bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of pelvic organ prolapse repair on detrusor overactivity in women following incontinence surgery: A multivariate analysis
Authors: Virseda‐Chamorro Miguel , Salinas‐Casado Jesús , Tapia‐Herrero Ana María , Pesquera Laura , Méndez‐Rubio Santiago , Esteban‐Fuertes Manuel , Resel‐Forskelma Luis , Moreno‐Sierra Jesús
Published: February 2017

AIMS

To determine the effect of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair on post‐operative detrusor overactivity (DO) in women who have underwent incontinence surgery, using multivariate analysis.

METHODS

A retrospective study was carried out on a cohort of 105 women who underwent incontinence surgery. In 39 of the patients this surgery was associated with pelvic organ prolapse repair. Clinical and urodynamic data were collected pre‐ and 3 months post‐operatively. A multivariate statistical analysis was performed to detect confounding factors which could influence on the risk factors associated with post‐operative detrusor overactivity.

RESULTS

On univariate analysis, the following pre‐operative factors were associated with post‐operative detrusor overactivity: symptomatic mixed urinary incontinence, rectocele, detrusor overactivity, voided volume on free uroflowmetry, maximum cystomanometric capacity, and performing concomitant pelvic organ prolapse repair. Multivariate analysis, by means of confounding factors elimination, revealed that only pre‐operative rectocele and detrusor overactivity were independent risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The pelvic organ prolapse repair acts as a confounding factor. Women with a pre‐operative rectocele and detrusor overactivity are on a greater risk to develop post‐operative detrusor overactivity and, therefore, they should be informed.
Improper ferroelectrics as high‐efficiency energy conversion materials
Authors: Wakamatsu Toru , Tanabe Kenji , Terasaki Ichiro , Taniguchi Hiroki
Published: February 2017

An improper ferroelectric is a certain type of ferroelectrics whose primary order parameter is not polarization but another physical quantity such as magnetization. In contrast to a conventional proper ferroelectrics as represented by Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 and BaTiO3, the improper ferroelectrics has been inconceivable for practical applications thus far. Herein, we illustrate the great potential of improper ferroelectrics for efficient conversion of temperature fluctuation to electric energy, as demonstrated with (Ca0.84Sr0.16)8[AlO2]12(MoO4)2 (CSAM‐16). The present study has experimentally proven that CSAM‐16 achieves an excellent electrothermal coupling factor and high electric field sensitivity for pyroelectric energy conversion that approach a practical level for application to self‐powered autonomous electronic devices for rapidly spreading wireless sensor networks. The present results provide a novel approach to developing innovative pyroelectric energy harvesting devices using improper ferroelectrics.
Context and Implications Document for: Is informal education the answer to increasing and widening participation in STEM education?
Authors: Banerjee Pallavi Amitava
Published: February 2017

This guide accompanies the following article: Banerjee, P. A (2017) Is informal education the answer to increasing and widening participation in STEM education?. Review of Education, DOI:10.1002/rev3.3093
Optimal discrete higher‐order sliding mode control of uncertain LTI systems with partial state information
Authors: Sharma Nalin Kumar , Janardhanan Sivaramakrishnan
Published: February 2017

The concept of discrete higher‐order sliding mode has received increased attention in the recent literature. This paper presents an optimal discrete higher‐order sliding mode control for an uncertain discrete LTI system using partial state information, which has been missing in literature. A new technique is proposed to design an optimal time‐varying higher‐order sliding surface and control input through the minimization of a quadratic performance index. Moreover, disturbance estimation technique is utilized to modify the control algorithm to reduce the width of the discrete higher‐order sliding mode band. The proposed algorithm is experimentally validated on a rectilinear plant. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Evaluation of CMIP5 GCM Simulations over the Athabasca River Basin, Canada
Authors: Cheng G. H. , Huang G. H. , Dong C. , Zhu J. X. , Zhou X. , Yao Y.
Published: February 2017

Long‐term hydrological forecasting, water resources management and other climate change impacts or adaptation analysis studies on large continental river basins, for example, the Athabasca River Basin (ARB) in Canada, desire a reliable climatic projection. This usually relies on general circulation models (GCMs) in the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). However, there is a lack of a systematic evaluation of CMIP5 GCM performances over the ARB that vary with multiple factors, for example, statistical metrics, temporal scales and spatial locations, challenging the reliability of water‐related or other studies over the ARB. For this gap to be filled, six CMIP5 GCMs, namely, IPSL‐CM5A‐LR, IPSL‐CM5A‐MR, MIROC‐ESM‐CHEM, MIROC5, GFDL‐ESM2G and GFDL‐ESM2M, and their ensemble mean are selected according to data availabilities of representative climate variables: Tmin, Tmax and Prec (TTP). Accuracies of the selected CMIP5 GCMs in reproducing TTP over the ARB are evaluated comprehensively. The ensemble mean cannot outperform any GCM in all cases in the ARB, although its overall accuracy seems to be higher in consideration of all cases. These accuracies vary with TTP, locations, metrics and scales. For instance, ESM2G shows the highest accuracies in reproducing monthly/seasonal variability and magnitudes of grid‐averaged TTP and inter‐annual variability of grid‐averaged annual means of Tmax; CM5A‐LR in multi‐year‐averaged spatial variability of TTP and magnitudes of spatially distributed multi‐year‐averaged Tmax; while the ensemble mean only in some aspects, for example, intraseasonal variability and magnitudes of TTP and inter‐annual variability and magnitudes of grid‐averaged annual means of TTP. GCMs should be systematically integrated according to accuracy variations. Multiple statistical metrics are recommended in GCM evaluations. These findings facilitate water resources systems analyses and other related studies in the ARB. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Different responses in the expression of alginases, alginate polymerase and acetylation genes during alginate production by Azotobacter vinelandii under oxygen-controlled conditions
Authors: Díaz-Barrera Alvaro , Maturana Nataly , Pacheco-Leyva Ivette , Martínez Irene , Altamirano Claudia
Published: February 2017

