bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Determination of the Energy Flux of a Commercial Atmospheric‐Pressure Plasma Jet for Different Process Gases and Distances Between Nozzle Outlet and Substrate Surface
Authors: Fröhlich M. , Bornholdt S. , Regula C. , Ihde J. , Kersten H. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThe energy flux of an atmospheric‐pressure plasma jet for surface treatment has been investigated by a calorimetric probe. Generally, the investigations exhibit that the main contributions of the total energy influx from the plasma to the substrate surface originate from the neutrals regarding high gas temperature coupled with a high gas flow. The use of nitrogen as process gas shows a higher energy flux compared to oxygen and air presumably caused by increased gas temperature as well as by higher molecule formation and recombination energy of N2. Moreover, the lateral expansion of the plasma beam could be roughly determined by a spatially resolved analysis of the energy influx. A top part mounted on the nozzle, commonly used for the injection of additional precursor gases, showed a significant effect on the flow behavior and collision entailed relaxation of the excited plasma species leading to a restraining of the plasma jet. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Wireless Power Transmission via Sheet Medium Using Automatic Phase Adjustments of Multiple Inputs
Authors: Matsuda Takashi , Oota Toshifumi , Kado Youiti , Zhang Bing 
Published: February 2014

SUMMARYWireless power transmission via a sheet medium is a novel physical form of communication that utilizes a surface as a medium to provide both data and power transmission services. To efficiently transmit a relatively large amount of electric power (several watts), we have developed a wireless power transmission system via sheet medium that concentrates electric power on a specific spot by using phase control of multiple inputs. However, to find the optimal phases of the multiple inputs that let the microwave energy converge on a specific spot in the sheet medium, prior knowledge of the device's position and a preliminary experiment measuring the output power are needed. In the field of wireless communication, it is known that the retrodirective array scheme can efficiently transmit power in a self‐phasing manner, which uses pilot signals sent by client devices. In this paper, we apply the retrodirective array scheme to our wireless power transmission system via a sheet medium, and propose a power transmission scheme using the phase‐adjusted power transmission inputs. To confirm the effectiveness of the proposed scheme, we evaluate its performance by computer simulation and real‐world measurement. Both results show that the proposed scheme can achieve retrodirectivity over wireless power transmission via a sheet medium.
Activation of Nrf2 in keratinocytes causes chloracne (MADISH)‐like skin disease in mice
Authors: Schäfer Matthias , Willrodt Ann‐Helen , Kurinna Svitlana , Link Andrea S , Farwanah Hany , Geusau Alexandra , Gruber Florian , Sorg Olivier , Huebner Aaron J , Roop Dennis R , Sandhoff Konrad , Saurat Jean‐Hilaire , Tschachler Erwin , Schneider Marlon R , Langbein Lutz , Bloch Wilhelm , Beer Hans‐Dietmar , Werner Sabine 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThe transcription factor Nrf2 is a key regulator of the cellular stress response, and pharmacological Nrf2 activation is a promising strategy for skin protection and cancer prevention. We show here that prolonged Nrf2 activation in keratinocytes causes sebaceous gland enlargement and seborrhea in mice due to upregulation of the growth factor epigen, which we identified as a novel Nrf2 target. This was accompanied by thickening and hyperkeratosis of hair follicle infundibula. These abnormalities caused dilatation of infundibula, hair loss, and cyst development upon aging. Upregulation of epigen, secretory leukocyte peptidase inhibitor (Slpi), and small proline‐rich protein 2d (Sprr2d) in hair follicles was identified as the likely cause of infundibular acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, and cyst formation. These alterations were highly reminiscent to the phenotype of chloracne/“metabolizing acquired dioxin‐induced skin hamartomas” (MADISH) patients. Indeed, SLPI, SPRR2, and epigen were strongly expressed in cysts of MADISH patients and upregulated by dioxin in human keratinocytes in an NRF2‐dependent manner. These results identify novel Nrf2 activities in the pilosebaceous unit and point to a role of NRF2 in MADISH pathogenesis.
Influence of Mixing Technology and the Potential to Modify the Morphological Properties of Materials used in the Manufacture of Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Wenzel Valentin , Moeller Richard Sebastian , Nirschl Hermann 
Published: February 2014

