bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A study of peripheral visual field characteristics at intersections with unobstructed visibility
Authors: Toyoda Keiji , Iwai Naoki , Oyama Shouta 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThis paper describes a basic experiment and simulation of two peripheral visual field characteristics that are related to major factors in rural district accidents, namely, collision course relationships, and presence of objects in the peripheral visual field. The quantitative recognition threshold for shape changes (stimulus) in the peripheral visual field is studied. It is found that such critical dimensions as the diameter of a circle, the side length of a square or triangle, and the axis length of an oval are important in recognizing vehicles moving on a perpendicular course. It is shown that a similar principle applies to aircraft moving in three‐dimensional space, not just to vehicles moving on a two‐dimensional plane. This paper identifies the limit of the peripheral visual field characteristic, one of the human visual characteristics, and also shows that there is no dependence on figure shape for other figures whose maximum side size is the same as the diameter of the circle. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 96(1): 25–32, 2013; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.11428
Intelligent control for a distributed flexible network photovoltaic system using autonomous control and agent
Authors: Park Sangsoo , Miura Yushi , Ise Toshifumi 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThis paper proposes intelligent control for a distributed flexible network photovoltaic system using autonomous control and agents. The distributed flexible network photovoltaic system is composed of a secondary battery bank and a number of subsystems which have a solar array, a DC/DC converter, and a load. The control mode of the DC/DC converter can be selected based on local information by autonomous control. However, if only autonomous control using local information is applied, there are some problems associated with several cases, such as voltage drops on long power lines. To overcome these problems, the authors propose introducing agents to improve the control characteristics. The autonomous control with agents is called intelligent control in this paper. The intelligent control scheme that employs communication between agents is applied to the model system and validated by simulation using PSCAD/EMTDC. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 96(1): 14–24, 2013; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.11432
A Database of Topological Representations of Polynuclear Nickel Compounds
Authors: Wix Paul , Kostakis George E. , Blatov Vladislav A. , Proserpio Davide M. , Perlepes Spyros P. , Powell Annie K. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractAll coordination clusters containing five or more Ni centers (CCDC v. 5.33, Nov. 2011) were analyzed by a recently developed automatic method that identified 318 compounds adopting 126 topologically different motifs. A database was created in which all of the Ni compounds are collected and illustrated in such a way that it can be searched by cluster topological symbol and nuclearity, compound name, year, and Refcode, as well as by their representation in the Protein Data Bank. Structural comparisons and applications to show the advantages of this method are also presented.
Knowledge matters: Anchoring effects are moderated by knowledge level
Authors: Smith Andrew R. , Windschitl Paul D. , Bruchmann Kathryn 
Published: December 2012

AbstractPrevious research into the relationship between knowledge level and anchoring effects has led to mixed conclusions. This paper presents four studies that used a diverse set of stimuli and paradigms to further investigate this relationship. In Study 1, greater knowledge was associated with smaller anchoring effects—both when knowledge was measured using subjective self‐assessments and when using an objective knowledge measure. In Study 2, participants from the USA and India tended to exhibit smaller anchoring effects when answering questions about their own country as compared with questions about the other country. In Study 3, higher knowledge was associated with smaller anchoring effects when examined at an idiographic level. Finally, in Study 4, providing participants with information designed to increase their knowledge led to a decrease in anchoring effects. The consistency of the results across our four studies provides evidence that anchoring effects are moderated by knowledge level in many situations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Belief in conspiracy theories: The influence of uncertainty and perceived morality
Authors: van Prooijen Jan‐Willem , Jostmann Nils B. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractIn the present research, we examined people's tendency to endorse or question belief in conspiracy theories. In two studies, we tested the hypothesis that the perceived morality of authorities influences conspiracy beliefs, particularly when people experience uncertainty. Study 1 revealed that information about the morality of oil companies influenced beliefs that these companies were involved in planning the war in Iraq, but only when uncertainty was made salient. Similar findings were obtained in Study 2, which focused on a bogus newspaper article about a fatal car accident of a political leader in an African country. It is concluded that uncertainty leads people to make inferences about the plausibility or implausibility of conspiracy theories by attending to morality information. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Natural gas & electricity pricing: Natural gas challenge to King Coal: Check or checkmate?
