bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative study of the efficacy of decellularization treatment of allogenic and xenogeneic nerves as nerve conduits
Authors: Wang Wei , Itoh Soichiro , Takakuda Kazuo
Published: October 2015

The objective of this study was to compare the results of allogenic and xenogeneic nerve grafts that were treated using decellularization. The sciatic nerves of Sprague‐Dawley rats and the median nerves of Japanese white rabbits were decellularized with sodium dodecyl sulfate and Triton X‐100 and examined with a scanning electron microscope and immunofluorescence staining. A bridge‐graft into the sciatic nerve in Wistar rats was performed with the decellularized nerves (10 mm in length for short‐term evaluation; 15 mm in length for long‐term evaluation). As a control, an isograft was performed. The specimens were harvested at 4 weeks postoperatively and prepared for immunohistochemistry. Function, electrophysiological and histomorphological analyses were performed to evaluate nerve recovery at 24 weeks postoperatively. The 3‐dimensional structure of the basal lamina column, on which the cell adhesion molecules were integrated, was preserved through the decellularization protocols. Limited ED1‐positive macrophage invasion was observed, and abundant NF 160‐positive axons, which were accompanied by S‐100‐positive Schwann cells, penetrated through the implanted nerves. The sciatic nerve function and electrophysiological and histomorphological analyses suggest that the xenogeneic nerve graft was statistically indistinguishable from the allogenic nerve graft but slightly inferior to the isograft in supporting the axonal regeneration and functional recovery. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 445–454, 2016.
Evaluation of hydrogel matrices for vessel bioplotting: Vascular cell growth and viability
Authors: Singh Raminder , Sarker Bapi , Silva Raquel , Detsch Rainer , Dietel Barbara , Alexiou Christoph , Boccaccini Aldo R. , Cicha Iwona
Published: October 2015

Developing matrices biocompatible with vascular cells is one of the most challenging tasks in tissue engineering. Here, we compared the growth of vascular cells on different hydrogels as potential materials for bioplotting of vascular tissue. Formulations containing alginate solution (Alg, 2%, w/v) blended with protein solutions (silk fibroin, gelatin, keratin, or elastin) at 1% w/v were prepared. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECs), smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and fibroblasts were cultivated on hydrogels for 7 days. Cell number and morphology was visualised using fluorescent staining at day 3 and 7. Cell metabolic activity was analysed using WST assay. Compared to pure Alg, Alg/keratin, Alg/gelatin and Alg/silk fibroin provided superb surfaces for ECs, supporting their attachment, growth, spreading and metabolic activity. SMCs showed best colonization and growth on Alg/silk fibroin and Alg/keratin hydrogels, whereas on elastin‐containing hydrogels, cell clustering was observed. Fibroblasts growth was enhanced on Alg/elastin, and strongly improved on silk fibroin‐ and keratin‐containing hydrogels. In contrast to the previous studies with alginate dialdehyde‐gelatin crosslinked gels, Alg/gelatin blend hydrogels provided a less favourable scaffold for fibroblasts. Taken together, the most promising results were obtained with silk fibroin‐ and keratin‐containing hydrogels, which supported the growth of all types of vascular cells. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 577–585, 2016.
Genomic identification of nitrogen‐fixing Klebsiella variicola, K. pneumoniae and K. quasipneumoniae
Authors: Chen Mingyue , Li Yuanyuan , Li Shuying , Tang Lie , Zheng Jingwu , An Qianli
Published: October 2015

It was difficult to differentiate Klebsiella pneumoniae, K. quasipneumoniae and K. variicola by biochemical and phenotypic tests. Genomics increase the resolution and credibility of taxonomy for closely‐related species. Here, we obtained the complete genome sequence of the K. variicola type strain DSM 15968T (=F2R9T). The genome of the type strain is a circular chromosome of 5,521,203 bp with 57.56% GC content. From 540 Klebsiella strains whose genomes had been publicly available as at 3 March 2015, we identified 21 strains belonging to K. variicola and 8 strains belonging to K. quasipneumoniae based on the genome average nucleotide identities (ANI). All the K. variicola strains, one K. pneumoniae strain and five K. quasipneumoniae strains contained nitrogen‐fixing genes. A phylogenomic analysis showed clear species demarcations for these nitrogen‐fixing bacteria. In accordance with the key biochemical characteristics of K. variicola, the idnO gene encoding 5‐keto‐D‐gluconate 5‐reductase for utilization of 5‐keto‐D‐gluconate and the sorCDFBAME operon for catabolism of L‐sorbose were present whereas the rbtRDKT operon for catabolism of adonitol was absent in the genomes of K. variicola strains. Therefore, the genomic analyses supported the ANI‐based species delineation; the genome sequence of the K. variicola type strain provides the reference genome for genomic identification of K. variicola, which is a nitrogen‐fixing species.
Molecular identification of indigenous manganese solubilising bacterial biodiversity from manganese mining deposits
Authors: Ghosh Shreya , Mohanty Sansuta , Nayak Sanghamitra , Sukla Lala B. , Das Alok P.
Published: October 2015

