bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding the relative contributions of direct environmental effects and passive genotype–environment correlations in the association between familial risk factors and child disruptive behavior disorders
Authors: Bornovalova M. A. , Cummings J. R. , Hunt E. , Blazei R. , Malone S. , Iacono W. G.
Published: May 2013

Background

Previous work reports an association between familial risk factors stemming from parental characteristics and offspring disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs). This association may reflect (a) the direct effects of familial environment and (b) a passive gene–environment correlation (rGE), wherein the parents provide both the genes and the environment. The current study examined the contributions of direct environmental influences and passive rGE by comparing the effects of familial risk factors on child DBDs in genetically related (biological) and non-related (adoptive) families.

Method

Participants were 402 adoptive and 204 biological families. Familial environment was defined as maternal and paternal maladaptive parenting and antisociality, marital conflict and divorce; offspring DBDs included attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder (CD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Mixed-level regressions estimated the main effects of familial environment, adoption status and the familial environment by adoption status interaction term, which tested for the presence of passive rGE.

Results

There was a main effect of maternal and paternal maladaptive parenting and marital discord on child DBDs, indicating a direct environmental effect. There was no direct environmental effect of maternal or paternal antisociality, but maternal and paternal antisociality had stronger associations with child DBDs in biological families than adoptive families, indicating the presence of a passive rGE.

Conclusions

Many familial risk factors affected children equally across genetically related and non-related families, providing evidence for direct environmental effects. The relationship of parental antisociality and offspring DBDs was best explained by a passive rGE, where a general vulnerability toward externalizing psychopathology is passed down by the parents to the children.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and executive functioning in affected and unaffected adolescents and their parents: challenging the endophenotype construct
Authors: Thissen A. J. A. M. , Rommelse N. N. J. , Hoekstra P. J. , Hartman C. , Heslenfeld D. , Luman M. , van Lieshout M. , Franke B. , Oosterlaan J. , Buitelaar J. K.
Published: May 2013

Background

The results of twin and sibling studies suggest that executive functioning is a prime candidate endophenotype in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, studies have not assessed the co-segregation of executive function (EF) deficits from parents to offspring directly, and it is unclear whether executive functioning is an ADHD endophenotype in adolescents, given the substantial changes in prefrontal lobe functioning, EF and ADHD symptoms during adolescence.

Method

We recruited 259 ADHD and 98 control families with an offspring average age of 17.3 years. All participants were assessed for ADHD and EF [inhibition, verbal (VWM) and visuospatial working memory (VsWM)]. Data were analysed using generalized estimating equations (GEEs).

Results

Parental ADHD was associated with offspring ADHD and parental EF was associated with offspring EF but there were no cross-associations (parental ADHD was not associated with offspring EF or vice versa). Similar results were found when siblings were compared. EF deficits were only found in affected adolescents and not in their unaffected siblings or (un)affected parents.

Conclusions

The core EFs proposed to be aetiologically related to ADHD, that is working memory and inhibition, seem to be aetiologically independent of ADHD in adolescence. EF deficits documented in childhood in unaffected siblings were no longer present in adolescence, suggesting that children ‘grow out’ of early EF deficits. This is the first study to document ADHD and EF in a large family sample with adolescent offspring. The results suggest that, after childhood, the majority of influences on ADHD are independent from those on EF. This has potential implications for current aetiological models of causality in ADHD.
Neural correlates of the abolished self-referential memory effect in schizophrenia
Authors: Zhao Y. , Zhang D. , Tan S. , Song C. , Cui J. , Fan F. , Zhu X. , Zou Y. , Luo Y.
Published: May 2013

Background

The self-referential memory (SRM) effect refers to the phenomenon that stimuli processed with reference to the self are better remembered than those referenced to others. Studies have shown that schizophrenia patients do not have this memorial advantage for self-referenced information. The current study investigated the electrophysiological mechanism of the abolished SRM effect in schizophrenia.

Method

Twenty schizophrenia patients and 22 controls were recruited to complete an SRM task. We used a high-time resolution event-related potential (ERP) technique to analyze the electrophysiological differences between patients and controls during self- and other-reflection processing.

Results

Behavior data indicated that healthy controls had a typical SRM bias that was absent in the schizophrenia patients. ERP comparison between groups showed that the schizophrenia patients presented smaller voltages in both self- and other-reflection conditions in the 160–260 ms (P2 component) and 800–1200 ms (positive slow wave) time windows over the pre/frontal cortex. Furthermore, the N2 amplitudes (270–380 ms) differed between self- and other-reflection conditions in patients but not in normal controls. More importantly, we found that the P3 amplitudes in the parietal cortex correlated significantly with the SRM bias score in the patients (r = –0.688).

