bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unexpected Temperature Behavior of Polyethylene Glycol Spacers in Copolymer Dendrimers in Chloroform
Authors: Markelov Denis A. , Matveev Vladimir V. , Ingman Petri , Nikolaeva Marianna N. , Penkova Anastasia V. , Lahderanta Erkki , Boiko Natalia I. , Chizhik Vladimir I.
Published: April 2016

We have studied copolymer dendrimer structure: carbosilane dendrimers with terminal phenylbenzoate mesogenic groups attached by poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) spacers. In this system PEG spacers are additional tuning to usual copolymer structure: dendrimer with terminal mesogenic groups. The dendrimer macromolecules were investigated in a dilute chloroform solution by 1H NMR methods (spectra and relaxations). It was found that the PEG layer in G = 5 generations dendrimer is “frozen” at high temperatures (above 260 K), but it unexpectedly becomes “unfrozen” at temperatures below 250 K (i.e., melting when cooling). The transition between these two states occurs within a small temperature range (~10 K). Such a behavior is not observed for smaller dendrimer generations (G = 1 and 3). This effect is likely related to the low critical solution temperature (LCST) of PEG and is caused by dendrimer conformations, in which the PEG group concentration in the layer increases with growing G. We suppose that the unusual behavior of PEG fragments in dendrimers will be interesting for practical applications such as nanocontainers or nanoreactors.
Dietary arginine and N-carbamylglutamate supplementation enhances the antioxidant statuses of the liver and plasma against oxidative stress in rats
Authors: Cao Wei , Xiao Liang , Liu Guangmang , Fang Tingting , Wu Xianjian , Jia Gang , Zhao Hua , Chen Xiaoling , Wu Caimei , Cai Jingyi , Wang Jing
Published: April 2016

N-Carbamylglutamate (NCG), an effective precursor of arginine (ARG), can enhance ARG synthesis, increase intestinal growth, and improve reproductive performance.
Self-assembled benzyl mercaptan monolayer as a coating in electromembrane surrounded solid-phase microextraction of antihistamines in urine and plasma samples
Authors: Shamsayei Maryam , Yamini Yadollah , Rezazadeh Maryam , Asiabi Hamid , Seidi Shahram
Published: April 2016

Electromembrane extraction based on a monolayer of benzyl mercaptan on a copper wire was applied to extract naphazoline and antazoline from biological samples.
Solution-processed, inverted organic solar cells with bilayered inorganic/organic electron extraction layers
Authors: Lee Jung Suk , Cha Myoung Joo , Park Yu Jung , Kim Jin Young , Seo Jung Hwa , Walker Bright
Published: April 2016

High-mobility, solution-processed CdS films were investigated as electron transport layers in inverted, organic solar cells and found to yield excellent performance in conjunction with organic interfacial dipole layers.
Spectrochemical analysis of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) leaves for environmental health monitoring
Authors: Ord James , Butler Holly J. , McAinsh Martin R. , Martin Francis L.
Published: April 2016

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy ofA. pseudoplatanusas a sentinel of pollution identifies environmentally-induced alterations.
A spin-Seebeck diode with a negative differential spin-Seebeck effect in a hydrogen-terminated zigzag silicene nanoribbon heterojunction
Authors: Fu Hua-Hua , Gu Lei , Wu Dan-Dan
Published: April 2016

The spin-Seebeck effect (SSE), the central topic of spin caloritronics, provides a new direction for future low power consumption technology.
Chemical and semisynthetic approaches to study and target deubiquitinases
Authors: Gopinath Pushparathinam , Ohayon Shimrit , Nawatha Mickal , Brik Ashraf
Published: April 2016

Ubiquitination is a key posttranslational modification, which affects numerous biological processes and is reversed by a class of enzymes known as deubiquitinases (DUBs).
Development of a robust sulfur quantification and speciation method for SBA-15-supported sulfonic acid catalysts
Authors: Noda Yu , Li Kaijin , Engler Alexander M. , Elliott William A. , Rioux Robert M.
Published: April 2016

In catalytic applications of surface-modified mesoporous silica materials, distinguishing and quantifying different types of functional groups on the surface is crucial for enabling accurate evaluation of catalytic activity and possible cooperativity among mixed functional groups.
Separation and purification of an anti-tumor peptide from rapeseed (Brassica campestris L.) and the effect on cell apoptosis
Authors: Wang Lifeng , Zhang Jing , Yuan Qiang , Xie Huihui , Shi Jiayi , Ju Xingrong
Published: April 2016

Rapeseed peptides were prepared by means of the combined methods of the laboratory bacteria enzyme synergy and solid-state fermentation of rapeseed meal.
Synthesis of radioiodinated probes to evaluate the biodistribution of a potent TRPC3 inhibitor
Authors: Hagimori Masayori , Murakami Takahiro , Shimizu Kinue , Nishida Motohiro , Ohshima Takashi , Mukai Takahiro
Published: April 2016

The transient receptor potential canonical 3 (TRPC3) channel is a member of the TRPC family that contributes to the entry of Ca2+through the plasma membrane or modulates the driving force for Ca2+entry channels.
Synthesis and steroid sulfatase inhibitory activities of N-phosphorylated 3-(4-aminophenyl)-coumarin-7-O-sulfamates
Authors: Daśko Mateusz , Masłyk Maciej , Kubiński Konrad , Aszyk Justyna , Rachon Janusz , Demkowicz Sebastian
Published: April 2016

