bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry for simultaneous determination of undeclared corticosteroids in cosmetic creams
Authors: Golubović Jelena B. , Otašević Biljana M. , Protić Ana D. , Stanković Aleksandra M. , Zečević Mira L.
Published: November 2015

Rationale

Undeclared corticosteroids in creams intended for frequent use might cause serious side‐effects, especially in children. In order to prevent this or find the cause, it was essential to develop a method for quick detection and quantification of low levels of corticosteroids.

Methods

Eleven corticosteroids were used in this study: prednisolone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone‐21‐acetate, fluocinolone acetonide, fluocinolone acetonide‐21‐acetate, hydrocortisone‐21‐acetate, dexamethasone, betamethasone, betamethasone dipropionate, clobetasol propionate and triamcinolone. Separation was achieved via liquid chromatography (LC), and mass spectrometric analysis was conducted by electrospray ionization triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in the multiple reaction monitoring mode using corticosterone as internal standard.

Results

Good separation by using a gradient‐elution LC/MS/MS method with run time of 25 min enabled the use of a segmented detection method and consecutive decrease in detection limits. The proposed method has been validated in the linearity range of 10–1000 ng/mL with coefficients of determination higher than 0.990. The method has shown to have very low limits of quantification (0.75–3 ng/mL) with satisfactory precision and accuracy for each of the corticosteroids.

Conclusions

An LC/MS/MS method for the rapid and simultaneous determination of low levels of eleven topical corticosteroids in creams was developed, optimized and validated. The proposed method can be used for testing of different products indicated for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, including "natural products", and "herbal creams" with "miraculous effects". Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sample size considerations for the external validation of a multivariable prognostic model: a resampling study
Authors: Collins Gary S. , Ogundimu Emmanuel O. , Altman Douglas G.
Published: November 2015

After developing a prognostic model, it is essential to evaluate the performance of the model in samples independent from those used to develop the model, which is often referred to as external validation. However, despite its importance, very little is known about the sample size requirements for conducting an external validation. Using a large real data set and resampling methods, we investigate the impact of sample size on the performance of six published prognostic models. Focussing on unbiased and precise estimation of performance measures (e.g. the c‐index, D statistic and calibration), we provide guidance on sample size for investigators designing an external validation study. Our study suggests that externally validating a prognostic model requires a minimum of 100 events and ideally 200 (or more) events. © 2015 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Estimation of interaction effects using pooled biospecimens in a case‐control study
Authors: Danaher Michelle R. , Albert Paul S. , Roy Aninyda , Schisterman Enrique F.
Published: November 2015

Pooling, or physically mixing biospecimens, prior to evaluating biomarkers dramatically reduces biomarker evaluation cost, reduces the quantity of biospecimens required of each individual, and may reduce the percentage of laboratory measurements below the lower limit of detection. Motivated by a case‐control study on miscarriage (binary outcome) and cytokines (continuous exposures), we are interested in estimating parameters in a logistic regression, where individuals with the same disease status (with or without a miscarriage) are paired and their pooled cytokine concentrations are assessed. Previous research has proposed a set‐based logistic model to evaluate the relationship between a disease and pooled exposures. While the set‐based logistic model is very useful for estimating main effects, it cannot estimate interactions of continuous exposures when both are measured in pools. Therefore, we propose using the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm to obtain estimators of all parameters in logistic regression model, including interactions effects. Using a simulation study, we present comparisons of efficiency under different scenarios where exposures have been measured in pools and individually. Our simulations show that randomly sampling half of the available biospecimens has less efficiency than pooling pairs of biospecimens stratified by disease status. The EM algorithm provides a method for estimating interaction effects when biospecimens have already been pooled for other reasons such as the gain in efficiency for estimating main effects demonstrated by previous research. This manuscript demonstrates that the EM algorithm offers a promising approach to estimate interaction effects of pooled biospecimens. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of stiffness properties of common coated fabrics
Authors: Uhlemann Jörg , Stranghöner Natalie , Saxe Klaus
Published: November 2015

Woven coated fabrics commonly used for tensile membrane structures are PVC‐coated polyester fabrics and PTFE‐coated glass‐fibre fabrics. Regarding the stiffness of these materials, membrane structure experts frequently point out that glass/PTFE fabrics are “stiffer” than PES/PVC fabrics. However, this statement cannot be verified by existing literature, although numerous publications deal with the stress‐strain behaviour of coated woven fabrics. Available stress‐strain test data are almost impossible to compare, mainly because published stress‐strain data for glass/PTFE refer to materials with higher strengths than the published test data for PES/PVC materials. The aim of the present paper is to compare the stiffness properties of PES/PVC and glass/PTFE fabrics with identical tensile strength properties by means of theoretical investigations and uniaxial tensile tests. The results demonstrate that glass‐fibre fabric indeed exhibits a higher tensile stiffness than comparable polyester fabric for typical working stress ranges between the prestress level and the maximum design strength. However, for lower stress ranges up to approximately three‐quarters of the design strength, the tensile stiffness of glass‐fibre fabrics is identical with or even lower than that of comparable polyester fabric. The transverse strain is considerably higher for the glass‐fibre fabric throughout.
The Nuvola for the Nuovo Centro Congressi in Rome
Authors: Stimpfle Bernd
Published: November 2015

