bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Presentació
Authors: Escartí Soriano Vicent Josep
Published: January 2016

Presnetació del núm. 6 de SCRIPTA
Radiodifusão e telecomunicações: o paradoxo da desvinculação normativa no Brasil
Authors: Torquato G. Barros Chalini
Published: January 2016

O livro se dedica a analisar os fatores que permeavam as circunstâncias definidoras do modelo brasileiro de TV digital que foi implementado em 2007. Naquele período ficava evidente a magnitude da influência política que o empresariado da radiodifusão exercia para pressionar por uma decisão favorável às suas expectativas e o quanto isso limava o debate histórico que estava sendo travado sob as novas possibilidades democráticas que a nova plataforma poderia oferecer.
Critical damping constant of microwave-assisted magnetization switching
Authors: Yamaji Toshiki , Arai Hiroko , Matsumoto Rie , Imamura Hiroshi
Published: January 2016

Microwave-assisted switching of magnetization in a perpendicularly magnetized disk was theoretically studied and special attention was paid to the effect of a damping constant on the switching field. We found that there exists a critical damping constant above which the switching field suddenly increases. We derived an analytical expression of the critical damping constant and showed that it decreases with increasing frequency of the microwave field, while it increases with increasing amplitude of the microwave field and the effective anisotropy field.
Strong impact of the initial III/V ratio on the crystalline quality of an AlN layer grown by rf-plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy
Authors: Kaneko Mitsuaki , Kimoto Tsunenobu , Suda Jun
Published: January 2016

The initial Al/N ratio for AlN growth of plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy without plasma stabilization is investigated. The in situ growth rate of AlN gradually increased and its temporal variation corresponded to that of nitrogen atoms, which indicated that the initial Al/N ratio was excessively Al-rich. For AlN growth, such a high-Al/N-ratio condition resulted in a three-dimensional growth mode in the initial stage of the growth, and AlN with high threading dislocation density was obtained. By controlling the initial Al/N ratio by introducing a short standby time, the resulting two-dimensional initial growth mode leads to high-quality growth of AlN.
A method for achieving monotonic frequency–temperature response for langasite surface-acoustic-wave high-temperature sensor
Authors: Shaoming Bao , Yabing Ke , Yanqing Zheng , Lina Cheng , Honglang Li
Published: January 2016

To achieve the monotonic frequency–temperature response for a high-temperature langasite (LGS) surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) sensor in a wide temperature range, a method utilizing two substrate cuts with different propagation angles on the same substrate plane was proposed. In this method, the theory of effective permittivity is adopted to calculate the temperature coefficients of frequency (TCF), electromechanical coupling coefficients (k
2), and power flow angle (PFA) for different propagation angles on the same substrate plane, and then the two substrate cuts were chosen to have large k
2 and small PFA, as well as the difference in their TCFs (ΔTCF) to always have the same sign of their values. The Z-cut LGS substrate plane was taken as an example, and the two suitable substrate cuts with propagation angles of 74 and 80° were chosen to derive a monotonic frequency–temperature response for LGS SAW sensors at −50 to 540 °C. Experiments on a LGS SAW sensor using the above two substrate cuts were designed, and its measured frequency–temperature response at −50 to 540 °C agreed well with the theory, demonstrating the high accuracy of the proposed method.
Threshold voltage control in dinaphthothienothiophene-based organic transistors by plasma treatment: Toward their application to logic circuits
Authors: Kitani Asahi , Kimura Yoshinari , Kitamura Masatoshi , Arakawa Yasuhiko
Published: January 2016

The threshold voltage in p-channel organic thin-film transistors (TFTs) having dinaphthothienothiophene as a channel material has been investigated toward their applicability to logic circuits. Oxygen plasma treatment of the gate dielectric surface was carried out to control the threshold voltage. The threshold voltage changed in the range from −6.4 to 9.4 V, depending on plasma treatment time and the thickness of the gate dielectric. The surface charge after plasma treatment was estimated from the dependence of the threshold voltage. Operation of logic inverters consisting of TFTs with different threshold voltages was demonstrated as an application of TFTs with controlled threshold voltage.
The role of 2,4-dihydroxyquinoline (DHQ) inPseudomonas aeruginosapathogenicity
Authors: Gruber Jordon D. , Chen Wei , Parnham Stuart , Beauchesne Kevin , Moeller Peter , Flume Patrick A. , Zhang Yong-Mei
Published: January 2016

Bacteria synchronize group behaviors using quorum sensing, which is advantageous during an infection to thwart immune cell attack and resist deleterious changes in the environment. InPseudomonas aeruginosa, thePseudomonasquinolone signal (Pqs) quorum-sensing system is an important component of an interconnected intercellular communication network. Two alkylquinolones, 2-heptyl-4-quinolone (HHQ) and 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4-quinolone (PQS), activate transcriptional regulator PqsR to promote the production of quinolone signals and virulence factors. Our work focused on the most abundant quinolone produced from the Pqs system, 2,4-dihydroxyquinoline (DHQ), which was shown previously to sustain pyocyanin production and antifungal activity ofP. aeruginosa. However, little is known about how DHQ affectsP. aeruginosapathogenicity. UsingC. elegansas a model forP. aeruginosainfection, we foundpqsmutants only able to produce DHQ maintained virulence towards the nematodes similar to wild-type. In addition, DHQ-only producing mutants displayed increased colonization ofC. elegansand virulence factor production compared to a quinolone-null strain. DHQ also bound to PqsR and activated the transcription ofpqsoperon. More importantly, high extracellular concentration of DHQ was maintained in both aerobic and anaerobic growth. High levels of DHQ were also detected in the sputum samples of cystic fibrosis patients. Taken together, our findings suggest DHQ may play an important role in sustainingP. aeruginosapathogenicity under oxygen-limiting conditions.
L-Canavanine potentiates the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin and cisplatin in arginine deprived human cancer cells
Authors: Nurcahyanti Agustina DR , Wink Michael
Published: January 2016