Manganese (Mn) ranks twelfth among the most exuberant metal present in the earth's crust and finds its imperative application in the manufacturing steel, chemical, tannery, glass, and battery industries. Solubilisation of Mn can be performed by several bacterial strains which are useful in developing environmental friendly solutions for mining activities. The present investigation aims to isolate and characterize Mn solubilising bacteria from low grade ores from Sanindipur Manganese mine of Sundargh district in Odisha state of India. Four morphologically distinct bacterial strains showing visible growth on Mn supplemented plates were isolated. Mn solubilising ability of the bacterial strains was assessed by visualizing the lightening of the medium appearing around the growing colonies. Three isolates were gram negative and rod shaped while the remaining one was gram positive, coccobacilli. Molecular identification of the isolates was carried out by 16S rRNA sequencing and the bacterial isolates were taxonomically classified as Bacillus anthrasis MSB 2, Acinetobacter sp. MSB 5, Lysinibacillus sp. MSB 11, and Bacillus sp. MMR‐1 using BLAST algorithm. The sequences were deposited in NCBI GenBank with the accession number KP635223, KP635224, KP635225 and JQ936966, respectively. Manganese solubilisation efficiency of 40, 96, 97.5 and 48.5% were achieved by MMR‐1, MSB 2, MSB 5 and MSB 11 respectively. The efficiency of Mn solubilisation is suggested with the help of a pH variation study. The results are discussed in relation to the possible mechanisms involved in Manganese solubilisation efficiency of bacterial isolates.
Oxygen isotope measurements of seawater (18O/16O): A comparison of cavity ring‐down spectroscopy (CRDS) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS)
Authors: Walker S. A. , Azetsu‐Scott K. , Normandeau C. , Kelley D. E. , Friedrich R. , Newton R. , Schlosser P. , McKay J. L. , Abdi W. , Kerrigan E. , Craig S. E. , Wallace D. W. R.
Published: October 2015

Laser‐based spectroscopic techniques, such as cavity ring‐down spectroscopy (CRDS), provide a new, cost effective and more widely available approach to measure the oxygen isotope ratio in water molecules,
18O/
16O (δ18O), and are used increasingly to measure δ18O in the world's oceans. Here, we present results from an interlaboratory comparison designed to evaluate the quality of CRDS‐derived measurements, and their consistency with values measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). We also discuss the influence of salt on instrument performance and sample throughput for the analysis of seawater samples. This study compared measurements of δ18O from natural samples with a wide range of salinities (0, 29.4, and 34.6) performed by four independent labs: two using CRDS and two using IRMS. We also compared δ18O measurements of Northeast Atlantic Deep Water collected in 2013, 2012, 2009, and 1995 from the AR7W repeat hydrography transect across the Labrador Sea. The within‐lab precision of ocean‐based CRDS measurements is seen to approach 0.03‰, which is better than the manufacturer's typically stated analytical precision (around +/− 0.05‰), and comparable to that achievable with IRMS. The interlaboratory differences of measurements (highest‐lowest) reported by the four labs is taken as an indicator of overall accuracy, and is estimated conservatively as being < 0.1‰, with the potential to approach 0.05‰. Overall, these results show that CRDS based 18O measurements of seawater can be equivalent to high‐quality measurements by IRMS.
Mechanically Strengthened Polyamide 66 Nanofibers Bundles via Compositing With Polyvinyl Alcohol
Authors: Wu Shasha , Zheng Guoqiang , Guan Xiaoyang , Yan Xingru , Guo Jiang , Dai Kun , Liu Chuntai , Shen Changyu , Guo Zhanhu
Published: October 2015

Electrospun polyamide PA 66 nanofiber bundles were mechanically strengthened via compositing with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The highest tensile strength (126.4 MPa) was achieved for the bundles immersed in the solution with 5.0 wt% PVA, indicating sufficient PVA filling between nanofibers after drying the impregnated nanofiber bundles. The disappearance of voids for the bundles immersed in the PVA solution indicated a superb interface adhesion, which was responsible for the excellent mechanical properties of the composite bundles. Furthermore, the step‐cycle and stress relaxation tests were carried out to shed light on the deformation evolution and the viscous stress of the bundles. The results further demonstrated the excellent mechanical properties of the composite bundles.
On index theory for non‐Fredholm operators: A (1 + 1)‐dimensional example
Authors: Carey Alan , Gesztesy Fritz , Levitina Galina , Potapov Denis , Sukochev Fedor , Zanin Dima
Published: October 2015

