bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of GLDAS Soil Moisture Anomalies against Standardized Precipitation Index and Multisatellite Estimations over South America
Authors: Spennemann Pablo C. , Rivera Juan A. , Saulo A. Celeste , Penalba Olga C. 
Published: October 2014

Abstract
This study aims to compare simulated soil moisture anomalies derived from different versions of the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), the standardized precipitation index (SPI), and a new multisatellite surface soil moisture product over southern South America. The main motivation is the need for assessing the reliability of GLDAS variables to be used in the characterization of soil state and its variability at the regional scale. The focus is on the southeastern part of South America (SESA), which is part of the La Plata basin, one of the largest basins of the world, where agriculture is the main source of income. The results show that GLDAS data capture soil moisture anomalies and their variability, taking into account regional and seasonal dependencies and showing correspondence with other proxies used to characterize soil states. Over large portions of the domain, and particularly over SESA, the correlation with the SPI is very high, with the second version of GLDAS, version 2 (GLDAS-2 v2), exhibiting the highest values regardless of the season. Similar results were obtained by comparing the surface soil moisture anomalies from the GLDAS land surface model (LSM) against the satellite estimations for a shorter period of time. This work documents that the precipitation dataset used to force each LSM and the choice of the LSM are of major relevance for representing soil conditions in an adequate manner. The results are considered to support the use of GLDAS as an indicator of soil moisture states and for developing new soil moisture–monitoring indices that can be applied, for example, in the context of agricultural production management.
TAILS N-terminomics of human platelets reveals pervasive metalloproteinase-dependent proteolytic processing in storage
Authors: Prudova Anna , Serrano Katherine , Eckhard Ulrich , Fortelny Nikolaus , Devine Dana V. , Overall Christopher M. 
Published: October 2014

Key Points
TAILS proteomics identified 2938 human platelet proteins, pervasive proteolytic processing, and precise proteolytic cleavage sites in stored platelets. During storage, metalloproteinases were predominantly involved in proteolytic processing, while other proteinases were mainly involved in degradation.
The deviation of growth model for transparent conductive graphene
Authors: Chan Shih-Hao , Chen Jia-Wei , Chen Hung-Pin , Wei Hung-Sen , Li Meng-Chi , Chen Sheng-Hui , Lee Cheng-Chung , Kuo Chien-Cheng 
Published: October 2014

Abstract
An approximate growth model was employed to predict the time required to grow a graphene film by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Monolayer graphene films were synthesized on Cu foil at various hydrogen flow rates from 10 to 50 sccm. The sheet resistance of the graphene film was 310Ω/□ and the optical transmittance was 97.7%. The Raman intensity ratio of the G-peak to the 2D peak of the graphene film was as high as ~4 when the hydrogen flow rate was 30 sccm. The fitting curve obtained by the deviation equation of growth model closely matches the data. We believe that under the same conditions and with the same setup, the presented growth model can help manufacturers and academics to predict graphene growth time more accurately.
A self-organized metaheuristic approach towards inter-cell interference management for LTE-Advanced
Authors: Shahid Adnan , Aslam Saleem , Sohaib Sarmad , Kim Hyung Seok , Lee Kyung-Geun 
Published: October 2014

