bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mixing of intermolecular and intramolecular vibrations in optical phonon modes: terahertz spectroscopy and solid‐state density functional theory
Authors: Zhang Feng , Wang Houng‐Wei , Tominaga Keisuke , Hayashi Michitoshi
Published: April 2016

Advances in terahertz (THz) spectroscopy and solid‐state density functional theory (DFT) have enabled a better understanding of low‐frequency molecular phonon modes in the region that includes intermolecular interactions. Normal modes in this region, in particular, may have contributions under the harmonic approximation from both intermolecular and intramolecular nuclear motions. A newly developed mode analysis allows us to characterize molecular optical phonon modes in terms of intermolecular and intramolecular vibrational mixing for the C60
, anthracene, adenine, α‐glycine, and l‐alanine crystals. Through systematic investigation, two forms of the vibrational mixing have been identified. One is strong mixing within similar characteristic frequency regions, while the other is weak mixing of distinct characteristic frequency regions separated by a large gap. The former is predictable from classical mechanics and appears in molecular systems having structural flexibility. The latter is nonclassical and has been illustrated in amino acids. This finding provides new insights into the nature of molecular optical phonon modes and related physical and/or chemical processes such as energy transfer between internal and external modes with large energy separation. WIREs Comput Mol Sci 2016, 6:386–409. doi: 10.1002/wcms.1256

This article is categorized under:

Structure and Mechanism > Molecular Structures

Electronic Structure Theory > Density Functional Theory

Theoretical and Physical Chemistry > Spectroscopy
Future development of the air‐conditioning market in Europe: an outlook until 2020
Authors: Pezzutto Simon , Fazeli Reza , De Felice Matteo , Sparber Wolfram
Published: April 2016

While the European space‐heating market has been well researched for more than 20 years, there is still limited information concerning the air‐conditioning (AC) branch. Owing to the rising sensitivity of primary energy utilization, the development of the space cooling (SC) sector is of fundamental importance. We apply Porter's five forces analysis, leading to the conclusion that a fairly steady rise for approximately two decades (since 1990) characterizes the AC market, and it will continue to grow moderately. Research and development (R&D) is the dominant driving force. Similar conclusions come from a multiple‐criteria decision analysis, which shows that the SC market will especially depend on (1) R&D activities, (2) economic crisis, and (3) higher comfort standards requested by the European population. Taking into consideration the outcomes of performed inquiries, including an extensive survey based on expert interviews from all over Europe, the AC market appears to be marked by a slightly positive future development until 2020. The main factors influencing this tendency are the fact that SC is necessary only for specific applications and climates, the customers’ purchasing power reduction, and the electricity price growth. WIREs Energy Environ 2016, 5:649–669. doi: 10.1002/wene.210

This article is categorized under:

Energy Policy and Planning > Economics and Policy
A sharp interface evolutionary model for shape memory alloys
Authors: Knüpfer Hans , Kružík Martin
Published: April 2016

We show the existence of an energetic solution to a quasistatic evolutionary model of shape memory alloys. Elastic behavior of each material phase/variant is described by polyconvex energy density. Additionally, to every phase boundary, there is an interface‐polyconvex energy assigned, introduced by M. Šilhavý in . The model considers internal variables describing the evolving spatial arrangement of the material phases and a deformation mapping with its first‐order gradients. It allows for injectivity and orientation‐preservation of deformations. Moreover, the resulting material microstructures have finite length scales.
The efficacy of an extended scope physiotherapy clinic in paediatric orthopaedics
Authors: Mir Marie O , Cooney Ciara , O'Sullivan Cliona , Blake Catherine , Kelly Paula , Kiely Pat , Noel Jacques , Moore David
Published: April 2016

Background

The demand for paediatric orthopaedic care is growing, and providing the service required is an increasingly challenging task. Physiotherapist-led triage clinics are utilised in adult orthopaedics to enable the provision of care to patients who may not require a surgical consult. The Physiotherapy Orthopaedic Triage Clinic (POTC) was established in Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin in response to increasing demands on the paediatric orthopaedic service. The clinic is run by physiotherapists working in an advanced practice role (APP), and is the first paediatric clinic of its type and scale in the Republic of Ireland.

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy of the service over the 3-year period from January 2011 to December 2013.

Methods

A review of the prospectively gathered database was performed in order to establish the demographic profile of patients, investigate clinic outcomes, and evaluate the reduction in patient waiting times.

Results

2650 patients were managed by the clinic over the 3-year period. A total of 77 % of patients were managed without consultant intervention. Fifty-three percent of patients were diagnosed as having a normal presentation. The mean waiting time reduced from 101.9 weeks pre-2010 to 15.4 weeks in 2013 for those patients managed by the POTC.

