bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conservation payments in a social context: determinants of tolerance and behavioural intentions towards wild cats in northern Belize
Authors: Harvey Rebecca G. , Briggs-Gonzalez Venetia , Mazzotti Frank J.
Published: October 2016

Carnivores are valued by conservationists globally but protecting them can impose direct costs on rural, livestock-dependent communities. Financial incentives are increasingly used with the goal of increasing people's tolerance of predators, but the definition of tolerance has been vague and inconsistent. Empirical correlations between attitudinal and behavioural measures of tolerance imply that attitudes may be a valid proxy for behaviours. However, theoretical differences between the concepts suggest that attitudinal tolerance and behavioural intention to kill cats would have different underlying determinants. We surveyed 112 residents within a forest–farm mosaic in northern Belize inhabited by jaguarsPanthera oncaand four other species of wild cats. A conservation payment programme pays local landowners when camera traps record cat presence on their land. Results indicated that tolerance was associated with gender and participation in the camera-trapping programme, whereas intention to kill cats was associated with cultural group (Mennonites vs Mestizos), presence of children in the home and, to a lesser extent, tolerance. Neither dependent variable was significantly related to depredation losses or economic factors. Results suggest that monetary payments alone are unlikely to affect attitudes and behaviours towards carnivores. Payment programmes may be enhanced by accentuating non-monetary incentives, leveraging social norms and targeting specific groups with information about risks and benefits associated with carnivores. By empirically separating two concepts commonly conflated as ‘tolerance’ we clarify understanding of how social forces interact with financial incentives to shape people's relationships with predators.
Non-human primate malaria parasites: out of the forest and into the laboratory
Authors: MARTINELLI AXEL , CULLETON RICHARD
Published: October 2016

The study of malaria in the laboratory relies on either thein vitroculture of human parasites, or the use of non-human malaria parasites in laboratory animals. In this review, we address the use of non-human primate malaria parasite species (NHPMPs) in laboratory research. We describe the features of the most commonly used NHPMPs, review their contribution to our understanding of malaria to date, and discuss their potential contribution to future studies.
Orientatractis moravecin. sp. andRondonia rondoniTravassos, 1920 (Nematoda: Atractidae), parasites ofPimelodus blochii(Osteichthyes, Pimelodidae) from the Acre and Xapuri Rivers, Western Amazon, Brazil
Authors: CAVALCANTE PEDRO H. O. , SILVA MARALINA T. , SANTOS EVERTON G. N. , CHAGAS-MOUTINHO VANESSA A. , SANTOS CLAUDIA P.
Published: October 2016

The fish fauna in the State of Acre represents 10·7% of all fish species recorded from Brazil, but, despite this, there are few fish parasite studies in this area. The recent expansion of fish farming in Acre prompted a need for helminthological studies of the most commonly consumed fish species in the area,Pimelodus blochii(Pimelodidae). The aim of this study was to analyse the helminth fauna ofP. blochiifrom the Acre and Xapuri Rivers in Northwestern Brazil. Numerous nematodes were collected from the intestine and two species of the family Atractidae were identified:Rondonia rondoniTravassos, 1920 andOrientatractis moravecin. sp. The new species is distinguished from its congeners mainly by having: 10 pairs of caudal papillae (3 pairs pre-cloacal, 2 pairs ad-cloacal and 5 pairs post-cloacal); unequal spicules of 161–198 and 69–100µmlong; and a gubernaculum 38–58µmlong with an antero-lateral process. Morphological and ultrastructural data onO. moravecin. sp. andR. rondoniare presented, in addition to new genetic data based on partial 18S rDNA and 28S rDNA. The taxonomic status ofLabeonema synodontisi(Vassiliadès, 1973) is discussed, suggesting that it should be returned to the genusRaillietnema.
Nerolidol-loaded nanospheres prevent hepatic oxidative stress of mice infected byTrypanosoma evansi
Authors: BALDISSERA MATHEUS D. , SOUZA CARINE F. , GRANDO THIRSSA H. , DOLCI GEISA S. , COSSETIN LUCIANA F. , MOREIRA KAREN L. S. , DA VEIGA MARCELO L. , DA ROCHA MARIA IZABEL U. M. , BOLIGON ALINE A. , DE CAMPOS MARLI M. A. , STEFANI LENITA M. , DA SILVA ALEKSANDRO S. , MONTEIRO SILVIA G.
Published: October 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nerolidol free (N-F) and nerolidol-loaded in nanospheres (N-NS) on the hepatic antioxidant/oxidant status of mice experimentally infected byTrypanosoma evansi. In the liver it was measured: reactive oxygen species (ROS), thiobarbituric reactive acid substances (TBARS) and non-protein thiols (NPSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and performed histopathological examination. In addition, seric levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured. Liver samples from mice infected byT. evansishowed increased (P< 0·05) ROS, TBARS, AST and ALT levels and SOD activity, and decreased NPSH levels and CAT activity (P< 0·05) compared with uninfected animals. N-NS treatment prevented (P< 0·05) ROS and TBARS increase, and increased NPSH levels, and ameliorate CAT and SOD activities on liver of infected mice. Moreover, N-NS treatment reduced (P< 0·05) AST and ALT levels, and prevented histopathological changes caused by the parasite. N-NS protected the liver from the oxidative stress caused byT. evansi, which might be due to its antioxidant properties. Nerolidol might be considered a promising therapeutic agent against oxidative stress, and nanotechnology is an encouraging approach to be explored.
Laser generated Richtmyer–Meshkov instability and nonlinear wave paradigm in turbulent mixing: I. Central region of Gaussian spot
Authors: Lugomer Stjepan
Published: October 2016

