bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulation of oil–gas migration and accumulation in the East China Sea Continental Shelf Basin: a case study from the Xihu Depression
Authors: Jiang Suhua , Li Sanzhong , Chen Xueguo , Zhang Huixuan , Wang Gang
Published: May 2016

The oil–gas accumulation process is a tectonic indicator, and the oil–gas trap is generally a result of tectonic movement. In order to explore the law of oil–gas migration and accumulation in the East China Sea Continental Shelf Basin, this paper analyses the dynamic process of hydrocarbon accumulation based on a geological model, taking the Xihu Depression as an example and using the IES PetroMod basin modelling software. Combined with the seismic data and drilling data, the burial history, thermal evolution history and hydrocarbon generation, expulsion and migration history of the Xihu Depression is simulated in this study. The simulation results show that (1) the tectonic framework of the Xihu Depression developed as an inversion structure from an early extensional stage or transtensional faulting stage to a later compressional or transpressional inversion stage; (2) the Pinghu and Huagang formations of the Xihu Depression are still currently at the peak stage of oil–gas generation, and the Xihu Depression is a depression which has abundant hydrocarbon generation and expulsion at a later stage; (3) oil–gas resources vertically migrated to the structural highs from the eastern and western sub‐sags along faults and ultimately accumulated in favourable traps, which developed a migration pattern of interbedded sandstone–fault–sandstone like an upward ‘staircase’. In particular, faults and the potential energy state played an important role in hydrocarbon migration of the Xihu Depression, which has a guiding significance for understanding hydrocarbon migration and accumulation law and reducing the risk in oil–gas exploration in the East China Sea Continental Shelf Basin. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Functional correlates of likelihood and prior representations in a virtual distance task
Authors: Wiener Martin , Michaelis Kelly , Thompson James C.
Published: May 2016

Spatial navigation is an imperative cognitive function, in which individuals must interact with their environment in order to accurately reach a destination. Previous research has demonstrated that, when traveling a predetermined distance, humans must balance between noise in the measurement process and the prior history of traveled distances. This tradeoff has recently been formally described using Bayesian estimation; however, the neural correlates of Bayesian estimation during distance reproduction have yet to be investigated. Here, human subjects performed a virtual reality distance reproduction task during functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), in which they were required to reproduce various traveled distances in the absence of overt navigational cues. As previously demonstrated, subjects exhibited a central tendency effect, wherein reproduced distances gravitated to the mean of the stimulus set. fMRI activity during this task revealed distance‐sensitive activity in a network of regions, including prefrontal and hippocampal regions. Using a computational index of central tendency, we found that activity in the retrosplenial cortex, a region highly implicated in spatial navigation, negatively covaried between subjects with the degree of central tendency observed; conversely, we found that activity in the anterior hippocampus/amygdala complex was positively correlated with the central tendency effect of gravitating to the average reproduced distance. These findings suggest dissociable roles for the retrosplenial cortex and hippocampal complex during distance reproduction, with both regions coordinating with the prefrontal cortex the influence of prior history of the environment with present experience. Hum Brain Mapp 37:3172–3187, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Acid‐Induced Rearrangement of Cycloadducts from Cyclopropenecarboxylates and 1,3‐Diarylisobenzofurans
Authors: Efremova Mariia M. , Molchanov Alexander P. , Larina Anna G. , Starova Galina L. , Kostikov Rafael R. , Stepakov Alexander V.
Published: May 2016

Treatment of several Diels–Alder adducts of cyclopropenecarboxylates and 1,3‐diarylisobenzofurans with a strong acid triggers a skeletal rearrangement resulting in 4,8b‐dihydro‐3aH‐indeno[1,2‐b]furans.
Empathy‐Related Responding in Chinese Toddlers: Factorial Structure and Cognitive Contributors
Authors: Huang Heqing , Su Yanjie , Jin Jian
Published: May 2016

The critical role of the second year of life in the development of empathy is well accepted by psychologists. However, the developmental trends of the different components of empathy and the potential factors underlying these components during this critical period remain unclear. Eighty‐four Chinese toddlers in the second year of life participated in the present study. Empathy‐related responses were observed during three simulated procedures performed by each child's primary caregiver, the experimenter and a baby doll. An exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the different components of empathy. The shared representation of the self and others was measured using the Tasks for the Observation of Self‐Concept, self/other awareness was measured with a series of mirror tests and inhibitory control was measured using the Cylinder Inhibitory Control Task. The results showed that the empathy of Chinese toddlers contains three factors: sympathy, personal distress and orientation. Potential cognitive factors contribute to the different components of empathy through both independent and joint effects. © 2016 The Authors Infant and Child Development Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Which types of income matter most for well‐being in China: Absolute, relative or income aspirations?
Authors: Luo Yangmei , Wang Tong , Huang Xiting
Published: May 2016