Conclusions

These results provide comprehensive and direct electrophysiological evidence for self- and other-reflective dysfunction in schizophrenia patients and contribute to our understanding of the underlying neural substrates of the abolished SRM effect in schizophrenia.
Faulty robot rescue by multi-robot cooperation
Authors: Eoh Gyuho , Choi Jeong S. , Lee Beom H.
Published: May 2013

This paper presents a multi-agent behavior to cooperatively rescue a faulty robot using a sound signal. In a robot team, the faulty robot should be immediately recalled since it may seriously obstruct other robots, or collected matters in the faulty robot may be lost. For the rescue mission, we first developed a sound localization method, which estimates the sound source from a faulty robot by using multiple microphone sensors. Next, since a single robot cannot recall the faulty robot, the robots organized a heterogeneous rescue team by themselves with pusher, puller, and supervisor. This self-organized team succeeded in moving the faulty robot to a safe zone without help from any global positioning systems. Finally, our results demonstrate that a faulty robot among multi-agent robots can be immediately rescued with the cooperation of its neighboring robots and interactive communication between the faulty robot and the rescue robots. Experiments are presented to test the validity and practicality of the proposed approach.
Re-enacting Revolution and the New Public Sphere in Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco
Authors: AMINE KHALID
Published: May 2013

The present paper will explore some of the re-enactments of the so called ‘Arab Spring’ in selected performances from Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, with their seamless connections between fiction and non-fiction. Among the concepts examined are Habermas's ‘public sphere’, Deleuze's ‘revolutionary-becoming’ and Rebecca Schneider's ‘re-enactment’. The remediation of revolution in performance reveals the material conditions and geographic locations of social unrest. Significantly enough, artistic re-enactments of the revolution have already been inflicted by ‘techno-imagination’, whereby most of us have become either spectators or citizen journalists of public dissidence, and yet we have been connected to the unprecedented upheaval by watching mediated images or implementing and re-editing them for distanced audiences.
Sufism and Shakespeare: The Poetics of Personal and Political Transformation in Sa'dallah Wannus'sTuqus al-Isharat wa-l-Tahawwulat
Authors: MYERS ROBERT , SAAB NADA
Published: May 2013

Tuqus al-Isharat wa-l-Tahawwulat, one of the last major plays by the Syrian Sa'dallah Wannus, published in 1994, is one of the most innovative plays from the Arab world in the twentieth century. Based on a historical incident, it dramatizes the story of the fall of the Naqib of Damascus when he is arrested with his mistress Warda. The Naqib's enemy, the Mufti, saves him from disgrace by substituting the Naqib's wife, Mu'mina, for Warda, although Mu'mina leaves the Naqib and becomes a notorious prostitute. The play also overtly treats male homosexuality. Previous analyses of Wannus's plays have focused on the influence of Brecht and theThousand and One Nights, and criticism of this play's feminist theme. This article argues that much of the play's novelty and aesthetic power derive from aspects of Shakespeare, principallyMeasure for Measure, and from motifs, lexicon and ritual theatricality derived from Sufism as aesthetic form and religious practice.
Computer Safety For Modern Bridge Systems
Authors: Nicholson Mark
Published: May 2013

Computer Based Systems (CBS) and Integrated Bridge Systems (IBS) are being introduced. They provide enhanced navigation capabilities and promote ship safety. However, they are highly complex and are becoming the primary source of data/information used to navigate ships. CBS issues have arisen that challenge current safety assurance and certification practices. This paper explores the potential contribution of System Safety Engineering including technical, operational management and crew capability contributions to CBS/IBS safety. A six step roadmap for the production of best practice guidance for the safe development and operation of such systems is presented.
Building Common Ground: Going Beyond the Liberal Conundrum
Authors: Chatterjee Deen
Published: May 2013

Liberalism as a political ideology and a philosophical doctrine has championed individual autonomy, social and political equality, and democratic and inclusive political institutions. Consequently, liberalism is known for its commitment to tolerance and value pluralism. Yet liberalism has been critiqued for being insensitive to claims of culture. Indeed, an attitude of benign neglect toward diversity was once quite common among liberals, as was a general lack of interest in global concerns. Worse yet, according to some critics the liberal tradition—in spite of its purported liberating mission of autonomy and self-determination (quintessential democratic values)—has provided the rationale for imperialism rooted in the liberal assumptions about reason and historical progress. Though these ironies are a clear source of embarrassment for today's liberals, liberalism still displays an uneasy commitment to pluralism. Liberals today are more challenged than ever to look at the dynamics of diversity both at home and abroad.
Prevalence and estimation of hepatitis B and C infections in the WHO European Region: a review of data focusing on the countries outside the European Union and the European Free Trade Association
Authors: HOPE V. D. , ERAMOVA I. , CAPURRO D. , DONOGHOE M. C.
Published: May 2013

Knowledge of hepatitis B and C prevalence, and numbers infected, are important for planning responses. Published HBsAg and anti-HCV prevalences for the 20 WHO European Region countries outside the EU/EFTA were extracted, to complement published data for the EU/EFTA. The general population prevalence of HBsAg (median 3·8%, mean 5·0%, seven countries) ranged from 1·3% (Ukraine) to 13% (Uzbekistan), and anti-HCV (median 2·3%, mean 3·8%, 10 countries) from 0·5% (Serbia, Tajikistan) to 13% (Uzbekistan). People who inject drugs had the highest prevalence of both infections (HBsAg: median 6·8%, mean 8·2%, 13 countries; anti-HCV: median 46%, mean 46%, 17 countries), and prevalence was also elevated in men who have sex with men and sex workers. Simple estimates indicated 13·3 million (1·8%) adults have HBsAg and 15·0 million (2·0%) HCV RNA in the WHO European Region; prevalences were higher outside the EU/EFTA countries. Efforts to prevent, diagnose, and treat these infections need to be maintained and improved.

