bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcriptomic differentiation underlying marine‐to‐freshwater transitions in the South American silversides Odontesthes argentinensis and O. bonariensis (Atheriniformes)
Authors: Hughes Lily C. , Somoza Gustavo M. , Nguyen Bryan N. , Bernot James P. , González‐Castro Mariano , Díaz de Astarloa Juan Martín , Ortí Guillermo
Published: June 2017

Salinity gradients are critical habitat determinants for freshwater organisms. Silverside fishes in the genus Odontesthes have recently and repeatedly transitioned from marine to freshwater habitats, overcoming a strong ecological barrier. Genomic and transcriptomic changes involved in this kind of transition are only known for a few model species. We present new data and analyses of gene expression and microbiome composition in the gills of two closely related silverside species, marine O. argentinensis and freshwater O. bonariensis and find more than three thousand transcripts differentially expressed, with osmoregulatory/ion transport genes and immune genes showing very different expression patterns across species. Interspecific differences also involve more than one thousand transcripts with nonsynonymous SNPs in the coding sequences, most of which were not differentially expressed. In addition to characterizing gill transcriptomes from wild‐caught marine and freshwater fishes, we test experimentally the response to salinity increases by O. bonariensis collected from freshwater habitats. Patterns of expression in gill transcriptomes of O. bonariensis exposed to high salinity do not resemble O. argentinensis mRNA expression, suggesting lack of plasticity for adaptation to marine conditions in this species. The diversity of functions associated with both the differentially expressed set of transcripts and those with sequence divergence plus marked microbiome differences suggest that multiple abiotic and biotic factors in marine and freshwater habitats are driving transcriptomic differences between these species.
A window of opportunity: Subdominant predators can use suboptimal prey
Authors: Jackson Kelly A. , McCord Joshua S. , White Jennifer A.
Published: June 2017

Introduced species have been linked to declines of native species through mechanisms including intraguild predation and exploitative competition. However, coexistence among species may be promoted by niche partitioning if native species can use resources that the invasive species cannot. Previous research has shown that some strains of the aphid Aphis craccivora are toxic to a competitively dominant invasive lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis. Our objective was to investigate whether these aphids might be an exploitable resource for other, subdominant, lady beetle species. We compared larval development rate, survival, and adult weight of five lady beetle species in no‐choice experiments with two different strains of A. craccivora, one of which is toxic to H. axyridis and one that is nontoxic. Two lady beetle species, Cycloneda munda and Coleomegilla maculata, were able to complete larval development when feeding on the aphid strain that is toxic to H. axyridis, experiencing only slight developmental delays relative to beetles feeding on the other aphid strain. One species, Coccinella septempunctata, also was able to complete larval development, but experienced a slight reduction in adult weight. The other two lady beetle species, Hippodamia convergens and Anatis labiculata, demonstrated generally low survivorship when consuming A. craccivora, regardless of aphid strain. All five species showed increased survival and/or development relative to H. axyridis on the “toxic” aphid strain. Our results suggest that this toxic trait may act as a narrow‐spectrum defense for the aphids, providing protection against only some lady beetle enemies. For other less‐susceptible lady beetles, these aphids have the potential to provide competitive release from the otherwise dominant H. axyridis.
Monitoring Fluorinated Dendrimer‐Based Self‐Assembled Drug‐Delivery Systems with 19F Magnetic Resonance
Authors: Liu Xin , Yuan Yaping , Bo Shaowei , Li Yu , Yang Zhigang , Zhou Xin , Chen Shizhen , Jiang Zhong‐Xing
Published: June 2017

Monitoring a drug‐delivery system with an imaging modality is of great importance for detailed understanding of drug‐delivery processes and for achieving optimal therapeutic effects. Here, novel fluorinated self‐assembled dendrimers with a single 19F NMR signal were conveniently synthesized on multigram scales, and 19F magnetic resonance, including spectroscopy (19F NMR) and imaging (19F MRI), was used to monitor the fluorinated dendrimer‐based self‐assembled drug‐delivery systems. It was found that 19F NMR and 19F MRI were convenient and sensitive tools to monitor the self‐assembly and drug‐loading processes and to detect weak interactions between the drug and the drug‐delivery vehicle because changes in the self‐assembly profile sensitively induced corresponding 19F magnetic resonance responses.
Mercury‐modified Lignosulfonate‐stabilized Gold Nanoparticles as an Alternative Material for Anodic Stripping Voltammetry of Thallium
Authors: Karbowska Bożena , Rębiś Tomasz , Milczarek Grzegorz
Published: June 2017

