bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phenyl alanine & Tyrosine Amino acids Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles: Preparation and Toxicity study
Authors: Nosrati Hamed , Hamzehei Hossein , Afroogh Saeed , Ashabi Seyedeh , Attari Elahe , Manjili Hamidreza
Published: September 2018

In this study we reported the synthesis of L-phenyl alanine (Phe) & L-tyrosine (Tyr) Natural Amino acids coated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles under one-pot and in situ reaction. Functionalized iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Cellular toxicity of amino acids coated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles was also investigated on HEK-293 cell lines. Additionally, a hemolysis test of as prepared magnetic nanoparticles were performed. It was found that the synthesized Phe and Tyr coated magnetic nanoparticles (F@Phe NPs and F@Tyr NPs) were spherical in shape with an average size less than 25 nm, also the saturation magnetization (Ms) of the F@Phe NPs and F@Tyr NPs were about 30.02 and 58.23 emu/g, respectively, which was lower than those of bare Fe3O4. The TGA results show that apart from this weight loss, the coated sample shows a weight loss of 5.48, and 6.88% respectively corresponding to loss of Tyr, and Phe which is coated on the Fe3O4 nanoparticles. At a high concentration, less than 2.92 and 3.13% hemolytic activity were observed for F@Phe NPs and F@Tyr NPs, respectively. The F@Phe NPs and F@Tyr NPs show the possibility of using this nanoparticles in the development of in vitro and in vivo pharmaceutical and biomedical fields due to do not possess a toxic effect, good ζ-potential and related small and narrow size distribution.
Untersuchung der Qualität der Hörgeräteversorgung bei Senioren unter Berücksichtigung kognitiver Einflussfaktoren
Authors: Kronlachner Melanie , Baumann Uwe , Stöver Timo , Weißgerber Tobias
Published: September 2018

In der Gruppe der über 65-Jährigen ist die Hörminderung eines der häufigsten gesundheitlichen Probleme. Um die Kommunikationsfähigkeit in dieser Population
aufrecht zu erhalten, ist eine adäquate Hörgeräteversorgung essentiell. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war die Überprüfung der Qualität der
Hörgeräteversorgung bei Senioren in Bezug auf die Wiederherstellung der Sprachdiskrimination. Weiterhin sollte der Einfluss des Alters und einiger kognitiver
Parameter auf das Sprachverstehen betrachtet werden. Es wurden 40 Probanden im Alter von 66 bis 88 Jahren mit ein- oder beidseitiger Hörgeräteversorgung
untersucht. Es wurde der gemittelte Hörverlust der Frequenzen 0,5–1-2–4 kHz und der gemittelte Hochton-Hörverlust bei den Frequenzen 2–4-6 kHz sowie das
maximale Einsilberverstehen (mEV) und das hörgeräteversorgte Sprachverstehen bei 65 dB betrachtet. Um mögliche kognitive Einflussfaktoren zu ermitteln, wurden
ein Demenzscreening-Verfahren (DemTect-Test) und ein Test zur Prüfung des Arbeitsgedächtnisses angewendet. Zwar zeigte sich ein Gewinn durch die
Hörgeräteversorgung in 82 % der untersuchten Fälle, die nach Hilfsmittelrichtlinie geforderte Verbesserung von mindestens 20 % gegenüber der unversorgten
Situation wurde jedoch in 56 % der Fälle nicht erreicht. Weiterhin wurde das individuelle mEV mit Abweichung von höchstens zehn Prozentpunkten von 81 % aller
Fälle nicht erreicht. Signifikante Korrelationen zwischen Zahlenfolgen-Merkspanne bzw. DemTect-Ergebnis und mEV konnten nicht festgestellt werden. Im
untersuchten Probandenkollektiv ergaben sich auch keine Hinweise für eine Abhängigkeit des Ergebnisses der Hörgeräteversorgung vom Lebensalter oder von (milder)
kognitiver Beeinträchtigung sowie reduzierter Arbeitsgedächtnisleistung.
Facile Construction of Hydantoin Scaffolds via a Post-Ugi Cascade Reaction
Authors: Xu Chuan , Chen Zhong-Zhu , Xu Zhi-Gang , Ding Yong , Meng Jiang-Ping , Tang Dian-Yong , Li Yong , Lei Jie
Published: September 2018

A small series of hydantoins was efficiently synthesized via a two-step Ugi/cyclization reaction sequence using alkyne group as a leaving group under basic conditions. This microwave-assisted one-pot cyclization strategy could be applicable to other multicomponent reactions (MCRs) for synthesizing bioactive and drug-like hydantoins.
Copper-Catalyzed NaBAr4-Based N-Arylation of Amines
Authors: Peng Yiyuan , Yang Qin , Lei Xiaoli , Yin Zhijian , Deng Zhihong
Published: September 2018

Using NaBAr4 as an arylating agent, the formation of carbon–heteroatom bonds by a Cham–Lam cross-coupling reaction in the presence of catalytic copper(II) acetate monohydrate in acetonitrile at room temperature under air is described. The investigation of reaction scope suggests that several aliphatic and aromatic amines are compatible. In particular, the reaction of alkylamine and NaBAr4 proceeds smoothly to offer the corresponding products in good to excellent yields.
A Summary on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Diagnostic Criteria, Prevalence, Clinical Manifestations, and Management According to the Latest International Guidelines
Authors: Neven Adriana , Laven Joop , Teede Helena , Boyle Jacqueline
Published: September 2018

