bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DIFFERENTIAL OPERATORS ON AND THE AFFINE GRASSMANNIAN
Authors: Ginzburg Victor , Riche Simon
Published: April 2014

We describe the equivariant cohomology of cofibers of spherical perverse sheaves on the affine Grassmannian of a reductive algebraic group in terms of the geometry of the Langlands dual group. In fact we give two equivalent descriptions: one in terms of $\mathscr{D}$-modules of the basic affine space, and one in terms of intertwining operators for universal Verma modules. We also construct natural collections of isomorphisms parameterized by the Weyl group in these three contexts, and prove that they are compatible with our isomorphisms. As applications we reprove some results of the first author and of Braverman and Finkelberg.
Harnessing photochemical internalization with dual degradable nanoparticles for combinatorial photo–chemotherapy
Authors: Pasparakis George , Manouras Theodore , Vamvakaki Maria , Argitis Panagiotis
Published: April 2014

Light-controlled drug delivery systems constitute an appealing means to direct and confine drug release spatiotemporally at the site of interest with high specificity. However, the utilization of light-activatable systems is hampered by the lack of suitable drug carriers that respond sharply to visible light stimuli at clinically relevant wavelengths. Here, a new class of self-assembling, photo- and pH-degradable polymers of the polyacetal family is reported, which is combined with photochemical internalization to control the intracellular trafficking and release of anticancer compounds. The polymers are synthesized by simple and scalable chemistries and exhibit remarkably low photolysis rates at tunable wavelengths over a large range of the spectrum up to the visible and near infrared regime. The combinational pH and light mediated degradation facilitates increased therapeutic potency and specificity against model cancer cell lines in vitro. Increased cell death is achieved by the synergistic activity of nanoparticle-loaded anticancer compounds and reactive oxygen species accumulation in the cytosol by simultaneous activation of porphyrin molecules and particle photolysis.
Application of diffusive gel-type probes for assessing redox zonation and mercury methylation in the Mekong Delta sediment
Authors: Hong Yongseok , Dan Nguyen Phuoc , Kim Eunhee , Choi Hyo-Jung , Han Seunghee
Published: April 2014

Combination of DGT and DET can assess redox zonation and mercury methylation in sediments.
A standardised staticin vitrodigestion method suitable for food – an international consensus
Authors: Minekus M. , Alminger M. , Alvito P. , Ballance S. , Bohn T. , Bourlieu C. , Carrière F. , Boutrou R. , Corredig M. , Dupont D. , Dufour C. , Egger L. , Golding M. , Karakaya S. , Kirkhus B. , Le Feunteun S. , Lesmes U. , Macierzanka A. , Mackie A. , Marze S. , McClements D. J. , Ménard O. , Recio I. , Santos C. N. , Singh R. P. , Vegarud G. E. , Wickham M. S. J. , Weitschies W. , Brodkorb A.
Published: April 2014

The paper presents an international consensus for a standardised staticin vitrodigestion method for food.
A standard sample preparation and calibration procedure for imaging zinc and magnesium in rats' brain tissue by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-time of flight-mass spectrometry
Authors: Jurowski K. , Szewczyk M. , Piekoszewski W. , Herman M. , Szewczyk B. , Nowak G. , Walas S. , Miliszkiewicz N. , Tobiasz A. , Dobrowolska-Iwanek J.
Published: April 2014

A calibration procedure consists of several steps, each of which has a significant impact on the final result of the analysis.
Inferring novel lncRNA–disease associations based on a random walk model of a lncRNA functional similarity network
Authors: Sun Jie , Shi Hongbo , Wang Zhenzhen , Zhang Changjian , Liu Lin , Wang Letian , He Weiwei , Hao Dapeng , Liu Shulin , Zhou Meng
Published: April 2014

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in the development of complex human diseases. Predicting novel human lncRNA–disease associations is a challenging and essential task.
The synthesis and functional evaluation of a mitochondria-targeted hydrogen sulfide donor, (10-oxo-10-(4-(3-thioxo-3H-1,2-dithiol-5-yl)phenoxy)decyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide (AP39)
Authors: Le Trionnaire Sophie , Perry Alexis , Szczesny Bartosz , Szabo Csaba , Winyard Paul G. , Whatmore Jacqueline L. , Wood Mark E. , Whiteman Matthew
Published: April 2014

Mitochondrial dysfunction is observed in many diseases. Targeting H2S generation to mitochondria may be cytoprotective.
Preferential interaction of small-diameter metallic SWNTs with ferroelectric polymer
Authors: Ye Mengmeng , Qiu Zhi-Jun , Li Hui , Qu Minni , Liu Ran
Published: April 2014

Metallic-SWNTs of small diameters interact with PVDF more easily and induce remarkable enhancement in the β-ferroelectric phase of PVDF.
Quantitative and qualitative analysis of ionic solvation of individual ions of imidazolium based ionic liquids in significant solution systems by conductance and FT-IR spectroscopy
Authors: Ekka Deepak , Roy Mahendra Nath
Published: April 2014

Exploration of significant interactions in eco-friendly RTILs in some liquid systems with a wide range of applications.
Insights into the function of trans-acyl transferase polyketide synthases from the SAXS structure of a complete module
Authors: Davison Jack , Dorival Jonathan , Rabeharindranto Hery , Mazon Hortense , Chagot Benjamin , Gruez Arnaud , Weissman Kira J.
Published: April 2014

