bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A genome-wide association study identifies a horizontally transferred bacterial surface adhesin gene associated with antimicrobial resistant strains
Authors: Suzuki Masato , Shibayama Keigo , Yahara Koji
Published: November 2016

Carbapenems are a class of last-resort antibiotics; thus, the increase in bacterial carbapenem-resistance is a serious public health threat. Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the microorganisms that can acquire carbapenem-resistance; it causes severe nosocomial infection, and is notoriously difficult to control in hospitals. Recently, a machine-learning approach was first used to analyze the genome sequences of hundreds of susceptible and resistant A. baumannii strains, including those carrying commonly acquired resistant mechanisms, to build a classifier that can predict strain resistance. A complementary approach is to explore novel genetic elements that could be associated with the antimicrobial resistance of strains, independent of known mechanisms. Therefore, we carefully selected A. baumannii strains, spanning various genotypes, from public genome databases, and conducted the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) of carbapenem resistance. We employed a recently developed method, capable of identifying any kind of genetic variation and accounting for bacterial population structure, and evaluated its effectiveness. Our study identified a surface adhesin gene that had been horizontally transferred to an ancestral branch of A. baumannii, as well as a specific region of that gene that appeared to accumulate multiple individual variations across the different branches of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii strains.
Abnormal Hypermethylation of the VDAC2 Promoter is a Potential Cause of Idiopathic Asthenospermia in Men
Authors: Xu Aiming , Hua Yibo , Zhang Jianzhong , Chen Wei , Zhao Kai , Xi Wei , Wang Hainan , Fang Jianzheng , Su Shifeng , Tang Min , Liu Bianjiang , Wang Zengjun
Published: November 2016

This study aimed to explore the association between the methylation status of the VDAC2 gene promoter region and idiopathic asthenospermia (IAS). Twenty-five IAS patients and 27 fertile normozoospermia (NZ) were involved. GC-2spd cells were treated with different concentrations of 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) for 24 h and 48 h. qRT-PCR was conducted to reveal whether or not VDAC2 expression was regulated by methylated modification. A dual-luciferase activity detection was used to verify VDAC2 promoter activity in GC-2spd cells. Bisulphite genomic sequence was used to analyse DNA methylation of the VDAC2 promoter. The results showed that VDAC2 expression was significantly increased after treated with 5-Aza-CdR. A strong activity of the promoter (−2000 bp to +1000 bp) was detected by dual-luciferase activity detection (P < 0.05). The bisulphite genomic sequencing and correlation analysis showed that sperm motility was positively associated with the methylation pattern of uncomplete methylation and mild hypermethylation, and negatively related to the percentage of moderate methylation. In conclusion, high methylation of the VDAC2 promoter CpGs could be positively correlated with low sperm motility. Abnormal methylation of VDAC2 promoter may be a potential cause to idiopathic asthenospermia.
Identification and expression analysis of an olfactory receptor gene family in green plant bug Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür)
Authors: An Xing-Kui , Sun Liang , Liu Hang-Wei , Liu Dan-Feng , Ding Yu-Xiao , Li Le-Mei , Zhang Yong-Jun , Guo Yu-Yuan
Published: November 2016

Olfactory receptors are believed to play a central role in insects host-seeking, mating, and ovipositing. On the basis of male and female antennal transcriptome of adult Apolygus lucorum, a total of 110 candidate A. lucorum odorant receptors (AlucOR) were identified in this study including five previously annotated AlucORs. All the sequences were validated by cloning and sequencing. Tissue expression profiles analysis by RT-PCR indicated most AlucORs were antennal highly expressed genes. The qPCR measurements further revealed 40 AlucORs were significantly higher in the antennae. One AlucOR was primarily expressed in the female antennae, while nine AlucORs exhibited male-biased expression patterns. Additionally, both the RPKM value and RT-qPCR analysis showed AlucOR83 and AlucOR21 were much higher abundant in male antennae than in female antennae, suggesting their different roles in chemoreception of gender. Phylogenetic analysis of ORs from several Hemipteran species demonstrated that most AlucORs had orthologous genes, and five AlucOR-specific clades were defined. In addition, a sub-clade of potential male-based sex pheromone receptors were also identified in the phylogenetic tree of AlucORs. Our results will facilitate the functional studies of AlucORs, and thereby provide a foundation for novel pest management approaches based on these genes.
Mitochondrial fat oxidation is essential for lipid-induced inflammation in skeletal muscle in mice
Authors: Warfel Jaycob D. , Bermudez Estrellita M. , Mendoza Tamra M. , Ghosh Sujoy , Zhang Jingying , Elks Carrie M. , Mynatt Randall , Vandanmagsar Bolormaa
Published: November 2016

