bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Putting performance in context: the perceived influence of environmental factors on work-based performance
Authors: Stroud Lynfa , Bryden Pier , Kurabi Bochra , Ginsburg Shiphra
Published: September 2015

Introduction Context shapes behaviours yet is seldom considered when assessing competence. Our objective was to explore attending physicians’ and trainees’ perceptions of the Internal Medicine Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU) environment and how they thought contextual factors affected their performance.

Method 29 individuals recently completing CTU rotations participated in nine level-specific focus groups (2 with attending physicians, 3 with senior and 2 with junior residents, and 2 with students). Participants were asked to identify environmental factors on the CTU and to describe how these factors influenced their own performance across CanMEDS roles. Discussions were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory.

Results Five major contextual factors were identified: Busyness, Multiple Hats, Other People, Educational Structures, and Hospital Resources and Policies. Busyness emerged as the most important, but all factors had a substantial perceived impact on performance. Participants felt their performance on the Manager and Scholar roles was most affected by environmental factors (mostly negatively, due to decreased efficiency and impact on learning).

Conclusions In complex workplace environments, numerous factors shape performance. These contextual factors and their impact need to be considered in observations and judgements made about performance in the workplace, as without this understanding conclusions about competency may be flawed.
Bounded Ethicality and The Principle That “Ought” Implies “Can”
Authors: Kim Tae Wan , Monge Rosemarie , Strudler Alan
Published: September 2015

In this article we investigate a philosophical problem for normative business ethics theory suggested by a phenomenon that contemporary psychologists call “bounded ethicality,” which can be identified with the putative fact that well-intentioned people, constrained by psychological limitations, make ethical choices inconsistent with their own ethical beliefs and commitments. When one combines the idea that bounded ethicality is pervasive with the idea that a person morally ought to do something only if she can, it raises a doubt about the practical relevance of the moral principles that business ethics theory prescribes. We call this doubt the Radical Behavioral Challenge. It consists in the idea that people cannot generally conform to the normative ethical principles that business ethics theorists prescribe, and that these principles are therefore practically irrelevant. We answer the Radical Behavioral Challenge and explore normative implications of our answer.
IRRIGATION AND SULPHUR FERTILIZATION EFFECTS ON THE PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY AND GREENHOUSE GASES EMISSIONS IN INDIAN MUSTARD
Authors: RAY K. , BANERJEE H. , PAUL T. , DAS T. K.
Published: September 2015

The response to sulphur (S) and irrigation of mustard although site-specific, is less studied across sites. Economics and greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions are other important considerations for developing resource-efficient technologies, but hardly studied in mustard. The objectives of this study were to appraise productivity, economics and GHGs emissions under three irrigation regimes combined with four levels of S, laid out in a split plot design with three replications. Results showed that two irrigations at 30 and 60 DAS combined with 60 kg S ha−1resulted in highest gross and net returns, which were 30.9 and 37.2% higher than that in single irrigation at 30 DAS, and 47.2 and 68.0% higher than that in single irrigation at 60 DAS without S application, respectively. Estimated GHGs emissions from common inputs (machinery, diesel, fertilizer and insecticides) of mustard were 1486.2 kg CO2eq ha−1with greater share (95%) of fertilizer. Econometric analysis predicts that 1% increase in irrigation and S use will lead to 10.29 and 9.98% increase in mustard yield, respectively.
Models of Moral Realism in Christian Ethics
Authors: Jung Kevin
Published: September 2015

In recent decades, the idea that moral facts are not discovered but constituted by some hypothetical procedure or the attitudes of rational agents has been gaining support inside and outside of religious ethics. Often referred to as constructivism, this metaethical view proposes that moral facts are constituted by the attitudes of agents, i.e., what people would agree under some rational or idealized procedures of construction, not by facts determined by independent moral reality.
Embodiment, Heresy, and the Hellenization of Christianity: The Descent of the Soul in Plato and Origen
Authors: Martens Peter W.
Published: September 2015

The Hellenization of Christianity is a long-standing and notoriously contentious historiographical construct in early Christian studies. While it has been deployed in surprisingly fluid ways, most scholars associate the thesis with Adolf von Harnack, for whom it acquired a decidedly critical valence. The “Hellenic spirit”—a concept Harnack usually left undefined—constituted a threat to the undogmatic gospel of Jesus. Whenever this adversarial Hellenic spirit triumphed, as it inevitably did, it corroded an authentic living Christianity into an institutionalized, dogmatic religion. For many others, both before and after Harnack, the Hellenization of Christianity has signaled a similar narrative of decline. The teachings and way of life that marked an authentic Christianity often stood in a disjunctive relationship with Greco-Roman culture, especially its philosophies. The influence of the latter precipitated a debasement of Christianity, the ossification of its teachings, or more seriously, the infiltration of heresy.
THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MENSTRUAL CYCLE CHARACTERISTICS AND PERCEIVED BODY IMAGE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY OF POLISH FEMALE ADOLESCENTS
Authors: Kaczmarek Maria , Trambacz-Oleszak Sylwia
Published: September 2015