Abstract
In order to meet the high throughput demand set by international mobile telecommunication union, carrier aggregation is exploited for expanding the bandwidth of up to 100 MHz in Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A). For achieving the aforementioned bandwidth, a maximum of five component carriers (CCs) can be aggregated as per Release 10 LTE-A. Improper CC selection and scheduling will result in hazardous throughput, fairness, and interference problems. Therefore, a proper CC selection and scheduling algorithm is most important for the overall performance of the network. On the other hand, due to an increased information exchange, centralized network planning is not a suitable choice here. In this study, we are employing a self-organized particle swarm optimization (PSO)-based joint component carrier selection and scheduling (JCCS) algorithm for the downlink. More precisely, the concern of the proposed algorithm is the autonomous distribution of resource blocks (RBs) from the pool of CCs by the base station, with the concern of minimizing the impact of inter-cell interference. Our proposed PSO-based JCCS algorithm results in the maximization of the min-max throughput by managing the inter-cell interference in an appropriate manner. Moreover, the proposed algorithm is compared with the traditional CC selection and scheduling algorithms, i.e., random, round robin, and proportional fair. The comparison is carried out in terms of throughput and fairness, and the calculated percentage gain in the end elaborates the performance improvement by exploiting PSO-based JCCS.
Patient Engagement and Patient-Centred Care in the Management of Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease and Chronic Kidney Failure
Authors: Bear Robert Allan , Stockie Suzanne 
Published: October 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to review the current status of patient-centred care (PCC) and patient engagement (PE) in the management of patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), to identify some of the barriers that exist to the achievement of PCC and PE, and to describe how these barriers can be overcome. Sources of information: The review is based on the professional experience of one of the authors (RB) as a Nephrologist and health care consultant, on the MBA thesis of one of the authors (SS) and on a review of pertinent internet-based information and published literature. Findings: Evidence exists that, currently, the care of patients with advanced CKD and ESRD is not fully patient-centred or fully supportive of PE. A number of barriers exist, including: conflict with other priorities; lack of training and fear of change; the unequal balance of power between patients and providers; physician culture and behaviour; the fee-for-service model of physician compensation; slow implementation of electronic health records; and, fear of accountability. These barriers can be overcome by committed leadership and the development of an information-based implementation plan. Established Renal Agencies in Canada appear interested in facilitating this work by collaborating in the development of a toolkit of recommended educational resources and preferred implementation practices for use by ESRD Programs. Limitations: A limitation of this review is the absence of a substantial pre-existing literature on this topic. Implications: Receiving care that is patient-centred and that promotes PE benefits patients with serious chronic diseases such as advanced CKD and ESRD. Considerable work is required by ESRD Programs to ensure that such care is provided. Canadian Renal Agencies can play an important role by ensuring that ESRD Programs have access to essential educational material and proven implementation approaches and that implementation successes are celebrated. In this area, enabling policies are required, as are clinical research studies focusing on the measurement of outcomes.
Gelatin-chondroitin-6-sulfate-hyaluronic acid scaffold seeded with vascular endothelial growth factor 165 modified hair follicle stem cells as a three-dimensional skin substitute
Authors: Quan Renfu , Zheng Xuan , Xu Shichao , Zhang Liang , Yang Disheng 
Published: October 2014

Abstract
Introduction
In the field of skin tissue engineering, gelatin-chondroitin-6-sulfate-hyaluronic acid (Gel-C6S-HA) stents are a suitable bio skin substitute. The purpose was to investigate the effect of genetically-modified hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs), combined with Gel-C6S-HA scaffolds, on the vascularization of tissue-engineered skin.

Methods
Three-dimensional (3D) Gel-C6S-HA scaffolds were prepared by freeze-drying. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) 165 gene-modified rat HFSCs (rHFSCs) were inoculated into the scaffolds and cultured for 7 days. Two bilateral full-thickness skin defects were created on the back of 18 Sprague–Dawley rats. Rats were randomly divided into four groups: Group A, HFSCs transduced with VEGF165 seeded onto Gel-C6S-HA scaffolds; Group B, HFSCs transduced with empty vector seeded onto Gel-C6S-HA scaffolds; Group C, Gel-C6S-HA scaffold only; Group D, Vaseline gauze dressing. These compositions were implanted onto the defects and harvested at 7, 14 and 21 days. Wound healing was assessed and compared among groups according to hematoxylin-eosin staining, CD31 expression, alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) immunohistochemistry, and microvessel density (MVD) count, to evaluate the new blood vessels.

Results
SEM revealed the Gel-C6S-HA scaffold was spongy and 3D, with an average pore diameter of 133.23 ± 43.36 μm. Cells seeded on scaffolds showed good adherent growth after 7 days culture. No significant difference in rHFSC morphology, adherence and proliferative capacity was found before and after transfection (P >0.05). After 14 and 21 days, the highest rate of wound healing was observed in Group A (P <0.05). Histological and immunological examination showed that after 21 days, MVD also reached a maximum in Group A (P <0.05). Therefore, the number of new blood vessels formed within the skin substitutes was greatest in Group A, followed by Group B. In Group C, only trace amounts of mature subcutaneous blood vessels were observed, and few subcutaneous tissue cells migrated into the scaffolds.