In the EUR district, in the city of Rome, a complex membrane project is built, different from known tensile projects. In more than 10 years the idea of a light floating cloud inside the glazed congress centre has been developed, and is now going to be realized. This article describes the design process of shape and detail, different trial assemblies and it shows the final layout and the details.
How to get a membrane structure off the drawing board
Authors: Gibson Nick D.
Published: November 2015

This paper highlights the processes that are required to take a membrane structure from the design stage to final fabrication. Those processes involve determining the final geometry, developing an approved seam layout, undertaking material tests to determine stretch characteristics and issuing a final set of fabrication documents. The importance of each step is highlighted and the particular issues as they relate to membrane structures are presented. Particular note is made of the benefit that previous experience in this unique form of construction has in bringing a membrane structure to a successful completion. The paper concludes with a few examples of just what can be achieved when all the final stages of fabrication are carefully followed.
Politics Religion and Society in Revolutionary England 1640-1660
Authors: Tomlinson Howard , Gregg David
Published: November 2015

Politics, Religion and Society in Revolutionary England 1640-1660 goes beneath the surface of English society in the turbulent years of civil war and interregnum. The authors draw upon a fascinating array of contemporary writings to provide revealing insights into the motivation of those who shaped English history in these crucial years. All the important legislation is included, but also details from personal memoirs, letters and diaries, not to mention the work of radical pamphleteers in the 1640's and 1650's. The authors address the issues which remain unresolved today - the resort to arms and the objectives of the protoganists; the divisions within parliamentary factions and in the army, the emergence of revolutionary religious and political ideas, the trial and execution of Charles I, the consolidation of a new system of government in the Commonwealth and the subsequent establishment of Cromwell's Protectorate, relations between England and Europe are this period, and the demise of the republican experiment with the restoration of monarchy after Cromwell's death. Specimen questions on each set of documents make this volume particulary useful for students of this period, but in reality the authors have produced a work which will stimulate specialist and non-specialist readers alike. This book will cause renewed reflection on the nature of the historical events of the English Revolution.
Role of arginine and lysine in the antimicrobial mechanism of histone‐derived antimicrobial peptides
Authors: Cutrona Kara J. , Kaufman Bethany A. , Figueroa Dania M. , Elmore Donald E.
Published: November 2015

Translocation of cell‐penetrating peptides is often promoted by increased content of arginine or other guanidinium groups. However, relatively little research has considered the role of these functional groups on antimicrobial peptide activity. This study compared the activity of three histone‐derived antimicrobial peptides—buforin II, DesHDAP1, and parasin—with variants that contain only lysine or arginine cationic residues. These peptides operate via different mechanisms as parasin causes membrane permeabilization while buforin II and DesHDAP1 translocate into bacteria. For all peptides, antibacterial activity increased with increased arginine content. Higher arginine content increased permeabilization for parasin while it improved translocation for buforin II and DesHDAP1. These observations provide insight into the relative importance of arginine and lysine in these antimicrobial peptides.
Marine Metagenome as a Resource for Novel Enzymes
Authors: Alma’abadi Amani D. , Gojobori Takashi , Mineta Katsuhiko
Published: November 2015

More than 99% of identified prokaryotes, including many from the marine environment, cannot be cultured in the laboratory. This lack of capability restricts our knowledge of microbial genetics and community ecology. Metagenomics, the culture-independent cloning of environmental DNAs that are isolated directly from an environmental sample, has already provided a wealth of information about the uncultured microbial world. It has also facilitated the discovery of novel biocatalysts by allowing researchers to probe directly into a huge diversity of enzymes within natural microbial communities. Recent advances in these studies have led to a great interest in recruiting microbial enzymes for the development of environmentally-friendly industry. Although the metagenomics approach has many limitations, it is expected to provide not only scientific insights but also economic benefits, especially in industry. This review highlights the importance of metagenomics in mining microbial lipases, as an example, by using high-throughput techniques. In addition, we discuss challenges in the metagenomics as an important part of bioinformatics analysis in big data.
A literature review of quantitative indicators to measure the quality of labor and delivery care
Authors: Tripathi Vandana
Published: November 2015

Background

Strengthening measurement of the quality of labor and delivery (L&D) care in low‐resource countries requires an understanding of existing approaches.

Objectives

To identify quantitative indicators of L&D care quality and assess gaps in indicators.

Search strategy

PubMed, CINAHL Plus, and Embase databases were searched for research published in English between January 1, 1990, and October 31, 2013, using structured terms.

Selection criteria

Studies describing indicators for L&D care quality assessment were included. Those whose abstracts contained inclusion criteria underwent full‐text review.

Data collection and analysis

Study characteristics, including indicator selection and data sources, were extracted via a standard spreadsheet.

