bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laser‐induced surface structures on gold‐coated polymers: Influence of morphology on surface‐enhanced Raman scattering enhancement
Authors: Rebollar Esther , Hernández Margarita , Sanz Mikel , Pérez Susana , Ezquerra Tiberio A. , Castillejo Marta
Published: August 2015

The fabrication of highly sensitive and reproducible substrates for Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) remains a challenging scientific and technological issue. In this work, laser‐induced periodic surface structures are generated on poly(trimethylen terephthalate) films upon laser irradiation with the linearly polarized beams of a Nd:YAG laser (4th harmonic, 266 nm), an ArF excimer laser (193 nm), and a Titanium:sapphire laser (795 nm), resulting in periods close to the laser wavelength when irradiating at normal incidence, and larger periods for different angles of incidence. Additional irradiation with a circularly polarized beam at 266 nm produces superficial circular structures. The nanostructured polymers are coated with a nanoparticle assembled gold layer by pulsed laser deposition at 213 nm. The capabilities of these substrates for SERS are evaluated using benzenethiol as a test molecule and different degrees of Raman signal enhancement are observed depending on the nanostructure type. The highest enhancement factor is obtained by for nanostructured substrates with the highest values of period, depth, and roughness. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42770.
Comparison of percutaneous device closure versus surgical closure of peri‐membranous ventricular septal defects: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Saurav Alok , Kaushik Manu , Mahesh Alla Venkata , White Michael D. , Satpathy Ruby , Lanspa Thomas , Mooss Aryan N. , DelCore Michael G.
Published: August 2015

Background

While percutaneous device closure (PDC) is a first‐line therapy for isolated muscular ventricular septal defects (mVSD), surgery is still the preferred approach for peri‐membranous ventricular septal defects (pmVSD).

Objective

We sought to compare the outcomes of percutaneous versus open surgical closure of pmVSDs.

Methods

PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched through October 15, 2014 for English language studies comparing outcomes of PDC with surgical closure of pmVSDs. Study quality, publication bias, and heterogeneity were assessed. A meta‐analysis of selected studies was performed using a random effects model. Comparison was done for early (<1 month) safety and efficacy outcomes.

Results

Seven studies with a total of 3,134 patients (PDC = 1,312, surgery = 1,822) were identified. Patients in the PDC group were older than those treated surgically (mean age 12.2 vs. 5.5 years, respectively). In six out of seven studies, the mean VSD size was found to be comparable between the treatment arms (PDC 4.9 mm vs. surgery 6.0 mm). Males represented 52% of patients in either group. Follow‐up ranged from 5 to 42 months. No significant differences were observed between PDC vs. surgery in terms of procedural success rate [relative risk (RR): 1.00, confidence interval (CI): 0.99–1.00; P = 0.67]. Combined safety end points for major complications (early death/reoperation/permanent pacemaker) were similar in both groups (RR: 0.55, CI: 0.23–1.35; P = 0.19) as were as other outcomes like post‐procedure significant residual shunt (RR: 0.69, CI: 0.29–1.68; P = 0.41), significant valvular (aortic/tricuspid) regurgitation (RR: 0.70, CI: 0.26–1.86; P = 0.47), and advanced heart block (RR: 0.99, CI: 0.46–2.14; P = 0.98). The need for blood transfusion (RR: 0.02, CI: 0.00–0.05; P < 0.001) and duration of hospital stay [standard mean difference (SMD) −2.17 days, CI: −3.12 to −1.23; P < 0.001] were significantly reduced in the PDC group.

Conclusion

Percutaneous closure of pmVSD when performed in a selected subgroup of patients is associated with similar procedural success rate without increased risk of significant valvular regurgitation or heart block when compared with surgical closure. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Religion/spirituality and health in the context of cancer: Cross‐domain integration, unresolved issues, and future directions
Authors: Park Crystal L. , Sherman Allen C. , Jim Heather S. L. , Salsman John M.
Published: August 2015

This article summarizes the findings of 3 previous meta‐analytic reviews presented in this issue that evaluate associations between religiousness/spirituality (R/S) and patient‐reported outcomes across mental, physical, and social health domains. The results are synthesized, caveats in interpreting this set of analyses are discussed, directions are provided for future research, and tentative suggestions are made for clinical applications.
Identification of Cellular MicroRNA Coupling Strand Displacement Polymerization and Nicking‐Endonuclease‐Based Cleavage
Authors: Miao Peng , Tang Yuguo , Zhang Qi , Bo Bing , Wang Jue
Published: August 2015

A target induced recycling amplification method for the detection of cellular microRNA is reported based on strand displacement polymerization and nicking endonuclease mediated cleavage. Moreover, by utilizing silver nanoparticle‐based solid‐state Ag/AgCl reaction, ultrahigh sensitivity is achieved with powerful discriminating towards the identification of target microRNA. The limit of detection is as low as 70 am. This method also allows the detection of cellular microRNA by lysing cells, thus making it a powerful tool for microRNA expression profiling and disease diagnosis.
Decomposition analysis on influence factors of direct household energy‐related carbon emission in Guangdong province—Based on extended Kaya identity
Authors: Wang Wenxiu , Zhao Daiqing , Kuang Yaoqiu
Published: August 2015

