bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generating single photons at gigahertz modulation-speed using electrically controlled quantum dot microlenses
Authors: Schlehahn A. , Schmidt R. , Hopfmann C. , Schulze J.-H. , Strittmatter A. , Heindel T. , Gantz L. , Schmidgall E. R. , Gershoni D. , Reitzenstein S.
Published: January 2016

We report on the generation of single-photon pulse trains at a repetition rate of up to 1 GHz. We achieve this speed by modulating the external voltage applied on an electrically contacted quantum dot microlens, which is optically excited by a continuous-wave laser. By modulating the photoluminescence of the quantum dot microlens using a square-wave voltage, single-photon emission is triggered with a response time as short as (281 ± 19) ps, being 6 times faster than the radiative lifetime of (1.75 ± 0.02) ns. This large reduction in the characteristic emission time is enabled by a rapid capacitive gating of emission from the quantum dot, which is placed in the intrinsic region of a p-i-n-junction biased below the onset of electroluminescence. Here, since our circuit acts as a rectifying differentiator, the rising edge of the applied voltage pulses triggers the emission of single photons from the optically excited quantum dot. The non-classical nature of the photon pulse train generated at GHz-speed is proven by intensity autocorrelation measurements with g(2)(0) = 0.3 ± 0.1. Our results combine optical excitation with fast electrical gating and thus show promise for the generation of indistinguishable single photons at rates exceeding the limitations set by the intrinsic radiative lifetime.
Laterally configured resistive switching device based on transition-metal nano-gap electrode on Gd oxide
Authors: Kawakita Masatoshi , Okabe Kyota , Kimura Takashi
Published: January 2016

We have developed a fabrication process for a laterally configured resistive switching device based on a Gd oxide. A nano-gap electrode connected by a Gd oxide with the ideal interfaces has been created by adapting the electro-migration method in a metal/GdOx bilayer system. Bipolar set and reset operations have been clearly observed in the Pt/GdOx system similarly in the vertical device based on GdOx. Interestingly, we were able to observe a clear bipolar switching also in a ferromagnetic CoFeB nano-gap electrode with better stability compared to the Pt/GdOx device. The superior performance of the CoFeB/GdOx device implies the importance of the spin on the resistive switching.
Finite-size scaling of flexoelectricity in Langmuir-Blodgett polymer thin films
Authors: Poddar Shashi , Foreman Keith , Adenwalla Shireen , Ducharme Stephen
Published: January 2016

The flexoelectric effect, which is a linear coupling between a strain gradient and electrical polarization, is a fundamental electromechanical property of all materials with potential for use in nanoscale devices, where strain gradients can be quite large. We report a study of the dependence of the flexoelectric response on thickness in ultrathin films of polar and non-polar polymers. The measurements of the flexoelectric response in non-polar polyethylene and the polar relaxor polymer polyvinylidene-co-trifluoroethylene-co-chlorofluoroethylene were made using a bent cantilever method and corrected for the contribution from the electrode oxide. The results show that the value of the flexoelectric coefficient increases with decreasing thickness, by up to a factor of 70 compared to the bulk value, reaching such enhanced values in films of only 10 nm thickness. These results are consistent with a model accounting for interfacial contributions, and underline how large electromechanical coupling can be produced at the nanoscale. The results also distinguish the surface flexoelectric response from that coming from the volume.
Demonstration of InAlN/AlGaN high electron mobility transistors with an enhanced breakdown voltage by pulsed metal organic chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Xue JunShuai , Zhang JinCheng , Hao Yue
Published: January 2016

In this work, InAlN/AlGaN heterostructures employing wider bandgap AlGaN instead of conventional GaN channel were grown on sapphire substrate by pulsed metal organic chemical vapor deposition, where the nominal Al composition in InAlN barrier and AlGaN channel were chosen to be 83% and 5%, respectively, to achieve close lattice-matched condition. An electron mobility of 511 cm2/V s along with a sheet carrier density of 1.88 × 1013 cm−2 were revealed in the prepared heterostructures, both of which were lower compared with lattice-matched InAlN/GaN due to increased intrinsic alloy disorder scattering resulting from AlGaN channel and compressively piezoelectric polarization in barrier, respectively. While the high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) processed on these structures not only exhibited a sufficiently high drain output current density of 854 mA/mm but also demonstrated a significantly enhanced breakdown voltage of 87 V, which is twice higher than that of reported InAlN/GaN HEMT with the same device dimension, potential characteristics for high-voltage operation of GaN-based electronic devices.
Laser-excited optical emission response of CdTe quantum dot/polymer nanocomposite under shock compression
Authors: Xiao Pan , Kang Zhitao , Bansihev Alexandr A. , Breidenich Jennifer , Scripka David A. , Christensen James M. , Summers Christopher J. , Dlott Dana D. , Thadhani Naresh N. , Zhou Min
Published: January 2016

