bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methyl mercury and stable isotopes of nitrogen reveal that a terrestrial spider has a diet of emergent aquatic insects
Authors: Speir Shannon L. , Chumchal Matthew M. , Drenner Ray W. , Cocke W. Gary , Lewis Megan E. , Whitt Holly J.
Published: July 2014

Terrestrial spiders transfer methyl mercury (MeHg) to terrestrial consumers such as birds, but how spiders become contaminated with MeHg is not well understood. In the present study, the authors used stable isotopes of nitrogen in combination with MeHg to determine the source of MeHg to terrestrial long-jawed orb weaver spiders (Tetragnatha sp). The authors collected spiders and a variety of other aquatic and terrestrial taxa from 10 shallow ponds in north Texas, USA. Based on MeHg concentrations and stable nitrogen isotope ratios, the authors identified distinct aquatic- and terrestrial-based food chains. Long-jawed orb weaver spiders belonged to the aquatic-based food chain, indicating that they are exposed to MeHg through their consumption of emergent aquatic insects. Additionally, the present study suggests that ecologists can use stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ15N) in conjunction with MeHg speciation analysis to distinguish between aquatic and terrestrial food chains. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:2506–2509. © 2014 SETAC
Changes in nutritional composition, functional, and sensory properties of yam flour as a result of presoaking
Authors: Obadina Adewale Olusegun , Babatunde Bukunola Olaide , Olotu Ifeoluwa
Published: July 2014

This study investigated the effect of soaking pretreatments on some of the properties of flour obtained from two varieties of yam namely;Dioscorea alataandDioscorea rotundatawith a view of providing information that will enhance their end use. The yam varieties were washed, chipped, parboiled at 50°C, soaked for different periods (0, 6, 12, and 18 h), dried at 60°C, and milled into flour. The flour samples were analyzed for their nutritional composition, pH, color, and functional properties. The flour samples were also made into pastes and were sensorially analyzed and 0 h soaked samples were used as control. The protein content of 18 h‐soakedD. rotundataandD. alataflour samples was significantly different from the control and soaking had no effect (P > 0.05) on the fat and ash content but the carbohydrate content of the flour samples ranged from 83.08% to 86.13%. The 18 h‐soakedD. rotundataflour sample had the lowest peak viscosity, breakdown value, and final viscosity among theD. rotundatavariety samples. Pasting temperature ranged from 79.80 to 83.60°C and 6‐h soakedD. alataflour sample had the lowest water absorption capacity and the highest bulk density. On the basis of sensory analysis, the panelist preferred the taste, texture, color, and appearance of paste made from the 18‐h soakedD. rotundataflour to the paste of other flour samples. The results of this study show that D.rotundatashould be soaked for 18 h prior to drying and milling in order to obtain a good‐quality flour and paste.
Fine mapping of genetic susceptibility loci for melanoma reveals a mixture of single variant and multiple variant regions
Authors: Barrett Jennifer H. , Taylor John C. , Bright Chloe , Harland Mark , Dunning Alison M. , Akslen Lars A. , Andresen Per A. , Avril Marie‐Françoise , Azizi Esther , Bianchi Scarrà Giovanna , Brossard Myriam , Brown Kevin M. , Dębniak Tadeusz , Elder David E. , Friedman Eitan , Ghiorzo Paola , Gillanders Elizabeth M. , Gruis Nelleke A. , Hansson Johan , Helsing Per , Hočevar Marko , Höiom Veronica , Ingvar Christian , Landi Maria Teresa , Lang Julie , Lathrop G. Mark , Lubiński Jan , Mackie Rona M. , Molven Anders , Novaković Srdjan , Olsson Håkan , Puig Susana , Puig‐Butille Joan Anton , van der Stoep Nienke , van Doorn Remco , van Workum Wilbert , Goldstein Alisa M. , Kanetsky Peter A. , Pharoah Paul D. P. , Demenais Florence , Hayward Nicholas K. , Newton Bishop Julia A. , Bishop D. Timothy , Iles Mark M. ,   on behalf of the GenoMEL Consortium
Published: July 2014

At least 17 genomic regions are established as harboring melanoma susceptibility variants, in most instances with genome‐wide levels of significance and replication in independent samples. Based on genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data augmented by imputation to the 1,000 Genomes reference panel, we have fine mapped these regions in over 5,000 individuals with melanoma (mainly from the GenoMEL consortium) and over 7,000 ethnically matched controls. A penalized regression approach was used to discover those SNP markers that most parsimoniously explain the observed association in each genomic region. For the majority of the regions, the signal is best explained by a single SNP, which sometimes, as in the tyrosinase region, is a known functional variant. However in five regions the explanation is more complex. At the CDKN2A locus, for example, there is strong evidence that not only multiple SNPs but also multiple genes are involved. Our results illustrate the variability in the biology underlying genome‐wide susceptibility loci and make steps toward accounting for some of the “missing heritability.”
Knotted Proteins under Tension
Authors: Chwastyk Mateusz , Cieplak Marek
Published: July 2014

