bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantification of oleacein and oleuropein aglycone in olive oil using deuterated surrogates by normal‐phase ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Luque‐Muñoz Antonio , Tapia Ruben , Haidour Ali , Justicia Jose , Cuerva Juan Manuel
Published: October 2018

An analytical method for the analysis of relevant secoiridoid‐based components in olive oil, oleacein and oleuropein aglycone, is described using for the first time deuterated surrogates. 0.2 g of sample was necessary to perform the analysis using liquid‐liquid extraction and ultrasound‐assisted extraction with a mixture of methanol/water (4:1, v/v). To avoid the formation of by‐products, normal‐phase ultra high performance liquid chromatography was chosen for the chromatographic separation. The selected mobile phase was a gradient mixture of tetrahydrofurane and hexane, and an ACE Excel 3 CN‐ES column as stationary phase. The detection and quantification was performed with a SYNAPT G2‐Si mass spectrometer. The calibration curves for oleacein and oleuropein aglycone were linear and quadratic, respectively. The validation was done at three levels of concentration. Relative errors from 0.1 to 10.5% and relative standard deviations lower than 9% were obtained. The method was applied to study different samples of olive oil.
High intensity focused electromagnetic therapy evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging: Safety and efficacy study of a dual tissue effect based non‐invasive abdominal body shaping
Authors: Kinney Brian M. , Lozanova Paula
Published: October 2018

Objectives

This study introduces an initial evaluation of a novel High‐Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology. The primary goal is to quantify any effects the treatments may have on abdominal tissues, as well as to establish hypotheses for future research of this technology.

Methods

Twenty‐two patients received four abdominal treatments using the EMSCULPT device (BTL Industries Inc., Boston, MA). Anthropometric evaluations were recorded and digital photographs were taken at baseline, at 2 months, and at 6 months post‐treatments. The MRI without contrast determined by vertertebras T12 and S1 (FIESTA and FSPRG sequences) was used to measure dimensions in coronal cross‐sectional images of abdominal muscle and fatty tissues, in order to assess any anatomical changes induced by the application.

Results

Analysis of the same MRI slices verified by tissue artefacts showed a statistically significant (allP < 0.0001) average 18.6% reduction of adipose tissue thickness, 15.4% increase in rectus abdominis muscle thickness, and 10.4% reduction in rectus abdominus separation (diastasis recti) as measured from the medial border of the muscle 2 months post‐treatment. More significant improvements were observed in patients with BMI 18.5–24.9 (classified as “normal”). MRI data from 6‐month follow‐up suggest the changes can be preserved in longer term. Tape measurements showed on average 3.8 cm subumbilical circumference reduction. The weight of the subjects did not change significantly (average −0.5 lb;P > 0.05). No adverse events were reported.

Conclusions

MRI, considered as a highly precise diagnostic method, revealed simultaneous muscle growth, fat reduction and reduced abdominal separation at 2 months and at 6 months post treatments, unrelated with dieting. Further research should investigate the exact physiological processes which stand behind the tissue changes observed in this study. Lasers Surg. Med. 51:40–46, 2019. © 2018 The Authors.Lasers in Surgery and MedicinePublished by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dynamic Hydrogels from Host–Guest Supramolecular Interactions
Authors: Mantooth Siena M. , Munoz‐Robles Brizzia G. , Webber Matthew J.
Published: October 2018

Hydrogel biomaterials are pervasive in biomedical use. Applications of these soft materials range from contact lenses to drug depots to scaffolds for transplanted cells. A subset of hydrogels is prepared from physical cross‐linking mediated by host–guest interactions. Host macrocycles, the most recognizable supramolecular motif, facilitate complex formation with an array of guests by inclusion in their portal. Commonly, an appended macrocycle forms a complex with appended guests on another polymer chain. The formation of poly(pseudo)rotaxanes is also demonstrated, wherein macrocycles are threaded by a polymer chain to give rise to physical cross‐linking by secondary non‐covalent interactions or polymer jamming. Host–guest supramolecular hydrogels lend themselves to a variety of applications resulting from their dynamic properties that arise from non‐covalent supramolecular interactions, as well as engineered responsiveness to external stimuli. These are thus an exciting new class of materials.
The histone deacetylase inhibitor LBH589 inhibits undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma growth via downregulation of FOS‐like antigen 1
Authors: Saitoh Yoshinobu , Bureta Costansia , Sasaki Hiromi , Nagano Satoshi , Maeda Shingo , Furukawa Tatsuhiko , Taniguchi Noboru , Setoguchi Takao
Published: October 2018

