bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimization of the thermoelectric properties of nanostructured silicon
Authors: Pennelli Giovanni , Macucci Massimo
Published: December 2013

We analyse the possibilities opened by nanostructuring for the efficient use of silicon as a thermoelectric material. Nanostructured silicon does not offer significant opportunities from the point of view of an increased Seebeck coefficient; however, nanostructuring allows an important advantage in terms of the reduction of thermal conductivity, which is a key factor for increasing the thermoelectric figure of merit. We will show that when the phonon contribution to the thermal conductivity is reduced down to the order of (or below) 1 W/(m K), doping of silicon can be tailored to optimize the figure of merit. In particular, the figure of merit can increase by more than a factor of two if the doping concentration varies by an order of magnitude. We report the numerical calculation of the efficiency for a thermoelectric generator based on silicon nanowires, taking into account the dependence of thermoelectric parameters on temperature. Finally, we show that, for a given thermal conductivity, the optimal doping concentration depends on the nanowire width and on the temperature difference between the hot and cold sources.
Evidences of VO, VZn, and Oi defects as the green luminescence origins in ZnO
Authors: Lv Jinpeng , Li Chundong
Published: December 2013

In this Letter, by employing a combination of typical treatments and sensitive defect characterization, we discriminate between the roles of different kinds of intrinsic defects in ZnO. Thereby, we offer convincing experimental evidence that the green luminescence can originate from VO, VZn, and Oi-related defects, corresponding to the 2.48 eV, 2.35 eV, and 2.26 eV emissions, respectively. The green emission peaks are found to be dependent on the relative concentration of these defect centers.
Ultrafast spectroscopy of super high frequency mechanical modes of doubly clamped beams
Authors: Ristow Oliver , Merklein Moritz , Grossmann Martin , Hettich Mike , Schubert Martin , Bruchhausen Axel , Grebing Jochen , Erbe Artur , Mounier Denis , Gusev Vitalyi , Scheer Elke , Dekorsy Thomas , Barretto Elaine C. S.
Published: December 2013

We use ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy to study the mechanical vibrations in the time domain of doubly clamped silicon nitride beams. Beams with two different clamping conditions are investigated. Finite element method calculations are performed to analyse the mode spectra of both structures. By calculating the strain integral on the surface of the resonators, we are able to reproduce the effect of the detection mechanism and identify all the measured modes. We show that our spectroscopy technique combined with our modelling tools allow the investigation of several different modes in the super high frequency range (3-30 GHz) and above, bringing more information about the vibration modes of nanomechanical resonators.
Effect of the thermionic emission on the recombination and electron beam induced current contrast at the interface of a metallic precipitate embedded in a semiconductor matrix
Authors: Tarento R.-J. , Debez M. , Mekki D. E. , Djemel A.
Published: December 2013

The barrier height and the recombination velocity at the interface between a metallic precipitate and a semiconductor matrix are investigated with a new self consistent procedure based both on the analysis of the recombination and emission balance rates for electrons and holes and on the determination of the size-dependent electronic structure of the embedded precipitate. In the present work, the precipitate is modeled within the spherical well potential framework. The main result is the dependence of the recombination features on the electronic structure of the metal precipitate unlike the models based only on the Shockley-Read-Hall theory. The behaviors of the surface charge density on the metallic precipitate and the barrier height versus the precipitate size are similar to our previous studies. Unlike previous works, the recombination velocity reaches a constant non-zero value for sizes smaller than a critical size which is dependent on the defect concentration at the interface. The new dependencies of the recombination parameters are illustrated by the calculation of the electron beam induced current (EBIC) contrast at the interface.
L’ironie, la litote et l’hyperbole dans les chroniques humoristiques du journal Le Monde
Authors: García María Dolores Vivero
Published: December 2013

Our goal is to analyse the role played by irony, litotes and hyperbole in humour. Our theoretical perspective is that of discurse analysis. We study the different forms of irony in journalistic texts as well as their relation with litotes. We also study the forms and functions of hyperbole, depending on whether it magnifies the positive or the negative. Furthermore, we propose to divide the figures of speech analysed in this paper into three broad categories of polyphonic play : parody, irony and caricature. We take our examples from a sample of newspaper columns published on the French newspaper le Monde between 2000 and 2003 and between 2006 and 2009.
Relative indirette libere e causali indirette libere nella narrativa italiana ottocentesca
Authors: Cimaglia Riccardo
Published: December 2013

In this paper I will analyze two subordinate clauses which can be frequently found within free indirect reported speech (FIRS, in the paper DIL): relative and causal clauses. After a short illustration of FIRS I will examine the two clauses with an analysis of the passages in FIRS from Italian narrative literature of the XIX century (especially Manzoni and Verga). A relative or a causal clause can recur within a FIRS passage, can open it or can constitute on its own a FIRS passage becoming, respectively, free indirect relative clause (FIRC, in the paper RIL) and free indirect causal clause (FICC, in the paper CIL). FIRC and FICC share two peculiarities: a) They have a rhematic function; b) They are cases of “hypotactizated parataxis” (FIRC and FICC, as subordinate clauses, connect a FIRS passage to the diegesis without the break of the normal FIRS, paratactically juxtaposed to the narratum). For this last peculiarity FIRC and FICC represented two important stylistic means for the novelists of the Realism to attain the impersonality of the author in the novel through a close fusion between the voice of the author and the voice of the characters.
Apposition détachée ou liée ?
Authors: Lindqvist Karin
Published: December 2013