We study the behavior of two knotted proteins under stretching by a constant force within a coarse‐grained structure‐based model. One protein, with the structure code 1J85, has a knot that is deep and another, 2ETL, has a knot that is shallow. We demonstrate that tightening of the deep knot may take place before the ultimate end‐to‐end distance is achieved. However, as with proteins without knots, we observe the existence of a crossover between the low‐ and high‐force regimes of the dependence of the mean unfolding time (as defined through properties of the end‐to‐end distance) on the applied force. We find little correlation between the unfolding time and the final placement of the tightened knot. We also consider the novel mechanical protection strategy in the single‐molecule force spectroscopy of host‐guest fusion proteins. We find that it should be useful in studies of guest proteins with knots in the constant‐speed mode. However, at constant force, its usefulness is limited if the mechanostability of the host is larger than that of the guest molecule.
Synthesis of Some New Heteroylhydrazono‐1,3‐thiazolidin‐4‐ones
Authors: Hassan Alaa A. , Mohamed Nasr K. , Abd El‐Haleem Lamiaa E. , Bräse Stefan , Nieger Martin
Published: July 2014

A series of (Z)‐methyl‐2‐[(Z)‐3‐substituted‐4‐oxo‐2‐(2‐picolinoyl‐/thiophene‐2‐carbonyl)‐hydrazonothiazolidin‐5‐ylidene]acetates were synthesized by condensation N‐substituted‐(2‐picolinoyl‐, thiophene‐2‐carbonyl)hydrazinecarbothioamides with dimethylacetylenedicarboxylate. The structure of thiazolidin‐4‐one derivatives has been confirmed unambiguously by single crystal X‐ray crystallography.
First Total Synthesis of 9‐Hydroxy‐8H‐pyrano[3,2‐f]indol‐2‐one
Authors: Wang Tao , Wang Cheng , Zhang Jie , He Huaizhen
Published: July 2014

A simple and efficient approach to synthesize a novel pyrrolocoumarin 9‐hydroxy‐8H‐pyrano[3,2‐f]indol‐2‐one (7) has been described. Starting from vanillin, the key intermediate 7‐methoxy‐1H‐indol‐6‐yl propiolate (6) was synthesized in six steps. Then, the target compound was obtained by forming pyrone‐ring and demethylation simultaneously in one step. A plausible mechanism invoking PtCl4 catalyzed one‐step reaction of cyclization and demethylation was also presented.
Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 mutations in gliomas
Authors: Megova Magdalena , Drabek Jiri , Koudelakova Vladimira , Trojanec Radek , Kalita Ondrej , Hajduch Marian
Published: July 2014

Over the past few years, new biomarkers have allowed a deeper insight into gliomagenesis and facilitated the identification of possible targets for glioma therapy. Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1 and IDH2 mutations have been shown to be promising biomarkers for monitoring disease prognosis and predicting the response to treatment. This review summarizes recent findings in this field. Web of Science, Science Direct, and PubMed online databases were used to search for publications investigating the role of IDH in glioma. References were identified by searching for the keywords “IDH1 or IDH2 and glioma and diagnostic or predictive or prognostic” in papers published from January, 2008, to April, 2014. Only papers in English were reviewed. Publications available only as an abstract were not included. IDH1/2 mutations are tightly associated with grade II and III gliomas and secondary glioblastomas, with better prognosis and production of a recently described oncometabolite, 2‐hydroxyglutarate (2HG). Although the contradictory positive effect of IDH mutation on prognosis and negative role of 2HG in tumor transformation remain unresolved, the future direction of personalized treatment strategies targeted to glioma development is likely to focus on IDH1/2 mutations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Rating Parkinson's Disease: A Contemporary Eye to Archival Patients
Authors: Jeanjean Anne P. , Aubert Genevieve
Published: July 2014

In this article, we present a detailed analysis of archival films of 12 different patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). This unique collection of films was made by Arthur Van Gehuchten (1861–1914), the first professor of neurology in Belgium at the turn of the 20th century. These extraordinarily well‐preserved century‐old documents are a precise iconography of PD before encephalitis lethargica swept the world and with clinical features unaffected by treatments such as levodopa. In view of the universal interest of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society–sponsored revision of the UPDRS (MDS‐UPDRS) in evaluating patients with PD, we based our analysis on this scale. Of course, given the lack of detailed clinical files and the impossibility of rating a number of items, rating disease severity in a strict clinimetric sense could not be achieved. However, we did this exercise in order to place these one‐century‐old cases in a modern perspective. In most patients, we could score numerous items of the motor examination part of the MDS‐UPDRS. These archival documents constitute a superb lesson in the semiology of PD, which keeps today its fresh didactical value.
Semi‐LASER 1H MR spectroscopy at 7 Tesla in human brain: Metabolite quantification incorporating subject‐specific macromolecule removal
Authors: Penner Jacob , Bartha Robert
Published: July 2014

Purpose

To develop an in vivo 1H short‐echo‐time semi‐LASER spectroscopy protocol at 7 Tesla (T) incorporating subject‐specific macromolecule removal.

