bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving the catalytic behavior of inulin fructotransferase under high hydrostatic pressure
Authors: Li Yungao , Miao Ming , Chen Xiangyin , Jiang Bo , Liu Miao , Feng Biao
Published: January 2015

BACKGROUND

The demand for difructose anhydride III (DFA III), a novel functional sweetener, is growing continuously. It is produced from inulin by inulin fructotransferase (IFTase). In this study, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), as a clean technology, was first applied to further improve the catalytic efficiency of IFTase in the process.

RESULTS

The maximum activity of IFTase was obtained under 200 MPa at 60 °C. Meanwhile, HHP lowered the energy barrier necessary for the enzymatic reaction and decreased the volume between the reactants and the transition state. Under this condition, the optimal pH for the enzymatic reaction shifted from 5.5 to 6.0. The activity was further enhanced by 65.2% in the presence of 1.5 mol L−1 NaCl.

CONCLUSION

The catalytic reaction of IFTase was performed under HHP for the first time. HHP, as a promising green technology for bioconversion, significantly accelerated the enzymatic reaction under the appropriate operational conditions. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
What Limits the Chain Growth from Flat Surfaces in Surface‐Initiated ATRP: Propagation, Termination or Both?
Authors: Mastan Erlita , Xi Li , Zhu Shiping
Published: January 2015

Surface‐initiated controlled radical polymerization, such as ATRP, has been proven to be a powerful method for preparation of well‐controlled functional grafted polymers. There are thousands of experimental works published, by varying polymers, surfaces, and applications. In comparison, theoretical developments are very lacking. Many fundamental questions still remain to be answered. These questions include, but not limited to: What determine the surface initiator efficiency? How many chains per square nanometer can be fully grown? What is the maximum thickness can polymer grow to? If chains are simultaneously grown from surface and solution, which has higher molecular weight? Answers to these questions are most helpful for innovation and further development in this important area. In this work, we employed recently developed theories to explain experimentally observed kinetic profiles of polymer layer thickness growth. What limits the growth of surface chains? Is it the monomer starvation in grafting layer that slow down propagation? Or is it the termination of radicals that stop the chain growth? It was found that no existing models could fully explain the often contradictory experimental observations. It is our hope that this work will provoke further discussions and inspire more effort in resolving the fundamental issues of this area.
Robust control and fault detection for continuous‐time switched systems subject to a dwell time constraint
Authors: Zhong Guang‐Xin , Yang Guang‐Hong
Published: January 2015

This paper is concerned with the simultaneous robust control and fault detection problem for continuous‐time switched systems subject to a dwell time constraint. To meet the control and detection objectives under the constraint, the controller/detectors matching different time intervals are first constructed in an output feedback framework. A state‐dependent switching law that obeys the dwell time constraint is then designed such that the closed‐loop switched system is asymptotically stable and also with the robust and detection performance. Further, the proposed switching law is dependent only on the partial measurable states of the closed‐loop system, which is applicable when the states of system mode are fully unavailable. Thus, our result extends the existing ones in state‐dependent switching and state‐feedback frameworks. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bayesian visual analytics: BaVA
Authors: House Leanna , Leman Scotland , Han Chao
Published: January 2015

Leman et al. and Endert et al. develop an interactive data visualization framework called visual to parametric interaction (V2PI). With V2PI, experts may explore data visually (assess multiple data visualizations) based on their judgments and an underlying data analytic method. Specifically, V2PI offers a deterministic procedure to quantify expert judgments and update analytical parameters to create new data visualizations. In this article, we explain V2PI from a probabilistic perspective and develop Bayesian visual analytics (BaVA). We model data probabilistically, develop parallels between quantifying expert judgments and eliciting prior distributions from experts, and justify how we update parameters using Bayesian sequential updating. We apply BaVA using two linear projections methods to assess simulated and real‐world datasets.
Ambient Temperature Sodium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Manthiram Arumugam , Yu Xingwen
Published: January 2015

Ambient‐ or room‐temperature sodium–sulfur batteries (RT Na–S) are gaining much attention as a low‐cost option for large‐scale electrical energy storage applications. However, their adoption is hampered by severe challenges. This concept paper summarizes first the operating principles, history, recent progress, and challenges of RT Na–S battery technology, and then suggests future directions towards enhancing performance in order for it to be a viable technology.
Starch gelatinization and its complexity for analysis
Authors: Schirmer Markus , Jekle Mario , Becker Thomas
Published: January 2015

The term “gelatinization” of starch generally describes an irreversible structural change observable on all product design scales ranging from micro to macro level. These structural transformations of starch during thermal impact and in following production steps are highly dependent on several different aspects, which are, however, not sufficiently specified. In order to achieve a better understanding of these heat‐induced changes it is necessary to cluster the influencing aspects into the following two categories, raw material properties and process parameters. The development of physical analytical methods with their corresponding gelatinization aspects, in relation to their process parameters, is illustrated in this review. Based on the current knowledge it becomes apparent that no analytical system is present which would allow the investigation of starch gelatinization and the resulting structural changes on different length scales in food products. Therefore, the application of a specified non‐invasive online analyzing system to follow the starch gelatinization within a complex food matrix is recommended.
Physical properties and prebiotic activity of maize starch‐based functional films
Authors: Tang Yejun , Xie Fengwei , Zhang Duo , Zhu Meiyuan , Liu Lishi , Liu Peng , Gu Caiqin
Published: January 2015