The increasing prevalence of negative body perceptions among adolescent girls and the tendency towards wishing to be thinner have become a cultural norm in Western culture. Adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to developing a negative body image due to physical and sexual changes occurring during puberty. This study aimed to evaluate the association between different measures of body image perceptions and different phases of the menstrual cycle after controlling for weight status and other potential confounders in Polish adolescent girls aged 12–18 years. Three-hundred and thirty participants of a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2009, normally cycling and with no eating disorders, completed a background questionnaire and the Stunkard Figure Rating Scale, and their anthropometric measurements were collected. The dependent outcome variables were measures of body image (actual body image, ideal body image and ideal-self discrepancy) and dichotomous body image perception (satisfied versus dissatisfied) adjusted for other predictor factors: socio-demographic variables, menstrual history and cycle phases, and weight status. One-way ANOVA indicated that weight status, age at menarche and menstrual cycle phase were associated with actual body image and rate of ideal-self discrepancy. Ideal body image was associated with weight status and menstrual cycle phase. General logistic regression models were constructed to evaluate associations of body dissatisfaction and all potential predictor variables. The final selected model of the multiple logistic regression analysis using the backward elimination procedure revealed that adjusted for other factors, negative body image was significantly associated with different phases of the menstrual cycle (ptrend=0.033) and increasing body weight status (ptrend=0.0007). The likelihood of body dissatisfaction was greatest during the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle (OR=2.38; 95% CI 1.06, 5.32) and among girls in obesity class I (OR=8.04; 95% CI 2.37, 27.26). The study confirmed the association between body image dissatisfaction in adolescent girls and different phases of the menstrual cycle after controlling for weight status. The issue of negative body self-image is not only of cognitive, but also of practical value as understanding better the factors contributing to the formation of a negative body image may be instrumental in developing preventive health programmes targeted at young people.
Migratory behaviour of bird species occurring in critical numbers at Besh Barmag bottleneck in Azerbaijan
Authors: HEISS MICHAEL
Published: September 2015

A narrow coastal plain located between the Greater Caucasus and the Caspian Sea was recently discovered to be a major avian flyway through Transcaucasia. Here at the Besh Barmag bottleneck in Azerbaijan an estimated 1.24–1.51 million migrants passed through in autumn 2011 and a further 0.65–0.82 million in spring 2012, elevating this bottleneck to international importance. Furthermore, 34 bird species were observed in numbers in excess of the 1% threshold of world or flyway population in at least one of the observation seasons. Due to the high concentration of these species, any dangers affecting this passage can be threatening at a population scale. This study therefore aims to describe the migratory behaviour of these 34 species and subsequently to identify the dangers involved in passage through the area. Collision with anthropogenic obstacles was regarded as the main threat in the coastal plain. Ten (40%) of the species studied and observed in autumn 2011 were flying at the lowest altitudes and are therefore under threat on migration through the bottleneck due to overhead power lines, buildings, traffic and hunting. Planned infrastructural developments with heights of up to 200 m (e.g. towers, wind farms) pose a future threat for an additional 13 (52%) of the study species observed in autumn, making a total of 23 species that would be threatened. Only two species, Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmaeus and Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, can be expected to maintain their currently safe passage in future as they migrate mainly above 200 m above ground level. In spring 2012, all 14 (100%) of the species that used the coastal plain as flyway, migrated below 50 m and are therefore imminently threatened by collision. Although birds migrating over the Caspian Sea were concentrated at the lower altitudes, there was no identifiable threat for migrants using this flyway, but hazards can be expected in the oil production areas further south.
COEFFICIENT INEQUALITIES AND YAMASHITA’S CONJECTURE FOR SOME CLASSES OF ANALYTIC FUNCTIONS
Authors: ALI MD FIROZ , VASUDEVARAO A.
Published: September 2015

For any real number${\it\beta}$with${\it\beta}>1$, let${\mathcal{M}}(\,{\it\beta})$(${\mathcal{N}}(\,{\it\beta})$respectively) denote the class of analytic functions$f$in the unit disk$\mathbb{D}:=\{z\in \mathbb{C}:|z|<1\}$of the form$f(z)=z+\sum _{n=2}^{\infty }a_{n}z^{n}$and satisfying$\text{Re}\,P_{f}<{\it\beta}$($\text{Re}\,Q_{f}<{\it\beta}$respectively) in$\mathbb{D}$, where$P_{f}=zf^{\prime }(z)/f(z)$and$Q_{f}=1+zf^{\prime \prime }(z)/f^{\prime }(z)$. Also, for${\it\beta}>1$, let${\mathcal{M}}{\rm\Sigma}(\,{\it\beta})$(${\mathcal{N}}{\rm\Sigma}(\,{\it\beta})$respectively) denote the class of analytic functions$g$of the form$g(z)=z(1+\sum _{n=1}^{\infty }b_{n}z^{-n})$and satisfying$\text{Re}\,P_{g}<{\it\beta}$($\text{Re}\,Q_{g}<{\it\beta}$respectively) for$z\in {\rm\Delta}=\{z\in \mathbb{C}:1<|z|<\infty \}$. In this paper, we shall determine the coefficient bounds, inverse coefficient bounds, the growth and distortion theorem and the upper bounds for the Fekete–Szegő functional${\rm\Lambda}_{{\it\lambda}}(f)=a_{3}-{\it\lambda}a_{2}^{2}$for functions$f$in the classes${\mathcal{M}}(\,{\it\beta})$and${\mathcal{N}}(\,{\it\beta})$. Further, we shall solve the maximal area problem for functions of the type$z/f(z)$when$f\in {\mathcal{M}}(\,{\it\beta})$, which is Yamashita’s conjecture for the class${\mathcal{M}}(\,{\it\beta})$. We shall obtain the radius of convexity for the class${\mathcal{N}}(\,{\it\beta})$. We shall also determine the coefficient bounds for functions$g$in the classes${\mathcal{M}}{\rm\Sigma}(\,{\it\beta})$and${\mathcal{N}}{\rm\Sigma}(\,{\it\beta})$and the inverse coefficient bounds for functions$g$in the class${\mathcal{M}}{\rm\Sigma}(\,{\it\beta})$. All the results are sharp.
After Heartbreak: Anglicanism and the End of
Christendom
Authors: McGowan Andrew
Published: September 2015

