bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reservoir Gas and Oil in the Vicinity of Cleveland, Ohio
Authors: Van Horn Frank R.
Published: January 2015

Published in Petroleum Transactions, AIME, Volume 57, 1917, pages 831–842.

It is customary to ascribe two general modes of occurrence to natural gas, namely, shale gas which, as the name indicates, is found in shale, and reservoir gas, which occurs in sandstone, conglomerate and dolomitic limestone. Both of these types are found in the Cleveland district. The shale gas has been produced on a small scale for a long period of years, probably dating back as far as 1883. Shale gas is a low-pressure gas, small in volume with variable pressure, and is limited to no definite horizon. It is generally independent of oil, may last for a long time, and is not dependent to any great extent on the structure of the rocks. There are many such wells in the district which range from 400 to 1,840 ft. in depth, although most have been completed at about 800 ft. This indicates that the wells pass through the Cleveland and Chagrin shales into the Huron or Portage shale of the Upper Devonian.

During the last 2 years great interest has developed in a deeper-seated reservoir gas.

What is commonly called reservoir gas is generally a high-pressure gas occurring in large volume at a definite horizon. Oil may, or may not, be associated with the gas, and in most regions in which reservoir gas is found, the geological structure is of great importance. This type of gas occurs in all large fields such as those of West Virginia which have been supplying Cleveland until the recent discovery of local gas at great depths in commercial amounts.

Historical Outline

The oldest well producing reservoir gas in the district was drilled in 1886 in Newburg for what was then known as the Cleveland Rolling Mill Co. This well was 3,000 ft. deep, and was thought to have reached the "Clinton" formation. Two "sands" showing small amounts of oil were recorded in the Niagara limestone at depths of 2,658 and 2,686 ft. This is about the horizon of the so-called Newburg sand which has proved to be of some importance as a source of gas and oil by recent drilling operations. The rock pressure was reported to be 400 to 500 lb. per square inch, but since the volume was only 14,000 to 16,000 cu. ft. daily, the well was not only considered unsuccessful but was thought to prove the absence of high- pressure gas in commercial quantities in the Cleveland district.

T.P. 056–43
The Influence of the Movement in Shales on the Area of Oil Production
Authors: Conkling Richard A.
Published: January 2015

Published in Petroleum Transactions, AIME, Volume 57, 1917, pages 876–880.

A shale layer, buried beneath two or three thousand feet of strata, in some instances, will upon folding become thicker in the synclines and thinner on top of the anticlines.

This can be accounted for, in part, by the stretching on the crests of the fold and the compressing in the troughs; but this will by no means account for all of it, as is shown in the example herein set forth.

It is my firm belief that the rest of the thickness is due to flow. What causes the movement, however, does not concern us here, SO long as there is movement, for this article purposes to show its effect upon the producing area of different sands.

It is the author's hope, in this way, to drop a hint or two that may be valuable to the oil geologist, in making estimates of future productions and values of oil properties. An example will be given from property in the famous Gushing Pool in northeastern Oklahoma, where the author has had occasion to make a detailed study before recommending some property to his company, and has then been able to watch the results of this work.

The author never mapped the surface structure in this pool, as this had been done by Frank Buttram when he was with the Oklahoma Geological Survey. We are using, therefore, a section of his map in this article for our surface contours. The main east dip comes farther east than this section shows.

From the 10-ft. contours in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the surface folding is very slight, but in the contour map of the Bartlesville sand (Fig. 2), which was the greatest producing sand, we see much more complex folding. It seems that the folding becomes greater with the depth. Folding may have started in Middle Pennsylvanian times and continued through the Upper Pennsylvanian which is found at the surface. This may, or may not, have been the cause of the increase of folding with depth. However, the fact that mostly concerns us is the interval of shale between the Bartlesville sand and the Tucker sand. The Tucker is the next productive sand below the Bartlesville.

T.P. 056–46
A Few Notes on the Future Work of the Petroleum Geologist in the Mid-Continent Oil Fields
Authors: Hager Dorsey
Published: January 2015

Published in Petroleum Transactions, AIME, Volume 57, 1917, pages 891–893.

The possibilities of finding new oil pools in Oklahoma and Kansas are far from promising.

In 1916, the only new pools of importance were the Franchot pool near Bixby, the Garber, and the Billings pools in Oklahoma, and the Virgil and Utopia fields in Greenwood County, Kansas.

In the first 8 months of 1917, a small pool of unknown extent was opened south of the Stone Bluff pool in Oklahoma, and a pool near Casey, Paunee County, Oklahoma. In Eastern Kansas, interest has been caused by the sinking of new wells near the old Iola pool, but nothing of magnitude has yet been found. The outlook for new pools is far from encouraging, especially as geological surveys have covered all of Oklahoma and Kansas. There are a few areas where geological surveys throw little or no light on the subject, as exposures are poor, but the chances of finding new pools in such areas are slight indeed, if one can judge from the past history of such areas.

