bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improvement effect of electrical properties in post‐annealed wafer‐bonded Ge(001)‐OI substrate
Authors: Yamasaka Shuto , Nakamura Yoshiaki , Yoshitake Osamu , Kikkawa Jun , Izunome Koji , Sakai Akira
Published: February 2014

We investigated the electrical properties of non‐doped wafer‐bonded germanium‐on‐insulator substrates (Ge(001)‐OI) post‐annealed in various ambiences using a pseudo‐metal‐oxide‐semiconductor field effect transistor. The transistor operation in the Ge(001)‐OI without post‐annealing was observed in the n‐channel mode with hysteresis in the channel conductance versus gate voltage curves. The n‐channel transistor operation was depletion type, with a large threshold voltage shift from the ideal threshold voltage (∼0 eV). Upon post‐annealing the Ge(001)‐OI, the behavior of the hysteresis and threshold voltage shift caused by interface defects was improved, which strongly depended on the post‐annealing condition. Post‐annealing in a N2 ambience yielded the most effective improvement, which included some O2 gas. This improvement is presumably because oxygen vacancies near the Ge/SiO2 interfaces are reduced by the oxygen supply during the post‐annealing treatment.
Oxygen‐deficiency‐induced suppression of JT distortion and stabilization of charge ordering in La0.2Sr0.8MnO3−δ
Authors: Shahee Aga , Choudhary R. J. , Rawat R. , Lalla N. P.
Published: February 2014

Structural phase‐transition studies employing low‐temperature transmission electron microscopy and low‐temperature X‐ray diffraction have been carried out on nearly stoichiometric (δ = 0.01) and on off‐stoichiometric (δ = 0.12) versions of La0.2Sr0.8MnO3−δ manganite. The nearly stoichiometric La0.2Sr0.8MnO3−δ undergoes a cubic to Jahn–Teller distorted C‐type antiferromagnetic tetragonal phase transition at 260 K. For off‐stoichiometric La0.2Sr0.8MnO3−δ the Jahn–Teller distorted tetragonal phase transition is totally suppressed and the basic perovskite lattice remains cubic but shows a charge‐ordered phase. Stabilization of charge‐ordered phase in the absence of cooperative Jahn–Teller distortion has been attributed to Coulomb repulsion and Hunds coupling energy. The off‐stoichiometric sample shows characteristically different physical properties. This has been realized through transport, magnetic, and calorimetric measurements. A smooth crossover from variable‐range hopping transport to a power‐law dependence of resistivity (ρ) on temperature (T), i.e., ρ = CT−α has been realized. This has been attributed to multistep inelastic tunneling through channels involving localized states around oxygen vacancy sites.
Wire metamaterial based on semiconductor matrices
Authors: Atrashchenko A. , Nashchekin A. , Mitrofanov M. , Ulin V. P. , Evtikhiev V. P.
Published: February 2014

In this Letter, we have presented a new approach for the fabrication of nanowire media (wire metamaterials) by electrochemical methods. AIIIBV porous matrices (a host medium) were prepared by anodic electrochemical etching of industrial substrates. The host medium has been filled via electrochemical deposition with a metal and by means of annealing process. We have shown that this technique can be used to fabricate a nanowire medium with unique parameters (such as aspect ratio, high electric permittivity and strong χ(3) nonlinearity near the fundamental absorption edge of the host media). (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Analysis of safety data in clinical trials using a recurrent event approach
Authors: Gong Qi , Tong Barbara , Strasak Alexander , Fang Liang
Published: February 2014

As an important aspect of the clinical evaluation of an investigational therapy, safety data are routinely collected in clinical trials. To date, the analysis of safety data has largely been limited to descriptive summaries of incidence rates or contingency tables aiming to compare simple rates between treatment arms. Many have argued that this traditional approach failed to take into account important information including severity, onset time, and multiple occurrences of a safety event. In addition, premature treatment discontinuation due to excessive toxicity causes informative censoring and may lead to potential bias in the interpretation of safety events. In this article, we propose a framework to summarize safety data with mean frequency function and compare safety events of interest between treatments with a generalized log‒rank test, taking into account the aforementioned characteristics ignored in traditional analysis approaches. In addition, a multivariate generalized log‒rank test to compare the overall safety profile of different treatments is proposed. In the proposed method, safety events are considered to follow a recurrent event process with a terminal event for each patient. The terminal event is modeled by a process of two types of competing risks: safety events of interest and other terminal events. Statistical properties of the proposed method are investigated via simulations. An application is presented with data from a phase II oncology trial. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Aircraft‐based observations of air–sea turbulent fluxes around the British Isles
Authors: Cook Peter A. , Renfrew Ian A.
Published: February 2014

Observations of turbulent fluxes of momentum, heat and moisture from low‐level aircraft data are presented. Fluxes are calculated using the eddy covariance technique from flight legs typically ∼40 m above the sea surface. Over 400 runs of 2 min (∼12 km) from 26 flights are evaluated. Flight legs are mainly from around the British Isles although a small number are from around Iceland and Norway. Sea‐surface temperature (SST) observations from two on‐board sensors (the ARIES interferometer and a Heimann radiometer) and a satellite‐based analysis (OSTIA) are used to determine an improved SST estimate. Most of the observations are from moderate to strong wind speed conditions, the latter being a regime short of validation data for the bulk flux algorithms that are necessary for numerical weather prediction and climate models. Observations from both statically stable and unstable atmospheric boundary‐layer conditions are presented. There is a particular focus on several flights made as part of the DIAMET (Diabatic influence on mesoscale structures in extratropical storms) project.