The Church of England is experiencing a significant decline in membership and in
other forms of influence and engagement, whose implications may have
consequences for the Anglican Communion as a whole. The qualitative as well as
quantitative changes suggest the need for a renewal of Anglican public theology
that maintains a positive account of the relationship between church and world
while letting go the expectation of privilege and power. Articles in this issue
of the Journal of Anglican Studies address the public character
of Christianity in Britain after Christendom.
Observations on the life history of a rare shrimp, Salmoneus carvachoi (Crustacea: Caridea: Alpheidae), a possible simultaneous hermaphrodite
Authors: Oliveira M.V. , Costa-Souza A.C. , Guimarães F.J. , Almeida A.O. , Baeza J.A.
Published: September 2015

This study reports on the life history of a rare alpheid shrimp,Salmoneus carvachoi, in the tropical western Atlantic. At an intertidal flat in Pontal Bay, Ilhéus, Bahia, north-eastern Brazil,S. carvachoiwas collected from within burrows of the axianassid mud shrimpAxianassa australisand the caridean snapping shrimpsAlpheus estuariensisandAlpheus chacei. These and earlier studies that reportedS. carvachoiin dwellings constructed by other larger burrowing crustaceans suggest thatS. carvachoiis a generalist species that establishes facultative symbiotic partnerships with larger burrowing decapods. We collected a total of 52 individuals during the sampling period (1 year); 19 (36.5%) of these shrimps carried embryos underneath the abdomen. The mean ± SD carapace length was 4.7 ± 0.7 and 5.5 ± 0.3 mm in non-brooding and brooding shrimps, respectively. All collected specimens, whether or not brooding embryos, bear appendices masculinae on the endopods of the second pleopods. Burrows harboured only one or two shrimps and never three or more shrimps. Pairs of shrimp that inhabited burrows consisted of two brooding shrimps (N = 3 pairs), two non-brooding shrimps (N = 3), or one brooding and one non-brooding shrimp (N = 1). The presence of appendices masculinae in all collected shrimps, whether or not brooding embryos, and the pairing of brooding shrimp within host burrows suggest thatS. carvachoiis a simultaneously hermaphroditic species.
Heterogeneous composition of key metabolic gene clusters in a vent mussel symbiont population
Authors: Ikuta Tetsuro , Takaki Yoshihiro , Nagai Yukiko , Shimamura Shigeru , Tsuda Miwako , Kawagucci Shinsuke , Aoki Yui , Inoue Koji , Teruya Morimi , Satou Kazuhito , Teruya Kuniko , Shimoji Makiko , Tamotsu Hinako , Hirano Takashi , Maruyama Tadashi , Yoshida Takao
Published: September 2015

Chemosynthetic symbiosis is one of the successful systems for adapting to a wide range of habitats including extreme environments, and the metabolic capabilities of symbionts enable host organisms to expand their habitat ranges. However, our understanding of the adaptive strategies that enable symbiotic organisms to expand their habitats is still fragmentary. Here, we report that a single-ribotype endosymbiont population in an individual of the host vent mussel, Bathymodiolus septemdierum has heterogeneous genomes with regard to the composition of key metabolic gene clusters for hydrogen oxidation and nitrate reduction. The host individual harbours heterogeneous symbiont subpopulations that either possess or lack the gene clusters encoding hydrogenase or nitrate reductase. The proportions of the different symbiont subpopulations in a host appeared to vary with the environment or with the host’s development. Furthermore, the symbiont subpopulations were distributed in patches to form a mosaic pattern in the gill. Genomic heterogeneity in an endosymbiont population may enable differential utilization of diverse substrates and confer metabolic flexibility. Our findings open a new chapter in our understanding of how symbiotic organisms alter their metabolic capabilities and expand their range of habitats.
Maternal bile acid transporter deficiency promotes neonatal demise
Authors: Zhang Yuanyuan , Li Fei , Wang Yao , Pitre Aaron , Fang Zhong-ze , Frank Matthew W. , Calabrese Christopher , Krausz Kristopher W. , Neale Geoffrey , Frase Sharon , Vogel Peter , Rock Charles O. , Gonzalez Frank J. , Schuetz John D.
Published: September 2015

