bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) versus PCR for ancient DNA library amplification
Authors: Richards Stephen M , Mitchell Kieren J , Tobler Raymond , Cooper Alan
Published: February 2019

Background: Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) is a relatively new isothermal methodology for amplifying DNA. RPA is similar to traditional PCR in that it produces an amplicon that is defined by the annealing of two opposing oligonucleotide primers. However, while PCR relies on repeated heating and cooling cycles to denature and amplify DNA fragments, RPA is performed at a single moderate temperature and uses enzymatic activity to drive amplification. While RPA is commonly used in field-based monitoring of pathogens, it is unknown whether RPA is a viable alternative to PCR for the amplification of ancient DNA.

Methods: In this study, PCR and RPA were used to amplify shotgun and mitochondrial DNA enriched libraries made from extracts from four ancient bison bone samples. Sequencing data from the amplified libraries were examined for biases in sequence content (read length and GC content), fraction of unique reads mapping to a reference sequence, and mitochondrial polymorphisms detection accuracy.

Results: In comparison to PCR, RPA had a variable effect on sequence content, except in the mitochondrial DNA enriched libraries where RPA consistently reduced mean read length by approximately 30 bp. RPA increased the number of unique shotgun reads that mapped to a cattle nuclear reference by between 9% and 99% versus PCR. In contrast, RPA reduced the fraction of unique mitochondrial DNA enriched reads by > 26%, possibly due to the preferential amplification of small unmappable molecules.Both RPA and PCR data allowed the identification of similar variants in mitochondrial DNA enriched libraries, suggesting that the accuracy of the two amplification methods is comparable. Importantly, RPA was able to generate sequencing libraries at approximately a sixth of the cost of PCR. These results indicate that RPA is a viable alternative to PCR for amplification of shotgun libraries made from ancient DNA but may not be suitable for all ancient DNA applications.
Beyond protein-coding genes
Authors: Lozano-Ureña Anna , Ferrón Sacri R
Published: February 2019

A long non-coding RNA called lnc-NR2F1 regulates several neuronal genes, including some involved in autism and intellectual disabilities.
Metamaterial Based Circular Disc Patch Antenna Miniaturization
Authors: Kumar V. , Wu Y.
Published: February 2019

A novel metamaterial structure has been proposed for its operation at 2.4 GHz. A circular disc patch antenna resonating at dual band frequency with 2.4 GHz and 3.36 GHz has been designed using full field solver CST MWS tool and the loading effect of the metamaterial has been shown. The loading of metamaterial shows a radial size reduction of 56.71% in the circular disc patch (dimensional space reduction by 81.26%) while the effect of loading the metamaterial array and loading the metamaterial with defected ground plane show that without reducing the disc patch radius, the patch antenna can resonate at 1.00 and 1.942 GHz respectively, these yield a lower frequency shift of 58.33% and 19.79%. The designed metamaterial consists of two copper conductive concentric circular rings over a polyimide substrate. Various antenna parameters such as S11, VSWR, Bandwidth, Gain, Directivity and Radiation efficiency have been obtained for the circular disc patch antenna, circular disc patch antenna loaded with the metamaterial, circular disc patch antenna loaded with an array of metamaterial and are compared. A spice circuit has been derived for the reflection coefficient of the circular disc patch without loading the metamaterial, circular disc patch loaded with metamaterial using Keysight based ADS tool for its inclusion in a traditional electrical circuit solver tool.
Design of dual and Wideband Rectangular Patch Antenna for C and X Band Applications
Authors: Lakrit S.
Published: February 2019

In this paper, we resolve two issues of microstrip antennas, which are miniaturization and efficiency behavior. For  that, a rectangular patch antenna with 16×18×1.6 mm3 dimensions with dual-band characteristics, was designed, fabricated and characterized.  In order to improve the problem of narrow bandwidth in  microstrip antennas, we implement in this study the slot  technique, allowing us to achieve our purpose. This technique,  lead to a good reflection coefficient and VSWR. The  characteristics of the fabricated antenna were measured and  analyzed by Vector Network Analyzer. The results show two  resonance frequencies that define two bandwidths defined by a  return loss less than -10 dB and are respectively; 7.47 GHz at a  frequency of 400 MHz, and 11.01 GHz at a frequency of 790  MHz. Also, the obtained gain has a good value and it’s very  remarkable according to the small size of the structure, with  a peak value of 6.1 dB at 12.5 GHz.  The small size and good characteristics enlarged the applications  domains of our structure, from telecommunications and  especially Radar, satellite communications to medical and  wireless applications.
Pollen metabarcoding reveals broad and species-specific resource use by urban bees
Authors: Potter Caitlin , de Vere Natasha , Jones Laura E. , Ford Col R. , Hegarty Matthew J. , Hodder Kathy H. , Diaz Anita , Franklin Elizabeth L.
Published: February 2019