AbstractLithium‐ion batteries are state‐of‐the‐art for the energy supply of small electronic devices as mobile computer and cellphones. However, for larger cell sizes with higher capacities, the energy density is still not sufficient for a commercial use such as in electromobility applications and stationary power storage solutions. Both materials aspects and the processing of the whole battery device is an important factor for the final performance. It is known that the material structure and the interaction between the components determine the electrical behavior of the battery. The formation of the structure and network takes place in mixing devices in which the process conditions must be investigated and studied through experimentation. This research is focused on the mixing behavior of an active material with carbon black and the structural modification during the slurry manufacturing process.
Approximate seismic risk assessment of building structures with explicit consideration of uncertainties
Authors: Kosič Mirko , Fajfar Peter , Dolšek Matjaž 
Published: February 2014

SUMMARYAn approximate seismic risk assessment procedure for building structures, which involves pushover analysis that is performed utilizing a deterministic structural model and uncertainty analysis at the level of the equivalent SDOF model, is introduced. Such an approach is computationally significantly less demanding in comparison with procedures based on uncertainty analysis at the level of the entire structure, but still allows for explicit consideration of the effect of record‐to‐record variability and modelling uncertainties. A new feature of the proposed pushover‐based method is the so‐called probabilistic SDOF model. Herein, the proposed methodology is illustrated only for reinforced concrete (RC) frames, although it could be implemented in the case of any building structure, provided that an appropriate probabilistic SDOF model is available. An extensive parametric analysis has been performed within the scope of this study in order to develop a probabilistic SDOF model, which could be used for the seismic risk assessment of both code‐conforming and old, that is, non code‐conforming RC frames. Based on the results of risk analysis for the four selected examples, it is shown that the proposed procedure can provide conservative estimates of seismic risk with reasonable accuracy, in spite of the employed simplifications and the relatively small number of Monte Carlo simulations with Latin hypercube sampling, which are performed at the level of the SDOF model. An indication of the possible default values of dispersion measures for limit‐state intensities in the case of low to medium‐height RC frames is also presented. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dynamically equivalent rocking structures
Authors: DeJong Matthew J. , Dimitrakopoulos Elias G. 
Published: February 2014

SUMMARYPredicting the rocking response of structures to ground motion is important for assessment of existing structures, which may be vulnerable to uplift and overturning, as well as for designs which employ rocking as a means of seismic isolation. However, the majority of studies utilize a single rocking block to characterize rocking motion. In this paper, a methodology is proposed to derive equivalence between the single rocking block and various rocking mechanisms, yielding a set of fundamental rocking parameters. Specific structures that have exact dynamic equivalence with a single rocking block, are first reviewed. Subsequently, approximate equivalence between single and multiple block mechanisms is achieved through local linearization of the relevant equations of motion. The approximation error associated with linearization is quantified for three essential mechanisms, providing a measure of the confidence with which the proposed methodology can be applied. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comprehensive and quantitative study of rank‐4 order diffusion tensor imaging and positive definite rank‐4 order diffusion tensor imaging: A higher order tensor imaging study
Authors: Jiang Shan , Zhang Pengfei 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACTRank‐4 order diffusion tensor imaging (DT4) has been shown to be able to capture complex local tissue structures, for example, crossing fibers, but it cannot ensure the positive‐definite property of diffusion. As a result, the positive‐definite rank‐4 order diffusion tensor imaging was presented to guarantee the positive‐definite property. However, a comprehensive comparison that concerns SNR of Rician noise, effect of the numbers of gradient directions and the ability of detecting IVOH between DT4 and PDT4 has never been performed. To overcome these limitations, a comprehensive comparison between the two methods is made. Results show that it can help to determine whether the applied noise is close to the clinical application by estimating corresponding SNRs. Compared with DT4, PDT4 can achieve better result in terms of fiber error, standard deviation (SD) of generalized trace (GT) and generalized anisotropy (GA). PDT4 can increase the values of GA and scaled entropy, especially in nonwhite matter areas. Thus this study comes to conclusions as follows. The relationship between SNR and SD of Rician noise should be considered. PDT4 can achieve higher accuracy and better stability, but the advantage will become unobvious with increasing of sample directions and SNR. PDT4 will detect fake IVOH in nonwhite matter areas. The works in this article can provide an optimized plan for making sampling scheme and choosing proper imaging methods.
Two level security for medical images using watermarking/encryption algorithms
Authors: Kannammal A. , Subha Rani S. 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACTIn this article, an attempt is made to provide two level securities for medical images using watermarking and encryption. Watermarking provides security and encryption, authenticates medical image and provides integrity. Watermarking is performed by using a new nontensor product wavelet filter banks, which have the ability to reveal singularities in different directions. Natural image is taken as the original image and the medical image is taken as a watermark image. The medical image is embedded into the LH sub band of the natural image. The encryption is performed by RSA, AES, and RC4 algorithms. A qualitative comparative analysis of the proposed algorithm is done for different encryption methods. The proposed algorithm has the ability to withstand different attacks like noise, rotation, contrast, and brightness attacks. Performance analysis is made by calculating PSNR, SSIM, NC, and CV.
Methylation status of retinoic acid receptor beta2 promoter and global DNA in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Li Ruei‐Nian , Yu Fang‐Jung , Wu Chun‐Chieh , Chen Yu‐Kuei , Yu Chun‐Chieh , Chou Shah‐Hwa , Lee Jui‐Ying , Cheng Yu‐Jen , Wu Ming‐Tsang , Wu I‐Chen 
Published: February 2014