Using the general formalism of , a study of index theory for non‐Fredholm operators was initiated in . Natural examples arise from (1 + 1)‐dimensional differential operators using the model operator in of the type , where , and the family of self‐adjoint operators in studied here is explicitly given by

urn:x-wiley:0025584X:media:mana201500065:mana201500065-math-0007

Here has to be integrable on and tends to zero as and to 1 as (both functions are subject to additional hypotheses). In particular, , , has asymptotes (in the norm resolvent sense)

urn:x-wiley:0025584X:media:mana201500065:mana201500065-math-0015
as , respectively.
The interesting feature is that violates the relative trace class condition introduced in , Hypothesis 2.1 ]. A new approach adapted to differential operators of this kind is given here using an approximation technique. The approximants do fit the framework of enabling the following results to be obtained. Introducing , , we recall that the resolvent regularized Witten index of , denoted by , is defined by

urn:x-wiley:0025584X:media:mana201500065:mana201500065-math-0023
whenever this limit exists. In the concrete example at hand, we prove

urn:x-wiley:0025584X:media:mana201500065:mana201500065-math-0024

Here denotes the spectral shift operator for the pair of self‐adjoint operators , and we employ the normalization, , .
Are seasonal and income variations accountable for bowel and bladder dysfunction symptoms in children?
Authors: Franco Israel , Franco Jacob , Harding Sylvia , Rosconi Dina , Cupelli Emily , Collett‐Gardere Therese
Published: October 2015

Aims

Certain illnesses tend to occur more commonly at certain times of the year. It is also known that individuals of different socioeconomic groups have a predilection for physical ailments that in some cases may be related to poor access to healthcare or may be related to environmental or work related causes. We hypothesized that there may be a difference between patients from season to season and from different socioeconomic groups and their presenting lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

Methods

We reviewed our electronic medical record going back for 5 years, selecting out all patients who presented to all 10 of our offices in a wide geographic area that covers 22 million people of all races and income levels in the Tristate area of New York.

Results

We identified 13,346 patients, 6,010 males and 6,957 females, and 379 were excluded for not meeting age inclusion criteria. The descriptive statistics based on age, median income for both males and females can be found in Tables I, II, III, and IV, respectively. Of note, males were older than females at presentation (8.1 vs. 6.9 years) with no difference in median incomes between families. There were more UTIs in females and more dysuria complaints in males. Urinary incontinence also appeared to be more prevalent in females than males, while males had more issues with fecal soiling than the females. What was obvious was that urgency and frequency was positively correlated with high income groups. On the other hand urinary incontinence represented either by itself or combined with UUI was more prevalent in the high school group. Fecal soiling was also more prevalent in the high school group. UTIs were more prevalent in the high school group but surprisingly there was no difference in patients that were not able to empty their bladders. Conversely we found that constipation was more prevalent in the professional group than in the other groups which is the opposite of the FS findings. Lastly dysuria appeared to be more prevalent in the P group.

Conclusions

It is clear that there are marked differences in the results between high school income and professional income groups in particular with the U and F, along with C which correlate with high income professionals’ children. UUI, UI, UTI, along with FS are associated with high school income parents. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:148–154, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Robust reconstruction of Barabási‐Albert networks in the broadcast congested clique model
Authors: Moisset de Espanés Pablo , Rapaport Ivan , Remenik Daniel , Rapaport Ivan , Remenik Daniel , Urrutia Javiera
Published: October 2015

In the broadcast version of the congested clique model,nodes communicate in synchronous rounds by writing‐bit messages on a whiteboard, which is visible to all of them. The joint input to the nodes is an undirected‐node graph, with nodereceiving the list of its neighbors in. Our goal is to design a protocol at the end of which the information contained in the whiteboard is enough for reconstructing. It has already been shown that there is a one‐round protocol for reconstructing graphs with bounded degeneracy. The main drawback of that protocol is that the degeneracyof the input graphmust be knowna prioriby the nodes. Moreover, the protocol fails when applied to graphs with degeneracy larger than. In this article, we address this issue by looking forrobustreconstruction protocols, that is, protocols which always give the correct answer and work efficiently when the input is restricted to a certain class. We introduce a very simple, two‐round protocol that we call Robust‐Reconstruction. We prove that this protocol is robust for reconstructing the class of Barabási‐Albert trees with (expected) message size. Moreover, we present computational evidence suggesting that Robust‐Reconstructionalso generates logarithmic size messages for arbitrary Barabási‐Albert networks. Finally, we stress the importance of the preferential attachment mechanism (used in the construction of Barabási‐Albert networks) by proving that Robust‐Reconstructiondoes notgenerate short messages for random recursive trees. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 67(1), 82–91 2016
A Multi‐Method Study of the Geriatric Learning Needs of Acute Care Hospital Nurses in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Fox Mary T. , Butler Jeffrey I. , Persaud Malini , Tregunno Deborah , Sidani Souraya , McCague Hugh
Published: October 2015

