bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-invasive aerosol delivery and transport of gold nanoparticles to the brain
Authors: Raliya Ramesh , Saha Debajit , Chadha Tandeep S. , Raman Baranidharan , Biswas Pratim
Published: March 2017

Targeted delivery of nanoscale carriers containing packaged payloads to the central nervous system has potential use in many diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Moreover, understanding of the bio-interactions of the engineered nanoparticles used for tissue-specific delivery by non-invasive delivery approaches are also of paramount interest. Here, we have examined this issue systematically in a relatively simple invertebrate model using insects. We synthesized 5 nm, positively charged gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and targeted their delivery using the electrospray aerosol generator. Our results revealed that after the exposure of synthesized aerosol to the insect antenna, AuNPs reached the brain within an hour. Nanoparticle accumulation in the brain increased linearly with the exposure time. Notably, electrophysiological recordings from neurons in the insect brain several hours after exposure did not show any significant alterations in their spontaneous and odor-evoked spiking properties. Taken together, our findings reveal that aerosolized delivery of nanoparticles can be an effective non-invasive approach for delivering nanoparticles to the brain, and also presents an approach to monitor the short-term nano-biointeractions.
Correction: Corrigendum: A spiking neural network model of 3D perception for event-based neuromorphic stereo vision systems
Authors: Osswald Marc , Ieng Sio-Hoi , Benosman Ryad , Indiveri Giacomo
Published: March 2017

Scientific Reports 7: Article number: 40703; published online: 12 January 2017; updated: 16 March 2017 The Authors neglected to cite a previous study related to biological stereo vision systems. The additional reference is listed below as reference 1, and should appear in the text as below. In the Introduction section,
The Glutathione Peroxidase Gene Family in Gossypium hirsutum: Genome-Wide Identification, Classification, Gene Expression and Functional Analysis
Authors: Chen Mingyang , Li Kun , Li Haipeng , Song Chun-Peng , Miao Yuchen
Published: March 2017

The plant glutathione peroxidase (GPX) family consists of multiple isoenzymes with distinct subcellular locations, tissue-specific expression patterns and environmental stress responses. In this study, 13 putative GPXs from the genome of Gossypium hirsutum (GhGPXs) were identified and a conserved pattern among plant GPXs were exhibited, besides this they also responded to multiple environmental stresses and we predicted that they had hormone responsive cis-elements in their promoter regions. Most of the GhGPXs on expression in yeast can scavenge H2O2. Our results showed that different members of the GhGPX gene family were co-ordinately regulated under specific environmental stress conditions, and suggested the importance of GhGPXs in hormone treatments and abiotic stress responses.
A mechanistic study of gold nanoparticle radiosensitisation using targeted microbeam irradiation
Authors: Ghita Mihaela , McMahon Stephen J. , Taggart Laura E. , Butterworth Karl T. , Schettino Giuseppe , Prise Kevin M.
Published: March 2017

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have been demonstrated as effective radiosensitizing agents in a range of preclinical models using broad field sources of various energies. This study aimed to distinguish between these mechanisms by applying subcellular targeting using a soft X-ray microbeam in combination with GNPs. DNA damage and repair kinetics were determined following nuclear and cytoplasmic irradiation using a soft X-ray (carbon K-shell, 278 eV) microbeam in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer and AG01522 fibroblast cells with and without GNPs. To investigate the mechanism of the GNP induced radiosensitization, GNP-induced mitochondrial depolarisation was quantified by TMRE staining, and levels of DNA damage were compared in cells with depolarised and functional mitochondria. Differential effects were observed following radiation exposure between the two cell lines. These findings were validated 24 hours after removal of GNPs by flow cytometry analysis of mitochondrial depolarisation. This study provides further evidence that GNP radiosensitisation is mediated by mitochondrial function and it is the first report applying a soft X-ray microbeam to study the radiobiological effects of GNPs to enable the separation of physical and biological effects.
Squaramide-catalyzed asymmetric Michael/cyclization cascade reaction of 3-isothiocyanato oxindoles with chalcones for synthesis of pyrrolidinyl spirooxindoles
Authors: Lin Ye , Liu Lei , Du Da-Ming
Published: March 2017

An efficient method for the construction of pyrrolidinyl spirooxindoles with 3-isothiocyanato oxindoles and chalcones via a Michael/cyclization cascade reaction has been developed using squaramide. The products were obtained in high yields with excellent stereo selectivities.
Mechanism of degradation of a nitrogenous heterocycle induced by a reductive radical: decomposition of a sym-triazine ring
Authors: Lyu Gengxin , Shi Guosheng , Tang Liang , Fang Haiping , Wu Minghong
Published: March 2017

Cyanuric acid, a major component of many materials and chemicals, and also the most important intermediate in the degradation processes of sym-triazine compounds in the natural environment, as well as being used for water treatment, was selected to elucidate the mechanism of degradation of nitrogenous materials.
Time-dependent vibrational spectral analysis of first principles trajectory of methylamine with wavelet transform
Authors: Biswas Sohag , Mallik Bhabani S.
Published: March 2017

The fluctuation dynamics of amine stretching frequencies, hydrogen bonds, dangling N–D bonds, and the orientation profile of the amine group of methylamine (MA) were investigated under ambient conditions by means of dispersion-corrected density functional theory-based first principles molecular dynamics (FPMD) simulations.
Insights into the pores of microwave-assisted metal–imidazolate frameworks showing enhanced gas sorption
Authors: Mondal Suvendu Sekhar , Dey Subarna , Attallah Ahmed G. , Krause-Rehberg Reinhard , Janiak Christoph , Holdt Hans-Jürgen
Published: March 2017

