bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cis-regulatory elements are harbored in Intron5 of the RUNX1gene
Authors: Rebolledo-Jaramillo Boris , Alarcon Ricardo A , Fernandez Valentina I , Gutierrez Soraya E
Published: March 2014

Background

Human RUNX1 gene is one of the most frequent target for chromosomal translocations associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL). The highest prevalence in AML is noted with (8; 21) translocation; which represents 12 to 15% of all AML cases. Interestingly, all the breakpoints mapped to date in t(8;21) are clustered in intron 5 of the RUNX1 gene and intron 1 of the ETO gene. No homologous sequences have been found at the recombination regions; but DNase I hypersensitive sites (DHS) have been mapped to the areas of the genes involved in t(8;21). Presence of DHS sites is commonly associated with regulatory elements such as promoters, enhancers and silencers, among others.

Results

In this study we used a combination of comparative genomics, cloning and transfection assays to evaluate potential regulatory elements located in intron 5 of the RUNX1 gene. Our genomic analysis identified nine conserved non-coding sequences that are evolutionarily conserved among rat, mouse and human. We cloned two of these regions in pGL-3 Promoter plasmid in order to analyze their transcriptional regulatory activity. Our results demonstrate that the identified regions can indeed regulate transcription of a reporter gene in a distance and position independent manner; moreover, their transcriptional effect is cell type specific.

Conclusions

We have identified nine conserved non coding sequence that are harbored in intron 5 of the RUNX1 gene. We have also demonstrated that two of these regions can regulate transcriptional activity in vitro. Taken together our results suggest that intron 5 of the RUNX1 gene contains multiple potential cis-regulatory elements.
Transcriptional profiling of mammary gland in Holstein cows with extremely different milk protein and fat percentage using RNA sequencing
Authors: Cui Xiaogang , Hou Yali , Yang Shaohua , Xie Yan , Zhang Shengli , Zhang Yuan , Zhang Qin , Lu Xuemei , Liu George E , Sun Dongxiao
Published: March 2014

Background

Recently, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) has rapidly emerged as a major transcriptome profiling system. Elucidation of the bovine mammary gland transcriptome by RNA-seq is essential for identifying candidate genes that contribute to milk composition traits in dairy cattle.

Results

We used massive, parallel, high-throughput, RNA-seq to generate the bovine transcriptome from the mammary glands of four lactating Holstein cows with extremely high and low phenotypic values of milk protein and fat percentage. In total, we obtained 48,967,376–75,572,578 uniquely mapped reads that covered 82.25% of the current annotated transcripts, which represented 15549 mRNA transcripts, across all the four mammary gland samples. Among them, 31 differentially expressed genes (p < 0.05, false discovery rate q < 0.05) between the high and low groups of cows were revealed. Gene ontology and pathway analysis demonstrated that the 31 differently expressed genes were enriched in specific biological processes with regard to protein metabolism, fat metabolism, and mammary gland development (p < 0.05). Integrated analysis of differential gene expression, previously reported quantitative trait loci, and genome-wide association studies indicated that TRIB3, SAA (SAA1, SAA3, and M-SAA3.2), VEGFA, PTHLH, and RPL23A were the most promising candidate genes affecting milk protein and fat percentage.

Conclusions

This study investigated the complexity of the mammary gland transcriptome in dairy cattle using RNA-seq. Integrated analysis of differential gene expression and the reported quantitative trait loci and genome-wide association study data permitted the identification of candidate key genes for milk composition traits.
The challenges and successes of implementing a sustainable antimicrobial resistance surveillance programme in Nepal
Authors: Malla Sarala , Dumre Shyam Prakash , Shakya Geeta , Kansakar Palpasa , Rai Bhupraj , Hossain Anowar , Nair Gopinath Balakrish , Albert M John , Sack David , Baker Stephen , Rahman Motiur ,   The Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Programme team, Nepal
Published: March 2014

Background

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global public health concern and its surveillance is a fundamental tool for monitoring the development of AMR. In 1998, the Nepalese Ministry of Health (MOH) launched an Infectious Disease (ID) programme. The key components of the programme were to establish a surveillance programme for AMR and to develop awareness among physicians regarding AMR and rational drug usage in Nepal.

Methods

An AMR surveillance programme was established and implemented by the Nepalese MOH in partnership with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B) from 1998 to 2003. From 2004 to 2012, the programme was integrated and maintained as a core activity of the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) and resulted in an increased number of participating laboratories and pathogens brought under surveillance. The main strategies were to build national capacity on isolation, identification and AMR testing of bacterial pathogens, establish laboratory networking and an External Quality Assessment (EQA) programme, promote standardised recording and reporting of results, and to ensure timely analysis and dissemination of data for advocacy and national policy adaptations. The programme was initiated by nine participating laboratories performing AMR surveillance onVibrio cholerae, Shigellaspp.,Streptococcus pneumoniae,Haemophilus influenzae,andNeisseria gonorrhoeae.

