bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Raman Modes and Born‐Effective Charges in AgNb1/2Ta1/2O3: A Density‐Functional and Raman Scattering Study
Authors: Ganga Prasad Kotagiri , Niranjan Manish K. , Asthana Saket , Karthikeyan R.
Published: September 2015

Using ab initio density‐functional theory, the Born‐effective charge tensors and zone‐center phonon mode frequencies are computed for AgNb1/2Ta1/2O3 in monoclinic P2/m and orthorombic Pbcm symmetries. The experimental mode frequencies are obtained from deconvolution of Raman spectrum of prepared AgNb1/2Ta1/2O3 samples and are compared with computed mode frequencies. The Raman modes with high (>350 cm−1) and low frequencies (<90 cm−1) correspond to Ag and O vibrations, respectively. The modes in intermediate frequency band (120–350 cm−1) are dominated by Nb(Ta)–O vibrations. The computed effective charge tensors of cations at A (Ag) and B (Nb, Ta) sites are found to be diagonal. The off‐diagonal components of charge tensor are found sizeable only for O ions in orthorhombic AgNb1/2Ta1/2O3 with Pbcm symmetry. Further, charge tensor structure of O ions is found to depend on site symmetry in the unit cell. Charge tensor components for Nb, Ta, and O ions differ significantly from their nominal ionic values suggesting (1) large local dipole moments induced by off‐centering of Nb(Ta) ions and tilting(rotations) of Nb(Ta)O6 octahedra, (2) hybridization between d‐orbitals of Nb(Ta) and p‐orbitals of O atoms. Furthermore, the electronic structure, directional dependence of effective charges and performance of LDA (GGA) exchange‐correlation functionals with regard to computed values are also discussed.
Effect of Internal Current Flow During the Sintering of Zirconium Diboride by Field Assisted Sintering Technology
Authors: Gonzalez–Julian Jesus , Jähnert Kevin , Speer Kerstin , Liu Limeng , Räthel Jan , Knapp Michael , Ehrenberg Helmut , Bram Martin , Guillon Olivier
Published: September 2015

Effect of electric current on sintering behavior and microstructure evolution of zirconium diboride (ZrB2) was investigated using three different configurations of Field Assisted Sintering Technology/Spark Plasma Sintering. The current flow through the ZrB2 compact was controlled by modifying the interface between the graphite punches and the electrical conductive powder. Boron nitride discs, graphite foils or direct contact with the graphite punches were the three different interfaces used in order to deflect, conduct or promote, respectively, the current during the sintering process of the electrically conductive ZrB2 ceramics. The current flow during the sintering process triggered the elimination/reduction in B2O3, leading to faster diffusion rates at high temperatures and limiting the formation of B4C secondary phase. This allows to control the final density, grain size (from 19.6 to 43.2 μm) and secondary phase formation (from 5.95 to 11.61 vol%) as well as the electrical resistivity (from 7.7 to 9.4 μΩ·cm) of the specimens.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Luminescence Properties of Y4Si2O7N2: Eu2+ Oxynitride Phosphors
Authors: Chen Guozhang , Yin Liang‐Jun , Dong Jun‐Tao , Feng Yan‐Yu , Gao Yang , He Weidong , Jia Yu , Xu Xin , Hintzen Hubertus T. (Bert)
Published: September 2015

Y4Si2O7N2: Eu2+ phosphor has been prepared by a pretreatment method. Reduction in Eu3+ ions into Eu2+ by the use of hydrogen iodide (HI) is verified by X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (XANES) and electrode potential analysis. Y4Si2O7N2: Eu2+ phosphor has a broad emission band in the range of 400–500 nm. Furthermore, the effect of Zr doping on the structure and luminescence properties of Y4Si2O7N2: Eu2+ phosphor is researched. It found that the Zr doping leads to an emission blueshift, and improves the luminescence intensity and thermal quenching behavior of Y4Si2O7N2: Eu2+ phosphors. Prospectively, the pretreatment approach could be extended to develop other Eu2+‐doped compounds.
Large and Stable Shape Memory Effect Realized by Defect Dipoles in Acceptor‐Doped Ferroelectric Ceramics
Authors: Yan Yangxi , Feng Yujun
Published: September 2015

A large and stable shape memory effect has been observed in 0.6 wt% Mn‐doped (Pb0.99Nb0.02)[(Zr0.70Sn0.30)0.52Ti0.48]0.98O3 (Mn:PNZST) ceramics after being poled at high temperature. A maximum shape memory of 0.41% was achieved. This effect is related to the preferentially oriented defect dipoles along the poling direction after poling at high temperature and electric field. Furthermore, the shape memory effect is stable after 104 electric cycles at 30 kV/cm. The shape memory piezoelectric actuator may be fabricated using this kind of material.
Fire history and moisture influences on historical forest age structure in the sky islands of southern Arizona,USA
Authors: Iniguez Jose M. , Swetnam Thomas W. , Baisan Christopher H.
Published: September 2015

Aim

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of moisture and fire on historical ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosaDougl. ex Laws.) age structure patterns.

Location

We used a natural experiment created over time by the unique desert island geography of southern Arizona.

Methods

We sampled tree establishment dates in two sites on Rincon Peak and another site in the Santa Catalina Mountains. The influence of regional moisture patterns was investigated by examining synchrony among tree age peaks and periods of favourable moisture. The influence of fire was investigated by examining the relationship between local fire histories and age peaks.