Methods

T1 constants of the major metabolites were measured with little macromolecule contribution in seven healthy volunteers and used to optimize double inversion metabolite nulling. Spectra were acquired from parietal–occipital cortex of five healthy volunteers. Metabolite‐nulled macromolecule spectra were subtracted from the metabolite spectra before fitting in the time domain with prior‐knowledge templates. Absolute metabolite concentrations were determined by referencing to the water signal, following partial volume and relaxation corrections.

Results

The average signal to noise ratio, N‐acetylaspartate peak height divided by the baseline noise standard deviation, was 48 ± 6. T1 constants for N‐acetylaspartate, glutamate, creatine, and choline were 1.71 ± 0.15 s, 1.68 ± 0.19 s, 1.63 ± 0.10 s, and 1.41 ± 0.09 s, respectively. The optimal double inversion times for metabolite suppression were TI1 = 2.09 s and TI2 = 0.52 s. The coefficient of variation was less than 10% for N‐acetylaspartate, creatine, choline, and myo‐inositol, and less than 20% for glutamate and glutamine.

Conclusion

Short echo‐time 1H semi‐LASER spectroscopy at 7T incorporating subject‐specific macromolecule removal yielded reproducible brain metabolite concentrations ideal for applications in disease conditions where macromolecule contributions may deviate from the norm. Magn Reson Med 74:4–12, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis and cytocompatibility of collagen/hydroxyapatite nanocomposite scaffold for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Chen Li , Hu Jingxiao , Ran Jiabing , Shen Xinyu , Tong Hua
Published: July 2014

Collagen/hydroxyapatite nanocomposite scaffolds were prepared by in situ precipitation and freeze‐drying approach. The synthesized collagen/hydroxyapatite nanocomposites were characterized using various modalities. It was revealed that the inorganic phase in the nanocomposite was carbonate‐substituted hydroxyapatite with low crystallinity. Morphology studies showed the uniform distribution of hydroxyapatite particles in the collagen hydrogel. In addition, hydroxyapatite particles were gradually becoming irregular enough and the surface morphology had more wrinkles with the increase of inorganic component. Morphology, mechanical properties and cell biocompatibility of the prepared nanocomposite scaffolds were evaluated. The scaffolds presented a well‐developed macropore structure with a pore size ranging from 100 to 200 μm and the pore size of scaffold can also be regulated by changing the organic/inorganic weight ratio. Furthermore, the growth of MG63 cells on scaffolds showed they could significantly promote the proliferation of cells and could be potential candidate for bone engineering applications. POLYM. COMPOS., 81–90, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Electrospinning of poly(ε‐caprolactone) solutions containing graphene oxide: Effects of graphene oxide content and oxidation level
Authors: Ramazani Soghra , Karimi Mohammad
Published: July 2014

The morphological appearance, fiber diameter, and structure of poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers produced by the electrospinning process were studied in the presence of different amounts of graphene oxide (GO) with different oxidation levels. Scanning electron microscope micrographs of electrospun fibers showed that the average fiber diameter decreases in the presence of GO with different loading and oxidation levels. The loading level of GO especially higher than 0.3 wt% was influential in decreasing the diameter of PCL electrospun fibers rather than oxidation level. Contact angle, infrared spectroscopy, and conductivity measurements on graphite oxide (GtO) samples, as well as rheological, conductivity, and surface tension experiments on PCLGO solutions were performed to describe the role of GO in the significant reduction of fiber diameter. It was found that three factors are involved in generating a driving force for more stretching of the electrospinning jet. One is the viscosity reduction of PCLGO solution, which intensifies by more GO content and less GO oxidation level. The second is solution conductivity which enhances by GO loading and the third is the charge relaxation time of the spinning solution, which grows with increasing the oxidation level of GO as well as the GO content. POLYM. COMPOS., 131–140, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Adverse drug reaction reports of patients and healthcare professionals—differences in reported information
Authors: Rolfes Leàn , van Hunsel Florence , Wilkes Sarah , van Grootheest Kees , van Puijenbroek Eugène
Published: July 2014

Purpose

This study aims to explore the differences in reported information between adverse drug reaction (ADR) reports of patient and healthcare professionals (HCPs), and, in addition, to explore possible correlation between the reported elements of information.

Methods

This retrospective study compared the reported information between 200 ADR reports of patients and HCPs. Reports were rendered anonymous and scored for the presence or absence of predefined elements of information. These elements can be objective (e.g. start date of the ADR) or subjective (e.g. the impact or severity of the ADR).

A two‐sided Pearson's Chi‐square test was used to detect statistically significant differences in the reported information. A Bonferroni correction was used to correct for multiple comparisons. Correlation between the elements of information was explored using categorical principal components analysis (CATPCA).

