bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimal Timing of Transfer Out of the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Garland Allan , Connors Alfred F.
Published: September 2013

Background

Little other than subjective judgment is available to help clinicians determine when a patient should be transferred out of the intensive care unit.

Objective

To assess whether remaining in the intensive care unit longer than judged to be medically necessary is associated with increased 30-day mortality.

Methods

This prospective, observational cohort study was performed in a 13-bed, closed-model, adult medical intensive care unit of a county-owned, university-affiliated hospital that often has difficulty transferring patients to general care areas because of a lack of available beds. Analysis included all 2401 survivors of intensive care from the study period. Delay in discharge from the intensive care unit was defined as time elapsed between the request for transfer and the actual transfer. Logistic regression was used to assess the association of discharge delay with 30-day mortality, adjusting for demographics, comorbid conditions, type and severity of acute illness, care limitations in the unit, and other potential confounding variables. Nonlinear relationships with continuous variables were modeled with restricted cubic splines.

Results

Overall, 30-day mortality was 10.1%. Mean discharge delay was 9.6 (SD, 11.7) hours; 9.9% had a discharge delay exceeding 24 hours. The relationship of 30-day mortality to discharge delay was statistically significant and U-shaped, with the nadir at 20 hours.

Conclusions

These data indicate an optimal time window for patients to leave the intensive care unit, with increased mortality not only if they leave earlier but also if they leave later than this optimal timing.
US-Approved Intra-Articular Hyaluronic Acid Injections are Safe and Effective in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized, Saline-Controlled Trials
Authors: Miller Larry E. , Block Jon E.
Published: September 2013

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized saline-controlled trials to determine the safety and efficacy of US-approved intra-articular hyaluronic acid (IAHA) injections for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. A total of 29 studies representing 4,866 unique subjects (IAHA: 2,673, saline: 2,193) were included. IAHA injection resulted in very large treatment effects between 4 and 26 weeks for knee pain and function compared to pre-injection values, with standardized mean difference (SMD) values ranging from 1.07–1.37 (all P < 0.001). Compared to saline controls, SMDs with IAHA ranged from 0.38–0.43 for knee pain and 0.32–0.34 for knee function (all P < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between IAHA and saline controls for any safety outcome, including serious adverse events (SAEs) ( P = 0.12), treatment-related SAEs ( P = 1.0), study withdrawal ( P = 1.0), and AE-related study withdrawal ( P = 0.46). We conclude that intra-articular injection of US-approved HA products is safe and efficacious in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.
Safety and Efficacy of Sitagliptin-Metformin in Fixed Combination for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Ballav Chitrabhanu , Gough Stephen C.L.
Published: September 2013

The biguanide, metformin, is considered first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes. Sitagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor acts through the incretin pathway and has a glucose dependent mode of action. The complementary hypoglycemic properties of these drugs make fixed dose combination treatment an attractive prospect. Evidence from recent clinical trials suggests a beneficial effect of the combination on efficacy, demonstrated by significant improvement of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting and postprandial glucose levels. The fixed dose combination is likely to have greater patient tolerability compared with monotherapy with either agent because of low rates of hypoglycemia, weight neutrality, and lower rates of side effects. High acquisition cost and paucity of long-term safety data are, however, potential barriers to their wider use. An overview of the pharmacology and clinical outcomes from recent trials of the metformin-sitagliptin combination and how the combination could fit into the type 2 diabetes treatment algorithm is presented in this review.
SBEToolbox: A Matlab Toolbox for Biological Network Analysis
Authors: Konganti Kranti , wang Gang , Yang Ence , Cai James J.
Published: September 2013

We present SBEToolbox (Systems Biology and Evolution Toolbox), an open-source Matlab toolbox for biological network analysis. It takes a network file as input, calculates a variety of centralities and topological metrics, clusters nodes into modules, and displays the network using different graph layout algorithms. Straightforward implementation and the inclusion of high-level functions allow the functionality to be easily extended or tailored through developing custom plugins. SBEGUI, a menu-driven graphical user interface (GUI) of SBEToolbox, enables easy access to various network and graph algorithms for programmers and non-programmers alike. All source code and sample data are freely available at https://github.com/biocoder/SBEToolbox/releases .
POPBAM: Tools for Evolutionary Analysis of Short Read Sequence Alignments
Authors: Garrigan Daniel
Published: September 2013

Background

While many bioinformatics tools currently exist for assembling and discovering variants from next-generation sequence data, there are very few tools available for performing evolutionary analyses from these data. Evolutionary and population genomics studies hold great promise for providing valuable insights into natural selection, the effect of mutations on phenotypes, and the origin of species. Thus, there is a need for an extensible and flexible computational tool that can function into a growing number of evolutionary bioinformatics pipelines.

