bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of toxic bait to control invasive wild pigs and reduce damage
Authors: Snow Nathan P. , Foster Justin A. , Kinsey John C. , Humphrys Simon T. , Staples Linton D. , Hewitt David G. , Vercauteren Kurt C.
Published: June 2017

Populations of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are increasing in many regions of the world, in particular the United States and Australia. Invasive wild pigs cause extensive damage to ecological resources and agriculture. Development and registration of a safe and humane toxic bait offers a practical and cost‐effective tool to control invasive species. Currently, no toxicants are approved for use on invasive wild pigs in the United States and those approved in Australia are under scrutiny because of concerns regarding humaneness and effects on nontarget species. We tested a newly formulated bait containing the micro‐encapsulated active ingredient, sodium nitrite (HOGGONE®; Animal Control Technologies Australia P/L, Victoria, Australia), that is considered humane and safer for nontarget species because it does not bioaccumulate. We examined palatability, lethality, and stability of the bait (i.e., fresh compared to 8‐month‐old bait) on groups of captive invasive wild pigs. We found HOGGONE® was a preferred food item, averaging 475 g of toxic bait consumed per animal during the first night offered. Consumption of HOGGONE® resulted in 95% mortality (53 of 56) in the treatment groups across 2 treatment nights. Most mortalities (98%) occurred during the first night the toxic bait was offered. Camera evidence suggested that deaths occurred within 3 hr post‐offering. The toxic bait was stable and effective up to 8 months post manufacture. Our results support current applications to register HOGGONE® for reducing damage from invasive wild pigs in the United States and Australia. Further research is required to evaluate HOGGONE® on free‐ranging invasive wild pigs using bait stations that exclude nontarget species. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
Genetische Risiken und Therapieentwicklung bei Netzhautdegenerationen
Authors: Grassmann Felix , Weber Bernhard
Published: June 2017

Das Wissen um die genetischen Ursachen von Netzhautdegenerationen, ob monogen oder komplex, ist eine wichtige Voraussetzung, um grundlegende physiologische Prozesse der Krankheitsentwicklung zu verstehen und darauf aufbauend eine individualisierte, präzise auf den Patienten zugeschnittene Therapie entwickeln zu können. Diese Übersicht fasst zunächst den gegenwärtigen Wissensstand der Genetik von erblichen Netzhautdystrophien und von komplexen retinalen Degenerationen zusammen. Hieraus lassen sich ursächliche Mechanismen und molekulare Pathologien des klinisch und genetisch heterogenen Krankheitsbildes der Netzhautdegenerationen ableiten. Aufbauend auf diesen Kenntnissen lässt sich schließlich die Rolle der Genetik in der Therapieentwicklung beleuchten, die wesentlich die große Vielfalt von therapeutischen Strategien in diesem Bereich begründet. In weiteren Artikeln dieses Schwerpunktheftes werden solche Therapiestrategien an ausgewählten Beispielen veranschaulicht.
A History of Algeria
Authors: McDougall James
Published: June 2017

Covering a period of five hundred years, from the arrival of the Ottomans to the aftermath of the Arab uprisings, James McDougall presents an expansive new account of the modern history of Africa's largest country. Drawing on substantial new scholarship and over a decade of research, McDougall places Algerian society at the centre of the story, tracing the continuities and the resilience of Algeria's people and their cultures through the dramatic changes and crises that have marked the country. Whether examining the emergence of the Ottoman viceroyalty in the early modern Mediterranean, the 130 years of French colonial rule and the revolutionary war of independence, the Third World nation-building of the 1960s and 1970s, or the terrible violence of the 1990s, this book will appeal to a wide variety of readers in African and Middle Eastern history and politics, as well as those concerned with the wider affairs of the Mediterranean.
Say No to Licensing: It Is Both Impractical and Immoral
Authors: Locke Edwin A.
Published: June 2017

I have written on this subject in the past (Locke, 2009; Locke, Mode, & Binswanger, 1980), but here I will both reiterate and expand on what I have said before.
Custer's Trials: A Life on the Frontier of a New America
Authors: Green Michael S.
Published: June 2017

In 1861, the North and South went to war for the West. Although that statement may seem oversimplified and extreme, it goes to the heart of the matter: Southerners wanted to spread slavery into the new western territories, and Northerners had used their clout in the electoral college to elect Abraham Lincoln, whose party had committed itself to stopping the growth of the peculiar institution. The rest of that story is well known, but the same cannot be said for how the West shaped the war and how the war shaped the West.
ASSESSING THE EFFICIENCY OF SWEET POTATO PRODUCERS IN THE SOUTHERN REGION OF ETHIOPIA
Authors: JOTE ADUGNA , FELEKE SHIFERAW , TUFA ADANE , MANYONG VICTOR , LEMMA THOMAS
Published: June 2017