Bee populations are currently undergoing severe global declines driven by the interactive effects of a number of factors. Ongoing urbanisation has the potential to exacerbate bee declines, unless steps are taken to ensure appropriate floral resources are available. Sown wildflower strips are one way in which floral resources can be provided to urban bees. However, the use of these strips by pollinators in urban environments remains little studied. Here, we employ pollen metabarcoding of the rbcL gene to compare the foraging patterns of different bee species observed using urban sown wildflower strips in July 2016, with a goal of identifying which plant species are most important for bees. We also demonstrate the use of a non-destructive method of pollen collection. Bees were found to forage on a wide variety of plant genera and families, including a diverse range of plants from outside the wildflower plots, suggesting that foragers visiting sown wildflower strips also utilize other urban habitats. Particular plants within the wildflower strips dominated metabarcoding data, particularly Papaver rhoeas and Phacelia tanacetifolia. Overall, we demonstrate that pollinators observed in sown wildflower strips use certain sown foodplants as part of a larger urban matrix.
Association between education and health outcomes among adults with disabilities: evidence from Shanghai, China
Authors: Ge Tong , Zhang Qi , Lu Jun , Chen Gang , Sun Mei , Li Xiaohong
Published: February 2019

Background

Adults with disabilities often have worse health outcomes than do their peers without disabilities. While education is a key determinant of health, there is little research available on the health disparities across education levels among adults with disabilities in developing countries. We therefore examined the association between health outcomes and education among adults with disabilities in Shanghai, China.

Methods

We used the health examination records of 42,715 adults with disabilities in Shanghai in 2014. Five health outcomes, including two diseases (fatty liver and hemorrhoids) and three risk factors (overweight [body mass index ≥ 24]), high blood glucose, and high blood lipid), were evaluated. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s chi-square test were used to assess differences in participants’ demographic and disability characteristics. Pearson’s chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were conducted to compare the prevalence of each health outcome among the different education levels. Finally, logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the association between education and health outcomes after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

People with an elementary school or lower degree had the highest prevalence of overweight (52.1%) and high blood glucose (20.8%), but the lowest prevalence of hemorrhoids (18.6%) and fatty liver (38.9%). We observed significant differences in the association between education and health outcomes across disability types. For example, in physically disabled adults, higher education was related to higher odds of hemorrhoids (p< 0.001); however, there were no significant disparities in hemorrhoids across the education levels among adults with intellectual disabilities.

Discussion

Compared with people without disabilities, adults with disabilities in Shanghai have relatively poor health. The association between education and health outcomes differed according to the health condition and disability type. To reduce the prevalence rate of overweight and high blood glucose among people with disabilities, tailored health promotion initiatives must be developed for people with lower education levels. In contrast, specific attention should be paid to the prevention of hemorrhoids and fatty liver among more-educated people with disabilities. Our study provides important evidence for targeting educational groups with specific disability types for health promotion and intervention.
Mulberry EIL3 confers salt and drought tolerances and modulates ethylene biosynthetic gene expression
Authors: Liu Changying , Li Jun , Zhu Panpan , Yu Jian , Hou Jiamin , Wang Chuanhong , Long Dingpei , Yu Maode , Zhao Aichun
Published: February 2019

Ethylene regulates plant abiotic stress responses and tolerances, and ethylene-insensitive3 (EIN3)/EIN3-like (EIL) proteins are the key components of ethylene signal transduction. Although the functions of EIN3/EIL proteins in response to abiotic stresses have been investigated in model plants, little is known in non-model plants, including mulberry (Morus L.), which is an economically important perennial woody plant. We functionally characterized a gene encoding an EIN3-like protein from mulberry, designated as MnEIL3. A quantitative real-time PCR analysis demonstrated that the expression of MnEIL3 could be induced in roots and shoot by salt and drought stresses. Arabidopsis overexpressing MnEIL3 exhibited an enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stresses. MnEIL3 overexpression in Arabidopsis significantly upregulated the transcript abundances of ethylene biosynthetic genes. Furthermore, MnEIL3 enhanced the activities of the MnACO1 and MnACS1 promoters, which respond to salt and drought stresses. Thus, MnEIL3 may play important roles in tolerance to abiotic stresses and the expression of ethylene biosynthetic genes.
Sexual dimorphism in the Chinese endemic speciesPachyhynobius shangchengensisFei, Qu and Wu, 1983 (Urodela: Hynobiidae)
Authors: Xiong Jianli , Zhang Baowei , Liu Qiangqiang , Pan Tao , Gou Jianping
Published: February 2019

Sexual dimorphism (SD) is a widespread phenomenon in most vertebrate species and is exhibited in a myriad of ways. In amphibians, sexual size dimorphism, in which females are larger than males, is the most common type, and sexual shape dimorphism varies among species. Different selection forces (sexual selection, fecundity selection, and ecological selection) that act differently upon the sexes form the consequence of SD. Thus, studies of SD provide information about the general intersexual divergence of the same species and allow insights into the impact of selective forces on the sexes. In this study, we analyzed morphometric data of the Shangcheng stout salamander,Pachyhynobius shangchengensis, an endemic and poorly known Chinese salamander, to examine sexual dimorphism in size and shape. The morphometric data included 15 characteristics of 68 females and 55 males which were analyzed using univariate and multivariate methods. A significant difference was found between the sexes in terms of both body size (snout-vent length) and some body shapes (e.g., head length and width, tail length and width, distance between limbs, and limb length and width) in this salamander. The longer snout-vent length in males may be attributed to sexual selection, longer and wider head in males may contribute to male-male competition, longer and wider tail in males may be attributed to energy storage and reproductive success, the larger distance between limbs in females is likely due to a fecundity advantage, and longer and more robust limbs in males may be related to reproductive or competitive behaviors. These results demonstrated that sexual dimorphism of different morphological traits is the consequence of different selection forces that act differently upon the sexes.
Sulfated polysaccharides from Phaeodactylum tricornutum: isolation, structural characteristics, and inhibiting HepG2 growth activity in vitro
Authors: Yang Shengfeng , Wan Haitao , Wang Rui , Hao Daijun
Published: February 2019

