bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Virtual Separation of Concerns: Toward Preprocessors 2.0
Authors: Kästner Christian 
Published: February 2012

Abstract
Conditional compilation with preprocessors like cpp is a simple but effective means to implement variability. By annotating code fragments with #ifdef and #endif directives, different program variants with or without these fragments can be created, which can be used (among others) to implement software product lines. Although, preprocessors are frequently used in practice, they are often criticized for their negative effect on code quality and maintainability. We show how simple tool support — views, visualizations, disciplined annotations, and variability-aware type systems — can address these problems and emulate some benefits of modularized implementations. Instead of separating source code into files, we pursue a “virtual separation of concerns”.
Agglomeration Dynamics In Thermo-Sensitive Polymers Across The Lower Critical Solution Temperature: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study
Authors: Deshmukh Sanket A. , Sankaranarayanan Subramanian K.R.S. , Mancini Derrick C. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTPoly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), a classic thermo-sensitive polymer, has a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at ∼32°C. In this work we have used molecular dynamics simulations to understand the origin of the LCST and agglomeration of PNIPAM chains of 5 and 30 monomer units (5-mer and 30-mer). Experimentally, when the concentration of PNIPAM is >1 ppm, polymer chains after undergoing coil-to-globule transition above the LCST aggregates to yield a stable colloidal dispersion.In our study two PNIPAM chains, consisting of 30 monomer units each, were placed in a cubic simulation cell and were subsequently solvated. Simulations were carried out below and above the LCST, namely at 278 and 310K for 10ns. Simulated trajectories were analyzed for structural and dynamical properties of both PNIPAM and water. We observe coil-to-globule transition in PNIPAM above the LCST. We also find that the PNIPAM chains agglomerate above the LCST. We also observe entanglement in PNIPAM chains below the LCST. We also study agglomeration of 5 PNIPAM chains each consisting of 5 monomer units. There was no significant difference in polymer agglomeration behavior across the LCST for these short chain oligomers. The agglomeration behavior is thus strongly correlated to the size of the polymer chains. These results provide fundamental insight into the atomistic scale mechanism of PNIPAM agglomeration across the LCST.
Photoembossing for Surface Texturing of Films and Fibres for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Hughes-Brittain Nanayaa Freda , Picot Olivier T. , Qiu Lin , Sanchez Carlos , Peijs Ton , Bastiaansen Kees 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTPhotoembossing is a technique used to create relief structures using a patterned contact photo-mask exposure and a thermal development step. Typically, the photopolymer consists of a polymer binder and a monomer in a 1/1 ratio together with a photo-initiator which results in a solid and non-tacky material at room temperature. Here, new mixtures for photoembossing are presented which are potentially biocompatible. A polymer binder such as poly (methyl methacrylate) with triacrylate monomer and biocompatible photo-initiator Irgacure 369 is used. Photopolymer films produced are successfully embossed with height of relief structures controlled by UV dosage and developing temperature. Furthermore, the photopolymer blend is electrospun to form fibres with diameters of 5 μm which are then photoembossed. The photoembossed fibres showed homogenous reproducible surface textures. Biocompatibility is evaluated by culturing human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) on films of this photopolymer blend. The study shows that photoembossing is a feasible method of producing surface texturing on both films and electrospun fibres for tissue engineering applications.
Controlling microscopic friction on gold surfaces by electrochemical potential