Older people are at risk of experiencing functional decline and related complications during hospitalization. In countries with projected increases in age demographics, preventing these adverse consequences is a priority. Because most Canadian nurses have received little geriatrics content in their basic education, understanding their learning needs is fundamental to preparing them to respond to this priority. This two‐phased multi‐method study identified the geriatrics learning needs and strategies to address the learning needs of acute care registered nurses (RNs) and registered practical nurses (RPNs) in the province of Ontario, Canada. In Phase I, a survey that included a geriatric nursing knowledge scale was completed by a random sample of 2005 Ontario RNs and RPNs. Average scores on the geriatric nursing knowledge scale were in the “neither good nor bad” range, with RNs demonstrating slightly higher scores than RPNs. In Phase II, 33 RN and 24 RPN survey respondents participated in 13 focus group interviews to help confirm and expand survey findings. In thematic analysis, three major themes were identified that were the same in RNs and RPNs: (a) geriatric nursing is generally regarded as simple and custodial, (b) older people's care is more complex than is generally appreciated, and (c) in the current context, older people's care is best learned experientially and in brief on‐site educational sessions. Healthcare providers, policy‐makers, and educators can use the findings to develop educational initiatives to prepare RNs and RPNs to respond to the needs of an aging hospital population. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Development of a self‐management education module for those with type 2 diabetes on injectable therapies
Authors: Daly H , Davies MJ , Barnett J , Amin S , Gray G , Leonard J , Northern A , Crasto W , Khunti K , Jarvis J
Published: October 2015

The number of people using injectable therapies in the UK has dramatically increased over the last 20 years. People using insulin require intense support from health care professionals (HCPs). This paper describes a module which was developed for people with type 2 diabetes being treated with injectable therapies to empower them to effectively self‐manage their treatment. This was based on evidence from a previously published randomised controlled trial (the Microalbuminuria Education and Medication Optimisation [MEMO] study).

Groups of up to 10 participants (with partners) are invited to attend a core session (either insulin or GLP‐1 therapy) lasting 3.5 hours and then attend five topic‐specific sessions (2.5 hours). Participants choose to attend all or some of these topic sessions allowing for maximum flexibility for self‐management plans. Participants are encouraged at the end of each session to work with the HCP facilitator to suggest changes to their treatment regimens if required. It is recommended that participants attend a basic structured diabetes education programme before commencing the programme. Facilitators are trained HCPs due to the skills, knowledge and expertise needed in treatment adjustments. A pilot was conducted (participants n = 9) which showed positive evaluations from both facilitators and participants. The module toolkit contains a curriculum, resources and a participant workbook, and workshop training is provided. The programme is currently delivered in a group setting; however, work is being done to adapt the programme to be used in a one‐to‐one setting. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Utilizing inspiratory airflows during standard polysomnography to assess pharyngeal function in children during sleep
Authors: McGinley Brian M. , Kirkness Jason P. , Schneider Hartmut , Lenka Abhishek , Smith Philip L. , Schwartz Alan R.
Published: October 2015

Objectives

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the result of pharyngeal obstruction that occurs predominantly during REM in children. Pathophysiologic mechanisms responsible for upper airway obstruction, however, are poorly understood. Thus, we sought to characterize upper airway obstruction in apneic compared to snoring children during sleep. We hypothesized that apneic compared to snoring children would exhibit an increased prevalence and severity of upper airway obstruction, that would be greater in REM compared to non‐REM, and would improve following adenotonsillectomy.

Study Design

Apneic children were assessed with routine polysomnography before and after adenotonsillectomy, and compared to snoring children matched for gender, age, and BMI z‐score. In addition to traditional scoring metrics, the following were used to characterize upper airway obstruction: maximal inspiratory airflow (%VImax) and percent of time with inspiratory flow‐limited breathing (%IFL).

Results

OSA compared to snoring children had similar degrees of upper airway obstruction in non‐REM; however, during REM, children with sleep apnea exhibited a higher %IFL (98 ± 2% vs.73 ± 8%, P < 0.01) and lower %VImax (56 ± 6 vs.93 ± 10%, P < 0.01). In children with OSA, CO2 levels were elevated during both wake and sleep. Following adenotonsillectomy, upper airway obstruction improved during REM manifest by decreased %IFL (98 ± 2 to 63 ± 9%, P = 0.04), increased %VImax (56 ± 6 to 95 ± 5%, P = 0.01) and decreased CO2 levels.

Conclusions

Differences in the prevalence and severity upper airway obstruction suggest impaired compensatory responses during REM in children with OSA, which improved following adenotonsillectomy. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2016;51:431–438. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Liquid Carbon Dioxide as Anti‐Solvent Coating Aluminum Hydride
Authors: Cai Xing Wang , Yang Ji Hua , Zhang Jing Lin , Ma Do Xu , Wang Yan Ping
Published: October 2015

This paper presents a novel surface coating to resolve the serviceability, stability, compatibility, and dehydrogenation of aluminum hydride (alane) using liquid carbon dioxide as an anti‐solvent, dispersant, drying medium, and inert atmosphere. The coated alane sample was characterized by SEM, XPS, XRD, and FT‐IR spectroscopy. The coating agent was uniformly applied on the surface of alane and the crystalline phase remained unchanged. The alane molecules became more stable after coating. The thermal stability of alane before and after coating was analyzed by DSC. The enthalpy of the coated alane increased under different heating rates, indicating increased thermal stability. The lower electric spark sensitivity of the coated alane showed improved serviceability and stability. The method developed in this study may be suitable for coating other hydrogen storage and energetic materials.
Electronic properties and electron–electron interactions in graphene quantum dots
Authors: Ozfidan Isil , Korkusinski Marek , Hawrylak Pawel
Published: October 2015

