bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Naturalistic Sentence Comprehension in the Brain
Authors: Brennan Jonathan
Published: July 2016

The cognitive neuroscience of language relies largely on controlled experiments that are different from the everyday situations in which we use language. This review describes an approach that studies specific aspects of sentence comprehension in the brain using data collected while participants perform an everyday task, such as listening to a story. The approach uses ‘neuro‐computational’ models that are based on linguistic and psycholinguistic theories. These models quantify how a specific computation, such as identifying a syntactic constituent, might be carried out by a neural circuit word‐by‐word. Model predictions are tested for their statistical fit with measured brain data. The paper discusses three applications of this approach: (i) to probe the location and timing of linguistic processing in the brain without requiring unnatural tasks and stimuli, (ii) to test theoretical hypotheses by comparing the fits of different models to naturalistic data, and (iii) to study neural mechanisms for language processing in populations that are poorly served by traditional methods.
Deformability of transfused red blood cells is a potent determinant of transfusion‐induced change in recipient's blood flow
Authors: Barshtein Gregory , Pries Axel R. , Goldschmidt Neta , Zukerman Ayelet , Orbach Ariel , Zelig Orly , Arbell Dan , Yedgar Saul
Published: July 2016

Objective

There is a growing concern regarding the risks in the transfusion of PRBC, as numerous studies have reported negative transfusion outcomes, including reduced blood perfusion. In search of this phenomenon's mechanism, the effect of PRBC deformability, a major determinant of blood flow, on transfusion outcome was explored.

Methods

The effect of PRBC deformability was examined by the transfusion‐induced change in recipients’ ∆SBF, in β‐TM patients, who are routinely treated with lifelong frequent transfusions. SBF was determined using a laser Doppler imager.

Results

∆SBF was examined vs PRBC deformability, the transfusion‐induced increase in ∆Hct and the recipients’ SBF before transfusion (SBFB). ∆SBF elevated with increasing PRBC deformability, with a highly significant dependence, while its elevation with ∆Hct was much less significant. ∆SBF was inversely proportional to the SBFB.

Conclusions

This study provides, for the first time in humans, direct evidence that the deformability of transfused PRBC is a potent effector of transfusion outcome. Currently, PRBC are supplied primarily by the first‐in–first‐out criteria, while their functionality is ignored. The testing of PRBC hemodynamic quality would introduce a new paradigm into blood banking, which would contribute substantially to improving transfusion therapy.
Between Islam and the nation; nation‐building, the ulama and Alevi identity in Turkey
Authors: Lord Ceren
Published: July 2016

This article analyses the relationship between Islam and nationalism by considering the role of the ulama in Turkey, housed within the Presidency of Religious Affairs (PRA). The ulama – religious scholars and experts of Islamic law – in Muslim majority contexts are typically closely linked with the state and play a key role in shaping the boundaries of Islam and of what is Islamically acceptable. However, this is also of consequence for the boundaries of the nation, since in Turkey Islam and nationalism has been intertwined, with Islam playing a central role in nation‐building, as a basis of ethnic identity formation and a source of symbols and myths. This articles shows, firstly, that the PRA has acted as a carrier and preserver of Sunni (Hanefi) Muslim identity in continuity with the Ottoman ulama and, secondly, that it has delimited nation‐building, by considering its approach to and interventions against Alevi identity.
Piloting staff education in Australia to reduce falls in older hospital patients experiencing delirium
Authors: Toye Christine , Kitchen Su , Hill Andrew , Edwards Deborah , Sin Michelle , Maher Sean
Published: July 2016

This study piloted a hospital‐based delirium and falls education program to investigate the impacts on staff knowledge and practice plus patient falls. On a medical ward, staff knowledge was compared before and after education sessions. Other data – collected a day before and after program implementation – addressed documentation of patients' delirium and evidence of compliance with falls risk minimization protocols. These data, and numbers of patient falls, were compared before and after program implementation. Almost all ward staff members participated in education sessions (7 doctors, 7 allied health practitioners, and 45 nurses) and knowledge was significantly improved in the 22 who completed surveys both before and after session attendance. Patients assessed as having delirium (5 before implementation, 4 afterwards) were all documented as either confused or delirious. Small changes eventuated in adherence with falls risk management protocols for confused patients and the number of falls decreased. The program merits a stronger emphasis on staff activities relating to the detection, documentation, and management of delirium to inter‐professional roles and communication. Evidence of practice enhancement from program implementation should precede rigorous testing of impacts upon falls.
Plant δ15N reflects the high landscape‐scale heterogeneity of soil fertility and vegetation productivity in a Mediterranean semiarid ecosystem
Authors: Ruiz‐Navarro Antonio , Barberá Gonzalo G. , Albaladejo Juan , Querejeta José I.
Published: July 2016

We investigated the magnitude and drivers of spatial variability in soil and plant δ15N across the landscape in a topographically complex semiarid ecosystem. We hypothesized that large spatial heterogeneity in water availability, soil fertility and vegetation cover would be positively linked to high local‐scale variability in δ15N.

We measured foliar δ15N in three dominant plant species representing contrasting plant functional types (tree, shrub, grass) and mycorrhizal association types (ectomycorrhizal or arbuscular mycorrhizal). This allowed us to investigate whether δ15N responds to landscape‐scale environmental heterogeneity in a consistent way across species.

