bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Cerebral Small-Vessel Disease in Long-Term Breast Cancer Survivors Exposed to Both Adjuvant Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy
Authors: Koppelmans Vincent , Vernooij Meike W. , Boogerd Willem , Seynaeve Caroline , Ikram M. Arfan , Breteler Monique M.B. , Schagen Sanne B.
Published: January 2015

Purpose

Adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy for breast cancer have been related to transient ischemic attacks and stroke. To date, no studies have investigated the relationship between these adjuvant therapies and subclinical cerebral small-vessel disease in survivors of breast cancer. We compared white matter lesion (WML) volume and prevalence of brain infarctions and cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) between breast cancer survivors exposed to adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy (aRCeBCSs) for primary disease and a population-based reference group.

Patients and Methods

Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (1.5 T) was performed in 187 aRCeBCSs who received primary breast cancer treatment on average more than 20 years before this study and 374 age-matched reference women without a history of cancer. WML volume was segmented using fully automated software. Experienced raters reviewed all scans for cortical infarctions, lacunar infarctions, strictly lobar CMBs, and deep/infratentorial CMBs with or without lobar CMBs. Within the aRCeBCS group, we also analyzed the association between relative radiotherapy exposure to the carotid artery and prevalence of WML volume and CMBs.

Results

The aRCeBCS group had a higher prevalence of both total CMBs and CMBs in a deep/infratentorial region than the reference group. No between-group differences were observed in the prevalence of infarctions or WML volume. Exposure of the carotid artery to radiation was not associated with WML volume or CMBs.

Conclusion

More CMBs were found in the aRCeBCS group than in the population-based controls. These vascular lesions potentially mark cerebrovascular frailty that could partially explain the well-documented association between chemotherapy and cognitive dysfunction. No support was found for a radiotherapy-related origin of CMBs.
Improving Selection Criteria for Early Cystectomy in High-Grade T1 Bladder Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of 15,215 Patients
Authors: Martin-Doyle William , Leow Jeffrey J. , Orsola Anna , Chang Steven L. , Bellmunt Joaquim
Published: January 2015

Purpose

High-grade T1 (HGT1) bladder cancer is the highest risk subtype of non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer, with highly variable prognosis, poorly understood risk factors, and considerable debate about the role of early cystectomy. We aimed to address these questions through a meta-analysis of outcomes and prognostic factors.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and American Society of Clinical Oncology abstracts were searched for cohort studies in HGT1. We pooled data on recurrence, progression, and cancer-specific survival from 73 studies.

Results

Five-year rates of recurrence, progression, and cancer-specific survival were 42% (95% CI, 39% to 45%), 21% (95% CI, 18% to 23%), and 87% (95% CI, 85% to 89%), respectively (56 studies, n = 15,215). In the prognostic factor meta-analysis (33 studies, n = 8,880), the highest impact risk factor was depth of invasion (T1b/c) into lamina propria (progression: hazard ratio [HR], 3.34; P < .001; cancer-specific survival: HR, 2.02; P = .001). Several other previously proposed factors also predicted progression and cancer-specific survival (lymphovascular invasion, associated carcinoma in situ, nonuse of bacillus Calmette-Guérin, tumor size > 3 cm, and older age; HRs for progression between 1.32 and 2.88, P ≤ .002; HRs for cancer-specific survival between 1.28 and 2.08, P ≤ .02).

Conclusion

In this large analysis of outcomes and prognostic factors in HGT1 bladder cancer, deep lamina propria invasion had the largest negative impact, and other previously proposed prognostic factors were also confirmed. These factors should be used for prognostication and patient stratification in future clinical trials, and depth of invasion should be considered for inclusion in TNM staging criteria. This meta-analysis can also help define selection criteria for early cystectomy in HGT1 bladder cancer, particularly for patients with deep lamina propria invasion combined with other risk factors.
Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Lung Biopsy in Patients With Cancer and Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation Recipients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chellapandian DeepakBabu , Lehrnbecher Thomas , Phillips Bob , Fisher Brian T. , Zaoutis Theoklis E. , Steinbach William J. , Beyene Joseph , Sung Lillian
Published: January 2015

Purpose

The objective of this study was to describe the diagnostic yield and complication rate of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and lung biopsy in the evaluation of pulmonary lesions in patients with cancer and recipients of hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT).

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature review and performed electronic searches of Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Studies were included if patients had cancer or were recipients of HSCT, and if they underwent BAL or lung biopsy for the evaluation of pulmonary lesions. Only English language publications were included.

Results

In all, 14,148 studies were screened; 72 studies of BAL and 31 of lung biopsy were included. The proportion of procedures leading to any diagnosis was similar by procedure type (0.53 v 0.54; P = .94) but an infectious diagnosis was more common with BAL compared with lung biopsy (0.49 v 0.34; P < .001). Lung biopsy more commonly led to a noninfectious diagnosis (0.43 v 0.07; P < .001) and was more likely to change how the patient was managed (0.48 v 0.31; P = .002) compared with BAL. However, complications were more common with lung biopsy (0.15 v 0.08; P = .006), and procedure-related mortality was four-fold higher for lung biopsy (0.0078) compared with BAL (0.0018).

