bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial patterns of microbial diversity and activity in an aged creosote-contaminated site
Authors: Mukherjee Shinjini , Juottonen Heli , Siivonen Pauli , Quesada Cosme Lloret , Tuomi Pirjo , Pulkkinen Pertti , Yrjälä Kim
Published: August 2014

Restoration of polluted sites via in situ bioremediation relies heavily on the indigenous microbes and their activities. Spatial heterogeneity of microbial populations, contaminants and soil chemical parameters on such sites is a major hurdle in optimizing and implementing an appropriate bioremediation regime. We performed a grid-based sampling of an aged creosote-contaminated site followed by geostatistical modelling to illustrate the spatial patterns of microbial diversity and activity and to relate these patterns to the distribution of pollutants. Spatial distribution of bacterial groups unveiled patterns of niche differentiation regulated by patchy distribution of pollutants and an east-to-west pH gradient at the studied site. Proteobacteria clearly dominated in the hot spots of creosote pollution, whereas the abundance of Actinobacteria, TM7 and Planctomycetes was considerably reduced from the hot spots. The pH preferences of proteobacterial groups dominating in pollution could be recognized by examining the order and family-level responses. Acidobacterial classes came across as generalists in hydrocarbon pollution whose spatial distribution seemed to be regulated solely by the pH gradient. Although the community evenness decreased in the heavily polluted zones, basal respiration and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis rates were higher, indicating the adaptation of specific indigenous microbial populations to hydrocarbon pollution. Combining the information from the kriged maps of microbial and soil chemistry data provided a comprehensive understanding of the long-term impacts of creosote pollution on the subsurface microbial communities. This study also highlighted the prospect of interpreting taxa-specific spatial patterns and applying them as indicators or proxies for monitoring polluted sites.
Porous Perovskite LaNiO3 Nanocubes as Cathode Catalysts for Li-O2 Batteries with Low Charge Potential
Authors: Zhang Jian , Zhao Yubao , Zhao Xiao , Liu Zhaolin , Chen Wei
Published: August 2014

Developing efficient catalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is essential for rechargeable Li-O2 battery. In our present work, porous LaNiO3 nanocubes were employed as electrocatalyst in Li-O2 battery cell. The as-prepared battery showed excellent charging performance with significantly reduced overpotential (3.40 V). The synergistic effect of porous structure, large specific surface area and high electrocatalytic activity of porous LaNiO3 nanocubes ensured the Li-O2 battery with enchanced capacity and good cycle stability. Furthermore, it was found that the lithium anode corrosion and cathode passivation were responsible for the capacity fading of Li-O2 battery. Our results indicated that porous LaNiO3 nanocubes represent a promising cathode catalyst for Li-O2 battery.
In situ SERS detection of emulsifiers at lipid interfaces using label-free amphiphilic gold nanoparticles
Authors: Li Yue , Driver Michael , Winuprasith Thunnalin , Zheng Jinkai , McClements David Julian , He Lili
Published: August 2014

We fabricated amphiphilic gold nanoparticles (GNPs) that can self-assemble at oil–water interfaces, and applied those GNPs for in situ SERS detection of interfacial emulsifiers.
Microfluidic devices for label-free and non-instrumented quantitation of unamplified nucleic acids by flow distance measurement
Authors: Chatterjee Debolina , Mansfield Danielle S. , Woolley Adam T.
Published: August 2014

Non-instrumented and label-free point-of-care diagnostic microfluidic devices for quantifying nucleic acids by flow distance measurement.
Stem cell culture using cell-derived substrates
Authors: Joddar Binata , Hoshiba Takashi , Chen Guoping , Ito Yoshihiro
Published: August 2014

There have been great efforts to develop cell culture systems using chemically-fixed cells or decellularized matrices to regulate stem cell functions.
Storable N-phenylcarbamate palladacycles for rapid functionalization of an alkyne-encoded protein
Authors: Cheng Gang , Lim Reyna K. V. , Ramil Carlo P. , Lin Qing
Published: August 2014

Here we report the synthesis of storableN-phenylcarbamate palladacycles that showed robust reactivity in the cross-coupling reactions with an alkyne-encoded protein with a second-order rate constant approaching 19 770 ± 930 M−1s−1.
Indanthrone dye revisited after sixty years
Authors: Kotwica Kamil , Bujak Piotr , Wamil Damian , Materna Mariusz , Skorka Lukasz , Gunka Piotr A. , Nowakowski Robert , Golec Barbara , Luszczynska Beata , Zagorska Malgorzata , Pron Adam
Published: August 2014

Tetraoctyloxydinaptho[2,3-a:2′,3′-h:]phenazine, a solution processable, self-assembling and electroluminescent conjugated molecule, can be obtained from indanthrone, an old intractable dye, in a simple one-pot process.
18-Electron rule inspired Zintl-like ions composed of all transition metals
Authors: Zhou Jian , Giri Santanab , Jena Purusottam
Published: August 2014

The 18-electron rule is applied to design a new class of all transition metal based Zintl-like ions.
Interfacial molecular restructuring of plasticized polymers in water
Authors: Hankett Jeanne M. , Lu Xiaolin , Liu Yuwei , Seeley Emily , Chen Zhan
Published: August 2014