A three-dimensional Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI) was generated on metal target by the laser pulse of Gaussian-like power profile in the semiconfined configuration (SCC). The SCC enables the extended lifetime of a hot vapor/plasma plume above the target surface as well as the fast multiple reshocks. The oscillatory pressure field of the reshocks causes strong bubble shape oscillations giving rise to the complex wave-vortex phenomena. The irregularity of the pressure field causes distortion of the shock wave front observed as deformed waves. In a random flow field the waves solidified around the bubbles form the broken “egg-karton” structure – or the large-scale chaotic web. In the coherent flow field the shape oscillations and collapse of the large bubbles generate nonlinear waves as the line- and the horseshoe-solitons. The line solitons are organized into a polygonal web, while the horseshoe solitons make either the rosette-like web or appear as the individual parabolic-like solitons. The configurations of the line solitons are juxtapositioned with solitons simulated by the Kadomtsev–Petviashvili (KP) equation. For the horseshoe solitons it was mentioned that it can be obtained by the simulation based on the cylindrical KP equation. The line and the horseshoe solitons represent the wave-vortex phenomena in which the fluid accelerated by the shock and exposed to a subsequent series of fast reshocks follows more complex scenario than in the open configuration. The RMI environment in the SCC generates complex fluid dynamics and the new paradigm of wave vortex phenomena in turbulent mixing.
Sensitiveness of light absorption for self-focusing at laser–plasma interaction with weakly relativistic and ponderomotive regime
Authors: Patil S.D. , Takale M.V. , Fulari V.J. , Gill T.S.
Published: October 2016

In the present paper, we have examined the sensitiveness of light absorption for self-focusing of Gaussian laser beam in plasma. By introducing dielectric function of plasma under ponderomotive and weakly relativistic regime, we have established the differential equation for beam-width parameter by using parabolic equation approach under Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin and paraxial approximations and solved it numerically. In order to incorporate the sensitiveness of light absorption for self-focusing, behavior of normalized beam-width parameter; plasma density distribution with dimensionless distance of propagation is presented graphically and discussed. Numerical analysis shows that light absorption plays a vital role in self-focusing of laser beam in plasma under weakly relativistic and ponderomotive regime and gives reasonably interesting results.
Conflict in Crocker: applying ethical analysis to constructive dialogue in a co-managed protected area in Sabah (Malaysia)
Authors: HAMILTON LOGAN , JEPSON PAUL
Published: October 2016

Over a 10-year period, a valley in Crocker Range Park in Sabah (Malaysia) has witnessed a conflict between a community located inside its boundaries – the Ulu Senagang/Mongool Baru – and the state government's parks department – Sabah Parks. Sabah Parks sought to designate the area as a co-managed community use zone (CUZ) in which sustainable practices are allowed to continue, but disagreement over how the zone was to be governed resulted in a prolonged impasse. This paper assesses whether conflict management tools could overcome the impasse. This study assessed the CUZ conflict via a systematic methodology known as ethical analysis (EA), which aims to reveal stakeholder interests, values and principles and identify barriers and bridges to negotiated settlements. First developed in the medical field and subsequently employed in the analysis of forestry disputes, this is the first time that EA has been utilized in the context of protected area management. The EA revealed significant misalignments between stakeholders’ positions that were sufficient to prevent a perfect win–win solution from emerging. As such, at least one party would have to make compromises in order for the CUZ to be established. The EA revealed that whilst both sides in this conflict were willing to move forwards with negotiations, they had been prevented from doing so by mutual mistrust and a number of misconceptions that had developed during the negotiation process. The EA tool was fit for purpose in identifying the underlying causes of the CUZ conflict, which were determined to be resolvable so long as both sides were willing to make compromises. The study concludes that other co-managements could similarly benefit from the employment of EA, which can be easily incorporated into existing protected area conflict management models and structures. We propose that the utility of EA can be further enhanced in the conservation management context by incorporating assessments of stakeholder priorities and worldviews into its analysis structure.
The Complementarity Regime of the International Criminal Court in Practice: Is it Truly Serving the Purpose? Some Lessons from Libya
Authors: JURDI NIDAL NABIL
Published: October 2016

The interplay between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and domestic jurisdictions under the complementarity regime has unveiled statutory and policy limitations. These loopholes became vivid when the ICC faced new complex situations that were not initially envisaged by the drafters of the Rome Statute. On the practical side, the Libyan situation revealed setbacks and shortages in the policy(ies) adopted by the ICC. The first of these setbacks is the apparent lack of a coherent strategy on positive complementarity as invoked by (some) organs of the Court. The second aspect is the Court's adoption of a restrictive interpretation of the constituencies of the complementarity regime, making it extremely difficult even for some willing and able states to exercise their primary duty to prosecute core international crimes.

The unfortunate loose interpretation of ‘unavailability’ that the ICC has developed has led to inaccurate interpretations of the complementarity mechanism in certain situations, such as Libya. Furthermore, the fair trial standards within the admissibility regime should not be exaggerated, but rather invoked to determine whether the state has a bona fide intention to investigate and prosecute these crimes. Contrary to some writers’ interpretation, this is an objective test of intention, not one of relativity or specific result.

