bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Field‐scale evaluation of a biobarrier for the treatment of a trichloroethene plume
Authors: MacFarlane Kim D. , Cacciatore David A. , Leigh Daniel P. , Yurovsky Michael G. , Atta Amena 
Published: December 2011

AbstractIn the 1960s, trichloroethene (TCE) was used at what is now designated as Installation Restoration Program Site 32 Cluster at Vandenberg Air Force Base to flush missile engines prior to launch and perhaps for other degreasing activities, resulting in releases of TCE to groundwater. The TCE plume extends approximately 1 kilometer from the previous launch facilities beyond the southwestern end of the site. To limit further migration of TCE and chlorinated degradation by‐products, an in situ, permeable, reactive bioremediation barrier (biobarrier) was designed as a cost‐effective treatment technology to address the TCE plume emanating from the source area. The biobarrier treatment would involve injecting carbon‐based substrate and microbes to achieve reductive dechlorination of volatile organic compounds, such as TCE. Under reducing conditions and in the presence of certain dechlorinating microorganisms, TCE degrades to nontoxic ethene in groundwater.To support the design of the full‐scale biobarrier, a pilot test was conducted to evaluate site conditions and collect pertinent design data. The pilot test results indicated possible substrate delivery difficulties and a smaller radius of influence than had been estimated, which would be used to determine the final biobarrier well spacing. Based on these results, the full‐scale biobarrier design was modified. In January 2010, the biobarrier was implemented at the toe of the source area by adding a fermentable substrate and a dechlorinating microbial culture to the subsurface via an injection well array that spanned the width of the TCE plume.After the injections, the groundwater pH in the injection wells continued to decrease to a level that could be detrimental to the population of Dehalococcoides in the SDC‐9TM culture. In addition, 7 months postinjection, the injection wells could not be sampled due to fouling. Cleaning was required to restore their functions. Bioassay and polymerase chain reaction analyses were conducted, as well as titration tests, to assess the need for biobarrier amendments in response to the fouling issues and low pH. Additionally, slug tests were performed on three wells to evaluate possible localized differences in hydraulic conductivity within the biobarrier. Based on the test results, the biobarrier was amended with sodium carbonate and inoculated a second time with SDC‐9TM. The aquifer pH was restored, and reductive dechlorination resumed in the treatment zone, evidenced by the reduction in TCE and the increase in degradation products, including ethene. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Full‐scale bioremediation of a dilute 50‐acre plume
Authors: Falatko David M. , Fam Sami A. , Blackburn Jason , McGillicuddy Glenn , Pon George , Gaudette Michael 
Published: December 2011

AbstractEnhanced anaerobic dechlorination is being conducted to remediate a 50‐acre groundwater area impacted with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs). The plume, which is over 3,000 feet (ft) long, initially contained tetrachloroethene and breakdown products at concentrations of 2 to 3 milligrams per liter. The site's high groundwater flow velocity (greater than 1,000 ft per year) was incorporated into the design to help with amendment distribution. Bioaugmentation was conducted using a mixed culture containing Dehalococcoides ethenogenes. There is evidence that it has migrated to distances exceeding 600 ft. The major benefit of the high groundwater flow velocity is greater areal coverage by the remediation system, but the downside is the difficulty in delivering sufficient donor to create the required anaerobic conditions. Overall performance has been excellent with total CVOC reductions and conversion to ethene of 98 percent within a 25‐acre area downgradient of the treatment transect that has operated the longest. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Distributed consensus control for multi‐agent systems using terminal sliding mode and Chebyshev neural networks
Authors: Zou An‐Min , Kumar Krishna Dev , Hou Zeng‐Guang 
Published: December 2011

