bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synchronization of pairwise-coupled, identical, relaxation oscillators based on metal-insulator phase transition devices: A model study
Authors: Parihar Abhinav , Shukla Nikhil , Datta Suman , Raychowdhury Arijit
Published: February 2015

Computing with networks of synchronous oscillators has attracted wide-spread attention as novel materials and device topologies have enabled realization of compact, scalable and low-power coupled oscillatory systems. Of particular interest are compact and low-power relaxation oscillators that have been recently demonstrated using MIT (metal-insulator-transition) devices using properties of correlated oxides. Further the computational capability of pairwise coupled relaxation oscillators has also been shown to outperform traditional Boolean digital logic circuits. This paper presents an analysis of the dynamics and synchronization of a system of two such identical coupled relaxation oscillators implemented with MIT devices. We focus on two implementations of the oscillator: (a) a D-D configuration where complementary MIT devices (D) are connected in series to provide oscillations and (b) a D-R configuration where it is composed of a resistor (R) in series with a voltage-triggered state changing MIT device (D). The MIT device acts like a hysteresis resistor with different resistances in the two different states. The synchronization dynamics of such a system has been analyzed with purely charge based coupling using a resistive (RC) and a capacitive (CC) element in parallel. It is shown that in a D-D configuration symmetric, identical and capacitively coupled relaxation oscillator system synchronizes to an anti-phase locking state, whereas when coupled resistively the system locks in phase. Further, we demonstrate that for certain range of values of RC and CC, a bistable system is possible which can have potential applications in associative computing. In D-R configuration, we demonstrate the existence of rich dynamics including non-monotonic flows and complex phase relationship governed by the ratios of the coupling impedance. Finally, the developed theoretical formulations have been shown to explain experimentally measured waveforms of such pairwise coupled relaxation oscillators.
High quality electron bunch generation with CO2-laser-plasma interaction
Authors: Zhang Lingang , Shen Baifei , Xu Jiancai , Ji Liangliang , Zhang Xiaomei , Wang Wenpeng , Zhao Xueyan , Yi Longqing , Yu Yahong , Shi Yin , Xu Tongjun , Xu Zhizhan
Published: February 2015

CO2 laser-driven electron acceleration in low-density plasma is demonstrated using particle-in-cell simulation. An intense CO2 laser pulse of long wavelength excites a wake bubble that has a large elongated volume for accelerating a large number of electrons before reaching the charge saturation limit. A transversely injected laser pulse is used to induce and control the electron injection. It is found that an electron bunch with total charge up to 10 nC and absolute energy spread less than 16 MeV can be obtained. As a result, the charge per energy interval of the bunch reaches up to 0.6 nC/MeV. Intense CO2-laser based electron acceleration can provide a new direction for generating highly charged electron bunches with low energy spread, which is of much current interest, especially for table-top X-ray generation.
Note: Control of liquid helium supply to cryopanels of Kolkata superconducting cyclotron
Authors: Bhattacharyya T. K. , Pal G.
Published: February 2015

The Kolkata superconducting cyclotron utilises liquid helium to cool the main magnet niobium-titanium (NbTi) coil and the cryopanels. Three liquid helium cooled cryopanels, placed inside the dees of the radio-frequency system, maintain the high vacuum in the acceleration region of the superconducting cyclotron. The small cryostat placed inside the cryogenic distribution manifold located at the basement of the superconducting cyclotron building supplies liquid helium in parallel branches to three cold heads, used for cooling their associated cryopanels. The level in the cryostat has to be maintained at an optimum value to ensure uninterrupted flow of liquid helium to these three cold heads. This paper describes the transfer function of the overall system, its tuning parameters, and discusses the actual control of cryostat level by using these parameters.
Communication: Satisfying fermionic statistics in the modeling of open time-dependent quantum systems with one-electron reduced density matrices
Authors: Head-Marsden Kade , Mazziotti David A.
Published: February 2015

For an open, time-dependent quantum system, Lindblad derived the most general modification of the quantum Liouville equation in the Markovian approximation that models environmental effects while preserving the non-negativity of the system’s density matrix. While Lindblad’s modification is correct for N-electron density matrices, solution of the Liouville equation with a Lindblad operator causes the one-electron reduced density matrix (1-RDM) to violate the Pauli exclusion principle. Consequently, after a short time, the 1-RDM is not representable by an ensemble N-electron density matrix (not ensemble N-representable). In this communication, we derive the necessary and sufficient constraints on the Lindbladian matrix within the Lindblad operator to ensure that the 1-RDM remains N-representable for all time. The theory is illustrated by considering the relaxation of an excitation in several molecules F2, N2, CO, and BeH2 subject to environmental noise.
Chaos in an imperfectly premixed model combustor
Authors: Kabiraj Lipika , Saurabh Aditya , Karimi Nader , Sailor Anna , Mastorakos Epaminondas , Dowling Ann P. , Paschereit Christian O.
Published: February 2015

This article reports nonlinear bifurcations observed in a laboratory scale, turbulent combustor operating under imperfectly premixed mode with global equivalence ratio as the control parameter. The results indicate that the dynamics of thermoacoustic instability correspond to quasi-periodic bifurcation to low-dimensional, deterministic chaos, a route that is common to a variety of dissipative nonlinear systems. The results support the recent identification of bifurcation scenarios in a laminar premixed flame combustor (Kabiraj et al., Chaos: Interdiscip. J. Nonlinear Sci. 22, 023129 (2012)) and extend the observation to a practically relevant combustor configuration.
Structural transition of partially Ba-filled thermoelectric CoSb3 investigated by positron annihilation spectroscopy
Authors: Zhang T. , Zhou K. , Li X. F. , Chen Z. Q. , Su X. L. , Tang X. F.
Published: February 2015