So far the geologists have based their opinions largely upon the presence or the absence of geologic structure, such as anticlines, domes, and terraces, but some pools will most certainly be found where no surface structure exists, but where local changes in the sand body favor oil accumulations. However, the possibilities of new pools off structure are small, as fully 90 per cent of the oil pools are on definite structure.

In the past, it is estimated that one test in 150 "wild cats" or new tests has brought in a new field. The writer feels safe in asserting that the proportion will decrease still further, so that but one out of 500 new tests may bring in a pay well in a new area.

Prom now on the principal field of work in Oklahoma and in Kansas will consist in developing the present pools. The years 1915, 1916 and 1917 saw the high peak of Oklahoma and Kansas oil production. The Eldorado and the Augusta oil fields present the largest possibilities for continued production in Kansas. These two pools have been scarcely more than one-third developed, and have greater potentialities than any of the present Oklahoma pools.

T.P. 057–43
Review of Present Knowledge Regarding the Petroleum Resources of South America
Authors: Clapp Frederick G.
Published: January 2015

Published in Petroleum Transactions, AIME, Volume 57, 1917, pages 914–967.

Introduction

Scope of Discussion

There has hitherto been no systematic effort to make public the available information on petroleum in South America and the object of this paper, therefore, is broadly to discuss the subject as it pertains to South America as a whole, endeavoring to collect in readable form what is know regarding individual fields. This article is not intended exhaustively to discuss individual fields, or to solve the many complicated problems regarding petroleum and natural gas in the various republics, since those necessitate years of study and work by petroleum geologists, engineers, financiers, and the drillers. Neither can the reader expect absolute accuracy in all statements, since this is impossible at the present time. The writer has attempted to be correct in all cases, but in a review involving so many countries and extending over so many phases of the subject, it is to be expected, of course, that some errors will have crept in.

Literature and Acknowledgements

Little of a reliable nature has been published on petroleum in the South American countries, leaving the general public in great ignorance of conditions. Recently, however, an admirable paper has appeared by Ralph Arnold, who has summarized the state of development in the respective countries and his ideas as to the future of the industry. Sir Boverton Redwood, in the various editions of his Treatise on Petroleum has discussed South American nations in a general way, but not even he indulges in the details that will be of interest in the various countries. Many articles have appeared in technical and scientific journals, in the Pan-American Bulletin and in the Mineral Resources of the United States Geological Survey, which have kept the world informed of any special activity or increase of production.

T.P. 057–46
The Southern Extremity of the "Clinton" Gas Pools in Ohio
Authors: Panyity L.S.
Published: January 2015

Published in Petroleum Transactions, AIME, Volume 57, 1917, pages 984–988.

The Cleveland (O.) gas pool described by Frank R. Van Horn,' is the northern extremity of the great "Clinton" sand gas development in Ohio. Numerous gas pools have been developed in this formation, which are now more or less connected, link by link, forming an almost continuous gas pool, starting at Cleveland, and running thence southward through Cuyahoga, Medina, Wayne, Ashland, Richland, Knox, Licking, Fairfield, Hocking, and Vinton counties. The present southern extremity of these connected pools is in Richland Township, Vinton County (Fig. 1).

The writer offers his analysis of the Richland Township development which may serve to compare the northern and southern extremities.

Geology

The geologist is greatly handicapped by the lack of a suitable key- horizon, inasmuch as the outcropping rocks are members of the "Big Injun" series of the Logan Group (Mississippian). The underlying shales (Waverly shales) show that considerable erosion took place before the deposition of the "Big Injun," which accounts for the presence of an erosion plane between these two formations, further complicating the study of the geological structure from surface outcrops.

A reliable structural map of the "Clinton" is obtainable only by spirit-level elevations at the mouth of the various wells drilled, and the elevation of the sand calculated from the logs of the wells. The accompanying isobath map has been prepared in this manner (Fig. 2). Since the completion of this map, numerous wells have been drilled in the town- ship, which, if taken into consideration, might cause a slight variation in the appearance of the contour lines. The monotonous monoclinal structure of the "Clinton" sand is evident from this map.

The thickness of the Berea is variable from place to place without any regularity; but in the other formations cited, the smaller measurements are met with in the western part of the township, the thickening taking place toward the east (Fig. 3).

The Berea lies at an elevation of about 250 ft. above sea level at the western line, and is close to sea level at the eastern line of the township. The average dip for the Berea is about 35 ft. per mile. This compares with an average dip of 80 ft. per mile for the "Clinton" in the same territory. The difference in dip is due to the lateral variation of the intervening strata.

T.P. 057–48
Pathogens in Urine from a Female Patient with Overactive Bladder Syndrome Detected by Culture-independent High Throughput Sequencing: A Case Report
Authors: Siddiqui Huma , Lagesen Karin , Nederbragt Alexander J , Eri Lars M , Jeansson Stig L , Jakobsen Kjetill S
Published: January 2015

Introduction:

Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is described as urgency, with or without urgency incontinence. A range of medical conditions shares the symptoms of OAB, however the diagnosis is contingent on the exclusion of urinary tract infection (UTI). Knowing that urine dipstick and routine culture of bacteria can miss UTI diagnosis caused by low-count bacteriuria or “difficult-to-culture” pathogens, we examined a case of OAB with a culture-independent approach.

