐sided decision tools, decision boxes for physicians and patient decision aids for patients, to facilitate SDM for treatment decisions in haemophilia. Methods. Development of the decision tools comprised three phases: topic selection, prototype development and usability testing with targeted end‐users. Topics were selected using a Delphi survey. Tool prototypes were based on a previously validated framework and were informed by systematic literature reviews. Patients, through focus groups, and physicians, through interviews, reviewed the prototypes iteratively for comprehensibility and usability. Results. The chosen topics were: (i) prophylactic treatment: when to start and dosing, (ii) choosing factor source and (iii) immunotolerance induction: when to start and dosing. Intended end users (both health care providers and haemophilia patients and caregivers) were engaged in the development process. Overall perception of the decision tools was positive, and the purpose of using the tools was well received. Conclusions. This study demonstrates the feasibility of developing decision tools for haemophilia treatment decisions. It also provides anecdotal evidence of positive perceptions of such tools. Future directions include assessment of the tools’ practical value and impact on clinical practice.
THE “THEORETICAL REVOLUTION” IN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY: FROM THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL IDEAS TO THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL LANGUAGES
Authors: PALTI ELÍAS JOSÉ
Published: October 2014

This article intends to clarify what distinguishes the so‐called new “politico‐intellectual history” from the old “history of political ideas.” What differentiates the two has not been fully perceived even by some of the authors who initiated this transformation. One fundamental reason for this is that the transformation has not been a consistent process deriving from one single source, but is rather the result of converging developments emanating from three different sources (the Cambridge School, the German school of conceptual history or Begriffsgeschichte, and French politico‐conceptual history). This article proposes that the development of a new theoretical horizon that effectively leads us beyond the frameworks of the old history of political ideas demands that we overcome the insularity of these traditions and combine their respective contributions. The result of this combination is an approach to politico‐intellectual history that is not completely coincident with any of the three schools. What I will call a history of political languages entails a specific perspective on the temporality of discourses; this involves a view of why the meaning of concepts changes over time, and is the source of the contingency that stains political languages.
GENEALOGY, PROBLEMATIZATION, AND NORMATIVITY IN MICHEL FOUCAULT
Authors: May Todd
Published: October 2014

Colin Koopman's excellent Genealogy as Critique argues that Michel Foucault's genealogies—and, in fact, his archaeologies—should be read as historical accounts of the emergence of particular “problematizations.” The idea of a problematization, which Foucault introduces late in his career, has two sides. First, there is the idea that the situation whose emergence a genealogy traces is problematic in the sense of being fraught or dangerous. Second, by tracing the genealogy, Foucault problematizes the situation itself, showing how it calls for attention. Koopman argues that Foucault's genealogies are not themselves normative, but they instead outline situations or practices in a way that allows for normative investigation and political intervention. What is required, then, are normative approaches that complement Foucault's genealogies. Koopman argues that Foucault's own late discussions of self‐transformation are inadequate to fully accomplish the task; they need to be complemented by recourse to Deweyan reconstruction or Habermasian normative reflection. However, and in turn, such reflection cannot be had on an absolutist ground but rather must be seen as historically contingent, universalizing rather than universalist in Koopman's vocabulary. I argue that there are several reasons to think that the strong separation between genealogy and normative posited by Koopman may be too strict. Foucault's rhetoric, his choice of certain problematizations, and Koopman's own commitments to problematizations as requiring attention all seem to point toward a more intimate, although admittedly implicit, relation between genealogy and normative positions in Foucault's work.
A CRAVING FOR CRITICAL HISTORY
Authors: Kuukkanen Jouni‐Matti
Published: October 2014