The decomposition quantitative model of household energy‐related carbon emission in Guangdong is established based on the extended Kaya identity with the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method; influence factors of household energy‐related carbon emission are decomposed into eight factors, energy price, average consumption propensity, and urban–rural structure of population included in the model. Results show that total direct household energy‐related carbon emission in Guangdong province show increasing trend from 1995 to 2012. Oil and electric power consumption are two main source of household carbon emission. Results of decomposition show that resident's living standard has the largest contribution to the increase of carbon emission, which is the first promoting factor to household energy‐related carbon emission, followed by energy use level. Energy price has the largest contribution to the reduction of carbon emission, which is the first inhibiting factor, followed by average consumption propensity. Guangdong can realize household energy‐related carbon mitigation effectively by the following four measures, namely (1) Adjust energy structure, especially energy structure of power generation, enhances the proportion of nuclear power, (2) Improve energy price mechanism, (3) Optimize urban–rural structure of population, (4) Drive application of home intelligent energy management technology, to realize automatic home energy‐saving control. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 35: 298–307, 2016
Oroxylin A regulates glucose metabolism in response to hypoxic stress with the involvement of Hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1 in human hepatoma HepG2 cells
Authors: Dai Qinsheng , Yin Qian , Wei Libin , Zhou Yuxin , Qiao Chen , Guo Yongjian , Wang Xiaotang , Ma Shiping , Lu Na
Published: August 2015

Metabolic alteration in cancer cells is one of the most conspicuous characteristics that distinguish cancer cells from normal cells. In this study, we investigated the influence and signaling ways of oroxylin A affecting cancer cell energy metabolism under hypoxia. The data showed that oroxylin A remarkably reduced the generation of lactate and glucose uptake under hypoxia in HepG2 cells. Moreover, oroxylin A inhibited HIF‐1α expression and its stability. The downstream targets (PDK1, LDHA, and HK II), as well as their mRNA levels were also suppressed by oroxylin A under hypoxia. The silencing or the overexpression of HIF‐1α assays suggested that HIF‐1α is required for metabolic effect of oroxylin A in HepG2 cells during hypoxia. Furthermore, oroxylin A could reduce the expression of complex III in mitochondrial respiratory chain, and then decrease the accumulation of ROS at moderate concentrations (0–50 µM) under hypoxia, which was benefit for its inhibition on glycolytic activity by decreasing ROS‐mediated HIF‐1 expression. Besides, oroxylin A didn't cause the loss of MMP under hypoxia and had no obvious effects on the expression of OXPHOS complexes, suggesting that oroxylin A did not affect mitochondrial mass at the moderate stress of oroxylin A. The suppressive effect of oroxylin A on glycolysis led to a significantly repress of ATP generation, for ATP generation mostly depends on glycolysis in HepG2 cells. This study revealed a new aspect of glucose metabolism regulation of oroxylin A under hypoxia, which may contribute to its new anticancer mechanism. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A cystine‐knot miniprotein from tomato fruit inhibits endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis by affecting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) activation and nitric oxide production
Authors: Treggiari Davide , Zoccatelli Gianni , Molesini Barbara , Degan Maurizio , Rotino Giuseppe Leonardo , Sala Tea , Cavallini Chiara , MacRae Calum A. , Minuz Pietro , Pandolfini Tiziana
Published: August 2015

Scope

Cystine‐knot miniproteins are bioactive molecules with a broad range of potential therapeutic applications. Recently, it was demonstrated that two tomato cystine‐knot miniproteins (TCMPs) exhibit in vitro antiangiogenic activity on human umbilical vein cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a fruit‐specific cystine‐knot miniprotein of tomato on in vitro endothelial cell migration and in vivo angiogenesis using a zebrafish model.

Methods and results

The cystine‐knot protein purified from tomato fruits using gel filtration LC and RP‐HPLC inhibited cell migration when tested at 200 nM using the wound healing assay, and reduced nitric oxide formation probed by 4‐amino‐5‐methylamino‐27‐difluorofluoscescin diacetate. RT‐PCR and Western blot analyses demonstrated that vascular endothelium growth factor A dependent signaling was the target of TCMP bioactivity. Angiogenesis was inhibited in vivo in zebrafish embryos treated with 500 nM TCMP.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that cystine‐knot miniproteins present in mature tomato fruits are endowed with antiangiogenic activity in vitro and in vivo. These molecules may confer beneficial effects to tomato dietary intake, along with lycopene and other antioxidants. Further investigation is warranted to explore the potential of these compounds as model scaffolds for the development of new drugs.
Gibbs ringing in diffusion MRI
Authors: Veraart Jelle , Fieremans Els , Jelescu Ileana O. , Knoll Florian , Novikov Dmitry S.
Published: August 2015

Purpose

To study and reduce the effect of Gibbs ringing artifact on computed diffusion parameters.

Methods

We reduce the ringing by extrapolating the k‐space of each diffusion weighted image beyond the measured part by selecting an adequate regularization term. We evaluate several regularization terms and tune the regularization parameter to find the best compromise between anatomical accuracy of the reconstructed image and suppression of the Gibbs artifact.

Results

We demonstrate empirically and analytically that the Gibbs artifact, which is typically observed near sharp edges in magnetic resonance images, has a significant impact on the quantification of diffusion model parameters, even for infinitesimal diffusion weighting. We find the second order total generalized variation to be a good choice for the penalty term to regularize the extrapolation of the k‐space, as it provides a parsimonious representation of images, a practically full suppression of Gibbs ringing, and the absence of staircasing artifacts typical for total variation methods.

