bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Engineering immunity in the mucosal niche against sexually transmitted infections
Authors: Ramanathan Renuka , Woodrow Kim
Published: July 2015

The mucosal surfaces of the genital tract are the site of entry to over 30 different bacterial, parasitic, and viral pathogens that are the cause of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV. Women and adolescent girls are more severely impacted by STIs than men due in part to a greater biological susceptibility for acquiring infections and differences in disease sequelae. While it is widely accepted that preventative vaccines against the most commonly transmitted STIs would have a major impact on decreasing the global health burden of STIs for women worldwide, several challenges preclude their development. The female genital tract is a complex niche of microflora, hormonal influences, and immune tissues and cells that result in a mucosal immune system that is distinct from other mucosal sites and from our systemic immune system. An appreciation of these differences and their effect on shaping mucosal immunity to sexually transmitted pathogens is an important determinant for the design of effective STI vaccines. Here we describe the anatomy and mucosal immune system of the female reproductive tract, and discuss bioengineering strategies to design mucosal vaccines that overcome delivery challenges and coordinate the presentation kinetics and compartmentalization of antigens and adjuvants to relevant mucosal immune cell subsets. In particular, we describe recent progress in understanding the role of specific mucosal dendritic cell subsets in facilitating immune responses to pathogenic microbes in the genital mucosa. We also discuss the development of pathogen‐mimicking materials that may be useful for engineering protective immunity in this mucosal niche. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2015, 8:107–122. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1359

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease
Structure refinement for La1.85Sr0.15Cu1 − xNixO4 (x = 0–0.19) transition‐metal oxides
Authors: Minikayev R. , Bezusyy V. , Malinowski A.
Published: July 2015

Polycrystalline La1.85Sr0.15Cu1 − xNixO4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.19) solid solution with the K2NiF4 structure (S.G. I4/mmm) is a subject of structural investigation. Rietveld refinements performed for 16 samples provide a smooth linear or almost linear variation of lattice parameters, La(Sr) atomic coordinate and bond distances with Ni content. The zO(2) oxygen coordinate tends to be constant in the studied range. The present results are compared with previous data and discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unit‐cell dimensions of α‐MnTe in the 295 K – 1200 K temperature range
Authors: Minikayev R. , Dynowska E. , Witkowska B. , Bell A. M. T. , Szuszkiewicz W.
Published: July 2015

Unit cell dimensions of high‐quality MnTe crystals with NiAs structure were analyzed at temperatures ranging from 295 K to 1200 K. First, the X‐ray diffraction were carried out on powdered sample at room temperature using the laboratory diffractometer. Next, the diffraction patterns in a wide temperature range were accumulated with the use of synchrotron radiation. The Rietveld refinement to all experimental data was applied. The average values of linear expansion coefficients in a and c direction are reported. The observed presence of MnTe2 impurity phase in the temperature range from about 500 K to 1050 K is attributed to decomposition of a small fraction of MnTe during heating. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differences in alarm calls of juvenile and adult European ground squirrels (Spermophilus citellus): Findings on permanently marked animals from a semi‐natural enclosure
Authors: Schneiderová Irena , Schnitzerová Petra , Uhlíková Jitka , Brandl Pavel , Zouhar Jan , Matějů Jan
Published: July 2015

The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) emits alarm calls that warn conspecifics of potential danger. Although it has been observed that inexperienced juveniles of this species emit alarm calls that sound similar to those of adults, studies focusing on juvenile alarm calls are lacking. We analyzed the acoustic structure of alarm calls emitted by six permanently marked European ground squirrels living in a semi‐natural enclosure when they were juveniles and after 1 year as adults. We found that the acoustic structure of the juvenile alarm calls was significantly different from those of adults and that the alarm calls underwent nearly the same changes in all studied individuals. All juveniles emitted alarm calls consisting of one element with almost constant frequency, but their alarm calls included a second frequency‐modulated element after their first hibernation as adults. Our data show that the duration of the first element is significantly shorter in adults than in juveniles. Additionally, the frequency of the first element is significantly higher in adults than in juveniles. Similar to previous findings in other Palearctic ground squirrel species, our data are inconsistent with the assumption that juvenile mammals emit vocalizations with higher fundamental frequencies than adults. However, our results do not support the previously suggested hypothesis that juvenile ground squirrels conceal information regarding their age in their alarm calls because we found significant differences in alarm calls of juveniles and adults. Zoo Biol. 34:503–512, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of cholesterol metabolism in cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis
Authors: Mignarri Andrea , Magni Alessandro , Del Puppo Marina , Gallus Gian Nicola , Björkhem Ingemar , Federico Antonio , Dotti Maria Teresa
Published: July 2015

Background

Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is a treatable bile acid disorder caused by mutations of CYP27A1. The pathogenesis of neurological damage has not been completely explained. Oral chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) can lead to clinical stabilization, but in a subgroup of patients the disease progresses despite treatment. In the present study, we aimed at clarifying cholesterol metabolism abnormalities and their response to CDCA treatment, in order to identify reliable diagnostic and prognostic markers and understand if differences exist between stable patients and those with neurological progression.

Methods

We enrolled 19 untreated CTX patients and assessed serum profile of bile acids intermediates, oxysterols, cholesterol, lathosterol, and plant sterols. Then we performed a long‐term follow up during CDCA therapy, and compared biochemical data with neurological outcome.