Microwave assisted synthesized materials have an inherent ability to trap extra linkers, thereby reducing the pore sizes of CE- heating materials to ultra/micropores. These ultramicropores are responsible for high gas sorption.
Flexible organofunctional aerogels
Authors: Ehgartner C. R. , Grandl S. , Feinle A. , Hüsing N.
Published: March 2017

Flexible inorganic–organic silica aerogels based on methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS, CH3Si(OCH3)3) can overcome the drawbacks of conventional silica aerogels by introducing high mechanical strength, elastic recovery and hydrophobicity to monolithic materials.
Keto analogues and amino acids supplementation induces a decrease of white blood cell counts and a reduction of muscle damage during intense exercise under thermoneutral conditions
Authors: Lima R. C. P. , Camerino S. R. A. S. , França T. C. L. , Rodrigues D. S. A. , Gouveia M. G. S. , Ximenes-da-Silva A. , Bassini A. , Prado E. S. , Cameron L. C.
Published: March 2017

Keto analogues and amino acids supplementation modulates the white blood cell immune response after exercise under thermoneutral conditions.
Simple microfluidic formation of highly heterogeneous microfibers using a combination of sheath units
Authors: Yoon D. H. , Kobayashi K. , Tanaka D. , Sekiguchi T. , Shoji S.
Published: March 2017

This paper presents the formation of complex cross-sectional microfibers using three-dimensional microfluidic devices.
Correction: Electrowetting without external voltage using paint-on electrodes
Authors: Eaker Collin B. , Joshipura Ishan D. , Maxwell Logan R. , Heikenfeld Jason , Dickey Michael D.
Published: March 2017

Correction for ‘Electrowetting without external voltage using paint-on electrodes’ by Collin B. Eaker et al., Lab Chip, 2017, DOI: 10.1039/c6lc01500j.
Determination of a complex crystal structure in the absence of single crystals: analysis of powder X-ray diffraction data, guided by solid-state NMR and periodic DFT calculations, reveals a new 2′-deoxyguanosine structural motif
Authors: Hughes Colan E. , Reddy G. N. Manjunatha , Masiero Stefano , Brown Steven P. , Williams P. Andrew , Harris Kenneth D. M.
Published: March 2017

A multi-technique strategy reveals a new hydrogen-bonding motif for a 2′-deoxyguanosine derivative.
IN H∞ control for STATCOM to improve voltage stability of power system
Authors: Lei Bangjun , Fei Shumin
Published: March 2017

An innovative nonlinear (IN) H∞ control for static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) to improve voltage stability of power system is proposed. Taking the parameter deviations, external disturbances and unmodelled dynamics into account, the nonlinear dynamic model of STATCOM can be transformed into a standard Hamiltonian structure with the help of coordinate transformation. Using the Hamiltonian structure of STATCOM, an IN H∞ control is designed for STATCOM. A two‐area four‐machine power system is used to testify the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed IN H∞ control in comparison with the feedback linearisation (FL) control. The numerical simulation results indicate that the IN H∞ control has better performance than the FL control.
NFC transmitter coil placement to minimise degradation of A4WP wireless power transfer efficiency
Authors: Kang M. , Noh E. , Kim K.
Published: March 2017

The wireless power transfer (WPT) transmitter (Tx) coil and near field communication (NFC) Tx coil are combined in one transmitter. The coil system consists of an NFC Tx coil and a WPT coil system that includes an A4WP Tx coil and an A4WP receiver (Rx) coil. The WPT coil system uses a magnetic resonance method. A4WP coils are tuned to resonate at 6.78 MHz. The NFC Tx coil is tuned to resonate at 13.56 MHz and positioned between the A4WP Tx and Rx coils. Moving the position of NFC Tx coil near the A4WP Tx coil, interference phenomena among coils are investigated and changes of WPT efficiencies are measured. Optimal placements of the NFC Tx coil that minimise the loss of WPT efficiency are determined based on the analysis data.
Optimisation design for series–series dynamic WPT system maintaining stable transfer power
Authors: Wang Shengming , Chen Junfeng , Hu Zhaoyang , Rong CanCan , Liu Minghai
Published: March 2017

In amount of practical applications of wireless power transfer (WPT), charging electric vehicles (EVs) has attracted much attention. Dynamic WPT is considered as a solution to the problem of battery bottleneck and the difficulty of convenient charging encountered in the development of EV. However, the transfer power can hardly be maintained stable under large coil misalignment in movement. What is more, the transfer efficiency will decline correspondingly. A method of optimisation design is presented from the perspective of against misalignment for dynamic series–series (SS) WPT system. The primary compensation capacitance is well designed to regulate transfer power fluctuation in WPT system. Then the optimal load is matched by DC–DC converter to guarantee the highest average transfer efficiency. A secondary‐only resonant SS WPT system with fixed frequency is finally built. The power transfer profile is smooth against coupling coefficient to realise high tolerance to position as the power drop (raise) percentage is no more than 10% (20%) within 200% variation of coupling coefficient for different loads. Meanwhile, the efficiency can always be maintained at a high level.
Pituitary Adenoma with Apoplexy with Arteriovenous Malformation
Authors: Bansal Rajeev , Shekhawat Jitendra , Purohit Devendra
Published: March 2017

Background This is a rare association of pituitary adenoma with apoplexy with arteriovenous malformation as only single case was reported prior to this case as per our knowledge.