Authors: Hausen Florian , Zimmet Johannes A. , Bennewitz Roland 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTThe nano-scale friction on crystalline gold surfaces can be systematically varied by changing the oxidation state of the surfaces through an applied electrochemical potential. We present experimental results from high-resolution friction force microscopy, where the atomic structure of the surface is reflected in lateral force maps. While the oxidation of gold surfaces always brings upon a significant increase in friction, the situation is more complex in the potential regime where only sulfate anions are adsorbed. The influence of adsorbed anions on friction depends on electrochemical potential and on normal load, demonstrating that electrochemical processes and sliding dynamics are altered in the confinement of the tip-sample contact.
Combinatorial exploration of new transparent conducting oxide films by using radio frequency sputtering and their application in optoelectronic devices
Authors: Kim Tae-Won , Heo Gi-Soek , Kim Ho-Sung , Lee Jong-Ho 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study is to develop new transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films by using combinatorial approach and to apply them for organic light emitting diodes (OLED) and/or thin film photovoltaic devices. For this, we have explored several TCO films with multi-components and optimized their properties by employing combinatorial sputtering system. For the first, we have fabricated combinatorial libraries composed Zn-In-Sn-O (ZITO) to reduce In content comparing with Sn-doped indium oxide (ITO). The ZITO films showed amorphous structure at the substrate temperature ranged RT∼ 350 °C, high transmittance over 85% at the visible range wavelength, and resistivity as low as 3x10-4∼10-3Ωcm. These results reveal that the ZITO films have indium composition as low as 30∼40% comparing with equivalent ITO films. Furthermore, we have fabricated OLED on glass substrates by using the amorphous ZITO anode. OLED fabricated on amorphous ZITO-coated glasses have exhibited good characteristics comparable to OLED on ITO films. Besides OLED, the amorphous ZITO TCO can be applied for other optoelectronic devices like electronic paper, thin film photovoltaic, and smart window.
High-Throughput Materials Discovery by Inkjet-Printing of Composition Spread Libraries
Authors: Stoewe Klaus , Maier Wilhelm F. , Weidenhof Boris 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTHigh-throughput synthesis and screening rely on structurally diverse catalyst libraries. As a consequence of increased parallelization and integration of reactor and analysis systems, the requirements for new synthesis methodologies include even smaller amounts of samples, e.g. different multi-component mixed oxides in the mg or even μg-range have to be prepared reproducibly and fully automated. We tried to bring solution chemistry, composition spread libraries and a very high sample density together within one approach and tested inkjet printing of materials libraries using sol-gel recipes as synthesis method. Inkjet printing allows the deposition of liquid volumes in the pL range thus enabling the deposition of very small catalyst amounts. For the application of this technique in sol-gel chemistry several restrictions have to be handled, such as viscosity limitations of the printing head. Parameters as solvent, solvent amount, metal precursors, metal salt concentrations, deposition sequences etc. as well as gelification procedures have to be optimized. Catalytic screening relies on porous samples with high surface area to get conversions, which can be detected by HT screening methods. Thus, additionally the recipe itself as well as the support structure has to be optimized. In our first tests we used emission corrected IR thermography for screening.
Enzymatic Biofuel Cell with Self-regulating Enzyme-Nanotube Ensemble Films
