bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sphingobacterium arenae sp. nov., isolated from sandy soil
Authors: Jiang Shijie , Chen Ming , Su Shiyou , Yang Mingkun , Li Aihua , Zhang Chen , Lin Min , Zhang Wei , Luo Xuegang
Published: September 2013

A novel, Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming, short rod-shaped, aerobic bacterium designated H-12T was isolated from a mixed sandy soil sample collected from Xinjiang, China. Strain H-12T grew at 20–37 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 7.0–11.0 (optimum, pH 8.5) on TGY medium with 0–5 % NaCl (w/v). 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain H-12T shared sequence similarities with

Sphingobacterium composti

DSM 18850T (90.0 %). Strain H-12T showed a low level of DNA–DNA relatedness to

Sphingobacterium composti

DSM 18850T (45.5 %). The predominant isoprenoid quinone of strain H-12T was MK-7 and the major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C16:1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, C16 : 0, C16 : 0 3-OH and iso-C15 : 0 3-OH. DNA G+C content of strain H-12T was 44.15 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, genetic and phylogenetic data, strain H-12T is proposed to be a representative of a novel species of the genus

Sphingobacterium

, for which the name

Sphingobacterium

arenae sp. nov. is suggested and the type strain is H-12T ( = ACCC 05758T = KCTC 32294T).
Learning and memory … and the immune system
Authors: Marin Ioana , Kipnis Jonathan
Published: September 2013

The nervous system and the immune system are two main regulators of homeostasis in the body. Communication between them ensures normal functioning of the organism. Immune cells and molecules are required for sculpting the circuitry and determining the activity of the nervous system. Within the parenchyma of the central nervous system (CNS), microglia constantly monitor synapses and participate in their pruning during development and possibly also throughout life. Classical inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), are released during neuronal activity and play a crucial role in regulating the strength of synaptic transmission. Systemically, proper functioning of the immune system is critical for maintaining normal nervous system function. Disruption of the immune system functioning leads to impairments in cognition and in neurogenesis. In this review we provide examples of the communication between the nervous and the immune systems in the interest of normal CNS development and function.
‘Why must I wait?’ The performance of legitimacy in a hospital emergency department
Authors: Hillman Alexandra
Published: September 2013

This article examines the processes of negotiation that occur between patients and medical staff over accessing emergency medical resources. The field extracts are drawn from an ethnographic study of a UK emergency department (ED) in a large, inner city teaching hospital. The article focuses on the triage system for patient prioritisation as the first point of access to the ED. The processes of categorising patients for priority of treatment and care provide staff with the opportunities to maintain control over what defines the ED as a service, as types of work and as particular kinds of patients. Patients and relatives are implicated in this categorical work in the course of interactions with staff as they provide reasons and justifications for their attendance. Their success in legitimising their claim to treatment depends upon self‐presentation and identity work that (re)produces individual responsibility as a dominant moral order. The extent to which people attending the ED can successfully perform as legitimate is shown to contribute to their placement into positive or negative staff‐constituted patient categories, thus shaping their access to the resources of emergency medicine and their experience of care.
On the Limits of Transparency: The Role of Imperfect Central Bank Knowledge
Authors: Sánchez Marcelo
Published: September 2013

This paper studies the link between how much a central bank knows and reveals to the public. We focus on the central bank's attitude towards the evolving trade‐off in its preferences between inflation and output. These preferences may shift depending on the economic structure and the composition of the monetary policy committee, making the central bank reluctant to commit to a specific trade‐off between inflation and output. The quality of the information disclosed to the public is higher the more the central bank knows about how its preferences may evolve. The public forms inflation expectations reacting to the information it receives about central bank preferences, but also taking into account the worst possible inflation outcome. Macroeconomic stability is at its highest when the central bank reveals all the information it possesses about its preferences, regardless of how much the central bank knows about them. The quality of the information revealed to the public may also enhance macroeconomic stability.
Foreign Investors under Stress: Evidence From India
Authors: Patnaik Ila , Shah Ajay , Singh Nirvikar
Published: September 2013

Emerging market policy makers have been concerned about the financial stability implications of financial globalization. These concerns are focused on behaviour under stressed conditions. Do tail events in the home country trigger extreme responses by foreign investors – are foreign investors ‘fair weather friends’? In this, is there asymmetry between the response of foreign investors to very good versus very bad days? Do foreign investors have a major impact on domestic markets through large inflows or outflows – are they ‘big fish in a small pond’? Do extreme events in world markets induce extreme behaviour by foreign investors, thus making them vectors of crisis transmission? We propose a modified event study methodology focused on tail events, which yields evidence on these questions. The results, for India, do not suggest that financial globalization has induced instability on the equity market.
Assessing change in quality of life using the Oral Health Impact Profile
Authors: Slade Gary D.
Published: September 2013

