bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deepwater Horizon oil spill impacts on sea turtles could span the Atlantic
Authors: Putman Nathan F. , Abreu-Grobois F. Alberto , Iturbe-Darkistade Iñaky , Putman Emily M. , Richards Paul M. , Verley Philippe
Published: December 2015

We investigated the extent that the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill potentially affected oceanic-stage sea turtles from populations across the Atlantic. Within an ocean-circulation model, particles were backtracked from the Gulf of Mexico spill site to determine the probability of young turtles arriving in this area from major nesting beaches. The abundance of turtles in the vicinity of the oil spill was derived by forward-tracking particles from focal beaches and integrating population size, oceanic-stage duration and stage-specific survival rates. Simulations indicated that 321 401 (66 199–397 864) green (
Chelonia mydas
), loggerhead (
Caretta caretta
) and Kemp's ridley (
Lepidochelys kempii
) turtles were likely within the spill site. These predictions compared favourably with estimates from in-water observations recently made available to the public (though our initial predictions for Kemp's ridley were substantially lower than in-water estimates, better agreement was obtained with modifications to mimic behaviour of young Kemp's ridley turtles in the northern Gulf). Simulations predicted 75.2% (71.9–76.3%) of turtles came from Mexico, 14.8% (11–18%) from Costa Rica, 5.9% (4.8–7.9%) from countries in northern South America, 3.4% (2.4–3.5%) from the United States and 1.6% (0.6–2.0%) from West African countries. Thus, the spill's impacts may extend far beyond the current focus on the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Single passage in mouse organs enhances the survival and spread of
Salmonella enterica
Authors: Dybowski Richard , Restif Olivier , Goupy Alexandre , Maskell Duncan J. , Mastroeni Piero , Grant Andrew J.
Published: December 2015

Intravenous inoculation of
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium into mice is a prime experimental model of invasive salmonellosis. The use of wild-type isogenic tagged strains (WITS) in this system has revealed that bacteria undergo independent bottlenecks in the liver and spleen before establishing a systemic infection. We recently showed that those bacteria that survived the bottleneck exhibited enhanced growth when transferred to naive mice. In this study, we set out to disentangle the components of this
in vivo
adaptation by inoculating mice with WITS grown either
in vitro
or
in vivo
. We developed an original method to estimate the replication and killing rates of bacteria from experimental data, which involved solving the probability-generating function of a non-homogeneous birth–death–immigration process. This revealed a low initial mortality in bacteria obtained from a donor animal. Next, an analysis of WITS distributions in the livers and spleens of recipient animals indicated that
in vivo
-passaged bacteria started spreading between organs earlier than
in vitro
-grown bacteria. These results further our understanding of the influence of passage in a host on the fitness and virulence of
Salmonella enterica
and represent an advance in the power of investigation on the patterns and mechanisms of host–pathogen interactions.
New scaling relation for information transfer in biological networks
Authors: Kim Hyunju , Davies Paul , Walker Sara Imari
Published: December 2015

We quantify characteristics of the informational architecture of two representative biological networks: the Boolean network model for the cell-cycle regulatory network of the fission yeastSchizosaccharomyces pombe(Davidichet al.2008PLoS ONE3, e1672 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001672)) and that of the budding yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae(Liet al. 2004Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA101, 4781–4786 (doi:10.1073/pnas.0305937101)). We compare our results for these biological networks with the same analysis performed on ensembles of two different types of random networks: Erdös–Rényi and scale-free. We show that both biological networks share features in common that are not shared by either random network ensemble. In particular, the biological networks in our study process more information than the random networks on average. Both biological networks also exhibit a scaling relation in information transferred between nodes that distinguishes them from random, where the biological networks stand out as distinct even when compared with random networks that share important topological properties, such as degree distribution, with the biological network. We show that the most biologically distinct regime of this scaling relation is associated with a subset of control nodes that regulate the dynamics and function of each respective biological network. Information processing in biological networks is therefore interpreted as anemergent property of topology(causal structure) anddynamics(function). Our results demonstratequantitativelyhow the informational architecture of biologically evolved networks can distinguish them from other classes of network architecture that do not share the same informational properties.
Self-organized flexible leadership promotes collective intelligence in human groups
Authors: Kurvers Ralf H. J. M. , Wolf Max , Naguib Marc , Krause Jens
Published: December 2015

Collective intelligence refers to the ability of groups to outperform individual decision-makers. At present, relatively little is known about the mechanisms promoting collective intelligence in natural systems. We here test a novel mechanism generating collective intelligence: self-organization according to information quality. We tested this mechanism by performing simulated predator detection experiments using human groups. By continuously tracking the personal information of all members prior to collective decisions, we found that individuals adjusted their response time during collective decisions to the accuracy of their personal information. When individuals possessed accurate personal information, they decided quickly during collective decisions providing accurate information to the other group members. By contrast, when individuals had inaccurate personal information, they waited longer, allowing them to use social information before making a decision. Individuals deciding late during collective decisions had an increased probability of changing their decision leading to increased collective accuracy. Our results thus show that groups can self-organize according to the information accuracy of their members, thereby promoting collective intelligence. Interestingly, we find that individuals flexibly acted both as leader and as follower depending on the quality of their personal information at any particular point in time.
Analysis of millimetre-wave polarization diverse multiple-input multiple-output capacity
Authors: Lawrence Nicholas P. , Ng Brian W.-H. , Hansen Hedley J. , Abbott Derek
Published: December 2015

