bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical boundaries within aggregates – differences between amorphous, para‐crystalline, and crystalline Structures
Authors: Albers Peter , Maier Monika , Reisinger Martin , Hannebauer Bernd , Weinand Rudolf
Published: August 2015

The structural properties of finely divided inorganic materials such as metal and metalloid oxides, silicates or carbonates of both synthetic and natural origin are compared by means of electron microscopy and tomography. The structure of the outer surfaces of various compact or compacted agglomerates may suggest some striking similarities between various amorphous silica on the one hand and crystalline titania and alumina on the other however the details of the interior fine structure are completely different. Inside of the crystalline aggregates of, for example, alumina and titania distinct grain boundaries between the inter‐grown primary crystallites exist. Also physical boundaries between different solid phases and crystalline/amorphous transitions in core/shell structures can occur. No physical grain or phase boundaries were found inside of synthetic amorphous silica or para‐crystalline carbon black thus, the aggregate is the constituent particle. Synthetic amorphous silica from different production technologies (fumed/pyrogenic, precipitated, aerogel, gel) may exhibit different macro‐morphology but distinct similarities of the amorphous silica networks. Computational studies on silica and titania underline the stability of constituent particles and aggregates as observed by means of TEM after dispersing the original materials by ultra‐sonication.
Performance analysis of impulse‐radio ultra‐wideband energy detector system using cooperative dual‐hop amplify and forward strategy
Authors: Hazra R. , Tyagi A.
Published: August 2015

A novel analytical representation of bit error rate (BER) performance of an impulse‐radio ultra‐wideband energy detector on–off keying system using cooperative dual‐hop amplify and forward relay technology, with various diversity combining schemes over IEEE 802.15.4a environment is presented in this paper. In particular, the approximate expressions based on energy detection principle are derived for various diversity combining cases, namely linear optimal combining, linear combining, and selective combining. Simulation results depict an improvement in BER performance, with increase in number of relay paths (L) and decrease in number of frames per symbol (Nf). Furthermore, the BER performance of the impulse‐radio ultra‐wideband energy detector on–off keying system improves substantially using dual‐hop cooperative amplify and forward scheme, compared with that of non‐cooperative or single link scenario. Among the diversity combining schemes, linear optimal diversity combining performs better when compared with linear diversity combining and selective combining. The analytical BER expressions are validated with the simulation results, which confirm the accuracy and precision in approximation used in the investigation of BER. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Facts and updates about cardiovascular non‐coding RNAs in heart failure
Authors: Thum Thomas
Published: August 2015

About 11% of all deaths include heart failure as a contributing cause. The annual cost of heart failure amounts to US $34,000,000,000 in the United States alone. With the exception of heart transplantation, there is no curative therapy available. Only occasionally there are new areas in science that develop into completely new research fields. The topic on non‐coding RNAs, including microRNAs, long non‐coding RNAs, and circular RNAs, is such a field. In this short review, we will discuss the latest developments about non‐coding RNAs in cardiovascular disease. MicroRNAs are short regulatory non‐coding endogenous RNA species that are involved in virtually all cellular processes. Long non‐coding RNAs also regulate gene and protein levels; however, by much more complicated and diverse mechanisms. In general, non‐coding RNAs have been shown to be of great value as therapeutic targets in adverse cardiac remodelling and also as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for heart failure. In the future, non‐coding RNA‐based therapeutics are likely to enter the clinical reality offering a new treatment approach of heart failure.
Effects of formulation on transport of pyrethroids in residential settings
Authors: Jones Russell L. , Trask Jennifer R. , Hendley Paul , Cox Megan J. , Chepega Joseph C. , Harbourt Christopher M. , Davidson Paul C.
Published: August 2015

Washoff of 17 pyrethroid products resulting from a 1-h, 25.4-mm rainfall occurring 24 h after application was measured in indoor studies with concrete slabs. These products included different pyrethroid active ingredients and a range of formulation types. Based on this replicated study, 5 product pairs with contrasting washoff behaviors were chosen for an outdoor study using 6 full-scale house fronts in central California. Products in 4 of these pairs were applied once to different rectangular areas on the driveway (1 product in each pair to 3 house lots and the other to the remaining 3 house lots). The products in the fifth pair were applied 3 times at 2-mo intervals to vertical stucco walls above the driveway. All house lots received natural and simulated rainfall over 7 mo. Indoor studies showed differences up to 170-fold between paired products, whereas the maximum difference between paired products in the field was only 5-fold. In the pair applied to the wall, 1 product had 91 times the washoff of the other in the indoor study, whereas in the field the same product had 15% lower washoff. These results show that, although the formulation may influence washoff under actual use conditions, its influence is complex and not always as predicted by indoor experiments. Because the formulation also affects insect control, washoff research needs to be conducted together with efficacy testing. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:340–347. © 2015 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.
Theoretical Study of Cubic and Orthorhombic Nd1–xSrxMnO3 as a Potential Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathode
Authors: Zhou Y. , Lü Z. , Xu S. , Xu D. , Yang Z.
Published: August 2015