Abstract— Traditionally longitudinal studies of oral health have measured only disease progression and ignored improvements in health. Objectives: This study examines methodological issues that arise in longitudinal assessment of change in oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQOL). Methods: Baseline and 2‐year follow‐up data were used from an observational longitudinal study of 498 people aged 60 years or more living in South Australia. Oral health‐related quality of life was measured using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP). Three hypothesized risk predictors (tooth loss, problem‐based dental visits and financial hardship) were selected to examine the effects of four methods of measuring change: categorical measures of improvement, deterioration and net change, and a quantitative measure of net change in OHIP scores. Results: Some 31.7% of people experienced some improvement and 32.7% experienced some deterioration in OHRQOL. All three high‐risk groups had approximately twice the rate of deterioration in OHRQOL compared with their corresponding low‐risk groups. Surprisingly, high‐risk groups also had higher rates of improvement. When measured categorically, these effects did not cancel one another, indicating that improvement and deterioration in OHRQOL can be experienced simultaneously. However, quantitative analyses cause improvements and deteriorations to cancel, and analysis of mean OHIP scores created a spurious impression that change in OHRQOL did not differ between dental visit groups. Furthermore, changes in mean OHIP scores were masked by regression to the mean. Conclusions: Oral health‐related quality of life measures capture both improvement and deterioration in health status, creating new complexities for conceptualizing and analyzing change in longitudinal studies.
A molecular diagnostic tool for the preliminary assessment of host–parasitoid associations in biological control programmes for a new invasive pest
Authors: Gariepy T. D. , Haye T. , Zhang J.
Published: September 2013

Evaluation of host–parasitoid associations can be tenuous using conventional methods. Molecular techniques are well placed to identify trophic links and resolve host–parasitoid associations. Establishment of the highly invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), outside Asia has prompted interest in the use of egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) as biological control agents. However, little is known regarding their host ranges. To address this, a DNA barcoding approach was taken wherein general PCR primers for Scelionidae and Pentatomidae were developed to amplify and sequence >500‐bp products within the DNA barcoding region of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene that would permit the identification of key players in this association. Amplification of DNA from Pentatomidae and Scelionidae was consistent across a broad range of taxa within these families, and permitted the detection of Scelionidae eggs within H. halys 1 h following oviposition. In laboratory assays, amplification and sequencing of DNA from empty, parasitized eggs was successful for both host (100% success) and parasitoid (50% success). When applied to field‐collected, empty egg masses, the primers permitted host identification in 50–100% of the eggs analysed, and yielded species‐level identifications. Parasitoid identification success ranged from 33 to 67% among field‐collected eggs, with genus‐level identification for most specimens. The inability to obtain species‐level identities for these individuals is due to the lack of coverage of this taxonomic group in public DNA sequence databases; this situation is likely to improve as more species are sequenced and recorded in these databases. These primers were able to detect and identify both pentatomid host and scelionid parasitoid in a hyperparasitized egg mass, thereby clarifying trophic links otherwise unresolved by conventional methodology.
Time-Averaged and Time-Accurate Aerodynamic Effects of Forward Rotor Cavity Purge Flow for a High-Pressure Turbine—Part I: Analytical and Experimental Comparisons
Authors: Green Brian R. , Mathison Randall M. , Dunn Michael G.
Published: September 2013

The effect of rotor purge flow on the unsteady aerodynamics of a high-pressure turbine stage operating at design corrected conditions has been investigated, both experimentally and computationally. The experimental configuration consisted of a single-stage high-pressure turbine with a modern film-cooling configuration on the vane airfoil and the inner and outer end wall surfaces. Purge flow was introduced into the cavity located between the high-pressure vane and the high-pressure disk. The high-pressure blades and the downstream low-pressure turbine nozzle row were not cooled. All of the hardware featured an aerodynamic design typical of a commercial high-pressure ratio turbine and the flow path geometry was representative of the actual engine hardware. In addition to instrumentation in the main flow path, the stationary and rotating seals of the purge flow cavity were instrumented with high frequency response flush-mounted pressure transducers and miniature thermocouples in order to measure the flow field parameters above and below the angel wing.

Predictions of the time-dependent flow field in the turbine flow path were obtained using FINE/Turbo, a three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes computational fluid dynamics CFD code that had the capability to perform both a steady and unsteady analysis. The steady and unsteady flow fields throughout the turbine were predicted using a three blade-row computational model that incorporated the purge flow cavity between the high-pressure vane and disk. The predictions were performed in an effort to mimic the design process with no adjustment of boundary conditions to better match the experimental data. The time-accurate predictions were generated using the harmonic method. Part I of this paper concentrates on the comparison of the time-averaged and time-accurate predictions with measurements in and around the purge flow cavity. The degree of agreement between the measured and predicted parameters is described in detail, providing confidence in the predictions for the flow field analysis that will be provided in Part II.
Comparison of Harmonic and Time Marching Unsteady Computational Fluid Dynamics Solutions With Measurements for a Single-Stage High-Pressure Turbine
Authors: Green Brian R. , Mathison Randall M. , Dunn Michael G.
Published: September 2013