The ICC practice has shown a patchy approach that lacks a consistent and clear vision of its relation with domestic jurisdictions. While the ICC has not missed every opportunity to hail its commitment to positive complementarity, the reality is that the Court seems keen on understanding its success through conducting more international prosecutions.
Mild Cognitive Impairments Moderate the Effect of Time on Verbal Fluency Performance
Authors: Demetriou Eleni , Holtzer Roee
Published: October 2016

Objectives: Mild cognitive impairments (MCI) is a transitional state in aging associated with increased risk of incident dementia. The current study investigated whether MCI status moderated the effect of time on word generation during verbal fluency tasks. Specifically, the objective was to determine whether MCI status had differential effects on initial automatic or latter more effortful retrieval processes of fluency tasks. Methods: Participants were community residing older adults enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study. Of the 408 participants, 353 were normal (age=76.06±6.61; %female=57.8) and 55 were diagnosed with MCI (age=78.62±7.00; %female=52.7). Phonemic and category fluency were each administered for 60 s, but performance was recorded at three consecutive 20-s intervals (0–20 s [T1], 21–40 s [T2], 41–60 s [T3]. Separate linear mixed effects models for each fluency task were used to determine the effects of group, time, and their interaction on word generation. Results: In both fluency tasks, word generation declined as a function of time. Individuals with MCI generated fewer words compared to controls during the first 20 s of phonemic (beta=−1.56; p<.001; d=0.28) and category fluency (beta=−1.85; p<.001; d=0.37). Group by time interactions revealed that individuals with MCI demonstrated attenuated declines in word generation from the first to the second and third time intervals of both phonemic ([T1 vs. T2] beta=2.17, p=.001; d=0.41; [T1 vs. T3]beta=2.28, p=.001; d=0.45) and category ([T1 vs. T2] beta= 2.22, p=.002; d=0.50; [T1 vs. T3]beta=3.16, p<.001; d=0.71) fluency. Conclusions: Early automatic retrieval processes in verbal fluency tasks are compromised in MCI. (JINS, 2017, 23, 44–55)
Cross-linguistic priming in bilinguals: Multidisciplinary perspectives on language processing, acquisition, and change
Authors: KOOTSTRA GERRIT JAN , MUYSKEN PIETER
Published: October 2016

This special issue deals with cross-linguistic priming in bilinguals, and consists of six contributions, which were all presented during the workshop on cross-linguistic priming in bilinguals at Radboud University Nijmegen (NL) in September 2013 (http://crosslingprimingconf2013.wordpress.com).
Health and nutrition content claims on Australian fast-food websites
Authors: Wellard Lyndal , Koukoumas Alexandra , Watson Wendy L , Hughes Clare
Published: October 2016

Objective

To determine the extent that Australian fast-food websites contain nutrition content and health claims, and whether these claims are compliant with the new provisions of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (‘the Code’).

Design

Systematic content analysis of all web pages to identify nutrition content and health claims. Nutrition information panels were used to determine whether products with claims met Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criteria (NPSC) and qualifying criteria, and to compare them with the Code to determine compliance.

Setting

Australian websites of forty-four fast-food chains including meals, bakery, ice cream, beverage and salad chains.

Subjects

Any products marketed on the websites using health or nutrition content claims.

Results

Of the forty-four fast-food websites, twenty (45 %) had at least one claim. A total of 2094 claims were identified on 371 products, including 1515 nutrition content (72 %) and 579 health claims (28 %). Five fast-food products with health (5 %) and 157 products with nutrition content claims (43 %) did not meet the requirements of the Code to allow them to carry such claims.

Conclusions

New provisions in the Code came into effect in January 2016 after a 3-year transition. Food regulatory agencies should review fast-food websites to ensure compliance with the qualifying criteria for nutrition content and health claim regulations. This would prevent consumers from viewing unhealthy foods as healthier choices. Healthy choices could be facilitated by applying NPSC to nutrition content claims. Fast-food chains should be educated on the requirements of the Code regarding claims.
Electron Beam-Induced Deposition for Atom Probe Tomography Specimen Capping Layers
Authors: Diercks David R. , Gorman Brian P. , Mulders Johannes J. L.
Published: October 2016

Six precursors were evaluated for use as in situ electron beam-induced deposition capping layers in the preparation of atom probe tomography specimens with a focus on near-surface features where some of the deposition is retained at the specimen apex. Specimens were prepared by deposition of each precursor onto silicon posts and shaped into sub-70-nm radii needles using a focused ion beam. The utility of the depositions was assessed using several criteria including composition and uniformity, evaporation behavior and evaporation fields, and depth of Ga+ ion penetration. Atom probe analyses through depositions of methyl cyclopentadienyl platinum trimethyl, palladium hexafluoroacetylacetonate, and dimethyl-gold-acetylacetonate [Me2Au(acac)] were all found to result in tip fracture at voltages exceeding 3 kV. Examination of the deposition using Me2Au(acac) plus flowing O2 was inconclusive due to evaporation of surface silicon from below the deposition under all analysis conditions. Dicobalt octacarbonyl [Co2(CO)8] and diiron nonacarbonyl [Fe2(CO)9] depositions were found to be effective as in situ capping materials for the silicon specimens. Their very different evaporation fields [36 V/nm for Co2(CO)8 and 21 V/nm for Fe2(CO)9] provide options for achieving reasonably close matching of the evaporation field between the capping material and many materials of interest.
What are the current and future requirements for magnetic resonance imaging interpretation skills in radiotherapy? A critical review
Authors: Midon Aston M. , Bridge Pete , Warren Mark
Published: October 2016

Purpose

Increasing usage of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in radiotherapy (RT) and the advent of MRI-based image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) suggests a need for additional training within the RT profession. This critical review aimed to identify potential gaps in knowledge by evaluating the current skill base in MRI among therapeutic radiographers as evidenced by published research.

