bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gut metabolites and bacterial community networks during a pilot intervention study with flaxseeds in healthy adult men
Authors: Lagkouvardos Ilias , Kläring Karoline , Heinzmann Silke S. , Platz Stefanie , Scholz Birgit , Engel Karl‐Heinz , Schmitt‐Kopplin Philippe , Haller Dirk , Rohn Sascha , Skurk Thomas , Clavel Thomas
Published: May 2015

Scope

Flaxseeds contain the phytoestrogens lignans that must be activated to enterolignans by intestinal bacteria. We investigated the impact of flaxseeds on fecal bacterial communities and their associations with fecal and blood metabolites.

Methods and results

Nine healthy male adult subjects ingested 0.3 g/kg/day flaxseeds during 1 week. Gut bacteria as well as blood and fecal metabolites were analyzed. Ingestion of flaxseeds triggered a significant increase in the blood concentration of enterolignans, accompanied by fecal excretion of propionate and glycerol. Overall diversity and composition of dominant fecal bacteria remained individual specific throughout the study. Enterolactone production was linked to the abundance of two molecular species identified as Ruminococcus bromii and Ruminococcus lactaris. Most dominant species of the order Bacteroidales were positively associated with fecal concentrations of either acetic, isovaleric, or isobutyric acid, the latter being negatively correlated with blood levels of triglycerides. The relative sequence abundance of one Gemmiger species (Ruminococcaceae) and of Coprococcus comes (Lachnospiraceae) correlated positively with blood levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, respectively.

Conclusion

Flaxseeds increase enterolignan production but do not markedly alter fecal metabolome and dominant bacterial communities. The data underline the possible role of members of the family Ruminococcaceae in the regulation of enterolignan production and blood lipids.
Relaxation NMR as a tool to study the dispersion and formulation behavior of nanostructured carbon materials
Authors: Fairhurst David , Cosgrove Terence , Prescott Stuart W.
Published: May 2015

Solvent relaxation NMR has been used to estimate the surface areas and wettability of various types of nanostructured carbon materials in a range of solvents including water, ethanol, and tetrahydrofuran. We illustrate the application of the technique through several short case studies using samples including nanocarbon blacks, graphene oxide, nanographites, and porous graphenes. The technique is shown to give a good measure of surface area, correlating well with conventional surface area estimates obtained by nitrogen adsorption, transmission electron microscopy, or light scattering for the non‐porous samples. NMR relaxation has advantages in terms of speed of analysis and being able to use concentrated, wet, and opaque samples. For samples that are porous, two distinct surface areas can be estimated assuming the two environments ('inner' and 'outer') have the same surface chemistry, and that there is a slow exchange of solvent molecules between them. Furthermore, we show that differences in wettability and dispersability between samples dispersed in water, ethanol, and cyclopentanone can be observed, along with changes to the surface chemistry of the interface. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Single‐breath clinical imaging of hyperpolarized 129xe in the airspaces, barrier, and red blood cells using an interleaved 3D radial 1‐point Dixon acquisition
Authors: Kaushik S. Sivaram , Robertson Scott H. , Freeman Matthew S. , He Mu , Kelly Kevin T. , Roos Justus E. , Rackley Craig R. , Foster W. Michael , McAdams H. Page , Driehuys Bastiaan
Published: May 2015

Purpose

We sought to develop and test a clinically feasible 1‐point Dixon, three‐dimensional (3D) radial acquisition strategy to create isotropic 3D MR images of 129Xe in the airspaces, barrier, and red blood cells (RBCs) in a single breath. The approach was evaluated in healthy volunteers and subjects with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Methods

A calibration scan determined the echo time at which 129Xe in RBCs and barrier were 90° out of phase. At this TE, interleaved dissolved and gas‐phase images were acquired using a 3D radial acquisition and were reconstructed separately using the NUFFT algorithm. The dissolved‐phase image was phase‐shifted to cast RBC and barrier signal into the real and imaginary channels such that the image‐derived RBC:barrier ratio matched that from spectroscopy. The RBC and barrier images were further corrected for regional field inhomogeneity using a phase map created from the gas‐phase 129Xe image.

Results

Healthy volunteers exhibited largely uniform 129Xe‐barrier and 129Xe‐RBC images. By contrast, 129Xe‐RBC images in IPF subjects exhibited significant signal voids. These voids correlated qualitatively with regions of fibrosis visible on CT.

Conclusions

This study illustrates the feasibility of acquiring single‐breath, 3D isotropic images of 129Xe in the airspaces, barrier, and RBCs using a 1‐point Dixon 3D radial acquisition. Magn Reson Med 75:1434–1443, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A fully automatic reference deconvolution strategy to increase the accuracy of in vivo lipid signal quantification
Authors: Mauch Lukas , Steidle Günter , Machann Jürgen , Yang Bin , Schick Fritz
Published: May 2015

Purpose

Lipid signals measured by 1H MR spectroscopy cannot be adequately quantified by common fitting routines like VARPRO or AMARES, if lipid spectra are distorted by irregular spatial and temporal inhomogeneities of the static magnetic field during readout. A fully automatic reference deconvolution algorithm is presented that eliminates these distortions before application of fitting routines.

