bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Spectroscopic Characterization of Fluorophore‐Labeled Oligospiroketal Rods
Authors: Techen Anne , Czapla Sylvia , Möllnitz Kristian , Budach Dennis , Wessig Pablo , Kumke Michael U.
Published: November 2013

Fluorescence probes consisting of well‐established fluorophores in combination with rigid molecular rods based on spirane‐type structures were investigated with respect to their fluorescence properties under different solvent conditions. The attachment of the dyes was accomplished by 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition between alkynes and azides (‘click’ reaction) and is a prime example for a novel class of sensor constructs. Especially, the attachment of two (different) fluorophores on opposite sides of the molecular rods paves the way to new sensor systems with less bulky (compared to the conventional DNA‐ or protein‐based concepts), nevertheless rigid spacer constructs, e.g., for FRET‐based sensing applications. A detailed photophysical characterization was performed in MeOH (and in basic H2O/MeOH mixtures) for i) rod constructs containing carboxyfluorescein, ii) rod constructs containing carboxyrhodamine, iii) rod constructs containing both carboxyfluorescein and carboxyrhodamine, and iv) rod constructs containing both pyrene and perylene parts. For each dye (pair), two rod lengths with different numbers of spirane units were synthesized and investigated. The rod constructs were characterized in ensemble as well as single‐molecule fluorescence experiments with respect to i) specific roddye and ii) dyedye interactions. In addition to MeOH and MeOH/NaOH, the rod constructs were also investigated in micellar systems, which were chosen as a simplified model for membranes.
Synthesis of 3‐Carbamoyl β‐Lactams via Manganese(III)‐Promoted Cyclization of N‐Alkenylmalonamides
Authors: Punda Paweł , Ponikiewski Łukasz , Makowiec Sławomir
Published: November 2013

Manganese(III)‐promoted cyclization of N‐alkenylmalonamides (=N‐alkenylpropanediamides) gave 3‐(aryl/(alkylamino)carbonyl) β‐lactams as well as 3‐(aryl/(alkylamino)thiocarbonyl) β‐lactams. The relative configuration of the obtained products was unambiguously determined by X‐ray crystallography. The proposed method is very useful for the one‐pot synthesis of a number of 3‐(aryl/(alkylamino)carbonyl) β‐lactams, especially those containing an amino(thiocarbonyl) moiety, which are not selectively accessible by other methods.
Three New C19‐Diterpenoid Alkaloids from Aconitum forrestii
Authors: Xu Jun‐Ju , Zhao Da‐Ke , Ai Hong‐Lian , Zhang Li‐Mei , Xie Shi‐Qing , Zi Shu‐Hui , Yang Sheng‐Chao , Shen Yong
Published: November 2013

A further study of the alkaloid constituents of Aconitum forrestii led to the isolation of three new C19‐diterpenoid alkaloids, named 14‐acetoxy‐8‐O‐methylsachaconitine (1), 14‐acetoxyscaconine (2), and 8‐O‐ethylcammaconine (3). Their structures were determined by UV, IR, and MS, 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR analyses.
Leadership as an Ideograph: A Rhetorical Analysis of Military Leadership Training Material
Authors: Hutchison Phillip J.
Published: November 2013

The current rhetorical study used McGee's theory of ideographs to identify how cultural politics influence efforts to portray “leadership” in a military setting. Such an approach seeks to better address some of the enigmas that have complicated the understanding of military leadership—and leadership in general—for decades. McGee's theory emphasizes that language reflects political as well as referential qualities and, in some instances, these attributes come into conflict. Acknowledging this reality in an applied setting can help address ambiguous issues that escape the net of prevailing social‐science approaches to leadership inquiry. The rhetorical analysis, which examines U.S. Air Force leadership training material, documents the manner in which ideographic portrayals of leadership were pervasive in each training program, and it considers practical implications of such a situation. Most notably, the analysis provides an explanation of how ideographic portrayals of leadership implicitly emphasize cultural indoctrination over promoting social influence skills. Such an orientation fortifies the military hierarchy and perpetuates romantic views of the military profession, but it also blurs key distinctions between social control and social influence. It is suggested that because ideographs reflect vital cultural motives, associated problems are inherently difficult to remedy.
The Emerging Role of Higher Education in Educating and Assessing Future Leaders for Disaster Relief
Authors: Buschlen Eric , Goffnett Sean
Published: November 2013

As the frequency and intensity of disasters throughout the world increase, so do the demands for humanitarian relief and the need for effective disaster‐based leadership training. Numerous organizations are poised to act in response to disasters that necessitate a significant amount of leadership and logistics support. Although there are many entities often involved in disaster relief, the symposium outlines the emerging role higher education can play in improving response outcomes, not only by providing “boots on the ground” but also by developing skilled disaster relief leaders in both curricular and cocurricular venues. Institutions of higher education provide experiential learning opportunities offering critical service for immediate disaster relief while developing the skills of future leaders. During these experiences, students develop disaster‐based leadership and logistics acumen. Similarly, programmatic assessment is critical in measuring student leadership growth during the experiential learning process of providing disaster relief. The education and assessment of these trainings provides an important dimension of disaster leadership as it examines the leaders in action and fosters a commitment to adequately prepare them to lead in a time of disaster. A qualitative approach is recommended for assessing experiential leadership learning to better inform teaching and to cultivate future disaster leadership that meets ongoing global needs.
Polite Girls and Creative Boys? Students' Gender Moderates Accuracy of Teachers' Ratings of Creativity
Authors: Gralewski Jacek , Karwowski Maciej
Published: November 2013

