bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transparency of Retail Energy Pricing: Evidence from the US Natural Gas Industry
Authors: Woo Chi‐Keung , Zarnikau Jay , Horowitz Ira , Shiu Alice
Published: May 2013

We test and cannot reject the hypothesis that retail pricing of natural gas is transparent for commercial and residential customers served by regulated local distribution companies in the United States. The periods of adjustment to a wholesale price change are 1.54 months for the commercial price and 1.69 months for the residential price. These findings support the view that regulated local distribution companies quickly adjust retail prices to fully capture any change in the wholesale natural gas price. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multicenter mapping in the healthy brain
Authors: Ropele Stefan , Wattjes Mike P. , Langkammer Christian , Kilsdonk Iris D. , de Graaf Wolter L. , Frederiksen Jette L , Fuglø Dan , Yiannakas Marios , Wheeler‐Kingshott Claudia A. M. , Enzinger Christian , Rocca Maria A. , Sprenger Till , Amman Michael , Kappos Ludwig , Filippi Massimo , Rovira Alex , Ciccarelli Olga , Barkhof Frederik , Fazekas Franz
Published: May 2013

Purpose

The
relaxation rate constant has been suggested as a sensitive measure for iron accumulation. The aim of this multi‐center study was to assess the inter‐scanner and inter‐subject variability of
mapping and to investigate the relationship between brain volume and
in specific structures.

Methods

mapping was performed in 81 healthy subjects in seven centers using different 3 T systems.
was calculated from a dual‐echo gradient echo sequence and was assessed in several deep gray matter structures. The inter‐scanner and inter‐subject variability of
was calculated by means of the coefficient of variation before and after correcting for age.

Results

Significant center effects were seen in some regions which get lost after age correction. The coefficient of variation for the inter‐center variability was much lower (<5.6%) than for the intra‐subject variability (6.7%–11.7%).
in the putamen and red nucleus scaled with cortical volume while
in the globus pallidus and the substantia nigra was negatively associated with white matter volume.

Conclusion

is a robust and reproducible measure in a multicenter setting provided that a standardized MRI protocol is used. The relationship between iron concentration in deep gray matter and volume of specific brain compartments needs further investigation. Magn Reson Med 71:1103–1107, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
“Kannst Du Destille?”
Authors: Quadbeck‐Seeger Hans‐Jürgen
Published: May 2013

Das Jubiläum der Angewandten Chemie nimmt Hans‐Jürgen Quadbeck‐Seeger zum Anlass, über die angewandte Forschung hinaus auch über Manager, Handwerk und die zehn Gebote nachzudenken.
Kooperative Katalyse mit Übergangsmetallen
Authors: Tamke Sergej , Paradies Jan
Published: May 2013

Katalysesysteme aus zwei oder mehr Metallzentren erhöhen oft die Ausbeuten und Stereoselektivitäten einer Kupplungs‐ oder Additionsreaktion. Vor allem Kombinationen mit Palladium und Gold erzielen gute Ergebnisse.
Neue Geschäftsmodelle — neue Möglichkeiten
Authors: Delft Stephan von , Kortmann Sebastian
Published: May 2013

Neben Produkt‐ und Prozessinnovationen rückt das Geschäftsmodell als Gegenstand der Innovation in das Blickfeld der chemischen Industrie. Innovative Geschäftsmodelle können nachhaltige Wettbewerbsvorteile schaffen, bringen aber auch Herausforderungen mit sich.
Österreich: verhalten positiv
Authors: Pummer Johann
Published: May 2013

Die rasante Aufholjagd nach dem Einbruch der Jahre 2008 und 2009 aufgrund der weltweiten Finanzkrise scheint für die österreichische Chemie vorbei zu sein. Sie schloss das Jahr 2012 mit einem Plus von etwa 5 % ab und steuert wieder in ruhigeren Gewässern.
Wettbewerbsvorteil Volatilitätsmanagement
Authors: Lewe Tobias , Sander Ulrike
Published: May 2013

Die Finanz‐ und Wirtschaftskrise des Jahres 2008 ging genauso schnell, wie sie gekommen war. Die teilweise harten Einschnitte bewältigte die europäische Chemie gut. Um in Phasen der Unsicherheit auch künftig zu bestehen, starteten viele Unternehmen ein vorausschauendes Volatilitätsmanagement.
Mehrdimensionale Gaschromatographie in der Geruchsanalytik
Authors: Leitner Erich
Published: May 2013

Der Geruch von Lebensmitteln und Produkten entscheidet darüber, ob Menschen sie akzeptieren oder ablehnen. Wahrnehmung ist jedoch subjektiv und schwankt, qualitativ wie quantitativ. Ein Instrument für eine objektive Geruchsmessung ist die mehrdimensionale Gaschromatographie. Sie trennt und identifiziert geruchsaktive Verbindungen in komplexen Gemischen.
Recovery performance and characteristics in shape memory effects of aliphatic polyether urethane
Authors: Luo Ling , Wang Xiaoxia , Jia Yuxi , Wang Zhaojing
Published: May 2013

