bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The characteristics of extreme cold events and cold air outbreaks in the eastern United States
Authors: Smith Erik T. , Sheridan Scott C. 
Published: January 2018

ABSTRACTPeriods of extreme cold impact the mid‐latitudes every winter. Depending on the magnitude and duration of the occurrence, extremely cold periods may be deemed cold air outbreaks (CAOs). A systematic CAO index and ranking system was developed from 20 surface weather stations from 1948 through 2016, based on a set of criteria concerning magnitude, duration, and spatial extent. Standard deviations in temperature were used to identify extreme temperatures relative to the station. A total of 49 CAOs occurred during the 67‐year period, with the majority occurring during mid‐winter. The number of CAOs proved to be largely dependent on the stations latitude and maritime influence. The duration, magnitude, and spatial extent were dependent on the time of the winter season in which the CAO occurred. Furthermore, two prominent clusters of an increased number of CAOs occurred during the 67‐year period, suggesting multi‐decadal circulations may be a factor in CAOs.
Acetabular and spino‐pelvic morphologies are different in subjects with symptomatic cam femoro‐acetabular impingement
Authors: Grammatopoulos George , Speirs Andrew D. , Ng K. C. Geoffrey , Riviere Charles , Rakhra Kawan S. , Lamontagne Mario , Beaule Paul E. 
Published: January 2018

ABSTRACTAcetabular and spino‐pelvic (SP) morphological parameters are important determinants of hip joint dynamics. This prospective study aimed to determine whether acetabular and SP morphological differences exist between hips with and without cam morphology and between symptomatic and asymptomatic hips with cam morphology. A cohort of 67 patients/hips was studied. Hips were either asymptomatic with no cam (Controls, n = 18), symptomatic with cam (n = 26) or asymptomatic with cam (n = 23). CT‐based quantitative assessments of femoral, acetabular, pelvic, and spino‐pelvic parameters were performed. Measurements were compared between controls and those with a cam deformity, as well as between the three groups. Morphological parameters that were independent predictors of a symptomatic cam were determined using a regression analysis. Hips with cam deformity had slightly smaller subtended angles superior‐anteriorly (87° vs. 84°, p = 0.04) and greater pelvic incidence (53° vs. 48°, p = 0.003) compared to controls. Symptomatic cams had greater acetabular version (p < 0.01), greater subtended angles superiorly and superior‐posteriorly (p = 0.01), higher pelvic incidence (p = 0.02), greater alpha angles and lower femoral neck‐shaft angles compared to asymptomatic cams (p < 0.01) and controls (p < 0.01). The four predictors of symptomatic cam included antero‐superior alpha angle, femoral neck‐shaft angle, acetabular depth, and pelvic incidence. In conclusion, this study illustrates that symptomatic hips had a greater amount of supero‐posterior coverage; which would be the contact area between a radial cam and the acetabulum, when the hip is flexed to 90°. Furthermore, individuals with symptomatic cam morphology had greater PI. Acetabular‐ and SP parameters should be part of the radiological assessment of femoro‐acetabular impingement. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:1840–1848, 2018.
Van't Hoff analysis in chiral chromatography
Authors: Asnin Leonid D. , Stepanova Maria V. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe present review discusses the theory and application of van't Hoff analysis in chiral chromatography, with main focus on liquid chromatography. The topics considered include the physical meaning of van't Hoff equation's parameters, interpretation of thermodynamic data in terms of retention and enantioseparation mechanisms, abnormal behavior of van't Hoff plots, and best practices to avoid biased results.
Optimization of the surface modification process of cross‐linked polythiol‐coated chiral stationary phases synthesized by a two‐step thiol‐ene click reaction
Authors: Schmitt Kristina , Lämmerhofer Michael 
Published: January 2018