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal condition with reproductive, metabolic, and psychological sequelae. The Rotterdam Criteria are now internationally accepted, with different phenotypes recognized with varying clinical presentations and risk profiles. The complexity of the disorder, and the impact on quality of life, requires timely diagnosis, screening for complications and management strategies. PCOS remains underdiagnosed and women experience significant delays to diagnosis. Effective dissemination of evidence-based management is therefore vital. In this review, we summarize key aspects of PCOS as a prelude to this issue of Seminars in Reproductive Medicine on PCOS which focuses on the development of the international evidence-based guideline on the assessment and management of PCOS and the related translation program. We cover diagnostic criteria, prevalence, phenotypes, reproductive, metabolic, and psychological factors of PCOS. We also cover management strategies including lifestyle interventions as well as treatment of nonreproductive outcomes and reproductive outcomes informed by the latest international evidence-based guidelines.
Penetrating Orbitofrontal Foreign Body: Case Report
Authors: Bhide Anuj , Velho Vernon , Jain Nimesh , Bhople Laxmikant
Published: September 2018

Orbitofrontal foreign-body injuries comprise a major cause of all facial injuries referred to a neurosurgeon. The authors hereby present an unusual case of a pressure regulator of a domestic pressure cooker impacted into the orbit and extending through the orbital roof into the basifrontal cortex. The globe was intact externally with no obvious sign of such a large object impacted behind the globe. On imaging, the foreign body was found to have fractured the orbital roof with one end protruding into the basifrontal cortex. A transcranial approach was taken to remove the object with removal of the orbital rim and roof to reach the object. After successful retrieval of the metallic body, all displaced bone fragments were removed and the dural closure was done in a watertight manner. The vision could not be salvaged, most likely due to damage to the optic nerve. However, the globe was left intact and the ocular movements were normal. An important factor to consider in removal of such foreign bodies is that the bone fragments that get impacted should be meticulously removed and the dural tears should be sealed to prevent any intracranial infections and cerebrospinal fluid leaks. Removal of the orbital rim helps in adequate exposure of the retro-orbital space and the basifrontal dura.
Depression oder gesundes Leiden? Die Bedeutung der Psychopathologie in der Diagnostik psychischer Erkrankungen
Authors: Linden M.
Published: September 2018

Die Erkennung und diagnostische Einordnung depressiver Störungen erfordert besondere Fachkenntnis, da depressiv Kranke unterschieden werden müssen von Gesunden mit schlechter Stimmung. Die diagnostischen Algorithmen nach ICD-10 oder DSM5 sind dafür nicht geeignet, da die Diagnosedefinition im Wesentlichen auf dem obligaten Leitsymptom der depressiven Verstimmung aufbaut, während die fakultativen Zusatzsymptome unspezifisch sind und diagnoseübergreifend vorkommen und nur zur Bestimmung der aktuellen Syndromschwere dienen. Damit ist das Kernproblem in der Diagnostik depressiver Störungen die psychopathologische Befundung mit einer Abgrenzung eines anhedon depressiven Affekts von vielfältigen sonstigen schlechten Stimmungszuständen. Neben der Affektqualität ist dazu auch der Kontext und die Steuerungsfähigkeit zu beachten. Sowohl eine Unterwie Überdiagnostik haben negative Folgen für den Betroffenen wie die Gesellschaft. Die Psychopathologie muss in der wissenschaftlichen Diskussion wie bei der Ausbildung von Therapeuten angemessene Aufmerksamkeit erfahren.
Chancen und Risiken der digitalen Revolution für depressiv Erkrankte
Authors: Oehler C. , Reif A. , Hegerl U.
Published: September 2018

Die dynamische Digitalisierung aller Lebensbereiche birgt für Menschen mit psychischen Erkrankungen große Chancen und Risiken und die Psychiatrie ist aufgerufen, diesen Prozess zum Wohle der Patienten mitzugestalten. Am Beispiel depressiver Erkrankungen werden die Rolle digitaler Angebote für a) Informationsvermittlung und Erfahrungsaustausch, b) Internet-basierte Psychotherapie- und Selbstmanagement-Programme und c) die Erfassung und Nutzung von Selbstratings und Biosensordaten über mobile Geräte wie Smartphones oder Wearables dargestellt. Kritisch diskutiert wird die Evidenzlage zur Wirksamkeit der digitalen Psychotherapie- und Selbstmanagement-Programme. Neben den offensichtlichen Risiken durch Probleme im Bereich des Datenschutzes, der Datensicherheit und der Qualität der digitalen Angebote werden auch komplexe Folgen der Digitalisierung für das Menschen- und Selbstbild angesprochen. Eine zunehmend wichtigere Aufgabe des Psychiaters wird es sein, den Patienten in dem rasant wachsenden und unübersichtlichen Feld der digitalen Angebote Beratung und Orientierung zu liefern.
Krankenhausaufenthalte aufgrund einer Störung der Geschlechtsidentität (ICD-10 F64) als Hauptdiagnose
Authors: Brunner F. , Reed G. M. , Nieder T. O. , Briken P.
Published: September 2018

