bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Whither the elephant?: the continuing development of clinical leadership in the UK National Health Services
Authors: Edmonstone John Duncan
Published: March 2014

The paper revisits the theme of clinical leadership in UK countries, following an earlier (2009) review. It examines the competency‐based approach; considers the emerging voices of clinical leaders; explores the results of evaluation research studies; identifies learning from intra‐UK and international comparisons and considers the issue of leader development versus leadership development. It concludes that there is little conceptual clarity; that there continues to be a major disconnect between clinicians and managers; that different approaches to developing clinical leaders are emerging in different parts of the UK and that the major challenge remains to develop leadership, rather than leaders. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Perceived ethnic superiority and immigrants' attitudes towards multiculturalism and the national majority
Authors: Mähönen Tuuli Anna , Brylka Asteria , Jasinskaja‐Lahti Inga
Published: March 2014

Despite the recent multidimensional conceptualisations of social identities, previous research on the relationship between ingroup identification and outgroup attitudes has approached the former mainly through the strength of cognitive‐emotional identification. In our study among Russian‐speaking immigrants living in Finland (N = 312), we focused on the direct and interactive effects of the strength of ethnic identification and perceived ethnic superiority on immigrants' support for multiculturalism and outgroup attitudes towards national majority. First, we found perceived ethnic superiority to be directly and negatively associated with outgroup attitudes. Second, we found a positive relationship between ethnic identification and support for multiculturalism only when ethnic superiority was not perceived. The results highlight the different ramifications of high ethnic identification and perceived superiority and speak for the destructive attitudinal effects of the latter.
A new filtering technique for removing anti‐Stokes emission background in gated CW‐STED microscopy
Authors: Coto Hernàndez Ivàn , Peres Chiara , Cella Zanacchi Francesca , d'Amora Marta , Christodoulou Sotirios , Bianchini Paolo , Diaspro Alberto , Vicidomini Giuseppe
Published: March 2014

Stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy is a prominent approach of super‐resolution optical microscopy, which allows cellular imaging with so far unprecedented unlimited spatial resolution. The introduction of time‐gated detection in STED microscopy significantly reduces the (instantaneous) intensity required to obtain sub‐diffraction spatial resolution. If the time‐gating is combined with a STED beam operating in continuous wave (CW), a cheap and low labour demand implementation is obtained, the so called gated CW‐STED microscope. However, time‐gating also reduces the fluorescence signal which forms the image. Thereby, background sources such as fluorescence emission excited by the STED laser (anti‐Stokes fluorescence) can reduce the effective resolution of the system. We propose a straightforward method for subtraction of anti‐Stokes background. The method hinges on the uncorrelated nature of the anti‐Stokes emission background with respect to the wanted fluorescence signal. The specific importance of the method towards the combination of two‐photon‐excitation with gated CW‐STED microscopy is demonstrated. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Longitudinal Changes in BMD and Fracture Risk in Orthotopic Liver Transplant Recipients Not Using Bone-Modifying Treatment
Authors: Krol Charlotte G , Dekkers Olaf M , Kroon Herman M , Rabelink Ton J , van Hoek Bart , Hamdy Neveen AT
Published: March 2014

Osteoporosis is prevalent in end-stage liver disease, but data on long-term changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and related fracture incidence after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) are scarce. We evaluated BMD changes up to 5 years in consecutive recipients of a successful OLT at the Leiden University Medical Centre between 2000 and 2011, in whom sequential BMD data were available. Spinal radiographs were available at time of screening and at 6 and 12 months post-OLT and were assessed for vertebral fractures by two independent observers using Genant's semiquantitative method. Patients were excluded from the study when started on bisphosphonates. A total of 201 patients (71% men), median age 53 years (range, 18–70 years) were included in the study. Most common liver pathology was viral (27%) or alcoholic liver disease (25%). All patients received prednisone for at least 6 months after transplantation and the majority received either tacrolimus or cyclosporine for immunosuppression. At time of screening for OLT, osteoporosis and osteopenia were found in 18% and 36% of patients at the lumbar spine (LS), respectively, and in 9% and 42% at the femoral neck (FN), respectively. T-scores declined significantly at both sites 6 months after OLT, but increased thereafter at the LS, reaching pretransplantation values at 2 years and remaining stable thereafter. FN T-scores remained consistently lower than pretransplantation values. The prevalence of vertebral fractures increased from 56% at screening to 71% at 1 year after OLT, with a fracture incidence of 34%. BMD changes did not predict fracture risk. Osteoporosis, osteopenia, and vertebral fractures are prevalent in patients with end-stage liver disease. An overall decline in BMD is observed within the first 6 months after OLT, with subsequent recovery to pretransplantation values at the LS, but not at the FN. Vertebral fracture risk is high after OLT regardless of changes in BMD. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Heat stress induced cell death mechanisms in hepatocytes and hepatocellular carcinoma: In vitro and in vivo study
Authors: Thompson Scott M. , Callstrom Matthew R. , Butters Kim A. , Knudsen Bruce , Grande Joseph P. , Roberts Lewis R. , Woodrum David A.
Published: March 2014

