bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Job Satisfaction of Employees with Disabilities: The Role of Perceived Structural Flexibility
Authors: Baumgärtner Miriam K. , Dwertmann David J.G. , Boehm Stephan A. , Bruch Heike
Published: November 2014

With this article we contribute to the inclusion of employees with disabilities in the workplace. Based on Stone and Colella's (1996) model of factors affecting the treatment of employees with disabilities in organizations, we concentrate on the investigation of job satisfaction as a focal affective response. Besides examining job satisfaction differences between employees with and without disabilities, we focus on perceived flexibility as an organizational boundary condition, arguing for its influence on the job satisfaction of employees with disabilities. We introduce perceived centralization and formalization, representing different indicators of flexibility, as moderators of the disability–job satisfaction relationship. Regression analysis using data from 110 small and medium‐sized companies with 4,141 employees reveals that employees with disabilities are less satisfied than their colleagues without disabilities in highly centralized environments. As predicted, a decentralized organizational context relates to higher job satisfaction levels for all employees, but especially for those having a disability. Contrary to our hypothesis, perceived formalization does not significantly influence the relationship between having a disability and job satisfaction. However, our results clearly indicate the need for companies and especially human resource departments to better adapt to the needs of people with disabilities by creating flexible working environments. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
P/B Ketene Adduct Formation from Acyl Chlorides at a Vicinal Phosphane/Borane Frustrated Lewis Pair
Authors: Frömel Silke , Radermacher Georg , Wibbeling Birgit , Daniliuc Constantin G. , Warren Timothy H. , Kehr Gerald , Erker Gerhard
Published: November 2014

The intramolecular frustrated phosphane/borane Lewis pair Mes2PCH2CH2B(C6F5)2 (3) reacts with acetyl chloride to give a 1 : 1 mixture of the FLP‐ketene adduct, 6a, and the FLP‐HCl addition product, 7. Similarly, the acyl chlorides phenylacetyl chloride and isobutyryl chloride react with 3 to give the respective substituted FLP ketene adducts, 6b and 6c, with HCl elimination. A series of aroyl chlorides reacts with 3 by formation of the respective aroyl‐phosphonium/chloroborate zwitterions, 11a–d. The hetero‐aromatic furoyl chloride reacts with 3 in a more complicated, but mechanistically probably closely related pathway, to form the 2 : 1 reaction product, 14. Most of the products were characterized by X‐ray diffraction.
The Exchange Rate Disconnect Puzzle Revisited
Authors: Bahmani‐Oskooee Mohsen , Hosny Amr , Kishor N. Kundan
Published: November 2014

A long‐standing puzzle in the international macroeconomic literature has been the weak link between the theoretical foundations of the monetary approach to exchange rate determination and its empirical validity. This paper aims at filling this gap. We use a different econometric methodology; the Autoregressive Distributed Lag approach to cointegration, to show that exchange rates and fundamentals move together in the long‐run, thus providing support to the monetary model. We also show that fundamentals Granger cause exchange rates, both in the short‐run and the long‐run. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Performance of Small‐Scale Water Management Interventions on Crop Yield, Water Use and Productivity in Three Agro‐Ecologies of Malawi
Authors: Kadyampakeni Davie M. , Kazombo‐Phiri Samson , Mati Bancy , Fandika Isaac R.
Published: November 2014

Agricultural water management interventions play a critical role in mitigating hunger during droughts and dry seasons in southern Africa. A study was conducted in Malawi to compare the performance of improved agricultural water management interventions with traditional water management practices to assess the performance of the interventions on crop yield and water use. The study used questionnaires and focused group discussions to collect data from farmers and key informants. The results showed significant gains using regulated surface irrigation compared with unregulated surface irrigation. The results showed that yield increases of 33 and 37% for onion and tomato respectively were obtained from wetland seepage irrigation compared with upland cultivation. Treadle pump irrigation increased crop production by 5–54% compared with water can irrigation. Treadle pumps also increased gross and net incomes by ≥12%, suggesting that farmers using the treadle pump were able to realize higher incomes across all crop enterprises compared with farmers using water cans. However, there is a dire need to improve the efficiency of the surface irrigation systems for rice production because the water applied was about two to three times the gross irrigation requirement which could result in environmental degradation through increased salinity and waterlogging. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The use of antidepressants and the risk of chronic atrial fibrillation
Authors: Lapi Franco , Azoulay Laurent , Kezouh Abbas , Benisty Jacques , Matok Ilan , Mugelli Alessandro , Suissa Samy
Published: November 2014

Serotonin stimulation of the 5HT4 receptor might be responsible for an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Thus, we assessed whether the use of antidepressants (ADs) is associated with an increased risk of chronic AF (cAF). Using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, a nested case‐control analysis was conducted within a cohort of new AD users having a diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety. Cases of cAF occurring during follow‐up were individually matched with up to 10 controls on age, sex, year of cohort entry, and duration of follow‐up. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of cAF associated with current and recent use of ADs, when compared to past use. The cohort included 116,125 new AD users, of whom 1,271 were diagnosed with cAF during follow‐up (incidence rate: 1.6 per 1,000 person‐years). The adjusted RR of cAF associated with current and recent use of ADs was 0.98 (95%CI: 0.86–1.12) and 1.02 (95%CI: 0.86–1.30), respectively. No association was observed when ADs were classified according to their potency in reducing serotonin reuptake. These findings suggest that exposure to ADs is not associated with an increased risk of cAF.
Localization of dislocation‐related luminescence centers in self‐ion implanted silicon and effect of additional boron ion doping
Authors: Tetelbaum D. I. , Mikhaylov A. N. , Belov A. I. , Korolev D. S. , Shushunov A. N. , Bobrov A. I. , Pavlov D. A. , Shek E. I. , Sobolev N. A.
Published: November 2014