AbstractBackgroundFocal hypermethylation in promoter regions of tumor suppressor genes against the background of global hypomethylation is a landmark of carcinogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the methylation status of retinoic acid receptor beta2 (RARβ2) and long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE‐1) in different stages of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).MethodThe tumor and adjacent normal esophageal tissues from 125 male ESCC patients who underwent primary surgery were analyzed for the methylation status of RARβ2 promoter and LINE‐1 through methylation‐specific polymerase chain reaction and pyrosequencing.ResultsRARβ2 hypermethylation was detected in 20% of the tumor samples, but not in the normal counterparts. The methylation frequency of LINE‐1 was significantly lower in the tumor than in the normal parts (median: 67.7% vs. 80%, P < 0.0005). Ninety‐eight patients (78.4%) had both RARβ2 hypermethylation and LINE‐1 hypomethylation or either one. There was a trend toward higher risk of advanced T stage (P for trend = 0.05) or lymph node metastasis (P for trend = 0.02) when more adverse gene methylation profiles were present.ConclusionMethylation status of RARβ2 and LINE‐1 was related to the development and possibly the severity of ESCC. J. Surg. Oncol. 2014 109:623–627. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Treatment strategy of rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)
Authors: Liu Heli , Yan Zhongshu , Liao Guoqing , Yin Hongling 
Published: February 2014

BackgroundRectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a rare entity. A retrospective analysis of outcomes from a single institution to identify treatment strategies associated with improved outcomes.MethodsRecords of patients with GIST of the rectum were retrospectively reviewed. Patient and tumor characteristics, treatment details, and outcome were evaluated.ResultsCompared with the trans‐abdominal approach group, the local excision group patients had smaller size and lower location tumors (P < 0.05). Positive resection margin was an important hazard factor for DFS (OR, 7.63; P = 0.015). Among the patients with the tumor size >5 cm, those with preoperative Imatinib therapy had higher rate of a negative resection margin than those without (100% vs. 20%, P = 0.048). Among the patients with intermediate and high‐risk tumors, those who received peri‐operative Imatinib therapy had longer DFS compared with those without (61.3 ± 6.1 months vs. 20.2 ± 4.4 months, P = 0.030).ConclusionsThe location of rectal GIST impacts the choice of resection type. Most patients with tumors within 5 cm of the anal verge can be treated with local excision. Positive resection margin is the independent hazard factor for poorer survival. Peri‐operative Imatinib therapy is associated with a prolonged DFS in patients with intermediate and high‐risk tumors. J. Surg. Oncol 2014; 109:708–713. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Role of miR‐200 family members in survival of colorectal cancer patients treated with fluoropyrimidines
Authors: Diaz Tania , Tejero Rut , Moreno Isabel , Ferrer Gerardo , Cordeiro Anna , Artells Rosa , Navarro Alfons , Hernandez Raquel , Tapia Gustavo , Monzo Mariano 
Published: February 2014

