bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To Boldly Go: Social Clauses in Public Procurement
Authors: Barnard Catherine
Published: October 2016

Public procurement has become exciting for labour lawyers. With the adoption of three new ‘revised and modernised’ directives on public procurement in 2014, whose express aims include enabling ‘procurers to make better use of public procurement to support common societal goals’, labour lawyers need to start taking procurement law seriously. At a time when the EU and domestic legislative cupboard in the social field is pretty bare, public procurement may offer a lever to deliver social change. This article will explore some of the potential offered by procurement law to achieve employment law objectives.
A management method for the statistical results of patient-specific quality assurance for intensity-modulated radiation therapy
Authors: Nakamura Satoshi , Okamoto Hiroyuki , Wakita Akihisa , Umezawa Rei , Takahashi Kana , Inaba Koji , Murakami Naoya , Kato Toru , Igaki Hiroshi , Ito Yoshinori , Abe Yoshihisa , Itami Jun
Published: October 2016

There are many reports concerning patient-specific quality assurance (QA) for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). However, reports about the statistical results of QA are lacking. Management methods for the results of the QA are needed, even though we have the ESTRO group recommendation that a tolerance limit of 1.96 standard deviation (SD) be established in each institution. The purpose of this study was to establish a management method for determining the tolerance limit and to report the statistical results of patient-specific QA. From April 2006 to March 2015, five linacs in the National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan, were used to treat 1185 patients with IMRT. Patient-specific QA was performed using an ion chamber, films, and some detectors. To establish a management method for the results, differences between the measured and calculated doses in the ion chamber were analyzed for each linac, each phantom, and each treatment site. The overall mean dose difference was 0.5 ± 1.3%, and the mean dose difference in each linac was 0.6 ± 1.2%, 0.9 ± 1.3%, −0.4 ± 1.4%, −0.1 ± 1.2% and −0.1 ± 0.9%. The difference between linacs and between treatment sites was significant (P < 0.001 and 0.01, respectively). The proportion of the dose difference within ±3% was 97.7%, and that was improved from 2006 to 2014. The results of the patient-specific QA should be managed for each linac and each treatment site in order to decide the suitable tolerance limit. Reports of statistical results will be helped if a new tolerance limit and action level will be considered.
Upper Limit on Star Formation and Metal Enrichment in Minihalos
Authors: Cen Renyue
Published: October 2016

An analysis of negative radiative feedback from resident stars in minihalos is performed. It is found that the most effective mechanism to suppress star formation is provided by infrared photons from resident stars via photo-detachment of H−. It is shown that a stringent upper bound on (total stellar mass, metallicity) of (∼1000 M⊙, −3.3 ± 0.2) in any newly minted atomic cooling halo can be placed, with the actual values possibly significantly lower. This has both important physical ramifications on formation of stars and supermassive black seeds in atomic cooling halos at high redshift, pertaining to processes of low temperature metal cooling, dust formation and fragmentation, and direct consequences on the faint end galaxy luminosity function at high redshift and cosmological reionization. The luminosity function of galaxies at the epoch of reionization may be substantially affected due to the combined effect of a diminished role of minihalos and an enhanced contribution from Pop III stars in atomic cooling halos. Upcoming results on reionization optical depth from Planck High-Frequency Instrument data may provide a significant constraint on and a unique probe of this star formation physical process in minihalos. As a numerical example, in the absence of significant contributions from minihalos with virial masses below 1.5 × 108 M⊙ the reionization optical depth is expected to be no greater than 0.065, whereas allowing for minihalos of masses as low as (107 M⊙, 106.5 M⊙) to form stars unconstrained by this self-regulation physical process, the reionization optical depth is expected to exceed (0.075, 0.085), respectively.
The Real Effects of Liquidity During the Financial Crisis: Evidence from Automobiles*
Authors: Benmelech Efraim , Meisenzahl Ralf R. , Ramcharan Rodney
Published: October 2016

Illiquidity in short-term credit markets during the financial crisis might have severely curtailed the supply of nonbank consumer credit. Using a new data set linking every car sold in the United States to the credit supplier involved in each transaction, we find that the collapse of the asset-backed commercial paper market reduced the financing capacity of such nonbank lenders as captive leasing companies in the automobile industry. As a result, car sales in counties that traditionally depended on nonbank lenders declined sharply. Although other lenders increased their supply of credit, the net aggregate effect of illiquidity on car sales is large and negative. We conclude that the decline in auto sales during the financial crisis was caused in part by a credit supply shock driven by the illiquidity of the most important providers of consumer finance in the auto loan market. These results also imply that interventions aimed at arresting illiquidity in short-term credit markets might have helped contain the real effects of the crisis.
Precarity in Exile: The Legal Status of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
Authors: Janmyr Maja
Published: October 2016

