bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variation in δ15N and δ13C values of forages for Arctic caribou: effects of location, phenology and simulated digestion
Authors: Vansomeren Lindsay L. , Barboza Perry S. , Gustine David D. , Syndonia Bret‐Harte M.
Published: March 2017

Rationale

The use of stable isotopes for dietary estimates of wildlife assumes that there are consistent differences in isotopic ratios among diet items, and that the differences in these ratios between the diet item and the animal tissues (i.e., fractionation) are predictable. However, variation in isotopic ratios and fractionation of δ13C and δ15N values among locations, seasons, and forages are poorly described for arctic herbivores especially migratory species such as caribou (Rangifer tarandus).

Methods

We measured the δ13C and δ15N values of seven species of forage growing along a 200‐km transect through the range of the Central Arctic caribou herd on the North Slope of Alaska over 2 years. We compared forages available at the beginning (May; n = 175) and the end (n = 157) of the growing season (September). Purified enzymes were used to measure N digestibility and to assess isotopic fractionation in response to nutrient digestibility during simulated digestion.

Results

Values for δ13C declined by 1.38 ‰ with increasing latitude across the transect, and increased by 0.44 ‰ from the beginning to the end of the season. The range of values for δ15N was greater than that for δ13C (13.29 vs 5.60 ‰). Differences in values for δ13C between graminoids (Eriophorum and Carex spp.) and shrubs (Betula and Salix spp.) were small but δ15N values distinguished graminoids (1.87 ± 1.02 ‰) from shrubs (−2.87 ± 2.93 ‰) consistently across season and latitude. However, undigested residues of forages were enriched in 15N when the digestibility of N was less than 0.67.

Conclusions

Although δ15N values can distinguish plant groups in the diet of arctic herbivores, variation in the digestibility of dietary items may need to be considered in applying fractionation values for 15N to caribou and other herbivores that select highly digestible items (e.g. forbs) as well as heavily defended plants (e.g. woody browse). Published in 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Generative Anatomy Modeling Language (GAML)
Authors: Demirel Doga , Yu Alexander , Baer‐Cooper Seth , Halic Tansel , Bayrak Coskun
Published: March 2017

Background

This paper presents the Generative Anatomy Modeling Language (GAML) for generating variation of 3D virtual human anatomy in real‐time. This framework provides a set of operators for modification of a reference base 3D anatomy. The perturbation of the 3D models is satisfied with nonlinear geometry constraints to create an authentic human anatomy.

Methods

GAML was used to create 3D difficult anatomical scenarios for virtual simulation of airway management techniques such as Endotracheal Intubation (ETI) and Cricothyroidotomy (CCT). Difficult scenarios for each technique were defined and the model variations procedurally created with GAML.

Conclusion

This study presents details of the GAML design, set of operators, types of constraints. Cases of CCT and ETI difficulty were generated and confirmed by expert surgeons. Execution performance pertaining to an increasing complexity of constraints using nonlinear programming was in real‐time execution.
Highly Efficient Solar‐Driven Photothermal Performance in Au‐Carbon Core‐Shell Nanospheres
Authors: Gan Zhixing , Chen Zhihui , Liu Lizhe , Zhang Lifa , Tu Wenguang , Liu Yushen
Published: March 2017

Optical absorptions, electron–phonon interactions, and thermal conductances at the interface are the key factors for excellent photothermal (PT) agents. To simultaneously enhance them, Au‐cored carbon nanospheres show high photothermal energy conversion efficiency. A broadband enhancement in optical absorption is acquired by broadening the size distribution of the Au cores, and hot electron–phonon interactions are reinforced through plasmon–phonon couplings. The conversion efficiency of the composites is found to be as high as 33.84%, which is improved by 73.8 and 405% compared to the pure carbon spheres and Au nanoparticles (NP), respectively. The Au‐carbon core‐shell nanospheres, acting as a general design of solar‐driven photothermal agent, have a unique property of effectively heating of bulk surroundings, and they can be extensively applied to solar‐driven energy and sustainable development in the future.
Regelwerke für die Werkstoffauswahl und Dauerhaftigkeit von nichtrostenden Stählen für Stahlbauten – Entwicklung und aktueller Stand
Authors: Mietz Jürgen , Burkert Andreas
Published: March 2017

Eine der wesentlichsten Veränderungen der im Oktober 2015 erschienenen Neufassung der DIN EN 1993‐1‐4 findet sich im Anhang A „Werkstoffauswahl und Dauerhaftigkeit”. Im Gegensatz zur Vorgängerversion ist dieser Anhang jetzt normativ. Mit Hilfe eines Punktesystems, das die wichtigsten Einwirkungsparameter der relevanten Expositionsbedingungen berücksichtigt, wird eine Korrosionsbeständigkeitsklasse ermittelt, mit deren Hilfe man eine geeignete Legierung auswählen kann. Dieses Verfahren bietet eine zuverlässige Methode für Planer auch ohne spezielle Kenntnisse auf dem Gebiet der Korrosion bzw. der nichtrostenden Stähle. Die Arbeit geht auch auf Unterschiede sowie Gemeinsamkeiten mit der bisher in Deutschland gültigen allgemeinen bauaufsichtlichen Zulassung Z‐30.3.6 ein.
‘Form is easy, meaning is hard’ revisited: (re) characterizing the strengths and weaknesses of language in children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Naigles Letitia R. , Tek Saime
Published: March 2017