The depth distribution of light‐emitting centers of the D1 dislocation‐related photoluminescence line (∼ 1.5 μm) in silicon implanted with Si+ ions and annealed at 1100 °C in the oxidizing chlorine‐containing atmosphere has been investigated by means of the layer‐by‐layer chemical etching. It is established with the application of cross‐sectional transmission electron microscopy that the main contribution to the D1 line is made by the centers located at the depths of up to ∼ 150 nm, i.e. in the region of Si+ ion ranges, whereas the dislocations produced by Si+ implantation and annealing at 1100 °C penetrate to the depth of ∼ 1000 nm. Additional boron ion doping with subsequent annealing at 800 °C in N2 atmosphere improves the emission in comparison with the undoped but annealed reference sample, however the additional annealing at 800 °C per se results in the photoluminescence weakening. The dependence of the D1 line intensity on boron ion dose is found to be nonmonotonous. The interpretation of the obtained results is given in relation to the key role of selfinterstitials and boron impurity in the formation of radiative and nonradiative centers. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Robust quantized output feedback control for uncertain discrete time‐delay systems with saturation nonlinearity
Authors: Song Gongfei , Lam James , Xu Shengyuan
Published: November 2014

This paper is concerned with robust quantized output feedback control problems for uncertain discrete‐time systems with time‐varying delay and saturation nonlinearity. It is assumed that the quantizer is of the saturating type. A new framework for the local boundedness stabilization of quantized feedback systems is developed. Attention is focused on finding a quantized static output feedback controller such that all trajectories of the resulting closed‐loop system starting from an admissible initial basin converge to a bounded region strictly within the initial basin. A quantized feedback controller is proposed, which comprises output feedback and the exogenous signal parts. Simulation examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness and advantage of the proposed methods. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Does having women on boards create value? The impact of societal perceptions and corporate governance in emerging markets
Authors: Abdullah Shamsul N. , Ismail Ku Nor Izah Ku , Nachum Lilac
Published: November 2014

Many governments seek to impose gender equality on boards, but the consequences of doing so are not clear and could harm firms and economies. We shed light on this topic by conceptualizing the relationships as firm‐ and board‐specific and embedded within specific contexts. The theory is developed with reference to emerging markets, and tested on Malaysian firms. We find that female directors create value for some firms and decrease it for others. The impact varies across different performance indicators, firms' ownership, and boards' structure. The findings call for nuanced responses in relation to women's nominations from both governments and firms. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of acetylation on the physico‐chemical properties of Indian Horse Chestnut (Aesculus indica L.) starch
Authors: Shubeena  , Wani Idrees Ahmed , Gani Adil , Sharma Paras , Wani Touseef Ahmed , Masoodi Farooq Ahmad , Hamdani Afshan , Muzafar Sabeera
Published: November 2014

The present work was carried out to study the effect of acetylation (0, 3, 6, and 9 g vinyl acetate/gram starch) on the physico‐chemical properties of starch, isolated from Indian horse chestnut (Aesculus indica). Work on starch acetylation and characterization from Indian horse chestnut has not been reported so far in the literature. Moisture, protein, fat, and ash content of native starch was found as 5.97%, 0.27%, 0.22%, and 0.01%, respectively. Acetyl content, swelling index, solubility index, and water absorption capacity of acetylated starch increased with increase in acetyl %, whereas, pasting temperature, syneresis, and amylose content reduced with acetylation. Granule morphology under the scanning electron microscopy revealed that granules were round, oval, irregular, or elliptical with smooth surfaces.
Can the Knowledge Norm Co-Opt the Opt Out?
Authors: Dorst Kevin ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2014

The Knowledge Normof Assertion (KNA) claims that it is proper to assert that p only if one knows that p. Though supported by a wide range of evidence, it appears to generate incorrect verdicts when applied to utterances of “I don’t know.” Instead of being an objection to KNA, I argue that this linguistic data shows that “I don’t know” does not standardly function as a literal assertion about one’s epistemic status; rather, it is an indirect speech act that has the primary illocutionary force of opting out of the speaker’s conversational responsibilities. This explanation both reveals that the opt-out is an under-appreciated type of illocutionary act with a wide range of applications, and shows that the initial data in fact supports KNA over its rivals.
Clinical Integration: A Burning Platform
Authors: Chubbs Katherine
Published: November 2014

—The growing burden of healthcare cost demands a change in healthcare delivery. Hospitals must be reserved for those requiring specialized acute services that can only be received in such a setting. Investment must be made in alternative delivery models, beginning with the home and community as the primary environments in which to receive care. Through focusing on clinical integration, the system will be moving towards better care. System integration enables this burning platform.
Frequent neurally mediated reflex syncope in a young patient with dextrocardia: Efficacy of catheter ablation of the superior vena cava–aorta ganglionated plexus
Authors: Suenaga Hidetaka , Murakami Masato , Tani Tomoyuki , Saito Shigeru
Published: November 2014