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) is the second most frequent soft tissue sarcoma. Because of its resistance to chemotherapy, UPS patients are treated with surgical resection and complementary radiotherapy. However, since standard chemotherapy has not been established, unresectable or metastatic cases result in a poor prognosis. Therefore, the identification of a more effective therapy for UPS patients is needed. The development and progression of malignant tumors involve epigenetic alterations, and histone deacetylases (HDAC) have become a promising chemotherapeutic target. In this study, we investigated the potential effects and mechanisms of an HDAC inhibitor, LBH589, in UPS cells. We confirmed that LBH589 exhibits potent antitumor activities in four human UPS cell lines (GBS‐1, TNMY‐1, Nara‐F, and Nara‐H) and IC50 values ranged from 7 to 13 nM. A mouse xenograft model showed that LBH589 treatment effectively suppressed tumor growth. FACS analysis showed that LBH589 induced apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest. Among apoptosis‐related proteins, the expressions of Bcl‐2 and Bcl‐xL were decreased and the expression of Bak and Bim increased. Among cell cycle‐related proteins, reductions of CDK1, p‐CDK1, cyclin B1, Aurora A, and Aurora B were observed after LBH589 treatment. RNA microarray identified the FOS‐like antigen 1 (FOSL1) gene as a downregulated gene in response to LBH589 in UPS cells. While knockdown of FOSL1 decreased UPS cell proliferation, overexpression induced cell proliferation. Our results show that LBH589 could be a promising chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of UPS and downregulation of the FOSL1 gene could be the new molecular target of UPS treatment.
The multifaceted role of autophagy in cancer and the microenvironment
Authors: Folkerts Hendrik , Hilgendorf Susan , Vellenga Edo , Bremer Edwin , Wiersma Valerie R.
Published: October 2018

Autophagy is a crucial recycling process that is increasingly being recognized as an important factor in cancer initiation, cancer (stem) cell maintenance as well as the development of resistance to cancer therapy in both solid and hematological malignancies. Furthermore, it is being recognized that autophagy also plays a crucial and sometimes opposing role in the complex cancer microenvironment. For instance, autophagy in stromal cells such as fibroblasts contributes to tumorigenesis by generating and supplying nutrients to cancerous cells. Reversely, autophagy in immune cells appears to contribute to tumor‐localized immune responses and among others regulates antigen presentation to and by immune cells. Autophagy also directly regulates T and natural killer cell activity and is required for mounting T‐cell memory responses. Thus, within the tumor microenvironment autophagy has a multifaceted role that, depending on the context, may help drive tumorigenesis or may help to support anticancer immune responses. This multifaceted role should be taken into account when designing autophagy‐based cancer therapeutics. In this review, we provide an overview of the diverse facets of autophagy in cancer cells and nonmalignant cells in the cancer microenvironment. Second, we will attempt to integrate and provide a unified view of how these various aspects can be therapeutically exploited for cancer therapy.
Transcriptome analysis provides insights into differentially expressed genes and long noncoding RNAs involved in sex‐related differences in Amur sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii)
Authors: Zhang Xin , Shi Jialong , Sun Yulong , Zhu Youfang , Zhang Ziping , Wang Yilei
Published: October 2018

In the present study, the next‐generation sequencing technology was used to develop a transcriptome database of gonad and liver from 3‐year‐old male and female Amur sturgeons (Acipenser schrenckii). A total of 139,406 unigenes were generated after the Illumina Hiseq. 2500 sequence and assembled by Trinity. The differential expression analysis between male and female obtained 5,199 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in gonad and 457 DEGs in liver. Gene Ontology enrich analysis showed that the specific DEGs of gonad play a dominant role in reproductive processes. Although the specific DEGs of liver indicated their primary responsibility for energy metabolism, the DEGs of liver and gonad co‐own enriched in terms associated with reproduction suggested that liver also plays a role in sex‐related differences in Amur sturgeon. Furthermore, genes related to sex‐related differences were selected to validate among the four different tissues by real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). In addition, by trans‐acting analysis, a total of 5,206 putative long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and 3,490 target genes of lncRNAs were predicted from gonad and liver. Moreover, several lncRNAs targeting
Mea1,
Piwil1,
Tdrd1,
Nanos2,
Ankrd49, and
ZP3 may have potential regulatory effect related to gametogenesis and gonadal differentiation were identified and validated by qRT‐PCR. These results suggested for the first time that lncRNAs might be one of the effect factors in regulating the differential expression of messenger RNAs associated with sex‐related differences in Amur sturgeon.
Polymer Nanocomposites for Emulsion‐Based Coatings and Adhesives
Authors: Dastjerdi Zahra , Cranston Emily D. , Berry Richard , Fraschini Carole , Dubé Marc A.
Published: October 2018

Emulsion‐based coatings and adhesives are in growing demand due to an increased awareness of health and safety issues arising from solvent‐based polymer manufacturing processes. However, emulsion‐based techniques often require additional development to achieve equal or better application performance compared to solvent‐based processes. The inclusion of nanoparticles in emulsion‐based coatings and adhesives can be considered as a promising means to enhance performance. This paper reviews the current progress on the synthesis of emulsion‐based nanocomposites for coating and adhesive applications and addresses the principles and techniques for nanoparticle dispersions and their inclusion into polymer latexes. The effects of nanoparticle shape and size on the enhancement of nanocomposite properties are also highlighted. Among the reinforcing nanoparticles such as nanoclays, carbon nanotubes, and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), CNCs are promising due to their abundance, nontoxicity, and accessible surface hydroxyl groups, which facilitate their compatibility with polymer latexes via physical and chemical treatments.
Combined imaging and shimming with the dynamic multi‐coil technique
Authors: Umesh Rudrapatna S. , Fluerenbrock Fabian , Nixon Terence W. , de Graaf Robin A. , Juchem Christoph
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Spatial encoding and shimming in MRI have traditionally been performed using dedicated coils that generate orthogonal spherical harmonic fields. The recently introduced multi‐coil hardware has proven that MRI‐relevant magnetic fields can also be created by a generic set of localized coils producing non‐orthogonal fields. As a step towards establishing a purely multi‐coil‐based MRI field generation system, the feasibility of performing conventional Cartesian k‐space encoding and echo‐planar imaging (EPI), as well as concurrent encoding and shimming is demonstrated in this study.