Methods

Papers related to MRI usage were retrieved. Topic areas included outlining, planning and IGRT; diagnosis, follow-up and staging-related papers were excluded. After selection and further text analysis, papers were grouped by tumour site and year of publication.

Results

The literature search and filtering resulted in a total of 123 papers, of which 66 were related to ‘outlining’, 37 to ‘planning’ and 20 to ‘IGRT’. The main sites of existing MRI expertise in RT were brain, central nervous system, prostate, and head and neck tumours. Expertise was clearly related to regions where MRI offered improved soft-tissue contrast. MRI studies within RT have been published from 2007 onwards at a steadily increasing rate.

Conclusion

Current use of MRI in RT is mainly restricted to sites where MRI offers a considerable imaging advantage over computed tomography. Given the changing use of MRI for image guidance, emerging therapeutic radiographers will require training in MRI interpretation across a wider range of anatomical regions.
‘The biggest car crash in NHS history’: the media portrayal of GP pay before and after the introduction of the Health and Social Care Bill 2011
Authors: Balkham Adam , Alderson Sarah
Published: October 2016

Background

The introduction of the Health and Social Care Bill (2011) changed the role of GPs to include commissioning of health services.

Aim

This study aimed to identify any differences in the media portrayal of GPs before and after the introduction of the Bill.

Methods

We retrospectively searched four British newspapers over the period 2009–2013 using the media database Nexis. In order to directly compare the findings of the study with the work of Tanner et al., articles relating to GP pay were analysed using thematic analysis. Themes were identified and each article was scored to determine whether it portrayed GPs positively or negatively.

Results

GPs were portrayed slightly less negatively after the introduction of the Bill. The theme of ‘high salaries’ persisted despite reference to ‘pay freezes’. References to decreased trust in the patient–doctor relationship appeared after the introduction of the Bill.

Conclusion

Negative portrayal of GP pay has continued and a lack of trust in GPs has started to be portrayed. This trend may exacerbate the low morale amongst the profession and difficulties in recruiting and retaining GPs.
Disciplinary Social Policy and the Failing Promise of the New Middle Classes: The Troubled Families Programme
Authors: Nunn Alex , Tepe-Belfrage Daniela
Published: October 2016

This article looks at the promise of the ‘New Middle Class’ (NMC) inherent in the neoliberal ideological ideal of individualising societal responsibility for well-being and success. The article points to how this promise enables a discourse and practice of welfare reform and a disciplining of life styles particularly targeting the very poor in society. Women and some ethnic minorities are particularly prone to poverty and then therefore also discipline. The article then provides a case study of the Troubled Families Programme (TFP) and shows how the programme and the way it is constructed and managed partly undermines the provision of the material needs to alleviate people from poverty and re-produces discourses of poor lifestyle and parenting choices as sources of poverty, thereby undermining the ‘middle-class’ promise.
Economic freedom and human capital investment
Authors: FELDMANN HORST
Published: October 2016

Using data from 1972 to 2011 on 109 countries, this paper empirically studies the impact of economic freedom on human capital investment. Enrollment in secondary education is used as a proxy for such investments. Controlling for a large number of other determinants of education, it finds that, over the sample period, economic freedom had a substantial positive effect. This is probably because more economic freedom increases the return on investing in human capital, enables people to keep a larger share of the return, and, by facilitating the operation of credit markets, makes it easier for them to undertake such investments in the first place.
GENERALIZING BOOLOS’ THEOREM
Authors: LEACH-KROUSE GRAHAM
Published: October 2016

It’s well known that it’s possible to extract, from Frege’s Grudgesetze, an interpretation of second-order Peano Arithmetic in the theory $H{P^2}$, whose sole axiom is Hume’s principle. What’s less well known is that, in Die Grundlagen Der Arithmetic §82–83 Boolos (2011), George Boolos provided a converse interpretation of $H{P^2}$ in $P{A^2}$. Boolos’ interpretation can be used to show that the Frege’s construction allows for any model of $P{A^2}$ to be recovered from some model of $H{P^2}$. So the space of possible arithmetical universes is precisely characterized by Hume’s principle.