Case Description A 25-year-old man presented with chief complaints of headache of sudden onset, severe in intensity with sudden loss of vision. Imaging shows pituitary adenoma with apoplexy with right parietal arteriovenous malformation. The patient was managed with embolization for parietal arteriovenous malformation and medically for pituitary adenoma with apoplexy.

Conclusion Pituitary apoplexy can be treated conservatively if no features of mass effect present. Follow-up of the patient must be done regularly to look for the size of pituitary adenoma and recurrence of arteriovenous malformation.
Iodobenzene-Promoted Pd-Catalysed ortho-Directed C–H Activation: The Synthesis of Benzothiazoles via Intramolecular Coupling
Authors: Zeng Meng-Tian , Xu Wan , Liu Min , Liu Xing , Chang Cai-Zhu , Zhu Hui , Dong Zhi-Bing
Published: March 2017

A series of 2-aminobenzothiazoles were synthesized by a palladium-catalysed oxidative coupling with good yields (62–89%). Iodobenzene was found to be effective as an additive in this intramolecular C–S bond-formation reaction. The directing thiourea group attached to the aryl ring is essential for the activation of the ortho C–H bond.
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: The Side of Diaphragmatic Defect and Associated Nondiaphragmatic Malformations
Authors: Grizelj Ruža , Bojanić Katarina , Vuković Jurica , Weingarten Toby , Schroeder Darrell , Sprung Juraj
Published: March 2017

Background Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) has different clinical presentations depending on whether it is right sided (R-CDH) or left sided (L-CDH). Some have suggested that L-CDH and R-CDH may represent different syndromic phenotypes. This theory would be indirectly supported if different nondiaphragmatic anomalies were associated with laterality. We assessed whether CDH laterality is associated with specific types of nondiaphragmatic anomalies.

Methods Cases of CDH were retrospectively identified from five centers, and associated congenital anomalies, prenatal diagnosis, demographics, birth characteristics, and side of the CDH were analyzed. CDH characteristics were summarized according to the absence (isolated) or presence (complex) of nondiaphragmatic malformations.

Results Among 228 neonates with CDH, 140 (61%) had isolated CDH and 88 (39%) had complex CDH. Complex CDH was significantly associated with being small for gestational age (odds ratio [95% confidence interval, CI]: 8.3 [1.9–35.7]; p = 0.005) and having L-CDH (odds ratio [95% CI]: 3.6 [1.5–8.9]; p = 0.005). The overall proportion with anomalies differed by side (42% for L-CDH, 23% for R-CDH; p = 0.02), but the rates of anomalies in specific organ systems did not differ.

Conclusion The rate of associated nondiaphragmatic anomalies by specific organ system did not differ between L-CDH and R-CDH, which suggests that they represent the same phenotypic entity.
Association of Fetal Heart Rate Baseline Change and Neonatal Outcomes
Authors: Stout Molly , López Julia , Colvin Ryan , Macones George , Cahill Alison , Yang Michael
Published: March 2017

Objective The objective of this study was to describe the incidence of baseline change within normal range during labor and its prediction of neonatal outcomes.

Materials and Methods This was a prospective cohort of singleton, nonanomalous, term neonates with continuous electronic fetal monitoring and normal baseline fetal heart rate throughout the last 2 hours of labor. We determined baseline in 10-minute segments using Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development criteria. We evaluated baseline changes of ≥ 20 and ≥ 30 bpm for association with acidemia (umbilical cord arterial pH ≤ 7.10) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. Finally, we performed a sensitivity analysis of normal neonates, excluding those with acidemia, NICU admission, or 5-minute Apgar < 4.

Results Among all neonates (n = 3,021), 1,267 (41.9%) had change ≥ 20 bpm; 272 (9.0%) had ≥ 30 bpm. Among normal neonates (n = 2,939), 1,221 (41.5%) had change ≥20 bpm. Acidemia was not associated with baseline change of any direction or magnitude. NICU admission was associated with decrease ≥ 20 bpm (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19 – 7.21) or any direction ≥ 20 bpm (aOR: 4.06; 95% CI: 1.46–11.29). For decrease ≥ 20 bpm, sensitivity and specificity were 40.0 and 81.7%; for any direction ≥ 20 bpm, 75.0 and 58.3%.

Conclusion Changes of normal baseline are common in term labor and poorly predict morbidity, regardless of direction or magnitude.
Transitions in Care for Infants with Trisomy 13 or 18
Authors: Taylor Genevieve , Smith Melissa , Dotters-Katz Sarah , Davis Arlene , Price Wayne , Patterson Jacquelyn
Published: March 2017

Background and Objectives The scope of interventions offered to infants with trisomy 13 (T13) or trisomy 18 (T18) is increasing. We describe the spectrum of care provided, highlighting transitions in care for individual patients.

Patients and Methods This is a single-center, retrospective cohort of infants with T13 or T18 born between 2004 and 2015. Initial care was classified as comfort care or intervention using prenatal counseling notes. Transitions in care were identified in the medical record.