Observed neutral exchange coefficients are in the same range as previous studies, although higher for the momentum coefficient, and are broadly consistent with the COARE 3.0 bulk flux algorithm, as well as the surface exchange schemes used in the ECMWF and Met Office models. Examining the results as a function of aircraft heading shows higher fluxes and exchange coefficients in the across‐wind direction, compared to along‐wind (although this comparison is limited by the relatively small number of along‐wind legs). A multi‐resolution spectral decomposition technique demonstrates a lengthening of spatial scales in along‐wind variances in along‐wind legs, implying the boundary‐layer eddies are elongated in the along‐wind direction. The along‐wind runs may not be able to adequately capture the full range of turbulent exchange that is occurring because elongation places the largest eddies outside of the run length.
Evaluation of the GECCO2 ocean synthesis: transports of volume, heat and freshwater in the Atlantic
Authors: Köhl Armin
Published: February 2014

We present results from a new synthesis (GECCO2) which covers the years 1948 to 2011 employing a similar configuration of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model as the previous 50‐year (1952 to 2001) GECCO synthesis. In GECCO2, the resolution was increased; it now includes the Arctic Ocean and a dynamic/thermodynamic sea ice model. The synthesis uses the adjoint method to bring the model into consistency with available hydrographic and satellite data as well as prior estimates of surface fluxes. In comparison to GECCO, GECCO2 provides a better agreement with the assimilated data, however the estimated flux adjustments remain similar to GECCO. Global heat content changes are in agreement with recent observational estimates and the estimate of the global heat flux is close to a radiative forcing estimate. Both show a clear effect of the radiative forcing from volcanic eruptions and a weak relation to ENSO events. In contrast to GECCO, the importance of the Denmark Strait overflow for the variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is replaced in GECCO2 by water mass transformation in the subpolar gyre, which is shown to be part of the thermohaline circulation if the overturning is defined as a function of density. Heat and freshwater transport estimates in the Atlantic are more consistent with previous estimates than the unconstrained run. Decomposing heat and freshwater transports into overturning and gyre components by averaging on density coordinates demonstrates that in these coordinates the contribution from the gyre circulation largely disappears for heat transport and is reduced for the freshwater transport.
HARQ–ARQ interaction method for LTE‐based mobile satellite communication system
Authors: Hong Tae Chul , Kang Kun‐Seok , Ku Bon‐Jun , Ahn Do‐Soeb
Published: February 2014

Hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) and automatic repeat request (ARQ) of the terrestrial long‐term evolution (LTE) system are designed considering the very short propagation delay of terrestrial environment. Therefore, when HARQ and ARQ are applied to the LTE‐based mobile satellite communication system, the inefficiency is caused by the long propagation delay of satellite environment. This paper proposes the interaction method between HARQ and ARQ for the decrease of inefficiency in the LTE‐based mobile satellite communication system. The existing concept of layered architecture about HARQ and ARQ is also maintained in our interaction method. Simulation results reveal that our proposed scheme can provide the larger spectrum efficiency than that of the non‐interaction scheme in all environments. The performance improvement can be up to 2.04 times through the interaction method. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The approaches to contextual transaction trust computation in e‐Commerce environments
Authors: Zhang Haibin , Wang Yan , Zhang Xiuzhen
Published: February 2014

In e‐commerce environments, the reputation of sellers is a crucial issue to potential buyers in making decisions. Most existing trust evaluation models compute a single value to reflect the general trust level of a seller without taking any transaction context into account. With such a simple trust evaluation model, a buyer may be easily deceived by a malicious seller in a transaction where the notorious value imbalance problem is involved, namely, the malicious seller can accumulate a high level of trust by selling cheap products and then start to deceive buyers by inducing them to purchase expensive products. In this article, we first present a trust vector consisting of four trust values (termed as CTT values), the computation of each of which is based on both past transactions and the forthcoming transaction. In addition, in the computation of CTT values, the parameters, such as product category, price range, and time range, can be specified and adjusted by the buyer, yielding different sets of trust values that can outline the seller's reputation profile. As a result, the value imbalance problem potentially existing in a forthcoming transaction can be identified. The computation of CTT values requires the pre‐computation of aggregates over large‐scale ratings and transaction data with necessary combinations of three dimensions (i.e., product category, price, and time), so as to deliver prompt responses to a buyer's query on different CTT values. In solving this challenging problem, we propose three new data structures and algorithms that mainly focus on efficient computation of CTT values. Our experiments conducted on both eBay data sets and large‐scale synthetic data sets illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of our proposed approaches when responding to a buyer's CTT queries. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A novel image steganography scheme based on morphological associative memory and permutation schema
Authors: Nazari Sara , Eftekhari‐Moghadam Amir‐Masoud , Moin Mohammad‐Shahram
Published: February 2014