The non-protein amino acid L-canavanine (L-CAV), an antimetabolite of L-arginine (L-ARG), can alter the 3D conformation of proteins when incorporated into a protein instead of L-ARG. L-CAV inhibits the proliferation of some tumour cells. The deprivation of L-ARG in the culture medium enhances the response of cells to L-CAV. This study aimed to investigate the interaction of L-CAV in combination with the chemotherapeutic drugs, doxorubicin (DOX) or cisplatin (CIS), in cancer cells, especially in the absence of L-ARG. A combination method based on the median-effect principle and mass-action law was used. The following cancer cells were employed: HeLa and Caco-2 cells, overexpressing argininosuccinate synthase (ASS), pancreatic cells (MIA PaCa-2 and BxPC-3) and hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Hep G2 and SK-HEP-1), with down-regulated ASS. When constant and non-constant ratios of L-CAV were combined with DOX and CIS, a synergistic potentiation of cytotoxicity was recorded. Cells expressing high levels of ASS were more sensitive to the treatment as compared to the cells with reduced ASS levels. Overall, this study may provide a new approach to targeting some cancer cells with L-CAV in combination with DNA-targeting drugs such as DOX and CIS, especially those cells which overexpress ASS, such as human cervical and colorectal carcinoma cells.
A century of human‐driven changes in the carbon dioxide concentration of lakes
Authors: Perga Marie‐Elodie , Maberly Stephen C. , Jenny Jean‐Philippe , Alric Benjamin , Pignol Cécile , Naffrechoux Emmanuel
Published: January 2016

Now that evasion of carbon dioxide (CO2) from inland waters is accounted for in global carbon models, it is crucial to quantify how these fluxes have changed in the past and forecast how they may alter in the future in response to local and global change. Here we developed a sediment proxy for the concentration of summer surface dissolved CO2 concentration and used it to reconstruct changes over the past 150 years for three large lakes that have been affected by climate warming, changes in nutrient load, and detrital terrigenous supplies. Initially CO2 neutral to the atmosphere, all three lakes subsequently fluctuated between near equilibrium and supersaturation. Although catchment inputs have supplied CO2 to the lakes, internal processes and reallocation have ultimately regulated decadal changes in lake surface CO2 concentration. Nutrient concentration has been the dominant driver of CO2 variability for a century although the reproducible, nonmonotonic relationship of CO2 to nutrient concentration suggests an interplay between metabolic and chemical processes. Yet for two of these lakes, climatic control of CO2 concentrations has been important over the last 30 years, promoting higher surface CO2 concentrations, likely by decreasing hypolimnetic carbon storage. This new approach offers the unique opportunity to scale, a posteriori, the long‐term impact of human activities on lake CO2.
Functional hydrogels with a multicatalytic activity for bioremediation: Single‐step preparation and characterization
Authors: Spizzirri Umile Gianfranco , Curcio Manuela , Cirillo Giuseppe , Picci Nevio , Nicoletta Fiore Pasquale , Iemma Francesca
Published: January 2016

In a single‐step free radical reaction, multicatalytic hydrogels were synthesized by covalent immobilization of Pancreatin onto a film composed of Acrylamide and Polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate750. Hydrogels were characterized by determination of their dynamic swelling ratios and each catalytic activity was extensively investigated by determination of kinetic parameters KM and Vmax. The immobilization process was found to preserve the hydrolytic properties of Pancreatin (Protease, Lipase, and Amylase catalytic activities). Catalytic efficiencies were the highest with Protease and the lowest with Amylase. Reusability values higher than 60% after 10 repeated cycles proved the applicability of the proposed material in industrial practice. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43338.
Evaluation of brush cytology and DNA image cytometry for the detection of cancer of the oral cavity
Authors: Kaur Manveen , Handa Uma , Mohan Harsh , Dass Arjun
Published: January 2016

Background

Cancer of the oral cavity is the sixth most common malignancy reported worldwide. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of brush cytology and the adjunctive role of DNA image cytometry (ICM) in the diagnosis of oral cancer.

Method

Oral brush smears and biopsy were obtained from 100 consecutive patients presenting with suspicious oral lesions. DNA‐ICM was performed on 96 cytology smears which had adequate cellularity.