Methods

The measured signal of the dominant methyl resonance is isolated with aid of a spectral estimator (estimation of parameters via rotational invariance techniques) and used as reference signal for estimation of distortions. A Wiener filter is applied to deconvolve those distortions in the lipid spectrum. Performance of the algorithm is assessed for different bandwidths and shapes of distortions, using artificially distorted as well as measured data.

Results

Application of the fully automatic reference deconvolution algorithm on simulated spectra yields a distinct increase in quantification accuracy. Deconvolved in vivo spectra of subcutaneous fat indicate reduced spectral overlap after application of the proposed strategy.

Conclusion

The proposed method is helpful for in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy of adipose tissue to correct for effects of field inhomogeneities within the voxel and for inevitable eddy current effects. Quantification accuracy is improved by eliminating distortions before application of fitting routines. Magn Reson Med 75:1391–1401, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The role of emotions in time to presentation for symptoms suggestive of cancer: a systematic literature review of quantitative studies
Authors: Balasooriya‐Smeekens Chantal , Walter Fiona M. , Scott Suzanne
Published: May 2015

Background

Emotions may be important in patients' decisions to seek medical help for symptoms suggestive of cancer.

Objectives

The aim of this systematic literature review was to examine quantitative literature on the influence of emotion on patients' help‐seeking for symptoms suggestive of cancer. The objectives were to identify the following: (a) which types of emotions influence help‐seeking behaviour, (b) whether these form a barrier or trigger for seeking medical help and (c) how the role of emotions varies between different cancers and populations.

Methods

We searched four electronic databases and conducted a narrative synthesis. Inclusion criteria were studies that reported primary, quantitative research that examined any emotion specific to symptom appraisal or help‐seeking for symptoms suggestive of cancer.

Results

Thirty‐three papers were included. The studies were heterogeneous in their methods and quality, and very few had emotion as the main focus of the research. Studies reported a limited range of emotions, mainly related to fear and worry. The impact of emotions appears mixed, sometimes acting as a barrier to consultation whilst at other times being a trigger or being unrelated to time to presentation. It is plausible that different emotions play different roles at different times prior to presentation.

Conclusions

This systematic review provides some quantitative evidence for the role of emotions in help‐seeking behaviour. However, it also highlighted widespread methodological, definition and design issues among the existing literature. The conflicting results around the role of emotions on time to presentation may be due to the lack of definition of each specific emotion. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Minimum Setup Minimum Aberration Two‐level Split‐plot Type Designs for Physical Prototype Testing
Authors: Lee Ho Linda , Vivacqua Carla A. , Santos de Pinho André Luís
Published: May 2015

Although new technologies allow for less effort in prototyping, physical testing still remains an important step in the product development cycle. Well‐planned experiments are useful to guide the decision‐making process. During the design of an experiment, one of the challenges is to balance limited resources and system constraints to obtain useful information. It is common that prototypes are composed of several parts, with some parts more difficult to assemble than others. And, usually, there is only one piece available of each part type and a large number of different setups. Under these conditions, designs with randomization restrictions become attractive approaches. Considering this scenario, a new and additional criterion, minimum setup, to construct split‐plot type designs is presented. Designs with the minimum number of setups of the more difficult parts, which are especially useful for screening purposes in physical prototype testing, are discussed. The use of the proposed criterion combined with minimum aberration for selecting a regular design is shown through a real application in testing car prototypes. As a tool to practitioners, catalogs of selected 32‐run minimum setup minimum aberration split‐split‐plot and split‐split‐split‐plot designs are presented. More complete catalogs are available as Supporting information. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Primary pleural epithelioid hemangioendothelioma mimicking as a posterior mediastinal tumor
Authors: Wethasinghe James , Sood Jaideep , Walmsley Russell , Milne David , Jafer Ali , Gordon‐Glassford Noel
Published: May 2015

A 41‐year‐old man with no previous asbestos exposure presented with 6 months of dull right lower chest pain and weight loss. The initial computed tomography (CT) scan was reported as showing a soft tissue thickening in the posterior mediastinum with non‐specific nodules in the horizontal and oblique fissures. An endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine needle aspiration from the 12 × 25 mm heterogeneous posterior mediastinal mass was suspicious for a ganglioneuroma. The procedure was complicated by a large hemothorax requiring drainage. A subsequent positron emission tomographic CT revealed a moderately fluorodeoxyglucose avid area of pleural thickening extending from the sixth to ninth thoracic vertebral body in the paraspinal region along with nodules along the right horizontal and oblique fissures. A thoracoscopic biopsy of the pleural lesion confirmed a pleural epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. There was a 5‐mm reduction in tumor thickness and improvement in his pain following 54 Gy of radiotherapy.
Perception of Genetic Testing for Deafness and Factors Associated with Interest in Genetic Testing Among Deaf People in a Selected Population in Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Adedokun Babatunde O. , Yusuf Bidemi O. , Lasisi J. Taye , Jinadu A. A. , Sunmonu M. T. , Ashanke A. F. , Lasisi O. Akeem
Published: May 2015

