bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dairy proteins and soy proteins in infant foods nitrogen-to-protein conversion factors
Authors: Maubois J.-L. , Lorient D.
Published: December 2015

Protein content of any source is classically determined through the analysis of its nitrogen content done for more 100 years by the Kjeldahl method, and the obtained result is multiplied by a number named nitrogen conversion factor (NCF). The value of NCF is related to the amino acid composition of the protein source and to the eventual presence of side groups covalently bound to some amino acids of the protein chain. Consequently, the value of NCF cannot be identical for all sources of food proteins. The aim of this paper is to review the available knowledge on the two allowed protein sources for infant food formulas, milk and soybean, in order to bring the right scientific basis which should be used for the revision of both European legislation and Codex Standard for Infant Formulas.
Asymptotic stability of solitary waves in generalized Gross–Neveu model
Authors: Comech Andrew , Phan Tuoc Van , Stefanov Atanas
Published: December 2015

For the nonlinear Dirac equation in

(1 + 1)\mathrm{D}

with scalar self-interaction (Gross–Neveu model), with quintic and higher order nonlinearities (and within certain range of the parameters), we prove that solitary wave solutions are asymptotically stable in the “even” subspace of perturbations (to ignore translations and eigenvalues

\pm 2\omega i

). The asymptotic stability is proved for initial data in

H^{1}

. The approach is based on the spectral information about the linearization at solitary waves which we justify by numerical simulations. For the proof, we develop the spectral theory for the linearized operators and obtain appropriate estimates in mixed Lebesgue spaces, with and without weights.
Clinical events and their relation to the tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10 genotypes in Sickle-Cell-Anemia patients
Authors: Andrade Cavalcante Jaâio Emanuel , Gonçalves Machado Rosângela Pinheiro , Laurentino Marilia Rocha , de Jesus dos Santos Talyta Ellen , Justino Bandeira Izabel Cristina , Maia Filho Pedro Aurio , Figueiredo Monalisa Feliciano , Costa Martins Alice Maria , Gonçalves Lemes Romélia Pinheiro
Published: December 2015

Objective/background:

Sickle-cell anemia (SCA) is a genetic blood disease characterized by chronic inflammation and a heterogeneous clinical picture. Serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) levels are associated with the clinical course of SCA. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the frequency of the polymorphisms TNF-alpha- 308 G . A, IL-10-1082 G . A, IL-10-819 C . T, and IL-10-592 A . C; serum TNF-alpha; and IL-10 levels, and the incidence of clinical events in SCA patients.

Methods:

Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and enzymelinked immunosorbent assay were performed on 25 adults with SCA at the steady state; their data were compared with those for 26 healthy individuals.

Results:

The most frequent genotype of the TNF-alpha polymorphism was GG (low producer), and the most frequent genotype of the IL-10 polymorphisms was “low producer” (ACC ACC, ACC ATA, ATA ATA). The TNF-alpha levels were significantly higher in SCA in patients with acute chest syndrome (ACS). The IL-10 levels were reduced in polytransfusion and in patients with ACS.

Conclusion:

The patients presented prevalence of TNF-alpha and IL-10 low-profile producer. The cytokine serum levels presented an association with the presence of polytransfusion and ACS in SCA patients.
Clopidogrel-induced refractory thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura successfully treated with rituximab
Authors: Khodor Sara , Castro Miguel , McNamara Colin , Chaulagain Chakra P.
Published: December 2015

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a multisystem disorder characterized by microvascular aggregation of platelets and fibrin strands causing thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and organ dysfunction. TTP can develop as a result of a deficiency in ADAMTS13 enzyme activity due to either a genetic defect or, more commonly, the development of anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibodies. TTP can also be associated with pregnancy, organ transplant, lupus, infections, and drugs. Here, we present a case of TTP that developed shortly after the start of clopidogrel treatment for acute ischemic stroke and acute myocardial infarction, and describe the clinical presentation, refractory course of the disease, and successful induction of remission through the use of rituximab in a setting of pre-existing autoimmune diseases.
Study of gonadal hormones in Egyptian female children with sickle cell anemia in correlation with iron overload
Authors: Hagag Adel A. , El-Farargy Mohamed S. , Elrefaey Shaymaa , Abo El-enein Amany M.
Published: December 2015

Objective/Background:

Sickle cell disease is a hereditary hemoglobinopathy characterized by abnormal hemoglobin production, hemolytic anemia, and intermittent occlusion of small blood vessels, leading to tissue ischemia, chronic organ damage, and organ dysfunction including endocrine organs. The aim of this work was to evaluate some gonadal hormones in female children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) in correlation with iron overload.