Authors: MIYAKE TAKEO , YOSHINO SYUHEI , YAMADA TAKEO , HATA KENJI , NISHIZAWA MATSUHIKO 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTNanostructured carbons have been widely used for fabricating enzyme-modified electrodes due to their large specific surface area. However, because they are random aggregates of particular or tubular nanocarbons, the post-modification of enzymes to their intra-nanospace is generally hard to control. Here, we describe a free-standing film of carbon nanotube forest (CNTF) that can form a hybrid ensemble with enzymes through liquid-induced shrinkage. This provides in-situ regulation of itsintra-nanospace (inter CNT pitch) to the size of enzymes, and eventually serves as a highly active electrode. The CNTF ensemble with fructose dehydrogenase (FDH) showed the oxidation current density of 16 mA cm-2in stirred 200 mM fructose solution. The power density of a biofuel cell using the FDH-CNTF anode and the Laccase-CNTF cathode reached 1.8 mW cm-2(at 0.45 V) in the stirred oxygenic fructose solution, more than 80 % of which could be maintained after continuous operation for 24 h. Application of the free-standing, flexible character of the enzyme-CNTF ensemble electrodes is demonstrated via their use in the patch or wound form.
Statistical Comparison of Various Reconstruction Algorithms with respect to Missing Wedge Artifacts in Computed Tomography
Authors: Lueck Sebastian , Kupsch Andreas , Lange Axel , Hentschel Manfred P. , Schmidt Volker 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTThe presence of elongation, streak and blurring artifacts in tomograms recorded under a missing wedge of rotation angles presents a major challenge for the quantitative analysis of tomographic image data. We show that the missing wedge artifacts of standard reconstruction algorithms may be reduced by the innovative reconstruction technique DIRECTT. For the comparison of missing wedge artifacts we apply techniques from spatial statistics, which have been specifically designed to investigate the shape of phase boundaries in tomograms.
Changes in Biomarkers of Inflammation and Angiogenesis During Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Saylor Philip J. , Kozak Kevin R. , Smith Matthew R. , Ancukiewicz Marek A. , Efstathiou Jason A. , Zietman Anthony L. , Jain Rakesh K. , Duda Dan G. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractIntroduction.Angiogenesis and inflammation are both important to the pathogenesis of malignancies. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer causes drastic hormonal changes that alter both disease and host factors. We measured inflammatory and angiogenic biomarkers in ADT-treated and control groups of men with prostate cancer.Materials and Methods.Baseline and 12-week plasma samples were collected from 37 ADT-naïve men with locally advanced or recurrent prostate cancer. Of those, 23 initiated ADT with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist and 14 served as nontreatment controls. Samples were tested for a panel of angiogenic and inflammatory biomarkers.Results.The treatment group had significantly higher concentrations of the inflammatory biomarkers interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and stromal cell–derived factor (SDF)-1α. None of the angiogenic biomarkers were significantly different between the groups at baseline. Among patients with a short prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubling time (&lt;6 months), the proangiogenic factor basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was lower at baseline. In the treatment group, plasma placental growth factor (PlGF) increased and IL-6 decreased after 12 weeks of ADT. Moreover, the treatment group continued to have significantly higher concentrations of the inflammatory biomarkers IL-1β, IL-8, and SDF-1α as well as bFGF than controls.Discussion.These men were characterized by elevations in several traditional markers of aggressive disease and also by higher levels of several inflammatory biomarkers. Although ADT decreased IL-6 levels, IL-1β, IL-8, and SDF-1α remained significantly higher than in controls. The role of these biomarkers should be further explored.
Assessing the Real-World Cost-Effectiveness of Adjuvant Trastuzumab in HER-2/neu Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Hedden Lindsay , O'Reilly Susan , Lohrisch Caroline , Chia Stephen , Speers Caroline , Kovacic Laurel , Taylor Suzanne , Peacock Stuart 
Published: February 2012