China has experienced remarkable economic growth, but that has not been associated with increases in individual well‐being, implying that well‐being may not be sensitive to increases in absolute income (AI). Thus, the relationship between well‐being and other types of income is worth investigating. This study employed a national sample of 5471 respondents from 31 provinces of China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) to compare the effects of AI, relative income (RI) and income aspirations (IA) on individual well‐being in China. The results of a hierarchical regression analysis found that, compared to AI and RI, IA explained more variation in well‐being. These findings highlight the importance of IA for well‐being among the Chinese.
Immunomodulatory Properties of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell‐Derived Mesenchymal Cells
Authors: Ng Jia , Hynes Kim , White Gregory , Sivanathan Kisha Nandini , Vandyke Kate , Bartold Peter Mark , Gronthos Stan
Published: May 2016

MSC‐like populations derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC‐MSC) serve as an alternative stem cell source due to their high proliferative capacity. In this study, we assessed the immunomodulatory potential of iPSC‐MSC generated from periodontal ligament (PDL) and gingival (GF) tissue. The iPSC‐MSC lines exhibited a similar level of suppression of mitogen‐stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) proliferation compared to their respective parental fibroblast populations in vitro. Moreover, iPSC‐MSC demonstrated the ability to suppress T‐cells effector cells, Th1/Th2/Th17 populations, and increase levels of Treg cells. In order to investigate the mechanisms involved, expression of common MSC‐derived soluble factors known to supress lymphocyte proliferation were assessed in iPSC‐MSC cultured with PBMNC with direct cell–cell contact or separated in transwells. Real‐time PCR analysis of factors known to be involved in MSC mediated immune regulation, found a general trend of elevated IDO1 and IL6 transcript levels in iPSC‐MSC lines and their respective primary cells co‐cultured with activated PBMNC, with a wide range of gene expression levels between the different mesenchymal cell types. The results suggest that different iPSC‐MSC may be useful as a potential alternative source of cells for future clinical use in therapeutic applications because of their potent immunosuppressive properties. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2844–2853, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bony labyrinth morphology in early neopterygian fishes (Actinopterygii: Neopterygii)
Authors: Giles Sam , Rogers Molly , Friedman Matt
Published: May 2016

Endocasts of the osseous labyrinth have the potential to yield information about both phylogenetic relationships and ecology. Although bony labyrinth morphology is well documented in many groups of fossil vertebrates, little is known for early Neopterygii, the major fish radiation containing living teleosts, gars and the bowfin. Here, we reconstruct endocasts of the bony labyrinth and associated structures for a sample of Mesozoic neopterygian fishes using high‐resolution computed tomography. Our sample includes taxa unambiguously assigned to either the teleost (Dorsetichthys, “Pholidophorus,” Elopoides) and holostean (“Aspidorynchus,” “Caturus,” Heterolepidotus) total‐groups, as well as examples of less certain phylogenetic position (an unnamed parasemionotid and Dapedium). Our models provide a test of anatomical interpretations for forms where bony labyrinths were reconstructed based on destructive tomography (“Caturus”) or inspection of the lateral wall of the cranial chamber (Dorsetichthys), and deliver the first detailed insights on inner ear morphology in the remaining taxa. With respect to relationships, traits apparent in the bony labyrinth and associated structures broadly support past phylogenetic hypotheses concerning taxa agreed to have reasonably secure systematic placements. Inner ear morphology supports placement of Dapedium with holosteans rather than teleosts, while preserved structure in the unnamed parasemionotid is generalized to the degree that it provides no evidence of close affinity with either of the crown neopterygian lineages. This study provides proof‐of‐concept for the systematic utility of the inner ear in neopterygians that, in combination with similar findings for earlier‐diverging actinopterygian lineages, points to the substantial potential of this anatomical system for addressing the longstanding questions in the relationships of fossil ray‐finned fishes to one another and living groups. J. Morphol. 279:426–440, 2018. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characteristics of climate variation indices in Iraq using a statistical factor analysis
Authors: Shubbar Ramiz M. , Salman Hassan H. , Lee Dong‐In
Published: May 2016

For over three decades, Iraq has suffered from climate variability and desertification. Rainfall rates have decreased with abnormal high‐temperature degrees, recurrence of dust storms has been increasing and many agricultural areas have turned into barren land. In this article, to study these climatic variations and detect important climate indices in Iraq, ten indices (total rainfall, average temperature, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, number of days of dust rising, number of days of dust storm, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure at sea surface level, total evaporation and wind speed) were investigated at 24 meteorological stations in Iraq for 30 years. January in winter, July in summer and annual rates of climate indices were analysed through a factor analysis method. As a result, total rainfall, minimum, maximum and average temperature were found as the strongest indices of the two seasons in Iraq. However, in the annual rates, the total rainfall indicator ranked last in the second component of the factor analysis. The contour lines for the factors of rainfall and maximum temperature offered a clear guide to patterns of the characteristics in winter, summer and annual rates. The northern regions were characterized by high values of rainfall in winter in comparison to the central and southern parts of Iraq. However, high temperatures were found in Baghdad and the southern regions in summer, which showed more than 45 °C.
Teleconnections of the tropical sea surface temperatures to the surface air temperature over Saudi Arabia in summer season
Authors: Hasanean H. M. , Almazroui M.
Published: May 2016

