bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water vapour stratification and dynamical warming behind the sharpness of the Earth's midlatitude tropopause
Authors: Ferreira A. P. , Castanheira J. M. , Gimeno L.
Published: October 2015

Recent studies have highlighted the fact that the extratropical lower stratosphere, up to ∼10 km from the thermal tropopause, is far from being isothermal. The tropopause is sharper than once thought and the vertical temperature profile in the next layers undergoes significant seasonal variations. Here, an analytical model is formulated for studying the seasonal temperature structure of that region of the Earth's atmosphere. A model fitting to over 10 years of stratospheric balloon observations at two midlatitude locations in opposite hemispheres captures the observed temperature profiles, including the tropopause inversion layer. Several sensitivity tests clarify the radiative role of ozone (through solar radiation) and water vapour (through thermal radiation) on the thermal stratification of the midlatitude tropopause region, and further demonstrate the role of heating from atmospheric motions. In spite of the major role played by ozone in upper layers, ozone heating only accounts for a small part (∼1 K) of the temperature maximum of the tropopause inversion layer, and its effect is negligible in the first kilometre right above the tropopause. In contrast, the vertical structure of water vapour between the tropopause and the hygropause combined with dynamical warming is found to explain the sharp change in lapse rate that marks the midlatitude tropopause, and most of its immediate inversion layer. This reveals how both radiation – chiefly thermal absorption and emission by stratified water vapour – and dynamics are behind the mysterious sharpness of the tropopause in midlatitudes.
Intravenous paracetamol for relief of pain during transrectal‐ultrasound‐guided biopsy of the prostate: A prospective, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study
Authors: Kilic Ozcan , Akand Murat , Kulaksizoglu Haluk , Haliloglu Ahmet H. , Tanidik Seher , Piskin Mehmet M. , Yurdakul Talat
Published: October 2015

Transrectal‐ultrasound‐guided prostate biopsy (TRUS‐PBx) is the standard procedure for diagnosing prostate cancer. The procedure does cause some pain and discomfort; therefore, an adequate analgesia is necessary to ensure patient comfort, which can also facilitate good‐quality results. This prospective, randomized, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled study aimed to determine if intravenous (IV) paracetamol can reduce the severity of pain associated with TRUS‐PBx. The study included 104 patients, scheduled to undergo TRUS‐PBx with a suspicion of prostate cancer, that were prospectively randomized to receive either IV paracetamol (paracetamol group) or placebo (placebo group) 30 minutes prior to TRUS‐PBx. All patients had 12 standardized biopsy samples taken. Pain was measured using a 10‐point visual analog pain scale during probe insertion, during the biopsy procedure, and 1 hour postbiopsy. All biopsies were performed by the same urologist, whereas a different urologist administered the visual analog pain scale. There were not any significant differences in age, prostate‐specific antigen level, or prostate volume between the two groups. The pain scores were significantly lower during probe insertion, biopsy procedure, and 1 hour postbiopsy in the paracetamol group than in the placebo group. In conclusion, the IV administration of paracetamol significantly reduced the severity of pain associated with TRUS‐PBx.
Etapas del modelo incremental de calidad: un análisis de las escuelas de medicina en México
Authors: Olivares-Olivares Silvia Lizett , Garza-Cruz Alejandra , Valdez-García Jorge Eugenio
Published: October 2015

Introducción: En el posmodernismo, la atención de la salud enfrenta cambios tecnológicos, epidemiológicos y sociales. Las escuelas de medicina tienen como objetivo garantizar estándares de calidad para formar egresados que puedan desafiar estas transiciones cada vez más aceleradas.
Objetivo: Proponer etapas de un modelo incremental de calidad para clasificar a las escuelas de medicina en México, de forma que identifiquen sus prioridades para lograr la visión de impactar en los sistemas de salud en forma sustentable.
Método: El método aplicado es cualitativo y descriptivo en tres fases. Como primera fase se determinan a nivel conceptual las etapas del modelo incremental de calidad: inicio, desarrollo, estandarización, innovación y sustentabilidad. Como segunda parte, se validan las etapas a partir de una entrevista grupal a expertos (12 directivos de escuelas de medicina) y se determina una forma de clasificar a las instituciones a través de sus avales de calidad. Como última fase, se realiza un análisis de documentos para identificar el nivel de las escuelas de medicina de México a partir de sus regulaciones, afiliaciones, acreditaciones y premios de calidad.
Resultados: Las etapas presentadas del modelo fueron aprobadas por el grupo de expertos. A partir de la revisión de fuentes oficiales se encontró que el 42.8% de las escuelas de medicina en México han demostrado la pertenencia al nivel de estandarización, pero no han alcanzado el nivel de innovación ni el de sustentabilidad.
Conclusiones: Las etapas del modelo y el análisis presentado corresponden a un paso inicial para que las escuelas de medicina en México respondan a los retos del entorno. Se proponen acciones concretas para impulsar a las instituciones a escalar a niveles más altos de desempeño.
Urbanization Affects Air and Water in Italy's Po Plain
Authors: Masetti Marco , Nghiem Son , Sorichetta Alessandro , Stevenazzi Stefania , Fabbri Paolo , Pola Marco , Filippini Maria , Brakenridge G.
Published: October 2015

