bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expression, Purification, and Functional Analysis of Three Low‐Molecular‐Weight Glutenin Subunits from Wheat Cultivar Cheyenne
Authors: Shen Xing , Chen Mei‐Rong , Li Lin , Hu Song‐Qing
Published: January 2014

Glutenins, which form the network of gluten protein, are of great importance for the quality of flour products. Glutenins can be divided into HMW and LMW subunits according to molecular weight. Three genes for LMW glutenin subunits (LMW‐GS), named lmw‐cnd1, lmw‐cnd2, and lmw‐cnd3 with open reading frames of 1,053, 903, and 969 bp, respectively, were cloned from wheat cultivar Cheyenne. Heterologous expression vectors of the three LMW‐GS were constructed, and the recombinant proteins LMW‐CND1, LMW‐CND2, and LMW‐CND3 were overexpressed in Escherichia coli. After cell disruption with ultrasound, target proteins of high purity were obtained by using Ni2+ affinity chromatography. Farinograph and TAPlus measurements were used to investigate the effects of the three LMW‐GS on the characteristics of flour and dough. The results showed that the addition of each LMW‐GS can lead to an increase in the elasticity of the dough. Moreover, LMW‐CND2 and LMW‐CND3 promoted the strength of the dough. All three LMW‐GS caused a decrease of hardness and increase of springiness and cohesiveness of dough according to texture profiling results. Consequently, all three LMW‐GS have positive effects on the processing characteristics of dough and can improve bread quality to different extents.
Giant Cell Hepatitis With Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in Children
Authors: Bakula Agnieszka , Socha Piotr , Klaudel‐Dreszler Maja , Karolczyk Grazyna , Wozniak Malgorzata , Rutynowska‐Pronicka Olga , Matysiak Michal
Published: January 2014

Background and Objective:

Giant cell hepatitis (GCH) with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a rare, progressive disorder in infants and young children. The disease is aggressive and may lead to liver or multiorgan failure with fatal prognosis. Therapy with anti‐CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab (Rtx), proved effective. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate therapy for severe GCH with AIHA.

Methods:

We report on 5 cases of severe GCH with AIHA treated in our department between 2006 and 2011.

Results:

The median age of the children was 7 months (2–12 months), follow‐up lasted 44 months (12–78 months), median (min‐max), and the main observed symptoms were jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly. All of the children had positive direct Coombs test and biopsy‐proven giant cell transformation of hepatocytes. Liver failure was observed in 3 children. First‐line therapy (prednisone, azathioprine) proved ineffective in all but 1 of the patients, who initially responded to the treatment but relapsed after 4 months. The child subsequently developed hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and died 2 months after hemopoietic stem cell transplantation. Four remaining patients finally achieved complete remission after 4 to 6 doses of Rtx.

Conclusions:

We propose Rtx as the treatment of choice for severe GCH with AIHA in the early stages of the disease, provided steroids and azathioprine are ineffective.
rac-2-Phenyl-1-[(2,4,6-triisopropylbenzene)sulfonyl]aziridine
Authors: Golz Christopher , Preut Hans , Strohmann Carsten
Published: January 2014

In the title compound, C23H31NO2S, the geometry of the triisopropylphenyl group is slightly distorted, with elongated C—C bonds at theipso-C atom, and an S atom which deviates from the benzene ring plane by 0.228 (2) Å. This distortion is caused by the bulky substituents and, in comparison, an unbent geometry is observed inN-toluenesulfonylaziridine [Zhuet al.(2006).Acta Cryst.E62, o1507–o1508]. π–π interactions between adjacent benzene rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.7928 (11) Å] and are observed.
2,3-Diphenyl-2,3,5,6-tetrahydro-4H-1,3-thiazin-4-one
Authors: Yennawar Hemant P. , Silverberg Lee J.
Published: January 2014

The six-membered thiazine ring in the title compound, C16H15NOS, adopts a half-chair conformation, with the S atom forming the back of the chair. The base of the chair has a slight twist reflected in the r.m.s. deviation (0.0756 Å) of those five atoms from the plane defined by them. The phenyl substituents are almost perpendicular to each other [dihedral angle 87.06 (9)°]. In the crystal, molecules are linked into chains parallel to thecaxis through C—H...O interactions.
(E)-2-Bromo-1-[2-(2-nitrostyryl)-1-phenylsulfonyl-1H-indol-3-yl]ethanone
Authors: Kanchanadevi J. , Anbalagan G. , Saravanan V. , Mohanakrishnan A. K. , Gunasekaran B. , Manivannan V.
Published: January 2014

In the title compound C24H17BrN2O5S, the phenyl ring makes dihedral angles of 85.4 (2) and 8.8 (2)° with the indole ring system and the nitrobenzene ring, respectively, while the indole ring system and nitrobenzene ring make a dihedral angle of 80.1 (2)°. In the crystal, weak C—H...O interactions link the molecules, forming a two-dimensional network parallel to thebcplane.
2-Bromo-4-phenyl-1,3-thiazole
Authors: Bunev Alexander S. , Rudakova Yana I. , Statsyuk Vladimir E. , Ostapenko Gennady I. , Khrustalev Victor N.
Published: January 2014