Results In this study, 25 infants were divided into two groups based on their care: neonates who experienced no transition in care and neonates who experienced at least one transition. Eleven neonates experienced no transition in care with 10 receiving comfort care. Fourteen neonates experienced at least one transition: three transitioned from comfort care to intervention and 11 from intervention to comfort care. The three initially provided comfort care were discharged home with hospice and readmitted. Among the 11 cases who transitioned from intervention to comfort care, 9 transitioned during the birth hospitalization, 6 had no prenatal suspicion for T13 or T18, and 5 experienced elective withdrawal of intensive care.

Conclusion The spectrum of care for infants with T13 or T18 illustrates the need for individualized counseling that is on-going, goal directed, collaborative, and responsive.
Der Wolfspelz
Authors: Joost Stefan
Published: March 2017

Triangulierung und Mentalisierung sind zentrale
Ansatzpunkte moderner Psychotherapien. In der
Therapie trifft das kognitive und emotionale Wissen
des Therapeuten um die ­interpersonellen
­Zusammenhänge auf ein bestenfalls intuitives
Erahnen des ­Patienten. Mythen transportieren dieses
Erahnen löschungsresistent durch die Zeit. Anhand
des Märchens „Der Wolf und die sieben Geißlein“ wird
versucht anschaulich zu machen, welcher
therapeutische Nutzen für die Therapie von Süchten
in Märchen steckt.
Frequency of Genital Infections According to Body Mass Index in Dapagliflozin-treated Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Rudofsky Gottfried , Haenni Tanja , Xu John , Johnsson Eva
Published: March 2017

Genital infections are associated with sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors such as dapagliflozin. Since patients with Type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of genital infections, and obesity is a risk factor for infections, obese patients with Type 2 diabetes could be more susceptible to genital infections when treated with sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors. This pooled dataset assessed the frequency of genital infections according to baseline body mass index in patients treated with dapagliflozin 10 mg.

Data were pooled from 13 studies of up to 24 weeks’ duration (dapagliflozin N=2 360; placebo N=2 295). Frequency of genital infections was compared between three body mass index subgroups (<30, ≥30−< 35 and ≥35 kg/m2).

Genital infections were reported in 130 (5.5%) patients receiving dapagliflozin and 14 (0.6%) patients receiving placebo; none of which were serious. Genital infections were more common in women (84/130 [64.6%]) than in men (46/130 [35.4%]) treated with dapagliflozin. In the body mass index < 30, ≥ 30−< 35 and ≥ 35 kg/m2 dapagliflozin-treated subgroups, 38/882 (4.3%), 47/796 (5.9%) and 45/682 (6.6%) patients presented with genital infections, respectively.

Although the frequency was low overall and relatively similar between subgroups, there was a trend towards an increase in genital infections in patients with a higher body mass index. This trend is unlikely to be clinically relevant or to affect suitability of dapagliflozin as a treatment option for obese patients with Type 2 diabetes, but rather should influence advice and counselling of overweight patients on prevention and treatment of genital infections.
Reducing the number of mean-square deviation calculations with floating close structure in metadynamics
Authors: Pazúriková Jana , Křenek Aleš , Spiwok Vojtěch , Šimková Mária
Published: March 2017

Metadynamics is an important collective-coordinate-based enhanced sampling simulation method. Its performance depends significantly on the capability of collective coordinates to describe the studied molecular processes. Collective coordinates based on comparison with reference landmark structures can be used to enhance sampling in highly complex systems; however, they may slow down simulations due to high number of structure-structure distance (e.g., mean-square deviation) calculations. Here we introduce an approximation of root-mean-square or mean-square deviation that significantly reduces numbers of computationally expensive operations. We evaluate its accuracy and theoretical performance gain with metadynamics simulations on two molecular systems.
Thermoelectric transport in hybrid materials incorporating metallic nanowires in polymer matrix
Authors: Liu Bin , Lu Tingyu , Wang Biao , Liu Jun , Nakayama Tsuneyoshi , Zhou Jun , Li Baowen
Published: March 2017

We propose a type of thermoelectric materials incorporating metallic nanowires in insulating polymers. It is shown that the hybridization of poor thermoelectric materials such as metal and polymer can achieve high performance of thermoelectricity. The electrical conductivity of such hybrid materials is controllable by the volume fraction of metallic nanowires which is above a percolation critical value. Meanwhile, the Seebeck coefficient shows a weak dependence on the volume fraction. Low thermal conductivities required for achieving the high figure of merit can be fulfilled from both the low thermal conductivity of polymer and the interfacial thermal resistance between nanowires and polymer. In this regard, we propose the concept “electron-percolation thermal-insulator,” providing a guide to design efficient hybrid thermoelectric materials.
Polarization-independent electromagnetically induced transparency-like transmission in coupled guided-mode resonance structures
Authors: Lee Sun-Goo , Kim Seong-Han , Kim Kap-Joong , Kee Chul-Sik
Published: March 2017

We present two photonic systems that make it possible to realize polarization-independent electromagnetically induced transparency based on guided-mode resonances. Each system is composed of two planar dielectric waveguides and a two-dimensional photonic crystal. Using finite-difference time-domain simulations, we demonstrate that by coupling the two guided-mode resonances with low- and high-quality factors, a narrow transparency window is generated inside a broad background transmission dip produced by the guided-mode resonances. We also show that the time delay that occurs when light beams pass through the proposed systems can be controlled by adjusting the distance between the two waveguides.
Theoretical Simulations of Irradiation-Induced Sputtering at Tungsten Surface
Authors: Hua Xue-min , He Hai-yan , Ding Wen-yi , Ding Ru , Chen Jun-ling , Pan Bi-cai
Published: March 2017