In this paper, I show that a large class of second-order theories admit characterization by an abstraction principle in this sense. The proof makes use of structural abstraction principles, a class of abstraction principles of considerable intrinsic interest, and categories of interpretations in the sense of Visser (2003).
Early ontogeny of the Furongian (Cambrian) olenid trilobitesSphaerophthalmus alatus(Boeck, 1838) andCtenopyge(Mesoctenopyge)tumidaWestergård, 1922 from Bornholm, Denmark
Authors: Månsson Kristina , Clarkson Euan N. K.
Published: October 2016

The early stages in ontogenetic development are described in the co-occurringSphaerophthalmus alatus(Boeck, 1838) andCtenopyge(Mesoctenopyge)tumidaWestergård, 1922, using fragmentary but otherwise well-preserved material from Bornholm, Denmark. The former species is a senior synonym ofCtenopyge(Eoctenopyge)angustaWestergård, 1922, as has been recently proposed, but the early stages ofS. alatusfrom Bornholm are appreciably more spiny than those found of the same species in other places in Scandinavia, and spinosity is retained until later in development. Increasing convexity with development and other morphological changes are noted. Pygidia were previously unknown inC.(M.)tumida.Here, they are represented by early pygidia. These are shield-shaped, with a very spiny margin and a strong axial spine. The distinction betweenSphaerophthalmusandCtenopygeis discussed.
The Impact of Human Trafficking in ASEAN: Singapore as a Case-Study
Authors: ANIL KUMAR Jaya
Published: October 2016

Southeast Asia remains a notorious hotbed for human trafficking. The seriousness of the problem has led to the emergence of various initiatives to combat human trafficking. This paper seeks to address why human trafficking in Southeast Asia remains a contentious issue despite the various initiatives put in place for its eradication. ASEAN Member States, including Singapore, can only resolve the current inertia when it comes to combatting trafficking-in-persons (TIP) by adopting a multidimensional, and multistakeholder approach to the problem. Within Singapore, it is recommended that the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act should be amended such that it provides greater protection for all types of trafficking victims. At the regional level, there is a need for greater collaboration and co-ordination amongst ASEAN bodies in tackling human trafficking, which must be accompanied by comprehensive monitoring, compliance, and enforcement mechanisms.
‘Fully Capable of Any Iniquity’: The Atlantic Human Trafficking Network of the Zangroniz Family
Authors: Barcia Manuel
Published: October 2016

In the early eighteenth century, two Basque brothers of the Spanish Zangroniz family established a trading house in the Cuban capital. Through the expansion and diversification of their business activities over time, they created a powerful transatlantic commercial network, and in the process became important actors during a period characterized by vastly increased economic integration in the Atlantic world. Behind this growth were technological innovations. The brothers' shrewd use of them “made it possible to transport more and different kinds of items across great distances.
Genetic Etiologies of Comorbidity and Stability for Reading Difficulties and ADHD: A Replication Study
Authors: Wadsworth Sally J. , DeFries John C. , Willcutt Erik G. , Pennington Bruce F. , Olson Richard K.
Published: October 2016

Because of recent concerns about the replication of published results in the behavioral and biomedical sciences (Ioannidis, PLoS Medicine, Vol. 2, 2005, p. e124; Open Science Collaboration, Science, Vol. 349, 2015, p. 943; Pashler & Wagenmakers, Perspectives on Psychological Science, Vol. 7, 2012, pp. 528–530), we have conducted a replication of our recently published analyses of longitudinal reading performance and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder data from twin pairs selected for reading difficulties (Wadsworth et al., Twin Research and Human Genetics, Vol. 18, 2015, pp. 755–761). Results obtained from univariate and bivariate (DeFries & Fulker, Behavior Genetics, Vol. 15, 1985, pp. 467–473; Acta Geneticae Medicae et Gemellologiae: Twin Research, Vol. 37, 1988, pp. 205–216) analyses of data from a subset of twin pairs tested in the International Longitudinal Twin Study of Early Reading Development at post-4th grade, and its continuation into high school at post-9th grade, were compared to those from our previous report. Similar measures of reading performance, the same measures of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity, and similar selection criteria were used in the two studies. In general, the patterns of results obtained from these two independent studies were highly similar. Thus, these results clearly illustrate the principle that findings from studies in quantitative behavioral genetics often replicate (Plomin et al., Perspectives on Psychological Science, Vol. 11, 2016, pp. 3–23).
Wer soll die Professur bekommen?
Authors: Abele-Brehm Andrea E. , Bühner Markus
Published: October 2016

Zusammenfassung. Die Entwicklung einer Wissenschaft ist abhängig von den Personen, die sie tragen. Der Auswahl geeigneter Personen in Berufungsverfahren auf Professuren kommt deshalb eine besondere Bedeutung zu. Die vorliegende Studie beschäftigt sich erstmals damit, wie Kolleginnen und Kollegen der Psychologie Berufungsverfahren beurteilen; wie wichtig sie verschiedene Indikatoren für die Eignung auf eine Professur einschätzen; wie hoch die Diskrepanz zwischen gewünschter und tatsächlicher Relevanz dieser Indikatoren ist; sowie wie sie zu verschiedenen Ausgestaltungsmöglichkeiten von Berufungsverfahren stehen. Es wurden 3.784 Mitglieder der DGPs angeschrieben, um an einer online Befragung teilzunehmen. N = 1.453 Personen beantworteten zumindest einen Teil der Fragen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Diskrepanzen zwischen Ist und Soll bei überfachlichen Kompetenzen (Kommunikation, Kooperation, strategisches Denken) besonders groß sind und dass die Befragten den Stellenwert quantitativer Forschungsleistungsindikatoren als zu hoch ansehen. Die Befragten befürworten den Einsatz strukturierter Interviews zur Erfassung überfachlicher Kompetenzen, eine multi-methodale Messung der Forschungs- und Lehrleistung durch qualitative und quantitative Indikatoren sowie stärker strukturierte Probelehrvorträge. Mögliche fachpolitische Konsequenzen dieser Befunde werden diskutiert.
Why Does 2,3,5,6-Tetrachlorophenol Generate the Strongest Intrinsic Chemiluminescence among All Nineteen Chlorophenolic Persistent Organic Pollutants during Environmentally-friendly Advanced Oxidation Process?
Authors: Gao Hui-Ying , Mao Li , Shao Bo , Huang Chun-Hua , Zhu Ben-Zhan
Published: October 2016