Results

Overall, HCPs had a higher score for the presence of objective and patients for subjective elements of information. Elements that were statistically significant more often reported by patients are the impact of the ADR and the patient's weight and height. HCPs statistically significant more often reported the medical history and the route of administration of the drug. CATPCA showed four clusters of elements of information that have fair correlation.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the differences in reported information between ADR reports of patients and HCPs. Patient reports are more focused on patient‐related information and the impact of the reported ADRs, whereas reports from HCPs provide more clinically related information. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detecting local residue environment similarity for recognizing near‐native structure models
Authors: Kim Hyungrae , Kihara Daisuke
Published: July 2014

We developed a new representation of local amino acid environments in protein structures called the Side‐chain Depth Environment (SDE). An SDE defines a local structural environment of a residue considering the coordinates and the depth of amino acids that locate in the vicinity of the side‐chain centroid of the residue. SDEs are general enough that similar SDEs are found in protein structures with globally different folds. Using SDEs, we developed a procedure called PRESCO (Protein Residue Environment SCOre) for selecting native or near‐native models from a pool of computational models. The procedure searches similar residue environments observed in a query model against a set of representative native protein structures to quantify how native‐like SDEs in the model are. When benchmarked on commonly used computational model datasets, our PRESCO compared favorably with the other existing scoring functions in selecting native and near‐native models. Proteins 2014; 82:3255–3272. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of insecticidal fusion proteins containing spider toxins targeting sodium and calcium ion channels on pyrethroid‐resistant strains of peach‐potato aphid (Myzus persicae)
Authors: Yang Sheng , Fitches Elaine , Pyati Prashant , Gatehouse John A
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND

The recombinant fusion proteins Pl1a/GNA and Hv1a/GNA contain the spider venom peptides δ‐amaurobitoxin‐PI1a or ω‐hexatoxin‐Hv1a respectively, linked to snowdrop lectin (GNA). Pl1a targets receptor site 4 of insect voltage‐gated sodium channels (NaCh), while Hv1a targets voltage‐gated calcium channels. Insecticide‐resistant strains of peach‐potato aphid (Myzus persicae) contain mutations in NaCh. The pyrethroid‐resistant kdr (794J) and super‐kdr (UKO) strains contain mutations at residues L1014 and M918 in the channel α‐subunit respectively, while the kdr + super‐kdr strain (4824J), insensitive to pyrethroids, contains mutations at both L1014 and M918.

RESULTS

Pl1a/GNA and Hv1a/GNA fusion proteins have estimated LC50 values of 0.35 and 0.19 mg mL−1 when fed to wild‐type M. persicae. For insecticide‐resistant aphids, LC50 for the Pl1a/GNA fusion protein increased by 2–6‐fold, correlating with pyrethroid resistance (wild type < kdr < super‐kdr < kdr + super‐kdr strains). In contrast, LC50 for the Hv1a/GNA fusion protein showed limited correlation with pyrethroid resistance.

CONCLUSION

Mutations in the sodium channel in pyrethroid‐resistant aphids also protect against a fusion protein containing a sodium‐channel‐specific toxin, in spite of differences in ligand–channel interactions, but do not confer resistance to a fusion protein targeting calcium channels. The use of fusion proteins with differing targets could play a role in managing pesticide resistance. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
A Massive Open Online Course on climate change: the social construction of a global problem using new tools for connectedness
Authors: Burch Sarah L. , Harris Sara E.
Published: July 2014

Climate change is a pervasive and challenging phenomenon that takes on a variety of meanings and frames, each of which suggests different victims, villains, and solutions. New tools are emerging that may facilitate a reframing, or at least the collaborative coproduction, of the climate change conversation. Web‐based social media have provided a new level of connectedness and capacity to collaborate through a merging of the social and educational worlds in the form of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): web‐based, freely available courses taught by university and college instructors, and offered to thousands of students at a time. Our development and delivery of the first interdisciplinary climate change MOOC has opened a new window into (1) the tools available to convene a conversation about climate change, (2) the processes of negotiation, cultural articulation, and identity formation that occur through conversations that include large populations from diverse backgrounds, and (3) the implications of this conversation for the broader climate change discourse, the definition of the problem, attributions of responsibility, and the development of solutions. WIREs Clim Change 2014, 5:577–585. doi: 10.1002/wcc.300

This article is categorized under:

Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Communication

Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Climate Science and Social Movements
Heteroscedastic Latent Trait Models for Dichotomous Data
Authors: Molenaar Dylan
Published: July 2014

Effort has been devoted to account for heteroscedasticity with respect to observed or latent moderator variables in item or test scores. For instance, in the multi-group generalized linear latent trait model, it could be tested whether the observed (polychoric) covariance matrix differs across the levels of an observed moderator variable. In the case that heteroscedasticity arises across the latent trait itself, existing models commonly distinguish between heteroscedastic residuals and a skewed trait distribution. These models have valuable applications in intelligence, personality and psychopathology research. However, existing approaches are only limited to continuous and polytomous data, while dichotomous data are common in intelligence and psychopathology research. Therefore, in present paper, a heteroscedastic latent trait model is presented for dichotomous data. The model is studied in a simulation study, and applied to data pertaining alcohol use and cognitive ability.
A Nonparametric Test of Missing Completely at Random for Incomplete Multivariate Data
Authors: Li Jun , Yu Yao
Published: July 2014