Conclusion

Since its inception, the clinic has significantly reduced waiting times for routine elective paediatric orthopaedic patients while managing the majority of patients independent of surgical opinion. This study shows that the APP can deliver high-quality care in the paediatric orthopaedic setting, benefitting both patients and service.
A comparison of the Dobbs method for correction of idiopathic and teratological congenital vertical talus
Authors: Chan Yuen , Selvaratnam Veenesh , Garg Neeraj
Published: April 2016

Introduction

Congenital vertical talus (CVT) is a rare deformity. Traditionally, CVT correction involved extensive soft tissue releases, and this was associated with high complication rates. The Dobbs method is less invasive and comprises serial manipulation and casting, followed by minimally invasive reduction and K-wire fixation of the talonavicular joint and percutaneous Achilles tenotomy.

Aim

The purpose of our study was to compare the outcomes of using the Dobbs method for CVT correction in idiopathic and teratological patients.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of all patients treated with the Dobbs method for CVT between the years 2007 and 2012 was carried out. Notes, electronic records and radiographs were reviewed for every patient. The Oxford ankle foot score was obtained at follow-up.

Results

There was a total of ten children with 18 affected feet. Five children (ten feet) had teratological CVT. Recurrence was noted in six feet (two from the idiopathic group and four from the teratological group). The median age was 5 months (range 2–8 months). The mean follow-up was 53 months (range 24–80 months). There was a significant difference between pre-operative to initial post-operative and pre-operative to latest follow-up measurements for all angles in the successfully treated CVT group ( p < 0.000001). The mean Oxford ankle foot scores for each domain in all patients are 59.9 (physical), 88.8 (school and play) and 99.1 (emotional).

Conclusion

The Dobbs method is a less invasive technique of CVT correction. It is an effective initial method of treatment in both teratological and idiopathic patients. A higher recurrence rate was observed in the teratological group, although this was not statistically significant.
How fair is my world? Development of just world beliefs among Kenyan students
Authors: Thomas Kendra J. , Mucherah Winnie M.
Published: April 2016

This study is a cross‐sectional analysis of Kenyan adolescents' beliefs in a just world (BJW). Prior research suggests that BJW declines across adolescence and differentiate between Personal and General BJW. However, little research has been conducted in African samples or developing economies. Adolescents from three schools in Western Kenya (n = 1960) completed the questionnaires to understand how their Personal and General BJW differed across grades, and between schools, tribes, and sexes. Contrary to prior research, there was not a downward trend of BJW across adolescence. Instead, the trajectory was dependent upon the school and demographics. There were significant differences between males and females, which may reflect gender inequalities of the traditional Kenyan society. There were also significant differences between tribal groups, with those in dominant or majority tribes having higher perceptions of justice. This study discusses the role that inequality plays in adolescents' BJW and the implications for future cross‐cultural research.
“Marrying Out” for Love: Women’s Narratives of Polygyny and Alternative Marriage Choices in Contemporary Senegal
Authors: Kringelbach Hélène Neveu
Published: April 2016

This article examines the ways in which childhood and youth experiences of living in polygynous households shape the aspirations of middle-class Muslim Senegalese women to companionate marriage. Increasingly, such aspirations are fulfilled through marriage with European men. In contrast to an enduring popular discourse according to which women live happily with polygyny throughout the Senegambian region, this article shows how some middle-class women’s choice to “marry out” is explicitly linked to family narratives and personal experiences of suffering. In a context in which many of these women face strong familial opposition to marriage with non-Muslim European men, this article suggests that the women’s narratives provide moral legitimacy to their “alternative” choices.
The Interpersonal Dynamics of Emotion
Authors: van Kleef Gerben A.
Published: April 2016

Emotions are an elemental part of life - they imbue our existence with meaning and purpose, and influence how we engage with the world around us. But we do not just feel our own emotions; we typically express them in the presence of other people. How do our emotional expressions affect others? Moving beyond the traditional intrapersonal perspective, this is the first book dedicated to exploring the pervasive interpersonal dynamics of emotions. Integrating existing theory and research, van Kleef develops the Emotions as Social Information (EASI) theory, a groundbreaking comprehensive framework that explains how emotional expressions influence observers across all domains of life, from close relationships to group settings, conflict and negotiation, customer service, and leader-follower relations. His deeply social perspective sheds new light on the fundamental question of why we have emotions in the first place - the social influence emotions engender may very well constitute their raison d'être.
Children's Fantasy Literature
Authors: Levy Michael , Mendlesohn Farah
Published: April 2016

Fantasy has been an important and much-loved part of children's literature for hundreds of years, yet relatively little has been written about it. Children's Fantasy Literature traces the development of the tradition of the children's fantastic - fictions specifically written for children and fictions appropriated by them - from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century, examining the work of Lewis Carroll, L. Frank Baum, C. S. Lewis, Roald Dahl, J. K. Rowling and others from across the English-speaking world. The volume considers changing views on both the nature of the child and on the appropriateness of fantasy for the child reader, the role of children's fantasy literature in helping to develop the imagination, and its complex interactions with issues of class, politics and gender. The text analyses hundreds of works of fiction, placing each in its appropriate context within the tradition of fantasy literature.
Indian and Slave Royalists in the Age of Revolution
Authors: Echeverri Marcela
Published: April 2016

