bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative gait analysis in parkin disease: Possible role of dystonia
Authors: Castagna Anna , Frittoli Serena , Ferrarin Maurizio , Del Sorbo Francesca , Romito Luigi M. , Elia Antonio E. , Albanese Alberto
Published: July 2016

Introduction

Parkin disease (PARK2, OMIM 602544) is an autosomal‐recessive early‐onset parkinsonism characterized by an early occurrence of lower limb dystonia. The aim of this study was to analyze spatiotemporal, kinematic, and kinetic gait parameters in patients with parkin disease in the OFF and ON conditions compared to healthy age‐matched controls.

Methods

Fifteen patients with parkin disease and 15 healthy age‐matched controls were studied in a gait analysis laboratory with an integrated optoelectronic system. Spatiotemporal, kinematic, and kinetic gait parameters at a self‐selected speed were recorded in the OFF and ON conditions. A jerk index was computed to quantify the possible reduction of smoothness of joint movements.

Results

Compared to controls, parkin patients had, either in the OFF or in the ON conditions, significant reduction of walking velocity, increased step width, and decreased percentage of double support. Kinematic analysis in both conditions showed: increased ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion at the initial contact; maximal flexion and increased range of motion in mid stance; increased hip flexion and max extension in stance at pelvis; and increased mean tilt antiversion. Kinetics showed increased hip and knee power generation in stance in either condition. The jerk index was increased at all joints both in OFF and ON. There were no correlations between individual gait parameters and clinical ratings.

Conclusion

Parkin patients have an abnormal gait pattern that does not vary between the OFF and the ON conditions. Variations recorded with instrumented analysis are more evident for kinematic than kinetic parameters at lower limbs. Severity of dystonia does not correlate with any individual kinematic parameter. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Structural elucidation of dioxa‐cage compounds from tetrahydroisobenzofuran‐1(3H)‐one: analysis of NMR data and GIAO chemical shifts calculations
Authors: da Costa Resende Gabriela , Alvarenga Elson Santiago
Published: July 2016

The polycyclic compounds, especially the dioxa‐cages, have attracted considerable attention in recent years. In our work, a series of 9β‐substituted 3‐oxo‐4,11‐dioxatetracyclo[5.2.1.15,8.02,6]undecane compounds were unexpectedly isolated during bromination, chlorination and epoxidation reactions of the 3‐hydroxy‐3a,4,7,7a‐tetrahydro‐4,7‐methanoisobenzofuran‐1(3H)‐one. After careful analysis of the NMR data, the chemical shifts of the isolated and the expected products were predicted by theoretical calculations using density functional theory and gauge including atomic orbitals. The best correlation between calculated and experimental data was evaluated by comparing mean absolute errors and applying DP4 probability methodology. Results from both approaches indicated a correct structural elucidation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cellular infiltrates in skin and sural nerve of patients with polyneuropathies
Authors: Üçeyler Nurcan , Braunsdorf Silvia , Kunze Ekkehard , Riediger Nadja , Scheytt Sarah , Divisova Šarka , Bekircan‐kurt Can Ebru , Toyka Klaus Viktor , Sommer Claudia
Published: July 2016

Introduction

The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic usefulness of skin punch biopsies with emphasis on visualization and quantification of T‐cells and macrophages in patients with polyneuropathies. Methods: We quantified inflammatory cells in skin samples (lower leg, upper thigh) in 187 patients and compared data with counts in their sural nerve biopsies and with skin biopsies from 32 healthy volunteers. Results: Vessel‐bound T‐cells and macrophages were increased in proximal and distal skin samples of neuropathy patients compared with controls (P < 0.001 in both). Patients with vasculitic neuropathy had increased T‐cell and macrophage counts in distal skin compared with controls (P < 0.01; for scattered macrophages/mm2 diagnostic sensitivity 71% and specificity 79%). In patients with vasculitic neuropathy, distal skin perivascular inflammatory cell counts also correlated with those in sural nerve biopsies (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Neuropathy per se may lead to skin inflammation. In cases of possible vasculitic neuropathy, skin biopsy may be an additional tool to support the diagnosis. Muscle Nerve 55: 884–893, 2017
Erdöl in seine Bestandteile zerlegen und charakterisieren
Authors: Zimmermann Ralf , Saraji‐Bozorgzad Mohammad , Grimmer Christoph , Ulbrich Anne , Streibel Thorsten
Published: July 2016

Erdöl ist eine komplexe Mischung mit vielen Komponenten. Informationen über seine Zusammensetzung liefert die Kopplung von Thermoanalyse und Massenspektrometrie. Damit die Massenspektren interpretierbar bleiben, sind weiche Ionisierungsmethoden erforderlich, welche die Moleküle nicht zu stark fragmentieren.
Frequency and outcome of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia with ZNF384 gene rearrangements including a novel translocation resulting in an ARID1B/ZNF384 gene fusion
Authors: Shago Mary , Abla Oussama , Hitzler Johann , Weitzman Sheila , Abdelhaleem Mohamed
Published: July 2016

Background

ZNF384 gene rearrangements with multiple partner genes are recurrent in acute leukemia and are most often associated with a precursor B cell immunophenotype. The overall incidence of this genetic category of leukemia is uncertain.

Procedure

Patients with ZNF384 gene rearrangements from a cohort of 240 precursor B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) pediatric patients over a 3.5‐year time period were characterized with detailed cytogenetic, FISH, genomic, and clinical analyses.