We present a means to study the molecular changes of the top and bottom of polymers contacted to water simultaneously in situ. Plasticizers were found to transfer from polymer surfaces to water in minutes.
Magnetically separable core–shell iron oxide@nickel nanoparticles as high-performance recyclable catalysts for chemoselective reduction of nitroaromatics
Authors: Rathore Puran Singh , Patidar Rajesh , Shripathi T. , Thakore Sonal
Published: August 2014

A magnetically separable core–shell iron oxide@nickel nanocatalyst was synthesized, characterized and applied for the aromatic nitro group reduction.
The energetics of isomerisation in Keggin-series aluminate cations
Authors: André Ohlin C. , Rustad James R. , Casey William H.
Published: August 2014

The energetics of the Keggin isomers of the trideca-aluminate ion and their interconversion via cap rotation is investigated using DFT.
Hunting the human DPP III active conformation: combined thermodynamic and QM/MM calculations
Authors: Tomić Antonija , Tomić Sanja
Published: August 2014

It was found that the DPP III active conformation is the compact one. The substrate should be able to form the β-strand secondary structure.
Selective induced polarization through electron transfer in acetone and pyrazole ester derivatives via C–H⋯OC interaction
Authors: Tewari Ashish Kumar , Srivastava Priyanka , Singh Ved P. , Singh Praveen , Kumar Ranjeet , Khanna Ranjana S. , Srivastava Pankaj , Gnanasekaran Ramachandran , Hobza Pavel
Published: August 2014

A set of organic compounds (pyrazole ester derivatives,viz.5-[3-(substituted)-propoxy]-3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester and 5-[2-(substituted)-ethoxy]-3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester) was synthesized and their affinity and stability towards the acetone molecule were tested by NMR.
Synthesis of l-rhamnose derived chiral bicyclic triazoles as novel sodium-glucose transporter (SGLT) inhibitors
Authors: Putapatri Siddamal Reddy , Kanwal Abhinav , Sridhar Balasubramanian , Banerjee Sanjay K. , Kantevari Srinivas
Published: August 2014

Fused chiral bicyclic 1,2,3-triazoles synthesized from commercially available natural l-rhamnose exhibited excellent SGLT inhibition activity.
Preparation and evaluation of hypocrellin A loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy
Authors: Qi Shan-Shan , Lin Xi , Zhang Miao-Miao , Yan Shu-Zhen , Yu Shu-Qin , Chen Shuang-Lin
Published: August 2014

The PLGA/HA NPs showed improved dispersibility and enhanced photostability, while maintaining high phototoxicity and ROS production ability.
Single phase, electrically insulating, multiferroic La-substituted BiFeO3prepared by mechanosynthesis
Authors: Perejón Antonio , Sánchez-Jiménez Pedro E. , Pérez-Maqueda Luis A. , Criado José M. , Romero de Paz Julio , Sáez-Puche Regino , Masó Nahum , West Anthony R.
Published: August 2014

Bi1−xLaxFeO3solid solutions prepared by mechanosynthesis are chemically homogeneous, single phase, highly insulating and demonstrate composition-dependent Néel and Curie transitions.
Structural and binding studies of peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa provide a platform for the structure-based inhibitor design against peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase
Authors: Singh Avinash , Kumar Ashok , Gautam Lovely , Sharma Pradeep , Sinha Mau , Bhushan Asha , Kaur Punit , Sharma Sujata , Arora Ashish , Singh Tej P.
Published: August 2014

During the course of protein synthesis in the cell, the translation process is often terminated due to various reasons. As a result, peptidyl-tRNA molecules are released which are toxic to the cell as well reducing the availability of free amino acid and tRNA molecules for the required protein synthesis in the cell. Such a situation is corrected by an enzyme, Pth (peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase), which catalyses the release of free tRNA and peptide moieties from peptidyl-tRNAs. This means that the active Pth is essential for the survival of bacteria. In order to design inhibitors of PaPth (Pth from Pseudomonas aeruginosa), we determined the structures of PaPth in its native and bound states with compounds amino acylate-tRNA analogue and 5-azacytidine. The structure determination of the native protein revealed that the substrate-binding site was partially occupied by Glu161 from the neigh-bouring molecule. The structure of PaPth indicated that the substrate-binding site can be broadly divided into three distinct subsites. The structures of the two complexes showed that the amino acylate-tRNA analogue filled three subsites, whereas 5-azacytidine filled two subsites. The common sugar and the base moieties of the two compounds occupied identical positions in the cleft. Using surface plasmon resonance, the dissociation constants for the amino acylate-tRNA analogue and 5-azacytidine were found to be 3.53×10−8 M and 5.82×10−8 M respectively.
Adaptive pulse signal shaping of tag response signal for RFID tag test system
Authors: Hao Jinguang , Pei Wenjiang , Xia Yili , Wang Kai
Published: August 2014

An algorithm for adaptive pulse signal shaping is proposed for the tag response signal with large fluctuations of radio frequency identification (RFID) tag test systems, which has not been addressed in the literature for the scenario. To verify the proposed algorithm, an experimental platform implemented with a field programmable gate array (FPGA) is set up based on National Instruments. The experimental results show that the algorithm is sufficient for correcting the RFID tag response pulse signal even for the signal with severe signal distortion.
Complex signal transmission for multi‐user multiple‐input multiple‐output relay
Authors: Wang Yong , Li Hui
Published: August 2014