Sea surface temperature (SST) is an important oceanic variable that impacts regional and global climate. This paper examines the relation of summer (June to August) surface air temperature (SAT) variability over Saudi Arabia (1948–2013) with SST over the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. The SAT over Saudi Arabia shows an abrupt increase around the 1980s (i.e. 1986). Partial correlations between SAT and different SST indices indicate that the Indo‐Pacific warm pool (IPWP) has a more significant effect on SAT than does the tropical North Atlantic (TNA), tropical South Atlantic (TSA) or Western Hemisphere warm pool (WHWP). Hence, the change in IPWP SST can be considered as one of the factors linked to increase SAT over Saudi Arabia. The only significant relationship between El Niño and SAT is found in the Niño 4 region. Moreover, interactions between the tropical Atlantic meridional gradient mode and SAT are undetectable in the summer season, indicating that the TNA and TSA may have effectively independent roles on SAT over Saudi Arabia. The tropical Atlantic, through TNA and TSA, may influence the IPWP SST which modifies the strength of the Indian monsoon low, and in turn, has a strong influence on Saudi Arabia SAT variability.
Effect of including whole linseed and vitamin E in the diet of young bulls slaughtered at two fat covers on the sensory quality of beef packaged in two different packaging systems
Authors: Albertí Pere , Campo María M , Beriain María J , Ripoll Guillermo , Sañudo Carlos
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND

Forty‐six Pirenaica young bulls, slaughtered at two levels of fatness (3 and 4 mm), were used to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of 50 g kg−1 linseed alone or with 200 IU vitamin E kg−1 in the concentrate and of the meat packaging system (vacuum or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)) on the beef sensory quality.

RESULTS

The inclusion of linseed or supplementation with vitamin E in the concentrate induced no significant differences in the main meat sensory scores and overall appraisal except under MAP, where small differences due to concentrate ingredients were found in juiciness and metallic flavor intensity. Extending the display time up to 4 or 8 days in high‐oxygen MAP had detrimental effects on sensory attributes. Meat from animals with 4 mm fat cover depth were rated more tender and juicy, less fibrous and with a higher intensity of beef flavor and rancid odor than meat from 3 mm fat cover bulls when both samples were vacuum packaged.

CONCLUSION

The inclusion of 50 g kg−1 linseed in the concentrate fed to bulls had no detrimental effect on the beef sensory quality. The vacuum‐packaged meat of bulls slaughtered at 4 mm fat cover was rated higher on sensory analysis than that at 3 mm fat cover. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Chalky part differs in chemical composition from translucent part of japonica rice grains as revealed by a notched‐belly mutant with white‐belly
Authors: Lin Zhaomiao , Zheng Deyi , Zhang Xincheng , Wang Zunxin , Lei Jinchao , Liu Zhenghui , Li Ganghua , Wang Shaohua , Ding Yanfeng
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND

Chalkiness has a deleterious influence on rice appearance and milling quality. We identified a notched‐belly mutant with a high percentage of white‐belly, and thereby developed a novel comparison system that can minimize the influence of genetic background and growing conditions. Using this mutant, we examined the differences in chemical composition between chalky and translucent endosperm, with the aim of exploring relations between occurrence of chalkiness and accumulation of starch, protein and minerals.

RESULTS

Comparisons showed a significant effect of chalkiness on chemical components in the endosperm. In general, occurrence of chalkiness resulted in higher total starch concentration and lower concentrations of the majority of the amino acids measured. Chalkiness also had a positive effect on the concentrations of As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Mn, Na, Sr and V, but was negatively correlated with those of B, Ca, Cu, Fe and Ni. By contrast, no significant chalkiness effect on P, phytic acid‐P, K, Mg or Zn was observed. In addition, substantial influence of the embryo on endosperm composition was detected, with the embryo showing a negative effect on total protein, amino acids such as Arg, His, Leu, Lys, Phe and Tyr, and all the 17 minerals measured, excluding Ca, Cu, P and Sr.

CONCLUSION

An inverse relation between starch and protein as well as amino acids was found with respect to chalkiness occurrence. Phytic acid and its colocalized elements K and Mg were not affected by chalkiness. The embryo exerted a marked influence on chemical components of the endosperm, in particular minerals, suggesting the necessity of examining the role of the embryo in chalkiness formation. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Change of volatile components in six microalgae with different growth phases
Authors: Zhou Lv , Chen Jiao , Xu Jilin , Li Yan , Zhou Chengxu , Yan Xiaojun
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND

Head space solid‐phase microextraction‐gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry has been applied to analyze the volatile components of six marine microalgae (Thalassiosira weissflogii, Nitzschia closterium, Chaetoceros calcitrans, Platymonas helgolandica, Nannochloropsis spp. and Dicrateria inornata) from Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta and Chrysophyta, respectively, in different growth phases.