Applying stochastic frontier Cobb–Douglas production function, the study assessed the efficiency of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) producers in the Southern region of Ethiopia. The study revealed the existence of fairly large technical inefficiency in sweet potato production. The technical efficiency ranged from 12.6 to 93.7%, with more than half of the producers above the mean efficiency level (66.1%). This suggests that there is room for output gains through technical efficiency improvement. If the average producers in the study region are to achieve the technical efficiency level of the most efficient producer in the sample (93.7%), they can realize nearly 30% output gains. The analysis of allocative efficiency also revealed that sweet potato producers were producing sweet potato with sub-optimal utilization of production inputs, suggesting that potential for output gains remains to be exploited through reconfiguration of the existing resource use. They can make more value out of their sweet potato production by reconfiguring their current utilization of production inputs in favour of more land and manure but less seed rate. Furthermore, age and education are important determinants of the efficiency of sweet potato production. In view of these findings, it is advisable to put in place appropriate extension intervention programmes that enable sweet potato producers to exploit the potential gains in sweet potato output through technical and allocative efficiency improvement.
“Tearing Down the Walls of Segregation”: Race, Conservatism, and Evangelical Rap
Authors: STEPHENS HILDE LØVDAL
Published: June 2017

Evangelical rap may sound like an oxymoron, but it was one of the most important trends in evangelical America as the Christian right rose to new levels of power in the 1990s. The trio DC Talk sold millions of album and dominated the Christian charts from the early 1990s and into the early 2000s. This was more than pure entertainment. Popular culture, and especially popular culture targeted at teens, is an important venue for disseminating values and sustaining religious identities. The artists promoted by the Christian music industry have to reflect the ideas and values that parents and central evangelical institutions wish to teach their children. In the 1990s, racial reconciliation was one of the most important issues to evangelical America and DC Talk were poster boys for a multiracial and multicultural America. Therefore this article takes DC Talk as a starting point to discuss evangelical engagement with race issues in the 1990s. DC Talk wrapped up evangelical individualism and color-blind conservatism in hip-hop garb, trying to reinvent a group with a checkered past when it comes to race relations as the hope of a racially harmonious America.
The ‘Affair of the Photographs’: Controlling the Public Image of a Nineteenth-Century Stigmatic
Authors: VAN OSSELAER TINE
Published: June 2017

The article focuses on an episode concerning the photographs of the famous Belgian stigmatic, Louise Lateau. Examining the events leading up to the bishop's decision to restrict the circulation of her portrait, it becomes clear that the ‘affair’ of 1877 was as much about creating her public saintly image as it was about controlling it. Studying the ecclesiastical response to grassroots initiatives adds a more religious perspective to the young field of celebrity studies and offers a more complex view on sanctity, and the role of the media and modern techniques in its creation, use and misuse.
Influences of long-term changes in land cover on mammal populations: an example from Mexico
Authors: Lorenzo Consuelo , Sántiz Eugenia C. , Bolaños-Citalán Jorge , Navarrete-Gutiérrez Darío
Published: June 2017

Changes in vegetative cover and land use in the southern part of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Oaxaca, Mexico, were identified by analysing satellite images from 2001 and 2014. Fluctuations in population density of mammal species during 2001–2016 in response to these changes were analysed. During 2001–2014 the types of land use that increased in area (per year) were prescribed burning (uncontrolled burning caused by humans) by 105.11 ha, seasonal agricultural plots by 58.14 ha, areas without vegetation by 24.54 ha, and human settlements by 4.13 ha. In the same period, savannahs decreased by 103.94 ha, tropical dry forest by 39.5 ha, secondary forests by 14.46 ha, and human-induced grassland by 0.13 ha per year. The loss of these habitats resulted in low population densities of mammals, including the eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus and the Tehuantepec jackrabbit Lepus flavigularis, which is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. We recommend establishing a communal ecological reserve in the study area to implement appropriate management strategies for grassland communities and develop a programme of semi-captive breeding to conserve L. flavigularis.
East-West Divide: temperature and land cover drive spatial variation of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) from England and Wales
Authors: SMALLBONE WILLOW A. , CHADWICK ELIZABETH A. , FRANCIS JANET , GUY EDWARD , PERKINS SARAH E. , SHERRARD-SMITH ELLIE , CABLE JOANNE
Published: June 2017

Toxoplasma gondii, a zoonotic parasite of global importance, infects all endothermic vertebrates, with extensive health implications. The prevalence of this parasite is seldom monitored in wildlife. Here, a semi-aquatic species, the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) was used as a model to assess the potential effect of climate, land cover and biotic factors on T. gondii seroprevalence in British wildlife. The Sabin–Feldman cytoplasm-modifying dye test identified T. gondii antibodies in 25·5% of blood samples from otters found dead, mainly as road kill, in England and Wales, between 2004 and 2010. Otters in the east of England were more likely to be infected with T. gondii than those in western regions. Land cover and temperature are key determinants of T. gondii infection risk, with more infection in arable areas and lower infection where temperatures are higher. The probability of T. gondii infection increased with host age, reflecting cumulative exposure with time, but there was no association between T. gondii seroprevalence and cause of host death.
A Working Test for Well-being
Authors: FUCHS TOBIAS A.
Published: June 2017