Fragestellung: Die Studie untersucht, (1) ob sich die Inanspruchnahme stationärer Krankenhausbehandlung aufgrund der Hauptdiagnose Geschlechtsidentitätsstörungen (ICD-10 F64) in den Jahren zwischen 2000 und 2015 verändert hat und (2) welchen Anteil psychiatrische, psychotherapeutische und psychosomatische Behandlungen ausmachen. Methode: Aus der Krankenhausstatistik des Statistischen Bundesamtes wurden die F64-Diagnosedaten analysiert. Ergebnisse: Die Fallzahlen von stationär behandelten Krankenhauspatienten mit einer F64 Hauptdiagnose haben sich von 2000 bis 2015 mehr als verdreifacht. Dieser Anstieg ist in den somatischen Fächern, insbesondere der Chirurgie, Gynäkologie und Urologie, zu verzeichnen. Die Behandlung von stationär aufgenommenen Patienten aufgrund einer F64 Hauptdiagnose in den psychosozialen Krankenhausabteilungen hat im gleichen Zeitraum abgenommen. Schlussfolgerung: Die Daten geben keinen Aufschluss über die Bedeutung der psychosozialen Fächer für die Versorgung von Transgender Personen, da diese hauptsächlich ambulant erfolgen dürfte. Die Ergebnisse zeigen jedoch, dass stationäre psychiatrische oder psychotherapeutische Behandlungen sehr selten sind, wohingegen in anderen Krankenhausabteilungen ein erheblicher Anstieg zu verzeichnen ist. Letzteres dürfte den Wandel sozialer Einstellungen und eine stärkere Integration von Transgender Gesundheitsversorgung widerspiegeln.
Behandlungsoptionen der prämenstruellen dysphorischen Störung – ein Update
Authors: Bergemann N.
Published: September 2018

Etwa 2–6% aller Frauen im gebärfähigen Alter leiden unter einer schweren Form des prämenstruellen Syndroms (PMS), der prämenstruellen dysphorischen Störung (PMDS). Hauptmerkmale sind affektive Labilität, Gereiztheit, depressive Verstimmung und emotionale Anspannung, aber zahlreiche weitere psychische und körperliche Beschwerden werden zur Diagnosestellung herangezogen. Sie treten zyklisch in der Woche vor der Menstruation auf und sistieren mit ihr oder kurz danach. Die Beschwerden führen zu einer erheblichen Beeinträchtigung im Beruf und im gesamten sozialen Leben der Betroffenen. Die Behandlung stellt eine interdisziplinäre Herausforderung zwischen Psychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Gynäkologie dar. Neben supportiven Maßnahmen und kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutischen Interventionen oder supplementären Maßnahmen werden Therapiestrategien mit verschiedenen pharmakologischen und hormonellen Interventionen eingesetzt. Sowohl für die psychopharmakologischen Behandlungsoptionen, insbesondere für die selektiven Serotonin-Wiederaufnahmehemmer (SSRI), als auch für hormonelle Therapien liegt gute Evidenz für ihre Wirksamkeit vor. Dennoch sind weitere Studien gefordert, um die Behandlungsmöglichkeiten weiter zu verbessern.
Digital interference microscopy and density reconstruction of picosecond infrared laser desorption at the water-air interface
Authors: Busse Frederik , Kruber Sebastian , Robertson Wesley D. , Miller R. J. Dwayne
Published: September 2018

Material ablation and evaporation using pulsed infrared lasers pose promising approaches for matrix-free laser desorption ionization and in laser surgery. For the best results, key parameters such as laser wavelength, pulse duration, and pulse energy need to be carefully adjusted to the application. We characterize the dynamics at the water-air interface induced by a 10 ps infrared laser tuned to the water absorption band at 3  μm, a parameter set facilitating stress confined desorption for typical absorption depths in biological samples and tissue. By driving the ablation faster than nucleation growth, cavitation induced sample damage during the ablation process can be mitigated. The resultant explosive ablation process leads to a shock front expansion and material ejection which we capture using off-axis digital interference microscopy, an interference technique particularly useful for detecting the phase shift caused by transparent objects. It is demonstrated that the method can yield local density information of the observed shock front with a single image acquisition as compared to the usually performed fit of the velocity extracted from several consecutive snapshots. We determine the ablation threshold to be (0.5±0.2) J cm−2 and observe a significant distortion of the central parts of the primary shock wave above approximately 2.5  J cm−2. The differences in plume shape observed for higher fluences are reflected in an analysis based on shock wave theory, which shows a very fast initial expansion.
Long time scale dynamics of vibrationally excited (HBr)n clusters
Authors: Grygoryeva K. , Rakovský J. , Votava O. , Fárník M.
Published: September 2018