Laser-driven shock compression experiments and corresponding finite element method simulations are carried out to investigate the blueshift in the optical emission spectra under continuous laser excitation of a dilute composite consisting of 0.15% CdTe quantum dots by weight embedded in polyvinyl alcohol polymer. This material is a potential candidate for use as internal stress sensors. The analyses focus on the time histories of the wavelength blue-shift for shock loading with pressures up to 7.3 GPa. The combined measurements and calculations allow a relation between the wavelength blueshift and pressure for the loading conditions to be extracted. It is found that the blueshift first increases with pressure to a maximum and subsequently decreases with pressure. This trend is different from the monotonic increase of blueshift with pressure observed under conditions of quasistatic hydrostatic compression. Additionally, the blueshift in the shock experiments is much smaller than that in hydrostatic experiments at the same pressure levels. The differences in responses are attributed to the different stress states achieved in the shock and hydrostatic experiments and the time dependence of the mechanical response of the polymer in the composite. The findings offer a potential guide for the design and development of materials for internal stress sensors for shock conditions.
Dynamic fragmentation of cellular, ice-templated alumina scaffolds
Authors: Tan Yi Ming , Cervantes Octavio , Nam SeanWoo , Molitoris John D. , Hooper Joseph P.
Published: January 2016

We examine the dynamic failure of ice-templated freeze-cast alumina scaffolds that are being considered as biomimetic hierarchical structures. Three porosities of alumina freeze-cast structures were fabricated, and a systematic variation in microstructural properties such as lamellar width and thickness was observed with changing porosity. Dynamic impact tests were performed in a light-gas gun to examine the failure properties of these materials under high strain-rate loading. Nearly complete delamination was observed following impact, along with characteristic cracking across the lamellar width. Average fragment size decreases with increasing porosity, and a theoretical model was developed to explain this behavior based on microstructural changes. Using an energy balance between kinetic, strain, and surface energies within a single lamella, we are able to accurately predict the characteristic fragment size using only standard material properties of bulk alumina.
A simple rule for determining the band offset at CH3NH3PbI3/organic semiconductor heterojunctions
Authors: Thibau E. S. , Llanos A. , Lu Z. H.
Published: January 2016

Organo-metal halide perovskites have recently emerged as a highly promising class of semiconductors for optoelectronic device applications. Integrating these hybrid materials within organic molecular thin film devices is key to fabricate functional devices. By evaporating ultra-thin films of organic semiconductor on thermally evaporated CH3NH3PbI3 and using in-situ ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, we directly measure the interfacial energy offset between CH3NH3PbI3 valence band maximum and the highest occupied molecular orbital for 5 different archetypal organic semiconductors. It is found that the energy offsets scale linearly as a function of the ionization energies of the organic semiconductors. The experimental data are in excellent agreement with a theoretical model for ideal semiconductor heterojunctions.
Influence of α-amylase template concentration on systematic entrapment of highly stable and monodispersed colloidal gold nanoparticles
Authors: Ananth A. Nitthin , Ananth A. Nimrodh , Jose Sujin P. , Umapathy S. , Mathavan T.
Published: January 2016

Nano gold / α-amylase colloidal dispersions of profound stability were made using simple procedure with a conventional reducing agent. The surface plasmon resonance of the gold nanocrystals was used to quantify the extent of the dispersion stability and functionalization. It is found that the reduced gold nanoparticles were trapped into the protein network without denaturation the structure of α-amylase protein. This kind of entrapment of particles into the protein network prevents clustering of individual gold nanoparticles (6.42 nm ± 0.92 nm) by acting as a natural spacer. Systematic entrapment was facilitated by the affinity of gold to the sulfur moieties (Au-S) in the protein structure.
Investigation of significantly high barrier height in Cu/GaN Schottky diode
Authors: Garg Manjari , Kumar Ashutosh , Nagarajan S. , Sopanen M. , Singh R.
Published: January 2016

Current-voltage (I-V) measurements combined with analytical calculations have been used to explain mechanisms for forward-bias current flow in Copper (Cu) Schottky diodes fabricated on Gallium Nitride (GaN) epitaxial films. An ideality factor of 1.7 was found at room temperature (RT), which indicated deviation from thermionic emission (TE) mechanism for current flow in the Schottky diode. Instead the current transport was better explained using the thermionic field-emission (TFE) mechanism. A high barrier height of 1.19 eV was obtained at room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to investigate the plausible reason for observing Schottky barrier height (SBH) that is significantly higher than as predicted by the Schottky-Mott model for Cu/GaN diodes. XPS measurements revealed the presence of an ultrathin cuprous oxide (Cu2O) layer at the interface between Cu and GaN. With Cu2O acting as a degenerate p-type semiconductor with high work function of 5.36 eV, a high barrier height of 1.19 eV is obtained for the Cu/Cu2O/GaN Schottky diode. Moreover, the ideality factor and barrier height were found to be temperature dependent, implying spatial inhomogeneity of barrier height at the metal semiconductor interface.
Establishing components of cultural competence healthcare models to better cater for the needs of migrants with disability: a systematic review
Authors: Olaussen Sarah Jamison , Renzaho Andre M. N.
Published: January 2016