Microstructure of unfilled and Ba-filled CoSb3 has been studied by positron lifetime measurements together with theoretical calculation. Positron trapping in intrinsic voids is observed in the CoSb3, which contributes a positron lifetime of 263 ± 2 ps. After filling Ba atoms with content up to x = 0.4, the positron lifetime shows continuous increase. By comparing the experimental results with calculation following the phase diagram of BaxCo4Sb12 with x in the range of 0–0.5, it is found that when the Ba content is lower than 0.16, the filling of Ba atoms is in a phase of solid solution. At x = 0.2, γ phase is formed, which is mixed with solid solution. At x > 0.25, transition from γ phase to a mixture of γ and α phases is confirmed.
Electron velocity of 6 × 107 cm/s at 300 K in stress engineered InAlN/GaN nano-channel high-electron-mobility transistors
Authors: Arulkumaran S. , Ng G. I. , Manoj Kumar C. M. , Ranjan K. , Teo K. L. , Shoron O. F. , Rajan S. , Bin Dolmanan S. , Tripathy S.
Published: February 2015

A stress engineered three dimensional (3D) Triple T-gate (TT-gate) on lattice matched In0.17Al0.83N/GaN nano-channel (NC) Fin-High-Electron-Mobility Transistor (Fin-HEMT) with significantly enhanced device performance was achieved that is promising for high-speed device applications. The Fin-HEMT with 200-nm effective fin-width (Weff) exhibited a very high IDmax of 3940 mA/mm and a highest gm of 1417 mS/mm. This dramatic increase of ID and gm in the 3D TT-gate In0.17Al0.83N/GaN NC Fin-HEMT translated to an extracted highest electron velocity (ve) of 6.0 × 107 cm/s, which is ∼1.89× higher than that of the conventional In0.17Al0.83N/GaN HEMT (3.17 × 107 cm/s). The ve in the conventional III-nitride transistors are typically limited by highly efficient optical-phonon emission. However, the unusually high ve at 300 K in the 3D TT-gate In0.17Al0.83N/GaN NC Fin-HEMT is attributed to the increase of in-plane tensile stress component by SiN passivation in the formed NC which is also verified by micro-photoluminescence (0.47 ± 0.02 GPa) and micro-Raman spectroscopy (0.39 ± 0.12 GPa) measurements. The ability to reach the ve = 6 × 107 cm/s at 300 K by a stress engineered 3D TT-gate lattice-matched In0.17Al0.83N/GaN NC Fin-HEMTs shows they are promising for next-generation ultra-scaled high-speed device applications.
Grid code for wind power fluctuation in China and particle swarm optimization-based power dispatch solution
Authors: Shensi She , Yue Zhou , Zheng Li , Xu Cai
Published: February 2015

The intermittency and variability of wind lead to the fluctuation of wind power, which has an impact on the power grid. With the increasing capacity of wind power, the grid code restrictions for wind farms have become more rigorous than ever. The State Grid Corporation of China proposed standards for the maximal fluctuation in 1- and 10-min time windows, relative to the rated power of a wind farm. This paper presents an approach to calculate the power fluctuation on a certain timescale and find the balance between the generating benefit and fluctuation loss under the limitation standard. A new active power dispatch solution is applied based on the ultra-short term power forecasting result for 10 min. A penalty function and objective function are established and solved by particle swarm optimization to obtain the optimal control instruction to mitigate the power fluctuation. To validate the proposed solution, a wind power acquisition data series is used in both offline and online simulation cases. The results show that the new solution, with its small operating cost, is a valuable approach to avoid “abandoning wind” because of power over-fluctuation, and effectively increases valid production incomes.
Measurement of the speed of sound by observation of the Mach cones in a complex plasma under microgravity conditions
Authors: Zhukhovitskii D. I. , Fortov V. E. , Molotkov V. I. , Lipaev A. M. , Naumkin V. N. , Thomas H. M. , Ivlev A. V. , Schwabe M. , Morfill G. E.
Published: February 2015

We report the first observation of the Mach cones excited by a larger microparticle (projectile) moving through a cloud of smaller microparticles (dust) in a complex plasma with neon as a buffer gas under microgravity conditions. A collective motion of the dust particles occurs as propagation of the contact discontinuity. The corresponding speed of sound was measured by a special method of the Mach cone visualization. The measurement results are incompatible with the theory of ion acoustic waves. The estimate for the pressure in a strongly coupled Coulomb system and a scaling law for the complex plasma make it possible to derive an evaluation for the speed of sound, which is in a reasonable agreement with the experiments in complex plasmas.
Synthesis, Electrochemical, and Thermal Properties of [3]Ferrocenophane-Containing Chalcone Derivatives
Authors: Zhao Haiying , Zhu Xueyou , Wang Dong , Chen Shufeng , Bian Zhanxi
Published: February 2015

