bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Buying Brands at Both Regular Price and on Promotion over Time
Authors: Scriven John , Clemente Maria , Dawes John , Trinh Giang , Sharp Byron
Published: November 2017

We analyse the purchasing of brands at both regular and promotional price over time. The goal is to better understand the extent of consumer deal-proneness. Our analysis shows most consumers buy brands on promotion at least some of the time, and the tendency to buy on promotion relates mostly to how much promotion is available in a category, suggesting little innate deal-proneness. The extent of promotion can be so high that as many as half of all brand buyers buy the brand solely when it is on promotion. However, this amount of on-deal buying is only very slightly higher than would be expected given the amount of promotion available. We find few buyers buy only on promotion. Promotion buyers of a particular brand also buy other brands on and off promotion more or less in line with the market share those other brands have at regular and promotional price. The three main implications are: (1) brand loyalty is still an important aspect of purchase, (2) a brand's normal-price buyers are a major source of its volume from price promotions, and (3) there is only a small effect of deal-proneness on promotion buying over and above that of promotion prevalence in a category.
Making Progress in Marketing Research
Authors: East Robert , Ang Lawrence
Published: November 2017

Progress in any subject requires the origination of theoretical ideas. Often, new theoretical ideas are derived from unpredicted findings. Some methods, such as surveys, yield more unpredicted findings compared to experiments and too great an emphasis on testing theories by experiment may therefore lead to fewer new ideas. We argue that researchers in marketing and other social sciences should give more consideration to methods that produce large amounts of evidence; by doing so, they may speed up the development of their subject.
Lumbar Medial Branch Block Volume‐Dependent Dispersion Patterns as a Predictor for Ablation Success: A Cadaveric Study
Authors: Wahezi Sayed E. , Alexeev Edward , Georgy John S. , Haramati Nogah , Erosa Stephen A. , Shah Jay M. , Downie Sherry
Published: November 2017

Background

Lumbar facet arthropathy is a common cause of low back pain. Literature supports treatment with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of associated nerves that innervate lumbar facets when alternative conservative therapies have failed. Diagnostic local anesthetic blocks precede therapeutic ablation, but have a false‐positive rate of 27%‐63%, and some authors have questioned their utility in predicting therapeutic response to RFA. The authors of the current study believe that injectate volume may be a contributing factor to false positivity.

Objective

To evaluate the difference in volume dispersion between 0.25 mL and 0.5 mL of injectate when performing lumbar medial branch blocks. We hypothesized that injection volumes greater than 0.25 mL during lumbar medial branch blocks would affect the distal branches of the adjacent medial branches, thus decreasing the specificity of the procedure. Thus, we attempted to demonstrate that injection volumes greater than 0.25 mL during lumbar medial branch blocks would affect the distal branches of the adjacent medial branches, which might increase false positivity of the blocks.

Study Design

Cadaveric investigation.

Setting

Tertiary care center.

Participants

Not applicable.

Outcome Measurements

To demonstrate that the spread of lumbar medial branch blocks using commonly injected volume coats adjacent structures that are not affected by radiofrequency ablation.

Methods

Six cadavers were chosen with nondissected lumbar spines. Fluoroscopically guided medial branch injections were performed bilaterally using the posterior oblique approach. A volume of 0.25 mL or 0.50 mL of a 9:1 solution of Omnipaque 240 and 1% medical grade methylene blue were delivered to the left and right sides, respectively. Postinjection computed tomographic imaging was performed, followed by dissection.

Results

Both volumes adequately coated the medial branches, but in the 0.5‐mL injectate cohort there was consistent spread dorsally to the superficial muscles and distal segments of the dorsal branches distant to the target nerves, whereas in the 0.25‐mL injectate cohort the spread was contained in the deep and intermediate muscular lumbar layers, close to the intended target.

Conclusion

We suggest that a 0.5‐mL injectate volume in clinical practice may produce an adjacent‐level nerve block in addition to the intended injection level, thus decreasing the specificity of a targeted lumbar medial branch block. A 0.25‐mL quantity of injectate reliably contacted the lumbar medial branches without extensive extravasation. Presumably, this means that 0.25 mL total volume for a lumbar medial branch block may provide greater specificity for RFA planning.

Level of Evidence

NA
Reflections on developing an ADHD assessment service
Authors: Farrelly N.
Published: November 2017

Clinicians in adult mental health services are coming under increasing pressure to respond to requests for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder assessment and management both from those who are to no longer eligible for treatment in the Child and Adolescent services and those seeking a new assessment. The challenges in responding to such requests are discussed in this reflection.
Biology of two larval morphological phenotypes ofAedes aegyptiin Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Authors: Guindo-Coulibaly N. , Diakite N.R. , Adja A.M. , Coulibaly J.T. , Bassa K.F. , Konan Y.L. , N'Goran K.E.
Published: November 2017