Royalist Indians and slaves in the northern Andes engaged with the ideas of the Age of Revolution (1780–1825), such as citizenship and freedom. Although generally ignored in recent revolution-centered versions of the Latin American independence processes, their story is an essential part of the history of the period. In Indian and Slave Royalists in the Age of Revolution, Marcela Echeverri draws a picture of the royalist region of Popayán (modern-day Colombia) that reveals deep chronological layers and multiple social and spatial textures. She uses royalism as a lens to rethink the temporal, spatial, and conceptual boundaries that conventionally structure historical narratives about the Age of Revolution. Looking at royalism and liberal reform in the northern Andes, she suggests that profound changes took place within the royalist territories. These emerged as a result of the negotiation of the rights of local people, Indians and slaves, with the changing monarchical regime.
Women Talk More Than Men
Authors: Kaplan Abby
Published: April 2016

Do women talk more than men? Does text messaging make you stupid? Can chimpanzees really talk to us? This fascinating textbook addresses a wide range of language myths, focusing on important big-picture issues such as the rule-governed nature of language or the influence of social factors on how we speak. Case studies and analysis of relevant experiments teach readers the skills to become informed consumers of social science research, while suggested open-ended exercises invite students to reflect further on what they've learned. With coverage of a broad range of topics (cognitive, social, historical), this textbook is ideal for non-technical survey courses in linguistics. Important points are illustrated with specific, memorable examples: invariant 'be' shows the rule-governed nature of African-American English; vulgar female speech in Papua New Guinea shows how beliefs about language and gender are culture-specific. Engaging and accessibly written, Kaplan's lively discussion challenges what we think we know about language.
Democracy in Moderation
Authors: Carrese Paul O.
Published: April 2016

Democracy in Moderation views constitutional liberal democracy as grounded in a principle of avoiding extremes and striking the right balance among its defining principles of liberty, equality, religion, and sustainable order, thus tempering tendencies toward sectarian excess. Such moderation originally informed liberal democracy, but now is neglected. Moderation can guide us intellectually and practically about domestic and foreign policy debates, but also serve the sustainability of the constitutional, liberal republic as a whole. Our recent theory thus doesn't help our practice, given our concerns about polarization and sectarianism in ideas, policy, and politics. A rediscovery of Montesquieu and his legacy in shaping America's complex political order, including influence on Washington's practical moderation and Tocqueville's philosophical moderation, addresses these enduring theoretical and practical problems. Moderation also offers a deeper theory of leadership or statesmanship, particularly regarding religion and politics, and of foreign policy and strategy rooted in liberal democracy's first principles.
European Constitutional Language
Authors: Jakab András
Published: April 2016

If the task of constitutional theory is to set out a language in which the discourse of constitutional law may be grounded, a question of the utmost importance is how this terminology is created, defined and interpreted. In this groundbreaking new work, András Jakab maps out and analyses the grammar and vocabulary on which the core European traditions of constitutional theory are based. He suggests understanding key constitutional concepts as responses to historical and present day challenges experienced by European societies. Drawing together a great and diverse range of literature, much of which has never before been touched upon by scholarship in the English language, Jakab reconceptualises and argues for a new understanding of European constitutional law discourse. In so doing he shines new light on what constitutes its distinctively European nature. This remarkable book is essential reading for all scholars and students of constitutional theory in Europe and beyond.
The Palestinian Novel
Authors: Abu-Manneh Bashir
Published: April 2016

What happens to the Palestinian novel after the national dispossession of the nakba, and how do Palestinian novelists respond to this massive crisis? This is the first study in English to chart the development of the Palestinian novel in exile and under occupation from 1948 onwards. By reading the novel in the context of the ebb and flow of Arab and Palestinian revolution, Bashir Abu-Manneh defines the links between aesthetics and politics. Combining historical analysis with textual readings of key novels by Jabra, Kanafani, Habiby, and Khalifeh, the chronicle of the Palestinian novel unfolds as one that articulates humanism, self-sacrifice as collective redemption, mutuality, and self-realization. Political challenge, hope, and possibility are followed by the decay of collective and individual agency. Genet's and Khoury's unrivalled literary homages to Palestinian revolt are also examined. By critically engaging with Lukács, Adorno, and postcolonial theory, questions of struggle and self-determination take centre stage.
Dispersive Partial Differential Equations
Authors: Erdoğan M. Burak , Tzirakis Nikolaos
Published: April 2016

The area of nonlinear dispersive partial differential equations (PDEs) is a fast developing field which has become exceedingly technical in recent years. With this book, the authors provide a self-contained and accessible introduction for graduate or advanced undergraduate students in mathematics, engineering, and the physical sciences. Both classical and modern methods used in the field are described in detail, concentrating on the model cases that simplify the presentation without compromising the deep technical aspects of the theory, thus allowing students to learn the material in a short period of time. This book is appropriate both for self-study by students with a background in analysis, and for teaching a semester-long introductory graduate course in nonlinear dispersive PDEs. Copious exercises are included, and applications of the theory are also presented to connect dispersive PDEs with the more general areas of dynamical systems and mathematical physics.
The European Council and the Multiannual Financial Framework
Authors: CROWE Richard
Published: April 2016