The aim of this study was to examine whether, and to what extent, teachers are able to recognize the creativity of their students. The study measured the creative abilities, creative attitude, creative activity, as well as intrinsic motivation, intelligence, and school functioning of 589 Polish high school students, while their teachers (N = 178) rated students' creativity. The structural equation model (SEM) demonstrated that the accuracy of teachers' ratings of students' creativity is generally low—the latent factor of students' creativity reliably, however weakly, predicted teachers' ratings. The accuracy of teachers' ratings was moderated by gender: Only in the case of male students did the latent creativity factor reliably predict teachers' ratings. Students' school functioning emerged as a key factor positively associated with the perception of students as creative.
Relationship of Trauma Symptoms to Amygdala‐Based Functional Brain Changes in Adolescents
Authors: Nooner Kate B. , Mennes Maarten , Brown Shaquanna , Castellanos F. Xavier , Leventhal Bennett , Milham Michael P. , Colcombe Stanley J.
Published: November 2013

In this pilot study, amygdala connectivity related to trauma symptoms was explored using resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R‐fMRI) in 23 healthy adolescents ages 13–17 years with no psychiatric diagnoses. Adolescents completed a self‐report trauma symptom checklist and a R‐fMRI scan. We examined the relationship of trauma symptoms to resting‐state functional connectivity of the amygdala. Increasing self‐report of trauma symptoms by adolescents was associated with increasing functional connectivity with the right amygdala and a local limbic cluster and decreasing functional connectivity with the amygdala and a long‐range frontoparietal cluster to the left amygdala, which can be a hallmark of immaturity. These pilot findings in adolescents provide preliminary evidence that even mild trauma symptoms can be linked to the configuration of brain networks associated with the amygdala.
Semi‐classical resolvent estimates and regions free of resonances
Authors: Vodev Georgi
Published: November 2013

We prove resolvent estimates for self‐adjoint operators of the form on , , where is a semi‐classical parameter and , , is a real‐valued potential. The potential is supposed to have very little regularity with respect to the radial variable, only. As a consequence, we obtain a region free of resonances in the case when V is of compact support.
Eigenvalue problems for a non‐self‐adjoint Bessel‐type operators in limit‐point case
Authors: Allahverdiev Bilender P.
Published: November 2013

It is shown in the Weyl limit‐point case that system of root functions of the non‐self‐adjoint Bessel operator and its perturbation Sturm–Liouville operator form a complete system in the Hilbert space. Furthermore, asymptotic behavior of the eigenvalues of the non‐self‐adjoint Bessel operators is investigated, and it is proved that system of root functions form a Bari basis in the same Hilbert space. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The dynamics of X‐chromosome inactivation in mouse development
Authors: Kamikawa Yasunao , Donohoe Mary E.
Published: November 2013

Mammals utilize chromosomes to determine sex, but this leads to a problem with gene inequality. In the mouse, gene dosage disparity is evident by the presence of two X chromosomes in the female and a single X and Y chromosome in the male. To balance the X‐linked transcriptional dose difference between the sexes, one of the two female X‐chromosomes is silenced to equal the dose of XY males—a crucial developmental process known as X‐chromosome inactivation. Here we highlight dosage compensation in the mouse, and detail the known mechanisms to set and erase these epigenetic marks during development. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 81: 141–147, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
EXAMINER ERRORS ON THE REYNOLDS INTELLECTUAL ASSESSMENT SCALES COMMITTED BY GRADUATE STUDENT EXAMINERS
Authors: Loe Scott A.
Published: November 2013

Protocols from 108 administrations of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales were evaluated to determine the frequency of examiner errors and their impact on the accuracy of three test composite scores, the Composite Ability Index (CIX), Verbal Ability Index (VIX), and Nonverbal Ability Index (NIX). Students committed at least one administration, scoring, or recording error on 98% of protocols and averaged 7.53 errors per protocol. Administration errors were most common on VIX subtests (Guess What and Verbal Reasoning), whereas recording errors occurred most frequently on NIX subtests (Odd Item Out and What's Missing). Error correction and rescoring resulted in changes to all three index scores, although VIX and CIX changed most frequently.
‘It's not like you just had a heart attack’: decision‐making about active surveillance by men with localized prostate cancer
Authors: Volk Robert J. , McFall Stephanie L. , Cantor Scott B. , Byrd Theresa L. , Le Yen‐Chi L. , Kuban Deborah A. , Mullen Patricia Dolan
Published: November 2013

Background

Growing recognition that active surveillance (AS) is a reasonable management option for many men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer led us to describe patients' conceptualizations of AS and reasons for their treatment decisions.