Millimetre-waves offer the possibility of wide bandwidth and consequently high data rate for wireless communications. For both uni- and dual-polarized systems, signals sent over a link may suffer severe degradation due to antenna misalignment. Orientation robustness may be enhanced by the use of mutual orthogonality in three dimensions. Multiple-input multiple-output polarization diversity offers a way of improving signal reception without the limitations associated with spatial diversity. Scattering effects often assist propagation through multipath. However, high path loss at millimetre-wave frequencies may limit any reception enhancement through scattering. We show that the inclusion of a third orthogonal dipole provides orientation robustness in this setting, as well as in a rich scattering environment, by means of a Rician fading channel model covering all orientations for a millimetre-wave, tri-orthogonal, half-wave dipole transmitter and receiver employing polarization diversity. Our simulation extends the analysis into three dimensions, fully exploiting individual sub-channel paths. In both the presence and absence of multipath effects, capacity is observed to be higher than that of a dual-polarized system over the majority of a field of view.
Virus evolution and transmission in an ever more connected world
Authors: Pybus Oliver G. , Tatem Andrew J. , Lemey Philippe
Published: December 2015

The frequency and global impact of infectious disease outbreaks, particularly those caused by emerging viruses, demonstrate the need for a better understanding of how spatial ecology and pathogen evolution jointly shape epidemic dynamics. Advances in computational techniques and the increasing availability of genetic and geospatial data are helping to address this problem, particularly when both information sources are combined. Here, we review research at the intersection of evolutionary biology, human geography and epidemiology that is working towards an integrated view of spatial incidence, host mobility and viral genetic diversity. We first discuss how empirical studies have combined viral spatial and genetic data, focusing particularly on the contribution of evolutionary analyses to epidemiology and disease control. Second, we explore the interplay between virus evolution and global dispersal in more depth for two pathogens: human influenza A virus and chikungunya virus. We discuss the opportunities for future research arising from new analyses of human transportation and trade networks, as well as the associated challenges in accessing and sharing relevant spatial and genetic data.
Genomic perspectives on the evolution and spread of bacterial pathogens
Authors: Bentley Stephen D. , Parkhill Julian
Published: December 2015

Since the first complete sequencing of a free-living organism,
Haemophilus influenzae
, genomics has been used to probe both the biology of bacterial pathogens and their evolution. Single-genome approaches provided information on the repertoire of virulence determinants and host-interaction factors, and, along with comparative analyses, allowed the proposal of hypotheses to explain the evolution of many of these traits. These analyses suggested many bacterial pathogens to be of relatively recent origin and identified genome degradation as a key aspect of host adaptation. The advent of very-high-throughput sequencing has allowed for detailed phylogenetic analysis of many important pathogens, revealing patterns of global and local spread, and recent evolution in response to pressure from therapeutics and the human immune system. Such analyses have shown that bacteria can evolve and transmit very rapidly, with emerging clones showing adaptation and global spread over years or decades. The resolution achieved with whole-genome sequencing has shown considerable benefits in clinical microbiology, enabling accurate outbreak tracking within hospitals and across continents. Continued large-scale sequencing promises many further insights into genetic determinants of drug resistance, virulence and transmission in bacterial pathogens.
Progress and promise in understanding the genetic basis of common diseases
Authors: Price Alkes L. , Spencer Chris C. A. , Donnelly Peter
Published: December 2015

Susceptibility to common human diseases is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. The explosive growth of genetic data, and the knowledge that it is generating, are transforming our biological understanding of these diseases. In this review, we describe the technological and analytical advances that have enabled genome-wide association studies to be successful in identifying a large number of genetic variants robustly associated with common disease. We examine the biological insights that these genetic associations are beginning to produce, from functional mechanisms involving individual genes to biological pathways linking associated genes, and the identification of functional annotations, some of which are cell-type-specific, enriched in disease associations. Although most efforts have focused on identifying and interpreting genetic variants that are irrefutably associated with disease, it is increasingly clear that—even at large sample sizes—these represent only the tip of the iceberg of genetic signal, motivating polygenic analyses that consider the effects of genetic variants throughout the genome, including modest effects that are not individually statistically significant. As data from an increasingly large number of diseases and traits are analysed, pleiotropic effects (defined as genetic loci affecting multiple phenotypes) can help integrate our biological understanding. Looking forward, the next generation of population-scale data resources, linking genomic information with health outcomes, will lead to another step-change in our ability to understand, and treat, common diseases.
Artificial selection on introduced Asian haplotypes shaped the genetic architecture in European commercial pigs
Authors: Bosse Mirte , Lopes Marcos S. , Madsen Ole , Megens Hendrik-Jan , Crooijmans Richard P. M. A. , Frantz Laurent A. F. , Harlizius Barbara , Bastiaansen John W. M. , Groenen Martien A. M.
Published: December 2015

