bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Copayments for prescription medicines on a public health insurance scheme in Ireland
Authors: Sinnott Sarah‐Jo , Normand Charles , Byrne Stephen , Woods Noel , Whelton Helen
Published: December 2015

Purpose

We assessed the impact of the introduction of a €0.50 prescription copayment, and its increase to €1.50, on adherence to essential and less‐essential medicines in a publicly insured population in Ireland.

Methods

We used a pre‐post longitudinal repeated measures design. We included new users of essential medicines: blood pressure lowering, lipid lowering and oral diabetic agents, thyroid hormone, anti‐depressants, and less‐essential medicines: non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Proton Pump Inhibitors/H2 antagonists (PPIs/H2), and anxiolytics/hypnotics. The outcome was change in adherence, measured using Proportion of Days Covered. We used segmented regression with generalised estimating equations to allow for repeated measurements.

Results

Sample sizes ranged from 7145 (thyroid hormone users) to 136 111 (NSAID users). The €0.50 copayment was associated with reductions in adherence ranging from −2.1%[95% CI, −2.8 to −1.5] (thyroid hormone) to −8.3%[95% CI, −8.7 to −7.9] (anti‐depressants) for essential medicines and reductions in adherence of −2%[95% CI, −2.3 to −1.7] (anxiolytics/hypnotics) to −9.5%[95% CI, −9.8 to −9.1] (PPIs/H2) for less‐essential medicines. The €1.50 copayment generally resulted in smaller reductions in adherence to essential medicines. Anti‐depressant medications were the exception with a decrease of −10.0% [95% CI, −10.4 to −9.6] after the copayment increase. Larger decreases in adherence were seen for most less‐essential medicines; the largest was for PPIs/H2 at −13.5% [95% CI, −13.9 to −13.2] after the €1.50 copayment.

Conclusion

Both copayments had a greater impact on adherence to less‐essential medicines than essential medicines. The major exception was for anti‐depressant medicines. Further research is required to explore heterogeneity across different socio‐economic strata and to elicit the impact on clinical outcomes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Boosting protein stability with the computational design of β‐sheet surfaces
Authors: Kim Doo Nam , Jacobs Timothy M. , Kuhlman Brian
Published: December 2015

β‐sheets often have one face packed against the core of the protein and the other facing solvent. Mutational studies have indicated that the solvent‐facing residues can contribute significantly to protein stability, and that the preferred amino acid at each sequence position is dependent on the precise structure of the protein backbone and the identity of the neighboring amino acids. This suggests that the most advantageous methods for designing β‐sheet surfaces will be approaches that take into account the multiple energetic factors at play including side chain rotamer preferences, van der Waals forces, electrostatics, and desolvation effects. Here, we show that the protein design software Rosetta, which models these energetic factors, can be used to dramatically increase protein stability by optimizing interactions on the surfaces of small β‐sheet proteins. Two design variants of the β‐sandwich protein from tenascin were made with 7 and 14 mutations respectively on its β‐sheet surfaces. These changes raised the thermal midpoint for unfolding from 45°C to 64°C and 74°C. Additionally, we tested an empirical approach based on increasing the number of potential salt bridges on the surfaces of the β‐sheets. This was not a robust strategy for increasing stability, as three of the four variants tested were unfolded.
Off‐diagonal magnetoimpedance in amorphous microwires for low‐field magnetic sensors
Authors: Panina L. V. , Yudanov N. A. , Morchenko A. T. , Kostishyn V. G. , Makhnovskiy D. P.
Published: December 2015

Magnetoimpedance (MI) in amorphous wires is widely used for the development of various sensors and smart composites with sensing functionalities. In the case of sensor applications, MI in off‐diagonal configuration has a number of advantages including linearity, enhanced output voltage sensitivity, efficient resonance, or differential excitation schemes. In this article, we discuss the fundamentals of the off‐diagonal MI in amorphous microwires, working principles, and design of miniature MI magnetic sensors. Considering the electrodynamic origin of MI, a comparison with orthogonal fluxgates is made with the purpose to suggest improvements in MI sensor design. This includes multi‐wire configuration and suppression of the voltage offset caused by magnetic anisotropy helicity. New results on the heating effects reveal that the temperature stability along with sensitivity may be enhanced by annealing. The paper focus is aimed to demonstrate that the off‐diagonal MI sensors have a high potential for improvements in terms of output voltage sensitivity, magnetic field resolution and temperature stability.
Semiconductor nanostructures towards electronic and opto‐electronic device applications V
Authors: Moreels Iwan , André Pascal , Climente Juan I. , Reece Peter , Ribierre Jean‐Charles
Published: December 2015

In 2015, the E‐MRS spring meeting in Lille hosted the fifth installment of the bi‐annual symposium “Semiconductor nanostructures towards electronic and opto‐electronic device applications ”.

Organized for the first time in 2007, the symposium brought together researchers from different fields working on nanostructured materials and their application in opto‐electronics and photonics. Several sessions discussed the latest developments in the growth of CuInS2, InP, and group‐IV nanocrystals, III–V quantum dots and nanowires, and 2D materials such as graphene, MoS2 and BN. These were accompanied by presentations dedicated to the characterization of the electronic, optical and plasmonic properties, and charge transport in nanostructured films. New applications of these materials were also discussed, with an emphasis on nanostructured organic and inorganic transistors and LEDs, lasers, detectors and sensors.

