bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultramorphological and molecular characteristics of the larval stages of the horse nasal‐myiasis fly,Rhinoestrussp. (Diptera: Oestridae) from Mongolian horse in China
Authors: Dong Junbin , Bao Haiquan , Mang Lai
Published: November 2017

Rhinoestrussp. (Diptera: Oestridae) is an economically important parasite that can cause severe nasal myiasis in equids and can also affect humans. The ultrastructure of allRhinoestrussp. larval instars from Mongolian horse was examined by light and scanning electron microscopy to characterize the features ofRhinoestrus. The structure of the anterior region, posterior region, and the spines of the third segment was analyzed for 10 specimens in each larval stage. Additionally, 34 third‐instar (L3) larvae ofRhinoestrussp. from Mongolian horse were subjected to molecular characterization by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Partial sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (COXI) was performed. Phylogenetic relationships forRhinoestrussp. from Mongolian horse were reconstructed based on COXI sequences and COXI homologs from 12 oestrid species available in GenBank, and inter‐ and intraspecies variations in nucleotide sequences were analyzed. The cephalopharyngeal skeleton ofRhinoestrussp. from Mongolian horse at immature stages was composed of “H”‐shaped hypopharyngeal sclerites and “Y”‐shaped pharyngeal sclerites. Pairs of papillary sensillae in the cephalic region maintained the same number and location in all three instars, but the third instar additionally included two pairs of verruciform sensillae. COXI sequences ofRhinoestrussp. larvae collected from Mongolian horses were separated from those ofCephenemyiasp. and other species ofRhinoestrus(R.phacochoeriandR.usbekistanicus). Our sequence analyses demonstrate that all samples greatly resembledRhinoestrus purpureusbut were notR. purpureus. Further studies will be needed to confirm the existence of a new species. The pairs of papillary sensilla in the cephalic region retained the same number and location in all three instars, but included two pairs of verruciform sensilla in the third‐instar larvae collected from Mongolian horses were more closely related to those ofOestrus ovisandPharyngomyia picta.
Validated thin‐layer chromatographic method for the identification and monitoring of the effect of the extraction method on the yield and phytochemical constituents of Egyptian Withania somnifera leaves
Authors: Mahrous Rahma S. R. , Fathy Hoda M. , Abu EL‐Khair Rasha M. , Omar Abdallah A.
Published: November 2017

A sensitive, reliable, simple and rapid thin‐layer chromatographic method has been developed for routine analysis of withanolide S content for the purpose of quality control assessment of chemotype III of Withania somnifera. The new method was used first to compare the accumulation of withanolide S in different parts of the plant, which was found to be the highest in the leaves extract (0.21% w/w). Second, to investigate different extraction parameters that improve the extraction efficiency of withanolides from the leaves using conventional and ultrasound‐assisted extraction methods. The extraction efficiency was expressed via total withanolide content and withanolide S content.
Linear Precision Glycomacromolecules with Varying Interligand Spacing and Linker Functionalities Binding to Concanavalin A and the Bacterial Lectin FimH
Authors: Igde Sinaida , Röblitz Susanna , Müller Anne , Kolbe Katharina , Boden Sophia , Fessele Claudia , Lindhorst Thisbe K. , Weber Marcus , Hartmann Laura
Published: November 2017

A series of precision glycomacromolecules is prepared following previously established solid phase synthesis allowing for controlled variations of interligand spacing and the overall number of carbohydrate ligands. In addition, now also different linkers are installed between the carbohydrate ligand and the macromolecular scaffold. The lectin binding behavior of these glycomacromolecules is then evaluated in isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and kinITC experiments using the lectin Concanavalin A (Con A) in its dimeric and tetrameric form. The results indicate that both sterical and statistical effects impact lectin binding of precision glycomacromolecules. Moreover, ITC results show that highest affinity toward Con A can be achieved with an ethyl phenyl linker, which parallels earlier findings with the bacterial lectin FimH. In this way, a first set of glycomacromolecule structures is selected for testing in a bacterial adhesion–inhibition study. Here, the findings point to a one‐sugar binding mode mainly affected by sterical restraints of the nonbinding parts of the respective glycomacromolecule.
Protocols for the Design of Kinase‐focused Compound Libraries
Authors: Jacoby Edgar , Wroblowski Berthold , Buyck Christophe , Neefs Jean‐Marc , Meyer Christophe , Cummings Maxwell D. , van Vlijmen Herman
Published: November 2017

Protocols for the design of kinase‐focused compound libraries are presented. Kinase‐focused compound libraries can be differentiated based on the design goal. Depending on whether the library should be a discovery library specific for one particular kinase, a general discovery library for multiple distinct kinase projects, or even phenotypic screening, there exists today a variety of in silico methods to design candidate compound libraries. We address the following scenarios: 1) Datamining of SAR databases and kinase focused vendor catalogues; 2) Predictions and virtual screening; 3) Structure‐based design of combinatorial kinase inhibitors; 4) Design of covalent kinase inhibitors; 5) Design of macrocyclic kinase inhibitors; and 6) Design of allosteric kinase inhibitors and activators.
NMR, MP2, and DFT study of thiophenoxyketenimines (o‐thio‐Schiff bases): Determination of the preferred form
Authors: Saeed Bahjat A. , Elias Rita S. , Kamounah Fadhil S. , Hansen Poul Erik
Published: November 2017

Five new thiophenoxyketinimines have been synthesized. 1H and 13C NMR spectra as well as deuterium isotope effects on 13C chemical shifts are determined, and spectra are assigned. DFT and MP2 calculations of both structures, chemical shifts, and isotope effects on chemical shifts are done. The combined analysis reveals that the compounds are primarily on a zwitterionic form with an NH+ and a S− group and with a little of the neutral form mixed in. Very strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding is found and very high NH chemical shifts are observed.