Early pig farmers in Europe imported Asian pigs to cross with their local breeds in order to improve traits of commercial interest. Current genomics techniques enabled genome-wide identification of these Asian introgressed haplotypes in modern European pig breeds. We propose that the Asian variants are still present because they affect phenotypes that were important for ancient traditional, as well as recent, commercial pig breeding. Genome-wide introgression levels were only weakly correlated with gene content and recombination frequency. However, regions with an excess or absence of Asian haplotypes (AS) contained genes that were previously identified as phenotypically important such asFASN,ME1, andKIT. Therefore, the Asian alleles are thought to have an effect on phenotypes that were historically under selection. We aimed to estimate the effect of AS in introgressed regions in Large White pigs on the traits of backfat (BF) and litter size. The majority of regions we tested that retained Asian deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) showed significantly increased BF from the Asian alleles. Our results suggest that the introgression in Large White pigs has been strongly determined by the selective pressure acting upon the introgressed AS. We therefore conclude that human-driven hybridization and selection contributed to the genomic architecture of these commercial pigs.
Coevolution is linked with phenotypic diversification but not speciation in avian brood parasites
Authors: Medina Iliana , Langmore Naomi E.
Published: December 2015

Coevolution is often invoked as an engine of biological diversity. Avian brood parasites and their hosts provide one of the best-known examples of coevolution. Brood parasites lay their eggs in the nests of other species, selecting for host defences and reciprocal counteradaptations in parasites. In theory, this arms race should promote increased rates of speciation and phenotypic evolution. Here, we use recently developed methods to test whether the three largest avian brood parasitic lineages show changes in rates of phenotypic diversity and speciation relative to non-parasitic lineages. Our results challenge the accepted paradigm, and show that there is little consistent evidence that lineages of brood parasites have higher speciation or extinction rates than non-parasitic species. However, we provide the first evidence that the evolution of brood parasitic behaviour may affect rates of evolution in morphological traits associated with parasitism. Specifically, egg size and the colour and pattern of plumage have evolved up to nine times faster in parasitic than in non-parasitic cuckoos. Moreover, cuckoo clades of parasitic species that are sympatric (and share similar host genera) exhibit higher rates of phenotypic evolution. This supports the idea that competition for hosts may be linked to the high phenotypic diversity found in parasitic cuckoos.
Beyond the continuum: a multi-dimensional phase space for neutral–niche community assembly
Authors: Latombe Guillaume , Hui Cang , McGeoch Melodie A.
Published: December 2015

Neutral and niche processes are generally considered to interact in natural communities along a continuum, exhibiting community patterns bounded by pure neutral and pure niche processes. The continuum concept uses niche separation, an attribute of the community, to test the hypothesis that communities are bounded by pure niche or pure neutral conditions. It does not accommodate interactions via feedback between processes and the environment. By contrast, we introduce the Community Assembly Phase Space (CAPS), a multi-dimensional space that uses community processes (such as dispersal and niche selection) to define the limiting neutral and niche conditions and to test the continuum hypothesis. We compare the outputs of modelled communities in a heterogeneous landscape, assembled by pure neutral, pure niche and composite processes. Differences in patterns under different combinations of processes in CAPS reveal hidden complexity in neutral–niche community dynamics. The neutral–niche continuum only holds for strong dispersal limitation and niche separation. For weaker dispersal limitation and niche separation, neutral and niche processes amplify each other via feedback with the environment. This generates patterns that lie well beyond those predicted by a continuum. Inferences drawn from patterns about community assembly processes can therefore be misguided when based on the continuum perspective. CAPS also demonstrates the complementary information value of different patterns for inferring community processes and captures the complexity of community assembly. It provides a general tool for studying the processes structuring communities and can be applied to address a range of questions in community and metacommunity ecology.
Spin echo modulated small-angle neutron scattering using superconducting magnetic Wollaston prisms
Authors: Li Fankang , Parnell Steven R. , Bai Hongyu , Yang Wencao , Hamilton William A. , Maranville Brian B. , Ashkar Rana , Baxter David V. , Cremer J. Ted , Pynn Roger
Published: December 2015

The spin echo modulated small-angle neutron scattering technique has been implemented using two superconducting magnetic Wollaston prisms at a reactor neutron source. The density autocorrelation function measured for a test sample of colloidal silica in a suspension agrees with that obtained previously by other neutron scattering methods on an identically prepared sample. The reported apparatus has a number of advantages over competing technologies: it should allow larger length scales (up to several micrometres) to be probed; it has very small parasitic neutron scattering and attenuation; the magnetic fields within the device are highly uniform; and the neutron spin transport across the device boundaries is very efficient. To understand quantitatively the results of the reported experiment and to guide future instrument development, Monte Carlo simulations are presented, in which the evolution of the neutron polarization through the apparatus is based on magnetic field integrals obtained from finite-element simulations of the various magnetic components. The Monte Carlo simulations indicate that the polarization losses observed in the experiments are a result of instrumental artifacts that can be easily corrected in future experiments.
Specification of the Crystallographic Information File format, version 2.0
Authors: Bernstein Herbert J. , Bollinger John C. , Brown I. David , Gražulis Saulius , Hester James R. , McMahon Brian , Spadaccini Nick , Westbrook John D. , Westrip Simon P.
Published: December 2015