Selected papers of the symposium are published in this special issue. Next to the contributed articles and proceedings, a feature article by Pavesi et al. highlights recent progress on silicon nanocrystals for optical communications [DOI: 10.1002/pssa.201532528].
The non‐conservation of potential vorticity by a dynamical core compared with the effects of parametrized physical processes
Authors: Saffin L. , Methven J. , Gray S. L.
Published: December 2015

Numerical models of the atmosphere combine a dynamical core, which approximates solutions to the adiabatic, frictionless governing equations for fluid dynamics, with tendencies arising from the parametrization of other physical processes. Since potential vorticity (PV) is conserved following fluid flow in adiabatic, frictionless circumstances, it is possible to isolate the effects of non‐conservative processes by accumulating PV changes in an air‐mass‐relative framework. This ‘PV tracer technique’ is used to accumulate separately the effects on PV of each of the different non‐conservative processes represented in a numerical model of the atmosphere. Dynamical cores are not exactly conservative because they introduce, explicitly or implicitly, some level of dissipation and adjustment of prognostic model variables which acts to modify PV. Here, the PV tracers technique is extended to diagnose the cumulative effect of the non‐conservation of PV by a dynamical core and its characteristics relative to the PV modification by parametrized physical processes.

Quantification using the Met Office Unified Model reveals that the magnitude of the non‐conservation of PV by the dynamical core is comparable to those from physical processes. Moreover, the residual of the PV budget, when tracing the effects of the dynamical core and physical processes, is at least an order of magnitude smaller than the PV tracers associated with the most active physical processes. The implication of this work is that the non‐conservation of PV by a dynamical core can be assessed in case‐studies with a full suite of physics parametrizations and directly compared with the PV modification by parametrized physical processes. The non‐conservation of PV by the dynamical core is shown to move the position of the extratropical tropopause while the parametrized physical processes have a lesser effect at the tropopause level.
Radiological, stereological, and microscopic evaluation of the quality of canal fillings in oval‐shaped root canals prepared with self‐adjusting file
Authors: Uzunoglu Emel , Ilgın Can , Yuruker Sinan , Görduysus Melahat
Published: December 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of the canal fillings performed by thermoplastic technique (Herofill) and cold lateral condensation (CLC) techniques in oval shaped canals following self‐adjusting file (SAF) preparation using radiological, stereological, and microscopic evaluation methods. Twelve pairs of oval‐shaped root canals were prepared with SAF and filled using CLC (n = 12) or the Herofill system (n = 12). The quality of the root canal filling was evaluated by (i) scoring bidirectional storage phosphor plate images, (ii) stereological (volumetric) analysis of cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) images, and (iii) microscopic analysis of the cross‐sectioned area of the canal and gutta‐percha via image analysis software. Chi‐square test, t‐test, and Mann–Whitney U‐tests were used respectively (p < 0.05) for the aforementioned evaluations. 58.33% of the fillings (total n = 24) that were found to be sufficient in a bucco‐lingual (BL) projection were considered insufficient in the mesio‐distal (MD) projection according to radiological scoring. The difference in the findings between the two types of projections (BL and MD) was significant (p < 0.05). The results of the stereological evaluation of CBCT images and image analysis of cross‐sections showed no statistically significant difference between the CLC and Herofill (p > 0.05). Herofill was not superior to cold lateral compaction. Stereology can be used to obtain unbiased information about the volume of root canal fillings. Both filling techniques failed to achieve the desirable goal of 0% empty volume in all of the cases and all evaluation systems confirmed this result. SCANNING 38:427–433, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Modification effects of short carbon fibers on mechanical properties and fretting wear behavior of UHMWPE composites
Authors: Wang Qiufeng , Wang Hongling , Wang Yunxia , Yan Fengyuan
Published: December 2015

The present work comparatively studied the modification effects of short carbon fiber (CF) on the mechanical properties and fretting wear behavior of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/CF composites. The interactions between CFs and UHMWPE interface were also investigated in detail. The results showed that, with the increase in fiber content, the compressive modulus and hardness of the composites increased, while its impact strength decreased. It was found that filling of CF can reduce the friction and wear of UHMWPE. In addition, the UHMWPE‐based composites reinforced with nitric acid‐treated CF exhibited better mechanical properties, lower friction coefficient, and higher wear resistance than those of untreated UHMWPE/CF composites. This was attributed to the improvement of interfacial adhesion and compatibility between CF and UHMWPE matrix caused by surface chemical modification of CF. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Micrometer‐Thick Graphene Oxide–Layered Double Hydroxide Nacre‐Inspired Coatings and Their Properties
Authors: Yan You‐Xian , Yao Hong‐Bin , Mao Li‐Bo , Asiri Abdullah M. , Alamry Khalid A. , Marwani Hadi M. , Yu Shu‐Hong
Published: December 2015