A full‐duplex wireless communications system is considered where K user wants to exchange common messages and private messages via a relay with multiple antennas simultaneously. The proposed scheme combines signal space alignment with zero forcing during multiple access channel phase and broadcast channel phase to cancel self‐interference. The authors can achieve high degree of freedom by using successive network coding and aligning multiple interfering signals. The result is extended to a more generalised Y channel circumstance where they can transfer each message with different interference‐free streams.
Selectively triggered cooperative sensing in cognitive radio networks
Authors: Paul Rajib , Pak Wooguil , Choi Young‐June
Published: August 2014

In cognitive radio networks, spectrum sensing is critical to the discovery of spectrum opportunities for secondary systems. To enhance the accuracy of spectrum sensing, cooperative sensing has been considered, but it incurs communication overhead as well as more energy consumption of secondary users. To alleviate these problems while taking advantage of cooperative sensing, the authors propose a two‐step spectrum sensing scheme, where only one or a few selected sensors are involved in the first step, but the second step occurs for cooperative sensing when the outcome of the first step is uncertain to make a decision in the presence of primary users. For this, there are two thresholds for measured energy in the first step; if the sensed energy by the designated sensor in the first step is between these thresholds, the second step incurs cooperative sensing of all the other sensors; otherwise, the second step is not triggered. This way, they can enhance the probability of detection and reduce consumed energy as well as communication overhead while maintaining a reasonable sensing time. The authors’ analysis and simulation results confirm that their proposed selectively triggered cooperative sensing with two steps outperforms the conventional schemes.
Two‐dimensional scanning antenna array for UHF radio frequency identification system application
Authors: Li Xiuping , Zhu Hua , Zhang Dong , Sun Zhongyuan , Yuan Yong , Yu Dan
Published: August 2014

This study presents a two‐dimensional (2D) scanning antenna array of ultra high frequency radio frequency identification system with high stability and reliability in metal cavity. The antenna array is composed of nine elements and a feeding network. The two‐shorting‐plate planar inverted‐F antenna is designed as antenna element with small dimension 10 × 10 × 1.5 cm3. The bandwidth of element is about 72 MHz (840–912 MHz) under the condition of voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) <2. The feeding network consists of a butler matrix and three three‐way power dividers. Both the nine antenna elements and a feeding network are specified within 33 × 30 × 20 cm3 areas, where switches are used to change the connection of feeding network to obtain 2D scanning beam. The measured bandwidth is about 30 MHz (845–875 MHz) under the condition of VSWR <2, which covers Europe standard (865–868 MHz) completely. The scanning beam directions are ±60° with 10 dBi gain at the xz‐plane and ±50° with 10 dBi gain at the yz‐plane. The read rate of the proposed antenna array achieves 100% in the metal cavity with 18 dBm input power.
Method for preparing electrocatalysts with ultra‐high activity using graphene oxide as the support
Authors: Hu Zhongliang , Jiang Haiyun , Zhao Xuehui , Zhang Wei , Li Na
Published: August 2014

A novel method has been developed to prepare efficient electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation using graphene oxide (GO) as the support, and the deposited Pt–Ru particles on the sheets of GO are very thin nanoplatelets. The method mainly includes the following steps: Pb2+ adsorption on the sheets of GO, Pb2+ electrochemical reduction and galvanic displacement of Pb0 by Pt2+ and Ru3+. The prepared catalyst displays a large electrochemically active surface area and its mass electrocatalytic activity towards methanol oxidation reaction is about 15 times higher than that of commercial catalysts. The presented results demonstrate that this developed method could be viable for solving the problem of low electrocatalytic activity in direct methanol fuel cell anodes.
Silicon drift detector based X-ray spectroscopy diagnostic system for the study of non-thermal electrons at Aditya tokamak
Authors: Purohit S. , Joisa Y. S. , Raval J. V. , Ghosh J. , Tanna R. , Shukla B. K. , Bhatt S. B.
Published: August 2014

Silicon drift detector based X-ray spectrometer diagnostic was developed to study the non-thermal electron for Aditya tokamak plasma. The diagnostic was mounted on a radial mid plane port at the Aditya. The objective of diagnostic includes the estimation of the non-thermal electron temperature for the ohmically heated plasma. Bi-Maxwellian plasma model was adopted for the temperature estimation. Along with that the study of high Z impurity line radiation from the ECR pre-ionization experiments was also aimed. The performance and first experimental results from the new X-ray spectrometer system are presented.
From normal to anomalous diffusion in comb-like structures in three dimensions
Authors: Berezhkovskii Alexander M. , Dagdug Leonardo , Bezrukov Sergey M.
Published: August 2014