Results

Seven of the 240 patients were identified to have ZNF384 gene rearrangements including partner genes TCF3 (four patients), EWSR1 (one patient), EP300 (one patient), and the novel gene partner ARID1B (one patient). The translocations were confirmed by FISH analysis and with RNA sequencing for the EP300 and ARID1B partner genes. Genomic microarray analysis showed an average of 2.7 copy number alterations in each case with no evidence of imbalance at the translocation breakpoints. Six of the patients with ZNF384 gene rearrangements had precursor B cell ALL with a CD10– immunophenotype and myeloid‐associated antigens. One of the patients also had myeloperoxidase expression and was diagnosed as mixed phenotype B/myeloid acute leukemia. None of the patients have relapsed with event‐free survival ranging from 6 years 2 months to 9 years 2 months.

Conclusions

This study suggests that the frequency of ZNF384 gene rearrangement in pediatric precursor B cell ALL is approximately 3%. The ARID1B gene, commonly mutated in multiple types of cancer, was identified as an additional ZNF384 gene fusion partner.
Structure of the magnetosome‐associated actin‐like MamK filament at subnanometer resolution
Authors: Bergeron Julien R.C. , Hutto Rachel , Ozyamak Ertan , Hom Nancy , Hansen Jesse , Draper Olga , Byrne Meghan E. , Keyhani Sepehr , Komeili Arash , Kollman Justin M.
Published: July 2016

Magnetotactic bacteria possess cellular compartments called magnetosomes that sense magnetic fields. Alignment of magnetosomes in the bacterial cell is necessary for their function, and this is achieved through anchoring of magnetosomes to filaments composed of the protein MamK. MamK is an actin homolog that polymerizes upon ATP binding. Here, we report the structure of the MamK filament at ∼6.5 Å, obtained by cryo‐Electron Microscopy. This structure confirms our previously reported double‐stranded, nonstaggered architecture, and reveals the molecular basis for filament formation. While MamK is closest in sequence to the bacterial actin MreB, the longitudinal contacts along each MamK strand most closely resemble those of eukaryotic actin. In contrast, the cross‐strand interface, with a surprisingly limited set of contacts, is novel among actin homologs and gives rise to the nonstaggered architecture.
Insecticidal activity of novel thioureas and isothioureas
Authors: Lambert William T , Goldsmith Miriam E , Sparks Thomas C
Published: July 2016

BACKGROUND

We hypothesized that the exploration of chemical space around compounds with reported insecticidal activity could be a viable strategy for discovering novel, insecticidally active areas of chemistry.

RESULTS

A series of thioureas and isothioureas were prepared as part of a scaffold‐hopping effort around known insecticidal compounds. Many of these compounds showed excellent activity against key sap‐feeding insect pests in insecticidal bioassays. While analogs bearing monocyclic thiophene head groups showed activity against Myzus persicae (green peach aphid), analogs with diarylethane head groups were active against both M. persicae and Bemisia tabaci (sweetpotato whitefly). Despite compelling activity in these laboratory tests, these compounds showed diminished activity when applied to host plants via tracksprayer.

CONCLUSIONS

The initial hypothesis that structural modification of molecules reported to have insecticidal activity would yield novel compounds that also exhibit insecticidal activity was validated. Despite excellent activity in laboratory bioassays, these new compounds failed to show compelling activity in more demanding tracksprayer tests. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Computational study of structure, electronic, and microscopic charge transport properties of small conjugated diketopyrrolopyrrole‐thiophene molecules
Authors: Makarova Maria V. , Semenov Sergey G. , Guskova Olga A.
Published: July 2016

π‐Conjugated small molecules containing diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and thiophene moieties represent a modern class of functional materials that exhibit promising charge transport properties and therefore have great potential as building blocks of active elements of electronic devices. As a starting point of this computational study, the molecular structure, electronic characteristics, and reorganization energies associated with electron or hole transfer are considered. Prediction of molecular crystal packing is followed by the calculation of couplings between adjacent molecules and detection of the effective charge transfer pathways. Finally, the rates of charge transfer process are evaluated. The obtained results shed light not only on the properties of materials containing low‐molecular species but also serve as a benchmark for further classical force‐field simulations of DPP‐based polymers.
Survey Registration for Long‐Term Natural Environment Monitoring
Authors: Griffith Shane , Pradalier Cédric
Published: July 2016

This paper presents a survey registration framework to assist in the recurrent inspection of a natural environment. Our framework coarsely aligns surveys at the image‐level using visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), and it registers images at the pixel‐level using SIFT Flow, which enables rapid manual inspection. The variation in appearance of natural environments makes data association a primary challenge of this work. We discuss this and other challenges, including 1) alternative approaches for coarsely aligning surveys of a natural environment, 2) how to select which images to compare between two surveys, and 3) strategies to boost image registration accuracy. We evaluate each stage of our approach, emphasizing alignment accuracy and stability with respect to large seasonal variations. Our domain is lakeshore monitoring, in which an autonomous surface vessel surveyed a 1‐km lakeshore 33 times in 14 months. Our results show that our framework precisely aligns a significant number of images between surveys captured up to roughly three months apart, often across marked variation in appearance. Using these results, a human was able to spot several changes between surveys that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.
Equivalent frame analysis for effective wall width of nonplanar beam–wall connections
Authors: Behnam Hamdolah , Kuang J. S. , Huang Qunxian
Published: July 2016