Understanding the perceptions of genetic testing by members of the deaf community may help in planning deafness genetics research, especially so in the context of strong adherence to cultural values as found among native Africans. Among Yorubas in Nigeria, deafness is perceived to be caused by some offensive actions of the mother during pregnancy, spiritual attack, and childhood infections. We studied attitudes towards, and acceptance of genetic testing by the deaf community in Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were administered to individuals sampled from the Vocational Training Centre for the Deaf, the religious Community, and government schools, among others. The main survey items elicited information about the community in which the deaf people participate, their awareness of genetic testing, whether or not they view genetic testing as acceptable, and their understanding of the purpose of genetic testing. There were 150 deaf participants (61.3 % males, 38.7 % females) with mean age of 26.7 years ±9.8. A majority of survey respondents indicated they relate only with other members of the deaf community (78 %) and reported believing genetic testing does more good than harm (79.3 %); 57 % expressed interest in genetic testing. Interest in genetic testing for deafness or in genetic testing in pregnancy was not related to whether respondents relate primarily to the deaf or to the hearing community. However, a significantly higher number of male respondents and respondents with low education reported interest in genetic testing.
Nondestructive Estimation of Fat Constituents of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Seeds by Near‐Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy
Authors: Liu Yan‐yang , Mei Hong‐xian , Du Zhen‐wei , Wu Ke , Zhang Hai‐yang , Zheng Yong‐zhan
Published: May 2015

A rapid and efficient method for oil constituent estimation in intact sesame seeds was developed through near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) and was used to evaluate a sesame germplasm collection conserved in China. A total of 342 samples were scanned by reflectance NIR in a range of 950–1650 nm, and the reference values for oil content and fatty acid (FA) profiles were measured by Soxhlet and gas chromatograph methods. Useful chemometric models were developed using partial least squares regression with full cross‐validation. The equations had low standard errors of cross‐validation, and high coefficient of determination of cross‐validation (Rc2) values (>0.8) except for stearic acid (0.794). In external validation, r2 values of oil and FA composition equations ranged from 0.815 (arachidonic acid) to 0.877 (linoleic acid). The relative predictive determinant (RPDv) values for all equations were more than 2.0. The whole‐seed NIR spectroscopy equations for oil content and FA profiles can be used for sesame seed quality rapid evaluation. The background information of the 4399 germplasm resources and accessions with high linoleic acid content identified in this study should be useful for developing new sesame cultivars with desirable FA compositions in future breeding programs.
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Household Loan Delinquency Rate
Authors: Anyamele Okechukwu D.
Published: May 2015

This study investigates the differences in household loan delinquency rates of racial/ethnic groups. The study examines the role of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of households, financial buffers, economic and financial triggers, high debt service ratio, and credit constraint in household delinquency. The study uses combined data from 2001, 2004, 2007, and 2010 Surveys of Consumer Finances (SCF). Having combined data allowed the separation of African Americans from Hispanics in this study. We employed both logistic regression and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analysis. The use of combined data from four survey years ensures the robustness of statistical results and analysis. The findings show that events that constitute shocks or triggers to households have a more significant impact on delinquency rate. The study found that payday loan borrowers are 4.6 times more likely to be delinquent on their loans than non-payday loan borrowers between 2007 and 2010. Also, the study finds significant statistical difference of delinquency rates among the racial/ethnic groups. Our results show that high debt service ratio (DSR) and being credit constrained have significant impact on the delinquency rates for all races. The results obtained showed that 59.96 % of the difference in delinquency between Whites and African Americans is explained by endowments, while 40.04 % is unexplained. Similarly, 97.35 % of the difference in delinquency between Hispanics and whites is explained by endowments, while 2.65 % of the difference is unexplained or is attributable to discrimination.
The effect of moderate to severe endometriosis on expression of growth differentiation factor‐9 mRNA in human granulosa cells under controlled ovarian hyperstimulation
Authors: Kawabe Sachiko , Yamashita Yoshiki , Saito Natsuho , Kokunai Kana , Hayashi Atsushi , Hayashi Masami , Terai Yoshito , Miyazaki Kazunori , Ohmichi Masahide
Published: May 2015

Purpose

To investigate the effect of moderate to severe endometriosis on mRNA expression of growth differentiation factor‐9 (GDF‐9) in the granulosa cells of mature follicles.

Methods

Follicular fluid (FF) was obtained from 13 patients with moderate to severe endometriosis and 11 without endometriosis, as a control group, and GDF‐9 protein levels in both were assayed by western blotting. mRNA expression by GDF‐9 and LH receptor (LHR) in granulosa cells obtained from all patients in the study were investigated by StepOne Real‐Time PCR.

Results

Although GDF‐9 in FF from patients with endometriosis was no different from that of controls, GDF‐9 mRNA expression in granulosa cells of patients with endometriosis was statistically significantly lower than for the control group. The number of oocytes and high‐quality embryos was positively correlated with GDF‐9 mRNA expression in controls but not in patients with endometriosis Moreover, a negative correlation was identified between GDF‐9 mRNA expression and serum estrogen and progesterone levels in the control group, whereas no correlation was observed for the endometriosis group.

Conclusions

Moderate to severe endometriosis can significantly reduce GDF‐9 mRNA expression in the granulosa cells of patients with the disease compared with those without, thus causing poor oocyte maturation and lower embryo quality.
Quantifying Search Dog Effectiveness in a Terrestrial Search and Rescue Environment
Authors: Greatbatch Ian , Gosling Rebecca J. , Allen Sophie
Published: May 2015

Objective

There is widespread and longstanding use of dogs in land search and rescue (SAR) operations, and their effectiveness is well accepted within the SAR community. However, very little published research exists that quantifies that effectiveness within a realistic SAR environment.