Lebanon has had an ambiguous approach to the more than one million Syrians seeking protection in the country since 2011. The country is neither party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, nor does it have any national legislation dealing with refugees. In October 2014, Lebanon’s Council of Ministers adopted the first comprehensive policy on Syrian displacement, one explicit goal of which is to decrease the number of Syrians in Lebanon by reducing access to territory and encouraging return to Syria. This ambition is currently being implemented through the December 2014 General Security Office new set of entry requirements for Syrians and new rules for Syrian nationals already in Lebanon applying for and renewing their residency permits. Building on 10 months of fieldwork in Lebanon, this article explores the legal status of Syrian refugees in Lebanon in light of the recent regulatory changes. It argues that these leave many refugees in a deeply precarious legal position, with an overwhelming majority of Syrian refugees present in Lebanon without legal status. In essence, this article argues that Syrians in Lebanon are left with two options: they either leave the country or stay and accept exploitation.
Extrusion Expansion Characteristics of Samples of Select Varieties of Whole Yellow and Green Dry Pea Flours
Authors: Li Chongjun , Kowalski Ryan J. , Li Lei , Ganjyal Girish M.
Published: October 2016

Extrusion expansion characteristics of commercially available whole flours from three green pea varieties (Ariel, Aragorn, and Daytona) and three yellow pea varieties (Carousel, Treasure, and Jetset) were investigated with a corotating twin‐screw extruder. Feed moisture content was kept constant at 15 ± 0.5% (wb). Two barrel temperature levels of 140 and 160°C and three screw speed levels of 150, 200, and 250 rpm were studied. A round die with an opening of 3 mm was used. The radial expansion ratio (ER) of whole pea extrudates was 2.75–3.34. It was shown that the varieties had a significant impact on the expansion properties. Daytona green pea had a significantly greater ER compared with all other varieties (P < 0.05) within the conditions studied. ER was also found to have a positive linear correlation with screw speed. The microstructure of extrudate cross‐sections showed that the samples with greater expansion had more uniform and relatively small pore structure. The results show the importance of using the specific varieties of peas for optimum expansion during extrusion.
Production of Pycnidia and Conidia by Guignardia bidwellii, the Causal Agent of Grape Black Rot, as Affected by Temperature and Humidity
Authors: Onesti G. , González-Domínguez E. , Rossi V.
Published: October 2016

Black rot, caused by the fungus Guignardia bidwellii, is a polycyclic disease affecting grape leaves and berries. In environmentally controlled experiments and in a 3-year field study, the effects of temperature and relative humidity (RH) were assessed on the following growth parameters of G. bidwellii: (i) formation of pycnidia and cirri in grape leaf lesions, (ii) production and germination of conidia, and (iii) length of the period between lesion appearance and pycnidia production. Pycnidia were produced between 5 and 35°C and at 90 to 100% RH but more pycnidia were produced between 20 and 30°C. No pycnidia were produced at RH < 90%. The first pycnidia were produced in approximately 2 days after lesion appearance at ≥20°C and in 8 days at 5°C; pycnidia continued to be produced on the same lesion for 5 to 16 days after lesion appearance, depending on the temperature. Models were developed to describe the effect of temperature and RH on pycnidia production, accounting for 95 and 97% of variability, respectively. Cirri were extruded only between 15 and 35°C and mainly at 100% RH. Field experiments confirmed that pycnidia are produced for several days on a leaf lesion and that the length of the period between lesion appearance and pycnidia production depends on temperature. Overall, the findings showed that production of conidia requires high humidity; under field conditions, some hours at high humidity, which usually occur at nighttime, rather than constant high humidity may be sufficient.
Danger! Bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy
Authors: Hall Susan
Published: October 2016

Find out the facts about one of the most common vaginal conditions among female patients of childbearing age.
Sex Differences in Body Mass Index and Obesity in Chinese Patients With Chronic Schizophrenia
Authors: Li Qiongzhen , Chen Dachuan , Liu Tiebang , Walss-Bass Consuelo , de Quevedo Joao L. , Soares Jair C. , Zhao Jingping , Zhang Xiang Yang
Published: October 2016

Sex differences in schizophrenia have been well recognized. However, sex differences in obesity associated with antipsychotics have received little systematic study. This study was conducted to compare sex difference effects of antipsychotics and related risk factors on obesity and body mass index (BMI) in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. A total of 204 inpatients with chronic schizophrenia (males/females = 140/66) were recruited. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and serum glucose and lipid levels were measured. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess patients' psychopathology. The prevalence of obesity in female patients (21/66, 31.82%) was approximately 2 times that of male patients (22/140, 15.83%; P < 0.001) and women also had higher BMI than men (25.49 ± 4.42 kg/m2 versus 23.95 ± 3.67 kg/m2; P < 0.005). Regression analyses showed that obesity was associated with type 2 diabetes (P < 0.05) and triglycerides (P < 0.05) in women, and limited to triglyceride in men (P < 0.01). Further correlation analysis showed that BMI was associated with the PANSS negative symptom subscore (P < 0.001) and the PANSS total score (P < 0.01) in men. In addition, women had higher low-density lipoprotein plasma levels than men. Our findings suggest that there are significant sex differences in bodyweight and obesity in chronic medicated patients with schizophrenia, with worse lipid metabolic dysfunction in female patients.
Granular Cell Tumor Within an Ovarian Mature Cystic Teratoma: Report of a Unique Case and Review of the Literature
Authors: Borak Samuel G. , Ross John R. , Bell Walter C.
Published: October 2016

