bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increasing time interval and decreasing allergen dose interval improves ex vivo desensitization of human blood basophils
Authors: Witting Christensen Sara K. , Krohn Inge Kortekaas , Thuraiaiyah Jani , Skjold Tina , Schmid Johannes Martin , Hoffmann Hans Jürgen H.
Published: April 2016

Background

Desensitization is a method for inducing temporary tolerance to allergen. The mechanism underlying desensitization is yet to be established.

Methods

Basophil granulocytes in whole blood from grass pollen allergic subjects were desensitized ex vivo by sequential addition of increasing allergen concentrations. At each step basophil activation (CD193 + CD63+) was monitored with and without (background activation) allergen challenge at optimal concentration. The sequential desensitization protocol was compared to two single‐dose desensitization protocols with threshold and subthreshold allergen concentrations. Incubation intervals and allergen concentrations were varied in order to optimise the protocol.

Results

Sequential desensitization effectively reduced basophil response. The single‐dose subthreshold protocol and single‐dose threshold protocol did not reduce basophil activation with optimal allergen challenge from a mean 57.1 (95% CI: 32.7 − 81.5) to 50.4% (95% CI: 16.3 − 84.4; n = 5; P = 0.43) and 45.0% (95% CI: 23.1 − 66.9; P = 0.14) respectively, while the sequential desensitization protocol reduced activation to a mean 37.2% (95% CI: 16.3 − 58.1; P = 0.018). Reducing incubation time from 10 to 5 minutes increased mean background activation from 22.4 (95% CI: 11.7 − 33.1) to 30.0% (95% CI: 19.7 − 40.3; n = 5; P = 0.026). Increasing time intervals from 10 to 20 minutes reduced background activation from 30.9 (95% CI: 22.8 − 39.0) to 21.9% (95% CI: 16.0 − 27.7; n = 5; P = 0.020). Increasing allergen concentration intervals from 2‐fold to 5‐ and 10‐fold did not have significant effect on basophil activation.

Conclusions

Sequential desensitization ex vivo effectively attenuates the basophil response to allergen. Increasing the time spent at each step improves desensitization. This protocol could be valuable for investigation the mechanism of desensitization. © 2016 International Clinical Cytometry Society
Bio‐Based Amides from Renewable Isosorbide by a Direct and Atom‐Economic Boric Acid Amidation Methodology
Authors: Janvier Marine , Moebs‐Sanchez Sylvie , Popowycz Florence
Published: April 2016

The functionalization of bio‐sourced isohexides has proved challenging over the last number of years, especially in polymer and medicinal chemistry. We report herein the synthesis of bio‐based amido‐isohexides by the known boric acid catalysed amidation reaction. The coupling reaction was successfully performed with aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids. The extension of the scope of the reaction to eight Boc‐protected amino acids is also described, the products being obtained in moderate to good yields. A preliminary screening of these new potential organocatalysts was carried out for the aldolization of isatin.
Tandem Reaction of Arynes with Tertiary Amines and Aldehydes: Formation of 9‐ and 10‐Membered Dibenzo[1,5]oxaza Heterocycles
Authors: Okuma Kentaro , Kinoshita Hiroaki , Nagahora Noriyoshi , Shioji Kosei
Published: April 2016

The aryne‐mediated three‐component reaction of arynes, tertiary amines, and aldehydes followed by intramolecular nucleophilic aromatic substitution afforded novel 9‐ and 10‐membered heterocycles. Thus, the reaction of 2‐(trimethylsilyl)phenyl triflate with N‐phenylmorpholine and benzaldehyde in the presence of CsF gave o‐morpholinobenzhydryl phenyl ether in 76 % yield. By using N‐methylindoline, nine‐membered dibenzo[1,5]oxazonines were synthesized in moderate yields.
Discogens Possessing Aryl Side Groups Synthesized by Suzuki Coupling of Triphenylene Triflates and Their Self‐Organization Behavior
Authors: Zhao Ke‐Qing , Gao Yue , Yu Wen‐Hao , Hu Ping , Wang Bi‐Qin , Heinrich Benoît , Donnio Bertrand
Published: April 2016

Pd‐catalyzed Suzuki cross‐coupling reactions between arylboronic acids and bromoarenes have been applied widely in the synthesis of liquid‐crystalline materials. However, aryl triflate derivatives have been less used despite their high chemical tolerance, reactivity, and chemical accessibility. In this report, three series of discogens have been synthesized in good yields from appropriate triphenylene triflate precursors by Suzuki coupling reactions with various commercial arylboronic acids (e.g., aryl = phenylene, thiophene, naphthalene, triarylamine, carbazole, and fluorene). The synthesized discogens display broad mesophase ranges and high thermal stabilities. Moreover, those bearing triarylamine, carbazole, and fluorene side groups are also blue‐light emitters. The availability of the triflate precursors coupled with their highly efficient cross‐coupling with commercial arylboronic acids make this strategy extremely versatile and attractive for the design of new functional materials.
Selective Detection of Dopamine in the Presence of Uric Acid Using NiO Nanoparticles Decorated on Graphene Nanosheets Modified Screen‐printed Electrodes
Authors: Jahani Shohreh , Beitollahi Hadi
Published: April 2016