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is associated with adverse neonatal survival and is estimated to impact between 0.4 and 5% of pregnancies worldwide. Here we show that maternal cholestasis (due to Abcb11 deficiency) produces neonatal death among all offspring within 24 h of birth due to atelectasis-producing pulmonary hypoxia, which recapitulates the neonatal respiratory distress of human ICP. Neonates of Abcb11-deficient mothers have elevated pulmonary bile acids and altered pulmonary surfactant structure. Maternal absence of Nr1i2 superimposed on Abcb11 deficiency strongly reduces maternal serum bile acid concentrations and increases neonatal survival. We identify pulmonary bile acids as a key factor in the disruption of the structure of pulmonary surfactant in neonates of ICP. These findings have important implications for neonatal respiratory failure, especially when maternal bile acids are elevated during pregnancy, and highlight potential pathways and targets amenable to therapeutic intervention to ameliorate this condition.
Expanding the biotechnology potential of lactobacilli through comparative genomics of 213 strains and associated genera
Authors: Sun Zhihong , Harris Hugh M. B. , McCann Angela , Guo Chenyi , Argimón Silvia , Zhang Wenyi , Yang Xianwei , Jeffery Ian B , Cooney Jakki C. , Kagawa Todd F. , Liu Wenjun , Song Yuqin , Salvetti Elisa , Wrobel Agnieszka , Rasinkangas Pia , Parkhill Julian , Rea Mary C. , O’Sullivan Orla , Ritari Jarmo , Douillard François P. , Paul Ross R. , Yang Ruifu , Briner Alexandra E. , Felis Giovanna E. , de Vos Willem M. , Barrangou Rodolphe , Klaenhammer Todd R. , Caufield Page W. , Cui Yujun , Zhang Heping , O’Toole Paul W.
Published: September 2015

Lactobacilli are a diverse group of species that occupy diverse nutrient-rich niches associated with humans, animals, plants and food. They are used widely in biotechnology and food preservation, and are being explored as therapeutics. Exploiting lactobacilli has been complicated by metabolic diversity, unclear species identity and uncertain relationships between them and other commercially important lactic acid bacteria. The capacity for biotransformations catalysed by lactobacilli is an untapped biotechnology resource. Here we report the genome sequences of 213 Lactobacillus strains and associated genera, and their encoded genetic catalogue for modifying carbohydrates and proteins. In addition, we describe broad and diverse presence of novel CRISPR-Cas immune systems in lactobacilli that may be exploited for genome editing. We rationalize the phylogenomic distribution of host interaction factors and bacteriocins that affect their natural and industrial environments, and mechanisms to withstand stress during technological processes. We present a robust phylogenomic framework of existing species and for classifying new species.
Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies five modifier loci of lung disease severity in cystic fibrosis
Authors: Corvol Harriet , Blackman Scott M. , Boëlle Pierre-Yves , Gallins Paul J. , Pace Rhonda G. , Stonebraker Jaclyn R. , Accurso Frank J. , Clement Annick , Collaco Joseph M. , Dang Hong , Dang Anthony T. , Franca Arianna , Gong Jiafen , Guillot Loic , Keenan Katherine , Li Weili , Lin Fan , Patrone Michael V. , Raraigh Karen S. , Sun Lei , Zhou Yi-Hui , O’Neal Wanda K. , Sontag Marci K. , Levy Hara , Durie Peter R. , Rommens Johanna M. , Drumm Mitchell L. , Wright Fred A. , Strug Lisa J. , Cutting Garry R. , Knowles Michael R.
Published: September 2015

The identification of small molecules that target specific CFTR variants has ushered in a new era of treatment for cystic fibrosis (CF), yet optimal, individualized treatment of CF will require identification and targeting of disease modifiers. Here we use genome-wide association analysis to identify genetic modifiers of CF lung disease, the primary cause of mortality. Meta-analysis of 6,365 CF patients identifies five loci that display significant association with variation in lung disease. Regions on chr3q29 (MUC4/MUC20; P=3.3 × 10−11), chr5p15.3 (SLC9A3; P=6.8 × 10−12), chr6p21.3 (HLA Class II; P=1.2 × 10−8) and chrXq22-q23 (AGTR2/SLC6A14; P=1.8 × 10−9) contain genes of high biological relevance to CF pathophysiology. The fifth locus, on chr11p12-p13 (EHF/APIP; P=1.9 × 10−10), was previously shown to be associated with lung disease. These results provide new insights into potential targets for modulating lung disease severity in CF.
Atomic-level characterization of transport cycle thermodynamics in the glycerol-3-phosphate:phosphate antiporter
Authors: Moradi Mahmoud , Enkavi Giray , Tajkhorshid Emad
Published: September 2015

Membrane transporters actively translocate their substrate by undergoing large-scale structural transitions between inward- (IF) and outward-facing (OF) states (‘alternating-access’ mechanism). Despite extensive structural studies, atomic-level mechanistic details of such structural transitions, and as importantly, their coupling to chemical events supplying the energy, remain amongst the most elusive aspects of the function of these proteins. Here we present a quantitative, atomic-level description of the functional thermodynamic cycle for the glycerol-3-phosphate:phosphate antiporter GlpT by using a novel approach in reconstructing the free energy landscape governing the IF↔OF transition along a cyclic transition pathway involving both apo and substrate-bound states. Our results provide a fully atomic description of the complete transport process, offering a structural model for the alternating-access mechanism and substantiating the close coupling between global structural transitions and local chemical events.
Coordinating activation strategy for C(sp3)–H/C(sp3)–H cross-coupling to access β-aromatic α-amino acids
Authors: Li Kaizhi , Wu Qian , Lan Jingbo , You Jingsong
Published: September 2015