Lignosulfonate‐stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs‐LS) were synthesized and subsequently used as a complexing agent for mercury ions. The obtained AuNPs‐LS/Hg2+ complex was characterized by means of various physicochemical techniques such as UV‐vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Furthermore, the resulting complex was evaluated as an electrode modifier for the development of amperometric sensors. Upon sufficient negative potential, the bound mercury ions are reduced to form an amalgam with AuNPs‐LS. Thus, the performance of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified by AuNPs‐LS/Hg film was investigated as an electrochemical sensor in the determination of Tl+ ions in a 0.05 M EDTA at pH 4.5. The presence of the mercury containing film improves the analyte accumulation due to its ability to form a fused amalgam with thallium. The presented data indicate that the GCE/AuNPs‐LS/Hg modified electrode shows better performance toward Tl+ determination in comparison to bare GCE. The stripping anodic peak current of thallium was linear over its concentration range from 1.7⋅10−7 to 5.0⋅10−6 M. The detection limit (3σ) was estimated to be 1.4⋅10−7 M. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of thallium ions in real samples of soil derived from the area of the copper smelter near Głogów (Poland).
Development of the selection of trusted informants in the domain of illness
Authors: Toyama Noriko
Published: June 2017

This study examined young children's information‐seeking behavior for illness or injury by (1) identifying primary informants and (2) determining whether children's evaluations of trusted informants change with development. Studies 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d showed that 3‐ and 4‐year‐old children preferred to ask adults, including experts, as well as familiar and unfamiliar adults, for illnesses and injuries, but did not prefer to ask other children and stuffed animals. It was also shown that 3‐ and 4‐year‐olds' previous experiences of medical examination were not related with their preferences of informants and that they valued doctors' information about specialized knowledge more than mothers' resources. Studies 2a and 2b examined whether evaluations of trusted informants changed with age. Adults tended to differentiate between informants for contagious and allergic illnesses. However, this differentiation was not observed in 4‐, 7‐, and 10‐year‐old children. Adults preferred to seek help from doctors rather than mothers for contagious illnesses and injuries, whereas for allergies they preferred mothers to doctors. However, their reliance on mothers was limited. Preferences for mothers were not observed for nonallergic illnesses, such as headache, toothache, and cancer.

Highlights

Three‐ and four‐year‐old preschoolers preferred to ask adults, including experts as well as familiar and unfamiliar adults, for help with illnesses and injuries, rather than other children and stuffed animals.

Three‐ and four‐year‐olds valued doctors' information about medication and causes of illness more than mothers' resources, though such preferences were not observed for daily advice, such as dietary and rest for sick individuals.

With development, evaluations of trusted informants in the domain of illness changed. Adults tended to differentiate between informants for contagious and allergic illnesses; however, this differentiation was not observed for 4‐, 7‐, and 10‐year‐old children.
Cancer incidence and mortality: A cohort study in China, 2008–2013
Authors: Pan Rui , Zhu Meng , Yu Canqing , Lv Jun , Guo Yu , Bian Zheng , Yang Ling , Chen Yiping , Hu Zhibin , Chen Zhengming , Li Liming , Shen Hongbing ,   China Kadoorie Biobank Collaborative Group
Published: June 2017

The National Central Cancer Registry of China (NCCR) was the only available source of cancer monitoring in China, even though only about 70% of cancer registration sites were qualified by now. In this study, based on a national large prospective cohort‐the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB), we aimed to provide additional cancer statistics and compare the difference of cancer burden between urban and rural areas of China. A total of 497,693 cancer‐free participants aged 35–74 years were recruited and successfully followed up from 2004 to 2013 in 5 urban and 5 rural areas across China. Except for traditional registration systems, the national health insurance system and active follow‐up were used to determine new cancer incidents and related deaths. The mortality‐to‐incidence ratio (MIR) was used to compare the differences of cancer burden between urban and rural areas of China. We found that cancer mortality coincided well between our cohort and NCCR, while the incidence was much higher in our cohort. Based on CKB, we found the MIR of all cancers was 0.54 in rural areas, which was approximately one‐third higher than that in urban areas with 0.39. Cancer profiles in urban areas were transiting to Western distributions, which were characterized with high incidences of breast cancer and colorectal cancer; while cancers of the esophagus, liver and cervix uteri were still common in rural areas of China. Our results provide additional cancer statistics of China and demonstrate the differences of cancer burden between urban and rural areas of China.
Proteomic Characterization of Primary Mouse Hepatocytes in Collagen Monolayer and Sandwich Culture
Authors: Orsini Malina , Sperber Saskia , Noor Fozia , Hoffmann Esther , Weber Susanne N. , Hall Rabea A. , Lammert Frank , Heinzle Elmar
Published: June 2017

Dedifferentiation of primary hepatocytes in vitro makes their application in long‐term studies difficult. Embedding hepatocytes in a sandwich of extracellular matrix is reported to delay the dedifferentiation process to some extent. In this study, we compared the intracellular proteome of primary mouse hepatocytes (PMH) in conventional monolayer cultures (ML) to collagen sandwich culture (SW) after 1 day and 5 days of cultivation. Quantitative proteome analysis of PMH showed no differences between collagen SW and ML cultures after 1 day. Glycolysis and gluconeogenesis were strongly affected by long‐term cultivation in both ML and SW cultures. Interestingly, culture conditions had no effect on cellular lipid metabolism. After 5 days, PMH in collagen SW and ML cultures exhibit characteristic indications of oxidative stress. However, in the SW culture the defense system against oxidative stress is significantly up‐regulated to deal with this, whereas in the ML culture a down‐regulation of these important enzymes takes place. Regarding the multiple effects of ROS and oxidative stress in cells, we conclude that the down‐regulation of these enzymes seem to play a role in the loss of hepatic function observed in the ML cultivation. In addition, enzymes of the urea cycle were clearly down‐regulated in ML culture. Proteomics confirms lack in oxidative stress defense mechanisms as the major characteristic of hepatocytes in monolayer cultures compared to sandwich cultures. J. Cell. Biochem. 119: 447–454, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis, Cell Viability, and Flow Cytometric Fluorescence Pulse Width Analysis of Dendrimers with Indazoles Surface Unit
Authors: Jayanthi Mani , Rajakumar Perumal
Published: June 2017