Main results

The structured search identified 1224 studies. After abstract and full‐text review, 477 were included in the analysis. Most studies selected indicators by using literature review, clinical guidelines, or expert panels. Few indicators were empirically validated; most studies relied on medical record review to measure indicators.

Conclusions

Many quantitative indicators have been used to measure L&D care quality, but few have been validated beyond expert opinion. There has been limited use of clinical observation in quality assessment of care processes. The findings suggest the need for validated, efficient consensus indicators of the quality of L&D care processes, particularly in low‐resource countries.
Of “Likes” and “Pins”: The Effects of Consumers’ Attachment to Social Media
Authors: VanMeter Rebecca A. , Grisaffe Douglas B. , Chonko Lawrence B.
Published: November 2015

Marketing researchers and practitioners are showing substantial interest in social media communication, trying to understand the challenges and opportunities associated with this new cultural and social phenomenon. In this research, the authors examine social media as a new attachment phenomenon, positing likely predictive links to marketing-related social media behaviors. Researchers have demonstrated useful applicability of psychological attachment theory to a variety of other marketing contexts, including special possessions, places, brands, and services. Attachment to such varied focal targets has been shown to influence behaviors of interest to marketers. However, research to date has yet to develop a conceptualization or operationalization of attachment in the social media context. The authors seek to contribute to the literature in two primary ways: first, we provide a foundational definition of attachment to social media, and conduct four initial studies to develop a measure that meets desired reliability and validity standards. Secondly, in a fifth study, we use this validated measure to test its empirical usefulness in predicting social media behaviors in an applied retail setting. Taken together, the results are particularly valuable in demonstrating that attachment to social media is a distinct, measurable phenomenon that helps to explain various activities on social media platforms, including C2C advocacy and C2B supportive communication behaviors. Results reveal practical guidance for marketing managers wrestling with developing effective social media marketing strategies.
Does a Virtual like Cause Actual Liking? How following a Brand's Facebook Updates Enhances Brand Evaluations and Purchase Intention
Authors: Beukeboom Camiel J. , Kerkhof Peter , De Vries Metten
Published: November 2015

Studies have shown positive associations between liking a Facebook brand page and brand evaluations, but causal evidence is lacking. This online pre–post-measure experiment compared brand evaluations of ‘current followers’ of a target brand's Facebook page, with ‘new followers’ instructed to ‘like’ the page, and ‘non-followers’ over one month. Results showed a significant positive increase for new followers on brand evaluations, whereas non-followers showed no change. Current followers were most positive in evaluations overall, but showed no change over time. This provides evidence that following a brand's Facebook updates can cause positive changes in brand evaluations. The effects were explained by perceived conversational human voice, indicating the importance of brand interactivity. Implications for brands’ social media presence are discussed.
Threat of Secondary Chemical Contamination of Emergency Departments and Personnel: An Uncommon but Recurrent Problem
Authors: Larson Theodore C. , Orr Maureen F. , Auf der Heide Erik , Wu Jennifer , Mukhopadhyay Sutapa , Kevin Horton D.
Published: November 2015

Objective

To analyze acute hazardous substance release surveillance data for events involving secondary contamination of hospital emergency departments (EDs). Secondary contamination of EDs may occur when a patient exposed to a hazardous chemical is not decontaminated before arrival at the ED and when ED staff are not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. This can result in adverse health outcomes among department personnel, other patients, and visitors. Even events without actual secondary contamination risk can be real in their consequences and require the decontamination of the ED or its occupants, evacuation, or temporary shutdown of the ED.

Methods

Events involving secondary contamination were identified by using the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance system and the National Toxic Substance Incidents Program from 2007 to 2013.

Results

Five incidents involving the threat of secondary contamination (0.02% of all events reported to the surveillance systems [n=33,001]) were detected and are described. Four incidents involved suspected secondary contamination in which the facility was evacuated or shut down.

Conclusions

These results suggest that although rare, incidents involving secondary contamination continue to present a hazard for emergency departments. Suggested best practices to avoid secondary contamination have been described. Hospitals should be made aware of the risks associated with secondary contamination and the need to proactively train and equip staff to perform decontamination. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:199–202)
An evaluation of Access to Psychological Services Ireland: year one outcomes
Authors: McHugh P. , Martin N. , Hennessy M. , Collins P. , Byrne M.
Published: November 2015

Objectives

To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Access to Psychological Services Ireland (APSI), a primary care adult psychology service.

Methods

A repeated measures design was used to evaluate the clinical outcomes of service users who completed an intervention. Psychological distress, depressive symptomatology and anxiety symptomatology were measured using the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation–Outcome Measure (CORE-OM), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), respectively. Self-reported health and economic outcomes were measured using the EQ-5D-3L and the Eco-Psy, respectively.

Results

A total of 381 adults were assessed as suitable for an APSI intervention, with 198 (52%) of these completing at least one intervention. Significant reductions in psychological distress were observed for completers of guided self-help and brief cognitive behavioural therapy, with service users also showing significant reductions in anxiety and depressive symptomatology. Reliable and clinically significant change on the CORE-OM was observed for 67.9% of treatment completers. Service users reported significant improvements in their health status but did not show changes in their health service usage in the 3-month follow-up period.

