bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The “Quicksilver Initiatives” as a Framework for e-Government Strategy Design in Developing Economies
Authors: Bwalya Kelvin Joseph , Du Plessis Tanya , Rensleigh Chris
Published: March 2012

In countries where e-Government is being implemented, levels of its development and adoption show pronounced disparities. These disparities could be attributed to mismatches in the strategies employed when pursuing the e-Government agenda and the lack of consideration of the contextual environment in which e-Government is implemented. This chapter aims to encourage informed e-Government strategy design in developing countries by referencing the “Quicksilver Initiatives” approach, which was used by the USA government during the Bush administration, culminating in placing America as one of the top countries in e-Government development. The chapter also aims to provide a platform on how these initiatives could be adapted to an emerging economy environment. Further, the chapter uses extensive literature reviews to assess e-Government readiness of emerging countries in general and provides conceptual principles on which e-Government strategy should be hinged in developing countries. This chapter is timely, as it comes at a time when many emerging countries are trying to develop their e-Government strategic frameworks and roadmaps for leveraging government efficiency and competitiveness.
Sports Information Retrieval for Video Annotation
Authors: Chen Hua-Tsung , Tsai Wen-Jiin , Lee Suh-Yin
Published: March 2012

The rapid evolution of digital equipments has led to the explosive proliferation of multimedia data in education, entertainment, sport and various applications. The development of automatic or semi-automatic systems and tools for digital content analysis and understanding becomes compelling. As important multimedia content, sports video has been attracting increasing attention due to commercial benefits, entertaining functionalities and audience requirements. Much research on shot classification, highlight extraction and event detection in sports video has been done to provide interactive video viewing systems for quick browsing, indexing and summarization. More keenly than ever, the audience desires professional insights into the games. The coach and players demand automatic tactics analysis and performance evaluation with the aid of multimedia information retrieval technologies. Therefore, sports video analysis is certainly a research issue worth investigation. In this paper, we review current research and give an insight into sports video analysis.
A Multiple-Instance Learning Based Approach to Multimodal Data Mining
Authors: Zhang Zhongfei (Mark) , Guo Zhen , Pan Jia-Yu
Published: March 2012

This paper presents multiple-instance learning based approach to multimodal data mining in a multimedia database. This approach is a highly scalable and adaptable framework that the authors call co-learning. Theoretic analysis and empirical evaluations demonstrate the advantage of the strong scalability and adaptability. Although this framework is general for multimodal data mining in any specific domain, to evaluate this framework, the authors apply it to the Berkeley Drosophila ISH embryo image database for the evaluations of the mining performance in comparison with a state-of-the-art multimodal data mining method to showcase the promise of the co-learning framework.
Annotating Historical Archives of Images
Authors: Wang Xiaoyue , Ye Lexiang , Keogh Eamonn J. , Shelton Christian R.
Published: March 2012

Recent programs like the Million Book Project and Google Print Library Project have archived several million books in digital format, and within a few years a significant fraction of world’s books will be online. While the majority of the data will naturally be text, there will also be tens of millions of pages of images. Many of these images will defy automation annotation for the foreseeable future, but a considerable fraction of the images may be amiable to automatic annotation by algorithms that can link the historical image with a modern contemporary, with its attendant metatags. To perform this linking, there must be a suitable distance measure that appropriately combines the relevant features of shape, color, texture and text. However, the best combination of these features will vary from application to application and even from one manuscript to another. In this work, the authors propose a simple technique to learn the distance measure by perturbing the training set in a principled way.
Logical Structure Recovery in Scholarly Articles with Rich Document Features
Authors: Luong Minh-Thang , Nguyen Thuy Dung , Kan Min-Yen
Published: March 2012

Scholarly digital libraries increasingly provide analytics to information within documents themselves. This includes information about the logical document structure of use to downstream components, such as search, navigation, and summarization. In this paper, the authors describe SectLabel, a module that further develops existing software to detect the logical structure of a document from existing PDF files, using the formalism of conditional random fields. While previous work has assumed access only to the raw text representation of the document, a key aspect of this work is to integrate the use of a richer representation of the document that includes features from optical character recognition (OCR), such as font size and text position. Experiments reveal that using such rich features improves logical structure detection by a significant 9 F1 points, over a suitable baseline, motivating the use of richer document representations in other digital library applications.
The Five and Seven Factors Personality Models: Differences and Similitude between the TCI-R, NEO-FFI-R and ZKPQ-50-CC
Authors: Aluja Anton , Blanch Angel
Published: March 2012

