bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural, Age, and Sex Differences for a Short Form of the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment: The IPPA-45
Authors: Wilkinson Ross B. , Goh Daphne Yun Lin
Published: May 2014

The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) is the most widely used self-report measure of adolescent attachment relationships. This study reports the development of the IPPA-45, a short-form of the IPPA that assesses the quality of mother, father, and peer attachment relationships. A hierarchical measurement model is proposed with three lower-order factors and a higher-order factor. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted using a sample of 1,025 English-speaking adolescents (387 males) aged 13 to 18 years. Results support the hierarchical factor structure, and tests of model invariance demonstrated that the measurement models were similar regardless of age or sex. Differences in mean scores were found with regard to attachment target, gender and age. Overall, the IPPA-45 is supported as a psychometrically sound measure of relationship attachment across the age-range of adolescence.
Maternal protein restriction impairs the transcriptional metabolic flexibility of skeletal muscle in adult rat offspring
Authors: da Silva Aragão Raquel , Guzmán-Quevedo Omar , Pérez-García Georgina , Manhães-de-Castro Raul , Bolaños-Jiménez Francisco
Published: May 2014

Skeletal muscle exhibits a remarkable flexibility in the usage of fuel in response to the nutrient intake and energy demands of the organism. In fact, increased physical activity and fasting trigger a transcriptional programme in skeletal muscle cells leading to a switch from carbohydrate to lipid oxidation. Impaired metabolic flexibility has been reported to be associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes, but it is not known whether the disability to adapt to metabolic demands is a cause or a consequence of these pathological conditions. Inasmuch as a poor nutritional environment during early life is a predisposing factor for the development of metabolic diseases in adulthood, in the present study, we aimed to determine the long-term effects of maternal malnutrition on the metabolic flexibility of offspring skeletal muscle. To this end, the transcriptional responses of the soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles to fasting were evaluated in adult rats born to dams fed a control (17 % protein) or a low-protein (8 % protein, protein restricted (PR)) diet throughout pregnancy and lactation. With the exception of reduced body weight and reduced plasma concentrations of TAG, PR rats exhibited a metabolic profile that was the same as that of the control rats. In the fed state, PR rats exhibited an enhanced expression of key regulatory genes of fatty acid oxidation including CPT1a, PGC-1α, UCP3 and PPARα and an impaired expression of genes that increase the capacity for fat oxidation in response to fasting. These results suggest that impaired metabolic inflexibility precedes and may contribute to the development of metabolic disorders associated with early malnutrition.
FromPraśastito Political Culture: The Nadia Raj and Malla Dynasty in Seventeenth-Century Bengal
Authors: Wright Samuel
Published: May 2014

This paper examines the values that informed the actions of two polities in seventeenth-century Bengal, the Nadia Raj and the Malla dynasty, through a close analysis of their temple inscriptions—a form of royal laudation orpraśasti. Focusing on this inscriptional record of each polity, the paper is divided into three sections. The first section analyzes the language of the inscriptions in order to examine the ways in which each polity crafts a political language. The second section addresses how each set of inscriptional records speaks to each polity's political culture. Finally, the third section discusses questions of patronage and reception in order to draw connections in each polity between its public language and its public settings. The paper concludes with some thoughts on what it meant for a polity to speak publicly in seventeenth-century Bengal.
Seroprevalence of heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in feline and canine hosts from central and northern Portugal
Authors: Vieira L. , Silvestre-Ferreira A.C. , Fontes-Sousa A.P. , Balreira A.C. , Morchón R. , Carretón E. , Vilhena H. , Simón F. , Montoya-Alonso J.A.
Published: May 2014

Dirofilaria immitis is endemic in Portugal. Several studies have reported the presence of canine heartworm disease, although no previous studies on feline infections have been published. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of D. immitis in cats and dogs from central and northern Portugal. Blood samples from 434 cats were tested for circulating anti-D. immitis and anti-Wolbachia antibodies. Furthermore, 386 dogs were tested for circulating D. immitis antigens. Overall feline seroprevalence was 15%, while canine prevalence was 2.1%. The highest feline seroprevalences of 18.7% and 17.6% were found in Aveiro and Viseu, respectively, while the highest canine prevalences of 8.8% and 6.8% were found in Coimbra and Aveiro, respectively. Cats and dogs showing respiratory signs presented higher prevalences of 24.4% and 17%, respectively, while 50% of cats with gastrointestinal signs were seropositive. The present study confirms the seropositivity of D. immitis in the feline population in central and northern Portugal, and suggests the importance of including heartworm disease in the list of differential diagnoses of cats and dogs showing clinical signs compatible with the disease.
Forest without prey: livestock sustain a leopard Panthera pardus population in Pakistan
Authors: Shehzad Wasim , Nawaz Muhammad Ali , Pompanon François , Coissac Eric , Riaz Tiayyba , Shah Safdar Ali , Taberlet Pierre
Published: May 2014