Conclusion

BAL may be the preferred diagnostic modality for the evaluation of potentially infectious pulmonary lesions because of lower complication and mortality rates; thus, choice of procedure depends on clinical suspicion of infection. Guidelines to promote consistency in the approach to the evaluation of lung infiltrates may improve clinical care of patients.
Conventional and Unconventional Monetary Policy with Endogenous Collateral Constraints
Authors: Araújo Aloísio , Schommer Susan , Woodford Michael
Published: January 2015

We consider the effects of central bank purchases of a risky asset as an additional dimension of policy alongside “conventional” interest rate policy in a general-equilibrium model of asset pricing with endogenous collateral constraints. The effects of asset purchases depend on the way that they affect collateral constraints. We show that under some circumstances, central bank purchases relax financial constraints, increase aggregate demand, and may even achieve a Pareto improvement; but in other cases, they tighten financial constraints, reduce aggregate demand, and lower welfare. The latter case is almost certainly the one that arises if central bank purchases are sufficiently large. (JEL D51, E43, E44, E52, E58)
The Effects of Monetary Policy on Stock Market Bubbles: Some Evidence
Authors: Galí Jordi , Gambetti Luca
Published: January 2015

We estimate the response of stock prices to monetary policy shocks using a time-varying coefficients VAR. Our evidence points to protracted episodes in which stock prices end up increasing persistently in response to an exogenous tightening of monetary policy. That response is at odds with the “conventional” view on the effects of monetary policy on bubbles, as well as with the predictions of bubbleless models. We also argue that it is unlikely that such evidence can be accounted for by an endogenous response of the equity premium to the monetary policy shock. (JEL E43, E44, E52, G12, G14)
Deciding on the Decision Situation to Analyze: The Critical First Step of a Decision Analysis
Authors: Ley-Borrás Roberto
Published: January 2015

Using the right decision frame, in the sense of selecting the right decision situation to analyze, is regarded as a critical part of a decision analysis effort, but there are few guidelines on how to systematically generate alternative decision situations and how to select the best one. In practice, the decision situation is typically not explicitly selected, or even well defined, which easily leads to deciding about treating symptoms instead of underlying causes; to deciding with a narrow scope that misses important elements; and, in general, to missing the opportunity of analyzing valuable alternative decision situations.

This paper presents several distinctions and three approaches for generating significantly different decision situations and selecting the one that is best for the decision maker’s current priorities and circumstances. A key element of this work is treating the selection of the decision situation as a decision in its own right and using decision analysis tools to generate a rich set of alternative decision situations and gain clarity on which element of the set is most valuable to analyze.
The lame cat: common culprits of non-traumatic lameness when pain localises to the stifle
Authors: Perry Karen L
Published: January 2015

The most common non-traumatic conditions that have been described affecting the feline stifle joint are cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) rupture and patellar luxation. In many cases, physical examination findings alone can be strongly suggestive of these diagnoses but some cases may present a diagnostic challenge, such as partial tears of the CrCL. Radiography is supportive rather than definitive for CrCL rupture and low-grade patellar luxation. Both conservative and surgical treatment options are available for both conditions, although the prognosis for improved limb function following conservative treatment of patellar luxation is guarded.
Adrenal neoplasia in dogs: clinical and surgical approach
Authors: Fernandez Yordan , Seth Mayank , Murgia Daniela
Published: January 2015

Adrenal gland tumours are uncommon in dogs. However, advances in abdominal imaging have led to the diagnostic dilemma of incidental adrenal mass findings, so-called adrenal incidentaloma, in patients with unrelated clinical signs. When the maximum width of the adrenal gland exceeds 1.5 cm, the shape is lost and the gland is asymmetric compared with the contralateral gland, an adrenal neoplasia should be suspected. Among the primary adrenal gland tumours the most common are adrenocortical neoplasias, such as adenomas, carcinomas and pheochromocytomas. Since peri-, intra-, and postoperative treatment can vary, differentiation between adrenocortical tumours and pheochromocytomas should be attempted before planning the surgical treatment. Histopathological examination is always required to confirm diagnosis.
Invertebrate care guidelines
Authors: Pellett Sarah , Bushell Mark , Clarke-Williams Jackie
Published: January 2015

As invertebrates are becoming more popular within the pet trade, there is a need for a basic understanding in the husbandry and conditions seen on some of the commonly kept species. Animals regularly seen would include Giant African Land Snails, stick insects, leaf insects, millipedes and spiders. This article will describe basic husbandry on a few of these species.
A noisy sub-Imperialist: Richard Seddon and the attempt to establish a New Zealand empire in the Pacific, 1894–1901
Authors: Brooking Tom
Published: January 2015

This article will be divided into four parts. First, it will traverse the surprisingly rich historiography on Richard Seddon’s efforts to establish a New Zealand sub-Empire in the Pacific. Most commentary has been relatively benign, especially that resulting from the many theses written in my own department, at the University of Otago, under Angus Ross in the 1960s. In the 1980s these adventures began to be viewed more critically by the likes of Dick Scott and Malama Meleisea. General histories of the Pacific, though, such as those written by Kerry Howe and Ian Campbell, have tended to ignore Seddon and other leading New Zealand politicians who dreamed of a sub-Empire in the Pacific, such as George Grey, Robert Stout and John Ballance. More recently, Damon Salesa, as one of the first indigenous historians of the Pacific, has judged Seddon’s efforts in particular, and New Zealand’s record in general, rather more harshly. So too, have scholars in anthropology, especially those influenced by postcolonial theory.

