bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Copper Mediated and Copper Free “Click” Decoration of Polysialic Acid for RGD‐Modification and Hydrogel Formation
Authors: Su Yi , Paleček Jiří , Kirschning Andreas , Dräger Gerald
Published: December 2013

This paper describes and compares the copper‐catalyzed and copper‐free “click” reaction of N‐azido, N‐alkynoyl and N‐oxanorbornadienyl polysialic acid for the formation of hydrogels and cyclic RGD conjugates. To proof the molecular mechanism of the crosslinking reaction, the crosslinking and conjugation reactions were studied in detail on a molecular level by 1H‐NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry as well as MS/MS experiments identifying the non‐hydrolyzable crosslinks.
Simulation based microstructural optimization of thermo‐mechanically treated steel components
Authors: Stein T. , Fuss D. , Grahlmann P. , Luetje M. , Brueckner‐Foit A. , Steinhoff K. , Weidig U.
Published: December 2013

A simplified approach for the simulation based estimation of the phase distribution in a thermo‐mechanically treated steel component is presented. A key aspect of the approach is the time‐temperature relation for each volume element. Based on a forming simulation with a commercial tool the numerically calculated temperature evolution in the component is analyzed with an in‐house code. The code allows estimating the local phase distribution after the forming process with the help of the continuous‐cooling‐diagram of the material used. A first validation fits well with the existing phase distribution in the component, even though the phase transition in the component is critical in terms of time, deformation and local chemical composition of the material used.
Analysis of PRICKLE1 in human cleft palate and mouse development demonstrates rare and common variants involved in human malformations
Authors: Yang Tian , Jia Zhonglin , Bryant‐Pike Whitney , Chandrasekhar Anand , Murray Jeffrey C. , Fritzsch Bernd , Bassuk Alexander G.
Published: December 2013

Palate development is shaped by multiple molecular signaling pathways, including the Wnt pathway. In mice and humans, mutations in both the canonical and noncanonical arms of the Wnt pathway manifest as cleft palate, one of the most common human birth defects. Like the palate, numerous studies also link different Wnt signaling perturbations to varying degrees of limb malformation; for example, shortened limbs form in mutations of Ror2, Vangl2looptail and, in particular, Wnt5a. We recently showed the noncanonical Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling molecule Prickle1 (Prickle like 1) also stunts limb growth in mice. We now expanded these studies to the palate and show that Prickle1 is also required for palate development, like Wnt5a and Ror2. Unlike in the limb, the Vangl2looptail mutation only aggravates palate defects caused by other mutations. We screened Filipino cleft palate patients and found PRICKLE1 variants, both common and rare, at an elevated frequency. Our results reveal that in mice and humans PRICKLE1 directs palate morphogenesis; our results also uncouple Prickle1 function from Vangl2 function. Together, these findings suggest mouse and human palate development is guided by PCP‐Prickle1 signaling that is probably not downstream of Vangl2.
Hydroxytyrosol attenuates tunicamycin‐induced endoplasmic reticulum stress in human hepatocarcinoma cells
Authors: Giordano Elena , Davalos Alberto , Nicod Nathalie , Visioli Francesco
Published: December 2013

Scope

Hydroxytyrosol (HT) is a phenolic compound peculiarly abundant in olives and it is being recognized as a protector of LDL from oxidation. In addition to lipid oxidation, one emerging risk factor for cardiovascular disease is ER stress. We tested the effect of HT on the modulation of ER stress in HepG2 cells.

Methods and results

HepG2 cells were treated with 1 μM and 5 μM of HT and 100 μM lipoic acid (LA) and glutathione—ethyl ester (GSH), for 24 h. Induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR) was initiated by treatment with 2 μg/mL tunicamycin for 4 h. Real time RT‐PCR analyses followed by Western blot and ELISA of different ER stress markers revealed that the protective activities of HT were superior to those of two known thiolic antioxidants, i.e., LA and GSH.

