bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sagittal and vertical effects of transverse sagittal maxillary expander (TSME) in three different malocclusion groups
Authors: Maspero Cinzia , Galbiati Guido , Giannini Lucia , Farronato Giampietro
Published: April 2015

Background

The aim of this retrospective study was to cephalometrically evaluate the skeletal and dental effects of the transverse sagittal maxillary expander (TSME), for the correction of sagittal and transverse maxillary deficiency in class I, II, and III malocclusions.

Methods

The sample for this retrospective study included 45 patients (mean age, 8.4 years; 26 females, 19 males; 15 skeletal class I subjects, 15 skeletal class II subjects, and 15 skeletal class III subjects) with maxillary bilateral cross-bite.

For each patient, a lateral cephalogram was obtained before treatment and at the end of the retention period. Changes in the groups during the observation period were calculated, compared, and statistically analyzed with a t-test.

Results

The cephalometric values before T0 and T1 showed significant changes.

Conclusions

The TSME can produce skeletal changes due to the transverse force and sagittal effects on the maxillary alveolar process. These modifications have benefic effects in classes I, II, and III. The data obtained in this study permit us to underline the fact that TSME can be used in all of the skeletal classes, with good vertical and sagittal results.
Enhancement of neutrophil autophagy by an IVIG preparation against multidrug-resistant bacteria as well as drug-sensitive strains
Authors: Itoh Hiroshi , Matsuo Hidemasa , Kitamura Naoko , Yamamoto Sho , Higuchi Takeshi , Takematsu Hiromu , Kamikubo Yasuhiko , Kondo Tadakazu , Yamashita Kouhei , Sasada Masataka , Takaori-Kondo Akifumi , Adachi Souichi
Published: April 2015

Autophagy occurs in human neutrophils after the phagocytosis of multidrug-resistant bacteria and drug-sensitive strains, including Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The present study detected autophagy by immunoblot analysis of LC3B conversion, by confocal scanning microscopic examination of LC3B aggregate formation and by transmission electron microscopic examination of bacteria-containing autophagosomes. Patients with severe bacterial infections are often treated with IVIG alongside antimicrobial agents. Here, we showed that IVIG induced neutrophil-mediated phagocytosis of multidrug-resistant strains. Compared with untreated neutrophils, neutrophils exposed to IVIG showed increased levels of bacterial cell killing, phagocytosis, O2− release, MPO release, and NET formation. IVIG also increased autophagy in these cells. Inhibiting the late phase of autophagy (fusion of lysosomes with autophagosomes) with bafilomycin A1-reduced, neutrophil-mediated bactericidal activity. These findings indicate that autophagy plays a critical role in the bactericidal activity mediated by human neutrophils. Furthermore, the autophagosomes within the neutrophils contained bacteria only and their organelles only, or both bacteria and their organelles, a previously undocumented observation. Taken together, these results suggest that the contents of neutrophil autophagosomes may be derived from specific autophagic systems, which provide the neutrophil with an advantage. Thus, IVIG promotes the neutrophil-mediated killing of multidrug-resistant bacteria as well as drug-sensitive strains.
A general psychopathology factor in early adolescence
Authors: Patalay Praveetha , Fonagy Peter , Deighton Jessica , Belsky Jay , Vostanis Panos , Wolpert Miranda
Published: April 2015

Background

Recently, a general psychopathology dimension reflecting common aspects among disorders has been identified in adults. This has not yet been considered in children and adolescents, where the focus has been on externalising and internalising dimensions.

Aims

To examine the existence, correlates and predictive value of a general psychopathology dimension in young people.

Method

Alternative factor models were estimated using self-reports of symptoms in a large community-based sample aged 11–13.5 years (N= 23 477), and resulting dimensions were assessed in terms of associations with external correlates and future functioning.

Results

Both a traditional two-factor model and a bi-factor model with a general psychopathology bi-factor fitted the data well. The general psychopathology bi-factor best predicted future psychopathology and academic attainment. Associations with correlates and factor loadings are discussed.

Conclusions

A general psychopathology factor, which is equal across genders, can be identified in young people. Its associations with correlates and future functioning indicate that investigating this factor can increase our understanding of the aetiology, risk and correlates of psychopathology.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor-Independent Effects of Growth Hormone on Growth Plate Chondrogenesis and Longitudinal Bone Growth
Authors: Wu Shufang , Yang Wei , De Luca Francesco
Published: April 2015

GH stimulates growth plate chondrogenesis and longitudinal bone growth directly at the growth plate. However, it is not clear yet whether these effects are entirely mediated by the local expression and action of IGF-1 and IGF-2. To determine whether GH has any IGF-independent growth-promoting effects, we generated TamCartIgf1rflox/flox mice. The systemic injection of tamoxifen in these mice postnatally resulted in the excision of the IGF-1 receptor (Igf1r) gene exclusively in the growth plate. TamCartIgf1rflox/flox tamoxifen-treated mice [knockout (KO) mice] and their Igf1rflox/flox control littermates (C mice) were injected for 4 weeks with GH. At the end of the 4-week period, the tibial growth and growth plate height of GH-treated KO mice were greater than those of untreated C or untreated KO mice. The systemic injection of GH increased the phosphorylation of Janus kinase 2 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5B in the tibial growth plate of the C and KO mice. In addition, GH increased the mRNA expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 and the mRNA expression and protein phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB p65 in both C and KO mice. In cultured chondrocytes transfected with Igf1r small interfering RNA, the addition of GH in the culture medium significantly induced thymidine incorporation and collagen X mRNA expression. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that GH can promote growth plate chondrogenesis and longitudinal bone growth directly at the growth plate, even when the local effects of IGF-1 and IGF-2 are prevented. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the intracellular molecular mechanisms mediating the IGF-independent, growth-promoting GH effects.
“Law, Good Faith, Order, Security”: Joseph Conrad's Institutions
Authors: Higney Robert
Published: April 2015