Authors: Bodell Tanya 
Published: December 2012

AbstractA long‐standing mainstay of the US power sector, coal fuels 45 percent of domestic power production.1 Termed the “Saudi Arabia” of coal since the 1970s, the United States boasts more than one‐quarter of the world's coal reserves, ranked number one in the world and well ahead of Russia and China.2 Yet at the beginning of 2012, President Obama anointed the United States as the “Saudi Arabia of natural gas.”3 The president's new title must reflect the speed of the nation's apparent transition toward natural gas rather than the relative level of reserves, for the United States is ranked fifth among all countries with only 3 percent of the world's total natural gas reserves.4
Increased astrocytic ATP release results in enhanced excitability of the hippocampus
Authors: Lee Hae Ung , Yamazaki Yoshihiko , Tanaka Kenji F. , Furuya Kishio , Sokabe Masahiro , Hida Hideki , Takao Keizo , Miyakawa Tsuyoshi , Fujii Satoshi , Ikenaka Kazuhiro 
Published: December 2012

AbstractAstrocytes, a major subtype of glia, interact with neurons as a supportive partner supplying energy sources and growth factors. Astrocytes regulate the activity of neighboring neurons by releasing chemical transmitters (gliotransmitters). However, the precise role of gilotransmitters in regulating neuronal activity is still under debate. Here, we report that a subtle enhancement in the release of one gliotransmitter, ATP, affects synaptic potentiation from an analysis of mice containing an astrocyte‐selective (GFAP) mutation. We found that, relative to normal mice, weaker stimulation induced long‐term potentiation (LTP) in mutant mice, indicating that the threshold to induce LTP was lowered in the mutant. While excitatory transmission was normal in the mutant, inhibitory GABAergic transmission was suppressed. We found that a low concentration of adenosine selectively attenuated inhibitory neuronal activity and lowered the threshold to induce LTP in wild type mice. In comparison, adenosine A1 receptor antagonism reversed the lowered LTP threshold back to normal in the mutant mouse. We verified that adenosine levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of mutant mice were slightly elevated compared to wild type mice. This was apparently caused by an increase in ATP release from mutant astrocytes that could provide a source of augmented adenosine levels in the mutant. ATP is thought to suppress the excitability of neuronal circuits; however, a small increase in ATP release can result in a suppressed inhibitory tone and enhanced excitability of neuronal circuitry. These findings demonstrate that ATP released from astrocytes acts in a bidirectional fashion to regulate neuronal excitability depending on concentration. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dynamics of exosome internalization and trafficking
Authors: Tian Tian , Zhu Yan‐Liang , Hu Fei‐Hu , Wang Yuan‐Yuan , Huang Ning‐Ping , Xiao Zhong‐Dang 
Published: December 2012

AbstractCells release exosomes into extracellular medium. Although the important roles of exosomes in many physiological and pathological processes are being revealed, the mechanism of exosome–cell interaction remains unclear. In this article, employing real‐time fluorescence microscopy, the motion of exosomes on the plasma membrane or in the cytoplasm of recipient PC12 cells was observed directly. In addition, several motion modes of exosomes were revealed by single particle tracking (SPT). The changes between motion modes were also detected, presenting the dynamic courses of exosome attachment onto plasma membrane and exosome uptake. Octadecyl rhodamine B chloride (R18) was found to be useful to distinguish endocytosis from fusion during exosome uptake. Colocalization with organelle markers showed exosomes were sorted to acidic vesicles after internalization. The results provide new sight into the exosome–cell interaction mode and the intercellular trafficking of exosomes. This study will help to understand the roles of exosomes at cell level. J. Cell. Physiol. 228: 1487–1495, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Decreased expression of autophagic beclin 1 protein in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis fibroblasts