Conclusion

Mounting evidence indicates the ER as an important target of dietary or pharmacological intervention. In this paper, we report the modulatory activities of physiological concentrations of HT toward ER stress and we shed some light on pathways alternative to the well‐known antioxidant mechanisms, through which olive oil phenolics modulate cell signaling and could impact cardiovascular health and degenerative diseases.
Altered human gut dendritic cell properties in ulcerative colitis are reversed by Lactobacillus plantarum extracellular encrypted peptide STp
Authors: Al‐Hassi Hafid O. , Mann Elizabeth R. , Sanchez Borja , English Nicholas R. , Peake Simon T.C. , Landy Jonathan , Man Ripple , Urdaci Maria , Hart Ailsa L. , Fernandez‐Salazar Luis , Lee Gui Han , Garrote Jose A. , Arranz Eduardo , Margolles Abelardo , Stagg Andrew J. , Knight Stella C. , Bernardo David
Published: December 2013

Scope

The human/microbiota cross‐talk is partially mediated by bacteria‐derived peptides like Serine‐Threonine peptide (STp), which is resistant to gut proteolysis, is found in the human healthy colon and induces regulatory properties on gut dendritic cells (DCs); here we characterized human gut DC in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and studied the effect of STp on their properties.

Methods and results

Human colonic DC from healthy controls and UC patients were isolated, conditioned for 24 h +/− STp and characterized by flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. Expression of immature DC markers DC‐SIGN and ILT3, and Toll‐like receptors were increased on gut UC‐DC. Langerin (involved in phagocytosis), lymph node homing marker CCR7, and activation markers CD40/CD80/CD86 were decreased in UC. Gut DC had restricted stimulatory capacity for T‐cells in UC. Conditioning of DC with STp in vitro reduced Toll‐like receptor expression, increased CD40 and CD80 expression, and restored their stimulatory capacity.

Conclusion

Colonic DCs display an abnormal immature phenotype in UC, which was partially restored following STp treatment. Bacteria‐derived metabolites, like STp, seem to have a role in gut homeostasis that is missing in UC so they might lead a new era of probiotic products setting the basis for nondrug dietary therapy in inflammatory bowel disease.
Optimal feeding strategy for the minimal time problem of a fed‐batch bioreactor with mortality rate
Authors: Bayen T. , Mairet F. , Mazade M.
Published: December 2013

This paper is devoted to the study of an optimal control problem for a fed‐batch bioreactor with one species and one substrate. Our objective is to obtain an optimal feedback control, steering the system in minimal time to a given target defined by conditions on the substrate concentration and the volume of the reactor. The novelty in this work is that a mortality rate for the biomass and hydrolysis of dead biomass are included in the model. The optimal synthesis (optimal feeding strategy) has been obtained by Moreno (1999) when both mortality and hydrolysis are considered negligible. Whenever the model includes these effects, the total mass of the system is no longer conserved, and it is not possible to reduce the dimension of the system. Thanks to the Pontryagin maximum principle and the Hamilton–Jacobi equation, we overcome this difficulty and provide an optimal synthesis of the problem in the impulsive framework. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Time to disease progression in children with relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma treated with ABT‐751: A report from the Children's Oncology Group (ANBL0621)
Authors: Fox Elizabeth , Mosse' Yael P. , Meany Holly M. , Gurney James G. , Khanna Geetika , Jackson Hollie A. , Gordon Gary , Shusterman Suzanne , Park Julie R. , Cohn Susan L. , Adamson Peter C. , London Wendy B. , Maris John M. , Balis Frank M.
Published: December 2013

Background

ABT‐751, an orally bioavailable sulfonamide binds the colchicine site of beta‐tubulin and inhibits microtubule polymerizaton. Prior phase I studies established the recommended dose in children with solid tumors as 200 mg/m2 PO daily × 7 days every 21 days and subjects with neuroblastoma experienced prolonged stable disease. We conducted a phase 2 study (NCT00436852) in children and adolescents with progressive neuroblastoma to determine if ABT‐751 prolonged the time to progression (TTP) compared to a hypothesized standard based on a historical control population.

