bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of chewing betel nut (Areca catechu) on salivary cortisol measurement
Authors: Konečná Martina , Urlacher Samuel S.
Published: June 2015

Objectives

Cultural practices may compromise the accuracy of salivary hormone measurements and must be considered when designing human biology research protocols. This study aims to evaluate the acute effect of one common human practice—chewing betel nut—on the measurement of salivary cortisol levels under field conditions.

Materials and Methods

Data were collected from 17 adult habitual betel nut users (males = 11; females = 6; mean age = 32.8 years) from a small rural community in Papua New Guinea. Saliva was collected in time series from each participant before and at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 min after chewing betel nut. Samples were analyzed by radioimmunoassay and cortisol levels were compared across time using linear mixed effects modeling.

Results

Measured mean cortisol concentration fell nearly 40% immediately following betel nut use and remained significantly below baseline levels for the following 45 min (all P < 0.05). Cortisol concentrations measured at 60 min and 75 min were indistinguishable from baseline levels (all P > 0.16).

Discussion

Chewing betel nut is associated with a transient but significant reduction in measured levels of salivary cortisol. Future research must take this into account in populations where betel nut use is prevalent. Am J Phys Anthropol 158:151–154, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Boron‐Containing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Facile Synthesis of Stable, Redox‐Active Luminophores
Authors: Hertz Valentin M. , Bolte Michael , Lerner Hans‐Wolfram , Wagner Matthias
Published: June 2015

Herein we show that replacing the two meso carbon atoms of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) bisanthene by boron atoms transforms a near‐infrared dye into an efficient blue luminophore. This observation impressively illustrates the impact of boron doping on the frontier orbitals of PAHs. To take full advantage of this tool for the targeted design of organic electronic materials, the underlying structure–property relationships need to be further elucidated. We therefore developed a modular synthesis sequence based on a Peterson olefination, a stilbene‐type photocyclization, and an Si–B exchange reaction to substantially broaden the palette of accessible polycyclic aromatic organoboranes and to permit a direct comparison with their PAH congeners.
Bubble stimulation efficiency of dinoflagellate bioluminescence
Authors: Deane Grant B. , Stokes M. Dale , Latz Michael I.
Published: June 2015

Dinoflagellate bioluminescence, a common source of bioluminescence in coastal waters, is stimulated by flow agitation. Although bubbles are anecdotally known to be stimulatory, the process has never been experimentally investigated. This study quantified the flash response of the bioluminescent dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum to stimulation by bubbles rising through still seawater. Cells were stimulated by isolated bubbles of 0.3–3 mm radii rising at their terminal velocity, and also by bubble clouds containing bubbles of 0.06–10 mm radii for different air flow rates. Stimulation efficiency, the proportion of cells producing a flash within the volume of water swept out by a rising bubble, decreased with decreasing bubble radius for radii less than approximately 1 mm. Bubbles smaller than a critical radius in the range 0.275–0.325 mm did not stimulate a flash response. The fraction of cells stimulated by bubble clouds was proportional to the volume of air in the bubble cloud, with lower stimulation levels observed for clouds with smaller bubbles. An empirical model for bubble cloud stimulation based on the isolated bubble observations successfully reproduced the observed stimulation by bubble clouds for low air flow rates. High air flow rates stimulated more light emission than expected, presumably because of additional fluid shear stress associated with collective buoyancy effects generated by the high air fraction bubble cloud. These results are relevant to bioluminescence stimulation by bubbles in two‐phase flows, such as in ship wakes, breaking waves, and sparged bioreactors. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
H∞ stochastic synchronization for master–slave semi‐Markovian switching system via sliding mode control
Authors: Liu Xinghua , Ma Guoqi , Jiang Xiaofeng , Xi Hongsheng
Published: June 2015

In this article,
synchronization problem of master–slave system with phase‐type semi‐Markovian switching is investigated via sliding mode control scheme. By utilizing a supplementary variable technique and a plant transformation, the master–slave semi‐Markovian switching system can be equivalently expressed as its associated Markovian switching system. Then an integral sliding surface is constructed to guarantee
stochastic synchronization of master–slave semi‐Markovian switching system, and the suitable controller is synthesized to ensure that the trajectory of the closed‐loop error system can be driven onto the prescribed sliding mode surface. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed sliding‐mode design scheme. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 430–441, 2016
Comparison of two different strategies for human monocyte subsets gating within the large‐scale prospective CARE FOR HOMe Study
Authors: Zawada Adam M. , Fell Lisa H. , Untersteller Kathrin , Seiler Sarah , Rogacev Kyrill S. , Fliser Danilo , Ziegler‐Heitbrock Loems , Heine Gunnar H.
Published: June 2015