Methods

Men were patients of a multidisciplinary prostate cancer clinic at a large tertiary cancer center where patients are routinely briefed on treatment options, including AS. We conducted a thematic analysis of interviews with 15 men who had chosen AS and 15 men who received radiation or surgery.

Results

Men who chose AS described it as an organized process with a rigorous and reassuring protocol of periodic testing, with potential for subsequent and timely decision‐making about treatment. AS was seen as prolonging their current good health and function with treatment still possible later. Rationales for choosing AS included trusting their physician's monitoring, ‘buying time’ without experiencing adverse effects of treatment, waiting for better treatments, and seeing their cancer as very low risk. Men recognized the need to justify their choice to others because it seemed contrary to the impulse to immediately treat cancer. Descriptions of AS by men who chose surgery or radiation were less specific about the testing regimen. Getting rid of the cancer and having a cure were paramount for them.

Conclusions

Men fully informed of their treatment options for localized prostate cancer have a comprehensive understanding of the purpose of AS. Slowing the decision‐making process may enhance the acceptability of AS. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using Failure Modes to Enhance What‐If Analysis
Authors: Collins Robert L.
Published: November 2013

What‐If Analysis is one of the most commonly used methods for performing a process hazards analysis (PHA) of a potentially hazardous chemical process. It is used so widely because it is perhaps the simplest and quickest way to perform a PHA. The speed of the PHA method often sacrifices quality by missing important scenarios simply because the right what‐if question was never asked. This article will show how the quality of a What‐If Analysis can be enhanced using failure modes for system component types without significantly increasing study time. A “smart” system using off‐the‐shelf computer software combined with specially designed subroutines or macros is used to demonstrate this process. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 33: 231–236, 2014
On the evolution of Lehman's Laws
Authors: Godfrey Michael W. , German Daniel M.
Published: November 2013

In this brief paper, we honor the contributions of the late Prof. Manny Lehman to the study of software evolution. We do so by means of a kind of evolutionary case study: First, we discuss his background in engineering and explore how this helped to shape his views on software systems and their development; next, we discuss the laws of software evolution that he postulated based on his industrial experiences; and finally, we examine how the nature of software systems and their development are undergoing radical change, and we consider what this means for future evolutionary studies of software. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Revoicing
Authors: Ferris Sarah J.
Published: November 2013

Talk provides a foundation for how we learn language and advance as literate individuals. Talking helps us form thoughts, engages us in deeper learning with others, and plays a key part in how we learn to read and write. In this article, Accountable Talk®, which comes from researchers through the Institute for Learning (University of Pittsburgh), is defined. The focus of the article is to give suggestions for teachers to get started using a talk move called “revoicing” while outlining the benefits it has for English Learners (ELs) and for all students. Tips are provided for getting started with using revoicing, while showing how it sounds through specific examples. Readers may refer to the additional resources and think about their own practice through several reflection questions at the end of the article as they consider ways to structure discourse in their classrooms.
Moving Students' Questions Out of the Parking Lot
Authors: Ness Molly
Published: November 2013

This article provides teachers with ideas on how to address students’ self‐generated questions. Following a third‐grade classroom, the article explores the use of a “parking lot” – a repository for the seemingly off‐task questions which curious students naturally pose. As students encounter informational text with genuine purposes, they purposefully seek out the answers to their own questions and continue to generate additional questions.
Computational Fluid Dynamics model of stratified atmospheric boundary‐layer flow
Authors: Koblitz T. , Bechmann A. , Sogachev A. , Sørensen N. , Réthoré P. E.
Published: November 2013

For wind resource assessment, the wind industry is increasingly relying on computational fluid dynamics models of the neutrally stratified surface‐layer. So far, physical processes that are important to the whole atmospheric boundary‐layer, such as the Coriolis effect, buoyancy forces and heat transport, are mostly ignored. In order to decrease the uncertainty of wind resource assessment, the present work focuses on atmospheric flows that include stability and Coriolis effects. The influence of these effects on the whole atmospheric boundary‐layer are examined using a Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes k‐ ε model. To validate the model implementations, results are compared against measurements from several large‐scale field campaigns, wind tunnel experiments, and previous simulations and are shown to significantly improve the predictions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modular anomaly equation, heat kernel and S-duality in $ \mathcal{N}=2 $ theories
Authors: Billó M. , Frau M. , Gallot L. , Lerda A. , Pesando I.
Published: November 2013

Abstract

We investigate ϵ-deformed
$ \mathcal{N}=2 $
superconformal gauge theories in four dimensions, focusing on the
$ \mathcal{N}={2^{*}} $
and N

f
= 4 SU(2) cases. We show how the modular anomaly equation obeyed by the deformed prepotential can be efficiently used to derive its non-perturbative expression starting from the perturbative one. We also show that the modular anomaly equation implies that S-duality is implemented by means of an exact Fourier transform even for arbitrary values of the deformation parameters, and then we argue that it is possible, perturbatively in the deformation, to choose appropriate variables such that it reduces to a Legendre transform.
Microscopic unitary description of tidal excitations in high-energy string-brane collisions
Authors: D’Appollonio Giuseppe , Di Vecchia Paolo , Russo Rodolfo , Veneziano Gabriele
Published: November 2013