In this paper, the atomic and electronic structures of cubic and orthorhombic Nd1–xSrxMnO3 are investigated using the projector augmented‐wave (PAW) methods within the spin‐polarization generalized gradient approximation (GGA+U), where U is on‐site Coulomb interaction correction. The optimized structure parameters of both cubic and orthorhombic bulk phases are obtained. The difference between the AFM and FM structures for NdMnO3 is very small, indicating a small magneto‐elastic effect. In Nd1–xSrxMnO3, the pseudo‐cubic lattice constant decreases on increasing Sr doping due to the oxidation of Mn3+ cations to the smaller Mn4+ cations. The result of the total density of states shows the majority spin without gap and the minority spin with 4.8 × 10−19 J gap, indicating a half‐metallic ground state for NdMnO3 in GGA+U treatment. The Bader effective charges in both cubic and orthorhombic phases are analyzed. The oxygen vacancy formation energy of Nd1–xSrxMnO3 becomes smaller as the Sr doping concentration increases. The oxygen vacancies can be formed more easily on Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 than other systems. These results suggest that Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 could be a promising candidate for application in SOFC.
TNF and regulatory T cells are critical for sepsis‐induced suppression of T cells
Authors: Stieglitz David , Schmid Tobias , Chhabra Nirav F. , Echtenacher Bernd , Männel Daniela N. , Mostböck Sven
Published: August 2015

The immune system in sepsis is impaired as seen by reduced numbers and function of immune cells and impaired antigen‐specific antibody responses. We studied T cell function in septic mice using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) as a clinically relevant mouse model for sepsis. The proliferative response of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was suppressed in septic mice. Adoptive transfer experiments demonstrated that the T cells were not intrinsically altered by CLP. Instead, the septic host environment was responsible for this T cell suppression. While CLP‐induced suppression was dependent on TNF activity, neither the activation of TNF receptors type 1 nor TNF receptor type 2 alone was sufficient to generate sepsis‐induced suppression showing that the two TNF receptors can substitute each other. Specific depletion of regulatory T (Treg) cells improved the impaired T cell proliferation in septic recipients demonstrating participation of Treg in sepsis‐induced suppression. In summary, sepsis leads to TNF‐dependent suppression of T cell proliferation in vivo involving induction of Treg cells.
Evaluation of treatment integrity errors on mand acquisition
Authors: Pence Sacha T. , St. Peter Claire C.
Published: August 2015

Manding allows individuals to access reinforcers in their environment. Caregivers may not implement mand‐training programs as designed, which could result in decreased mand proficiency. This study evaluated the effects of delivery of the incorrect item (Experiment 1) and response‐independent item delivery (Experiment 2) across 4 levels of treatment integrity (0%, 40%, 70%, and 100%) on mand acquisition with individuals with developmental disabilities. During Experiment 1, 2 of the 3 participants acquired the mand fastest during 100% integrity. Delivery of the incorrect item was detrimental to acquisition, but effects were idiosyncratic. During Experiment 2, all participants acquired the mand trained with 100% integrity fastest, followed by the mand trained with 70% integrity. None of the participants acquired the mands trained with 40% and 0% integrity, suggesting that delivery of the item independent of responding was detrimental to acquisition. For mand training to be most effective, caregivers must implement mand training with high levels of integrity.
Drug encapsulated aerosolized microspheres as a biodegradable, intelligent glioma therapy
Authors: Floyd J. Alaina , Galperin Anna , Ratner Buddy D.
Published: August 2015

The grim prognosis for patients diagnosed with malignant gliomas necessitates the development of new therapeutic strategies for localized and sustained drug delivery to combat tumor drug resistance and regrowth. Here we introduce drug encapsulated aerosolized microspheres as a biodegradable, intelligent glioma therapy (DREAM BIG therapy). DREAM BIG therapy is envisioned to deliver three chemotherapeutics, temporally staged over one year, via a bioadhesive, biodegradable spray directly to the brain surgical site after tumor excision. In this proof‐of‐principle article exploring key components of the DREAM BIG therapy prototype, rhodamine B (RB) encapsulated poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) encapsulated poly(lactic acid) microspheres were formulated and characterized. The encapsulation efficiency of RB and IgG and the release kinetics of the model drugs from the microspheres were elucidated in addition to the release kinetics of RB from poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) microspheres formulated in a degradable poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) solution. The successful aerosolized application onto brain tissue ex‐vivo demonstrated the conformal adhesion of the RB encapsulated poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) microspheres to the convoluted brain surface mediated by the thermoresponsive carrier, poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide). These preliminary results suggest the potential of the DREAM BIG therapy for future use with multiple chemotherapeutics and microsphere types to combat gliomas at a localized site. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 544–552, 2016.
A Convenient Synthesis of Bisbenzimidazoles from Iminoester Hydrochlorides Via Microwave Technique
Authors: Kahveci B. , Menteşe E. , Özil M. , Yılmaz F. , Serdar M.
Published: August 2015

