bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Infusion of Inquiry-based Learning into School-Based Agricultural Education: A Review of Literature
Authors: Wells Trent , Matthews Jennifer , Caudle Lawrence , Lunceford Casey , Clement Brian , Anderson Ryan
Published: January 2016

Demands for increases in student achievement have led education professionals to incorporate various and rigorous teaching strategies into classrooms across the United States. Within school- based agricultural education (SBAE), agriculture teachers have responded to these challenges quite well. SBAE incorporates a wide variety of teaching and learning strategies, theories, and ideas into its conceptual framework. One such teaching and learning strategy is referred to as inquiry-based learning, commonly known in SBAE as problem-based learning. This method emphasizes cognitive development, critical thinking, and intellectual growth in students. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the emergence and current utilization of inquiry-based learning in SBAE. We found that inquiry-based learning has been a long-standing staple in SBAE, particularly in terms of increasing the achievement of agricultural students. As a result, a model of the use of inquiry-based learning in SBAE programs was developed. Recommendations, discussion, and implications for research and classroom practice were included in this study.
Pre-Clerkship Observerships to Increase Early Exposure to Geriatric Medicine
Authors: You Peng , Leung Marie , Xu Victoria Y.Y. , Astell Alexander , Gill Sudeep S. , Gibson Michelle , Frank Christopher
Published: January 2016

Background and PurposeTo foster interest in geriatric care, the Queen’s Geriatrics Interest Group (QGIG) collaborated with the Division of Geriatric Medicine to arrange a Geriatrics Pre-Clerkship Observership Program.MethodsForty-two pre-clerkship medical students participated in the program between October 2013 and May 2014. Participants were paired with a resident and/or attending physician for a four-hour weekend observership on an inpatient geriatric rehabilitation unit. The program was assessed using: (1) internally developed Likert scales assessing student’s experiences and interest in geriatric medicine before and after the observership; (2) University of California Los Angeles–Geriatric Attitudes Scale (UCLA-GAS); and (3) narrative feedback.ResultsAll participants found the process of setting up the observership easy. Some 72.7% described the observership experience as leading to positive changes in their attitude toward geriatric medicine and 54.5% felt that it stimulated their interest in the specialty. No statistically significant change in UCLA–GAS scores was detected (mean score pre- versus post-observership: 3.5 ± 0.5 versus 3.7 ± 0.4; p=.35). All participants agreed that the program should continue, and 90% stated that they would participate again.ConclusionsThe observership program was positively received by students. Structured pre-clerkship observerships may be a feasible method for increasing exposure to geriatric medicine.
Risk of Pre- and Post-Operative Delirium and the Delirium Elderly At Risk (DEAR) Tool in Hip Fracture Patients
Authors: Freter Susan , Dunbar Michael , Koller Katalin , MacKnight Chris , Rockwood Kenneth
Published: January 2016

Background and PurposeDelirium is common after hip fracture. Previous work has shown that a simple delirium risk factor tool, the Delirium Elderly At Risk instrument (DEAR), has a high inter-rater reliability in this population. Little research has looked at the ability of risk factor screening tools to identify patients at high risk of pre-operative delirium. This study investigates the ability of the DEAR to identify patients at high risk of pre-operative delirium, as well as reporting its performance in a post-operative validation sample. Associations between delirium risk factors and pre-operative delirium are explored.MethodsThis prospective cohort study took place on an orthopedic inpatient service at a University-affiliated tertiary care hospital. Patients aged 65 and older who were admitted for surgical repair of hip fracture (N = 283) were assessed pre-operatively for 5 delirium risk factors (cognitive impairment, sensory impairment, functional dependence, substance use, age) using the DEAR. Patients were assessed for delirium using the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Confusion Assessment Method pre-operatively and on post-operative days 1, 3 and 5. Characteristics of patients who developed delirium were compared with the characteristics of those who did not.ResultsDelirium was present in 58% (95% CI = 52–63%) of patients pre-operatively and 42% (95% CI = 36–48%) post-operatively. Individually, sensory impairment ( χ2 = 21.7, p = .0001), functional dependence ( χ2 = 24.1, p = .0001), cognitive impairment ( χ2 = 55.5, p = .0001) and substance use ( χ2 = 7.5, p = .007) were significantly associated with pre-operative delirium, as was wait-time for surgery (t = 3.1, p = .003) and length of stay (t = 2.8, p =.03). In multivariate modeling, the strongest association with pre-operative delirium was cognitive impairment.ConclusionsThe DEAR, a simple, delirium risk factor screening tool, can be used to identify hip fracture patients at risk of both pre-operative and post-operative delirium, which may allow targeted implementation of delirium prevention strategies.
Áreas de la entrevista para la evaluación psicológica de personas transexuales
Authors: Rodríguez Molina José Miguel , Asenjo Araque Nuria , Becerra Fernández Antonio , Lucio Pérez María Jesús , Rabito Alcón María Frenzi , López Gilberto Pérez
Published: January 2016