Diffusion in a comb-like structure, formed by a main cylindrical tube with identical periodic dead ends of cylindrical shape, occurs slower than that in the same system without dead ends. The reason is that the particle, entering a dead end, interrupts its propagation along the tube axis. The slowdown becomes stronger and stronger as the dead end length increases, since the particle spends more and more time in the dead ends. In the limiting case of infinitely long dead ends, diffusion becomes anomalous with the exponent equal to 1/2. We develop a formalism which allows us to study the mean square displacement of the particle along the tube axis in such systems. The formalism is applicable for an arbitrary dead end length, including the case of anomalous diffusion in a tube with infinitely long dead ends. In particular, we demonstrate how intermediate anomalous diffusion arises when the dead ends are long enough.
Influence of carbon nanotube dimensions on the percolation characteristics of carbon nanotube/polymer composites
Authors: Shehzad Khurram , Ahmad Mirza Nadeem , Hussain Tajamal , Mumtaz Muhammad , Shah Asma Tufail , Mujahid Adnan , Wang Chao , Ellingsen Josef , Dang Zhi-Min
Published: August 2014

The effect of carbon nanotube aspect ratio (AR) on the percolation characteristics of their polymer composites was investigated by melt blending the multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with different AR with a thermoplastic elastomer. Previously, most studies reported the effect of aspect ratio of MWCNTs only in the context of achieving the maximum electrical conductivity at lower percolation thresholds in the polymer composites. In this study, our results indicate that aspect ratio can also influence other percolation properties such as the pre-percolation conductivity, percolation conductivity and post-percolation conductivity, shape of the percolation curve, and the width of the insulator-conductor transition. We have established that AR can be used to tailor the percolation curves from sharp to quasi-linear ones, which can help us fabricate the percolative composites with stable electrical properties. Experimental results suggested that the mathematically calculated nominal AR of the MWCNTs was an unclear parameter to correlate with the percolation characteristics of the composites. Instead, an approach taking into consideration the nominal length (l) and the diameter (d) of the MWCNTs individually rather than as a combined AR (l/d) parameter gave a better explanation of the relation between MWCNT dimensions and percolation characteristics.
Relativistic electron precipitation events driven by electromagnetic ion-cyclotron waves
Authors: Khazanov G. , Sibeck D. , Tel'nikhin A. , Kronberg T.
Published: August 2014

We adopt a canonical approach to describe the stochastic motion of relativistic belt electrons and their scattering into the loss cone by nonlinear EMIC waves. The estimated rate of scattering is sufficient to account for the rate and intensity of bursty electron precipitation. This interaction is shown to result in particle scattering into the loss cone, forming ∼10 s microbursts of precipitating electrons. These dynamics can account for the statistical correlations between processes of energization, pitch angle scattering, and relativistic electron precipitation events, that are manifested on large temporal scales of the order of the diffusion time ∼tens of minutes.
Picosecond carrier recombination dynamics in chalcogen-hyperdoped silicon
Authors: Sher Meng-Ju , Simmons Christie B. , Krich Jacob J. , Akey Austin J. , Winkler Mark T. , Recht Daniel , Buonassisi Tonio , Aziz Michael J. , Lindenberg Aaron M.
Published: August 2014

Intermediate-band materials have the potential to be highly efficient solar cells and can be fabricated by incorporating ultrahigh concentrations of deep-level dopants. Direct measurements of the ultrafast carrier recombination processes under supersaturated dopant concentrations have not been previously conducted. Here, we use optical-pump/terahertz-probe measurements to study carrier recombination dynamics of chalcogen-hyperdoped silicon with sub-picosecond resolution. The recombination dynamics is described by two exponential decay time scales: a fast decay time scale ranges between 1 and 200 ps followed by a slow decay on the order of 1 ns. In contrast to the prior theoretical predictions, we find that the carrier lifetime decreases with increasing dopant concentration up to and above the insulator-to-metal transition. Evaluating the material's figure of merit reveals an optimum doping concentration for maximizing performance.
Note: Automated optical focusing on encapsulated devices for scanning light stimulation systems
Authors: Bitzer L. A. , Benson N. , Schmechel R.
Published: August 2014

Recently, a scanning light stimulation system with an automated, adaptive focus correction during the measurement was introduced. Here, its application on encapsulated devices is discussed. This includes the changes an encapsulating optical medium introduces to the focusing process as well as to the subsequent light stimulation measurement. Further, the focusing method is modified to compensate for the influence of refraction and to maintain a minimum beam diameter on the sample surface.
Chemical potential shift and gap-state formation in SrTiO3−δ revealed by photoemission spectroscopy
Authors: Pal Prabir , Kumar Pramod , V. Aswin , Dogra Anjana , Joshi Amish G.
Published: August 2014

In this study, we report on investigations of the electronic structure of SrTiO3 annealed at temperature ranging between 550 and 840 °C in an ultrahigh vacuum. Annealing induced oxygen vacancies (Ovac) impart considerable changes in the electronic structure of SrTiO3. Using core-level photoemission spectroscopy, we have studied the chemical potential shift (Δμ) as a function of annealing temperature. The result shows that the chemical potential monotonously increases with electron doping in SrTiO3−δ. The monotonous increase of the chemical potential rules out the existence of electronic phase separation in the sample. Using valence band photoemission, we have demonstrated the formation of a low density of states at the near Fermi level electronic spectrum of SrTiO3−δ. The gap-states were observed by spectral weight transfer over a large energy scale of the stoichiometric band gap of SrTiO3 system leading finally to an insulator-metal transition. We have interpreted our results from the point of structural distortions induced by oxygen vacancies.
Broadband electron spin resonance in a nanosized La0.25Ca0.75MnO3 manganite
Authors: Fernàndez-Martínez Antoni , García-Santiago Antoni , Hernàndez Joan Manel , Zhang Tao
Published: August 2014

