bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linking surface and subsurface properties of biocrusted and non-biocrusted habitats of fine-grained fluvial sediments (playas) from the Negev Desert
Authors: Kidron Giora J.
Published: May 2016

With biocrusts playing a cardinal role in C and N fixation in arid zones, information regarding the factors that determine their limits of growth is of uttermost importance for the study of ecosystem structure and function. This is also the case in the western Negev dunefields, where although abundant on the sandy surfaces, biocrusts are scarce on fine-grained (mainly loessial) sediments, termed playas. In the Nizzana research site (NRS), visibly distinct surfaces, with and without biocrusts were noted within a single playa. In an attempt to characterize these distinct surfaces, a set of random measurements were carried out, which included measurements of crack density, microrelief and chlorophyll content of the upper 0–1 cm. Following a cluster analysis, four distinct types of surfaces (hereafter habitats) were defined, one with substantial amount of chlorophyll content which can be regarded as biocrust (P4), and three non-crusted surfaces (P1–P3). Within each type, two 50 cm-deep pits were dug and the pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and fine (silt and clay) content (FC) of samples collected at 1–5, 5–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–40 and 40–50 cm-depth were analyzed. In addition, periodical moisture measurements were carried out (in pairs) to a depth of 0–20 cm at each surface type during 2013/14. All non-crusted habitats (P1–P3) were characterized by loessial subsurface sediments. Conversely, P4 was either characterized by loessial subsurface sediments (and in this case it was characterized by a slightly concave surface) or having a sandy subsurface (at ~5–10 cm depth). While the non-crusted surfaces exhibited low moisture content, P4 exhibited deeper and higher moisture content explained either by the more sandy sediments or by lower water loss through runoff. The findings point to the close link between surface and subsurface properties and indicate that water availability may explain biocrust establishment and growth also at the loessial playa surfaces. Biocrusts may thus serve as bioindicators for habitats with high moisture content.
Effects of olive mill wastewater disposal on soil: Interaction mechanisms during different seasons
Authors: Tamimi Nisreen , Diehl Dörte , Njoum Mohand , Marei Amer , Schaumann Gabriele E.
Published: May 2016

Environmental conditions play a major role for effects of olive mill wastewater (OMW) application to soil. Choosing a different season for OMW application than the commonly practiced winter, may help avoid negative effects. However, understanding of the OMW-soil interaction during different seasons is still incomplete due to the lack of comparative data. In this study, an 18 months field experiment was carried out in an olive orchard in West Bank. Degree and persistence of soil salinization, acidification, accumulation of phenolic compounds and soil water repellency were investigated as a function of soil depth and time elapsed after OMW application, which was performed either in spring, summer (with and without irrigation) or winter. The persistence of negative effects increased with duration of the hot and dry period following the application due to accumulation and polymerization of OMW. On the other hand, leaching of OMW components to groundwater is favored during the rainy season and by formation of preferential flow paths before the rain season starts. The risks of groundwater contamination and persistent negative effects decrease with increasing time under conditions favoring biological activity. Therefore, OMW application in spring if improved by a careful irrigation is considered as the most suitable under semiarid conditions for clay loam soils.
Influence of organic manure amendments on water repellency, water entry value, and water retention of soil samples from a tropical Ultisol
Authors: Liyanage T.D.P. , Leelamanie D.A.L.
Published: May 2016

Lowered stability of soil aggregates governed by insufficient organic matter levels has become a major concern in Sri Lanka. Although the use of organic manure with water repellent properties lowers the wetting rates and improves the stability of soil aggregates, its effects on soil hydrophysical properties are still not characterized. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the relation of water repellency induced by organic manure amendments to the water entry value and water retention of a Sri Lankan Ultisol. The soil was mixed with ground powders of cattle manure (CM), goat manure (GM), Gliricidia maculata (GL) and hydrophobic Casuarina equisetifolia (CE) leaves to obtain samples ranging from non-repellent to extremely water repellent, in two series. Series I was prepared by mixing GL and CE with soil (5, 10, 25, 50%). Series II consisted of 5% CM, GM, and GL, with (set A) and without (set B) intermixed 2% CE. Water repellency, water entry value, and water retention of samples were determined in the laboratory. Soil-water contact angle increased with increasing organic matter content in all the samples showing positive linear correlations. Although the samples amended with CE showed high soil-water contact angles in series I, set A (without 2% CE) and set B (with 2% CE) in series II did not show a noticeable difference, where >80% of the samples had soil-water contact angles <90°. Water entry value (R2 = 0.83–0.92) and the water retention at 150 cm suction (R2 = 0.69–0.8) of all the samples increased with increasing soil-water contact angles showing moderate to strong positive linear correlations. However, set A (without 2% CE) and set B (with 2% CE) in series II did not differ noticeably. Water entry value of about 60% the samples was <2.5 cm. Mixing of a small amount (2%) of hydrophobic organic matter with commonly used organic manures slightly increased the water repellency of sample soils, however not up to detrimental levels. It did not generate adverse effects on water entry and increased the water retention. It was clear that intermixing of small quantities of hydrophobic organic manure with organic manures commonly used in Sri Lankan agriculture, would not generate unfavorable impacts on soils.
Outcome of small for gestational age preterm singletons: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Tul Natasa , Lasic Mateja , Bricelj Katja , Bregar Andreja Trojner , Verdenik Ivan , Lucovnik Miha , Blickstein Isaac
Published: May 2016

Objective:

To examine the outcomes of births among small and appropriate for gestational age (SGA and AGA) infants by gestational age and maternal characteristics.