In the present work, we report convenient methods for the synthesis and biological evaluation ofN-phosphorylated derivatives of 3-(4-aminophenyl)-coumarin-7-O-sulfamate as potential steroid sulfatase (STS) inhibitors.
Low temperature dehydrations of non-activated alcohols via halide catalysis
Authors: Zhang X. , Desrochers S. J. , Carl A. D. , Geagea N. , Zielinski K. , Emmert M. H.
Published: April 2016

Through concurrent halide and acid catalysis, olefin-forming dehydrations and non-rearranging Friedel–Crafts alkylations under mild conditions are established.
Platinum nanopetal-based potassium sensors for acute cell death monitoring
Authors: Taurino Irene , Massa Solange , Sanzó Gabriella , Aleman Julio , Flavia Basilotta , Shin Su Ryon , Zhang Yu Shrike , Dokmeci Mehmet Remzi , De Micheli Giovanni , Carrara Sandro , Khademhosseini Ali
Published: April 2016

A novel potassium-selective electrode based on Pt nanopetals has been used for monitoring potassium efflux from cells as due to two death mechanisms: osmotic shock in DI water and necro-apoptosis by drug overdose.
Rigid thermosetting epoxy/multi-walled carbon nanotube foams with enhanced conductivity originated from a flow-induced concentration effect
Authors: Xu Yu , Li Ying , Bao Jianjun , Zhou Tao , Zhang Aiming
Published: April 2016

Rigid epoxy/MWCNT foams were innovatively prepared using expandable microspheres, a flow-induced concentration effect increases the inter-connectivity caused by the thermally triggered expansion of microspheres, improving the electric conductivity.
Two new magnetic nanocomposites of graphene and 12-tungestophosphoric acid: characterization and comparison of the catalytic properties in the green synthesis of 1,8-dioxo-octahydroxanthenes
Authors: Rafiee E. , Khodayari M.
Published: April 2016

Two well dispersed H3PW12O40 immobilized to magnetite graphene oxide (Fe3O4/GO/PW) and magnetite graphene aerogel (Fe3O4/GA/PW) nanocomposites were synthesized, via coprecipitation and coprecipitation-solvothermal methods, respectively.
Reinforcement of nanostructured organogels by hydrogen bonds
Authors: Pirner Daniela , Dulle Martin , E. J. Mauer Miriam , Förster Stephan
Published: April 2016

Reinforcing a micellar organogel by self-complementary hydrogen bonds.
A novel route to fabricate high-density graphene assemblies for high-volumetric-performance supercapacitors: effect of cation pre-intercalation
Authors: Liu Daoqing , Jia Zheng , Wang Dianlong
Published: April 2016

The pre-intercalated cations induce the fabrication of high-density graphene assemblies with high supercapacitive performances due to the contribution of ultramicropores.
Effective dispersion of aqueous clay suspension using carboxylated nanofibrillated cellulose as dispersant
Authors: Ming Siyi , Chen Gang , Wu Zhenfu , Su Lingfeng , He Jiahao , Kuang Yudi , Fang Zhiqiang
Published: April 2016

Carboxylated nanofibrillated cellulose extracted from wood fibers was used as a green dispersant to effectively disperse clay particles in water.
Evaluating the biological impact of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) on developmental and exploratory profile of zebrafish larvae
Authors: Li Xiang , Li Xu , Chen Di , Guo Jia-Liang , Feng Dao-Fu , Sun Ming-Zhu , Lu Yun , Chen Dong-Yan , Zhao Xin , Feng Xi-Zeng
Published: April 2016

In this study, we employed zebrafish as an animal model to evaluate the biological effect of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) on early developmentviamorphological, physiological, and behavioural analyses.
Near-infrared Ag2Se quantum dots with distinct absorption features and high fluorescence quantum yields
Authors: Shi Li-Juan , Zhu Chun-Nan , He He , Zhu Dong-Liang , Zhang Zhi-Ling , Pang Dai-Wen , Tian Zhi-Quan
Published: April 2016

Near-infrared Ag2Se QDs with distinct absorption features ranging between 830–954 nm and fluorescence quantum yields up to 23.4% were controllably synthesized, and the molar extinction coefficients of the Ag2Se QDs were determined.
One “Click” to controlled bifunctional supported catalysts for the Cu/TEMPO-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of alcohols
Authors: Fernandes Antony E. , Riant Olivier , Jonas Alain M. , Jensen Klavs F.
Published: April 2016

A modular strategy is described for the preparation and molecular engineering of multifunctional surfaces using CuAAC chemistry and is applied to the model Cu/TEMPO-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol.
Covalent conjugation of cysteine-engineered scFv to PEGylated magnetic nanoprobes for immunotargeting of breast cancer cells
Authors: Alric Christophe , Aubrey Nicolas , Allard-Vannier Émilie , di Tommaso Anne , Blondy Thibaut , Dimier-Poisson Isabelle , Chourpa Igor , Hervé-Aubert Katel
Published: April 2016