The present study tests the relationships between the three frequently used personality models evaluated by the Temperament Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R), Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Five Factor Inventory – Revised (NEO-FFI-R) and Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire-50- Cross-Cultural (ZKPQ-50-CC). The results were obtained with a sample of 928 volunteer subjects from the general population aged between 17 and 28 years old. Frequency distributions and alpha reliabilities with the three instruments were acceptable. Correlational and factorial analyses showed that several scales in the three instruments share an appreciable amount of common variance. Five factors emerged from principal components analysis. The first factor was integrated by A (Agreeableness), Co (Cooperativeness) and Agg-Host (Aggressiveness- Hostility), with secondary loadings in C (Conscientiousness) and SD (Self-directiveness) from other factors. The second factor was composed by N (Neuroticism), N-Anx (Neuroticism-Anxiety), HA (Harm Avoidance) and SD (Self-directiveness). The third factor was integrated by Sy (Sociability), E (Extraversion), RD (Reward Dependence), ImpSS (Impulsive Sensation Seeking) and NS (novelty Seeking). The fourth factor was integrated by Ps (Persistence), Act (Activity), and C, whereas the fifth and last factor was composed by O (Openness) and ST (Self- Transcendence). Confirmatory factor analyses indicate that the scales in each model are highly interrelated and define the specified latent dimension well. Similarities and differences between these three instruments are further discussed.
Preparation and Characterization of Nanostructured CaCu2.90Zn0.10Ti4O12 Ceramic
Authors: Singh Laxman , Rai U. S. , Mandal K. D.
Published: March 2012

Nanostructure CaCu2.90Zn0.10Ti4O12 (CCZTO) electronic ceramic was synthesized by semi-wet route. The objective of this route is to enable the calcination and sintering processes to go for completion in shorter time and at lower temperature.***The samples were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM and EDX analyses. The crystallite size of the CCZTO ceramic, obtained by XRD using Debye Scherrer formula, range from 38-74nm which is in good agreement with the particle size observed by TEM analysis. It was observed clearly that the grain size significantly increased with an increase in sintering duration. Dielectric measurements were carried out by LCR meter in the temperature range, 300–500K, at few selected frequencies. It was also observed that the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of CCZTO are temperature independent in higher frequency whereas temperature dependent in low frequency region. The ceramics exhibit high dielectric constant of 1.35 × 104 at 1 kHz.
Exercises Shed Light on Contamination Response Actions
Authors: Pickard Brian C. , Allgeier Steven C. , Lee Yeongho , Swertfeger Jeff , Johnson Reese
Published: March 2012

An Ohio utility and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted full‐scale exercises to establish design and deployment recommendations for contamination warning systems.
How Can I Better Understand My Role as a Supervisor or Manager?
Authors: Bloetscher Frederick
Published: March 2012

Understanding one's role in a new job or industry can be challenging. Depending on who or what you supervise, the answer may vary, but underlying goals are the same in any organization.
Redox Properties of Radicals
Authors: Magri David C. , Workentin Mark S.
Published: March 2012

The redox properties of organic radicals in solution and many techniques used to evaluate the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of this important class of reactive intermediate are reviewed. An overview is provided of the many methods used to generate and detect radicals by direct and indirect electrochemical methods including cyclic voltammetry with microelectrodes and ultramicroelectrodes, competitive q method and alternating current voltammetry, and non‐direct photoelectrochemical methods involving intermediate generation by photochemical means and subsequent investigation by electrochemical and other complimentary techniques including photomodulated voltammetry, laser flash photoelectron injection, and pulse radiolysis. The end of the article provides detailed tables summarizing the reduction and oxidation potentials of various classes of organic radicals.
Photo Induced Radical Reactions
Authors: Pérez‐Prieto Julia , Miranda Miguel A.
Published: March 2012

This article discusses a number of reactions of potential synthetic interest occurring through photochemically generated organic radicals. Emphasis is placed on the nature of the resulting photoproducts, whose formation is discussed on a mechanistic basis. If available, experimental evidence (obtained by laser flash photolysis or related time‐resolved techniques) is provided. The material is organized according to the reaction types, for instance, homolytic cleavage, mesolytic cleavage, radical addition, and oxidative or reductive electron transfer. In addition to the classical carboncarbon or carbonhydrogen bond breaking processes, such as the Norrish type I reaction, the hydrogen abstraction, and the photo‐Fries or the photo‐Claisen rearrangements, a number of carbonheteroatom and heteroatomheteroatom cleavage processes are also covered. At the end of the article, a short section is included that deals with the experimental techniques for the characterization of photochemically generated radicals.
Matrix Isolation of Radicals
Authors: Mardyukov Artur , Sander Wolfram
Published: March 2012

Matrix isolation spectroscopy is a viable tool for the isolation and characterization of free radicals. In inert media (in particular, rare gases such as argon or neon) at cryogenic temperatures (below 30 K), radicals are immobilized and kinetically stabilized. In some cases, it was also possible to investigate bimolecular reactions of matrix‐isolated radicals with small molecules. The spectroscopic characterization of simple alkyl radicals such as methyl and ethyl, of unsaturated radicals such as allyl and vinyl, and of aromatic radicals is described here.
Radical Chemistry in the Gas Phase
Authors: Alcaraz Christian , Fischer Ingo , Schröder Detlef
Published: March 2012