Authors: Ricci Alberto , Cherubini Emanuela , Scozzi Davide , Pietrangeli Vittorio , Tabbì Luca , Raffa Salvatore , Leone Laura , Visco Vincenzo , Torrisi Maria Rosaria , Bruno Pierdonato , Mancini Rita , Ciliberto Gennaro , Terzano Claudio , Mariotta Salvatore 
Published: December 2012

AbstractAutophagy is the main cellular pathway for degradation of long‐lived proteins and organelles and regulates cell fate in response to stress. Beclin 1 is a key regulator of this process. In some settings autophagy and apoptosis seem to be interconnected. Recent reports indicate that fibroblasts in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) acquire resistance to apoptosis. Here, we examined the expression of beclin 1, and of the anti apoptotic protein Bcl‐2 in human IPF fibroblasts using immunohistochemistry and molecular biology in bioptic sections, in primary cultures of fibroblasts taken from patients with IPF and in fibroblast cell lines. Expression of beclin 1 in fibroblasts from IPF was down‐regulated in comparison with fibroblasts from normal lungs while the anti‐apoptotic protein Bcl‐2 expression was over‐expressed. Treatment of fibroblast cell cultures with cisplatin induced a significant increase in beclin 1 and caspase 3 protein levels but a reduction in Bcl‐2 expression. These observations were confirmed by the analysis of acid compartments and transmission electron microscopy. Our results demonstrate a modified expression of the apoptotic beclin 1 Bcl‐2 proteins in human IPF fibroblasts suggesting the existence of an autophagy/apoptosis system dysfunction. J. Cell. Physiol. 228: 1516–1524, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Erosion Potential under Miconia calvescens Stands on the Island of Hawai‘i
Authors: Nanko K. , Giambelluca T. W. , Sutherland R. A. , Mudd R. G. , Nullet M. A. , Ziegler A. D. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThis study provides evidence that Miconia calvescens has the potential to accelerate surface erosion in stands where it invades by (i) reducing under‐canopy light levels, thereby reducing the establishment of ground cover vegetation, and (ii) producing highly erosive throughfall drops on large leaves in a single‐layer canopy. The throughfall energy in a stand of invasive miconia on the Island of Hawai‘i (USA), assessed by measuring the drop size and drop velocity distributions with a laser disdrometer, was significantly higher than that in a stand of native ‘ōhi‘a (Metrosideros polymorpha) and ambient rainfall. Median throughfall drop size for miconia (3·83 mm) was twice that of ambient rainfall (1·62 mm). Highly erosive throughfall resulted from large drops forming on large miconia leaves and relatively high fall velocities associated with the single‐story miconia canopy. In contrast, multi‐storied natural ‘ōhi‘a had a larger median drop size; however, a lower fall height reduced throughfall effective kinetic energy. Furthermore, the effective kinetic energy for miconia was high because large drops (> 3·8 mm) with high kinetic energy accounted for 60 per cent of the total energy (versus 30–40 per cent for other vegetation types). Consequently, unit kinetic energy of throughfall was 28 J m−2 mm−1 under miconia, compared with <24 J m−2 mm−1 for rainfall and <20 J m−2 mm−1 under ‘ōhi‘a. These data, combined with the observation of limited protective ground cover under miconia, show the potential for accelerated erosion occurring on forest floors in stands of invasive miconia. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization Multiscale of Poly(propylene) Nanocomposites Made up with Modified Nanoclay
Authors: Acebes M. , Domínguez C. , Corrales A. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractSummary: This paper shows the characterization carried out in polypropylene nanocomposites made up with different proportions of modified nanoclays (1% 2.5% and 5%). Modified nanoclay (montmorillonite) has been added to improve the mechanical properties of the original matrix and increase its heat resistance. The objective of this work is to characterize multiscale nanocomposites, from nano‐scale to macroestrucutural scale using thermography, nanoindentaton and mechanical testing.