This study examined the challenges of providing services to migrants with disability (MWD), including healthcare providers’ (HCP) level of cultural competence, and documented components of the cultural competence framework required to reduce disability-related health inequalities. This systematic review was undertaken according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Six databases were searched from January 2000 to August 2013: Ovid Medline, Ovid PsychINFO, EMBASE, CINHAL plus, Informit health databases and Scopus. The search focused on MWD, carers of MWD and HCP working with MWD in industrialised countries. The search yielded 271 articles of which 11 met the inclusion criteria (10 qualitative and 1 quantitative). While HCP perceived themselves as being culturally competent, carers of MWD felt that HCP needed to be more culturally competent as MWD’s needs were not being adequately addressed due to cultural misunderstandings and disrespect of cultural values, beliefs and traditions. The review found one existing healthcare model intended for use with MWD; however, the lack of specific attention to cultural competency limits its clinical utility. The findings of this review led to the development of suggested components to be included in a cultural competence model for HCP working with MWD.
Best bait for your buck: bait preference for camera trapping north Australian mammals
Authors: Diete Rebecca L. , Meek Paul D. , Dixon Kelly M. , Dickman Christopher R. , Leung Luke K.-P.
Published: January 2016

Critical evaluations of bait attractiveness for camera trapping wildlife are scant even though use of the most attractive bait should improve detection of cryptic, threatened species. We aimed to determine the most attractive bait for camera trapping the northern hopping-mouse (Notomys aquilo) and sympatric mammals. We also tested the effectiveness of overhead camera trap orientation in identifying individual northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) as this could be used to define a camera trap event for analysis purposes. Using white-flash camera traps, the attractiveness of four baits (peanut butter with oats, corn, sesame oil and sunflower kernels) and a control were compared for N. aquilo, D. hallucatus, the northern brown bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus) and the agile wallaby (Notamacropus agilis). Spot patterns of D. hallucatus were compared to determine the visitation rate of individuals. Peanut butter– and sesame oil–based baits were significantly more attractive to D. hallucatus, while I. macrourus strongly preferred the peanut butter bait. Bait type did not affect the mean number of events for N. aquilo or N. agilis. The consistently identifiable images of individual D. hallucatus were used to determine the optimal event delineator of 15 min. The improved techniques for camera trapping D. hallucatus should be valuable for future capture–recapture studies of this species. Camera trapping is a viable replacement for the ineffective method of indexing the abundance of N. aquilo using indirect signs.
The haptic nature of gesture
Authors: Sinclair Nathalie , Freitas Elizabeth de
Published: January 2016

This paper is about re-thinking gesture in order to reckon with its material and haptic nature, especially in the current multitouch technology environment. This re-thinking of gesture returns to the principle of indexicality found in Peirce’s material semiotics, and develops this principle through the work of Gilles Châtelet and Gilles Deleuze around hand-eye relationships. Drawing on the work of Jürgen Streek, we propose and discuss the notion of the tangible gesture, in the context of mathematical explorations of young children with a multitouch iPad environment designed to promote counting on and with the fingers.
On the Linguistic Ideas Underlying the Work of 16th-Century Mesoamerican Missionaries
Authors: Esparza Torres Miguel Ángel
Published: January 2016

The purpose of these pages is to present the set of ideas regarding language and languages on which the work of the linguist missionaries was based. A corpus of works written in Mesoamerica, most of them in the 16th century, was selected, and authors and works of the Nahuatl, Purépecha and Zapotec linguistic traditions are examined. For the analysis of the texts, a historiographic approach was used that emphasizes the importance of the agent (the linguist missionary) in linguistic production and the epistemological importance of the phenomena of transtextuality, focussing particularly on the study of the authorial paratext of grammars and dictionaries. The analysis of the ideas of a general nature on language and the assessment of the indigenous languages that is induced from these ideas, documented in the texts that are analysed, leads to the establishment of a series of criteria shared by the missionaries that are presented, as a concluding statement, with their main arguments. The sources of these arguments are, above all, certain passages from the Bible, in particular texts of Saint Paul that the linguist missionaries cite and comment on repeatedly. They are further supported by biblical images that are used in a metaphorical sense and, occasionally, by historical figures that are presented as examples.
Imag(in)ing the Nation
Authors: Teo Peter , Ruiguo Cui
Published: January 2016

This article focuses on the discursive construction of national identity through a National Day Rally speech delivered by Singapore’s Prime Minister in 2010. Inspired by the theoretical framework of Critical Discourse Analysis and using methods developed by Halliday and van Leeuwen, it offers a close analysis of the speech, which uncovers patterns related to the type, extent and effects of various agentive roles attributed to the country, government and people of Singapore. Macro-discursive strategies like the use of specific references and real-life anecdotes calculated to reify the success of the Singapore ‘brand’ and inspire Singaporeans are also discussed. Through this multi-layered analysis, the article demonstrates how discourse transforms an imagining of Singapore’s nationhood into a concrete image of what Singapore is and what being a Singaporean is all about.
Variación dialectal e interfaz sintáctica/semántica/pragmática
Authors: Aponte Alequín Héctor , Ortiz-López Luis A.
Published: January 2016