RESULTS

All volatile compounds were identified by database searching in the NIST08 Mass Spectral Library and analyzed by principal component analysis with SIMCA‐P software (Umetrics, Umea, Sweden). The results clearly revealed that the volatile components of the six microalgae were significantly different in the exponential, stationary and declining phases. Aldehydes, alkanes, some esters and dimethyl sulfide significantly changed in different growth phases.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report on the comprehensive characteristics of volatile components in different microalgae and in different growth phases. The results may provide reference data for studies on the flavor of cultivated aquatic organism, odor formation in nature water, choice of feeding period and microalgae species selection for the artificial rearing of marine organisms. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Trauma‐Exposed Community‐Dwelling Women and Men Respond Similarly to the DAR‐5 Anger Scale: Factor Structure Invariance and Differential Item Functioning
Authors: Asmundson Gordon J. G. , LeBouthillier Daniel M. , Parkerson Holly A. , Horswill Samantha C.
Published: May 2016

Anger is associated with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and with poor treatment outcomes. The Dimensions of Anger Reactions Scale‐5 (DAR‐5) has demonstrated preliminary evidence of unitary factor structure and sound psychometric properties. Gender‐based differences in psychometric properties have not been explored. The current study examined gender‐based factor structure invariance and differential item functioning of the DAR‐5 and gender differences in PTSD symptoms as a function of anger severity using a community sample of adults who had been exposed to trauma. Data were collected from 512 trauma‐exposed community‐dwelling adults (47.9% women). Confirmatory factor analyses, Mantel‐Haenszel χ2 tests and a comparison of characteristic curves, and 2‐way analyses of variance, respectively, were used to assess gender‐based factor structure invariance, gender‐based response patterns to DAR‐5 items, and gender differences in PTSD symptoms as a function of anger. The unitary DAR‐5 factor structure did not differ between men and women. Significant gender differences in the response pattern to the DAR‐5 items were not present. Trauma‐exposed individuals with high anger reported greater overall PTSD symptoms (p < .001), regardless of gender. The DAR‐5 can be used to assess anger in trauma‐exposed individuals without concern of gender biases influencing factor structure or item functioning. Findings further suggested that the established relationship between anger and PTSD severity did not differ by gender.
Thioxanthone‐Based Hydrophilic Visible Photoinitiators for Radical Polymerization
Authors: Wu Qingqing , Xiong Ying , Yang Jianjing , Tang Hongding , Chen Si
Published: May 2016

Three thioxanthone‐based hydrophilic visible photoinitiators (TX‐MPEG350, TX‐MPEG550, and TX‐MPEG750) are prepared and characterized. All of them exhibit excellent water dispersion properties. Real‐time FTIR investigation shows that they can be used as visible photoinitiators for radical polymerization in waterborne systems in the presence and absence of the hydrogen donors. Among them, TX‐MPEG550 has been illustrated as the best hydrophilic visible photoinitiator in the presence of hydrogen donors and would have great potential applications in waterborne visible photocuring systems after carefully investigating the photopolymerization behavior of TX‐MPEGs in different conditions.

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Mathias and set theory
Authors: Kanamori Akihiro
Published: May 2016

On the occasion of his 70th birthday, the work of Adrian Mathias in set theory is surveyed in its full range and extent.
Biochemical characterization of essential cell division proteins FtsX and FtsE that mediate peptidoglycan hydrolysis by PcsB in Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Bajaj Ruchika , Bruce Kevin E. , Davidson Amy L. , Rued Britta E. , Stauffacher Cynthia V. , Winkler Malcolm E.
Published: May 2016

The FtsEX:PcsB complex forms a molecular machine that carries out peptidoglycan (PG) hydrolysis during normal cell division of the major respiratory pathogenic bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). FtsX is an integral membrane protein and FtsE is a cytoplasmic ATPase that together structurally resemble ABC transporters. Instead of transport, FtsEX transduces signals from the cell division apparatus to stimulate PG hydrolysis by PcsB, which interacts with extracellular domains of FtsX. Structural studies of PcsB and one extracellular domain of FtsX have recently appeared, but little is known about the biochemical properties of the FtsE ATPase or the intact FtsX transducer protein. We report here purifications and characterizations of tagged FtsX and FtsE proteins. Pneumococcal FtsX‐GFP‐His and FtsX‐His could be overexpressed in Escherichia coli without toxicity, and FtsE‐His remained soluble during purification. FtsX‐His dimerizes in detergent micelles and when reconstituted in phospholipid nanodiscs. FtsE‐His binds an ATP analog with an affinity comparable to that of ATPase subunits of ABC transporters, and FtsE‐His preparations have a low, detectable ATPase activity. However, attempts to detect complexes of purified FtsX‐His, FtsE‐His, and PcsB‐His or coexpressed tagged FtsX and FtsE were not successful with the constructs and conditions tested so far. In working with nanodiscs, we found that PcsB‐His has an affinity for charged phospholipids, mediated partly by interactions with its coiled‐coil domain. Together, these findings represent first steps toward reconstituting the FtsEX:PcsB complex biochemically and provide information that may be relevant to the assembly of the complex on the surface of pneumococcal cells.
Revisiting the pink‐red pigmented basidiomycete mirror yeast of the phyllosphere
Authors: Cobban Alec , Edgcomb Virginia P. , Burgaud Gaëtan , Repeta Daniel , Leadbetter Edward R.
Published: May 2016

