bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kvalitetsmålinger i almen praksis: ny teknologi og gamle logikker
Authors: Lippert Maria Laura
Published: September 2016

Ny elektronisk evaluerings- og kvalitetsudviklingsteknologi søges i disse år implementeret blandt alment praktiserende læger i Danmark. En nylig overenskomstbeslutning om at gøre det såkaldte datafangstinitiativ obligatorisk har affødt debat om konsekvenser for fagligheden i almen praksis. Mangfoldige formål og funktioner vanskeliggør en klar karakteristik af initiativet. Sigter det mod læring, eller er der tale om en kontrolforanstaltning? Det er svært at få hold på. Det bidrager ikke til en afklaring, at der har udviklet sig en diskurs, hvor modernisering, udvikling og fremskridt ved hjælp af ny teknologi på den ene side stilles overfor forstening og teknologiforskrækkelse på den anden. Det er en modstilling, som denne artikel sigter mod at nuancere ved at sætte datafangstinitiativet ind i en evalueringshistorisk sammenhæng. Et tilbageblik viser, at selvom det er udviklingen af helt ny it-teknologi, der nu ser ud til at muliggøre nationale kvalitetsmålinger i almen praksis, bygger datafangstinitiativet i udstrakt grad på den tankegang, som udgjorde grundlaget for evalueringer tilbage i 1960’erne, da evalueringsdisciplinen først opstod. Det gælder det overordnede sigte samt det grundlæggende videnssyn og dertil hørende definitioner af god kvalitet. Selvom datafangstinitiativet bygger på en klassisk naturvidenskabelig evalueringslogik, rummer redskabet også en række elementer, der er opstået i forbindelse med helt andre evalueringslogikker. Det gælder blandt andet vægt på læring på praktikerniveau og en høj grad af deltagerinvolvering i evalueringsprocessen. Artiklen ser nærmere på, hvilken rolle disse elementer spiller, og på hvad kombinationen af logikker betyder for balancen mellem lærings- og kontrolformål. Mulige konsekvenser for anvendelse og effekter i praksis diskuteres, og der peges på en række udfordringer og opmærksomhedspunkter for en fremadrettet debat om det konkrete initiativ.
Normer, normalisering og det hørehæmmede subjekt
Authors: Hindhede Anette Lykke
Published: September 2016

This paper reports on a qualitative study of the onset of acquired hearing impairment. The focus of attention is about why a person seeks treatment. The Danish welfare state serves the population ‘in need’ such as those with an audiological need and gives them guidance on becoming hearing aid wearers in order to rehabilitate them back to ‘normal’. However, within audiological research, noncompliance has attracted much attention as investigations have shown that more than 20 percent of hearing aids are very seldom, if ever, in use and 19 percent are used only occasionally. As shown in the paper the form a problem takes is in large part a product of micro-political struggles. Hence, at the onset ‘need’ is often embedded in social pressure from significant others. The paper examines these two discursive frameworks and their constitution of (hearing) problems and concludes that norms of disease are complex and epistemologically contested and can help explain why noncompliance is dominant when it comes to hearing rehabilitation for hearing impaired adults.
Still Working in the Shadow of Men? An Analysis of Sex Distribution in Publications and
Prizes in Canadian History
Authors: Chenier Elise , Chambers Lori , Toews Anne Frances
Published: September 2016

This project was inspired by the Canadian Historical Association’s June 2014 awards
ceremony at which the majority of prize winners were men. Why, we wondered, are so few women
awarded prizes outside the areas of women’s history, the history of sexuality, and the
history of childhood and youth? First, we asked who is working in history? To what degree
have departments achieved gender parity in hiring? Do women produce work at a rate
proportional to their presence in departments? We collected data in three categories: book
reviews, other journal content, and books published between 2004 and 2013. We found that
women produce fewer books than do men. Women’s books are less likely to be reviewed than are
books written by men and few men review books written by women, a fact with significant
implications for both advancement and the inclusion of women in the wider curriculum. Women
produce a number of articles proportionate to their presence in the discipline; we suggest
that this is because articles require less time of one’s own than do books. It is time to
revisit openly and explicitly how academic excellence is determined, and how structural
forces produce the sexual inequalities documented here and elsewhere.
Dramatizing Historical Distance
Authors: Frank Marcie
Published: September 2016

This essay explores the efficacies of the distance rubric Mark Salber Phillips developed in On Historical Distance by applying it to a couple of recent examples that post-date the book’s appearance: Ruth Scurr’s John Aubrey: My Own Life and Mike Leigh’s Mr. Turner. These examples lead to some speculations about Phillips’ attention to media and his account of the history of literary history.
Clearing the Path to Truth: Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation and the Loss of Aboriginal Life, by James Daschuk, and the narrative of Canadian history. A Commentary
Authors: Kelm Mary-Ellen
Published: September 2016

This paper considers how Clearing the Plains helps contextualize, through Canada’s long history of settler colonialism, the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Clearing the Plains and Teaching the Dark Side of Canadian History
Authors: Neylan Susan
Published: September 2016

James Daschuk’s Clearing the Plains is a fitting choice for unsettling national narratives about the peaceful resettlement of Indigenous homelands, for confronting presumptions about the benevolence of Canadian policy towards Indigenous peoples or a fair treaty process, and for appreciating how this past resonates today. This paper ponders how the book and the issues it raises can be used in university-level teaching. It highlights the utility of an emphasis on the “dark” side of Canadian history and how this fits within contemporary discussions around reconciliation.
Gender and the Great Experiment: ‘Feminine and Canadian Eyes’ See Soviet Women,
1926–1936
Authors: Niergarth Kirk
Published: September 2016