Shear wall–frame structural systems are the most commonly used structural forms in tall buildings. In this structural system, many nonplanar beam–wall connections are formed by frame beams connecting to a shear wall in their out‐of‐plane direction. Few studies on nonplanar beam–wall joints have been conducted. This paper presents an investigation of the mechanical performance of nonplanar beam–wall joints based on the equivalent frame model assumptions. The concept of the effective wall width is introduced, and an analytical model is derived by considering the rotational stiffness of a beam–wall joint. The proposed effective wall width model is verified by experiments and finite element analyses. Comparison of the proposed model with the existing models shows that all the key design variables that affect the effective wall width in nonplanar beam–wall connections, in particular the cross‐sectional dimensions of beams and shear walls, have been appropriately included in deriving the proposed model based on structural mechanics. The applicability and accuracy are demonstrated by a design example. It is shown that the proposed analytical model of the effective wall width for nonplanar beam–wall connections provides a simple and effective, yet accurate, means of analysis for the coupling effect of nonplanar coupling beams in tall buildings. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Beat‐to‐beat variability of fetal myocardial performance index
Authors: Maheshwari P. , Alphonse J. , Henry A. , Wang J. , Redmond S. J. , Welsh A. W.
Published: July 2016

Objectives

To determine whether there is beat‐to‐beat (BTB) variability in the fetal left myocardial performance index (MPI), as evaluated by an automated system, and whether there is a correlation between MPI and fetal heart rate (FHR).

Methods

This was a prospective cross‐sectional study of uncomplicated, morphologically normal, singleton pregnancies at 20–38 weeks' gestation. Multiple cineloops for left MPI measurement were acquired during a single examination of each fetus. Raw cineloop data were analyzed by our automated MPI system (intraclass correlation coefficient of 1.0 for any given waveform) to produce a set of MPIs. The corresponding instantaneous FHR was measured for each individual cardiac cycle for which MPI was calculated.

Results

Data from 29 fetuses were analyzed; mean MPI was 0.52, mean FHR was 150 beats per min and the median number of cardiac cycles examined per fetus was 70 (interquartile range, 31–115). Marked BTB variability was noted; median coefficient of variation was 10% (range, 5.5–13.9%). FHR was weakly correlated with absolute MPI (r = 0.22; P < 0.05). BTB variation in MPI as a percentage of the mean MPI was not significantly correlated with FHR (r = 0.031; P = 0.146). When standard error of the mean of all MPI values was divided by the mean for each case, it showed that at least four cardiac cycles should be averaged to reduce MPI variability to approximately ± 5%.

Conclusion

There is significant BTB variability in fetal left MPI, which has an overall weak correlation with FHR. This could be a factor affecting the consistency of MPI values reported by different research groups. Variability would be reduced by averaging 4–5 cardiac cycles per fetus. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
First‐trimester intervention in twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence: does size matter?
Authors: Roethlisberger M. , Strizek B. , Gottschalk I. , Mallmann M. R. , Geipel A. , Gembruch U. , Berg C.
Published: July 2016

Objective

To evaluate the outcome of first‐trimester intervention (12 + 0 to 14 + 0 weeks of gestation) in pregnancies complicated by twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence.

Methods

All monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies diagnosed with TRAP sequence that underwent intrafetal laser ablation (IFL) of the feeding vessels before 14 + 0 weeks of gestation at the University of Bonn between 2010 and 2015 were analyzed retrospectively for intrauterine course and outcome.

Results

In the study period, 12 pregnancies with TRAP sequence were treated by IFL. Median gestational age at intervention was 13.2 (interquartile range (IQR), 12.6–13.6) weeks. In all cases, one intervention sufficed to disrupt the perfusion of the TRAP twin. There was no case of miscarriage, preterm prelabor rupture of membranes or hemorrhage. In five (41.7%) pregnancies, intrauterine death of the pump twin occurred at a median of 72.0 (IQR, 54.0–90.0; range, 48–96) h after intervention. The remaining seven pregnancies continued uneventfully resulting in birth of a healthy infant at term. A comparison of survivors and non‐survivors identified a significant difference in median discordance between crown–rump length (CRL) of the pump twin and upper pole–rump length (URL) of the TRAP twin ((CRL − URL)/CRL ratio, 0.56 vs 0.31; P < 0.05 and URL/CRL ratio, 0.44 vs 0.68; P < 0.05). Survivors were treated at a significantly later gestational age than were non‐survivors (median, 13.4 (IQR, 12.9–14.1) vs 12.6 (IQR, 12.5–13.1); P < 0.05). However, none of these parameters independently predicted survival.