Alginate production and gene expression of genes involved in alginate biosynthesis were evaluated in continuous cultures under dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) controlled conditions. Chemostat at 8% DOT showed an increase in the specific oxygen uptake rate (qO2)\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$(q_{{{\text{O}}_{ 2} }} )$$\end{document} from 10.9 to 45.3 mmol g−1 h−1 by changes in the dilution rate (D) from 0.06 to 0.10 h−1, whereas under 1% DOT the qO2\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$q_{{{\text{O}}_{ 2} }}$$\end{document} was not affected. Alginate molecular weight was not affected by DOT. However, chemostat at 1% DOT showed a downregulation up to 20-fold in genes encoding both the alginate polymerase (alg8, alg44), alginate acetylases (algV, algI) and alginate lyase AlgL. alyA1 and algE7 lyases gene expressions presented an opposite behavior by changing the DOT, suggesting that A. vinelandii can use specific depolymerases depending on the oxygen level. Overall, the DOT level have a differential effect on genes involved in alginate synthesis, thus a gene expression equilibrium determines the production of alginates of similar molecular weight under DOT controlled.
Drag reduction in turbulent channel flow laden with finite-size oblate spheroids
Authors: Niazi Ardekani M. , Costa P. , Breugem W.-P. , Picano F. , Brandt L.
Published: February 2017

We study suspensions of oblate rigid particles in a viscous fluid for different values of the particle volume fractions. Direct numerical simulations have been performed using a direct-forcing immersed boundary method to account for the dispersed phase, combined with a soft-sphere collision model and lubrication corrections for short-range particle–particle and particle–wall interactions. With respect to the single-phase flow, we show that in flows laden with oblate spheroids the drag is reduced and the turbulent fluctuations attenuated. In particular, the turbulence activity decreases to lower values than those obtained by accounting only for the effective suspension viscosity. To explain the observed drag reduction, we consider the particle dynamics and the interactions of the particles with the turbulent velocity field and show that the particle–wall layer, previously observed and found to be responsible for the increased dissipation in suspensions of spheres, disappears in the case of oblate particles. These rotate significantly slower than spheres near the wall and tend to stay with their major axes parallel to the wall, which leads to a decrease of the Reynolds stresses and turbulence production and so to the overall drag reduction.
The minimal-span channel for rough-wall turbulent flows
Authors: MacDonald M. , Chung D. , Hutchins N. , Chan L. , Ooi A. , García-Mayoral R.
Published: February 2017

Roughness predominantly alters the near-wall region of turbulent flow while the outer layer remains similar with respect to the wall shear stress. This makes it a prime candidate for the minimal-span channel, which only captures the near-wall flow by restricting the spanwise channel width to be of the order of a few hundred viscous units. Recently, Chung et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 773, 2015, pp. 418–431) showed that a minimal-span channel can accurately characterise the hydraulic behaviour of roughness. Following this, we aim to investigate the fundamental dynamics of the minimal-span channel framework with an eye towards further improving performance. The streamwise domain length of the channel is investigated with the minimum length found to be three times the spanwise width or 1000 viscous units, whichever is longer. The outer layer of the minimal channel is inherently unphysical and as such alterations to it can be performed so long as the near-wall flow, which is the same as in a full-span channel, remains unchanged. Firstly, a half-height (open) channel with slip wall is shown to reproduce the near-wall behaviour seen in a standard channel, but with half the number of grid points. Next, a forcing model is introduced into the outer layer of a half-height channel. This reduces the high streamwise velocity associated with the minimal channel and allows for a larger computational time step. Finally, an investigation is conducted to see if varying the roughness Reynolds number with time is a feasible method for obtaining the full hydraulic behaviour of a rough surface. Currently, multiple steady simulations at fixed roughness Reynolds numbers are needed to obtain this behaviour. The results indicate that the non-dimensional pressure gradient parameter must be kept below 0.03–0.07 to ensure that pressure gradient effects do not lead to an inaccurate roughness function. An empirical costing argument is developed to determine the cost in terms of CPU hours of minimal-span channel simulations a priori. This argument involves counting the number of eddy lifespans in the channel, which is then related to the statistical uncertainty of the streamwise velocity. For a given statistical uncertainty in the roughness function, this can then be used to determine the simulation run time. Following this, a finite-volume code with a body-fitted grid is used to determine the roughness function for square-based pyramids using the above insights. Comparisons to experimental studies for the same roughness geometry are made and good agreement is observed.
Perspectives
Authors: Crary Ryland W.
Published: February 2017