A convenient, low cost, and sensitive electrochemical method, based on a disposable graphene nanosheets (GR) and NiO nanoparticles modified carbon screen printed electrode (NiO/GR/SPE), is described for the simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA). The modified electrode exhibited good electrocatalytic properties toward the oxidation of DA and UA. A peak potential difference of 150 mV between DA and UA was large enough to determine DA and UA individually and simultaneously. The anodic peak currents of DA were found to be linear in the concentration range of 1.0–500.0 μM with the detection limit of 3.14×10−7 M.
Probabilistic collapse resistance and residual drift assessment of buildings with fluidic self‐centering systems
Authors: Kitayama Shoma , Constantinou Michael C.
Published: April 2016

The seismic performance of three‐ and six‐story buildings with fluidic self‐centering system is probabilistically assessed. The fluidic self‐centering systems consist of devices that are based on the technology of fluid viscous dampers but built in a way that pressurization of the devices results in preload that is explored to reduce or eliminate residual drift. The design of these buildings followed a procedure that parallels the design for structures with damping systems in ASCE 7 but modified to include the preload effect. Reference conventional buildings were also designed per ASCE 7 for comparison. These buildings were then analyzed to examine and compare their seismic collapse resistance and residual drift, where the residual drift limits of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% of story height were selected as important thresholds. The study further calculated the mean annual frequency of collapse and corresponding exceedance probability over 50 years, and the mean annual frequency of exceeding the threshold residual story drift limits and the corresponding exceedance probability over 50 years. Variations in the design procedures by considering increased displacement capacity or damping or preload of the devices, different types of damping, increased ultimate strength of the self‐centering device–brace systems and increased frame strength were considered. It was found that increasing either the ultimate force capacity of the self‐centering device–brace system or the frame strength results in important improvements in the collapse resistance and in minimizing residual drift, whereas the variation of other design parameters has minor effects. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spectral shape metrics and structural collapse potential
Authors: Eads Laura , Miranda Eduardo , Lignos Dimitrios
Published: April 2016

This paper examines various parameters that provide a measure of spectral shape and studies how they relate to the potential of ground motion records to cause the collapse of a given structure. It is shown that when measuring the ground motion intensity by the spectral acceleration at the first‐mode period of the structure, Sa(T1), records causing collapse at low ground motion intensities typically have significantly different spectral shapes than those that do not cause collapse until much higher ground motion intensities. A spectral shape typical of damaging records is identified, and a metric for quantifying the spectral shape of a record called SaRatio is proposed and evaluated. SaRatio is defined as the ratio between Sa(T1) and the average spectral value over a period range. The ability of SaRatio to predict the collapse intensity, i.e. the minimum intensity at which a given ground motion causes the collapse of a given structure, is compared to other recently proposed spectral shape metrics including epsilon (ε), eta (η) and Np. The results demonstrate that SaRatio is typically a much better predictor of collapse intensity than other spectral shape metrics. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Accessing the molecular interactions of phthalates and their primary metabolites with the human pregnane X receptor using in silico profiling
Authors: Sarath Josh M. K. , Pradeep S. , Balan Aparna K. , Sreejith M. N. , Benjamin Sailas
Published: April 2016

Phthalates are known to cause endocrine disruption in humans and animals. Being lipophilic xenobiotic chemicals, phthalates from the surrounding environments can easily be absorbed into the biological system, thereby causing various health dysfunctions. This molecular docking study evaluates a variety of molecular interactions of 12 commonly used diphthalates and respective monophthalates onto the ligand binding domain (LBD) of the human pregnane X receptor (hPXR), a xenosensor, which would be beneficial for further in vitro and in vivo studies on hazardous phthalates. Out of 12 diphthalates and their monophthalates tested, diisodecyl phthalate (–9.16 kcal mol–1) showed more affinity toward hPXR whereas diisononyl phthalate (–8.77) and di(2‐ethyhexyl)phthalate (–8.56), the predominant plasticizers found in a variety of plastics and allied products, showed comparable binding scores with that of the control ligands such as hyperforine (–9.99) and dexamethasone (–7.36). In addition to the above diphthalates, some of their monophthalates (monoisodecyl phthalate, mono‐2‐etheylhexyl phthalate, etc.) also established similar interactions with certain crucial amino acids in the LBD, which led to higher G scores. In fact, bisphenol A, a well‐studied and proven endocrine disruptor, showed lesser G scores (–6.69) than certain phthalates. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MicroRNA profiles in a monkey testicular injury model induced by testicular hyperthermia
Authors: Sakurai Ken , Mikamoto Kei , Shirai Makoto , Iguchi Takuma , Ito Kazumi , Takasaki Wataru , Mori Kazuhiko
Published: April 2016

