bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Online Games and Children
Authors: Grimes Sara M.
Published: February 2015

While children's online gaming includes a wide range of genres and practices, online games designed for and targeted specifically toward children aged 6–12 years emerge out of a unique intersection of interests, industries, and politics. They thus represent a key area of inquiry within the digital communication literature. This entry provides an overview of the history and distinct characteristics of the children's online games market, and explores its longstanding associations with education and promotion. A review of key scholarly works is provided, as is a consideration of current trends and the emerging research questions that these raise.
Privacy and Social Media
Authors: Wolf Ralf De , Heyman Rob
Published: February 2015

This entry offers an overview of privacy as it relates to social media and as it is understood and researched through the lenses of several disciplines in the social sciences. This discussion demonstrates that there is no single definition of privacy that is applicable to all features of social media and that it is often necessary to combine perspectives to achieve an holistic framework that can guide research on issues of both information disclosure and privacy.
Mobile Commerce Applications
Authors: Kim Seongcheol , Ryu Min Ho
Published: February 2015

Advances in mobile technology and the growing availability of smartphones are stimulating the rapid development of mobile commerce applications. Mobile commerce (m‐commerce) is a new type of e‐commerce, enabling transactions to be conducted via mobile devices. Due to its unique characteristics, m‐commerce promises new business opportunities with unprecedented market potential. This entry provides a review of the literature on m‐commerce with a focus on the state of the art in m‐commerce research and applications, providing a market overview and a discussion of enabling technologies, business models, user adoption, regulation and policy, and an outlook on future developments.
ICT4D, Monitoring and Evaluation of
Authors: Hollow David
Published: February 2015

This entry provides an introductory overview of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in the information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) field of research, explaining why and how M&E has a vital and central role to play if the transformative benefits of ICT in development are to be realized. The entry outlines the key components of M&E in ICT4D, covering definitions, building blocks, methods, tools, and key stakeholders. It then focuses on the wider context of M&E, tracking its progress and the current emphases on a theory of change and value for money. It also engages with the practical why and how of M&E of ICT4D, concluding by identifying ten important issues for consideration when adopting an holistic approach to M&E at the center of ICTD.
Search Engines Law and Policy
Authors: Pasquale Frank
Published: February 2015

Search engines are a critical tool for automation. As they mediate between users and indexed entities they index, they reconfigure flows of knowledge, funds, and influence. Internet policy debates focus on the relative strengths of search engines' duties to various entities and the search engines' own rights to order content and enter into contracts as they deem fit. Bias is a particular concern: Is a search engine making a good faith effort to order content tailored to users' interests and queries, or are such judgments invisibly influenced by its commercial agenda? This entry focuses on general‐purpose search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Baidu, but the issues raised by them are of significant interest wherever search functions are deployed.
e‐Commerce Business Models
Authors: Hawkins Richard
Published: February 2015

This entry reviews early discussion of the importance of business models in the development of electronic commerce in the 1990s, the challenges of defining what a business model is in this context, and more recent emphasis on the role of business models in planning, managing, and shaping sector or industry assets and costs within networking configurations.
Access to Infrastructure
Authors: Kozak Nadine I.
Published: February 2015

Access to infrastructure is a perennial issue in the field of communication, which started in the era of postal services and continues to the present era of broadband networks. As infrastructures, or large‐scale systems, information and communication technologies are central to citizens' political, economic, and social lives. Historically and today, a variety of factors such as political and regulatory decisions impact access to infrastructure. Current concerns about equitable access include the issue of network neutrality.
Online Games
Authors: Kerr Aphra , Ivory James D.
Published: February 2015

This entry presents an overview of online games research. It defines online games, examining different types and presenting data on who plays online games to provide the groundwork for the nonspecialist or newcomer to the field. It traces the origins of online games to nondigital games and multi‐user dungeons (MUDs), noting the particular influence of Asian online games culture. The entry also recounts the emergence of blogs, journals, conferences, and professional associations for game study scholars in the 2000s. It discusses the six subthemes that link together the entries in addition to this overview on state of the art empirical research and theoretical development on online games including work on the history and types of online games, production, effects, communication, games players, identity and cultures, and regulation and governance. This entry concludes with a review of the diverse approaches used to study online games and comments on emergent themes in recent research.
Privacy Law and Policy
Authors: Zimmer Michael
Published: February 2015

This entry provides an introduction to privacy law and policy. It reviews various conceptualizations of privacy in legal and philosophical approaches and summarizes legal and policy approaches to protecting privacy, focusing on the United States, the European Union, and Canada as exemplars because of their relative importance in shaping privacy law around the world. Particular attention is given to how new digital information and communication technologies (ICTs) and environments foster particular privacy concerns.
Linear backstepping output feedback control for uncertain linear systems
Authors: Zhu Yang , Krstic Miroslav , Su Hongye , Xu Chao
Published: February 2015

This paper presents a variation on adaptive backstepping output feedback control design for uncertain minimum‐phase linear systems. Unlike the traditional nonlinear design, the proposed control method is linear and Lyapunov‐based without utilizing overparametrization, tuning functions, or nonlinear damping terms to address parameter estimation error. Local stability of the closed‐loop system and trajectory tracking are guaranteed. If the system dimension equals to the relative degree, the global stabilization and asymptotic convergence are achieved. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Zeolite‐Coated Porous Arrays: A Novel Strategy for Enzyme Encapsulation
Authors: Marthala V. R. Reddy , Friedrich Mona , Zhou Zhou , Distaso Monica , Reuss Stephanie , Al‐Thabaiti Shaeel A. , Peukert Wolfgang , Schwieger Wilhelm , Hartmann Martin
Published: February 2015