The theoretical calculations show that calculations at the MP2 level are best to obtain correct “C═S” chemical shifts.
The effects of intravoxel contrast agent diffusion on the analysis of DCE‐MRI data in realistic tissue domains
Authors: Woodall Ryan T. , Barnes Stephanie L. , Hormuth David A. , Sorace Anna G. , Quarles C. Chad , Yankeelov Thomas E.
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Quantitative evaluation of dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE‐MRI) allows for estimating perfusion, vessel permeability, and tissue volume fractions by fitting signal intensity curves to pharmacokinetic models. These compart mental models assume rapid equilibration of contrast agent within each voxel. However, there is increasing evidence that this assumption is violated for small molecular weight gadolinium chelates. To evaluate the error introduced by this invalid assumption, we simulated DCE‐MRI experiments with volume fractions computed from entire histological tumor cross‐sections obtained from murine studies.

Methods

A 2D finite element model of a diffusion‐compensated Tofts‐Kety model was developed to simulate dynamic T1 signal intensity data. Digitized histology slices were segmented into vascular (vp), cellular and extravascular extracellular (ve) volume fractions. Within this domain, Ktrans (the volume transfer constant) was assigned values from 0 to 0.5 min−1. A representative signal enhancement curve was then calculated for each imaging voxel and the resulting simulated DCE‐MRI data analyzed by the extended Tofts‐Kety model.

Results

Results indicated parameterization errors of −19.1% ± 10.6% in Ktrans, −4.92% ± 3.86% in ve, and 79.5% ± 16.8% in vp for use of Gd‐DTPA over 4 tumor domains.

Conclusion

These results indicate a need for revising the standard model of DCE‐MRI to incorporate a correction for slow diffusion of contrast agent. Magn Reson Med 80:330–340, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Preparation and characterization of poly(amide‐imide)/Mg‐Al LDH nanocomposites; effect of organo‐modified LDH on thermal properties and morphology
Authors: Hajibeygi Mohsen , Omidi‐Ghallemohamadi Mehrdad
Published: November 2017

New poly(amide‐imide) Mg‐Al/layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposites (PAINC) were prepared from synthesized poly(amide‐imide) (PAI) containing sulfone and ether linkages with two new organo modified Mg‐Al LDH (OLDH) by solution intercalation technique. OLDH were prepared from two different organo modifier with and without imide heterocyclic structure by one step method. The results of X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission‐scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed uniform distribution for LDH sheets in the PAI matrix. Thermal properties of all the samples were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The thermal properties results showed that by OLDH loading in PAI matrix the thermal stabilities were increased. The temperature at 5% mass loss (T5) was increased from 225°C to 300°C for PAINC containing 5 mass% of OLDH containing imide hetrocyclic rings. The theoretical study indicated that the d‐value of OLDH has been related to structure of its organo‐modifier. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E1669–E1681, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Multifunctional triphenylamine polymers synthesized via direct (hetero) arylation polymerization
Authors: Schmatz Brian , Ponder James F. , Reynolds John R.
Published: November 2017

The design rules for creating multifunctional organic electronic materials are currently limited. By copolymerizing twisted triphenylamine (TPA) and electron rich dioxythiophene (XDOT) monomers via Direct (Hetero) Arylation Polymerization (DHAP), a set of polymers are obtained that perform as yellow to transmissive electrochromic (EC) films with up to 45% contrast, as well as in electroluminescent (EL) applications, achieving a luminance of ∼450 cd/m2 in yellow‐green polymer light‐emitting diodes (PLEDs). In addition, polymerizing TPA with a donor‐acceptor‐donor monomer results in a low‐bandgap polymer that achieves power conversion efficiencies up to 2.5% when blended with PC71BM in conventional organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. Incorporation of TPA units into the polymer backbone largely breaks any aggregation and ordering in the solid‐state, leading to highly soluble materials that form smooth, reproducible thin films. The TPA unit also serves to break conjugation throughout the polymer backbone, providing precise control over optical and electronic properties through choice of comonomer. These results suggest that TPA copolymers can be useful for achieving multi‐functionality without sacrificing facile solution processability, making them promising candidates for multifunctional devices like dual EC/EL displays. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018, 56, 147–153
Synthesis and Investigation of the New Derivatives of Poly(Epichlorohydrin) Containing Energetic Groups
Authors: Atabaki Fariborz , Keshavarz Mohammad Hossein , Bastam Naser Noorollahy
Published: November 2017