This article may not be reprinted or reused in any way in order to promote any commercial products or services.
Age-associated prevalence ofToxoplasma gondiiin 8281 pregnant women in Poland between 2004 and 2012
Authors: NOWAKOWSKA D. , WUJCICKA W. , SOBALA W. , ŚPIEWAK E. , GAJ Z. , WILCZYŃSKI J.
Published: May 2013

This study aimed to describeToxoplasma gondiiprevalence in Polish pregnant women and the incidence rates of congenital infections in their neonates observed between 2004 and 2012. Serological tests forT. gondii-specific IgG and IgM antibodies were performed on serum samples of 8281 pregnant women treated at the Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute in Lodz. The yearly seroconversion rate forT. gondiiIgG antibodies was estimated using a mathematical model to determine the dependency between age and prevalence. Mean prevalence of IgG antibodies between 2004 and 2012 in pregnant women was 40·6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 39·6–41·7] and increased with age with a yearly seroconversion rate of 0·8% (95% CI 0·6–1·0,P < 0·001). Assuming aT. gondiimaterno-fetal transmission rate of 30% gave an estimate of 1·80/1000 neonates as congenitally infected. The increased mean age (28·7vs26·7 years,P < 0·001) of pregnant women was probably the most important factor in abolishing the effect of falling prevalence rates.
National outbreaks ofSalmonellainfection in the UK, 2000–2011
Authors: HARKER K. S. , LANE C. , GORMLEY F. J. , ADAK G. K.
Published: May 2013

Over a 12-year period, the Health Protection Agency's (now Public Health England's) Department of Gastrointestinal and Emerging Infections (GEZI) investigated over 100 potential national outbreaks ofSalmonella enterica. These ranged from a cluster of cases requiring data interrogation and monitoring of the situation, to full blown case-control studies involving hundreds of interviews, many staff, multi-agency collaboration and the media. Vehicles of infection ranged from the usual suspects of chicken and eggs, to the less frequently implicated snake feed and chocolate. This has forced us to alter our preconceptions of disease transmission. The way in which GEZI investigate outbreaks and conduct case-control studies is constantly evolving as we learn and adapt to the changing aetiology ofS. enterica. We present the findings and lessons learned during the last 12 years of investigatingS. entericaoutbreaks in England and Wales.
Multi-scale factors influencing seabird assemblages in the African sector of the Southern Ocean
Authors: Commins Morgan L. , Ansorge Isabelle , Ryan Peter G.
Published: May 2013

Oceanic fronts are important foraging areas for many top predators, but they also define biogeographical boundaries to animals in the Southern Ocean and play a role in structuring seabird assemblages. Understanding the factors driving patterns in the spatial and temporal distribution of seabirds is important to infer the likely impact of a changing climate. Latitudinal transects south of Africa in two summers indicate that fronts and sea ice extent play key roles in determining seabird assemblages. We observed 37 seabird taxa and found five seabird assemblages. The Subtropical Convergence and pack ice-edge form the strongest biogeographical boundaries, whereas the Sub-Antarctic Front and Antarctic Polar Front are less well defined. As summer progresses, the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front (the Antarctic Divergence or southern boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current) becomes important, when a distinct seabird assemblage forms north of the retreating sea ice following an influx of great shearwatersPuffinus gravis(O'Reilly), blue petrelsHalobaena caerulea(Gmelin), Kerguelen petrelsLugensa brevirostris(Lesson) and southern fulmarsFulmarus glacialoides(Smith). Seabird assemblages show strong seasonality and are predictable between years. They are structured primarily by latitudinal gradients and secondarily by seasonal variation in sea-surface temperature and ice cover within their latitudinal habitat zones.
Do attitudes, intentions and actions of school food coordinators regarding public organic food procurement policy improve the eating environment at school? Results from the iPOPY study
Authors: He Chen , Perez-Cueto Federico JA , Mikkelsen Bent E
Published: May 2013

Objective

The present study investigates whether public organic food procurement policies have the potential to induce changes in the school food service environment.

Design

A comparative cross-national survey was conducted in public primary and/or secondary schools in Finland, Germany and Italy. The school food coordinators completed a web-based questionnaire on their attitudes, intentions and actions towards organic school food provision.

Setting

In Germany, 122 out of 2050 schools in the state of Hesse responded. In Finland, 250 out of 998 schools across the country responded. In Italy, 215 out of 940 schools from eight provinces responded.

Subjects

School food coordinators in the sample of schools in the three countries.

Results

The German and Finnish school food coordinators separately most agreed with the promotion of healthy eating habits (P < 0·001) and organic food (P < 0·001) by schools. The Finnish schools were most likely to adopt a food and nutrition policy (P < 0·001), a health-promoting school policy according to WHO principles (P < 0·001), to have a playground (P < 0·001), to involve physical activity themes in teaching (P = 0·012) and to have a canteen (P < 0·001). The Italian schools were most likely to involve the food and nutrition policy in pedagogical activities (P = 0·004), to serve nutritional school meals (P < 0·001) and to recommend children to eat healthily (P < 0·001). In the three countries, the non-organic schools were less likely to adopt a food and nutrition policy (P < 0·001), a WHO health-promoting policy (P < 0·001) and have a canteen (P = 0·017) than the organic schools.