Methods:

This study was conducted on 40 female children with SCA with a serum ferritin of > 1000 ng/mL, who were attendants at the Hematology Unit, Pediatric Department, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt in the period from May 2012 to April 2014. Their ages ranged from 11 years to 15 years and the mean age value was 12.63 ± 1.36 years (Group I). Forty female children with SCA of matched age with no iron overload served as a control Group (Group II). For all patients in Groups I and II the following were performed/assessed: complete blood count, hemoglobin electrophoresis, serum iron status, serum estrogen, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

Results:

There were significantly higher serum ferritin and serum iron levels and significantly lower total iron binding capacity, FSH, LH, and estrogen levels in Group I compared with Group II (mean serum ferritin was 2635.1 ± 918.9 in Group I vs. 292.55 ± 107.2 in Group II with a p value of .001; mean serum iron was 196.3 ± 55.6 in Group I vs. 120 ± 16.57 in Group II with a p value of .001 and mean serum total iron binding capacity was 247.3 ± 28.6 in Group I vs. 327.8.7 ± 21.96 in Group II with a p value of .001; mean FSH level was 1.36 ± 0.22 mIU/mL in Group I vs. 2.64 ± 0.81 mIU/mL in Group II with a p value of .021; mean LH level was 0.11 ± 0.006 mIU/mL in Group I vs. 1.78 ± 1.12 mIU/mL in Group II with a p value of .003; mean estrogen level was 21.45 ± 10.23 pg/mL in Group I vs. 42.36 ± 15.44 pg/mL in Group II with a p value of 0.001) with significant negative correlation between serum gonadal hormones and serum ferritin (r = – .835 and p value of .01 for FSH and serum ferritin; r = – .597 and a p value of .01 for LH and serum ferritin; and r = – 0.624 and p value of .01 for estrogen and serum ferritin.

Conclusion:

Female patients with SCA with iron overload may have gonadal hormone deficiency with significant negative correlations between gonadal hormones including FSH, LH, estrogen, and serum ferritin. Recommendations include regular iron chelation for prevention of irreversible damage of the ovaries and attaining normal sexual maturation, and regular follow up for females with SCA with assessment of puberty as they are more vulnerable to develop hypogonadism and may require hormonal replacement therapy.
QUASIINVARIANT GAUSSIAN MEASURES FOR ONE-DIMENSIONAL HAMILTONIAN PARTIAL
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
Authors: TZVETKOV NIKOLAY
Published: December 2015

We prove the quasiinvariance of Gaussian measures (supported by functions of
increasing Sobolev regularity) under the flow of one-dimensional Hamiltonian partial
differential equations such as the regularized long wave, also known as the
Benjamin–Bona–Mahony (BBM) equation.
UNIFORM BMO ESTIMATE OF PARABOLIC EQUATIONS AND GLOBAL WELL-POSEDNESS OF THE THERMISTOR PROBLEM
Authors: LI BUYANG , YANG CHAOXIA
Published: December 2015

We prove global well-posedness of the time-dependent degenerate thermistor problem by establishing a uniform-in-time bounded mean ocsillation (BMO) estimate of inhomogeneous parabolic equations. Applying this estimate to the temperature equation, we derive a BMO bound of the temperature uniform with respect to time, which implies that the electric conductivity is an $A_{2}$ weight. The Hölder continuity of the electric potential is then proved by applying the De Giorgi–Nash–Moser estimate for degenerate elliptic equations with an $A_{2}$ coefficient. The uniqueness of the solution is proved based on the established regularity of the weak solution. Our results also imply the existence of a global classical solution when the initial and boundary data are smooth.
The Correlates of Media Freedom: An Introduction of the Global Media Freedom Dataset
Authors: Whitten-Woodring Jenifer , Van Belle Douglas A.
Published: December 2015

Media freedom has motivated substantial political activism, yet there are surprising gaps in the related academic literature, in part because of a lack of historic and consistent data. We introduce the newly expanded Global Media Freedom Dataset, which includes 196 countries from 1948 to 2012, and demonstrate how it can be used to test previous hypotheses and assumptions about the correlates of media freedom.
Archaeology and modern times: Bersu's Woodbury 1938 & 1939
Authors: Evans Christopher
Published: December 2015

Fifty years ago this month there began the second Great European War of the century, a war that followed an uncomfortable decade of tensions and persecutions. It is a fitting time to remember the work of Gerhard Bersu, the most distinguished of archaeological refugees into Britain from that persecution.
‘Reading the texts’: archaeology and the Homeric question
Authors: Sherratt E. S.
Published: December 2015

Specialists in Greek literature have long argued about how Homer's epics were formed and just what they represent. The question is a pressing example of the larger general case – the relationships between archaeology, history and oral literature in many periods and places. E.S. Sherratt, in offering an archaeological perspective on Homer, sets out to establish the stratigraphy of its text and its history
Consumption of a calcium and vitamin D-fortified food product does not affect iron status during initial military training: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Hennigar Stephen R. , Gaffney-Stomberg Erin , Lutz Laura J. , Cable Sonya J. , Pasiakos Stefan M. , Young Andrew J. , McClung James P.
Published: December 2015

Ca/vitamin D supplementation maintains bone health and decreases stress fracture risk during initial military training (IMT); however, there is evidence that Ca may negatively affect the absorption of other critical micronutrients, particularly Fe. The objective of this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was to determine whether providing 2000 mg/d Ca and 25µg/d vitamin D in a fortified food product during 9 weeks of military training affects Fe status in young adults. Male (n98) and female (n54) volunteers enrolled in US Army basic combat training (BCT) were randomised to receive a snack bar with Ca/vitamin D (n75) or placebo (snack bar without Ca/vitamin D;n77) and were instructed to consume 2 snack bars/d between meals throughout the training course. Circulating ionised Ca was higher (P<0·05) following BCT among those consuming the Ca/vitamin D bars compared with placebo. Fe status declined in both groups over the course of BCT. Transferrin saturation, serum ferritin and Hb were reduced (P<0·05) and soluble transferrin receptor increased (P<0·05) following BCT. There were no differences (P>0·05) in markers of Fe status between placebo and Ca/vitamin D groups. Collectively, these data indicate that Ca/vitamin D supplementation through the use of a fortified food product consumed between meals does not affect Fe status during IMT.
The Conquering Balkan Orthodox Merchant
Authors: Stoianovich Traian
Published: December 2015

