bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative study of localization effects and recombination dynamics in GaAsBi/GaAs single quantum wells
Authors: Shakfa M. K. , Kalincev D. , Lu X. , Johnson S. R. , Beaton D. A. , Tiedje T. , Chernikov A. , Chatterjee S. , Koch M.
Published: October 2013

Localization effects on the optical properties of GaAs1−xBix/GaAs single quantum wells (SQWs), with Bi contents ranging from x = 1.1% to 6.0%, are investigated using continuous-wave and time-resolved photoluminescence. The temperature- and excitation density dependence of the PL spectra are systematically studied, and the carrier recombination mechanisms are analyzed. At low temperatures, the time-integrated PL emission is dominated by the recombination of localized electron-hole pairs due to the varying content and clustering of Bi in the alloy. The extracted energy scales fluctuate tremendously when the Bi content is varied with a weak tendency to increase with Bi content. Relatively low energy scales are found for the SQW with x = 5.5%, which makes it a potential candidate for long-wavelength optoelectronic devices.
Observation of a Griffiths-like phase in Ca-doped cobaltites
Authors: Zhou S. M. , Li Y. , Guo Y. Q. , Zhao J. Y. , Cai X. , Shi L.
Published: October 2013

Magnetic properties of polycrystalline La1−xCaxCoO3 (0.10≤x≤0.25) are systemically studied in this work. It is found that all the samples exhibit the ferromagnetic states at low temperatures with two ferromagnetic transitions. A detailed analysis on their magnetic susceptibilities reveals that the Co ions of those compounds are in intermediate-spin states and that a short-range ferromagnetic clustered state exists well above the ferromagnetic transition temperatures in the Ca-doped cobaltites. Furthermore, the short-range clustered state can be well described as the Griffiths phase, which is quite different from those non-Griffith-like ones recently reported in Sr- and Ba-doped cobaltites. This difference is proposed to possibly arise from the unique dependence of magnetic interactions among Co3+ ions on the size of the dopant in the cobaltites. On base of these results, the magnetic diagram of the Ca-doped cobaltites is established.
Electronic band gaps and transport properties in aperiodic bilayer graphene superlattices of Thue-Morse sequence
Authors: Li Changan , Cheng Hemeng , Chen Ruofan , Ma Tianxing , Wang Li-Gang , Song Yun , Lin Hai-Qing
Published: October 2013

We investigate electronic band structure and transport properties in bilayer graphene superlattices of Thue-Morse sequence. It is interesting to find that the zero-k¯ gap center is sensitive to interlayer coupling t′, and the centers of all gaps shift versus t′ at a linear way. Extra Dirac points may emerge at ky≠0, and when the extra Dirac points are generated in pairs, the electronic conductance obeys a diffusive law, and the Fano factor tends to be 1/3 as the order of Thue-Morse sequence increases. Our results provide a flexible and effective way to control the transport properties in graphene.
Communication: Fine discretization of pair interactions and an approximate analytical strategy for predicting equilibrium behavior of complex fluids
Authors: Hollingshead Kyle B. , Jain Avni , Truskett Thomas M.
Published: October 2013

We study whether fine discretization (i.e., terracing) of continuous pair interactions, when used in combination with first-order mean-spherical approximation theory, can lead to a simple and general analytical strategy for predicting the equilibrium structure and thermodynamics of complex fluids. Specifically, we implement a version of this approach to predict how screened electrostatic repulsions, solute-mediated depletion attractions, or ramp-shaped repulsions modify the radial distribution function and the potential energy of reference hard-sphere fluids, and we compare the predictions to exact results from molecular simulations.
Cryogenic amplifier for shot noise measurement at 20 mK
Authors: Arakawa Tomonori , Nishihara Yoshitaka , Maeda Masahiro , Norimoto Shota , Kobayashi Kensuke
Published: October 2013

We developed a shot noise measurement system for mesoscopic conductors (typical resistance h/2e2 = 12.9 kΩ) at very low temperature (∼20 mK). To realize required high-resolution measurement, we made a high-electron-mobility-transistor (HEMT)-based cryogenic amplifier working at a target frequency range (∼2.5 MHz), whose gain flatness and input voltage noise were carefully tuned. We can suppress the 1/f noise of the amplifier by using two HEMTs in parallel. The performance of the noise measurement system at 20 mK was demonstrated for a quantum point contact with high experimental accuracy below 10−29 A2/Hz.
Surface-scanning coil detectors for magnetoelastic biosensors: A comparison of planar-spiral and solenoid coils
Authors: Chai Yating , Horikawa Shin , Wikle Howard C. , Wang Zhenyu , Chin Bryan A.
Published: October 2013

This research introduces a planar spiral coil as a surface-scanning detector for magnetoelastic biosensors, which have been used to detect bacteria directly on food surfaces. The planar coil was compared with the previously investigated solenoid coil, in terms of the magnetic flux change, signal amplitude, and detection distance. Both theoretical calculations and experimental results demonstrated that the planar coil detector yields a dramatically improved signal amplitude and greater detection distance. In addition, simultaneous measurement of multiple biosensors on surfaces was demonstrated. This planar coil is therefore anticipated to facilitate the detection of bacteria on surfaces using magnetoelastic biosensors.
Ultra-low-energy non-volatile straintronic computing using single multiferroic composites
Authors: Roy Kuntal
Published: October 2013