The irradiation-induced sputtering and the structural damage at tungsten surface are investigated by using molecular dynamics simulations at the level of quantum mechanics. Our simulations indicate that the sputtered atoms appear when the energy of incident primary knock-on atom (PKA) is more than 200 eV and the incident angle of the PKA is larger than 65°. Meanwhile, the irradiation-induced vacancies are less when the incident angle of PKA is in the range of 45°–65°. So, the optimum incident angles of PKA are suggested to reduce the irradiation-induced damage of the W surface. Furthermore, we find that the interstitials contained in the systems accelerate the sputtering whereas the intrinsic vacancies suppress the sputtering when the PKA is near the defects.
Solvent Effects on Two-Photon Absorption of Alkyne and Alkene π-bridging Chromophores
Authors: Li Jing , Wang Chuan-kui , Song Yu-zhi
Published: March 2017

The present work concerns the study of solvent effects on the geometrical structures, as well as one- and two-photon absorption (TPA) processes, for two series of alkyne and alkene π-bridging molecules, within the framework of the polarization continuum model. Particular emphasis was put on the characterization of solvent effects on the molecular geometrical structures and geometric distortion, which were measured by the bond-length-alternation parameter. The π centres in the compounds are seen to play a decisive role in increasing the TPA cross section and nonlinear optical properties. All studied molecules have relatively strong TPA characteristics, while the alkyne π-bridging ones yield larger TPA cross sections.
Adaptive and diagnostic significance of the bark of Stryphnodendron polyphyllum (Leguminosae) from the Cerrado
Authors: Vergílio Paula C. B. , Marcati Carmen R.
Published: March 2017

Bark comprises structurally and functionally complex plant tissues, providing a rich source of traits for taxonomic, phylogenetic, evolutionary and ecological studies. We compared bark traits of Stryphnodendron polyphyllum Mart. (Leguminosae) specimens growing in two Cerrado habitats (cerrado sensu stricto and gallery forest, being fire-prone and non-fire-prone habitats respectively), to determine which bark traits could be considered diagnostic and adaptively informative. We analysed the anatomy and thickness of the periderm, cortex, primary and secondary phloem, and also the bark histochemistry. Stryphnodendron polyphyllum is distinctive from other Stryphnodendron species reported in the literature, by the presence of a rhytidome, stratified lenticels and the non-collapsed parenchyma cells in the non-conducting phloem, which are, therefore, diagnostic traits for this species. Bark of S. polyphyllum showed a trade-off in resource allocation between the periderm and secondary phloem, whereas the thicker rhytidome seemed to be associated with fire protection in specimens from the fire-prone habitat, the wider sieve tubes in the thicker conducting secondary phloem indicated efficiency of photosynthate transport in the specimens from non-fire-prone habitat.
Physiological, biochemical and agronomic traits associated with drought tolerance in a synthetic-derived wheat diversity panel
Authors: Afzal Fakiha , Reddy Bharath , Gul Alvina , Khalid Maria , Subhani Abid , Shazadi Kanwal , Quraishi Umar Masood , Ibrahim Amir M. H. , Rasheed Awais
Published: March 2017

Synthetic hexaploid wheat and their advanced derivatives (SYN-DERs) are promising sources for introducing novel genetic diversity to develop climate-resilient cultivars. In a series of field and laboratory experiments, we measured biochemical, physiological and agronomic traits in a diversity panel of SYN-DERs evaluated under well-watered (WW) and water-limited (WL) conditions. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes, treatments and their interaction for all agronomic and physiological traits. Grain yield (GY) was reduced by 62.75% under WL, with a reduction of 38.10% in grains per spike (GS) and 19.42% in 1000-grain weight (TGW). In a Pearson’s coefficient correlation, GY was significantly correlated with GS, number of tillers per plant and TGW in both conditions. Path coefficient analysis showed that TGW and GS made the highest contribution to GY in WW and WL conditions, respectively. The traits examined in this experiment explained 59.6% and 63.01% of the variation in GY under WL and WW conditions, respectively; TGW, canopy temperature at spike and superoxide dismutase were major determinants of GY under WL conditions. The major flowering-time determinant gene Ppd-D1 was fixed in the diversity panel, with presence of the photoperiod-insensitive allele (Ppd-D1a) in 99% accessions. Wild-type alleles at Rht-B1 and Rht-D1, and presence of the rye translocation (1B.1R), favoured GY under WL conditions. Continuous variation for the important traits indicated the potential use of genome-wide association studies to identify favourable alleles for drought adaptation in the SYN-DERs. This study showed sufficient genetic variation in the SYN-DERs diversity panel to improve yields during droughts because of better adaptability than bread wheat.
Prostaglandin F2α–PTGFR signalling activation, growth factor expression and cell proliferation in bovine endometrial explants
Authors: Zhang Shuangyi , Liu Bo , Gao Long , Mao Wei , Fu Changqi , Duritahala  , Zhang Nan , Zhang Ying , Shen Yuan , Cao Jinshan
Published: March 2017