Conclusions

The study suggests that there is a gap in the effects of public organic food procurement policy on building a healthier school food environment.
Mismeasurement of pensions before and after retirement: the mystery of the disappearing pensions with implications for the importance of Social Security as a source of retirement support
Authors: GUSTMAN ALAN L. , STEINMEIER THOMAS L. , TABATABAI NAHID
Published: May 2013

A review of the literature suggests that when pension values are measured by the wealth equivalent of promised defined benefit pension benefits and defined contribution balances for those approaching retirement, pensions account for more support in retirement than is suggested when their contribution is measured by incomes received directly from pension plans by those who have already retired. Estimates from the Health and Retirement Study for respondents in their early fifties suggest that pension wealth is about 82% as valuable as Social Security wealth. In data from the Current Population Survey (CPS), for members of the same cohort, measured when they are 65–69, pension incomes are about 58% as valuable as incomes from Social Security. Our empirical analysis uses data from the HRS to examine the reasons for these differences in the contributions of pensions as measured in income and wealth data. Key factors accounting for these differences include: a difference in methodology between surveys affecting what is included in pension income; some pension wealth ‘disappears’ at retirement because respondents change their pension into other forms that are not counted as pension income; and the form of annuitization may influence the measure of pension income. A series of caveats notwithstanding, the bottom line is that CPS data on pension incomes received in retirement understates the full contribution pensions make to supporting retirees.
Surviving Childhood Cancer: Relationship between Exercise and Coping on Quality of Life
Authors: Castellano Carmina , Pérez-Campdepadrós Marta , Capdevila Lluís , Sánchez de Toledo José , Gallego Soledad , Blasco Tomás
Published: May 2013

This research assesses Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in a Spanish sample of adolescent cancer survivors, and analyzes the relationship between HRQoL, coping styles and physical exercise. Forty-two survivors (12–19 years), who were ≥ 1 year of remission, completed standardized measures of HRQoL (CHIP-AE), coping strategies (ACS) and physical exercise (AECEF). Mean scores in all HRQoL domains were within normative values. Multiple regression analysis revealed that physical exercise and productive coping were related to higher HRQoL, whereas non-productive coping was related to lower HRQoL. This sample of survivors reported good levels of HRQoL, which are mediated by coping styles and physical exercise.
Beurteilung der Fahreignung hirngeschädigter Patienten in der neurologischen Rehabilitation
Authors: Niemann Hendrik , Hartje Wolfgang
Published: May 2013

Retrospektiv wurden die Daten von 494 Patienten analysiert, die während der stationären neurologischen Rehabilitation zur Frage ihrer Fahreignung untersucht worden waren. Die Daten umfassten die Ergebnisse psychometrischer Tests zur Prüfung der Reaktionsbereitschaft, Reaktionsschnelligkeit, Reaktionssicherheit, Aufmerksamkeitsteilung, visuellen Suche und Orientierung, Umstellungsfähigkeit sowie die Ergebnisse einer umfangreichen Fahrprobe im öffentlichen Straßenverkehr mit Beurteilung verschiedener Fahrverhaltensaspekte und der generellen Fahrsicherheit durch einen Fahrlehrer. Das Ergebnis der Fahrprobe wurde bei 28 % der Patienten als nicht ausreichend sicher beurteilt. Eine für die Einzelfallentscheidung befriedigend sichere Prognose des Fahrprobenausgangs auf der Grundlage der Testergebnisse wurde nicht erreicht. Je nach Prognoseverfahren wurden 29 % bis 67 % der als nicht fahrgeeignet und 14 % bis 24 % der als fahrgeeignet prognostizierten Fälle falsch klassifiziert.
Anionic Dendritic Polymers for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Sousa‐Herves A. , Gröger D. , Calderón M. , Fernandez‐Megia E. , Haag R.
Published: May 2013

Among dendritic architectures, polyanionic dendritic polymers have emerged as novel versatile platforms for applications in nanomedicine. Their appealing properties, such as high functional surface, low polydispersity, hydrophilicity, enhanced circulation time in the blood stream, and superior biocompatibility compared to their cationic counterparts, make anionic dendritic polymers ideal candidates for the biomedical field. In this book chapter, the biomedical applications of anionic dendritic polymers are discussed, with a focus on recent examples ranging from drug delivery to anti‐viral and anti‐inflammatory drugs.
Molecular Dynamics of Lysine Dendrimers. Computer Simulation and NMR
Authors: Neelov I. , Falkovich S. , Markelov D. , Paci E. , Darinskii A. , Tenhu H.
Published: May 2013