Satellite and ground-based measurements show a correlation between urban growth and increased levels of pollutants.
Aerosol Cutbacks May Bring Tropical Rains Farther North
Authors: Strelich Lily
Published: October 2015

Lower anthropogenic aerosol emissions in the 21st century may lead to warming that drives the Intertropical Convergence Zone northward.
Climate Woes Real, Say Most in U.S., Canada, but Differ on Cause
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2015

Two new surveys find that although large majorities of Americans and Canadians think that global warming is happening, relatively few of them think humans are causing it.
“This Is a Partnership Between All of Us”: Audiologists' Perceptions of Family Member Involvement in Hearing Rehabilitation
Authors: Meyer Carly , Scarinci Nerina , Ryan Brooke , Hickson Louise
Published: October 2015

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to explore the perceptions of audiologists about the role of family members in hearing rehabilitation for older adults with hearing impairment (HI), the influence of family member involvement on outcomes, and factors affecting family members' involvement.

Method

A qualitative descriptive research study was undertaken. Using a purposeful sampling strategy, 9 audiologists were recruited. Audiologists participated in individual semistructured interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis, and a process of member checking was used to enhance the trustworthiness of findings reported.

Results

The importance of promoting partnership emerged as the overarching theme. Audiologists valued promoting partnership with family members so that a shared understanding could be established, family members could be active participants with distinct roles in hearing rehabilitation, and the rehabilitation outcomes for the person with HI could be improved. Audiologists generally reported low attendance rates of family members to appointments and identified 5 major factors affecting family participation.

Conclusions

There is growing recognition among audiologists of the importance of promoting partnership with family members during the hearing rehabilitation process. More research is needed to develop and evaluate a family-centered model of hearing health care that considers the service-level barriers identified by audiologists in the present study.
Markers, Models, and Measurement Error: Exploring the Links Between Attention Deficits and Language Impairments
Authors: Redmond Sean M.
Published: October 2015

Purpose

The empirical record regarding the expected co-occurrence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specific language impairment is confusing and contradictory. A research plan is presented that has the potential to untangle links between these 2 common neurodevelopmental disorders.

Method

Data from completed and ongoing research projects examining the relative value of different clinical markers for separating cases of specific language impairment from ADHD are presented.

Results

The best option for measuring core language impairments in a manner that does not potentially penalize individuals with ADHD is to focus assessment on key grammatical and verbal memory skills. Likewise, assessment of ADHD symptoms through standardized informant rating scales is optimized when they are adjusted for overlapping language and academic symptoms.

Conclusion

As a collection, these clinical metrics set the stage for further examination of potential linkages between attention deficits and language impairments.
Effect of azimuthal flow fluctuations on flow and flame dynamics of axisymmetric swirling flames
Authors: Acharya Vishal , Lieuwen Timothy
Published: October 2015

Recent studies have clearly shown the important role of swirl fluctuations (or, more precisely, fluctuations in axial vorticity) in the response of premixed flames to flow oscillations. An important implication of this mechanism is that the axial location of the swirler plays a key role in the phase between the acoustic flow excitation source and the resulting axial vorticity fluctuation at the flame. Similar to the previously well recognized role of azimuthal vorticity fluctuations, these swirl fluctuations are vortical and convect at the mean flow velocity, unlike the acoustic flow fluctuations. However, there is a fundamental difference between axial and azimuthal vorticity disturbances in terms of the flow oscillations they induce on the flame. Specifically, azimuthal vorticity disturbances excite radial and axial flow disturbances, while axial vorticity oscillations, in general induce both radial and azimuthal flow fluctuations, but in the axisymmetric case, they only directly excite azimuthal flow fluctuations. The axial vorticity fluctuations do, however, indirectly excite axial and radial velocity fluctuations when the axial vortex tube is tilted off-axis, such as at locations of area expansion. This difference is significant because axisymmetric flames are disturbed only by the velocity component normal to it, which stem from axial and radial velocity components only. This implies that axisymmetric mean flames are not directly affected by azimuthal flow fluctuations, since they are tangential to it. Thus, it is the extent to which the axial vorticity is tilted and rotated that controls the strength of the flow oscillations normal to the flame and, in turn, lead to heat release oscillations. This coupling process is not easily amenable to analytical calculations and, as such, we report here a computational study of the role of these different flow fluctuations on the flame response in an axisymmetric framework. The results indicate that the swirl fluctuations can act as significant source of flame heat release disturbances, due to azimuthal and radial vortex tubes tilting in mixing passage boundary layers and at the expansion into the combustor.
A molecular dynamics simulations study on the relations between dynamical heterogeneity, structural relaxation, and self-diffusion in viscous liquids
Authors: Henritzi Patrick , Bormuth André , Klameth Felix , Vogel Michael
Published: October 2015

