bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wake potential with exchange-correlation effects in semiconductor quantum plasmas
Authors: Khan Arroj A. , Jamil M. , Hussain A.
Published: September 2015

Using the non-relativistic quantum hydrodynamic model, wake potential has been studied in a magnetized semiconductor quantum plasma in the presence of upper hybrid wave which is excited via externally injected electron beam. The quantum effect contains electron exchange and correlation potential, Fermi degenerate pressure, and Bohm potential. It is found that the contribution of quantum mechanical electron exchange and correlation potential significantly modifies the amplitude and the effective length of the oscillatory wake potential. In the electron-hole plasma systems, electron exchange-correlation effects tend to increase the magnitude of the wake potential and are much effective at the distances of the order of Debye-length. The application of the work in context of the semiconductor plasmas have also been analyzed graphically.
Atom probe tomography study of internal interfaces in Cu2ZnSnSe4 thin-films
Authors: Schwarz T. , Cojocaru-Mirédin O. , Choi P. , Mousel M. , Redinger A. , Siebentritt S. , Raabe D.
Published: September 2015

We report on atom probe tomography studies of the composition at internal interfaces in Cu2ZnSnSe4 thin-films. For Cu2ZnSnSe4 precursors, which are deposited at 320 °C under Zn-rich conditions, grain boundaries are found to be enriched with Cu irrespective of whether Cu-poor or Cu-rich growth conditions are chosen. Cu2ZnSnSe4 grains are found to be Cu-poor and excess Cu atoms are found to be accumulated at grain boundaries. In addition, nanometer-sized ZnSe grains are detected at or near grain boundaries. The compositions at grain boundaries show different trends after annealing at 500 °C. Grain boundaries in the annealed absorber films, which are free of impurities, are Cu-, Sn-, and Se-depleted and Zn-enriched. This is attributed to dissolution of ZnSe at the Cu-enriched grain boundaries during annealing. Furthermore, some of the grain boundaries of the absorbers are enriched with Na and K atoms, stemming from the soda-lime glass substrate. Such grain boundaries show no or only small changes in composition of the matrix elements. Na and K impurities are also partly segregated at some of the Cu2ZnSnSe4/ZnSe interfaces in the absorber, whereas for the precursors, only Na was detected at such phase boundaries possibly due to a higher diffusivity of Na compared to K. Possible effects of the detected compositional fluctuations on cell performance are discussed.
Structural and luminescence properties of heavily doped radio-frequency-sputtered ZnTe:Cu thin films
Authors: El Akkad Fikry , Mathai Maneesh
Published: September 2015

We report on the structural and luminescence properties of ZnTe:Cu films containing Cu concentrations up to 12 at. % and prepared using rf magnetron sputtering. The lattice parameters of the various crystalline phases prevailing at different Cu concentrations (cubic, hexagonal, and orthorhombic) are calculated and compared with literature results on films prepared using other techniques. Study of the steady state photoluminescence and excitation spectra revealed the presence of three donor impurities involved in the well-known band at ∼1.70 eV (peak L) attributed to self-activated transition. One of these donors is merging partially with the conduction band and the two others have mutually overlapping density of states with maxima at 0.29 eV and 0.45 eV below the conduction band edge. Another donor that is resonant with the conduction continuum is responsible for a higher energy emission band (peak H). The density of states of this donor has a maximum at 0.57 eV above the conduction band edge for a copper concentration of 8.2 at. %. The emission peak H undergoes a blue shift and its intensity increases sharply relative to the intensity of the L peak with the increase of Cu concentration. Moreover, the H emission extends to photon energies higher than the band gap. A possible interpretation of the behaviour of the peak H in terms of recombination involving the resonant states is suggested.
Ultra-low temperature (≤300 °C) growth of Ge-rich SiGe by solid-liquid-coexisting annealing of a-GeSn/c-Si structures
Authors: Sadoh Taizoh , Chikita Hironori , Matsumura Ryo , Miyao Masanobu
Published: September 2015

Ultra-low temperature (≤300 °C) growth of Ge-rich SiGe on Si substrates is strongly desired to realize advanced electronic and optical devices, which can be merged onto Si large-scale integrated circuits (LSI). To achieve this, annealing characteristics of a-GeSn/c-Si structures are investigated under wide ranges of the initial Sn concentrations (0%–26%) and annealing conditions (300–1000 °C, 1 s–48 h). Epitaxial growth triggered by SiGe mixing is observed after annealing, where the annealing temperatures necessary for epitaxial growth significantly decrease with increasing initial Sn concentration and/or annealing time. As a result, Ge-rich (∼80%) SiGe layers with Sn concentrations of ∼2% are realized by ultra-low temperature annealing (300 °C, 48 h) for a sample with the initial Sn concentration of 26%. The annealing temperature (300 °C) is in the solid-liquid coexisting temperature region of the phase diagram for Ge-Sn system. From detailed analysis of crystallization characteristics and composition profiles in grown layers, it is suggested that SiGe mixing is generated by a liquid-phase reaction even at ultra-low temperatures far below the melting temperature of a-GeSn. This ultra-low-temperature growth technique of Ge-rich SiGe on Si substrates is expected to be useful to realize next-generation LSI, where various multi-functional devices are integrated on Si substrates.
Energy harvesting by dynamic unstability and internal resonance for piezoelectric beam
Authors: Lan Chunbo , Qin Weiyang , Deng Wangzheng
Published: September 2015