In this chapter we describe application of the method of molecular dynamics (MD) for the computer simulation of the poly‐L‐lysine dendrimers of different generations and at different temperatures. These dendrimers differ from other dendrimers by asymmetric branching which could influence the size and shape of dendrimer as well as their dynamical properties. In particular we have shown that the linear spacers between neighboring branch points in all lysine dendrimers are strongly extended and the angles between short spacers are almost fixed. Due to these reasons the lysine dendrimers are rather rigid and their structural characteristics almost do not dependent on temperature. The dynamical characteristics of lysine dendrimers obtained by MD and NMR methods agree rather well. It was obtained that the local mobility of inner CH2 groups is smaller than mobility of corresponding terminal groups in agreement with our previous results for the flexible dendrimers. At the same time local orientation mobility of the internal groups depends on the number of generations in lysine dendrimer. This behavior differs from the behavior of flexible dendrimers in which the internal mobility is practically the same for the dendrimers of different generations.
Multiscale Modeling of Dendrimers and Dendrons for Drug and Nucleic Acid Delivery
Authors: Posocco P. , Laurini E. , Dal Col V. , Marson D. , Peng L. , Smith D.K. , Klajnert B. , Bryszewska M. , Caminade A.‐M. , Majoral J.P. , Fermeglia M. , Karatasos K. , Pricl S.
Published: May 2013

Due to their relative easy synthesis and commercial availability, nanovectors based on dendrimers and dendrons are among the most utilized non‐viral vectors for gene transfer. Concomitantly, recent advances in molecular simulations and computer architectures not only allow for accurate predictions of many structural, energetical, and eventual self‐assembly features of these nanocarriers per se, but are able to yield fundamental information about the interactions of these nanovectors with their nucleic acid cargoes at a molecular level. In this chapter, we aim at presenting some of our own, collaborative efforts in the field of multiscale molecular modeling of these fascinating materials. The contribution is written with the specific purpose of illustrating the potentiality of computational methodologies and the usefulness of multiscale molecular modeling as an innovative and complementary tool in the current experimental research.
Photophysics of 1,8-naphthalimide/Ln(iii) dyads (Ln = Eu, Gd): naphthalimide → Eu(iii) energy-transfer from both singlet and triplet states
Authors: Plyusnin Victor F. , Kupryakov Arkady S. , Grivin Vyacheslav P. , Shelton Alexander H. , Sazanovich Igor V. , Meijer Anthony J. H. M. , Weinstein Julia A. , Ward Michael D.
Published: May 2013

Transient absorption and time resolved luminescence spectroscopy were used to study photophysical processes in the macrocycle-appended 1,8-naphthalimide compound H3L, and its Eu(iii) and Gd(iii) complexes Eu·L and Gd·L, in particular the naphthalimide-Eu(iii) energy-transfer process. In all cases aggregation of the naphthalimide chromophores results in a low-energy emission feature in the 470–500 nm region in addition to the naphthalimide fluorescence; this lower-energy emission has a lifetime longer by an order of magnitude than the monomer naphthalimide fluorescence. Transient absorption spectroscopy was used to measure the decay of the naphthalimide triplet excited state, which occurs in the range 30–50 μs. In Eu·L, partial energy-transfer from the naphthalimide chromophore results in sensitized Eu(iii)-based emission in addition to the naphthalimide-based fluorescence features. Time-resolved measurements on the sensitized Eu(iii)-based emission reveal both fast (~109 s−1) and slow (~104 s−1) energy-transfer processes from the naphthalimide energy-donor, which we ascribe to energy-transfer occurring from the singlet and triplet excited state of naphthalimide respectively. This is an unusual case of observation of sensitization of Eu(iii)-based emission from the singlet state of an aromatic chromophore.
Hyperoxidized peroxiredoxin 2 interacts with the protein disulfide- isomerase ERp46
Authors: Pace Paul E. , Peskin Alexander V. , Han Min-Hi , Hampton Mark B. , Winterbourn Christine C.
Published: May 2013

Prx (peroxiredoxin) 2 protects cells from deleterious oxidative damage. It catalyses the breakdown of hydroperoxides through a highly reactive cysteine residue and has been linked to chaperone activity that promotes cell survival under conditions of oxidative stress. It may also be involved in redox signalling by binding to other proteins. In the present study we have searched for binding partners of Prx2 in H2O2-treated Jurkat and human umbilical vein endothelial cells and discovered that the hyperoxidized form selectively co-precipitated with the protein disulfide-isomerase ERp46. Mutant analyses revealed that loss of the peroxidative cysteine residue of Prx2 also facilitated complex formation with ERp46, even without H2O2 treatment, whereas the resolving cysteine residue of Prx2 was indispensible for the interaction to occur. The complex involved a stable non-covalent interaction that was disassociated by the reduction of intramolecular disulfides in ERp46, or by disruption of the decameric structure of hyperoxidized Prx2. This is the first example of a protein interaction dependent on the hyperoxidized status of a Prx.
Improving cryogenic deuterium–tritium implosion performance on OMEGA
Authors: Sangster T. C. , Goncharov V. N. , Betti R. , Radha P. B. , Boehly T. R. , Casey D. T. , Collins T. J. B. , Craxton R. S. , Delettrez J. A. , Edgell D. H. , Epstein R. , Forrest C. J. , Frenje J. A. , Froula D. H. , Gatu-Johnson M. , Glebov Y. Yu. , Harding D. R. , Hohenberger M. , Hu S. X. , Igumenshchev I. V. , Janezic R. , Kelly J. H. , Kessler T. J. , Kingsley C. , Kosc T. Z. , Knauer J. P. , Loucks S. J. , Marozas J. A. , Marshall F. J. , Maximov A. V. , McCrory R. L. , McKenty P. W. , Meyerhofer D. D. , Michel D. T. , Myatt J. F. , Petrasso R. D. , Regan S. P. , Seka W. , Shmayda W. T. , Short R. W. , Shvydky A. , Skupsky S. , Soures J. M. , Stoeckl C. , Theobald W. , Versteeg V. , Yaakobi B. , Zuegel J. D.
Published: May 2013