In this research, poly(epichlorohydrin)(PECH) is modified by phenylhydrazine as well as 4‐nitrophenylhydrazine and 2,4‐dinitro phenylhydrazine. The chemical structures of the new derivatives of PECH are analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and ultraviolet‐visible (UV) techniques as well as carbon‐hydrogen‐nitrogen (CHN) ultimate analysis. Thermal characteristics of reaction products are studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Moreover, glass transition temperature (Tg) of these new polymers are determined. The results indicate that modifications of the poly(epichlorohydrin) are carried out successfully. The new energetic derivatives of PECH are good candidates for chemical industries, which may be considered as a novel class of energetic binders.
Dose Selection Based on Modeling and Simulation for Rivipansel in Pediatric Patients Aged 6 to 11 Years With Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Tammara Brinda K. , Harnisch Lutz O.
Published: November 2017

This modeling and simulation exercise aimed to provide dosing recommendations for rivipansel phase III studies in children aged 6–11 years with sickle cell disease (SCD). Pharmacokinetic data from 109 patients aged 12–51 years who received rivipansel (2–40 mg/kg) in previous studies (three phase I and one phase II) were integrated to build a three‐compartmental simulation model. Renal clearance simulations across the age range accounted for renal function development and postulated hyperfiltration in SCD. Simulated demographic distributions for the pediatric SCD population were used to predict concentration‐time profiles from three dosing regimens, which were then compared against efficacious average steady‐state concentrations observed in phase II. A dosing regimen comprising a 40‐mg/kg loading dose followed by a 20‐mg/kg maintenance dose every 12 hours was selected, as it will likely provide an efficacious concentration range. Its validity will be confirmed in the ongoing phase III study.
Torsion of a Two‐Phased Composite Bar With Helical Distribution of Constituents
Authors: Jopek Hubert , Strek Tomasz
Published: November 2017

Helical arrangements are very common both in nature and in artificial structures. In this paper, an analysis of a prismatic composite bar is presented. The cross‐sectional shape of the bar is described by a regular polygon. The composite is built of two homogeneous isotropic materials characterised by different Poisson's ratios one of which can be negative. Spatial distribution of materials in the composite is based on helical shape. Both materials are connected with the use of a transition zone of assumed width. The bar is subjected to torsional loading and its behavior is investigated by means of FEM method. Both material properties and the parameters of helical shape are investigated and the result of numerical analysis is presented.
A comparison study of control charts for Weibull distributed time between events
Authors: Wang Fu‐Kwun , Bizuneh Berihun , Abebe Temesgen Hailegiorgis
Published: November 2017

Monitoring decreases in the mean of Weibull time between events data to address process quality deteriorations is an important task in reliability analysis. Two new control charts such as Weibull exponentially weighted moving average and mixed cumulative sum‐exponentially weighted moving average by transforming the Weibull data to the exponential data are proposed and compared with 2 existing control charts such as Weibull cumulative sum and mixed exponentially weighted moving average‐cumulative sum. The performance comparison provides a way to select a specific control chart in a given situation. The average run length and the standard deviation of the run length are used as performance measures. The relative mean index is also utilized to measure the overall performance. The smaller the value of the relative mean index, the better the performance of the control chart and vice versa. Two illustrative examples are provided to show the applications of the proposed control charts.
Hierarchical models for epidermal nerve fiber data
Authors: Andersson Claes , Rajala Tuomas , Särkkä Aila
Published: November 2017

While epidermal nerve fiber (ENF) data have been used to study the effects of small fiber neuropathies through the density and the spatial patterns of the ENFs, little research has been focused on the effects on the individual nerve fibers. Studying the individual nerve fibers might give a better understanding of the effects of the neuropathy on the growth process of the individual ENFs. In this study, data from 32 healthy volunteers and 20 diabetic subjects, obtained from suction induced skin blister biopsies, are analyzed by comparing statistics for the nerve fibers as a whole and for the segments that a nerve fiber is composed of. Moreover, it is evaluated whether this type of data can be used to detect diabetic neuropathy, by using hierarchical models to perform unsupervised classification of the subjects. It is found that using the information about the individual nerve fibers in combination with the ENF counts yields a considerable improvement as compared to using the ENF counts only.
Facile Synthesis of Highly Water‐Soluble Lanthanide‐Doped t‐LaVO4 NPs for Antifake Ink and Latent Fingermark Detection
Authors: Chen Cailing , Yu Ying , Li Chunguang , Liu Dan , Huang He , Liang Chen , Lou Yue , Han Yu , Shi Zhan , Feng Shouhua
Published: November 2017

In the information age, it is important to protect the security and integrity of the information. As a result, the fluorescent ink as an antifake technology and the fingermark as an information carrier have aroused great interest. In this work, highly water‐soluble lanthanide (Ln3+)‐doped tetragonal phase (t‐) LaVO4 nanoparticles (NPs) are successfully obtained via a simple, fast, and green microwave‐assisted hydrothermal method. The average size of t‐LaVO4 NPs is about 43 nm. The aqueous solutions of Ln3+‐doped t‐LaVO4 exhibit excellent fluorescence properties under ultraviolet light (UV) excitation (t‐LaVO4:10%Eu is bright red and t‐LaVO4:0.5%Dy is close to white). Some superb antifake fluorescent patterns are printed using Ln3+‐doped t‐LaVO4 aqueous solution as ink, which indicates the as‐prepared Ln3+‐doped t‐LaVO4 NPs as fluorescent ink can meet the various antifake requirements. Notably, the designed convenient antifake fluorescent codes with improved security could be directly scanned and decoded by a smart phone. What's more, the as‐prepared NPs can be used for the development of latent fingermark on various substrates and the second‐level detail information can be clearly obtained from the magnification of a fingermark. These results indicate that the as‐prepared Ln3+‐doped t‐LaVO4 fluorescent NPs have great potential in security application.
Toward Over 15% Power Conversion Efficiency for Organic Solar Cells: Current Status and Perspectives
Authors: Zhang Jianqi , Zhu Lingyun , Wei Zhixiang
Published: November 2017