On Volume IV. This issue completes Volume IV of the Quarterly. Thanks to the support of our subscribers, the Society, and the University of Pittsburgh, the Quarterly has taken solid roots as a scholarly publication. The bibliography for Dr. Paul Nash's summation of recent research in the history of education (Review of Educational Research, February, 1964) gives evidence that the Quarterly has become the leading outlet for publication in this field.
The effect of family formation on the build-up of pension rights among minority ethnic groups and native women in Belgium
Authors: NEELS KAREL , DE WACHTER DAVID , PEETERS HANS
Published: February 2017

Gender penalties in pension outcomes are widely acknowledged and have been documented for majority populations in various settings. A recurring finding is that the gendered impact of family formation on work–care trajectories adversely affects women's accumulation of pension rights over the lifecourse relative to men. Although maternal employment is particularly low in migrant populations, few papers have explicitly addressed pension protection of migrant women. Using longitudinal microdata from the Belgian Social Security Registers, we analyse whether entry into parenthood differentially affected the build-up of first pillar pension rights of working-age migrant women compared to natives between 1998 and 2010, further distinguishing by origin group and migrant generation. The results show that native women are most likely to build up pension rights through full-time employment both before and after parenthood. In contrast, first-generation women and women of Turkish and Moroccan origin are more likely to build up pension rights though assimilated periods or rely on derived pension rights after parenthood, even when controlling for type of pension build-up before parenthood. We conclude that policies reinforcing individualisation of pension rights based on employment or decreasing the importance of derived rights may erode pension protection of groups having limited access to the labour market, and require co-ordination with employment and family policies that support the combination of work and care responsibilities.
Managing Uncertainty: The International Court of Justice, ‘Objective Reasonableness’ and the Judicial Function
Authors: GARRIDO-MUÑOZ ASIER
Published: February 2017

As a standard of review, ‘objective reasonableness’ has been in the academic spotlight after theWhaling in the Antarcticjudgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ or the Court). The Court's approach was conceptually innovative and seemed to have operated a partial reversal of the burden of proof in favour of the applicant. In response to certain criticisms addressed to that decision, this article makes two claims. First, ‘reasonableness’, while being inherently vague, gives a justifiable degree of discretion to judges, thereby enabling them to make difficult adjudicatory choices without departing from the applicable legal framework. Second, the term finds sufficient support in the Court's case law dealing with state discretion in the implementation of treaties. Both claims relate to the very same core idea: that even if one remains sceptical as to the capacity of the term to enhance certainty, ‘reasonableness’ is a basic conceptual tool that facilitates judicial review in complex cases, including those of a scientific nature.
Environmental factors associated with childhood norovirus diarrhoea in León, Nicaragua
Authors: BECKER-DREPS S. , CUTHBERTSON C. C. , BUCARDO F. , VINJE J. , PANIAGUA M. , GIEBULTOWICZ S. , ESPINOZA F. , EMCH M.
Published: February 2017

Norovirus is detected in one in five diarrhoea episodes in children, yet little is known about environmental risk factors associated with this disease, especially in low-income settings. The objective of this study was to examine environmental risk factors, and spatial and seasonal patterns of norovirus diarrhoea episodes in children in León, Nicaragua. We followed a population-based cohort of children under age 5 years for norovirus diarrhoea over a 1-year period. At baseline, characteristics of each household were recorded. Households were geocoded and spatial locations of garbage dumps, rivers, and markets were collected. In bivariate analysis we observed younger children and those with animals in their households were more likely to have experienced norovirus episodes. In adjusted models, younger children remained at higher risk for norovirus episodes, but only modest associations were observed with family and environmental characteristics. We next identified symptomatic children living in the same household and within 500 m buffer zones around the household of another child infected with the same genotype. Norovirus diarrhoea episodes peaked early in the rainy season. These findings contribute to our understanding of environmental factors and norovirus infection.
Heterochronic microRNAs in temporal specification of neural stem cells: application toward rejuvenation
Authors: Shimazaki Takuya , Okano Hideyuki
Published: February 2017

Plasticity is a critical factor enabling stem cells to contribute to the development and regeneration of tissues. In the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), neural stem cells (NSCs) that are defined by their capability for self-renewal and differentiation into neurons and glia, are present in the ventricular neuroaxis throughout life. However, the differentiation potential of NSCs changes in a spatiotemporally regulated manner and these cells progressively lose plasticity during development. One of the major alterations in this process is the switch from neurogenesis to gliogenesis. NSCs initiate neurogenesis immediately after neural tube closure and then turn to gliogenesis from midgestation, which requires an irreversible competence transition that enforces a progressive reduction of neuropotency. A growing body of evidence indicates that the neurogenesis-to-gliogenesis transition is governed by multiple layers of regulatory networks consisting of multiple factors, including epigenetic regulators, transcription factors, and non-coding RNA (ncRNA). In this review, we focus on critical roles of microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small ncRNA that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, in the regulation of the switch from neurogenesis to gliogenesis in NSCs in the developing CNS. Unraveling the regulatory interactions of miRNAs and target genes will provide insights into the regulation of plasticity of NSCs, and the development of new strategies for the regeneration of damaged CNS.
Reversibility and energy dissipation in adiabatic superconductor logic
Authors: Takeuchi Naoki , Yamanashi Yuki , Yoshikawa Nobuyuki
Published: February 2017