In order to make progress in the welfare debate, we need a way to decide whether certain cases depict changes in well-being or not. I argue that an intuitive idea by Nagel has received insufficient attention in the literature and can be developed into a test to that purpose. I discuss a version of such a test proposed by Brad Hooker, and argue that it is unsuccessful. I then present my own test, which relies on the claim that if compassion is fitting towards a person due to her having (or lacking) certain properties, then we know that having (or lacking) those properties affect the person's well-being. I show how my test yields results in cases of deception, which have implications for central questions in the literature on well-being, such as whether what you do not experience can affect your well-being (the so-called Experience Requirement).
Sudden improvement in ventricular repolarization abnormality after a short detraining period in an athlete
Authors: Motoki Noriko , Akazawa Yohei , Hachiya Akira , Inaba Yuji
Published: June 2017

We describe the case of a 17-year-old male soccer player with T-wave inversion in precordial leads in resting electrocardiography, which also disclosed sinus bradycardia, early repolarization, and increased QRS voltage. These findings strongly suggested cardiomyopathy. The patient’s T-wave inversion disappeared during only 2 weeks of detraining, and it re-appeared 2 weeks after resumption of intensive training. This sudden change in electrocardiographic parameters over a short period helped in identifying the adolescent as having athlete’s heart.
QTc interval in patients with schizophrenia receiving antipsychotic treatment as monotherapy or polypharmacy
Authors: Elliott Anja , Mørk Thibault Johan , Højlund Mikkel , Christensen Thomas , Jeppesen Rasmus , Madsen Nikolaj , Viuff Anne Grethe , Hjorth Peter , Nielsen Jens Cosedis , Munk-Jørgensen Povl
Published: June 2017

Objective

Antipsychotics are associated with a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, torsades de pointes, which, in the worst case, can lead to sudden cardiac death. The QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) is used as a clinical proxy for torsades de pointes. The QTc interval can be prolonged by antipsychotic monotherapy, but it is unknown if the QTc interval is prolonged further with antipsychotic polypharmaceutical treatment. Therefore, this study investigated the associations between QTc interval and antipsychotic monotherapy and antipsychotic polypharmaceutical treatment in schizophrenia, and measured the frequency of QTc prolongation among patients.

Methods

We carried out an observational cohort study of unselected patients with schizophrenia visiting outpatient facilities in the region of Central Jutland, Denmark. Patients were enrolled from January of 2013 to June of 2015, with follow-up until June of 2015. Data were collected from clinical interviews and clinical case records.

Results

Electrocardiograms were available for 65 patients, and 6% had QTc prolongation. We observed no difference in average QTc interval for the whole sample of patients receiving no antipsychotics, antipsychotic monotherapy, or antipsychotic polypharmaceutical treatment (p=0.29). However, women presented with a longer QTc interval when receiving polypharmacy than when receiving monotherapy (p=0.01). A limitation of this study was its small sample size.

Conclusions

We recommend an increased focus on monitoring the QTc interval in women with schizophrenia receiving antipsychotics as polypharmacy.
Identifying attributes of food literacy: a scoping review
Authors: Azevedo Perry Elsie , Thomas Heather , Samra H Ruby , Edmonstone Shannon , Davidson Lyndsay , Faulkner Amy , Petermann Lisa , Manafò Elizabeth , Kirkpatrick Sharon I
Published: June 2017

Objective

An absence of food literacy measurement tools makes it challenging for nutrition practitioners to assess the impact of food literacy on healthy diets and to evaluate the outcomes of food literacy interventions. The objective of the present scoping review was to identify the attributes of food literacy.

Design

A scoping review of peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted and attributes of food literacy identified. Subjects included in the search were high-risk groups. Eligible articles were limited to research from Canada, USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Results

The search identified nineteen peer-reviewed and thirty grey literature sources. Fifteen identified food literacy attributes were organized into five categories. Food and Nutrition Knowledge informs decisions about intake and distinguishing between ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ foods. Food Skills focuses on techniques of food purchasing, preparation, handling and storage. Self-Efficacy and Confidence represent one’s capacity to perform successfully in specific situations. Ecologic refers to beyond self and the interaction of macro- and microsystems with food decisions and behaviours. Food Decisions reflects the application of knowledge, information and skills to make food choices. These interdependent attributes are depicted in a proposed conceptual model.

Conclusions

The lack of evaluated tools inhibits the ability to assess and monitor food literacy; tailor, target and evaluate programmes; identify gaps in programming; engage in advocacy; and allocate resources. The present scoping review provides the foundation for the development of a food literacy measurement tool to address these gaps.
The Special Collections in the Peace Palace Library and the Work of Library Director Dr Jacob ter Meulen
Authors: Vervliet Jeroen
Published: June 2017

This paper was originally presented under the title ‘The Peace Palace Library. Its collections: historic and those serving the objective of contemporary arbitration and adjudication. Its users: courts, academics and the general public’. The paper was delivered by Jeroen Vervliet at the Socio-Legal Sources and Methods in International Law workshop, held at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London on November 25th, 2016.
Religious Institutions and Collective Action: The Catholic Church and Political Activism in Indigenous Chiapas and Yucatán
Authors: Hale Christopher W.
Published: June 2017

