bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Your Hypothesis or Mine? Terminological and Conceptual Variation Across Disciplines
Authors: Donovan Shannon M. , O’Rourke Michael , Looney Chris
Published: May 2015

Cross-disciplinary research (CDR) is a necessary response to many current pressing problems, yet CDR practitioners face diverse research challenges. Communication challenges can limit a CDR team’s ability to collaborate effectively, including differing use of scientific terms among teammates. To illustrate this, we examine the conceptual complexity and cross-disciplinary ambiguity of the term hypothesis as it is used by researchers participating in 16 team building workshops. These workshops assist CDR teams in finding common ground about fundamental research assumptions through philosophically structured dialogue. Our results show that team members often have very different perceptions about the nature of hypotheses, the role of hypotheses in science, and the use of hypotheses within different disciplines. Furthermore, we find that such assumptions can be rooted in disciplinary-based training. These data indicate that potentially problematic terminological differences exist within CDR teams, and exercises that reveal this early in the collaborative process may be beneficial.
Weldability and weld performance of candidate nickel base superalloys for advanced ultrasupercritical fossil power plants part I: fundamentals
Authors: David S. A. , Siefert J. A. , DuPont J. N. , Shingledecker J. P.
Published: May 2015

Fossil fuel will continue to be the major source of energy for the foreseeable future. To meet the demand for clean and affordable energy, an increase in the operating efficiency of fossil fired power plants is necessary. There are several initiatives worldwide to achieve efficiencies >45% higher heating value (HHV) through an increase in steam temperature (700 to 760°C) and pressure (27.6 to 34.5 MPa). Realising this goal requires materials with excellent creep rupture properties and corrosion resistance at elevated temperatures. In order to accomplish this, three classes of materials have been identified: creep strength enhanced ferritic steels, austenitic stainless steels and nickel base superalloys. Although new alloys have been designed and developed to meet this need, welding can have a significant and often detrimental effect on the required mechanical and corrosion resistant properties. Two previous papers addressed the welding and weldability of ferritic and austenitic stainless steels. Welding and weldability of nickel base alloys will be discussed in a two part paper. In this paper, the primary focus will be on the fundamentals of welding and weldability of Ni base superalloys.
Effect of tool pin features on process response variables during friction stir welding of dissimilar aluminum alloys
Authors: Reza-E-Rabby Md. , Tang W. , Reynolds A. P.
Published: May 2015

In this paper, the effect of pin features and orientation/placement of the materials on advancing side were investigated for friction stir welding (FSW) of dissimilar aluminum alloys AA2050 and AA6061. Pins for FSW were produced with a 2·12 mm pitch thread having three flats/flutes. Three sets of rotational speed/welding speed were used to perform a series of welds in a butt joint arrangement. The results show that, joint quality, process response variables and welding temperature are highly affected by pin features and material orientation in FSW. Defect free joints with effective material transportation in the weld nugget zone were obtained when welding was performed with AA2050 on the advancing side. The tool also encounters less in plane reaction force for welding with 2050 on the advancing side. Pin with thread+3 flats produces quality welds at low rotational and travel speed regardless of the location of alloys on advancing or retreating side.
Systematic visualisation methods for material sciences
Authors: Benger W. , Bohara B. , Ritter M.
Published: May 2015

Scientific visualisation of computational or observational data sets in material sciences is essential for studying data sets of ever increasing complexity. Rather than just using and implementing self-contained solutions to address particular problems, a systematic approach for modelling data sets opens the gateway to sharing data sets with other applications and general purpose visualisation frameworks. The fibre bundle data model is a mathematical description encompassing many diverse data types, ranging from molecular dynamics via continuum mechanics describing solid and fluids to finite elements. It fits well to be mapped to the Hierarchical Data Format file format as a widely used data storage container. Still various choices remain on such a data mapping and are reviewed in this article. The fibre bundle data model provides a classification scheme for data sets on an abstract level, disregarding implementation details and therefore eases selecting visualisation methods appropriate for the underlying data. Data are hereby studied via properties of their so called base space and fibre space. The base space is describing properties of the numerical discretion scheme, the fibre space is describing physical quantities. Visual data analysis of both spaces is important, but can be considered widely independent, depending on the need to either study computational or physical aspects of the data. Methods to study the topological structure of the base space complement methods to study scalar, vector and tensor fields and provide a highly systematic approach for scientific visualisation in material sciences.
Our unique microbial identity
Authors: Gilbert Jack A
Published: May 2015

A recent article examines the extent of individual variation in microbial identities and how this might determine disease susceptibility, therapeutic responses and recovery from clinical interventions.

Please see related article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13059-015-0646-9
Differential glucocorticoid metabolism in patients with persistent versus resolving inflammatory arthritis
Authors: Nanus Dominika E , Filer Andrew D , Yeo Lorraine , Scheel-Toellner Dagmar , Hardy Rowan , Lavery Gareth G , Stewart Paul M , Buckley Christopher D , Tomlinson Jeremy W , Cooper Mark S , Raza Karim
Published: May 2015

Introduction

Impairment in the ability of the inflamed synovium to generate cortisol has been proposed to be a factor in the persistence and severity of inflammatory arthritis. In the inflamed synovium, cortisol is generated from cortisone by the 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) enzyme. The objective of this study was to determine the role of endogenous glucocorticoid metabolism in the development of persistent inflammatory arthritis.

