bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Random telegraph signal and spin characteristics of the gate-all-around poly-silicon nanowire
Authors: Lee Tsung-Han , Li Yan-Ting , Hu Shu-Fen
Published: November 2014

An arsenic (As)-doped poly-silicon nanowire gate-all-around transistor fabricated using standard semiconductor methods was used to measure the Coulomb blockade effect by applying a tunable gate voltage. Two-level trapping states due to the random telegraph signal of fluctuating drain current were observed in the silicon transport channel. Under high magnetic fields, the superposition points of differential conductance revealed weak 2-electron singlet-triplet splitting states of the arsenic magnetic impurity. The weak spin-orbital coupling suggests that the electron-spin-polarization in the As-doped silicon nanowire and the two-level trapping state coexisted in the Coulomb blockade oscillations. These characteristics indicate that a few arsenic donors strongly affect the quantum behavior of the poly-silicon material.
Enlarged Mn 3s splitting and room-temperature ferromagnetism in epitaxially grown oxygen doped Mn2N0.86 films
Authors: Meng M. , Wu S. X. , Ren L. Z. , Zhou W. Q. , Wang Y. J. , Wang G. L. , Li S. W.
Published: November 2014

Single-phase and oxygen doped Mn2N0.86 thin films have been grown on MgO (111) by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The films grow under tensile strain and, remarkably, they show ferromagnetic-like interactions at low temperature and ferromagnetic ordering agreed well with the Bloch-law T3/2 at room-temperature. We further demonstrate the enlarged Mn 3s splitting (6.46 eV) and its possible relation to the observed ferromagnetism. Our study not only provide a strategy for further theoretical work on oxygen doped manganese nitrides, but also shed promising light on utilizing its room-temperature FM property to fabricate spintronic devices.
Visibility enhancement of hazy images based on a universal polarimetric imaging method
Authors: Liang Jian , Ren Li-Yong , Ju Hai-Juan , Qu En-Shi , Wang Ying-Li
Published: November 2014

Enhancing the visibility of images taken in the hazy weather is important in many applications. Among many dehazing methods, those based on polarimetric imaging techniques have several advantages, such as ease of keeping detailed information, low cost, and high efficiency. In this paper, we propose a novel and robust dehazing algorithm based on polarimetric imaging. By introducing the orientation-angle information from the Stokes matrix, all the parameters used in dehazing performance can be effectively, precisely and automatically estimated, and no additional human-computer interaction is needed. Besides, this method can also be used in handling hazy images without sky region. Experimental results show that such a method can greatly enhance the visibility of hazy images.
High mobility 4H-SiC (0001) transistors using alkali and alkaline earth interface layers
Authors: Lichtenwalner Daniel J. , Cheng Lin , Dhar Sarit , Agarwal Anant , Palmour John W.
Published: November 2014

Alkali (Rb and Cs) and alkaline earth (Ca, Sr, and Ba) elements have been investigated as interface passivation materials for metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) on 4H-SiC (0001). While the alkali elements Rb and Cs result in field-effect mobility (μFE) values > 25 cm2/V·s, the alkaline earth elements Sr and Ba resulted in higher μFE values of 40 and 85 cm2/V·s, respectively. The Ba-modified MOSFETs show a slight decrease in mobility with heating to 150 °C, as expected when mobility is not interface-trap-limited, but phonon-scattering-limited. With a Ba interface layer, the interface state density 0.25 eV below the conduction band is ∼3 × 1011 cm−2 eV−1, lower than that obtained with nitric oxide passivation. Devices show stable threshold voltage under 2 MV/cm gate bias stress at 175 °C, indicating no mobile ions. Secondary-ion mass spectrometry shows that the Sr and Ba stay predominantly at the interface after oxidation anneals.
Dual band microwave ferromagnetic resonance absorption in annealed cobalt nanowire arrays
Authors: Yuan Lixin , Meng Siqin , Shi Yunzhou , Zhang Yao , Yue Zhenxing , Li Longtu
Published: November 2014

In this letter, we present a dual band microwave absorption phenomenon in 60 nm diameter Co ferromagnetic nanowire arrays annealed at 500 °C in nitrogen atmosphere. The frequency dependent microwave response of the wires is obtained for applied field parallel to the nanowire axis, below 4 kOe and above saturation magnetization up to 8 kOe, in steps of 1 kOe. For applied magnetic fields above saturation magnetization, two sets of absorption peaks are observed, while below saturation, only one single peak is obtained. Combining structural characterization and ferromagnetic resonance measurements, it is proven that the two ferromagnetic resonance peaks are associated with a coexistence of two kinds of nanopillars with different crystal structure in annealed nanowires, one for nanopillars with hexagonal close packed structure at higher ferromagnetic resonance frequency, and the other with face center cubic structure.
Characteristics of heterosexual regular relationships among a representative sample of adults: the Second Australian Study of Health and Relationships
Authors: Badcock Paul B. , Smith Anthony M. A. , Richters Juliet , Rissel Chris , de Visser Richard O. , Simpson Judy M. , Grulich Andrew E.
Published: November 2014