[3]Ferrocenophane-containing chalcone derivatives with benzene ring (3a–3d) or naphthalene ring (3e–3f) were synthesized and characterized. The potentials for [3]ferrocenophane-containing chalcones cathodically shifted ~70–80 mV compared with those of ferrocene-containing chalcones, indicating easier oxidation by loss of an electron for the former. The thermal behaviours of the prepared compounds were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. Compound 3f with terminal alkyl chain of 14 carbon atoms displayed mesophases, whereas other compounds were non-mesomorphic and showed either crystal polymorphic phase transitions or simple melting and freezing process in the heating and cooling cycles.
Regioselective Nitration of m-Xylene Catalyzed by Zeolite Catalyst
Authors: Dong Xiongzi , Peng Xinhua
Published: February 2015

Nitration with nitric acid and acetic anhydride via acetyl nitrate as nitrating species is efficient with the substrate m-xylene as solvent. Zeolite Hβ with an SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of 500 was found to be the most active of the catalysts tried both in yield and regioselectivity in the nitration of m-xylene. The molecular volume of the reactants was calculated with the Gaussian 09 program at the B3LYP/6–311+G(2d, p) level and compared with the size of the zeolite Hβ channels. A range of other substrates were subjected to the nitrating system under the same conditions as those optimized for m-xylene and excellent selectivity was obtained.
Porcelain, Music and Frederick the Great: a Survey of the Klipfel Collection in the Sing-Akademie, Berlin
Authors: Springthorpe Nigel
Published: February 2015

This article provides the first survey of the music collection amassed by the amateur musician and latterly Inspector of the Berlin Royal Porcelain Factory (KPM), Carl Jacob Christian Klipfel (1727–1802). This is possibly the largest collection of a private individual to survive from the eighteenth century and one that provides a unique insight into the repertoire of a provincial collegium musicum in Meissen, an organization that hitherto has not been recognised in scholarship. The importance of Klipfel's association with Frederick the Great is also outlined. The second section outlines the repertoire, including the many unica copies of works by a large number of Dresden and other Saxon composers, and in particular, the music of Johann Christian Roellig (b.1716), who was de facto resident composer of the Meissen Collegium Musicum. The analysis also demonstrates the importance of city-to-city distribution of musical works, including those by Hasse, in contrast to the more familiar court-to-court transmission in the eighteenth century. The third section then discusses the contribution by the various copyists based in Meissen, Dresden and Berlin, including a study of the handwriting of the principal copyist, Klipfel himself, which makes it possible to date works within the collection more accurately.
Mapping out the nuclear pore complex
Authors: Short Ben
Published: February 2015

In 2000, a first-of-its-kind study by Rout et al. provided a comprehensive survey of the nuclear pore’s composition and architecture.
Astrometry of Galactic star-forming region IRAS 20126+4104 with VERA
Authors: Nagayama Takumi , Omodaka Toshihiro , Handa Toshihiro , Burns Ross A. , Chibueze James O. , Kobayashi Hideyuki , Sato Katsuhisa , Ueno Yuji , Shizugami Makoto
Published: February 2015

We performed astrometric observations of IRAS 20126+4104 with the very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) Exploration of Radio Astrometry (VERA). The measured parallax was 0.750 ± 0.092 mas, corresponding to a distance of $1.33^{+0.19}_{-0.15}\:$kpc. We found that IRAS 20126+4104 is located approximately 100 pc above the Galactic plane and moving further away from the Galactic plane with a velocity of approximately 16 ± 4 km s−1. This motion would be associated by common origin with the expanding motions of OB type-stars in the Cygnus superbubble.
Bifurcating action of Smoothened in Hedgehog signaling is mediated by Dlg5
Authors: Chong Yong Chun , Mann Randall K. , Zhao Chen , Kato Masaki , Beachy Philip A.
Published: February 2015

Binding of the Hedgehog (Hh) protein signal to its receptor, Patched, induces accumulation of the seven-pass transmembrane protein Smoothened (Smo) within the primary cilium and of the zinc finger transcription factor Gli2 at the ciliary tip, resulting ultimately in Gli-mediated changes in nuclear gene expression. However, the mechanism by which pathway activation is communicated from Smo to Gli2 is not known. In an effort to elucidate this mechanism, we identified Dlg5 (Discs large, homolog 5) in a biochemical screen for proteins that preferentially interact with activated Smo. We found that disruption of Smo–Dlg5 interactions or depletion of endogenous Dlg5 leads to diminished Hh pathway response without a significant impact on Smo ciliary accumulation. We also found that Dlg5 is localized at the basal body, where it associates with another pathway component, Kif7. We show that Dlg5 is required for Hh-induced enrichment of Kif7 and Gli2 at the tip of the cilium but is dispensable for Gpr161 exit from the cilium and the consequent suppression of Gli3 processing into its repressor form. Our findings suggest a bifurcation of Smo activity in Hh response, with a Dlg5-independent arm for suppression of Gli repressor formation and a second arm involving Smo interaction with Dlg5 for Gli activation.
Structure of the apoptosome: mechanistic insights into activation of an initiator caspase from Drosophila
Authors: Pang Yuxuan , Bai Xiao-chen , Yan Chuangye , Hao Qi , Chen Zheqin , Wang Jia-Wei , Scheres Sjors H.W. , Shi Yigong
Published: February 2015