Results

Tree age peaks (recruitment events) were synchronized with periods of reduced fire frequencies, suggesting that periods of reduced fire activity allowed time for young trees to develop fire‐resistant characteristics. For example, two age peaks (1670s–1680s and 1770s–1780s) in the Rincon Peak‐north site coincided with a period of reduced fire frequency. These age peaks were absent in the Rincon Peak‐south site where fires were more frequent during that time. All three sites had age peaks in the early 19th century, coinciding with regional climate variability (i.e. El Niño Southern Oscillation patterns) that reduced fire activity.

Main conclusions

Historically prior to fire suppression, the survivorship, and thus cohort establishment, of ponderosa pine was ultimately determined by local fire history patterns. The importance of fire as a tree establishment regulator highlights the need to use fire at appropriate intervals not just to restore but to maintain healthy forests.
Evidence for episodic acidification effects on migrating Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts
Authors: Kelly J. T. , Lerner D. T. , O'Dea M. F. , Regish A. M. , Monette M. Y. , Hawkes J. P. , Nislow K. H. , McCormick S. D.
Published: September 2015

Field studies were conducted to determine levels of gill aluminium as an index of acidification effects on migrating Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts in the north‐eastern U.S.A. along mainstem river migration corridors in several major river basins. Smolts emigrating from the Connecticut River, where most (but not all) tributaries were well buffered, had low or undetectable levels of gill aluminium and high gill Na+/K+‐ATPase (NKA) activity. In contrast, smolts emigrating from the upper Merrimack River basin where most tributaries are characterized by low pH and high inorganic aluminium had consistently elevated gill aluminium and lower gill NKA activity, which may explain the low adult return rates of S. salar stocked into the upper Merrimack catchment. In the Sheepscot, Narraguagus and Penobscot Rivers in Maine, river and year‐specific effects on gill aluminium were detected that appeared to be driven by underlying geology and high spring discharge. The results indicate that episodic acidification is affecting S. salar smolts in poorly buffered streams in New England and may help explain variation in S. salar survival and abundance among rivers and among years, with implications for the conservation and recovery of S. salar in the north‐eastern U.S.A. These results suggest that the physiological condition of outmigrating smolts may serve as a large‐scale sentinel of landscape‐level recovery of atmospheric pollution in this and other parts of the North Atlantic region.
Ameliorating effect of transcutaneous electroacupuncture on impaired gastric accommodation induced by cold meal in healthy subjects
Authors: Huang Zhihui , Zhang Nina , Xu Feng , Yin Jieyun , Dai Ning , Chen Jiande DZ
Published: September 2015

Background

Impaired gastric accommodation is recognized as one of major pathophysiologies in functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis. Electroacupuncture has been shown to improve gastric accommodation in laboratory settings. It is, however, unknown whether it exerts similar ameliorating effect in humans and whether needleless transcutaneous electroacupuncture (TEA) is also effective in improving gastric accommodation.

Aim

The aim was to investigate the effects of TEA on gastric accommodation, gastric slow waves, and dyspeptic related symptoms.

Methods

Thirteen healthy volunteers were studied in four randomized sessions: control, cold nutrient liquid, cold nutrient liquid + sham‐TEA, and cold nutrient liquid + TEA. The subjects were requested to drink Ensure until reaching maximum satiety. The electrogastrogram (EGG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) were recorded to assess the gastric and autonomic functions respectively.

Results

1) Gastric accommodation was reduced with the cold drink in comparison with the warm drink (P = 0.023). TEA improved the impaired gastric accommodation from 539.2 ± 133.8 ml to 731.0 ± 185.7 ml (P = 0.005). 2) The percentage of normal gastric slow waves in six subjects was significantly decreased in the cold session (P = 0.002) and improved in the TEA session (P = 0.009vssham;P < 0.001vscold). 3) TEA showed significant improvement in the bloating (80.8 ± 5.7vs61.2 ± 26.2,P = 0.011), postprandial fullness (48.1 ± 12.0vs34.2 ± 21.2,P = 0.042), and nausea (29.6 ± 10.9vs19.2 ± 11.2,P = 0.026) in comparison with sham‐TEA session. 4) Neither cold drink nor TEA altered vagal activities (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

TEA improves impaired gastric accommodation and slow waves induced by cold drink and the effect does not seem to be mediated via the vagal mechanisms.
Genome‐scale analysis of the cotton KCS gene family revealed a binary mode of action for gibberellin A regulated fiber growth
Authors: Xiao Guang‐Hui , Wang Kun , Huang Gai , Zhu Yu‐Xian
Published: September 2015

Production of β‐ketoacyl‐CoA, which is catalyzed by 3‐ketoacyl‐CoA synthase (KCS), is the first step in very long chain fatty acid (VLCFA) biosynthesis. Here we identified 58 KCS genes from Gossypium hirsutum, 31 from G. arboreum and 33 from G. raimondii by searching the assembled cotton genomes. The gene family was divided into the plant‐specific FAE1‐type and the more general ELO‐type. KCS transcripts were widely expressed and 32 of them showed distinct subgenome‐specific expressions in one or more cotton tissues/organs studied. Six GhKCS genes rescued the lethality of elo2Δelo3Δ yeast double mutant, indicating that this gene family possesses diversified functions. Most KCS genes with GA‐responsive elements (GAREs) in the promoters were significantly upregulated by gibberellin A3 (GA). Exogenous GA3 not only promoted fiber length, but also increased the thickness of cell walls significantly. GAREs present also in the promoters of several cellulose synthase (CesA) genes required for cell wall biosynthesis and they were all induced significantly by GA3. Because GA treatment resulted in longer cotton fibers with thicker cell walls and higher dry weight per unit cell length, we suggest that it may regulate fiber elongation upstream of the VLCFA‐ethylene pathway and also in the downstream steps towards cell wall synthesis.
Rhynchophorus ferrugineus attack affects a group of compounds rather than rearranging Phoenix canariensis metabolic pathways
Authors: Giovino Antonio , Martinelli Federico , Saia Sergio
Published: September 2015