Granular cell tumors involving the female reproductive tract are rare, with only a small number of cases described. Of the reported cases, none are documented within an ovarian mature cystic teratoma (MCT). This report documents a case of a granular cell tumor, incidentally discovered within an ovarian MCT in a 50-yr-old woman undergoing a supracervical hysterectomy and left salpingo-oophorectomy. Although malignant transformation and other secondary ovarian neoplasms in MCT have been well documented, synchronous nonovarian benign neoplasms are reported much less frequently. The histogenesis of secondary tumors arising in MCT is incompletely understood, and the current case provides additional insight, especially pertaining to schwannian and neuroectodermal tumors arising in this setting. The current case, to the best of our knowledge, represents the first report of a granular cell tumor involving a mature teratoma of any site, with the diagnosis being supported by morphologic and immunohistochemical staining characteristics.
Changes in interoceptive processes following brain stimulation
Authors: Pollatos Olga , Herbert Beate M. , Mai Sandra , Kammer Thomas
Published: October 2016

The processing and perception of individual internal bodily signals (interoception) has been differentiated to comprise different levels and processes involved. The so-called heartbeat-evoked potential (HEP) offers an additional possibility to examine automatic processing of cardiac signals. Knowledge on neural structures potentially supporting different facets of interoception is still sparse. One way to get insights into neuroanatomical function is to manipulate the activity of different brain structures. In this study, we used repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and a continuous theta-burst protocol to inhibit specific central locations of the interoceptive network including the right anterior insula and the right somatosensory cortices and assessed effects on interoceptive facets and the HEP in 18 male participants. Main results were that inhibiting anterior insula resulted in a significant decline in cardiac and respiratory interoceptive accuracy (IAc) and in a consistent decrease in perception confidence. Continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) over somatosensory cortices reduced only cardiac IAc and affected perception confidence. Inhibiting right anterior insula and right somatosensory cortices increased interoceptive sensibility and reduced the HEP amplitude over frontocentral locations. Our findings strongly suggest that cTBS is an effective tool to investigate the neural network supporting interoceptive processes.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Interoception beyond homeostasis: affect, cognition and mental health’.
Neural correlates of heart-focused interoception: a functional magnetic resonance imaging meta-analysis
Authors: Schulz Stefan M.
Published: October 2016

Interoception is the ability to perceive one's internal body state including visceral sensations. Heart-focused interoception has received particular attention, in part due to a readily available task for behavioural assessment, but also due to accumulating evidence for a significant role in emotional experience, decision-making and clinical disorders such as anxiety and depression. Improved understanding of the underlying neural correlates is important to promote development of anatomical-functional models and suitable intervention strategies. In the present meta-analysis, nine studies reporting neural activity associated with
interoceptive attentiveness
(i.e. focused attention to a particular interoceptive signal for a given time interval) to one's heartbeat were submitted to a multilevel kernel density analysis. The findings corroborated an extended network associated with heart-focused
interoceptive attentiveness
including the posterior right and left insula, right claustrum, precentral gyrus and medial frontal gyrus. Right-hemispheric dominance emphasizes non-verbal information processing with the posterior insula presumably serving as the major gateway for cardioception. Prefrontal neural activity may reflect both top-down attention deployment and processing of feed-forward cardioceptive information, possibly orchestrated via the claustrum.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Interoception beyond homeostasis: affect, cognition and mental health’.
Newcastle disease virus degrades HIF-1α through proteasomal pathways independent of VHL and p53
Authors: Abd-Aziz Noraini , Stanbridge Eric J. , Shafee Norazizah
Published: October 2016

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a candidate agent for oncolytic virotherapy. Despite its potential, the exact mechanism of its oncolysis is still not known. Recently, we reported that NDV exhibited an increased oncolytic activity in hypoxic cancer cells. These types of cells negatively affect therapeutic outcome by overexpressing pro-survival genes under the control of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). HIF-1 is a heterodimeric transcriptional factor consisting of a regulated α (HIF-1α) and a constitutive β subunit (HIF-1β). To investigate the effects of NDV infection on HIF-1α in cancer cells, the osteosarcoma (Saos-2), breast carcinoma (MCF-7), colon carcinoma (HCT116) and fibrosarcoma (HT1080) cell lines were used in the present study. Data obtained showed that a velogenic NDV infection diminished hypoxia-induced HIF-1α accumulation, leading to a decreased activation of its downstream target gene, carbonic anhydrase 9. This NDV-induced downregulation of HIF-1α occurred post-translationally and was partially abrogated by proteasomal inhibition. The process appeared to be independent of the tumour suppressor protein p53. These data revealed a correlation between NDV infection and HIF-1α downregulation, which highlights NDV as a promising agent to eliminate hypoxic cancer cells.
RNAModR: Functional analysis of mRNA modifications in R
Authors: Evers Maurits , Shafik Andrew , Schumann Ulrike , Preiss Thomas
Published: October 2016

Motivation

Research in the emerging field of epitranscriptomics is increasingly generating comprehensive maps of chemical modifications in messenger RNAs (mRNAs). A computational framework allowing a reproducible and standardised analysis of these mRNA modification data is missing, but will be crucial for reliable functional meta-gene analyses and cross-study comparisons.