The primary impediment to continued downscaling of traditional charge-based electronic devices in accordance with Moore's law is the excessive energy dissipation that takes place in the device during switching of bits. One very promising solution is to utilize multiferroic heterostructures, comprised of a single-domain magnetostrictive nanomagnet strain-coupled to a piezoelectric layer, in which the magnetization can be switched between its two stable states while dissipating minuscule amount of energy. However, no efficient and viable means of computing is proposed so far. Here we show that such single multiferroic composites can act as universal logic gates for computing purposes, which we demonstrate by solving the stochastic Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation of magnetization dynamics in the presence of room-temperature thermal fluctuations. The proposed concept can overwhelmingly simplify the design of large-scale circuits and portend a highly dense yet an ultra-low-energy computing paradigm for our future information processing systems.
Electrical shielding for silicon nanowire biosensor in microchannels
Authors: Chen Songyue , Xie Yanbo , De Arpita , van den Berg Albert , Carlen Edwin T.
Published: October 2013

When integrating silicon nanowire biosensors with a microfluidic sample delivery system, additional challenges are introduced. Noise and erroneous signal generation induced by sample fluidic handling such as flow rate fluctuations during sample switching reduce the quality and reliability of the measurement system. In this paper, we propose an effective electrical shielding method to improve the stability and reliability of the setup by placing double electrodes instead of a single electrode that is traditionally used for nanowire sensors. Experimental results show that with proper shielding electrical measurements are not influenced by flow speed variations or during sample switching.
Impact of compound doping on hole and electron balance in p-i-n organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Wang Xin-Xin , Xiao Jing , Gao Xu , Zhang Xiao-Hong , Wang Sui-Dong
Published: October 2013

The fluorescent and phosphorescent p-i-n organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with well controllable compound doping have been systematically investigated, where MoO3 and LiF are the effective p-type and n-type dopants, respectively. For both the bulk and interfacial doping, the hole and electron balance in the devices is found to be strongly dependent on the doping configuration, which could either facilitate or compromise the device power efficiency. The impact of the compound doping on the charge balance is further confirmed by the change of the emission region with different doping configuration. The modulation of p-type and n-type doping densities and position is thus essential for optimizing hole and electron balance in p-i-n OLEDs.
Exploring high dimensional data with Butterfly: a novel classification algorithm based on discrete dynamical systems
Authors: Geraci Joseph , Dharsee Moyez , Nuin Paulo , Haslehurst Alexandria , Koti Madhuri , Feilotter Harriet E. , Evans Ken
Published: October 2013

Motivation: We introduce a novel method for visualizing high dimensional data via a discrete dynamical system. This method provides a 2D representation of the relationship between subjects according to a set of variables without geometric projections, transformed axes or principal components. The algorithm exploits a memory-type mechanism inherent in a certain class of discrete dynamical systems collectively referred to as the chaos game that are closely related to iterative function systems. The goal of the algorithm was to create a human readable representation of high dimensional patient data that was capable of detecting unrevealed subclusters of patients from within anticipated classifications. This provides a mechanism to further pursue a more personalized exploration of pathology when used with medical data. For clustering and classification protocols, the dynamical system portion of the algorithm is designed to come after some feature selection filter and before some model evaluation (e.g. clustering accuracy) protocol. In the version given here, a univariate features selection step is performed (in practice more complex feature selection methods are used), a discrete dynamical system is driven by this reduced set of variables (which results in a set of 2D cluster models), these models are evaluated for their accuracy (according to a user-defined binary classification) and finally a visual representation of the top classification models are returned. Thus, in addition to the visualization component, this methodology can be used for both supervised and unsupervised machine learning as the top performing models are returned in the protocol we describe here.

Results: Butterfly, the algorithm we introduce and provide working code for, uses a discrete dynamical system to classify high dimensional data and provide a 2D representation of the relationship between subjects. We report results on three datasets (two in the article; one in the appendix) including a public lung cancer dataset that comes along with the included Butterfly R package. In the included R script, a univariate feature selection method is used for the dimension reduction step, but in the future we wish to use a more powerful multivariate feature reduction method based on neural networks (Kriesel, 2007).

Availability and implementation: A script written in R (designed to run on R studio) accompanies this article that implements this algorithm and is available at http://butterflygeraci.codeplex.com/. For details on the R package or for help installing the software refer to the accompanying document, Supporting Material and Appendix.