Missing data occur in many real world studies. Knowing the type of missing mechanisms is important for adopting appropriate statistical analysis procedure. Many statistical methods assume missing completely at random (MCAR) due to its simplicity. Therefore, it is necessary to test whether this assumption is satisfied before applying those procedures. In the literature, most of the procedures for testing MCAR were developed under normality assumption which is sometimes difficult to justify in practice. In this paper, we propose a nonparametric test of MCAR for incomplete multivariate data which does not require distributional assumptions. The proposed test is carried out by comparing the distributions of the observed data across different missing-pattern groups. We prove that the proposed test is consistent against any distributional differences in the observed data. Simulation shows that the proposed procedure has the Type I error well controlled at the nominal level for testing MCAR and also has good power against a variety of non-MCAR alternatives.
Sparse Versus Simple Structure Loadings
Authors: Trendafilov Nickolay T. , Adachi Kohei
Published: July 2014

The component loadings are interpreted by considering their magnitudes, which indicates how strongly each of the original variables relates to the corresponding principal component. The usual ad hoc practice in the interpretation process is to ignore the variables with small absolute loadings or set to zero loadings smaller than some threshold value. This, in fact, makes the component loadings sparse in an artificial and a subjective way. We propose a new alternative approach, which produces sparse loadings in an optimal way. The introduced approach is illustrated on two well-known data sets and compared to the existing rotation methods.
An Open-Label Comparison of Local Anesthesia with or without Sedation for Minor Hand Surgery
Authors: Rozanski Marta , Neuhaus Valentin , Reddy Rajesh , Jupiter Jesse B. , Rathmell James P. , Ring David C.
Published: July 2014

Background

The purpose of this study was to assess satisfaction and pain intensity in patients undergoing minor hand surgery under local anesthesia (LA) with or without sedation.

Methods

Seventy-three adult patients presenting to two hand surgeons were enrolled in this prospective observational study in 2012. They completed questionnaires prior to surgery (current pain intensity, Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) to measure symptoms of depression, Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) to assess the effective coping strategy of pain self-efficacy) and within 48 h after surgery (satisfaction with surgery, satisfaction with anesthesia, pain during the injection, and pain during the procedure). Thirty-seven patients had carpal tunnel release (bilateral in 3), 22 had release of one or more trigger digits, and 12 had excision of a benign tumor, gouty tophus (1 patient), or foreign body (1 patient). Forty-six patients chose LA and 27 chose LA with sedation.

Results

There was no difference in satisfaction with surgery or anesthesia by the type of anesthesia. Satisfaction with surgery was associated with older age alone. Satisfaction with anesthesia was associated with no prior surgery for the same condition. Pain during injection and during the procedure were significantly higher without sedation. Pain during injection was associated with younger age and LA. No factors were associated with pain during the procedure.

Conclusions

Patients that had local anesthesia immediately prior to incision with tourniquet use during surgery had more pain during the procedure but were equally satisfied on average with surgery and with anesthesia compared to patients that had sedation.
True Phase Diagrams
Authors: Ågren John , Schmid-Fetzer Rainer
Published: July 2014

With the use of today’s computer softwares, phase diagrams can readily be plotted with a wide choice of variables on the axes. Hillert defined a true phase diagram as a diagram where each point uniquely defines the stable phases. He also showed that not all choices of axis variables give true phase diagrams. In this note we will demonstrate that although the rules stated by Hillert are necessary they are not sufficient to have true phase diagrams.
Virtual patients as activities: exploring the research implications of an activity theoretical stance
Authors: Ellawa Rachel H.
Published: July 2014

Virtual patients are computer-based simulators of patient encounters for the purposes of instruction, practice, and assessment. Although virtual patients have been around for some time they have yet to become part of mainstream medical education. A major reason for this would seem to be a lack of clarity as to what educational value virtual patients actually have. This paper argues that virtual patients should be seen as activities rather than artifacts and that activity theory can be used to generate different ways to frame scholarship in and around virtual patients. Drawing on the work of Leont’ev and Engeström this paper describes a range of perspectives based on the operations, actions, and objectives in and around virtual patients; the use of virtual patients to mediate activities; and the sociocultural context and the participants in virtual patient activities. This approach allows us to move beyond the ‘does or does not work’ discourse of much of the existing scholarship around virtual patients and, to an extent, around educational technologies as a whole. Activity perspectives, and activity theory in particular, offer new horizons for research and evaluation that address many of the limitations of intervention-based paradigms of inquiry.
Asymmetric shapes and pearling of a stretched vesicle
Authors: Vlahovska Petia M.
Published: July 2014

Closed bilayer membranes (vesicles) display a plethora of non-spherical shapes under equilibrium conditions, unlike drops and bubbles which are kept spherical by surface tension. Even more complex behaviour arises under applied flow. Intriguingly, a vesicle can adopt asymmetric shapes even under symmetric forcing such as uniaxial extensional flow. Narasimhan, Spann & Shaqfeh (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 750, 2014, pp. 144–190) explain the mechanism of this peculiar instability and trace its origin to the tension which develops in the area-incompressible membrane in response to the applied stress. The authors also show that this mechanism is relevant to the pearling of tubular vesicles. This study raises many questions, e.g. whether other soft particles with load-dependent tension such as capsules can undergo similar shape transformations.
Automated text analysis in psychology: methods, applications, and future developments
Authors: ILIEV RUMEN , DEHGHANI MORTEZA , SAGI EYAL
Published: July 2014

