bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Trioxane—An Unusual Component in an Improvised Explosive-Actuated Incendiary Device
Authors: Cabiness LR , Blackledge RD 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Purple granules were found as an adulterant in a specimen of double-based smokeless powder that had been obtained from an improvised explosive-actuated incendiary device. These granules were identified as having originated from tablets used by the U.S. Army in heating rations in the field. Trioxane, the active ingredient in these tablets, was identified by infrared and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Impact of Physician Scorecards on Emergency Department Resource Use, Quality, and Efficiency
Authors: Jain Shabnam , Frank Gary , McCormick Kelly , Wu Baohua , Johnson Brent A. 
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
Variability in practice patterns and resource use in the emergency department (ED) can affect costs without affecting outcomes. ED quality measures have not included resource use in relation to ED outcomes and efficiency. Our objectives were to develop a tool for comprehensive physician feedback on practice patterns relative to peers and to study its impact on resource use, quality, and efficiency.

METHODS:
We evaluated condition-specific resource use (laboratory tests; imaging; antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and ondansetron; admission) by physicians at 2 tertiary pediatric EDs for 4 common conditions (fever, head injury, respiratory illness, gastroenteritis). Resources used, ED length of stay (efficiency measure), and 72-hour return to ED (return rate [RR]) (balancing measure) were reported on scorecards with boxplots showing physicians their practice relative to peers. Quarterly scorecards were distributed for baseline (preintervention, July 2009–August 2010) and postintervention (September 2010–December 2011). Preintervention, postintervention, and trend analyses were performed.

RESULTS:
In 51 450 patient visits (24 834 preintervention, 26 616 postintervention) seen by 96 physicians, we observed reduced postintervention use of abdominal and pelvic and head computed tomography scans, chest radiographs, intravenous antibiotics, and ondansetron (P &lt; .01 for all). Hospital admissions decreased from 7.4% to 6.7% (P = .002), length of stay from 112 to 108 minutes (P &lt; .001), and RR from 2.2% to 2.0%. Trends for use of laboratory tests and intravenous antibiotics showed significant reduction (P &lt; .001 and P &lt; .05, respectively); admission trends increased, and trends for use of computed tomography scans and plain abdominal radiographs showed no change.

CONCLUSIONS:
Physician feedback on practice patterns relative to peers results in reduction in resource use for several common ED conditions without adversely affecting ED efficiency or quality of care.
A QUALIDADE DAS INFORMAÇÕES PRESTADAS PELAS EMPRESAS REDUZ OS RISCOS DE INVESTIMENTO? UMA ANÁLISE EMPÍRICA PARA OS DIFERENTES NÍVEIS DE GOVERNANÇA CORPORATIVA DAS EMPRESAS BRASILEIRAS / The quality of information provided by reduces business investment
Authors: Besarria Cássio Nóbrega , Paula Ângelo Antonio , Araújo Breno Silva , Alves José Neto , Almeida Fenelon Francisco , Monteiro Valdeir Soares 
Published: August 2015

<p>O objetivo geral deste estudo consistiu em verificar se a qualidade das informações prestadas pelas empresas e a ampliação dos direitos societários reduzem os riscos de investimento. Para se alcançar o objetivo, esta pesquisa se divide em duas etapas: no primeiro momento, serão formadas três carteiras de investimento de variância mínima, em que as empresas serão classificadas de acordo com diferentes níveis de governança corporativa: Nível 1 (N1), Nível 2 (N2) e Novo Mercado (NM). E será estimado o modelo de precificação de ativos conhecido como versão condicional do <em>Capital Asset Pricing Model</em> (<em>CAPM</em>) de Sharpe-Lintner. Por meio desse modelo será possível obter a relação risco/retorno existente entre as carteiras de investimento e a carteira de mercado, bem como as manifestações do agrupamento da volatilidade. Entre os resultados obtidos, destaca-se que por meio das estimativas das volatilidades foi possível comprovar que as ações das empresas do Novo Mercado são as que apresentam menor risco, seguidas pelas ações classificadas no Nível 2 e no Nível 1, respectivamente. Esses resultados reforçam a hipótese de que a transparência, a qualidade das informações prestadas pelas empresas e a ampliação dos direitos societários reduzem os riscos de investimento.</p><p>Palavras-chave:<strong> </strong>Governança corporativa. Volatilidade condicional. Risco. </p>
Gay and bisexual men's awareness and knowledge of treatment as prevention: findings from the Momentum Health Study in Vancouver, Canada
Authors: Carter Allison , Lachowsky Nathan , Rich Ashleigh , Forrest Jamie I , Sereda Paul , Cui Zishan , Roth Eric , Kaida Angela , Moore David , Montaner Julio SG , Hogg Robert S 
Published: August 2015