Monocytes are heterogeneous cells consisting of (at least) three subsets: classical, intermediate, and nonclassical monocytes. Correct enumeration of cell counts necessitates well‐defined gating strategies, which are essentially based upon CD14 and CD16 expression. For the delineation of intermediate from nonclassical monocytes, a “rectangular gating (RG) strategy” and a “trapezoid gating (TG) strategy” have been proposed. We compared the two gating strategies in a well‐defined clinical cohort of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Within the ongoing CARE FOR HOMe study, monocyte subsets were reanalyzed in 416 CKD patients, who were followed 3.6 ± 1.6 years for the occurrence of a cardiovascular event. Gating was performed by either RG or TG. We analyzed the expression of surface markers, and compared the predictive role of cell counts of monocyte subsets, as defined by RG and TG, respectively. With both gating strategies, higher intermediate monocyte counts predicted the cardiovascular endpoint in Kaplan‐Meier analyses (P < 0.001 with RG; P < 0.001 with TG). After correction for confounders, intermediate monocyte counts remained independent predictors in Cox‐Regression analyses (HR = 1.013 [95% CI: 1.006–1.020; P < 0.001] with RG; HR = 1.015 [95% CI: 1.006–1.024; P = 0.001] with TG). NRI was 3.9% when reclassifying patients from quartiles of intermediate monocyte counts with RG strategy toward quartiles of intermediate monocytes counts with TG strategy. In expression analysis, those monocytes which are defined as intermediate monocytes by the RG strategy and as nonclassical monocytes by the TG strategy share characteristics of both subsets. In conclusion, intermediate monocytes were independent predictors of cardiovascular outcome irrespective of the applied gating strategy. Future studies should aim to identify markers that allow for an unequivocal definition of intermediate monocytes, which may further improve their power to predict cardiovascular events. © 2015 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Regulation of feeding behavior and plasma testosterone in response to central neuropeptide Y administration in a songbird
Authors: Davies Scott , Deviche Pierre
Published: June 2015

In mammalian and avian model species, neuropeptide Y (NPY) simultaneously promotes feeding behavior and suppresses the secretion of reproductive hormones, thereby modulating the resource allocation trade‐off between investing in essential somatic processes or in the reproductive system. Investigations into this dual role of NPY in birds have focused on domesticated species and, to our knowledge, no study has examined this role in songbirds. We determined whether NPY treatment acutely regulates feeding behavior and activity of the reproductive system in a male songbird, the Abert's Towhee, Melozone aberti. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of NPY promoted behaviors associated with feeding (decreased latency to initiate pecking in the food bowl, increased number of feeding bouts following treatment, and increased number of pecks into the food bowl during each feeding bout), and it stimulated hopping and drinking behavior. By contrast, we found no effect of NPY treatment on plasma testosterone secretion 60 min after treatment. These results suggest that in male Abert's Towhees NPY stimulates feeding behavior, but provide no evidence that this peptide concurrently influences testosterone secretion. J. Exp. Zool. 323A: 478–486, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Isolation and identification of chemical constituents from the bacterium Bacillus sp. and their nematicidal activities
Authors: Zeng Liming , Jin Hui , Lu Dengxue , Yang Xiaoyan , Pan Le , Cui Haiyan , He Xiaofeng , Qiu Hongdeng , Qin Bo
Published: June 2015

A strain SMrs28 was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of a toxic plant Stellera chamaejasme and identified as Bacillus sp. on the basis of morphological and partial 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The crude extract of SMrs28 fermentation broth showed strong nematocidal activities in preliminary test. To define the active nematocidal metabolites of SMrs28, a novel compound (1), 4‐oxabicyclo[3.2.2]nona‐1(7), 5,8‐triene, along with five known compounds (2–6), were isolated from the strain by various column chromatographic techniques and characterized on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Results of the in vitro nematicidal tests showed that the metabolites presented different levels of activity at certain exposure conditions. Compounds (1–3) displayed LC50 values of 904.12, 451.26, 232.98 µg/ml and 1594.0, 366.62, 206.38 µg/ml against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Ditylenchus destructor at 72 h, respectively. This is the first report of the nematicidal activity of the compounds as constituents of Bacillus sp.. Our findings help to find potential chemical structures to develop nematicides from microbial source for the management of nematode‐infected plant diseases.
A comparison between transoral glottis‐widening techniques for bilateral vocal fold immobility
Authors: Szakács László , Sztanó Balázs , Matievics Vera , Bere Zsófia , Bach Adam , Castellanos Paul F. , Rovó László
Published: June 2015

Objective

Comparison of different endoscopic glottis‐widening procedures designed for bilateral vocal cord immobility (BVCI) is a challenge. This is because a statistically efficient analysis and comparable clinical series is hard to obtain considering the variable aspects of the results and the evaluation methods. This study of a large number of cadaver larynges provides comparable, objective data for the evaluation of the possible postoperative breathing and voicing function.

Study Design

A morphometric study was performed on 50 male and 50 female larynges to compare the different suture lateralization and resection procedures.

Methods

The postoperative characteristic of glottic configuration was evaluated following vocal cord laterofixation, endolaryngeal arytenoid abduction lateropexy (EAAL), Schobel's external lateralization procedure (SELP), transverse cordotomy (TC), and medial and total arytenoidectomies (AE). The glottic area and the parameters determining the phoniatric outcomes were assessed by a digital image analyzer program.