Background and Objective

The aims of the present study were to investigate the thermal‐dose dependent effect of heat stress on hepatocyte and HCC cell death mechanisms using clinically relevant experimental heat stress conditions in vitro and to investigate apoptotic cell death induced by laser thermal ablation in vivo.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved all studies. Hepatocyte and HCC cell lines were heat stressed from 37 to 60°C for 2 or 10 minutes and assessed for viability, cytotoxicity and caspase‐3/7 activity at 6 and/or 24 hours post‐treatment (N = 3). Viability experiments were repeated with the RIPK1 inhibitor Necrostatin‐1 to block necroptosis (N = 3). Rats with orthotopic HCC tumors stably expressing luciferase (N1S1luc2) were randomized to US‐guided laser ablation (3W‐45s for an intentional partial ablation; N = 6) or sham (N = 6) and followed by post‐ablation caspase‐3/7 bioluminescence imaging at 6 and 24 hours and cleaved caspase‐3 immunostaining. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Heat‐stress induced apoptosis and necrosis in hepatocytes and HCC cells in a thermal dose and cell‐type dependent manner. Inhibition of RIPIK1‐mediated necroptosis induced a significant, differential increase in HCC cell viability under physiologic and hyperthermic heat stress (P < 0.001). Intentional partial laser thermal ablation induced a significant increase in caspase‐3/7 activity in the laser versus sham ablation groups at both 6 hours (10.1‐fold, P < 0.01) and 24 hours (16.7‐fold, P < 0.02). Immunohistochemistry confirmed increased cleaved caspase‐3 staining at the tumor ablation margin 24 hours post‐ablation.

Conclusions

Both regulated and non‐regulated cell death mechanisms mediate heat stress‐induced HCC cell killing and vary between hepatocytes and HCC subtypes. Apoptosis is a significant mechanism of cell death at the HCC tumor ablation margin. Lasers Surg. Med. 46:290–301, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
LECTINPred: web Server that Uses Complex Networks of Protein Structure for Prediction of Lectins with Potential Use as Cancer Biomarkers or in Parasite Vaccine Design
Authors: Munteanu Cristian R. , Pedreira Nieves , Dorado Julián , Pazos Alejandro , Pérez‐Montoto Lázaro G. , Ubeira Florencio M. , González‐Díaz Humberto
Published: March 2014

Lectins (Ls) play an important role in many diseases such as different types of cancer, parasitic infections and other diseases. Interestingly, the Protein Data Bank (PDB) contains +3000 protein 3D structures with unknown function. Thus, we can in principle, discover new Ls mining non‐annotated structures from PDB or other sources. However, there are no general models to predict new biologically relevant Ls based on 3D chemical structures. We used the MARCH‐INSIDE software to calculate the Markov‐Shannon 3D electrostatic entropy parameters for the complex networks of protein structure of 2200 different protein 3D structures, including 1200 Ls. We have performed a Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) using these parameters as inputs in order to seek a new Quantitative Structure‐Activity Relationship (QSAR) model, which is able to discriminate 3D structure of Ls from other proteins. We implemented this predictor in the web server named LECTINPred, freely available at http://bio‐aims.udc.es/LECTINPred.php. This web server showed the following goodness‐of‐fit statistics: Sensitivity=96.7 % (for Ls), Specificity=87.6 % (non‐active proteins), and Accuracy=92.5 % (for all proteins), considering altogether both the training and external prediction series. In mode 2, users can carry out an automatic retrieval of protein structures from PDB. We illustrated the use of this server, in operation mode 1, performing a data mining of PDB. We predicted Ls scores for +2000 proteins with unknown function and selected the top‐scored ones as possible lectins. In operation mode 2, LECTINPred can also upload 3D structural models generated with structure‐prediction tools like LOMETS or PHYRE2. The new Ls are expected to be of relevance as cancer biomarkers or useful in parasite vaccine design.
A new microstrip patch antenna with triple‐polarization diversity
Authors: Dasari Rama Krishna , Pandharipande V. M. , Koul Shiban K.
Published: March 2014

In recent years, polarization agility in single antenna is most desired characteristic in different applications. In this article, a microstrip antenna with new triple‐polarization diversity is designed and developed for C‐band pulsed altimeter used in many of the missile/aerospace application. The achieved polarization includes elliptical polarization, circular polarization (CP), and linear polarization. The antenna can be biased to get either right‐handed circular polarization (RHCP) or left‐handed circular polarization (LHCP). The antenna consists of a rectangular patch, four PIN diodes and two feeding lines along vertical and horizontal edge of the antenna. The necessary biasing network also embedded in the antenna circuit. Four PIN diodes are used for the polarization diversification and controlled by +5V external DC power supply. A prototype of the antenna has been fabricated and tested. Simulated results are in agreement with experimental data. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1348–1353, 2014
Novel dual‐band dual‐prototype bandpass filter
Authors: Sun Xiaofeng , Tan Eng Leong
Published: March 2014