Methods

This study included 25 experiments, conducted between October 2013 and February 2014 with 10 dog/handler pairs, using randomized target placement to calculate the ratio of hits, misses, and false positives per dog. Each dog was fitted with a GPS receiver to record their paths and ambient temperature. Wind strength and humidity were recorded throughout each run.

Results

There was no identifiable correlation between humidity, temperature, or wind speed and effectiveness, but the age of the dog has a small positive correlation. Using a standard effectiveness formula, basic descriptive statistics were generated, which showed that the dogs tested were 76.4% successful overall, with an effectiveness of 62.9%. Dogs covered a mean distance 2.4 times greater than their human handlers but travelled at roughly average human walking speed.

Conclusions

This work represents a first attempt to quantify and understand levels of performance in lowland search dogs, and these results need to be understood within that context. A repeatable experimental framework has been demonstrated and provides a foundation for further work in this area.
Numerical Methods for the Photoelastic Technique using Phase Shifting
Authors: Magalhaes C. A. , Neto P. S. , Magalhaes P. A. A. , de Barcellos C. S.
Published: May 2015

The objective of this research is to find new equations for a novel phase-shifting method in digital photoelasticity. Some innovations are proposed. In terms of phase-shifting, only the analyzer is rotated, and the other equations are deduced by applying a new numerical technique instead of the usual algebraic techniques. This approach can be used to calculate a larger sequence of images. Each image represents a pattern and a measurement of the stresses present in the object. A reduction in the difference between the theoretical and experimental values of stresses was obtained by increasing the number of images in the equations for calculating phase. Every photographic image has errors and random noise, but the uncertainties due to these effects can be reduced with a larger number of observations.
Numerical Study of Combined Radiation and Turbulent Mixed Convection Heat Transfer in a Compartment Containing Participating Media
Authors: Asghari A. , Gandjalikhan Nassab S. A. , Ansari A. B.
Published: May 2015

The effect of radiation on turbulent mixed convection flow, generated by two plane wall jets with different temperatures inside a cavity was studied numerically. The medium is treated as a gray, absorbing, emitting and scattering. The two-dimensional Reynolds-average Navier-Stokes equations, coupled with the energy equation are solved by using the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) techniques, while the AKN low-Reynolds-number model is employed for computation of turbulence fluctuations. The Boussinesq approximation is used to calculate the buoyancy term, and the radiation part of the problem is solved by numerical solution of the radiative transfer equation (RTE) with the well known discrete ordinate method (DOM). The governing equations are discretized by the finite volume technique into algebraic equations and solved with the SIMPLE algorithm. The effects of radiation conduction parameter, scattering albedo, optical thickness and Richardson number on the thermal behavior of the system are carried out. Results show that the gas radiation has a significant effect on the temperature distribution inside the turbulent mixed convection flow.
Combined Effects of EDL and Boundary Slip on the Stability of Liquid-Liquid Viscosity-Stratified Flow in Microchannels
Authors: Zhang L.-D. , You X.-Y.
Published: May 2015

The stability of pressure-driven liquid-liquid viscosity-stratified microchannel flow is investigated by considering the combined effects of electrical double layer (EDL) and boundary slip. The electrical streaming currents determined by the Streaming Electrical Current Balance (ECB) and the boundary slip are considered by Navier slip assumption. The stability of flow is studied by the small disturbance theory. Numerical results indicate that the effect of boundary slip on the flow stability is strongly depended on the EDL. The boundary slip stables the flow when EDL effect is weak and destabilizes the flow when EDL effect is strong. The effects of boundary slip and EDL on flow stability is also determined by viscosity ratio, the height of channel, interface position and conductivity ratio.
A Numerical Study of the Extended Graetz Problem in a Microchannel with Constant Wall Heat Flux: Shear Work Effects on Heat Transfer
Authors: Ramadan K. , Tlili I.
Published: May 2015

Heat convection of a microchannel gas flow with constant wall heat flux boundary condition is investigated numerically, considering viscous dissipation and axial conduction. The shear work due to the slipping fluid at the wall is incorporated in the analysis. An analytical solution for fully developed conditions is also derived. The effect of the shear work on heat transfer is quantified through a comparative analysis in both the entrance- and the fully developed- regions. The analysis shows that the shear work effect on heat transfer is considerable, and neglecting this term leads to an overestimation of the Nusselt number in gas heating and an underestimation in gas cooling. The over/under estimation of the Nusselt number is dependent on both the Knudsen number and the Brinkman number. The results presented also demonstrate the significance of the shear work in the developing flow region. It is shown that in the developing flow region the Nusselt number is less sensitive to viscous dissipation when the shear work is neglected. It can be concluded from this study that the shear work effect is significant and neglecting it can lead to considerable errors in microchannel flow heat transfer.
Locating History within Fiction's Frame: Re-presenting theEpopée Delgrèsin Maximin and Lara
Authors: MURDOCH H. ADLAI
Published: May 2015

