bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Photo‐Ionization of 3d‐Ions in Fluoride‐Phosphate Glasses
Authors: Möncke Doris 
Published: August 2015

Interaction of radiation with glasses often modifies their properties (e.g., the refractive index). Most noticeable is a loss in transmission. Such phenomena can be exploited in photo‐sensitive materials, but have to be avoided in other applications. To improve the understanding of defect generation processes, a systematic comparison of defect formation in (fluoride‐)phosphate glasses doped with low concentrations of 3d ions was attempted. Samples doped with 10–5000 ppm of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, or Ni were irradiated in the UV range by excimer lasers. Defects, which generally form in the levels of several ppm, were characterized by optical and by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. V4+ was photo‐oxidized to the empty valence shell d0 ion. Co2+, Mn2+, and Fe2+ were all photo‐oxidized to the trivalent state while Ni2+ was photo‐reduced. The fully oxidized Ti4+ was also photo‐reduced. Cr3+ showed photo‐disproportionation into Cr2+ and Cr6+. Qualitative and quantitative changes in defect formation rates depend not only on the ion, but also on the radiation parameters, for example, the wavelength of the excimer lasers used (193, 248, 351 nm) or the initial transmission of the glass samples at the chosen laser wavelength. Defect recovery was followed up to 10 years after the irradiation experiments.
Quantum Dots in Glasses: Size‐Dependent Stokes Shift by Lead Chalcogenide
Authors: Han Na , Liu Chao , Zhao Zhiyong , Zhang Jihong , Xie Jun , Han Jianjun , Zhao Xiujian , Jiang Yang 
Published: August 2015

Size‐dependent Stokes shift of PbS quantum dots (QDs) formed in the glasses was investigated. PbS QDs with diameters of 3.5 nm to 13.3 nm were precipitated in silicate glasses with different S/Pb ratios using the conventional thermal treatment method. Absorption and photoluminescence (PL) of PbS QDs were tuned from ~0.9 μm (1.38 eV) to ~2.3 μm (0.54 eV) by adjusting the diameters of PbS QDs from 3.5 nm to 13.3 nm. PL energies of QDs exhibited linear dependence on the absorption energies with a slope of 0.484 for PbS QDs with band gap energies larger than 0.98 eV, and the maximum Stokes shift was found to be 206.2 meV for 3.5 nm‐sized PbS QDs. For large PbS QDs with band gap energies smaller than 0.98 eV, Stokes shift was found to be ~20 meV or smaller. The size‐dependent Stokes shift indicated that surface defects made the main contribution and relative energy positions of these surface defects were strongly dependent on the size of PbS QDs.
A research survey: review of flexible job shop scheduling techniques
Authors: Chaudhry Imran Ali , Khan Abid Ali 
Published: August 2015

AbstractIn the last 25 years, extensive research has been carried out addressing the flexible job shop scheduling (JSS) problem. A variety of techniques ranging from exact methods to hybrid techniques have been used in this research. The paper aims at presenting the development of flexible JSS and a consolidated survey of various techniques that have been employed since 1990 for problem resolution. The paper comprises evaluation of publications and research methods used in various research papers. Finally, conclusions are drawn based on performed survey results.
Phase Transformation of Metastable ZnSnO3 Upon Thermal Decomposition by In‐Situ Temperature‐Dependent Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Bora Tanujjal , Al‐Hinai Muna H. , Al‐Hinai Ashraf T. , Dutta Joydeep 
Published: August 2015