The origins of a Balkan Orthodox merchant class or classes may be traced back to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Not until the eighteenth century, however, did it become sufficiently strong in wealth and number to capture the trade of Hungary, South Russia, and the eastern Mediterranean. The eighteenth century was a time of expansion of French, German, English, and Russian trade in the Balkans. It was also a time of growth of the trade of Moslem Albanian and Bosnian merchants. But, in terms of its significance to the cultural, political, and general historical evolution of the Balkan peoples, most important of all was the expansion of the Balkan Orthodox merchant: the Greek trader of Constantinople, Salonika, and Smyrna, the Greek and Orthodox Albanian merchant, sailor, and shipper of the smaller Aegean islands, the Greek, Vlach, and Macedo-Slav muleteer and forwarding agent of Epirus, Thessaly, and Macedonia, the Serbian pig-merchant of Šumadija, the “Illyrian” muleteer and forwarding agent of Herzegovina and Dalmatia, who set up business in Ragusa (Dubrovnik) or Trieste, the “Rascian” of Pannonia, and the Greek or Bulgarian of the eastern Rhodope. The Balkan Orthodox merchants were Ottoman, Habsburg, and Russian subjects, but their principal business was to bring goods into or out of the Ottoman Empire. The area of their primary business concentration stretched north and west of the political limits of the Ottoman Empire to Nezhin in South Russia, Leipzig in Germany, Vienna in Austria, and Livorno and Naples in Italy. In western Europe, they succeeded in creating an area of secondary commercial penetration.
‘Displacement’ before Displacement: Time, Place and the Case of Rural Urabá
Authors: CELESTINA MATEJA
Published: December 2015

Addressing the case of a community from rural Urabá, Colombia, this article focuses on the temporality of population displacement and asks: when does the ‘clock’ of displacement start? Drawing upon an in-depth ethnographic fieldwork it challenges the state driven narrative that displacement can be understood from the moment one leaves their residence and advances the argument that displacement is more than just physical relocation. By engaging with the broader social, political and economic context in which displacement occurred and bringing local voices to the fore, this article demonstrates how the experience of violence engendered a sense of displacement before residents actually left.
A 3-D MHD equilibrium description of nonlinearly saturated ideal external kink/peeling structures in tokamaks
Authors: Cooper W. A. , Graves J. P. , Duval B. P. , Porte L. , Reimerdes H. , Sauter O. , Tran T.-M.
Published: December 2015

Novel free boundary magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium states with spontaneous three-dimensional (3-D) deformations of the plasma–vacuum interface are computed. The structures obtained look like saturated ideal external kink/peeling modes. Large edge pressure gradients yield toroidal mode number $n=1$ distortions when the edge bootstrap current is large and higher $n$ corrugations when this current is small. Linear ideal MHD stability analyses confirm the nonlinear saturated ideal kink equilibrium states produced and we can identify the Pfirsch–Schlüter current as the main linear instability driving mechanism when the edge pressure gradient is large. The dominant non-axisymmetric component of this Pfirsch–Schlüter current drives a near resonant helical parallel current density ribbon that aligns with the near vanishing magnetic shear region caused by the edge bootstrap current. This current ribbon is a manifestation of the outer mode previously found on JET (Solano 2010). We claim that the equilibrium corrugations describe structures that are commonly observed in quiescent H-mode tokamak discharges.
Self-motions of pentapods with linear platform
Authors: Nawratil Georg , Schicho Josef
Published: December 2015

We give a full classification of all pentapods with linear platform possessing a self-motion beside the trivial rotation about the platform. Recent research necessitates a contemporary and accurate re-examination of old results on this topic given by Darboux, Mannheim, Duporcq and Bricard, which also takes the coincidence of platform anchor points into account. For our study we use bond theory with respect to a novel kinematic mapping for pentapods with linear platform, beside the method of singular-invariant leg-rearrangements. Based on our results we design pentapods with linear platform, which have a simplified direct kinematics concerning their number of (real) solutions.
The Democratic University: The Role of Justice in the Production of Knowledge
Authors: Anderson Elizabeth S.
Published: December 2015

What is the proper role of politics in higher education? Many policies and reforms in the academy, from affirmative action and a multicultural curriculum to racial and sexual harassment codes and movements to change pedagogical styles, seek justice for oppressed groups in society. They understand justice to require a comprehensive equality of membership: individuals belonging to different groups should have equal access to educational opportunities; their interests and cultures should be taken equally seriously as worthy subjects of study, their persons treated with equal respect and concern in communicative interaction. Conservative critics of these egalitarian movements represent them as dangerous political meddling into the disinterested pursuit of knowledge. They cast the pursuit of equality as a threat to freedom of speech and academic standards. In response, some radical advocates of such programs agree that the quest for equality clashes with free speech, but view this as an argument for sacrificing freedom of speech.
Delusional misidentification syndromes in a woman with mild learning disabilities
Authors: Cooper Sally-Ann , Collacott Richard A
Published: December 2015