Abstract

The eikonal operator was originally introduced to describe the effect of tidal excitations on higher-genus elastic string amplitudes at high energy. In this paper we provide a precise interpretation for this operator through the explicit tree-level calculation of generic inelastic transitions between closed strings as they scatter off a stack of parallel Dp-branes. We perform this analysis both in the light-cone gauge, using the Green-Schwarz vertex, and in the covariant formalism, using the Reggeon vertex operator. We also present a detailed discussion of the high-energy behaviour of the covariant string amplitudes, showing how to take into account the energy factors that enhance the contribution of the longitudinally polarized massive states in a simple way.
Rational design of a biosensor circuit with semi‐log dose‐response function in Escherichia coli
Authors: Zhang Haoqian , Sheng Ying , Wu Qianzhu , Liu Ao , Lu Yuheng , Yin Zhenzhen , Cao Yuansheng , Zeng Weiqian , Ouyang Qi
Published: November 2013

A central goal of synthetic biology is to apply successful principles that have been developed in electronic and chemical engineering to construct basic biological functional modules, and through rational design, to build synthetic biological systems with predetermined functions. Here, we apply the reverse engineering design principle of biological networks to synthesize a gene circuit that executes semi‐log dose‐response, a logarithmically linear sensing function, in Escherichia coli cells. We first mathematically define the object function semi‐log dose‐response, and then search for tri‐node network topologies that can most robustly execute the object function. The simplest topology, transcriptional coherent feed‐forward loop (TCFL), among the searching results is mathematically analyzed; we find that, in TCFL topology, the semi‐log dose‐response function arises from the additive effect of logarithmical linearity intervals of Hill functions. TCFL is then genetically implemented in E. coli as a logarithmically linear sensing biosensor for heavy metal ions [mercury (II)]. Functional characterization shows that this rationally designed biosensor circuit works as expected. Through this study we demonstrated the potential application of biological network reverse engineering to broaden the computational power of synthetic biology.
The Local Economic Effects of Public Housing in the United States, 1940–1970
Authors: Shester Katharine L.
Published: November 2013

Between 1933 and 1973 the federal government funded the construction of over 1 million units of low-rent housing. Using county-level data, I find that communities with high densities of public housing had lower median family income, lower median property values, lower population density, and a higher percentage of families with low income in 1970. However, I find no negative effects of public housing in 1950 or 1960, implying that long-run negative effects only became apparent in the 1960s. The effects found in 1970 are partially due to a decline in human capital.
Detection of manatee feeding events by animal-borne underwater sound recorders
Authors: Kikuchi Mumi , Akamatsu Tomonari , Gonzalez-Socoloske Daniel , de Souza Diogo A. , Olivera-Gomez Leon D. , da Silva Vera M. F.
Published: November 2013

Studies of the feeding behaviour of aquatic species in their natural environment are difficult, since direct observations are rarely possible. In this study, a newly developed animal-borne underwater sound recorder (AUSOMS-mini) was applied to captive Amazonian (Trichechus inunguis) and Antillean (Trichechus manatus manatus) manatees in order to directly record their feeding sounds. Different species of aquatic plants were offered to the manatees separately. Feeding sounds were automatically extracted using a custom program developed with MATLAB. Compared to ground truth data, the program correctly detected 65–79% of the feeding events, with a 7.3% or lower false alarm rate, which suggests that this methodology is a useful recorder of manatee feeding events. All manatees foraged during both the daytime and night-time. However, manatees tended to be less active and masticated slower during the night than during the day. The manatee mastication cycle duration depended on plant species and individual. This animal-borne acoustic monitoring system could greatly increase our knowledge of manatee feeding ecology by providing the exact time, duration and number of feeding events, and potentially the plant species being fed on.
Records of mud shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda: Axiidea and Gebiidae) from Pacific Mexico
Authors: Ayón-Parente Manuel , Hendrickx Michel E. , Ríos-Jara Eduardo , Salgado-Barragán José
Published: November 2013

A total of 75 specimens belonging to four species of thalassinoids were collected in the intertidal and estuarine zones of two localities along the Pacific coast of Mexico.Callianassa tabogensisis recorded for the first time in Mexico, and is transferred to the genusNeotrypaea. Material ofCallichirusis assigned toCallichirus seilacheriwith some doubts due to taxonomic problems related to this genus in the eastern Pacific.Neocallichiruscf.grandimana, an amphi-American species described for the western Atlantic and previously reported in Ecuador and along the Pacific coast of Panama and Colombia, is reported for the first time in Mexico.Upogebia dawsoniis recorded for the second time from the coast of Jalisco. An updated list of Axiidea and Gebiidea known from the Mexican Pacific is provided, including 35 species.
Developmental potential and kinetics of pig embryos with different cytoplasmic volume
Authors: Li Juan , Li Rong , Villemoes Klaus , Liu Ying , Purup Stig , Callesen Henrik
Published: November 2013