The development of active packing materials has been focused on the incorporation of additives into the materials to afford more attractive and functional properties. In this paper, maize starch‐based functional films were prepared by adding prebiotics into the starch matrix. It was shown that with the addition of prebiotics and a decrease in their molecular weight, the starch‐based films became more soluble and more flexible. Specifically, the time for the waxy maize starch‐based films to be dissolved in water was reduced from 150 to 10 s. This could be ascribed to the disruption of starch film integration by the water‐soluble prebiotic, which enhanced the penetration of water to the films. Besides, the elongation at break of the films was increased from 15 to 46%, apparently due to the plasticization effect of the prebiotics. Moreover, the in vitro microorganism results indicated that the prebiotic activity of the functional films would not be affected by the film preparation (solution casting) process. These results demonstrated that starch‐based functional films can be prepared with prebiotic activity and instant water‐dissolution property. These films could be used as the packaging materials for water soaking foods, such as freeze‐drying vegetables.
Laws of mission-based programming
Authors: Zeyda Frank , Cavalcanti Ana
Published: January 2015

Safety-Critical Java (SCJ) is a recent technology that changes the execution and memory model of Java in such a way that applications can be statically analysed and certified for their real-time properties and safe use of memory. Our interest is in the development of comprehensive and sound techniques for the formal specification, refinement, design, and implementation of SCJ programs, using a correct-by-construction approach. As part of this work, we present here an account of laws and patterns that are of general use for the refinement of SCJ mission specifications into designs of parallel handlers, as they are used in the SCJ programming paradigm. Our refinement notation is a combination of languages from the

Circus

family, supporting state-rich reactive models with the addition of class objects and real-time properties. Starting from a sequential and centralised

Circus

specification, our laws permit refinement into

Circus

models of SCJ program designs. Automation and proof of the refinement laws is examined here, too. Our work is an important step towards eliciting laws of programming for SCJ and fits into a refinement strategy that we have developed previously to derive SCJ programs from specifications in a rigorous manner.
Model checking dynamic pushdown networks
Authors: Song Fu , Touili Tayssir
Published: January 2015

A dynamic pushdown network (DPN) is a set of pushdown systems (PDSs) where each process can dynamically create new instances of PDSs. DPNs are a natural model of multi-threaded programs with (possibly recursive) procedure calls and thread creation. Thus, it is important to have model checking algorithms for DPNs. We consider in this work model checking DPNs against single-indexed LTL and CTL properties of the form

⋀

f
i

such that
f

i

is a LTL/CTL formula over the PDS
i
. We consider the model checking problems w.r.t. simple valuations (i.e., whether a configuration satisfies an atomic proposition depends only on its control location) and w.r.t. regular valuations (i.e., the set of the configurations satisfying an atomic proposition is a regular set of configurations). We show that these model checking problems are decidable. We propose automata-based approaches for computing the set of configurations of a DPN that satisfy the corresponding single-indexed LTL/CTL formula.
Special Section on LGBT Resilience Across Cultures: Introduction
Authors: Beasley Christopher R. , Jenkins Richard A. , Valenti Maria
Published: January 2015

This special section addresses a gap area of resilience and LGBT well‐being. Although comprehensive global diversity regarding LGBT resilience was challenging to find, the special section includes representation from outside the US (Israel and Hong Kong), ethnic/racially diverse domestic populations, immigration, and one population for which LGBT identities might be considered marginalized—Christians in the US. The full range of LGBT identities are represented in the issue along with persons identifying as queer or questioning, although transgendered people were less well represented than lesbian, gay or bisexual identities.
Examination of placental three‐dimensional power Doppler indices and perinatal outcome in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction
Authors: Molnár András , Surányi Andrea , Nyári Tibor , Németh Gábor , Pál Attila
Published: January 2015

Objective

To examine placental vascularization using three‐dimensional power Doppler (3DPD) ultrasonography in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

Methods

The present prospective study was conducted at the University of Szeged (Szeged, Hungary) from February 2012 to March 2013. Women with a singleton pregnancy who attended the maternity outpatient ward in the second or third trimester were enrolled consecutively. Women were divided into two groups: those with a normal pregnancy and those with a pregnancy complicated by IUGR. Three 3DPD indices—vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index (VFI)—were assessed.

Results

A total of 223 women were enrolled: 171 were in the control group and 52 in the IUGR group. Median VI was 3.7% (interquartile range [IQR] 3.2%–4.2%) in the IUGR group and 10.1% (IQR 8.6%–10.9%) in the control group (P = 0.001). Median FI was 40.0 (IQR 39.7–42.5) in the IUGR group and 45.1 (IQR 44.1–53.1) in the control group (P = 0.012). Median VFI was 2.2 (IQR 2.1–2.4) in the IUGR group and 4.8 (IQR 4.4–5.3) in the control group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Placental vascularization was reduced in pregnancies complicated by IUGR.
On condition based maintenance policy
Authors: Shin Jong-Ho , Jun Hong-Bae
Published: January 2015