To characterize microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in testicular toxicity in cynomolgus monkeys, miRNA profiles were investigated using next‐generation sequencing (NGS), microarray and reverse transcription‐quantitative real‐time‐PCR (RT‐qPCR) methods. First, to identify organ‐specific miRNAs, we compared the expression levels of miRNAs in the testes to those in representative organs (liver, heart, kidney, lung, spleen and small intestine) obtained from naïve mature male and female monkeys (n = 2/sex) using NGS analysis. Consequently, miR‐34c‐5p, miR‐202‐5p, miR‐449a and miR‐508‐3p were identified to be testicular‐specific miRNAs in cynomolgus monkeys. Next, we investigated miRNA profiles after testicular–hyperthermia (TH) treatment to determine which miRNAs are involved in testicular injury. In this experiment, mature male monkeys were divided into groups with or without TH‐treatment (n = 3/group) by immersion of the testes in a water bath at 43 °C for 30 min for 5 consecutive days. As a result, TH treatment induced testicular injury in all animals, which was characterized by decreased numbers of spermatocytes and spermatids. In a microarray analysis of the testis, 11 up‐regulated (>2.0 fold) and 13 down‐regulated (<0.5 fold) miRNAs were detected compared with those in the control animals. Interestingly, down‐regulated miRNAs included two testicular‐specific miRNAs, miR‐34c‐5p and miR‐449a, indicating their potential use as biomarkers for testicular toxicity. Furthermore, RT‐qPCR analysis revealed decreased expression levels of testicular miR‐34b‐5p and miR‐34c‐5p, which are enriched in meiotic cells, reflecting the decrease in pachytene spermatocytes and spermatids after TH treatment. These results provide valuable insights into the mechanism of testicular toxicity and potential translational biomarkers for testicular toxicity. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Applied Toxicology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
A novel approach to extracting extrinsic resistances for equivalent circuit model of nanoscale MOSFET
Authors: Yu Panpan , Zhou Ying , Sun Ling , Gao Jianjun
Published: April 2016

A novel extrinsic resistance extraction method of MOSFET at Vgs = Vds = 0 V from S‐parameter measurements is presented in this paper. Simulated and measured results of 90‐nm gatelength MOSFET device with a 8 × 0.6 × 12 µm gatewidth (number of gate finger × unit gate width × cells) are compared, and good agreement has been obtained up to 50 GHz. Furthermore, comparisons between the proposed approach and other three methods published are also made in this paper. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Management of persistent pain in older people
Authors: Hall Tony
Published: April 2016

Persistent pain is a commonly experienced symptom. It affects 25% of community‐dwelling older adults and up to 80% of nursing home residents, and can have a major impact on quality of life and functional capacity. Unfortunately pain in older patients is often undertreated and misunderstood. Assessment of pain type and severity is important. Most older people, even with moderately impaired cognition, are able to self‐report pain. Validated assessment tools using non‐verbal pain cues are available for people with more advanced cognitive impairment. Management of pain in older people can be challenging. Physiological changes may impact on pain perception and the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of medications. Older people are often more sensitive to the adverse effects of analgesic medications and are at risk of drug–drug interactions due to the presence of co‐morbidities and polypharmacy. In general, analgesic medications should be commenced at low doses, titrated based on effect and tolerability, and regularly reviewed. Contemporary pain management often utilises multiple analgesics in lower doses to optimise efficacy and avoid dose‐related toxicity. A bio‐psycho‐social approach to the management of persistent pain, utilising a multidisciplinary team and including non‐drug strategies, may produce the best results. The goal of pain management is not always to eliminate pain, since this may not be attainable, but rather to enhance function and improve quality of life. This article discusses persistent non‐cancer pain in older people, its assessment and management, and the risks and benefits of pharmacological treatment in this population.
Femtosecond Lasers over 100 Watts
Authors: Hönninger Clemens , Akhil Joshika
Published: April 2016

The concept of the world's first industrial femtosecond laser with high average power (> 100 W), delivering 400 fs pulses that is presented here is flexible in pulse repetition rate and offers high pulse energy up to 300 μJ. The laser is designed for easy synchronization to polygon scanners and with optional burst mode. This laser enables higher throughput and productivity, coupled with superior quality processing. The availability of high power femtosecond lasers paves the way for further penetration of ultrafast laser sources into emerging industrial high quality laser processing.
Polymer Self‐Etching for Superhydrophobicity through a Green Hot‐Pressing‐Exfoliation Process: Low and High Adhesion
Authors: Xiong Zhong , Zheng Chenglin , Xia Yanzhi
Published: April 2016

A green polymer self‐etching strategy for fabricating superhydrophobic surfaces exhibiting low and high adhesion is proposed by using hot‐pressing and exfoliation on a pair of low density polyethylene (LDPE) films. It is demonstrated that the hot‐pressing temperature has significant influence on the surface morphology of LDPE. Effective hot‐pressing temperature for low‐adhesive superhydrophobicity ranges from 109 to 161 °C. Bird's‐nest like micro‐/nanostructures are observed in the unzipped LDPE surfaces compressed at 109 °C, which shows excellent water repellency. LDPE surface compressed at 108 °C demonstrates superhydrophobicity with high adhesion, i.e., a water droplet cannot roll off even when the surface is turned upside down. Furthermore, superhydrophobic vessels are processed and applied to transport water and microdroplets of water losslessly.