Results

We observed increase of cholestanol, 7α‐hydroxy‐4‐cholesten‐3‐one (7αC4), lathosterol, and plant sterols, whereas 27‐hydroxycholesterol (27‐OHC) was extremely low or absent. CDCA treatment at a daily dose of 750 mg normalized all biochemical parameters except for 7αC4 which persisted slightly higher than normal in most patients, and 27‐OHC which was not modified by therapy. Biochemical evaluation did not reveal significant differences between stable and worsening patients.

Discussion

Cholestanol and 7αC4 represent important markers for CTX diagnosis and monitoring of therapy. Treatment with CDCA should aim at normalizing serum 7αC4 as well as cholestanol, since 7αC4 better mirrors 7α‐hydroxylation rate and is thought to be correlated with cholestanol accumulation in the brain. Assessment of serum 27‐OHC is a very good tool for biochemical diagnosis at any stage of disease. Lathosterol and plant sterols should be considered as additional markers for diagnosis and monitoring of therapy. Further studies including long‐term assessment of bile acid intermediates in cerebrospinal fluid are needed in patients who show clinical progression despite treatment.
Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Surfactants Based on 2‐Hydroxy‐4‐(Methylthio)Butanoic Acid: 1. Anionic Surfactants
Authors: Yu Guangzhe , Long Scott A. , Karinshak Kyle A. , Grady Brian P. , Harwell Jeff H. , Arhancet Graciela B.
Published: July 2015

2‐Hydroxy‐4‐(methylthio)butanoic acid (HMTBA) is a commonly used animal feed additive available in large quantities. In this study, anionic surfactants were synthesized utilizing HMTBA as a starting material. Specifically, a straight‐chain fatty acid containing 12 or 16 carbon atoms was attached to the hydroxyl group via esterification. After neutralization of the carboxylic acid with sodium, the molecules behave as anionic surfactants. Oxidation of the sulfur atom can be performed to further increase water solubility. The molecules exhibit critical micelle concentrations (CMCs), and lower the surface tension to 35–45 mN/m at the CMC. The derivatives have low Krafft points (<4 °C) and good wetting performance. The hardness tolerance of the ester made from dodecanoic acid is ∼2.5–4 orders of magnitude higher than an analogous carboxylate surfactant, namely sodium dodecanoate. Foam created according to the Ross‐Miles foam test is substantial, but dissipates quickly as compared to other anionic surfactants.
Berufsbedingte Infektionskrankheiten bei Beschäftigten im Gesundheitsdienst 2014
Authors: Dulon M. , Lisiak B. , Wendeler D. , Nienhaus A.
Published: July 2015

Einführung

Beschäftigte im Gesundheitsdienst haben aufgrund ihrer Tätigkeiten ein erhöhtes Infektionsrisiko. Die Häufigkeit von berufsbedingten Infektionen (BK 3101) kann anhand der Anzahl der gemeldeten und anerkannten Berufskrankheiten geschätzt werden.

Methoden

Als Datenquelle wird die Berufskrankheiten-Dokumentation (BK-DOK) der Berufsgenossenschaft für Gesundheitsdienst und Wohlfahrtspflege (BGW) verwendet. Die Daten zur BK 3101 werden für die Jahre 2010 bis 2014 dargestellt. Die Entwicklung wird anhand der absoluten Zahlen für Verdachtsanzeigen und anerkannte Berufskrankheiten (BK) dargestellt. Das Erkrankungsrisiko wird mittels BK-Quoten [Häufigkeiten je 100.000 Vollarbeiter (VA)] beschrieben.

Ergebnisse

Im Berichtsjahr 2014 gingen bei der BGW 927 Verdachtsanzeigen auf eine BK 3101 ein. In 496 Fällen wurde die Infektion als BK anerkannt (ein Anstieg gegenüber 2013 um 6,9 %). In 43 Fällen wurde eine neue BK-Rente bewilligt. Wesentliche Anteile am BK-Geschehen hatten Tuberkulose, Hepatitis B und C sowie Skabies (zusammen 93 % aller anerkannten Fälle). Die Häufigkeit der anerkannten BK 3101 je 100.000 VA war von 9,5 im Jahr 2010 auf 10,9 im Jahr 2014 gestiegen. Das Erkrankungsrisiko für die Beschäftigten variierte je nach Versorgungsbereich stark (zwischen 6,8 Fällen je 100.000 VA in der ambulanten Pflege und 37,4 in Krankenhäusern).

Diskussion

Bei den als BK anerkannten Infektionskrankheiten sind nach wie vor Tuberkulose und Hepatitis vorherrschend. Dies betrifft sowohl den klinischen Bereich wie auch Arztpraxen und ambulante Dienste. Die Skabies nahm in den vergangenen Jahren insbesondere in der Altenpflege deutlich zu. Die wenigen, aber zum Teil schweren Krankheitsverläufe bei Infektionen mit multiresistenten Erregern sprechen dafür, dass deren Entwicklung beobachtet werden muss.
Walking Training and Functioning Among Elderly Persons With Stroke: Results of a Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Karttunen Auli H. , Kallinen Mauri , Peurala Sinikka H. , Häkkinen Arja
Published: July 2015

Objective

To determine if 65‐ to 85‐year‐old persons who had a stroke within the previous 3‐36 months can improve functioning and quality of life during walking rehabilitation.