Neurally mediated reflex syncope is the most common cause of syncope in young individuals without cardiac or neurological pathology. We report a case of successful catheter ablation in a 17‐year‐old male with neurally mediated syncope (NMS) of the cardioinhibitory type. The patient had dextrocardia situs inversus totalis with a mirror‐image reversal of the thoracic and abdominal organs. Because he experienced multiple syncope episodes despite pharmacological intervention, we performed endocardial ablation of the superior vena cava–aorta ganglionated plexus. Shortly afterwards, his heart rate increased from 40 to 76 beats per minutes. He has not experienced syncope during the 1‐year follow‐up.
TEM surveys for search of taliks in areas of strong fast-decaying IP effects
Authors: Kozhevnikov N.O. , Antonov E.Yu. , Zakharkin A.K. , Korsakov M.A.
Published: November 2014

Lenses of water-saturated unfrozen rocks (taliks) in permafrost are important sources of freshwater in high-latitude regions. Taliks stand out against the host frozen rocks in much lower resistivity and thus are detectable by resistivity surveys. TEM soundings are especially efficient in this application as they can go without galvanic grounding, have small offsets, and are sensitive to buried conductors. Early-time TEM data in the Taz area of the Yamal-Nenets district bear strong effects of fast-decaying inductively induced polarization (IIP), which rules out the use of nonpolarizable earth assumption for their interpretation. The TEM responses are inverted by means of the TEM-IP software using the model of a polarizable earth with Cole–Cole complex frequency-dependent conductivity. The resulting earth model mainly includes three layers, with a 100 to 250 m thick highly resistive polarizable upper layer. The polarization parameters of the layer (chargeability, time constant and exponent) are typical of frozen sedimentary rocks, while the presence of a talik reduces notably the effective resistivity and chargeability. This feature can be used as a guide to taliks, as it was confirmed by TEM surveys and subsequent drilling.
The dynamics of the pain system is intact in patients with knee osteoarthritis: An exploratory experimental study
Authors: Jørgensen Tanja Schjødt , Henriksen Marius , Rosager Sara , Klokker Louise , Ellegaard Karen , Danneskiold-Samsøe Bente , Bliddal Henning , Graven-Nielsen Thomas
Published: November 2014

Background and aims

Despite the high prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (OA) it remains one of the most frequent knee disorders without a cure. Pain and disability are prominent clinical features of knee OA. Knee OA pain is typically localized but can also be referred to the thigh or lower leg. Widespread hyperalgesia has been found in knee OA patients. In addition, patients with hyperalgesia in the OA knee joint show increased pain summation scores upon repetitive stimulation of the OA knee suggesting the involvement of facilitated central mechanisms in knee OA. The dynamics of the pain system (i.e., the adaptive responses to pain) has been widely studied, but mainly from experiments on healthy subjects, whereas less is known about the dynamics of the pain system in chronic pain patients, where the pain system has been activated for a long time. The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of the nociceptive system quantitatively in knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients before and after induction of experimental knee pain.

Methods

Ten knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients participated in this randomized crossover trial. Each subject was tested on two days separated by 1 week. The most affected knee was exposed to experimental pain or control, in a randomized sequence, by injection of hypertonic saline into the infrapatellar fat pad and a control injection of isotonic saline. Pain areas were assessed by drawings on anatomical maps. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) at the knee, thigh, lower leg, and arm were assessed before, during, and after the experimental pain and control conditions. Likewise, temporal summation of pressure pain on the knee, thigh and lower leg muscles was assessed.

Results

Experimental knee pain decreased the PPTs at the knee (P <0.01) and facilitated the temporal summation on the knee and adjacent muscles (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found at the control site (the contralateral arm) (P =0.77). Further, the experimental knee pain revealed overall higher VAS scores (facilitated temporal summation of pain) at the knee (P < 0.003) and adjacent muscles (P < 0.0001) compared with the control condition. The experimental knee pain areas were larger compared with the OA knee pain areas before the injection.

Conclusions

Acute experimental knee pain induced in patients with knee OA caused hyperalgesia and facilitated temporal summation of pain at the knee and surrounding muscles, illustrating that the pain system in individuals with knee OA can be affected even after many years of nociceptive input. This study indicates that the adaptability in the pain system is intact in patients with knee OA, which opens for opportunities to prevent development of centralized pain syndromes.
A NOTE ON NATURALLY ORDERED SEMIGROUPS OF TRANSFORMATIONS WITH INVARIANT SET
Authors: SUN LEI , SUN JUNLING
Published: November 2014

In this short note, we describe all the elements in the semigroup $$\begin{eqnarray}S(X,Y)=\{f\in {\mathcal{T}}_{X}:f(Y)\subseteq Y\}\end{eqnarray}$$ which are left compatible with respect to the so-called natural partial order. This result corrects an error in a paper by Sun and Wang [‘Natural partial order in semigroups of transformations with invariant set’, Bull. Aust. Math. Soc.87 (2013), 94–107].
Do negative symptoms of schizophrenia change over time? A meta-analysis of longitudinal data
Authors: Savill M. , Banks C. , Khanom H. , Priebe S.
Published: November 2014

Background.