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Optimal control of a class of pseudo Euler‐Lagrange systems
Authors: Rodrigues L.
Published: April 2016

This paper presents a solution of the optimal control problem for a class of pseudo Euler‐Lagrange systems and proposes a systematic approach to find a Lyapunov function for stability analysis and controller synthesis for such systems. There are three main contributions of the paper. First, a systematic procedure is proposed and proved to construct a Lyapunov function for pseudo Euler‐Lagrange system directly from the mathematical structure of the differential equations, without the need to determine any kinetic or potential energy of the system first. Second, control methodologies for pseudo Euler‐Lagrange systems are also developed. In particular, an optimal controller is found for the case of second order dynamics yielding the same structure for the closed‐loop Lyapunov function as the one derived from the systematic procedure outlined as the first contribution. Finally, the optimal control methodology is extended to systems with order higher than two for a class of triangular systems. The method proposed here works for any mathematical model in the class of pseudo Euler‐Lagrange systems and is therefore not restricted to models of physical systems. Several examples illustrate the application of the novel approach, including mass‐spring‐damper systems and Van der Pol oscillators. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and characterization of poly (acrylonitrile‐co‐acrylic acid) as precursor of carbon nanofibers
Authors: Ismar Ezgi , Sarac A. Sezai
Published: April 2016

Synthesis of a co‐polymer of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) producing a carbon nanofiber out of PAN and co‐polymer of PAN and comparison between these products were examined. Free‐radical solution copolymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) with acrylic acid (AA) was studied. In this perspective, AA, and AN were used as a precursor for polymerization reactions; then copolymers were synthesized by using ammonium persulfate (APS) as an oxidant and carried in water/dimethylformamide (DMF) mixture. These polymers were used to obtain corresponding electrospun nanofibers. Synthesized P(AN‐co‐AA) was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy‐attenuated total reflection (FTIR‐ATR) spectroscopy, and characteristic peaks for AN unit, AA were achieved. Thermal behavior was examined by using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA), and results indicated that addition of monomers to AN unit reduced the Tg value of homopolymer PAN compared to P(AN‐co‐AA), which provides improvement to the cyclization and the formation of a thermally stable aromatic ladder polymer chain formation. In order to prevent the shrinkage and maintain the molecular orientation on nanofiber webs during stabilization, tension was applied to the samples, and thermal oxidation varies at 200–300°C for different duration of times. Surface morphology of the fibers was observed with scanning electron microscope (SEM), and average nanofiber diameter was found 550 nm, and after carbonization it was reduced to 320 nm for homopolymer PAN, and for poly(AN‐co‐AA) average nanofiber diameter was found as 220 nm and reduced to 130 nm, respectively. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Mixed EWMA–CUSUM Control Chart for Weibull‐Distributed Quality Characteristics
Authors: Aslam Muhammad
Published: April 2016

The control charts have been widely used for process monitoring. Shewhart control chart has ability to detect large disturbances in the process. The EWMA and CUSUM charts have ability to detect a small change in the manufacturing process. In this paper, we will design a mixed EWMA–CUSUM control chart for Weibull‐distributed quality characteristics. The Weibull distribution is one of the most popular distributions used to model failure mechanism because of flexible selection of shape and scale parameters. A Monte Carlo simulation is developed to assess the average run lengths for in‐control and out‐of‐control process. The comparison revealed that the proposed mixed chart is more sensitive to detect a small shift in the process. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Meta‐STEPP: subpopulation treatment effect pattern plot for individual patient data meta‐analysis
Authors: Wang Xin Victoria , Cole Bernard , Bonetti Marco , Gelber Richard D.
Published: April 2016

We have developed a method, called Meta‐STEPP (subpopulation treatment effect pattern plot for meta‐analysis), to explore treatment effect heterogeneity across covariate values in the meta‐analysis setting for time‐to‐event data when the covariate of interest is continuous. Meta‐STEPP forms overlapping subpopulations from individual patient data containing similar numbers of events with increasing covariate values, estimates subpopulation treatment effects using standard fixed‐effects meta‐analysis methodology, displays the estimated subpopulation treatment effect as a function of the covariate values, and provides a statistical test to detect possibly complex treatment‐covariate interactions. Simulation studies show that this test has adequate type‐I error rate recovery as well as power when reasonable window sizes are chosen. When applied to eight breast cancer trials, Meta‐STEPP suggests that chemotherapy is less effective for tumors with high estrogen receptor expression compared with those with low expression. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Recent Progress on Bioinspired Self‐Propelled Micro/Nanomotors via Controlled Molecular Self‐Assembly
Authors: Wu Zhiguang , Lin Xiankun , Si Tieyan , He Qiang
Published: April 2016

The combination of bottom‐up controllable self‐assembly technique with bioinspired design has opened new horizons in the development of self‐propelled synthetic micro/nanomotors. Over the past five years, a significant advances toward the construction of bioinspired self‐propelled micro/nanomotors has been witnessed based on the controlled self‐assembly technique. Such a strategy permits the realization of autonomously synthetic motors with engineering features, such as sizes, shapes, composition, propulsion mechanism, and function. The construction, propulsion mechanism, and movement control of synthetic micro/nanomotors in connection with controlled self‐assembly in recent research activities are summarized. These assembled nanomotors are expected to have a tremendous impact on current artificial nanomachines in future and hold potential promise for biomedical applications including drug targeted delivery, photothermal cancer therapy, biodetoxification, treatment of atherosclerosis, artificial insemination, crushing kidney stones, cleaning wounds, and removing blood clots and parasites.
Bioinspired Multifunctional Spindle‐Knotted Microfibers from Microfluidics
Authors: Shang Luoran , Fu Fanfan , Cheng Yao , Yu Yunru , Wang Jie , Gu Zhongze , Zhao Yuanjin
Published: April 2016