Since 2008, several outbreaks of yellow fever and dengue occurred in Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire. A better knowledge of the biology ofAedes aegyptipopulations, the main vector of yellow fever and dengue viruses, is necessary to tailor vector control strategies implemented in the city. This study was designed to determine some biological parameters, occurring during the life cycle of two morphological phenotypes ofAe. aegyptilarvae. Mosquitoes were sampled in a suburb of Abidjan (Treichville) using the WHO layer-traps technique. Biological parameters were studied in laboratory under standard conditions of temperature (27°C ± 2°C) and relative humidity (80% ± 10%). Our results indicated that the mean eggs laid by females from ‘brown larvae’ (BL) (85.95, 95% confidence interval (CI 95%) 78.87–93.02) was higher than those from ‘white larvae’ (WL) (64.40%, CI 95% 55.27–73.54). The gonotrophic cycle was 3 and 4 days in females from BL and WL, respectively. The overall yield of breeding mosquitoes from BL (63.88%, CI 95% 62.61–65.14) was higher compared with those of mosquitoes from WL (59.73%, CI 95% 58.35–61.12). The sex ratio (male/female) was 0.95 and 1.68 inAe. aegyptipopulations from BL and WL, respectively. Females from BL lived slightly longer than those from WL (t= −2.332;P= 0.021). This study shows thatAe. Aegyptipopulations from BL and WL present different biological parameters during their life cycle. This could have an implication on their ability to transmit human disease viruses such as dengue and yellow fever. Further molecular studies are needed to determine genetic divergence between theseAe. aegyptipopulations.
The Close Proximity of Christ to Sixth-Century Mesopotamian Monks in John of Ephesus’ Lives of Eastern Saints
Authors: HOSKIN MATTHEW
Published: November 2017

The Byzantine holy man and cult of saints are often seen as evidence that Christ had become the inaccessible Pantokrator. In this article, such assertions are challenged by a close reading of John of Ephesus’Lives of eastern saints, where many monks are shown to be very close to Christ, even in references to him as divine. Viewing hagiography as literature of exhortation and example, Christ's proximity to John's monks is seen as available to all Miaphysite Christians. This analysis is also important for investigating the spirituality of the early generations of Miaphysites, painting them as more than polemicists.
Prevalence and molecular identification of Trichinella species isolated from wildlife originating from Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa
Authors: Mukaratirwa S. , La Grange L.J. , Malatji M.P. , Reininghaus B. , Lamb J.
Published: November 2017

Trichinella species are widely distributed on all continents with the exception of Antarctica, although the full spectrum of Trichinella species found in sub-Saharan African countries, and their hosts, has not been fully documented. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Trichinella in wildlife from the Greater Kruger National Park (GKNP) and adjacent areas located in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, and to identify the species and/or genotypes of Trichinella larvae isolated from muscle tissues, using molecular techniques. A review of Trichinella spp. and their wildlife hosts reported during 1964–2011 was also conducted and the results were compared with our current study. Ninety samples representing 15 mammalian, two bird and three reptile species were screened for Trichinella infection during 2012–2016, using artificial digestion. Isolates detected were identified using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the internal transcriber spacers ITS1 and ITS2, and expansion segment V (ESV) regions of ribosomal DNA, followed by molecular analysis of the sequences. Twenty samples from seven wildlife species were positive for Trichinella spp. larvae, with an overall prevalence of 21.1% (20/90). The prevalence was higher in carnivores (18.9%, 18/90) than in omnivores (2.2%, 2/90). Analysis of sequences showed that eight of the isolates – two from spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) (2/8), three from lion (Panthera leo) (3/13), one from leopard (Panthera pardus) (1/6), one from small spotted genet (Genetta genetta) (1/2) and one Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus) (1/2) – conformed to Trichinella zimbabwensis. One isolate from a hyaena was grouped under the encapsulated species clade comprising T. nelsoni and genotype Trichinella T8 reported to be present in South Africa. This is the first report confirming natural infection by T. zimbabwensis in hyaena, leopard, genet and Nile monitor lizard, adding to the body of knowledge on the epidemiology of Trichinella infections in the Greater Kruger National Park of South Africa. Ten Trichinella-like larval isolates recovered after digestion from four wildlife species in this study (2012–2016) revealed inconclusive results due to DNA degradation resulting from poor storage or too few larvae for analysis, in comparison to 20 unidentified isolates from five wildlife species during the 1964–2011 period.
A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for rapid detection of antibodies againstTrichinella spiralisandT. britovi– one test for humans and swine
Authors: Gnjatovic M. , Gruden-Movsesijan A. , Miladinovic-Tasic N. , Ilic N. , Vasilev S. , Cvetkovic J. , Sofronic-Milosavljevic Lj.
Published: November 2017

Infection with parasites from theTrichinellagenus occurs in many vertebrates but disease only occurs in humans (trichinellosis). Humans are infected after the consumption of raw or undercooked meat from infected wild or domestic animals (usually swine or horses). Using the monoclonal antibody (mAb) 7C2C5, specific for an epitope unique to the muscle larvae of the genusTrichinella, we have developed a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) that enables the rapid detection ofTrichinella-specific antibodies in sera originating from two different host species (human, swine) infected with eitherTrichinella spiralisorTrichinella britovi. This novel c-ELISA exhibited 100% specificity and sensitivity, as confirmed by a Western blot test. The assay is easy to use (one incubation step), and the time required for the procedure (45 min) is shorter than in any other ELISA format. This test could be useful for both the detection and surveillance ofTrichinellainfections.
‘The people's choice’: popular (il)legitimacy in autocratic Cameroon
Authors: Letsa Natalie Wenzell
Published: November 2017