Results

We have developed RNAModR, an open-source and R-based set of methods, to analyse and visualise the transcriptome-wide distribution of mRNA modifications. RNAModR allows the statistical evaluation of the mRNA modification site distribution relative to null sites on a meta-gene level, providing insight into the functional role of these mRNA modifications on e.g. mRNA structure and stability.

Availability and implementation

RNAModR is available under the GNU General Public License (GPL) as an R-package fromhttps://github.com/mevers/RNAModR.

Contact

maurits.evers@anu.edu.au
Genotypic variability enhances the reproducibility of an ecological study
Authors: Milcu Alexandru , Puga-Freitas Ruben , Ellison Aaron M. , Blouin Manuel , Scheu Stefan , Girin Thomas , Freschet Grégoire T. , Rose Laura , Scherer-Lorenzen Michael , Barot Sebastien , Lata Jean-Christophe , Cesarz Simone , Eisenhauer Nico , Gigon Agnès , Weigelt Alexandra , Hansart Amandine , Greiner Anna , Pando Anne , Gessler Arthur , Grignani Carlo , Assandri Davide , Gleixner Gerd , Le Galliard Jean-François , Urban-Mead Katherine , Zavattaro Laura , Müller Marina E.H. , Lange Markus , Lukac Martin , Bonkowski Michael , Mannerheim Neringa , Buchmann Nina , Butenschoen Olaf , Rotter Paula , Seyhun Rahme , Devidal Sebastien , Kayler Zachary , Roy Jacques
Published: October 2016

Many scientific disciplines currently are experiencing a “reproducibility crisis” because numerous scientific findings cannot be repeated consistently. A novel but controversial hypothesis postulates that stringent levels of environmental and biotic standardization in experimental studies reduces reproducibility by amplifying impacts of lab-specific environmental factors not accounted for in study designs. A corollary to this hypothesis is that the deliberate introduction of controlled systematic variability (CSV) in experimental designs can increase reproducibility. We tested this hypothesis using a multi-laboratory microcosm study in which the same ecological experiment was repeated in 14 laboratories across Europe. Each laboratory introduced environmental and genotypic CSV within and among replicated microcosms established in either growth chambers (with stringent control of environmental conditions) or glasshouses (with more variable environmental conditions). The introduction of genotypic CSV led to lower among-laboratory variability in growth chambers, indicating increased reproducibility, but had no significant effect in glasshouses where reproducibility also was lower. Environmental CSV had little effect on reproducibility. Although there are multiple causes for the “reproducibility crisis”, deliberately including genetic variation may be a simple solution for increasing the reproducibility of ecological studies performed in controlled environments.
Gas Exchange and C Allocation in Dunaliella salina Cells in Response to the N Source and CO2 Concentration Used for Growth
Authors: Giordano M. , Bowes G.
Published: October 2016

The halotolerant alga Dunaliella salina was cultured on 10 mM NH4+ or NO3- with air CO2 or 5% (v/v) CO2. Cells grown on NH4+ rather than NO3- were up to 17% larger in volume but had similar division rates. The photosynthetic K0.5 of dissolved inorganic C per cell was reduced, but the light- and CO2-saturated photosynthesis, dark respiration, and light-independent fixation rates were increased. The cells exhibited 2- to 5-fold greater activities of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and carboxykinase, and carbonic anhydrase and more soluble and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase protein. Chlorophyll and β-carotene also increased by 30 to 70%. However, starch and glycerol decreased, indicating that C was reallocated from carbohydrates into protein and pigments by growth on NH4+. Algae cultured on air-CO2 rather than a high CO2 concentration were 44% smaller with 55 to 67% lower cell division rates and thus appeared C-limited, despite the operation of a CO2-concentrating mechanism. Cells cultured on air-CO2 had less protein and starch and 28% more glycerol, but the pigment content was unchanged. In only one growth regime was the cell glycerol concentration sufficient to maintain osmotic equilibrium with the external medium, indicating that an additional osmoticum was required. It appears that the N source, as well as the growth [CO2], substantially modifies photosynthetic and growth characteristics, light-independent C metabolism, and C-allocation patterns of D. salina cells.
RNase Activities Are Reduced Concomitantly with Conservation of Total Cellular RNA and Ribosomes in O2-Deprived Seedling Roots of Maize
Authors: Fennoy S. L. , Jayachandran S. , Bailey-Serres J.
Published: October 2016