Combined analysis by SAXS, NMR and homology modeling reveals the structure of an apo module from a trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthase.
A fluorescent sensor to detect sodium dodecyl sulfate based on the glutathione-stabilized gold nanoclusters/poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride system
Authors: Zheng Chun-Lan , Ji Zhong-Xiang , Zhang Jian , Ding Shou-Nian
Published: April 2014

Glutathione-stabilized gold nanoclusters and poly(diallyldimethylammonium)chloride enhanced fluorescent system was used to detect sodium dodecyl sulfate.
Combination of sealed-tube decrepitation with continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry for carbon isotope analyses of CO2 from fluid inclusions in minerals
Authors: Li Hong-Wei , Feng Lian-Jun , Li Tie-Jun , Chen Jian , Liu Wei
Published: April 2014

Analyzing the carbon isotope of CO2 from fluid inclusions in minerals using sealed tube decrepitation coupled with continuous-flow mass spectrometry.
Controlling nucleation in giant liposomes
Authors: Tester Chantel C. , Whittaker Michael L. , Joester Derk
Published: April 2014

Confinement effects in giant liposomes lead to dramatic stabilization of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), intermediate stabilization of amorphous strontium carbonate (ASC), but has no effect on the precipitation of barium carbonate.
Crystal growth, structural characterization, cation–cation interaction classification, and optical properties of uranium(vi) containing oxychlorides, A4U5O16Cl2 (A = K, Rb), Cs5U7O22Cl3, and AUO3Cl (A = Rb, Cs)
Authors: Read Cory Michael , Yeon Jeongho , Smith Mark D. , zur Loye Hans-Conrad
Published: April 2014

Single crystals of five new uranyl oxychlorides exhibiting novel layer topology, CCIs, chain structures, and/or luminescence were grown from molten chlorides. A comprehensive CCI classification is presented.
Particle aggregation mechanisms in ionic liquids
Authors: Szilagyi Istvan , Szabo Tamas , Desert Anthony , Trefalt Gregor , Oncsik Tamas , Borkovec Michal
Published: April 2014

Time-resolved light scattering techniques reveal that viscous and solvation stabilization is relevant in ionic liquids and their water mixtures.
Porous carbon spheres and monoliths: morphology control, pore size tuning and their applications as Li-ion battery anode materials
Authors: Roberts Aled D. , Li Xu , Zhang Haifei
Published: April 2014

Various synthetic techniques are employed to fabricate porous carbon spheres and monoliths for improved performance as Li-ion battery anode materials.
The prospect of high temperature solid state energy conversion to reduce the cost of concentrated solar power
Authors: Henry Asegun , Prasher Ravi
Published: April 2014

At extreme temperatures, solid state energy conversion devices may be able to survive, because they do not involve moving parts.
A microfluidic device to study the digestion of trapped lipid droplets
Authors: Marze Sébastien , Algaba Hugo , Marquis Mélanie
Published: April 2014

Digestion of 140 μm lipid droplets generated and trapped in a microfluidic device, with continuous digestive juice renewal.
Study on chemical, bioactive and food preserving properties ofLaetiporus sulphureus(Bull.: Fr.) Murr.
Authors: Petrović Jovana , Stojković Dejan , Reis Filipa S. , Barros Lillian , Glamočlija Jasmina , Ćirić Ana , Ferreira Isabel C. F. R. , Soković Marina
Published: April 2014

Laetiporus sulphureus(Bull.: Fr.) Murr. was studied to determine the nutritional value, bioactive compounds,in vitroantioxidants, and antimicrobial and antitumor activities.
Determination of fluorine in plant materials via calcium mono-fluoride using high-resolution graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry with direct solid sample introduction
Authors: Borges Aline R. , François Luciane L. , Welz Bernhard , Carasek Eduardo , Vale Maria Goreti R.
Published: April 2014

Fluorine reacts with calcium forming gaseous CaF, which can be determined by high-resolution molecular absorption spectrometry.
Direct visualization of the interfacial position of colloidal particles and their assemblies
Authors: Vogel N. , Ally J. , Bley K. , Kappl M. , Landfester K. , Weiss C. K.
Published: April 2014

A method for direct visualization of the position of nanoscale colloidal particles at air–water interfaces is presented.
Cl-capped CdSe nanocrystals via in situ generation of chloride anions
Authors: Palencia Cristina , Lauwaet Koen , de la Cueva Leonor , Acebrón María , Conde Julio J. , Meyns Michaela , Klinke Christian , Gallego José M. , Otero Roberto , Juárez Beatriz H.
Published: April 2014

In situ generated chloride ions passivate CdSe nanocrystals.
Formation of hexagonal boron nitride nanoscrolls induced by inclusion and exclusion of self-assembling molecules in solution process
Authors: Hwang Da Young , Suh Dong Hack
Published: April 2014

Nanoscrolls of h-BN with high yields and reproducibility are first synthesized by a simple solution process.
Self-assembled magnetic nanoparticles of Prussian blue on graphene
Authors: Kumar Amit , Peters Eva C. , Burghard Marko
Published: April 2014

Non-covalent deposition of Prussian blue on graphene.
Tuning the electrochemical performances of anthraquinone organic cathode materials for Li-ion batteries through the sulfonic sodium functional group
Authors: Wan Wang , Lee Hungsui , Yu Xiqian , Wang Chao , Nam Kyung-Wan , Yang Xiao-Qing , Zhou Henghui
Published: April 2014