Procedure

Children and adolescents (n = 91) with a median (range) age 7.7 (2.3–21.5) years and progressive neuroblastoma were enrolled and stratified by disease status into disease measureable by CT/MRI (n = 47) or disease assessable by 123I‐metaiodobenzylguanine scintigraphy (MIBG, n = 44). Response was evaluated using RECIST for measureable disease and the Curie score for MIBG‐avid disease.

Results

ABT‐751 was well tolerated. The objective response rate was 7%. The median TTP was 42 days (95% CI: 36, 56) in the measureable disease stratum and 45 days (95% CI: 42, 85) in the MIBG‐avid disease stratum. TTP was similar to the historical control group (n = 136, median TTP 42 days). For the combined strata (n = 91), 1‐year progression free survival (PFS) was 13 ± 4% and overall survival (OS) was 48 ± 5%.

Conclusions

The low objective response rate and failure to prolong TTP indicate that ABT‐751 is not sufficiently active to warrant further development for neuroblastoma. However, this trial demonstrates the utility of TTP as the primary endpoint in phase 2 trials in children and adolescents with neuroblastoma. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014;61:990–996. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interpreting the Repopulation of Rural Communities: the Case of Private Neighbourhoods in Kibbutzim
Authors: Charney Igal , Palgi Michal
Published: December 2013

Now in the early 21st century after several decades of population shrinkage, kibbutzim are experiencing renewed growth. In‐migration to kibbutzim reflects the re‐appreciation of rural living, a phenomenon sought by counterurbanites and gentrifiers alike. Drawing on two regions (exurban and peripheral) in northern Israel, we examined the case of migrants to newly‐built spaces in kibbutzim known as private neighborhoods. We analyse the characteristics of migrants and their motivation for migration, probing the framework of rural gentrification to study repopulation under different conditions and constraints. In accordance with the literature, migrants to kibbutzim value the well‐known benefits that rural spaces have to offer but their profiles and their impact on rural communities are different than those prescribed by the literature. Acknowledging their conceptual merit, counterurbanisation and, more specifically, rural gentrification, would benefit from reflecting on the role of organizational, institutional and spatial variations in producing diverse routes for the repopulation of rural space. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of growth temperature on structural, electrical, and optical properties of Gd‐doped zinc oxide films
Authors: Cho Shinho
Published: December 2013

Gd‐doped ZnO (GZO) films were deposited on glass substrates at various growth temperatures by using radio‐frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering. The experimental data showed that the growth temperature had a significant effect on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of the GZO films. The GZO film deposited at 400 °C exhibited a preferential growth orientation along the (002) plane with a thickness of 1480 nm, an average optical transmittance of 86.5% in the visible wavelength range, an optical band gap of 3.18 eV, and an electron concentration of 1.9 × 1020 cm−3, where the highest figure of merit was obtained. The increase in the figure of merit results from the decrease in the electrical resistivity with increasing growth temperature. The optical band gap energy Eg as a function of the growth temperature T, calculated by using the Tauc model and parabolic bands, is expressed as  eV. The results suggest that the optimum growth temperature for depositing high‐quality GZO films is 400 °C.
Estimating low‐frequency variability and trends in atmospheric temperature using ERA‐Interim
Authors: Simmons A. J. , Poli P. , Dee D. P. , Berrisford P. , Hersbach H. , Kobayashi S. , Peubey C.
Published: December 2013

Low‐frequency variability and trends in temperature from 1979 to 2012 are examined. Observational improvements are noted and near‐surface behaviour of the ECMWF ERA‐Interim reanalysis is reviewed. Attention is then focussed on how closely ERA‐Interim fits the upper‐air data it assimilates, the bias adjustments it infers for satellite data, and its agreement with the ERA‐40, MERRA and JRA‐55 reanalyses and with model simulations.