Temperature‐dependent in‐situ Raman spectroscopy is used to investigate the phase transformation of zinc metastannate (ZnSnO3) to zinc orthostannate (Zn2SnO4) induced upon annealing in the ambient. ZnSnO3 microcubes (MCs) were synthesized at room temperature using a simple aqueous synthesis process, followed by characterization using electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Annealing of the ZnSnO3 MCs was carried out up to 1000°C, while recording the Raman spectra in‐situ at regular intervals. Phase transformation from metastannate to orthostannate was found to begin around 500°C with an activation energy of ~0.965 eV followed by the recrystallization into the inverse spinel orthostannate phase at ~750°C. Results from this study provide detailed understanding of the phase transformation behavior of perovskite ZnSnO3 to inverse spinel Zn2SnO4 upon thermal annealing.
Central role of neutrophil in the pathogenesis of severe acute pancreatitis
Authors: Yang Zhi‐wen , Meng Xiao‐xiao , Xu Ping 
Published: August 2015

AbstractSevere acute pancreatitis (SAP) is an acute abdominal disease with the strong systemic inflammatory response, and rapidly progresses from a local pancreatic damage into multiple organ dysfunction. For many decades, the contributions of neutrophils to the pathology of SAP were traditionally thought to be the chemokine and cytokine cascades that accompany inflammation. In this review, we focus mainly on those recently recognized aspects of neutrophils in SAP processes. First, emerging evidence suggests that therapeutic interventions targeting neutrophils significantly lower tissue damage and protect against the occurrence of pancreatitis. Second, trypsin activation promotes the initial neutrophils recruitment into local pancreas, and subsequently neutrophils infiltration in turn triggers trypsin production. Finally, neutrophils have the unique ability to release neutrophil extracellular traps even in the absence of pathogens.
Association of common polymorphisms in the IL2RA gene with type 1 diabetes: evidence of 32,646 individuals from 10 independent studies
Authors: Tang Wei , Cui Dai , Jiang Lin , Zhao Lijuan , Qian Wei , Long Sarah Alice , Xu Kuanfeng 
Published: August 2015

AbstractSingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the interleukin 2 receptor alpha (IL2RA) gene have been suggested to be associated with type 1 diabetes (T1D) susceptibility. However, the results from individual studies are inconsistent. To explore the association of IL2RA polymorphisms with T1D, including rs11594656, rs2104286, rs3118470, rs41295061 and rs706778, a meta‐analysis involving 10 independent studies with 19 outcomes was conducted: five studies with a total of 10,572 cases and 12,956 controls were analysed for rs11594656 with T1D risk, three studies with 7300 cases and 8331 controls for rs2104286, three studies with 3880 cases and 5409 controls for rs3118470, five studies with 11,253 cases and 13,834 controls for rs41295061 and three studies with 1896 cases and 1709 controls for rs706778 respectively. Using minor allelic comparison, the five investigated SNPs were all observed to have a significant association with T1D: For rs11594656, fixed effect model (FEM) odds ratio (OR) 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83, 0.91; rs2104286, FEM OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.77, 0.85; rs3118470, FEM OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.16, 1.31; rs41295061, random effect model (REM) OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.60, 0.76 and rs706778 FEM OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.08, 1.33. Similar results were obtained when all the included studies were calculated by a REM. Our meta‐analysis suggests that all five SNPs in the IL2RA gene are risk factors for T1D risk, and rs11594656, rs2104286 and rs41295061 are the most associated SNPs in the populations investigated. This conclusion warrants confirmation by further studies.
Comparative genome sequencing to assess the genetic diversity and virulence attributes of 15 Vibrio anguillarum isolates
Authors: Busschaert P , Frans I , Crauwels S , Zhu B , Willems K , Bossier P , Michiels C , Verstrepen K , Lievens B , Rediers H 
Published: August 2015