We discuss the role of isolated radicals in various chemical environments, such as combustion engines, low‐temperature plasmas, planetary atmospheres, and interstellar space. Several methods to generate radicals are presented, for example, pyrolysis, photolysis, discharges, chemical reactions, and neutralization–reionization mass spectrometry. The breadth of each method is illustrated and species generated by these methods are introduced. It is shown that photoionization is an important tool to detect radicals and unravel their reactions. However, the often small Franck–Condon‐factors have to be considered when interpreting photoionization data. Selected results on the unimolecular and bimolecular reactions of radicals are discussed with the intention to show the scope of present methods to study radical chemistry in the gas phase. Among these methods are time‐resolved laser spectroscopy, mass‐spectrometric techniques such as charge‐tagging and schemes based on detecting radicals with synchrotron radiation.
Free Radical Chemistry in Room‐Temperature Ionic Liquids
Authors: Shkrob Ilya A. , Wishart James F.
Published: March 2012

Ionic liquids are emerging as the largest class of room‐temperature organic liquids. These ionic compounds are composed of oddly shaped organic cations and inorganic or organic anions. Ionic liquid solvents combine such properties as electric conductivity, low volatility, and a diverse range of solute–solvent interactions. In this article, we consider the recent advances in free radical chemistry occurring in this new class of organic solvents with particular emphasis on the generation and reactions of free radicals in radiolysis, photolysis, and electrochemistry of ionic liquids.
Epoxides in Titanocene‐Mediated and ‐Catalyzed Radical Reactions
Authors: Gansäuer Andreas , Fleckhaus André
Published: March 2012

Epoxides are among the most useful functional groups in organic chemistry. They are also excellent radical precursors. Ring opening can be achieved via electron transfer from low valent metal complexes. As yet, titanocene(III) chlorides have emerged as the most useful reagents in this respect. Catalytic reaction conditions have been described that exploit the stability of radicals under protic conditions. The use of enantiomerically pure titanocenes has resulted in a number of applications in enantioselective catalysis. Most recently, this has been demonstrated in enantioselective cyclizations. Other unexpected developments have been reported in the field of hydrogen atom transfer reagents for the reduction of radicals generated from epoxides. Titanocene bound water acts as an excellent hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reagent. Moreover, H
2
can be employed as terminal reductant when activated by “hydrogenation” catalysts, such as RhCl(PPh
3
)
3
.

The most common application of the titanocene‐mediated or ‐catalyzed epoxide opening is in cyclization reactions. It has been demonstrated that cyclopropanes, cyclobutanes, cyclopentanes, cyclohexanes, and cycloheptanes are readily accessible. It is expected that these cyclizations will be increasingly frequently applied in the synthesis of natural products.
Charge Transfer in DNA
Authors: Fujitsuka Mamoru , Majima Tetsuro
Published: March 2012

Charge transfer in DNA attracts substantial attentions of researchers in wide fields, especially in the fields of bioscience, nanotechnology, physical chemistry, and so on. During the charge transfer in DNA, hole and excess electron play important roles as charged species in the conduction mechanism. It has been revealed that two kinds of electron transfer mechanisms have to be considered to explain the process of hole transfer in DNA, that is, tunneling and hopping mechanisms. The tunneling mechanism, which is governed by the Marcus theory, is important when the distance for the charge transfer is short (normally less than three nucleobase pairs). On the other hand, by the hopping mechanism, which can be described by the one‐dimensional random walk model, long‐range hole migration in DNA becomes possible. In the case of excess electron transfer, on the other hand, contribution of both tunneling and hopping mechanisms to conduction mechanism has been indicated. In this article, we summarize the mechanistic studies on charge transfer in DNA as well as its application.
Electron Transfer in Peptides and Proteins
Authors: Giese Bernd , Eckhardt Sonja , Lauz Miriam
Published: March 2012

Electron transfer (ET) is a basic chemical reaction, which involves radicals and radical ions. In all living organisms, ETs through peptides and proteins are vital for energy conversion and metabolic processes. In several cases, distances are so long that ET cannot occur as a single‐step reaction, and the process is a result of a multistep reaction, where the charge hops between relay stations. Each of the hopping steps obeys the Marcus theory with its strong distance dependence, but the overall process is described by the weak distance dependency of diffusion. Aromatic and sulfur‐containing aliphatic amino acids are relay amino acids, and for special peptide conformations also the amide bonds might act as stepping stones. ET rates depend on peptide conformations, redox potentials, dipole moments, charges, and proton transfer processes. In addition to its fundamental biological importance, ET also starts to play a role as electronic material. In this article, the basic principles, ET in biological systems, and the possible applications in materials science are presented and discussed.
Theoretical Studies of Radical Enzymes
Authors: Sandala Gregory M. , Smith David M. , Radom Leo
Published: March 2012

The understanding of the mechanisms of radical enzymes has benefited greatly from the contribution of theoretical computations. This review highlights the success for a series of selected examples within this broad field. For the coenzyme B12‐dependent enzymes, theoretical investigations have provided explanations for the activation of the Co–C bond of coenzyme B12, the facilitation of the otherwise difficult rearrangement step, and how the inherent stability of the participating radical intermediates can profoundly affect the level of catalysis. Likewise, computational investigations have characterized intermediates and demonstrated the importance of certain active‐site amino acid residues in the reactions catalyzed by pyruvate formate lyase, benzylsuccinate synthase, and class III ribonucleotide reductase. In the case of methyl‐coenzyme M reductase, the use of theory has offered new mechanistic ideas as to how this enzyme operates, which can then be tested experimentally. Overall, it is clear that the combination of experimental and computational investigations provides an excellent and highly synergistic approach to elucidate the cause‐and‐effect actions that govern the workings of the fascinating world of radical enzymes.
Free Radicals and Metabolic Disorders
Authors: Cohen Guy , Riahi Yael , Sasson Shlomo
Published: March 2012