Apoptosis is executed by a cascade of caspase activation. The autocatalytic activation of an initiator caspase, exemplified by caspase-9 in mammals or its ortholog, Dronc, in fruit flies, is facilitated by a multimeric adaptor complex known as the apoptosome. The underlying mechanism by which caspase-9 or Dronc is activated by the apoptosome remains unknown. Here we report the electron cryomicroscopic (cryo-EM) structure of the intact apoptosome from Drosophila melanogaster at 4.0 Å resolution. Analysis of the Drosophila apoptosome, which comprises 16 molecules of the Dark protein (Apaf-1 ortholog), reveals molecular determinants that support the assembly of the 2.5-MDa complex. In the absence of dATP or ATP, Dronc zymogen potently induces formation of the Dark apoptosome, within which Dronc is efficiently activated. At 4.1 Å resolution, the cryo-EM structure of the Dark apoptosome bound to the caspase recruitment domain (CARD) of Dronc (Dronc-CARD) reveals two stacked rings of Dronc-CARD that are sandwiched between two octameric rings of the Dark protein. The specific interactions between Dronc-CARD and both the CARD and the WD40 repeats of a nearby Dark protomer are indispensable for Dronc activation. These findings reveal important mechanistic insights into the activation of initiator caspase by the apoptosome.
Measurement of Calcium Uptake in Yeast Using 45Ca
Authors: Tisi Renata , Martegani Enzo , Brandão Rogelio L.
Published: February 2015

This protocol describes how to measure calcium uptake in yeast by 45Ca radioactive isotope incorporation.
Denaturation and Electrophoresis of RNA with Glyoxal
Authors: Rio Donald C.
Published: February 2015

This protocol is used to denature and separate large mRNA molecules (0.5–10 kb) on agarose gels by electrophoretic size fractionation. Glyoxal (also called diformyl or ethanedial), the agent responsible for maintaining denaturation in this protocol, contains two carbonyl groups that react to form a cyclic ring structure with the imino and amino groups of guanine. It can also react with the amino groups of adenine and cytidine. When RNA is denatured in the presence of glyoxal, this covalent adduct prevents normal base pairing and maintains the RNA in a denatured state in agarose gels. Once formed, these adducts are stable at room temperature at pH <7.0; thus, there is no need to add glyoxal to the gel or to the gel buffers to maintain the RNA in the denatured state. Because the fully denatured RNA migrates through agarose gels according to its molecular mass, this method can be used to accurately size mRNA molecules. Following electrophoresis and reversal of glyoxalation, the RNA can be detected using a northern hybridization procedure.
Isolation and Analysis of Microtubules and Associated Proteins
Authors: Sloboda Roger D.
Published: February 2015

Microtubules, microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs), and motor proteins are essential components of all eukaryotic cells. They are all involved in mitosis and in the movement of organelles, proteins, and vesicles in cells. MAPs act as structural elements of the microtubule component of the cytoskeleton, whereas molecular motors propel cargo along microtubule tracks or translocate microtubules in the cytoplasm. This introduction provides an overview of procedures developed by many labs to isolate microtubules from cell homogenates, purify tubulin, MAPs, and motor proteins from microtubules preparations, and analyze kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein activity by video-enhanced differential interference contrast microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. These ingenious microscope-based assays, which were developed to determine the motility characteristics of kinesin and dynein, reveal, in clear and dramatic fashion, the activity of these amazing nanomachines in real time.
Structural investigations in BaFe2 − xRuxAs2as a function of Ru and temperature
Authors: Sharma Shilpam , Bharathi A. , Vinod K. , Sundar C. S. , Srihari V. , Sen Smritijit , Ghosh Haranath , Sinha Anil K. , Deb S. K.
Published: February 2015

We present the results of synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements on powdered single-crystal samples of BaFe2 − xRuxAs2, as a function of Ru content, and as a function of temperature, across the spin-density wave transition in BaFe1.9Ru0.1As2. The Rietveld refinements reveal that with Ru substitution, while thea-axis increases, thec-axis decreases. In addition, the variation of positional coordinates of As (zAs), the Fe—As bond length and the As—Fe—As bond angles have also been determined. In the sample withx= 0.1, temperature-dependent XRD measurements indicate that the orthorhombicity shows the characteristic increase with a decrease in temperature, below the magnetic transition. It is seen that thec-axis, the As—Fe—As bond angles, Fe—As bond length and positional coordinates of the As show definite anomalies close to the structural transition. The observed anomalies in structural parameters are analysed in conjunction with restricted geometric optimization of the structure usingab initioelectronic structure calculations.
Crystal structure of magnesium dichloride decahydrate determined by X-ray and neutron diffraction under high pressure
Authors: Komatsu Kazuki , Shinozaki Ayako , Machida Shinichi , Matsubayashi Takuto , Watanabe Mao , Kagi Hiroyuki , Sano-Furukawa Asami , Hattori Takanori
Published: February 2015

Magnesium dichloride decahydrate (MgCl2·10H2O) and its deuterated counterpart (MgCl2·10D2O) are identified for the first time byin-situpowder synchrotron X-ray and spallation neutron diffraction. These substances are crystallized from a previously unidentified nanocrystalline compound, which originates from an amorphous state at low temperature. A combination of a recently developed autoindexing procedure and the charge-flipping method reveals that the crystal structure of MgCl2·10H2O consists of an ABCABC... sequence of Mg(H2O)6octahedra. The Cl−anions and remaining water molecules unconnected to the Mg2+cations bind the octahedra, similar to other water-rich magnesium dichloride hydrates. The D positions in MgCl2·10D2O, determined by the difference Fourier methods using the neutron powder diffraction patterns at 2.5 GPa, show the features such as bifurcated hydrogen bonds and tetrahedrally coordinated O atoms, which were not found in other forms of magnesium chloride hydrates.
Learning-to-be in two vocationally-oriented higher education degrees
Authors: Pollard Vikki , Vincent Andrew , Wilson Emily
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore the pedagogical approach of two higher education programmes aiming to develop both discipline-specific and key employability skills in graduates.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper presents two case studies of degree programs in the broad field of the creative industries and focusses on the innovative pedagogy adopted based on a “learning to be” approach (McWilliam, 2008).

