bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Highly Sensitive and Selective Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetric Method Employing a Lead Film Screen‐printed Electrode for Determination of Cobalt as its Nioximate Complex
Authors: Bobrowski Andrzej , Królicka Agnieszka , Maczuga Mariola , Zarębski Jerzy 
Published: July 2015

AbstractA carbon screen‐printed electrode modified in‐situ with lead film (PbF‐SPCE) was applied for the adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of Co(II) in the form of a complex with 1,2‐cyclohexanedione dioxime. Lead film was electrochemically deposited in situ on SPCE from a 0.2 M ammonia buffer solution (pH 8.7) containing 5 ⋅ 10−5 M Pb(NO3)2 and 5 ⋅ 10−5 M nioxime. Due to the very low LOD (0.003 µgL−1, i.e., 0.05 nmol L−1 Co(II); tacc=120s), the developed procedure could be rated among the most sensitive methods employing SPEs. The Ni(II) signal was significantly lower than the Co(II) one and the separation of Ni(II) and Co(II) peaks was even better at the PbF‐SPCE than at the hanging mercury drop electrode.
Mass rig system for shaking table tests of slender columns
Authors: Silva Pedro F. , Sangtarashha Arash , Burgueño Rigoberto 
Published: July 2015

SummaryA new mass rig system is proposed to minimize the deficiencies in current shaking table testing setups. This is accomplished by placing the inertial mass on a convex path designed to impose P‐Delta demands on slender cantilever columns. The design and performance of the mass rig system, and the principles used in deriving the equations of motion and their analytical validation against results obtained from shaking table tests, are presented. Formulation of the governing equations of motion was based on Lagrangian mechanics and solved using an implicit linear acceleration method with an adaptive time step formulation. Friction developed in the sliding system was also incorporated in the equations of motion. Experimental results validated the accuracy in the derivation and solution of the equations of motion. Validated by analytical and experimental results, P‐Delta effects were found to increase the displacement demands on slender columns in the low‐frequency range of acceleration input, while in the high‐frequency range P‐Delta effects led to no increase and in some cases even a reduction in displacement demands. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An analytical model of a deformable cantilever structure rocking on a rigid surface: development and verification
Authors: Vassiliou Michalis F. , Truniger Rico , Stojadinović Božidar 
Published: July 2015

SummaryThis paper extends previously developed models to account for the influence of the column and the foundation masses on the behavior of top‐heavy deformable elastic cantilever columns rocking on a rigid support surface. Several models for energy dissipation at impact are examined and compared. A novel Vertical Velocity Energy Loss model is introduced. Rocking uplift and overturning spectra for the deformable elastic cantilever model excited by sinusoidal ground motions are constructed. The effects of non‐dimensional model parameter variations on the rocking spectra and the overturning stability of the model are presented. It is shown that the remarkable overturning stability of dynamically excited large cantilever columns is not jeopardized by their deformability. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of the spatial organization of land use on muddy flooding from cultivated catchments and recommendations for the adoption of control measures
Authors: Boardman John , Vandaele Karel 
Published: July 2015

AbstractSediment‐laden runoff from arable fields has increasingly been recognized as a threat to housing, infrastructure and watercourses in Western Europe. Research suggests that land‐use change is far more important than any changes in rainfall in explaining recent increases in muddy flooding. However, the importance of changes in the organization of fields in the catchment has been overlooked. The loss of field boundaries has led to the loss of traditional sites of sediment deposition and an increase in the risk of sediment export via valley‐bottom ephemeral gullies. Successful schemes to combat muddy flooding have been pioneered in Flanders. The installation of grassed waterways in topographically controlled concentrated runoff pathways and the creation of sediment deposition structures are effective and efficient muddy flooding control measures. A supportive legislative and financial framework is also essential. The situation in Flanders is contrasted to that in the South Downs National Park, UK, where few measures to combat muddy flooding have been introduced and a supportive framework is lacking. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Medical Cost Attributable to Obesity and Overweight in China: Estimation Based on Longitudinal Surveys
Authors: Qin Xuezheng , Pan Jay 
Published: July 2015