By taking advantage of the ballistoconidium‐forming capabilities of members of the genus Sporobolomyces, we recovered ten isolates from deciduous tree leaves collected from Vermont and Washington, USA. Analysis of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene and the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene indicate that all isolates are closely related. Further analysis of their physiological attributes shows that all were similarly pigmented yeasts capable of growth under aerobic and microaerophilic conditions, all were tolerant of repeated freezing and thawing, minimally tolerant to elevated temperature and desiccation, and capable of growth in liquid or on solid media containing pectin or galacturonic acid. The scientific literature on ballistoconidium‐forming yeasts indicates that they are a polyphyletic group. Isolates of Sporobolomyces from two geographically separated sites show almost identical phenotypic and physiological characteristics and a monophyly with a broad group of differently named Sporobolomyces/Sporidiobolus species based on both small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) and D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA gene sequences.
Zinc coordination is essential for the function and activity of the type II secretion ATPase EpsE
Authors: Rule Chelsea S. , Patrick Marcella , Camberg Jodi L. , Maricic Natalie , Hol Wim G. , Sandkvist Maria
Published: May 2016

The type II secretion system Eps in Vibrio cholerae promotes the extracellular transport of cholera toxin and several hydrolytic enzymes and is a major virulence system in many Gram‐negative pathogens which is structurally related to the type IV pilus system. The cytoplasmic ATPase EpsE provides the energy for exoprotein secretion through ATP hydrolysis. EpsE contains a unique metal‐binding domain that coordinates zinc through a tetracysteine motif (CXXCX29CXXC), which is also present in type IV pilus assembly but not retraction ATPases. Deletion of the entire domain or substitution of any of the cysteine residues that coordinate zinc completely abrogates secretion in an EpsE‐deficient strain and has a dominant negative effect on secretion in the presence of wild‐type EpsE. Consistent with the in vivo data, chemical depletion of zinc from purified EpsE hexamers results in loss of in vitro ATPase activity. In contrast, exchanging the residues between the two dicysteines with those from the homologous ATPase XcpR from Pseudomonas aeruginosa does not have a significant impact on EpsE. These results indicate that, although the individual residues in the metal‐binding domain are generally interchangeable, zinc coordination is essential for the activity and function of EpsE.
Discriminating simple from double sources via EEG and MEG measurements
Authors: Dassios George , Doschoris Michael , Fragoyiannis George , Satrazemi Konstantia
Published: May 2016

An important question of electroencephalography and magnetoencephalography is associated with the possibility to identify the number of simultaneously activated areas in the brain. In the present paper, employing a homogeneous spherical conductor, serving as a geometrical model of the brain, we provide a criterion that determines whether the measured surface potential is caused by a single or a double localized neuronal excitations. We present the necessary and sufficient conditions, which decided whether the collected data originates from a single or from a set of two or more dipoles. Furthermore, we investigate the impossibility of deciding when we cannot be sure for the existence of one or two excitation centres. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Some properties of Green's functions for diffuse field interpretation
Authors: Sánchez‐Sesma Francisco J. , Iturrarán‐Viveros Ursula , Perton Mathieu
Published: May 2016

Within elastic solids subjected to illumination from uncorrelated sources, as those that arise from multiple scattering, it has been established that the displacement field has intensities that are similar to diffusion‐like field. It is found that in this case, the average correlation of motions in the frequency domain, between two points, is proportional to the imaginary part of Green's function for those two receivers. For a single station, the average auto‐correlation equals the average power spectrum, and this gives the imaginary part of Green's function at the source. To gain insight on the properties of Green's functions, particularly regarding their connection with diffuse fields, we study some of their characteristics for simplified cases. Specifically, we deal with 2D and 3D acoustic layers with various boundary conditions. In practice, we assume these Green's functions are related with a diffuse field, and we explore the analytical consequences. The aim of this study is to gather insight to understand patterns found when studying real data or to have a guide to interpret their trends. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Blow‐up phenomena for a semilinear parabolic equation with weighted inner absorption under nonlinear boundary flux
Authors: Ma Lingwei , Fang Zhong Bo
Published: May 2016