Background
The aim of this study was to describe important characteristics of Australian adults’ heterosexual regular sexual relationships and examine how these characteristics have changed since 2002. Methods: Computer-assisted landline and mobile telephone interviews were completed by a representative sample of 20 094 Australian residents aged 16–69 years. The participation rate among eligible people was 66.2%. Data were collected on respondents’ social and demographic characteristics, relationship status and duration, cohabitation status, partner’s age, contraception use, expectations about sexual exclusivity, sexual partners in the previous year, actual and ideal frequencies of sex and levels of physical pleasure and emotional satisfaction in their relationships. Results: Most sexually active respondents 89%; 74% of all respondents, were in a heterosexual regular relationship. Most (97%) expected sexual exclusivity in their relationships, with 3% reporting extradyadic sex in the previous year. Respondents reported an average frequency of sex of 1.44 times per week, with most reporting very high levels of physical pleasure (men, 88%; women, 76%) and emotional satisfaction (men, 86%; women, 84%) in their relationships. Comparisons with data from the First Australian Study of Health and Relationships revealed that significantly more sexually active men were in a relationship in the current survey; that respondents’ average frequency of sex was significantly lower; and that women’s reports of extreme emotional satisfaction had risen. Otherwise, results were consistent with those of the first study. Conclusions: In general, results suggested that the characteristics of Australians’ heterosexual relationships changed little between 2002 and 2013. Despite a decline in respondents’ average weekly frequency of sex, the majority of respondents reported being in a highly satisfying, sexually exclusive relationship.
Forward genetic screens in mice uncover mediators and suppressors of metastatic reactivation
Authors: Gao Hua , Chakraborty Goutam , Lee-Lim Ai Ping , Mavrakis Konstantinos J. , Wendel Hans-Guido , Giancotti Filippo G.
Published: November 2014

Significance

Insights into the mechanisms that enable disseminated cancer cells to survive during dormancy and then outgrow into life-threatening lesions may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets for the prevention or treatment of metastatic disease. We have developed flexible and high-throughput functional genetic screens, which enable the identification of single genetic entities that mediate metastatic reactivation of breast cancer in mice. These screens promise to facilitate the identification of the core signaling pathways that govern metastatic dormancy and reactivation.
Copper is an endogenous modulator of neural circuit spontaneous activity
Authors: Dodani Sheel C. , Firl Alana , Chan Jefferson , Nam Christine I. , Aron Allegra T. , Onak Carl S. , Ramos-Torres Karla M. , Paek Jaeho , Webster Corey M. , Feller Marla B. , Chang Christopher J.
Published: November 2014

Significance

Copper is traditionally regarded as a static, tightly bound cofactor in enzymes, but emerging data link more-loosely bound pools to cell signaling. Here we use molecular imaging to identify a role for copper in the brain as a modulator of spontaneous activity of developing neural circuits. First, we directly visualized a labile, loosely bound copper pool in hippocampal neurons and retinal tissue with a newly developed Copper Fluor-3 (CF3) indicator. We then used two-photon calcium imaging as readout of spontaneous activity to show that disruption of labile copper stores by acute chelation or genetic knockdown of the CTR1 (copper transporter 1) copper channel alters the frequency and spatial propagation of neural activity. The results establish the requirement for copper in a fundamental, dynamic property of brain circuitry.
Chromatin landscape and circadian dynamics: Spatial and temporal organization of clock transcription
Authors: Aguilar-Arnal Lorena , Sassone-Corsi Paolo
Published: November 2014

Circadian rhythms drive the temporal organization of a wide variety of physiological and behavioral functions in ∼24-h cycles. This control is achieved through a complex program of gene expression. In mammals, the molecular clock machinery consists of interconnected transcriptional–translational feedback loops that ultimately ensure the proper oscillation of thousands of genes in a tissue-specific manner. To achieve circadian transcriptional control, chromatin remodelers serve the clock machinery by providing appropriate oscillations to the epigenome. Recent findings have revealed the presence of circadian interactomes, nuclear “hubs” of genome topology where coordinately expressed circadian genes physically interact in a spatial and temporal-specific manner. Thus, a circadian nuclear landscape seems to exist, whose interplay with metabolic pathways and clock regulators translates into specific transcriptional programs. Deciphering the molecular mechanisms that connect the circadian clock machinery with the nuclear landscape will reveal yet unexplored pathways that link cellular metabolism to epigenetic control.
Introduction, and the promise of a plant-derived vaccine for hepatitis B virus.
Authors: Hefferon K. L.
Published: November 2014

This chapter focuses on the most recent research involving the generation of vaccines and other therapeutic proteins for the specific purpose of combating infectious diseases which predominate in developing countries, such as Hepatitis B virus. A description of some of the history of this vaccine and where things lie at present with respect to its future use is also provided.
Expression of recombinant proteins in plant cell culture.
Authors: Nandi S. , McDonald K. A.
Published: November 2014