Zeolite Beta‐coated stainless steel supports with gradient porosity are employed as filter‐panels for lipase encapsulation. Enzyme encapsulation on the stainless steel porous discs is achieved via vacuum infiltration. Subsequently, two lipase‐encapsulated zeolite Beta‐coated stainless steel discs are attached using an adhesive. The zeolite Beta layer on the stainless steel discs largely prevents lipase leaching in comparison to the stainless steel discs without a zeolite layer. The activity of the lipase‐encapsulated, attached zeolite Beta‐coated stainless steel porous discs depends on the thickness of the zeolite Beta layer. It is shown that the biocatalytic performance of the lipase‐encapsulated, attached zeolite Beta‐coated stainless steel supports with a zeolite Beta layer thickness of ≈0.7–1 μm is better than the lipase‐encapsulated, attached zeolite Beta‐coated stainless steel supports with a zeolite Beta layer thickness of ≈2–3 μm in the lipase‐catalyzed transesterification of vinyl propionate with 1‐butanol using n‐hexane as solvent.
Rasch measurement: a response to Payanides, Robinson and Tymms
Authors: Goldstein Harvey
Published: February 2015

A response is made to a paper that urges the use of the Rasch model for educational assessment. This paper argues that the model is inadequate and that claims for its efficacy are exaggerated and technically weak.
Long‐term follow‐up of the platinum chromium TAXUS element (ION) stent
Authors: Kereiakes Dean J. , Cannon Louis A. , Dauber Ira , Ball Michael , Bertolet Barry , Foster Michael , Nersesov Andrey Y. , Underwood Paul L. , Allocco Dominic J. , Dawkins Keith D.
Published: February 2015

Background

The TAXUS Element (ION) platinum chromium paclitaxel‐eluting stent (PtCr‐PES) incorporates a thin (81 μm) strut design with a similar polymer and drug dose density as prior PES. The pivotal PERSEUS trial program consisted of two studies: PERSEUS Workhorse (WH) and PERSEUS Small Vessel (SV). The PERSEUS WH trial demonstrated the PtCr‐PES to be non‐inferior to the predicate TAXUS Express PES (TE‐PES) for target lesion failure (TLF) at 1 year and in‐segment angiographic percent diameter stenosis at 9 months. The PERSEUS SV trial demonstrated the PtCr‐PES to be superior to a historical bare metal stent (BMS) for angiographic late lumen loss at 9 months. Long‐term (5‐year) clinical outcomes following PtCr‐PES have not been previously reported.

Methods

PERSEUS WH was a prospective, Bayesian, 3:1 randomized (PtCr‐PES vs. TE‐PES) trial in patients with lesion length ≤28 mm and vessel diameter ≥2.75 to ≤4.0 mm. PERSEUS SV was a prospective, single‐arm trial in patients with lesion length ≤20 mm and vessel diameter ≥2.25 to <2.75 mm comparing PtCr‐PES to a matched historical BMS control.

Results

Among randomized subjects in the PERSEUS WH study, clinical event rates at 5 years were similar between treatment groups, including TLF (12.9% TE‐PES vs. 12.1% PtCr‐PES; P = 0.66). In the PERSEUS SV study, 5‐year rates of MACE, and TLF were significantly lower for PtCr‐PES (vs. BMS) following adjustment for baseline characteristics and were primarily due to lower target lesion revascularization rates (27.2% BMS vs. 14.9% PtCr‐PES; P = 0.049).

Conclusions

At 5 years, the PtCr‐PES provides efficacy and safety that is comparable to the TE‐PES and superior efficacy with similar safety when compared with BMS in smaller caliber vessels. Cumulative stent thrombosis rates remained low and similar through 5 years for both DES platforms. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
First‐to‐Patent Does not Predict First‐ or Best‐in‐Class: Analysis of Approved Small Molecule vs. Biologic Drugs
Authors: Roland GE , Xu JJ , Wagner JA
Published: February 2015

The biopharmaceutical enterprise continues to analyze, refine, and identify key strategic factors predicting success of innovative therapeutic advances to address important unmet medical needs. A key comparison has focused on the relative benefits of the novel mechanism of a first‐in‐class drug vs. the superior properties that differentiate improved follow‐on drugs (best‐in‐class). A corollary question to first‐in‐class vs. best‐in‐class is the impact of patent timing. Surprisingly, first‐to‐patent does not predict first‐ or best‐in‐class.
Meaningful Use and Clinical Utility of Preemptive Pharmacogenetic Testing: (Re)View From a CYP2D6 Poor Metabolizer
Authors: Leeder J. Steven
Published: February 2015

The value of pharmacogenetic information at an individual level seems self‐evident; demonstrating the value to the individual across a population appears to be much more difficult to demonstrate. Future studies should avoid single gene–drug pairs and a limited number of population‐specific alleles that are insufficient to capture all relevant genetic variation within diverse populations, such as CYP2C9*2 and *3. Robust associations between cytochrome P450 (CYP) genotypes and treatment response require knowledge of drug exposure.
Pharmacogenetics of Opioid Response
Authors: Somogyi AA , Coller JK , Barratt DT
Published: February 2015