In the title molecule, C9H6BrNS, the planes of the 2-bromo-1,3-thiazole and phenyl rings are inclined at 7.45 (10)° with respect to each other. In the crystal, molecules related by a centre of symmetry are held togetherviaπ–π interactions, with a short distance of 3.815 (2) Å between the centroids of the five- and six-membered rings. The crystal packing exhibits short intermolecular S...Br contacts of 3.5402 (6) Å.
Assessment of Dialysis Dose in Critically Ill Maintenance Dialysis Patients
Authors: Schiffl Helmut , Fischer Rainald , Lang Susanne M.
Published: January 2014

Maintenance dialysis patients are admitted more frequently to the intensive care unit (ICU) and have higher ICU mortality than the general population. It is unclear if such dialysis patients receive adequate dialysis in the ICU setting. Using the Daugirdas formula for calculation of spKt/Vurea, single treatment delivered dialysis dose was assessed in 85 critically ill maintenance hemodialysis patients during their first ICU dialysis session. Weekly delivered spKt/Vurea was determined in the surviving 64 patients and compared with their corresponding delivered outpatient dialysis dosages. Outcome measures were ICU and in‐hospital mortality and mortality at 6 and 12 months after discharge. Prescribed dose of the first ICU dialysis was a spKt/Vurea of 1.43 ± 0.11, the single treatment delivered dose was 1.02 ± 0.14. The weekly prescribed ICU Kt/Vurea was 4.25 ± 0.12 and delivered ICU Kt/Vurea was 3.48 ± 0.19. Patients with sepsis had the lowest mean spKt/Vurea values (0.87 ± 0.12). Serial measurements of delivered dialysis dose suggest that this gap is explained by variability of volume of urea distribution. ICU mortality was 25% and was related to APACHE II score, but not to delivered intermittent hemodialysis dose. Critically ill maintenance dialysis patients receive suboptimal dialysis doses. The impact of short‐term underdialysis on survival of hospitalized maintenance dialysis patients remains unknown. Assessment of dialysis adequacy should be routinely performed in these patients and delivered dialysis should be tracked through the initial clinical course.
Identification of anaerobic arsenite‐oxidizing and arsenate‐reducing bacteria associated with an alkaline saline lake in Khovsgol, Mongolia
Authors: Hamamura Natsuko , Itai Takaaki , Liu Yitai , Reysenbach Anna‐Louise , Damdinsuren Narantuya , Inskeep William P.
Published: January 2014

Microbial arsenic transformation pathways associated with a saline lake located in northern Mongolia were examined using molecular biological and culturing approaches. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences recovered from saline lake sediments and soils were affiliated with haloalkaliphiles, including Bacillus and Halomonas spp. Diverse sequences of arsenate respiratory reductase (arrA) and a new group of arsenite oxidase (arxA) genes were also identified. Pure cultures of arsenate‐reducing Nitrincola strain and anaerobic arsenite‐oxidizing Halomonas strain were isolated. The chemoorganotrophic Halomonas strain contains arxA gene similar to that of a chemoautotrophic arsenite‐oxidizing Alkalilimnicola ehrlichii strain MLHE‐1. These results revealed the diversity of arsenic transformation pathways associated with a geographically distinct saline system and the potential contribution of arx‐dependent arsenite oxidation by heterotrophic bacteria.
Using time‐to‐event analysis to complement hierarchical methods when assessing determinants of photographic detectability during camera trapping
Authors: Bischof Richard , Hameed Shoaib , Ali Hussain , Kabir Muhammad , Younas Muhammad , Shah Kursheed A. , Din Jaffar U. , Nawaz Muhammad A.
Published: January 2014

Camera trapping, paired with analytical methods for estimating occupancy, abundance and other ecological parameters, can yield information with direct consequences for wildlife management and conservation. Although ecological information is the primary target of most camera trap studies, detectability influences every aspect from design to interpretation.

Concepts and methods of time‐to‐event analysis are directly applicable to camera trapping, yet this statistical field has thus far been ignored as a way to analyse photographic capture data. To illustrate the use of time‐to‐event statistics and to better understand how photographic evidence accumulates, we explored patterns in two related measures of detectability: detection probability and time to detection. We analysed camera trap data for three sympatric carnivores (snow leopard, red fox and stone marten) in the mountains of northern Pakistan and tested predictions about patterns in detectability across species, sites and time.

We found species‐specific differences in the magnitude of detectability and the factors influencing it, reinforcing the need to consider determinants of detectability in study design and to account for them during analysis. Photographic detectability of snow leopard was noticeably lower than that of red fox, but comparable to detectability of stone marten. Site‐specific attributes such as the presence of carnivore sign (snow leopard), terrain (snow leopard and red fox) and application of lures (red fox) influenced detectability. For the most part, detection probability was constant over time.