The termmetabolic disordersusually describes an altered capacity of the organism to use exogenous and endogenous nutrients and metabolites to generate energy, maintain normal cell structure and function, and support controlled cell proliferation. Normal metabolism starts with the absorption of nutrients and ends with the elimination of metabolites and compounds released following multiple enzyme‐mediated reactions. Complex intra‐ and intercellular pathways control a large array of metabolic interactions that allow the organism to function normally and to adapt to environmental and nutritional challenges. These regulatory interactions involve regulation of enzymes' catalytic functions, organ cross‐talk, hormones, and neural inputs. Metabolic disorders occur when these reactions and control mechanisms are disrupted. The metabolic syndrome is associated with peripheral insulin resistance and hypertension that further deteriorate to overt type‐2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease. Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of metabolic disorder. A major contributing and exacerbating factor in the etiology of these complications is an imbalanced and excessive production of free radicals, which interact with and modify substrates and proteins of major metabolic and regulatory pathways. This article aims at presenting the main mechanism of free‐radical generation under normal conditions and in metabolic disorders, such as T2D and obesity. The impact of the oxidative stress on the metabolism, cell functions, and end‐organ complications is discussed.
Sb, Bi, Te, and I‐Transfer Polymerization and Applications
Authors: Yamago Shigeru , Kayahara Eiichi
Published: March 2012

Synthetic and mechanistic aspects of organostibine‐, organobismuthine‐, organotellurium‐, and organoiodine‐mediated living radical polymerization are discussed. These methods predominantly proceed by the degenerative chain‐transfer mechanism for the activation/deactivation of the dormant/radical species, while reversible termination by thermolysis and photolysis of carbon–heteroatom bonds also contributes to a small extent. The high reactivity of these heteroatom compounds, especially Sb, Bi, and Te compounds, ensures the high control of molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of the resulting polymers. Addition of several inorganic and organic heteroatom compounds considerably increases the control of the polymerization by altering the activation/deactivation mechanism to the reversible chain transfer‐catalyzed polymerization. These methods possess several synthetic advantages, such as high versatility of monomer families, high versatility of block copolymer synthesis, high compatibility of polar functional groups and solvents, and high versatility for selective synthesis of end‐functionalized polymers. These characteristics offer excellent opportunities for the synthesis of new polymeric materials for various applications.
Physical Properties of Thiazyl Radicals Toward Conductive and Magnetic Materials
Authors: Awaga Kunio
Published: March 2012

Heterocyclic thiazyl radicals possess unique chemical and physical properties, as building blocks for molecule‐based conductors, superconductors, and magnetic materials. They do not need protecting groups on their molecular skeletons, so that the lack of such substituents permits close packing in the solid state. Moreover, thiazyl radical solids often involve a multidimensional network consisting of π–π overlaps and S⋯N contacts. In this article, we describe various physical properties of thiazyl radicals such as drastic phase transitions, ferromagnetic couplings, nonlinear transport, and high photoconductivities. They are highly expected to be utilized in developing organic electronics/spintronics.
The History of Free Radical Chemistry
Authors: Tidwell Thomas T.
Published: March 2012

Suggestions of free radicals before 1900 were realized with the discovery first of the triphenylmethyl radical, and then unstabilized aliphatic radicals in the twentieth century. The finding of new types of radicals and the development of their chemistry are outlined. Many individuals participated in the advance of free‐radical chemistry, and some of the most prominent original contributors are recognized where possible. The article provides an overview of the development of many fundamentals of free radicals, while the definitive articles in this encyclopedia on the various topics provided by leaders in their study articles describe the current state of knowledge.
Nitroxides in Synthetic Radical Chemistry
Authors: Tansakul Chittreeya , Braslau Rebecca
Published: March 2012

Nitroxides are persistent organic free radicals utilized in synthesis as carbon radical trapping agents and as oxidants. Since nitroxides trap carbon radicals at close to diffusion‐controlled rates, carbon radicals are either trapped directly or undergo fast cyclizations or rearrangements before trapping. The resulting alkoxyamines are typically reduced to the alcohol or oxidized to the ketone. Alkoxyamines bearing radical‐stabilizing groups on the alkyl fragment undergo reversible homolysis on heating, allowing cyclizations or intermolecular olefin additions based on the persistent radical effect. Nitroxides are widely used as oxidants, either by a single electron transfer mechanism or, most commonly, via the oxoammonium salt. Oxoammonium salts oxidize alcohols by two different mechanisms, depending on the pH. Strongly acidic conditions favor oxidation of secondary over primary alcohols, whereas mild acidic or basic conditions give the opposite selectivity. The oxoammonium can be utilized stoichiometrically or catalytically with a primary cooxidant. Optically active nitroxides effect kinetic resolution and desymmetrization. Sulfides, allylic CH bonds, and benzylic ethers also undergo oxidation. Activation of nitroxides by complexation with metals provides an electrophilic oxygen trap for nucleophiles such as enamines and hydride. Electron‐poor nitroxides abstract activated hydrogens, and add to phenols, resulting in quinone formation.
Fundamentals of Controlled/Living Radical Polymerization
Authors: Matyjaszewski Krzysztof
Published: March 2012