For opioids requiring CYP2D6 O‐demethylation to active metabolites, poor metabolizers have reduced metabolite formation and minimal pain reduction. Clinically, this has only reliably been shown for tramadol. Ultra‐rapid metabolizers have an increased risk of toxicity especially for codeine. ABCB1 genetics show no consistent findings. In Asian populations, the high OPRM1 118A>G frequency associates with higher opioid dosage requirements. Clinical translation of opioid genetics is premature because many important pain and addiction phenotype factors contribute.
Pharmacological Treatment of Pain: Future Trends and Novel Insights
Authors: Cascorbi I
Published: February 2015

The pharmacological treatment of chronic pain is generally hampered by a limited clinical outcome. Hence, there is a strong need for new therapeutic concepts considering the identification of novel targets and related drugs, but also optimization of established therapeutic regimes through individualization. In this issue, focused on “Pain,” we discuss some of the recent new concepts in pain treatment, understanding of pain heterogeneity, and subsequent optimization of analgesic treatment, but also novel insights into interactions of nonopioids.
Using a surrogate contact pair to evaluate polyethylene wear in prosthetic knee joints
Authors: Sanders Anthony P. , Lockard Carly A. , Weisenburger Joel N. , Haider Hani , Raeymaekers Bart
Published: February 2015

With recent improvements to the properties of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) used in joint replacements, prosthetic knee and hip longevity may extend beyond two decades. However, it is difficult and costly to replicate such a long in vivo lifetime using clinically relevant in vitro wear testing approaches such as walking gait joint simulators. We advance a wear test intermediate in complexity between pin‐on‐disk and knee joint simulator tests. The test uses a surrogate contact pair, consisting of a surrogate femoral and tibial specimen that replicate the contact mechanics of any full‐scale knee condyle contact pair. The method is implemented in a standard multi‐directional pin‐on‐disk wear test machine, and we demonstrate its application via a two‐million‐cycle wear test of three different UHMWPE formulations. Further, we demonstrate the use of digital photography and image processing to accurately quantify fatigue damage based on the reduced transmission of light through a damage area in a UHMWPE specimen. The surrogate contact pairs replicate the knee condyle contact areas within −3% to +12%. The gravimetric wear test results reflect the dose of crosslinking radiation applied to the UHMWPE: 35 kGy yielded a wear rate of 7.4 mg/Mcycles, 55 kGy yielded 1.0 mg/Mcycles, and 75 kGy (applied to a 0.1% vitamin E stabilized UHMWPE) yielded 1.5 mg/Mcycles. A precursor to spalling fatigue is observed and precisely measured in the radiation‐sterilized (35 kGy) and aged UHMWPE specimen. The presented techniques can be used to evaluate the high‐cycle fatigue performance of arbitrary knee condyle contact pairs under design‐specific contact stresses, using existing wear test machines. This makes the techniques more economical and well‐suited to standardized comparative testing. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 133–140, 2016.
Reinforcement of polyetheretherketone polymer with titanium for improved mechanical properties and in vitro biocompatibility
Authors: Jung Hyun‐Do , Park Hui‐Sun , Kang Min‐Ho , Li Yuanlong , Kim Hyoun‐Ee , Koh Young‐Hag , Estrin Yuri
Published: February 2015

Blends of ductile Ti metal with polyetheretherketone (PEEK) polymer were studied with regard to their mechanical properties and in vitro biocompatibility. PEEK/Ti composites with various Ti contents, ranging from 0 vol % to 60 vol %, were produced by compression molding at 370°C. In all composites produced, regardless of the initial Ti content, Ti particles were well distributed in the PEEK matrix. Addition of Ti led to a significant increase in mechanical properties of PEEK. Specifically, an increase in Ti content enhanced compressive strength and stiffness, while preserving ductile fracture behavior. In addition, the use of Ti for reinforcement of PEEK provided the composites with improved in vitro biocompatibility in terms of the attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of MC3T3‐E1 cells. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 141–148, 2016.
Silibinin prevents dopaminergic neuronal loss in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease via mitochondrial stabilization
Authors: Lee Yujeong , Park Hee Ra , Chun Hye Jeong , Lee Jaewon
Published: February 2015

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway. The lipophile 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) can cross the blood–brain barrier and is subsequently metabolized into toxic1‐methyl‐4‐phenylpyridine (MPP+), which causes mitochondrial dysfunction and the selective cell death of dopaminergic neurons. The present article reports the neuroprotective effects of silibinin in a murine MPTP model of PD. The flavonoid silibinin is the major active constituent of silymarin, an extract of milk thistle seeds, and is known to have hepatoprotective, anticancer, antioxidative, and neuroprotective effects. In the present study, silibinin effectively attenuated motor deficit and dopaminergic neuronal loss caused by MPTP. Furthermore, in vitro study confirmed that silibinin protects primary cultured neurons against MPP+‐induced cell death and mitochondrial membrane disruption. The findings of the present study indicate that silibinin has neuroprotective effects in MPTP‐induced models of PD rather than antioxidative or anti‐inflammatory effects and that the neuroprotection afforded might be mediated by the stabilization of mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, these findings suggest that silibinin protects mitochondria in MPTP‐induced PD models and that it offers a starting point for the development of treatments that ameliorate the symptoms of PD. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Endothelial dysfunction in acute brain injury and the development of cerebral ischemia
Authors: van Ierssel Sabrina H. , Conraads Viviane M. , Van Craenenbroeck Emeline M. , Liu Yin , Maas Andrew I.R. , Parizel Paul M. , Hoymans Vicky Y. , Vrints Christiaan J. , Jorens Philippe G.
Published: February 2015