Significant improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs) is achieved by developing novel donor and acceptor materials, optimizing the phase‐separation morphology via diversified strategies, and using interfacial materials for better charge‐carrier collection. For state‐of‐the‐art devices, a PCE of over 13% is reported. However, simulations indicate that an efficiency of ≈19% could be realized, assuming a total energy loss of 0.5 eV with an external quantum efficiency of 90% and a fill factor of 70%. This large difference between the theoretical calculations and the actual performance of the state‐of‐the‐art devices shows that OSCs have significant potential for the future. Here, the energy loss is discussed, which determines the PCE limit, and then different systems are reviewed, such as small‐molecule (SM)/fullerene blends, polymer/fullerene blends, SM/nonfullerene blends, polymer/nonfullerene blends, and multicomponent systems. After highlighting the factors that have limited the device efficiency to date, an outlook on the most important challenges to guide OSCs toward the 15% PCE regime is provided.
Enhancing Electron and Hole Extractions for Efficient PbS Quantum Dot Solar Cells
Authors: Ren Zhenwei , Kuang Zhuoran , Zhang Linlin , Sun Jiankun , Yi Xiaohui , Pan Zhenxiao , Zhong Xinhua , Hu Jinsong , Xia Andong , Wang Jizheng
Published: November 2017

Exploring ways capable of enhancing photocarrier extraction is crucial in further developing the current PbS quantum dots (QDs) solar cells with a standard architecture of ITO/ZnO/PbS‐TBAI/PbS‐EDT/Au, which are drawing enormous attention due to their high air stabilities and already achieved high power conversion efficiencies. Here, a thin layer of carbon QDs (CQDs) is employed to modify the ZnO film surface to improve photoelectron extraction, and a thin film of PbS QDs treated by a mixed ligand solution of EDT:CuI (PbS‐EDT:CuI) is used to replace the PbS‐EDT film to improve photohole extraction. This designed device (ITO/ZnO/CQDs/PbS‐TBAI/PbS‐EDT:CuI/Au) presents significantly improved PCE of 9.95% compared to 8.60% of the reference device (ITO/ZnO/PbS‐TBAI/PbS‐EDT/Au). In addition, the designed device shows very high air stability.
Should we use the float test to quantify acorn viability?
Authors: Morina Daniel L. , Lashley Marcus A. , Chitwood M. Colter , Moorman Christopher E. , DePerno Christopher S.
Published: November 2017

The float test is the most widely used method to discriminate between viable and nonviable acorns. It provides an objective, simple, rapid, and inexpensive test to inform experiments and management strategies dependent on quantification of viable acorns. However, the accuracy of the float‐test method is understudied. To test the accuracy of the float‐test method, during autumn of 2013 we collected 300 acorns from white oak (Quercus alba), native to our study area within the city limits of Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, and sawtooth oak (Q. acutissima), not native to the study area. An untrained observer visually inspected acorns (visual test) to assign viability subjectively and then float‐tested the respective acorn. After conducting visual and float tests, we planted the acorns in a test plot protected from predation. In the test plots, 56% of white oak acorns and 60% of sawtooth acorns germinated. Both the float test and visual methods accurately predicted viability in both oak species. However, the visual test (white R2 = 0.83, sawtooth R2 = 0.85) explained more variation in observed germination than the float test explained (white R2 = 0.65, sawtooth R2 = 0.70). Our data indicate the float test, though objective, is less accurate than an untrained observer at predicting the viability of acorns. We tested the potential for the methods to be paired to further improve prediction accuracy and determined the float test provided no additional information to visual inspections. When dissecting or germinating acorns is not possible, our data indicate that visually inspecting acorns is better than float‐testing to determine viability. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
On integrability of 2-dimensional σ-models of Poisson-Lie type
Authors: Ševera Pavol
Published: November 2017

Abstract

We describe a simple procedure for constructing a Lax pair for suitable 2- dimensional σ-models appearing in Poisson-Lie T-duality
Finite-action solutions of Yang-Mills equations on de Sitter dS4 and anti-de Sitter AdS4 spaces
Authors: Ivanova Tatiana A. , Lechtenfeld Olaf , Popov Alexander D.
Published: November 2017

