bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
O processo AD(EO)D – um novo conceito.
Authors: Pedrazzi Cristiane , Muguet Marcelo Coelho dos Santos , Colodette Jorge Luiz , Gomide José Lívio
Published: July 2015

Nesse estudo, investigaram-se cozimentos da madeira até números kappa 17 e 14 por um processo cineticamente modificado, eliminação da deslignificação com oxigênio da linha de fibras, e aplicação das técnicas AD(EO)D e AD(PO)D para polpa de kappa 17 e AD(EO)D e DHT(EPO)DP para polpa de kappa 14 para o branqueamento até 90% ISO. Como referências, foram realizados cozimentos até números kappa 17 e 14, deslignificação com oxigênio em simples estágio e branqueamento convencional pelas seqüências A/D(EO)D, A/D(EPO)D, A/D(EO)DP e A/D(EPO)DP para a polpa de kappa 17 e deslignificação com oxigênio em simples estágio e branqueamento convencional pela seqüência DHT(EPO)DP para polpa de kappa 14.  Para a polpa de kappa 17, concluiu-se que os processos AD(EO)D e AD(PO)D produzem polpa de alvura 90% ISO com boa viscosidade e estabilidade de alvura, utilizando TAC´s (Cloro Ativo Total) relativamente baixos, e dispensam completamente a deslignificação com oxigênio. Dentre esses dois processos, o primeiro se mostrou mais atrativo para atingir o nível de alvura de 90% ISO. Porém, comparativamente aos processos de referência, contendo a deslignificação com oxigênio, ex. O-A/D(EPO)DP, o processo AD(EO)D resulta em aumento do custo operacional da ordem de US$7-8/tas, inclusos madeira e reagentes. Para a polpa de número kappa 14, o processo AD(EO)D também se mostrou atrativo, sendo que a seqüência DHT(EPO)DP foi a que utilizou o menor TAC`s, porém quando comparada com a referência (O-DHT(EPO)DP) resultou num aumento de custo operacional da ordem de US$4/tas.  Portanto, pode se concluir que o processo alternativo, sem a deslignificação com oxigênio, é viável somente para polpas de números kappa mais baixos.
Ensaio acelerado de laboratório de chapas OSB de seringueira submetidas ao ataque de fungos apodrecedores
Authors: Okino Esmeralda Yoshico Arakaki , Silva Marcus Vinícius da , Teixeira Divino Eterno , Souza Mário Rabelo de , Santana Marcos Antonio , Menezzi Cláudio Henrique Soares Del
Published: July 2015

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a resistência natural de chapas de partículas orientadas (OSB) confeccionadas com partículas  de  Hevea brasiliensis Müll.Arg.  aderidas com as resinas sintéticas uréia-formaldeído (UF) e fenol-formaldeído (FF), a 5% e 8%, expostas a fungos xilófagos em condições de laboratório. No ensaio acelerado de laboratório as amostras foram submetidas ao ataque dos fungos de podridão-parda Gloeophyllum trabeum (Pers. : Fr.) Murril, Coniophora puteana (Schumach. : Fr.) P. Karst., Meruliporia incrassata (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Murrill e também aos fungos de podridão-branca, Fomes annosus (Fr. : Fr.) Cooke, Trametes versicolor (L. : Fr.) Pilát, Ganoderma applanatum (Pers.) Pat., Bjerkandera fumosa (Pers. : Fr.) P. Karst. e Phanerochaete chrysosporium Burds. Dentre os fungos de podridão-parda, o Gloeophyllum trabeum causou a maior perda de massa nos corpos-de-prova testados. Dentre os fungos de podridão-branca, Trametes versicolor, Phanerochaete chrysosporium e Ganoderma applanatum causaram as maiores perdas de massa, sem diferença significativa para o Gloeophyllum trabeum. A resina FF proporcionou maior resistência à ação dos fungos nas chapas OSB, o mesmo fato ocorrendo com o maior teor de resina. O fungo Coniophora puteana foi altamente sensível ao tipo de resina aplicado, enquanto o Bjerkandera fumosa demonstrou reduzida ação nas concentrações mais altas de ambas as resinas. O fungo Fomes annosus apresentou degradação insignificante para todos os tratamentos de chapas OSB.
Variáveis morfométricas e relações interdimensionais para Cordia trichotoma (Vell.) Arrab. ex Steud.
Authors: Roman Maína , Bressan Delmar Antonio , Durlo Miguel Antão
Published: July 2015

Este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o intuito de conhecer as características morfológicas e as relações morfométricas para árvores de Cordia trichotoma (louro-pardo), em uma formação induzida, no município de Santa Maria, RS. O levantamento contemplou 45 indivíduos com diâmetro (dap) superior a 5,0 cm. As características analisadas foram: altura total, altura comercial do fuste, diâmetro à altura do peito (dap), diâmetro de copa, comprimento de copa, proporção de copa, área de projeção de copa, grau de esbeltez, índice de saliência, índice de abrangência e formal de copa. Para o estudo das relações interdimensionais, as variáveis morfométricas foram relacionadas com o dap, mediante análise de regressão. Os resultados mostraram relações estatísticas significativas entre o dap e as variáveis altura total, diâmetro de copa, comprimento de copa, proporção de copa, grau de esbeltez e índice de abrangência.
Antimony Induced {112}A Faceted Triangular GaAs1−xSbx/InP Core/Shell Nanowires and Their Enhanced Optical Quality
Authors: Yuan Xiaoming , Caroff Philippe , Wang Fan , Guo Yanan , Wang Yuda , Jackson Howard E. , Smith Leigh M. , Tan Hark Hoe , Jagadish Chennupati
Published: July 2015