AbstractVibrio anguillarum is the causative agent of vibriosis, a deadly haemorrhagic septicaemic disease affecting various marine and fresh/brackish water fish, bivalves and crustaceans. However, the diversity and virulence mechanisms of this pathogen are still insufficiently known. In this study, we aimed to increase our understanding of V. anguillarum diversity and virulence through comparative genome analysis of 15 V. anguillarum strains, obtained from different hosts or non‐host niches and geographical regions, among which 10 and 5 strains were found to be virulent and avirulent, respectively, against sea bass larvae. First, the 15 draft genomes were annotated and screened for putative virulence factors, including genes encoding iron uptake systems, transport systems and non‐ribosomal peptide synthetases. Second, comparative genome analysis was performed, focusing on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and small insertions and deletions (InDels). Five V. anguillarum strains showed a remarkably high nucleotide identity. However, these strains comprise both virulent and avirulent strains towards sea bass larvae, suggesting that differences in virulence may be caused by subtle nucleotide variations. Clearly, the draft genome sequence of these 15 strains represents a starting point for further genetic research of this economically important fish pathogen.
A modified prognostic score for critically ill patients with cirrhosis: An observational study
Authors: Bao Qiongling , Wang Baohong , Yu Liang , Weng Honglei , Ge Jianping , Li Lanjuan 
Published: August 2015

AbstractBackground and Aims:It is controversial whether patients with cirrhosis benefit from the intensive care unit (ICU) management. To identify the patients in whom ICU care may offer recovery, this study aimed to determine specific risk factors and to establish a novel prognostic score for 3‐month mortality in critically ill patients with cirrhosis.Methods:An observational study was performed from August 2008 to May 2014, encompassing 349 critically ill patients with cirrhosis during their ICU stay (a 70% training and 30% validation set).Results:The overall 3‐month mortality rate was 68.1% in training cohort. Prothrombin time, serum bilirubin, use of vasopressors, hepatic encephalopathy, and systemic inflammatory response syndrome at admission were identified as being strongly correlated with the 3‐month prognosis. Based on these five variables, a modified score for critically ill cirrhosis (MSCIC) was developed. An increasing MSCIC was significantly correlated with a reduction in the rate of survival (P < 0.001). Moreover, excellent predictive power was found when the MSCIC was used (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.856 ± 0.047), which was significantly better than the prognostic efficiency of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (P < 0.001), Model for End‐stage Liver Disease (P = 0.02), Simplified Acute Physiology Score (P = 0.023), and the Child‐Turcotte‐Pugh score (P = 0.01); the MSCIC score was slightly better than that of Chronic Liver Failure‐Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (P = 0.068). The similar result was obtained in validation set.Conclusions:The MSCIC is an easily adopted tool with a high prognostic efficacy for patients with advanced cirrhosis; MSCIC may act as a supplement to the clinical judgment of physicians when considering the prognosis.
Pinch grip strength as an alternative assessment to hand grip strength for assessing muscle strength in patients with chronic kidney disease treated by haemodialysis: a prospective audit
Authors: El‐Katab S. , Omichi Y. , Srivareerat M. , Davenport A. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractBackgroundMuscle weakness and wasting are prevalent in haemodialysis (HD) patients, and substantially increase mortality. Convenient, readily applicable screening tests for routine clinical practice are required. Hand grip strength (HGS) has been validated in HD patients but cannot be readily measured during a HD session. On the other hand, pinch strength (PS) can be measured during a HD session, and we aimed to compare the two methods of assessing muscle strength.MethodsWe measured pinch strength (PS) and hand grip strength (HGS) in 209 adult HD patients. The mean of three measurements was taken.ResultsThe mean (SD) HGS was 15.3 (7.1) kg, compared to a PS of 2.9 (1.5) kg (P < 0.0001). HGS was weaker in the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) arm than the non‐AVF arm [14.01 (6.9) versus 16.4 (7.1) kg (P < 0.001)], as was PS [AVF arm 2.63 (1.30) versus 3.08 (1.65) kg (P < 0.001)]. We found a strong correlation between HGS and PS (r = 0.82, P < 0.001. Comparing HGS and PS, we found a mean difference of 12.08 kg (Bland–Altman analysis), although the absolute difference was smaller with lower HGS.ConclusionsWe found PS to be highly correlated with HGS, and was more convenient for patients because PS could be readily performed during the HD session. PS may provide an easier screening tool for muscle strength than HGS for dialysis patients, although further validation studies are required.
Care and Service at Home for Persons With Dementia in Europe
Authors: Bökberg Christina , Ahlström Gerd , Leino‐Kilpi Helena , Soto‐Martin Maria E. , Cabrera Esther , Verbeek Hilde , Saks Kai , Stephan Astrid , Sutcliffe Caroline , Karlsson Staffan 
Published: August 2015