Results

On cytology, 54 cases were benign, 36 were malignant, 6 were suspicious for malignancy, and 4 were inadequate due to scanty cellularity. On histopathologic examination, 49 cases were diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma and 51 cases as benign. The sensitivity of brush cytology for the detection of cancer was 83.3% and the specificity was 95.8%. The positive and negative predictive values were 95.2% and 85.2%, respectively, with a diagnostic accuracy of 86%. Out of 96 cases analyzed by image analysis to assess DNA ploidy, 33 cases were aneuploid and 63 were diploid. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of DNA‐ICM were 68.7%, 100%, 100%, and 76.1%, respectively, giving a diagnostic accuracy of 81%. The combination of cytology and DNA cytometry increased the sensitivity to 92% and specificity to 100%.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates the usefulness of DNA‐ICM as an adjunct to brush cytology to diagnose oral cancer. It reduces the false negative cases on cytology and also adds to objectivity in cytologically doubtful cases. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:201–205. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Oroxylin A inhibits invasion and migration through suppressing ERK/GSK‐3β signaling in snail‐expressing non‐small‐cell lung cancer cells
Authors: Wei Libin , Yao Yuyuan , Zhao Kai , Huang Yujie , Zhou Yuxin , Zhao Li , Guo Qinglong , Lu Na
Published: January 2016

Snail is closely linked to tumor invasion, metastasis, and recurrence and indicates prognosis of patients suffering from cancer. Overexpression of Snail increases motility and invasiveness of cancer cells, which has become target for anti‐metastatic treatment. Oroxylin A, a natural compound extracted from Scutellaria radix, has been reported to inhibit invasion and migration in breast cancer. In this study, we investigated the anti‐invasive effect of oroxylin A on lung cells and uncovered its underlying mechanism. The results suggested that oroxylin A could inhibit migration and invasion in Snail‐expressing 95‐D, and A549 cells whereas it had little effect on non‐expressing GLC‐82 cells. Furthermore, enhanced Snail expression after transfection of Snail vector in GLC‐82 cells is decreased by oroxylin A. Snail can also induce epithelial‐mesenchymal transition. We found oroxylin A could reverse TGFβ1‐induced epithelial‐mesenchymal transition by inhibiting Snail expression. As a result, oroxylin A up‐regulated E‐cadherin expression and down‐regulated vimentin, MMP‐9, and CD44v6 expression, which could lead to the inhibition of tumor migration and invasion. Mechanically, we demonstrated that oroxylin A suppressed activation of ERK instead of AKT pathway and then promoted activation of GSK‐3β to reduce Snail protein content. Finally, we established transplanted, metastatic, and orthotopic models of A549 cells, and found that oroxylin A inhibited the growth and lung metastasis of A549 cells in vivo. Taken together, we proposed that oroxylin A might be a promising candidate targeting tumor metastasis. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Study on dynamic mechanical, thermal, and mechanical properties of long glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane/poly(butylene terephthalate) composites
Authors: Zhang Daohai , He Min , Qin Shuhao , Yu Jie , Guo Jianbing , Xu Guomin
Published: January 2016

Long glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane and poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) (LGFTP) composites with different ratios of TPU and PBT were prepared by using self‐designed impregnation device. The dynamic mechanical, thermal, and mechanical properties of LGFTP composites were studied. Results showed that there was good compatibility between TPU and PBT. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMA) results indicated that the TPU content and scanning frequencies had some influence on dynamic mechanical properties and glass transition of LGFTP composites. In addition, the Arrhenius relationship has been used to calculate the activation energy of α‐transition of the composites. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated that with increasing TPU content the crystallization temperature (Tc), the melting point (Tm), and the percent crystallinity (Xc) decreased. Both TG and DTG curves of the LGFTP composites are shifted to lower temperatures with the increasing of TPU content. Mechanical properties showed that the addition of TPU could lead to a remarkable increase tensile and notched izod impact strength with a small reduction in flexural strength and modulus of LGFTP composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:63–72, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
State of the art and future prospectives of poly(lactic acid) based blends and composites
Authors: Sangeetha V.H. , Deka Harekrishna , Varghese T.O. , Nayak S.K.
Published: January 2016

The finite availability of petroleum and environmental considerations has given emphasis on the development of raw materials for polymers from renewable resources. Polymers from renewable resources are expected to gain great momentum nowadays as petroleum resources become less secure. The use of biopolymer blends and composites can bring out a revolution in the field of automobile, pharmaceutical, packaging industry, etc. Poly(lactic acid) or polylactide (PLA) is the most extensively researched and utilized biodegradable and renewable thermoplastic polyester, with a potential to replace conventional petrochemical‐based polymers. Besides its relatively high tensile strength and modulus compared to other thermoplastics such as polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, the low impact strength and less heat tolerance of the material makes it inadequate for more demanding applications. It is the most promising material for the production of environment friendly high performance products. It is proven to be superior to conventional plastics in terms of energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission in life cycle analysis. The general purpose of this review is to introduce PLA, a compostable, biodegradable thermoplastic made from renewable sources and their blends. In the first part of this review, we briefly discuss the advantages, limitations, production methods of PLA. The second part, the major objective of this paper, focuses on the various toughening modification of PLA and also about PLA based green composites using natural fibers and agricultural residues. It also highlights the major research progress and strategies applied to improve the brittleness of polylactic acid. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:81–101, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
Testing for high‐dimensional geometry in random graphs
Authors: Bubeck Sébastien , Ding Jian , Eldan Ronen , Rácz Miklós Z.
Published: January 2016