Steganography is the art and science of hiding a message in a carrier, in such a manner that no one, except the sender and intended recipient, can guess the existence of the message; it is a form of security through obscurity. Often, steganography algorithms using discrete cosine transform are detectable through steganalysis attacks. To reduce detectability of the stego, we propose an image steganography algorithm in transform domain based on morphological associative memory, permutation approach, and matrix encoding. In our proposed algorithm, in order to insert a secret message in the cover image, first, we map the cover image to a morphological representation containing morphological coefficients, and then bits of secret message are inserted into the image by permutation approach and matrix encoding. Permutation approach leads to unique distribution of secret message in the carrier, and the use of matrix encoding minimizes the number of coefficients needed to be changed because of inserting secret message. In our experiments, we compared the quality of stego, time complexity, and robustness of our method with state‐of‐art image steganography algorithms (F5 and morphological steganography) with an equal payload. The experimental results showed that the proposed method is able to produce insignificant visual distortion compared with other traditional approaches. To test the robustness of our proposed algorithm, we used wavelet‐based and block‐based steganalysis methods. The obtained results showed a high level of robustness of our algorithm against steganalysis attacks. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Single and multiple profile fitting of AES and XPS intensity‐depth profiles for analysis of interdiffusion in thin films
Authors: Noah Martin A. , Flötotto David , Wang Zumin , Mittemeijer Eric J.
Published: February 2014

Simultaneous fitting of independently measured sputter‐depth profiles of intensities of Auger electrons or photoelectrons from different Auger transitions (AES) or core levels (XPS) is shown to increase the reliability of the thus determined concentration‐depth profiles in diffusion‐annealed thin‐film systems, as compared with the usually applied single profile fitting. In this context, an extension of the Mixing‐Roughness‐Information (MRI) depth model is presented, which includes the concentration dependence of the MRI parameters for mixing and information depth, as well as of the backscattering correction factor and the sputter rate. The thus proposed procedure is applicable for diffusion lengths as small as a few nanometre and was applied to determine the concentration‐dependent self‐diffusion coefficients from measured AES and XPS sputter‐depth profiles recorded from diffusion‐annealed amorphous‐Si/polycrystalline Ge bilayers. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chemical imaging of the reconstruction of new bone and trace elements inside bioactive glass scaffolds in vivo: a multimodal and quantitative micro‐ion beam analysis
Authors: Lao J. , Lacroix J. , Nohra J. , Naaman N. , Sautier J.‐M. , Jallot E.
Published: February 2014

An original multimodal analysis is proposed for follow‐up of bone regeneration inside a SiO2–CaO bioactive glass scaffold in vivo. Classic histological studies are conducted in connection with SEM with backscattered electron imaging and micro‐particle induced X‐ray emission ion beam analysis, allowing fine morphological characterization and highly sensitive microanalysis of the scaffold/bone interface. The highly bioactive scaffold is entirely changed into bone mineral after 6 weeks of implantation in sheep mandible; thanks to our proposed methodology, it is possible to highlight subtle differences in mineralization and to distinguish between the mineralized scaffold, the newly formed bone and native bone from the trace metal nutrients content. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of Co content and heat treatment on mechanical properties of electrolessly deposited Ni‐Co‐P alloys
Authors: Theeratatpong Kongkidakarn , Danchaivijit Sawai , Boonyongmaneerat Yuttanant
Published: February 2014

The effects of cobalt content and heat treatment temperature on hardness and wear resistance of nickel‐cobalt‐phosphorus (Ni‐Co‐P) are systematically investigated on the electroless alloy deposits composing of cobalt with contents up to 45%. The increase of the cobalt content leads to improved stabilization of grain size and crystallographic structure upon thermal annealing. A moderate annealing temperature of 300 °C applied on Ni‐45Co‐2.6P deposits grants optimum hardness of 959 Hv and relatively low wear loss of 8.85 mg/1000 cycles in abrasive mode, as assessed by Taber abraser wear test. An exclusion of cobalt, however, shows benefit in wear resistance enhancement under the ball‐on‐disc wear test, where a combined abrasive and adhesive wear is induced in this class of nickel‐based alloys. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of Vipassana Meditation Course Effects on Subjective Stress, Well‐being, Self‐kindness and Mindfulness in a Community Sample: Post‐course and 6‐month Outcomes
Authors: Szekeres Roberta A. , Wertheim Eleanor H.
Published: February 2014

Residential Vipassana meditation courses, which teach mindfulness skills, are widely available globally but under‐evaluated. This study examined effects of a standardized, community‐based Vipassana course, on subjective stress, well‐being, self‐kindness and trait mindfulness in a community sample. Participants completed self‐report measures of these variables at pre‐course and post‐course (n = 122), and outcomes were compared to a control group of early enrollers (EEs) (n = 50) who completed measures at parallel time points before course commencement. Six‐month follow‐up was undertaken in the intervention group (n = 90). Findings, including intention‐to‐complete analyses, suggested positive effects of the Vipassana course in reducing subjective stress and increasing well‐being, self‐kindness and overall mindfulness (present‐moment awareness and non‐reaction). Although some reductions in post‐course gains were found at follow‐up, particularly in stress, follow‐up scores still showed improvements compared to pre‐course scores. Mindfulness change scores between pre‐course and 6‐month follow‐up were moderately to highly correlated with outcome variable change scores, consistent with the idea that effects of the Vipassana course on stress and well‐being operate, at least partially, through increasing mindfulness. The present research underscores the importance of undertaking further investigations into Vipassana courses’ effects and applications. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
From home country to home base: A dynamic approach to the liability of foreignness
Authors: Zhou Nan , Guillén Mauro F.
Published: February 2014