abstract

Recent years have seen rapid developments in automated text analysis methods focused on measuring psychological and demographic properties. While this development has mainly been driven by computer scientists and computational linguists, such methods can be of great value for social scientists in general, and for psychologists in particular. In this paper, we review some of the most popular approaches to automated text analysis from the perspective of social scientists, and give examples of their applications in different theoretical domains. After describing some of the pros and cons of these methods, we speculate about future methodological developments, and how they might change social sciences. We conclude that, despite the fact that current methods have many disadvantages and pitfalls compared to more traditional methods of data collection, the constant increase of computational power and the wide availability of textual data will inevitably make automated text analysis a common tool for psychologists.
The Protestant Reformation in Counter-Reformation Italy, c. 1550–1660: An Overview of New Evidence
Authors: Maghenzani Simone
Published: July 2014

This article aims to open up and overview some key questions surrounding the Italian Reformation. It argues that the Italian Reformation cannot be viewed as a closed book after the conclusion of the Council of Trent; instead there emerged new forms of engagement between Italy and Protestantism, both within and outside the peninsula. In particular, this article considers Protestant propaganda: the efforts by communities of exiles, especially the Genevan Italian congregation, in printing materials to send into Italy, and also sending personnel at critical junctures, all extremely sensitive to political and religious contexts. The French Wars of Religion provided an immediate model for what could be attempted in Italy, and so addressed sometimes delicate issues such as nicodemism and martyrdom, while also providing practical advice and support to Protestants in Italy. As such, this article shows that Italy was not partitioned by some religious “Iron Curtain” from the rest of Europe, but rather was still viewed as a potential battleground for international Calvinism.
The “Boast of Antiquity”: Pulpit Politics Across the Atlantic Archipelago during the Revolution of 1688
Authors: Key Newton
Published: July 2014

John Locke and many others noted the vibrant political commentary emanating from the pulpit during the Glorious Revolution. Preachers from the full confessional spectrum in England, and especially in Scotland, Ireland, and the colonies, used occasional or state sermons to explain contemporary upheavals from the perspective of God's law, Natural law, and Civil law. Most surprising is the latter, clerical reference to civil history and ancient origins, which preachers used to answer contemporary questions of conquest and allegiance. Clergy revisited the origins and constitutional roots of the Britons, Anglo-Saxons, Scots, and Irish, and deployed histories of legendary kings and imaginary conquests to explain and justify the revolutionary events of 1688–1692. Sermons of this revolutionary era focused as much on civil as on sacred history, and sought their true origins in antiquity and the mists of myth. Episcopalian preachers, whether Church of Ireland, Scottish Episcopalian, or Church of England, seem to have been especially inspired by thanksgiving or fast days memorialized in the liturgical calendar to ponder the meaning of a deep historical narrative. Scots, Irish, and Massachusetts clergy claimed their respective immemorialism, as much as the English did theirs. But, as they re-stated competing Britannic constitutions and origin myths explicitly, they exposed imperial rifts and contradictions within the seemingly united claim of antiquity. By the beginning of the next reign and century, state sermons depended more upon reason and less upon a historicized mythic antiquity.
“Ye Shall Know Them By Their Fruits”: Evolution, Eschatology, and the Anticommunist Politics of George McCready Price
Authors: Weinberg Carl R.
Published: July 2014

George McCready Price (1870–1963) is best known as the Canadian-born Seventh-day Adventist amateur geologist who pioneered the idea of a young earth in the early twentieth century. Price laid the foundation for modern “creation science,” which took off decades later, with the publication of Henry Morris and John Whitcomb Jr.'sThe Genesis Floodin 1961. Despite his extensive writings on the details of geology, however, Price admitted that his main objections to evolution were not scientific but “moral” and “philosophical”—the “fruits” of the “corrupt tree” of evolution. Historians have almost entirely neglected this aspect of Price's opus; yet, Price authored a series of works from 1902 to 1925 that, in increasingly alarming tones, blamed evolution for socialism and communism. This article analyzes these works by examining Price's Adventist background, his early experiences working and living in the United States, and the broader political context in which he wrote. It also assesses the impact of Price's political writings on subsequent generations of creationists and conservative evangelicals. Price should be seen as part of the long process by which a New Christian Right was forged from materials including creationism and anticommunism. He was not only a geologist but also a creationist politician.
An irruption interrupted: eradication of wild turkeys Meleagris gallopavo from Santa Cruz Island, California
Authors: Morrison Scott A. , DeNicola Anthony J. , Walker Kelvin , Dewey David , Laughrin Lyndal , Wolstenholme Rachel , Macdonald Norman
Published: July 2014