AbstractA new platform technology for the preparation of stable chiral stationary phases was successfully optimized. The chiral selector tert‐butylcarbamoylquinine was firstly covalently connected to the polymer poly(3‐mercaptopropyl)methylsiloxane by thiol‐ene click reaction. Secondly, the quinine carbamate functionalized polysiloxane conjugate was coated onto the surface of vinyl modified silica particles and cross‐linked via thiol‐ene click reaction. The amount of polysiloxane, chiral selector, radical initiator, reaction solvent (chloroform and methanol), reaction time, and pore size of the supporting silica particles were varied and systematically optimized in terms of achievable plate numbers while maintaining simultaneously enantioselectivity. The optimization was based on elemental analysis data, chromatographic results, and H/u‐curves (Van Deemter) of the resultant chiral stationary phases. The results suggest that better chromatographic efficiency (higher plate numbers) at equal enantioselectivity can be achieved with methanol (a poor solvent for the polysiloxane that is dispersed rather than dissolved) and a lower film thickness of quinine carbamate functionalized polysiloxane. In this study, chiral stationary phases based on 100 Å silica slightly outperformed 200 Å silica particles (each 5 μm). The optimized two step material exhibited significantly reduced mass transfer resistance compared to the one step material and equal performance as a brush‐type chiral stationary phase.
Comparative evaluations of hypertrophic scar formation in in vivo models
Authors: Kim Myeongjin , Kim Hyejin , Kang Hyun Wook 
Published: January 2018

Background and ObjectiveHypertrophic scar (HTS) results from a connective tissue reaction to trauma, inflammation, surgery, or burn on skin. In spite of various techniques for wound generation, the degree of scar in animal models after healing is still unpredictable and less reproducible. The objective of the current study was to identify the appropriate method to create the maximal HTS tissue in a reliable manner by comparing three different methods in vivo.Materials and MethodsA 27 ICR mice were tested for the in vivo evaluations. Three different methods were applied to develop wounds on the back of each mice for quantitative evaluations on collagen formation: Group 1 (thermal burn), Group 2 (chemical burn), and Group 3 (physical punch). After injury, each lesion was photographed to examine physical variations in the wound areas. Histological analysis was conducted on days 0, 7, and 28 to assess the extent of the injury in the tissue and to quantitatively compare the amount of collagen formation after wound healing.ResultsCompared with Groups 1 and 3, Group 2 demonstrated the largest wound area that gradually decreased with healing time. However, the minimal axial damage (along tissue depth) occurred to Group 2 at day 0 (183.7 ± 28.9, 38.1 ± 9.2, and 296.0 ± 81.7 µm for Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively). After 28 days, all the groups showed the complete healing and accompanied a significant increase in the number of fibroblast and collagen generation with well‐oriented and denser collagen fibers, in comparison with normal skin. Group 2 yielded twice thicker skin (both epidermis and dermis) than the other groups (970.8 ± 108.8 µm for Group 2 vs. 381.5 ± 30.8 µm for Group 1 and 442.9 ± 56.3 µm for Group 3; P < 0.001).ConclusionThe proposed chemical burn can be the optimal method to create collagenous scar tissue in the mouse model. Further in vivo investigations with rat models will be performed to validate the current technique for laser scar treatment in terms of reliability and immunohistochemical responses. Lasers Surg. Med. 50:661–668, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
About the Art and Science of Visualizing Polymer Morphology using Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Tencé‐Girault Sylvie , Woehling Vincent , Oikonomou Evdokia K. , Karpati Szilvia , Norvez Sophie 
Published: January 2018

AbstractTransmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a unique tool to visualize polymer morphology: an intimate organization of the matter, encompassing crystalline features in semicrystalline polymers and a kaleidoscopic collection of patterns produced by microseparated phases in polymer blends. This manuscript aims at demonstrating the various opportunities this technique enables, through a miscellany of studies performed in our laboratory. Materials as different as bulk and composite compounds, thin films, hollow fiber membranes, and rubbers are presented, from the viewpoint of the interrelation of TEM with other techniques like scattering, mechanical, and thermomechanical experiments.
Rice Protein Matrix Enhances Circulating Levels of Xanthohumol Following Acute Oral Intake of Spent Hops in Humans
Authors: O'Connor Annalouise , Konda Veera , Reed Ralph L. , Christensen J. Mark , Stevens Jan F. , Contractor Nikhat 
Published: January 2018