Why do religious organizations facilitate secular political activism in some settings but not others? I contend that where religious institutions are characterized by decentralized local governance, they are more likely to facilitate political activism. Drawing on nine months of field research and 60 interviews, I conduct a qualitative comparison between the Mexican states of Chiapas and Yucatán. I argue Chiapas exhibits highly decentralized governance by the Catholic Church whereas Yucatán exhibits centralized clerical management. This difference accounts for why Chiapas experiences high levels of indigenous political activism while Yucatán experiences very little political activism.
Focal quality metrics for the objective evaluation of confocal microwave images
Authors: O'loughlin Declan , Krewer Finn , Glavin Martin , Jones Edward , O'halloran Martin
Published: June 2017

Confocal microwave imaging for breast cancer detection relies on accurate knowledge of the average dielectric properties of the patient-specific breast. When accurately estimated, coherent addition will occur at the tumor site, producing a clear and sharp image thereof. Conversely, if the average dielectric properties are poorly estimated, a blurred, unfocused image will be reconstructed, potentially obscuring cancerous lesions. Several methods have been proposed to estimate the patient-specific average dielectric properties, for example, time-of-flight estimation. However, such methods are specific to the individual imaging hardware, can be susceptible to multipath propagation and assume the chosen paths are representative of the whole volume. In this paper, a novel method to estimate the patient-specific average dielectric properties is presented, based on focal quality metrics (FQMs); used historically to measure the clarity and focus of microscopic or digital photographic images. These FQMs are applied to confocal microwave breast images to assess their focus, and hence estimate the patient-specific average dielectric properties. In this way, FQMs can be used to generate the optimum microwave image of the breast. The performance and robustness of these FQMs for microwave breast imaging applications is examined in this paper and preliminary results are presented and discussed.
Associations among prenatal stress, maternal antioxidant intakes in pregnancy, and child temperament at age 30 months
Authors: Lipton L. R. , Brunst K. J. , Kannan S. , Ni Y.-M. , Ganguri H. B. , Wright R. J. , Bosquet Enlow M.
Published: June 2017

Prenatal stress and prenatal nutrition each have demonstrable impact on fetal development, with implications for child neurodevelopment and behavior. However, few studies have examined their joint influences despite evidence of potential interactive effects. We examined associations among prenatal stress, prenatal antioxidant intakes, and child temperament in a sociodemographically diverse pregnancy cohort (N=137 mother–child dyads). In mid-pregnancy, mothers completed an assessment of recent negative life events as a measure of prenatal stress and an assessment of prenatal diet. When the children were 30 months of age, mothers completed the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire-Very Short form, which provides scores on child Negative Affectivity, Effortful Control, and Surgency/Extraversion. Linear regressions tested associations between maternal prenatal negative life events and child temperament, and effect modification by maternal prenatal antioxidant intakes (vitamins A, C, and E, magnesium, zinc, selenium, β-carotene). Analyses revealed that increased maternal prenatal negative life events were associated with higher child Negative Affectivity (β=0.08,P=0.009) but not with child Effortful Control (β=−0.03,P=0.39) or Surgency/Extraversion (β=0.04,P=0.14). Prenatal intakes of zinc and selenium modified this effect: Maternal exposure to prenatal negative life events was associated with higher child Negative Affectivity in the presence of lower intakes of zinc and selenium. Modification effects approached significance for vitamins A and C. The results suggest that the combination of elevated stress exposures and lower antioxidant intakes in pregnancy increases the likelihood of heightened child temperamental negative affectivity. Increased antioxidant intakes during pregnancy may protect against influences of prenatal stress on child temperament.
Purpose-in-Life Test: Comparison of the Main Models in Patients with Mental Disorders
Authors: García-Alandete Joaquín , Marco José H. , Pérez Sandra
Published: June 2017

The aim of this study was to compare the main proposed models for the Purpose-In-Life Test, a scale for assessing meaning in life, in 229 Spanish patients with mental disorders (195 females and 34 males, aged 13–68, M = 34.43, SD = 12.19). Confirmatory factor-analytic procedures showed that the original model of the Purpose-In-Life Test, a 20-item unidimensional scale, obtained a better fit than the other analyzed models, SBχ2(df) = 326.27(170), SBχ2/df = 1.92, TLI = .93, CFI = .94, IFI = .94, RMSEA = .063 (90% CI [.053, .074]), CAIC = –767.46, as well as a high internal consistency, (α = .90). The main conclusion is that the original version of the Purpose-In-Life shows a robust construct validity in a clinical population. However, authors recommend an in-depth psychometric analysis of the Purpose-In-Life Test among clinical population. Likewise, the importance of assessing meaning in life in order to enhance psychotherapeutic treatment is noted.
2017 AGU Section and Focus Group Awardees and Named Lecturers
Authors: Bell Robin
Published: June 2017

Seventy-five distinguished scientists receive accolades from groups representing their disciplines within the American Geophysical Union, the world’s largest Earth and space science society.
dNK cells facilitate the interaction between trophoblastic and endothelial cells via VEGF‐C and HGF
Authors: Ma Liyang , Li Guanlin , Cao Guangming , Zhu Yuchun , Du Mei‐Rong , Zhao Yangyu , Wang Hao , Liu Yanlei , Yang Yanyan , Li Yu‐xia , Li Da‐Jin , Yang Huixia , Wang Yan‐Ling
Published: June 2017