Results

The number of participating laboratories was ultimately increased to 13 and the number of pathogens under surveillance was increased to seven (Salmonellaspp. was added to the surveillance programme in 2002 and extended spectrum β-lactamase producingEscherichia coliin 2011). From 1999 to 2012, data were available on 17,103 bacterial isolates. During the AMR programme, we observed changing trends in serovars/ species forSalmonellaspp., Shigellaspp.and V. choleraeand changing AMR trend for all organisms. Notably,N. gonorrhoeaeisolates demonstrated increasing resistance to ciprofloxacin. Additionally, the performance of the participating laboratories improved as shown by annual EQA data evaluation.

Conclusions

This Nepalese AMR programme continues and serves as a model for sustainable surveillance of AMR monitoring in resource limited settings.
Inhibition of STAT3 dimerization and acetylation by garcinol suppresses the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Sethi Gautam , Chatterjee Snehajyoti , Rajendran Peramaiyan , Li Feng , Shanmugam Muthu K , Wong Kwong Fai , Kumar Alan Prem , Senapati Parijat , Behera Amit K , Hui Kam Man , Basha Jeelan , Natesh Nagashayana , Luk John M , Kundu Tapas K
Published: March 2014

Background

Constitutive activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) has been linked with proliferation, survival, invasion and angiogenesis of a variety of human cancer cells, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thus, novel agents that can suppress STAT3 activation have potential for both prevention and treatment of HCC. Here we report, garcinol, a polyisoprenylated benzophenone, could suppress STAT3 activation in HCC cell lines and in xenografted tumor of HCC in nude mice model.

Experimental design

Different HCC cell lines have been treated with garcinol and the inhibition of STAT3 activation, dimerization and acetylation have been checked by immunoblotting, immuno-fluorescence, and DNA binding assays. Xenografted tumor model has been generated in nude mice using HCC cell line and effect of garcinol in the inhibition of tumor growth has been investigated.

Results

Garcinol could inhibit both constitutive and interleukin (IL-6) inducible STAT3 activation in HCC cells. Computational modeling showed that garcinol could bind to the SH2 domain of STAT3 and suppress its dimerizationin vitro. Being an acetyltransferase inhibitor, garcinol also inhibits STAT3 acetylation and thus impairs its DNA binding ability. The inhibition of STAT3 activation by garcinol led to the suppression of expression of various genes involved in proliferation, survival, and angiogenesis. It also suppressed proliferation and induced substantial apoptosis in HCC cells. Remarkably, garcinol inhibited the growth of human HCC xenograft tumors in athymic nu/nu mice, through the inhibition of STAT3 activation.

Conclusion

Overall, our results suggest that garcinol exerts its anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects through suppression of STAT3 signaling in HCC bothin vitroandin vivo.
Electromyogram synergy control of a dexterous artificial hand to unscrew and screw objects
Authors: Kent Benjamin A , Karnati Nareen , Engeberg Erik D
Published: March 2014

Background

Due to their limited dexterity, it is currently not possible to use a commercially available prosthetic hand to unscrew or screw objects without using elbow and shoulder movements. For these tasks, prosthetic hands function like a wrench, which is unnatural and limits their use in tight working environments. Results from timed rotational tasks with human subjects demonstrate the clinical need for increased dexterity of prosthetic hands, and a clinically viable solution to this problem is presented for an anthropomorphic artificial hand.

Methods

Initially, a human hand motion analysis was performed during a rotational task. From these data, human hand synergies were derived and mapped to an anthropomorphic artificial hand. The synergy for the artificial hand is controlled using conventional dual site electromyogram (EMG) signals. These EMG signals were mapped to the developed synergy to control four joints of the dexterous artificial hand simultaneously.

Five limb absent and ten able-bodied test subjects participated in a comparison study to complete a timed rotational task as quickly as possible with their natural hands (except for one subject with a bilateral hand absence), eight commercially available prosthetic hands, and the proposed synergy controller. Each test subject used two to four different artificial hands.

Results

With the able-bodied subjects, the developed synergy controller reduced task completion time by 177% on average. The limb absent subjects completed the task faster on average than with their own prostheses by 46%. There was a statistically significant improvement in task completion time with the synergy controller for three of the four limb absent participants with integrated prostheses, and was not statistically different for the fourth.

Conclusions

The proposed synergy controller reduced average task completion time compared to commercially available prostheses. Additionally, the synergy controller is able to function in a small workspace and requires less physical effort since arm movements are not required. The synergy controller is driven by conventional dual site EMG signals that are commonly used for prosthetic hand control, offering a viable solution for people with an upper limb absence to use a more dexterous artificial hand to screw or unscrew objects.
Pleiotropic effects of extended blockade of CSF1R signaling in adult mice
Authors: Sauter Kristin A , Pridans Clare , Sehgal Anuj , Tsai Yi Ting , Bradford Barry M , Raza Sobia , Moffat Lindsey , Gow Deborah J , Beard Philippa M , Mabbott Neil A , Smith Lee B , Hume David A
Published: March 2014