Microalgae, eukaryotic unicellular plants, are increasing in demand due to their use as nutraceutical and food supplements. They consisted different kinds of biologically active components such as polysaccharides. On the other hand, cancer is the leading cause of death globally. At present, there is no efficient method to cure it. Therefore, in this work, we extracted polysaccharides from Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PTP), characterized the chemical composition and structure, and investigated its anticancer activity on HepG2 cells. The results showed that PTP was a sulfated polysaccharide with a high Mw of 4,810 kDa, and xylose, fucose, glucose and galactose were the main monosaccharides. PTP has significant anticancer activity in a dose-dependent manner (up to 60.37% at 250 ug/mL) according to MTT assays. Furthermore, cycle analysis was carried out to explain its anticancer activity. The results showed that it exhibited anticancer effect mainly through the induction of apoptosis without affecting the cycle and mitosis of HepG2 cells. This might make it a potential drug for anticancer treatment in the future.
Maternal inheritance of F1 hybrid morphology and colony shape in the coral genus Acropora
Authors: Fukami Hironobu , Iwao Kenji , Kumagai Naoki H. , Morita Masaya , Isomura Naoko
Published: February 2019

Background

The coral genus Acropora contains more than 150 species with very high morphological diversity. This high diversity may have been caused by repeated hybridization via mass spawning. However, we have little information whether hybrids are formed in these corals. Identifying morphological differences between hybrids and their parental species would provide an opportunity to find wild hybrids in the field and to understand how colony shapes of Acropora have become highly diversified throughout evolutionary history. In the two morphologically distinctive coral species Acropora florida and A. intermedia in the Indo-Pacific, their gametes show high rates of bi-directional intercrossing in vitro, and thus these two species are ideal species to investigate the morphological traits of the hybrids.

Methods

We examined morphological characters of F1 hybrids from A. florida to A. intermedia, which were produced from in vitro crossing experiments. To compare morphological differences, we grew juveniles and mature colonies of reciprocal F1 hybrids (FLOint: A. florida eggs × A. intermedia sperm, and INTflo: A. intermedia eggs × A. florida sperm) and of the parental species (purebreds of A. intermedia and A. florida). We analyzed skeletal morphology such as colony size, branch length, and branching number, and compared them with those of a putative F1 hybrid between A. florida and A. intermedia found in the field. We also confirmed the molecular phylogenetic position of F1 hybrids, parental species, and a putative F1 hybrid using the mitochondrial non-coding region.

Results

Our morphological analysis revealed that branching number of the F1 hybrids was intermediate relative to the parental species. Moreover, the FLOint hybrids were morphologically more closely related to the maternal species A. florida, and the INTflo hybrids were to A. intermedia. Molecular data showed that A. florida and A. intermedia were clearly divided into two clades, and that F1 hybrids grouped in the clade based on their maternal parent. A very similar pattern to the INTflo hybrids was obtained for the putative F1 hybrid in nature.

Discussion

Our results revealed that F1 hybrids between two Indo-Pacific species A. florida and A. intermedia had intermediate morphology relative to their parent species but reflected the maternal parent more. Similarity to maternal species in hybrids is opposite to the Caribbean Acropora species that had more paternal morphological characters in hybrids. These results further suggest that some genetic factor in eggs is likely to affect determination of colony shape in the Indo-Pacific. At present, we have considered colonies with intermediate morphs between different species to be intra-specific morphological variation, but they may be real F1 hybrids. Indeed, a putative F1 hybrid represented similar morphological and molecular features to the F1 hybrids, and thus it is plausible to be attributed as a “real” F1 hybrid in nature.
The anatomy and phylogenetic position of the erythrosuchid archosauriformGuchengosuchus shiguaiensisfrom the earliest Middle Triassic of China
Authors: Butler Richard J. , Ezcurra Martín D. , Liu Jun , Sookias Roland B. , Sullivan Corwin
Published: February 2019

Erythrosuchidae is a clade of early archosauriform reptiles, which were apex predators in many late Early and Middle Triassic ecosystems, following the Permo-Triassic mass extinction. Erythrosuchids had a worldwide distribution, with well-preserved fossil material known from South Africa, European Russia, and China. We here redescribe the anatomy and revise the taxonomy ofGuchengosuchus shiguaiensis, which is one of the stratigraphically oldest erythrosuchids and is known from a single partial skeleton from the lowermost Middle Triassic (lower Anisian) lower Ermaying Formation of Shaanxi Province, China. We provide a new differential diagnosis forGuchengosuchus shiguaiensis, and identify a series of autapomorphies relating to the morphologies of the skull roof and vertebrae. Incorporating updated anatomical information forGuchengosuchusinto the most comprehensive morphological phylogenetic analysis available for early archosauromorphs recovers it as an early branching member of Erythrosuchidae, outside of the clade formed byGarjainia,Erythrosuchus,Chalishevia, andShansisuchus. Fugusuchus hejiapanensis, from the uppermost Lower Triassic to lower Middle Triassic Heshanggou Formation of China, is recovered as the earliest branching member of Erythrosuchidae.
Breastfeeding in the time of Zika: a systematic literature review
Authors: Sampieri Clara Luz , Montero Hilda
Published: February 2019