Orientation- and site-directed covalent conjugation of cysteine-engineered scFv to PEGylated SPIONs allows antigen recognition while preserving colloidal properties of nanoprobes.
Synthesis and evaluation of novel non-covalent binding quinazoline glycoside derivatives targeting the L858R and T790M variants of EGFR
Authors: Zhang Renshuai , Chen Shaopeng , Zhang Xiaowei , Yu Rilei , Wan Shengbiao , Geng Meiyu , Jiang Tao
Published: April 2016

A series of novel quinazoline glycoside derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their inhibition activities against EGFR-WT, EGFR/L858R/T790M, and skin epidermoid carcinoma cell line (A431).
MN15: A Kohn–Sham global-hybrid exchange–correlation density functional with broad accuracy for multi-reference and single-reference systems and noncovalent interactions
Authors: Yu Haoyu S. , He Xiao , Li Shaohong L. , Truhlar Donald G.
Published: April 2016

We report a global-hybrid approximation, MN15, to the exchange–correlation functional of Kohn–Sham theory with broadly accurate performance for both multi-reference and single-reference systems.
Hyaluronan in cancer – from the naked mole rat to nanoparticle therapy
Authors: Rankin Kenneth S. , Frankel Daniel
Published: April 2016

Hyaluronan, a biopolymer abundant in the tumour microenvironment plays an important role in cancer. Its soft matter properties deserve detailed consideration.
Thermal exfoliation of hexagonal boron nitride for effective enhancements on thermal stability, flame retardancy and smoke suppression of epoxy resin nanocomposites via sol–gel process
Authors: Yu Bin , Xing Weiyi , Guo Wenwen , Qiu Shuilai , Wang Xin , Lo Siuming , Hu Yuan
Published: April 2016

Structure of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is similar to that of graphite before functionalization and exfoliation.
A single emitting layer white OLED based on exciplex interface emission
Authors: Angioni E. , Chapran M. , Ivaniuk K. , Kostiv N. , Cherpak V. , Stakhira P. , Lazauskas A. , Tamulevičius S. , Volyniuk D. , Findlay N. J. , Tuttle T. , Grazulevicius J. V. , Skabara P. J.
Published: April 2016

A new triaryl molecule based on a benzene–benzothiadiazole–benzene core has been applied in a WOLED device.
A novel highly efficient nanostructured organosilicon luminophore with unusually fast photoluminescence
Authors: Starikova T. Yu. , Surin N. M. , Borshchev O. V. , Pisarev S. A. , Svidchenko E. A. , Fedorov Yu. V. , Ponomarenko S. A.
Published: April 2016

For the first time successful experimental and theoretical treatments of nanostructured organosilicon luminophores (NOLs) with unique optical properties are considered.
Signal amplification in a qubit-resonator system
Authors: Karpov D. S. , Oelsner G. , Shevchenko S. N. , Greenberg Ya. S. , Il'ichev E.
Published: April 2016

We study the dynamics of a qubit-resonator system, when the resonator is driven by two signals. The interaction of the qubit with the high-amplitude driving we consider in terms of the qubit dressed states. Interaction of the dressed qubit with the second probing signal can essentially change the amplitude of this signal. We calculate the transmission amplitude of the probe signal through the resonator as a function of the qubit's energy and the driving frequency detuning. The regions of increase and attenuation of the transmitted signal are calculated and demonstrated graphically. We present the influence of the signal parameters on the value of the amplification, and discuss the values of the qubit-resonator system parameters for an optimal amplification and attenuation of the weak probe signal.
Low-temperature specific heat of magnetic superconductors Dy0.6Y0.4Rh3.85Ru0.15B4 and Dy0.6Y0.4Rh4B4
Authors: Terekhov A. V. , Zolochevskii I. V. , Ishchenko L. A. , Zaleski A. , Khlybov E. P. , Lachenkov S. A.
Published: April 2016

Specific heat CM(T) of polycrystalline Dy0.6Y0.4Rh4B4 and Dy0.6Y0.4Rh3.85Ru0.15B4 was studied in the temperature range of 0.5–9 K and magnetic fields 0–10 kOe for the first time. It was found that the λ-anomaly in the specific heat exists at Tc ≈ 6 K for Dy0.6Y0.4Rh4B4 and at Tc ≈ 6.6 K for Dy0.6Y0.4Rh3.85Ru0.15B4. It is suppressed in a magnetic field and shifted to lower temperatures. Partial substitution of Rh by Ru enhances superconductivity, presumably, due to stronger inner magnetism of the dysprosium sublattice in Dy0.6Y0.4Rh4B4 as compared with Dy0.6Y0.4Rh3.85Ru0.15B4. Furthermore, it was observed that the molar heat capacity CM(T) of Dy0.6Y0.4Rh3.85Ru0.15B4 increases with decreasing temperature for T < 4 K. In Dy0.6Y0.4Rh4B4, an increase in CM(T) with decreasing temperature is accompanied by the appearance of a maximum at Tmax = 1.5 K, which might be a manifestation of the magnetic phase transition in the dysprosium subsystem at this temperature.
Revealing the low-temperature effect of strengthening the magnetism of iron-vanadium-aluminum alloy upon small variation of the non-transition element content in the stoichiometric composition
Authors: Lonchakov A. T. , Marchenkov V. V. , Okulov V. I. , Govorkova T. E. , Okulova K. A. , Bobin S. B. , Deryushkin V. V. , Emel'yanova S. M. , Usik A. Yu. , Weber H. W.
Published: April 2016