Conclusions

APSI provided an accessible service model that was clinically effective in managing a range of mild to moderate mental health difficulties. The cost-effectiveness of the service model may be enhanced by offering a wider range of high-throughput interventions and by increasing the treatment completion rate.
Change in Cognitive Abilities in Older Latinos
Authors: Wilson Robert S. , Capuano Ana W. , Marquez David X. , Amofa Priscilla , Barnes Lisa L. , Bennett David A.
Published: November 2015

The aim of this study was to compare patterns of cognitive decline in older Latinos and non-Latinos. At annual intervals for a mean of 5.7 years, older Latino (n=104) and non-Latino (n=104) persons of equivalent age, education, and race completed a battery of 17 cognitive tests from which previously established composite measures of episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, perceptual speed, and visuospatial ability were derived. In analyses adjusted for age, sex, and education, performance declined over time in each cognitive domain, but there were no ethnic group differences in initial level of function or annual rate of decline. There was evidence of retest learning following the baseline evaluation, but neither the magnitude nor duration of the effect was related to Latino ethnicity, and eliminating the first two evaluations, during which much of retest learning occurred, did not affect ethnic group comparisons. Compared to the non-Latino group, the Latino group had more diabetes (38.5%vs. 25.0; χ2[1]=4.4;p=.037), fewer histories of smoking (24.0%vs. 39.4%, χ2[1]=5.7;p=.017), and lower childhood household socioeconomic level (−0.410vs. −0.045,t[185.0]=3.1;p=.002), but controlling for these factors did not affect results. Trajectories of cognitive aging in different abilities are similar in Latino and non-Latino individuals of equivalent age, education, and race. (JINS, 2016,22, 58–65)
A TIME-VARYING MARKOV-SWITCHING MODEL FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH
Authors: Morier Bruno , Teles Vladimir Kühl
Published: November 2015

This paper investigates patterns of variation in economic growth across and within countries using a time-varying transition matrix Markov-switching approach. The model developed here explains the dynamics of growth based on a collection of different states that countries pass into and out of over time; in addition, these states are characterized by their own submodels and growth patterns. The transition matrix among the different states varies over time—depending on the conditioning variables of each country—with a linear dynamic for each state. We develop a generalization of Diebold's EM algorithm and estimate a sample model in a panel with a transition matrix conditioned on institutional quality and the investment level. We find three states of growth: stable growth, miraculous growth, and stagnation. The results show that institutional quality is an important determinant of long-term growth, whereas the investment level plays a variety of roles: it contributes positively in countries with high-quality institutions but is of little relevance in countries with medium- or low-quality institutions.
Online food nutrition labelling in the UK: how consistent are supermarkets in their presentation of nutrition labels online?
Authors: Stones Catherine
Published: November 2015

Objective

To evaluate consistency levels of nutrition labelling on supermarket websites.

Design

This is a comparative, quantitative study examining page position, content and design of nutrition labels on own-brand and branded products. Online and in-store nutrition labels were examined, categorised and analysed to discern variety of label designs used and consistency between online and in-store labelling.

Setting

Five large online food retailers in the UK.

Subjects

Nutrition labels displayed on 100 webpages were examined for twenty branded and own-brand products. Equivalent labels on in-store packaged products were also examined.

Results

Eight different combinations of nutrition label designs were found. The online supermarket sites were found to use from three to six of these label combinations across the sample. The consistency level between online and in-store package labels ranged from 25 % to 90 %. In many cases the nutrition label required scrolling to view and in all cases items could be purchased without the label being visible from the search result listings.

Conclusions

The main recommendation of the paper is that online nutrition labelling needs to be much more consistently presented than is currently practised, both within each website and between online and in-store experiences. Particular attention should be made to polychrome colour and the inclusion of summary graphics. Designers should also ensure visibility of the label and raise its vertical page position. The paper also proposes additional expansion of the use of nutrition information online, using nutrition values as database fields in search criteria and checkout aggregation reporting.
Overview II
Authors: GRAZIANO JOHN
Published: November 2015

The publication of a dictionary in one's discipline is always a welcome event, allowing its users to quickly find essential information on a variety of topics, people, and institutions. The second edition of the Grove Dictionary of American Music (hereafter AmeriGrove II), an eight-volume set comprising some 5300-plus pages, offers a comprehensive view of all musics American; it is a delight to peruse. At more than double the length of its predecessor, which was published in 1986, AmeriGrove II covers an even wider array of topics. It “refers to musical life and cultures within the region now covered by the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and US territories. [It] likewise features coverage of the music-making practices of native cultures whose occupation of these regions predates European contact” (1:vii).
Nineteenth-Century Music
Authors: SHADLE DOUGLAS
Published: November 2015