This article focuses on the travelogues of five educated, professional,
middle-class Canadian women who visited the Soviet Union in the interwar period: Alexandrine
Gibb, Margaret Gould, Agnes Macphail, Margaret McWilliams, and Ella Smith. For these
visitors, Soviet women were a point of emphasis, and on this subject they claimed special
insight and relative expertise. Gibb, for example, offered readers a “pair of feminine and
Canadian eyes and ears ready to give you mysterious Russia.” Whatever else feminine Canadian
eyes saw in the USSR — for Soviet reality varied considerably between 1926 and 1936 when
these women travelled — they gave Canadian audiences a more-or-less consistent impression
that the great experiment was providing Soviet women opportunities denied women in Canada.
This was an impression that not all Canadian audiences were prepared to accept.
QIL1 mutation causes MICOS disassembly and early onset fatal mitochondrial encephalopathy with liver disease
Authors: Guarani Virginia , Jardel Claude , Chrétien Dominique , Lombès Anne , Bénit Paule , Labasse Clémence , Lacène Emmanuelle , Bourillon Agnès , Imbard Apolline , Benoist Jean-François , Dorboz Imen , Gilleron Mylène , Goetzman Eric S , Gaignard Pauline , Slama Abdelhamid , Elmaleh-Bergès Monique , Romero Norma B , Rustin Pierre , Ogier de Baulny Hélène , Paulo Joao A , Harper J Wade , Schiff Manuel
Published: September 2016

Previously, we identified QIL1 as a subunit of mitochondrial contact site (MICOS) complex and demonstrated a role for QIL1 in MICOS assembly, mitochondrial respiration, and cristae formation critical for mitochondrial architecture (Guarani et al., 2015). Here, we identify QIL1 null alleles in two siblings displaying multiple clinical symptoms of early-onset fatal mitochondrial encephalopathy with liver disease, including defects in respiratory chain function in patient muscle. QIL1 absence in patients’ fibroblasts was associated with MICOS disassembly, abnormal cristae, mild cytochrome c oxidase defect, and sensitivity to glucose withdrawal. QIL1 expression rescued cristae defects, and promoted re-accumulation of MICOS subunits to facilitate MICOS assembly. MICOS assembly and cristae morphology were not efficiently rescued by over-expression of other MICOS subunits in patient fibroblasts. Taken together, these data provide the first evidence of altered MICOS assembly linked with a human mitochondrial disease and confirm a central role for QIL1 in stable MICOS complex formation.
Coordinated recruitment of Spir actin nucleators and myosin V motors to Rab11 vesicle membranes
Authors: Pylypenko Olena , Welz Tobias , Tittel Janine , Kollmar Martin , Chardon Florian , Malherbe Gilles , Weiss Sabine , Michel Carina Ida Luise , Samol-Wolf Annette , Grasskamp Andreas Till , Hume Alistair , Goud Bruno , Baron Bruno , England Patrick , Titus Margaret A , Schwille Petra , Weidemann Thomas , Houdusse Anne , Kerkhoff Eugen
Published: September 2016

There is growing evidence for a coupling of actin assembly and myosin motor activity in cells. However, mechanisms for recruitment of actin nucleators and motors on specific membrane compartments remain unclear. Here we report how Spir actin nucleators and myosin V motors coordinate their specific membrane recruitment. The myosin V globular tail domain (MyoV-GTD) interacts directly with an evolutionarily conserved Spir sequence motif. We determined crystal structures of MyoVa-GTD bound either to the Spir-2 motif or to Rab11 and show that a Spir-2:MyoVa:Rab11 complex can form. The ternary complex architecture explains how Rab11 vesicles support coordinated F-actin nucleation and myosin force generation for vesicle transport and tethering. New insights are also provided into how myosin activation can be coupled with the generation of actin tracks. Since MyoV binds several Rab GTPases, synchronized nucleator and motor targeting could provide a common mechanism to control force generation and motility in different cellular processes.
Ciliary transcription factors and miRNAs precisely regulate Cp110 levels required for ciliary adhesions and ciliogenesis
Authors: Walentek Peter , Quigley Ian K , Sun Dingyuan I , Sajjan Umeet K , Kintner Christopher , Harland Richard M
Published: September 2016

Upon cell cycle exit, centriole-to-basal body transition facilitates cilia formation. The centriolar protein Cp110 is a regulator of this process and cilia inhibitor, but its positive roles in ciliogenesis remain poorly understood. Using Xenopus we show that Cp110 inhibits cilia formation at high levels, while optimal levels promote ciliogenesis. Cp110 localizes to cilia-forming basal bodies and rootlets, and is required for ciliary adhesion complexes that facilitate Actin interactions. The opposing roles of Cp110 in ciliation are generated in part by coiled-coil domains that mediate preferential binding to centrioles over rootlets. Because of its dual role in ciliogenesis, Cp110 levels must be precisely controlled. In multiciliated cells, this is achieved by both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation through ciliary transcription factors and microRNAs, which activate and repress cp110 to produce optimal Cp110 levels during ciliogenesis. Our data provide novel insights into how Cp110 and its regulation contribute to development and cell function.
Cooperation of the ER-shaping proteins atlastin, lunapark, and reticulons to generate a tubular membrane network
Authors: Wang Songyu , Tukachinsky Hanna , Romano Fabian B , Rapoport Tom A
Published: September 2016