This article presents the novel dual‐band dual‐prototype bandpass filter. The corresponding lowpass prototypes of the first and second passbands of the proposed filter are controllable and can be specified to be different at the outset. The dual‐band resonator is realized by trisection stepped‐impedance resonator. The dual‐band inverter is implemented by stepped‐impedance admittance inverter which can satisfy two different admittance values to realize two different frequency responses at two passbands. To compare and make more obvious the two passbands with two different lowpass prototypes, the proposed filter is illustrated with the
lowpass prototype for its first band and the
lowpass prototype for its second band. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1496–1498, 2014
Air‐gapped microcoxial transmission line for ultrawide band microwave and millimeter wave ICS
Authors: Tian Yang , Lee Kokyan , Wang Hong
Published: March 2014

We present an air‐gapped microcoaxial transmission line fabricated on low resistivity silicon substrate (ρ = 10 Ω·cm). The transmission line is based on a damascene copper process and has demonstrated superior microwave properties of low attenuation (<0.02 dB/mm) and a low and constant effective permittivity (∼1.02) in the frequency range of 0.1–40 GHz. The fabrication process has a low thermal budget, and can be easily integrated with the advanced Cu back‐end‐of‐line CMOS to fabricate low‐loss and high quality factor microwave and millimeter wave passives for system‐on‐chip applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1462–1465, 2014
A novel single feed of circular polarized antenna and open area test site measurements for 2.4 GHz application
Authors: Nayan M. K. A. , Jamlos M. F. , Jusoh M. , Jamlos M. A. , Sabapathy T. , Jais M. I.
Published: March 2014

A novel single feed of the truncated edge circular polarized array antenna for 2.4 GHz applications with high gain is analyzed and proposed. The presented circular polarized antenna is comprised of four patches as its radiating elements and fed by a single coaxial connector at the ground layer. Dimension‐wise, the proposed antenna is designed with compact size of 56 × 69 × 1.6 mm3. It is notified that 45° of patches' truncated edge, 45 mm element spacing of Y‐axis, and 39.5 mm element spacing of X‐axis collectively contribute to the circular polarization capability. The prototype of the antenna has a right‐hand circular polarization with an axial ratio of 2.019 in particular of 2.4 GHz. Additionally, the similarity patterns of E‐plane and H‐plane of the antenna prove its circular polarization capability. Further, the proposed antenna seems to have an omnidirectional pattern eventhough using a full ground plane and improved the effective coverage angle. With the measured gain of 5.35 dB and the reflection coefficient of −14.16 dB, the proposed antenna has big potential for Wi‐Fi and biomedical application. The antenna prototype performance is verified, and the experimental result is presented and discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1337–1344, 2014
High‐selectivity wideband bandpass filter using quarter‐wave coupled lines and quarter‐wave series transformers
Authors: Wu Xiao‐Hu , Chu Qing‐Xin
Published: March 2014

Wideband bandpass filter with high‐selectivity is presented in this article. An initial circuit model, which is composed of quarter‐wave coupled lines, is given and analyzed that sharp passband selectivity can be obtained by the two transmission zeros, which are generated by the short‐ended parallel‐coupled lines. Then, the quarter‐wave impedance transformers are added to improve the passband transmission and reflection characteristics. The filter is analyzed, designed, fabricated, and measured. Simulated and measured results are well‐agreed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1418–1421, 2014
Two‐stage tunable passive fiber mode‐locked laser
Authors: Jang Ya Ru , Lin Wen Piao , Kuo Han Lung
Published: March 2014

In this article, a broadband tunable Ytterbium‐doped fiber passive mode‐locked ring laser in 1060 nm utilizing bidirectional pumping structure is proposed. It has more stable pulse and higher repetition rate output than the constructive fiber ring laser. Moreover, this laser can provide more convenient to use in medical field. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1468–1470, 2014
A design of wideband circularly polarized antenna with high gain
Authors: Liu Neng‐Wu , Zhang Zhi‐Ya , Zhao Jia‐yue , Fu Guang , Yao Ya‐li
Published: March 2014

A wideband circularly polarized (CP) antenna with high gain is proposed. The circular polarization performance is obtained by two pairs of orthogonal bowtie dipoles with a coaxial balun feed and a broadband 90° hybrid feed network. Particularly, a design of rectangular ring with eight shorted posts is added around the bowtie dipoles, which can obtain a high gain. To further improve the gain of the novel antenna, a circular ring is placed around the rectangular ring on the same plane. With such an arrangement, the proposed antenna delivers a higher gain than that of the conventional dual‐fed type CP antenna. The measured results show that the proposed antenna can achieve a measured impedance bandwidth for VSWR ≤ 1.5 of 61.5% and a 3‐dB axial ratio bandwidth of 66.7%. The antenna has a stable peak CP gain better than 10.3 dBi ranging from 1.1 to 1.6 GHz. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1274–1277, 2014
Frequency scannable stacked patch antenna for beam‐steering applications
Authors: Liu Wen‐Chung , Lin Yu‐Fan , Wu Chao‐Ming
Published: March 2014