The unsteady aerodynamics of a single-stage high-pressure turbine has been the subject of a study involving detailed measurements and computations. Data and predictions for this experiment have been presented previously, but the current study compares predictions obtained using the nonlinear harmonic simulation method to results obtained using a time-marching simulation with phase-lag boundary conditions. The experimental configuration consisted of a single-stage high-pressure turbine (HPT) and the adjacent, downstream, low-pressure turbine nozzle row (LPV) with an aerodynamic design that is typical to that of a commercial high-pressure ratio HPT and LPV. The flow path geometry was equivalent to engine hardware and operated at the proper design-corrected conditions to match cruise conditions. The high-pressure vane and blade were uncooled for these comparisons. All three blade rows are instrumented with flush-mounted, high-frequency response pressure transducers on the airfoil surfaces and the inner and outer flow path surfaces, which include the rotating blade platform and the stationary shroud above the rotating blade. Predictions of the time-dependent flow field for the turbine flow path were obtained using a three-dimensional, Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. Using a two blade row computational model of the turbine flow path, the unsteady surface pressure for the high-pressure vane and rotor was calculated using both unsteady methods. The two sets of predictions are then compared to the measurements looking at both time-averaged and time-accurate results, which show good correlation between the two methods and the measurements. This paper concentrates on the similarities and differences between the two unsteady methods, and how the predictions compare with the measurements since the faster harmonic solution could allow turbomachinery designers to incorporate unsteady calculations in the design process without sacrificing accuracy when compared to the phase-lag method.
Study of Fuel Composition, Burner Material, and Tip Temperature
Effects on Flashback of Enclosed Jet Flame
Authors: Duan Zhixuan , Shaffer Brendan , McDonell Vincent
Published: September 2013

Flashback is a key challenge for low NOx premixed combustion of high hydrogen content fuels. Previous work on jet burner configurations has systematically investigated the impact of fuel composition on flashback propensity, and noted that burner tip temperature played an important role on flashback, yet did not quantify any specific effect (Shaffer, B., Duan, Z., and McDonell, V., 2013, “Study of Fuel Composition Effects on Flashback Using a Confined Jet Flame Burner,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turb. Power, 135(1), p. 011502). The present work further investigates the coupling of flashback with burner tip temperature and leads to models for flashback propensity as a function of parameters studied. To achieve this, a jet burner configuration with interchangeable burner materials was developed along with automated flashback detection and rim temperature monitoring. An inline heater provides preheated air up to 810 K. Key observations include that for a given condition, tip temperature of a quartz burner at flashback is higher than that of a stainless burner. As a result, the flashback propensity of a quartz tube is about double of that of a stainless tube. A polynomial model based on analysis of variance is presented and shows that, if the tip temperature is introduced as a parameter, better correlations result. A physical model is developed and illustrates that the critical velocity gradient is proportional to the laminar flame speed computed using the measured tip temperature. The addition of multiple parameters further refined the prediction of the flashback propensity, and the effects of materials are discussed qualitatively using a simple heat transfer analysis.
Effect of Reynolds Number on Deposition in Fuels Flowing Over Heated Surfaces
Authors: Moses Clifford
Published: September 2013

An increasing demand is being put on the fuel as a heat sink in modern aircraft. In the end, the fuel flows through the atomizer, which is both the hottest part in the thermal history of the fuel and the most critical for resisting deposition. Most studies have concentrated on the chemistry of deposition and in recent years there have been modeling efforts. Deposition is really the end product of a coupling between heat transfer to the fuel, chemical reactions to form insoluble gums, followed by the transport of these gums to the surface to form deposits. There is conflicting evidence and theory in the literature concerning the effect of turbulence on deposition, i.e., whether deposition increases or decreases with increasing Reynolds number. This paper demonstrates, through a heat transfer analysis, that the effect of the Reynolds number depends upon the boundary/initial conditions. If the flow is heated from the surface, deposition decreases with increasing Reynolds number; however, for isothermal flows, i.e., preheated, deposition can increase with the Reynolds number.
Deuterium ion beam irradiation onto the pulsed laser deposited tungsten thin films
Authors: Mostako A. T. T. , Khare Alika , Rao C. V. S. , Vala Sudhirsinh , Makwana R. J. , Basu T. K.
Published: September 2013

The effect of 10, 20, and 30 keV deuterium (D) ion beam irradiation onto the optical quality of mirrorlike tungsten (W) thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition technique is reported. The dependence of D ion energy on the changes in reflectivity of W mirrors after irradiation are explained on the basis of ion range, straggle length, and sputtering yield for 10, 20, and 30 keV of D ion beam. The ion range, straggle length, and sputtering yield were estimated numerically by Transport of Ions in Matter Monte Carlo simulation code. These mirrorlike thin films were subjected to scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope to study surface morphology. The specular reflectivity of these mirrors before and after D ion beam exposure in ultraviolet–visible-far infrared range was compared.
Multiple Genome Sequences of Helicobacter pylori Strains of Diverse Disease and Antibiotic Resistance Backgrounds from Malaysia
Authors: Rehvathy Vellaya , Tan Mun Hua , Gunaletchumy Selva Perumal , Teh Xinsheng , Wang Susana , Baybayan Primo , Singh Siddarth , Ashby Meredith , Kaakoush Nadeem O. , Mitchell Hazel M. , Croft Laurence J. , Goh Khean Lee , Loke Mun Fai , Vadivelu Jamuna
Published: September 2013