Heterostructured microfibers with spindle‐knots and joints are developed using a novel microfluidic technology, which enables integrative microfiber joint spinning, fluid coating, and knot emulsification. The knots emulsification process can be precisely tunable by adjusting the flow rates. In this way, the size and spacing of the spindle‐knots of the microfibers can be achieved with high controllability. More attractively, the construction process benefits from the broad availability of the coating fluids, which determines the compositions of the knots. Thus, the resultant microfibers are imparted with distinctive functions, such as humidity‐responsive water capture, thermally triggered water convergence, induced colloidal crystal assembly, and cell microcarrier arrays. These features make such microfibers highly versatile for use in diverse applications.
Prospective temporal validation of mathematical models to calculate risk of endometrial malignancy in patients with postmenopausal bleeding
Authors: Sladkevicius P. , Opolskiene G. , Valentin L.
Published: April 2016

Objectives

To validate prospectively five mathematical models published in 2007 for calculating the risk of endometrial malignancy in a defined high‐risk group of patients with postmenopausal bleeding and sonographic endometrial thickness ≥ 4.5 mm.

Methods

Of 1012 consecutive patients, 379 fulfilled our inclusion criteria, which were the same as those of the original study in which the models were created (endometrial thickness ≥ 4.5 mm, no fluid in the uterine cavity, detectable Doppler signals in the endometrium). A standardized history was taken, and clinical and transvaginal grayscale and power Doppler ultrasound examinations were performed following the study protocol. All data were collected prospectively and the five models were applied prospectively to the study patients' data to assess their risk of endometrial malignancy. Using the histological diagnosis of the endometrium as gold standard, we calculated the area under the receiver–operating characteristics curve (AUC), and sensitivity, specificity and likelihood ratios when using the same cut‐offs as in the original study, for each of the five models.

Results

Ninety‐three (25%) patients had malignant endometrium. The performance of the models was similar to that in the original study, with AUCs ranging from 0.86 to 0.90. The model with the best diagnostic performance included endometrial thickness, heterogeneous endometrial echogenicity and areas of densely packed vessels on power Doppler (AUC, 0.90; sensitivity, 81%; specificity, 84% at preselected cut‐off). The models were well calibrated.

Conclusions

On temporal validation, the five models for calculating the risk of endometrial malignancy in a defined high‐risk group of patients retained their good diagnostic performance and were well calibrated. The models make it possible to reclassify high‐risk patients as having a low or relatively low risk, moderately high risk or very high risk of endometrial cancer, and so can be used for individualized patient management. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
SAXS studies of RNA: structures, dynamics, and interactions with partners
Authors: Chen Yujie , Pollack Lois
Published: April 2016

Small‐angle X‐ray scattering, SAXS, is a powerful and easily employed experimental technique that provides solution structures of macromolecules. The size and shape parameters derived from SAXS provide global structural information about these molecules in solution and essentially complement data acquired by other biophysical methods. As applied to protein systems, SAXS is a relatively mature technology: sophisticated tools exist to acquire and analyze data, and to create structural models that include dynamically flexible ensembles. Given the expanding appreciation of RNA’s biological roles, there is a need to develop comparable tools to characterize solution structures of RNA, including its interactions with important biological partners. We review the progress toward achieving this goal, focusing on experimental and computational innovations. The use of multiphase modeling, absolute calibration and contrast variation methods, among others, provides new and often unique ways of visualizing this important biological molecule and its essential partners: ions, other RNAs, or proteins. WIREs RNA 2016, 7:512–526. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1349

This article is categorized under:

RNA Structure and Dynamics > RNA Structure, Dynamics, and Chemistry

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA–Protein Complexes

Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Riboswitches
Should we play on your lawn or mine?
Authors: Matthews J. N. S.
Published: April 2016

Two friends, David and Hamish, were discussing on the telephone whether they should play a forthcoming croquet match at David's club or at Hamish's. Hamish said that he would toss a coin and David could call. David pointed out that this required a substantial degree of mutual trust, so Hamish suggested how they might use the published results of the following night's National Lottery draw. Hamish's proposal was, in fact, unfair and this article shows why and proposes a satisfactory alternative. There is no suggestion that the alternative proposed is a sensible way to solve David and Hamish's problem, but it does take us on a route that reinforces some important lessons. In particular it illustrates some of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of simulation, a technique widely used in more difficult problems. It also emphasises once more the importance in probability of not taking claims at face value.
Convex polygons as carriers
Authors: Shephard G. C.
Published: April 2016

We shall use the word ‘polyhedron’ to mean a connected, simply-connected 3-polytope of positive (non-zero) volume. The idea of thenetof a polyhedronPis well known. For example, the regular octahedron has eleven distinct nets, three of which are shown in Figure 1. A net consists of three parts:

(a) A plane connected and simply-connected polygonQ(denoted by heavy lines in the diagrams), known as thecarrierof the net;

(b) A set of lines knownas, fold-linesin the interior ofQ;

(c) A labelling of the edges ofQ.