The analysis on the recovery performance and characteristics in shape memory effects is helpful for the optimal design and engineering applications of shape memory polymers and their composites. To investigate the relationships among recovery performance, material parameters, and loading conditions, by taking aliphatic polyether urethane as an example, the researchers simulate the shape memory behaviors numerically using a three‐dimensional viscoelastic model. The material parameters for this model are taken from stress relaxation tests, rather than dynamic mechanical analysis tests. Both the unconstrained and the constrained recovery behaviors during strain‐controlled shape memory processes are analyzed. The results reveal that the unconstrained recovery occurs at the same temperature regardless of the applied strain values. Another interesting result is that the shape recovery temperature in unconstrained recovery situations increases and the maximum recovery stress under constrained recovery conditions decreases with the increase of heating rates. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cell‐free fetal DNA in maternal circulation after chorionic villous sampling
Authors: Di Tommaso Mariarosaria , Seravalli Viola , Salvianti Francesca , Bussani Cecilia , Pasquini Lucia , Cordisco Adalgisa , Pinzani Pamela
Published: May 2013

Objective

This study aims to estimate whether chorionic villous sampling (CVS) causes a significant increase of cell‐free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal circulation.

Method

Fifty pregnant women with singleton pregnancy were recruited prior to CVS. Maternal peripheral blood was collected before and after CVS. A methylation‐sensitive restriction enzyme digestion was used to select the placental‐derived hypermethylated promoter of the RASSF1A gene in maternal plasma, thus differentiating cffDNA from mother's cell‐free DNA (cfDNA), where the RASSF1A gene is normally hypomethylated. Total cfDNA and cffDNA amounts were compared before and after CVS in each patient. Data were compared using the Student t‐test.

Results

No significant difference before and after CVS was found between the following: (i) total cfDNA concentration in plasma (p = 0.695); (ii) cffDNA concentration in plasma (p = 0.612); and (iii) percentage of fetal DNA in plasma (p = 0.835). After dividing the cases on the basis of the sex of the fetus, maternal age, gestational age, number of pregnancies, position of the placenta, and presence of trisomy of the fetus, no difference in fetal and total DNA concentrations before and after CVS was observed.

Conclusion

The CVS does not seem to significantly disrupt the maternal–placental interface, as no significant increase of cffDNA in maternal plasma following CVS was observed. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anionic derivatives of altan‐corannulene
Authors: Monaco Guglielmo , Zanasi Riccardo
Published: May 2013

We report computations of excitation energies, magnetizabilities, and current strengths for the dianion, tetraanion, and hexaanion of the previously introduced altan–corannulene, a molecule designed to hold a strong paratropic current. None of these ions has a fully diatropic or paratropic pattern: dianion and tetraanion both have a paratropic/diatropic/diatropic pattern, whereas the hexaanion has a diatropic/paratropic/diatropic pattern, which is the ‘mirror‐image’ of that of the neutral species. The patterns have been interpreted according to the ipsocentric formulation of the current density. Magnetizability and excitation energy suggest that the hexaanion should be an aromatic molecule. The next homologue of altan‐corannulene6‐, altan–altan–corannulene6‐, has also been studied. Its large diamagnetizability has been effectively used to model the magnetic response of C806‐ cages. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
pH‐responsive polymers for imaging acidic biological environments in tumors
Authors: Zhu Liping , Smith Patrizia P. , Boyes Stephen G.
Published: May 2013

For many years researchers have understood the importance of the extracellular pH in solid tumors in relation to cancer morbidity and mortality. However current diagnostic imaging techniques do not allow for the non‐invasive determination of pH in vivo. Recent research in the use of pH‐responsive organic polymers for the preparation of imaging agents capable of imaging pH in vivo has demonstrated the tremendous potential of these materials in overcoming many of the problems associated with low molecular weight pH‐responsive imaging agents. This review will highlight these recent developments with a focus on the use of pH‐responsive polymers in the development of imaging agents for both fluorescent imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 1062–1067
Location, Location? A Critical Examination of Patterns and Determinants of Internal Mobility Among Post‐accession Polish Migrants in the UK
Authors: Trevena Paulina , McGhee Derek , Heath Sue
Published: May 2013

This article adds to literatures bridging the divide between internal and international migrations by investigating patterns of internal mobility following the international move of post‐accession Polish migrants to the UK. Our analysis is based on a large‐scale qualitative study carried out among 83 Polish migrants living in urban and rural locations in England and Scotland. We analyse the reasons behind their initial choice of location in the destination country and the propensity for subsequent internal mobility after arriving in the UK. We consider the role of family characteristics, migration channels, and time in the spatial moves the migrants undertake. In our analysis, we differentiate between residential mobility (which was generally very high among our study participants) and internal mobility (undertaken by one‐third of our sample). Our research findings indicate that migrants who arrive through recruitment agencies and do not have children (with them in Britain) are the most internally mobile, whereas those who arrive through personal networks (of family, friends, or acquaintances) and with (especially school‐age) children are the least likely to relocate after arriving in the UK. Moreover, it appears that migrants with families are more willing to make urban to rural moves, whereas young and childless migrants favour rural to urban relocations. Notably, the internal migration of some of our (childless) study participants was sometimes interspersed with short‐term return migration. Finally, the general propensity to move internally seems to decrease with time: once the migrants secure permanent employment and stable accommodation, they are less willing to uproot again. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Silicon nanodot formation and self‐ordering under bombardment with heavy Bi3 ions
Authors: Böttger Roman , Heinig Karl‐Heinz , Bischoff Lothar , Liedke Bartosz , Hübner René , Pilz Wolfgang
Published: May 2013