This essay examines contrasting but complementary narrative and filmic representations of the Guadeloupean resistance to Napoleon's attempt to reimpose a slavery regime in the French colonies. This underrepresented and under-analyzed event, one of landmark importance in the Caribbean tradition of rebellion and self-liberation, focuses our attention more closely on the extended arc of liberatory acts – inscribed in a variety of locations but always espousing the same goal – that mark the identitarian activities of Caribbean slaves almost from the inception of the colonial moment to the act of emancipation. In a large sense, the resistance to Napoleon's invading forces, although ultimately doomed to failure in Guadeloupe, emerged from and was shaped by the specificities of social, economic, and political structures that transformed Guadeloupe during this critical period, and was driven by principles of liberation and self-emancipation emerging from the path adopted by Guadeloupe's governor, Victor Hugues, and the various communities over which he presided. Resistance in Guadeloupe was a fight to preserve a way of life. Analyzing this resistance compels us to acknowledge individual and collective expressions of the idea and practice of freedom that were originally erased by those charged with constructing the colonial script, and draws attention to the still-marginal inscription of these events in contemporary culture.
“In the Free”: The Work of Emancipation in the Anglo-Caribbean Historical Novel
Authors: WARD CANDACE
Published: May 2015

The concluding words of Erna Brodber'sThe Rainmaker's Mistake, a novel prompted in part by the two-hundredth anniversary of the 1807 Act to Abolish the Slave Trade in Britain's Caribbean Colonies, affirm its engagement with history and historiography, emphasizing the need for Caribbean writers of the twenty-first century to search the past – uncover its traumas, its mysteries, and its treasures – in order to make sense of the present and project a future “in the free.” Brodber's work, of course, is part of a much larger and longer conversation among Caribbean novelists about what it means “to search and to reproduce and to cultivate,” literally and metaphorically. To explore the implications of this conversation, my essay focusses on this various and vexed cultural work as performed in three key Caribbean novels: E. L. Joseph'sWarner Arundell: The Adventures of a Creole, published in 1838, the year that “full freedom” was granted by the British Parliament to the enslaved population of the British West Indies after a four-year apprenticeship period; Paule Marshall's 1969The Chosen Place, The Timeless People, produced during a period of independence for many Anglo-Caribbean nations, including her parents' native Barbados in 1968; and, finally, Brodber's 2007 “Afrofuturistic” novelThe Rainmaker's Mistake.
John Brown's Spirit: The Abolitionist Aesthetic of Emancipatory Martyrdom in Early Antilynching Protest Literature
Authors: TRODD ZOE
Published: May 2015

Before his execution in 1859, the radical abolitionist John Brown wrote a series of prison letters that – along with his death itself – helped to cement the abolitionist aesthetic of emancipatory martyrdom. This article charts the adaptation of that aesthetic in antilynching protest literature during the decades that followed. It reveals Brown's own presence in antilynching speeches, sermons, articles, and fiction, and the endurance of the emancipatory martyr symbol that he helped to inaugurate. Between the 1880s and the 1920s, black and white writers imagined lynching's ritual violence as a crucifixion and drew upon the John Brown aesthetic of emancipatory martyrdom, including Frederick Douglass, Stephen Graham, James Weldon Johnson, Walter White, black Baptist ministers, and black educators and journalists. Fusing martyrdom and messianism, these antilynching writers made the black Christ of their texts an avenging liberatory angel. The testamentary body of this messianic martyr figure marks the nation for violent retribution. Turning the black Christ into a Brown-like prophetic sign of God's vengeful judgment, antilynching writers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries warned of disaster, demanded a change of course, challenged white southern notions of redemption, and insisted that African Americans must reemancipate themselves and redeem the nation.
Disorder and Early Sorrow
Authors: COCLANIS PETER A.
Published: May 2015

In history's house there are many mansions, space aplenty for good work of all types. As a result, a vast array of subjects, geographical areas, temporal periods, approaches, rhetorical strategies, levels of analysis, and ideological preferences can all be accommodated comfortably in the same disciplinary space. And historians who don't like the scholarly decor in one particular unit have ample opportunity to find others that suit.
Lattice-valued Scott topology on dcpos
Authors: YAO WEI
Published: May 2015

This paper studies the fuzzy Scott topology on dcpos with a *-continuous semigroup (L, *) as the truth value table. It is shown that the fuzzy Scott topological space on a continuous dcpo is an ιL-sober space. The fuzzy Scott topology is completely distributive iff L is completely distributive and the underlying dcpo is continuous. For (L, *) being an integral quantale, semantics of L-possibility of computations is studied by means of a duality.
Research in urban history: new research trends in doctoral dissertations in Russia since 2000
Authors: MAZANIK ANNA
Published: May 2015

Urban studies and urban history have, in recent decades, become a booming field in Russia. The most likely explanation for this is the post-Soviet development and transformation of Russian cities. It is not only the demographic growth – although for some cities it has been quite substantial in the last 25 years – but rather the striking changes made to urban space, economy, governance, social organization and residential patterns that have provoked interest in urban research among scholars and the general public. Reflecting this wave of interest, several new centres of urban studies emerged in Russia during the 2000s (for example, the Strelka Institute, the Graduate School of Urban Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics and the programme in urban studies at the Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences).
The Advantages of an Attenuated Total Internal Reflection Infrared Microspectroscopic Imaging Technique for the Analysis of Polymer Laminates
Authors: Ling Chen , Sommer André J.
Published: May 2015