Decidual NK (dNK) cells, identified as CD56brightCD16−CD3−, account for ~70% of lymphocytes within the uterine wall during early pregnancy. Accumulating evidence suggests that tight interactions between placental trophoblasts and dNK cells are critical for trophoblast cell differentiation. However, the underlying mechanism remains to be explored in detail. In the present study, conditioned medium (CM) was collected from cultured primary human dNK cells. Primary cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) or the human trophoblast cell line HTR8/SVneo was treated with dNK‐CM and co‐cultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in a three‐dimensional Matrigel scaffold, and the formation of tube structures was dynamically monitored with live cell imaging. Trophoblast invasion was analyzed with a transwell invasion assay. The data demonstrated that the treatment of HTR8/SVneo cells or CTBs with dNK‐CM remarkably promoted trophoblast invasion and tube formation in the presence of HUVECs. The epithelial marker E‐cadherin was reduced, while the expression of endothelial markers NCAM, VE‐cadherin and integrin β1 was significantly promoted in the HTR8/SVneo cells upon treatment with dNK‐CM. Antibody blocking experiments revealed that the dNK cells promoted trophoblast invasion through the production of IL‐8 and HGF, and they induced trophoblast differentiation toward endothelial phenotype by producing VEGF‐C and HGF. These results provide new evidence to clarify the finely tuned interactions between trophoblasts and dNK cells at the maternal–fetal interface.
Characterization and reversal of Doxorubicin-mediated biphasic activation of ERK and persistent excitability in sensory neurons of Aplysia californica
Authors: Lakshminarasimhan Harini , Coughlin Brittany L. , Darr Amber S. , Byrne John H.
Published: June 2017

Doxorubicin (DOX), a common chemotherapeutic agent, impairs synaptic plasticity. DOX also causes a persistent increase in basal neuronal excitability, which occludes serotonin-induced enhanced excitability. Therefore, we sought to characterize and reverse DOX-induced physiological changes and modulation of molecules implicated in memory induction using sensory neurons from the marine mollusk Aplysia californica. DOX produced two mechanistically distinct phases of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, an early and a late phase. Inhibition of MEK (mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK kinase) after DOX treatment reversed the late ERK activation. MEK inhibition during treatment enhanced the late ERK activation possibly through prolonged downregulation of MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1). Unexpectedly, the late ERK activation negatively correlated with excitability. MEK inhibition during DOX treatment simultaneously enhanced the late activation of ERK and blocked the increase in basal excitability. In summary, we report DOX-mediated biphasic activation of ERK and the reversal of the associated changes in neurons, a potential strategy for reversing the deleterious effects of DOX treatment.
Quantitative Protein Topography Measurements by High Resolution Hydroxyl Radical Protein Footprinting Enable Accurate Molecular Model Selection
Authors: Xie Boer , Sood Amika , Woods Robert J. , Sharp Joshua S.
Published: June 2017

We report an integrated workflow that allows mass spectrometry-based high-resolution hydroxyl radical protein footprinting (HR-HRPF) measurements to accurately measure the absolute average solvent accessible surface area () of amino acid side chains. This approach is based on application of multi-point HR-HRPF, electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) tandem MS (MS/MS) acquisition, measurement of effective radical doses by radical dosimetry, and proper normalization of the inherent reactivity of the amino acids. The accuracy of the resulting  measurements was tested by using well-characterized protein models. Moreover, we demonstrated the ability to use  measurements from HR-HRPF to differentiate molecular models of high accuracy (<3 Å backbone RMSD) from models of lower accuracy (>4 Å backbone RMSD). The ability of  data from HR-HRPF to differentiate molecular model quality was found to be comparable to that of  data obtained from X-ray crystal structures, indicating the accuracy and utility of HR-HRPF for evaluating the accuracy of computational models.
Field-driven dynamics and time-resolved measurement of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya torque in canted antiferromagnet YFeO3
Authors: Kim Tae Heon , Grüenberg Peter , Han S. H. , Cho B. K.
Published: June 2017

Electrical spin switching in an antiferromagnet is one of the key issues for both academic interest and industrial demand in new-type spin devices because an antiferromagnetic system has a negligible stray field due to an alternating sign between sub-lattices, in contrast to a ferromagnetic system. Naturally, questions arise regarding how fast and, simultaneously, how robustly the magnetization can be switched by external stimuli, e.g., magnetic field and spin current. First, the exploitation of ultrafast precessional motion of magnetization in antiferromagnetic oxide has been studied intensively. Regarding robustness, the so-called inertia-driven switching scenario has been generally accepted as the switching mechanism in antiferromagnet system. However, in order to understand the switching dynamics in a canted antiferromagnet, excited by magnetic field, accurate equation of motion and corresponding interpretation are necessary. Here, we re-investigate the inertia-driven switching process, triggered by the strict phase matching between effective driving field, dh/dt, and antiferromagnetic order parameters, l. Such theoretical approaches make it possible to observe the static parameters of an antiferromagnet, hosting Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya (DM) interaction. Indeed, we estimate successfully static parameters, such as DM, exchange, and anisotropy energies, from dynamical behaviour in YFeO3, studied using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy.
Metabolic and microbial signatures in rat hepatocellular carcinoma treated with caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid
Authors: Zhang Zhan , Wang Di , Qiao Shanlei , Wu Xinyue , Cao Shuyuan , Wang Li , Su Xiaojian , Li Lei
Published: June 2017