Anomalously strong change of ferromagnetic ordering parameters upon a small variation of aluminum content was revealed in low-temperature experimental studies of electrical resistivity and galvanomagnetic properties of iron-vanadium-aluminum magnetic alloys with the compositions near the stoichiometric Fe2VAl. By comparing the temperature and magnetic field dependences of the electrical resistivity and Hall effect in Fe2.1V0.91Al0.99 and Fe2.05V0.91Al1.04 alloys, it was shown that a small increase of aluminum content leads to doubling of the Curie temperature and a sharp change in the temperature dependences of the magnetoresistance and saturation of the spontaneous magnetization.
Effect of deformation and temperature on the ordering of polyimide PM-A molecules. X-ray data
Authors: Braude I. S. , Gal'tsov N. N. , Geidarov V. G. , Kirichenko G. I. , Abraimov V. V.
Published: April 2016

X-ray diffractometry is used to study samples of type PM-A group B polyimide (Kapton H) subjected to uniaxial tension at room temperature and cooling to liquid nitrogen and helium temperatures. An asymmetry in the halo of the diffraction pattern from the amorphous sample is observed as a result of deformation and cooling of the samples. Deformation and cooling are found to have different effects on the intensity distribution. Thus, deformation produces “stretched” regions, while cooling produces “compressed” regions. An analysis of the diffraction patterns shows that uniaxial tension leads to partial ordering of the polyimide molecules in a sample along the direction of the applied load. The observed changes in the structure during cooling of films may indicate that mutual ordering of some of the molecules relative to one another is taking place.
Marine microalgal culturing in open pond systems for biodiesel production—Critical parameters
Authors: Sreekumar Nidhin , Giri Nandagopal M. S. , Vasudevan Aneesh , Antony Rahul , Selvaraju N.
Published: April 2016

In the present scenario, petroleum sourced fuel consumption is unsustainable; therefore, there is a high demand for the development of renewable transport fuels for environmental and economic sustainability. Microalgal fuel, with the significant feature of being carbon neutral, serves as one of the potent tools for tackling the fuel crisis. Enormous researches have been explored using fresh water species on biodiesel production; nevertheless, marine species are still in a grey area, even though reported to have higher lipid content. The current review focuses on a wide spectrum of marine microalgal sources with phycology under the criteria of open pond systems for algal oil production. The discussion on the lipid expression in the marine species have been critically analysed through the vital parameters such as solar irradiation, temperature, pH, nutrient pressure, agitation, CO2 supply, culture depth, aeration, etc. The parameters are interdependent and, if scrutinized wisely, could result in enhanced lipid productivity. Therefore, the open pond culture of marine microalgae with top prioritized parameters such as nitrogen stress, pH, and light penetration will be a suitable combination for the efficient and effective biodiesel production.
Effect of a smoke-free policy on staff attitudes and behaviours within an Australian metropolitan health service: a 3 year cross-sectional study
Authors: Hale Nicole , Murphy Andrea M. , Adams Jon R. , Williams Cylie M.
Published: April 2016

Objective In 2010, Peninsula Health (Vic., Australia), became smoke free as part of the locally developed smoking prevention and cessation strategy. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of a smoke-free policy on smoking status and employee attitudes over a 3-year period. Methods Data were collected by three surveys 6 months before and 6 months and 3 years after policy introduction. Demographic data, smoking status and attitudes to the introduction of the smoke-free policy were collected for analysis. Results There were 3224 individual responses collected over three time points with similar demographics at each time. There were fewer employees smoking at 6 months (P = 0.010) and 3 years (P < 0.001) after implementation of the policy. There were more employees who felt positive towards the policy 3 years after its introduction (P = 0.028). There were greater odds of an employee not identifying as a smoker after the policy was in place than before the policy was implemented. Conclusions The introduction of a smoke-free policy within a health service was an upstream health intervention that was well accepted by staff and appeared to have a positive effect on smoking behaviours. What is known about the topic? There are an increasing number of environmental changes that seek to decrease smoking behaviours. Bans within workplaces have a direct effect on employee smoking behaviour. What does this paper add? Some employee groups demonstrated the greater odds of smoking when a smoke-free policy was in place. Employees felt positive towards this policy. What are the implications for practitioners? This policy change supports environmental changes affecting individual health-related behaviours.
Tracking brain arousal fluctuations with fMRI
Authors: Chang Catie , Leopold David A. , Schölvinck Marieke Louise , Mandelkow Hendrik , Picchioni Dante , Liu Xiao , Ye Frank Q. , Turchi Janita N. , Duyn Jeff H.
Published: April 2016

Significance

Changes in vigilance and arousal levels can interfere with the study of brain function with functional MRI (fMRI). However, the difficulty of tracking and modeling arousal state during fMRI typically precludes the assessment of arousal-dependent influences on fMRI measurements. Here, we present evidence that continuous variations in arousal level may be monitored from fMRI data alone and validate this approach with a combination of fMRI, intracortical electrophysiology, and a behavioral measure of arousal. We describe a spatial pattern whose time-varying expression in the fMRI data is found to track both electrophysiological and behavioral arousal fluctuations. These findings have implications for increasing the sensitivity of fMRI as a cognitive and clinical biomarker.
Adaptation and validation of the Double Standard Scale in Basque adolescents / Adaptación y validación de la Escala de Doble Estándar en adolescentes vascas-os
Authors: Ubillos Silvia , Goiburu Eider , Puente Alicia , Pizarro Juan-Pablo
Published: April 2016