Mid‐infrared GaAs1−xSbx/InP core/shell nanowires are grown coherently with perfectly twin‐free zinc blende crystal structure. An unusual triangular InP shell with predominantly {112}A facets instead of {112}B facets is reported. It is found that this polarity preference is due to the surfactant role of Sb, which inhibits InP shell growth rate in the 〈112〉A directions. This behavior reveals a new degree of control and tunability allowed in manipulating nanowire facet geometry and polarity in radial heterostructures by a simple means. Tuning the Sb composition in the core yields controllable intense photoluminescence emission in both the 1.3 and 1.5 μm optical telecommunication windows, up to room temperature for single nanowires. The internal quantum efficiency of the core/shell nanowires is experimentally determined to be as high as 56% at room temperature. Transient Rayleigh scattering analysis brings complementary information, revealing the photoexcited carrier lifetime in the core/shell nanowire to be ≈100 ps at 300 K and ≈800 ps at 10 K. In comparison, the carrier lifetime of core‐only nanowire is below the detection limit of the system (25 ps). The demonstrated superior optical quality of the core/shell nanowires and their ideal emission wavelength range makes them highly relevant candidates for near‐infrared optoelectronic applications.
Limiting early mortality: Do's and don'ts in the management of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma
Authors: Gonsalves Wilson I. , Godby Kelly , Kumar Shaji K. , Costa Luciano J.
Published: July 2015

In the era of novel biological agents, multiple myeloma (MM) is often approached as a chronic condition. While survival continues to improve, population‐level data indicate that early mortality remains a substantial barrier to advances in MM outcomes. Here we provide “do's and don'ts” management recommendations that may minimize the risk of early mortality and ensure that patients have the opportunity to benefit from the long term impact of new effective MM agents. Such recommendations encompass the early introduction of novel agents even in the presence of comorbidities and advanced age and aggressive management of MM‐related complications. Am. J. Hematol. 91:101–108, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of Amide Functionalization and Precuring on Tensile Properties of MWCNT/Epoxy Nanocomposites
Authors: Judawisastra Hermawan , Harito Christian , Abdullah Akbar H. Dawam
Published: July 2015

The development of multi‐walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)‐epoxy nanocomposites, for structural polymeric composites, has various problems that could decrease their mechanical properties above 2 wt % of MWCNT. One of the major problems is the interface bonding between MWCNT and epoxy. In this research, functionalization and precuring were carried out to strengthen the interface bonding. The effect of treatments on tensile properties of MWCNT‐epoxy nanocomposites, with 1 wt% and 5 wt% MWCNT, were studied. MWCNT were prepared by purification process followed by acrylamide functionalization, later varied by the precuring treatment. MWCNT‐epoxy nanocomposites, varied from 1 to 5 wt% MWCNT, were produced by solution casting method, continued with compression molding. Characterization of the functionalization was conducted by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The tensile properties of nanocomposites were determined by tensile test. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to examine the interfacial strength of MWCNT in nanocomposites. The results showed that the tensile properties improved significantly on 5 wt % MWCNT nanocomposites as compared to the untreated nanocomposites. The combination of functionalization and precuring exhibited the most significant improvement in tensile properties. The modulus of elasticity increased 78 times higher than untreated nanocomposites, while the tensile strength was 10 times. The improvements on the tensile properties of nanocomposites were due to the enhancement of interface bonding strength by functionalization and precuring treatments.
Improvements of Tensile Properties and Durability of Chitosan Fiber Using Methanol Drying Treatment
Authors: Judawisastra Hermawan , Hadyiswanto Indra O. C. , Sitohang Ramona D. R. , Winiati­ Wiwin
Published: July 2015

Chitosan fiber is a biodegradable and biocompatible natural polymer that is potentially suitable as absorbable suture. One approach to improve mechanical properties of chitosan fiber is application of chemical modification. This study aims to improve the tensile properties and durability of chitosan fibers, in terms of biodegradation resistance, at various deacetylation degrees using methanol drying treatment. The fibers were made of chitosan with deacetylation degrees (%DD) of 67.4% and 70.6% using wet spinning method and dried using aq. 30% methanol for 4 h. Examinations were carried out by means of X‐ray diffraction, physical properties characterization, tensile test and in vitro degradation test.