Contact: geraci.joseph@gmail.com

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
T cells in atherosclerosis
Authors: Tse Kevin , Tse Harley , Sidney John , Sette Alex , Ley Klaus
Published: October 2013

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the artery wall. Atherosclerotic lesions contain monocytes, macrophages, smooth muscle cells and T lymphocytes. Here, we review the role of T-lymphocyte subsets in atherosclerosis. Among CD4+ T cells, Th1 cells are pro-atherogenic, Treg cells are athero-protective and the role of Th2 and Th17 cells remains unclear. The role of follicular helper T cells in atherosclerosis remains unknown, as is the role of CD8+ T cells. NKT cells bind glycolipid antigens and exert a pro-atherogenic role. The antigen specificity of T-cell responses in atherosclerosis is poorly understood. In order to enable antigen-specific prevention or therapy, a better understanding of these mechanisms is needed.
Early-life exposure to a herbicide has enduring effects on pathogen-induced mortality
Authors: Rohr Jason R. , Raffel Thomas R. , Halstead Neal T. , McMahon Taegan A. , Johnson Steve A. , Boughton Raoul K. , Martin Lynn B.
Published: October 2013

Exposure to stressors at formative stages in the development of wildlife and humans can have enduring effects on health. Understanding which, when and how stressors cause enduring health effects is crucial because these stressors might then be avoided or mitigated during formative stages to prevent lasting increases in disease susceptibility. Nevertheless, the impact of early-life exposure to stressors on the ability of hosts to resist and tolerate infections has yet to be thoroughly investigated. Here, we show that early-life, 6-day exposure to the herbicide atrazine (mean ± s.e.: 65.9±3.48 µg l
−1
) increased frog mortality 46 days after atrazine exposure (post-metamorphosis), but only when frogs were challenged with a chytrid fungus implicated in global amphibian declines. Previous atrazine exposure did not affect resistance of infection (fungal load). Rather, early-life exposure to atrazine altered growth and development, which resulted in exposure to chytrid at more susceptible developmental stages and sizes, and reduced tolerance of infection, elevating mortality risk at an equivalent fungal burden to frogs unexposed to atrazine. Moreover, there was no evidence of recovery from atrazine exposure. Hence, reducing early-life exposure of amphibians to atrazine could reduce lasting increases in the risk of mortality from a disease associated with worldwide amphibian declines. More generally, these findings highlight that a better understanding of how stressors cause enduring effects on disease susceptibility could facilitate disease prevention in wildlife and humans, an approach that is often more cost-effective and efficient than reactive medicine.
Active pollination favours sexual dimorphism in floral scent
Authors: Okamoto Tomoko , Kawakita Atsushi , Goto Ryutaro , Svensson Glenn P. , Kato Makoto
Published: October 2013

Zoophilous flowers often transmit olfactory signals to attract pollinators. In plants with unisexual flowers, such signals are usually similar between the sexes because attraction of the same animal to both male and female flowers is essential for conspecific pollen transfer. Here, we present a remarkable example of sexual dimorphism in floral signal observed in reproductively highly specialized clades of the tribe Phyllantheae (Phyllanthaceae). These plants are pollinated by species-specific, seed-parasitic
Epicephala
moths (Gracillariidae) that actively collect pollen from male flowers and pollinate the female flowers in which they oviposit; by doing so, they ensure seeds for their offspring. We found that
Epicephala
-pollinated Phyllanthaceae plants consistently exhibit major qualitative differences in scent between male and female flowers, often involving compounds derived from different biosynthetic pathways. In a choice test, mated female
Epicephala
moths preferred the scent of male flowers over that of female flowers, suggesting that male floral scent elicits pollen-collecting behaviour.
Epicephala
pollination evolved multiple times in Phyllantheae, at least thrice accompanied by transition from sexual monomorphism to dimorphism in floral scent. This is the first example in which sexually dimorphic floral scent has evolved to signal an alternative reward provided by each sex, provoking the pollinator's legitimate altruistic behaviour.
Low historical rates of cuckoldry in a Western European human population traced by Y-chromosome and genealogical data
Authors: Larmuseau M. H. D. , Vanoverbeke J. , Van Geystelen A. , Defraene G. , Vanderheyden N. , Matthys K. , Wenseleers T. , Decorte R.
Published: October 2013

Recent evidence suggests that seeking out extra-pair paternity (EPP) can be a viable alternative reproductive strategy for both males and females in many pair-bonded species, including humans. Accurate data on EPP rates in humans, however, are scant and mostly restricted to extant populations. Here, we provide the first large-scale, unbiased genetic study of historical EPP rates in a Western European human population based on combining Y-chromosomal data to infer genetic patrilineages with genealogical and surname data, which reflect known historical presumed paternity. Using two independent methods, we estimate that over the last few centuries, EPP rates in Flanders (Belgium) were only around 1–2% per generation. This figure is substantially lower than the 8–30% per generation reported in some behavioural studies on historical EPP rates, but comparable with the rates reported by other genetic studies of contemporary Western European populations. These results suggest that human EPP rates have not changed substantially during the last 400 years in Flanders and imply that legal genealogies rarely differ from the biological ones. This result has significant implications for a diverse set of fields, including human population genetics, historical demography, forensic science and human sociobiology.
Serotype profile and molecular characterization of antimicrobial resistance in non-typhoidal Salmonella isolated from gastroenteritis cases over nine years
Authors: Taneja Neelam , Appannanavar Suma B. , Kumar Ajay , Varma Garima , Kumar Yashwant , Mohan Balvinder , Sharma Meera
Published: October 2013