We investigated the energy harvesting of a vertical beam with tip mass under vertical excitations. We applied dynamic unstability and internal resonance to improve the efficiency of harvesting. The experiments of harmonic excitation were carried out. Results show that for the beam there exist internal resonances in the dynamically unstable and the buckling bistable cases. The dynamic unstability is a determinant for strong internal resonance or mode coupling, which can be used to create a large output from piezoelectric patches. Then, the experiments of stochastic excitation were carried out. Results prove that the internal resonance or mode coupling can transfer the excitation energy to the low order modes, mainly the first and the second one. This can bring about a large output voltage. For a stochastic excitation, it is proved that there is an optimal weight of tip mass for realizing internal resonance and producing large outputs.
Correlation of interface states/border traps and threshold voltage shift on AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor high-electron-mobility transistors
Authors: Wu Tian-Li , Marcon Denis , Bakeroot Benoit , De Jaeger Brice , Lin H. C. , Franco Jacopo , Stoffels Steve , Van Hove Marleen , Roelofs Robin , Groeseneken Guido , Decoutere Stefaan
Published: September 2015

In this paper, three electrical techniques (frequency dependent conductance analysis, AC transconductance (AC-gm), and positive gate bias stress) were used to evaluate three different gate dielectrics (Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition Si3N4, Rapid Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition Si3N4, and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Al2O3) for AlGaN/GaN Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor High-Electron-Mobility Transistors. From these measurements, the interface state density (Dit), the amount of border traps, and the threshold voltage (VTH) shift during a positive gate bias stress can be obtained. The results show that the VTH shift during a positive gate bias stress is highly correlated to not only interface states but also border traps in the dielectric. A physical model is proposed describing that electrons can be trapped by both interface states and border traps. Therefore, in order to minimize the VTH shift during a positive gate bias stress, the gate dielectric needs to have a lower interface state density and less border traps. However, the results also show that the commonly used frequency dependent conductance analysis technique to extract Dit needs to be cautiously used since the resulting value might be influenced by the border traps and, vice versa, i.e., the gm dispersion commonly attributed to border traps might be influenced by interface states.
Controlling nucleation in perpendicularly magnetized nanowires through in-plane shape
Authors: Mansell R. , Beguivin A. , Petit D. C. M. C. , Fernández-Pacheco A. , Lee J. H. , Cowburn R. P.
Published: September 2015

The nucleation field of perpendicularly magnetized nanowires can be controlled by changing their width, so that below a critical width the nucleation field decreases as the width decreases. Placing pads at the ends of the nanowires prevents any reduction in coercivity with width, demonstrating that at small widths domain walls nucleate from the ends of the wires. Using this technique, we are able to create asymmetric nanowires with controlled nucleation at a defined point. We also show how dipole fields from a neighboring wire in close proximity can be used to shift the hysteresis loop of the asymmetric nanowire, creating a simple NOT gate. These results show how control of the in-plane shape of perpendicularly magnetized nanoscale elements can directly lead to device functionality.
Molecular imprinted polymer functionalized carbon nanotube sensors for detection of saccharides
Authors: Badhulika Sushmee , Mulchandani Ashok
Published: September 2015

In this work, we report the synthesis and fabrication of an enzyme-free sugar sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) on the surface of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Electropolymerization of 3-aminophenylboronic acid (3-APBA) in the presence of 10 M d-fructose and fluoride at neutral pH conditions resulted in the formation of a self-doped, molecularly imprinted conducting polymer (MICP) via the formation of a stable anionic boronic ester complex between poly(aniline boronic acid) and d-fructose. Template removal generated binding sites on the polymer matrix that were complementary to d-fructose both in structure, i.e., shape, size, and positioning of functional groups, thus enabling sensing of d-fructose with enhanced affinity and specificity over non-MIP based sensors. Using carbon nanotubes along with MICPs helped to develop an efficient electrochemical sensor by enhancing analyte recognition and signal generation. These sensors could be regenerated and used multiple times unlike conventional affinity based biosensors which suffer from physical and chemical stability.
Influence of shape and dimension on magnetic anisotropies and magnetization reversal of Py, Fe, and Co nano-objects with four-fold symmetry
Authors: Ehrmann Andrea , Blachowicz Tomasz
Published: September 2015