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate impairments in social interaction and communication, and in repetitive/stereotypical behaviors. The degree to which children withASDalso manifest impairments in structural language—such as lexicon and grammar—is currently quite controversial. We reframe this controversy in terms of Naigles’ (Naigles,Cognition2002, 86: 157–199) ‘form is easy, meaning is hard’ thesis, and propose that the social difficulties of children withASDwill lead the meaning‐related components of their language to be relatively more impaired than the form‐related components. Our review of the extant literature supports this proposal, with studies (1) reporting that children withASDdemonstrate significant challenges in the areas of pragmatics and lexical/semantic organization and (2) highlighting their good performance on grammatical assessments ranging from wh‐questions to reflexive pronouns. Studies on children withASDwho might have a co‐morbid grammatical impairment are discussed in light of the absence of relevant lexical‐semantic data from the same children. Most importantly, we present direct comparisons of assessments of lexical/semantic organization and grammatical knowledge from the same children from our laboratory, all of which find more children at a given age demonstrating grammatical knowledge than semantic organization. We conclude with a call for additional research in which in‐depth grammatical knowledge and detailed semantic organization are assessed in the same children.WIREs Cogn Sci2017, 8:e1438. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1438

This article is categorized under:

Linguistics > Language Acquisition

Linguistics > Language in Mind and Brain

Neuroscience > Development
EDXRF analysis of gold jewelry from the Archaeological Museum of Taranto, Italy
Authors: Buccolieri A. , Castellano A. , Degl'Innocenti E. , Cesareo R. , Casciaro R. , Buccolieri G.
Published: March 2017

Forty‐six ancient gold jewelry, known as ‘Ori di Taranto’ and dated in Hellenistic period (VII–VI century bc), were found in Taranto (Southern Italy) and, nowadays, are exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum.

These artifacts have never been analyzed, few information are reported in the bibliography, and nothing is known about their chemical composition.

The aim of our work is to determine the chemical composition of the alloy and of eventual decorations present on the objects by using non‐destructive, non‐invasive, and in situ analysis. In particular, the samples were studied by energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence.

Most of the analyzed samples show approximately same composition of the alloy (gold, silver, and copper, respectively equal to 96.3 ± 2.0% wt, 2.8 ± 1.9% wt, and 0.9 ± 0.3% wt) except nine samples.

Multivariate statistical analysis was carried out in order to identify possible correlations and/or differences of alloy composition among the analyzed samples. Experimental results obtained could be compared with other jewelry of the same historical period, and therefore, this study can help to understand the type of processing of gold jewelry in the Hellenistic period. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Role of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography‐Computed Tomography for Predicting Pathologic Response After Induction Therapy for Thymic Epithelial Tumors
Authors: Fukumoto Koichi , Fukui Takayuki , Okasaka Toshiki , Kawaguchi Koji , Nakamura Shota , Hakiri Shuhei , Ozeki Naoki , Sugiyama Tomoshi , Kato Katsuhiko , Yokoi Kohei
Published: March 2017

Background

We investigated the role of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography‐computed tomography (PET‐CT) in predicting the effect of induction therapy in patients with thymic epithelial tumors.

Methods

Fourteen patients with thymic epithelial tumors who underwent PET‐CT before and after induction therapy were retrospectively analyzed. The relationship between the change in the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) in PET‐CT, the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors and the pathologic response (Ef0, no necrosis of tumor cells; Ef1, some necrosis of tumor cells with more than one‐third of viable tumor cells; Ef2, less than one‐third of tumor cells were viable; and Ef3, no tumor cells were viable) was analyzed.

Results

The study cohort consisted of 5 males and 9 females. Nine of the patients had thymoma, and 5 had thymic carcinoma. The induction therapy included chemotherapy in 9 cases, chemoradiation therapy in 4 cases and radiation therapy in 1 case. Among the 8 patients with a pathologic response of Ef0/1, 5 were clinically evaluated as having stable disease (SD), while 3 were found to have had a partial response (PR). The SUVmax was elevated in 2 cases, unchanged in 1 and decreased in 5. On the other hand, 3 of the 6 patients with a pathologic response of Ef2, 3 were classified as having SD, while the other 3 had a PR. The SUVmax decreased in all of the patients.

Conclusions

In comparison with CT, PET‐CT seems to be useful for predicting the pathologic response to induction therapy in patients with thymic epithelial tumors.
International Variation in Emergency Operation Rates for Acute Diverticulitis: Insights into Healthcare Value
Authors: Hong Michael K. Y. , Skandarajah Anita R. , Higgins Rose D. , Faiz Omar D. , Hayes Ian P.
Published: March 2017

Background

International comparison of outcomes of surgical diseases has become a global focus because of widespread concern over surgical quality, rising costs and the value of healthcare. Acute diverticulitis is a common disease potentially amenable to optimization of strategies for operative intervention. The aim was to compare the emergency operative intervention rates for acute diverticulitis in USA, England and Australia.