While many analysts assume that the autocratic regime of Paul Biya is deeply unpopular amongst ordinary Cameroonians, there is almost no existing analysis of public opinion in Cameroon. In fact, Cameroonians are deeply divided in their beliefs about politics; while many view the government as democratic and legitimate, others see the regime as entirely autocratic. What explains these fundamental divides in beliefs? While existing theories point to demographic factors as the most important predictors of political opinions, this article argues that in autocratic regimes, political geography is even more important to understanding these divides. Political parties in autocratic regimes develop opposite narratives about the legitimacy of the state, and regardless of education, partisanship, age, or ethnicity, citizens living in party strongholds are far more likely to adopt these narratives than citizens outside of strongholds. Understanding these divides is critical to explaining regime legitimisation in Cameroon, and African autocracies more broadly.
Defending the city, defending votes: campaign strategies in urban Ghana
Authors: Klaus Kathleen , Paller Jeffrey W.
Published: November 2017

Rapid urbanisation in African democracies is changing the way that political parties engage with their constituents, shifting relations between hosts and migrants. This article examines the strategies that parties use to maintain and build electoral support in increasingly diverse contexts. Drawing on in-depth interviews and ethnographic research in Accra, Ghana, we find that some urban political parties rely on inclusive forms of mobilisation, promoting images of cosmopolitanism and unity to incorporate a broad grassroots coalition. Yet in nearby constituencies, parties respond to changing demographics through exclusive forms of mobilisation, using narratives of indigeneity and coercion to intimidate voters who ‘do not belong’. Two factors help explain this variation in mobilisation: incumbency advantage and indigene dominance. In contrast to most scholarship on ethnicity and electoral politics in Africa, we find that these varying mobilisation strategies emerge from very local neighbourhood-level logics and motivations.
The role of low-calorie sweeteners in the prevention and management of overweight and obesity: evidence v. conjecture
Authors: Rogers Peter J.
Published: November 2017

By virtue of reducing dietary energy density, low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) can be expected to decrease overall energy intake and thereby decrease body weight. Such effects will be limited by the amount of sugar replaced by LCS, and the dynamics of appetite and weight control (e.g., acute compensatory eating, and an increase in appetite and decrease in energy expenditure accompanying weight loss). Consistent with these predictions, short-term intervention studies show incomplete compensation for the consumption of LCS v. sugar, and longer-term intervention studies (from 4 weeks to 40 months duration) show small decreases in energy intake and body weight with LCS v. sugar. Despite this evidence, there are claims that LCS undermine weight management. Three claims are that: (1) LCS disrupt the learned control of energy intake (sweet taste confusion hypothesis); (2) exposure to sweetness increases desire for sweetness (sweet tooth hypothesis); (3) consumers might consciously overcompensate for ‘calories saved’ when they know they are consuming LCS (conscious overcompensation hypothesis). None of these claims stands up to close examination. In any case, the results of the intervention studies comparing LCS v. sugar indicate that the effect of energy dilution outweighs any tendency LCS might conceivably have to increase energy intake.
Robust adaptive control for robot manipulators: Support vector regression-based command filtered adaptive backstepping approach
Authors: Mvogo Ahanda Joseph Jean-Baptiste , Mbede Jean Bosco , Melingui Achille , Essimbi Bernard
Published: November 2017

This study derives a robust adaptive control of electrically driven robot manipulators using a support vector regression (SVR)-based command filtered adaptive backstepping approach. The robot system is supposed to be subject to model uncertainties, neglected dynamics, and external disturbances. The command filtered backstepping algorithm is extended to the case of the robot manipulators. A robust term is added to the common adaptive SVR algorithm, to mitigate the effects of the SVR approximation error in the path tracking performance. The stability analysis of the closed loop system using the Lyapunov theory permits to highlight adaptation laws and to prove that all the signals in the closed loop system are bounded. Simulations show the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
MODERATE DEVIATION PRINCIPLE OF SAMPLE QUANTILES AND ORDER STATISTICS
Authors: Wu Yi , Wang Xuejun , Hu Shuhe
Published: November 2017

In this paper, we mainly study the moderate deviation principle of sample quantiles and order statistics for stationary m-dependent random variables. The results obtained in this paper extend the corresponding ones for an independent and identically distributed sequence to a stationary m-dependent sequence.
Francisella tularensisin muscle from diseased hares – a risk factor for humans?
Authors: HESTVIK G. , UHLHORN H. , JINNEROT T. , ÅKERSTRÖM S. , SÖDERSTEN F. , GAVIER-WIDÉN D.
Published: November 2017

Tularemia caused by the bacteriumFrancisella tularensisis a zoonotic disease. Tularemia is a common disease in the hare, and as a game species can be an important source of infection for humans. In this study, hares diagnosed with tularemia were examined with the aim to investigate whether the muscle (meat) had any pathological changes and/or containedF. tularensis. Real-time PCR and/or immunohistochemistry (IHC) detected the bacteria in muscle samples from 40 out of 43 investigated hares. IHC showed that bacteria were few and most commonly located in the peri- and endomysium. Histopathology showed occasional perimysial necroses and mild inflammation in association to the bacteria. Attempts to culture from 14 muscle samples were successful in two cases, both stored in the freezer <1 year. The result of this study shows that sinceF. tularensisis present in the muscle of infected hares, there is a risk for human infection when consuming undercooked hare meat. The risk is enhanced by the fact that some hares do not have easily detected gross lesions. The study contributes to a better understanding of sources of infection and risk factors for humans to contract tularemia.
A numerical implementation of the unified Fokas transform for evolution problems on a finite interval
Authors: KESICI EMINE , PELLONI BEATRICE , PRYER TRISTAN , SMITH DAVID
Published: November 2017