Second, I will tell the story of how New Zealand only managed to gain control of the Cook Islands and Niue, even though Seddon hoped to govern Western Samoa and Fiji, and, potentially, Tonga, the New Hebrides and Hawai’i. Third, I will explain how utilizing the insights of the decidedly middle-aged ‘new’ Imperial history might provide a better sense of context, especially in terms of Seddon’s efforts at trying to build a ‘better Britain’ while expanding the ‘British world’. Fourth, the problem remains that the success or failure of the New Zealand effort requires some comparative or transnational analysis to discover if the most remote British colony fared better or worse than other major Empires in the Pacific. The most obvious comparison is with the other sub-Imperial power – Australia – and I will suggest some ways in which such a comparison might be made, as well as discuss Seddon’s views of the efforts of his trans-Tasman neighbour in comparison with his own.
Caracterização de alunos repetentes: Um estudo na região de Coimbra
Authors: Rebelo José A. S. , Fonseca António C.
Published: January 2015

O presente trabalho utiliza dados de um estudo longitudinal, realizado no concelho de Coimbra, para mostrar algumas características de alunos repetentes, desde o ensino básico ao secundário. O estudo começou em 1992/93 e tem vindo a ser continuado. Em diversos momentos, têm sido avaliados 445 alunos que, nesse ano, se encontravam no 2º ano e 448 que, também nesse ano, frequentavam o 4º ano de escolaridade. Sintetizamos, a seguir, os resultados conseguidos. A retenção escolar, no sistema português de ensino, começa cedo e a maioria dos alunos não consegue acabar o ensino secundário sem alguma vez ter sido retido. De entre os repetentes, a maioria é constituída por rapazes. Nos primeiros anos de escolaridade, a retenção parece estar ligada a dificuldades na leitura e na escrita. Os repetentes precoces são de todos os repetentes os que mais desvantagens manifestam ao longo do percurso escolar, onde, geralmente, têm mais que uma repetência. Os pais dos repetentes têm níveis de escolaridade inferiores aos dos não repetentes e parecem mais ausentes do seu núcleo familiar. Muitos dos repetentes abandonam a escola sem obterem diploma.
O Rei – Um Teste para Avaliação da Fluência e Precisão da Leitura no 1º e 2º ciclos do Ensino Básico
Authors: Carvalho Anabela de Oliveira Duarte da Cruz , Pereira Marcelino Arménio Martins
Published: January 2015

Neste artigo é apresentado um instrumento que avalia dois componentes essenciais da leitura: a fluência (número de palavras lidas por minuto) e a precisão (percentagem de palavras correctamente lidas). O teste tem duas formas (A e B), que reproduzem dois contos tradicionais portugueses (um em prosa e outro em verso). A sua aplicação é individual e inclui o registo do tempo de leitura do texto, do número de palavras lidas e dos erros cometidos A amostra foi constituída por crianças do 1º ao 6º ano de escolaridade (N=387) e foi estratificada nas variáveis sexo, ano de escolaridade e tipologia de área urbana. Os estudos das características psicométricas do Teste, nomeadamente os que se referem à fiabilidade e validade, permitiram concluir acerca da robustez das mesmas. Foram ainda analisados o efeito do género, da área geográfica de residência e da inteligência nos resultados do teste.
O Sentido da vida: Contexto ideológico e abordagem empírica
Authors: Simões António , Lima Margarida Pedroso , Vieira Cristina Maria Coimbra , Oliveira Albertina Lima , Alcoforado Joaquim Luís , Nogueira Sónia Mairos
Published: January 2015

O sentido da vida tem sido considerado um tópico de capital importância por parte da Literatura, da Filosofia e, ultimamente, também da ciência. Depois de descrever o contexto ideológico, em que surgiu a investigação sobre este tema, o presente artigo dá conta das principais tendências da pesquisa empírica neste domínio, em particular, as que dizem respeito aos modelos de envelhecimento bem sucedido, à gerotranscendência, à espiritualidade e ao bem-estar.
“Vã consolação para ele [Raskolnikov] dizer que, daí a oito anos, ainda só teria trinta e dois e que poderia, então, recomeçar a sua vida. Mas porquê viver? Tendo em vista que projectos? Fazer esforços para quê?” (Dostoievski, 1972, Tomo II, p. 393).
“– Aqui é quase como na terra para onde vamos – disse ela.
– É – respondeu o homem –, mas aqui é um lugar de passagem.
E ambos se levantaram e se vestiram” (Andresen, 1970, p. 103).
“Não posso viver sem saber quem sou e com que fim fui lançado a este mundo – dizia ele [Levine] para consigo. E visto que não poderei chegar a sabê-lo, torna-se-me impossível viver. No tempo infinito, na infinitude da matéria, no espaço infinito forma-se um organismo como uma borbulha, mantém-se por algum tempo, rebenta.
Essa borbulha sou eu” (Tolstoi, 1970, p. 857).
Julgo pois que o sentido da vida é o mais premente dos assuntos – das interrogações”
(Camus, s. d., p. 14).
AUTOMORPHISMS OF ALGEBRAS AND ORTHOGONAL POLYNOMIALS
Authors: Gromada Daniel , Pošta Severin
Published: January 2015