Leaf δ15N varied greatly within species across the landscape and was strongly spatially correlated among co‐occurring individuals of the three species. Plant δ15N correlated tightly with soil δ15N and key measures of soil fertility, water availability and vegetation productivity, including soil nitrogen (N), organic carbon (C), plant‐available phosphorus (P), water‐holding capacity, topographic moisture indices and normalized difference vegetation index. Multiple regression models accounted for 62–83% of within‐species variation in δ15N across the landscape.

The tight spatial coupling and interdependence of the water, N and C cycles in drylands may allow the use of leaf δ15N as an integrative measure of variations in moisture availability, biogeochemical activity, soil fertility and vegetation productivity (or ‘site quality’) across the landscape.
A patient with schizophrenia presenting with post‐lobotomy catatonia treated with olanzapine: a case report
Authors: Kumagai Ryo , Kitazawa Maiko , Ishibiki Yoshiro , Narumi Kenji , Ichimiya Yosuke
Published: July 2016

A 79‐year‐old Japanese woman with schizophrenia was hospitalized because of idiopathic duodenal stenosis. Three days after discontinuing ingestion, including the administration of psychotropic drugs, the patient demonstrated incoherent behaviour and strong general muscle tension, and was unable to engage in conversation. Computed tomography indicated bilateral regions of low density in the frontal lobes, subsequent to which she was diagnosed with post‐lobotomy catatonia. Administration of olanzapine (10 mg/day) improved the patient's condition within a short period. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between the dysfunction of frontal circuits and catatonia; therefore, the observed catatonic episode might relate to the disconnection of nerve fibres in the prefrontal lobes induced by her lobotomy. Olanzapine was likely effective in treating catatonia because of its reported efficacy in improving frontal lobe function.
Resting‐state functional connectivity differentiates anxious apprehension and anxious arousal
Authors: Burdwood Erin N. , Infantolino Zachary P. , Crocker Laura D. , Spielberg Jeffrey M. , Banich Marie T. , Miller Gregory A. , Heller Wendy
Published: July 2016

Brain regions in the default mode network (DMN) display greater functional connectivity at rest or during self‐referential processing than during goal‐directed tasks. The present study assessed resting‐state connectivity as a function of anxious apprehension and anxious arousal, independent of depressive symptoms, in order to understand how these dimensions disrupt cognition. Whole‐brain, seed‐based analyses indicated differences between anxious apprehension and anxious arousal in DMN functional connectivity. Lower connectivity associated with higher anxious apprehension suggests decreased adaptive, inner‐focused thought processes, whereas higher connectivity at higher levels of anxious arousal may reflect elevated monitoring of physiological responses to threat. These findings further the conceptualization of anxious apprehension and anxious arousal as distinct psychological dimensions with distinct neural instantiations.
Membrane Stress During Thawing Elicits Redistribution of Aquaporin 7 But Not of Aquaporin 9 in Boar Spermatozoa
Authors: Vicente‐Carrillo A , Ekwall H , Álvarez‐Rodríguez M , Rodríguez‐Martínez H
Published: July 2016

Contents

Freezing of boar spermatozoa includes the cryoprotectant glycerol, but renders low cryosurvival, owing to major changes in osmolarity during freezing/thawing. We hypothesize that aquaporins (AQPs) 7 and 9 adapt their membrane domain location to these osmotic challenges, thus maintaining sperm homeostasis. Western blotting (WB) and immunocytochemistry (ICC) at light and electron microscope levels with several commercial primary antibodies and protocols explored AQP location on cauda epididymal and ejaculated spermatozoa (from different fractions of the ejaculate), unprocessed, extended, chilled and frozen‐thawed. Although differences in WB and ICC labelling were seen among antibodies, AQP‐7 was conspicuously located in the entire tail and cytoplasmic droplet in caudal spermatozoa, being restricted to the mid‐piece and principal piece domains in ejaculated spermatozoa. AQP‐9 was mainly localized in the sperm head in both caudal and ejaculated spermatozoa. While unaffected by chilling (+5°C), freezing and thawing of ejaculated spermatozoa clearly relocated the head labelling of AQP‐7, but not that of AQP‐9. In vitro mimicking of cell membrane expansion during quick thawing maintained the localization of AQP‐9 but relocated AQP‐7 towards the acrosome. AQP‐7, but not AQP‐9, appears as a relevant marker for non‐empirical studies of sperm handling.
Transborder Co‐Operation and Competition Among Firms in the Polish‐German Borderland
Authors: Dołzbłasz Sylwia , Raczyk Andrzej
Published: July 2016

The objective of the study was to analyse the transborder relationships of co‐operation and competition among economic entities operating in the Polish‐German borderland. The analysis concentrated primarily on the internationalisation of economic activity, the perceived strength of co‐operation, the actual competitive pressure, and the identification of the dominant character of transborder relationships. The analysis was conducted in the Polish‐German borderland in 2011. The study was based on a questionnaire survey (600 firms: 300 on the Polish side and 300 on the German side of the border). The research revealed that the predominant type of relationship among companies was that of co‐operation. However, the perceived importance of transborder relationships was generally low. Moreover, it can be stated that the vast majority of the businesses were operating without considering the context of the border.
Rapid identification of lettuce seed germination mutants by bulked segregant analysis and whole genome sequencing
Authors: Huo Heqiang , Henry Isabelle M. , Coppoolse Eric R. , Verhoef‐Post Miriam , Schut Johan W. , de Rooij Han , Vogelaar Aat , Joosen Ronny V.L. , Woudenberg Leo , Comai Luca , Bradford Kent J.
Published: July 2016