Principles and special features of controlled/living radical polymerization (CRP) processes such as nitroxide‐mediated polymerization (NMP), organometallic radical polymerization (OMRP), and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and degenerative transfer (DT) processes such as reversible addition‐fragmentation transfer (RAFT) systems are discussed. CRP is critically compared with conventional radical polymerization. Proportion of terminated chains in CRP as a function of polymerization rate, conversion, targeted degree of polymerization, and monomer concentration is described and compared for ATRP and DT processes. Concept of persistent radical effect is introduced and its application to determine equilibrium constants in NMP and ATRP is presented. Current challenges and future perspectives are briefly discussed.
Tin Hydrides and Functional Group Transformations
Authors: Jasch Hannelore , Heinrich Markus R.
Published: March 2012

Tin hydrides have played an important role in the development of radical chemistry. Despite their comparatively late discovery as reagents for radical reactions in the late 1950s, they have since then had a tremendous impact.

After a short historical introduction including two milestones in tin hydride radical chemistry, an overview is given of the manifold applications tin hydrides are useful for. Starting from the preparation of the classic tin hydrides, new variants are presented along with their advantages over the traditional reagents. In relation to simple radical reductions, for which tin hydrides are popular reagents because of their hydrogen‐donor abilities, we show which functional groups are suited for the tin‐mediated generation of radicals. If those radicals are not immediately reduced by the tin hydride, a large number of group transformations can be performed ranging from simple cyclizations to complex rearrangements or domino reactions.
Assessment of health‐related family role functioning in systemic lupus erythematosus: Preliminary validation of a new measure
Authors: Hassett Afton L. , Li Tracy , Radvanski Diane C. , Savage Shantal V. , Buyske Steven , Schiff Samuel A. , Katz Patricia P.
Published: March 2012

Objective

Individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) often experience symptoms that affect family relationships, which are important components of quality of life. To assess the impact of SLE on family role functioning, we developed a 6‐domain (Fatigue, Activity participation, Mental health, Isolation, Love and intimacy, and You/fulfilling family roles [FAMILY]) measure. The objectives of this study were to pilot test and achieve preliminary validation for the SLE‐FAMILY questionnaire.

Methods

This was a 3‐phase study. In phase 1 (development), domains were identified and items were generated for evaluation. During phase 2 (pilot test), a pilot test was conducted to assess the performance of candidate items. In phase 3 (initial validation), 52 individuals with SLE completed questionnaires, including the 6‐item SLE‐FAMILY. Data were analyzed for internal consistency reliability, and validity was assessed using correlations between the SLE‐FAMILY questionnaire and well‐validated measures.

Results

The SLE‐FAMILY had good test–retest reliability (0.82) and internal consistency (0.67). Reliability analysis of individual items revealed weakness in the performance of item 5. We reviewed raw data and determined that 9 individuals likely overlooked the reverse scoring of item 5, thus explaining its poor reliability. When these 9 individuals were excluded from analysis, Cronbach's alpha increased to 0.71, while test–retest reliability remained acceptable (0.75). Spearman's rho correlations supported the validity of the SLE‐FAMILY measure. A pilot test of the SLE‐FAMILY questionnaire without the reverse‐scored item was conducted; results suggested that the modified version is superior to the initial form.

Conclusion

The SLE‐FAMILY questionnaire is a promising new instrument for robust measurement of family role functioning.
Fabrication and characterization of polyurethane electrospun nanofiber membranes for protective clothing applications
Authors: Gorji M. , Jeddi Ali. A. A. , Gharehaghaji A. A.
Published: March 2012

Electrospun nanofibrous webs are important in nanotechnology applications due to their high surface area and interconnected porosity. In this study, the effect of electrospinning duration on some physical and mechanical properties of polyurethane (PU) electrospun webs is investigated for potential applications such as protective clothing and membranes. The results show that the thickness and weight of webs and subsequently their tensile strength increase linearly with the electrospinning duration. Air permeability of nanofibrous webs decrease and hydrostatic pressure increases nonlinearly while water vapor permeability remains constant. This work shows that air permeability of PU webs follows Fick's law of diffusion. Some regression models have been proposed to describe electrospun membranes behavior. The results of this investigation indicate that this new generation of nanofibrous materials has a good potential for application as membrane in protective clothing. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Solving train formation problem using simulated annealing algorithm in a simplex framework
Authors: Yaghini Masoud , Momeni Mohsen , Sarmadi Mohammadreza
Published: March 2012