Methods

Unplanned admissions for acute diverticulitis were found from an international administrative dataset between 2008 and 2014 for hospitals in USA, England and Australia. The primary outcome measured was emergency operative intervention rate. Secondary outcomes included inpatient mortality and percutaneous drainage rate. Multivariable analysis was performed after development of a weighted comorbidity scoring system.

Results

There were 15,150 unplanned admissions for acute diverticulitis. The emergency operative intervention rates were 16, 13 and 10% for USA, England and Australia. The percutaneous drainage rate was highest in USA at 10%, while the mortality rate was highest in England at 2.8%. The propensity for emergency operative intervention was higher in USA (OR 1.45, p < 0.001) and England (OR 1.49, p < 0.001) than in Australia. The risk of 7‐day mortality was higher in England than in Australia (OR 2.79, p < 0.001). Percutaneous drainage was associated with reduced 7‐day mortality risk.

Conclusion

Australia has a lower propensity for emergency operative intervention, while England has a greater risk of mortality for acute diverticulitis. International variations raise the issue of healthcare value in terms of differing resource use and outcomes.
Sexual Rehabilitation After Treatment For Prostate Cancer—Part 2: Recommendations From the Fourth International Consultation for Sexual Medicine (ICSM 2015)
Authors: Salonia Andrea , Adaikan Ganesh , Buvat Jacques , Carrier Serge , El-Meliegy Amr , Hatzimouratidis Kostas , McCullough Andrew , Morgentaler Abraham , Torres Luiz Otavio , Khera Mohit
Published: March 2017

Introduction

Sexual dysfunction is common in patients after radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer.

Aim

To provide the International Consultation for Sexual Medicine (ICSM) 2015 recommendations concerning management strategies for post-RP erectile function impairment and to analyze post-RP sexual dysfunction other than erectile dysfunction.

Methods

A literature search was performed using Google and PubMed database for English-language original and review articles published up to August 2016.

Main Outcome Measures

Levels of evidence (LEs) and grades of recommendations (GRs) are provided based on a thorough analysis of the literature and committee consensus.

Results

Nine recommendations are provided by the ICSM 2015 committee on sexual rehabilitation after RP. Recommendation 6 states that the recovery of postoperative erectile function can take several years (LE = 2, GR = C). Recommendation 7 states there are conflicting data as to whether penile rehabilitation with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors improves recovery of spontaneous erections (LE = 1, GR = A). Recommendation 8 states that the data are inadequate to support any specific regimen as optimal for penile rehabilitation (LE = 3, GR = C). Recommendation 9 states that men undergoing RP (any technique) are at risk of sexual changes other than erectile dysfunction, including decreased libido, changes in orgasm, anejaculation, Peyronie-like disease, and changes in penile size (LE = 2, GR = B).

Conclusion

This article discusses Recommendations 6 to 9 of the ICSM 2015 committee on sexual rehabilitation after RP.
Remarks on the large time behaviour of a nonlinear diffusion equation
Authors: Kavian Otared
Published: March 2017

Consider the diffusion equation

u_t − Δu = |u|^{p − 1}u

(where

p > 1 + \frac{2}{\mathrm{N}}

and

(N − 2) p < N + 2

) on the space

ℝ^N

. We prove that either

\Vert u(t)\Vert_∞

blows-up in finite time or

\Vert u(t)\Vert_∞

goes to zero like

t^{−1/(p − 1)}

as

t → +∞

. We give also a new proof to the fact that when

u(t) ≧ 0

and

1 < p≦1 + \frac{2}{\mathrm{N}}

then

\Vert u(t)\Vert_∞

blows-up in finite time. Sufficient conditions for global existence or blow-up are given, and the case where instead of

ℝ^N

one has a cone like domain is also studied.

Nous étudions le comportement en temps des solutions de

u_t − Δu = |u|^{p − 1}u

. Nous montrons que si

p > 1 + \frac{2}{\mathrm{N}}

et

(N − 2) p < N + 2

, ou bien

\Vert u(t)\Vert_∞

explose en temps fini, ou bien

\Vert u(t)\Vert_∞

tend vers zéro comme

t−1/(p − 1)

lorsque

t → ∞

. On donne également une nouvelle démonstration du fait que si

1 < p≦1 + \frac{2}{\mathrm{N}}

et

u(t) ≧ 0

, alors

\Vert u(t)\Vert_∞

explose en temps fini. Des conditions suffisantes pour l’existence globale (ou l’explosion en temps fini) sont présentées, et le cas où

ℝ^N

est remplacé par un cône est également étudié.
Applications bilinéaires compatibles avec un opérateur hyperbolique
Authors: Hanouzet B. , Joly J.-L.
Published: March 2017

To each pair

(u, v)

of solutions of

\mathscr L u =0

, where

\mathscr L

is an

N × N

hyperbolic system, we can associate the function

q(u,v)(t, x)

,

t \in ℝ

,

x\in ℝ^n

, with

q

a given bilinear form on

ℂ^N × ℂ^N

. The asymptotic behaviour of

q(u, v)(t, .)

when

|t|

grows to infinity allows us to introduce several families of bilinear forms (which we call compatible with the system ) which define a weaker coupling.