Reversible computing is considered to be a key technology to achieve an extremely high energy efficiency in future computers. In this study, we investigated the relationship between reversibility and energy dissipation in adiabatic superconductor logic. We analyzed the evolution of phase differences of Josephson junctions in the reversible quantum-flux-parametron (RQFP) gate and confirmed that the phase differences can change time reversibly, which indicates that the RQFP gate is physically, as well as logically, reversible. We calculated energy dissipation required for the RQFP gate to perform a logic operation and numerically demonstrated that the energy dissipation can fall below the thermal limit, or the Landauer bound, by lowering operation frequencies. We also investigated the 1-bit-erasure gate as a logically irreversible gate and the quasi-RQFP gate as a physically irreversible gate. We calculated the energy dissipation of these irreversible gates and showed that the energy dissipation of these gate is dominated by non-adiabatic state changes, which are induced by unwanted interactions between gates due to logical or physical irreversibility. Our results show that, in reversible computing using adiabatic superconductor logic, logical and physical reversibility are required to achieve energy dissipation smaller than the Landauer bound without non-adiabatic processes caused by gate interactions.
Genetic contribution to lipid levels in early life based on 158 loci validated in adults: the FAMILY study
Authors: Christie Shanice , Robiou-du-Pont Sébastien , Anand Sonia S. , Morrison Katherine M. , McDonald Sarah D. , Paré Guillaume , Atkinson Stephanie A. , Teo Koon K. , Meyre David
Published: February 2017

The contribution of polymorphisms associated with adult lipids in early life is unknown. We studied 158 adult lipid polymorphisms in 1440 participants (544 children, 544 mothers and 324 fathers) of the Family Atherosclerosis Monitoring In early life (FAMILY) birth cohort. Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) measurements were collected at birth, 3 and 5 years of age. Polymorphisms were genotyped using the Illumina Cardio-Metabochip array. Genotype scores (GS) were calculated for TC, HDL-C, LDL-C and TG. Linear and mixed-effects regressions adjusted for sex, age and population stratification were performed. The GS was associated with LDL-C level at 3 and 5 years (β = 0.017 ± 0.003, P = 2.9 × 10−8; β = 0.020 ± 0.003, P = 5.7 × 10−9) and from birth to 5 years (β = 0.013 ± 0.003, P = 2.6 × 10−7). The GS was associated with TC level at 3 and 5 years (β = 0.009 ± 0.002, P = 9.1 × 10−7; β = 0.009 ± 0.002, P = 7.7 × 10−6). CETP rs3764261 was associated with the HDL-C level from birth to 5 years (β = 0.064 ± 0.014, P =  7.4 × 10−6). AMPD3 rs2923084 was associated with the HDL-C level at 5 years (β = 0.096 ± 0.024, P = 9.7 × 10−5). Known loci associated with blood lipids in adults are associated with TC, LDL-C and HDL-C, but not TG in early life. Genetically predisposed children may benefit from early lipid lowering preventative strategies.
Towards Celiac-safe foods: Decreasing the affinity of transglutaminase 2 for gliadin by addition of ascorbyl palmitate and ZnCl2 as detoxifiers
Authors: Engstrom N. , Saenz-Méndez P. , Scheers J. , Scheers N.
Published: February 2017

Initiation of celiac disease is triggered in the gastrointestinal tract by transglutaminase 2 (TG2) assisted deamidation of gluten peptides. Deamidation is a side-reaction to transamidation and occurs if primary amines are absent. In contrast to deamidation, transamidation does not trigger an immune response. The aim of the study was to identify a suitable food additive that interacts with TG2 binding motives in gluten-derived peptides to prevent deamidation/transamidation. Homology modelling of α2-gliadin and computational screening of compounds for their binding affinity to a common TG2 binding motive (P)QLP were done by using computational approaches followed by experimental testing of TG2 activity. A database containing 1174 potential food grade ligands was screened against the model of α2-gliadin (27 out of 33 aa). Out of the five best ligands, ascorbyl palmitate, was observed to decrease TG2 transamidation of gliadin by 82% ± 2%. To completely silence the transamidation, we added zinc chloride (ZnCl2), and thereby reached a 99% ± 1% inhibition of TG2 activity. In addition, we conducted a pilot experiment in which ascorbyl palmitate was observed to decrease TG2 deamidation of gliadin completely. We propose ascorbyl palmitate in combination with ZnCl2 with the future perspective to become an additive in celiac-safe foods.
Precision cancer therapy is impacted by oncogene-dependent epigenome remodeling
Authors: Liu Feng , Mischel Paul S. , Cavenee Webster K.
Published: February 2017