IntroductionAwareness and knowledge of treatment as prevention (TasP) was assessed among HIV‐positive and HIV‐negative gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in Vancouver, Canada.MethodsBaseline cross‐sectional survey data were analyzed for GBMSM enrolled, via respondent‐driven sampling (RDS), in the Momentum Health Study. TasP awareness was defined as ever versus never heard of the term “TasP.” Multivariable logistic regression identified covariates of TasP awareness. Among those aware of TasP, men's level of knowledge of TasP was explored through an examination of self‐perceived knowledge levels, risk perceptions and short‐answer definitions of TasP which were coded as “complete” if three TasP‐related components were identified (i.e. HIV treatment, viral suppression and prevention of transmission). Information source was also assessed. Analyses were stratified by HIV status and RDS adjusted.ResultsOf 719 participants, 23% were HIV‐positive, 68% Caucasian and median age was 33 (Interquartile range (IQR) 26,47). Overall, 46% heard of TasP with differences by HIV status [69% HIV‐positive vs. 41% HIV‐negative GBMSM (p<0.0001)]. In adjusted models: HIV‐positive GBMSM were more likely to have heard of TasP if they were Canadian born, unemployed, not using party drugs and had higher CD4 counts; HIV‐negative GBMSM were more likely to have heard of TasP if they were Caucasian (vs. Aboriginal), students, had higher education, a regular partner and multiple sexual partners. Among those aware of TasP 91% of HIV‐positive and 69% of HIV‐negative GBMSM (p<0.0001) felt they knew “a lot” or “a bit in general” about TasP; 64 and 41% (p=0.002) felt HIV treatment made the risk of transmission “a lot lower”; and 21 and 13% (p<0.0001) demonstrated “complete” TasP definitions. The leading information source was doctors (44%) for HIV‐positive GBMSM and community agencies (38%) for HIV‐negative GBMSM, followed by gay media for both populations (34%).ConclusionsNearly half of GBMSM in this study reported having heard of TasP, yet only 14% demonstrated complete understanding of the concept. Variations in TasP awareness and knowledge by HIV status, and key socio‐demographic, behavioural and clinical factors, highlight a need for health communication strategies relevant to diverse communities of GBMSM in order to advance overall TasP health literacy.
Observed eastward progression of the Fukushima 134Cs signal across the North Pacific
Authors: Yoshida Sachiko , Macdonald Alison M. , Jayne Steven R. , Rypina Irina I. , Buesseler Ken O. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractRadionuclide samples taken as part of hydrographic surveys at 30°N in the North Pacific reveal that the easternmost edge of Fukushima‐derived 134Cs observed at 174.3°W in 2012 had progressed eastward across the basin to 160.6°W by 2013. The 2013 30°N observations indicate surface 134Cs concentrations of 3–5 Bq/m3 between 160°E and 160°W, slightly lower concentrations west of 160°E and no detectable signal east of 160.6°W. Profile samples show 134Cs penetration to 500 m west of 180° with shoaling penetration depth toward to the east. The near‐uniform vertical distribution of 137Cs between 152°W and 121.3°W in the top 500 m is indicative of trace amounts of radionuclides remaining from weapons testing. The physical processes responsible for the deep 134Cs penetration in the western Pacific appear to be related to distinct water mass subduction pathways; however, the timing and rapidity of deep penetration over the broad scales observed has yet to be clarified.
Blocking of the PD‐1/PD‐L1 Interaction by a D‐Peptide Antagonist for Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Chang Hao‐Nan , Liu Bei‐Yuan , Qi Yun‐Kun , Zhou Yang , Chen Yan‐Ping , Pan Kai‐Mai , Li Wen‐Wen , Zhou Xiu‐Man , Ma Wei‐Wei , Fu Cai‐Yun , Qi Yuan‐Ming , Liu Lei , Gao Yan‐Feng 
Published: August 2015