Étant donnés un système hyperbolique et une forme bilinéaire

q

sur

ℂ^N × ℂ^N

, à tout couple

(u, v)

) de solutions libres du système, on associe la fonction

q(u,v)(t, x)

,

t \in ℝ

,

x\in ℝ^n

. On introduit différentes notions de compatibilité de la forme

q

avec le système différentiel, en liaison avec l’étude du comportement asymptotique, ponctuel ou intégral de

q(u, v)(t, .)

quand

|t|

tend vers l’infini.
Conditions nécessaires et suffisantes d’existence de solutions en calcul des variations
Authors: Raymond J.-P.
Published: March 2017

We consider the problem of Calculus of Variations in

ℝ

:

\mathscr P(a,b,\alpha,\beta):\operatorname{Inf}\Big\{\ \int_a^b f(t,x(t),x'(+))dt | x\in \mathbf W^{1,q}(a,b),
\ x(a)=\alpha,\ x(b)=\beta\ \Big\},

with

1 < q < ∞

and

f

regular but non convex.

We prove that if

\mathscr P

does not admit a solution, there exist an extremal

γ

of the relaxed problem

\mathscr{PR}

such that the integrand which determine

\mathscr{PR}

is affine in

γ'(t)

and strictly convex in

γ(t)

for all

t

of some interval included in

[a, b]

.

Then, we obtain a necessary and sufficient condition for to admit at least one solution for every boundary conditions (Theorem 6.11). We next study the genericity of assumptions on

f

(Theorem 7.3).

On s’intéresse au problème de Calcul des Variations dans

ℝ

:

\mathscr P(a,b,\alpha,\beta):\operatorname{Inf}\Big\{\ \int_a^b f(t,x(t),x'(+))dt | x\in \mathbf W^{1,q}(a,b),
\ x(a)=\alpha,\ x(b)=\beta\ \Big\},

avec

1 < q < ∞

et

f

régulière mais non convexe.

On démontre que si

\mathscr P

n’admet pas de solution, il existe une extrémale

γ

du problème relaxé

\mathscr{PR}

telle que l’intégrande définissant

\mathscr{PR}

soit affine en

γ'(t)

et strictement convexe en

γ(t)

pour tout

t

appartenant à un intervalle inclus dans

[a, b]

.

On en déduit une condition nécessaire et suffisante sur

f

pour que admette au moins une solution quelles que soient les conditions aux limites (théorème 6.11).

On étudie ensuite la généricité des hypothèses faites sur

f

, (théorème 7.3).
On the existence of stationary solutions to compressible Navier–Stokes equations
Authors: Valli Alberto
Published: March 2017

We prove the existence of a stationary solution to the Navier–Stokes equations for compressible fluids, under the assumption that the external force field is small in a suitable sense. The proof is based over an existence result for a linearized problem, followed by a fixed point argument.

Nous démontrons l’existence d’une solution stationnaire pour les équations de Navier-Stokes dans le cas de fluides compressibles, en supposant que le champ de force extérieur est petit en un sens convenable. La démonstration repose sur un résultat d’existence pour un problème linéarisé combiné avec un argument de point fixé.
Interaction between mountain waves and shear flow in an inertial layer
Authors: Xie Jin-Han , Vanneste Jacques
Published: March 2017

Mountain-generated inertia–gravity waves (IGWs) affect the dynamics of both the atmosphere and the ocean through the mean force they exert as they interact with the flow. A key to this interaction is the presence of critical-level singularities or, when planetary rotation is taken into account, inertial-level singularities, where the Doppler-shifted wave frequency matches the local Coriolis frequency. We examine the role of the latter singularities by studying the steady wavepacket generated by a multiscale mountain in a rotating linear shear flow at low Rossby number. Using a combination of Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) and saddle-point approximations, we provide an explicit description of the form of the wavepacket, of the mean forcing it induces and of the mean-flow response. We identify two distinguished regimes of wave propagation: Regime I applies far enough from a dominant inertial level for the standard ray-tracing approximation to be valid; Regime II applies to a thin region where the wavepacket structure is controlled by the inertial-level singularities. The wave–mean-flow interaction is governed by the change in Eliassen–Palm (or pseudomomentum) flux. This change is localised in a thin inertial layer where the wavepacket takes a limiting form of that found in Regime II. We solve a quasi-geostrophic potential-vorticity equation forced by the divergence of the Eliassen–Palm flux to compute the wave-induced mean flow. Our results, obtained in an inviscid limit, show that the wavepacket reaches a large-but-finite distance downstream of the mountain (specifically, a distance of order$(k_{\ast }\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E5})^{1/2}\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E5}$, where$k_{\ast }^{-1}$and$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6E5}$measure the wave and envelope scales of the mountain) and extends horizontally over a similar scale.
A general relation for standing normal jumps in both hydraulic and dry granular flows
Authors: Mejean Ségolène , Faug Thierry , Einav Itai
Published: March 2017