We investigated the role of CSF1R signaling in adult mice using prolonged treatment with anti-CSF1R antibody. Mutation of the CSF1 gene in the op/op mouse produces numerous developmental abnormalities. Mutation of the CSF1R has an even more penetrant phenotype, including perinatal lethality, because of the existence of a second ligand, IL-34. These effects on development provide limited insight into functions of CSF1R signaling in adult homeostasis. The carcass weight and weight of several organs (spleen, kidney, and liver) were reduced in the treated mice, but overall body weight gain was increased. Despite the complete loss of Kupffer cells, there was no effect on liver gene expression. The treatment ablated OCL, increased bone density and trabecular volume, and prevented the decline in bone mass seen in female mice with age. The op/op mouse has a deficiency in pancreatic β cells and in Paneth cells in the gut wall. Only the latter was reproduced by the antibody treatment and was associated with increased goblet cell number but no change in villus architecture. Male op/op mice are infertile as a result of testosterone insufficiency. Anti-CSF1R treatment ablated interstitial macrophages in the testis, but there was no sustained effect on testosterone or LH. The results indicate an ongoing requirement for CSF1R signaling in macrophage and OCL homeostasis but indicate that most effects of CSF1 and CSF1R mutations are due to effects on development.
Leptin Enhances Insulin Sensitivity by Direct and Sympathetic Nervous System Regulation of Muscle IGFBP-2 Expression: Evidence From Nonrodent Models
Authors: Yau Steven W. , Henry Belinda A. , Russo Vincenzo C. , McConell Glenn K. , Clarke Iain J. , Werther George A. , Sabin Matthew A.
Published: March 2014

Leptin is produced from white adipose tissue and acts primarily to regulate energy balance. Obesity is associated with leptin resistance and increased circulating levels of leptin. Leptin has recently been shown to influence levels of IGF binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2), a protein that is reduced in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Overexpression of IGFBP-2 protects against obesity and type 2 diabetes. As such, IGFBP-2 signaling may represent a novel pathway by which leptin regulates insulin sensitivity. We sought to investigate how leptin regulates skeletal muscle IGFBP-2 levels and to assess the impact of this on insulin signaling and glucose uptake. In vitro experiments were undertaken in cultured human skeletal myotubes, whereas in vivo experiments assessed the effect of intracerebroventricular leptin on peripheral skeletal muscle IGFBP-2 expression and insulin sensitivity in sheep. Leptin directly increased IGFBP-2 mRNA and protein in human skeletal muscle through both signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling, in parallel with enhanced insulin signaling. Silencing IGFBP-2 lowered leptin- and insulin-stimulated protein kinase B phosphorylation and glucose uptake. In in vivo experiments, intracerebroventricular leptin significantly increased hind-limb skeletal muscle IGFBP-2, an effect completely blocked by concurrent peripheral infusion of a β-adrenergic blocking agent. Sheep receiving central leptin showed improvements in glucose tolerance and circulating insulin levels after an iv glucose load. In summary, leptin regulates skeletal muscle IGFBP-2 by both direct peripheral and central (via the sympathetic nervous system) mechanisms, and these likely impact on peripheral insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
Receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase RPTPα controls epithelial adherens junctions, linking E-cadherin engagement to c-Src signaling to cortactin
Authors: Truffi Marta , Dubreuil Véronique , Liang Xuan , Vacaresse Nathalie , Nigon Fabienne , Han Siew Ping , Yap Alpha S. , Gomez Guillermo A. , Sap Jan
Published: March 2014

Epithelial junctions are fundamental determinants of tissue organization, subject to regulation by tyrosine phosphorylation. E-cadherin homophilic binding activates tyrosine kinases, such as Src, that controls junctional integrity. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) also contribute to cadherin-based adhesion and signaling, but little is known about their specific identity or functions at epithelial junctions.

We report here that the receptor-PTP RPTPα is recruited to epithelial adherens junctions at the time of cell-cell contact, where it is in molecular proximity to E-cadherin. RPTPα is required for appropriate cadherin-dependent adhesion, and for cyst architecture in 3-dimensional culture. Loss of RPTPα impairs adherens junction integrity, manifested by defective E-cadherin accumulation and perijunctional F-actin density. These effects correlate with a role for RPTPα in c-Src activation at sites of E-cadherin engagement. Mechanistically, RPTPα is required for appropriate tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin, a major Src substrate and a cytoskeletal actin organizer. Expression of a phosphomimetic cortactin mutant in RPTPα-depleted cells partially rescues F-actin and E-cadherin accumulation at intercellular contacts.

These findings indicate that RPTPα controls cadherin-mediated signaling by linking homophilic E-cadherin engagement to cortactin tyrosine phosphorylation via c-Src.
«Case analysis» Method as Applied to Higher School ESOL Teaching
Authors: Андреева Ирина , Andreeva Irina
Published: March 2014

The article discusses the use of the «Case analysis» method in teaching students a foreign language at higher

school. Acquainting the reader with the history and development of this method, the paper provides a detailed

comparative analysis of the «Case analysis» and the method of problem analysis taking into consideration

the experience of using it in the Russian higher education environment. The article presents the advantages

and disadvantages of both methods when teaching a foreign language and provides an execution plan

for working with foreign-language material in the context of modular training and the above-mentioned

techniques usage — the stages of implementation, a plan diagram, evaluation criteria. The author also

emphasizes the necessity of additional training for teachers.
Strategic Lines for Russian Education Service Market Development
Authors: Степанова Светлана , Stepanova Svetlana
Published: March 2014