Results show that methanol drying treatment could decrease fiber's diameter, while increasing fiber's density, tensile strength, and biodegradation resistance, but did not always increase fiber's maximum elongation. The expected higher elongation was achieved for 70.6%DD fiber, however the more significant improvement of durability was obtained for 67.4%DD fiber. Methanol drying affected those fibers' characteristics due to the increase in degree of crystallinity as a result of chitosan fiber's chemical structure change from hydrated to anhydrous structure. According to the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) standard, the fibers produced could be categorized as absorbable suture number 0 and 1.
The Effect of Temperature on the Grafting of Acrylic Acid onto Carboxymethyl Cellulose
Authors: Anah Lik , Astrini Nuri , Haryono Agus
Published: July 2015

The grafted copolymer CMC‐g‐PAA has been prepared by graft copolymerization reaction using 10% w/w carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), acrylic acid (AA), 2.5% w/w benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as initiator, 3.75% w/w methylenbisacrylamide (MBA) as crosslinking agent in distilled water at 30, 50, 70, and 90 °C during reaction periods of 30 to 300 min and composited with 10% w/w montmorillonite for 5 h.The grafted copolymer CMC‐g‐PAA and homopolymer were dried in the oven at 40 °C, then washed with distilled water and aceton. After that the hydrogel material was dried, and subjected to Soxhlet extraction with dioxane to separate the homopolymer, poly(acrylic acid), from the graft copolymer, CMC‐g‐PAA. The water absorption capacities and grafting values of grafted CMC were also determined. The graft copolymer CMC‐g‐PAA obtained at 30 °C has high conversion rate of AA (87.6%). The maximum grafting yield (99.181%) and the lowest of homopolymer formation (0.819%) were obtained at 50 °C. It was observed that polyacrylic acid‐grafted CMC produced at 90 °C had the highest water retention capacity (55.03%). The graft copolymer was characterized by infra‐red spectroscopy to determine the structure of the graft chains.
Aggressiveness of Managers in the Market with Network Effects: The Case of Biased Managers as Strategic Commitment
Authors: Nakamura Yasuhiko
Published: July 2015

This paper analyzes a model wherein firms' owners hire biased managers in a differentiated goods duopoly with network effects. We show that whether firms hire an aggressive manager or not depends on both the degree of product differentiation and the strength of network effects in price competition whereas it does not depend on the degree of product differentiation or the strength of network effects in quantity competition. Thus, the attitudes of firms' managers depend on the type of competition and the relative magnitude of the strength of network effects to the degree of product differentiation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The type of feto‐placental aneuploidy detected by cfDNA testing may influence the choice of confirmatory diagnostic procedure
Authors: Grati Francesca Romana , Bajaj Komal , Malvestiti Francesca , Agrati Cristina , Grimi Beatrice , Malvestiti Barbara , Pompilii Eva , Maggi Federico , Gross Susan , Simoni Giuseppe , Ferreira Jose Carlos P.
Published: July 2015

Objectives

Cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) screening can provide false positive/negative results because the fetal fraction originates primarily from trophoblast. Consequently, invasive diagnostic testing is recommended to confirm a high‐risk result. Currently, there is debate about the most appropriate invasive method. We sought to estimate the frequency in which a chorionic villus sampling (CVS) performed after a high‐risk cfDNA result would require a follow‐up amniocentesis due to placental mosaicism.

Methods

Analyses of the frequencies of the different types of mosaicism involving cytotrophoblasts, for trisomies 21 (T21), 18 (T18), 13 (T13) and monosomy X (MX) among 52 673 CVS karyotypes obtained from cytotrophoblast, mesenchyme and confirmatory amniocentesis.

Results

After a high‐risk cfDNA result for T21, 18, 13 and MX, the likelihood of finding CVS mosaicism and need for amniocentesis is, respectively, 2%, 4%, 22% and 59%. When mosaicism is detected by CVS, the likelihood of fetal confirmation by amniocentesis is, respectively, 44%, 14%, 4% and 26%.

Conclusions

In cases of high‐risk cfDNA results for T21/T18, CVS (combining cytotrophoblast and mesenchyme analysis) can be considered, but with the caveat of 2–4% risk of an inconclusive result requiring further testing. In high‐risk results for MX/T13, amniocentesis would appear to be the most appropriate follow‐up diagnostic test, especially in the absence of sonographic findings. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experience with teaching and applying process appraisals at a university
Authors: De Man Jozef
Published: July 2015

Software development mainly happens in small and very small enterprises. Establishing process improvement initiatives in such organizations is challenging because prevailing software improvement frameworks are perceived to be expensive and oriented towards larger companies. Much research has been done in adapting the standard frameworks to make them more suitable for small organizations. Lightweight techniques have been developed to reduce the cost of appraisals. In this paper, we report experience with teaching and applying a lightweight appraisal approach in a university context. Focus has been on educational aspects, but we believe that the approach can also be deployed in small and very small enterprises. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
When the grass isn’t greener: a case series of young children with accidental marijuana ingestion
Authors: Murray Derek , Olson Joshua , Lopez Ana Sofia
Published: July 2015

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in Canada, with 10% of the general population admitting to its use in the past year. This high prevalence increases risk of accidental ingestion in young children.

We report four pediatric cases of accidental marijuana ingestion who presented to our local emergency department with altered mental status. Three patients had extensive testing, including one patient who underwent lumbar puncture and empirical treatment for meningitis. To our knowledge, this is the first Canadian case series since McNabb et al., published over 2 decades ago.