The train formation plan (TFP) determines the train services and their frequencies and assigns the demands. The TFP models are often formulated as a capacitated service network design problem, and the optimal solution is normally difficult to find. In this paper, a hybrid algorithm of the Simplex method and simulated annealing is proposed for the TFP problem. The basic idea of the proposed algorithm is to use a simulated annealing algorithm to explore the solution space, where the revised Simplex method evaluates, selects, and implements the moves. In the proposed algorithm, the neighborhood structure is based on the pivoting rules of the Simplex method that provides an efficient method to reach the neighbors of the current solution. A state‐of‐the‐art method is applied for parameters tuning by using the design of experiments approach. To evaluate the proposed model and the solution method, 25 test problems have been simulated and solved. The results show the efficiency and the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The proposed approach is implemented to develop the TFP in the Iranian railway as a case study. It is possible to save significant time and cost through solving the TFP problem by using the proposed algorithm and developing the efficient TFP plan in the railway networks. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Contemporary use and practice of electroconvulsive therapy worldwide
Authors: Leiknes Kari Ann , Schweder Lindy Jarosh‐von , Høie Bjørg
Published: March 2012

To explore contemporary (from 1990) utilization and practice of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) worldwide. Systematic search (limited to studies published 1990 and after) was undertaken in the databases Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, SveMed, and EBSCO/Cinahl. Primary data‐based studies/surveys with reported ECT utilization and practice in psychiatric institutions internationally, nationally, and regionally; city were included. Two reviewers independently checked study titles and abstracts according to inclusion criteria, and extracted ECT utilization and practice data from those retrieved in full text. Seventy studies were included, seven from Australia and New Zealand, three Africa, 12 North and Latin America, 33 Europe, and 15 Asia. Worldwide ECT differences and trends were evident, average number ECTs administered per patient were eight; unmodified (without anesthesia) was used in Asia (over 90%), Africa, Latin America, Russia, Turkey, Spain. Worldwide preferred electrode placement was bilateral, except unilateral at some places (Europe and Australia/New Zealand). Although mainstream was brief‐pulse wave, sine‐wave devices were still used. Majority ECT treated were older women with depression in Western countries, versus younger men with schizophrenia in Asian countries. ECT under involuntary conditions (admissions), use of ambulatory‐ECT, acute first line of treatment, as well as administered by other professions (geriatricians, nurses) were noted by some sites. General trends were only some institutions within the same country providing ECT, training inadequate, and guidelines not followed. Mandatory reporting and overall country ECT register data were sparse. Many patients are still treated with unmodified ECT today. Large global variation in ECT utilization, administration, and practice advocates a need for worldwide sharing of knowledge about ECT, reflection, and learning from each other's experiences.
Longitudinal brain activity changes in asymptomatic Alzheimer disease
Authors: Codispoti Kari‐Elise T. , Beason‐Held Lori L. , Kraut Michael A. , O’Brien Richard J. , Rudow Gay , Pletnikova Olga , Crain Barbara , Troncoso Juan C. , Resnick Susan M.
Published: March 2012

Asymptomatic Alzheimer disease (ASYMAD) is characterized by normal cognition despite substantial AD pathology. To identify factors contributing to cognitive resilience, we compared early changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in individuals subsequently diagnosed as ASYMAD with changes in cognitively impaired (CI) and normal older participants from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Participants underwent annual positron emission tomography (PET) rCBF measurements beginning 10.0 (SD 3.6) years before death and while cognitively intact. Based on clinical and autopsy information, subjects were grouped as cognitively normal (CN = 7), ASYMAD (n= 6), and CI (=6). Autopsy material was analyzed using CERAD and Braak scores and quantitative stereologic measures of tau and amyloid. ASYMAD and CI groups had similar CERAD and Braak scores, similar amounts of β‐amyloid and tau in middle frontal (MFG), middle temporal (MTG), and inferior parietal (IP) regions, and more β‐amyloid than CN in precuneus, MFG, and IP areas. Voxel‐based PET analysis identified similarities and differences in longitudinal rCBF change among groups across a 7.2‐year interval. Both ASYMAD and CI groups showed similar longitudinal rCBF declines in precuneus, lingual, and MTG regions relative to CN. The CI also showed greater rCBF decreases in anterior and posterior cingulate, cuneus, and brainstem regions relative to ASYMAD and CN, whereas ASYMAD showed greater relative rCBF increases over time in medial temporal and thalamic regions relative to CI and CN. Our findings provide evidence of early functional alterations that may contribute to cognitive resilience in those who accumulate AD pathology but maintain normal cognition.
Perceived helpfulness of online consumer reviews: The role of message content and style
Authors: Schindler Robert M. , Bickart Barbara
Published: March 2012