Abstract

We consider pure SU(2) Yang-Mills theory on four-dimensional de Sitter dS4 and anti-de Sitter AdS4 spaces and construct various solutions to the Yang-Mills equations. On de Sitter space we reduce the Yang-Mills equations via an SU(2)-equivariant ansatz to Newtonian mechanics of a particle moving in

$$ {\mathbb{R}}^3 $$

ℝ
3

under the influence of a quartic potential. Then we describe magnetic and electric-magnetic solutions, both Abelian and non-Abelian, all having finite energy and finite action. A similar reduction on anti-de Sitter space also yields Yang-Mills solutions with finite energy and action. We propose a lower bound for the action on both backgrounds. Employing another metric on AdS4, the SU(2) Yang-Mills equations are reduced to an analytic continuation of the above particle mechanics from

$$ {\mathbb{R}}^3 $$

ℝ
3

to

$$ {\mathbb{R}}^{2,1} $$

ℝ

2
,
1

. We discuss analytical solutions to these equations, which produce infinite-action configurations. After a Euclidean continuation of dS4 and AdS4 we also present self-dual (instanton-type) Yang-Mills solutions on these backgrounds.
The other effective fermion compositeness
Authors: Bellazzini Brando , Riva Francesco , Serra Javi , Sgarlata Francesco
Published: November 2017

Abstract

We discuss the only two viable realizations of fermion compositeness described by a calculable relativistic effective field theory consistent with unitarity, crossing symmetry and analyticity: chiral-compositeness vs goldstino-compositeness. We construct the effective theory of

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

Goldstini and show how the Standard Model can emerge from this dynamics. We present new bounds on either type of compositeness, for quarks and leptons, using dilepton searches at LEP, dijets at the LHC, as well as low-energy observables and precision measurements. Remarkably, a scale of compositeness for Goldstino-like electrons in the 2 TeV range is compatible with present data, and so are Goldstino-like first generation quarks with a compositeness scale in the 10 TeV range. Moreover, assuming maximal R-symmetry, goldstino-compositeness of both right- and left-handed quarks predicts exotic spin-1/2 colored sextet particles that are potentially within the reach of the LHC.
Cap‐seq reveals complicated miRNA transcriptional mechanisms in C. elegans and mouse
Authors: Chen Jiao , Zhu Dongxiao , Sun Yanni
Published: November 2017

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate target gene expression at post‐transcriptional level. Intense research has been conducted for miRNA identification and the target finding. However, much less is known about the transcriptional regulation of miRNA genes themselves. Recently, a special group of pre‐miRNAs that are produced directly by transcription without Drosha processing were validated in mouse, indicating the complexity of miRNA biogenesis.

Methods

In this work, we detect clusters of aligned Cap‐seq reads to find the transcription start sites (TSSs) for intergenic miRNAs and study their transcriptional regulation in Caenorhabditis elegans and mouse.

Results

In both species, we have identified a class of special pre‐miRNAs whose 5′ ends are capped, and are most probably generated directly by transcription. Furthermore, we distinguished another class of special pre‐miRNAs that are 5′‐capped but are also part of longer primary miRNAs, suggesting they may have more than one transcription mechanism. We detected multiple cap reads peaks within miRNA clusters in C. elegans. We surmised that the miRNAs in a cluster may either be transcribed independently or be re‐capped during the microprocessor cleavage process. We also observed that H3K4me3 and Pol II are enriched at those identified miRNA TSSs.

Conclusions

The Cap‐seq datasets enabled us to annotate the primary TSSs for miRNA genes with high resolution. Special class of 5′‐capped pre‐miRNAs have been identified in both C. elegans and mouse. The capping patter of miRNAs in a cluster indicate t
hat clustered miRNA transcripts probably undergo a re‐capping procedure during the microprocessor cleavage process.
Speed of processing training results in lower risk of dementia
Authors: Edwards Jerri D. , Xu Huiping , Clark Daniel O. , Guey Lin T. , Ross Lesley A. , Unverzagt Frederick W.
Published: November 2017

Introduction

Cognitive training improves cognitive performance and delays functional impairment, but its effects on dementia are not known. We examined whether three different types of cognitive training lowered the risk of dementia across 10 years of follow‐up relative to control and if greater number of training sessions attended was associated with lower dementia risk.

Methods

The Advanced Cognitive Training in Vital Elderly (NCT00298558) study was a randomized controlled trial (N = 2802) among initially healthy older adults, which examined the efficacy of three cognitive training programs (memory, reasoning, or speed of processing) relative to a no‐contact control condition. Up to 10 training sessions were delivered over 6 weeks with up to four sessions of booster training delivered at 11 months and a second set of up to four booster sessions at 35 months. Outcome assessments were taken immediately after intervention and at intervals over 10 years. Dementia was defined using a combination of interview‐ and performance‐based methods.

Results

A total of 260 cases of dementia were identified during the follow‐up. Speed training resulted in reduced risk of dementia (hazard ratio [HR] 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.50–0.998, P = .049) compared to control, but memory and reasoning training did not (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.57–1.11, P = .177 and HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.56–1.10, P = .163, respectively). Each additional speed training session was associated with a 10% lower hazard for dementia (unadjusted HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.85–0.95, P < .001).