Se toman como agramaticales cláusulas infinitivas con sujeto patente (Bosque y Demonte 1999, Bosque y Gutiérrez Rexach 2009). Pero se han documentado en el caribeño (Morales 1999; Silva-Corvalán 2001). Esta investigación las reexamina desde la microvariación modal, infinitivo/indicativo, y en relación con la variable sujeto. Se ha estudiado la variación infinitivo/subjuntivo (Morales 1986, 1999; De Mello 1995; Serrano 2005; Kempchinsky 1988, 1998; Aponte 2008), pero no se ha examinado el papel del sujeto. Este estudio se basa en una muestra de 96 participantes: 72 caribeños, y 24 mexicanos, a quienes se les administró un cuestionario de juicios de gramaticalidad; también un corpus oral de 25 puertorriqueños y de 100 mexicanos. Los hallazgos se sometieron a GoldVarb 2001. Los caribeños aceptan y usan con mayor frecuencia las cláusulas infinitivas con sujeto patente. La gramática caribeña posee un subparámetro pragmático-sintáctico que hace gramaticales estas estructuras, con un significado procesal (Terkourafi 2011).
Does ‘translation’ reflect a narrower concept than ‘fanyi’?
Authors: Chang Nam Fung
Published: January 2016

Taking China as a case in point, this paper addresses the concern among some Western scholars that the concept of translation in the European tradition is narrower than in some other cultures so that the spread of Western concepts and theories to the rest of the world is threatening “biodiversity”. A re-examination of the evidence presented shows that this claim is based on a series of misinterpretation of ‘fanyi,’ the Chinese word for ‘translation’. In fact, the traditional concept of translation in China used to be very narrow and rigid. It gradually loosened up only after the transfer of Western translation theories into China, which challenged traditional thinking. Ironically, the concern of the few Chinese scholars who resist Westernization is that the process has put an end to uniformity. As a result of the transfer of Western academic norms and ‘pure’ translation theories, translation research in China has become more sophisticated. The influence of Western ideas in China has caused some concern about Eurocentrism mainly among Western scholars. This concern, however, might itself be Eurocentric since Sinocentrism is the major cause for concern among most Chinese scholars.
The use of technical collocations in popular science genres
Authors: Sharkas Hala
Published: January 2016

This paper investigates the use of technical collocations in the genre of popular science articles and the strategies used by translators to render such collocations. The study mainly aims to answer these questions: (1) are technical collocations used in this genre, and if yes, to what extent? (2) What are the strategies used to render such collocations into the target language? A pilot study is conducted to analyze a small parallel corpus of popular science articles from the National Geographic magazine and its Arabic version in order to identify technical collocations in the source texts and their equivalents in the target texts. Implications for future research in this area are discussed.
Comparative study on a 0.2C steel treated by Q&P and A&T treatments
Authors: Zhao W. T. , Huang X. F. , Huang W. G.
Published: January 2016

The effect of various versions of quenching and partitioning (Q&P) and austempering plus tempering (A&T) processes on the combined properties and microstructure of a 0.2C–0.8Si–2.2Mn bainitic steel has been investigated. Results show that the steel exhibits a higher value of product of strength and elongation (PSE) than that reported before with similar compositions. The one-step Q&P process at 230°C and A&T process at 450°C can result in a toughness higher than 80 J cm−2 and a relatively high PSE (above 29.8 GPa%). The alloy design of this steel is suggested to be beneficial for industrial production because there is a big window for similar PSE. The long-partitioning time (1 h) has good effect on combined properties.
Microstructure and properties of duplex coatings on magnesium alloy
Authors: Yang Wei , Wang Jianli , Xu Dapeng , Ke Peiling , Li Jianping
Published: January 2016

The duplex Ti cold spray + MAO coatings were deposited on the Mg alloy substrates using combined cold spray and micro arc oxidation (MAO). The microstructure, mechanical property and corrosion resistance of the duplex coatings were investigated compared with the MAO coated Mg alloy substrate. Results indicate that the Ti cold spray coating with 130 µm showed an obvious boundary between the Mg substrate, and the TiO2 phase was formed by MAO on the top coating. The duplex coating showed a little coarse and porous structure, which resulted in low mechanical property and wear resistance compared with the MAO treated Mg substrate. However, it showed an excellent corrosion resistance due to the difference of chemical stability for the coatings. Furthermore, this duplex coating might be very useful for improving the photocatalytic ability of titania due to its markedly increasing specific area.
How much does lower body strength impact Paralympic running performance?
Authors: Beckman E. M. , Connick M. J. , Tweedy S. M.
Published: January 2016