The European Council emerged as the dominant institution in the special legislative procedure that led to the adoption of the European Union’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) Regulation for 2014–20, even though it is not mentioned in Article 312(2) TFEU as an actor in the procedure and Article 15(1) TEU states that it ‘shall not exercise legislative functions’. This article assesses the role played by the European Council in the MFF process for 2014–20 in light of the post-Lisbon Treaties and draws attention to the legal ambiguities that persist, as well as the practical challenges that will face the other Union institutions, notably the European Parliament, in seeking to counter that dominance in future MFF procedures.
A qualitative study of collaborative stimulation in group design thinking
Authors: Sauder Jonathan , Jin Yan
Published: April 2016

It is often assumed in both education and industry that collaboration encourages creativity. This assumption is explored by investigating the influence of designers’ interactions on creativity-relevant thinking processes by extending creative cognition to the group design context. It is proposed that sharing design entities and questions stimulates creativity-relevant thinking processes through four types of collaborative stimulation. Specific patterns are hypothesized to exist between each type of collaborative stimulation and thinking processes. A case study was conducted to determine whether the hypothesized types and patterns of collaborative stimulation exist. The results were analyzed using a directed coding approach and collaborative retrospective protocol analysis, which enable capturing both internal thoughts and external interactions with minimal interference to collaboration. The results indicate that the identified types of collaborative stimulation are observable and that they have recognizable patterns with stimulated thinking processes. Stimulation occurring through design entity questioning had the strongest relationship with generative thinking processes. Although creativity-relevant generative processes are stimulated by collaborative activity, this does not necessarily mean that collaboration results in a more creative product. However, these patterns can be used in future work to develop methods and interventions for promoting group idea generation and improving group creativity.
Unsteady turbulent buoyant plumes
Authors: Woodhouse M. J. , Phillips J. C. , Hogg A. J.
Published: April 2016

We model the unsteady evolution of turbulent buoyant plumes following temporal changes to the source conditions. The integral model is derived from radial integration of the governing equations expressing the evolution of mass, axial momentum and buoyancy in the plume. The non-uniform radial profiles of the axial velocity and density deficit in the plume are explicitly captured by shape factors in the integral equations; the commonly assumed top-hat profiles lead to shape factors equal to unity. The resultant model for unsteady plumes is hyperbolic when the momentum shape factor, determined from the radial profile of the mean axial velocity in the plume, differs from unity. The solutions of the model when source conditions are maintained at constant values are shown to retain the form of the well-established steady plume solutions. We demonstrate through a linear stability analysis of these steady solutions that the inclusion of a momentum shape factor in the governing equations that differs from unity leads to a well-posed integral model. Therefore, our model does not exhibit the mathematical pathologies that appear in previously proposed unsteady integral models of turbulent plumes. A stability threshold for the value of the shape factor is also identified, resulting in a range of its values where the amplitudes of small perturbations to the steady solutions decay with distance from the source. The hyperbolic character of the system of equations allows the formation of discontinuities in the fields describing the plume properties during the unsteady evolution, and we compute numerical solutions to illustrate the transient development of a plume following an abrupt change in the source conditions. The adjustment of the plume to the new source conditions occurs through the propagation of a pulse of fluid through the plume. The dynamics of this pulse is described by a similarity solution and, through the construction of this new similarity solution, we identify three regimes in which the evolution of the transient pulse following adjustment of the source qualitatively differs.
Frequency of takeaway food consumption and its association with major food group consumption, anthropometric measures and blood pressure during adolescence
Authors: Gopinath Bamini , Flood Victoria M. , Burlutsky George , Louie Jimmy C. Y. , Baur Louise A. , Mitchell Paul
Published: April 2016

We prospectively assessed the (1) frequency and socio-economic correlates of takeaway food consumption during adolescence; and (2) association between frequent takeaway food consumption with intakes of major food groups and anthropometric measures and blood pressure (BP). In total, 699 Sydney schoolchildren (380 girls and 319 boys) who had dietary data at both 12 and 17 years of age were included for analyses. Takeaway food consumption was self-reported and based on a single question. Anthropometric measures and BP were collected. The proportion of participants who ate takeaway foods once per week or more increased significantly over 5 years from the age of 12 to 17 years: 35·5–44·1 % (P<0·0001). In total, 12-year-old girls compared with boys had reduced odds of takeaway foods once per week or more at the age of 17 years (P=0·01), multivariable-adjusted OR 0·63 (95 % CI 0·44, 0·90). In total, 12-year-old children who ate takeaway foods once per week or more had significantly lower mean fruit (220·3 v. 253·0 g/d; P=0·03) and vegetable consumption (213·2 v. 247·7 g/d; P=0·004), 5 years later (at 17 years of age). Frequent takeaway food consumption at the age of 12 years was not associated with anthropometric indices and BP at the age of 17 years. Consumption of takeaway foods became more frequent during adolescence, particularly among boys, and it was associated with reduced intake of fruits and vegetables.
Sexual communication in day-flying Lepidoptera with special reference to castniids or ‘butterfly-moths’
Authors: Sarto i Monteys V. , Quero C. , Santa-Cruz M.C. , Rosell G. , Guerrero A.
Published: April 2016