A simple and practical method has been developed for the synthesis of bisbenzimidazoles. Iminoester hydrochlorides of phenylacetic acids were used as intermediates in this reaction with 3,3′‐diaminobenzidine under microwave irradiation leading to the products with good yields and in short reaction times. This method can be a general technique for the synthesis of bisbenzimidazoles.
Osteochondral allograft transplantation in cartilage repair: Graft storage paradigm, translational models, and clinical applications
Authors: Bugbee William D. , Pallante‐Kichura Andrea L. , Görtz Simon , Amiel David , Sah Robert
Published: August 2015

The treatment of articular cartilage injury and disease has become an increasingly relevant part of orthopaedic care. Articular cartilage transplantation, in the form of osteochondral allografting, is one of the most established techniques for restoration of articular cartilage. Our research efforts over the last two decades have supported the transformation of this procedure from experimental “niche” status to a cornerstone of orthopaedic practice. In this Kappa Delta paper, we describe our translational and clinical science contributions to this transformation: (1) to enhance the ability of tissue banks to process and deliver viable tissue to surgeons and patients, (2) to improve the biological understanding of in vivo cartilage and bone remodeling following osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation in an animal model system, (3) to define effective surgical techniques and pitfalls, and (4) to identify and clarify clinical indications and outcomes. The combination of coordinated basic and clinical studies is part of our continuing comprehensive academic OCA transplant program. Taken together, the results have led to the current standards for OCA processing and storage prior to implantation and also novel observations and mechanisms of the biological and clinical behavior of OCA transplants in vivo. Thus, OCA transplantation is now a successful and increasingly available treatment for patients with disabling osteoarticular cartilage pathology. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:31–38, 2016.
Stochastic resonance is a method to improve the biosynthetic response of chondrocytes to mechanical stimulation
Authors: Weber Joanna F. , Waldman Stephen D.
Published: August 2015

Cellular mechanosensitivity is an important factor during the mechanical stimulation of tissue engineered cartilage. While the application of mechanical stimuli improves tissue growth and properties, chondrocytes also rapidly desensitize under prolonged loading thereby limiting its effectiveness. One potential method to mitigate load‐induced desensitization is by superimposing noise on the loading waveforms (“stochastic resonance”). Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of stochastic resonance on chondrocyte matrix metabolism. Chondrocyte‐seeded agarose gels were subjected to dynamic compressive loading, with or without, superimposed vibrations of different amplitudes and frequency bandwidths. Changes in matrix biosynthesis were determined by radioisotope incorporation and subsequent effects on intracellular calcium signaling were evaluated by confocal microscopy. Although dependent on the duration of loading, superimposed vibrations improved cellular sensitivity to mechanical loading by further increasing matrix synthesis between 20–60%. Stochastic resonance also appeared to limit load‐induced desensitization by maintaining sensitivity under desensitized loading conditions. While superimposed vibrations had little effect on the magnitude of intracellular calcium signaling, recovery of mechanosensitivity after stimulation was achieved at a faster rate suggesting that less time may be required between successive loading applications. Thus, stochastic resonance appears to be a valuable tool during the mechanical stimulation of cartilage constructs, even when suboptimal stimulation conditions are used. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:231–239, 2016.
Heavy metals in marine fish meat and consumer health: a review
Authors: Bosch Adina C , O'Neill Bernadette , Sigge Gunnar O , Kerwath Sven E , Hoffman Louwrens C
Published: August 2015

The numerous health benefits provided by fish consumption may be compromised by the presence of toxic metals and metalloids such as lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury, which can have harmful effects on the human body if consumed in toxic quantities. The monitoring of metal concentrations in fish meat is therefore important to ensure compliance with food safety regulations and consequent consumer protection. The toxicity of these metals may be dependent on their chemical forms, which requires metal speciation processes for direct measurement of toxic metal species or the identification of prediction models in order to determine toxic metal forms from measured total metal concentrations. This review addresses various shortcomings in current knowledge and research on the accumulation of metal contaminants in commercially consumed marine fish globally and particularly in South Africa, affecting both the fishing industry as well as fish consumers. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Pre‐deamidation of soy protein isolate exerts impacts on transglutaminase‐induced glucosamine glycation and cross‐linking as well as properties of the products
Authors: Yao Xin‐Tong , Zhao Xin‐Huai
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND

Transglutaminase (TGase) induces protein glycation and cross‐linking, but results in lower solubility and digestibility due to excessive cross‐linking. Deamidation of soy protein isolate (SPI) by HCl converts glutamine residues, and provides less opportunity for the two reactions. Two deamidated SPI products (DSPI1 and DSPI2) were thus glucosamine‐glycated and cross‐linked, to clarify the effects of pre‐deamidation on the two reactions and properties of the products.