Helicobacter pylori
causes human gastroduodenal diseases, including chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. It is also a major microbial risk factor for the development of gastric adenocarcinoma and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Twenty-one strains with different ethnicity, disease, and antimicrobial susceptibility backgrounds were sequenced by use of Illumina HiSeq and PacBio RS platforms.
Genome Sequence ofDehalobacterUNSWDHB, a Chloroform-Dechlorinating Bacterium
Authors: Deshpande Nandan P. , Wong Yie K. , Manefield Mike , Wilkins Marc R. , Lee Matthew
Published: September 2013

The chloroform-respiring bacteriumDehalobacterUNSWDHB was isolated from subsurface soil contaminated with a mixture of organohalides, including chloroform. Here, we present its 3.2-Mb genome.
Whole-Genome Sequence Analysis of Postpandemic Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus Isolates from India
Authors: Dakhave Minal , Khirwale Atul , Patil Kunal , Kadam Archana , Potdar Varsha
Published: September 2013

The pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus was first detected in India in May 2009 and continued to circulate in the postpandemic period. Whole-genome sequence analysis of postpandemic A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses showed the circulation of clade 6 and clade 7 viruses. The hemagglutinin (HA) gene showed increased diversity compared with that in the pandemic phase.
Draft Genome Sequences for 10 Isolates of the Swine Pathogen Haemophilus parasuis
Authors: Kuehn Joanna S. , Register Karen B. , Phillips Gregory J.
Published: September 2013

Haemophilus parasuis
colonizes the upper respiratory tract of swine and can cause a severe systemic disease known as Glässer's disease. We report here the draft genome sequences of 10 isolates from geographically diverse locations representing the full virulence spectrum of the microorganism, which will aid in understanding the pathobiology of
H. parasuis
.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Hexachlorocyclohexane-Degrading Bacterium, Sphingobium baderi Strain LL03
T
Authors: Kaur Jasvinder , Verma Helianthous , Tripathi Charu , Khurana J. P. , Lal Rup
Published: September 2013

Sphingobium baderi
strain LL03
T
was isolated from hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)-contaminated soil from Spolana, Czech Republic. Strain LL03
T
is a mutant that is deficient in
linB
and
linC
(genes that encode hexachlorocyclohexane haloalkane dehalogenase and dehydrogenase, respectively). The draft genome sequence of LL03
T
(~4.85 Mb) consists of 92 contigs and 4,914 coding sequences, with a G+C content of 63.5%.
Draft Genome Sequence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strain SA16, Representative of an Endemic Clone from a Brazilian Hospital
Authors: Dabul Andrei Nicoli G. , Kos Veronica N. , Gilmore Michael S. , Camargo Ilana L. B. C.
Published: September 2013

Here we report the draft genome sequence of a bloodstream isolate of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
strain SA16. Strain SA16 is a sequence type 5 (ST5)-staphylococcal cassette chromosome
mec
type II (SCC
mec
II) clone and was the most prevalent isolate at a Brazilian hospital during the second half of 2009.
Pharmacokinetics of intravenous amiodarone in children
Authors: Ramusovic Sergej , Läer Stephanie , Meibohm Bernd , Lagler Florian B , Paul Thomas
Published: September 2013

Objectives

Although amiodarone is an effective treatment for severe paediatric arrhythmias, uncertainties about adverse effects such as hypotension, bradycardia and excessive serum drug concentrations persist. Therefore, the aims of this study were to: (a) determine serum concentrations of intravenous (IV) amiodarone following a widely implemented dosing regimen of 5 mg/kg bolus plus a 10 mg/kg/day continuous infusion and (b) generate descriptive data on safety parameters such as hypotension, bradycardia or corrected QT (QTc) prolongation during this regimen.

Design

Prospective observational study.

Setting

Paediatric intensive care unit.

Patients

Twenty paediatric patients (median age, 0.23 years; range, 6 days–15.04 years) with arrhythmia secondary to or without cardiac surgery.

Interventions

None.

Main outcome measures

Amiodarone serum concentrations, blood pressure, heart rate, QTc intervals.

Results

Amiodarone serum concentrations increased markedly during bolus, followed by rapid decreases during maintenance infusion. All patients had serum concentrations regarded as effective in adults (median concentration range: 1.30–2.06 µM/L during maintenance phase). Amiodarone suppressed arrhythmias in 18 (90%) patients. Mean QTc intervals for pretherapy, during and post-therapy periods were 443 ms, 458 ms and 467 ms, respectively. Eight patients had hypotension.