Human–carnivore conflict is one of the major challenges in the management of populations of large carnivores. Concerns include the increasing human population; habitat loss as a result of degradation and fragmentation of forest; and livestock predation as a result of a lack of natural prey, leading to retaliatory killings of wild carnivores. Conflicts may be further aggravated by occasional attacks that result in injury and loss of human life. The level of consumption of prey species by a predator is a benchmark to evaluate the scale of this conflict. We used a newly developed DNA-based diet analysis to study the prey profile of common leopards Panthera pardus in Ayubia National Park, Pakistan. The results suggest that the common leopard is a generalist predator, subsisting mainly on domestic animals. Based on the frequency of occurrence of prey items in 57 faecal samples, the diet of the leopard is dominated by domestic goat Capra hircus (64.9%), followed by domestic dog Canis lupus familiaris (17.5%) and cow Bos taurus (12.3%). Domestic animals (goat, dog, cow, water buffalo Bubalus bubalis, horse Equus caballus and sheep Ovis aries) occurred in 54 (95%) of the 57 samples. We recommend a two-step strategy to mitigate this conflict: (1) introducing incentives for increased acceptance of leopards among local communities in the vicinity of the protected area and (2) increasing the availability of wild prey. We hope that the results of this study will contribute to the survival of the leopard in Pakistan.
Alternative oxidase inhibitors as antiparasitic agents against scuticociliatosis
Authors: MALLO NATALIA , LAMAS JESÚS , LEIRO JOSÉ M.
Published: May 2014

Philasterides dicentrarchicauses a severe disease in turbot, and at present there are no drugs available to treat infected fish. We have previously demonstrated that, in addition to the classical respiratory pathway,P. dicentrarchipossesses an alternative mitochondrial respiratory pathway that is cyanide-insensitive and salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM)-sensitive. In this study, we found that during the initial phase of growth in normoxia, ciliate respiration is sensitive to the natural polyphenol resveratrol (RESV) and to Antimycin A (AMA). However, under hypoxic conditions, the parasite utilizes AMA-insensitive respiration, which is completely inhibited by RESV and by the antioxidant propyl gallate (PG), an alternative oxidase (AOX) inhibitor. PG caused significantly dose-dependent inhibition of thein vitrogrowth of the parasite under normoxia and hypoxia and an over-expression of heat shock proteins of the Hsp70 subfamily. RESV and PG may affect the protective role of the AOX against mitochondrial oxidative stress, leading to an impaired mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial dysfunction, which the parasite attempts to neutralize by increasing the expression of Hsp70. In view of the antiparasitic effects induced by AOX inhibitors and the absence of AOX in their host, this enzyme constitutes a potential target for the development of new drugs against scuticociliatosis.
The effect of glycosylation of antigens on the antibody responses againstEchinostoma caproni(Trematoda: Echinostomatidae)
Authors: SOTILLO JAVIER , CORTÉS ALBA , MUÑOZ-ANTOLI CARLA , FRIED BERNARD , ESTEBAN J. GUILLERMO , TOLEDO RAFAEL
Published: May 2014

In the present study, we analyse the effect of glycosylation inEchinostoma caproni(Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) antigens in antibody responses against the parasite in experimentally infected mice. It has been previously demonstrated that the mouse is a host of high compatibility withE. caproniand develops elevated responses of IgG, IgG1, IgG3 and IgM as a consequence of the infection, though the role of glycans in these responses remains unknown. To this purpose, the responses generated in mice against non-treated excretory/secretory antigens ofE. caproniwere compared with those observed after N-deglycosylation, O-deglycosylation and double deglycosylation of the antigens by indirect ELISA and western blot. Our results suggest thatE. caproni-expressed glycans play a major role in the modulation of the immune responses. The results obtained indicate that IgG subclass responses generated in mice againstE. caproniare essentially due to glycoproteins and may affect the Th1/Th2 biasing. The reactivity significantly decreased after any of the deglycosylation treatments and the N-glycans appears to be of greater importance than O-glycans. Interestingly, the IgM response increased after N-deglycosylation suggesting that carbohydrates may mask peptide antigens.
Non-coding RNAs in epithelial immunity toCryptosporidiuminfection
Authors: ZHOU RUI , FENG YAOYU , CHEN XIAN-MING
Published: May 2014

Cryptosporidiumspp. is a protozoan parasite that infects the gastrointestinal epithelium and causes diarrhoeal disease worldwide. It is one of the most common pathogens responsible for moderate to severe diarrhoea in children younger than 2 years. Because of the ‘minimally invasive’ nature ofCryptosporidiuminfection, mucosal epithelial cells are critical to the host's anti-Cryptosporidiumimmunity. Gastrointestinal epithelial cells not only provide the first and most rapid defence againstCryptosporidiuminfection, they also mobilize immune effector cells to the infection site to activate adaptive immunity. Recent advances in genomic research have revealed the existence of a large number of non-protein-coding RNA transcripts, so called non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), in mammalian cells. Some ncRNAs may be key regulators for diverse biological functions, including innate immune responses. Specifically, ncRNAs may modulate epithelial immune responses at every step of the innate immune network followingCryptosporidiuminfection, including production of antimicrobial molecules, expression of cytokines/chemokines, release of epithelial cell-derived exosomes, and feedback regulation of immune homoeostasis. This review briefly summarizes the current science on ncRNA regulation of innate immunity toCryptosporidium, with a focus on microRNA-associated epithelial immune responses.
How to become a parasite without sex chromosomes: a hypothesis for the evolution ofStrongyloidesspp. and related nematodes
Authors: STREIT ADRIAN
Published: May 2014