The effect of O2 deprivation on the activities of RNases and levels of total cellular RNA and ribosomes in seedling roots of maize (Zea mays L.) was investigated. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels containing RNA were used to distinguish RNase isoenzymes by apparent molecular mass. Since O2 deprivation causes a decrease in cytosolic pH from approximately pH 7.4 to 6.4 and an elevation in cytosolic Ca2+, RNase levels were examined in the physiological range of cytosolic pH and in the presence of Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, ethylenediaminetetracetate, or ethyleneglycol-bis(β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N[prime]-tetraacetic acid. The activity of a number of RNases present in aerobic roots was reduced in response to O2 deprivation. Several RNases with a pH optimum of 6.4 were rapidly down-regulated by O2 deprivation. Spectrophotometric assay of extracts revealed that RNase activity was higher at pH 6.4 than at 7.2, and ethylenediaminetetracetate-insensitive RNase activity decreased in response to O2 deprivation. The decrease in RNase activity was correlated with no loss of total cellular RNA or ribosomes, despite a 4-fold decrease in run-on transcription of rRNA in isolated nuclei. Regulation of RNase activity may facilitate the conservation of nontranslating ribosomes and poorly translated mRNAs during O2 deprivation.
Substrate Kinetics of the Plant Mitochondrial Alternative Oxidase and the Effects of Pyruvate
Authors: Hoefnagel MHN. , Rich P. R. , Zhang Q. , Wiskich J. T.
Published: October 2016

The kinetics of alternative oxidase (AOX) of Arum italicum spadices and soybean (Glycine max L.) cotyledons were studied both with intact mitochondria and with a solubilized, partially purified enzyme. Ubiquinone analogs were screened for their suitability as substrates and ubiquinol-1 was found to be most suitable. The kinetics of ubiquinol-1 oxidation via AOX in both systems followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, suggesting that the reaction is limited by a single-step substrate reaction. The kinetics are quite different from those previously described, in which the redox state of ubiquinone-10 was monitored and an increase in substrate was accompanied by a decrease in product. The difference between the systems is discussed. Pyruvate is a potent activator of the enzyme and its presence is essential for maximum activity. The addition of pyruvate to the solubilized enzyme increased the maximum initial velocity from 6.2 [plus or minus] 1.3 to 16.9 [plus or minus] 2.8 [mu]mol O2 mg-1 protein min-1 but had little effect on the Michaelis constant for ubiquinol-1, an analog of ubiquinol, which changed from 116 [plus or minus] 73 to 157 [plus or minus] 68 [mu]M. It is concluded that pyruvate (and presumably other keto acids) increases the activity of AOX but does not increase its affinity for its substrate. In agreement with this is the finding that removal of pyruvate (using lactate dehydrogenase and NADH) leads to an 80 to 90% decrease in the reaction rate, suggesting that pyruvate is important in the mechanism of reaction of AOX. The removal of pyruvate from the enzyme required turnover, suggesting that pyruvate is bound to the enzyme and is released during turnover.
Source Strength Regulates an Early Phase Transition of Tobacco Shoot Morphogenesis
Authors: Tsai C. H. , Miller A. , Spalding M. , Rodermel S.
Published: October 2016

We have taken advantage of specific reductions in the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase concentration in rbcS antisense mutants of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) to assess the contribution of source strength (carbohydrate production) to the control of shoot development. Wild-type and antisense plants undergo distinct phases of shoot development that can be distinguished from one another on the basis of differences in stem elongation rates, internode distances, plastochron indices, leaf sizes, and leaf morphologies. An early phase of shoot morphogenesis is markedly prolonged in the antisense plants, and an increased number of leaves emerge during this phase in the mutants. This delay is specific, inasmuch as the duration and expression of traits characteristic of later phases of shoot development proceed normally. In addition to altered shoot developmental patterns, the antisense mutants have enhanced shoot/root ratios and markedly increased leaf longevities. It is likely that these are adaptations that enhance photosynthetic rates. Consistent with this proposal, the total leaf areas and dry weights of the mutant and wild type are similar at flowering. Collectively, our results indicate that source strength regulates the duration of an early phase of tobacco shoot development and the transition to a later phase. We suggest that this phase change may occur in response to the attainment of a threshold source strength, which is delayed in the mutant plants.
Optical performance of materials for X-ray refractive optics in the energy range 8–100 keV
Authors: Serebrennikov Dmitry , Clementyev Evgeny , Semenov Alexander , Snigirev Anatoly
Published: October 2016

A quantitative analysis of the crucial characteristics of currently used and promising materials for X-ray refractive optics is performed in the extended energy range 8–100 keV. According to the examined parameters, beryllium is the material of choice for X-ray compound refractive lenses (CRLs) in the energy range 8–25 keV. At higher energies the use of CRLs made of diamond and the cubic phase of boron nitride (c-BN) is beneficial. It was demonstrated that the presence of the elements of the fourth (or higher) period has a fatal effect on the functional X-ray properties even if low-Zelements dominate in the compound, like in YB66. Macroscopic properties are discussed: much higher melting points and thermal conductivities of C and c-BN enable them to be used at the new generation of synchrotron radiation sources and X-ray free-electron lasers. The role of crystal and internal structure is discussed: materials with high density are preferable for refractive applications while less dense phases are suitable for X-ray windows. Single-crystal or amorphous glass-like materials based on Li, Be, B or C that are free of diffuse scattering from grain boundaries, voids and inclusions are the best candidates for applications of highly coherent X-ray beams.
Automatic crystal centring procedure at the SSRF macromolecular crystallography beamline
Authors: Wang Zhijun , Pan Qiangyan , Yang Lifeng , Zhou Huan , Xu Chunyan , Yu Feng , Wang Qisheng , Huang Sheng , He Jianhua
Published: October 2016