Butterflies and moths are subject to different evolutionary pressures that affect several aspects of their behaviour and physiology, particularly sexual communication. Butterflies are day-flying insects (excluding hedylids) whose partner-finding strategy is mainly based on visual cues and female butterflies having apparently lost the typical sex pheromone glands. Moths, in contrast, are mostly night-flyers and use female-released long-range pheromones for partner-finding. However, some moth families are exclusively day-flyers, and therefore subject to evolutionary pressures similar to those endured by butterflies. Among them, the Castniidae, also called ‘butterfly-moths’ or ‘sun-moths’, behave like butterflies and, thus, castniid females appear to have also lost their pheromone glands, an unparallel attribute in the world of moths. In this paper, we review the sexual communication strategy in day-flying Lepidoptera, mainly butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), Zygaenidae and Castniidae moths, and compare their mating behaviour with that of moth families of nocturnal habits, paying particular attention to the recently discovered butterfly-like partner-finding strategy of castniids and the fascinating facts and debates that led to its discovery.
Effects of climatic factors, drought risk and irrigation requirement on maize yield in the Northeast Farming Region of China
Authors: YIN X. G. , JABLOUN M. , OLESEN J. E. , ÖZTÜRK I. , WANG M. , CHEN F.
Published: April 2016

Drought risk is considered to be among the main limiting factors for maize (Zea maysL.) production in the Northeast Farming Region of China (NFR). Maize yield data from 44 stations over the period 1961–2010 were combined with data from weather stations to evaluate the effects of climatic factors, drought risk and irrigation requirement on rain-fed maize yield in specific maize growth phases. The maize growing season was divided into four growth phases comprising seeding, vegetative, flowering and maturity based on observations of phenological data from 1981 to 2010. The dual crop coefficient was used to calculate crop evapotranspiration and soil water balance during the maize growing season. The effects of mean temperature, solar radiation, effective rainfall, water deficit, drought stress days, actual crop evapotranspiration and irrigation requirement in different growth phases were included in the statistical model to predict maize yield. During the period 1961–2010, mean temperature increased significantly in all growth phases in NFR, while solar radiation decreased significantly in southern NFR in the seeding, vegetative and flowering phases. Effective rainfall increased in the seeding and vegetative phases, reducing water deficit over the period, whereas decreasing effective rainfall over time in the flowering and maturity phases enhanced water deficit. An increase in days with drought stress was concentrated in western NFR, with larger volumes of irrigation needed to compensate for increased dryness. The present results indicate that higher mean temperature in the seeding and maturity phases was beneficial for maize yield, whereas excessive rainfall would damage maize yield, in particular in the seeding and flowering phases. Drought stress in any growth stage was found to reduce maize yield and water deficit was slightly better than other indicators of drought stress for explaining yield variability. The effect of drought stress was particularly strong in the seeding and flowering phases, indicating that these periods should be given priority for irrigation. The yield-reducing effects of both drought and intense rainfall illustrate the importance of further development of irrigation and drainage systems for ensuring the stability of maize production in NFR.
Temporal and ontogenic variations of diet of the goldblotch grouper Epinephelus costae (Serranidae) in the eastern coast of Algeria
Authors: Zaidi Raouf , Derbal Farid , Kara M. Hichem
Published: April 2016

The diet of the goldblotch grouper Epinephelus costae of the eastern coast of Algeria was studied from March 2011 to February 2012. A total of 275 individuals, whose total length varied between 21.1 and 79.79 cm and weight between 103.13 and 5390.00 g, were examined. The index of relative importance (%IRI) combining the three main descriptors of the presence of different ingested prey (%F, %N, %W) was used to characterize the relative importance of different food taxa. Qualitative and quantitative variations in diet were studied according to sexual maturity (immature and mature), sex (male and female), size (small, medium and large) and seasons. The average annual digestive vacuity is 17.82%. It does not vary according to sex, size or maturity, but is different between summer and winter. Qualitative analysis of digestive contents reveals a fairly diverse range of predation with 319 prey counted for a total weight of 934.85 g, which corresponds to an average number (Nm) and weight (Wm) of 1.4 and 4.14 g respectively. This species feeds on benthopelagic prey composed mainly of bony fish (%IRI = 76.16), pancrustacea (%IRI = 16.14) and molluscs (%IRI = 6.24). All other prey were accessory (plants) or accidental (annelids). Significant differences in feeding habits occur according to seasons and fish size.
FROM ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL: AN INTERVIEW WITH GOTTFRIED MICHAEL KOENIG
Authors: Iverson Jennifer
Published: April 2016