Design

Prospective cohort study with 6‐month follow‐up.

Setting

Three inpatient rehabilitation centers and one outpatient rehabilitation center.

Participants

A total of 147 persons who had sustained a stroke.

Intervention

The multidisciplinary rehabilitation intervention consisted of inpatient (20 days) or outpatient (18 days) rehabilitation with follow‐up. Rehabilitation included walking exercises with and without body‐weight support and conventional physiotherapy. After the rehabilitation period, participants received 10‐15 individual physiotherapy sessions at outpatient clinics and guidance in home exercises.

Measurements

The 6‐Minute Walking Test (6MWT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS), Functional Status Questionnaire (FSQ), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), WHO Quality of Life (WHOQOL‐BREF), and Sense of Coherence (SOC‐13) were administered at the beginning of rehabilitation and at 6‐month follow‐up.

Results

Walking distance (6MWT) improved by 17 ± 51 meters (P < .001). The AMPS motor scale score improved by 0.15 ± 0.65 logits (P = .010), the process scale score improved by 0.10 ± 0.46 logits (P = .012), and the FSQ self‐care score improved by 2.8 ± 15.8 points (P = .039). The changes in the total (4.2 ± 9.0), motor (3.7 ± 8.0), and cognitive (0.5 ± 2.0) scores of the FIM were statistically significant (P < .01). The BBS, WHOQOL‐BREF, and SOC‐13 remained unchanged.

Conclusions

Walking distance and both self‐reported and measured functioning improved during walking rehabilitation among elderly persons who had a stroke. Maintaining or improving functioning through rehabilitation and self‐administered exercises may be important in supporting mobility and independent living outside institutional care.
The Impact of Freeze-Thaw Cycles on Epinephrine
Authors: Beasley Heather , Ng Pearlly , Wheeler Albert , Smith William R. , McIntosh Scott E.
Published: July 2015

Objectives

Epinephrine is the first-line medical treatment for anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic syndrome. To treat anaphylaxis, backcountry recreationalists and guides commonly carry epinephrine autoinjectors. Epinephrine may be exposed to cold temperatures and freezing during expeditions. An epinephrine solution must contain 90% to 115% of the labeled epinephrine amount to meet United States Pharmacopeia standards. The purpose of this study was to determine whether freeze-thaw cycles alter epinephrine concentrations in autoinjectors labeled to contain 1.0 mg/mL epinephrine. A further objective was to determine whether samples continued to meet United States Pharmacopeia concentration standards after freeze-thaw cycles.

Methods

Epinephrine from 6 autoinjectors was extracted and divided into experimental and control samples. The experimental samples underwent 7 consecutive 12-hour freeze cycles followed by 7 12-hour thaw cycles. The control samples remained at an average temperature of 23.1°C for the duration of the study. After the seventh thaw cycle, epinephrine concentrations were measured using a high-performance liquid chromatography assay with mass spectrometry detection.

Results

The mean epinephrine concentration of the freeze-thaw samples demonstrated a statistically significant increase compared with the control samples: 1.07 mg/mL (SD ± 8.78; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.11) versus 0.96 mg/mL (SD ± 6.81; 95% CI, 0.94 to 0.99), respectively. The maximal mean epinephrine concentration in the experimental freeze-thaw group was 1.12 mg/mL, which still fell within the range of United States Pharmacopeia standards for injectables (0.90 to 1.15 mg/mL).

Conclusions

Although every attempt should be made to prevent freezing of autoinjectors, this preliminary study demonstrates that epinephrine concentrations remain within 90% to 115% of 1.0 mg/mL after multiple freeze-thaw cycles.
Imprudence and Immorality: A Kantian Approach to the Ethics of Financial Risk
Authors: Scharding Tobey K.
Published: July 2015

This paper takes up recent challenges to consequentialist forms of ethically evaluating risks and explores how a non-consequentialist form of deliberation, Kantian ethics, can address questions about risk. I examine two cases concerning ethically questionable financial risks: investing in abstruse financial instruments and investing while relying on a bailout. After challenging consequentialist evaluations of these cases, I use Kant’s distinction between morality and prudence to evaluate when the investments are immoral and when they are merely imprudent. I argue that the investment practices are imprudent when they do not take adequate precautions to secure the firm’s long-term flourishing. They are immoral in a Kantian sense when they risk the destruction of the financial system upon which the firms depend. The upshot of my analysis is that moral actions require more risk aversion than prudent actions and prudent actions require more risk aversion than expected-value-maximizing actions.
Transfusion strategy for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding
Authors: Handel James , Lang Eddy
Published: July 2015

Clinical question

Does a hemoglobin transfusion threshold of 70 g/L yield better patient outcomes than a threshold of 90 g/L in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding?

Article chosen

Villanueva C, Colomo A, Bosch A, et al. Transfusion strategies for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding.N Engl J Med2013;368(1):11-21.