A single element wideband antenna that has a stacked structure and provides beam‐steering characteristic according to the operating frequency is presented. Without requirements of phase shifters and associated circuits, the proposed antenna is composed of a circular patch electromagnetically coupled by a meandered‐strip feeder and a slotted conducting plane to have a compact size. The beam direction of the designed antenna can be mainly controlled by the operating frequency with a large beam scanning angle. From fabricating and testing the antenna, an operating bandwidth of 2.3 GHz (3.8–6.1 GHz) and an average gain of about 3.8 dBi have been obtained, and in addition, the beam‐steering characteristic has also been verified. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1506–1509, 2014
Design of fully printed omnidirectional CRLH loop antennas for WLAN technology
Authors: Locatelli Andrea , Modotto Daniele , De Angelis Costantino , Boscolo Stefano , Midrio Michele , Capobianco Antonio D.
Published: March 2014

We report numerical and experimental results concerning fully printed loop antennas for WLAN communications based on composite right‐/left‐handed transmission lines. In this work, we describe a different approach and methodology with respect to other omnidirectional loop antennas that have already been presented in the literature. Indeed, we exploit the possibility of using only printed elements for loading the loop, and we show that this solution offers new degrees of freedom for fine tuning of the operating frequency and for a deep optimization of the omnidirectional radiation pattern. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1405–1408, 2014
A four‐port 12‐beam phased array antenna system
Authors: Chang Ching‐Jen , Yen Lei , Datta Jayanta , Lin Hsin‐Piao , Jeng Shiann‐Shiun
Published: March 2014

In this work, we propose a novel solution for a switched beamformer called the adjustable phased array system (APAS). By programming electronic switches, the implemented four‐antenna APAS circuit generates 12 phase‐shift angles that are multiples of
. Compared to the legacy
Butler matrix, the proposed APAS only needs one input port and four output ports and can provide more beam patterns with lower cost. Therefore, the APAS structure is a practical solution to satisfy the modern multiuser MIMO applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1375–1378, 2014
Numerical investigation of airborne radars for remote sensing applications
Authors: da Costa Igor F. , da Silva Luis G. , Mologni Juliano F. , Cerqueira S. Arismar
Published: March 2014

This article reports an accurate numerical investigation of some technological solutions for embedded airborne radars in the P‐ and X‐bands applied to remote sensing. The propagation analyses are based on transient and Floquet simulations by taken into account the influence of an entire fuselage from a commercial plane and the vegetation electromagnetic characteristics, similar to Amazon rainforest, to reproduce a realistic situation. Moreover, it is designed and analyzed a log‐periodic antenna with dual polarization for embedded airborne radars. The antenna analysis is based on S‐parameters and radiation pattern characteristics. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1473–1478, 2014
New metamaterial structure with SRR in the shape of split equilateral triangles for application in microstrip antennas
Authors: Morais José H. C. , Silva Sandro
Published: March 2014

A new metamaterial structure was proposed. The model is an extension of the case circular SRR of Pendry. In the analysis of the structure were obtained characteristics of negative permeability different from the original model. A fractal modular composition with split triangles resonator was produced and simulations and prototypes of microstrip antennas were performed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1397–1401, 2014
High‐sensitive temperature sensor based on an alcohol‐filled HiBi photonic crystal fiber loop mirror
Authors: Zhao Yong , Gao Peng
Published: March 2014

A temperature sensor based on a High‐Birefringence photonics crystal fiber loop mirror (HiBi‐PCF‐FLM) with a reflection probe was theoretical simulated and experimentally demonstrated. The interference spectrum of the FLM presented high sensitivity to temperature variation of the surrounding medium. High‐temperature sensitivity of 7.38 nm/°C with good linearity was obtained in theory; this result was proved by the consequent experiment. Meanwhile, the measuring range of temperature can be tuned using the HiBi‐PCF with different length or Birefringence. As the reflection probe is a reflected structure, it is benefit to use in the area of high‐sensitivity remote temperature sensing. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1334–1337, 2014
Opening and closing of a toroidal group II chaperonin revealed by a symmetry constrained elastic network model
Authors: Lee Hoomin , Seo SangJae , Kim Minhyeok , Choi Jae boong , Kim Sun Min , Jeon Tae‐Joon , Kim Moon Ki
Published: March 2014

Recently, the atomic structures of both the closed and open forms of Group 2 chaperonin protein Mm‐cpn were revealed through crystallography and cryo‐electron microscopy. This toroidal‐like chaperonin is composed of two eightfold rings that face back‐to‐back. To gain a computational advantage, we used a symmetry constrained elastic network model (SCENM), which requires only a repeated subunit structure and its symmetric connectivity to neighboring subunits to simulate the entire system. In the case of chaperonin, only six subunits (i.e., three from each ring) were used out of the eight subunits comprising each ring. A smooth and symmetric pathway between the open and closed conformations was generated by elastic network interpolation (ENI). To support this result, we also performed a symmetry‐constrained normal mode analysis (NMA), which revealed the intrinsic vibration features of the given structures. The NMA and ENI results for the representative single subunit were duplicated according to the symmetry pattern to reconstruct the entire assembly. To test the feasibility of the symmetry model, its results were also compared with those obtained from the full model. This study allowed the folding mechanism of chaperonin Mm‐cpn to be elucidated by SCENM in a timely manner.
Changes in the surface morphology induced by 1.0‐MeV Au ion bombardment of Ti and Ti‐6Al‐4V
Authors: Garcia M. A. , Rickards J. , Trejo‐Luna R. , Cañetas‐Ortega J. , Rodríguez‐Fernández L.
Published: March 2014