The effects of cytoplasmic volumes on development and developmental kinetics ofin vitroproduced porcine embryos were investigated. During hand-made cloning (HMC), selected cytoplasts were separated into two groups according to their size in relation to the initial oocyte: ~75% or ~50%. Following two fusion steps and activation (day 0), reconstructed embryos were culturedin vitrofor 6 days. Cleavage rates on day 2 as well as blastocyst rates and cell numbers on day 6 were recorded. Results showed that embryo development was no different for ~50% versus ~75% cytoplasm at first fusion. This result was used in the following experiments, where the effect of varying cytoplasm volume in second fusion to obtain a final cytoplasm volume of ~75% to ~200% was tested. The results showed that the lowest quality was obtained when the final cytoplasm volume was ~75% and the highest quality at ~200% of the original oocyte. Similar results were observed in parthenogenetic (PA) embryos activated with different cytoplasmic volumes. A common pattern for the developmental kinetics of HMC and PA embryos was observed: the smaller group tended to have a longer time for the first two cell cycles, but subsequently a shorter time to form morula and blastocyst. In conclusion, the developmental kinetics ofin vitroproduced embryos was affected by the cytoplasm volume of the initial oocyte, and this further accounted for the developmental ability of the reconstructed embryos.
Reconsidering Policy of Casualty Evacuation in a Remote Mass-Casualty Incident
Authors: Adini Bruria , Cohen Robert , Glassberg Elon , Azaria Bella , Simon Daniel , Stein Michael , Klein Yoram , Peleg Kobi
Published: November 2013

Objectives

Inappropriate distribution of casualties in mass-casualty incidents (MCIs) may overwhelm hospitals. This study aimed to review the consequences of evacuating casualties from a bus accident to a single peripheral hospital and lessons learned regarding policy of casualty evacuation.

Methods

Medical records of all casualties relating to evacuation times, injury severity, diagnoses, treatments, resources utilized and outcomes were independently reviewed by two senior trauma surgeons. In addition, four senior trauma surgeons reviewed impact of treatment provided on patient outcomes. They reviewed the times for the primary and secondary evacuation, injury severity, diagnoses, surgical treatments, resources utilized, and the final outcomes of the patients at the point of discharge from the tertiary care hospital.

Results

Thirty-one survivors were transferred to the closest local hospital; four died en route to hospital or within 30 minutes of arrival. Twenty-seven casualties were evacuated by air from the local hospital within 2.5 to 6.15 hours to Level I and II hospitals. Undertriage of 15% and overtriage of seven percent were noted. Four casualties did not receive treatment that might have improved their condition at the local hospital.

Conclusions

In MCIs occurring in remote areas, policy makers should consider revising the current evacuation plan so that only immediate unstable casualties should be transferred to the closest primary hospital. On site Advanced Life Support (ALS) should be administered to non-severe casualties until they can be evacuated directly to tertiary care hospitals. First responders must be trained to provide ALS to non-severe casualties until evacuation resources are available.

AdiniB, CohenR, GlassbergE, AzariaB, SimonD, SteinM, KleinY, PelegK. Reconsidering policy of casualty evacuation in a remote mass-casualty incident. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(6):1-5.
Modeling the evolution of preferences: an answer to Schubert and Cordes
Authors: KAPELLER JAKOB , STEINERBERGER STEFAN
Published: November 2013

We applaud the effort of Schubert and Cordes (2013, this journal) to contribute a model describing the social mediation of preferences and to apply their results to the more general context of economic welfare. Although we consider this topic to be of utmost importance and interest, we have found a problem in Schubert and Cordes’ argument that renders their statements in Section 3 invalid. After providing some basic intuition on the problem at hand, we present a short proof showing that the assumptions of the model always lead to a stable society. We also report on an interesting non-linear segregation effect that can occur within the Schubert-Cordes model.
Complex diseases require complex therapies
Authors: Iyengar Ravi
Published: November 2013

Understanding disease causes and drug action at the molecular and systems levels could help to identify combinations of drugs that are more effective than individual drugs alone.
Very small embryonic-like stem-cell optimization of isolation protocols: an update of molecular signatures and a review of current in vivo applications
Authors: Shin Dong-Myung , Suszynska Malwina , Mierzejewska Kasia , Ratajczak Janina , Ratajczak Mariusz Z
Published: November 2013

As the theory of stem cell plasticity was first proposed, we have explored an alternative hypothesis for this phenomenon: namely that adult bone marrow (BM) and umbilical cord blood (UCB) contain more developmentally primitive cells than hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). In support of this notion, using multiparameter sorting we were able to isolate small Sca1+Lin−CD45− cells and CD133+Lin−CD45− cells from murine BM and human UCB, respectively, which were further enriched for the detection of various early developmental markers such as the SSEA antigen on the surface and the Oct4 and Nanog transcription factors in the nucleus. Similar populations of cells have been found in various organs by our team and others, including the heart, brain and gonads. Owing to their primitive cellular features, such as the high nuclear/cytoplasm ratio and the presence of euchromatin, they are called very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs). In the appropriate in vivo models, VSELs differentiate into long-term repopulating HSCs, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), lung epithelial cells, cardiomyocytes and gametes. In this review, we discuss the most recent data from our laboratory and other groups regarding the optimal isolation procedures and describe the updated molecular characteristics of VSELs.
Preparation, structure and electrochemistry of LiFeBO3: a cathode material for Li-ion batteries
Authors: Tao L. , Rousse G. , Chotard J. N. , Dupont L. , Bruyère S. , Hanžel D. , Mali G. , Dominko R. , Levasseur S. , Masquelier C.
Published: November 2013