In higher eukaryotes, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contains a network of membrane tubules, which transitions into sheets during mitosis. Network formation involves curvature-stabilizing proteins, including the reticulons (Rtns), as well as the membrane-fusing GTPase atlastin (ATL) and the lunapark protein (Lnp). Here, we have analyzed how these proteins cooperate. ATL is needed to not only form, but also maintain, the ER network. Maintenance requires a balance between ATL and Rtn, as too little ATL activity or too high Rtn4a concentrations cause ER fragmentation. Lnp only affects the abundance of three-way junctions and tubules. We suggest a model in which ATL-mediated fusion counteracts the instability of free tubule ends. ATL tethers and fuses tubules stabilized by the Rtns, and transiently sits in newly formed three-way junctions. Lnp subsequently moves into the junctional sheets and forms oligomers. Lnp is inactivated by mitotic phosphorylation, which contributes to the tubule-to-sheet conversion of the ER.
Keeping in shape
Authors: Blackstone Craig , Prinz William A
Published: September 2016

Three proteins work together to control the shape of the endoplasmic reticulum in animal cells.
Microbial diversity of extreme habitats in human homes
Authors: Savage Amy M. , Hills Justin , Driscoll Katherine , Fergus Daniel J. , Grunden Amy M. , Dunn Robert R.
Published: September 2016

High-throughput sequencing techniques have opened up the world of microbial diversity to scientists, and a flurry of studies in the most remote and extreme habitats on earth have begun to elucidate the key roles of microbes in ecosystems with extreme conditions. These same environmental extremes can also be found closer to humans, even in our homes. Here, we used high-throughput sequencing techniques to assess bacterial and archaeal diversity in the extreme environments inside human homes (e.g., dishwashers, hot water heaters, washing machine bleach reservoirs, etc.). We focused on habitats in the home with extreme temperature, pH, and chemical environmental conditions. We found a lower diversity of microbes in these extreme home environments compared to less extreme habitats in the home. However, we were nonetheless able to detect sequences from a relatively diverse array of bacteria and archaea. Habitats with extreme temperatures alone appeared to be able to support a greater diversity of microbes than habitats with extreme pH or extreme chemical environments alone. Microbial diversity was lowest when habitats had both extreme temperature and one of these other extremes. In habitats with both extreme temperatures and extreme pH, taxa with known associations with extreme conditions dominated. Our findings highlight the importance of examining interactive effects of multiple environmental extremes on microbial communities. Inasmuch as taxa from extreme environments can be both beneficial and harmful to humans, our findings also suggest future work to understand both the threats and opportunities posed by the life in these habitats.
Effect of fragmentation on the Costa Rican dry forest avifauna
Authors: Barrantes Gilbert , Ocampo Diego , Ramírez-Fernández José D. , Fuchs Eric J.
Published: September 2016

Deforestation and changes in land use have reduced the tropical dry forest to isolated forest patches in northwestern Costa Rica. We examined the effect of patch area and length of the dry season on nestedness of the entire avian community, forest fragment assemblages, and species occupancy across fragments for the entire native avifauna, and for a subset of forest dependent species. Species richness was independent of both fragment area and distance between fragments. Similarity in bird community composition between patches was related to habitat structure; fragments with similar forest structure have more similar avian assemblages. Size of forest patches influenced nestedness of the bird community and species occupancy, but not nestedness of assemblages across patches in northwestern Costa Rican avifauna. Forest dependent species (species that require large tracts of mature forest) and assemblages of these species were nested within patches ordered by a gradient of seasonality, and only occupancy of species was nested by area of patches. Thus, forest patches with a shorter dry season include more forest dependent species.
Genetic signatures of ecological diversity along an urbanization gradient
Authors: Kelly Ryan P. , O’Donnell James L. , Lowell Natalie C. , Shelton Andrew O. , Samhouri Jameal F. , Hennessey Shannon M. , Feist Blake E. , Williams Gregory D.
Published: September 2016

Despite decades of work in environmental science and ecology, estimating human influences on ecosystems remains challenging. This is partly due to complex chains of causation among ecosystem elements, exacerbated by the difficulty of collecting biological data at sufficient spatial, temporal, and taxonomic scales. Here, we demonstrate the utility of environmental DNA (eDNA) for quantifying associations between human land use and changes in an adjacent ecosystem. We analyze metazoan eDNA sequences from water sampled in nearshore marine eelgrass communities and assess the relationship between these ecological communities and the degree of urbanization in the surrounding watershed. Counter to conventional wisdom, we find strongly increasing richness and decreasing beta diversity with greater urbanization, and similar trends in the diversity of life histories with urbanization. We also find evidence that urbanization influences nearshore communities at local (hundreds of meters) rather than regional (tens of km) scales. Given that different survey methods sample different components of an ecosystem, we then discuss the advantages of eDNA—which we use here to detect hundreds of taxa simultaneously—as a complement to traditional ecological sampling, particularly in the context of broad ecological assessments where exhaustive manual sampling is impractical. Genetic data are a powerful means of uncovering human-ecosystem interactions that might otherwise remain hidden; nevertheless, no sampling method reveals the whole of a biological community.
Tissue and serum samples of patients with papillary thyroid cancer with and without benign background demonstrate different altered expression of proteins
Authors: Abdullah Mardiaty Iryani , Lee Ching Chin , Mat Junit Sarni , Ng Khoon Leong , Hashim Onn Haji
Published: September 2016

Background

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is mainly diagnosed using fine-needle aspiration biopsy. This most common form of well-differentiated thyroid cancer occurs with or without a background of benign thyroid goiter (BTG).