A flexible direct-drive target platform is used to implode cryogenic deuterium–tritium (DT) capsules on the OMEGA laser [Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)]. The goal of these experiments is to demonstrate ignition hydrodynamically equivalent performance where the laser drive intensity, the implosion velocity, the fuel adiabat, and the in-flight aspect ratio (IFAR) are the same as those for a 1.5-MJ target [Goncharov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 165001 (2010)] designed to ignite on the National Ignition Facility [Hogan et al., Nucl. Fusion 41, 567 (2001)]. The results from a series of 29 cryogenic DT implosions are presented. The implosions were designed to span a broad region of design space to study target performance as a function of shell stability (adiabat) and implosion velocity. Ablation-front perturbation growth appears to limit target performance at high implosion velocities. Target outer-surface defects associated with contaminant gases in the DT fuel are identified as the dominant perturbation source at the ablation surface; performance degradation is confirmed by 2D hydrodynamic simulations that include these defects. A trend in the value of the Lawson criterion [Betti et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 058102 (2010)] for each of the implosions in adiabat–IFAR space suggests the existence of a stability boundary that leads to ablator mixing into the hot spot for the most ignition-equivalent designs.
Experimental study of the effect of rotation on nonlinear internal waves
Authors: Grimshaw R. H. J. , Helfrich K. R. , Johnson E. R.
Published: May 2013

Nonlinear internal waves are commonly observed in the coastal ocean. In the weakly nonlinear long wave régime, they are often modeled by the Korteweg-de Vries equation, which predicts that the long-time outcome of generic localised initial conditions is a train of internal solitary waves. However, when the effect of background rotation is taken into account, it is known from several theoretical and numerical studies that the formation of solitary waves is inhibited, and instead nonlinear wave packets form. In this paper, we report the results from a laboratory experiment at the LEGI-Coriolis Laboratory which describes this process.
Meromorphic open-string vertex algebras
Authors: Huang Yi-Zhi
Published: May 2013

A notion of meromorphic open-string vertex algebra is introduced. A meromorphic open-string vertex algebra is an open-string vertex algebra in the sense of Kong and the author satisfying additional rationality (or meromorphicity) conditions for vertex operators. The vertex operator map for a meromorphic open-string vertex algebra satisfies rationality and associativity but in general does not satisfy the Jacobi identity, commutativity, the commutator formula, the skew-symmetry or even the associator formula. Given a vector space \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\mathfrak {h}$\end{document}h, we construct a meromorphic open-string vertex algebra structure on the tensor algebra of the negative part of the affinization of \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\mathfrak {h}$\end{document}h such that the vertex algebra structure on the symmetric algebra of the negative part of the Heisenberg algebra associated to \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\mathfrak {h}$\end{document}h is a quotient of this meromorphic open-string vertex algebra. We also introduce the notion of left module for a meromorphic open-string vertex algebra and construct left modules for the meromorphic open-string vertex algebra above.
Anomalous low-temperature “post-desorption” from solid nitrogen
Authors: Savchenko E. V. , Khyzhniy I. V. , Uyutnov S. A. , Ponomaryov A. N. , Gumenchuk G. B. , Bondybey V. E.
Published: May 2013

Anomalous low-temperature post-desorption (ALTpD) from the surface of nominally pure solid nitrogen preliminary irradiated by an electron beam was detected for the first time. The study was performed using a combination of activation spectroscopy methods—thermally stimulated exoelectron emission (TSEE) and spectrally resolved thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL)—with detection of the ALTpD yield. Charge recombination reactions are considered to be the stimulating factor for the desorption from pre-irradiated α-phase solid nitrogen.
Geometrical effects on energy transfer in disordered open quantum systems
Authors: Mohseni M. , Shabani A. , Lloyd S. , Omar Y. , Rabitz H.
Published: May 2013

We explore various design principles for efficient excitation energy transport in complex quantum systems. We investigate energy transfer efficiency in randomly disordered geometries consisting of up to 20 chromophores to explore spatial and spectral properties of small natural/artificial Light-Harvesting Complexes (LHC). We find significant statistical correlations among highly efficient random structures with respect to ground state properties, excitonic energy gaps, multichromophoric spatial connectivity, and path strengths. These correlations can even exist beyond the optimal regime of environment-assisted quantum transport. For random configurations embedded in spatial dimensions of 30 Å or 50 Å, we observe that the transport efficiency saturates to its maximum value if the systems contain around 7 or 14 chromophores, respectively. Remarkably, these optimum values coincide with the number of chlorophylls in the Fenna-Matthews-Olson protein complex and LHC II monomers, respectively, suggesting a potential natural optimization with respect to chromophoric density.
Cryogenic electrolytes
Authors: Nazin S. , Chikina I. , Shikin V.
Published: May 2013