Parasitic lifestyles evolved many times independently. Just within the phylum Nematoda animal parasitism must have arisen at least four times. Switching to a parasitic lifestyle is expected to lead to changes in various life history traits including reproductive strategies. Parasitic nematode worms of the genus Strongyloides represent an interesting example to study these processes because they are still capable of forming facultative free-living generations in between parasitic ones. The parasitic generation consists of females only, which reproduce parthenogenetically. The sex in the progeny of the parasitic worms is determined by environmental cues, which control a, presumably ancestral, XX/XO chromosomal sex determining system. In some species the X chromosome is fused with an autosome and one copy of the X-derived sequences is removed by sex-specific chromatin diminution in males. Here I propose a hypothesis for how today'sStrongyloidessp. might have evolved from a sexual free-living ancestor through dauer larvae forming free-living and facultative parasitic intermediate stages.
Legal asymmetries in asymmetric war
Authors: McKEOWN RYDER
Published: May 2014

Standard conceptions of the relationship between international law and war in International Relations (IR) mostly oscillate between the sceptical view that law is mostly irrelevant in times of conflict, and the optimistic view that law is a meaningful moral standard that effectively constrains violence. Modern asymmetric conflicts between liberal democratic states and non-state actors such as the Taliban,al-Qaeda, orHamaschallenge these conceptions, however, as they are at once increasingly legal and extremely violent. Drawing inspiration from IR and International Law (IL) scholarship from multiple theoretical paradigms, this article examines the legal asymmetries before, during, and after asymmetric conflict. Noting that law is at once a useful tool and a strong normative force, it argues that a good understanding of legal asymmetries can supplement existing theories of asymmetric war, continue the dissolution of false dichotomies and open up interesting avenues of research in IR, and help both scholars and policymakers understand how international law influences modern asymmetric conflict against non-state actors.
An alternative mode of international order: The international administrative union in the nineteenth century
Authors: HOWLAND DOUGLAS
Published: May 2014

A novel form of international order was developed in the nineteenth century by international administrative unions such as the International Telegraph Union and the Universal Postal Union. This administrative internationalism posed a striking alternative to the international society of great powers, sovereignty, and forms of imperial domination, for the members of administrative unions included not only sovereign states but also semi-sovereigns, vassals, and colonies. Members were equal and bound identically to the union treaty and its international administrative law. This article examines the structure of unions and their politics of membership in the nineteenth century, and engages theories of global governance to argue that early administrative unions present a mode of international order different from theories of both global networks and the international system of neorealism.
What does it take to be a great power? The story of France joining the Big Five
Authors: HEIMANN GADI
Published: May 2014

The article illuminates the International Relations (IR) enigma of how states with relative low power succeed in gaining privileges reserved for great powers. Many IR studies on status stress the importance of social recognition as a precondition for enjoying the status of a great power. However, very few focus on the factors that affect such recognition. This article tries to fill this gap by looking at systemic wars. Systemic wars are special circumstances wherein a new world order is built and privileges are redistributed among states. In these situations, states may use their symbolic, moral, and circumstantial assets to grant themselves a paramount role in the new order. A state's previous status as a great power, its contribution to victory in a war, and the utilitarian considerations of other countries are all assets that help it to win the privileges reserved for great powers – and that in the long run could gain it recognition as a great power, despite its lack of the requisite capabilities. By using this conceptual framework in the case of France during and after the Second World War, this article tries to explain how a relatively weak power can gain a leading role in a postwar order.
Diversity of toxin and non-toxin containing cyanobacterial mats of meltwater ponds on the Antarctic Peninsula: a pyrosequencing approach
Authors: Kleinteich J. , Hildebrand F. , Wood S.A. , Ciŕs S. , Agha R. , Quesada A. , Pearce D.A. , Convey P. , K̈pper F.C. , Dietrich D.R.
Published: May 2014

Despite their pivotal role as primary producers, there is little information as to the diversity and physiology of cyanobacteria in the meltwater ecosystems of polar regions. Thirty cyanobacterial mats from Adelaide Island, Antarctica were investigated using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing and automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis, and screened for cyanobacterial toxins using molecular and chemical approaches. A total of 274 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected. The richness ranged between 8 and 33 cyanobacterial OTUs per sample, reflecting a high mat diversity.LeptolyngbyaandPhormidium(c. 55% and 37% of the OTUs per mat) were dominant. Cyanobacterial community composition was similar between mats, particularly those obtained from closely adjacent locations. The cyanotoxin microcystin was detected in 26 of 27 mats (10–300 ng g-1organic mass), while cylindrospermopsin, detected for the first time in Antarctica, was present in 21 of 30 mats (2–156 ng g-1organic mass). The latter was confirmed via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and by the presence of thecyrABandcyrJgenes. This study demonstrates the usefulness of pyrosequencing for characterizing diverse cyanobacterial communities, and confirms that cyanobacteria from extreme environments produce a similar range of cyanotoxins as their temperate counterparts.
Comparative analysis of cyanobacteria inhabiting rocks with different light transmittance in the Mojave Desert: a Mars terrestrial analogue
Authors: Smith Heather D. , Baqué Mickael , Duncan Andrew G. , Lloyd Christopher R. , McKay Christopher P. , Billi Daniela
Published: May 2014