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seeds exhibit thermoinhibition, or failure to complete germination when imbibed at warm temperatures. Chemical mutagenesis was employed to develop lettuce lines that exhibit germination thermotolerance. Two independent thermotolerant lettuce seed mutant lines, TG01 and TG10, were generated through ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis. Genetic and physiological analyses indicated that these two mutations were allelic and recessive. To identify the causal gene(s), we applied bulked segregant analysis by whole genome sequencing. For each mutant, bulked DNA samples of segregating thermotolerant (mutant) seeds were sequenced and analyzed for homozygous single‐nucleotide polymorphisms. Two independent candidate mutations were identified at different physical positions in the zeaxanthin epoxidase gene (ABSCISIC ACID DEFICIENT 1/ZEAXANTHIN EPOXIDASE, or ABA1/ZEP) in TG01 and TG10. The mutation in TG01 caused an amino acid replacement, whereas the mutation in TG10 resulted in alternative mRNA splicing. Endogenous abscisic acid contents were reduced in both mutants, and expression of the ABA1 gene from wild‐type lettuce under its own promoter fully complemented the TG01 mutant. Conventional genetic mapping confirmed that the causal mutations were located near the ZEP/ABA1 gene, but the bulked segregant whole genome sequencing approach more efficiently identified the specific gene responsible for the phenotype.
Transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana for rapid functional analysis of genes involved in non‐photochemical quenching and carotenoid biosynthesis
Authors: Leonelli Lauriebeth , Erickson Erika , Lyska Dagmar , Niyogi Krishna K.
Published: July 2016

Plants must switch rapidly between light harvesting and photoprotection in response to environmental fluctuations in light intensity. This switch can lead to losses in absorbed energy usage, as photoprotective energy dissipation mechanisms can take minutes to hours to fully relax. One possible way to improve photosynthesis is to engineer these energy dissipation mechanisms (measured as non‐photochemical quenching of chlorophyll a fluorescence, NPQ) to induce and relax more quickly, resulting in smaller losses under dynamic light conditions. Previous studies aimed at understanding the enzymes involved in the regulation of NPQ have relied primarily on labor‐intensive and time‐consuming generation of stable transgenic lines and mutant populations – approaches limited to organisms amenable to genetic manipulation and mapping. To enable rapid functional testing of NPQ‐related genes from diverse organisms, we performed Agrobacterium tumefaciens‐mediated transient expression assays in Nicotiana benthamiana to test if NPQ kinetics could be modified in fully expanded leaves. By expressing Arabidopsis thaliana genes known to be involved in NPQ, we confirmed the viability of this method for studying dynamic photosynthetic processes. Subsequently, we used naturally occurring variation in photosystem II subunit S, a modulator of NPQ in plants, to explore how differences in amino acid sequence affect NPQ capacity and kinetics. Finally, we functionally characterized four predicted carotenoid biosynthesis genes from the marine algae Nannochloropsis oceanica and Thalassiosira pseudonana and examined the effect of their expression on NPQ in N. benthamiana. This method offers a powerful alternative to traditional gene characterization methods by providing a fast and easy platform for assessing gene function in planta.
Palm oil not polar bears: climate change and development in Malaysian media
Authors: Manzo Kate , Padfield Rory
Published: July 2016

To date, debates about climate change reporting in national media focus largely on Western democracies. We aim to broaden the scope for cross‐national comparison by looking at climate change reporting in Malaysia – an emerging economy in the global South facing developmental tensions common to many, specifically an ambitious national climate change agenda in the face of an economy largely reliant on the extraction and export of primary commodities. Our questions are: How is climate change framed in Malaysian media? How do Malaysian narratives compare with those found elsewhere? How do climate change and development narratives interact in a ‘second tier’ emerging economy? And lastly, what do these interacting narratives say about the salience of neoliberal and North–South perspectives on climate change and development? To answer these questions, we undertook a content analysis of climate action stories published over a three‐year period (2009–2011) in five English‐language news sources. In addition to a high proportion of environmental‐framed articles across all the news sources, our findings show that climate change has been framed as both a multi‐scalar responsibility and a positive opportunity for two key stakeholders in development, i.e. neoliberal market forces and geopolitical actors keenly interested in restructuring the international political economy along lines reminiscent of the new international economic order (NIEO) demands of the 1970s. We label the key themes emergent from our analysis as climate capitalism and green nationalism (neither of which are unique to Malaysia), while demonstrating that debates about palm oil are particularly illustrative of the interaction of these themes in the Malaysian context. In the final section we suggest thinking of the interacting elements as a singular, structuralist model of green development – one reminiscent of discourses at work in other emerging economies.
A Sequential Robust Optimization Approach for Multidisciplinary Design Optimization With Uncertainty
Authors: Xia Tingting , Li Mian , Zhou Jianhua
Published: July 2016