Suitable automorphisms together with complete classification of representations of some algebras can be used to generate some sets of orthogonal polynomials “at no cost”. This is also the case of nonstandard Klimyk-Gavrilik deformation Uq'(so3) which is connected to q-Racah polynomials.
EFFECTIVE USE OF ROTARY FURNACE SHELL HEAT
Authors: Lisuch Julius , Dorcak Dusan , Spisak Jan
Published: January 2015

Significant proportion of the total energy expenditure for the heat treatment of raw materials are heat losses through the shell of rotary furnace. Currently, the waste heat is not used in any way and escapes into the environment. Controlled cooling system for rotary furnace shell (CCSRF) is a new solution integrated into the technological process aimed at reducing the heat loss of the furnace shell. Based on simulations and experiments carried out was demonstrated a significant effect of controlled cooling shell to the rotary furnace work. The proposed solution is cost-effective and operationally undemanding.
LOCAL VELOCITY PROFILES MEASURED BY PIV IN AN VESSEL AGITATED BY RUSHTON TURBINE
Authors: Šulc Radek , Pešava Vít , Ditl Pavel
Published: January 2015

The hydrodynamics and flow field were measured in an agitated vessel using 2-D Time Resolved Particle Image Velocimetry (2-D TR PIV). The experiments were carried out in a fully baffled cylindrical flat bottom vessel 300 mm in inner diameter. The tank was agitated by a Rushton turbine 100 mm in diameter. The velocity fields were measured for three impeller rotation speeds 300 rpm, 450 rpm and 600 rpm and the corresponding Reynolds numbers in the range 50 000 < Re < 100 000, which means that the fully-developed turbulent flow was reached. In accordance with the theory of mixing, the dimensionless mean and fluctuation velocities in the measured directions were found to be constant and independent of the impeller rotational speed. The velocity profiles were averaged, and were expressed by Chebyshev polynomials of the 1st order. Although the experimentally investigated area was relatively far from the impeller, and it was located in upward flow to the impeller, no state of local isotropy was found. The ratio of the axial rms fluctuation velocity to the radial component was found to be in the range from 0.523 to 0.768. The axial turbulence intensity was found to be in the range from 0.293 to 0.667, which corresponds to a high turbulence intensity.
A new difference scheme for fractional cable equation and stability analysis
Authors: Karatay Ibrahim , Kale Nurdane
Published: January 2015

We consider the fractional cable equation. For solution of fractional Cable equation involving Caputo fractional derivative, a new difference scheme is constructed based on Crank Nicholson difference scheme. We prove that the proposed method is unconditionally stable by using spectral stability technique.
Investigation on airfoil operating in Ground Effect region
Authors: Pillai Nikhil , T. Anil , Radhakrishnan Aravind , Vinod Rahul , Kumar E. Sudheesh , Zaid Zahir , Jacob Antony , M. Manojkumar
Published: January 2015

The idea of using a wing in ground effect vehicle has been suggested with the objective of developing a very economical and efficient means of rapid transportation across water bodies. This paper investigates into wing in ground effect airfoil geometry. ANSYS is used to perform the CFD analysis of the airfoils. CFD analysis has been performed on various airfoils operating in the ground effect region and a special class of airfoil called DHMTU has been found to have maximum aerodynamic efficiency. The DHMTU studied here is DHMTU 8-40-2-10-3-6-2-15. Aerodynamic efficiency for this particular airfoil has been determined through CFD analysis at various angles of attack. It has been found that the DHMTU possesses superior aerodynamic efficiency at low angle of attack and the maximum aerodynamic efficiency is found at 60 angle of attack. From CFD analysis it has also been determined that as the proximity to the ground reduces, the value of lift increases. The characteristics of this airfoil at various air speeds have also been determined through CFD analysis. These studies have illustrated the unique characteristics of the DHMTU airfoils and indicated areas for further optimization of the design of ground effect airfoils. The use of this airfoil for the ground effect vehicle can further lead to increase in efficiency of the craft.Abbreviations:CFD                        Computational Fluid DynamicsDHMTU                Department Of Hydro-Mechanics of the Marine Technical UniversityNACA                    National Advisory Committee on AeronauticsL/D                         Lift to Drag RatioWIG                       Wing in GroundV                             Free stream velocityRe                           Reynolds number h/c                          Height to Chord RatioCL                          Coefficient of liftCD                          Coefficient of dragAOA                       Angle Of Attack
Investigating simplified fixed bed design models for the adsorption of fluoride onto crushed burnt clay pot
Authors: Mehari Beraki Bahre , Mayabi Alfred O. , K. Kakoi Beatrice
Published: January 2015