The red palm weevil (RPW; Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is spreading worldwide and severely harming many palm species. However, most studies on RPW focused on insect biology, and little information is available about the plant response to the attack. In the present experiment, we used metabolomics to study the alteration of the leaf metabolome of Phoenix canariensis at initial (1st stage) or advanced (2nd stage) attack by RPW compared with healthy (unattacked) plants. The leaf metabolome significantly varied among treatments. At the 1st stage of attack, plants showed a reprogramming of carbohydrate and organic acid metabolism; in contrast, peptides and lipid metabolic pathways underwent more changes during the 2nd than 1st stage of attack. Enrichment metabolomics analysis indicated that RPW attack mostly affected a particular group of compounds rather than rearranging plant metabolic pathways. Some compounds selectively affected during the 1st rather than 2nd stage (e.g. phenylalanine; tryptophan; cellobiose; xylose; quinate; xylonite; idonate; and iso‐threonate; cellobiotol and arbutine) are upstream events in the phenylpropanoid, terpenoid and alkaloid biosynthesis. These compounds could be designated as potential markers of initial RPW attack. However, further investigation is needed to determine efficient early screening methods of RPW attack based on the concentrations of these molecules.
A Spatial‐Context‐Based Approach for Automated Spatial Change Analysis of Piece‐Wise Linear Building Elements
Authors: Tang Pingbo , Chen Gaoyun , Shen Zhenglai , Ganapathy Ram
Published: September 2015

Changes of designs and construction plans often cause propagative design modifications, tedious construction coordination, cascading effects of errors, reworks, and delays in project management. Among various building elements, those having piece‐wise linear geometries (i.e., connected straight line segments), such as connected straight sections of ducts in mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, frequently undergo spatial changes in response to the changes of their surroundings. On the other hand, the piece‐wise linear geometries pose challenges to analyzing and controlling changes in construction and facility management. State‐of‐the‐art 3D change detection algorithms often face ambiguities about which points belong to which objects when piece‐wise linear object are spacked in small spaces. This article examines a spatial‐context‐based framework that uses spatial relationships between piece‐wise linear building elements (ducts in this article) to enable fast and reliable association of 3D data with ducts in as‐designed models for supporting reliable change analysis. Three case studies showed that this framework outperformed a conventional change detection method, and could handle large dislocations of piece‐wise linear elements and occlusions.
A novel strategy to produce sweeter tomato fruits with high sugar contents by fruit‐specific expression of a single bZIP transcription factor gene
Authors: Sagor G. H. M. , Berberich Thomas , Tanaka Shun , Nishiyama Manabu , Kanayama Yoshinori , Kojima Seiji , Muramoto Koji , Kusano Tomonobu
Published: September 2015

Enhancement of sugar content and sweetness is desirable in some vegetables and in almost all fruits; however, biotechnological methods to increase sugar content are limited. Here, a completely novel methodological approach is presented that produces sweeter tomato fruits but does not have any negative effects on plant growth. Sucrose‐induced repression of translation (SIRT), which is mediated by upstream open reading frames (uORFs), was initially reported in Arabidopsis AtbZIP11, a class S basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor gene. Here, two AtbZIP11 orthologous genes, SlbZIP1 and SlbZIP2, were identified in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). SlbZIP1 and SlbZIP2 contained four and three uORFs, respectively, in the cDNA 5′‐leader regions. The second uORFs from the 5′ cDNA end were conserved and involved in SIRT. Tomato plants were transformed with binary vectors in which only the main open reading frames (ORFs) of SlbZIP1 and SlbZIP2, without the SIRT‐responsive uORFs, were placed under the control of the fruit‐specific E8 promoter. Growth and morphology of the resulting transgenic tomato plants were comparable to those of wild‐type plants. Transgenic fruits were approximately 1.5‐fold higher in sugar content (sucrose/glucose/fructose) than nontransgenic tomato fruits. In addition, the levels of several amino acids, such as asparagine and glutamine, were higher in transgenic fruits than in wild‐type fruits. This was expected because SlbZIP transactivates the asparagine synthase and proline dehydrogenase genes. This ‘sweetening’ technology is broadly applicable to other plants that utilize sucrose as a major translocation sugar.
ERP evidence for hemispheric asymmetries in abstract but not exemplar‐specific repetition priming
Authors: Küper Kristina , Liesefeld Anna M. , Zimmer Hubert D.
Published: September 2015