One real challenge for multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) problems to gain a robust solution is the propagation of uncertainty from one discipline to another. Most existing methods only consider an MDO problem in the deterministic manner or find a solution which is robust for a single-disciplinary optimization problem. These rare methods for solving MDO problems under uncertainty are usually computationally expensive. This paper proposes a robust sequential MDO (RS-MDO) approach based on a sequential MDO (S-MDO) framework. First, a robust solution is obtained by giving each discipline full autonomy to perform optimization without considering other disciplines. A tolerance range is specified for each coupling variable to take care of uncertainty propagation in the coupled system. Then the obtained robust extreme points of global variables and coupling variables are dispatched into subsystems to perform robust optimization (RO) sequentially. Additional constraints are added in each subsystem to keep the consistency and to guarantee a robust solution. To find a solution with such strict constraints, genetic algorithm (GA) is used as a solver in each optimization stage. The proposed RS-MDO can save significant amount of computational efforts by using the sequential optimization procedure. Since all iterations in the sequential optimization stage can be processed in parallel, this robust MDO approach can be more time-saving. Numerical and engineering examples are provided to demonstrate the availability and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Bioinspired broadband midwavelength infrared antireflection coatings on silicon
Authors: Kothary Pratik , Phillips Blayne M. , Leo Sin-Yen , Jiang Peng
Published: July 2016

Silicon has been extensively used in manufacturing refractive infrared optics due to its high refractive index and excellent transmission over a very broad range of infrared wavebands. However, the high refractive index of silicon leads to large reflection loss which greatly limits the performance of the final optoelectronic devices. Here, the authors report a simple and scalable templating nanofabrication technology for making subwavelength-structured, broadband antireflection coatings on crystalline silicon wafers, targeting the midwavelength infrared (MWIR) waveband (3–8 μm), which has important implications for various civilian and military purposes. Periodic arrays of silicon nanopillars with tapered shapes, which mimic the microstructured cornea of nocturnal moths, can be patterned on both surfaces of silicon wafers using self-assembled monolayer silica colloidal crystals as structural templates. The resultant moth-eye gratings can greatly enhance optical transmission for the entire MWIR region. Finite-difference time-domain simulations have also been performed and the theoretical predictions agree reasonably well with the experimental optical measurements.
Growth and coalescence control of inclined c-axis polar and semipolar GaN multilayer structures grown on Si(111), Si(112), and Si(115) by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy
Authors: Szymański Tomasz , Wośko Mateusz , Paszkiewicz Bartłomiej , Paszkiewicz Bogdan , Paszkiewicz Regina , Sankowska Iwona
Published: July 2016

Herein, silicon substrates in alternative orientations from the commonly used Si(111) were used to enable the growth of polar and semipolar GaN-based structures by the metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy method. Specifically, Si(112) and Si(115) substrates were used for the epitaxial growth of nitride multilayer structures, while the same layer schemes were also deposited on Si(111) for comparison purposes. Multiple approaches were studied to examine the influence of the seed layers and the growth process conditions upon the final properties of the GaN/Si(11x) templates. Scanning electron microscope images were acquired to examine the topography of the deposited samples. It was observed that the substrate orientation and the process conditions allow control to produce an isolated GaN block growth or a coalesced layer growth, resulting in inclined c-axis GaN structures under various forms. The angles of the GaN c-axis inclination were determined by x-ray diffraction measurements and compared with the results obtained from the analysis of the atomic force microscope (AFM) images. The AFM image analysis method to determine the structure tilt was found to be a viable method to estimate the c-axis inclination angles of the isolated blocks and the not-fully coalesced layers. The quality of the grown samples was characterized by the photoluminescence method conducted at a wide range of temperatures from 77 to 297 K, and was correlated with the sample degree of coalescence. Using the free-excitation peak positions plotted as a function of temperature, analytical Bose-Einstein model parameters were fitted to obtain further information about the grown structures.
Standards-Based Assessment, Grading, and Professional Development of California Middle School Physical Education Teachers
Authors: Michael Robert Daniel , Webster Collin , Patterson Debra , Laguna Patricia , Sherman Clay
Published: July 2016

Purpose:

This study examined California middle school physical education teachers’ (grades 6–8) use of assessments based on state standards to grade their students.

Methods:

An electronic survey was used to collect data.

Results:

Of the 309 teachers surveyed, 74% based their assessments on the state physical education standards. Teachers who used standards-based assessments were more prone to assigning higher percentages of students’ grades to achievement-based assessments (e.g., skills testing, fitness, standards competency) than teachers who did not use standards-based assessments. However, all teachers gave similar weightings to administrative-based assessments (e.g., dressing out appropriately). Most of the teachers (91.2%) who reported not using standards-based assessments had limited to no professional development pertaining to the standards and perceived this as the biggest challenge to using standards-based assessments.