Objectives: Development of evidence‐based methods of Paralympic classification requires research quantifying the relative strength of association between ratio‐scaled measures of impairment and athletic performance. The purpose of this study was to quantify the extent to which muscle strength affects running performance in runners with and without brain impairment. Design: Cross‐sectional study. Methods: Participants were 41 male runners: 13 with brain impairments (RBI) and 28 non‐disabled (NDR). All participants completed a maximal 60‐m sprint and a novel battery of three lower limb isometric strength tests. Results: RBI showed significantly lower strength scores compared with NDR on the more affected side in leg flexion (176 vs. 243 N), leg extension (993 vs. 1661 N) and plantarflexion (824  vs. 1457 N). Significant differences were also seen on the less affected side in plantarflexion (1072 vs. 1508 N). RBI were significantly slower in the acceleration phase (0–15 m) (3.2 s ± 0.3 vs. 2.8 s ± 0.2) and top speed phase (30−60 m) (4.3 s ± 0.6 vs. 3.8 s ± 0.3). Correlation analysis showed stronger relationships between strength and running performance in RBI than NDR; however, the correlations were not significant. Conclusions: This study evaluated measures to assess strength for the purposes of classification and found that the measures were significantly different in RBI compared with NDR indicating the tests were able to capture strength impairment in this population. This study indicates that strength may be an important impairment type to assess in this population, as impairments of muscle strength may influence the outcome of running performance in athletes with more severe impairments.
Clerics, weightlifters, and politicians: Ramzan Kadyrov’s Instagram as an official project of Chechen memory and identity production
Authors: Avedissian Karena
Published: January 2016

Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov’s Instagram has been the focus of popular interest and news since it was launched in 2013. This article strives to show that Kadyrov’s communication through Instagram reproduces and imposes a new, authorized discursive hegemony that positions Chechen national identity within a broader pro-Russian ideological framework legitimating Kadyrov’s power in his Chechen nation-building project. The findings reveal the deployment of three main themes: Islam, sport, and government Public Relations (PR), which serve as discursive vehicles to encourage national cohesion. Situated within a discourse analysis analytical framework, the findings contribute to understandings of social media as a communicative platform in a post-Soviet authoritarian context for normalizing new ideologies.
PML isoform II plays a critical role in nuclear lipid droplet formation
Authors: Ohsaki Yuki , Kawai Takeshi , Yoshikawa Yukichika , Cheng Jinglei , Jokitalo Eija , Fujimoto Toyoshi
Published: January 2016

Lipid droplets (LDs) in the nucleus of hepatocyte-derived cell lines were found to be associated with premyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear bodies (NBs) and type I nucleoplasmic reticulum (NR) or the extension of the inner nuclear membrane. Knockdown of PML isoform II (PML-II) caused a significant decrease in both nuclear LDs and type I NR, whereas overexpression of PML-II increased both. Notably, these effects were evident only in limited types of cells, in which a moderate number of nuclear LDs exist intrinsically, and PML-II was targeted not only at PML NBs, but also at the nuclear envelope, excluding lamins and SUN proteins. Knockdown of SUN proteins induced a significant increase in the type I NR and nuclear LDs, but these effects were cancelled by simultaneous knockdown of PML-II. Nuclear LDs harbored diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 and CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase α and incorporated newly synthesized lipid esters. These results corroborated that PML-II plays a critical role in generating nuclear LDs in specific cell types.
Cortical PAR polarity proteins promote robust cytokinesis during asymmetric cell division
Authors: Jordan Shawn N. , Davies Tim , Zhuravlev Yelena , Dumont Julien , Shirasu-Hiza Mimi , Canman Julie C.
Published: January 2016

Cytokinesis, the physical division of one cell into two, is thought to be fundamentally similar in most animal cell divisions and driven by the constriction of a contractile ring positioned and controlled solely by the mitotic spindle. During asymmetric cell divisions, the core polarity machinery (partitioning defective [PAR] proteins) controls the unequal inheritance of key cell fate determinants. Here, we show that in asymmetrically dividing Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, the cortical PAR proteins (including the small guanosine triphosphatase CDC-42) have an active role in regulating recruitment of a critical component of the contractile ring, filamentous actin (F-actin). We found that the cortical PAR proteins are required for the retention of anillin and septin in the anterior pole, which are cytokinesis proteins that our genetic data suggest act as inhibitors of F-actin at the contractile ring. Collectively, our results suggest that the cortical PAR proteins coordinate the establishment of cell polarity with the physical process of cytokinesis during asymmetric cell division to ensure the fidelity of daughter cell formation.
Size, mass, and occurrence of gastroliths in juvenile Steller sea lions (
Eumetopias jubatus
)
Authors: Shuert C. R. , Mellish J. E.
Published: January 2016

Gastroliths, or stones found in the digestive tract of some pinnipeds, were gathered ( n = 128) from temporarily captive juvenile Steller sea lions ( n = 23, Eumetopias jubatus ) at the Alaska SeaLife Center and characterized by their size and mass. Blubber depth and season were significant predictors of gastrolith mass and also positively associated with larger animals. From this, we conclude that they are likely actively ingested for a functional use rather than incidental.
Bevacizumab in neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) related vestibular schwannomas: a nationally coordinated approach to delivery and prospective evaluation
Authors: Morris Katrina A. , Golding John F. , Axon Patrick R. , Afridi Shazia , Blesing Claire , Ferner Rosalie E. , Halliday Dorothy , Jena Raj , Pretorius Pieter M. ,   the UK NF2 Research group, Evans D. Gareth , McCabe Martin G. , Parry Allyson
Published: January 2016

Background

NF2 patients develop multiple nervous system tumors including bilateral vestibular schwannomas (VS). The tumors and their surgical treatment are associated with deafness, neurological disability, and mortality.