RESULTS

DSPI1 and DSPI2 had respective degrees of deamidation of 12.2% and 27.4%. They and SPI were used to generate three glycated and cross‐linked products (GC‐DSPI1, GC‐DSPI2 and GC‐SPI) containing glucosamine of 12.0, 4.4 and 19.7 g kg−1 protein, respectively, which were reflected in their infrared spectra at two regions. These three (especially GC‐SPI) had higher water‐binding than SPI (8.2–12.6 versus 6.2 g g−1 protein). GC‐DSPI1 and GC‐DSPI2 showed better enzymatic digestion than GC‐SPI. Thermogravimetric and circular dichroism analyses verified that GC‐DSPI1 and GC‐DSPI2 had maximum degradation rates at temperatures 12–14 °C lower than GC‐SPI, and possessed a more open secondary structure.

CONCLUSION

SPI deamidation decreases forthcoming glycation and cross‐linking, and gives the products higher digestibility, less increased hydration, lower thermal stability, and a more open secondary structure. Pre‐deamidation is applicable to control the properties of GC‐proteins. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Positionspapier der Lebensmittelchemischen Gesellschaft erarbeitet von der AG Tierarzneimittelrückstände zum Thema:
Authors: Hamscher Gerd
Published: August 2015

Aufgrund des Kontaminationsrisikos ist eine Konservierung von Milchproben mit Chloramphenicol für die sogenannte Milchgüteprüfung nicht mehr akzeptabel
Clinicopathological characteristics of freezing of gait in autopsy‐confirmed Parkinson's disease
Authors: Virmani Tuhin , Moskowitz Carol B. , Vonsattel Jean‐Paul , Fahn Stanley
Published: August 2015

Background

Twenty‐five percent to sixty percent of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients reportedly have freezing of gait, leading to impaired mobility, falls, and decreased quality of life. Several factors have been associated with gait freezing in PD patients. We analyze for these factors in autopsy‐proven PD patients.

Methods

We performed a chart review of 58 patients with pathologically confirmed PD based on substantia nigra Lewy bodies. Freezing of gait was defined as a score of 1 or more on Item 14 of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale or if documented on examination. Serial office notes and scales were used to determine onset and progression of motor and non‐motor symptoms.

Results

Patients had been followed up for an average of 20 visits over 9 y. The mean onset of gait freezing was 9.3 y from initial motor symptoms. Patients with earlier gait freezing more commonly had initial gait difficulties and developed postural instability, dyskinesias, memory impairment, hallucinations, and vivid dreams earlier during the disease course. Early onset of hallucinations was correlated with more rapid progression of gait freezing. Maximal equivalent levodopa dose was not correlated with earlier onset or progression of gait freezing. Progressive and more severe gait freezing trended toward higher‐severity Lewy body disease on postmortem examination.

Conclusions

Early onset and rapid progression of freezing of gait in this cohort were correlated with early cognitive impairment and hallucinations that are potential clinical hallmarks of cortical Lewy bodies. The gradual worsening and severity of gait freezing correlated with the density of cortical Lewy body–containing neurons. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Cdk8 deletion in the ApcMin murine tumour model represses EZH2 activity and accelerates tumourigenesis
Authors: McCleland Mark L , Soukup Tim M , Liu Scot D , Esensten Jonathan H , de Sousa e Melo Felipe , Yaylaoglu Murat , Warming Soren , Roose‐Girma Merone , Firestein Ron
Published: August 2015

CDK8 is a dissociable kinase module of the Mediator complex and has been shown to play an important role in transcriptional regulation in organisms as diverse as yeast and humans. Recent studies suggest that CDK8 functions as an oncoprotein in melanoma and colon cancer. Importantly, these studies were conducted using in vitro cell line models and the role of CDK8 in tumourigenesis in vivo has not been explored. We have generated a mouse with a Cdk8 conditional knockout allele and examined the consequences of Cdk8 loss on normal tissue homeostasis and tumour development in vivo. Cdk8 deletion in the young adult mouse did not induce any gross or histopathological abnormalities, implying that Cdk8 is largely dispensable for somatic cellular homeostasis. In contrast, Cdk8 deletion in the ApcMin intestinal tumour model shortened the animals' survival and increased tumour burden. Although Cdk8 deletion did not affect tumour initiation, intestinal tumour size and growth rate were significantly increased in Cdk8‐null animals. Transcriptome analysis performed on Cdk8‐null intestinal cells revealed up‐regulation of genes that are governed by the Polycomb group (PcG) complex. In support of these findings, Cdk8‐null intestinal cells and tumours displayed a reduction in histone H3K27 trimethylation, both globally and at the promoters of a number of PcG‐regulated genes involved in oncogenic signalling. Together, our findings uncover a tumour suppressor function for CDK8 in vivo and suggest that the role of CDK8 activity in driving oncogenesis is context‐specific. Sequencing data were deposited at GEO (Accession No. GSE71385). Copyright © 2015 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Loss of RUNX3 expression promotes cancer‐associated bone destruction by regulating CCL5, CCL19 and CXCL11 in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Kim Hyun‐Jeong , Park Junhee , Lee Sun Kyoung , Kim Ki Rim , Park Kwang‐Kyun , Chung Won‐Yoon
Published: August 2015

Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) frequently metastasizes to bone, which is associated with significant morbidity and a dismal prognosis. RUNX3 functions as a tumour suppressor in lung cancer and loss of expression occurs more frequently in invasive lung adenocarcinoma than in pre‐invasive lesions. Here, we show that RUNX3 and RUNX3‐regulated chemokines are linked to NSCLC‐mediated bone resorption. Notably, the receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegerin (OPG) ratio, an index of osteoclastogenic stimulation, was significantly increased in human osteoblastic cells treated with conditioned media derived from RUNX3‐knockdown NSCLC cells. We aimed to identify RUNX3‐regulated factors that modify the osteoblastic RANKL/OPG ratio and found that RUNX3 knockdown led to CCL5 up‐regulation and down‐regulation of CCL19 and CXCL11 in NSCLC cells. Tumour size was noticeably increased and more severe osteolytic lesions were induced in the calvaria and tibiae of mice that received RUNX3‐knockdown cells. In response to RUNX3 knockdown, serum and tissue levels of CCL5 increased, whereas CCL19 and CXCL11 decreased. Furthermore, CCL5 increased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells in a dose‐dependent manner; however, CCL19 and CXCL11 did not show any significant effects. The RANKL/OPG ratio in osteoblastic cells was increased by CCL5 but reduced by CCL19 and CXCL11. CCL5 promoted osteoclast differentiation, but CCL19 and CXCL11 reduced osteoclastogenesis in RANKL‐treated bone marrow macrophages. These findings suggest that RUNX3 and related chemokines are useful markers for the prediction and/or treatment of NSCLC‐induced bone destruction. © 2015 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Eosinophilia and Fever with Levetiracetam: A Case Report
Authors: Flannery Alexander H. , Willey Maria D. , Thompson Bastin Melissa L. , Buch Ketan P. , Bensadoun Eric S.
Published: August 2015

Levetiracetam is considered by many clinicians to be one of the most benign antiepileptic medications available. We report the case of a 24‐year‐old man presenting with seizures for which he was started on levetiracetam. Despite an extensive work‐up and treatment of possible infectious and noninfectious issues, the patient remained intermittently febrile. When a marked peripheral eosinophilia was noted, the patient's levetiracetam was discontinued and phenytoin prescribed. The fever resolved within 24 hours, and the patient's eosinophilia count returned to normal limits following discharge back to his long‐term care facility. We estimate the probability of this reaction related to levetiracetam as probable based on a score of 7 on the Naranjo scale. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility that levetiracetam may be an offending agent in a patient with unexplained fever and eosinophilia. These may be early signs of the progression to a more serious drug hypersensitivity reaction, such as drug rash, eosinophilia, and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome.
GATA1 directly mediates interactions with closely spaced pseudopalindromic but not distantly spaced double GATA sites on DNA
Authors: Wilkinson‐White Lorna , Lester Krystal L. , Ripin Nina , Jacques David A. , Mitchell Guss J. , Matthews Jacqueline M.
Published: August 2015

The transcription factor GATA1 helps regulate the expression of thousands of genes involved in blood development, by binding to single or double GATA sites on DNA. An important part of gene activation is chromatin looping, the bringing together of DNA elements that lie up to many thousands of basepairs apart in the genome. It was recently suggested, based on studies of the closely related protein GATA3, that GATA‐mediated looping may involve interactions of each of two zinc fingers (ZF) with distantly spaced DNA elements. Here we present a structure of the GATA1 ZF region bound to pseudopalindromic double GATA site DNA, which is structurally equivalent to a recently‐solved GATA3‐DNA complex. However, extensive analysis of GATA1‐DNA binding indicates that although the N‐terminal ZF (NF) can modulate GATA1‐DNA binding, under physiological conditions the NF binds DNA so poorly that it cannot play a direct role in DNA‐looping. Rather, the ability of the NF to stabilize transcriptional complexes through protein–protein interactions, and thereby recruit looping factors such as Ldb1, provides a more compelling model for GATA‐mediated looping.
Structure mediation in substrate binding and post‐translational processing of penicillin acylases: Information from mutant structures of Kluyvera citrophila penicillin G acylase
Authors: Chand Deepak , Varshney NishantKumar , Ramasamy Sureshkumar , Panigrahi Priyabrata , Brannigan James A. , Wilkinson Anthony J. , Suresh C. G.
Published: August 2015