Case presentation:

A 61-year-old Norwegian female with a long history of urinary symptoms and a diagnosis of OAB was selected as a suitable subject for a culture-independent 16S rDNA analysis on the patient´s urine. The patient’s medical records showed no history of recurrent UTI, however, when the urine specimen was sent to routine culture at the time of study it showed a significant bacteriuria caused by a single bacterium, and the patient was prescribed antibiotics. The 16S rDNA analysis revealed not one, but many different bacteria, including a considerable amount of fastidious bacteria, indicating a polymicrobial state. One year later, the subject was still experiencing severe symptoms, and a follow-up analysis was performed. This time the urine-culture was negative, however, the 16S rDNA profile was quite similar to that of the first sample, again displaying a complex bacterial profile.

Conclusion:

The use of 16S rDNA pyrosequencing and sequence analysis to uncover “difficult-to-culture” bacteria should be considered when examining patients with chronic urinary symptoms. These methods may contribute to further elucidation of the etiology of overactive bladder syndrome and other urinary syndromes.
Constraining Constructions: Low-Income Fathers’ Perceptions of Fathering their Adolescent Daughters
Authors: Lesch Elmien , Ismail Adiela
Published: January 2015

Fathers have the potential to play an important role in the development of their daughters. Paternal involvement
has been shown to significantly affect the emotional well-being of daughters during their adolescent and young adult
years. However, internationally and nationally, research is limited in terms of the number of studies on the relationship
between fathers and adolescent daughters. It is also mostly based on daughter’s reports and often does not include father’s
perspectives. We interviewed low-income fathers who lived in a Cape Winelands community in South Africa about being
fathers to daughters. A social constructionist approach to fatherhood informed this explorative and community-specific
study. We used a qualitative design with semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. Similar to other fatherhood
studies, our participants’ constructions of fatherhood revolved around the roles of disciplinarian, provider, protector and
head of the household. Traditional roles emerged not only for the fathers but also in their constructions of their wives and
daughters. Father-daughter relationships are important gender construction sites that influence daughters’ future
interactions and relationships with men and it is crucial that the reproduction of such traditional gender roles in homes
should be addressed to empower women. Our findings also suggest that fathers tend to minimize physical demonstrations
of affection towards their daughters and may need guidelines for appropriate interactions in this regard.
Male Attitudes Towards Children, Fatherhood, and Childrearing: A Descriptive Profile from South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS)
Authors: J. Franklin Anderson , Makiwane Monde , Makusha Tawanda
Published: January 2015

South African male attitudes towards children, fatherhood and childrearing remain an important topic for
research and policy development given concerns about men’s engagement with children and the family. This study
utilizes a subsample of males from the national South African Social Attitudes Survey to profile attitudes of males cross
analyzed by survey designated racial groups. Results show that males in general, have a positive attitude towards having
children and feel that they are not a burden. A greater number of Black African males than the other racial groups believe
children are a financial burden and restrict employment choices. Most males believe that men want to have a loving
relationship with children and perform best as fathers if married to the mother. The majority of them believe that it is a
crisis in the country that many fathers do not co-reside with their children. Consistent across racial groups, most males are
split about discipline with half believing in spanking, and that it teaches children right from wrong. Most males believe
that it is better to talk to children than spank them. In examining responses to survey questions, Black African males
trended away from the prevalent attitudes more than Colored, Asian Indian, and White males. Family service providers
can utilize these attitudes of men in planning intervention programs and policy development.
Existence of solutions for hybrid fractional pantograph equations
Authors: Darwish Mohamed , Sadarangani Kishin
Published: January 2015

In this paper, we study the existence of the hybrid fractional pantograph
equation {D?0+[x(t)/f(t,x(t),x(?t))= g(t,x(t), x(?t)), 0 < t < 1, x(0) = 0,
where ?,?,? ?((0,1) and D?0+ denotes the Riemann-Liouville fractional
derivative. The results are obtained using the technique of measures of
noncompactness in the Banach algebras and a fixed point theorem for the
product of two operators verifying a Darbo type condition. Some examples are
provided to illustrate our results.
Significance of microvessel density in prostate cancer core biopsy
Authors: Salapura-Dugonjic Aleksandra , Knezevic-Usaj Slavica , Eri Zivka , Tadic-Latinovic Ljiljana
Published: January 2015