Methods

We report the use of Dynamic Multi‐Coil Technique (DYNAMITE) for combined Cartesian encoding and shimming, and EPI using a 48‐channel multi‐coil system. Experiments were performed on phantom objects and biological specimens in a 9.4 T pre‐clinical scanner. Cartesian Fourier‐encoded MRI and EPI were implemented whereby the magnetic fields required for encoding of the three orthogonal spatial dimensions were entirely based on linear combinations of multi‐coil fields. Furthermore, DYNAMITE imaging was augmented by concurrent DYNAMITE shimming with the same hardware.

Results

DYNAMITE‐based MR and echo‐planar images were indistinguishable from those acquired with the conventional linear imaging gradients provided by the scanner. In experiments with concurrent DYNAMITE shimming and imaging, shim challenges that would result in extreme spatial distortion and signal loss were corrected very effectively with more than 92% signal recovery in case of extreme Z2 shim challenge that resulted in complete signal dephasing in most slices.

Conclusions

We demonstrate the first successful implementation of combined DYNAMITE imaging and shimming and show the feasibility of performing EPI with DYNAMITE hardware. Our results substantiate the potential of multi‐coil hardware as a full‐fledged imaging and shimming system, with additional potential benefits of reduced echo‐time and risk of peripheral nerve stimulation while performing EPI.
The theory of a co‐creative process in advanced palliative home care nursing encounters: A qualitative deductive approach over time
Authors: Bergdahl Elisabeth , Ternestedt Britt‐Marie , Berterö Carina , Andershed Birgitta
Published: October 2018

Aims and objectives

The aim of this study was to test the theoretical conceptualization of the co‐creative process in home care nursing encounters over time.

Method and design

This was a multiple case study with a deductive analysis of qualitative data over time, using interviews and observations collected from three cases.

Results

The co‐creative process was complex and contained main, sub‐ and micro‐processes. Time was important and valuable, giving the patient and relatives space to adjust the process to their own pace. Some processes were worked on more intensively in accordance with the patients’ and relatives’ needs, and these are considered the main‐process. The further developed theory of the co‐creative process and its main, sub‐ and microprocesses can be understood as a concretization of how good nursing care can be performed within caring relationships in the context of advanced palliative home care.
Incumbent bureaucrats: Why elections undermine civil service reform in Indonesia
Authors: Berenschot Ward
Published: October 2018

This article develops an explanation for why democratisation processes sometimes fail to foster effective civil service reform. Using ethnographic fieldwork on the evolving relationship between civil servants and politicians in Lampung, a rural backwater in the southern tip in Sumatra, this paper attributes the ineffectiveness of bureaucratic reform measures in Indonesia to the way in which elections trigger competition over control over state resources. I argue that a merit‐based bureaucracy is particularly difficult to institute when a local bureaucracy enjoys strong discretionary control over the distribution of state resources. During Suharto's authoritarian regime, this control rested largely in the hands of bureaucrats. This authoritarian legacy generates strong incentives for politicians to prefer loyal bureaucrats over capable ones. Politicians need to use bureaucratic appointments as a means to obtain campaign support and to develop control over state resources. In developing these arguments, this paper offers an approach to incorporate informal and clientelistic dimensions of politics more explicitly into analyses of processes of bureaucratic reform.
Steric effects on normal and abnormal acyclic, cyclic‐saturated, and cyclic‐unsaturated diaminocarbenes using DFT method
Authors: Kassaee M.Z. , Khorshidvand N. , Ahmadi A.A. , Cummings P.T.
Published: October 2018