Robust, functional, and flame retardant coatings are attractive in various fields such as building construction, food packaging, electronics encapsulation, and so on. Here, strong, colorful, and fire‐retardant micrometer‐thick hybrid coatings are reported, which can be constructed via an enhanced layer‐by‐layer assembly of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoplatelets. The fabricated GO–LDH hybrid coatings show uniform nacre‐like layered structures that endow them good mechanic properties with Young's modulus of ≈18 GPa and hardness of ≈0.68 GPa. In addition, the GO–LDH hybrid coatings exhibit nacre‐like iridescence and attractive flame retardancy as well due to their well‐defined 2D microstructures. This kind of nacre‐inspired GO–LDH hybrid thick coatings will be applied in various fields in future due to their high strength and multifunctionalities.
Silole‐Based Red Fluorescent Organic Dots for Bright Two‐Photon Fluorescence In vitro Cell and In vivo Blood Vessel Imaging
Authors: Chen Bin , Feng Guangxue , He Bairong , Goh Chiching , Xu Shidang , Ramos‐Ortiz Gabriel , Aparicio‐Ixta Laura , Zhou Jian , Ng Laiguan , Zhao Zujin , Liu Bin , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: December 2015

Robust luminescent dyes with efficient two‐photon fluorescence are highly desirable for biological imaging applications, but those suitable for organic dots fabrication are still rare because of aggregation‐caused quenching. In this work, a red fluorescent silole, 2,5‐bis[5‐(dimesitylboranyl)thiophen‐2‐yl]‐1‐methyl‐1,3,4‐triphenylsilole ((MesB)2DTTPS), is synthesized and characterized. (MesB)2DTTPS exhibits enhanced fluorescence efficiency in nanoaggregates, indicative of aggregation‐enhanced emission (AEE). The organic dots fabricated by encapsulating (MesB)2DTTPS within lipid‐PEG show red fluorescence peaking at 598 nm and a high fluorescence quantum yield of 32%. Upon excitation at 820 nm, the dots show a large two‐photon absorption cross section of 3.43 × 105 GM, which yields a two‐photon action cross section of 1.09 × 105 GM. These (MesB)2DTTPS dots show good biocompatibility and are successfully applied to one‐photon and two‐photon fluorescence imaging of MCF‐7 cells and two‐photon in vivo visualization of the blood vascular of mouse muscle in a high‐contrast and noninvasive manner. Moreover, the 3D blood vasculature located at the mouse ear skin with a depth of over 100 μm can also be visualized clearly, providing the spatiotemporal information about the whole blood vascular network.
Chemo/Photoacoustic Dual Therapy with mRNA‐Triggered DOX Release and Photoinduced Shockwave Based on a DNA‐Gold Nanoplatform
Authors: Zang Yundong , Wei Yanchun , Shi Yujiao , Chen Qun , Xing Da
Published: December 2015

A multifunctional nanoparticle based on gold nanorod (GNR), utilizing mRNA triggered chemo‐drug release and near‐infrared photoacoustic effect, is developed for a combined chemo‐photoacoustic therapy. The constructed nanoparticle (GNR‐DNA/FA:DOX) comprises three functional components: (i) GNR as the drug delivery platform and photoacoustic effect enhancer; (ii) toehold‐possessed DNA dressed on the GNR to load doxorubicin (DOX) to implement a tumor cell specific chemotherapy; and (iii) folate acid (FA) modified on GNR to guide the nanoparticle to target tumor cells. The results show that, upon an effective and specific delivery of the nanoparticles to the tumor cells with overexpressed folate receptors, the cytotoxic DOX loaded on the GNR‐DNA nanoplatform can be released through DNA displacement reaction in melanoma‐associated antigen gene mRNA expressed cells. With 808 nm pulse laser irradiation, the photoacoustic effect of the GNR leads to a direct physical damage to the cells. The combined treatment of the two modalities can effectively destroy tumor cells and eradicate the tumors with two distinctively different and supplementing mechanisms. With the nanoparticle, photoacoustic imaging is successfully performed in situ to monitor the drug distribution and tumor morphology for therapeutical guidance. With further in‐depth investigation, the proposed nanoparticle may provide an effective and safe alternative cancer treatment modality.
Probabilistic logic programming on the web
Authors: Riguzzi Fabrizio , Bellodi Elena , Lamma Evelina , Zese Riccardo , Cota Giuseppe
Published: December 2015

We present the web application ‘cplinton SWI‐Prolog for SHaring that allows the user to write (SWISH)' Probabilistic Logic Programs and submit the computation of the probability of queries with a web browser. The application is based on SWISH, a web framework for Logic Programming. SWISH is based on various features and packages of SWI‐Prolog, in particular, its web server and its Pengine library, that allow to create remote Prolog engines and to pose queries to them. In order to develop the web application, we started from the PITA system, which is included incplint, a suite of programs for reasoning over Logic Programs with Annotated Disjunctions, by porting PITA to SWI‐Prolog. Moreover, we modified the PITA library so that it can be executed in a multi‐threading environment. Developing ‘cplinton SWISH’ also required modification of the JavaScript SWISH code that creates and queries Pengines. ‘cplinton SWISH’ includes a number of examples that cover a wide range of domains and provide interesting applications of Probabilistic Logic Programming. By providing a web interface tocplint, we allow users to experiment with Probabilistic Logic Programming without the need to install a system, a procedure that is often complex, error prone, and limited mainly to the Linux platform. In this way, we aim to reach out to a wider audience and popularize Probabilistic Logic Programming. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New insights into a complex fungal pathogen: the case of Paracoccidioides spp.
Authors: Gonzalez Angel , Hernandez Orville
Published: December 2015