Conclusions

Regularized extrapolation of the k‐space data significantly reduces truncation artifacts without compromising spatial resolution in comparison to the default option of window filtering. In particular, accuracy of estimating diffusion tensor imaging and diffusion kurtosis imaging parameters improves so much that unconstrained fits become possible. Magn Reson Med 76:301–314, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
18O proteomics reveal increased human apolipoprotein CIII in Hispanic HIV‐1+ women with HAART that use cocaine
Authors: Zenón Frances , Jorge Inmaculada , Cruz Ailed , Suárez Erick , Segarra Annabell C. , Vázquez Jesús , Meléndez Loyda M. , Serrano Horacio
Published: August 2015

Purpose

Drug abuse is a major risk factor in the development and progression of HIV‐1. This study defines the alterations in the plasma proteome of HIV‐1‐infected women that use cocaine.

Experimental design

Plasma samples from 12 HIV‐seropositive Hispanic women under antiretroviral therapy were selected for this study. Six sample pairs were matched between nondrug users and cocaine users. After IgG and albumin depletion, SDS‐PAGE, and in‐gel digestion, peptides from nondrug users and cocaine users were labeled with 16O and 18O, respectively, and subjected to LC‐MS/MS and quantitation using Proteome Discover and QuiXoT softwares and validated by ELISA.

Results

A total of 1015 proteins were identified at 1% false discovery rates (FDR). Statistical analyses revealed 13 proteins with significant changes between the two groups, cocaine and noncocaine users (p < 0.05). The great majority pertained to protection defense function and the rest pertained to transport, homeostatic, regulation, and binding of ligands. Apolipoprotein CIII was increased in plasma of HIV+ Hispanic women positive for cocaine compared to HIV+ nondrug users (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusions and clinical relevance

Increased human apolipoprotein CIII warrants that these patients be carefully monitored to avoid the increased risk of cardiovascular events associated with HIV, HAART, and cocaine use.
Developing Participation through Simulations: A Multi-Level Analysis of Situational Interest on Students’ Commitment to Vote
Authors: Lo Jane C.
Published: August 2015

While simulation has been a staple of Social Studies curricula since the 1960s, few current studies have sought to understand the mechanisms behind how simulations may influence students’ learning and behavior. Learning theories around student engagement – specifically interest development theory (Hidi & Renninger, 2006) – may help explain students’ commitment to future political action. To incorporate this theory into the democratic education literature, this study asks: Do situational interest and simulation frequency uniquely contribute to students’ commitment to vote in the future? Data included 260 students from 19 classrooms, 9 teachers, in 9 schools, recruited as part of a larger mixed-methods study on Project Based Learning. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) techniques were used to examine the relationship between individual outcomes and predictors across different classrooms and teachers. Analysis of data suggests both frequency of simulations and situational interest directly predict students’ commitment to vote but do not uniquely contribute to the outcome. Findings suggest situational interest may play an important role in influencing students’ learning and future political behavior.
The Hammer of Witches
Authors: Mackay Christopher S.
Published: August 2015

The Malleus Maleficarum, first published in 1486–7, is the standard medieval text on witchcraft and it remained in print throughout the early modern period. Its descriptions of the evil acts of witches and the ways to exterminate them continue to contribute to our knowledge of early modern law, religion and society. Mackay's highly acclaimed translation, based on his extensive research and detailed analysis of the Latin text, is the only complete English version available, and the most reliable. Now available in a single volume, this key text is at last accessible to students and scholars of medieval history and literature. With detailed explanatory notes and a guide to further reading, this volume offers a unique insight into the fifteenth-century mind and its sense of sin, punishment and retribution.
Der Epische Cyclus
Authors: Welcker Friedrich Gottlieb
Published: August 2015

Friedrich Gottlieb Welcker (1784–1868) was one of the most engaging and creative of German philologists during the formative period of modern classical scholarship; 'one of the heroes', Wilamowitz called him. Art, poetry and religion were to him all the same object of study, and a key to the world of Greek imagination and feeling. His attempt to grasp the meaning of all Greek mythology gave impetus to a still vigorous tradition. This work (in two volumes, first published 1835 and 1849) is his effort to recover the lost epics of the archaic period, and the conditions of their performance and transmission. If his adventurous reconstructions, here and in his companion work on Greek tragedy, do not always command assent, they offer many brilliant observations and insights. His influence has been as diffuse as it is unacknowledged; again and again one finds on reading him that Welcker said it first.
Regulating Speech in Cyberspace
Authors: Laidlaw Emily B.
Published: August 2015

Private companies exert considerable control over the flow of information on the internet. Whether users are finding information with a search engine, communicating on a social networking site or accessing the internet through an ISP, access to participation can be blocked, channelled, edited or personalised. Such gatekeepers are powerful forces in facilitating or hindering freedom of expression online. This is problematic for a human rights system which has historically treated human rights as a government responsibility, and this is compounded by the largely light-touch regulatory approach to the internet in the west. Regulating Speech in Cyberspace explores how these gatekeepers operate at the intersection of three fields of study: regulation (more broadly, law), corporate social responsibility and human rights. It proposes an alternative corporate governance model for speech regulation, one that acts as a template for the increasingly common use of non-state-based models of governance for human rights.
Practical Optical Interferometry
Authors: Buscher David F. , Longair Malcolm
Published: August 2015