The article compares the use of the so called close apposition (e.g. le Premier ministre israélien Benjamin Netanyahou) with that of the two types of loose apposition (le Premier ministre israélien, Benjamin Netanyahou and Benjamin Netanyahou, le Premier ministre israélien) in a corpus consisting of French and Swedish newspaper articles. It is suggested that, in many cases, rather than being a result of any particular information structure, the choice of apposition depends to a large extent on the form of the expansion in the common noun. There is a clear difference in the use of the close and loose types between French and Swedish texts. In French, the loose appositions are more common. In Swedish, the close apposition is the most frequent construction. This is due to the fact that, prototypically, the expansion of the French noun phrase is positioned after its head, whereas in Swedish, it is normally positioned before its head.
Árboles : Teresa de la Parra, María Luisa Bombal y Elena Garro
Authors: Ramić Jasmine
Published: December 2013

This article intends to apply Jung’s hypotheses of the collective unconscious and his conceptualization of the archetypes as a theoretical framework to analyze the notion of the feminine in the work of Teresa de la Parra and two additional short stories by María Luisa Bombal and Elena Garro, focusing particularly on the symbolism of the archetypal image of the tree. From a psychological point of view, the image of the tree in these works transforms the unconscious contents of the psyche that is profoundly and properly feminine in her quest to discover the essential female identity through her imaginary consciousness. This creative force (the creative power of the imagination) enables her to connect “intuitions” to “conscious life” and as a result configure her own subjectivity (the maturation of the ego, of the self-consciousness, or what in Jungian terms is known as the individuation process).
Trunk bend and twist coordination is affected by low back pain status during running
Authors: Seay Joseph F. , Van Emmerik Richard E. A. , Hamill Joseph
Published: December 2013

Recent literature has related differences in pelvis–trunk coordination to low back pain (LBP) status. In addition, repetitive motions involving bending and twisting have been linked to high incidence of LBP. The purpose of this study was to examine trunk sagittal motion – axial rotation (‘bend and twist’) coordination during locomotion in three groups of runners classified by LBP status (LBP: current low back pain; RES: resolved low back pain and CTR: control group with no history of LBP). Trunk kinematic data were collected as running speed was systematically increased on a treadmill. Within‐segment coordination between trunk sagittal and transverse planes of motion (trunk lean and axial rotation, respectively) was calculated using continuous relative phase (CRP), and coordination variability was defined as the between stride cycle standard deviation of CRP (CRPvar). Bend–twist coordination was more in‐phase for the LBP group than CTR (p = 0.010) regardless of running speed. No differences in CRPvar were found between the groups. The results from our coordination (CRP) analysis were sensitive to LBP status and suggest that multi‐plane interactions of the trunk should be considered in the assessment of LBP. This analysis also has potential for athletically oriented tasks that involve multi‐plane interactions of the trunk, particularly ones that contain asymmetric action, such as sweep rowing or a shot on goal in field hockey or ice hockey.
Cycles of Poverty and Crime in America's Inner Cities
Authors: Kindle Peter A.
Published: December 2013

A Book review
A Model of Client-Related Violence Against Female Street Sex Workers
Authors: Youngs Donna , Ioannou Maria
Published: December 2013

Although a plethora of studies provide evidence of the extent and severity of violence that street sex workers experience from clients, there is little consensus across the explanations that have been advanced to account for this. To explore this, the present study examines in detail the nature of the attacks suffered by 65 female street sex workers. A Multidimensional Scaling analysis (Smallest Space Analysis [SSA-I]) of 17 violent behaviors derived from a con-tent analysis of interviews with street sex workers drew attention to 3 distinct forms of attack. These could be interpreted in terms of Canter’s (1994) Victim Role models that have been the basis for dif-ferentiating offending styles in other violent interpersonal offences. The 3 Victim as Object, Victim as Vehicle, and Victim as Person modes identified are consistent with different theoretical explana-tions for the attacks, providing a framework for integrating the diverse etiological perspectives on violence against street sex workers.
Letter from the Editors (6)
Authors: Vaughan-Eden Viola , Butters Rob
Published: December 2013

no abstract
ChromoHub V2: cancer genomics
Authors: Shah Muhammad A. , Denton Emily L. , Liu Lihua , Schapira Matthieu
Published: December 2013

Summary: Cancer genomics data produced by next-generation sequencing support the notion that epigenetic mechanisms play a central role in cancer. We have previously developed Chromohub, an open access online interface where users can map chemical, structural and biological data from public repositories on phylogenetic trees of protein families involved in chromatin mediated-signaling. Here, we describe a cancer genomics interface that was recently added to Chromohub; the frequency of mutation, amplification and change in expression of chromatin factors across large cohorts of cancer patients is regularly extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the International Cancer Genome Consortium and can now be mapped on phylogenetic trees of epigenetic protein families. Explorators of chromatin signaling can now easily navigate the cancer genomics landscape of writers, readers and erasers of histone marks, chromatin remodeling complexes, histones and their chaperones.