We argue that the influence of the home country wanes as the firm increases its geographic reach. We introduce the concept of the “home base” to capture the effect of the set of countries in which the firm operates. We expect the dynamic liability of foreignness defined relative to the home base to be a better predictor than the static liability of foreignness defined relative to the home country. We also expect the diversity of foreign experience to increase foreign market entry. We find support for these hypotheses with data on Chinese listed firms investing abroad between 1991 and 2007. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Artificial Evolution of Graphene Oxide Chemzyme with Enantioselectivity and Near‐Infrared Photothermal Effect for Cascade Biocatalysis Reactions
Authors: Xu Can , Zhao Chuanqi , Li Meng , Wu Li , Ren Jinsong , Qu Xiaogang
Published: February 2014

It is highly desirable and challenging when the chemzyme can be not only simply duplicating and imitating the properties of natural enzymes, but also introducing additional new features for practical applications. Herein, we report a zinc‐finger‐protein like α‐helical chiral metallo‐supramolecular complex ([Fe2L3]4+) functionalized graphene oxide (GO‐COOH) as a peroxidase mimic. This artificial enzyme integrates the characteristics of both chiral metallo‐supramolecular complex and GO‐COOH, and shows excellent catalytic activity. More intriguingly, the novel chemzyme turn out to have enantioselectivity and near‐infrared photothermal effect. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example that the chemzyme has such new features. Based on these properties, we have demonstrated three examples for the applications of our designed enzyme: 1) Intracellular H2O2 detection in PC12 cells against Alzheimer's disease; 2) Discrimination between the chiral drug, Levodopa (L‐dopa), the gold standard for treating Parkinson's disease and its enantiomer, D‐dopa. This is important because L‐dopa is the most effective drug at present used to combat Parkinson's disease while D‐dopa is inactive and can even cause side effects, thus for drug efficacy it must be free of D‐dopa in the formulation; 3) Remote control of enzyme cascade biocatalysis reactions using high transparent, bio‐friendly near‐infrared (NIR) light. NIR allows remote activation with relatively high spatial and temporal precision. Our work will provide new insights into design and construction of novel chemzyme with more advanced features beyond intrinsic enzyme property.
Assembled Plasmonic Asymmetric Heterodimers with Tailorable Chiroptical Response
Authors: Hao Changlong , Xu Liguang , Ma Wei , Wang Libing , Kuang Hua , Xu Chuanlai
Published: February 2014

Directed nanocrystal (NC) heteroassemblies could potentially achieve tailorable multiplex circular dichroism (CD) bands. Here, for the first time, we developed assembly of nanoparticle (NP)‐nanorod (NR) chiral heterodimers with chiral molecules to explore their chiroptical activities. The experimental results revealed that plasmonic CD responses were in the region from 520 to 750 nm, which was in agreement with the theoretical simulation. Importantly, the CD band could be regulated by controlling the gaps between adjacent NCs and altering the building blocks of the assemblies. These results show that the plasmonic chiroptical response of NP‐NR heterodimers could come from the finger‐crossed chiral construction of adjacent NC in the heterodimers and the formation of plasmonic hot‐spots in the assemblies could further enhance the plasmonic CD. This work provides a new opportunity to create heterogeneous nanoscale plasmonic objects with tailorable chiroptical response for application in biosensors, in vivo chiral medical carriers and negative refractive index materials.
Model refactoring using examples: a search‐based approach
Authors: Ghannem Adnane , El Boussaidi Ghizlane , Kessentini Marouane
Published: February 2014

One of the important challenges in model‐driven engineering is how to improve the quality of the models' design in order to help designers understand them. Refactoring represents an efficient technique to improve the quality of a design while preserving its behavior. Most of existing work on model refactoring relies on declarative rules to detect refactoring opportunities and to apply the appropriate refactorings. However, a complete specification of refactoring opportunities requires a huge number of rules. In this paper, we consider the refactoring mechanism as a combinatorial optimization problem where the goal is to find good refactoring suggestions starting from a small set of refactoring examples applied to similar contexts. Our approach, named model refactoring by example, takes as input an initial model to refactor, a set of structural metrics calculated on both initial model and models in the base of examples, and a base of refactoring examples extracted from different software systems and generates as output a sequence of refactorings. A solution is defined as a combination of refactoring operations that should maximize as much as possible the structural similarity based on metrics between the initial model and the models in the base of examples. A heuristic method is used to explore the space of possible refactoring solutions. To this end, we used and adapted a genetic algorithm as a global heuristic search. The validation results on different systems of real‐world models taken from open‐source projects confirm the effectiveness of our approach. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Discovery of Consensus Gene Signature and Intermodular Connectivity Defining Self-Renewal of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Authors: Kim Jeffrey J. , Khalid Omar , Namazi AmirHosien , Tu Thanh G. , Elie Omid , Lee Connie , Kim Yong
Published: February 2014