The effects of surface sputtering by 1.0‐MeV Au ion implantation in commercially pure Ti and its alloy Ti‐6Al‐4V have been studied. These materials are associated with applications in orthopaedic implants. There are few studies that try to explain the ion implantation process of Au in these materials when considering the effects generated on the surface by sputtering, especially at energies of the order of MeV. Discs of these materials were mirror polished and then implanted with 1.0‐MeV Au ions for 4.7 × 1017 ions/cm2 at 45° incident angle with respect to the surface. Part of the eroded material was deposited simultaneously on glass slides to determine their spatial distribution. These discs and the slides were analysed by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The implanted materials show the initial production of surface ripples that evolve into banded structures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantitative imaging of diatoms by PeakForce atomic force microscopy
Authors: Lamczyk M. , Kawelski L. , Noga T. , Stanek‐Tarkowska J. , Berezovska I. , Berchenko N. , Parlinska‐Wojtan M. , Cebulski J.
Published: March 2014

A novel approach to study nanomechanical properties such as deformation, adhesion or Young's modulus is presented for freshwater diatoms having sizes ranging from tens to hundreds of micrometers. Changes occurring in the environment, such as water acidity or temperature variations, have an impact on the diatoms population, as they can cause the death of certain species favoring simultaneously the growth of another. The nanomechanical properties were measured by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) in a unique PeakForce tapping (PFT) mode. The observed changes of the Young's modulus measured in the frustule of Cyclotella meneghini diatom were in the range of 7–25 GPa, clearly confirming that, in this part of the diatom, degeneration occurs. The use of the PFT mode in the AFM allowed also for measuring the surface of diatoms exhibiting a very developed topography. This is a new methodology for quantitative measurements of nanomechanical properties allowing to monitor environmental changes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
XPS analysis of small particles by proximal X‐ray generation
Authors: Castle James Eric , Grilli Rossana , Mallinson Christopher F.
Published: March 2014

In this work, the feasibility of XPS analysis using locally generated Al Kα radiation has been demonstrated. Both photo and Auger‐electron signals can be obtained from a single, sub‐micrometre, particle, achieving the aim of chemical state identification by means of the Auger parameter. The results, demonstrated in this work using copper particles on an aluminium substrate, suggest that the technique, with further development, will be valuable for those concerned with the health hazards of nano‐particles in general. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Understanding ancient Maya water resources and the implications for a more sustainable future
Authors: French Kirk D. , Duffy Christopher J.
Published: March 2014

Archeological research often provides a glimpse into the daily lives and generational outcomes of our collective past, but rarely does it lead to significant effects on living (and possibly future) populations. Understanding the impact early civilizations had on their environment has been an active area of study since the 1950s. As one of the most vital resources, water is central to many of these scholarly endeavors. Research has shown that land use is a primary factor on the functionality of a watershed. Our hypothesis is that simulating past climate and hydrology of a watershed with probable land use scenarios can create a virtual experiment to explore a range of conditions for water availability and use in prehistoric landscapes. The ancient Maya lived in a varied environment with highly seasonal precipitation and landscapes that required vastly different water management strategies. Many of these ancient centers maintained dense populations that ultimately forced unsustainable land use practices. Our approach is to apply simulated climate projections to evaluate the hydrologic performance of watersheds surrounding the Classic Maya sites of Palenque, Mexico and Tikal, Guatemala. An important conclusion from our work at Palenque is that virtual data can provide a plausible framework for assessing the sustainability of water use strategies, past and present.

This article is categorized under:

Engineering Water > Planning Water

Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change

Science of Water > Water Extremes
Prevalence and Public Health Implications of State Laws that Criminalize Potential HIV Exposure in the United States
Authors: Lehman J. Stan , Carr Meredith H. , Nichol Allison J. , Ruisanchez Alberto , Knight David W. , Langford Anne E. , Gray Simone C. , Mermin Jonathan H.
Published: March 2014

