bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Women, wars, and world affairs: Recovering feminist International Relations, 1915–39
Authors: Stöckmann Jan
Published: October 2017

The academic study of International Relations (IR) emerged in the context of transnational networks of scholars, diplomats, politicians, and activists. Contrary to conventional wisdom, women belonged to these networks in various capacities and, crucially, contributed to the intellectual formation of the discipline. Whether as members of pressure groups, such as the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), as independent authors or academics, they discussed all major issues of IR. Drawing on a range of international authors – including Anna B. Eckstein, Agnes Headlam-Morley, Lucy Mair, Margery Perham, Helena Swanwick, and Louise Weiss – this article recovers the intellectual substance of their work, arguing that it constitutes a genuinely feminist approach to IR. Early feminist IR authors emphasised the interests of women, children, and other marginalised groups, they demanded female representation in government and diplomacy, they condemned imperialism and racism, opposed military capitalism, employed religious, emotional, and universalist rhetoric, and advocated the role of education. Despite widespread male domination, women taught at universities, published in academic journals, spoke at conferences, and organised international summer schools. This article explores the origins of feminist IR scholarship and contextualises this body of thought within the revisionist history of IR.
A connectomic approach to the lateral geniculate nucleus
Authors: MORGAN JOSH L.
Published: October 2017

Although the core functions and structure of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) are well understood, this core is surrounded by questions about the integration of feedforward and feedback connections, interactions between different channels of information, and how activity dependent development restructures synaptic networks. Our understanding of the organization of the mouse LGN is particularly limited given how important it has become as a model system. Advances in circuit scale electron microscopy (cellular connectomics) have made it possible to reconstruct the synaptic connectivity of hundreds of neurons within in a circuit the size of the mouse LGN. These circuit reconstructions can reveal cell type-to-cell type canonical wiring diagrams as well as the higher order wiring motifs that are only visible in reconstructions of intact networks. Connectomic analysis of the LGN therefore not only can answer longstanding questions about the organization of the visual thalamus but also presents unique opportunities for investigating fundamental properties of mammalian circuit formation.
“Women Friendly” Spending? Welfare Spending and Women's Participation in the Economy and Politics
Authors: Detraz Nicole , Peksen Dursun
Published: October 2017

What effect do social welfare policies have on women's active involvement in the economy and politics? Though there is much policy and scholarly debate on a wide spectrum of socioeconomic and political outcomes of welfare spending, little research has explored the possible impact that social welfare policies have on one of the supposed major beneficiaries of such policies—women. Combining data on welfare spending in three areas—social security, health, and education—with data on women's labor force participation and share of seats in national legislatures, this article examines the extent to which welfare spending might affect women's economic and political status. The results from a panel of 97 countries for the years spanning 1990 to 2010 indicate that the government's fiscal commitment to social policies is positively related to female participation in the total labor force and national politics. The findings are robust to different model specifications, sample selection, and the use of instrumental variables. One major policy implication of the findings is that the government's fiscal commitment to key social welfare areas are likely to contribute to women's economic and political empowerment, which might in turn help address gender imbalances in the economy and political sphere.
After decision-making: the operationalization of norms in International Relations
Authors: Huelss Hendrik
Published: October 2017

Research on norms in International Relations (IR) includes various concepts related to how norms influence actions. These approaches focus on the decision-making process, and largely neglect the operationalization of norms. This omission leads to an analytical gap: a lack of attention to how the substance of abstract norms is transformed and constructed in the operationalization process. This article draws on the Foucauldian theme of governmentality to introduce a novel perspective on operationalizing norms. It focusses in particular on the role of techniques as understudied parts inherent to the reflexive processes of operationalization and meaning production. The article thereby contests the prevalence of fundamental norms in conventional IR theory. It demonstrates, instead, that global governance techniques do not simply translate rationalities into practice, but construct their very own normativities. These theoretical reflections are illustrated by analysing the operationalization of norms through indicators in the case of the European Union’s human rights policy.
Why withdrawal from the European Union is undemocratic
Authors: Olsen Tore Vincents , Rostbøll Christian F.
Published: October 2017

The Lisbon Treaty from 2009 introduced the possibility for individual member states to withdraw from the European Union (EU) on the basis of a unilateral decision. In June 2016 the United Kingdom decided to leave the EU invoking article 50 of the treaty. But is withdrawal democratically legitimate? In fact, the all-affected principle suggests that it is undemocratic for subunits to leave larger political units when it adversely affects other citizens without including them in the decision. However, it is unclear what the currency of this affectedness is and, hence, why withdrawal would be undemocratic. We argue that it is the effect of withdrawal on the status of citizens as free and equal that is decisive and that explains why unilateral withdrawal of subunits from larger units is democratically illegitimate. Moreover, on the ‘all-affected status principle’ that we develop, even multilaterally agreed withdrawal is undemocratic because the latter diminishes the future ability of citizens to make decisions together regarding issues that affect their status as free and equal. On this basis, we conclude that it is undemocratic for a member state such as the United Kingdom to withdraw from the EU.
Mental health care for adult refugees in high-income countries
Authors: Giacco D. , Priebe S.
Published: October 2017