We investigated the photodissociation dynamics of vibrationally excited HBr molecules and clusters. The species were generated in a molecular beam and excited with an IR laser to a v = 1 vibrational state. A subsequent ultraviolet (UV)-pulse with 243 nm radiation photolysed the molecules to yield H-fragments, which were resonantly ionized by the same UV-pulse (2 + 1 REMPI) and detected in a velocity map imaging (VMI) experiment. We performed action spectroscopy to distinguish between two expansion regimes: (i) expansion leading to isolated HBr molecules and (ii) generation of large (HBr)n clusters. Photodissociation of isolated HBr (v = 1) molecules in particular J ro-vibrational states yielded faster H-fragments (by approximately 0.3 eV) with respect to the photodissociation of the ground state HBr (v = 0). On the contrary, the IR excitation of molecules in (HBr)n clusters enhanced the yield of the H-fragments UV-photodissociated from the ground-state HBr (v = 0) molecules. Our findings show that these molecules are photodissociated within clusters, and they are not free molecules evaporated from clusters after the IR excitation. Nanosecond IR-UV pump-probe experiments show that the IR-excitation enhances the H-fragment UV-photodissociation yield up to ∼100 ns after the IR excitation. After these long IR-UV delays, excitation of HBr molecules in clusters does not originate from the IR-excitation but from the UV-photodissociation and subsequent caging of HBr molecules in v > 0 states. We show that even after ∼100 ns the IR-excited larger (HBr)n clusters do not decay to individual molecules, and the excitation is still present in some form within these clusters enhancing their UV-photodissociation.
Toroidal modeling of interaction between internal kink mode and plasma flow
Authors: Zhang N. , Liu Y. Q. , Wang S. , Yu D. L. , Hao G. Z. , Xia G. L. , Dong G. Q. , Bai X.
Published: September 2018

Non-linear interaction between the internal kink mode and toroidal plasma rotation is numerically studied using the MARS-Q code [Liu et al., Phys. Plasmas 20, 042503 (2013)]. Simulation results show core plasma flow damping due to various toroidal torques, generated by a weakly stable internal kink mode. The 3-D field perturbation induced torques, including the neoclassical toroidal viscous (NTV) torque, as well as that produced by the Maxwell and Reynolds stresses, act as sink terms in the toroidal momentum balance model. The NTV torque is found to play a dominant role in the flow damping in all cases considered in this study. The modification to the internal kink mode structure is observed during the flow damping. Whilst a steady state can be achieved in the coupled mode-flow evolution with a uniform initial flow, a sheared initial flow affects the linear stability of the mode and consequently changes the non-linear evolution. For cases where the steady state solution is achieved, the saturated plasma flow speed critically depends on the initial flow condition as well as the initial amplitude of the internal kink mode but is less sensitive to the on-axis safety factor q0, as long as the latter stays above 1.
N-type to p-type transition upon phase change in Ge6Sb1Te2 compounds
Authors: Daus Alwin , Knobelspies Stefan , Cantarella Giuseppe , Tröster Gerhard
Published: September 2018

In this work, we study the electronic properties of Ge6Sb1Te2 compounds in thin-film transistor architectures on plastic substrates, which enable the extraction of field-effect mobility μFE, carrier density, and polarity in highly resistive thin-films. We find that the Ge-rich compound exhibits n-type conductivity in the amorphous phase with a gradual transition to p-type behavior upon thermal annealing. At a temperature of 350 °C, the material undergoes a phase change, which is confirmed by x-ray diffraction measurements. After the phase change, μFE and the conductivity increase and the polarity becomes p-type, while the carrier density does not change significantly. Furthermore, we compare the properties of Ge6Sb1Te2 to the commonly studied material composition of Ge2Sb2Te5 in the Hall measurement and find that the carrier density of the Ge-rich compound is reduced by 2 orders of magnitude, which indicates that the significantly lower concentration of Ge vacancies leads to a reduction of p-type doping.
Adsorption of common solvent molecules on graphene and MoS2 from first-principles
Authors: Patil Urvesh , Caffrey Nuala M.
Published: September 2018

Solvents are an essential element in the production and processing of two-dimensional (2D) materials. For example, the liquid-phase exfoliation of layered materials requires a solvent to prevent the resulting monolayers from re-aggregating, while solutions of functional atoms and molecules are routinely used to modify the properties of the layers. It is generally assumed that these solvents do not interact strongly with the layer and so their effects can be neglected. Yet experimental evidence has suggested that explicit atomic-scale interactions between the solvent and layered material may play a crucial role in exfoliation and cause unintended electronic changes in the layer. Little is known about the precise nature of the interaction between the solvent molecules and the 2D layer. Here, we use density functional theory calculations to determine the adsorption configuration and binding energy of a variety of common solvent molecules, both polar and non-polar, on two of the most popular 2D materials, namely, graphene and MoS2. We show that these molecules are physisorbed on the surface with negligible charge transferred between them. We find that the adsorption strength of the different molecules is independent of the polar nature of the solvent. However, we show that the molecules induce a significant charge rearrangement at the interface after adsorption as a result of polar bonds in the molecule.
Effect of pressure on the properties and species production in gliding arc Ar, O2, and air discharge plasmas
Authors: Roy N. C. , Talukder M. R.
Published: September 2018

A gliding arc discharge (GAD) plasma is generated inside a vacuum chamber with Ar, O2, and air at pressure 100–600 Torr driven by a 1 kHz, 3–6 kV power supply. The properties of the GAD plasma are investigated by electrical and optical emission spectroscopy methods. The power dissipation, relative intensity, jet length, rotational ( Tr) and excitational (Tex) temperatures, and electron density (ne) are studied as a function of applied voltage, pressure, and feeding gas. It is found from the electrical characteristics that the power dissipation shows decreasing trends with increasing pressure but increasing with increasing voltage. The relative population densities of the reactive species N2(C−B), O, and OH radicals produced as functions of pressure and applied voltage are investigated. It is found that the relative population densities of the species, especially N2(C−B) and O, are increased with applied voltage and pressure, while OH(A-X) is decreased. The spectroscopic diagnostics reveals that  Tr≈550–850 K, Tex≈8200–10 800 K, and ne≈2.65–5.3×1014 cm−3 under different experimental conditions. Tr and ne are increased with increasing pressure, while Tex is decreased.
Dissipative particle dynamics modeling of hydrogel swelling by osmotic ensemble method
Authors: Chen Shensheng , Yong Xin
Published: September 2018