For the past three decades, legislative approaches to prevent HIV transmission have been used at the national, state, and local levels. One punitive legislative approach has been enactment of laws that criminalize behaviors associated with HIV exposure (HIV-specific criminal laws). In the USA, HIV-specific criminal laws have largely been shaped by state laws. These laws impose criminal penalties on persons who know they have HIV and subsequently engage in certain behaviors, most commonly sexual activity without prior disclosure of HIV-positive serostatus. These laws have been subject to intense public debate. Using public health law research methods, data from the legal database WestlawNext© were analyzed to describe the prevalence and characteristics of laws that criminalize potential HIV exposure in the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia) and to examine the implications of these laws for public health practice. The first state laws were enacted in 1986; as of 2011 a total of 67 laws had been enacted in 33 states. By 1995, nearly two-thirds of all laws had been enacted; by 2000, 85 % of laws had been enacted; and since 2000, an additional 10 laws have been enacted. Twenty-four states require persons who are aware that they have HIV to disclose their status to sexual partners and 14 states require disclosure to needle-sharing partners. Twenty-five states criminalize one or more behaviors that pose a low or negligible risk for HIV transmission. Nearly two-thirds of states in the USA have legislation that criminalizes potential HIV exposure. Many of these laws criminalize behaviors that pose low or negligible risk for HIV transmission. The majority of laws were passed before studies showed that antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces HIV transmission risk and most laws do not account for HIV prevention measures that reduce transmission risk, such as condom use, ART, or pre-exposure prophylaxis. States with HIV-specific criminal laws are encouraged to use the findings of this paper to re-examine those laws, assess the laws’ alignment with current evidence regarding HIV transmission risk, and consider whether the laws are the best vehicle to achieve their intended purposes.
T-condylar fractures of the distal humerus in children: Does early motion affect final range of motion?
Authors: Beck Nicholas A. , Ganley Theodore J. , McKay Scott , Tomlinson Lauren , Ahn Jaimo , Flynn John M. , Baldwin Keith
Published: March 2014

Purpose

T-condylar fractures of the distal humerus are infrequent injuries in children. There are little data regarding outcomes in this age group. The adult literature demonstrates a high rate of postinjury stiffness. We describe a large series of T-condylar fractures in children and set out to identify factors that influence the postoperative range of motion (ROM) in children. Our hypothesis was that starting motion early (<3 weeks) would favorably influence the postoperative ROM.

Methods

Patients were identified based on the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code for ORIF of supracondylar distal humerus fractures with intracondylar extension (24546). Patient records and radiographs were reviewed to determine the demographics, fracture characteristics, surgical approach and fixation, and postoperative immobilization time. Our outcome measure was ROM in flexion/extension at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and final follow-up. Patients were analyzed by Morrey's criteria of −30° extension and 130° flexion to assess for postoperative elbow stiffness.

Results

Thirty-eight potential patients from 1992 to 2010 were identified with specific T-condylar patterns. Twelve patients were excluded due to insufficient follow-up or lack of final ROM data. Our cohort included 26 patients (average age 13.4 years). The average postoperative immobilization time was 3.4 weeks (range 0.9−12 weeks). At the final follow-up, patients had −12° average extension and 130° average flexion. Nine patients (35 %) were stiff and 17 patients (65 %) had functional motion postoperatively. At 3 and 6 months, starting motion early yielded better flexion and extension ROM. Late-motion patients obtained similar results at the 1-year follow-up. Open fractures, gender, and age were all not significantly associated with elbow stiffness in our series, given the limited numbers.

Conclusion

Early ROM was associated with an earlier gain of functional motion without clear adverse consequences. Despite similar findings at the final follow-up, practitioners should consider instituting early ROM protocols to decrease the duration of stiffness and potential disability for the child and the family.
Latent structure of the symptomatology of hospitalized patients with bipolar mania
Authors: Filgueiras A. , Nunes A.L.S. , Silveira L.A.S. , de Assis da Silva R. , da Silva R.O. , Landeira-Fernandez J. , Cheniaux E.
Published: March 2014

Several studies have attempted to understand the dimensions of psychiatric symptoms in manic episodes, but only a few have been able to model the latent structure of mania in bipolar disorder patients using confirmatory factor analysis. The objective of the present study was to search for the best model of the symptomatology of hospitalized manic patients. To achieve this goal, 117 manic inpatients during a manic crisis participated in this research. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted followed by confirmatory factor analysis using an exploratory factor analysis solution and three other theory-based models. The exploratory factor analysis results revealed a six-factor structure: depression, suicide, insomnia, mania, psychosis, and anxiety. This solution also presented the best fit to the data when tested with confirmatory factor analysis. A five-factor solution, without suicide as a separate dimension, appeared to be more theoretically suitable. Another important finding was that anxiety was an independent dimension in mania. Some hypotheses are discussed in light of contemporary theories, and future studies should investigate this aspect further.
Vortex formation of a finite-span synthetic jet: effect of rectangular orifice geometry
Authors: Van Buren Tyler , Whalen Edward , Amitay Michael
Published: March 2014

The formation and evolution of flow structures of a finite-span synthetic jet issuing into a quiescent flow were investigated experimentally using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (SPIV). The effect of two geometrical parameters, the orifice aspect ratio and the neck length, were explored at a Strouhal number of 0.115 and a Reynolds number of 615. Normalized orifice neck lengths of 2, 4 and 6 and aspect ratios of 6, 12, and 18 were examined. It was found that the effect of the aspect ratio is much larger than the effect of the neck length, and as the aspect ratio increases the size of the edge vortices decreases and the presence of secondary structures is more evident. Moreover, axis switching was observed and its streamwise location increases as the aspect ratio increases. The effect of the neck length on the flow structures and the evolution of the synthetic jet was found to be secondary, where the effect was only in the very near field (i.e. close to the jet’s orifice).
Hydraulic falls under a floating ice plate due to submerged obstructions
Authors: Page C. , Părău E. I.
Published: March 2014