We present the numerical solution of two-point boundary value problems for a third-order linear PDE, representing a linear evolution in one space dimension. To our knowledge, the numerical evaluation of the solution so far could only be obtained by a time-stepping scheme, that must also take into account the issue, generically non-trivial, of the imposition of the boundary conditions. Instead of computing the evolution numerically, we evaluate the novel solution representation formula obtained by the unified transform, also known as Fokas transform. This representation involves complex line integrals, but in order to evaluate these integrals numerically, it is necessary to deform the integration contours using appropriate deformation mappings. We formulate a strategy to implement effectively this deformation, which allows us to obtain accurate numerical results.
Brain Arterial Diameters and Cognitive Performance: The Northern Manhattan Study
Authors: Gutierrez Jose , Kulick Erin , Park Moon Yeseon , Dong Chuanhui , Cheung Ken , Ahmet Bagci , Stern Yaakov , Alperin Noam , Rundek Tatjana , Sacco Ralph L. , Wright Clinton B. , Elkind Mitchell S.V.
Published: November 2017

Objectives:To test the hypothesis that brain arterial diameters are associated with cognitive performance, particularly in arteries supplying domain-specific territories.Methods:Stroke-free participants in the Northern Manhattan Study were invited to have a brain MRI from 2003–2008. The luminal diameters of 13 intracranial arterial segments were obtained using time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA), and then averaged and normalized into a global score and region-specific arterial diameters.Z-Scores for executive function, semantic memory, episodic memory and processing speed were obtained at MRI and during follow-up. Adjusted generalized additive models were used to assess for associations.Results:Among the 1034 participants with neurocognitive testing and brain MRI, there were non-linear relationships between left anterior (ACA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) diameter and semantic memoryZ-scores (χ2=10.00; DF=3;p=.019), and left posterior cerebral artery (PCA) and posterior communicating artery (Pcomm) mean diameter and episodic memoryZ-scores (χ2=9.88; DF=3;p=.020). Among the 745 participants who returned for 2nd neuropsychological testing, on average 5.0±0.4 years after their MRI, semantic memory change was associated non-linearly with the left PCA/Pcomm mean diameter (χ2=13.09; DF=3;p=.004) and with the right MCA/ACA mean diameter (χ2=8.43; DF=3;p=.03). In both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, participants with the larger brain arterial diameters had more consistently lowerZ-scores and greater decline than the rest of the participants.Conclusions:Brain arterial diameters may have downstream effects in brain function presenting as poorer cognition. Identifying the mechanisms and the directionality of such interactions may increase the understanding of the vascular contribution to cognitive impairment and dementia. (JINS, 2018,24, 335–346)
Insights into the factors associated with achieving the preference of home death in terminal cancer: A national population-based study
Authors: Bannon Finian , Cairnduff Victoria , Fitzpatrick Deirdre , Blaney Janine , Gomes Barbara , Gavin Anna , Donnelly Conan
Published: November 2017

Objectives:

Most terminally ill cancer patients prefer to die at home, yet only a minority are able to achieve this. Our aim was to investigate the factors associated with cancer patients achieving their preference to die at home.

Methods:

This study took the form of a mortality followback, population-based, observational survey of the relatives of deceased cancer patients in Northern Ireland. Individuals who registered the death of a friend or relative (aged ≥ 18 years) between 1 December 2011 and 31 May 2012, where the primary cause of death was cancer (ICD10: C00–D48), who were invited to take part. Preferred and actual place of death, and patient, service, and clinical data were collected using the QUALYCARE postal questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to investigate the factors associated with achieving a home death when preferred.

Results:

Some 467 of 1,493 invited informants completed the survey. The 362 (77.5%) who expressed a preference for dying at home and spent time at home in their final 3 months were included in our analysis. Of these, 53.4% achieved their preference of a home death. Factors positively associated with achieving a home death were: living in an affluent area, receipt of good and satisfactory district nurse care, discussing place of death with health professionals, and the caregiver's preference for a home death. Being older than 80 years of age, being a Presbyterian, and being unconscious most of the time during their final week were negatively associated with achieving a home death.

Significance of Results:

Communication, care satisfaction, and caregiver preferences were all associated with home death. Our findings will help inform the design of future interventions aimed at increasing the proportion of patients achieving their preferred place of death at home, for example, by targeting interventions toward older patients and those from the most deprived communities.
INFIDELS IN ENGLISH LEGAL THOUGHT: CONQUEST, COMMERCE AND SLAVERY IN THE COMMON LAW FROM COKE TO MANSFIELD, 1603–1793
Authors: CAVANAGH EDWARD
Published: November 2017

English common law reports are dense with ideas. Yet they remain mostly untapped by intellectual historians. This article reveals how intellectual history can engage with law and jurisprudence by following the notion that “infidels” (specifically non-Christian individuals) deserved to receive exceptional treatment within England and across the globe. The starting point is Sir Edward Coke: he suggested that infidels could be conquered and constitutionally nullified, that they could be traded with only at the discretion of the monarch, and he confirmed their incapacity to enjoy full access to the common law. This article uncovers how each of these assertions influenced the development of the imperial constitution in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when it came to war, trade and slavery. Identifying each of the major moves away from Coke's prejudices, this article argues that sometimes common lawyers responded to political change, but at other times anticipated it.
Assessing the feasibility of creating tsetse and trypanosomosis-free zones
Authors: Feldmann Udo , Leak Stephen G. A. , Hendrichs Jorge
Published: November 2017