The cancer genome provides the blueprint for identifying oncogenic mutations driving tumor growth and these mutant proteins and pathways are the targets for precision cancer therapies. However, many oncogenes are capable of reprogramming the landscape of active portion of the genome, commonly known as the epigenome. This creates fluidity, and thereby heterogeneity, that demands consideration of this additional layer of complexity for effective therapeutic design and application. Molecular dissection of the epigenome may identify oncogene-induced, actionable vulnerabilities, broadening the spectrum of precision oncology treatments.
The link between inflammation, bugs, the intestine and the brain in alcohol dependence
Authors: Leclercq S , de Timary P , Delzenne N M , Stärkel P
Published: February 2017

In recent years, some new processes have been proposed to explain how alcohol may influence behavior, psychological symptoms and alcohol seeking in alcohol-dependent subjects. In addition to its important effect on brain and neurotransmitters equilibrium, alcohol abuse also affects peripheral organs including the gut. By yet incompletely understood mechanisms, chronic alcohol abuse increases intestinal permeability and alters the composition of the gut microbiota, allowing bacterial components from the gut lumen to reach the systemic circulation. These gut-derived bacterial products are recognized by immune cells circulating in the blood or residing in target organs, which consequently synthesize and release pro-inflammatory cytokines. Circulating cytokines are considered important mediators of the gut–brain communication, as they can reach the central nervous system and induce neuroinflammation that is associated with change in mood, cognition and drinking behavior. These observations support the possibility that targeting the gut microbiota, by the use of probiotics or prebiotics, could restore the gut barrier function, reduce systemic inflammation and may have beneficial effect in treating alcohol dependence and in reducing alcohol relapse.
Schizophrenia-like phenotypes in mice with NMDA receptor ablation in intralaminar thalamic nucleus cells and gene therapy-based reversal in adults
Authors: Yasuda K , Hayashi Y , Yoshida T , Kashiwagi M , Nakagawa N , Michikawa T , Tanaka M , Ando R , Huang A , Hosoya T , McHugh T J , Kuwahara M , Itohara S
Published: February 2017

In understanding the mechanism of schizophrenia pathogenesis, a significant finding is that drug abuse of phencyclidine or its analog ketamine causes symptoms similar to schizophrenia. Such drug effects are triggered even by administration at post-adolescent stages. Both drugs are N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists, leading to a major hypothesis that glutamate hypofunction underlies schizophrenia pathogenesis. The precise region that depends on NMDAR function, however, is unclear. Here, we developed a mouse strain in which NMDARs in the intralaminar thalamic nuclei (ILN) were selectively disrupted. The mutant mice exhibited various schizophrenia-like phenotypes, including deficits in working memory, long-term spatial memory, and attention, as well as impulsivity, impaired prepulse inhibition, hyperlocomotion and hyperarousal. The electroencephalography analysis revealed that the mutant mice had a significantly reduced power in a wide range of frequencies including the alpha, beta and gamma bands, both during wake and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and a modest decrease of gamma power during non-REM sleep. Notably, restoring NMDARs in the adult ILN rescued some of the behavioral abnormalities. These findings suggest that NMDAR dysfunction in the ILN contributes to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia-related disorders. Furthermore, the reversal of inherent schizophrenia-like phenotypes in the adult mutant mice supports that ILN is a potential target site for a therapeutic strategy.
Porous calcium carbonate as a carrier material to increase the dissolution rate of poorly soluble flavouring compounds
Authors: Lundin Johnson Maria , Noreland David , Gane Patrick , Schoelkopf Joachim , Ridgway Cathy , Millqvist Fureby Anna
Published: February 2017

Flavouring molecules stabilised in amorphous state when loaded in FCC show enhanced dissolution rate compared to the crystalline counterpart.
Chiral recognition and determination of enantiomeric excess of chiral compounds by UV-visible-shortwave near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy with chemometrics
Authors: Lu Xiaomei , Tang Jie , Dang Xinxin , Jing Xiaoli , Xu Kailin , Li Hui , Liang Bing
Published: February 2017

UV-vis-SWNIR DRS with chemometrics is applied to chiral recognition and determination of e.e values of tartaric acid for the first time.
Towards the development of an effective in vivo wound healing agent from Bacillus sp. derived biosurfactant using Catla catla fish fat
Authors: Sana Santanu , Mazumder Asit , Datta Sriparna , Biswas Dipa
Published: February 2017

The aim of the present study was to investigate the excisional wound healing activity of a biosurfactant isolated fromBacillus stratosphericussp.
Highly efficient non-doped blue organic light emitting diodes based on a D–π–A chromophore with different donor moieties
Authors: Thanikachalam Venugopal , Jeeva Palanivel , Jayabharathi Jayaraman
Published: February 2017

The non-doped OLED based on MPPIS-Cz exhibits blue emission with CIE of (0.16, 0.08), maximum current and external quantum efficiency of 1.52 cd A−1 and of 1.42%, respectively.
Diazepinium perchlorate: a neutral catalyst for mild, solvent-free acetylation of carbohydrates and other substances
Authors: Giri Santosh Kumar , Gour Rajesh , Kartha K. P. Ravindranathan
Published: February 2017

Diazepinium perchlorate-promoted acetylation of free as well as partially protected sugars, phenols, thiophenols, thiols, other alcohols and amines is described.
Copper(i)-catalyzed sulfonylative Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling
Authors: Chen Yiding , Willis Michael C.
Published: February 2017