This essay examines the relationship between character and institution in Conrad's Nostromo. It argues that Nostromo undoes the Victorian impulse to reconcile the individual and the social world in the conventions of the bildungsroman and the adoption and modification of those conventions in Conrad's earlier novels (such as Lord Jim) by constructing a narrative in which development has been relocated from the interesting individual to what the novel calls “material interests” and what Conrad elsewhere terms “political institutions.” Nostromo's flattened characters, proliferation of types, and elastic temporality serve to organize its narrative around the “inhuman” timescape of institutions—of the state, military, communication, transit, and finance—rather than the individual biography. Relying on a romance plot to bring closure to a theoretically endless narrative of institutional reproduction, Nostromo calls on tropes of nineteenth-century realism only to insist upon their inadequacy. The novel's attention to institutions as material structures (and as actors in their own right) joined to sets of values, practices, and incentives (and thus as contexts for individual action) resonates with recent institutionalist scholarship from the social sciences and makes Nostromo a significant text in the history of the modern novel's engagement with collectivity.
The Cultural Logics of Neoliberalism
Authors: Gane Mike
Published: April 2015

Neoliberalism involves significant state interventions in the economic, social, and cultural spheres—but not in the way embraced by classic liberals and socialists (external planning and administration); neoliberalism instead bases its legitimation on the myth that institutions that escape the rigors of the market and competition induce a new serfdom. This article examines, through the writings of Jean Baudrillard on the cultural logics of neoliberalism as implosion, transpoliticization, and catastrophe, the thesis that neoliberalism marks not the high point of capitalism but the crucial break with capitalism, one that produces a new and ironic totalitarianism of means not ends and a new kind of serfdom not envisaged by neoliberals. The article suggests, however, that Baudrillard’s theorizing occludes important aspects of neoliberalism.
“Participatory Drama”
Authors: Larocco Christina
Published: April 2015

This article argues that late 1960s debates about the role of the citizen and the role of the audience were not only connected but also mutually constitutive. As President Richard Nixon praised the silent majority, and as the New Left group Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) argued for participatory democracy, an experimental theater troupe called The Performance Group (TPG) developed a theatrical style that blurred the lines between audience and performer. These three developments were interrelated. All three, moreover, were connected to the continuation and escalation of the Vietnam War. The crucial question centered around the proper role of the audience, or citizenry: Should members sit quietly and watch the drama unfold, confident in the decisions of those elected to perform certain roles? Or should they raise their voices and demand to be a part of the action, as in the New Left vision of participatory democracy? These arguments develop through an exploration of the relationship between TPG, founded in 1967 by performance studies architect Richard Schechner and others, and SDS. The members of SDS believed that the heightened emotional sensitivity and expressivity of performing artists could break through the powerlessness many Americans felt in the face of the Vietnam War. They explicitly understood their goal of participatory democracy in terms of turning audience members into performers. In turn, Schechner drew on both the performative nature of antiwar protests and the theory of participatory democracy to develop an aesthetic that blurred the lines between performer and audience. Ultimately this relationship between New Left thought and experimental theater contributed to the emergence of performance studies as an academic discipline. This article thus helps us understand its development as a field fundamentally shaped by 1960s debates about citizenship and democracy.
PML induces compaction, TRF2 depletion and DNA damage signaling at telomeres and promotes their alternative lengthening
Authors: Osterwald Sarah , Deeg Katharina I. , Chung Inn , Parisotto Daniel , Wörz Stefan , Rohr Karl , Erfle Holger , Rippe Karsten
Published: April 2015

The alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) mechanism allows cancer cells to escape senescence and apoptosis in the absence of active telomerase. A characteristic feature of this pathway is the assembly of ALT-associated promyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear bodies (APBs) at telomeres. Here, we dissected the role of APBs in a human ALT cell line by performing an RNA interference screen using an automated 3D fluorescence microscopy platform and advanced 3D image analysis. We identified 29 proteins that affected APB formation, which included proteins involved in telomere and chromatin organization, protein sumoylation and DNA repair. By integrating and extending these findings, we found that APB formation induced clustering of telomere repeats, telomere compaction and concomitant depletion of the shelterin protein TRF2 (also known as TERF2). These APB-dependent changes correlated with the induction of a DNA damage response at telomeres in APBs as evident by a strong enrichment of the phosphorylated form of the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase. Accordingly, we propose that APBs promote telomere maintenance by inducing a DNA damage response in ALT-positive tumor cells through changing the telomeric chromatin state to trigger ATM phosphorylation.
HGF-induced serine 897 phosphorylation of EphA2 regulates epithelial morphogenesis of MDCK cells in 3D culture
Authors: Harada Kohei , Negishi Manabu , Katoh Hironori
Published: April 2015