This chapter highlights the advantages and challenges associated with various types of plant cell culture production system strategies. The important issues related to regulation and progress toward product commercialization in the developed and developing world are also discussed.
Plant-produced virus-like particles.
Authors: Meyers A. E. , Rybicki E. P. , Hitzeroth I. I.
Published: November 2014

This chapter focuses on the processes involved in making virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines in plants. The advantages of making plant-produced vaccines over conventional ones and making them more globally accessible are discussed and the benefits of a better coverage of vaccine use and opportunities for their inclusion in extended immunization programmes are presented.
Patenting of plant-made recombinant pharmaceuticals and access in the developing world.
Authors: Drake P. M. W. , Sadone S. , Thangaraj H.
Published: November 2014

This chapter focuses on importance of patents in the production of medicines. The benefits of patent licensing policy in providing greater access to medical innovations and providing considerable benefits to the institution are discussed. The dominance of the public sector in the patenting of plant-made recombinant pharmaceuticals and in the dissemination of any products generated using this technology to the developing world on preferential terms is also highlighted.
Transgenic approaches for sterile insect control of dipteran livestock pests and lepidopteran crop pests.
Authors: Scott M. J. , Morrison N. I. , Simmons G. S.
Published: November 2014

This chapter focuses on the various transgenic approaches in the control of dipteran livestock pests and lepidopteran crop pests based on the sterile insect technique.
Paratransgenic control of Chagas disease.
Authors: Hurwitz I. , Klein N. , Forshaw A. P. , Durvasula R. V.
Published: November 2014

This chapter reviews the epidemiology and global distribution, modes of transmission, and control of Chagas' disease (caused by Trypanosoma cruzi). Novel approaches for the control of Chagas' disease are described, including paratransgenic control (in this approach, a symbiotic bacterium within a given disease vector is identified and genetically altered to produce molecules that kill the pathogen), antimicrobial peptides as effector molecules, recombinant single chain antibodies, and use of bacterial β-1,3-glucanase. Environmental consequences of deploying genetically altered lines of bacteria to target field populations of triatomine bugs are also discussed.
Tsetse paratransgenesis: a novel strategy for reducing the spread of African trypanosomiasis.
Authors: Weiss B. L. , Aksoy S.
Published: November 2014

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the sole vectors of cyclical pathogenic trypanosomes in sub-Saharan Africa. Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleeping sickness, is a zoonosis caused by the flagellated protozoa Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in East and southern Africa and T. brucei gambiense in West and central Africa. This chapter first reviews the endosymbionts of tsetse flies, their transmission routes and functions in the host. It then examines the use of paratransgenic approach to control HAT, by exploiting the ability of transgenic Sodalis (a commensal symbiont of tsetse flies) to express and secrete an effector molecule that interferes with parasite viability. Two types of effector molecules that may be expressed to kill trypanosomes are described: (i) transmission-blocking agents (such as monoclonal antibodies); and (ii) host effector peptides. Finally, mechanisms to spread laboratory-generated, parasite-resistant tsetse flies into natural field populations are discussed.
Economics of transgenic insects for field release.
Authors: Mumford J. D. , Carrasco L. R.
Published: November 2014

The implementation of transgenic insects as components of pest management systems depends on the economic viability of the process in individual cases. The use of radiation-induced sterility in the sterile insect technique (SIT), inundative biological control releases and live vaccine baits provide some precedents for economic analysis of self-limiting transgenic applications. Classical biological control and the introduction of exotic pollinators provide examples for economic analysis of potential self-sustaining applications of transgenic insects. These examples illustrate several general issues that will affect the economic evaluation of transgenic insect applications, such as the choice of temporal and spatial dimensions to be used in assessing costs and impacts, assumptions and estimates of uncertainty in projections of costs, performance and impacts, how to capture benefits and attribute costs, and distinctions between public and private roles in implementation. All these issues are discussed in this chapter.
Public acceptability of new insect vector control technologies.
Authors: King K. F. , Kolopack P. , Zahabi-Bekdash L. , Lavery J. V.
Published: November 2014

This chapter discusses several challenges to public acceptability of new insect vector control technologies (such as transgenics and biological control), including the nature of incentives in research product development, historical injustices in low- and middle-income countries, and the controversial nature of some new vector technologies. It is argued that some of these challenges, particularly those related to historical injustices and controversial technologies, can be addressed by greater attention to community engagement (CE). CE is viewed as a way for affected communities to have a say in what new vector technologies are deployed to protect them, and how these deployments are conducted. It is stressed that CE, formal government approvals and individual and household level informed consent, where appropriate, together constitute a robust logic and architecture for determining public acceptability.
Valence–space compatibility effects depend on situated motor fluency in both right- and left-handers
Authors: Milhau Audrey , Brouillet Thibaut , Brouillet Denis
Published: November 2014