Discussion/Conclusions:

This study shows that professional development may be an important factor in teachers’ use of standards-based assessments and achievement-focused grading in middle school physical education.
Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Conceptions and Findings in Physical Education
Authors: Ward Phillip , Ayvazo Shiri
Published: July 2016

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is a frequently used concept in the educational community. Its usage is so widespread it appears to function as a “lingua franca” across different subject areas and among researchers within a subject area. Critiques of PCK have suggested it may function at best as a heuristic and at worst as a masquerade; because there has been little consensus on its conceptualization and in many studies there is no operational definition of PCK provided. Recent studies, however, have moved both the conceptualization and measurement of PCK forward in ways that allow the concept to be operationalized. In this article we examine how PCK has evolved since Shulman’s (1986) initial conceptualization, and discuss how the concept has been used in physical education. We describe and examine five recurring research findings for PCK in physical education. These are that PCK can be described on continuums of maturity and effectiveness; is learned, is specific to content and context; and is strongly related to both content knowledge and knowledge of students.
The Role of Lipid Competition for Endosymbiont-Mediated Protection against Parasitoid Wasps in
Drosophila
Authors: Paredes Juan C. , Herren Jeremy K. , Schüpfer Fanny , Lemaitre Bruno
Published: July 2016

Insects commonly harbor facultative bacterial endosymbionts, such as
Wolbachia
and
Spiroplasma
species, that are vertically transmitted from mothers to their offspring. These endosymbiontic bacteria increase their propagation by manipulating host reproduction or by protecting their hosts against natural enemies. While an increasing number of studies have reported endosymbiont-mediated protection, little is known about the mechanisms underlying this protection. Here, we analyze the mechanisms underlying protection from parasitoid wasps in
Drosophila melanogaster
mediated by its facultative endosymbiont
Spiroplasma poulsonii
. Our results indicate that
S. poulsonii
exerts protection against two distantly related wasp species,
Leptopilina boulardi
and
Asobara tabida
.
S. poulsonii
-mediated protection against parasitoid wasps takes place at the pupal stage and is not associated with an increased cellular immune response. In this work, we provide three important observations that support the notion that
S. poulsonii
bacteria and wasp larvae compete for host lipids and that this competition underlies symbiont-mediated protection. First, lipid quantification shows that both
S. poulsonii
and parasitoid wasps deplete
D. melanogaster
hemolymph lipids. Second, the depletion of hemolymphatic lipids using the
Lpp
RNA interference (
Lpp RNAi
) construct reduces wasp success in larvae that are not infected with
S. poulsonii
and blocks
S. poulsonii
growth. Third, we show that the growth of
S. poulsonii
bacteria is not affected by the presence of the wasps, indicating that when
S. poulsonii
is present, larval wasps will develop in a lipid-depleted environment. We propose that competition for host lipids may be relevant to endosymbiont-mediated protection in other systems and could explain the broad spectrum of protection provided.

IMPORTANCE
Virtually all insects, including crop pests and disease vectors, harbor facultative bacterial endosymbionts. They are vertically transmitted from mothers to their offspring, and some protect their host against pathogens. Here, we studied the mechanism of protection against parasitoid wasps mediated by the
Drosophila melanogaster
endosymbiont
Spiroplasma poulsonii
. Using genetic manipulation of the host, we provide strong evidence supporting the hypothesis that competition for host lipids underlies
S. poulsonii
-mediated protection against parasitoid wasps. We propose that lipid competition-based protection may not be restricted to
Spiroplasma
bacteria but could also apply other endosymbionts, notably
Wolbachia
bacteria, which can suppress human disease-causing viruses in insect hosts.
Identification of Novel Host Interactors of Effectors Secreted by
Salmonella
and
Citrobacter
Authors: Sontag Ryan L. , Nakayasu Ernesto S. , Brown Roslyn N. , Niemann George S. , Sydor Michael A. , Sanchez Octavio , Ansong Charles , Lu Shao-Yeh , Choi Hyungwon , Valleau Dylan , Weitz Karl K. , Savchenko Alexei , Cambronne Eric D. , Adkins Joshua N.
Published: July 2016

During infection, pathogenic bacteria face an adverse environment of factors driven by both cellular and humoral defense mechanisms. To help evade the immune response and ultimately proliferate inside the host, many bacteria evolved specialized secretion systems to deliver effector proteins directly into host cells. Translocated effector proteins function to subvert host defense mechanisms. Numerous pathogenic bacteria use a specialized secretion system called type III secretion to deliver effectors into the host cell cytosol. Here, we identified 75 new host targets of
Salmonella
and
Citrobacter
effectors, which will help elucidate their mechanisms of action.
Establishing criteria to distinguish oil-seep from methane-seep carbonates
Authors: Smrzka D. , Zwicker J. , Klügel A. , Monien P. , Bach W. , Bohrmann G. , Peckmann J.
Published: July 2016

Hydrocarbon seeps harbor copious chemosynthesis-dependent life, the traces of which are preserved in the fossil record within authigenic carbonates. These environments are mostly characterized by seepage of methane-rich fluids, yet numerous crude oil–dominated seeps have been discovered in recent years. Oil seepage has a profound influence on the local fauna, but recognizing such seeps in the rock record remains elusive. This study presents new geochemical data that will allow for a more confident identification of ancient oil-seep deposits. Geochemical data from modern and ancient seep limestones reveal that oil-dominated seep carbonates are enriched in rare earth elements and uranium compared to their methane-dominated counterparts. These trace element patterns have the potential to serve as a basis for an improved understanding of the adaptation of chemosynthetic life to oil seepage, and to better constrain the marine carbon cycle in the geologic past.
Complementary therapies for labour and birth study: a randomised controlled trial of antenatal integrative medicine for pain management in labour
Authors: Levett Kate M , Smith C A , Bensoussan A , Dahlen H G
Published: July 2016

Objective

To evaluate the effect of an antenatal integrative medicine education programme in addition to usual care for nulliparous women on intrapartum epidural use.