Until recently, the analysis of polymer laminates using infrared microspectroscopy involved the painstaking separation of individual layers by dissection or by obtaining micrometer thin cross-sections. The latter usually requires the expertise of an individual trained in microtomy and even then, the very structure of the laminate could affect the outcome of the spectral results. The recent development of attenuated total internal reflection (ATR) infrared microspectroscopy imaging has provided a new avenue for the analysis of these multilayer structures. This report compares ATR infrared microspectroscopy imaging with conventional transmission infrared microspectroscopy imaging. The results demonstrate that the ATR method offers improved spatial resolution, eliminates a variety of competing optical processes, and requires minimal sample preparation relative to transmission measurements. These advantages were illustrated using a polymer laminate consisting of 11 different layers whose thickness ranged in size from 4–20 μm. The spatial resolution achieved by using an ATR-FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) imaging technique was diffraction limited. Contrast in the ATR images was enhanced by principal component analysis.
Rethinking Indian monsoon rainfall prediction in the context of recent global warming
Authors: Wang Bin , Xiang Baoqiang , Li Juan , Webster Peter J. , Rajeevan Madhavan N. , Liu Jian , Ha Kyung-Ja
Published: May 2015

Prediction of Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) is at the heart of tropical climate prediction. Despite enormous progress having been made in predicting ISMR since 1886, the operational forecasts during recent decades (1989–2012) have little skill. Here we show, with both dynamical and physical–empirical models, that this recent failure is largely due to the models’ inability to capture new predictability sources emerging during recent global warming, that is, the development of the central-Pacific El Nino-Southern Oscillation (CP–ENSO), the rapid deepening of the Asian Low and the strengthening of North and South Pacific Highs during boreal spring. A physical–empirical model that captures these new predictors can produce an independent forecast skill of 0.51 for 1989–2012 and a 92-year retrospective forecast skill of 0.64 for 1921–2012. The recent low skills of the dynamical models are attributed to deficiencies in capturing the developing CP–ENSO and anomalous Asian Low. The results reveal a considerable gap between ISMR prediction skill and predictability.
Trans-synaptic zinc mobilization improves social interaction in two mouse models of autism through NMDAR activation
Authors: Lee Eun-Jae , Lee Hyejin , Huang Tzyy-Nan , Chung Changuk , Shin Wangyong , Kim Kyungdeok , Koh Jae-Young , Hsueh Yi-Ping , Kim Eunjoon
Published: May 2015

Genetic aspects of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have recently been extensively explored, but environmental influences that affect ASDs have received considerably less attention. Zinc (Zn) is a nutritional factor implicated in ASDs, but evidence for a strong association and linking mechanism is largely lacking. Here we report that trans-synaptic Zn mobilization rapidly rescues social interaction in two independent mouse models of ASD. In mice lacking Shank2, an excitatory postsynaptic scaffolding protein, postsynaptic Zn elevation induced by clioquinol (a Zn chelator and ionophore) improves social interaction. Postsynaptic Zn is mainly derived from presynaptic pools and activates NMDA receptors (NMDARs) through postsynaptic activation of the tyrosine kinase Src. Clioquinol also improves social interaction in mice haploinsufficient for the transcription factor Tbr1, which accompanies NMDAR activation in the amygdala. These results suggest that trans-synaptic Zn mobilization induced by clioquinol rescues social deficits in mouse models of ASD through postsynaptic Src and NMDAR activation.
Altered white matter integrity in individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression: a tract-based spatial statistics study
Authors: Xiao Jing , He Yini , McWhinnie Chad M. , Yao Shuqiao
Published: May 2015

The microstructure of white matter in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) has been demonstrated to be abnormal. However, it remains unclear whether these changes exist prior to the onset of disease. In this study, diffusion tensor imaging was used to evaluate white matter integrity in individuals who exhibited cognitive vulnerability to depression (CVD), MDD and healthy controls (HC). Compared with the HC, MDD exhibited a lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in ten brain regions: the cerebral peduncle, the anterior and posterior limbs of the internal capsule (ALIC and PLIC), the external capsule, the retrolenticular part of the internal capsule (RLIC), the body and splenium of the corpus callosum, the superior and posterior corona radiata and the cingulum. Moreover, CVD had significantly lower FA in the ALIC, the PLIC, the external capsule, the RLIC, the cerebral peduncle and the superior corona radiata than did the HC. However, the white matter integrity was not significantly different between the CVD and MDD. These preliminary results indicate that alterations in the white matter observed in CVD may be a marker of vulnerability to MDD and that these alterations may exist prior to the onset of depression.
Common Oncogene Mutations and Novel SND1-BRAF Transcript Fusion in Lung Adenocarcinoma from Never Smokers
Authors: Jang Jin Sung , Lee Adam , Li Jun , Liyanage Hema , Yang Yanan , Guo Lixia , Asmann Yan W. , Li Peter W. , Erickson-Johnson Michele , Sakai Yuta , Sun ZhiFu , Jeon Hyo-Sung , Hwang Hayoung , Bungum Aaron O. , Edell Eric S. , Simon Vernadette A. , Kopp Karla J. , Eckloff Bruce , Oliveira Andre M. , Wieben Eric , Aubry Marie Christine , Yi Eunhee , Wigle Dennis , Diasio Robert B. , Yang Ping , Jen Jin
Published: May 2015