The case series aims to highlight the importance of considering acute marijuana intoxication in the differential diagnosis when assessing young children with altered level of consciousness.
Assessing coughing-induced influenza droplet transmission and implications for infection risk control
Authors: CHENG Y.-H. , WANG C.-H. , YOU S.-H. , HSIEH N.-H. , CHEN W.-Y. , CHIO C.-P. , LIAO C.-M.
Published: July 2015

Indoor transmission of respiratory droplets bearing influenza within humans poses high risks to respiratory function deterioration and death. Therefore, we aimed to develop a framework for quantifying the influenza infection risk based on the relationships between inhaled/exhaled respiratory droplets and airborne transmission dynamics in a ventilated airspace. An experiment was conducted to measure the size distribution of influenza-containing droplets produced by coughing for a better understanding of potential influenza spread. Here we integrated influenza population transmission dynamics, a human respiratory tract model, and a control measure approach to examine the indoor environment–virus–host interactions. A probabilistic risk model was implemented to assess size-specific infection risk for potentially transmissible influenza droplets indoors. Our results found that there was a 50% probability of the basic reproduction number (R0) exceeding 1 for small-size influenza droplets of 0·3–0·4µm, implicating a potentially high indoor infection risk to humans. However, a combination of public health interventions with enhanced ventilation could substantially contain indoor influenza infection. Moreover, the present dynamic simulation and control measure assessment provide insights into why indoor transmissible influenza droplet-induced infection is occurring not only in upper lung regions but also in the lower respiratory tract, not normally considered at infection risk.
Investigating Alfvénic wave propagation in coronal open-field regions
Authors: Morton R. J. , Tomczyk S. , Pinto R.
Published: July 2015

The physical mechanisms behind accelerating solar and stellar winds are a long-standing astrophysical mystery, although recent breakthroughs have come from models invoking the turbulent dissipation of Alfvén waves. The existence of Alfvén waves far from the Sun has been known since the 1970s, and recently the presence of ubiquitous Alfvénic waves throughout the solar atmosphere has been confirmed. However, the presence of atmospheric Alfvénic waves does not, alone, provide sufficient support for wave-based models; the existence of counter-propagating Alfvénic waves is crucial for the development of turbulence. Here, we demonstrate that counter-propagating Alfvénic waves exist in open coronal magnetic fields and reveal key observational insights into the details of their generation, reflection in the upper atmosphere and outward propagation into the solar wind. The results enhance our knowledge of Alfvénic wave propagation in the solar atmosphere, providing support and constraints for some of the recent Alfvén wave turbulence models.
Ganoderma neo-japonicum Imazeki revisited: Domestication study and antioxidant properties of its basidiocarps and mycelia
Authors: Tan Wee-Cheat , Kuppusamy Umah Rani , Phan Chia-Wei , Tan Yee-Shin , Raman Jegadeesh , Anuar Azliza Mad , Sabaratnam Vikineswary
Published: July 2015

Mushroom cultivation benefits humankind as it deliberately encourages wild mushrooms to be commercially propagated while recycling agricultural wastes. Ganoderma neo-japonicum is a rare polypore mushroom found growing on decaying Schizostachyum brachycladium (a tropical bamboo) clumps in Malaysia. The Malaysian indigenous tribes including the Temuans and Temiars use the basidiocarps of G. neo-japonicum to treat various ailments including diabetes. In this study, the domestication of G. neo-japonicum in artificial logs of different agricultural residues was investigated. Sawdust promoted the mycelia spawn colonisation in the shortest period of 38 ± 0.5 days. However, only sawdust and bamboo dust supported the primodia formation. Complex medium supported mycelium growth in submerged cultures and 27.11 ± 0.43 g/L of mycelia was obtained after 2 weeks of cultivation at 28 °C and 200 rpm. Antioxidant potential in mushroom may be influenced by different cultivation and extraction methods. The different extracts from the wild and cultivated basidiocarps as well as mycelia were then tested for their antioxidant properties. Aqueous and ethanol extracts of mycelia and basidiocarps tested had varying levels of antioxidant activities. To conclude, domestication of wild G. neo-japonicum using agroresidues may ensure a continuous supply of G. neo-japonicum for its medicinal use while ensuring the conservation of this rare species.
Genome-wide mutational spectra analysis reveals significant cancer-specific heterogeneity
Authors: Tan Hua , Bao Jiguang , Zhou Xiaobo
Published: July 2015

Cancer is widely recognized as a genetic disease in which somatic mutations are sequentially accumulated to drive tumor progression. Although genomic landscape studies are informative for individual cancer types, a comprehensive comparative study of tumorigenic mutations across cancer types based on integrative data sources is still a pressing need. We systematically analyzed ~106non-synonymous mutations extracted from COSMIC, involving ~8000 genome-wide screened samples across 23 major human cancers at both the amino acid and gene levels. Our analysis identified cancer-specific heterogeneity that traditional nucleotide variation analysis alone usually overlooked. Particularly, the amino acid arginine (R) turns out to be the most favorable target of amino acid alteration in most cancer types studied (P < 10−9, binomial test), reflecting its important role in cellular physiology. The tumor suppressor gene TP53 is mutated exclusively with the HYDIN, KRAS and PTEN genes in large intestine, lung and endometrial cancers respectively, indicating that TP53 takes part in different signaling pathways in different cancers. While some of our analyses corroborated previous observations, others indicated relevant candidates with high priority for further experimental validation. Our findings have many ramifications in understanding the etiology of cancer and the underlying molecular mechanisms in particular cancers.
How to regulate the isothermal growth rate of polymer spherulite without changing its molecular composition?
Authors: Tang Yi-Ren , Gao Yang , Xu Jun , Guo Bao-Hua
Published: July 2015