Inflammation, lipotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction have been implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity-induced insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. However, how these factors are intertwined in the development of obesity/insulin resistance remains unclear. Here, we examine the role of mitochondrial fat oxidation on lipid-induced inflammation in skeletal muscle. We used skeletal muscle-specific Cpt1b knockout mouse model where the inhibition of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation results in accumulation of lipid metabolites in muscle and elevated circulating free fatty acids. Gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and cytokine- and members of TLR-signalling pathways were decreased in Cpt1bm−/− muscle. Inflammatory signalling pathways were not activated when evaluated by multiplex and immunoblot analysis. In addition, the inflammatory response to fatty acids was reduced in primary muscle cells derived from Cpt1bm−/− mice. Gene expression of Cd11c, the M1 macrophage marker, was decreased; while Cd206, the M2 macrophage marker, was increased in skeletal muscle of Cpt1bm−/− mice. Finally, expression of pro-inflammatory markers was decreased in white adipose tissue of Cpt1bm−/− mice. We show that the inflammatory response elicited by elevated intracellular lipids in skeletal muscle is repressed in Cpt1bm−/− mice, strongly supporting the hypothesis that mitochondrial processing of fatty acids is essential for the lipid-induction of inflammation in muscle.
Heteronanostructured Co@carbon nanotubes-graphene ternary hybrids: synthesis, electromagnetic and excellent microwave absorption properties
Authors: Qi Xiaosi , Hu Qi , Cai Hongbo , Xie Ren , Bai Zhongchen , Jiang Yang , Qin Shuijie , Zhong Wei , Du Youwei
Published: November 2016

In order to explore high efficiency microwave absorption materials, heteronanostructured Co@carbon nanotubes-graphene (Co@CNTs-G) ternary hybrids were designed and produced through catalytic decomposition of acetylene at the designed temperature (400, 450, 500 and 550 °C) over Co3O4/reduced graphene oxide (Co3O4/RGO). By regulating the reaction temperatures, different CNT contents of Co@CNTs-G ternary hybrids could be synthesized. The investigations indicated that the as-prepared heteronanostructured Co@CNTs-G ternary hybrids exhibited excellent microwave absorption properties, and their electromagnetic and microwave absorption properties could be tuned by the CNT content. The minimum reflection loss (RL) value reached approximately −65.6, −58.1, −41.1 and −47.5 dB for the ternary hybrids synthesized at 400, 450, 500 and 550 °C, respectively. And RL values below −20 dB (99% of electromagnetic wave attenuation) could be obtained over the as-prepared Co@CNTs-G ternary hybrids in the large frequency range. Moreover, based on the obtained results, the possible enhanced microwave absorption mechanisms were discussed in details. Therefore, a simple approach was proposed to explore the high performance microwave absorbing materials as well as to expand the application field of graphene-based materials.
In vivo measurement of hemodynamic information in stenosed rat blood vessels using X-ray PIV
Authors: Park Hanwook , Park Jun Hong , Lee Sang Joon
Published: November 2016

Measurements of the hemodynamic information of blood flows, especially wall shear stress (WSS), in animal models with circulatory vascular diseases (CVDs) are important to understand the pathological mechanism of CVDs. In this study, X-ray particle image velocimetry (PIV) with high spatial resolution was applied to obtain velocity field information in stenosed blood vessels with high WSS. 3D clips fabricated with a 3D printer were applied to the abdominal aorta of a rat cadaver to induce artificial stenosis in the real blood vessel of an animal model. The velocity and WSS information of blood flows in the stenosed vessel were obtained and compared at various stenosis severities. In vivo measurement was also conducted by fastening a stenotic clip on a live rat model through surgical intervention to reduce the flow rate to match the limited temporal resolution of the present X-ray PIV system. Further improvement of the temporal resolution of the system might be able to provide in vivo measurements of hemodynamic information from animal disease models under physiological conditions. The present results would be helpful for understanding the relation between hemodynamic characteristics and the pathological mechanism in animal CVD models.
Chemotypic variation in terpenes emitted from storage pools influences early aphid colonisation on tansy
Authors: Clancy Mary V. , Zytynska Sharon E. , Senft Matthias , Weisser Wolfgang W. , Schnitzler Jörg-Peter
Published: November 2016

Tansy plants (Tanacetum vulgare L.) exhibit high chemical variation, particularly in mono- and sesquiterpenes that are stored in specialised glands on the plant surface. In the present work we investigated the effects of terpene chemotypes on Metopeurum fuscoviride, an aphid species specialised on tansy, and their tending ants, at the field scale. Previous studies have chemotyped tansy by assessing dominant compounds; here we propose a method of chemotyping using all volatile compounds that are likely emitted from the storage glands. The analysis is based on two extraction methods: GC-MS analysis of leaf hexane extracts and SBSE analysis of headspace emissions. In an initial screening we identified the subset of compounds present in both chemical patterns, labelled as ‘compounds likely emitted from storage’. In a large field survey we could show that the putative chemotypic emission pattern from storage pools significantly affected the early aphid colonisation of tansy. Moreover, the statistical analyses revealed that minor compounds exerted a stronger influence on aphid and tending-ant presence than dominant compounds. Overall we demonstrated that within the enormous chemotypic variation of terpenes in tansy plants, chemical signatures of volatile terpenes can be related to the occurrence of insects on individual plants in the field.
Creating BHb-imprinted magnetic nanoparticles with multiple binding sites
Authors: Li Yanxia , Chen Yiting , Huang Lu , Lou BenYong , Chen Guonan
Published: November 2016