Results

Improvement of glottic area was observed after all procedures, but arytenoid abduction procedures were significantly the most effective. However, the smallest vocal cord angles were found in TC and AE; the injury of the voicing structures results in a deterioration of vocal mechanics and can be reasonably assumed to negatively influence the voice. Endolaryngeal arytenoid abduction lateropexy and SELP may provide the best phonation closure when residual adduction regeneration can occur.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the complexity of the correct surgical decision making in BVCI. Procedures that utilize physiological abduction of the arytenoid cartilage seem to be more advantageous, especially if recovery of adductor function occurs.

Level of Evidence

N/A. Laryngoscope, 125:2522–2529, 2015
Evaluative Conditioning of Food Technologies
Authors: Loebnitz Natascha , Grunert Klaus G.
Published: June 2015

Consumer attitudes play an important role in the acceptance of new technologies. The success of food innovations depends on understanding how consumers form and change attitudes toward food technologies. Earlier post hoc explanations suggest that evaluative conditioning can change consumer attitudes toward food technologies. The present study tests how evaluative conditioning can affect consumer acceptance of new food technologies. Furthermore, authors investigate whether evaluative conditioning is resistant to extinction after a two‐month period and whether the evaluative conditioning effect prevails in a product‐related context. Within an evaluative conditioning paradigm including between‐subjects control groups in addition to standard within‐subjects control conditions, participants were presented with three food technologies (conventional, enzyme, and genetic technology) paired with affectively positive, neutral, and negative pictures. Subsequent evaluative measurements revealed that evaluative conditioning can explain attitude change toward food technologies when affective pictures are used. Furthermore, results indicate that evaluative conditioning is resistant to extinction after two months and acquired evaluative conditioning effect spills over in a product‐related context.
Infinitely many solutions for a class of fractional Hamiltonian systems via critical point theory
Authors: Chen Peng , He Xiaofei , Tang X.H.
Published: June 2015

In this paper, we are concerned with the existence of infinitely many solutions for the following fractional Hamiltonian systems

urn:x-wiley:mma:media:mma3537:mma3537-math-0001
where
,
, and
. The novelty of this paper is that, relaxing the conditions on the potential function W(t,x), we obtain infinitely many solutions via critical point theory. Our results generalize and improve some existing results in the literature. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Generation of Multishell Magnetic Hybrid Nanoparticles by Encapsulation of Genetically Engineered and Fluorescent Bacterial Magnetosomes with ZnO and SiO2
Authors: Borg Sarah , Rothenstein Dirk , Bill Joachim , Schüler Dirk
Published: June 2015

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have great potential in biomedical applications, but the chemical synthesis of size‐controlled and functionalized core–shell MNPs remain challenging. Magnetosomes produced by the magnetotactic bacterium Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense are naturally uniform and chemically pure magnetite MNPs with superior magnetic characteristics. Here, additional functionalities are made possible by the incorporation of biomolecules on the magnetosome surface; the magnetosome system is then chemically encapsulated with an inorganic coating. The novel multishell nanoparticles consist of the magnetosome core—which includes the magnetite crystal, the magnetosome membrane, and additional moieties, such as the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and peptides—and an outer shell, comprising either silica or zinc oxide. Coating the functionalized magnetosomes with silica improves their colloidal stability and preserves the EGFP fluorescence in the presence of proteases and detergents. In addition, the surface charge of magnetosomes can be adjusted by varying the coating. This method will be useful for the versatile generation of new, multifunctional, multishell, and magnetic hybrid nanomaterials with potential applications in various biotechnological fields.
A Safe‐Anesthesia Innovation for Emergency and Life‐Improving Surgeries When no Anesthetist is Available: A Descriptive Review of 193 Consecutive Surgeries
Authors: Burke Thomas , Manglani Yogeeta , Altawil Zaid , Dickson Alexandra , Clark Rachel , Okelo Stephen , Ahn Roy
Published: June 2015

Background

The worldwide human resource gap in anesthesia services often presents a barrier to accessing life‐saving and life‐improving surgeries. This paper assessed the impact of a ketamine anesthesia package, Every Second Matters‐Ketamine (ESM‐Ketamine)™, for use in emergency and life‐improving surgeries by non‐anesthetist clinicians in a resource‐limited setting when no anesthetist was available.

Methods

We analyzed prospectively collected data from 193 surgeries constituting a pilot implementation of the ESM‐Ketamine package, among three sub‐district hospitals in Western Kenya. The study population comprises patients who required emergency or life‐improving surgery when no anesthetist was available. Non‐anesthetist clinicians in three sub‐district hospitals underwent a 5‐day training course in ESM‐Ketamine complemented by checklists and an ESM‐Ketamine Kit. Data were collected prospectively every time the ESM‐Ketamine pathway was invoked. The training cases, although primarily tubal ligations, were included. The primary outcome measures centered on capturing the ability to safely support emergency and life‐improving surgeries, when no anesthetist was available, through invoking the ESM‐Ketamine pathway. The registry was critically examined using standard descriptive and frequency analysis.

Results

193 surgical procedures were supported using the ESM‐Ketamine package by five ESM‐Ketamine trained providers. Brief (<30 s) patient desaturation below 92 % and hallucinations occurred in 16 out of 186 (8.6 %) and 23 out of 190 patients (12.1 %), respectively. There were no reported major adverse events such as death, prolonged desaturations (over 30 s), or injury resulting from ketamine use.