The microwave response of a nanogranular La0.25Ca0.75MnO3 manganite has been studied by means of broadband electron spin resonance experiments performed in a commercial magnetic properties measurement system magnetometer using two purpose-built probes. The results concur with the hydrodynamic model for spin-glass systems and allow to determine the gyromagnetic ratio and the effective uniaxial magnetic anisotropy constant in a wide range of temperatures. The thermal behavior of both magnitudes provides information about structural transitions and magnetic interactions within the nanosized grains that make the sample. The experiments enable to corroborate the validity of the applied model in this kind of magnetic systems.
Advances in quantitative nanoscale subsurface imaging by mode-synthesizing atomic force microscopy
Authors: Vitry P. , Bourillot E. , Plassard C. , Lacroute Y. , Tetard L. , Lesniewska E.
Published: August 2014

This paper reports on advances toward quantitative non-destructive nanoscale subsurface investigation of a nanofabricated sample based on mode synthesizing atomic force microscopy with heterodyne detection, addressing the need to correlate the role of actuation frequencies of the probe fp and the sample fs with depth resolution for 3D tomography reconstruction. Here, by developing a simple model and validating the approach experimentally through the study of the nanofabricated calibration depth samples consisting of buried metallic patterns, we demonstrate avenues for quantitative nanoscale subsurface imaging. Our findings enable the reconstruction of the sample depth profile and allow high fidelity resolution of the buried nanostructures. Non-destructive quantitative nanoscale subsurface imaging offers great promise in the study of the structures and properties of complex systems at the nanoscale.
Spectral shapes of Ar-broadened HCl lines in the fundamental band by classical molecular dynamics simulations and comparison with experiments
Authors: Tran H. , Domenech J.-L.
Published: August 2014

Spectral shapes of isolated lines of HCl perturbed by Ar are investigated for the first time using classical molecular dynamics simulations (CMDS). Using reliable intermolecular potentials taken from the literature, these CMDS provide the time evolution of the auto-correlation function of the dipole moment, whose Fourier-Laplace transform leads to the absorption spectrum. In order to test these calculations, room temperature spectra of various lines in the fundamental band of HCl diluted in Ar are measured, in a large pressure range, with a difference-frequency laser spectrometer. Comparisons between measured and calculated spectra show that the CMDS are able to predict the large Dicke narrowing effect on the shape of HCl lines and to satisfactorily reproduce the shapes of HCl spectra at different pressures and for various rotational quantum numbers.
Gap-dependent arrangements of dielectric barrier discharges in open air
Authors: Chu Hong-Yu , Liou Bang-Tsui
Published: August 2014

Investigations of the structural arrangement of the atmospheric filamentary discharges were carried out. By observing the initial discharge events, we find that the surface charge plays a significant role of seeding electrons. The filamentary discharges show ordered and disordered patterns in parallel plates with different gap distances. A critical gap distance for an ordered pattern is found at about 700 μm. The transition of the order-disorder discharge pattern is also confirmed in a wedged-plates setup with a continuous change of gap distance. The bond-orientational function of the structure of the pattern is related to the mutual Coulomb interaction between discharges.
Reliable mid-infrared laterally-coupled distributed-feedback interband cascade lasers
Authors: Forouhar S. , Borgentun C. , Frez C. , Briggs R. M. , Bagheri M. , Canedy C. L. , Kim C. S. , Kim M. , Bewley W. W. , Merritt C. D. , Abell J. , Vurgaftman I. , Meyer J. R.
Published: August 2014

We report on the performance and reliability of laterally-coupled distributed-feedback (DFB) interband cascade lasers designed to operate at 3.6 μm wavelength. A two-step ridge etch process ensures single-transverse-mode operation with minimal lateral current spreading, and a second-order Bragg grating etched alongside the ridge waveguide imposes single-mode DFB operation. Life tests performed on four randomly selected lasers, continuously operating at 40 °C with output power >10 mW, showed no measurable degradation after each laser was operated continuously for more than 1500 h.
Bacteria under the physical constraints of periodic micro-nanofluidic junctions reveal morphological plasticity and dynamic shifting of Min patterns
Authors: Shen Jie-Pan , Chou Chia-Fu
Published: August 2014

Morphological plasticity is an important survival strategy for bacteria adapting to stressful environments in response to new physical constraints. Here, we demonstrate Escherichia coli morphological plasticity can be induced by switching stress levels through the physical constraints of periodic micro-nanofluidic junctions. Moreover, the generation of diverse morphological aberrancies requires the intact functions of the divisome- and elongasome-directed pathways. It is also intriguing that the altered morphologies are developed in bacteria undergoing morphological reversion as stresses are removed. Cell filamentation underlies the most dominant morphological phenotypes, in which transitions between the novel pattern formations by the spatial regulators of the divisome, i.e., the Min system, are observed, suggesting their potential linkage during morphological reversion.
Embryogenesis and plant regeneration of the perennial pasture and medicinal legume Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) C.H. Stirton
Authors: Pazos-Navarro M. , Croser J. S. , Castello M. , Ramankutty P. , Heel K. , Real D. , Walker D. J. , Correal E. , Dabauza M.
Published: August 2014