Implicit memory retrieval is thought to be exemplar‐specific in the right hemisphere (RH) but abstract in the left hemisphere (LH). Yet, conflicting behavioral priming results illustrate that the level at which asymmetries take effect is difficult to pinpoint. In the present divided visual field experiment, we tried to address this issue by analyzing ERPs in addition to behavioral measures. Participants made a natural/artificial decision on lateralized visual objects that were either new, identical repetitions, or different exemplars of studied items. Hemispheric asymmetries did not emerge in either behavioral or late positive complex (LPC) priming effects, but did affect the process of implicit memory retrieval proper as indexed by an early frontal negativity (N350/(F)N400). Whereas exemplar‐specific N350/(F)N400 priming effects emerged irrespective of presentation side, abstract implicit memory retrieval of different exemplars was contingent on right visual field presentation and the ensuing initial stimulus processing by the LH.
Longitudinal stability and predictive utility of the visual P3 response in adults with externalizing psychopathology
Authors: Yoon Henry H. , Malone Stephen M. , Iacono William G.
Published: September 2015

We determined whether time‐domain P3 amplitude and time‐frequency principal component (TF‐PC) reductions could serve as stable and predictive developmental endophenotypes of externalizing psychopathology. Participants from the Minnesota Twin Family Study were assessed at age 17 and again at age 29 for lifetime externalizing (EXT) disorders. Comparisons of P3 amplitude and TF‐PCs at delta and theta frequencies were made between EXT and unaffected comparison subjects. P3 amplitude and all five extracted TF‐PCs were significantly reduced in those presenting lifetime EXT disorders at both ages 17 and 29 and showed substantial 12‐year rank‐order stability. P3 amplitude and delta TF‐PCs measured at age 17 also predicted subsequent development of EXT by age 29, with every 1‐microvolt decrease in age 17 amplitude associated with an approximately 5% increase in risk for an EXT diagnosis by age 29. Overall, results from this study further confirm that these P3‐derived brain measures maintain their potential as putative EXT endophenotypes through the third decade of life.
Response of low‐angle dunes to variable flow
Authors: Hendershot Megan L. , Venditti Jeremy G. , Bradley Ryan W. , Kostaschuk Ray A. , Church Michael , Allison Mead A.
Published: September 2015

Current understanding of bedform dynamics is largely based on field and laboratory observations of bedforms in steady flow environments. There are relatively few investigations of bedforms in flows dominated by unsteadiness associated with rapidly changing flows or tides. As a consequence, the ability to predict bedform response to variable flow is rudimentary. Using high‐resolution multibeam bathymetric data, this study explores the dynamics of a dune field developed by tidally modulated, fluvially dominated flow in the Fraser River Estuary, British Columbia, Canada. The dunes were dominantly low lee angle features characteristic of large, deep river channels. Data were collected over a field ca 1·0 km long and 0·5 km wide through a complete diurnal tidal cycle during the rising limb of the hydrograph immediately prior to peak freshet, yielding the most comprehensive characterization of low‐angle dunes ever reported. The data show that bedform height and lee angle slope respond to variable flow by declining as the tide ebbs, then increasing as the tide rises and the flow velocities decrease. Bedform lengths do not appear to respond to the changes in velocity caused by the tides. Changes in the bedform height and lee angle have a counterclockwise hysteresis with mean flow velocity, indicating that changes in the bedform geometry lag changes in the flow. The data reveal that lee angle slope responds directly to suspended sediment concentration, supporting previous speculation that low‐angle dune morphology is maintained by erosion of the dune stoss and crest at high flow, and deposition of that material in the dune trough.
A Decline in the Quality of Debate? The Evolution of Cognitive Complexity in Swiss Parliamentary Debates on Immigration (1968–2014)
Authors: Wyss Dominik , Beste Simon , Bächtiger André
Published: September 2015

This article explores the evolution of debate quality in the Swiss parliament. Focusing on immigration debates, we employ a psychological construct—cognitive complexity (CC)—which captures both epistemic and accommodative dimensions of political argumentation. We find a decrease in CC in parliamentary immigration debates over time, but this decrease was driven by the rise of the SVP (Swiss People's Party). However, there was almost no “spillover” of this new communication style to other parties. Moreover, we also find a constant difference between the Ständerat and the Nationalrat, with the former scoring higher on CC and thus asserting its role as a “chambre de réflexion” in immigration debates. Our diachronic focus on the quality of political debate takes a novel perspective on the dynamics of consensus democracy as well as on elite political culture. While our results indicate that the rise of the SVP has transformed the traditional consensual and deliberative pattern of Swiss policy‐making style into one which is geared towards less accommodation and a higher simplicity of political talk, there is still remarkable resilience against this new style of political interaction.
Division of Labor in Vocabulary Structure: Insights From Corpus Analyses
Authors: Christiansen Morten H. , Monaghan Padraic
Published: September 2015

Psychologists have used experimental methods to study language for more than a century. However, only with the recent availability of large‐scale linguistic databases has a more complete picture begun to emerge of how language is actually used, and what information is available as input to language acquisition. Analyses of such “big data” have resulted in reappraisals of key assumptions about the nature of language. As an example, we focus on corpus‐based research that has shed new light on the arbitrariness of the sign: the longstanding assumption that the relationship between the sound of a word and its meaning is arbitrary. The results reveal a systematic relationship between the sound of a word and its meaning, which is stronger for early acquired words. Moreover, the analyses further uncover a systematic relationship between words and their lexical categories—nouns and verbs sound differently from each other—affecting how we learn new words and use them in sentences. Together, these results point to a division of labor between arbitrariness and systematicity in sound‐meaning mappings. We conclude by arguing in favor of including “big data” analyses into the language scientist's methodological toolbox.
Transfusion‐induced alloimmunization and platelet refractoriness in a mouse model: mechanisms and interventions
Authors: Waterman Hayley R. , Kapp Linda M. , Munday Adam , Odem‐Davis Katherine , Zimring James C.
Published: September 2015