An osmotic ensemble method for dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) is developed for simulating the swelling behavior of polymer networks in aqueous solvent under constant solvent chemical potential, number of polymer beads, pressure, and temperature conditions. We apply a Langevin piston method to control the pressure of the polymer-solvent mixture. Chemical potential equilibrium is achieved via Monte Carlo insertions and deletions of solvent beads based on the total free energy change of the gel. The osmotic ensemble simulation produces swelling kinetics of hydrogels in excellent agreement with that obtained by previous methods but significantly reduces computational costs. The results show gel swelling as a result of the mechanical balance between osmotic pressure induced by the mixing of the polymer and solvent and elastic force originated from the network deformation. The simulations also elucidate the influence of solvent conditions and network topology on the degree of swelling. The bulk modulus of the model gel is probed at different solvency and its behavior is consistent with the prediction of Flory-Rehner theory. The osmotic ensemble DPD will permit the study of mechanical properties of hydrogels in mesoscale simulations and can be extended to model other complex fluid systems in chemical equilibrium under isothermal-isobaric conditions.
A room-temperature mid-infrared photodetector for on-chip molecular vibrational spectroscopy
Authors: Zheng Bob , Zhao Hangqi , Cerjan Ben , Yazdi Sadegh , Ringe Emilie , Nordlander Peter , Halas Naomi J.
Published: September 2018

Infrared (IR) photodetection is of major scientific and technical interest since virtually all molecules exhibit characteristic vibrational modes in the mid-infrared region of the spectrum, giving rise to molecular spectroscopy and chemical imaging in this wavelength range. High-resolution IR spectroscopies, such as Fourier Transform IR spectroscopy, typically require large, bulky optical measurement systems and expensive photodetector components. Here, we present a high-responsivity photodetector for the mid-IR spectral region which operates at room temperature. Fabricated from silicon and aluminum, the photodetection mechanism is based on free carrier absorption, giving rise to a photoresponse rivalling commercially available cooled IR photodetectors. We demonstrate that infrared spectra of molecules deposited on this detector can be obtained by a direct electrical read-out. This work could pave the way for simple, fully integrated chemical sensors and other applications, such as chemical imaging, which would benefit from the combination of mid-IR detection, room-temperature operation, and ultracompact portability.
Application of a modified Prandtl mixing length model to the turbulent far wake with a variable mainstream flow
Authors: Hutchinson A. J.
Published: September 2018

A modified version of Prandtl’s mixing length closure model is applied to the two-dimensional turbulent classical far wake with a variable mainstream flow. This modified version of Prandtl’s mixing length model has been previously applied to the two dimensional turbulent classical wake where the mainstream speed is constant. The model is able to address some of the serious criticisms on the applicability of Prandtl’s mixing length model to free shear flows. For instance, the model is complete in that the mixing length is derived in a systematic way and a wake boundary extending to infinity is predicted. In this work, the effect of a variable mainstream flow on the expression for the mixing length and the effective width of the wake is examined. For variable mainstream flows, it is shown that the effective width is not only proportional to the mixing length but also inversely proportional to the slip velocity. For this problem, the power is conserved. The invariant solution corresponding to the conserved quantity is obtained. The flow behavior is analyzed for a constant, a decelerating, and an accelerating ideal slip-flow.
GEF mechanism revealed by the structure of SmgGDS-558 and farnesylated RhoA complex and its implication for a chaperone mechanism
Authors: Shimizu Hikaru , Toma-Fukai Sachiko , Kontani Kenji , Katada Toshiaki , Shimizu Toshiyuki
Published: September 2018

SmgGDS has dual functions in cells and regulates small GTPases as both a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for the Rho family and a molecular chaperone for small GTPases possessing a C-terminal polybasic region followed by four C-terminal residues called the CaaX motif, which is posttranslationally prenylated at its cysteine residue. Our recent structural work revealed that SmgGDS folds into tandem copies of armadillo-repeat motifs (ARMs) that are not present in other GEFs. However, the precise mechanism of GEF activity and recognition mechanism for the prenylated CaaX motif remain unknown because SmgGDS does not have a typical GEF catalytic domain and lacks a pocket to accommodate a prenyl group. Here, we aimed to determine the crystal structure of the SmgGDS/farnesylated RhoA complex. We found that SmgGDS induces a significant conformational change in the switch I and II regions that opens up the nucleotide-binding site, with the prenyl group fitting into the cryptic pocket in the N-terminal ARMs. Taken together, our findings could advance the understanding of the role of SmgGDS and enable drug design strategies for targeting SmgGDS and small GTPases.
Structural basis for activation of voltage sensor domains in an ion channel TPC1
Authors: Kintzer Alexander F. , Green Evan M. , Dominik Pawel K. , Bridges Michael , Armache Jean-Paul , Deneka Dawid , Kim Sangwoo S. , Hubbell Wayne , Kossiakoff Anthony A. , Cheng Yifan , Stroud Robert M.
Published: September 2018