Materials and methods:

We used a national perinatal registry to compare the selected maternal and neonatal outcomes between AGA and SGA neonates born at gestational age groups 33–36, 30–32, 28–29, and <28 weeks. We evaluated maternal body mass index (BMI), pre-gestational/gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and cesarean births as well as frequencies of 5-min Apgar score <7, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), the need for assisted ventilation, and early neonatal deaths.

Results:

We evaluated 159,774 AGA (8871 preterm) and 13,735 SGA (1147 preterm) infants and found a gradual decrease in the incidence of SGA infants with increasing gestational age. Diabetes was unrelated to having an SGA or AGA infant among preterm births, but the odds ratio (OR) for preeclampsia among preterm-SGA pregnancies was up to 6.9 (95% CI 3.8, 12.5) at <28 weeks. SGA infants fare worse compared to AGA neonates in every parameter tested but only in preterm births >30 weeks.

Conclusions:

Being SGA further complicates preterm births after 30 weeks of gestation but not earlier. This might suggest that an extended period in the hostile intrauterine environment, or that being born at <30 weeks, is bad enough and is not further aggravated by being SGA.
Microbial corrosion of metallic materials in a deep nuclear-waste repository
Authors: Stoulil J. , Dobrev D.
Published: May 2016

The study summarises current knowledge on microbial corrosion in a deep nuclear-waste repository. The first part evaluates the general impact of microbial activity on corrosion mechanisms. Especially, the impact of microbial metabolism on the environment and the impact of biofilms on the surface of structure materials were evaluated. The next part focuses on microbial corrosion in a deep nuclear-waste repository. The study aims to suggest the development of the repository environment and in that respect the viability of bacteria, depending on the probable conditions of the environment, such as humidity of bentonite, pressure in compact bentonite, the impact of ionizing radiation, etc. The last part is aimed at possible techniques for microbial corrosion mechanism monitoring in the conditions of a deep repository. Namely, electrochemical and microscopic techniques were discussed.
Aluminum nitride as nonlinear optical material for on-chip frequency comb generation and frequency conversion
Authors: Jung Hojoong , Tang Hong X.
Published: May 2016

A number of dielectric materials have been employed for on-chip frequency comb generation. Silicon based dielectrics such as silicon dioxide (SiO2) and silicon nitride (SiN) are particularly attractive comb materials due to their low optical loss and maturity in nanofabrication. They offer third-order Kerr nonlinearity (χ(3)), but little second-order Pockels (χ(2)) effect. Materials possessing both strong χ(2) and χ(3) are desired to enable selfreferenced frequency combs and active control of comb generation. In this review, we introduce another CMOS-compatible comb material, aluminum nitride (AlN),which offers both second and third order nonlinearities. A review of the advantages of AlN as linear and nonlinear optical material will be provided, and fabrication techniques of low loss AlN waveguides from the visible to infrared (IR) region will be discussed.We will then show the frequency comb generation including IR, red, and green combs in high-Q AlN micro-rings from single CW IR laser input via combination of Kerr and Pockels nonlinearity. Finally, the fast speed on-off switching of frequency comb using the Pockels effect of AlN will be shown,which further enriches the applications of the frequency comb.
CMOS-compatible photonic devices for single-photon generation
Authors: Xiong Chunle , Bell Bryn , Eggleton Benjamin J.
Published: May 2016

Sources of single photons are one of the key building blocks for quantum photonic technologies such as quantum secure communication and powerful quantum computing. To bring the proof-of-principle demonstration of these technologies from the laboratory to the real world, complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible photonic chips are highly desirable for photon generation, manipulation, processing and even detection because of their compactness, scalability, robustness, and the potential for integration with electronics. In this paper, we review the development of photonic devices made from materials (e.g., silicon) and processes that are compatible with CMOS fabrication facilities for the generation of single photons.
Plasmonic hollow gold nanoparticles induced high-performance Bi2S3 nanoribbon photodetector
Authors: Liang Feng-Xia , Ge Cai-Wang , Zhang Teng-Fei , Xie Wei-Jie , Zhang Deng-Yue , Zou Yi-Feng , Zheng Kun , Luo Lin-Bao
Published: May 2016