Approximately one-third of people who have obtained refugee status live in high-income countries. Over recent years, the number of refugees has been increasing, and there are questions on how many of them need mental health care and which type of interventions are beneficial. Meta-analyses showed highly variable rates of mental disorders in adult refugees. This variability is likely to reflect both real differences between groups and contexts, and methodological inconsistencies across studies. Overall prevalence rates after resettlement are similar to those in host populations. Only post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is more prevalent in refugees. In long-term resettled refugees, rates of anxiety and depressive disorders are higher and linked to poor social integration. Research on mental health care for refugees in high-income countries has been extensive, but often of limited methodological quality and with very context-specific findings. The existing evidence suggests several general principles of good practice: promoting social integration, overcoming barriers to care, facilitating engagement with treatment and, when required, providing specific psychological treatments to deal with traumatic memories. With respect to the treatment of defined disorders, only for the treatment of PTSD there has been substantial refugee-specific research. For other diagnostic categories, the same treatment guidelines apply as to other groups. More systematic research is required to explore how precisely the general principles can be specified and implemented for different groups of refugees and in different societal contexts in host countries, and which specific interventions are beneficial and cost-effective. Such interventions may utilise new communication technologies. Of particular importance are long-term studies to identify when mental health interventions are appropriate and to assess outcomes over several years. Such research would benefit from sufficient funding, wide international collaboration and continuous learning over time and across different refugee groups.
Employee Engagement for an Increasingly Educated	Workforce
Authors: Patel Amanda S. , Moake Timothy R. , Oh Nahyun
Published: October 2017

Abstract. As organizations strive to increase employee engagement, they must seek to activate potentially underutilized employee resources. Over the past few decades, employees have become more educated. Through pursuing more education, individuals garner valuable personal resources such as experience managing competitive environments. Simultaneously, organizations also increasingly use team structures, posing new demands for employees. Using the job demands-resources perspective, we investigated how the interaction between education and team competitive climate impacts employee engagement. Using a multilevel dataset including 274 employees working for 64 teams in 44 organizations, we found that people with more years of education are more engaged in their work when working in a competitive team climate. Our findings suggest the importance of work demands for activating personal resources.
Supervisors’ Ability to Manage Their Own Emotions Influences	the Effectiveness of Their Support-Giving
Authors: Tucker Michelle K. , Jimmieson Nerina L.
Published: October 2017

Abstract. Although supervisor support is generally considered a job resource that buffers the negative consequences of job demands, reverse-buffering effects have been found. It was proposed that supervisor support would be stress buffering when supervisors were skilled in emotion management and stress exacerbating when supervisors were low in emotion management. A sample of 210 US employees found three-way interactions on psychological strain, job burnout, and two stress-related intentions. Supportive supervisors high in emotion management buffered high emotional demands on psychological strain and medical advice intentions, but not burnout or turnover intentions. The stress-exacerbating hypothesis was not supported. Instead, employees with highly supportive supervisors low in emotion management reported low strain at low emotional demands. However, this benefit was diminished at high emotional demands.
Jets of Ionospheric Cold Plasma Discovered at the Magnetopause
Authors: Shultz David
Published: October 2017

The lower-energy particles may play a larger role in magnetic reconnection than previously believed, influencing space weather near Earth.
Correction: Corrigendum: Microscopic origins of the large piezoelectricity of leadfree (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3
Authors: Nahas Yousra , Akbarzadeh Alireza , Prokhorenko Sergei , Prosandeev Sergey , Walter Raymond , Kornev Igor , Íñiguez Jorge , Bellaiche L
Published: October 2017

Nature Communications 8: Article number: 15944 (2017); Published: 20 June 2017; Updated: 25 October 2017 The affiliation details for Sergei Prokhorenko are incorrect in this Article. A second affiliation should have been included as given below: Theoretical Materials Physics, Q-MAT CESAM, Universitéde Liège, B-4000 Sart Tilman, Belgium.
RAF inhibitors promote RAS-RAF interaction by allosterically disrupting RAF autoinhibition
Authors: Jin Ting , Lavoie Hugo , Sahmi Malha , David Maud , Hilt Christine , Hammell Amy , Therrien Marc
Published: October 2017

First-generation RAF inhibitors paradoxically induce ERK signaling in normal and tumor cells exhibiting RAS activity. Compound-induced RAF dimerization through stabilization of the RAF ON/active state by inhibitors has emerged as a critical contributing factor. RAF inhibitors also enhance RAS−RAF association. Although this event is thought to play a key role in priming RAF activation, the underlying mechanism is not known. Here we report that RAF inhibitors induce the disruption of intramolecular interactions between the kinase domain and its N-terminal regulatory region independently of RAS activity. This provides a molecular basis to explain the induction of RAS−RAF association by RAF inhibitors, as well as the co-operativity observed between RAS activity and RAF kinase inhibitors in driving RAF activation. Profiling of second-generation RAF inhibitors confirmed their improved mode of action, but also revealed liabilities that allowed us to discern two properties of an ideal RAF inhibitor: high-binding affinity to all RAF paralogs and maintenance of the OFF/autoinhibited state of the enzyme.
Homeostatic plasticity shapes the visual system’s first synapse
Authors: Johnson Robert E. , Tien Nai-Wen , Shen Ning , Pearson James T. , Soto Florentina , Kerschensteiner Daniel
Published: October 2017