In the case of a high-valuable asset, the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) phase requires heavy charges and more efforts than the installation (construction) phase, because it has long usage life and any accident of an asset during this period causes catastrophic damage to an industry. Recently, with the advent of emerging Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), we can get the visibility of asset status information during its usage period. It gives us new challenging issues for improving the efficiency of asset operations. One issue is to implement the Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) approach that makes a diagnosis of the asset status based on wire or wireless monitored data, predicts the assets abnormality, and executes suitable maintenance actions such as repair and replacement before serious problems happen. In this study, we have addressed several aspects of CBM approach: definition, related international standards, procedure, and techniques with the introduction of some relevant case studies that we have carried out.
Troy and its Remains
Authors: Schliemann Heinrich
Published: January 2015

Heinrich Schliemann (1822–1890) was a successful businessman and self-taught archaeologist who is best known for discovering the site of the ancient city of Troy. This work in English, 'translated by the author's sanction' in 1875, describes his excavations at the ancient mound of Hissarlik in Turkey, which revealed the remains of not just one but several substantial, superimposed ancient settlements, the earliest of which dates back to 4500 BCE. Schliemann himself was convinced that he had located Troy, and the spectacular golden treasure which he unearthed made his discovery famous around the world. However, the crudeness of his excavating techniques was criticised by contemporary archaeologists, and later work on the site has led to the conclusion that the treasure is in fact from a much earlier settlement than Homeric Troy. Schliemann's achievement was nevertheless extraordinary, and this first-hand account of his discoveries makes compelling reading.
Letters on the Elementary Principles of Education
Authors: Hamilton Elizabeth
Published: January 2015

The novelist and essayist Elizabeth Hamilton (1756?–1816) received her education at a day school from the age of eight, and later recalled her childhood and schooldays fondly. However, intellectual girls in the period were regarded with some suspicion, and she remembered hiding from visitors those books that might be deemed inappropriate for a young woman. Later embarking on a literary career, she published in 1801 her Letters on Education, republished in this second edition of 1801–2. Owing much to the theories of John Locke as well as the period's standard conduct-book advice on the education of girls, Hamilton's work offers detailed theoretical explorations of how children learn. 'Be not afraid my good friend,' she writes, 'that I intend making speculative philosophers of your daughters.' Volume 1 includes comments on the 'pernicious effects of parental partiality', considering also 'contempt for the female character' and 'pride of station'.
Things Japanese
Authors: Chamberlain Basil Hall
Published: January 2015

Basil Hall Chamberlain (1850–1935) first encountered Japan on a journey intended to promote the recovery of his health: he had suffered a nervous breakdown while working for Barings Bank. In May 1873, he arrived in Yokohama, and was immediately fascinated by traditional Japanese culture. The drive for modernisation had created a need for teachers of English, and Chamberlain was taken on as a tutor in the naval academy, at the same time studying the Japanese language to such good effect that in 1886 he was made professor of Japanese and philology of the Imperial University (later Tokyo University). This book, first published in 1890, and going into six editions over the next fifty years, is in the form of an encyclopaedia, with topics from 'abacus' to 'zoology'. It gives an affectionate account of aspects of Japanese culture which Chamberlain realised were disappearing under the relentless impact of Western influence.
Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century
Authors: Nichols John
Published: January 2015

In this nine-volume work, published between 1812 and 1815, the author and publisher John Nichols (1745–1826) provides biographical notes on publishers, writers and artists of the eighteenth century, and also gives 'an incidental view of the progress and advancement of literature in this kingdom during the last century'. (A shorter version had been published in 1782.) His subjects range from the publisher William Bowyer to Henry Fielding and Horace Walpole, and also include histories of individual publishing houses and of genres such as lexicography. The work remains a useful source of biographical material on authors and publishers at a period when many of the literary genres we take for granted, such as the novel, the autobiography and the analytical history, were first being developed. Volume 7 contains an index to and corrections for all the preceding volumes, as well as a list of subscribers.
Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century
Authors: Nichols John
Published: January 2015

In this nine-volume work, published between 1812 and 1815, the author and publisher John Nichols (1745–1826) provides biographical notes on publishers, writers and artists of the eighteenth century, and also gives 'an incidental view of the progress and advancement of literature in this kingdom during the last century'. (A shorter version had been published in 1782.) His subjects range from the publisher William Bowyer to Henry Fielding and Horace Walpole, and also include histories of individual publishing houses and of genres such as lexicography. The work remains a useful source of biographical material on authors and publishers at a period when many of the literary genres we take for granted, such as the novel, the autobiography and the analytical history, were first being developed. Volume 9 contains anecdotes of Erasmus Darwin and John Wilkes, among many others, with additional material on the subjects of the earlier volumes.
The Court and Reign of Francis the First, King of France
Authors: Pardoe Julia
Published: January 2015

This two-volume work by the historian Julia Pardoe (1804–62) was published in 1849. (Her bestselling account of life in Turkey and her biography of Marie de Medici are both also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection.) Pardoe began writing poetry and novels, but later turned to non-fiction, especially travel narratives and historical biography. In this work, she attempts to remove the accretions of myth which have clung to Francis I and to his court. Noting the tendency of French historians to glorify the monarchs of the distant past, she observes: 'it is only by reference to the more confidential records and correspondence of the period' that the modern historian can arrive at 'a just estimate of the character and motives of the sovereign'. Volume 2 considers the tumultuous consequences of the Protestant reformation and the rivalry between France and the Habsburgs, and ends with Francis' death in 1547.
The Voyages and Travels of Captains Parry, Franklin, Ross, and Mr Belzoni
Authors: Dennett John Frederick
Published: January 2015