Different magnetic anisotropies and magnetization reversal mechanisms were identified in magnetic nano-objects of four-fold symmetry, using micromagnetic simulations. Nano-particles with lateral dimensions between 50 nm and 400 nm, simulated with typical properties of permalloy, iron and cobalt, were tested in dependence of the angular orientation with respect to the externally applied magnetic field. All nano-objects exhibited steps on the sides of the hysteresis loops, which can be correlated with stable intermediate states at remanence, for some angular regions. Coercive fields were found to show an irregular and unpredictable angular dependence in case of cobalt nano-particles, while this material depicted the largest number of steps in general. Comparing the angular dependence of the coercive fields with previous calculations, it was shown that usual descriptions of fourfold anisotropies are no longer valid in most of the nano-objects under examination.
Comparing the magnetic resonant coupling radiofrequency stimulation to the traditional approaches: Ex-vivo tissue voltage measurement and electromagnetic simulation analysis
Authors: Yeung Sai Ho , Pradhan Raunaq , Feng Xiaohua , Zheng Yuanjin
Published: September 2015

Recently, the design concept of magnetic resonant coupling has been adapted to electromagnetic therapy applications such as non-invasive radiofrequency (RF) stimulation. This technique can significantly increase the electric field radiated from the magnetic coil at the stimulation target, and hence enhancing the current flowing through the nerve, thus enabling stimulation. In this paper, the developed magnetic resonant coupling (MRC) stimulation, magnetic stimulation (MS) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) are compared. The differences between the MRC RF stimulation and other techniques are presented in terms of the operating mechanism, ex-vivo tissue voltage measurement and electromagnetic simulation analysis. The ev-vivo tissue voltage measurement experiment is performed on the compared devices based on measuring the voltage induced by electromagnetic induction at the tissue. The focusing effect, E field and voltage induced across the tissue, and the attenuation due to the increase of separation between the coil and the target are analyzed. The electromagnetic stimulation will also be performed to obtain the electric field and magnetic field distribution around the biological medium. The electric field intensity is proportional to the induced current and the magnetic field is corresponding to the electromagnetic induction across the biological medium. The comparison between the MRC RF stimulator and the MS and TENS devices revealed that the MRC RF stimulator has several advantages over the others for the applications of inducing current in the biological medium for stimulation purposes.
Directionality in ASL-English interpreting
Authors: Nicodemus Brenda , Emmorey Karen
Published: September 2015

Among spoken language interpreters, a long-standing question regarding directionality is whether interpretations are better when working into one’s native language (L1) or into one’s ‘active’ non-native language (L2). In contrast to studies that support working into L1, signed language interpreters report a preference for working into L2. Accordingly, we investigated whether signed language interpreters actually perform better when interpreting into their L2 (American Sign Language, ASL) or into their L1 (English). Interpretations by 30 interpreters (15 novice, 15 expert), delivered under experimental conditions, were assessed on accuracy (semantic content) and articulation quality (flow, speed, and prosody). For both measures, novices scored significantly better when interpreting into English (L1); experts were equally accurate, and showed similar articulation quality, in both directions. The results for the novice interpreters support the hypothesis that the difficulty of L2 production drives interpreting performance in relation to directionality. Findings also indicate a disconnect between direction preference and interpreting performance. Novices’ perception of their ASL production ability may be distorted because they can default to fingerspelling and transcoding. Weakness in self-monitoring of signing may also lead novices to overrate their ASL skills. Interpreter educators should stress misperceptions of signing proficiency that arise from available, but inappropriate, strategies.
Developing an analytic scale for assessing undergraduate students’ consecutive interpreting performances
Authors: Lee Sang-Bin
Published: September 2015

This article reports on the process of developing an analytic rating scale for assessing undergraduate students’ consecutive interpreting performances. The development process was divided into three phases. First, a total of 42 criteria for interpreter performance assessment were identified from the related literature and grouped into three categories: ‘content’, ‘form’ and ‘delivery’. Second, these criteria were rated by importance in a questionnaire survey of 31 interpreter trainers. In this phase a total of 20 criteria were removed due to statistical concerns, while 22 criteria — seven criteria for content, seven for form, and eight for delivery — were retained to construct a draft rating scale. Third, to determine the appropriate weighting for each category, two interpreter trainers used the 22-item draft scale to rate 33 consecutive interpretations by Korean undergraduate students. A statistical analysis of these assessments showed that the content category should be assigned an effective weight of 2, while the other categories need not be weighted (i.e., weighting value: 1).
Benchmark analysis of algorithms for determining and quantifying full-length mRNA splice forms from RNA-seq data
Authors: Hayer Katharina E. , Pizarro Angel , Lahens Nicholas F. , Hogenesch John B. , Grant Gregory R.
Published: September 2015

Motivation: Because of the advantages of RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) over microarrays, it is gaining widespread popularity for highly parallel gene expression analysis. For example, RNA-Seq is expected to be able to provide accurate identification and quantification of full-length splice forms. A number of informatics packages have been developed for this purpose, but short reads make it a difficult problem in principle. Sequencing error and polymorphisms add further complications. It has become necessary to perform studies to determine which algorithms perform best and which if any algorithms perform adequately. However, there is a dearth of independent and unbiased benchmarking studies. Here we take an approach using both simulated and experimental benchmark data to evaluate their accuracy.