According to the body specificity hypothesis, the way we interact with our environment participates in our conceptualization of concepts and word meanings. For instance, valence is associated to horizontal space because of the motor fluency by which one acts with one's dominant hand. We propose that the decisive factor in the compatibility effects between valence and lateral actions is the interaction between the fluency of response movement and the situational constraints of the task. In a valence judgement task with positive and negative words, right-handers (Experiment 1) and left-handers (Experiment 2) responded with lateralized actions of either their dominant or their nondominant hand. To do so, we used a response device that was either congruent or noncongruent with the fluency of the response hand. Results highlighted that when the response device was congruent with the fluency of the responding hand, response times to positive evaluations were shorter than those to negative evaluations. Conversely, when the response device was noncongruent with the fluency of the responding hand, we observed faster responses for negative evaluations than for positive evaluations. Furthermore, we obtained similar patterns for right- and left-handers, supporting the idea that compatibility effects are driven by the situated fluency of the responding hand.
Message without a Coda: On the Rhetoric of Photographic Records
Authors: Morimoto Ryo
Published: November 2014

This article investigates the rhetoric of the photographic object in the context of the 3.11 disasters in Japan, where this particular object became essential for both commemorating the loss and communicating to future generations about the danger of a large-scale disaster. Through ethnography of the two different subcultures of photographic laboratory, the article documents various sign processes of the disaster-related photograph and argues that in the context of a sudden disaster, both the duty to remember the past and the hope for alternative trajectories for the future are grounded in the same regimented meaning of a particular object which nonetheless can be used to express different subjectivities. As a free-floating object, the photograph is by its nature antisemiotic in that it resists interpretation unless its visual persuasion is domesticated by “ethnometapragmatics,” that is, the highly coded cultural talk about the sociocultural, political, and historical significance of the image or a set of images.
Multicenter Evaluation of Computer Automated versus Traditional Surveillance of Hospital-Acquired Bloodstream Infections
Authors: Lin Michael Y. , Woeltje Keith F. , Khan Yosef M. , Hota Bala , Doherty Joshua A. , Borlawsky Tara B. , Stevenson Kurt B. , Fridkin Scott K. , Weinstein Robert A. , Trick William E.
Published: November 2014

Objective.

Central line–associated bloodstream infection (BSI) rates are a key quality metric for comparing hospital quality and safety. Traditional BSI surveillance may be limited by interrater variability. We assessed whether a computer-automated method of central line–associated BSI detection can improve the validity of surveillance.

Design.

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting.

Eight medical and surgical intensive care units (ICUs) in 4 academic medical centers.

Methods.

Traditional surveillance (by hospital staff) and computer algorithm surveillance were each compared against a retrospective audit review using a random sample of blood culture episodes during the period 2004–2007 from which an organism was recovered. Episode-level agreement with audit review was measured with κ statistics, and differences were assessed using the test of equal κ coefficients. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between surveillance performance (κ) and surveillance-reported BSI rates (BSIs per 1,000 central line–days).

Results.

We evaluated 664 blood culture episodes. Agreement with audit review was significantly lower for traditional surveillance (κ [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 0.44 [0.37–0.51]) than computer algorithm surveillance (κ [95% CI] [0.52–0.64]; P = .001). Agreement between traditional surveillance and audit review was heterogeneous across ICUs (P = .001); furthermore, traditional surveillance performed worse among ICUs reporting lower (better) BSI rates (P = .001). In contrast, computer algorithm performance was consistent across ICUs and across the range of computer-reported central line–associated BSI rates.

Conclusions.

Compared with traditional surveillance of bloodstream infections, computer automated surveillance improves accuracy and reliability, making interfacility performance comparisons more valid.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;35(12):1483–1490
Cholesterol-mediated activation of acid sphingomyelinase disrupts autophagy in the retinal pigment epithelium
Authors: Toops Kimberly A. , Tan Li Xuan , Jiang Zhichun , Radu Roxana A. , Lakkaraju Aparna
Published: November 2014

Autophagy is an essential mechanism for clearing damaged organelles and proteins within the cell. As with neurodegenerative diseases, dysfunctional autophagy could contribute to blinding diseases such as macular degeneration. However, precisely how inefficient autophagy promotes retinal damage is unclear. In this study, we investigate innate mechanisms that modulate autophagy in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a key site of insult in macular degeneration. High-speed live imaging of polarized adult primary RPE cells and data from a mouse model of early-onset macular degeneration identify a mechanism by which lipofuscin bisretinoids, visual cycle metabolites that progressively accumulate in the RPE, disrupt autophagy. We demonstrate that bisretinoids trap cholesterol and bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate, an acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) cofactor, within the RPE. ASMase activation increases cellular ceramide, which promotes tubulin acetylation on stabilized microtubules. Live-imaging data show that autophagosome traffic and autophagic flux are inhibited in RPE with acetylated microtubules. Drugs that remove excess cholesterol or inhibit ASMase reverse this cascade of events and restore autophagosome motility and autophagic flux in the RPE. Because accumulation of lipofuscin bisretinoids and abnormal cholesterol homeostasis are implicated in macular degeneration, our studies suggest that ASMase could be a potential therapeutic target to ensure the efficient autophagy that maintains RPE health.
The ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBE2E3 and its import receptor importin-11 regulate the localization and activity of the antioxidant transcription factor NRF2
Authors: Plafker Kendra S. , Plafker Scott M.
Published: November 2014