Study objectives

The authors of this study measured mortality, from any cause, within the first 45 days, in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding, who were managed with a hemoglobin threshold for red cell transfusion of either 70 g/L or 90 g/L. The secondary outcome measures included rate of further bleeding and rate of adverse events.
Therapeutic Hypothermia for Refractory Status Epilepticus
Authors: Zeiler Frederick A. , Zeiler Kaitlin J. , Teitelbaum Jeanne , Gillman Lawrence M. , West Michael
Published: July 2015

Background: Our goal was to perform a systematic review of the literature on the use of therapeutic hypothermia for refractory status epilepticus (RSE) and its impact on seizure control. Methods: All articles from MEDLINE, BIOSIS, EMBASE, Global Health, HealthStar, Scopus, Cochrane Library, the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (inception to May 2014), reference lists of relevant articles, and gray literature were searched. The strength of evidence was adjudicated by two independent reviewers, using both the Oxford and GRADE methodology. Results: Overall, 13 studies were identified, with 10 manuscripts and 3 meeting abstracts. A total of 40 patients were treated. The common target temperature was 33 degrees Celsius, sustained for a median 48 hours. Patients displayed a 62.5%, 15% and 22.5% rate of seizure cessation, seizure reduction, and failure of treatment respectively. External cooling was utilized in the majority of cases. Deep venous thrombosis, coagulopathy and infections were the commonly reported complications. Two ongoing clinical trials were identified. Conclusions: Oxford level 4, GRADE D evidence exists to support the use of therapeutic hypothermia to control seizures in RSE. Further prospective study is warranted.
The European X-ray Free-Electron Laser: toward an ultra-bright, high repetition-rate x-ray source
Authors: Altarelli M.
Published: July 2015

The status of the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (European XFEL), under construction near Hamburg, Germany, is described. The start of operations of the LCLS at SLAC and of SACLA in Japan has already produced impressive scientific results. The European XFEL facility is powered by a 17.5 GeV superconducting linear accelerator that, compared to these two operating facilities, will generate two orders of magnitude more pulses per second, up to 27 000. It can therefore support modes of operation switching the beam up to 30 times per second among three different experiments, providing each of them with thousands of pulses per second. The scientific possibilities opened up by these capabilities are briefly described, together with the current instrumental developments (in optics, detectors, lasers, etc.) that are necessary to implement this program.
Relationships Among Cleaning, Environmental DNA, and Healthcare-Associated Infections in a New Evidence-Based Design Hospital
Authors: Lesho Emil , Carling Philip , Hosford Eve , Ong Ana , Snesrud Erik , Sparks Michael , Onmus-Leone Fatma , Dzialowy Nicole , Fraser Susan , Kwak Yoon , Miller Sonia , Chukwuma Uzo , Julius Michael , McGann Patrick , Clifford Robert
Published: July 2015

OBJECTIVE

Hospital environments influence healthcare-associated infection (HAI) patterns, but the role of evidenced-based design (EBD) and residual bacterial DNA (previously thought to be clinically inert) remain incompletely understood.

METHODS

In a newly built EBD hospital, we used culture-based and culture-free (molecular) assays, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to determine: (1) patterns of environmental contamination with target organisms (TOs) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) target organisms (MDR-TOs); (2) genetic relatedness between environmentally isolated MDR-TO and those from HAIs; and (3) correlation between surface contamination and HAIs.

RESULTS

A total of 1,273 high-touch surfaces were swabbed before and after terminal cleaning during 77 room visits. Of the 2,546 paired swabs, 47% had cultivable biomaterial and 42% had PCR-amplifiable DNA. The ratios of TOs detected to surfaces assayed were 85 per 1,273 for the culture-based method and 106 per 1,273 for the PCR-based method. Sinks, toilet rails, and bedside tables most frequently harbored biomaterial. Although cleaned surfaces were less likely to have cultivable TOs than precleaned surfaces, they were not less likely to harbor bacterial DNA. The rate of MDR-TOs to surfaces swabbed was 0.1% (3/2546). Although environmental MDR-TOs and MDR-TOs from HAIs were genetically related by PFGE, WGS revealed that they were unrelated. Environmental levels of cultivable Enterococcus spp. and E. coli DNA were positively correlated with infection incidences (P<.04 and P<.005, respectively).

CONCLUSION

MDR-TOs were rarely detected during surveillance and were not implicated in HAIs. The roles of environmental DNA and EBD, particularly with respect to water-associated fixtures or the potential suppression of cultivable environmental MDR-TOs, warrant multicenter investigations.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;36(10):1130–1138
Psychiatric deinstitutionalisation in Ireland 1960–2013
Authors: Walsh D.
Published: July 2015

Objective

This paper reviews the decline in numbers in inpatient psychiatric care in Ireland over the past half century.

Method

The relevant policy publications advocating de-institutilisation have been examined. Change has been monitored through successive census reports of the Medico-social Research Board and the Health Research Board.

Findings

Ireland has moved from having the highest hospitalisation rate of any western country to a position of equality with other comparable countries in the quantum of inpatient care provided. In the public sector virtually no patients remain in 19th century mental hospitals with acute care being provided in general hospital units. Numbers have also decreased in the private sector but to a lesser degree and acute private care is still delivered in stand-alone psychiatric hospitals.
Territorial Autonomy in the Shadow of Conflict: Too Little, Too Late?—ERRATUM
Authors: CEDERMAN LARS-ERIK , HUG SIMON , SCHÄDEL ANDREAS , WUCHERPFENNIG JULIAN
Published: July 2015

Owing to an editorial error, the titles in the affiliations of Andreas Schädel and Julian Wucherpfennig in the article by Cederman et al. (2015) in the May 2015 issue of American Political Science Review are incorrect. The correct affiliations are as follows:

Andreas Schädel is PhD candidate at ETH Zürich, Haldeneggsteig 4, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland (schaedel@icr.gess.ethz.ch).