Conclusions

Although technically feasible, IFL performed in the first trimester for TRAP sequence is associated with a significant fetal loss rate. Gestational age at intervention, (CRL − URL)/CRL ratio and URL/CRL ratio are potential predictors of pregnancy outcome. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
What makes wildlife wild? How identity may shape the public trust versus wildlife privatization debate
Authors: Peterson Markus J. , Peterson M. Nils , Peterson Tarla Rai
Published: July 2016

Wildlife conservation policy discussions in the United States and Canada often revolve around historical accounts of the success of wildlife management grounded in the public trust doctrine. We suggest that the usefulness of these discussions is partially limited by failure to consider the importance of wildlife “identity” rooted in freedom (i.e., how humans socially construct the “wildness” dimension of wild animals). To demonstrate the interrelations between identity and freedom, we explain that the class of subjects people care most about—partners, children, and people in general—typically should not be privately owned (i.e., chattel) because freedom (as opposed to slavery) is generally accepted as central to human identity, and its abrogation therefore degrades human identity. The degree to which this ethical argument applies to privatization of wildlife depends upon the relationship between freedom and the identity of wildlife as perceived by society. Thus, we suggest policy decisions regarding privatization of wildlife will be more accurately deliberated if society and wildlife professionals more completely considered the degree to which freedom is essential to a wild species’ identity and the degree to which that identity is inviolable. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.
Antenatal manifestations of inborn errors of metabolism: biological diagnosis
Authors: Vianey‐Saban Christine , Acquaviva Cécile , Cheillan David , Collardeau‐Frachon Sophie , Guibaud Laurent , Pagan Cécile , Pettazzoni Magali , Piraud Monique , Lamazière Antonin , Froissart Roseline
Published: July 2016

Inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) that present with abnormal imaging findings in the second half of pregnancy are mainly lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs), cholesterol synthesis disorders (CSDs), glycogen storage disorder type IV (GSD IV), peroxisomal disorders, mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation defects (FAODs), organic acidurias, aminoacidopathies, congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs), and transaldolase deficiency. Their biological investigation requires fetal material. The supernatant of amniotic fluid (AF) is useful for the analysis of mucopolysaccharides, oligosaccharides, sialic acid, lysosphingolipids and some enzyme activities for LSDs, 7‐ and 8‐dehydrocholesterol, desmosterol and lathosterol for CSDs, acylcarnitines for FAODs, organic acids for organic acidurias, and polyols for transaldolase deficiency. Cultured AF or fetal cells allow the measurement of enzyme activities for most IEMs, whole‐cell assays, or metabolite measurements. The cultured cells or tissue samples taken after fetal death can be used for metabolic profiling, enzyme activities, and DNA extraction. Fetal blood can also be helpful. The identification of vacuolated cells orients toward an LSD, and plasma is useful for diagnosing peroxisomal disorders, FAODs, CSDs, some LSDs, and possibly CDGs and aminoacidopathies. We investigated AF of 1700 pregnancies after exclusion of frequent etiologies of nonimmune hydrops fetalis and identified 108 fetuses affected with LSDs (6.3 %), 29 of them with mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII), and six with GSD IV (0.3 %). In the AF of 873 pregnancies, investigated because of intrauterine growth restriction and/or abnormal genitalia, we diagnosed 32 fetuses affected with Smith‐Lemli‐Opitz syndrome (3.7 %).
Immunological aspects of congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG): a review
Authors: Monticelli Maria , Ferro Tiago , Jaeken Jaak , dos Reis Ferreira Vanessa , Videira Paula A.
Published: July 2016

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are a rapidly growing family of genetic diseases comprising more than 85 known distinct disorders. They show a great phenotypic variability ranging from multi‐organ/system to mono‐organ/system involvement with very mild to extremely severe expression. Immunological dysfunction has a significant impact on the phenotype in a minority of CDG. CDG with major immunological involvement are ALG12‐CDG, MAGT1‐CDG, MOGS‐CDG, SLC35C1‐CDG and PGM3‐CDG. This review discusses the variety of immunological abnormalities reported in human CDG. Understanding the immunological aspects of CDG may contribute to a better management/treatment of these pathologies and possibly of more common diseases, such as inflammatory diseases.
Anomalous α-Mg Dendrite Growth During Directional Solidification of a Mg-Zn Alloy
Authors: Shuai Sansan , Guo Enyu , Wang Mingyue , Callaghan Mark D. , Jing Tao , Zheng Qiwei , Lee Peter D.
Published: July 2016

Dendritic morphology was investigated in a directionally solidified magnesium-zinc alloy using synchrotron X-ray tomography and electron backscattered diffraction. Unexpectedly, primary dendrites grew along

$$ {\langle}21\overline{3}1 {\rangle}$$

⟨
21

3
¯

1
⟩

, rather than the previously reported

$${\langle} 11\overline{2} 0{\rangle} $$

⟨
11

2
¯

0
⟩

and

$${\langle} 22\overline{4}5 {\rangle}$$

⟨
22

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directions. Further, seven asymmetric sets of side branches formed, instead of six-fold symmetric arms, evolving with three coexisting morphologies per trunk of: traditional, seaweed structure, and free growth. The anomalous growth is attributed to the imposed thermal gradient and zinc-induced interfacial energy anisotropy variations.
Formation Mechanisms of Alloying Element Nitrides in Recrystallized and Deformed Ferritic Fe-Cr-Al Alloy
Authors: Akhlaghi Maryam , Meka Sai Ramudu , Jägle Eric A. , Kurz Silke J. B. , Bischoff Ewald , Mittemeijer Eric J.
Published: July 2016