The goal was to adapt the Double Standard Scale to the Basque language and to validate it in this language. The sample was comprised of 2,919 adolescents in secondary school. The reliability was analysed and the cross-validation method was applied with exploratory factorial analysis and confirmatory factorial analysis to check the structure of the scale. A differential item analysis was performed according to sex. Finally, correlations were made with ambivalent sexism and distorted beliefs about women and violence, and a contrast of means was performed by sex and age groups using variance analysis and effect sizes. The results were: (a) good internal consistency; (b) a one-dimensional structure with seven items; (c) just one item presents a differential functioning; (d) a positive, significant relationship between the sexual double standard, ambivalent sexism and sexist beliefs; (e) boys and younger adolescents showed a greater adherence to the double standard; and (f) social desirability affects the responses of girls, especially younger ones.
Bulk storage of “Wonderful” pomegranate fruit using modified atmosphere bags
Authors: Porat Ron , Kosto Itzhak , Daus Avinoam
Published: April 2016

“Wonderful” pomegranates can be stored under modified atmosphere (MA) conditions for up to 3–4 months after harvest. Until recently, the harvested fruit first needed to be transferred to the packing house and packed in MA bags in cartons or plastic boxes before cooling to the desired temperature and subsequent cold storage. During the last few years, together with StePac Ltd, we have developed a new methodology in which “Wonderful” pomegranate fruit are directly harvested into large 80 kg or even 320 kg bulkXtend® MA bags in harvest bins, and then immediately transferred from the field to commercial cold storage rooms without the necessity of repacking the fruit at the packing house. In this study, we evaluated the postharvest storage performance and fruit quality of “Wonderful” pomegranates stored in bulk 80 kgXtend® MA bags in harvest bins for various periods of 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks at 7 °C followed by 1 week in shelf life conditions at 20 °C. The results show that “Wonderful” pomegranates can be maintained in bulkXtend® MA bags in harvest bins at excellent quality with minimal losses for at least 12 weeks after harvest. Overall, this new suggested procedure allows direct transfer of large volumes of fruit from the field to cold storage rooms without intermediate transferring to the packing house, thus saving precious time and extra packaging and labor costs, and ensuring better maintenance of the cold storage chain.
A novel non-thermostable deuterolysin from Aspergillus oryzae
Authors: Maeda Hiroshi , Katase Toru , Sakai Daisuke , Takeuchi Michio , Kusumoto Ken-Ichi , Amano Hitoshi , Ishida Hiroki , Abe Keietsu , Yamagata Youhei
Published: April 2016

Three putative deuterolysin (EC 3.4.24.29) genes (deuA, deuB, and deuC) were found in the Aspergillus oryzae genome database (http://www.bio.nite.go.jp/dogan/project/view/AO). One of these genes, deuA, was corresponding to NpII gene, previously reported. DeuA and DeuB were overexpressed by recombinant A. oryzae and were purified. The degradation profiles against protein substrates of both enzymes were similar, but DeuB showed wider substrate specificity against peptidyl MCA-substrates compared with DeuA. Enzymatic profiles of DeuB except for thermostability also resembled those of DeuA. DeuB was inactivated by heat treatment above 80° C, different from thermostable DeuA. Transcription analysis in wild type A. oryzae showed only deuB was expressed in liquid culture, and the addition of the proteinous substrate upregulated the transcription. Furthermore, the NaNO3 addition seems to eliminate the effect of proteinous substrate for the transcription of deuB.
Place matters: return intentions among forcibly displaced young Georgians from Abkhazia living in Tbilisi and Zugdidi
Authors: Lundgren Minna
Published: April 2016

Around 250,000 people are internally displaced within Georgia today as a consequence of violent conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the early 1990s and the Georgian-Russian war in 2008. The majority of the internally displaced persons originate from Abkhazia, which declared independence in 1999. While the conflict is still unresolved, the majority of those who fled remain displaced, most of them living in the vicinity of the capital Tbilisi, or in Zugdidi and the Samegrelo region bordering Abkhazia. The aim of this article is to study factors that impact on young people’s intentions to return to Abkhazia, with a focus on youth presently living in the Tbilisi and Zugdidi areas. The study is based on a quantitative survey (n= 131) with youth aged 18–25 years, who were displaced when very young, or who were born in displacement, have few or no memories of prior residences, and may have different opinions on returning from their parents. A chi-square analysis was used to measure differences among the respondents’ intentions to return permanently to Abkhazia withinx five years, in relation to their reasons for returning and factors in the past and the present. There was a significant association between return intentions and the current place of residence (Tbilisi or Zugdidi), with Tbilisi respondents more inclined towards return. Separate chi-square analyses for the two cities showed that different factors (birthplace, property in Abkhazia, socio-economic conditions, reasons for return and so on) have different impact on the return intentions of the respondents from the two cities, which allows us to conclude that place matters in thinking about post-conflict return trajectories.
Population Genetic Structure of QoI-Resistant Pestalotiopsis longiseta Isolates Causing Tea Gray Blight
Authors: Yamada Kengo , Sonoda Ryoichi , Ishikawa Koichi
Published: April 2016