We perform molecular dynamics simulations for viscous liquids to study the relations between dynamical heterogeneity, structural (α) relaxation, and self-diffusion. For atomistic models of supercooled water, polymer melts, and an ionic liquid, we characterize the space-time characteristics of dynamical heterogeneity by the degree of deviations from Gaussian displacement statistics (α2), the size of clusters comprising highly mobile particles (Sw), and the length of strings consisting of cooperatively moving particles (Lw). Comparison of our findings with previous simulation results for a large variety of viscous liquids, ranging from monoatomic liquids to silica melt, reveals a nearly universal decoupling between the time scales of maximum non-Gaussian parameter (τα2) and the time constant of the α relaxation (τα) upon cooling, explicitly, τα2∝τα3/4. Such uniform relation was not observed between the peak times of Sw or Lw and τα. On the other hand, the temperature-dependent time scale of maximum string length (τL) follows the inverse of the self-diffusion coefficient (D) for various systems at sufficiently low temperatures, i.e., τL ∝ D−1. These observations are discussed in view of a breakdown of the Stokes-Einstein relation for the studied systems. It is found that the degree of deviation from this relation is correlated with the stretching of the α relaxation.
Single impacts of keV fullerene ions on free standing graphene: Emission of ions and electrons from confined volume
Authors: Verkhoturov Stanislav V. , Geng Sheng , Czerwinski Bartlomiej , Young Amanda E. , Delcorte Arnaud , Schweikert Emile A.
Published: October 2015

We present the first data from individual C60 impacting one to four layer graphene at 25 and 50 keV. Negative secondary ions and electrons emitted in transmission were recorded separately from each impact. The yields for Cn− clusters are above 10% for n ≤ 4, they oscillate with electron affinities and decrease exponentially with n. The result can be explained with the aid of MD simulation as a post-collision process where sufficient vibrational energy is accumulated around the rim of the impact hole for sputtering of carbon clusters. The ionization probability can be estimated by comparing experimental yields of Cn− with those of Cn0 from MD simulation, where it increases exponentially with n. The ionization probability can be approximated with ejecta from a thermally excited (3700 K) rim damped by cluster fragmentation and electron detachment. The experimental electron probability distributions are Poisson-like. On average, three electrons of thermal energies are emitted per impact. The thermal excitation model invoked for Cn− emission can also explain the emission of electrons. The interaction of C60 with graphene is fundamentally different from impacts on 3D targets. A key characteristic is the high degree of ionization of the ejecta.
A three-axis SQUID-based absolute vector magnetometer
Authors: Schönau T. , Zakosarenko V. , Schmelz M. , Stolz R. , Anders S. , Linzen S. , Meyer M. , Meyer H.-G.
Published: October 2015

We report on the development of a three-axis absolute vector magnetometer suited for mobile operation in the Earth’s magnetic field. It is based on low critical temperature dc superconducting quantum interference devices (LTS dc SQUIDs) with sub-micrometer sized cross-type Josephson junctions and exhibits a white noise level of about 10 fT/Hz1/2. The width of superconducting strip lines is restricted to less than 6 μm in order to avoid flux trapping during cool-down in magnetically unshielded environment. The long-term stability of the flux-to-voltage transfer coefficients of the SQUID electronics is investigated in detail and a method is presented to significantly increase their reproducibility. We further demonstrate the long-term operation of the setup in a magnetic field varying by about 200 μT amplitude without the need for recalibration.
Mid-infrared signatures of hydroxyl containing water clusters: Infrared laser Stark spectroscopy of OH–H2O and OH(D2O)n (n = 1-3)
Authors: Hernandez Federico J. , Brice Joseph T. , Leavitt Christopher M. , Liang Tao , Raston Paul L. , Pino Gustavo A. , Douberly Gary E.
Published: October 2015

Small water clusters containing a single hydroxyl radical are synthesized in liquid helium droplets. The OH–H2O and OH(D2O)n clusters (n = 1-3) are probed with infrared laser spectroscopy in the vicinity of the hydroxyl radical OH stretch vibration. Experimental band origins are qualitatively consistent with ab initio calculations of the global minimum structures; however, frequency shifts from isolated OH are significantly over-predicted by both B3LYP and MP2 methods. An effective Hamiltonian that accounts for partial quenching of electronic angular momentum is used to analyze Stark spectra of the OH–H2O and OH–D2O binary complexes, revealing a 3.70(5) D permanent electric dipole moment. Computations of the dipole moment are in good agreement with experiment when large-amplitude vibrational averaging is taken into account. Polarization spectroscopy is employed to characterize two vibrational bands assigned to OH(D2O)2, revealing two nearly isoenergetic cyclic isomers that differ in the orientation of the non-hydrogen-bonded deuterium atoms relative to the plane of the three oxygen atoms. The dipole moments for these clusters are determined to be approximately 2.5 and 1.8 D for “up-up” and “up-down” structures, respectively. Hydroxyl stretching bands of larger clusters containing three or more D2O molecules are observed shifted approximately 300 cm−1 to the red of the isolated OH radical. Pressure dependence studies and ab initio calculations imply the presence of multiple cyclic isomers of OH(D2O)3.
Improving the treatment of coarse-grain electrostatics: CVCEL
Authors: Ceres N. , Lavery R.
Published: October 2015

We propose an analytic approach for calculating the electrostatic energy of proteins or protein complexes in aqueous solution. This method, termed CVCEL (Circular Variance Continuum ELectrostatics), is fitted to Poisson calculations and is able to reproduce the corresponding energies for different choices of solute dielectric constant. CVCEL thus treats both solute charge interactions and charge self-energies, and it can also deal with salt solutions. Electrostatic damping notably depends on the degree of solvent exposure of the charges, quantified here in terms of circular variance, a measure that reflects the vectorial distribution of the neighbors around a given center. CVCEL energies can be calculated rapidly and have simple analytical derivatives. This approach avoids the need for calculating effective atomic volumes or Born radii. After describing how the method was developed, we present test results for coarse-grain proteins of different shapes and sizes, using different internal dielectric constants and different salt concentrations and also compare the results with those from simple distance-dependent models. We also show that the CVCEL approach can be used successfully to calculate the changes in electrostatic energy associated with changes in protein conformation or with protein-protein binding.
Tuning the critical solution temperature of polymers by copolymerization
Authors: Schulz Bernhard , Chudoba Richard , Heyda Jan , Dzubiella Joachim
Published: October 2015