Methods

Urine samples were collected from patients with early arthritis (symptoms ≤12 weeks duration) whose final diagnostic outcomes were established after clinical follow-up and from patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). All patients were free of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs at the time of sample collection. Systemic measures of glucocorticoid metabolism were assessed in the urine samples by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Clinical data including CRP and ESR were also collected at baseline.

Results

Systemic measures of 11β-HSD1 activity were significantly higher in patients with early arthritis whose disease went on to persist, and also in the subgroup of patients with persistent disease who developed RA, when compared with patients whose synovitis resolved over time. We observed a significant positive correlation between systemic 11β-HSD1 activity and ESR/CRP in patients with established RA but not in any of the early arthritis patients group.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrates that patients with a new onset of synovitis whose disease subsequently resolved had significantly lower levels of systemic 11β-HSD1 activity when compared with patients whose synovitis developed into RA or other forms of persistent arthritis. Low absolute levels of 11β-HSD1 activity do not therefore appear to be a major contributor to the development of RA and it is possible that a high total body 11β-HSD1 activity during early arthritis may reduce the probability of disease resolution.
Solvability of integrodifferential problems via fixed point theory in b-metric spaces
Authors: Cosentino Monica , Jleli Mohamed , Samet Bessem , Vetro Calogero
Published: May 2015

The purpose of this paper is to study the existence of solutions set of integrodifferential problems in Banach spaces. We obtain our results by using fixed point theorems for multivalued mappings, under new contractive conditions, in the setting of complete b-metric spaces. Also, we present a data dependence theorem for the solutions set of fixed point problems.
An efficient and selective microwave-assisted Claisen-Schmidt reaction for the synthesis of functionalized benzalacetones
Authors: Rayar Anita , Veitía Maité Sylla-Iyarreta , Ferroud Clotilde
Published: May 2015

A simple and direct method for the Claisen-Schmidt reaction to prepare functionalized α,β-unsaturated ketones has been developed. Microwave irradiation of aldehydes with acetone produces benzalacetones selectively without self-condensation product in very short reaction times and good yields.
Holocene variations of wildfire occurrence as a guide for sustainable management of the northeastern Canadian boreal forest
Authors: El-Guellab Ahmed , Asselin Hugo , Gauthier Sylvie , Bergeron Yves , Ali Adam A.
Published: May 2015

Background

Cumulative impacts of wildfires and forest harvesting can cause shifts from closed-crown forest to open woodland in boreal ecosystems. To lower the probability of occurrence of such catastrophic regime shifts, forest logging must decrease when fire frequency increases, so that the combined disturbance rate does not exceed the Holocene maximum. Knowing how climate warming will affect fire regimes is thus crucial to sustainably manage the forest. This study aimed to provide a guide to determine sustainable forest harvesting levels, by reconstructing the Holocene fire history at the northern limit of commercial forestry in Quebec using charcoal particles preserved in lake sediments.

Methods

Sediment cores were sampled from four lakes located close to the northern limit of commercial forestry in Quebec. The cores were sliced into consecutive 0.5 cm thick subsamples from which 1 cm3 was extracted to count and measure charcoal particles larger than 150 microns. Age-depth models were obtained for each core based on accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS) radiocarbon dates. Holocene fire histories were reconstructed by combining charcoal counts and age-depth models to obtain charcoal accumulation rates and, after statistical treatment, long-term trends in fire occurrence (expressed as number of fires per 1000 years).

Results

Fire occurrence varied between the four studied sites, but fires generally occurred more often during warm and dry periods of the Holocene, especially during the Holocene Thermal Maximum (7000–3500 cal. BP), when fire occurrence was twice as high as at present.

Conclusions

The current fire regime in the study area is still within the natural range of variability observed over the Holocene. However, climatic conditions comparable to the Holocene Thermal Maximum could be reached within the next few decades, thus substantially reducing the amount of wood available to the forest industry.
Reduced-dose and high-speed acquisition strategies for multi-dimensional electron microscopy
Authors: Saghi Zineb , Benning Martin , Leary Rowan , Macias-Montero Manuel , Borras Ana , Midgley Paul A
Published: May 2015

Multi-dimensional electron microscopy has recently gained considerable interest thanks to the advent of microscopes with unprecedented analytical and in situ capabilities. These information-rich imaging modes, though, are often subject to long acquisition times and large data generation. In this paper, we explore novel acquisition strategies and reconstruction algorithms to retrieve reliable reconstructions from datasets that are limited in terms of both per image and tilt series angular sampling. We show that inpainting techniques are capable of restoring scanning transmission electron microscopy images in which a very restricted number of pixels are scanned, while compressed sensing tomographic reconstruction is capable of minimising artefacts due to angular subsampling. An example of robust reconstruction from data constituting a dose reduction of 10× is presented, using an organic/inorganic core-shell nanowire as a test sample. The combination of these novel acquisition schemes and image recovery strategies provides new avenues to reduced-dose and high-speed imaging.
Hepatitis B Virus Screening for Patients With Cancer Before Therapy: American Society of Clinical Oncology Provisional Clinical Opinion Update
Authors: Hwang Jessica P. , Somerfield Mark R. , Alston-Johnson Devena E. , Cryer Donna R. , Feld Jordan J. , Kramer Barnett S. , Sabichi Anita L. , Wong Sandra L. , Artz Andrew S.
Published: May 2015

Purpose

This updated provisional clinical opinion presents a revised opinion based on American Society of Clinical Oncology panel consensus in the context of an evolving database.