Dendrimers with indazole surface units were synthesized up to second generation in good yields, and the MTT cell proliferation assay was carried out with A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. The cell viability and the flow cytometry analysis shows that increased mitochondrial activity was concomitant with increased mitochondrial biomass with no loss of mitochondrial membrane potential or cell death.
miRNAs in nutrition, obesity, and cancer: The biology of miRNAs in metabolic disorders and its relationship with cancer development
Authors: del Carmen Martínez‐Jiménez Verónica , Méndez‐Mancilla Alejandro , Patricia Portales‐Pérez Diana
Published: June 2017

Scope

The scope of this review is to explain how metabolic disorders originated by a deficient nutrition can develop into a neoplastic process by the alteration of epigenetic mechanisms like miRNAs. Obesity is a proinflammatory state with a wide impact on health around the world that is associated with neoplastic diseases. Epigenetic mechanisms have a central role in the obesogenic environment, which participates on the development of comorbidities such as cancer.

Methods and results

We made an exhaustive review of the most recent reports about metabolic disorders with nutrition and their relationship with miRNAs, and their risk of developing into oncogenic processes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as one of the major epigenetic mechanisms that can affect the metabolic reprogramming of cellular metabolism that plays an important role in the oncogenic process. There is evidence that some foods may contribute to diminishing the risk of cancer as well as epidemiological studies that support the notion that diets high in animal protein and fat promote cancer risk. Therefore, diets high in fruit and vegetables reduce the risk of cancer. One of the principal explanations is that these foods contain bioactive compounds that increase the efficacy of epigenetic mechanisms, which in turn decrease the risk of obesity and its comorbidities.

Conclusion

In this review, we show how miRNAs are implicated in several signaling pathways as well as illustrating some bioactive compounds that impact inflammation and cancer development.
Tailoring Polymer Molecular Weight Distribution and Multimodality in RAFT Polymerization Using Tube Reactor with Recycle
Authors: Xiang Liang , Wang Wen‐Jun , Li Bo‐Geng , Zhu Shiping
Published: June 2017

Solution reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of butyl acrylate in 50 wt% toluene, initiated with 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile and mediated with 3‐benzyltrithiocarbonyl propionic acid, is carried out in a tube reactor of 1.65 mm inner diameter. The tube reactor is operated in three modes: batch tube reactor (inlet and outlet closed, recycle open), continuous tube reactor (inlet and outlet open, recycle closed), and loop tube reactor (inlet, outlet, and recycle all open). The effects of inlet and outlet flow rates, residence time, and recycle ratio on the polymerization rate and polymer molecular weight distribution (MWD) are systematically investigated. The dynamic and steady state kinetics of the three modes of operation are analyzed and compared. Polymer samples having multimodal MWD are generated using the loop reactor. It is found that the MWD and multimodality can be readily controlled by residence time (τ) and recycle ratio.
Formulation and evaluation of dental composite resins with allylcarbonate monomer as eluent for Bis‐GMA
Authors: Herrera‐González Ana M. , González‐López José Abraham , Cuevas‐Suárez Carlos E. , García‐Castro Miguel A. , Vargas‐Ramírez M.
Published: June 2017

Biopolymers have undergone growing development in the last twenty‐five years because of their important applications in several areas of medicine. Monomers Bis‐GMA and MMA are widely used in either the teeth restoration or complete substitution, respectively. This work reports the design and synthesis of allyl‐3,5 bis(((allyloxy)carbonyl)oxy)benzoate (35DACBzA) and its evaluation as an eluent for Bis‐GMA in dental resin composites and as a crosslinking agent for MMA. The resin formulated with monomer 35DACBzA showed polymerization shrinkage 40% lower than control. Besides, it presented a degree of conversion 27% greater, water sorption 53% lower, and solubility 80% lower than the composite resin used as control. When 35DACBzA monomer was used as MMA crosslinker, copolymer showed a thermal stability 100 degrees greater than the MMA homopolymer. This proves that monomer 35DACBzA may be used as an eluent for Bis‐GMA in the formulation of dental resin composites with a high degree double bond conversion, less polymerization shrinkage, and less aqueous sorption as well as a crosslinking agent for methacrylic polymers with greater thermal stability. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E342–E350, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Interfacial fabrication of polypyrrole/sulfonated reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites for electrochemical capacitors
Authors: Liu Yulan , Xiong Huizhi , Yu Xianghua , Huang Huabo , Li Liang , Ji Jiayou , Huang Yineng , Xu Man
Published: June 2017