Schizophrenia is thought to be the commonest setting in which delusional misidentification syndromes occur. Although schizophrenia is said to occur more commonly in people with learning disabilities, when compared to the general population, reports of delusional misidentification syndromes are extremely limited. The case of a 31 year old woman with mild learning disabilities and first episode of acute schizophrenia is described. She had both Capgras and Fregoli syndromes, and a rare variant of Capgras syndrome in which the misidentification was of a cat, rather than a significant person in her life. Aetiological factors are discussed.
Shared use of Church Buildings or is Nothing Sacred?
Authors: George Charles
Published: December 2015

It may soon be possible, courtesy Cameron Ch as she then was, not only to lunch (as many already do) but also to dine at the crypt restaurant below St Mary-le-Bow, and to enjoy beer, cider or wine with your meal. That is a thoroughly secular use of part of a church; and it is something which would not have been permitted until relatively recent times. To Cock burn CJ in 1869 there was a self-evident distinction between ‘purposes purely secular’ and ‘those of an ecclesiastical character’, and ‘nothing short of an Act of Parliament can authorise the conversion of consecrated ground to secular purposes’. In one of his early judgments, sitting as Deputy-Chancellor, George Newsom QC declined to allow the use of consecrated land for an NCP car park, referring to consecration as ‘this special status [which] has been a striking privilege of the Church of England. It is no part of the duty of this court to seek to whittle it away’. The aim of this Paper is to explore the erosion of the divide between ‘secular’ and ‘ecclesiastical’ purposes, and to suggest that it offers a novel role for the Church both in the countryside and in towns and cities. I also touch briefly on some of the problems of rating, planning and listed building law which arise.
Periconceptional seafood intake and pregnancy complications
Authors: Mohanty April F , Siscovick David S , Williams Michelle A , Thompson Mary Lou , Burbacher Thomas M , Enquobahrie Daniel A
Published: December 2015

Objective

To investigate associations of maternal periconceptional shellfish, lean fish and fatty fish intake with risk of pregnancy complications.

Design

In this prospective cohort study, we collected information on intake of seafood subtypes using FFQ. We categorized seafood intake into frequencies of <0·2 servings/month, 0·2 servings/month–<0·5 servings/week, 0·5–1·0 servings/week and >1 servings/week. We ascertained gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and preterm birth diagnoses from medical records. Using generalized linear models with a log link, the Poisson family and robust standard errors, we estimated risk ratios and 95 % confidence intervals across seafood intake categories.

Setting

The Omega study, a study of risk factors for pregnancy complications among women recruited from prenatal clinics in Washington State, USA, 1996–2008.

Subjects

The current study included 3279 participants from the Omega study.

Results

Median (interquartile range) shellfish, lean fish and fatty fish intake was 0·3 (0–0·9), 0·5 (0–1·0) and 0·5 (0·1–1·0) servings/week, respectively. Lean fish intake of >1 servings/week (v. <0·2 servings/month) was associated with a 1·55-fold higher risk of preterm birth (95 % CI 1·04, 2·30) and was not associated with the other pregnancy complications. Higher intake of seafood (total or other subtypes) was not associated with pregnancy complications (separately or combined).

Conclusions

Higher intake of lean fish, but not fatty fish or shellfish, was associated with a higher risk of preterm birth; these findings may have significance for preterm birth prevention. Studies of mechanisms and potential contributing factors (including seafood preparation and nutrient/contaminant content) are warranted.
Institutions matter: but which institutions? And how and why do they change?
Authors: TYLECOTE ANDREW
Published: December 2015

Both political and economic institutions matter for economic growth and development, and are indissolubly connected: sustained economic growth requires far-reaching opening up of the economy and polity to wide participation. This review essay draws on three books which share this view of institutions, to develop an argument on which institutions matter most, and how and why they change. Like them, it uses history as laboratory. Northet al.(2009) inViolence and Social Ordersfocus on Britain, France and the United States, in which change was generally progressive, to study such change from the medieval to the modern period. Jan van Zanden inThe Long Road to the Industrial Revolutionlooks at Europe, 1000–1800, in particular the Netherlands and England, finding regressive as well as progressive change. Acemoglu and Robinson also examine both directions of change, inWhy Nations Fail:they range widely in space, but little before the 16th century. All three offer powerful tools of analysis. All have implications for policy-makers in advanced societies who wish to promote the development of ‘inclusive’ institutions elsewhere. Two striking surprises emerge, and oneprime mover– an institution with particular power to change others – the medieval Catholic church.
The UN Human Rights Special Rapporteurs and the Impact of their Work: Some Reflections of the UN Special Rapporteur for Cambodia
Authors: SUBEDI Surya P.
Published: December 2015