X-ray diffraction is a common technique for determining crystal structures. The average time needed for the solution of a protein structure has been drastically reduced by a number of recent experimental and theoretical developments. Since high-throughput protein crystallography benefits from full automation of all steps that are carried out on a synchrotron beamline, an automatic crystal centring procedure is important for crystallographic beamlines. Fully automatic crystal alignment involves the application of optical methods to identify the crystal and move it onto the rotation axis and into the X-ray beam. Crystal recognition has complex dependencies on the illumination, crystal size and viewing angles due to effects such as local shading, inter-reflections and the presence of antifreezing elements. Here, a rapid procedure for crystal centring with multiple cameras using region segment thresholding is reported. Firstly, a simple illumination-invariant loop recognition and classification model is used by slicing a low-magnification loop image into small region segments, then classifying the loop into different types and aligning it to the beam position using feature vectors of the region segments. Secondly, an edge detection algorithm is used to find the crystal sample in a high-magnification image using region segment thresholding. Results show that this crystal centring method is extremely successful under fluctuating light states as well as for poorly frozen and opaque samples. Moreover, this crystal centring procedure is successfully integrated into the enhancedBlu-Icedata collection system at beamline BL17U1 at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility as a routine method for an automatic crystal screening procedure.
Crystal structure of bis[μ-1,4-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)butane-κ2
P:P′]bis[(3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline-κ2
N,N′)copper(I)] bis(hexafluoridophosphate) dichloromethane disolvate
Authors: Nishikawa Michihiro , Mutsuura Kotaro , Tsubomura Taro
Published: October 2016

The dication of the title compound, [Cu2(C28H28P2)2(C16H16N2)2](PF6)2·2CH2Cl2, has crystallographically imposed inversion symmetry. The copper(I) cation is coordinated in a distorted tetrahedral geometry by two N atoms of a chelating 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline ligand and two P atoms of two bridging 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)butane ligands, forming a 14-membered ring. An intramolecular π–π interaction stabilizes the conformation of the dication. In the crystal, dications are linked by π–π interactions involving adjacent phenanthroline rings, forming chains running parallel to [111]. Weak C—H...F hydrogen interactions are also observed.
Chloridobis[2-(pyridin-2-yl-κN)benzo[b][1,5]naphthyridine-κN
1]copper(II) perchlorate acetonitrile disolvate
Authors: Ohtsu Hideki , Tezuka Yosuke , Narita Michitari , Tsuge Kiyoshi , Tanaka Koji
Published: October 2016

The copper(II) ion in the title complex, [CuCl(C17H11N3)2]ClO4·2CH3CN, is coordinated by four N atoms from two pbn ligands and one Cl− ion in a distorted trigonal–bipyramidal geometry (τ = 0.84). The asymmetric unit comprises half of the cationic complex molecule, and complete molecules are generated by twofold rotation symmetry with the corresponding axis running through the Cu atom and the coordinating Cl atom. The perchlorate anion is also located on a twofold rotation axis (passing through the Cl atom). In the crystal, there are π–π stacking interactions between the benzonaphthyridine rings of the pbn ligand of neighbouring cations.
Market effects of SEC regulation of short-term borrowing disclosure
Authors: Chamberlain Trevor C. , Khokhar Abdul-Rahman , Sarkar Sudipto
Published: October 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer an alternative approach to measure the cost-benefit tradeoff, by analyzing stockholders’ reactions to the announcement and vote on the proposed rule. More specifically, the authors use event study methodology to investigate the stock price reaction on two key dates; that is, the announcement date and the voting date of the proposed short-term borrowing disclosure regulation, and argue that positive abnormal stock returns indicate that the expected benefits of the regulation outweigh the compliance costs. A negative reaction would indicate that, in the eyes of investors, the costs of compliance exceed the expected benefits.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use event study analysis and apply the market model to equal-weighted portfolios of 2,450 financial and 3,985 non-financial US firms to calculate mean cumulative abnormal stock returns (MCARs, hereafter) on the announcement and voting dates. Then, the authors conduct mean difference tests on firm-level MCARs across three event windows, that is, (−30,−1), (0,+1) and (+2,+30), to confirm if the MCARs of financial firms are different from those of non-financial firms on both the announcement and the voting dates. Finally, robustness tests are performed with alternate benchmark, using value-weighted portfolios, for the market.

Findings

The authors find that the market reaction is positive and significant at the announcement date and negative and significant at the voting date of the proposed regulation of short-term borrowing disclosure regulation. Overall, the paper documents a positive market reaction, indicating the usefulness of the disclosure from the vantage point of users. Examining and comparing the results for various subsets, including commercial banks and saving institutions, bank holding companies, size quartiles, and exchange listed and OTC registrants, the authors find that a “one-size-fits-all” approach to regulation is undesirable.