Vision in dim light depends on synapses between rods and rod bipolar cells (RBCs). Here, we find that these synapses exist in multiple configurations, in which single release sites of rods are apposed by one to three postsynaptic densities (PSDs). Single RBCs often form multiple PSDs with one rod; and neighboring RBCs share ~13% of their inputs. Rod-RBC synapses develop while ~7% of RBCs undergo programmed cell death (PCD). Although PCD is common throughout the nervous system, its influences on circuit development and function are not well understood. We generate mice in which ~53 and ~93% of RBCs, respectively, are removed during development. In these mice, dendrites of the remaining RBCs expand in graded fashion independent of light-evoked input. As RBC dendrites expand, they form fewer multi-PSD contacts with rods. Electrophysiological recordings indicate that this homeostatic co-regulation of neurite and synapse development preserves retinal function in dim light.
Physiological and transcriptome response to cadmium in cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus Cav.) seedlings
Authors: Liu Yujing , Yu Xiaofang , Feng Yimei , Zhang Chao , Wang Chao , Zeng Jian , Huang Zhuo , Kang Houyang , Fan Xing , Sha Lina , Zhang Haiqin , Zhou Yonghong , Gao Suping , Chen Qibing
Published: October 2017

To date, several species of Asteraceae have been considered as Cd-accumulators. However, little information on the Cd tolerance and associated mechanisms of Asteraceae species Cosmos bipinnatus, is known. Presently, several physiological indexes and transcriptome profiling under Cd stress were investigated. C. bipinnatus exhibited strong Cd tolerance and recommended as a Cd-accumulator, although the biomasses were reduced by Cd. Meanwhile, Cd stresses reduced Zn and Ca uptake, but increased Fe uptake. Subcellular distribution indicated that the vacuole sequestration in root mainly detoxified Cd under lower Cd stress. Whilst, cell wall binding and vacuole sequestration in root co-detoxified Cd under high Cd exposure. Meanwhile, 66,407 unigenes were assembled and 41,674 (62.75%) unigenes were annotated in at least one database. 2,658 DEGs including 1,292 up-regulated unigenes and 1,366 down-regulated unigenes were identified under 40 μmol/L Cd stress. Among of these DEGs, ZIPs, HMAs, NRAMPs and ABC transporters might participate in Cd uptake, translocation and accumulation. Many DEGs participating in several processes such as cell wall biosynthesis, GSH metabolism, TCA cycle and antioxidant system probably play critical roles in cell wall binding, vacuole sequestration and detoxification. These results provided a novel insight into the physiological and transcriptome response to Cd in C. bipinnatus seedlings.
Combined Application of Bacterial Predation and Violacein to Kill Polymicrobial Pathogenic Communities
Authors: Im Hansol , Choi Seong Yeol , Son Sangmo , Mitchell Robert J.
Published: October 2017

Violacein is a bisindole antibiotic that is effective against Gram-positive bacteria while the bacterial predator, Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100, predates on Gram-negative strains. In this study, we evaluated the use of both together against multidrug resistant pathogens. The two antibacterial agents did not antagonize the activity of the other. For example, treatment of Staphylococcus aureus with violacein reduced its viability by more than 2,000-fold with or without B. bacteriovorus addition. Likewise, predation of Acinetobacter baumannii reduced the viability of this pathogen by more than 13,000-fold, regardless if violacein was present or not. When used individually against mixed bacterial cultures containing both Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains, violacein and B. bacteriovorus HD100 were effective against only their respective strains. The combined application of both violacein and B. bacteriovorus HD100, however, reduced the total pathogen numbers by as much as 84,500-fold. Their combined effectiveness was also demonstrated using a 4-species culture containing S. aureus, A. baumannii, Bacillus cereus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. When used alone, violacein and bacterial predation reduced the total population by only 19% and 68%, respectively. In conjunction with each other, the pathogen viability was reduced by 2,965-fold (99.98%), illustrating the prospective use of these two antimicrobials together against mixed species populations.
Producing Coral Offspring with Cryopreserved Sperm: A Tool for Coral Reef Restoration
Authors: Hagedorn Mary , Carter Virginia L. , Henley E. Michael , van Oppen Madeleine J. H. , Hobbs Rebecca , Spindler Rebecca E.
Published: October 2017