As one of only twelve UN country-specific mandate holders, and as the longest-serving UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Cambodia, my work has had a significant impact on the situation of human rights in that country, with many of my recommendations having been implemented by the government. The Parliament of Cambodia has enacted three fundamental laws designed to enhance the independence and capacity of the judiciary, and has amended the Constitution of the country to make the National Election Commission a constitutional, independent, and autonomous body, in line with my recommendations. In this paper I examine the role of the UN country-specific mandate holders, the approach that I took to implement my mandate in Cambodia, and the impact of my work in that country.
Environmental Justice in India: The National Green Tribunal and Expert Members
Authors: Gill Gitanjali Nain
Published: December 2015

This article argues that the involvement of technical experts in decision making promotes better environmental results while simultaneously recognizing the uncertainty in science. India’s record as a progressive jurisdiction in environmental matters through its proactive judiciary is internationally recognized. The neoteric National Green Tribunal of India (NGT) – officially described as a ‘specialised body equipped with necessary expertise to handle environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues’ – is a forum which offers greater plurality for environmental justice. The NGT, in exercising wide powers, is staffed by judicial and technical expert members who decide cases in an open forum. The experts are ‘central’, rather than ‘marginal’, to the NGT’s decision-making process.

This article draws on theoretical insights developed by Lorna Schrefler and Peter Haas to analyze the role of scientific experts as decision makers within the NGT. Unprecedented interview access provides data that grants an insight into the internal decision-making processes of the five benches of the NGT. Reported cases, supported by additional comments of bench members, illustrate the wider policy impact of scientific knowledge and its contribution to the NGT’s decision-making process.
Motivational State and Personality in Relation to Emotion, Stress,	and HRV Responses to Aerobic Exercise
Authors: Kuroda Yusuke , Hudson Joanne , Thatcher Rhys
Published: December 2015

Abstract. This study examined emotion, stress, and performance during aerobic exercise performed in the telic and paratelic states, in relation to telic and paratelic dominance. The study tested the misfit effect and is the first to examine heart rate variability (HRV) responses to exercise in relation to both personality and motivational state. Based on their Paratelic Dominance Scale scores, participants identified as telic dominant (TD) and paratelic dominant (PD) completed ramp tests following telic and paratelic state manipulations (repeated measures). In each condition, participants watched “serious” (telic) or “playful” (paratelic) videos for 10 min, then performed a ramp test on a cycle ergometer while continuing to watch the videos throughout the entire protocol. Motivational state (telic/paratelic), HRV, emotion, and stress levels were measured at baseline, pre, post, and 15 min post-ramp test. Time to exhaustion was measured as an index of performance. Limited support was obtained for the misfit effect as interactions between state and dominance were not revealed for any of the variables with the exception of low frequent (LF) and the low frequent/high frequent ratio (LF/HF % normalized), which can be interpreted as indicating that both groups were more relaxed in their preferred state condition. Regardless, findings offer useful insight into methodological considerations for similar studies, such as consideration of the moderating effects of exercise characteristics. Our findings also confirm a number of reversal theory ( Apter, 1982 ) proposals including the concept of dominance as an individual difference factor, with varying characteristics of different dominances, based on physiological response variables. We recommend continued research into the misfit effect with larger samples, and designs that accommodate the methodological considerations raised by the present results.
Emotions Under the Skin
Authors: Silva Catarina , Ferreira Ana Cláudia , Soares Isabel , Esteves Francisco
Published: December 2015

Abstract. The present study examined physiological reactivity to emotional stimuli as a function of attachment style. Skin conductance responses (SCRs) and heart rate (HR) changes were simultaneously recorded while participants engaged in a visual attentional task. The task included positive, neutral, and negative emotional pictures, and required the identification of a target (neutral picture rotated 90° to the left or right), among a stream of pictures in which an emotional distracter (positive or negative) was presented. Participants additionally rated each of the emotional distracters for valence and arousal. Behavioral results on the attentional task showed that positive pictures facilitated overall target detection for all participants, compared to negative and neutral pictures, and that anxiously attached participants had significantly lower accuracy scores, relative to the other groups. Affective ratings indicated that positive pictures were rated as being more pleasant than negative ones, although no differences were found in HR changes to picture valence. In contrast, negative pictures were evaluated as being highly arousing. Consistent with this, negative pictures elicited larger SCRs in both insecure anxious and avoidant groups, especially for the anxious while the secure group showed SCRs unaffected by stimuli’s arousal. Present results show that individuals with different attachment styles reveal distinct patterns of attentional bias, appraisal, and physiological reactivity toward emotionally arousing stimuli. These findings further highlight the regulatory function of the attachment system.
Transformation and patterning of supermicelles using dynamic holographic assembly
Authors: Gould Oliver E.C. , Qiu Huibin , Lunn David J. , Rowden John , Harniman Robert L. , Hudson Zachary M. , Winnik Mitchell A. , Miles Mervyn J. , Manners Ian
Published: December 2015

Although the solution self-assembly of block copolymers has enabled the fabrication of a broad range of complex, functional nanostructures, their precise manipulation and patterning remain a key challenge. Here we demonstrate that spherical and linear supermicelles, supramolecular structures held together by non-covalent solvophobic and coordination interactions and formed by the hierarchical self-assembly of block copolymer micelle and block comicelle precursors, can be manipulated, transformed and patterned with mediation by dynamic holographic assembly (optical tweezers). This allows the creation of new and stable soft-matter superstructures far from equilibrium. For example, individual spherical supermicelles can be optically held in close proximity and photocrosslinked through controlled coronal chemistry to generate linear oligomeric arrays. The use of optical tweezers also enables the directed deposition and immobilization of supermicelles on surfaces, allowing the precise creation of arrays of soft-matter nano-objects with potentially diverse functionality and a range of applications.
A tyrosine–tryptophan dyad and radical-based charge transfer in a ribonucleotide reductase-inspired maquette
Authors: Pagba Cynthia V. , McCaslin Tyler G. , Veglia Gianluigi , Porcelli Fernando , Yohannan Jiby , Guo Zhanjun , McDaniel Miranda , Barry Bridgette A.
Published: December 2015