Context

Despite the 2010 provisional clinical opinion recommendation, there is still evidence of suboptimal hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening among patients at high risk for HBV infection or HBV reactivation after chemotherapy. This updated provisional clinical opinion introduces a risk-adaptive strategy to identify and treat patients with HBV infection to reduce their risk of HBV reactivation.

Provisional Clinical Opinion

Medical providers should screen by testing patients for HBV infection before starting anti-CD20 therapy or hematopoietic cell transplantation. Providers should also screen patients with risk factors for HBV infection. Screening should include both hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc), because reactivation can occur in patients who are HBsAg positive/anti-HBc positive or HBsAg negative/anti-HBc positive. Either total anti-HBc or anti-HBc immunoglobulin G (not immunoglobulin M) test should be used. Clinicians should start antiviral therapy for HBsAg-positive/anti-HBc–positive patients before or contemporaneously with cancer therapy and monitor HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc–positive patients for reactivation with HBV DNA and ALT levels, promptly starting antivirals if reactivation occurs. Clinicians can initiate antivirals for HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc–positive patients anticipating cancer therapies associated with a high risk of reactivation, or they can monitor HBV DNA and ALT levels and initiate on-demand antivirals. For patients who neither have HBV risk factors nor anticipate cancer therapy associated with a high risk of reactivation, current evidence does not support HBV screening before initiation of cancer therapy. Two panel members provided a minority viewpoint, involving a strategy of universal HBsAg and selective anti-HBc testing.
Capitalism and Primal History in Walter Benjamin’s Arcades Project
Authors: Nguyen Duy Lap
Published: May 2015

This essay proposes a reading of Walter Benjamin’s attempt to develop a historical materialist critique of phenomenological theories of time, including those of Martin Heidegger, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Edmund Husserl. In the Arcades Project, these theories of time—which Benjamin describes as different accounts of “primal history”—are characterized as the historical products of industrial capitalism as a particular mode of production. Drawing on Marx’s analysis of the contradiction between the relations and forces of production, Benjamin identifies factory labor and crises in industrial capitalism as historically determinate forms of experience (Erlebnis) that paradoxically expose the process through which time—and thus history—is originarily constituted or temporalized.
Dynamics of the slowing segmentation clock reveal alternating two-segment periodicity
Authors: Shih Nathan P. , François Paul , Delaune Emilie A. , Amacher Sharon L.
Published: May 2015

The formation of reiterated somites along the vertebrate body axis is controlled by the segmentation clock, a molecular oscillator expressed within presomitic mesoderm (PSM) cells. Although PSM cells oscillate autonomously, they coordinate with neighboring cells to generate a sweeping wave of cyclic gene expression through the PSM that has a periodicity equal to that of somite formation. The velocity of each wave slows as it moves anteriorly through the PSM, although the dynamics of clock slowing have not been well characterized. Here, we investigate segmentation clock dynamics in the anterior PSM in developing zebrafish embryos using an in vivo clock reporter, her1:her1-venus. The her1:her1-venus reporter has single-cell resolution, allowing us to follow segmentation clock oscillations in individual cells in real-time. By retrospectively tracking oscillations of future somite boundary cells, we find that clock reporter signal increases in anterior PSM cells and that the periodicity of reporter oscillations slows to about ∼1.5 times the periodicity in posterior PSM cells. This gradual slowing of the clock in the anterior PSM creates peaks of clock expression that are separated at a two-segment periodicity both spatially and temporally, a phenomenon we observe in single cells and in tissue-wide analyses. These results differ from previous predictions that clock oscillations stop or are stabilized in the anterior PSM. Instead, PSM cells oscillate until they incorporate into somites. Our findings suggest that the segmentation clock may signal somite formation using a phase gradient with a two-somite periodicity.
GABAB receptor promotes its own surface expression by recruiting a Rap1-dependent signaling cascade
Authors: Zhang Zongyong , Zhang Wenhua , Huang Siluo , Sun Qian , Wang Yunyun , Hu Yongjian , Sun Ninghua , Zhang Yilei , Jiang Zhihua , Minato Nagahiro , Pin Jean-Philippe , Su Li , Liu Jianfeng
Published: May 2015