Version 2.0 of the CIF format incorporates novel features implemented in STAR 2.0. Among these are an expanded character repertoire, new and more flexible forms for quoted data values, and new compound data types. The CIF 2.0 format is compared with both CIF 1.1 and STAR 2.0, and a formal syntax specification is provided.
A portable general-purpose application programming interface for CIF 2.0
Authors: Bollinger John C.
Published: December 2015

The CIF API is an application programming interface and accompanying reference implementation for reading and writing CIFs and manipulating CIF data, with support for all versions of CIF through CIF 2.0. It features full support for Unicode in data block and save frame codes, data names, and data values; flexible character encoding; CIF 2.0 List and Table data types; CIF version auto-detection; event-based parsing; and arbitrary-precision numeric values. The interface and implementation are written in portable C, and they have been successfully built and tested on Linux, OS X and Windows. The CIF API is open-source software, available for use under the GNU Lesser General Public License.
Misfit-induced changes of lattice parameters in two-phase systems: coherent/incoherent precipitates in a matrix
Authors: Akhlaghi Maryam , Steiner Tobias , Meka Sai Ramudu , Mittemeijer Eric Jan
Published: December 2015

Elastic accommodation of precipitation-induced or thermally induced misfit leads to lattice-parameter changes in crystalline multi-phase systems. Formulae for calculation of such misfit-induced lattice-parameter changes are presented for the aggregate (matrix + second-phase particles) and for the individual matrix and second phase, recognizing the occurrence of either coherent or incoherent diffraction by the matrix and second-phase particles. An overview and an (re)interpretation on the above basis is presented of published lattice-parameter data, obtained by X-ray diffraction analyses of aggregates of matrix plus second-phase particles. Examples for three types of systems consisting of a matrix with misfitting second-phase particles are dealt with, which differ in the origin of the misfit (precipitation or thermally induced) and in the type of diffraction (coherent or incoherent diffraction of matrix plus second-phase particles). The experimental data are shown to be in good to very good agreement with predictions according to the current treatment.
Expression, purification, crystallization and crystallographic analysis of the N-terminal domain of translocated intimin receptor
Authors: Huang Bing-Yang , Gu Jiang , Zhang Yan-Fang , Zhou Jun-Jun , Song Xiao-Yong , Lin Yi , Li Xin-Min , Li Lu
Published: December 2015

Translocated intimin receptor (Tir) is anEscherichia coli-encoded protein that is transported into the host cell through a sophisticated bacterial type III secretion system (T3SS). Tir anchors the infected cell membrane twice using both its N- and C-termini from inside the host cytoplasm for signalling. It plays a key role in enterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli(EHEC) infection, attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions and intracellular signal transduction. Here, the overexpression, purification and crystallization of its N-terminal intracellular domain are reported. The crystal belonged to the orthorhombic space groupI4122, with unit-cell parametersa=b= 59.79,c= 183.11 Å. The asymmetric unit contained one molecule, with a solvent content of 51% and aVMof 2.55 Å3 Da−1.
Crystal structure of (9S,10S)-10-ethoxy-9-hydroxy-6,6,9-trimethyl-3-pentyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6H-benzo[c]chromen-1-yl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate
Authors: Gul Waseem , Galal Ahmed , ElSohly Mahmoud A. , Carvalho Paulo
Published: December 2015

In the structure of the title compound, C30H40O6S, the cyclohexene and heterocyclic rings are linked by a double bond. The cyclohexene ring has a half-chair conformation (the methylene group adjacent to the hydroxy substituent lies above the remaining atoms) and the hydroxy and ethoxy groups have equatorial and bisectional dispositions, respectively. The heterocyclic ring has an envelope conformation (with the CMe2C atom being the flap). The dihedral angle between the aromatic rings is 53.88 (10)°. A long intramolecular C—H...S interaction is noted. In the molecular packing, hydroxy-O—H...O(sulfonate) hydrogen bonds lead to a helical chain along [010]. Connections between chains are of the type methyl-C—H...O(sulfonate) and lead to supramolecular layers that lie parallel to (001). The studied crystal was an inversion twin.
Crystal structure of bis(benzylamine-κN)[5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)porphyrinato-κ4N]iron(II)n-hexane monosolvate
Authors: Dhifaoui Selma , Harhouri Wafa , Bujacz Anna , Nasri Habib
Published: December 2015

In the title compound, [FeII(C44H24Cl4N4)(C6H5CH2NH2)2]·C6H14or [FeII(TPP-Cl)(BzNH2)2]·n-hexane [where TPP-Cl and BzNH2are 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)porphyrinate and benzylamine ligands, respectively], the FeIIcation lies on an inversion centre and is octahedrally coordinated by the four pyrrole N atoms of the porphyrin ligand in the equatorial plane and by two amine N atoms of the benzylamine ligand in the axial sites. The crystal structure also contains one inversion-symmetricn-hexane solvent molecule per complex molecule. The average Fe—Npyrrolebond length [1.994 (3) Å] indicates a low-spin complex. The crystal packing is sustained by N—H...Cl and C—H...Cl hydrogen-bonding interactions and by C—H...π intermolecular interactions, leading to a three-dimensional network structure.
Crystal structure of diaquabis(2,6-dimethylpyrazine-κN)bis(thiocyanato-κN)cobalt(II) 2,5-dimethylpyrazine trisolvate
Authors: Suckert Stefan , Wöhlert Susanne , Jess Inke , Näther Christian
Published: December 2015