The establishment of the Pan-African Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC) falling under the African Union Commission, and the initiation of national PATTEC projects in affected African countries stimulated a revival of national and sub-regional efforts and helped to generate donor support for creating sustainable agricultural and livestock development zones that are free of tsetse and trypanosomosis (T&T). Such projects are long-term, complex undertakings, requiring careful planning and consideration of relevant technical and non-technical interdependencies. There is international consensus that T&T interventions should: (a) adopt a phased and conditional approach in their planning, implementation, and monitoring; (b) adhere to the integrated pest management area-wide (AW-IPM) concept, ensuring that the most appropriate combination or sequence of intervention measures is selected; and (c) follow the AW-IPM concept of targeting entire isolated or well-confined insect pest populations. The phases of this process include: (a) policy and strategy development, assurance of long-term commitment, and establishment of effective management structures; (b) baseline data collection; (c) general technical feasibility assessment; (d) consideration of various relevant factors and trends; (e) detailed assessment of the technical feasibility of combinations of intervention tactics that may or may not include a sterile insect technique component; (f) capacity development and pre-operational work; (g) operational implementation of an AW-IPM campaign to create T&T-free zones; and (h) adherence to agreed procedures for the ‘Declaration of Assumption of Freedom from T&T’, and, eventually, the ‘Declaration of Elimination’. This paper provides guidance on the steps to be followed to assess the feasibility of creating T&T-free zones.
Lateglacial environmental change in Scotland
Authors: WALKER Mike , LOWE John
Published: November 2017

This paper reviews the evidence for environmental change during the Lateglacial period (c.14.7–11.7 ka), perhaps the most intensively studied episode in the Quaternary history of Scotland. It considers first the stratigraphic subdivision and nomenclature of the Lateglacial, before proceeding to a discussion of the various lines of proxy evidence that have been used to reconstruct the spatial and temporal patterns of environmental change during this time period. These include pollen and plant macrofossil data; coleopteran and chironomid records; diatom data; stable isotope and geochemical records; and evidence for human activity. The paper then considers the principal methods that have been employed to date and correlate Lateglacial events: radiocarbon dating; surface exposure dating; varve chronology; and tephrochronology. This is followed by an examination of the constraints imposed on environmental reconstructions, an account of the ways in which the evidence can be employed in the development of an event stratigraphy for the Lateglacial in Scotland, and a proposal for a provisional Lateglacial type sequence (stratotype) at Whitrig Bog in SE Scotland. Emphasis is placed throughout on the potential linkages between the Scottish records and the isotopic signal in the Greenland ice cores, which forms the stratigraphic template for the N Atlantic region. The paper concludes with a discussion of the strategies and approaches that should underpin future research programmes on Lateglacial environmental change in Scotland.
A compact dual port UWB-MIMO/diversity antenna for indoor application
Authors: Biswal Sonika Priyadarsini , Das Sushrut
Published: November 2017

A compact printed quadrant shaped monopole antenna is introduced in this paper as a good prospect for ultra wideband- multiple-input multiple-output (UWB-MIMO) system. The proposed MIMO antenna comprises two perpendicularly oriented monopoles to employ polarization diversity. An open circuit folded stub is extended from the ground plane of each radiating element to enhance the impedance bandwidth satisfying the UWB criteria. Two ‘L’ shaped slots are further etched on the radiator to provide good isolation performance between two radiators. The desirable radiator performances and diversity performances are ensured by simulation and/or measurement of the reflection coefficient, radiation pattern, realized peak gain, envelope correlation coefficient (ECC), diversity gain, mean effective gain (MEG) ratio and channel capacity loss (CCL). Results indicate that the proposed antenna exhibits 2.9–11 GHz 10 dB return loss bandwidth, mutual coupling <−20 dB, ECC<0.003, MEG ratio≈1, and CCL<0.038 Bpsec/Hz, making it a good candidate for UWB and MIMO diversity application.
Circular RNA expression is abundant and correlated to aggressiveness in early-stage bladder cancer
Authors: Okholm Trine Line Hauge , Nielsen Morten Muhlig , Hamilton Mark P. , Christensen Lise-Lotte , Vang Søren , Hedegaard Jakob , Hansen Thomas Birkballe , Kjems Jørgen , Dyrskjøt Lars , Pedersen Jakob Skou
Published: November 2017

The functions and biomarker potential of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in various cancer types are a rising field of study, as emerging evidence relates circRNAs to tumorigenesis. Here, we profiled the expression of circRNAs in 457 tumors from patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). We show that a set of highly expressed circRNAs have conserved core splice sites, are associated with Alu repeats, and enriched with Synonymous Constraint Elements as well as microRNA target sites. We identified 113 abundant circRNAs that are differentially expressed between high and low-risk tumor subtypes. Analysis of progression-free survival revealed 13 circRNAs, among them circHIPK3 and circCDYL, where expression correlated with progression independently of the linear transcript and the host gene. In summary, our results demonstrate that abundant circRNAs possess multiple biological features, distinguishing them from low-expressed circRNAs and non-circularized exons, and suggest that circRNAs might serve as a new class of prognostic biomarkers in NMIBC.
Analysis and correction of errors in nanoscale particle tracking using the Single-pixel interior filling function (SPIFF) algorithm
Authors: Yifat Yuval , Sule Nishant , Lin Yihan , Scherer Norbert F.
Published: November 2017