Cryopreservation is an important conservation tool, which may help reef-building coral survive. However, scaling-up from small, laboratory-sized experiments to higher-throughput restoration is a major challenge. To be an effective restoration tool, the cryopreservation methods and husbandry to produce new offspring must be defined. This study examined small and larger-scale in vitro reproduction and settlement for Acropora tenuis and Acropora millepora and found that: 1) cryopreservation of coral sperm reduced sperm motility and fertilization success in half, thus fresh sperm, capable of becoming highly motile, is key; 2) the sperm-to-egg ratio and the concentration of the cryoprotectant treatments affected fertilization success in small- and larger-scale reproduction trials using cryopreserved sperm (p < 0.05); 3) cryopreservation did not affect settlement success, as larvae produced with fresh or cryopreserved sperm had the same settlement success (p > 0.05); and 4) the residence time of the sperm within the bank was not important as the fertilization success of sperm frozen for less than 1 month was similar to that frozen up to 2 years (p > 0.05). These results described the first settlement for coral larvae produced from cryopreserved sperm and established important ground-work principles for the use of cryopreserved coral sperm for future reef restoration efforts.
Imaging the Creative Unconscious: Reflexive Neural Responses to Objects in the Visual and Parahippocampal Region Predicts State and Trait Creativity
Authors: Friis-Olivarius Morten , Hulme Oliver J. , Skov Martin , Ramsøy Thomas Z. , Siebner Hartwig R.
Published: October 2017

What does it take to have a creative mind? Theories of creative cognition assert that the quantity of automatic associations places fundamental constraints on the probability of reaching creative solutions. Due to the difficulties inherent in isolating automated associative responses from cognitive control, the neural basis underlying this faculty remains unknown. Here we acquired fMRI data in an incidental-viewing paradigm in which subjects performed an attention-demanding task whilst viewing task-irrelevant objects. By assigning a standard creativity task on the same objects out of the scanner, as well as a battery of psychometric creativity tests, we could assess whether stimulus-bound neural activity was predictive of state or trait variability in creativity. We found that stimulus-bound responses in superior occipital regions were linearly predictive of trial-by-trial variability in creative performance (state-creativity), and that in more creative individuals (trait-creativity) this response was more strongly expressed in entorhinal cortex. Additionally, the mean response to the onset of objects in parahippocampal gyrus was predictive of trait differences in creativity. This work suggests that, creative individuals are endowed with occipital and medial temporal reflexes that generate a greater fluency in associative representations, making them more accessible for ideation even when no ideation is explicitly called for.
Direct separation of minor actinides from high level liquid waste by Me
2

-CA-BTP/SiO2-P adsorbent
Authors: Ning Shun Yan , Wang Xin Peng , Zou Qing , Shi Wei Qun , Tang Fang Dong , He Lin Feng , Wei Yue Zhou
Published: October 2017

Directly separating minor actinides (MA: Am, Cm, etc.) from high level liquid waste (HLLW) containing lanthanides and other fission products is of great significance for the whole nuclear fuel cycle, especially in the aspects of reducing long-term radioactivity and simplifying the post-processing separation process. Herein, a novel silica-based adsorbent Me2-CA-BTP/SiO2-P was prepared by impregnating Me2-CA-BTP (2,6-bis(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,8,9,9-tetramethyl-5,8-methano-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-yl)pyridine) into porous silica/polymer support particles (SiO2-P) under reduced pressure. It was found Me2-CA-BTP/SiO2-P exhibited good adsorption selectivity towards 241Am(III) over 152Eu(III) in a wide nitric acid range, acceptable adsorption kinetic, adequate stability against γ irradiation in 1 and 3 M HNO3 solutions, and successfully separated 241Am(III) from simulated 3 M HNO3 HLLW. In sum, considering the good overall performance of Me2-CA-BTP/SiO2-P adsorbent, it has great application potential for directly separating MA from HLLW, and is expected to establish an advanced simplified MA separation process, which is very meaningful for the development of nuclear energy.
Salinity stratification controlled productivity variation over 300 ky in the Bay of Bengal
Authors: Da Silva R. , Mazumdar A. , Mapder T. , Peketi A. , Joshi R. K. , Shaji A. , Mahalakshmi P. , Sawant B. , Naik B. G. , Carvalho M. A. , Molletti S. K.
Published: October 2017

The unique hydrographic setting of the Bay of Bengal (BoB) makes it an ideal tropical marine system to study the influence of regional and global forcings on productivity and [CO2aq] through the late quaternary. Enormous fresh water flux into the BoB and consequent salinity stratification significantly weaken the convective mixing and wind driven processes which are commonly responsible for transport of nutrients to the euphotic zone driving primary productivity. Here we present a high resolution organic carbon-CaCO3 MAR and δ13CTOC records for the last 300 ky from the BoB. The results show significant productivity variation at marine isotope sub-stages and millennial timescales. Colder sub-stages and stadials (Dansgard-Oeschger cycle) show a boost in productivity which may be attributed to thinning of low salinity cap, thereby facilitating efficient nutrient transport across the euphotic zone by the combination of wind driven processes (entrainment and upwelling), convective mixing and cold core eddies. The [CO2aq] was a net result of global pCO2 variation and regional processes. Our long term high-resolution data indicates a possibility of marked change in productivity/biogeochemistry of BOB in the future due to global warming, thus affecting the coastal economy.
Proton minibeam radiation therapy spares normal rat brain: Long-Term Clinical, Radiological and Histopathological Analysis
Authors: Prezado Yolanda , Jouvion Gregory , Hardy David , Patriarca Annalisa , Nauraye Catherine , Bergs Judith , González Wilfredo , Guardiola Consuelo , Juchaux Marjorie , Labiod Dalila , Dendale Remi , Jourdain Laurène , Sebrie Catherine , Pouzoulet Frederic
Published: October 2017