SUMMARYThis paper investigates the problem of consensus tracking control for second‐order multi‐agent systems in the presence of uncertain dynamics and bounded external disturbances. The communication ﬂow among neighbor agents is described by an undirected connected graph. A fast terminal sliding manifold based on lumped state errors that include absolute and relative state errors is proposed, and then a distributed finite‐time consensus tracking controller is developed by using terminal sliding mode and Chebyshev neural networks. In the proposed control scheme, Chebyshev neural networks are used as universal approximators to learn unknown nonlinear functions in the agent dynamics online, and a robust control term using the hyperbolic tangent function is applied to counteract neural‐network approximation errors and external disturbances, which makes the proposed controller be continuous and hence chattering‐free. Meanwhile, a smooth projection algorithm is employed to guarantee that estimated parameters remain within some known bounded sets. Furthermore, the proposed control scheme for each agent only employs the information of its neighbor agents and guarantees a group of agents to track a time‐varying reference trajectory even when the reference signals are available to only a subset of the group members. Most importantly, finite‐time stability in both the reaching phase and the sliding phase is guaranteed by a Lyapunov‐based approach. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed controller and show that the proposed controller exceeds to a linear hyperplane‐based sliding mode controller. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Strategic entrepreneurship in family business
Authors: Lumpkin G. T. , Steier Lloyd , Wright Mike 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThe purpose of this special issue is to promote research on the role of family in nurturing entrepreneurial ventures as well as on the importance of strategic entrepreneurship in maintaining the strength and viability of established and multigenerational family firms. Two related research questions are at the heart of this inquiry: (1) In what ways does the influence of family matter to strategic entrepreneurship?; and (2) How can strategic entrepreneurship contribute to understanding and strengthening family firms? We begin this introductory paper by providing a brief overview of the contributions of each of the papers in this issue. We then develop a framework for addressing the role of family firms in strategic entrepreneurship that highlights the input‐process‐output nature of strategic entrepreneurship in family business and the contexts in which they occur. We conclude by outlining a research agenda for future research in this area along the themes relating to this framework. Copyright © 2011 Strategic Management Society.
Perspectives on the RNA polymerase II core promoter
Authors: Kadonaga James T. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThe RNA polymerase II core promoter is sometimes referred to as the gateway to transcription. The core promoter is generally defined to be the stretch of DNA that directs the initiation of transcription. This simple description belies a complex multidimensional regulatory element, as there is considerable diversity in core promoter structure and function. Core promoters can be viewed at the levels of DNA sequences, transcription factors, and biological networks. Key DNA sequences are known as core promoter elements, which include the TATA box, initiator (Inr), polypyrimidine initiator (TCT), TFIIB recognition element (BRE), motif ten element (MTE), and downstream core promoter element (DPE) motifs. There are no universal core promoter elements that are present in all promoters. Different types of core promoters are transcribed by different sets of transcription factors and exhibit distinct properties, such as specific interactions with transcriptional enhancers, that are determined by the presence or absence of particular core promoter motifs. Moreover, some core promoter elements have been found to be associated with specific biological networks. For instance, the TCT motif is dedicated to the transcription of ribosomal protein genes in Drosophila and humans. In addition, nearly all of the Drosophila Hox genes have a DPE motif in their core promoters. The complexity of the core promoter is further seen in the relation among transcription initiation patterns, the stability or lability of transcriptional states, and the organization of the chromatin structure in the promoter region. Hence, the current data indicate that the core promoter is a critical component in the regulation of gene activity. WIREs Dev Biol 2012, 1:40–51 doi: 10.1002/wdev.21This article is categorized under:

Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Regulatory Mechanisms
Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Gene Networks and Genomics
Synthesis and Characterisation of Schiff Base‐like Iron(II) Complexes with Imidazole as Axial Ligand
Authors: Lochenie Charles , Bauer Wolfgang , Schlamp Stephan , Thoma Peter , Weber Birgit 
Published: December 2011