Lung adenocarcinomas from never smokers account for approximately 15 to 20% of all lung cancers and these tumors often carry genetic alterations that are responsive to targeted therapy. Here we examined mutation status in 10 oncogenes among 89 lung adenocarcinomas from never smokers. We also screened for oncogene fusion transcripts in 20 of the 89 tumors by RNA-Seq. In total, 62 tumors had mutations in at least one of the 10 oncogenes, including EGFR (49 cases, 55%), K-ras (5 cases, 6%), BRAF (4 cases, 5%), PIK3CA (3 cases, 3%) and ERBB2 (4 cases, 5%). In addition to ALK fusions identified by IHC/FISH in four cases, two previously known fusions involving EZR- ROS1 and KIF5B-RET were identified by RNA-Seq as well as a third novel fusion transcript that was formed between exons 1–9 of SND1 and exons 2 to 3′ end of BRAF. This in-frame fusion was observed in 3/89 tested tumors and 2/64 additional never smoker lung adenocarcinoma samples. Ectopic expression of SND1-BRAF in H1299 cells increased phosphorylation levels of MEK/ERK, cell proliferation and spheroid formation compared to parental mock-transfected control. Jointly, our results suggest a potential role of the novel BRAF fusion in lung cancer development and therapy.
The evolution of the gut microbiota in the giant and the red pandas
Authors: Li Ying , Guo Wei , Han Shushu , Kong Fanli , Wang Chengdong , Li Desheng , Zhang Heming , Yang Mingyao , Xu Huailiang , Zeng Bo , Zhao Jiangchao
Published: May 2015

The independent dietary shift from carnivore to herbivore with over 90% being bambooin the giant and the red pandas is of great interests to biologists. Althoughprevious studies have shown convergent evolution of the giant and the red pandas atboth morphological and molecular level, the evolution of the gut microbiota in thesepandas remains largely unknown. The goal of this study was to determine whether thegut microbiota of the pandas converged due to the same diet, or diverged. Wecharacterized the fecal microbiota from these two species by pyrosequencing the 16SV1–V3 hypervariable regions using the 454 GS FLX Titanium platform. We alsoincluded fecal samples from Asian black bears, a species phylogenetically closer tothe giant panda, in our analyses. By analyzing the microbiota from these 3 speciesand those from other carnivores reported previously, we found the gut microbiotas ofthe giant pandas are distinct from those of the red pandas and clustered closer tothose of the black bears. Our data suggests the divergent evolution of the gutmicrobiota in the pandas.
Serum FGF21 levels are associated with brown adipose tissue activity in humans
Authors: Hanssen Mark J.W. , Broeders Evie , Samms Ricardo J. , Vosselman Maarten J. , van der Lans Anouk A.J.J. , Cheng Christine C. , Adams Andrew C. , van Marken Lichtenbelt Wouter D. , Schrauwen Patrick
Published: May 2015

The obesity pandemic has spurred a need for novel therapies to prevent and treat metabolic complications. The recent rediscovery of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in humans made this tissue a possible therapeutic target, due to its potentially substantial contributions to energy homeostasis. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has been identified as a facilitator of cold-induced thermogenesis in humans. Furthermore, pre-clinical studies revealed that FGF21 administration leads to improvement in the metabolic consequences of obesity, such as dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes. Here we studied plasma FGF21 levels in two cohorts of human subjects, in whom BAT activity was determined using an individualized cooling protocol by [18F]FDG-PET/CT scan. Importantly, we found that circulating FGF21 levels correlated with BAT activity during acute cold exposure in male subjects. In addition, FGF21 levels were related to the change in core temperature upon acute cold exposure, indicating a role for FGF21 in maintaining normothermia, possibly via activation of BAT. Furthermore, cold acclimation increased BAT activity in parallel with increased FGF21 levels. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that FGF21 levels in humans are related to BAT activity, suggesting that FGF21 may represent a novel mechanism via which BAT activity in humans may be enhanced.
MicroRNA-23b Promotes Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup J (ALV-J) Replication by Targeting IRF1
Authors: Li Zhenhui , Chen Biao , Feng Min , Ouyang Hongjia , Zheng Ming , Ye Qiao , Nie Qinghua , Zhang Xiquan
Published: May 2015

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) can cause several different leukemia-like proliferative diseases in the hemopoietic system of chickens. Here, we investigated the transcriptome profiles and miRNA expression profiles of ALV-J-infected and uninfected chicken spleens to identify the genes and miRNAs related to ALV-J invasion. In total, 252 genes and 167 miRNAs were differentially expressed in ALV-J-infected spleens compared to control uninfected spleens. miR-23b expression was up-regulated in ALV-J-infected spleens compared with the control spleens and transcriptome analysis revealed that the expression of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) was down-regulated in ALV-J-infected spleens compared to uninfected spleens. A dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that IRF1 was a direct target of miR-23b. miR-23b overexpression significantly (P = 0.0022) decreased IRF1 mRNA levels and repressed IRF1-3′-UTR reporter activity. In vitro experiments revealed that miR-23b overexpression strengthened ALV-J replication, whereas miR-23b loss of function inhibited ALV-J replication. IRF1 overexpression inhibited ALV-J replication and IRF1 knockdown enhanced ALV-J replication. Moreover, IRF1 overexpression significantly (P = 0.0014) increased IFN-β expression. In conclusion, these results suggested that miR-23b may play an important role in ALV-J replication by targeting IRF1.
Age-specific epidemic waves of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus in a subtropical city
Authors: Yang Lin , Hung Chan Kwok , Suen Lorna K P , Pan Chan King , Wang Xiling , Cao Peihua , He Daihai , Malik Peiris J S , Ming Wong Chit
Published: May 2015