We study the problem of detecting the presence of an underlying high‐dimensional geometric structure in a random graph. Under the null hypothesis, the observed graph is a realization of an Erdős‐Rényi random graph G(n, p). Under the alternative, the graph is generated from the model, where each vertex corresponds to a latent independent random vector uniformly distributed on the sphere , and two vertices are connected if the corresponding latent vectors are close enough. In the dense regime (i.e., p is a constant), we propose a near‐optimal and computationally efficient testing procedure based on a new quantity which we call signed triangles. The proof of the detection lower bound is based on a new bound on the total variation distance between a Wishart matrix and an appropriately normalized GOE matrix. In the sparse regime, we make a conjecture for the optimal detection boundary. We conclude the paper with some preliminary steps on the problem of estimating the dimension in . © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 49, 503–532, 2016
The natural history of elevated tetradecenoyl‐L‐carnitine detected by newborn screening in New Zealand: implications for very long chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase deficiency screening and treatment
Authors: Ryder Bryony , Knoll Detlef , Love Donald R. , Shepherd Phillip , Love Jennifer M. , Reed Peter W. , de Hora Mark , Webster Dianne , Glamuzina Emma , Wilson Callum
Published: January 2016

Very long chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCADD, OMIM #201475) has been increasingly diagnosed since the advent of expanded newborn screening (NBS). Elevated levels of tetradecenoyl‐L‐carnitine (C14:1) in newborn screening blood spot samples are particularly common in New Zealand, however this has not translated into increased VLCADD clinical presentations. A high proportion of screen‐positive cases in NZ are of Maori or Pacific ethnicity and positive for the c.1226C > T (p.Thr409Met) ACADVL gene variant. We performed a retrospective, blinded, case–control study of 255 cases, born between 2006 and 2013, with elevated NBS C14:1 levels between 0.9 and 2.4 μmol/L, below the NZ C14:1 notification cut‐off of 2.5 μmol/L. Coded healthcare records were audited for cases and age‐ and ethnicity‐ matched controls. The clinical records of those with possible VLCADD‐related symptoms were reviewed. The follow‐up period was 6 months to 7 years. Two of 247 cases (0.8 %) had possible VLCADD‐like symptoms while four of 247 controls (2 %) had VLCADD‐like symptoms (p = 0.81). Maori were overrepresented (68 % of the cohort vs 15 % of population). Targeted analysis of the c.1226 locus revealed the local increase in screening C14:1 levels is associated with the c.1226C > T variant (97/152 alleles tested), found predominantly in Maori and Pacific people. There was no increase in clinically significant childhood disease, irrespective of ethnicity. The study suggests that children with elevated C14:1, between 0.9‐2.4 μmol/L, on NBS are at very low risk of clinically significant childhood disease. A minimally interventional approach to managing these patients is indicated, at least in the New Zealand population.
Does angiogenesis play a role in the establishment of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy?
Authors: Benini Ruba , Roth Raquel , Khoja Zehra , Avoli Massimo , Wintermark Pia
Published: January 2016

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is a focal epileptic disorder that is frequently associated with hippocampal sclerosis. This study investigated whether blocking angiogenesis prevents the development of seizures and hippocampal atrophy in the pilocarpine rat model of MTLE. To block angiogenesis, a subset of animals were given sunitinib orally. Continuous video recordings were performed to identify seizures. Brains were then extracted and sectioned, and hippocampal surfaces and angiogenesis were assessed. After a latent period of 6.6 ± 2.6 days, the sham‐treated pilocarpine rats presented convulsive seizures, while the pilocarpine rats treated with sunitinib did not develop seizures. Sham‐treated pilocarpine rats but not sunitinib‐treated pilocarpine rats had significantly smaller hippocampi. Endothelial cell counts in sham‐treated pilocarpine rats were significantly greater than in controls and sunitinib‐treated pilocarpine rats. Blocking angiogenesis immediately following the initial insult in this animal model prevented thus angiogenesis and hippocampal atrophy and averted the development of clinical seizures.
Social isolation in women with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain
Authors: Mellado Bruna H. , Falcone Ananda C.M. , Poli‐Neto Omero B. , Rosa e Silva Julio C. , Nogueira Antonio A. , Candido‐dos‐Reis Francisco J.
Published: January 2016

Objective

To evaluate the perceptions of women with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain regarding their social ties.

Methods

A qualitative study was undertaken of women with chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis. Focus groups discussions among four to six participants were performed until saturation at the Clinics Hospital of Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Ribeirão Preto, southwest Brazil, between February 2013 and January 2014. Transcripts were analyzed according to the grounded theory approach and the emerging categories were coded using the WebQDA platform.

Results

Six focus group discussions took place, with a total of 29 patients. Social isolation was the main emerging theme. Social isolation was associated with a lack of understanding about endometriosis symptoms and with resignation in face of recurrent pain episodes. Avoiding partner intimacy and isolation from family and friends were components of social isolation.

Conclusion

Women with endometriosis develop progressive social isolation after the onset of chronic pelvic pain. This finding is important for the multidisciplinary management of the disease.
Profiling the human hippocampal proteome at all pathologic stages of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Hondius David C. , van Nierop Pim , Li Ka Wan , Hoozemans Jeroen J.M. , van der Schors Roel C. , van Haastert Elise S. , van der Vies Saskia M. , Rozemuller Annemieke J.M. , Smit August B.
Published: January 2016

Introduction

We performed a comprehensive quantitative proteomics study on human hippocampus tissue involving all Braak stages to assess changes in protein abundance over the various stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods

Hippocampal subareas CA1 and subiculum of 40 cases were isolated using laser capture microdissection and analyzed using mass spectrometry. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry were used for validation.

Results

Over the Braak stages, an altered expression was found for 372 proteins including changes in levels of extracellular matrix components, and in calcium‐dependent signaling proteins. Early changes were observed in levels of proteins related to cytoskeletal dynamics and synaptic components including an increase in RIMS1 and GRIK4. Several synaptic proteins, such as BSN, LIN7A, DLG2, ‐3, and ‐4, exhibit an early‐up, late‐down expression pattern.