If one cutsQout of paper or similar material, folds it along the fold-lines, and then pastes together edges with matching labels, one obtains a model of the polyhedronP.We say that a net isconvexif, and only if, its carrierQis convex.
Some properties of Kiepert lines of a triangle
Authors: Fox Michael
Published: April 2016

This article describes an investigation into Kiepert lines, and leads to some surprising and little-known relationships between the Fermat, Napoleon and Vecten points of a triangle.

If we draw similar isosceles triangles A'BC, B'CA and C'AB outwards on the sides of a given scalene triangle ABC as in Figure 1, Kiepert's theorem tells us that the lines A'A, B'B and C'C meet in a single point - a Kiepert point [1, Chapter 11]. Since its position depends on the common base angles θ of the isosceles triangles, I label it K(θ), taking θ as the parameter of this point.
THE IMPACT OF SEED PRIMING AND ROW SPACING ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF DIFFERENT CULTIVARS OF IRRIGATED WHEAT UNDER EARLY SEASON DROUGHT—CORRIGENDUM
Authors: HUSSAIN M. , WAQAS-UL-HAQ M. , FAROOQ S. , JABRAN K. , FARROQ M.
Published: April 2016

In the published article Hussain et al., (2016) the name of the last co-author was spelt incorrectly. The author's name should have read as: M. Farooq.
Expert consensus v. evidence-based approaches in the revision of the DSM
Authors: Kendler K. S. , Solomon M.
Published: April 2016

The development of DSM-III through DSM-5 has relied heavily on expert consensus. In this essay, we provide an historical and critical perspective on this process. Over the last 40 years, medicine has struggled to find appropriate methods for summarizing research results and making clinical recommendations. When such recommendations are issued by authorized organizations, they can have widespread influence (i.e. DSM-III and its successors). In the 1970s, expert consensus conferences, led by the NIH, reviewed research about controversial medical issues and successfully disseminated results. However, these consensus conferences struggled with aggregating the complex available evidence. In the 1990s, the rise of evidence-based medicine cast doubt on the reliability of expert consensus. Since then, medicine has increasingly relied on systematic reviews, as developed by the evidence-based medicine movement, and advocated for their early incorporation in expert consensus efforts. With the partial exception of DSM-IV, such systematic evidence-based reviews have not been consistently integrated into the development of the DSMs, leaving their development out of step with the larger medical field. Like the recommendations made for the NIH consensus conferences, we argue that the DSM process should be modified to require systematic evidence-based reviews before Work Groups make their assessments. Our suggestions – which would require leadership and additional resources to set standards for appropriate evidence hierarchies, carry out systematic reviews, and upgrade the group process – should improve the objectivity of the DSM, increase the validity of its results, and improve the reception of any changes in nosology.
Why It's “Easier to Act with a Telephone than a Man”
Authors: Grobe Christopher
Published: April 2016

Hollywood is ruled by conventional wisdom—or, as it's known when it takes off its coat and tie, magical thinking. Certain factors, they say, make for a surefire hit; certain others mean you'll never make a buck. Some of the rules sound silly, but, really, why tempt fate? Listen to director Bill Condon as he slips one of these showbiz credos into a recent interview: “You know, they say for a great performance you need a great telephone scene.” To the uninitiated, this may sound strange—surely an outlying tenet of the faith!—but Hollywood's belief in the “telephone scene” is curiously devout. And unlike other Tinseltown lore, with its murky past and fractured provenance, this tale of the telephone is easy to track to a single event nearly eighty years ago.
The Narrator as Dubious Witness: Adapting And the Soul Shall Dance for the Stage
Authors: Kim Ju Yon
Published: April 2016

Staged by East West Players in 1977, Wakako Yamauchi's And the Soul Shall Dance became one of the company's most successful and critically acclaimed productions. The drama launched Yamauchi's career as a playwright and helped East West Players (EWP) develop a strong audience base in the Japanese American community in southern California. Set in the 1930s in California's Imperial Valley, the play opens with the Japanese American Murata family surveying the damage caused by the accidental burning of their bathhouse. When the father (referred to only as “Murata” in the play) suggests that they might simply use the tub standing in the midst of razed walls, his wife Hana protests, “Everyone in the country can see us!” Murata quickly dismisses her concerns: “Who? Who'll see us? You think everyone in the country waits to watch us take a bath?” (157). Hana's uneasiness nevertheless injects a fear of scrutiny into the first scene of the play and turns those in the audience into the voyeurs whom she fears.
Inverse kinematic solutions of 6-D.O.F. biopolymer segments
Authors: Kim Jin Seob , Chirikjian Gregory S.
Published: April 2016