Conclusion

This study provides promising initial evidence that the ESM‐Ketamine package can support emergency and life‐improving surgeries in resource‐limited settings when no anesthetist is available.
Performing Post-Racial Asianness: K-Pop's Appropriation of Hip-Hop Culture
Authors: Oh Chuyun
Published: June 2015

Drawing on theories from performance studies, dance studies, and critical race studies, this paper explores the ways in which Korean pop (K-pop)'s appropriation of hip-hop reveals a complex moment of global cultural flow. Western audience reception of K-pop is likely limited to framing K-pop either as a form of contemporary minstrelsy or a postcolonial mimicry, e.g., making fun of African American culture or a bad copy of American pop. This perspective, however, understands K-pop through the lens of American culture and only considers external signs of the performances. It fails to capture the local context in Korea, such as how and why the performers appropriate hip-hop, such as the process of embodiment and training process to learn hip-hop movement, rhythm, and styles, etc. By analyzing K-pop singer G-Dragon's (GD) music videos, this paper argues that Koreans' appropriation of American culture is neither minstrelsy nor postcolonial mimicry. K-pop's chameleonic racial and gender hybridity reveals incommensurability of contemporary Asian-ness, which I have called post-racial Asian-ness as non-racialization.
Balancing the Tide of Globalization: Maintaining Afro-Caribbean Cultural Power and Indigenous Identity in the Dance Studio
Authors: Wilson Lisa
Published: June 2015

Historically, during the first wave of globalization, then known as colonialism, efforts were made by colonizers to silence indigenous cultural expressions as a means of establishing power and control. In this current wave of globalization, which is marked by an aggressive technological revolution that has facilitated greater connectedness and spread of the more dominant North Atlantic aesthetic values and practices across the globe, Afro-Caribbean traditional cultural expressions face the potential risk of being obsolete and powerless in the dancing lives of young studio-based dancers in the Caribbean. This paper presents findings of a qualitative study into measures taken by Caribbean dance teachers (n = 6), from Jamaica, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to promote Afro-Caribbean movement aesthetics and practices in their dance studios with young people. I will argue that such measures are important to the empowerment of the Afro-Caribbean dancing body and to safeguard against colonial structures in post-colonial Caribbean dance education.
Early downregulation of Mcl-1 regulates apoptosis triggered by cardiac glycoside UNBS1450
Authors: Cerella C , Muller F , Gaigneaux A , Radogna F , Viry E , Chateauvieux S , Dicato M , Diederich M
Published: June 2015

Cardiac glycosides (CGs), prescribed to treat cardiovascular alterations, display potent anti-cancer activities. Despite their well-established target, the sodium/potassium (Na+/K+)-ATPase, downstream mechanisms remain poorly elucidated. UNBS1450 is a hemi-synthetic cardenolide derived from 2″-oxovorusharin extracted from the plantCalotropis procera, which is effective against various cancer cell types with an excellent differential toxicity. By comparing adherent and non-adherent cancer cell types, we validated Mcl-1 as a general and early target of UNBS1450. A panel of CGs including cardenolides ouabain, digitoxin and digoxin as well as bufadienolides cinobufagin and proscillaridin A allowed us to generalize our findings. Our results show that Mcl-1, but not Bcl-xL nor Bcl-2, is rapidly downregulated prior to induction of apoptosis. From a mechanistic point of view, we exclude an effect on transcription and demonstrate involvement of a pathway affecting protein stability and requiring the proteasome in the early CG-induced Mcl-1 downregulation, without the involvement of caspases or the BH3-only protein NOXA. Strategies aiming at preventing UNBS1450-induced Mcl-1 downregulation by overexpression of a mutated, non-ubiquitinable form of the protein or the use of the proteasome inhibitor MG132 inhibited the compound’s ability to induce apoptosis. Altogether our results point at Mcl-1 as a ubiquitous factor, downregulated by CGs, whose modulation is essential to achieve cell death.
Side chain liquid crystalline polymers with an optically active polynorbornene backbone and achiral mesogenic side groups
Authors: Geng Bin , Guo Ling-Xiang , Lin Bao-Ping , Keller Patrick , Zhang Xue-Qin , Sun Ying , Yang Hong
Published: June 2015

This work describes a series of side-on and end-on SCLCPs with an optically active polynorbornene main chain and achiral mesogens. The side-on SCLCPs tend to form achiral mesophases, while their comparative end-on analogues exhibit chiral mesophases.
Rapid identification of false peaks in the spectrum of Hadamard transform ion mobility spectrometry with inverse gating technique
Authors: Hong Yan , Niu Wenqi , Gao Hui , Xia Lei , Huang Chaoqun , Shen Chengyin , Jiang Haihe , Chu Yannan
Published: June 2015

With the introduction of inverse gating technique to Hadamard multiplexing ion mobility spectrometry, the false peaks in the spectrum of Hadamard transform could be rapidly identified.
Photoanodic and photocathodic behaviour of La5Ti2CuS5O7 electrodes in the water splitting reaction
Authors: Ma Guijun , Suzuki Yohichi , Singh Rupashree Balia , Iwanaga Aki , Moriya Yosuke , Minegishi Tsutomu , Liu Jingyuan , Hisatomi Takashi , Nishiyama Hiroshi , Katayama Masao , Seki Kazuhiko , Furube Akihiro , Yamada Taro , Domen Kazunari
Published: June 2015