Background and ObjectivesSurgery is the standard treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC), and adjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to be effective in stage III but less so in stage II. We have analyzed the expression of the miR‐200 family in tissue samples from resected CRC patients and correlated our findings with survival to adjuvant treatment with fluoropyrimidines.MethodsTumor tissue samples were obtained from 127 surgically resected patients with stage I–III CRC. miRNA detection was performed using TaqMan MicroRNA assays.ResultsHigh levels of miR‐200a and miR‐200c were associated with longer overall survival, while high levels of miR‐429 correlated with longer overall and disease‐free survival (DFS). In the subgroup of 56 patients treated with fluoropyrimidines and in the smaller subgroup of 32 stage II patients treated with fluoropyrimidines, those with high levels of miR‐200a, miR‐200c, miR‐141, or miR‐429 had significantly longer overall and DFS. Low miR‐429 levels were identified as an independent prognostic marker. High levels of miR‐429 combined with 5‐fluorouracil inhibited cell invasion in LOVO cells.ConclusionsmiR‐200a, miR‐200c, miR‐141, and miR‐429 expression levels may identify CRC patients, including those with stage II disease, who are most likely to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. J. Surg. Oncol 2014; 109:676–683. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Physical Injury, PTSD Symptoms, and Medication Use: Examination in Two Trauma Types
Authors: Cody Meghan W. , Beck J. Gayle 
Published: February 2014