Na2C14H6S2O8, which has a low dissolution in electrolyte with two modified SO3Na– functional groups, exhibits excellent electrochemical performance.
High gas barrier imparted by similarly charged multilayers in nanobrick wall thin films
Authors: Hagen D. A. , Box C. , Greenlee S. , Xiang F. , Regev O. , Grunlan J. C.
Published: April 2014

Super oxygen barrier trilayer thin films have been deposited using two successive anionic layers of clay and polymer following every cationic polymer layer.
Density functional theory calculations on the CO catalytic oxidation on Al-embedded graphene
Authors: Jiang Q. G. , Ao Z. M. , Li S. , Wen Z.
Published: April 2014

The energy barrier of the CO oxidation for the rate limiting step on Al-embedded graphene is only 0.32 eV.
Floxuridine-loaded silk fibroin nanospheres
Authors: Yu Shuying , Yang Wenhua , Chen Sheng , Chen Mengjie , Liu Yezhuo , Shao Zhengzhong , Chen Xin
Published: April 2014

A clinical used anti-cancer drug floxuridine was successfully encapsulated in silk fibroin nanospheres. Such drug-loaded nanospheres have controllable size, fair drug-loading capacity and controlled release property, which maybe a good candidate for lymphatic chemotherapy.
Binder-free cathodes based on sulfur–carbon nanofibers composites for lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Lu Songtao , Chen Yan , Wu Xiaohong , Wang Zhida , Lv Lingyuan , Qin Wei , Jiang Lixiang
Published: April 2014

Binder-free cathodes based on sulfur–carbon nanofiber composites were prepared through a liquid process and showed good performance for lithium–sulfur batteries.
Green synthesis of fluorescent nitrogen/sulfur-doped carbon dots and investigation of their properties by HPLC coupled with mass spectrometry
Authors: Hu Qin , Paau Man Chin , Zhang Yan , Gong Xiaojuan , Zhang Lei , Lu Dongtao , Liu Yang , Liu Qiaoling , Yao Jun , Choi Martin M. F.
Published: April 2014

A green approach to synthesise nitrogen/sulfur co-doped carbon dots has been developed and the product was successfully analysed by HPLC.
Synthesis of multi-substituted 4-aminopyridines via ring-opening and recyclization reactions of 2-iminopyridines
Authors: Zhou Fenguo , Zhang Ning , Xin Xiaoqing , Zhang Xun , Liang Yongjiu , Zhang Rui , Dong Dewen
Published: April 2014

Synthesis of multi-substituted 4-aminopyridines is developed via a regioselective ring-opening reaction of 2-iminopyridines followed by a 6π-azaelectrocyclization and N-to-N 1,3-sulfonyl group migration process.
X-ray fluorescence imaging reveals subcellular biometal disturbances in a childhood neurodegenerative disorder
Authors: Grubman A. , James S. A. , James J. , Duncan C. , Volitakis I. , Hickey J. L. , Crouch P. J. , Donnelly P. S. , Kanninen K. M. , Liddell J. R. , Cotman S. L. , de Jonge M. D. , White A. R.
Published: April 2014

XFM approach detects subcellular zinc and calcium mishandling in a fatal neurodegenerative disease, that is corrected by delivery of bioavailable zinc.
From multi-ring to spider web and radial spoke: competition between the receding contact line and particle deposition in a drying colloidal drop
Authors: Yang Xin , Li Christopher Y. , Sun Ying
Published: April 2014

Nanoparticle self-assembly into various structures in inkjet-printed drops by controlling drying conditions, particle volume fractions, and particle sizes.
Transparent and flexible organic semiconductor nanofilms with enhanced thermoelectric efficiency
Authors: Lee Seung Hwan , Park Hongkwan , Kim Soyeon , Son Woohyun , Cheong In Woo , Kim Jung Hyun
Published: April 2014

This paper describes a sequential doping/dedoping method for the enhancement of thermoelectric properties of organic semiconductor that also permits the fabrication of transparent and flexible thermoelectric nanofilms. This method allows a precise control of oxidation level without deterioration of the film surface defects.
Towards tunable resistivity–strain behavior through construction of oriented and selectively distributed conductive networks in conductive polymer composites
Authors: Deng Hua , Ji Mizhi , Yan Dongxue , Fu Sirui , Duan Lingyan , Zhang Mengwei , Fu Qiang
Published: April 2014

We present a new way of combining polymer blends and pre-stretching to design strain sensing polymer composites. Fibrillization and “slippage” between conductive phases are proposed to explain the resistivity–strain behavior.
Speicheldrüsenerkrankungen im Kindesalter
Authors: Iro H. , Zenk J.
Published: April 2014