Species‐specific differences in factors determining detectability make camera trap studies targeting multiple species particularly vulnerable to misinterpretation if the hierarchical origin of the data is ignored. Investigators should consider not only the magnitude of detectability, but also the shape of the curve describing the cumulative process of photographic detection, as this has consequences for both determining survey effort and the selection of analytical models. Weighted time‐to‐event analysis can complement occupancy analysis and other hierarchical methods by providing additional tools for exploring camera trap data and testing hypotheses regarding the temporal aspect of photographic evidence accumulation.
Effects of Uremic Toxin p‐Cresol on Proliferation, Apoptosis, Differentiation, and Glucose Uptake in 3T3‐L1 Cells
Authors: Tanaka Sayuri , Yano Shozo , Sheikh Abdullah M. , Nagai Atsushi , Sugimoto Toshitsugu
Published: January 2014

Malnutrition is a common feature seen in chronic dialysis patients, and the survival rate of obese patients receiving such treatment is higher than that of lean patients. Irrespective of obesity or diabetes, dialysis patients commonly have insulin resistance, and the leading cause of death is cardiovascular (CV) disease. It has been reported that the concentration of p‐cresol, a uremic toxin, is highly associated with CV events. As uremic toxin levels are high in dialysis patients, they may be involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and CV disease in this population. However, little is known so far. Thus, we focused on this uremic toxin to examine its effects on adipocytes and their precursors. 3T3‐L1 cells, a mouse preadipocyte cell line, were cultured until 90% confluency. The cells were then differentiated with 500 μM 3‐isobutyl‐methylxanthine, 250 nM dexamethasone, and 10 μg/mL insulin. Cell proliferation was evaluated by cell counting and bromodeoxyuridine (Brd‐U) incorporation assay. Glucose uptake was estimated using radiolabeled 2‐deoxyglucose. The range of concentrations of p‐cresol used in the experiments was from 2 to 200 μM. The investigation of cell proliferation by cell counting revealed that, compared with control, 3T3‐L1 cells treated with 100 and 200 μM p‐cresol were significantly decreased in number at day 3 and day 7 of culture. The Brd‐U incorporation assay also demonstrated similar inhibitory effects on cell proliferation, suggesting that p‐cresol affected the normal cell cycle. Oil Red O staining at day 7 showed that the number of mature adipocytes was decreased by treatment with 200 μM p‐cresol. Consistent with that finding, the number of apoptotic cells at day 7 was increased by treatment with 100 and 200 μM p‐cresol. Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) mRNA expression increased time‐dependently during the differentiation process of 3T3‐L1 cells. p‐Cresol dose‐dependently decreased differentiation‐induced mRNA expression of PPARγ. Uptake of 3H‐labeled 2‐deoxyglucose was markedly decreased by 200 μM p‐cresol in the presence or in the absence of insulin, mainly because of the decreased number of mature adipocytes. High concentrations of p‐cresol disturbed the cell cycle, induced apoptosis, inhibited the differentiation of preadipocytes into mature adipocytes, and decreased glucose uptake at baseline and after insulin stimulation. These findings indicate that accumulated p‐cresol may induce reduction in adipose tissue, insulin resistance, and malnutrition, eventually leading to poor outcomes in chronic dialysis patients.
κ Opioid receptor ligands regulate angiogenesis in development and in tumours
Authors: Yamamizu Kohei , Hamada Yusuke , Narita Minoru
Published: January 2014

Opioid systems mainly regulate physiological functions such as pain, emotional tone and reward circuitry in neural tissues (brain and spinal cord). These systems are also found in extraneural tissues (ganglia, gut, spleen, stomach, lung, pancreas, liver, heart, blood and blood vessels), and recent studies have elucidated their roles in various organs. The current review focuses on the roles of opioid systems in blood vessels, especially angiogenesis, during development and tumour malignancy. The balance between endogenous activators and inhibitors of angiogenesis delicately maintains a normally quiescent vasculature to sustain homeostasis. Disturbance of this balance causes pathogenic angiogenesis and, especially in tumours, several activators such as VEGF are highly expressed in the tumour microenvironment and strongly induce tumour angiogenesis, the so‐called angiogenic switch. Recently, we demonstrated that κ opioid receptor agonists function as anti‐angiogenic factors, which impede the angiogenic switch, in vascular development and tumour angiogenesis by inhibiting the expression of receptors for VEGF. In clinical medicine, angiogenesis inhibitors that target VEGF signalling such as bevacizumab are used as anti‐cancer drugs. Although therapies that inhibit tumour angiogenesis have been highly successful for tumour therapy, most patients eventually develop resistance to this anti‐angiogenic therapy. Thus, we must identify novel targets for anti‐angiogenic agents to sustain inhibition of angiogenesis for tumour therapy. The regulation of responses to κ opioid receptor ligands could be useful for controlling vascular formation under physiological conditions and in cancers, and thus could offer therapeutic benefits beyond the relief of pain.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Opioids: New Pathways to Functional Selectivity. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2015.172.issue-2
The value of plant functional groups in demonstrating and communicating vegetation responses to environmental flows
Authors: Campbell C. J. , Johns C. V. , Nielsen D. L.
Published: January 2014

This study compares the effectiveness of using plant species, genera, family or water plant functional group (WPFG) classifications for demonstrating differences in vegetation communities associated with inundation history.