Proton minibeam radiation therapy (pMBRT) is a novel strategy for minimizing normal tissue damage resulting from radiotherapy treatments. This strategy partners the inherent advantages of protons for radiotherapy with the gain in normal tissue preservation observed upon irradiation with narrow, spatially fractionated beams. In this study, whole brains (excluding the olfactory bulb) of Fischer 344 rats (n = 16) were irradiated at the Orsay Proton Therapy Center. Half of the animals received standard proton irradiation, while the other half were irradiated with pMBRT at the same average dose (25 Gy in one fraction). The animals were followed-up for 6 months. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study using a 7-T small-animal MRI scanner was performed along with a histological analysis. Rats treated with conventional proton irradiation exhibited severe moist desquamation, permanent epilation and substantial brain damage. In contrast, rats in the pMBRT group exhibited no skin damage, reversible epilation and significantly reduced brain damage; some brain damage was observed in only one out of the eight irradiated rats. These results demonstrate that pMBRT leads to an increase in normal tissue resistance. This net gain in normal tissue sparing can lead to the efficient treatment of very radio-resistant tumours, which are currently mostly treated palliatively.
Inhibitory effect and mechanism of Tagetes erecta L. fungicide on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum
Authors: Du Ruochen , Liu Jiandong , Sun Panpan , Li Hongquan , Wang Jinsheng
Published: October 2017

Botanical fungicides comprise attractive alternatives to chemical fungicides because of their environmental compatibility. Flavonoids extracted from Tagetes erecta L. have an inhibitory effect on fusarium wilt in watermelons caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (FON). In this study, we synthesized one of these flavonoids, 2,5-dicyclopentylidene cyclopentanone (Tagetes erecta L. fungicide (TEF)) and assessed its activity against FON. In vitro, TEF inhibited FON growth and killed FON cells directly. TEF also affected FON cell physiology and mycelial structure. In watermelon plants with fusarium wilt, TEF protected the leaf cell structure and improved the germination rate of infected seeds while increasing overall plant resistance. A TEF-resistant mutant (FONM) was created by chemical mutagenesis. FON and FONM were analysed using iTRAQ and RNA-Seq, which identified 422 differentially expressed proteins and 7817 differentially expressed mRNAs in the proteome and transcriptome, respectively. The FONM mutations caused changes in the cell membrane and cell wall, which may constitute the site of action of TEF. Together, these results demonstrate that TEF could effectively control the watermelon fusarium wilt caused by FON, possibly through the inhibition of sterol biosynthesis. The data presented here suggest that TEF represents a new potential botanical anti-fungal drug.
Effect of varying soil water potentials on methanogenesis in aerated marshland soils
Authors: Wagner Dirk
Published: October 2017

Wetlands are characterized by changing water tables, which have an influence on the activity of microorganisms. Particularly, the effect of oxygen on anaerobic methanogenic archaea is of importance for understanding greenhouse gas fluxes in wetlands. In this study the influence of oxygen on CH4 production in marshland soils was investigated in relation to varying soil water potentials. Water saturated samples as well as samples with drained macropores, and mesopores were used. Under anoxic conditions the CH4 production showed a dependence on the water content. The CH4 production rates varied between about 213 and 51 nmol g−1 soil h−1. In the presence of oxygen a correlation between CH4 production activity and water potential of the samples could not be demonstrated. Under oxic conditions with defined water potentials the CH4 production rates varied between about 141 and 58 nmol g−1 soil h−1. Cell counts of methanogenic archaea showed similar numbers in oxic and anoxic soil layers, and further illustrated living methanogens in the aerobic horizons of the marshland soil. The presented results are of great importance for modelling of the CH4 release from wetlands, because up to 25% of the CH4 is produced in the oxic horizon of the investigated marshland soil.
Pd(NHC)-catalyzed alkylsulfonylation of boronic acids: a general and efficient approach for sulfone synthesis
Authors: Zhu Haibo , Shen Yajing , Deng Qinyue , Chen Jinjin , Tu Tao
Published: October 2017

The first Pd(NHC)-catalyzed direct alkylsulfonylation of boronic acids with K2S2O5 and alkyl halides has been successfully developed to afford various functional sulfones under very mild reaction conditions at low catalyst loadings.
Directed C–C bond cleavage of a cyclopropane intermediate generated fromN-tosylhydrazones and stable enaminones: expedient synthesis of functionalized 1,4-ketoaldehydes
Authors: Ni Meiyan , Zhang Jianguo , Liang Xiaoyu , Jiang Yaojia , Loh Teck-Peng
Published: October 2017

An efficient method to construct functionalized 1,4-ketoaldehydes bearing all-carbon α-quaternary centersviaregioselective C–C bond activation has been described.
A snapshot of inorganic Janovsky complex analogues featuring a nucleophilic boron center
Authors: Wu Di , Li Yongxin , Ganguly Rakesh , Kinjo Rei
Published: October 2017

The addition of phenyl lithium (PhLi) to an aromatic 1,3,2,5-diazadiborinine (1)afforded isolable ionic species2, which can be deemed as an inorganic analogue of a Janovsky complex.
Excited state dynamics for hybridized local and charge transfer state fluorescent emitters with aggregation-induced emission in the solid phase: a QM/MM study
Authors: Fan Jianzhong , Cai Lei , Lin Lili , Wang Chuan-Kui
Published: October 2017