Roger Cooter is concerned about the survival of historiography under the pressures of neoliberal economics and the entertainment industry. His and Claudia Stein's book is a welcome call for “critical history,” which is aware of own fundamental intellectual categories. Cooter emphasizes the importance of self‐reflection and political contextualization of all knowledge‐production. However, although reflection is undoubtedly a virtue, it is not clear whether historiography is under such a severe threat. It is also necessary to ask where the limits of contextualization lie. It is doubtful whether a fully localized and contextualized study removed of all “presentist” categories and language is possible. In addition, one should avoid combining antirealism about natural sciences in the name of anti‐Whiggism with realism about historical knowledge in attempts to provide contextualized accounts of the past. What is needed above all is the hermeneutical dialogue between the language of past agents and the language of present actors.
DEBATING MODERNITY AS SECULAR RELIGION: HANS KELSEN'S FUTILE EXCHANGE WITH ERIC VOEGELIN
Authors: Thomassen Bjørn
Published: October 2014

This article reviews Hans Kelsen's mysterious and recently published last book, contextualizing it with reference to the little known dialogue between Kelsen and Eric Voegelin. The confrontation between Kelsen and Voegelin, two of the most illustrious émigré scholars who found a new home in America, is important to revisit because it touches upon several axes of debate of crucial importance to postwar intellectual history: the religion–secularity debate, the positivist–antipositivist debates, and the controversy that also led to the famous Voegelin–Arendt debate: how to read the horrors of totalitarianism into a historical trajectory of modernity. Although the Kelsen–Voegelin exchange ended in failure and bitterness, its substance goes to the heart of modern intellectual history.
Electron cryo‐microscopy of vitrified bulk biological specimens: ideal and real structures of water—lipid phases
Authors: ERK I. , MICHEL M. , LEPAULT J.
Published: October 2014

Lipid‐water mixtures were studied by X‐ray cryodiffraction in order to assess the structural changes during freezing. We show that the water of aqueous lipid phases, in the concentration range of 10–30% (water weight/total weight), is vitrified by high‐pressure freezing. Vitrified lipid phases can be cryo‐sectioned and imaged by electron cryomicroscopy. Both the ideal or average and the real or local structures of the lipid mixtures can be studied at a resolution better than 2 nm. While the average structure of the lipid phases is in good agreement with that determined by X‐ray diffraction, the local structure reveals features that might play an important role in the function of biological membranes such as in endo‐ and exocytosis.
Morphological studies of pseudowollastonite for biomedical application
Authors: DE AZA P. N. , LUKLINSKA Z. B. , ANSEAU M. , GUITIAN F. , DE AZA S.
Published: October 2014

Pseudowollastonite ceramic (psW) composed of CaO·SiO2 was found to be bioactive in a simulated body fluid environment. The chemical reaction initiated at the material surface resulted in hydroxyapatite (HA)formation. These bone‐bonding properties are essential for securing the necessary physico‐chemical integration of the material with living bone. Materials behaving in this way can be considered for potential biomedical application as bone tissue substitute for a natural bone repair or replacement as implant.

A mechanism of hydroxyapatite formation on pseudowollastonite ceramics surface was investigated during exposure to a simulated body fluid (SBF) for a period of 3 weeks. Morphology and structure of the surface product and its original substrate was examined by thin‐film X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy. HA crystals were found to form on an amorphous silica intermediate layer. (100) lattice planes of HA were resolved and identified.

Concentration of ions in the SBF and pH of the SBF were monitored throughout the exposure. Additional pH measurements were made at the interface of psW with SBF. The HA formation occurred when there was a sudden increase of pH from 7·25 to 10·5 at the interface of psW with SBF as a result of ionic exchange between 2H+ and Ca2+ within the psW network. This ionic exchange transformed the psW crystals into an amorphous silica phase. The appropriate pH and the ion concentrations were essential for partial dissolution of the amorphous silica phase and subsequent precipitation of a Ca‐P rich phase which then transformed to HA.
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Misuse Prevention and Cessation Programming for Alternative High School Youth: A Review
Authors: Sussman Steve , Arriaza Bridget , Grigsby Timothy J.
Published: October 2014

BACKGROUND

Relative to youth in regular high schools, alternative high school (AHS) youth are at high risk for alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) misuse. Prevention and cessation efforts are needed for this population.

METHODS

A systematic, exhaustive literature search was completed to identify ATOD misuse prevention and cessation research studies with AHS youth.