Methods

In the present study, a gel-based proteomics analysis was performed to analyse the expression of proteins in tissue and serum samples of PTC patients with (PTCb; n = 6) and without a history of BTG (PTCa; n = 8) relative to patients with BTG (n = 20). This was followed by confirmation of the levels of proteins which showed significant altered abundances of more than two-fold difference (p< 0.01) in the tissue and serum samples of the same subjects using ELISA.

Results

The data of our study showed that PTCa and PTCb distinguish themselves from BTG in the types of tissue and serum proteins of altered abundance. While higher levels of alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) and heat shock 70 kDa protein were associated with PTCa, lower levels of A1AT, protein disulfide isomerase and ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 N seemed apparent in the PTCb. In case of the serum proteins, higher abundances of A1AT and alpha 1-beta glycoprotein were detected in PTCa, while PTCb was associated with enhanced apolipoprotein A-IV and alpha 2-HS glycoprotein (AHSG). The different altered expression of tissue and serum A1AT as well as serum AHSG between PTCa and PTCb patients were also validated by ELISA.

Discussion

The distinctive altered abundances of the tissue and serum proteins form preliminary indications that PTCa and PTCb are two distinct cancers of the thyroid that are etiologically and mechanistically different although it is currently not possible to rule out that they may also be due other reasons such as the different stages of the malignant disease. These proteins stand to have a potential use as tissue or serum biomarkers to discriminate the three different thyroid neoplasms although this requires further validation in clinically representative populations.
Modeling the observed tropospheric BrO background: Importance of multiphase chemistry and implications for ozone, OH, and mercury
Authors: Schmidt J. A. , Jacob D. J. , Horowitz H. M. , Hu L. , Sherwen T. , Evans M. J. , Liang Q. , Suleiman R. M. , Oram D. E. , Le Breton M. , Percival C. J. , Wang S. , Dix B. , Volkamer R.
Published: September 2016

Aircraft and satellite observations indicate the presence of ppt (ppt ≡ pmol/mol) levels of BrO in the free troposphere with important implications for the tropospheric budgets of ozone, OH, and mercury. We can reproduce these observations with the GEOS‐Chem global tropospheric chemistry model by including a broader consideration of multiphase halogen (Br‐Cl) chemistry than has been done in the past. Important reactions for regenerating BrO from its nonradical reservoirs include HOBr + Br−/Cl− in both aerosols and clouds, and oxidation of Br− by ClNO3 and ozone. Most tropospheric BrO in the model is in the free troposphere, consistent with observations and originates mainly from the photolysis and oxidation of ocean‐emitted CHBr3. Stratospheric input is also important in the upper troposphere. Including production of gas phase inorganic bromine from debromination of acidified sea salt aerosol increases free tropospheric Bry by about 30%. We find HOBr to be the dominant gas‐phase reservoir of inorganic bromine. Halogen (Br‐Cl) radical chemistry as implemented here in GEOS‐Chem drives 14% and 11% decreases in the global burdens of tropospheric ozone and OH, respectively, a 16% increase in the atmospheric lifetime of methane, and an atmospheric lifetime of 6 months for elemental mercury. The dominant mechanism for the Br‐Cl driven tropospheric ozone decrease is oxidation of NOx by formation and hydrolysis of BrNO3 and ClNO3.
RAM‐SCB simulations of electron transport and plasma wave scattering during the October 2012 “double‐dip” storm
Authors: Jordanova V. K. , Tu W. , Chen Y. , Morley S. K. , Panaitescu A.‐D. , Reeves G. D. , Kletzing C. A.
Published: September 2016

Mechanisms for electron injection, trapping, and loss in the near‐Earth space environment are investigated during the October 2012 “double‐dip” storm using our ring current‐atmosphere interactions model with self‐consistent magnetic field (RAM‐SCB). Pitch angle and energy scattering are included for the first time in RAM‐SCB using L and magnetic local time (MLT)‐dependent event‐specific chorus wave models inferred from NOAA Polar‐orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) and Van Allen Probes Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science observations. The dynamics of the source (approximately tens of keV) and seed (approximately hundreds of keV) populations of the radiation belts simulated with RAM‐SCB is compared with Van Allen Probes Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer observations in the morning sector and with measurements from NOAA 15 satellite in the predawn and afternoon MLT sectors. We find that although the low‐energy (E< 100 keV) electron fluxes are in good agreement with observations, increasing significantly by magnetospheric convection during both SYM‐H dips while decreasing during the intermediate recovery phase, the injection of high‐energy electrons is underestimated by this mechanism throughout the storm. Local acceleration by chorus waves intensifies the electron fluxes at E≥50 keV considerably, and RAM‐SCB simulations overestimate the observed trapped fluxes by more than an order of magnitude; the precipitating fluxes simulated with RAM‐SCB are weaker, and their temporal and spatial evolutions agree well with POES/Medium Energy Proton and Electron Detectors data.
Emission of magnetosound from MHD‐unstable shear flow boundaries
Authors: Turkakin H. , Rankin R. , Mann I. R.
Published: September 2016