A sulfonylative variant of a “classic” cross-coupling, with a broad substrate scope. The electrophilic trapping of a sulfinate intermediate was also possible.
Interfacial engineering of renewable metal organic framework derived honeycomb-like nanoporous aluminum hydroxide with tunable porosity
Authors: Pan Ye-Tang , Zhang Lu , Zhao Xiaomin , Wang De-Yi
Published: February 2017

Novel honeycomb-like mesoporous aluminum hydroxide (pATH) was synthesized via a facile one-step reaction by employing ZIF-8 as a template.
Determination of total arsenic and speciation analysis in Mexican maize tortillas by hydride generation – microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry
Authors: Guerrero Esperanza Moises , Yanez Barrientos Eunice , Wrobel Kazimierz , Acevedo Aguilar Francisco Javier , Corrales Escobosa Alma Rosa , Wrobel Katarzyna
Published: February 2017

Determination and speciation of As in tortillas are reported.
A greener alternative for inline nitrate reduction in the sequential injection determination of NOx in natural waters: replacement of cadmium reduction by UV radiation
Authors: Machado Ana , Marshall Graham , Bordalo Adriano A. , Mesquita Raquel B. R.
Published: February 2017

A green alternative is proposed for the in-line nitrate reduction using a UV lamp, aiming to avoid the use of cadmium, in a NOx SIA determination.
Magnetostructural relationship for μ2-phenoxido bridged ferric dimers
Authors: Yu Fei , Cao Zi-Heng , Ge Jing-Yuan , Sun Yi-Chen , Ouyang Zhong-Wen , Zuo Jing-Lin , Wang Zhenxing , Kurmoo Mohamedally
Published: February 2017

The magneto-structural correlation between μ2-phenoxido bridged iron(iii) complexes are studied by structural analyses, magnetic, HF-EPR measurements, and DFT calculations. The magnetic exchange coupling is governed by the Fe–O–Fe angle and the crossover point from AF to F interactions isθat 97.83°.
Molecular layer deposition of “vanadicone”, a vanadium-based hybrid material, as an electrode for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Van de Kerckhove Kevin , Mattelaer Felix , Dendooven Jolien , Detavernier Christophe
Published: February 2017

Post-deposition heat treatments activate MLD vanadicone as a lithium-ion battery electrode.
A facile and general acid-catalyzed deuteration at methyl groups of N-heteroarylmethanes
Authors: Liu Min , Chen Xue , Chen Tieqiao , Yin Shuang-Feng
Published: February 2017

A general acid-catalyzed deuteration at the methyl group of N-heteroarylmethanes was achieved, which could be conducted at a 500 mmol-scale, showing its good potential for use in large-scale synthesis.
Enantioselective copper catalysed intramolecular C–H insertion reactions of α-diazo-β-keto sulfones, α-diazo-β-keto phosphine oxides and 2-diazo-1,3-diketones; the influence of the carbene substituent
Authors: Shiely Amy E. , Slattery Catherine N. , Ford Alan , Eccles Kevin S. , Lawrence Simon E. , Maguire Anita R.
Published: February 2017

Enantioselective C–H insertion reactions are described.
Inspired by elastomers: fabrication of hydrogels with tunable properties and re-shaping ability via photo-crosslinking at a macromolecular level
Authors: Zhang Changxu , Liu Zhiyong , Shi Zixing , Li Tiantian , Xu Hongjie , Ma Xiaodong , Yin Jie , Tian Ming
Published: February 2017

Fabrication of hydrogels with tunable properties and re-shaping abilityviaphoto-crosslinking at a macromolecular level.
Thermo and pH dual responsive polypeptides derived from “clickable” poly(γ-3-methylthiopropyl-l-glutamate)
Authors: Ge Chenglong , Zhao Liang , Ling Ying , Tang Haoyu
Published: February 2017

Thermo and pH dual responsive polypeptides bearing sulfonium linkages and ammonium pendants were prepared from “clickable” thioether-containing polypeptides.
Rational design to change product specificities and thermostability of cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase from Paenibacillus sp.
Authors: Li Yu , Wei Likun , Zhu Zhangliang , Li Songtao , Wang Jian-Wen , Xin Qinglong , Wang Hongbin , Lu Fuping , Qin Hui-Min
Published: February 2017

Functional modification of cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTases) for better product specificity and thermostability is of great importance for industrial applications.
Thermodynamic stabilization of semiclathrate hydrates by hydrophilic group
Authors: Muromachi S. , Kamo R. , Abe T. , Hiaki T. , Takeya S.
Published: February 2017

Introducing hydrophilic groups into carboxylates is a way to modify semiclathrate hydrate frameworks and change the properties of the hydrates.
Fully passive third‐order noise shaping SAR ADC
Authors: Payandehnia P. , Mirzaie H. , Maghami H. , Muhlestein J. , Temes G.C.
Published: February 2017