Design

Open-label, assessor blind, randomised controlled trial.

Setting

2 public hospitals in Sydney, Australia.

Population

176 nulliparous women with low-risk pregnancies, attending hospital-based antenatal clinics.

Methods and intervention

The Complementary Therapies for Labour and Birth protocol, based on the She Births and acupressure for labour and birth courses, incorporated 6 evidence-based complementary medicine techniques: acupressure, visualisation and relaxation, breathing, massage, yoga techniques, and facilitated partner support. Randomisation occurred at 24–36 weeks’ gestation, and participants attended a 2-day antenatal education programme plus standard care, or standard care alone.

Main outcome measures

Rate of analgesic epidural use. Secondary: onset of labour, augmentation, mode of birth, newborn outcomes.

Results

There was a significant difference in epidural use between the 2 groups: study group (23.9%) standard care (68.7%; risk ratio (RR) 0.37 (95% CI 0.25 to 0.55), p≤0.001). The study group participants reported a reduced rate of augmentation (RR=0.54 (95% CI 0.38 to 0.77), p<0.0001); caesarean section (RR=0.52 (95% CI 0.31 to 0.87), p=0.017); length of second stage (mean difference=−0.32 (95% CI −0.64 to 0.002), p=0.05); any perineal trauma (0.88 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.98), p=0.02) and resuscitation of the newborn (RR=0.47 (95% CI 0.25 to 0.87), p≤0.015). There were no statistically significant differences found in spontaneous onset of labour, pethidine use, rate of postpartum haemorrhage, major perineal trauma (third and fourth degree tears/episiotomy), or admission to special care nursery/neonatal intensive care unit (p=0.25).

Conclusions

The Complementary Therapies for Labour and Birth study protocol significantly reduced epidural use and caesarean section. This study provides evidence for integrative medicine as an effective adjunct to antenatal education, and contributes to the body of best practice evidence.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12611001126909.
Evaluation of the Metasin assay for intraoperative assessment of sentinel lymph node metastases in breast cancer
Authors: Smith G J , Hodges E , Markham H , Zhang S , Cutress R I
Published: July 2016

Aims

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is the preferred surgical technique for staging the axilla in clinically node-negative breast cancer. Accurate intraoperative staging allows for the immediate performance of an axillary clearance in node-positive patients. We assessed the Metasin assay for the intraoperative analysis of SLNs in a prospective evaluation of 250 consecutive patients undergoing intraoperative SLN analysis at the Breast Unit, University Hospital, Southampton, UK.

Methods

Metasin uses a quantitative reverse transcription PCR to detect two markers of metastasis: cytokeratin 19 (CK19) an epithelial marker and mammaglobin (MGB) a breast specific marker. Metasin results were compared with the results from routine paraffin block histopathology.

Results

Metasin was robust, with a failure rate of <1%, and demonstrated excellent accuracy and reproducibility. The average turnaround time for the Metasin assay was 42 min, the largest variable being the number of nodes assayed. A total of 533 SLNs were evaluated with 75 patients testing positive for MGB and/or CK19. Based on the analysis of individual SLNs, the overall concordance between Metasin and histology was 92.3% (sensitivity 88.7%, specificity 92.9%). When adjusted for tissue allocation bias, the concordance was 93.8% (sensitivity 89.8%, specificity 94.6%). In this evaluation, 57/250 patients (23%) proceeded to axillary clearance based on Metasin results and were considered spared a second operative procedure.

Conclusions

Metasin has proven to be an accurate, reproducible and reliable laboratory test. The analysis time is acceptable for intraoperative use, and in comparison to routine histology demonstrates acceptable concordance, sensitivity and specificity.
β-Catenin activation in fundic gland polyps, gastric cancer and colonic polyps in families afflicted by ‘gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach’ (GAPPS)
Authors: McDuffie Lucas A , Sabesan Arvind , Allgäeuer Michael , Xin Liqiang , Koh Christopher , Heller Theo , Davis Jeremy L , Raffeld Mark , Miettienen Markku , Quezado Martha , Rudloff Udo
Published: July 2016

Aim

To evaluate possible colon involvement in the ‘gastric adenocarcinoma and proximal polyposis of the stomach’ (GAPPS) gastrointestinal polyposis syndrome.

Methods

Prospective clinicopathological evaluation of two GAPPS families and expression of nuclear β-catenin, p53 and Ki67 measured by immunohistochemistry on endoscopic and surgical specimens from patients with GAPPS.

Results

Patients with the GAPPS phenotype were more frequently affected by colonic polyps than patients at risk within the same families (p<0.01). Colonic polyps shared immunohistochemical features of fundic gland polyps and gastric cancers including increased expression of nuclear β-catenin, Ki67 and p53. Both gastric and colonic lesions harboured activating somatic variants of β-catenin signalling.

Conclusions

Similarities in expression markers in fundic gland and colonic polyps, together with an enrichment of colonic adenomas in family members affected by GAPPS phenotype compared with family members at risk, support mild colonic involvement of this rare cancer syndrome. Colonoscopic screening might be warranted.