Julian Wucherpfennig is Lecturer in International Security at University College London, 29/31 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9QU, United Kingdom (j.wucherpfennig@ucl.ac.uk).

We regret the error.
The role of cult and feasting in the emergence of Neolithic communities. New evidence from Göbekli Tepe, south-eastern Turkey
Authors: Dietrich Oliver , Heun Manfred , Notroff Jens , Schmidt Klaus , Zarnkow Martin
Published: July 2015

Göbekli Tepe is one of the most important archaeological discoveries of modern times, pushing back the origins of monumentality beyond the emergence of agriculture. We are pleased to present a summary of work in progress by the excavators of this remarkable site and their latest thoughts about its role and meaning. At the dawn of the Neolithic, hunter-gatherers congregating at Göbekli Tepe created social and ideological cohesion through the carving of decorated pillars, dancing, feasting—and, almost certainly, the drinking of beer made from fermented wild crops.
Long distance exchange in the Central European Neolithic: Hungary to the Baltic
Authors: Czekaj-Zastawny Agnieszka , Kabaciński Jacek , Terberger Thomas
Published: July 2015

As Mesolithic people living on the Baltic coast began to adopt farming in the later fifth millennium BC, imports of a new type and quality started to reach them from the south — highly decorated pots and then copper axes from the Hungary-Serbia area. With new excavations at the site of Dąbki 9 in northern Poland, the authors are able to show how high quality thin-walled shiny black vessels are travelling over 1000km in the early fourth millennium BC, bringing prestige cups and jugs to the Baltic shore.
Catacomb culture wagons of the Eurasian steppes
Authors: Shishlina N.I. , Kovalev D.S. , Ibragimova E.R.
Published: July 2015

The origin and development of wheeled vehicles continues to fascinate today no less than when Stuart Piggott (1974) first wrote about the subject inAntiquity40 years ago. A growing number of examples from the steppes of southern Russia and Ukraine are providing new insights into the design and construction of these complex artefacts. A recent example from the Ulan IV burial mound illustrates the techniques employed and the mastery of materials, with careful selection of the kinds of wood used for the wheels, axles and other elements. Stable isotope analysis of the individual interred in this grave showed that he had travelled widely, emphasising the mobility of steppe populations.
The chronology and collapse of pre-Aztec raised field (chinampa) agriculture in the northern Basin of Mexico
Authors: Morehart Christopher T. , Frederick Charles
Published: July 2015

Raised field agriculture in the Basin of Mexico was a highly sustainable farming method that did not depend upon centralised political control. Study of thechinampasystem around the Early and Middle Postclassic city of Xaltocan through a combination of remote sensing, GIS, targeted excavation and AMS dating has revealed an extensive area of raised fields that was abandoned when Xaltocan was conquered by an alliance of powerful neighbours during the fourteenth century AD. The rise and abandonment of the chinampa system were thus directly linked to the political economy of the city-state. The failure to revive the raised field systems in the following Aztec period can also be attributed to the impact of political, economic and ecological factors.
THE SUBGROUP COMMUTATIVITY DEGREE OF FINITE -GROUPS
Authors: TĂRNĂUCEANU MARIUS
Published: July 2015

The subgroup commutativity degree of a group $G$ is the probability that two subgroups of $G$ commute, or equivalently that the product of two subgroups is again a subgroup. For the dihedral, quasi-dihedral and generalised quaternion groups (all of 2-power cardinality), the subgroup commutativity degree tends to 0 as the size of the group tends to infinity. This also holds for the family of projective special linear groups over fields of even characteristic and for the family of the simple Suzuki groups. In this short note, we show that the family of finite $P$-groups also has this property.
Blaming Wilbur and Orville
Authors: Crouch Tom D.
Published: July 2015

Few Americans can match the honors and adulation accorded Wilbur and Orville Wright. The brothers emerged as great international heroes with their first public flights in Europe and America in the high summer of 1908. They were no longer the shadowy figures whose claims to have flown an airplane as early as 1903 were widely discounted; now kings, queens, presidents, and prime ministers flocked to see them fly and showered them with awards. Newspapers on two continents chronicled their triumphal progress across Europe and return to the United States in 1909. Wilbur's death from typhoid in 1912 was reported in bold headlines around the world. In the decades that followed, the Wrights' joint achievement would be commemorated with a great national monument, enshrinement in Greenfield Village (Henry Ford's grand tribute to the heroes of American ingenuity), and membership in good standing in the pantheon of brilliant inventors whose work reshaped history.
American Alphabet: Photo-textual Politics in Paul Strand and Nancy Newhall's Time in New England (1950)
Authors: BLINDER CAROLINE
Published: July 2015