Background/Aim. In prostate tumors, angiogenesis, measured as microvessel
density, is associated with tumor stage and Gleason score. The aim of this
study was determine neovascularization of prostatic adenocarcinomas in core
biopsies and corresponding prostatectomies. Methods. The study population
included 61 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) for localized
prostate carcinoma patients and did not receive chemohormonal, or radiation
therapy before surgery. Tumor blocks were immunostained using the
endothelial-specific antibody CD31 and subsequently evaluated at x 400
magnification in both biopsies and corresponding prostatectomies. Results.
When comparing microvessel density in core biopsies and corresponding
prostatectomies, no statistically significant difference was found (p > 0.1).
A statistically significant positive correlation was found when determining
correlation between microvessel density (as linear and categorical variable,
i.e. with the cut-off value of 48) that was associated with the Gleason score
(p < 0.05) and tumor stage (p < 0.0001). There was no correlation between
microvessel density and preoperative values of serum prostate-specific
antigen (PSA) (p > 0.1). Conclusion. Microvessel density can be reliably
applied to needle prostate biopsy specimens. Quantification of the
microvascular density in biopsies is an accurate pre-operative predictor of
tumor stage, discriminating between organconfined and organ-extending
neoplasms.
The Boundaries of Lexical Innovation within a Question-Defined Semantic Cohort
Authors: Carvajal Camilo Andres Bonilla
Published: January 2015

This study explores the amount of lexical innovation (
The Pioneering Appearances of Philosophy of Religion in Europe: François Para du Phanjas on the Nature of Religion
Authors: Shokhin Vladimir K.
Published: January 2015

Philosophy is, in some sense, the self-reflection of general culture, and perpetual self-reflection has been a primary occupation of philosophy in the West. Consequently, self-reflection is of great importance for dividing philosophical fields into separate divisions, and philosophy of religion is no exception. This paper deals with a thinker who constructed a “philosophy of religion” as a discipline, but was overlooked by historians. The main achievements of François Para du Phanjas (1724-1797), who tried to offer a theory of religion in the theological context, have not lost their significance for today, especially his insights into epistemology of religious beliefs, his conception of “certainty” and classification of “religious evidences”, and the shortcomings of his analysis of “natural religion”.
Hume and Kantian Teleology
Authors: Mercer Ronald
Published: January 2015

This paper argues that Hume’s claim to have some belief in God is accurate because his own philosophy is held together by a teleological underpinning that leads to the idea of God. Previous work that has favorably connected Hume’s philosophy to Kant’s provides a framework to argue that Hume inadvertently admits a teleological
Sulfur solubility of liquid and solid Fe–Cr alloys: A thermodynamic analysis
Authors: Waldner Peter
Published: January 2015

Gibbs energy modeling for sulfur solving liquid and solid iron–chromium phases with body- and face-centered cubic structure has been carried out using a substitutional approach. Experimental data available from the literature on sulfur potentials in the temperature range 1 525 to 1 755 °C for the liquid metallic phase and 1 000 to 1 300 °C for the solid alloys have been taken into consideration. Recent thermodynamic evaluations of the Fe–S and Cr–S binary subsystems served as basis for the presented work. The obtained models allow a satisfactory reproduction of the majority of the sulfur potential data as well as the prediction of an isothermal partial section at 1 300 °C. Consistent embedding of the optimized Gibbs energies within a recent thermodynamic modeling of the complete Cr–Fe–S system is achieved.
Thermophysical properties of solid phase ruthenium measured by the pulse calorimetry technique over a wide temperature range
Authors: Milošević Nenad , Nikolić Ivana
Published: January 2015

This paper presents experimental results on four thermophysical properties of pure polycrystalline ruthenium samples over a wide temperature range. Specific heat capacity and specific electrical resistivity were measured from 250 to 2 500 K, while hemispherical total emissivity and normal spectral emissivity at 900 nm were measured from 1 300 to 2 500 K. All the properties were obtained by using the pulse calorimetry technique. The 200 mm long specimens were in the form of a thin rod, of about 3 mm in diameter. For necessary corrections, literature data on thermal linear expansion were applied. The results are compared with available literature data and discussed. The specific heat capacity and specific electrical resistivity measurements did not indicate any allotropic transformation of the samples over the entire temperature range.
Validation of a clinical critical thinking skills test in nursing
Authors: Shin Sujin , Jung Dukyoo , Kim Sungeun
Published: January 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a revised version of the clinical critical thinking skills test (CCTS) and to subsequently validate its performance. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of the CCTS. Data were obtained from a convenience sample of 284 college students in June 2011. Thirty items were analyzed using item response theory and test reliability was assessed. Test-retest reliability was measured using the results of 20 nursing college and graduate school students in July 2013. The content validity of the revised items was analyzed by calculating the degree of agreement between instrument developer intention in item development and the judgments of six experts. To analyze response process validity, qualitative data related to the response processes of nine nursing college students obtained through cognitive interviews were analyzed. Results: Out of initial 30 items, 11 items were excluded after the analysis of difficulty and discrimination parameter. When the 19 items of the revised version of the CCTS were analyzed, levels of item difficulty were found to be relatively low and levels of discrimination were found to be appropriate or high. The degree of agreement between item developer intention and expert judgments equaled or exceeded 50%. Conclusion: From above results, evidence of the response process validity was demonstrated, indicating that subjects respondeds as intended by the test developer. The revised 19-item CCTS was found to have sufficient reliability and validity and will therefore represents a more convenient measurement of critical thinking ability.
Oxidation Stability of Pig Liver Pâté with Increasing Levels of Natural Antioxidants (Grape and Tea)
Authors: Pateiro Mirian , Lorenzo José , Vázquez José , Franco Daniel
Published: January 2015