Vegetation surveys were undertaken annually for 5 years from 2007–2008 to 2011–2012 at 18 floodplain wetlands. These wetlands are from two geographically separate locations situated along the lower Murray River. Wetlands have different inundation histories and have received varied amounts of environmental water since 2004. All plant species recorded were classified into WPFGs. An inundation classification was determined for each wetland at each survey time based on inundation history and inundation status at the time of survey (wet or dry).

This study found that plant species composition at individual wetlands is often unique with few species recorded across multiple wetlands. The use of WPFGs reduced the variability of plant communities between individual wetlands, between the two geographic locations and within inundation classifications. By reducing the variability between samples, broad trends in vegetation responses to different watering histories can be identified.

Individual wetlands can develop completely different suites of plant species in response to the same watering regime, particularly when separated over large distances. This variability can reduce the confidence managers have in predicting the plant communities likely to develop in response to prescribed watering regimes. Adaptively applying knowledge gained from monitoring to different wetlands or wetlands in different geographical regions is also difficult if responses are highly variable.

This study demonstrates that by classifying wetland vegetation into WPFGs the variability observed between samples can be reduced and the influence of floristic differences between individual wetlands and geographic locations can be negated or lessened. We discuss how the use of WPFGs can assist scientists and managers in demonstrating, predicting and communicating trends in vegetation community responses as a result of different watering regimes. The adoption and application of a consistent approach to the classification of plant species into WPFGs has the potential to enable responses and predictions to watering events to be made across broad spatial scales.
Inventing Italy. Geography, Risorgimento and national imagination: the international circulation of geographical knowledge in the nineteenth century
Authors: Ferretti Federico
Published: January 2014

This paper addresses the construction of national unity by Italian geographers in the age of the Risorgimento, analysing this process within the context of the international emergence of national representations, identities and imaginaries which was similarly accompanied by geographers elsewhere during the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Based on primary sources, focusing on European circulation of knowledge, and drawing on the study of the cultural and epistemological construction of the geographical objects, this paper contributes to current research on nationalism, identities and national imagination from the standpoint of social, cultural and historical geography. Interrogating how geography constructed objects of cultural identity in Italy, initially through landscape and morphologic analysis, and finally in the geographical invention of the Italian nation, reveals the importance of this discipline for constructing social reality. The study of the role of geography historically in nation‐building can shed light both on territorial challenges of the past, and those potentially to come.
Nest site selection of a primary hole‐nesting passerine reveals means to developing sustainable forestry
Authors: Vatka E. , Kangas K. , Orell M. , Lampila S. , Nikula A. , Nivala V.
Published: January 2014

Anthropogenic habitat loss and fragmentation affect populations worldwide. For example, many bird populations of boreal forests have declined due to intensive forestry. To target conservation actions for such species, determining the key factors that affect their habitat selection is essential. Remote sensing methods provide highly potential means to measure habitat variables over large areas. We aim at identifying the key‐features of habitats by utilizing remote sensing data. As a case example, we study the nest site selection of a primary hole‐nesting passerine, the willow tit Poecile montanus, in a managed forest landscape. Using presence–absence data, we determine the most important habitat characteristics of the nest sites for three spatial scales by generalized linear mixed effect models. Our results highlight the importance of the availability of nesting sites – standing decaying deciduous trees – in the nest site selection of P. montanus. It seems to prefer moist habitats with high densities of deciduous trees and to avoid open areas, but does not require mature or intact habitats. Most of the nest site selection seems to occur within small scales. In this case, remote sensing data alone was insufficient for producing reliable models, but adding information of an ecologically important feature from direct field surveys greatly improved model performances. For the conservation and maintenance of dead wood dependent species, changes in forestry practices are necessary to keep the key characteristics of the habitat. Most importantly, continuous availability of standing decaying wood should be secured.
The role of aluminum sensing and signaling in plant aluminum resistance
Authors: Liu Jiping , Piñeros Miguel A. , Kochian Leon V.
Published: January 2014