Si nanodots of high density and hexagonal short‐range order are observed upon normal‐incidence bombardment of hot, crystalline Si with Bi3+ ions having a kinetic energy of a few tens of keV. The heights of nanodots are comparable to their widths of ∼20 nm. The implanted Bi accumulates in tiny Bi nanocrystals in a thin Si top layer which is amorphous due to implantation damage. Light and heavy ions up to Xe cause smoothing of surfaces, but Bi3+ ions considered here have a much higher mass. Atomistic simulations prove that each Bi3+impact deposits an extremely high energy density resulting in a several nanometer large melt pool, which resolidifies within a few hundreds of picoseconds. Experiments confirm that dot patterns form only if the deposited energy density exceeds the threshold for melting. Comparing monatomic and polyatomic Bi ion irradiation, Bi–Si phase separation and preferential ion erosion are ruled out as driving forces of pattern formation. A model based on capillary forces in the melt pool explains the pattern formation consistently.

magnified image

High‐density Si nanodots are formed by polyatomic Bi ion irradiation of hot Si surfaces. Each impact causes local transient melt pools smaller than the dots. Hexagonally ordered patterns evolve by self‐organization driven by repeated ion‐induced melting of tiny volumes. Homogeneously distributed Bi nanocrystals are found in the a‐Si film. These nanocrystals are related to particularities of the Si–Bi phase diagram. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Intermolecular interactions of formic acid with benzene: Energy decomposition analyses with ab initio MP2 and double‐hybrid density functional computations
Authors: Yu Feng
Published: May 2013

The intermolecular interactions of formic acid (HCOOH) with benzene (C6H6) have been investigated using localized molecular orbital energy decomposition analyses (LMO‐EDA) with ab initio MP2 and several double‐hybrid density functionals. The molecular geometries of five HCOOH…C6H6 complexes and corresponding benchmark total interaction energies at the CCSD(T)/CBS level are taken from literature (Zhao et al., J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2009, 5, 2726). According to the results of LMO‐EDA with the MP2 method, the dispersion energies are found to be as important as the electrostatic energies for the total interaction energies of the five HCOOH…C6H6 complexes. Based on LMO‐EDA with the double‐hybrid density functionals of B2PLYP, B2K‐PLYP, B2T‐PLYP, and B2GP‐PLYP computations, two new parameters for the framework of B2PLYP are extrapolated. These two new parameters are tested with other 10 complexes involving C6H6 (Crittenden, J. Phys. Chem. A 2009, 113, 1663), and they perform well on predicting the corresponding total interaction energies. Interestingly, these two new parameters for the framework of B2PLYP also perform well on the noncovalent complexation energies database (NCCE31/05) developed by Truhlar's group (Zhao and Truhlar, J. Phys. Chem. A 2005, 109, 5656). Therefore, these two new parameters appear to be suitable for investigating the noncovalent interactions, and they are denoted as B2N‐PLYP, where N stands for the noncovalent interaction. This study is expected to provide new insight into the derivation of double‐hybrid density functionals for studying the noncovalent interactions. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Observation‐driven Bayesian Filtering for Global Location Estimation in the Field Area
Authors: He Tao , Hirose Shigeo
Published: May 2013

Global localization has long been considered one of the most important but also one of the most challenging localization problems for mobile robots. Current studies of global localization in the literature are mainly based on the Bayesian filtering technique, which can provide an elegant statistical framework for uncertainty management and multisensory fusion. However, the majority of implementations of Bayesian filters for global localization obey the same update rules in such a location‐driven sense that they guess the robot location first and then adjust the guess by incorporating the current observation data. This leads to some problematic consequences in that the system suffers from great computational load in a large application area and it cannot recover from localization failure. To overcome the above limitations, this paper deviates from the conventional update rules of Bayes filters and proposes a new approach: the observation‐driven Bayes filters (OD‐BFs). As the name implies, OD‐BFs estimate the robot state just according to the most recent observations and then adjust the estimate by incorporating the dead‐reckoning information. We further implement an observation‐driven Bayes filter to globally estimate the robot pose in the field area. This global localization system features an effective pose estimation framework that can operate with a large amount of point data in a coarse‐to‐fine manner. Sufficient experiments were carried out to determine both the advantages and the disadvantages of our OD‐BF localization approaches compared with previous ones.
Field Testing of Moving Short‐baseline Navigation for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles using Synchronized Acoustic Messaging
Authors: Wolbrecht Eric , Anderson Michael , Canning John , Edwards Dean , Frenzel Jim , Odell Doug , Bean Tom , Stringfield Jordan , Feusi J. , Armstrong B. , Folk A. , Crosbie B.
Published: May 2013