We found recently that intrinsic chemiluminescence (CL) could be produced by all 19 chlorophenolic persistent organic pollutants during environmentally-friendly advanced oxidation processes. Interestingly and unexpectedly, the strongest CL was produced not by the most-highly chlorinated pentachlorophenol (PCP), but rather by the less chlorinated 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol (2,3,5,6-TeCP), one of the three tetrachlorophenol (TeCPs) isomers. However, it remains unclear what is the underlying molecular mechanism. Here we show that not only chlorinated quinoid intermediates, but more interestingly, semiquinone radicals were produced during the degradation of the three TeCPs and PCP by Fenton reagents, and the type and yield of which were found to be well correlated with CL generation. We propose that hydroxyl radical-dependent formation of more tetrachlorinated quinoids, quinone-dioxetanes and electronically excited carbonyl species might be responsible for the exceptionally strong CL production by 2,3,5,6-TeCP as compared to PCP and its two isomers. This is the first report showing the critical role of quinoid intermediates and semiquinone radicals in CL generation from polychlorinated phenols and Fenton system. These new findings may have broad chemical and environmental implications for future studies on remediation of other halogenated persistent aromatic pollutants by advanced oxidation processes.
A Novel Resveratrol Based Tubulin Inhibitor Induces Mitotic Arrest and Activates Apoptosis in Cancer Cells
Authors: Thomas Elizabeth , Gopalakrishnan Vidya , Hegde Mahesh , Kumar Sujeet , Karki Subhas S. , Raghavan Sathees C. , Choudhary Bibha
Published: October 2016

Resveratrol is one of the most widely studied bioactive plant polyphenols which possesses anticancer properties. Previously we have reported synthesis, characterization and identification of a novel resveratrol analog, SS28. In the present study, we show that SS28 induced cytotoxicity in several cancer cell lines ex vivo with an IC50 value of 3–5 μM. Mechanistic evaluation of effect of SS28 in non-small cell lung cancer cell line (A549) and T-cell leukemic cell line (CEM) showed that it inhibited Tubulin polymerization during cell division to cause cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase of the cell cycle at 12–18 h time period. Immunofluorescence studies confirmed the mitotic arrest upon treatment with SS28. Besides, we show that SS28 binds to Tubulin with a dissociation constant of 0.414 ± 0.11 μM. Further, SS28 treatment resulted in loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of Caspase 9 and Caspase 3, leading to PARP-1 cleavage and finally cell death via intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Importantly, treatment with SS28 resulted in regression of tumor in mice. Hence, our study reveals the antiproliferative activity of SS28 by disrupting microtubule dynamics by binding to its cellular target Tubulin and its potential to be developed as an anticancer molecule.
The complete salmonid IGF-IR gene repertoire and its transcriptional response to disease
Authors: Alzaid Abdullah , Martin Samuel A. M. , Macqueen Daniel J.
Published: October 2016

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) receptor (IGF-IR) is necessary for IGF signalling and has essential roles in cellular growth. In teleost fish, two distinct IGF-IR duplicates are conserved called IGF-IRa and IGF-IRb. However, while a salmonid-specific whole genome duplication (ssWGD) is known to have expanded several key genes within the IGF axis, its impact on the IGF-IR repertoire remains unresolved. Using bioinformatic and phylogenetic approaches, we establish that salmonids retain twoIGF-IRaparalogues from ssWGD and a singleIGF-IRbcopy. We measured the tissue-specific and developmental transcriptional regulation of eachIGF-IRgene, revealing tight co-expression between theIGF-IRaparalogues, but expression divergence comparingIGF-IRaandIGF-IRbgenes. We also examined the regulation of eachIGF-IRgene in fish challenged by bacterial and viral infections, adding to recent reports that the IGF axis has roles linking growth and immunity. While whole salmonid fry showed a small upregulation ofIGF-IRexpression during both types of infection, bacterial challenge caused striking downregulation ofIGF-IRa1andIGF-IRa2in head kidney and spleen of adult fish, alongside genes coding IGF hormones, highlighting a strong repression of IGF-signalling in primary immune tissues. The reported immune-responsive regulation ofIGF-IRgenes adds to an emerging body of evidence that supports important cross-talk between master growth and immune pathways in vertebrates.
Nanoimaging granule dynamics and subcellular structures in activated mast cells using soft X-ray tomography
Authors: Chen Huan-Yuan , Chiang Dapi Meng-Lin , Lin Zi-Jing , Hsieh Chia-Chun , Yin Gung-Chian , Weng I.-Chun , Guttmann Peter , Werner Stephan , Henzler Katja , Schneider Gerd , Lai Lee-Jene , Liu Fu-Tong
Published: October 2016