Results

This paper describes the POPBAM software, which is a comprehensive set of computational tools for evolutionary analysis of whole-genome alignments consisting of multiple individuals, from multiple populations or species. POPBAM works directly from BAM-formatted assembly files, calls variant sites, and calculates a variety of commonly used evolutionary sequence statistics. POPBAM is designed primarily to perform analyses in sliding windows across chromosomes or scaffolds. POPBAM accurately measures nucleotide diversity, population divergence, linkage disequilibrium, and the frequency spectrum of mutations from two or more populations. POPBAM can also produce phylogenetic trees of all samples in a BAM file. Finally, I demonstrate that the implementation of POPBAM is both fast and memory-efficient, and also can feasibly scale to the analysis of large BAM files with many individuals and populations.

Software

The POPBAM program is written in C/C++ and is available from http://dgarriga.github.io/POPBAM . The program has few dependencies and can be built on a variety of Linux platforms. The program is open-source and users are encouraged to participate in the development of this resource.
The collection of multiple saliva samples from pigs and the effect on adrenocortical activity
Authors: Cook Nigel J. , Hayne Stephanie M. , Rioja-Lang Fiona C. , Schaefer Allan L. , Gonyou Harold W.
Published: September 2013

Cook, N. J., Hayne, S. M., Rioja-Lang, F. C., Schaefer, A. L. and Gonyou, H. W. 2013. The collection of multiple saliva samples from pigs and the effect on adrenocortical activity. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 93: 329–333. The validity of collecting multiple saliva samples for the measurement of cortisol was tested in two sampling regimes in two weight classes of grower pigs (50 and 100 kg). The sampling regimes were a high-frequency, short-duration (HFSD) protocol involving collection of multiple samples within approximately 2 min of each other over a period 30 min. The second regime was a low-frequency, long-duration (LFLD) protocol in which samples were collected every 30 min for 3 h. Both sampling regimes were applied to individually housed pigs. The effect of repeated sampling of a focal pig on its cohorts in a group-housed pen was tested using the LFLD regime. There was no evidence of an effect of either of the sampling protocols on salivary cortisol concentrations in individually housed or group-housed pigs. There was some evidence that higher concentrations of salivary cortisol were associated with longer individual sampling durations in the HFSD regime for animals in the 50-kg weight class but not in the 100-kg weight class. The evidence from these experiments indicates that the collection of multiple saliva samples does not affect salivary cortisol concentrations in grower pigs, but that collection of individual samples in as short a time as possible would be prudent to avoid sampling effects in younger animals.
Correlation analysis and QTL mapping of osmotic potential in japonica rice under upland and lowland conditions
Authors: Mu Ping , Li Zichao
Published: September 2013

Mu, P. and Li, Z. 2013. Correlation analysis and QTL mapping of osmotic potential in japonica rice under upland and lowland conditions. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 785–792. In order to reveal the genetic basis of differences in osmotic potential (OP) of japonica rice under various water regimes, a recombinant inbreed line (RIL) population including 120 plants derived from a cross between an upland japonica rice IRAT109 and a paddy japonica rice Yuefu was used in this study. A complete genetic linkage map with 201 simple sequence repeat (SSR) molecular markers was constructed. Osmotic potentials of the RIL population and their parents were measured pre-dawn and at mid-day under lowland (no soil water stress) and upland (soil water stress) conditions. Significant correlations between osmotic difference (ODl) and (ODu) and index of drought resistance (IDR, based on relative yield in upland and lowland treatments) was found under lowland and upland conditions. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with osmotic potentials and osmotic differences under lowland and upland conditions were detected by using the software QTL MAPPER version 2.0. Twelve additive QTL and 10 pairs of epistatic QTL for OP and OD were detected. Three additive QTL and a pair of epitatic QTL for IDR were also obtained. There were more Q×E QTL and epistatic QTLs under upland conditions than under lowland conditions, indicating that the genetic pattern was more complex under upland conditions than under lowland conditions. Two QTL near RM493–RM1287 on chromosome 1 and RM332–RM1124 on chromosome 11 were found to have a high general contribution of over 10% and may be the key QTL controlling osmotic potential. These results reveal that osmotic potential is a quantitative trait controlled by both additive and epistatic QTL, which are mainly distributed on chromosomes 1, 2, 8 and 9.
A Problem on Edge-magic Labelings of Cycles
Authors: López S. C. , Muntaner-Batle F. A. , Rius-Font M.
Published: September 2013

In 1970, Kotzig and Rosa defined the concept of edge-magic labelings as follows. Let G be a simple (p; q)-graph (that is, a graph of order p and size q without loops or multiple edges). A bijective function f : V(G)⊔E(G) → {1; 2, … p+q} is an edge-magic labeling of G if f (u)+ f (uv)+ f (v) = k, for all uv ∊ E(G). A graph that admits an edge-magic labeling is called an edge-magic graph, and k is called the magic sum of the labeling. An old conjecture of Godbold and Slater states that all possible theoretical magic sums are attained for each cycle of order n ≥ 7. Motivated by this conjecture, we prove that for all n0∊ N, there exists n 2 N such that the cycle Cn admits at least n0 edge-magic labelings with at least n0 mutually distinct magic sums. We do this by providing a lower bound for the number of magic sums of the cycle Cn, depending on the sum of the exponents of the odd primes appearing in the prime factorization of n.
An Efficient and Stable Spectral-Element Method for Acoustic Scattering by an Obstacle
Authors: An Jing , Shen Jie
Published: September 2013