ResumenEl tratamiento de la transexualidad es en gran medida irreversible. Por ello es necesaria una cuidadosa evaluación psicológica previa. Sin embargo, al ser un fenómeno emergente, se han desarrollado pocas pautas de evaluación. Por ello, se hace necesario tener al menos una orientación acerca de qué áreas evaluar. El objetivo de este estudio es proponer una serie de áreas a incluir en la entrevista para la evaluación psicológica de personas transexuales. Para ello se lleva a cabo una revisión de la literatura existente relacionada con el tema. Se revisan tantos las áreas de evaluación habituales en Psicología Clínica como los aspectos normalmente considerados en la evaluación de personas transexuales. Como conclusiones se proponen una serie de áreas a incluir en la entrevista para la evaluación psicológica de personas transexuales. AbstractThe treatment of the transgenderism is mainly irreversible. Therefore, a very carefully psychological assessment is needed. However, being transgenderism an emergent phenomenon there are a few guidelines. So that, it is necessary to have at least some guidance on which areas transgenderism should be evaluated.  To the aim of this study is to propose a number of areas to include in the psychological assessment of transgender people. In it are reviewed either usual assessment areas in Clinical Psychology and the aspects that are usually taken into consideration in the assessment of transgenderism.  As a result a number of areas for the psychological interview to assess transgender people is presented.
Validez de constructo del LSB-50 en Adultos argentinos: validación cruzada e invarianza factorial
Authors: De la Iglesia Guadalupe , Stover Juliana Beatriz , Castro Solano Alejandro , Fernández Liporace Mercedes
Published: January 2016

ResumenEl trabajo se propone aportar evidencias de validez referidas al Listado de Síntomas Breve (LSB-50; de Rivera y Abuín, 2012), instrumento psicométrico de screening para medir síntomas psicológicos, analizadas en una muestra de adultos argentinos. Los participantes fueron 1291 individuos distribuidos proporcionalmente según sexo (51% mujeres; 49% varones) con edades entre 18 y 89 años (M = 38.9, DE = 16.49). Se llevaron a cabo estudios de validación cruzada e invarianza factorial para examinar si un modelo de siete factores que se correspondía con siete escalas clínicas (Hipersensibilidad, Obsesiones-Compulsiones, Ansiedad, Hostilidad, Somatización, Depresión, y Alteraciones del sueño) presentaba un ajuste adecuado y un funcionamiento similar en muestras diferenciadas según sexo y edad de los evaluados. Esta estructura heptafactorial exhibió un buen ajuste en las cuatro submuestras. Tras analizar simultáneamente el ajuste en las submuestras mencionadas a través de modelos jerárquicos en los que se impusieron distintas restricciones de igualdad, se arribó a resultados que indicaron la invarianza de las siete dimensiones del LSB-50. El cálculo de alfas ordinales indicó un buen nivel de consistencia interna para todas las escalas. Finalmente, las correlaciones con una medida externa de diagnóstico de psicopatología –el Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 2007)– indicaron, tal como se esperaba, una convergencia moderada. Se concluye que los análisis realizados proveen de contundentes evidencias de validez sobre los resultados arrojados por el LSB-50. AbstractThis paper aims at obtaining evidence of validity of the LSB-50 (De Rivera & Abuín, 2012), a screening measure of psychopathology, in Argentinean adults. The sample consisted of 1291 individuals (49% males; 51% females) between 18 and 89 years-old (M = 38.9, SD = 16.49). A cross-validation study and factorial invariance studies were performed to test, in samples divided by sex and age, if a seven-factor structure that corresponds to seven clinical scales (Hypersensitivity, Obsessive-Compulsive, Anxiety, Hostility, Somatization, Depression, and Sleep disturbance) was adequate for the LSB-50. The seven-factor structure showed a good fit in all the subsamples. Next, the fit of the seven-factor structure was studied simultaneously in the aforementioned subsamples, through hierarchical models that imposed different constrains of equivalency. Results indicated the invariance of the seven clinical dimensions of the LSB-50. Ordinal alphas showed good internal consistency for all the scales. Finally, correlations with a diagnostic measure of psychopathology –el Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 2007)– indicated, as expected, moderate convergence. It is concluded that the analyses performed provide robust evidence of construct validity for the LSB-50.
Procesos Narrativos en Psicoterapia: diferencias entre clientes con buen y mal resultado
Authors: Botella Luis , Maestra Cutura Joana
Published: January 2016

ResumenEste trabajo compara 30 pacientes con buen resultado terapéutico con 30 con un mal resultado terapéutico en términos de la distribución diferencial de (1) variables iniciales (2) variables de proceso y resultado y (3) variables narrativas. Los resultados indicaron que el funcionamiento psicosocial, la motivación, los síntomas pre-terapia, la alianza terapéutica, el número total de sesiones de terapia, la reducción total de los síntomas pre-post y la media de puntuación de la alianza de trabajo total en las sesiones de 3, 4 y 8 discriminaron entre ambos grupos. Los resultados también mostraron que casi todas las variables narrativas, excepto algunas de ellas discriminaron los  clientes de buen resultado de los de mal resultado desde el principio, punto medio y fase final de su proceso terapéutico. Estos resultados se discuten en función de su relevancia para la práctica clínica.AbstractThis paper compares 30 patients with good therapeutic outcome to 30 with poor therapeutic outcome in terms of the differential distribution of (1) Intake Variables (2) Outcome and Process Variables, and (3) Narrative Variables. Results indicated that psychosocial functioning, motivation, pre-therapy symptoms, Working Alliance, total number of therapy sessions, total pre-post symptom reduction, and mean scoring for total working alliance in sessions 3, 4, and 8 discriminated between both groups. Results also showed that almost all narrative variables except some of them discriminated good outcome clients from poor outcome ones from the beginning, midpoint and final stage of their therapeutic process. These results are discussed according to their relevance for clinical practice.
Relación entre trauma, disociación y síntomas psicóticos positivos
Authors: Castro-Fernández María del Pilar , Perona-Garcelán Salvador , Senín-Calderón Cristina , Rodríguez-Testal Juan F.
Published: January 2016