Results: We conclude that most methods are inaccurate even using idealized data, and that no method is highly accurate once multiple splice forms, polymorphisms, intron signal, sequencing errors, alignment errors, annotation errors and other complicating factors are present. These results point to the pressing need for further algorithm development.

Availability and implementation: Simulated datasets and other supporting information can be found at http://bioinf.itmat.upenn.edu/BEERS/bp2

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Contact:  hayer@upenn.edu
Using a configurable EMR and decision support tools to promote process integration for routine HIV screening in the emergency department
Authors: McGuire Robert , Moore Eric
Published: September 2015

Given the clinical and public health benefits of routine Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) testing in the emergency department (ED) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, Maricopa Medical Center, as part of Maricopa Integrated Health System, started Test, Educate, Support, and Treat Arizona (TESTAZ) and became the first and, to-date, only hospital in Arizona to implement routine, non-targeted, opt-out, rapid HIV screening in the ED. The authors describe the implementation of a universal, routine, opt-out HIV screening program in the adult ED of an urban safety-net hospital serving under-served populations, including the uninsured and under-insured. Through a controlled and collaborative process, the authors integrated custom documentation elements specific to HIV screening into the triage/intake process, implemented and utilized clinical decision support tools to guide clinicians in each step of the process, and used electronic data collection and reporting to drive new screening protocols that led to a significant increase in overall HIV testing rates.
Opportunities and challenges in the use of personal health data for health research
Authors: Bietz Matthew J , Bloss Cinnamon S , Calvert Scout , Godino Job G , Gregory Judith , Claffey Michael P , Sheehan Jerry , Patrick Kevin
Published: September 2015

Objective: Understand barriers to the use of personal health data (PHD) in research from the perspective of three stakeholder groups: early adopter individuals who track data about their health, researchers who may use PHD as part of their research, and companies that market self-tracking devices, apps or services, and aggregate and manage the data that are generated.

Materials and Methods: A targeted convenience sample of 465 individuals and 134 researchers completed an extensive online survey. Thirty-five hour-long semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a subset of 11 individuals and 9 researchers, as well as 15 company/key informants.

Results: Challenges to the use of PHD for research were identified in six areas: data ownership; data access for research; privacy; informed consent and ethics; research methods and data quality; and the unpredictable nature of the rapidly evolving ecosystem of devices, apps, and other services that leave “digital footprints.” Individuals reported willingness to anonymously share PHD if it would be used to advance research for the good of the public. Researchers were enthusiastic about using PHD for research, but noted barriers related to intellectual property, licensing, and the need for legal agreements with companies. Companies were interested in research but stressed that their first priority was maintaining customer relationships.

Conclusion: Although challenges exist in leveraging PHD for research, there are many opportunities for stakeholder engagement, and experimentation with these data is already taking place. These early examples foreshadow a much larger set of activities with the potential to positively transform how health research is conducted.
Glioblastoma in the elderly: making sense of the evidence
Authors: Mason Matthew , Laperriere Normand , Wick Wolfgang , Reardon David A. , Malmstrom Annika , Hovey Elizabeth , Weller Michael , Perry James R.
Published: September 2015

Glioblastoma is a highly malignant neoplasm, notorious for its poor prognosis. The median age of diagnosis is 64 years, with an increasing number of patients diagnosed over the age of seventy. Managing elderly patients with this condition is challenging. Management pathways may include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and best supportive care. Many clinical trials in oncology exclude elderly patients, including some of those for malignant brain tumors, leaving less evidence to guide treatment in these patients. Recent advances in molecular diagnostics and biomarkers, such as 06-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status, may help guide optimal treatment selection. Focusing on available randomized data, this review provides a practical overview of the evidence for treating newly diagnosed glioblastoma in the elderly, including management recommendations.
Ideal geometry of periodic entanglements
Authors: Evans Myfanwy E. , Robins Vanessa , Hyde Stephen T.
Published: September 2015

Three-dimensional entanglements, including knots, knotted graphs, periodic arrays of woven filaments and interpenetrating nets, form an integral part of structure analysis because they influence various physical properties. Ideal embeddings of these entanglements give insight into identification and classification of the geometry and physically relevant configurations
in vivo
. This paper introduces an algorithm for the tightening of finite, periodic and branched entanglements to a least energy form. Our algorithm draws inspiration from the Shrink-On-No-Overlaps (SONO) (Pieranski 1998 In
Ideal knots
(eds A Stasiak, V Katritch, LH Kauffman), vol. 19, pp. 20–41.) algorithm for the tightening of knots and links: we call it Periodic-Branched Shrink-On-No-Overlaps (PB-SONO). We reproduce published results for ideal configurations of knots using PB-SONO. We then examine ideal geometry for finite entangled graphs, including
θ
-graphs and entangled tetrahedron- and cube-graphs. Finally, we compute ideal conformations of periodic weavings and entangled nets. The resulting ideal geometry is intriguing: we see spontaneous symmetrisation in some cases, breaking of symmetry in others, as well as configurations reminiscent of biological and chemical structures in nature.
The making of brand attachment and brand meanings: the case of a UK engineering services firm
Authors: Sheikh Alireza , Lim Ming
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into how engineering employees perceive the functional, ethical and political dimensions of the corporate brand and its meaning(s) for other stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper explores brand meaning and brand attachment in the case of employees in an engineering consultancy firm operating within the defense and artillery systems sector. In-depth interviews with managers and consultants at a cross-section of organizational levels along with thematic and reflexive interpretation of qualitative data have been carried out.