Discussion

This study provides new insight into AD‐dependent changes in protein levels in the hippocampus during AD pathology, identifying potential novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers.
Tracheal agenesis, a frightening scenario
Authors: Mohammed H , West K , Bewick J , Wickstead M
Published: January 2016

Objective:

This paper discusses three cases of tracheal agenesis that presented within a six-week period to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. By reviewing the available literature on tracheal agenesis, the report aims to outline a protocol for future prenatal and postnatal management.

Methods:

A case series and a literature review.

Results:

Three cases of tracheal agenesis presented in the classical manner, with respiratory distress and unsuccessful intubation following delivery. A literature review confirmed that prenatal diagnosis requires future innovation; survival is rare and is predominately reliant on intubation of the oesophagus when a patent tracheoesophageal fistula is present. In most cases, tracheal agenesis represents part of the ‘VATER’ association: vertebral defects, anal atresia, tracheoesophageal fistula with oesophageal atresia, and radial or renal dysplasia. Complex, multiple-stage surgical procedures have been described; however, no survival to adolescence is documented.

Conclusion:

There is a call for improved prenatal diagnosis to allow both adequate counselling of parents and preparation for multi-specialty management at delivery. In addition, these cases highlight the ongoing need for improved congenital anomaly data within the UK, with currently only 49 per cent of England's births being registered.
Offenbach, Wagner, Nietzsche: the Polemics of Opera
Authors: Senelick Laurence
Published: January 2016

By the early 1870s, the term ‘filth’ had become Wagner’s shorthand for Offenbach. He attacked his fellow composer both publicly and privately and sought to establish a polarity between the two, confining Offenbach to the realm of frivolous and materialistic popular folk culture while casting his own work as exemplary of the new German spirit. Laurence Senelick’s close analysis of Wagner’s writings, including his notorious 1869 essay ‘Jewishness in Music’, shows this critique to be fuelled by jealousy, cultural imperialism, and his growing anti-Semitism. Nietzsche is included here as a counterpoint, challenging his former mentor and celebrating Offenbach as the exemplar of Jewish genius. Laurence Senelick is Fletcher Professor of Drama and Oratory at Tufts University and Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His most recent books include Soviet Theater: A Documentary History (2014, with Sergei Ostrovsky) and the second, enlarged edition of A Historical Dictionary of Russian Theatre (2015). This article is taken from his forthcoming The Offenbach Century: His Influence on Modern Culture (Cambridge University Press).
Swedification patterns of Latin and Greek affixes in clinical text
Authors: Grigonytė Gintarė , Kvist Maria , Wirén Mats , Velupillai Sumithra , Henriksson Aron
Published: January 2016

Swedish medical language is rich with Latin and Greek terminology which has undergone a Swedification since the 1980s. However, many original expressions are still used by clinical professionals. The goal of this study is to obtain precise quantitative measures of how the foreign terminology is manifested in Swedish clinical text. To this end, we explore the use of Latin and Greek affixes in Swedish medical texts in three genres: clinical text, scientific medical text and online medical information for laypersons. More specifically, we use frequency lists derived from tokenised Swedish medical corpora in the three domains, and extract word pairs belonging to types that display both the original and Swedified spellings. We describe six distinct patterns explaining the variation in the usage of Latin and Greek affixes in clinical text. The results show that to a large extent affixes in clinical text are Swedified and that prefixes are used more conservatively than suffixes.
The effects of environmental risk on consumption dynamics: an empirical analysis on the Mediterranean countries
Authors: Baiardi Donatella , Manera Matteo , Menegatti Mario
Published: January 2016

This paper estimates a theory-based regression model which studies the macro-economic impact of environmental and consumption risks on consumption growth in the Mediterranean region. The analysis is carried out using time series aggregate data for 13 Mediterranean countries over the period 1965–2008. The results indicate that both risks and their interaction significantly influence consumption dynamics. The estimates of the indices of relative risk aversion and relative prudence, as well as the relative preference for the quality of environment, suggest marked cross-country heterogeneity.
THE RETURN ON SOCIAL SECURITY WITH INCREASING LONGEVITY
Authors: Knell Markus
Published: January 2016

In this paper I study the impact of increasing longevity on pay-as-you-go pension systems. First, I show that increasing longevity increases the internal rate of return. The size of the effect differs for different policy regimes. It is higher for the case where the retirement age is increased to keep the system in balance than for the case where the necessary adjustment is achieved by reducing pension benefits. Second, I study optimally chosen retirement decisions and I show that the socially optimal policy involves a shorter working life than the private optimum. The social optimum can be implemented by the use of a PAYG system that combines an actuarial and a flat pension.
FIB Plan View Preparation and Electron Tomography of Ga-Containing Droplets Induced by Melt-Back Etching in Si
Authors: Gries Katharina I. , Werner Katharina , Beyer Andreas , Stolz Wolfgang , Volz Kerstin
Published: January 2016