Availability and implementation:  http://www.thesgc.org/chromohub/.

Contact:  matthieu.schapira@utoronto.ca

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The Religious Marketplace: Public Disputations in Civil War and Interregnum England
Authors: Capp Bernard
Published: December 2013

The civil wars and interregnum (1640–60) ushered in a period of religious flux and debate, with controversies pursued in fierce pamphlet wars. Equally important, but far less familiar to us, were the public disputations, which spread across England and Wales to become a significant aspect of the religious culture of the age. This article traces their antecedents in the European tradition of university disputation, in the sixteenth-century continental Reformation and in England. The civil-war disputations represented a dramatically new development, in their number and scale, in their genuinely open character, and in the participation of lay preachers, especially Baptists and Quakers. The article explores their appeal for separatist evangelists—and for the huge audiences they attracted—and the factors that could drive parish ministers, often reluctantly, to accept a radical’s challenge. About fifty disputations generated printed narratives, and often also rival accounts, which throw new light on the relationship between oral and print culture in this period. The article explores how editors shaped texts to sway reader reaction, and uses these texts for insights into debating tactics and audience participation. Disputations also offer new evidence in the ongoing debate over the emergence of the ‘public sphere’. In their formal procedures, social inclusivity and geographical spread they far surpass Habermas’s coffee-house milieu, but this was a rough public arena far removed from the world of bourgeois politeness. And with live debates often triggering new pamphlet-wars, we can identify a public sphere in which oral and print culture coalesced.
The Vertebrate Genome Annotation browser 10 years on
Authors: Harrow Jennifer L. , Steward Charles A. , Frankish Adam , Gilbert James G. , Gonzalez Jose M. , Loveland Jane E. , Mudge Jonathan , Sheppard Dan , Thomas Mark , Trevanion Stephen , Wilming Laurens G.
Published: December 2013

The Vertebrate Genome Annotation (VEGA) database (http://vega.sanger.ac.uk), initially designed as a community resource for browsing manual annotation of the human genome project, now contains five reference genomes (human, mouse, zebrafish, pig and rat). Its introduction pages have been redesigned to enable the user to easily navigate between whole genomes and smaller multi-species haplotypic regions of interest such as the major histocompatibility complex. The VEGA browser is unique in that annotation is updated via the Human And Vertebrate Analysis aNd Annotation (HAVANA) update track every 2 weeks, allowing single gene updates to be made publicly available to the research community quickly. The user can now access different haplotypic subregions more easily, such as those from the non-obese diabetic mouse, and display them in a more intuitive way using the comparative tools. We also highlight how the user can browse manually annotated updated patches from the Genome Reference Consortium (GRC).
Molecular dissection of complex agronomic traits of rice: a team effort by Chinese scientists in recent years
Authors: Zuo Jianru , Li Jiayang
Published: December 2013

Rice is a staple food for more than half of the worldwide population and is also a model species for biological studies on monocotyledons. Through a team effort, Chinese scientists have made rapid and important progresses in rice biology in recent years. Here, we briefly review these advances, emphasizing on the regulatory mechanisms of the complex agronomic traits that affect rice yield and grain quality. Progresses in rice genome biology and genome evolution have also been summarized.
Reprogram to pluripotency: a new logic and a chemical cocktail
Authors: Song Hongjun , Ming Guo-li
Published: December 2013

Somatic cells from animals and humans can be reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells by pluripotency factors. Hongkui Deng and colleagues discovered that pluripotency can also be induced with exogenous lineage specifiers via balancing competing differentiation forces. In a related study they achieved, for the first time, restoration of pluripotency in adult somatic cells using a chemical cocktail alone.
The Endoplasmic Reticulum Binding Protein BiP Displays Dual Function in Modulating Cell Death Events
Authors: Carvalho Humberto H. , Silva Priscila A. , Mendes Giselle C. , Brustolini Otávio J.B. , Pimenta Maiana R. , Gouveia Bianca C. , Valente Maria Anete S. , Ramos Humberto J.O. , Soares-Ramos Juliana R.L. , Fontes Elizabeth P.B.
Published: December 2013