Cerebral ischemia (CeI) is a major complicating event after acute brain injury (ABI) in which endothelial dysfunction is a key player. This study evaluates cellular markers of endothelial function and in vivo reactive hyperemia in patients with ABI and their relationship to the development of cerebral ischemia. We studied cellular markers of endothelial dysfunction and the peripheral reactive hyperemia index (RHI) in 26 patients with ABI at admission and after 6 and 12 days, and compared these with those of healthy volunteers (n = 15). CeI was determined clinically or by computer tomography. In patients with ABI, RHI at admission was significantly reduced compared with healthy subjects (P = 0.003), coinciding with a decrease in circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC; P = 0.002). The RHI recovered in eight patients without development of CeI, but failed to fully recover by day 12 in three of four patients who developed CeI. Despite recovery of the RHI within 12 days in these patients (P = 0.003), EPC count remained significantly lower after 12 days in patients with ABI (P = 0.022). CD31+ T cells and endothelial microparticles were not different between controls and patients. No differences were noted in cellular markers of endothelial dysfunction in patients developing CeI and those not. In conclusion, patients with ABI exhibit impaired microvascular endothelial function measured as RHI and a decreased circulating level of EPC. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Shifts in plant phenology: a look at the sensitivity of seasonal phenophases to temperature in Germany
Authors: Wittich Klaus‐Peter , Liedtke Marco
Published: February 2015

The study presented here examines the sensitivity of mid‐spring, mid‐summer and mid‐autumn phenology to effective temperature in Germany for two divergent spatio‐temporal scale arrangements: the regional long‐term (50 years) scale and the nationwide short‐term (annual) scale. The dates of leaf unfolding of common horse chestnut, picking of ripe gooseberries and leaf colouring of common oak were chosen as the seasonal markers. Each of these phenophases was observed nearly nationwide over the 50‐year period 1961–2010. The focal question of the study was: what is the effect of different space and time scales on phenological sensitivity to effective temperature? This question is rarely addressed in phenological studies. We found a distinct contrast in the phenological sensitivities for these scale arrangements: first, when plotting regional 50‐year averaged phenological occurrence dates against corresponding effective temperatures across space, the phenological responses are −1.5, −1.9 and 0.0 days K−1 for mid‐spring, mid‐summer and mid‐autumn phenology. This type of scale combination corresponds to the common climate‐map presentation illustrating spatial climate averages. The second scale arrangement was to regress annual phenological timings, averaged over all regions, against analogue temperatures. Here, we get −4.7, −6.2 and +2.2 days K−1 for the three seasonal phases. This case thus reflects the nationwide response to climate change. As reference, the basic dataset of annual and regional data (without further averaging) provides sensitivities of −2.9, −3.3 and +0.7 days K−1 for mid‐spring, mid‐summer and mid‐autumn phenology, respectively. One should be aware of such differences in sensitivity when different (time and spatial) domains are studied and conclusions are drawn. For example, the space‐for‐time approach applied in ecology uses spatial gradients of phenological responses to temperature as a substitute for phenological estimates along time gradients. Based on our datasets, we found that this approach is of limited use for making predictions.
Meta‐analysis at middle age: a personal history
Authors: Glass Gene V.
Published: February 2015

The 40‐year history of meta‐analysis is traced from the vantage point of one of its originators. Research syntheses leading to the first examples of meta‐analysis are identified. Early meta‐analyses of the literature on psychotherapy outcomes and school class size are recounted. The influence on the development of meta‐analysis of several statisticians and psychologists is described. Finally, some directions for future development of research synthesis methods are suggested. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Posidonia oceanica banquettes as a substitute for straw in dairy goat rations: metabolic and productive effects
Authors: Castillo Cristina , Mantecón Angel R , Sotillo Juan , Gutiérrez Cándido , Abuelo Angel , Hernández Joaquín
Published: February 2015

BACKGROUND

The marine plant Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile can be a source of fibre to increase the efficiency of product costs. The aim of the present study was to assess the productive (milk production and performance) and metabolic (blood metabolites) effects of P. oceanica in the ration of dairy goats as a substitute for straw. Posidonia oceanica was used at 225 and 450 g day−1 per goat in lieu of barley straw.

RESULT

Supplementation with P. oceanica had no detrimental effects on the body weight, milk production and metabolic status of goats. Goats fed P. oceanica produced more milk fat, had a lower somatic cell count in their milk and showed a decreased risk of oxidative stress.