A kind of protein imprinted over magnetic Fe3O4@Au multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs) with multiple binding sites was synthesized and investigated.
Highly selective oxidation of cyclohexene to 2-cyclohexene-1-one over polyoxometalate/metal–organic framework hybrids with greatly improved performances
Authors: Tong Jinhui , Wang Wenhui , Su Lingdi , Li Qing , Liu Fangfang , Ma Wenmei , Lei Ziqiang , Bo Lili
Published: November 2016

H3+xPMo12−xVxO40@MIL-100 (Fe) (x = 0, 1, 2) hybrids were prepared by encapsulation of polyoxometalates (POMs) within the metal–organic framework using a direct hydrothermal method.
Simple and high yield access to octafunctional azido, amine and urea group bearing cubic spherosilicates
Authors: Schäfer Sandra , Kickelbick Guido
Published: November 2016

Octaaminospherosilicates have been synthesized using hydrogenation over Pd/C and were reacted in situ with propyl isocyanate to give octafunctional hydrogen bond bearing spherosilicates [CnH2n(NHCONH)C3H7]; (n = 4, 5, 6, 11).
Highly efficient electrochemiluminescence based on 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole Schiff base two-dimensional Zn/Cd coordination polymers
Authors: Zhang Shu-Hua , Wang Ji-Ming , Zhang Hai-Yang , Fan Yi-Peng , Xiao Yu
Published: November 2016

ComplexesHL1andHL2and1–4exhibit a stronger ECL emission and complexes1–4exhibit higher stability.
A25Mg,89Y and115In solid state MAS NMR study of YT2X and Y(T0.5T′0.5)2X (T/T′ = Pd, Ag, Au; X = Mg, In) Heusler phases
Authors: Benndorf Christopher , Stein Sebastian , Heletta Lukas , Kersting Marcel , Eckert Hellmut , Pöttgen Rainer
Published: November 2016

Yttrium–transition metal–magnesium (indium) Heusler phases were synthesized from the elements in sealed niobium ampoules in a high-frequency furnace or by arc-melting, respectively.
LiRb2LaB2O6: a new rare-earth borate with a MOF-5-like topological structure and a short UV cut-off edge
Authors: Xu Dongdong , Zhang Fangfang , Sun Yanzhou , Yang Zhihua , Lei Binghua , Liu Lili , Pan Shilie
Published: November 2016

A new rare-earth borate, LiRb2LaB2O6, has been synthesized, which possesses a novel MOF-5-like structure and a relatively short UV cut-off edge, compared to other rare-earth borates.
Synthesis and antioxidant properties of dicationic ionic liquids
Authors: Czerniak Kamil , Walkiewicz Filip
Published: November 2016

A simple and efficient method for the synthesis of novel water soluble antioxidants in the form of dicationic ionic liquids (DILs) was described in the framework of our study.
Effects of substrate shock on extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) excretion and characteristics of attached biofilm anammox granules
Authors: Zhang Yanlong , Ma Haiyuan , Niu Qigui , Chen Rong , Hojo Toshimasa , Li Yu-You
Published: November 2016

The production mechanism of an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and its effects on the performance of anammox granules were evaluated.
Carbazole-based two-photon fluorescent probe for selective imaging of mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide in living cells and tissues
Authors: Zhang Kai , Wu Wei , Li Yinhui , Sun Mingtai , Yu Huan , Wong Man Shing
Published: November 2016

The two-photon imaging in living cells and tissue demonstrated that the prepared probe possessed high specificity for mitochondrial H2O2.
Decoloration of azo and triarylmethane dyes in the aqueous phase by catalytic hydrotreatment with Pd supported on pillared clays
Authors: Pizarro A. H. , Molina C. B. , Rodriguez J. J.
Published: November 2016

Catalytic hydrotreatment of synthetic dyes as azo compounds and triarylmethanes has been carried out under ambient-like conditions (25–50 °C, 1 atm) with H2using Pd supported on Al-pillared clays and Al2O3as catalysts.
Post-nano strategies for drug delivery: multistage porous silicon microvectors
Authors: Venuta Alessandro , Wolfram Joy , Shen Haifa , Ferrari Mauro
Published: November 2016

This review discusses several post-nano solutions for drug delivery based on porous silicon microparticles. DOPC, dioleoylphosphatidylcholine; PEG, polyethylene glycol; PLGA, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid); siRNA, small interfering RNA.
Recent progress and development on polymeric nanomaterials for photothermal therapy: a brief overview
Authors: Shi Yingge , Liu Meiying , Deng Fengjie , Zeng Guangjian , Wan Qing , Zhang Xiaoyong , Wei Yen
Published: November 2016

This review article summarizes the recent development and progress of polymeric photothermal agents for photothermal therapy and imaging-guided photothermal therapy applications.
Evaluating the effect of small number of snapshots and signal‐to‐noise‐ratio on the efficiency of MUSIC estimations
Authors: Ioannopoulos Giorgos A. , Anagnostou Dimitris E. , Chryssomallis Michael T.
Published: November 2016