The endometrium of domestic animals undergoes regular periods of regeneration and degeneration and exhibits a remarkable capacity for self-repair during the oestrous cycle. The endometrial growth pattern is also observed during in the implantation period and early pregnancy, but the mechanism underlying endometrial growth in these processes remains unclear. A positive correlation between endometrial growth in these processes and prostaglandin (PG) F2α secretion has been reported, but the roles that PGF2α plays in endometrial growth is less studied. In the present study, cell proliferation and the responses of a series of growth factors essential for endometrial growth to PGF2α receptor (PTGFR) activation were investigated in bovine endometrial explants in vitro. Using real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, mRNA and protein expression of connective tissue growth factor, fibroblast growth factor2, interleukin8, matrix metalloproteinase2, transforming growth factor β1 and vascular endothelial growth factor A was increased (P < 0.05) and cell proliferation, including epithelial and fibroblast proliferation, was induced in response to increased levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, cytokeratin-18 and fibroblast-specific protein-1 (P < 0.05) following PTGFR activation by adding fluprostenol (10−9–10−5 M) into culture medium of bovine endometrial explants. However, caspase-3 protein expression was reduced following treatment of explants with fluprostenol (10−9–10−5 M, P < 0.05). These results may help define the possible roles the PGF2α–PTGFR signalling pathway plays in endometrial growth.
Do relative positions and proxemics affect the engagement in a Human-Robot collaborative scenario?
Authors: Papadopoulos Fotios , Küster Dennis , Corrigan Lee J. , Kappas Arvid , Castellano Ginevra
Published: March 2017

This paper investigates the effects of relative position and proxemics in the engagement process involved in Human-Robot collaboration. We evaluate the differences between two experimental placement conditions (frontal vs. lateral) for an autonomous robot in a collaborative task with a user across two different types of robot behaviours (helpful vs. neutral). The study evaluated placement and behaviour types around a touch table with 80 participants by measuring gaze, smiling behaviour, distance from the task, and finally electrodermal activity. Results suggest an overall user preference and higher engagement rates with the helpful robot in the frontal position. We discuss how behaviours and position of the robot relative to a user may affect user engagement and collaboration, in particular when the robot aims to provide help via socio-emotional bonding.
Why do children abuse robots?
Authors: Nomura Tatsuya , Kanda Takayuki , Kidokoro Hiroyoshi , Suehiro Yoshitaka , Yamada Sachie
Published: March 2017

We found that children sometimes abused a social robot placed in a shopping mall hallway. They verbally abused the robot, repeatedly obstructed its path, and sometimes even kicked and punched the robot. To investigate the reasons for the abuse, we conducted a field study in which we interviewed visiting children who exhibited serious abusive behaviors, including physical contact. We analyzed interview contents to determine whether the children perceived the robot as human-like, why they abused it, and whether they thought that the robot would suffer from their abusive behavior. We obtained valid interviews from 23 children (age range, 5–9 years old) over 13 days of observations. We found that 1) the majority of the children engaged in abuse because they were curious about the robot’s reactions or enjoyed abusing it and considered it human-like, and 2) about half of them believed the robot was capable of perceiving their abusive behaviors.
Narrative in ‘societies of intimates’
Authors: Stirling Lesley , Green Jennifer
Published: March 2017

When the Australian writer Richard Flanagan accepted the 2014 Man Booker Prize for fiction, he said that “As a species it is story that distinguishes us”. While the prize was given for a literary work written in English, Australia and the surrounding regions are replete with a rich diversity of oral traditions, and with stories remembered and told over countless generations and in many languages. In this article we consider both the universality and the cross-cultural and cross-linguistic diversity of various forms of narrative. We explore the question of what a linguistic typology of narrative might look like, and survey some of the literature relevant to this issue. Most specifically, we ask whether some observed differences in narrative style, structure, or delivery could derive from social features of the communities which produce them: their social density, informational homogeneity, and the high degree of common ground they share.
Ten postulates concerning narrative in Aboriginal Australia
Authors: Walsh Michael
Published: March 2017

This article seeks to identify aspects of narratives in Aboriginal Australia, which are distinctive from narratives typical of non-Indigenous Australia, based on comments which have been made in previous academic publications about these linguistic communities. Anecdotally, people unfamiliar with Aboriginal narratives may comment that a story which a traditional Aboriginal audience will find entertaining and rewarding, appears to them to be unengaging, lacking point, or repetitive. One goal of this article is to uncover some of the expectations that these different audiences have about what constitutes a ‘good’ story. To differentiate traditional Aboriginal narratives from stories encountered in the wider Australian community, ten features distinctive of Aboriginal narrative are proposed.
Represented experience in Gun-nartpa storyworlds
Authors: Carew Margaret
Published: March 2017

The Gun-nartpa people of northern Australia use represented experience to mark prominence at narrative highpoints. The term ‘represented experience’ refers to verbal expressions that form paratactic relations with surrounding discourse. It encompasses the speech of story actors, environmental sounds, and sound-symbolic renderings of events. Such representations impart moments of drama to narrative discourse, in which shifts in perspective position the deictic centre at an imagined interpersonal space within the storyworld of the narrative. It is here, where the storyteller and audience enter the subjectivity of story actors, that elements of the narrative most clearly express its underpinning cultural proposals. The Gun-nartpa construe the cultural proposals that make up the notional structures of narrative discourse in terms of relational knowledge, in which conceptualisations of ‘belonging’ are of primary value. This relational frame of reference provides context for the interpretation of the evaluative implicatures that arise at highpoints, and lends coherence to Gun-nartpa narrative discourse.
Sequentiality in the narratives of Tirax, an oceanic language spoken on Malakula, Vanuatu
Authors: Brotchie Amanda
Published: March 2017