Little is known about the life of Captain John Frederick Dennett, who published this compilation of travel narratives in 1826, with a second edition in 1835. A naval officer, he was clearly familiar with recent developments in polar exploration, but his writing also had an educational and moral purpose. 'It must be attended with advantage to become acquainted with the state of mankind in other parts of the world', but also it will be encouraging to the poor in Britain 'to find that the lowest state of comfort in this country is preferable to all the enjoyments within the reach of natives of other climes'. Emphasising encounters with native peoples rather than geographical or scientific discoveries, Dennett describes expeditions by Parry, Franklin and Sir John Ross in the Arctic seas and the Canadian north, and also includes a chapter on Giovanni Battista Belzoni's travels in Egypt and Nubia.
Hoax Springs Eternal
Authors: Hancock Peter
Published: January 2015

Unlike sleights of hand, which fool the senses, sleights of mind challenge cognition. This book defines and explains cognitive deception and explores six prominent potential historical instances of it: the Cross of King Arthur, Drake's Plate of Brass, the Kensington Runestone, the Vinland Map, the Piltdown Man, and the Shroud of Turin. In spite of evidence contradicting their alleged origins, their stories continue to persuade many of their authenticity. Peter Hancock uses these purported hoaxes as case studies to develop and demonstrate fundamental principles of cognitive psychology. By dissecting each ostensible artifact, he illustrates how hoaxes can deceive us and offers us defenses against them. This book further examines how and why we allow others to deceive us and how and why we even deceive ourselves at times. Accessible to beginner and expert alike, Hoax Springs Eternal provides an essential interdisciplinary guide to cognitive deception.
Traité de la chronologie chinoise, divisé en trois parties
Authors: Gaubil Antoine
Published: January 2015

A French Jesuit and missionary to China, Antoine Gaubil (1689–1759) spent half his life in Beijing. His rigorous translations and studies in the fields of history, geography, astronomy and cartography made him one of the finest sinologists of his day. Thanks to his remarkable mastery of Chinese language, he also became the official interpreter to European embassies for the imperial court. Respected throughout Europe, he was a corresponding member of the Royal Society of London, the French Académie Royale des Sciences and the St Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Edited by the French philologist and orientalist Antoine Isaac Silvestre de Sacy (1758–1838), this work was published posthumously in 1814. In it, Gaubil comments on Chinese chronology from the beginning of time until 206 BCE and the start of the Han dynasty. Expertly examining the sources on which this chronology is based, this remains an important contribution to Chinese historiography.
Making Religion Safe for Democracy
Authors: Owen J. Judd
Published: January 2015

Does the toleration of liberal democratic society mean that religious faiths are left substantively intact, so long as they respect the rights of others? Or do liberal principles presuppose a deeper transformation of religion? Does life in democratic society itself transform religion? In Making Religion Safe for Democracy, J. Judd Owen explores these questions by tracing a neglected strand of Enlightenment political thought that presents a surprisingly unified reinterpretation of Christianity by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Thomas Jefferson. Owen then turns to Alexis de Tocqueville's analysis of the effects of democracy on religion in the early United States. Tocqueville finds a religion transformed by democracy in a way that bears a striking resemblance to what the Enlightenment thinkers sought, while offering a fundamentally different interpretation of what is at stake in that transformation. Making Religion Safe for Democracy offers a novel framework for understanding the ambiguous status of religion in modern democratic society.
Relics of Death in Victorian Literature and Culture
Authors: Lutz Deborah
Published: January 2015

Nineteenth-century Britons treasured objects of daily life that had once belonged to their dead. The love of these keepsakes, which included hair, teeth, and other remains, speaks of an intimacy with the body and death, a way of understanding absence through its materials, which is less widely felt today. Deborah Lutz analyzes relic culture as an affirmation that objects held memories and told stories. These practices show a belief in keeping death vitally intertwined with life - not as memento mori but rather as respecting the singularity of unique beings. In a consumer culture in full swing by the 1850s, keepsakes of loved ones stood out as non-reproducible, authentic things whose value was purely personal. Through close reading of the works of Charles Dickens, Emily Brontë, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Thomas Hardy, and others, this study illuminates the treasuring of objects that had belonged to or touched the dead.
The Transformation of Governance in Rural China
Authors: Chen An
Published: January 2015

The outbreak of organised, violent peasant protests across the Chinese countryside from the late 1990s to early 2000s has attracted much scholarly interest. In this study, An Chen endeavours to understand from these protests the question of the Chinese government's control in the countryside and the impact of this violent resistance on China's rural governance in the context of market liberalisation. Utilising extensive field research and data collected from surveys across rural China, the book provides an in-depth exploration of how rural governance in China has been transformed following two major tax reforms: the tax-for-fee reform of 2002–4, and the abolition of agricultural taxes (AAT) in 2005–6. In a multidimensional analysis which combines approaches from political science, economics, finance and sociology, Chen argues that private economic power has merged with political power in a way that has reshaped village governance in China, threatening to fundamentally change its political structure.
Lord Byron and Scandalous Celebrity
Authors: Tuite Clara
Published: January 2015