Findings

– Identity-based definitions of the brand, the definitions of a “strong engineering brand”, associations of the corporate brand with engineers’ personal brands, brand essence and integration and the meanings of a military brand have all been raised, explored and discussed from the engineer’s perspective.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper is among the first of its kind to pursue brand research in an engineering-intensive firm with military and defense brand associations. Future research is encouraged to add further detail and verification to the themes and findings of this paper.

Practical implications

– The military context is enmeshed with high levels of sensitivity and difficult research access particularly upon brand-related academic research. This has led in part to very limited marketing and branding knowledge into this setting despite its significance.

Social implications

– Given that the engineering consulting sectors are among the top drivers of employment and knowledge advancement, and given that brand associations have considerable impacts on employees’ identification, self-awareness and emotional well-being, understanding the dynamism and complexities of employee-brand associations is inevitable in these settings.

Originality/value

– The defense context has unique characteristics and has hitherto remained an under-researched context with respect to branding. This is despite that the defense sector deserves to be in the spotlight because professionals’ voices are rarely heard and acknowledged within the branding literature.
Utilization of pomegranate seed powder and tomato powder in the development of fiber-enriched chicken nuggets
Authors: Kaur Simranjeet , Kumar Sunil , Bhat Z. F.
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to evaluate the possibility of utilization of pomegranate seed powder and tomato powder in the development of fiber-enriched chicken nuggets.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study was designed to incorporate and evaluate the effect of pomegranate seed powder and tomato powder on the quality characteristics of the chicken nuggets. The products were developed by incorporating different levels of pomegranate seed powder (1, 2, 3 per cent) and tomato powder (1, 2, 3 per cent) separately and were analyzed for various physicochemical and sensory parameters.

Findings

– The pomegranate seed powder and tomato powder significantly (p
<
0.05) increased the fiber content of the chicken nuggets besides improving various sensory attributes of the products. A significant (p
<
0.05) effect of the pomegranate seed powder was observed on the pH, emulsion stability, cooking yield and proximate parameters of the chicken nuggets. Tomato powder also showed a significant (p
<
0.05) effect on the emulsion stability, moisture and fat content of the products. No significant (p
>
0.05) effect of tomato was observed on the pH and cooking yield of the products.

Originality/value

– Fiber-enriched chicken nuggets could be developed by incorporating pomegranate seed powder and tomato powder in the formulation besides improving various sensory attributes of the products.
Differential responses of grasses and forbs led to marked reduction in below‐ground productivity in temperate steppe following chronic N deposition
Authors: Bai Wenming , Guo Dali , Tian Qiuying , Liu Nana , Cheng Weixin , Li Linghao , Zhang Wen‐Hao
Published: September 2015

Enhanced deposition of atmospheric nitrogen (N) has profound impacts on ecosystem processes such as above‐ground productivity and community structure in grasslands across the globe. But how N deposition affects below‐ground processes of grasslands is less well known.

Here, we evaluated the effects of chronic N amendment at a relatively low rate (20 kg ha−1 year−1) on root traits (root productivity, root biomass, root/shoot ratio) in Inner Mongolia steppes by rhizotron and ingrowth core and soil monolith techniques at levels of individual species, functional groups and ecosystem.

For 8 years, N amendment suppressed above‐ground net primary production (ANPP), photosynthetic rates and root biomass of forbs, but enhanced ANPP and root biomass of grasses. This led to an overall reduction in below‐ground productivity of the grassland by 24–33%, while ANPP remained unchanged.

Nitrogen amendment acidified soil and subsequently increased extractable soil manganese (Mn) concentration. Nitrogen amendment increased foliar Mn concentrations in forb, but not grass species, leading to a significant inhibition of photosynthetic rates in forb species.