The first in a series of regional studies by the photographer Paul Strand, Time in New England pairs the iconographical landscapes and portraits of Strand with a cross-section of historical and fictional accounts of New England life from 1630 to 1950. The texts, chosen and edited by Nancy Newhall, constitute a counterpoint to Strand's images, designed to historicize the ideological parameters, subjects, and faces of a vernacular New England. This essay examines some of the problems inherent in Strand and Newhall's attempts to record an essentially democratic vision of America through a specific cultural landscape both found and constructed. Partly a postwar response to the trauma of fascism in Europe, Time in New England sought to confirm the intrinsic values of America as a safe haven for democratic principles, a project jeopardized by the increasing harassment of leftist artists that drove Strand out of the US in the same year Time in New England was published.
Expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase-33 protein in vocal fold polyps
Authors: Akdogan M V , Erinanc H , Topal O , Erbek S S
Published: July 2015

Background:

This study aimed to evaluate the association of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase-33 protein (‘ADAM-33’) expression in vocal polyp formation and to determine its correlation with clinical characteristics.

Methods:

Medical charts and histological sections of 32 patients diagnosed with vocal polyps who underwent surgery were analysed. Controls were histopathologically normal vocal fold tissues obtained from 36 patients who underwent surgery for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect ADAM-33 expression in epithelial cells, stroma and vessels.

Results:

All epithelial, stromal and vascular staining scores were significantly greater in polyp tissue than in controls (p < 0.001). Stromal ADAM-33 staining scores were higher in vocal polyp patients with a symptom duration of less than six months (p < 0.05). Vocal overuse or the presence of reflux symptoms, sinonasal symptoms or allergy did not affect ADAM-33 immunostaining scores (p = 0.05).

Conclusion:

In this study, ADAM-33 immunostaining was significantly increased in vocal polyps. Therefore, over-expression of this protein may be associated with vocal polyp pathogenesis.
Patient perception of a randomised, controlled trial of laryngeal reinnervation versus thyroplasty for unilateral vocal fold paralysis
Authors: Mat Baki M , Yu R , Rubin J S , Chevretton E , Sandhu G , Birchall M A
Published: July 2015

Objectives:

To explore unilateral vocal fold paralysis patients' perception of a proposed randomised, controlled trial of laryngeal reinnervation versus thyroplasty, and to identify patients' concerns regarding their voice.

Methods:

Seventeen patients from five voice clinics in London were identified as being eligible for the randomised, controlled trial. Eleven of these patients (9 females and 2 males; age range, 18–65 years) were interviewed using a semi-structured topic guide (they were given a minimum of 2 weeks to read through the study information sheet). The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results:

The patients were satisfied with the clarity of the information sheet. Most of them perceived that reinnervation was a more ‘attractive’ option than thyroplasty. This may have been the result of certain phraseology used in the information sheet and by recruiters. Patients' main concern was reduced voice strength and the effects of this on work and social life.

Conclusion:

Phraseology that needed changing was identified; these changes may optimise the recruitment process for a trial. We propose using the voice handicap index 10 as the primary measure of outcome in the proposed randomised, controlled trial.
Associations between trematode infections in cattle and freshwater snails in highland and lowland areas of Iringa Rural District, Tanzania
Authors: NZALAWAHE JAHASHI , KASSUKU AYUB A. , STOTHARD J. RUSSELL , COLES GERALD C. , EISLER MARK C.
Published: July 2015

The epidemiology of trematode infections in cattle was investigated within highland and lowland areas of Iringa Rural District, in southern Tanzania. Fecal samples were collected from 450 cattle in 15 villages at altitudes ranging from 696 to 1800 m above the sea level. Freshwater snails were collected from selected water bodies and screened for emergence of cercariae. The infection rates in cattle wereFasciola gigantica28·2%, paramphistomes 62·8% andSchistosoma bovis4·8%. Notably, prevalence of trematode infections in cattle was much higher in highland (altitude > 1500 m) as compared with lowland (altitude < 1500 m) areas and was statistically significant (P-value = 0·000) forF. giganticaand paramphistomes but not forS. bovis. The snails collected includedLymnaea natalensis, Bulinus africanus, Bulinus tropicus, Bulinus forskali, Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Melanoides tuberculataandBellamya constrictawith a greater proportion of highland (75%) than lowland (36%) water bodies harbouring snails. Altitude is a major factor shaping the epidemiology ofF. giganticaand paramphistomes infections in cattle in Iringa Rural District with greater emphasis upon control needed in highland areas.
Attainment results for nematic elastomers
Authors: Agostiniani Virginia , Maso Gianni Dal , DeSimone Antonio
Published: July 2015

We consider a class of non-quasi-convex frame indifferent energy densities that includes Ogden-type energy densities for nematic elastomers. For the corresponding geometrically linear problem, we provide an explicit minimizer of the energy functional satisfying a non-trivial boundary condition. Other attainment results, both for the nonlinear and the linearised model, are obtained by using the theory of convex integration introduced by Müller and Šverák in the context of crystalline solids.
Poisoning wolves with strychnine is unacceptable in experimental studies and conservation programmes
Authors: PROULX GILBERT , BROOK RYAN K. , CATTET MARC , DARIMONT CHRIS , PAQUET PAUL C.
Published: July 2015

To reduce predation on a woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) population threatened by industrial disturbance, a recent study in Alberta (Canada) used strychnine baits to kill wolves (Canis lupus). Strychnine should not be used to control wolves because it is: (1) inhumane; (2) in contravention of animal welfare guidelines; and (3) non-selective.
Philosophy and the Mind/Body Problem
Authors: Snowdon Paul F.
Published: July 2015