The present study investigated the effect of the addition of increasing levels of the natural antioxidants tea (TEA) and grape seed extracts (GRA) on the physiochemical and oxidative stability of refrigerated stored pig pâtés. In addition, a synthetic antioxidant and a control batch were used, thus a total of eight batches of liver pâté were prepared: CON, BHT, TEA (TEA50, TEA200 and TEA1000) and GRA (GRA50, GRA200 and GRA1000). Pâté samples were analyzed following 0, 4, 8 and 24 weeks of storage. Color parameters were affected by storage period and level of antioxidant extract. Samples with TEA200 and GRA1000 levels of extracts showed lower total color difference between 0 and 24 weeks. At the end of storage period, the lower TBARs values were obtained in samples with the highest concentration on natural extract. Overall, the evolution of volatile compounds showed an increase in those ones that arise from the lipid oxidation and samples with TEA1000 extract showed the lowest values.
Supercritical Water Gasification of Biomass: A Literature and Technology Overview
Authors: Yakaboylu Onursal , Harinck John , Smit K. , De Jong Wiebren
Published: January 2015

The supercritical water gasification process is an alternative to both conventional gasification as well as anaerobic digestion as it does not require drying and the process takes place at much shorter residence times; a few minutes at most. The drastic changes in the thermo-physical properties of water from the liquid state to the supercritical state make it a promising technology for the efficient conversion of wet biomass into a product gas that after upgrading can be used as substitute natural gas. The earliest research goes back as far as the 1970s and since then, supercritical water has been the subject of many research works in the field of thermochemical conversion of wet biomass. This article reviews the state of the art of the supercritical water gasification technology starting from the thermophysical properties of water and the chemistry of reactions to the process challenges of such a biomass based supercritical water gasification process plant.
Conceptual Issues Regarding the Development of Underground Railway Laser Scanning Systems
Authors: Hung Raymond , King Bruce , Chen Wu
Published: January 2015

Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) systems are widely applied for spatial data collection and support applications in many aspects. In recent years, MLS technology had been introduced to railway applications and greatly enhanced the spatial detail and efficiency when compared to traditional approaches. However, the advance of MLS technology is not completely applied to railway environment. Typical MLS systems rely on integrated navigation through the use of Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for geo-referencing, while operation under long-term GNSS outages or even GNSS-free environments, such as underground railway or long tunnels, remains a challenging issue due to the degraded operation of standalone inertial navigation. Commercial MLS systems usually employ high performance inertial measurement units (IMU) and various strategies to manage GNSS outages, but GNSS components are still necessary prior to and after experiencing the loss of GNSS signals. To tackle the problem of permanent GNSS outages, alternative methods are introduced to replace the GNSS and so allow the use of MLS systems in GNSS-free underground railway environments. Such approaches encourage the MLS systems to be developed into the Underground Railway Laser Scanning (URLS) systems, which may provide several alternative operational functions for the management of underground railway operation.
Molecular Characterization of Three Gonadotropin Subunits and Their Expression Patterns during Ovarian Maturation in Cynoglossus semilaevis
Authors: Shi Bao , Liu Xuezhou , Xu Yongjiang , Wang Shanshan
Published: January 2015

The endocrine regulation of reproduction in a multiple spawning flatfish with an ovary of asynchronous development remains largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to monitor changes in mRNA expression patterns of three gonadotropin hormone (GTH) subunits (FSHβ, LHβ and CGα) and plasma GTH levels during ovarian maturation of half-smooth tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis. Cloning and sequence analysis revealed that the cDNAs of FSHβ, LHβ and CGα were 541, 670 and 685 bp in length, and encode for peptides of 130, 158 and 127 amino acids, respectively. The number of cysteine residues and potential N-linked glycosylation sites of the flatfish GTHs were conserved among teleosts. However, the primary structure of GTHs in Pleuronectiformes appeared to be highly divergent. The FSHβ transcriptional level in the pituitary remained high during the vitellogenic stage while plasma levels of FSH peaked and oocyte development was stimulated. The LHβ expression in the pituitary and ovary reached the maximum level during oocyte maturation stages when the plasma levels of LH peaked. The brain GTHs were expressed at the different ovarian stages. These results suggested that FSH and LH may simultaneously regulate ovarian development and maturation through the brain-pituitary-ovary axis endocrine system in tongue sole.
In Vitro Selection of Single-Stranded DNA Molecular Recognition Elements against S. aureus Alpha Toxin and Sensitive Detection in Human Serum
Authors: Hong Ka , Battistella Luisa , Salva Alysia , Williams Ryan , Sooter Letha
Published: January 2015