Bituminaria bituminosa (common name tedera) is a drought-tolerant perennial pasture species of agronomic and pharmaceutical interest for Mediterranean climates. Considering the importance of this legume, in vitro experiments were conducted to develop protocols for plant regeneration from embryogenic calli of leaves, petioles and anthers to efficiently exploit and maintain selected important clones from the tedera breeding program. The type of explant was a key factor in the frequency of embryogenesis and the number of embryos per callus. For plant regeneration from cultured anthers, appropriate anther physiological state (uninucleate stage of microsporogenesis), stress treatments (electroporation, 25 Ω, 25 µF, 1500 V) and culture conditions were determined. A robust flow-cytometry method was developed to analyse the ploidy status of callus, in vitro shoots and in vivo acclimatised plants derived from anther and leaf explants.
Calibration of the Fire Weather Index over Mediterranean Europe based on fire activity retrieved from MSG satellite imagery
Authors: DaCamara Carlos C. , Calado Teresa J. , Ermida Sofia L. , Trigo Isabel F. , Amraoui Malik , Turkman Kamil F.
Published: August 2014

Here we present a procedure that allows the operational generation of daily maps of fire danger over Mediterranean Europe. These are based on integrated use of vegetation cover maps, weather data and fire activity as detected by remote sensing from space. The study covers the period of July–August 2007 to 2009. It is demonstrated that statistical models based on two-parameter generalised Pareto (GP) distributions adequately fit the observed samples of fire duration and that these models are significantly improved when the Fire Weather Index (FWI), which rates fire danger, is integrated as a covariate of scale parameters of GP distributions. Probabilities of fire duration exceeding specified thresholds are then used to calibrate FWI leading to the definition of five classes of fire danger. Fire duration is estimated on the basis of 15-min data provided by Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites and corresponds to the total number of hours in which fire activity is detected in a single MSG pixel during one day. Considering all observed fire events with duration above 1h, the relative number of events steeply increases with classes of increasing fire danger and no fire activity was recorded in the class of low danger. Defined classes of fire danger provide useful information for wildfire management and are based on the Fire Risk Mapping product that is being disseminated on a daily basis by the EUMETSAT Satellite Application Facility on Land Surface Analysis.
α-Fluorophosphonates reveal how a phosphomutase conserves transition state conformation over hexose recognition in its two-step reaction
Authors: Jin Yi , Bhattasali Debabrata , Pellegrini Erika , Forget Stephanie M. , Baxter Nicola J. , Cliff Matthew J. , Bowler Matthew W. , Jakeman David L. , Blackburn G. Michael , Waltho Jonathan P.
Published: August 2014

Significance

Enzymes that use the same active site to catalyze two native, sequential reactions are extraordinary. Structural studies of phosphohexose mutases are particularly informative, permitting direct comparison of the organization of catalysis of phosphoryl transfer involving two different substrates. The present study of β-phosphoglucomutase (βPGM) deploys chemical synthesis of substrate analogs to enable detailed NMR and X-ray structural analysis of both steps of its catalytic activity. It reveals how βPGM conserves fidelity of transition state organization while maintaining substrate recognition for its two steps by prioritizing positioning of both phosphates over direct hexose recognition for the second step. It identifies the structural basis for the strong discrimination by βPGM between two, diastereoisomeric α-fluoromethylenephosphonate analogs of β-
d
-glucose 1-phosphate.
Compound-gene interaction mapping reveals distinct roles forStaphylococcus aureusteichoic acids
Authors: Santa Maria John P. , Sadaka Ama , Moussa Samir H. , Brown Stephanie , Zhang Yanjia J. , Rubin Eric J. , Gilmore Michael S. , Walker Suzanne
Published: August 2014

Significance

As primary components of theStaphylococcus aureuscell envelope, teichoic acids play important but poorly understood roles in cell division and pathogenesis. Using an unbiased screen combined with targeted gene knockouts, we constructed an interaction network connecting wall teichoic acids to several other cellular pathways, including peptidoglycan biosynthesis, surface protein display, cell envelope D-alanylation, and lipoteichoic acid synthesis. We showed that lipoteichoic and wall teichoic acids play redundant roles in initiating cell division, but have distinct genetic interactions that reveal unique functions. Our findings provide insight into essential cell envelope processes in a clinically important pathogen as well as targets for compound combinations to kill antibiotic-resistantS. aureus.
Notions of (inter)subjectivity
Authors: Nuyts Jan
Published: August 2014

This paper compares a few notions of ‘subjectivity’ (vs. ‘objectivity’ or ‘intersubjectivity’) circulating in the current functional and cognitive linguistic literature. It aims to demonstrate that, in spite of some points of contact in the analysis of certain linguistic issues, e.g. in the sphere of the modal categories, these notions actually refer to substantially different phenomena and should therefore not be confused.
Intersubjectivity in newspaper editorials
Authors: Thompson Geoff
Published: August 2014