The thesis of the paper is that it is an illusion to think that the mind/body problem is one that philosophy can expect to solve. The basic reason is that the problem is one of determining the real nature of conscious states, and philosophy lacks the tools to work this out. It is argued that anti-materialist arguments in philosophy tend to rely on modal intuitions which lack any support. It is then argued that pro-materialist arguments, such as those of Smart and of Papineau, are dubious because they either yield a conclusion that is too conditional on what other types of research might discover, or rely on premises that anyone who is not already a materialist can simply query. Even if these points are correct the main thesis remains fairly speculative, but at least some support for it is presented.
An Intellectual Entertainment: The Nature of the Mind
Authors: Hacker P. M. S.
Published: July 2015

The setting is a garden in Elysium. The sun is shining. A rich verdant lawn is surrounded by flower beds and flowering bushes, with a grove of magnificent trees behind. Beyond, a large lake and in the distance high mountains. Five comfortable garden chairs are placed in the shade of some trees. There is a low table on which are placed a wine decanter and glasses, three of which are half full. Richard, Jill and Frank are deep in discussion.
Recent experience with cognates and interlingual homographs in one language affects subsequent processing in another language
Authors: POORT EVA D. , WARREN JANE E. , RODD JENNIFER M.
Published: July 2015

This experiment shows that recent experience in one language influences subsequent processing of the same word-forms in a different language. Dutch–English bilinguals read Dutch sentences containing Dutch–English cognates and interlingual homographs, which were presented again 16 minutes later in isolation in an English lexical decision task. Priming produced faster responses for the cognates but slower responses for the interlingual homographs. These results show that language switching can influence bilingual speakers at the level of individual words, and require models of bilingual word recognition (e.g., BIA+) to allow access to word meanings to be modulated by recent experience.
McNutt Nominated as President of National Academy of Sciences
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: July 2015

The current Science editor in chief would become the first woman to head the academy.
The Bidirectional Association between Reduced Cerebral Blood Flow and Brain Atrophy in the General Population
Authors: Zonneveld Hazel I , Loehrer Elizabeth A , Hofman Albert , Niessen Wiro J , Lugt Aad van der , Krestin Gabriel P , Ikram M Arfan , Vernooij Meike W
Published: July 2015

The question remains whether reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) leads to brain atrophy or vice versa. We studied the longitudinal relation between CBF and brain volume in a community-dwelling population. In the Rotterdam Study, 3011 participants (mean age 59.6 years (s.d. 8.0)) underwent repeat brain magnetic resonance imaging to quantify brain volume and CBF at two time points. Adjusted linear regression models were used to investigate the bidirectional relation between CBF and brain volume. We found that smaller brain volume at baseline was associated with a steeper decrease in CBF in the whole population (standardized change per s.d. increase of total brain volume (TBV) = 0.296 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.200; 0.393)). Only in persons aged ≥ 65 years, a lower CBF at baseline was associated with steeper decline of TBV (standardized change per s.d. increase of CBF = 0.003 (95% CI −0.004; 0.010) in the whole population and 0.020 (95% CI 0.004; 0.036) in those aged ≥65 years of age). Our results indicate that brain atrophy causes CBF to decrease over time, rather than vice versa. Only in persons aged >65 years of age did we find lower CBF to also relate to brain atrophy.
Prediction model for aneuploidy in early human embryo development revealed by single-cell analysis
Authors: Vera-Rodriguez Maria , Chavez Shawn L. , Rubio Carmen , Pera Renee A. Reijo , Simon Carlos
Published: July 2015

Aneuploidies are prevalent in the human embryo and impair proper development, leading to cell cycle arrest. Recent advances in imaging and molecular and genetic analyses are postulated as promising strategies to unveil the mechanisms involved in aneuploidy generation. Here we combine time-lapse, complete chromosomal assessment and single-cell RT–qPCR to simultaneously obtain information from all cells that compose a human embryo until the approximately eight-cell stage (n=85). Our data indicate that the chromosomal status of aneuploid embryos (n=26), including those that are mosaic (n=3), correlates with significant differences in the duration of the first mitotic phase when compared with euploid embryos (n=28). Moreover, gene expression profiling suggests that a subset of genes is differentially expressed in aneuploid embryos during the first 30 h of development. Thus, we propose that the chromosomal fate of an embryo is likely determined as early as the pronuclear stage and may be predicted by a 12-gene transcriptomic signature.
The surface structure of silver-coated gold nanocrystals and its influence on shape control
Authors: Padmos J. Daniel , Personick Michelle L. , Tang Qing , Duchesne Paul N. , Jiang De-en , Mirkin Chad A. , Zhang Peng
Published: July 2015