Melt-back etching is an effect that can occur for gallium (Ga) containing III/V semiconductors grown on Si. Since this effect influences interfaces between the two compounds and therefore the physical characteristics of the material composition, it is desirable to understand its driving forces. Therefore, we investigated Ga grown on Si (001) via metal organic chemical vapor deposition using trimethyl Ga as a precursor. As a result of the melt-back etching, Ga-containing droplets formed on the Si surface which reach into the Si wafer. The shape of these structures was analyzed by plan view investigation and cross sectional tomography in a (scanning) transmission electron microscope. For plan view preparation a focused ion beam was used to avoid damage to the Ga-containing structures, which are sensitive to the chemicals normally used during conventional plan view preparation. Combining the results of both investigation methods confirms that the Ga-containing structure within the Si exhibits a pyramid shape with facets along the Si {111} lattice planes.
Confining energy migration in upconversion nanoparticles towards deep ultraviolet lasing
Authors: Chen Xian , Jin Limin , Kong Wei , Sun Tianying , Zhang Wenfei , Liu Xinhong , Fan Jun , Yu Siu Fung , Wang Feng
Published: January 2016

Manipulating particle size is a powerful means of creating unprecedented optical properties in metals and semiconductors. Here we report an insulator system composed of NaYbF4:Tm in which size effect can be harnessed to enhance multiphoton upconversion. Our mechanistic investigations suggest that the phenomenon stems from spatial confinement of energy migration in nanosized structures. We show that confining energy migration constitutes a general and versatile strategy to manipulating multiphoton upconversion, demonstrating an efficient five-photon upconversion emission of Tm3+ in a stoichiometric Yb lattice without suffering from concentration quenching. The high emission intensity is unambiguously substantiated by realizing room-temperature lasing emission at around 311 nm after 980-nm pumping, recording an optical gain two orders of magnitude larger than that of a conventional Yb/Tm-based system operating at 650 nm. Our findings thus highlight the viability of realizing diode-pumped lasing in deep ultraviolet regime for various practical applications.
Two-Step Delivery: Exploiting the Partition Coefficient Concept to Increase Intratumoral Paclitaxel Concentrations In vivo Using Responsive Nanoparticles
Authors: Colby Aaron H. , Liu Rong , Schulz Morgan D. , Padera Robert F. , Colson Yolonda L. , Grinstaff Mark W.
Published: January 2016

Drug dose, high local target tissue concentration and prolonged duration of exposure are essential criteria in achieving optimal drug performance. However, systemically delivered drugs often fail to effectively address these factors with only fractions of the injected dose reaching the target tissue. This is especially evident in the treatment of peritoneal cancers, including mesothelioma, ovarian and pancreatic cancer, which regularly employ regimens of intravenous and/or intraperitoneal chemotherapy (e.g., gemcitabine, cisplatin, pemetrexed and paclitaxel) with limited results. Here, we show that a “two-step” nanoparticle (NP) delivery system may address this limitation. This two-step approach involves the separate administration of NP and drug where, first, the NP localizes to tumor. Second, subsequent administration of drug then rapidly concentrates into the NP already stationed within the target tissue. This two-step method results in a greater than 5-fold increase in intratumoral drug concentrations compared to conventional “drug-alone” administration. These results suggest that this unique two-step delivery may provide a novel method for increasing drug concentrations in target tissues.
An authenticity survey of herbal medicines from markets in China using DNA barcoding
Authors: Han Jianping , Pang Xiaohui , Liao Baosheng , Yao Hui , Song Jingyuan , Chen Shilin
Published: January 2016

Adulterant herbal materials are a threat to consumer safety. In this study, we used DNA barcoding to investigate the proportions and varieties of adulterant species in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) markets. We used a DNA barcode database of TCM (TCMD) that was established by our group to investigate 1436 samples representing 295 medicinal species from 7 primary TCM markets in China. The results indicate that ITS2 barcodes could be generated for most of the samples (87.7%) using a standard protocol. Of the 1260 samples, approximately 4.2% were identified as adulterants. The adulterant focused on medicinal species such as Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), Radix Rubi Parvifolii (Maomeigen), Dalbergiae odoriferae Lignum (Jiangxiang), Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (Shichangpu), Inulae Flos (Xuanfuhua), Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (Jinyinhua), Acanthopanacis Cortex (Wujiapi) and Bupleuri Radix (Chaihu). The survey revealed that adulterant species are present in the Chinese market and these adulterants pose a risk to consumer health. Thus, regulatory measures should be adopted immediately. We suggest that a traceable platform based on DNA barcode sequences be established for TCM market supervision.
Antigenic mapping of an H9N2 avian influenza virus reveals two discrete antigenic sites and a novel mechanism of immune escape
Authors: Peacock Thomas , Reddy Kolli , James Joe , Adamiak Beata , Barclay Wendy , Shelton Holly , Iqbal Munir
Published: January 2016

H9N2 avian influenza virus is a major cause of poultry production loss across Asia leading to the wide use of vaccines. Efficacy of vaccines is often compromised due to the rapid emergence of antigenic variants. To improve the effectiveness of vaccines in the field, a better understanding of the antigenic epitopes of the major antigen, hemagglutinin, is required. To address this, a panel of nine monoclonal antibodies were generated against a contemporary Pakistani H9N2 isolate, which represents a major Asian H9N2 viral lineage. Antibodies were characterized in detail and used to select a total of 26 unique ‘escape’ mutants with substitutions across nine different amino acid residues in hemagglutinin including seven that have not been described as antigenic determinants for H9N2 viruses before. Competition assays and structural mapping revealed two novel, discrete antigenic sites “H9-A” and “H9-B”. Additionally, a second subset of escape mutants contained amino acid deletions within the hemagglutinin receptor binding site. This constitutes a novel method of escape for group 1 hemagglutinins and could represent an alternative means for H9N2 viruses to overcome vaccine induced immunity. These results will guide surveillance efforts for arising antigenic variants as well as evidence based vaccine seed selection and vaccine design.
Fatigue-induced Orosomucoid 1 Acts on C-C Chemokine Receptor Type 5 to Enhance Muscle Endurance
Authors: Lei Hong , Sun Yang , Luo Zhumin , Yourek Gregory , Gui Huan , Yang Yili , Su Ding-Feng , Liu Xia
Published: January 2016