AbstractFour new six‐coordinate and one pentacoordinate iron(II) complexes with imidazole as axial ligand were synthesised and characterised. For two of the complexes crystals suitable for X‐ray structure analysis were obtained and an extended network of hydrogen bonds was observed in both cases. Magnetic susceptibility studies revealed, that two of the octahedral complexes are high‐spin complexes in the entire temperature range, whereas for the other two gradual spin transitions are observed.
Combination of Dexamethasone and Tropisetron Before Thyroidectomy to Alleviate Postoperative Nausea, Vomiting, and Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Zhou Haiyang , Xu Haitao , Zhang Jian , Wang Weijun , Wang Yi , Hu Zhiqian 
Published: December 2011

AbstractBackgroundNausea, vomiting, and pain frequently occur after thyoidectomy. Little evidence exists regarding the effects of administrating a combination of dexamethasone and tropisetron to patients undergoing thyroidectomy. We aimed to evaluate the effects of dexamethasone and tropisetron on thyroidectomy outcomes.MethodsA total of 150 patients undergoing thyroidectomy were included in this prospective randomized, controlled, three‐arm study (group D: 8 mg dexamethasone; group T: 5 mg tropisetron; group D+T: 8 mg dexamethasone and 5 mg tropisetron). There were 50 patients in each group. Nausea, vomiting, pain, and the amount of antiemetic and analgesic agents required were recorded 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 36, and 48 h postoperatively.ResultsThe complete response rate of nausea and vomiting was significantly higher in group D+T (78%, 39/50), compared with that in group D (58%, 29/50) or group T (66%, 33/50) (P = 0.01). The incidence and severity of nausea in group D+T were significantly lower than in group D and group T, with the difference mainly occurring in the late postoperative period (6–48 h). The severity of postoperative pain was significantly less in the dexamethasone‐containing groups (D and D+T groups) than in the tropisetron group.ConclusionsThe combination of dexamethasone and tropisetron offers better prophylaxis for nausea, vomiting, and pain than either drug alone in patients undergoing thyroidectomy, especially during the late period (6–48 h).
The impact of seed dispersal by black and gold howler monkeys on forest regeneration
Authors: Bravo Susana Patricia 
Published: December 2011

AbstractIn Neotropical humid forest, the majority of tree species have seeds dispersed by vertebrates. Seed deposition by vertebrates is often spatially aggregated and a low per capita survival for seeds and seedlings is predicted. However, mortality factors could be saturated by high densities. I evaluated whether recruitment of saplings of species dispersed by black and gold howlers (Alouatta caraya) in latrines is higher than at control sites: (1) below parent trees, (2) in trees not used by monkeys to sleep, (3) randomly chosen sites within the forest, and determined whether howlers may influence current floristic composition of the Paraná River flooded forest. I recorded saplings several years old in the territories of five monkey groups. In total, I found four times more saplings in latrines than in the other areas, and results suggest that latrines are recruitment foci for most species, though larger samples would be required to assess this for every species. Frequency distribution of the diameter of tallest saplings of more abundant species reflected recruitment over time. I found saplings of more species growing in latrines than outside of them. Saplings higher than 1 m of two species of laurels (Ocotea diospyrifoliaandNectandra megapotamica) and one species of Myrtaceae (Eugenia punicifolia) had higher densities in latrines than below parent trees. Results suggest that mortality factors were saturated in latrines and that sapling may grow at a higher rate in latrines. In relation to the influence on floristic compositionE. burkartiana, an uncommon species in the forest, could increase in abundance as consequence of seed dispersal by howlers.
Is there a Need for an Undergraduate Urological Curriculum?
Authors: Scotta R. , Sinclair A.M. , Pearce I. 
Published: December 2011