Significance

This paper addresses how the structures of voltage-sensing domains within voltage-gated ion channels respond to physiological changes in electric potential across membranes. We report three new structures of TPC1 by cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography, two with voltage-sensing domains in intermediate activated conformations and a third structure representing the deactivated state under low cytoplasmic Ca
2+
. The intermediate states of the voltage sensor undergo significant rotation in the membrane plane and a twisting motion, with respect to our previously determined resting state, that alters access of gating charges from the inside to the outside of the membrane, with little vertical movement across the membrane. Together these structures suggest a general mechanism for the activation of voltage-gated ion channels.
Marginal iron deficiency enhances liver triglyceride accumulation in rats fed a high-sucrose diet
Authors: Hori Shota , Hara Hiroshi , Ishizuka Satoshi
Published: September 2018

We investigated whether marginal iron-deficiency (MID) without anemia influences liver lipid accumulation in rats. Ingestion of a MID diet in which the iron concentration was half of AIN-93 formulation (iron-adequate, IA) for 3 weeks decreased liver iron concentration without anemia. We then evaluated the influence of the MID diet on liver lipid accumulation in combination with a high-sucrose (HS) diet and confirmed that the HS-MID diet successfully decreased liver iron concentration without anemia. Additionally, a significant increase in liver triglyceride concentration was found, accompanied by upregulation of hepatic fatty acid synthase expression in the rats fed the HS-MID diet compared to those in the rats fed an HS-IA diet, although no difference was observed in plasma transaminase activity and hepatic interleukin-1β expression. These results suggest that MID enhances de novo lipid synthesis via upregulation of lipogenic gene expression in combination with sucrose in the diet.

Abbreviations: ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; HS, high sucrose; IA, iron adequate; ID, iron deficiency; MID, marginal irondeficiency; NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Bilateral comparisons of air kerma and absorbed dose to water standards in 60Co radiation beams for radiotherapy and air kerma standards in 137Cs radiation beams for radiation protection between BEV (Austria) and VINS (Serbia) [EURAMET.RI(I)-K1.2, K4.2 and K5.1)
Authors: Steurer Andreas , Tiefenboeck Wilhelm , Lazarevic Djordje , Zivanovic Milos
Published: September 2018

A bilateral comparison of standards for absorbed dose to water and air kerma of the Bundesamt für Eich- und Vermessungswesen (BEV), Austria, and of the Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences (VINS), Serbia, has been carried out. It was performed for air kerma and for absorbed dose to water in 60Co radiation beams and for air kerma in 137Cs radiation beams.

Transfer standards for air kerma and absorbed dose to water were exchanged by the participants. The participants determined the calibration coefficients of the transfer standards through comparison with their national standards in their respective 60Co and 137Cs beams.

The ratios of the calibration coefficients for the BEV and VINS transfer standards were calculated. The results were 0.9990 for absorbed dose to water in a 60Co beam at therapy level, 1.0004 for air kerma in a 60Co beam at therapy level, and 0.9926 for air kerma in a 137Cs beam at radiation protection level.

A connection to the key comparison data base (KCDB) is given as the results are linked to the key comparisons between the BEV and the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) in 2009. Detailed uncertainty budgets and graphical presentations are also included.

The project has been registered in the BIPM key Comparison Data Base (KCDB) as three different comparisons:

– EURAMET.RI(I)-K1.2: Air Kerma measured in 60Co radiation beams

– EURAMET.RI(I)-K4.2: Absorbed Dose to Water measured in 60Co radiation beams

– EURAMET.RI(I)-K5.1: Air Kerma measured in 137Cs radiation beams

KEY WORDS FOR SEARCH

Dosimetry, comparison, air kerma, absorbed dose to water, Austria, Serbia, EURAMET, ionizing radiation, CIPM MRA, BIPM KCDB

Main text

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCRI, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
On traces and modified Fredholm determinants for half-line Schrödinger operators with purely discrete spectra
Authors: Gesztesy Fritz , Kirsten Klaus
Published: September 2018

After recalling a fundamental identity relating traces and modified Fredholm determinants, we apply it to a class of half-line Schrödinger operators

(
−

d
2

/

d

x
2

)
+
q

(- d^2/dx^2) + q

on

(
0
,
∞
)

(0,\infty )

with purely discrete spectra. Roughly speaking, the class considered is generated by potentials

q
q

that, for some fixed

C
0

>
0

C_0 > 0

,

ε
>
0

\varepsilon > 0

,

x
0

∈
(
0
,
∞
)

x_0 \in (0, \infty )

, diverge at infinity in the manner that

q
(
x
)
≥

C
0

x

(
2

/

3
)
+

ε
0

q(x) \geq C_0 x^{(2/3) + \varepsilon _0}

for all

x
≥

x
0

x \geq x_0

. We treat all self-adjoint boundary conditions at the left endpoint

0
0

.
Suppression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by EGF receptor is required for hair follicle development
Authors: Tripurani Swamy K. , Wang Yan , Fan Ying-Xin , Rahimi Massod , Wong Lily , Lee Min-Hyung , Starost Matthew F. , Rubin Jeffrey S. , Johnson Gibbes R.
Published: September 2018