Paracoccidioidomycosis is a systemic mycosis endemic to Latin America, with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and P. lutzii being the causal agents of this disorder. Several issues have been raised in the 100 years since its discovery and in this article we discuss features of this fascinating fungal pathogen, including its biology, eco‐epidemiology and aspects of its pathogenicity. We also consider some of its virulence determinants, the most recent advances in the study of its metabolic pathways and the molecular and genetic research tools developed for this research. We also review the animal models used to study host–fungal interactions and how the host defence mechanisms against this pathogen work. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Net Fiscal Flows and the Size of Cities
Authors: Zimmermann Horst
Published: December 2015

Which regions contribute most to national growth? Do large cities ‘need’ more expenditure per capita? The relation between these two questions is the subject of a current German discussion, but it is of importance for other countries as well. What precisely is the issue? The substantial German fiscal equalization systems between states (Länder) and between communities assign estimates of higher expenditure need per capita to larger cities. This paper argues that this is justified, because, following the arguments of new regional economics, the modern agglomerations are of crucial importance for national growth. To maintain this role they have to be able to keep or receive enough public finance. To assess this, total public flows out of and into regions have to be taken into account. The relevant analysis shows that their contribution to upper-level (federal and Länder) finances is far above average, but that they receive relatively little from federal and Länder spending; consequently they experience large net fiscal outflows. The use of the abovementioned progressive scale of expenditure need in the equalization systems reduces this fiscal siphoning-off, at least to some extent.
Time for helping
Authors: Danilov Anastasia , Vogelsang Timo
Published: December 2015

This study investigates whether individuals engage in prosocial behavior when it requires an investment of their time, but not money. In a laboratory experiment with rigorous anonymity arrangements, senders receive their payoff at the beginning. They may then engage in a tedious task to increase the earnings of exogenously disadvantaged recipients who otherwise receive no earnings. We find that senders are willing to sacrifice time to benefit recipients. Whether or not the recipient is present in the laboratory during the working time does not alter this decision. However, in a treatment variation some senders also display antisocial behavior.
Selective familiarity deficits in otherwise cognitively intact aging individuals with genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Schoemaker Dorothee , Poirier Judes , Escobar Sophia , Gauthier Serge , Pruessner Jens
Published: December 2015

Introduction

Familiarity has been associated with integrity of the rhinal cortex. Thus, impairment in familiarity is expected in very early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele is a major risk factor for AD. Here, we investigated the effect of the APOE ε4 status on familiarity in cognitively normal aging individuals.

Methods

Eighty‐one individuals aged between 55 and 80 years, 21 carriers and 60 noncarriers, were used in these analyses. A cognitive evaluation was performed on all participants to document the absence of objective cognitive deficits. The effect of APOE ε4 status on familiarity was tested using independent sample t test and an analysis of covariance controlling for age, gender, and education.

Results

The groups did not differ in term of age, education, and male/female ratio. APOE ε4 carriers showed a significant reduction in familiarity. No other cognitive deficit was observed in the group of ε4 carriers, relative to noncarriers.

Discussion

APOE ε4 is associated with a reduction in familiarity in the absence of other cognitive deficits. These results suggest that performance in familiarity could represent an early cognitive marker for individuals at risk of AD.
Evaluation of the inflammatory response induced by different materials in the treatment of perianal fistulas: experimental study in rats
Authors: Galvão Mariana Ocampos , dos Santos Carlos Henrique Marques , Falcão Gustavo Ribeiro
Published: December 2015

The medical literature has no study evaluating the effectiveness of different materials used as setons in the treatment of perianal fistulas; therefore, there is no evidence of availability of a more effective material than others for this purpose.

Objective To evaluate the inflammatory response induced by different materials used as seton in perianal fistulas in rats.

Method Thirty Wistar rats, which were initially submitted for the construction of a perianal fistula by passing transfixing steel wire into the anal canal, were used. The rats were kept for 30 days; after this period, and with confirmation of the formation of the perianal fistula, the setons were introduced (10 rats – cotton thread #0; 10 rats – rubber; and 10 rats – silastic); after 30 days the animals were euthanized, and then the area of the fistula repaired by the seton was resected, and the material retrieved was submitted to histological analysis. The results were analyzed statistically.

Results The mean degree of inflammatory process observed by histological analysis after 30 days was 2.3 for the cotton group; 1 for the rubber group; and 1.2 for the silastic group.

Conclusion A greater inflammatory response was observed in the group treated with a cotton seton. In the remaining groups, a lower inflammatory response, with equal intensity for rubber and silastic-treated rats, was noted.
A meta‐analytic synthesis of the question–behavior effect
Authors: Spangenberg Eric R. , Kareklas Ioannis , Devezer Berna , Sprott David E.
Published: December 2015

Asking people a question about performing a target behavior influences future performance of that behavior. While contextually robust and methodologically simple, this “question–behavior effect” reveals theoretical complexity as evidenced by the large number of proposed explanations for the effect. Furthermore, considerable heterogeneity exists regarding the “question” used to elicit the effect and the variety of different types of target “behaviors” for which the effect has manifested. A meta‐analytic synthesis of 104 question‐behavior studies across 51 published and unpublished papers is presented. Grouping proposed theories for the effect into four overarching categories, we derive and test systematic predictions regarding potential moderators of conceptual and practical significance. Our findings provide varying degrees of support for four different theoretical mechanisms (attitudes, consistency, fluency and motivations) proposed to underlie the effect. Insights into these mechanisms are presented and outstanding gaps in our understanding are identified as opportunities for future research.
HOW A SINGLE-FACTOR CAPM WORKS IN A MULTI-CURRENCY WORLD
Authors: Thomson Robert , Şahin Şule , Reddy Taryn
Published: December 2015