ResumenEl objetivo de esta investigación fue estudiar experiencias traumáticas y disociativas en una muestra de pacientes españoles con psicosis y su relación con las alucinaciones. Setenta y un pacientes con psicosis completaron una escala de experiencias disociativas (DES-II, Carlson y Putnam, 1993), un cuestionario de traumas (TQ, Davidson, Hughes y Blazer, 1990) y se les administró también los ítems de delirios y alucinaciones de la PANSS (Kay, Opler y Lindenmayer, 1988). Los resultados mostraron que los sujetos que presentaban alucinaciones y delirios habían experimentado un número significativamente mayor de las experiencias traumáticas en la infancia, pero no en la edad adulta. Con respecto a la disociación, los sujetos con alucinaciones y delirios presentaban puntuaciones altas en disociación que los sujetos sin estos síntomas psicóticos. Respecto al tipo de trauma, se encontró que los sujetos con alucinaciones presentaban más abusos físicos y amenazas en la infancia, no encontrándose diferencias en el tipo de traumas en función de la presencia o no de delirios. Por último, de los factores estudiados en esta investigación, solamente la despersonalización predijo a la presencia de alucinaciones, encontrándose que ninguno de dichos factores predijo la presencia de delirios. AbstractThe purpose of this research was to study traumatic and dissociative experiences in a sample of Spanish patients with psychosis and their relationship to hallucinations. Seventy-one patients with psychosis filled in a dissociative experiences scale (DES-II, Carlson & Putnam, 1993), a trauma questionnaire (TQ, Davidson, Hughes & Blazer, 1990) and the PANSS delusion and hallucination items (Kay, Opler & Lindenmayer, 1988). The results showed that subjects who had hallucinations and delusions had undergone a significantly larger number of traumatic experiences in childhood, but not as adults. Subjects with hallucinations and delusions had higher scores in dissociation than those who did not have these psychotic symptoms. It was also found that subjects with hallucinations had had experienced more physical abuse and threats in childhood, while there were no differences in the type of trauma for presence or not of delusions. Finally, of the factors studied in this research, only depersonalization predicted the presence of hallucinations, and none of these factors predicted the presence of delusions.
An Overview of Mechanical Tests for Polymeric Biomaterial Scaffolds Used in Tissue Engineering
Authors: Vazquez Oscar Robles , Avila Ignacio Orozco , Díaz Juan C. Sánchez , Hernandez Elena
Published: January 2016

Mechanical characterization of polymeric biomaterial scaffolds is essential to allow biomaterials that interface with tissues and tissue engineered constructs to be developed with appropriate mechanical strength. However, the fragility of these materials makes their mechanical characterization in a quantitative manner highly challenging. Here we report an overview of testing techniques for the characterization of mechanical properties of films, membranes, hydrogels and fibers commonly used as scaffolds in tissue engineering applications.
Assembly of Ordered Polystyrene Nanoparticles on Self-Assembled Monolayers
Authors: Shalev Ortal Lidor , Hagit Hagit , Mastai Yitzhak
Published: January 2016

Spontaneous assembly of nanoparticles onto a surface is a promising bottom-up concept for the fabrication of new functional materials that can be used for various applications in the nanotechnology. In this paper, we describe a system based on gold/polystyrene (Au/PS) Janus particles arranged onto Au self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 1-dodecanthiol (NDA). The micro-size Au/PS Janus particles are self-assembled onto Au surface and are dissolved into polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles. The SAM of NDA plays two different roles; it dissolves the original Au/PS Janus particles and organizes the PS nanoparticles onto the Au surface. Overall, our proposed method for the assembly of large-scale area nanoparticles can be extended for further uses in the surface science.
Convex-hull mass estimates of the dodo (Raphus cucullatus): application of a CT-based mass estimation technique
Authors: Brassey Charlotte A. , O’Mahoney Thomas G. , Kitchener Andrew C. , Manning Phillip L. , Sellers William I.
Published: January 2016

The external appearance of the dodo (Raphus cucullatus,Linnaeus, 1758) has been a source of considerable intrigue, as contemporaneous accounts or depictions are rare. The body mass of the dodo has been particularly contentious, with the flightless pigeon alternatively reconstructed as slim or fat depending upon the skeletal metric used as the basis for mass prediction. Resolving this dichotomy and obtaining a reliable estimate for mass is essential before future analyses regarding dodo life history, physiology or biomechanics can be conducted. Previous mass estimates of the dodo have relied upon predictive equations based upon hind limb dimensions of extant pigeons. Yet the hind limb proportions of dodo have been found to differ considerably from those of their modern relatives, particularly with regards to midshaft diameter. Therefore, application of predictive equations to unusually robust fossil skeletal elements may bias mass estimates. We present a whole-body computed tomography (CT) -based mass estimation technique for application to the dodo. We generate 3D volumetric renders of the articulated skeletons of 20 species of extant pigeons, and wrap minimum-fit ‘convex hulls’ around their bony extremities. Convex hull volume is subsequently regressed against mass to generate predictive models based upon whole skeletons. Our best-performing predictive model is characterized by high correlation coefficients and low mean squared error (a= − 2.31,b= 0.90,r2= 0.97, MSE = 0.0046). When applied to articulated composite skeletons of the dodo (National Museums Scotland, NMS.Z.1993.13; Natural History Museum, NHMUK A.9040 and S/1988.50.1), we estimate eviscerated body masses of 8–10.8 kg. When accounting for missing soft tissues, this may equate to live masses of 10.6–14.3 kg. Mass predictions presented here overlap at the lower end of those previously published, and support recent suggestions of a relatively slim dodo. CT-based reconstructions provide a means of objectively estimating mass and body segment properties of extinct species using whole articulated skeletons.
Analytical probability density function for the statistics of the ENSO phenomenon: Asymmetry and power law tail
Authors: Bianucci M.
Published: January 2016