La5Ti2CuS5O7 embedded into the surface of Au and Ti substrates shows a photocurrent attributable to HER and OER.
Supramolecular hydrogel microcapsules via cucurbit[8]uril host–guest interactions with triggered and UV-controlled molecular permeability
Authors: Yu Ziyi , Zhang Jing , Coulston Roger J. , Parker Richard M. , Biedermann Frank , Liu Xin , Scherman Oren A. , Abell Chris
Published: June 2015

Host–guest assembly at the interface of microfluidic droplets offers a versatile strategy to construct supramolecular hydrogel microcapsules with “smart” cargo release.
Photostable phosphorescent polymer nanospheres for high sensitivity detection
Authors: Edwards A. N. , Yamazaki M. , Krishnadasan S. H. , Phillips T. W. , Rowlands L. , Jourdain R. , Nightingale A. M. , de Mello J. C.
Published: June 2015

A simple method is presented for the preparation of photostable phosphorescent polymer nanospheres.
Miniaturised broadband top‐loaded planar monopole antenna with binary‐encoded sleeves
Authors: Trinh‐Van Son , Hwang Keum‐Cheol
Published: June 2015

A miniaturised broadband top‐loaded planar monopole (TLPM) antenna with binary‐encoded sleeves is proposed. The antenna consists of a TLPM with an embedded artificial transmission line to reduce the operating frequency. To broaden the operating bandwidth of the proposed miniaturised monopole antenna, the binary‐encoded sleeves are utilised and optimised using a genetic algorithm. A prototype of the proposed antenna is fabricated and tested. The measured −10 dB reflection coefficient bandwidth is 800–1265 MHz (45.04%). A peak gain of 4.11 dBi and consistent radiation patterns are achieved within the operating frequency band.
Full‐band transition from substrate integrated waveguide to rectangular waveguide
Authors: Lee Hongyeal , Yun Sohyeun , Uhm Manseok , Yom Inbok
Published: June 2015

A novel substrate integrated waveguide to rectangular waveguide (RWG) transition for effective power transfer is proposed. The substrate taper is inserted into a conventional height‐stepped impedance transformer of the RWG region to improve transmission loss and bandwidth. The transition is designed to cover the entire K‐band (18–26 GHz), showing a return loss of 20 dB. A back‐to‐back transition has been fabricated to verify the proposed transition. The experimental results show good agreement with the analysis. The transmission loss of the stand‐alone transition is 0.22 dB at 21.7 GHz with a usable bandwidth of 36%.
UHF RFID tags backscattered power measurement in reverberation chamber
Authors: Koné L. , Kassi R. , Rolland N.
Published: June 2015

Presented is a methodology for measuring the power backscattered by ultra‐high frequency radio frequency identification (UHF RFID) tags by using a modes stirrer reverberation chamber. The actual measurement methodology is described and its advantage and disadvantage against the conventional setup using anechoic chambers are outlined. Then, some results of power measurements performed with the three Gen2 class 1 tags are presented. The experimented tags' sensitivity and radiation efficiency as a function of incident power are finally derived. The results are very encouraging and demonstrate the feasibility of such a characterisation in modes stirred reverberation chambers. All the measurements were carried out at a single frequency of about 866 MHz.
Experimental observation of RF avalanche gain in GaN‐based PN junction diodes
Authors: Fay P. , Aktas O. , Bour D. , Kizilyalli I.C.
Published: June 2015

Radio‐frequency (RF) reflection gain in GaN homojunction p‐n diode structures has been observed experimentally. A vertical p+/n structure grown on a native GaN substrate was used to achieve the high internal electric fields necessary to induce impact ionisation in GaN while minimising the effects of dislocations on the device performance. Amplitude and phase signatures in the measured RF reflection coefficient indicate the onset of impact ionisation within the device, with reflection gain observed at frequencies above 350 MHz. The magnitude of the measured gain is consistent with theoretical estimates of impact ionisation parameters, and the bias dependence of the measured reflection phase response is consistent with avalanche as the gain mechanism.
Power balancing and dc fault ride through in DC grids with dc hubs and wind farms
Authors: Lin Weixing , Jovcic Dragan
Published: June 2015

Power balancing algorithm and dc fault ride through strategy in a DC grid with a DC hub are proposed in this article. Inductor‐capacitor‐inductor (LCL) dc hub is used in the DC grid to match different voltage levels and to prevent DC fault spreading. An automatic power balancing control is developed for the hub controller, and for DC grid terminals including wind farms and passive AC loads. Collectively these controls enable power balancing for any DC fault without the need for hardware braking systems. The challenges of connecting/disconnecting of DC grid segments and a DC grid black start with non‐isolated dc hubs are resolved with new controls and specific operating sequence. A 3‐terminal test dc grid is developed using a 3‐port LCL dc hub where one terminal is connected to a wind farm, another terminal is connected to an ac grid and a third terminal to a passive ac load. Simulations on this difficult test system are performed for a range of DC faults, power steps and a black start using PSCAD/EMTDC and results verify conclusions.
Electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of composite carbon nanotube macro-film at a high frequency range of 40 GHz to 60 GHz
Authors: Wu Zi Ping , Cheng De Ming , Ma Wen Jing , Hu Jing Wei , Yin Yan Hong , Hu Ying Yan , Li Ye Sheng , Yang Jian Gao , Xu Qian Feng
Published: June 2015