Particle tracking, which is an essential tool in many fields of scientific research, uses algorithms that retrieve the centroid of tracked particles with sub-pixel accuracy. However, images in which the particles occupy a small number of pixels on the detector, are in close proximity to other particles or suffer from background noise, show a systematic error in which the particle sub-pixel positions are biased towards the center of the pixel. This “pixel locking” effect greatly reduces particle tracking accuracy. In this report, we demonstrate the severity of these errors by tracking experimental (and simulated) imaging data of optically trapped silver nanoparticles and single fluorescent proteins. We show that errors in interparticle separation, angle and mean square displacement are significantly reduced by applying the corrective Single-Pixel Interior Filling Function (SPIFF) algorithm. Our work demonstrates the potential ubiquity of such errors and the general applicability of SPIFF correction to many experimental fields.
Identification and characterization of genes involving the early step of Juvenile Hormone pathway in Helicoverpa armigera
Authors: Zhang Wanna , Ma Long , Xiao Haijun , Liu Chen , Chen Lin , Wu Shaolong , Liang Gemei
Published: November 2017

Juvenile hormones (JHs) are crucial regulators for multiple physiological processes in insects. In the current study, 10 genes in mevalonate pathway involved in JH biosynthesis were identified from Helicoverpa armigera. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that six genes were highly expressed in the head which contained the JH biosynthetic gland (corpora allata). Temporal expression pattern showed that 10 of 12 genes were highly transcribed in the late 2nd-instar when the in vivo JH titer reached the peak, indicating a tight correlation between JH titer and the transcription of JH synthetic pathway genes. Moreover, ingestion of methoprene, a JH analogue, significantly suppressed the transcription of nine JH biosynthetic genes and caused a feedback upregulation of the JH degradation enzyme. Particularly, the Acetoacetyl CoA thiolase (HaAce) and Farnesyl diphosphate synthase gene 4 (HaFpps4) showed high transcript abundance, and their temporal expressions keep pace with JH fluctuations. Further study by RNAi showed that knockdown of HaFpps4 caused the decrease of JH titer, led to a negative effect on the transcript levels of other genes in JH pathway, and resulted in molting disturbance in larvae. Altogether, these results contribute to our understanding of JH biosynthesis in H. armigera and provide target genes for pest control based on JH-dependent regulation.
Transcriptome Analysis of Two Species of Jute in Response to Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)- induced Drought Stress
Authors: Yang Zemao , Dai Zhigang , Lu Ruike , Wu Bibo , Tang Qing , Xu Ying , Cheng Chaohua , Su Jianguang
Published: November 2017

Drought stress results in significant crop yield losses. Comparative transcriptome analysis between tolerant and sensitive species can provide insights into drought tolerance mechanisms in jute. We present a comprehensive study on drought tolerance in two jute species—a drought tolerant species (Corchorus olitorius L., GF) and a drought sensitive species (Corchorus capsularis L., YY). In total, 45,831 non-redundant unigenes with average sequence length of 1421 bp were identified. Higher numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were discovered in YY (794) than in GF (39), implying that YY was relatively more vulnerable or hyper-responsive to drought stress at the molecular level; the two main pathways, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and peroxisome pathway, significantly involved in scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and 14 unigenes in the two pathways presented a significant differential expression in response to increase of superoxide. Our classification analysis showed that 1769 transcription factors can be grouped into 81 families and 948 protein kinases (PKs) into 122 families. In YY, we identified 34 TF DEGs from and 23 PK DEGs, including 19 receptor-like kinases (RLKs). Most of these RLKs were downregulated during drought stress, implying their role as negative regulators of the drought tolerance mechanism in jute.
Fine platinum nanoparticles supported on a porous ceramic membrane as efficient catalysts for the removal of benzene
Authors: Liu Hui , Li Chengyin , Ren Xiaoyong , Liu Kaiqi , Yang Jun
Published: November 2017

It would be desirable to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) while we eliminate the dusts using silicon carbide (SiC)-based porous ceramics from the hot gases. Aiming at functionalizing SiC-based porous ceramics with catalytic capability, we herein report a facile strategy to integrate high efficient catalysts into the porous SiC substrates for the VOC removal. We demonstrate an aqueous salt method for uniformly distributing fine platinum (Pt) particles on the alumina (Al2O3) layers, which are pre-coated on the SiC substrates as supports for VOC catalysts. We confirm that at a Pt mass loading as low as 0.176% and a weight hourly space velocity of 6000 mL g−1 h−1, the as-prepared Pt/SiC@Al2O3 catalysts can convert 90% benzene at a temperature of ca. 215 °C. The results suggest a promising way to design ceramics-based bi-functional materials for simultaneously eliminating dusts and harmful VOCs from various hot gases.
Capsize of polarization in dilute photonic crystals
Authors: Gevorkian Zhyrair , Hakhoumian Arsen , Gasparian Vladimir , Cuevas Emilio
Published: November 2017