Penicillin acylases are industrially important enzymes for the production of 6‐APA, which is used extensively in the synthesis of secondary antibiotics. The enzyme translates into an inactive single chain precursor that subsequently gets processed by the removal of a spacer peptide connecting the chains of the mature active heterodimer. We have cloned the penicillin G acylase from Kluyvera citrophila (KcPGA) and prepared two mutants by site‐directed mutagenesis. Replacement of N‐terminal serine of the β‐subunit with cysteine (Serβ1Cys) resulted in a fully processed but inactive enzyme. The second mutant in which this serine is replaced by glycine (Serβ1Gly) remained in the unprocessed and inactive form. The crystals of both mutants belonged to space group P1 with four molecules in the asymmetric unit. The three‐dimensional structures of these mutants were refined at resolutions 2.8 and 2.5 Å, respectively. Comparison of these structures with similar structures of Escherichia coli PGA (EcPGA) revealed various conformational changes that lead to autocatalytic processing and consequent removal of the spacer peptide. The large displacements of residues such as Arg168 and Arg477 toward the N‐terminal cleavage site of the spacer peptide or the conformational changes of Arg145 and Phe146 near the active site in these structures suggested probable steps in the processing dynamics. A comparison between the structures of the processed Serβ1Cys mutant and that of the processed form of EcPGA showed conformational differences in residues Argα145, Pheα146, and Pheβ24 at the substrate binding pocket. Three conformational transitions of Argα145 and Pheα146 residues were seen when processed and unprocessed forms of KcPGA were compared with the substrate bound structure of EcPGA. Structure mediation in activity difference between KcPGA and EcPGA toward acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) is elucidated.
Evidence that the conservation reserve program slowed population declines of pheasants on a changing landscape in Nebraska, USA
Authors: Hiller Tim L. , Taylor J. Scott , Lusk Jeffrey J. , Powell Larkin A. , Tyre Andrew J.
Published: August 2015

Nebraska's agricultural landscape underwent dramatic changes during the last half of the 20th century. Since 1986, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has led to an increase in grassland cover, but pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) populations have been decreasing for decades. We hypothesized that if the CRP positively affected pheasant populations in Nebraska, USA, we should see effects reflected in pheasant population trend data. Thus, we examined one of the longest‐running population time‐series data sets in Nebraska, the rural mail‐carrier survey. We averaged pheasant counts annually over the entire state during 1951–2007. We fit 4 simple demographic models to the statewide population abundance index and used information‐theoretic methods to select the model with the most support. We found strong evidence that a logistic model with a 2‐period decline (transition year of 1986 based on optimization) in carrying capacity described the data better than all other models (e.g., AICc wi = 0.99). This model indicated an annual decline in our population index of approximately 15% until 1986, but then a slower annual decline of approximately 5% after 1986. The transition year (1986) corresponded with the date of implementation of the CRP. No other known effect occurred near the transition year and there is no evidence that other potential factors (e.g., disease, changes in predator communities) contributed to large‐scale population declines during our study. The introduction of the CRP may have positively affected pheasant populations, but the effects are so far insufficient to reverse the decline of pheasants in Nebraska. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.
Characterization of shape and dimensional accuracy of incrementally formed titanium sheet parts with intermediate curvatures between two feature types
Authors: Behera Amar Kumar , Lu Bin , Ou Hengan
Published: August 2015

Single point incremental forming (SPIF) is a relatively new manufacturing process that has been recently used to form medical grade titanium sheets for implant devices. However, one limitation of the SPIF process may be characterized by dimensional inaccuracies of the final part as compared with the original designed part model. Elimination of these inaccuracies is critical to forming medical implants to meet required tolerances. Prior work on accuracy characterization has shown that feature behavior is important in predicting accuracy. In this study, a set of basic geometric shapes consisting of ruled and freeform features were formed using SPIF to characterize the dimensional inaccuracies of grade 1 titanium sheet parts. Response surface functions using multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) are then generated to model the deviations at individual vertices of the STL model of the part as a function of geometric shape parameters such as curvature, depth, distance to feature borders, wall angle, etc. The generated response functions are further used to predict dimensional deviations in a specific clinical implant case where the curvatures in the part lie between that of ruled features and freeform features. It is shown that a mixed-MARS response surface model using a weighted average of the ruled and freeform surface models can be used for such a case to improve the mean prediction accuracy within ±0.5 mm. The predicted deviations show a reasonable match with the actual formed shape for the implant case and are used to generate optimized tool paths for minimized shape and dimensional inaccuracy. Further, an implant part is then made using the accuracy characterization functions for improved accuracy. The results show an improvement in shape and dimensional accuracy of incrementally formed titanium medical implants.
Molecular characteristics and evolutionary analysis of a very virulent infectious bursal disease virus
Authors: Li Zan , Qi XiaoLe , Ren XianGang , Cui Lei , Wang XiaoMei , Zhu Ping
Published: August 2015

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) poses a significant threat to the poultry industry. Viral protein 2 (VP2), the major structural protein of IBDV, has been subjected to frequent mutations that have imparted tremendous genetic diversity to the virus. To determine how amino acid mutations may affect the virulence of IBDV, we built a structural model of VP2 of a very virulent strain of IBDV identified in China, vvIBDV Gx, and performed a molecular dynamics simulation of the interaction between virulence sites. The study showed that the amino acid substitutions that distinguish vvIBDV from attenuated IBDV (H253Q and T284A) favor a hydrophobic and flexible conformation of β-barrel loops in VP2, which could promote interactions between the virus and potential IBDV-specific receptors. Population sequence analysis revealed that the IBDV strains prevalent in East Asia show a significant signal of positive selection at virulence sites 253 and 284. In addition, a signal of co-evolution between sites 253 and 284 was identified. These results suggest that changes in the virulence of IBDV may result from both the interaction and the co-evolution of multiple amino acid substitutions at virulence sites.
Effects of deep cryogenic treatment on mechanical and tribological properties of AISI D3 tool steel
Authors: Khun Nay Win , Liu Erjia , Tan Adrian Wei Yee , Senthilkumar D. , Albert Bensely , Mohan Lal D.
Published: August 2015