Steric effects are probed on the multiplicity, stability, and reactivity of normal 2,4‐disubstituted and abnormal 2,5‐disubstituted diaminocarbenes 1R‐3R and 1′R‐3′R, respectively, at B3LYP/6‐311++G** level (R = H, Me, Et, i‐Pr, t‐Bu). All optimized structures appear with singlet ground states. In comparison with acyclic normal (1R) and abnormal (1′R), one observes cyclic normal (2R) and abnormal (2′R) as well as cyclic‐unsaturated normal (3R) and abnormal (3′R) exhibit a decrease in nucleophilicity (N) and proton affinity (PA) in going from 1R → 2R → 3R, and in going from 1′R → 2′R → 3′R (except PA in 3′R). On the account of higher reactivity and lower stability of 3′R, PA increases in going from 2′R to 3′R. The singlet‐triplet energy gaps (ΔES‐T) and the energy difference between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy of the compound, HOMO‐LUMO energy gaps (ΔEH‐L) increase in going from 1R → 2R → 3R, and in going from 1′R to 2′R. In contrast, the stability of abnormal species decreases in going from the cyclic‐saturated 2′R, to cyclic‐unsaturated diaminocarbenes 3′R. Isodesmic reactions indicate that both normal and abnormal diaminocarbenes 1R and 1′R, as well as 3R and 3′R become more stable in the presence of heteroatoms. The abnormal ones become more stable than the corresponding normal carbenes. The larger the substituent (R) the greater is the stability effect of the heteroatom.
Double Field Theory for the A/B‐Models and Topological S‐Duality in Generalized Geometry
Authors: Kökényesi Zoltán , Sinkovics Annamária , Szabo Richard J.
Published: October 2018

We study AKSZ‐type BV constructions for the topological A‐ and B‐models within a double field theory formulation that incorporates backgrounds with geometric and non‐geometric fluxes. We relate them to a Courant sigma‐model, on an open membrane, corresponding to a generalized complex structure, which reduces to the A‐ or B‐models on the boundary. We introduce S‐duality at the level of the membrane sigma‐model based on the generalized complex structure, which exchanges the related AKSZ field theories, and interpret it as topological S‐duality of the A‐ and B‐models. Our approach leads to new classes of Courant algebroids associated to (generalized) complex geometry.
Facile Reagent‐Free Synthesis of Furo[3,2‐c]pyridinones and Their Polynuclear Analogues with DDQ as Precursor
Authors: Li Jiang‐Sheng , Yang Qian , Chen Guo‐Qin , Li Zhi‐Wei , Huang Peng‐Mian
Published: October 2018

A variety of furo[3,2‐c]pyridinones and their polynuclear analogues were achieved via a one‐step oxidative cyclization using 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) as both the oxidant and the building block without auxiliary reagents under very mild conditions. The 4‐hydroxylpyridinones, pyranones, and pyrimidinones are applicable in such transformations, demonstrating the astonishing generality of this furan assembly. This powerful protocol enables ready access to furan‐fused heterocycles.
Correlates of hair cortisol concentrations in disadvantaged young children
Authors: Simmons Julian G. , Azpitarte Francisco , Roost Fatou Diallo , Dommers Eric , Allen Nicholas B. , Havighurst Sophie , Haslam Nick
Published: October 2018

Children from highly disadvantaged families tend to experience worse health, educational, and job outcomes than less disadvantaged peers. However, the mechanisms underlying these relationships remain to be explicated. In particular, few studies have investigated the relationships between the psychosocial influences that children are exposed to early in life and longer term cortisol output. This study aims to contribute to the literature by exploring how disadvantaged young children's experiences of family adversity, and parenting and family functioning, are related to their long‐term cortisol levels. A sample of 60 children (26 males, mean = 4.25 years, SD = 1.68) and their mothers (mean = 34.18 years, SD = 7.11) from a low‐income population took part in a single assessment. Mothers completed questionnaires on the family environment, parenting practices, and child behaviour. Children provided a hair sample for cortisol assay and anthropometric measures. A parsimonious multivariate regression model (including potential predictors identified by a selection algorithm) was used to investigate the correlates of hair cortisol concentration (HCC) in children. Higher levels of social exclusion, being male, and younger age were each associated with higher HCC. Maternal nurturing and emotion coaching were associated with lower HCC. Findings suggest that chronic stress may underlie relationships between adversity and its long‐term effects and that HCC offers a promising method for examining chronic stress in children and evaluating interventions by which it can be ameliorated.
Reduction of seismic input motion through adjusting contact length of foundation side walls to surrounding medium
Authors: Fallahzadeh Farashahi Pouran , Jahankhah Hossein
Published: October 2018

This study reviews possibilities of reducing the ordinates of foundation input motion by dictating partial contact of foundation side walls to surroundings. Here, the foundation is considered as a strip embedded inclusion with variable contact length to nearby medium. A newly proposed net input motion that replaced horizontal and rotational input motions with a single horizontal history is considered as the controlling record to explore the partial contact effects. The analysis is done in two stages using finite element method. First, in frequency domain, kinematic transfer functions are examined. Then iso‐valued spectral representation of seismic input modifications, on account of incomplete contact factor, is explored. The results show that for contact length of about half of the foundation depth, response spectra reach the lowest values with respect to other ratios of contact length. At last, as a sample, the input motion at different levels of main pier of San Francisco Bay Bridge is investigated. Three states of full, partial, and zero contact of foundation perimeter to nearby medium are considered, and total acceleration, total displacement, and relative displacements are reported. The results show the beneficial effect of partial contact to reduce the intensity of foundation input motion.
Coherent scattering and macroscopic coherence: implications for neutrino, dark matter and axion detection
Authors: Akhmedov Evgeny , Arcadi Giorgio , Lindner Manfred , Vogl Stefan
Published: October 2018