Rheological Behavior of Thermoplastic Vulcanizates
Authors: Prut E. , Medintseva T. , Solomatin D. , Kuznetsova O. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractSummary: Dynamic and steady shear rheological properties of dynamically vulcanized iPP/EPDM blends were investigated. Two different curing systems based on sulfur or phenolic resin were applied on iPP/EPDM blends. The use of phenolic resin system allows producing materials with lower viscosity at higher rubber content in comparison with sulfur‐cured compositions. Melt rheological properties of iPP/EPDM blends with different loading levels of paraffinic oil were studied. Significant improvement in the flowability is observed for TPVs extended with 50 wt% oil. A partial replacement of EPDM on rubber powder decreases the viscosity of materials.
Multifunctional Nanostructured Composites Based on TiO2 Nanoparticles
Authors: Gutierrez J. , Mondragon I. , Tercjak A. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractSummary: Inorganic‐organic nanostructured thermosetting composites based on poly(styrene‐block‐ethylene oxide) (SEO) block copolymer used as templating agent and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles synthesized via sol‐gel were prepared. The morphologies generated in the binary and ternary epoxy‐based systems were studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Ternary systems showed good dispersion of synthesized nanoparticles and simultaneously maintained nanostructure order of the cured block copolymer/epoxy‐based system due to self‐assembly of SEO block copolymer. Transparent multifunctional advanced thermosetting materials with tuneable properties controlled varying the ratio between inorganic and organic components was successfully designed.
In Situ Synthetized Silver/Epoxy Nanocomposites: Electrical Characterization in Terms of Dielectric Relaxation Spectroscopy
Authors: Kortaberria G. , Sangermano M. , Mondragon I. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractSummary: In situ synthesis of silver/epoxy nanocomposites was achieved by UV‐induced polymerization through a simultaneous photoinduced electron transfer and cationic polymerization processes. The evolution of dielectric properties with frequency and NP content seem to indicate that the nanocomposites of this study remain below the percolation threshold.
Tailored Morphologies of Poly(styrene‐block‐butadiene‐block‐methyl methacrylate) Triblock Copolymers and Their Blends with Polystyrene Homopolymers
Authors: Martin L. , Irusta L. , González A. , Kortaberria G. , Tercjak A. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractSummary: Self‐assembly is an interesting strategy for the creation of periodic structures at the nanoscale. The microphase separation in a linear ternary block copolymer consisting on three immiscible components (ABC), give rise to the formation of different final morphologies that can be controlled by various parameters. In this work, the morphologies of three poly(styrene‐b‐butadien‐b‐methyl methacrylate) triblock copolymers with similar molecular weight and their blends with PS homopolymers were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Redistribution of the homopolymer in blends generates new structures could be tailored according to the desired applications.
Effect of Amount of Carbon Nanotubes in Polyurethane Dispersions
Authors: Orgilés‐Calpena E. , Arán‐Aís F. , Torró‐Palau A. M. , Orgilés‐Barceló C. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractSummary: The possibility of incorporating nanotubes to adhesives opens a new range of innovative solutions, due to their unique structure and properties. In this sense, the objective of this work is the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to waterborne polyurethane adhesives (WBPU) to improve their rheological, viscoelastic, thermal and mechanical properties and even impart some electrical conductive character to adhesives. Specifically, the stability of the dispersion and the influence of the amount of nanotubes on the properties of the adhesive have been studied.
Effect of Processing Method on Mechanical Properties of PC/ABS‐MWCNT Nanocomposites
Authors: Wegrzyn M. , Galindo B. , Benedito A. , Giménez E. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractSummary: Nanocomposites of commercial PC/ABS matrix filled with multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) suspended in ethyl alcohol were compounded on twin‐screw co‐rotating extruder and subsequently injection molded varying injection speed and temperature. Optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the morphology of nanocomposites. A presence of fine agglomerates of carbon nanotubes was observed. The elastic modulus and stress at yield point increased with MWCNT content for all nanocomposites. However, higher values of yield stress were obtained for lower injection velocities, due to more homogeneous dispersion at mild injection molding conditions.