The transcription factor NF-E2 p45–related factor (Nrf2) induces the expression of cytoprotective proteins that maintain and restore redox homeostasis. Nrf2 levels and activity are tightly regulated, and three subcellular populations of the transcription factor have been identified. During homeostasis, the majority of Nrf2 is degraded in the cytoplasm by ubiquitin (Ub)-mediated degradation. A second population is transcriptionally active in the nucleus, and a third population localizes to the outer mitochondrial membrane. Still unresolved are the mechanisms and factors that govern Nrf2 distribution between its subcellular locales. We show here that the Ub-conjugating enzyme UBE2E3 and its nuclear import receptor importin 11 (Imp-11) regulate Nrf2 distribution and activity. Knockdown of UBE2E3 reduces nuclear Nrf2, decreases Nrf2 target gene expression, and relocalizes the transcription factor to a perinuclear cluster of mitochondria. In a complementary manner, Imp-11 functions to restrict KEAP1, the major suppressor of Nrf2, from prematurely extracting the transcription factor off of a subset of target gene promoters. These findings identify a novel pathway of Nrf2 modulation during homeostasis and support a model in which UBE2E3 and Imp-11 promote Nrf2 transcriptional activity by restricting the transcription factor from partitioning to the mitochondria and limiting the repressive activity of nuclear KEAP1.
Blood Pressure in Healthy Pregnancy and Factors Associated With No Mid-Trimester Blood Pressure Drop: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Salles Gil F. , Schlüssel Michael M. , Farias Dayana R. , Franco-Sena Ana Beatriz , Rebelo Fernanda , Lacerda Elisa M.A. , Kac Gilberto
Published: November 2014

BACKGROUND

The well-known mid-trimester drop in blood pressure (BP) during normal pregnancy was recently questioned.

OBJECTIVE

To describe longitudinal changes in BP during healthy pregnancies and to investigate factors associated with no mid-trimester drop in BP.

METHODS

A prospective cohort with 158 healthy pregnant women was followed up in a public health care center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We used linear mixed-effects models to estimate longitudinal changes in systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) during pregnancy. Poisson regression models were performed to identify factors associated with no mid-trimester drop in BP.

RESULTS

Significant mid-trimester increase in SBP (5.6mm Hg; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.6–6.7) and DBP (4.4mm Hg; 95% CI = 3.4–5.3) was observed in 44.3% and 39.9% of the sample, respectively. Women (37.1%) who had not a mid-trimester SBP drop still had a DBP drop. White skin color (incidence ratio (IR): 1.71; 95% CI = 1.22–2.39), family history of hypertension (IR: 1.93; 95% CI = 1.29–2.89), early pregnancy obesity (IR: 2.29; 95% CI = 1.27–4.11), outside temperature variation (IR: 1.45; 95% CI = 1.00–2.10), and gestational weight gain from the first to second trimester (IR: 1.71; 95% CI = 1.01–2.88 and IR: 2.32; 95% CI = 1.39–3.89 for second and third tertiles) were characteristics associated with no mid-trimester drop in SBP. The same characteristics were associated with no mid-trimester drop in DBP, except family history of hypertension and outside temperature variation.

CONCLUSIONS

Some women without a mid-trimester SBP drop still present a DBP drop. The different patterns of mid-trimester change in BP seem to be determined by preexisting and pregnancy-related factors.
An efficient TOF-SIMS image analysis with spatial correlation and alternating non–negativity-constrained least squares
Authors: Aram Parham , Shen Lingli , Pugh John A. , Vaidyanathan Seetharaman , Kadirkamanathan Visakan
Published: November 2014

Motivation: Advances in analytical instrumentation towards acquiring high-resolution images of mass spectrometry constantly demand efficient approaches for data analysis. This is particularly true of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging where recent advances enable acquisition of high-resolution data in multiple dimensions. In many applications, the distribution of different species from a sampled surface is spatially continuous in nature and a model that incorporates the spatial correlation across the surface would be preferable to estimations at discrete spatial locations. A key challenge here is the capability to analyse the high-resolution multidimensional data to extract relevant information reliably and efficiently.

Results: We propose a framework based on alternating non–negativity-constrained least squares which accounts for the spatial correlation across the sample surface. The proposed method also decouples the computational complexity of the estimation procedure from the image resolution, which significantly reduces the processing time. We evaluate the performance of the algorithm with biochemical image datasets generated from mixture of metabolites.