We present two methods to find all the possible conformations of short six degree-of-freedom segments of biopolymers which satisfy end constraints in position and orientation. One of our methods is motivated by inverse kinematic solution techniques which have been developed for “general” 6R serial robotic manipulators. However, conventional robot kinematics methods are not directly applicable to the geometry of polymers, which can be treated as a degenerate case where all the “link lengths” are zero. Here, we propose a method which extends the elimination method of Kohli and Osvatic. This method can be applied directly to the geometry of biopolymers. We also propose a heuristic method based on a Lie-group-theoretic description. In this method, we utilize inverse iterations of the Jacobian matrix to obtain all conformations which satisfy end constraints. This can be easily implemented for both the general 6R manipulator and polymers. Although the extended elimination method is computationally faster than the Jacobian method, in cases where some of the joint angles are 180° (i.e., where the elimination method fails), we combine these two methods effectively to obtain the full set of inverse kinematic solutions. We demonstrate our approach with several numerical examples.
After the ‘Years of Lead’ in Morocco: Performing the Memory
Authors: Amine Khalid
Published: April 2016

During the so-called ‘Years of Lead’ in Morocco (1956–1999), state-sponsored violence was embedded not only in assaults on the bodies of victims, but also in their affective and psychological well-being. This occurred to such an extent that many attempts at the narrativization of violence via testimonials and prison memoirs fail to convey the trauma experienced in Moroccan secret prisons. In the present article Khalid Amine is concerned with the fragility of testimony as a performative act, in which the obligation of voicing pain and trauma is in tension with the impossibility of its telling. After the hearing sessions organized by the Moroccan Equity and Reconciliation Commission (ERC) in 2004, another narrative turn has emerged in Moroccan theatre and in other artistic forms whereby reenactments of prison memoirs, testimonials, and other registers of repressed personal archives are employed onstage as a means of breaching the walls between the personal and political. Khalid Amine is Professor of Performance Studies, Faculty of Letters and Humanities at Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan, Morocco. He is co-author with Marvin Carlson of The Theatres of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia: Performance Traditions of the Maghreb (2012).
Uncovering Covert Links between Halakhah and Aggadah in the Babylonian Talmud: The Talmudic Discussion of the Yom Kippur Afflictions in B. Yoma
Authors: Feintuch Yonatan
Published: April 2016

This article examines the dynamics between the halakhic and aggadic components of a sugya in the Babylonian Talmud, in which the halakhic discussion of the Yom Kippur afflictions listed in M. Yoma 8:1 is followed by a seemingly unrelated aggadic passage that focuses primarily on the manna in the wilderness. A close reading of the aggadic passage reveals that it in fact contains substantive links to the preceding halakhic discussion. Moreover, when the aggadic passage is read in the context of the preceding halakhic discussion, it provides an alternative understanding of the Yom Kippur afflictions that challenges the understanding that arises from the halakhic discussion. Nevertheless, a close look at the redaction of the sugya shows that the alternative understanding that arises from the aggadic part remains on either the conceptual plane or the supererogatory one, and does not cross over to the normative plane.
A premature low-birth-weight infant with congenital complete atrioventricular block and myocarditis successfully treated by staged pacemaker implantation
Authors: Fujioka Tao , Nii Masaki , Tanaka Yasuhiko
Published: April 2016

Congenital complete atrioventricular block is a known lethal condition. Although antenatal diagnosis and the technical advances of pacemaker treatment have reduced its mortality, treatment of premature babies with significant myocardial damage remains a challenge. In this paper, we report the case of a premature low-birth-weight infant with congenital complete atrioventricular block and extremely low ventricular rate, fetal hydrops, and myocarditis who was successfully treated with staged permanent pacemaker implantation.
A NOTE ON SKILL-STRUCTURE SHOCKS, THE SHARE OF THE HIGH-TECH SECTOR, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH DYNAMICS
Authors: Gil Pedro Mazeda , Afonso Oscar , Vasconcelos Paulo B.
Published: April 2016

By means of an endogenous growth model of directed technical change with vertical and horizontal R&D, we study a transitional-dynamics mechanism that is consistent with the changes in the shares of the high- versus the low-tech sectors found in recent European data. Under the hypothesis of a positive shock in the proportion of high-skilled labor, the technological-knowledge bias channel leads to unbalanced sectoral growth with a noticeable shift of resources across sectors. A calibration exercise suggests that the model is able to account for up to from 50 to about 100 percent of the increase in the share of the high-tech sector observed in the data from 1995 to 2007. However, the model predicts that the dynamics of the share of the high-tech sector has no significant impact on the dynamics of the economic growth rate.
Determining Projections of Grain Boundaries from Diffraction Data in Transmission Electron Microscope
Authors: Kiss Ákos K. , Lábár János L.
Published: April 2016

Grain boundaries (GB) are characterized by disorientation of the neighboring grains and the direction of the boundary plane between them. A new approach presented here determines the projection of GB that can be used to determine the latter one. The novelty is that an additional parameter of GB is quantified in addition to the ones provided by the orientation maps, namely the width of the projection of the GB is measured from the same set of diffraction patterns that were recorded for the orientation map, without the need to take any additional images. The diffraction patterns are collected in nanobeam diffraction mode in a transmission electron microscope, pixel-by-pixel, from an area containing two neighboring grains and the boundary between them. In our case, the diffraction patterns were recorded using the beam scanning function of a commercially available system (ASTAR). Our method is based on non-negative matrix factorization applied to the mentioned set of diffraction patterns. The method is encoded in a MATLAB environment, making the results easy to interpret and visualize. The measured GB-projection width is used to determine the orientation of the GB-plane, as given in the study by Kiss et al.
Evaluation of a video, telephone follow-ups, and an online forum as components of a psychoeducational intervention for caregivers of persons with advanced cancer
Authors: Leow Mabel Q.H. , Chan Sally W.C.
Published: April 2016

Objective:

Our aim was to evaluate caregivers' perceptions of a video, telephone follow-up, and online forum as components of a psychoeducational intervention.