Findings

– The two case studies describe a different type of pedagogy taken up at one mixed-sector institution over two degree programs. The degrees offered within this institution are recognised as being vocationally oriented yet productive of the higher-order skills expected of degree programs. The case studies illustrate this through a pedagogy designed to orientate the students towards the development of a sense of identity whilst also placing them within the broader professional context of the discipline.

Practical implications

– The paper has practical implications for educators in the field and points towards the need to consider the broader professional context of the students in the course design and review phases of programmes in the creative industries.

Originality/value

– It is hoped the findings will be useful to educators and curriculum developers in other creative industries’ higher education programs with a vocational orientation to inform future course design, review and planning.
The Physical University: Contours of space and place in higher education
Authors: Haggans Michael
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present an extended book review of “The Physical University”.

Design/methodology/approach

– This article takes the form of a literature review focusing on one title.

Findings

– This is an uneven collection of fragments of conventional late twentieth-century thinking about the physical campus. The future of the physical university, the campus is in doubt. Yet, only two of the dozen authors engage in this existential question.

Originality/value

– The collection of articles ranges from purely philosophical to moderately practical. It is a poor summary of current thought and offers little guidance for dealing with the evolving future of the physical university.
Demographic mechanisms of inbreeding adjustment through extra‐pair reproduction
Authors: Reid Jane M. , Duthie A. Bradley , Wolak Matthew E. , Arcese Peter
Published: February 2015

One hypothesis explaining extra‐pair reproduction is that socially monogamous females mate with extra‐pair males to adjust the coefficient of inbreeding (f) of extra‐pair offspring (EPO) relative to that of within‐pair offspring (WPO) they would produce with their socially paired male. Such adjustment of offspringfrequires non‐random extra‐pair reproduction with respect to relatedness, which is in turn often assumed to require some mechanism of explicit pre‐copulatory or post‐copulatory kin discrimination.

We propose three demographic processes that could potentially cause meanfto differ between individual females'EPOandWPOgiven random extra‐pair reproduction with available males without necessarily requiring explicit kin discrimination. Specifically, such a difference could arise if social pairings formed non‐randomly with respect to relatedness or persisted non‐randomly with respect to relatedness, or if the distribution of relatedness between females and their sets of potential mates changed during the period through which social pairings persisted.

We used comprehensive pedigree and pairing data from free‐living song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) to quantify these three processes and hence investigate how individual females could adjust mean offspringfthrough instantaneously random extra‐pair reproduction.

Female song sparrows tended to form social pairings with unrelated or distantly related males slightly less frequently than expected given random pairing within the defined set of available males. Furthermore, social pairings between more closely related mates tended to be more likely to persist across years than social pairings between less closely related mates. However, these effects were small and the mean relatedness between females and their sets of potential extra‐pair males did not change substantially across the years through which social pairings persisted.

Our framework and analyses illustrate how demographic and social structuring within populations might allow females to adjust meanfof offspring through random extra‐pair reproduction without necessarily requiring explicit kin discrimination, implying that adjustment of offspringfmight be an inevitable consequence of extra‐pair reproduction. New theoretical and empirical studies are required to explore the general magnitude of such effects and quantify the degree to which they could facilitate or constrain long‐term evolution of extra‐pair reproduction.
Some Characteristics of High‐Reliability Networks
Authors: Berthod Olivier , Grothe‐Hammer Michael , Sydow Jörg
Published: February 2015

This research note documents the initial findings of an ongoing ethnographic study at a fire and emergency service. This particular organization has become a focus of attention because of its skilled coordination of handling large‐scale organized events in cooperation with a large number of other organizations, thereby increasing their reliability. First of all, we will introduce the case and our observations, then discuss our findings against the backdrop of high‐reliability theory. We use these findings to characterize high‐reliability networks.
Limited risks of major congenital anomalies in children of mothers with coeliac disease: a population‐based cohort study
Authors: Ban L , West J , Abdul Sultan A , Dhalwani NN , Ludvigsson JF , Tata LJ
Published: February 2015

Objective

To examine major congenital anomaly (CA) risks in children of mothers with coeliac disease (CD) compared with mothers withoutCD.

Design

Population‐based cohort study.

Setting

Linked maternal–child medical records from a large primary care database from theUK.

Population

A total of 562 332 live singletons of mothers with and withoutCDin 1990–2013.

Methods

We calculated the absolute majorCArisks in children whose mothers hadCD, and whether this was diagnosed or undiagnosed before childbirth. Logistic regression with a generalised estimating equation was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) forCAs associated withCD.

Main outcome measures

Fourteen system‐specific majorCAgroups classified according to theEuropeanSurveillance ofCongenitalAnomalies and neural tube defects (NTDs).