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment remains lack of effective chemopreventive agents, therefore it is very attractive and urgent to discover novel anti-HCC drugs. In the present study, the effects of chlorogenic acid (ChA) and caffeic acid (CaA) on HCC induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) were evaluated. ChA or CaA could reduce the histopathological changes and liver injury markers, such as alanine transarninase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bile acid, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. The underlying mechanisms were investigated by a data integration strategy based on correlation analyses of metabonomics data and 16 S rRNA gene sequencing data. ChA or CaA could inhibit the increase of Rumincoccaceae UCG-004 and reduction of Lachnospiraceae incertae sedis, and Prevotella 9 in HCC rats. The principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis were applied to reveal the metabolic differences among these groups. 28 different metabolites showed a trend to return to normal in both CaA and ChA treatment. Among them, Bilirubin, L-Tyrosine, L-Methionine and Ethanolamine were correlated increased Rumincoccaceae UCG-004 and decreased of Lachnospiraceae incertae sedis and Prevotella 9. These correlations could be identified as metabolic and microbial signatures of HCC onset and potential therapeutic targets.
Effects of long-term cultivation of transgenic Bt rice (Kefeng-6) on soil microbial functioning and C cycling
Authors: Zhaolei Lee , Naishun Bu , Jun Cui , Xueping Chen , Manqiu Xiao , Feng Wang , Zhiping Song , Changming Fang
Published: June 2017

Understanding how soil ecosystem responds to transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) rice is necessary for environmental risk assessment. While the influences of short-term cultivation of Bt rice on soil properties have been reported previously, little is known about the long-term effects of Bt rice on soil ecosystems. In this study, soil samples were taken from a long-term rice cultivation site in Fujian Province, China, where transgenic Bt rice (Kefeng-6) and its non-Bt parent breed (Minghui-86) had been continuously cultivated for 8 years. Soil Bt protein concentration and a total of 16 variables were analyzed to assess potential risks of soil health under Bt rice cultivation. The results revealed that soil Bt protein is unlikely to accumulate after Bt rice cultivated in the field, and no consistently significant changes were observed in soil enzymatic activities (catalase, dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, and urease), microbial biomass (microbial carbon and nitrogen), total organic carbon, decomposition (soil respiration, Q10, and qCO2), soil nitrogen and phosphorus contents. Due to a local tradition that aboveground biomass was removed after harvest, the increased net primary productivity by Bt rice cultivation did not significantly change soil C cycling. Results of this study suggested that on the aspects of soil microbial functioning and C cycling, long-term cultivation of Bt rice is unlikely to result in significant effects on soil health.
Single-block pulse-on electro-optic Q-switch made of LiNbO
3
Authors: Shang Jifang , Sun Jun , Li Qinglian , Yang Jinfeng , Zhang Ling , Xu Jingjun
Published: June 2017

A novel LiNbO3 (lithium niobate, LN) electro-optic (EO) Q-switch that can independently operate in the pulse-on regime without the assistance of a quarter-wave plate (QWP) or analyzer was designed and demonstrated. By theoretical analysis and calculations, the proper orientation of the LN was determined to be θ = 1.7° and φ = ±45°, and the quarter-wave voltage was identical to that of a conventional LN EO Q-switch. Additionally, the possible influences caused by the small angular variation between the wave normal and optic axis were found to be negligible. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a LN crystal has been (xztw)-1.2°/1.2°-cut and used successfully in a pulse-on cavity without using a QWP or analyzer. The performance of the novel Q-switched laser and its temperature dependence were verified to be almost identical to those of a conventional pulse-on LN EO Q-switched laser, which strongly demonstrates the practicability of our novel Q-switch. This novel Q-switch design enables a more compact, lossless and stable laser cavity, which is of great concern for engineering applications.
Oxaliplatin reacts with DMSO only in the presence of water
Authors: Varbanov Hristo P. , Ortiz Daniel , Höfer Doris , Menin Laure , Galanski Mathea S. , Keppler Bernhard K. , Dyson Paul J.
Published: June 2017

Oxaliplatin is stable in pure water and pure DMSO, but reacts rapidly in a mixture of the two solvents.
Consonant Acoustics in Parkinson's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis: Comparison of Clear and Loud Speaking Conditions
Authors: Tjaden Kris , Martel-Sauvageau Vincent
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The impact of clear speech or an increased vocal intensity on consonant spectra was investigated for speakers with mild dysarthria secondary to multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease and healthy controls.

Method

Sentences were read in habitual, clear, and loud conditions. Spectral moment coefficients were obtained for word-initial and word-medial /s/, /ʃ/, /t/, and /k/. Global production differences among conditions were confirmed with measures of vocal intensity and articulation rate.

Results

Static or slice-in-time first moments (M1) for loud differed most frequently from habitual, but neither loud nor clear enhanced M1 contrast for consonant pairs. In several instances, the clear and loud conditions yielded stable or nonvarying fricative M1 time histories. Spectral contrast was reduced for word-medial versus word-initial consonant pairs.