Alpha toxin is one of the major virulence factors secreted by Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that is responsible for a wide variety of infections in both community and hospital settings. Due to the prevalence of S. aureus related infections and the emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, rapid and accurate diagnosis of S. aureus infections is crucial in benefiting patient health outcomes. In this study, a rigorous Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) variant previously developed by our laboratory was utilized to select a single-stranded DNA molecular recognition element (MRE) targeting alpha toxin with high affinity and specificity. At the end of the 12-round selection, the selected MRE had an equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of 93.7 ± 7.0 nM. Additionally, a modified sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed by using the selected ssDNA MRE as the toxin-capturing element and a sensitive detection of 200 nM alpha toxin in undiluted human serum samples was achieved.
Detection of miRNA as Non-Invasive Biomarkers of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Ren Albert , Dong Yujuan , Tsoi Ho , Yu Jun
Published: January 2015

Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is one of the deadliest cancers—ranking as the fourth most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. It is such a deadly disease because it is largely asymptomatic until the latter stages—oftentimes when the cancer has metastasized. Thus, a huge emphasis of cancer treatment is placed on early detection. Currently, there is a lack of a noninvasive, reliable, and cost-effective screening method for CRC. In recent years, microRNA (miRNA) diagnostic markers have been suggested as a viable new screening method for CRC. miRNAs play an important role in carcinogenesis, and has been observed to be dysregulated in many cancers including CRC. This review examines the diagnostic potential of circulatory and fecal miRNA markers in relation to CRC, as well as current techniques to detect them.
Probing Peptide and Protein Insertion in a Biomimetic S-Layer Supported Lipid Membrane Platform
Authors: Damiati Samar , Schrems Angelika , Sinner Eva-Kathrin , Sleytr Uwe , Schuster Bernhard
Published: January 2015

The most important aspect of synthetic lipid membrane architectures is their ability to study functional membrane-active peptides and membrane proteins in an environment close to nature. Here, we report on the generation and performance of a biomimetic platform, the S-layer supported lipid membrane (SsLM), to investigate the structural and electrical characteristics of the membrane-active peptide gramicidin and the transmembrane protein α-hemolysin in real-time using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring in combination with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. A shift in membrane resistance is caused by the interaction of α-hemolysin and gramicidin with SsLMs, even if only an attachment onto, or functional channels through the lipid membrane, respectively, are formed. Moreover, the obtained results did not indicate the formation of functional α-hemolysin pores, but evidence for functional incorporation of gramicidin into this biomimetic architecture is provided.
Measures of Information
Authors: Walton Paul
Published: January 2015

This paper builds an integrated framework of measures of information based on the Model for Information (MfI) developed by the author. Since truth is expressed using information, an analysis of truth depends on the nature of information and its limitations. These limitations include those implied by the geometry of information and those implied by the relativity of information. This paper proposes an approach to truth and truthlikeness that takes these limitations into account by incorporating measures of the quality of information. Another measure of information is the amount of information. This has played a role in two important theoretical difficulties—the Bar-Hillel Carnap paradox and the “scandal of deduction”. This paper further provides an analysis of the amount of information, based on MfI, and shows how the MfI approach can resolve these difficulties.
Interventions to Increase Treatment Adherence in Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Bass Alexandria , Anderson Kathryn , Feldman Steven
Published: January 2015

Poor adherence to treatment is a major factor limiting treatment outcomes in patients with atopic dermatitis. The purpose of our systematic review is to identify techniques that have been tested to increase treatment adherence in atopic dermatitis. A MEDLINE search was performed for clinical trials focusing on interventions used to increase adherence in atopic dermatitis. Four articles were retrieved. References of these studies were analyzed yielding three more trials. The seven results were evaluated by comparing the intervention used to improve adherence, how adherence was assessed, and the outcome of the intervention tested. Different approaches to increase adherence such as written eczema action plans, educational workshops, extra office visits, and use of an atopic dermatitis educator were evaluated. All interventions increased adherence rates or decreased severity in patients, except for two. The MEDLINE search yielded limited results due to a lack of studies conducted specifically for atopic dermatitis and adherence was measured using different methods making the studies difficult to compare. Interventions including patient education, eczema action plans, and a quick return for a follow-up visit improve adherence, but based on the lack of clinical trials, developing new techniques to improve adherence could be as valuable as developing new treatments.
The Electronic Monitoring Paradigm: A Proposal for Transforming Criminal Justice in the USA
Authors: Yeh Stuart
Published: January 2015

This article proposes a change in public policy that promises to greatly reduce major crime in the United States, protect society, eliminate prison overcrowding, and save taxpayer dollars. This policy would employ electronic monitoring (EM) technology in a way that discourages individuals who might otherwise be tempted to commit crimes. The approach is arguably more effective, efficient, humane and ethical than any alternative strategy and potentially could revolutionize law enforcement and the American criminal justice system.
Infrared Optical Switch Using a Movable Liquid Droplet
Authors: Xu Miao , Wang Xiahui , Jin Boya , Ren Hongwen
Published: January 2015