Experimental evidence of metastable ion dipoles in solid helium is examined. Similar quasiparticles with positive scattering lengths for injected electrons are assumed to exist in the liquid phases of cryogenic liquids. Phenomena that can be used for detecting and monitoring a dipole gas in superfluid helium (referred to as cryogenic electrolyte) are discussed. The most interesting of these phenomena are: special features of the dielectric behavior of ion dipole gases, the temperature dependence of the ion dipole gas osmotic pressure at the boundary of liquid 3He-4He solution stratification, relaxation phenomena of collective origin in cryogenic electrolytes, and the transformation of the phonon spectrum of liquid helium owing to strong interactions between phonons and heavy dipole quasiparticles.
Determination of the intersublattice exchange interactions in GdCo12-xFexB6 (x = 0-3) intermetallic compounds by high field magnetization measurements
Authors: Diop L. V. B. , Isnard O. , Skourski Y. , Ballon G.
Published: May 2013

High field magnetization measurements up to 60 T on free powder samples from GdCo12-xFexB6 (x = 0-3) compounds are reported. The data were used to evaluate the microscopic exchange interaction integral, JGd-3d, between Gd and 3d (Co,Fe) spins. The systems are ferrimagnets; they order magnetically between TC = 95 K for x = 3 and TC = 165 K for x = 0. The low temperature magnetization curves as well as the temperature dependence of intrinsic magnetic parameters are determined by magnetic measurements in pulsed magnetic field. The average magnetic moment ⟨μCo+Fe⟩ per mean transition metal atom (Co + Fe) is small and increases with increasing Fe concentration from 0.44 μΒ for x = 0 to 0.51 μΒ for x = 3 at T = 4 K. From high field magnetization curves, a value of JGd-3d/kB = −4.65 K is derived for x = 0, whereas mean field approximation yields a much larger 3d-3d exchange integral of JCo-Co/kB = 105 K. The obtained results reveal an increase of −JGd-3d/kB with Fe concentration. For x = 0.5, the intersublattice coefficient nGd-3d is found to keep an almost constant value of 5.87 ± 0.13 T*f.u.*μB−1 whatever the temperature in the 2 to 60 K range.
Structural and optical investigation of non-polar (1-100) GaN grown by the ammonothermal method
Authors: Gogova D. , Petrov P. P. , Buegler M. , Wagner M. R. , Nenstiel C. , Callsen G. , Schmidbauer M. , Kucharski R. , Zajac M. , Dwilinski R. , Phillips M. R. , Hoffmann A. , Fornari R.
Published: May 2013

We studied the structural and optical properties of state-of-the-art non-polar bulk GaN grown by the ammonothermal method. The investigated samples have an extremely low dislocation density (DD) of less than 5 × 104 cm−2, which results in very narrow high-resolution x-ray rocking curves. The a and c lattice parameters of these stress-free GaN samples were precisely determined by using an x-ray diffraction technique based on the modified Bond method. The obtained values are compared to the lattice parameters of free-standing GaN from different methods and sources. The observed differences are discussed in terms of free-electron concentrations, point defects, and DD. Micro Raman spectroscopy revealed a very narrow phonon linewidth and negligible built-in strain in accordance with the high-resolution x-ray diffraction data. The optical transitions were investigated by cathodoluminescence measurements. The analysis of the experimental data clearly demonstrates the excellent crystalline perfection of ammonothermal GaN material and its potential for fabrication of non-polar substrates for homoepitaxial growth of GaN based device structures.
A high-field 3He metastability exchange optical pumping polarizer operating in a 1.5 T medical scanner for lung magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Collier G. , Pałasz T. , Wojna A. , Głowacz B. , Suchanek M. , Olejniczak Z. , Dohnalik T.
Published: May 2013

After being hyperpolarized using the technique of Metastability Exchange Optical Pumping (MEOP), 3He can be used as a contrast agent for lung magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MEOP is usually performed at low magnetic field (∼1 mT) and low pressure (∼1 mbar), which results in a low magnetization production rate. Polarization preserving compression with a compression ratio of order 1000 is also required. It was demonstrated in sealed cells that high nuclear polarization values can be obtained at higher pressures with MEOP, if performed at high magnetic field (non-standard conditions). In this work, the feasibility of building a high-field polarizer that operates within a commercial 1.5 T scanner was evaluated. Preliminary measurements of nuclear polarization with sealed cells filled at different 3He gas pressures (1.33 to 267 mbar) were performed. The use of an annular shape for the laser beam increased by 25% the achievable nuclear polarization equilibrium value (Meq) at 32 and 67 mbar as compared to a Gaussian beam shape. Meq values of 66.4% and 31% were obtained at 32 and 267 mbar, respectively, and the magnetization production rate was increased by a factor of 10 compared to the best results obtained under standard conditions. To study the reproducibility of the method in a polarizing system, the same experiments were performed with small cells connected to a gas handling system. Despite careful cleaning procedure, the purity of the 3He gas could not be matched to that of the sealed cells. Consequently, the polarization build-up times were approximately 3 times longer in the 20–30 mbar range of pressure than those obtained for the 32 mbar sealed cell. However, reasonable Meq values of 40%–60% were achieved in a 90 ml open cell. Based on these findings, a novel compact polarizing system was designed and built. Its typical output is a 3He gas flow rate of 15 sccm with a polarization of 33%. In-vivo lung MRI ventilation images (Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of approximately 55 for a voxel size of 50 mm × 3 mm × 3 mm) were acquired to demonstrate the polarizer's application.
Characterization of nonconventional oil containing seeds towards the production of bio-fuel
Authors: Prasad Shadangi Krushna , Mohanty Kaustubha
Published: May 2013