The breakthrough curves of fluoride adsorption onto crushed burnt clay pot in mini column fixed bed depths of 15, 20, and 25 cm at a continuous flow rate of 2.5, 5, 10 and 15 ml/min were used to investigate the simplified fixed bed design models (BDST and EBRT). The influent fluoride concentration was 5 mg/L and the breakthrough point was taken at 30% of the influent concentration. Results indicate that the BDST curve had the form of straight line explaining more than 99.6% of the data and thus confirmed to obey the BDST model. For the same operating parameters of 50 cm bed depth and 36 cm/h flow rate, 350 L water could have been defluoridated using BDST model, however, in the case of the pilot experiment, 324 L were defluoridated from 5 to 1.5 mg/L fluoride. This was 8% higher only and hence was not significant. Similarly, when the bed depth data were analyzed, results indicate that at higher EBRT values, the adsorbent exhaustion rate were similar to the batch adsorption and thus the EBRT model could be used to optimize for the design of defluoridation unit. Therefore, the simplified fixed bed design models (BDST and EBRT) could be successfully applied to analyze the column performance and design a fluoride adsorption system based on crushed burnt clay pot as a sorbent media. Keywords: Breakthrough Curve, BDST, EBRT, Crushed Burnt Clay Pot, Fluoride Adsorption.
Developing an approach for decision making units integration using multi objective particle swarm optimization
Authors: Haeri Abdorrahman , Rezaie Kamran , Hatefi Seyed Morteza
Published: January 2015

In recent years, integration between companies, suppliers or organizational departments attracted much attention. Decision making about integration encounters with major concerns. One of these concerns is which units should be integrated and what is the effect of integration on performance measures. In this paper the problem of decision making unit (DMU) integration is considered. It is tried to integrate DMUs so that the considered criteria are satisfied. In this research two criteria are considered that are mean of efficiencies of DMUs and the difference between DMUs that have largest and smallest efficiencies. For this purpose multi objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) is applied. A case with 17 DMUs is considered. The results show that integration has increased both considered criteria effectively.  Additionally this approach can presents different alternatives for decision maker (DM) that enables DM to select the final decision for integration.
C-terminal truncation of a Tat passenger protein affects its membrane translocation by interfering with receptor binding
Authors: Schlesier René , Bernd Klösgen Ralf
Published: January 2015

During thylakoid transport of the chimeric model twin-arginine translocation (Tat) substrate 16/23, two consecutive translocation intermediates with different membrane topology are observed. The early translocation intermediate Ti-1 is bound to the membrane such that almost half of the protein is protected against proteolysis and it was concluded that not only the signal peptide but also part of the passenger protein participates in membrane binding. However, topology studies using a membrane-impermeable thiol-reactive reagent show that most of the passenger remains accessible from the stromal side in Ti-1 conformation. Establishment of such Ti-1 topology at the membrane apparently requires the fully folded passenger protein, as it was not observed with 16/23 truncation derivatives lacking the C-terminal 20, 40, 60, or 88 residues. Thylakoid transport of these mutants, which depends on a fully functional Tat machinery, is progressively reduced with increasing size of the truncated passenger polypeptide. The same holds true also for the interaction with the thylakoidal TatBC complexes, suggesting that in this case receptor binding, which is apparently impaired by extended unfolded or malfolded passenger polypeptides, is the rate-limiting step of Tat-dependent membrane transport.
The commutator subgroup and the index formula of the Hecke group H
5
Authors: Lang Cheng Lien , Lang Mong Lung
Published: January 2015

Let
A be an ideal of
ℤ[2cos(π/5)]
and let H(A) be the principal congruence subgroup of level
A of the Hecke group H
5.
The present article
gives explicit formulas for
[H
5 : H(A)]. As a byproduct, we prove that the commutator subgroup of
H
5 is not congruence. Consequently, the fact that the commutator subgroup of
the modular group is congruence cannot be carried over to the Hecke groups.
Published research on pre-college students’ and teachers’ nanoscale science, engineering, and technology learning
Authors: Bryan Lynn A. , Magana Alejandra J. , Sederberg David
Published: January 2015

By the end of the first decade of the 21st century, it was clear that nanotechnology was emerging as one of the most promising and rapidly expanding fields of research and development worldwide. It would not be long before scientists, science educators, engineers, and policy makers began advocating for nanoscience, engineering, and technology (NSET) related concepts to be introduced in K-12 classrooms. Indeed, there has been a surge in the development of pre-college NSET-related education programs over the last decade, as well as millions in funding to support the creation of these programs. In an effort to characterize the state of research to date on pre-college students’ and teachers’ learning of NSET content knowledge and related practices, we have conducted a systematic review of the peer-reviewed, published research studies to answer the following questions: What NSET content knowledge and practices in a pre-college context have been examined in empirical learning studies? What do these studies tell us about the NSET content knowledge and practices that pre-college students and teachers are learning? Implications and recommendations for future research are also discussed.
Boric acid: a simple molecule of physiologic, therapeutic and prebiotic significance
Authors: Zumreoglu-Karan Birgul , Kose Dursun Ali
Published: January 2015