Conclusions
Tissue-engineered skin constructs, using 3D Gel-C6S-HA scaffolds seeded with VEGF165-modified rHFSCs, resulted in promotion of angiogenesis during wound healing and facilitation of vascularization in skin substitutes. This may be a novel approach for tissue-engineered skin substitutes.
Histologic and spectroscopic study of pluripotent stem cells after implant in ocular traumatic injuries in a murine model
Authors: Vázquez-Zapién Gustavo Jesús , Rojas-López Marlon , Delgado-Macuil Raúl Jacobo , Martínez-Nava Luis Rubén , Pérez-Ishiwara David Guillermo , Mata-Miranda Mónica Maribel 
Published: October 2014

Abstract
Introduction
Ocular trauma is defined as a trauma caused by blunt or penetrating mechanisms on the eyeball and its peripheral structures, causing damage with different degrees of affection with temporary or permanent visual function compromise. Ocular trauma is a major cause of preventable blindness worldwide; it constitutes 7% of all corporal injury and 10% to 15% of all eye diseases. Regenerative medicine research has opened up the possibility to use stem cells as a source of cell replacement, so that experimental studies on embryonic stem cells and bone marrow stem cells have been carried out. In this study, we analyzed the histopathological and spectroscopic changes in ocular tissue with trauma, treated with mouse pluripotent stem cells.

Methods
Firstly, mouse embryonic stem cells were seeded. Subsequently, the obtained cells were implanted in a murine model of scleral and retinal damage at the first, second, and fourth weeks post-trauma. At week 12 post-trauma, the eyes were enucleated for histopathologic study (inflammatory response and histological integrity) and spectroscopic analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in the attenuated total reflection configuration. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance.

Results
Histopathological results showed that the experimental groups treated with stem cells presented a decrease in the inflammatory response, and the histological integrity was restored, which contrasted with the experimental group treated with saline solution. Moreover, in the spectroscopic analysis, characteristic bands of biological samples were observed in all tissues, highlighting in healthy tissues the presence of C = O bond at 1,745 cm-1, which was not observed in the injured and treated tissues. Also, the absorption spectrum of the tissues treated with embryonic stem cells showed bands whose intensity was high at around 1,080 to 1,070 cm-1. It has been reported that these bands are characteristic of pluripotent stem cells.

Conclusions
The implant of embryonic stem cells could be a useful therapeutic treatment after traumatic eye injuries or many other eye diseases to reduce the inflammatory response and restore histological integrity. Furthermore, the spectroscopic technique could be used as a complementary technique for detecting stem cell incorporation into various tissues.
Jie Huang: Interregional Recognition and Enforcement of Civil and Commercial Judgments
Authors: Cheng Tan Lee 
Published: October 2014

AbstractReview of “Interregional Recognition and Enforcement of Civil and Commercial Judgments” by Professor Jie Huang (Oxford and Portland, Oregon: Hart Publishing, 2014) which analyses the status quo of judgment recognition and enforcement in the Mainland China, Macao and Hong Kong under the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ regime. The book also presents a comparative study of the interregional recognition and enforcement of judgments in the US and EU.
Properties of polyurethane (PUR) films prepared from liquefied wood (LW) and ethylene glycol (EG)
Authors: Lee Wen-Jau , Kuo En-Shao , Chao Chung-Yu , Kao Yu-Pin 
Published: October 2014