Sequentiality is widely considered to be a universal and defining characteristic of narrative, however there has been relatively little research on narrative in non-European languages with oral traditions. Evidence from the Vanuatu language, Tirax, suggests that sequentiality is not the only nor fundamental strategy for narrative construction. The Tirax data show that while there is a general correlation between narrative clause order and the order of story events, there are many exceptions to sequential ordering. Furthermore there is minimal or no specialized marking to indicate the disruptions to sequentiality in Tirax narratives. The disruptions to sequentiality appear to be motivated by the storytelling imperatives of hooking an audience and keeping them immersed in the story. The data suggest that the difference in cognitive pressures involved in remembering, constructing and comprehending the spoken narrative, compared with the written one, is reflected in different ways of organising information in a narrative.
That’s how it is there
Authors: Djenar Dwi Noverini
Published: March 2017

Recent sociolinguistic research on narrative has underlined the understanding of place as being both spatially defined and socially constituted through shared experience as well as contestation. Drawing on studies on the philosophy of place and the ‘small stories’ perspective, this study approaches place as an abstract concept in which spatial environment, people, objects, and activity come together as a unified, complex structure. Two Indonesian narratives are examined to illustrate the connectedness between the different elements that make up that structure. Ambiguous uses of temporal phrases and person references suggest that these elements (e.g., people and objects) are often undifferentiated. It is argued that the narratives are not simply stories about place but are stories enabled by place, that is, by presence in a spatial environment, encounter with people and objects, and engagement in shared activities through time, and which highlight self-identity as being deeply embedded in the identities of others.
The role of high-resolution computed tomography in the diagnostic protocol of cochleo-vestibular disorders
Authors: Pirodda Antonio , Savastio Gabriella , Stagni Silvia , Ferri Gian Gaetano , Brandolini Cristina , Zompatori Maurizio
Published: March 2017

The utility of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) has been to a certain extent neglected in order to investigate on acquired cochleo-vestibular disorders of uncertain origin until the wide range of labyrinthine dehiscences has been discovered. In the last decade both the technical progress, that has permitted a diagnostic refinement in general terms, and the better definition of the width of the dehiscence syndromes, that proved larger than previously expected, has restored CT to its crucial role in detecting inner ear affections. Despite its evidence, this statement has not uniformly entered the habit of clinical practice. For this reason, a review of the literature of the last years, aimed at underlying the real significance of this tool for the otologist, appears of some utility in order to contribute to eliminate deep-rooted diagnostic incongruities.
International comparison CCQM-K111—propane in nitrogen
Authors: Veen Adriaan M H van der , Hout J Wouter van der , Ziel Paul R , Oudwater Rutger J , Fioravante Andreia L , Augusto Cristiane R , Brum Mariana Coutinho , Uehara Shinji , Akima Dai , Bae Hyun Kil , Kang Namgoo , Woo Jin-Chun , Liaskos Christina E , Rhoderick George C , Jozela Mudalo , Tshilongo James , Ntsasa Napo G , Botha Angelique , Brewer Paul J , Brown Andrew S , Bartlett Sam , Downey Michael L , Konopelko L A , Kolobova A V , Pankov A A , Orshanskaya A A , Efremova O V
Published: March 2017

This key comparison aims to assess the core capabilities of the participants in gas analysis. Such competences include, among others, the capabilities to prepare primary standard gas Mixtures (PSMs), perform the necessary purity analysis on the materials used in the gas mixture preparation, the verification of the composition of newly prepared PSMs against existing ones, and the capability of calibrating the composition of a gas mixture. According to the Strategy for Key Comparisons of the Gas Analysis Working Group, this key comparison is classified as a track A key comparison, which means that the results of this key comparison can be used to underpin calibration and measurement capabilities using the flexible scheme, and for propane under the default scheme.

The artefacts were binary mixtures of propane in nitrogen at a nominal amount-of-substance fraction level of 1000 μmol/mol. The values and uncertainties from the gravimetric gas mixture preparation were used as key comparison reference values (KCRVs). Each transfer standard had its own KCRV. The results are generally good. All results but one are within ± 0.2 % of the KCRV.

Main text

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
A kernel-based discretisation method for first order partial differential equations
Authors: Ramming Tobias , Wendland Holger
Published: March 2017

We derive a new discretisation method for first order PDEs of arbitrary spatial dimension, which is based upon a meshfree spatial approximation. This spatial approximation is similar to the SPH (smoothed particle hydrodynamics) technique and is a typical kernel-based method. It differs, however, significantly from the SPH method since it employs an Eulerian and not a Lagrangian approach. We prove stability and convergence for the resulting semi-discrete scheme under certain smoothness assumptions on the defining function of the PDE. The approximation order depends on the underlying kernel and the smoothness of the solution. Hence, we also review an easy way of constructing smooth kernels yielding arbitrary convergence orders. Finally, we give a numerical example by testing our method in the case of a one-dimensional Burgers equation.
PSSMHCpan: a novel PSSM-based software for predicting class I peptide-HLA binding affinity
Authors: Liu Geng , Li Dongli , Li Zhang , Qiu Si , Li Wenhui , Chao Cheng-chi , Yang Naibo , Li Handong , Cheng Zhen , Song Xin , Cheng Le , Zhang Xiuqing , Wang Jian , Yang Huanming , Ma Kun , Hou Yong , Li Bo
Published: March 2017