Conclusion

The finding that the loud and especially clear condition yielded fairly subtle changes in consonant spectra suggests these global techniques may minimally enhance consonant segmental production or contrast in mild dysarthria. The robust effect of word position on consonant spectra indicates that this variable deserves consideration in future studies. Future research also is needed to investigate how or whether consonant production bears on the improved intelligibility previously reported for these global dysarthria treatment techniques.
Predictable capability control scheme for oxygen‐exchange blood flow regulation in an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system
Authors: Kan Chung‐Dann , Chen Wei‐Ling , Lin Chia‐Hung , Chen Ying‐Shin
Published: June 2017

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system is used for rescue treatment strategies for temporary cardiopulmonary function support to facilitate adequately oxygenated blood to return into the systemic and pulmonary circulation systems. Therefore, a servo flow regulator is used to adjust the roller motor speed, while support blood flow can match the sweep gas flow (GF) in a membrane oxygenator. A generalised regression neural network is designed as an estimator to automatically estimate the desired roller pump speed and control parameters. Then, the proportional–integral–derivative controller with tuning control parameters showed good performance to achieve speed regulation and speed tracking in the desired operating point. Given the pressure of carbon dioxide, drainage blood flow, and cannula size, the proposed predictable capability control scheme can be validated to meet the intended uses in clinical applications.
Effects of In-Season Explosive Strength Training on Maximal Leg Strength, Jumping, Sprinting, and Intermittent Aerobic Performance in Male Handball Athletes
Authors: Hermassi Souhail , Chelly Mohamed , Fieseler Georg , Bartels Thomas , Schulze Stephan , Delank Karl-Stefan , Shephard Roy , Schwesig René
Published: June 2017

Background Team handball is an intense ball sport with specific requirements on technical skills, tactical understanding, and physical performance. The ability of handball players to develop explosive efforts (e. g. sprinting, jumping, changing direction) is crucial to success.

Objective The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of an in-season high-intensity strength training program on the physical performance of elite handball players.

Materials and methods Twenty-two handball players (a single national-level Tunisian team) were randomly assigned to a control group (CG; n = 10) or a training group (TG; n = 12). At the beginning of the pilot study, all subjects performed a battery of motor tests: one repetition maximum (1-RM) half-squat test, a repeated sprint test [6 × (2 × 15 m) shuttle sprints], squat jumps, counter movement jumps (CMJ), and the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1. The TG additionally performed a maximal leg strength program twice a week for 10 weeks immediately before engaging in regular handball training. Each strength training session included half-squat exercises to strengthen the lower limbs (80 – 95 % of 1-RM, 1 – 3 repetitions, 3 – 6 sets, 3 – 4 min rest between sets). The control group underwent no additional strength training. The motor test battery was repeated at the end of the study interventions.

Results In the TG, 3 parameters (maximal strength of lower limb: η² = 0.74; CMJ: η² = 0.70, and RSA best time: η² = 0.25) showed significant improvements, with large effect sizes (e. g. CMJ: d = 3.77). A reduction in performance for these same 3 parameters was observed in the CG (d = -0.24).

Conclusions The results support our hypothesis that additional strength training twice a week enhances the maximal strength of the lower limbs and jumping or repeated sprinting performance. There was no evidence of shuttle sprints ahead of regular training compromising players’ speed and endurance capacities.
Integrity and justice: what is required of free market participants?
Authors: Bauman David
Published: June 2017

The purpose of this article is to present an account of integrity and justice in a free market. The article seeks to answer the question, “When evaluating integrity, what does justice require of free market participants?” using historical, philosophical, and economic perspectives. The answer to this question can guide researchers and practitioners to better evaluate market participants and their integrity or counterfeit integrity. Market participants include corporations, investors, employees, communities, unions, consumers and governments within the context of democratic institutions. The article first outlines an account of integrity that explains the connection between integrity attributions and the moral community. Adam Smith’s ideal model of a free market and several critiques from a justice perspective are then presented. A review of different accounts of justice follows and it is argued that defining justice as desert (that is, give others what they are owed) avoids irreconcilable justice accounts and increases transparency. Using the accounts of integrity and justice situated in a free market, a description is provided of the implications of these accounts by analyzing how two companies, Apple and McDonald’s, demonstrate integrity or counterfeit integrity in regards to the justice issues of wealth inequality and low wages. This article is published as part of a collection on integrity and its counterfeits.
Algorithm based on the Thomson problem for determination of equilibrium structures of metal nanoclusters
Authors: Arias E. , Florez E. , Pérez–Torres J. F.
Published: June 2017

A new algorithm for the determination of equilibrium structures suitable for metal nanoclusters is proposed. The algorithm performs a stochastic search of the minima associated with the nuclear potential energy function restricted to a sphere (similar to the Thomson problem), in order to guess configurations of the nuclear positions. Subsequently, the guessed configurations are further optimized driven by the total energy function using the conventional gradient descent method. This methodology is equivalent to using the valence shell electron pair repulsion model in guessing initial configurations in the traditional molecular quantum chemistry. The framework is illustrated in several clusters of increasing complexity: Cu7, Cu9, and Cu11 as benchmark systems, and Cu38 and Ni9 as novel systems. New equilibrium structures for Cu9, Cu11, Cu38, and Ni9 are reported.
Hyperspectral sensing data analysis based on quasiconformal mapping-based multiple kernels learning machine
Authors: Li Jun-Bao , Xie Xiaodan , Zhai Jia , Pan Jeng-Shyang
Published: June 2017