Resistance to the quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides in the tea gray blight-causing fungus Pestalotiopsis longiseta is a serious problem in Japanese tea cultivation. We conducted a population genetic analysis of QoI-resistant P. longiseta isolates on the Makinohara Plateau, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan’s largest tea-growing area, to elucidate the disease’s epidemiology and the spread of QoI resistance. Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) analysis of 1,083 isolates from 395 fields collected from 2009 to 2012 detected 42 ISSR types, designated as PL01 to PL42. A total of 18, seven, and 38 ISSR types were detected in highly resistant, moderately resistant, and sensitive isolates, respectively. No distinct phylogenetic relationship corresponding to QoI sensitivity or sampling location was observed. No annual changes in the population genetic structure of highly resistant isolates were observed during the study period. A different ISSR type was predominant among QoI-resistant isolates in each region. Analysis of molecular variance revealed significant genetic differentiation in populations of highly resistant isolates among regions (FCT = 0.213) and farmers (FCT = 0.071). Consequently, we speculate that QoI-resistant P. longiseta strains occurred in a number of clonal lineages and spread by both natural and artificial transmission, such as rain splash and plucking machines, throughout each region on the Makinohara Plateau.
Identification of aPi9-Containing Rice Germplasm with a Newly Developed Robust Marker
Authors: Scheuermann Klaus Konrad , Jia Yulin
Published: April 2016

The Pi9 gene in rice, originating from Oryza minuta, is an effective resistance gene for controlling rice blast disease. However, currently available linked DNA markers do not accurately identify the function of Pi9, thus hindering its efficient incorporation into new cultivars through marker-assisted selection (MAS). In addition, no known Pi9-containing rice germplasm is available to breeders. In the present study, DNA sequence variation of Pi9 alleles and their family members was analyzed in 40 diverse rice germplasm accessions from the AA genome to develop a robust Pi9 marker. In total, 29 DNA primers of 20 to 23 nucleotides were designed and each possible combination of primer pairs was used to detect Pi9. Only one combination of DNA primers, KS28/KS6, was identified to specifically detect Pi9 in the monogenic line IRBL9-W. The presence of Pi9 was verified with the predicted Pi9-specific blast reaction. Subsequently, 201 genetically diverse mini-core rice accessions from 114 countries were screened with KS28/KS6. One germplasm, IR 9660-48-1-1-2, was identified to carry Pi9 and the function of Pi9 was verified with pathogenicity assays. This robust Pi9 marker and a rice germplasm, IR9660-48-1-1-2 (GSOR310687), carrying Pi9 can be used to improve blast resistance with a MAS approach.
Timing appearance and integration of actin-organizing palladin protein in dynamic myofibril assembly
Authors: Nguyen Ngoc-Uyen-Nhi , Liu Tz-Yu , Wang Hao-Ven
Published: April 2016

The involvement of actin-associated protein palladin in myogenesis has been elucidated, however, palladin distribution in a functional myotube remains to be identified. Since actin is required for myofibrillogenesis, it is of great interest to enhance our understanding of the spatial arrangements of palladin during sarcomeric assembly. Surprisingly, palladin was found to be discretely organized in different stages of myofibrillogenesis. Palladin revealed stress-fiber-like structures at undifferentiated stages, subsequently displayed chaotic expression and strongly co-distributed with actin, α-actinin, and myosin heavy chain of premyofibrils. At late stages, aggregates of palladin were spaced in a regular dot-like structure. On the other hand, palladin presents at I-Z-I bands of adult muscle. These observations suggest that palladin engages with sarcomeric proteins during the process of myoblast differentiation and that these interactions might occur in a temporally regulated fashion. In addition, transient overexpression of 140-kDa-palladin resulted in nonfilamentous actin arresting mature myotube formation. 200-kDa-palladin overexpression led to the early formation of Z-lines. Collectively, these findings suggest that palladin might serve a role in myofibrillogenesis by guiding and positioning sarcomeric proteins at the appropriate time and place. Our results highlight the involvement of palladin protein and the discrete functions of palladin isoforms in sarcomeric development in vitro.
FlashPCA: fast sparse canonical correlation analysis of genomic data
Authors: Abraham Gad , Inouye Michael
Published: April 2016

Sparse canonical correlation analysis (SCCA) is a useful approach for correlating one set of measurements, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), with another set of measurements, such as gene expression levels. We present a fast implementation of SCCA, enabling rapid analysis of hundreds of thousands of SNPs together with thousands of phenotypes. Our approach is implemented both as an R package flashpcaR and within the standalone commandline tool flashpca.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/gabraham/flashpca

Contact

gad.abraham@unimelb.edu.au
Environmental responses, not species interactions, determine synchrony of dominant species in semiarid grasslands
Authors: Tredennick Andrew T. , de Mazancourt Claire , Loreau Michel , Adler Peter B.
Published: April 2016

Temporal asynchrony among species helps diversity to stabilize ecosystem functioning, but identifying the mechanisms that determine synchrony remains a challenge. Here, we refine and test theory showing that synchrony depends on three factors: species responses to environmental variation, interspecific interactions, and demographic stochasticity. We then conduct simulation experiments with empirical population models to quantify the relative influence of these factors on the synchrony of dominant species in five semiarid grasslands. We found that the average synchrony of per capita growth rates, which can range from 0 (perfect asynchrony) to 1 (perfect synchrony), was higher when environmental variation was present (0.62) rather than absent (0.43). Removing interspecific interactions and demographic stochasticity had small effects on synchrony. For the dominant species in these plant communities, where species interactions and demographic stochasticity have little influence, synchrony reflects the covariance in species responses to the environment.
Evaluation of the impact of quality management systems on school climate
Authors: Egido Gálvez Inmaculada , Fernández Cruz Francisco José , Fernández Díaz Mª José
Published: April 2016