Global‐mean fits to independently homogenised radiosonde temperatures and variationally adjusted satellite brightness temperatures are mainly within 0.1 K in the troposphere, with some degradation over time from assimilating varying amounts of aircraft and rain‐affected microwave‐radiance data, and from a change in source of sea‐surface‐temperature analysis. Lower‐tropospheric warming appears to be somewhat underestimated. Temperature variations in the tropical upper troposphere correlate well with those at the surface, but amplitude is more than doubled, in agreement with modelling. Specific humidity varies in concert; relative humidity is largely uniform, but dips during El Niño events.

Agreement with the other reanalyses is particularly close in the lower stratosphere, where radiance data and the background model constrain cooling to be slightly slower than in the homogenised radiosonde data. Perturbations to global‐mean temperatures from underestimating warming following the El Chichón and Pinatubo volcanic eruptions and from assimilating recent GPSRO data are at most 0.2 K, less than 20% of the net change since 1979 at 50 hPa. Middle‐stratospheric variations are more uncertain. Recent cooling appears to be underestimated by assimilating increasing amounts of unadjusted radiosonde data, but results do not support a recent reprocessing of earlier sounding data that suggests stronger middle‐stratospheric cooling than previously indicated. Strong analysed upper‐stratospheric cooling agrees quite well with model simulations if occasional jumps due to unadjusted bias changes in high‐sounding satellite data are discounted.

Producing ERA‐Interim in two separate streams caused only minor discontinuities where streams join at the start of 1989.
Critical parameters of integral delay systems
Authors: Ochoa Gilberto , Melchor‐Aguilar Daniel , Mondié Sabine
Published: December 2013

The critical frequencies of integral delay systems with a class of analytic kernels are determined via an auxiliary delay‐free system, and an upper bound on the number of critical frequencies is obtained. The critical delays are obtained by substituting these frequencies into the characteristic equation of the system. The procedure is validated with a number of nontrivial examples. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Methods of designing two‐stage winner trials with survival outcomes
Authors: Fang Fang , Lin Yong , Shih Weichung J. , Li Yulin , Yang Jay , Zhang Xiaosha
Published: December 2013

In drug development, especially for oncology studies, a recent proposal is to combine a costly phase II dose selection study with a subsequent phase III study into a single trial that compares the selected (winning) dose from the first stage with the control group. This design may also be used in phase III trials, in which the winning active treatment regimen, selected at the first stage, is compared with the control group at the second stage. This design is known as a two‐stage winner design, as proposed by Shun et al. (2008) for continuous outcomes. Time‐to‐event data are often analyzed in oncology trials. In order to derive the critical value and power of this design, per Shun et al. (2008), it is essential to calculate the asymptotic covariance and correlation of the log‐rank statistics for survival outcomes between the two stages. In this paper, we derive the asymptotic covariance and correlation, and provide additional approximate design parameters. Examples are given to illustrate the method, and simulations are performed to evaluate the veracity of these approximate design parameters. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of nanoparticle‐encapsulated curcumin on arsenic‐induced liver toxicity in rats
Authors: Sankar Palanisamy , Gopal Telang Avinash , Kalaivanan Ramya , Karunakaran Vijayakaran , Manikam Kesavan , Sarkar Souvendra Nath
Published: December 2013

We investigated the therapeutic effectiveness of the nanoparticle‐encapsulated curcumin (CUR‐NP) against sodium arsenite‐induced hepatic oxidative damage in rats. The CUR‐NP prepared by emulsion technique was spherical in shape with an encapsulation efficiency of 86.5%. The particle size ranged between 120 and 140 nm with the mean particle size being 130.8 nm. Rats were divided into five groups of six each. Group 1 served as control. Group 2 rats were exposed to sodium arsenite (25 ppm) daily through drinking water for 42 days. Groups 3, 4, and 5 were treated with arsenic as in group 2, however, they were administered, empty nanoparticles, curcumin (100 mg/kg bw) and CUR‐NP (100 mg/kg bw), respectively, by oral gavage during the last 14 days of arsenic exposure. Arsenic increased the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and caused histological alterations in liver indicating hepatotoxicity. Arsenic increased lipid peroxidation, depleted reduced glutathione and decreased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in liver. All these effects of arsenic were attenuated with both curcumin and CUR‐NP. However, the magnitude of amelioration was more pronounced with CUR‐NP. The results indicate that curcumin given in nano‐encapsulated form caused better amelioration than free curcumin. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 628–637, 2015.
Energy and environment is defined by its cross‐disciplinary basis: an editorial essay
Authors: Lund Peter , Byrne John
Published: December 2013