Background

The disease Zika is considered as emergent. The infection can be acquired through different routes: a bite from the Aedes mosquito, sexual contact, from mother to child during pregnancy and by blood transfusion. The possibility of Zika transmission through human lactation has been considered. Zika is a disease of great concern for public health because it has been associated with neonatal and postnatal microcephaly, among other birth defects.

Objectives

To review published evidence of the probable transmission of Zika through human lactation.

Data sources

Electronic databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EBSCO, Gale, Science Direct, Scopus, US National Library of Medicine (PubMed) and Web of Science. World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web pages.

Study eligibility criteria

To be eligible, studies of any design had to provide primary data of human breast milk as a potential fluid for the transmission of Zika, or primary or secondary follow-up data of infants with at least one previous published study that complied with the first criterion of eligibility.

Participants

Studies about women with suspected, probable or confirmed Zika during pregnancy, or the postnatal period and beyond. Studies about infants who breastfeed directly from the breast or where fed with the expressed breast milk of the suspected, probable or confirmed women with Zika.

Results

This study only chose data from research papers; no patients were taken directly by the authors. A total of 1,146 were screened and nine studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, from which a total of 10 cases were identified, with documented follow-up in three of these cases. Through the timing of maternal Zika infection, five cases were classified as prenatal (time before delivery), one as immediate postnatal (period from 0 to 4 days after birth); no cases were classified as medium postnatal (period from 5 days to 8 weeks after birth); two were classified as long postnatal (period from 8 weeks to 6 months after birth) and two as beyond six months after birth.

Conclusion

Human milk may be considered as a potentially infectious fluid, but we found no currently documented studies of the long-term complications in infants up to 32 months of age, with suspected, probable or confirmed Zika through human lactation, or evidence with respect to the human pathophysiology of the infection acquired through human lactation. In the light of the studies reviewed here, the World Health Organization recommendation of June 29th 2016, remains valid: “the benefits of breastfeeding for the infant and mother outweigh any potential risk of Zika virus transmission through breast milk.”
Impact of agricultural farms on the environment of the Puck Commune: Integrated agriculture calculator—CalcGosPuck
Authors: Dzierzbicka-Glowacka Lidia , Pietrzak Stefan , Dybowski Dawid , Białoskórski Michał , Marcinkowski Tadeusz , Rossa Ludmiła , Urbaniak Marek , Majewska Zuzanna , Juszkowska Dominika , Nawalany Piotr , Pazikowska-Sapota Grażyna , Kamińska Bożena , Selke Bartłomiej , Korthals Paweł , Puszkarczuk Tadeusz
Published: February 2019

Background

Leaching of nutrients from agricultural areas is the main cause of water pollution and eutrophication of the Baltic Sea. A variety of remedial actions to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses from agricultural holdings and cultivated fields have been taken in the past. However, knowledge about the risk of nutrient leaching has not yet reached many farmers operating in the water catchment area of the Baltic Sea.

Methods

The nutrient balance method known as “At the farm gate” involves calculating separate balances for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). After estimating all the components of the nutrient balance, the total balance for NPK is calculated and the data obtained is expressed as the ratio of total change (surplus) to the area of arable land on a farm. In addition, the nutrient usage efficiency on a farm is also calculated. An opinion poll was conducted in 2017 on 3.6% (n = 31) of the farms located in commune of Puck. The total area of the farms including arable and grass land ranged from 5 to 130 ha with an average of 45.82 ha. The arable land was on average 30.79 ha ranging from 4.45 to 130 ha while the grassland averaged 12.77 ha and ranged from 0 to 53 ha.

Results

The average consumption of mineral fertilizer in the sample population of farms was 114.9 kg N, 9.3 kg P, and 22.9 kg K·ha−1of agricultural land (AL), respectively. N balance in the sample farms being ranged from −23.3 to 254.5 kg N·ha−1AL while nutrient use efficiency ranged from 0.40% to 231.3%. In comparison, P surplus in the sample farms was 5.0 kg P·ha−1AL with the P use efficiency of 0.4–266.5%.