Speicheldrüsenerkrankungen im Kindesalter sind, abgesehen von den viral induzierten Erkrankungen, insgesamt gesehen eher selten. Dennoch ist es für den HNO-Arzt unerlässlich, auch diese seltenen Erkrankungen bei Kindern und Heranwachsenden zu erkennen und zu diagnostizieren, um dann auch die richtigen therapeutischen Schritte einzuleiten. Die hier vorliegende Arbeit gibt einen Überblick über das gesamte Spektrum der angeborenen und erworbenen Erkrankungen der Speicheldrüsen im Kindes- und Jugendalter. Es wurde dabei, soweit möglich, die aktuelle Literatur zu den einzelnen Themenkomplexen ausgewertet und für den Leser in den wichtigsten Fakten zusammengefasst. Es konnten neben angeborenen Erkrankungen der Speicheldrüsen die wichtigsten Ätiologien für virale und bakterielle Entzündungen, Autoimmunerkrankungen und auch die Tumoren der Speicheldrüsen in diesem Lebensalter berücksichtigt werden. Neben den bekannten Fakten werden auch neue Entwicklungen in der Diagnostik, Bildgebung und der Therapie, einschließlich der Sialendoskopie, bei den obstruktiven Erkrankungen und der chronisch rezidivierenden juvenilen Sialadenitis berücksichtigt. Auch auf mögliche systemische Ursachen von Speicheldrüsenschwellungen und auf die Behandlung der Sialorrhoe wird eingegangen. Auch wenn die Erkrankungen der Speicheldrüsen im Kindesalter meist im Spektrum der Pathologie des Erwachsenen enthalten sind, unterscheiden sie sich doch in ihrer Häufigkeit und gelegentlich auch ihrer Symptomatik. Darüber hinaus werden bei der Diagnostik und insbesondere bei der operativen Therapie von Speicheldrüsenerkrankungen weniger invasive und auch strengere Indikationen gestellt. Aufgrund der Seltenheit von Tumoren der Speicheldrüsen ist es auf jeden Fall zu empfehlen, diese in Zentren mit größerer chirurgischer Erfahrung zu therapieren.

Von entscheidender Bedeutung ist dennoch die Kenntnis der differenzial-diagnostischen Möglichkeiten im Kindesalter, auch in der HNO-Praxis, um eine adäquate Therapie einzuleiten.
The meaning of meaning in a literary translatorial action
Authors: Oyetade Solomon O. , Ifesieh Emeka C.
Published: April 2014

This paper concisely reinvestigates translatorial action and observes that the ‘meaning’ of lexical items is not the same with the ‘sense’ of lexical items. The central distinctions between the two terms are that the meaning of lexical items is not only a subjective application, but is also dependent on its environment for its truth-value within any given linguistic discourse. The sense of a word however, refers to its objective use and is context independent. Meaning is viewed as having a direct link with the communicative approach to translation. The approach derives from the Communication Theory, which core assumption is that unpredictability is equivalent to informativity. Unpredictability can be unravelled by building in redundancy into the target text to avoid communication overload.
Through a rigorous theoretical explications coupled with an avalanche of exemplifications, it is observed that communicatively generated texts appear smoother and more comprehensible than its semantic counter part. However, the writers, suggest that the communicative approach to translation is necessarily applicable in cases of use variations occasioned by differential discourse practice between the source and the target language socio-cultures. Sequel to that, use variations between languages and socio-cultures in contact often pose linguistic structures that resist semantic rendition, because it fails to recapture the ideational content of the source language text in such instances. It is the failure of the semantic approach to yield adequate text(s) at the target end that necessitates the communicative type.
Setting and location
Authors: Park Chongwon
Published: April 2014

This article provides an analysis of Korean adverbial case constructions from a Cognitive Grammar viewpoint. I argue that nominative-marked adverbials are the result of the setting-subject construal of the adverbial. Accusative-marked adverbials, then, are construed as a location, which is part of the setting. I also argue that the notion of setting-subject is associated with the imperfective construal of a given situation in conjunction with the subject’s lower degree of topicality. Conversely, the locational interpretation of an adverbial is tied to the perfective construal of a situation and a higher degree of topicality of the subject.
Avoid silence! Keep talking!
Authors: Stenström Anna-Brita
Published: April 2014

The primary aim of this study has been to find out whether the choice and frequency of pragmatic markers can be said to distinguish phatic talk (‘chats’) from informative talk. A secondary aim has been to consider the bonding effect of the pragmatic markers. Five conversational extracts from COLT (The Bergen Corpus London Teenage Language), four representing boys’ and girls’ phatic talk, and one representing informative teacher talk have been investigated. The study shows that the distinction between the two types of talk is not a matter of frequency but a matter of marker choice. The bonding effect of the markers dominates in the girls’ talk in the form of appeals for agreement and encouragement signals. In both types of talk, the pragmatic markers are successfully used to avoid conversational gaps.
Managing academic institutional discourse in English as a lingua franca
Authors: House Juliane
Published: April 2014

The study presented in this paper examines the discourse behaviour of participants in academic office hours conducted in English as a lingua franca. Participants in the study are professors, their assistants and international students at a German university. Findings of the analyses of a small corpus of such institutional interactions show that these users of English as a lingua franca manage the discourse surprisingly well by strategically employing code-switching, re-presenting (parts of) their interlocutors’ message and re-interpreting several high-frequency discourse markers. In this way they seem to better achieve their own and their interactants’ communicative purpose in discourse.
Asymmetric lexical access and fuzzy lexical representations in second language learners
Authors: Darcy Isabelle , Daidone Danielle , Kojima Chisato
Published: April 2014