The binding protein (BiP) has been demonstrated to participate in innate immunity and attenuate endoplasmic reticulum- and osmotic stress-induced cell death. Here, we employed transgenic plants with manipulated levels of BiP to assess whether BiP also controlled developmental and hypersensitive programmed cell death (PCD). Under normal conditions, the BiP-induced transcriptome revealed a robust down-regulation of developmental PCD genes and an up-regulation of the genes involved in hypersensitive PCD triggered by nonhost-pathogen interactions. Accordingly, the BiP-overexpressing line displayed delayed leaf senescence under normal conditions and accelerated hypersensitive response triggered by Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato in soybean (Glycine max) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), as monitored by measuring hallmarks of PCD in plants. The BiP-mediated delay of leaf senescence correlated with the attenuation of N-rich protein (NRP)-mediated cell death signaling and the inhibition of the senescence-associated activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). By contrast, under biological activation of salicylic acid (SA) signaling and hypersensitive PCD, BiP overexpression further induced NRP-mediated cell death signaling and antagonistically inhibited the UPR. Thus, the SA-mediated induction of NRP cell death signaling occurs via a pathway distinct from UPR. Our data indicate that during the hypersensitive PCD, BiP positively regulates the NRP cell death signaling through a yet undefined mechanism that is activated by SA signaling and related to ER functioning. By contrast, BiP’s negative regulation of leaf senescence may be linked to its capacity to attenuate the UPR activation and NRP cell death signaling. Therefore, BiP can function either as a negative or positive modulator of PCD events.
Seroreactive marker for inflammatory bowel disease and associations with antibodies to dietary proteins in bipolar disorder
Authors: Severance Emily G , Gressitt Kristin L , Yang Shuojia , Stallings Cassie R , Origoni Andrea E , Vaughan Crystal , Khushalani Sunil , Alaedini Armin , Dickerson Faith B , Yolken Robert H
Published: December 2013

Objectives

Immune sensitivity to wheat glutens and bovine milk caseins may affect a subset of individuals with bipolar disorder. Digested byproducts of these foods are exorphins that have the potential to impact brain physiology through action at opioid receptors. Inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract might accelerate exposure of food antigens to systemic circulation and help explain elevated gluten and casein antibody levels in individuals with bipolar disorder.

Methods

We measured a marker of GI inflammation, anti‐Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA), in non‐psychiatric controls (n = 207), in patients with bipolar disorder without a recent onset of psychosis (n = 226), and in patients with bipolar disorder with a recent onset of psychosis (n = 38). We compared ASCA levels to antibodies against gluten, casein, Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV‐1), influenza A, influenza B, measles, and Toxoplasma gondii.

Results

Elevated ASCA conferred a 3.5–4.4‐fold increased odds ratio of disease association (age‐, race‐, and gender‐corrected multinomial logistic regressions, p ≤ 0.00001) that was independent of type of medication received. ASCA correlated with food antibodies in both bipolar disorder groups (R2 = 0.29–0.59, p ≤ 0.0005), and with measles and T. gondii immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the recent onset psychosis bipolar disorder group (R2 = 0.31–0.36, p ≤ 0.004–0.01).

Conclusions

Elevated seropositivity of a GI‐related marker and its association with antibodies to food‐derived proteins and self‐reported GI symptoms suggest a GI comorbidity in at least a subgroup of individuals with bipolar disorder. Marker seroreactivity may also represent part of an overall heightened activated immune state inherent to this mood disorder.
Hodgkin lymphoma patients in first remission: routine positron emission tomography/computerized tomography imaging is not superior to clinical follow‐up for patients with no residual mass
Authors: Dann Eldad J. , Berkahn Leanne , Mashiach Tatiana , Frumer Michael , Agur Ariel , McDiarmid Bridgett , Bar‐Shalom Rachel , Paltiel Ora , Goldschmidt Neta
Published: December 2013

There is no consensus regarding optimal follow‐up mode for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients that achieve complete remission following chemotherapy or combined chemo‐ and radiation therapy. Several studies demonstrated high sensitivity of positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) in detecting disease progression; however, these techniques are currently not recommended for routine follow‐up. This retrospective study conducted in two Israeli (N = 291) and one New Zealand academic centres (N = 77), compared a group of HL patients, followed‐up with routine imaging every 6 months during the first 2 years after achieving remission, once in the third year, with additional dedicated studies performed due to symptoms or physical findings (Group I) to a group of patients without residual masses who underwent clinically‐based surveillance with dedicated imaging upon relapse suspicion (Group II). Five‐year overall survival (OS) was 94% and median time to relapse was 8·6 months for both modes. Relapse rates in Groups I and II were 13% and 9%, respectively. During the first 3 years of follow‐up, 47·5 and 4·7 studies were performed per detected relapse in Groups I and II, respectively. The current study demonstrated no benefit in either progression‐free survival (PFS) or OS in HL patients followed by routine imaging versus clinical follow‐up. The cost was 10 times higher for routine imaging.
Face engagement during infancy predicts later face recognition ability in younger siblings of children with autism
Authors: de Klerk Carina C.J.M. , Gliga Teodora , Charman Tony , Johnson Mark H.
Published: December 2013