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are key players in cell signaling, and their cell surface expression is tightly regulated. For many GPCRs such as β2-AR (β2-adrenergic receptor), receptor activation leads to downregulation of receptor surface expression, a phenomenon that has been extensively characterized. By contrast, some other GPCRs, such as GABAB receptor, remain relatively stable at the cell surface even after prolonged agonist treatment; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we identify the small GTPase Rap1 as a key regulator for promoting GABAB receptor surface expression. Agonist stimulation of GABAB receptor signals through Gαi/o to inhibit Rap1GAPII (also known as Rap1GAP1b, an isoform of Rap1GAP1), thereby activating Rap1 (which has two isoforms, Rap1a and Rap1b) in cultured cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). The active form of Rap1 is then recruited to GABAB receptor through physical interactions in CGNs. This Rap1-dependent signaling cascade promotes GABAB receptor surface expression by stimulating receptor recycling. Our results uncover a new mechanism regulating GPCR surface expression and also provide a potential explanation for the slow, long-lasting inhibitory action of GABA neurotransmitter.
Architectures of multisubunit complexes revealed by a visible immunoprecipitation assay using fluorescent fusion proteins
Authors: Katoh Yohei , Nozaki Shohei , Hartanto David , Miyano Rie , Nakayama Kazuhisa
Published: May 2015

In this study, we elucidated the architectures of two multisubunit complexes, the BBSome and exocyst, through a novel application of fluorescent fusion proteins. By processing lysates from cells co-expressing GFP and RFP fusion proteins for immunoprecipitation with anti-GFP nanobody, protein–protein interactions could be reproducibly visualized by directly observing the immunoprecipitates under a microscope, and evaluated using a microplate reader, without requiring immunoblotting. Using this ‘visible’ immunoprecipitation (VIP) assay, we mapped binary subunit interactions of the BBSome complex, and determined the hierarchies of up to four subunit interactions. We also demonstrated the assembly sequence of the BBSome around the centrosome, and showed that BBS18 (also known as BBIP1 and BBIP10) serves as a linker between BBS4 and BBS8 (also known as TTC8). We also applied the VIP assay to mapping subunit interactions of the exocyst tethering complex. By individually subtracting the eight exocyst subunits from multisubunit interaction assays, we unequivocally demonstrated one-to-many subunit interactions (Exo70 with Sec10+Sec15, and Exo84 with Sec10+Sec15+Exo70). The simple, versatile VIP assay described here will pave the way to understanding the architectures and functions of multisubunit complexes involved in a variety of cellular processes.
Is oxidative status influenced by dietary carotenoid and physical activity after moult in the great tit (Parus major)?
Authors: Vaugoyeau Marie , Decencière Beatriz , Perret Samuel , Karadas Filiz , Meylan Sandrine , Biard Clotilde
Published: May 2015

In the context of sexual and natural selection, an allocation trade-off for carotenoid pigments may exist because of their obligate dietary origin and their role both in the antioxidant and immune systems and in the production of coloured signals in various taxa, particularly birds. When birds have expended large amounts of carotenoids to feather growth such as after autumn moult, bird health and oxidative status might be more constrained. We tested this hypothesis in a bird species with carotenoid-based plumage colour, by manipulating dietary carotenoids and physical activity, which can decrease antioxidant capacity and increase reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) concentration. Great tits were captured after moult and kept in aviaries, under three treatments: physical handicap and dietary supplementation with carotenoids, physical handicap and control diet, and no handicap and control diet. We measured plasma composition (antioxidant capacity, ROM concentration, vitamin A, E and total carotenoid concentrations), immune system activation (blood sedimentation) and stress response (heterophil/lymphocyte ratio) and predicted that handicap treatment should influence these negatively and carotenoid supplementation positively. Colouration of yellow feathers was also measured. Carotenoid supplementation increased total plasma carotenoid concentrations, decreased feather carotenoid chroma and marginally increased ROM concentration. Handicap increased blood sedimentation only in males but had no clear influence on oxidative stress, which contradicted previous studies. Further studies are needed to investigate how physical activity and carotenoid availability might interact and influence oxidative stress outside the moult period, and their combined potential influence on attractiveness and reproductive investment later during the breeding season.
Ultraviolet filters in stomatopod crustaceans: diversity, ecology, and evolution
Authors: Bok Michael J. , Porter Megan L. , Cronin Thomas W.
Published: May 2015

Stomatopod crustaceans employ unique ultraviolet (UV) optical filters in order to tune the spectral sensitivities of their UV-sensitive photoreceptors. In the stomatopod species Neogonodactylus oerstedii, we previously found four filter types, produced by five distinct mycosporine-like amino acid pigments in the crystalline cones of their specialized midband ommatidial facets. This UV-spectral tuning array produces receptors with at least six distinct spectral sensitivities, despite expressing only two visual pigments. Here we present a broad survey of these UV filters across the stomatopod order, examining their spectral absorption properties in twenty-one species from seven families in four superfamilies. We found that UV filters are present in three of the four superfamilies, and evolutionary character reconstruction implies that at least one class of UV filter was present in the ancestor of all modern stomatopods. Additionally, postlarval stomatopods were observed to produce the UV filters simultaneously alongside development of the adult eye. The absorbance properties of the filters are consistent within a species; however, between species we found a great deal of diversity, both in the number of filters, and in their spectral absorbance characteristics. This diversity correlates with the habitat depth ranges of these species, suggesting that species living in shallow, UV-rich environments may tune their UV spectral sensitivities more aggressively. We also found additional, previously unrecognized UV filter types in the crystalline cones of the peripheral eye regions of some species, indicating the possibility for even greater stomatopod visual complexity than previously thought.
Separation and Identification of Phosphatidylcholine Regioisomers by Combining Liquid Chromatography with a Fusion of Collision- and Ozone-Induced Dissociation
Authors: Kozlowski Rachel L. , Mitchell Todd W. , Blanksby Stephen J.
Published: May 2015