As researchers have gained a better understanding in recent years into the physiological, molecular, and genetic basis of how plants deal with aluminum (Al) toxicity in acid soils prevalent in the tropics and sub‐tropics, it has become clear that an important component of these responses is the triggering and regulation of cellular pathways and processes by Al. In this review of plant Al signaling, we begin by summarizing the understanding of physiological mechanisms of Al resistance, which first led researchers to realize that Al stress induces gene expression and modifies protein function during the activation of Al resistance responses. Subsequently, an overview of Al resistance genes and their function provides verification that Al induction of gene expression plays a major role in Al resistance in many plant species. More recent research into the mechanistic basis for Al‐induced transcriptional activation of resistance genes has led to the identification of several transcription factors as well as cis‐elements in the promoters of Al resistance genes that play a role in greater Al‐induced gene expression as well as higher constitutive expression of resistance genes in some plant species. Finally, the post‐transcriptional and translational regulation of Al resistance proteins is addressed, where recent research has shown that Al can both directly bind to and alter activity of certain organic acid transporters, and also influence Al resistance proteins indirectly, via protein phosphorylation.

Leon V. Kochian
Psychometric Support of the School Climate Measure in a Large, Diverse Sample of Adolescents: A Replication and Extension
Authors: Zullig Keith J. , Collins Rani , Ghani Nadia , Patton Jon M. , Scott Huebner E. , Ajamie Jean
Published: January 2014

BACKGROUND

The School Climate Measure (SCM) was developed and validated in 2010 in response to a dearth of psychometrically sound school climate instruments. This study sought to further validate the SCM on a large, diverse sample of Arizona public school adolescents (N = 20,953).

METHODS

Four SCM domains (positive student‐teacher relationships, academic support, order and discipline, and physical environment) were available for the analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were established to construct validity, and criterion‐related validity was assessed via selected Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) school safety items and self‐reported grade (GPA) point average.

RESULTS

Analyses confirmed the 4 SCM school climate domains explained approximately 63% of the variance (factor loading range .45‐.92). Structural equation models fit the data well χ2 = 14,325 (df = 293, p < .001), comparative fit index (CFI) = .951, Tuker‐Lewis index (TLI) = .952, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .05). The goodness‐of‐fit index was .940. Coefficient alphas ranged from .82 to .93. Analyses of variance with post hoc comparisons suggested the SCM domains related in hypothesized directions with the school safety items and GPA.

CONCLUSIONS

Additional evidence supports the validity and reliability of the SCM. Measures, such as the SCM, can facilitate data‐driven decisions and may be incorporated into evidenced‐based processes designed to improve student outcomes.
Tropes or Universals: How (Not) to Make One's Choice
Authors: Benovsky Jiri
Published: January 2014

This article discusses a familiar version of trope theory as opposed to a familiar version of the theory of universals, examining how these two rivals address the problem of “attribute agreement”—a problem that has been at the root of the very reason for developing these theories in the first place. The article shows that there is not much of a difference between the ways these two theories handle the problem, and in a more general way it argues that there is little reason for preferring one theory over the other. It is not interested in this claim only for the sake of the debate between trope theory and the theory of universals. Indeed, the reasons why it claims that it is so difficult to choose one theory over the other can be applied to other cases as well (where they might lead to claims of metaphysical equivalence).
The Philosophical Role of Illness
Authors: Carel Havi
Published: January 2014

This article examines the philosophical role of illness. It briefly surveys the philosophical role accorded to illness in the history of philosophy and explains why illness merits such a role. It suggests that illness modifies, and thus sheds light on, normal experience, revealing its ordinary and therefore overlooked structure. Illness also provides an opportunity for reflection by performing a kind of suspension (epoché) of previously held beliefs, including tacit beliefs. The article argues that these characteristics warrant a philosophical role for illness. While the performance of most philosophical procedures is volitional and theoretical, however, illness is uninvited and threatening, throwing the ill person into anxiety and uncertainty. As such it can be viewed as a radical philosophical motivation that can profoundly alter our outlook. The article suggests that illness can change the ways in which we philosophise: it may shape philosophical methods and concerns and change one's sense of salience and conception of philosophy.
Two Key Differences between Science and Philosophy
Authors: Cavallo Andrew M.
Published: January 2014

C. S. Peirce made the following claim: If science reveals truth, then consensus among scientists can be expected in the limit. This article does not dispute this claim; it simply assumes it. On the basis of this assumption, the following question is asked: Is it possible to extend Peirce's claim to philosophy in a natural way? It is argued that two important differences between science and philosophy strongly militate against such an extension. Does this mean that there is no truth to be found in philosophy? Are there, perhaps, different kinds of truth (scientific, philosophical, religious, and so on)? But such questions, though related to the present investigation, are nevertheless well beyond the scope of this article.
When Language Gives Out: Conceptualization, and Aspect‐Seeing as a Form of Judgment
Authors: Agam‐Segal Reshef
Published: January 2014