A spectral-element method is developed to solve the scattering problem for time-harmonic sound waves due to an obstacle in an homogeneous compressible fluid. The method is based on a boundary perturbation technique coupled with an efficient spectral-element solver. Extensive numerical results are presented, in order to show the accuracy and stability of the method.
Evolutionary Relationships of the Triatoma matogrossensis Subcomplex, the Endemic Triatoma in Central-Western Brazil, Based on Mitochondrial DNA Sequences
Authors: Gardim Sueli , Rocha Cláudia S. , Almeida Carlos E. , Takiya Daniela M. , da Silva Marco T. A. , Ambrósio Daniela L. , Cicarelli Regina M. B. , da Rosa João A.
Published: September 2013

The phylogenetic relationships among species of Triatoma matogrossensis subcomplex (T. baratai, T. guazu, T. matogrossensis, T. sordida, T. vandae, and T. williami) was addressed by using fragments of cytochrome oxidase I (COI), 16S rDNA (16S), and cytochrome b (Cytb) through Bayesian and parsimony analyses. We did not recover a monophyletic T. matogrossensis subcomplex, and their members were found clustered in three strongly supported clades, as follows: i) T. jurbergi + T. matogrossensis + T. vandae + T. garciabesi + T. sordida; ii) with T. guasayana as the sister group of clade (i); and iii) T. williami + T. guazu, however not closely related to the clade formed by the previously mentioned species. The other two endemic species from Central-Western Brazil, T. baratai and T. costalimai, were not recovered with strong clade support as related to other members of this subcomplex. Results call for a further revision in the classification of the subcomplexes within the genus Triatoma.
‘You Are Here’: Visual Autobiographies, Cultural-Spatial Positioning, and Resources for Urban Living
Authors: Squire Corinne , Esin Cigdem , Burman Chila
Published: September 2013

This paper reports on a study of visual autobiographies produced in art workshops conducted in a variety of social contexts in East London with 19 research participants 11 women and girls, 8 men and boys – ranging from 10 to the 50s. From narrative analysis of the images, associated interviews, and field notes on the production and exhibition of the images, the paper argues that the study of cultural activity can allow us to identify cultural-spatial positionings related to, but also distinct from, socio-spatial positionings. Those cultural-spatial positionings indicate and in some cases produce cultural and symbolic resources that might not be discernable from other non-visual research data, that may differ importantly from participants’ socioeconomic resources, and that could usefully receive more attention. The study also suggests that transnationalism is strongly tied to people's narratives of their cultural lives within global cities, is critically articulated, and can be under-recognised when it is rooted in family.
Atmospheric corrections in interferometric synthetic aperture radar surface deformation – a case study of the city of Mendoza, Argentina
Authors: Balbarani S. , Euillades P. A. , Euillades L. D. , Casu F. , Riveros N. C.
Published: September 2013

Abstract. Differential interferometry is a remote sensing technique that allows studying crustal deformation produced by several phenomena like earthquakes, landslides, land subsidence and volcanic eruptions. Advanced techniques, like small baseline subsets (SBAS), exploit series of images acquired by synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors during a given time span. Phase propagation delay in the atmosphere is the main systematic error of interferometric SAR measurements. It affects differently images acquired at different days or even at different hours of the same day. So, datasets acquired during the same time span from different sensors (or sensor configuration) often give diverging results. Here we processed two datasets acquired from June 2010 to December 2011 by COSMO-SkyMed satellites. One of them is HH-polarized, and the other one is VV-polarized and acquired on different days. As expected, time series computed from these datasets show differences. We attributed them to non-compensated atmospheric artifacts and tried to correct them by using ERA-Interim global atmospheric model (GAM) data. With this method, we were able to correct less than 50% of the scenes, considering an area where no phase unwrapping errors were detected. We conclude that GAM-based corrections are not enough for explaining differences in computed time series, at least in the processed area of interest. We remark that no direct meteorological data for the GAM-based corrections were employed. Further research is needed in order to understand under what conditions this kind of data can be used.
The Effects of the Economic Crisis on Archaeology in Greece
Authors: Howery Cherkea
Published: September 2013

The economic crisis in Europe has reverberated through all facets of society, even archaeology and heritage. The following forum takes into account some of the economic effects on the archaeological industry along with its impact on people, places, and material culture. Considering the contribution of archaeology to the economy of Greece, as well as its influence on culture and society, there is an argument that a greater investment should be made in the protection and preservation of heritage. Proponents also suggest that archaeology should work to garner wider public support and seek alternative financial opportunities for funding. While heritage may not be the solution for this crisis, it could play a part in unifying people during this period.
Development of Self-Management Scale for Kidney Transplant Recipients, Including Management of Post-Transplantation Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Kosaka Shiho , Tanaka Makoto , Sakai Tomoko , Tomikawa Shinji , Yoshida Kazunari , Chikaraishi Tatsuya , Kazuma Keiko
Published: September 2013