The Regency period in general, and the aristocrat-poet Lord Byron in particular, were notorious for scandal, but the historical circumstances of this phenomenon have yet to be properly analysed. Lord Byron and Scandalous Celebrity explores Byron's celebrity persona in the literary, social, political and historical contexts of Regency Britain and post-Napoleonic Europe that produced it. Clara Tuite argues that the Byronic enigma that so compelled contemporary audiences - and provoked such controversy with its spectacular Romantic Satanism - can be understood by means of 'scandalous celebrity', a new form of ambivalent fame that mediates between notoriety and traditional forms of heroic renown. Examining Byron alongside contemporary figures including Caroline Lamb, Stendhal, Napoleon Bonaparte and Lord Castlereagh, Tuite illuminates the central role played by Byron in the literary, political and sexual scandals that mark the Regency as a vital period of social transition and emergent celebrity culture.
Does Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) prevent major depressive episode for workers? A 12-month follow-up of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Imamura K. , Kawakami N. , Furukawa T. A. , Matsuyama Y. , Shimazu A. , Umanodan R. , Kawakami S. , Kasai K.
Published: January 2015

Background

In this study we investigated whether an Internet-based computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) program can decrease the risk of DSM-IV-TR major depressive episodes (MDE) during a 12-month follow-up of a randomized controlled trial of Japanese workers.

Method

Participants were recruited from one company and three departments of another company. Those participants who did not experience MDE in the past month were randomly allocated to intervention or control groups (n = 381 for each). A 6-week, six-lesson iCBT program was provided to the intervention group. While the control group only received the usual preventive mental health service for the first 6 months, the control group was given a chance to undertake the iCBT program after a 6-month follow-up. The primary outcome was a new onset of DSM-IV-TR MDE during the 12-month follow-up, as assessed by means of the web version of the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), version 3.0 depression section.

Results

The intervention group had a significantly lower incidence of MDE at the 12-month follow-up than the control group (Log-rank χ2 = 7.04,p < 0.01). The hazard ratio for the intervention group was 0.22 (95% confidence interval 0.06–0.75), when estimated by the Cox proportional hazard model.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrates that an iCBT program is effective in preventing MDE in the working population. However, it should be noted that MDE was measured by self-report, while the CIDI can measure the episodes more strictly following DSM-IV criteria.
Differences in dung beetle activity at western gorilla defecation sites in south-east Cameroon: implications for establishment of Uapaca spp. seedlings
Authors: Petre Charles-Albert , Zinque Marie-Hélène , Tagg Nikki , Beudels-Jamar Roseline-Claire , Haurez Barbara , Josso Jean-François , Moretto Philippe , Doucet Jean-Louis
Published: January 2015

For endozoochorous seed dispersal systems, the extant dung beetle assemblage at seed deposition sites may influence site suitability as burial activity may change the probability that seeds germinate and seedlings establish. This study tested if the different conditions of the two main seed-deposition habitats of a western lowland gorilla population of south-east Cameroon (sleeping sites and old secondary forest) influenced dung beetle assemblages and consequently the seed relocation patterns. In March 2012, in both habitats, burial patterns (proportion and depth) were described in eight stations based on two 300-g experimental faeces with known number of Uapaca spp. seeds (N = 75) left for 48 h, and beetle assemblages were described based on one 48h-dung-baited pitfall trapping session in five of these stations. To assess the impact of burial pattern on seedling emergence, Uapaca seedling emergence trials were performed in a nursery (75 seeds per depth treatment). Assemblage at sleeping sites had a higher species richness (non-significant) and was significantly more abundant than in old secondary forests. Conversely, significantly more seeds were buried in old secondary forests than sleeping sites and at significantly greater depths (mean: 14.9 cm vs. 8.7 cm). As trials suggested that burial depth ≥7 cm prevented Uapaca seedling emergence, dung beetles are assumed to induce seed loss more strongly in old secondary forests than sleeping sites (20.5% vs. 6.7% of initial seed crop). The demonstration that dung beetles may exert a negative influence on seed fate overall, and that the degree to which this occurs may vary depending on habitat, highlights the complexity in determining the suitability of deposition sites for recruitment.
Socio-economic characteristics, living conditions and diet quality are associated with food insecurity in France
Authors: Bocquier Aurélie , Vieux Florent , Lioret Sandrine , Dubuisson Carine , Caillavet France , Darmon Nicole
Published: January 2015

Objective

To assess the prevalence of household food insecurity (FI) in France and to describe its associations with socio-economic factors, health behaviours, diet quality and cost (estimated using mean food prices).

Design

Cross-sectional nationally representative survey. FI was assessed using an adapted version of the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Insufficiency Indicator; dietary intake was assessed using a 7 d open-ended food record; and individual demographic, socio-economic and behavioural variables were assessed using self-administered questionnaires and interviews. Individuals experiencing FI were compared with food-secure individuals, the latter being divided into four categories according to quartiles of their income per consumption unit (FS1 to FS4). Differences among categories were analysed usingχ2tests, ANOVA and tests for trend.

Setting

Individual and National Dietary Survey (INCA2), 2006–2007.

Subjects

Adults aged 18–79 years (n2624).