AbstractBlockade of the protein–protein interaction between the transmembrane protein programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) and its ligand PD‐L1 has emerged as a promising immunotherapy for treating cancers. Using the technology of mirror‐image phage display, we developed the first hydrolysis‐resistant D‐peptide antagonists to target the PD‐1/PD‐L1 pathway. The optimized compound DPPA‐1 could bind PD‐L1 at an affinity of 0.51 μM in vitro. A blockade assay at the cellular level and tumor‐bearing mice experiments indicated that DPPA‐1 could also effectively disrupt the PD‐1/PD‐L1 interaction in vivo. Thus D‐peptide antagonists may provide novel low‐molecular‐weight drug candidates for cancer immunotherapy.
A case of lymphoproliferative disorder of NK‐cells: aggressive immunophenotype but indolent behavior
Authors: Shi Min , Savage Natasha M. , Salman Huda , Morice William G. 
Published: August 2015

Key Clinical MessageDistinguishing chronic lymphoproliferative disorder of NK‐cells from aggressive NK‐cell leukemia is critical because they have distinct clinical course and management. Immunophenotyping plays a key role in distinguishing these two entities, however, it could not be used as sole criteria and clinical/laboratory findings are equally important.
A Heterogeneous Niobium(V) Oxide Catalyst for the Direct Amidation of Esters
Authors: Ali Md. Ayub , Siddiki S. M. A. Hakim , Kon Kenichi , Shimizu Ken‐ichi 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThis study reports the first example of a heterogeneous catalytic system for the direct amidation of various esters with amines. Of 25 types of catalyst, Nb2O5 shows the highest activity in the amidation of methyl benzoate with aniline. Nb2O5 gives high yields in the amidation of various esters and amines under solvent‐free conditions, is reusable, and shows higher turnover numbers than previously reported homogeneous catalysts such as La(OTf)3. IR spectroscopic studies of ethyl acetate adsorbed on the catalysts show a strong acid–base interaction between the Nb5+ Lewis acid site and carbonyl oxygen, which can result in high reactivity of the ester with a nucleophile (amine) and, thus, high activity of Nb2O5. Kinetic results show that the activity of Nb2O5 does not markedly decrease with increasing aniline concentration, in contrast to reference catalysts TiO2 and La(OTf)3. The relatively low negative impact of basic molecules on the Lewis acid catalysis of Nb2O5 also enables its high activity.
Magnetic Relaxation in Single‐Electron Single‐Ion Cerium(III) Magnets: Insights from Ab Initio Calculations
Authors: Singh Saurabh Kumar , Gupta Tulika , Ungur Liviu , Rajaraman Gopalan 
Published: August 2015

AbstractDetailed ab initio calculations were performed on two structurally different cerium(III) single‐molecule magnets (SMMs) to probe the origin of magnetic anisotropy and to understand the mechanism of magnetic relaxations. The complexes [CeIII{ZnII(L)}2(MeOH)]BPh4 (1) and [Li(dme)3][CeIII(cot′′)2] (1; L=N,N,O,O‐tetradentate Schiff base ligand; 2; DME=dimethoxyethane, COT′′=1,4‐bis(trimethylsilyl)cyclooctatetraenyldianion), which are reported to be zero‐field and field‐induced SMMs with effective barrier heights of 21.2 and 30 K respectively, were chosen as examples. CASSCF+RASSI/SINGLE_ANISO calculations unequivocally suggest that mJ|±5/2〉 and |±1/2〉 are the ground states for complexes 1 and 2, respectively. The origin of these differences is rooted back to the nature of the ligand field and the symmetry around the cerium(III) ions. Ab initio magnetisation blockade barriers constructed for complexes 1 and 2 expose a contrasting energy‐level pattern with significant quantum tunnelling of magnetisation between the ground state Kramers doublet in complex 2. Calculations performed on several model complexes stress the need for a suitable ligand environment and high symmetry around the cerium(III) ions to obtain a large effective barrier.
Synthesis and characterization of hydrochars produced by hydrothermal carbonization of oil palm shell
Authors: Nizamuddin Sabzoi , Jaya Kumar Natesan Subramanian , Sahu Jaya Narayan , Ganesan Poobalan , Mubarak Nabisab Mujawar , Mazari Shaukat Ali 
Published: August 2015