Face recognition difficulties are frequently documented in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It has been hypothesized that these difficulties result from a reduced interest in faces early in life, leading to decreased cortical specialization and atypical development of the neural circuitry for face processing. However, a recent study by our lab demonstrated that infants at increased familial risk for ASD, irrespective of their diagnostic status at 3 years, exhibit a clear orienting response to faces. The present study was conducted as a follow‐up on the same cohort to investigate how measures of early engagement with faces relate to face‐processing abilities later in life. We also investigated whether face recognition difficulties are specifically related to an ASD diagnosis, or whether they are present at a higher rate in all those at familial risk. At 3 years we found a reduced ability to recognize unfamiliar faces in the high‐risk group that was not specific to those children who received an ASD diagnosis, consistent with face recognition difficulties being an endophenotype of the disorder. Furthermore, we found that longer looking at faces at 7 months was associated with poorer performance on the face recognition task at 3 years in the high‐risk group. These findings suggest that longer looking at faces in infants at risk for ASD might reflect early face‐processing difficulties and predicts difficulties with recognizing faces later in life.
Dopamine agonist monotherapy in Parkinson's disease and potential risk factors for dyskinesia: a meta‐analysis of levodopa‐controlled trials
Authors: Chondrogiorgi M. , Tatsioni A. , Reichmann H. , Konitsiotis S.
Published: December 2013

Background and purpose

Dopamine agonists (DAs) are generally considered to be deprived of the highly dyskinetic effect of levodopa in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. However, the risk for dyskinesia induced by DA monotherapy and the contribution of clinically significant factors in the development of this disorder have never been systematically assessed.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted for randomized, levodopa‐controlled trials of DAs in early PD. A meta‐analysis was performed to calculate the combined odds ratio (OR) for dyskinesia. Meta‐regressions were subsequently performed on dyskinesia OR including individually as covariates the effects of mean disease duration, treatment duration and DA dose. In an additional analysis the effect of adjunct levodopa on the odds for dyskinesia was investigated.

Results

DA monotherapy resulted in an 87% lower risk for dyskinesia compared with treatment with levodopa (OR = 0.13, 95% confidence interval 0.09–0.19, P < 0.001). The risk for dyskinesia was independent of the dose of DA, disease duration and treatment duration. A dose‐related pattern was revealed between adjunct levodopa in the DA group and dyskinesia. Nevertheless, the odds for dyskinesia in the DA group were constantly lower than in the levodopa group.

Conclusion

Initial DA treatment encompasses a lower risk for dyskinesia even after the unavoidable introduction of levodopa that increases the risk for dyskinesia in a dose‐related manner. As the dose and treatment duration with DAs are factors independent of the risk of dyskinesia, monotherapy with DAs in early PD is suggested at doses that ensure efficacy and delay the need for levodopa, always following an adequate evaluation of the risks DAs can pose in individual patients.
Do cardiovascular risk factors explain the link between white matter hyperintensities and brain volumes in old age? A population‐based study
Authors: Wang R. , Fratiglioni L. , Laveskog A. , Kalpouzos G. , Ehrenkrona C.‐H. , Zhang Y. , Bronge L. , Wahlund L.‐O. , Bäckman L. , Qiu C.
Published: December 2013

Background and purpose

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and brain atrophy frequently coexist in older people. However, it is unclear whether the association between these two brain lesions is dependent on the aging process, a vascular mechanism or genetic susceptibility. It was therefore investigated whether the association between load of WMHs and brain atrophy measures is related to age, vascular risk factors (VRFs) or the APOE‐ε4 allele.

Methods

This population‐based study included 492 participants (age ≥60 years, 59.6% women) free of dementia and stroke. Data on demographics, VRFs and APOE genotypes were collected through interviews, clinical examination and laboratory tests. WMHs on magnetic resonance images were assessed using manual visual rating and automatic volumetric segmentation. Hippocampal and ventricular volumes were manually delineated, whereas total gray matter (GM) volume was measured by automatic segmentation. Data were analyzed with multivariate linear regression models.

Results

More global WMHs, assessed using either a visual rating scale or a volumetric approach, were significantly associated with lower GM volume and higher ventricular volume; the associations remained significant after adjusting for age, VRFs and the APOE‐ε4 allele. In contrast, the association between global WMHs and hippocampal volume was no longer significant after adjusting for age, whereas adjustment for VRFs and APOE‐ε4 had no influential effect.

Conclusion

The association of global WMHs with lower GM volume and higher ventricular volume is independent of age, VRFs and APOE‐ε4 allele, suggesting that the process of cerebral microvascular disease and neurodegeneration are associated independently of the normal aging process, vascular mechanisms or genetic susceptibility.
Oral vitamin D increases the frequencies of CD38+ human B cells and ameliorates IL‐17‐producing T cells
Authors: Drozdenko Gennadiy , Heine Guido , Worm Margitta
Published: December 2013