The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) of carbon nanotube (CNT) macro-film that is adhered to common cloth to maintain the light weight, silk-like quality, and smooth surface of the material for EMI shielding is investigated. The results show that a high and stable EMI SE of 48 dB to 57 dB at 40 GHz to 60 GHz was obtained by the macro-film with a thickness of only ∼4 μm. The composite CNT macro-film is easily manipulated, and its EMI property is significantly different from that of traditional electromagnetic shielding materials that show a lower EMI SE with increasing frequency. For example, the EMI SE of Cu foils decrease from 75 dB to 35 dB as frequency increases from 25 GHz to 60 GHz. Considering their stable and outstanding EMI SE and easy manipulation, the composite CNT macro-films are expected to have potential applications in shielding against millimeter waves.
First-principles study of the structures and electronic band properties of Bi2Te3{11̄5} nanoribbons
Authors: Ma Jing , Zhou Jian-Ping , Yang Jia , Zhao Hong-Sheng , Chen Xiao-Ming , Deng Chao-Yong
Published: June 2015

Bi2Te3 is known to be an excellent thermoelectric material as well as a topological insulator. We prepare Bi2Te3{011̄5} nanosheets with a hydrothermal method and find that the interplanar spacings have a little difference though they belong to a same family of crystal planes. Then, we investigate the structural and electronic properties of Bi2Te3{011̄5} nanoribbons with one to six atomic layers by density-functional theory. The results indicate that the nanoribbons exhibit insulator with a band gap except the three-atomic-layer ribbon, which unexpectedly shows a metallic behavior with a gapless band structure.
Assault Sorcery
Authors: Wright Robin M.
Published: June 2015

This article is an in-depth study of the cosmology and practices of assault sorcerers. While it concentrates mostly on indigenous Amazonian societies, comparisons are drawn from other ethnographic areas of the world. It shows that assault sorcery is an integral part of a nexus of religious knowledge and power, in which primordial spirits of sickness and sorcery are embodied in all manner of assault sorcery. The world of humanity today, according to indigenous cosmogonies examined here, is imbued with violent death through sorcery, the legacy of the primordial world. Prophet movements have often been associated with sorcery among indigenous societies throughout the world. Their principal objectives include the control of assault sorcerers, although the prophets themselves have often succumbed to their violent attacks or even deployed sorcery as a mode of defense against enemies. This world has been corrupted by the incessant violence of sorcerers, which the community elders, shamanic healers, and prophets have all sought to manage and control. What the future holds with the drastic decline of shamanic healers is cause for grave concern among traditional communities.
Thiosulfate-hydrogen peroxide redox oscillator as pH driver for ribozyme activity in the RNA world
Authors: Ball Rowena , Brindley John
Published: June 2015

The RNA world of more than 3.7 billion years ago may have drawn on thermal and pH oscillations set up by the oxidation of thiosulfate by hydrogen peroxide (the THP oscillator) as a power source to drive replication. Since this primordial RNA also must have developed enzyme functionalities, in this work we examine the responses of two simple ribozymes to a THP periodic drive, using experimental rate and thermochemical data in a dynamical model for the coupled, self-consistent evolution of all reactants and intermediates. The resulting time traces show that ribozyme performance can be enhanced under pH cycling, and that thermal cycling may have been necessary to achieve large performance gains. We discuss three important ways in which the dynamic hydrogen peroxide medium may have acted as an agent for development of the RNA world towards a cellular world: proton gradients, resolution of the ribozyme versus replication paradox, and vesicle formation.
Concordance and incongruence in preclinical anxiety models: systematic review and meta-analyses
Authors: Mohammad Farhan , Ho Joses , Woo Jia Hern , Lim Chun Lei , Poon Dennis Jun Jie , Lamba Bhumika , Claridge-Chang Adam
Published: June 2015

Rodent defense behavior assays have been widely used as preclinical models of anxiety to study possibly therapeutic anxiety-reducing interventions. However, some proposed anxiety-modulating factors—genes, drugs and stressors—have had discordant effects across different studies. To reconcile the effect sizes of purported anxiety factors, we conducted systematic review and meta-analyses of the literature on ten anxiety-linked interventions, as examined in the elevated plus maze, open field and light-dark box assays. Diazepam, 5-HT1A receptor gene knockout and overexpression, SERT gene knockout and overexpression, pain, restraint, social isolation, corticotropin-releasing hormone and Crhr1 were selected for review. Eight interventions had statistically significant effects on rodent anxiety, while Htr1a overexpression and Crh knockout did not. Evidence for publication bias was found in the diazepam, Htt knockout, and social isolation literatures. The Htr1a and Crhr1 results indicate a disconnect between preclinical science and clinical research. Furthermore, the meta-analytic data confirmed that genetic SERT anxiety effects were paradoxical in the context of the clinical use of SERT inhibitors to reduce anxiety.