BACKGROUND

Platelet (PLT) transfusions can be an essential therapy for patients with thrombocytopenia to maintain hemostasis. However, some patients become alloimmunized to antigens on PLTs (typically HLA), which can prevent efficacy of PLT transfusion due to antibody‐mediated clearance. In extreme cases, patients with alloimmunization to multiple HLAs can become “refractory” to PLT transfusion, such that insufficient compatible PLT units can be found to meet transfusion needs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An in vivo murine model of PLT‐induced alloimmunization was refined so as to include both transfusion with allogeneic leukoreduced PLTs and studies of posttransfusion PLT recoveries, allowing assessment of alloimmunization and refractoriness. Basic mechanisms of antibody‐mediated PLT clearance were investigated using recipients missing either the C3 complement gene or the common gamma chain for Fc receptors. In addition, the efficacy of using costimulatory blockade as a therapeutic intervention was assessed by testing CTLA4‐Ig administration before PLT transfusion.

RESULTS

Fcγ receptors (but not complement C3) are required for alloantibody‐mediated PLT refractoriness. In addition, levels of anti‐MHC predict the extent of refractoriness in a given animal. Finally, costimulatory blockade as a therapeutic modality prevents transfusion‐induced PLT refractoriness.

CONCLUSIONS

Together these findings introduce new experimental methods, basic mechanistic understanding, and a potential therapeutic intervention for alloimmunization to MHC‐based antigens on transfused PLTs.
Effect of a thrombopoietin receptor agonist on use of intravenous immune globulin in patients with immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Zeller Michelle P. , Heddle Nancy M. , Kelton John G. , Hamilton Korinne , Wang Grace , Sholapur Naushin , Carruthers Julie , Hsia Cyrus , Blais Normand , Toltl Lisa , Hamm Caroline , Pearson Marc‐André , Arnold Donald M.
Published: September 2015

BACKGROUND

Thrombopoietin receptor agonists are new treatments for patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). How one of these agent, romiplostim, has impacted practice patterns, especially the use of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG), has not been evaluated outside of clinical trials.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of adult ITP patients treated with romiplostim in four Canadian centers. Patients had primary or secondary ITP and were followed for 1 year before starting weekly romiplostim treatment. We compared IVIG use, clinical outcomes, and cost before and after romiplostim.

RESULTS

Twenty‐nine patients with ITP received romiplostim. Median age was 54 years (interquartile range [IQR], 45‐63 years) and patients had a median of two prior ITP treatments (IQR, 1‐4) including splenectomy (n = 7). Median platelet (PLT) count was 23 × 109 before and 124 × 109 after romiplostim. Median duration of romiplostim treatment was 3.7 months. Patients used a median of two IVIG infusions per year before and 0.7 per year after starting romiplostim (p = 0.16). For patients who received weekly romiplostim for at least 1 month (n = 19), IVIG infusions were three (IQR, 1‐5) per year before and 0.7 (IQR, 0.4‐1.6) per year after romiplostim. Results were squewed by two high IVIG users. Nineteen (66%) patients discontinued romiplostim treatment during follow‐up because of lack of response (n = 8), sustained response (n = 5), toxicities (n = 4), or response to splenectomy (n = 2). Overall health care costs were similar before and after romiplostim when concomitant treatments, nursing resources, and hospitalizations were considered.

CONCLUSIONS

Romiplostim was associated with improved PLT counts and fewer IVIG infusions for most ITP patients. In practice, romiplostim was generally not continued long term and was cost neutral for overall ITP management.
Counting resolutions of symplectic quotient singularities
Authors: Bellamy Gwyn
Published: September 2015

Let ${\rm\Gamma}$ be a finite subgroup of $\text{Sp}(V)$. In this article we count the number of symplectic resolutions admitted by the quotient singularity $V/{\rm\Gamma}$. Our approach is to compare the universal Poisson deformation of the symplectic quotient singularity with the deformation given by the Calogero–Moser space. In this way, we give a simple formula for the number of $\mathbb{Q}$-factorial terminalizations admitted by the symplectic quotient singularity in terms of the dimension of a certain Orlik–Solomon algebra naturally associated to the Calogero–Moser deformation. This dimension is explicitly calculated for all groups ${\rm\Gamma}$ for which it is known that $V/{\rm\Gamma}$ admits a symplectic resolution. As a consequence of our results, we confirm a conjecture of Ginzburg and Kaledin.
Three-Dimensional Blade Stacking Strategies and Understanding of Flow Physics in Low-Pressure Steam Turbines—Part II: Stacking Equivalence and Differentiators
Authors: Havakechian Said , Denton John
Published: September 2015