This letter has two main goals. The first one is to give a physically reasonable explanation for the use of stochastic models for mimicking the apparent random features of the El Ninõ–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. The second one is to obtain, from the theory, an analytical expression for the equilibrium density function of the anomaly sea surface temperature, an expression that fits the data from observations well, reproducing the asymmetry and the power law tail of the histograms of the NIÑO3 index. We succeed in these tasks exploiting some recent theoretical results of the author in the field of the dynamical origin of the stochastic processes. More precisely, we apply this approach to the celebrated recharge oscillator model (ROM), weakly interacting by a multiplicative term, with a general deterministic complex forcing (Madden‐Julian Oscillations, westerly wind burst, etc.), and we obtain a Fokker‐Planck equation that describes the statistical behavior of the ROM.
Variation in crossover frequency of EMIC waves in plasmasphere estimated from ion cyclotron whistler waves observed by Van Allen Probe A
Authors: Matsuda Shoya , Kasahara Yoshiya , Kletzing Craig A.
Published: January 2016

We report variations in the propagation of the H+ band ion cyclotron whistlers observed by Van Allen Probe A. Ion cyclotron whistlers are one of the EMIC (electromagnetic ion cyclotron) waves generated by mode conversion from lightning whistlers. Crossover frequency is an important frequency for the ion cyclotron whistlers, which is a function of the variations in the local heavy‐ion composition. We surveyed waveform data obtained by the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument and Integrated Science instrument and found that 3461 H+ band ion cyclotron whistlers were observed from 572 km to 5992 km in altitude. The main finding is that the crossover frequencies of the observed events decreased with increasing altitude. These results support the hypothesis that the total heavy‐ion density decreases with increasing altitude. Furthermore, in 96% of all observed events, the crossover frequencies exceeded
, which suggests that the EMIC dispersion relation contains a frequency gap of around
.
Morpho Butterfly‐Inspired Nanostructures
Authors: Butt Haider , Yetisen Ali K. , Mistry Denika , Khan Safyan Akram , Hassan Mohammed Umair , Yun Seok Hyun
Published: January 2016

The wing scales of Morpho butterflies contain 3D nanostructures that produce blue iridescent colors. Incident light is diffracted from multilayered nanostructures to create interference effects and diffract narrow‐band light. The intensity of the diffracted light remains high over a wide range of viewing angles. Structural coloration originating from the scales of Morpho wing nanostructures has been studied to analyze its optical properties and to produce scalable replicas. This review discusses computational and experimental methods to replicate these nanoarchitectures. Analytical and numerical methods utilized include multilayer models, the finite element method, and rigorous coupled‐wave analysis, which enable the optimization of nanofabrication techniques involving biotemplating, chemical vapour deposition, electron beam lithography, and laser patterning to mimic the wing scale nanostructure. Dynamic tunability of the morphology, refractive index, and chemical composition of the Morpho wing scales allows the realization of a numerous applications.
A diagnostic dilemma: chronic sinusitis diagnosed by non‐otolaryngologists
Authors: Novis Sarah J. , Akkina Sarah R. , Lynn Shana , Kern Hayley E. , Keshavarzi Nahid R. , Pynnonen Melissa A.
Published: January 2016

Background

Ambulatory care visits for chronic sinusitis outnumber visits for acute sinusitis. The majority of these visits are with non‐otolaryngologists. In order to better understand patients diagnosed with chronic sinusitis by non‐otolaryngologists, we sought to determine if incident cases of chronic sinusitis diagnosed by primary care (PC) or emergency medicine (EM) providers meet diagnostic criteria.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study. Patients were identified using administrative data from 2005 to 2006. The dataset was then clinically annotated based on chart review. We excluded prevalent cases.

Results

We identified 114 patients with newly diagnosed chronic sinusitis in EM (75) or PC settings (39). Rhinorrhea (EM 61%, PC 59%) and nasal obstruction (EM 67%, PC 64%) were common in both settings but facial fullness (EM 80%, PC 39%) and pain (EM 40%, PC 18%) were more common in the EM setting. Few patients reported symptoms of 90 days or longer (EM 6.0%, PC 24%) and no patient had evidence of inflammation on physical examination. A minority of patients received a sinus computed tomography (CT) scan (22.8%) or nasal endoscopy (1.8%). In total, only 1 patient diagnosed with chronic sinusitis met the diagnostic criteria.

Conclusion

Most patients diagnosed with chronic sinusitis by non‐otolaryngologists do not have the condition. Caution should be used in studying chronic sinusitis using administrative data from non‐otolaryngology providers because a large proportion of the patients may not actually have the disease.
Safety of long‐term high‐volume sinonasal budesonide irrigations for chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Smith Kristine A. , French Gabrielle , Mechor Bradford , Rudmik Luke
Published: January 2016

Background

Off‐label high‐volume sinonasal budesonide irrigations are commonly used during the management of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Although short‐term use (4 to 8 weeks) has been demonstrated to be safe, the long‐term effects on the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis remain unclear. The objective of this study is to determine whether CRS patients using long‐term (minimum greater than 12 months) budesonide sinonasal irrigations have evidence of HPA axis suppression.