The article analyses the specific features of the Russian education service market, presents a cumulative

evaluation of the problem of labour market competitive educational product development, and clarifies the

strategic lines for education service market development as determined by an increasingly significant role of

innovation in Russia’s economic development and the changes in the body of law regulating the activity of

educational institutions.
Risperidone: Stuttering
Authors: Generali Joyce A. , Cada Dennis J.
Published: March 2014

This Hospital Pharmacy feature is extracted from Off-Label Drug Facts, a publication available from Wolters Kluwer Health. Off-Label Drug Facts is a practitioner-oriented resource for information about specific drug uses that are unapproved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This new guide to the literature enables the health care professional or clinician to quickly identify published studies on off-label uses and determine if a specific use is rational in a patient care scenario. References direct the reader to the full literature for more comprehensive information before patient care decisions are made. Direct questions or comments regarding Off-Label Drug Uses to jgeneral@ku.edu .
Social Support and Success at Stopping Smoking
Authors: May Sylvia , West Robert , Hajek Peter , McEwen Andy , McRobbie Hayden
Published: March 2014

This article characterises the social support received by a large sample of smokers attempting to stop and the relationship between this and the outcome of their attempt. A survey was conducted of 928 smokers attending a group-based program. Smoking among colleagues and a perception of having someone to turn to predicted outcome at the end of treatment, 4 weeks from the quit date (Odds ratio [OR] = 0.81, p = .008 and OR = 1.31, p = .003 respectively) Among those who abstained for the first week, smoking among colleagues and the frequency with which they had been offered cigarettes predicted outcome at the end of treatment (OR = 0.81, p = .04 and OR = 0.73, p = .01 respectively). There were no significant social support correlates of cessation for 26 weeks. Social support has a role to play in the short-term, but in the context of a group-based treatment program appears not to be related to long-term success.
Settlement of Gracilaria gracilis carpospores (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) on natural substrates from the southwestern Atlantic coast (Chubut, Argentina)
Authors: Hughes Melanie Hebe , Michetti Karina Mariel , Leonardi Patricia Inés
Published: March 2014

Gracilaria gracilis is an important agarophyte that is exploited in Argentina by the harvest of detached thalli cast on the shore. Therefore, the study of carpospores is relevant because such spores can be used as inoculum for commercial aquaculture. In this study, the potential of two natural substrates from the Patagonian coast, for the settlement and growth of G. gracilis carpospores, was evaluated in the laboratory. Highly significant differences were found between substrates both in the proportion of substrates with settled spores and in carpospore density, shells being more suitable than pebbles. Regarding carposporeling growth, differences in sporeling length between substrates could not be detected by the end of the study, although basal discs reached a significantly higher diameter on pebbles than on shells. Results indicate that shells would be a good substrate to start spore culture because they offer a suitable surface for spore settlement. In addition, if the substrate is inoculated with sufficient seedling material to avoid competition among individuals and, if epiphytism is successfully reduced, sporelings should reach the required size for transport to the natural environment.
Bergman kernel along the Kähler–Ricci flow and Tian’s conjecture
Authors: Jiang Wenshuai
Published: March 2014

In this paper,
we study the behavior of Bergman kernels along the Kähler–Ricci flow on Fano manifolds. We show that the Bergman kernels are equivalent along the Kähler–Ricci flow for short time under certain condition on the Ricci curvature of the initial metric.
Then, using a recent work of Tian and Zhang, we can solve a conjecture of Tian for Fano manifolds of complex dimension at most 3.
On a characteristic property of conditionally well-posed problems
Authors: Kokurin Mikhail Y.
Published: March 2014

The aim of this paper is to discuss and illustrate the fact that conditionally well-posed problems stand out among all ill-posed problems as being regularizable via an operator independent of the level of errors in input data. We give examples of corresponding purely data driven regularizing algorithms for various classes of conditionally well-posed inverse problems and optimization problems in the context of deterministic and stochastic error models.
Dielectric behaviors of carbon nanotube/silicone elastomer composites
Authors: Li Hongyan , Liu Hongli , Li Junwei , Wei Dongqing , Wang Yantao , Song Boxue
Published: March 2014

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with different aspect ratios were modified by a silane coupling agent. The modified CNTs were embedded into a silicone elastomer (SE) matrix to obtain the composites. The dielectric behaviors of the composites with different frequencies of outer electric field were investigated. The results showed that the CNTs were modified by a silane coupling agent to improve the interaction with the SE matrix. The dielectric loss and permittivity of the SE were enhanced by the addition of CNTs. The CNTs with larger aspect ratios had a more effective dielectric loss and permittivity-enhancing effect. There were three existent polarization mechanisms in the composites, and the response times of the three were different. When the field frequency increased, a polarization mechanism or two would not catch up with the increase, and the dielectric loss and permittivity would obviously be affected. The CNTs with larger aspect ratios had a more effective dielectric loss and permittivity-enhancing effect. According to the Debye equation, CNT/SE composites have a similar function as the parallel RLC circuit.
Polymorphisms of CLEC16A Region and Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases
Authors: Muhali Fatuma-Said , Cai Tian-tian , Zhu Jiao-li , Qin Qiu , Xu Jian , He Shuang-tao , Shi Xiao-hong , Jiang Wen-juan , Xiao Ling , Li Dan-Feng , Zhang Jin-an
Published: March 2014