In this study, the effects of deep cryogenic treatment (DCT) on the mechanical and tribological properties of AISI D3 tool steel were investigated together with a systematic correlation between their hardness and wear resistance. It was found that conventionally heat treated AISI D3 tool steel samples were significantly hardened via an additional DCT, which was attributed to the more retained austenite elimination, more homogenized carbide distribution and more reduction in carbide size in the samples. As a result, the hardened AISI D3 samples exhibited reductions in their friction and wear during rubbing against alumina and 100Cr6 steel balls under different normal loads due to the effectively hindered removal of surface materials. The results clearly showed that the DCT was an effective way to improve the mechanical and tribological properties of the AISI D3 tool steel samples as the tribological performance of the tool steel samples was significantly influenced by their hardness.
Charlemagne
Authors: McKitterick Rosamond
Published: August 2015

Charlemagne is often claimed as the greatest ruler in Europe before Napoleon. This magisterial study re-examines Charlemagne the ruler and his reputation. It analyses the narrative representations of Charlemagne produced after his death, and thereafter focuses on the evidence from Charlemagne's lifetime concerning the creation of the Carolingian dynasty and the growth of the kingdom, the court and the royal household, communications and identities in the Frankish realm in the context of government, and Charlemagne's religious and cultural strategies. The book offers a critical examination of the contemporary sources and in so doing transforms our understanding of the development of the Carolingian empire, the formation of Carolingian political identity, and the astonishing changes effected throughout Charlemagne's forty-six year period of rule. This is a major contribution to Carolingian history which will be essential reading for anyone interested in the medieval past. Rosamond McKitterick has also received the 2010 Dr A. H. Heineken Prize for History for her research into the Carolingians.
The Cambridge Introduction to Shakespeare's Tragedies
Authors: Dillon Janette
Published: August 2015

Macbeth clutches an imaginary dagger; Hamlet holds up Yorick's skull; Lear enters with Cordelia in his arms. Do these memorable and iconic moments have anything to tell us about the definition of Shakespearean tragedy? Is it in fact helpful to talk about 'Shakespearean tragedy' as a concept, or are there only Shakespearean tragedies? What kind of figure is the tragic hero? Is there always such a figure? What makes some plays more tragic than others? Beginning with a discussion of tragedy before Shakespeare and considering Shakespeare's tragedies chronologically one by one, this 2007 book seeks to investigate such questions in a way that highlights both the distinctiveness and shared concerns of each play within the broad trajectory of Shakespeare's developing exploration of tragic form.
Why Elections Fail
Authors: Norris Pippa
Published: August 2015

Too often, elections around the globe are, unfortunately, deeply flawed or even fail. What triggers these problems? In this second volume of her trilogy on electoral integrity, Pippa Norris compares structural, international, and institutional accounts as alternative perspectives to explain why elections fail to meet international standards. The book argues that rules preventing political actors from manipulating electoral governance are needed to secure integrity, although at the same time officials also need sufficient resources and capacities to manage elections effectively. Drawing on new evidence, the study determines the most effective types of strategies for strengthening the quality of electoral governance around the world. With a global perspective, this book provides fresh insights into these major issues at the heart of the study of elections and voting behavior, comparative politics, democracy and democratization, political culture, democratic governance, public policymaking, development, international relations and conflict studies, and processes of regime change.
Indigenous Intellectuals
Authors: Vigil Kiara M.
Published: August 2015

In the United States of America today, debates among, between, and within Indian nations continue to focus on how to determine and define the boundaries of Indian ethnic identity and tribal citizenship. From the 1880s and into the 1930s, many Native people participated in similar debates as they confronted white cultural expectations regarding what it meant to be an Indian in modern American society. Using close readings of texts, images, and public performances, this book examines the literary output of four influential American Indian intellectuals who challenged long-held conceptions of Indian identity at the turn of the twentieth century. Kiara M. Vigil traces how the narrative discourses created by these figures spurred wider discussions about citizenship, race, and modernity in the United States. Vigil demonstrates how these figures deployed aspects of Native American cultural practice to authenticate their status both as indigenous peoples and as citizens of the United States.
Clay in the Age of Bronze
Authors: Sofaer Joanna
Published: August 2015

Studies of creativity frequently focus on the modern era yet creativity has always been part of human history. This book explores how creativity was expressed through the medium of clay in the Bronze Age in the Carpathian Basin. Although metal is one of the defining characteristics of Bronze Age Europe, in the Carpathian Basin clay was the dominant material in many areas of life. Here the daily experience of people was, therefore, much more likely to be related to clay than bronze. Through eight thematic essays, this book considers a series of different facets of creativity. Each essay combines a broad range of theoretical insights with a specific case study of ceramic forms, sites or individual objects. This innovative volume is the first to focus on creativity in the Bronze Age and offers new insights into the rich and complex archaeology of the Carpathian Basin.
Rome's Gothic Wars
Authors: Kulikowski Michael
Published: August 2015