Objectives: To review Medical student education in urology and assess students self reported knowledge and management competency of common urological conditions. To determine the degree of undergraduate exposure to urology and students intentions to follow a post graduate career in urology. Methods: Questionnaires were completed by final year medical students prior to final examinations over a five year period to assess exposure to undergraduate urology and consideration of urology as a postgraduate career. Students from a single year were asked to rate their knowledge and management competency with respect to a variety of common urological pathologies. Results: Students reported low levels of confidence to manage common and emergency urological conditions. Undergraduate exposure to urology is decreasing year on year, with fewer and fewer students considering urology as a future career option. Conclusions: Undergraduate exposure to urology is poor and as a consequence of this, fewer students are considering a career in urology. This trend needs to be reversed, possibly in part, by the implementation of a defined undergraduate urological curriculum and BAUS needs to foster a greater undergraduate presence to stimulate current medical undergraduates to consider a urological career.
Vortex development behind a finite porous obstruction in a channel
Authors: Zong Lijun , Nepf Heidi 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThis experimental study describes the turbulent wake behind a two-dimensional porous obstruction, consisting of a circular array of cylinders. The cylinders extend from the channel bed through the water surface, mimicking a patch of emergent vegetation. Three patch diameters ($D$) and seven solid volume fractions ($\Phi $) are tested. Because flow can pass through the patch, directly downstream there is a region of steady, non-zero, streamwise velocity, ${U}_{1} $, called the steady wake. For the patch diameters and solid volume fractions considered here, ${U}_{1} $ is a function of $\Phi $ only. The length of the steady wake (${L}_{1} $) increases as $\Phi $ decreases and can be predicted from the growth of a plane shear layer. The formation of the von-Kármán vortex street is delayed until the end of the steady wake. There are two regions of elevated transverse velocity fluctuation (${v}_{\mathit{rms}} $): directly behind the patch, associated with the wake turbulence of individual cylinders; and at the distance ${L}_{1} $ from the patch, associated with the formation of large-scale wake oscillation. Velocity along the centreline of the wake starts to increase only after the patch-scale vortex street is formed, and it approaches the free-stream velocity over a distance ${L}_{2} $. The dimensionless length of the entire wake, $({L}_{1} + {L}_{2} )/ D$, increases with patch porosity.
Validation of the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) in cancer
Authors: Boléo-Tomé Carolina , Monteiro-Grillo Isabel , Camilo Maria , Ravasco Paula 
Published: December 2011

In the present study, we aimed to validate the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) for routine nutritional screening in the radiation oncology setting, thus enabling timely and adequate referrals of patients at risk for individualised or advanced intervention. Towards this objective, we conducted a prospective cross-sectional study in 450 non-selected cancer patients (18–95 years) referred for radiotherapy. The following were the nutritional parameters: BMI (categorised by WHO's age/sex criteria), weight loss >5 % in the previous 3–6 months, Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA – validated/specific for oncology) and nutritional risk by MUST. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and concordance were calculated to validate MUST v. PG-SGA and compare single parameters v. PG-SGA/MUST. BMI v. PG-SGA showed a negligible capacity to detect undernutrition: 0·27 sensitivity, 0·23 specificity, 0·35 positive predictive value and 0·31 negative predictive value. Conversely, percentage weight loss v. PG-SGA was highly effective: 0·76 sensitivity, 0·85 specificity, 0·79 positive predictive value and 0·85 negative predictive value. MUST v. PG-SGA successfully detected patients at risk: 0·80 sensitivity, 0·89 specificity, 0·87 positive predictive value and 1·0 negative predictive value; percentage weight loss v. MUST proved able to identify patients likely to be at risk: 0·85 sensitivity, 0·91 specificity, 0·90 positive predictive value and 1·0 negative predictive value. This is the first study in the radiation oncology setting to validate MUST: a simple and quick method applicable by any health professional, with a high validity for early screening, ideally to antedate a comprehensive nutritional assessment and guide for intervention. In this study, percentage weight loss in the previous 3–6 months does seem valid to predict nutritional risk, and may be the minimum in a busy routine.
Tissue-specific expression of Sprouty1 in mice protects against high-fat diet-induced fat accumulation, bone loss and metabolic dysfunction
Authors: Urs Sumithra , Henderson Terry , Le Phuong , Rosen Clifford J. , Liaw Lucy 
Published: December 2011