This work presents the thermochemical characterization of some nonconventional oil containing seeds. The non-edible and less-edible oil seeds such as Mahua (Madhuca indica), Karanja (Pongamia pinnata), Niger (Hyoscyamus L. Niger), and Linseed (Linum usitatissimum) were characterized on the basis of their degradation profile, oil percentage, cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, and mineral content. TGA analysis confirmed that the active pyrolytic zone for all the seeds lies in the temperature range between 150 and 450 °C. It was observed that these seeds contain maximum percent of oil/extractives such as Mahua: 57.16%, Karanja: 53.19%, Niger: 39.75%, and Linseed: 33.55%. The result indicated that these seeds contains higher amount of celluloses than that of hemicelluloses and lignin. The elemental analysis confirmed that these types of biomasses are suitable for pyrolysis due to the presence of less sulphur, less moisture, and higher volatile matter content. The suitability as a feed for fuel production was observed from the relation between O/C and H/C ratio from the Van Krevelen diagram.
Chemical characterization of pruned vine shoots from La Rioja (Spain) for obtaining solid bio-fuels
Authors: Mendívil M. A. , Muñoz P. , Morales M. P. , Juárez M. C. , García-Escudero E.
Published: May 2013

Every year thousands of tonnes of biomass waste in the form of pruned vine shoots are produced in the Spanish region of La Rioja. This study, the first of its kind to be conducted in the region, examines how this waste can be valorised, mainly as an energy source. Representative samples were taken from the different varieties and vineyards in the region. Each batch of samples was then chemically characterised to learn its moisture content, percentage of ash, composition in terms of elements and heating power. The influence of various factors on these chemical properties was analysed. Only two factors proved to be of statistically significant importance: variety and training method. The expected performance in combustion of vine shoots of the region's predominant variety, Tempranillo, was estimated. Undoubted advantages were found, such as a significantly higher heating value (16 900 kJ/kg), moderate quantities of ash, medium aerosol emission rates, no expected problems of corrosion due to S or Cl, and a very low heavy metal content. In actual collection conditions, thermal energy from vine shoots after chopping (to between 30 and 100 mm), with a moisture content of less than 20%, would cost 2.45 euro cents/kWh to produce. The best way of using this residue is considered to convert it to fuel for generating heat and electricity on a small scale, to supply the needs of vineyards themselves or nearby locations.
In situ short-term growth rates of a cold-water coral
Authors: Jantzen C. , Laudien J. , Sokol S. , Försterra G. , Häussermann V. , Kupprat F. , Richter C.
Published: May 2013

Cold-water corals are known to grow much slower than their tropical counterparts. However, this assumption is mainly based on laboratory measurements exposing specimens to conditions that differ from their natural environments. The cosmopolitan scleractinian Desmophyllum dianthus forms dense banks below 18 m in northern Patagonia, Chile. So as to measure in situ growth rates of this cold-water coral, specimens were collected from two sites, weighed and deployed on holders in their natural headlong orientation at the respective collecting site. Corals exhibited a calcium carbonate (CaCO3) mass increase of 5.44 ± 3.45 (mg (cm2 projected calyx area)–1 day–1) after 2 weeks, equivalent to a mass gain of 0.25 ± 0.18 s.d. % day–1. In comparison, D. dianthus specimens from the same collection sites maintained in an on-site flow-through aquarium system showed lower growth rates that were third of the in situ rates. In situ CaCO3 precipitation of D. dianthus extrapolated for 1 year (kg m2 year–1) displays the same order of magnitude as reported for massive growing tropical scleractinians, e.g. Porites sp.
Progress, problems and prospects in Australian river repair
Authors: Fryirs Kirstie , Chessman Bruce , Rutherfurd Ian
Published: May 2013

Effective river restoration requires an integrative approach among researchers, managers and stakeholders, grounded in sound science. Using Australia as a case study, we examined contemporary responses to the following three global challenges for river management: first, to base management practice on ‘best available science’ (BAS); second, to integrate diverse, discipline-bound knowledge within cross-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary approaches; and third, to achieve adaptive management based on monitoring and evaluation. Analysis of 562 papers from the six Australian national stream-management conferences held since 1996 provided insight into the rapidly growing area of management, and the degree to which these three challenges are being met. The review showed that discipline-bound abiotic or biotic science was the focus of 46% of papers. Cross-disciplinary science, defined as the integration of biophysical sciences, was presented in 36% of papers, and trans-disciplinary science, defined as the merging of biophysical science with social and economic perspectives, in 17%. Monitoring and evaluation results were presented in only 12% of papers, whereas applications of adaptive management were reported in a mere 2%. Although river management has been transformed in recent decades, much remains to be done to create a holistic foundation for river restoration that links biophysical science to social science and economics.