Blow‐up phenomena for a nonlinear divergence form parabolic equation with weighted inner absorption term are investigated under nonlinear boundary flux in a bounded star‐shaped region. We assume some conditions on weight function and nonlinearities to guarantee that the solution exists globally or blows up at finite time. Moreover, by virtue of the modified differential inequality, upper and lower bounds for the blow‐up time of the solution are derived in higher dimensional spaces. Three examples are presented to illustrate applications of our results. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Normal halogen dependence of 13C NMR chemical shifts of halogenomethanes revisited at the four‐component relativistic level
Authors: Samultsev Dmitry O. , Rusakov Yury Yu. , Krivdin Leonid B.
Published: May 2016

The ‘Normal Halogen Dependence’ of 13C NMR chemical shifts in the series of halogenomethanes is revisited at the four‐component relativistic level. Calculations of 13C NMR chemical shifts of 70 halogenomethanes have been carried out at the density functional theory (DFT) and MP2 levels with taking into account relativistic effects using the four‐component relativistic theory of Dirac‐Coulomb within the different computational methods (4RPA, 4OPW91) and hybrid computational schemes (MP2 + 4RPA, MP2 + 4OPW91). The most efficient computational protocols are derived for practical purposes. Relativistic shielding effect reaches as much as several hundreds of ppm for heavy halogenomethanes, and to account for this effect in comparison with experiment at the qualitative level, relativistic Dyall's basis sets of triple‐zeta quality or higher are to be used within the framework of the four‐component relativistic theory taking into account solvent effects. Relativistic geometrical optimization (as compared with the non‐relativistic level) is essential for the molecules containing at least two iodines at one carbon atom. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Topology optimization of fluid problems using genetic algorithm assisted by the Kriging model
Authors: Yoshimura M. , Shimoyama K. , Misaka T. , Obayashi S.
Published: May 2016

A non‐gradient‐based approach for topology optimization using a genetic algorithm is proposed in this paper. The genetic algorithm used in this paper is assisted by the Kriging surrogate model to reduce computational cost required for function evaluation. To validate the non‐gradient‐based topology optimization method in flow problems, this research focuses on two single‐objective optimization problems, where the objective functions are to minimize pressure loss and to maximize heat transfer of flow channels, and one multi‐objective optimization problem, which combines earlier two single‐objective optimization problems. The shape of flow channels is represented by the level set function. The pressure loss and the heat transfer performance of the channels are evaluated by the Building‐Cube Method code, which is a Cartesian‐mesh CFD solver. The proposed method resulted in an agreement with previous study in the single‐objective problems in its topology and achieved global exploration of non‐dominated solutions in the multi‐objective problems. © 2016 The Authors International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Patient complaints about health care in a Swedish County: characteristics and satisfaction after handling
Authors: Skålén Charlotta , Nordgren Lena , Annerbäck Eva‐Maria
Published: May 2016

Aim

To describe patient complaints and to examine possible associations between healthcare providers’ statements and reports of satisfaction/dissatisfaction.

Design

A retrospective and descriptive design was used to examine filed complaints.

Methods

Complaints from one Patient Advisory Committee in Sweden in 2011 was examined using three different protocols/reading guides (n = 618). Associations between contents in responses from healthcare providers and reports of satisfaction/dissatisfaction from the complainants were analysed.

Results

Less than one‐third of the complainants were satisfied after handling and with healthcare providers’ statements about the complaint. The most frequent causes for dissatisfaction were that the healthcare provider ‘did not tell the truth’ or ‘gave insufficient information’. There was a statistically significant association with dissatisfaction if the statement from the healthcare provider included the category ‘disagree/defend themselves’. Four categories were associated with being satisfied and the associations were statistically significant when two or more of these were combined.
Tumor necrosis factor‐alpha levels in blood cord is directly correlated with the body weight of mothers
Authors: de Toledo Baldi E. , Dias Bóbbo V. C. , Melo Lima M. H. , Velloso L. A. , Pereira de Araujo E.
Published: May 2016

Background

Obesity has emerged as major public health problem leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Epidemiological studies indicate that in many regions of the world, children and teenagers are increasingly affected by obesity, which contributes for a pessimistic projection for the near future. Maternal obesity has been implicated in metabolic disorders of the offspring, but there are no biological markers that can be detected early on life that predict the development of obesity in the offspring.

Objective

To evaluate the expression of inflammatory markers in the umbilical cord blood of babies of mothers with obesity/overweight, and correlate these markers with the body weight at age 9 months.

Methods

Anthropometric data of mothers and babies were obtained during prenatal evaluation, at birth and 9 months after birth. Cord blood was collected during delivery of 54 babies from mothers with obesity/overweight and of 50 babies from lean mothers. Tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), transforming growth factor 1 beta, monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 and 2 (MCP‐1/MCP‐2) were determined in serum samples using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay methods. Correlations were evaluated using the Spearman correlation coefficient, and comparisons were evaluated using the non‐parametric Mann–Whitney U‐test.