The preparation of high-purity LiFeBO3 has been reported, which ensures an accurate crystal structure determination through synchrotron XRD, neutron powder diffraction, single crystal XRD combined with 6Li NMR and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopies.
Proteasomal interaction as a critical activity modulator of the human constitutive androstane receptor
Authors: Chen Tao , Laurenzana Elizabeth M. , Coslo Denise M. , Chen Fengming , Omiecinski Curtis J.
Published: November 2013

The CAR (constitutive androstane receptor; NR1I3) is a critical xenobiotic sensor that regulates xenobiotic metabolism, drug clearance, energy and lipid homoeostasis, cell proliferation and development. Although constitutively active, in hepatocytes CAR is normally held quiescent through a tethering mechanism in the cytosol, anchored to a protein complex that includes several components, including heat-shock protein 90. Release and subsequent nuclear translocation of CAR is triggered through either direct binding to ligand activators such as CITCO {6-(4-chlorophenyl)imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]thiazole-5-carbaldehyde O-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxime} or through indirect chemical activation, such as with PB (phenobarbital). In the present study, we demonstrate that proteasomal inhibition markedly disrupts CAR function, repressing CAR nuclear trafficking, disrupting CAR's interaction with nuclear co-activators and inhibiting induction of CAR target gene responses in human primary hepatocytes following treatment with either PB or CITCO. Paradoxically, these effects occur following accumulation of ubiquitinated hCAR (human CAR). Furthermore, a non-proteolytic function was indicated by its interaction with a SUG1 (suppressor for Gal1), a subunit of the 26S proteasome. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the proteasome complex functions at multiple levels to regulate the functional biology of hCAR activity.
Vortex loops and Majoranas
Authors: Chesi Stefano , Jaffe Arthur , Loss Daniel , Pedrocchi Fabio L.
Published: November 2013

We investigate the role that vortex loops play in characterizing eigenstates of interacting Majoranas. We give some general results and then focus on ladder Hamiltonian examples as a test of further ideas. Two methods yield exact results: (i) A mapping of certain spin Hamiltonians to quartic interactions of Majoranas shows that the spectra of these two examples coincide. (ii) In cases with reflection-symmetric Hamiltonians, we use reflection positivity for Majoranas to characterize vortices in the ground states. Two additional methods suggest wider applicability of these results: (iii) Numerical evidence suggests similar behavior for certain systems without reflection symmetry. (iv) A perturbative analysis also suggests similar behavior without the assumption of reflection symmetry.
The dissociative chemisorption of methane on Ni(100) and Ni(111): Classical and quantum studies based on the reaction path Hamiltonian
Authors: Mastromatteo Michael , Jackson Bret
Published: November 2013

Electronic structure methods based on density functional theory are used to construct a reaction path Hamiltonian for CH4 dissociation on the Ni(100) and Ni(111) surfaces. Both quantum and quasi-classical trajectory approaches are used to compute dissociative sticking probabilities, including all molecular degrees of freedom and the effects of lattice motion. Both approaches show a large enhancement in sticking when the incident molecule is vibrationally excited, and both can reproduce the mode specificity observed in experiments. However, the quasi-classical calculations significantly overestimate the ground state dissociative sticking at all energies, and the magnitude of the enhancement in sticking with vibrational excitation is much smaller than that computed using the quantum approach or observed in the experiments. The origin of this behavior is an unphysical flow of zero point energy from the nine normal vibrational modes into the reaction coordinate, giving large values for reaction at energies below the activation energy. Perturbative assumptions made in the quantum studies are shown to be accurate at all energies studied.
Dehydrogenation of N2H
X (X = 2 − 4) by nitrogen atoms: Thermochemical and kinetics
Authors: Spada Rene Felipe Keidel , de Araujo Ferrão Luiz Fernando , Roberto-Neto Orlando , Machado Francisco Bolivar Correto
Published: November 2013

Thermochemical and kinetics of sequential hydrogen abstraction reactions from hydrazine by nitrogen atoms were studied. The dehydrogenation was divided in three steps, N2H4 + N, N2H3 + N, and N2H2 + N. The thermal rate constants were calculated within the framework of canonical variational theory, with zero and small curvature multidimensional tunnelling corrections. The reaction paths were computed with the BB1K/aug-cc-pVTZ method and the thermochemical properties were improved with the CCSD(T)/CBS//BB1K/aug-cc-pVTZ approach. The first dehydrogenation step presents the lowest rate constants, equal to 1.22 × 10−20 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 at 298 K.
A search for the sulphur hexafluoride cation with intense, few cycle laser pulses
Authors: Dota Krithika , Dharmadhikari Aditya K. , Dharmadhikari Jayashree A. , Patra Kaustuv , Tiwari Ashwani K. , Mathur Deepak
Published: November 2013