The emission of propagating MHD waves from the boundaries of flow channels that are unstable to the Kelvin‐Helmholtz Instability (KHI) in magnetized plasma is investigated. The KHI and MHD wave emission are found to be two competing processes. It is shown that the fastest growing modes of the KHI surface waves do not coincide with efficient wave energy transport away from a velocity shear boundary. MHD wave emission is found to be inefficient when growth rates of KHI surface waves are maximum, which corresponds to the situation where the ambient magnetic field is perpendicular to the flow channel velocity vector. The efficiency of wave emission increases with increasing magnetic field tension, which in Earth's magnetosphere likely dominates along the nightside magnetopause tailward of the terminator, and within earthward Bursty Bulk Flows (BBFs) in the inner plasma sheet. MHD wave emission may also dominate in Supra‐Arcade Downflows (SADs) in the solar corona. Our results suggest that efficient emission of propagating MHD waves along BBF and SAD boundaries can potentially explain observations of deceleration and stopping of BBFs and SADs.
Coronal magnetic field profiles from shock‐CME standoff distances
Authors: Schmidt J. M. , Cairns Iver H. , Gopalswamy N. , Yashiro S.
Published: September 2016

Coronagraphs observe coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and driven shocks in white light images. From these observations the shock's speed and the shock's standoff distance from the CME's leading edge can be derived. Using these quantities, theoretical relationships between the shock's Alfvénic Mach number MA and standoff distance, and empirical radial profiles for the solar wind velocity and number density, the radial magnetic field profile upstream of the shock can be calculated. These profiles cannot be measured directly. We test the accuracy of this method for estimating the radial magnetic field profile upstream of the shock by simulating a sample CME that occurred on 29 November 2013 using the three‐dimensional (3‐D) magnetohydrodynamic Block‐Adaptive‐Tree‐Solarwind‐Roe‐Upwind‐Scheme code, retrieving shock‐CME standoff distances from the simulation, and comparing the estimated and simulated radial magnetic field profiles. We find good agreement between the two profiles (within ±30%) between 1.8 and 10 R⊙. Our simulations confirm that a linear relationship exists between the standoff distance and the inverse compression ratio at the shock. We also find very good agreement between the empirical and simulated radial profiles of the number density and speed of the solar wind and inner corona.
Robust and Stable Ratiometric Temperature Sensor Based on Zn–In–S Quantum Dots with Intrinsic Dual‐Dopant Ion Emissions
Authors: Cao Sheng , Zheng Jinju , Zhao Jialong , Yang Zuobao , Shang Minghui , Li Chengming , Yang Weiyou , Fang Xiaosheng
Published: September 2016

Dual emission quantum dots (QDs) have attracted considerable interest as a novel phosphor for constructing ratiometric optical thermometry because of its self‐referencing capability. In this work, the exploration of codoped Zn–In–S QDs with dual emissions at ≈512 and ≈612 nm from intrinsic Cu and Mn dopants for ratiometric temperature sensing is reported. It is found that the dopant emissions can be tailored by adjusting the Mn‐to‐Cu concentration ratios, enabling the dual emissions in a tunable manner. The energy difference between the conduction band of the host and Cu dopant states is considered as the key for the occurrence of Mn ion emission. The as‐constructed QD ratiometric temperature sensor exhibits a totally robust stability with a fluctuation of ≈ICu/Itot versus times lower than 1% and almost no hysteresis in cycles over a broad window of 100–320 K. This discovery represents that the present cadmium‐free, intrinsic dual‐emitting codoped QDs can open a new door for the synthesis of novel QDs with stable dual emissions, which poise them well for challenging applications in optical nanothermometry.
Codelivery of NOD2 and TLR9 Ligands via Nanoengineered Protein Antigen Particles for Improving and Tuning Immune Responses
Authors: Gause Katelyn T. , Yan Yan , O'Brien‐Simpson Neil M. , Cui Jiwei , Lenzo Jason C. , Reynolds Eric C. , Caruso Frank
Published: September 2016

Vaccine adjuvants that can induce robust protective immunity are highly sought after for the development of safer and more effective vaccines. Vaccine formulation parameters that govern efficacy are still far from clear, such as the diverse impacts of codelivering agonist molecules for innate cell receptors (e.g., pattern recognition receptors). In this study, a mesoporous silica‐templating approach is used to fabricate protein antigen (ovalbumin) particles covalently functionalized with agonists for NOD‐like receptor 2 (NOD2) and Toll‐like receptor 9 (TLR9). Particle‐induced combinatorial NOD2/TLR9 signaling results in synergistic inflammatory cytokine secretion by mouse macrophages (RAW 264.7). Administration of NOD2/TLR9 particles in mice results in adaptive immune responses that are both quantitatively and qualitatively different than those resulting from administration of particles conjugated with either NOD2 or TLR9 agonists alone. While delivery of NOD2 agonists alone activates T helper 2 (Th2)‐type responses (and no CD8+ T cell activation) and delivery of TLR9 agonists alone activates CD8+ T cell and T helper 1 (Th1)‐type responses, codelivery of NOD2 and TLR9 agonists enhances Th1‐type responses and abrogates CD8+ T cell activation. The results illustrate that in the particle‐based system, NOD2 activation plays different roles in polarizing adaptive immune responses depending on coactivation of TLR9.
Electron Injection of Phosphorus Doped g‐C3N4 Quantum Dots: Controllable Photoluminescence Emission Wavelength in the Whole Visible Light Range with High Quantum Yield
Authors: Wu Jiang , Yang Siwei , Li Jipeng , Yang Yucheng , Wang Gang , Bu Xiuming , He Peng , Sun Jing , Yang Junhe , Deng Yuan , Ding Guqiao , Xie Xiaoming
Published: September 2016