Steady free-surface flows can produce sudden changes in height and velocity, namely standing jumps, which demarcate supercritical from subcritical flows. Standing jumps have traditionally been observed and studied experimentally with water in order to mimic various hydraulic configurations, for instance in the vicinity of energy dissipators. More recently, some studies have emerged that investigate standing jumps formed in flows of dry granular materials, which are relevant to the design of protection dams against avalanches. In the present paper, we present a new explicit relation for the prediction of the height of standing jumps. We demonstrate the robustness of the new relation proposed by revisiting and cross-comparing a great number of data sets on standing jumps formed in water flows on horizontal and inclined smooth beds, in water flows on horizontal rough beds, and in flows of dry granular materials down smooth inclines. Our study reveals the limits of the traditional one-to-one relation between the sequent depth ratio of the jump and the Froude number of the incoming supercritical flow, namely the Bélanger equation. The latter is a Rankine–Hugoniot relation which does not take into account the gravitational and frictional forces acting within the jump volume, over the jump length, as well as the possible density change across the jump when the incoming fluid is compressible. The newly proposed relation, which is exact for grains and a reasonable approximation for water, can solve all of these issues. However, this relation can predict the height of the standing jump only if another length scale, namely the length of the jump, is known. We conclude our study by discussing empirical but simple closure relations to get a reasonable estimate of the jump length for water flows and dry granular flows. These closure relations can be used to feed the general jump relation and then predict with accuracy the heights of the jumps in a number of situations, provided that well-calibrated friction laws – described in the present study – are considered.
Interweaving Ideas and Patchwork Programmes: Nutrition Projects in Colonial Fiji, 1945–60
Authors: Hartley Sarah Clare
Published: March 2017

The influence of a range of actors is discernible in nutrition projects during the period after the Second World War in the South Pacific. Influences include: international trends in nutritional science, changing ideas within the British establishment about state responsibility for the welfare of its citizens and the responsibility of the British Empire for its subjects; the mixture of outside scrutiny and support for projects from post-war international and multi-governmental organisations, such as the South Pacific Commission. Nutrition research and projects conducted in Fiji for the colonial South Pacific Health Service and the colonial government also sought to address territory-specific socio-political issues, especially Fiji’s complex ethnic poli,tics. This study examines the subtle ways in which nutrition studies and policies reflected and reinforced these wider socio-political trends. It suggests that historians should approach health research and policy as a patchwork of territorial, international, and regional ideas and priorities, rather than looking for a single causality.
Surviving the Lunacy Act of 1890: English Psychiatrists and Professional Development during the Early Twentieth Century
Authors: Takabayashi Akinobu
Published: March 2017

In recent decades, historians of English psychiatry have shifted their major concerns away from asylums and psychiatrists in the nineteenth century. This is also seen in the studies of twentieth-century psychiatry where historians have debated the rise of psychology, eugenics and community care. This shift in interest, however, does not indicate that English psychiatrists became passive and unimportant actors in the last century. In fact, they promoted Lunacy Law reform for a less asylum-dependent mode of psychiatry, with a strong emphasis on professional development. This paper illustrates the historical dynamics around the professional development of English psychiatry by employing Andrew Abbott’s concept of professional development. Abbott redefines professional development as arising from both abstraction of professional knowledge and competition regarding professional jurisdiction. A profession, he suggests, develops through continuous re-formation of its occupational structure, mode of practice and political language in competing with other professional and non-professional forces. In early twentieth-century England, psychiatrists promoted professional development by framing political discourse, conducting a daily trade and promoting new legislation to defend their professional jurisdiction. This professional development story began with the Lunacy Act of 1890, which caused a professional crisis in psychiatry and led to inter-professional competition with non-psychiatric medical service providers. To this end, psychiatrists devised a new political rhetoric, ‘early treatment of mental disorder’, in their professional interests and succeeded in enacting the Mental Treatment Act of 1930, which re-instated psychiatrists as masters of English psychiatry.
ON TOPOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF FINITE CYCLIC ACTIONS ON BORDERED SURFACES
Authors: GROMADZKI GRZEGORZ , HIROSE SUSUMU , SZEPIETOWSKI BŁAŻEJ
Published: March 2017

In Hirose (Tohoku Math. J. 62 (2010), 45–53), Susumu Hirose showed that, except for a few cases, the order $N$ of a cyclic group of self-homeomorphisms of a closed orientable topological surface $S_{g}$ of genus $g\geqslant 2$ determines the group up to a topological conjugation, provided that $N\geqslant 3g$. Gromadzki et al. undertook in Bagiński et al. (Collect. Math. 67 (2016), 415–429) a more general problem of topological classification of such group actions for $N>2(g-1)$. In Gromadzki and Szepietowski (Rev. R. Acad. Cienc. Exactas Fís. Nat. Ser. A Mat. RACSAM 110 (2016), 303–320), we considered the analogous problem for closed nonorientable surfaces, and in Gromadzki et al. (Pure Appl. Algebra 220 (2016), 465–481) – the problem of classification of cyclic actions generated by an orientation-reversing self-homeomorphism. The present paper, in which we deal with topological classification of actions on bordered surfaces of finite cyclic groups of order $N>p-1$, where $p$ is the algebraic genus of the surface, completes our project of topological classification of ‘‘large” cyclic actions on compact surfaces. We apply obtained results to solve the problem of uniqueness of the actions realizing the solutions of the so-called minimum genus and maximum order problems for bordered surfaces found in Bujalance et al. (Automorphisms Groups of Compact Bordered Klein Surfaces: A Combinatorial Approach, Lecture Notes in Mathematics 1439, Springer, 1990).
An updated look at the uneven distribution of cryptic diversity among parasitic helminths
Authors: Pérez-Ponce de León G. , Poulin R.
Published: March 2017