The past decade has witnessed significant advances in C–H bond functionalizations with the discovery of new mechanisms. Non-precious transition-metal-catalysed radical oxidative coupling for C(sp3)–H bond transformations is an appealing strategy for C–C bond formations. The radical oxidative C(sp3)–H/C(sp3)–H cross-coupling reactions of α-C(sp3)–H bonds of amines with free radicals represent a conceptual and practical challenge. We herein develop the coordinating activation strategy to illustrate the nickel-catalysed radical oxidative cross-coupling between C(sp3)–H bonds and (hetero)arylmethyl free radicals. The protocol can tolerate a rich variety of α-amino acids and (hetero)arylmethanes as well as arylmethylenes and arylmethines, affording a large library of α-tertiary and α-quaternary β-aromatic α-amino acids. This process also features low-cost metal catalyst, readily handled and easily removable coordinating group, synthetic simplicity and gram-scale production, which would enable the potential for economical production at commercial scale in the future.
A resilient formin-derived cortical actin meshwork in the rear drives actomyosin-based motility in 2D confinement
Authors: Ramalingam Nagendran , Franke Christof , Jaschinski Evelin , Winterhoff Moritz , Lu Yao , Brühmann Stefan , Junemann Alexander , Meier Helena , Noegel Angelika A. , Weber Igor , Zhao Hongxia , Merkel Rudolf , Schleicher Michael , Faix Jan
Published: September 2015

Cell migration is driven by the establishment of disparity between the cortical properties of the softer front and the more rigid rear allowing front extension and actomyosin-based rear contraction. However, how the cortical actin meshwork in the rear is generated remains elusive. Here we identify the mDia1-like formin A (ForA) from Dictyostelium discoideum that generates a subset of filaments as the basis of a resilient cortical actin sheath in the rear. Mechanical resistance of this actin compartment is accomplished by actin crosslinkers and IQGAP-related proteins, and is mandatory to withstand the increased contractile forces in response to mechanical stress by impeding unproductive blebbing in the rear, allowing efficient cell migration in two-dimensional-confined environments. Consistently, ForA supresses the formation of lateral protrusions, rapidly relocalizes to new prospective ends in repolarizing cells and is required for cortical integrity. Finally, we show that ForA utilizes the phosphoinositide gradients in polarized cells for subcellular targeting.
Role of TBATB in nano indium oxide catalyzed C-S bond formation
Authors: Gogoi Prasanta , Hazarika Sukanya , Barman Pranjit
Published: September 2015

Nano sized indium oxide is found to be an efficient catalyst for the conversion of thiols to sulfides using Na2CO3 as base and TBATB as reagent in DMSO at 110 °C. Here in situ generation of bromo intermediate by TBATB takes place through indium surface. A variety of aryl sulfides can be synthesized in excellent yields from less reactive chlorides, boronic acids and thiols.
Magnetically-induced ferroelectricity in the (ND4)2[FeCl5(D2O)] molecular compound
Authors: Alberto Rodríguez-Velamazán José , Fabelo Óscar , Millán Ángel , Campo Javier , Johnson Roger D. , Chapon Laurent
Published: September 2015

The number of magnetoelectric multiferroic materials reported to date is scarce, as magnetic structures that break inversion symmetry and induce an improper ferroelectric polarization typically arise through subtle competition between different magnetic interactions. The (NH4)2[FeCl5(H2O)] compound is a rare case where such improper ferroelectricity has been observed in a molecular material. We have used single crystal and powder neutron diffraction to obtain detailed solutions for the crystal and magnetic structures of (NH4)2[FeCl5(H2O)], from which we determined the mechanism of multiferroicity. From the crystal structure analysis, we observed an order-disorder phase transition related to the ordering of the ammonium counterion. We have determined the magnetic structure below TN, at 2 K and zero magnetic field, which corresponds to a cycloidal spin arrangement with magnetic moments contained in the ac-plane, propagating parallel to the c-axis. The observed ferroelectricity can be explained, from the obtained magnetic structure, via the inverse Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya mechanism.
Brain extracellular matrix retains connectivity in neuronal networks
Authors: Bikbaev Arthur , Frischknecht Renato , Heine Martin
Published: September 2015

The formation and maintenance of connectivity are critically important for the processing and storage of information in neuronal networks. The brain extracellular matrix (ECM) appears during postnatal development and surrounds most neurons in the adult mammalian brain. Importantly, the removal of the ECM was shown to improve plasticity and post-traumatic recovery in the CNS, but little is known about the mechanisms. Here, we investigated the role of the ECM in the regulation of the network activity in dissociated hippocampal cultures grown on microelectrode arrays (MEAs). We found that enzymatic removal of the ECM in mature cultures led to transient enhancement of neuronal activity, but prevented disinhibition-induced hyperexcitability that was evident in age-matched control cultures with intact ECM. Furthermore, the ECM degradation followed by disinhibition strongly affected the network interaction so that it strongly resembled the juvenile pattern seen in naïve developing cultures. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the ECM plays an important role in retention of existing connectivity in mature neuronal networks that can be exerted through synaptic confinement of glutamate. On the other hand, removal of the ECM can play a permissive role in modification of connectivity and adaptive exploration of novel network architecture.
Vacuum-and-solvent-free fabrication of organic semiconductor layers for field-effect transistors
Authors: Matsushima Toshinori , Sandanayaka Atula S. D. , Esaki Yu , Adachi Chihaya
Published: September 2015