The hierarchical polypyrrole/sulfonated reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites were synthesized via water/organic liquid interfacial fabrication. Sulfonated reduced graphene oxide with negative charges acted as the dopant of polypyrrole during the process of interfacial fabrication, which efficiently prompted the incorporation of sulfonated reduced graphene oxide in the polypyrrole matrix through the interfacial interaction between polypyrrole and sulfonated reduced graphene oxide. The effect of organic liquid on the microstructure and supercapacitive performance of the nanocomposites was investigated. In the case of hexane as the organic liquid, a high specific capacity of 265.6 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 was obtained from the polypyrrole/sulfonated reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite, and about 90% of the initial capacity was retained after 1,000 cycles. The improved electrochemical capacitance of the nanocomposite was ascribed to the combinative properties of good electrical conductivities of two components and the unique structure with increased specific surface area. These nanocomposites could be promising electrode materials for high‐performance electrochemical capacitors. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E378–E385, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
A study of the physical properties and gas‐sensing performance of TiO2 nanofilms: Automated nebulizer spray pyrolysis method (ANSP)
Authors: Gopala Krishnan Vijayan , Purushothaman Annadurai , Elango Palaniappan
Published: June 2017

Automated nebulizer‐sprayed TiO2 nanofilms were deposited on the glass substrate by using different temperature (300, 350, 400, 450, and 500 °C). The effect of temperature on the structural study by XRD and AFM reveals that the amorphous nature turns to stabilized anatase tetragonal phase with an enhancement of the preferred orientation (101), particle size, average roughness of the topographical view and thickness (238, 279, 304, 362, and 397 nm) of the coated films. The morphological study by the FESEM method shows a crack and a void free micro grain particle due to the effect of temperature. An optical study shows that the transmittances of all the samples gradually decreased and the redshift of the absorption edges with decreased bandgap (3.67–3.35 eV) value is observed by the influence of temperature. The n‐type semiconducting nature of TiO2 nanofilms shows the voltage drop across the sensor element on exposure to the reducing gas. Among the various gases (CH4O, C3H8O, NH3, C3H6O) the reducing gas C2H6O exhibits a better response for a 500 °C coating temperature at an optimal operating temperature of 300 °C with 150 ppm gas concentration.
Density functional theory calculations of helium clustering in mono‐, di‐, and hexa‐vacancy in silicon
Authors: Pizzagalli Laurent , David Marie‐Laure , Dérès Julien
Published: June 2017

Combining classical molecular dynamics and first‐principles DFT calculations, we perfom an extensive investigation of low energy configurations for complexes in silicon. The optimal helium fillings are hence determined for , , and (figure on the right), and the structures formed by helium atoms arrangements in the vacancy defect are analyzed. For and , the He atoms structure is mainly controled by the host silicon matrix, whereas a high density helium packing is obtained for . For the latter, we estimate a helium density of about 170 He nm−3 in the center of the hexa‐vacancy at the optimal helium filling.

Relaxed structures obtained from DFT calculations for configurations with the lowest formation energies: (a) , (b) , and (c) .
Sustainable Redox Chemistry Route to Multifaceted Fe‐Pd Heteronanostructure: Delving into the Synergistic Influence in Catalysis
Authors: Pramanik Sujata , Das Manash R. , Das Dipankar , Das Pankaj
Published: June 2017

The biomimetic concept to decipher the ‘enigma of metalloenzymes’ in integrating two metals in designing a heteronanostructure with multifunctional attributes seems inspiring. In this pursuit, we report a versatile route to Fe−Pd heteronanostructure based on the redox chemistry utilizing the galvanic potentials of the metals, in lieu of an external reducing agent used so far. The synergism between two metal centers has been delved into for multifaceted catalytic applications. The synthesized nanomaterial has been extensively characterized by techniques such as UV‐Vis, FTIR, XRD, SEM‐EDX, HRTEM, BET, VSM, ICP and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The formation of the heteronanostructure with Fe and Pd is clearly evident from HRTEM image and EDS mapping analysis. Mössbauer spectra are consistent with the superparamagnetic nature of the material. Fe−Pd heteronanostructure showed excellent aqueous‐phase catalytic activities for Suzuki coupling reactions with challenging substrates like heteroaryl bromides and aryl chlorides, and reductions of 4‐nitrophenol to 4‐aminophenol and Cr(VI) to Cr(III). Interestingly, in all the three catalytic reactions, Fe−Pd heteronanostructure showed superior activity over its monometallic counterpart substantiating to the cooperative influence of the two metals. Low catalyst loading, shorter reaction times, ‘in water’ reactions for synthesis and catalysis and magnetic recyclability form the hallmark features of the heteronanostructure.
Cactus‐Like Hollow Cu2‐xS@Ru Nanoplates as Excellent and Robust Electrocatalysts for the Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Yoon Donghwan , Lee Jaeyoung , Seo Bora , Kim Byeongyoon , Baik Hionsuck , Joo Sang Hoon , Lee Kwangyeol
Published: June 2017