Investigation on the excited state dynamics to reveal the AIE and HLCT mechanisms by a QM/MM method.
Conformational structures of the tetrahydrofuran cation determined using one-photon mass-analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy
Authors: Park Sung Man , Lee Yu Ran , Kang Do Won , Kim Hong Lae , Kwon Chan Ho
Published: October 2017

One-photon vacuum ultraviolet mass-analyzed threshold ionization (VUV-MATI) spectroscopy was used to characterize the essential conformations of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and thus determine the stereochemistry of the furanose ring constituting the backbones of DNA and RNA.
Dealloying progress during nanoporous structure evolution analyzed by in situ resistometry
Authors: Steyskal Eva-Maria , Seidl Michael , Graf Matthias , Würschum Roland
Published: October 2017

The progress of dealloying, an electrochemical synthesis method capable of producing nanoporous structures with bulk outer dimensions, is studied by in situ resistometry.
CO2 activating hydrocarbon transport across nanopore throat: insights from molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Yan Youguo , Dong Zihan , Zhang Yingnan , Wang Pan , Fang Timing , Zhang Jun
Published: October 2017

In tight oil reservoirs, nanopore throat acting as the narrowest section of fluidic channel determines the oil transport performance; injecting CO2 is found to significantly promote the oil flow.
Triplet-sensitized photon upconversion in deep eutectic solvents
Authors: Murakami Yoichi , Das Sudhir Kumar , Himuro Yuki , Maeda Satoshi
Published: October 2017

Deep eutectic solvents provide a new practical solvent system that is cheap, green, thermally stable, and suitable for photon upconversion.
Different dominant transitions in holmium and ytterbium codoped oxyfluoride glass and glass ceramics originating from varying phonon energy environments
Authors: Liu Qunhuo , Tian Ying , Wang Caizhi , Huang Feifei , Jing Xufeng , Zhang Junjie , Zhang Xianghua , Xu Shiqing
Published: October 2017

Varying phonon energy environments induce different dominant transitions, leading to enhanced visible upconversion and infrared emissions in glass ceramics.
Analysis of shallow depth profiles of titanium nitride and N-implanted titanium by GD-OES: the ‘hydrogen effect’ after the discharge startup and a correction thereof
Authors: Weiss Zdeněk , Vlcak Petr
Published: October 2017

A method is presented for the correction of the GD-OES depth profiles of N-implanted titanium, perturbed by the hydrogen effect on the discharge startup.
Microwave-assisted ultraviolet digestion: an efficient method for the digestion of produced water from crude oil extraction and further metal determination
Authors: Souza J. P. , Barela P. S. , Kellermann K. , Santos M. F. P. , Moraes D. P. , Pereira J. S. F.
Published: October 2017

Microwave coupled to ultraviolet radiation is proposed for the first time for produced water digestion allowing metal determination by ICP-OES.
Optofluidic marine phosphate detection with enhanced absorption using a Fabry–Pérot resonator
Authors: Zhu J. M. , Shi Y. , Zhu X. Q. , Yang Y. , Jiang F. H. , Sun C. J. , Zhao W. H. , Han X. T.
Published: October 2017

An optofluidic phosphate analysis chip combined with a resonator has been created with enhanced absorption and real-time monitoring. It overcomes the obstacles of traditional methods with macroscale absorption cells, and low representative and time-sensitive detection results.
Calcium isotope signature: new proxy for net change in bone volume for chronic kidney disease and diabetic rats
Authors: Tanaka Yu-ki , Yajima Nobuyuki , Higuchi Yusuke , Yamato Hideyuki , Hirata Takafumi
Published: October 2017

Herein, we measure the Ca isotope ratios (44Ca/42Ca and 43Ca/42Ca) in serum and bone samples collected from rats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or diabetes mellitus (DM).
Aggregation phenomena in photobicyclised pyridinium salts
Authors: Aracena A. , Rezende M. C. , Encinas M. V. , Vergara C. , Vásquez S. O.
Published: October 2017

Absorption and emission spectra of PQPBF4and BPDTQClO4in water provide evidence, supported by theoretical calculations, of H-aggregation in this solvent.
Microstructure regulation of microencapsulated bio-based n-dodecanol as phase change materials via in situ polymerization
Authors: Zhang Hong , Li Wei , Huang Rui , Wang Ning , Wang Jianping , Zhang Xingxiang
Published: October 2017

Micronencapsulated bio-based n-dodcanol as phase change materials by in situ polymerization.
Voltammetric determination of trace amounts of permanganate at a zeolite modified carbon paste electrode
Authors: Nosuhi Motahare , Nezamzadeh-Ejhieh Alireza
Published: October 2017

A novel sensitive, simple and fast method is suggested for indirect voltammetric determination of permanganate in aqueous solution.
Substituent dependence of imidazoline derivatives on the capture and release system of carbon dioxide
Authors: Yoshida Yoshiaki , Aoyagi Naoto , Endo Takeshi
Published: October 2017