In this article, I take a discoursal perspective on intersubjectivity, exploring ways in which intersubjective meanings may be realized across texts, and the kinds of effects that arise from the combination of different forms. In particular, I focus on how writers may exploit intersubjective choices to enact interaction with their intended audience. I carry out an illustrative analysis on a small corpus of editorials from two British newspapers, one quality and one popular; and I demonstrate that there are clear connections between the readership of the two newspapers as described on their audience demographic webpages and the ways in which the editorial writers deploy the resources of interactant reference, mood and modality to construe different kinds of audience.
Intersubjectivity and intersubjectification
Authors: Ghesquière Lobke , Brems Lieselotte , Van de Velde Freek
Published: August 2014

In this paper we present our views on intersubjectivity and intersubjectification with reference to case studies on adjectives, hedges, tags, honorifics, etc. Building on Diessel’s notion of “joint attention” and Traugott’s approach to intersubjectivity, we propose a distinction between three types of intersubjectivity: attitudinal, responsive, and textual. We evaluate and propose formal recognition criteria to operationalize this essentially semantic typology, such as left versus right periphery and prosodic features. In addition, we address the issue of directionality between subjectification and intersubjectification. Rather than seeing subjectivity as a prerequisite for intersubjectivity, we argue that in our typology intersubjective meanings of constructions may diachronically precede subjective ones.
True Emotions
Authors: Salmela Mikko
Published: August 2014

True Emotions discusses several key problems in emotion research. The question about the true nature of emotions focuses on the role of cognition in human emotions at different levels of analysis: functional role, types of processes and representations, and neural implementation. Truth to the self, or authenticity, has two meanings, psychological and normative, where the latter is analyzed as coherence between the evaluative content of an emotion and the subject’s internally justified beliefs and values. Truth to the world is argued to be a matter of correct evaluative representation of the emotional object on the one hand, and the existence of the object, or the actuality or accurate probability of the represented situation on the other hand. Finally, authenticity and truth are applied to analyses of the authenticity of occupational emotions and the constitution of sentimental values, respectively. Recommended reading for philosophers, psychologists, sociologists, and gender researchers.
Stoicism or shyness?
Authors: Alpert Erika
Published: August 2014

I examine data from my fieldwork with Japanese professional matchmakers and their attitude towards new, “less masculine” masculinities. Matchmakers’ ideologies of conversation show that they understand “good partners” as having personality traits that are not particularly ascribed to any gender. Consequently, they allow for flexibility in gendered behavior, as long as their clients can be brought within the heterosexual institution of marriage. As in previous work in the field of language and sexuality, I focus on the way that genders and sexualities are performed through language. However, by focusing on matchmakers, I aim to examine the institutional structures and language ideologies that constrain the process of self-fashioning. Like other recent work on topics such as “personal development”, I treat “self-fashioning” as a multiparty process by addressing the role of the expert in constructing the advice by which clients are supposed to (re)fashion themselves.
Lexicography and cognitive linguistics
Authors: Kövecses Zoltán , Csabi Szilvia
Published: August 2014

The lexicon of a language is not an unstructured list of words. In this paper, we exemplify some of the basic conceptual structures that cognitive linguists work with and we discuss their potential applications to lexicographic work. Specifically, we focus on the possible advantages of using cognitive linguistics as a theoretical background in the structuring of entries, meanings, and idioms in dictionaries. In connection with these organizational issues, we discuss the knowledge-based organization of the mental lexicon (known as conceptual frames), and a type of organization of the mental lexicon that seems to be much more characteristic of Hungarian than of English: organization according to certain “root morphemes.” We also deal with the conceptualization of an element within a topic area through another element within the same topic area (known as conceptual metonymy), the conceptualization of a topic area in terms of another topic area (known as conceptual metaphor); and the internal organization of the various senses of a word-concept (known as polysemy). We devote a section to idioms and their role as well as possible arrangement in the dictionary. Such thematic structures have, on the whole, remained outside the focus of everyday lexicographic practice. Here, we hope to demonstrate their importance and usefulness.
Stative dimensional verbs in German
Authors: Gamerschlag Thomas
Published: August 2014

Stative verbs such as Germanwiegen‘weigh’ andheißen‘be called’ encode an attribute of the subject referent such as WEIGHT or NAME and, in addition, allow for the specification of a value for this attribute. From a cognitive perspective, we refer to attributes of this type asobject dimensionsand to stative verbs encoding object dimensions asstative dimensional verbs. We argue in favor of the relevance of these verbs to cognitive science and semantics. After introducing basic types of stative dimensional verbs, we discuss the results of an in-depth investigation of these verbs in German. In addition to the kind of dimensions encoded by stative verbs, there will be a particular focus on contrasts in the distribution of dimension encoding verbs, nouns, and adjectives. Moreover, we will present a taxonomy of stative dimensional verbs in dependence of the specific dimension.
Exploring Functional-Cognitive Space
Authors: Butler Christopher S. , Gonzálvez-García Francisco
Published: August 2014

This book, intended primarily for researchers and advanced students, expands greatly on previous work by the authors exploring the topography of the multidimensional “functional-cognitive space” within which functional, cognitive and/or constructionist approaches to language can be located. The analysis covers a broad range of 16 such approaches, with some additional references to Chomskyan minimalism, and is based on 58 questionnaire items, each rated by 29 experts on particular models for their importance in the model concerned. These ratings are analysed statistically to reveal overall patterns of (dis)similarity across models. The questionnaire ratings and experts’ comments are then used, together with the authors’ close reading of the literature, in detailed discussion leading to a final dichotomous rating for each feature in each model, the results again being analysed statistically. The final chapter presents the overall conclusions and suggests how existing collaborations between approaches could be strengthened, and new ones created, in future research.