The differentiation of closely related lipid isomers is increasingly important to our evolving understanding of lipid biochemistry but it is equally challenging to contemporary chromatographic and mass spectral analyses. Recently, we described a novel ion-activation approach based on combining collision- with ozone-induced dissociation (CID/OzID) for the identification of the relative acyl chain substitution positions in glycerophospholipids. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, that CID/OzID can be effectively combined with reversed-phase chromatography to enable the separation and unambiguous identification of regioisomeric pairs of phosphatidylcholines that differ only in the arrangement of acyl chains on the glycerol backbone.
Individual Steps of the Mizoroki—Heck Reaction and Intrinsic Reactivity of Intermediate Organopalladium Complexes Studied in the Gas Phase
Authors: Fiebig Lukas , Held Joseph , Schmalz Hans-Günther , Schäfer Mathias
Published: May 2015

The mechanism of the Mizoroki–Heck reaction (MHR) was analyzed by collision-induced dissociation (CID) tandem-mass spectrometry and gas-phase ion/molecule reactions (IMRs) as well as by DFT computational analysis. The MHR was performed in the gas phase and the intrinsic reactivity of important intermediates was examined individually. Kinetics and substituent effects of cationic palladium-PCy3-aryl complexes (Cy = cyclohexyl) with 2,3-dimethylbutadiene in the MHR were analyzed via IMRs and CID. The kinetics and ion structures of the species involved in the olefin insertion, i.e., the carbopalladation, were investigated. Moreover, linear free-energy correlations were applied and a concerted mechanism proceeding via a four-membered transition state for the carbopalladation step that exhibited only a minor charge separation was deduced.
Dissociation Mechanism of the 3-Hydroxypyridine Radical Cation: A Computational Study
Authors: Park Jung-Min , Kim Hyo-Jun , Choe Joong Chul
Published: May 2015

The potential energy surface (PES) for the losses of CO and HCN from the 3-hydroxypyridine radical cation (3-HP+•) and for the isomerizations to 2- and 4-HP+• was determined from G3//B3LYP calculations. The overall activation energies are similar for six dissociation channels to form the radical cations of CH2=CHCH=N=CH, 1- H, 2- H, and 3- H pyrrole by the loss of CO to form the radical cations of CH2=CHCH=C=O and furan by the loss of HCN. A kinetic analysis based on the obtained PES shows that the acyclic C4H5N+• and C4H4O+• ions are the main products formed by the losses of CO and HCN, respectively.
Determination of Traces of Uranium and Thorium in Titanium and Copper Used for the Construction of the Russian Emission Detector 100 by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Poteshin Sergey S. , Sysoev Alexey A. , Lagunov Sergey S. , Sereda Andrei , Sosnovtsev Valery V. , Bolozdynya Alexander I. , Efremenko Yuriy B.
Published: May 2015

The Russian Emission Detector 100 (RED-100) under construction at the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute) is designed to detect the presently undiscovered effect of coherent neutrino scattering. One of the factors limiting the sensitivity of the detector is the spontaneous decay of uranium and thorium in the detector materials. Radioactive impurities in detector materials at levels of parts per billion can significantly affect the sensitivity. Five random samples of titanium and one of copper from materials used in the construction of the detector were selected for assay. The concentrations of 232Th and 238U were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in solid titanium using both solutions in acids and direct sampling by laser ablation (LA-ICP-MS). The LA-ICP-MS method allowed us to determine 238U and 232Th at subnanogram per gram levels. This method is much faster than ICP-MS with liquid injection. The titanium samples studied have impurities in the range between 1 ng g −1 and 21 ng g−1 for 238U and 3 ng g−1 and 31 ng g−1 for 232Th. In copper we set upper limits of 0.4 ng g−1 for 238U and 1 ng g−1 for 232Th. The total activity of the cryostat constructed from the materials studied was estimated to be 43 Bq.
Glycated Human Serum Albumin Isolated from Poorly Controlled Diabetic Patients Impairs Cholesterol Efflux from Macrophages: An Investigation by Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Castilho Gabriela , Sartori Camila H , Machado-Lima Adriana , Nakandakare Edna R , Corrêa-Giannella Maria Lucia C , Roverso Marco , Porcu Simona , Lapolla Annunziata , Traldi Pietro , Passarelli Marisa
Published: May 2015