Molecular markers defining self-renewing pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have been identified by relative comparisons between undifferentiated and differentiated cells. Most of analysis has been done under a specific differentiation condition that may present significantly different molecular changes over others. Therefore, it is currently unclear if there are true consensus markers defining undifferentiated human ESCs (hESCs). To identify a set of key genes consistently altered during differentiation of hESCs regardless of differentiation conditions, we have performed microarray analysis on undifferentiated hESCs (H1 and H9) and differentiated EBs and validated our results using publicly available expression array datasets. We constructed consensus modules by Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis and discovered novel markers that are consistently present in undifferentiated hESCs under various differentiation conditions. We have validated top markers (downregulated: LCK, KLKB1, and SLC7A3; upregulated: RhoJ, Zeb2, and Adam12) upon differentiation. Functional validation analysis of LCK in self-renewal of hESCs using LCK inhibitor or gene silencing with siLCK resulted in a loss of undifferentiation characteristics—morphological change, reduced alkaline phosphatase activity, and pluripotency gene expression, demonstrating a potential functional role of LCK in self-renewal of hESCs. We have designated hESC markers to interactive networks in the genome, identifying possible interacting partners and showing how new markers relate to each other. Furthermore, comparison of these datasets with available datasets from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) revealed that the level of these newly identified markers was correlated to the establishment of iPSCs, which may imply a potential role of these markers in gaining of cellular potency. Stem Cells  2014;32:1468–1479
Concise Review: Cancer Cells Escape from Oncogene Addiction: Understanding the Mechanisms Behind Treatment Failure for More Effective Targeting
Authors: Pellicano Francesca , Mukherjee Leena , Holyoake Tessa L.
Published: February 2014

Oncogene addiction describes the dependence of some cancers on one or a few genes for their survival. Inhibition of the corresponding oncoproteins can lead to dramatic responses. However, in some cases, such as chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a disease characterized by the presence of the abnormal fusion tyrosine kinase BCR-ABL, cancer stem cells may never acquire addiction to the oncogene that drives disease development. The suggested mechanism(s) for treatment failure include a quiescent stem cell population capable of reinstating disease, high levels of oncoprotein expression, or acquired mutations in the oncogene. In this review, we discuss the evidence for oncogene addiction in several solid tumors and their potential escape mechanism(s) with a particular focus on CML stem cells. Stem Cells  2014;32:1373–1379
An anticipated shear design method for reinforced concrete beams strengthened with anchoraged carbon fiber‐reinforced polymer by using neural network
Authors: Tanarslan H. M. , Kumanlioglu A. , Sakar G.
Published: February 2014

Using externally bonded carbon fiber‐reinforced polymer (FRP) for strengthening has been turned into a popular decision owing to its mechanical leads. Consequently, design guidelines and researchers have established several analytical equations to predict the contribution of FRP to ultimate shear capacity. The developed analytical equations projected the influence of FRP reinforcements within certain limits. However, not mentioned parameters such as the shear span‐to‐depth ratio and anchorage application influence the ultimate behavior of strengthened specimens. Accordingly, distant predictions between test results and code predictions are observed for the specimens in whom anchorage is applied. As an alternative method, artificial neural network (NN) can be used to predict the contribution of anchoraged carbon FRP to shear strength of deficient reinforced concrete beams. Accordingly, two NN models with back‐propagation are developed in this study. Unlike the existing design codes, the model considers the effect of anchorage and the shear span‐to‐depth ratio at the ultimate state. Artificial NN model is trained, validated and tested using the literature of 79 reinforced concrete beams. Then, NN results are compared with those ‘theoretical’ predictions calculated directly from International Federation for Structural Concrete, the American guideline (ACI 440.2R) and the Australian guideline. Within all theoretical predictions of design guidelines, fib14 provided the best predictions according to experimental results. Consequently, 25% of fib14 predictions are within ±10% of the experimental results, and also, 65% of the fib14 predictions are within ±25% of the measured values. Besides, executed comparisons indicated that the NN model is more exact than the guideline equations with respect to the experimental results and can be applied effectively within the range of parameters covered in this study. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stability and seismic analyses of leaning towers: the case of the minaret in Jam
Authors: Clemente Paolo , Saitta Fernando , Buffarini Giacomo , Platania Laura
Published: February 2014

The leaning Minaret of Jam, one of the tallest in the world, was declared as the Afghanistan's first World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2002. The global stability analysis of the tower against soil collapse is first evaluated in the present configuration, in the hypothesis of increasing bending moment at the base section, assuming elastic‐perfect plastic behavior for the soil. Then, a finite element model is set up, which is used for the modal analysis and then for the seismic push‐over analysis, based on both single and multi‐modal approaches. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The influence of humic acid on the toxicity of nano‐ZnO and Zn2+ to the Anabaena sp.
Authors: Tang Yulin , Li Shuyan , Lu Yao , Li Qian , Yu Shuili
Published: February 2014