Vitamin D deficiency (serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D < 50 nm) has been associated with the onset of immunological diseases including atopic dermatitis (AD), cutaneous or systemic lupus erythematosus and allergic asthma. In this study, we assessed whether oral vitamin D (cholecalciferol) supplementation leads to a systemic modulation of the phenotype of circulating lymphocyte populations and whether a defined serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration can be related to the effects on lymphocytes. Cholecalciferol was administered in a dose‐escalation setting to vitamin D–deficient individuals from 2000 up to 8000 IU daily for 12 weeks. Individuals without cholecalciferol intake served as controls. Peripheral B cells and T cells were examined by multicolour flow cytometric analysis. The mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations increased upon cholecalciferol intake up to 159 ± 28.7 nm, and remained low in the control group 30.0 ± 12.5 nm. Following cholecalciferol intake, the frequencies of circulating CD38 expressing B cells were significantly increased and IFN‐γ+, and/or IL‐17+ CD4+ T helper cells were decreased. These data were identified to correlate with the serum 25(OH)D levels by applying two different analysis approaches (ROC and a nonlinear regression analysis). Our data indicate that increasing 25(OH)D serum concentrations are associated with an increased expression of CD38 on B cells and a decreased T‐cell‐dependent proinflammatory cytokine production. The therapeutical role of our findings in systemic immunological diseases should be explored in the future by further controlled clinical studies.
Facility layout design using a multi‐objective interactive genetic algorithm to support the DM
Authors: García‐Hernández Laura , Arauzo‐Azofra Antonio , Salas‐Morera Lorenzo , Pierreval Henri , Corchado Emilio
Published: December 2013

The unequal area facility layout problem (UA‐FLP) has been addressed by many methods. Most of them only take aspects that can be quantified into account. This contribution presents a novel approach, which considers both quantitative aspects and subjective features. To this end, a multi‐objective interactive genetic algorithm is proposed with the aim of allowing interaction between the algorithm and the human expert designer, normally called the decision maker (DM) in the field of UA‐FLP. The contribution of the DM's knowledge into the approach guides the complex search process, adjusting it to the DM's preferences. The entire population associated to facility layout designs is evaluated by quantitative criteria in combination with an assessment prepared by the DM, who gives a subjective evaluation for a set of representative individuals of the population in each iteration. In order to choose these individuals, a soft computing clustering method is used. Two interesting real‐world data sets are analysed to empirically probe the robustness of these models. The first UA‐FLP case study describes an ovine slaughterhouse plant and the second, a design for recycling carton plant. Relevant results are obtained, and interesting conclusions are drawn from the application of this novel intelligent framework.
Targeting the hydrophobic pocket of autotaxin with virtual screening of inhibitors identifies a common aromatic sulfonamide structural motif
Authors: Fells James I. , Lee Sue Chin , Norman Derek D. , Tsukahara Ryoko , Kirby Jason R. , Nelson Sandra , Seibel William , Papoian Ruben , Patil Renukadevi , Miller Duane D. , Parrill Abby L. , Pham Truc‐Chi , Baker Daniel L. , Bittman Robert , Tigyi Gabor
Published: December 2013

Modulation of autotaxin (ATX), the lysophospholipase D enzyme that produces lysophosphatidic acid, with small‐molecule inhibitors is a promising strategy for blocking the ATX–lysophosphatidic acid signaling axis. Although discovery campaigns have been successful in identifying ATX inhibitors, many of the reported inhibitors target the catalytic cleft of ATX. A recent study provided evidence for an additional inhibitory surface in the hydrophobic binding pocket of ATX, confirming prior studies that relied on enzyme kinetics and differential inhibition of substrates varying in size. Multiple hits from previous high‐throughput screening for ATX inhibitors were obtained with aromatic sulfonamide derivatives interacting with the hydrophobic pocket. Here, we describe the development of a ligand‐based strategy and its application in virtual screening, which yielded novel high‐potency inhibitors that target the hydrophobic pocket of ATX. Characterization of the structure–activity relationship of these new inhibitors forms the foundation of a new pharmacophore model of the hydrophobic pocket of ATX.
Transient behaviour in the numerical analysis of plasticity induced crack closure
Authors: Antunes F. V. , Marques G. A. S. , Chegini A. G. , Correia L.
Published: December 2013

A transient behaviour is observed in the numerical analysis of plasticity induced crack closure at the beginning of crack propagation, as the residual plastic field is being formed. The extent of crack propagation prior to plasticity induced crack closure measurement has a major influence on the accuracy of numerical prediction and on computation time. The objective here is to quantify and understand the minimum propagation, Δastb, required to obtain stabilized crack opening values. For plane stress state, Δastb was found to increase with ΔK. Under plane strain conditions, a peak of closure exists at the beginning of crack propagation for relatively low ΔK values, which promotes relatively large transient periods. Two driving forces explain the stabilization behaviour, the formation of residual plastic wake and the stabilization of plastic strain, but the second seemed to control the phenomenon. Finally, two strategies are proposed to accelerate convergence. The first, consisting of a progressive increase of maximum load, is relevant in plane strain and 3D studies, in order to eliminate the initial peak. The second strategy consists of an extrapolation model and is very effective for plane stress conditions.
Dynamics of structural traits in two competing C3grass species: influence of neighbours and nitrogen
Authors: Gatti M. L. , Ayala Torales A. T. , Cipriotti P. A. , Golluscio R. A.
Published: December 2013