For L2-learners, confusable phonemic categories lead to ambiguous lexical representations. Yet, learners can establish separate lexical representations for confusable categories, as shown by asymmetric patterns of lexical access, but the source of this asymmetry is not clear (Cutler et al., 2006). Two hypotheses compete, situating its source either at the lexical coding level or at the phonetic categorization level. The lexical coding hypothesis suggests that learners’ encoding of an unfamiliar category is not target-like but makes reference to a familiar L1 category (encoded as a poor exemplar of that L1 category). Four experiments examined how learners lexically encode confusable phonemic categories. American English learners of Japanese and of German were tested on phonetic categorization and lexical decision for geminate/singleton contrasts and front/back rounded vowel contrasts. Results showed the same asymmetrical patterns as Cutler et al.’s (2006), indicating that learners encode a lexical distinction between difficult categories. Results also clarify that the source of the asymmetry is located at the lexical coding level and does not emerge during input categorization: the distinction is not target-like, and makes reference to L1 categories. We further provide new evidence that asymmetries can be resolved over time: advanced learners are establishing more native-like lexical representations.
Learning is not decline
Authors: Ramscar Michael , Hendrix Peter , Love Bradley , Baayen R. H.
Published: April 2014

As otherwise healthy adults age, their performance on cognitive tests tends to decline. This change is traditionally taken as evidence that cognitive processing is subject to significant declines in healthy aging. We examine this claim, showing current theories over-estimate the evidence in support of it, and demonstrating that when properly evaluated, the empirical record often indicates that the opposite is true. To explain the disparity between the evidence and current theories, we show how the models of learning assumed in aging research are incapable of capturing even the most basic of empirical facts of “associative” learning, and lend themselves to spurious discoveries of “cognitive decline.” Once a more accurate model of learning is introduced, we demonstrate that far from declining, the accuracy of older adults lexical processing appears to improve continuously across the lifespan. We further identify other measures on which performance does not decline with age, and show how these different patterns of performance fit within an overall framework of learning. Finally, we consider the implications of our demonstrations of continuous and consistent learning performance throughout adulthood for our understanding of the changes in underlying brain morphology that occur during the course of cognitive development across the lifespan.
Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL)–Producing Enterobacteriaceae: A Threat from the Kitchen
Authors: Tschudin-Sutter Sarah , Frei Reno , Stephan Roger , Hächler Herbert , Nogarth Danica , Widmer Andreas F.
Published: April 2014

Food is an established source of extended-spectrum (β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Hand hygiene and cooking prevent transmission, but hands could be recontaminated by touching used cutting boards. ESBL-producing Escherichia coli were identified on 12% of cutting boards and 50% of gloves after poultry preparation, pointing to an important source for transmission.
A non-trivial copy of 𝛽ℕ∖ℕ
Authors: Dow Alan
Published: April 2014

There is a copy

K
K

of the Stone-Cech remainder,

β

N

∖

N

=

N

∗

\beta \mathbb N\setminus \mathbb N = \mathbb N^*

, of the integers inside

N

∗

\mathbb N^*

that is not equal to

D
¯

∖
D

\overline {D}\setminus D

for any countable discrete

D
⊂
β

N

D\subset \beta \mathbb N

. Such a copy of

N

∗

\mathbb N^*

is known as a non-trivial copy of

N

∗

\mathbb N^*

. This answers a longstanding open problem of Eric van Douwen.
Repeatability of Gastric Volume Measurements and Intragastric Content Using Ultrasound in Preterm Infants
Authors: Perrella Sharon L. , Hepworth Anna R. , Simmer Karen N. , Hartmann Peter E. , Geddes Donna T.
Published: April 2014

Objectives:

The aim of the present study was to determine whether serial gastric volumes and intragastric curding are repeatable within individual preterm infants when given sequential feeds of the same volume and composition. Infant and feeding characteristics that may influence differences in measured gastric volumes, echogenicity, and intragastric curding were also explored.

Methods:

Ultrasound images were used to calculate gastric volumes and to rate echogenicity and intragastric curding for 20 infants. A total of 29 paired feeds of the same volume and composition were monitored prefeed and postfeed and at 30‐minute intervals thereafter. Statistical comparisons of paired gastric volume measurements and agreement between echogenicity and curding ratings were made for each time point. Analyses of factors that influence discrepancies between volume measurements and between curding ratings were performed.

Results:

Paired gastric volume measurements were repeatable (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.971, 0.938 < ICC < 0.987). Most (75%) discrepancies were <2 mL and increased over time, although volume differences were small. Overall moderate levels of consistency were observed for ratings of echogenicity (κ = 0.44), and curd presence (κ ≤ 0.65), density (κ = 0.41), and volume (κ = 0.47). Gastric emptying during feed delivery is influenced with infant positioning, fortification of breast milk, and feeding frequency.

Conclusions:

For preterm infants serial gastric volumes are repeatable and ratings of intragastric echogenicity and curding are moderately consistent when fed milk of the same volume and composition. Ultrasound has the potential to further explore factors that influence gastric emptying in the preterm infant.
Bovine Complex Milk Lipid Containing Gangliosides for Prevention of Rotavirus Infection and Diarrhoea in Northern Indian Infants
Authors: Poppitt Sally D. , McGregor Robin A. , Wiessing Katy R. , Goyal Vimal K. , Chitkara Amar J. , Gupta Sarika , Palmano Kate , Kuhn‐Sherlock Barbara , McConnell Michelle A.
Published: April 2014