Musicological research on nineteenth-century music blossomed during the 1970s. The surge was solidified with the founding of the journal 19th-Century Music in 1977, roughly a year after the establishment of the Sonneck Society and a decade before the appearance of AmeriGrove I. During this decade, the journal published seven articles on nineteenth-century American subjects (all on the United States, not other American regions or countries). By contrast, the official journal of the Sonneck Society, American Music, published nearly twice that number between 1983 and 1986 alone. Although this simple metric has sociological explanations exceeding the scope of this review, it suggests that work on nineteenth-century music in the Americas stood at some remove from general musicological discourse in the Sonneck Society's early days.
Folk and Traditional Music
Authors: LORNELL KIP
Published: November 2015

In May 2014, then book review editor John Koegel asked if I wanted to be part of the team of eight scholars with varied interests and specialties to review the second edition of The Grove Dictionary of American Music (hereafter AmeriGrove II), edited by Charles H. Garrett (what a Herculean task!) and published by Oxford University Press in 2013. Specifically, John wondered if I would be “willing to review the coverage of American traditional music.” As one who has used and appreciated the first edition of this monumentally ambitious work, I was curious to see the updated edition, so the next day I naively wrote back, “This sounds interesting, and I'll take on the assignment.”
Popular Music and Jazz, 1900–1950
Authors: TUCKER SHERRIE
Published: November 2015

On the evening of March 8, 2014, I became the most envied person in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Marriott Heritage Ballroom (perhaps the whole of Lancaster County). For my own part, I snoozed. But there on the nightstand, my cell phone danced with texts of more energetic colleagues: “Sherrie, you won the Grove! Where the @#! are you?” It seemed I had hit the jackpot in the SAM 2.0 raffle. In (quite literally) the blink of an eye, I had gone from a run-of-the-mill scholar of American music with pretty much the same books on the shelf as others with my particular set of research interests, to one of the few people on the planet to own the entire eight-volume AmeriGrove II. In that same life-changing moment—as I learned the next morning—I had also become the person least able to politely decline John Koegel's invitation to contribute to this multipart review.
Popular Music and Jazz, 1950–Present
Authors: CATEFORIS THEO
Published: November 2015

The coverage of post-1950 popular music and jazz in the second edition of The Grove Dictionary of American Music (hereafter referred to as the AmeriGrove II) is truly impressive in its range and scope. AmeriGrove II gives substantial space to a variety of styles ranging from rhythm and blues and rock to country and hip hop, a nod not only to the tremendous impact they have had on the making and consumption of U.S. music in recent decades, but also to the explosion in popular music scholarship witnessed in organizations like the International Association for the Study of Popular Music and the popular music study groups of the American Musicological Society, Society for Music Theory, and Society for Ethnomusicology. Throughout its many entries, AmeriGrove II showcases just how much the study of recent American popular music has grown since AmeriGrove I appeared nearly thirty years ago.
Fragebögen und Testmethoden der Bewegungsvorstellung
Authors: Pithan Jan Marvin , Dahm Stephan Frederic
Published: November 2015

Zusammenfassung. Mentale Vorstellungen werden im Sport vornehmlich in Form von Vorstellungen einer Bewegung eingesetzt. Der Gebrauch von Bewegungsvorstellungen hat sich inzwischen in einer Vielzahl von Sportarten etabliert und der Nutzen systematischer Bewegungsvorstellungen wurde mehrfach belegt. Durch Bewegungsvorstellung soll das Erlernen und Stabilisieren von Bewegungen gefördert und in der Rehabilitation die Rückgewinnung bereits erlernter Fähigkeiten erleichtert werden. Die Qualität der Bewegungsvorstellung hat darauf einen weitreichenden Einfluss. Daher geht diese Übersicht umfassend auf die Quantifizierung der Vorstellungsqualität ein. Möglichkeiten zur Erfassung der Bewegungsvorstellung werden vorgestellt. Bei der Messung anhand von Fragebögen welche die Leichtigkeit (z. B. Movement Imagery Questionnaire), Lebhaftigkeit (z. B. Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire) und den Gebrauch von Bewegungsvorstellungen im Sport (z. B. Sport Imagery Questionnaire) abbilden, spielen verschiedene Sinnesmodalitäten wie visuelle und kinästhetische Repräsentationen aber auch die Perspektive der Vorstellung eine zentrale Rolle. Als Alternative gelten quantitative Messungen der Vorstellungszeit. Sowohl Einsatzmöglichkeiten als auch Grenzen der Messmethoden werden aufgezeigt.
Antarctic glacio-eustatic contributions to late Miocene Mediterranean desiccation and reflooding
Authors: Ohneiser Christian , Florindo Fabio , Stocchi Paolo , Roberts Andrew P. , DeConto Robert M. , Pollard David
Published: November 2015

The Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) was a marked late Neogene oceanographic event during which the Mediterranean Sea evaporated. Its causes remain unresolved, with tectonic restrictions to the Atlantic Ocean or glacio-eustatic restriction of flow during sea-level lowstands, or a mixture of the two mechanisms, being proposed. Here we present the first direct geological evidence of Antarctic ice-sheet (AIS) expansion at the MSC onset and use a δ18O record to model relative sea-level changes. Antarctic sedimentary successions indicate AIS expansion at 6 Ma coincident with major MSC desiccation; relative sea-level modelling indicates a prolonged ∼50 m lowstand at the Strait of Gibraltar, which resulted from AIS expansion and local evaporation of sea water in concert with evaporite precipitation that caused lithospheric deformation. Our results reconcile MSC events and demonstrate that desiccation and refilling were timed by the interplay between glacio-eustatic sea-level variations, glacial isostatic adjustment and mantle deformation in response to changing water and evaporite loads.
Maximum rates of climate change are systematically underestimated in the geological record
Authors: Kemp David B. , Eichenseer Kilian , Kiessling Wolfgang
Published: November 2015

Recently observed rates of environmental change are typically much higher than those inferred for the geological past. At the same time, the magnitudes of ancient changes were often substantially greater than those established in recent history. The most pertinent disparity, however, between recent and geological rates is the timespan over which the rates are measured, which typically differ by several orders of magnitude. Here we show that rates of marked temperature changes inferred from proxy data in Earth history scale with measurement timespan as an approximate power law across nearly six orders of magnitude (102 to >107 years). This scaling reveals how climate signals measured in the geological record alias transient variability, even during the most pronounced climatic perturbations of the Phanerozoic. Our findings indicate that the true attainable pace of climate change on timescales of greatest societal relevance is underestimated in geological archives.
A resource of ribosomal RNA-depleted RNA-Seq data from different normal adult and fetal human tissues
Authors: Choy Jocelyn Y.H. , Boon Priscilla L.S. , Bertin Nicolas , Fullwood Melissa J.
Published: November 2015

Gene expression is the most fundamental level at which the genotype leads to the phenotype of the organism. Enabled by ultra-high-throughput next-generation DNA sequencing, RNA-Seq involves shotgun sequencing of fragmented RNA transcripts by next-generation sequencing followed by in silico assembly, and is rapidly becoming the most popular method for gene expression analysis. Poly[A]+ RNA-Seq analyses of normal human adult tissue samples such as Illumina’s Human BodyMap 2.0 Project and the RNA-Seq atlas have provided a useful global resource and framework for comparisons with diseased tissues such as cancer. However, these analyses have failed to provide information on poly[A]−RNA, which is abundant in our cells. The most recent advances in RNA-Seq analyses use ribosomal RNA-depletion to provide information on both poly[A]+ and poly[A]−RNA. In this paper, we describe the use of Illumina’s HiSeq 2000 to generate high quality rRNA-depleted RNA-Seq datasets from human fetal and adult tissues. The datasets reported here will be useful in understanding the different expression profiles in different tissues.
Virulence of recurrent infestations with Borrelia-infected ticks in a Borrelia-amplifying bird
Authors: Heylen Dieter J. A. , Müller Wendt , Vermeulen Anke , Sprong Hein , Matthysen Erik
Published: November 2015

Lyme disease cases caused byBorrelia burgdorferis.l. bacteria is increasing steadily in Europe, in part due to the expansion of the vector,Ixodes ricinus. Wild reservoir hosts are typically recurrently infested. Understanding the impact of these cumulative parasite exposures on the host’s health is, therefore, central to predict the distribution of tick populations and their pathogens. Here, we have experimentally investigated the symptoms of disease caused by recurrent infestations in a common songbird (Parus major). Birds were exposed three times in succession to ticks collected in aBorreliaendemic area. Health and immune measures were analyzed in order to investigate changes in response to tick infestation andBorreliainfection rate. Nitric oxide levels increased with theBorreliainfection rate, but this effect was increasingly counteracted by mounting tick infestation rates. Tick infestations equally reduced haematocrit during each cycle. But birds overcompensated in their response to tick feeding, having higher haematocrit values during tick-free periods depending on the number of ticks they had been previously exposed to. Body condition showed a similar overshooting response in function of the severity of theBorreliainfection. The observed overcompensation increases the bird’s energetic needs, which may result in an increase in transmission events.
Ventral tegmental area dopamine and GABA neurons: Physiological properties and expression of mRNA for endocannabinoid biosynthetic elements
Authors: Merrill Collin B. , Friend Lindsey N. , Newton Scott T. , Hopkins Zachary H. , Edwards Jeffrey G.
Published: November 2015