In this Letter, an opamp‐free noise shaping successive‐approximation register (SAR) ADC is proposed. Third‐order noise shaping is achieved by implementing a second‐order passive filter and a passive error feedback topology. In the proposed scheme, the SAR error signals (including quantisation noise, comparator thermal noise, DAC thermal noise and settling error) are subjected to third‐order noise shaping. Therefore, the thermal noise specifications of the comparator can be relaxed. Also, since no active element is used, the proposed scheme achieves a higher power efficiency than earlier SAR ADCs.
Control of SRM drive for photovoltaic powered water pumping system
Authors: Mishra Anjanee Kumar , Singh Bhim
Published: February 2017

The aim of present study is to develop a ‘Luo’ converter‐based low‐cost solar powered water pumping scheme utilising a switched reluctance motor (SRM). The speed of SRM drive is controlled by adjusting the DC‐bus voltage of split‐capacitor converter. The converter is electronically commutated at fundamental frequency for low switching losses. A ‘Luo’ DC–DC converter working in continuous inductor current and capacitor voltage modes (continuous inductor current mode and continuous capacitor voltage mode) is utilised to feed power to SRM drive through a split‐capacitor converter. It also provides the limitless sector of maximum power point tracking (MPPT). The elimination of current and voltage sensors on the motor side owing to variable speed operation of the motor drive makes the system cost‐effective and reliable. The soft‐starting of SRM drive is also achieved through the proper step size and initial duty cycle selection through MPPT algorithm. The performance of SRM system is validated by both Simulink/MATLAB platform‐based model and responses of developed prototype.
Improved method for field analysis of surface permanent magnet machines using Schwarz–Christoffel transformation
Authors: Ramakrishnan Kesavan , Zarko Damir , Hanic Ana , Mastinu Gianpiero
Published: February 2017

Air gap field solution for an outer rotor permanent magnet (PM) machine is derived based on numerical Schwarz–Christoffel (SC) transformation of a single slot geometry and analytical solution of a point wire field in the rectangular canonical domain. This approach takes into account geometrical distortions of PM edges and field evaluation points located along the air gap centre, which occur due to conformal mapping of the slotted air gap into a slotless domain and impair the accuracy of the existing analytical field solutions using SC transformation and complex relative air gap permeance. The increased accuracy of the improved solution is confirmed by comparing the air gap flux density waveforms produced by the PMs and armature winding, cogging torque, and total torque with the results of time‐stepping transient finite element simulation.
A detailed investigation of a novel vertical axis Darrieus wind rotor with two sets of blades
Authors: Chen Jian , Liu Pengwei , Xu Hongtao , Chen Liu , Yang Mo , Yang Liang
Published: February 2017

The lift-type vertical axis wind turbine (Darrieus rotor) is considered to be a promising device for harnessing wind energy due to its potential advantages. Traditionally, a standard Darrieus rotor has a single ring of airfoils (two or three airfoils) that spins about a vertical axis and has low starting torque. A few researchers have stated that the Darrieus rotor with two sets of blades is likely to improve not only the starting ability but also the power coefficient. However, they have not provided sufficient evidence to support their statement. Thus, in this paper, we conducted a detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) investigation on the characteristics (e.g., power output, static torque, vortex, and pressure contours) of this rotor with two sets of blades. The effect of the distance between the outer and inner blades on the performance of this rotor was also discussed and quantified. The findings of this paper are expected to help in developing this new type of Darrieus rotor and offer valuable suggestions for real field applications.
Genetic correlation between growth and reproductive performance of beef females depends on environment
Authors: Santana Jr Mário L. , Eler Joanir P. , Bignardi Annaiza B. , Boligon Arione A. , Ferraz José B. S.
Published: February 2017

In tropical production systems, beef cattle are raised in highly heterogeneous environments. Heterogeneity is, therefore, expected to exist in the (co)variance components for traits of economic interest in different production environments. The main objective of the present study was to estimate genetic correlations between growth traits and reproductive performance of beef females, depending on the environment. The present study was conducted in the tropical region of Brazil, applying a multiple-trait random regression animal model to field records of heifer pregnancy (HP), hip height, bodyweight at ~18 months of age (BW18) and postweaning weight gain (PWG) from 20 893 Nelore females. As evidence of genotype by environment interaction (G × E), heterogeneity of genetic variance across environments was observed mainly for HP, PWG and BW18. Moreover, the estimates of genetic correlation within these traits reached values lower than unity on the environmental gradient. The genetic correlation among growth traits tended to be stronger in favourable environments, a fact that should favour correlated responses under these conditions. In contrast, the genetic correlations between growth traits and HP tended to become weaker and even exhibited little evidence of antagonism in more favourable environments. On the basis of these findings, selection for higher growth in extreme favourable environments should result in little or no damage to HP as a correlated response. All these results lead us to believe that the G × E is an important factor to be considered in genetic evaluations of beef cattle raised in tropical environments.
Worker Centers
Authors: Gates Alice B.
Published: February 2017