Rotavirus (RV) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children younger than 5 years of age, presenting commonly with diarrhoeal symptoms. In a prospective 12‐week double‐blind randomised controlled trial we assessed acceptability and efficacy of a high‐ganglioside complex milk lipid (CML) for prevention of RV infection in 450 infants, ages 8 to 24 months, at 3 sites in northern India. Prevalence of diarrhoea and RV was unseasonably low at baseline (all‐cause diarrhoea [ACD], n = 16; RV diarrhoea [RVD], n = 2; RV infection, RV positive [RV+], n = 20) and throughout the trial, with only 110 total episodes of ACD for 12 weeks (CML, n = 62; control, n = 48) of which 10 were RVD (CML, n = 4; control, n = 6). Mean duration that RVD persisted was lower in the CML group (2.3 ± 0.5 days) than that in the control group (3.8 ± 1.3 days, P = 0.03), but only 3 of 450 end of trial stool samples were identified as RV+ (<1%; CML, n = 2; control, n = 1). This hampered the assessment of efficacy of CML, despite the large a priori determined sample size. During the trial similar numbers of infants reported adverse events (AEs: CML 41%, control 46%), with the majority of events classified as mild and not related to the intervention. In conclusion, further clinical trials against a higher background of seasonal prevalence are necessary to assess efficacy of this nutritional intervention to prevent RVD. More important, however, high‐ganglioside CML was acceptable for long‐term consumption in infants ages 8 to 24 months.
08B1-1: an automated beamline for macromolecular crystallography experiments at the Canadian Light Source
Authors: Fodje Michel , Grochulski Pawel , Janzen Kathryn , Labiuk Shaunivan , Gorin James , Berg Russ
Published: April 2014

Beamline 08B1-1 is a recently commissioned bending-magnet beamline at the Canadian Light Source. The beamline is designed for automation and remote access. Together with the undulator-based beamline 08ID-1, they constitute the Canadian Macromolecular Crystallography Facility. This paper describes the design, specifications, hardware and software of beamline 08B1-1. A few scientific results using data obtained at the beamline will be highlighted.
Corporate governance scandal at Satyam Computer Services Ltd
Authors: Vishwanath S.R. , Narapareddy Vijaya L.
Published: April 2014

Case description

The case highlights a $1.4 billion fraud committed by the founder of a NYSE listed, Information Technology Services firm in India. In response to the crisis, the Indian government appointed an interim board to find a strategic investor in the company. The case traces the events leading to the fall of the company. Students are asked to analyze the governance and intermediation failures, assess the financial position of the company and to estimate the intrinsic value of the company from an acquirer's perspective.
Seacoast University: the IT factor in moving online
Authors: Morris Franklin R. , Timmerman John E. , Lovvorn Al S.
Published: April 2014

Case description

Dean Adams was given notice to develop an online program with the School of Business Administration as a prototype of online education for the rest of the University. A major task which faced the Dean involved working with University information technology (IT) staff and faculty to choose a learning management system (LMS) to support the online program. After talking with the Chief Information Officer at Seacoast University and appointing a committee made up of IT staff and faculty, the Dean was presented with the committee's recommendation that focussed on two major decisions: first, choosing the LMS product for the University, and second, choosing to locate the LMS product and server either on-campus or off-campus. In the course of considering whether or not to accept the committee's recommendations, Dean Adams weighed the evaluations and justifications as outlined by the committee in the context of Seacoast University's IT situation.
Europeanisation in Times of Crisis
Authors: Saurugger Sabine
Published: April 2014

The aim of this article is to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of Europeanisation studies when used to study periods of crisis. The conceptual consensus surrounding the definition of ‘Europeanisation', understood as the impact of European integration at the domestic level (the so-called ‘top-down approach’), is put under pressure in a crisis situation, where the salience of an issue increases and leads to high politicisation and resistances at the domestic level. These resistances trigger the political adjustments at the European Union (EU) level. The article will illustrate these difficulties in analysing the impact of the EU's new economic governance instruments: the implementation of these instruments has led to opposition at the domestic level, which then immediately influences policy frames at the EU level. Based on the concepts of ‘timing’ and ‘politicisation', this article will develop a model that enlarges the top-down Europeanisation concept in order to account for crucial feedback loops that occur in situations of crisis.
Phloem phytochemistry and aphid responses to elevated CO2, nitrogen fertilization and endophyte infection
Authors: Ryan Geraldine D. , Shukla Kruti , Rasmussen Susanne , Shelp Barry J. , Newman Jonathan A.
Published: April 2014

Rising atmospheric CO2 has been shown to alter plant nitrogen metabolism, growth and secondary chemistry. We hypothesized that altered aphid performance under elevated CO2 is linked to phloem nitrogen chemistry.

Rhopalosiphum padi performance on endophyte‐infected or uninfected tall fescue was examined under three levels of CO2 (ambient, 800 and 1000 p.p.m.) and high and low nitrogen fertilization. Ethylenediaminetetracetic acid‐facilitated exudation was used to sample phloem sap, followed by quantification of relative amino acid concentrations using reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography.

Aphid abundance was reduced at 800 p.p.m. relative to ambient CO2 but returned to baseline at 1000 p.p.m. The density of aphids was reduced in both the elevated CO2 treatments. Aphids were unsuccessful at colonizing endophyte‐infected plants, possibly as a result of the presence of loline alkaloids.

Multivariate analysis showed that certain groups of phloem amino acids were altered by nitrogen fertilization and CO2. We found that four amino acids (valine, arginine, glutamine and aspartate) were correlated with aphid performance. These findings partially explained the effect of plant nitrogen fertilization and elevated CO2 on aphids.

The present study represents a first step toward providing a mechanistic explanation of the aphid performance changes that may result from rising atmospheric CO2.
Insecticide toxicity and walking response of three pirate bug predators of the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta
Authors: Pereira Renata R. , Picanço Marcelo C. , Santana Paulo A. , Moreira Suzana S. , Guedes Raul N. C. , Corrêa Alberto S.
Published: April 2014

The tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta is a key pest of the tomato and is of global significance. Insecticide is the primary method for controlling this pest, requiring a search for compounds with a low toxicity to nontarget organisms.