Abstract

We study the question of whether coherent neutrino scattering can occur on macroscopic scales, leading to a significant increase of the detection cross section. We concentrate on radiative neutrino scattering on atomic electrons (or on free electrons in a conductor). Such processes can be coherent provided that the net electron recoil momentum, i.e. the momentum transfer from the neutrino minus the momentum of the emitted photon, is sufficiently small. The radiative processes is an attractive possibility as the energy of the emitted photons can be as large as the momentum transfer to the electron system and therefore the problem of detecting extremely low energy recoils can be avoided. The requirement of macroscopic coherence severely constrains the phase space available for the scattered particle and the emitted photon. We show that in the case of the scattering mediated by the usual weak neutral current and charged current interactions this leads to a strong suppression of the elementary cross sections and therefore the requirement of macroscopic coherence results in a reduction rather than an increase of the total detection cross section. However, for the νe scattering mediated by neutrino magnetic or electric dipole moments coherence effects can actually increase the detection rates. Effects of macroscopic coherence can also allow detection of neutrinos in 100 eV — a few keV energy range, which is currently not accessible to the experiment. A similar coherent enhancement mechanism can work for relativistic particles in the dark sector, but not for the conventionally considered non-relativistic dark matter.
From gauge to higher gauge models of topological phases
Authors: Delcamp Clement , Tiwari Apoorv
Published: October 2018

Abstract

We consider exactly solvable models in (3+1)d whose ground states are described by topological lattice gauge theories. Using simplicial arguments, we emphasize how the consistency condition of the unitary map performing a local change of triangulation is equivalent to the coherence relation of the pentagonator 2-morphism of a monoidal 2-category. By weakening some axioms of such 2-category, we obtain a cohomological model whose underlying 1-category is a 2-group. Topological models from 2-groups together with their lattice realization are then studied from a higher gauge theory point of view. Symmetry protected topological phases protected by higher symmetry structures are explicitly constructed, and the gauging procedure which yields the corresponding topological gauge theories is discussed in detail. We finally study the correspondence between symmetry protected topological phases and ’t Hooft anomalies in the context of these higher group symmetries.
Diacetyl control during brewery fermentation via adaptive laboratory engineering of the lager yeast Saccharomyces pastorianus
Authors: Gibson Brian , Vidgren Virve , Peddinti Gopal , Krogerus Kristoffer
Published: October 2018

Diacetyl contributes to the flavor profile of many fermented products. Its typical buttery flavor is considered as an off flavor in lager-style beers, and its removal has a major impact on time and energy expenditure in breweries. Here, we investigated the possibility of lowering beer diacetyl levels through evolutionary engineering of lager yeast for altered synthesis of α-acetolactate, the precursor of diacetyl. Cells were exposed repeatedly to a sub-lethal level of chlorsulfuron, which inhibits the acetohydroxy acid synthase responsible for α-acetolactate production. Initial screening of 7 adapted isolates showed a lower level of diacetyl during wort fermentation and no apparent negative influence on fermentation rate or alcohol yield. Pilot-scale fermentation was carried out with one isolate and results confirmed the positive effect of chlorsulfuron adaptation. Diacetyl levels were over 60% lower at the end of primary fermentation relative to the non-adapted lager yeast and no significant change in fermentation performance or volatile flavor profile was observed due to the adaptation. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a non-synonymous SNP in the ILV2 gene of the adapted isolate. This mutation is known to confer general tolerance to sulfonylurea compounds, and is the most likely cause of the improved tolerance. Adaptive laboratory evolution appears to be a natural, simple and cost-effective strategy for diacetyl control in brewing.
N-doped graphene and TiO2 supported manganese and cerium oxides on low-temperature selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3
Authors: Zhao Chunlin , Wu Yanxia , Liang Hailong , Chen Xi , Tang Jie , Wang Xianzhong
Published: October 2018

A series of N-doped graphene (NG) and TiO2 supported MnOx–CeO2 catalysts were prepared by a hydrothermal method. The catalysts with different molar ratios of Mn/Ce (6: 1, 10: 1, 15: 1) were investigated for the low-temperature selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO
x
with NH3. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by HRTEM, SEM, XRD, BET, XPS, and NH3-TPD technologies. The characterization results indicated that manganese and cerium oxide particles dispersed on the surface of the TiO2–NG support uniformly, and that manganese and cerium oxides existed in different valences on the surface of the TiO2–NG support. At Mn element loading of 8 wt%, MnO
x
–CeO2(10: 1)/TiO2–1%NG displayed superior activity and improved SO2 resistance. On the basis of the catalyst characterization, excellent catalytic performance and SO2 tolerance at low temperature were attributed to the high content of manganese with high oxidation valence, extensive oxidation of NO into NO2 by CeO2 and strong NO adsorption capacity, and electron transfer of N-doped graphene.
Carbon dioxide adsorption of two-dimensional carbide MXenes
Authors: Wang Bingxin , Zhou Aiguo , Liu Fanfan , Cao Jianliang , Wang Libo , Hu Qianku
Published: October 2018