Discussion

Initially, healthy older adults randomized to speed of processing cognitive training had a 29% reduction in their risk of dementia after 10 years of follow‐up compared to the untreated control group.
Mobilising for land, nation and class interests: agrarian agitation in Finland and Ireland, 1879–1918
Authors: Suodenjoki Sami
Published: November 2017

This article explores the comparative history of land agitation and how it evolved and intersected with nationalism and socialism in Finland and Ireland between the Irish Land War and the Finnish Civil War of 1918. Drawing on current scholarship as well as contemporary newspapers and official records, the article shows that an organised land movement developed later and was markedly less violent in Finland than in Ireland. Moreover, while in Ireland the association of landlordism with British rule helped to fuse the land movement with nationalist mobilisation during the Land War, in Finland the tie between the land movement and nationalism remained weak. This was a consequence of Finnish nationalists’ strong affiliation with landowning farmers, which hindered their success in mobilising tenant farmers and agricultural workers. Consequently, the Finnish countryside witnessed a remarkable rise in the socialist movement in the early 1900s. The socialist leanings of the Finnish land movement were greatly influenced by the Russian revolutions, whereas in Ireland militant Fenianism, often emanating from Irish America, affected land agitation more than socialism. As to transnational exchanges, the article also indicates the influence of Irish rural unrest and the related land acts on Finnish public debates and legislation.
The role of bulk viscosity on the decay of compressible, homogeneous, isotropic turbulence
Authors: Pan Shaowu , Johnsen Eric
Published: November 2017

While Stokes’ hypothesis of neglecting bulk viscous effects is exact for monatomic gases and unlikely to strongly affect the dynamics of fluids whose bulk-to-shear viscosity ratio is small and/or of weakly compressible turbulence, it is unclear to what extent this assumption holds for compressible, turbulent flows of gases whose bulk viscosity is orders of magnitude larger than their shear viscosities (e.g. $\text{CO}_{2}$). Our objective is to understand the mechanisms by which bulk viscosity and the associated phenomena affect moderately compressible turbulence, in particular energy transfer and dissipation. Using direct numerical simulations of the compressible Navier–Stokes equations, we study the decay of compressible, homogeneous, isotropic turbulence for ratios of bulk-to-shear viscosity ranging from 0 to 1000. Our simulations demonstrate that bulk viscosity increases the decay rate of turbulent kinetic energy; whereas enstrophy exhibits little sensitivity to bulk viscosity, dilatation is reduced by over two orders of magnitude within the first two eddy-turnover times. Via a Helmholtz decomposition of the flow, we determine that the primary action of bulk viscosity is to damp the dilatational velocity fluctuations and reduce dilatational–solenoidal exchanges, as well as pressure–dilatation coupling. In short, bulk viscosity renders compressible turbulence incompressible by reducing energy transfer between translational and internal degrees of freedom. Our results indicate that for gases whose bulk viscosity is of the order of their shear viscosity (e.g. hydrogen) the turbulence is not significantly affected by bulk viscous dissipation, in which case neglecting bulk viscosity is acceptable in practice. However, in problems involving compressible, turbulent flows of gases like $\text{CO}_{2}$ whose bulk viscosities are thousands of times greater than their shear viscosities, bulk viscosity cannot be ignored.
Rigorous entropy formulation of the anelastic liquid equations in an ideal gas
Authors: Mizerski Krzysztof A.
Published: November 2017

The point of this short paper is to provide a useful set of equations governing stratified convection, expressed solely in terms of two thermodynamic variables, i.e. the pressure and the entropy, and the velocity field of the flow, free from any additional assumptions about the properties of turbulence. The pressure fluctuation is entirely eliminated from the energy equation and it appears only in the momentum balance, easily removable by taking its curl. This goal is achieved through the well-known anelastic approximation and an assumption of constant thermal diffusivity coefficient. The rigorously derived system of anelastic liquid equations constitutes a useful tool for modelling the dynamics of stellar interiors.
An algorithm for solving the Navier–Stokes equations with shear-periodic boundary conditions and its application to homogeneously sheared turbulence
Authors: Houssem Kasbaoui M. , Patel Ravi G. , Koch Donald L. , Desjardins Olivier
Published: November 2017

Simulations of homogeneously sheared turbulence (HST) are conducted until a universal self-similar state is established at the long non-dimensional time $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}t=20$, where $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}$ is the shear rate. The simulations are enabled by a new robust and discretely conservative algorithm. The method solves the governing equations in physical space using the so-called shear-periodic boundary conditions. Convection by the mean homogeneous shear flow is treated implicitly in a split step approach. An iterative Crank–Nicolson time integrator is chosen for robustness and stability. The numerical strategy captures without distortion the Kelvin modes, rotating waves that are fundamental to homogeneously sheared flows and are at the core of rapid distortion theory. Three direct numerical simulations of HST with the initial Taylor scale Reynolds number $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}0}=29$ and shear numbers of $S_{0}^{\ast }=\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E4}q^{2}/\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}=3$, 15 and 27 are performed on a $2048\times 1024\times 1024$ grid. Here, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}$ is the dissipation rate and $1/2q^{2}$ is the turbulent kinetic energy. The long integration time considered allows the establishment of a self-similar state observed in experiments but often absent from simulations conducted over shorter times. The asymptotic state appears to be universal with a long time production to dissipation rate ${\mathcal{P}}/\unicode[STIX]{x1D716}\sim 1.5$ and shear number $S^{\ast }\sim 10$ in agreement with experiments. While the small scales exhibit strong anisotropy increasing with initial shear number, the skewness of the transverse velocity derivative decreases with increasing Reynolds number.
Property Rights, Deregulation, and Entrepreneurial Development in a Transition Economy
Authors: Zhou Wubiao
Published: November 2017