Abstract

Background.
Among women with surgically removed, high-risk HER-2/neu-positive breast cancer, trastuzumab has demonstrated significant improvements in disease-free and overall survival. The objective of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the currently recommended 12-month adjuvant protocol of trastuzumab using a Markov modeling approach and real-world cost data.

Methods.
A 10-health-state Markov model tracked patients' quarterly transitions between health states in the local and advanced states of breast cancer. Clinical data were obtained from the joint analysis of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project and North Central Cancer Treatment Group, as well as from the metastatic study conducted by Norum et al. Clinical outcomes were adjusted for quality of life using utility estimates published in a systematic review. Real cost data were obtained from the British Columbia Cancer Agency and were evaluated from a payer perspective. Costs and utilities were discounted at 5% per year, respectively, for a 28-year time horizon.

Results.
In the base case analysis, treatment with a 12-month adjuvant trastuzumab regimen resulted in a gain of 1.38 quality-adjusted life years or 1.17 life years gained at a cost of $18,133 per patient. Thus, the cost per QALY gained for the base case is $13,095. Cost per LYG is $15,492.

Conclusions.
Over the long term, treatment of HER-2/neu mutation positive breast cancer with a 12-month protocol of trastuzumab in the adjuvant setting is predicted to be cost-effective in a Canadian context.
Arab Parents' Attitudes toward Out-of-Home Placement of Their Adult Children with Psychiatric Disability
Authors: Duvdevany Ilana , Azaiza Faisal , Rbach Manar 
Published: February 2012

Background: The decision of out-of-home placement for the Arab population is a very stressful event that sometimes causes a real crisis situation for them, because of cultural assumptions and attitudes against placement. The tradition in the Arab culture is to take care of their offspring at home, no matter how serious the situation is. Mental health is also a case of chronic illness and it is very important for us to understand who are those who are willing to place their adult child and what the factors are that make them to do this decision. Better understanding will lead to better use of the services that the state offers them. The rate of placement in Arab society remains significantly lower than among the Jewish population of Israel. The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes of Arab parents who have an adult son or daughter with a psychiatric disability toward out-of home placement. Method: A convenience sample of 189 parents of adult children with a mental disability from the Arab population of Israel. The questionnaires included were assessing social support, emotional stress, cognitive appraisal of the situation, and various socio-demographic characteristics. Results: Parents who chose home placement reported being in a better financial position and were more religious than parents who chose out-of-home placement. Parents who chose to care for their children at home had a significantly higher perception of this as a challenge. The decision regarding the child's placement appears to depend mainly on the parents' education and financial situation. Conclusions: Financial situation, social support and perceiving the illness as a challenge are the most important factors in the process of the decision.
A Computerized Treatment Algorithm Trial to Optimize Mineral Metabolism in ESRD
Authors: Spiegel David M. , McPhatter Lesley , Allison Ann , Drumheller Joanne C. , Lockridge Robert 
Published: February 2012

Summary

Background and objectives
Achievement of mineral targets in patients receiving dialysis remains challenging. This study sought to evaluate outcomes for phosphorus, calcium, and parathyroid hormone when a dialysis population was switched from a predominantly active vitamin D analogue treatment regimen to a computerized algorithm incorporating both cinacalcet and active vitamin D as potential first-line therapies.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements
This longitudinal prospective trial enrolled 92 patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Baseline measures (the average of the 3 months before computerized algorithm implementation) were compared with the proportion of patients achieving the prespecified targets at 6 and 12 months.

Results
After 6 months there was a statistically significant improvement in the percentage of patients achieving the primary and secondary phosphorus targets (primary: phosphorus ≤ 5.5 mg/dl, increase from 41% to 75%, P<0.001; secondary: phosphorus 3.0–4.6 mg/dl, increase from 16% to 38%; P=0.005). These improvements were sustained at 12 months. There was a statistically significant improvement in the percentage of patients achieving all three prespecified secondary endpoints (an increase from 12.8% to 25.6% at 12 months; P=0.04); however, this was mainly driven by improved phosphorus control. The proportion of patients achieving the primary or secondary parathyroid hormone targets did not improve.

Conclusions
A greater proportion of dialysis patients achieved improved phosphorus but not parathyroid hormone control by switching from a predominantly active vitamin D analogue–based treatment regimen for mineral and bone disorder to a computer-driven algorithm that incorporated cinacalcet and low-dose active vitamin D analogues as first-line therapy.
Interpretation of Body Mass Index in Children with CKD
Authors: Gao Tao , Leonard Mary B. , Zemel Babette , Kalkwarf Heidi J. , Foster Bethany J. 
Published: February 2012

Summary

Background and objectives
Clinical practice guidelines recommend that body mass index (BMI) in children with CKD be expressed relative to height-age (BMI-height-age-z) rather than chronologic age (BMI-age-z) to account for delayed growth and sexual maturation. This approach has not been validated. This study sought to (1) compare children who have CKD with healthy children regarding the relationships between BMI-age-z and each of relative lean mass (LM) and adiposity and (2) determine whether BMI-height-age-z reflects relative LM and adiposity in CKD in the same way that BMI-age-z does in healthy children.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements
In a cross-sectional study, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry was used to assess whole-body fat mass (FM) and LM in 143 participants with CKD and 958 healthy participants (age, 5–21 years); FM and LM were expressed as sex-specific Z-scores relative to height (LM-height-z, FM-height-z), with healthy participants as the reference. BMI-age-z and BMI-height-age-z were determined using the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reference data.