CONCLUSION

Goats can be fed P oceanica at levels of up to 450 g day−1 without detrimental effects on milk production and health, therefore P. oceanica can be a substitute for barley straw in the nutrition of goats. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Proton‐bound complex mediating retro‐Michael‐type fragmentation of protonated 3‐substituted oxindoles in the Orbitrap high‐energy collisional dissociation cell
Authors: Cao Xiaoji , Zhu Kundan , Song Qingbao , Wang Chenlu , Wang Ye , Cai Ruonan , Lin Yan , Tang Fangliang , Zhang Ming , Mo Weimin
Published: February 2015

Rationale

Oxindole derivatives are valuable building blocks for indole chemistry. Systematically exploring the fragmentation behavior of the protonated 3‐pyrazole‐substituted oxindoles by kinetic methods combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations is useful for further understanding their basic properties, and might provide some insights into their reactivity trends in synthesis and metabolism.

Methods

All high‐resolution high‐energy collision‐induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry (CID‐MS/MS) experiments were carried out using electrospray ionization hybrid Quadrupole‐Orbitrap mass spectrometry in positive ion mode. Theoretical calculations were carried out by the DFT method at the B3LYP level with the 6‐311G (d, p) basis set in the Gaussian 03 package of programs.

Results

In the fragmentation of protonated 3‐pyrazole‐substituted oxindoles, the characterized protonated 3‐(3‐methyl‐5‐oxo‐1H‐pyrazol‐4(5H)‐ylidene)indolin‐2‐one derivatives and the protonated 5‐methylpyrazolone were observed, which were proposed from the cleavage of the Cβ–Cγ bond in a retro‐Michael reaction. With the kinetic plot, a linear correlation was established between the intensities of this two competitive product ions and the difference in proton affinities of the corresponding neutral molecules, which demonstrated that the retro‐Michael reaction was mediated by a proton‐bound complex.

Conclusions

Using the kinetic method combined with theoretical calculations, a proton‐bound complex mediating retro‐Michael reaction was proposed for the fragmentation of protonated 3‐pyrazole‐substituted oxindoles in the high‐energy collisional dissociation tandem mass spectrometry for the first time, which provided potential evidence to further understand their intrinsic bioactivities. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ABCG5/G8 Deficiency in Mice Reduces Dietary Triacylglycerol and Cholesterol Transport into the Lymph
Authors: Zhang Linda S. , Xu Min , Yang Qing , Lou Danwen , Howles Philip N. , Tso Patrick
Published: February 2015

The adenosine triphosphate‐binding cassette (ABC) transporter G5/G8 is critical in protecting the body from accumulating dietary plant sterols. Expressed in the liver and small intestine, it transports plant sterols into the biliary and intestinal lumens, thus promoting their excretion. The extent to which G5/G8 regulates cholesterol absorption remains unclear. G5/G8 is also implicated in reducing the absorption of dietary triacylglycerols (TAG) by unknown mechanisms. We hypothesized that G5/G8 suppresses the production of chylomicrons, and its deficiency would enhance the absorption of both dietary TAG and cholesterol. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of G5/G8 deficiency on lipid uptake and secretion into the lymph under steady‐state conditions. Surprisingly, compared with wild‐type mice (WT) (n = 9), G5/G8 KO (n = 13) lymph fistula mice given a continuous intraduodenal infusion of [3H]‐TAG and [14C]‐cholesterol showed a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in lymphatic transport of both [3H]‐TAG and [14C]‐cholesterol, concomitant with a significant (P < 0.05) increase of [3H]‐TAG and [14C]‐cholesterol accumulated in the intestinal lumen. There was no difference in the total amount of radiolabeled lipids retained in the intestinal mucosa between the two groups. G5/G8 KO mice given a bolus of TAG showed reduced intestinal TAG secretion compared with WT, suggesting an independent role for G5/G8 in facilitating intestinal TAG transport. Our data demonstrate that G5/G8 deficiency reduces the uptake and secretion of both dietary TAG and cholesterol by the intestine, suggesting a novel role for the sterol transporter in the formation and secretion of chylomicrons.
Asenapine prescribing patterns in the treatment of manic in- and outpatients: Results from the MANACOR study
Authors: Grande I. , Hidalgo-Mazzei D. , Nieto E. , Mur M. , Sàez C. , Forcada I. , Vieta E.
Published: February 2015

Background:

Asenapine is the most recent compound that has been FDA- and EMA-approved for treatment of mania. Its efficacy and safety have been assessed in placebo-controlled trials, but little is known about its performance in routine clinical conditions. In this study, we compared features of patients treated with adjunctive asenapine or other adjunctive antipsychotics and the costs of the treatment.

Methods:

A combined prospective and retrospective data collection and analysis was conducted from January 2011 to December 2013 following a clinical interview and assessment of manic and depressive symptoms (YMRS, HDRS-17), clinical state (CGI-BP-M), psychosocial functioning (FAST), sexual dysfunction (PRSexDQ) and health resource costs associated with treatment with adjunctive asenapine versus other adjunctive antipsychotics.

Results:

Hundred and fifty-two patients from different university hospitals were included. Fifty-three patients received adjunctive asenapine and 99 received other adjunctive antipsychotics concomitantly to mood stabilizers. Considering inpatients, those treated with adjunctive asenapine presented a significantly less severe manic episode (P = 0.001), less psychotic symptoms (P = 0.030) and more comorbid personality disorder (P = 0.002). Regarding outpatients, those treated with adjunctive asenapine showed significantly less severe manic episode (P = 0.046), more previous mixed episodes (P = 0.013) and more sexual dysfunction at baseline (P = 0.036). No significant differences were found in mean total costs per day.