The large band gap (2.7 eV) of graphite‐like carbon nitride (g‐C3N4) enables the g‐C3N4 quantum dots (g‐C3N4 QDs) to show near ultraviolet‐blue photoluminescence. This study demonstrates the effective band gap control of g‐C3N4 QDs by phosphorus doping for the first time. With the electronic injection process of lattice doped P, the band gap decreased observably. The emission wavelength of phosphorus doped g‐C3N4 QDs (P‐g‐C3N4 QDs) can be tuned in whole visible light range (385–762 nm) by changing the doping concentration. Due to the direct band gap of these P‐g‐C3N4 QDs, the quantum yield is higher than 0.90. The authors also show the application value of these P‐g‐C3N4 QDs in both in vitro and in vivo fluorescent bio‐imaging.
Utility of the von Willebrand factor collagen binding assay in the diagnosis of von Willebrand disease
Authors: Favaloro Emmanuel J.
Published: September 2016

von Willebrand Disease (VWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder and also arises as an acquired defect (AVWS). VWD and AVWS are due to quantitative deficiencies and/or qualitative defects in von Willebrand factor (VWF), an adhesive plasma protein with multiple activities. Diagnosis of VWD is problematic, being subject to overdiagnosis, underdiagnosis, and misdiagnosis. This is largely due to limitations in current test procedures and an over‐reliance on these imperfect test systems for clinical diagnosis. VWF essentially acts to assist in the formation of a platelet thrombus to stop blood loss from sites of injury, achieving this by binding to platelets (primarily through the glycoprotein Ib receptor), binding to subendothelial matrix components (primarily collagen), and binding to factor VIII (FVIII), thus protecting FVIII from degradation and enabling its delivery to sites of vascular injury. VWD is classified into six separate types, which may each be differentially managed therapeutically, and this underscores the importance of a correct diagnosis. The current report concisely reviews the utility of a relatively underutilised assay, the VWF collagen binding assay (VWF:CB), in facilitating the correct diagnosis and typing of VWD. In particular, if laboratories do not utilise the VWF:CB, then (i) type 2M VWD will continue to be missed, and/or misdiagnosed as types 2A or 1 VWD, and (ii) types 2A, 2B and PT‐VWD will continue to be missed, or else be misdiagnosed as type 1 VWD or ITP. Am. J. Hematol. 92:114–118, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
IQ and hemizygosity for the Val158Met functional polymorphism of COMT in 22q11DS
Authors: Franconi Colleen P. , McDonald‐McGinn Donna , Zackai Elaine H. , McNamara Meghan A. , Salmons Harold , Moss Edward , Gur Raquel E. , Devoto Marcella , Emanuel Beverly S.
Published: September 2016

22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11DS) is a multisystem disorder caused by a hemizygous deletion within 22q11.2. Patients with the deletion display a wide range of cognitive deficits. The gene catechol‐O‐methyl‐transferase (COMT) resides in the typically deleted region of 22q11.2 and is rendered hemizygous in individuals affected by the 22q11DS. COMT is a critical enzyme in the degradation of catecholamine neurotransmitters in the brain. A functional polymorphism, Val158Met, has been associated with a variety of neurocognitive outcomes. In this study, 159 patients with 22q11DS were analyzed for a potential association between intelligence quotient (IQ) and COMT genotype. We performed a univariate analysis for overall influence and modified our analysis to focus on possible differences between average, borderline, and intellectually impaired patients. No correlation between COMT genotype and IQ performance was found. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An Aqueous Symmetric Sodium‐Ion Battery with NASICON‐Structured Na3MnTi(PO4)3
Authors: Gao Hongcai , Goodenough John B.
Published: September 2016

A symmetric sodium‐ion battery with an aqueous electrolyte is demonstrated; it utilizes the NASICON‐structured Na3MnTi(PO4)3 as both the anode and the cathode. The NASICON‐structured Na3MnTi(PO4)3 possesses two electrochemically active transition metals with the redox couples of Ti4+/Ti3+ and Mn3+/Mn2+ working on the anode and cathode sides, respectively. The symmetric cell based on this bipolar electrode material exhibits a well‐defined voltage plateau centered at about 1.4 V in an aqueous electrolyte with a stable cycle performance and superior rate capability. The advent of aqueous symmetric sodium‐ion battery with high safety and low cost may provide a solution for large‐scale stationary energy storage.
Nanoscopic Visualization of Soft Matter Using Fluorescent Diarylethene Photoswitches
Authors: Nevskyi Oleksii , Sysoiev Dmytro , Oppermann Alex , Huhn Thomas , Wöll Dominik
Published: September 2016