Exploring Functional-Cognitive Space has been awarded the 2016 prize of the Spanish Association for Applied Linguistics (Asociación Española de Lingüística Aplicada, AESLA) for work by experienced researchers.
Zero articles in Indian Englishes
Authors: Hundt Marianne
Published: August 2014

The omission of articles where British or American English require either a definite or indefinite article is a typical feature of Indian English (IndE). Sharma (2005b) found that substrate influence played a role for the use of indefinite one in IndE, whereas pragmatic functions (givenness and modification) played a role in the use of zero articles (see also Sedlatschek 2009, 227). Definite the and indefinte a are also omitted by Fiji Indians in Fiji (Mugler & Tent 2008) and those who have moved to a secondary diaspora in places like New Zealand or Australia. Sharma (2005a) investigated the use of articles by first-generation immigrants from India in the US. Her study shows that zero articles are a feature that is retained in the diaspora context, even by speakers who are otherwise close to using standard, native-like English. The data for this paper come from fieldwork in Fiji (spontaneous conversations) and sociolinguistic interviews conducted in the Fiji Indian Diaspora in Wellington, New Zealand. Recordings from the secondary diaspora include both first- and second-generation migrants, and the study thus investigates whether zero articles are retained in the speech even of people who acquired their English in a predominantly English-speaking environment. The study also aims to link the use of zero articles to informants’ construction of identity in the secondary diaspora.
Breeding for resistance to head blight caused by
Fusarium
spp. in wheat.
Authors: Buerstmayr H. , Buerstmayr M. , Schweiger W. , Steiner B.
Published: August 2014

Fusarium
diseases of cereals, particularly wheat, are a persistent threat to food and feed safety and security. Apart from yield losses, the contamination of the crop with
Fusarium
mycotoxins is of great concern. Among other measures, the deployment of
Fusarium
-resistant cultivars plays a key role in integrated
Fusarium
control and the reduction of mycotoxin contamination in feed and food. In this review, genetic diversity for
Fusarium
resistance in wheat and its close relatives, evaluation methods for assessing quantitative resistance and tools for breeding
Fusarium
-resistant cultivars are presented and critically discussed.
Gastritis and Gastropathy
Authors: Hansel Stephanie L.
Published: August 2014

Inflammation of the stomach can manifest itself as gastritis or gastropathy. Gastritis refers to inflammatory processes of the stomach in which inflammation is the predominant feature. In comparison, gastropathy refers to epithelial damage with little or no inflammation. Gastritis may or may not have identifiable endoscopic findings or clinical symptoms. There are several classifications of gastritis and gastropathy. Most of them distinguish between acute and chronic disease in terms of duration and the predominant inflammatory infiltrate seen in biopsy specimens. The etiology of the gastritis or gastropathy (not always known) also may be an important factor in the classification, as may the topography or specific areas of involvement in the stomach.
Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders,
Authors: Szarka Lawrence A. , Camilleri Michael
Published: August 2014

Motility disorders result from impaired control of the neuromuscular apparatus of the gut. Associated symptoms include recurrent or chronic nausea, vomiting, bloating and abdominal discomfort, constipation, or diarrhea, which occur in the absence of intestinal obstruction. Occasionally, gastroparesis and intestinal pseudo-obstruction are associated with generalized disease processes that affect other regions of the gastrointestinal tract and extra intestinal organs, including the urinary bladder. For many people, the role of motility in generating symptoms is unclear. Such patients are thought to have a functional gastrointestinal disorder, specifically functional dyspepsia.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease:
Authors: Raffals Laura E.
Published: August 2014

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn disease (CD) are inflammatory disorders that affect the gastrointestinal tract. However, these diseases are systemic disorders that may involve other organ systems. Extraintestinal manifestations can affect any organ system, and while in many cases these symptoms are believed to be a result of the underlying intestinal inflammation, some extraintestinal manifestations are independent of the luminal disease course. Extraintestinal manifestations may precede the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Many patients experiencing extraintestinal manifestations have colonic disease, and in individuals with 1 extraintestinal manifestation, another extraintestinal symptom is more likely to develop.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Sweetser Seth R. , Locke G. Richard
Published: August 2014

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition that contributes substantially to health care costs. Because the cause is not known and no curative therapy is available, IBS historically has been managed symptomatically. Recent discoveries in the physiology of the enteric nervous system, the gut-brain axis, and the intestinal flora have led to the development of therapies targeted at potential pathophysiologic mechanisms of IBS. In addition, the role of psychologic issues has been well recognized, and therapy directed at behavioral intervention has been used more extensively than in the past. The overall goal is to improve the patient's symptoms and overall quality of life and, ideally, to prevent the suffering that patients experience.