In this paper, a single-factor multi-currency (SFM) capital-asset pricing model (SFM-CAPM) is developed. The advantage in using a single-factor model is that it does not treat currency risks as carrying different weight from investment risks; regardless of its source, risk is measured as variance, and weighted accordingly. The aim of this paper is primarily to give actuaries a way ahead in the use of the single-factor CAPM in a multi-currency world for the purposes of the stochastic modelling of the assets and liabilities of long-term financial institutions, such as pension funds, particularly for the purposes of liability-driven investments and market-consistent valuation, and the application of the model has been designed with that intention. However, it is envisaged that the model will also be of interest to other practitioners. The paper's major original contribution to the literature is its proof that, for a single-factor CAPM to work in a multi-currency world, there is a necessary condition. The theory is applied to two major currencies and two minor currencies, namely the US dollar, the UK pound, the South African rand and the Turkish lira.
Coping Behavior and Risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Federal Disaster Responders
Authors: Loo George T. , DiMaggio Charles J. , Gershon Robyn R. , Canton David B. , Morse Stephen S. , Galea Sandro
Published: December 2015

Background

Our knowledge about the impact of coping behavior styles in people exposed to stressful disaster events is limited. Effective coping behavior has been shown to be a psychosocial stress modifier in both occupational and nonoccupational settings.

Methods

Data were collected by using a web-based survey that administered the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist–Civilian, General Coping Questionnaire-30, and a supplementary questionnaire assessing various risk factors. Logistic regression models were used to test for the association of the 3 coping styles with probable PTSD following disaster exposure among federal disaster responders.

Results

In this sample of 549 study subjects, avoidant coping behavior was most associated with probable PTSD. In tested regression models, the odds ratios ranged from 1.19 to 1.26 and 95% confidence intervals ranged from 1.08 to 1.35. With control for various predictors, emotion-based coping behavior was also found to be associated with probable PTSD (odds ratio=1.11; 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.22).

Conclusion

This study found that in disaster responders exposed to traumatic disaster events, the likelihood of probable PTSD can be influenced by individual coping behavior style and other covariates. The continued probability of disasters underscores the critical importance of these findings both in terms of guiding mental health practitioners in treating exposed disaster responders and in stimulating future research. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:108–117)
Preventing plane-assisted suicides through the lessons of research on homicide and suicide–homicide
Authors: Rice Timothy R , Sher Leo
Published: December 2015

Objective

The Germanwings 9525 incident drew significant attention to the ‘plane-assisted suicide’ construct, yet little scientific literature exists on this topic. This paper reviews the available literature and applies lessons from the suicide-homicide and men’s mental health literature to better understand this construct from a scientific perspective.

Methods

A systematic review of the relevant clinical literature was undertaken.

Results

Multiple lines of evidence suggests the applicability and relevance of suicide-homicide research and men’s mental health to the plane-assisted suicide phenomenon. Plane-assisted suicides occur within an overwhelmingly male, middle aged population who, in addition to suicide, commit large scale acts of murder. Issues of divorce, separation, and threats to masculinity appear integral to an effective prevention program.

Conclusion

Further research in the understanding of plane-assisted suicide as a product of neuropsychiatric disorder may advance such prevention efforts and have the opportunity to reduce the loss of life in future tragedies.
Increasing profitability and water use efficiency of triple rice crop production in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Authors: NHẪN P. P. , HÒA L. V. , QUÍ C. N. , HUY N. X. , HỮU T. P. , MACDONALD B. C. T , TƯỜNG T. P.
Published: December 2015

Rice production in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam is threatened by future water scarcity caused by changing rainfall patterns and increasing irrigation costs. To improve resilience of the triple rice farming system to future climate-related stresses, profitability needs to be increased through water use efficiency, fertilizer management and planting methods.

During four cropping seasons in 2011–13, alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation was applied in the triple rice production area within An Giang Province, Vietnam. An issue with the application of AWD is the prevalence of acid sulphate soils in the Mekong Delta. Three types of irrigation management were tested; continuously flooded (CF) where the water in the paddy was maintained at 5 cm; AWD where the water level was allowed to fall to 15 cm below the ground surface, at which point the field was irrigated until the water level was at 1 cm above the ground surface (designated −15 cm); AWD where the water level was allowed to fall to 30 cm below the ground surface before irrigation until the water level was at 1 cm above the ground surface (designated −30 cm). Two further experiments were also undertaken which examined the planting method (transplant v. direct sowing) and phosphorus rate on rice yield. There was no effect on yield caused by P fertilizer rate and irrigation management in any year, and there was no significant effect on soil pH or salinity caused by irrigation management. Overall net profitability was greatest for the AWD treatments because of the reduction in pumping and labour costs in the dry season. Transplanted rice improved yields, but the labour cost reduced overall profitability. The study shows that AWD (−15 cm) can be safely applied in acid sulphate soil areas within the triple rice areas of An Giang Mekong Delta and saved at least 0·27 of total irrigated water quantity used during three of the six cropping seasons. The increased profitability of the AWD rice production system will help to improve the resilience of triple rice cropping systems to future water scarcity.
Industry Expertise of Independent Directors and Board Monitoring
Authors: Wang Cong , Xie Fei , Zhu Min
Published: December 2015