We study statistical copolymerization effects on the upper critical solution temperature (CST) of generic homopolymers by means of coarse-grained Langevin dynamics computer simulations and mean-field theory. Our systematic investigation reveals that the CST can change monotonically or non-monotonically with copolymerization, as observed in experimental studies, depending on the degree of non-additivity of the monomer (A-B) cross-interactions. The simulation findings are confirmed and qualitatively explained by a combination of a two-component Flory-de Gennes model for polymer collapse and a simple thermodynamic expansion approach. Our findings provide some rationale behind the effects of copolymerization and may be helpful for tuning CST behavior of polymers in soft material design.
Correlation between supercooled liquid relaxation and glass Poisson’s ratio
Authors: Sun Qijing , Hu Lina , Zhou Chao , Zheng Haijiao , Yue Yuanzheng
Published: October 2015

We report on a correlation between the supercooled liquid (SL) relaxation and glass Poisson’s ratio (v) by comparing the activation energy ratio (r) of the α and the slow β relaxations and the v values for both metallic and nonmetallic glasses. Poisson’s ratio v generally increases with an increase in the ratio r and this relation can be described by the empirical function v = 0.5 − A*exp(−B*r), where A and B are constants. This correlation might imply that glass plasticity is associated with the competition between the α and the slow β relaxations in SLs. The underlying physics of this correlation lies in the heredity of the structural heterogeneity from liquid to glass. This work gives insights into both the microscopic mechanism of glass deformation through the SL dynamics and the complex structural evolution during liquid-glass transition.
A three dimensional integral equation approach for fluids under confinement: Argon in zeolites
Authors: Lomba Enrique , Bores Cecilia , Sánchez-Gil Vicente , Noya Eva G.
Published: October 2015

In this work, we explore the ability of an inhomogeneous integral equation approach to provide a full three dimensional description of simple fluids under conditions of confinement in porous media. Explicitly, we will consider the case of argon adsorbed into silicalite-1, silicalite-2, and an all-silica analogue of faujasite, with a porous structure composed of linear (and zig-zag in the case of silicalite-1) channels of 5-8 Å diameter. The equation is based on the three dimensional Ornstein-Zernike approximation proposed by Beglov and Roux [J. Chem. Phys. 103, 360 (1995)] in combination with the use of an approximate fluid-fluid direct correlation function furnished by the replica Ornstein-Zernike equation with a hypernetted chain closure. Comparison with the results of grand canonical Monte Carlo/molecular dynamics simulations evidences that the theory provides an accurate description for the three dimensional density distribution of the adsorbed fluid, both at the level of density profiles and bidimensional density maps across representative sections of the porous material. In the case of very tight confinement (silicalite-1 and silicalite-2), solutions at low temperatures could not be found due to convergence difficulties, but for faujasite, which presents substantially larger channels, temperatures as low as 77 K are accessible to the integral equation. The overall results indicate that the theoretical approximation can be an excellent tool to characterize the microscopic adsorption behavior of porous materials.
Approximating electronically excited states with equation-of-motion linear coupled-cluster theory
Authors: Byrd Jason N. , Rishi Varun , Perera Ajith , Bartlett Rodney J.
Published: October 2015

A new perturbative approach to canonical equation-of-motion coupled-cluster theory is presented using coupled-cluster perturbation theory. A second-order Møller-Plesset partitioning of the Hamiltonian is used to obtain the well known equation-of-motion many-body perturbation theory equations and two new equation-of-motion methods based on the linear coupled-cluster doubles and linear coupled-cluster singles and doubles wavefunctions. These new methods are benchmarked against very accurate theoretical and experimental spectra from 25 small organic molecules. It is found that the proposed methods have excellent agreement with canonical equation-of-motion coupled-cluster singles and doubles state for state orderings and relative excited state energies as well as acceptable quantitative agreement for absolute excitation energies compared with the best estimate theory and experimental spectra.
Examining the impact of harmonic correlation on vibrational frequencies calculated in localized coordinates
Authors: Hanson-Heine Magnus W. D.
Published: October 2015

Carefully choosing a set of optimized coordinates for performing vibrational frequency calculations can significantly reduce the anharmonic correlation energy from the self-consistent field treatment of molecular vibrations. However, moving away from normal coordinates also introduces an additional source of correlation energy arising from mode-coupling at the harmonic level. The impact of this new component of the vibrational energy is examined for a range of molecules, and a method is proposed for correcting the resulting self-consistent field frequencies by adding the full coupling energy from connected pairs of harmonic and pseudoharmonic modes, termed vibrational self-consistent field (harmonic correlation). This approach is found to lift the vibrational degeneracies arising from coordinate optimization and provides better agreement with experimental and benchmark frequencies than uncorrected vibrational self-consistent field theory without relying on traditional correlated methods.
Decomposition of the polynomial kernel of arbitrary higher spin Dirac operators
Authors: Eelbode D. , Raeymaekers T. , Van der Jeugt J.
Published: October 2015