Methods

Patients with CRS being managed with high‐volume sinonasal budesonide irrigations were recruited from 2 tertiary level rhinology clinics between March 2014 and July 2015. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) adult (age greater than 18 years); (2) guideline‐based diagnosis of CRS; (3) previous endoscopic sinus surgery; (4) minimum of twice daily high‐volume sinonasal budesonide irrigation (concentration of 1 mg per irrigation; total daily dose of 2 mg); and (5) a minimum of 12‐month duration. Exclusion criteria included systemic corticosteroid use within 3 months of HPA axis testing. The primary outcomes were morning (am) serum cortisol levels and, when indicated, cosyntropin stimulation levels.

Results

A total of 35 patients fulfilled eligibility criteria and underwent HPA axis testing. Mean duration of budesonide sinonasal irrigation therapy use was 38.2 months (2.9 years). The mean ± standard deviation (SD) am serum cortisol was 431.2 ± 146.9 nmol/L (normal, 200 to 650 nmol/L). Subsequent cosyntropin stimulation tests, in indicated patients (n = 19), demonstrated no evidence of HPA axis suppression.

Conclusion

Outcomes from this study suggest that daily high‐volume sinonasal budesonide irrigations fail to produce evidence of HPA axis suppression with prolonged courses lasting longer than 2 years.
Cobalt‐Catalyzed Oxidative Annulation of Nitrogen‐Containing Arenes with Alkynes: An Atom‐Economical Route to Heterocyclic Quaternary Ammonium Salts
Authors: Prakash Sekar , Muralirajan Krishnamoorthy , Cheng Chien‐Hong
Published: January 2016

Four cobalt‐catalyzed oxidative annulation reactions of nitrogen‐containing arenes with alkynes proceeds by C−H activation, thus leading to biologically useful quaternary ammonium salts, including pyridoisoquinolinium, cinnolinium, isoquinolinium, and quinolizinium salts, in high yields. The results are comparable to those reactions catalyzed by rhodium and ruthenium complexes. The transformation of the salts into various N‐heterocycles has also been demonstrated.
Functionalized Coumarine Fragment to Obtain Fluorescent and Selective P‐Glycoprotein Ligands
Authors: Capparelli Elena , Contino Marialessandra , Perrone Maria G. , Berardi Francesco , Perrone Roberto , Leopoldo Marcello , Colabufo Nicola A.
Published: January 2016

Starting from our lead compound MC70 displaying high P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) inhibition activity but low selectivity, a new class of coumarine derivatives was studied to develop selective and fluorescent P‐gp ligands. In this series, the biphenyl moiety of MC70 was replaced with the coumarine fluorophore as a bioisostere of the biphenyl nucleus in order to improve the selectivity toward P‐gp and the fluorescent properties for in vitro studies. Moreover, the presence and position of substituents on the coumarine nucleus were probed to develop suitable fluorescent probes to study the expression and activity of P‐gp in living cells. The best result was found for compound 4c, which exerts a good P‐gp activity profile (EC50 = 13 μM) as substrate and a high selectivity toward the pump since it is inactive toward MRP1.
Using course‐subjectCo‐occurrence (CSCO) to reveal the structure of an academic discipline: A framework to evaluate different inputs of a domain map
Authors: Hook Peter A.
Published: January 2016

This article proposes, exemplifies, and validates the use of course‐subject co‐occurrence (CSCO) data to generate topic maps of an academic discipline. ACSCOevent is when 2 course‐subjects are taught in the same academic year by the same teacher. A total of 61,856CSCOevents were extracted from the 2010–11 directory of the American Association of Law Schools and used to visualize the structure of law school education in theUnitedStates. Different normalization, ordination (layout), and clustering algorithms were compared and the best performing algorithm of each type was used to generate the final map. Validation studies demonstrate thatCSCOproduces topic maps that are consistent with expert opinion and 4 other indicators of the topical similarity of law school course‐subjects. This research is the first to useCSCOto produce a visualization of a domain. It is also the first to use an expanded, multi‐part gold standard to evaluate the validity of domain maps and the intermediate steps in their creation. It is suggested that the framework used herein may be adopted for other studies that compare different inputs of a domain map in order to empirically derive the best maps as measured against extrinsic sources of topical similarity (gold standards).
Can “hot spots” in the sciences be mapped using the dynamics of aggregated journal–journal citation Relations?
Authors: Leydesdorff Loet , de Nooy Wouter
Published: January 2016

Using 3 years of the Journal Citation Reports (2011, 2012, and 2013), indicators of transitions in 2012 (between 2011 and 2013) were studied using methodologies based on entropy statistics. Changes can be indicated at the level of journals using the margin totals of entropy production along the row or column vectors, but also at the level of links among journals by importing the transition matrices into network analysis and visualization programs (and using community‐finding algorithms). Seventy‐four journals were flagged in terms of discontinuous changes in their citations, but 3,114 journals were involved in “hot” links. Most of these links are embedded in a main component; 78 clusters (containing 172 journals) were flagged as potential “hot spots” emerging at the network level. An additional finding was that PLoS ONE introduced a new communication dynamic into the database. The limitations of the methodology were elaborated using an example. The results of the study indicate where developments in the citation dynamics can be considered as significantly unexpected. This can be used as heuristic information, but what a “hot spot” in terms of the entropy statistics of aggregated citation relations means substantively can be expected to vary from case to case.
A simple and efficient algorithm for authorship verification
Authors: Kocher Mirco , Savoy Jacques
Published: January 2016