It is well established that upon ionization of sulphur hexafluoride, the SF6+ ion is never observed in mass spectra. Recent work with ultrashort intense laser pulses has offered indications that when strong optical field are used, the resulting “bond hardening” can induce changes in the potential energy surfaces of molecular cations such that molecular ions that are normally unstable may, indeed, become metastable enough to enable their detection by mass spectrometry. Do intense, ultrashort laser pulses permit formation of SF6+? We have utilized intense pulses of 5 fs, 11 fs, and 22 fs to explore this possibility. Our results are negative: no evidence is discovered for SF6+. However, multiply charged sulphur and fluorine ions from highly charged SF6q+ ions are observed that enable us to resolve the controversy regarding the kinetic energy release accompanying formation of F+ fragment ions. Quantum chemical computations of field-distorted potential energy curves of SF6 and its molecular ion enable us to rationalize our non-observation of SF6+. Our findings have implications for high harmonic generation from SF6 in the few-cycle regime.
Lead-chalcogenide mid-infrared vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers with improved threshold: Theory and experiment
Authors: Fill Matthias , Debernardi Pierluigi , Felder Ferdinand , Zogg Hans
Published: November 2013

Mid-infrared Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VECSEL) based on narrow gap lead-chalcogenide (IV-VI) semiconductors exhibit strongly reduced threshold powers if the active layers are structured laterally for improved optical confinement. This is predicted by 3-d optical calculations; they show that lateral optical confinement is needed to counteract the anti-guiding features of IV-VIs due to their negative temperature dependence of the refractive index. An experimental proof is performed with PbSe quantum well based VECSEL grown on a Si-substrate by molecular beam epitaxy and emitting around 3.3 μm. With proper mesa-etching, the threshold intensity is about 8-times reduced.
Investigation of spin phonon coupling in BiFeO3 based system by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Gaikwad V. M. , Acharya S. A.
Published: November 2013

In the present work, the low temperature infrared absorption spectra of BiFeO3 (BFO) are measured to explore the spin-phonon coupling in this compound. At 303 K, 4 weak transverse optic (TO) IR-active phonon modes E(TO6), E(TO7), E(TO8), and E(TO9) are observed. First two modes are corresponded to the Fe3+ cations caused by the internal vibration of FeO6 octahedra, E(TO8) is correlated to Fe-O bending vibration and E(TO9) is assigned to Fe-O stretching vibrations, respectively. At 213 K, two new modes E(TO5) and A1(TO3) are emerging out. Both are assigned to Fe3+ cations caused by the internal vibration of FeO6 octahedra. These modes get stronger and stronger with lowering the temperature due to the lattice contraction. When the temperatures decreases to T ≤ 213 K, an additional phonon mode is start appearing at around 638 cm−1 suggesting local lattice distortion of FeO6 octahedra. The temperature is corresponding with the FC and zero field cooled bifurcation temperature, which is related to the onset of spin glass behaviour. The occurrence of this additional phonon mode at this particular temperature suggests that there is strong spin-phonon coupling in BFO. This argument is further supported by the temperature dependence of this additional phonon peak. It shows anomaly around 124 K, which is related to spin reorientation of Fe3+ ions. This result clearly indicates that spin glass state and spin reorientation of Fe3+ is accompanied with the local structure distortion of FeO6 octahedra, providing evidence for the strong spin-phonon coupling in the BFO.
Detection of targeted carcinoembryonic antigens using a micro-fluxgate-based biosensor
Authors: Lei Jian , Lei Chong , Wang Tao , Yang Zhen , Zhou Yong
Published: November 2013

In this work, a micro-fluxgate-based biosensor was designed for the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) labeled by Dynabeads. The sensor with Fe-based amorphous core and three dimension solenoid coils was fabricated by Micro Electro-Mechanical system technology. Sandwich assays are performed using antibody-antigen pair combination of biotin-streptavidin assay on a separated Au film substrate surface with a self-assembled layer. With dc magnetic fields in the range of 560 μT to 875 μT, detection of CEAs with different concentrations was performed and a minimum detectable concentration of 1 pg/ml was achieved. Furthermore, CEA samples with different concentrations can be distinguished.
Investigation of the effects of a thin dielectric layer on low-pressure hydrogen capacitive discharges driven by combined radio frequency and pulse power sources
Authors: Sun Jizhong , Fan Yu , Zou Ying , Stirner Thomas , Wang Dezhen
Published: November 2013