RESULTS

For the AHS population, 23 ATOD misuse prevention or cessation program evaluations were located. This review indicated that successful efforts have focused on instruction in motivation enhancement, life coping skills, and decision making.

CONCLUSIONS

Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug misuse prevention and cessation programming for AHSs is effective, delivered in the classroom or as a school‐based clinic. There is little evidence, though, that this programming is effective when delivered through other modalities such as via computer or bridging beyond the school setting. More research and application of evidence‐based programming are recommended for youth in AHS settings.
Contribution of Organized and Nonorganized Activity to Children's Motor Skills and Fitness
Authors: Hardy Louise L. , O'Hara Blythe J. , Rogers Kris , St George Alexis , Bauman Adrian
Published: October 2014

BACKGROUND

To examine the associations between children's organized physical activity (OPA), nonorganized physical activity (NOPA), and health‐related outcomes (fundamental movement skill [FMS] fitness).

METHODS

Cross‐sectional survey of children aged 10‐16 years (N = 4273). Organized physical activity and NOPA were assessed by self‐report, FMS by process‐orientated criteria, and fitness by 20‐m shuttle run test.

RESULTS

Boys spent 97.5 minutes and girls 86.6 minutes in daily physical activity with the majority spent in OPA (boys, 56.3%; girls 60.5%). Organized physical activity increased with grade, whereas NOPA decreased. Organized physical activity and NOPA were associated with fitness, and OPA was consistently associated with FMS competency. Boys' fitness was associated with OPA and NOPA (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04, 1.94; AOR 1.26, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.54, respectively), FMS competency (side gallop leap, kick) with OPA and catch, and over‐arm throw with both OPA and NOPA. Girls' fitness (AOR 2.62, 95% CI: 1.88, 3.66) and FMS competency were consistently associated with OPA.

CONCLUSIONS

Both OPA and NOPA are important contributors to children's physical activity; however, for girls, OPA was more strongly associated with fitness and FMS competency. Our findings support the importance of providing children with opportunities to engage in daily OPA. School physical education programs are an ideal delivery vehicle for OPA and need to be central to education policy.
Association of Being Bullied in School With Suicide Ideation and Planning Among Rural Middle School Adolescents
Authors: Bhatta Madhav P. , Shakya Sunita , Jefferis Eric
Published: October 2014

BACKGROUND

This study examined the association of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation (ever thinking about killing oneself) and ever seriously making a plan to kill oneself (suicide planning) among rural middle school adolescents.

METHODS

Using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey instrument, 2 cross‐sectional surveys were conducted among middle school adolescents (N = 1082) in a rural Appalachian county in Ohio in 2009 and 2012. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the relationship of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation and planning.

RESULTS

Overall, a total of 468 participants (43.1%) reported ever being bullied in school, and 22.3% and 13.2% of the adolescents surveyed reported suicide ideation and planning, respectively. In the multivariable analyses, ever being bullied in school was significantly associated with both suicide ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7‐3.5) and planning (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.6‐3.8).

CONCLUSIONS

The results show a strong association between being bullied in school and suicide ideation and planning among rural middle school adolescents. Prevention of bullying in school as early as in middle school should be a strategy for reducing suicide ideation and planning among adolescents.
Patterns of morphological variation of the vertebral column in dolphins
Authors: Viglino M. , Flores D. A. , Ercoli M. D. , Álvarez A.
Published: October 2014