Results

Cord blood TNF‐α was positively correlated with maternal body mass index. There was an inverse correlation between cord blood transforming growth factor 1 beta and baby body weight at birth. There was no biological marker that predicted body weight at age 9 months.

Conclusion

Although we have not found a biological marker to predict increased body weight at 9 months of age, the study shows that maternal obesity exposes the baby to higher TNF‐α level in the early stages of life, and this can affect metabolic and inflammatory parameters during adulthood.
Removal of methyl tert‐butyl ether as a water pollutant by photodegradation over a new type of poly(methyl methacrylate)/TiO2 nanocomposite
Authors: Mirhoseini Farid , Salabat Alireza
Published: May 2016

Methyl tert‐butyl ether (MTBE), as a common oxygenate additive in gasoline, not only can enhance the octane number but also reduce exhaust emissions. Unfortunately, MTBE is a highly water soluble reagent and resistant to biodegradation. One of the most important methods for treatment of the MTBE contaminated is photodegradation over TiO2. In this research work, the immobilized TiO2 nanoparticles in poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA nanocomposite films, which prepared by ionic liquid‐based microemulsion method, have been evaluated to conduct MTBE photodegradation under visible light irradiation. The objective of this study was to find out the best TiO2 content in nanocomposite and pH value for relatively complete degradation of MTBE in aqueous solution. The obtained results demonstrated that the 0.01 wt% of TiO2 in PMMA thin film and pH value of 7 show the best performance in MTBE photodegradation. Another highlighting of this work is looking to forward the behavior of nanocomposite surface after photodegradation of MTBE pollutant. For this purpose and to confirm the stability of the nanocomposite films for long‐term operations, the XPS and FESEM‐EDX characterization methods were used. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:1248–1254, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
Measuring social desirability across language and sex: A comparison of Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale factor structures in English and Mandarin Chinese in Malaysia
Authors: Kurz A. Solomon , Drescher Christopher F. , Chin Eu Gene , Johnson Laura R.
Published: May 2016

Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country in which multiple languages are prominently spoken, including English and Mandarin Chinese. As psychological science continues to develop within Malaysia, there is a need for psychometrically sound instruments that measure psychological phenomena in multiple languages. For example, assessment tools for measuring social desirability could be a useful addition in psychological assessments and research studies in a Malaysian context. This study examined the psychometric performance of the English and Mandarin Chinese versions of the Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale when used in Malaysia. Two hundred and eighty‐three students (64% female; 83% Chinese, 9% Indian) from two college campuses completed the Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale in their language of choice (i.e., English or Mandarin Chinese). Proposed factor structures were compared with confirmatory factor analysis, and multiple indicators–multiple causes models were used to examine measurement invariance across language and sex. Factor analyses supported a two‐factor structure (i.e., Attribution and Denial) for the measure. Invariance tests revealed the scale was invariant by sex, indicating that social desirability can be interpreted similarly across sex. The scale was partially invariant by language version, with some non‐invariance observed within the Denial factor. Non‐invariance may be related to differences in the English and Mandarin Chinese languages, as well as cultural differences. Directions for further research include examining the measurement of social desirability in other contexts where both English and Mandarin Chinese are spoken (i.e., China) and further examining the causes of non‐invariance on specific items.
Observations of urban heat island advection from a high‐density monitoring network
Authors: Bassett Richard , Cai Xiaoming , Chapman Lee , Heaviside Clare , Thornes John E. , Muller Catherine L. , Young Duick T. , Warren Elliott L.
Published: May 2016

With 69% of the world's population predicted to live in cities by 2050, modification to local climates, in particular Urban Heat Islands (UHIs), have become a well studied phenomenon. However, few studies have considered how horizontal winds modify the spatial pattern in a process named Urban Heat Advection (UHA) and this is most likely due to a lack of highly spatially resolved observational data. For the first time, this study separates the two‐dimensional advection‐induced UHI component, including its pattern and magnitude, from the locally heated UHI component using a unique dataset of urban canopy temperatures from 29 weather stations (3 km resolution) recorded over 20 months in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The results show that the mean contribution of UHA to the warming of areas downwind of the city can be up to 1.2 °C. Using the inverse Normalized Difference Vegetation Index as a proxy for urban fraction, an upwind distance at which the urban fraction has the strongest correlation with UHA was demonstrated to be between 4 and 12 km. Overall, these findings suggest that urban planning and risk management needs to additionally consider UHA. However, more fundamentally, it highlights the importance of careful interpretation of long‐ term meteorological records taken near cities when they are used to assess global warming.
Influence of substrate nature on the growth of copper oxide thin films
Authors: Bhattacharyya A. S. , Raj S. K. , Kommu Parameshwar , Prabhakar P. , Kumar R. Praveen , Kumari Neha , Gaurav Kumar
Published: May 2016