AbstractWith its rapid economic growth and fast changing lifestyle, China witnessed expansionary prevalence of obesity and overweight during the recent decades. This paper provides the first nationally representative estimate of the medical cost attributable to obesity and overweight in China. We improve upon the traditional estimation methodology (two‐part model) by jointly adopting the instrumental variable approach and the panel data methods in order to correct for the potential endogeneity of body size and the individual heterogeneity in medical expenditure. Using longitudinal data from 2000–2009 China Health and Nutrition Surveys, we find that body size has a significant impact on the individual expected medical expenditure and the per capita medical cost attributable to obesity and overweight in a single medical event is estimated to be 6.18 Yuan, or 5.29% of the total personal medical expenditure. This translates to 24.35 billion Yuan annual cost on the national scale, accounting for 2.46% of China's national health care expenditure. The subsample analyses also show that such cost is higher for the urban, women, and better educated people and increases over time. Our results contribute to the literature on the economic impact of obesity in developing countries and bear policy implications on controlling the rising health care costs in China. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impact of Performance‐Based Financing in a Low‐Resource Setting: A Decade of Experience in Cambodia
Authors: Van de Poel Ellen , Flores Gabriela , Ir Por , O'Donnell Owen 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThis paper exploits the geographic expansion of performance‐based financing (PBF) in Cambodia over a decade to estimate its effect on the utilization of maternal and child health services. PBF is estimated to raise the proportion of births occurring in incentivized public health facilities by 7.5 percentage points (25%). A substantial part of this effect arises from switching the location of institutional births from private to public facilities; there is no significant impact on deliveries supervised by a skilled birth attendant, nor is there any significant effect on neonatal mortality, antenatal care and vaccination rates. The impact on births in public facilities is much greater if PBF is accompanied by maternity vouchers that cover user fees, but there is no significant effect among the poorest women. Heterogeneous effects across schemes differing in design suggest that maintaining management authority within a health district while giving explicit service targets to facilities is more effective in raising utilization than contracting management to a non‐governmental organization while denying it full autonomy and leaving financial penalties vague. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Endogenous Spatial Regression and Delineation of Submarkets: A New Framework with Application to Housing Markets
Authors: Bhattacharjee Arnab , Castro Eduardo , Maiti Taps , Marques João 
Published: July 2015