Cetaceans swim by the alternate action of their epiaxial and hypaxial muscles and their propulsive movements are confined to the vertical plane. Changes in the shape and mechanical properties of vertebrae strongly affect their function during oscillatory swimming. The first objective of this study was to provide a quantitative characterization of vertebral morphology in representatives of the Delphinidae and Pontoporiidae families. A novel morphometric approach was applied, using nine vertebral measurements and three indices. The second objective was to assess the relationship between morphology and both habitat and size through regression analyses. The phylogenetic structure of the distribution of characters was also explored by estimating phylogenetic signal. No relationship was found between morphology and habitat or size, but vertebral measurements and indices showed a significant phylogenetic signal. Morphological profiles indicated that coastal and oceanic delphinid species had a conservative regionalization of the vertebral column. All delphinid species showed discoidal centra morphology, while Pontoporia blainvillei presented a spool‐shaped morphology. Differences in vertebral morphology and inferred muscular architecture between P. blainvillei and delphinids could indicate distinct dynamics of vertebral movement during swimming. However, other complex and specific functional relationships and life‐history traits may also be influencing vertebral morphology. The detailed study of the complex evolutionary history of lineages could bring to light other clarifying dimensions for understanding morphological evolution in odontocetes.
Experimental Study and Analysis of Lubricants Dispersed With Nanodiamond Particles on Diesel Engine
Authors: Liu Hao , Bai Minli , Lv Jizu , Zhang Liang , Wang Peng , Hu Chengzhi
Published: October 2014

Limitations in energy crisis and environment protection promote the development of engine lubricants. By friction machine and AVL diesel engine bench, the present investigation studies the tribological properties and dynamic performance of diesel engine with lubricants of commercial quality dispersed with different mass concentrations of nanodiamond particles. Reverse dragging process tests and mapping characteristics tests were brought in the bench test. Additionally, investigations were conducted using viscometer, thermal conductivity meter, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) to interpret the possible influence mechanisms of tribology and thermal conduction with nanodiamond particles. The friction machine experimental results show that lubricants dispersed with nanodiamond particles exhibit good friction-reduction and antiwear properties. The engine bench tests indicate that it has a desirable effect on engine performance, decreasing the mechanical loss while increasing fuel economy.
Output Feedback Robust Control of Direct Current Motors With Nonlinear Friction Compensation and Disturbance Rejection
Authors: Yao Jianyong , Jiao Zongxia , Ma Dawei
Published: October 2014

High accuracy tracking control of direct current (DC) motors is concerned in this paper. A continuously differentiable friction model is adopted to account for the friction nonlinearities, which allows more flexible and suitable practical implementation. Since only output signal is available for measurement, an extended state observer (ESO) is designed to provide precise estimates of the unmeasurable state together with external disturbances, which facilitates the controller design without any transformations. The global stability of the controller is ensured via a certain robust feedback law. The resulting controller theoretically guarantees a prescribed tracking performance in general, while achieving asymptotic output tracking in the absence of time-varying disturbances, which is very important for high accuracy control of motion systems. Comparative experimental results are obtained to verify the high-performance nature of the proposed control strategy.
Thermal chemistry of the Cu-KI5 atomic layer deposition precursor on a copper surface
Authors: Ma Qiang , Zaera Francisco
Published: October 2014

The thermal chemistry of a Cu(I) ketoiminate complex, Cu-KI5, resulting from the modification of the known Air Products CupraSelect® copper CVD precursor Cu(hfac)(tmvs) designed to tether the two ligands via an isopropoxide linker, was studied under ultrahigh vacuum on a Cu(110) single-crystal surface by using a combination of temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Adsorption at low temperatures was determined to take place via the displacement of the vinyl ligand by the surface. Molecular desorption was seen at 210 K, and the evolution of Cu(II)-KI52 was established to take place at 280 K, presumably from a disproportionation reaction that also leads to the deposition of Cu(0). Other sets of desorption products were seen at 150, 250, and 430 K, all containing copper atoms and small organic moieties with molecular masses below 100 amu. The latter TPD peak in particular indicates significant fragmentation of the ligands, likely at the C–N bond that holds the vinylsilane-isopropoxide moiety tethered to the ketoimine fragment, and possibly also at the union between the vinylsilane and the alkoxide linker. The 430 K temperature measured for this chemistry may set an upper limit for clean Cu film deposition, but since reactivity on the surface was also found to be inhibited at higher surface coverages, it may be delayed to higher temperatures under atomic layer deposition conditions.
Denoised and texture enhanced MVCT to improve soft tissue conspicuity
Authors: Sheng Ke , Gou Shuiping , Wu Jiaolong , Qi Sharon X.
Published: October 2014

Purpose:

MVCT images have been used in TomoTherapy treatment to align patients based on bony anatomies but its usefulness for soft tissue registration, delineation, and adaptive radiation therapy is limited due to insignificant photoelectric interaction components and the presence of noise resulting from low detector quantum efficiency of megavoltage x‐rays. Algebraic reconstruction with sparsity regularizers as well as local denoising methods has not significantly improved the soft tissue conspicuity. The authors aim to utilize a nonlocal means denoising method and texture enhancement to recover the soft tissue information in MVCT (DeTECT).