Advanced glycation end-products impair ABCA-1-mediated cholesterol efflux by eliciting inflammation, the generation of reactive oxygen species and endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) stress. The glycation level of human serum albumin (HSA) from type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients was determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry and related to possible impairment of ER function and cellular cholesterol efflux. Comparison of the MALDI spectra from healthy and diabetic subjects allowed us to determine an increased HSA mean mass of 1297 Da for type 1 and 890 Da for type 2. These values reflect a mean condensation of at least 8 glucose units and 5 glucose units, respectively. Mouse peritoneal macrophages were treated with HSA from control, type 1 and type 2 diabetic subjects in order to measure the expression of Grp78, Grp94, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), calreticulin (CRT), and ABCA-1. 14C-cholesterol overloaded-J774 macrophages were treated with HSA from control and diabetic subjects and further incubated with apo A-1 to determine the cholesterol efflux. Combined analyses comprising HSA from type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients were performed in cellular functional assays. In macrophages, PDI expression increased 89% and CRT 3.4 times in comparison to HSA from the control subjects. ABCA-1 protein level and apo A-I-mediated cholesterol efflux were, respectively, 50% and 60% reduced in macrophages exposed to HSA from type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients when compared to that exposed to HSA from control subjects. We provide evidence that the level of glycation that occurs in albumin in vivo damages the ER function related to the impairment in macrophage reverse cholesterol transport, and so contributes to atherosclerosis in diabetes.
Fragmentation of Protonated 2-(2-Phenylethyl)Chromones from Agarwood: The Diagnostic Role of Ion/Neutral Complexes as Reactive Intermediates
Authors: Yang Delan , Xia Bing , Jiang Yan , Mei Wenli , Kuck Dietmar
Published: May 2015

A positive-ion electrospray ionisation collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometric study on the fragmentation of the [M + H]+ ions of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone and a set of nine hydroxyl- and/or methoxy-substituted derivatives has revealed a highly prominent fragmentation channel, the loss of benzoquinomethanes or a benzaldehyde, respectively, as a diagnostic feature for 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromones that bear a hydroxyl group at the para- (4′-), ortho- (2′-) and/or benzylic ( α-) position of the phenylethyl residue. Derivatives that bear only a meta- (3′-) hydroxyl group do not undergo this elimination. The intermediacy of ion/neutral complexes (INCs) is invoked to explain this fragmentation, which involves the remarkable intra-complex proton or hydrogen atom transfer from the remote 4′-OH (or the 2′- or α-OH) functionalities. Density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G(d)) calculations confirm the energetic preference for these elimination channels and agree with the limited thermochemical data known for para- and ortho-benzoquinomethanes. The INC-mediated losses of the benzaldehydes from the [M + H]+ ions of the α-hydroxy-substituted 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones correspond to a particularly facile (vinylogous) Grob fragmentation. The study may be viewed as a telling example of the diagnostic role of ion/neutral complexes as intermediates for the structural assignment of constitutional isomers by mass spectrometry.
Effect of rice variety and blending proportion on the proximate compositions, minerals and phytic acid contents of bread from rice-teff blend
Authors: Legesse Sintayehu , Worku Solomon , Bultosa Geremew
Published: May 2015

Development of bakery products containing rice (Oryza sativa, Linn.) and teff (Eragrostis tef) could have potential health benefits due to their gluten free nature. Nine experimental runs were generated using custom design by JMP 8 software. The effect of two factors, rice variety (Edeget, X-jigna and Nerica-4) and blending proportions of rice and teff (0.5:0.5, 0.7:0.3 and 0.9:0.1) were studied. The data analysis was conducted using SAS software package for the mean comparison and custom design by JMP 8 software. Response surface methodology was applied to study the interaction effect of the main factors and to generate the predictive equations. An optimal value (1.60%) of fiber was obtained when the proportion of the blend was 50% Edeget and 50% teff because teff grain is high in fiber. A maximum value (10.75%) of protein was obtained when the proportion of the blend was 70% Nerica-4 and 30% teff. Carbohydrate was optimal (81.37%) when 90% Edeget and 10% teff were blended because rice grain is high in carbohydrate. Optimal iron content (12.97 mg/100g) was obtained when the proportion of the blend was 50% Nerica-4 and 50% teff because teff grain is high in iron. Optimal zinc content (4.14 mg/100g) was obtained when the proportion of the blend was 50% X-jigna and 50% teff. The optimal value (61.25 mg/100g) of calcium was obtained when the proportion of the blend was 50% Edeget and 50% teff.  Optimum (lower) value (0.31mg/g) of phytic acid was obtained when the proportion of the blend was 90% Nerica-4 and 10% teff because rice grain is lower in phytic acid content. It was concluded that rice variety and rice-teff blending proportion had a significant effect on the physico-chemical properties of rice-teff blend bread. An optimal nutrient blend (high in nutrients, low in anti-nutrients) was obtained when 70% Edeget rice variety was blended with 30% teff. All the derived mathematical models for the various responses were found to fit significantly to the predicted data.
Approaches to Evaluating Business Companies Investment Projects Efficiency
Authors: Костин  , Kostin Andrey
Published: May 2015

The overview of current techniques for evaluating efficiency of investment

projects is presented, main shortcomings of established techniques are

outlined and applicability of the economic level of technologies (ELT) index

as a measure of an investment project efficiency is shown.
Error Theory for Elimination by Aspects
Authors: Kohli Rajeev , Jedidi Kamel
Published: May 2015