AbstractPurposeTo describe available and utilized formal care and service at home for persons with dementia, from diagnosis to end‐of‐life stage, in eight European countries.DesignA descriptive cross‐country design concerning eight European countries as a part of the European research project RightTimePlaceCare.MethodsThe research team in each country used a mapping system to collect country‐specific information concerning dementia care and service system. The mapping system consists of 50 types of care and service activities. Sixteen of the 50 predefined activities concerning care and service at home were selected for this study and subdivided into three categories, following the stages of dementia.FindingsAvailability was reported to be higher than utilization, and the findings indicated more similarities than differences among the eight countries involved. Even though there were several available activities of “basic care and services” and “healthcare interventions,” they were utilized by few in most countries. Furthermore, “specialized dementia care and services” were sparsely available and even more sparsely utilized in the participating countries.ConclusionsThe findings indicated that persons with dementia in Europe received formal care and service on a general, basic level but seldom adjusted to their specific needs.Clinical RelevanceThis study describes the gap between service provision and utilization enabling nurses to develop individually adjusted care plans for persons with dementia during the progress of the disease. The findings do not include matters of quality of care or how to best organize effective care and services. However, the activities of care and services presented here should shed light on what room there is for improvement when it comes to enabling persons with dementia to go on living at home.
Role of nurse practitioners in reducing cardiovascular risk factors: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Klemenc‐Ketis Zalika , Terbovc Alenka , Gomiscek Bostjan , Kersnik Janko 
Published: August 2015

Aims and objectivesTo determine the impact of nurse practitioners' counselling on reducing cardiovascular risk factors in patients participating in routine preventive check‐ups.BackgroundA new model of ‘renewed’ family practice was introduced in Slovenia as a pilot project in 2011, in which nurse practitioners are included in a team carrying out preventive activities and managing patients with stable chronic diseases.DesignA retrospective cohort study.MethodsThis study was conducted in 16 family medicine practices (eight renewed and eight regular family practices). In each family practice, a systematic sample was selected of registered patients participating in a cardiovascular preventive check‐up. Data on sex, age, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, smoking, level of physical activity and cardiovascular risk were collected. Patients attending renewed family practices received counselling on risk factors from nurse practitioners (test group), and patients attending regular family practices received counselling from family physicians (control group). Data were collected again at least one and no more than five years after the baseline consultation.ResultsThere were 128 patients in the test group and 129 patients in the control group. At the control visit, the patients counselled by nurse practitioners had significantly lower levels of systolic blood pressure and cholesterol and practiced regular physical activity significantly more often than patients counselled by family physicians.ConclusionNurse practitioners can be at least as successful as physicians when counselling patients on cardiovascular risk factors during their preventive check‐ups.Relevance to clinical practiceThis study showed that nurse practitioners have an important role in managing patients at the primary care level.
Red Nostalgia: Commemorating Mao in Our Time
Authors: Hung Ruth Y.Y. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThis essay departs from the figure of exoticism to theorize chinoiserie for the twenty‐first century, so we may better address the new realities and forces at work in the context surrounding the (re)creation and redefinition of the “orient.” The paper takes as its focus the cult of posthumous Mao that became fervent in the 1990s and has since the turn of the millennium created a nexus in which global capitalism and “effective authoritarianism” negotiate conflicting interests and, together, create a line of development in their search for a global modernity. I argue that Chinese state capitalism in the twenty‐first century took advantage of cultural consumerism made possible by global capital while working upon and with the genealogy of orientalism, of chinoiserie, in the so‐called West. I seek to show that the commodity industry of posthumous Mao today witnesses chinoiserie's transformation from a western fantasy into a policed imagination – a chinoiserie with Chinese characteristics. For the first time, perhaps, in the case of “China,” the orient constructs itself, for its own purposes, as the “Orient,” the product of a new chinoiserie that serves the state along the lines of its nationalist and universalizing ambitions.
Sound Advice and Internal Reasons
Authors: Tubert Ariela 
Published: August 2015