An evaluation scale is indispensable for the promotion of continuing, effective postkidney transplantation self-management behaviors. We aimed to develop and validate a new self-management scale for kidney transplant recipients to improve their long-term outcomes and prevent the recurrence of CKD complications. Two hundred and thirty-nine Japanese patients who had undergone kidney transplantation were recruited from three hospitals. The scale’s validity and reliability were evaluated using exploratory factor analysis and intraclass correlation coefficients. Scale items were selected by considering the findings of a clinical importance survey of 17 experts. Four subscales were identified by the factor analysis: “Self-monitoring” (six items), “Self-care behavior in daily living” (seven items), “Early detecting and coping with abnormalities after kidney transplantation” (four items), and “Stress management” (three items). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the subscales ranged from 0.61 to 0.87. A further four items with high clinical importance were added to the scale. The final scale comprised 24 items within four subscales and four single items. The intraclass correlation ranged from 0.88 to 0.95 in each subscale and the weighted kappa coefficient for the single items ranged from 0.33 to 0.72. The validity and reliability of our new self-management scale were confirmed by a patient-based field survey.
Medical Problems Referred to a Care of the Elderly Physician: Insight for Future Geriatrics CME
Authors: Lam Robert Edwin , Gallinaro Anna , Adleman Jenna
Published: September 2013

PurposeFamily physicians provide the majority of elderly patient care in Canada. Many experience significant challenges in serving this cohort. This study aimed to examine the medical problems of patients referred to a care of the elderly physician, to better understand the geriatric continuing medical education (CME) needs of family doctors.MethodsA retrospective chart review of patients assessed at an urban outpatient seniors’ clinic between 2003 and 2008 was conducted. Data from 104 charts were analyzed and survey follow-up with 28 of the referring family physicians was undertaken. Main outcomes include the type and frequency of medical problems actually referred to a care of the elderly physician. Clarification of future geriatric CME topics of need was also assessed.ResultsPreventive care issues were addressed with 67 patients. Twentyfour required discussion of advance directives. The most common medical problems encountered were osteoarthritis (42), hypertension (34), osteoporosis (32), and depression or anxiety (23). Other common problems encountered that have not been highly cited as being a target of CME included musculoskeletal and joint pain (41), diabetes (23), neck and back pain (20), obesity (11), insomnia (11), and neuropathic, fibromyalgia and “leg cramps” pain (10). The referring family physicians surveyed agreed that these were topics of need for future CME.ConclusionsThe findings support geriatric CME for the common medical problems encountered. Chronic pain, diabetes, obesity and insomnia continue to be important unresolved issues previously unacknowledged by physicians as CME topics of need. Future CME focusing more on process of geriatric care may also be relevant.
Improving the Quality of Care for Older Adults Using Evidence-Informed Clinical Care Pathways
Authors: Holroyd-Leduc Jayna Marie , Steinke Vanessa , Elliott Debbie , Mullin Katherine , Elder Kevin , Callender Stella , Hildebrand Kevin A.
Published: September 2013

BackgroundThere has been an intensified focus on quality initiatives within health care. Clinical Networks have been established in Alberta as a structure to improve care within and across settings. One method used by Clinical Networks to improve care is clinical care pathways. The objective of this study was to evaluate an evidence-informed hip fracture acute care pathway before broad implementation.MethodsThe pathway was developed by a provincial Clinical Network and implemented at four of 14 hospitals across the province. Within four months of implementing the pathway, experienced interviewers conducted focus groups with end-users at the four sites. Domains of inquiry focused on indentifying barriers and facilitators to use of the pathway.ResultsFifteen physicians and 29 other health-care providers participated in eight focus groups. Common themes identified around the pathway order sets included issues with format, workflow and workload, and dissemination. The patient/family educational materials were deemed to be beneficial. Health-care provider education required better support. Overall the pathway was seen to be comprehensive. However, communication about the pathway could have been improved.Conclusions This care model is novel in that it combines the concepts of clinical networks, care pathways, and knowledge translation in an effort to provide high-quality, evidence-informed care in a standardized equitable manner across a diverse geographic area.
Idiocy
Authors: McDonagh Patrick
Published: September 2013

The term 'idiot' is a damning put down, whether deployed on the playground or in the board room. People stigmatized as being 'intellectually disabled' today must confront variants of the fear and pity with which society has greeted them for centuries. In this ground-breaking new study Patrick McDonagh explores how artistic, scientific and sociological interpretations of idiocy work symbolically and ideologically in society. Drawing upon a broad spectrum of British, French and American resources including literary works (Wordsworth's The Idiot Boy, Dickens Barnaby Rudge, Conrad's The Secret Agent), pedagogical works (Itard's The Wild Boy of Aveyron, Sequin's Traitement moral, hygiene et education des idiots, and Howe's On the courses of Idiocy), medical and scientific papers (Philippe Pinel, Henry Maudsley, William Ireland, John Langdon Downs, Isaac Kerlin, Henry Goddard) and sociological writings (Mayhew's London Labour and the London Poor, Beames' The Rookeries of London, Dugdal's The Jukes), Idiocy: A Cultural History offers a rich study of the history and representation of mental disability.
Evaluation of the environmental impacts caused by deforestation in the hydric regimen of the metropolitan region of Petrópolis (RJ), Brazil
Authors: Almeida Josimar Ribeiro de , Silva Carlos Eduardo , Rodrigues Manoel Gonçalves
Published: September 2013