This study explored the effects of humic acid (HA) on the toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles (nano‐ZnO) and Zn2+ to Anabaena sp. Typical chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, including effective quantum yield, photosynthetic efficiency and maximal electron transport rate, were measured by a pulse‐amplitude modulated fluorometer. Results showed that nano‐ZnO and Zn2+ could inhibit Anabaena sp. growth with the EC50 (concentration for 50% of maximal effect) of 0.74 ± 0.01 and 0.3 ± 0.01 mg/L, respectively. In the presence of 3.0 mg/L of HA, EC50 of nano‐ZnO increased to 1.15 ± 0.04 mg/L and EC50 of Zn2+ was still 0.3 ± 0.01 mg/L. Scanning electron microscopy observation revealed that HA prevented the adhesion of nano‐ZnO on the algae cells due to the increased electrostatic repulsion. The generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species and cellular lipid peroxidation were significantly limited by HA. Nano‐ZnO had more damage to the cell membrane than Zn2+ did, which could be proven by the malondialdehyde content in Anabaena sp. cells. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 895–903, 2015.
Modeling marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) habitat using LiDAR‐derived canopy data
Authors: Hagar Joan C. , Eskelson Bianca N. I. , Haggerty Patricia K. , Nelson S. Kim , Vesely David G.
Published: February 2014

LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) is an emerging remote‐sensing tool that can provide fine‐scale data describing vertical complexity of vegetation relevant to species that are responsive to forest structure. We used LiDAR data to estimate occupancy probability for the federally threatened marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in the Oregon Coast Range of the United States. Our goal was to address the need identified in the Recovery Plan for a more accurate estimate of the availability of nesting habitat by developing occupancy maps based on refined measures of nest‐strand structure. We used murrelet occupancy data collected by the Bureau of Land Management Coos Bay District, and canopy metrics calculated from discrete return airborne LiDAR data, to fit a logistic regression model predicting the probability of occupancy. Our final model for stand‐level occupancy included distance to coast, and 5 LiDAR‐derived variables describing canopy structure. With an area under the curve value (AUC) of 0.74, this model had acceptable discrimination and fair agreement (Cohen's κ = 0.24), especially considering that all sites in our sample were regarded by managers as potential habitat. The LiDAR model provided better discrimination between occupied and unoccupied sites than did a model using variables derived from Gradient Nearest Neighbor maps that were previously reported as important predictors of murrelet occupancy (AUC = 0.64, κ = 0.12). We also evaluated LiDAR metrics at 11 known murrelet nest sites. Two LiDAR‐derived variables accurately discriminated nest sites from random sites (average AUC = 0.91). LiDAR provided a means of quantifying 3‐dimensional canopy structure with variables that are ecologically relevant to murrelet nesting habitat, and have not been as accurately quantified by other mensuration methods. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Ambient Temperature Sn–C Bond Cleavage Reaction Involving the Sn‐n‐butyl Group. Weak F···F Interactions in the Solid State Structure of [{nBu2SnO2C–C6H4‐4‐CF3}2O]2
Authors: Gopal Kandasamy , Kundu Subrata , Metre Ramesh K. , Chandrasekhar Vadapalli
Published: February 2014

The reaction of bis(tri‐n‐butyltin)oxide, [nBu3Sn]2O, with HO2C–C6H4–4‐CF3 (RfTol‐CO2H) affords a coordination polymer [nBu3SnO2C–RfTol]n (1). 1 undergoes hydrolysis in the presence of atmospheric moisture, at room temperature, resulting in the formation of the diorgano stannoxane [{nBu2SnO2C–RfTol}2O]2 (2). The transformation of 1 to 2 is accompanied by a Sn–C bond cleavage reaction. Formation of 2 also occurs in a direct reaction, involving [nBu3Sn]2O and RfTol–CO2H in the presence of water. 2 can also be prepared in a 1:1 reaction of di‐n‐butyltin oxide, [nBu2SnO]n with RfTol–CO2H. The conversion of 2 from 1 was monitored by 119Sn NMR spectroscopy over a period of eight days. The molecular structure of 2 reveals a tetranuclear assembly consisting of two pairs of structurally distinct six‐coordinate tin atoms. Extensive hydrogen‐bonding interactions (C‐H···O, C‐H···F) and weak F···F interactions involving organo‐fluorine atoms in the crystal structure result in the formation of a three‐dimensional supramolecular architecture for 2.
Two Mononuclear Tri‐Spin Compounds based on the Lanthanide‐Nitronyl Nitroxide Radicals: Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Qiao Xue‐Mei , Zhang Chen‐Xi , Kong Yu‐Kun , Wang Qing‐Lun , Zhang Yu‐Ying
Published: February 2014

Two LnIII complexes based on a nitronyl nitroxide radical were synthesized and characterized structurally and magnetically: [Ln(hfac)3[NITPhm‐Cl]2][0.5CH3(CH2)5CH3] [Ln = Er (1), Nd (2)] [hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate, NITPhm‐Cl = 2‐(3′‐chlorophenyl)‐4, 4,5, 5‐tetramethylimidazoline‐1‐oxyl‐3‐oxide]. X‐ray crystal structure analysis revealed that the two complexes have similar mononuclear tri‐spin structures, in which the metal ions are octacoordinated by two radicals and three hfac molecules to form a slightly distorted dodecahedral arrangement. Each tri‐spin unit connects through intermolecular hydrogen bonds, resulting in the formation of one‐dimensional wave‐like chain. Both of the complexes form a one‐dimensional structure by intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements studies revealed that there are antiferromagnetic interactions between the paramagnetic ions (LnIII and radical).
Two Cadmium Coordination Compounds with 5‐Sulfonyl‐1,2,4‐benzenetricarboxylate Ligand: Syntheses, Structures, and Photoluminescence
Authors: Cao Hai‐Yan , Liu Qing‐Yan , Li Li‐Qin , Wang Yu‐Ling , Chen Li‐Li , Yao Yang
Published: February 2014