The imidazoline having a cyclic guanidine moiety only captured CO2 quantitatively, and then the cyclic guanidine derivative gave the guanidinium bicarbonate by CO2 fixation together with a slight amount of water.
Exploration of carboxymethyl guargum grafted hyperbranched poly(acrylic acid) as a scaffold for silver nanoparticles for ultrafast and selective sensing of Hg(ii)
Authors: Das Tamalika , Sengupta Srijoni , Dey Ayan , Pal Abhijit , Saha Suparna , Bandyopadhyay Abhijit
Published: October 2017

A sensor for Hg2+ was developed from a system of silver nanoparticles stabilized by polysaccharide grafted hyperbranched poly(acrylic acid).
Phase behaviors and self-assembled properties of ion-pairing amphiphile molecules formed by medium-chain fatty acids andl-arginine triggered by external conditions
Authors: Wang Yuxian , Jiang Ling , Wei Ce , Zhang Hongman
Published: October 2017

The responsive self-assembled structures of ion-pairing amphiphile molecules will provide good insights into various fields.
Deep eutectic solvent-based liquid phase microextraction for the determination of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in fish oil
Authors: Liu Chang , Liu Donghui , Liu Xueke , Jing Xu , Zong Fulin , Wang Peng , Zhou Zhiqiang
Published: October 2017

The analytical method of PPCPs in fish oil was first developed based on the green solvent DES.
A two-dimensional TiB4monolayer exhibits planar octacoordinate Ti
Authors: Qu Xin , Yang Jinghai , Wang Yanchao , Lv Jian , Chen Zhongfang , Ma Yanming
Published: October 2017

At present, the concept of planar hypercoordination in chemistry meets the fast development of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, leading to considerable interest in searching for 2D materials with planar hypercoordinate atoms.
In situepitaxial growth of GdF3on NaGdF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles
Authors: Li Jiangfeng , Jia Yunling , Xu Yuejiao , Yang Hui , Sun Ling-dong , Yan Chun-hua , Bie Li-jian , Ju Jing
Published: October 2017

By electron-beam irradiation of TEM, GdF3(020) was epitaxially grown on the interface of NaGdF4(111).
Evaluation of the influence of wording changes and course type on motivation instrument functioning in chemistry
Authors: Komperda Regis , Hosbein Kathryn N. , Barbera Jack
Published: October 2017

Increased understanding of the importance of the affective domain in chemistry education research has led to the development and adaptation of instruments to measure chemistry-specific affective traits, including motivation. Many of these instruments are adapted from other fields by using the word ‘chemistry’ in place of other disciplines or more general ‘science’ wording. Psychometric evidence is then provided for the functioning of the new adapted instrument. When an instrument is adapted from general language to specific (e.g.replacing ‘science’ with ‘chemistry’), an opportunity exists to compare the functioning of the original instrument in the same context as the adapted instrument. This information is important for understanding which types of modifications may have small or large impacts on instrument functioning and in which contexts these modifications may have more or less influence. In this study, data were collected from the online administration of scales from two science motivation instruments in chemistry courses for science majors and for non-science majors. Participants in each course were randomly assigned to view either the science version or chemistry version of the items. Response patterns indicated that students respond differently to different wordings of the items, with generally more favorable response to the science wording of items. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to investigate the internal structure of each instrument, however acceptable data-model fit was not obtained under any administration conditions. Additionally, no discernable pattern could be detected regarding the conditions showing better data-model fit. These results suggest that even seemingly small changes to item wording and administration context can affect instrument functioning, especially if the change in wording affects the construct measured by the instrument. This research further supports the need to provide psychometric evidence of instrument functioning each time an instrument is used and before any comparisons are made of responses to different versions of the instrument.
Assessing numerical methods for molecular and particle simulation
Authors: Shang Xiaocheng , Kröger Martin , Leimkuhler Benedict
Published: October 2017

Improving the efficiency (analogous to the size of the gear) for polymer melts simulation.
Shape-dependent effective diffusivity in packings of hard cubes and cuboids compared with spheres and ellipsoids
Authors: Röding Magnus
Published: October 2017

We performed computational screening of effective diffusivity in cube and cuboid systems, elucidating the impact of shape on the granular material design.
Synthetic aperture radar image segmentation using non‐linear diffusion‐based hierarchical triplet Markov fields model
Authors: Wang Fan , Wu Yan , Zhang Peng , Liang Wenkai , Li Ming
Published: October 2017

Triplet Markov fields (TMF) model is widely used to deal with non‐stationary synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. However, its ability to capture global information remains limited due to the non‐causal property. A hierarchical TMF model is proposed in this study based on the non‐linear diffusion (ND) strategy, which is denoted as ND‐hierarchical TMF (HTMF). ND is adopted to generate multiscale decomposition according to local image content, and that is superior to traditional wavelet decomposition in reflecting hierarchical nature of image structure and detailed features. The auxiliary field in ND‐HTMF is redefined and initialised on the finest scale to characterise edge information and that enhances the prior modelling ability for non‐stationary local image features. The multiscale likelihood and multiscale causal prior energy functions are then defined respectively in bottom‐up and top‐down procedures to capture local and global information for performing segmentation. Segmentation experiments on simulated and real SAR images demonstrate the effectiveness of ND‐HTMF in both edge characterisation accuracy and robustness against speckle noise.
Chasing the peak: optimal statistics for weak shear analyses
Authors: Smit Merijn , Kuijken Konrad
Published: October 2017

Context. Weak gravitational lensing analyses are fundamentally limited by the intrinsic distribution of galaxy shapes. It is well known that this distribution of galaxy ellipticity is non-Gaussian, and the traditional estimation methods, explicitly or implicitly assuming Gaussianity, are not necessarily optimal.