Boric acid, H3BO3, is a weak acid and at physiological pH is in the form of an uncharged small molecule. Behaving as a Lewis acid, it forms complexes with amino- and hydroxy acids, carbohydrates, nucleotides and vitamins through electron donor-acceptor interactions. These interactions are believed to be beneficial for human health. Synthetic bis-chelate complexes of boric acid with organic biomolecules are therefore considered for nutritional and/or pharmaceutical applications. The use of boric acid for BNCT has gained attention due to the short biological half-life, solubility, plasma circulation and the non-selective soft tissue accumulation properties of this simple molecule. Complexation of boric acid with sugars is of particular importance in understanding the role of boron as a carrier for nucleotides and carbohydrates. A potential and catalytic role of boric acid in peptide and nucleic acid synthesis and in the stabilization of sugar molecules by acting as a complexing agent have been demonstrated. Its possible role as a phosphorylation chaperone in a prebiotic world has been recently suggested. This contribution reviews the highlights in the physiologic, therapeutic and prebiotic significance of boric acid in the last decade.
Boron clusters in medicinal chemistry: perspectives and problems
Authors: Gabel Detlef
Published: January 2015

Boron clusters have been employed successfully as constituents in bioactive substances. In this review, the perspectives of boron clusters for drug design and problems to be solved for a broader application are discussed, and a list of actions is given for overcoming the problems.
Sleep Slow Wave-Related Homo and Heterosynaptic LTD of Intrathalamic GABAAergic Synapses: Involvement of T-Type Ca2+Channels and Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors
Authors: Pigeat Romain , Chausson Patrick , Dreyfus Fanny M. , Leresche Nathalie , Lambert Régis C.
Published: January 2015

Slow waves of non-REM sleep are suggested to play a role in shaping synaptic connectivity to consolidate recently acquired memories and/or restore synaptic homeostasis. During sleep slow waves, both GABAergic neurons of the nucleus reticularis thalami (NRT) and thalamocortical (TC) neurons discharge high-frequency bursts of action potentials mediated by low-threshold calcium spikes due to T-type Ca2+channel activation. Although such activity of the intrathalamic network characterized by high-frequency firing and calcium influx is highly suited to modify synaptic efficacy, very little is still known about its consequences on intrathalamic synapse strength. Combiningin vitroelectrophysiological recordings and calcium imaging, here we show that the inhibitory GABAergic synapses between NRT and TC neurons of the rat somatosensory nucleus develop a long-term depression (I-LTD) when challenged by a stimulation paradigm that mimics the thalamic network activity occurring during sleep slow waves. The mechanism underlying this plasticity presents unique features as it is both heterosynaptic and homosynaptic in nature and requires Ca2+entry selectively through T-type Ca2+channels and activation of the Ca2+-activated phosphatase, calcineurin. We propose that during slow-wave sleep the tight functional coupling between GABAAreceptors, calcineurin, and T-type Ca2+channels will elicit LTD of the activated GABAergic synapses when coupled with concomitant activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors postsynaptic to cortical afferences. This I-LTD may be a key element involved in the reshaping of the somatosensory information pathway during sleep.
Cortical State Determines Global Variability and Correlations in Visual Cortex
Authors: Schölvinck Marieke L. , Saleem Aman B. , Benucci Andrea , Harris Kenneth D. , Carandini Matteo
Published: January 2015

The response of neurons in sensory cortex to repeated stimulus presentations is highly variable. To investigate the nature of this variability, we compared the spike activity of neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) of cats with that of their afferents from lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), in response to similar stimuli. We found variability to be much higher in V1 than in LGN. To investigate the sources of the additional variability, we measured the spiking activity of large V1 populations and found that much of the variability was shared across neurons: the variable portion of the responses of one neuron could be well predicted from the summed activity of the rest of the neurons. Variability thus mostly reflected global fluctuations affecting all neurons. The size and prevalence of these fluctuations, both in responses to stimuli and in ongoing activity, depended on cortical state, being larger in synchronized states than in more desynchronized states. Contrary to previous reports, these fluctuations invested the overall population, regardless of preferred orientation. The global fluctuations substantially increased variability in single neurons and correlations among pairs of neurons. Once this effect was removed, pairwise correlations were reduced and were similar regardless of cortical state. These results highlight the importance of cortical state in controlling cortical operation and can help reconcile previous studies, which differed widely in their estimate of neuronal variability and pairwise correlations.
Map Room
Authors: Zappia Natale
Published: January 2015

In the minds of Californians, then, Mulholland’s aqueduct represents a historical pivot; a before-and-after event when farmers lost and the city won; a moment when Los Angeles began to soak the desert with water and populate it with people. The idea that the city is an actual desert disguised by uninhibited water theft has permeated the minds of policy makers and popular culture (i.e. “Chinatown”) for so long that it is hard to rectify the map above with the “genesis myth” of the Owens River Aqueduct. Yet, in the minds of engineers in 1888 (when the population of Los Angeles stood at around 50,000—roughly half the size of Santa Monica today), Los Angeles—particularly West Los Angeles, was anything but a parched landscape. This map, in fact, reveals an incredibly complex series of patchworks containing irrigation lines (both newly constructed and older Rancho era Zanjas), “moist areas,” pipelines, washes, creeks, streams, swamps, rivers, canals, wells, and of course, the large and still wild Los Angeles River.
The FlyCatwalk: A High-Throughput Feature-Based Sorting System for Artificial Selection in Drosophila
Authors: Medici Vasco , Vonesch Sibylle Chantal , Fry Steven N , Hafen Ernst
Published: January 2015