Synthesis. These findings highlight the importance of the differentiating responses of plant functional groups to long‐term N deposition and the important consequences of these responses for below‐ground productivity and long‐term soil C sequestration.
Reliability of Craniofacial Superimposition Using Three‐Dimension Skull Model
Authors: Gaudio Daniel , Olivieri Lara , De Angelis Danilo , Poppa Pasquale , Galassi Andrea , Cattaneo Cristina
Published: September 2015

Craniofacial superimposition is a technique potentially useful for the identification of unidentified human remains if a photo of the missing person is available. We have tested the reliability of the 2D‐3D computer‐aided nonautomatic superimposition techniques. Three‐dimension laser scans of five skulls and ten photographs were overlaid with an imaging software. The resulting superimpositions were evaluated using three methods: craniofacial landmarks, morphological features, and a combination of the two. A 3D model of each skull without its mandible was tested for superimposition; we also evaluated whether separating skulls by sex would increase correct identifications. Results show that the landmark method employing the entire skull is the more reliable one (5/5 correct identifications, 40% false positives [FP]), regardless of sex. However, the persistence of a high percentage of FP in all the methods evaluated indicates that these methods are unreliable for positive identification although the landmark‐only method could be useful for exclusion.
Exploring aspects of workplace climates in Canada: implications for the human resources of health‐care
Authors: Steinke Claudia , Dastmalchian Ali , Baniasadi Yasamin
Published: September 2015

Recently, researchers on organizational climate have focused on the ‘issue‐specific’ nature of climate, such as the climate for safety or service, or, in this case, the climate for human resources. This has resulted in a clearer connection between specific climates and relevant outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from an exploratory study that was conducted in Canada that served to help us understand the aspects of workplace climate with a focus on human resources (HR). In this study, interview data was collected from 14 HR managers from across western Canada, some of which were from healthcare organizations. The benefit of this research is to better understand the current climate within organisations and to develop a construct for HR climates that can be used to build capacity in the research, training, and practice of HR within health‐care (and other industries) in Canada.
Retracted: Association of adiponectin gene variation with progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A 4‐year follow‐up survey
Authors: Zhou Yong Jian , Zhang Zong Sheng , Nie Yu Qiang , Cao Jie , Cao Chuang Yu , Li Yu Yuan
Published: September 2015

Objective

To explore the role of tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs) in the adiponectin gene in the natural course of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Methods

The participants were chosen from our previous survey containing 3543 individuals. Finally, a total of 696 participants who had been followed up for a median of 4 years were included. Each participant was administered with an interview, physical examination, blood tests and ultrasonic examination at both baseline and end‐point. Polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism was applied to determine seven tagSNPs in the adiponectin gene, namely, rs182052, rs16861205, rs822396, rs7627128, rs1501299, rs2241767 and rs3774261. Ordinal logistic regression was used to screen risk factors of NAFLD progression as well as the susceptibility to the disease. Haplotypes analyses were performed to confirm the results.

Results

After adjusting for age and gender, rs1501299 (G276T), rs2241767 (A45G) and rs3774261 (A712G) were found to be risk factors of both susceptibility (OR 5.040, 7.471 and 3.546, respectively) and progression (OR 3.83, 3.51 and 3.30, respectively) to NAFLD. Nevertheless, rs182052, rs16861205, rs822396 and rs7627128 had no impact on them. These findings were confirmed by haplotype analysis.

Conclusion

The tagSNPs rs2241767, rs1501299 and rs3774261 in the adiponectin gene are risk factors for the individuals' susceptibility to and progression of NAFLD.
Examining gender inequalities in land rights indicators in Asia
Authors: Kieran Caitlin , Sproule Kathryn , Doss Cheryl , Quisumbing Agnes , Kim Sung Mi
Published: September 2015

A broad consensus has emerged among both policymakers and researchers that strengthening women's property rights is crucial for reducing poverty and achieving equitable growth. Despite the important role of land in rural livelihoods and as a form of wealth in many Asian countries, surprisingly few nationally representative data exist on women's property rights in Asia.This paucity hinders the formulation and implementation of appropriate policies to reduce gender gaps in land rights. This article reviews the existing micro‐level, large sample data on men's and women's control of land, identifies what can and cannot be measured by these data, and uses these measures to assess the gaps in the land rights of women and men. Utilizing nationally representative individual‐ and plot‐level data from Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Vietnam, and Timor‐Leste, we calculate five indicators: incidence of landownership, distribution of landownership, distribution of plots owned, mean plot size, and distribution of land area, all by sex of owner. The results show large gender gaps in landownership across countries. However, the limited information on joint and individual ownership are among the most critical data gaps and thus are an important area for future data collection and analysis.
Moving towards integrated aged care assessment: A comparison of assessment tools across three regional Victorian services
Authors: Warburton Jeni , Cowan Suzanne , Savy Pauline , MacPhee Fiona
Published: September 2015

Aim

Recent National Aged Care Policy Reforms are directed at streamlining entry into aged care services, building on the challenges associated with developing integrated assessment processes. Such reform is core to achieving a comprehensive, efficient process.

Methods

Here, we report the first stage of a collaborative project with three regional aged care assessment services to explore how services can better work together and improve the assessment process. Specifically, this paper reports the collection of local demographic and assessment data to describe and compare assessment tools and processes across services.

Results

Findings demonstrate the high level of need of those entering the community aged care system; the diversity of tools and processes utilised by the three services; and the high level of duplication and commonality across assessment categories.