The development of Pt‐free electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) recently is a focus of great interest. While several strategies are developed to control the structural properties of non‐Pt catalysts and boost their electrocatalytic activities for the HER, the generation of highly reactive defects or interfaces by combining a metal with other metals, or with metal oxides/sulfides, can lead to notably enhanced catalytic performance. Herein, the preparation of cactus‐like hollow Cu2‐xS@Ru nanoplates (NPs) that contain metal/metal sulfide heterojunctions and show excellent catalytic activity and durability for the HER in alkaline media is reported. The initial formation of Ru islands on presynthesized Cu1.94S NPs, via cation exchange between three Cu+ ions and one Ru3+, induces the growth of the Ru phase, which is concomitant with the dissolution of the Cu1.94S nanotemplate, culminating in the formation of a hollow nanostructure with numerous thin Ru pillars. Hollow Cu2‐xS@Ru NPs exhibit a small overpotential of 82 mV at a current density of −10 mA cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 48 mV dec−1 under alkaline conditions; this catalyst is among state‐of‐the‐art HER electrocatalysts in alkaline media. The excellent performance of hollow Cu2‐xS@Ru NPs originates from the facile dissociation of water in the Volmer step.
TPGS‐Functionalized Polydopamine‐Modified Mesoporous Silica as Drug Nanocarriers for Enhanced Lung Cancer Chemotherapy against Multidrug Resistance
Authors: Cheng Wei , Liang Chaoyu , Xu Lv , Liu Gan , Gao Nansha , Tao Wei , Luo Lingyan , Zuo Yixiong , Wang Xusheng , Zhang Xudong , Zeng Xiaowei , Mei Lin
Published: June 2017

A nanocarrier system of d‐a‐tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS)‐functionalized polydopamine‐coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (NPs) is developed for sustainable and pH‐responsive delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) as a model drug for the treatment of drug‐resistant nonsmall cell lung cancer. Such nanoparticles are of desired particle size, drug loading, and drug release profile. The surface morphology, surface charge, and surface chemical properties are also successfully characterized by a series of techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) method, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The normal A549 cells and drug‐resistant A549 cells are employed to access the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the NPs. The therapeutic effects of TPGS‐conjugated nanoparticles are evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Compared with free DOX and DOX‐loaded NPs without TPGS ligand modification, MSNs‐DOX@PDA‐TPGS exhibits outstanding capacity to overcome multidrug resistance and shows better in vivo therapeutic efficacy. This splendid drug delivery platform can also be sued to deliver other hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs.
Implications of the thermal environment for terrestrial wildlife management
Authors: Elmore R. Dwayne , Carroll J. Matthew , Tanner Evan P. , Hovick Torre J. , Grisham Blake A. , Fuhlendorf Samuel D. , Windels Steve K.
Published: June 2017

How organisms respond to and are influenced by temperature is one of the most fundamental aspects of ecology. Temperature affects animal physiology, behavior, survival, and reproduction. At broader spatial and temporal scales, temperature affects animal distributions, speciation, and evolution. Although entire textbooks have been devoted to how temperature is related to various aspects of basic animal ecology, applied ecologists have only recently begun to address thermal ecology in wildlife research. New investigations of thermal conditions relative to specific wildlife species have generally found tremendous variation within landscapes. Consequently, multiple species have been shown to respond in predictive ways to thermal variation. Variation in temperature can be due to both topoedaphic features inherent in the landscape as well as differences in vegetation structure and composition resulting from management actions. Although consideration of the thermal environment has received consideration for exothermic species, new evidence indicates that it has major implications to endotherms and may become even more critical under novel climate conditions. Rarely does management consider thermal cover explicitly or in a spatiotemporally dynamic way; in our view, this is a major short‐coming of current conservation planning and management actions. We argue that thermal environments should be foundational in the understanding of the habitat concept. Furthermore, restoration and management efforts should specifically consider thermal refuge and pinch points—the discrete time or event when thermal conditions experienced by an organism deviate to extreme values relative to average conditions and limit vital rates and space use of that organism. We suggest that future research on thermal environments work at scales relevant to organisms so that management can adequately address the full extent of a species’ habitat. © 2017 The Authors. Wildlife Society Bulletin published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society.
Improved activity of β-cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase from Bacillus sp. N-227 via mutagenesis of the conserved residues
Authors: Wang Hua , Zhou Wenxi , Li Hua , Rie Bu , Piao Chunhong
Published: June 2017

β-Cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (β-CGTase) belongs to the α-amylase family of enzymes and converts starch to cyclic oligosaccharides called β-cyclodextrins (β-CD). The β-CGTase from alkalophilic Bacillus sp. N-227 was separately mutagenized to give three site-directed β-CGTase mutants, Y127F, R254F and D355R, that showed enhanced cyclization activity towards a starch substrate from 1.64 to 2.1-folds. Kinetic studies indicate that the mutants had higher affinity towards the substrate than the wild type β-CGTase. The Y127F mutant had the highest affinity which was indicated by the lowest K
m of 15.30 mM and the highest catalytic activity. Increasing hydrophobicity around the catalytic center appeared to favor the cyclization activity of the mutants. The β-CGTase and the three mutants showed optimal enzyme activity at 60 °C and pH 6.0. All the enzymes were stable for at least 60 min across a wide pH range (5.0–7.0).
Molecular characterization of indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis strains isolated from Kashmir valley
Authors: Reyaz A. L. , Gunapriya L. , Indra Arulselvi P.
Published: June 2017