Mast cells play an important role in allergic responses. During activation, these cells undergo degranulation, a process by which various kinds of mediators stored in the granules are released. Granule homeostasis in mast cells has mainly been studied by electron microscopy (EM), where the fine structures of subcellular organelles are partially destroyed during sample preparation. Migration and fusion of granules have not been studied in detail in three dimensions (3D) in unmodified samples. Here, we utilized soft X-ray tomography (SXT) coupled with fluorescence microscopy to study the detailed structures of organelles during mast cell activation. We observed granule fission, granule fusion to plasma membranes, and small vesicles budding from granules. We also detected lipid droplets, which became larger and more numerous as mast cells were activated. We observed dramatic morphological changes of mitochondria in activated mast cells and 3D-reconstruction revealed the highly folded cristae inner membrane, features of functionally active mitochondria. We also observed giant vesicles containing granules, mitochondria, and lipid droplets, which we designated as granule-containing vesicles (GCVs) and verified their presence by EM in samples prepared by cryo-substitution, albeit with a less clear morphology. Thus, our studies using SXT provide significant insights into mast cell activation at the organelle level.
Formation of xenon-nitrogen compounds at high pressure
Authors: Howie Ross T. , Turnbull Robin , Binns Jack , Frost Mungo , Dalladay-Simpson Philip , Gregoryanz Eugene
Published: October 2016

Molecular nitrogen exhibits one of the strongest known interatomic bonds, while xenon possesses a closed-shell electronic structure: a direct consequence of which renders both chemically unreactive. Through a series of optical spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction experiments, we demonstrate the formation of a novel van der Waals compound formed from binary Xe-N2 mixtures at pressures as low as 5 GPa. At 300 K and 5 GPa Xe(N2)2-I is synthesised, and if further compressed, undergoes a transition to a tetragonal Xe(N2)2-II phase at 14 GPa; this phase appears to be unexpectedly stable at least up to 180 GPa even after heating to above 2000 K. Raman spectroscopy measurements indicate a distinct weakening of the intramolecular bond of the nitrogen molecule above 60 GPa, while transmission measurements in the visible and mid-infrared regime suggest the metallisation of the compound at ~100 GPa.
Fabricating customized hydrogel contact lens
Authors: Childs Andre , Li Hao , Lewittes Daniella M. , Dong Biqin , Liu Wenzhong , Shu Xiao , Sun Cheng , Zhang Hao F.
Published: October 2016

Contact lenses are increasingly used in laboratories for in vivo animal retinal imaging and pre-clinical studies. The lens shapes often need modification to optimally fit corneas of individual test subjects. However, the choices from commercially available contact lenses are rather limited. Here, we report a flexible method to fabricate customized hydrogel contact lenses. We showed that the fabricated hydrogel is highly transparent, with refractive indices ranging from 1.42 to 1.45 in the spectra range from 400 nm to 800 nm. The Young’s modulus (1.47 MPa) and hydrophobicity (with a sessile drop contact angle of 40.5°) have also been characterized experimentally. Retinal imaging using optical coherence tomography in rats wearing our customized contact lenses has the quality comparable to the control case without the contact lens. Our method could significantly reduce the cost and the lead time for fabricating soft contact lenses with customized shapes, and benefit the laboratorial-used contact lenses in pre-clinical studies.
Vectorization of biomacromolecules into cells using extracellular vesicles with enhanced internalization induced by macropinocytosis
Authors: Nakase Ikuhiko , Noguchi Kosuke , Fujii Ikuo , Futaki Shiroh
Published: October 2016

Extracellular vesicles (EVs, exosomes) are approximately 30- to 200-nm-long vesicles that have received increased attention due to their role in cell-to-cell communication. Although EVs are highly anticipated to be a next-generation intracellular delivery tool because of their pharmaceutical advantages, including non-immunogenicity, their cellular uptake efficacy is low because of the repulsion of EVs and negatively charged cell membranes and size limitations in endocytosis. Here, we demonstrate a methodology for achieving enhanced cellular EV uptake using arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) to induce active macropinocytosis. The induction of macropinocytosis via a simple modification to the exosomal membrane using stearylated octaarginine, which is a representative CPP, significantly enhanced the cellular EV uptake efficacy. Consequently, effective EV-based intracellular delivery of an artificially encapsulated ribosome-inactivating protein, saporin, in EVs was attained.
Light-Induced Peroxide Formation in ZnO: Origin of Persistent Photoconductivity
Authors: Kang Youngho , Nahm Ho-Hyun , Han Seungwu
Published: October 2016

The persistent photoconductivity (PPC) in ZnO has been a critical problem in opto-electrical devices employing ZnO such as ultraviolet sensors and thin film transistors for the transparent display. While the metastable state of oxygen vacancy (VO) is widely accepted as the microscopic origin of PPC, recent experiments on the influence of temperature and oxygen environments are at variance with the VO model. In this study, using the density-functional theory calculations, we propose a novel mechanism of PPC that involves the hydrogen-zinc vacancy defect complex (2H-VZn). We show that a substantial amount of 2H-VZn can exist during the growth process due to its low formation energy. The light absorption of 2H-VZn leads to the metastable state that is characterized by the formation of "Equation missing" (peroxide) around the defect, leaving the free carriers in the conduction band. Furthermore, we estimate the lifetime of photo-electrons to be ~20 secs, which is similar to the experimental observation. Our model also explains the experimental results showing that PPC is enhanced (suppressed) in oxygen-rich (low-temperature) conditions. By revealing a convincing origin of PPC in ZnO, we expect that the present work will pave the way for optimizing optoelectronic properties of ZnO.
MicroRNA-127 targeting of mitoNEET inhibits neurite outgrowth, induces cell apoptosis and contributes to physiological dysfunction after spinal cord transection
Authors: He Qin-Qin , Xiong Liu-Lin , Liu Fei , He Xiang , Feng Guo-Ying , Shang Fei-Fei , Xia Qing-Jie , Wang You-Cui , Qiu De-Lu , Luo Chao-Zhi , Liu Jia , Wang Ting-Hua
Published: October 2016