Gottfried Michael Koenig (b. 1926) is a seminal figure in the history of electronic music. He contributed important technical and musical ideas at WDR studio in Cologne from 1954 to 1964. He was then the director of the Institute of Sonology in Utrecht, Netherlands until 1986. Since 1986, Koenig has continued to compose, to develop complex computer systems, and to edit, translate, and publish his extensive corpus of theoretical writings.1 This conversation, which aims to foster further English-language scholarship on Koenig and his music,2 took place in English in May 2015 at the Institute of Sonology, now located in The Hague, Netherlands.
Buckwheat phenolic metabolites in health and disease
Authors: Kreft Marko
Published: April 2016

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, F. tataricum Gaertner) groats and flour have been established globally as nutritional foods because of their high levels of proteins, polyphenols and minerals. In some regions, buckwheat herb is used as a functional food. In the present study, reports of in vitro studies, preclinical and clinical trials dealing with the effect of buckwheat and its metabolites were reviewed. There are numerous reports of potential health benefits of consuming buckwheat, which may be in the form of food, dietary supplements, home remedies or possibly pharmaceutical drugs; however, adverse effects, including those resulting from contamination, must be considered. There are reports of antioxidative activity of buckwheat, which contains high levels of rutin and quercetin. On the other hand, both cytotoxic and antigenotoxic effects have been shown. Reduction of hyperlipidaemia, reduction of blood pressure and improved weight regulation have been suggested. Consuming buckwheat may have a beneficial effect on diabetes, since lower postprandial blood glucose and insulin response have been reported. In addition, buckwheat metabolites, such as rutin, may have intrinsic protective effects in preserving insulin signalling. Rutin has also been suggested to have potential therapeutic applications for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The literature indicates that buckwheat is safe to consume and may have various beneficial effects on human health.
Characterizing the Impact of Extreme Heat on Mortality, Karachi, Pakistan, June 2015
Authors: Ghumman Usman , Horney Jennifer
Published: April 2016

Introduction

Karachi, Pakistan was affected by a heat wave in June 2015 during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Many media reports attributed the excess deaths in part to the practice of daylight fasting during Ramadan. As much of the published research reports on heat-related mortality in Europe and the United States, an exploration of the effects of extreme heat on residents of a South Asian mega-city address a gap in current disaster research.

Hypothesis/Problem

This report investigated potential risk factors for excess mortality associated with the June 2015 heat wave in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods

Data were obtained through manual review of death certificates at public hospitals and private clinics in Karachi, Pakistan, conducted from July 1 through July 31, 2015 by a trained physician. Demographic data for any deaths with a primary cause of death of heat-related illness were recorded in Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corp.; Redmond, Washington USA). EpiSheet (2012; Rothman. Modern Epidemiology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA) was used to calculate risk differences (RD), rate ratios (RR), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Results

Overall, residents of Karachi were approximately 17 times as likely to die of a heat-related cause of death during June 2015 (RR=17.68; 95% CI, 13.87-22.53) when compared with the reference period of June 2014. Residents with a monthly income lower than 20,000 Pakistani Rupees (US $196; RD=0.03; 95% CI, 0.01-0.05) and those with less than a fifth grade education (RD=0.03; 95% CI, 0.00-0.05) were at significantly higher risk of death during the 2015 heat wave compared to the reference period.

Conclusion

Fasting during Ramadan was not a significant risk factor for mortality from heat-related causes during the Karachi heat wave of June 2015. A large number of excess deaths were reported across all demographic groups, which due to the burden of record keeping in an under-resourced health system during a public health emergency, are almost certainly an underestimate.

GhummanU, HorneyJ. Characterizing the impact of extreme heat on mortality, Karachi, Pakistan, June 2015. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(3):263–266.
PRUSSIAN FAUST OR UNIVERSALIST PURITAN?
Authors: VALDEZ DAMIAN
Published: April 2016

At the end of May 1917, Max Weber attended a “cultural congress” at the picturesque castle of Lauenstein in Thuringia. The congress had been organized by the publicist Eugen Diederichs of Jena and by the Patriotic Society for Thuringia 1914. The moment was a particularly tense one in the life of the embattled German Reich. Against the advice of many cooler heads within the country, Germany had declared unrestricted submarine warfare in January, which together with other antagonistic moves on its part, had led to the entry of the United States into the war in April. By this point it was clear to all but the most indefatigable optimists that Germany would lose the war. In this atmosphere of dread and of new hope that a phoenix-like new Germany or a new humanity would arise out of the ashes of the war, the participants outlined their visions of the future. The eccentric former Social Democrat-turned-nationalist Max Maurenbrecher denounced capitalist mechanization but called for a revival of the traditional Prussian concept of the state, for an “idealistic state” and for workers to be educated towards national consciousness by means of the German literary and philosophical classics (Kaesler, 747–52).
Screening of cultivated and wildHelianthusspecies reveals herbicide tolerance in wild sunflowers and allelic variation atAhasl1(acetohydroxyacid synthase 1 large subunit) locus
Authors: Jacob Jinu , Sujatha Mulpuri , Varaprasad Sivannarayana Kodeboyina
Published: April 2016

Acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) inhibiting herbicides have played a significant role in effective weed control in the cultivation of sunflower since their discovery. The development of sunflower lines and hybrids resistant to these herbicides made their post-emergence application possible. In this study, wildHelianthusspecies were screened phenotypically for imidazolinone (IMI) and sulfonylurea (SU) resistance by herbicide spray and for allelic variations atAhasl1(Ahas1 large subunit) locus using simple sequence repeat and single nucleotide polymorphism markers.Helianthus praecoxaccession 1823 plants showed promising resistance to three classes of SU-based herbicides andHelianthus nuttalliiaccession NUT05 plants remained green for a longer time after imazethapyr spray. A total of 50 accessions belonging to 21 wildHelianthusspecies of different ploidy levels were analysed for allelic variation along with some parents of commercial sunflower hybrids. None of the wild species showed the resistant allele (Ahasl1-1) similar to SCG101 (IMI-resistant line), although it is present in some of the parental lines of hybrids. However, the parental lines havingAhasl1-1-type allele failed to survive the field dose of imazethapyr spray. Inter-species and inter-accessional allelic variation could be observed among the species. PRA1823 and NUT05 showed repeat length variations atAhasl1locus. Sequencing of full lengthAhasl1gene from both these accessions did not reveal any resistance mutations in the protein sequences. The molecular basis of the phenotypes identified in this study could be explored further and utilized in breeding programmes for imparting herbicide resistance in cultivated hybrids across sunflower growing regions of the world.
Chimeric 2C10R4 anti-CD40 antibody therapy is critical for long-term survival of GTKO.hCD46.hTBM pig-to-primate cardiac xenograft
Authors: Mohiuddin Muhammad M. , Singh Avneesh K. , Corcoran Philip C. , Thomas III Marvin L. , Clark Tannia , Lewis Billeta G. , Hoyt Robert F. , Eckhaus Michael , Pierson III Richard N. , Belli Aaron J. , Wolf Eckhard , Klymiuk Nikolai , Phelps Carol , Reimann Keith A. , Ayares David , Horvath Keith A.
Published: April 2016

Preventing xenograft rejection is one of the greatest challenges of transplantation medicine. Here, we describe a reproducible, long-term survival of cardiac xenografts from alpha 1-3 galactosyltransferase gene knockout pigs, which express human complement regulatory protein CD46 and human thrombomodulin (GTKO.hCD46.hTBM), that were transplanted into baboons. Our immunomodulatory drug regimen includes induction with anti-thymocyte globulin and αCD20 antibody, followed by maintenance with mycophenolate mofetil and an intensively dosed αCD40 (2C10R4) antibody. Median (298 days) and longest (945 days) graft survival in five consecutive recipients using this regimen is significantly prolonged over our recently established survival benchmarks (180 and 500 days, respectively). Remarkably, the reduction of αCD40 antibody dose on day 100 or after 1 year resulted in recrudescence of anti-pig antibody and graft failure. In conclusion, genetic modifications (GTKO.hCD46.hTBM) combined with the treatment regimen tested here consistently prevent humoral rejection and systemic coagulation pathway dysregulation, sustaining long-term cardiac xenograft survival beyond 900 days.
ASK1 signalling regulates brown and beige adipocyte function
Authors: Hattori Kazuki , Naguro Isao , Okabe Kohki , Funatsu Takashi , Furutani Shotaro , Takeda Kohsuke , Ichijo Hidenori
Published: April 2016

Recent studies suggest that adult humans have active brown or beige adipocytes, the activation of which might be a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of diverse metabolic diseases. Here we show that the protein kinase ASK1 regulates brown and beige adipocytes function. In brown or white adipocytes, the PKA-ASK1-p38 axis is activated in response to cAMP signalling and contributes to the cell-autonomous induction of genes, including Ucp1. Global and fat-specific ASK1 deficiency leads to impaired metabolic responses, including thermogenesis and oxygen consumption, at the cell and whole-body levels, respectively. Our data thus indicate that the ASK1 signalling axis is a regulator of brown and beige adipocyte gene expression and function.
FoxA and LIPG endothelial lipase control the uptake of extracellular lipids for breast cancer growth
Authors: Slebe Felipe , Rojo Federico , Vinaixa Maria , García-Rocha Mar , Testoni Giorgia , Guiu Marc , Planet Evarist , Samino Sara , Arenas Enrique J. , Beltran Antoni , Rovira Ana , Lluch Ana , Salvatella Xavier , Yanes Oscar , Albanell Joan , Guinovart Joan J. , Gomis Roger R.
Published: April 2016