Optimization of blade stacking in low-pressure (LP) steam turbine development constitutes one of the most delicate and time-consuming parts of the design process. This is the second part of two papers focusing on stacking strategies applied to the last stage guide vane and represents an attempt to discern the aerodynamic targets that can be achieved by each of the well-known and most often used basic stacking schemes. The effects of lean and twist have been investigated through an iterative process, involving comprehensive 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of the last two stages of a standard LP, where the basic lean and twist stacking schemes were applied on the last stage guide vanes while keeping the throat area (TA) unchanged. It has been found that it is possible to achieve the same target value and pattern of stage reaction by applying either tangential lean or an equivalent value of twist. Moreover, the significance of axial sweep on hub reaction has been found to become pronounced when the blade sweep is carried out at constant TA. The importance of hub-profiling has also been demonstrated and assessed. Detailed analysis of the flow fields has provided an overall picture, revealing the differences in the main flow parameters as produced by each of the alternative basic stacking schemes.
Nanofluidic interfaces in microfluidic networks
Authors: Millet Larry J. , Doktycz Mitchel J. , Retterer Scott T.
Published: September 2015

The integration of nano- and microfluidic technologies enables the construction of tunable interfaces to physical and biological systems across relevant length scales. The ability to perform chemical manipulations of miniscule sample volumes is greatly enhanced through these technologies and extends the ability to manipulate and sample local fluidic environments at subcellular, cellular, and community or tissue scales. Here, the authors describe the development of a flexible surface micromachining process for the creation of nanofluidic channel arrays integrated within SU-8 microfluidic networks. The use of a semiporous, silicon rich, silicon nitride structural layer allows for a rapid removal of the sacrificial silicon dioxide during the nanochannel fabrication. Nanochannel openings that form the interface to biological samples are customized using focused ion beam milling. The compatibility of these interfaces with on-chip microbial culture is demonstrated.
Electrical yield verification of half-pitch 15 nm patterns using directed self-assembly of polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate)
Authors: Azuma Tsukasa , Seino Yuriko , Sato Hironobu , Kasahara Yusuke , Kobayashi Katsutoshi , Kubota Hitoshi , Kanai Hideki , Kodera Katsuyoshi , Kihara Naoko , Kawamonzen Yoshiaki , Nomura Satoshi , Miyagi Ken , Minegishi Shinya , Tobana Toshikatsu , Shiraishi Masayuki
Published: September 2015

A novel half-pitch (HP) 15 nm line pattern multiplication process with simple process steps and low cost-of-ownership using a polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) lamellar block copolymer was developed to carry out process verification of directed self-assembly lithography on a 300 mm wafer for practical semiconductor device manufacturing. Electrical yield verification of HP 15 nm metal wire circuits fabricated by the HP 15 nm line pattern multiplication process was carried out on a 300 mm wafer. The electrical yield verification revealed the viability of the HP 15 nm line pattern multiplication process from the perspective of the total practical performance including critical dimension control, defect control, local placement error, line width roughness, line edge roughness, and process windows in the pattern transfer process.
Characterization of CO2 plasma ashing for less low-dielectric-constant film damage
Authors: Susa Yoshio , Ohtake Hiroto , Jianping Zhao , Chen Lee , Nozawa Toshihisa
Published: September 2015

The mechanism of CO2 plasma ashing process was evaluated. CO2 plasma is a good candidate for the ashing process for photoresists because it generates a lot of CO2 ions. These ions can ash equivalent amounts of carbon film with less low-k damage than can oxygen radicals. A high ratio of CO2 ions to oxygen radicals in CO2 plasma can make the ashing process efficient with less low-k damage. The ratio can be controlled by changing the CO2 flow rate, chamber pressure, and radio frequency (RF). When a lower RF frequency of 2 MHz as a plasma generator was used, the authors reduced sidewall low-k damage in patterned structures. CO2 ions can perform anisotropic ashing because the velocity distribution of CO2 ions is directional due to acceleration with a plasma sheath.
Postexercise Dietary Protein Strategies to Maximize Skeletal Muscle Repair and Remodeling in Masters Endurance Athletes: A Review
Authors: Doering Thomas M. , Reaburn Peter R. , Phillips Stuart M. , Jenkins David G.
Published: September 2015

Participation rates of masters athletes in endurance events such as long-distance triathlon and running continue to increase. Given the physical and metabolic demands of endurance training, recovery practices influence the quality of successive training sessions and, consequently, adaptations to training. Research has suggested that, after muscle-damaging endurance exercise, masters athletes experience slower recovery rates in comparison with younger, similarly trained athletes. Given that these discrepancies in recovery rates are not observed after non–muscle-damaging exercise, it is suggested that masters athletes have impairments of the protein remodeling mechanisms within skeletal muscle. The importance of postexercise protein feeding for endurance athletes is increasingly being acknowledged, and its role in creating a positive net muscle protein balance postexercise is well known. The potential benefits of postexercise protein feeding include elevating muscle protein synthesis and satellite cell activity for muscle repair and remodeling, as well as facilitating muscle glycogen resynthesis. Despite extensive investigation into age-related anabolic resistance in sedentary aging populations, little is known about how anabolic resistance affects postexercise muscle protein synthesis and thus muscle remodeling in aging athletes. Despite evidence suggesting that physical training can attenuate but not eliminate age-related anabolic resistance, masters athletes are currently recommended to consume the same postexercise dietary protein dose (approximately 20 g or 0.25 g/kg/meal) as younger athletes. Given the slower recovery rates of masters athletes after muscle-damaging exercise, which may be due to impaired muscle remodeling mechanisms, masters athletes may benefit from higher doses of postexercise dietary protein, with particular attention directed to the leucine content of the postexercise bolus.
Effect of Conjugated Linoleic Acid Associated With Aerobic Exercise on Body Fat and Lipid Profile in Obese Women: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, and Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Ribeiro Alex S. , Pina Fábio Luiz C. , Dodero Soraya R. , Silva Danilo R. P. , Schoenfeld Brad J. , Sugihara Paulo , Fernandes Rodrigo R. , Barbosa Décio S. , Cyrino Edilson S. , Tirapegui Julio
Published: September 2015