We recently characterised Sprouty1 (Spry1), a growth factor signalling inhibitor as a regulator of marrow progenitor cells promoting osteoblast differentiation at the expense of adipocytes. Adipose tissue-specific Spry1 expression in mice resulted in increased bone mass and reduced body fat, while conditional knockout of Spry1 had the opposite effect with decreased bone mass and increased body fat. Because Spry1 suppresses normal fat development, we tested the hypothesis that Spry1 expression prevents high-fat diet-induced obesity, bone loss and associated lipid abnormalities, and demonstrate that Spry1 has a long-term protective effect on mice fed a high-energy diet. We studied diet-induced obesity in mice with fatty acid binding promoter-driven expression or conditional knockout of Spry1 in adipocytes. Phenotyping was performed by whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, microCT, histology and blood analysis. In conditional Spry1-null mice, a high-fat diet increased body fat by 40 %, impaired glucose regulation and led to liver steatosis. However, overexpression of Spry1 led to 35 % (P < 0·05) lower body fat, reduced bone loss and normal metabolic function compared with single transgenics. This protective phenotype was associated with decreased circulating insulin (70 %) and leptin (54 %; P < 0·005) compared with controls on a high-fat diet. Additionally, Spry1 expression decreased adipose tissue inflammation by 45 %. We show that conditional Spry1 expression in adipose tissue protects against high-fat diet-induced obesity and associated bone loss.
Testing depth-related multivariate patterns of macrofauna on the Indian continental shelf using reduced taxonomic resolution and data transformation
Authors: Joydas T.V. , Damodaran R. 
Published: December 2011

Although taxonomic sufficiency (TS) was developed for rapid environmental assessments, it has recently been adopted to study the spatial patterns of macrobenthos in relation to natural environmental gradients. To accept TS as a routine approach in wider benthic studies, it needs to be valid for various taxa and geographically different water masses. This study examined the effects of taxonomic resolution on depth-related multivariate patterns of macrobenthic polychaetes on the western Indian continental shelf. An extensive data set based on samples collected from a wide geographical area (7°–22°N latitudes) covering a large depth gradient (30–200 m) has been analysed. Species level polychaete community data had shown a significant variation between shallow and deeper waters. Our results indicated that generic and family level data also can detect community shifts along a depth gradient in a similar way to species level data. The entire western continental margin (200 m depth) is lying in the oxygen minimum zone (dissolved oxygen <0.5 ml l−1). This study indicated that family level results were sufficient to document the correlations of low oxygen on macrobenthic polychaetes. This study also tested the effects of transformations on depth-related patterns of polychaetes. In multivariate analyses, transformations play a role in defining the balance between contributions from common and rare species in the measure of similarity of two samples. Our results showed that the type of transformations did not make any prominent differences in the multivariate analyses.
Against all odds: the birth of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1955–1958
Authors: Hicks Stephen , Storey Bryan , Smith Philippa Mein 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACTWhen the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1955–1958 advance party sailed from the Millwall Docks in November 1955, bound for the Weddell Sea, their departure was the product of five years of intensive effort on the part of Vivian Fuchs to achieve the first overland crossing of the Antarctic continent. This paper investigates the many obstacles that had to be overcome leading up to Theron sailing and explains the manner in which they were overcome by the Fuchs-Wordie-Clifford triumvirate. The British Foreign Office was particularly opposed to the expedition with the office's focus on sovereignty rather than science while an alternative proposal from Duncan Carse raised a unique set of difficulties. The withdrawal from involvement by the Scott Polar Research Institute Director, Colin Bertram, indicated further disaffection. Most important, if political and financial goals were to be met, was the need for participation by several Commonwealth countries of which New Zealand was the essential partner. Fortunately, the vigorous efforts of a few Antarctic enthusiasts in New Zealand were successful in moving their government to assert its long dormant position in the Ross Dependency. New Zealand's commitment turned the tide of commonwealth apathy towards the TAE. Although the TAE preceded the IGY, events, including the dominating IGY presence of the United States, caused the two projects to become tightly interwoven. For these reasons the years leading up to the departure of Theron were as intriguing as the crossing journey itself.