The rise of online reviews written by consumers makes possible an examination of how the content and style of these word‐of‐mouth messages contribute to their helpfulness. In this study, consumers are asked to judge the value of real online consumer reviews to their simulated shopping activities. The results suggest the benefits of moderate review length and of positive, but not negative, product evaluative statements. Non‐evaluative product information and information about the reviewer were also found to be associated with review helpfulness. Stylistic elements that may impair clarity (such as spelling and grammatical errors) were associated with less valuable reviews, and elements that may make a review more entertaining (such as expressive slang and humor) were associated with more valuable reviews. These findings point to factors beyond product information that may affect the perceived helpfulness of an online consumer review. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and Optoelectronic Properties of Hexahydroxylated 10‐O‐R‐Substituted Anthracenes via a New Modification of the Friedel–Crafts Reaction Using O‐Protected ortho‐Acetal Diarylmethanols
Authors: Bodzioch Agnieszka , Marciniak Bernard , Różycka‐Sokołowska Ewa , Jeszka Jeremiasz K. , Uznański Paweł , Kania Sylwester , Kuliński Janusz , Bałczewski Piotr
Published: March 2012

A new modification of the Friedel–Crafts type intramolecular cyclization involving O‐protected ortho‐acetal diarylmethanols as a new type of reactant, was carried out for the first time in a medium containing a large amount of water at room temperature and enabled synthesis of a series of electron‐rich, hexahydroxylated 10‐O‐R‐substituted anthracenes, where R is an alkyl (Me, nBu, n‐C16H33) or arylalkyl group (CH2Ph, CH2‐2‐Napht, CH2C6H4CH2OAr) and also evaluation of their electronic and optoelectronic properties in solution, crystal, and solid thin film. In this transformation, a central 10‐O‐R‐substituted benzene ring was formed, fused to rings originating from two independent aromatic aldehydes. The reaction proceeded via two identified mechanisms involving acetal and/or free aldehyde groups. The acid sensitive acetal and dibenzyl alkoxy functions have never been used together in the intramolecular Friedel–Crafts type cyclization. The new compounds revealed deep blue fluorescence and quantum yields in solution around 0.3. The electrical properties investigated for thin films obtained by vacuum deposition on glass were 10‐O‐R‐substituent dependent and showed much faster transient current decay in the case of the 10‐O‐CH2Ph derivative than for the material with a 10‐O‐Me substituent (the lifetime of charge carriers was 25 times shorter in this case). The AFM images of thin films, Stokes shifts, and X‐ray analysis of π‐stacking interactions in crystals of the new materials have been also obtained.
Safety Aspects during Process Development and Small Scale Production with Microreactors
Authors: Kockmann Norbert
Published: March 2012

Die geschlossene Bauweise, gute Wärmeabfuhr und das kleine innere Volumen von Mikroreaktoren erlauben die sichere Durchführung von anspruchsvollen und gefährlichen Reaktionen. Neben einem robusten und scale‐up‐fähigen Reaktor müssen die Pumpen, Auffangbehälter und eventuelle Trennoperationen für das Sicherheitskonzept genau betrachtet werden. Vier Beispiele mit organometallischen Reaktionen und Nitrierungen erläutern das Vorgehen bei der Prozessentwicklung unter Sicherheitsaspekten. Zwei Checklisten zur Prozess‐ und Arbeitssicherheit unterstützen das systematische Vorgehen bei der Risikoanalyse auf Basis der HAZOP‐Methode.
Characterization of Plasmodium Liver Stage Inhibition by Halofuginone
Authors: Derbyshire Emily R. , Mazitschek Ralph , Clardy Jon
Published: March 2012

Malaria is a devastating parasitic disease that afflicts one‐third of the world’s population. Antimalarial drugs in common use address few targets, and their efficacy is being undermined by parasite resistance. Most therapeutics target blood‐stage malaria, whereas only few compounds are active against malaria’s liver stage, the first stage of the Plasmodium parasite’s life cycle within the human host. The identification of inhibitors active against liver‐stage malaria would benefit the development of chemical probes to elucidate the poorly understood biology of this phase of the parasite life cycle and could provide agents to prevent and eliminate the disease. Herein we report the development of a live‐cell parasite traversal assay in 384‐well format amenable to high‐throughput screening that exploits the wounding of liver cells by the parasite. This method identifies small molecules that may inhibit the parasite′s actin–myosin motor system. The traversal assay, in addition to established methods, was used to evaluate the activity of halofuginone, a synthetic halogenated derivative of the natural alkaloid febrifugine, against liver‐stage Plasmodium berghei parasites. Halofuginone was found to inhibit P. berghei sporozoite load in HepG2 cells with an IC50 value of 17 nM. While the compound does not affect parasite traversal through human liver cells, an inhibition time course assay indicates that it affects essential processes in both early‐ and late‐stage parasite development.
Intraoperative detection and removal of microscopic residual sarcoma using wide‐field imaging
Authors: Mito Jeffrey K. , Ferrer Jorge M. , Brigman Brian E. , Lee Chang‐Lung , Dodd Rebecca D. , Eward William C. , Marshall Lisa F. , Cuneo Kyle C. , Carter Jessica E. , Ramasunder Shalini , Kim Yongbaek , Lee W. David , Griffith Linda G. , Bawendi Moungi G. , Kirsch David G.
Published: March 2012

BACKGROUND:

The goal of limb‐sparing surgery for a soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity is to remove all malignant cells while preserving limb function. After initial surgery, microscopic residual disease in the tumor bed will cause a local recurrence in approximately 33% of patients with sarcoma. To help identify these patients, the authors developed an in vivo imaging system to investigate the suitability of molecular imaging for intraoperative visualization.