magnified image

We review the electronic properties of graphene quantum dots (GQD) with emphasis on the role of electron–electron interactions. We describe the electronic properties using a combination of tight binding, Hartree–Fock (HF), density functional theory and configuration interaction methods applied to interacting electrons on pz orbitals of carbon atoms. The electron–electron interactions are computed using Slater orbitals and screened by the environment and sigma electrons. We show that the electronic properties of graphene can be tuned by the lateral size, shape, character of edge, number of layers and screening. In particular, the energy gap can be tuned from THz to UV by varying the size of graphene quantum dot. The dependence of the gap on the size can be understood in terms of confined Dirac fermions. The effect of edges and edge reconstruction is discussed using ab‐initio techniques. The role of screening is investigated using the HF approach. HF ground states corresponding to semiconductor, Mott‐insulator, and spin‐polarized phases are obtained as a function of the strength of the screened Coulomb interactions. For GQDs in the semiconductor phase, the role of correlations in ground and excited states is computed perturbatively and shown to result in size dependent band gap renormalization. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Low dimensional disturbance observer‐based control for nonlinear parabolic PDE systems with spatio‐temporal disturbances
Authors: Wang Hong‐Du , Wu Huai‐Ning , Guo Lei
Published: October 2015

In this paper, a design problem of low dimensional disturbance observer‐based control (DOBC) is considered for a class of nonlinear parabolic partial differential equation (PDE) systems with the spatio‐temporal disturbance modeled by an infinite dimensional exosystem of parabolic PDE. Motivated by the fact that the dominant structure of the parabolic PDE is usually characterized by a finite number of degrees of freedom, the modal decomposition method is initially applied to both the PDE system and the PDE exosystem to derive a low dimensional slow system and a low dimensional slow exosystem, which accurately capture the dominant dynamics of the PDE system and the PDE exosystem, respectively. Then, the definition of input‐to‐state stability for the PDE system with the spatio‐temporal disturbance is given to formulate the design objective. Subsequently, based on the derived slow system and slow exosystem, a low dimensional disturbance observer (DO) is constructed to estimate the state of the slow exosystem, and then a low dimensional DOBC is given to compensate the effect of the slow exosystem in order to reject approximately the spatio‐temporal disturbance. Then, a design method of low dimensional DOBC is developed in terms of linear matrix inequality to guarantee that not only the closed‐loop slow system is exponentially stable in the presence of the slow exosystem but also the closed‐loop PDE system is input‐to‐state stable in the presence of the spatio‐temporal disturbance. Finally, simulation results on the control of temperature profile for catalytic rod demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Comparative Study on the Aggregation and Thermodynamic Properties of Anionic Sodium Dodecylsulphate and Cationic Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide in Aqueous Medium: Effect of the Co‐solvent N‐Methylacetamide
Authors: Chauhan Suvarcha , Kumar Kuldeep , Rana Dilbag S. , Kumar Rajender , Chauhan Mohinder S.
Published: October 2015

The effect of co‐solvent N‐methylacetamide (NMA) (0.035, 0.046, 0.127, and 0.258 mol kg−1) on the micellization behaviour of anionic surfactant sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) (3.21–10.35 mmol kg−1) and cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) (0.19–3.72 mmol kg−1) in aqueous solution was explored by employing conductivity measurements at different temperatures (298.15–313.15 K). The critical micelle concentration (CMC) values for SDS and CTAB in aqueous solutions of NMA were determined from the conductivity versus surfactant concentration plots. The variations in the CMC values of SDS with NMA concentration are in striking contrast to those observed in the case of CTAB. The various relevant thermodynamic parameters of micellization, viz. standard enthalpy change, ΔHmo, standard entropy change, ΔSmo, and standard Gibbs free energy change, ΔGmo, were determined using the temperature variation of the CMC values and counterion binding. The results not only relate these thermodynamic parameters to the consequences of intermolecular interactions but are also able to differentiate between SDS–water–NMA and CTAB–water–NMA systems in terms of contributions from head groups as well as alkyl chains of surfactants.
Preparation, Characterization and Properties of Novel Cationic Gemini Surfactants with Rigid Amido Spacer Groups
Authors: Xu Dongqing , Qi Banghua , Fang Di , Zhang Xuemei , Zhang Ting
Published: October 2015

A series of novel cationic gemini surfactants with rigid amido groups inserted as the spacers, named C12‐PPDA‐C12, C14‐PPDA‐C14 and C16‐PPDA‐C16, were synthesized by a two‐step reaction with dimethyl terephthalate, N,N‐dimethyl propylene diamine and alkyl bromide as raw materials. The chemical structures of the prepared compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H and 13C NMR and element analysis. Surface activity properties of the synthesized compounds were investigated by surface tension, electrical conductivity and fluorescence. Increasing the number of carbon atoms in the hydrophobic alkyl chain, decreased the critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface tension at the CMC and the minimum surface area. Other relevant properties including foaming ability and emulsion stability were investigated. The results indicated that the synthesized gemini surfactants possess good surface properties, emulsifying properties and steady foam properties.
STIM1 is cleaved by calpain
Authors: Prins Daniel , Michalak Marek
Published: October 2015