Neuroregeneration and apoptosis are two important pathophysiologic changes after spinal cord injury (SCI), but their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in the regulation of neuroregeneration and neuronal apoptosis, research areas that have been greatly expanded in recent years. Here, using miRNA arrays to profile miRNA transcriptomes, we demonstrated that miR-127-3p was significantly down-regulated after spinal cord transection (SCT). Then, bioinformatics analyses and experimental detection showed that miR-127-3p exhibited specific effects on the regulation of neurite outgrowth and the induction of neuronal apoptosis by regulating the expression of the mitochondrial membrane protein mitoNEET. Moreover, knockdown of MitoNEET leaded to neuronal loss and apoptosis in primary cultured spinal neurons. This study therefore revealed that miR-127-3p, which targets mitoNEET, plays a vital role in regulating neurite outgrowth and neuronal apoptosis after SCT. Thus, modificatioin of the mitoNEET expression, such as mitoNEET activition may provide a new strategy for the treatment of SCI in preclinical trials.
Controllable Synthesis of Monodisperse Er3+-Doped Lanthanide Oxyfluorides Nanocrystals with Intense Mid-Infrared Emission
Authors: He Huilin , Liu Qiang , Yang Dandan , Pan Qiwen , Qiu Jianrong , Dong Guoping
Published: October 2016

Monodisperse lanthanide oxyfluorides LnOF (Ln = Gd, Y) with mid-infrared emissions were controllably synthesized via a mild co-precipitation route and a subsequent heat-treatment. The detailed composition and morphology were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results showed that monodisperse GdOF:Er3+ were nano-riced shape with length about 350 nm and width about 120 nm, while the quasi-spherical YOF:Er3+ were uniform nanocrystals with an average size around 100 nm. The influence of calcination temperature on the size and phase transition of LnOF nanocrystals was also investigated. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra indicated that the 2.7 μm emission of Er3+ had achieved in both GdOF and YOF nanocrystals, which were calcined at different temperatures. In addition, the decay time of both 4I13/2 and 4I13/2 energy levels corresponding to Er3+ in YOF nanocrystals were also studied in detail. The results suggested that both rice-shaped GdOF nanocrystals and YOF nanocrystals could provide suitable candidate materials for nanocrystals-glass composites, which could be a step forward to the realization of mid-infrared laser materials.
Nitroheterocyclic drugs cure experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infections more effectively in the chronic stage than in the acute stage
Authors: Francisco Amanda Fortes , Jayawardhana Shiromani , Lewis Michael D. , White Karen L. , Shackleford David M. , Chen Gong , Saunders Jessica , Osuna-Cabello Maria , Read Kevin D. , Charman Susan A. , Chatelain Eric , Kelly John M.
Published: October 2016

The insect-transmitted protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, and infects 5–8 million people in Latin America. Chagas disease is characterised by an acute phase, which is partially resolved by the immune system, but then develops as a chronic life-long infection. There is a consensus that the front-line drugs benznidazole and nifurtimox are more effective against the acute stage in both clinical and experimental settings. However, confirmative studies have been restricted by difficulties in demonstrating sterile parasitological cure. Here, we describe a systematic study of nitroheterocyclic drug efficacy using highly sensitive bioluminescence imaging of murine infections. Unexpectedly, we find both drugs are more effective at curing chronic infections, judged by treatment duration and therapeutic dose. This was not associated with factors that differentially influence plasma drug concentrations in the two disease stages. We also observed that fexinidazole and fexinidazole sulfone are more effective than benznidazole and nifurtimox as curative treatments, particularly for acute stage infections, most likely as a result of the higher and more prolonged exposure of the sulfone derivative. If these findings are translatable to human patients, they will have important implications for treatment strategies.
Transient chaos - a resolution of breakdown of quantum-classical correspondence in optomechanics
Authors: Wang Guanglei , Lai Ying-Cheng , Grebogi Celso
Published: October 2016

Recently, the phenomenon of quantum-classical correspondence breakdown was uncovered in optomechanics, where in the classical regime the system exhibits chaos but in the corresponding quantum regime the motion is regular - there appears to be no signature of classical chaos whatsoever in the corresponding quantum system, generating a paradox. We find that transient chaos, besides being a physically meaningful phenomenon by itself, provides a resolution. Using the method of quantum state diffusion to simulate the system dynamics subject to continuous homodyne detection, we uncover transient chaos associated with quantum trajectories. The transient behavior is consistent with chaos in the classical limit, while the long term evolution of the quantum system is regular. Transient chaos thus serves as a bridge for the quantum-classical transition (QCT). Strikingly, as the system transitions from the quantum to the classical regime, the average chaotic transient lifetime increases dramatically (faster than the Ehrenfest time characterizing the QCT for isolated quantum systems). We develop a physical theory to explain the scaling law.