Understanding and managing fatigue is a significant challenge in clinic and society. In attempting to explore how the body responds to and regulates fatigue, we found in rodent fatigue models that orosomucoid 1 (ORM1) was significantly increased in multiple tissues, including blood and muscle. Interestingly, administration of exogenous ORM1 increased muscle glycogen and enhanced muscle endurance, whereas ORM1 deficiency resulted in a significant decrease of muscle endurance both in vivo and in vitro, which could largely be restored by exogenous ORM1. Further studies demonstrated that ORM1 can bind to C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) on muscle cells and deletion of the receptor abolished the effect of ORM1. Thus, fatigue upregulates the level of ORM1, which in turn functions as an anti-fatigue protein to enhance muscle endurance via the CCR5 pathway. Modulation of the level of ORM1 and CCR5 signaling could be a novel strategy for the management of fatigue.
A comprehensive characterization of simple sequence repeats in pepper genomes provides valuable resources for marker development in Capsicum
Authors: Cheng Jiaowen , Zhao Zicheng , Li Bo , Qin Cheng , Wu Zhiming , Trejo-Saavedra Diana L. , Luo Xirong , Cui Junjie , Rivera-Bustamante Rafael F. , Li Shuaicheng , Hu Kailin
Published: January 2016

The sequences of the full set of pepper genomes including nuclear, mitochondrial and chloroplast are now available for use. However, the overall of simple sequence repeats (SSR) distribution in these genomes and their practical implications for molecular marker development in Capsicum have not yet been described. Here, an average of 868,047.50, 45.50 and 30.00 SSR loci were identified in the nuclear, mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes of pepper, respectively. Subsequently, systematic comparisons of various species, genome types, motif lengths, repeat numbers and classified types were executed and discussed. In addition, a local database composed of 113,500 in silico unique SSR primer pairs was built using a homemade bioinformatics workflow. As a pilot study, 65 polymorphic markers were validated among a wide collection of 21 Capsicum genotypes with allele number and polymorphic information content value per marker raging from 2 to 6 and 0.05 to 0.64, respectively. Finally, a comparison of the clustering results with those of a previous study indicated the usability of the newly developed SSR markers. In summary, this first report on the comprehensive characterization of SSR motifs in pepper genomes and the very large set of SSR primer pairs will benefit various genetic studies in Capsicum.
Oxidative Dimerization of PHD2 is Responsible for its Inactivation and Contributes to Metabolic Reprogramming via HIF-1α Activation
Authors: Lee Gibok , Won Hyung-Sik , Lee Yoon-Mi , Choi Jae-Wan , Oh Taek-In , Jang Jeong-Hwa , Choi Dong-Kug , Lim Beong-Ou , Kim Young Jun , Park Jong-Wan , Puigserver Pere , Lim Ji-Hong
Published: January 2016

Prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2 (PHD2) belongs to an evolutionarily conserved superfamily of 2-oxoglutarate and Fe(II)-dependent dioxygenases that mediates homeostatic responses to oxygen deprivation by mediating hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) hydroxylation and degradation. Although oxidative stress contributes to the inactivation of PHD2, the precise molecular mechanism of PHD2 inactivation independent of the levels of co-factors is not understood. Here, we identified disulfide bond-mediated PHD2 homo-dimer formation in response to oxidative stress caused by oxidizing agents and oncogenic H-rasV12 signalling. Cysteine residues in the double-stranded β-helix fold that constitutes the catalytic site of PHD isoforms appeared responsible for the oxidative dimerization. Furthermore, we demonstrated that disulfide bond-mediated PHD2 dimerization is associated with the stabilization and activation of HIF-1α under oxidative stress. Oncogenic H-rasV12 signalling facilitates the accumulation of HIF-1α in the nucleus and promotes aerobic glycolysis and lactate production. Moreover, oncogenic H-rasV12 does not trigger aerobic glycolysis in antioxidant-treated or PHD2 knocked-down cells, suggesting the participation of the ROS-mediated PHD2 inactivation in the oncogenic H-rasV12-mediated metabolic reprogramming. We provide here a better understanding of the mechanism by which disulfide bond-mediated PHD2 dimerization and inactivation result in the activation of HIF-1α and aerobic glycolysis in response to oxidative stress.
Genome-wide identification of DNA methylation provides insights into the association of gene expression in rice exposed to pesticide atrazine
Authors: Lu Yi Chen , Feng Sheng Jun , Zhang Jing Jing , Luo Fang , Zhang Shuang , Yang Hong
Published: January 2016