In this study, the authors aim to discover the relation between the resolution of a uniform linear array (ULA) and the parameters involved in MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) calculations, such as the number of antenna elements, the number of snapshots and the signal‐to‐noise‐ratio. In this study, the number of used snapshots is limited to very small values in order to reveal the behaviour of a fast system such as the case of high speed mobile targets. The study is made through numerous simulations of different scenarios that concern cases where a small number of snapshots are assumed, for a variety of noise environments. The results lead to equations that relate the broadside resolution of a ULA with these parameters. Verification of the resulting equations shows that the behaviour of the resolution can be prescribed with sufficient precision; therefore the proposed formulae can be a useful tool for array design.
Variables Associated with Chondral and Meniscal Injuries in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery
Authors: Cain E. , Ponce Brent , Boohaker Hikel , George Martha , McGwin Gerald , Andrews James , Lemak Lawrence , Clancy William , Dugas Jeffrey , Fleisig Glenn
Published: November 2016

This article aims to evaluate factors associated with chondral and meniscal lesions in primary and revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions. ACL reconstructions from 2001 to 2008 at a single institution were retrospectively analyzed. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between chondral and meniscal injuries and age, gender, tear chronicity, additional ligamentous injuries, sport type, and participation level. Of the 3,040 ACL reconstructions analyzed, 90.4% were primary reconstructions and 9.6% were revisions. Meniscal injuries were significantly lower in the revision group (44.0 vs. 51.9%; p = 0.01), while chondral injuries were significantly higher in the revision group (39.9 vs. 24.0%; p < 0.0001). Inspection of the small subgroup (n = 85) receiving both primary and revision ACL surgery at our center indicated that meniscal injuries at revision were evenly split between menisci with and without previous repairs, whereas the vast majority of Grade III and IV chondral lesions were new. More patients presented for surgery later in the revision group than in the primary group (56.5 vs. 35.3%; p < 0.0001). Male gender, primary reconstruction, and short interval (less than 2 weeks) between injury and surgery were associated with increased likelihood of meniscus tear. Age (greater than 22 years) and long interval (greater than 6 weeks) between injury to surgery and higher sport activity level were associated with chondral lesions. Revision ACL reconstructions are associated with a higher proportion of chondral lesions and a lower proportion of meniscal tears. Early primary and revision ACL construction is recommended to reduce the probability of chondral lesions.
The radial dimension of a supersonic jet expansion from conical nozzle
Authors: Chen Guanglong , Boldarev A. S. , Geng Xiaotao , Li Xingjia , Cao Yunjiu , Wang Lili , Kim Dong Eon
Published: November 2016

In a laser-cluster interaction experiment, the radial dimension of a supersonic gas jet is an important parameter for the characterization of interaction volume. It is noted that due to the lateral gas expansion, the diameter of a supersonic gas jet is larger than the idealized diameter of a gas jet from a conical nozzle. In this work the effect of the lateral expansion on the radial dimension of gas jet was investigated by simulations. Based on the simulation results, the diameter of gas jet l was compared in detail with the corresponding diameter lT in the idealized straight streamline model and the diameter lH at a half of maximum atom density of gas jet. The results reveal how the deviation of l from lT (lH) changes with respect to the opening angles of conical nozzles, the heights above the nozzle, the nozzle lengths and the gas backing pressures. It is found that the diameter of gas jet l is close to the idealized diameter lT and lH in the case where a long conical nozzle with a large opening angle is used under a low gas backing pressure. In this case, the effect of the lateral expansion is so weak that the edge of gas jet becomes sharp and the radial distribution of atom density in gas jet tends to be uniform. The results could be useful for the characterization of a supersonic gas jet.
The influence of material properties on the aeroelastic behavior of a composite wind turbine blade
Authors: Rafiee Roham , Moradi Mohsen , Khanpour Motahareh
Published: November 2016

The main objective of this research is to investigate the degree to which variations in mechanical properties of constitutive composite materials can influence the aeroelastic behavior of a wind turbine blade. First, structural behavior of a full-scale wind turbine blade is evaluated from different aspects of bending, torsional and axial rigidities. For this purpose, simplified model of the blade is constructed and it is validated with experimental data of the full-scale blade. Then, a parametric study is performed to determine the most dominant mechanical properties which have a severe impact on the structural behavior of the blade. Identified dominant properties are varied randomly and independently. Thus, stochastic analysis is performed to investigate the variations in natural frequencies of the blade as the governing parameter in defining aeroelastic behavior. Finally, susceptibility of the blade to dynamics instability is also examined. Aeroelastic effects are found to have a stronger effect on the blade with lower material properties that lead to more power reduction.
Changes in the profile of Australians in 77 residential aged care facilities across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory
Authors: Borotkanics Robert , Rowe Cassandra , Georgiou Andrew , Douglas Heather , Makeham Meredith , Westbrook Johanna
Published: November 2016