This article investigates the relative roles of formal property rights institutions versus deregulated markets in entrepreneurial development, based on China's market transition. Empirically, it is not yet known which set of institutions matters more for entrepreneurship, particularly in the long run, despite the existence of well-established theoretical arguments for each. Using provincial-level panel data from China's transition economy, this study has the following findings: On average, both formal protection of property rights and deregulated markets have positive effects on entrepreneurial development; yet, as market transition progresses, the effect of formal protection of property rights increases, while that of deregulated markets decreases. These results are robust to both multiple model specifications and an endogeneity test using an instrumental variable approach. Overall, therefore, while both sets of institutions indeed play positive roles in entrepreneurial development, property rights institutions may be more fundamental in the long run.
Going Modern: The tourist experience at the seaside and hill resorts in late Qing and Republican China
Authors: BARRENTO ANTÓNIO EDUARDO HAWTHORNE
Published: November 2017

A network of seaside and hill resorts created by foreigners gradually took shape in China during the late Qing and Republican periods. Such places were both a touristic novelty in China and the focal point of a type of tourist experience that was modern in a variety of ways. This article examines tourist accounts, tourist guidance material, and other sources, in an attempt to understand the major habits, norms, perceptions, and meanings of tourism to the seaside and hill resorts as a new type of tourism in China, from its inception to the downfall of the Nationalist government in 1949. For this purpose, it explores three aspects that were central to resort tourism: its strong association with an idea of refuge, its identification as an ideal experience, and its important physical component. While the article aims at an overall analysis of this new element of tourist culture in China, it also seeks to locate it within the wider contexts of tourist culture and of the broad motivations and anxieties of this period.
Cattle and rainfall affect tick abundance in central Kenya
Authors: KEESING FELICIA , OSTFELD RICHARD S. , YOUNG TRUMAN P. , ALLAN BRIAN F.
Published: November 2017

East Africa is a global hot spot for the diversity of ixodid ticks. As ectoparasites and as vectors of pathogens, ticks negatively affect the well-being of humans, livestock and wildlife. To prevent tick infestations, livestock owners and managers typically treat livestock with acaricides that kill ticks when they attempt to feed on livestock hosts. Because of the costs of preventing and mitigating tick parasitism, predicting where and when ticks will be abundant is an important challenge in this region. We used a 7-year monthly record of tick abundance on large experimental plots to assess the effects of rainfall, wildlife and cattle on larvae, nymphs and adults of two common tick species, Rhipicephalus pulchellus and Rhipicephalus praetextatus. Nymphal and adult ticks were more abundant when there had been high cumulative rainfall in the prior months. They were less abundant when cattle were present than when only large wild mammals were. Larval abundance was not affected by the presence of cattle, and larvae did not appear to be sensitive to rainfall in prior months, though they were less abundant in our surveys when rainfall was high in the sampling month. The challenges of managing ticks in this region are being exacerbated rapidly by changes in rainfall patterns wrought by climate change, and by overall increases in livestock, making efforts to predict the impacts of these drivers all the more pressing.
DNA barcoding ofCryptosporidium
Authors: ŠLAPETA JAN
Published: November 2017

Cryptosporidiumspp. (Apicomplexa) causing cryptosporidiosis are of medical and veterinary significance. The genusCryptosporidiumhas benefited from the application of what is considered a DNA-barcoding approach, even before the term ‘DNA barcoding’ was formally coined. Here, the objective to define the DNA barcode diversity ofCryptosporidiuminfecting mammals is reviewed and considered to be accomplished. Within theCryptosporidiumliterature, the distinction between DNA barcoding and DNA taxonomy is indistinct. DNA barcoding and DNA taxonomy are examined using the latest additions to the growing spectrum of namedCryptosporidiumspecies and within-species and between-species identity is revisited. Ease and availability of whole-genome DNA sequencing of the relatively smallCryptosporidiumgenome offer an initial perspective on the intra-host diversity. The opportunity emerges to apply a metagenomic approach to purified field/clinicalCryptosporidumisolates. The outstanding question remains a reliable definition ofCryptosporidiumphenotype. The complementary experimental infections and metagenome approach will need to be applied simultaneously to addressCryptosporidiumphenotype with carefully chosen clinical evaluations enabling identification of virulence factors.
The Arabic of the Islamic conquests: notes on phonology and morphology based on the Greek transcriptions from the first Islamic century
Authors: Al-Jallad Ahmad
Published: November 2017

This paper attempts to reconstruct aspects of the phonology and morphology of the Arabic of the Islamic conquests on the basis of Greek transcriptions in papyri of the first Islamic century. The discussion includes phonemic and allophonic variation in consonants and vowels, and nominal morphology. The essay concludes with a discussion on possible Aramaic and South Arabian influences in the material, followed by a short appendix with remarks on select Arabic terms from the pre-Islamic papyri.
Two Iranian loanwords in Syriac
Authors: Sims-Williams Nicholas
Published: November 2017