Eradication of introduced species is often necessary to conserve native biota on islands. Seven wild turkeys Meleagris gallopavo were introduced to Santa Cruz Island, California, in 1975 and the population began to irrupt in the early 2000s. Turkeys posed a variety of threats to native species, including that they could replace the previously eradicated population of feral pigs Sus scrofa as a prey subsidy for golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos, which through incidental predation had driven three subspecies of island fox Urocyon littoralis to near extinction. We implemented a four-phase programme to eradicate the turkey population, based on general principles for eradication efforts. For example, we focused on preventing individual turkeys from becoming aware of our methods, which increased the likelihood we would be able to detect and dispatch all of the birds. Leveraging the tendency of turkeys to aggregate during winter, we used baited drop nets, precision shooting, and monitoring of surgically sterilized, radio-telemetered ‘Judas turkeys’ to eliminate the population. We estimate the population comprised 310 individuals when the project began in 2006 and that the last bird died in December 2012. Methods used in this project could be applied to other alien bird eradication programmes, of which there are few examples in the scientific literature.
Divergent effects of first-generation and second-generation antipsychotics on cortical thickness in first-episode psychosis
Authors: Ansell B. R. E. , Dwyer D. B. , Wood S. J. , Bora E. , Brewer W. J. , Proffitt T. M. , Velakoulis D. , McGorry P. D. , Pantelis C.
Published: July 2014

Background

Whether there are differential effects of first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) and second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) on the brain is currently debated. Although some studies report that FGAs reduce grey matter more than SGAs, others do not, and research to date is limited by a focus on schizophrenia spectrum disorders. To address this limitation, this study investigated the effects of medication in patients being treated for first-episode schizophrenia or affective psychoses.

Method

Cortical thickness was compared between 52 first-episode psychosis patients separated into diagnostic (i.e. schizophrenia or affective psychosis) and medication (i.e. FGA and SGA) subgroups. Patients in each group were also compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 28). A whole-brain cortical thickness interaction analysis of medication and diagnosis was then performed. Correlations between cortical thickness with antipsychotic dose and psychotic symptoms were examined.

Results

The effects of medication and diagnosis did not interact, suggesting independent effects. Compared with controls, diagnostic differences were found in frontal, parietal and temporal regions. Decreased thickness in FGA-treated versus SGA-treated groups was found in a large frontoparietal region (p < 0.001, corrected). Comparisons with healthy controls revealed decreased cortical thickness in the FGA group whereas the SGA group showed increases in addition to decreases. In FGA-treated patients cortical thinning was associated with higher negative symptoms whereas increased cortical thickness in the SGA-treated group was associated with lower positive symptoms.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that FGA and SGA treatments have divergent effects on cortical thickness during the first episode of psychosis that are independent from changes due to illness.
Writing in the Mother-Tongue: Hermione and Helen in Heroides 8 (A Tomitan Approach)
Authors: Williams Gareth
Published: July 2014

‘This poem is the feeblest and least poetical of all theHeroides, and has certain solecisms in diction and metre, which are either spurious or show that the epistle is an unfinished and careless performance.’ So Arthur Palmer in the preface to his commentary onHeroides8, Hermione's letter to Orestes imploring him to rescue her from Neoptolemus, her abductor; and Peter Knox fans the flames of doubt about the authenticity of the letter (or at least parts of it) in his analysis of lines 65-74, where Hermione locates herself alongside Leda, Hippodamia and Helen in a Tantalid tradition of rape-victims:num generis fato, quod nostros durat in annos,Tantalides mattes apta rapina sumus?non ego fluminei referam mendacia cygninee querar in plumis delituisse Iouem.qua duo porrectus longe freta distinet Isthmos,uecta peregrinis Hippodamia rotis;[Castori Amyclaeo et Amyclaeo Pollucireddita Mopsopia Taenaris urbe soror;]Taenaris Idaeo trans aequor ab hospite raptaArgolicas pro se uertit in arma manus.(Her.8.65-74)
Analysis of kinematics and statics for a novel 6-DoF parallel mechanism with three planar mechanism limbs
Authors: Lu Yi , Li Xuepeng , Zhang Canguo , Liu Yang
Published: July 2014

A novel 6-degree-of-freedom (DoF) parallel manipulator with three planar mechanism limbs is proposed and its kinematics and statics are analyzed systematically. First, the characteristics of the proposed manipulator are analyzed and the degree of freedom is calculated. Second, the formulae for solving the displacement, the velocity, and the acceleration are derived. Third, an analytic example is given for solving the kinematics and statics of this manipulator, and the analytic solved results are analyzed and verified by the simulation mechanism. Finally, a workspace is constructed and analyzed based on a comparison between the proposed manipulator and another 6-DoF parallel manipulator.
Disease outbreaks caused by steppe-type rabies viruses in China
Authors: FENG Y. , WANG W. , GUO J. , ALATENGHELI  , LI Y. , YANG G. , SU N. , ZHANG L. , XU W. , SHENG Z. , MA L. , GUI J. , DEJIDE  , LIN H. , TU C.
Published: July 2014

While rabies is a significant public health concern in China, the epidemiology of animal rabies in the north and northwest border provinces remains unknown. From February 2013 to March 2014, seven outbreaks of domestic animal rabies caused by wild carnivores in Xinjiang (XJ) and Inner Mongolia (IM) Autonomous Regions, China were reported and diagnosed in brain samples of infected animals by the fluorescent antibody test (FAT) and RT–PCR. Ten field rabies viruses were obtained. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis based on the completeNgene (1353 bp) amplified directly from the original brain tissues showed that these ten strains were steppe-type viruses, closely related to strains reported in Russia and Mongolia. None had been identified previously in China. The viruses from XJ and IM clustered separately into two lineages showing their different geographical distribution. This study emphasizes the importance of wildlife surveillance and of cross-departmental cooperation in the control of transboundary rabies transmission.
Dynamics of China's regional development and pollution: an investigation into the Environmental Kuznets Curve
Authors: De GROOT HENRI L.F. , WITHAGEN CEES A. , MINLIANG ZHOU
Published: July 2014