Negative symptoms are a core component of schizophrenia which can severely impact quality of life and functional outcomes. These symptoms are understood to be highly stable but this has not been tested in a meta-analysis, despite the wealth of longitudinal data available.

Method.

A systematic review of the literature was conducted, with eligible studies pooled into a random-effects meta-analysis. Planned meta-regressions were conducted to evaluate the impact of factors known to induce secondary negative symptoms, in addition to other possible sources of heterogeneity.

Results.

The main analysis included 89 samples from 41 studies, totalling 5944 participants. Negative symptoms were found to significantly reduce in all treatment interventions, including in placebo and treatment as usual conditions, with a medium effect size (ES) present across all study conditions (ES = 0.66, 95% confidence interval 0.56–0.77,I2= 94.0%). In a multivariate meta-regression, only the type of scale used was found to significantly influence negative symptom change. No difference in outcome was found between studies that excluded patients with a high level of positive or depressive symptoms, compared to those that did not.

Conclusions.

Negative symptoms were found to reduce in almost all schizophrenia outpatient samples. A reduction was found across all conditions, with effect sizes ranging from small to large depending upon the condition type. These findings challenge the convention that negative symptoms are highly stable and suggest that they may improve to a greater extent than what has previously been assumed.
Legends and liturgy in the Old English prose Andreas
Authors: Friesen Bill
Published: November 2014

This article examines liturgical language and motifs potentially interwoven with the Old English prose account of ‘St Andrew amongst the Cannibals’, located in Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 198. The article traces in detail the possible parallels between the liturgy of the Mass and the language of the account, and then considers explanations for liturgical elements in the saintly legend and what this may contribute to our aesthetic understanding of that account.
SYNTHESIS OF EVIDENCE FOR REIMBURSEMENT DECISIONS: A BAYESIAN REANALYSIS
Authors: Woertman Willem , Sluiter Rene , van der Wilt Gert Jan
Published: November 2014

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare Bayesian methods with the standard methods that are used for evidence-based policy making.

Methods: We performed a Bayesian reanalysis of the data underlying a reimbursement advice by the Dutch National Health Insurance Board (CVZ) regarding the anti-diabetic drug exenatide (an alternative to insulin). We synthesized evidence from various sources that was available when the CVZ advice was drafted: expert opinion (as elicited from internists), experimental data (from direct comparison studies), and observational data. Subsequently, the original frequentist results and the results from the Bayesian reanalysis were compared in terms of outcomes and interpretations. These results were presented in a meeting with staff from CVZ, whose opinions about the usefulness of a Bayesian approach were assessed using a questionnaire.

Results: The Bayesian approach yields outcomes that summarize different pieces of evidence, which would have been difficult to obtain otherwise. Moreover, there are conceptual differences, and the Bayesian approach allows for determining probabilities of clinically relevant differences. The staff at CVZ were fairly positive with respect to the use of Bayesian methods, although practical barriers were also seen as important.

Conclusions: The Bayesian outcomes are different and could be more suited to the informational needs of policy makers. The response from staff at CVZ provides some support for this statement, but more research at the interface of science and policy is needed.
Effect of body condition and season on yield and quality ofin vitroproduced bovine embryos
Authors: Chrenek Peter , Kubovičová Elena , Olexíková Lucia , Makarevich Alexander V. , Toporcerová Silvia , Ostró Alexander
Published: November 2014

The aim of our study was to examine the effects of cow's body condition score (BCS; scale 1–5) and season on the quality of bovinein vitroproduced embryos. The proportion of good quality oocytes (Q1 and Q2) was higher (P< 0.05) in the BCS 2 (57.60%) and BCS 3 (60.90%) groups compared with the BCS 1 (43.60%) group. There were no statistical differences in embryo cleavage and blastocyst rate among the BCS groups. The highest total cell number (TCN, DAPI stain) of blastocysts (P< 0.05), recorded in BCS 1 (122.27 ± 6.90) in comparison with BCS 2 (101.8 ± 3.60) or BCS 3 (105.44 ± 3.70) groups, was related to higher dead cell (DCI, TUNEL) index in this group (7.07%) when compared with BCS 2 (6.54%) or BCS 3 (6.06%), respectively. The yield of good quality oocytes during spring was lower (P< 0.05) compared with the summer season. There were significant differences (P< 0.05) in maturation and cleavage rates between autumn and summer (73.42%, 76.2% vs. 85.0%, 41.8%, respectively). The highest (P< 0.01) blastocyst rate was noted during spring and summer months. Significant difference (P< 0.05) in the TCN among spring (99.38 ± 3.90), autumn (110.1 ± 4.58) or summer (108.96 ± 3.52) was observed. The highest proportion of embryos with the best (grade I) actin cytoskeleton (phalloidin–TRITC) quality was noted during the summer months. Our results indicate that body condition affects the initial quality of oocytes, but does not affect embryo cleavage, blastocyst rate and actin quality. This finding may suggest that developmentin vitrocan mask the influence of BCS. The season affects yield and quality of blastocysts in the way that the autumn period is more favorable for embryo development.
The effect of vitrification of immature bovine oocytes to the subsequentin vitrodevelopment and gene expression
Authors: Faheem Marwa S. , Baron E. , Carvalhais I. , Chaveiro A. , Pavani K. , da Silva F. Moreira
Published: November 2014