Store‐operated calcium entry (SOCE) is a pathway that moves Ca2+ across the plasma membrane and is mediated by two major proteins, STIM1 and Orai1. Here, we discovered that the cytoplasmic domain of STIM1 is a target for calpains, a family of Ca2+‐activated proteases. We found that calpain cleavage of STIM1 serves to control its cellular abundance and was noticeably increased under conditions of cellular stress and apoptosis. Dysregulation of STIM1 levels has been reported to have human disease consequences and our results suggest a mechanism for controlling STIM1 abundance.
Oscillatory superfluid Ekman pumping in helium II and neutron stars
Authors: van Eysden C. Anthony
Published: October 2015

The linear response of a superfluid, rotating uniformly in a cylindrical container and threaded with a large number of vortex lines, to an impulsive increase in the angular velocity of the container is investigated. At zero temperature and with perfect pinning of vortices to the top and bottom of the container, we demonstrate that the system oscillates persistently with a frequency proportional to the vortex line tension parameter to the quarter power. This low-frequency mode is generated by a secondary flow analogous to classical Ekman pumping that is periodically reversed by the vortex tension in the boundary layers. We compare analytic solutions to the two-fluid equations by Chandler & Baym (J. Low Temp. Phys., vol. 62, 1986, pp. 119–142) with the spin-up experiments by Tsakadze & Tsakadze (J. Low Temp. Phys., vol. 39, 1980, pp. 649–688) in helium II and find that the frequency agrees within a factor of four, although the experiment is not perfectly suited to the application of linear theory. We argue that this oscillatory Ekman pumping mode, and not Tkachenko modes, provides a natural explanation for the observed oscillation. In neutron stars, the oscillation period depends on the pinning interaction between neutron vortices and flux tubes in the outer core. Using a simplified pinning model, we demonstrate that strong pinning can accommodate modes with periods of days to years, which are only weakly damped by mutual friction over longer time scales.
Insulin secretion in health and disease: nutrients dictate the pace
Authors: Regazzi Romano , Rodriguez-Trejo Adriana , Jacovetti Cécile
Published: October 2015

Insulin is a key hormone controlling metabolic homeostasis. Loss or dysfunction of pancreatic β-cells lead to the release of insufficient insulin to cover the organism needs, promoting diabetes development. Since dietary nutrients influence the activity of β-cells, their inadequate intake, absorption and/or utilisation can be detrimental. This review will highlight the physiological and pathological effects of nutrients on insulin secretion and discuss the underlying mechanisms. Glucose uptake and metabolism in β-cells trigger insulin secretion. This effect of glucose is potentiated by amino acids and fatty acids, as well as by entero-endocrine hormones and neuropeptides released by the digestive tract in response to nutrients. Glucose controls also basal and compensatory β-cell proliferation and, along with fatty acids, regulates insulin biosynthesis. If in the short-term nutrients promote β-cell activities, chronic exposure to nutrients can be detrimental to β-cells and causes reduced insulin transcription, increased basal secretion and impaired insulin release in response to stimulatory glucose concentrations, with a consequent increase in diabetes risk. Likewise, suboptimal early-life nutrition (e.g. parental high-fat or low-protein diet) causes altered β-cell mass and function in adulthood. The mechanisms mediating nutrient-induced β-cell dysfunction include transcriptional, post-transcriptional and translational modifications of genes involved in insulin biosynthesis and secretion, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, cell differentiation, proliferation and survival. Altered expression of these genes is partly caused by changes in non-coding RNA transcripts induced by unbalanced nutrient uptake. A better understanding of the mechanisms leading to β-cell dysfunction will be critical to improve treatment and find a cure for diabetes.
Disruptions of working memory and inhibition mediate the association between exposure to institutionalization and symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Tibu F. , Sheridan M. A. , McLaughlin K. A. , Nelson C. A. , Fox N. A. , Zeanah C. H.
Published: October 2015

Background

Young children raised in institutions are exposed to extreme psychosocial deprivation that is associated with elevated risk for psychopathology and other adverse developmental outcomes. The prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is particularly high in previously institutionalized children, yet the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. We investigated whether deficits in executive functioning (EF) explain the link between institutionalization and ADHD.

Method

A sample of 136 children (aged 6–30 months) was recruited from institutions in Bucharest, Romania, and 72 never institutionalized community children matched for age and gender were recruited through general practitioners’ offices. At 8 years of age, children's performance on a number of EF components (working memory, response inhibition and planning) was evaluated. Teachers completed the Health and Behavior Questionnaire, which assesses two core features of ADHD, inattention and impulsivity.

Results

Children with history of institutionalization had higher inattention and impulsivity than community controls, and exhibited worse performance on working memory, response inhibition and planning tasks. Lower performances on working memory and response inhibition, but not planning, partially mediated the association between early institutionalization and inattention and impulsivity symptom scales at age 8 years.