We assessed the toxicity of eight insecticides to T. absoluta and its pirate bug predators Orius tristicolor, Amphiareus constrictus and Blaptostethus pallescens (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae). We also assessed the effect of insecticide synergists on their toxicity to the predators, as well as their walking response to insecticide exposure.

All insecticides, with the exception of methamidophos, exhibited the minimum efficacy threshold required by the Brazilian legislation (80% efficacy) at concentrations lower than the registered label rates. Indoxacarb and chlorantraniliprole exhibited a lower toxicity to the pirate bug predators than to the tomato leaf miner.

The results obtained with the synergized insecticides suggest the involvement of cytochrome P450‐dependent monooxygenases as the primary detoxification enzymes minimizing insecticide toxicity in the pirate bug predators.

The insecticides led to a reduction in predator walking activity, especially abamectin and indoxacarb, which significantly minimized predator exposure.

The results of the present study indicate that novel insecticides, especially chlorantraniliprole, are better suited to sustainable integrated management programmes of the tomato leaf miner.
Eliciting Preferences for Key Attributes of Intrapartum Care in The Netherlands
Authors: van Haaren‐ten Haken Tamar , Pavlova Milena , Hendrix Marijke , Nieuwenhuijze Marianne , de Vries Raymond , Nijhuis Jan
Published: April 2014

Background

As part of the move toward “patient‐centered care,” women's preferences with regard to maternity services have become increasingly important to policy makers. To realize optimal patient‐centered care, knowledge of patients' preferences is essential. The aim of our study was to assess the strength and relative importance of women's preferences for different aspects of intrapartum care in The Netherlands, where women have easy access to both home and hospital birth.

Methods

A discrete choice experiment was conducted at 16 weeks of gestation as part of a Dutch multicenter, prospective cohort study from 2007 to 2011 of low‐risk, nulliparous women. Responses were analyzed per intended place of birth group: midwifery‐led home (n = 191) and hospital birth (n = 152) and obstetric‐led hospital birth (n = 188).

Results

We analyzed 562 questionnaires. Women in all groups preferred the possibility of influencing decision making and pain‐relief treatment during birth and no co‐payment for childbirth. Women with an intended home birth preferred a home‐like birth setting with the assistance of a midwife and transport during birth in case of complications. Type of birth setting and transport during birth were not considered important to women with an intended midwifery‐ or obstetric‐led hospital birth.

Conclusion

Policies aimed at the improvement of maternity care must take into account women's preferences for the possibility of pain‐relief treatment and the fact that all women desire a high level of involvement in decision making. Furthermore, efforts to change maternity care systems must consider how to counter the culturally embedded nature of women's preferences.
Opinions of Maternity Care Professionals About Integration of Care During Labor for “Moderate Risk” Indications: A Delphi Study in The Netherlands
Authors: Perdok Hilde , Mokkink Lidwine , van Dillen Jeroen , Westerneng Myrte , Jans Suze , Mol Ben Willem , de Jonge Ank
Published: April 2014

Background

The percentage of referrals during labor from primary midwife‐led care to obstetrician‐led care has increased over the past years in The Netherlands. Most women are referred for indications with a moderate increase in risk and are looked after by clinical midwives. This study aims to provide insight into the opinions of maternity care professionals about integration of care and involvement of primary care midwives in the intrapartum care of women with “moderate risk” factors.

Methods

A Delphi study consisting of three rounds was conducted. A purposively selected heterogenic panel of 50 professionals, including obstetricians, primary care midwives, clinical midwives, and obstetric nurses, answered questions anonymously.

Results

Although primary care midwives would like to expand their responsibilities and tasks with respect to “moderate risk” indications, consensus among panel members was only reached concerning prolonged rupture of membranes for which the primary care midwife could remain the caregiver.

Conclusion

This study shows that most participants support more integration of care during labor. The lack of consensus among Dutch maternity care professionals with regard to the distribution of responsibilities and tasks for “moderate risk” indications is a challenge. Further studies should explore how to deal with differences in opinions among professionals when integrating maternity care systems.
Changes in Endocannabinoid Receptors and Enzymes in the Spinal Cord of SOD1G93A Transgenic Mice and Evaluation of a Sativex®‐like Combination of Phytocannabinoids: Interest for Future Therapies in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Moreno‐Martet Miguel , Espejo‐Porras Francisco , Fernández‐Ruiz Javier , de Lago Eva
Published: April 2014

Aims

Cannabinoids afford neuroprotection in SOD1G93A mutant mice, an experimental model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, these mice have been poorly studied to identify alterations in those elements of the endocannabinoid system targeted by these treatments. Moreover, we studied the neuroprotective effect of the phytocannabinoid‐based medicine Sativex® in these mice.

Methods

First, we analyzed the endocannabinoid receptors and enzymes in the spinal cord of SOD1G93A transgenic mice at a late stage of the disease. Second, 10‐week‐old transgenic mice were daily treated with an equimolecular combination of Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol‐ and cannabidiol‐enriched botanical extracts (20 mg/kg for each phytocannabinoid).