Optical interferometry is a powerful technique to make images on angular scales hundreds of times smaller than is possible with the largest telescopes. This concise guide provides an introduction to the technique for graduate students and researchers who want to make interferometric observations and acts as a reference for technologists building new instruments. Starting from the principles of interference, the author covers the core concepts of interferometry, showing how the effects of the Earth's atmosphere can be overcome using closure phase, and the complete process of making an observation, from planning to image reconstruction. This rigorous approach emphasizes the use of rules-of-thumb for important parameters such as the signal-to-noise ratios, requirements for sampling the Fourier plane and predicting image quality. The handbook is supported by web resources, including the Python source code used to make many of the graphs, as well as an interferometry simulation framework, available at www.cambridge.org/9781107042179.
African American Religions, 1500–2000
Authors: Johnson Sylvester A.
Published: August 2015

This book provides a narrative historical, postcolonial account of African American religions. It examines the intersection of Black religion and colonialism over several centuries to explain the relationship between empire and democratic freedom. Rather than treating freedom and its others (colonialism, slavery and racism) as opposites, Sylvester A. Johnson interprets multiple periods of Black religious history to discern how Atlantic empires (particularly that of the United States) simultaneously enabled the emergence of particular forms of religious experience and freedom movements as well as disturbing patterns of violent domination. Johnson explains theories of matter and spirit that shaped early indigenous religious movements in Africa, Black political religion responding to the American racial state, the creation of Liberia, and FBI repression of Black religious movements in the twentieth century. By combining historical methods with theoretical analysis, Johnson explains the seeming contradictions that have shaped Black religions in the modern era.
Continuum Mechanics
Authors: Jog C. S.
Published: August 2015

Continuum mechanics studies the foundations of deformable body mechanics from a mathematical perspective. It also acts as a base upon which other applied areas such as solid mechanics and fluid mechanics are developed. This book discusses some important topics, which have come into prominence in the latter half of the twentieth century, such as material symmetry, frame-indifference and thermomechanics. The study begins with the necessary mathematical background in the form of an introduction to tensor analysis followed by a discussion on kinematics, which deals with purely geometrical notions such as strain and rate of deformation. Moving on to derivation of the governing equations, the book also presents applications in the areas of linear and nonlinear elasticity. In addition, the volume also provides a mathematical explanation to the axioms and laws of deformable body mechanics, and its various applications in the field of solid mechanics.
The Politics of Objectivity
Authors: Steinberger Peter J.
Published: August 2015

Modern political conflict characteristically reflects and represents deep-seated but also unacknowledged and un-analyzed disagreements about what it means to be 'objective'. In defending this proposition, Peter J. Steinberger seeks to reaffirm the idea of rationalism in politics by examining important problems of public life explicitly in the light of established philosophical doctrine. The Politics of Objectivity invokes, thereby, an age-old, though now widely ignored, tradition of western thought according to which all political thinking is inevitably embedded in and underwritten by larger structures of metaphysical inquiry. Building on earlier studies of the idea of the state, and focusing on highly contested practices of objectivity in judgement, this book suggests that political conflict is an essentially discursive enterprise deeply implicated in the rational pursuit of theories about how things in the world really are.
Power, Ethics, and Ecology in Jewish Late Antiquity
Authors: Belser Julia Watts
Published: August 2015

Rabbinic tales of drought, disaster, and charismatic holy men illuminate critical questions about power, ethics, and ecology in Jewish late antiquity. Through a sustained reading of the Babylonian Talmud's tractate on fasts in response to drought, this book shows how Bavli Taʿanit challenges Deuteronomy's claim that virtue can assure abundance and that misfortune is an unambiguous sign of divine rebuke. Employing a new method for analyzing lengthy talmudic narratives, Julia Watts Belser traces complex strands of aggadic dialectic to show how Bavli Taʿanit's redactors articulate a strikingly self-critical theological and ethical discourse. Bavli Taʿanit castigates rabbis for misuse of power, exposing the limits of their perception and critiquing prevailing obsessions with social status. But it also celebrates the possibilities of performative perception - the power of an adroit interpreter to transform events in the world and interpret crisis in a way that draws forth blessing.
ŁOJASIEWICZ-TYPE INEQUALITIES AND GLOBAL ERROR BOUNDS FOR NONSMOOTH DEFINABLE FUNCTIONS IN O-MINIMAL STRUCTURES
Authors: HOÀNG DŨNG PHI
Published: August 2015

In this paper, we give some Łojasiewicz-type inequalities for continuous definable functions in an o-minimal structure. We also give a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a global error bound and the relationship between the Palais–Smale condition and this global error bound. Moreover, we give a Łojasiewicz nonsmooth gradient inequality at infinity near the fibre for continuous definable functions in an o-minimal structure.
X-ray microtomography study of otic capsule deficiencies: three-dimensional modelling of the fissula ante fenestram
Authors: Lee J W , Sale P , Patel N P
Published: August 2015

Background:

The postulated sites of perilymph fistulae involve otic capsule deficiencies, in particular, at the fissula ante fenestram. Histological studies have revealed this to be a channel extending from the middle ear, and becoming continuous with the inner ear medial to the anterior limit of the oval window. The relationship between a patent fissula and symptoms of perilymph fistula is contentious.

Objective:

The understanding of the anatomy of the fissula ante fenestram is incomplete. Histopathology is inherently destructive to the delicate ultrastructure of the middle and inner ear. Conversely, X-ray microtomography allows non-destructive examination of the otic capsule. In this study, we used X-ray microtomography to characterise the fissula ante fenestram.