To investigate the association of CLEC16A gene polymorphisms and autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs). Six hundred sixty seven Han Chinese patients with AITDs were selected as study subjects, including 417 patients with Graves’ disease (GD), 250 patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and 301 healthy control patients. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and the mass spectrometry technique were used to genotype five CLEC16A single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs12708716, rs12917716, rs12931878, rs2903692, and rs6498169). Higher frequency of G allele of rs6498169 CLEC16A gene in AITDs patients [P = 0.029, odds ratio (OR) 1.29 and 95% confidence interval 1.022−1.505] was observed. In addition an association between rs6498169 and HT was observed with statistical significance (P = 0.018, OR 1.335, 95% confidence interval 1.051−1.696). Furthermore, the GG haplotype containing the major allele of (rs12708716 and rs6498169) was associated with an increased risk of HT (P = 0.0148, OR 1.344). When patients with HT and controls were compared, results from the dominant and recessive models showed that the genotype frequency of rs6498169 were at borderline levels (P = 0.054 and P = 0.05), and the other four SNPs of CLEC16A gene showed no significant association with AITDs. Our results suggest that polymorphisms rs6498169 of CLEC16A gene confers susceptibility to AITDs. We therefore disclose for the first time the association of rs6498169 SNP with AITDs.
Immersion in Water During Labor and Delivery
Authors:   AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS Committee on Fetus and Newborn,   AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS Committee on Obstetric Practice, Papile Lu-Ann , Baley Jill E. , Benitz William , Carlo Waldemar A. , Cummings James , Kumar Praveen , Polin Richard A. , Tan Rosemarie C. , Watterberg Kristi L. , Macones George A. , Ecker Jeffrey L. , Beigi Richard H. , Caughey Aaron B. , Dugoff Lorraine , Goldberg James D. , Jackson Rebecca , Jamieson Denise J. , Minkoff Howard L. , Nacion Karla W. , Owens Michelle Y. , Pettker Christian Michael , Pressman Eva K.
Published: March 2014

Immersion in water has been suggested as a beneficial alternative for labor, delivery, or both and over the past decades has gained popularity in many parts of the world. Immersion in water during the first stage of labor may be associated with decreased pain or use of anesthesia and decreased duration of labor. However, there is no evidence that immersion in water during the first stage of labor otherwise improves perinatal outcomes, and it should not prevent or inhibit other elements of care. The safety and efficacy of immersion in water during the second stage of labor have not been established, and immersion in water during the second stage of labor has not been associated with maternal or fetal benefit. Given these facts and case reports of rare but serious adverse effects in the newborn, the practice of immersion in the second stage of labor (underwater delivery) should be considered an experimental procedure that only should be performed within the context of an appropriately designed clinical trial with informed consent. Facilities that plan to offer immersion in the first stage of labor need to establish rigorous protocols for candidate selection, maintenance and cleaning of tubs and immersion pools, infection control procedures, monitoring of mothers and fetuses at appropriate intervals while immersed, and immediately and safely moving women out of the tubs if maternal or fetal concerns develop.
Electron Dynamics of Solvated Ti(OH)4
Authors: Vogel Dayton J. , Kilin Dmitri S.
Published: March 2014

Increasing interest in the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 has led to considerations of using TiO2 nanoparticles in energy generation. In order to better understand the electron-hole relaxation of nano scale TiO2 structures, it is important to start with an understanding of TiO2 synthesis building blocks. The solvated titanium (IV) ion is a precursor found in synthesis methods of colloidal TiO2 nanostructures. This simplest test compound may reflect some common basic electronic features for larger structures composed of Ti(IV) coordinated with oxygen. For this computational study, a model of Ti(OH)4 with tetrahedral coordination was created. To simulate the electronic properties of a solution of Ti(IV), the model was surrounded with 27 H2O molecules. The model was explored by means of standard density functional theory (DFT) molecular dynamics (MD) followed by nonadiabatic electron dynamics computed with Reduced Density Matrix approach combined with “on-the-fly coupling”. Results were generated with Vienna ab initio Simulation Package (VASP) using the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) functional, plane wave basis set, and projector augmented wave (PAW) potentials. The absorption spectra, MD, and electron-hole relaxation rates are presented for the Ti(OH)4 model at various ambient temperatures. The electron-hole relaxation rates show a non-linear dependence on temperature and were found to be near the same order of magnitude as electron-hole relaxation rates in bulk TiO2 calculations. A video of the geometry optimization can be found online.[1]
High-Pressure and High-Temperature Synthesis of a Novel Perovskite Compound: Magnetic and Electric Properties of the Rhodium Oxide SrRhO3
Authors: Yamaura K. , Young D.P. , Takayama-Muromachi E.
Published: March 2014