This paper presents the results from field testing of a unique approach to the navigation of a fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) using only onboard sensors and information provided by a moving surface ship. The approach, considered moving short‐baseline (MSBL) navigation, uses two transponders mounted on a single surface ship that alternately broadcast acoustic messages containing one of the parameters of the kinematic state of the surface ship. The broadcasts are initiated according to a predefined schedule so that the one‐way travel time (OWTT) of the acoustic messages may be used to determine the range to the transponder. Each AUV in the fleet uses the surface ship state measurements and ranges provided by the acoustic messages in two extended Kalman filters (EKFs) for state estimation. The first EKF merges the intermittent surface ship state measurements with a kinematic model to estimate the state of the surface ship. This is necessary because the presented approach uses 13‐bit acoustic messages as opposed to the more commonly used 32‐byte messages, which allow the full state to be encoded in a single broadcast. The second EKF uses the current surface ship state estimate to properly interpret the acoustic ranges, combining them with a kinematic model to estimate the state of the AUV itself. Numerous MSBL navigation experiments were compared against a more traditional approach using a long‐baseline (LBL) array of transponders and OWTT acoustic ranging. The results of all tests were verified by independent LBL measures of position.
Emotional Control, Styles of Coping with Stress and Acceptance of Illness among Patients Suffering from Chronic Somatic Diseases
Authors: Janowski Konrad , Kurpas Donata , Kusz Joanna , Mroczek Bożena , Jedynak Tomasz
Published: May 2013

The purpose of this study was to analyse the associations of emotional control with sociodemographic and clinical variables in a sample of patients with a range of chronic somatic diseases. The relationships between emotional control, coping styles and adjustment to the disease were investigated. The sample consisted of 300 patients with the mean age of 54.60 ± 17.57 years. Courtauld Emotional Control Scale was used to measure the patients' tendency to suppress negative emotions, Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations was used to measure coping styles and Acceptance of Illness Scale was applied to determine adjustment to the disease. Patients with neurological conditions showed significantly lower suppression of anger. Levels of emotional control were found to be related to gender, age and educational level but not to the place of residence. Task‐oriented style of coping with stress correlated positively with suppression of depression and anxiety, whereas acceptance of illness correlated negatively with suppression of anger. Levels of emotional control are only weakly related to the type of diagnosis; however, some clinical samples may show lower suppression of anger. Suppression of negative emotions is weakly related to adjustment indicators such as certain coping styles and acceptance of illness. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Momentum broadening in weakly coupled quark-gluon plasma (with a view to finding the quasiparticles within liquid quark-gluon plasma)
Authors: D’Eramo Francesco , Lekaveckas Mindaugas , Liu Hong , Rajagopal Krishna
Published: May 2013

Abstract

We calculateP(k⊥), the probability distribution for an energetic parton that propagates for a distanceLthrough a medium without radiating to pick up transverse momentumk⊥, for a medium consisting of weakly coupled quark-gluon plasma. We use full or HTL self-energies in appropriate regimes, resumming each in order to find the leading large-Lbehavior. The jet quenching parameter$ \widehat{q} $is the second moment ofP(k⊥), and we compare our results to other determinations of this quantity in the literature, although we emphasize the importance of looking atP(k⊥) in its entirety. We compare our results forP(k⊥) in weakly coupled quark-gluon plasma to expectations from holographic calculations that assume a plasma that is strongly coupled at all length scales. We find that the shape ofP(k⊥) at modestk⊥may not be very different in weakly coupled and strongly coupled plasmas, but we find thatP(k⊥) must be parametricallylargerin a weakly coupled plasma than in a strongly coupled plasma — at large enoughk⊥. This means that by looking for rare (but not exponentially rare) large-angle deflections of the jet resulting from a parton produced initially back-to-back with a hard photon, experimentalists can find the weakly coupled short-distance quark and gluon quasiparticles within the strongly coupled liquid quark-gluon plasma produced in heavy ion collisions, much as Rutherford found nuclei within atoms or Friedman, Kendall and Taylor found quarks within nucleons.
Role of adjuvant surgery for patients with initially unresectable pancreatic cancer with a long‐term favorable response to non‐surgical anti‐cancer treatments: results of a project study for pancreatic surgery by the Japanese Society of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Surgery
Authors: Satoi Sohei , Yamaue Hiroki , Kato Kentaro , Takahashi Shinichiro , Hirono Seiko , Takeda Shin , Eguchi Hidetoshi , Sho Masayuki , Wada Keita , Shinchi Hiroyuki , Kwon A. Hon , Hirano Satoshi , Kinoshita Taira , Nakao Akimasa , Nagano Hiroaki , Nakajima Yoshiyuki , Sano Keiji , Miyazaki Masaru , Takada Tadahiro
Published: May 2013

Purpose

A multicenter survey was conducted to explore the role of adjuvant surgery for initially unresectable pancreatic cancer with a long‐term favorable response to non‐surgical cancer treatments.

Methods

Clinical data including overall survival were retrospectively compared between 58 initially unresectable pancreatic cancer patients who underwent adjuvant surgery with a favorable response to non‐surgical cancer treatments over 6 months after the initial treatment and 101 patients who did not undergo adjuvant surgery because of either unchanged unresectability, a poor performance status, and/or the patients' or surgeons' wishes.

Results

Overall mortality and morbidity were 1.7 and 47 % in the adjuvant surgery group. The survival curve in the adjuvant surgery group was significantly better than in the control group (p < 0.0001). The propensity score analysis revealed that adjuvant surgery was a significant independent prognostic variable with an adjusted hazard ratio (95 % confidence interval) of 0.569 (0.36—0.89). Subgroup analysis according to the time from initial treatment to surgical resection showed a significant favorable difference in the overall survival in patients who underwent adjuvant surgery over 240 days after the initial treatment.