In a series of recent papers, we have introduced higher spin Dirac operators, which are generalisations of the classical Dirac operator. Whereas the latter acts on spinor-valued functions, the former acts on functions taking values in arbitrary irreducible half-integer highest weight representations for the spin group. In this paper, we describe how the polynomial kernel spaces of such operators decompose in irreducible representations of the spin group. We will hereby make use of results from representation theory.
Roto-translational states of the interstitial molecular hydrogen in silicon: A theoretical study
Authors: Melnikov Vladlen V. , Yurchenko Sergei N.
Published: October 2015

A theoretical study of the interstitial molecular hydrogen in the silicon single-crystal is reported. H2 and Si have been approximated as a rigid object and a static matrix, respectively. A five-dimensional numerical-analytical representation of an ab initio potential energy surface of the system has been constructed. This representation has been used to calculate rotational, translational, and roto-translational energy levels of the interstitial hydrogen, where three levels of theory, 2D, 3D, and 5D were considered. The potential energy surface, the band structure of energy levels, and the roto-translational states obtained are presented together with the symmetry analysis of the roto-translational wavefunctions.
Nonlinear optical response of Au nanorods for broadband pulse modulation in bulk visible lasers
Authors: Wang Shuxian , Zhang Yuxia , Xing Jun , Liu Xinfeng , Yu Haohai , Di Lieto Alberto , Tonelli Mauro , Sum Tze Chien , Zhang Huaijin , Xiong Qihua
Published: October 2015

Due to the lack of suitable optical modulators, directly generated Pr3+- and Dy3+-doped bulk visible lasers are limited in the continuous-wave operation; yet, pulsed visible lasers are only sparingly reported recently. It has been theoretically predicated that Au nanorods could modulate the visible light operation, based on the nonlinear optical response of surface plasmon resonance. Here, we demonstrate the saturable absorption properties of Au nanorods in the visible region and experimentally realized the pulsed visible lasers over the spectral range of orange (605 nm), red (639 nm), and deep red (721 nm) with Au nanorods as the optical modulator. We show that Au nanorods have a broad nonlinear optical response and can serve as a type of broadband, low-cost, and eco-friendly candidate for optical switchers in the visible region. Our work also advocates the promise of plasmonic nanostructures for the development of pulsed lasers and other plasmonic devices.
Kolmogorov flow in two dimensional strongly coupled Yukawa liquid: A molecular dynamics study
Authors: Gupta Akanksha , Ganesh Rajaraman , Joy Ashwin
Published: October 2015

The transition from laminar to turbulent flows in liquids remains a problem of great interest despite decades of intensive research. Here, we report an atomistic study of this transition in a model Yukawa liquid using molecular dynamics simulations. Starting from an thermally equilibrated Yukawa liquid, for a given value of coupling parameter Γ (defined as ratio of potential energy to kinetic energy per particle) and screening length κ, a subsonic flow of magnitude U0 is superposed and transition to an unstable regime is observed eventually leading to turbulent flow at sufficiently high Reynolds numbers. We have performed a parametric study for a range of Reynolds number R and found that the flow is neutrally stable for RRc(Γ), where Rc is the critical value of Reynolds number. Strong molecular shear heating is observed in all cases studied here. It is found that the coupling parameter Γ decreases because of molecular shear heating on a time scale comparable to the instability time scale. Irrespective of the initial value of coupling parameter Γ, the average heating rate is found to be sensitive to the ratio of equilibrium flow speed to the thermal speed, say, α=U0vth, where vth=2Γ. Our results reported here are expected to be generic and should apply to a wide variety of strongly coupled systems such as laboratory dusty plasma, molten salts, and charged colloidal systems.
Candle soot nanoparticles-polydimethylsiloxane composites for laser ultrasound transducers
Authors: Chang Wei-Yi , Huang Wenbin , Kim Jinwook , Li Sibo , Jiang Xiaoning
Published: October 2015

Generation of high power laser ultrasound strongly demands the advanced materials with efficient laser energy absorption, fast thermal diffusion, and large thermoelastic expansion capabilities. In this study, candle soot nanoparticles-polydimethylsiloxane (CSNPs-PDMS) composite was investigated as the functional layer for an optoacoustic transducer with high-energy conversion efficiency. The mean diameter of the collected candle soot carbon nanoparticles is about 45 nm, and the light absorption ratio at 532 nm wavelength is up to 96.24%. The prototyped CSNPs-PDMS nano-composite laser ultrasound transducer was characterized and compared with transducers using Cr-PDMS, carbon black (CB)-PDMS, and carbon nano-fiber (CNFs)-PDMS composites, respectively. Energy conversion coefficient and −6 dB frequency bandwidth of the CSNPs-PDMS composite laser ultrasound transducer were measured to be 4.41 × 10−3 and 21 MHz, respectively. The unprecedented laser ultrasound transduction performance using CSNPs-PDMS nano-composites is promising for a broad range of ultrasound therapy applications.
Prediction models based on higher heating value from the elemental analysis of neem, mango, avocado, banana, and carob trees in Guayas (Ecuador)
Authors: Pérez-Arévalo J. J. , Callejón-Ferre A. J. , Velázquez-Martí B. , Suárez-Medina M. D.
Published: October 2015