The Mojave Desert has been long considered a suitable terrestrial analogue to Mars in many geological and astrobiological aspects. The Silver Lake region in the Mojave Desert hosts several different rock types (talc, marble, quartz, white carbonate and red-coated carbonate) colonized by hypoliths within a few kilometres. This provides an opportunity to investigate the effect of rock type on hypolithic colonization in a given environment. Transmission measurements from 300 to 800 nm showed that the transmission of blue and UVA varied between rock types. The wavelength at which the transmission fell to 1% of the transmission at 600 nm was 475 nm for white carbonate and quartz, 425 nm for red-coated carbonate and talc and 380 nm for marble. The comparative analysis of the cyanobacterial component of hypoliths under different rocks, as revealed by sequencing 16S rRNA gene clone libraries, showed no significant variation with rock type; hypoliths were dominated by phylotypes of the genusChroococcidiopsis, although less abundant phylotypes of the genusLoriellopsis, LeptolyngbyaandScytonemaoccurred. The comparison of the confocal laser scanning microscopy-λ (CLSM-λ) scan analysis of the spectral emission of the photosynthetic pigments ofChroococcidiopsisin different rocks with the spectrum of isolatedChroococcidiopsissp. 029, revealed a 10 nm red shift in the emission fingerprinting for quartz and carbonate and a 5 nm red shift for talc samples. This result reflects the versatility ofChroococcidiopsisin inhabiting dry niches with different light availability for photosynthesis.
Impact shocked rocks as protective habitats on an anoxic early Earth
Authors: Bryce Casey C. , Horneck Gerda , Rabbow Elke , Edwards Howell G. M. , Cockell Charles S.
Published: May 2014

On Earth, microorganisms living under intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation stress can adopt endolithic lifestyles, growing within cracks and pore spaces in rocks. Intense UV irradiation encountered by microbes leads to death and significant damage to biomolecules, which also severely diminishes the likelihood of detecting signatures of life. Here we show that porous rocks shocked by asteroid or comet impacts provide protection for phototrophs and their biomolecules during 22 months of UV radiation exposure outside the International Space Station. The UV spectrum used approximated the high-UV flux on the surface of planets lacking ozone shields such as the early Earth. These data provide a demonstration that endolithic habitats can provide a refugium from the worst-case UV radiation environments on young planets and an empirical refutation of the idea that early intense UV radiation fluxes would have prevented phototrophs without the ability to form microbial mats or produce UV protective pigments from colonizing the surface of early landmasses.
In situ models for planet assembly around cool stars
Authors: Hansen Brad M. S.
Published: May 2014

We present a model for the in situ assembly of planetary systems around a 0.5 M⊙ star, and compare the resulting statistics with the observed sample of cool Kepler planet candidates. We are able to reproduce the distribution of planetary periods and period ratios, although we once again find an underabundance of single transit systems relative to the observations. We also demonstrate that almost every planetary system assembled in this fashion contains at least one planet in the habitable zone, and that water delivery to these planets can potentially produce water content comparable to that of Earth. Our results broadly support the notion that habitable planets are plentiful around M dwarfs in the solar neighbourhood.
The use of palliative sedation: A comparison of attitudes of French-speaking physicians from Quebec and Switzerland
Authors: Dumont Serge , Blondeau Danielle , Turcotte Véronique , Borasio Gian Domenico , Currat Thierry , Foley Rose-Anna , Beauverd Michel
Published: May 2014

Objective:

Previous literature has suggested that laws and regulations may impact the use of palliative sedation. Our present study compares the attitudes of French-speaking physicians practicing in the Quebec and Swiss environments, where different laws are in place regarding physician-assisted suicide.

Method:

Data were drawn from two prior studies, one by Blondeau and colleagues and another by Beauverd and coworkers, employing the same two-by-two experimental design with length of prognosis and type of suffering as independent variables. Both the effect of these variables and the effect of their interaction on Swiss and Quebec physicians' attitudes toward sedation were compared. The written comments of respondents were submitted to a qualitative content analysis and summarized in a comparative perspective.

Results:

The analysis of variance showed that only the type of suffering had an effect on physicians' attitudes toward sedation. The results of the Wilcoxon test indicated that the attitudes of physicians from Quebec and Switzerland tended to be different for two vignettes: long-term prognosis with existential suffering (p= 0.0577) and short-term prognosis with physical suffering (p= 0.0914). In both cases, the Swiss physicians were less prone to palliative sedation.