Conclusion

Adjuvant surgery for initially unresectable pancreatic cancer patients can be a safe and effective treatment. The overall survival rate from the initial treatment is extremely high, especially in patients who received non‐surgical anti‐cancer treatment for more than 240 days.
Standing waves for linearly coupled Schrödinger equations with critical exponent
Authors: Chen Zhijie , Zou Wenming
Published: May 2013

We study the following linearly coupled Schrödinger equations:

\begin{cases}
−\varepsilon ^{2}\mathrm{\Delta }u + a(x)u = u^{p} + \lambda v,&\:x \in \mathbb{R}^{N}, \\
−\varepsilon ^{2}\mathrm{\Delta }v + b(x)v = v^{2^*−1} + \lambda u,&\:x \in \mathbb{R}^{N}, \\
u,v > 0\:\text{in }\mathbb{R}^{N},\:u(x),v(x)\rightarrow 0&\:\text{as }|x|\rightarrow \infty ,
\end{cases}

where

N⩾3

,

2^\ast = \frac{2N}{N−2}

,

1 < p < 2^\ast−1

, and

a(x),b(x)

are positive continuous potentials which are both bounded away from 0. Under some assumptions on

a(x)

and

\lambda > 0

, we obtain positive solutions of the coupled system for sufficiently small

\varepsilon > 0

, which have concentration phenomenon as

\varepsilon \rightarrow 0

. It is interesting that we do not need any further assumptions on

b(x)

.
Identification of ta-siRNAs and Cis-nat-siRNAs in Cassava and Their Roles in Response to Cassava Bacterial Blight
Authors: Quintero Andrés , Pérez-Quintero Alvaro L. , López Camilo
Published: May 2013

Trans-acting small interfering RNAs (ta-siRNAs) and natural cis-antisense siRNAs (cis-nat-siRNAs) are recently discovered small RNAs (sRNAs) involved in post-transcriptional gene silencing. ta-siRNAs are transcribed from genomic loci and require processing by microRNAs (miRNAs). cis-nat-siRNAs are derived from antisense RNAs produced by the simultaneous transcription of overlapping antisense genes. Their roles in many plant processes, including pathogen response, are mostly unknown. In this work, we employed a bioinformatic approach to identify ta-siRNAs and cis-nat-siRNAs in cassava from two sRNA libraries, one constructed from healthy cassava plants and one from plants inoculated with the bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis (Xam). A total of 54 possible ta-siRNA loci were identified in cassava, including a homolog of TAS3, the best studied plant ta-siRNA. Fifteen of these loci were induced, while 39 were repressed in response to Xam infection. In addition, 15 possible cis-natural antisense transcript (cis-NAT) loci producing siRNAs were identified from overlapping antisense regions in the genome, and were found to be differentially expressed upon Xam infection. Roles of sRNAs were predicted by sequence complementarity and our results showed that many sRNAs identified in this work might be directed against various transcription factors. This work represents a significant step toward understanding the roles of sRNAs in the immune response of cassava.
Clinical study on anti‐fungal drug activity against clinically isolated strains of oral Candida species
Authors: Kamikawa Yoshiaki , Nagayama Tomohiro , Fujisaki Junichi , Hirabayashi Daisuke , Kawasaki Kiyotsugu , Hamada Tomofumi , Mori Youichiro , Kamikawa Yasuko , Mukai Hiroshi , Sato Tomoaki , Sugihara Kazumasa
Published: May 2013

Objectives: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the anti‐fungal activity of amphotericin B (AMPH‐B), flucytosine (5‐FC), fluconazole (FLCZ), miconazole (MCZ), itraconazole (ITCZ), and micafungin (MCFG) against clinically isolated Candida strains from oral candidiasis (OC) patients and to collect information useful for the treatment of OC.

Subjects and methods: The study includes 116 strains of Candida isolated from patients. The Candida species were identified by polymerase chain reaction. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each drug against each Candida species was determined.

Results: Of the 106 participants (30 males and 76 females), 57 had OC, including 42 cases of pseudomembranous OC, 11 cases of erythematous OC, 2 cases of hypertrophic OC, and 2 cases of mixed pseudomembranous/erythematous OC. The Candida species isolated were Candida albicans (93 strains), C. glabrata (19 strains), and C. tropicalis (4 strains). AMPH‐B and 5‐FC had low MIC values against all species of Candida and a low incidence of resistance development. In some species of Candida, FLCZ and ITCZ showed high MICs, but MCZ had a low MIC value. AMPH‐B, MCZ, and ITCZ prescribed to OC patients were effective against OC with respect to alleviation of OC symptoms.

Conclusion: MIC values of anti‐fungal drugs against Candida strains isolated from OC patients were obtained and the 3 anti‐fungal drugs given to OC patients were found to be effective against OC in spite of differences in their MIC values and in the number of resistant strains (or strains with a high MIC value).
Simulations of turbulent channels with prescribed velocity profiles
Authors: Tuerke Florian , Jiménez Javier
Published: May 2013