Resistance to third-generation cephalosporins in non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is emerging worldwide. We report the occurrence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) phenotypes in 53.4 % of NTS isolated over a period of nine years from gastroenteritis cases. ESBL and AmpC co-production was observed in 21 % of the isolates. Occurrence of bla
CTX-M-15 and bla
CMY-2 resistance genes was observed in 11.6 % and 37 % of the isolates respectively. Overall, Salmonella enterica serovar Senftenberg was the predominant serovar carrying bla
CTX-M-15 and bla
CMY-2 resistance genes. We report for the first time from India, one isolate each of S. enterica serovar Thompson, S. enterica serovar Infantis and S. enterica serovar Newport, carrying the bla
CTX-M-15 gene. We also report for the first time from India, a case of gastroenteritis due to S. enterica serovar Thompson.
Structural and docking studies of potent ethionamide boosters
Authors: Tatum Natalie J. , Villemagne Baptiste , Willand Nicolas , Deprez Benoit , Liebeschuetz John W. , Baulard Alain R. , Pohl Ehmke
Published: October 2013

Tuberculosis remains the second only to HIV as the leading cause of death by infectious disease worldwide, and was responsible for 1.4 million deaths globally in 2011. One of the essential drugs of the second-line antitubercular regimen is the prodrug ethionamide, introduced in the 1960s. Ethionamide is primarily used in cases of multi-drug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) TB due to severe adverse side effects. As a prodrug, ethionamide is bioactivated by EthA, a mono-oxygenase whose activity is repressed by EthR, a member of the TetR family of regulators. Previous studies have established that inhibition of EthR improves ethionamide potency. We report here the crystal structures of three EthR inhibitors at 0.8 Å resolution (3-oxo-3-{4-[3-(thiophen-2-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl]piperidin-1-yl}propanenitrile (BDM31343), 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-{4-[3-(6-methoxy-1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl]piperidin-1-yl}butanone (BDM41325) and 5,5,5-trifluoro-1-{4-[3-(4-methanesulfonylphenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl]piperidin-1-yl}pentanone (BDM41907)), and the docking studies undertaken to investigate possible binding modes. The results revealed two distinct orientations of the three compounds in the binding channel, a direct consequence of the promiscuous nature of the largely lipophilic binding site.
The metabolic cost of flagellar motion in Pseudomonas putida KT2440
Authors: Martínez‐García Esteban , Nikel Pablo I. , Chavarría Max , de Lorenzo Víctor
Published: October 2013

Although the flagellar machinery of environmental bacteria endows cells with a phenomenal survival device, it also consumes much of the metabolic currency necessary for fuelling such a vigorous nano‐motor. The physiological cost of flagella‐related functions of the soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida KT2440 was examined and quantified through the deletion of a ∼ 70 kb DNA segment of the genome (∼ 1.1%), which includes relevant structural and regulatory genes in this micro‐organism. The resulting strain lacked the protruding polar cords that define flagella in the wild‐type P. putida strain and was unable of any swimming motility while showing a significant change in surface hydrophobicity. However, these deficiencies were otherwise concomitant with clear physiological advantages: rapid adaptation of the deleted strain to both glycolytic and gluconeogenic carbon sources, increased energy charge and, most remarkably, improved tolerance to oxidative stress, reflecting an increased NADPH/NADP+ ratio. These qualities improve the endurance of non‐flagellated cells to the metabolic fatigue associated with rapid growth in rich medium. Thus, flagellar motility represents the archetypal tradeoff involved in acquiring environmental advantages at the cost of a considerable metabolic burden.
Life with compass: diversity and biogeography of magnetotactic bacteria
Authors: Lin Wei , Bazylinski Dennis A. , Xiao Tian , Wu Long‐Fei , Pan Yongxin
Published: October 2013

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are unique in their ability to synthesize intracellular nano‐sized minerals of magnetite and/or greigite magnetosomes for magnetic orientation. Thus, they provide an excellent model system to investigate mechanisms of biomineralization. MTB play important roles in bulk sedimentary magnetism and have numerous versatile applications in paleoenvironmental reconstructions, and biotechnological and biomedical fields. Significant progress has been made in recent years in describing the composition of MTB communities and distribution through innovative cultivation‐dependent and ‐independent techniques. In this review, the most recent contributions to the field of diversity and biogeography of MTB are summarized and reviewed. Emphasis is on the novel insights into various factors/processes potentially affecting MTB community distribution. An understanding of the present‐day biogeography of MTB, and the ruling parameters of their spatial distribution, will eventually help us predict MTB community shifts with environmental changes and assess their roles in global iron cycling.
Flagella interact with ionic plant lipids to mediate adherence of pathogenic Escherichia coli to fresh produce plants
Authors: Rossez Yannick , Holmes Ashleigh , Wolfson Eliza B. , Gally David L. , Mahajan Arvind , Pedersen Henriette L. , Willats William G.T. , Toth Ian K. , Holden Nicola J.
Published: October 2013