Highlights

Meta-analysis shows eight rodent anxiety factors have at least moderate effects.

Publication bias affects four of the anxiety interventions.

Preclinical rodent anxiety results appear disconnected from clinical efforts.

Serotonin transporter gene lesion effects are paradoxical with reuptake inhibitors clinical use.
Optimal office lighting use: a Swedish case study
Authors: Maleetipwan-Mattsson Pimkamol , Laike Thorbjörn
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to determine the optimal office lighting use with different types of lighting controls to achieve energy savings and provide visual comfort for individuals.

Design/methodology/approach

– A case study and field measurements were carried out in 18 single-occupancy offices in Sweden where six different lighting controls were investigated. Occupancy and daylight hours were key issues for determining the lighting use. For each office, occupancy patterns, use of a ceiling luminaire, energy usage and perceptions of office lighting in the spring-summer and autumn-winter were established.

Findings

– The use of luminaires varied among the occupants and could be habitual. Though the study yielded positive results concerning the potential for manual or daylight dimming with occupancy switch-off controls to increase optimal lighting use, combining dimming controls with manual on/off controls is rather effective if occupants generally sit in their offices most of the day.

Research limitations/implications

– Precise comparisons of the performances of the different controls were limited due to the offices’ different window orientations; thus, measurements in identical offices are desirable. The small sample size limited analyses of lighting use and the personal perceptions of lighting quality.

Practical implications

– Apart from the contribution to simulation techniques, the findings imply that office lighting controls should be selected taking individuals’ behavioural patterns and perceived lighting quality into consideration.

Originality/value

– This paper describes an approach to determine the use of lighting controls and provides a basis for establishing optimal lighting use for individuals with regard to occupancy and daylight availability.
Assessing the smartness of buildings
Authors: Arditi David , Mangano Giulio , De Marco Alberto
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This study aims at capturing the perspectives of construction professionals into a classified taxonomy of the various characteristics of smart buildings and at developing an index able to define their level of smartness.

Design/methodology/approach

– A questionnaire survey has been administrated to construction professionals in the service of designers, constructors and owners. Results have been analyzed with the Kruskal–Wallis test and they have been used to develop a smartness index.

Findings

– Designers and owners are more focused on the energy issue than constructors. The energy captures the attention of practitioners with less years of experience, confirming that the awareness of the energy topic is rather recent.

Originality/value

– The main characteristics of smart buildings have been structured in domains and subdomains. Their importance has been rated by construction professional and a smartness index for smart building has been developed to provide with a convenient tool for evaluation and benchmarking.
Does effective designing of operation theaters contribute towards staff satisfaction
Authors: Rinkoo Arvind Vashishta , Singh Surendra Pratap , Mishra Shubhra , Vashishta Geeta , Chandra Hem , Singh P K
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to measure the staff satisfaction achieved with regard to the recently furnished modular operation theaters (MOTs).

Design/methodology/approach

– A cross-sectional study through questionnaire-based interviews was done. Desired sample size for ANOVA design came out to be 25 per level at a level of significance of 5 per cent and a power of 85 per cent.

Findings

– Overall, mean rating of the satisfaction of the staff was 7.52 with a standard deviation (SD) of 2.35. Mean ratings (with standard deviations) of surgeons, nurses and anesthetists were 7.14 (1.26), 7.21 (0.95) and 8.21 (0.48), respectively. One sample t-test showed that all the three categories of staff were satisfied. Post-hoc test revealed that the anesthetists were significantly more satisfied than the surgeons (p = 0) and the nurses (p = 0.001). Maximum satisfier was aseptic environment provided by the MOTs. Hatch box with ultraviolet technology also attracted high ratings from all the three categories. Staff considered all the probable advantages of MOTs, except air showers, significant with regard to its satisfaction and morale.

Originality/value

– Findings suggest that initiatives such as effectively designed MOTs may contribute toward the satisfaction of all categories of staff working in operation theaters (OTs), which, in turn, may probably lead to better overall performance of these facilities. It is desirable that hospital planners in modern health-care systems give adequate importance to finer aspects of OT designing.
Deregulation of selective autophagy during aging and pulmonary fibrosis: the role of TGFβ1
Authors: Sosulski Meredith L. , Gongora Rafael , Danchuk Svitlana , Dong Chunmin , Luo Fayong , Sanchez Cecilia G.
Published: June 2015