We examine whether the industry expertise of independent directors affects board monitoring effectiveness. We find that the presence of independent directors with industry experience on a firm’s audit committee significantly curtails firms’ earnings management. In addition, a greater representation of independent directors with industry expertise on a firm’s compensation committee reduces chief executive officer (CEO) excess compensation, and a greater presence of such directors on the full board increases the CEO turnover-performance sensitivity and improves acquirer returns from diversifying acquisitions. Overall, the evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that having relevant industry expertise enhances independent directors’ ability to perform their monitoring function.
Implementation of Hamada principle in calculations of nested 3-D equilibria
Authors: Zakharov Leonid E.
Published: December 2015

Plasma confinement is based on the use of nested toroidal magnetic surfaces. In axisymmetric configurations the nestedness is provided by the existence of a flux function describing the magnetic surfaces explicitly. In the case of a three-dimensional magnetic field, the nested surfaces represent an exception. More typically, magnetic islands are formed on the resonant surfaces. The islands could degrade the plasma performance. The rigorous condition for the existence of nested surfaces without islands was formulated by Hamada (Nucl. Fusion, vol. 2, 1962, pp. 23–37) but was not implemented directly into numerical codes used, for example, for designing the stellarator configurations. This paper introduces a method of implementation of the Hamada principle in numerical algorithms. The proposed approach allows for simple linearized equilibrium equations (LEE) and potentially very efficient three-dimensional calculations of nested equilibria.
Real-time estimation of the hospitalization fatality risk of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in Hong Kong
Authors: WONG J. Y. , WU P. , LAU E. H. Y. , TSANG T. K. , FANG V. J. , HO L.-M. , COWLING B. J.
Published: December 2015

During the early stage of an epidemic, timely and reliable estimation of the severity of infections are important for predicting the impact that the influenza viruses will have in the population. We obtained age-specific deaths and hospitalizations for patients with laboratory-confirmed H1N1pdm09 infections from June 2009 to December 2009 in Hong Kong. We retrospectively obtained the real-time estimates of the hospitalization fatality risk (HFR), using crude estimation or allowing for right-censoring for final status in some patients. Models accounting for right-censoring performed better than models without adjustments. The risk of deaths in hospitalized patients with confirmed H1N1pdm09 increased with age. Reliable estimates of the HFR could be obtained before the peak of the first wave of H1N1pdm09 in young and middle-aged adults but after the peak in the elderly. In the next influenza pandemic, timely estimation of the HFR will contribute to risk assessment and disease control.
High-dose-rate brachytherapy boost in prostate cancer: a New Zealand case series
Authors: Chin John K. L. , Rantshilane Kenanao D. , Chin Paul K. L. , Chaudhuri Anupam , Tyrie Leanne K. , Hartopeanu Cristian G.
Published: December 2015

Aim

The aim of the present study was to report the survival outcomes and late toxicity of high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRBT) boost for dose escalation in patients with intermediate-to-high-risk prostate cancer.

Materials and methods

Retrospective data were collected from 137 patients who had undergone definitive radiotherapy for prostate cancer between 2006 and 2010. All patients had external-beam radiotherapy (median dose 46Gy) and HDRBT. Brachytherapy dose was 19Gy in two fractions (6 hours apart) with one implant using Ir-192.

Results

There were 94 high-risk and 43 intermediate-risk patients (NCCN classification). The median follow-up period was 60 months. The 5-year biochemical progression-free survival was 92 and 76% for intermediate- and high-risk groups, respectively. Prostate cancer-specific survival for the intermediate-risk group was 100% and for the high-risk group it was 92% at 5 years. For the entire cohort, the 5-year rate of urethral stricture formation was 13%, and the 5-year rate of late grade 2 and grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity was 4·7 and 4·6%, respectively. There was no grade 3 or greater genitourinary toxicity.

Findings

Our data add to the growing body of literature supporting the use of HDRBT in prostate cancer. Late toxicity rates were marginally higher than that expected.
ROMANTIC NATIONALISM: HISTORY AND ILLUSION IN IRELAND
Authors: DWAN DAVID
Published: December 2015

Intellectual historians often invoke “romanticism” to account for the origins and conceptual shape of nationalism. In an Irish context, however, this approach has yielded false genealogies of influence and an impaired political understanding. Cast through a “romantic” prism, nationalism is divorced from its conditions of intelligibility, becoming unhelpfully isolated from questions about sovereignty, democratic legitimacy and the nature of modern citizenship. Thus all too often the irrationality that is made part of the definition of “romantic nationalism” is a function of the way that it is interpreted.
Suicide in Northern Ireland
Authors: O'Neill Siobhan , Corry Colette , McFeeters Danielle , Murphy Sam , Bunting Brendan
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Background: The circumstances surrounding death by suicide can give us insight into the factors affecting suicide risk in particular regions. Aims: This study examined gender and circumstances surrounding death by suicide in Northern Ireland from 2005 to 2011. Method: The study analyzed 1,671 suicides (77% male and 23% female cases) using information contained from the coroner's files on suicides and undetermined deaths. Results: Hanging was the most common method and more than one third of the deceased had prior suicide attempts. There was evidence of alcohol use in 41% of the cases. Only, 61% of cases had recorded adverse events; most had multiple and complex combinations of experiences. Relationship and interpersonal difficulties were the most common category of adverse event (40.3%). However, illness and bereavement, employment /financial crisis, and health problems were also common. One third of those who died by suicide were employed, compared with 50.3% who were not in employment. Just over half (50.1%) were known to have a mental health disorder. Conclusion: The results provide the first profile of deaths by suicide in Northern Ireland. They highlight the need to target people who have difficult life experiences in suicide prevention work, notably men, people with employment, financial and relationship crises, and those with mental disorders.
Effectively Evaluate Scientific Posters
Authors: Watson Kelsey
Published: December 2015