Bacterial attachment to plant and animal surfaces is generally thought to constitute the initial step in colonization, requiring adherence factors such as flagella and fimbriae. We describe the molecular mechanism underpinning flagella‐mediated adherence to plant tissue for the foodborne pathogen, enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli. Escherichia coli H7 flagella interacted with a sulphated carbohydrate (carrageenan) on a glycan array, which occurred in a dose‐dependent manner. Adherence of E. coli O157 : H‐expressing flagella of serotype H7, H6 or H48 to plants associated with outbreaks from fresh produce and to Arabidopsis thaliana, was dependent on flagella interactions with phospholipids and sulpholipids in plasma membranes. Adherence of purified H7 and H48 flagella to carrageenan was reduced at higher concentrations of KH2PO4 or KCl, showing an ionic basis to the interactions. Purified H7 flagella were observed to physically interact with plasma membranes in spinach plants and in A. thaliana. The results show a specific interaction between E. coli H7, H6 and H48 flagella and ionic lipids in plant plasma membranes. The work extends our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning E. coli flagella targeting of plant hosts and suggests a generic mechanism of recognition common in eukaryotic hosts belonging to different biological kingdoms.
Outcomes of structured teaching for children on the autism spectrum: does the research evidence neglect the bigger picture?
Authors: Howley Marie
Published: October 2013

The adoption of ‘structured teaching’ is evident in educational settings worldwide and has fast become one of the key ‘tools’ in autism education. As calls for evidence‐based practice have increased, research evidence has grown to interrogate the effectiveness of structured teaching components. Previous systematic literature reviews of the research evidence suggest that structured teaching has positive effects upon problem behaviours and also increases engagement and independent task organisation. This literature review builds upon previous reviews in order to explore the effects of structured teaching upon behaviour and learning, asking what the research evidence actually measures in relation to these two concepts. Gaps in the research evidence are identified, and discussion focuses upon the need for research which investigates the role of structured teaching components in meaningful learning, the need for greater attention to evaluate social validity of the approach which takes into account those who implement and indeed those who receive the intervention and finally the need for research to analyse the effects of structured teaching upon alternative outcomes of ‘well‐being’ and ‘quality of life’.
Local improvement of skylark and corn bunting population trends on intensive arable landscape: a case study of the conservation toolNatura 2000
Authors: Brodier S. , Augiron S. , Cornulier T. , Bretagnolle V.
Published: October 2013

For the past 20 years, different policy and regulatory tools such as the agri‐environment schemes (AES) and theNatura 2000 network have been used inEurope to halt the ongoing decline of farmland birds resulting from agricultural intensification. Despite their wide implementation, bird populations are still declining at national andEuropean scales, thus questioning the effectiveness of these schemes. Here, we examined the impact of the designation in 2004 of aSpecialProtectionArea (SPA) for the little bustard on the local trends of two non‐targeted, common but declining farmland birds, the skylark and the corn bunting, in an intensive arable landscape of westernFrance. From 1996 to 2012, trends in skylark presence or abundance decreased whereas trends in corn bunting abundance first decreased and then showed a recovery; the trends differed between outside and inside theSPA. Outside theSPAand consistently with trends at the national andEuropean scales, skylark abundance sharply decreased whereas corn bunting abundance first decreased and then stabilized or even slightly increased. Within theSPA, the skylark declined less, and the corn bunting abundance increased at a faster rate than outside. Our results suggest that the implementation of aSPAin this arable landscape had a positive impact on these two farmland passerines, at least for corn buntings, for which the implementation ofAESclearly improved habitat. Our results also suggest that the extensive implementation ofSPAsmay have had a positive impact on bird population trends in farmlands at a regional level, wherec. 150 000 ha (15–20% of total arable landscape) have been designated since 2004. However, theSPAnetwork (withinNatura 2000) currently covers a mere 3.7% ofFrench arable landscape, and it is therefore no surprise that specialist birds in farmland are still declining nationally.
In‐Hospital Heart Rate Turbulence and Microvolt T‐Wave Alternans Abnormalities for Prediction of Early Life‐Threatening Ventricular Arrhythmia after Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Arisha Mohamed Moussa , Girerd Nicolas , Chauveau Samuel , Bresson Didier , Scridon Alina , Bonnefoy Eric , Chevalier Philippe
Published: October 2013

Background

In the setting of primary prevention, most implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD) are implanted more than 6 months after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Abnormal heart rate turbulence (HRT) and T‐wave alternans (TWA) are predictors of long‐term sudden cardiac death (SCD). We intended to assess the predictive value of HRT and TWA for early post‐AMI SCD and life‐threatening ventricular arrhythmias (VA).

Methods

One hundred ninety‐nine consecutive patients with AMI were prospectively included (age 61.7 years, LV ejection fraction 45%). One hundred eighty‐three patients (92%) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. We assessed HRT using turbulence slope (TS), turbulence onset (TO), and TWA on channels 1 and 2 (TWA1 and TWA2) using the modified moving average method. Predictive performance for SCD/VA was assessed by area under the receiver operating curve characteristic (ROC‐AUC).