Results
Compared with healthy children of the same sex, age, race, and BMI-age-z, LM-height-z was significantly higher in males with all CKD stages (by 0.41–0.43 SDs) and in females with mild to moderate CKD (by 0.38 SD); FM-height-z was significantly higher in both males (by 0.26 SD) and females (by 0.52 SD) with severe CKD. Underestimation of relative LM and adiposity was improved by expressing BMI relative to height-age.

Conclusions
In children with CKD, BMI-height-age-z reflects relative LM and adiposity in the same way that BMI-age-z does in healthy children.
Tax Professionals' Responsibility for Fraud Detection: The Effects of Engagement Type and Audit Status
Authors: DeZoort F. Todd , Harrison Paul D. , Schnee Edward J. 
Published: February 2012

SYNOPSIS
Despite a traditional advocacy role, tax professionals face growing pressure to help manage the tax fraud problem. However, the authoritative tax literature lacks explicit guidance in the area, motivating questions about the extent tax professionals perceive fraud detection responsibility. This study evaluates 236 tax professionals' perceived responsibility for tax fraud detection, and the extent that tax engagement type (planning versus compliance) and audit client status (audit client versus not an audit client) affect responsibility. We also use the triangle model of responsibility to test the extent that task clarity, professional obligation, and personal control mediate the effects of engagement type and audit client status on detection responsibility. The results indicate moderate and varied perceived detection responsibility among the participants. We also find that reported detection responsibility varies across tax engagement type and audit client status. As expected, tax professionals report higher detection responsibility in a tax compliance engagement and when the tax client is also an audit client. Subsequent path analysis results show that the triangle model components are positively related to detection responsibility, and that professional obligation and personal control mediate the effects of engagement type and audit client status on detection responsibility.
Electrodeposition of hafnium and hafnium-based coatings in molten salts
Authors: Kuznetsov Sergey 
Published: February 2012

AbstractAt present, coatings are mostly produced by CVD, PVD methods, plasma, and detonation spraying. Molten salts for coatings deposition are also becoming highly attractive. They provide wide possibilities for coating production of hafnium by electrodeposition, electrochemical synthesis, and precise surface alloying. Consideration is given to all these methods. The production of heat-resistant coatings from hafnium and niobium-hafnium alloys, and the electrochemical syntheses of copperhafnium solder and HfB2 coatings are also discussed.
N-alkylation of ethylenediamine with alcohols catalyzed by CuO-NiO/γ-Al2O3
Authors: Huang Jia-Min , Xu Lu-Feng , Qian Chao , Chen Xin-Zhi 
Published: February 2012

AbstractA simple method for N-alkylation of 1,2-diaminoethane with different alcohols in a fixed-bed reactor using cheap CuO-NiO/γ-Al2O3 as the catalyst has been developed. The present catalytic system was applicable in the N-alkylation of 1,2-diaminoethane with both primary and secondary alcohols. Mono-N-alkylation of 1,2-diaminoethane with low-carbon alcohols resulted in high yields; the yields of tetra-N-alkylation of 1,2-diaminoethane with low-carbon alcohols declined markedly with the increase of the molecular volume of alcohols.
Feature fusion of palmprint and face via tensor analysis and curvelet transform
Authors: Xu X. , Guan X. , Zhang D. , Zhang X. , Deng W. , Wang Z. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractIn order to improve the recognition accuracy of the unimodal biometric system and to address the problem of the small samples recognition, a multimodal biometric recognition approach based on feature fusion level and curve tensor is proposed in this paper. The curve tensor approach is an extension of the tensor analysis method based on curvelet coefficients space. We use two kinds of biometrics: palmprint recognition and face recognition. All image features are extracted by using the curve tensor algorithm and then the normalized features are combined at the feature fusion level by using several fusion strategies. The k-nearest neighbour (KNN) classifier is used to determine the final biometric classification. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the unimodal solution and the proposed nearly Gaussian fusion (NGF) strategy has a better performance than other fusion rules.