Abstract
The wood of Cryptomeria japonica D. Don was liquefied in ethylene glycol (EG) with sulfuric acid (H2SO4) as a catalyst at 150°C for 60 min. The liquefied wood (LW)- and EG-based polyester polyols (EG-Polyest.-ol) were synthesized by reacting LW and EG with adipic acid (AA), respectively. Polyurethane (PUR) resins were made by mixing Polyest.-ol with isocyanate. The results show that LW-Polyest.-ol is a suitable raw material for PUR. The PUR films prepared with LW-Polyest.-ol have higher tensile strength with less elongation at breaking point than that with EG-Polyest.-ol. According to dynamic thermomechanical analysis, the PUR films prepared with EG-Polyest.-ol have a homogeneous molecular structure, whereas a phase separation has been found for those made with LW-Polyest.-ol. Thermal gravimetric analysis showed that the thermal degradation of LW-PUR films only starts at higher temperature than that of EG-PUR.
Young’s modulus and shear modulus of solid wood measured by the flexural vibration test of specimens with large height/length ratios
Authors: Yoshihara Hiroshi , Yoshinobu Masahiro 
Published: October 2014

Abstract
The Young’s modulus (modulus of elasticity, MOE) in the longitudinal (L) and radial (R) directions and the shear modulus (SM) in the LR plane of Douglas fir were determined by the flexural vibration (FV) tests under the free-free condition based on Timoshenko’s vibration equation. In the tests, the height/length (H/L) ratio was varied from 0.05 to 0.3. In addition, the test data were analyzed numerically and the effectiveness of Timoshenko’s equation was examined. The MOE and SM were calculated based on the rigorous and approximated solutions of Timoshenko’s equation. The inaccuracy of the approximated solution was enhanced when the H/L ratio of the specimen was too large. In contrast, the rigorous solution enabled the accurate calculation of these moduli in a wider range of length/depth ratios than the approximated solution.
A preliminary comparison of primary care use by refugees before and after acupuncture
Authors: Highfield Ellen Silver , Longacre Mckenna , Sager Alan , Grodin Michael A. 
Published: October 2014

Abstract

Background: Limited research exits on utilization and cost-effectiveness of acupuncture among underserved communities, and virtually no evidence has been published with respect to refugee populations. In this study, we examined the relationship between acupuncture and the total utilization of primary care services in a cohort of refugee patients with chronic pain.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 16 refugee patients with chronic pain at Boston Medical Center (BMC). The research was IRB-approved. Demographics and total charges associated with primary care over 18 months were collected.

Results: Total charges associated with primary care services decreased by 50.2% in our refugee cohort in the 12 months following acupuncture treatment, equivalent to a savings of $691 per patient per month.

Conclusions: This preliminary review demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in total charges associated with primary care following acupuncture treatment (p=0.0308). This study suggests the need for further investigation of the relation between acupuncture and refugees with chronic pain, as well as the financial implications of this relationship. It is unclear why refugees may seek fewer primary care services after acupuncture treatment. Additional study is needed to further explore whether this relationship is generalizable to other hospital services and to other patient populations.
Novel Force Modelling Technique for Grinding
Authors: Vinay P.V. , Rao Ch. Srinivasa , Rao I.H. Nagaraja 
Published: October 2014

AbstractGrinding occupies a place in the machining arena as the final finishing process, which tends to exist in all machining environments. The grinding process generates forces that have to be countered by the robustness of the machine tool and a methodology to compute the forces that might be generated by it for deciding the type of tool and depth of cut to be used for a given variety of workpiece. Prior computation of the forces being the primary concern can be a handful of help to the industrial personnel and managements to decide on the variety of machine tool and accessories to be bought for the kind of grinding to be done. Comparison of the proposed model with the available literature shows good agreement.
Multi-Response Optimization in Drilling of Composites: Introduction of a Similarity Based Approach in Combination with Taguchi's Philosophy
Authors: Abhishek Kumar , Datta Saurav , Mahapatra Siba Sankar 
Published: October 2014