Medical treatment with bevacizumab has been reported to reduce VS growth and to improve hearing. In addition to evaluating these effects, this study also aimed to determine other important consequences of treatment including patient-reported quality of life and the impact of treatment on surgical VS rates.

Methods

Patients treated with bevacizumab underwent serial prospective MRI, audiology, clinical, CTCAE-4.0 adverse events, and NFTI-QOL quality-of-life assessments. Tumor volumetrics were classified according to the REiNs criteria and annual VS surgical rates reviewed.

Results

Sixty-one patients (59% male), median age 25 years (range, 10–57), were reviewed. Median follow-up was 23 months (range, 3–53). Partial volumetric tumor response (all tumors) was seen in 39% and 51% had stabilization of previously growing tumors. Age and pretreatment growth rate were predictors of response. Hearing was maintained or improved in 86% of assessable patients. Mean NFTI-QOL scores improved from 12.0 to 10.7 (P < .05). Hypertension was observed in 30% and proteinuria in 16%. Twelve treatment breaks occurred due to adverse events. The rates of VS surgery decreased after the introduction of bevacizumab.

Conclusion

Treatment with bevacizumab in this large, UK-wide cohort decreased VS growth rates and improved hearing and quality of life. The potential risk of surgical iatrogenic damage was also reduced due to an associated reduction in VS surgical rates. Ongoing follow-up of this cohort will determine the long-term benefits and risks of bevacizumab treatment.
Institutional effect on born global firms in China: the role of Sun Tzu’sThe Art of Warstrategies
Authors: Zhang Man , Gao Qian , Wheeler Jane V. , Kwon Jungsook
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate the role of Sun Tzu’s significant strategies on the relationship between the institutional environment and international performance of Chinese born global firms, a type of small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) characterized by the company’s limited resources and its early efforts to internationalize.

Design/methodology/approach

– The methodology is based on a multi-case analysis of interviews conducted with four chosen born global firms, coupled with public database and Web site searches. Through the use of qualitative methods, propositions were developed.

Findings

– This paper provides insights regarding how the institutional environment, both formal and informal, has a strong positive relationship with born global firm’s international performance. Moreover, Sun Tzu’s significant strategies play a critical role in the internationalization process of born global firms in emerging markets.

Originality/value

– Although existing studies discuss the application of Eastern philosophical strategies adopted by firms in emerging markets, to the best of our knowledge, this is one of the earliest studies which evaluates the moderation effect of Sun Tzu’s significant strategies on the relationship between institutional environment and business performance. The paper contributes to scholarly discourse on the influencing factors of born global firm’s internationalization process. It also has practical relevance to international entrepreneurs and SMEs from emerging markets.
Effective leadership today – character not just competence
Authors: Leavy Brian
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– Three recent publications by noted authors offer valuable insights into the new directions that leadership development thinking and practice now need to take, with all of three books placing particular emphasis on the importance of character, identity and values, not just competence.

Design/methodology/approach

– Organizational psychologist Fred Kiel’s book, Return On Character sets out to show that the strength of a leader’s character is an important driver of business success and to examine the implications for leadership development. Discover Your True North by Harvard professor and former CEO of Medtronic Bill George examines why the self-development process of discovering one’s core values and passion (authenticity) to lead is essential to becoming an engaging and empowering leader. The theme of leadership as a life-long developmental challenge is Robert Kaplan’s primary focus in What You Really Need to Lead.

Findings

– Kiel’s data revealed a clear relationship between the strength of a leader’s character and demonstrated mastery of these key skills, with virtuosos “consistently” outperforming their more self-focused peers.

Originality/value

– One of the reasons that character matters is that leaders who more consciously and persistently search for greater self-awareness over the course of their careers tend to become ever more capable of questioning “not only the ideas of others” but even their “own most cherished beliefs,” and as a result, their understanding of their life, their business, their marketplace, and the global forces that shape them “enters a state of continual growth and development.”
The Slum Multiple: A Cyborg Micro‐history of an Informal Settlement in Lisbon
Authors: Ascensão Eduardo
Published: January 2016

This article proposes a cyborg reading of the process of informal settlement by internal and postcolonial immigrants in Lisbon's periphery from the 1970s to the present. Cyborg does not stand for a neo‐organicist or cybernetic understanding of the informal city but rather for the conjunction of the multiple enactments of city life under conditions of urban informality—in this case the fourfold combination ofhistory/migration;architecture/low‐fi technologies;inhabitation/body/memory; andgovernmentality/urban capital. The 40‐year event of settlement and inhabitation is presented through an ethnographic micro‐history of one neighbourhood in particular, with a strong focus on slum dwellers' life stories, on the details of the artefact‐machines they have built, their informal dwellings, and on their social and mental experience of place. Responding to recent calls for multidisciplinary ethnographies of informality, the article brings the specificity of Lisbon's informal settlements—their growth based in postcolonial rather than rural migrations—into current debates on informal urbanisms and geographies of sociotechnical urban assemblages.
Process optimisation for a ready‐to‐serve breakfast smoothie from a composite milk–sorghum base
Authors: Rani Rekha , Kumar Malladevanahalli Huchegowda Sathish , Sabikhi Latha
Published: January 2016