ScopeXanthohumol (XN), a prenylated flavonoid found in hops, exhibits anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, poor bioavailability may limit therapeutic applications. As food components are known to modulate polyphenol absorption, the objective is to determine whether a protein matrix could enhance the bioavailability of XN post oral consumption in humans.Methods and resultsThis is a randomized, double‐blind, crossover study in healthy participants (n = 6) evaluating XN and its major metabolites (isoxanthohumol [IX], 6‐ and 8‐prenylnaringenin [6‐PN, 8‐PN]) for 6 h following consumption of 12.4 mg of XN delivered via a spent hops‐rice protein matrix preparation or a control spent hops preparation. Plasma XN and metabolites are measured by LC–MS/MS. Cmax, Tmax, and area‐under‐the‐curve (AUC) values were determined. Circulating XN and metabolite response to each treatment was not bioequivalent. Plasma concentrations of XN and XN + metabolites (AUC) are greater with consumption of the spent hops‐rice protein matrix preparation.ConclusionCompared to a standard spent hops powder, a protein‐rich spent hops matrix demonstrates enhanced plasma levels of XN and metabolites following acute oral intake.
Raspberry Supplementation Improves Insulin Signaling and Promotes Brown‐Like Adipocyte Development in White Adipose Tissue of Obese Mice
Authors: Xing Tong , Kang Yifei , Xu Xinglian , Wang Bo , Du Min , Zhu Mei‐Jun 
Published: January 2018

ScopeExcessive lipid accumulation in white adipose tissue (WAT) leads to chronic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Raspberry (RB) contains high amount of polyphenols and dietary fibers. The objective of the study is to evaluate the effects of RB supplementation on WAT morphology, inflammation, and insulin signaling in high fat diet (HFD)‐induced obese mice, and further explore the underlying mechanisms.Methods and resultsC57BL/6J mice are fed with a control diet or a HFD supplemented with 0 or 5% freeze dried RB for 12 weeks. RB supplementation decreases WAT hypertrophy induced by HFD and suppresses pro‐inflammatory cytokines expression and macrophage infiltration in WAT. Meanwhile, RB addition improves insulin sensitivity of HFD‐mice. Additionally, RB supplementation drives the browning of WAT (beige adipogenesis), which is associated with elevated PGC‐1α and FNDC5/irisin contents. Consistently, the content of beige adipocyte markers including UCP1, PRDM16, Cytochrome C, Cidea, and Elvol3 is enhanced in HFD‐mice, which are correlated with increased AMPK phosphorylation and Sirt1 protein contents.ConclusionDietary RB attenuated adipocyte hypertrophy and inflammation of WAT in HFD‐mice and improves insulin sensitivity and beige adipogenesis, which is associated with increased FNDC5/irisin content and activation of AMPK/Sirt1 pathway. RB supplementation provides a promising strategy to prevent diet‐induced obesity.
Analytical models for consolidation of combined composite ground improved by impervious columns and vertical drains
Authors: Lu Mengmeng , Jing Hongwen , Zhou Annan , Xie Kanghe 
Published: January 2018

SummaryIn recent years, a new technique of ground improvement, which involves the combined use of impervious column and vertical drains, has been proposed and utilized in many field projects to accelerate consolidation and increase bearing capacity of soft soil ground. To cover the possible distribution patterns of impervious columns and vertical drains, 2 analytical models, including Model A with outward flow and Model B with inward flow within the soils, are proposed to predict the consolidation of combined composite ground by considering the following factors: (1) disturbance effects of both impervious columns and vertical drains, (2) the well resistance of vertical drains, and (3) time‐variant loadings. The average degrees of consolidation predicted by the proposed analytical models are compared with several existing solutions and then against the measured data in the literature. The consolidation behavior of a combined composite ground is investigated by the proposed analytical solutions. The results show that the combined use of impervious columns and vertical drains can remarkably accelerate the consolidation rate of soft soils compared with the single use of either of them. The average degrees of consolidation predicted by both analytical models agree well with the measured data. Compared with Model B, Model A usually predicts a faster consolidation rate because of a shorter drainage path. Many factors can influence consolidation behavior of combined composite ground, such as loading scheme, distribution patterns and the disturbance effects of impervious columns and vertical drains, and compression modulus ratio of impervious column to soil.
Parenteral Nutrition Safety: The Story Continues
Authors: Ayers Phil , Boullata Joseph , Sacks Gordon 
Published: January 2018