A new method has been invented to control the spherulite growth rate of isothermally crystallized PBS without changing its molecular composition.
Metal-controlled structural variations of coordination architectures constructed from flexible 1H-benzimidazole-1-propionic acid
Authors: Zhang Zhong , Feng Yan-Fang , Wei Qiu-Yu , Hu Kun , Chen Zi-Lu , Liang Fu-Pei
Published: July 2015

Five low-dimensional coordination polymers and a novel discrete dodecametallic cage have been obtained from appropriate transition metals in combination with a flexible bifunctional benzimidazole carboxylic acid.
New faces of porous Prussian blue: interfacial assembly of integrated hetero-structures for sensing applications
Authors: Kong Biao , Selomulya Cordelia , Zheng Gengfeng , Zhao Dongyuan
Published: July 2015

Several key aspects of the hetero-interfaces of Prussian blue (PB) nanocrystals, ranging from structure and properties, interfacial assembly strategies, to integrated hetero-structures for diverse sensing are introduced in this review.
Photocatalytic-degradation and reduction of organic compounds using SnO2 quantum dots (via a green route) under direct sunlight
Authors: Bhattacharjee Archita , Ahmaruzzaman Md.
Published: July 2015

SnO2 Quantum Dots (QDs) were synthesized by a facile and green biological method using sugar cane juice.
Fabrication of amphiphilic fluorescent polylysine nanoparticles by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and their application in cell imaging
Authors: Huang Zengfang , Zhang Xiqi , Zhang Xiaoyong , Wang Shiqi , Yang Bin , Wang Ke , Yuan Jinying , Tao Lei , Wei Yen
Published: July 2015

A novel amphiphilic Flu-Ply fluorescent polymer was successfully fabricated by ATRP method with high potential applications for bioimaging.
BaTiO3–BiYbO3perovskite materials for energy storage applications
Authors: Shen Zhengbo , Wang Xiaohui , Luo Bingcheng , Li Longtu
Published: July 2015

Novel perovskite-type (1 −x)BaTiO3–xBiYbO3solid solutions withx= 0.00–0.20 were synthesized using conventional solid-state reaction methods.
Walking on five legs: investigating tail use during slow gait in kangaroos and wallabies
Authors: Dawson Rebekah S. , Warburton Natalie M. , Richards Hazel L. , Milne Nick
Published: July 2015

Pentapedal locomotion is the use of the tail as a fifth leg during the slow gait of kangaroos. Although previous studies have informally noted that some smaller species of macropodines do not engage in pentapedal locomotion, a systematic comparative analysis of tail use during slow gait across a wide range of species in this group has not been done. Analysis of relative movement of the pelvis, tail, and joint angles of the lower limbs during slow gait, using 2D landmark techniques on video recordings, was carried out on 16 species of Macropodinae. We also compared the relative lengthening of the tibia using crural index (CI) to test whether hindlimb morphology was associated with pentapedal locomotion. Pentapedal locomotion was characterised by three features: the presence of the ‘tail repositioning phase’, the constant height of the pelvis and the stationary placement of the distal tail on the ground during the hindlimb swing phase. The mean CI of pentapedal species was significantly greater than that of non-pentapedal species (1.71 versus 1.36; P < 0.001). This lends support to the hypothesis that the use of pentapedal locomotion is associated with the relative lengthening of the hindlimb, which in turn is associated with body size and habitat preference within the Macropodinae.
Antioxidative properties of ginsenoside Ro against UV-B-induced oxidative stress in human dermal fibroblasts
Authors: Kang Hyun Ji , Oh Yuri , Lee Sihyeong , Ryu In Wang , Kim Kyunghoon , Lim Chang-Jin
Published: July 2015

Ginsenoside Ro (Ro), an oleanolic acid-type ginsenoside, exhibited suppressive activities on reactive oxygen species (ROS) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) elevation in UV-B-irradiated fibroblasts. Ro could overcome the reduction of the total glutathione (GSH) contents in UV-B-irradiated fibroblasts. Ro could not interfere with cell viabilities in UV-B-irradiated fibroblasts. Collectively, Ro possesses a potential skin anti-photoaging property against UV-B radiation in fibroblasts.
The relationship between budgetary evaluation, firm size and performance
Authors: Elhamma Azzouz
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present the main results of the first empirical study done in Morocco and attempts to highlight the impact of the firm size on the budgetary evaluation and its performance according to the firm size.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected using a questionnaire sent to the Moroccan firms. A total of 62 questionnaires were correctly returned. The response rate was 15 per cent.

Findings

– In this research, we identified three principal styles of budgetary evaluation: “strict budgetary evaluation” adopted by 21 per cent of the sample; “moderate budgetary evaluation” adopted by 27.4 per cent of the surveyed enterprises; and “lower budgetary evaluation” adopted by 51.6 per cent of the sample. The first style is adopted especially by large firms. The firm’s performance is significantly and positively correlated with the budgetary evaluation in large enterprises. This correlation is not significant in SMEs.