Materials and methods:

We imaged cadaveric temporal bones with X-ray microtomography. We used the Avizo Fire (Visualization Science Group, Merignac Cedex, France) software to perform post-processing and image analysis.

Results:

Three-dimensional modelling of the fissula ante fenestram allowed stratification into four forms: rudimentary pit; partial fissula; complete occluded fissula; and complete patent fissula.

Conclusion:

X-ray microtomography showed that the fissula ante fenestram is present in various forms from rudimentary pit to complete deficiency of the otic capsule. This understanding may have implications for otologic surgery and clinical diagnosis of perilymph fistula.
American cars in Cotonou: culture in African entrepreneurship and the making of a globalising trade
Authors: Beuving Joost
Published: August 2015

Traders in Cotonou (Bénin), a prominent hub in the Euro–West African second-hand car trade, traditionally sold cars imported from Europe. Since the 2000s however, more and more cars are being imported from the US. Anthropological study of one group of entrepreneurs active in this new business, traders from Niger, reveals an African entrepreneurship at work that follows a distinct social pattern: traders are groomed in close kinship ties in West Africa and then develop new social ties with overseas migrants. Their trade thus becomes embedded in more globalised networks, yet at the same time it loosens and that works against profitable business. Close analysis of their careers reveals a cultural pattern that compels entrepreneurs to become traders, economic opportunity notwithstanding. Whether this is representative of Africa's changing place in the global economic order remains to be seen; however, this article suggests how culture in entrepreneurship may be key to understanding that.
China's example for Meles' Ethiopia: when development ‘models’ land
Authors: Fourie Elsje
Published: August 2015

The past decade has seen the rapid rise of concepts such as the ‘China Model’ and the ‘Beijing Consensus’, yet more recent trends suggest a waning of their popularity. This article finds that the problem with the literature on the China model lies less with the concept itself than with a tendency to apply the term in an atheoretical and unempirical manner. From 2005 until at least 2012, Ethiopian elites from the upper echelons downwards were indeed engaged in a conscious and voluntary attempt to emulate aspects of China's perceived developmental successes. Drawing on interviews with 46 such elites, as well as on theories of lesson-drawing and cross-societal emulation, the study suggests that China may act as an example to countries seeking to achieve rapid modernisation and to navigate the perilous waters of political and economic globalisation. It is only by historicising and contextualising the ‘China Model’ within the older story of selective incorporation by certain ‘latecomer’ countries, however, that its true influence – and limits – can be understood.
Post-flood — Infectious Diseases in Mozambique
Authors: Kondo Hisayoshi , Seo Norimasa , Yasuda Tadashi , Hasizume Masahiro , Koido Yuichi , Ninomiya Norifumi , Yamamoto Yasuhiro
Published: August 2015

Introduction:

The types of medical care required during a disaster are determined by variables such as the cycle and nature of the disaster. Following a flood, there exists the potential for transmission of water-borne diseases and for increased levels of endemic illnesses such as vector-borne diseases. Therefore, consideration of the situation of infectious diseases must be addressed when providing relief.

The Japan Disaster Relief ( JDR) Medical Team was sent to Mozambique where a flood disaster occurred during January to March 2000. The team operated in the Hokwe area of the State of Gaza, in the mid-south of Mozambique where damage was the greatest.

Methods:

An epidemiological study was conducted. Information was collected from medical records by abstracting data at local medical facilities, interviewing in habitants and evacuees, and conducting analyses of water.

Results:

A total of 2,611 patients received medical care during the nine days. Infectious diseases were detected in 85% of all of patients, predominantly malaria, respiratory infectious diseases, and diarrhea. There was no outbreak of cholera or dysentery. Self-reports of the level of health decreased among the flood victims after the event. The incidence of malaria increased by four to five times over non-disaster periods, and the quality of drinking water deteriorated after the event.

Conclusions:

Both the number of patients and the incidence of endemic infectious diseases, such as malaria and diarrhea, increased following the flood. Also, there was a heightening of risk factors for infectious diseases such as an increase in population, deterioration of physical strength due to the shortage of food and the temporary living conditions for safety purposes, and turbid degeneration of drinking water. These findings support the hypotheses that there exists the potential for the increased transmission of water borne diseases and that there occurs increased levels of endemic illnesses during the post-flood period.
SENTIMENT AND MATERIALITY IN LATE VICTORIAN BOOK COLLECTING
Authors: Hanson David C.
Published: August 2015

In the first half of the twentieth century, analytic bibliographers in Britain turned their attention to the systematic study of the nineteenth-century book. Developing their subject, they felt compelled to distance themselves from the Victorian book collector, who touched off a “suspicion . . . deeply ingrained in the mind of scholars and librarians” (Sadleir, “Development” 147). A new generation of bibliographers – Michael Sadleir, John Carter, and Graham Pollard – acknowledged that Victorian collecting had laid the foundations for the bibliographic study of books by “modern” (i.e., nineteenth-century) writers, as opposed to incunabula, the traditional focus of British book collecting. The contribution was regarded as fundamentally flawed, however, owing to a “sentimental element” in Victorian collecting (Carter and Pollard 101).
A scoping review to explore the suitability of interactive voice response to conduct automated performance measurement of the patient’s experience in primary care
Authors: Falconi Michael , Johnston Sharon , Hogg William
Published: August 2015

Introduction

Practice-based performance measurement is fundamental for improvement and accountability in primary care. Traditional performance measurement of the patient’s experience is often too costly and cumbersome for most practices.