Expression of EphA2 is upregulated in various cancers that are derived from epithelial cells and correlates with the ability of a cancer cell to undergo migration and invasion. Here we have investigated the role of EphA2 in the epithelial morphogenesis of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells in three-dimensional culture. We show that EphA2 is phosphorylated on serine residue 897 through hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) stimulation using a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)–Akt-dependent mechanism and that this phosphorylation is required for the formation of extensions, the first step of tubulogenesis, in MDCK cysts. By contrast, stimulation using the ligand ephrinA1 dephosphorylates EphA2 on serine residue 897 and suppresses the HGF-induced morphological change. Furthermore, activation of the small GTPase RhoG is involved in the HGF-induced formation of extensions downstream of EphA2. These observations suggest that a ligand-independent activity of EphA2 contributes to epithelial morphogenesis.
Localization of cofilin mRNA to the leading edge of migrating cells promotes directed cell migration
Authors: Maizels Yael , Oberman Froma , Miloslavski Rachel , Ginzach Nava , Berman Malka , Yisraeli Joel K.
Published: April 2015

mRNA trafficking, which enables the localization of mRNAs to particular intracellular targets, occurs in a wide variety of cells. The importance of the resulting RNA distribution for cellular functions, however, has been difficult to assess. We have found that cofilin-1 mRNA is rapidly localized to the leading edge of human lung carcinoma cells and that VICKZ family RNA-binding proteins help mediate this localization through specific interactions with the 3′UTR of cofilin mRNA. Using a phagokinetic assay for cell motility, we have been able to quantify the effect of mRNA localization on the rescue of lung carcinoma cells in which cofilin was knocked down by using short hairpin RNA (shRNA). Although restoring cofilin protein to normal endogenous levels rescues general lamellipodia formation around the periphery of the cell, only when the rescuing cofilin mRNA can localize to the leading edge is it capable of also fully rescuing directed cell movement. These results demonstrate that localization of an mRNA can provide an additional level of regulation for the function of its protein product.
Regulation of Cdc42 polarization by the Rsr1 GTPase and Rga1, a Cdc42 GTPase-activating protein, in budding yeast
Authors: Lee Mid Eum , Lo Wing-Cheong , Miller Kristi E. , Chou Ching-Shan , Park Hay-Oak
Published: April 2015

Cdc42 plays a central role in establishing polarity in yeast and animals, yet how polarization of Cdc42 is achieved in response to spatial cues is poorly understood. Using live-cell imaging, we found distinct dynamics of Cdc42 polarization in haploid budding yeast in correlation with two temporal steps of the G1 phase. The position at which the Cdc42–GTP cluster develops changes rapidly around the division site during the first step but becomes stabilized in the second step, suggesting that an axis of polarized growth is determined in mid G1. Cdc42 polarization in the first step and its proper positioning depend on Rsr1 and its GTPase-activating protein (GAP) Bud2. Interestingly, Rga1, a Cdc42 GAP, exhibits transient localization to a site near the bud neck and to the division site during cytokinesis and G1, and this temporal change of Rga1 distribution is necessary for determination of a proper growth site. Mathematical modeling suggests that a proper axis of Cdc42 polarization in haploid cells might be established through a biphasic mechanism involving sequential positive feedback and transient negative feedback.
The structure of the TBCE/TBCB chaperones and α-tubulin complex shows a tubulin dimer dissociation mechanism
Authors: Serna Marina , Carranza Gerardo , Martín-Benito Jaime , Janowski Robert , Canals Albert , Coll Miquel , Zabala Juan Carlos , Valpuesta José María
Published: April 2015

Tubulin proteostasis is regulated by a group of molecular chaperones termed tubulin cofactors (TBC). Whereas tubulin heterodimer formation is well-characterized biochemically, its dissociation pathway is not clearly understood. We carried out biochemical assays to dissect the role of human TBCE and TBCB chaperones in αβ-tubulin dissociation. We used electron microscopy and image processing to determine the three-dimensional structure of human TBCE, TBCB and the α-tubulin (αEB) complex, which is formed via αβ-tubulin heterodimer dissociation by the two chaperones. Docking the atomic structures of domains of these proteins, including the TBCE UBL domain as we determined by X-ray crystallography, allowed description of the molecular architecture of the αEB complex. We found that heterodimer dissociation is an energy-independent process that takes place through disruption of the α/β-tubulin interface caused by a steric interaction between β-tubulin and the TBCE CAP-Gly (cytoskeleton-associated protein glycine-rich) and LRR (leucine-rich repeat) domains. The protruding arrangement of chaperone UBL (ubiquitin-like) domains in the αEB complex suggests direct interaction of this complex with the proteasome, thus mediating α–tubulin degradation.
ENTH and ANTH domain proteins participate in AP2-independent clathrin-mediated endocytosis
Authors: Manna Paul T. , Gadelha Catarina , Puttick Amy E. , Field Mark C.
Published: April 2015