We report an infrared (IR) optical switch using a wedge-like cell. A glycerol droplet is placed in the cell and its surrounding is filled with silicone oil. The droplet has minimal surface area to volume (SA/V) ratio in the relaxing state. By applying a voltage, the generated dielectric force pulls the droplet to move toward the region with thinner cell gap. As a result, the droplet is deformed by the substrates, causing the SA/V of the droplet to increase. When the voltage is removed, the droplet can return to its original place in order to minimize the surface energy. Owing to the absorption of glycerol at 1.55 μm, the shifted droplet can be used to attenuate an IR beam with the advantage of polarization independent. Fluidic devices based on this operation mechanism have potential applications in optical fiber switches, IR shutter, and variable optical attenuations.
Transcriptome Analysis of Porphyrin-Accumulated and X-Ray-Irradiated Cell Cultures under Limited Proliferation and Non-Lethal Conditions
Authors: Takahashi Junko , Misawa Masaki , Iwahashi Hitoshi
Published: January 2015

5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a precursor of the photosensitizer used in photodynamic therapy. It accumulates in tumor cells and subsequently metabolizes to protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), which generates singlet oxygen after light irradiation. PpIX enhances the generation of reactive oxygen species following physicochemical interactions with X-rays. ALA-based treatment using fractionated doses of irradiation suppressed tumor growth in a mouse melanoma model. To study the transcriptomic effects of PpIX, microarray analyses were conducted using HeLa cells with limited proliferation capacity. Based on the p-values (p < 0.01), we selected genes showing altered expression in each treatment group with reference to the non-treatment (NT) group. We detected 290, 196 and 28 upregulated genes, as well as 203, 146 and 36 downregulated genes after a 6 h-long PpIX treatment (1 μg/mL) prior to 3 Gy X-ray irradiation (PpIX-XT), 3 Gy X-ray irradiation alone (XT) and PpIX treatment alone (PpIXT), respectively. Functional analysis revealed that a majority of the regulated genes in the XT and PpIX-XT groups were related to cell-cycle arrest. The XT and PpIX-XT groups differed in the quantity, but not in the quality of their gene expression. The combined effect of PpIX and X-ray irradiation sensitized HeLa cells to X-ray treatment.
Development and Validation of 697 Novel Polymorphic Genomic and EST-SSR Markers in the American Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.)
Authors: Schlautman Brandon , Fajardo Diego , Bougie Tierney , Wiesman Eric , Polashock James , Vorsa Nicholi , Steffan Shawn , Zalapa Juan
Published: January 2015

The American cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait., is an economically important North American fruit crop that is consumed because of its unique flavor and potential health benefits. However, a lack of abundant, genome-wide molecular markers has limited the adoption of modern molecular assisted selection approaches in cranberry breeding programs. To increase the number of available markers in the species, this study identified, tested, and validated microsatellite markers from existing nuclear and transcriptome sequencing data. In total, new primers were designed, synthesized, and tested for 979 SSR loci; 697 of the markers amplified allele patterns consistent with single locus segregation in a diploid organism and were considered polymorphic. Of the 697 polymorphic loci, 507 were selected for additional genetic diversity and segregation analyses in 29 cranberry genotypes. More than 95% of the 507 loci did not display segregation distortion at the p < 0.05 level, and contained moderate to high levels of polymorphism with a polymorphic information content >0.25. This comprehensive collection of developed and validated microsatellite loci represents a substantial addition to the molecular tools available for geneticists, genomicists, and breeders in cranberry and Vaccinium.
The Synthesis and Antitumor Activity of Twelve Galloyl Glucosides
Authors: Li Chang-Wei , Dong Hua-Jin , Cui Cheng-Bin
Published: January 2015

Twelve galloyl glucosides 1–12, showing diverse substitution patterns with two or three galloyl groups, were synthesized using commercially available, low-cost D-glucose and gallic acid as starting materials. Among them, three compounds, methyl 3,6-di-O-galloyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (9), ethyl 2,3-di-O-galloyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (11) and ethyl 2,3-di-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (12), are new compounds and other six, 1,6-di-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranose (1), 1,4,6-tri-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranose (2), 1,2-di-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranose (3), 1,3-di-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranose (4), 1,2,3-tri-O-galloyl-α-D-glucopyranose (6) and methyl 3,4,6-tri-O-galloyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (10), were synthesized for the first time in the present study. In in vitro MTT assay, 1–12 inhibited human cancer K562, HL-60 and HeLa cells with inhibition rates ranging from 64.2% to 92.9% at 100 μg/mL, and their IC50 values were determined to be varied in 17.2–124.7 μM on the tested three human cancer cell lines. In addition, compounds 1–12 inhibited murine sarcoma S180 cells with inhibition rates ranging from 38.7% to 52.8% at 100 μg/mL in the in vitro MTT assay, and in vivo antitumor activity of 1 and 2 was also detected in murine sarcoma S180 tumor-bearing Kunming mice using taxol as positive control.
The Use of Lactic Acid Bacteria as a Probiotic in Swine Diets
Authors: Yang Fengjuan , Hou Chengli , Zeng Xiangfang , Qiao Shiyan
Published: January 2015