A high performance hollow gold nanoparticles (HGNs) decorated one-dimensional (1-D) Bi2S3nanoribbon (NR) photodetector was fabricated for green light detection (560 nm). The single crystal 1-D Bi2S3NRs with growth orientation along [001] were synthesized by a simple solvothermal approach. Optoelectronic analysis reveals that the performance of the plasmonic photodetector was greatly enhanced after decoration with HGNs. For example, the responsivity increases from 1.4 × 102to 1.09 × 103AW−1, the conductivity gain from 2.68 × 102to 2.31 × 103, and the detectivity from 2.45 × 1012to 2.78 × 1013, respectively. Such performance enhancement was attributed to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect caused by the HGNs according to both experiment and theoretical simulation. This study is believed to open up new opportunities for managing light and enhancing the device performance of other 1-D semiconductor nanostructures based optoelectronic devices and systems.
Traditional and emerging materials for optical metasurfaces
Authors: Zhu Alexander Y. , Kuznetsov Arseniy I. , Luk’yanchuk Boris , Engheta Nader , Genevet Patrice
Published: May 2016

One of the most promising and vibrant research areas in nanotechnology has been the field of metasurfaces. These are two dimensional representations of metaatoms, or artificial interfaces designed to possess specialized electromagnetic properties which do not occur in nature, for specific applications. In this article, we present a brief review of metasurfaces from a materials perspective, and examine how the choice of different materials impact functionalities ranging from operating bandwidth to efficiencies. We place particular emphasis on emerging and non-traditional materials for metasurfaces such as high index dielectrics, topological insulators and digital metamaterials, and the potentially transformative role they could play in shaping further advances in the field.
Crystal structure of bis(benzoato-κO)bis(4,4′-((1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)methylene)dibenzonitrile-κN)zinc(II), C48H32N10O4Zn
Authors: Zheng Huirong , Lou Benyong , Zhang Mei
Published: May 2016

C48H32N10O4Zn, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 18.661(7) Å, b = 12.003(4) Å, c = 21.043(8) Å, β = 111.632(4)°, V = 4381(3) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt
(F) = 0.0539, wR
ref
(F
2) = 0.1210, T = 293 K.
Letter Visibility and the Optimal Viewing Position Effect of Isolated Connected and Un-Connected Letters in Arabic
Authors: Ganayim Deia
Published: May 2016

The present study provides a further exploration of the role of Arabic letter visibility as a possible cause of the Optimal Viewing Position (OVP) effect. We used isolated connected and un-connected Arabic letters of different shapes (basic, initial, medial, final) placed at the center of fixation (Experiment 1) and at various possible positions in isolated presentation (Experiment 2). In order to investigate whether performance in the visual identification task is modulated by letter type, we presented each of the isolated connected and un-connected letter targets in each of the eleven stimulus positions across the array to produce a mean RT (ms) for each of the letter types. Using the initial fixation paradigm enabled us to compare reaction times with correctly identified letter targets appearing in the different possible positions. The findings of the present experiments demonstrated that visual letter recognition is influenced by: (i) the isolated letters’ type (connected, un-connected), as connected letters are easier to recognize than un-connected letters; (ii) isolated letters’ shape (basic, initial, medial, final), as medial and final are harder to recognize than basic and initial letter shapes; (iii) visual field, as reading rates were longer for letter stimuli that were presented in LVF compared to RVF; and (iv) eccentricity, as letter reading rates were correlated with their eccentric placement.
Sovereignty and Democracy: Overcoming Supranational Mutual Double-Binds from the Eurozone
Authors: Pigozzo Francesco
Published: May 2016

EU and EMU are facing a hastened phase of structural rather than episodic crisis, following the progressive shift of the world order from a bipolar toward a multi-polar system. From the sovereign debt trap to migratory pressures and security threats, all European crisis are intimately interdependent and long awaited rather than unexpected, since their origins trace back to a lack of reactivity of the European unification process to the progressive weakening of US hegemony in the world from 1971 onward. In this paper I point out that two double-binds mutually prevent a full (and widespread) understanding of Europe’s situation and avoid for this reason a fully structural approach to the institutional reforming process in the EU: a ‘sovereignty double-bind’ and a ‘democracy double-bind’. An effective roadmap toward political unification should primarily aim at tackling these misrepresentations instead of embracing them in the form of a gradualist approach to legitimacy issues.
Quantum enhanced estimation of optical detector efficiencies
Authors: Barbieri Marco , Datta Animesh , Bartley Tim J. , Jin Xian-Min , Kolthammer W. Steven , Walmsley Ian A.
Published: May 2016

Quantum mechanics establishes the ultimate limit to the scaling of the precision on any parameter, by identifying optimal probe states and measurements. While this paradigm is, at least in principle, adequate for the metrology of quantum channels involving the estimation of phase and loss parameters, we show that estimating the loss parameters associated with a quantum channel and a realistic quantum detector are fundamentally different. While Fock states are provably optimal for the former, we identify a crossover in the nature of the optimal probe state for estimating detector imperfections as a function of the loss parameter using Fisher information as a benchmark. We provide theoretical results for on-off and homodyne detectors, the most widely used detectors in quantum photonics technologies, when using Fock states and coherent states as probes.
Teleportation in an indivisible quantum system
Authors: Kiktenko E.O. , Fedorov A.K. , Man’ko V.I.
Published: May 2016