Cryptic parasite diversity is a major issue for taxonomy and systematics, and for attempts to control diseases of humans, domestic animals and wildlife. Here, we re-examine an earlier report that, after correcting for sampling effort, more cryptic species of trematodes are found per published study than for other helminth taxa. We performed a meta-analysis of 110 studies that used DNA sequences to search for cryptic species in parasitic helminth taxa. After correcting for study effort and accounting for the biogeographical region of origins, we found that more cryptic species tend to be uncovered among trematodes, and fewer among cestodes and animal-parasitic nematodes, than in other helminth groups. However, this pattern was only apparent when we included only studies using nuclear markers in the analysis; it was not seen in a separate analysis based only on mitochondrial markers. We propose that the greater occurrence of cryptic diversity among trematodes may be due to some of their unique features, such as their mode of reproduction or frequent lack of hard morphological structures, or to the way in which trematode species are described. Whatever the reason, the high frequency of cryptic species among trematodes has huge implications for estimates of parasite diversity and for future taxonomic research.
Postscript: A Final Note about the Origin of theGospel of Jesus’ Wife
Authors: Bernhard Andrew
Published: March 2017

The owner of theGospel of Jesus’ Wifeprovided Karen King with an interlinear translation of the text. Like the Coptic of the papyrus fragment, the English of this interlinear translation appears dependent on ‘Grondin's Interlinear Coptic/English Translation of the Gospel of Thomas’. It shares a series of distinctive textual features with Grondin's work and even appears to translate two Coptic words found in theGospel of Thomasbut not in theGospel of Jesus’ Wife.Consequently, theGospel of Jesus’ Wifeseems undeniably to be a ‘patchwork’ of brief excerpts from theGospel of Thomascreated after November 2002.
Woodland in Roman Britain: Some Hypotheses
Authors: Wrathmell Stuart
Published: March 2017

The recently published ‘Fields of Britannia’ project has lent a measure of support to the idea that the patterning of woodland and open land evident in the Anglo-Saxon period may in part have persisted since Roman times, if not before. This article explores the potential value of these woodland and open land contrasts in explaining the locations and distribution of a variety of Roman cultural material: coins, military installations and early road alignments.
Electron acceleration by ponderomotive force in magnetized quantum plasma
Authors: Singh A.K. , Chandra S.
Published: March 2017

The possibilities of electron acceleration by ponderomotive force of a circularly polarized laser pulse in magnetized quantum plasma have been explored. The basic mechanism involves acceleration of electron by the axial gradient in the ponderomotive potential of the laser. The quantum effects have been taken into account for a high-density plasma. The ponderomotive force of the laser is resonantly enhanced when Doppler up-shifted laser frequency equals the cyclotron frequency.
Can Quantitative Methods Complement Doctrinal Legal Studies? Using Citation Network and Corpus Linguistic Analysis to Understand International Courts
Authors: ŠADL URŠKA , OLSEN HENRIK PALMER
Published: March 2017

A recent editorial in this journal stressed the need to rearticulate the methodology – and thereby the distinctiveness – of international law in the context of blurring disciplinary lines between international law and international relations. The aim of this article is to contribute to the methodological aspect of the debate. First, the article outlines a legal empirical approach, which complements legal methodology of international law with empirical tools and techniques such as citation network analysis and corpus linguistics. Second, the article applies the approach on the case law of two European courts: the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). It demonstrates how the study of case citations and the language of courts enhance the validity, reliability, and transparency of the established legal method. In particular, scholars of international law gain a stable and complete quantitative basis for a further in-depth study of case law, precedent and interpretation. Additional benefit stems from a set of transparent criteria by which to criticize the jurisprudence of international courts. Firmer ground emerges from which to evaluate the courts’ role in the political process, their societal impact and their legitimacy. At the same time the approach preserves the main features of the distinct legal methodology of international law – especially its attention to legal detail.
Democracy and International Investment Law
Authors: COTULA LORENZO
Published: March 2017

The expanding reach of international investment law and the negotiation of major economic treaties between democratic polities have prompted new debates about the relationship between democracy and the international investment regime. This article develops an analytical framework for understanding that relationship. It first unpacks the concept of democracy, exploring the ‘rules-based’ and ‘action-based’ conceptions that emerge from political theory and their relevance to international investment law. It then examines three themes that frame the relationship between democracy and international investment law: the interface between the investment regime and national democratic space; the place of democratic processes in investment treaty making; and public participation in the settlement of investment disputes. The interplay between rules- and action-based dimensions provides a common thread across the three themes. The article concludes that there is a gap between formal rules and citizen action in promoting democratic oversight, and significant scope to develop more effective mechanisms to install democratic governance in the creation and implementation of international investment law.
Characterisation of invasive clinicalHaemophilus influenzaeisolates in Queensland, Australia using whole-genome sequencing
Authors: STAPLES M. , GRAHAM R. M. A. , JENNISON A. V.
Published: March 2017