Mice that lack the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) fail to develop a hair coat, but the mechanism responsible for this deficit is not completely understood. Here, we show that EGFR plays a critical role to attenuate wingless-type MMTV integration site family member (Wnt)/β-catenin signaling during postnatal hair follicle development. Genetic ablation of EGFR in mice resulted in increased mitotic activity in matrix cells, apoptosis in hair follicles, and impaired differentiation of epithelial lineages that form hair. EGFR is activated in wild-type hair follicle stem cells marked with SOX9 or NFATc1 and is essential to restrain proliferation and support stem cell numbers and their quiescence. We observed elevated levels of Wnt4, 6, 7b, 10a, 10b, and 16 transcripts and hyperactivation of the β-catenin pathway in EGFR knockout follicles. Using primary keratinocytes, we linked ligand-induced EGFR activation to suppression of nascent mRNA synthesis of Wnt genes. Overexpression of the Wnt antagonist sFRP1 in mice lacking EGFR demonstrated that elevated Wnts are a major cause for the hair follicle defects. Colocalization of transforming growth factor α and Wnts regulated by EGFR in stem cells and progeny indicates that EGFR autocrine loops control Wnts. Our findings define a novel mechanism that integrates EGFR and Wnt/β-catenin pathways to coordinate the delicate balance between proliferation and differentiation during development.
General practitioners’ attitudes and decision making regarding admission for older adults with infection: a UK qualitative interview study
Authors: Moore Abigail , Croxson Caroline , McKelvie Sara , Lasserson Dan , Hayward Gail
Published: September 2018

Background

The world has an ageing population. Infection is common in older adults; serious infection has a high mortality rate and is associated with unplanned admissions. In the UK, general practitioners (GPs) must identify which older patients require admission to hospital and provide appropriate care and support for those staying at home.

Objectives

To explore attitudes of UK GPs towards referring older patients with suspected infection to hospital, how they weigh up the decision to admit against the alternatives and how alternatives to admission could be made more effective.

Methods. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. GPs were purposively sampled from across the UK to achieve maximum variation in terms of GP role, experience and practice population. Interview transcripts were coded and analysed using a modified framework approach.

Results

GPs’ key influences on decision making were grouped into patient, GP and system factors. Patient factors included clinical factors, social factors and shared decision making. GP factors included gut instinct, risk management and acknowledging an associated personal emotional burden. System factors involved weighing up the pressure on secondary care beds against increasing GP workload. GPs described that finding an alternative to admission could be more time consuming, complex to arrange or were restricted by lack of capacity.

Conclusion

GPs need to be empowered to make safe decisions about place of care for older adults with suspected infection. This may mean developing strategies to support decision making as well as improving the ease of access to, and capacity of, any alternatives to admission.
Cash transfers and the social determinants of health: a conceptual framework
Authors: Owusu-Addo Ebenezer , Renzaho Andre M N , Smith Ben J
Published: September 2018

Cash transfers (CTs) can play a significant role in tackling the social determinants of health (SDoH), but to date there is a lack of conceptual framework for understanding CTs linkages to the SDoH. This article proposes a framework that identifies the linkages between CTs and SDoH, discusses its implications, and argues for active involvement of health promoters in CT design, implementation and evaluation. The development of the framework followed two stages: evidence review and stakeholder involvement. The evidence review entailed a systematic literature search to identify published and unpublished impact evaluation studies of CTs in sub-Saharan Africa. Critical reflection on the evidence synthesized from the literature formed the basis for the development of the framework. Interviews with CT policy makers, managers and development partners were also carried out to help refine the framework. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcripts were analysed using thematic framework analysis. The study finds that there is limited recognition of SDoH in CT policy making and implementation. The evidence reviewed, however, points to strong impacts of CTs on SDoH. The framework thus conceptualizes how CTs work to influence a broad range of SDoH and health inequities. It also highlights how CT architecture and contexts may influence program impacts. The proposed framework can be used by policy makers to guide CT design, adaptation and operations, and by program managers and researchers to inform CTs’ evaluations, respectively. The framework suggests that to optimize CT impact on SDoH and reduce health inequities, health promoters should be actively engaged in terms of the programs design, implementation and evaluation.
Panel Effects: Do the Reports of Panel Respondents Get Better or Worse over Time?
Authors: Sun Hanyu , Tourangeau Roger , Presser Stanley
Published: September 2018

It is well established that taking part in earlier rounds of a panel survey can affect how respondents answer questions in later rounds. It is less clear, however, whether panel participation affects the quality of the data that respondents provide. We examined two panels to investigate how participation affects several indicators of data quality—including straightlining, item missing data, scale reliabilities, and differences in item functioning over time—and to test the hypotheses that it is less educated and older respondents who mainly account for any panel effects. The two panels were the GfK Knowledge Panel, in which some respondents completed up to four rounds measuring their attitudes toward terrorism and ways to counter terrorism, and the General Social Survey (GSS), in which respondents completed up to three rounds with an omnibus set of questions. The two panels differ sharply in terms of response rates and the level of prior survey experience of the respondents. Most of our comparisons are within-respondent, comparing the answers panel members gave in earlier rounds with those they gave in later rounds, but we also confirm the main results using between-subject comparisons. We find little evidence that respondents gave either better or worse data over time in either panel and little support for either the education or age hypotheses.
Light element variations in globular clusters via nucleosynthesis in black hole accretion discs
Authors: Breen Philip G
Published: September 2018