SummaryHousing submarkets have been defined by different criteria: (i) similarity in house attributes; (ii) similarity in hedonic prices; and (iii) substitutability of houses. We show that spatial clustering on (i) and (ii) also satisfies criterion (iii) and develop inferences based on functional linear regression of a hedonic house price model. Then, we delineate submarkets by clustering (jointly) on the surfaces of the estimated functional partial effects and housing features. The above model incorporates both spatial heterogeneity and endogenous spatial dependence. Application to an urban conglomeration in Portugal implies submarkets that emphasize the historical and endogenous evolution of urban spatial structure. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Which came first: The lizard or the egg? Robustness in phylogenetic reconstruction of ancestral states
Authors: Wright April M. , Lyons Kathleen M. , Brandley Matthew C. , Hillis David M. 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTChanges in parity mode between egg‐laying (oviparity) and live‐bearing (viviparity) have occurred repeatedly throughout vertebrate evolution. Oviparity is the ancestral amniote state, and viviparity has evolved many times independently within amniotes (especially in lizards and snakes), with possibly a few reversions to oviparity. In amniotes, the shelled egg is considered a complex structure that is unlikely to re‐evolve if lost (i.e., it is an example of Dollo's Principle). However, a recent ancestral state reconstruction analysis concluded that viviparity was the ancestral state of squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes), and that oviparity re‐evolved from viviparity many times throughout the evolutionary history of squamates. Here, we re‐evaluate support for this provocative conclusion by testing the sensitivity of the analysis to model assumptions and estimates of squamate phylogeny. We found that the models and methods used for parity mode reconstruction are highly sensitive to the specific estimate of phylogeny used, and that the point estimate of phylogeny used to suggest that viviparity is the root state of the squamate tree is far from an optimal phylogenetic solution. The ancestral state reconstructions are also highly sensitive to model choice and specific values of model parameters. A method that is designed to account for biases in taxon sampling actually accentuates, rather than lessens, those biases with respect to ancestral state reconstructions. In contrast to recent conclusions from the same data set, we find that ancestral state reconstruction analyses provide highly equivocal support for the number and direction of transitions between oviparity and viviparity in squamates. Moreover, the reconstructions of ancestral parity state are highly dependent on the assumptions of each model. We conclude that the common ancestor of squamates was oviparous, and subsequent evolutionary transitions to viviparity were common, but reversals to oviparity were rare. The three putative reversals to oviparity with the strongest phylogenetic support occurred in the snakesEryx jayakariandLachesis, and the lizard,Liolaemus calchaqui. Our results emphasize that because the conclusions of ancestral state reconstruction studies are often highly sensitive to the methods and assumptions of analysis, researchers should carefully consider this sensitivity when evaluating alternative hypotheses of character‐state evolution.J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 324B: 504–516, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Combination of sequence‐defined oligoaminoamides with transferrin‐polycation conjugates for receptor‐targeted gene delivery
Authors: Zhang Wei , Rödl Wolfgang , He Dongsheng , Döblinger Markus , Lächelt Ulrich , Wagner Ernst 
Published: July 2015

AbstractBackgroundTransferrin receptor (TfR), over‐expressed on a majority of malignant cells, has been widely studied as a target for drug, protein and gene delivery. Both stable nucleic acid compact ability and efficient cytosol gene release capability are essential for the success of gene delivery.MethodsIn the present study, a novel nonviral TfR‐targeted gene delivery system was developed based on sequence‐defined cationic oligoaminoamide oligomers with endolysosomal buffer capacity and DNA binding transferrin (Tf) polycation conjugates.ResultsGene transfer activities were significantly increased in a series of TfR over‐expressing human tumour cell lines (K562, DU145 and KB) with mixed ternary polyplexes containing Tf‐conjugates and 3‐arm (386 and 689) or 4‐arm (577, 579 and 607) sequence‐defined oligomers. Especially polyplexes containing a histidine‐rich 4‐arm oligomer (607) and Tf‐PEG‐PEI achieved a 100‐fold increase in gene expression compared to previously established formulations. Tf competition experiments indicate enhanced polyplex internalization via TfR as prerequisite for the high transfection activity. The additional histidines in the oligoaminoamide oligomer structure are required for more effective endolysosomal escape of the gene delivery vehicle. Polyplexes formed by first mixing pDNA with the oligomer as a cationic core, followed by the addition of the Tf‐polycation conjugate for presentation at the exterior nanoparticles, exhibited the highest transfection activity.ConclusionsUtilizing the synergistic effects of Tf for receptor targeting and oligomer for packaging and endolysosomal escape, an efficient gene delivery carrier was developed. The mixed polyplex containing Tf‐polycation conjugates and histidinylated 4‐arm oligomer with succinoyl tetraethylene pentamine or glutaroyltriethylene tetramine building blocks exhibited the highest gene transfection efficiency in TfR over‐expressing human tumour cell lines. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Zonal differences in meniscus MR relaxation times in response to in vivo static loading in knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Calixto Nathaniel E. , Kumar Deepak , Subburaj Karupppasamy , Singh Justin , Schooler Joseph , Nardo Lorenzo , Li Xiaojuan , Souza Richard B. , Link Thomas M. , Majumdar Sharmila 
Published: July 2015