We demonstrate that cold and hot isostatic pressing (CIP and HIP) is a novel, alternative method for organic semiconductor layer fabrication, where organic powder is compressed into a layer shape directly on a substrate with 200 MPa pressure. Spatial gaps between powder particles and the other particles, substrates, or electrodes are crushed after CIP and HIP, making it possible to operate organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) containing the compressed powder as the semiconductor. The CIP-compressed powder of 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) had a hole mobility of (1.6 ± 0.4) × 10–2 cm2/Vs. HIP of C8-BTBT powder increased the hole mobility to an amorphous silicon-like value (0.22 ± 0.07 cm2/Vs) because of the growth of the C8-BTBT crystallites and the improved continuity between the powder particles. The vacuum and solution processes are not involved in our CIP and HIP techniques, offering a possibility of manufacturing OFETs at low cost.
PTBP1 and PTBP2 impaired autoregulation of SRSF3 in cancer cells
Authors: Guo Jihua , Jia Jun , Jia Rong
Published: September 2015

Splicing factors are key players in the regulation of alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs. Overexpression of splicing factors, including SRSF3, has been strongly linked with oncogenesis. However, the mechanisms behind their overexpression remain largely unclear. Autoregulation is a common mechanism to maintain relative stable expression levels of splicing factors in cells. SRSF3 regulates its own expression by enhancing the inclusion of an alternative exon 4 with an in-frame stop codon. We found that the inclusion of SRSF3 exon 4 is impaired in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. PTBP1 and PTBP2 bind to an exonic splicing suppressor in exon 4 and inhibit its inclusion, which results in overexpression of full length functional SRSF3. Overexpression of SRSF3, in turn, promotes PTBP2 expression. Our results suggest a novel mechanism for the overexpression of oncogenic splicing factor via impairing autoregulation in cancer cells.
Integrative analyses reveal transcriptome-proteome correlation in biological pathways and secondary metabolism clusters in A. flavus in response to temperature
Authors: Bai Youhuang , Wang Sen , Zhong Hong , Yang Qi , Zhang Feng , Zhuang Zhenhong , Yuan Jun , Nie Xinyi , Wang Shihua
Published: September 2015

To investigate the changes in transcript and relative protein levels in response to temperature, complementary transcriptomic and proteomic analyses were used to identify changes in Aspergillus flavus grown at 28 °C and 37 °C. A total of 3,886 proteins were identified and 2,832 proteins were reliably quantified. A subset of 664 proteins was differentially expressed upon temperature changes and enriched in several Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways: translation-related pathways, metabolic pathways and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. The changes in protein profiles showed low congruency with alterations in corresponding transcript levels, indicating that post-transcriptional processes play a critical role in regulating the protein level in A. flavus. The expression pattern of proteins and transcripts related to aflatoxin biosynthesis showed that most genes were up-regulated at both the protein and transcript level at 28 °C. Our data provide comprehensive quantitative proteome data of A. flavus at conducive and nonconducive temperatures.
A 3D map of the islet routes throughout the healthy human pancreas
Authors: Ionescu-Tirgoviste Constantin , Gagniuc Paul A. , Gubceac Elvira , Mardare Liliana , Popescu Irinel , Dima Simona , Militaru Manuella
Published: September 2015

Islets of Langerhans are fundamental in understanding diabetes. A healthy human pancreas from a donor has been used to asses various islet parameters and their three-dimensional distribution. Here we show that islets are spread gradually from the head up to the tail section of the pancreas in the form of contracted or dilated islet routes. We also report a particular anatomical structure, namely the cluster of islets. Our observations revealed a total of 11 islet clusters which comprise of small islets that surround large blood vessels. Additional observations in the peripancreatic adipose tissue have shown lymphoid-like nodes and blood vessels captured in a local inflammatory process. Our observations are based on regional slice maps of the pancreas, comprising of 5,423 islets. We also devised an index of sphericity which briefly indicates various islet shapes that are dominant throughout the pancreas.
Optical Limiting and Theoretical Modelling of Layered Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Nanosheets
Authors: Dong Ningning , Li Yuanxin , Feng Yanyan , Zhang Saifeng , Zhang Xiaoyan , Chang Chunxia , Fan Jintai , Zhang Long , Wang Jun
Published: September 2015

Nonlinear optical property of transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) nanosheet dispersions, including MoS2, MoSe2, WS2 and WSe2, was performed by using Z-scan technique with ns pulsed laser at 1064 nm and 532 nm. The results demonstrate that the TMDC dispersions exhibit significant optical limiting response at 1064 nm due to nonlinear scattering, in contrast to the combined effect of both saturable absorption and nonlinear scattering at 532 nm. Selenium compounds show better optical limiting performance than that of the sulfides in the near infrared. A liquid dispersion system based theoretical modelling is proposed to estimate the number density of the nanosheet dispersions, the relationship between incident laser fluence and the size of the laser generated micro-bubbles and hence the Mie scattering-induced broadband optical limiting behavior in the TMDC dispersions.
N-nitrosodimethylamine Precursors in Wastewater: Removal Via Activated Sludge Treatment
Authors: Linge K. L. , Liew D. , Marti E. J. , Dickenson E. , Heitz A. , Joll C. A.
Published: September 2015