This paper describes and evaluates an unsupervised and effective authorship verification model called Spatium‐L1. As features, we suggest using the 200 most frequent terms of the disputed text (isolated words and punctuation symbols). Applying a simple distance measure and a set of impostors, we can determine whether or not the disputed text was written by the proposed author. Moreover, based on a simple rule we can define when there is enough evidence to propose an answer or when the attribution scheme is unable to make a decision with a high degree of certainty. Evaluations based on 6 test collections (PAN CLEF 2014 evaluation campaign) indicate that Spatium‐L1 usually appears in the top 3 best verification systems, and on an aggregate measure, presents the best performance. The suggested strategy can be adapted without any problem to different Indo‐European languages (such as English, Dutch, Spanish, and Greek) or genres (essay, novel, review, and newspaper article).
Full‐Order and Reduced‐order Observer Design for a Class of Fractional‐order Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Lan Yong‐Hong , Wang Liang‐Liang , Ding Lei , Zhou Yong
Published: January 2016

The paper is concerned with problem of the full‐order and reduced‐order observer design for a class of fractional‐order one‐sided Lipschitz nonlinear systems. By introducing a continuous frequency distributed equivalent model and using indirect Lyapunov approach, the sufficient condition for asymptotic stability of the full‐order observer error dynamic system is presented. Furthermore, the proposed design method was extended to reduced‐order observer design for fractional‐order nonlinear systems. All the stability conditions are obtained in terms of LMI, which are less conservative than some existing ones. Finally, a numerical example demonstrates the validity of this approach.
Accelerating the use of molecular modeling in the high school classroom with VMD Lite
Authors: Lundquist Karl , Herndon Conner , Harty Tyson H. , Gumbart James C.
Published: January 2016

It is often difficult for students to develop an intuition about molecular processes, which occur in a realm far different from day‐to‐day life. For example, thermal fluctuations take on hurricane‐like proportions at the molecular scale. Students need a way to visualize realistic depictions of molecular processes to appreciate them. To this end, we have developed a simplified graphical interface to the widely used molecular visualization and analysis tool Visual Molecular Dynamics (VMD) called VMD lite. We demonstrate the use of VMD lite through a module on diffusion and the hydrophobic effect as they relate to membrane formation. Trajectories from molecular dynamics simulations, which students can interact with freely, illustrate the dynamical behavior of lipid molecules and water. VMD lite was tested by ∼70 students with overall positive reception. Remaining deficiencies in conceptual understanding were noted, however, and the module has been revised in response. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44:124–129, 2016.
Gamma‐hydroxybutyrate and cocaine intoxication in a Danish child
Authors: de Knegt Victoria Elizabeth , Breindahl Torben , Harboe Kirstine Moll , Møller Gitte Leth , Børresen Malene Landbo
Published: January 2016

Key Clinical Message

GHB intoxication must be considered in children with coma and a suspicion of drug intoxication. Furthermore, mixed intoxication with several substances and the possibility of unpredictable symptom profiles should be anticipated to ensure optimal symptomatic treatment of patients.
Improved Cycling Stability of Lithium‐Metal Anode with Concentrated Electrolytes Based on Lithium (Fluorosulfonyl)(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide
Authors: Ma Qiang , Fang Zheng , Liu Pin , Ma Jie , Qi Xingguo , Feng Wenfang , Nie Jin , Hu Yong‐Sheng , Li Hong , Huang Xuejie , Chen Liquan , Zhou Zhibin
Published: January 2016

A new type of concentrated electrolyte composed of Li[(FSO2)N(SO2CF3)] (LiFTFSI), Li[N(SO2F)2] (LiFSI), and ether solvents can improve the cycling stability of lithium (Li) metal and inhibit Li‐metal dendritic growth. The high average coulombic efficiency of >95 % and excellent cycling performance of >250 cycles for the Li|copper cells have been achieved, even at a high current density of 3 mA cm−2. Moreover, the Li|LiFePO4 cell exhibits superior cycling stability with capacity retention of >92 % at 0.2 C for more than 200 cycles and excellent C‐rate capability.
Unexpected Direct Hydride Transfer Mechanism for the Hydrogenation of Ethyl Acetate to Ethanol Catalyzed by SNS Pincer Ruthenium Complexes
Authors: Chen Xiangyang , Jing Yuanyuan , Yang Xinzheng
Published: January 2016

The hydrogenation of ethyl acetate to ethanol catalyzed by SNS pincer ruthenium complexes was computationally investigated by using DFT. Different from a previously proposed mechanism with fac‐[(SNS)Ru(PPh3)(H)2] (5′) as the catalyst, an unexpected direct hydride transfer mechanism with a mer‐SNS ruthenium complex as the catalyst, and two cascade catalytic cycles for hydrogenations of ethyl acetate to aldehyde and aldehyde to ethanol, is proposed base on our calculations. The new mechanism features ethanol‐assisted proton transfer for H2 cleavage, direct hydride transfer from ruthenium to the carbonyl carbon, and C−OEt bond cleavage. Calculation results indicate that the rate‐determining step in the whole catalytic reaction is the transfer of a hydride from ruthenium to the carbonyl carbon of ethyl acetate, with a total free energy barrier of only 26.9 kcal mol−1, which is consistent with experimental observations and significantly lower than the relative free energy of an intermediate in a previously postulated mechanism with 5′ as the catalyst.
Nitrifier Augmentation for High Ammonia Nitrogen Removal by Aerobic Granular Sludge at Low Temperatures
Authors: Wang Shuo , Yang Qianqian , Shi Wenxin , Yu Shuili , Wang Yan , Li Ji
Published: January 2016