Conclusions

Findings suggest the need for improved service integration to clarify the assessment process for older people and conserve regional aged care workforce.
Autophagy in airway diseases: a new frontier in human asthma?
Authors: Zeki A. A. , Yeganeh B. , Kenyon N. J. , Post M. , Ghavami S.
Published: September 2015

The study of autophagy (‘self‐eating’), a fundamental cell fate pathway involved in physiological and pathological subcellular processes, opens a new frontier in the continuous search for novel therapies for human asthma. Asthma is a complex syndrome with different disease phenotypes. Autophagy plays a central role in cell physiology, energy and metabolism, and cell survival. Autophagy's hallmark is the formation of double‐membrane autophagic autophagosomes, and this process is operational in airway epithelial and mesenchymal cells in asthma. Genetic associations between autophagy genes and asthma have been observed including single nucleotide polymorphisms in Atg5 which correlate with reduced lung function. Immune mechanisms important in asthma such as Th2 cells and eosinophils also manifest autophagy. Lastly, we address the role of autophagy in extracellular matrix deposition and fibrosis in asthmatic airways remodeling, a pathologic process still without effective therapy, and discuss potential pharmacologic inhibitors. We end by offering two opposing but plausible hypotheses as to how autophagy may be directly involved in airway fibrosis.
Experience of imaging following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy
Authors: Meredith Ineke , Lim Yu Kai , Wickremesekera Susrutha K. , Bann Simon
Published: September 2015

Background

We aimed to report our experience with upper gastrointestinal (UGI) contrast studies and computed tomography (CT) swallow studies after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, and comment on the merits of each modality.

Method

Retrospective review of all patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in a New Zealand hospital between 2011 and 2014 was conducted. Over this time period, routine UGI was replaced by CT swallow studies. All medical records and radiology were reviewed and pertinent findings reported.

Results

Seventy‐nine patients underwent LSG over this time period and one patient had to be excluded; 48 (61.5%) had a UGI study and 30 patients (38.5%) had CT swallow. There were no leaks in this study and no leaks became clinically significant. Sixteen of 30 patients (53.3%) undergoing CT swallow had significant incidental findings demonstrated on axial imaging that required follow‐up.

Conclusion

CT swallow can provide the same information as a UGI but has a significant rate of incidental findings. The rate of incidental pathology on CT is higher than that quoted in the general population. In a bariatric population, this may allow early detection and treatment of co‐existent pathology.
Gabapentin, an Analgesic Used Against Cancer‐Associated Neuropathic Pain: Effects on Prostate Cancer Progression in an In Vivo Rat Model
Authors: Bugan Ilknur , Karagoz Zeynep , Altun Seyhan , Djamgoz Mustafa B. A.
Published: September 2015

A major problem associated with clinical management of cancer is controlling the accompanying pain, and various analgesics are in common use for this purpose. Recent evidence suggests that some of the targets of analgesics, such as ion channels and receptors, may also be involved in the cancer process, thereby raising the possibility that such use of some analgesics may impact upon cancer itself. The main aim of this study was to determine whether gabapentin, a common adjuvant analgesic in current use against cancer‐associated neuropathic pain, would affect tumour development and progression in vivo. The Dunning rat model of prostate cancer was used. Strongly metastatic Mat‐LyLu cells were implanted subcutaneously into syngeneic Copenhagen rats which were then treated every other day with 4.6–16.8 μg/kg gabapentin by gavage. Primary tumourigenesis was monitored daily. Lung metastases were counted and measured after killing the rats 21 days later. Gabapentin had no effect on primary tumourigenesis but produced dose‐dependent effects on lung metastasis. Whilst 4.6 μg/kg had no effect, 9.1 μg/kg gabapentin decreased the number of lung metastases significantly by 64%. In contrast, 16.8 μg/kg gabapentin promoted metastasis significantly by 112% and showed a strong tendency to shorten mean survival time. It is concluded that gabapentin prescribed to cancer patients against pain could impact upon the cancer process itself.
Contemporary radical cystectomy outcomes in patients with invasive bladder cancer: a population‐based study
Authors: Patel Manish I. , Bang Albert , Gillatt David , Smith David P.
Published: September 2015

Objective

To determine the contemporary survival outcomes from a whole population and identify significant predictors of survival, as contemporary population‐based survival outcomes after radical cystectomy (RC) for the treatment of bladder cancer (BC) are sparse. Reports suggest a large disparity between population outcomes and those of centres of excellence.

Patients and Methods

All invasive BC cases diagnosed between 2001 and 2007 in New South Wales, Australia, were identified from the Central Cancer Registry. Records of treatment and death were electronically linked. All patients who underwent RC between 2001 and 2009 were selected for this study (804 patients). Follow‐up was to the end of 2009. Outcomes assessed were disease‐specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS). Multivariable Cox regression and log‐rank analysis were used to model and compare survival within groups.