Discussion

Mean N fertilizer consumption in the tested farms was higher than the average usage across Poland and in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. However, mean consumption of potassium fertilizers was lower than mentioned averages. Mean P fertilizer consumption was higher than in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, but lower compared to the entire country. Generally, on the basis of designated research indicators of farm pressures on water quality, concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus were obtained. CalcGosPuck (an integrated agriculture calculator) will help to raise farmers’ awareness about NPK flow on farm scale and to improve nutrient management.
Hybrid identification for Glycine max and Glycine soja with SSR markers and analysis of salt tolerance
Authors: Li Fayuan , Liu Xun , Wu Shengyan , Luo Qingyun , Yu Bingjun
Published: February 2019

Glycine max cultivars Lee68, Nannong 1138-2, and Nannong 8831 were used as the female parents, and hybrid lines (F5) 4,111, 4,076 (N23674 × BB52), 3,060 (Lee68 × N23227), and 185 (Jackson × BB52) that selected for salt tolerance generation by generation from the cross combination of G. max and G. soja were used as the male parents, 11 (A–K) backcrosses or three-way crosses were designed and 213 single hybrids were harvested. The optimized soybean simple sequence repeat (SSR)–polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system was used to analyze the SSR polymorphism of above parental lines and get the parental co-dominant SSR markers for hybrid identification, and in which 30 true hybrids were gained. The true hybrids (G1, G3, G9, G12, G13, G16) of G cross combination were chosen as the representative for the salt tolerance test, and the results showed that, as exposed to salt stress, the seedlings of G9 line displayed higher salt tolerant coefficient, relative growth rate, and dry matter accumulation, when compared with their female parent Nannong 1138-2, and even performed equally strong salt tolerance as the male parent 3,060. It provides a feasible method of the combination of molecular SSR markers and simple physiological parameters to identify the true hybrids of G. max and G. soja, and to innovate the salt-tolerant soybean germplasms.
Phytochemical content and antioxidant activity in aqueous extracts of Cyclocarya paliurus leaves collected from different populations
Authors: Zhou Mingming , Lin Yuan , Fang Shengzuo , Liu Yang , Shang Xulan
Published: February 2019

Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal) Iljinskaja is a multiple function tree species, but its main utilization is for the harvesting of its leaves as materials for tea production and recently as ingredients for the food industry. In this study aqueous extracts of C. paliurus leaves collected from 21 natural populations were evaluated for their phytochemical content and antioxidant activity. The content of water-soluble polysaccharide, total flavonoid and total polyphenol varied from 66.05 to 153.32 mg/g, 9.01 to 19.65 mg/g and 20.80 to 52.69 mg/g, respectively. Quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, aemferol-3-O-glucuronide and 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid were the major phenolic components in aqueous extracts of C. paliurus leaves. Both redundancy analysis and Pearson's correlation analysis indicated that water-soluble polysaccharide, total polyphenol, total flavonoid, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid and 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid were significantly correlated with antioxidant activity, but total polyphenol showed the greatest contribution to antioxidant capacity. The antioxidant activity of the 21 populations was classified into six distinct groups based on the squared Euclidean distance. These results would provide a theoretical basis for obtaining the greatest yield of targeted antioxidant phytochemicals of C. paliurus leaves for tea and food ingredient production.
A Measure for Evaluating the Degree of Slope Rotatability in Three Level Second Order Slope Rotatable Designs
Authors: Ednah Chepkemoi , Mutiso John Muindi , Nyamwala Fredrick Oluoch
Published: February 2019

Response surface methodology (RSM) often deals with a natural and desirable property rotatability, which requires that, the variance of the predicted response at a point remains constant at all such points that are equidistant from the design center. To achieve stability in prediction variance, this important property of rotatability was developed. Analogous to rotatability, the concept of slope-rotatability has been progressed. The idea of slope - rotatability is an important design criterion for response surface design. Recently, in the design of experiments for response surface analysis, attention has been focused on the estimation of dierences in response rather than absolute value of the response mean itself. The slope-rotatable design is that of which the variance of partial derivative is only a functions of : distance from the design center. If circumstances are such that exact slope rotatability is unattainable because of more cost and time, and more important restrictions such as orthogonal blocking it is still a good idea to make the design as slope rotatable as possible. Thus, it is important to measure the extent of deviation from slope rotatability. In this study, a new measure of the degree of slope-rotatability for three level second-order slope rotatable designs using a pair of a partially balanced incomplete block design is suggested that enables us to assess the degree of slope-rotatability for a given response surface design. This determines the degree slope rotatability for the design when subjected to existing conditions of measure. The measure takes the value zero when the design is exact slope-rotatable, and becomes larger as the design deviates from being slope-rotatable design.
Taxpayer Compliance from the Perspective of Slippery Slope Theory: An Experimental Study
Authors: Yasa I Nyoman Putra , Martadinata I Putu Hendra
Published: February 2019

The aims of this research is to do relevance on taxpayer compliance attitude based on slippery slope theory. The method used in this research is an experimental method with 63 taxpayers as the samples. The result of this research found that taxpayer trust level on tax authority has a positive and significant influence on taxpayer willingness to pay their tax, while tax authority’s power in watching over taxation process does not affect voluntary taxpayer compliance in paying tax. The highest voluntary taxpayer compliance rate is shown by the taxpayer with high trust in tax authority and has strong tax authority. On the other hand, the lowest voluntary taxpayer compliance rate is shown by the taxpayer with low trust on tax authority and have weak tax authority. In summary, this research supported the slippery slope theory and is hoped to be able to strengthen the relevance of slippery slope theory in explaining taxpayer compliance attitude.
Using the model statement to elicit verbal differences between truth tellers and liars amongst Arab interviewees: A partial replication of Leal, Vrij, Deeb, and Jupe (2018)
Authors: Leal Sharon , Vrij Aldert , Vernham Zarah , Dalton Gary , Jupe Louise Marie , Nahari Galit , Rozmann Nir
Published: February 2019