Originality/value

This is first empirical study, to best of the authors’ knowledge, to explore stockholder reaction to a proposed, rather than an enforced, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulation and may contribute to the SEC’s final decision on the rule. Second, given a dissimilar reaction from investors of different firms, the results suggest that the SEC needs to reconsider its one-size-fit-all approach for the proposed rule. Finally, because the proposed disclosure would affect all SEC registrants, the economic implications of the findings are important not only for stockholders, but also for regulators, as they attempt to manage systematic risk and optimize the level of market intervention.
New Scientometric‐Based Knowledge Map of Food Science Research (2003 to 2014)
Authors: Blázquez‐Ruiz Jesús , Guerrero‐Bote Vicente P. , Moya‐Anegón Félix
Published: October 2016

This article describes an analysis of keywords which was aimed at revealing publication patterns in the field of Food Science (FS) during the last decade, including the temporal evolution of its different research lines. To this end, the records of the specific subject area of FS were 1st retrieved from Scopus, and then their keywords were processed to resolve the obvious problems of synonymy and to limit the study to those most frequently used. These keywords were grouped into thematic clusters based on a scientometric technique known as co‐word analysis. The structure of the clusters, their scientific impact, and their temporal evolution were then analyzed. This type of analysis is of great interest for all researchers in FS—for new researchers because they can form an objective vision of the subject based on the data from papers that have been published in the last decade, and for experienced researchers because they can contrast their own vision of the field with this objective overview. The results showed there to has been a clear increase in scientific production related to FS. This production had a structure corresponding to 5 major clusters which were themselves disaggregated into 18 2nd‐level clusters. The cluster that had received most attention was that corresponding to antioxidants in food, being the cluster with the greatest scientific impact and the greatest growth in the period.
Technology Optimization of Lysozyme's Fresh Maintaining Effect on Apple
Authors: Jun‐hong Liu , Kun‐yu Wang
Published: October 2016

Lysozyme is a kind of alkaline globin, which functions well in the degradation of the cell wall of microbe. Currently, lysozyme is widely used in various fields, such as medicine, fruit, and vegetable industry, dairy industry, and so on. Therefore, the exploitation and utilization of lysozyme is of significant economic benefit. Taking apple as material, weight loss ratio and reducing sugar content as objectives, this paper studied the fresh‐keeping effect of lysozyme. Influential factors, lysozyme concentration, soaking time, modified temperature, and reaction time were discussed in detail. The results showed that reducing sugar content was 2.043% and the weight loss ratio was the minimum in the presence of soaking time of 2 min, modified temperature of 65 °C, reaction time of 4 d, and lysozyme concentration of 0.5 g/L.
Severe sepsis in the ICU is often missing in hospital discharge codes
Authors: Wilhelms S. B. , Walther S. M. , Huss F. , Sjöberg F.
Published: October 2016

Background

Different International Classification of Diseases (ICD)‐based code abstraction strategies have been used when studying the epidemiology of severe sepsis. The aim of this study was to compare three previously used ICD code abstraction strategies to the American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine (ACCP/SCCM) consensus criteria for severe sepsis, in a setting of intensive care patients.

Methods

All patients (≥ 18 years of age) with severe sepsis according to the ACCP/SCCM criteria registered in the Swedish Intensive Care Registry (2005–2009) were included in the study. Using the Swedish National Patient Register, we investigated whether these patients fulfilled an ICD code compilation for severe sepsis at hospital discharge.

Results

Overall, 9271 patients with severe sepsis were registered in the Swedish Intensive Care Registry. A majority of these patients (55.4%) were discharged from the hospital with ICD codes that did not correspond to any of the ICD code compilations. A minority of patients (10.3%) were discharged with ICD codes corresponding to all three code abstraction strategies applied. Overall, the proportion of patients discharged with ICD codes corresponding to the criteria of Angus et al. was 15.1%, to the criteria of Flaatten was 39.8%, and to the criteria of Martin et al. was 16.0%.

Conclusions

A majority of patients with severe sepsis according to the ACCP/SCCM criteria were not discharged with ICD codes corresponding to the ICD code abstraction strategies; thus, the abstraction strategies did not identify the correct patients.
Internal control deficiencies and audit pricing: evidence from initial public offerings
Authors: Lee Jong Eun
Published: October 2016

Prior evidence on the association between internal control deficiencies and audit fees pertains to public companies. In this study, I investigate the association between internal control deficiencies identified in initial public offering (IPO) audits and audit fees, as well as which factors drive the association. I find that IPO firms with internal control deficiencies regarding pre‐IPO financial reporting are likely to pay higher IPO audit fees, which suggests that auditors adjust audit fees for the increased internal control risk. In addition, I find that the fees are positively and significantly associated with the severity of the type of deficiencies.
Gender differences in the inflammatory cytokine and chemokine profiles induced by binge ethanol drinking in adolescence
Authors: Pascual María , Montesinos Jorge , Marcos Miguel , Torres Jorge‐Luis , Costa‐Alba Pilar , García‐García Francisco , Laso Francisco‐Javier , Guerri Consuelo
Published: October 2016