The mechanisms that allow breast cancer (BCa) cells to metabolically sustain rapid growth are poorly understood. Here we report that BCa cells are dependent on a mechanism to supply precursors for intracellular lipid production derived from extracellular sources and that the endothelial lipase (LIPG) fulfils this function. LIPG expression allows the import of lipid precursors, thereby contributing to BCa proliferation. LIPG stands out as an essential component of the lipid metabolic adaptations that BCa cells, and not normal tissue, must undergo to support high proliferation rates. LIPG is ubiquitously and highly expressed under the control of FoxA1 or FoxA2 in all BCa subtypes. The downregulation of either LIPG or FoxA in transformed cells results in decreased proliferation and impaired synthesis of intracellular lipids.
A multiplexed light-matter interface for fibre-based quantum networks
Authors: Saglamyurek Erhan , Grimau Puigibert Marcelli , Zhou Qiang , Giner Lambert , Marsili Francesco , Verma Varun B. , Woo Nam Sae , Oesterling Lee , Nippa David , Oblak Daniel , Tittel Wolfgang
Published: April 2016

Processing and distributing quantum information using photons through fibre-optic or free-space links are essential for building future quantum networks. The scalability needed for such networks can be achieved by employing photonic quantum states that are multiplexed into time and/or frequency, and light-matter interfaces that are able to store and process such states with large time-bandwidth product and multimode capacities. Despite important progress in developing such devices, the demonstration of these capabilities using non-classical light remains challenging. Here, employing the atomic frequency comb quantum memory protocol in a cryogenically cooled erbium-doped optical fibre, we report the quantum storage of heralded single photons at a telecom-wavelength (1.53 μm) with a time-bandwidth product approaching 800. Furthermore, we demonstrate frequency-multimode storage and memory-based spectral-temporal photon manipulation. Notably, our demonstrations rely on fully integrated quantum technologies operating at telecommunication wavelengths. With improved storage efficiency, our light-matter interface may become a useful tool in future quantum networks.
Tissue-specific Differentiation Potency of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Perinatal Tissues
Authors: Kwon Ahlm , Kim Yonggoo , Kim Myungshin , Kim Jiyeon , Choi Hayoung , Jekarl Dong Wook , Lee Seungok , Kim Jung Min , Shin Jong-Chul , Park In Yang
Published: April 2016

Human perinatal tissue is an abundant source of mesenchymal stromal cells(MSCs) and lacks the ethical concerns. Perinatal MSCs can be obtained from various tissues as like amnion, chorion, and umbilical cord. Still, little is known of the distinct nature of each MSC type. In this study, we successfully isolated and cultured MSCs from amnion(AMSCs), chorion(CMSCs), and umbilical cord(UC-MSCs). Proliferation potential was different among them, that AMSCs revealed the lowest proliferation rate due to increased Annexin V and senescence-associated β-galactosidase positive cells. We demonstrated distinct characteristic gene expression according to the source of the original tissue using microarray. In particular, genes associated with apoptosis and senescence including CDKN2A were up-regulated in AMSCs. In CMSCs, genes associated with heart morphogenesis and blood circulation including HTR2B were up-regulated. Genes associated with neurological system processes including NPY were up-regulated in UC-MSCs. Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the gene expression data. And in vitro differentiation of MSCs demonstrated that CMSCs and UC-MSCs had a more pronounced ability to differentiate into cardiomyocyte and neural cells, respectively. This study firstly demonstrated the innate tissue-specific differentiation potency of perinatal MSCs which can be helpful in choosing more adequate cell sources for better outcome in a specific disease.
Molecular surveillance of nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae in children vaccinated with conjugated polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccines
Authors: Wyllie Anne L. , Wijmenga-Monsuur Alienke J. , van Houten Marlies A. , Bosch Astrid A. T. M. , Groot James A. , van Engelsdorp Gastelaars Jody , Bruin Jacob P. , Bogaert Debby , Rots Nynke Y. , Sanders Elisabeth A. M. , Trzciński Krzysztof
Published: April 2016

Following the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) for infants, surveillance studies on Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage have proven valuable for monitoring vaccine effects. Here, we compared molecular versus conventional diagnostic methods in prospective cross-sectional surveillances in vaccinated infants in the Netherlands. Nasopharyngeal samples (n = 1169) from 11- and 24-month-old children, collected during autumn/winter 2010/2011 and 2012/2013, were tested by conventional culture for S. pneumoniae. DNA extracted from all culture-plate growth was tested by qPCR for pneumococcal-specific genes (lytA/piaB) and selected serotypes (including PCV13-serotypes). qPCR significantly increased the number of carriers detected compared to culture (69% vs. 57%, p < 0.0001). qPCR assays targeting vaccine-serotypes 4 and 5 proved non-specific (results excluded). For serotypes reliably targeted by qPCR, the number of serotype-carriage events detected by qPCR (n = 709) was 1.68× higher compared to culture (n = 422). There was a strong correlation (rho = 0.980; p < 0.0001) between the number of serotypes detected using qPCR and by culture. This study demonstrates the high potential of molecular methods in pneumococcal surveillances, particularly for enhanced serotype detection. We found no evidence of a hidden circulation of vaccine-targeted serotypes, despite vaccine-serotypes still significantly contributing to invasive pneumococcal disease in unvaccinated individuals, supporting the presence of a substantial S. pneumoniae reservoir outside vaccinated children.