Haemophilus influenzaeis an important aetiological organism of both adult and child respiratory disease. The number of non-typeable (NTHi) invasiveH. influenzaeisolates referred to the Queensland (QLD) Public Health Microbiology laboratory has increased notably year-by-year. In this study we used whole-genome sequencing to molecularly characterise 100 referred invasiveH. influenzae, including 74 NTHi isolates over a 15-year period, observing the carriage of capsular and putative virulence genes, including the major adhesins, antimicrobial resistance genes and population diversity. Encapsulated isolates were largely clonal, however NTHi isolates displayed high genetic variability by MLST and single nucleotide polymorphism typing with no dominant clone observed. The only mechanism forβ-lactam resistance identified in the QLD isolates wasβ-lactamase production. No single set of virulence determinants was conclusively associated with invasive QLD NTHi isolates.
Aortic arch advancement for type A interrupted aortic arch with persistent fifth aortic arch type B
Authors: Binsalamah Ziyad M. , Chen Peter , McKenzie Emmett D.
Published: March 2017

Persistence of the fifth aortic arch is a very rare anomaly, but is clinically relevant when it is associated with coarctation. We report a case of a neonate with type A interrupted aortic arch and severe coarctation of a persistent fifth aortic arch, which was discovered after repair of a left congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The combination of anomalies was discovered intra-operatively following left thoracotomy, and was treated with aortic arch advancement. The postoperative course was uneventful.
Transposition with atypical coronary pattern: the Aubert technique
Authors: Pita-Fernández Ana , González-López María T. , Gil-Jaurena Juan M.
Published: March 2017

The arterial switch operation is currently the gold standard technique for repair of transposition of the great arteries. Some atypical coronary patterns such as intramural, interarterial, and a unique posterior button are associated with more complexity and surgical risk. We report a successful Aubert operation for transposition of the great arteries associated with a single and interarterial coronary artery arising from a posterior sinus.
A BIBLICAL MYTH AT THE ORIGINS OF SMITH’STHE WEALTH OF NATIONS
Authors: Ballor Jordan J.
Published: March 2017

There is a subset of scholarly literature that asserts that the title of Adam Smith’s famous work,The Wealth of Nations, is an allusion to passages from the Bible, such as Isaiah 60:5. Strong forms of the claim of this relationship between Smith and Scripture argue for a direct reliance of the former upon the latter. Weaker forms of the claim merely raise the possibility of the relationship or point more broadly to the significance and relevance of scriptural passages. This article sets these claims against the historical context of Smith and his work, finding that the relationship among “the wealth of nations,” Adam Smith, and English translations of the Bible demonstrates that Smith did not, in fact, allude to the passages in Isaiah. Thus, the rise of political economy itself, of which Smith’s work was an important element, was part of the background for, and preceded the appearance of, the phrase in English bibles.
Variations in dementia diagnosis in England and association with general practice characteristics
Authors: Walker Ian F. , Lord Paul A. , Farragher Tracey M.
Published: March 2017

Objectives

Improving dementia diagnosis rates in England has been a key strategic aim of the UK Government but the variation and low diagnosis rates are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to explore the variation in actual versus expected diagnosis of dementia across England, and how these variations were associated with general practice characteristics.

Method

A cross-sectional, ecological study design using secondary data sources and median regression modelling was used. Data from the year 2011 for 7711 of the GP practices in England (92.7%). Associations of dementia diagnosis rates (%) per practice, calculated using National Health Service England’s ‘Dementia Prevalence Calculator’ and various practice characteristics were explored using a regression model.

Results

The median dementia diagnosis rate was 41.6% and the interquartile range was 31.2–53.9%. Multivariable regression analysis demonstrated positive associations between dementia diagnosis rates and deprivation of the population, overall Quality and Outcomes Framework performance, type of primary care contract and size of practice list. Negative associations were found between dementia diagnosis rates and average experience of GPs in the practice and the proportion of the practice caseload over 65 years old.

Conclusion

Dementia diagnosis rates vary greatly across GP practices in England. This study has found independent associations between dementia diagnosis rates and a number of patient and practice characteristics. Consideration of these factors locally may provide targets for case-finding interventions and so facilitate timely diagnosis.
Rapid self-assembly of complex biomolecular architectures during mussel byssus biofabrication
Authors: Priemel Tobias , Degtyar Elena , Dean Mason N. , Harrington Matthew J.
Published: March 2017

Protein-based biogenic materials provide important inspiration for the development of high-performance polymers. The fibrous mussel byssus, for instance, exhibits exceptional wet adhesion, abrasion resistance, toughness and self-healing capacity–properties that arise from an intricate hierarchical organization formed in minutes from a fluid secretion of over 10 different protein precursors. However, a poor understanding of this dynamic biofabrication process has hindered effective translation of byssus design principles into synthetic materials. Here, we explore mussel byssus assembly in Mytilus edulis using a synergistic combination of histological staining and confocal Raman microspectroscopy, enabling in situ tracking of specific proteins during induced thread formation from soluble precursors to solid fibres. Our findings reveal critical insights into this complex biological manufacturing process, showing that protein precursors spontaneously self-assemble into complex architectures, while maturation proceeds in subsequent regulated steps. Beyond their biological importance, these findings may guide development of advanced materials with biomedical and industrial relevance.
Correction: Corrigendum: Origin and structure of polar domains in doped molecular crystals
Authors: Meirzadeh E. , Azuri I. , Qi Y. , Ehre D. , Rappe A. M. , Lahav M. , Kronik L. , Lubomirsky I.
Published: March 2017