Direct numerical simulations of turbulent channels with artificially prescribed velocity profiles are discussed, using both natural and purposely incorrect profiles. It is found that turbulence develops correctly when natural profiles are prescribed, but that even slightly incorrect ones modify the Reynolds stresses substantially. That is used to study the dynamics of the energy-containing velocity fluctuations. The stronger (weaker) structures generated by locally stronger (weaker) mean shears have essentially correct isotropy coefficients but they are out of energy equilibrium, with the energy imbalance compensated by turbulent diffusion. The velocity scale in smooth profiles changes with the distance to the wall, and is best described by a friction velocity derived from the local total tangential stress. The behaviour across sharper shear jumps is more consistent with non-equilibrium eddies that relax over wall-normal distances of the order of the distance to the wall, suggesting that the energy equilibrium in the logarithmic layer is not local to a given height, but applies to extended layers homogenized by wall-normal fluxes. Examples of that non-local character are the large-scale inactive fluctuations near the wall, whose velocities do not scale with the local shear stress, but with that of their active ‘cores’ farther away from the wall.
On super free fall
Authors: Torres A. , Medina A. , Higuera F. J. , Weidman P. D.
Published: May 2013

Villermaux & Pomeau (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 642, 2010, p. 147) analysed the motion of the interface of an inviscid liquid column released from rest in a vertical tube whose area expands gradually downwards, with application to an inverted conical container for which experimental measurements were carried out. An error in the analysis is found and corrected in the present investigation, which provides the new governing equation for the super-accelerated interface motion down gradually varying tubes in general, and integrated results for interface trajectories, velocities and accelerations down a conical tube in particular. Interestingly, the error does not affect any of the conclusions given in the 2010 paper. Further new results are reported here such as the equation governing the centre of mass and proof that the end point acceleration is exactly that of gravity.
Phylogeny of the Hexactinellida: phylogenetic reconstruction of the subclass Hexasterophora based on morphological characters
Authors: Henkel D. , Borkenhagen K. , Janussen D.
Published: May 2013

Amongst the Hexactinellida, Hexasterophora is the most important taxon in terms of number of species as well as concerning the variability in morphological characters. In this study the first comprehensive analysis of phylogenetic relations between hexactinellid families and genera of the subclass Hexasterophora based on morphological features is presented. Therefore, 157 morphological characters of the Hexasterophora were compiled into a matrix by presence/absence data. The resulting phylogenetic trees are compared with conclusions based on molecular data and classical systematics. So far, we find the main hexasterophoran taxa (Hexactinosida, Rossellidae and Euplectellidae) well established as monophyletic and in rather good correspondence with classical systematics and molecular results. Our phylogenetic trees largely support the systematic classification proposed by Schulze (1886) and Mehl (2002). However, some families (e.g. Euretidae) are not corroborated. For others (Euplectellidae), our cladistics approach is at odds with the system proposed by Tabachnick (2002a). Morphological phylogeny becomes problematic for those taxa, in which many of the diagnostic characters are either symplesiomorphic, or multiple homoplastic. Our results indicated the need for revision of the classification features used.
Numerical study of radiative opacity for carbon and aluminum plasmas produced by high power pulsed lasers
Authors: Mahdieh Mohammad Hossein , Hosseinzadeh Sahar
Published: May 2013

In this paper, the opacity of plasma in local thermodynamic equilibrium condition was investigated numerically. The plasma was assumed to be produced by interaction of high power pulse laser with carbon and aluminum. Spectrally resolved opacities under different plasma temperature and density conditions were calculated and radiative absorption due to three absorption mechanisms; inverse bremsstrahlung, photo-ionization, and line absorption in plasmas was studied numerically. The purpose of this study is to calculate the values of absorption for inverse bremsstrahlung and photo-ionization processes for aluminum and carbon plasmas and to compare them for those of cold matter. In this investigation, the influences of density and temperature on plasma absorption were evaluated. The calculation results show that the opacity strength strongly depends on the plasma temperature and density.
English in Malaysia: a case of the past that never really went away?
Authors: Stephen Jeannet
Published: May 2013

The English language has been part of Malaysia for a long time, going back to the beginning of British colonial rule in the 18th century. The present attitudes towards English can be said to vary from conservative (e.g. referring to it asbahasa penjajah, literally ‘language of the coloniser’) to general acceptance (e.g. English is part of Malaysian history) and to a liberal/modern/Western outlook (e.g. calling for the return of English-medium schools). The conservative view stems from the history, or, for some, the memory, of the role English played in the colonial education system as the language of the elite which served to separate the urban and rural populations into the haves and the have-nots. Inevitably, the abolition of English-medium education became one of the key matters for debate during the campaign for independence from British rule in the 1950s. Malay nationalists considered English-medium education to be part of a British agenda to maintain control of the country after Independence. Replacing English with Malay as the medium of instruction as well as the national language in Malaya was, therefore, vital. In 1967, through the National Language Act, Malay became the sole official language in Malaysia a decade after Independence. Thus, from 1970 onwards, the phasing out of English as a medium of instruction from the Malaysian education system was carried out fervently, while at the same time Malay was zealously promoted, not only in education but in all spheres of public life.
Subverting the rules of grammar: is Kolaveri di the subalterns' English?
Authors: Kazim Rafia
Published: May 2013

English is a global language, and the fact has been reiterated by various studies conducted both in native and non-native countries. In India, English, since the British era, has dominated the domains of administration, business, higher education, science and technology and mass media. Post-Independence the visibility and functionality of English increased manifold. English is everywhere on the streets: from billboards to hoardings, from advertisements to road signs, English is omnipresent. Even for petty official works in places such as banks, post offices, hospitals, railway stations, bus depots, schools and colleges, English becomes indispensable.
The range of English spelling
Authors: Shipley J. B.
Published: May 2013

There is nothing innately funny or humorous about English spelling, though its vagaries have lent themselves to efforts in that way:

Hints on Pronunciation for Foreigners

I take it you already know of tough and bough and cough and dough?