In the crystal structure of the title compound, [Co(NCS)2(C6H8N2)2(H2O)2]·3C6H8N2, the CoIIcation is coordinated by two terminallyN-bound thiocyanate anions, two water molecules and two 2,6-dimethylpyrazine ligands, forming a discrete complex with a slightly distorted octahedral N4O2coordination environment. The asymmetric unit contains one CoIIcation and three halves of 2,5-dimethylpyrazine solvate molecules, all entities being completed by inversion symmetry, as well as one thiocyanate anion, an aqua ligand and a 2,6-dimethylpyrazine ligand, all in general positions. In the crystal, discrete complexes are arranged in a way that cavities are formed where the noncoordinating 2,5-dimethylpyrazine molecules are located. The coordination of the latter to the metal is prevented due to the bulky methyl groups in vicinal positions to the N atoms, leading to a preferential coordination through the 2,6-dimethylpyrazine ligands. The complex molecules are linked by O—H...N hydrogen bonds between the water H atoms and the N atoms of 2,5-dimethylpyrazine solvent molecules, leading to a layered structure extending parallel to (100).
Crystal structures of [Mn(bdc)(Hspar)2(H2O)0.25]·2H2O containing MnO6+1capped trigonal prisms and [Cu(Hspar)2](bdc)·2H2O containing CuO4squares (Hspar = sparfloxacin and bdc = benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate)
Authors: An Zhe , Gao Jing , Harrison William T. A.
Published: December 2015

The syntheses and crystal structures of 0.25-aqua(benzene-1,4-dicarboxylato-κ2O,O′)bis(sparfloxacin-κ2O,O′)manganese(II) dihydrate, [Mn(C8H4O4)(C19H22F2N4O3)2(H2O)0.25]·2H2O or [Mn(bdc)(Hspar)2(H2O)0.25]·2H2O, (I), and bis(sparfloxacin-κ2O,O′)copper(II) benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate dihydrate, [Cu(C19H22F2N4O3)2](C8H4O4)·2H2O or [Cu(Hspar)2](bdc)·2H2O, (II), are reported (Hspar = sparfloxacin and bdc = benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate). The Mn2+ion in (I) is coordinated by twoO,O′-bidentate Hspar neutral molecules (which exist as zwitterions) and anO,O′-bidentate bdc dianion to generate a distorted MnO6trigonal prism. A very long bond [2.580 (12) Å] from the Mn2+ion to a 0.25-occupied water molecule projects through a square face of the prism. In (II), the Cu2+ion lies on a crystallographic inversion centre and a CuO4square-planar geometry arises from its coordination by twoO,O′-bidentate Hspar molecules. The bdc dianion acts as a counter-ion to the cationic complex and does not bond to the metal ion. The Hspar ligands in both (I) and (II) feature intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds, which closeS(6) rings. In the crystals of both (I) and (II), the components are linked by N—H...O, O—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds, generating three-dimensional networks.
Crystal structure ofN-[3-(dimethylazaniumyl)propyl]-N′,N′,N′′,N′′-tetramethyl-N-(N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylformamidiniumyl)guanidinium dibromide hydroxide monohydrate
Authors: Tiritiris Ioannis , Kantlehner Willi
Published: December 2015

The asymmetric unit of the title hydrated salt, C15H37N63+·2Br−·OH−·H2O, contains one cation, three partial-occupancy bromide ions, one hydroxide ion and one water molecule. Refinement of the site-occupancy factors of the three disordered bromide ions converges with occupancies 0.701 (2), 0.831 (2) and 0.456 (2) summing to approximately two bromide ions per formula unit. The structure was refined as a two-component inversion twin with volume fractions 0.109 (8):0.891 (8) for the two domains. The central C3N unit of the bisamidinium ion is linked to the aliphatic propyl chain by a C—N single bond. The other two bonds in this unit have double-bond character as have the four C—N bonds to the outer NMe2groups. In contrast, the three C—N bonds to the central N atom of the (dimethylazaniumyl)propyl group have single-bond character. Delocalization of the two positive charges occurs in the N/C/N and C/N/C planes, while the third positive charge is localized on the dimethylammonium group. The crystal structure is stabilized by O—H...O, N—H...Br, O—H...Br and C—H...Br hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network.
Crystal structure ofN,N,N′,N′,N′′,N′′-hexamethylguanidinium cyanate 1.5-hydrate
Authors: Tiritiris Ioannis , Kantlehner Willi
Published: December 2015