Results

MajorCArisk in 1880 children of mothers withCDwas 293 per 10 000 liveborn singletons, similar to the risk in those withoutCD(282; aOR0.98, 95%CI0.74–1.30). The risk was slightly higher in 971 children, whose mothers were undiagnosed (350; aOR1.14, 95%CI0.79–1.64), than in 909 children whose mothers were diagnosed (231; aOR0.80, 95%CI0.52–1.24). There was a three‐fold increase in nervous system anomalies in the children of mothers with undiagnosedCD(aOR2.98, 95% CI1.06–8.33, based on five exposed cases and one had anNTD), and these women were all diagnosed withCDat least 4 years after their children were born.

Conclusions

There was no statistically significant increase in risk of majorCAs in children of mothers with coeliac disease overall, compared with the general population.
Bundles of HRM practices and performance: empirical evidence from a Latin American context
Authors: Bello‐Pintado Alejandro
Published: February 2015

This article examines the extent to which the configuration of HRM practices in bundles and the interactions among them have a significant impact on manufacturing outcomes. Using a unique data set from a survey of a representative sample of the whole Uruguayan manufacturing industry, several hypotheses related to interactions between ability–motivation–opportunity bundles of HRM practices are tested. Analysis of 150 manufacturing plants partially highlights the existence of hierarchy between bundles, being the bundle of motivation‐enhancing HRM practices the most important to explain the enhanced manufacturing outcomes. Based on this bundle of practices, synergistic interactions with both ability and opportunity bundles of HRM practices were observed to explain different performance measures.
Efficacy of intensity‐modulated radiotherapy for resected thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Wencheng , Liu Xiao , Xiao Zefen , Wang Lvhua , Zhang Hongxing , Chen Dongfu , Zhou Zongmei , Feng Qinfu , Hui Zhouguang , Liang Jun , Yin Weibo , He Jie
Published: February 2015

Background

Little is known about the clinical use of intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) of esophageal cancer; therefore, we retrospectively investigated the clinical value of postoperative IMRT among resected thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC) patients.

Methods

We enrolled a total of 228 patients with resected TESCC who underwent IMRT between January 2004 and June 2009 in the study. PORT was applied via IMRT with a median total dose of 60 Gy. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate survival rates, and a log‐rank test was used for univariate analysis. The Cox proportional model was used for multivariate analysis.

Results

The one, three, and five‐year overall survival rates of all patients were 89.9%, 56.7%, and 45.1%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that significant prognostic factors included Union for International Cancer Control 2002 stage, lymphatic metastasis, number of metastatic lymph nodes, the degree of metastatic lymph nodes, the degree of differentiation, and vascular tumor thrombus (P < 0.05). Treatment failure occurred in 98 (45.2%) patients because of recurrence or metastases. Early reactions were observed at rates of 18.0% for radiation esophagitis and 5.7% for radiation pneumonitis more than grade 2. Late side effects included anastomotic stenosis (1.3%) and gastrointestinal bleeding (3.1%).

Conclusions

The postoperative prophylactic IMRT of TESCC provided a favorable local control rate and acceptable toxicity.
Responses of fruit flies (Tephritidae:Dacinae) to novel male attractants in northQueensland,Australia, and improved lures for some pest species
Authors: Royer Jane E
Published: February 2015

Male fruit fly attractants, cue‐lure and methyl eugenol (ME), have been successfully used for the last 50 years in the monitoring and control ofDacini fruit flies (BactroceraandDacusspecies). However, over 50% ofDacini are non‐responsive to either lure, including some pest species. A new lure, zingerone, has been found to weakly attract cue‐ andME‐responsive species inMalaysia. InAustralia it attracted a weakly cue‐responsive minor pestBactrocera jarvisi(Tryon) and three ‘non‐responsive’ species. Similar compounds were tested inQueensland and attracted cue‐ andME‐responsive species and two ‘non‐responsive’ species. In this study, 14 novel compounds, including raspberry ketone formate (RKF) (Melolure) and zingerone, were field tested in comparison with cue‐lure andMEat 17 sites in northQueensland. The most attractive novel lures were isoeugenol, methyl‐isoeugenol, dihydroeugenol and zingerone. Several ‘non‐responsive’ species responded to the new lures:Bactrocera halfordiae(Tryon), a species of some market access concern, was most attracted to isoeugenol;B. barringtoniae(Tryon),B. bidentata(May) andB. murrayi(Perkins) responded to isoeugenol, methyl‐isoeugenol and dihydroeugenol; two new species ofDacusresponded to zingerone.Bactrocera kraussi(Hardy), a cue‐responsive minor pest in northQueensland, was significantly more attracted to isoeugenol than cue‐lure. The cue‐responsiveD. absonifacies(May) andD. secamoneae Drew were significantly more attracted to zingerone than cue‐lure.Bactrocera yorkensis Drew &Hancock, aME‐responsive species was significantly more attracted to isoeugenol, methyl‐isoeugenol and dihydroeugenol thanME. The preferential response toRKFor cue‐lure was species specific. Six species were significantly more attracted toRKF, including the pestsB. tryoni(Froggatt),B. frauenfeldi(Schiner) and minor pestB. bryoniae(Tryon); eight species were significantly more attracted to cue‐lure including the pestB. neohumeralis(Hardy). These findings have significance in the search for optimal male lures for pest species elsewhere in the world.
Can QT/RR Relationship Differentiate between Low‐ and High‐Risk Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy?
Authors: Quinteiro Ricardo A. , Biagetti Marcelo O. , Fernandez Adrian , Borzone Francisco R. , Gargano Agustina , Casabe Horacio J.
Published: February 2015

Background

Abnormal dynamicity of repolarization is considered to be a marker of myocardial vulnerability contributing to increased risk of arrhythmic events and sudden death. However, little is known about QT dynamics in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

In this study, we aimed to evaluate ventricular repolarization by QT dynamicity in patients with HCM, focusing on its value to define if it is able to differentiate among low‐ and high‐risk HCM patients.