Two new cadmium(II) coordination compounds, [Cd4(SBTC)2(2,2′‐bpy)6(H2O)4](2,2′‐bpy) (1) (2,2′‐bpy = 2,2′‐bipyridyl) and {[K2Cd(SBTC)(H2O)4](H2O)2}n (2), were synthesized using a novel ligand of 5‐sulfonyl‐1,2,4‐bezenetricarboxylic acid (H4‐SBTC) featuring three carboxylate groups and one sulfonate group stationed on a phenyl central motif. Compound 1 is a discrete tetranuclear [Cd4(SBTC)2(2,2′‐bpy)6(H2O)4] structure with a solvated 2,2′‐bpy molecule, wherein the four cadmium ions are bridged by two μ3‐SBTC4– ligands. The discrete tetranuclear [Cd4(SBTC)2(2,2′‐bpy)6(H2O)4] motif is extended into a three‐dimensional (3D) supramolecular framework through hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions. In compound 2 the cadmium ions and potassium ions are interconnected by the SBTC4– ligands and bridging water molecules to give a complex 3D structure. The 3D structure is constructed by a rare 3D inorganic cadmium‐potassium‐oxide framework, in which the cadmium and potassium ions are bridged by the sulfonate groups and bridging water molecules. In the solid state, compounds 1 and 2 exhibit photoluminescence with emission maximum at 380 and 445 nm, respectively.
[Li2(tF‐BDC)(DMF)2]: A New Alkali Metal Salt of Tetra­fluoroterephthalic Acid (H2tF‐BDC)
Authors: Dolfus Benedikt , Ruschewitz Uwe
Published: February 2014

The DMF solvate of lithium tetrafluoroterephthalate [Li2(tF‐BDC)(DMF)2] (H2tF‐BDC = tetrafluoroterephthalic acid) was synthesized and structurally characterized from X‐ray single crystal data (Pbcn, Z = 8). Li+ (CN = 4) is coordinated tetrahedrally by four oxygen atoms of three different tF‐BDC2– linkers and one DMF molecule. The LiO4 tetrahedra are connected by common vertices to chains, which are bridged by tF‐BDC2– linkers to form a 2D polymeric unit. The DMF molecules are oriented perpendicular to these polymeric sheets, which are stacked along [100] in an AB fashion and held together by weak van der Waals interactions. Single crystals of [Li2(tF‐BDC)(DMF)2] were synthesized by precipitation from an ethanol/DMF solvent mixture, but single‐phase samples were only obtained by a mechanochemical approach starting from lithium acetate and H2tF‐BDC by adding DMF. The thermal stability of [Li2(tF‐BDC)(DMF)2] was investigated by DTA/TG measurements. The (endothermic) decomposition starts at 170 °C and is followed by a second exothermic decomposition at approx. 300 °C. The weight losses are in good agreement with a release of DMF and CO2. LiF is identified in the residue after heating at 500 °C.
Preliminary report on the behavior of spotted‐necked otter (Lutra maculicollis, Lichtenstein, 1835) living in a lentic ecosystem
Authors: Reed‐Smith Jan , Serfass Thomas , Kihudu Tua Samweli , Mussa Majaliwa
Published: February 2014

Little is known of spotted‐necked otter behavior, particularly in lentic ecosystems. In 2005, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) selected this species for management under the Small Carnivore Taxonomic Regional Collection Plan (SCTAG). In 2012, the AZA Otter group recommended this species for Red SSP status. As a result of the paucity of information on natural behaviors and the requirement of thoroughly understanding a species' behavior to properly manage ex‐situ populations this study was initiated. Behavioral data was recorded on Rubondo Island National Park, Tanzania between 2006 and 2009. Data was collected on habitat use as well as general behavior. Additionally, a complete catalogue of observed behaviors was maintained for future ethogram construction. Latrines, where scat is deposited, were predominantly located on projections and scattered in 20 m areas. The majority of latrines were located along forest edge habitats. Females routinely used key core areas for denning and extensive intra‐ and inter‐sex overlapping of ranges was evident. Forest‐edge habitat was used for denning; foraging and resting occurred along both forest‐edge and emergent wetland shorelines. Behavioral results indicate this species is cathemeral on RINP. Average group size recorded was 1.99 with a range of 1–12. Group composition consisted of singletons or females with young. These basic groups often coalesced into packs which occasionally joined to form temporary larger schools. The results of this study will provide valuable information for the design and implementation of ex‐situ spotted‐necked otter management in the future. Zoo Biol. 33:121–130, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Comparison of occupancy modeling and radiotelemetry to estimate ungulate population dynamics
Authors: Duquette Jared F. , Belant Jerrold L. , Svoboda Nathan J. , Beyer Dean E. , Albright Craig A.
Published: February 2014