AbstractIn this paper, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is applied to oil palm shells to produce a solid fuel known as hydrochar. The effect of reaction temperatures 220–290 °C at reaction time 30 min, and a biomass to water ratio of 0.15 g/g (15 wt %) was investigated for synthesis of hydrochar. The hydrochar yield percentage decreased from 62.4 to 43 % with increasing temperature from 220 to 290 °C. In addition, carbon percentage increased with an increase in temperature from 26.93 (oil palm shell) to 63.77 % (hydrochar produced at 290 °C). The higher heating value (HHV) tended to increase from 12.24 MJ/kg (oil palm shell) to 26.80 MJ/kg for hydrochar products. The raw palm shell and hydrochars were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Branuer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET), Field Emission Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Surface porosity of hydrochar product increased, which resulted in a compacted surface and large surface area. BET surface area, total pore volume, and average pore diameter were improved from 0.316 m2/g, 0.001 29 cm3/g, and 45.1153 nm to 12.5996 m2/g, 0.0557 cm3/g, and 113.4120 nm, respectively, at 260 °C.
Activation Effect of Fullerene C60 on the Carbon Dioxide Absorption Performance of Amine‐Rich Polypropylenimine Dendrimers
Authors: Andreoli Enrico , Barron Andrew R. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractInvited for this month′s cover are Dr. Enrico Andreoli and Prof. Andrew R. Barron from the Energy Safety Research Institute (ESRI) of Swansea University. The image shows how fullerene C60 can activate amine‐rich polymers toward CO2 capture for clean energy production. The Full Paper itself is available at 10.1002/cssc.201500605.
Influence of terrain aspect on water partitioning, vegetation structure and vegetation greening in high‐elevation catchments in northern New Mexico
Authors: Zapata‐Rios Xavier , Brooks Paul D. , Troch Peter A. , McIntosh Jennifer , Guo Qinghua 
Published: August 2015

AbstractWe investigated vegetation structure, water partitioning dynamics and vegetation greening from 2000 through 2012 in three catchments draining north and east aspects of Redondo Peak in northern New Mexico. Vegetation structure was quantified from 1‐m lidar data, while vegetation greening was quantified using remotely sensed normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Hydrological partitioning at the catchment scale was estimated with a metric of catchment‐scale water fluxes and vegetation water use [Horton index (HI)]. The predominantly north‐facing catchment, when compared with the other two eastern catchments, receives less solar radiation, exhibits less forest cover and smaller biomass and has more surface run‐off (~15% of P) as a consequence of a smaller vaporization (85% of P) and smaller vegetation water consumption (HI = 0·85). Moreover, the north‐facing catchment showed smaller peak NDVI values (5·98) and shorter growing season length (121 days) as a consequence of energy limitation. In contrast, the two eastern catchments receive larger solar radiation and have more biomass and forest cover (>76%), smaller surface run‐off (<10% P) and higher vaporization (>90% P) and vegetation water consumption (HI = 0·95). The eastern catchments had larger vegetation greening (6·28–6·58) and a longer growing season (148–160 days). Snowpack conditions, such as maximum snow water equivalent and duration of the snow on the ground, explain over 95% of water partitioning (HI) that in turn influenced annual vegetation greening (R2 = 0·48–0·67; p < 0·05). This catchment‐scale study in perennial streams indicates that terrain aspect at a similar altitude (2700–3435 m) strongly controls energy, water distribution and vegetation productivity in high‐elevation ecosystems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Heterogeneous responses of systolic and diastolic left ventricular function to exercise in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Kasner Mario , Sinning David , Lober Jil , Post Heiner , Fraser Alan G. , Pieske Burkert , Burkhoff Daniel , Tschöpe Carsten 
Published: August 2015