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) being an eco-friendly bioinsecticide is effectively used in pest management strategies and, therefore, isolation and identification of new strains effective against a broad range of target pests is important. In the present study, new indigenous B. thuringiensis strains were isolated and investigated so that these could be used as an alternative and/or support the current commercial strains/cry proteins in use. For this, 159 samples including soil, leaf and spider webs were collected from ten districts of Kashmir valley (India). Of 1447 bacterial strains screened, 68 Bt strains were identified with 4 types of crystalline inclusions. Crystal morphology ranking among the Bt strains was spherical (69.11%) > spore attached (8.82%) > rod (5.88%) = bipyramidal (5.88%) > spherical plus rod (4.41%) > spherical plus bipyramidal (2.94%) = cuboidal (2.94%). SDS-PAGE investigation of the spore–crystal mixture demonstrated Bt strains contained proteins of various molecular weights ranging from 150 to 28 kDa. Insecticidal activity of the 68 indigenous Bt strains against Spodoptera litura neonates showed that Bt strain SWK1 strain had the highest mortality. Lepidopteron active genes (cry1, cry2Ab, cry2Ab) were present in six Bt strains. Further, analysis of a full-length cry2A gene (~1.9 kb) by PCR–RFLP in strain SWK1 revealed that it was a new cry2A gene in Bt strain SWK1 and was named as cry2Al1 (GenBank Accession No. KJ149819.1) using the Bt toxin nomenclature (http://www.btnomenclature.info). Insect bioassays with neonate larvae of S. litura and H. armigera showed that the purified Cry2Al1 is toxic to S. litura with LC50 2.448 µg/ml and H. armigera with LC50 3.374 µg/ml, respectively. However, it did not produce any mortality in third instar larvae of Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus and Anopheles stephensi larvae/pupae insects (100 µg/ml) at 28 ± 2 °C and 75 to 85% relative humidity under a photoperiod of 14L:10D.
Cu-resistant Kocuria sp. CRB15: a potential PGPR isolated from the dry tailing of Rakha copper mine
Authors: Hansda Arti , Kumar Vipin , Anshumali
Published: June 2017

Rhizobacteria may enhance biomass production and heavy metal tolerance of plants under stress conditions. The present study was carried out for isolation of metal-resistant bacteria that can be further utilized for phytoremediation process. A potential metal-resistant strain CRB15 was isolated from rhizospheric region of Saccharum spontaneum that was found to be resistant against Cu (6.29 mM), Zn (3.25 mM), Pb (1.5 mM), Ni (1.25 mM), and Cd (0.25 mM). SEM analysis was performed for evaluation of morphological changes on bacterial isolate. FTIR analysis observed the change in wavenumbers after the addition of Cu. 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that CRB15 isolate matched best with genus of Kocuria and was named as Kocuria sp. CRB15. The isolate Kocuria sp. CRB15 was a potential plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium as it had a high IAA (46 µg ml−1), P solubilisation (39.37 µg ml−1), ammonia production (30.46 µmol ml−1), and hydrogen cyanide production capacity. Root–shoot elongation assay conducted on Brassica nigra under lab conditions with strain CRB15 demonstrated positive effects of strain CRB15 in root and shoot elongation of Cu-treated seedlings. This study proved the Kocuria sp. CRB15 a potential PGPR for bacterial-assisted phytoremediation.
Recombinant expression, characterization and application of a dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase with diaphorase activity from Bacillus sphaericus
Authors: Kianmehr Anvarsadat , Mahdizadeh Rahman , Oladnabi Morteza , Ansari Javad
Published: June 2017

Diaphorases are flavin-containing enzymes with potential applications in biotransfomation reactions, biosensor design and in vitro diagnostic tests. In this communication, we describe recombinant expression, characterization and application of a lipoamide dehydrogenase (DLD) with diaphorase activity from a strain of Bacillus sphaericus. The DLD gene consisting of 1413 bp encoding a protein of 470 amino acids was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and the recombinant enzyme was characterized. B. sphaericus DLD catalyzed the reduction of NAD+ by dihydrolipoamide and exhibited NADH-dependent diaphorase activity. The molecular weight of purified enzyme was about 50 kDa, and determined to be a monomeric protein. Diaphorase was active and stable from pH 7.0 to 9.0 with an optimal activity at pH 8.5. It showed its maximal activity at temperature of 30 °C and was almost stable at temperatures between 25 and 30 °C. Different metal ions and inhibitors showed no influence on the activity of target enzyme. The K
m and V
max values for NADH were estimated to be 0.33 mM and 200.0 U/ml, respectively. Moreover, recombinant B. sphaericus diaphorase exhibited considerable potential to be used as a component of diagnostic tests for the quantification of metabolites. In conclusion, considering the properties of diaphorase from B. sphaericus PAD-91, it can have potential application as a diagnostic enzyme.
Conforming conservatives: How salient social identities can increase donations
Authors: Kaikati Andrew M. , Torelli Carlos J. , Winterich Karen Page , Rodas María A.
Published: June 2017