Teleportation protocol is conventionally treated as a method for quantum state transfer between two spatially separated physical carriers. Recent experimental progress in manipulation with high-dimensional quantum systems opens a new framework for implementation of teleportation protocols. We show that the one-qubit teleportation can be considered as a state transfer between subspaces of the whole Hilbert space of an indivisible eight-dimensional system. We explicitly show all corresponding operations and discuss an alternative way of implementation of similar tasks.
Plenoptic imaging with second-order correlations of light
Authors: Pepe Francesco V. , Scarcelli Giuliano , Garuccio Augusto , D’Angelo Milena
Published: May 2016

Plenoptic imaging is a promising optical modality that simultaneously captures the location and the propagation direction of light in order to enable tridimensional imaging in a single shot. We demonstrate that it is possible to implement plenoptic imaging through second-order correlations of chaotic light, thus enabling to overcome the typical limitations of classical plenoptic devices.
Uses of Physical Vapor Deposition Processes in Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Systems
Authors: Migowski Pedro , Feil Adriano F.
Published: May 2016

Most of the hydrogen on planet earth is found bound to oxygen atoms in water, making H2O one of the most promising H2 storage molecules. Large availability, non-toxicity and low cost are among the advantages of using H2O as a H2 gas source. However, the decomposition of water into H2 and O2, called water splitting, needs a large amount of energy, increasing the final cost per kg of hydrogen produced. In this context, the energy provided by the sun may be used to power photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) for water splitting to produce cheap and high purity H2. This mini-review will show recent advances on the use of physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods to improve semiconducting electrode performance. PVD enables the preparation of thin layers of expensive materials over photoelectrodes, therefore decreasing PEC systems manufacture costs. Moreover, the interface of between the semiconductor and the evaporated materials can be optimized under high vacuum conditions used in PVD processes and more efficient PEC systems can be obtained.
Sensitivity analysis in linear models
Authors: Liu Shuangzhe , Ma Tiefeng , Liu Yonghui
Published: May 2016

In this work, we consider the general linear model or its variants with the ordinary least squares,
generalised least squares or restricted least squares estimators of the regression coefficients and variance.
We propose a newly unified set of definitions for local sensitivity for both situations, one for the estimators
of the regression coefficients, and the other for the estimators of the variance. Based on these definitions, we
present the estimators’ sensitivity results.We include brief remarks on possible links of these definitions and
sensitivity results to local influence and other existing results.
Detection of twinning in macromolecular crystallography
Authors: Luo Zhipu , Dauter Zbigniew
Published: May 2016

The merohedrally or pseudo-merohedrally twinned crystals cannot be identified during diffraction pattern inspection at the stage of data collection. Several methods for identifying twinning and estimating the twin fraction are suitable for macromolecular crystals, and all are based on the statistical properties of the measured diffraction intensities. They can be based on either the overall statistical properties of the measured reflection intensities or on the comparison of reflection intensities related by the twinning operation. The application of various tests for identification of twinning and estimation of twinning fraction is discussed, with examples of diffraction data from the Protein Data Bank. Twinning makes the solution of crystal structures more difficult, but once initially solved, the atomic models can be properly refined by the existing programs.
Universality of the Phonon–Roton Spectrum in Liquids and Superfluidity of 4He
Authors: Bobrov Viktor , Trigger Sergey , Litinski Daniel
Published: May 2016

Based on numerous experimental data on inelastic neutron and X-ray scattering in liquids, we assert that the phonon–roton spectrum of collective excitations, predicted by Landau for superfluid helium, is a universal property of the liquid state. We show that the existence of the roton minimum in the spectrum of collective excitations is caused by the short-range order in liquids. Using the virial theorem, we assume that one more branch of excitations should exist in He II, whose energy spectrum differs from the phonon–roton spectrum. Such excitations are associated with the pole of single-particle Green function, which can have a gap at small values of momenta.
Classical Equation of State for Dilute Relativistic Plasma
Authors: Hussein N.A. , Eisa D.A. , Sayed E.G.
Published: May 2016

The aim of this paper is to calculate the analytical form of the equation of state for dilute relativistic plasma. We obtained the excess free energy and pressure in the form of a convergent series expansion in terms of the thermal parameter μ where

μ
 
=
 

m

c
2

K
T

,

$\mu \, = \,{{m{c^2}} \over {KT}},$

m is the mass of charge, c is the speed of light, K is the Boltzmann’s constant, and T is the absolute temperature. The results are discussed and compared with previous work of other authors.
Parallel Plate Flow of a Third-Grade Fluid and a Newtonian Fluid With Variable Viscosity
Authors: Yıldız Volkan , Pakdemirli Mehmet , Aksoy Yiğit
Published: May 2016

Steady-state parallel plate flow of a third-grade fluid and a Newtonian fluid with temperature-dependent viscosity is considered. Approximate analytical solutions are constructed using the newly developed perturbation-iteration algorithms. Two different perturbation-iteration algorithms are used. The velocity and temperature profiles obtained by the iteration algorithms are contrasted with the numerical solutions as well as with the regular perturbation solutions. It is found that the perturbation-iteration solutions converge better to the numerical solutions than the regular perturbation solutions, in particular when the validity criteria of the regular perturbation solution are not satisfied. The new analytical approach produces promising results in solving complex fluid problems.
Flow of a Micropolar Fluid Through a Channel with Small Boundary Perturbation
Authors: Marušić-Paloka Eduard , Pažanin Igor , Radulović Marko
Published: May 2016