Objective Government expenditure on and the number of aged care facilities in Australia have increased consistently since 1995. As a result, a range of aged care policy changes have been implemented. Data on demographics and utilisation are important in determining the effects of policy on residential aged care services. Yet, there are surprisingly few statistical summaries in the peer-reviewed literature on the profile of Australian aged care residents or trends in service utilisation. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to characterise the demographic profile and utilisation of a large cohort of residential aged care residents, including trends over a 3-year period. Methods We collected 3 years of data (2011–14) from 77 residential aged care facilities and assessed trends and differences across five demographic and three service utilisation variables. Results The median age at admission over the 3-year period remained constant at 86 years. There were statistically significant decreases in separations to home (z = 2.62, P = 0.009) and a 1.35% increase in low care admissions. Widowed females made up the majority (44.75%) of permanent residents, were the oldest and had the longest lengths of stay. One-third of permanent residents had resided in aged care for 3 years or longer. Approximately 30% of residents were not born in Australia. Aboriginal residents made up less than 1% of the studied population, were younger and had shorter stays than non-Aboriginal residents. Conclusion The analyses revealed a clear demographic profile and consistent pattern of utilisation of aged care facilities. There have been several changes in aged care policy over the decades. The analyses outlined herein illustrate how community, health services and public health data can be used to inform policy, monitor progress and assess whether intended policy has had the desired effects on aged care services. What is known about the topic? Characterisation of permanent residents and their utilisation of residential aged care facilities is poorly described in the peer-reviewed literature. Further, publicly available government reports are incomplete or characterised using incomplete methods. What does this paper add? The analyses in the present study revealed a clear demographic profile and consistent pattern of utilisation of aged care facilities. The most significant finding of the study is that one-third of permanent residents had resided in an aged care facility for ≥3 years. These findings add to the overall picture of residential aged care utilisation in Australia. What are the implications for practitioners? The analyses outlined herein illustrate how community, health services and public health data can be utilised to inform policy, monitor progress and assess whether or not intended policy has had the desired effects on aged care services.
Increased genetic gains in multi-trait sheep indices using female reproductive technologies combined with optimal contribution selection and genomic breeding values
Authors: Granleese T. , Clark S. A. , Swan A. A. , van der Werf J. H. J.
Published: November 2016

Female reproductive technologies such as multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) and juvenile in vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer (JIVET) can produce multiple offspring per mating in sheep and cattle. In breeding programs this allows for higher female selection intensity and, in the case of JIVET, a reduction in generation interval, resulting in higher rates of genetic gain. Low selection accuracy of young females entering JIVET has often dissuaded producers from using this technology. However, genomic selection (GS) could increase selection accuracy of candidates at a younger age to help increase rates of genetic gain. This increase might vary for different traits in multiple trait breeding programs depending on genetic parameters and the practicality of recording, particularly for hard to measure traits. This study used both stochastic (animals) and deterministic (GS) simulation to evaluate the effect of reproductive technologies on the genetic gain for various traits in sheep breeding programs, both with and without GS. Optimal contribution selection was used to manage inbreeding and to optimally assign reproductive technologies to individual selection candidates. Two Australian sheep industry indexes were used – a terminal sire index that focussed on growth and carcass traits (the ‘Lamb 2020’ index) and a Merino index that focuses on wool traits, bodyweight, and reproduction (MP+). We observed that breeding programs using artificial insemination or natural mating (AI/N) + MOET, compared with AI/N alone, yielded an extra 39% and 27% genetic gain for terminal and Merino indexes without GS, respectively. However, the addition of JIVET to AI/N + MOET without GS only yielded an extra 1% genetic gain for terminal index and no extra gain in the Merino index. When GS was used in breeding programs, we observed AI/N + MOET + JIVET outperformed AI/N + MOET by 21% and 33% for terminal and Merino indexes, respectively. The implementation of GS increased genetic gain where reproductive technologies were used by 9–34% in Lamb 2020 and 37–98% in MP+. Individual trait response to selection varied in each breeding program. The combination of GS and reproductive technologies allowed for greater genetic gain in both indexes especially for hard to measure traits, but had limited effect on the traits that already had a large amount of early age records.
Genotypic variation in soil water use and root distribution and their implications for drought tolerance in chickpea
Authors: Purushothaman Ramamoorthy , Krishnamurthy Lakshmanan , Upadhyaya Hari D. , Vadez Vincent , Varshney Rajeev K.
Published: November 2016