Two-dimensional carbide MXenes (Ti3C2T
x
and V2CT
x
) were prepared by exfoliating MAX phases (Ti3AlC2 and V2AlC) powders in the solution of sodium fluoride (NaF) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). The specific surface area (SSA) of as-prepared Ti3C2T
x
was 21 m2/g, and that of V2CT
x
was 9 m2/g. After intercalation with dimethylsulfoxide, the SSA of Ti3C2T
x
was increased to 66 m2/g; that of V2CT
x
was increased to 19 m2/g. Their adsorption properties on carbon dioxide (CO2) were investigated under 0–4 MPa at room temperature (298 K). Intercalated Ti3C2T
x
had the adsorption capacity of 5.79 mmol/g, which is close to the capacity of many common sorbents. The theoretical capacity of Ti3C2T
x
with the SSA of 496 m2/g was up to 44.2 mmol/g. Additionally, due to high pack density, MXenes had very high volume-uptake capacity. The capacity of intercalated Ti3C2T
x
measured in this paper was 502 V·v–1. This value is already higher than volume capacity of most known sorbents. These results suggest that MXenes have some advantage features to be researched as novel CO2 capture materials.
Gyrotactic swimmers in turbulence: shape effects and role of the large-scale flow
Authors: Borgnino M. , Boffetta G. , De Lillo F. , Cencini M.
Published: October 2018

We study the dynamics and the statistics of dilute suspensions of gyrotactic swimmers, a model for many aquatic motile microorganisms. By means of extensive numerical simulations of the Navier–Stokes equations at different Reynolds numbers, we investigate preferential sampling and small-scale clustering as a function of the swimming (stability and speed) and shape parameters, considering in particular the limits of spherical and rod-like particles. While spherical swimmers preferentially sample local downwelling flow, for elongated swimmers we observe a transition from downwelling to upwelling regions at sufficiently high swimming speed. The spatial distribution of both spherical and elongated swimmers is found to be fractal at small scales in a wide range of swimming parameters. The direct comparison between the different shapes shows that spherical swimmers are more clusterized at small stability and speed numbers, while for large values of the parameters elongated cells concentrate more. The relevance of our results for phytoplankton swimming in the ocean is briefly discussed.
‘A Very Serious Responsibility’? The MARS Group, Internationally and Relations with CIAM, 1933–39
Authors: Gold John R.
Published: October 2018

In an interview recorded shortly before his death in 1987, Maxwell Fry recalled the birth of Modern architecture in Great Britain around a half-century earlier. In the course of discussing the work of the Modern Architectural Research (MARS) Group — the society that he had helped to establish in February 1933 and of which he was then the last surviving founder-member — Fry highlighted the links between architects in Britain and their continental European counterparts. Observing that MARS was first established on the basis of an invitation that Wells Coates had received to form a British chapter of the Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne (CIAM), he noted that the Group had immediately gained an entrée into an international forum that functioned as a unique gathering point for the architectural avant-garde. At the same time, he asserted that membership brought with it commitments that conferred ‘a very serious responsibility’.

CIAM was not, of course, the only conduit for the links that MARS members had with the wider world, but in many ways it was the MARS Group’s relationship with the ‘international community of modern architects […] made visible in the foundation of CIAM’ which defined it and differentiated it from other architectural groupings of its day. Most other such bodies initially coalesced around a single manifesto or exhibition and then quickly fell apart when their members found that they had little in common apart from an enthusiasm for Modernism. By contrast, MARS retained an enduring purpose through its membership of CIAM.
Palladio's Architectural Orders: From Practice to Theory
Authors: Hemsoll David
Published: October 2018

The enduring concept of the orders was fundamental to the perpetuation of the classical tradition, and it is central to much architectural theory. One of the most resoundingly influential of its elucidations was published in 1570 by Andrea Palladio (1508–80) in the opening book of his architectural treatise, the Quattro libri dell'architettura (Four Books of Architecture). There, as in other theoretical works from around this period and later, the five orders — Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite — are presented as a hierarchy of purportedly ideal exemplars; and, in this particular case, their universal ‘principles’ (precetti) are conveyed through two sets of illustrations, one depicting colonnades (Fig. 1) and the other arcades (Fig. 2), together with many further plates showing various individual details. In each of the main illustrations, the specimen is given its own designated proportions of column-diameter to column-height, ranging from 1:7 for Tuscan to 1:10 for Composite, and a distinctive formal make-up for both the column and its accompanying entablature. What is little borne in mind, however, is that this published rendition of the orders dates from towards the end of Palladio's career and was preceded by three decades of prolific practice, during which time his approach — as we shall discover — was in many respects very similar. In other words, the Quattro libri treatment of the orders was not merely a necessary and predictable inclusion in such a publication, or just a theoretical or ‘paper’ exercise, which is rather how it has also been viewed, since, as we shall see, it was representative to a very substantial degree of Palladio's actual established practice and its underlying rationale and philosophy.
Capability Brown's account with Drummonds Bank, 1753-1783
Authors: Willis Peter
Published: October 2018