Immature bovine oocytes were vitrified using the cryotop method and their post-warming survivability and capability to undergoin vitromaturation, fertilization and subsequent embryonic development were evaluated. In addition throughout the embryonic 2-cell, 4-cell, morula and blastocyst stages, the expression of four developmentally important genes (Cx43, CDH1, DNMT1andHSPA14) was analysed using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Immature oocytes (n= 550) were randomly assigned to non-vitrified (fresh) or cryotop vitrification groups using ethylene glycol (EG) with 1,2 propanediol (PROH) or dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO). After warming, oocytes survivability, embryo cleavage and embryonic developmental rates were not statistically different between the two cryoprotectants groups. However, the DMSO group had a lower (P< 0.05) oocyte maturation rate compared with the fresh and PROH groups. For morula and blastocyst rates, the DMSO group achieved a lower (P< 0.05) morula rate compared with the fresh group, while at the blastocyst stage, there were no differences between fresh and both cryoprotectants groups. For molecular analysis, at the 4-cell stage, most studied genes showed an inconsistent pattern of expression either from the PROH or DMSO groups. Noteworthily, these differences were limited at the morula and blastocyst stages. In conclusion, the cryotop method is sufficient for vitrification of immature bovine oocytes, both for embryonic developmental competence and at the molecular level. Moreover, PROH showed some advantage over DMSO as a cryoprotectant.
Don't water down your theory. Why we should all embrace materiality but not material determinism
Authors: Davies Matthew I.J.
Published: November 2014

As an archaeologist who ‘works’ with water, my experience has largely focused on the historical ecology of water management within agricultural landscapes (particularly in Eastern Africa) and I have only just begun to think about the broader materiality of water itself, but in this context I find Strang's essay thought-provoking and extremely useful with a great deal to commend. If I read it correctly, Strang's key premise is that water is ‘good to think with’ since it permeates all aspects of human and biophysical processes – thinking through water thus allows us to think across scales, from the molecular to the global, and to explore recursive relations at each level. At the same time, as an element integral to the physical/biological sustenance of all life, and also a core symbolic or cognitive referent, tracing relationalities of water within and between communities therefore also forces us to bridge common disciplinary boundaries and theoretical approaches. Thus at the same time as using water to ‘think through’ human–material relations, Strang also uses water to think through and reconcile different approaches within social theory. Finally, Strang's focus on materiality argues that water's immutable physical properties determine certain ‘universal’ and ‘non-arbitrary’ approaches to water – both physically in the sense of its management (capture, storage, irrigation, drainage) and symbolically and cognitively in terms of water's various positions in ideological regimes and its consequent uses in ceremonial and ritual life. Overall, Strang argues that the immutable physical properties of water induce physical and cognitive responses such that we should think of water as possessing a certain material agency.
Increased Cerebrovascular Sensitivity to Endothelin-1 in a Rat Model of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Role for Endothelin Receptor B
Authors: Durgan David J , Crossland Randy F , Lloyd Eric E , Phillips Sharon C , Bryan Robert M
Published: November 2014

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with cerebrovascular diseases. However, little is known regarding the effects of OSA on the cerebrovascular wall. We tested the hypothesis that OSA augments endothelin-1 (ET-1) constrictions of cerebral arteries. Repeated apneas (30 or 60 per hour) were produced in rats during the sleep cycle (8 hours) by remotely inflating a balloon implanted in the trachea. Four weeks of apneas produced a 23-fold increase in ET-1 sensitivity in isolated and pressurized posterior cerebral arteries (PCAs) compared with PCAs from sham-operated rats (EC50=10−9.2 mol/L versus 10−10.6 mol/L; P<0.001). This increased sensitivity was abolished by the ET-B receptor antagonist, BQ-788. Constrictions to the ET-B receptor agonist, IRL-1620, were greater in PCAs from rats after 2 or 4 weeks of apneas compared with that from sham-operated rats ( P=0.013). Increased IRL-1620 constrictions in PCAs from OSA rats were normalized with the transient receptor potential channel (TRPC) blocker, SKF96365, or the Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, Y27632. These data show that OSA increases the sensitivity of PCAs to ET-1 through enhanced ET-B activity, and enhanced activity of TRPCs and ROCK. We conclude that enhanced ET-1 signaling is part of a pathologic mechanism associated with adverse cerebrovascular outcomes of OSA.
Multiple haplotype-resolved genomes reveal population patterns of gene and protein diplotypes
Authors: Hoehe Margret R. , Church George M. , Lehrach Hans , Kroslak Thomas , Palczewski Stefanie , Nowick Katja , Schulz Sabrina , Suk Eun-Kyung , Huebsch Thomas
Published: November 2014