Contact:  p.aram@sheffield.ac.uk

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Psychic Plagiarism: The Death of a Child in Marie Darrieussecq's
Tom est mort
and Camille Laurens's
Philippe
Authors: Robson Kathryn
Published: November 2014

The notion of ‘psychic plagiarism’ was formulated in 2007 when Camille Laurens, the author of
Philippe
, a memoir recounting the death of her son, accused fellow writer Marie Darrieussecq of borrowing from it in her novel
Tom est mort
. In alleging that Darrieussecq had appropriated her loss, Laurens also suggests that any first-person fictional narrative of the death of a child necessarily appropriates others' grief. Rather than debating the charge of plagiarism or determining the extent to which fictional narratives of child death might be deemed inappropriate, this article rethinks what it means to narrate the death of a child in the first person through the notion of ‘psychic plagiarism’. Psychoanalytic and trauma theory are drawn upon alongside close analysis of
Tom est mort
and
Philippe
to theorize a parent's awakening to the death of his or her child as a ‘missed encounter’ engendering an imperative to give testimony to the child as inescapably ‘other’ to the self. My analysis explores how narratives of child death give voice to the Other precisely through a ‘missed encounter’ that is ultimately projected on to the reader, who is awakened to the realization of (having missed) someone else's traumatic loss.
The Ricker wavelet and the Lambert W function
Authors: Wang Yanghua
Published: November 2014

The Ricker wavelet has been widely used in the analysis of seismic data, as its asymmetrical amplitude spectrum can represent the attenuation feature of seismic wave propagation through viscoelastic homogeneous media. However, the frequency band of the Ricker wavelet is not analytically determined yet. The determination of the frequency band leads to an inverse exponential equation. To solve this equation analytically a special function, the Lambert W function, is needed. The latter provides a closed and elegant expression of the frequency band of the Ricker wavelet, which is a sample application of the Lambert W function in geophysics and there have been other applications in various scientific and engineering fields in the past decade. Moreover, the Lambert W function is a variation of the Ricker wavelet amplitude spectrum. Since the Ricker wavelet is the second derivative of a Gaussian function and its spectrum is a single-valued smooth curve, numerical evaluation of the Lambert W function can be implemented by a stable interpolation procedure, followed by a recursive computation for high precision.
Clinical Zinc Deficiency as Early Presentation of Wilson Disease
Authors: Van Biervliet Stephanie , Küry Sébastien , De Bruyne Ruth , Vanakker Olivier M. , Schmitt Sébastien , Vande Velde Saskia , Blouin Eric , Bézieau Stéphane
Published: November 2014

Wilson disease is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of the copper metabolism caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the ATP‐ase Cu(2+) transporting polypeptide (ATP7B) gene. The copper accumulation in different organs leads to the suspicion of Wilson disease. We describe a child with clinical zinc deficiency as presenting symptom of Wilson disease, which was confirmed by 2 mutations within the ATP7B gene and an increased copper excretion.
Egg shape changes at the theropod–bird transition, and a morphometric study of amniote eggs
Authors: Deeming D. Charles , Ruta Marcello
Published: November 2014

The eggs of amniotes exhibit a remarkable variety of shapes, from spherical to elongate and from symmetrical to asymmetrical. We examine eggshell geometry in a diverse sample of fossil and living amniotes using geometric morphometrics and linear measurements. Our goal is to quantify patterns of morphospace occupation and shape variation in the eggs of recent through to Mesozoic birds (neornithe plus non-neornithe avialans), as well as in eggs attributed to non-avialan theropods. In most amniotes, eggs show significant deviation from sphericity, but departure from symmetry around the equatorial axis is mostly confined to theropods and birds. Mesozoic bird eggs differ significantly from extant bird eggs, but extinct Cenozoic bird eggs do not. This suggests that the range of egg shapes in extant birds had already been attained in the Cenozoic. We conclude with a discussion of possible biological factors imparting variation to egg shapes during their formation in the oviduct.
Rhizobium yantingense sp. nov., a mineral-weathering bacterium
Authors: Chen Wei , Sheng Xia-Fang , He Lin-Yan , Huang Zhi
Published: November 2014

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterial strain, H66T, was isolated from the surfaces of weathered rock (purple siltstone) found in Yanting, Sichuan Province, PR China. Cells of strain H66Twere motile with peritrichous flagella. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain H66Tbelongs to the genusRhizobium. It is closely related toRhizobium huautlenseSO2T(98.1 %),Rhizobium alkalisoliCCBAU 01393T(98.0 %) andRhizobium cellulosilyticumALA10B2T(98.0 %). Analysis of the housekeeping genes,recA,glnIIandatpD, showed low levels of sequence similarity (<92.0 %) between strain H66Tand other recognized species of the genusRhizobium. The predominant components of the cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7cand/or C18 : 1ω6c) and C16 : 0. The G+C content of strain H66Twas 60.3 mol%. Strain H66Tis suggested to be a novel species of the genusRhizobiumbased on the low levels of DNA–DNA relatedness (ranging from 14.3 % to 40.0 %) with type strains of species of the genusRhizobiumand on its unique phenotypic characteristics. The namehttp://dx.doi.org/10.1601/nm.1279Rhizobiumyantingensesp. nov. is proposed for this novel species. The type strain is H66T( = CCTCC AB 2014007T = LMG 28229T).
Exact solutions of linear reaction-diffusion processes on a uniformly growing domain: Criteria for successful colonization
Authors: Simpson Matthew J
Published: November 2014