The effect of the initial microstructure (recrystallized or cold-rolled) on the nitride precipitation process upon gaseous nitriding of ternary Fe-4.3 at. pct Cr-8.1 at. pct Al alloy was investigated at 723 K (450 °C) employing X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atom probe tomography (APT), and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). In recrystallized Fe-Cr-Al specimens, one type of nitride develops: ternary, cubic, NaCl-type mixed Cr1−xAlxN. In cold-rolled Fe-Cr-Al specimens, precipitation of two types of nitrides occurs: ternary, cubic, NaCl-type mixed Cr1−xAlxN and binary, cubic, NaCl-type AlN. By theoretical analysis, it was shown that for the recrystallized specimens an energy barrier for the nucleation of mixed Cr1−xAlxN exists, whereas in the cold-rolled specimens no such energy barriers for the development of mixed Cr1−xAlxN and of binary, cubic AlN occur. The additional development of the cubic AlN in the cold-rolled microstructure could be ascribed to the preferred heterogeneous nucleation of cubic AlN on dislocations. The nitrogen concentration–depth profile of the cold-rolled specimen shows a stepped nature upon prolonged nitriding as a consequence of instantaneous nucleation of nitride upon arrival of nitrogen and nitride growth rate-limited by nitrogen transport through the thickening nitrided zone.
Species-Specific Detection of Mycosphaerella polygoni-cuspidati as a Biological Control Agent for Fallopia japonica by PCR Assay
Authors: Kurose Daisuke , Furuya Naruto , Saeki Tetsuya , Tsuchiya Kenichi , Tsushima Seiya , Seier Marion K.
Published: July 2016

The ascomycete fungus Mycosphaerella
polygoni-cuspidati has been undergoing evaluation as a potential classical biological control agent for the invasive weed Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed), which has become troublesome in Europe and North America. In advance of the potential release of a biocontrol agent into a new environment, it is crucial to develop an effective monitoring system to enable the evaluation of agent establishment and dispersal within the target host population, as well as any potential attacks on non-target species. Therefore, a primer pair was designed for direct, rapid, and specific detection of the Japanese knotweed pathogen M. polygoni-cuspidati based on the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions including the 5.8S rDNA. A PCR product of approximately 298 bp was obtained only when the DNA extracted from mycelial fragments of M. polygoni-cuspidati was used. The lower limit of detection of the PCR method was 100 fg of genomic DNA. Using the specific primer pair, M. polygoni-cuspidati could be detected from both naturally and artificially infected Japanese knotweed plants. No amplification was observed for other Mycosphaerella spp. or fungal endophytes isolated from F. japonica. The designed primer pair is thus effective for the specific detection of M. polygoni-cuspidati in planta.
ORBIT PARAMETRIZATIONS FOR K3 SURFACES
Authors: BHARGAVA MANJUL , HO WEI , KUMAR ABHINAV
Published: July 2016

We study moduli spaces of lattice-polarized K3 surfaces in terms of orbits of representations of algebraic groups. In particular, over an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0, we show that in many cases, the nondegenerate orbits of a representation are in bijection with K3 surfaces (up to suitable equivalence) whose Néron–Severi lattice contains a given lattice. An immediate consequence is that the corresponding moduli spaces of these lattice-polarized K3 surfaces are all unirational. Our constructions also produce many fixed-point-free automorphisms of positive entropy on K3 surfaces in various families associated to these representations, giving a natural extension of recent work of Oguiso.
Validation of a food-frequency questionnaire for assessing vitamin intake of Japanese women in early and late pregnancy with and without nausea and vomiting
Authors: Jwa Seung Chik , Ogawa Kohei , Kobayashi Minatsu , Morisaki Naho , Sago Haruhiko , Fujiwara Takeo
Published: July 2016

Maternal vitamin intake during pregnancy is crucial for pregnancy outcomes and the child's subsequent health. However, there are few valid instruments for assessing vitamin intake that address the effects of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP). This study aimed to investigate the validity of a FFQ concerning vitamin intake during early and late pregnancy with and without NVP. The participants comprised 200 Japanese pregnant women who completed the FFQ and from whom blood samples were taken in early and late pregnancy. Energy-adjusted dietary vitamin intakes (vitamin C, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin D) from FFQ were compared with their blood concentrations. A subgroup of women with NVP was investigated. In early pregnancy, significant correlations between FFQ and biomarkers were observed for vitamin C (r0·27), folate (r0·18) and vitamin D (r0·26) in women with NVP and for vitamin A (r0·18), vitamin B12(r0·24) and vitamin D (r0·23) in women without NVP. No significant correlations were observed in either group for vitamins B6or E. In late pregnancy, similar significant associations were observed for vitamin C (r0·27), folate (r0·22), vitamin B6(r0·18), vitamin B12(r0·27) and vitamin A (r0·15); coefficients were higher among women without NVP. Our study demonstrates that the FFQ is a useful tool for assessing intake of several important vitamins in early and late pregnancy regardless of NVP status.
The thinned plantation
Authors: Brown Susannah , Holgate Philip
Published: July 2016

A point process is obtained by considering a square lattice of side p½, 0 < p ≦ 1, and supposing that each lattice point contains a point of the process or does not independently, with probabilities p and 1 – p. The family of processes thus includes the deterministic lattice for p = 1, and has the Poisson as a limit as p → 0.
Analysis of binary lattice data
Authors: Clifford Peter
Published: July 2016

The practical problems involved in the maximum likelihood estimation of the parameters in a binary Markov field on a lattice are investigated. Methods using whole and conditional data are compared.
Velocity of stochastic processes in two dimensions
Authors: Mollison Denis
Published: July 2016

A basic class of spatial stochastic processes is that in which the phenomenon spreads between static individuals with probability of ‘infection’ falling off with distance according to a contact distribution (Mollison (1972)). The following questions then arise:

(1) How does the velocity of spread depend on the contact distribution? In particular, for which contact distributions is it finite?