Steady two-dimensional nonlinear flexural–gravity hydraulic falls past a submerged obstruction on the bottom of a channel are considered. The fluid is assumed to be ideal and is covered above by a thin ice plate. Cosserat theory is used to model the sheet of ice as a thin elastic shell, and boundary integral equation techniques are then employed to find critical flow solutions. By utilising a second obstruction, solutions with a train of waves trapped between two obstructions are investigated.
A comparative study of free oligosaccharides in the milk of domestic animals
Authors: Albrecht Simone , Lane Jonathan A. , Mariño Karina , Al Busadah Khalid A. , Carrington Stephen D. , Hickey Rita M. , Rudd Pauline M.
Published: March 2014

The present study was conducted to obtain a comprehensive overview of oligosaccharides present in the milk of a variety of important domestic animals including cows, goats, sheep, pigs, horses and dromedary camels. Using an analytical workflow that included ultra-performance liquid chromatography–hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight MS, detailed oligosaccharide libraries were established. The partial or full characterisation of the neutral/fucosylated, phosphorylated and sialylated structures was facilitated by sequencing with linkage- and sugar-specific exoglycosidases. Relative peak quantification of the 2-aminobenzamide-labelled oligosaccharides provided additional information. Milk from domestic animals contained a much larger variety of complex oligosaccharides than was previously assumed, and thirteen of these structures have been identified previously in human milk. The direct comparison of the oligosaccharide mixtures reflects their role in the postnatal maturation of different types of gastrointestinal systems, which, in this way, are prepared for certain post-weaning diets. The potential value of animal milk for the commercial extraction of oligosaccharides to be used in human and animal health is highlighted.
A new gregarious sabellid worm from the Gulf of California reproducing by spontaneous fission (Polychaeta, Sabellidae)
Authors: Tovar-Hernández María Ana , Dean Harlan
Published: March 2014

A new species of the sabellid genusPseudobranchiommais described from 50 cm depth in dock fouling from the southern Gulf of California.Pseudobranchiomma schizogenicasp. nov., belongs to a group of six species characterized by having radiolar serrations extending for most of the radiolar length. The new species is characterized by the presence of a unique set of features related to the covering of the peristomium by lateral collar margins, the shape of the first ventral shield, the size of interramal eyespots, and the width of the hood of thoracic and abdominal spinelike chaetae. Information about live and post-fixed colour, glandular pattern and reproduction is also provided. The new species described here is compared with all species in the former group. The presence of paired patches of cilia without heads (kinocilia-type) on ventral lappets and ventral shields of the collar, thorax and abdomen is documented for the first time in the genusPseudobranchiomma. Dense aggregations ofPseudobranchiomma schizogenicasp. nov., on docks from the southern Gulf of California are predominantly a result of asexual reproduction taking place during summer, when 82% of the population reproduces by architomy.
The Swine Flu Emergency Department: The Relationship Between Media Attention for the Swine Flu and Registrations in an Emergency Medicine Unit
Authors: Nelissen Sara , Beullens Kathleen , Sabbe Marc , Van den Bulck Jan
Published: March 2014

Introduction

When the world is faced with a new potential pandemic outbreak, the media report heavily about it. Media are an important disseminator of health threat information. This study examined potential media effects during the 2009 outbreak of A/H1N1 influenza.

Hypothesis

To examine the relationship between media reports of the swine flu and self-registrations in an emergency department (ED) of a tertiary hospital in Flanders, Belgium.

Methods

All articles concerning swine flu published in seven Flemish newspapers were selected during the biggest flu peak in Belgium. This number was compared with the number of patients who presented themselves with a self-diagnosis of swine flu symptoms during the same time frame. The Pearson's correlation coefficient was selected to determine the relationship. The cross-correlation function determined the direction of this relationship.

Results

A strong correlation was found between the number of potential patients (n= 308) and the number of articles in the Flemish press (n= 1657). The number of patients was the leading indicator; increases in the volume of written press followed increases in the number of patients.

Conclusion

Media reporting is extensive when a new infectious disease breaks out and intensifies when it is feared that pandemic levels are reached. This was also the case with the swine flu outbreak in Flanders. These findings suggest that a rise in the number of media reports follows a rise in the number of cases, rather than the reverse.

NelissenS,BeullensK,SabbeM,Van den BulckJ.The Swine Flu Emergency Department: the relationship between media attention for the swine flu and registrations in an emergency medicine unit.Prehosp Disaster Med.2014;29(2):1-5.
Efficacy of adjunctive aripiprazole in patients with major depressive disorder whose symptoms worsened with antidepressant monotherapy
Authors: Nelson J. Craig , Rahman Zia , Laubmeier Kimberly K. , Eudicone James M. , McQuade Robert D. , Berman Robert M. , Marcus Ronald N. , Baker Ross A. , Sheehan John J.
Published: March 2014

Introduction

Efficacy of depression treatments, including adjunctive antipsychotic treatment, has not been explored for patients with worsening symptoms after antidepressant therapy (ADT).