Radiotelemetry and unmarked occupancy modeling have been used to estimate animal population growth, but have not been compared for ungulates. We compared white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population growth estimates from radiomarked individuals and occupancy modeling of unmarked individuals and evaluated advantages and disadvantages of each method. Estimates of population growth were obtained using remote camera (N = 54/year) detection/non‐detection occupancy surveys of unmarked deer and from survival and recruitment data of radiomarked adult females (N = 87) and neonate fawns (N = 127) in a predominantly forested region of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA, 2009–2011. We hypothesized that occupancy models and radiotelemetry data would have similar population growth trends because both methods sampled the same temporally closed population. Percent changes in camera trap data generally reflected finite population growth (λ) of radiomarked deer which increased (λ = 1.10 ± 0.01) from 2009 to 2010, but decreased (λ = 0.87 ± 0.02) from 2010 to 2011. Also, unmarked adult female abundance and fawn:adult female ratios generally reflected trends in radiomarked deer survival and recruitment. Royle–Nichols occupancy model abundance estimates had wide confidence intervals, which may preclude using this method from accurately estimating deer population growth. Radiotelemetry provided more precise population growth estimates, while allowing collection of vital rates and location data. However, the Royle–Nichols occupancy model may be preferred to radiotelemetry because it reflected yearly variation in population growth with reduced labor and no invasive marking. Researchers should consider the objectives and logistics of their study when choosing a specific method.
Process Development of Lappula squarrosa Oil Refinement: Monitoring of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Boraginaceae Seed Oils
Authors: Cramer Luise , Fleck Gunther , Horn Gert , Beuerle Till
Published: February 2014

Boraginaceous plants are characterized by high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids and show a high ratio of ω‐3/ω‐6 fatty acids. In addition, Lappula squarrosa (Boraginaceae) shows high levels of stearidonic acid content (ω‐3; 18:4; 6,9,12,15‐octadecatetraenoic acid) showing interesting medical and health promoting properties. On the other hand Boraginaceous plants contain genotoxic and carcinogenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA). An HPLC–ESI–MS/MS sum parameter method was developed to monitor the total sum of 1,2‐unsaturated PA in seed oil. The method was used to monitor different steps in oil refinement using lab model experiments and pilot scale refinement of L. squarrosa seed oil. A limit of detection and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.02 μg retronecine equivalents (RE)/kg and 0.05 μg RE/kg were achieved, respectively. Multiple washing steps at pH 2.2 can significantly reduce the PA content to 0.07 % of the start value. In addition, combining washing with neutralization, bleaching and deodorization can reduce the PA content of L. squarrosa oil below the LOQ (0.05 μg RE/kg). The newly established method was further used to analyze the PA content of commercially available Boraginaceous seed oils (Echium spp., Borago officinalis). Three out of ten products were tested as PA positive (PA content ranging from not detected to 0.6 μg RE/kg product).
Depressive symptoms predict incident dementia during short‐ but not long‐term follow‐up period
Authors: Mirza Saira Saeed , de Bruijn Renée F.A.G. , Direk Nese , Hofman Albert , Koudstaal Peter J. , Ikram M. Arfan , Tiemeier Henning
Published: February 2014

Background

Whether depression is a long‐term risk factor for dementia or represents a dementia prodrome is unclear. Therefore, we examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and dementia during short and long follow‐up in a population‐based cohort.

Methods

In the Rotterdam Study, 4393 nondemented individuals were followed for incident dementia for 13.7 years by continuous monitoring. Cox proportional hazards models for different time intervals were used to estimate the risk of incident dementia.

Results

Five‐hundred eighty‐two participants developed dementia during 13.7 years. Persons with depressive symptoms had an 8% increased risk of dementia compared with those without depressive symptoms during the overall follow‐up. The risk was highest in the short and intermediate follow‐up, particularly in men. We did not find an association in the follow‐up period beyond 10 years.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that late‐life depressive symptoms are part of a dementia prodrome rather than an independent risk factor of dementia.
Resolution of inflammation is altered in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Wang Xiuzhe , Zhu Mingqin , Hjorth Erik , Cortés‐Toro Veronica , Eyjolfsdottir Helga , Graff Caroline , Nennesmo Inger , Palmblad Jan , Eriksdotter Maria , Sambamurti Kumar , Fitzgerald Jonathan M. , Serhan Charles N. , Granholm Ann‐Charlotte , Schultzberg Marianne
Published: February 2014

Background

Resolution is the final stage of the inflammatory response, when restoration of tissue occurs. Failure may lead to chronic inflammation, which is known as part of the pathology in the brain of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods

Specialized pro‐resolving mediators (SPMs), receptors, biosynthetic enzyme, and downstream effectors involved in resolution were analyzed in postmortem hippocampal tissue from AD patients and non‐AD subjects. SPMs were analyzed in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Results

SPMs and SPM receptors were detected in the human brain. Levels of the SPM lipoxin A4 (LXA4) were reduced in AD, both in the CSF and hippocampus. An enzyme involved in LXA4 synthesis and two SPM receptors were elevated in AD brains. LXA4 and RvD1 levels in CSF correlated with Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores.

Conclusions

A resolution pathway exists in the brain and the alterations described herein strongly suggest a dysfunction of this pathway in AD. MMSE correlations suggest a connection with cognitive function in AD.