To fully understand human biology and link genotype to phenotype, the phase of DNA variants must be known. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of haplotype-resolved genomes to assess the nature and variation of haplotypes and their pairs, diplotypes, in European population samples. We use a set of 14 haplotype-resolved genomes generated by fosmid clone-based sequencing, complemented and expanded by up to 372 statistically resolved genomes from the 1000 Genomes Project. We find immense diversity of both haploid and diploid gene forms, up to 4.1 and 3.9 million corresponding to 249 and 235 per gene on average. Less than 15% of autosomal genes have a predominant form. We describe a ‘common diplotypic proteome’, a set of 4,269 genes encoding two different proteins in over 30% of genomes. We show moreover an abundance of cis configurations of mutations in the 386 genomes with an average cis/trans ratio of 60:40, and distinguishable classes of cis- versus trans-abundant genes. This work identifies key features characterizing the diplotypic nature of human genomes and provides a conceptual and analytical framework, rich resources and novel hypotheses on the functional importance of diploidy.
UV-Curable Coating Technologies
Authors: Soucek Mark D. , Ren Xiaofeng
Published: November 2014

UV-curable coatings have witnessed a fast development during the last several decades. This chapter deals with the concept, components, classification, and development of UV-curable coatings. It begins with an introduction of UV-curable coatings, followed by a general description of UV energy and relevant equipment. The components of UV-curable coatings, i.e. photoinitiator, reactive oligomer, and reactive diluent, are discussed in detail. The mechanisms of free-radical photopolymerization and cationic photopolymerization, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of both methods are described. The evaluations of the cure content are listed and compared. Several specific examples are given in terms of the development and prospects of UV-curable coatings.
Efficient Photoinitiators for Two-Photon Polymerization
Authors: Torgersen Jan
Published: November 2014

Two-photon polymerization (2PP) is a versatile laser fabrication technique that allows the creation of 3D structures at micro- and nanometer precision. The structures are created additively in direct accordance to a computer-aided design. It requires tightly focused fs-pulsed light sources usually operating in the near infrared wavelength range. Despite its versatility and 3D capabilities, the low process speeds achievable has prevented the technology from its broader use in various applications. Optimizing the photopolymerizable formulations is key for increasing the writing speed and the process window making 2PP more economic and easy to use. This chapter gives an insight into optimizing photoinitiators for absorption of two photons and radical formation for subsequent photopolymerization. In particular, one compound is presented that can facilitate writing speeds above 150 mm s−1 and laser powers as low as 110 mW. Remarkably, this compound has a lower two-photon activity than its counterpart with different central acceptors. This indicates that various properties other that the two-photon absorption cross section have to be addressed for facilitating efficient initiation in two-photon photopolymerization.
POLICRYPS: A Multipurpose, Application-Oriented Platform
Authors: Caputo R. , Infusino M. , Veltri A. , De Sio L. , Sukhov A. V. , Umeton C. P.
Published: November 2014

The use of a nonstandard photocuring technique can produce noticeably improved results: POLICRYPS optimally verifies this condition. Originally being invented as a tunable diffractive structure, POLICRYPS has rapidly attracted much attention for its excellent morphology and related peculiar features. Low light scattering, low switching voltages and short switching times qualify POLICRYPS as a suitable platform for the realization of several applications.
SU-8 for Microsystem Fabrication
Authors: Chiu Yi , Cheng Yu-Ting
Published: November 2014

SU-8 is a negative-tone photoresist that can be used to fabricate thick, high aspect ratio structures. The thickness of SU-8 structures ranges from several micrometers to several hundred micrometers or up to millimeters by direct spin coating or stacking of multiple layers of dry films. Being a negative resist, SU-8 can be used to fabricate complex three-dimensional structures such as sealed microchannels or tilted optical surfaces by multiple exposures. Another feature of SU-8 is that its properties can be controlled and modified during processes by the exposure doses, baking temperature, or even additives. This provides possibilities for novel device design and fabrication without complex fabrication processes. SU-8 has relatively low loss and absorption in the RF and visible spectral ranges, therefore, it has been used to fabricate various sensing, optical, and RF components and systems. This chapter summarizes the basic material properties and fundamental fabrication processes of SU-8. Examples of various structures, actuators, sensors, and fluidic/optical/RF components are presented to demonstrate the wide possibility of devices that can be implemented in SU-8.
Methacrylate and Epoxy Resins Photocured by Means of Visible Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
Authors: Vallo Claudia I. , Asmussen Silvana V.
Published: November 2014

Traditional curing units emit in a wide wavelength range from UV to IR. Conversely, the spectral output of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is concentrated in a comparatively narrow wavelength range. In practice, the light absorption of photoinitiators should correlate with the spectral emission profiles of light-curing units compared on an equivalent basis. Only those wavelengths where the photosensitizer absorbs are useful for photopolymerization, the rest of the spectrum is unused and has to be filtered. Since all of the spectral output of the LEDs is absorbed by the photoinitiator, more efficient curing should be possible with current LEDs, resulting in reduced curing time compared with conventional lamps light sources. In addition, it yields the positive aspect of eliminating the IR and UV components. As a result, when compared to conventional curing units, there is less heat transfer to the substrate and no harmful UV rays. In this chapter, the photopolymerization of typical methacrylate and epoxy monomers carried out with LEDs is described.
QuEChERS-based approach toward the analysis of two insecticides, methomyl and aldicarb, in blood and brain tissue
Authors: DeArmond Patrick D. , Brittain Matthew K. , Platoff Gennady E. , Yeung David T.
Published: November 2014