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of 8 weeks of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation associated with aerobic exercise on body fat and lipid profile on obese women. We performed a randomized, double-blinded and placebo-controlled trial with 28 obese women who received 3.2 g/day of CLA or 4 g/day of olive oil (placebo group) while performing an 8-week protocol of aerobic exercise. Dietary intake (food record), body fat (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), and biochemical analysis (blood sample) were assessed before and after the intervention period. Independent of CLA supplementation, both groups improved (p < .05) oxygen uptake (CLA group, 13.2%; PLC group, 14.8%), trunk fat (CLA group, −1.0%; PLC group, −0.5%), leg fat (CLA group, −1.0%; PLC group, −1.6%), and total body fat (CLA group, −1.7%; PLC group, −1.3%) after the 8-week intervention. No main effect or Group × Time interaction was found for total cholesterol, triglycerides, and plasma lipoproteins (p > .05). We conclude that CLA supplementation associated with aerobic exercise has no effect on body fat reduction and lipid profile improvements over placebo in young adult obese women.
How teeth got tough: enamel's evolutionary journey
Authors: Perkins Sid
Published: September 2015

Fossils show that ancient fish scales sported enamel long before this hard substance coated teeth.
Scripps hooks prominent pair to lead it to health
Authors: Service Robert F.
Published: September 2015

Steve Kay and Peter Schultz aim to focus basic science powerhouse on translational medicine.
Tragic end for Puerto Rico site
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: September 2015

A unique urban site is disassembled after a tragedy.
For kids with special learning needs, roadblocks remain
Authors: Stern Gavin
Published: September 2015

Neuroscience has shed light on the struggle, but early intervention and cost remain challenges
Can 23andMe have it all?
Authors: Servick Kelly
Published: September 2015

How much do your eyes water when cutting onions? Does fresh cilantro taste like soap to you? Do you have stretch marks on your hips, thighs, or the backs of your arms? Have you ever been diagnosed with brain cancer? Mail off your spit for a $99 genetic analysis from 23andMe, and you will get information about your ancestry, served up on a web account. You will also encounter a list of optional survey questions. A lot of survey questions. Some are quirky queries about your tastes and habits. Others are intimate probes into your experiences with disease and medicine.
Synthetic biology's clinical applications
Authors: May Mike
Published: September 2015

Engineered systems of genes and other molecular components created through synthetic biology make medical treatments more effective and promise cures for a range of health problems. Perhaps equally important, recent technologies make it easier for a broader range of scientists to apply synthetic-biology approaches that drive expanding clinical applications, from designing new diagnostics and building molecularly engineered tissues to developing new drugs and vaccines.
Female genital cutting is not a social coordination norm
Authors: Efferson Charles , Vogt Sonja , Elhadi Amy , Ahmed Hilal El Fadil , Fehr Ernst
Published: September 2015

New data from Sudan question an influential approach to reducing female genital cutting
Genetics and genomics of psychiatric disease
Authors: Geschwind Daniel H. , Flint Jonathan
Published: September 2015

Large-scale genomic investigations have just begun to illuminate the molecular genetic contributions to major psychiatric illnesses, ranging from small-effect-size common variants to larger-effect-size rare mutations. The findings provide causal anchors from which to understand their neurobiological basis. Although these studies represent enormous success, they highlight major challenges reflected in the heterogeneity and polygenicity of all of these conditions and the difficulty of connecting multiple levels of molecular, cellular, and circuit functions to complex human behavior. Nevertheless, these advances place us on the threshold of a new frontier in the pathophysiological understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of psychiatric disease.
The origins, determinants, and consequences of human mutations
Authors: Shendure Jay , Akey Joshua M.
Published: September 2015

Germline mutations are the principal cause of heritable disease and the ultimate source of evolutionary change. Similarly, somatic mutations are the primary cause of cancer and may contribute to the burden of human disease more broadly than previously appreciated. Here, we review recent insights into the rates, spectrum, and determinants of genomic mutations and how these parameters inform our understanding of both Mendelian and complex human diseases. We also consider models for conceptualizing mutational consequences and outline several key areas for future research, including the development of new technologies to access and quantify the full spectrum of mutations, as well as to better interpret the consequences of mutations with respect to molecular functionality, evolutionary fitness, and disease pathogenicity.
Comment on “Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds”
Authors: Mitchell Kieren J. , Cooper Alan , Phillips Matthew J.
Published: September 2015

Jarvis
et al
. (Research Articles, 12 December 2014, p. 1320) presented molecular clock analyses that suggested that most modern bird orders diverged just after the mass extinction event at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (about 66 million years ago). We demonstrate that this conclusion results from the use of a single inappropriate maximum bound, which effectively precludes the Cretaceous diversification overwhelmingly supported by previous molecular studies.
Gravitational waves from binary supermassive black holes missing in pulsar observations
Authors: Shannon R. M. , Ravi V. , Lentati L. T. , Lasky P. D. , Hobbs G. , Kerr M. , Manchester R. N. , Coles W. A. , Levin Y. , Bailes M. , Bhat N. D. R. , Burke-Spolaor S. , Dai S. , Keith M. J. , Osłowski S. , Reardon D. J. , van Straten W. , Toomey L. , Wang J.-B. , Wen L. , Wyithe J. S. B. , Zhu X.-J.
Published: September 2015

Placing bounds on gravitational wave detection

Gravitational waves are expected to be generated by the interaction of the massive bodies in black-hole binary systems. As gravitational waves distort spacetime, it should be possible to verify their existence as they interfere with the pulses emitted by millisecond pulsars. However, after monitoring 24 pulsars with the Parkes radio telescope for 12 years, Shannon
et al.
found no detectable variation in pulsar records. This nondetection result indicates that a new detection strategy for gravitational waves is needed.