This article is categorized under:

Energy Research & Innovation > Science and Materials

Energy Research & Innovation > Economics and Policy

Energy Research & Innovation > Systems and Infrastructure

Energy Research & Innovation > Climate and Environment
Genetic Counselors’ Experience with Cell‐Free Fetal DNA Testing as a Prenatal Screening Option for Aneuploidy
Authors: Horsting Julie M. H. , Dlouhy Stephen R. , Hanson Katelyn , Quaid Kimberly , Bai Shaochun , Hines Karrie A.
Published: December 2013

First identified in 1997, cell‐free fetal DNA (cffDNA) has just recently been used to detect fetal aneuploidy of chromosomes 13, 18, and 21, showing its potential to revolutionize prenatal genetic testing as a non‐invasive screening tool. Although this technological advancement is exciting and has certain medical applications, it has been unclear how it will be implemented in a clinical setting. Genetic counselors will likely be instrumental in answering that question, but to date, there is no published research regarding prenatal counselors’ implementation of and experiences with cffDNA testing. We developed a 67 question survey to gather descriptive information from counselors regarding their personal opinions, experiences, thoughts, and concerns regarding the validity, usefulness, and implementation of this new technology. A total of 236 individuals completed a portion of the survey; not all respondents answered all questions. Qualitative questions complemented quantitative survey items, allowing respondents to voice their thoughts directly. Results indicate that counselors value cffDNA testing as a screening option but are concerned regarding how some obstetricians and patients make use of this testing. Further results, discussion, and practice implications are presented.
Cotton
Authors: Riello Giorgio
Published: December 2013

Today's world textile and garment trade is valued at a staggering $425 billion. We are told that under the pressure of increasing globalisation, it is India and China that are the new world manufacturing powerhouses. However, this is not a new phenomenon: until the industrial revolution, Asia manufactured great quantities of colourful printed cottons that were sold to places as far afield as Japan, West Africa and Europe. Cotton explores this earlier globalised economy and its transformation after 1750 as cotton led the way in the industrialisation of Europe. By the early nineteenth century, India, China and the Ottoman Empire switched from world producers to buyers of European cotton textiles, a position that they retained for over two hundred years. This is a fascinating and insightful story which ranges from Asian and European technologies and African slavery to cotton plantations in the Americas and consumer desires across the globe.
Shakespeare, Alchemy and the Creative Imagination
Authors: Healy Margaret
Published: December 2013

Shakespeare's sonnets and A Lover's Complaint constitute a rich tapestry of rhetorical play about Renaissance love in all its guises. A significant strand of this spiritual alchemy is working the 'metal' of the mind through meditation on love, memory work and intense imagination. Healy demonstrates how this process of anguished soul work - construed as essential to inspired poetic making - is woven into these poems, accounting for their most enigmatic imagery and urgency of tone. The esoteric philosophy of late Renaissance Neoplatonic alchemy, which embraced bawdy sexual symbolism and was highly fashionable in European intellectual circles, facilitated Shakespeare's poetry. Arguing that Shakespeare's incorporation of alchemical textures throughout his late works is indicative of an artistic stance promoting religious toleration and unity, this book sets out a crucial new framework for interpreting the 1609 poems and transforms our understanding of Shakespeare's art.
The Syntax of Imperatives
Authors: Alcázar Asier , Saltarelli Mario
Published: December 2013

The imperative clause is one of three major sentence types that have been found to be universal across the languages of the world. Compared to declaratives and interrogatives, the imperative type has received diverse analyses in the literature. This cutting-edge study puts forward a new linguistic theory of imperatives, arguing that categories of the speech act, specifically Speaker and Addressee, are conceptually necessary for an adequate syntactic account. The book offers compelling empirical and descriptive evidence by surveying new typological data in critical assessment of competing hypotheses towards an indexical syntax of human language. An engaging read for students and researchers interested in linguistics, philosophy and the syntax of language.
Debating Turkish Modernity
Authors: Döşemeci Mehmet
Published: December 2013