We investigate, experimentally and theoretically, polarization rotation effects in dilute photonic crystals with transverse permittivity inhomogeneity perpendicular to the traveling direction of waves. A capsize, namely a drastic change of polarization to the perpendicular direction is observed in a one-dimensional photonic crystal in the frequency range 10 ÷ 140 GHz. To gain more insights into the rotational mechanism, we have developed a theoretical model of dilute photonic crystal, based on Maxwell’s equations with a spatially dependent two dimensional inhomogeneous dielectric permittivity. We show that the polarization’s rotation can be explained by an optical splitting parameter appearing naturally in Maxwell’s equations for magnetic or electric fields components. This parameter is an optical analogous of Rashba like spin-orbit interaction parameter present in quantum waves, introduces a correction to the band structure of the two-dimensional Bloch states, creates the dynamical phase shift between the waves propagating in the orthogonal directions and finally leads to capsizing of the initial polarization. Excellent agreement between theory and experiment is found.
The effect of primary total knee arthroplasty on the incidence of falls and balance-related functions in patients with osteoarthritis
Authors: Si Hai-bo , Zeng Yi , Zhong Jian , Zhou Zong-ke , Lu Yan-rong , Cheng Jing-qiu , Ning Ning , Shen Bin
Published: November 2017

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is an established risk factor for falls and balance impairment. This study investigated the incidence of falls, balance-related outcomes and risk factors for falls before and after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Three hundred seventy-six OA patients scheduled to undergo TKA were included. Falls data within the preoperative, first postoperative and second postoperative years were collected, balance-related functions were assessed using the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL), WOMAC, Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I), Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC), knee extension strength, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) before surgery and 1 and 2 years after surgery. Compared with preoperative values, the incidence of falls significantly decreased (14.89%, 6.23% and 3.14% within the preoperative, first postoperative and second postoperative years, respectively) and the AQoL, WOMAC, FES-I, ABC, knee extension strength, BBS and TUG significantly improved after TKA. Logistic regression analysis revealed that Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥ 3 of the contralateral knee was an independent risk factor for falls before and after TKA. Conclusively, primary TKA is associated with a reduced incidence of falls and improved balance-related functions, and the contralateral knee should be considered in the design of fall-prevention strategies in patients with OA.
Activating electrochemical catalytic activity of bio-palladium by hybridizing with carbon nanotube as “e− Bridge”
Authors: Cheng Hao-Yi , Hou Ya-Nan , Zhang Xu , Yang Zhen-Ni , Xu Tiefu , Wang Ai-Jie
Published: November 2017

Nano metal catalysts produced by bacteria has received increasing attention owing to its environmental friendly synthesis route. However, the formed metal nanoparticles are associated with poorly conductive cells and challenged to be electrochemically applied. In this study, Palladium (Pd) nanoparticles were synthesized by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. We demonstrated the limitation of palladized cells (Pd-cells) serving as electro-catalysts can be relieved by hybridizing with the conductive carbon nanotubes (Pd-cells-CNTs hybrid). Compared to the Pd-cells, the electrochemical active surface area of Pd in Pd-cells-CNTs10 (the ratio of Pd/CNTs is 1/10 w/w) were dramatically increased by 68 times to 20.44 m2·g−1. A considerable enhancement of electrocatalytic activity was further confirmed for Pd-cells-CNTs10 as indicated by a 5-fold increase of steady state current density for nitrobenzene reduction at −0.55 V vs Ag/AgCl. These results indicate that the biogenetic palladium could has been an efficient electro-catalyst but just limited due to lacking an electron transport path (e
−
Bridge). This finding may also be helpful to guide the way to electrochemically use other biogenetic metal nano-materials.
Revisiting monosaccharide analysis – quantitation of a comprehensive set of monosaccharides using dynamic multiple reaction monitoring
Authors: Xu Gege , Amicucci Matthew J. , Cheng Zhi , Galermo Ace G. , Lebrilla Carlito B.
Published: November 2017

A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of monosaccharides using UHPLC/dMRM-MS.
Application of a glassy carbon electrode modified with carbon black nanoparticles for highly sensitive voltammetric determination of quetiapine
Authors: Ławrywianiec M. , Smajdor J. , Paczosa-Bator B. , Piech R.
Published: November 2017

A novel highly sensitive voltammetric quetiapine fumarate (QF) sensor based on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with carbon black nanoparticles (CB) was successfully developed.
An antiparallel double-stranded BODIPY–porphyrin dyad assembled via a self-complementary B–F⋯Zn interaction
Authors: Morisue Mitsuhiko , Nakano Shinya , Shimizu Masaki , Yumura Takashi
Published: November 2017

An antiparallel double-strand of a BODIPY–zinc–porphyrin dyad was assembled via geometrical complementarity of an unusual B–F⋯Zn coordination bonding interaction.
Cu/Pd cooperatively catalyzed tandem intramolecular anti-Markovnikov hydroarylation of unsaturated amides: facile construction of 3,4-dihydroquinolinones via borylation/intramolecular C(sp3)–C(sp2) cross coupling
Authors: Kuang Zhijie , Li Bingnan , Song Qiuling
Published: November 2017

An anti-Markovnikov hydroarylation of unsaturated amides via a Cu/Pd synergistically catalyzed cascade borylation/intramolecular sp2–sp3 cross coupling has been disclosed.
Near infrared imaging of Mer tyrosine kinase (MERTK) using MERi-SiR reveals tumor associated macrophage uptake in metastatic disease
Authors: Miller Miles A. , Kim Eunha , Cuccarese Michael F. , Plotkin Alec L. , Prytyskach Mark , Kohler Rainer H. , Pittet Mikael J. , Weissleder Ralph
Published: November 2017