Cu thin films were deposited on Si(111), glass, and quartz substrates by magnetron sputtering. X‐ray diffraction, SEM, and photoemission electron microscope studies were carried out to characterize the films. An influence of the nature of substrate on the Cu2O and CuO phases formed was observed. Copper silicide formation in case of silicon substrates aided in formation of Cu2O rather than CuO unlike glass and quartz substrates. Formation of nanocrystallites was observed by SEM and X‐ray diffraction. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An adaptive dose‐finding method using a change‐point model for molecularly targeted agents in phase I trials
Authors: Sato Hiroyuki , Hirakawa Akihiro , Hamada Chikuma
Published: May 2016

The paradigm of oncology drug development is expanding from developing cytotoxic agents to developing biological or molecularly targeted agents (MTAs). Although it is common for the efficacy and toxicity of cytotoxic agents to increase monotonically with dose escalation, the efficacy of some MTAs may exhibit non‐monotonic patterns in their dose–efficacy relationships. Many adaptive dose‐finding approaches in the available literature account for the non‐monotonic dose–efficacy behavior by including additional model parameters. In this study, we propose a novel adaptive dose‐finding approach based on binary efficacy and toxicity outcomes in phase I trials for monotherapy using an MTA. We develop a dose–efficacy model, the parameters of which are allowed to change in the vicinity of the change point of the dose level, in order to consider the non‐monotonic pattern of the dose–efficacy relationship. The change point is obtained as the dose that maximizes the log‐likelihood of the assumed dose–efficacy and dose‐toxicity models. The dose‐finding algorithm is based on the weighted Mahalanobis distance, calculated using the posterior probabilities of efficacy and toxicity outcomes. We compare the operating characteristics between the proposed and existing methods and examine the sensitivity of the proposed method by simulation studies under various scenarios. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simulink fault localization: an iterative statistical debugging approach
Authors: Liu Bing ,   Lucia, Nejati Shiva , Briand Lionel C. , Bruckmann Thomas
Published: May 2016

Debugging Simulink models presents a significant challenge in the embedded industry. This paper proposes SimFL, a fault localization approach for Simulink models by combining statistical debugging and dynamic model slicing. Simulink models, being visual and hierarchical, have multiple outputs at different hierarchy levels. Given a set of outputs to observe for localizing faults, we generate test execution slices, for each test case and output, of the Simulink model. In order to further improve fault localization accuracy, we propose iSimFL, an iterative fault localization algorithm. At each iteration, iSimFL increases the set of observable outputs by including outputs at lower hierarchy levels, thus increasing the test oracle cost but offsetting it with significantly more precise fault localization. We utilize a heuristic stopping criterion to avoid unnecessary test oracle extension. We evaluate our work on three industrial Simulink models from Delphi Automotive. Our results show that, on average, SimFL ranks faulty blocks in the top 8.9% in the list of suspicious blocks. Further, we show that iSimFL significantly improves this percentage down to 4.4% by requiring engineers to observe only an average of five additional outputs at lower hierarchy levels on top of high‐level model outputs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Social wasp intestines host the local phenotypic variability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains
Authors: Dapporto Leonardo , Stefanini Irene , Rivero Damariz , Polsinelli Mario , Capretti Paolo , De Marchi Paolo , Viola Roberto , Turillazzi Stefano , Cavalieri Duccio
Published: May 2016

Nowadays, the presence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been assessed in both wild and human‐related environments. Social wasps have been shown to maintain and vector S. cerevisiae among different environments. The availability of strains isolated from wasp intestines represents a striking opportunity to assess whether the strains found in wasp intestines are characterized by peculiar traits. We analysed strains isolated from the intestines of social wasps and compared them with strains isolated from other sources, all collected in a restricted geographic area. We evaluated the production of volatile metabolites during grape must fermentation, the resistance to different stresses and the ability to exploit various carbon sources. Wasp strains, in addition to representing a wide range of S. cerevisiae genotypes, also represent large part of the phenotypes characterizing the sympatric set of yeast strains; their higher production of acetic acid and ethyl acetate could reflect improved ability to attract insects. Our findings suggest that the relationship between yeasts and wasps should be preserved, to safeguard not only the natural variance of this microorganism but also the interests of wine‐makers, who could take advantage from the exploitation of their phenotypic variability. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Blue growth and ocean governance—how to balance the use and the protection of the seas
Authors: Ehlers Peter
Published: May 2016

The economic value of the oceans and maritime industry is strongly gaining in importance. As the oceans are very large and particularly sensitive ecosystems, which need to be preserved, a balance between the use and the protection of the seas has to be found. On this issue, the paper presents some thoughts starting with a brief analysis of what to understand by maritime industry which is labeled as blue economy, and a recapitulation of the main threats for the marine environment, caused by blue economy. After that, some noteworthy prerequisites and criteria for finding a sound balance between the use and the protection of the seas will be highlighted, especially the need for sustainable ocean governance is put to discussion.