METHODS:

A primary mouse model of soft tissue sarcoma and a wide field‐of‐view imaging device were used to investigate a series of exogenously administered, near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes activated by cathepsin proteases for real‐time intraoperative imaging.

RESULTS:

The authors demonstrated that exogenously administered cathepsin‐activated probes can be used for image‐guided surgery to identify microscopic residual NIR fluorescence in the tumor beds of mice. The presence of residual NIR fluorescence was correlated with microscopic residual sarcoma and local recurrence. The removal of residual NIR fluorescence improved local control.

CONCLUSIONS:

The authors concluded that their technique has the potential to be used for intraoperative image‐guided surgery to identify microscopic residual disease in patients with cancer. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
A phase 2 study of the insulin‐like growth factor‐1 receptor inhibitor MK‐0646 in patients with metastatic, well‐differentiated neuroendocrine tumors
Authors: Reidy‐Lagunes Diane L. , Vakiani Efsevia , Segal Michal F. , Hollywood Ellen M. , Tang Laura H. , Solit David B. , Pietanza M. Catherine , Capanu Marinela , Saltz Leonard B.
Published: March 2012

BACKGROUND:

Neuroendocrine tumor (NET) cell lines frequently express both insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) ligand and the cognate IGF‐1 receptor (IGF‐1R) and, as such, potentially depend on the activation of IGF‐1R and its downstream effectors for growth and survival. Preclinical studies suggest that somatostatin analogs and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors exhibit antitumor activity against NETs through inhibition of IGF‐1‐dependent signaling, suggesting that IGF‐1R inhibition may be a promising therapeutic approach to NETs. Therefore, the authors of this report evaluated the safety and efficacy of MK‐0646, a fully human monoclonal antibody (MoAb) that binds to the IGF‐1R, as monotherapy in patients with metastatic, well‐differentiated NETs.

METHODS:

A phase 2 study was performed in which patients received intravenous MK‐0646 10 mg/kg once weekly over 1 hour. Archived pretreatment tumor tissue was obtained and genotyped for v‐Ki‐ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS), phosphatidylinositol‐3‐kinase, catalytic, alpha polypeptide (PIK3CA); and v‐raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) mutations, and immunohistochemistry was performed to measure the expression IGF‐1R.

RESULTS:

Twenty‐five patients received treatment (40% women; median age, 61 years; age range, 37‐83 years), including 15 patients with carcinoid tumors and 10 patients with pancreatic NETs. No partial or complete responses were observed. The median progression‐free survival was 4.2 months in the pancreatic NET cohort (range, 0.7‐6.7 months) and 2.7 months in the carcinoid cohort (range, 2‐3 months). Serious adverse events that were potentially related to MK‐0646 included grade 3/4 hyperglycemia in 8 of 25 patients (32%), grade 2 hypersensitivity reaction in 1 of 24 patients (4%), and grade 3 lipase elevation in 1 of 25 patients (4%).

CONCLUSIONS:

Despite a compelling preclinical rationale, MK‐0646 was inactive as a single agent in well‐differentiated NETs. Further studies of MK‐0646 as a monotherapy in unselected NETs are unwarranted. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Impact of disease progression date determination on progression‐free survival estimates in advanced lung cancer
Authors: Qi Yingwei , Allen Ziegler Katie L. , Hillman Shauna L. , Redman Mary W. , Schild Steven E. , Gandara David R. , Adjei Alex A. , Mandrekar Sumithra J.
Published: March 2012

BACKGROUND:

In patients with advanced lung cancer, overall survival is largely influenced by progression status. Because progression‐free survival (PFS)‐based endpoints are controversial, the authors evaluated the impact of the progression date (PD) determination approach on PFS estimates.

METHODS:

Individual patient data from 21 trials (14 North Central Cancer Treatment Group trials and 7 Southwest Oncology Group trials) were used. The reported PD (RPD) was defined as either the radiographic scan date or the clinical deterioration date. PD was determined using Method 1 (M1), the RPD; M2, 1 day after the last progression‐free scan; M3, midpoint between the last progression‐free scan and the RPD; and M4, an interval‐censoring approach. PFS was estimated using Kaplan‐Meier (M1‐M3), and maximum‐likelihood (M4) methods. Simulation studies were performed to understand the impact of the length of time elapsed between the last progression‐free scan and the PD on time‐to‐progression estimates.

RESULTS:

PFS estimates using the RPD were the highest, and M2 was the most conservative. M3 and M4 were similar because the majority of progressions occurred during treatment (ie, frequent disease assessments). M3 was influenced less by the length of the assessment schedules (percentage difference from the true time‐to‐progression, <1.5%) compared with M1 (11% to 30%) and M2 (−8% to −29%). The overall study conclusion was unaffected by the method used for randomized trials.

CONCLUSIONS:

The magnitude of difference in the PFS estimates was large enough to alter trial conclusions in patients with advanced lung cancer. The results indicate that standards for PD determination, the use of sensitivity analyses, and randomized trials are critical when designing trials and reporting efficacy using PFS‐based endpoints. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.