This article characterizes aspect‐perception as a distinct form of judgment in Kant's sense: a distinct way in which the mind contacts world and applies concepts. First, aspect‐perception involves a mode of thinking about things apart from any established routine of conceptualizing them. It is thus a form of concept application that is essentially reflection about language. Second, this mode of reflection has an experiential, sometimes perceptual, element: in aspect‐perception, that is, we experience meanings—bodies of norms. Third, aspect‐perception can be “preparatory”: it may help us to decide what linguistic norms to develop and how to conceptualize—make the world thinkable. Fourth, the article discusses the forms of justification for which aspect‐perception allows—the necessity and normativity involved in employing this form of judgment.
Effects of sunscreen on skin cancer and photoaging
Authors: Iannacone Michelle R. , Hughes Maria Celia B. , Green Adèle C.
Published: January 2014

Application of sunscreen to the skin is widely used as an adjunct strategy, along with wearing protective clothing and seeking shade, to protect against skin cancer and photoaging that result from excessive sun exposure. Many epidemiological studies of case–control and cohort study design have studied the effects of sunscreen use on skin cancer, and more recently photoaging, but their findings have been mostly uninformative. This review of results of randomized controlled trials shows that the evidence, though limited, supports beneficial effects of sunscreen application on the occurrence of skin cancers and skin photoaging.
Labor Training and Foreign Direct Investment
Authors: Liu Qing , Qiu Larry D.
Published: January 2014

Evidence shows that most foreign direct investment (FDI) flows from developed to developed countries (North–North) in skilled labor‐intensive industries. This paper builds a model that incorporates labor training into the proximity–concentration tradeoffs to analyze the entry mode of multinationals to a foreign country. Production requires both skilled labor and unskilled labor.. A multinational pursuing FDI needs to provide training to some workers in the host country to equip them with skills that are specific to the production of the firm. Labor training and skill specificity lead to contract friction. It is shown that in skilled labor‐intensive industries, FDI increases along with the economic development level of the host country, whereas in unskilled labor‐intensive industries, the reverse is true. This paper provides a theoretical explanation for the empirical findings on the prevalence of North–North FDI in skilled labor‐industries and North–South FDI in unskilled labor‐intensive industries.
The Gain from International Trade in Pool Goods and Private Goods
Authors: Fishburn Geoffrey , Kemp Murray C.
Published: January 2014

It is well known that perfectly competitive free trade is potentially beneficial for all countries if all goods are both rivalrous and excludable in consumption (“private goods”) and recently (2011) the proposition has been modified to accommodate non‐rivalrous and non‐excludable goods (“public goods”), as well as non‐rivalrous and excludable goods (“club goods”). In the present paper the proposition is modified again, to accommodate rivalrous and non‐excludable goods (“pool goods”). The primary focus is on ocean fisheries, access to which is shared (not necessarily equally) by all countries. However the central proposition to be established is valid for all international pool goods.
Systematic evaluation of evidence on veterinary viscoelastic testing Part 1: System comparability
Authors: McMichael Maureen , Goggs Robert , Smith Stephanie , Wagg Catherine , Warman Sheena , Wiinberg Bo
Published: January 2014

Objective

To systematically examine the evidence on system comparability between the thromboelastography and the rotational thromboelastometry viscoelastic point‐of‐care instruments and to identify knowledge gaps.

Design

Standardized, systematic evaluation of the literature, categorization of relevant articles according to level of evidence and quality, and development of consensus on conclusions for application of the concepts to clinical practice.

Setting

Academic and referral veterinary medical centers.

Results

Medline via PubMed, CAB abstracts, and Google Scholar were searched. A total of 8 relevant articles were chosen, none were in support of the question, 1 was neutral to the question (level of evidence [LOE] 6, Poor), and 7 were in opposition to the question (LOE 3 Good; LOE 6 Good; LOE 6 Fair; LOE 6 Poor).

Conclusions

Results from the 2 analyzers are not directly comparable and extrapolation of the results from one machine to the other should be avoided. Standardization of the preanalytical variables (eg, blood collection, holding time, and temperature during holding) is strongly recommended. It is recommended that each site create their own “site specific” reference values for each machine and that test samples be compared only to the standardized reference values established at that center. Start‐up and consumable costs vary between countries and local comparisons should be performed. Decisions should be made based on the expected use of the machine and if multiple operators will be using it.
Detection of high-frequency energy level changes in speech and singing
Authors: Monson Brian B. , Lotto Andrew J. , Story Brad H.
Published: January 2014

Previous work has shown that human listeners are sensitive to level differences in high-frequency energy (HFE) in isolated vowel sounds produced by male singers. Results indicated that sensitivity to HFE level changes increased with overall HFE level, suggesting that listeners would be more “tuned” to HFE in vocal production exhibiting higher levels of HFE. It follows that sensitivity to HFE level changes should be higher (1) for female vocal production than for male vocal production and (2) for singing than for speech. To test this hypothesis, difference limens for HFE level changes in male and female speech and singing were obtained. Listeners showed significantly greater ability to detect level changes in singing vs speech but not in female vs male speech. Mean differences limen scores for speech and singing were about 5 dB in the 8-kHz octave (5.6–11.3 kHz) but 8–10 dB in the 16-kHz octave (11.3–22 kHz). These scores are lower (better) than those previously reported for isolated vowels and some musical instruments.
Seismo-acoustic propagation near thin and low-shear speed ocean bottom sediments using a massive elastic interface
Authors: Collis Jon M. , M. Metzler Adam
Published: January 2014