Objective/Methods

This scoping review explores the literature on the use of interactive voice response (IVR) telephone surveys to identify lessons for its use for collecting data on patient-reported outcome measures at the primary care practice level.

Results

The literature suggests IVR could potentially increase the capacity to reach more representative patient samples and those traditionally most difficult to engage. There is potential for long-term cost effectiveness and significant decrease of the burden on practices involved in collecting patient survey data. Challenges such as low response rates, mode effects, high initial set-up costs and maintenance fees, are also reported and require careful attention.

Conclusion

This review suggests IVR may be a feasible alternative to traditional patient data collection methods, which should be further explored.
Catha Edulis (Khat) Chewing Decreases Serum Levels of Iron, Ferritin and Vitamin B12 and Increases Folic Acid
Authors: Al-Dubai Waled , Al-Ghazaly Jameel , Al-Habori Molham , Saif-Ali Riyadh , Mohammed Ahmed
Published: August 2015

Abstract. Background: Catha edulis (Khat) is customarily chewed to attain a state of stimulation and reduce physical fatigue. In view of the reported common adverse effects of Khat, the aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of iron, ferritin, folic acid, vitamin B12 and body mass index (BMI) as nutritive indicators in Yemeni Khat chewers. Methods: This study was a prospective cohort study, carried out on 90 male workers aged 19 - 23 years old; 45 were healthy non-Khat chewers serving as control group and 45 were regular Khat chewers. Serum iron, ferritin, folic acid, vitamin B12 and body mass index were measured at baseline and after a year of follow up. Results: Serum iron and BMI were significantly (p < 0.01) lower at baseline in Khat chewers by 9 % and 6 %, respectively; whereas ferritin, folic acid and vitamin B12 were non-significantly different from non-Khat chewers. In the follow-up one year later, serum iron, ferritin, vitamin B12 and BMI were significantly (p < 0.001) lower in Khat chewers by 19.0, 31.4, 20.6 and 10.7 %; whereas folic acid was significantly (p = 0.007) higher by 26.7 %. Comparison within groups showed serum iron, ferritin, and BMI to be significantly (p < 0.01) decreased after one year in the Khat chewers with respect to its baseline; whereas folic acid significantly (p < 0.001) increased. Conclusion: This study shows Khat chewers to be more susceptible to malnutrition, which should be considered by the general population and the public health authorities.
Folic Acid Fortification and Women’s Folate Levels in Selected Communities in Brazil - A First Look
Authors: Chakraborty Hrishikesh , Nyarko Kwame A. , Goco Norman , Moore Janet , Moretti-Ferreira Danilo , Murray Jeffrey C. , Wehby George L.
Published: August 2015

Abstract. Background: Several countries have implemented mandatory folic acid fortification of wheat flour and selected grain products to increase the folate intake of reproductive-aged women. Brazil implemented a folic acid fortification program in 2004. No previous studies have examined folate differences among Brazilian women following the mandate. Objective: We evaluate differences in serum and red blood cell (RBC) folate concentrations between two samples of women of childbearing age from selective communities in Brazil, one tested before (N = 116) and the other after the mandate (N = 240). Methods: We compared the baseline folate levels of women enrolled in a prevention study shortly before the fortification mandate was implemented, to baseline levels of women from the same communities enrolled in the same study shortly after fortification began. The participants were women enrolled in a folate supplementation clinical trial, at a hospital specializing in treating craniofacial anomalies in the city of Bauru from January 29, 2004 to April 27, 2005. We only compared baseline folate levels before the women received oral cleft prevention program (OCPP) folic acid supplements. Results: Women enrolled after the fortification mandate had higher means of serum folate (20.3 versus 11.2 nmol/L; p < 0.001) and RBC folate (368.3 versus 177.6 nmol/L; p < 0.001) than women enrolled before the mandate. Differences in folate levels between the two groups remained after adjusting for several co-variables. Conclusions: The results suggest that serum and RBC folate levels among women of childbearing age increased after implementing the folic acid fortification mandate in Brazil.
Einstellungen zum Betreuten Wohnen in Österreich – Eine qualitative Studie
Authors: Boggatz Thomas , Lechner Cornelia
Published: August 2015

Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund: Einzelne Motive zum Einzug ins Betreute Wohnen wurden im deutschsprachigen Raum in quantitativen Studien erfragt, aber wie sie bei der Entscheidung für oder gegen einen Einzug zusammenspielen ist unbekannt. Ziel: Ziel dieser Studie war es, bei älteren Menschen in Österreich Typen von Einstellungen zum Betreuten Wohnen zu bestimmen, die sich aus dem unterschiedlichen Zusammenspiel einzelner Motive ergeben. Methode: In einer qualitativen Vergleichsstudie im Bundesland Salzburg wurden BewohnerInnen von Betreuten Wohneinrichtungen und zu Hause lebende, ältere Menschen mit halbstrukturierten Leitfadeninterviews befragt. Die Auswertung erfolgte mit der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse nach Mayring und anschließender Typenbildung. Ergebnisse: Bei den BewohnerInnen gab es die Einstellungstypen «Proaktive Nutzer» mit konkreten Erwartungen nach mehr Sicherheit oder Bequemlichkeit, und «Einzug aufgrund externer Umstände», weil ein Wohnplatz verfügbar war oder weil sie sich durch körperliche Einschränkungen zum Einzug gezwungen sahen oder weil sie von anderen Personen beeinflusst worden waren. Bei den Zuhauselebenden gab es die Einstellungstypen «Bedingte Akzeptanz», «Ablehnung» und «Zwiespältig-Unschlüssige». Ungenaue Vorstellungen über Betreutes Wohnen standen oft einer informierten Entscheidung entgegen. Schlussfolgerung: Die Entscheidung für ein Betreutes Wohnen hängt nur zum Teil von konkreten Erwartungen ab. Bessere Information, Beratung durch eine Vertrauensperson und die Verfügbarkeit eines Wohnplatzes können eine Einzugsentscheidung beeinflussen.
CD163 interacts with TWEAK to regulate tissue regeneration after ischaemic injury
Authors: Akahori Hirokuni , Karmali Vinit , Polavarapu Rohini , Lyle Alicia N. , Weiss Daiana , Shin Eric , Husain Ahsan , Naqvi Nawazish , Van Dam Richard , Habib Anwer , Choi Cheol Ung , King Adrienne L. , Pachura Kimberly , Taylor W. Robert , Lefer David J. , Finn Aloke V.
Published: August 2015