Practical implications

– The findings of this research can help managers of companies in emerging economies in the choice of a better budgetary evaluation system.

Originality/value

– The outcomes of the study are relevant both to the literature on budgetary evaluation in particular and on management control in general, since they determine that the correct fit between budgetary evaluation and firm size causes a positive and significant change in the firm’s performance.
An emic approach to organizational citizenship behavior of Mexican professionals
Authors: Baeza Miguel A. , Wang Yong J.
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the dimensionality of emic (culturally specific) organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) of Mexican professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study considered the collectivistic cultural background of Mexican professional employees and developed a framework based on the emic (culturally specific) dimensions of OCB.

Findings

– Based on exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the authors find that the emic OCB of Mexican professionals is characterized by five dimensions: collegial harmony, organizational camaraderie, professional development, organizational faithfulness, and protecting company resources.

Originality/value

– The findings also offer incremental contributions to OCB research. In order to correctly capture the entire phenomena of OCB in different cultures, researchers often focus on the emic (specific/cultural unique) approach. Along this vein, the authors identified the Mexican OCB dimensions in an emic approach.
The UEFA Champions League: maintaining the status quo?
Authors: Plumley Daniel , Flint Stuart W.
Published: July 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the competitive balance of the UEFA Champions League group stages. There are numerous financial and commercial benefits to clubs that participate in this competition. The current paper examines whether the seeding system operated by UEFA is hindering some lower ranked teams from qualification and, thus, the associated benefits.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected for all UEFA Champions League group stages between1999/2000 and 2013/2014. Data analysis techniques included Herfindahl-Hirschman Index to examine competitive balance and one-way ANOVAs to examine the impact of the current seeding system on club performance.

Findings

– The findings suggest that there are flaws in the ranking and seeding system used by UEFA, as results show that the competition is competitively imbalanced at the group stage. Additionally, clubs that are continually placed in the highest seeding pot historically tend to accumulate more points and finish in a higher position in the group, thereby giving them a better opportunity to progress further in the competition.

Research limitations/implications

– The study has implications for both the clubs competing in the Champions League, who will be affected by the seeding system, and UEFA themselves when considering the sporting integrity of their flagship competition.

Originality/value

– To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper of its kind to examine competitive balance in this competition, and the paper contributes new knowledge that extends the research undertaken in the field previously.
Clinical features of venous insufficiency and the risk of venous thrombosis in older people
Authors: Engbers Marissa J. , Karasu Alev , Blom Jeanet W. , Cushman Mary , Rosendaal Frits R. , van Hylckama Vlieg Astrid
Published: July 2015

Venous thrombosis is common in older age, with an incidence of 0·5–1% per year in those aged >70 years. Stasis of blood flow is an important contributor to the development of thrombosis and may be due to venous insufficiency in the legs. The risk of thrombosis associated with clinical features of venous insufficiency, i.e., varicose veins, leg ulcers and leg oedema, obtained with a standardized interview was assessed in the Age and Thrombosis Acquired and Genetic risk factors in the Elderly (AT‐AGE) study. The AT‐AGE study is a case–control study in individuals aged 70 years and older (401 cases with a first‐time venous thrombosis and 431 control subjects). We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for age, sex and study centre. Varicose veins and leg ulcer were associated with a 1·6‐fold (95% CI 1·2–2·3) and 3·3‐fold increased risk of thrombosis (95% CI 1·6–6·7), respectively, while the risk was increased 3·0‐fold (95% CI 2·1–4·5) in the presence of leg oedema. The risk of thrombosis was highest when all three risk factors occurred simultaneously (OR: 10·5; 95% CI 1·3–86·1). In conclusion, clinical features of venous insufficiency, i.e., varicose veins, leg ulcers and leg oedema, are risk factors for venous thrombosis in older people.
High‐dose therapy improves the bone remodelling compartment canopy coverage and bone formation in multiple myeloma
Authors: Hinge Maja , Delaisse Jean‐Marie , Plesner Torben , Clasen‐Linde Erik , Salomo Morten , Andersen Thomas Levin
Published: July 2015

Bone loss in multiple myeloma (MM) is caused by an uncoupling of bone formation to resorption trigged by malignant plasma cells. Increasing evidence indicates that the bone remodelling compartment (BRC) canopy, which normally covers the remodelling sites, is important for coupled bone remodelling. Loss of this canopy has been associated with bone loss. This study addresses whether the bone remodelling in MM is improved by high‐dose therapy. Bone marrow biopsies obtained from 20 MM patients, before and after first‐line treatment with high‐dose melphalan followed by autologous stem cell transplantation, and from 20 control patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance were histomorphometrically investigated. This investigation confirmed that MM patients exhibited uncoupled bone formation to resorption and reduced canopy coverage. More importantly, this study revealed that a good response to anti‐myeloma treatment increased the extent of formative bone surfaces with canopy, and reduced the extent of eroded surfaces without canopy, reverting the uncoupled bone remodelling, while improving canopy coverage. The association between improved coupling and the canopy coverage supports the notion that canopies are critical for the coupling of bone formation to resorption. Furthermore, this study supports the observation that systemic bone disease in MM can be reversed in MM patients responding to anti‐myeloma treatment.
Epigenetic alterations in sperm associated with male infertility
Authors: Kitamura Akane , Miyauchi Naoko , Hamada Hirotaka , Hiura Hitoshi , Chiba Hatsune , Okae Hiroaki , Sato Akiko , John Rosalind M. , Arima Takahiro
Published: July 2015