Elimination by aspects (EBA) is a random utility model that is considered to represent the choice process used by consumers more faithfully than logit and probit models. One limitation of the model is that it does not have a known error theory. We show that EBA can be derived by assuming that aspects have random utilities with independent, extreme value distributions. Multinomial logit and rank-ordered logit models are special cases of EBA.
A General Framework for Pricing Asian Options Under Markov Processes
Authors: Cai Ning , Song Yingda , Kou Steven
Published: May 2015

A general framework is proposed for pricing both continuously and discretely monitored Asian options under one-dimensional Markov processes. For each type (continuously monitored or discretely monitored), we derive the double transform of the Asian option price in terms of the unique bounded solution to a related functional equation. In the special case of continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC), the functional equation reduces to a linear system that can be solved analytically via matrix inversion. Thus the Asian option prices under a one-dimensional Markov process can be obtained by first constructing a CTMC to approximate the targeted Markov process model, and then computing the Asian option prices under the approximate CTMC by numerically inverting the double transforms. Numerical experiments indicate that our pricing method is accurate and fast under popular Markov process models, including the CIR model, the CEV model, Merton’s jump diffusion model, the double-exponential jump diffusion model, the variance gamma model, and the CGMY model.
Canine conjunctival vascular tumours with corneal involvement: two notable cases
Authors: Dunn Karen
Published: May 2015

Primary corneal neoplasms are rare in dogs. However, corneal vascular tumours are sometimes seen, usually secondarily involving the cornea by extension from the conjunctival limbus. Here we compare two cases of haemangiosarcoma with corneal involvement in dogs.
Eleven fundraising pitfalls for the unwary
Authors: Best Brin
Published: May 2015

Brin Best explains how to avoid some of the common pitfalls associated with school fundraising, such as expecting funding for the school's core curriculum or overlooking end-of-project reports.
Key things to consider when applying for a grant
Authors: Ellery John
Published: May 2015

Fundraising expert John Ellery discusses some key things that schools must consider when applying for funds or grants.
Ofsted: What is changing and how?
Authors: McNeillie Justine
Published: May 2015

Are you ready for the changes to inspection from September 2015? Expert Justine McNeillie looks at what is ahead and offers her advice to school leaders
Have you made your decision yet?
Authors: O'Connell Suzanne
Published: May 2015

Baseline Assessment can begin from September. Six accredited providers have been named and schools encouraged to make their decisions. But, as Suzanne O'Connell found out, there is still much opposition
Reading, writing and the importance of vocabulary
Authors: Robertson Frances
Published: May 2015

Research indicates that low levels of vocabulary can have an impact on reading and therefore writing. Headteacher Frances Robertson looks at the role of vocabulary teaching and some effective approaches
Age- and Sex-Specific Dynamics in 22 Hematologic and Biochemical Analytes from Birth to Adolescence
Authors: Zierk Jakob , Arzideh Farhad , Rechenauer Tobias , Haeckel Rainer , Rascher Wolfgang , Metzler Markus , Rauh Manfred
Published: May 2015

BACKGROUND

Pediatric laboratory test results must be interpreted in the context of interindividual variation and age- and sex-dependent dynamics. Reference intervals as presently defined for separate age groups can only approximate the age-related dynamics encountered in pediatrics. Continuous reference intervals from birth to adulthood are not available for most laboratory analytes because of the ethical and practical constraints of defining reference intervals using a population of healthy community children. We applied an indirect method to generate continuous reference intervals for 22 hematologic and biochemical analytes by analyzing clinical laboratory data from blood samples taken during clinical care of patients.

METHODS

We included samples from 32 000 different inpatients and outpatients (167 000 samples per analyte) from a German pediatric tertiary care center. Measurements were performed on a Sysmex-XE 2100 and a Cobas Integra 800 during clinical care over a 6-year period. The distribution of samples considered normal was estimated with an established indirect statistical approach and used for the calculation of reference intervals.

RESULTS

We provide continuous reference intervals from birth to adulthood for 9 hematology analytes (hemoglobin, hematocrit, red cell indices, red cell count, red cell distribution width, white cell count, and platelet count) and 13 biochemical analytes (sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, creatinine, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, γ-glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and total protein).

CONCLUSIONS

Continuous reference intervals capture the population changes in laboratory analytes during pediatric development more accurately than age groups. After local validation, the reference intervals provided should allow a more precise consideration of these dynamics in clinical decision making.
Reviews
Authors: Weeks Paul , Sandover Rebecca , Kaaristo Maarja , Gilbertson Adam
Published: May 2015

Eating Her Curries and Kway: A Cultural History of Food in Singapore, Nicole Tarulevicz (2013) Urbana, University of Illinois Press, xi + 204 pp., ISBN: 97802520389099, p/bk, £34.00

Food and the Self: Consumption, Production and Material Culture, Isabelle de Solier (2013) London: Bloomsbury, ix+199 pp., ISBN: 9780857854223, p/bk, £19.99

Tourism and the Power of Otherness: Seductions of Difference, David Picard and Michael A. Di Giovine (eds) (2014) Bristol: Channel View, xii+195 pp., ISBN: 9781845414153, p/bk, £24.95