Conclusion:

Clinicians tended to use adjunctive asenapine in patients with less severe manic symptoms but more complex clinical profile, including more mixed episodes in the past, concomitant personality disorder, and sexual problems. Treatment with adjunctive asenapine was not associated with higher costs when compared to other options.
Pirin regulates epithelial to mesenchymal transition independently of Bcl3‐Slug signaling
Authors: Komai Kuniya , Niwa Yuki , Sasazawa Yukiko , Simizu Siro
Published: February 2015

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important mechanism for the initial step of metastasis. Proteomic analysis indicates that Pirin is involved in metastasis. However, there are no reports demonstrating its direct contribution. Here we investigated the involvement of Pirin in EMT. In HeLa cells, Pirin suppressed E‐cadherin expression and regulated the expression of other EMT markers. Furthermore, cells expressing Pirin exhibited a spindle‐like morphology, which is reminiscent of EMT. A Pirin mutant defective for Bcl3 binding decreased E‐cadherin expression similar to wild‐type, suggesting that Pirin regulates E‐cadherin independently of Bcl3‐Slug signaling. These data provide direct evidence that Pirin contributes to cancer metastasis.
Involvement of major facilitator superfamily proteins SfaA and SbnD in staphyloferrin secretion in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Hannauer Mélissa , Sheldon Jessica R. , Heinrichs David E.
Published: February 2015

A paucity of information exists concerning the mechanism(s) by which bacteria secrete siderophores into the extracellular compartment. We investigated the role of SfaA and SbnD, two major facilitator superfamily (MFS)‐type efflux proteins, in the secretion of the Staphylococcus aureus siderophores staphyloferrin A (SA) and staphyloferrin B (SB), respectively. Deletion of sfaA resulted in a drastic reduction of SA secreted into the supernatant with a corresponding accumulation of SA in the cytoplasm and a significant growth defect in cells devoid of SB synthesis. In contrast, sbnD mutants showed transiently lowered levels of secreted SB, suggesting the involvement of additional efflux mechanisms.
Distinct threats, common remedies: How consumers cope with psychological threat
Authors: Han DaHee , Duhachek Adam , Rucker Derek D.
Published: February 2015

Research has consistently demonstrated that psychological threats to the self have a wide variety of consequences for consumer behavior. The present research introduces a novel perspective to this topic by proposing that psychologically distinct domains of threat have a common underpinning in the coping strategies they evoke. Specifically, this paper presents the argument that distinct domains of threat can be linked to either approach motivations that foster more problem‐focused coping or avoidance motivations that foster more emotion‐focused coping. Multiple experiments offer systematic support for these propositions. Implications for both the psychological self‐threat literature and the coping literature are discussed.
On the ergodicity of hyperbolic Sinaĭ–Ruelle–Bowen measures: the constant unstable dimension case
Authors: HIRAYAMA MICHIHIRO , SUMI NAOYA
Published: February 2015

In this paper we consider diffeomorphisms preserving hyperbolic Sinaĭ–Ruelle–Bowen (SRB) probability measures${\it\mu}$having intersections for almost every pair of the stable and unstable manifolds. In this context, when the dimension of the unstable manifold is constant almost everywhere, we show the ergodicity of${\it\mu}$. As an application we obtain another proof of the ergodicity of a hyperbolic SRB measure for transitive surface diffeomorphisms, which is shown by Rodriguez Hertz, Rodriguez Hertz, Tahzibi and Ures [Uniqueness of SRB measures for transitive diffeomorphisms on surfaces.Comm. Math. Phys.306(1) (2011), 35–49].
A note on operator semigroups associated to chaotic flows
Authors: BUTTERLEY OLIVER
Published: February 2015

The transfer operator associated to a flow (continuous time dynamical system) is a one-parameter operator semigroup. We consider the operator-valued Laplace transform of this one-parameter semigroup. Estimates on the Laplace transform have been used in various settings in order to show the rate at which the flow mixes. Here we consider the case of exponential mixing and the case of rapid mixing (superpolynomial). We develop the operator theory framework amenable to this setting and show that the same estimates may be used to produce results, in terms of the operators, which go beyond the results for the rate of mixing.
On embedding of repetitive Meyer multiple sets into model multiple sets
Authors: AUJOGUE JEAN-BAPTISTE
Published: February 2015

Model sets are always Meyer sets but the converse is generally not true. In this work we show that for a repetitive Meyer multiple set of $\mathbb{R}^{d}$ with associated dynamical system $(\mathbb{X},\mathbb{R}^{d})$, the property of being a model multiple set is equivalent to $(\mathbb{X},\mathbb{R}^{d})$ being almost automorphic. We deduce this by showing that a repetitive Meyer multiple set can always be embedded into a repetitive model multiple set having a smaller group of topological eigenvalues.
Schmidt games and non-dense forward orbits of certain partially hyperbolic systems
Authors: WU WEISHENG
Published: February 2015