AbstractParenteral nutrition (PN) is an important therapeutic modality used for a variety of indications in adults, children, and infants. PN is a complex, high‐alert medication that requires appropriate education and ongoing competency assessment to ensure a safe process. PN is not recognized by many organizations as a medication, which leads to underreporting of errors. This article will provide important insight and recommendations to promote a safe PN process.
Verifying defective PV‐modules by IR‐imaging and controlling with module optimizers
Authors: Buerhop Claudia , Fecher Frank W. , Pickel Tobias , Häring Adrian , Adamski Tim , Camus Christian , Hauch Jens , Brabec Christoph J. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractQuality control and efficient operation of roof‐top residential photovoltaic (PV)‐installations is an economic and technical challenge because these PV‐systems often suffer from various roof orientations and inclinations as well as partial and temporal shading. Module optimizers, which track the operating point individually for each module group, are good solutions providing also additional electrical information. The purpose of this work is verifying the identification and localization of defective PV‐modules with infrared (IR)–imaging and with module optimizers as well as quantifying the impact on the performance. Several PV‐plants were inspected and carefully analyzed. The findings using IR‐imaging can clearly be classified to substring failures due to open circuit and short circuit, bypass‐diode faults, cell defect, and some undefined optimizer problems. The electric data reveal that these findings are related to certain power loss and monthly or annual yield reduction. Interesting is the temporal behavior of particular defective sites, which show short‐term recovery. In summary, there is a good agreement between the occasionally performed IR‐findings and the continuously monitored electrical data.
Juvenile Taiep rats have shorter dendritic trees in the dorsal field of the hippocampus without spatial learning disabilities
Authors: Silva‐Gómez Adriana B. , Bravo‐Duran Dolores A. , Eguibar Jose R. , Cortes Carmen 
Published: January 2018

AbstractMyelin mutant taiep rats show a progressive demyelination in the central nervous system due to an abnormal accumulation of microtubules in the cytoplasm and the processes on their oligodendrocytes. Demyelination is associated with electrophysiological alterations and the mutant had a progressive astrocytosis. The illness is associated with change in cytokine levels and in the expression of different nitric oxide synthase and concomitantly lipoperoxidation in several areas of the brain. However, until now there has been no detailed anatomical analysis of neurons in this mutant. The aim of this study was to analyze the dendritic morphology in the hippocampus using Golgi‐Cox staining and spatial memory through Morris water maze test in young adult (3 months old) taiep rats and compare them with normal Sprague‐Dawley. Our results showed that taiep rats have altered dendritic tree morphology in pyramidal neurons in the CA1 field of the hippocampus, but not in the CA3 region. These morphological changes did not produce a concomitant deficit in spatial memory acquisition or recall at this early stage of the disease. Our results suggest that impairment of dendritic morphology in the CA1 field of the hippocampus is a landmark of the pathology of this progressive multiple sclerosis model.
Close Sentence Reading to Foster Decoding and Comprehension
Authors: Minnery Adrienne , Smith Antony T. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractDecoding, building fluency, and exploring word and sentence meanings are important elements of literacy instruction in elementary classrooms. Shared literacy experiences provide opportunities for teachers to engage students in meaningful reading experiences. This article describes a quick four‐step process for conducting close sentence reading, a shared literacy experience focused on decoding and comprehending short excerpts of challenging text. Classroom examples and a sample excerpt and chart are included.
On a theory of thermoelasticity without energy dissipation for solids with microtemperatures
Authors: Ieşan D. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractIn the first part of this paper we present a strain gradient theory of thermoelastic bodies with microtemperatures which permits the transmission of heat as thermal waves at finite speed. The results are based on the Green‐Naghdi theory of thermomechanics of continua. The work is motivated by increasing use of materials which posses thermal variation at a microstructure level. In the second part of the paper we establish a uniqueness result and present some applications. We study the propagation of the time‐harmonic plane waves and investigate the effects of a concentrated heat source. A study of the discontinuities produced by a suddenly applied heat source is also presented.
An Efficiency Comparison of Regional Employment Offices Operating under Different Exogenous Conditions
Authors: Ramirez José V. , Vassiliev Anatoli 
Published: January 2018