The energy use of biomass in rural areas is starting to interest the farmers in Ecuador. Its use is recognized as environmentally friendly, but knowledge about the raw materials to be used as bioenergy remains meager. The objective of this research was to characterize five species located in the province of Guayas: avocado (Persea americana L.), carob (Prosopis spp.), mango (Mangifera indica L.), neem (Azadirachta indica L.), and bananas (Musa acuminata L.). The elemental composition and higher heating value were analyzed following harmonized standards. These species did not significantly differ in CHN composition, being about 33.012% C, 6.232% H, 0.610% N, and their higher heating value 14.322 MJ kg−1. However, significant differences were found with respect to Cl and S: banana wood had the highest Cl and S content 1.162% and 0.134%, respectively, while avocado had the lowest Cl and S content, 0.032% and 0.063%, respectively. Fifteen mathematical models were formulated to predict the higher heating values from elemental analysis. Three of these were selected to be used under better conditions based primarily on C with an R2 greater than 0.829 and mean percentage absolute error less than 3.38%.
Fluctuation-dissipation theorems in magnetized plasmas for arbitrary complex frequencies
Authors: Schlickeiser R. , Kolberg U.
Published: October 2015

The fluctuation-dissipation theorem (FDT) is an important and elegant tool to determine the intensity of electromagnetic fluctuations in thermal equal-temperature plasmas, a situation often encountered in cosmic and laboratory plasmas. As there is high interest in the fluctuations from stronger damped oscillations, especially aperiodic ones with ωR = 0, the FDT for general oscillations in magnetized plasmas for arbitrary complex frequencies ω=ωR+ıΓ is determined. Contrary to weakly damped, the aperiodic fluctuation spectra depend on the Hermitian (instead of the anti-Hermitian) part of the elements of the Maxwell operator. Explicit expressions for the FDT in unmagnetized plasmas are derived in terms of the longitudinal and transverse thermal dispersion functions.
Chromatin extrusion explains key features of loop and domain formation in wild-type and engineered genomes
Authors: Sanborn Adrian L. , Rao Suhas S. P. , Huang Su-Chen , Durand Neva C. , Huntley Miriam H. , Jewett Andrew I. , Bochkov Ivan D. , Chinnappan Dharmaraj , Cutkosky Ashok , Li Jian , Geeting Kristopher P. , Gnirke Andreas , Melnikov Alexandre , McKenna Doug , Stamenova Elena K. , Lander Eric S. , Aiden Erez Lieberman
Published: October 2015

Significance

When the human genome folds up inside the cell nucleus, it is spatially partitioned into numerous loops and contact domains. How these structures form is unknown. Here, we show that data from high-resolution spatial proximity maps are consistent with a model in which a complex, including the proteins CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) and cohesin, mediates the formation of loops by a process of extrusion. Contact domains form as a byproduct of this process. The model accurately predicts how the genome will fold, using only information about the locations at which CTCF is bound. We demonstrate the ability to reengineer loops and domains in a predictable manner by creating highly targeted mutations, some as small as a single base pair, at CTCF sites.
Territorial analysis of social welfare in Iran
Authors: Mohaqeqi Kamal Seyed Hossein , Rafiey Hassan , Sajjadi Homeira , Rahgozar Mehdi , Abbasian Ezatollah , Sharifian Sani Maryam
Published: October 2015

The last few decades have seen increased theoretical and empirical interest in multi-dimensional measures of social welfare. The objective of this paper is to measure social welfare in Iranian provinces. To achieve this, we used a composite social welfare index (SWI) for Iran. The SWI was developed through the methodology of constructing composite indicators. The index comprises information on different social indicators from various life domains, including: health, education, economy, social security, housing, and employment. We then categorized Iranian provinces on the basis of SWI scores. The results show that value of the SWI was poor in provinces located in the periphery of the country. Furthermore, we found the best and worst performances in Yazd and Sistan and Balochestan, respectively.
Multifrequency Oscillatory Ventilation in the Premature Lung
Authors: Kaczka David W. , Herrmann Jacob , Zonneveld C. Elroy , Tingay David G. , Lavizzari Anna , Noble Peter B. , Pillow J. Jane
Published: October 2015

AbstractAbstract

In preterm lambs, high-frequency oscillatory ventilation using simultaneous multiple oscillation frequencies improved gas exchange and lung recruitment at lower distending pressures; thus, future trials of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation might incorporate this approach.

Background

Despite the theoretical benefits of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) in preterm infants, systematic reviews of randomized clinical trials do not confirm improved outcomes. The authors hypothesized that oscillating a premature lung with multiple frequencies simultaneously would improve gas exchange compared with traditional single-frequency oscillatory ventilation (SFOV). The goal of this study was to develop a novel method for HFOV, termed “multifrequency oscillatory ventilation” (MFOV), which relies on a broadband flow waveform more suitable for the heterogeneous mechanics of the immature lung.