This paper describes the extraction from blood and brain tissue of two carbamate pesticides, aldicarb and methomyl, and the subsequent quantification of the pesticides using high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.
Metal controlled regioselectivity in the cyclometallation of 2-(1-naphthyl)-pyridine
Authors: Kondrashov Mikhail , Raman Sudarkodi , Wendt Ola F.
Published: November 2014

Cyclometallations of 2-(1-naphthyl)-pyridine with gold and palladium salts proceed with completely orthogonal regioselectivities.
A selenophenyl bridged perylene diimide dimer as an efficient solution-processable small molecule acceptor
Authors: Zhang Xin , Yao Jiannian , Zhan Chuanlang
Published: November 2014

This communication presents a new efficient selenophenyl-bridged PDI dimer based acceptor with 4% efficiency.
A photoswitchable supramolecular complex with release-and-report capabilities
Authors: Nilsson Jesper R. , O’Sullivan Melanie C. , Li S. , Anderson Harry L. , Andréasson Joakim
Published: November 2014

A supramolecular platform with an inherent report function has been designed for photoreversible control of guest concentration in solution.
Self-organized nanoclusters in solution-processed mesoporous In–Ga–Zn–O thin films
Authors: Revenant C. , Benwadih M. , Maret M.
Published: November 2014

Self-organized nanoclusters together with the spontaneous creation of a mesopore pattern were obtained in annealed solution-processed In–Ga–Zn–O thin films.
First ever observation of the intermediate of phosphonium salt and ylide hydrolysis: P-hydroxytetraorganophosphorane
Authors: Byrne Peter A. , Ortin Yannick , G. Gilheany Declan
Published: November 2014

P-Hydroxytetraorganophosphorane, the putative intermediate in phosphonium salt & ylide hydrolysis reactions, has been observed and characterised for the first time, thus establishing unequivocally its existence & involvement in these reactions.
Designed supramolecular filamentous peptides: balance of nanostructure, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity
Authors: Xu Dawei , Jiang Linhai , Singh Anju , Dustin Derek , Yang Miao , Liu Ling , Lund Reidar , Sellati Timothy J. , Dong He
Published: November 2014

We present a design strategy to optimize antimicrobial peptides to minimize cytotoxicity while enhancing stability and antimicrobial activity, which holds promise for local and systemic intracellular anti-infective therapy.
Graphene oxide-assisted synthesis and photocatalytic hydrogen production of mix-phase titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanosheets
Authors: Cai Fanpeng , Tang Yubin , Shen Hao , Wang Chao , Ren Ao , Xiao Lisong , Gu Wei , Shi Weidong
Published: November 2014

a) The SEM image, b and c) the TEM image, d) the HRTEM image of TBT-4, respectively. The inset is SAED image of TBT-4.
Invariant and variable intermolecular interactions in functionalized malonic acid half-esters: X-ray, Hirshfeld surface and PIXEL energy analyses
Authors: Venkatesan Perumal , Thamotharan Subbiah , Kumar Rajendran Ganesh , Ilangovan Andivelu
Published: November 2014

A series of functionalized malonic acid half-ester derivatives have been synthesized and their crystal structures are determined. Invariant and variable intermolecular interactions in these derivatives are analysed using Hirshfeld surfaces and PIXEL energy calculations.
Vanadia supported on mesoporous carbon nitride as a highly efficient catalyst for hydroxylation of benzene to phenol
Authors: Xu Jie , Jiang Quan , Chen Ting , Wu Fei , Li Yong-Xin
Published: November 2014

Vanadia supported on mesoporous carbon nitride catalyzed the hydroxylation of benzene with a high conversion of 18%, along with a superior TOF of 1.59 h−1 to other vanadia- and g-C3N4-based catalysts.
Highly efficient, general hydrogenation of aldehydes catalyzed by PNP iron pincer complexes
Authors: Zell Thomas , Ben-David Yehoshoa , Milstein David
Published: November 2014

Well-defined iron pincer complexes are effective catalysts for the synthetically and industrially important hydrogenation of aldehydes to alcohols.
Semibranched polyglycidols as “fillers” in polycarbonate hydrogels to tune hydrophobic drug release
Authors: Stevens David M. , Rahalkar Anand , Spears Benjamin , Gilmore Kelly , Douglas Emily , Muthukumar Murugappan , Harth Eva
Published: November 2014

We report on the synthesis of polycarbonate based hydrogels that contain semibranched polyglycidols entrapped into the polycarbonate-diethylene oxide matrix.
Effect of two-color laser pulse intensity ratio on intense terahertz generation
Authors: Lu Chenhui , Zhang Shian , Yao Yunhua , Xu Shuwu , Jia Tianqing , Ding Jingxin , Sun Zhenrong
Published: November 2014

We theoretically demonstrate the effect of the intensity ratio of the two-color laser field on the terahertz generation based on a transient photocurrent model.
Functional and structural evidence for the catalytic role played by glutamate-47 residue in the mode of action of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cytidine deaminase
Authors: Sánchez-Quitian Zilpa Adriana , Rodrigues-Junior Valnês , Rehm Jacqueline Gonçalves , Eichler Paula , Barbosa Trivella Daniela Barretto , Bizarro Cristiano Valim , Basso Luiz Augusto , Santos Diogenes Santiago
Published: November 2014