Methods

The linear regression slopes of the QT interval, measured to the apex and to the end of the T wave plotted against RR intervals (QTapex/RR and QTend/RR slopes, respectively) were calculated from 24‐hour Holter recordings using a standard algorithm in 36 HCM patients and 64 control subjects.

Results

QTapex/RR and QTend/RR slopes were significantly steeper in the HCM patients in contrary to healthy control subjects (QTapex/RR = 0.22 + 0.08 vs 0.20 + 0.05, P = 0.0367; QTend/RR = 0.25 + 0.10 vs 0.20 + 0.06, P = 0.023). Moreover, the slopes of QTend/RR and QTapex/RR of high‐risk patients were significantly steeper than those of control subjects while no significant differences were found among low‐risk HCM patients and control subjects and only QTe/RR of high‐risk patients was significantly different between low‐ and high‐risk HCM patients.

Conclusions

Our study results suggest that QT dynamicity is impaired in patients with HCM and may help to differentiate among low‐ and high‐risk patients. Further studies are needed to elucidate the prognostic significance and clinical implications of impaired ventricular repolarization in patients with HCM.
Corneal biomechanical characteristics measured by the CorVis Scheimpflug technology in eyes with primary open‐angle glaucoma and normal eyes
Authors: Tian Lei , Wang Dajiang , Wu Ying , Meng Xiaoli , Chen Bing , Ge Mei , Huang Yifei
Published: February 2015

Purpose

To evaluate the biomechanical properties of the cornea using Corneal Visualization Scheimpflug Technology (CorVis ST, Oculus) in eyes with primary open‐angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal control eyes.

Methods

A comparative cross‐sectional study that included 42 patients with POAG and 60 normal control subjects matched for intraocular pressure (IOP) and central corneal thickness (CCT). IOP was measured with a Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT). Corneal tomography and biomechanical parameters were measured with Pentacam (Oculus) and CorVis ST, respectively. Corneal biomechanical properties were compared between groups, and the associations between corneal biomechanical parameters and ocular characteristics were evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to establish a cut‐off value for the biomechanical parameters.

Results

The following parameters of the CorVis ST showed a significant difference between eyes with POAG and normal eyes: first applanation velocity (Vin), second applanation time (A‐time2), peak distance (PD) and deformation amplitude (DA). In the univariate analysis, DA was negatively correlated with IOP in both groups. For all biomechanical parameters, the areas under the ROC curve were <0.80 and thus did not reach a good level of predictive accuracy for detecting POAG.

Conclusion

CorVis ST offers an alternative method for measuring corneal biomechanical properties. Eyes with POAG exhibit a faster Vin, longer A‐time2, lower DA and longer PD than do IOP‐ and CCT‐matched normal control eyes. The biomechanical parameters of the CorVis ST cannot readily be used for diagnosis of POAG in the individual patient.
Array comparative genomic hybridization reveals similarities between nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma and T cell/histiocyte rich large B cell lymphoma
Authors: Hartmann Sylvia , Döring Claudia , Vucic Emily , Chan Fong Chun , Ennishi Daisuke , Tousseyn Thomas , de Wolf‐Peeters Christiane , Perner Sven , Wlodarska Iwona , Steidl Christian , Gascoyne Randy D. , Hansmann Martin‐Leo
Published: February 2015

Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) and T cell/histiocyte rich large B cell lymphoma (THRLBCL) usually affect middle‐aged men, show tumour cells with a B cell phenotype and a low tumour cell content. Whereas the clinical behaviour of NLPHL is indolent, THRLBCL presents with advanced stage disease and an aggressive behaviour. In the present study, array comparative genomic hybridization was performed in seven typical NLPHL, four THRLBCL‐like NLPHL variants, six THRLBCL and four diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL) derived from NLPHL. The number of genomic aberrations was higher in THRLBCL compared with typical and THRLBCL‐like variant of NLPHL. Gains of 2p16.1 and losses of 2p11.2 and 9p11.2 were commonly observed in typical and THRLBCL‐like variants of NLPHL as well as THRLBCL. Gains of 2p16.1, affecting the REL locus were confirmed in an independent cohort. Expression of the REL protein was observed at similar frequencies in typical and THRLBCL‐like variant of NLPHL as well as THRLBCL (33–38%). In conclusion, the present study reveals further similarities between NLPHL and THRLBCL on the genomic level, confirming that these entities are part of a pathobiological spectrum with common molecular features, but varying clinical presentations.
Normocalcaemic hypoparathyroidism: prevalence and effect on bone status in older women. The OPUS study
Authors: Palermo Andrea , Jacques Richard , Gossiel Fatma , Reid David M. , Roux Christian , Felsenberg Dieter , Glueer Claus‐C , Eastell Richard
Published: February 2015

Objective

There are no consistent data on the prevalence and bone status of normocalcaemic hypoparathyroidism (NHYPO) as defined by normal adjusted calcium and low PTH level. Our aim was to determine the prevalence and the metabolic bone profile of NHYPO in older women, assessing its evolution over time. The second objective was to evaluate the prevalence of other calcium metabolic disorders.