The in situ imaging of soft matter is of paramount importance for a detailed understanding of functionality on the nanoscopic scale. Although super‐resolution fluorescence microscopy methods with their unprecedented imaging capabilities have revolutionized research in the life sciences, this potential has been far less exploited in materials science. One of the main obstacles for a more universal application of super‐resolved fluorescence microscopy methods is the limitation of readily available suitable dyes to overcome the diffraction limit. Here, we report a novel diarylethene‐based photoswitch with a highly fluorescent closed and a nonfluorescent open form. Its photophysical properties, switching behavior, and high photostability make the dye an ideal candidate for photoactivation localization microscopy (PALM). It is capable of resolving apolar structures with an accuracy far beyond the diffraction limit of optical light in cylindrical micelles formed by amphiphilic block copolymers.
Synthesis and catalytic application of Pd complex catalysts: Atom‐efficient cross‐coupling of triarylbismuthines with haloarenes and acid chlorides under mild conditions
Authors: Jadhav B.D. , Pardeshi S.K.
Published: September 2016

Palladium‐catalysed cross‐coupling reactions are some of the most frequently used synthetic tools for the construction of new carbon–carbon bonds in organic synthesis. In the work presented, Pd(II) complex catalysts were synthesized from palladium chloride and nitrogen donor ligands as the precursors. Infrared and 1H NMR spectroscopic analyses showed that the palladium complexes were formed in the bidentate mode to the palladium centre. The resultant Pd(II) complexes were tested as catalysts for the coupling of organobismuth(III) compounds with aryl and acid halides leading to excellent yields with high turnover frequency values. The catalysts were stable under the reaction conditions and no degradation was noticed even at 150°C for one of the catalysts. The reaction proceeds via an aryl palladium complex formed by transmetallation reaction between catalyst and Ar3Bi. The whole synthetic transformation has high atom economy as all three aryl groups attached to bismuth are efficiently transferred to the electrophilic partner.
Revisiting the late prehistoric sequence of the Port Moresby region of Papua New Guinea: The continuing contribution of Susan Bulmer
Authors: SUTTON NICHOLAS , VILGALYS GABRIELIUS , SUMMERHAYES GLENN , FORD ANNE
Published: September 2016

Susan Bulmer's PhD thesis, “Prehistoric culture change in the Port Moresby region”, was a very important, and still often cited, contribution to Papuan South Coast prehistory in the 1970s. Fieldwork for the thesis included the excavation of important sites at Taurama Beach and on Nebira Hill. This paper outlines recent archaeological and bioarchaeological research on stone artefacts, pottery and skeletal materials from these sites and discusses the implications of this research for early ideas about late prehistoric culture change in the Port Moresby region. The results of the recent studies suggest a complex of cultural (Austronesian and Papuan) and environmental influences, as well as population movements into the region over the past 1200 years, leading to the state of affairs at the close of prehistory. This picture is similar to that painted by Bulmer and others during the pioneering period of Papuan South Coast archaeology over 40 years ago.
Smith Predictor Based Fractional‐Order‐Filter PID Controllers Design for Long Time Delay Systems
Authors: Bettayeb Maamar , Mansouri Rachid , Al‐Saggaf Ubaid , Mehedi Ibrahim Mustafa
Published: September 2016

In this paper, an original model‐based analytical method is developed to design a fractional order controller combined with a Smith predictor and a modified Smith predictor that yield control systems which are robust to changes in the process parameters. This method can be applied for integer order systems and for fractional order ones. Based on the Bode's ideal transfer function, the fractional order controllers are designed via the internal model control principle. The simulation results demonstrate the successful performance of the proposed method for controlling integer as well as fractional order linear stable systems with long time delay.
Modeling traffic operation at signalized intersections without explicit left‐turn yielding rules with an enhanced cell transmission model
Authors: Gao Yunfeng , Liu Yue , Hu Hua , Ge Ying‐en
Published: September 2016

This paper presents an enhanced cell transmission model (CTM) to capture traffic operation at signalized intersections without explicit permissive left‐turn yielding rules (i.e. aggressive permissive left‐turn maneuvers may not necessarily yield to opposing through traffic), which can be widely observed in many developing countries. Different from previous studies that focus on traffic dynamics on approaching links, this study contributes to modeling traffic operations within the intersection. A novel cell transmission framework with various types of virtual cells is proposed to model the dynamics of traffic movements from approach to exit. The unique phenomenon of competitive occupying of the conflict point between the left turn and opposing through movements is modeled. The cell state indicating its blockage is proposed to capture the dynamic queue formulation and dissipation and to evaluate the operational traffic performance at the intersection. Field validation results show that the proposed model can capture the operation of traffic at signalized intersections without explicit permissive left‐turn yielding rules with significantly higher level of accuracy than traditional traffic flow models. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genetic association of the glycine cleavage system genes and myelomeningocele
Authors: Shah Rita H. , Northrup Hope , Hixson James E. , Morrison Alanna C. , Au Kit Sing
Published: September 2016

Background

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are one of the most common congenital birth defects, with myelomeningocele (MM) being the most severe form compatible with life. Recent studies show a link between mitochondrial folate one carbon metabolism and NTDs by means of the glycine cleavage system (GCS). We hypothesize that single nucleotide polymorphisms and novel variants in the coding regions of the GCS genes increase the risk for MM.

Methods

DNA was obtained from 96 subjects with MM born before the United States mandated folic acid fortification of grains in 1998. Primers were designed for polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of all exons in the AMT gene, one of four genes in the GCS, followed by identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms and novel variants. An additional 252 MM subjects underwent whole exome sequencing to examine all four GCS genes (aminomethyltransferase, glycine dehydrogenase, glycine cleavage system protein‐H, and dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase).