Understanding the surface structure of metal nanocrystals with specific facet indices is important due to its impact on controlling nanocrystal shape and functionality. However, this is particularly challenging for halide-adsorbed nanocrystals due to the difficulty in analysing interactions between metals and light halides (for example, chloride). Here we uncover the surface structures of chloride-adsorbed, silver-coated gold nanocrystals with {111}, {110}, {310} and {720} indexed facets by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory modelling. The silver–chloride, silver–silver and silver–gold bonding structures are markedly different between the nanocrystal surfaces, and are sensitive to their formation mechanism and facet type. A unique approach of combining the density functional theory and experimental/simulated X-ray spectroscopy further verifies the surface structure models and identifies the previously indistinguishable valence state of silver atoms on the nanocrystal surfaces. Overall, this work elucidates the thus-far unknown chloride–metal nanocrystal surface structures and sheds light onto the halide-induced growth mechanism of anisotropic nanocrystals.
Direct observation of catalytic oxidation of particulate matter using in situ TEM
Authors: Kamatani Kohei , Higuchi Kimitaka , Yamamoto Yuta , Arai Shigeo , Tanaka Nobuo , Ogura Masaru
Published: July 2015

The ability to observe chemical reactions at the molecular level convincingly demonstrates the physical and chemical phenomena occurring throughout a reaction mechanism. Videos obtained through in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the oxidation of catalytic soot under practical reaction conditions. Carbon oxidation reactions using Ag/SiO2 or Cs2CO3/nepheline catalysts were performed at 330 °C under an O2 flow of 0.5 Pa in the TEM measurement chamber. Ag/SiO2 catalyzed the reaction at the interface of the mobile Ag species and carbon, while the Cs species was fixed on the nepheline surface during the reaction. In the latter case, carbon particles moved, remained attached to the Cs2CO3/nepheline surface and were consumed at the interface by the oxidation reaction. Using this technique, we were able to visualize such mobile and immobile catalysis according to different mechanisms.
Real-time Imaging of Rabies Virus Entry into Living Vero cells
Authors: Xu Haijiao , Hao Xian , Wang Shaowen , Wang Zhiyong , Cai Mingjun , Jiang Junguang , Qin Qiwei , Zhang Maolin , Wang Hongda
Published: July 2015

Understanding the mechanism of rabies virus (RABV) infection is vital for prevention and therapy of virulent rabies. However, the infection mechanism remains largely uncharacterized due to the limited methods and viral models. Herein, we utilized a powerful single-virus tracking technique to dynamically and globally visualize the infection process of the live attenuated rabies vaccine strain-SRV9 in living Vero cells. Firstly, it was found that the actin-enriched filopodia is in favor of virus reaching to the cell body. Furthermore, by carrying out drug perturbation experiments, we confirmed that RABV internalization into Vero cells proceeds via classical dynamin-dependent clathrin-mediated endocytosis with requirement for intact actin, but caveolae-dependent endocytosis is not involved. Then, our real-time imaging results unambiguously uncover the characteristics of viral internalization and cellular transport dynamics. In addition, our results directly and quantitatively reveal that the intracellular motility of internalized RABV particles is largely microtubule-dependent. Collectively, our work is crucial for understanding the initial steps of RABV infection and elucidating the mechanisms of post-infection. Significantly, the results provide profound insight into development of novel and effective antiviral targets.
Nonequilibrium Energy Transfer at Nanoscale: A Unified Theory from Weak to Strong Coupling
Authors: Wang Chen , Ren Jie , Cao Jianshu
Published: July 2015

Unraveling the microscopic mechanism of quantum energy transfer across two-level systems provides crucial insights to the optimal design and potential applications of low-dimensional nanodevices. Here, we study the non-equilibrium spin-boson model as a minimal prototype and develop a fluctuation-decoupled quantum master equation approach that is valid ranging from the weak to the strong system-bath coupling regime. The exact expression of energy flux is analytically established, which dissects the energy transfer as multiple boson processes with even and odd parity. Our analysis provides a unified interpretation of several observations, including coherence-enhanced heat flux and negative differential thermal conductance. The results will have broad implications for the fine control of energy transfer in nano-structural devices.
Dynamic transcriptome analysis and volatile profiling of Gossypium hirsutum in response to the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera
Authors: Huang Xin-Zheng , Chen Jie-Yin , Xiao Hai-Jun , Xiao Yu-Tao , Wu Juan , Wu Jun-Xiang , Zhou Jing-Jiang , Zhang Yong-Jun , Guo Yu-Yuan
Published: July 2015

In response to insect herbivory, plants emit elevated levels of volatile organic compounds for direct and indirect resistance. However, little is known about the molecular and genomic basis of defense response that insect herbivory trigger in cotton plants and how defense mechanisms are orchestrated in the context of other biological processes. Here we monitored the transcriptome changes and volatile characteristics of cotton plants in response to cotton bollworm (CBW; Helicoverpa armigera) larvae infestation. Analysis of samples revealed that 1,969 transcripts were differentially expressed (log2|Ratio| ≥ 2; q ≤ 0.05) after CBW infestation. Cluster analysis identified several distinct temporal patterns of transcriptome changes. Among CBW-induced genes, those associated with indirect defense and jasmonic acid pathway were clearly over-represented, indicating that these genes play important roles in CBW-induced defenses. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses revealed that CBW infestation could induce cotton plants to release volatile compounds comprised lipoxygenase-derived green leaf volatiles and a number of terpenoid volatiles. Responding to CBW larvae infestation, cotton plants undergo drastic reprogramming of the transcriptome and the volatile profile. The present results increase our knowledge about insect herbivory-induced metabolic and biochemical processes in plants, which may help improve future studies on genes governing processes.