Chickpeas are often grown under receding soil moisture and suffer ~50% yield losses due to drought stress. The timing of soil water use is considered critical for the efficient use of water under drought and to reduce yield losses. Therefore the root growth and the soil water uptake of 12 chickpea genotypes known for contrasts in drought and rooting response were monitored throughout the growth period both under drought and optimal irrigation. Root distribution reduced in the surface and increased in the deep soil layers below 30 cm in response to drought. Soil water uptake was the maximum at 45–60 cm soil depth under drought whereas it was the maximum at shallower (15–30 and 30–45 cm) soil depths when irrigated. The total water uptake under drought was 1-fold less than optimal irrigation. The amount of water left unused remained the same across watering regimes. All the drought sensitive chickpea genotypes were inferior in root distribution and soil water uptake but the timing of water uptake varied among drought tolerant genotypes. Superiority in water uptake in most stages and the total water use determined the best adaptation. The water use at 15–30 cm soil depth ensured greater uptake from lower depths and the soil water use from 90–120 cm soil was critical for best drought adaptation. Root length density and the soil water uptake across soil depths were closely associated except at the surface or the ultimate soil depths of root presence.
Molecular phylogenetics provides new insights into the systematics of Pimelea and Thecanthes (Thymelaeaceae)
Authors: Foster Charles S. P. , Cantrill David J. , James Elizabeth A. , Syme Anna E. , Jordan Rebecca , Douglas Rachel , Ho Simon Y. W. , Henwood Murray J.
Published: November 2016

Pimelea Banks & Sol. ex Gaertn. is a genus of flowering plants comprising an estimated 90 species in Australia and ~35 species in New Zealand. The genus is economically important, with the inflorescences of some species having floricultural applications, and the presence of toxic compounds in several species proving poisonous to livestock. Pimelea grows in a variety of habitats ranging from arid to alpine, suggesting a complicated biogeographic history. The relationships within Pimelea remain largely uncertain, despite previous attempts at clarification using molecular phylogenetics. However, it is clear that Pimelea is closely related to Thecanthes Wikstr., with the two genera comprising the subtribe Pimeleinae. We used Bayesian and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analyses of four plastid markers (matK, rbcL, rps16, trnL–F) and one nuclear ribosomal marker (ITS) to examine the evolutionary relationships within Pimeleinae. We found strong support for the monophyly of Pimeleinae but, similar to previous studies, Pimelea was paraphyletic with respect to Thecanthes. Our results also indicated that P. longiflora R.Br. subsp. longiflora and P. longiflora subsp. eyrei (F.Muell.) Rye are best considered as distinct species. Therefore, we reduce Thecanthes to synonymy with Pimelea, making the necessary new combination Pimelea filifolia (Rye) C.S.P.Foster et M.J.Henwood (previously Thecanthes filifolia Rye), and also reinstate Pimelea eyrei F.Muell.
Facilitating joint attention with salient pointing in interactions involving children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Dindar Katja , Korkiakangas Terhi , Laitila Aarno , Kärnä Eija
Published: November 2016

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) reportedly have difficulties in responding to bids for joint attention, notably in following pointing gestures. Previous studies have predominantly built on structured observation measures and predefined coding categories to measure children’s responsiveness to gestures. However, how these gestures are designed and what detailed interactional work they can accomplish have received less attention. In this paper, we use a multimodal approach to conversation analysis (CA) to investigate how educators design their use of pointing in interactions involving school-aged children with ASD or autistic features. The analysis shows that pointing had specific sequential implications for the children beyond mere attention sharing. Occasionally, the co-occurring talk and pointing led to ambiguities when a child was interpreting their interactional connotations, specifically when the pointing gesture lacked salience. The study demonstrates that the CA approach can increase understanding of how to facilitate the establishment of joint attention.
Producing and perceiving gestures conveying height or shape
Authors: Hassemer Julius , Winter Bodo
Published: November 2016

In this paper, we analyze single-handed hold gestures that convey either the height or the shape of an object. The analyses include (1) differentiating which parts of the hands are profiled in each gesture, (2) considering whether these parts are occluded by other fingers, and (3) deriving predictions from (1) and (2) with regard to what hand shape characteristics favor height or shape gestures. In a production experiment, we asked participants to indicate either the height of a small ball or its shape, using only the index finger and the thumb. As predicted, the middle, ring and little finger were more curled in for height gestures. For shape gestures, those three fingers were more raised. In two perception experiments, participants viewed virtual hands from a computer-generated continuum of hand-shape stimuli. We found that if the middle, ring and little finger were more curled in, participants were more likely to interpret a gesture as indicating height. Our results pose new questions with regard to the relation between the physical form of a gesture and the inferred imaginary forms that are involved in deriving meaning from a gesture.
Chinese-style topics as indexicality
Authors: Wu Tong
Published: November 2016

‘Topic’ is one of the most studied and the least understood subjects in Chinese linguistics. One major problem is the so-called ‘Chinese-style topics/ dangling topics’. Shi (2000) was the first to establish a typology of Chinese-style topics. Later studies were primarily concerned with the validity of his typology (Huang & Ting 2006; Pan & Hu 2002, 2008) and with how Chinese-style topics, if they exist, are semantically licensed (Hu & Pan 2009). More problematic and less discussed is the question as to how Chinese-style topics are syntactically derived. Based on previous studies and new tests, I argue that Chinese-style topics do exist, although not only in Chinese and not all Shi’s six types are Chinese-style topics. I only identify Shi (2000)’s types 3 and 4 as Chinese-style topics, contrary to the conclusion of all previous studies. Furthermore, I argue that the Chinese-style topics which I identify share properties which non-Chinese-style topics do not have, namely Chinese-style topics necessarily or preferably stand before other topics and do not show Weak Crossover and Relativized Minimality effects. To explain these properties, I adopt Giorgi (2010)’s Indexicality Hypothesis and propose that Chinese-style topics, which have the interpretable [iDeictic] feature, sit at the specifier of the C-SpeakerP at the leftmost layer of the CP. This approach can shed new light on the famous dichotomy, that of topic-prominent languages vs. subject-prominent languages (Li & Thompson 1976).
Elastic language in TV discussion discourse
Authors: Zhang Grace
Published: November 2016