This work analysed the regulatory structural mechanisms involved in the competitive interactions between the annual grassBromus willdenowiiKunth. (BW = prairie grass) and the perennial C3grassDactylis glomerataL. (DG= orchardgrass) during pasture establishment. Four combinations of species (pureBW, pureDG,DGflanked byBWandBWflanked byDGplants), with and without winter nitrogen fertilization, were factorially arranged in a randomized complete block design. Data were recorded at two organization levels: tillers (three tiller age cohorts) and target plants. Annual neighbours caused a decrease in the number of living leaves in tillers of intermediate age of both species. This structural regulatory mechanism led to a decrease in tiller number per plant and, therefore, restricted the development of horizontal space occupation. Annual neighbours did not cause an increase in tiller size, measured as lamina length or pseudostem height, but decreased root biomass. As a consequence, annual neighbours did not lead the hierarchy in light capture, but limited species radical colonization and competitive ability for soil resources. Winter nitrogen fertilization only affected tiller size in older tillers. These findings emphasize the importance of the cultural decisions, as sowing densities and nitrogen fertilization, to optimize pasture floristic composition.
Understanding the Role of Triblock Copolymers for the Synthesis of Mesoporous Alumina, and Its Adsorption Efficiency for Congo Red
Authors: Ghosh Sourav , Naskar Milan Kanti
Published: December 2013

Mesoporous alumina (MA)was synthesized by sol–gel based evaporation‐induced self‐assembly process using aluminum isopropoxide as alumina source in the presence of three different types of triblock copolymers (TBCs), F68, F127, and L64. The role of different TBCs as surfactants on thermal, crystallization, textural, and microstructural properties of the alumina powders was studied. To understand the effects of different copolymers, the adsorption efficiency of the samples for Congo red (CR) was studied. For all the surfactants, the XRD results showed the stability of γ‐Al2O3 phase up to 1000°C for 1 h dwell time. A maximum value (431.8 m2/g) of Brunauer–Emmet–Teller surface area was obtained for the 400°C‐treated powder prepared from F68 surfactant. The transmission electron microscopy micrograph exhibited worm‐like mesoporous structures of the 400°C‐treated powders prepared from F68 and F127 surfactants. The adsorption performance for CR of the 400°C‐treated powders for different surfactants was in the order of F68 > F127 > L64. A tentative mechanism was illustrated to understand the roles of different block copolymers on the properties of the prepared MA.
Polymer‐Derived SiC/B4C/C Nanocomposites: Structural Evolution and Crystallization Behavior
Authors: Jiang Yun , Li Junfei , Huang Farong , Zhou Yan , Du Lei
Published: December 2013

Structural evolution and crystallization behavior between 600°C and 1450°C during the preparation of bulk SiC/B4C/C nanocomposites by the pyrolysis of CB‐PSA preceramic were investigated. The CB‐PSA preceramic converts into carbon‐rich Si–B–C ceramics up to 800°C. Structural evolution and crystallization of Si–B–C materials could be controlled by adjusting the pyrolytic temperature. The Si–B–C ceramics are amorphous between 800°C and 1000°C. Phase separation and crystallization begin at 1100°C. The crystallization of β‐SiC takes place at 1100°C and B4C nanocrystallites generate at 1300°C. The sizes of β‐SiC and B4C nanocrystals increase with the pyrolytic temperature rising. In addition, the boron‐doping effect on structural evolution was studied by comparing the crystallization and graphitization behavior of Si–B–C ceramics and the corresponding Si–C materials. Boron is helpful for the growth of β‐SiC nanocrystals and the graphitization, but harmful for the nucleation of β‐SiC crystallites.
Electromechanical Response of Piezoelectric Honeycomb Foam Structures
Authors: Iyer Sumantu , Alkhader Maen , Venkatesh T. A.
Published: December 2013

A finite element model is developed to characterize the complete electromechanical properties of the most general form of elastically anisotropic and piezoelectrically active foams with honeycomb structures. Four classes of piezoelectric honeycomb structures are identified depending on the relative orientation of the poling direction with the porosity direction (longitudinal and transverse) and the geometry of the honeycombs (isotropic and anisotropic). It is observed that: (i) Most of the elastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric constants of the longitudinally porous honeycomb foams exhibit linear dependence on the volume fraction (or relative density) of the material; (ii) The electromechanical properties of transversely porous foam structures (with the exception of C22 and κ22) exhibit significant dependence on the shape of the porosity; (iii) The piezoelectric figures of merit of the longitudinally porous foams do not exhibit significant dependence on the shape of the porosity; (iv) The piezoelectric figures of merit of the transversely porous foams exhibit a strong dependence on the shape of the porosity with the hexagonal foams exhibiting enhanced hydrostatic strain coefficient and lower acoustic impedance while the square foams exhibiting enhanced piezoelectric coupling constant and hydrostatic figure of merit; (v) In transversely porous anisotropic honeycomb structures, the shear elastic constants such as C12 and C66 and some figures of merit are enhanced significantly when compared to their isotropic counterparts. For example, in the PZT–7A transversely porous anisotropic honeycomb structures with 10% relative density, the hydrostatic figure of merit is expected to be 2485% greater than that predicted for the transversely porous isotropic honeycomb structures.
Click Here for a Data Scientist: Big Data, Predictive Analytics, and Theory Development in the Era of a Maker Movement Supply Chain
Authors: Waller Matthew A. , Fawcett Stanley E.
Published: December 2013