Leal, Vrij, Deeb, and Jupe (2018) found—with British participants—that a model statement elicited (a) more information and (b) a cue to deceit: After exposure to a model statement, liars reported significantly more peripheral information than truth tellers. We sought to replicate these findings with Arabs living in Israel. Truth tellers and liars reported a stand‐out event that they had (truth tellers) or pretended to have (liars) experienced in the last 2 years. Half of the participants were given a model statement in the second phase of the interview. Replicating Leal et al. (2018a), (a) truth tellers reported more core details than liars initially and (b) a model statement resulted in more additional core and peripheral details in the second phase of the interview. Unlike in Leal et al. (2018a), a model statement did not have a differential effect on truth tellers in the current experiment.
Magnetic Shielding at Low Frequencies: Application for an Aluminum/Steel Composite Elaborated by Accumulative Roll Bonding
Authors: Verstraete Kévin , Prévond Laurent , Helbert Anne‐Laure , Baudin Thierry
Published: February 2019

An IF steel/Al6061 composite elaborated by Accumulative Roll Bonding at room temperature is proposed for shielding effectiveness applications. The obtained composite is lighter than the copper and the steel with a density of 3–4.5. In the earlier rollings, a multilayered composite is developed which is in favor of strength but not of shielding. On the contrary, after 3 roll bondings, fragments of IF steel appear in the Al6061 matrix and drastically reduce strength but improve shielding. A finite element simulation of the shielding effectiveness is performed and
Thin‐Film Electrostatic Discharge Protection for Highly Segmented OLEDs in Automotive Applications
Authors: Bechert Hermann , Almora Osbel , Regau Kilian , Matt Gebhard J. , Brabec Christoph J. , Wehlus Thomas
Published: February 2019

Future autonomous driving requires new lighting solutions. Communication in between other cars and pedestrians, which fulfills the requirements of the automotive lighting industry, is needed. A very promising lighting solution for this application are highly segmented organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). Unfortunately, small area OLEDs are very sensitive to electrostatic discharge due to the small capacitance of the OLED segments. This study presents a solution for highly segmented OLEDs to fulfill automotive requirements regarding electrostatic discharge (ESD) without cost driving external components but through the improvement of the OLED itself. This solution is designed to be cheap and simple in fabrication, derived from standard photolithography to ensure no impact on existing supply chains and flexible OLED fabrication. After introducing the improved device concept for highly segmented OLEDs and its boundary conditions, a detailed view on the corresponding fabrication steps is given. The capacitive response of the protected OLED segments with respect to OLEDs without the introduced protection layer is characterized via impedance spectroscopy. The results exhibit the functionality of the ESD protection layer and prove with automotive ESD stability requirements compliance.
Plasmonic‐Enhanced Cholesteric Films: Coassembling Anisotropic Gold Nanorods with Cellulose Nanocrystals
Authors: Cheng Zheng , Ma Yi , Yang Lin , Cheng Feng , Huang Zhongjie , Natan Avi , Li Hongyan , Chen Yong , Cao Daxian , Huang Zhifeng , Wang YuHuang , Liu Yongmin , Yang Rendang , Zhu Hongli
Published: February 2019

Incorporating photonic crystals with nanoplasmonic building blocks gives rise to novel optoelectronic properties that promise designing advanced multifunctional materials and electronics. Herein, the free‐standing chiral plasmonic composite films are designed by coassembling anisotropic plasmonic gold nanorods (GNRs) and rod‐like cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). The effects of surface charge and concentration of the GNRs on the structure and optical properties of the CNC/GNR films are examined within this study. The CNC/GNR hybrid films retain the photonic characteristic of the CNCs host while concomitantly possessing the plasmonic resonance of GNRs. The negatively charged GNRs distribute uniformly in the layered CNCs host, inducing strong electrostatic repulsion among the CNCs and thus promoting the formation of a larger helical pitch than the case without GNRs. The positively charged GNRs decrease the chiroptical activity in the composite films with increasing the concentration of GNR, which is confirmed by the circular dichroism spectra. Notably, the surface plasmon resonances of GNRs enhance the fluorescence emission, which has been demonstrated by surface‐enhanced fluorescence signals in this work. This study sheds light on fabricating functional chiral plasmonic composite films with enhanced chiral plasmonics by utilizing CNCs as a dynamic chiral nematic template and adjusting surface charges.
A Simple, Mild and General Oxidation of Alcohols to Aldehydes or Ketones by SO2F2/K2CO3 Using DMSO as Solvent and Oxidant
Authors: Zha Gao‐Feng , Fang Wan‐Yin , Leng Jing , Qin Hua‐Li
Published: February 2019

A practical, general and mild oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to carbonyl compounds proceeds in yields of up to 99% using SO2F2 as electrophile in DMSO as both the oxidant and the solvent at ambient temperature. No moisture‐ and oxygen‐free conditions are required. Stoichiometric amount of inexpensive K2CO3, which generates easy to separate by‐products, is used as the base. Thus, 5‐gram scale runs proceeded in nearly quantitative yields by a simple filtration as the work‐up. The use of a polar solvent such as DMSO, which usually promotes competing Pummerer rearrangement, is also noteworthy. This protocol is compatible with a variety of common N‐, O‐, and S‐functional groups on (hetero)arene, alkene and alkyne substrates (68 examples). The protocol was applied (99% yield) to a formal synthesis of the important cholesterol‐lowering drug Rosuvastatin.