ABSTRACTThis study assessed the effects of static loading on MRI relaxation times of menisci in individuals with and without radiographic knee OA. High‐resolution fast spin‐echo (FSE) and T1ρ/T2 relaxation time MR sequences were obtained with and without loading at 50% body weight in 124 subjects. T1ρ/T2 relaxation times were calculated in menisci, and meniscus lesions were assessed through clinical grading. Student's t‐test compared OA and control unloaded relaxation times as well as within‐group changes with loading, Generalized Linear Models evaluated zonal variation, and ANCOVA compared loading response between groups. Unloaded T1ρ and T2 in the middle and inner zones of the lateral anterior horn and outer zone of the medial posterior horn were significantly higher in OA and suggest that meniscal OA change occurs unevenly. Zonal T1ρ and T2 showed differing patterns between anterior and posterior horns, suggesting differences in macromolecular organization. Significant increases with loading were seen largely in the T2 of controls and less frequently in subjects with OA. In the medial posterior horn, T1ρ and T2 decreased with loading in OA but changed negligibly in controls; these significantly different loading responses between groups may indicate load transmission failure in OA menisci. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:249–261, 2016.
Interactions between a plant growth‐promoting rhizobacterium and smoke‐derived compounds and their effect on okra growth
Authors: Papenfus Heino B. , Kulkarni Manoj G. , Stirk Wendy A. , Rengasamy Kannan R. R. , Salomon M. Victoria , Piccoli Patricia , Bottini Rubén , Staden Johannes van 
Published: July 2015

AbstractPlant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are used in agriculture to improve crop yield. Crude smoke–water (made by bubbling plant‐derived smoke through water) stimulates germination and improves seedling growth. Some active compounds have been isolated from smoke with karrikinolide (KAR1) stimulating plant growth and trimethylbutenolide (TMB) being inhibitory. These smoke compounds have great potential in agriculture but their interaction with PGPR is unknown. In the present study, a two‐factorial pot trial with three replicates per treatment was designed to investigate the interactions between Bacillus licheniformis and two concentrations each of smoke–water, KAR1, and TMB on okra (Abelmoschus esculentus). Growth and physiological parameters (chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein, sugar and α‐amylase) of okra as well as bacterial abundance in the rhizosphere were measured after 5 weeks. Application of B. licheniformis and 10−7 M KAR1 significantly improved the shoot biomass and 10−7 M KAR1 also significantly improved leaf area of okra. However, when 10−7 M KAR1 was applied in combination with B. licheniformis, there was an antagonistic effect on plant growth. While TMB had a negative effect on plant growth, a combination treatment of TMB and B. licheniformis overcame the inhibitory effect of TMB resulting in plant growth similar to the control plants. All treatments had no effect on chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein and sugar concentrations, while α‐amylase activity was significantly elevated in okra root treated with 1:500 (v/v) smoke–water. Determining the rhizobacteria populations at harvest showed that all treatments had no significant effect on the rhizosphere microbial abundance. The modes of interaction between PGPR and smoke‐derived compounds need to be further elucidated.
Analyzing organic matter composition at intact biopore and crack surfaces by combining DRIFT spectroscopy and Pyrolysis‐Field Ionization Mass Spectrometry#
Authors: Leue Martin , Eckhardt Kai‐Uwe , Ellerbrock Ruth H. , Gerke Horst H. , Leinweber Peter 
Published: July 2015