Sa‐Lrp from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius is a versatile, glutamine‐responsive, and architectural transcriptional regulator
Authors: Vassart Amelia , Van Wolferen Marleen , Orell Alvaro , Hong Ye , Peeters Eveline , Albers Sonja‐Verena , Charlier Daniel 
Published: December 2012

AbstractSa‐Lrp is a member of the leucine‐responsive regulatory protein (Lrp)‐like family of transcriptional regulators in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Previously, we demonstrated the binding of Sa‐Lrp to the control region of its own gene in vitro. However, the function and cofactor of Sa‐Lrp remained an enigma. In this work, we demonstrate that glutamine is the cofactor of Sa‐Lrp by inducing the formation of octamers and increasing the DNA‐binding affinity and sequence specificity. In vitro protein‐DNA interaction assays indicate that Sa‐Lrp binds to promoter regions of genes with a variety of functions including ammonia assimilation, transcriptional control, and UV‐induced pili synthesis. DNA binding occurs with a specific affinity for AT‐rich binding sites, and the protein induces DNA bending and wrapping upon binding, indicating an architectural role of the regulator. Furthermore, by analyzing an Sa‐lrp deletion mutant, we demonstrate that the protein affects transcription of some of the genes of which the promoter region is targeted and that it is an important determinant of the cellular aggregation phenotype. Taking all these results into account, we conclude that Sa‐Lrp is a glutamine‐responsive global transcriptional regulator with an additional architectural role.
Personas in action: linking event participation motivation to charitable giving and sports
Authors: Hendriks Marieke , Peelen Ed 
Published: December 2012

Charitable organizations continue to use sport events to raise money for the cause and provide meaningful experiences for participants. This study analyzes the motivation for participating in a charity sport event. Four segments of participants have been distinguished based upon a cluster analysis; for each of them, personas have been constructed on the basis of qualitative research. How to approach these personas with different propositions has been formulated on the basis of their motivation regarding the cause and/or the actual sport activities. The purpose of this study is to contribute to a common understanding and method of creation of personas, a new and largely untested tool. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the value of detecting the most valuable participant segments in order to influence and leverage future and repeat participation as a basis for success of a fundraising event for a charity's cause.Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimization of a quantitative signal detection algorithm for spontaneous reports of adverse events post immunization
Authors: Van Holle Lionel , Bauchau Vincent 
Published: December 2012

ABSTRACTPurposeTo optimize the efficiency of signal detection by maximizing the proportion of true positive (TP) signals among signals detected by a disproportionality algorithm.MethodsWe compared 176 different combinations of stratification factors, sex (S), age (A), region (R) and year of report (Y), and cut‐off values of a Multi‐Item Gamma Poisson Schrinker (MGPS) algorithm. Spontaneous adverse event reports of eight vaccines from the GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals safety database were used. Defining events listed in the Product Information as proxy of true safety signals, we compared each algorithm performance in terms of positive predictive value (PPV). For each vaccine, each algorithm was ranked according to PPV. Median rank and overall PPV were computed across vaccines.ResultsFor a standard cut‐off of 2, the optimal stratification factors differed by vaccine and led to a set of algorithms with a median rank of 34.5 (PPV = 0.22; 34 TP). Keeping the original SARY stratification led to optimal cut‐offs that differed by vaccine and a set of algorithms with a median rank of 1.75 (PPV = 0.20; 142 TP). The optimal combination of cut‐off and stratification led to different algorithms by vaccine with a median rank of 1 (PPV = 0.19; 139 TP). The best unique algorithm parameterization across vaccines was 0.8‐SARY (cut‐off‐stratification), with a median rank of 3 (PPV = 0.20; 195 TP). The original 2‐SARY was one of the worst algorithms, with a median rank of 150.75 (PPV = 0.13; 8 TP).ConclusionWithin the scope of this study, a unique MGPS algorithm across vaccines with the original full stratification but a lowered cut‐off provided major performance improvement. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.