Atrazine (ATR) is a pesticide widely used for controlling weeds for crop production. Crop contamination with ATR negatively affects crop growth and development. This study presents the first genome-wide single-base-resolution maps of DNA methylation in ATR-exposed rice. Widespread differences were identified in CG and non-CG methylation marks between the ATR-exposed and ATR-free (control) rice. Most of DNA methyltransferases, histone methyltransferases and DNA demethylase were differentially regulated by ATR. We found more genes hypermethylated than those hypomethylated in the regions of upstream, genebody and downstream under ATR exposure. A stringent group of 674 genes (p < 0.05, two-fold change) with a strong preference of differential expression in ATR-exposed rice was identified. Some of the genes were identified in a subset of loss of function mutants defective in DNA methylation/demethylation. Provision of 5-azacytidine (AZA, inhibitor of DNA methylation) promoted the rice growth and reduced ATR content. By UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS, 8 degraded products and 9 conjugates of ATR in AZA-treated rice were characterized. Two of them has been newly identified in this study. Our data show that ATR-induced changes in DNA methylation marks are possibly involved in an epigenetic mechanism associated with activation of specific genes responsible for ATR degradation and detoxification.
Efficient OPSL-pumped mode-locked Yb:Lu2O3 laser with 67% optical-to-optical efficiency
Authors: Heuer Alexander M. , Saraceno Clara J. , Beil Kolja , Huber Günter , Kränkel Christian
Published: January 2016

We present a mode-locked Yb:Lu2O3 laser with up to 67% of optical-to-optical efficiency. By utilizing a high brightness optically pumped semiconductor laser (OPSL) as a pump source and using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) we obtained self-starting mode locking. A pulse duration of 571 fs at 4.73 W of average output power with an optical-to-optical efficiency of 67% was achieved. In a slightly different cavity configuration the pulse duration was reduced to 313 fs at 2.16 W of average output power. In both cases the pulse duration was longer than the Fourier limit and the spectrum supports significantly shorter pulse durations. The laser wavelength is centered at 1034 nm and the repetition rate is 100.76 MHz in both cases. In continuous wave fundamental mode operation the optical-to-optical efficiency was as high as 78% with output powers exceeding 5 W.
Development and validation of a new RP-HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of hydroquinone, kojic acid, octinoxate, avobenzone, BHA and BHT in skin-whitening cream
Authors: Galimany-Rovira Fanny , Pérez-Lozano Pilar , Suñé-Negre Josep Ma , García-Montoya Encarna , Miñarro Montserrat , Ticó Josep R.
Published: January 2016

Simultaneous analysis with a single HPLC run allows for a much more cost-effective and less time-consuming analysis of skin-whitening cream.
Selective hydrosilylation of N-allylimines using a (3-iminophosphine)palladium precatalyst
Authors: Tafazolian Hosein , Schmidt Joseph A. R.
Published: January 2016

Hydrosilylation utilizing a (3-iminophosphine)palladium catalyst leads to the selective reduction of the imine unit of allylimines.
Cycled storage-discharge (CSD) plasma catalytic removal of benzene over AgMn/HZSM-5 using air as discharge gas
Authors: Liu Yang , Li Xiao-Song , Liu Jing-Lin , Wu Junliang , Ye Daiqi , Zhu Ai-Min
Published: January 2016

AgMn/HZSM-5 catalyst exhibits great performance during cycled storage-discharge plasma catalytic removal of benzene using air as discharge gas.
Covalency hinders AnO2(H2O)+→ AnO(OH)2+isomerisation (An = Pa–Pu)
Authors: Kaltsoyannis Nikolas
Published: January 2016

Computational analysis of the electronic structures of AnO2(H2O)+(An = Pa–Pu) demonstrates that isomerisation to AnO(OH)2+is least favoured for the system with the most covalent An–Oylbond.
Giant tunnel magneto-resistance in graphene based molecular tunneling junction
Authors: Wang Bin , Li Jianwei , Yu Yunjin , Wei Yadong , Wang Jian , Guo Hong
Published: January 2016

We propose and theoretically investigate a class of stable zigzag graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR) based molecular magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs).
Cyclopropenation of internal alkynylsilanes and diazoacetates catalyzed by copper(i) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes
Authors: Thomas Thomas J. , Merritt Benjamin A. , Lemma Betsegaw E. , McKoy Adina M. , Nguyen Tri , Swenson Andrew K. , Mills Jeffrey L. , Coleman Michael G.
Published: January 2016

Copper(i) N-heterocyclic carbene (CuNHC) complexes are effective catalysts for the cyclopropenation of internal alkynylsilanes and diazoacetates compounds.
Multi-stimuli responsive supramolecular hydrogels based on Fe3+ and diblock copolymer micelle complexation
Authors: Tao Zhen , Peng Kang , Fan Yujiao , Liu Yunfei , Yang Haiyang
Published: January 2016

We report a multi-stimuli responsive supramolecular hydrogel with great potential for biomedical application, which was composed of the micelle-forming diblock copolymer and physically cross-linked by complexation between ferric ions and carboxylic acid groups, exhibiting gel–sol transition caused by UV irradiation, multidentate ligands (EDTA) and redox agents (Na2S2O4).
Surface functionalization of titanium with tetracycline loaded chitosan–gelatin nanosphere coatings via EPD: fabrication, characterization and mechanism
Authors: Cai Xinjie , Ma Kena , Zhou Yi , Jiang Tao , Wang Yining
Published: January 2016

Tetracycline loaded chitosan–gelatin nanosphere coating has been fabricated on titanium substrate via electrophoretic deposition.
Effect of back mixing on thin-layer drying characteristics of sewage sludge by the appropriate foaming pretreatment
Authors: Zhao Lijun , Yang Zhaohui , Huang Jing , Yan Jingwu , Xu Rui
Published: January 2016

Herein, we report the creative combination of foaming and back mixing.