Ancient globular clusters contain multiple stellar populations identified by variations in light elements (e.g. C, N, O, Na). Although many scenarios have been suggested to explain this phenomenon, all are faced with challenges when compared with all the observational evidence. In this Letter, we propose a new scenario in which light element variations originate from nucleosynthesis in accretion discs around black holes. Since the black holes form after a few Myrs, the cluster is expected to still be embedded in a gas-rich environment. Through a simplified accretion model, we show that the correct light element anticorrelations can be produced. Assuming a Kroupa stellar initial mass function, each black hole would only have to process ≈300 M⊙ of material in order to explain multiple populations; over a period of 3 Myr this corresponds to ∼10−4 M⊙ yr−1 (similar to the estimated accretion rate for the X-ray binary SS 433).
Interracial Sex, Marriage, and the Nation
Authors: Lui Mary Ting Yi
Published: September 2018

This article traces the long history of legal regulations around interracial sex and marriage as tied to important changes in the territorial consolidation and political formation of the American nation and its polity. These regulations stabilized ambiguous racial categories and gender roles as well as patriarchy and heteronormativity. The article begins in the colonial era to survey the range of local practices of interracial sex, marriage, and family formation that took place across different imperial contexts across the North American continent and moves into the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as the United States spanned the continent and pursued its own imperial ambitions globally. In addition, the article chronicles histories of resistance and mixed-race family formation that both challenged and worked within the limits of the law.
Public and Print Cultures of Sex in the Long Nineteenth Century
Authors: Cohen Patricia Cline
Published: September 2018

The explosion of print culture and the advent of female authors and readers created the foundation for important changes in sexual practices and sexual mores across the long nineteenth century, influencing attitudes toward female pleasure, romantic love, courtship, marriage, and same-sex eroticism. This chapter focuses on female creators of sexual knowledge who worked to change legal practices and social customs by posing alternatives to indissoluble heterosexual marriage. It places women’s writings in their historical context of circulation—across state and national lines, and from pamphlets to newspapers to courtroom testimonies—revealing the ways that print offered possibilities for new authorities to emerge on the subject of women’s bodies and experiences.
Gender, the Body, and Disability
Authors: Kluchin Rebecca
Published: September 2018

This chapter brings together the histories of American beauty culture and disability to identify overlaps between the fields and encourage women’s and gender historians to engage disability studies in their scholarship. “Unruly bodies,” bodies that fall outside the norm because of race, ethnicity, or disability, became the object of social and cultural derision and labeled ugly, abnormal and disabled. The techniques women, surgeons, fashion designers, and beauty culturists used to manage, fix and discipline these “unruly bodies” through cosmetics, diet, exercise, surgery, and rehabilitation contain striking similarities, which this chapter explores in historical context. Although experts projected beauty ideals and medical standards onto women’s bodies, American women embraced body modifications on their own terms and imbued them with their own meanings.
Academy of Persian Language and Literature
Authors: Dabir-Moghaddam Mohammad
Published: September 2018

In this chapter, the Academy of Persian Language and Literature is introduced in the context of an eighty-year-old history of the establishment of the Academy in Iran. The chapter intends to describe the atmosphere which motivated the need for the emergence of this institution in Iran. It seems to be fair to claim that word selection, and more technically terminology, has been the central concern of the three Iranian academies of the Persian language. It also seems to be just to evaluate the contributions and activities of the first and the third academies in Iran more fruitful both quantitatively and qualitatively than the endeavours of the second Iranian academy. The experiences which Iran has gained in the last eight decades could be relied on to move forward from a stage of language reform activities towards a more comprehensive phase of developing a language policy for the country in future.
Persian as a Heritage Language
Authors: Sedighi Anousha
Published: September 2018

This chapter discusses the phenomenon of ‘Heritage Language’ as a whole, with a focus on Persian as a heritage language. Studying heritage languages is an emerging field, which has flourished within the past several decades and, as migration and globalization grows, heritage languages are becoming more important. The first part of this chapter provides an original contribution by unifying the existing research on Persian as a heritage language. This is a crucial task, because various researchers have already explored this topic from different perspectives. However, many scholars are not aware of the existing research, which causes them to start the work from the ground up. The second part of this chapter examines various characteristics of heritage Persian speakers in terms of their linguistic and metalinguistic abilities, compares their profiles with that of a native speaker and a second land-language learner, and sheds light on the current challenges within this field.
Faith, Eternal Life, and the Spirit in the Gospel of John
Authors: Williams Catrin H.
Published: September 2018

John’s understanding of faith, eternal life, and the Spirit lies at the centre of scholarly debates about the ways in which the Gospel sets out its views about the means to and effects of salvation. The vocabulary employed by John to express its core soteriological concepts is no longer investigated in complete isolation from more narrative-centred approaches to the text. With regard to the possible origin(s) of its language of faith and eternal life, scholars continue to interpret the relevant vocabulary in terms of John’s indebtedness to Second Temple Judaism and Synoptic tradition, although increasing focus is placed on the relational and ethical overtones, in addition to the individualistic and theological/christological connotations, of John’s realized-eschatological appropriation of the concepts in question. The Spirit in John’s Gospel, particularly the function of the Spirit-Paraclete in the Farewell Discourse, is investigated against a much broader tradition-historical and exegetical canvass.