Experimental evolution is a powerful tool for investigating complex traits. Artificial selection can be applied for a specific trait and the resulting phenotypically divergent populations pool-sequenced to identify alleles that occur at substantially different frequencies in the extreme populations. To maximize the proportion of loci that are causal to the phenotype among all enriched loci, population size and number of replicates need to be high. These requirements have, in fact, limited evolution studies in higher organisms, where the time investment required for phenotyping is often prohibitive for large-scale studies. Animal size is a highly multigenic trait that remains poorly understood, and an experimental evolution approach may thus aid in gaining new insights into the genetic basis of this trait. To this end, we developed the FlyCatwalk, a fully automated, high-throughput system to sort live fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) based on morphometric traits. With the FlyCatwalk, we can detect gender and quantify body and wing morphology parameters at a four-old higher throughput compared with manual processing. The phenotyping results acquired using the FlyCatwalk correlate well with those obtained using the standard manual procedure. We demonstrate that an automated, high-throughput, feature-based sorting system is able to avoid previous limitations in population size and replicate numbers. Our approach can likewise be applied for a variety of traits and experimental settings that require high-throughput phenotyping.
Addressing Social Determinants of Health at Well Child Care Visits: A Cluster RCT
Authors: Garg Arvin , Toy Sarah , Tripodis Yorghos , Silverstein Michael , Freeman Elmer
Published: January 2015

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the effect of a clinic-based screening and referral system (Well Child Care, Evaluation, Community Resources, Advocacy, Referral, Education [WE CARE]) on families’ receipt of community-based resources for unmet basic needs.

METHODS:

We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial at 8 urban community health centers, recruiting mothers of healthy infants. In the 4 WE CARE clinics, mothers completed a self-report screening instrument that assessed needs for child care, education, employment, food security, household heat, and housing. Providers made referrals for families; staff provided requisite applications and telephoned referred mothers within 1 month. Families at the 4 control community health centers received the usual care. We analyzed the results with generalized mixed-effect models.

RESULTS:

Three hundred thirty-six mothers were enrolled in the study (168 per arm). The majority of families had household incomes <$20 000 (57%), and 68% had ≥2 unmet basic needs. More WE CARE mothers received ≥1 referral at the index visit (70% vs 8%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 29.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 14.7–59.6). At the 12-month visit, more WE CARE mothers had enrolled in a new community resource (39% vs 24%; aOR = 2.1; 95% CI, 1.2–3.7). WE CARE mothers had greater odds of being employed (aOR = 44.4; 95% CI, 9.8–201.4). WE CARE children had greater odds of being in child care (aOR = 6.3; 95% CI, 1.5–26.0). WE CARE families had greater odds of receiving fuel assistance (aOR = 11.9; 95% CI, 1.7–82.9) and lower odds of being in a homeless shelter (aOR = 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1–0.9).

CONCLUSIONS:

Systematically screening and referring for social determinants during well child care can lead to the receipt of more community resources for families.
Morphological characterization of eighteen lakes of the north and middle coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Authors: Schäfer Alois Eduard , Marchett Cassiano Alves , Schuh Sabrina Maurer , Ahlert Siclério , Lanzer Rosane Maria
Published: January 2015

AIMS: The present study aimed at a morphological characterization of 18 lakes of the municipalities of Cidreira, Balneário Pinhal and Palmares do Sul, situated in the northern and middle coastal plain of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: The morphometric survey was conducted in the summer of 2011/2012, based on echo sounder coupled with GPS and the application of remote sensing and GIS procedures. The morphometric parameters used for the characterization were: surface area, perimeter, perimeter development, volume, relative fetch, maximum depth, average depth, relative depth, median depth of volume, length and width. The statistical interpretation included Test of Normality, Coefficient of Variation, Correlation and Regression Analysis, Cluster Analysis, Discriminant Analysis and Principal Component Analysis. RESULTS: Eighteen lakes were described and five of them are presented by aerial photo and bathymetric map. They represent the proposed morphological lake types. The calculation of the coefficient of variation revealed larger amplitudes of parameters related to lake size than to depth. The application and interpretation of cluster analysis, confirmed by discriminant analysis, distinguished those lakes in five morphological groups, which differ mainly by size and subsequently by depth. The Principal Component Analysis identified the first component with positively charged variables of size and negatively charged relative depth, and a second component with positive charge of maximum and average depths. CONCLUSIONS: The low relative depths and the exposure to constant northeastern winds reduce the transparency of the lakes. Consequently, they are light limited by suspension of inorganic and organic matter. A property that limits the application of trophic state indices. The high dynamic of the water bodies produces an oxygenated sediment surface that facilitates the settlement by aerobic organisms all over the bottom area. The shallowness and the low median depths of volume are limiting factors for sustainable water supply management. The morphological characteristics of the coastal lakes make very difficult an accurate ecological assessment based on usual trophic state criterions and a sustainable water resource management using general guidelines.
A global scientific literature of research on water quality indices: trends, biases and future directions
Authors: Alves Maria Tereza Ribeiro , Teresa Fabrício Barreto , Nabout João Carlos
Published: January 2015