Results

We found a significant increase of CB2 receptors and NAPE‐PLD enzyme in SOD1G93A transgenic males and only CB2 receptors in females. Pharmacological experiments demonstrated that the treatment of these mice with the Sativex®‐like combination of phytocannabinoids only produced weak improvements in the progression of neurological deficits and in the animal survival, particularly in females.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated changes in endocannabinoid signaling, in particular a marked up‐regulation of CB2 receptors, in SOD1G93A transgenic mice, and provide support that Sativex® may serve as a novel disease‐modifying therapy in ALS.
Oligodendrocyte Pathophysiology and Treatment Strategies in Cerebral Ischemia
Authors: Mifsud Gabriella , Zammit Christian , Muscat Richard , Di Giovanni Giuseppe , Valentino Mario
Published: April 2014

Oligodendrocytes (OLs), the myelin‐forming cells of the central nervous system, form a functional unit with axons and play a crucial role in axonal integrity. An episode of hypoxia–ischemia causes rapid and severe damage to these particularly vulnerable cells via multiple pathways such as overactivation of glutamate and ATP receptors, oxidative stress, and disruption of mitochondrial function. The cardinal effect of OL pathology is demyelination and dysmyelination, and this has profound effects on axonal function, transport, structure, metabolism, and survival. The OL is a primary target of ischemia in adult‐onset stroke and especially in periventricular leukomalacia and should be considered as a primary therapeutic target in these conditions. More emphasis is needed on therapeutic strategies that target OLs, myelin, and their receptors, as these have the potential to significantly attenuate white matter injury and to establish functional recovery of white matter after stroke. In this review, we will summarize recent progress on the role of OLs in white matter ischemic injury and the current and emerging principles that form the basis for protective strategies against OL death.
The Centrality of Mitochondria in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Camilleri Angelique , Vassallo Neville
Published: April 2014

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder leading to progressive motor impairment and for which there is no cure. From the first postmortem account describing a lack of mitochondrial complex I in the substantia nigra of PD sufferers, the direct association between mitochondrial dysfunction and death of dopaminergic neurons has ever since been consistently corroborated. In this review, we outline common pathways shared by both sporadic and familial PD that remarkably and consistently converge at the level of mitochondrial integrity. Furthermore, such knowledge has incontrovertibly established mitochondria as a valid therapeutic target in neurodegeneration. We discuss several mitochondria‐directed therapies that promote the preservation, rescue, or restoration of dopaminergic neurons and which have been identified in the laboratory and in preclinical studies. Some of these have progressed to clinical trials, albeit the identification of an unequivocal disease‐modifying neurotherapeutic is still elusive. The challenge is therefore to improve further, not least by more research on the molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological consequences of mitochondrial dysfunction in PD.
EARLY WITHDRAWALS FROM RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS DURING THE GREAT RECESSION
Authors: Argento Robert , Bryant Victoria L. , Sabelhaus John
Published: April 2014

Early withdrawals from retirement accounts are a double‐edged sword, because withdrawals reduce retirement resources, but they also allow individuals to smooth consumption when they experience demographic and economic shocks. Using tax data, we show that preretirement withdrawals increased between 2004 and 2010, especially after 2007, but early withdrawal rates are substantial (relative to new contributions) in all those years. Early withdrawal events are strongly correlated with shocks to income and marital status, and lower‐income taxpayers are more likely to experience the types of shocks associated with early withdrawals and more likely to have a taxable withdrawal when they experience a given shock. (JEL G23, H24, H31)
Visual motherese? Signal‐to‐noise ratios in toddler‐directed television
Authors: Wass Sam V. , Smith Tim J.
Published: April 2014

Younger brains are noisier information processing systems; this means that information for younger individuals has to allow clearer differentiation between those aspects that are required for the processing task in hand (the ‘signal’) and those that are not (the ‘noise’). We compared toddler‐directed and adult‐directed TV programmes (TotTV/ATV). We examined how low‐level visual features (that previous research has suggested influence gaze allocation) relate to semantic information, namely the location of the character speaking in each frame. We show that this relationship differs between TotTV and ATV. First, we conducted Receiver Operator Characteristics analyses and found that feature congestion predicted speaking character location in TotTV but not ATV. Second, we used multiple analytical strategies to show that luminance differentials (flicker) predict face location more strongly in TotTV than ATV. Our results suggest that TotTV designers have intuited techniques for controlling toddler attention using low‐level visual cues. The implications of these findings for structuring childhood learning experiences away from a screen are discussed.
Are bilingual children better at ignoring perceptually misleading information? A novel test
Authors: Goldman Meghan C. , Negen James , Sarnecka Barbara W.
Published: April 2014

Does speaking more than one language help a child perform better on certain types of cognitive tasks? One possibility is that bilingualism confers either specific or general cognitive advantages on tasks that require selective attention to one dimension over another (e.g. Bialystok, ; Hilchey & Klein, ). Other studies have looked for such an advantage but found none (e.g. Morton & Harper, ; Paap & Greenberg, ). The present study compared monolingual and bilingual children's performance on a numerical discrimination task, which required children to ignore area and attend to number. Ninety‐two children, ages 3 to 6 years, were asked which of two arrays of dots had ‘more dots’. Half of the trials were congruent, where the numerically greater array was also larger in total area, and half were incongruent, where the numerically greater array was smaller in total area. All children performed better on congruent than on incongruent trials. Older children were more successful than younger children at ignoring area in favor of number. Bilingual children did not perform differently from monolingual children either in number discrimination itself (i.e. identifying which array had more dots) or at selectively attending to number. The present study thus finds no evidence of a bilingual advantage on this task for children of this age.