Near-infrared imaging of the tumor microenvironment: fluorophore conjugation to a Mer kinase inhibitor yields the selective probe, MERi-SiR.
Protonation of N2O and NO2 in a solid phase
Authors: Stoyanov Evgenii S. , Stoyanova Irina V.
Published: November 2017

Adsorption of gaseous N2O or NO2 on the acidic surface Brønsted centers of the strongest known solid acid, H(CHB11F11), results in formation of Brønsted and Lewis cationic superacids, NN–OH+ and NN+–OH.
The effects of glycine, TMAO and osmolyte mixtures on the pressure dependent enzymatic activity of α-chymotrypsin
Authors: Jaworek Michel W. , Schuabb Vitor , Winter Roland
Published: November 2017

Different natural osmolytes modulate the pressure dependent enzyme kinetics in different ways.
Computational study on the luminescence quantum yields of terbium complexes with 2,2′-bipyridine derivative ligands
Authors: Hatanaka Miho , Osawa Ayato , Wakabayashi Tomonari , Morokuma Keiji , Hasegawa Miki
Published: November 2017

The luminescence quantum yields of terbium complexes can be enhanced by replacing moieties whose bending motions induce the rapid quenching processes.
Impact of bi-axial strain on the structural, electronic and optical properties of photo-catalytic bulk bismuth oxyhalides
Authors: Dutta Sangita , Das Tilak , Datta Soumendu
Published: November 2017

The structural, electronic and optical properties of bulk bismuth oxyhalides, BiOX (X = F, Cl, Br, and I), were studied using state-of-the-art density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations.
Probing the conformational dynamics of photosystem I in unconfined and confined spaces
Authors: Das Gaurav , Chattoraj Shyamtanu , Nandi Somen , Mondal Prasenjit , Saha Abhijit , Bhattacharyya Kankan , Ghosh Surajit
Published: November 2017

PSI demonstrates strong fluctuations in fluorescence intensity and lifetime with two conformational states in bulk-water in contrast to a liposome.
Oxidation catalyst obtained by the immobilization of layered double hydroxide/Mn(iii) porphyrin on monodispersed silica spheres
Authors: Mantovani Karen Mary , Molgero Westrup Kátia Cristina , da Silva Junior Renaldo Marcos , Jaerger Silvia , Wypych Fernando , Nakagaki Shirley
Published: November 2017

Monodispersed hierarchical layered double hydroxide on silica spheres (LDH@SiO2) with core–shell structures were developed for metalloporphyrin immobilization and the materials were used as oxidant catalysts of different substrates.
PNacPNacE: (E = Ga, In, Tl) – monomeric group 13 metal(i) heterocycles stabilized by a sterically demanding bis(iminophosphoranyl)methanide
Authors: Sindlinger Christian P. , Lawrence Samuel R. , Acharya Shravan , Ohlin C. André , Stasch Andreas
Published: November 2017

Monomeric group 13 metal(i) complexes of gallium, indium and thallium stabilised by a sterically demanding bis(iminophosphoranyl)methanide ligand have been prepared and characterised.
Heterogeneous hydroformylation of long-chain alkenes in IL-in-oil Pickering emulsion
Authors: Tao Lin , Zhong Mingmei , Chen Jian , Jayakumar Sanjeevi , Liu Lina , Li He , Yang Qihua
Published: November 2017

An IL-in-oil Pickering emulsion prepared with Rh-sulfo-xantphos as the catalyst and dendritic mesoporous silica nanospheres as the stabilizer could efficiently catalyze the hydroformylation of 1-dodecene to afford TOF as high as 413 h−1.
Highly efficient synthesis of β-nitrate ester carboxamides through the ring-opening of 2-oxazolines
Authors: Qiao Kai , Yuan Xin , Wan Li , Zheng Ming-Wei , Zhang Dong , Fan Bing-Bing , Di Zhe-Chen , Fang Zheng , Guo Kai
Published: November 2017

A novel method for the synthesis of β-nitrate ester carboxamides using non-corrosivetert-butyl nitrite (TBN) as the nitro source and easily available oxygen as the oxidant has been developed.
An artificial synthetic pathway for acetoin, 2,3-butanediol, and 2-butanol production from ethanol using cell free multi-enzyme catalysis
Authors: Zhang Liaoyuan , Singh Raushan , D Sivakumar , Guo Zewang , Li Jiahuan , Chen Fanbing , He Yuanzhi , Guan Xiong , Kang Yun Chan , Lee Jung-Kul
Published: November 2017

Upgrading ethanol to higher order alcohols is desired but difficult using current biotechnological methods.
Organoselenium compounds as mimics of selenoproteins and thiol modifier agents
Authors: Barbosa Nilda V. , Nogueira Cristina W. , Nogara Pablo A. , de Bem Andreza F. , Aschner Michael , Rocha João B. T.
Published: November 2017

Here, we critically review the literature on the capacity of organoselenium compounds to mimic selenoproteins (particularly GPx) and discuss some of the bottlenecks in the field.
Synthesis of cubic spherosilicates for self-assembled organic–inorganic biohybrids based on functionalized methacrylates
Authors: John Łukasz , Janeta Mateusz , Szafert Sławomir
Published: November 2017

Covalent hybrid networks created by fully substituted cubic spherosilicates containing functionalized methacrylates as side chains were synthesized.