(2) Does the phenomenon spread at a steady velocity, or does it spread in jumps?
Conference on stochastic models in space and time: Edinburgh, 19–20 December 1974
Authors: Mollison Denis , Renshaw Eric
Published: July 2016

This second meeting in the series was organised principally by Denis Mollison and Eric Renshaw with the help of their respective departments and a grant from the Royal Society. The fifty or so participants were drawn from various backgrounds, both theoretical and applied, and a diverse programme of twelve papers was presented, embracing both the development of mathematical theory and the collection and analysis of field data. Many of the non-speakers contributed to the lively discussion which prevailed. Short abstracts of the papers are appended, and the authors would be happy to answer requests for further information.
Competition circles and plant mortality
Authors: Diggle Peter J.
Published: July 2016

Competition models for spatially distributed individuals may be developed from the basic assumption that each individual will exert a competitive influence within a circle, centered on the individual's location and with radius determined by a random variable,R(Gerrard (1969)).
The busy period of the E
k/G/1 queue by finite waiting room
Authors: Truslove A. L.
Published: July 2016

For the E

k
/G/1 queue with finite waiting room the phase technique is used to analyse the Markov chain imbedded in the queueing process at successive instants at which customers complete service, and the distribution of the busy period, together with the number of customers who arrive, and the number of customers served, during that period, is obtained. The limit as the size of the waiting room becomes infinite is found.
POST-SLAVERY REFRACTIONS: SUBJECTIVITY AND SLAVE DESCENT IN A GAMBIAN LIFE STORY
Authors: Gaibazzi Paolo
Published: July 2016

The article draws on the life story of Musa, a Soninke man from a Gambian village, to shed light on the experience and subjective dimension of slave descent in West Africa. After spending most of his life abroad as a migrant, Musa retired to his home village and came to terms with his status identity as a slave descendant. Rather than by status hierarchies alone, however, Musa's social position was modulated by other aspirations and obligations, particularly those inherent in becoming an elder and a returnee. These predicaments of the self, constructed on the basis of age, masculinity and cosmopolitan knowledge, shaped his life and delineated the space in which he variously interpreted and navigated the legacy of slavery. By foregrounding the ways in which slave descent is dynamically refracted by this broader process of self-making, this article thus goes beyond a framework centred primarily on fixed status identities and on the dynamics of resistance/submission, highlighting instead the multifaceted, even contradictory, positioning of slave descendants in post-slavery Senegambia.
THE PYGMY MIMIC
Authors: Frankland Stan
Published: July 2016

The Pygmy mimic is an extremely persistent colonial trope that continues to inform contemporary anthropological understandings of Africa's Pygmy populations. Mimicry is now understood as being a key component of the social reproduction of a distinct Pygmy way of being. In this paper I examine the historical accounts of mimicry and try to bring a historical perspective to bear on contemporary ethnographic accounts of its practice. I also set my own research among the Sua Pygmies of Uganda against these other examples. The intention behind this is to acknowledge the common humanity of Africa's Pygmies and to create new grounds of comparison – such as a shared history of oppression – that are not dependent on a unique foraging mode of thought.
Status and conservation of the Endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia in Qomolangma National Nature Reserve, Tibet
Authors: Chen Pengju , Gao Yufang , Wang Jun , Pu Qiong , Lhaba Cering , Hu Huijian , Xu Jian , Shi Kun
Published: July 2016

Little is known about the status of the snow leopard Panthera uncia in Qomolangma National Nature Reserve, located on the northern aspect of Mount Everest in Tibet. To address this, during May–September 2014 we conducted line transects, camera trapping, household interviews, and socioeconomic statistics analysis. We surveyed 14 transects and located 287 putative snow leopard signs, with a mean density of 1.9 sign sites km–1, 3.8 signs km–1, and 1.4 scrapes km–1. We set 41 camera traps and recorded a minimum of seven individual snow leopards. Our results were comparable to snow leopard abundance estimates for neighbouring protected areas in Nepal. Semi-structured interviews with 46 (59%) households found that local people were generally supportive of snow leopard conservation, for a variety of economic, legislative, and religious reasons. The socio-economic situation in the Reserve underwent dramatic changes between 2000 and 2014. The human population increased by 28.9%, the livestock population decreased by 9.9%, the number of tourists in 2014 was 6.8 times greater than in 2005, and the local gross domestic product underwent an annual increase of 15%. We discuss the current threats to snow leopards, and recommend that more rigorous, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary research be undertaken to provide an evidential basis for the formulation of effective conservation policies and programmes.
Moral Performance and Cultural Governance in China: The Compassionate Politics of Disasters
Authors: Xu Bin
Published: July 2016