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of small boundary perturbations on the flow of an incompressible micropolar fluid. The fluid domain is described as follows: we start from a simple rectangular domain and then perturb part of its boundary by the product of a small parameter ϵ and some smooth function h. Using formal asymptotic analysis with respect to ϵ, we derive the effective model in the form of the explicit formulae for the velocity, pressure and microrotation. The asymptotic solution clearly acknowledges the effects of the boundary perturbation and the micropolar nature of the fluid. The obtained results are illustrated by some numerical examples confirming that the considered perturbation has a nonlocal impact on the solution.
Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of some linear dipeptide pyridine and macrocyclic pentaazapyridine candidates
Authors: Azab Mohamed E. , Flefel Eman M. , Sabry Nermien M. , Amr Abd El-Galil E.
Published: May 2016

A series of tetracarboxamide and macrocyclic tripeptides have been prepared starting from 3,5-bis[N-(1-hydrazinyl-1-oxo-3-phenylpropan-2-yl)]pyridinecarboxamide 4 as starting material, which was synthesized from dinicotinic acid 1. Treatment of 4 with 1,4-diaminobutane, 1,6-diaminohexane, or cycloalkanone derivatives gave the corresponding macrocyclic tetracarboxamides (5a, b) and cycloalkyl hydrazone derivatives (6a–c), respectively. Additionally, the reaction of 4 with acetophenone or acetylpyridine derivatives gave the corresponding Schiff base derivatives 7a–e and 8a–c, respectively. Also, carboxylic acid hydrazide 4 was treated with acid anhydrides in glacial acetic acid to afford the corresponding diimide tetracarboxamide derivatives 9a, b, 10, and 11, respectively. The structures of newly synthesized compounds are established by physical and spectral data evidences. Some of the synthesized compounds were screened as antimicrobial agents.
TFEB Overexpression in the P301S Model of Tauopathy Mitigates Increased PHF1 Levels and Lipofuscin Puncta and Rescues Memory Deficits
Authors: Wang Hongjie , Wang Ruizhi , Carrera Ivan , Xu Shaohua , Lakshmana Madepalli K.
Published: May 2016

Transcription factor EB (TFEB) was recently shown to be a master regulator of autophagy lysosome pathway. Here, we successfully generated and characterized transgenic mice overexpressing flag-TFEB. Enhanced autophagy in the flag-TFEB transgenic mice was confirmed by an increase in the cellular autophagy markers, as determined by both immunoblots and transmission electron microscopy. Surprisingly, in the flag-TFEB mice we observed increased activity of senescence-associated β-galactosidase by ∼66% of neurons in the cortex (p< 0.001) and 73% of neurons in the hippocampus (p< 0.001). More importantly, flag-TFEB expression remarkably reduced the levels of paired-helical filament (PHF)-tau from 372% in the P301S model of tauopathy to 171% (p< 0.001) in the cortex, and from 436% to 212% (p< 0.001) in the hippocampus. Significantly, reduced levels of NeuN in the cortex (38%,p< 0.001) and hippocampus (25%,p< 0.05) of P301S mice were almost completely restored to WT levels in the P301S/flag-TFEB double-transgenic mice. Also, levels of spinophilin in both the cortex (p< 0.001) and hippocampus (p< 0.001) were restored almost to WT levels. Most importantly, the age-associated lipofuscin granules, which are generally presumed to be nondegradable, were reduced by 57% (p< 0.001) in the cortex and by 55% (p< 0.001) in the hippocampus in the double-transgenic mice. Finally, TFEB overexpression in the P301S mice markedly reversed learning deficits in terms of spatial memory (Barnes maze), as well as working and reference memories (T maze). These data suggest that the overexpression of TFEB can reliably enhance autophagyin vivo, reduce levels of PHF-tau, and thereby reverse the deposition of lipofuscin granules and memory deficits.
Only a Minority of the Inhibitory Inputs to Cerebellar Golgi Cells Originates from Local GABAergic Cells
Authors: Eyre Mark D. , Nusser Zoltan
Published: May 2016

Cerebellar Golgi cells (GoCs) efficiently control the spiking activity of granule cells through GABAAreceptor-mediated tonic and phasic inhibition. Recent experiments provided compelling evidence for the extensive interconnection of GoCs through electrical synapses, but their chemical inhibitory synaptic inputs are debated. Here, we investigated the GABAergic synaptic inputs of GoCs usingin vitroelectrophysiology and quantitative light microscopy (LM) and electron microscopy (EM). We characterized GABAAreceptor-mediated IPSCs in GoCs and Lugaro cells (LuCs), and found that IPSCs in GoCs have lower frequencies, smaller amplitudes, and much slower decay kinetics. Pharmacological and LM immunolocalization experiments revealed that GoCs express α3, whereas LuCs express α1 subunit-containing GABAAreceptors. The selective expression and clustered distribution of the α3 subunit in GoCs allowed the quantitative analysis of GABAergic synapses on their dendrites in the molecular layer (ML). EM and LM experiments in rats, and wild-type and GlyT2-GFP transgenic mice revealed that only one third of axon terminals establishing GABAergic synapses on GoC dendrites contain GlyT2, ruling out LuCs, globular cells, and any noncortical glycinergic inputs as major inhibitory sources. We also show that axon terminals of stellate/basket cells very rarely innervate GlyT2-GFP-expressing GoCs, indicating that only a minority of the inhibitory inputs to GoCs in the ML originates from local interneurons, and the majority of their inhibitory inputs exclusively releases GABA.
Timely Closure of the Prospore Membrane Requires SPS1 and SPO77 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Paulissen Scott M , Slubowski Christian J , Roesner Joseph M , Huang Linda S
Published: May 2016

During sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a double lipid bilayer called the prospore membrane is formed de novo, growing around each meiotic nucleus and ultimately closing to create four new cells within the mother cell. Here we show that SPS1, which encodes a kinase belonging to the germinal center kinase III family, is involved in prospore membrane development and is required for prospore membrane closure. We find that SPS1 genetically interacts with SPO77 and see that loss of either gene disrupts prospore membrane closure in a similar fashion. Specifically, cells lacking SPS1 and SPO77 produce hyperelongated prospore membranes from which the leading edge protein complex is not removed from the prospore membrane in a timely fashion. The SPS1/SPO77 pathway is required for the proper phosphorylation and stability of Ssp1, a member of the leading edge protein complex that is removed and degraded when the prospore membrane closes. Genetic dissection of prospore membrane closure finds SPS1 and SPO77 act in parallel to a previously described pathway of prospore membrane closure that involves AMA1, an activator of the meiotic anaphase promoting complex.
The Rise of Anchor Institutions and the Threat to Community Health: Protecting Community Wealth, Building Community Power
Authors: Brown Lawrence T. , Bachelder Ashley , Gomez Marisela B. , Sherrell Alicia , Bryan Imani
Published: May 2016

Academic institutions are increasingly playing pivotal roles in economic development and community redevelopment in cities around the United States. Many are functioning in the role of anchor institutions and building technology, biotechnology, or research parks to facilitate biomedical research. In the process, universities often partner with local governments, implementing policies that displace entire communities and families, thereby inducing a type of trauma that researcher Mindy Thompson Fullilove has termed “root shock.” We argue that displacement is a threat to public health and explore the ethical implications of university-led displacement on public health research, especially the inclusion of vulnerable populations into health-related research. We further explicate how the legal system has sanctioned the exercise of eminent domain by private entities such as universities and developers.Strategies that communities have employed in order to counter such threats are highlighted and recommended for communities that may be under the threat of university-led displacement. We also offer a critical look at the three dominant assumptions underlying university-sponsored development: that research parks are engines of economic development, that deconcentrating poverty via displacement is effective, and that poverty is simply the lack of economic or financial means. Understanding these fallacies will help communities under the threat of university-sponsored displacement to protect community wealth, build power, and improve health.
The Charleston Imperative: Why Feminism and Antiracism Must Be Linked
Authors: Policy Forum African American
Published: May 2016

As antiracists, we know that the struggle against racial terror is older than the Republic itself. In particular, we remember the work of Ida B. Wells, who risked everything to debunk the lies of lynchers over one hundred years ago. Today, we see that fierce determination in Bree Newsome, who scaled the thirty-foot flagpole at the South Carolina State Capitol and brought down the Confederate flag. As feminists, we recognize how racism has been—and is still—gendered. Patriarchy continues to be foundational to racial terrorism in the United States, both in specious claims that justify the torture of Black men in defense of white womanhood, and in its brutal treatment of Black women and girls. We also recognize that while patriarchy and racism are clearly intertwined, all too often our struggles against them are not.If the reaction to the Charleston massacre is to be realized as something beyond a singular moment of redemptive mourning, then neither the intersectional dynamics of racism and patriarchy that produced this hateful crime nor the inept rhetorical politics that sustain the separation of feminism from antiracism can be allowed to continue.
Leonard Peltier Writes about His Years in a US Prison: My Life Is My Sun Dance as a Literary Text
Authors: Averbach Márgara
Published: May 2016

This article analyzes Leonard Peltier’s book about his years in prison as a literary work from my perspective as a nonindigenous scholar in Argentina who studies the US racial order. It tracks the author’s concept of prison in the book, a concept which Peltier attributes to his worldview as a Lakota. The concept and the worldview are omnipresent in My Life Is My Sun Dance, not only in the ideas but also in the structure, the mixture of genres, the idea of political struggle and its consequences, the relationship depicted between the author-character and the world inside and outside prison, the idea of language and communication, and also the relationship with nature and the need and building of community inside and outside prison. From the title onward, the “Indian Way” is presented as the center of life for Leonard Peltier, a tool to survive in a panoptic prison and to use in writing—another weapon in the fight for freedom, understanding, and survival. The book itself is one way to not disappear from the world, one way to struggle against the invisibility of prisoners in general and Native American prisoners in particular.
Home Was New Orleans. But They Said Home Was Gone
Authors: King Tareian
Published: May 2016