Vegetation has closer relationship with the hydrological cycle, changing them due to their conditions. Vegetation regulates the hydrological cycle making water faces all the stages adequately causing the process stability. Vegetation retains great parcel of the rainwater, freeing it for the water courses and surface and subterranean reservoirs, little by little. In this work, the impact of deforestation over the hydric regimen of the City of Petrópolis was analyzed. The results show that the reduction of vegetation coverage provoked annual outflows increases. The reduction of the vegetation coverage from 58% to 39% caused addictions in average outflow of 60%. This brought the increase of the draining index from 0.29 to 0.50. Changes are also verified concerning the annual average minimum and maximum outflows. In the first case, there was an increase of 86,3% and, in the second case, the annual average maximum outflow was increased in 49,9%.
Panorama, persistances et lignes de force : la critique québécoise en littérature française du xixe siècle
Authors: Beaulieu Étienne
Published: September 2013

Si le Québec s’est très bien exporté culturellement dans les dernières décennies, surtout depuis la Révolution tranquille, on ne peut passer sous silence le fait qu’inversement, les chercheurs québécois ont aussi beaucoup contribué à faire du Québec une plaque tournante de l’activité de recherche dans nombre de disciplines, au premier chef desquelles on trouve forcément la littérature française et sa composante majeure que demeure celle du xixe siècle. L’exercice de panorama fournit ici en ce sens l’occasion de tenter une désignation nouvelle de la réalité de la recherche québécoise sur la littérature du xixe siècle telle qu’elle se pratique. Mais il s’agira aussi de montrer l’effet inattendu et souvent inaperçu de persistances culturelles dans le choix effectué par certains chercheurs. Enfin, il s’agira de souligner que les dominantes méthodologiques du champ québécois en recherche sur le xixe siècle français demeurent nettement l’histoire littéraire et les différentes composantes sociologiques et sociocritiques qui ont occasionné des discussions si vives ces dernières années dans le milieu universitaire québécois.
Réflexion sur les comités consultatifs jeunesse
Authors: Lamoureux Nadine
Published: September 2013

Les comités consultatifs prennent plus d’importance au sein des organismes sociaux et deviennent un type d’intervention privilégié dans leur travail, notamment auprès de la jeunesse. En évoquant son expérience personnelle, l’auteure de cet article ouvre certaines pistes de réflexion par rapport à l’utilisation de tels comités dans une optique d’approche structurelle, à leurs bienfaits et à certaines de leurs limites.
A Readily Accessible Platform for Detailed Combustion Emissions Calculations
Authors: Syed Mohammed S. , Punuru Janardhana R. , Dooley Kerry M. , Knopf F. Carl
Published: September 2013

This paper explores the modeling and simulation of combustion processes in a gas turbine combustor both with and without water injection for NO x control. The combustor can be modeled as a series and/or parallel combinations of perfectly stirred reactors (PSRs) and plug flow reactors (PFRs). Kinetics models require solution of non-linear and stiff ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The CVODE code from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory can be used for the solution of these ODEs. Here we show that a reduced kinetics set coupled with an Excel callable version of CVODE (as a dynamic link library (dll)) can be used to predict emission trends in combustors. Student use is promoted by using Excel as the pre- and post-processor.
On the Treatment of Statical Indeterminacy in the Elementary Statics of Particles and Rigid Bodies
Authors: Levy Alan J.
Published: September 2013

The inability to determine reactions beyond a maximum of six for a three-dimensional rigid body (or three for a planar rigid body) is termed statical indeterminacy and represents a flaw in the elementary statics of particles and rigid bodies because the indeterminate reactions cannot be obtained by methods developed from within the subject. As noted in virtually every modern textbook on statics, statical indeterminacy may be resolved by relaxing the assumption of structural rigidity. This theory forms the content of the mechanics of deformable solids, which considers the stretching, twisting and bending of elastic bars. The indeterminacy may also be resolved by maintaining structural rigidity but relaxing the assumption of support rigidity. Because deformable supports may be modeled by lumped linear and torsional springs (which are traditionally part of the statics of particles and rigid bodies), analysis of statically indeterminate reactions in such systems utilizes no new concepts except that of rigid body translation and rotation. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate, by means of example, that this class of statically indeterminate problem is amenable to simple solution and therefore should be treated in standard presentations of the subject.
Study of the Influence of Silicon Phase Morphology on the Microstructural Stress Distribution in Al–Si Alloys Using Object Oriented Finite Element Modeling
Authors: Raghukiran Nadimpalli , Mohamed Aslam Kunhi , Kumar Ravi
Published: September 2013