Macrophages are an essential component of the immune response to ischaemic injury and play an important role in promoting inflammation and its resolution, which is necessary for tissue repair. The type I transmembrane glycoprotein CD163 is exclusively expressed on macrophages, where it acts as a receptor for haemoglobin:haptoglobin complexes. An extracellular portion of CD163 circulates in the blood as a soluble protein, for which no physiological function has so far been described. Here we show that during ischaemia, soluble CD163 functions as a decoy receptor for TWEAK, a secreted pro-inflammatory cytokine of the tumour necrosis factor family, to regulate TWEAK-induced activation of canonical nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and Notch signalling necessary for myogenic progenitor cell proliferation. Mice with deletion of CD163 have transiently elevated levels of TWEAK, which stimulate muscle satellite cell proliferation and tissue regeneration in their ischaemic and non-ischaemic limbs. These results reveal a role for soluble CD163 in regulating muscle regeneration after ischaemic injury.
An epigenetic regulator emerges as microtubule minus-end binding and stabilizing factor in mitosis
Authors: Meunier Sylvain , Shvedunova Maria , Van Nguyen Nhuong , Avila Leonor , Vernos Isabelle , Akhtar Asifa
Published: August 2015

The evolutionary conserved NSL complex is a prominent epigenetic regulator controlling expression of thousands of genes. Here we uncover a novel function of the NSL complex members in mitosis. As the cell enters mitosis, KANSL1 and KANSL3 undergo a marked relocalisation from the chromatin to the mitotic spindle. By stabilizing microtubule minus ends in a RanGTP-dependent manner, they are essential for spindle assembly and chromosome segregation. Moreover, we identify KANSL3 as a microtubule minus-end-binding protein, revealing a new class of mitosis-specific microtubule minus-end regulators. By adopting distinct functions in interphase and mitosis, KANSL proteins provide a link to coordinate the tasks of faithful expression and inheritance of the genome during different phases of the cell cycle.
Greater serum carotenoid levels associated with lower prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Chinese adults
Authors: Cao Yi , Wang Cheng , Liu Jun , Liu Zhao-min , Ling Wen-hua , Chen Yu-ming
Published: August 2015

Previous studies have suggested that serum carotenoids may be inversely associated with liver injury, but limited data are available from population-based studies. We examined the relationship between serum carotenoid levels and the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Chinese adults. A total of 2935 participants aged 40–75 years were involved in this community-based cross-sectional study. General information, lifestyle factors, serum levels of carotenoid and the presence and degree of NAFLD were determined. After adjusting for potential covariates, we observed a dose-dependent inverse association between NAFLD risk and each individual serum carotenoid and total carotenoids (all p-values < 0.001). The ORs of NAFLD for the highest (vs. lowest) quartile were 0.44 (95% CI 0.35, 0.56) for α-carotene, 0.32 (95% CI 0.25, 0.41) for β-carotene, 0.62 (95% CI 0.49, 0.79) for β-cryptoxanthin, 0.54 (95% CI 0.42, 0.68) for lycopene, 0.56 (95% CI 0.44, 0.72) for lutein + zeaxanthin and 0.41 (95% CI 0.32, 0.53) for total carotenoids. Higher levels of α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein + zeaxanthin and total carotenoids were significantly associated with a decrease in the degree of NAFLD (p-trend: < 0.001 to 0.003). Serum carotenoids are inversely associated with prevalence of NAFLD in middle aged and elderly Chinese.
Simultaneous fingerprint and high-wavenumber fiber-optic Raman spectroscopy improves in vivo diagnosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma at endoscopy
Authors: Wang Jianfeng , Lin Kan , Zheng Wei , Yu Ho Khek , Teh Ming , Guan Yeoh Khay , Huang Zhiwei
Published: August 2015