Significance of results:

The attitudes of physicians from Quebec and Switzerland toward palliative sedation, particularly regarding prognosis and type of suffering, seem similar. However, the results suggest that physicians from Quebec could be slightly more open to palliative sedation, even though most were not in favor of this practice as an answer to end-of-life existential suffering.
An evaluation of group cognitive behaviour therapy for low self-esteem in primary care
Authors: Pack Stuart , Condren Emma
Published: May 2014

Low self-esteem is widely acknowledged to be associated with the phenomenology of a number of mental health diagnoses, including those which are treated under the umbrella of Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. To evaluate the effectiveness of group Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) based on the work of Fennell in treating low self-esteem 50 participants attended a 10-week group programme. Pre- and post-group measures of depression, anxiety and self-esteem were compared using Mann–Whitney U tests. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant and clinically meaningful change across all pre- and post-group measures. Mean post-group measures indicated levels of depression and anxiety which were below caseness and a healthy level of self-esteem. Results indicated that gains were well maintained at 3-month follow-up. The results from this study highlight the effectiveness of group CBT for low self-esteem and thus contribute to the limited evidence base in this area. Results are discussed with consideration of the existing evidence base, implications for clinical practice, and future research.
Genetic and Environmental Contributions to the Relationship Between Internalizing Disorders and Sick Leave Granted for Mental and Somatic Disorders
Authors: Torvik Fartein A. , Gjerde Line C. , Røysamb Espen , Tambs Kristian , Kendler Kenneth S. , Czajkowski Nikolai O. , Knudsen Gun P. , Reichborn-Kjennerud Ted , Ørstavik Ragnhild E.
Published: May 2014

This study investigates the degree to which internalizing disorders (anxiety and mood disorders) are prospectively associated with sick leave granted for mental and somatic disorders, and the extent to which common genetic and environmental risk factors influence these relationships. Data include self-reported symptoms of psychological distress from 7,598 young adult twins and diagnostic interviews on a subsample of 2,766 adult twins, subsequently linked to registry data on sick leave. Regression analyses and multivariate twin models were used to investigate the relationship between internalizing disorders and sick leave. Internalizing disorders were associated with sick leave granted for both mental disorders and somatic disorders. The association between internalizing disorders and sick leave granted for mental disorders was influenced by genetic and non-shared environmental factors, while the association between internalizing disorders and sick leave granted for somatic disorders could be explained by common genetic factors alone. Monozygotic twins discordant for internalizing disorders differed significantly in rates of sick leave granted for mental but not somatic disorders. In conclusion, internalizing disorders in young adults predict sick leave granted for both mental and somatic disorders. Environmental risk factors for internalizing disorders seem to influence sick leave granted for mental disorders, but not sick leave granted for somatic disorders.
Modulation of Auditory Motion Processing by Visual Motion
Authors: Getzmann Stephan , Lewald Jörg
Published: May 2014

Neurophysiological findings suggested that auditory and visual motion information is integrated at an early stage of auditory cortical processing, already starting in primary auditory cortex. Here, the effect of visual motion on processing of auditory motion was investigated by employing electrotomography in combination with free-field sound motion. A delayed-motion paradigm was used in which the onset of motion was delayed relative to the onset of an initially stationary stimulus. The results indicated that activity related to the motion-onset response, a neurophysiological correlate of auditory motion processing, interacts with the processing of visual motion at quite early stages of auditory analysis in the dimensions of both the time and the location of cortical processing. A modulation of auditory motion processing by concurrent visual motion was found already around 170 ms after motion onset (cN1 component) in the regions of primary auditory cortex and posterior superior temporal gyrus: Incongruent visual motion enhanced the auditory motion onset response in auditory regions ipsilateral to the sound motion stimulus, thus reducing the pattern of contralaterality observed with unimodal auditory stimuli. No modulation was found in parietal cortex nor around 250 ms after motion onset (cP2 component) in any auditory region of interest. These findings may reflect the integration of auditory and visual motion information in low-level areas of the auditory cortical system at relatively early points in time.
One-pot synthesis of gold nanoparticles by using 4-aminoantipyrine as a novel reducing and capping agent for simultaneous colorimetric sensing of four triptan-family drugs
Authors: Rawat Karuna A. , Surati Kiran R. , Kailasa Suresh Kumar
Published: May 2014

We prepared Au NPs using 4-aminoantipyrine as a novel reagent and the Au NPs aggregation was induced by triptan-family drugs independently, resulting a color change from pink to blue.
Label-free, optical sensing of the supramolecular assembly into fibrils of a ditryptophan–DNA hybrid
Authors: Gour Nidhi , Abraham Jancy Nixon , Chami Mohamed , Castillo Axel , Verma Sandeep , Vebert-Nardin Corinne
Published: May 2014

Label free optical sensing of the formation of WW–DNA fibrillar structures.
Enhanced charge–discharge properties of SnO2 nanocrystallites in confined carbon nanospace
Authors: Oro Shinji , Urita Koki , Moriguchi Isamu
Published: May 2014

The reversibility of SnO2–Sn conversion and Sn–Li alloying/de-alloying reactions was greatly enhanced by the confinement of SnO2 nanocrystallites in regulated carbon nanospace.
Thermodynamics of 4,4′-stilbenedicarboxylic acid monolayer self-assembly at the nonanoic acid–graphite interface
Authors: Song W. , Martsinovich N. , Heckl W. M. , Lackinger M.
Published: May 2014