Methods:

A block matching 3D (BM3D) algorithm was adapted to reduce the noise while keeping the texture information of the MVCT images. Following imaging denoising, a saliency map was created to further enhance visual conspicuity of low contrast structures. In this study, BM3D and saliency maps were applied to MVCT images of a CT imaging quality phantom, a head and neck, and four prostate patients. Following these steps, the contrast‐to‐noise ratios (CNRs) were quantified.

Results:

By applying BM3D denoising and saliency map, postprocessed MVCT images show remarkable improvements in imaging contrast without compromising resolution. For the head and neck patient, the difficult‐to‐see lymph nodes and vein in the carotid space in the original MVCT image became conspicuous in DeTECT. For the prostate patients, the ambiguous boundary between the bladder and the prostate in the original MVCT was clarified. The CNRs of phantom low contrast inserts were improved from 1.48 and 3.8 to 13.67 and 16.17, respectively. The CNRs of two regions‐of‐interest were improved from 1.5 and 3.17 to 3.14 and 15.76, respectively, for the head and neck patient. DeTECT also increased the CNR of prostate from 0.13 to 1.46 for the four prostate patients. The results are substantially better than a local denoising method using anisotropic diffusion.

Conclusions:

The authors showed that it is feasible to extract more soft tissue contrast information from the noisy MVCT images using a nonlocal means 3D block matching method in combination with saliency maps, revealing information that was originally unperceivable to human observers.
A 2D ion chamber array audit of wedged and asymmetric fields in an inhomogeneous lung phantom
Authors: Lye Jessica , Kenny John , Lehmann Joerg , Dunn Leon , Kron Tomas , Alves Andrew , Cole Andrew , Williams Ivan
Published: October 2014

Purpose:

The Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service (ACDS) has implemented a new method of a nonreference condition Level II type dosimetric audit of radiotherapy services to increase measurement accuracy and patient safety within Australia. The aim of this work is to describe the methodology, tolerances, and outcomes from the new audit.

Methods:

The ACDS Level II audit measures the dose delivered in 2D planes using an ionization chamber based array positioned at multiple depths. Measurements are made in rectilinear homogeneous and inhomogeneous phantoms composed of slabs of solid water and lung. Computer generated computed tomography data sets of the rectilinear phantoms are supplied to the facility prior to audit for planning of a range of cases including reference fields, asymmetric fields, and wedged fields. The audit assesses 3D planning with 6 MV photons with a static (zero degree) gantry. Scoring is performed using local dose differences between the planned and measured dose within 80% of the field width. The overall audit result is determined by the maximum dose difference over all scoring points, cases, and planes. Pass (Optimal Level) is defined as maximum dose difference ≤3.3%, Pass (Action Level) is ≤5.0%, and Fail (Out of Tolerance) is >5.0%.

Results:

At close of 2013, the ACDS had performed 24 Level II audits. 63% of the audits passed, 33% failed, and the remaining audit was not assessable. Of the 15 audits that passed, 3 were at Pass (Action Level). The high fail rate is largely due to a systemic issue with modeling asymmetric 60° wedges which caused a delivered overdose of 5%–8%.

Conclusions:

The ACDS has implemented a nonreference condition Level II type audit, based on ion chamber 2D array measurements in an inhomogeneous slab phantom. The powerful diagnostic ability of this audit has allowed the ACDS to rigorously test the treatment planning systems implemented in Australian radiotherapy facilities. Recommendations from audits have led to facilities modifying clinical practice and changing planning protocols.