Purpose

Implementation of quality management systems in educational institutions has gradually increased over the last few decades, even though there are still questions about the actual usefulness of these systems for improving school processes and outcomes. This study takes an in-depth look at the impact, understood as sustainable medium and long-term changes in the organisation, which implementation of quality management systems has on schools. Specifically, it analyses the effect these systems have on an essential dimension for school efficiency, which is school climate, as well as on satisfaction of the members of the education community.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve this, we conducted an evaluation of the impact of quality management systems on a total of 29 Spanish primary and secondary education schools. This study is part of non-experimental research, since it is not possible to manipulate variables or randomly assign participants or treatment (Kerlinger 2002). This is an “ex post facto” study since the independent variables cannot be manipulated, but rather we wait for developments to occur naturally and then they are analysed. The idea is to validate the hypothesis once the event occurs, trying to find its causes “retrospectively”.

Findings

The results showed that quality management systems have a positive impact on aspects such as development of coexistence rules in schools, teacher participation in initiatives to improve schools and a positive climate in schools.

Research limitations/implications

On the other hand, there is no evidence of the impact of these systems on conflict resolution procedures or family participation in school life. The impact of quality management systems on the satisfaction of the members of the school community is also moderate.

Originality/value

The results obtained also show that the impact tends to be greater in private subsidised centres, in small schools, in centres where the system has been implemented for more years and when there is more support and monitoring by the educational authorities.
Socio-economic, environmental and personal factors
in the choice of country and higher education institution for studying abroad among international students in Malaysia
Authors: Mehar Singh Manjet Kaur
Published: April 2016

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to understand the pull factors that influenced international students’ choice of country and institution for their Master’s education.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study relied upon focus group interviews with 70 international students registered in taught Master programmes at a higher education (HE) institution in Malaysia for data collection.

Findings

It was found that socio-economic, environmental and personal factors played important role in the international student’s decision making process of choosing the country and HE institution.

Research limitations/implications

The article concludes with recommendations for Malaysian universities to consider in their marketing strategies to promote Malaysia as an international education’s hub.

Originality/value

This article focuses on research into the lives of international students who are currently pursuing their Master education at a public Malaysian university. This article discusses the three attributes that led this particular group of students to select Malaysia and the particular HE institution to further their taught Master programmes.
Constructions of the patient in healthcare communications: six patient figures
Authors: Pors Anja Svejgaard
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine how strategic, patient-centred communication plays a part in the discursive management of expectations posed to patients and healthcare organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper provides an analysis of four documents collected as part of an ethnographic case study regarding “The Perspective of the Patient” – a Danish Hospital’s patient-centred communication programme. Mapping methods inspired by Grounded Theory are used to qualify the analysis.

Findings

– The paper shows that strategic patient-centred communication addresses both a care-oriented approach to the patient and deploys market perceptions of patients. Market and care is seen as co-existing organizing modes that entail expectations to the patient. In the communication programme the patient is constructed in six information-seeking patient figures: affective patient; target group patient; citizen with rights; patient as a competent resource; user as active partner; and consumer. As a result, the patient-centred communication programme renders the patient as a flexible figure able to fit organizational demands of both care orientation and market concerns.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to qualitative research in organizational health communication by combining two subfields – patient-centredness and health communication – in an empirical study of how market and care are intertwined in a patient-centred communication programme. The argument goes beyond the prevalent prescriptive approaches to patient-centredness and healthcare communication, instead providing a critical analytical perspective on strategic communication and patient-centredness and showing how expectations are posed to both patient and organization.
Investigating the “fate” of Intellectual Capital indicators: a case study
Authors: Chiucchi Maria Serena , Montemari Marco
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– Although several frameworks for measuring and reporting Intellectual Capital (IC) have been developed over the past two decades, their actual use in practice is still limited. The purpose of this paper is to answer the call to analyze IC practices from a critical and performative perspective by investigating how and why IC indicators may end up not being used, thus shedding light on the barriers to their use.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper presents a single in-depth case study and focusses attention on the fragility of the IC indicators as well on the interactions that occur among subjects while transmitting IC indicators.

Findings

– The case analysis shows how the different perspectives and expectations that are at stake when subjects engage with IC indicators can play a central role in hindering or enabling their use in practice. Expecting IC indicators to be able to accurately represent and to objectively signal the size and the growth/decline of IC, i.e. to be complete and isomorphic measures, can act as a barrier to their use. The case also shows that scores play a role in hindering the use of the IC indicators; the subjects disputed the scores when they did not confirm their perception of reality, and the lack of completeness and isomorphism of the IC indicators, i.e. their fragility, was the reason put forward to justify the subjects’ refusal to accept the scores and thus, to use these measures.

Research limitations/implications

– Although the use of a single case study provides in-depth and rich data, it also limits the generalizability of the observations to other companies. Moreover, the findings obtained may be influenced by the specific IC framework and indicators adopted.