Novel perovskite compound SrRhO3 was synthesized in a polycrystalline form by high-pressure technique at 6 GPa and 1500°C, followed by measurements of magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, thermopower, and specific heat. Powder x-ray diffraction study found the slightly distorted perovskite structure, GdFeO3-type, to be likely to SrRhO3; space group was Pnma and lattice parameters were α = 5.5394(2) Å, b = 7.8539 (3) Å, and c = 5.5666(2) A. Oxygen vacancies in the perovskite were quantitatively investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and then found either absent or at least insignificant. The title compound shows a Fermi-liquid behavior in its electrical resistivity. The magnetic susceptibility is large [χ(300) ∼1.1x10-3 emu/mol-Rh], and the characteristics seem to be intermediate between enhanced Pauli- and Curie-Weiss-type paramagnetism.
Solid phase crystallization of hot-wire CVD amorphous silicon films
Authors: Young David L. , Stradins Paul , Iwaniczko Eugene , To Bobby , Reedy Bob , Yan Yanfa , Branz Howard M. , Lohr John , Alvarez Manuel , Booske John , Marconnet Amy , Wang Qi
Published: March 2014

We measure times for complete solid phase crystallization (SPC) of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin films that vary eight orders of magnitude, from a few ms to a few days. The time-to-crystallization activation energy is consistent with literature values of approximately 3.4 eV but the prefactor is markedly different for hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) films than for plasma-enhanced (PE) CVD films. The crystallized films were 0.3 – 2 μm thick, and deposited by high deposition rate (10-100 Å/s) HWCVD or standard PECVD onto glass substrates. We annealed these a-Si:H films over a wide temperature range (500 to 1100 °C) using techniques including simple hot-plates and tube furnaces, rapid thermal annealing by a tungsten-halogen lamp, and microwave electromagnetic heating at 2.45 GHz (magnetron) and 110 GHz (gyrotron).
Plasma Generation for Materials Processing
Authors: Lieberman M.A. , Selwyn G.S. , Tuszewski M.
Published: March 2014

Chemically reactive plasma discharges are widely used to process materials. A plasma is a primarily electrically neutral collection of free charged particles moving in random directions. The simplest plasma consists of electrons and one kind of positive ions. This article deals primarily with plasma discharges, which are plasmas having the following features:

(1) They are driven electrically.

(2) Charged-particle collisions with neutral-gas molecules are important.

(3) There are boundaries at which surface losses are important.

(4) Ionization of neutrals sustains the plasma in the steady state.

One simple discharge consists of a voltage source that drives current through a low-pressure gas between two conducting plates or electrodes. The gas “breaks down” to form a plasma, usually weakly ionized—that is, the plasma density is only a small fraction of the neutral-gas density.

The plasmas used in materials processing present an enormous range of charged-particle densities n and of temperatures Te, Ti, and T for electrons, ions, and processing gas, respectively. High-pressure (atmospheric) discharges are in near-thermal equilibrium (Te ~ Ti ~ T ~ 0.1–2 eV). Plasma temperatures are usually given in equivalent electron-volt units: One eV is equivalent to 11600 K through the Boltzmann constant. As discussed in the article by Boulos and Pfender in this issue of MRS Bulletin, these thermal discharges have high densities n ~ 1014-1019 particles/cm3 and are mainly used as heat sources. Low-pressure (1 mTorr–10 Torr) discharges are not in thermal equilibrium (Te ~ 2–5 eV ≫ Ti ~ T) and have low densities n ~ 109–1012 particles/cm3. As discussed in several of the following articles, these discharges are used as miniature chemical factories in which feedstock gases are broken into positive ions and chemically reactive etchants, deposition precursors, etc., which then flow to and physically or chemically react at the surface of a substrate.
Fracture Mechanics of Functionally Graded Materials
Authors: Erdogan F.
Published: March 2014

In today's highly demanding technological environment, one of the main challenges in new material design is combining seemingly irreconcilable thermomechanical properties in the same component (e.g., high heat and corrosion resistance, high strength in elevated-temperature applications and high resistance to wear, and high toughness in load-bearing elements). In many cases, the problem may be solved by using coatings or by layering dissimilar materials. From a structural viewpoint, a major disadvantage of these techniques, particularly in ceramic coating of metals, has been the resulting high thermal and residual stresses and relatively poor bonding strength. Thus, in thin films, coatings, and layered materials, surface cracking and debonding or delamination have been common forms of mechanical failure. One effective way of reducing residual and thermal stresses and enhancing bonding strength has been to eliminate material-property discontinuities by grading the material composition near the interfaces or through the coating. These new materials, with continuously varying compositions or volume fractions, are known as functionally graded materials (FGMs).

In developing FGMs, research on the mechanics, and particularly on the fracture mechanics of these inhomogeneous materials, is needed to provide technical support to materials scientists and to manufacturing and design engineers. In the past, fracture mechanics has been useful both as a screening tool during material processing and as a design and maintenance tool for service-life assessment. Broadly speaking, fracture mechanics involves studying the effect of the applied loads, the component/flaw geometry, and the environmental conditions on the fracture of engineering materials.
Long Fatigue Cracks — Microstructural Effects and Crack Closure
Authors: Liaw P.K.
Published: March 2014

Fracture mechanics technology is an effective tool for characterizing the rates of fatigue crack propagation. Generally, fatigue crack growth rate (da/dN) in each loading cycle can be presented as a function of stress intensity range (ΔK), where ΔK=Kmax—Kmin,KmaxandKminare the maximum and the minimum stress intensities, respectively. A typical fatigue crack growth rate curve ofda/dNversus ΔKcan be divided into three regimes, i.e., Stage I (near-threshold), Stage II (Paris), and Stage III (fast) crack growth regions, as shown in Figure 1.