Many processes during embryonic development involve transport and reaction of molecules, or transport and proliferation of cells, within growing tissues. Mathematical models of such processes usually take the form of a reaction-diffusion partial differential equation (PDE) on a growing domain. Previous analyses of such models have mainly involved solving the PDEs numerically. Here, we present a framework for calculating the exact solution of a linear reaction-diffusion PDE on a growing domain. We derive an exact solution for a general class of one-dimensional linear reaction-diffusion process on 0 <x<L(t), whereL(t) is the length of the growing domain. Comparing our exact solutions with numerical approximations confirms the veracity of the method. Furthermore, our examples illustrate a delicate interplay between: (i) the rate at which the domain elongates, (ii) the diffusivity associated with the spreading density profile, (iii) the reaction rate, and (iv) the initial condition. Altering the balance between these four features leads to different outcomes in terms of whether an initial profile, located nearx= 0, eventually overcomes the domain growth and colonizes the entire length of the domain by reaching the boundary wherex=L(t).
Epidemiological and evolutionary analysis of the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak
Authors: Luksza Marta , Bedford Trevor , Lässig Michael
Published: November 2014

The 2014 epidemic of the Ebola virus is governed by a genetically diverse viral population. In the early Sierra Leone outbreak, a recent study has identified new mutations that generate genetically distinct sequence clades. Here we find evidence that major Sierra Leone clades have systematic differences in growth rate and reproduction number. If this growth heterogeneity remains stable, it will generate major shifts in clade frequencies and influence the overall epidemic dynamics on time scales within the current outbreak. Our method is based on simple summary statistics of clade growth, which can be inferred from genealogical trees with an underlying clade-specific birth-death model of the infection dynamics. This method can be used to perform realtime tracking of an evolving epidemic and identify emerging clades of epidemiological or evolutionary significance.
The discovery of integrated gene networks for autism and related disorders
Authors: Hormozdiari Fereydoun , Penn Osnat , Borenstein Elhanan , Eichler Evan E.
Published: November 2014

Despite considerable genetic heterogeneity underlying neurodevelopmental diseases, there is compelling evidence that many disease genes will map to a much smaller number of biological subnetworks. We developed a computational method, termed MAGI (merging affected genes into integrated networks), that simultaneously integrates protein–protein interactions and RNA-seq expression profiles during brain development to discover “modules” enriched for de novo mutations in probands. We applied this method to recent exome sequencing of 1116 patients with autism and intellectual disability, discovering two distinct modules that differ in their properties and associated phenotypes. The first module consists of 80 genes associated with Wnt, Notch, SWI/SNF, and NCOR complexes and shows the highest expression early during embryonic development (8–16 post-conception weeks [pcw]). The second module consists of 24 genes associated with synaptic function, including long-term potentiation and calcium signaling with higher levels of postnatal expression. Patients with de novo mutations in these modules are more significantly intellectually impaired and carry more severe missense mutations when compared to probands with de novo mutations outside of these modules. We used our approach to define subsets of the network associated with higher functioning autism as well as greater severity with respect to IQ. Finally, we applied MAGI independently to epilepsy and schizophrenia exome sequencing cohorts and found significant overlap as well as expansion of these modules, suggesting a core set of integrated neurodevelopmental networks common to seemingly diverse human diseases.
Crystal structure of (E)-4-{[2-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)hydrazin-1-ylidene]methyl}-3-methyl-1-phenyl-5-(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-1H-pyrazole
Authors: Mague Joel T. , Mohamed Shaaban K. , Akkurt Mehmet , El-Kashef Hussein M. S. , Albayati Mustafa R.
Published: November 2014

The title compound, C21H17N7O4, is in an `extended' conformation aided by an intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond. The pyrazole ring makes dihedral angles of 29.17 (6), 65.47 (4) and 9.91 (7)°, respectively, with the phenyl, pyrrole and benzene rings. In the crystal, molecules are connected by pairs of N—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers which associate into ribbons running along thebaxis through complementary C—H...O interactions.
Crystal structure of 2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-hydroxy-9-phenylsulfonyl-9H-carbazole-3-carbaldehyde
Authors: Umadevi M. , Ramalingam B. M. , Yamuna R. , Mohanakrishnan A. K. , Chakkaravarthi G.
Published: November 2014

In the title compound, C25H15Cl2NO4S, the dichlorophenyl ring is twisted by 68.69 (11)° from the mean plane of the carbazole ring system [r.m.s. deviation = 0.084 (2)°]. The hydroxy group is involved in an intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond, which generates anS(6) graph-set motif. In the crystal, pairs of C—H...Cl hydrogen bonds link molecules into inversion dimers with anR22(26) motif. Weak C—H...O interactions further link these dimers into ribbons propagating in [100].
The role of house price indices in managing the integration of finance and housing markets in the European Union
Authors: Grover Richard , Grover Christine
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– The article aims to examine why residential property price indices (RPPI) are important, particularly in the European Union (EU) with its highly integrated financial system and examines the problems in developing a pan-European price index that aggregates the indices of different countries.