AbstractAimsThis study aimed to evaluate ventricular diastolic properties using three‐dimensional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging at rest and during exercise in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) patients with borderline evidence of diastolic dysfunction at rest.Methods and resultsResults obtained from 52 HFpEF patients (left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 50%) identified on the basis of heart failure symptoms and E/E′ values between 8 and 15 were compared with those obtained in 26 control patients with no evidence of cardiovascular disease. Mitral flow patterns, tissue Doppler imaging, and volume analysis obtained by three‐dimensional echocardiography were performed at rest and during bicycle exercise. Diastolic compliance was indexed by the E/E′ ratio and left ventricular end‐diastolic volume [(E/E′)/EDV]. There were no significant differences in end‐diastolic volume (EDV), stroke volume (SV), or ejection fraction at rest between groups. In 27 of the 52 patients, E/E′ increased during exercise (11.2 ± 3.7 to 16.8 ± 10.5), driven by a failure to augment early diastole (E′). This correlated with a fall in SV and was associated with an increase in the diastolic index (E/E′)/EDV as a measure for LV stiffness (0.122 ± 0.038 to 0.217 ± 0.14/mL), indicating that impaired diastolic reserve (designated PEF‐IDR) contributed to exercise intolerance. Of the 52 patients, 25 showed no changes in E/E′ during exercise associated with a significant rise in SV and cardiac output, still inappropriate compared with controls. Despite disturbed early diastole (E′), a blunted increase in estimated systolic LV elastance indicated that impaired systolic reserve and chronotropic incompetence rather than primarily diastolic disturbances contributed to exercise intolerance in this group (designated PEF).ConclusionThree‐dimensional stress echocardiography may allow non‐invasive analysis of changes in cardiac output that can differentiate HFpEF patients with an inappropriate increase or a fall in SV during exercise. Impaired systolic or diastolic reserve can contribute to these haemodynamic abnormalities, which may arise from different underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms.
Atrophy patterns in early clinical stages across distinct phenotypes of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Ossenkoppele Rik , Cohn‐Sheehy Brendan I. , La Joie Renaud , Vogel Jacob W. , Möller Christiane , Lehmann Manja , van Berckel Bart N.M. , Seeley William W. , Pijnenburg Yolande A. , Gorno‐Tempini Maria L. , Kramer Joel H. , Barkhof Frederik , Rosen Howard J. , van der Flier Wiesje M. , Jagust William J. , Miller Bruce L. , Scheltens Philip , Rabinovici Gil D. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractAlzheimer's disease (AD) can present with distinct clinical variants. Identifying the earliest neurodegenerative changes associated with each variant has implications for early diagnosis, and for understanding the mechanisms that underlie regional vulnerability and disease progression in AD. We performed voxel‐based morphometry to detect atrophy patterns in early clinical stages of four AD phenotypes: Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA, “visual variant,” n = 93), logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA, “language variant,” n = 74), and memory‐predominant AD categorized as early age‐of‐onset (EOAD, <65 years, n = 114) and late age‐of‐onset (LOAD, >65 years, n = 114). Patients with each syndrome were stratified based on: (1) degree of functional impairment, as measured by the clinical dementia rating (CDR) scale, and (2) overall extent of brain atrophy, as measured by a neuroimaging approach that sums the number of brain voxels showing significantly lower gray matter volume than cognitively normal controls (n = 80). Even at the earliest clinical stage (CDR = 0.5 or bottom quartile of overall atrophy), patients with each syndrome showed both common and variant‐specific atrophy. Common atrophy across variants was found in temporoparietal regions that comprise the posterior default mode network (DMN). Early syndrome‐specific atrophy mirrored functional brain networks underlying functions that are uniquely affected in each variant: Language network in lvPPA, posterior cingulate cortex‐hippocampal circuit in amnestic EOAD and LOAD, and visual networks in PCA. At more advanced stages, atrophy patterns largely converged across AD variants. These findings support a model in which neurodegeneration selectively targets both the DMN and syndrome‐specific vulnerable networks at the earliest clinical stages of AD. Hum Brain Mapp 36:4421–4437, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cost‐effective GRNN‐based modeling of microwave transistors with a reduced number of measurements
Authors: Güneş Filiz , Mahouti Peyman , Demirel Salih , Belen Mehmet Ali , Uluslu Ahmet 
Published: August 2015

AbstractIn this article, a simple, accurate, fast, and reliable black‐box modeling is proposed for the scattering (S)‐parameters and noise (N)‐parameters of microwave transistors using the general regression neural network (GRNN) with the substantially reduced measurements and computational cost. In this modeling method, GRNN is employed as a nonlinear extrapolator to generalize the S‐data and N‐data belonging to only a single bias voltage in the middle region into the entire device operation domain of the bias condition (VDS/VCE, IDS/IC, f) within the shortened human effort. The proposed method is implemented to the modeling of the two transistors BFP640 and ATF‐551 M4 as study cases. Thus, comparisons are made with the multilayer perceptrons, trained by the two standard backward propagation algorithms, which are the Levenberg–Marquardt, Bayesian regularization and the 10 data mining methods recently published in the literature using the chosen training data sets in both ınterpolation and extrapolation types of generalization. All the comparisons are achieved using four criteria commonly used in the literature. It can be concluded that GRNN is found to be a fast and accurate modeling method that extrapolates the reduced amount of training data consisting of measured S‐parameters and N‐parameters at the typical currents of the middle bias voltage to the wide operating range. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.