This article examines the Chinese state's moral performance during several major disasters, including the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, the 1998 Yangtze River floods, and the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. Drawing on the theatrical theory of symbolic politics, I argue that the Sichuan earthquake marked a turn in the state's moral performance. While the Chinese state continued to project an image of a secure, heroic state, it endeavoured to construct a sympathetic image through leaders' displays of compassion and sorrow, a mourning ritual for ordinary victims, and narratives of response and rescue. This shift towards a more compassionate performance can be explained by the state's deployment of cultural resources to respond to societal challenges since the new millennium and its effort to repair its image amid the crises of 2008. The compassionate performance was temporarily effective because it found common ground with the traditional political culture of disaster, which still shapes the public's expectations of the state's moral conduct, and the new public culture that values equality and dignity of human life. Nevertheless, the political dilemmas of the compassionate performance became evident. Its efficacy largely relied on the presentation of suffering at the scene, which, however, led to public demands for the state to address the causes of the suffering. When the state failed to construct an “accountable state” image, this “dilemma of scene” had repercussions for its legitimacy. The efficacy of paternalism was also limited because it was less appealing to the growing urban middle class. By addressing moral performance, this paper contributes to the literature on politics of disaster and advances the important research agenda on cultural governance.
The Labour Law System, Capitalist Hegemony and Class Politics in China
Authors: Hui Elaine Sio-ieng
Published: July 2016

This article investigates how the Chinese labour law system has helped to reproduce capitalist hegemony, i.e. the ethico-political, moral and cultural leadership of the ruling class. Based on intensive fieldwork in the Pearl River Delta and 115 interviews with migrant workers, this article shows that the labour law system has exercised a double hegemonic effect with regards to capital–labour relations and state–labour relations. Through normalizing, countervailing, concealing and transmuting mechanisms, the labour law system has been able to buffer both the market economy and the party-state from workers’ radical and fundamental criticism. However, the double hegemony mediated through the labour law system has influenced the Chinese migrant workers in an uneven manner: some of them have granted active consent to the ruling class leadership; some have only rendered passive consent; and some have refused to give any consent at all.
Digital stories: Bringing multimodal texts to the Spanish writing classroom
Authors: Oskoz Ana , Elola Idoia
Published: July 2016

Despite the availability and growing use of digital story software for authoring and instructional purposes, little is known about learners’ perceptions on its integration in the foreign language writing class. Following both a social semiotics approach and activity theory, this study focuses on six advanced Spanish learners’ perceptions about the production of a digital story in which they integrated a variety of modes (written, oral, images, sounds) and manipulated the semiotic resources within each mode (size, color, lines in the image mode), to convey meaning. Analyzing participants’ reflections, questionnaires, and online journals, results highlight learners’ (a) interpretation of the tools and artifacts and their effect on their understanding of a final product, (b) connections between short-term goal-oriented actions and the longer-term object-oriented activity of developing a multimodal text, and (c) linguistic reorientations when creating a digital story.
TRANSCULTURAL POLITICS OF DEPARTMENT STORES: COLONIALISM AND MASS CULTURE IN EAST ASIA, 1900–1945
Authors: Hong Jeesoon
Published: July 2016

This study presents a transcultural mapping of department stores in modern East Asia from a socio-political perspective centered on colonialism and nationalism. Department stores in the region exhibited a coeval culture, as suggested by the common use of the term “hyakka/baihuo/baekhwa.” While focusing on the common impact of Japanese colonialism, this study examines mainly Mitsukoshi in Tokyo; Wing On and Sincere in Shanghai; and Mitsukoshi, Minakai, and Hwashin in Seoul. It consists of four parts. The first part traces the translingual-scape of “hyakka” and shows how the modern universalism celebrated in the term, in reality, contributed to shaping an exclusive social group. The second part expands the etymological survey of “hyakka” into the physical dimension and analyzes items for sale at department stores, select lifestyles, and social group formations. The third part illuminates the patriarchal, militaristic managerial styles that developed under the influence of Japanese imperialism. The last part delves into Japanese department stores' colonial expansion within East Asia. This study employs a transcultural methodology to highlight multidimensional connections and coeval localities as well as differences, though it is often differences that are highlighted by research that involves straightforward country comparisons.
Supportive Climate and Its Protective Role in the Emotion Rule Dissonance – Emotional Exhaustion Relationship
Authors: Ortiz-Bonnín Silvia , Esther García-Buades M. , Caballer Amparo , Zapf Dieter
Published: July 2016

Abstract. Emotion work, or the requirement to display certain emotions during service interactions, may produce burnout when these emotions are not truly felt – emotion rule dissonance. Building on the support-buffering model we hypothesized that a supportive climate should provide emotional resources to employees protecting them against strain from emotion work. We tested this multilevel prediction in a sample of 317 front-line employees nested in 99 work units at large Spanish hotels and restaurants. Our results showed that supportive climate protects employees against experiencing emotional exhaustion (main effect) and attenuates the negative effects of emotion rule dissonance on emotional exhaustion (moderating effects). These results provide empirical evidence for the important role of supportive climate as a buffer between emotion work and well-being.
Does Authentic Leadership Predict Employee Work Engagement and In-Role Performance?
Authors: Mehmood Qaiser , Nawab Samina , Hamstra Melvyn R. W.
Published: July 2016

Abstract. This study sought to examine whether and why authentic leadership predicts followers’ in-role performance and did so in a four-wave, multi-level, multi-source field study conducted in the banking sector in Pakistan. Working from the notion that authentic leadership fosters followers’ focus on developing their true self; we suggest authentic leadership predicts followers’ learning goal orientation. Given that learning goal orientation strongly impacts on how people approach and experience their work, in turn, we expected that learning goal orientation determines followers’ work engagement, and their in-role performance. Results indicated learning goal orientation mediated the relationship between authentic leadership and (a) follower performance and (b) work engagement.
Closing the Pacific Rainfall Data Void
Authors: Wright Ethan , Sutton Jessica , Luchetti Nicholas , Kruk Michael , Marra John
Published: July 2016