The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is involved in adaptive reward and motivation processing and is composed of dopamine (DA) and GABA neurons. Defining the elements regulating activity and synaptic plasticity of these cells is critical to understanding mechanisms of reward and addiction. While endocannabinoids (eCBs) that potentially contribute to addiction are known to be involved in synaptic plasticity mechanisms in the VTA, where they are produced is poorly understood. In this study, DA and GABAergic cells were identified using electrophysiology, cellular markers and a transgenic mouse model that specifically labels GABA cells. Using single-cell RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry, we investigated mRNA and proteins involved in eCB signaling such as diacylglycerol lipase α, N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-specific phospholipase D and 12-lipoxygenase, as well as type I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). Our results demonstrate the first molecular evidence of colocalization of eCB biosynthetic enzyme and type I mGluR mRNA in VTA neurons. Further, these data reveal higher expression of mGluR1 in DA neurons, suggesting potential differences in eCB synthesis between DA and GABA neurons. These data collectively suggest that VTA GABAergic and DAergic cells have the potential to produce various eCBs implicated in altering neuronal activity or plasticity in adaptive motivational reward or addiction.
Sulfur alleviates arsenic toxicity by reducing its accumulation and modulating proteome, amino acids and thiol metabolism in rice leaves
Authors: Dixit Garima , Singh Amit Pal , Kumar Amit , Dwivedi Sanjay , Deeba Farah , Kumar Smita , Suman Shankar , Adhikari Bijan , Shukla Yogeshwar , Trivedi Prabodh Kumar , Pandey Vivek , Tripathi Rudra Deo
Published: November 2015

Arsenic (As) contamination of water is a global concern and rice consumption is the biggest dietary exposure to human posing carcinogenic risks, predominantly in Asia. Sulfur (S) is involved in di-sulfide linkage in many proteins and plays crucial role in As detoxification. Present study explores role of variable S supply on rice leaf proteome, its inclination towards amino acids (AA) profile and non protein thiols under arsenite exposure. Analysis of 282 detected proteins on 2-DE gel revealed 113 differentially expressed proteins, out of which 80 were identified by MALDI-TOF-TOF. The identified proteins were mostly involved in glycolysis, TCA cycle, AA biosynthesis, photosynthesis, protein metabolism, stress and energy metabolism. Among these, glycolytic enzymes play a major role in AA biosynthesis that leads to change in AAs profiling. Proteins of glycolytic pathway, photosynthesis and energy metabolism were also validated by western blot analysis. Conclusively S supplementation reduced the As accumulation in shoot positively skewed thiol metabolism and glycolysis towards AA accumulation under AsIII stress.
Hyperhomocysteinemia predicts renal function decline: a prospective study in hypertensive adults
Authors: Xie Di , Yuan Yan , Guo Jiangnan , Yang Shenglin , Xu Xin , Wang Qin , Li Youbao , Qin Xianhui , Tang Genfu , Huo Yong , Deng Guangpu , Wu Shengjie , Wang Binyan , Zhang Qin , Wang Xiaobin , Fang Pu , Wang Hong , Xu Xiping , Hou Fanfan
Published: November 2015

Hyper-homocysteinemia (HHcy) is associated with microalbuminuria and glomerular injury in general and diabetic populations. However, HHcy’s role in hypertensive patients was not studied. We investigated whether HHcy is an independent risk factor for renal function decline and development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in hypertensive men and women. This was a community-based prospective cohort study of 2,387 hypertensive adults without CKD at baseline, with a mean follow-up of 4.4 years. Baseline and follow-up levels of plasma Hcy, folate, vitamin B12, blood pressure and other pertinent covariables were obtained. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/per 1.73 m2 and an eGFR decline rate >1 ml/min/per 1.73 m2/year. There was a graded association between Hcy tertiles and eGFR decline. Subjects in the 3rd tertile of Hcy levels had an accelerated rate of eGFR decline and an increased risk of incident CKD, as compared with those in the 1st tertile, after adjusting for age, gender, baseline diabetes, SBP, BMI, smoking, dyslipidemia, eGFR, folate and vitamin B12 levels. In conclusion, in this prospective cohort of Chinese hypertensive adults, elevated baseline plasma Hcy can serve as an independent biomarker to predict renal function decline and incident CKD.
A sinemydid turtle from the Jehol Biota provides insights into the basal divergence of crown turtles
Authors: Zhou Chang-Fu , Rabi Márton
Published: November 2015

Morphological phylogenies stand in a major conflict with molecular hypotheses regarding the phylogeny of Cryptodira, the most diverse and widely distributed clade of extant turtles. However, molecular hypotheses are often considered a better estimate of phylogeny given that it is more consistent with the stratigraphic and geographic distribution of extinct taxa. That morphology fails to reproduce the molecular topology partly originates from problematic character polarization due to yet another contradiction around the composition of the cryptodiran stem lineage. Extinct sinemydids are one of these problematic clades: they have been either placed among stem-cryptodires, stem-chelonioid sea turtles, or even stem-turtles. A new sinemydid from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota (Yixian Formation, Barremian-Early Aptian) of China, Xiaochelys ningchengensis gen. et sp. nov., allows for a reassessment of the phylogenetic position of Sinemydidae. Our analysis indicates that sinemydids mostly share symplesiomorphies with sea turtles and their purported placement outside the crown-group of turtles is an artefact of previous datasets. The best current phylogenetic estimate is therefore that sinemydids are part of the stem lineage of Cryptodira together with an array of other Jurassic to Cretaceous taxa. Our study further emphasises the importance of using molecular scaffolds in global turtle analyses.
Electron Beam Induced Artifacts During in situ TEM Deformation of Nanostructured Metals
Authors: Sarkar Rohit , Rentenberger Christian , Rajagopalan Jagannathan
Published: November 2015