Predictive analytics is impacting many diverse areas, ranging from baseball and epidemiology to forecasting and customer relationship management. Manufacturers, retailers, software companies, and consultants are creatively discovering new applications of big data using predictive analytics in supply chain management and logistics. In practice, predictive analytics is generally atheoretical; however, we develop a 2 × 2 model to explain the role of predictive analytics in the theory development process. This 2 × 2 model shows that in our discipline we have traditionally taken one path to theory development, but that predictive analytics can be a salient component of a comprehensive theory development process. The model points to a number of research questions that need to be addressed by our research community. These questions are not just highly relevant to the academic community but also in urgent need of answers to help practitioners execute the right strategies with greater precision and efficiency. We also discuss how one disruptive trend, the maker movement, changes the nature of who the producers are in the supply chain, making big data even more valuable. As we engage in higher levels of dialogue we will be able to make meaningful progress addressing these vital research topics.
Assessing the Efficiency of Risk Mitigation Strategies in Supply Chains
Authors: Talluri Srinivas (Sri) , Kull Thomas J. , Yildiz Hakan , Yoon Jiho
Published: December 2013

Mitigating supply chain risk is a critical component of a company's overall risk management strategy. Drawing upon Contingency Theory, we posit that the appropriateness and effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies are contingent on the internal and external environments and that there is no one‐size‐fits‐all strategy. While literature on risk management has proposed a variety of tools and techniques for effectively evaluating and managing supply chain risks, comprehensive assessment of the efficiencies of alternative risk mitigation strategies has not been addressed in the literature. Such an assessment will help managers select the appropriate mitigation strategy for a given decision‐making environment. To this end, this study is first of its kind in evaluating and proposing efficient supply chain risk mitigation strategies in the presence of a variety of risk categories, risk sources, and supply chain configurations. We combine an empirically grounded simulation methodology with data envelopment analysis and nonparametric statistical methods to analyze and rank alternative mitigation strategies. We find that the more efficient strategies focus on flexibility rather than on redundancy for supply chain failures. Our research presents several interesting and useful managerial insights for deciding what strategies are most capable of mitigating risks in a variety of contexts.
Combining Formal Controls to Improve Firm Performance
Authors: Miller Jason W. , Saldanha John P. , Hunt C. Shane , Mello John E.
Published: December 2013

Formal controls are an essential part of organizational design, and are theorized to positively influence organizational performance. Mello and Hunt ([2009] Transportation Journal, 48:20–39) were the first to suggest using formal controls to influence truck drivers' behavior. Extending the salesperson control literature, they documented an underresearched method of formal control that we term technology control, whereby firms use on‐board and communications technology to influence drivers. We build on their work by investigating the contingent effects of formal controls that influence the behavior of truck drivers and thereby influence the operational performance of firms in the U.S. motor carrier industry. Our work integrates the monitoring aspect of agency theory with the theory of operant conditioning and the theory of psychological reactance to develop a rationale for hypothesized contingent effects of formal controls on motor carriers' operational performance. We collected primary data pertaining to the controls used to influence truck drivers' behavior from a large sample of U.S. motor carrier firms. The results of our analyses using nonlinear structural equation modeling suggest a complex set of relationships between formal controls and operational performance. Our results shed light on scenarios where using technology to monitor driver behavior can result in positive and/or negative organizational outcomes.
Rapid evolution of larval life history, adult immune function and flight muscles in a poleward‐moving damselfly
Authors: Therry L. , Nilsson‐Örtman V. , Bonte D. , Stoks R.
Published: December 2013

Although a growing number of studies have documented the evolution of adult dispersal‐related traits at the range edge of poleward‐expanding species, we know little about evolutionary changes in immune function or traits expressed by nondispersing larvae. We investigated differentiation in larval (growth and development) and adult traits (immune function and flight‐related traits) between replicated core and edge populations of the poleward‐moving damselfly Coenagrion scitulum. These traits were measured on individuals reared in a common garden experiment at two different food levels, as allocation trade‐offs may be easier to detect under energy shortage. Edge individuals had a faster larval life history (growth and development rates), a higher adult immune function and a nearly significant higher relative flight muscle mass. Most of the differentiation between core and edge populations remained and edge populations had a higher relative flight muscle mass when corrected for latitude‐specific thermal regimes, and hence could likely be attributed to the range expansion process per se. We here for the first time document a higher immune function in individuals at the expansion front of a poleward‐expanding species and documented the rarely investigated evolution of faster life histories during range expansion. The rapid multivariate evolution in these ecological relevant traits between edge and core populations is expected to translate into changed ecological interactions and therefore has the potential to generate novel eco‐evolutionary dynamics at the expansion front.