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Long‐term outcomes after biliary diversion operation for pancreaticobiliary maljunction in adult patients
Authors: Aota Takanori , Kubo Shoji , Takemura Shigekazu , Tanaka Shogo , Amano Ryosuke , Kimura Kenjiro , Yamazoe Sadaaki , Shinkawa Hiroji , Ohira Go , Shibata Toshihiko , Horiike Masaki
Published: February 2019

Aim

Pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) with or without congenital biliary dilatation (CBD) is a risk factor for biliary tract cancer. We investigated long‐term outcomes after biliary diversion operation with special reference to types of CBD.

Methods

Subjects comprised 40 adult patients who underwent biliary diversion operation for PBM without biliary tract cancer. Group A comprised 20 patients with type Ia or Ic CBD, or non‐dilated bile ducts, while group B comprised 20 patients with type IV‐A CBD. The clinical findings and postoperative outcomes were compared between groups.

Results

Of 40 patients, nine patients suffered from repeated cholangitis and eight of these nine patients suffered from hepatolithiasis after biliary diversion operation. Biliary tract cancer or pancreatic cancer was detected in four patients at 3 years and 2 months to 24 years after the operation. In three of these four patients, the serum concentration of carbohydrate antigen 19‐9 increased before detection of carcinoma. One patient died of hepatic failure due to repeated cholangitis. The proportions of patients with repeated cholangitis, hepatolithiasis, and re‐operation, and patients who died of biliary tract cancer, pancreatic cancer, or hepatic failure, were significantly higher in group B than in group A. The survival rate was significantly worse in group B than in group A.

Conclusions

Careful long‐term follow‐up with measurement of serum tumor markers is necessary after biliary diversion operation for PBM, especially in patients with type IV‐A CBD or repeated cholangitis.
Ethical implications of using biobanks and population databases for genetic suicide research
Authors: Shade Jess , Coon Hilary , Docherty Anna R.
Published: February 2019

This article provides a review of the ethical considerations that drive research policy and practice related to the genetic study of suicide. As the tenth cause of death worldwide, suicide constitutes a substantial public health concern. Biometrical studies and population‐based molecular genetic studies provide compelling evidence of the utility of investigating genetic underpinnings of suicide. International, federal, and institutional policies regulating research are explored through the lenses of the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non‐maleficence, and justice. Trapped between the Common Rule's definition of human subjects, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act's protected information, suicide decedent data occupy an ethical gray area fraught with jurisdictional, legal, and social implications. Two avenues of research, biobanks and psychological autopsies, provide tangible application for the ethical principles examining the risks to participants and their families. Additionally, studies surveying public opinion about research methods, especially broad consent, are explored. Our approach of applying the four ethical principles to policy, sample collection, data storage, and secondary research applications can also be applied to genetic research with other populations. We conclude that broad consent for secondary research, as well as next‐of‐kin at the time of autopsy, serve to satisfy privacy and confidentiality under the ethical principle of autonomy. We recommend ongoing ethical evaluation of research policy and practice.
Loss of ferritin‐positive microglia relates to increased iron, RNA oxidation, and dystrophic microglia in the brains of aged male marmosets
Authors: Rodríguez‐Callejas Juan de Dios , Cuervo‐Zanatta Daniel , Rosas‐Arellano Abraham , Fonta Caroline , Fuchs Eberhard , Perez‐Cruz Claudia
Published: February 2019

Microglia are cells that protect brain tissue from invading agents and toxic substances, first by releasing pro‐inflammatory cytokines, and thereafter by clearing tissue by phagocytosis. Microglia express ferritin, a protein with ferroxidase activity capable of storing iron, a metal that accumulates in brain during aging. Increasing evidence suggests that ferritin plays an important role in inflammation. However, it is not known if ferritin/iron content can be related to the activation state of microglia. To this end, we aimed to delineate the role of ferritin in microglia activation in a non‐human primate model. We analyzed brains of male marmosets and observed an increased density of ferritin+ microglia with an activated phenotype in hippocampus and cortex of old marmosets (mean age 11.25 ± 0.70 years) compared to younger subjects. This was accompanied by an increased number of dystrophic microglia in old marmosets. However, in aged subjects (mean age 16.83 ± 2.59 years) the number of ferritin+ microglia was decreased compared to old ones. Meanwhile, the content of iron in brain tissue and cells with oxidized RNA increased during aging in all hippocampal and cortical regions analyzed. Abundant amoeboid microglia were commonly observed surrounding neurons with oxidized RNA. Notably, amoeboid microglia were arginase1+ and IL‐10+, indicative of a M2 phenotype. Some of those M2 cells also presented RNA oxidation and a dystrophic phenotype. Therefore, our data suggest that ferritin confers protection to microglia in adult and old marmosets, while in aged subjects the decline in ferritin and the increased amount of iron in brain tissue may be related to the increased number of cells with oxidized RNA, perhaps precluding the onset of neurodegeneration.
Slow loris density in a fragmented, disturbed dry forest, north‐east Thailand
Authors: Oliver Katie , Ngoprasert Dusit , Savini Tommaso
Published: February 2019