Others may stumble but not you

On hiccough, thorough, laugh and through.

Beware of heard, a dreadful word

That looks like beard, and sounds like bird…

[from a letter by J. Bland published in the London Sunday Times, Jan. 3, 1965; cited by Chomsky (1970) and by Adams (1990)]
Increasing the Usability of Pedestrian Navigation Interfaces by means of Landmark Visibility Analysis
Authors: Delikostidis Ioannis , Engel Juri , Retsios Bas , van Elzakker Corné P.J.M. , Kraak Menno-Jan , Döllner Jürgen
Published: May 2013

Communicating location-specific information to pedestrians is a challenging task which can be aided by user-friendly digital technologies. In this paper, landmark visibility analysis, as a means for developing more usable pedestrian navigation systems, is discussed. Using an algorithmic framework for image-based 3D analysis, this method integrates a 3D city model with identified landmarks and produces raster visibility layers for each one. This output enables an Android phone prototype application to indicate the visibility of landmarks from the user's actual position. Tested in the field, the method achieves sufficient accuracy for the context of use and improves navigation efficiency and effectiveness.
Neural Recruitment after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Is Task Dependent: A Meta-analysis
Authors: Bryer E.J. , Medaglia J.D. , Rostami S. , Hillary Frank G.
Published: May 2013

Individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) often have deficits in processing speed and working memory (WM) and there is a growing literature using functional imaging studies to document these deficits. However, divergent results from these studies revealed both hypoactivation and hyperactivation of neural resources after injury. We hypothesized that at least part of this variance can be explained by distinct demands between WM tasks. Notably, in this literature some WM tasks use discrete periods of encoding, maintenance, and retrieval, whereas others place continuous demands on WM. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to examine the differences in neural recruitment after mTBI to determine if divergent findings can be explained as a function of task demand and cognitive load. A comprehensive literature review revealed 14 studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine brain activity of individuals with mTBI during working memory tasks. Three of the fourteen studies included reported hypoactivity, five reported hyperactivity, and the remaining six reported both hypoactivity and hyperactivity. Studies were grouped according to task type and submitted to GingerALE maximum likelihood meta-analyses to determine the most consistent brain activation patterns. The primary findings from this meta-analysis suggest that the discrepancy in activation patterns is at least partially attributable to the classification of WM task, with hyperactivation being observed in continuous tasks and hypoactivation being observed during discrete tasks. We anticipate that differential task load expressed in continuous and discrete WM tasks contributes to these differences. Implications for the interpretation of fMRI signals in clinical samples are discussed. (JINS, 2013,19, 1–12)
Association of vitamin D insufficiency with adiposity and metabolic disorders in Brazilian adolescents
Authors: Oliveira Renata MS , Novaes Juliana F , Azeredo Lorena M , Cândido Ana Paula C , Leite Isabel CG
Published: May 2013

Objective

The present study aimed to evaluate the frequency of deficiency/insufficiency of vitamin D in adolescents and its relationship to overweight and metabolic disorders.

Design

Cross-sectional study. Nutritional status was assessed by BMI according to WHO recommendations. Dietary intake was evaluated using a 3 d dietary record. The biochemical evaluation comprised measurements of serum lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, insulin, calcidiol (25(OH)D) and parathyroid hormone. Insulin resistance was calculated using the homeostasis model assessment. Body composition and blood pressure were assessed.

Setting

Fifteen schools (eight public and seven private) in the central city of Juiz de Fora, Brazil.

Subjects

The analysis included a study population of 160 adolescents (seventy-seven eutrophic and eighty-three overweight) aged 15 to 17 years.

Results

Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency was observed in 1·25 and 70·6 % of adolescents, respectively. Serum 25(OH)D levels were statistically lower in adolescents with weight excess, abdominal obesity, hypercholesterolaemia, higher levels of parathyroid hormone, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinaemia and hypertension (P< 0·05). Lower BMI and waist circumference were observed in the third (highest) tertile of vitamin D intake for all adolescents. The high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency is primarily nutritional and reflects a low vitamin D intake.

Conclusions

Our results support the negative association among serum 25(OH)D levels and vitamin D intake with non-skeletal outcomes in Brazilian adolescents. Vitamin D fortification of foods and/or the use of vitamin D supplements need to be considered to raise vitamin D intake in the adolescent population, even in a sunny country like Brazil.
Hände weg von der Maus
Authors: Büsch Dirk , Hagemann Norbert
Published: May 2013

Zur Bestimmung der Leistungshändigkeit müssen Personen mit der dominanten und nicht-dominanten Hand verschiedene repräsentative motorische Aufgaben realisieren. In zwei quasi-experimentellen Studien mit links- und rechtshändigen Probanden wurde geprüft, ob die manuelle Erfahrung einen Einfluss auf die Leistung in zwei kleinmotorischen Auge-Hand-Koordinationsaufgaben, einer Stift- (S-PA) und einer Cursor-Positionierungsaufgabe (C-PA), hat. Es zeigte sich, dass a) bei der ungeübten S-PA die Probanden generell bessere Leistungen mit ihrer dominanten Hand erzielen und b) bei der C-PA die Leistungen der Linkshänder durch die manuellen Erfahrungen mit der Maus-Konfiguration moderiert werden: Linkshändige „Linksmäuser“ erzielen mit der linken Hand bessere Leistungen als linkshändige „Rechtsmäuser“, wohingegen sich die Leistungen mit der rechten Hand nicht unterscheiden. Motorische Leistungen in Lateralitätsstudien sollten daher nicht mit einer Computermaus erfasst und konsequenterweise auch keine Computermaus-Items in Lateralitätsfragebögen berücksichtigt werden.
Burnout bei Trainern
Authors: Altfeld Sebastian , Kellmann Michael
Published: May 2013