This article describes worker centers as new sites for macro social work practice. Incorporating elements of community, policy, and organizational practice, worker centers are community-based organizations focused on the needs of low-wage and otherwise vulnerable groups of workers. This new type of worker organization emerged most prominently in the United States in the mid-1990s, largely in response to concerns about workplace abuses in low-wage and informal sectors dominated by immigrant workers and workers of color. Since then, the impact and reach of worker centers has grown through their dispersion across the United States and the growth of national worker center networks. Drawing on multiple traditions, including labor unions, settlement houses, and ethnic agencies, worker centers offer a hybrid approach to planned change. They support workers organizing for collective action, provide direct services, and advocate for policy change at the local, state, and federal level. Since their emergence, worker centers have led the efforts to pass legislation protecting domestic workers and helped low-wage workers win millions of dollars in lost or stolen wages from employers. These and other notable examples of U.S. worker centers’ contributions to macro practice will be discussed.
E. L. Doctorow
Authors: Calloway Catherine
Published: February 2017

E. L. (Edgar Laurence) Doctorow (b. 1931–d. 2015) is a well-established American writer of twelve novels, three collections of short stories, one play, several screenplays, and numerous essays and miscellaneous items. A native of New York City and a descendent of Russian Jewish immigrants, Doctorow grew up in the Bronx. After graduating from the Bronx High School of Science, he studied philosophy at Kenyon College in Ohio, where he was influenced by John Crowe Ransom and the New Critics, and then began graduate work in playwriting at Columbia University. When the military draft interrupted his graduate work in 1953, Doctorow served two years with the US Army Signal Corps in Germany. In 1954 he married Helen Setzer, also a writer, with whom he had three children. After leaving the military in 1955, Doctorow returned to New York, where he worked at various jobs. His time as a script reader at Columbia Pictures, as a senior editor for the New American Library, and as editor-in-chief, vice president, and publisher at Dial Press led to his writing fiction full time. By 1969 Doctorow had published two novels, one of which had been made into a movie, and was a writer-in-residence at the University of California at Irvine. Over the course of his career, he also held writer-in-residence or teaching positions at Sarah Lawrence College, the Yale School of Drama, the University of Utah, and Princeton University. In 1982 he became the Glucksman Professor of English and American Letters at New York University. With the publication of The Book of Daniel, which was nominated for a National Book Award in 1972, and Ragtime, which received the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1976, Doctorow was established as a major American writer and best-selling author. His works, which appeared in such forums as the New Yorker, Kenyon Review, Atlantic, Paris Review, and Gentleman’s Quarterly, continued to receive accolades. World’s Fair received the National Book Award in 1986, Billy Bathgate the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1990, and The March the PEN/Faulkner Award in 2006. Doctorow was also the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a William Dean Howells Medal, the Edith Wharton Citation of Merit for Fiction, a Chicago Tribune Literary Award, a National Humanities Medal, and a PEN/Saul Bellow Award, among others. Doctorow is well known for his structural innovation; his political, social, and historical concerns; his blurring of the boundaries between fiction and fact; and his treatment of such themes as family relationships, the horrors of war, identity, alienation, sexuality, history, justice, societal institutions, the American past, human consciousness, epistemological uncertainty, and the evils of corruption.
When the Laughing Stops: Subacute Combined Spinal Cord Degeneration Caused by Laughing Gas Use
Authors: Buizert Annemiek , Sharma Ruby , Koppen Hille
Published: February 2017

Here we describe a case of subacute combined spinal cord degeneration caused by nitrous oxide (N2O, laughing gas) use. Because of its euphoric effects, the use of N2O has become increasingly popular in recent years. Unfortunately, the use of N2O leads to inactivation of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 plays an essential role in the synthesis and maintenance of myelin, a fatty substance that surrounds nerve cells and is crucial for their functioning. Deficiency of vitamin B12 could typically result in degeneration of posterior and lateral columns of the spinal cord. Treatment with intramuscular vitamin B12 injections and abstinence of N2O generally leads to gradual improvement of symptoms. Our case demonstrates the importance of the methyl malonic acid test to detect early or mild vitamin B12 deficiency as a cause of myelopathy while serum vitamin B12 level may be normal. Written consent was obtained from our patient to publish the details of this individual case.
Food Gums
Authors: Clemens Roger A. , Pressman Peter
Published: February 2017

Gums and hydrocolloids represent a unique category of food additives. The various types of carbohydrates represented in this category provide many desirable functional properties and important characteristics in foods. Some of those properties include smooth textures, consistent rheological features, finished product stability, and possibly caloric reduction and modulation of the gut microflora. These food additives, many of which are extracted from natural sources, have a history of safe use in the food supply, as noted by numerous food regulatory agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives Combined Compendium of Food Additive Specifications.
Towards a unifying mechanism for cancelling movements
Authors: Noorani Imran
Published: February 2017

For precise motor control, we must be able to not only initiate movements with appropriate timing, but also stop them. The importance of stopping tended to be overlooked in research in favour of studying movement itself, so we are still only beginning to understand the neural basis of action cancellation. However, the development of models of behaviour in a wider range of tasks, and their relation to neural recordings has provided great insight into the underlying neurophysiology. Here we focus on developments of the linear approach to threshold with ergodic rate (LATER) model, relating these to complementary neurophysiological studies. It is tempting to consider that there may be a unifying mechanism for cancelling impending decisions in many contexts and how future efforts may clarify this possibility.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Movement suppression: brain mechanisms for stopping and stillness’.