Method:

Qualitative semistructured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 12 participants two weeks post-intervention. The study was conducted from September of 2012 to May of 2015. Family caregivers were recruited from four home hospice organizations (HCA Hospice Care, Metta Hospice, Singapore Cancer Centre, and Agape Methodist Hospice) and the National Cancer Centre outpatient clinic in Singapore. A purposive sample was employed, and participants were recruited until data saturation. Qualitative interviews were transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded and analyzed using content analysis. Two of the research team members were involved in the data analysis.

Results:

Two-thirds of participants were females (n= 8). Their ages ranged from 22 to 67 (mean = 50.50,SD= 11.53). About two-thirds were married (n= 7). Most participants were caring for a parent (n= 10), one for a spouse, and one for her mother-in-law. Caregivers favored the use of video for delivery of educational information. They liked the visual and audio aspects of the video. The ability to identify with the caregiver and scenarios in the video helped in the learning process. They appreciated telephone follow-ups from healthcare professionals for informational and emotional support. The online forum as a platform for sharing of information and provision of support was not received well by the caregivers in this study. The reasons for this included their being busy, not being computer savvy, rarely surfing the internet, and not feeling comfortable sharing with strangers on an online platform.

Significance of Results:

This study provided insight into caregivers' perceptions of various components of a psychoeducational intervention. It also gave us a better understanding of how future psychoeducational interventions and support for caregivers of persons with advanced cancer could be provided.
DIVISION A COMMISSION 19: ROTATION OF THE EARTH
Authors: Huang Chengli , Gross Richard , Seitz Florian , Schuh Harald , Bizouard Christian , Chao Ben , Kosek Wieslaw , Salstein David , Zharov Vladimir , Titov Oleg , Richter Bernd , Malkin Zinovy
Published: April 2016

The activities and some research progress of IAU Commission 19 (C19) - Rotation of the Earth - in the past triennial term (2012-2015) is reported in this paper, including the scientific session and business meeting of C19, as well as a business meeting of the IAU/IAG Joint Working Group of “Theory of Earth Rotation” (JWG_ThER) during the XXIX IAU General Assembly in Hawaii, USA. Three reports of JWG_ThER progress, IERS and IAG, eleven reports of national projects and individual institutions, a short summary of the history and heritage of C19, and an Overview of the status and outlook of new Commission A2 are also presented.
DIVISION B COMMISSION 14: ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR DATA
Authors: Mashonkina Lyudmila I. , Salama Farid , Wahlgren Glenn M. , Allard France , Barklem Paul , Beiersdorfer Peter , Fraser Helen , Nave Gillian , Nilsson Hampus
Published: April 2016

The main purpose of Commission 14 is to foster interactions between the astronomical community and those conducting research on atoms, molecules, and solid state particles to provide data vital to reducing and analysing astronomical observations and performing theoretical investigations.
DIVISION B COMMISSION 14 WORKING GROUP: ATOMIC DATA
Authors: Nave Gillian , Nahar Sultana , Zhao Gang
Published: April 2016

This report summarizes laboratory measurements of atomic wavelengths, energy levels, hyperfine and isotope structure, energy level lifetimes, and oscillator strengths. Theoretical calculations of lifetimes and oscillator strengths are also included. The bibliography is limited to species of astrophysical interest. Compilations of atomic data and internet databases are also included. Papers are listed in the bibliography in alphabetical order, with a reference number in the text.
DIVISION B COMMISSION 14 WORKING GROUP: SOLIDS AND THEIR SURFACES
Authors: Vidali Gianfranco , Linnartz Harold , Henning Thomas
Published: April 2016

Just a decade ago, only a handful of laboratories were engaged in the preparation and characterization of cosmic dust analogues and in the study of the formation of molecules on their surfaces. Now more than three dozen laboratories (see list below) work on such topics.
DIVISION F COMMISSION 15: PHYSICAL STUDY OF COMETS AND MINOR PLANETS
Authors: Bockelée-Morvan Dominique , Gil-Hutton Ricardo , Hestroffer Daniel , Belskaya Irina N. , Davidsson Björn J. R. , Dotto Elisabetta , Fitzsimmons Alan , Hestroffer Daniel , Kawakita Hideyo , Mothe-Diniz Thais , Licandro Javier , Wooden Diane H. , Yano Hajime
Published: April 2016

Commission 15 of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), entitled Physical Study of Comets and Minor Planets, was founded in 1935 and dissolved in 2015, following the reorganization of IAU. In 80 years of Commission 15, tremendous progress has been made on the knowledge of these objets, thanks to the combined efforts of ground- and space-based observations, space mission rendezvous and flybys, laboratory simulation and analyses of returned samples, and theoretical and numerical modeling. Together with dynamical studies of the Solar System, this discipline has provided a much deeper understanding of how the Solar System formed and evolved. We present a legacy report of Commission 15, which highlights key milestones in the exploration and knowledge of the small bodies of the Solar System.