Clinical Trial Registration Number

#09-C-0079; Results.
Search for direct CP violation in baryonic b-hadron decays
Authors: Geng C. Q. , Hsiao Y. K.
Published: July 2016

We first review direct CP violation in the three-body baryonic [Formula: see text] decays of [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. We then present our recent results of the direct CP violating asymmetries in the two-body [Formula: see text] decays of [Formula: see text] as well as the three-body [Formula: see text]. In particular, we emphasize that the large direct CP violating asymmetries in [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are both around 20%, which are accessible to the b-hadron experiments.
Analyzing and Reducing Energy Usage in a Humanoid Robot During Standing Up and Sitting Down Tasks
Authors: Elibol Ercan , Calderon Juan , Llofriu Martin , Moreno Wilfrido , Weitzenfeld Alfredo
Published: July 2016

The aim of this paper is to reduce the energy consumption of a humanoid by analyzing electrical power as input to the robot and mechanical power as output. The analysis considers motor dynamics during standing up and sitting down tasks. The motion tasks of the humanoid are described in terms of joint position, joint velocity, joint acceleration, joint torque, center of mass (CoM) and center of pressure (CoP). To reduce the complexity of the robot analysis, the humanoid is modeled as a planar robot with four links and three joints. The humanoid robot learns to reduce the overall motion torque by applying Q-Learning in a simulated model. The resulting motions are evaluated on a physical NAO humanoid robot during standing up and sitting down tasks and then contrasted to a pre-programmed task in the NAO. The stand up and sit down motions are analyzed for individual joint current usage, power demand, torque, angular velocity, acceleration, CoM and CoP locations. The overall result is improved energy efficiency between 25–30% when compared to the pre-programmed NAO stand up and sit down motion task.
A Novel Rotating Disk System for Disintegration of Excess Sludge
Authors: Zhang Ming yang , Xiang Yun , Du Jian wei
Published: July 2016

Conventional activated sludge treatment process has been widely employed to deal with a variety of municipal and industrial waste water, but the production of sludge by this method is considerable. It is urgent to find an appropriate method which can solve this problem. Shear force produced by rotating disk system (a cell lysis system) was employed to break cell wall of sludge microorganism in order to release intracellular materials which can be reused as nutrient materials for metabolism of other sludge microorganisms in this study. Special feature on surfaces of disks had been proved to be a novel improvement which can improve disintegration effect apparently. Ultrasonic system can further promote minimization of excess sludge after treatment by rotating disk system in shorter time.
Preparation and Characterization of Inulin Coated Gold Nanoparticles for Selective Delivery of Doxorubicin to Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Licciardi Mariano , Li Volsi Anna , Mauro Nicolò , Scialabba Cinzia , Cavallaro Gennara , Giammona Gaetano
Published: July 2016

A novel folate-targeted gold-based nanosystem for achieving selectivity towards folate receptor (FR) positive cells is proposed, by virtue of the fact that the FR is a molecularly targeted entity overexpressed in a wide spectrum of solid tumors. A new inulin-folate derivative (INU-FA) has been synthesized to act as coating agent for 40 nm gold nanoparticles. The obtained polymer-coated gold nanoparticles (Au@INU-FA) were characterized in terms of hydrodynamic radius, shape, zeta potential, and aqueous stability and were loaded with doxorubicin (Au@INU-FA/Doxo). Its release capability was tested in different release media. The selectivity of Au@INU-FA/Doxo system towards FRs-positive cancer cells was proved by the differences in the quantitative uptake using human breast cancer MCF7 as FR-positive cells and 16HBE epithelial as noncancer cell line. Furthermore, the folate-mediated uptake mechanism was studied by FRs-blocking experiments. On the whole Au@INU-FA/Doxo was able to be preferentially internalized into MCF7 cells proving a folate-mediated endocytosis mechanism which allowed a higher and selective cytotoxic effect towards cancer cells. The cytotoxicity profile was evaluated on both cancer and noncancer cell lines, displaying that folate-mediated targeting implied advantageous therapeutic effects, such as amplified drug uptake and increased anticancer activity towards MCF7 cancer cells.
Hypoxia Associated Proteolytic Processing of OS-9 by the Metalloproteinase Meprinβ
Authors: Martin Barry Lee , Conley Sabena Michelle , Harris Regine Simone , Stanley Corshe Devon , Niyitegeka Jean-Marie Vianney , Ongeri Elimelda Moige
Published: July 2016

Meprin metalloproteases play a role in the pathology of ischemia/reperfusion- (IR-) induced renal injury. The endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein, osteosarcoma-9 (OS-9), has been shown to interact with the carboxyl-terminal tail of meprinβ. More importantly, OS-9 interacts with the hypoxia inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α) and the prolyl-hydroxylase, proteins which mediate the cell’s response to hypoxia. To determine if OS-9 is a meprin substrate, kidney proteins from meprinαβknockout mice (αβKO) (which lack endogenous meprins) and purified human OS-9 were incubated with activated forms of meprin A and meprin B, and Western blot analysis was used to evaluate proteolytic processing of OS-9. Fragmentation of OS-9 was observed in reactions with meprin B, but not meprin A. To determine whether meprin B cleaves OS-9in vivo, wild-type (WT) and meprinαβKO mice were subjected to IR-induced renal injury. Fragmentation of OS-9 was observed in kidney proteins from WT mice subjected to IR, but not in meprinαβKO counterparts. Transfection of kidney cells (MDCK and HEK293) with meprinβcDNA prevented accumulation of OS-9 following exposure to the hypoxia mimic, CoCl2. These data suggest that meprinβinteraction with OS-9 plays a role in the hypoxia response associated with IR-induced renal injury.
Gene-Disease Interaction Retrieval from Multiple Sources: A Network Based Method
Authors: Huang Lan , Wang Ye , Wang Yan , Bai Tian
Published: July 2016