In class 1a ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), a substrate-based radical is generated in the α2 subunit by long-distance electron transfer involving an essential tyrosyl radical (Y122O·) in the β2 subunit. The conserved W48 β2 is ∼10 Å from Y122OH; mutations at W48 inactivate RNR. Here, we design a beta hairpin peptide, which contains such an interacting tyrosine–tryptophan dyad. The NMR structure of the peptide establishes that there is no direct hydrogen bond between the phenol and the indole rings. However, electronic coupling between the tyrosine and tryptophan occurs in the peptide. In addition, downshifted ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) frequencies are observed for the radical state, reproducing spectral downshifts observed for β2. The frequency downshifts of the ring and CO bands are consistent with charge transfer from YO· to W or another residue. Such a charge transfer mechanism implies a role for the β2 Y-W dyad in electron transfer.
Structural diversity in binary superlattices self-assembled from polymer-grafted nanocrystals
Authors: Ye Xingchen , Zhu Chenhui , Ercius Peter , Raja Shilpa N. , He Bo , Jones Matthew R. , Hauwiller Matthew R. , Liu Yi , Xu Ting , Alivisatos A. Paul
Published: December 2015

Multicomponent nanocrystal superlattices represent an interesting class of material that derives emergent properties from mesoscale structure, yet their programmability can be limited by the alkyl-chain-based ligands decorating the surfaces of the constituent nanocrystals. Polymeric ligands offer distinct advantages, as they allow for more precise tuning of the effective size and ‘interaction softness’ through changes to the polymer’s molecular weight, chemical nature, architecture, persistence length and surrounding solvent. Here we show the formation of 10 different binary nanocrystal superlattices (BNSLs) with both two- and three-dimensional order through independent adjustment of the core size of spherical nanocrystals and the molecular weight of densely grafted polystyrene ligands. These polymer-brush-based ligands introduce new energetic contributions to the interparticle potential that stabilizes various BNSL phases across a range of length scales and interparticle spacings. Our study opens the door for nanocrystals to become modular elements in the design of functional particle brush solids with controlled nanoscale interfaces and mesostructures.
Rapid emergence and predominance of a broadly recognizing and fast-evolving norovirus GII.17 variant in late 2014
Authors: Chan Martin C. W. , Lee Nelson , Hung Tin-Nok , Kwok Kirsty , Cheung Kelton , Tin Edith K. Y. , Lai Raymond W. M. , Nelson E. Anthony S. , Leung Ting F. , Chan Paul K. S.
Published: December 2015

Norovirus genogroup II genotype 4 (GII.4) has been the predominant cause of viral gastroenteritis since 1996. Here we show that during the winter of 2014–2015, an emergent variant of a previously rare norovirus GII.17 genotype, Kawasaki 2014, predominated in Hong Kong and outcompeted contemporary GII.4 Sydney 2012 in hospitalized cases. GII.17 cases were significantly older than GII.4 cases. Root-to-tip and Bayesian BEAST analyses estimate GII.17 viral protein 1 (VP1) evolves one order of magnitude faster than GII.4 VP1. Residue substitutions and insertion occur in four of five inferred antigenic epitopes, suggesting immune evasion. Sequential GII.4-GII.17 infections are noted, implicating a lack of cross-protection. Virus bound to saliva of secretor histo-blood groups A, B and O, indicating broad susceptibility. This fast-evolving, broadly recognizing and probably immune-escaped emergent GII.17 variant causes severe gastroenteritis and hospitalization across all age groups, including populations who were previously less vulnerable to GII.4 variants; therefore, the global spread of GII.17 Kawasaki 2014 needs to be monitored.
Phase diagram for the transition from photonic crystals to dielectric metamaterials
Authors: Rybin Mikhail V. , Filonov Dmitry S. , Samusev Kirill B. , Belov Pavel A. , Kivshar Yuri S. , Limonov Mikhail F.
Published: December 2015

Photonic crystals and dielectric metamaterials represent two different classes of artificial media but are often composed of similar structural elements. The question is how to distinguish these two types of periodic structures when their parameters, such as permittivity and lattice constant, vary continuously. Here we discuss transition between photonic crystals and dielectric metamaterials and introduce the concept of a phase diagram, based on the physics of Mie and Bragg resonances. We show that a periodic photonic structure transforms into a metamaterial when the Mie gap opens up below the lowest Bragg bandgap where the homogenization approach can be justified and the effective permeability becomes negative. Our theoretical approach is confirmed by microwave experiments for a metacrystal composed of tubes filled with heated water. This analysis yields deep insight into the properties of periodic structures, and provides a useful tool for designing different classes of electromagnetic materials with variable parameters.
Boundaries can steer active Janus spheres
Authors: Das Sambeeta , Garg Astha , Campbell Andrew I. , Howse Jonathan , Sen Ayusman , Velegol Darrell , Golestanian Ramin , Ebbens Stephen J.
Published: December 2015