Negative hydrogen ion sources, for instance for fusion devices, currently attract considerable attention. To generate the precursors—highly rovibrationally excited hydrogen molecules—for negative hydrogen ions effectively by electron excitation, a thin dielectric layer is introduced to cover the surface of the electrically grounded electrode of two parallel metal plates in a low-pressure hydrogen capacitive discharge driven by combined rf and pulse power sources. To understand the characteristics of such discharges, particle-in-cell simulations are conducted to study the effects that the single dielectric layer would bring onto the discharges. The simulation results show that the dielectric layer leads to a much higher plasma density and a much larger production rate of highly vibrationally excited hydrogen molecules compared to discharges without the dielectric layer on the electrode. Further investigation indicates that the nonlinear oscillation of the electrons induced by the nanosecond-pulse continues until it is finally damped down and does not show any dependence on the pulse plateau-time, which is in stark contrast to the case without the dielectric layer present. The physical reason for this phenomenon is explored and explained.
Deep subwavelength optical imaging using correlated nano-torches
Authors: Shen Yuecheng , Wang Lihong V. , Shen Jung-Tsung
Published: November 2013

The authors propose and numerically demonstrate an ultra-high resolution (wavelength/50∼40 nm at wavelength λ=2.08 μm), high-throughput (∼66%), and non-destructive optical lens with a large contrast-to-noise ratio, based on the notion of correlated nano-torches formed in a subwavelength metallic grating. The correlations between the torches also allow the determination of the complex refractive index of the sample.
Dielectric property of NiTiO3 doped substituted ortho-chloropolyaniline composites
Authors: Lakshmi Mohana , Roy Aashish S. , Khasim Syed , Faisal Muhammad , Sajjan K. C. , Revanasiddappa M.
Published: November 2013

Ortho-chloropolyaniline (OCP)-NiTiO3 composites have been synthesized via in-situ polymerization of ortho-chloroaniline with various weight percentages of NiTiO3. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopic studies of Ortho-chloropolyaniline and its composites indicated the formation of composites as a result of Vander Waal's interaction between OCP and NiTiO3 particles. Surface morphology of OCP and OCP-NiTiO3 composites were studied using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The SEM micrographs indicated a modified morphology after the composite formation. Dielectric properties and electric modulus of OCP and OCP-NiTiO3 composites have been investigated in the frequency range of 50 Hz – 5 MHz. It has been noticed that electrical resistance decreases with increase in weight percentage of NiTiO3 particles in polymer matrix as well as with applied frequency. The display of semicircular arcs in Cole-Cole plots indicates the formation of series resistor and capacitor in network causing a decrease in the relaxation time and as a result conductivity enhances in these composites. The facile and cost effective synthesis process and excellent dielectric and conductivity response of these materials makes them promising materials for practical applications.
Legume biology: the basis for crop improvement
Authors: Varshney Rajeev K. , Kudapa Himabindu
Published: November 2013

Legumes represent the most valued food sources in agriculture after cereals. Despite the advances made in breeding food legumes, there is a need to develop and further improve legume productivity to meet increasing food demand worldwide. Several biotic and abiotic stresses affect legume crop productivity throughout the world. The study of legume genetics, genomics and biology are all important in order to understand the limitations of yield of legume crops and to support our legume breeding programs. With the advent of huge genomic resources and modern technologies, legume research can be directed towards precise understanding of the target genes responsible for controlling important traits for yield potential, and for resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Programmed and systematic research will lead to developing high yielding, stress tolerant and early maturing varieties. This issue of Functional Plant Biology is dedicated to ‘Legume Biology’ research covering part of the work presented at VI International Conference on Legume Genetics and Genomics held at Hyderabad, India, in 2012. The 13 contributions cover recent advances in legume research in the context of plant architecture and trait mapping, functional genomics, biotic stress and abiotic stress.
Functional microRNAs and target sites are created by lineage-specific transposition
Authors: Spengler Ryan M. , Oakley Clayton K. , Davidson Beverly L.
Published: November 2013

Transposable elements (TEs) account for nearly one-half of the sequence content in the human genome, and de novo germline transposition into regulatory or coding sequences of protein-coding genes can cause heritable disorders. TEs are prevalent in and around protein-coding genes, providing an opportunity to impart regulation. Computational studies reveal that microRNA (miRNA) genes and miRNA target sites reside within TE sequences, but there is little experimental evidence supporting a role for TEs in the birth of miRNAs, or as platform for gene regulation by miRNAs. In this work, we validate miRNAs and target sites derived from TE families prevalent in the human genome, including the ancient long interspersed nuclear element 2 (LINE2/L2), mammalian-wide interspersed repeat (MIR) retrotransposons and the primate-specific Alu family. We show that genes with 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR) MIR elements are enriched for let-7 targets and that these sites are conserved and responsive to let-7 expression. We also demonstrate that 3′ UTR-embedded Alus are a source of miR-24 and miR-122 target sites and that a subset of active genomic Alus provide for de novo target site creation. Finally, we report that although the creation of miRNA genes by Alu elements is relatively uncommon relative to their overall genomic abundance, Alu-derived miR-1285-1 is efficiently processed from its genomic locus and regulates genes with target sites contained within homologous elements. Taken together, our data provide additional evidence for TEs as a source for miRNAs and miRNA target sites, with instances of conservation through the course of mammalian evolution.
Anbar Abstracts Issue
Authors: Fojt Martin
Published: November 2013

This special “Anbar Abstracts” issue of Education + Training is split into five sections covering abstracts under the following headings: Education; Management development; Training techniques; Skills training; General training.