Design/methodology/approach

– The reasons why RPPI are important is explored through a review of the literature on residential price bubbles and the issues with the indices through studies of individual examples.

Findings

– Financial integration in the EU has taken place without adequate consideration having been given to diversity in residential property markets. The development of means of monitoring them has lagged behind integration with the national price indices using a variety of methods and approaches to data that limit the extent to which they can be aggregated.

Originality/value

– The article shows the need for better quality data about house price trends in Europe if the consequences of future bubbles are to be avoided. Current initiatives are unlikely to satisfy this, as they leave too many choices about methodology and data in the hands of individual countries.
Regional house price cycles in the UK, 1978-2012: a Markov switching VAR
Authors: Azad Chowdhury Rosen , Maclennan Duncan
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to use Markov switching vector auto regression (MSVAR) methods to examine UK house price cycles in UK regions at NUTS1 level. There is extensive literature on UK regional house price dynamics, yet empirical work focusing on the duration and magnitude of regional housing cycles has received little attention. The research findings indicate that the regional structure of UK exhibits that UK house price changes are best described as two large groups of regions with marked differences in the amplitude and duration of the cyclical regimes between the two groups.

Design/methodology/approach

– MSVAR principal component analysis NUTS1 data are used.

Findings

– The housing cycles can be divided into two super regions based on magnitude, duration and the way they behave during recession, boom and sluggish periods. A north-south divide, a uniform housing policy and a monetary policy increase the diversion among the regions.

Research limitations/implications

– Markov switching needs high-frequency data and long time spans.

Practical implications

– Questions a uniform housing policy in a heterogeneous housing market. Questions the impact of monetary policy on a heterogeneous housing market. The way the recovery of the housing market varies among regions depends on regional economic performance, housing market structure and the labour market. House price convergence, beta-convergence.

Originality/value

– No such work has been done looking at duration and magnitude of regional housing cycles. A new econometric method was used.
What clears burglary offenses? Estimating the influences of multiple perspectives of burglary clearance in Philadelphia
Authors: Lockwood Brian
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– Although many studies have examined the correlates of homicide clearance rates, few analyses have examined the factors related to the clearance of burglary offenses. The purpose of this paper is to address several gaps in the literature to determine if burglary clearance rates are due to discretionary, non-discretionary, and/or neighborhood contextual factors.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data are analyzed from more than 10,000 burglary incidents in Philadelphia from 2010 using multilevel models to simultaneously test for the influence of multiple perspectives of the factors of crime clearance.

Findings

– The results indicate that variables representing broken windows enforcement, discretionary factors, and non-discretionary factors are related to the increased likelihood that burglaries are cleared, but processes associated with social disorganization within communities is not.

Research limitations/implications

– The findings contribute to the literature by showing that future examinations of the factors of burglary clearance should consider community contextual factors, and specifically, that broken windows police enforcement appears to be a more important predictor of burglary clearance than do factors related to social disorganization theory. As a result, it is suggested that law enforcement also consider their tactics regarding low-level offenses if they wish to address the clearance rate of burglaries.

Originality/value

– This analysis is among the first to examine multiple perspectives of the factors of crime clearance on burglary incidents.
Crime, costs, and well being: policing Canadian Aboriginal communities
Authors: Ruddell Rick , Lithopoulos Savvas , A. Jones Nicholas
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to compare the community level factors associated with police strength and operational costs in Aboriginal police services from four different geographic zones, including remote communities inaccessible by road[1].

Design/methodology/approach

– Analysis of variance was used to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference in per capita policing costs, the officer to resident ratio, an index of community well-being and crime severity in 236 rural and remote Canadian communities.

Findings

– The authors found that places that were geographically inaccessible or further from urban areas had rates of police-reported crime several times the national average and low levels of community well-being. Consistent with those results, the per capita costs of policing were many times greater than the national average, in part due to higher officer to resident ratios.

Research limitations/implications

– These results are from rural Canada and might not be generalizable to other nations.

Practical implications

– Given the complex needs of these communities, these findings reinforce the importance of delivering full-time professional police services in rural and remote communities. Short duration or temporary postings may reduce police legitimacy as residents may perceive that their rural or Aboriginal status makes them less valued than city dwellers. As a result, agencies should prioritize the retention of experienced officers in these communities.

Originality/value

– These findings validate the observations of officers about the challenges that must be overcome in policing these distinctive communities. This information can be used to inform future studies of rural and remote policing.