The title hydrated salt, C7H18N3+·OCN−.1.5H2O, was synthesized starting fromN,N,N′,N′,N′′,N′′-hexamethylguanidinium chloride by a twofold anion-exchange reaction. The asymmetric unit contains two cations, two cyanate anions and three water molecules. One cation shows orientational disorder and two sets of N-atom positions were found related by a 60° rotation, with an occupancy ratio of 0.852 (6):0.148 (6). The C—N bond lengths in both guanidinium ions range from 1.329 (2) to 1.358 (10) Å, indicating double-bond character, pointing towards charge delocalization within the NCN planes. Strong O—H...N hydrogen bonds between the crystal water molecules and the cyanate ions and strong O—H...O hydrogen bonds between the water molecules are present, resulting in a two-dimensional hydrogen bonded network running parallel to the (001) plane. The hexamethylguanidinium ions are packed in between the layers built up by water molecules and cyanate ions.
Crystal structure of 7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[b]naphtho[2,1-d]furan
Authors: Wu Zhongyuan , Reetz Manfred T. , Harms Klaus
Published: December 2015

In the title compound, C16H14O, the cyclohexene ring has a half-chair conformation. The mean plane, calculated through all non-H atoms of the molecule, except for the central CH2atoms of the cyclohexene ring, which deviate by 0.340 (3) and −0.369 (3) Å from this mean plane, has an r.m.s. deviation of 0.012 Å. In the crystal, there are C—H...π contacts present, resulting in the formation of zigzag chains propagating along the [010] direction.
Re-refinement of the spliceosomal U4 snRNP core-domain structure
Authors: Li Jade , Leung Adelaine K. , Kondo Yasushi , Oubridge Chris , Nagai Kiyoshi
Published: December 2015

The core domain of small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP), comprised of a ring of seven paralogous proteins bound around a single-stranded RNA sequence, functions as the assembly nucleus in the maturation of U1, U2, U4 and U5 spliceosomal snRNPs. The structure of the human U4 snRNP core domain was initially solved at 3.6 Å resolution by experimental phasing using data with tetartohedral twinning. Molecular replacement from this model followed by density modification using untwinned data recently led to a structure of the minimal U1 snRNP at 3.3 Å resolution. With the latter structure providing a search model for molecular replacement, the U4 core-domain structure has now been re-refined. The U4 Sm site-sequence AAUUUUU has been shown to bind to the seven Sm proteins SmF–SmE–SmG–SmD3–SmB–SmD1–SmD2in an identical manner as the U1 Sm-site sequence AAUUUGU, except in SmD1where the bound U replaces G. The progression from the initial to the re-refined structure exemplifies a tortuous route to accuracy: where well diffracting crystals of complex assemblies are initially unavailable, the early model errors are rectified by exploiting preliminary interpretations in further experiments involving homologous structures. New insights are obtained from the more accurate model.
Ethyl 2-(5-bromo-2-iodoanilino)cyclopent-1-ene-1-carboxylate
Authors: Barnes Paul , Storey John M. D. , Harrison William T. A.
Published: December 2015

In the title compound, C14H15BrINO2, the conformation of the C—O—CH2—CH3grouping isanti[torsion angle = 173.8 (6)°] and the bond-angle sum at the N atom bridging the two rings is 360°. An unusual intramolecular bifurcated N—H...(O,I) hydrogen bond helps to establish the molecular conformation, in which the I atom and the C=O grouping aresyn. In the crystal, inversion dimers created by pairs of short intermolecular C—I...O interactions [C—I = 2.080 (7) Å; I...O = 3.211 (5) Å; C—I...O = 152.4 (2)°] occur.
Changes in postoperative night bispectral index of patients undergoing thoracic surgery with different types of anaesthesia management: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Tan Wen‐fei , Guo Bing , Ma Hong , Li Xiao‐Qian , Fang Bo , Lv Huang‐Wei
Published: December 2015

This study hypothesized that different types of anaesthesia management would result in similar postoperative sleep quality. In this prospective single‐blind investigation, 219 patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery were randomized into three arms: general anaesthesia, as the control group (group C); general anaesthesia combined with thoracic epidural anaesthesia (TEA) (group E); and general anaesthesia combined with infusion of 1 μg/kg dexmedetomidine (group D). Plasma samples were obtained to measure the amine and inflammatory cytokine concentrations. All patients underwent assessment with the bispectral index (BIS) for sleep quality and the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain. The primary outcomes were inflammatory cytokine [interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α)] secretion and postoperative sleep quality on the first and second postoperative nights. The secondary outcomes were amine (adrenaline and noradrenaline) secretion during the surgical period and haemodynamic stability. The postoperative BIS area under the curve was significantly lower in group E (75.7%) than in group C (87.3%) or group D (86.5%). Patients in group E had the highest BIS of sleep efficiency index (29.2%, P < 0.05) and the lowest VAS scores (3.5, P < 0.05). Group E had lower IL‐6 levels than the other two groups 24 h after surgery (P < 0.05). Patients given TEA may show reduced sleep disturbances on the first night after surgery, perhaps due to better pain management and inhibition of IL‐6 release.
Different regulation of miR‐29a‐3p in glomeruli and tubules in an experimental model of angiotensin II‐dependent hypertension: potential role in renal fibrosis
Authors: Castoldi Giovanna , di Gioia Cira , Giollo Fabrizio , Carletti Raffaella , Bombardi Camila , Antoniotti Marco , Roma Francesca , Zerbini Gianpaolo , Stella Andrea
Published: December 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the angiotensin II (Ang II) induced‐differential miRNA expression in renal glomerular and tubulo‐interstitial fibrosis in an experimental model of Ang II‐dependent hypertension. To clarify this issue, Sprague Dawley rats were treated with Ang II (200 ng/kg per minute, n = 15) or physiological saline (n = 14) for 4 weeks. Systolic blood pressure and albuminuria were measured every 2 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, renal glomerular and tubulo‐interstitial fibrosis was evaluated by histomorphometric analysis, after Sirius‐Red and Masson's trichrome staining. Ang II increased systolic blood pressure (P < 0.0001), albuminuria (P < 0.01) and both glomerular and tubulo‐interstitial fibrosis (P < 0.01). Using laser capture microdissection and miRNA microarray analysis this study showed that miR‐29a‐3p was down‐regulated in renal tubules and up‐regulated in glomeruli. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments confirmed in Ang II‐treated rats a down‐regulation of miR‐29a‐3p in tubules (P < 0.01), while no significant changes were observed in glomeruli. Matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2) was identified as putative miR‐29a‐3p target (by TargetScan, miRanda, Tarbase software) and functionally confirmed by luciferase activity assay. These data demonstrate that the effects of Ang II on miR‐29a‐3p expression in renal tubules is different from the one exerted in the glomeruli and that miR‐29a‐3p targets MMP‐2. These results suggest that the development of renal fibrosis at glomerular and tubulo‐interstitial level depends on different molecular mechanisms.
Transparency and Views Regarding Nuclear Energy Before and After the Fukushima Accident: Evidence on Micro‐Data
Authors: Yamamura Eiji
Published: December 2015