Results

Individuals experiencing FI represented 12·2 % of the population. They were on average younger, more frequently women and single parents with children compared with those in the other four categories. Their mean income per consumption unit was higher than that in the FS1 category, but they reported poorer material and housing conditions. The prevalence of smoking and the mean daily time spent watching television were also higher in the FI category. No significant difference among categories was found for energy intake, but mean intakes of fruits, vegetables and fish were lower, and diet quality was slightly but significantly poorer in the FI category. Daily diet cost was also lower in the FI category.

Conclusions

France is not spared by FI. FI should be routinely monitored at the national level and research should be promoted to identify effective strategies to reduce nutrition inequalities in France.
Simvastatin Restored Vascular Reactivity, Endothelial Function and Reduced String Vessel Pathology in a Mouse Model of Cerebrovascular Disease
Authors: Tong Xin-Kang , Hamel Edith
Published: January 2015

Cerebrovascular dysfunction seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) is multifaceted and not limited to the amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology. It encompasses structural alterations in the vessel wall, degenerating capillaries (string vessels), vascular fibrosis and calcification, features recapitulated in transgenic mice that overexpress transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF mice). We recently found that simvastatin rescued Aβ-mediated cerebrovascular and cognitive deficits in a transgenic mouse model of AD. However, whether simvastatin can counteract Aβ-independent deficits remains unknown. Here, we evaluated the effects of simvastatin in aged TGF mice on cerebrovascular reactivity and structure, and on cognitive performance. Simvastatin restored baseline levels of nitric oxide (NO), NO-, and KATP channel-mediated dilations and endothelin-1-induced contractions. Simvastatin significantly reduced vasculopathy with arteriogenic remodeling and string vessel pathology in TGF mice. In contrast, simvastatin did not lessen gliosis, and the cerebrovascular levels of pro-fibrotic proteins and calcification markers remained elevated after treatment. The TGF mice displayed subtle cognitive decline that was not affected by simvastatin. Our results show potent benefits of simvastatin on endothelial- and smooth muscle cell-mediated vasomotor responses, endothelial NO synthesis and in preserving capillary integrity. We conclude that simvastatin could be indicated in the treatment of cerebrovascular dysfunction associated with VaD and AD.
Neurochemical and BOLD Responses during Neuronal Activation Measured in the Human Visual Cortex at 7 Tesla
Authors: Bednařík Petr , Tkáč Ivan , Giove Federico , DiNuzzo Mauro , Deelchand Dinesh K , Emir Uzay E , Eberly Lynn E , Mangia Silvia
Published: January 2015

Several laboratories have consistently reported small concentration changes in lactate, glutamate, aspartate, and glucose in the human cortex during prolonged stimuli. However, whether such changes correlate with blood oxygenation level—dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) signals have not been determined. The present study aimed at characterizing the relationship between metabolite concentrations and BOLD-fMRI signals during a block-designed paradigm of visual stimulation. Functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy (fMRS) and fMRI data were acquired from 12 volunteers. A short echo-time semi-LASER localization sequence optimized for 7 Tesla was used to achieve full signal-intensity MRS data. The group analysis confirmed that during stimulation lactate and glutamate increased by 0.26±0.06 μmol/g (∼30%) and 0.28±0.03 μmol/g (∼3%), respectively, while aspartate and glucose decreased by 0.20±0.04 μmol/g (∼5%) and 0.19±0.03 μmol/g (∼16%), respectively. The single-subject analysis revealed that BOLD-fMRI signals were positively correlated with glutamate and lactate concentration changes. The results show a linear relationship between metabolic and BOLD responses in the presence of strong excitatory sensory inputs, and support the notion that increased functional energy demands are sustained by oxidative metabolism. In addition, BOLD signals were inversely correlated with baseline γ-aminobutyric acid concentration. Finally, we discussed the critical importance of taking into account linewidth effects on metabolite quantification in fMRS paradigms.
Postsynaptic and Spiking Activity of Pyramidal Cells, the Principal Neurons in the Rat Hippocampal CA1 Region, Does Not Control the Resultant BOLD Response: A Combined Electrophysiologic and fMRI Approach
Authors: Scherf Thomas , Angenstein Frank
Published: January 2015

The specific role of postsynaptic activity for the generation of a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) response was determined by a simultaneous measurement of generated field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response in the rat hippocampal CA1 region during electrical stimulation of the contralateral CA3 region. The stimulation electrode was placed either in the left CA3a/b or CA3c, causing the preferentially basal or apical dendrites of the pyramidal cells in the right CA1 to be activated. Consecutive stimulations with low-intensity stimulation trains (i.e., 16 pulses for 8 seconds) resulted in clear postsynaptic responses of CA1 pyramidal cells, but in no significant BOLD responses. In contrast, consecutive high-intensity stimulation trains resulted in stronger postsynaptic responses that came along with minor (during stimulation of the left CA3a/b) or substantial (during stimulation of the left CA3c) spiking activity of the CA1 pyramidal cells, and resulted in the generation of significant BOLD responses in the left and right hippocampus. Correlating the electrophysiologic parameters of CA1 pyramidal cell activity (fEPSP and spiking activity) with the resultant BOLD response revealed no positive correlation. Consequently, postsynaptic activity of pyramidal cells, the most abundant neurons in the CA1, is not directly linked to the measured BOLD response.
Plectoneme tip bubbles: Coupled denaturation and writhing in supercoiled DNA
Authors: Matek Christian , Ouldridge Thomas E. , Doye Jonathan P. K. , Louis Ard A.
Published: January 2015