Trainer gehören zu einer Berufsgruppe, die durch ihre Arbeitsstrukturen und Tätigkeitsgebiete regelmäßig emotionalen und körperlichen Belastungs- bzw. Stresssituationen ausgesetzt sind. Die Folgen subjektiver erhöhter Überforderung, Unzufriedenheit und mangelnder Erholung können in der Ausbildung eines Gefühls des „Ausgebranntseins“, eines Burnouts, gipfeln. Dieser Zustand körperlicher oder mentaler Erschöpfung, der in klarer Abgrenzung zur Depression steht, erschwert die Ausübung der Trainertätigkeiten maßgeblich und wirkt sich negativ auf die betreuten Athleten aus. Dieser Beitrag gibt einen Überblick über den Forschungsstand und die meist mit US-College-Trainern durchgeführten Studien der vergangenen Jahre. Neben der Darstellung moderierender Variablen (z. B. Geschlecht, Alter, Sportarten) und diagnostischer Instrumente werden zudem Ansätze für Interventionen und kommende Forschungen aufgegriffen.
Lrs14 transcriptional regulators influence biofilm formation and cell motility of Crenarchaea
Authors: Orell Alvaro , Peeters Eveline , Vassen Victoria , Jachlewski Silke , Schalles Sven , Siebers Bettina , Albers Sonja-Verena
Published: May 2013

Like bacteria, archaea predominately exist as biofilms in nature. However, the environmental cues and the molecular mechanisms driving archaeal biofilm development are not characterized. Here we provide data suggesting that the transcriptional regulators belonging to the Lrs14-like protein family constitute a key regulatory factor during Sulfolobus biofilm development. Among the six lrs14-like genes encoded by Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, the deletion of three led to markedly altered biofilm phenotypes. Although Δsaci1223 and Δsaci1242 deletion mutants were impaired in biofilm formation, the Δsaci0446 deletion strain exhibited a highly increased extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production, leading to a robust biofilm structure. Moreover, although the expression of the adhesive pili (aap) genes was upregulated, the genes of the motility structure, the archaellum (fla), were downregulated rendering the Δsaci0446 strain non-motile. Gel shift assays confirmed that Saci0446 bound to the promoter regions of fla and aap thus controlling the expression of both cell surface structures. In addition, genetic epistasis analysis using Δsaci0446 as background strain identified a gene cluster involved in the EPS biosynthetic pathway of S. acidocaldarius. These results provide insights into both the molecular mechanisms that govern biofilm formation in Crenarchaea and the functionality of the Lrs14-like proteins, an archaea-specific class of transcriptional regulators.
InterMOD: integrated data and tools for the unification of model organism research
Authors: Sullivan Julie , Karra Kalpana , Moxon Sierra A. T. , Vallejos Andrew , Motenko Howie , Wong J. D. , Aleksic Jelena , Balakrishnan Rama , Binkley Gail , Harris Todd , Hitz Benjamin , Jayaraman Pushkala , Lyne Rachel , Neuhauser Steven , Pich Christian , Smith Richard N. , Trinh Quang , Cherry J. Michael , Richardson Joel , Stein Lincoln , Twigger Simon , Westerfield Monte , Worthey Elizabeth , Micklem Gos
Published: May 2013

Model organisms are widely used for understanding basic biology and have significantly contributed to the study of human disease. In recent years, genomic analysis has provided extensive evidence of widespread conservation of gene sequence and function amongst eukaryotes, allowing insights from model organisms to help decipher gene function in a wider range of species. The InterMOD consortium is developing an infrastructure based around the InterMine data warehouse system to integrate genomic and functional data from a number of key model organisms, leading the way to improved cross-species research. So far including budding yeast, nematode worm, fruit fly, zebrafish, rat and mouse, the project has set up data warehouses, synchronized data models and created analysis tools and links between data from different species. The project unites a number of major model organism databases, improving both the consistency and accessibility of comparative research, to the benefit of the wider scientific community.
Central Diabetes Insipidus after Staged Spinal Surgery
Authors: Rosenbaum Benjamin P. , Steinmetz Michael P.
Published: May 2013

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is described following penetrating spinal cord trauma but rarely following instrumented spinal fusion. More commonly, hyponatremia is seen following spine surgery, which may be iatrogenic, attributed to the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone release. The authors present a case of a 57-year-old woman who underwent a planned two-stage operation for scoliotic deformity correction. On the third postoperative day, the patient developed hypernatremia (sodium levels of 157 mmol/L) and polyuria. In conjunction with endocrinology, the patient was diagnosed with central DI. The patient was treated with desmopressin acetate (DDAVP), which led to resolution of her symptoms. DDAVP was temporary and eventually weaned off. Central DI is a possible cause of hypernatremia following significant spine surgery. Correct diagnosis is paramount for rapid and appropriate treatment.