This work aims to evaluate clinical value of a fiber-optic Raman spectroscopy technique developed for in vivo diagnosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) during clinical endoscopy. We have developed a rapid fiber-optic Raman endoscopic system capable of simultaneously acquiring both fingerprint (FP)(800–1800 cm−1) and high-wavenumber (HW)(2800–3600 cm−1) Raman spectra from esophageal tissue in vivo. A total of 1172 in vivo FP/HW Raman spectra were acquired from 48 esophageal patients undergoing endoscopic examination. The total Raman dataset was split into two parts: 80% for training; while 20% for testing. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and leave-one patient-out, cross validation (LOPCV) were implemented on training dataset to develop diagnostic algorithms for tissue classification. PLS-DA-LOPCV shows that simultaneous FP/HW Raman spectroscopy on training dataset provides a diagnostic sensitivity of 97.0% and specificity of 97.4% for ESCC classification. Further, the diagnostic algorithm applied to the independent testing dataset based on simultaneous FP/HW Raman technique gives a predictive diagnostic sensitivity of 92.7% and specificity of 93.6% for ESCC identification, which is superior to either FP or HW Raman technique alone. This work demonstrates that the simultaneous FP/HW fiber-optic Raman spectroscopy technique improves real-time in vivo diagnosis of esophageal neoplasia at endoscopy.
Lipid-conjugated fluorescent pH sensors for monitoring pH changes in reconstituted membrane systems
Authors: Kemmer Gerdi Christine , Bogh Sidsel Ammitzbøll , Urban Michael , Palmgren Michael G. , Vosch Tom , Schiller Jürgen , Günther Pomorski Thomas
Published: August 2015

Lipid-conjugated fluorescent pH sensors were developed for accurate real-time measurements of the pH dynamics in reconstituted membrane systems.
Micro-thermography in millimeter-scale animals by using orally-dosed fluorescent nanoparticle thermosensors
Authors: Arai Satoshi , Ferdinandus  , Takeoka Shinji , Ishiwata Shin'ichi , Sato Hirotaka , Suzuki Madoka
Published: August 2015

Temperature mapping inside a fruit fly larva that was orally dosed with fluorescent nanoparticle thermosensors.
Hetero-epitaxially anchoring Au nanoparticles onto ZnO nanowires for CO oxidation
Authors: Liu Jiaxin , Qiao Botao , Song Yian , Huang Yudong , Liu Jingyue (Jimmy)
Published: August 2015

Epitaxiallyanchoring gold nanoparticles for better catalysis.
A biosensor for the detection of single base mismatches in microRNA
Authors: Lee Jieon , Park Ginam , Min Dal-Hee
Published: August 2015

Graphene oxide enables highly sequence specific nucleic acid detection by selectively removing the signal from a mismatched target/probe duplex.
A sensitive turn-on fluorescent probe for intracellular imaging of glutathione using single-layer MnO2 nanosheet-quenched fluorescent carbon quantum dots
Authors: He Dinggeng , Yang Xiaoxiao , He Xiaoxiao , Wang Kemin , Yang Xue , He Xing , Zou Zhen
Published: August 2015

A sensitive turn-on fluorescent sensor based on single-layer MnO2 nanosheet-quenched fluorescent carbon dots has been developed for rapid and selective sensing of glutathione in aqueous solutions, as well as in living cells.
A porous Zr-cluster-based cationic metal–organic framework for highly efficient Cr2O72− removal from water
Authors: Zhang Qi , Yu Jiancan , Cai Jianfeng , Zhang Ling , Cui Yuanjing , Yang Yu , Chen Banglin , Qian Guodong
Published: August 2015

A Zr-cluster-based cationic metal–organic framework has been realized for highly efficient removal of Cr2O72− from aqueous solutions with the highest adsorbed amount of 245 mg g−1 ever reported.
Recombinant oxalate decarboxylase: enhancement of a hybrid catalytic cascade for the complete electro-oxidation of glycerol
Authors: Abdellaoui Sofiene , Hickey David P. , Stephens Andrew R. , Minteer Shelley D.
Published: August 2015

The complete electro-oxidation of glycerol to CO2is performed through an electro-oxidation cascade using a hybrid catalytic system combining an organic oxidation catalyst, 4-amino-TEMPO and a recombinant enzyme, oxalate decarboxylase fromBacillus subtilis.
Enhanced cellular uptake of nanoparticles by increasing the hydrophobicity of poly(lactic acid) through copolymerization with cell-membrane-lipid components
Authors: Samadi Moghaddam Mariam , Heiny Markus , Shastri V. Prasad
Published: August 2015

The incorporation of cell membrane lipids into the poly(lactic acid) backbone enhances the cellular uptake of nanoparticles via increased hydrophobicity.
Proposal for crystallization of 3-amino-4-halo-5-methylisoxazoles: an energetic and topological approach
Authors: Martins M. A. P. , Meyer A. R. , Tier A. Z. , Longhi K. , Ducati L. C. , Bonacorso H. G. , Zanatta N. , Frizzo C. P.
Published: August 2015

The supramolecular structure of 3-amino-4-halo-5-methylisoxazoles (halo = Cl, Br, and I) was investigated in order to suggest a route for crystallization of organic molecules.
Surface structured platinum electrodes for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide in imidazolium based ionic liquids
Authors: Hanc-Scherer Florin A. , Montiel Miguel A. , Montiel Vicente , Herrero Enrique , Sánchez-Sánchez Carlos M.
Published: August 2015

The direct CO2 electrochemical reduction on model platinum single crystal electrodes Pt(hkl) is studied in [C2mim+][NTf2−], due to its moderate viscosity, high CO2 solubility and conductivity.
A photoionization mass spectroscopic study on the formation of phosphanes in low temperature phosphine ices
Authors: Turner Andrew M. , Abplanalp Matthew J. , Chen Si Y. , Chen Yu T. , Chang Agnes H. H. , Kaiser Ralf I.
Published: August 2015

A homologous series of phosphanes up to P8H10were detected by reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometry with vacuum ultraviolet photoionization from irradiated phosphine ices.