Conclusions

Institutionalization was associated with decreased EF performance and increased ADHD symptoms. Deficits in working memory and response inhibition were specific mechanisms leading to ADHD in previously institutionalized children. These findings suggest that interventions that foster the development of EF might reduce risk for psychiatric problems in children exposed to early deprivation.
Panmetaphoricism
Authors: HOWARD-SNYDER DANIEL
Published: October 2015

Panmetaphoricism is the view that our speech about God can only be metaphorical. In this article, I do not assess the reasons that have been given for it; rather, I aim to understand what it says and, thereby, to gain a clearer view of the God it offers.
God and eternal boredom
Authors: ANDRIĆ VUKO , TANYI ATTILA
Published: October 2015

God is thought to be eternal. Does this mean that he is timeless? Or is he, rather, omnitemporal? In this article we argue that God cannot be omnitemporal. Our starting point, which we take from Bernard Williams's article on the Makropulos Case, is the intuition that it is inappropriate for persons not to become bored after a sufficiently long sequence of time has passed. If Williams is right, then it follows that, if God were omnitemporal, he would suffer from boredom. But God is the greatest possible being and therefore cannot be bored. God, hence, is not omnitemporal. After the presentation of our argument, we address several objections by examining possible differences between human and divine persons.
Welfare States and Social Cohesion in Europe: Does Social Service Quality Matter?
Authors: ANDREWS RHYS , JILKE SEBASTIAN
Published: October 2015

In this article, the authors evaluate whether the provision of good quality social services has the potential to create social cohesion. In addition to examining the relationship between social services and social cohesion, the authors expand institutional theories of social capital by investigating whether this potential for building social solidarity may be resilient to the corrosive effects of economic strain. Multilevel analyses of variations in the perceptions of social cohesion amongst Europeans were conducted for 27 member countries of the EU using the Eurobarometer 74.1 on poverty and social exclusion from 2010. The results suggest that individuals receiving better quality social service provision perceived higher levels of social cohesion within the country in which they live. By contrast, individuals living in households experiencing economic strain perceived lower levels of cohesion. Further analysis revealed that the experience of economic strain does not weaken the positive relationship between social services quality and perceptions of cohesion.
STATIC STOCHASTIC KNAPSACK PROBLEMS
Authors: Chen Kai , Ross Sheldon M.
Published: October 2015

Two stochastic knapsack problem (SKP) models are considered: the static broken knapsack problem (BKP) and the SKP with simple recourse and penalty cost problem. For both models, we assume: the knapsack has a constant capacity; there are n types of items and each type has an infinite supply; a type i item has a deterministic reward vi and a random weight with known distribution Fi. Both models have the same objective to maximize expected total return by finding the optimal combination of items, that is, quantities of items of each type to be put in knapsack. The difference between the two models is: if knapsack is broken when total weights of items put in knapsack exceed the knapsack's capacity, for the static BKP model, all existing rewards would be wiped out, while for the latter model, we could still keep the existing rewards in knapsack but have to pay a fixed penalty plus a variant cost proportional to the overcapacity amount. This paper also discusses the special case when knapsack has an exponentially distributed capacity.
INDEXABILITY AND OPTIMAL INDEX POLICIES FOR A CLASS OF REINITIALISING RESTLESS BANDITS
Authors: Villar Sofía S.
Published: October 2015

Motivated by a class of Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes with application in surveillance systems in which a set of imperfectly observed state processes is to be inferred from a subset of available observations through a Bayesian approach, we formulate and analyze a special family of multi-armed restless bandit problems. We consider the problem of finding an optimal policy for observing the processes that maximizes the total expected net rewards over an infinite time horizon subject to the resource availability. From the Lagrangian relaxation of the original problem, an index policy can be derived, as long as the existence of the Whittle index is ensured. We demonstrate that such a class ofreinitializingbandits in which the projects' state deteriorates while active and resets to its initial state when passive until its completion possesses the structural property of indexability and we further show how to compute the index in closed form. In general, the Whittle index rule for restless bandit problems does not achieve optimality. However, we show that the proposed Whittle index rule is optimal for the problem under study in the case of stochastically heterogenous arms under the expected total criterion, and it is further recovered by a simple tractable rule referred to as the1-limited Round Robinrule. Moreover, we illustrate the significant suboptimality of other widely used heuristic: the Myopic index rule, by computing in closed form its suboptimality gap. We present numerical studies which illustrate for the more general instances the performance advantages of the Whittle index rule over other simple heuristics.
Risk of haemolytic uraemic syndrome caused by shiga-toxin-producingEscherichia coliinfection in adult women in Japan
Authors: FUJII J. , MIZOUE T. , KITA T. , KISHIMOTO H. , JOH K. , NAKADA Y. , UGAJIN S. , NAYA Y. , NAKAMURA T. , TADA Y. , OKABE N. , MARUYAMA Y. , SAITOH K. , KUROZAWA Y.
Published: October 2015