Near‐eutectic Al–Si alloys were produced by conventional casting and spray forming resulting in microstructural differences due to process dependent cooling rates. The as‐sprayed alloy exhibited fine equiaxed Si particles uniformly distributed throughout the matrix in contrast to the as‐cast alloy, which exhibited acicular morphology with relatively large needle‐like Si particles. The effect of Si morphology on the microstructural stress distribution of the as‐cast and as‐sprayed alloys was estimated by simulating uni‐axial tensile loads on microstructures using Object Oriented Finite Element code (OOF2). Microstructures of the as‐sprayed alloy experienced relatively low and uniform stress distribution, while the microstructural stress distribution in the as‐cast alloy was significantly influenced by the orientation of the needle shaped silicon particles.
A Pyrenylpropyl Phosphonic Acid Surface Modifier for Mitigating the Thermal Resistance of Carbon Nanotube Contacts
Authors: Taphouse John H. , Smith O'Neil L. , Marder Seth R. , Cola Baratunde A.
Published: September 2013

Efforts to utilize the high intrinsic thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for thermal transport applications, namely for thermal interface materials (TIMs), have been encumbered by the presence of high thermal contact resistances between the CNTs and connecting materials. Here, a pyrenylpropyl‐phosphonic acid surface modifier is synthesized and applied in a straight forward and repeatable approach to reduce the thermal contact resistance between CNTs and metal oxide surfaces. When used to bond nominally vertically aligned multi‐walled CNT forests to Cu oxide surfaces, the modifier facilitates a roughly 9‐fold reduction in the thermal contact resistance over dry contact, enabling CNT‐based TIMs with thermal resistances of 4.6 ± 0.5 mm2 K W−1, comparable to conventional metallic solders. Additional experimental characterization of the modifier suggests that it may be used to reduce the electrical resistance of CNT‐metal oxide contacts by similar orders of magnitude.
Occupational safety beliefs among Latino residential roofing workers
Authors: Arcury Thomas A. , Summers Phillip , Carrillo Lourdes , Grzywacz Joseph G. , Quandt Sara A. , Mills Thomas H.
Published: September 2013

Background

This analysis describes beliefs about work safety and personal protective equipment (PPE) among Latino roofing workers, it delineates their perceptions of work environment characteristics that affect work safety and PPE use, and it describes how they experience work injuries and the consequences of these injuries.

Methods

In‐depth interviews were completed with 10 current and former Latino residential roofers. Interview transcripts were subjected to systematic qualitative analysis.

Results

Participants' valued productivity over safety, and this had a negative influence on their safety behavior and reduced their PPE use. They understood that roofing was hazardous. They limited use of PPE when they felt it reduced productivity and when it was uncomfortable. Work environment characteristics that affected safety included company size, the physical demands of the job, lack of training, the need for work, general life stress, and distractions at work. An injury had to result in lost work time to be considered significant. Access to health care is limited by employers not providing Workers' compensation.

Discussion

Future research is needed to substantiate these descriptive results and to delineate factors that are associated with safety behavior and use of PPE. Interventions, based on a lay health educator model, are needed to improve safety in this population. Safety regulations need to be evaluated and their enforcement needs to be improved. Am. J. Ind. Med. 57:718–725, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
DNA Terminal Mismatch‐Induced Stabilization of Polymer Micelles from RAFT‐Generated Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐DNA Block Copolymers
Authors: Isoda Kyosuke , Kanayama Naoki , Fujita Masahiro , Takarada Tohru , Maeda Mizuo
Published: September 2013

Temperature‐responsive diblock copolymers made of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) generated by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and a single‐stranded DNA (ssDNA) self‐assembled into polymer micelles. The micelles consisted of the PNIPAAm core surrounded by the ssDNA corona with a hydrodynamic diameter up to 300 nm in an aqueous medium above the lower critical solution temperature. In a medium of high ionic strength, the formation of the fully matched duplex with the complementary ssDNA on the surface of the polymer micelles induced rapid and spontaneous aggregation. By contrast, the micelles remained dispersed under the identical conditions when single‐base‐substituted ssDNA was added to form the corresponding terminal‐mismatched duplex on the micellar surface. This highly sequence‐selective process took place irrespective of the size of the PNIPAAm core.
The response of extratropical cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere to stratospheric ozone depletion in the 20th century
Authors: Grise Kevin M. , Son Seok‐Woo , Correa Gustavo J. P. , Polvani Lorenzo M.
Published: September 2013

This study explores the impact of Antarctic stratospheric ozone depletion on extratropical cyclones. Output from the Community Atmosphere Model is combined with a Lagrangian cyclone‐tracking algorithm to identify the response of Southern Hemisphere extratropical cyclones to ozone and greenhouse gas forcings over the period 1960–2000. Stratospheric ozone depletion induces a significant poleward shift in cyclone frequency over the Southern Ocean, but has minimal influence on cyclone intensity and lifetime. The response of the cyclones to late 20th century greenhouse gas increases has similar characteristics, but falls within the range of natural variability in the model.
NMR based solvent exchange experiments to understand the conformational preference of intrinsically disordered proteins using FG‐nucleoporin peptide as a model
Authors: Heisel Kurt A. , Krishnan V. V.
Published: September 2013