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is a major route of entry into eukaryotic cells. A core of evolutionarily ancient genes encodes many components of this system but much of our mechanistic understanding of CME is derived from a phylogenetically narrow sampling of a few model organisms. In the parasite Trypanosoma brucei, which is distantly related to the better characterised animals and fungi, exceptionally fast endocytic turnover aids its evasion of the host immune system. Although clathrin is absolutely essential for this process, the adaptor protein complex 2 (AP2) has been secondarily lost, suggesting mechanistic divergence. Here, we characterise two phosphoinositide-binding monomeric clathrin adaptors, T. brucei (Tb)EpsinR and TbCALM, which in trypanosomes are represented by single genes, unlike the expansions present in animals and fungi. Depletion of these gene products reveals essential, but partially redundant, activities in CME. Ultrastructural analysis of TbCALM and TbEpsinR double-knockdown cells demonstrated severe defects to clathrin-coated pit formation and morphology associated with a dramatic inhibition of endocytosis. Depletion of TbCALM alone, however, produced a distinct lysosomal segregation phenotype, indicating an additional non-redundant role for this protein. Therefore, TbEpsinR and TbCALM represent ancient phosphoinositide-binding proteins with distinct and vital roles in AP2-independent endocytosis.
Essential role of flotillin-1 palmitoylation in the intracellular localization and signaling function of IGF-1 receptor
Authors: Jang Donghwan , Kwon Hayeong , Jeong Kyuho , Lee Jaewoong , Pak Yunbae
Published: April 2015

Here, we explored flotillin-1-mediated regulation of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling. Flotillin-1-deficient cells exhibited a reduction in the activation of IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R), ERK1/2 and Akt pathways, and the transcriptional activation of Elk-1 and the proliferation in response to IGF-1 were reduced in these cells. We found that IGF-1-independent flotillin-1 palmitoylation at Cys34 in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was required for the ER exit and the plasma membrane localization of flotillin-1 and IGF-1R. IGF-1-dependent depalmitoylation and repalmitoylation of flotillin-1 sustained tyrosine kinase activation of the plasma-membrane-targeted IGF-1R. Dysfunction and blocking the turnover of flotillin-1 palmitoylation abrogated cancer cell proliferation after IGF-1R signaling activation. Our data show that flotillin-1 palmitoylation is a new mechanism by which the intracellular localization and activation of IGF-1R are controlled.
Amorphous Ca2+ polyphosphate nanoparticles regulate the ATP level in bone-like SaOS-2 cells
Authors: Müller Werner E. G. , Tolba Emad , Feng Qingling , Schröder Heinz C. , Markl Julia S. , Kokkinopoulou Maria , Wang Xiaohong
Published: April 2015

Polyphosphate (polyP) is a physiologically occurring polyanion that is synthesized especially in bone-forming osteoblast cells and blood platelets. We used amorphous polyP nanoparticles, complexed with Ca2+, that have a globular size of ∼100 nm. Because polyP comprises inorganic orthophosphate units that are linked together through high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds, we questioned whether the observed morphogenetic effect, elicited by polyP, is correlated with the energy-generating machinery within the cells. We show that exposure of SaOS-2 osteoblast-like cells to polyP results in a strong accumulation of mitochondria and a parallel translocation of the polyP-degrading enzyme alkaline phosphatase to the cell surface. If SaOS-2 cells are activated by the mineralization activation cocktail (comprising β-glycerophosphate, ascorbic acid and dexamethasone) and additionally incubated with polyP, a tenfold intracellular increase of the ATP level occurs. Even more, in those cells, an intensified release of ATP into the extracellular space is also seen. We propose and conclude that polyP acts as metabolic fuel after the hydrolytic cleavage of the phosphoanhydride linkages, which contributes to hydroxyapatite formation on the plasma membranes of osteoblasts.
Dynamic changes in global and gene specific DNA methylation during hibernation in adult thirteen-lined ground squirrels,Ictidomys tridecemlineatus
Authors: Alvarado Sebastian , Mak Timothy , Liu Sara , Storey Kenneth B. , Szyf Moshe
Published: April 2015

Hibernating mammals conserve energy in the winter by undergoing prolonged bouts of torpor, interspersed with brief arousals back to euthermia. These bouts are accompanied with a suite of reversible physiological and biochemical changes; however, much remains to be discovered about the molecular mechanisms involved. Given the seasonal nature of hibernation, it stands to reason that underlying plastic epigenetic mechanisms should exist. One such form of epigenomic regulation involves the reversible modification of cytosine bases in DNA by methylation. DNA methylation is well-known to be a mechanism that confers upon DNA its cellular identity during differentiation in response to innate developmental cues. However, it has recently been hypothesized that DNA methylation also acts as a mechanism for adapting genome function to changing external environmental and experiential signals over different time scales, including during adulthood. Here, we tested the hypothesis that DNA methylation is altered during hibernation in adult wild animals. This study evaluated global changes in DNA methylation in response to hibernation in the liver and skeletal muscle of thirteen-lined ground squirrels along with changes in expression of DNA methyltransferases (DNMT1/3B) and methyl binding domain proteins (MBDs). A reduction in global DNA methylation occurred in muscle during torpor phases whereas significant changes in DNMTs and MBDs were seen in both tissues. We also report dynamic changes in DNA methylation in the promoter of the myocyte enhancer factor 2C (mef2c) gene, a candidate regulator of metabolism in skeletal muscle. Taken together, these data show that genomic DNA methylation is dynamic across torpor-arousal bouts during winter hibernation, consistent with a role for this regulatory mechanism in contributing to the hibernation phenotype.
Internal carbonic anhydrase activity in the tissue of scleractinian corals is sufficient to support proposed roles in photosynthesis and calcification
Authors: Hopkinson Brian M. , Tansik Anna L. , Fitt William K.
Published: April 2015