Predicting peptide binding affinity with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is a crucial step in developing powerful antitumor vaccine for cancer immunotherapy. Currently available methods work quite well in predicting peptide binding affinity with HLA alleles such as HLA-A*0201, HLA-A*0101, and HLA-B*0702 in terms of sensitivity and specificity. However, quite a few types of HLA alleles that are present in the majority of human populations including HLA-A*0202, HLA-A*0203, HLA-A*6802, HLA-B*5101, HLA-B*5301, HLA-B*5401, and HLA-B*5701 still cannot be predicted with satisfactory accuracy using currently available methods. Furthermore, currently the most popularly used methods for predicting peptide binding affinity are inefficient in identifying neoantigens from a large quantity of whole genome and transcriptome sequencing data. Here we present a Position Specific Scoring Matrix (PSSM)-based software called PSSMHCpan to accurately and efficiently predict peptide binding affinity with a broad coverage of HLA class I alleles. We evaluated the performance of PSSMHCpan by analyzing 10-fold cross-validation on a training database containing 87 HLA alleles and obtained an average area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.94 and accuracy (ACC) of 0.85. In an independent dataset (Peptide Database of Cancer Immunity) evaluation, PSSMHCpan is substantially better than the popularly used NetMHC-4.0, NetMHCpan-3.0, PickPocket, Nebula, and SMM with a sensitivity of 0.90, as compared to 0.74, 0.81, 0.77, 0.24, and 0.79. In addition, PSSMHCpan is more than 197 times faster than NetMHC-4.0, NetMHCpan-3.0, PickPocket, sNebula, and SMM when predicting neoantigens from 661 263 peptides from a breast tumor sample. Finally, we built a neoantigen prediction pipeline and identified 117 017 neoantigens from 467 cancer samples of various cancers from TCGA. PSSMHCpan is superior to the currently available methods in predicting peptide binding affinity with a broad coverage of HLA class I alleles.
The need to approximate the use-case in clinical machine learning
Authors: Saeb Sohrab , Lonini Luca , Jayaraman Arun , Mohr David C. , Kording Konrad P.
Published: March 2017

The availability of smartphone and wearable sensor technology is leading to a rapid accumulation of human subject data, and machine learning is emerging as a technique to map those data into clinical predictions. As machine learning algorithms are increasingly used to support clinical decision making, it is vital to reliably quantify their prediction accuracy. Cross-validation (CV) is the standard approach where the accuracy of such algorithms is evaluated on part of the data the algorithm has not seen during training. However, for this procedure to be meaningful, the relationship between the training and the validation set should mimic the relationship between the training set and the dataset expected for the clinical use. Here we compared two popular CV methods: record-wise and subject-wise. While the subject-wise method mirrors the clinically relevant use-case scenario of diagnosis in newly recruited subjects, the record-wise strategy has no such interpretation. Using both a publicly available dataset and a simulation, we found that record-wise CV often massively overestimates the prediction accuracy of the algorithms. We also conducted a systematic review of the relevant literature, and found that this overly optimistic method was used by almost half of the retrieved studies that used accelerometers, wearable sensors, or smartphones to predict clinical outcomes. As we move towards an era of machine learning-based diagnosis and treatment, using proper methods to evaluate their accuracy is crucial, as inaccurate results can mislead both clinicians and data scientists.
Factors Leading to a Poor Functional Outcome in Spinal Meningioma Surgery: Remarks on 173 Cases
Authors: Raco Antonino , Pesce Alessandro , Toccaceli Giada , Domenicucci Maurizio , Miscusi Massimo , Delfini Roberto
Published: March 2017

BACKGROUND: Spinal meningiomas are common spinal tumors, in most cases benign and with a good surgical prognosis. However, specific location, infiltration of spinal cord, vascular encasement, or spinal root involvement can bring a less favorable prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To correlate these data with clinical/functional outcome.

METHODS: Two hundred twenty-four consecutive patients with spinal meningiomas treated from 1976 to 2013 in our institution were analyzed; among these, 51 were excluded for incomplete clinical data or follow-up. The remaining 173 cases were classified in regards to sex, age, symptoms, axial location, Simpson grade resection, and functional pre-/postoperative status.

RESULTS: Most recurring onset symptoms were pain (32.9%) and motor deficit (31.8%); thoracic spine was the most severely affected (69.8%). Functional improvement on the follow-up was observed in 86.7% of cases; 6.4% of patients resulted stable and 6.9% worsened. A low functional grade before surgery was connected to a lesser improvement after. Anterolateral meningiomas were the most represented (42.2%); a gross total resection (Simpson grades I and II) was conducted in 98.8%, and a macroscopically complete removal without dural resection or coagulation (Simpson grade III) was performed in 1.2%. Of the meningiomas, 98.3% were classified as WHO grade I. Recurrence rate was 2.3%, and 7 cases presented complications (4 of 7 required surgical procedure).

CONCLUSION: We can affirm that negative prognostic factors in our study were anterior or anterolateral axial location, prolonged presentation before diagnosis, WHO grade >I, Simpson grade resections II and III, sphincter involvement, and worse functional grade at onset.