This research considers how common perceptions of liberals' generosity can be harnessed for increasing donations. Given conservatives' greater tendency to conform to group norms than liberals, we theorize that conformity tendencies can increase donations by conservatives when accountable to a liberal audience who share a salient identity. Specifically, conservatives donate more when they are accountable to a liberal audience with whom they have a salient shared identity (Study 1) due to their motivation for social approval (Studies 3 and 4). However, if the donation context activates political identity (Studies 2 and 3) or if the unifying social identity is not salient (Study 4), accountability does not impact donation decisions. Notably, liberals do not alter their behavior, ruling out alternative explanations for the pattern of conformity. This research provides insight into the distinct role of accountability for conservatives and importance of audience characteristics for conformity. Though both liberals and conservatives can be generous, this research demonstrates how conformity can be used to increase charitable giving among conservatives.
Fracture in heterogeneous materials: experimental and theoretical studies
Authors: Kuksenko V.S. , Makhmudov Kh.F.
Published: June 2017

The kinetics of fracture in stressed heterogeneous materials is investigated in a differentiated way using the parameter Δt, the interval between single or multiple (cooperative) microfracture events recorded by acoustic emission (AE) responses. The patterns of fracture nucleation and growth, which is a statistic process, are controlled by the heterogeneity of deforming material. There are two important aspects revealed by the study: 1) structural heterogeneity of materials causes uneven distribution of stress in loaded solids and thus creates local zones of microstress and ensuing microfracture in the overstressed zones; 2) AE measurements and microseismic monitoring are applicable to prediction of fracture by locating its source and thus allows predicting related hazard in mines, tunnels, bridges, nuclear-power plants, and other important engineering objects.
‘I Think, You Think’: Understanding the Importance of Self-Reflection to the Taking of Another Person's Perspective
Authors: Gerace Adam , Day Andrew , Casey Sharon , Mohr Philip
Published: June 2017

This article reviews current knowledge about how the tendency to reflect on personal experience is related to the tendency to take another's perspective. While it is well established that self-reflection leads to a greater understanding of one's own emotions, cognitions, and behaviours, the extent to which it is associated with understanding others is less well understood, despite the implications of this for the development of more effective interventions to improve empathy. The types of self-reflection that are used in clinical and psychotherapeutic interventions are used to illustrate the possibilities here, and ways in which clinicians may increase their own self-reflection are also considered.
Estimating the Value of California Wine Grapes
Authors: Sambucci Olena , Alston Julian M.
Published: June 2017

The California Grape Crush Report (Crush Report) is an authoritative source of information on production and returns per ton by variety of wine grapes that includes summaries of quantities produced and estimates of the average prices and value of wine grapes crushed in California. The data provided in the Crush Report are used to calculate the total value of wine grape production as reported in the annual Agricultural Statistics reports published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and in major industry publications. We use the differences among crush districts in the shares of production crushed to growers’ accounts to show that the current mechanism of calculating average statewide returns per ton understates the true total value of the crush by 14 to 20 percent. We show that a more accurate estimate of the total value and average price can be obtained if the prices of the wine grapes that are sold are used to infer the prices of wine grapes that are not sold before computing the weighted averages. (JEL Classifications: Q20, Q11, Q13, Q19)
Personality and Prosocial Behavior: A Multilevel Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kline Reuben , Bankert Alexa , Levitan Lindsey , Kraft Patrick
Published: June 2017

We investigate the effect of personality on prosocial behavior in a Bayesian multilevel meta-analysis (MLMA) of 15 published, interdisciplinary experimental studies. With data from the 15 studies constituting nearly 2500 individual observations, we find that the Big Five traits of Agreeableness and Openness are significantly and positively associated with prosocial behavior, while none of the other three traits are. These results are robust to a number of different model specifications and operationalizations of prosociality, and they greatly clarify the contradictory findings in the literature on the relationship between personality and prosocial behavior. Though previous research has indicated that incentivized experiments result in reduced prosocial behavior, we find no evidence that monetary incentivization of participants affects prosocial tendencies. By leveraging individual observations from multiple studies and explicitly modeling the multilevel structure of the data, MLMA permits the simultaneous estimation of study- and individual-level effects. The Bayesian approach allows us to estimate study-level effects in an unbiased and efficient manner, even with a relatively small number of studies. We conclude by discussing the limitations of our study and the advantages and disadvantages of the MLMA method.
CONGRUENCE OF SYMMETRIC INNER PRODUCTS OVER FINITE COMMUTATIVE RINGS OF ODD CHARACTERISTIC
Authors: SRIWONGSA SONGPON
Published: June 2017