The conformational preference of a peptide with three phenylalanine‐glycine (FG) repeats from the intrinsically disordered domain of nucleoporin 159 (nup159) from the yeast nucleopore complex is studied. Conformational states of this FG‐peptide in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), a non‐native solvent, are first studied. A solvent exchange scheme is designed and performed to understand how the conformational preferences of the peptide are altered as the solvent shifts from DMSO to water. An ensemble of structures of a 19‐residue peptide is determined based on 13Cα, 1Hα, and 1HN chemical shifts and with inter‐proton distances. An experimental model is then presented where chemical shifts and amide‐proton temperature dependence is probed at changing DMSO to water ratios. These co‐solvent experiments provide evidence of a conformational change as the fraction of water increases by the stark change in the behavior of amide protons under varied temperature. This investigation provides a NMR based experimental method in the field of intrinsically disordered proteins to realize conformational transitions from a non‐native set of structures (in DMSO) to a native set of disordered conformers (in water). © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 102: 69–77, 2014.
Lack of association between inguinal hernia and abdominal aortic aneurysm in a population-based male cohort
Authors: Henriksen N A , Sorensen L T , Jorgensen L N , Lindholt J S
Published: September 2013

Background

Previous studies have reported a higher prevalence of inguinal hernia in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The aim of this study was to explore the association between inguinal hernia and AAA in a large population-based cohort of men who had screening for AAA.

Methods

A total of 18 331 men aged 65–76 years had ultrasound screening for AAA in the Central Region of Denmark from 2008 to 2010. The Danish National Patient Registry was interrogated, and screened men registered with an inguinal hernia from 1977 to 2011 were identified. The association between inguinal hernia and AAA was assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

The prevalence of AAA was 3.3 per cent (601 of 18 331). A total of 2936 (16.0 per cent) of the 18 331 patients were registered with a diagnosis of inguinal hernia or hernia repair. Inguinal hernia was not associated with AAA: crude odds ratio (OR) 0.86 (95 per cent confidence interval 0.68 to 1.09) and adjusted OR 0.94 (0.75 to 1.20).

Conclusion

In contrast to smaller patient-based studies, this large population-based study found no association between inguinal hernia and AAA.
Outcome after resection and radiofrequency ablation of liver metastases from small intestinal neuroendocrine tumours
Authors: Norlén O , Stålberg P , Zedenius J , Hellman P
Published: September 2013

Background

In patients with small intestinal neuroendocrine tumour (SI-NET), liver resection or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of liver metastases is performed for palliation of carcinoid syndrome, and in an effort to improve survival. Data are generally reported from case series, and no randomized trials have studied these treatments. The aim was to compare outcome after liver resection and/or RFA with that of non-surgical treatment in patients with liver metastases from SI-NET.

Methods

The study included patients with liver metastases from SI-NET who underwent liver RFA/resection or were treated non-surgically. A propensity score match was performed to reduce bias between groups, using baseline variables such as the Charlson co-morbidity index, age, symptoms, carcinoid heart disease, extent of metastases and proliferation index.

Results

Some 103 patients who had RFA and/or liver resection were compared with 273 controls. Propensity score matching resulted in two matched groups, each of 72 patients, with no significant differences in baseline variables. The matched resection/RFA and control groups showed no difference in overall survival (both 74 per cent at 5 years; P = 0·869) or disease-specific survival (74 versus 78 per cent respectively at 5 years; P = 1·000). However, urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels were lower (median 77 versus 120 µmol per 24 h; P = 0·005) and the proportion of patients with progressive disease within the liver was smaller (2 of 18 versus 8 of 18; P < 0·001) in the resection/RFA group after 5 years.

Conclusion

These data do not support the use of liver resection and/or RFA in an effort to prolong survival in patients with liver metastases from SI-NET.
Quantitative profiling method for phytohormones and betaines in algae by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Wang Xiujuan , Zhao Peng , Liu Xuemei , Chen Juanjuan , Xu Jilin , Chen Haimin , Yan Xiaojun
Published: September 2013

A liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) method was developed for the quantitative determination of phytohormones and betaines in algae. The results showed that phytohormones and betaines were separated with high efficiency on Hypersil Gold C18 and Cnwsil SCX columns. Mass spectrometric detection was performed using positive or negative electrospray ionization in selective reaction monitoring mode (SRM). Linearity of the method was good with correlation coefficients (r2) > 0.9951 in the range of 0.005–5 mg/L. The limits of detection were from 0.004 to 0.86 µg/L and the limits of quantification were in the range from 0.01 to 2.8 µg/L for the investigated phytohormones and betaines. The obtained recoveries varied between 61.33 and 90.39%, and the relative standard deviations were <15%. Using the developed methods, seven types of phytohormones and two types of betaines in Laminaria japonica, and seven types of phytohormones and one type of betaine in Pyropia haitanensis, which were collected in Xiangshan, Zhejiang Province, China, were determined. Thus, LC‐MS/MS was demonstrated to be a powerful tool for the comprehensive analysis of phytohormones and betaines in algae, owing to its large dynamic range and excellent sensitivity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Managing localized prostate cancer in the era of prostate‐specific antigen screening
Authors: Brooks James D.
Published: September 2013