In poster sessions, students and scientists convey research to an audience walking through a busy hall. To reach that audience, posters should be eye-catching, to the point, and easy to understand.
Team Gets Firsthand Look at the New Holuhraun Eruption Site
Authors: Hamilton Christopher
Published: December 2015

Iceland 2015: Field Workshop on Active Lava–Water Interactions; Holuhraun, Iceland, 20–28 August 2015
Russ E. Davis Receives 2015 Maurice Ewing Medal
Authors:   AGU
Published: December 2015

Russ E. Davis was awarded the 2015 Maurice Ewing Medal at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 16 December 2015 in San Francisco, Calif. The medal is for "significant contributions to the ocean sciences."
Experts Urge Europe and the U.S. to Boost Cooperation in Space
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: December 2015

By working more closely together, these major space players could better monitor weather and natural hazards, improve communications and satellite security, and extend international cooperation.
White House Data Chief Stresses Benefits of Better Communication
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: December 2015

DJ Patil urged scientists to make better use of their data to persuasively communicate findings to broad audiences. Some of the best data scientists work in Earth and space sciences, he added.
Human Radio Transmissions Create Barrier to "Killer Electrons"
Authors: Wendel JoAnna
Published: December 2015

An interaction between radio waves and the Van Allen radiation belts creates a bubble around the Earth that high-energy electrons can't penetrate.
Spending Bill Gives Science Agencies Financial Boost
Authors: Wendel JoAnna
Published: December 2015

Congress has until 22 December to vote on the new bill, which provides an increase in funding for NASA, USGS, NOAA, and more.
Oil Dispersants Deadly to a Common Estuary Species
Authors: Bane Brendan
Published: December 2015

Research on two dispersants used to break up spilled oil suggests that the chemicals can kill or harm a widely–found shrimp important to estuary habitats. The toxicity increases in less salty water.
Interior Water Not Ruled Out for Our Moon, Lab Tests Suggest
Authors: McDermott Amy
Published: December 2015

The experiments mimicked cooling of magma at the lunar surface. They found that any water in interior molten rock might have escaped so fast at the surface that none was left to be measured.
Ionic liquid@MIL-101 prepared via the ship-in-bottle technique: remarkable adsorbents for the removal of benzothiophene from liquid fuel
Authors: Khan Nazmul Abedin , Hasan Zubair , Jhung Sung Hwa
Published: December 2015

Ionic liquids were firstly synthesized in a pore of metal–organic frameworkviaa ship-in-bottle technique; and the obtained IL@MOF showed a remarkable reusability/stability in the adsorptive desulfurization of model fuel.
Sequential Au(i)/chiral tertiary amine catalysis: a tandem C–H functionalization of anisoles or a thiophene/asymmetric Michael addition sequence to quaternary oxindoles
Authors: Cao Zhong-Yan , Zhao Yu-Lei , Zhou Jian
Published: December 2015

We report an unprecedented sequential Au(i)/bifunctional tertiary amine catalysis, which enables a tandem C–H functionalization of weak nucleophiles (anisoles or thiophenes) and asymmetric Michael addition for the highly enantioselective synthesis of quaternary oxindoles.
Tracking single viruses infecting their host cells using quantum dots
Authors: Liu Shu-Lin , Wang Zhi-Gang , Zhang Zhi-Ling , Pang Dai-Wen
Published: December 2015

We describe the implementation of quantum dot-based single-virus tracking and show how to use this technique to acquire meaningful information.
Mechanistic insight into the selective catalytic reduction of NO by NH3 over low-valent titanium-porphyrin: a DFT study
Authors: Maitarad Phornphimon , Meeprasert Jittima , Shi Liyi , Limtrakul Jumras , Zhang Dengsong , Namuangruk Supawadee
Published: December 2015

The theoretical study shows that Ti-porphyrin has potential as an alternative catalyst for NH3-SCR of NO.
Heteropolar bonding and a position-space representation of the 8 − N rule
Authors: Wagner F. R. , Bende D. , Grin Yu.
Published: December 2015

The 8 −Nrule in solid-state chemistry is represented by two complementary views. This contribution highlights the new quantum-chemical position-space representation of the 8 −Nrule which unites the two classical views and shows promising predictive capabilities, in particular for heteropolar bonding situations.
CuAAC click reactions for the design of multifunctional luminescent ruthenium complexes
Authors: Zabarska Natalia , Stumper Anne , Rau Sven
Published: December 2015