Conclusions

Amiodarone was effective in the majority of children in this small cohort.
Metastasis of diffuse hepatocellular carcinoma to an extremely unusual site
Authors: Subramaniam Narayana , Hiremath Bharati , Pujar Anupama
Published: September 2013

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a common and aggressive malignancy the world over. Metastasis commonly occurs in lungs, bone, lymph node and adrenals. Skeletal muscle metastases from any primary is a rare occurrence, those occurring from hepatocellular carcinoma even more so. We present a case of a 61-year-old man presenting with hepatocellular carcinoma with synchronous symptomatic metastasis to the skeletal muscle. This article discusses approach to hepatocellular carcinoma with skeletal muscle metastases aetiopathogenesis, differential diagnosis and approach to treatment.
Challenges in imaging and histopathological assessment of a giant cell tumour with secondary aneurysmal cyst in the patella
Authors: Low Soo Fin , Hanafiah Mohammad , Nurismah Md Isa , Suraya Aziz
Published: September 2013

The patella is an uncommon site for all primary and metastatic bone tumours and primary intra-osseous tumours of the patella are very rare. A majority of the patella tumours are benign. We report a patient with a sudden onset swelling and pain of the right knee following a staircase fall. The plain radiograph showed an expansile multiseptated patella lesion and it was further assessed with an MRI. The radiological findings and the initial histopathological features from a limited sample were suggestive of a primary aneurysmal bone cyst. However, the final histopathological diagnosis from a more adequate specimen was a giant cell tumour with a secondary aneurysmal bone cyst.
Changes in cardiovascular risk factors in relation to increasing ethnic inequalities in cardiovascular mortality: comparison of cross-sectional data in the Health Surveys for England 1999 and 2004
Authors: Bhopal Raj S , Humphry Roger W , Fischbacher Colin M
Published: September 2013

Objectives

Reducing disease inequalities requires risk factors to decline quickest in the most disadvantaged populations. Our objective was to assess whether this happened across the UK's ethnic groups.

Design

Secondary analysis of repeated but independent cross-sectional studies focusing on Health Surveys for England 1999 and 2004.

Setting

Community-based population level surveys in England.

Participants

Seven populations from the major ethnic groups in England (2004 sample sizes): predominantly White general (6704), Irish (1153), Chinese (723), Indian (1184), Pakistani (941), Bangladeshi (899) and Black Caribbean (1067) populations. The numbers were smaller for specific variables, especially blood tests.

Outcome measures

Data on 10 established cardiovascular risk factors were extracted from published reports. Differences between 1999 and 2004 were defined a priori as occurring when the 95% CI excluded 0 (for prevalence differences), or 1 (for risk ratios) or when there was a 5% or more change (independent of CIs).

Results

Generally, there were reductions in smoking and blood pressure and increases in the waist–hip ratio, body mass index and diabetes. Changes between 1999 and 2004 indicated inconsistent progress and increasing inequalities. For example, total cholesterol increased in Pakistani (0.3 mmol/L) and Bangladeshi men (0.3 mmol/L), and in Pakistani (0.3 mmol/L), Bangladeshi (0.4 mmol/L) and Black Caribbean women (0.3 mmol/L). Increases in absolute risk factor levels were common, for example, in Pakistani (five risk factors), Bangladeshi (four factors) and general population women (four factors). For men, Black Caribbeans had the most (five factor) increases. The changes relative to the general population were also adverse for three risk factors in Pakistani and Black Caribbean men, four in Bangladeshi women and three in Pakistani women.

Conclusions

Changes in populations with the most cardiovascular disease and diabetes did not decline the quickest. Cardiovascular screening programmes need more targeting.
Job strain and depressive symptoms in men and women: a prospective study of the working population in Sweden
Authors: Theorell Töres , Hammarström Anne , Gustafsson Per E , Magnusson Hanson Linda , Janlert Urban , Westerlund Hugo
Published: September 2013

Background

Several prospective studies have indicated increased risk of developing depressive symptoms in employees who report psychologically demanding and uncontrollable work (job strain). There are diverging findings regarding gender differences in this relationship. The aim was to analyse whether men and women differ with regard to the prospective relationship between adverse psychosocial work environment and depressive symptoms during a 2-year period.

Method

The Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health cohort based on representative recruitment of working men and women in Sweden was used. 2731 men and 3446 women had answered questions regarding work environment and mental health in 2008 and 2010. Psychological demands, decision authority, age and income as well as depressive symptoms in 2008 were used as predictors of depressive symptoms in 2010.

Results

Women reported less decision authority at work and their demand level developed more unfavourably than did men’s—resulting in increased job strain gap between men and women from 2008 to 2010. The relationship between demand and decision authority (and job strain) on one hand and depressive symptoms on the other hand was not statistically different in men and women.

Conclusions

Overall, women reported higher levels of job strain than men. In Sweden, job strain was as strongly related to depressive symptoms among men as among women.
Identifying delays to mechanical thrombectomy for acute stroke: onset to door and door to clot times
Authors: Asif Kaiz S , Lazzaro Marc A , Zaidat Osama
Published: September 2013

Outcomes from endovascular therapy for acute stroke are time dependent. Delays in the administration of this therapy have not been extensively studied and no performance benchmarks have been established. There are limited data on the complex factors that can affect these delays. In this review, we discuss the existing literature on the delays involved in endovascular therapy and have presented them as prehospital and inhospital factors. Some of these factors are common to intravenous thrombolysis; in addition, there are some that are unique to endovascular therapy. These include the awareness of the first responders, emergency medical services, interhospital transfer and triage systems, activation of the endovascular team, complex imaging decisions, and intraprocedural delays. A thorough understanding of these delays can help identify areas of improvement which may affect clinical outcomes.
Women reduced the sex difference in open-water ultra-distance swimming La Traversée Internationale du Lac St-Jean, 1955–2012
Authors: Rüst Christoph A. , Knechtle Beat , Rosemann Thomas , Lepers Romuald
Published: September 2013