AbstractPhysical injury is prevalent across many types of trauma experiences and can be associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and physical health effects, including increased medication use. Recent studies suggest that PTSD symptoms may mediate the effects of traumatic injury on health outcomes, but it is unknown whether this finding holds for survivors of different types of traumas. The current study examined cross‐sectional relationships between injury, PTSD, and pain and psychiatric medication use in 2 trauma‐exposed samples, female survivors of motor vehicle accidents (MVAs; n = 315) and intimate partner violence (IPV; n = 167). Data were obtained from participants at 2 trauma research clinics who underwent a comprehensive assessment of psychopathology following the stressor. Regression with bootstrapping suggested that PTSD symptoms mediate the relationship between injury severity and use of pain medications, R2 = .11, F(2, 452) = 28.37, p < .001, and psychiatric medications, R2 = .06, F(2, 452) = 13.18, p < .001, as hypothesized. Mediation, however, was not moderated by trauma type (ps > .05). Results confirm an association between posttraumatic psychopathology and medication usage and suggest that MVA and IPV survivors alike may benefit from assessment and treatment of emotional distress after physical injury.
The Evidence for Present‐Centered Therapy as a Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Frost Nickolas D. , Laska Kevin M. , Wampold Bruce E. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractTo examine the evidence for present‐centered therapy (PCT) as a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 5 randomized clinical trials that compared PCT to an existing evidence‐based treatment for PTSD were reviewed. A meta‐analysis was used to estimate between‐treatment differences on targeted measures, secondary measures, and dropout. PCT was found to be as efficacious as the comparison evidence‐based treatment in 3 of the 5 trials, and in the 2 cases where a no‐treatment condition was included, PCT was superior, with large effect sizes for targeted variables (d = 0.88, 0.74, and 1.27). When results were aggregated using meta‐analysis, effects for PCT versus an evidence‐based treatment for both targeted and secondary measures were small and nonsignificant (d = 0.13 and d = 0.09, respectively). As well, the dropout rate for PCT was significantly less than for the comparison evidence‐based treatments (14.3% and 31.3%, respectively). It appears that PCT is an efficacious and acceptable treatment for PTSD.
Two novel PRKCI polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk in an Eastern Chinese Han population
Authors: Li Qiaoxin , Gu Chengyuan , Zhu Yao , Wang Mengyun , Yang Yajun , Wang Jiucun , Jin Li , Zhu Mei‐Ling , Shi Ting‐Yan , He Jing , Ye Dingwei , Wei Qingyi 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThe atypical protein kinase C (aPKCι), encoded by the PRKCI gene, has been recently found to be a unique human oncoprotein, compared with some other diverse PKC isozymes. Genetic variations in PRKCI have also been reported to be associated with prostate cancer (PCa) risk in Caucasian populations, but no similar studies have been reported for Chinese populations. We genotyped two well‐described PRKCI single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs546950 and rs4955720 in 1015 PCa patients and 1044 cancer‐free controls of Eastern Chinese men. SNPs in the vicinity of those two variants of PRKCI were evaluated using the in silico analysis. Logistic regression was then used to estimate their associations with and interactions in PCa risk. Although no significant main effects were found for the two tested SNPs in the single locus analysis, individuals carrying homozygote wide‐type form of these two SNPs had slightly reduced PCa risk (adjusted OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.40–0.99, P = 0.045), compared with those carrying any of heterozygous or homozygous variant genotypes. Our results indicated that the two PRKCI SNPs were jointly associated with PCa risk in an Eastern Chinese population. Larger studies with multiethnic groups are warranted to confirm these findings and to explore the role of PRKCI SNPs in the etiology of PCa. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Rehabilitation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Why it matters
Authors: Majmudar Salony , Wu Jason , Paganoni Sabrina 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACTAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that results in a constellation of problematic symptoms and a high patient and caregiver burden. Multidisciplinary care includes rehabilitation interventions that have the goal of assisting people to teach their fullest potential despite the presence of a disabling disease. Given the progressive nature of ALS, the clinician must be aware of the expected disease trajectory and apply appropriate interventions at each stage. This review will present rehabilitation strategies that can be utilized to maximize patient independence, function, safety, and quality of life, and to minimize disease‐related symptoms. The role of bracing, exercise, assistive devices, and adaptive equipment will be discussed. At each disease stage, an experienced rehabilitation team is well positioned to make a significant impact on the life of ALS patients. Muscle Nerve 50: 4–13, 2014
Controlled/living ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone with salicylic acid as the organocatalyst
Authors: Xu Jinbao , Song Junzhe , Pispas Stergios , Zhang Guangzhao 
Published: February 2014

ABSTRACTRing‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ε‐caprolactone (CL) using salicylic acid (SAA) as the organocatalyst and benzyl alcohol as the initiator in bulk at 80 °C successfully proceeded to give a narrowly distributed poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL). In addition, 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate, propargyl alcohol, 6‐azido‐1‐hexanol, and methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) were also used as functional initiators. The 1H NMR, SEC, and MALDI‐TOF MS measurements of the PCL clearly indicate the presence of the initiator residue at the chain end, implying that the SAA‐catalyzed ROP of CL was through the activated monomer mechanism. The kinetic experiments confirmed the controlled/living nature of the SAA‐catalyzed ROP of CL. Furthermore, the block copolymerization of CL and δ‐valerolactone successfully proceeded to give poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐block‐poly(δ‐valerolactone). © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014, 52, 1185–1192
Over‐expression of secreted proteins from mammalian cell lines
Authors: Dalton Annamarie C. , Barton William A. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractSecreted mammalian proteins require the development of robust protein over‐expression systems for crystallographic and biophysical studies of protein function. Due to complex disulfide bonds and distinct glycosylation patterns preventing folding and expression in prokaryotic expression hosts, many secreted proteins necessitate production in more complex eukaryotic expression systems. Here, we elaborate on the methods used to obtain high yields of purified secreted proteins from transiently or stably transfected mammalian cell lines. Among the issues discussed are the selection of appropriate expression vectors, choice of signal sequences for protein secretion, availability of fusion tags for enhancing protein stability and purification, choice of cell line, and the large‐scale growth of cells in a variety of formats.