Results

Within 6 months after AMI, 2 patients (1%) developed life‐threatening VA and 3 (1.5%) experienced SCD. TO and TWA1 had poor ROC‐AUC (both 0.64) whereas TS and TWA2 failed to show any predictive performance (ROC‐AUC 0.48 and 0.57, respectively). When combining TO and TWA1, ROC‐AUC increased to 0.80. Importantly, when considering the subset of patients with a LV ejection fraction ≤40%, the combined variable of TO and TWA1 remained strongly predictive of a short‐term event (ROC‐AUC 0.86).

Conclusions

Combined assessment of HRT and TWA showed a high predictive performance for SCD or life‐threatening VA within 6 months after AMI. This combined Holter ECG index could be useful to identify high‐risk patients who might benefit from early ICD implantation.
A De Novo Novel Cardiac Ryanodine Mutation (Ser4155Tyr) Associated with Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
Authors: Mantziari Lilian , Vassilikos Vassilios , Anastasakis Aris , Kotsaka Xanthippi , Paraskevaidis Stelios , Styliadis Ioannis H , Luria David
Published: October 2013

We describe the case of a 14‐year‐old girl with a history of syncopal episodes triggered by stress or exercise. Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia was diagnosed with the aid of an implantable loop recorder. The genetic testing of the patient and her family revealed a de novo novel missense mutation (Ser4155Tyr) in the exon 90 of the ryanodine receptor gene. This mutation affects a highly conserved residue (S4155) and results to replacement of serine (S) with tyrosine (Y) leading to change in physical and chemical properties. The girl was treated with an implantable defibrillator, metoprolol and flecainide. Over 1 year of follow‐up she had no recurrence of ventricular tachycardia.
Breeding Return Times and Abundance in Capture–Recapture Models
Authors: Pledger Shirley , Baker Edward , Scribner Kim
Published: October 2013

For many long-lived animal species, individuals do not breed every year, and are often not accessible during non-breeding periods. Individuals exhibit site fidelity if they return to the same breeding colony or spawning ground when they breed. If capture and recapture is only possible at the breeding site, temporary emigration models are used to allow for only a subset of the animals being present in any given year. Most temporary emigration models require the use of the robust sampling design, and their focus is usually on probabilities of annual survival and of transition between breeding and non-breeding states. We use lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) data from a closed population where only a simple (one sample per year) sampling scheme is possible, and we also wish to estimate abundance as well as sex-specific survival and breeding return time probabilities. By adding return time parameters to the Schwarz-Arnason version of the Jolly–Seber model, we have developed a new likelihood-based model which yields plausible estimates of abundance, survival, transition and return time parameters. An important new finding from investigation of the model is the overestimation of abundance if a Jolly–Seber model is used when Markovian temporary emigration is present.
Disruptive Innovation … in Reverse: Adding a Geographical Dimension to Disruptive Innovation Theory
Authors: Corsi Simone , Di Minin Alberto
Published: October 2013

Based on a literature review on disruptive innovation and innovation from emerging economies, we offer an interpretation of a subset of reverse innovation within the disruptive innovation theory. We argue that the combination of these two theories provides a useful framework to look at emerging economies as sources of new products and technological solutions. Finally, we provide a new categorization of disruptive innovation considering a geographical dimension and future research directions.
Immunophenotypic shift of CD4 and CD8 antigen expression in primary cutaneous T‐cell lymphomas: a clinicopathologic study of three cases
Authors: Aung Phyu Phyu , Climent Fina , Muzzafar Tariq , Curry Jonathan L. , Patel Keyur P. , Servitje Octavio , Prieto Victor G. , Duvic Madeleine , Jaffe Elaine S. , Torres‐Cabala Carlos A.
Published: October 2013

Primary cutaneous T‐cell lymphomas (CTCL) comprise a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with diverse clinical behavior. Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of CTCL. Immunophenotypical shift during progression of the disease is a rare event and its significance is unknown. We present three primary CTCL cases that showed an immunophenotypical shift and poor prognosis. Conventional hematoxylin/eosin and immunohistochemical‐stained sections were examined in all the cases. Molecular analysis for rearrangement of the T‐cell receptor (TCR) gene was performed in two cases. One case was classified as MF, while the other two lacked epidermotropism, and were considered primary cutaneous peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL), NOS. Two cases were CD3+/CD4+ and one case was CD3+/CD8+ at diagnosis. The first two patients suffered many relapses and eventually, new CTCL lesions with a CD3+/CD8+ phenotype were observed. Both cases revealed identical clonal TCR rearrangements on the initial and late lesions, supporting the interpretation of a single clonal proliferation with different phenotypes. The third case progressed with skin recurrences and pulmonary lesions with a predominant CD3+/CD4+/CD8− phenotype. All cases manifested poor prognosis and two patients died of lymphoma. Immunophenotypical shift between CD4 and CD8 in CTCL seems to be a rare phenomenon that may be associated with disease progression.
The invasion window for warmwater fish in clearwater lakes: the role of ultraviolet radiation and temperature
Authors: Tucker Andrew J. , Williamson Craig E.
Published: October 2013

Aim

In clear, cold‐water lakes, ultraviolet radiation (UV) and temperature are two important stressors that may prevent the establishment of aquatic invasive species by inhibiting the survival of sensitive early life history stages. In this study, we develop a UV–temperature response model to predict the establishment potential of a warmwater fish, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), in a large subalpine lake based on the ability of bass larvae to tolerate UV and temperature stress along a UV–temperature stress gradient.