This paper investigates the elasticity of the pragmatic particlebain Mandarin Chinese, based on TV discussion data. It provides refreshing theoretic explanations ofba: the elasticity manifests through fluidity and stretchability ofba’s meanings and functions, and its strategic use.Bahas the general meaning of ‘a change of tone in an utterance’, which can trigger three pragmatic meanings (and functions) in context: mitigating (most frequent), boosting (least frequent) and soothing. These three meanings stretch upwards (boosting), downwards (mitigating) or sidewise (soothing) to serve the needs of communication.Bais sentence-type and text-type specific; the clustershibashows the overlapping characteristics of the embedded declarative and interrogative forms.
A refutation of Song’s (2014) explanation of the ‘stop coda problem’ in Old Chinese
Authors: Hill Nathan W.
Published: November 2016

Song (2014) draws renewed attention to the problem of groups of Chinese words in which the character used to write one of the words has a stop final reading in Middle Chinese but the character used to write another of the words has an open syllable reading in Middle Chinese, although the two seem to have a shared a rime in Old Chinese. She offers a new solution employing the reconstruction of voiced and voiceless stop finals in the shared ancestor of Chinese and Tibetan. Every step in Song’s reasoning is faulty and nearly every claim she makes about Tibetan is false. Haudricourt long ago solved the ‘stop coda problem’ (1954).
On the (non)utility of Juilland’sDto measure lexical dispersion in large corpora
Authors: Biber Douglas , Reppen Randi , Schnur Erin , Ghanem Romy
Published: November 2016

This paper explores the effectiveness of Juilland’sDas a measure of vocabulary dispersion in large corpora. Through a series of experiments using the BNC, we explored the influence of three variables: the number of corpus-parts used for the computation ofD, the frequency of the target word, and the distributions of those words. The experiments demonstrate that the effective range forDis greatly reduced when computations are based on a large number of corpus-parts: even words with highly skewed distributions haveDvalues indicating a relatively uniform distribution. We also briefly explore an alternative measure, Gries’DP(Gries 2008), showing that it is a more reliable and effective measure of dispersion in a large corpus divided into many parts. In conclusion, we discuss the implications of these findings for quantitative methods applied to the creation of vocabulary lists as well as research questions in other areas of corpus linguistics.
Was late Modern English scientific writing impersonal?
Authors: Monaco Leida Maria
Published: November 2016

This paper focuses on the use of certain linguistic features conveying impersonal style in late Modern English scientific prose (1700–1900). Samples are taken from two subcorpora of the Coruña Corpus of English Scientific Writing, one from the humanities (Philosophy) and the other from natural sciences (Life Sciences). The methodology applied is based on Biber’s (1988) Multidimensional Analysis, consisting of a study of register variation as manifested through sets of co-occurring linguistic features with a shared discursive function. The aim of the present study is to detect variation across scientific disciplines, genres, and subject matter. Findings are compared to those found in both diachronic and contemporary reference corpora.
The HeliPaD
Authors: Walkden George
Published: November 2016

This short paper introduces the HeliPaD, a new parsed corpus of Old Saxon (Old Low German). It is annotated according to the standards of the Penn Corpora of Historical English, enriched with lemmatization and additional morphological attributes as well as textual and metrical annotation. This paper provides an overview of its main features and compares it to existing resources such as the Deutsch Diachron Digital version of the Old SaxonHeliandas part of the Referenzkorpus Altdeutsch. It closes with a roadmap for planned future expansions.
Polyphony in a ward
Authors: Caronia Letizia , Chieregato Arturo
Published: November 2016

Contemporary research on the communicative constitution of organization conceives organization as made up of multiple voices embodied in and enacted by the different actors inhabiting this social world. This paper illustrates the inner polyphony at play in the complex and sensitive workplace of an Intensive Care Unit. The study focuses on the diagnostic talk concerning infectious disease and on the communicative resources deployed by physicians to pursue or resist their often conflicting diagnostic trajectories and professional stances toward the use of antibiotics. Adopting a conversation analytical approach to video-recorded morning briefings, we will illustrate how polyphony characterises the team members’ conduct during this communicative event and the consequences this polyphony has on the decision-making process. As we will illustrate, in this as in most cases, the members of the community appear to be active users of their professional culture, yet are also — and unavoidably — its carriers.
Jesuit Figurists’ written space
Authors: Wei Sophie Ling-chia
Published: November 2016