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is widely used in domestic sewage treatment, but high ammonia nitrogen removal by AGS is difficult because nitrifiers cannot work effectively at low temperatures. This study investigated the AGS performance on treating high ammonia nitrogen wastewater with the aid of an isolated pure nitrifier at low temperatures. Five isolated and identified strains possessed high ammonia nitrogen or nitrite degradation ability and good adaptability to varying temperature and pH values. AGS was formed in 33 days with a smooth surface and compact structure. However, the ammonia nitrogen removal capability was remarkably low because of the excessive influent ammonia nitrogen. With a higher hydrophobicity and better adhesion ratios, the bioaugmentation of the five strains with AGS was obvious. The chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen removal efficiencies were 90.7 and 86.3%, respectively, and the total nitrogen removal improved by a factor of 3.1. The dissolved oxygen consumption did not change after the inoculation of the five strains. However, the free ammonia concentration significantly decreased, which can facilitate a high ammonia nitrogen removal at low temperature.
Nitroarenes as Antitubercular Agents: Stereoelectronic Modulation to Mitigate Mutagenicity
Authors: Landge Sudhir , Ramachandran Vasanthi , Kumar Anupriya , Neres João , Murugan Kannan , Sadler Claire , Fellows Mick D. , Humnabadkar Vaishali , Vachaspati Prakash , Raichurkar Anandkumar , Sharma Sreevalli , Ravishankar Sudha , Guptha Supreeth , Sambandamurthy Vasan K. , Balganesh Tanjore S. , Ugarkar Bheemarao G. , Balasubramanian V. , Bandodkar Balachandra S. , Panda Manoranjan
Published: January 2016

Nitroarenes are less preferred in drug discovery due to their potential to be mutagenic. However, several nitroarenes were shown to be promising antitubercular agents with specific modes of action, namely, nitroimidazoles and benzothiazinones. The nitro group in these compounds is activated through different mechanisms, both enzymatic and non‐enzymatic, in mycobacteria prior to binding to the target of interest. From a whole‐cell screening program, we identified a novel lead nitrobenzothiazole (BT) series that acts by inhibition of decaprenylphosphoryl‐β‐d‐ribose 2′‐epimerase (DprE1) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The lead was found to be mutagenic to start with. Our efforts to mitigate mutagenicity resulted in the identification of 6‐methyl‐7‐nitro‐5‐(trifluoromethyl)‐1,3‐benzothiazoles (cBTs), a novel class of antitubercular agents that are non‐mutagenic and exhibit an improved safety profile. The methyl group ortho to the nitro group decreases the electron affinity of the series, and is hence responsible for the non‐mutagenic nature of these compounds. Additionally, the co‐crystal structure of cBT in complex with Mtb DprE1 established the mode of binding. This investigation led to a new non‐mutagenic antitubercular agent and demonstrates that the mutagenic nature of nitroarenes can be solved by modulation of stereoelectronic properties.
High signal intensity in dentate nucleus and globus pallidus on unenhanced T1‐weighted MR images in three patients with impaired renal function and vascular calcification
Authors: Barbieri Sebastiano , Schroeder Christophe , Froehlich Johannes M. , Pasch Andreas , Thoeny Harriet C.
Published: January 2016

Gadolinium‐based contrast agents (primarily those with linear chelates) are associated with a dose‐dependent signal hyperintensity in the dentate nucleus and the globus pallidus on unenhanced T1‐weighted MRI following administration to selected patients with normal renal function. The accumulation of gadolinium has also been reported in the skin, heart, liver, lung, and kidney of patients with impaired renal function suffering from nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). Here we report on three patients with impaired renal function and vascular calcification (two with confirmed NSF) whose unenhanced T1‐weighted MRIs showed conspicuous high signal intensity in the dentate nucleus and the globus pallidus after they had been exposed to relatively low doses of linear gadolinium‐based contrast agents (0.27, 0.45, and 0.68 mmol/kg). Signal ratios between dentate nucleus and pons and between globus pallidus and thalamus were comparable with previously reported measurements in subjects without renal impairment. Of note, all three analysed patients suffered from transient signs of neurological disorders of undetermined cause. In conclusion, the exposure to 0.27‐0.68 mmol/kg of linear gadolinium‐based contrast agent was associated with probable gadolinium accumulation in the brain of three patients suffering from impaired renal function and vascular calcification. © 2016 The Authors. Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
A security protocol for RFID traceability
Authors: Gandino Filippo , Montrucchio Bartolomeo , Rebaudengo Maurizio
Published: January 2016