Methods

This post-hoc analysis utilized pooled data from 3 similarly designed, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials that assessed the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive aripiprazole in patients with major depressive disorder with inadequate response to ADT. The studies had 2 phases: an 8-week prospective ADT phase and 6-week adjunctive (aripiprazole or placebo) treatment phase. This analysis focused on patients whose symptoms worsened during the prospective 8-week ADT phase (worsening defined as >0% increase in Montgomery–Åsberg Depressive Rating Scale [MADRS] Total score). During the 6-week, double-blind, adjunctive phase, response was defined as ≥50% reduction in MADRS Total score and remission as ≥50% reduction in MADRS Total score and MADRS score ≤10.

Results

Of 1065 patients who failed to achieve a response during the prospective phase, 160 exhibited worsening of symptoms (ADT-Worseners), and 905 exhibited no change/reduction in MADRS scores (ADT-Non-worseners). Response rates for ADT-Worseners at endpoint were 36.6% (adjunctive aripiprazole) and 22.5% (placebo). Similarly, response rates at endpoint for ADT-Non-worseners were 37.5% (adjunctive aripiprazole) and 22.5% (placebo). Remission rates at endpoint for ADT-Worseners were 25.4% (adjunctive aripiprazole) and 12.4% (placebo). For ADT-Non-worseners, remission rates were 29.9% (adjunctive aripiprazole) and 17.4% (placebo).

Conclusion

These results suggest that adjunctive aripiprazole is an effective intervention for patients whose symptoms worsen during antidepressant monotherapy. The results challenge the view that benefits of adjunctive therapy with aripiprazole are limited to partial responders to ADT.
Language development in a bimodal bilingual child with cochlear implant: A longitudinal study
Authors: RINALDI PASQUALE , CASELLI MARIA CRISTINA
Published: March 2014

To address the negative effects of deafness on spoken language acquisition, many clinicians suggest using cochlear implant (CI) and oral education and advise against sign language, even when combined with spoken language (i.e., bilingualism), believing that it may slow down spoken language development. In a deaf child with CI who was exposed at an early age to Italian Sign Language and spoken Italian, we evaluated language development and the relationship between the two languages. The number of words/signs produced by the child consistently increased with age, and the vocabulary growth rate in spoken Italian was equivalent to that of hearing peers. Before CI, the child relied almost exclusively on sign language; after CI, he gradually shifted to spoken Italian yet still used sign language when unable to retrieve words in spoken Italian. We conclude that bimodal bilingualism may scaffold the development of spoken language also in deaf children with CI.
In Situ WetSTEM Observation of Gold Nanorod Self-Assembly Dynamics in a Drying Colloidal Droplet
Authors: Novotný Filip , Wandrol Petr , Proška Jan , Šlouf Miroslav
Published: March 2014

Direct in situ visualization of nanoparticles in a liquid is an important challenge of modern electron microscopy. The increasing significance of bottom-up methods in nanotechnology requires a direct method to observe nanoparticle interactions in a liquid as the counterpart to the ex situ electron microscopy and indirect scattering and spectroscopy methods. Especially, the self-assembly of anisometric nanoparticles represents a difficult task, and the requirement to trace the route and orientation of an individual nanoparticle is of highest importance. In our approach we utilize scanning transmission electron microscopy under environmental conditions to visualize the mobility and self-assembly of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-capped gold nanorods (AuNRs) in an aqueous colloidal solution. We directly observed the drying-mediated AuNR self-assembly in situ during rapid evaporation of a colloidal droplet at 4°C and pressure of about 900 Pa. Several types of final AuNR packing were documented including side-by-side oriented chains, tip-to-tip loosely arranged nanorods, and domains of vertically aligned AuNR arrays. The effect of local heating by electron beam is used to qualitatively asses the visco-elastic properties of the formed AuNR/CTAB/water membrane. Local heating induces the dehydration and contraction of a formed membrane indicated either by its rupture and/or by movement of the embedded AuNRs.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL WAVE-FREE POTENTIALS IN THE THEORY OF WATER WAVES
Authors: DHILLON HARPREET , MANDAL B. N.
Published: March 2014

Problems of wave interaction with a body with arbitrary shape floating or submerged in water are of immense importance in the literature on the linearized theory of water waves. Wave-free potentials are used to construct solutions to these problems involving bodies with circular geometry, such as a submerged or half-immersed long horizontal circular cylinder (in two dimensions) or sphere (in three dimensions). These are singular solutions of Laplace’s equation satisfying the free surface condition and decaying rapidly away from the point of singularity. Wave-free potentials in two and three dimensions for infinitely deep water as well as water of uniform finite depth with a free surface are known in the literature. The method of constructing wave-free potentials in three dimensions is presented here in a systematic manner, neglecting or taking into account the effect of surface tension at the free surface or for water with an ice cover modelled as a thin elastic plate floating on the water. The forms of the wave motion at the upper surface (free surface or ice-covered surface) related to these wave-free potentials are depicted graphically in a number of figures for all the cases considered.