Let$f:M\rightarrow M$be a partially hyperbolic diffeomorphism with conformality on unstable manifolds. Consider a set of points with non-dense forward orbit:$E(f,y):=\{z\in M:y\notin \overline{\{f^{k}(z),k\in \mathbb{N}\}}\}$for some$y\in M$. Define$E_{x}(f,y):=E(f,y)\cap W^{u}(x)$for any$x\in M$. Following a method of Broderick, Fishman and Kleinbock [Schmidt’s game, fractals, and orbits of toral endomorphisms.Ergod. Th. & Dynam. Sys.31(2011), 1095–1107], we show that$E_{x}(f,y)$is a winning set for Schmidt games played on$W^{u}(x)$which implies that$E_{x}(f,y)$has Hausdorff dimension equal to$\dim W^{u}(x)$. Furthermore, we show that for any non-empty open set$V\subset M$,$E(f,y)\cap V$has full Hausdorff dimension equal to$\dim M$, by constructing measures supported on$E(f,y)\cap V$with lower pointwise dimension converging to$\dim M$and with conditional measures supported on$E_{x}(f,y)\cap V$. The results can be extended to the set of points with forward orbit staying away from a countable subset of$M$.
Effectivity of uniqueness of the maximal entropy measure on -adic homogeneous spaces
Authors: RÜHR RENE
Published: February 2015

We consider the dynamical system given by an$\text{Ad}$-diagonalizable element$a$of the$\mathbb{Q}_{p}$-points$G$of a unimodular linear algebraic group acting by translation on a finite volume quotient$X$. Assuming that this action is exponentially mixing (e.g. if$G$is simple) we give an effective version (in terms of$K$-finite vectors of the regular representation) of the following statement: If${\it\mu}$is an$a$-invariant probability measure with measure-theoretical entropy close to the topological entropy of$a$, then${\it\mu}$is close to the unique$G$-invariant probability measure of$X$.
A generalization of the Jarník–Besicovitch theorem by continued fractions
Authors: WANG BAO-WEI , WU JUN , XU JIAN
Published: February 2015

We apply the tools of continued fractions to tackle the Diophantine approximation, including the classic Jarník–Besicovitch theorem, localized Jarník–Besicovitch theorem and its several generalizations. As is well known, the classic Jarník–Besicovitch sets, expressed in terms of continued fractions, can be written as $$\begin{eqnarray}\{x\in [0,1):a_{n+1}(x)\geq e^{{\it\tau}(\log |T^{\prime }x|+\cdots +\log |T^{\prime }(T^{n-1}x)|)}~\text{for infinitely many}~n\in \mathbb{N}\},\end{eqnarray}$$ where $T$ is the Gauss map and $a_{n}(x)$ is the $n$th partial quotient of $x$. In this paper, we consider the size of the generalized Jarník–Besicovitch set $$\begin{eqnarray}\{x\in [0,1):a_{n+1}(x)\geq e^{{\it\tau}(x)(f(x)+\cdots +f(T^{n-1}x))}~\text{for infinitely many}~n\in \mathbb{N}\},\end{eqnarray}$$ where ${\it\tau}(x)$ and $f(x)$ are positive functions defined on $[0,1]$.
Buoyancy-driven dispersion in a layered porous rock
Authors: Farcas Adrian , Woods Andrew W.
Published: February 2015

We investigate the longitudinal dispersion of a passive tracer by a gravity-driven flow in a porous medium consisting of a series of independent horizontal layers connected to a constant pressure source. We show that in a formation of given vertical extent, the total flux is only weakly dependent on the number of layers, and is very similar to that in a single layer of the same total depth. However, although the flow speed in each layer is approximately uniform, the speed gradually increases with layer depth. As a result, if a pulse of tracer is released in the flow it will migrate more rapidly through the lower layers, leading to longitudinal dispersion of the tracer. Eventually, the location of the tracer in the different layers may become separated in space so that a sufficiently distant observation well would detect a series of discrete pulses of tracer rather than the original coherent input, as would occur in a single permeable layer. For a constant pressure source, at long times, the standard deviation of the longitudinal distribution of tracer asymptotes to a fraction of order 0.1 of the position of the centre of mass, depending on the number of layers and the overpressure of the source.
Factors considered and ignored in plural acquisition: Frequency rules?
Authors: ZARETSKY EUGEN , LANGE BENJAMIN P. , EULER HARALD A. , NEUMANN KATRIN
Published: February 2015

abstract

Several models of regularities behind plural overgeneralization patterns of four-year-old monolingual Germans and bi-/multilingual children acquiring German were empirically examined within the framework of single- and dual-route models. The factors taken into account were frequency, cue validity, productivity, and iconicity of plural allomorphs. In this large-scale cross-sectional study, the results of 893 children tested with a modified, validated version of the speech and language screeningMSSand of 476 children tested with a validated language testSETK 3-5were analyzed. For all overgeneralization models, paired groups of expected and not expected answers were compared in the Wilcoxon test. At the early stages of plural acquisition the frequency of plural allomorphs and the simplest phonetic–phonologically based regularities seem to be the crucial factors recognized by children acquiring German. Gender-based plural allomorph frequency was associated with advanced German skills. These findings support the single-route theory with its emphasis on the influence of input characteristics on children’s error patterns. No evidence was found for a default status of -sor any other plural marker, and hence for the dual-route theory.
THE METRIC DIMENSION OF METRIC MANIFOLDS
Authors: HEYDARPOUR MAJID , MAGHSOUDI SAEID
Published: February 2015

In this paper we determine the metric dimension of $n$-dimensional metric $(X,G)$-manifolds. This category includes all Euclidean, hyperbolic and spherical manifolds as special cases.
Resistant maltodextrin promotes fasting glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion and production together with glucose tolerance in rats
Authors: Hira Tohru , Ikee Asuka , Kishimoto Yuka , Kanahori Sumiko , Hara Hiroshi
Published: February 2015