Depending on the region of crack growth, fatigue crack growth behavior can be sensitive to microstructure, environment, and loading conditions [e.g.,R(load) ratio =Kmin/Kmax]. In the nearthreshold region, fatigue crack growth rates are very slow, ranging from approximately 10−10to 10−8m/cycle. In this region, the fatigue crack growth rate curve eventually reaches a threshold stress intensity range, ΔKth, below which the crack would not grow or grow at an extremely slow rate. Typically, the value of ΔKthis operationally defined as the stress intensity range which gives a corresponding crack growth rate of 10−10m/cycle. In the nearthreshold region, the influence of microstructure, environment, and load ratio on the rates of crack propagation is very significant.
Recruitment of mud clam Polymesoda erosa (Solander, 1876) in a mangrove habitat of Chorao island, Goa
Authors: Clemente Sandhya , Ingole Baban
Published: March 2014

Habitat-specific settlement success results either from active habitat selection or differential mortality after non-selective settlement. The mud clam Polymesoda erosa (Solander, 1876) is an ecologically and economically important benthic invertebrate with high abundance in the mangrove forests of Chorao Island, Goa, India. A one-year study (Jul 2004-Jul 2005) was conducted to characterize the patterns of post-larval settlement and survival of P. erosa in the mangrove habitat. The mean density of settling post-larvae was 28 no.m-2 with a majority of settlers during Sept 04. The density of adult clams in the landward zone ranged from 7-12 no.m-2 (mean: 9 ± 6 sd; n=122). In the seaward region, adults were completely absent at the low tide level. Higher densities of juveniles observed at the low- and mid-tide levels were assumed to be due to frequent inundation which allowed the young individuals to feed adequately and attain the critical sizes at which vulnerability to physical and biological constraints is substantially reduced, whereas, at high-tide level, increased desiccation may account for the mortality of settlers. It is speculated that initially the settlers settle according to the hydrodynamic conditions for sedimentation; however, adult survival is affected by their recruitment in a suitable habitat (e.g. substrates near Avicennia sp.). Thus, habitat dependent viability during the post-settlement phase could be the best explanation for the non-random, patchy distribution of P. erosa observed in the Chorao mangrove swamp.
Learning From Errors: Response to Gefitinib in Kidney Urothelial Carcinoma With EGFR Mutations
Authors: Fiorentino Michelangelo , Giunchi Francesca , Altimari Annalisa , Di Tullio PierGiorgio , Gruppioni Elisa , Martorana Giuseppe , Pinto Carmine
Published: March 2014

This letter describes the first demonstration of clinical response to the anti-EGFR inhibitor gefitinib in a case of urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis harboring a rare EGFR double mutation. New mutations and unexpected clinical responses should be always explored through wide-spectrum mutational analyses.
Agreed but not preferred: expert views on taboo options for biodiversity conservation, given climate change
Authors: Hagerman Shannon M. , Satterfield Terre
Published: March 2014

Recent research indicates increasing openness among conservation experts toward a set of previously controversial proposals for biodiversity protection. These include actions such as assisted migration, and the application of climate‐change‐informed triage principles for decision‐making (e.g., forgoing attention to target species deemed no longer viable). Little is known however, about the levels of expert agreement across different conservation adaptation actions, or the preferences that may come to shape policy recommendations. In this paper, we report findings from a web‐based survey of biodiversity experts that assessed: (1) perceived risks of climate change (and other drivers) to biodiversity, (2) relative importance of different conservation goals, (3) levels of agreement/disagreement with the potential necessity of unconventional‐taboo actions and approaches including affective evaluations of these, (4) preferences regarding the most important adaptation action for biodiversity, and (5) perceived barriers and strategic considerations regarding implementing adaptation initiatives. We found widespread agreement with a set of previously contentious approaches and actions, including the need for frameworks for prioritization and decision‐making that take expected losses and emerging novel ecosystems into consideration. Simultaneously, this survey found enduring preferences for conventional actions (such as protected areas) as the most important policy action, and negative affective responses toward more interventionist proposals. We argue that expert views are converging on agreement across a set of taboo components in ways that differ from earlier published positions, and that these views are tempered by preferences for existing conventional actions and discomfort toward interventionist options. We discuss these findings in the context of anticipating some of the likely contours of future conservation debates. Lastly, we underscore the critical need for interdisciplinary, comparative, place‐based adaptation research.
Quantifying restoration effectiveness using multi‐scale habitat models: implications for sage‐grouse in the Great Basin
Authors: Arkle Robert S. , Pilliod David S. , Hanser Steven E. , Brooks Matthew L. , Chambers Jeanne C. , Grace James B. , Knutson Kevin C. , Pyke David A. , Welty Justin L. , Wirth Troy A.
Published: March 2014