Heavy binge drinking in adolescence can cause long‐term cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions. Recent experimental evidence indicates the participation of immune system activation in the effects of ethanol in the adolescent brain and suggests gender differences. The present study aims to assess plasma cytokine and chemokine levels in male and female adolescents and young adults during acute alcohol intoxication and to correlate these results with the toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) response. The potential role of the TLR4 signaling response was also assessed in plasma and prefrontal cortex (PFC) of adolescent wild‐type and TLR4‐knockout male and female mice with binge ethanol treatment. The results showed that alcohol intoxication increased the plasma levels of several cytokine and chemokine [interferon‐γ, interleukin (IL)‐10, IL‐17A, IL‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐4, IL‐6, IL‐8, fractalkine, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP‐1) and macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP‐1α)] and the upregulation of TLR4 mRNA levels occurred in intoxicated females, while elevation of colony‐stimulating factor was only observed in the plasma of males. In wild‐type female adolescent mice, intermittent ethanol treatment increased the levels of several cytokines (IL‐17A and IL‐1β) and chemokines (MCP‐1, MIP‐1α and fractalkine) in PFC and in serum (IL‐17A, MCP‐1 and MIP‐1α), but significant differences in the fractalkine levels in PFC were observed only in male mice. No changes in serum or prefrontal cortex cytokine and chemokine levels were noted in ethanol‐treated male or female TLR4‐knockout mice. Our findings revealed that females are more vulnerable than males to inflammatory effects of binge ethanol drinking and suggested that TLR4 is an important target of ethanol‐induced inflammation and neuroinflammation in adolescence.
Outcomes in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma after discontinuation of programmed death (PD)‐1 or PD ligand 1 inhibitor therapy
Authors: Sonpavde Guru , Pond Gregory R. , Mullane Stephanie , Ramirez Ana A. , Vogelzang Nicholas J. , Necchi Andrea , Powles Thomas , Bellmunt Joaquim
Published: October 2016

Objective

To study the subsequent therapy and disease outcomes of patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC) after discontinuation of programmed death‐1 (PD‐1) or programmed death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) inhibitors.

Patients and Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis to examine outcomes and systemic therapy administration after PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitor therapy in patients with advanced UC. Data on demographics and therapy administered were collected from the institutions involved in the study. Univariable Cox regression analyses were performed to examine the clinical factors potentially associated with overall survival (OS) after PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitor therapy.

Results

Data from 62 patients were available from four institutions, with capture of subsequent therapy and outcomes after checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. The median patient age was 65.5 years and 51 patients (82.3%) were male. The median (range) duration of PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitor therapy in 55 patients for whom these data were available was 64 (7–669) days. Of these, 22 patients (35.5%) received post‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitor therapy through a variety of different chemotherapy regimens (n = 16), chemobiological combination (n = 1), biological agents (n = 4) and immunotherapy (n = 1). The median (range) time from last PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitor therapy to subsequent therapy was 58 (14–242) days. The median OS of all patients after completion of PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitor therapy was 149 days (95% confidence interval [CI]: 75–359). Among those who received some post‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitor therapy, the median OS was 182 days (95% CI: 121–372), and the median time to progression was 124 days (95% CI: 61–273) from the start of post‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 therapy. Among these 22 patients, the only significant baseline prognostic factor associated with OS was performance status.

Conclusions

In this dataset, 35.5% of patients with advanced UC received systemic therapy after salvage therapy with PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors. Outcomes after subsequent therapy appear similar to those historically observed in patients who had not received prior PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitor therapy. Further study of patients receiving post‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitor therapy is warranted to identify factors associated with outcomes and potentially synergistic sequences.
Synthesis and evaluation of anti‐inflammatory properties of silver nanoparticle suspensions in experimental colitis in mice
Authors: Siczek Krzysztof , Zatorski Hubert , Chmielowiec‐Korzeniowska Anna , Pulit‐Prociak Jolanta , Śmiech Magdalena , Kordek Radzisław , Tymczyna Leszek , Banach Marcin , Fichna Jakub
Published: October 2016

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of newly developed silver nanoparticle aqueous suspensions NanoAg1 and NanoAg2 in the mouse models mimicking ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. NanoAg1 and NanoAg2 were synthesized in aqueous medium with the involvement of tannic acid. To elucidate their anti‐inflammatory activity, semi‐chronic mouse models of inflammation induced by dextrane sulfate sodium addition to drinking water and intracolonic (i.c.) administration of 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid were used. NanoAg1 and NanoAg2 (500 mg/dm3, 100 μl/animal, i.c., once daily) significantly ameliorated colitis in dextrane sulfate sodium‐ and 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid‐induced mouse models of colonic inflammation, as indicated by reduced macroscopic, ulcer and microscopic scores. The anti‐inflammatory effect was dependent on the shape and diameter of silver nanoparticles, as indicated by weaker effect of NanoAg1 than NanoAg2. In addition, administration of NanoAg2, but not NanoAg1, modulated colonic microbiota, as indicated by reduced number of Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens, and increased number of Lactobacillus sp. Summarizing, NanoAg1 and NanoAg2 after administered i.c. effectively alleviate colitis in experimental models of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in mice. Therefore, NanoAg1 and NanoAg2 administered i.c. have the potential to become valuable agents for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.