As the Jesuit Figurists journeyed through the sea of commentaries on the Yijing and the trans-textual dialogue, they did not just play the role of translators and commentators by doing intralingual translation. They also sought the attention of the Kangxi Emperor and the elite literati by producing handwritten Chinese manuscripts that mimicked the format and grammatology of Chinese commentaries. Besides the commentarial tradition, and the Classical and vernacular language employed in the Chinese manuscripts of the Jesuit Figurists, their formats, writing/calligraphy, layout and other visual features had a life and history of their own. The manuscripts served as a visual medium that helped the Jesuit Figurists communicate and proselytize via a shared identity with the Chinese literati. They strove to imitate the format used in commentaries on the Yijing by earlier or contemporary literati. Thus, their Chinese manuscripts were a written space that showed the interaction among the forms of the books, their content, and their imagined readers. The Jesuit Figurists also faced mixed feelings and fluctuating support from their target audience in this translation space.
A spirited defense of a certain empiricism in Translation Studies (and in anything else concerning the study of cultures)
Authors: Pym Anthony
Published: November 2016

The scientific method known as empiricism has been attacked in two influential books in Translation Studies. Mona Baker’s Translation and Conflict sees all knowledge as being produced through narrative, thereby excluding the processes of repeated testing and dialogue that can be associated with an empirical approach. Further, Baker’s failure to attend to textual linearity, voice, and narrator position lends her project an ideological essentialism that actively shuns such empirical testing. Lawrence Venuti’s Translation Changes Everything, on the other hand, escapes essentialism by insisting on the active interpretation of all data. However, Venuti thereby falsely opposes hermeneutics to empirical method, in a way that willfully ignores the key twentieth-century epistemologies of science. The resulting anti-empiricism leads him to some very questionable psychoanalytical conclusions and an excessive reliance on the authorities of dictionaries and distanced theorists. Neither Baker nor Venuti can say, as must any empiricist, ‘I don’t know.’
The “Minsk Phenomenon:” demographic development in the Republic of Belarus
Authors: Marples David R.
Published: November 2016

This paper returns to a topic the author dealt with in a more basic form some years ago. But it also makes an attempt to conceptualize the development of independent Belarus through its population migration to urban centers and especially its capital city, a development that dates exclusively from the post-1945 period, but that paradoxically has prevented this republic from experiencing the sort of modernization processes evident elsewhere in Europe. It takes as its starting point the pioneering work by the German historian Thomas Bohn (Bon/Bohn 2013) titledThe Minsk Phenomenonand develops it further by linking it to demographic issues, current health concerns, and problems in industrial development.
Effects of the social dominance orientation on environmental attitudes of Chilean university students / Efectos de la orientación a la dominancia social sobre las actitudes ambientales de universitarios chilenos
Authors: Amérigo Maria , Palavecinos Mireya , García Juan A. , Román Francisca , Trizano-Hermosilla Ítalo
Published: November 2016

By adopting a multidimensional approach to environmental attitudes (apathy, anthropocentrism, connectedness and emotional affinity with nature), this study explores the relationships between these dimensions, social dominance orientation (SDO) and political orientation. Two hundred and sixty-two Chilean university students filled out an ad hoc online questionnaire. Two confirmatory factorial analyses showed the four typologies of environmental attitudes and the two factors for SDO, which are labelled group dominance and opposition to equality. Through hierarchical regressions, group dominance showed higher explanatory power of environmental attitudes than political orientation. Furthermore, using the bootstrap procedure we showed that group dominance mediated between political orientation and attitudes of apathy, anthropocentrism and connectedness, while opposition to equality mediated between apathy and emotional affinity. We conclude that SDO is an important variable for measuring political ideology while also providing new nuances when analysing the relationships with environmental attitudes.
Exploring the transfer of self-efficacy: academic self-efficacy predicts exercise and nutrition self-efficacy / Una exploración de la transferencia de la autoeficacia: la autoeficacia académica predice la autoeficacia nutritiva y del ejercicio físico
Authors: Massar Karlijn , Malmberg Roos
Published: November 2016

In this research, we investigated the transfer of self-efficacy (SE) beliefs from one domain to another. Specifically, we explored whether academic SE beliefs might be able to predict exercise (Study 1) and nutrition (Study 2) SE. Additionally, to explore the underlying mechanisms, participants reported on domain confidence, perceived similarity and domain importance. Specifically, in Study 1, undergraduate students reported on their academic SE beliefs, confidence in the academic and exercise domains and their exercise SE beliefs ( n = 50). In Study 2, participants reported on their academic SE beliefs, confidence in the academic and nutrition domains and their nutrition SE beliefs ( n = 71). Moreover, in both studies, the perceived importance and the perceived similarity between domains were measured. Multiple regression analyses revealed that academic SE beliefs, academic confidence and exercise confidence were significant predictors of exercise SE beliefs (Study 1); for Study 2 nutrition SE was predicted by academic SE, academic confidence, nutrition confidence and nutrition importance diet. Additionally, we found a partial suppression effect in both studies: academic confidence strengthened the relationship between academic SE and exercise SE in Study 1, and between academic SE and nutrition SE in Study 2. Discussion focuses on the similarities and differences between the studies’ results and the implications for the literature.