Reef-building corals import inorganic carbon (Ci) to build their calcium carbonate skeletons and to support photosynthesis by the symbiotic algae that reside in their tissue. The internal pathways that deliver Ci for both photosynthesis and calcification are known to involve the enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA), which interconverts CO2 and HCO3−. We have developed a method for absolute quantification of internal CA (iCA) activity in coral tissue based on the rate of 18O-removal from labeled Ci. The method was applied to three Caribbean corals (Orbicella faveolata, Porites astreoides, and Siderastrea radians) and showed that these species have similar iCA activities per unit surface area, but that S. radians had ∼10-fold higher iCA activity per unit tissue volume. A model of coral Ci processing shows that the measured iCA activity is sufficient to support the proposed roles for iCA in Ci transport for photosynthesis and calcification. This is the case even when iCA activity is homogeneously distributed throughout the coral, but the model indicates that it would be advantageous to concentrate iCA in the spaces where calcification (the calcifying fluid) and photosynthesis (the oral endoderm) take place. We argue that because the rates of photosynthesis and calcification per unit surface area are similar among the corals studied here, the areal iCA activity used to deliver Ci for these reactions should also be similar. The elevated iCA activity per unit volume of S. radians compared to the other species is probably due to the thinner effective tissue thickness in this species.
Energy-dissipative Self-assembly Driven in Microflow: A Time-programmed Self-organization and Decomposition of Metastable Nanofibers
Authors: Numata Munenori , Sato Akiko , Nogami Rie
Published: April 2015

Energy-dissipative self-assembly in microflow enables us to approach an energetically unstable self-assembled structure, which undergoes morphological transition in a cascade manner from fibers, sheets, and finally “running down” to thermodynamically stable dots, with switching intermolecular interactions.
Personal Taxpayer Office for Individuals As a Mechanism of Optimizing Tax Administration
Authors: Смирнов  , Smirnov E.
Published: April 2015

On December 5th 2014 Federal Law № 347 of November 4th 2014, introducing the institution of Personal Taxpayer Office into Russian economy, became effective
Problems of Record and Audit of Export Transactions
Authors: Погосян  , Pogosyan G.
Published: April 2015

Presented article deals with the problems of export transactions audit that will allow to reveal violations in international business activity of real economy commercial

entities, as well as to insure normal functioning and sustainable development of national economy
Exploring with all the senses
Authors: Brodie Katy , Cawley Mark
Published: April 2015

Exploratory play has infinite possibilities and can be resourced imaginatively. Whether you are thinking about providing gloop or mud kitchens for messy play, or open-ended dressing up materials for imaginative role play, nothing needs to cost a fortune, says Kathy Brodie.
Make a summer collection
Authors: Clarke Jenni
Published: April 2015

Try this mix of adult and child led activities which are designed to extend children's thinking and learning around special events in the month of May. Ideally you will now be able to take learning outdoors.
View from the frontline
Authors: Tanuku Purnima
Published: April 2015

While the UK is already a beacon of good practice, the sector desperately needs more investment to achieve sustainability and ensure standards continue to rise, says the NDNA's Purnima Tanuku.
Make three wishes
Authors: Harries Judith
Published: April 2015

Part of the series of articles on individual numbers, this article focuses on the number three, which is the number of wishes, guesses, witches and characters in many traditional stories.
Meeting the Mr Men
Authors: Hewson Claire
Published: April 2015

The famous Mr Men and Little Misses can help children to enhance their communication skills, to strengthen their relationships with others and to deal with their emotions.
Asking tough questions
Authors: Hampshire Viv
Published: April 2015

All children ask questions as a way of increasing their knowledge and vocabulary and finding out more about the world. Viv Hampshire offers some simple ways to explore the question ‘Why?’
Squaring the circle
Authors: Harries Judith
Published: April 2015

This number series has now reached number four, the number of seasons, corners in a square, suits of playing cards, wheels on most cars, mathematical rules and the ‘Fantastic Four’.
Mikrokosmos Stadtviertel
Authors: Wade Manuela
Published: April 2015

Zunehmende Disparitäten innerhalb von Städten, Privatisierung staatlicher Bereiche, steigende Wohnkosten - Prozesse wie diese manifestieren sich in einzelnen Stadtvierteln und schaffen Bedingungen für Initiativen der Bevölkerung. Gleichzeitig verändern sich Orte in ihren Bedeutungen durch das Handeln der Menschen auf der einen und durch staatliche Strategien auf der anderen Seite. Manuela Wade geht diesen Prozessen nach und zeigt, wie die Bewohner_innen von drei ausgewählten Stadtvierteln in unterschiedlichen Teilen der Welt damit umgehen, welche Rolle Wohnen in diesem Kontext spielt und warum dies zu einer Repolitisierung der Stadt führen kann.
Imagineering Cultural Vienna
Authors: Suitner Johannes
Published: April 2015