Debating Turkish Modernity describes the opening act of Turkey's half century bid to join the European Community. Between 1959 and 1980, Turks from all walks of life weighed in on their prospective integration into Europe. This book details how these Turks made sense of the project of European Unification and how they spoke about it. It argues that Turkey's EEC debates, by resurrecting past questions over Turkey's relationship to Europe, became the principle forum where Turks of the Second Republic defined who they were, where they came from, and where they were going.
Portfolio Management under Stress
Authors: Rebonato Riccardo , Denev Alexander
Published: December 2013

Portfolio Management under Stress offers a novel way to apply the well-established Bayesian-net methodology to the important problem of asset allocation under conditions of market distress or, more generally, when an investor believes that a particular scenario (such as the break-up of the Euro) may occur. Employing a coherent and thorough approach, it provides practical guidance on how best to choose an optimal and stable asset allocation in the presence of user specified scenarios or 'stress conditions'. The authors place causal explanations, rather than association-based measures such as correlations, at the core of their argument, and insights from the theory of choice under ambiguity aversion are invoked to obtain stable allocations results. Step-by-step design guidelines are included to allow readers to grasp the full implementation of the approach, and case studies provide clarification. This insightful book is a key resource for practitioners and research academics in the post-financial crisis world.
Esther in Ancient Jewish Thought
Authors: Koller Aaron
Published: December 2013

The book of Esther was a conscious reaction to much of the conventional wisdom of its day, challenging beliefs regarding the Jerusalem Temple, the land of Israel, Jewish law, and even God. Aaron Koller identifies Esther as primarily a political work, and shows that early reactions ranged from ignoring the book to 'rewriting' Esther in order to correct its perceived flaws. But few biblical books have been read in such different ways, and the vast quantity of Esther-interpretation in rabbinic literature indicates a conscious effort by the Rabbis to present Esther as a story of faith and traditionalism, and bring it into the fold of the grand biblical narrative. Koller situates Esther, and its many interpretations, within the intellectual and political contexts of Ancient Judaism, and discusses its controversial themes. His innovative line of enquiry will be of great interest to students and scholars of Bible and Jewish studies.
The Geneva Consensus
Authors: Lamy Pascal
Published: December 2013

As Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Pascal Lamy chaired the Doha Round of negotiations and witnessed a rapidly changing international trade environment. In his first book since leaving the WTO, Lamy reflects on his time there and outlines his views on the significance of open trade in generating global economic growth, reducing poverty and creating jobs around the world. He argues that trade can only act as a motor for growth if the correct mix of domestic and international economic and social policies is in place. This approach – the 'Geneva Consensus' – requires deeper cooperation and policy coherence between the international organizations active in setting international economic, social and political policies. The Geneva Consensus describes the ongoing efforts to put this into effect, calling for more effective global governance to tackle the challenges of globalization. It also examines relationships between trade and the key social, economic and political issues of our time.
Narrative in English Conversation
Authors: Rühlemann Christoph
Published: December 2013

Storytelling is a fundamental mode of everyday interaction. This book is based upon the Narrative Corpus (NC), a specialized corpus of naturally occurring narratives, and provides new paths for its study. Christoph Rühlemann uses the NC's narrative-specific annotation and XPath and XQuery, query languages that allow the retrieval of complex data structures, to facilitate large-scale quantitative investigations into how narrators and recipients collaborate in storytelling. Empirical analyses are validated using R, a programming language and environment for statistical computing and graphics. Using this unique data and methodological base, Rühlemann reveals new insights, including the discovery of turntaking patterns specific to narrative, the first investigation of textual colligation in spoken data, the unearthing of how speech reports, as discourse units, form striking patterns at utterance level, and the identification of the story climax as the sequential context in which recipient dialogue is preferentially positioned.
Representational Style in Congress
Authors: Grimmer Justin
Published: December 2013