This paper examines the influence of government transparency on changing views regarding nuclear energy before and after Japan's natural and nuclear disaster of 2011. Individual‐level data were used, covering 45 countries and containing 27 423 observations. It was observed in the majority of countries that the rate of favouring nuclear energy declined after the disaster. However, empirical results show that such a tendency is less likely to be observed in a more transparent country. This implies that views regarding nuclear energy were less elastic to the news of the Fukushima incident when people were more certain about nuclear energy prior to the Fukushima incident.
Unravelling the Planetary Boundaries Discourse – Scientism and Utopian Thought
Authors: Hanekamp Jaap C.
Published: December 2015

In this forum contribution, the planetary boundaries discourse put forward by W. Steffen and colleagues is scrutinized. These boundaries are defined as a ‘safe operating space for humanity based on the intrinsic biophysical processes that regulate the stability of the Earth system’. Without reference to specific empirical shortcomings, it is shown that this discourse falls prey to the scientistic fallacy as part of utopian thought. Thus the erroneous belief is propagated that reality, through empirical research, can be penetrated to the full whereby a complete, that is, utopian, grasp of human reality can be translated into said ‘operating space’. This discourse is shown to be incoherent and lays waste to any useful research that tries to fathom particular accidents, crises and contingencies.
Communicating with Key Publics in Crisis Communication: The Synthetic Approach to the Public Segmentation in CAPS (Communicative Action in Problem Solving)
Authors: Kim Young , Miller Andrea , Chon Myoung‐Gi
Published: December 2015

The purpose of this study is to identify and understand key publics and their communication behaviours in crisis communication, using the public segmentation framework which has been rarely used in crisis communication. In doing so, the study quantitatively tests a new theoretical framework of Communicative Action in Problem Solving, classifying eight types of aware and active publics. Through the new framework of public segmentation, the survey results from 1,113 participants substantiate eight types of active and aware publics, as well as their communicative characteristics in a crisis situation. The study finds that the aware and active publics are, as the key publics, more likely to have negative behavioural intentions toward an organization. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Robust PCR‐based method for quantification of bovine milk in cheeses made from caprine and ovine milk
Authors: Klančnik Anja , Toplak Nataša , Kovač Minka , Ogrinc Nives , Jeršek Barbara
Published: December 2015

To prevent fraud and enhance quality assurance, credible analysis of dairy products is crucial. A common problem is the addition of cheaper bovine milk to caprine and/or ovine dairy products and when not declared addition of bovine milk constitutes fraud. The aim was to develop a rapid, robust and sensitive method for the identification of adulteration of caprine and/or ovine cheeses with bovine milk. New quantitative real‐time polymerase (qPCR) assays were designed for the specific determination of bovine DNA (Cow1) and bovine, caprine and ovine DNA (BoCaOv). These were applied to 17 samples of caprine cheese and 24 of ovine cheese. Results showed that 17% (7/41) of these cheeses contained >5% bovine milk. As bovine milk was not declared as an ingredient in any of the samples, this represents adulteration. Other cheeses that contained detectable bovine milk at ≤5% (22%; 5/41) might pose a health risk to people allergic to bovine milk.
Antenatal care for healthy pregnant women: a mapping of interventions from existing guidelines to inform the development of new WHO guidance on antenatal care
Authors: Abalos E , Chamillard M , Diaz V , Tuncalp Ӧ , Gülmezoglu AM
Published: December 2015

Background

The World Health Organization (WHO) is in the process of updating antenatal care (ANC) guidelines.

Objectives

To map the existing clinical practice guidelines related to routine ANC for healthy women and to summarise all practices considered during routine ANC.