A composite milk and sorghum‐based smoothie containing varying levels of sorghum flour (2–4% w/w), sugar (9–11% w/w) and pectin (0.2–0.4% w/w) was optimised by response surface methodology on the basis of sensory (colour and appearance, flavour, consistency, sweetness and overall preference) and physical (viscosity, sedimentation and wheying off) attributes. Flour and pectin levels influenced the flavour, consistency, viscosity and sedimentation significantly. Sugar helped to increase the overall preference and had a positive correlation with sedimentation. An optimised smoothie composition of acceptable quality was obtained with 2.79% (w/w) germinated sorghum flour (GSF), 10.30% (w/w) sugar and 0.35% (w/w) pectin.
Production and structural characterisation of dextran from an indigenous strain of Leuconostoc mesenteroides BA08 in Whey
Authors: Lule Vaibhao K , Singh Rameshwar , Pophaly Sarang D , Poonam  , Tomar Sudhir K
Published: January 2016

In this work, the production of dextran was carried out in whey‐supplemented media using Leuconostoc mesenteroides BA08. Different growth and nutritional parameters were optimised to maximise the dextran production. Batch production in whey‐based media under optimised nutritional and growth conditions yielded a dextran concentration of 17.25 g/L. Structural analysis of the purified polymer by FT‐IR, 1D 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance methodology revealed that polymer was a linear dextran having 93% α‐(1→6) linkage in the main chain. The morphology of the dried dextran and dextran‐producing cells was also studied by scanning electron microscope which showed a granular and porous or weblike structure, respectively. The results obtained showed that the industrial whey supplemented with nutrients such as sucrose, yeast extract and K2HPO4 can serve as an ideal growth medium for dextran production. The optimised fermentation and nutritional parameters can be further scaled up to establish the potential for the commercial production of food‐grade dextran from whey as part of a novel cost‐effective and environment‐friendly approach.
Posterior hippocampal regional cerebral blood flow predicts abstinence: a replication study
Authors: Adinoff Bryon , Harris Thomas S. , Gu Hong , Stein Elliot A.
Published: January 2016

The posterior hippocampus (pHp) plays a major role in the processing and storage of drug‐related cues and is linked to striatal‐limbic brain circuits involved with craving and drug salience. We have recently reported that increased basal regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in a pHp loci, as measured by pseudo‐continuous arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging, predicted days to cocaine relapse following residential treatment. In this secondary analysis, we explored whether rCBF in this same pHp region would successfully predict 30‐day point prevalence abstinence 60 days following residential treatment in an independent group of previously studied participants with cocaine dependence. rCBF was assessed with single photon emission computerized tomography during a saline infusion in 21 cocaine dependence and 22 healthy control participants. pHp rCBF was significantly higher in those endorsing substance use (n = 10) relative to both abstinent (n = 11) (p < 0.001) and control (p < 0.05) participants. There were no significant differences in measured demographic or clinical variables between the actively using and non‐using participants. This replicative finding suggests that heightened pHp activation is a significant predictor of substance use in cocaine‐dependent individuals, possibly reflecting a neural susceptibility to continued drug cues.
Within‐Person Link between Depressed Affect and Moderate‐to‐Vigorous Physical Activity in Adolescence: An Intensive Longitudinal Approach
Authors: Langguth Nadine , Schmid Johanna , Gawrilow Caterina , Stadler Gertraud
Published: January 2016

Background

During adolescence, young women and men frequently show low physical activity and elevated depressed affect. This study aimed to examine the within‐person link between moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and depressed affect in everyday life.

Methods

Within an intensive longitudinal approach, adolescents (N = 72; 37% young women; M age = 17.36 years; age range: 12–26 years; mid‐90% age range: 13–22 years) wore accelerometers to assess their daily MVPA and reported next‐morning and same‐evening depressed affect in diaries over eight consecutive days. The within‐person link between MVPA and depressed affect on the next morning (time‐lagged prediction) and the same evening (same‐day link) was analyzed with mixed‐effects models.

Results

More‐than‐usual MVPA significantly predicted less next‐morning depressed affect on weekdays in young women, to the extent that a 60‐min increase in MVPA over the person mean significantly predicted 50 per cent lower next‐morning depressed affect.