Nature Communications 7: Article number: 13351 (2016); Published 8 November 2016; Updated 06 March 2017 In Table 2 of this Article, the graph displaying ‘Pyroelectric coefficient versus temperature’ for 0.03% L-phenylalanine incorrectly replicates the graph above. The correct version of Table 2 appears below as Table 1.
A GWAS in uveal melanoma identifies risk polymorphisms in the CLPTM1L locus
Authors: Mobuchon Lenha , Battistella Aude , Bardel Claire , Scelo Ghislaine , Renoud Alexia , Houy Alexandre , Cassoux Nathalie , Milder Maud , Cancel-Tassin Géraldine , Cussenot Olivier , Delattre Olivier , Besse Céline , Boland Anne , Deleuze Jean-François , Cox David G. , Stern Marc-Henri
Published: March 2017

Uveal melanoma, a rare malignant tumor of the eye, is predominantly observed in populations of European ancestry. A genome-wide association study of 259 uveal melanoma patients compared to 401 controls all of European ancestry revealed a candidate locus at chromosome 5p15.33 (region rs421284: OR = 1.7, CI 1.43–2.05). This locus was replicated in an independent set of 276 cases and 184 controls. In addition, risk variants from this region were positively associated with higher expression of CLPTM1L. In conclusion, the CLPTM1L region contains risk alleles for uveal melanoma susceptibility, suggesting that CLPTM1L could play a role in uveal melanoma oncogenesis.
CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage efficiency correlates strongly with target-sgRNA folding stability: from physical mechanism to off-target assessment
Authors: Xu Xiaojun , Duan Dongsheng , Chen Shi-Jie
Published: March 2017

The CRISPR/Cas9 complex, a bacterial immune response system, has been widely adopted for RNA-guided genome editing and transcription regulation in applications such as targeted genome modification and site-directed mutagenesis. However, the physical basis for its target specificity is not fully understood. In this study, based on a statistical mechanical analysis for the whole ensemble of sgRNA-target complex conformations, we identify a strong correlation between Cas9 cleavage efficiency and the stability of the DNA-RNA (R-loop) complex structures, with a Pearson correlation coefficient ranging from 0.775 to 0.886 for the tested systems. The finding leads to quantitative insights into important experimental results, such as the greater Cas9 tolerance to single-base mismatches in PAM-distal region than to PAM-proximal region and the high specificity and efficiency for shorter protospacers. Moreover, the results from the genome-wide off-target assessments, compared with other off-target scoring tools, indicate that the statistical mechanics-based approach provides more reliable off-target analyses and sgRNA design. To facilitate the genome engineering applications, a new web-based tool for genome-wide off-target assessment is established.
Control of fault plane geometry on the formation of a normal fault-related anticline: an experimental approach
Authors: Long Wei , Li Zhongquan , Li Ying , Chen Junliang , Li Hongkui , Wan Shuangshuang
Published: March 2017

In one of the largest oil-gas fields in Daqing, China, the anticlines are important structures that hold natural gas. The origin of the symmetric anticlines, which have bends on both the limbs, remains under debate. This is especially true in the case of the anticline in Xujiaweizi (XJWZ), which has recently been the focus of gas exploration. A compressive force introduced by a ramp/flat fault was suggested as its origin of formation; however, this is inconsistent with the reconstruction of the regional stress fields, which show an extensive environment. An alternative explanation suggests a normal fault-related fold under extensive stress. However, this mechanism has difficulty explaining the very localized, rather than wide-spread, development of the anticline along the proposed controlling normal fault. The well-developed bends on both limbs of the anticline are also very different from the typical roll-over anticline. Here, we conduct an experimental study showing that the very localized development of the bent-on-both-limbs anticline is controlled by the geometry of the underlying fault-plane. A ramp/flat fault plane can introduce an anticline with bends on both limbs, while a smooth fault plane will develop a roll-over anticline with a bend on only one limb.
Microbial transformation of ginsenoside Rb1, Re and Rg1 and its contribution to the improved anti-inflammatory activity of ginseng
Authors: Yu Shanshan , Zhou Xiaoli , Li Fan , Xu Chunchun , Zheng Fei , Li Jing , Zhao Huanxi , Dai Yulin , Liu Shuying , Feng Yan
Published: March 2017

Microbial transformation of ginsenosides to increase its pharmaceutical effect is gaining increasing attention in recent years. In this study, Cellulosimicrobium sp. TH-20, which was isolated from soil samples on which ginseng grown, exhibited effective ginsenoside-transforming activity. After protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type ginsenoside (Rb1) and protopanaxatriol (PPT)-type ginsenosides (Re and Rg1) were fed to C. sp. TH20, a total of 12 metabolites, including 6 new intermediate metabolites, were identified. Stepwise deglycosylation and dehydrogenation on the feeding precursors have been observed. The final products were confirmed to be rare ginsenosides Rd, GypXVII, Rg2 and PPT after 96 h transformation with 38–96% yields. The four products showed improved anti-inflammatory activities by using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine RAW 264.7 macrophages and the xylene-induced acute inflammatory model of mouse ear edema. The results indicated that they could dramatically attenuate the production of TNF-α more effectively than the precursors. Our study would provide an example of a unique and powerful microbial cell factory for efficiently converting both PPD-type and PPT-type ginsenosides to rare natural products, which extends the drug candidates as novel anti-inflammatory remedies.