Location

Lake Tahoe (California/Nevada, USA).

Methods

We compared the UV tolerance of largemouth bass larvae to that of the native redside minnow (Richardsonius egregius) in outdoor UV exposure–response experiments. A UV–temperature response model for larval bass was developed that combined the experimentally derived UV exposure response from our outdoor experiments with a temperature response curve derived from the literature. We used the UV–temperature response model to predict reproductive success (i.e. larval survival) over the range of UV exposure and temperature conditions in nearshore Lake Tahoe. The model predictions were validated with in situ incubation experiments at nearshore locations.

Results

Non‐native bass were significantly less UV tolerant than native redside minnows. The UV–temperature response model predicted that larval bass survival varies seasonally, spatially and over depth gradients in nearshore Lake Tahoe and is constrained by UV and temperature conditions. In situ incubation experiments confirmed model predictions.

Main conclusions

Our findings provide important insights into the potential for species invasion in clear, cold‐water lakes that are experiencing significant changes in both temperature and transparency. The conceptual model and approach that we employ is a potentially powerful tool for exploring unanswered questions in invasion biology, including the role of alternate stable states in facilitating invasion and the potential for invasive species to promote ‘invasional meltdown’ through their impacts on water clarity and temperature.
Autoantibodies to neuronal antigens in children with new‐onset seizures classified according to the revised ILAE organization of seizures and epilepsies
Authors: Suleiman Jehan , Wright Sukhvir , Gill Deepak , Brilot Fabienne , Waters Patrick , Peacock Ken , Procopis Peter , Nibber Anjan , Vincent Angela , Dale Russell C. , Lang Bethan
Published: October 2013

Purpose

Potentially pathogenic autoantibodies are found increasingly in adults with seizure disorders, including focal seizures and those of unknown cause. In this study, we investigated a cohort of children with new‐onset seizures to see whether there were autoantibodies and the relationship to any specific seizure or epilepsy type.

Methods

We prospectively recruited 114 children (2 months to 16 years) with new‐onset seizures presenting between September 2009 and November 2011, as well as 65 controls. Patients were clinically assessed and classified according to the new International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) organization of seizures and epilepsies classification system. Sera were tested for autoantibodies to a range of antigens, blind to the clinical and classification details.

Key Findings

Eleven (9.7%) of 114 patients were positive for one or more autoantibodies compared to 3 of 65 controls (4.6%, p = ns). Patients had antibodies to the voltage‐gated potassium channel (VGKC) complex (n = 4), contactin‐associated protein‐like 2 (CASPR2) (n = 3), N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptors (NMDARs) (n = 2), or VGKC‐complex and NMDAR (n = 2). None had antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase, contactin‐2, or to glycine, 2‐amino‐3‐(3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolyl) propionic acid (AMPA), or γ‐aminobutyric acid B receptors. Ten of these 11 patients were classified as having epilepsy according to the new ILAE organization of seizures and epilepsy. Although, there were no significant differences in the demographic and clinical features between antibody‐positive and antibody‐negative patients, the classification of “unknown cause” was higher in the antibody positive (7/10; 70%) compared with the antibody negative subjects (23/86; 26.7%; p = 0.0095, Fisher's exact test). Furthermore, four of these seven patients with epilepsy (57.1%) were classified as having predominantly focal seizures compared with 12 of the 86 antibody‐negative patients (13.9%; p = 0.015).

Significance

Because autoantibodies were more frequent in pediatric patients with new‐onset epilepsy of “unknown cause,” often with focal epilepsy features, this group of children may benefit most from autoantibody screening and consideration of immune therapy.
A fatigue damage indicator parameter for P91 chromium‐molybdenum alloy steel and fatigue pre‐damaged P54T carbon steel
Authors: Socha G. , Dietrich L.
Published: October 2013

Two grades of structural steel were subjected to fully reversible, constant stress amplitude cyclic loading. The local strain response of the material was measured and recorded during the test, with the applied testing technique enabling the monitoring of hysteresis loop variation for the narrowest cross‐section of the hourglass specimen. Changes in hysteresis loop width, representing the local inelastic response of the material, were recorded in order to monitor the density of structural imperfections. Material ratcheting behaviour was observed as changes in the mean strain for selected load cycles. Ratcheting was attributed to local deformation of the material in the vicinity of imperfections such as voids or inclusions, as well as deformation induced by the propagation of microcracks. Definitions of a damage indicator parameter and damage parameter were proposed. The fatigue behaviour of the two investigated grades of steel was finally illustrated in the form of damage curves for different stress amplitudes and for undamaged and fatigue pre‐damaged material.
No change from climate change: vulnerability and small island developing states
Authors: Kelman Ilan
Published: October 2013