Conclusions

This study encourages the development of individually tailored physical activity interventions that could help adolescents enhance their daily amount of unstructured, self‐initiated MVPA to reduce depressed affect. This approach may be particularly suitable for young women who have the highest risk for an inactive lifestyle and elevated depressed affect.
Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes investigation revealed atypical enteropathogenic E. coli as putative emerging diarrheal agents in children living in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil
Authors: Dias Regiane C. B. , dos Santos Bruna C. , dos Santos Luis F. , Vieira Melissa A. , Yamatogi Ricardo S. , Mondelli Alessandro L. , Sadatsune Terue , Sforcin José M. , Gomes Tânia A. T. , Hernandes Rodrigo T.
Published: January 2016

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) pathotypes, a leading cause of diarrhea worldwide, among diarrheal and healthy children, up to 5 years of age, living in the city of Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. DEC, investigated by PCR detection of virulence factor‐encoding genes associated with the distinct pathotypes, was isolated from 18.0% of the patients, and 19.0% of the controls, with enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), the most frequent pathotype, being detected in equal proportion between patients and controls (10.0%). Among the enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) isolates, only one isolate was able to produce the localized adherence pattern to HeLa cells, being thus the only typical EPEC identified. All the remaining EPEC were classified as atypical (aEPEC), and detected in 8.0% and 8.5% of the patients and controls, respectively. Regarding the serotypes, 26.5% of the analyzed EPEC isolates belonged to classical EPEC‐serogroups, and the only two STEC found were serotyped as O26:H11 (patient) and O119:H7 (control). Antimicrobial susceptibility tests revealed that 43.6%, 29.5% and 2.6% of the DEC isolates were resistant to ampicillin, cotrimoxazole and gentamicin, respectively. Our data indicate that EAEC remains prevalent among children living in Botucatu, and revealed atypical EPEC as emerging putative diarrheal agents in this geographical region.
Stomatin‐like protein 2 overexpression in papillary thyroid carcinoma is significantly associated with high‐risk clinicopathological parameters and BRAFV600E mutation
Authors: Bartolome Aleksandar , Boskovic Srdjan , Paunovic Ivan , Bozic Vesna , Cvejic Dubravka
Published: January 2016

Stomatin‐like protein 2 (SLP‐2), a member of the stomatin protein family, has emerged as a potential molecular hallmark of tumor progression in several human malignancies. The aim of this study was to analyze SLP‐2 expression pattern in benign and malignant thyroid tumors (n = 210) and to examine its relationship with clinicopathological parameters and BRAFV600E mutation in thyroid cancer. SLP‐2 immunohistochemical expression was not detected in benign adenomas and was absent/weak in follicular and anaplastic carcinomas. High expression levels of SLP‐2, found only in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), particularly in the classical variant, were significantly associated with adverse clinicopathological parameters: lymph node metastasis (p = 0.002), extrathyroid invasion (p < 0.001), pT status (p < 0.001), and advanced tumor stage (p = 0.001). Additional genotyping of PTC cases for the BRAFV600E mutation revealed for the first time a close relation between SLP‐2 overexpression and the presence of BRAF mutation (p = 0.02) with high positive rates of lymph node metastasis (70%) and extrathyroid invasion (80%) in these cases. The significant association of SLP‐2 overexpression with unfavorable clinicopathological characteristics and BRAFV600E mutation indicates that SLP‐2 may have a role in aggressiveness of BRAF‐mutated PTC and that SLP‐2 evaluation could be clinically useful in identification of high‐risk PTC patients.
Characterization of Brazilian forest types utilizing canopy height profiles derived from airborne laser scanning
Authors: Görgens Eric B. , Soares Carlos P.B. , Nunes Matheus H. , Rodriguez Luiz C. E.
Published: January 2016

Questions

This study explores how airborne laser scanning surveys can contribute to characterizing and discriminating different Brazilian forest types based on canopy height profiles, and how sampling intensity and plot size affect the results.

Location

Seven different vegetation types in Brazil – open ombrophilous Amazonian forest type in the state of Pará State, dense ombrophilous Atlantic forest in the state of São Paulo, semi‐deciduous and rupestrian field in the state of Minas Gerais, and three fast‐growing eucalyptus plantations in the state of São Paulo.

Methods

Canopy height profiles were modelled for each forest type using a two‐parameter Weibull distribution. Differences in the values of the Weibull cumulative distribution parameters were studied to evaluate their discriminative capacity. Simulation was subsequently used to determine the number of cells needed to define a reliable sampling intensity for each cell size tested. Eight grid cell sizes were tested against six sampling intensities using 1000 iterations for all seven forest types.

Results

Each forest presented distinct characteristics regarding the canopy height profile. The higher presence of ground returns was remarkable in less layered structured forests (i.e. rupestrian field and eucalyptus plantations). Depending on the forest type, monotonic and sigmoidal shapes were observed for the cumulative distribution function of the canopy height profile. A sigmoidal cumulative distribution function was typical of a more layered structure (dense and open ombrophilous, and semi‐deciduous), whereas less structured typologies (i.e. Rupestrian field and forest plantation) were associated with monotonically shaped functions. Modelling convergence for the canopy height profile was achieved in most cases with data representing at least 2% cover.

Conclusion

Canopy height profiles generated fromALSdata proved different among five different forest types: open ombrophilous, dense ombrophilous, semi‐deciduous, rupestrian field and eucalyptus plantations. Furthermore, large‐scale forest inventories can benefit from the results observed in this study, as it provides recommendations on grid cell size and sampling intensity levels.