Apart from the records of individual clients, two main sources help us to understand Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown’s financial affairs: his account book in the Lindley Library of the Royal Horticultural Society in London, and his bank account with Drummonds in Charing Cross which stretches unbroken from 1753 (some four years after Brown left Stowe to start an independent career as a landscape designer) to his death in 1783. Thanks to the research of Miss Dorothy Stroud, the account book in the Lindley Library has long been familiar, but the material at Drummonds, now the Drummonds Branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland, deserves to be better known.
The Architects of Christ Church Library
Authors: Weeks James
Published: October 2018

Architecture in Oxford between the Civil War and the early Georgian period presents a fascinating picture of great stylistic change and originality, as vernacular building traditions largely inherited from the Gothic of the Middle Ages were superseded by new design philosophies derived from Renaissance interpretations of classical architecture. The new architecture was driven by an increasingly élite and academic taste, largely dependent upon expensive foreign books and even more costly foreign travel, and necessitated fundamental changes to the established building practices of the colleges, which had hitherto relied largely on local master masons for both construction and design. As architecture ‘was something outside the ken of the average Oxford don’, knowledgeable men, especially those who had travelled abroad and seen modern buildings, became important arbiters of taste, and often drifted into architecture as a result. The first and most famous Oxford man to take this path was Christopher Wren of Wadham College in the 1660s, but he was followed a generation later by Henry Aldrich, Dean of Christ Church, after whose death in 1710 the mantle passed to George Clarke of All Souls College. It is with the significance of the latter two men’s activities at Christ Church that we will presently be concerned.
Three-dimensional printed degradable splint in the treatment of pulmonary artery sling associated with severe bilateral bronchus stenosis
Authors: Han Yuehu , Yin Qiang , Wang Yuan , Zhao Hongliang , He Jiankang , Gu Chunhu
Published: October 2018

Pulmonary artery sling is a congenital cardiovascular disease and is usually accompanied by tracheobronchial stenosis. Generally, infants diagnosed with pulmonary artery sling should have surgery. However, the treatment of tracheobronchial stenosis is still controversial. Our team developed a customised, degradable, three-dimensional printed splint and successfully applied it in the treatment of pulmonary artery sling associated with severe bilateral bronchus stenosis. We suggested that three-dimensional printing may be a novel and effective way to treat tracheobronchial stenosis and other diseases in children.
Implications of Brexit on the effectiveness of the UK soft drinks industry levy upon CHD in England: a modelling study
Authors: Seferidi Paraskevi , Laverty Anthony A , Pearson-Stuttard Jonathan , Guzman-Castillo Maria , Collins Brendan , Capewell Simon , O’Flaherty Martin , Millett Christopher
Published: October 2018

Objective

An industry levy on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) was implemented in the UK in 2018. One year later, Brexit is likely to change the UK trade regime with potential implications for sugar price. We modelled the effect of potential changes in sugar price due to Brexit on SSB levy impacts upon CHD mortality and inequalities.

Design

We modelled a baseline SSB levy scenario; an SSB levy under ‘soft’ Brexit, where the UK establishes a free trading agreement with the EU; and an SSB levy under ‘hard’ Brexit, in which World Trade Organization tariffs are applied. We used the previously validated IMPACT Food Policy model and probabilistic sensitivity analysis to estimate the effect of each scenario on CHD deaths prevented or postponed and life-years gained, stratified by age, sex and socio-economic circumstance, in 2021.

Setting

England.

Subjects

Adults aged 25 years or older.

Results

The SSB levy was associated with approximately 370 (95 % uncertainty interval 220, 560) fewer CHD deaths and 4490 (2690, 6710) life-years gained in 2021. Associated reductions in CHD mortality were 4 and 8 % greater under ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ Brexit scenarios, respectively. The SSB levy was associated with approximately 110 (50, 190) fewer CHD deaths in the most deprived quintile compared with 60 (20, 100) in the most affluent, under ‘hard’ Brexit.

Conclusions

Our study found the SSB levy resilient to potential effects of Brexit upon sugar price. Even under ‘hard’ Brexit, the SSB levy would yield benefits for CHD mortality and inequalities. Brexit negotiations should deliver a fiscal and regulatory environment which promotes population health.
Quantification of DNA double-strand break induced by radiation in cervix cancer cells: in vitro study
Authors: Vashum Sothing , Singh I Rabi Raja , Das Saikat , Azharuddin KO Mohammed , Vasudevan Prabhakaran
Published: October 2018

Aim

DNA double-strand break (DSB) results in the phosphorylation of the protein, H.2AX histone. In this study, the effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy on DNA DSB in cervical cancer cells is analysed by the phosphorylation of the protein.

Methods

The cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells) were cultured and exposed to ionising radiation. Radiation sensitivity was measured by clonogenic survival fraction after exposing to ionising radiation. Since the phosphorylation of H.2AX declines with time, the DNA damage was quantified at different time points: 1 hour, 3 hours and 1 week after exposed to the radiation. The analysis ofγ-H.2AX was done by Western-blot technique. The protein expression was observed at different dose of radiation and combination of both radiation and paclitaxel.