A recurrent challenge in the conservation of wide‐ranging, imperiled species is understanding which habitats to protect and whether we are capable of restoring degraded landscapes. For Greater Sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a species of conservation concern in the western United States, we approached this problem by developing multi‐scale empirical models of occupancy in 211 randomly located plots within a 40 million ha portion of the species' range. We then used these models to predict sage‐grouse habitat quality at 826 plots associated with 101 post‐wildfire seeding projects implemented from 1990 to 2003. We also compared conditions at restoration sites to published habitat guidelines. Sage‐grouse occupancy was positively related to plot‐ and landscape‐level dwarf sagebrush (Artemisia arbuscula, A. nova, A. tripartita) and big sagebrush steppe prevalence, and negatively associated with non‐native plants and human development. The predicted probability of sage‐grouse occupancy at treated plots was low on average (0.09) and not substantially different from burned areas that had not been treated. Restoration sites with quality habitat tended to occur at higher elevation locations with low annual temperatures, high spring precipitation, and high plant diversity. Of 313 plots seeded after fire, none met all sagebrush guidelines for breeding habitats, but approximately 50% met understory guidelines, particularly for perennial grasses. This pattern was similar for summer habitat. Less than 2% of treated plots met winter habitat guidelines. Restoration actions did not increase the probability of burned areas meeting most guideline criteria. The probability of meeting guidelines was influenced by a latitudinal gradient, climate, and topography. Our results suggest that sage‐grouse are relatively unlikely to use many burned areas within 20 years of fire, regardless of treatment. Understory habitat conditions are more likely to be adequate than overstory conditions, but in most climates, establishing forbs and reducing cheatgrass dominance is unlikely. Reestablishing sagebrush cover will require more than 20 years using past restoration methods. Given current fire frequencies and restoration capabilities, protection of landscapes containing a mix of dwarf sagebrush and big sagebrush steppe, minimal human development, and low non‐native plant cover may provide the best opportunity for conservation of sage‐grouse habitats.
MOCVD grown MWIR HgCdTe detectors for high operation temperature conditions
Authors: Martyniuk P. , Koźniewski A. , Kębłowski A. , Gawron W. , Rogalski A.
Published: March 2014

The paper reports on photoelectrical performance of the mid-wave infrared HgCdTe detector for high operating temperature condition. Detector structure was simulated with APSYS numerical platform by Crosslight Inc. The comprehensive analysis of the detector performance such as dark current, detectivity, time response vs. device architecture and applied bias has been performed. The N+pP+n+ HgCdTe heterostructure photodiode operating in room temperature at a wavelength range of 2.6–3.6 μm enabled to reach: detectivity ∼8.7×1010 cmHz1/2/W, responsivity ∼1.72 A/W and time response ∼ 145 ps (V = 200 mV).
Travel and Car Ownership of Residents near New Suburban Metro Stations in Shanghai, China
Authors: Pan Haixiao , Shen Qing , Zhao Ting
Published: March 2014

Large cities in China are building extensive rail transit systems in combination with transit-oriented development in suburban areas, so that public transportation can play a leading role in supporting rapid urban expansion. Shanghai, China has been a leader in this planning approach. Shanghai's experience can be valuable for other cities facing similar pressures of urbanization, suburbanization, and motorization while striving to improve livability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To gain useful insights from Shanghai, a travel survey of residents in a recently developed suburban metro station area was conducted to examine how the city's mass rapid transit (MRT) has influenced residents’ travel and car ownership. With statistical methods, including logistic regression, it was found that (a) MRT was generally adequate in supporting the station area's economic relationships with the central city and local employment locations; (b) a high percentage of residents intended to commute by the MRT when they moved to the suburban station area, and their original intention positively influenced their current travel and car ownership; and (c) rail transit may help temporarily reduce the pace of motorization in households near suburban metro stations by delaying a car purchase and lowering the probability of car use in commuting. However, it was also found that car ownership had been increasing quite rapidly despite the positive effects of a much expanded and improved metro system, and that once a person owned a car, he or she would most likely drive to work.
Association of dorsal inferior frontooccipital fasciculus fibers in the deep parietal lobe with both reading and writing processes: a brain mapping study
Authors: Motomura Kazuya , Fujii Masazumi , Maesawa Satoshi , Kuramitsu Shunichiro , Natsume Atsushi , Wakabayashi Toshihiko
Published: March 2014

Alexia and agraphia are disorders common to the left inferior parietal lobule, including the angular and supramarginal gyri. However, it is still unclear how these cortical regions interact with other cortical sites and what the most important white matter tracts are in relation to reading and writing processes.

Here, the authors present the case of a patient who underwent an awake craniotomy for a left inferior parietal lobule glioma using direct cortical and subcortical electrostimulation. The use of subcortical stimulation allowed identification of the specific white matter tracts associated with reading and writing. These tracts were found as portions of the dorsal inferior frontooccipital fasciculus (IFOF) fibers in the deep parietal lobe that are responsible for connecting the frontal lobe to the superior parietal lobule. These findings are consistent with previous diffusion tensor imaging tractography and functional MRI studies, which suggest that the IFOF may play a role in the reading and writing processes. This is the first report of transient alexia and agraphia elicited through intraoperative direct subcortical electrostimulation, and the findings support the crucial role of the IFOF in reading and writing.