We predict a novel conformational regime for DNA, where denaturation bubbles form at the tips of plectonemes and study its properties using coarse-grained simulations. For negative supercoiling, this regime lies between bubble-dominated and plectoneme-dominated phases and explains the broad transition between the two observed in experiment. Tip bubbles cause localisation of plectonemes within thermodynamically weaker AT-rich sequences and can greatly suppress plectoneme diffusion by a pinning mechanism. They occur for supercoiling densities and forces that are typically encountered for DNA in vivo and may be exploited for biological control of genomic processes.
Interfacial structure and electrochemical sensing properties of nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon film electrodes modified with platinum nanoparticles and 4-aminobenzoic acid
Authors: Wang Shuang , Zhou Jixiang , Wang Xian , Yang Guocheng
Published: January 2015

Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) and 4-aminobenzoic acid (4-ABA) were used to modify nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon (N:DLC) film electrode by electrodeposition and cyclic voltammetry.
High-yield production of highly conductive graphene via reversible covalent chemistry
Authors: Ji Zhe , Chen Ji , Huang Liang , Shi Gaoquan
Published: January 2015

A reversible covalent strategy based on the Diels–Alder reaction of graphite and tetracyanoethylene has been developed for the high-yield production of high-quality few-layer graphene.
Polyoxometalates-based heterometallic organic–inorganic hybrid materials for rapid adsorption and selective separation of methylene blue from aqueous solutions
Authors: Yi Fei-Yan , Zhu Wei , Dang Song , Li Jian-Ping , Wu Dai , Li Yun-hui , Sun Zhong-Ming
Published: January 2015

A series of POMs-based hybrid materials exhibit rapid adsorption rate, high uptake capacity and excellent selective separation towards cationic dye.
Is hexagonal boron nitride always good as a substrate for carbon nanotube-based devices?
Authors: Kang Seoung-Hun , Kim Gunn , Kwon Young-Kyun
Published: January 2015

Hexagonal boron nitride sheets have been noted especially for their enhanced properties as substrates for sp2 carbon-based nanodevices. But certain defects may bring about poor device performance.
Ruthenium(ii) polypyridyl complexes as dual inhibitors of telomerase and topoisomerase
Authors: Liao Guoliang , Chen Xiang , Wu Jingheng , Qian Chen , Wang Yi , Ji Liangnian , Chao Hui
Published: January 2015

Three ruthenium(ii) polypyridyl complexes, [Ru(bpy)2(icip)]2+ (1), [Ru(bpy)2(pdppz)]2+ (2), and [Ru(bpy)2(tactp)]2+ (3), were selected to inhibit telomerase by inducing and stabilising the G-quadruplex structure, and behave as topoisomerase I/II poisons at the same time.
β-NaGdF4 nanotubes: one-pot synthesis and luminescence properties
Authors: Zhao Qi , Shao Baiqi , Lü Wei , Lv Wenzhen , Jiao Mengmeng , Zhao Lingfei , You Hongpeng
Published: January 2015

Hexagonal-phase NaGdF4 nanotubes were successfully fabricated through a template- and catalyst-free method in a hydrothermal environment.
[LnIII–MnII–LnIII] heterometallic compounds: rare linear SMMs with divalent manganese ions
Authors: Li Xiao-Lei , Min Fan-Yong , Wang Chao , Lin Shuang-Yan , Liu Zhiliang , Tang Jinkui
Published: January 2015

The perfectly linear metal array and the introduction of strong magnetic anisotropy TbIIIand DyIIIresult in new trinuclear heterometallic LnIII–MnII–LnIIISMMs with high energy barriers.
Spin-crossover behaviors in solvated cobalt(ii) compounds
Authors: Hayami Shinya , Nakaya Manabu , Ohmagari Hitomi , Alao Amolegbe Saliu , Nakamura Masaaki , Ohtani Ryo , Yamaguchi Ryotaro , Kuroda-Sowa Takayoshi , Clegg Jack K.
Published: January 2015

SCO cobalt(ii) compounds with the methoxy group have been synthesized, which exhibit unique magnetic behaviors, two-step SCO or reverse spin transition caused by structural transition.
A silver-alkynyl cluster encapsulating a fluorescent polyoxometalate core: enhanced emission and fluorescence modulation
Authors: Song Chao-Yu , Chai Dong-Feng , Zhang Rui-Ren , Liu Hong , Qiu Yun-Feng , Guo Hua-Dong , Gao Guang-Gang
Published: January 2015

A fluorescent polyoxometalate-based silver(i)-alkynyl cluster exhibits sensitivity towards high energy UV irradiation and selectivity for detection of S2−.
Mediator-free direct Z-scheme photocatalytic system: BiVO4/g-C3N4 organic–inorganic hybrid photocatalyst with highly efficient visible-light-induced photocatalytic activity
Authors: Tian Na , Huang Hongwei , He Ying , Guo Yuxi , Zhang Tierui , Zhang Yihe
Published: January 2015