A new climatology tool uses satellite data to map precipitation in a data-sparse region of the Pacific Ocean.
Laser capture microscopy coupled with Smart-seq2 for precise spatial transcriptomic profiling
Authors: Nichterwitz Susanne , Chen Geng , Aguila Benitez Julio , Yilmaz Marlene , Storvall Helena , Cao Ming , Sandberg Rickard , Deng Qiaolin , Hedlund Eva
Published: July 2016

Laser capture microscopy (LCM) coupled with global transcriptome profiling could enable precise analyses of cell populations without the need for tissue dissociation, but has so far required relatively large numbers of cells. Here we report a robust and highly efficient strategy for LCM coupled with full-length mRNA-sequencing (LCM-seq) developed for single-cell transcriptomics. Fixed cells are subjected to direct lysis without RNA extraction, which both simplifies the experimental procedures as well as lowers technical noise. We apply LCM-seq on neurons isolated from mouse tissues, human post-mortem tissues, and illustrate its utility down to single captured cells. Importantly, we demonstrate that LCM-seq can provide biological insight on highly similar neuronal populations, including motor neurons isolated from different levels of the mouse spinal cord, as well as human midbrain dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra compacta and the ventral tegmental area.
The Maternal Effect Genes UTX and JMJD3 Play Contrasting Roles in Mus musculus Preimplantation Embryo Development
Authors: Yang Lei , Song Li-Shuang , Liu Xue-Fei , Xia Qing , Bai Li-Ge , Gao Li , Gao Guang-Qi , Wang Yu , Wei Zhu-Ying , Bai Chun-Ling , Li Guang-Peng
Published: July 2016

During the process of embryonic development in mammals, epigenetic modifications must be erased and reconstructed. In particular, the trimethylation of histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3) is associated with gene-specific transcriptional repression and contributes to the maintenance of the pluripotent embryos. In this study, we determined that the global levels of the H3K27me3 marker were elevated in MII oocyte chromatin and decrease to minimal levels at the 8-cell and morula stages. When the blastocyst hatched, H3K27me3 was re-established in the inner cell mass. We also determined that H3K27me3-specific demethylases, UTX and JMJD3, were observed at high transcript and protein levels in mouse preimplantation embryos. In the activated oocytes, when the H3K27me3 disappeared at the 8-cell stage, the UTX (but not JMJD3) protein levels were undetectable. Using RNA interference, we suppressed UTX and JMJD3 gene expression in the embryos and determined that the functions of UTX and JMJD3 were complementary. When JMJD3 levels were decreased by RNA interference, the embryo development rate and quality were improved, but the knockdown of UTX produced the opposite results. Understanding the epigenetic mechanisms controlling preimplantation development is critical to comprehending the basis of embryonic development and to devise methods and approaches to treat infertility.
Correction: Corrigendum: Elimination of HIV-1 Genomes from Human T-lymphoid Cells by CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing
Authors: Kaminski Rafal , Chen Yilan , Fischer Tracy , Tedaldi Ellen , Napoli Alessandro , Zhang Yonggang , Karn Jonathan , Hu Wenhui , Khalili Kamel
Published: July 2016

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 22555; published online: 04 March 2016; updated: 07 July 2016 The Competing financial interests statement in this Article should read: “KK, WH, RK, and YZ are named inventors on patents that cover the viral gene editing technology that is the subject of this published journal article.
Correction: Corrigendum: A Versatile Multiple Target Detection System Based on DNA Nano-assembled Linear FRET Arrays
Authors: Li Yansheng , Du Hongwu , Wang Wenqian , Zhang Peixun , Xu Liping , Wen Yongqiang , Zhang Xueji
Published: July 2016

Scientific Reports 6: Article number: 26879; published online: 27 May 2016; updated: 07 July 2016 The Acknowledgements section in this Article is incomplete. “This work is continuously supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant nos 21171019, 51373023), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities and NCET-11-0584.
Methotrexate Nanoparticles Prepared with Codendrimer from Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) and Oligoethylene Glycols (OEG) Dendrons: Antitumor Efficacy in Vitro and in Vivo
Authors: Zhao Yanna , Guo Yifei , Li Ran , Wang Ting , Han Meihua , Zhu Chunyan , Wang Xiangtao
Published: July 2016

The novel methotrexate-loaded nanoparticles (MTX/PGD NPs) prepared with amphiphilic codendrimer PGD from polyamidoamine and oligothylene glycol dendrons were obtained via antisolvent precipitation method augmented by ultrasonication. Based on the excellent hydrophility of PGD, the drug-loaded nanoparticles could be investigated easily with the high drug-loading content (~85.2%, w/w). The MTX/PGD NPs possessed spherical morphology, nanoscaled particle size (approximately 182.4 nm) and narrow particle size distribution. Release of MTX from MTX/PGD NPs showed a sustained release manner and completed within 48 h. Hemolytic evaluation indicated MTX/PGD NPs presented good blood compatibility and the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles against breast cancer cells in vitro, biodistribution in tumor tissue and antitumor efficacy in vivo were enhanced significantly compared to MTX injection. According to the higher drug-loading content, enhanced antitumor efficacy and appropriate particle size, MTX/PGD NPs as the drug delivery systems could have potential application for cancer chemotherapy in clinic.