My cousin had just been enrolled at Sci Academy Charter School and I agreed to go on the tour with him. Students have to walk on the line. Students can’t make noise in the hallway. Students can’t do this, students can’t do that. I wanted a good education, but not at the price of having to be a prisoner. There was a long list of what would end up with suspensions. Chewing gum, having a phone, being late to class, simple things. A friend from Moton had enrolled in Sci. The teachers were white and not interested in Black problems in New Orleans. They couldn’t relate or understand some of the issues she had in her family. Actually, it was apparent they didn’t want to. I decided to stay at McMain. My new best friend, Wesley, had told me about this AP English class, which had a program attached to it, Students at the Center. “She want to take the class.” As simple as that, I was in the class. I was learning about everything. My education felt valuable again. I was doing college courses and always had work to do. I also got my confidence back. I also was given a platform that made me feel my feelings were legitimate. I found out I wasn’t the only one complaining about the education system. I started learning about what was really going down in New Orleans. I started learning the truth behind charter schools.
Outcomes of Extremely Preterm Infants Born to Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Mothers
Authors: Boghossian Nansi S. , Hansen Nellie I. , Bell Edward F. , Brumbaugh Jane E. , Stoll Barbara J. , Laptook Abbot R. , Shankaran Seetha , Wyckoff Myra H. , Colaizy Tarah T. , Das Abhik , Higgins Rosemary D. ,   for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Little is known about in-hospital morbidities and neurodevelopmental outcomes among extremely preterm infants born to women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). We examined risks of mortality, in-hospital morbidities, and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 to 22 months’ corrected age between extremely preterm infants of women with insulin use before pregnancy (IBP), with insulin use started during pregnancy (IDP), and without IDDM.

METHODS:

Infants 22 to 28 weeks’ gestation born or cared for at a Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network center (2006–2011) were studied. Regression models compared the association between maternal IDDM and timing of insulin use and the outcomes of the 3 groups.

RESULTS:

Of 10 781 infants, 536 (5%) were born to women with IDDM; 58% had IBP, and 36% had IDP. Infants of mothers with IBP had higher risks of necrotizing enterocolitis (adjusted relative risk [RR] = 1.55 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17–2.05]) and late-onset sepsis (adjusted RR = 1.26 [95% CI 1.07–1.48]) than infants of mothers without IDDM. There was some indication of higher in-hospital mortality risk among infants of mothers with IBP compared with those with IDP (adjusted RR = 1.33 [95% CI 1.00–1.79]). Among survivors evaluated at 18 to 22 months’ corrected age, average head circumference z score was lower for infants of mothers with IBP compared with those without IDDM, but there were no differences in risk of neurodevelopmental impairment.

CONCLUSIONS:

In this cohort of extremely preterm infants, infants of mothers with IBP had higher risks of necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, and small head circumference.
Emerging Strategies for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Rao Praveen ,   Cardiovascular Division, Washington University in Saint Louis, School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, Olusesi Olusegun ,   Cardiovascular Division, Washington University in Saint Louis, School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, Faddis Mitchell ,   Cardiovascular Division, Washington University in Saint Louis, School of Medicine, St Louis, MO
Published: May 2016

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cause of stroke. In the US nearly 800,000 people suffer stroke each year and about 130,000 die as a result. Stroke care accounts for an estimated US$34 billion in health care expenditures in the US each year. Among all strokes, AF is the cause in 15–20 % of cases. The incidence of AF in the US has grown steadily over time to a current estimate of 6.1 million with the condition. With the anticipated growth in the worldwide AF population, the need for effective new therapeutic strategies for stroke prevention is clear.
Optimizing Heart Rate and Controlling Symptoms in Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Parikh Pragnesh ,   Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, Venkatachalam KL ,   Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL
Published: May 2016

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia noted in clinical practice and its incidence and prevalence are on the rise. The single most important intervention is the evaluation and treatment of stroke risk. Once the risk for stroke has been minimized, controlling the ventricular rate and treating symptoms become relevant. In this review article, we emphasize the importance of confirming and treating the appropriate arrhythmia and correlating symptoms with rhythm changes. Furthermore, we evaluate some of the risk factors for AF that independently result in symptoms, underlining the need to treat these risk factors as part of symptom control. We then discuss existing and novel approaches to rate control in AF and briefly cover rhythm control methods.
A methodological approach for the non-monetary valuation of ecosystem services in three communities of the Colombian Amazon
Authors: Duran H. Zulma , Arguello A. Heliodoro , Tapasco Jeimar
Published: May 2016

To conduct a non-monetary valuation of ecosystem services, this study explored combining data on the use of ecosystem resources with measuring the effort expended on agricultural activities in three communities of the lower Caqueta, Colombian Amazon. By measuring the energy expended by people during their principal subsistence activities, a measure of wellbeing was also indirectly obtained. For the three communities, the most costly ecosystem service in terms of energy expended was land in forests, which is prepared for planting with felling and clearing, with a value of 1,353 kcal per workday. This was followed by bush meat from hunting at 811 kcal per workday, fish at 682 kcal, obtaining food from the chagra (small family farming plot) at 470 kcal, collecting fruits at 380 kcal, collecting firewood at 148 kcal, and fetching water at 29 kcal. The preparation of casabe (cassava flatbread) as a cultural service has an energy cost of 386 kcal, while preparing mambe (toast pulverized coca leaves) has a much higher cost at 808 kcal.
Irrigation reduction resistance mechanisms in the rapid fruit growth stage of pears (Pyrus communis L.)
Authors: Díaz-Abril Diana Milena , Vélez-Sánchez Javier Enrique , Rodríguez Pedro
Published: May 2016