Glutamate-47 plays a catalytic role in the mode of action ofMycobacterium tuberculosiscytidine deaminase.
Conformation and adsorption transition on an attractive surface of a ring polymer in solution
Authors: Sheng Junfang , Luo Kaifu
Published: November 2014

Ring polymers have the same critical adsorption point and crossover exponent as linear chains.
Enzymatic modification of 5′-capped RNA with a 4-vinylbenzyl group provides a platform for photoclick and inverse electron-demand Diels–Alder reaction
Authors: Holstein Josephin Marie , Stummer Daniela , Rentmeister Andrea
Published: November 2014

Enzymatic transfer of 4-vinylbenzyl to the mRNA 5′-cap gives access to the fluorogenic photoclick and the inverse electron-demand Diels–Alder reaction.
Novel design of silicon-based lithium-ion battery anode for highly stable cycling at elevated temperature
Authors: Park Hyungmin , Choi Sinho , Lee Sungjun , Hwang Gaeun , Choi Nam-Soon , Park Soojin
Published: November 2014

We demonstrate a facile method for synthesizing silicon particles with a double coating layer consisting of aluminum trifluoride and amorphous carbon to use as an anode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries at elevated temperatures.
Decomposition by binary codes‐based speedy image encryption algorithm for multiple applications
Authors: Wadi Salim Mushin , Zainal Nasharuddin
Published: November 2014

The rapid growth in the use of multimedia information has made the security of data storage and transmission important in avoiding unlawful, unofficial, unauthorised and illegal use. Encryption is an efficient operation to protect multimedia data secret. A new image encryption approach that uses binary coded decimal (BCD) code‐based decomposition, reordering and scrambling bit planes, and an encryption process is suggested in this study. Image decomposition using BCD code for image encryption is introduced in this study. A simple scrambling process is used to shuffle binary bit planes after re‐ordering them. A shift column operation is applied to the image that is constructed after scrambling the bit planes to increase the security level. A performance analysis and a comparison with other encryption algorithms are conducted to prove the proposed algorithm's image encryption capabilities. The experimental results show that the suggested method protects secret images against common attacks with shorter encryption/decryption times.
Impact of outdated channel state information on energy efficiency of co‐operative hybrid automatic repeat reQuest in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Yao Xiying , Gao Qiang , Fei Li
Published: November 2014

Co‐operative communication has been shown to significantly improve energy efficiency in wireless sensor networks. The outdated channel state information (CSI) problem will result in severe performance degradation of co‐operative communication systems including energy efficiency. In this study, the authors analyse the impact of outdated CSI on energy efficiency of amplify‐and‐forward co‐operative hybrid automatic repeat reQuest system. The authors derive the expression of the average energy consumption per bit of data transmission under outdated CSI. Numerical results show the deteriorating effects of outdated CSI on the performance of energy efficiency and transmission reliability in co‐operative communication system. It is also shown that energy efficiency can be improved by error correcting codes mechanism when end‐to‐end signal‐to‐noise ratio at the destination node is within a certain range.
Do topological models contribute to decision making on post-disaster electric power system restoration?
Authors: Ouyang Min , Zhao Lijing
Published: November 2014

This paper introduces two topological models and proposes several topology-based strategies to generate the restoration sequences of the damaged components in a post-disaster power system, and then compares their effectiveness with a random strategy (RS) and a power supply optimized strategy (PSOS, which considers the power flow for restoration optimization), where the strategy effectiveness is quantified by resilience loss defined as the area between real performance curve and target performance curve during the restoration period. Taking the IEEE 300 power system under node failures as an example, results show that under limited restoration resources, topology-based strategies can improve upon the RS-based resilience loss by 39%–46% at most, and their produced average minimum resilience loss is 1.14–1.46 times the PSOS-based resilience loss; when taking restoration sequences generated by topology-based strategies as an input of PSOS, better restoration sequences are found with the resilience loss improved by 16% at most. Similar results are also found under other system parameter settings, other failure types, and other power systems.
Lazy Updating of hubs can enable more realistic models by speeding up stochastic simulations
Authors: Ehlert Kurt , Loewe Laurence
Published: November 2014

To respect the nature of discrete parts in a system, stochastic simulation algorithms (SSAs) must update for each action (i) all part counts and (ii) each action's probability of occurring next and its timing. This makes it expensive to simulate biological networks with well-connected “hubs” such as ATP that affect many actions. Temperature and volume also affect many actions and may be changed significantly in small steps by the network itself during fever and cell growth, respectively. Such trends matter for evolutionary questions, as cell volume determines doubling times and fever may affect survival, both key traits for biological evolution. Yet simulations often ignore such trends and assume constant environments to avoid many costly probability updates. Such computational convenience precludes analyses of important aspects of evolution. Here we present “Lazy Updating,” an add-on for SSAs designed to reduce the cost of simulating hubs. When a hub changes, Lazy Updating postpones all probability updates for reactions depending on this hub, until a threshold is crossed. Speedup is substantial if most computing time is spent on such updates. We implemented Lazy Updating for the Sorting Direct Method and it is easily integrated into other SSAs such as Gillespie's Direct Method or the Next Reaction Method. Testing on several toy models and a cellular metabolism model showed >10× faster simulations for its use-cases—with a small loss of accuracy. Thus we see Lazy Updating as a valuable tool for some special but important simulation problems that are difficult to address efficiently otherwise.