Search strategy

A systematic search in four databases for all clinical practice guidelines published after January 2000.

Selection criteria

Two researchers independently assessed the list of potentially eligible publications.

Data collection and analysis

Information on scope of the guideline, type of practice, associated gestational age, recommendation type and the source of evidence were mapped.

Main results

Of 1866 references, we identified 85 guidelines focusing on the ANC period: 15 pertaining to routine ANC and 70 pertaining to specific situations. A total of 135 interventions from routine ANC guidelines were extracted, and categorised as clinical interventions (n = 80), screening/diagnostic procedures (n = 47) and health systems related (n = 8). Screening interventions, (syphilis, anaemia) were the most common practices. Within the 70 specific situation guidelines, 102 recommendations were identified. Overall, for 33 (out of 171) interventions there were conflicting recommendations provided by the different guidelines.

Conclusion

Mapping the current guidelines including practices related to routine ANC informed the scoping phase for the WHO guideline for ANC. Our analysis indicates that guideline development processes may lead to different recommendations, due to context, evidence base or assessment of evidence. It would be useful for guideline developers to map and refer to other similar guidelines and, where relevant, explore the discrepancies in recommendations and others.

Tweetable abstract

We identified existing ANC guidelines and mapped scope, practices, recommendations and source of evidence.
Earthquake‐induced Soft‐sediment Deformation Structures in the Dengfeng Area, Henan Province, China: Constraints on Qinling Tectonic Evolution during the Early Cambrian
Authors: Wentao YANG , Min WANG , Yong'an QI
Published: December 2015

Soft‐sediment deformation structures are abundant in the Cambrian Zhushadong and Mantou formations of the Dengfeng area, Henan Province, China. Soft‐sediment deformation structures of the Zhushadong Formation consist of fluidized deformation, synsedimentary faults, seismo‐folds and plastic deformation; the Mantou Formation is dominated by small‐scale horst faults, intruded dikes, fluidized veins, and seismo‐cracks. These structures are demonstrated to be earthquake‐related by analysis of trigger mechanisms, and may indicate the activity of the Qinling tectonic belt during the early Cambrian. Furthermore, the assemblages of soft‐sediment deformation structures altered with time: large‐scale, intense deformation in the Zhushadong Formation alters to small‐scale, weak deformation in the Mantou Formation. This striking feature may have been caused by changes in hypocentral depth from deep‐focus to shallow‐focus earthquakes, indicating that the Qinling tectonic belt developed from the subduction of the Shangdan Ocean to the extension of the Erlangping back‐arc basin. This study suggests that soft‐sediment deformation structures can be used to reveal the activity of a tectonic belt, and, more importantly, changes in deformation assemblages can track the evolution of a tectonic belt.
Discussion on Geodynamics of Three‐body Motion
Authors: Quanwen LIU , Lingling YAN , Guomin CHEN
Published: December 2015

To determine the Earth's dynamics and their equations, which are crucial for Earth science research, this paper analyzes the interaction forces in the motion of a three‐body system (namely, fixed, active, and passive points), based on the orbital motion. The mathematical derivation has been conducted strictly according to trigonometric functions with time and space as variables. In spatial transformation, related data items are simplified and replaced reasonably and necessarily according to the physical phenomenon to conduct derivations of planar to spatial transformation, through which the motion point has universal significance. Moreover, the polynomial equation for the dynamics has been obtained. Results indicate that the polynomial expression for the dynamics comprises the tidal force, the powerful mid‐latitude Force (PML Force), and gravitation. Gravitation analysis shows that it is proportional to the dynamics quality, the size of the angular velocity of their deviation from the progenitor‐paternal orbital plane's center position, and the square of the progenitor orbital plane's distance. However, it is inversely proportional to the distance of the paternal orbital plane and not related to another body's quality. Some past errors are addressed and some constructive conclusions are offered in the discussion of gravitation.
Two‐stage Cretaceous Exhumation of Hengshan Complex in Hunan Province, SE China: Constraints Arising from40Ar–39Ar Geochronology and Cretaceous Tectonic Implications
Authors: Yanhong WANG , Jianjun CUI , Yueqiao ZHANG , Shuwen DONG , Wen QI , Jinbao SU , Jianhua LI , Yong LI
Published: December 2015

The Hengshan complex is located in the central part of SE China, which underwent rapid tectonic uplift in the Cretaceous just like many other complexes on the continent.40Ar–39Ar geochronological data from the Hengshan complex suggest that two episodes of crustal cooling/extension took place in this part of the continent during the Cretaceous time. The first stage of exhumation was active during ca. 136–125 Ma, with a cooling rate of > 10 °C/Ma. The second stage of exhumation happened at ca. 98–93 Ma, with a cooling rate of > 10 °C/Ma. Considering the folding in the Lower Cretaceous sedimentary rocks and the regional unconformity underneath the Upper Cretaceous red beds, it is believed that the Cretaceous crustal extension in SE China was interrupted by a compressional event. The reversion to extension, shortly after this middle Cretaceous compression, led to the rapid cooling/exhumation of the Hengshan complex at ca. 98–93 Ma. The Cretaceous tectonic processes in the hinterland of SE China could be controlled by interactions between the continental margin and the Paleo–pacific plate.