Let $R$ be a finite commutative ring of odd characteristic and let $V$ be a free $R$-module of finite rank. We classify symmetric inner products defined on $V$ up to congruence and find the number of such symmetric inner products. Additionally, if $R$ is a finite local ring, the number of congruent symmetric inner products defined on $V$ in each congruence class is determined.
Special issue on Programming with Dependent Types Editorial
Authors: SWIERSTRA WOUTER , DYBJER PETER
Published: June 2017

There has been sustained interest in functional programming languages with dependent types in recent years. The foundations of dependently typed programming can be traced back to Martin–Löf's work in the 1970s. In the past decades, this vision has given rise to the development of proof assistants and functional programming languages based on dependent types. The increased popularity of systems such as Agda, Coq, Idris, and many others, reflects the growing momentum in this research area. After sending out our first call for papers in October 2015, we are happy to accept six articles in this special issue covering a wide spectrum of topics.
SELF: THE LIMITS OF AUTONOMY
Authors: IZENBERG GERALD
Published: June 2017

If one is looking for the authoritative work on the history of the modern Western concept of “self,” the place to go is Jerrold Seigel's The Idea of the Self. It is a wide-ranging, deeply insightful account of Western thinking about the nature of selfhood in Britain, France, and Germany since Descartes, framed by a powerfully argued thesis about the right way to conceptualize it. But that project was driven by what in the retrospect of Seigel's whole body of work can be seen as an even more comprehensive historical program, one both methodological and substantive. One of Seigel's basic historiographical convictions, more implicit than systematically argued, is that individual subjectivity matters for historical explanation. His broader substantive interest is in the meaning of the Western notion of “modernity,” above all in its implications and consequences for our contemporary self-understanding. Methodological conviction and substantive interest are tightly interwoven. As Seigel sees it, the process of European modernization was guided by, and in turn further developed, a historically locatable, complex, and internally conflicted version of universal selfhood—the autonomous bourgeois self. His corpus is an extended and evolving exploration of this process and its result, which he finds most clearly documented in European thought and culture from the mid-seventeenth century to the mid-twentieth.
A Discussion of Aida H. Hozic and Jacqui True’s Scandalous Economics: Gender and the Politics of Financial Crises
Authors: Weldon S. Laurel
Published: June 2017

“Critical analyses of the global financial crisis of 2008 (GFC) have neglected the ways in which structural inequalities around gender and race factor into (and indeed make possible) the current economic order. Scandalous Economics breaks new ground by arguing that an explicitly gendered approach to the GFC and its ongoing effects can help us to understand both the root causes of the crisis and the failure to significantly reform financial institutions and macroeconomic models.” These words, from the blurb on the back cover of Scandalous Economics, nicely summarize the book’s topic and the general approach to it. Because the book contains contributions from a number of the top political scientists writing about the gendering of political economy, and because this topic is such an important one, we have invited a range of political scientists to comment on the book and on the broader theme of the gendering of political economy.
A Discussion of Lawrence R. Jacobs and Desmond King's Fed Power: How Finance Wins
Authors: True Jacqui
Published: June 2017

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, political scientists have been paying more careful attention to the role of banking institutions as economic but also political institutions whose financial decisions involve the exercise of power and shape the conditions under which governmental decisions are made. Because the United States is still the world’s preeminent global economic power, the U.S. Federal Reserve looms particularly large in efforts to understand the financial roots of contemporary politics. Lawrence R. Jacobs and Desmond King’s Fed Power: How Finance Wins (Oxford University Press, 2016) is a major effort to analyze these questions, and so we have invited a cast of prominent political scientists to comment on the book as an account of “how finance wins.”
A Discussion of Lawrence R. Jacobs and Desmond King's Fed Power: How Finance Wins
Authors: Prügl Elisabeth
Published: June 2017

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, political scientists have been paying more careful attention to the role of banking institutions as economic but also political institutions whose financial decisions involve the exercise of power and shape the conditions under which governmental decisions are made. Because the United States is still the world’s preeminent global economic power, the U.S. Federal Reserve looms particularly large in efforts to understand the financial roots of contemporary politics. Lawrence R. Jacobs and Desmond King’s Fed Power: How Finance Wins (Oxford University Press, 2016) is a major effort to analyze these questions, and so we have invited a cast of prominent political scientists to comment on the book as an account of “how finance wins.”
A Discussion of Katherine J. Cramer's The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the Rise of Scott Walker
Authors: Wolbrecht Christina
Published: June 2017

The policies of Republican Governor Scott Walker have come to symbolize a resurgent assault on the public sector, and on public employee unions in particular, by the Republican Party. The fact that this is happening in Wisconsin, the state that in the last century was considered the “laboratory of Progressivism,” makes the politics surrounding these policies all the more compelling. In The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the Rise of Scott Walker, Katherine J. Cramer analyzes the “politics of resentment” surrounding these developments. Employing an ethnographic “method of listening,” Cramer furnishes thick description of the political language employed by rural Wisconsinites, and proceeds to develop an interpretive theory of “political resentment” that illuminates the reasons why lower-class citizens so strongly oppose public policies seeking to offset social and economic inequality. The book is important methodologically and politically. We have thus invited a range of social and political scientists to comment on the book as a work of political science and as a diagnosis of the current political moment.