AbstractReasons internalism holds that reasons for action contain an essential connection with motivation. I defend an account of reasons internalism based on the advisor model. The advisor model provides an account of reasons for action in terms of the advice of a more rational version of the agent. Contrary to Pettit and Smith's proposal and responding to Sobel's and Johnson's objections, I argue that the advisor model can provide an account of internal reasons and that it is too caught up in the psychology of the actual agent to be able to account for anything other than internal reasons.
The Regulatory Status of Genome‐edited Crops
Authors: Wolt Jeffrey D. , Wang Kan , Yang Bing 
Published: August 2015

SummaryGenome editing with engineered nucleases (GEEN) represents a highly specific and efficient tool for crop improvement with the potential to rapidly generate useful novel phenotypes/traits. Genome editing techniques initiate specifically targeted double strand breaks facilitating DNA‐repair pathways that lead to base additions or deletions by non‐homologous end joining as well as targeted gene replacements or transgene insertions involving homology‐directed repair mechanisms. Many of these techniques and the ancillary processes they employ generate phenotypic variation that is indistinguishable from that obtained through natural means or conventional mutagenesis; and therefore, they do not readily fit current definitions of genetically engineered or genetically modified used within most regulatory regimes. Addressing ambiguities regarding the regulatory status of genome editing techniques is critical to their application for development of economically useful crop traits. Continued regulatory focus on the process used, rather than the nature of the novel phenotype developed, results in confusion on the part of regulators, product developers, and the public alike and creates uncertainty as of the use of genome engineering tools for crop improvement.
Epithelial barrier and oral bacterial infection
Authors: Groeger Sabine E. , Meyle Joerg 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThe oral epithelial barrier separates the host from the environment and provides the first line of defense against pathogens, exogenous substances and mechanical stress. It consists of underlying connective tissue and a stratified keratinized epithelium with a basement membrane, whose cells undergo terminal differentiation resulting in the formation of a mechanically resistant surface. Gingival keratinocytes are connected by various transmembrane proteins, such as tight junctions, adherens junctions and gap junctions, each of which has a specialized structure and specific functions. Periodontal pathogens are able to induce inflammatory responses that lead to attachment loss and periodontal destruction. A number of studies have demonstrated that the characteristics of pathogenic oral bacteria influence the expression and structural integrity of different cell–cell junctions. Tissue destruction can be mediated by host cells following stimulation with cytokines and bacterial products. Keratinocytes, the main cell type in gingival epithelial tissues, express a variety of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including interleukin‐1alpha, interleukin‐1beta, interleukin‐6, interleukin‐8 and tumor necrosis factor‐alpha. Furthermore, the inflammatory mediators that may be secreted by oral keratinocytes are vascular endothelial growth factor, prostaglandin E2, interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist and chemokine (C‐C motif) ligand 2. The protein family of matrix metalloproteinases is able to degrade all types of extracellular matrix protein, and can process a number of bioactive molecules. Matrix metalloproteinase activities under inflammatory conditions are mostly deregulated and often increased, and those mainly relevant in periodontal disease are matrix metalloproteinases 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 13 and 24. Viral infection may also influence the epithelial barrier. Studies show that the expression of HIV proteins in the mucosal epithelium is correlated with the disruption of epithelial tight junctions, suggesting a possible enhancement of human papilloma virus infection by HIV‐associated disruption of tight junctions. Altered expression of matrix metalloproteinases was demonstrated in keratinocytes transformed with human papilloma virus‐16 or papilloma virus‐18,. To summarize, the oral epithelium is able to react to a variety of exogenous, possibly noxious influences.