The seafloor is considered to be a thin surface layer overlying an elastic half space. In addition to layers of this type being thin, they may also have shear wave speeds that can be small (order 100 m/s). Both the thin and low-shear properties, viewed as small parameters, can cause mathematical and numerical singularities to arise. Following the derivation presented by Gilbert [Geophys. J. Int. 133, 230–232 (1998)], the surface layer is approximated as a thick, finite-thickness interface, and modified ocean bottom fluid-solid interface conditions are derived as jump conditions across the interface. The resultant interface conditions are incorporated into a seismo-acoustic parabolic equation solution, and this interface-based solution is benchmarked against existing solutions and previously derived modified fluid-solid interface jump conditions. Accuracy quantification is given via dimensionless interface thickness parameters.
The effect of nearby timpani strokes on horn playing
Authors: Chen Jer-Ming , Smith John , Wolfe Joe
Published: January 2014

Horn players have observed that timpani strokes can interfere disruptively with their playing, especially when they are seated close to the timpani. Measuring the horn's transfer function in the bell-to-mouthpiece direction reveals that the horn behaves as an acoustic impedance matching device, capable of transmitting waves with pressure gains of at least 20 dB near horn playing resonances. During moderate to loud timpani strokes, the horn transmits an overall impulse gain response of at least 16 dB from the bell to the mouthpiece, while evidence of non-linear bore propagation can be observed for louder strokes. If the timpani is tuned near a horn resonance, as is usually the case, further bore resonance interactions may be observed leading to gains of ∼26 dB from bell to mouthpiece. Finally, measurements of horn playing made under conditions approximating playing reveal that timpani strokes sounding near the horn bell are capable of disrupting horn playing by affecting the amplitude, periodicity, and frequency of the pressure signal generated at the horn player's lips.
Training improves cochlear implant rate discrimination on a psychophysical task
Authors: Goldsworthy Raymond L. , Shannon Robert V.
Published: January 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which cochlear implant (CI) rate discrimination can be improved through training. Six adult CI users took part in a study that included 32 h of training and assessment on rate discrimination measures. Rate difference limens (DLs) were measured from 110 to 3520 Hz in octave steps using 500 ms biphasic pulse trains; the target and standard stimuli were loudness-balanced with the target always at an adaptively lower rate. DLs were measured at four electrode positions corresponding to basal, mid-basal, mid-apical, and apical locations. Procedural variations were implemented to determine if rate discrimination was impacted by random variations in stimulus amplitude or by amplitude modulation. DLs improved by more than a factor of 2 across subjects, electrodes, and standard rates. Factor analysis indicated that the effect of training was comparable for all electrodes and standard rates tested. Neither level roving nor amplitude modulation had a significant effect on rate DLs. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that training can significantly improve CI rate discrimination on a psychophysical task.
Round-robin multiple-source localization
Authors: Mantzel William , Romberg Justin , Sabra Karim G.
Published: January 2014

This paper introduces a round-robin approach for multi-source localization based on matched-field processing. Each new source location is estimated from the ambiguity function after nulling from the data vector the current source location estimates using a robust projection matrix. This projection matrix effectively minimizes mean-square energy near current source location estimates subject to a rank constraint that prevents excessive interference with sources outside of these neighborhoods. Numerical simulations are presented for multiple sources transmitting through a fixed (and presumed known) generic Pekeris ocean waveguide in the single-frequency and broadband-coherent cases that illustrate the performance of the proposed approach which compares favorably against other previously published approaches. Furthermore, the efficacy with which randomized back-propagations may also be incorporated for computational advantage is also presented.
Exposure-response relationships for annoyance due to freight and passenger railway vibration exposure in residential environments
Authors: Sharp Calum , Woodcock James , Sica Gennaro , Peris Eulalia , Moorhouse Andrew T. , Waddington David C.
Published: January 2014

In this work, exposure-response relationships for annoyance due to freight and passenger railway vibration exposure in residential environments are developed, so as to better understand the differences in human response to these two sources of environmental vibration. Data for this research come from a field study comprising interviews with respondents and measurements of their vibration exposure (N = 752). A logistic regression model is able to accurately classify 96% of these measured railway vibration signals as freight or passenger based on two signal properties that quantify the duration and low frequency content of each signal. Exposure-response relationships are then determined using ordinal probit modeling with fixed thresholds. The results indicate that people are able to distinguish between freight and passenger railway vibration, and that the annoyance response due to freight railway vibration is significantly higher than that due to passenger railway vibration, even for equal levels of exposure. In terms of a community tolerance level, the population studied is 15 dB (re 10−6 m s−2) more tolerant to passenger railway vibration than freight railway vibration. These results have implications for the expansion of freight traffic on rail, or for policies to promote passenger railway.
Mean-free-paths in concert and chamber music halls and the correct method for calibrating dodecahedral sound sources
Authors: Beranek Leo L. , Nishihara Noriko
Published: January 2014