Climate change is frequently touted as the biggest development challenge that faces humanity. Such rhetoric may be distracting from other development challenges which need to be addressed simultaneously with climate change. This paper uses the case study of small island developing states (SIDS) affected by climate change to explore how focusing on climate change can depoliticise the challenges that they face. Three linked points of depoliticisation through climate change are exemplified: emphasising the hazard, avoiding other long‐term development challenges, and shifting focus away from opportunities for reducing vulnerability, including during community reconstruction. Examples cover scientific and policy discussions, from inside and external to SIDS. Links are made with migration narratives, especially learning from the past and the importance of not rebuilding communities with the same vulnerabilities as before. The fundamental challenge is not so much addressing the hazard of climate change per se, but why SIDS peoples often do not have the resources or options to address climate change and other development challenges themselves. In this regard, climate change brings little that is new to SIDS which continue to be marginalised.
Geographical barriers to education law advice: access, communications and public legal services in England and Wales
Authors: Patel Ash , Balmer Nigel J , Smith Marisol
Published: October 2013

In line with changes to the delivery of other public services, current reforms to publicly funded legal advice services within England and Wales seek to move services from traditional face‐to‐face settings to delivery predominantly over the telephone. Government justification for the policy has focused on greater equality of access. In contrast, criticisms have centred upon the inability of the telephone to address the needs of certain client groups or complex cases. Using administrative records collected by the Legal Services Commission on the use of education law advice services, this paper considers the extent to which telephone services overcome barriers caused by distance from advice sources, as well as their ability to deliver comparable service and achieve similar outcomes to face‐to‐face services. Clear evidence emerged that as distance increased between service users and their closest provider, so did the likelihood of using telephone advice. However, when looking at the nature of the service received and the outcome achieved for clients, there were notable differences, with face‐to‐face service users far more likely to achieve tangible outcomes. Few telephone cases moved beyond the initial stages of advice. Telephone services did mediate the impact of distance, although there were concerns over the comparability of the service delivered by the two modes. Despite this, the paper highlights the importance of going beyond simply measuring access in terms of utilisation alone, also measuring it in terms of the outcomes achieved.
Beyond net deficits: new priorities for an aquacultural geography
Authors: Belton Ben , Bush Simon R
Published: October 2013

Geographers first identified aquaculture as an important field of study during the 1990s, pointing to a ‘net deficit’ in geographical knowledge about the activity. This paper examines how far geographers have come in bridging this knowledge deficit in the last 20 years. While increasing attention has focused on the political economy of export products consumed in the global North, ‘everyday’ geographies of aquaculture production and consumption in the globalSouth have been neglected. We argue that paying greater attention to everyday aquaculture in the globalSouth provides opportunities for geographers to engage with wider questions around development and change that extend far beyond aquaculture. By focusing on changing patterns of aquaculture production forSouthern domestic markets, geographers can provide a counterpoint toNorthern dominated agro‐food studies by re‐emphasising the importance of consumption, urbanisation and agrarian transitions from a more place‐based perspective and, in doing so, support the development of theory that reflectsSouthern realties.
What factors influence older adults to discuss falls with their health‐care providers?
Authors: Lee Den‐Ching A. , Day Lesley , Hill Keith , Clemson Lindy , McDermott Fiona , Haines Terry P.
Published: October 2013

Objective

To identify from the older adults' perspective, the factors associated with discussion about falls with their general practitioners and other health professionals and the factors associated with initiation of these discussions. We explored the content of and barriers to discussion about falls.

Methods

A prospective cohort study where a baseline cross‐sectional survey was followed by a survey 1 year later. Survey domains were drawn from constructs of behavioural change models. Data from 245 older community dwellers in Victoria, Australia, in the follow‐up survey were used for this study. Survey format consisted of yes and no responses, Likert scale and open/closed‐ended responses.

Results

Few older adults talked with and initiated a talk with their health‐care providers about falls in the follow‐up period. Multiple regression showed anxiety or depression [OR = 2.78, 95% CI (1.21–6.41)], chronic medical conditions such as diabetes [OR = 2.71, 95% CI (1.19–6.17)] and having a self‐reported fall in the last 12 months [OR = 4.26, 95% CI (2.16–8.41)] were associated with discussion of falls with general practitioners. Higher perception of risk of sustaining a serious injury from falling [OR = 1.49 (1.03–2.13)] was associated with discussion about falls with other health professionals. Participants discussed various topics of falls with their health‐care providers. Different barriers to discussion about falls were identified.

Conclusion

Health‐care providers should routinely discuss falls prevention with older adults. Dissemination of evidence‐based advice and followed up with referral during consultations, particularly in general practitioners could advance falls prevention practice. The results could help to develop a conceptual framework to predict the likelihood of falls discussion.