Disinfection by-products (DBPs) are often the most frequently detected chemicals in recycled water. In particular, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) has been previously identified as a DBP of health concern. While NDMA concentrations in recycled water can be minimised by additional treatment, reduction of precursors in the secondary wastewater is also important. In this study we investigated the removal of NDMA precursors during wastewater treatment, and the potential impact of different chloramination or ozonation strategies on NDMA formation in recycled water. The two key routes for N-nitrosamine precursor removal were activated sludge treatment and reverse osmosis. Precursor removal during activated sludge treatment was related to ammonia removal, suggesting that nitrification is an important removal mechanism for NDMA precursors. Significant variability in NDMA precursors in primary wastewater requires further investigation, but analysis of process polymers used in treatment indicated they did not cause the variation observed. While there was no difference between NDMA formation in laboratory experiments using inline-formed monochloramine or preformed monochloramine at disinfectant doses below 3 mg/L Cl2, increasing the dose to 10 mg/L Cl2 resulted in significantly more NDMA formation from inline-formed monochloramination. It is therefore important to control the disinfectant dose at the treatment plant since a slight increase in dose could result in a significant increase in NDMA. Ozonation may have promise for NDMA precursor removal, without significant NDMA formation. However, ozone will produce its own suite of DBPs, and therefore it is important to test the formation of other DBP classes before implementation.
NDMA Formation After Coagulation with Ferric Chloride and Decarbonation
Authors: Sgroi M. , Roccaro P. , Oelker G. L. , Snyder S. A.
Published: September 2015

The N-nitrosamines are a group of emerging disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that are considered as probable human carcinogens. Of all the nitrosamines, N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) has been most commonly detected in drinking water and wastewater. Particularly, the presence of NDMA is of concern in locations where wastewater effluents are used for potable reuse. Thus, to investigate treatment processes specifically aimed at removing/transforming nitrosamine precursors is crucial to avoid high formation of these carcinogenic DBPs. In this study, coagulation with ferric chloride of a wastewater effluent destined for potable reuse was investigated to evaluate ozone NDMA precursor removal. Furthermore, the effect of carbon dioxide concentration in the effluent of an indirect potable reuse system in NDMA formation during chloramination was investigated as strategy to control NDMA formation. Results of the study showed that coagulation with ferric chloride is not effective in NDMA precursor removal and that the carbon dioxide concentration in water seems to not affect NDMA formation during chloramination.
DBP Formation from the Chlorination of Organics in Tea and Coffee
Authors: Bond T. , Tang S. , Templeton M. R.
Published: September 2015

Tea and coffee are the most consumed beverages in the world, and over 80% of tap water consumption is associated with making tea, coffee and other hot drinks. Since tea and coffee are rich in organic matter, they can potentially act as disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors. Nonetheless, DBPs generated from reactions between residual chlorine in tap water and organic matter in tea and coffee have received limited attention in literature. In this study, model compounds were selected to represent the different types of organics found in tea and. Their chlorine demand and DBP formation was measured and the potential for DBP formation during real-life preparation of tea and coffee assessed.
Evaluation of Chlorite and Chlorate Propagation in a Drinking Water Distribution System
Authors: Sorlini S. , Biasibetti M.
Published: September 2015

Disinfection by-product (DBP) formation in drinking water starts in the disinfection stage of a treatment plant, but can further increase or change downstream in the distribution system. If chlorine dioxide is applied in final disinfection, it is important to monitor chlorite and chlorate in the distribution system, since they can cause oxidative damage to red blood human cells. The World Health Organization recommends a Guideline Value for these parameters of 700 µg L−1 in drinking water. This work considers the drinking water distribution system of Cremona (76,000 inhabitants) in the North of Italy, fed by two equal treatment plants, that apply chlorine dioxide disinfection, located in the west and east of the city. In this work the distribution system was monitored for 6 years (2006–2011) analysing residual chlorine, chlorite and chlorate concentrations at 26 points of the network. The software Epanet 2.0 (USEPA) was applied to the distribution network in order to estimate the mixing zone of the water coming from the west and east treatment plants, and to simulate the propagation of residual chlorine, chlorite and chlorate. The measured and simulated concentrations were compared. The results of the network monitoring show a high chlorine dioxide consumption, since residual chlorine concentration is always below 0.12 mg L−1 at each point in the network. The chlorite concentration exceeds 700 µg L−1 in 12–16% of cases in the first two years, in the 48% of cases in 2008, and in 1-8% of the cases from 2009 to 2011. Predictably, chlorite exceeds the WHO GV at the points of the network more distant from the treatment plants. Conversely, the chlorate concentration is always below 200 µg L−1 at each point of the network. In fact, at the outlet of each treatment plant the chlorite concentration is high, while chlorate concentration is significantly below the GV. With regard to the software simulation with Epanet 2.0, the determination of the mixing zone for water coming from the west and east treatment plants and the comparison between the measured concentration and the values obtained from the simulation show the usefulness of the model for predicting DBP concentration in the distribution system.
Evaluation of Chlorite and Chlorate Removal by Activated Carbon in a Pilot Scale Drinking Water Treatment Plant
Authors: Sorlini S. , Gialdini F. , Biasibetti M. , Collivignarelli M. C.
Published: September 2015