The Eyring/Sabine equations assume that in a large irregular room a sound wave travels in straight lines from one surface to another, that the surfaces have an average sound absorption coefficient αav, and that the mean-free-path between reflections is 4 V/Stot where V is the volume of the room and Stot is the total area of all of its surfaces. No account is taken of diffusivity of the surfaces. The 4 V/Stot relation was originally based on experimental determinations made by Knudsen (Architectural Acoustics, 1932, pp. 132–141). This paper sets out to test the 4 V/Stot relation experimentally for a wide variety of unoccupied concert and chamber music halls with seating capacities from 200 to 5000, using the measured sound strengths Gmid and reverberation times RT60,mid. Computer simulations of the sound fields for nine of these rooms (of varying shapes) were also made to determine the mean-free-paths by that method. The study shows that 4 V/Stot is an acceptable relation for mean-free-paths in the Sabine/Eyring equations except for halls of unusual shape. Also demonstrated is the proper method for calibrating the dodecahedral sound source used for measuring the sound strength G, i.e., the reverberation chamber method.
Physical and numerical constraints in source modeling for finite difference simulation of room acoustics
Authors: Sheaffer Jonathan , van Walstijn Maarten , Fazenda Bruno
Published: January 2014

In finite difference time domain simulation of room acoustics, source functions are subject to various constraints. These depend on the way sources are injected into the grid and on the chosen parameters of the numerical scheme being used. This paper addresses the issue of selecting and designing sources for finite difference simulation, by first reviewing associated aims and constraints, and evaluating existing source models against these criteria. The process of exciting a model is generalized by introducing a system of three cascaded filters, respectively, characterizing the driving pulse, the source mechanics, and the injection of the resulting source function into the grid. It is shown that hard, soft, and transparent sources can be seen as special cases within this unified approach. Starting from the mechanics of a small pulsating sphere, a parametric source model is formulated by specifying suitable filters. This physically constrained source model is numerically consistent, does not scatter incoming waves, and is free from zero- and low-frequency artifacts. Simulation results are employed for comparison with existing source formulations in terms of meeting the spectral and temporal requirements on the outward propagating wave.
Performance of tonpilz transducers with segmented piezoelectric stacks using materials with high electromechanical coupling coefficient
Authors: Thompson Stephen C. , Meyer Richard J. , Markley Douglas C.
Published: January 2014

Tonpilz acoustic transducers for use underwater often include a stack of piezoelectric material pieces polarized along the length of the stack and having alternating polarity. The pieces are interspersed with electrodes, bonded together, and electrically connected in parallel. The stack is normally much shorter than a quarter wavelength at the fundamental resonance frequency so that the mechanical behavior of the transducer is not affected by the segmentation. When the transducer bandwidth is less than a half octave, as has conventionally been the case, for example, with lead zirconate titanate (PZT) material, stack segmentation has no significant effect on the mechanical behavior of the device in its normal operating band near the fundamental resonance. However, when a high coupling coefficient material such as lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) is used to achieve a wider bandwidth with the tonpilz, the performance difference between a segmented stack and a similar piezoelectric section with electrodes only at the two ends can be significant. This paper investigates the effects of stack segmentation on the performance of wideband underwater tonpilz acoustic transducers. Included is a discussion of a particular tonpilz transducer design using single crystal piezoelectric material with high coupling coefficient compared with a similar design using more traditional PZT ceramics.
Switching of the Relative Dominance Between Feedback Mechanisms in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced NF-κB Signaling
Authors: Sung Myong-Hee , Li Ning , Lao Qizong , Gottschalk Rachel A. , Hager Gordon L. , Fraser Iain D. C.
Published: January 2014

Dueling feedback loops set the threshold for mounting an effective innate immune response to infection.
Competitive Fitness Assays Indicate that the E138A Substitution in HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Decreases
In Vitro
Susceptibility to Emtricitabine
Authors: Sluis-Cremer Nicolas , Huber Kelly D. , Brumme Chanson J. , Harrigan P. Richard
Published: January 2014

We characterized the relative fitness of multiple nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor (NNRTI)-resistant HIV-1 variants in the presence of etravirine (ETV), rilpivirine (RPV), and/or the nucleoside RT inhibitor emtricitabine (FTC) by simultaneous competitive culture and 454 deep sequencing. The E138A substitution, typically associated with decreased virologic responses to ETV- and RPV-containing regimens, confers a clear fitness advantage to the virus in the presence of FTC and decreases FTC susceptibility 4.7-fold.