Originality/value

– Differently from most previous IC research, this paper focusses attention on the transmission of indicators and ultimately, on their “fate,” and it contributes to the understanding of how and why IC indicators may be produced but not used, thus hindering the diffusion of IC frameworks in practice.
The Effect of Weave Density on Fabric Handle and Appearance of Men's Suit Fabrics
Authors: Mori Masukuni , Matsudaira Mitsuo
Published: April 2016

Optimum selection of materials and adequate weave structure fitted for end-users are very important for comfortable, sophisticated and fashionable clothes. The optimum theoretical weave density is well-known and used practically depending on yarn property; however, wearing comfortability and beautiful appearance of weaves are not studied precisely in the literature yet. These features are considered to be made at the finishing stages of the weave manufacturing process in general; however, the main part of physical properties of fabrics seem to have been determined by their weave structure.

In this study, warp yarn density was changed for men's suit fabrics and the effect of weave density on fabric handle, heat and water transfer property, appearance of clothes, wrinkle resistance, and color brightness are examined. The total hand value (THV) showed the highest at similar density of warp and weft yarn. The total appearance value (TAV) decreased when warp and weft yarn density was smaller. Wrinkle resistance was high in the condition of the maximum warp and weft yarn density. This paper contributes to the development of a fundamental database of designing ideal fabrics.
The Effects of 1,2,3,4-Butanetetracarboxylic Acid (BTCA) Finishing on the Color of Naturally Colored Cotton Fabrics
Authors: Zhou Wenlong , Bao Yinqiao , Li Maosong
Published: April 2016

Naturally colored cotton (NCC) based wovens are finished with 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA), which is an environmentally friendly durable press (DP) finish. The colors of the NCC wovens before and after DP finishing are examined. The color fastnesses to home laundering and light irradiation are compared and evaluated. The DP finishing of BTCA has a negative effect on the color of NCC based fabrics. About 1/3 of the shade depth of the NCCs are decreased after a BTCA finishing. For both the fabrics with and without a DP finishing, home laundering results in evident color changes with decrease of shade depth. However, for probable crosslinking to pigments, a DP finishing could significantly improve the home laundering color fastness of NCCs. The performance of the color fastness to light after a BTCA finishing depends on the cotton breed. The BTCA finishing of the green NCC minimally improves the light fastness, while for the brown NCC, the color fastness to light decreases after the BTCA finishing.
Effects of Softeners on Mechanical Properties of Cotton Fabric
Authors: Gong R.H. , Bhatia A.
Published: April 2016

Most commercial textile materials are given a “soft finish” for the comfort of the wearer. This paper investigates the effects of two levels of concentration for six commercial softeners on cotton knitted fabrics. The fabric properties are measured by using the Kawabata Evaluation System for Fabrics (KES-FB). It is found that the application of softeners reduces the bending properties of interlock knitted fabrics due to the reduction in inter-yarn friction as the result of the lubrication effect of the softeners. For most softeners, a higher level of concentration leads to a softer fabric, but the optimum concentration level depends on the exact chemistry of the softener. Furthermore, the application of softeners does not reduce the shear properties of the knitted interlock fabric as expected. The main reason is that the shear deformation of a knitted structure is due to the stretching of the loops rather than inter-yarn movement as in the case for woven fabrics. The increased stability of the fabric after softener application makes the fabric more resistant to shear deformation. Therefore, for interlock knitted fabrics, shear properties are not reliable indicators of the softening effect.
Advances in the CAD Simulation of Textile Yarns
Authors: Grishanov S.A. , Siewe F. , Cassidy T.
Published: April 2016

A project aimed at the 3D simulation of textile yarns from technical specifications was begun in 1993 and attracted support from both industry and research councils to enable the formation of a multi-national team of researchers to come together in the UK. Considerable progress has been made particularly in the simulation of knitting yarn and plain knit fabric. In recent times the team has tackled the problem of simulating mixture coloured yarns sometimes called melange. This has necessitated a more complicated model of yarn structure based on queuing theory which is outlined at the end of the paper. References are provided for readers who wish to learn more of the various theories and models that have been used throughout the course of this project.
Embedded Two-Phase Cooling of Large Three-Dimensional Compatible Chips With Radial Channels
Authors: Schultz Mark , Yang Fanghao , Colgan Evan , Polastre Robert , Dang Bing , Tsang Cornelia , Gaynes Michael , Parida Pritish , Knickerbocker John , Chainer Timothy
Published: April 2016

Thermal performance for embedded two-phase cooling using dielectric coolant (R1234ze) is evaluated on a ∼20 mm × 20 mm large die. The test vehicles incorporate radial expanding channels with embedded pin fields suitable for through-silicon-via (TSV) interconnects of multidie stacks. Power generating features mimicking those anticipated in future generations of processor chips with eight cores are included. Initial results show that for the types of power maps anticipated, critical heat fluxes (CHFs) in “core” areas of at least 350 W/cm2 with at least 20 W/cm2 “background” heating in rest of the chip area can be achieved with less than 30 °C temperature rise over the inlet coolant temperature. These heat fluxes are significantly higher than those seen for relatively long parallel channel devices of similar base channel dimensions. Experimental results of flow rate, pressure drop, “device,” and coolant temperature are also provided for these test vehicles along with details of the test facility developed to properly characterize the test vehicles.