Methods

Thirteen intubated preterm lambs were randomly assigned to either SFOV or MFOV for 1 h, followed by crossover to the alternative regimen for 1 h. The SFOV waveform consisted of a pure sinusoidal flow at 5 Hz, whereas the customized MFOV waveform consisted of a 5-Hz fundamental with additional energy at 10 and 15 Hz. Per standardized protocol, mean pressure at airway opening (

JOURNAL/anet/04.03/00000542-201512000-00030/inline-graphic1/v/2024-12-02T212441Z/r/image-png

) and inspired oxygen fraction were adjusted as needed, and root mean square of the delivered oscillatory volume waveform (V
rms) was adjusted at 15-min intervals. A ventilatory cost function for SFOV and MFOV was defined as

JOURNAL/anet/04.03/00000542-201512000-00030/inline-graphic2/v/2024-12-02T212441Z/r/image-png

, where Wt denotes body weight.

Results

Averaged over all time points, MFOV resulted in significantly lower V
C (246.9 ± 6.0 vs. 363.5 ± 15.9 ml2 mmHg kg−1) and

JOURNAL/anet/04.03/00000542-201512000-00030/inline-graphic3/v/2024-12-02T212441Z/r/image-png

(12.8 ± 0.3 vs. 14.1 ± 0.5 cm H2O) compared with SFOV, suggesting more efficient gas exchange and enhanced lung recruitment at lower mean airway pressures.

Conclusion

Oscillation with simultaneous multiple frequencies may be a more efficient ventilator modality in premature lungs compared with traditional single-frequency HFOV.
A Conceptual Framework for Appropriateness in Surgical Care
Authors: Cooper Zara , Sayal Puneet , Abbett Sarah K. , Neuman Mark D. , Rickerson Elizabeth M. , Bader Angela M.
Published: October 2015

Innovations that foster high quality shared surgical decision making, in combination with successful elements of previous appropriateness methodologies, can reduce futile and unwanted procedures and increase the appropriateness of the care that our patients receive.
The Clinical Utility of Evaluating the Luminal Upper Gastrointestinal Tract During Linear Endoscopic Ultrasonography
Authors: Kim Stephen , Hamerski Chris , Ghassemi Kourosh , Shah Janak , Bhat Yasser , Klapman Jason , Komanduri Sri , Keswani Rajesh N. , Bidari Kiran , Wani Sachin , Watson Rabindra R. , Muthusamy Venkataraman R.
Published: October 2015

Background:

The clinical utility of performing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) before linear endoscopic ultrasonography (L-EUS) to evaluate the luminal upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract is not well established.

Goals:

The study was aimed to determine the prevalence of clinically meaningful luminal abnormalities (any luminal finding requiring further evaluation with mucosal biopsy or initiation of treatment) in patients undergoing L-EUS. The study also sought to compare the ability of the gastroscope and the linear echoendoscope in identifying these lesions.

Study:

A prospective, multicenter cohort study enrolled patients undergoing L-EUS for nonluminal indications. All patients underwent EGD followed by L-EUS by 2 different endoscopists. The second endoscopist was blinded to the results of the initial EGD. The identification of clinically meaningful luminal lesions and quality of endoscopic visualization of the upper GI tract were measured.

Results:

In the cohort of 175 patients, 52 (29.7%) patients had clinically meaningful luminal findings seen in the upper GI tract. There was no significant difference in the number of clinically meaningful lesions identified on EGD and L-EUS (25.1% vs. 22.9%, P=0.39). No significant difference was found in the miss rate of clinically meaningful lesions between the 2 modalities (EGD: 4.5% vs. EUS: 6.9%, P=0.39).

Conclusions:

A substantial minority of patients undergoing L-EUS for nonluminal indications will have clinically meaningful luminal findings. The endoscopic evaluation of the luminal upper GI tract can be adequately achieved using the linear echoendoscope.
A Non-Inferiority Study: Modified Dual Therapy Consisting Higher Doses of Rabeprazole Is as Successful as Standard Quadruple Therapy in Eradication of Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Sapmaz Ferdane , Kalkan Ismail H. , Atasoy Pinar , Basyigit Sebahat , Guliter Sefa
Published: October 2015

The aim is to compare high-dose rabeprazole and amoxicillin containing modified dual therapy (MDT) with bismuth subcitrate containing standard quadruple therapy (SQT) as the first-line Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment in terms of efficacy, safety, and adherence to treatment. A total of 200 consecutive patients diagnosed endoscopically with nonulcer dyspepsia with H. pylori infection were randomly assigned into 2 groups, 1 treated with amoxicillin 750 mg thrice daily plus rabeprazole 20 mg thrice daily (MDT group) or rabeprazole 20 mg b.i.d., bismuth subcitrate 120 mg q.i.d., tetracycline 500 mg q.i.d., metronidazole 500 mg t.i.d. (SQT group). Overall, 196 patients (98 in the MDT group and 98 in the SQT group) completed the study. H. pylori eradication was achieved in 84.7% of patients in the MDT group by intention to treat analysis and 84.9% by per-protocol analysis, which were comparable with SQT group (87.8% and 88.8%, respectively). Adverse events including nausea (P = 0.03), dysgeusia (P < 0.001), diarrhea (P = 0.001), black colored stool (P < 0.001), headache (P = 0.01), and abdominal pain (P = 0.05) were significantly higher in SQT group. The MDT is an efficient and safe treatment choice that could be recommended in the first-line eradication treatment of H. pylori.
“The AYA Director”: A Synthesizing Concept to Understand Psychosocial Experiences of Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer
Authors: Belpame Nathalie , Kars Marijke C. , Beeckman Dimitri , Decoene Elsie , Quaghebeur Marijke , Van Hecke Ann , Verhaeghe Sofie
Published: October 2015

Background:

Adolescents and young adults with cancer face distinct psychosocial challenges because of the multiple developmental tasks associated with their age. Research on psychosocial care, directed to the unique needs and demands of this population, is limited.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to describe the psychosocial experiences of adolescents and young adults with cancer to further the understanding of the meanings they attribute to their experiences.