Results

Of 804 patients diagnosed during the study period 420 (52.2%) died during follow‐up. The 5‐year DSS and OS for all patients was 59.6% and 53.2%, respectively. The 5‐year DSS for patients with localised, regional and distant disease, undergoing RC was 72%, 51% and 10%, respectively. Age (P < 0.001) and stage (P < 0.001) were associated with 5‐year DSS and OS after adjusting for all other variables. High‐volume centres had significantly better 5‐year DSS compared with low‐volume centres (P < 0.05). The 30‐day mortality for high‐ vs low‐volume centres was 1.8% and 3.6%, respectively. Perioperative mortality improved over time for high‐ and moderate‐volume centres but not for low‐volume centres.

Conclusion

Contemporary survival outcomes after RC are much improved compared with older studies and appear close to results from academic centres of excellence. High‐volume centres report better 5‐year DSS outcomes than lower volume centres.
The role of cystectomy in elderly patients – a multicentre analysis
Authors: Izquierdo Laura , Peri Lluis , Leon Priscila , Ramírez‐Backhaus Miguel , Manning Thomas , Alcaraz Antonio , Roupret Morgan , Solsona Eduardo , Rubio Jose , Sengupta Shomik , Chan Yee , Liodakis Peter , Gyomber Dennis , Bolton Damien , Lawrentschuk Nathan
Published: September 2015

Introduction

Life expectancy in developed countries is continuously increasing. Hence elderly patients are becoming more common in our clinical practice. Currently, one of the greatest challenges of medicine is balancing the life expectancy of elderly patients against aggressive treatments that carry significant risks.

Objective

To outline the complications and survival in surgical patients 80 years and over undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.

Patients and Methods

A review of a radical cystectomy in elderly recorded in four different institutional prospective databases during the period between 1991 and 2014. Clinical and pathologic features, complications and survival were evaluated.

Results

A total of 111 patients were available. Median (range) age 82.2 (80–89) years. Seventeen women and 94 men. Regarding the ASA score, 6 patients were ASA I, 47 patients were ASA II, 49 patients ASA III and 9 ASA IV. Prior to surgery, 48 patients had hydronephrosis. The median (range) creatinine series was 1.1 (0.71–11.1) ng/dL. In 88 cases an ileal conduit was performed, 17 a cutaneous ureterostomy diversion, 5 neobladders and 1 ureterosigmoidostomy case. The median (range) operative time was 230 (120–420) min and a total of 97 patients required blood transfusion. The median (range) hospital stay was 14 (7–126) days. The early and late complication rates were 50.4% and 32%, respectively. A total of 14 patients (12.6%) required surgical reintervention. Eight patients (7.2%) died in the immediate postoperative period. The readmission rate of the series was 27.2%. The mean follow‐up of the series was 18 (0.27–134.73) months. During this period 66 patients died, 52 of them due to the tumor. Twelve month tumour progression free survival was 83.9% for ≤pT1, 70.2% for pT2 and 36% for ≥pT3, respectively. Twelve month cancer specific survival was 85.6% for ≤pT1, 75.1% for pT2 and 42.5% for ≥pT3, respectively.

Conclusion

Radical cystectomy in elderly population is an aggressive surgical treatment with a significant complication rate, hospital readmission and perioperative mortality rate. Careful selection of patients is essential in order to minimize the complications of this surgery and balance benefits against risks in the elderly population. Tumour progression and cancer specific survival are poor for patients with ≥pT3 disease. Alternatives such as tri‐modality therapy need to be considered within a multi‐disciplinary approach. More data is required to determine which sub‐groups of elderly patients would benefit from a complication, survival and quality of life perspective.
Do Canadian university students in Political Science and Public Administration learn to perform critical appraisal?
Authors: Lapointe Luc , Ouimet Mathieu , Charbonneau Marissa , Beorofei Émilie T.
Published: September 2015

The ability to critically appraise empirical studies of any type is a prerequisite to evidence‐informed policy making. We scanned the syllabi of all Canadian university undergraduate and graduate programs in public affairs, public administration, public policy and political science. Our findings suggest that evidence‐informed policy is not yet institutionalized in most public administration and political science training curricula. We conducted a systematic review of prospective experimental and quasi‐experimental studies examining the effect of university courses aimed at training social sciences students in critical appraisal, but did not find such a study.
The Brain Connectivity Basis of Semantic Dementia: A Selective Review
Authors: Yang Qing , Guo Qi‐Hao , Bi Yan‐Chao
Published: September 2015

Semantic dementia (SD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of semantic memory and conceptual knowledge, coupled with asymmetric local brain atrophy concentrated in the anterior temporal lobe. Recent developments in neuroimaging techniques, especially the emergence of the “human connectomics,” have made possible the study of the brain's functional and structural connections and the topological properties of the brain networks. Recent studies applying these techniques have shown that SD manifests extensive structural and functional connectivity alterations, providing important insights into the pathogenesis of SD and the neural basis of semantic memory in general. In this review, we present and discuss the existing findings about the brain connectivity changes in SD and how they might be related to the various behavioral deficits associated with this disorder and propose important unanswered questions that warrant further investigation.