The number of gene-related databases has been growing largely along with the research on genes of bioinformatics. Those databases are filled with various gene functions, pathways, interactions, and so forth, while much biomedical knowledge about human diseases is stored as text in all kinds of literatures. Researchers have developed many methods to extract structured biomedical knowledge. Some study and improve text mining algorithms to achieve efficiency in order to cover as many data sources as possible, while some build open source database to accept individual submissions in order to achieve accuracy. This paper combines both efforts and biomedical ontologies to build an interaction network of multiple biomedical ontologies, which guarantees its robustness as well as its wide coverage of biomedical publications. Upon the network, we accomplish an algorithm which discovers paths between concept pairs and shows potential relations.
Physicochemical and Antibacterial Properties of Chitosan Extracted from Waste Shrimp Shells
Authors: Vilar Junior José Carlos , Ribeaux Daylin Rubio , Alves da Silva Carlos Alberto , De Campos-Takaki Galba Maria
Published: July 2016

This research aims to study the production of chitosan from shrimp shell (Litopenaeus vannamei) of waste origin using two chemical methodologies involving demineralization, deproteinization, and the degree of deacetylation. The evaluation of the quality of chitosan from waste shrimp shells includes parameters for the yield, physical chemistry characteristics by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), the degree of deacetylation, and antibacterial activity. The results showed (by Method 1) extraction yields for chitin of 33% and for chitosan of 49% and a 76% degree of deacetylation. Chitosan obtained by Method 2 was more efficient: chitin (36%) and chitosan (63%), with a high degree of deacetylation (81.7%). The antibacterial activity was tested against Gram-negative bacteria (Stenotrophomonas maltophiliaandEnterobacter cloacae) and Gram-positiveBacillus subtilisand the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) and the Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were determined. Method 2 showed that extracted chitosan has good antimicrobial potential against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and that the process is viable.
Event-Triggered Faults Tolerant Control for Stochastic Systems with Time Delays
Authors: Huang Ling , Xie Xuhuan , Xie Wenbo
Published: July 2016

This paper is concerned with the state-feedback controller design for stochastic networked control systems (NCSs) with random actuator failures and transmission delays. Firstly, an event-triggered scheme is introduced to optimize the performance of the stochastic NCSs. Secondly, stochastic NCSs under event-triggered scheme are modeled as stochastic time-delay systems. Thirdly, some less conservative delay-dependent stability criteria in terms of linear matrix inequalities for the codesign of both the controller gain and the trigger parameters are obtained by using delay-decomposition technique and convex combination approach. Finally, a numerical example is provided to show the less sampled data transmission and less conservatism of the proposed theory.
Existence of Positive Solution to System of Nonlinear Third-Order Three-Point BVPs
Authors: Sun Jian-Ping , Yang Xue-Mei , Zhao Ya-Hong
Published: July 2016

We are concerned with the following system of third-order three-point boundary value problems:u′′′(t)+f(t,v(t))=0,t∈(0,1),v′′′(t)+g(t,u(t))=0,t∈(0,1),u(0)=u′′(0)=0,u′(1)=αu(η),v(0)=v′′(0)=0, andv′(1)=αv(η), where0<η<1and0<α<1/η. By imposing some suitable conditions onfandg, we obtain the existence of at least one positive solution to the above system. The main tool used is the theory of the fixed-point index.
Immediate versus Delayed Sarcoma Reconstruction: Impact on Outcomes
Authors: Sanniec Kyle J. , Velazco Cristine S. , Bryant Lyndsey A. , Zhang Nan , III William J. Casey , Mahabir Raman C. , Rebecca Alanna M.
Published: July 2016

Background.Sarcoma is a rare malignancy, and more recent management algorithms emphasize a multidisciplinary approach and limb salvage, which has resulted in an increase in overall survival and limb preservation. However, limb salvage has resulted in a higher rate of wound complications.Objective.To compare the complications between immediate and delayed (>three weeks) reconstruction in the multidisciplinary limb salvage sarcoma patient population.Methods.A ten-year retrospective review of patients who underwent sarcoma resection was performed. The outcome of interest was wound complication in the postoperative period based on timing of reconstruction. We defined infection as any infection requiring intravenous antibiotics, partial flap failure as any flap requiring a debridement or revision, hematoma/seroma as any hematoma/seroma requiring drainage, and wound dehiscence as a wound that was not completely intact by three weeks postoperatively.Results.70 (17 delayed, 53 immediate) patients who underwent sarcoma resection and reconstruction met the inclusion criteria. Delayed reconstruction significantly increased the incidence of postoperative wound infection and wound dehiscence. There was no difference in partial or total flap loss, hematoma, or seroma between the two groups.Discussion and Conclusion.Immediate reconstruction results in decreased wound complications may reduce the morbidity associated with multidisciplinary treatment in the limb salvage sarcoma patient.