Design

The Osteoporosis and Ultrasound Study (OPUS) is a 6‐yr prospective study of fracture‐related factors.

Participants

A total of 2419 older women (age 55–79 yrs) and 258 younger women (age 30–40 yrs) participated. Complete follow‐up data were available in 1416 subjects.

Measurements

After calculating the adjusted calcium according to James’ formula, we identified ‘abnormal’ calcium and PTH using Mahalanobis distances and allocated older women into different pathological categories using reference intervals from the healthy young women.

Results

We identified 57 subjects with NHYPO (2·4%). These women had lower than expected bone turnover as assessed by bone alkaline phosphatase (−14·5%, 95% CI: −26·2 to −3·0, P = 0·007), CTX (−66·3%, 95% CI: −74·0 to −56·4, P < 0·001) and osteocalcin (−36·8%, 95% CI: −45·6 to −26·6, P < 0·001). After 6 years, of the 35 NHYPO subjects with follow‐up data, none developed overt hypoparathyroidism and only 15 (0·6%) subjects had persistent evidence of NHYPO. We also identified 86 subjects (3·6%) affected by hyperparathyroid hypercalcaemia.

Conclusion

This is the first large population‐based study to investigate NHYPO in older women. NHYPO is fairly common, not always persistent and is characterized by low bone turnover.
Effects of lapatinib and trastuzumab on vascular endothelial growth factor in experimental corneal neovascularization
Authors: Kaya Mehmet K , Demir Tamer , Bulut Hakan , Akpolat Nusret , Turgut Burak
Published: February 2015

Background

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of lapatinib and trastuzumab on vascular endothelial growth factor on experimental corneal neovascularization.

Methods

A total of 35 Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into five groups, each containing seven animals. Corneas of rats in the control group were not cauterized and did not receive any treatment. A silver nitrate pencil was applied on the right corneas of rats in the non‐control groups to induce corneal neovascularization. Rats in the sham, lapatinib, trastuzumab and lapatinib + trastuzumab groups were administered systemic saline, 50 mg/kg lapatinib once a day orally by gavage, 4 mg/kg trastuzumab once a day intraperitoneally, or 50 mg/kg lapatinib once a day orally by gavage together with 4 mg/kg trastuzumab once a day intraperitoneally, respectively, for 7 days. Rats were sacrificed on the eighth day, and corneas were excised using a 4‐mm punch trephine. Vascular endothelial growth factor immunostaining in the corneal epithelial and stromal layers was evaluated. Staining intensities were determined semi‐quantitatively, and corneal vascular endothelial growth factor levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

The mean immunostaining intensities of epithelial and stromal vascular endothelial growth factor in the control group were significantly lesser than those in the sham group (P < 0.05). The mean immunostaining intensities of epithelial and stromal vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay levels of corneas in all treatment groups (lapatinib, trastuzumab and lapatinib + trastuzumab groups) were lesser than those in the sham group (P < 0.05); however, it was similar to those in the control group (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

It is suggested that systemically administered lapatinib is more effective than systemically administered trastuzumab in preventing corneal neovascularization.
Denosumab and osteonecrosis of the jaw. A systematic analysis of events reported in clinical trials
Authors: Boquete‐Castro Ana , Gómez‐Moreno Gerardo , Calvo‐Guirado José Luis , Aguilar‐Salvatierra Antonio , Delgado‐Ruiz Rafael Arcesio
Published: February 2015

Objectives

The aims of this meta‐analysis were (i) to perform a systematic review of the relation between treatment with denosumab and the incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) and (ii) to obtain information on dosage, first event apparition, and treatment approaches for patients with ONJ related to denosumab.

Materials and methods

A systematic review and meta‐analysis of relevant literature was performed in the PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases, identifying randomized clinical trials that evaluate the adverse effects of denosumab. The overall incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for ONJ were calculated employing fixed‐ and random‐effects models, according to the heterogeneity of the studies included.

Results

A total of 8963 patients with a variety of solid tumors reported in seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the systematic analysis. The overall incidence of ONJ in patients with cancer receiving denosumab was 1.7% [95% CI: 0.9–3.1%]. The use of denosumab was associated with a significantly increased risk of ONJ in comparison with bisphosphonates (BPs)/placebo treatment (RR 1.61, 95% CI: 1.05–2.48, P = 0.029). Subgroup analysis based on controlled therapies demonstrated an increased risk of ONJ in denosumab therapy, when compared with BPs (RR 1.48, 95% CI: 0.96–2.29, P = 0.078) or placebo (RR 16.28, 95% CI: 1.68–158.05, P = 0.017). Similar results were observed for prostate cancer (RR 3.358, 95% CI: 1.573–7.166, P = 0.002).

Conclusions

Denosumab combined with risk factors such as dental extraction, poor oral hygiene, use of removable apparatus, and chemotherapy may favor the development of ONJ.
How Traceability is Restructuring Malawi's Tobacco Industry
Authors: Moyer‐Lee Jason , Prowse Martin
Published: February 2015

This article applies a global value‐chain framework to the tobacco industry in Malawi, showing how cigarette manufacturers govern the chain and control first‐tier suppliers, the leaf merchants. Contract farming offers smallholders the ability to meet manufacturers' compliance and traceability requirements and an opportunity for process and product upgrading, but threatens to exclude poorer growers. The article concludes by highlighting the role leaf merchants can play in diversifying Malawi's economic base and suggests research avenues to understand this rapid institutional evolution better.