AIM: Water quality has been the subject of many recent studies, moreover, the physical, chemical and biological parameters of water are used to investigate water quality and can be combined into a single index, the Water Quality Index (WQI), for use by water resource managers and the general public. The aim of this study was to use scientometrics to evaluate how water quality has been addressed in the international scientific literature. METHOD: For the quantitative analysis of the publications on WQI, we used the search database SCOPUS (http://www.scopus.com). The search was performed using the words "QUALIT* WATER* INDEX*" in papers published in all databases (through 2011). RESULTS: We found 554 articles that dealt with the use of WQI the number of publications has increased significantly over the last 20 years. India had the most studies, with 177 articles, followed by China, Brazil and the United States. These four countries together published 57% of studies on WQI. We generated 15 linear models to explain the number of publication by study sit (country). According to the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), the best model to explain the number of publications by country was the model that combined Sanitation and Public Supply. CONCLUSION: Finally, this paper presents the state of scientific literature on WQI and demonstrates the growing interest of the scientific community in this issue, which is certainly due to the importance of the quantity and quality of water for human supply, economics, health and the conservation of water resources.
Breaking Bad News in Bolivia
Authors: Germà-Lluch José R.
Published: January 2015

A medical oncologist considers the authentic meaning of the word unessential with regard to the cost of care.
Assessing frost resistance of concrete by impact-echo method
Authors: Lu Xiaobin , Ma Fengling , Luke Allyn , Wang Ronglu
Published: January 2015

This paper presents the results of an analytical and experimental programme to study the validity of measuring P-wave speed reduction by the impact-echo method as an alternative to the conventional resonance method for evaluating the frost resistance of concrete. It was found that, when subjected to freeze–thaw cycles, the relative dynamic moduli of elasticity (Ed) of concrete obtained from the two methods are in good agreement when the relative Ed is above 60%. The experimental results also show that the decrease of P-wave speed of concrete correlates well with the degradation of the relative Ed with increasing freeze–thaw cycles, implying that frequent monitoring of the in-place P-wave speed can be used to track the deterioration of real concrete structures. This potential utilisation may not be limited just to concrete structures in freezing and thawing environments, but could also be applied to those subjected to extreme environmental conditions.
New mid-Cretaceous earwigs in amber from Myanmar (Dermaptera)
Authors: Engel Michael S. , Grimaldi David A.
Published: January 2015

Two new genera and species of mid-Cretaceous earwigs are described and figured from Burmese (Myanmar) amber.  Zigrasolabis speciosa Engel & Grimaldi, new genus and species, is represented by a series of females in a single, large piece of amber.  Toxolabis zigrasi Engel & Grimaldi, new genus and species, is based on a single male.  Two first-instar nymphs in the same piece as T. zigrasi may represent early stadia for this species.  In addition, two further morphospecies of isolated nymphs are recorded.  Both of the described genera belong to the Neodermaptera (Zigrasolabis a labidurine, Toxolabis likely an anisolabidine) but can be excluded from the Eudermaptera clade, the latter of which likely originated and diversified in the Early Tertiary or latest Cretaceous.
Sizing Gas/Liquid Horizontal Separators Handling Nonstable Multiphase Streams
Authors: Carpenter Chris
Published: January 2015

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 169444, ’A Method To Size Gas/Liquid Horizontal Separators Handling Nonstable Multiphase Streams,’ by J.L. Hernandez-Martinez, Pemex, and V. Martinez-Ortiz, Schlumberger, prepared for the 2014 SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Maracaibo, Venezuela, 21-23 May. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

The sizing procedures for all of the process equipment in the oil and gas industry share a common assumption: The stream flow rate measured at the inlet is always constant or stable. This principle works fine for plants where the process conditions are controlled, but it does not apply to primary production facilities where the streams come from multiphase flowlines or wells. The sizing procedure described in the paper allows one to size horizontal gas/liquid separators considering nonstable flow rate at the inlet or fluctuations in the liquid fraction on the same stream.

Background

From a design standpoint, separators are split into three stages (or sections).

Primary Stage. This is a mechanical operation; it uses an inlet diverter so that the momentum of the liquid in the gas causes the largest droplets to impinge on the diverter, forming droplets that are separated by gravity. The gas stream flows to the disengagement section.

Secondary Stage. Liquid drops immersed in the gas stream are separated by gravity. This separation is governed by the settling liquid-drop velocity inside the gas phase. This velocity must be higher than gas-stream velocity to allow the drop to settle to the liquid phase.

Tertiary Stage. This occurs on the mist eliminator. This is a device that allows small-sized droplets to coalesce to larger drops, which fall down by gravity to the liquid phase.

These design stages or sections are shown in Fig. 1. The primary stage is designed on the basis of a simple volumetric balance, following some well-known rules. The most important parameter to consider in designing the secondary stage is the settling drop velocity inside the gas stream. This velocity can be calculated by performing a balance around each liquid droplet. This balance takes into account two factors, gravity and the drag forces applied by the gas stream. Liquid droplets settle at a constant velocity known as terminal velocity (for its calculation, as well as a discussion of the theoretical model used, please see the complete paper).