Science
, this issue p.
1522
Molecular architecture of the active mitochondrial protein gate
Authors: Shiota Takuya , Imai Kenichiro , Qiu Jian , Hewitt Victoria L. , Tan Khershing , Shen Hsin-Hui , Sakiyama Noriyuki , Fukasawa Yoshinori , Hayat Sikander , Kamiya Megumi , Elofsson Arne , Tomii Kentaro , Horton Paul , Wiedemann Nils , Pfanner Nikolaus , Lithgow Trevor , Endo Toshiya
Published: September 2015

Dissecting the mitochondrial entry portal

Mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell, are mainly composed of proteins made in the cytosol. These newly synthesized proteins need to be imported across the organelle's membrane through dedicated protein import machinery. Shiota
et al.
have worked out the architecture and mechanism of the mitochondrial protein import channel.

Science
, this issue p.
1544
Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis of the Latin American Mediterranean Lineage, Wrongly Identified as Mycobacterium pinnipedii (Spoligotype International Type 863 [SIT863]), Causing Active Tuberculosis in South Brazil
Authors: Dalla Costa Elis R. , Vasconcelos Sidra E. G. , Esteves Leonardo S. , Gomes Harrison M. , Gomes Lia L. , Almeida da Silva Pedro , Perdigão João , Portugal Isabel , Viveiros Miguel , McNerney Ruth , Pain Arnab , Clark Taane G. , Rastogi Nalin , Unis Gisela , Rossetti Maria Lucia R. , Suffys Philip Noel
Published: September 2015

We recently detected the spoligotype patterns of strains of
Mycobacterium pinnipedii
, a species of the
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
complex, in sputum samples from nine cases with pulmonary tuberculosis residing in Porto Alegre, South Brazil. Because this species is rarely encountered in humans, we further characterized these nine isolates by additional genotyping techniques, including 24-locus mycobacterial interspersed repetitive-unit–variable-number tandem-repeat (MIRU-VNTR) typing, verification of the loci TbD1, RD9,
pks15/1
, RD
Rio
, and
fbpC
, the insertion of IS
6110
at a site specific to the
M. tuberculosis
Latin American Mediterranean (LAM) lineage, and whole-genome sequencing. The combined analysis of these markers revealed that the isolates are in fact
M. tuberculosis
and more specifically belong to the LAM genotype. Most of these isolates (
n
= 8) were shown to be multidrug resistant (MDR), which prompted us to perform partial sequencing of the
rpoA
,
rpoB
,
rpoC
,
katG
, and
inhA
genes. Seven isolates (77.8%) carried the S315T mutation in
katG
, and one of these (11%) also presented the C(−17)T single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in
inhA
. Interestingly, six of the MDR isolates also presented an undescribed insertion of 12 nucleotides (CCA GAA CAA CCC) in codon 516 of
rpoB
. No putative compensatory mutation was found in either
rpoA
or
rpoC
. This is the first report of an
M. tuberculosis
LAM family strain with a convergent
M. pinnipedii
spoligotype. These spoligotypes are observed in genotype databases at a modest frequency, highlighting that care must be taken when identifying isolates in the
M. tuberculosis
complex on the basis of single genetic markers.
Rapid Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-Susceptible S. aureus Directly from Positive Blood Cultures by Use of the BD Max StaphSR Assay
Authors: Ellem Justin A. , Olma Tom , O'Sullivan Matthew V. N.
Published: September 2015

The BD Max StaphSR assay is an automated qualitative
in vitro
diagnostic test for the direct detection and differentiation of methicillin-susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus
(MSSA) and methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA). A total of 460 specimens were tested, and the results were compared with standard culture-based identification. MRSA was detected in 48 samples (sensitivity of 100%; positive predictive value [PPV] of 100%). MSSA was detected in 112 samples (sensitivity of 99.1%; PPV of 100%), and 299 samples containing coagulase-negative staphylococcus and nonstaphylococcal species were negative by the BD Max StaphSR assay (specificity of 100%; negative predictive value [NPV] of 99.7 to 100%).
Comparison of Molecular Characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Specimens Collected from the United States and China
Authors: Yan Chao , Sun Hongmei , Lee Stella , Selvarangan Rangaraj , Qin Xuan , Tang Yi-Wei , Waites Ken B. , Zheng Xiaotian
Published: September 2015

Mycoplasma pneumoniae
-positive clinical specimens obtained from the United States and China during the same period were studied for their molecular characteristics. We found much more diverse genotypes and a lower prevalence of macrolide resistance in the U.S. specimens. Data from the study also showed an association of the resistance with certain genotypes.