Media discourses always consider Vienna as a »cultural city«. This study shows how such a perception is skilfully shaped by political constructions of cultural imaginaries in and of the city. The book unveils how simplistic cognitive interpretations of culture not only define an unquestioned, reductionist idea of the city's cultural character - it also explains how these imaginaries influence the recent urban development practice in one of Europe's globalizing cities.
Modellierte Zukunft
Authors: Dieckhoff Christian
Published: April 2015

Energieszenarien sollen eine wissenschaftliche Grundlage für die politische Debatte über die Umgestaltung des Energiesystems liefern, indem sie auf Basis von Modellrechnungen mögliche Entwicklungen des zukünftigen Energiesystems beschreiben. Welcher Natur aber sind diese Beschreibungen - was für eine Art von Wissen steckt in ihnen? Und inwiefern werden sie vom Auftraggeber mitgestaltet? Christian Dieckhoff geht diesen Fragen nach und trägt damit nicht nur zur Aufklärung der energiepolitischen Debatte bei, sondern erschließt erstmalig systematisch diesen Bereich der wissenschaftlichen Politikberatung für die philosophische und sozialwissenschaftliche Wissenschaftsforschung.
Influences of Non-axial Process Loads on the Transducer and the Associated Mounting in Ultrasonic Machining
Authors: Bruns Peter , Twiefel Jens
Published: April 2015

An analysis method allowing investigations of load influences on ultrasonic transducer oscillations is developed and presented. The focus here is on transducers utilized in ultrasonic-assisted machining due to the high process loads occurring. These loads can affect the operational vibration by exciting bending or torsion modes. However, the explicit impact on the process has yet to be determined. Hereby, conclusions about each oscillation mode effecting the operational vibration separately would be desirable. To achieve this, the eigenmodes being excited in dependence of the load have to be determined. Though the question remains of how big the respective influence on the operational vibration is. In the contribution at hand both questions will be answered by means of a modal transformation-based analysis that is illustrated by an explicit example. It is shown that a defined modal force permits determining the excited modes and the explicit share of the applied load coupling into the particular mode, respectively. In addition, the qualitative impact of each eigenmode on the resulting vibration can be evaluated by means of the magnitude of the modal equation’s particular solution. The developed analysis is applied on process and mounting loads. Therefore, different load setups are investigated in dependence of the force direction and the application point, thus leading to the conclusion that the presented analysis method is versatile usable, trustable and efficient.
Marauders, Daredevils, and Noble Savages: Perceptions of Arab Nomads in Late Antique Hagiography
Authors: Klein Konstantin M.
Published: April 2015

This contribution investigates perceptions of Arab nomads in the hagiography of the Late Antique East. Over the past decades, these texts, mostly saints’ lives and episodes from church histories, have often been used to provide social and cultural historians with information on the ethnography, geography, customs and manners of those labelled “Saracens” or “Ishmaelites” in the texts. However, the historicity of the narratives is difficult to assess, and a closer inspection reveals that most of the motifs used in Late Antiquity revert to older models from Classical Antiquity. The article therefore focuses on specific aspects, such as how the writers depicted the Arabs’ manners and customs as contrasting with their own societies and constructed a dichotomy between the civilisation and the animal-like ferocity of the former. It becomes clear that Christian authors used the depiction of the Arabs’ seemingly deviant lifestyle in order to both reassure their readership and excite its curiosity. The display of God’s omnipotence in a large number of the texts discussed here offered a chance to demonstrate that Christian saints could eventually convert such people, or, when conversion was not possible, could still hope for very potent miracles.
Was There a “Bedouinization of Arabia”?
Authors: Macdonald Michael C. A.
Published: April 2015

In 1953, Werner
Fieldwork and Preconceptions: The Role of the Bedouin as Informants in Mediaeval Muslim Scholarly Culture (Second-Third/Eighth-Ninth Centuries)
Authors: Zoltan Szombathy
Published: April 2015

This article examines the methods of urban Muslim scholars of the early Abbasid period in their endeavour to collect information from Bedouin informants. Analogies with the problems of modern anthropological fieldwork are investigated, and the impact of the preconceptions and assumptions that the scholars brought to the field is highlighted. It is shown that mediaeval Muslim scholars’ fieldwork might involve varying activities taking place in different settings, and the term ‘Bedouin informants’ masks quite a variety of individuals claiming some expertise in ‘Bedouin’ culture. The idealised image of a scholar heading for the Arabian deserts to visit genuine nomads and make lengthy inquiries among them might be less typical than is often implicitly thought to have been. On the basis of concrete cases of data-collection, three fundamental assumptions heavily influencing the scholars’ thinking regarding Bedouin culture are identified.
Town and Steppe in Ottoman Syria: Hostility, Exploitation and Cooperation in the Late Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
Authors: Reilly James A.
Published: April 2015