This paper addresses the existence of an Environmental Kuznets Curve for China, using a sample of 30 regions, covering the period 1982–1997. The types of pollution included are wastewater, waste gas, and solid waste. We consider the development of the sources of pollution in a pooled cross-section analysis with pollution in absolute levels, in per capita terms, and relative to real Gross Regional Product (GRP). At intermediate levels of GRP per capita, the increase of solid and gas emissions tends to decelerate, but it accelerates again at high levels of GRP per capita. Water pollution decreases with per capita GRP. We also predict future waste gas emissions.
Body weight and body shape concerns and related behaviours among Indian urban adolescent girls
Authors: Som Nivedita , Mukhopadhyay Susmita
Published: July 2014

Objective

To assess the associations of body weight and body shape concerns and related behaviours with actual weight status among urban adolescent girls.

Design

In the present cross-sectional study, a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on body weight and body shape concerns and related behaviours. Sociodemographic information was collected using a pre-tested schedule. Weight and height of each girl were measured to assess actual weight status.

Setting

Twin cities of Kolkata and Howrah, West Bengal, India.

Subjects

A total of 1223 adolescent girls aged 14–19 years were selected from nine schools in Kolkata and Howrah in West Bengal.

Results

Many overweight girls perceived themselves as overweight and engaged in weight-reducing activities. However, several normal-weight girls also perceived them as overweight and attempted to lose weight. Unhealthy eating practices to reduce weight were followed by both overweight and normal-weight girls and even by a few underweight girls. Multivariate binary logistic regression showed a significant association between actual weight status and use of unhealthy weight-loss measures. The likelihood of adopting unhealthy eating practices was significantly higher among overweight than normal-weight girls.

Conclusions

Health education programmes should be introduced at schools to promote effective weight-control practices that help dispel myths about weight loss.
A fabrication process based on structural layer formation using Au–Au thermocompression bonding for RF MEMS capacitive switches and their performance
Authors: Cetintepe Cagri , Topalli Ebru Sagiroglu , Demir Simsek , Civi Ozlem Aydin , Akin Tayfun
Published: July 2014

This paper presents a radio frequency micro-electro-mechanical-systems (RF MEMS) fabrication process based on a stacked structural layer and Au–Au thermocompression bonding, and reports on the performance of a sample RF MEMS switch design implemented with this process. The structural layer consists of 0.1 µm SiO2/0.2 µm SixNy/1 µm Cr–Au layers with a tensile stress less than 50 MPa deposited on a silicon handle wafer. The stacked layer is bonded to a base wafer where the transmission lines and the isolation dielectric of the capacitive switch are patterned. The process flow does not include a sacrificial layer; a recess etched in the base wafer provides the air gap instead. The switches are released by thinning and complete etching of the silicon handle wafer by deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) and tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution, respectively. Millimeter-wave measurements of the fabricated RF MEMS switches demonstrate satisfactory up-state performance with the worst-case return and insertion losses of 13.7 and 0.38 dB, respectively; but the limited isolation at the down-state indicates a systematic problem with these first-generation devices. Optical profile inspections and retrospective electromechanical analyses not only confirm those measurement results; but also identify the problem as the curling of the MEMS bridges along their width, which can be alleviated in the later fabrication runs through proper mechanical design.
HIV-Diagnostik in der Schweiz und ärztlicher Abklärungsgang von HIV-Infizierten
Authors: Schüpbach Jörg , Berger Christoph , Böni Jürg , Speck Roberto F.
Published: July 2014

„HIV-positiv“ ist auch heute noch eine belastende Diagnose. Falsch positive wie falsch negative HIV-Test-Resultate herauszugeben, muss unbedingt vermieden werden. Das Bundesamt für Gesundheit (BAG) hat ein HIV-Testkonzept entworfen, das dieser Anforderung gerecht wird und darüber hinaus das Virus im betroffenen Patienten detailliert für eine optimale medizinische Betreuung charakterisiert. Das Testkonzept fordert hierzu die Beantwortung der folgenden vier Fragen: 1. Ist die getestete Person tatsächlich HIV-infiziert? 2. Handelt es sich um eine Infektion mit HIV-1 oder HIV-2, und im Falle von HIV-1, um welche Virusgruppe, M oder O? Sind Resistenzen gegenüber den antiretroviralen Medikamenten vorhanden? 3. Wie hoch ist die Viruslast? 4. Wie hoch ist der Anteil frischer HIV-Infektionen an den neu gemeldeten Fällen? In diesem Artikel werden wir das Testkonzept besprechen. Abschliessend werden wir in einer kurzen Übersicht darlegen, was der Arzt bei einer Erst- und Folgekonsultation bei einem HIV-infizierten Patienten abklären sollte.