Nowadays, traceability represents a key activity in many sectors. Many modern traceability systems are based on radio‐frequency identification (RFID) technology. However, the distributed information stored on RFID tags involves new security problems. This paper presents the traceability multi‐entity cryptography, a high‐level data protection scheme based on public key cryptography that is able to protect RFID data for traceability and chain activities. This scheme is able to manage entities with different permissions, and it is especially suitable for applications that require complex Information Systems. Traceability multi‐entity cryptography avoids industrial espionage, guarantees the information authenticity, protects the customer privacy, and detects malicious alterations of the information. In contrast to the state‐of‐the‐art RFID security schemes, the proposed protocol is applicable to standard RFID tags without any cryptographic capability, and it does not require a central database. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Local parasite lineage sharing in temperate grassland birds provides clues about potential origins of Galapagos avian Plasmodium
Authors: Levin Iris I. , Colborn Rachel E. , Kim Daniel , Perlut Noah G. , Renfrew Rosalind B. , Parker Patricia G.
Published: January 2016

Oceanic archipelagos are vulnerable to natural introduction of parasites via migratory birds. Our aim was to characterize the geographic origins of two Plasmodium parasite lineages detected in the Galapagos Islands and in North American breeding bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) that regularly stop in Galapagos during migration to their South American overwintering sites. We used samples from a grassland breeding bird assemblage in Nebraska, United States, and parasite DNA sequences from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, to compare to global data in a DNA sequence registry. Homologous DNA sequences from parasites detected in bobolinks and more sedentary birds (e.g., brown‐headed cowbirds Molothrus ater, and other co‐occurring bird species resident on the North American breeding grounds) were compared to those recovered in previous studies from global sites. One parasite lineage that matched between Galapagos birds and the migratory bobolink, Plasmodium lineage B, was the most common lineage detected in the global MalAvi database, matching 49 sequences from unique host/site combinations, 41 of which were of South American origin. We did not detect lineage B in brown‐headed cowbirds. The other Galapagos‐bobolink match, Plasmodium lineage C, was identical to two other sequences from birds sampled in California. We detected a close variant of lineage C in brown‐headed cowbirds. Taken together, this pattern suggests that bobolinks became infected with lineage B on the South American end of their migratory range, and with lineage C on the North American breeding grounds. Overall, we detected more parasite lineages in bobolinks than in cowbirds. Galapagos Plasmodium had similar host breadth compared to the non‐Galapagos haemosporidian lineages detected in bobolinks, brown‐headed cowbirds, and other grassland species. This study highlights the utility of global haemosporidian data in the context of migratory bird–parasite connectivity. It is possible that migratory bobolinks bring parasites to the Galapagos and that these parasites originate from different biogeographic regions representing both their breeding and overwintering sites.
Bioconcentration of two basic pharmaceuticals, verapamil and clozapine, in fish
Authors: Nallani Gopinath C. , Edziyie Regina E. , Paulos Peter M. , Venables Barney J. , Constantine Lisa A. , Huggett Duane B.
Published: January 2016

The present study examined the bioconcentration of 2 basic pharmaceuticals: verapamil (a calcium channel blocker) and clozapine (an antipsychotic compound) in 2 fresh water fishes, fathead minnow and channel catfish. In 4 separate bioconcentration factor (BCF) experiments (2 chemicals × 1 exposure concentration × 2 fishes), fathead minnow and channel catfish were exposed to 190 μg/L and 419 μg/L of verapamil (500 μg/L nominal) or 28.5 μg/L and 40 μg/L of clozapine (50 μg/L nominal), respectively. Bioconcentration factor experiments with fathead consisted of 28 d uptake and 14 d depuration, whereas tests conducted on catfish involved a minimized test design, with 7 d each of uptake and depuration. Fish (n = 4–5) were sampled during exposure and depuration to collect different tissues: muscle, liver, gills, kidneys, heart (verapamil tests only), brain (clozapine tests only), and blood plasma (catfish tests only). Verapamil and clozapine concentrations in various tissues of fathead and catfish were analyzed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. In general, higher accumulation rates of the test compounds were observed in tissues with higher perfusion rates. Accumulation was also high in tissues relevant to pharmacological targets in mammals (i.e. heart in verapamil test and brain in the clozapine test). Tissue-specific BCFs (wet wt basis) for verapamil and clozapine ranged from 0.7 to 75 and from 31 to 1226, respectively. Tissue-specific concentration data were used to examine tissue–blood partition coefficients. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:593–603. © 2016 SETAC
Bare fiber Bragg grating immunosensor for real‐time detection of Escherichia coli bacteria
Authors: Srinivasan Rajesh , Umesh Sharath , Murali Swetha , Asokan Sundarrajan , Siva Gorthi Sai
Published: January 2016

Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria have been identified to be the cause of variety of health outbreaks resulting from contamination of food and water. Timely and rapid detection of the bacteria is thus crucial to maintain desired quality of food products and water resources. A novel methodology proposed in this paper demonstrates for the first time, the feasibility of employing a bare fiber Bragg grating (bFBG) sensor for detection of E. coli bacteria. The sensor was fabricated in a photo‐sensitive optical fiber (4.2 µm/80 µm). Anti‐E. coli antibody was immobilized on the sensor surface to enable the capture of target cells/bacteria present in the sample solution. Strain induced on the sensor surface as a result of antibody immobilization and subsequent binding of E. coli bacteria resulted in unique wavelength shifts in the respective recording of the reflected Bragg wavelength, which can be exploited for the application of biosensing. Functionalization and antibody binding on to the fiber surface was cross validated by the color development resulting from the reaction of an appropriate substrate solution with the enzyme label conjugated to the anti‐E. coli antibody. Scanning electron microscope image of the fiber, further verified the E. coli cells bound to the antibody immobilized sensor surface.

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