SummaryThis paper investigates the technical efficiency differences of a sample of regional employment offices (REOs) across Swiss cantons. Regular job-search assistance, registration and matching of unemployed workers with job vacancies performed by employment offices are all important active labour market policies (ALMPs) which are often ignored in the literature evaluating the impact of active measures. The analysis is carried out by means of a stochastic production frontier model estimated on a panel of employment offices observed over the period between November 2000 and December 2001. The results show that the specific exogenous conditions exercise influence over the technical efficiency of each employment office. Even though these conditions affect significantly the relative performance of regional employment offices, the managerial efficiency component does remain important. Finally, the job placement process is characterised by decreasing returns to scale.
Can Bank Supervisors Rely on Market Data? A Critical Assessment from a Swiss Perspective
Authors: Birchler Urs W. , Facchinetti Matteo 
Published: January 2018

Summary
Market data, such as bond spreads or equity price volatility, are a complementary source to bank supervisory information. In Switzerland, meaningful market data are available for a number of banks which constitute a major part of the banking system. Notwithstanding some limitations (biases due to state guarantee for cantonal banks and potential ‘too-big-to-fail’ expectations for big banks) these market data are likely to play a supervisory role in the future. However, once the market expects supervisors to react to market data, these data become endogenous. This may jeopardize the very potential of market data to serve as policy guides.
Does it Pay to Watch Central Bankers’ Lips? The Information Content of ECB Wording
Authors: Heinemann Friedrich , Ullrich Katrin 
Published: January 2018

SummaryIn this analysis, the informational content of central bank rhetoric is assessed based on the experience with the ECB since 1999. Among the ECB’s communication channels we focus on the monthly press conferences. Based on a counting of certain signal words we construct a wording indicator reflecting the “hawk-ishness” of monetary rhetorics. For the construction, we develop an objective algorithm. We then integrate this indicator into a standard Taylor type ordered probit model for the explanation of the interest rate. We show that the wording indicator can improve the model’s fit when added to the standard explanatory variables. However, a model based solely on this indicator performs worse than the baseline. The results are confirmed by an out of sample analysis where the determination of the wording indicators’ weights is based on the early ECB period which, subsequently, is excluded from the tests. Our conclusion is that linguistic analysis can improve but not substitute more rigorous forecasting techniques based on hard economic data.
Multifunctional Agriculture and the Preservation of Environmental Benefits
Authors: Hediger Werner , Lehmann Bernard 
Published: January 2018

Summary
We investigate environmental aspects of agriculture from a welfare economic perspective and show that efficiency prices of agricultural and forest land include important amenity and non-use values that exhibit the character of undepletable externalities. To achieve a social optimum these must be internalised, while taking equity concerns into account. We propose compensation of farmers and forest managers according to the marginal external benefit of their land use and a combination of charges and subsidies to improve rural water quality. This is consistent with efficiency requirements and would not cause additional market distortions. Moreover, it would leave the property rights on the land with the farmers and assign the right on clean air and water to the consumers.
What Drives Individual Health Expenditure in Switzerland?
Authors: Bilger Marcel , Chaze Jean-Paul 
Published: January 2018

SummaryThe explanatory factors of individual healthcare consumption are studied by means of healthcare expenditures from the 2000–2005 Swiss Household Income and Expenditure Survey (SHIES). In order to tackle the issues of large number of null expenditures and skewed distribution of positive outcomes, the family of Box-Cox censoring models (Chaze, 2005) is applied. The results show that the use of SHIES data makes it possible to reveal many important factors of individual healthcare consumption, and that the role played by healthcare supply density variables is consistent with the theory of induced demand.