Food and Society: Principles and Paradoxes, Amy E. Guptill, Denise A. Copelton and Betsy Lucal (2013) Cambridge: Polity Press, 333 pp., ISBN: 9780745642826, p/bk, £17.99
Consumer Characteristics of Chicken Eggs in Teresina, PI
Authors: Da Silva Marcielly Batista , Raposo Joana Darc Alves da Silva , Ramos Lidiana De Siqueira Nunes
Published: May 2015

The commercial egg is the product of an efficient biological processing made by the laying hen. This bird transforms food resources of lower biological value into a product with high nutritional quality for human consumption. Lack of knowledge by the population about the nutritional properties of eggs influences the low consumption of it, as well as the judgment of this product as harmful to health. Given the above, the aim of this research is to know the consumer profile of chicken eggs in Teresina - PI. 200 people were interviewed by applying a checklist, previously prepared in September 2014. It was found that the frequency of consumption of chicken eggs, the majority of consumers (59.5%) were weekly. It was found that (26%) consume eggs three times a week. Among the most influential factors when choosing the eggs, its price (50%) was the most influential factor, followed by the shell color (28.5%). Regarding the preference of shell color, most consumers (61%) prefer the white one. We conclude that the consumer profile of chicken eggs in Teresina -PI is represented mostly by women aged 41-60 years, high school graduates, making up to 1 minimum wage, which show a high frequency of egg consumption, three times a week, and choose eggs for the price and give preference to white shell eggs.

 

DOI: 10.14685/rebrapa.v6i1.180

 
Effect of chitosan addition in starch and poly(lactic acid) sheets produced by extrusion
Authors: Alberti Matheus Luz , De Souza Sílvio José , Gonçalves Heliberto , Yamashita Fabio , Shirai Marianne Ayumi
Published: May 2015

The use of blends containing biodegradable polymers like starch and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) has gained considerable attention, especially for the food packaging production. Current research has also highlighted the use of chitosan because their antimicrobial activity, biodegradability and applicability in the production of active biodegradable food packaging. The objective of this work was to produce cassava starch and PLA sheets incorporated with chitosan by flat extrusion process (calendering-extrusion), and evaluate the mechanical, water vapor barrier and microstructural properties. In order to simplify the obtainment of the material reducing processing steps, all components of the blend were homogenized in one step extrusion The incorporation of chitosan in the starch/PLA sheets decreased significantly the tensile strength, Young's modulus, elongation at break and density. In addition, the scanning electron microscopy images showed the formation of non-homogeneous mixtures with the presence of pores between the blend compounds, and this fact affected the water vapor barrier properties increasing water vapor permeability, solubility and diffusion coefficients. It was possible to conclude that although the incorporation of chitosan to the starch/PLA sheets has not contributed to obtain materials with suitable properties, it was able to produce them by calendering-extrusion process in pilot scale. Studies about chitosan incorporation in starch and PLA sheets still needed.

 

DOI: 10.14685/rebrapa.v6i1.208

 
Diversity based relevance feedback for time series search
Authors: Eravci Bahaeddin , Ferhatosmanoglu Hakan
Published: May 2015

We propose a diversity based relevance feedback approach for time series data to improve the accuracy of search results. We first develop the concept of relevance feedback for time series based on dual-tree complex wavelet (CWT) and SAX based approaches. We aim to enhance the search quality by incorporating diversity in the results presented to the user for feedback. We then propose a method which utilizes the representation type as part of the feedback, as opposed to a human choosing based on a preprocessing or training phase. The proposed methods utilize a weighting to handle the relevance feedback of important properties for both single and multiple representation cases. Our experiments on a large variety of time series data sets show that the proposed diversity based relevance feedback improves the retrieval performance. Results confirm that representation feedback incorporates item diversity implicitly and achieves good performance even when using simple nearest neighbor as the retrieval method. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on diversification of time series search to improve retrieval accuracy and representation feedback.
Online ordering of overlapping data sources
Authors: Salloum Mariam , Dong Xin Luna , Srivastava Divesh , Tsotras Vassilis J.
Published: May 2015

Data integration systems offer a uniform interface for querying a large number of autonomous and heterogeneous data sources. Ideally, answers are returned as sources are queried and the answer list is updated as more answers arrive. Choosing a good ordering in which the sources are queried is critical for increasing the rate at which answers are returned. However, this problem is challenging since we often do not have complete or precise statistics of the sources, such as their coverage and overlap. It is further exacerbated in the Big Data era, which is witnessing two trends in Deep-Web data: first, obtaining a full coverage of data in a particular domain often requires extracting data from thousands of sources; second, there is often a big variation in overlap between different data sources.

In this paper we present
OASIS
, an
O
nline query
A
nswering
S
ystem for overlapp
I
ng Sources.
OASIS
has three key components for source ordering. First, the
Overlap Estimation
component estimates overlaps between sources according to available statistics under the
Maximum Entropy
principle. Second, the
Source Ordering
component orders the sources according to the new contribution they are expected to provide, and adjusts the ordering based on statistics collected during query answering. Third, the
Statistics Enrichment
component selects critical missing statistics to enrich at runtime. Experimental results on both real and synthetic data show high efficiency and scalability of our algorithm.