Aging constitutes a significant risk factor for fibrosis, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characteristically associated with advancing age. We propose that age‐dependent defects in the quality of protein and cellular organelle catabolism may be causally related to pulmonary fibrosis. Our research found that autophagy diminished with corresponding elevated levels of oxidized proteins and lipofuscin in response to lung injury in old mice and middle‐aged mice compared to younger animals. More importantly, older mice expose to lung injury are characterized by deficient autophagic response and reduced selective targeting of mitochondria for autophagy (mitophagy). Fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation (FMD) is an important feature of pulmonary fibrosis in which the profibrotic cytokine TGFβ1 plays a pivotal role. Promotion of autophagy is necessary and sufficient to maintain normal lung fibroblasts’ fate. On the contrary, FMD mediated by TGFβ1 is characterized by reduced autophagy flux, altered mitophagy, and defects in mitochondrial function. In accord with these findings, PINK1 expression appeared to be reduced in fibrotic lung tissue from bleomycin and a TGFβ1‐adenoviral model of lung fibrosis. PINK1 expression is also reduced in the aging murine lung and biopsies from IPF patients compared to controls. Furthermore, deficient PINK1 promotes a profibrotic environment. Collectively, this study indicates that an age‐related decline in autophagy and mitophagy responses to lung injury may contribute to the promotion and/or perpetuation of pulmonary fibrosis. We propose that promotion of autophagy and mitochondrial quality control may offer an intervention against age‐related fibrotic diseases.
Seen and heard: towards child participation in dental research
Authors: Marshman Zoe , Gupta Ekta , Baker Sarah R. , Robinson Peter G. , Owens Janine , Rodd Helen D. , Benson Philip E. , Gibson Barry
Published: June 2015

Background

There has been an increasing emphasis in many countries worldwide to capture the views of children on health services and research. A previous systematic review found that most oral health research from 2000 to 2005 was conducted on children and highlighted the need for greater research with children.

Aim

To describe the extent to which oral health research between 2006 and 2014 has been conducted with or on children.

Design

Systematic review. Electronic databases were searched for the literature on child dental health. Each identified paper was examined by two researchers and categorised based on the extent to which children were involved in the research, the type of study (evaluative or otherwise), the country of origin, and the clinical discipline.

Results

The search included 2950 papers after application of the exclusion criteria. Of these, 17.4% were with children, 18.3% involved the use of proxies (parents or clinician), and 64.2% were on children.

Conclusions

The proportion of studies from 2006 to 2014 involving research with children has increased from 7.3% in 2000–2005. This systematic review provides evidence for movement towards children's involvement in dental research over the last 10 years. Future dental research must focus on incorporating children's perspectives into the evaluation of dental treatments to improve outcomes for children.
Manual therapy for the management of pain and limited range of motion in subjects with signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Calixtre L. B. , Moreira R. F. C. , Franchini G. H. , Alburquerque‐Sendín F. , Oliveira A. B.
Published: June 2015

There is a lack of knowledge about the effectiveness of manual therapy (MT) on subjects with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The aim of this systematic review is to synthetise evidence regarding the isolated effect of MT in improving maximum mouth opening (MMO) and pain in subjects with signs and symptoms of TMD. MEDLINE®, Cochrane, Web of Science, SciELO and EMBASE™ electronic databases were consulted, searching for randomised controlled trials applying MT for TMD compared to other intervention, no intervention or placebo. Two authors independently extracted data, PEDro scale was used to assess risk of bias, and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) was applied to synthetise overall quality of the body of evidence. Treatment effect size was calculated for pain, MMO and pressure pain threshold (PPT). Eight trials were included, seven of high methodological quality. Myofascial release and massage techniques applied on the masticatory muscles are more effective than control (low to moderate evidence) but as effective as toxin botulinum injections (moderate evidence). Upper cervical spine thrust manipulation or mobilisation techniques are more effective than control (low to high evidence), while thoracic manipulations are not. There is moderate‐to‐high evidence that MT techniques protocols are effective. The methodological heterogeneity across trials protocols frequently contributed to decrease quality of evidence. In conclusion, there is widely varying evidence that MT improves pain, MMO and PPT in subjects with TMD signs and symptoms, depending on the technique. Further studies should consider using standardised evaluations and better study designs to strengthen clinical relevance.
Propranolol in the Treatment of Infantile Hemangiomas: A Meta‐Analysis in Chinese Patients
Authors: Li Lin‐Lin , Yan Lu , Luo Miao‐Xuan , Cai Yi‐Xuan , Mi Xiang‐Bin , Zhang Tang‐De
Published: June 2015

A meta‐analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of propranolol in the treatment of infantile hemangiomas (IHs) in Chinese infants. A statistically significant difference was found between infants treated using propranolol and those treated using corticosteroids (p < 0.001). The total effect pooled from 26 single‐arm studies using meta‐analysis of propranolol on IHs in Chinese infants was 93% (95% confidence interval 0.88, 0.96).
Fair Housing Enforcement in the South and Non‐South*
Authors: Bullock Charles S. , Wilk Eric M. , Lamb Charles M.
Published: June 2015

Objective

We compare outcomes in racial discrimination fair housing complaints processed by southern state and local civil rights agencies to those handled by state and local agencies outside the South and the federal agency, HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development).

Methods

Based on data obtained directly from HUD, we rely on a fixed effects logistic regression model with cluster‐correlated standard errors.

Results

First, southern local agencies are significantly more likely to provide outcomes favorable to complainants in racial discrimination fair housing cases than are local agencies outside the South. Second, state and local agencies in the Deep South provide favorable outcomes to the same extent as their nonsouthern counterparts. Third, southern local agencies are more likely to provide favorable outcomes than is HUD, whereas southern state agencies provide favorable outcomes at roughly the same rate as HUD. Variations within the South partially explain these findings.

Conclusion

We find evidence of progressive changes in southern fair housing enforcement, although those changes occur in an uneven fashion depending on the state or locality.