Thermodynamics of self-assembly of 4,4′-stilbenedicarboxylic acid monolayers at the graphite-liquid interface is quantitatively evaluated using a Born–Haber cycle with a combination of experimentally measured and computed energies.
The use of UV/ozone-treated MoS2 nanosheets for extended air stability in organic photovoltaic cells
Authors: Le Quyet Van , Nguyen Thang Phan , Jang Ho Won , Kim Soo Young
Published: May 2014

A longer lifetime was achieved for devices using MoS2/PEDOT:PSS layers than for those employing only the PEDOT:PSS layer.
Application of electronic circular dichroism in the study of supramolecular systems
Authors: Pescitelli Gennaro , Di Bari Lorenzo , Berova Nina
Published: May 2014

Electronic circular dichroism (ECD) is a choice technique for the analysis of chiral supramolecular systems, including their detection, determination of thermodynamic and kinetic quantities, and structural elucidation.
A label-free microfluidic assay to quantitatively study antibiotic diffusion through lipid membranes
Authors: Cama J. , Chimerel C. , Pagliara S. , Javer A. , Keyser U. F.
Published: May 2014

A label-free microfluidic assay that uses a drug's UV autofluorescence to directly measure its permeability coefficient across vesicle lipid membranes.
A facile route to the synthesis of monodisperse nanoscale liposomes using 3D microfluidic hydrodynamic focusing in a concentric capillary array
Authors: Hood Renee R. , DeVoe Don L. , Atencia Javier , Vreeland Wyatt N. , Omiatek Donna M.
Published: May 2014

3D microfluidic hydrodynamic focusing for the synthesis of monodisperse nanoscale liposomes.
Controlling photoinduced electron transfer from PbS@CdS core@shell quantum dots to metal oxide nanostructured thin films
Authors: Zhao H. , Fan Z. , Liang H. , Selopal G. S. , Gonfa B. A. , Jin L. , Soudi A. , Cui D. , Enrichi F. , Natile M. M. , Concina I. , Ma D. , Govorov A. O. , Rosei F. , Vomiero A.
Published: May 2014

We investigate the photoelectron transfer rate from PbS@CdS core@shell QDs to wide bandgap mesoporous films using photoluminescence lifetime spectroscopy, which is strongly size, shell thickness and oxide dependent.
Diels–Alder crosslinked HA/PEG hydrogels with high elasticity and fatigue resistance for cell encapsulation and articular cartilage tissue repair
Authors: Yu Feng , Cao Xiaodong , Li Yuli , Zeng Lei , Zhu Jiehua , Wang Gang , Chen Xiaofeng
Published: May 2014

The gelation time of Diels–Alder crosslinked HA/PEG hydrogels can be reduced to an appropriate level for cell encapsulation and survival. At the same time, the DA click reaction makes the gel highly resilient and resistant to cyclic compression loading, which biomimics native articular cartilage biomechanical functions.
Improvement of the control over SARA ATRP of 2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate by slow and continuous addition of sodium dithionite
Authors: Góis Joana R. , Konkolewic Dominik , Popov Anatoliy V. , Guliashvili Tamaz , Matyjaszewski Krzysztof , Serra Arménio C. , Coelho Jorge F. J.
Published: May 2014

The kinetics and detailed mechanism of SARA ATRP of 2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DPA) were investigated.
Hierarchical structural silica-fiber-woven/mullite-whisker material prepared by surface etching and gas-phase reaction
Authors: Liu Shan , Liu Jiachen , Du Haiyan , Hou Feng
Published: May 2014

Hierarchical structural silica-fiber-woven/mullite-whisker material prepared through surface etching and gas-phase reaction was suitable for application as a heat-sealing/insulation gasket at high temperatures.
Elastic properties of carbon nanoscrolls
Authors: Zaeri Mohammad Mahdi , Ziaei-Rad Saeed
Published: May 2014

Young's and shear moduli of carbon nanoscroll obtained through molecular structural mechanics considering various geometrical parameters.
Graphene oxide-based electrochemical sensor: a platform for ultrasensitive detection of heavy metal ions
Authors: Gong Xuezhong , Bi Yunlong , Zhao Yihua , Liu Guozhen , Teoh Wey Yang
Published: May 2014

Facile functionalization of graphene oxide sheets on gold surface results in complexation-enhanced electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions, shown here for Pb2+, Cu2+ and Hg2+, with improved detection limits by two orders of magnitude relative to the control electrode.
Water-soluble gold nanoclusters with pH-dependent fluorescence and high colloidal stability over a wide pH range via co-reduction of glutathione and citrate
Authors: Ding Wenchao , Liu Yong , Li Yijing , Shi Qiurong , Li Houshen , Xia Haibing , Wang Dayang , Tao Xutang
Published: May 2014

We present a simple strategy for synthesis of water-soluble, monodisperse, highly fluorescent gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) with sizes of 1.8 nm by co-reduction of glutathione and citrate for 24 h at 50 °C. The fluorescence intensity of the GS/C–Au NCs obtained is pH-dependent and can be reversibly adjusted in the pH range from 4.1 to 8.6.
Carbon footprint of geopolymeric mortar: study of the contribution of the alkaline activating solution and assessment of an alternative route
Authors: Mellado A. , Catalán C. , Bouzón N. , Borrachero M. V. , Monzó J. M. , Payá J.
Published: May 2014