Primate survival in disturbed forests can be governed by a complex of forest variables. For nocturnal arboreal primates, determining these ecological features is notoriously difficult but is critically important for their conservation. Here we assessed the effects of forest type, food availability, human disturbance, and forest structure on the nocturnal Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) in Sakaerat Biosphere, north‐east Thailand, a small disturbed fragment containing dry evergreen, dry dipterocarp, and plantation forests. Distance sampling revealed plantation forest had the highest density estimate (27 loris/km2) followed by dry evergreen forest (17 loris/km2), while dry dipterocarp forest only had four detections. Based on forest type selection analyses, loris had a positive association with sap and fruit‐flower productivity which was highest in plantation forest compared to the natural dry evergreen or dry dipterocarp forests. Furthermore, forest structure selection analysis indicated loris preferred denser canopies. Loris presence was positively associated with canopy height, canopy connections, tree trunk vegetation cover, and canopy density. The higher loris density found in the plantations, as also reported by other studies, was associated with dense vegetation structure and higher food productivity, particularly sap. However, the important structural features found in the plantation forest are strongly dependent on forest maturity, and the reduced longevity of such exotic tree species may limit the conservation importance of plantation forest, merely acting as a short‐term alternative to natural habitat.
Point‐of‐care ultrasound in obstetrics
Authors: Collins Kelly , Collins Craig , Kothari Alka
Published: February 2019

Point‐of‐care ultrasound, or PoCUS, where imaging is undertaken at the bedside, clinic or emergency department (ED) by the clinician overseeing treatment, is a rapid form of assessment that may be undertaken alongside or as an alternative to traditional, formal ultrasound performed by a radiology service. PoCUS reduces the time to diagnosis, thus allowing lifesaving treatment to be initiated. This is particularly relevant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OBGYN), where delayed diagnosis of pregnancy complications is often fatal or highly debilitating to the mother or fetus. The literature suggests that PoCUS is particularly useful in areas that are inadequately resourced, as it is relatively cheap and accessible. High‐quality training is essential to ensure that the staff performing the scans are adequately qualified to deliver the service. Clinicians who perform PoCUS in their practice should be aware of the appropriate indications, as well as when to refer for formal imaging.
Functional deficiency in endogenous interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist in patients with febrile infection‐related epilepsy syndrome
Authors: Clarkson Benjamin D. S. , LaFrance‐Corey Reghann G. , Kahoud Robert J. , Farias‐Moeller Raquel , Payne Eric T. , Howe Charles L.
Published: February 2019

Objective

We recently reported successful treatment of a child with febrile infection‐related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES), a subtype of new onset refractory status epilepticus, with the recombinant interleukin‐1 (IL1) receptor antagonist (IL1RA) anakinra. On this basis, we tested whether endogenous IL1RA production or function is deficient in FIRES patients.

Methods

Levels of IL1β and IL1RA were measured in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The inhibitory activity of endogenous IL1RA was assessed using a cell‐based reporter assay. IL1RN gene variants were identified by sequencing. Expression levels for the secreted and intracellular isoforms of IL1RA were measured in patient and control cells by real‐time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Levels of endogenous IL1RA and IL1β were elevated in the serum and CSF of patients with FIRES (n = 7) relative to healthy controls (n = 10). Serum from FIRES patients drove IL1R signaling activity and potentiated IL1R signaling in response to exogenous IL1β in a cell‐based reporter assay. Functional assessment of endogenous IL1RA activity in 3 FIRES patients revealed attenuated inhibition of IL1R signaling. Sequencing of IL1RN in our index patient revealed multiple variants. This was accompanied by reduced expression of intracellular but not secreted isoforms of IL1RA in the patient's peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Interpretation

Our findings suggest that FIRES is associated with reduced expression of intracellular IL1RA isoforms and a functional deficiency in IL1RA inhibitory activity. These observations may provide insight into disease pathogenesis for FIRES and other inflammatory seizure disorders and may provide a valuable biomarker for therapeutic decision‐making. Ann Neurol 2019;85:526–537
Radionuklidaktivierte Nanomaterialien und ihre biomedizinische Anwendung
Authors: Ferreira Carolina A. , Ni Dalong , Rosenkrans Zachary T. , Cai Weibo
Published: February 2019

Die Radionanomedizin – der Einsatz radiomarkierter Nanopartikel in der Nuklearmedizin – hat in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten immer mehr Aufmerksamkeit gefunden. Seit der Entdeckung der Tscherenkow‐Strahlung und ihrer Anwendung in der Tscherenkow‐Lumineszenzbildgebung revolutioniert die Kombination von Nanomaterialien mit Tscherenkow‐Strahlungsemittern die Haltung gegenüber Nanomaterialien auf diesem Gebiet: von einfachen inerten Radioaktivitätsträgern bis hin zu aktivierbaren Nanomaterialien für diagnostische und therapeutische Anwendungen. Hier werden wir einen umfassenden Überblick über die Nanomaterialtypen, die für die Interaktion mit der Tscherenkow‐Strahlung sowie mit der Gamma‐ und Beta‐Szintillation der Radionuklide eingesetzt wurden, sowie ihre biologischen Anwendungen geben.