The advent of autonomous self-propulsion has instigated research towards making colloidal machines that can deliver mechanical work in the form of transport, and other functions such as sensing and cleaning. While much progress has been made in the last 10 years on various mechanisms to generate self-propulsion, the ability to steer self-propelled colloidal devices has so far been much more limited. A critical barrier in increasing the impact of such motors is in directing their motion against the Brownian rotation, which randomizes particle orientations. In this context, here we report directed motion of a specific class of catalytic motors when moving in close proximity to solid surfaces. This is achieved through active quenching of their Brownian rotation by constraining it in a rotational well, caused not by equilibrium, but by hydrodynamic effects. We demonstrate how combining these geometric constraints can be utilized to steer these active colloids along arbitrary trajectories.
Bacterial attachment and biofilm formation on surfaces are reduced by small-diameter nanoscale pores: how small is small enough?
Authors: Feng Guoping , Cheng Yifan , Wang Shu-Yi , Borca-Tasciuc Diana A , Worobo Randy W , Moraru Carmen I
Published: December 2015

Background/Objectives:

Prevention of biofilm formation by bacteria is of critical importance to areas that directly affect human health and life including medicine, dentistry, food processing and water treatment. This work showcases an effective and affordable solution for reducing attachment and biofilm formation by several pathogenic bacteria commonly associated with foodborne illnesses and medical infections.

Methods:

Our approach exploits anodisation to create alumina surfaces with cylindrical nanopores with diameters ranging from 15 to 100 nm, perpendicular to the surface. The anodic surfaces were evaluated for attachment by Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Cell–surface interaction forces were calculated and related to attachment.

Results:

We found that anodic alumina surfaces with pore diameters of 15 and 25 nm were able to effectively minimise bacterial attachment or biofilm formation by all the microorganisms tested. Using a predictive physicochemical approach on the basis of the extended Derjaguin and Landau, Verwey and Overbeek (XDLVO) theory, we attributed the observed effects largely to the repulsive forces, primarily electrostatic and acid–base forces, which were greatly enhanced by the large surface area originating from the high density, small-diameter pores. We also demonstrate how this predictive approach could be used to optimise different elements of surface topography, particularly pore diameter and density, for further enhancing the observed bacteria-repelling effects.

Conclusions:

We demonstrate that anodic nanoporous surfaces can effectively reduce bacterial attachment. These findings are expected to have immediate, far-reaching implications and commercial applications, primarily in health care and the food industry.
Quantifying the heritability of glioma using genome-wide complex trait analysis
Authors: Kinnersley Ben , Mitchell Jonathan S. , Gousias Konstantinos , Schramm Johannes , Idbaih Ahmed , Labussière Marianne , Marie Yannick , Rahimian Amithys , Wichmann H.-Erich , Schreiber Stefan , Hoang-Xuan Khe , Delattre Jean-Yves , Nöthen Markus M. , Mokhtari Karima , Lathrop Mark , Bondy Melissa , Simon Matthias , Sanson Marc , Houlston Richard S.
Published: December 2015

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified a number of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influencing glioma risk. While these SNPs only explain a small proportion of the genetic risk it is unclear how much is left to be detected by other, yet to be identified, common SNPs. Therefore, we applied Genome-Wide Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA) to three GWAS datasets totalling 3,373 cases and 4,571 controls and performed a meta-analysis to estimate the heritability of glioma. Our results identify heritability estimates of 25% (95% CI: 20–31%, P = 1.15 × 10−17) for all forms of glioma - 26% (95% CI: 17–35%, P = 1.05 × 10−8) for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and 25% (95% CI: 17–32%, P = 1.26 × 10−10) for non-GBM tumors. This is a substantial increase from the genetic variance identified by the currently identified GWAS risk loci (~6% of common heritability), indicating that most of the heritable risk attributable to common genetic variants remains to be identified.
Genetic Factors for Enhancement of Nicotine Levels in Cultivated Tobacco
Authors: Wang Bingwu , Lewis Ramsey S. , Shi Junli , Song Zhongbang , Gao Yulong , Li Wenzheng , Chen Hongxia , Qu Rongda
Published: December 2015

Nicotine has practical applications relating to smoking cessation devices and alternative nicotine products. Genetic manipulation for increasing nicotine content in cultivated tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) may be of value for industrial purposes, including the possibility of enhancing the efficiency of nicotine extraction. Biotechnological approaches have been evaluated in connection with this objective, but field-based results are few. Here, we report characterization of two genes encoding basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs), NtMYC2a and NtMYC2b from tobacco. Overexpression of NtMYC2a increased leaf nicotine levels in T1 transgenic lines approximately 2.3-fold in greenhouse-grown plants of tobacco cultivar ‘NC 95′. Subsequent field testing of T2 and T3 generations of transgenic NtMYC2a overexpression lines showed nicotine concentrations were 76% and 58% higher than control lines, respectively. These results demonstrated that the increased nicotine trait was stably inherited to the T2 and T3 generations, indicating the important role that NtMYC2a plays in regulating nicotine accumulation in N. tabacum and the great potential of NtMYC2a overexpression in tobacco plants for industrial nicotine production. Collected data in this study also indicated a negative feedback inhibition of nicotine biosynthesis. Further enhancement of nicotine accumulation in tobacco leaf may require modification of the processes of nicotine transport and deposition.
Heterochromatin components in germline stem cell maintenance
Authors: Xing Yalan , Li Willis X.
Published: December 2015