As the resistance of pathogens to antibiotics and the possibility of antibiotic residues in animal products attract increasing attention, the interest in the use of alternatives to in-feed antibiotics has been growing. Recent research with Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in pigs suggests that LAB provide a potential alternative to antibiotic strategies. LAB include Lactobacillus species, Bifidobacterium spp, Bacillus spp, and some other microbes. LAB can adjust the intestinal environment, inhibit or kill pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract and improve the microbial balance in the intestine, as well as regulate intestinal mucosal immunity and maintain intestinal barrier function, thereby benefiting the health of pigs. The related mechanisms for these effects of LAB may include producing microbicidal substances with effects against gastrointestinal pathogens and other harmful microbes, competing with pathogens for binding sites on the intestinal epithelial cell surface and mucin as well as stimulating the immune system. In this review, the characteristics of LAB and their probiotic effects in newborn piglets, weaned piglets, growing pigs and sows are documented.
Surveying Multidisciplinary Aspects in Real-Time Distributed Coding for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Braccini Carlo , Davoli Franco , Marchese Mario , Mongelli Maurizio
Published: January 2015

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), where a multiplicity of sensors observe a physical phenomenon and transmit their measurements to one or more sinks, pertain to the class of multi-terminal source and channel coding problems of Information Theory. In this category, “real-time” coding is often encountered for WSNs, referring to the problem of finding the minimum distortion (according to a given measure), under transmission power constraints, attainable by encoding and decoding functions, with stringent limits on delay and complexity. On the other hand, the Decision Theory approach seeks to determine the optimal coding/decoding strategies or some of their structural properties. Since encoder(s) and decoder(s) possess different information, though sharing a common goal, the setting here is that of Team Decision Theory. A more pragmatic vision rooted in Signal Processing consists of fixing the form of the coding strategies (e.g., to linear functions) and, consequently, finding the corresponding optimal decoding strategies and the achievable distortion, generally by applying parametric optimization techniques. All approaches have a long history of past investigations and recent results. The goal of the present paper is to provide the taxonomy of the various formulations, a survey of the vast related literature, examples from the authors’ own research, and some highlights on the inter-play of the different theories.
Sustainable Approaches for Stormwater Quality Improvements with Experimental Geothermal Paving Systems
Authors: Tota-Maharaj Kiran , Paul Parneet
Published: January 2015

This research assesses the next generation of permeable pavement systems (PPS) incorporating ground source heat pumps (geothermal paving systems). Twelve experimental pilot-scaled pavement systems were assessed for its stormwater treatability in Edinburgh, UK. The relatively high variability of temperatures during the heating and cooling cycle of a ground source heat pump system embedded into the pavement structure did not allow the ecological risk of pathogenic microbial expansion and survival. Carbon dioxide monitoring indicated relatively high microbial activity on a geotextile layer and within the pavement structure. Anaerobic degradation processes were concentrated around the geotextile zone, where carbon dioxide concentrations reached up to 2000 ppm. The overall water treatment potential was high with up to 99% biochemical oxygen demand removal. The pervious pavement systems reduced the ecological risk of stormwater discharges and provided a low risk of pathogen growth.
Two-Round Password-Only Authenticated Key Exchange in the Three-Party Setting
Authors: Nam Junghyun , Choo Kim-Kwang , Han Sangchul , Paik Juryon , Won Dongho
Published: January 2015

We present the first provably-secure three-party password-only authenticated key exchange (PAKE) protocol that can run in only two communication rounds. Our protocol is generic in the sense that it can be constructed from any two-party PAKE protocol. The protocol is proven secure in a variant of the widely-accepted model of Bellare, Pointcheval and Rogaway (2000) without any idealized assumptions on the cryptographic primitives used. We also investigate the security of the two-round, three-party PAKE protocol of Wang, Hu and Li (2010) and demonstrate that this protocol cannot achieve implicit key authentication in the presence of an active adversary.
How Corporations Deal with Reporting Sustainability: Assessment Using the Multicriteria Logistic Biplot Approach
Authors: Vicente Galindo Purificación , Vaz Eric , De Noronha Teresa
Published: January 2015

This paper suggests a new methodology capable of accessing in detail the contribution of companies to countries’ sustainability related to economic performance. The concept of sustainability has been brought up in several debates, leading to a clearer understanding of its progress in recent decades. The most adequate indicators to achieve a unique value to define sustainability have been identified. However, specific behaviors of economic agents such as exist in particularly large organizations, have rarely been exposed and evaluated regarding their positive or negative contribution to the increase of sustainability throughout the world. This paper proposes an integrated approach incorporating an evaluation of the positive and negative contributions to sustainability by means of a logistic biplot application. This allows the creation of a summarized index that combines all single sustainability indicators. These synthetic indices allow the positioning of each of the companies in a geometric representation for an original exploration of the sustainability paradigm. The supplied method permits accessing and evaluating information concerning specific behaviors of economic agents such as big companies. In our paper, we have followed the engagements towards sustainability of big corporations, individually or as groups, across the different activity sectors in Portugal and Spain.