The most common form of male infertility is a low sperm count, known as oligozoospermia. Studies suggest that oligozoospermia is associated with epigenetic alterations. Epigenetic alterations in sperm, which may arise due to the exposure of gametes to environmental factors or those that pre‐exist in the sperm of infertile individuals, may contribute to the increased incidence of normally rare imprinting disorders in babies conceived after assisted reproductive technology using the sperm of infertile men. Genomic imprinting is an important developmental process whereby the allelic activity of certain genes is regulated by DNA methylation established during gametogenesis. The aberrant expression of several imprinted genes has been linked to various diseases, malignant tumors, lifestyle and mental disorders in humans. Understanding how infertility and environmental factors such as reproductive toxicants, certain foods, and drug exposures during gametogenesis contribute to the origins of these disorders via defects in sperm is of paramount importance. In this review, we discuss the association of epigenetic alterations with abnormal spermatogenesis and the evidence that epigenetic processes, including those required for genomic imprinting, may be sensitive to environmental exposures during gametogenesis, fertilization and early embryonic development. In addition, we review imprinting diseases and their relationships with environmental factors. While the plasticity of epigenetic marks may make these more susceptible to modification by the environment, this also suggests that aberrant epigenetic marks may be reversible. A greater understanding of this process and the function of epidrugs may lead to the development of new treatment methods for many adult diseases in the future.
Animal Models of Barrett's Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma–Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Kapoor Harit , Lohani Kush Raj , Lee Tommy H. , Agrawal Devendra K. , Mittal Sumeet K.
Published: July 2015

Esophageal adenocarcinoma is the fastest rising cancer in the United States. It develops from long‐standing gastroesophageal reflux disease which affects >20% of the general population. It carries a very poor prognosis with 5‐year survival <20%. The disease is known to sequentially progress from reflux esophagitis to a metaplastic precursor, Barrett's esophagus and then onto dysplasia and esophageal adenocarcinoma. However, only few patients with reflux develop Barrett's esophagus and only a minority of these turn malignant. The reason for this heterogeneity in clinical progression is unknown. To improve patient management, molecular changes which facilitate disease progression must be identified. Animal models can provide a comprehensive functional and anatomic platform for such a study. Rats and mice have been the most widely studied but disease homology with humans has been questioned. No animal model naturally simulates the inflammation to adenocarcinoma progression as in humans, with all models requiring surgical bypass or destruction of existing antireflux mechanisms. Valuable properties of individual models could be utilized to holistically evaluate disease progression. In this review paper, we critically examined the current animal models of Barrett's esophagus, their differences and homologies with human disease and how they have shaped our current understanding of Barrett's carcinogenesis.
The number of seizures needed in the EMU
Authors: Struck Aaron F. , Cole Andrew J. , Cash Sydney S. , Westover M. Brandon
Published: July 2015

Objective

The purpose of this study was to develop a quantitative framework to estimate the likelihood of multifocal epilepsy based on the number of unifocal seizures observed in the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU).

Methods

Patient records from the EMU at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) from 2012 to 2014 were assessed for the presence of multifocal seizures as well the presence of multifocal interictal discharges and multifocal structural imaging abnormalities during the course of the EMU admission. Risk factors for multifocal seizures were assessed using sensitivity and specificity analysis. A Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis was used to estimate the risk of multifocal epilepsy for a given number of consecutive seizures. To overcome the limits of the Kaplan‐Meier analysis, a parametric survival function was fit to the EMU subjects with multifocal seizures and this was used to develop a Bayesian model to estimate the risk of multifocal seizures during an EMU admission.

Results

Multifocal interictal discharges were a significant predictor of multifocal seizures within an EMU admission with a p < 0.01, albeit with only modest sensitivity 0.74 and specificity 0.69. Multifocal potentially epileptogenic lesions on MRI were not a significant predictor p = 0.44. Kaplan‐Meier analysis was limited by wide confidence intervals secondary to significant patient dropout and concern for informative censoring. The Bayesian framework provided estimates for the number of unifocal seizures needed to predict absence of multifocal seizures. To achieve 90% confidence for the absence of multifocal seizure, three seizures are needed when the pretest probability for multifocal epilepsy is 20%, seven seizures for a pretest probability of 50%, and nine seizures for a pretest probability of 80%.

Significance

These results provide a framework to assist clinicians in determining the utility of trying to capture a specific number of seizures in EMU evaluations of candidates for epilepsy surgery.
Cytotoxicity and migration of fibroblasts on two types of calcium sulfate dihydrate
Authors: Teparat‐Burana Thitiwan , Onsiri Natnicha , Jantarat Jeeraphat
Published: July 2015

Aim

The aim of the present study was to compare cytotoxicity and migration ability of L929 on medical‐grade calcium sulfate dihydrate (MCS) with commercial calcium sulfate dihydrate (CCS).