Results

Low-dose hypersensitivity was observed. By 1 week after radiation at 0·5, 0·8 and 2 Gy, there was no expression of phosphorylated H.2AX. Previous experiments on the expression of phosphorylated H.2AX (γ-H.2AX) in terms of foci analysis was found to peak at 1 hour and subsequently decline with time. In cells treated with the DNA damaging agents, the expression of phosphorylated H.2AX decreases in a dose-dependent manner when treated with radiation alone. However, when combined with paclitaxel, at 0·5 Gy, the expression peaked and reduces at 0·8 Gy and slightly elevated at 2 Gy.

Findings

In this study, the peak phosphorylation was observed at 3 hour post irradiation indicating that DSBs are still left unrepaired.
THE FUTURE OF ISLAM, 1672–1924
Authors: ZAMAN FARIDAH
Published: October 2018

This article examines the ways in which defining the character of early Islam has been instrumental to contemporary political debates at distinct moments in time. It looks in particular at Restoration-era England and the last decades of the Ottoman Caliphate. In the latter period, European and Muslim scholars alike reappraised Islamic history in the context of the often polemical discourse surrounding pan-Islamism and the future of Islam. Indian Muslim writers especially moved into new and inventive historical territory. They took up the vocabulary of modern politics in their histories and in doing so pluralized the heritage of certain ideas and concepts, including democracy, constitutionalism, republicanism, and socialism. The result was the articulation of a usable, progressive Islamic past.
Family-based cognitive behavioural therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder with family accommodation: case report from Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alatiq Yousra , Alrshoud Hind
Published: October 2018

Family accommodation in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) refers to a condition in which a family member assists or facilitates the patient with OCD in performing the compulsion, or provides assurance to minimize or reduce the anxiety level. This condition can be significantly disabling to the individual as well as to the family dynamic. In this case report, a mother of a 14-year-old female patient carried out almost all the compulsive behaviours and rituals for her child. Family-based cognitive behavioural therapy was offered to this case over a 4-month period with a successful treatment outcome. This result provides initial evidence that this type of intervention is suitable for patients from Saudi Arabia, a non-Western culture.
Large‐Scale Drivers and Seasonal Predictability of Extreme Wind Speeds Over the North Atlantic and Europe
Authors: Walz Michael A. , Donat Markus G. , Leckebusch Gregor C.
Published: October 2018

As extreme wind speeds are responsible for large socioeconomic losses in the European domain, a skillful prediction would be of great benefit for disaster prevention as well as the actuarial community. Here we evaluate the patterns of atmospheric variability and the seasonal predictability of extreme wind speeds (e.g., >95th percentile) in the European domain in the dynamical seasonal forecast system European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) System 4 and compare to the predictability using a statistical prediction model. Further we compare the seasonal forecast system with ECMWF Re‐Analysis (ERA)‐Interim in order to advance the understanding of the large‐scale conditions that generate extreme winds. The dominant mean sea level pressure patterns of atmospheric variability show distinct differences between reanalysis and System 4 as most patterns in System 4 are extended downstream in comparison to ERA‐Interim. This dissimilar manifestation of the patterns across the two models leads to substantially different drivers associated with the generation of extreme winds: While the prominent pattern of the North Atlantic Oscillation could be identified as the main driver in the reanalysis, extreme winds in System 4 appear to be related to different large‐scale atmospheric pressure patterns. Thus, our results suggest that System 4 does not seem to capture the potential predictability of extreme winds that exists in the real world. This circumstance is likely related to the unrealistic representation of the atmospheric patterns driving these extreme winds. Hence, our study points to potential improvements of dynamical prediction skill by improving the simulation of large‐scale atmospheric variability.
Dominant Role of the Ocean Mixed Layer Depth in the Increased Proportion of Intense Typhoons During 1980–2015
Authors: Wu Liguang , Wang Ruifang , Feng Xiaofang
Published: October 2018

Over the past decade extensive studies have been undertaken to understand the increasing trend in the proportion of intense tropical cyclones (categories 4 and 5 on the Saffir‐Simpson scale). The trend has been found globally and in some individual basins since the late 1970s. This study quantifies the contributions of various factors that control the proportion of intense typhoons. It is demonstrated that the increase of the proportion of intense typhoons during 1980–2015 is consistent with the corresponding changes in the ocean/atmosphere environment. The proportion change resulted from the temporal variations of the environmental parameters (sea surface temperature, ocean mixed layer depth, outflow temperature, and vertical wind shear), as well as the shifts of tropical cyclone prevailing tracks. The nonuniform spatial distribution of environmental parameters makes the shifts of tropical cyclone prevailing tracks contribute at least half the increase of the proportion of intense typhoons. The deepening of the ocean mixed layer resulting from the temporal variations and track shifts plays a dominant role in the observed increase of the proportion of intense typhoons. Although the maximum potential intensity theory and numerical modeling project an increase of tropical cyclone intensity in a warming climate, the effects of the temporal change of the ocean mixed layer depth and the prevailing track change were not taken into account in the projection. This study suggests that the increase of the proportion of intense typhoons in the western North Pacific basin could be larger than the projection in previous studies.