This article discusses two Syriac words which have been understood in many different ways by both ancient and modern scholars. The translations and etymologies previously proposed are evaluated and new explanations are offered, according to which both words,sāsgaunā“red” andsyānqā“hemi-drachm”, are loanwords from Middle Persian, though unattested in that language.
Capturing The Ancient Animal: Human/Animal Studies and the Classics
Authors: Kindt Julia
Published: November 2017

This article reviews several books published since the turn of the millennium that explore the role and representation of animals in different areas of ancient Greek and Roman culture. Despite differences in focus and outlook, these books herald the arrival within classical studies of the questions, concepts and methods of human/animal studies as an emerging field of enquiry. This article takes their publication as an opportunity to take stock and to outline the relationship between these disciplines. I explore how current research on ancient animals resonates both in existing debates in classical scholarship and within the context of the larger interdisciplinary debate. I also suggest how this debate can point to productive avenues for further enquiry in classical studies. More specifically, I argue that the interdisciplinary debate sets an important agenda, which should be embraced more fully by classical studies. Classical scholarship on the role, function and perception of animals in different areas of ancient Greek and Roman life can provide important insights into one aspect of the heritage – Western conceptions of humanity and the place of the animal within it – which has not yet received the attention it deserves. I conclude that classical scholarship can make a significant contribution to the interdisciplinary debate, helping it deliver on its stated goal of examining and challenging Western concepts of self, as well as the ideologies of ‘the other’ underpinning them.
Milk products in the dietary management of childhood undernutrition – a historical review
Authors: Scherbaum Veronika , Srour M. Leila
Published: November 2017

The present narrative review outlines the use of milk products in infant and young child feeding from early history until today and illustrates how research findings and technical innovations contributed to the evolution of milk-based strategies to combat undernutrition in children below the age of 5 years. From the onset of social welfare initiatives, dairy products were provided by maternal and child health services to improve nutrition. During the last century, a number of aetiological theories on oedematous forms of undernutrition were developed and until the 1970s the dogma of protein deficiency was dominant. Thereafter, a multifactorial concept gained acceptance and protein quality was emphasised. During the last decades, research findings demonstrated that the inclusion of dairy products in the management of severe acute malnutrition is most effective. For children suffering from moderate acute malnutrition the evidence for the superiority of milk-based diets is less clear. There is an unmet need for evaluating locally produced milk-free alternatives at lower cost, especially in countries that rely on imported dairy products. New strategies for the dietary management of childhood undernutrition need to be developed on the basis of research findings, current child feeding practices, socio-cultural conditions and local resources. Exclusive and continued breast-feeding supported by community-based nutrition programmes using optimal combinations of locally available complementary foods should be compared with milk product-based interventions.
AX–SCHANUEL CONDITION IN ARBITRARY CHARACTERISTIC
Authors: Kowalski Piotr
Published: November 2017

We prove a positive characteristic version of Ax’s theorem on the intersection of an algebraic subvariety and an analytic subgroup of an algebraic group [Ax, Some topics in differential algebraic geometry. I. Analytic subgroups of algebraic groups, Amer. J. Math.
94 (1972), 1195–1204]. Our result is stated in a more general context of a formal map between an algebraic variety and an algebraic group. We derive transcendence results of Ax–Schanuel type.
Service user and caregiver involvement in mental health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries: a cross-country qualitative study
Authors: Lempp H. , Abayneh S. , Gurung D. , Kola L. , Abdulmalik J. , Evans-Lacko S. , Semrau M. , Alem A. , Thornicroft G. , Hanlon C.
Published: November 2017

Aims.

The aims of this paper are to: (i) explore the experiences of involvement of mental health service users, their caregivers, mental health centre heads and policy makers in mental health system strengthening in three low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Ethiopia, Nepal and Nigeria); (ii) analyse the potential benefits and barriers of such involvement; and (iii) identify strategies required to achieve greater service user and caregiver participation.

Methods.

A cross-country qualitative study was conducted, interviewing 83 stakeholders of mental health services.

Results.

Our analysis showed that service user and caregiver involvement in the health system strengthening process was an alien concept for most participants. They reported very limited access to direct participation. Stigma and poverty were described as the main barriers for involvement. Several strategies were identified by participants to overcome existing hurdles to facilitate service user and caregiver involvement in the mental health system strengthening process, such as support to access treatment, mental health promotion and empowerment of service users. This study suggests that capacity building for service users, and strengthening of user groups would equip them to contribute meaningfully to policy development from informed perspectives.

Conclusion.

Involvement of service users and their caregivers in mental health decision-making is still in its infancy in LMICs. Effective strategies are required to overcome existing barriers, for example making funding more widely available for Ph.D. studies in participatory research with service users and caregivers to develop, implement and evaluate approaches to involvement that are locally and culturally acceptable in LMICs.
Are Donations to Charity an Effective Incentive for Public Officials?
Authors: Butler Daniel M. , Pereira Miguel M.
Published: November 2017

Incentivized experiments are frequently used to learn about individuals’ social, political, and economic behavior. However, public officials and other individuals are sometimes barred from accepting payment for anything related to their position, so money cannot be used in experiments (e.g., Butler and Kousser 2015). We assess whether donations to charity can be used to incentivize public officials, as an alternative to traditional monetary inducements.