An alternative route to prepare geopolymeric mortars yields a strong reduction of CO2 emissions. Replacement of commercial waterglass by rice hull ash-derived waterglass does not significantly decrease the mechanical strength of geopolymeric mortars.
Calculations predict a novel desired compound containing eight catenated nitrogen atoms: 1-amino-tetrazolo-[4,5-b]tetrazole
Authors: He Piao , Zhang Jian-Guo , Wang Kun , Yin Xin , Zhang Shao-Wen , Jiao Jian-She
Published: May 2014

A novel 8-N conjoined energetic compound 1-amino-tetrazolo-[4,5-b]tetrazole has been designed and investigated at the DFT-B3LYP/6-311++G** level of theory.
High-molecular-weight polar acrylate block copolymers as high-performance dismantlable adhesive materials in response to photoirradiation and postbaking
Authors: Inui Tadashi , Sato Eriko , Matsumoto Akikazu
Published: May 2014

Controlled synthesis of block copolymers as dismantlable adhesives using an organotellurium-mediated living radical polymerization (TERP) for discussion of adhesion strength and failure mode.
Ruthenium catalyzed regioselective coupling of terminal alkynes, amine and carbon dioxide leading to anti-Markovnikov adducts
Authors: Watile Rahul A. , Bhanage Bhalchandra M.
Published: May 2014

An efficient RuCl2(p-cymene)/DPPE catalyzed addition of secondary amines and CO2 to terminal alkynes was reported affording anti-Markovnikov adducts of alkenyl carbamates in good yield with excellent regioselectivity.
Bio-based thermoset composites from epoxidised linseed oil and expanded starch
Authors: Supanchaiyamat Nontipa , Hunt Andrew J. , Shuttleworth Peter S. , Ding Cheng , Clark James H. , Matharu Avtar S.
Published: May 2014

Bio-based thermoset composites comprising epoxidised linseed oil (ELO), a bio-derived diacid crosslinker (Pripol 1009) and starch are reported.
Fluorinated lamellar phases: structural characterisation and use as templates for highly ordered silica materials
Authors: Pottage Matthew J. , Kusuma Tiara , Grillo Isabelle , Garvey Christopher J. , Stickland Anthony D. , Tabor Rico F.
Published: May 2014

Highly ordered silica was synthesised by using a lamellar phase comprising the anionic fluorinated surfactant sodium perfluorooctanoate and the partially-fluorinated co-surfactant/oil 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctan-1-ol in water.
C-axis preferentially oriented and fully activated TiO2 nanotube arrays for lithium ion batteries and supercapacitors
Authors: Pan Dengyu , Huang He , Wang Xueyuan , Wang Liang , Liao Haobo , Li Zhen , Wu Minghong
Published: May 2014

We report the fabrication of long titanium dioxide nanotube arrays with highly c-axis preferentially oriented crystallization and a high concentration of oxygen vacancies by second anodization in ethylene glycol and annealing under poor-oxygen conditions.
Tailored design of CoxMn1−xFe2O4 nanoferrites: a new route for dual control of size and magnetic properties
Authors: Fernandes Carlos , Pereira Clara , Fernández-García María Paz , Pereira André M. , Guedes Alexandra , Fernández-Pacheco Rodrigo , Ibarra Alfonso , Ibarra M. Ricardo , Araújo João P. , Freire Cristina
Published: May 2014

CoxMn1-xFe2O4 nanoferrites with tailored size and magnetism were produced by one-pot coprecipitation. Selection of Co(II):Mn(II) ratio and alkaline agent allows precise control of the material properties.
c-Fos-activated synthesis of nuclear phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] promotes global transcriptional changes
Authors: Ferrero Gabriel O. , Renner Marianne L. , Gil Germán A. , Rodríguez-Berdini Lucia , Caputto Beatriz L.
Published: May 2014

c-Fos is a well-recognized member of the AP-1 (activator protein-1) family of transcription factors. In addition to this canonical activity, we previously showed that cytoplasmic c-Fos activates phospholipid synthesis through a mechanism independent of its genomic AP-1 activity. c-Fos associates with particular enzymes of the lipid synthesis pathway at the endoplasmic reticulum and increases the Vmax of the reactions without modifying the Km values. This lipid synthesis activation is associated with events of differentiation and proliferation that require high rates of membrane biogenesis. Since lipid synthesis also occurs in the nucleus, and different phospholipids have been assigned transcription regulatory functions, in the present study we examine if c-Fos also acts as a regulator of phospholipid synthesis in the nucleus. Furthermore, we examine if c-Fos modulates transcription through its phospholipid synthesis activator capacity. We show that nuclear-localized c-Fos associates with and activates PI4P5K (phosphatidylinositol-4-monophosphate 5-kinase), but not with PI4KIIIβ (type IIIβ phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase) thus promoting PtdIns(4,5)P2 (phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate) formation, which, in turn, promotes transcriptional changes. We propose c-Fos as a key regulator of nuclear PtdIns(4,5)P2 synthesis in response to growth signals that results in c-Fos-dependent transcriptional changes promoted by the newly synthesized lipids.
‘Immunosequencing’ of heparan sulfate from human cell lines and rat kidney: the (GlcNS6S-IdoA2S)3 motif, recognized by antibody NS4F5, is located towards the non-reducing end
Authors: van Wijk Xander M. R. , Oosterhof Arie , Versteeg Elly M. M. , van de Westerlo Els M. A. , van Kuppevelt Toin H.
Published: May 2014