CuAAC (Cu(i) catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition) click chemistry has emerged as a versatile tool in the development of photoactive ruthenium complexes with multilateral potential applicability. Three general concepts for their synthesis and selected applications are discussed.
Reduced energy demand for municipal wastewater recovery using an anaerobic floating filter membrane bioreactor
Authors: Seib M. D. , Berg K. J. , Zitomer D. H.
Published: December 2015

Unique anaerobic membrane bioreactor system achieves high organic removal with low energy requirements.
A [Fe(bpy)3]2+ grafted graphitic carbon nitride hybrid for visible light assisted oxidative coupling of benzylamines under mild reaction conditions
Authors: Kumar Arvind , Kumar Pawan , Joshi Chetan , Ponnada Srikanth , Pathak Abhishek K. , Ali Asgar , Sreedhar Bojja , Jain Suman L.
Published: December 2015

Iron(ii) bipyridine grafted on graphitic carbon nitride (Fe(bpy)3/npg-C3N4) was found to be an efficient photocatalyst for oxidative coupling of benzyl amines using molecular oxygen as an oxidant and a household white LED as a light emitting source.
Synthesis and antibacterial activity of ricinoleic acid glycosides
Authors: Kuppala Ramakrishna , Govindarajan Mugunthan , Tambat Rushikesh , Patel Neeraj , Nandanwar Hemraj , Bhutani Kamlesh K. , Kartha K. P. Ravindranathan
Published: December 2015

The antibacterial properties of twenty-eight novel ricinoleic acid glycosides synthesized by Koenigs–Knorr glycosylation are reported.
Experimental study on deep desulfurization of MTBE by electrochemical oxidation and distillation
Authors: Li Jing-jing , Zhou Fei , Tang Xiao-dong , Hu Tao , Cheng Jin
Published: December 2015

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection, deep desulfurization of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), which is the most important octane booster in gasoline, is extremely urgent.
Triterpenes from the fruits of Rosa laevigata with acetylcholinesterase and Aβ-aggregation inhibitory activities
Authors: Gao Pin-Yi , Wang Meng , Liu Xue-Gui , Gao Yi-Xing , Li Jia-Luo , Zhang Zhen-Xue , Lin Hou-Wen , Song Shao-Jiang
Published: December 2015

A lupane-type triterpene (1) featuring a rare 2-hemiacetal moiety and aromatic ester derivatives (2–6) were isolated from R. laevigata and evaluated to possess acetylcholinesterase and Aβ-aggregation inhibitory activities.
Novel redox-responsive nanogels based on poly(ionic liquid)s for the triggered loading and release of cargos
Authors: Miao Congcong , Li Feng , Zuo Yong , Wang Rongmin , Xiong Yubing
Published: December 2015

A redox-responsive nanogel matrix was fabricated by one-step synthesis for the controlled loading and release of cargos.
Ionic liquid-coated Fe3O4/APTES/graphene oxide nanocomposites: synthesis, characterization and evaluation in protein extraction processes
Authors: Huang Yanhua , Wang Yuzhi , Wang Ying , Pan Qi , Ding Xueqin , Xu Kaijia , Li Na , Wen Qian
Published: December 2015

A magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) procedure with ionic liquid (IL) coated 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES)-Fe3O4 grafted graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite (Fe3O4/APTES/GO/IL) as adsorbent has been developed for protein extraction.
In situ growth of Ag/Ag2O nanoparticles on g-C3N4 by a natural carbon nanodot-assisted green method for synergistic photocatalytic activity
Authors: Jiang Zhifeng , Xie Jimin
Published: December 2015

Novel visible-light-driven Ag/Ag2O@g-C3N4 hybrid materials were synthesized successfully via a green, facile hydrothermal treatment approach by reducing AgNO3 with carbon nanodots for the first time.
Role of iron in the reduction of H2O2 intermediate during the oxygen reduction reaction on iron-containing polyimide-based electrocatalysts
Authors: Muthukrishnan Azhagumuthu , Nabae Yuta , Ohsaka Takeo
Published: December 2015

The role of Fe in Fe–N–C catalysts is to catalyze the reduction of the H2O2 intermediate of the peroxide pathway of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The results demonstrate that the ORR of Fe–N–C catalysts follows the two-site peroxide pathway.
Comparative cell adhesion properties of cysteine extended peptide architectures
Authors: Soylemez Saniye , Demir Bilal , Eyrilmez Gizem Oyman , Kesici Seçkin , Saylam Aytül , Odaci Demirkol Dilek , Özçubukçu Salih , Timur Suna , Toppare Levent
Published: December 2015

This study presents the comparative cell attachment investigation of TAT and well-known RGD peptide modified surfaces.
Simple synthesis process for ZnO sphere-decorated CNT fiber and its electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical properties
Authors: Hossain M. M. , Shima H. , Islam Md. A. , Hasan M. , Lee M.
Published: December 2015

An easy process to produce ZnO sphere-decorated CNT (ZSDC) fibers was established.
A recast Nafion/graphene oxide composite membrane for advanced vanadium redox flow batteries
Authors: Yu Lihong , Lin Feng , Xu Ling , Xi Jingyu
Published: December 2015

GO nanosheets in Nafion effectively block the crossover of vanadium ions while hydrogen bonds between GO and Nafion increase the mechanical stability, significantly improving the efficiency and cyclability in a rNafion/GO membrane based VRFB.