Z-scheme BiVO4/g-C3N4 exhibits high visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity for the RhB degradation and photocurrent generation.
Safety and anti-ulcerogenic activity of a novel polyphenol-rich extract of clove buds (Syzygium aromaticum L)
Authors: Issac Abin , Gopakumar G. , Kuttan Ramadasan , Maliakel Balu , Krishnakumar I. M.
Published: January 2015

Preparation of polyphenol-rich extract of Clove buds [Syzygium aromaticum] and its effect on gastric ulcer and inflammation.
Mesoporous Zr-Beta zeolites prepared by a post-synthetic strategy as a robust Lewis acid catalyst for the ring-opening aminolysis of epoxides
Authors: Tang Bo , Dai Weili , Sun Xiaoming , Wu Guangjun , Guan Naijia , Hunger Michael , Li Landong
Published: January 2015

Mesoporous Zr-Beta exhibits a remarkable catalytic activity and regio-selectivity to β-amino alcohols in epoxide aminolysis. Intra-crystalline mesopores greatly promote the reaction through enhanced mass transfer and suppress the catalytic deactivation.
The dual role of pnicogen as Lewis acid and base and the unexpected interplay between the pnicogen bond and coordination interaction in H3N⋯FH2X⋯MCN (X = P and As; M = Cu, Ag, and Au)
Authors: Zhuo Hongying , Li Qingzhong , Li Wenzuo , Cheng Jianbo
Published: January 2015

Ternary systems H3N⋯FH2X⋯MCN (X = P and As; M = Cu, Ag, and Au) as well as the corresponding pnicogen-bonded and coordination-bonded binary systems have been studied.
Interaction of ruthenium(ii) antitumor complexes with d(ATATAT)2 and d(GCGCGC)2: a theoretical study
Authors: Das Dharitri , Mondal Paritosh
Published: January 2015

We have investigated the interaction of three ruthenium(ii) complexes with d(ATATAT)2 and d(GCGCGC)2 sequences by using the molecular docking and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) hybrid method.
Metal-free, efficient hydrazination of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine with diethyl azodicarboxylate in neutral media
Authors: Wang Yuanxiang , Frett Brendan , McConnell Nick , Li Hong-yu
Published: January 2015

The first example of metal-free regioselective hydrazination of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine with diethyl azodicarboxylate is accomplished.
Stimuli responsive nanostructured porous network from triblock copolymer self-assemblies
Authors: Mouline Zineb , Semsarilar Mona , Deratani Andre , Quemener Damien
Published: January 2015

Well controlled ABA triblock copolymer with pendent boronic acid groups is prepared using RAFT chemistry. The resulting flower like micelles in mixture of H2O/NMP forms stimuli responsive porous network.
Anthracene functionalized thermosensitive and UV-crosslinkable polymeric micelles
Authors: Shi Yang , Cardoso Renata M. , van Nostrum Cornelus F. , Hennink Wim E.
Published: January 2015

An anthracene-functionalized thermosensitive block copolymer was synthesized, which formed micelles by heating its aqueous solution above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). The micelles were subsequently crosslinked by UV illumination at 365 nm with a normal handheld UV lamp.
Silver nanoparticles prepared by gamma irradiation across metal–organic framework templates
Authors: He Li , Dumée Ludovic F. , Liu Dan , Velleman Leonora , She Fenghua , Banos Connie , Davies Justin B. , Kong Lingxue
Published: January 2015

In this study, we demonstrate for the first time the successful fabrication of well-dispersed ultrafine silver nanoparticles inside metal–organic frameworks through a single step gamma irradiation at room temperature.
Synthesis, characterization, structural, optical properties and catalytic activity of reduced graphene oxide/copper nanocomposites
Authors: Nasrollahzadeh Mahmoud , Babaei Ferydon , Fakhri Parisa , Jaleh Babak
Published: January 2015

This paper reports on the synthesis and use of copper nanoparticles supported on reduced graphene oxide, as separable catalysts for N-arylation of phenylurea with aryl halides under ligand-free and microwave conditions. Also, the structural and optical properties are studied.
Multifunctional Fe3O4@SiO2nanoparticles for selective detection and removal of Hg2+ion in aqueous solution
Authors: Sun Zebin , Guo Dan , Li Haizhen , Zhang Li , Yang Bo , Yan Shiqiang
Published: January 2015

A multifunctional magnetic core–shell Fe3O4@SiO2nanoparticle decorated with rhodamine-based receptor has been successfully synthesized, aiming to detect and remove Hg2+from aqueous media.
Enhanced photocatalytic activities of visible-light driven green synthesis in water and environmental remediation on Au/Bi2WO6 hybrid nanostructures
Authors: Yang Juan , Wang Xiaohan , Chen Yumei , Dai Jun , Sun Shihao
Published: January 2015

Deposition of Au NPs enhances photocatalytic activity toward selective oxidation of alcohol in water and Cr(vi) reduction over Bi2WO6 nanosheets.
Capillary force assisted fabrication of DNA templated silver wires
Authors: Vengadesh P. , Ciniciato G. P. M. K. , Zhijian C. , Musoddiq M. , Fisher A. C. , Yunus K.
Published: January 2015

Re-arrangement of DNA molecules along micro-scratches assisted by capillary force.