HS (heparan sulfate) is a long linear polysaccharide, variably modified by epimerization and sulfation reactions, and is organized into different domains defined by the extent of modification. To further elucidate HS structural organization, the relative position of different HS structures, identified by a set of phage-display-derived anti-HS antibodies, was established. Two strategies were employed: inhibition of HS biosynthesis using 4-deoxy-GlcNAc, followed by resynthesis, and limited degradation of HS using heparinases. Using both approaches, information about the position of antibody-defined HS structures was identified. The HS structure recognized by the antibody NS4F5, rigorously identified as (GlcN6S-IdoA2S)3, was found towards the non-reducing end of the HS chain.
Dynamic Range for Speech Materials in Korean, English, and Mandarin: A Cross-Language Comparison
Authors: Jin In-Ki , Kates James M. , Arehart Kathryn H.
Published: May 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to identify whether differences in dynamic range (DR) are evident across the spoken languages of Korean, English, and Mandarin.

Method

Recorded sentence-level speech materials were used as stimuli. DR was quantified using different definitions of DR (defined as the range in decibels from the highest to the lowest signal intensities), for several integration times (from 1 to 512 ms) and in different frequency bands (center frequencies [CFs] ranging from 150 to 8600 Hz).

Results

Across the 3 languages, DR was affected in similar ways with regard to changes in DR definition and integration time. In contrast, across-language differences in DR were evident when considering frequency-band effects. Specifically, the DR for Korean was smaller than the English DR and the Mandarin DR in low-frequency bands (less than the CF of 455 Hz). Compared with Korean and Mandarin, the DR for English was smallest in mid-frequency bands (between the CF of 455 Hz and 4050 Hz) and was greatest in high-frequency bands (above the CF of 4050 Hz).

Conclusion

The observed differences in DR across languages suggest that the best-fit DR for Korean and Mandarin may be different than the best fit for English.
Almost sure stability of discrete‐time Markov jump linear systems
Authors: Song Yang , Dong Hao , Yang Taicheng , Fei Minrui
Published: May 2014

This study deals with a transient analysis and almost sure stability for the discrete‐time Markov jump linear systems (MJLS). The expectation of the sojourn time and the activation number of any mode and the switching number between any two modes of the discrete‐time MJLS are presented firstly. Then, an analysis of the transient behaviour is given. Finally, a new deterministically testable condition for the exponentially almost sure stability is proposed.
The Preliminary Outcome of MIS-TLIF in the Treatment of Isthmic Spondylolisthesis—Is Direct Decompression of Exiting Nerve Necessary?
Authors: Wu W. , Liang Y. , Zhang X. , Cao P.
Published: May 2014

Introduction

The technique of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) has been successfully used to treat lumbar degenerative diseases with the advantages of less intraoperative blood loss, perioperative narcotic requirements, quick postoperative recovery, and shorter hospital length of stay. However, to our knowledge, there are few reports about the application of MIS-TLIF in the treatment of isthmic spnodylolisthesis. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the clinical and radiological outcome of the MIS-TLIF in the treatment of grades I to II isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Materials and Methods

From January 2011 to September 2012, 17 consecutive cases of grades I to II isthmic spondylolisthesis were treated with MIS-TLIF. Radiographs were obtained before and after surgery, 3 months postoperatively, and at the final follow-up to determine the percentage of the slippage, segmental lordosis (SL) and lumbar lordosis (LL), presence of fusion, and hardware-related problems. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Oswestry disability index before and after surgery, and at the final follow-up. The visual analog scale score of back pain and radicular pain were evaluated as well. The intraoperative data and perioperative complications were recorded.

Results

Mean follow-up period was 13 months (range, 6-25 months). Mean operating time was 153 minutes, mean intraoperative blood loss was 175 mL, mean postoperative hospitalization was 3.7 days. Eleven cases got complete reduction, five cases got partial reduction, and one case no reduction. The mean SL was 2.4 degrees preoperatively and 14.9 degrees postoperatively; the mean LL was 50.1 degrees preoperatively and 51.9 degrees postoperatively, both SL and LL were significantly improved after surgery ( p < 0.05). There were 15 cases got fusion at the final follow-up (88.2%). The mean ODI was 49.6% before surgery and significantly improved to 22.7% at the final follow-up. There was one patient got transient radicular pain after surgery and was recover after conservative treatment. There is no hardware failure.

Conclusion

MIS-TLIF is safe and effective for the treatment of grades I to II isthmic spondylolisthesis. For carefully selected patient, direct decompression of exiting nerve is not necessary. Disclosure of Interest None declared