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) applied in the disinfection of drinking water can produce chlorite (ClO2−) and chlorate (ClO3−). The World Health Organization recommends a guideline value (GV) of 700 µg L−1 for both of these compounds in drinking water, since they can cause oxidative damage to human red blood cells. This work considers a drinking water treatment plant with high chlorine dioxide consumption in disinfection resulting in chlorite concentrations in treated water exceeding the WHO GV. The plant, treating a maximum water flow of 38.9 ML d−1, produces drinking water for the city of Cremona (76,000 inhabitants) in the North of Italy. The treatment train comprises aeration, biofiltration, chemical oxidation with potassium permanganate and ferric chloride, sand filtration, and final disinfection with chlorine dioxide. Regular monitoring was carried out for chlorine dioxide demand, UV absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) and permanganate index (PI) at the inlet and at the outlet of each treatment stage. A pilot scale study was carried out to evaluate chlorite removal with activated carbon. Two columns filled with two different mineral activated carbons were installed at the outlet of the sand filter of the plant. Each column was tested under two conditions: 249 L h−1 flow with a 10 minute empty bed contact time (EBCT) and 124.5 L h−1 flow with a 20 minute EBCT. The chlorine dioxide demand, UV254, PI, and chlorite and chlorate concentration were analyzed at the inlet and at the outlet of each column. The results of this study showed a significant reduction in chlorine dioxide demand, UV254 and PI, close to 70%. With a 10 minute EBCT with both carbons chlorite is reduced by 20–40% during the first two weeks of operation of the columns; from the 3rd to the 6th week the reduction decreases with values of 11–17%, and then below 10%. With a 10 minute EBCT, chlorate concentration at the outlet of both columns was quite variable during the operating period.
Treatment of Ballast Water on Board Ships
Authors: Werschkun Barbara
Published: September 2015

The global transport of ballast water in ocean-going ships contributes substantially to the spread of aquatic invasive species, with serious consequences to local ecosystems. Therefore, the treatment of ballast water prior to discharge will soon become mandatory. Within the last decade, several dozen ballast water treatment systems have been developed. Most of them employ chemical oxidants, namely chlorine, ozone, and peracetic acid. In the bromine-rich marine water the chemistry of these primary oxidants is mainly characterized by the secondary oxidant hybobromite/hypobromous acid. As a consequence, brominated disinfection by-products are formed. Tribromomethane and tribromoacetic acid are frequently found in concentration >100 µg/L, followed by dibromochloromethane, dibromoacetic acid, and dibromoacetonitrile (10–100 µg/L). As all of these substances are associated with genotoxicity, carcinogenicity or other long-term toxicity, close attention needs to be paid to the prevention of unacceptable exposure of humans during ballast water treatment on board ships.
Factors Affecting the Detection of Dissolved Organic Nitrogen Via Electrodialysis Pretreatment
Authors: Chen Baiyang , Zhu Anbang , Sui Yueting
Published: September 2015

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is ubiquitously present in the environment and its presence in drinking water has been related to the formation of nitrogenous disinfection byproducts recently. Therefore, a better understanding of the occurrence and control of DON is important. However, conventional DON method calculates DON as the difference between total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DIN), in which the subtraction process is likely to be subject to accumulated analytical errors and therefore sometimes results in unreliable DON data. Electrodialysis (ED) as a pretreatment tool may separate completely DON from DIN and enable direct and improved DON analysis. However, the important factors affecting the efficiency of ED process are unknown now. So, this study investigates a series of operational and instrumental options on the removal efficiency of ED for DON measurement. These factors include the type and concentration of electrolyte(s) in the sample and electrolyte media, flowrate, power input, specific area of ion exchange membrane (IEM), and electrode materials, etc. Ultimately, we have developed an ED unit capable of separating DON from DIN by 99% within 90 minutes with a consumption of sample of only 50 ml. The main purpose is to optimize the ED process while avoiding potential problems. The information may help optimize the ED process to provide automatic tools for DON analysis in the future.
A disposable bacterial lysis cartridge (BLC) suitable for an in situ water-borne pathogen detection system
Authors: Lee Eun-Hee , Lim Hyun Jeong , Son Ahjeong , Chua Beelee
Published: September 2015

A disposable bacterial lysis cartridge (BLC) and a sample handling system for the lysis ofBacillus subtiliswere constructed.
Rapid and efficient pesticide detection via cyclodextrin-promoted energy transfer
Authors: Serio Nicole , Roque John , Badwal Andrew , Levine Mindy
Published: September 2015

Cyclodextrins facilitate non-covalent fluorescence energy transfer from a variety of pesticides to high quantum-yield fluorophores, resulting in a rapid, sensitive detection scheme for these compounds with detection limits as low as two micromolar.
Comparative assessment of the chromatographic separation of 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans using supercritical fluid chromatography and high resolution gas chromatography
Authors: Riddell Nicole , van Bavel Bert , Jogsten Ingrid Ericson , McCrindle Robert , McAlees Alan , Potter Dave , Tashiro Colleen , Chittim Brock
Published: September 2015

This is the first reported separation of PCDDs and PCDFs using pSFC-MS/MS.
Simultaneous determination of effective components in Gualou Guizhi granules using microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography coupled with large volume sample stacking
Authors: Yu Lishuang , Lin Shiyao , Sha Mei , Sun Zhaoxia , Xu Huifeng , Wang Lili , Xu Wei , Chen Zongbao , Chen Guonan
Published: September 2015

A method using microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) coupled with large volume sample stacking was developed for the quantitative analysis of five compounds in Gualou Guizhi granules.
Practical detection for simultaneous analysis of multiple antigens with Staphylococcal protein A as an intermediate
Authors: Xie Xiaomei , Wang Caiyun , Xiao Qian , Zheng Yizhi , Li Yuqin , Feng Bo
Published: September 2015

Simultaneous measurements of multiple protein biomarkers are typically required to avoid false results in clinical diagnosis.
Low-density solvent based vortex-assisted surfactant enhanced emulsification microextraction with a home-made extraction device for the determination of four herbicide residues in river water
Authors: Chen Xiaochu , You Xiangwei , Liu Fengmao , Zhang Xu
Published: September 2015

A vortex-assisted surfactant enhanced emulsification microextraction method with a home-made extraction device is described.