In La Traversée Internationale du Lac St-Jean, held between 1955 and 2012 in Canada, the fastest women (r2 = 0.61, p < 0.0001) and men (r2 = 0.66, p < 0.0001) improved swimming speed over the years but the sex difference remained unchanged at 8.8% ± 5.6% (r2 = 0.069, p = 0.065). Annually, for the 3 fastest swimmers, both women (r2 = 0.53, p < 0.0001) and men (r2 = 0.71, p < 0.0001) improved swimming speed between 1973 and 2012 and the sex difference decreased (r2 = 0.29, p = 0.0016) from 14.4% ± 11.0% (1973) to 3.7% ± 1.4% (2012).
Effects of charging and polarization on molecular conduction via the source-sink potential method
Authors: Dumont Randall S.
Published: September 2013

The current−voltage relationships of butadiene and octatetraene are computed using the source-sink potential method with self-consistent Hückel theory. Molecular orbital resonances appear as steps in current, considerably broader than the resonances in the transmission spectrum at any specific bias. This broadening is due primarily to the charging of the molecule as bias increases. A perturbation theory based model is derived to account for the observations. In the case of octatetraene, the HOMO resonance manifests at high voltage when the HOMO energy is raised to the Fermi level of the plus electrode due to the charging of the LUMO and LUMO + 1 levels. Specifically, the LUMO and LUMO + 1 steps in current are augmented by portions of the HOMO contribution to current.
Indium(III) triflate — a catalyst for greener aromatic alkylation reactions
Authors: Mack Ryan , Askins Grant , Lowry Jacob , Hurley Nathan , Reeves Perry C.
Published: September 2013

An environmentally friendly method for alkylating aromatic compounds with simple alcohols in the presence of a catalytic amount of indium(III) triflate is reported. Ionic liquids are used as solvents and energy-efficient heating is provided by microwave radiation. Good yields are obtained with benzyl, secondary, and tertiary alcohols. Simple primary alcohols are not effective alkylating agents under these conditions. With tertiary alcohols, activated aromatic compounds such as toluene and anisole must be used to obtain good yields. The catalyst, which is immobilized in a water-insoluble ionic liquid, can be easily recycled without significant loss of activity.
Solvent effects on nonlinear optical response of certain tetrammineruthenium(II) complexes of modified 1,10-phenanthrolines
Authors: Janjua Muhammad Ramzan Saeed Ashraf , Mahmood Asif , Ahmad Farooq
Published: September 2013

In this research paper, we have reported solvent effects on nonlinear optical properties of tetrammineruthenium(II) complexes of modified 1,10-phenanthrolines. Polarizability and hyperpolarizability were calculated in the gas phase, benzene (ε = 2.3), THF (ε = 7.52), dichloromethane (ε = 8.93), acetone (ε = 21.01), methanol (ε = 33.00), acetonitrile (ε = 36.64), and water (ε = 80.10) using density functional theory. These solvents cover a wide range of polarities. The results of theoretical investigation have shown that nonlinear optical properties significantly increased with the increase of solvent polarity. Solvent strongly affected hyperpolarizability as compared with polarizability. Nonlinear optical properties were also changed by the change of functional. Hyperpolarizability significantly changed with the change of functional as compared with polarizability. The results of this study indicate that like structural modification, polarity of the medium can significantly change the nonlinear optical properties.
How feasible was subduction in the Archean?
Authors: Hynes Andrew
Published: September 2013

As the asthenospheric mantle rises at oceanic spreading centres, it undergoes partial melting, producing oceanic crust and depleted mantle, both of which have lower intrinsic density than the asthenospheric mantle from which they were derived. With a warmer asthenosphere in the Archean, these effects are enhanced, leading to the possibility that subduction was no longer feasible. I investigate the density of the oceanic crust and underlying mantle for a mantle with temperatures 200 °C higher than today, using models of the chemistry of melting and the mineralogy of the ensuing rocks. For the melting model used, crustal thicknesses are 21 km and the depth to which the mantle is partially melted is 114 km, compared with 7 and 54 km for a comparable model of modern Earth. Two thermal-evolution models for Archean oceanic lithosphere are examined. One assumes twice the heat flow into the base of the plates, which severely restricts the depths to which the plates can cool with age. A second assumes the plates can cool to the depth to which the asthenosphere undergoes partial melting, resulting in heat flow into the base of the plates only 1.3 times as large as today. With the first model, oceanic plates do not become denser than an equivalent column of asthenosphere. With the second, they do after ∼50 Ma of cooling. In both cases, however, the cooling is sufficient to provide a significant driving force for the initiation of subduction because the sole requirement for a subduction-initiation drive is that the cooled lithosphere be denser than the column of differentiated asthenosphere that would replace it. This, combined with the low flexural rigidity of Archean plates, makes the initiation of subduction probably slightly easier than it is today. The relatively low density of oceanic plates results in lower slab pull, but this effect is counterbalanced both by the likelihood that some of the low-density crust may have been delaminated, and by the effect of passage of the thicker crust through the eclogite transition. Given our present knowledge of Archean thermal conditions, there does not appear to be a compelling theoretical argument against efficient subduction processes at that time.
Sizing up arthropod genomes: an evaluation of the impact of environmental variation on genome size estimates by flow cytometry and the use of qPCR as a method of estimation
Authors: Gregory T. Ryan , Nathwani Paula , Bonnett Tiffany R. , Huber Dezene P.W.
Published: September 2013