AbstractIn recent years, the application of polymer composites has been enormously increased particularly in aerospace as well as in automobile sector due to its light weight, high specific stiffness and high specific strength. Machining of those composites has really become an emerging area of research. A considerable volume of research has already been carried out by the pioneers in order to study machining and machinability aspects of these composites, thereby, maintaining both product quality as well as productivity. Drilling is considered as one of the most common machining processes for assembly of composites. In case of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, delamination and fiber pull out are the major problems that arise during drilling operations. Defect free drilling whilst ensuring satisfactory machining performance (in terms of quality as well as productivity) is definitely a challenging task. In this context, the present study mainly attempts to reduce drilling induced damages and at the same time to improve machining performances during drilling of polymer composites by determining an optimal parametric combination in view of multiple process responses and by considering effects of drilling process control parameters, drill geometry (diameter of drill bit) as well as composite type. Attempt has also been made to understand the relationship (influence) between input-output(s); where, inputs i.e. process parameters have been considered like composite type, drill speed, feed rate, drill diameter and outputs have been and drilling responses like thrust force, torque, delamination at entry and exit and average surface roughness of the drilled hole. Multi-response optimization has been performed using Deng's similarity based method in combination with Taguchi's optimization philosophy. Results obtained thereof have been compared with TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution)-based Taguchi approach.
Hybrid Monte Carlo methods in credit risk management
Authors: Del Chicca Lucia , Larcher Gerhard 
Published: October 2014

Abstract
In this paper we analyze and compare the use of Monte Carlo, quasi-Monte Carlo and hybrid Monte Carlo methods in the credit risk management system “Credit Metrics” by J. P. Morgan. We show that hybrid sequences, used suitably for simulations, perform better, in many relevant situations, than pure Monte Carlo and pure quasi-Monte Carlo methods, and they only rarely perform worse than these methods.
Fiber loading and treatment effects on dry sliding wear of Palmyra fruit fiber composites
Authors: Sankar Irullappasamy , Ravindran Durairaj 
Published: October 2014

AbstractThis study focused on the dry sliding wear behavior of the natural fiber called borassus fruit fiber (Palmyra fruit fiber) reinforced polyester composite. Composites are molded with different fiber weight fractions. Composites are fabricated by using both the untreated and the mercerized fibers. Mercerizations of the fibers are done with 1 N solution. The structural properties like tensile, flexural, and impact strengths are experimented as per ASTM and reported. The dry sliding wear study was done using the Pin-on-Disc apparatus as per ASTM G99. In particular, more emphasis has been devoted for wear behaviors at different velocity conditions and loads. Based on the experimental data, the optimum sliding velocity and the corresponding load were suggested.
Influence of Ceramic Thickness and Ceramic Materials on Fracture Resistance of Posterior Partial Coverage Restorations
Authors: Bakeman EM , Rego N , Chaiyabutr Y , Kois JC 
Published: October 2014

SUMMARY
This study evaluated the influence of ceramic thickness and ceramic materials on fracture resistance of posterior partial coverage ceramic restorations. Forty extracted molars were allocated into four groups (n=10) to test for two variables: 1) the thickness of ceramic (1 mm or 2 mm) and 2) the ceramic materials (a lithium disilicate glass-ceramic [IPS e.max] or leucite-reinforced glass ceramic [IPS Empress]). All ceramic restorations were luted with resin cement (Variolink II) on the prepared teeth. These luted specimens were loaded to failure in a universal testing machine, in the compression mode, with a crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/min. The data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance and the Tukey Honestly Significantly Different multiple comparison test (α =0.05). The fracture resistance revealed a significant effect for materials (p&lt;0.001); however, the thickness of ceramic was not significant (p=0.074), and the interaction between the thickness of ceramic and the materials was not significant (p=0.406). Mean (standard deviation) fracture resistance values were as follows: a 2-mm thickness of a lithium disilicate bonded to tooth structure (2505 [401] N) revealed a significantly higher fracture resistance than did a 1-mm thickness of leucite-reinforced (1569 [452] N) and a 2-mm thickness of leucite-reinforced ceramic bonded to tooth structure (1716 [436] N) (p&lt;0.05). There was no significant difference in fracture resistance values between a lithium disilicate ceramic at 1-mm thickness (2105 [567] N) and at 2-mm thickness. Using a lithium disilicate glass ceramic for partial coverage restoration significantly improved fracture resistance compared to using a leucite-reinforced glass ceramic. The thickness of ceramic had no significant effect on fracture resistance when the ceramics were bonded to the underlying tooth structure.