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is produced and released from enteroendocrine L cells, plays pivotal roles in postprandial glycaemia. The ingestion of resistant maltodextrin (RMD), a water-soluble non-digestible saccharide, improves the glycaemic response. In the present study, we examined whether the continuous feeding of RMD to rats affected GLP-1 levels and glycaemic control. Male Sprague–Dawley rats (6 weeks of age) were fed an American Institute of Nutrition (AIN)-93G-based diet containing either cellulose (5 %) as a control, RMD (2·5 or 5 %), or fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS, 2·5 or 5 %) for 7 weeks. During the test period, an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) was performed after 6 weeks. Fasting GLP-1 levels were significantly higher in the 5 % RMD group than in the control group after 6 weeks. The IPGTT results showed that the glycaemic response was lower in the 5 % RMD group than in the control group. Lower caecal pH, higher caecal tissue and content weights were observed in the RMD and FOS groups. Proglucagon mRNA levels were increased in the caecum and colon of both RMD and FOS groups, whereas caecal GLP-1 content was increased in the 5 % RMD group. In addition, a 1 h RMD exposure induced GLP-1 secretion in an enteroendocrine L-cell model, and single oral administration of RMD increased plasma GLP-1 levels in conscious rats. The present study demonstrates that continuous ingestion of RMD increased GLP-1 secretion and production in normal rats, which could be stimulated by its direct and indirect (enhanced gut fermentation) effects on GLP-1-producing cells, and contribute to improving glucose tolerance.
ORGANIC VERSUS SYNTHETIC FERTILISATION OF BEANS (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS L.) IN MEXICO
Authors: ARMENTA-BOJÓRQUEZ ADOLFO DAGOBERTO , ROBLERO-RAMÍREZ HUGO RUBILI , CAMACHO-BÁEZ JESÚS RICARDO , MUNDO-OCAMPO MANUEL , GARCÍA-GUTIÉRREZ CIPRIANO , ARMENTA-MEDINA ALMA
Published: February 2015

Phaseolus vulgaris is considered an inefficient nitrogen fixer, and therefore farmers in Mexico use large quantities of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers. The aim of this research was to evaluate the performance of native isolates of Rhizobium spp. and Bacillus spp. as biological fertilisers in northern Mexico. A first test was carried out under greenhouse conditions to analyse 15 native isolates of Rhizobium and 15 native isolates of Bacillus. Based on their effects on the bean crop, the best treatments were tested under field conditions. In the field, the combination of Rhizobium and Bacillus (Rz + Bs) produced the highest grain yield, biomass production, number of nodules per plant and dry weight of nodules, statistically surpassing (p ≤ 0.05) the control (without inoculation and fertilisation). Furthermore, compared with synthetic fertilisation, no statistical differences were found, which suggests that the combination Rz + Bs can replace synthetic fertilisation.
Trophic analyses of opportunistic polychaetes (Ophryotrocha cyclops) at salmonid aquaculture sites
Authors: Salvo Flora , Hamoutene Dounia , Dufour Suzanne C.
Published: February 2015

A new species of dorvilleid polychaete,Ophryotrocha cyclops, has been observed on the rocky seafloor underneath deep salmonid aquaculture sites on the south coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The distribution of these opportunistic worms is likely related to organic matter accumulation on the seafloor, and this species may have a role in remediation processes. To better understand the functional role ofO. cyclopsat aquaculture sites, it is important to know what they feed upon. Here, stable isotope analyses (δ13C, δ15N and δ34S) and trace element analyses were performed on dorvilleids and their potential food sources at three aquaculture sites. Stable isotope analyses revealed spatial and temporal variation in the isotopic carbon signature ofO. cyclops, highlighting possible differences in the food sources of individual dorvilleids within and between sites. The isotopic composition of dorvilleids was closest to that of fish pellets; the presence of abundant lipid droplets in gut epithelial cells ofO. cyclopssuggests the assimilation of fish pellet-derived lipids. Trace element analysis indicated thatO. cyclopsdoes not concentrate the aquaculture tracers Zn or Cu to a large extent. However, concentrations of sulphur were high inO. cyclopscompared with other sources. Taken together, results show thatO. cyclopsmost likely consume both fish pellets and flocculent matter-associated bacteria. As such, they are involved in sulphur cycling and fish pellet degradation at aquaculture sites.
New species ofClathria(Microciona) (Poecilosclerida: Microcionina: Microcionidae) from the Tropical South-western Atlantic Ocean (Sergipe State, north-eastern Brazil)
Authors: Sandes Joana , Pinheiro Ulisses
Published: February 2015

Clathriais one of the most species-rich genera among Demospongiae, but only nine species have been recorded so far from Brazil. Here we describe a new species ofClathria(Microciona) collected by trawling in waters of Sergipe State (north-eastern Brazil). The new species is differentiated from other encrustingClathriawith a hymedesmioid skeleton by the possession of a combination of long thin subectosomal subtylostyles, two category sizes of acanthostyles, both erect and echinating the basal spongin skeleton, long slightly curved choanosomal principal subtylostyles with tuberculate spine heads and wing-shaped toxas as microscleres.