Hyperspectral remote sensing has a strong ability of object information expression, so it provides better support for object classification. Many methods are proposed for the hyperspectral data classification. The spectrum classification is a classical nonlinear problem, and a kernel-based machine is feasible to classify the spectrum data. In the nonlinear kernel-based space, the spectrum data are more discriminative. The kernel functions determine the data distribution in the feature space. In this paper, we propose the quasiconformal multiple kernels-based machine learning for the hyperspectral data classification. In the framework, the structure of hyperspectral data is adaptively adjusted for classification. The multiple kernels extract the multiple features of hyperspectral data for classification. Multiple features-based machine learning exhibits a great potential on the classification of hyperspectral data. Two public datasets, India Pines dataset and Pavia University dataset, are used to test the proposed algorithm. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed quasiconformal multiple kernels-based hyperspectral data classification method can show competitive performance.
Diblock copolymer bilayers as model for polymersomes: A coarse grain approach
Authors: Grillo Damián A. , Albano Juan M. R. , Mocskos Esteban E. , Facelli Julio C. , Pickholz Mónica , Ferraro Marta B.
Published: June 2017

This paper presents a new model for polymersomes developed using a poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(butadiene) diblock copolymer bilayer. The model is based on a coarse-grained approach using the MARTINI force field. Since no MARTINI parameters exist for poly(butadiene), we have refined these parameters using quantum mechanical calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. The model has been validated using extensive molecular dynamics simulations in systems with several hundred polymer units and reaching up to 6 μs. These simulations show that the copolymer coarse grain model self-assemble into bilayers and that NPT and NPNγT ensemble runs reproduce key structural and mechanical experimental properties for different copolymer length chains with a similar hydrophilic weight fraction.
Electrode modulated capacitance-electric field nonlinearity in metal-insulator-metal capacitors
Authors: Austin D. Z. , Holden K. E. K. , Hinz J. , Conley J. F.
Published: June 2017

Metals with low enthalpy of oxide formation (ΔHox) are used to examine the influence of the metal/dielectric interface, in the absence of a significant interfacial layer oxide (ILO), on the voltage nonlinearity of capacitance for metal-insulator-metal capacitors. For both atomic layer deposited Al2O3 and HfO2 dielectrics, Ag electrode devices show the lowest quadratic electric field coefficient of capacitance (αECC), followed in increasing order by Au, Pd, and Ni. The difference between the metals is greater for thinner dielectrics, which is consistent with increased influence of the interface. In addition, with decreasing dielectric thickness the quadratic voltage field coefficient of capacitance increases, whereas αECC decreases. It is proposed that the thickness dependencies are due to an interaction between vertical compression of the dielectric under an applied bias and the concomitant lateral expansion induced stress that is concentrated near the interface. Through this interaction, the metal interface inhibits lateral expansion of the dielectric resulting in a reduced αECC. Indeed, αECC is found to increase with the increasing lattice mismatch at the metal/dielectric interface, likely due to edge dislocations. Finally, Al, a high ΔHox metal, is found to fit the trend for Al2O3 but not for HfO2, due to the formation of a thin reduced-k ILO at the HfO2/Al interface. These results suggest that minimization of metal/dielectric lattice mismatch may be a route to ultra-low nonlinearity in highly scaled metal-insulator-metal devices.
Local structural ordering in surface-confined liquid crystals
Authors: Śliwa I. , Jeżewski W. , Zakharov A. V.
Published: June 2017

The effect of the interplay between attractive nonlocal surface interactions and attractive pair long-range intermolecular couplings on molecular structures of liquid crystals confined in thin cells with flat solid surfaces has been studied. Extending the McMillan mean field theory to include finite systems, it has been shown that confining surfaces can induce complex orientational and translational ordering of molecules. Typically, local smectic A, nematic, and isotropic phases have been shown to coexist in certain temperature ranges, provided that confining cells are sufficiently thick, albeit finite. Due to the nonlocality of surface interactions, the spatial arrangement of these local phases can display, in general, an unexpected complexity along the surface normal direction. In particular, molecules located in the vicinity of surfaces can still be organized in smectic layers, even though nematic and/or isotropic order can simultaneously appear in the interior of cells. The resulting surface freezing of smectic layers has been confirmed to occur even for rather weak surface interactions. The surface interactions cannot, however, prevent smectic layers from melting relatively close to system boundaries, even when molecules are still arranged in layers within the central region of the system. The internal interfaces, separating individual liquid-crystal phases, are demonstrated here to form fronts of local finite-size transitions that move across cells under temperature changes. Although the complex molecular ordering in surface confined liquid-crystal systems can essentially be controlled by temperature variations, specific thermal properties of these systems, especially the nature of the local transitions, are argued to be strongly conditioned to the degree of molecular packing.