Late-seventeenth- and eighteenth-century sources from the Homs and Hama region in Ottoman Syria present contrasting portrayals of Bedouins. Taken together, these sources offer conflicting perspectives with respect to relationships between peoples of the towns and the steppe. On the one hand, literary sources typically portray Bedouins as antitheses of urban life, as savage wanderers who lived outside the norms of propriety and who collectively posed a threat to the wellbeing and property of settled people and of travelers. But on the other hand, legal sources portray Bedouins variously as targets of exploitation or taxation by urban-based governments; or as partners with urban people in contractual undertakings; or as imperial subjects who, like any others, would seek justice in the urban Sharīʿa courts. The article explores these differing characterizations, and seeks to explain the multifarious realities that different sources convey. It concludes by suggesting that relationships between town and steppe were on their way to becoming more institutionalized in the last years of the eighteenth century. This development foreshadowed documented nineteenth-century trends in which urban civil norms and institutions became noticeable in the lives of Bedouins who lived in proximity to towns and urban centers.
1147: The Battle of Qara-Tegin and the Rise of Azarbayjan
Authors: Durand-Guédy David
Published: April 2015

This article aims to show the limits of a dynastic approach to dealing with Iranian history during the sixth/twelfth century, when the Saljuq sultan in the West was only one of the actors on the chessboard, and not even the most powerful. It focuses on the events leading up to the great battle of Qara-Tegin near Hamadan in 542–1/1147. Various struggles passed over in the sources are highlighted through a macro-regional approach. The showdown at Qara-Tegin can be interpreted as the last confrontation between Azarbayjan and Fārs for control of the resources of the central Saljuq space. It ushered in the long-lasting pre-eminence of Azarbayjan, the withdrawal of Fārs and the eventual marginalization of the province of Jibāl/ʿIrāq al-ajamī.
Crushing analysis and crashworthiness optimization design of reinforced regular hexagon honeycomb sandwich panel
Authors: He Qiang , Ma Dawei , Zhang Zhendong , Yao Lin
Published: April 2015

Honeycomb sandwich panels (HSP) have exhibited significant advantages in light weight and energy absorption, and they have been widely applied in the automotive, aerospace, transportation and defense industries. Rather than restating details of the existing standard regular hexagon HSP (R0-HSP), this paper introduces single-rib reinforced regular hexagon HSP (R1-HSP) and double-rib reinforced regular hexagon HSP (R2-HSP). The mechanical characteristics of these three structures are first investigated by series full-scale elaborator models through LS-DYNA. It is found that the R1-HSP has the best crashworthiness performance under axial impact regarding specific energy absorption per unit (SEAm and SEAv) when the peak crashing stress (σ
peak) is less important. Secondly, the thickness matching effect between stiffener and cell wall is analyzed with equivalent apparent density index to evaluate the contribution of the change of deformation model to the general mechanical properties. Consequently, stiffener thickness of 2.0 times and 1.5 times that of cell wall are found to be the most optimal options for R1-HSP and R2-HSP, respectively. To optimize the crashworthiness of the R1-HSP, optimal Latin hypercube design method is used for selection of sampling design points in the design space. And in the meantime, an accurate surrogate modeling method, or more specifically named as response surface method, is adopted to formulate the SEAm, SEAv and σ
peak functions. The results yielded from the optimization indicate that the R1-HSP is superior to R0-HSP both in SEAm and SEAv under the same limitation of σ
peak. This research is significant in providing technical support in the extended applications of different HSPs used as crashworthiness structures, and it has essential reference value in low volume and low mass energy absorber design.
The Causal Meaning of Genomic Predictors and How It Affects Construction and Comparison of Genome-Enabled Selection Models
Authors: Valente Bruno D , Morota Gota , Peñagaricano Francisco , Gianola Daniel , Weigel Kent , Rosa Guilherme J M
Published: April 2015

The term “effect” in additive genetic effect suggests a causal meaning. However, inferences of such quantities for selection purposes are typically viewed and conducted as a prediction task. Predictive ability as tested by cross-validation is currently the most acceptable criterion for comparing models and evaluating new methodologies. Nevertheless, it does not directly indicate if predictors reflect causal effects. Such evaluations would require causal inference methods that are not typical in genomic prediction for selection. This suggests that the usual approach to infer genetic effects contradicts the label of the quantity inferred. Here we investigate if genomic predictors for selection should be treated as standard predictors or if they must reflect a causal effect to be useful, requiring causal inference methods. Conducting the analysis as a prediction or as a causal inference task affects, for example, how covariates of the regression model are chosen, which may heavily affect the magnitude of genomic predictors and therefore selection decisions. We demonstrate that selection requires learning causal genetic effects. However, genomic predictors from some models might capture noncausal signal, providing good predictive ability but poorly representing true genetic effects. Simulated examples are used to show that aiming for predictive ability may lead to poor modeling decisions, while causal inference approaches may guide the construction of regression models that better infer the target genetic effect even when they underperform in cross-validation tests. In conclusion, genomic selection models should be constructed to aim primarily for identifiability of causal genetic effects, not for predictive ability.
New records of phyllostomid bats for the state of Mato Grosso and for the Cerrado of Midwestern Brazil (Mammalia: Chiroptera)
Authors: Louzada Nathália Siqueira Veríssimo , Lima Anne Caruliny Do Monte , Pessôa Leila Maria , Cordeiro José Luis Passos , Oliveira Luiz Flamarion Barbosa
Published: April 2015