AbstractIn the clay‐illuvial horizons (Bt) of Luvisols, surfaces of biopores and aggregates can be enriched in clay and organic matter (OM), relative to the bulk of the soil matrix. The OM composition of these coatings determines their bio‐physico‐chemical properties and is relevant for transport and transformation processes but is largely unknown at the molecular scale. The objective of this study was to improve the interpretation of spectra from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in diffuse reflectance mode (DRIFT) by using thermograms and released ion intensities obtained with pyrolysis‐field ionization mass spectrometry (Py‐FIMS) for a more detailed analysis of the mm‐scale spatial distribution of OM components at intact structural surfaces. Samples were separated from earthworm burrow walls, crack coatings, uncoated cracks, root channels, and pinhole fillings of the Bt‐horizons of Luvisols. The information from Py‐FI mass spectra enabled the assignment of OM functional groups also from spectral regions of overlapping DRIFT signal intensities to specific OM compound classes. In particular, bands from C=O and C=C bonds in the infrared range of wave numbers between 1,641 and 1,605 cm−1 were related to heterocyclic N‐compounds, benzonitrile, and naphthalene. The OM at earthworm burrow walls was composed of chemically labile aliphatic C‐rich and rather stable lignin and alkylaromatic compounds whereas the OM of thick crack coatings and pinholes was dominated by heterocyclic N and nitriles and high‐molecular compounds, likely originating from combustion residues. In combination with Py‐FIMS, DRIFT applications to intact samples seem promising for generating a more detailed mm‐scale spatial distribution of OM‐related sorption and wettability properties of crack and biopore surfaces that may serve as preferential flow paths in structured soils.
Internal to external jugular vein bypass allowing for simultaneous bilateral radical neck dissection
Authors: Mourad Moustafa , Saman Masoud , Ducic Yadranko 
Published: July 2015

Objectives/HypothesisThe goal of the study was to determine the role of internal jugular vein (IJV) to external jugular vein (EJV) bypass grafting in the setting of bilateral radical neck dissection with IJV sacrifice.Study DesignThe study group consisted of eight patients who underwent bilateral radical neck dissection with IJV sacrifice. Demographic and oncologic parameters were defined for each patient, including age, gender, and pathology. Patients were monitored and evaluated for potential effects of increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Doppler ultrasonic evaluation was performed to assess patency of the site of anastamoses.ResultsIn all, six patients underwent unilateral bypass grafting, whereas two patients underwent bilateral bypass grafts. Average age at time of surgery was 68.2 (range 56–71). Postoperatively, no sequelae of increased ICP were noted. Follow‐up ultrasonic evaluation revealed patent vessels in all patients.ConclusionWe presently report on the use of EJV‐to‐IJV bypass grafting for all patients undergoing bilateral radical neck dissection for extensive neck disease.Level of Evidence4.Laryngoscope, 125:2480–2484, 2015
Cricothyroid joint anatomy as a predicting factor for success of cricoid‐thyroid approximation in transwomen
Authors: Tschan Sarina , Honegger Flurin , Storck Claudio 
Published: July 2015

Objectives/HypothesisCricoid‐thyroid approximation (CTA) performed to elevate the vocal pitch in transwomen fails in about one‐third of the patients. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of predicting the likelihood of success of CTA by preoperative determination of the crico‐thyroid joint (CTJ) type using three‐dimensional (3‐D) images derived from high‐resolution computer tomography (HRCT).Study DesignProspective cohort study of 18 transwomen who underwent CTA at our institution.MethodsAll patients had a preoperative and a postoperative HRCT of the larynx, as well as pre‐ and postoperative measurements of the fundamental vocal pitch (F0).ResultsThree‐dimensional images showed type A CTJs in 11 patients and type B or C CTJs in seven patients (see below for the definition of these types). Cricoid‐thyroid approximation raised the F0 on average by 76 Hz in patients with type A CTJs and by 45 Hz in patients with type B/C CTJs. Moreover, CTA produced a vocal fold elongation of 17% in larynges with type A joint but only of 3% in larynges with type B/C joints.ConclusionThree‐dimensional images allow the differentiation of type A versus type B/C CTJs but not the distinction between type B and type C CTJs. Both vocal pitch elevation and vocal fold elongation following CTA are significantly greater in patients with type A CTJs than in patients with type B/C CTJs. Based on these preliminary results, we recommend identifying the CTJ type on 3‐D images and limiting CTA to patients with type A CTJs.Level of Evidence4. Laryngoscope, 126:1380–1384, 2016