Plants adopt physiological defense mechanisms to counteract droughts. In Colombia, there is no information for these mechanisms in pears (Pyrus communis L.), cv. Triunfo de Viena. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze the hydric conditions of this plant in order to determine if it has developed a mechanism to avoid, reduce, or tolerate water stresses as a defense. This experiment used a pear crop located in the municipality of Sesquile (Colombia), with 16-year-old trees that were subjected to three irrigation treatments: a control that received 100% of this crop's evapotranspiration (100%ETc), and 73%ETc and 53%ETc treatments were irrigated at 73% and 53% of crop's evapotranspiration, respectively, for the entire rapid fruit growth period of 2012 to 2013. The results indicated that the irrigation reduction in 53%ETc treatment present an adaptive mechanism in the trees, with a structural change in the cellular wall that allowed for 47% water savings in this fruit growth stage.
Sugar apple (Annona squamosa L.) seed germination affected by the application of gibberellins
Authors: Martínez M. Fabio Ernesto , Miranda L. Diego , Magnitskiy Stanislav
Published: May 2016

This research sought to establish the response of the germination percentage (PG), synchrony index (E), mean germination time (MGT) and mean germination rate (MGR) of Annona squamosa L. seeds from Apulo (province of Cundinamarca) and Castilla (province of Tolima), Colombia, to treatments with 0, 50, 100, 200, 400, 600, or 800 mg L-1 of gibberellic acid (GA). All of the treatments with GA increased the PG at each point of time of seed incubation. The 600 mg L-1 GA treatment resulted in higher PGs (92.3% at 16 days for Apulo and 95% at 24 days for Castilla) and lower MGTs (8.75 and 5.38 days for Apulo and Castilla, respectively) than those found with the concentration of 0 mg L-1 GA (17.68 and 10.88 days for Apulo and Castilla, respectively). Also, treating the seeds with 600 mg L-1 GA generated higher MGRs (0.18 and 0.12 germinated seeds/day for Castilla and Apulo, respectively) than those obtained with 0 mg L-1 GA (Castilla = 0.09 and Apulo = 0.06 germinated seeds/ day). Likewise, the germination was synchronized with the application of any concentration of GA. The results evidenced a positive response to the GA application, which provided a tool for the characterization of the phenomenon of dormancy in the A. squamosa seeds.
Temporal shifts of nitrite reducing communities in a rice field soil in Ibague (Colombia)
Authors: Castro-González Maribeb , Lima Amanda
Published: May 2016

Denitrification and nitrification are microbial processes that regulate the cycle of nitrogen and nitrous oxide, which is considered an important greenhouse gas. Rice field soils have been known to have strong denitrifying activities; however, the microorganism structure that is responsible for denitrification and the temporal variation of these communities in the agricultural soils of Ibague (Colombia) is not well known. In this study, the denitrifying community composition was compared between a rice field soil and an uncultivated soil at three different times during the year using a terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the nirS functional gene, which codes the enzyme that reduces nitrite, one of the key steps in the denitrification process. The results showed changes in the richness, relative abundance and diversity of the operational taxonomic units between the soils and sampling times. The canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the moisture and the pH were the environmental factors that explained the observed changes in the nirS-type denitrifiers' community composition in the studied soils.
Genome characterization of a Potato virus S (PVS) variant from tuber sprouts of Solanum phureja Juz. et Buk
Authors: Vallejo C. Daniela , Gutiérrez S. Pablo Andrés , Marín M. Mauricio
Published: May 2016

Potato virus S (PVS) is a prevalent virus in potato fields in Colombia and the rest of the world. PVS has been classified into two separate lineages, PVSO (Ordinary) and PVSA (An- dean), which are genetically distinct. In this study, the com- plete genome sequence of a new PVS isolate (PVS_Antioquia) was obtained using High-throughput sequencing (Illumina HiSeq-2000) from tuber sprouts of Solanum phureja (var. Criolla Colombia). The PVS_Antioquia genome comprises 8,483 nt that code for six ORFs: RdRp (223 kDa), TGBp1-3 (25kDa, 12kDa, 7kDa) CP (32.3 kDa) and NABP (11 kDa) and share a high sequence identity with respect to the PVS_RVC (>95%) from Colombia, in contrast to 81 to 82% identity with respect to the PVSA and PVSO isolates from around the world. This genome information was used to design RT-qPCR primers that are specific for the Colombian PVS strains (RVC and Antioquia) which were validated in S. phureja leaf and tuber samples. These primers detected PVS in 80 and 60% of a set of fifteen leaf and tuber samples, respectively, suggesting a high incidence of this virus in the potato crops of Antioquia.