Aims. We aim to explore alternative statistics for samples of ellipticity measurements. An optimal estimator needs to be asymptotically unbiased, efficient, and robust in retaining these properties for various possible sample distributions. We take the non-linear mapping of gravitational shear and the effect of noise into account. We then discuss how the distribution of individual galaxy shapes in the observed field of view can be modeled by fitting Fourier modes to the shear pattern directly. This allows scientific analyses using statistical information of the whole field of view, instead of locally sparse and poorly constrained estimates.

Methods. We simulated samples of galaxy ellipticities, using both theoretical distributions and data for ellipticities and noise. We determined the possible bias Δe, the efficiency η and the robustness of the least absolute deviations, the biweight, and the convex hull peeling (CHP) estimators, compared to the canonical weighted mean. Using these statistics for regression, we have shown the applicability of direct Fourier mode fitting.

Results. We find an improved performance of all estimators, when iteratively reducing the residuals after de-shearing the ellipticity samples by the estimated shear, which removes the asymmetry in the ellipticity distributions. We show that these estimators are then unbiased in the absence of noise, and decrease noise bias by more than ~30%. Our results show that the CHP estimator distribution is skewed, but still centered around the underlying shear, and its bias least affected by noise. We find the least absolute deviations estimator to be the most efficient estimator in almost all cases, except in the Gaussian case, where it’s still competitive (0.83 < η < 5.1) and therefore robust. These results hold when fitting Fourier modes, where amplitudes of variation in ellipticity are determined to the order of 10-3.

Conclusions. The peak of the ellipticity distribution is a direct tracer of the underlying shear and unaffected by noise, and we have shown that estimators that are sensitive to a central cusp perform more efficiently, potentially reducing uncertainties by more than 50% and significantly decreasing noise bias. These results become increasingly important, as survey sizes increase and systematic issues in shape measurements decrease.
Evaluation of the Facial Recess and Cochlea on the Temporal Bone of Stillbirths regarding the Percutaneous Cochlear Implant
Authors: Braga Gabriela , Gebrim Eloisa , Balachandran Ramya , Noble Jack , Labadie Robert , Bento Ricardo
Published: October 2017

Introduction The literature shows that there are anatomical changes on the temporal bone anatomy during the first four years of life in children. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the temporal bone anatomy regarding the cochlear implant surgery in stillbirths between 32 and 40 weeks of gestational age using computed tomography to simulate the trajectory of the drill to the scala timpani avoiding vital structures.

Objectives To measure the distances of the simulated trajectory to the facial recess, cochlea, ossicular chain and tympanic membrane, while performing the minimally invasive cochlear implant technique, using the Improvise imaging software (Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, US).

Methods An experimental study with 9 stillbirth specimens, with gestational ages ranging between 32 and 40 weeks, undergoing tomographic evaluation with individualization and reconstruction of the labyrinth, facial nerve, ossicular chain, tympanic membrane and cochlea followed by drill path definition to the scala tympani. Improvise was used for the computed tomography (CT) evaluation and for the reconstruction of the structures and trajectory of the drill.

Results Range of the distance of the trajectory to the facial nerve: 0.58 to 1.71 mm. to the ossicular chain: 0.38 to 1.49 mm; to the tympanic membrane: 0.85 to 1.96 mm; total range of the distance of the trajectory: 5.92 to 12.65 mm.

Conclusion The measurements of the relationship between the drill and the anatomical structures of the middle ear and the simulation of the trajectory showed that the middle ear cavity at 32 weeks was big enough for surgical procedures such as cochlear implants. Although cochlear implantation at birth is not an indication yet, this study shows that the technique may be an option in the future.
Osseointegrated Implants and Prosthetic Reconstruction Following Skull Base Surgery
Authors: Hu Shirley , Arnaoutakis Demetri , Kadakia Sameep , Vest Allison , Sawhney Raja , Ducic Yadranko
Published: October 2017

Rehabilitation following ablative skull base surgery remains a challenging task, given the complexity of the anatomical region, despite the recent advances in reconstructive surgery. Remnant defects following resection of skull base tumors are often not amenable to primary closure. As such, numerous techniques have been described for reconstruction, including local rotational muscle flaps, pedicled flaps with skin paddle, or even free tissue transfer. However, not all patients are appropriate surgical candidates and therefore may instead benefit from nonsurgical options for functional and aesthetic restoration. Osseointegrated implants and biocompatible prostheses provide a viable alternative for such a patient population. The purpose of this review serves to highlight current options for prosthetic rehabilitation of skull base defects and describe their indications, advantages, and disadvantages.