Results

We identified six novel, heterozygous variants in the AMT gene with three predicted to be deleterious to AMT function (p.Val7Leu, p.Pro251Arg, and p.Val380Met). Five extremely rare, known heterozygous variants were found in the AMT gene and one in the GLDC gene. No novel variants in the exons of the other two GCS genes (DLD and GCSH) were identified.

Conclusion

We identified novel and rare, known variants in two of the four GCS genes that may contribute to the development of MM. Consistent with previous findings, the current study provides additional support that genetic variations in GCS genes contribute to the risk of NTDs. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 106:847–853, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Extraction of Y2O3:Cr3+ nanophosphor by eco‐friendly approach and its suitability for white light‐emitting diode applications
Authors: Prasanna Kumar J. B. , Ramgopal G. , Sunitha D. V. , Prasad B. Daruka , Nagabhushana H. , Vidya Y. S. , Anantharaju K. S. , Prashantha S. C. , Sharma S. C. , Prabhakara K. R.
Published: September 2016

Cr3+‐doped Y2O3 (0.5–9 mol%) was synthesized by a simple solution combustion method using Aloe vera gel as a fuel/surfactant. The final obtained product was calcined at 750°C for 3 h, which is the lowest temperature reported so far for the synthesis of this compound. The calcined product was confirmed for its crystallinity and purity by powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD) studies which showed a single‐phase nano cubic phosphor. The particles size estimated by Scherrer formula was in the range of 6–19 nm. The UV–vis spectra showed absorption bands at 198, 272 and 372 nm having band gap energy in the range 4.00–4.26 eV. In order to investigate the possibility of its use in white light emitting display applications, the photoluminescence properties of Cr3+‐doped Y2O3 nanophosphors were studied at an excitation wavelength in the near ultraviolet (UV) light region (361 nm). The emission spectra consisted of emission peaks in the blue (4F9/2 → 6H15/2), orange (4F9/2 → 6H13/2) and red (4F9/2 → 6H11/2) regions. The CIE coordinates (0.33, 0.33) lie in the white light region. Hence Y2O3:Cr3+ can be used for white light‐emitting diode (LED) applications.
miR‐346 and miR‐582‐3p‐regulated EG‐VEGF expression and trophoblast invasion via matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9
Authors: Su Mei‐Tsz , Tsai Pei‐Yin , Tsai Hui‐Ling , Chen Yi‐Chi , Kuo Pao‐Lin
Published: September 2016

Endocrine gland‐derived vascular endothelial growth factor (EG‐VEGF) is an important regulator for embryo implantation and placental development, and is clinically associated with several obstetric disorders related to insufficient or inappropriate trophoblast invasion, such as recurrent abortion, preeclampsia, and intrauterine fetal growth restriction. This study was performed to identify the microRNAs targeting EG‐VEGF, and evaluate the regulatory effect on trophoblast biology. miR‐346 and miR‐582‐3p were initially identified via bioinformatic tools, and their specific binding sites on the EG‐VEGF 3′UTR were further confirmed using dual luciferase and a co‐transfection assays. miR‐346 and miR‐582‐3p were demonstrated not only to suppress EG‐VEGF expression, but also inhibit trophoblast invasion and migration in the JAR and HTR‐8/SVneo cell lines. We further evaluated the effect of microRNAs in HTR‐8/SVneo cells coexpressing EG‐VEGF and miR‐346 or miR‐582‐3p on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP 2 and MMP 9) and the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP 1 and TIMP 2) using RT‐PCR, western blotting and gelatin zymography. TIMP 1 and TIMP 2 were not affected by the two microRNAs, whereas the expressions and activities of MMP 2 and MMP 9 were significantly downregulated, which in turn inhibited the invasion ability of trophoblasts. In conclusion, miR‐346 and miR‐582‐3p regulate EG‐VEGF‐induced trophoblast invasion through repressing MMP 2 and MMP 9, and may become novel diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets for EG‐VEGF‐related obstetric disorders. © 2016 BioFactors, 43(2):210–219, 2017
Effects of Mental Health and Neuroscience Evidence on Juror Perceptions of a Criminal Defendant: the Moderating Role of Political Orientation
Authors: Mowle Elyse N. , Edens John F. , Clark John W. , Sörman Karolina
Published: September 2016

Several recent studies have examined the effects of mental health and neuroscientific evidence on attitudes toward criminal defendants, suggesting that these factors may influence juror decision‐making in meaningful ways. Few studies to date have manipulated both of these variables while also considering theoretically important individual difference variables (e.g., political orientation). Using a criminal case simulation, this study manipulated the presence of evidence concerning mental disorders (psychopathy and schizophrenia) and increasing levels of neuroscientific detail regarding a defendant's brain injury, and examined verdicts and sentencing recommendations in over 400 persons attending jury duty. Main effects were detected for mental health testimony and political orientation, although interactions were noted as well. More negative reactions to defendants labeled as psychopaths were relatively consistent, whereas participants who identified as liberal generally were less punitive towards a defendant identified as schizophrenic than were more conservative jurors. Consistent with other recent research, juror perceptions of the defendant's level of psychopathic traits (independent of the effects of the experimental manipulations) predicted guilty verdicts and longer sentencing recommendations. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.