A study was undertaken to evaluate both a pre-existing method and a newly proposed approach for the estimation of nuclear genome sizes in arthropods. First, concerns regarding the reliability of the well-established method of flow cytometry relating to impacts of rearing conditions on genome size estimates were examined. Contrary to previous reports, a more carefully controlled test found negligible environmental effects on genome size estimates in the fly Drosophila melanogaster. Second, a more recently touted method based on quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was examined in terms of ease of use, efficiency, and (most importantly) accuracy using four test species: the flies Drosophila melanogaster and Musca domestica and the beetles Tribolium castaneum and Dendroctonus ponderosa. The results of this analysis demonstrated that qPCR has the tendency to produce substantially different genome size estimates from other established techniques while also being far less efficient than existing methods.
THE LAST RESULTS FROM THE FINUDA EXPERIMENT
Authors: FELICIELLO ALESSANDRO
Published: September 2013

FINUDA was a complex magnetic spectrometer installed on the DAΦNE e+e- collider, the Italian ϕ-factory put in operation at the INFN National Laboratories of Frascati, near Rome. It was carefully designed and specially dedicated to an extensive program of hypernuclear physics, mainly focussed on spectroscopy of light Λ-hypernuclei and on systematic study of their decay modes. Among the latest FINUDA results, of particular importance are the first observation of the neutron-rich Λ-hypernucleus [Formula: see text] and the first experimental evidence of the so-called hypernucleus two-nucleon induced non-mesonic weak decay.
A functional system for high-content screening of neuromuscular junctions in vitro
Authors: Smith A.S.T. , Long C.J. , Pirozzi K. , Hickman J.J.
Published: September 2013

High-content phenotypic screening systems are the logical extension of the current efficient, yet low information content, pre-clinical screens for drug discovery. A physiologically accurate in vitro neuromuscular junction (NMJ) screening system would therefore be of tremendous benefit to the study of peripheral neuropathies as well as for basic and applied neuromuscular research. To date, no fully-defined, selective assay system has been developed which would allow investigators to determine the functional output of cultured muscle fibers (myotubes) when stimulated via the NMJ in real time for both acute and chronic applications. Here we present the development of such a phenotypic screening model, along with evidence of NMJ formation and motoneuron initiated neuromuscular transmission in an automated system. Myotubes assembled on silicon cantilevers allowed for measurement of substrate deflection in response to contraction and provided the basis for monitoring the effect of controlled motoneuron stimulation on the contractile behavior. The effect was blocked by treatment with D-tubocurarine, confirming NMJ functionality in this highly multiplexed assay system.
Corneal nerve quantification predicts the severity of symptoms in sarcoidosis patients with painful neuropathy
Authors: Brines M. , Swartjes M. , Tannemaat M.R. , Dunne A. , van Velzen M. , Proto P. , Hoitsma E. , Petropoulos I. , Chen X. , Niesters M. , Dahan A. , Malik R. , Cerami A.
Published: September 2013

Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) is a debilitating condition characterized by chronic pain as well as sensory and autonomic dysfunction. SFN is an increasingly recognized component of a large number of diseases, including sarcoidosis. Although affecting an estimated 2–3% of the adult population in the United States, it often remains undiagnosed. Skin biopsy for evaluating intra-epidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) and more recently corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) have been used to identify small fiber damage in patients with neuropathy. We demonstrate a significant reduction in IENFD, corneal nerve fiber number and length, with no change in the number of branches in patients with painful sarcoid neuropathy. Moreover, unlike IENFD, corneal nerve fiber number and length inversely correlate with the degree to which pain interferes with activities of daily living as assessed by the Brief Pain Inventory questionnaire. CCM thus constitutes an accurate, non-invasive assessment technique to aid in the diagnosis of SFN, as well as an objective marker of symptoms in patients with painful sarcoid neuropathy.
Conservatism of Late Pennsylvanian vegetational patterns during short-term cyclic and long-term directional environmental change, western equatorial Pangea
Authors: Tabor Neil J. , Romanchock Charles M. , Looy Cynthia V. , Hotton Carol L. , Dimichele William A. , Chaney Dan S.
Published: September 2013