A predictive tool has been developed and validated that identifies patients with low‐risk cancer on biopsy who are at risk for upgrading at surgery. This tool could help increase acceptance and safety of active surveillance and lower the number of men overtreated for low‐risk prostate cancer.
Large‐scale virtual screening experiments on Windows Azure‐based cloud resources
Authors: Kiss Tamas , Borsody Peter , Terstyanszky Gabor , Winter Stephen , Greenwell Pamela , McEldowney Sharron , Heindl Hans
Published: September 2013

Molecular docking simulations have high potential to contribute to a wide area of molecular and biomedical research in various disciplines including molecular biology, drug design, environmental studies and psychology. Conducting large‐scale molecular docking experiments requires a vast amount of computing resources. Several types of distributed computing infrastructures have been investigated and utilized recently to conduct such simulations, including service and desktop grid systems or local clusters. This paper investigates and analyses how Windows Azure‐based cloud resources can be applied for this purpose. A virtual screening experiment framework has been implemented on a Windows Azure‐based cloud using the generic worker concept. Virtual machines can be instantiated in the cloud on demand scaling up the simulations based on the volume of molecules to be docked and the available financial resources. Bioscientists are able to execute the simulations and visualise the results from a high‐level user interface. The paper describes the experiences when implementing the molecular docking application on this novel platform and provides the first benchmarking experiments to evaluate the suitability of the infrastructure for computation intensive simulations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spectrum of a frequency modulated pulse width modulation signal
Authors: Kılınç Selçuk , Çabuk Gökhan
Published: September 2013

In power electronics, the switching elements are controlled by pulse width modulated (PWM) signals making their currents on and off repeatedly. This might cause electromagnetic interference (EMI) problems especially in switched mode power supplies. One method for mitigating the EMI is to use the frequency modulation technique in the control signal of the switching metal–oxide–semiconductor field‐effect transistor. According to this approach, frequency of the PWM signal is modulated in order to spread its spectrum and hence reduce the EMI levels. This paper presents the theoretical analysis for the spectrum of a frequency modulated PWM signal. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ontogenetic analysis of behavior in the tail suspension test: Temporal differences in the emergence of within‐ and between‐session habituation in Swiss mice
Authors: Manhães Alex C. , Paes‐Branco Danielle , Caparelli‐Dáquer Egas M. , Nunes Fernanda , Krahe Thomas E. , Abreu‐Villaça Yael , Filgueiras Cláudio C.
Published: September 2013

Habituation is an important tool in the investigation of learning/memory throughout life. Despite that, few studies describe habituation from an ontogenetic perspective. Considering that, as soon as they are born, rodents can twist their bodies when lifted by their tails in an attempt to escape, this behavior should be well suited to study habituation behavior from birth to adulthood. Here, we implement a tail suspension test to study the ontogenetic development of habituation in Swiss mice. Our data indicate that a continuous within‐session decrease in trunk movements can be observed from postnatal day (P) 10 onwards and that between‐sessions habituation (from one day to another) can be observed from P16 onwards. Furthermore, we show that the adult pattern of within‐ and between‐sessions reductions in activity is already present by the beginning of adolescence, at P28. Our results indicate that between‐sessions habituation involves a more complex mechanism of memory and learning than within‐session habituation, requiring a longer period of brain maturation before it can be displayed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 56: 850–856, 2014.
Asymmetric Ring Opening of meso‐Epoxides with Aromatic Amines Using (R)‐(+)‐BINOL‐Sc(OTf)3‐NMM Complex as an Efficient Catalyst
Authors: More Ganesh V. , Bhanage Bhalchandra M.
Published: September 2013

This work reports the asymmetric ring‐opening reaction of meso‐epoxides with aromatic amines by using the highly efficient in situ generated (R)‐(+)‐BINOL‐Sc(OTf)3‐N‐methylmorpholine complex. The asymmetric ring opening of cis‐stilbene oxide with various substituted aromatic amines gave enantioenriched β‐amino alcohols in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities when the reaction was conducted at 0 °C for 12 h. The reaction proceeded under mild conditions using simple and inexpensive starting materials such as (R)‐(+)‐1,1′‐bi‐2‐naphthol [(R)‐(+)‐BINOL], meso‐stilbene oxide, aniline derivatives, and 4 Å molecular sieves. This new and versatile catalytic system has competitive advantages such as short reaction times, no additives, and no expensive chiral ligands that require a multistep synthesis under harsh reaction conditions.