Shiga-toxin-producingEscherichia coli(STEC) infections usually cause haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) equally in male and female children. This study investigated the localization of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) in human brain and kidney tissues removed from forensic autopsy cases in Japan. A fatal case was used as a positive control in an outbreak of diarrhoeal disease caused by STEC O157:H7 in a kindergarten in Urawa in 1990. Positive immunodetection of Gb3 was significantly more frequent in female than in male distal and collecting renal tubules. To correlate this finding with a clinical outcome, a retrospective analysis of the predictors of renal failure in the 162 patients of two outbreaks in Japan was performed: one in Tochigi in 2002 and the other in Kagawa Prefecture in 2005. This study concludes renal failure, including HUS, was significantly associated with female sex, and the odds ratio was 4·06 compared to male patients in the two outbreaks. From 2006 to 2009 in Japan, the risk factor of HUS associated with STEC infection was analysed. The number of males and females and the proportion of females who developed HUS were calculated by age and year from 2006 to 2009. In 2006, 2007 and 2009 in adults aged >20 years, adult women were significantly more at risk of developing HUS in Japan.
Dreading the Future: Ambivalence and Doubt in the Dutch Urban Renewal Order
Authors: VERLAAN TIM
Published: October 2015

The current historiography of the Dutch urban renewal order focuses on an elite of audacious planners and technocratic civil servants, who allegedly embraced the comprehensive redevelopment of inner cities along functionalist lines. However, professional pamphlets and minutes from the 1950s and 1960s reveal a much more ambivalent and uncertain state of mind in the field of urban renewal, especially in the views put forward by local administrators. This article will demonstrate that insecurity about the dawn of the modern age was crucial for the swiftness with which Dutch planning and political elites abandoned comprehensive redevelopment in the early 1970s.
An open-label study to assess safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of dextromethorphan/quinidine for pseudobulbar affect in dementia: PRISM II results
Authors: Doody Rachelle S. , D’Amico Stephen , Cutler Andrew J. , Davis Charles S. , Shin Paul , Ledon Fred , Yonan Charles , Siffert João
Published: October 2015

Background

Dextromethorphan (DM)/quinidine (Q) is an approved treatment for pseudobulbar affect (PBA) based on trials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or multiple sclerosis. PRISM II evaluated DM/Q effectiveness and tolerability for PBA secondary to dementia, stroke, or traumatic brain injury; dementia cohort results are reported.

Methods

This was an open-label, multicenter, 90 day trial; patients received DM/Q 20/10 mg twice daily. Primary outcome was change in Center for Neurologic Study–Lability Scale (CNS-LS) score. Secondary outcomes included PBA episode count and Clinical and Patient/Caregiver Global Impression of Change scores with respect to PBA (CGI-C/PGI-C).

Results

134 patients were treated. CNS-LS improved by a mean (SD) of 7.2 (6.0) points at Day 90/Endpoint (P<.001) vs. baseline. PBA episodes were reduced 67.7% (P<.001) vs. baseline; global measures showed 77.5% CGI-C and 76.5% PGI-C “much”/”very much” improved. Adverse events included headache (7.5%), urinary tract infection (4.5%), and diarrhea (3.7%); few patients dropped out for adverse events (10.4%).

Conclusions

DM/Q significantly reduced PBA symptoms in patients with dementia; reported adverse events were consistent with the known safety profile of DM/Q.

Trial Registration

clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01799941.
ENDOGENOUS FERTILITY WITH A SIBSHIP SIZE EFFECT
Authors: Brezis Elise S. , Ferreira Rodolphe Dos Santos
Published: October 2015

Since the seminal work of Becker, the dynamics of endogenous fertility has been based on the trade-off faced by parents between the quantity and the quality of their children. However, in developing countries, where child labor is an indispensable source of household income, parents actually incur a negative cost by having an extra child, so that the trade-off disappears. The purpose of this paper is to restore the Beckerian quantity–quality trade-off when intergenerational transfers are upstream, in order to keep fertility endogenous. We do that by adding a negative “sibship size effect” on human capital formation to the standard Becker model. With a simple specification, we obtain multiplicity of steady states or, more fundamentally, the possibility of a jump from a state with high fertility and low income to a state with low fertility and high income, triggered by a continuous increase in the productivity of human capital formation.
MONEY ILLUSION AND MARKET SURVIVAL
Authors: Eisenhuth Roland
Published: October 2015

By studying complete and incomplete dynamic financial markets, I show that if some agents are money-illusioned and neglect inflation, the rational agents who are aware of inflation are driven out of the market in the long run, in the sense that the money-illusioned agents consume the economy's entire endowment. The reason for this finding is that with inflation, the money-illusioned agents always believe that the return on their savings is higher than it actually is. Because these agents trade financial assets in markets with the rational agents, the rational agents end up being borrowers and the money-illusioned agents lenders. Because the rational agents' debt accumulates over time, they become so indebted that the money-illusioned agents eventually consume the economy's entire endowment. If there is deflation, the opposite is true, and the rational agents evolutionarily dominate.