Patterns of plant distribution by palaeoenvironment were examined across the Pennsylvanian–Permian transition in North–Central Texas. Stratigraphically recurrent packages of distinct lithofacies, representing different habitats, contain qualitatively and quantitatively different macrofloras and microfloras. The species pools demonstrate niche conservatism, remaining closely tied to specific habitats, during both short-term cyclic environmental change and a long-term trend of increasing aridity. The deposits examined principally comprise the terrestrial Markley and its approximate marine equivalent, the Harpersville Formation and parts of lower Archer City Formation. Fossiliferous deposits are lens-like, likely representing fill sequences of channels formed during abandonment phases. Palaeosols, represented by blocky mudstones, comprise a large fraction of the deposits. They suggest progressive climate change from minimally seasonal humid to seasonal subhumid to seasonal dry subhumid. Five lithofacies yielded plants: kaolinite-dominated siltstone, organic shale, mudstone beds within organic shale, coarsening upward mudstone–sandstone interbeds and channel sandstone. Both macro- and microflora were examined. Lithofacies proved compositionally distinct, with different patterns of dominance diversity. Organic shales (swamp deposits), mudstone partings (swamp drainages) and coarsening upward mudstone–sandstone interbeds (floodplains) typically contain Pennsylvanian wetland vegetation. Kaolinite-dominated siltstones and (to the extent known) sandstones contain taxa indicative of seasonally dry substrates. Some kaolinite-dominated siltstones and organic shales/coals yielded palynomorphs. Microfloras are more diverse, with greater wetland–dryland overlap than macrofloras. It appears that these two floras were coexistent at times on the regional landscape.
Geochemical record of Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous events, Palaeozoic of Graz, Eastern Alps, Austria
Authors: Bojar Ana-Voica , Neubauer Franz , Koeberl Christian
Published: September 2013

The late Famennian mass extinction has been associated with a worldwide anoxic event evidenced at many sites by the accumulation of organic-rich shales starting prior to the Devonian–Carboniferous (D/C) boundary. Environmental reconstructions are hampered by the fact that only a few D/C boundary sections exist in carbonate facies. One of these is the Palaeozoic Steinberg section, Eastern Alps, Austria. Based on detailed geochemical investigations and correlation with previously investigated sections, we propose a succession of events from the late Famennian to the Tournaisian. Both the low total rare earth element (REE) contents and the normalized REE distribution patterns indicate low terrigenous input from the
praesulcata
Zone to the
typicus
Zone. The δ
13
C, δ
18
O, δ
34
S and total organic content (TOC) show a shift towards higher values, which correlates well with the late Famennian isotopic trends that are related to a period of active ocean circulation, cooling and increased productivity. Two isotopic shifts are present in the section: the older isotopic shift of the δ
13
C values is situated at the level of the Lower to Middle
praesulcata
Zone, while the younger one is found at the level of the Upper
praesulcata
Zone. In the
sulcata
Zone, a sharp decrease in δ
18
O values and a shift in the Ce anomaly follow. Concomitantly, a drop in the δ
13
C and δ
34
S values, highly variable TOC values, and the main and secondary element concentrations are interpreted to be related to a drop in primary productivity, with the recovery continuing in the
crenulata
Zone. In this context, the variations towards lower CaO, Sr, Rb and Ba values probably correlate with biomass variations and a transition from cooler towards warmer conditions.
Fast Pressure-Sensitive Paint for Flow and Acoustic Diagnostics
Authors: Gregory James W. , Sakaue Hirotaka , Liu Tianshu , Sullivan John P.
Published: September 2013

The development and capabilities of fast-responding pressure-sensitive paint (fast PSP) are reviewed within the context of recent applications to aerodynamic and acoustic investigations. PSP is an optical technique for determining surface pressure distributions by measuring changes in the intensity of emitted light, whereas fast PSP is an extension applicable to unsteady flows and acoustics. Most fast PSP formulations are based on the development of porous binders that allow for rapid oxygen diffusion and interaction with the chemical sensor. This article reviews the development of porous binders, the selection of luminophore molecules suitable for unsteady testing, dynamic calibrations of PSP, data-acquisition methods, and noteworthy applications for flow and acoustic diagnostics. Calibrations of the dynamic response of fast PSP show a flat frequency response to at least 6 kHz, with some paint formulations exceeding a response of 1 MHz. Various applications of fast PSP are discussed that highlight the capabilities of the technique, and concluding remarks highlight the need for the future development of fast PSP.
Modernizing the Nonhomologous End-Joining Repertoire: Alternative and Classical NHEJ Share the Stage
Authors: Deriano Ludovic , Roth David B.
Published: September 2013

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are common lesions that continually threaten genomic integrity. Failure to repair a DSB has deleterious consequences, including cell death. Misrepair is also fraught with danger, especially inappropriate end-joining events, which commonly underlie oncogenic transformation and can scramble the genome. Canonically, cells employ two basic mechanisms to repair DSBs: homologous recombination (HR) and the classical nonhomologous end-joining pathway (cNHEJ). More recent experiments identified a highly error-prone NHEJ pathway, termed alternative NHEJ (aNHEJ), which operates in both cNHEJ-proficient and cNHEJ-deficient cells. aNHEJ is now recognized to catalyze many genome rearrangements, some leading to oncogenic transformation. Here, we review the mechanisms of cNHEJ and aNHEJ, their interconnections with the DNA damage response (DDR), and the mechanisms used to determine which of the three DSB repair pathways is used to heal a particular DSB. We briefly review recent clinical applications involving NHEJ and NHEJ inhibitors.