Rome's Gothic Wars is a concise introduction to research on the Roman Empire's relations with one of the most important barbarian groups of the ancient world. The book uses archaeological and historical evidence to look not just at the course of events, but at the social and political causes of conflict between the empire and its Gothic neighbours. In eight chapters, Michael Kulikowski traces the history of Romano-Gothic relations from their earliest stage in the third century, through the development of strong Gothic politics in the early fourth century, until the entry of many Goths into the empire in 376 and the catastrophic Gothic war that followed. The book closes with a detailed look at the career of Alaric, the powerful Gothic general who sacked the city of Rome in 410.
The Cultural Politics of Obeah
Authors: Paton Diana
Published: August 2015

An innovative history of the politics and practice of the Caribbean spiritual healing techniques known as obeah and their place in everyday life in the region. Spanning two centuries, the book results from extensive research on the development and implementation of anti-obeah legislation. It includes analysis of hundreds of prosecutions for obeah, and an account of the complex and multiple political meanings of obeah in Caribbean societies. Diana Paton moves beyond attempts to define and describe what obeah was, instead showing the political imperatives that often drove interpretations and discussions of it. She shows that representations of obeah were entangled with key moments in Caribbean history, from eighteenth-century slave rebellions to the formation of new nations after independence. Obeah was at the same time a crucial symbol of the Caribbean's alleged lack of modernity, a site of fear and anxiety, and a thoroughly modern and transnational practice of healing itself.
Anti-Imperial Metropolis
Authors: Goebel Michael
Published: August 2015

This book traces the spread of a global anti-imperialism from the vantage point of Paris between the two World Wars, where countless future leaders of Third World countries spent formative stints. Exploring the local social context in which these emergent activists moved, the study delves into assassination plots allegedly hatched by Chinese students, demonstrations by Latin American nationalists, and the everyday lives of Algerian, Senegalese and Vietnamese workers. On the basis of police reports and other primary sources, the book foregrounds the role of migration and interaction as driving forces enabling challenges to the imperial world order, weaving together the stories of peoples of three continents. Drawing on the scholarship of twentieth-century imperial, international and global history as well as migration, race and ethnicity in France, it ultimately proposes a new understanding of the roots of the Third World idea.
Alienation and Nature in Environmental Philosophy
Authors: Hailwood Simon
Published: August 2015

Many environmental scientists, scholars and activists characterise our situation as one of alienation from nature, but this notion can easily seem meaningless or irrational. In this book, Simon Hailwood critically analyses the idea of alienation from nature and argues that it can be a useful notion when understood pluralistically. He distinguishes different senses of alienation from nature pertaining to different environmental contexts and concerns, and draws upon a range of philosophical and environmental ideas and themes including pragmatism, eco-phenomenology, climate change, ecological justice, Marxism and critical theory. His novel perspective shows that different environmental concerns - both anthropocentric both anthropocentric and nonanthropocentric - can dovetail, rather than compete with, each other, and that our alienation from nature need not be something to be regretted or overcome. His book will interest a broad readership in environmental philosophy and ethics, political philosophy, geography and environmental studies.
Hobbes, Sovereignty, and Early American Literature
Authors: Downes Paul
Published: August 2015

Hobbes, Sovereignty, and Early American Literature pursues the question of democratic sovereignty as it was anticipated, theorized and resisted in the American colonies and in the early United States. It proposes that orthodox American liberal accounts of political community need to be supplemented and challenged by the deeply controversial theory of sovereignty that was articulated in Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan (1651). This book offers a radical re-evaluation of Hobbes's political theory and demonstrates how a renewed attention to key Hobbesian ideas might inform inventive re-readings of major American literary, religious and political texts. Ranging from seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Puritan attempts to theorize God's sovereignty to revolutionary and founding-era debates over popular sovereignty, this book argues that democratic aspiration still has much to learn from Hobbes's Leviathan and from the powerful liberal resistance it has repeatedly provoked.
Reason of State
Authors: Poole Thomas
Published: August 2015

This historically embedded treatment of theoretical debates about prerogative and reason of state spans over four centuries of constitutional development. Commencing with the English Civil War and the constitutional theories of Hobbes and the Republicans, it moves through eighteenth-century arguments over jealousy of trade and commercial reason of state to early imperial concerns and the nineteenth-century debate on the legislative empire, to martial law and twentieth-century articulations of the state at the end of empire. It concludes with reflections on the contemporary post-imperial security state. The book synthesises a wealth of theoretical and empirical literature that allows a link to be made between the development of constitutional ideas and global realpolitik. It exposes the relationship between internal and external pressures and designs in the making of the modern constitutional polity and explores the relationship between law, politics and economics in a way that remains rare in constitutional scholarship.