A critical assumption underlying in situ transmission electron microscopy studies is that the electron beam (e-beam) exposure does not fundamentally alter the intrinsic deformation behavior of the materials being probed. Here, we show that e-beam exposure causes increased dislocation activation and marked stress relaxation in aluminum and gold films spanning a range of thicknesses (80–400 nanometers) and grain sizes (50–220 nanometers). Furthermore, the e-beam induces anomalous sample necking, which unusually depends more on the e-beam diameter than intensity. Notably, the stress relaxation in both aluminum and gold occurs at beam energies well below their damage thresholds. More remarkably, the stress relaxation and/or sample necking is significantly more pronounced at lower accelerating voltages (120 kV versus 200 kV) in both the metals. These observations in aluminum and gold, two metals with highly dissimilar atomic weights and properties, indicate that e-beam exposure can cause anomalous behavior in a broad spectrum of nanostructured materials and simultaneously suggest a strategy to minimize such artifacts.
A Holistic Multi Evidence Approach to Study the Fragmentation Behaviour of Crystalline Mannitol
Authors: Koner Jasdip S. , Rajabi-Siahboomi Ali , Bowen James , Perrie Yvonne , Kirby Daniel , Mohammed Afzal R.
Published: November 2015

Mannitol is an essential excipient employed in orally disintegrating tablets due to its high palatability. However its fundamental disadvantage is its fragmentation during direct compression, producing mechanically weak tablets. The primary aim of this study was to assess the fracture behaviour of crystalline mannitol in relation to the energy input during direct compression, utilising ball milling as the method of energy input, whilst assessing tablet characteristics of post-milled powders. Results indicated that crystalline mannitol fractured at the hydrophilic (011) plane, as observed through SEM, alongside a reduction in dispersive surface energy. Disintegration times of post-milled tablets were reduced due to the exposure of the hydrophilic plane, whilst more robust tablets were produced. This was shown through higher tablet hardness and increased plastic deformation profiles of the post-milled powders, as observed with a lower yield pressure through an out-of-die Heckel analysis. Evaluation of crystal state using x-ray diffraction/differential scanning calorimetry showed that mannitol predominantly retained the β-polymorph; however x-ray diffraction provided a novel method to calculate energy input into the powders during ball milling. It can be concluded that particle size reduction is a pragmatic strategy to overcome the current limitation of mannitol fragmentation and provide improvements in tablet properties.
Resveratrol inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition of retinal pigment epithelium and development of proliferative vitreoretinopathy
Authors: Ishikawa Keijiro , He Shikun , Terasaki Hiroto , Nazari Hossein , Zhang Huiming , Spee Christine , Kannan Ram , Hinton David R
Published: November 2015

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a serious complication of retinal detachment and ocular trauma and its recurrence may lead to irreversible vision loss. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is a critical step in the pathogenesis of PVR, which is characterized by fibrotic membrane formation and traction retinal detachment. In this study, we investigated the potential impact of resveratrol (RESV) on EMT and the fibrotic process in cultured RPE cells and further examined the preventive effect of RESV on PVR development using a rabbit model of PVR. We found that RESV induces mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) and inhibits transforming growth factor-β2(TGF-β2)-induced EMT of RPE cells by deacetylating SMAD4. The effect of RESV on MET was dependent on sirtuin1 activation. RESV suppressed proliferation, migration and fibronectin synthesis induced by platelet-derived growth factor-BB or TGF-β2. In vivo, RESV inhibited the progression of experimental PVR in rabbit eyes. Histological findings showed that RESV reduced fibrotic membrane formation and decreased α-SMA expression in the epiretinal membranes. These results suggest the potential use of RESV as a therapeutic agent to prevent the development of PVR by targeting EMT of RPE.
Mice lacking the PSD-95–interacting E3 ligase, Dorfin/Rnf19a, display reduced adult neurogenesis, enhanced long-term potentiation and impaired contextual fear conditioning
Authors: Park Hanwool , Yang Jinhee , Kim Ryunhee , Li Yan , Lee Yeunkum , Lee Chungwoo , Park Jongil , Lee Dongmin , Kim Hyun , Kim Eunjoon
Published: November 2015

Protein ubiquitination has a significant influence on diverse aspects of neuronal development and function. Dorfin, also known as Rnf19a, is a RING finger E3 ubiquitin ligase implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, but its in vivo functions have not been explored. We report here that Dorfin is a novel binding partner of the excitatory postsynaptic scaffolding protein PSD-95. Dorfin-mutant (Dorfin−/−) mice show reduced adult neurogenesis and enhanced long-term potentiation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, but normal long-term potentiation in the CA1 region. Behaviorally, Dorfin−/− mice show impaired contextual fear conditioning, but normal levels of cued fear conditioning, fear extinction, spatial learning and memory, object recognition memory, spatial working memory and pattern separation. Using a proteomic approach, we also identify a number of proteins whose ubiquitination levels are decreased in the Dorfin−/− brain. These results suggest that Dorfin may regulate adult neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity and contextual fear memory.