Intervention/Methods:

This study used a qualitative design in which individual semistructured interviews were conducted with 23 participants aged 15 to 25 years.

Results:

Physical consequences of the disease and its treatment, loss of independence, and being alone were significant challenges. Major coping strategies of the participants were to avoid the possible threats to life and maintain a positive attitude and normal life. Participants were “directors” who took control in order to manage their illness, maintain a sense of control, and master their lives to the fullest extent possible.

Conclusions:

The concept of the “AYA (adolescent and young adult) director” provides insight for healthcare professionals to understand how adolescents and young adults experience cancer.

Implications for Practice:

Throughout the cancer experience, participants wanted to be treated as individuals with specific needs and preferences. They preferred circumstances they are accustomed to; some found it difficult to accept restrictions imposed by the hospital. Adolescents and young adults with cancer want to be involved in the way healthcare professionals communicate with them and the information they are provided.
AOP: An R Package For Sufficient Causal Analysis in Pathway-based Screening of Drugs and Chemicals for Adversity
Authors: Burgoon Lyle D.
Published: October 2015

How can I quickly find the key events in a pathway that I need to monitor to predict that a/an beneficial/adverse event/outcome will occur? This is a key question when using signaling pathways for drug/chemical screening in pharmacology, toxicology and risk assessment. By identifying these sufficient causal key events, we have fewer events to monitor for a pathway, thereby decreasing assay costs and time, while maximizing the value of the information. I have developed the “aop” package which uses back-door analysis of causal networks to identify these minimal sets of key events that are sufficient for making causal predictions.

Availability and Implementation

The source for the aop package is available online at Github athttps://github.com/DataSciBurgoon/aopand can be installed using the R devtools package. The aop package runs within the R statistical environment. The package has functions that can take pathways (as directed graphs) formatted as a Cytoscape JSON file as input, or pathways can be represented as directed graphs using the R/Bioconductor “graph” package. The “aop” package has functions that can perform backdoor analysis to identify the minimal set of key events for making causal predictions.

Contact

lyle.d.burgoon@usace.army.mil
Robust Group Fused Lasso for Multisample CNV Detection under Uncertainty
Authors: Noghabi Hossein Sharifi , Mohammadi Majid
Published: October 2015

One of the most important needs in the post-genome era is providing the researchers with reliable and efficient computational tools to extract and analyze this huge amount of biological data, in which DNA copy number variation (CNV) is a vitally important one. Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) is a common approach in order to detect CNVs. Most of methods for this purpose were proposed for one-dimensional profile. However, slightly this focus has moved from one- to multi-dimensional signals. In addition, since contamination of these profiles with noise is always an issue, it is highly important to have a robust method for analyzing multi-sample aCGH data. In this paper, we propose Robust Grouped Fused Lasso (RGFL) which utilizes the Robust Group Total Variations (RGTV). Instead of l2,1norm, thel1-l2M-estimator is used which is more robust in dealing with non-Gaussian noise and high corruption. More importantly, Correntropy (Welsch M-estimator) is also applied for fitting error. Extensive experiments indicate that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the art algorithms and techniques under a wide range of scenarios with diverse noises.
Structure of a lectin from the sea musselCrenomytilus grayanus(CGL)
Authors: Jakób Michał , Lubkowski Jacek , O'Keefe Barry R. , Wlodawer Alexander
Published: October 2015

CGL is a 150 amino-acid residue lectin that was originally isolated from the sea musselCrenomytilus grayanus. It is specific for binding GalNAc/Gal-containing carbohydrate moieties and in general does not share sequence homology with other known galectins or lectins. Since CGL displays antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities, and interacts with high affinity with mucin-type receptors, which are abundant on some cancer cells, knowledge of its structure is of significant interest. Conditions have been established for the expression, purification and crystallization of a recombinant variant of CGL. The crystal structure of recombinant CGL was determined and refined at a resolution of 2.12 Å. The amino-acid sequence of CGL contains three homologous regions (73% similarity) and the folded protein has a β-trefoil topology. Structural comparison of CGL with the closely related lectin MytiLec allowed description of the glycan-binding pockets.
Crystal structure of dichloridobis[2-(phenyldiazenyl)pyridine-κN1]zinc
Authors: Vittaya Luksamee , Leesakul Nararak , Saithong Saowanit , Chainok Kittipong
Published: October 2015

The structure of the title complex, [ZnCl2(C11H9N3)2], comprises two 2-(phenyldiazenyl)pyridine ligands coordinating to a central ZnIIdichloride unitviathe pyridyl N-atom donors, resulting in a slightly distorted tetrahedral geometry. The complex exhibits twofold rotation symmetry, with the rotation axis bisecting the zinc cation. The structure is stabilized by weak intermolecular C—H...Cl interactions [C...Cl = 3.411 (2) and 3.675 (2) Å], connecting neighbouring molecules into layers perpendicular to thecaxis.