Stem cell maintenance requires expression of genes essential for stemness and repression of differentiation genes. How this is achieved remains incompletely understood. Here we investigate the requirement for central components of heterochromatin, Heterochromatin Protein 1 (HP1) and the histone H3 lys9 methyltransferase Su(var)3-9, in the Drosophila male germline stem cell (GSC) self-renewal, a paradigm for studying adult stem cell behavior. We found that mutations or RNAi knock down of HP1 or Su(var)3-9 cause loss of GSCs, accompanied by defects in cell division or survival and premature expression of the differentiation gene bag of marbles (bam). Conversely, over-expressing HP1 increases GSC number in wildtype flies and, strikingly, restores fertility to the sterile hopscotch (hop) mutant flies that lack niche signals. These results suggest that the central components of heterochromatin play roles including repressing differentiation genes in Drosophila male GSC maintenance.
Revealing the characteristics of a novel bioflocculant and its flocculation performance in Microcystis aeruginosa removal
Authors: Sun Pengfei , Hui Cai , Bai Naling , Yang Shengmao , Wan Li , Zhang Qichun , Zhao YuHua
Published: December 2015

In the present work, a novel bioflocculant, EPS-1, was prepared and used to flocculate the kaolin suspension and Microcystis aeruginosa. We focused on the characteristics and flocculation performance of EPS-1, especially with regard to its protein components. An important attribute of EPS-1 was its protein content, with 18 protein types identified that occupied a total content of 31.70% in the EPS-1. Moreover, the flocculating activity of these protein components was estimated to be no less than 33.93%. Additionally, polysaccharides that occupied 57.12% of the total EPS-1 content consisted of four monosaccharides: maltose, D-xylose, mannose and D-fructose. In addition, carbonyl, amino and hydroxyl groups were identified as the main functional groups. Three main elements, namely C1s, N1s and O1s, were present in EPS-1 with relative atomic percentages of 62.63%, 24.91% and 10.5%, respectively. Zeta potential analysis indicated that charge neutralization contributed to kaolin flocculation, but was not involved in M. aeruginosa flocculation. The flocculation conditions of EPS-1 were optimized and the maximum flocculating efficiencies were 93.34% within 2 min for kaolin suspension and 87.98% within 10 min for M. aeruginosa. These results suggest that EPS-1 could be an alternative to chemical flocculants for treating wastewaters and cyanobacterium-polluted freshwater.
Molecular origin of contact line stick-slip motion during droplet evaporation
Authors: Wang FengChao , Wu HengAn
Published: December 2015

Understanding and controlling the motion of the contact line is of critical importance for surface science studies as well as many industrial engineering applications. In this work, we elucidate the molecular origin of contact line stick-slip motion during the evaporation of liquid droplets on flexible nano-pillared surfaces using molecular dynamics simulations. We demonstrate that the evaporation-induced stick-slip motion of the contact line is a consequence of competition between pinning and depinning forces. Furthermore, the tangential force exerted by the pillared substrate on the contact line was observed to have a sawtooth-like oscillation. Our analysis also establishes that variations in the pinning force are accomplished through the self-adaptation of solid-liquid intermolecular distances, especially for liquid molecules sitting directly on top of the solid pillar. Consistent with our theoretical analysis, molecular dynamics simulations also show that the maximum pinning force is quantitatively related to both solid-liquid adhesion strength and liquid-vapor surface tension. These observations provide a fundamental understanding of contact line stick-slip motion on pillared substrates and also give insight into the microscopic interpretations of contact angle hysteresis, wetting transitions and dynamic spreading.
Revealing ultralarge and localized elastic lattice strains in Nb nanowires embedded in NiTi matrix
Authors: Zang Ketao , Mao Shengcheng , Cai Jixiang , Liu Yinong , Li Haixin , Hao Shijie , Jiang Daqiang , Cui Lishan
Published: December 2015

Freestanding nanowires have been found to exhibit ultra-large elastic strains (4 to 7%) and ultra-high strengths, but exploiting their intrinsic superior mechanical properties in bulk forms has proven to be difficult. A recent study has demonstrated that ultra-large elastic strains of ~6% can be achieved in Nb nanowires embedded in a NiTi matrix, on the principle of lattice strain matching. To verify this hypothesis, this study investigated the elastic deformation behavior of a Nb nanowire embedded in NiTi matrix by means of in situ transmission electron microscopic measurement during tensile deformation. The experimental work revealed that ultra-large local elastic lattice strains of up to 8% are induced in the Nb nanowire in regions adjacent to stress-induced martensite domains in the NiTi matrix, whilst other parts of the nanowires exhibit much reduced lattice strains when adjacent to the untransformed austenite in the NiTi matrix. These observations provide a direct evidence of the proposed mechanism of lattice strain matching, thus a novel approach to designing nanocomposites of superior mechanical properties.