We report new records of eight species of phyllostomid bats for the state of Mato Grosso. Two of them, Micronycteris microtis and Platyrrhinus bra­chycephalus, also represent new records for the Cerrado biome. Furthermore, we provide measurements and comment on their taxonomy and conservation. With these records, the Mato Grosso state and the Cerrado biome currently comprises 92 and 103 species of bats, respectively.
Role of Transition Metal-Hydroxide (M-OHx , M=Mn, Fe, Ni, Co) Co-catalyst Loading : Efficiency and Stability of CdS Photoanode
Authors: Pareek Alka , Paik Pradip , Borse Pramod H.
Published: April 2015

In this work we have synthesized the colloidal particles of transition metal-hydroxide (M= Ni, Co, Mn, Fe) by a simple chemical precipitation method. The surface of spray deposited CdS thin films were modified using nano-colloids to utlize them as water oxidation catalysts (WOC) for the photoelectrochemical cell (PEC). A systematic comparison of the PEC performance of modified and unmodified film is carried out to understand the role of co-catalyst. Ni(OH)2 modification yields 3.4 times higher photocurrent density than bare CdS photoanode, and exhibits hydrogen-evolution rate of 600 μmol/hr. Fe(OH)2 modified film shows best stability of 8 hours as compared to the others.
An overview of the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics and the Australia-US Institute for Advanced Photovoltaics
Authors: Corkish Richard , Green Martin A. , Blakers Andrew W. , Burn Paul L. , Cheng Yi-Bing , Egan Renate , Ghiggino Kenneth P. , Meredith Paul , Scholes Fiona H. , Wilson Gerry
Published: April 2015

The Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) co-ordinates the activities of the six Australian research institutions and a group of industrial partners in the Australia-US Institute for Advanced Photovoltaics (AUSIAPV) to develop the next generations of photovoltaic device technology and to provide a pipeline of opportunities for performance increase and cost reduction. AUSIAPV links ACAP with US-based partners. These national and international research collaborations provide a pathway for highly visible, structured photovoltaic research collaboration between Australian and US researchers, institutes and agencies with significant joint programs based on the clear synergies between the participating organizations. The research program is organized in five collaborative Program Packages (PPs). PP1 deals with silicon wafer-based cells, focusing on three main areas: cells from solar grade silicon, rear contact and silicon-based tandem cells. PP2 involves research into a range of organic solar cells, organic/inorganic hybrid cells, "earth abundant" thin-film materials and "third generation" approaches. PP3 is concerned with optics and characterization. PP4 will deliver a substantiated methodology for assessing manufacturing costs of the different technologies and PP5 involves education, training and outreach. The main research topics, results and plans for the future are presented.
The more things change, the more they stay the same, or do they? Revisiting classroom interaction approaches and their effects on quantity and characteristics of language production
Authors: Jones Linda Carol , Murphy Cheryl A. , Holland Amalie
Published: April 2015

This study investigated the quantity and characteristics of student language production, discourse functions, and morphosyntactic features in three different discourse settings – face-to-face (F2F), lab-setting chatroom interactions (Lab), and any place/ any device chatroom interactions (APAD). Discourse was examined through the replication and extension of Richard Kern’s (1995) study. Similarities in findings between the two studies included a continuation of incomplete, and short sentence lengths among F2F students, an absence of F2F greetings, and a higher rate of assertions, verb tenses, and simple sentences in the Lab setting. Differences included a higher rate of F2F turns in the current study, an absence of greetings in the lab setting, and a greater number of commands among F2F participants. Findings underscored what Kern previously asserted: that F2F and chatroom settings tend to encourage and support slightly different goals associated with language discourse. Kern stated that more sophisticated conversation occurred in the chatroom setting. Current findings concurred but furthered that more conversational interaction took place within the F2F discourse setting due to a greater number of commands, turns, and incomplete sentences. Similarly, F2F students experienced greater input due to the increase of words heard, questions asked, and commands made.
APPLYING NUMERICAL MODEL TO ASSESS ROLE OF MANGROVE FOREST IN WAVE ATTENUATION IN HAI PHONG COASTAL AREA
Authors: Vinh Vu Duy
Published: April 2015

The mangrove forest in the coastal zone has not only a significance to environment but also an important role in wave attenuation and coast protection. However, quantitative assessment of the role of mangrove forest in wave attenuation is just new in Vietnam. This paper presents the results of applying a numerical model based on Deltf3d model system to research the role of mangrove forest in wave attenuation in coastal zone of Hai Phong. The model was set up with different scenarios in case of mangrove and without mangrove forest by bottom friction formulas of Baptist (2005), Collins (1972) and De Vries-Roelvink (2004). The results show: maximum wave height behind mangrove forest in the normal condition is below 0.1 m (Bang La - Dai Hop) and below 0.3 m (Ngoc Hai - Tan Thanh). Wave reduction coefficients vary from 0.15 - 0.6. In the case of small typhoon, maximum wave height behind mangrove forest is about 0.5 - 0.8 m, corresponding to average wave reduction coefficient at about 0.4 (Bang La - Dai Hop) and 0.32 (Ngoc Hai - Tan Thanh). In the case of big typhoon, maximum wave height behind mangrove forest is about 0.8 - 1.1 m, corresponding to average wave reduction coefficient at 0.28.