Methods

Samples of both freshly‐mixed and set states of MCS and CCS were extracted in culture medium and tested for cytotoxicity according to International Organization of Standardization 10993‐5:2009. The 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was used, and the percentage of cell viability was calculated. Thirty petri dishes were divided into three equal groups: polystyrene (control), CCS, and MCS. In each petri dish, triplicate wells were made on the agarose overlay on the material. The central well was occupied with L929 cell suspension, one well was filled with platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB, and the remaining well with Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution. After incubation, the migration distances were measured and the corrected migration distances were calculated. The final step involved scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Results

The CCS had significantly less cell viability than MCS at a high extracted concentration (P < 0.001) in both samples. The mean corrected migration of MCS was significantly greater than that of CCS (P < 0.05). SEM showed that L929 cells on MCS exhibited an elongated spindle shape.

Conclusion

MCS was less cytotoxic and provided greater migration of L929 fibroblasts compared with CCS.
Recognition of Patient-Related Named Entities in Noisy Tele-Health Texts
Authors: Kim Mi-Young , Xu Ying , Zaiane Osmar R. , Goebel Randy
Published: July 2015

We explore methods for effectively extracting information from clinical narratives that are captured in a public health consulting phone service called HealthLink. Our research investigates the application of state-of-the-art natural language processing and machine learning to clinical narratives to extract information of interest. The currently available data consist of dialogues constructed by nurses while consulting patients by phone. Since the data are interviews transcribed by nurses during phone conversations, they include a significant volume and variety of noise. When we extract the patient-related information from the noisy data, we have to remove or correct at least two kinds of noise:
explicit noise
, which includes spelling errors, unfinished sentences, omission of sentence delimiters, and variants of terms, and
implicit noise
, which includes non-patient information and patient's untrustworthy information. To filter explicit noise, we propose our own biomedical term detection/normalization method: it resolves misspelling, term variations, and arbitrary abbreviation of terms by nurses. In detecting temporal terms, temperature, and other types of named entities (which show patients’ personal information such as age and sex), we propose a bootstrapping-based pattern learning process to detect a variety of arbitrary variations of named entities. To address implicit noise, we propose a dependency path-based filtering method. The result of our denoising is the extraction of normalized patient information, and we visualize the named entities by constructing a graph that shows the relations between named entities. The objective of this knowledge discovery task is to identify associations between biomedical terms and to clearly expose the trends of patients’ symptoms and concern; the experimental results show that we achieve reasonable performance with our noise reduction methods.
Plain talk on computing education
Authors: Guzdial Mark
Published: July 2015

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Communications
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Communications
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Mark Guzdial considers how the variety of learning outcomes and definitions impacts the teaching of computer science.
Multifloor Wi-Fi Localization System with Floor Identification
Authors: Sun Lin , Zheng ZengWei , He Tao , Li Fei
Published: July 2015

Indoor localization is of great importance in pervasive applications and RSS fingerprint is known as a quite effective indoor location method. Floor attenuation might not give enough margin discrepancy to classify two neighboring floors, such as windows nearby or ring structure. Fingerprint location using the nearest Euclidean distance to the reference point can be interfered by the neighboring floor. In this paper, a multifloor localization framework with floor identification is proposed. The discriminative floor model is trained to maximize between-class scatter and floor identification is triggered by stair walk and elevator events. In experiments, a real dataset is collected in the building of six floors to evaluate our method. The results show that our method can identify accurate location in multifloor environment.
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Trichostatin A Ameliorated Endotoxin‐Induced Neuroinflammation and Cognitive Dysfunction
Authors: Hsing Chung-Hsi , Hung Shih-Kai , Chen Yeong-Chang , Wei Tsui-Shan , Sun Ding-Ping , Wang Jhi-Joung , Yeh Ching-Hua
Published: July 2015

Excessive production of cytokines by microglia may cause cognitive dysfunction and long‐lasting behavioral changes. Activating the peripheral innate immune system stimulates cytokine secretion in the central nervous system, which modulates cognitive function. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) modulate cytokine synthesis and release. Trichostatin A (TSA), an HDAC inhibitor, is documented to be anti‐inflammatory and neuroprotective. We investigated whether TSA reduces lipopolysaccharide‐ (LPS‐) induced neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction. ICR mice were first intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with vehicle or TSA (0.3 mg/kg). One hour later, they were injected (i.p.) with saline or Escherichia coli LPS (1 mg/kg). We analyzed the food and water intake, body weight loss, and sucrose preference of the injected mice and then determined the microglia activation and inflammatory cytokine expression in the brains of LPS‐treated mice and LPS‐treated BV‐2 microglial cells. In the TSA‐pretreated mice, microglial activation was lower, anhedonia did not occur, and LPS‐induced cognitive dysfunction (anorexia, weight loss, and social withdrawal) was attenuated. Moreover, mRNA expression of HDAC2, HDAC5, indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO), TNF‐α, MCP‐1, and IL‐1β in the brain of LPS‐challenged mice and in the LPS‐treated BV‐2 microglial cells was lower. TSA diminished LPS‐induced inflammatory responses in the mouse brain and modulated the cytokine‐associated changes in cognitive function, which might be specifically related to reducing HDAC2 and HDAC5 expression.