Both influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are active throughout the year in subtropical or tropical regions, but few studies have reported on age-specific seasonal patterns of these viruses. We examined the age-specific epidemic curves of laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza A (subtyped into seasonal A(H1N1), A(H3N2) and pandemic virus A(H1N1)pdm09), influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), in subtropical city Hong Kong from 2004 to 2013. We found that different types and subtypes of influenza showed similar two-peak patterns across age groups, with one peak in winter and another in spring/summer. Age differences were found in epidemic onset time and duration, but none could reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). Age synchrony was found in epidemic peak time for both cool and warm seasons. RSV showed less clear seasonal patterns and non-synchronized epidemic curves across age. In conclusion, age synchrony was found in influenza seasonal epidemics and the 2009 pandemic, but not in RSV. None of the age groups consistently appear as the driving force for seasonal epidemics of influenza and RSV in Hong Kong.
Fractal Nature of Metallic and Insulating Domain Configurations in a VO2 Thin Film Revealed by Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy
Authors: Sohn Ahrum , Kanki Teruo , Sakai Kotaro , Tanaka Hidekazu , Kim Dong-Wook
Published: May 2015

We investigated the surface work function (WS) and its spatial distribution for epitaxial VO2/TiO2thin films using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Nearly grain-boundary-free samples allowed observation of metallic and insulating domains with distinctWSvalues, throughout the metal–insulator transition. The metallic fraction, estimated fromWSmaps, describes the evolution of the resistance based on a two-dimensional percolation model. The KPFM measurements also revealed the fractal nature of the domain configuration.
Dendritic nanocarriers based on hyperbranched polymers
Authors: Kurniasih Indah Nurita , Keilitz Juliane , Haag Rainer
Published: May 2015

The use of hyperbranched polymers as an alternative to perfect dendrimers as nanocarrier systems for drugs, dyes and other guest molecules is covered. Different types of hyperbranched polymers are discussed with regard to aspects like synthesis, functionalisation and encapsulation properties but also their degradation.
Lentinula edodes-derived polysaccharide enhances systemic and mucosal immunity by spatial modulation of intestinal gene expression in mice
Authors: Xu Xiaofei , Yang Jiguo , Luo Zhen , Zhang Xuewu
Published: May 2015

Lentinula edodes-derived polysaccharide L2 significantly enhances immune responses by differentially affecting the intestinal gene expressions of mice.
FT-IR imaging for quantitative determination of liver fat content in non-alcoholic fatty liver
Authors: Kochan K. , Maslak E. , Chlopicki S. , Baranska M.
Published: May 2015

In this work we apply FT-IR imaging of large areas of liver tissue cross-section samples (∼5 cm × 5 cm) for quantitative assessment of steatosis in a murine model of NAFLD.
Hazardous o-toluidine mineralization by photocatalytic bismuth doped ZnO slurries
Authors: Cappelletti G. , Pifferi V. , Mostoni S. , Falciola L. , Di Bari C. , Spadavecchia F. , Meroni D. , Davoli E. , Ardizzone S.
Published: May 2015

Photocatalytic mineralization of o-toluidine in aqueous media under UV/solar irradiation was achieved by bare and bismuth doped zinc oxide nanoparticles.
A Li–Mg–N–H composite as H2 storage material: a case study with Mg(NH2)2–4LiH–LiNH2
Authors: Paik Biswajit , Li Hai-Wen , Wang Jianhui , Akiba Etsuo
Published: May 2015

A reversible hydrogen storage capacity of ∼7 wt% at ∼150 °C can be achieved using a three-component composite of Mg(NH2)2–4LiH–LiNH2.
Dual photonic-bandgap optical films towards the generation of photonic crystal-derived 2-dimensional chemical codes
Authors: Zhang Jing , Yang Shengyang , Tian Yu , Wang Cai-Feng , Chen Su
Published: May 2015

Chemical-oriented 2-dimensional optical codes with diverse dual-photonic bandgap (dual-PBG) signals are designed for high-capacity encoding and anti-jamming sensing applications.
Phase inversion of ionomer-stabilized emulsions to form high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs)
Authors: Zhang Tao , Xu Zhiguang , Cai Zengxiao , Guo Qipeng
Published: May 2015

The phase inversion of ionomer-stabilized emulsions to form high internal phase emulsions can be induced by salt concentration and pH changes.
Tuning of electron transfer reactions in pluronic–surfactant supramolecular assemblies
Authors: Verma Poonam , Pal Haridas
Published: May 2015

Large enhancement in the photoinduced electron transfer rate achieved through modulation of the location of reactants in surfactant–pluronic mixed micellar assemblies.
Origin of the enhanced Li+ ionic conductivity in Gd+3 substituted Li5+2xLa3Nb2−xGdxO12 lithium conducting garnets
Authors: Ahmad Mohamad M. , Al-Quaimi Munirah M.
Published: May 2015

Considerable conductivity enhancement upto 1.12 × 10−4 S cm−1 is achieved by Gd+3 substitutions into Li5+2xLa3Nb2−xGdxO12 garnets. This is due to the increased mobility rather than the concentration of the Li+ ions.