This book demonstrates the consequences of legislators' strategic communication for representation in American politics. Representational Style in Congress shows how legislators present their work to cultivate constituent support. Using a massive new data set of texts from legislators and new statistical techniques to analyze the texts, this book provides comprehensive measures of what legislators say to constituents and explains why legislators adopt these styles. Using the new measures, Justin Grimmer shows how legislators affect how constituents evaluate their representatives and the consequences of strategic statements for political discourse. The introduction of new statistical techniques for political texts allows a more comprehensive and systematic analysis of what legislators say and why it matters than was previously possible. Using these new techniques, the book makes the compelling case that to understand political representation, we must understand what legislators say to constituents.
Large MIMO Systems
Authors: Chockalingam A. , Rajan B. Sundar
Published: December 2013

Large MIMO systems, with tens to hundreds of antennas, are a promising emerging communication technology. This book provides a unique overview of this technology, covering the opportunities, engineering challenges, solutions and state of the art of large MIMO test beds. There is in-depth coverage of algorithms for large MIMO signal processing, based on meta-heuristics, belief propagation and Monte Carlo sampling techniques, and suited for large MIMO signal detection, precoding and LDPC code designs. The book also covers the training requirement and channel estimation approaches in large-scale point-to-point and multi-user MIMO systems; spatial modulation is also included. Issues like pilot contamination and base station cooperation in multi-cell operation are addressed. A detailed exposition of MIMO channel models, large MIMO channel sounding measurements in the past and present, and large MIMO test beds is also presented. An ideal resource for academic researchers, next generation wireless system designers and developers, and practitioners in wireless communications.
Keeping Languages Alive
Authors: Jones Mari C. , Ogilvie Sarah
Published: December 2013

Many of the world's languages have diminishing numbers of speakers and are in danger of falling silent. Around the globe, a large body of linguists are collaborating with members of indigenous communities to keep these languages alive. Mindful that their work will be used by future speech communities to learn, teach and revitalise their languages, scholars face new challenges in the way they gather materials and in the way they present their findings. This volume discusses current efforts to record, collect and archive endangered languages in traditional and new media that will support future language learners and speakers. Chapters are written by academics working in the field of language endangerment and also by indigenous people working 'at the coalface' of language support and maintenance. Keeping Languages Alive is a must-read for researchers in language documentation, language typology and linguistic anthropology.
Domestic Politics and International Human Rights Tribunals
Authors: Hillebrecht Courtney
Published: December 2013

International politics has become increasingly legalized over the past fifty years, restructuring the way states interact with each other, international institutions, and their own constituents. The international legalization of human rights now makes it possible for individuals to take human rights claims against their governments at international courts such as the European and Inter-American Courts of Human Rights. This book brings together theories from international law, human rights and international relations to explain the increasingly important phenomenon of states' compliance with human rights tribunals' rulings. It argues that this is an inherently domestic affair. It posits three overarching questions: why do states comply with human rights tribunals' rulings? How does the compliance process unfold and what are the domestic political considerations around compliance? What effect does compliance have on the protection of human rights? The book answers these through a combination of quantitative analyses and in-depth case studies from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Portugal, Russia and the United Kingdom.
Behaviour of rarefied gas flow near the junction of a suddenly expanding tube
Authors: Varade Vijay , Agrawal Amit , Pradeep A. M.
Published: December 2013

This paper presents an experimental study of isothermal rarefied gas flow through a tube with sudden expansion in the slip flow regime. The measurements reported here are for nitrogen flowing at low pressures in conventional tubes with sudden expansion area ratios of 1.48, 3.74, 12.43 and 64. The flow is dynamically similar to gas flow in a microchannel as the Knudsen number $(0. 0001\lt \mathit{Kn}\lt 0. 075)$ falls in the slip flow regime; the Reynolds number in the smaller section (${\mathit{Re}}_{s} $) ranges between 0.2 and 837. The static pressure along the wall is measured for different mass flow rates controlled by a mass flow controller and analysed to understand the flow behaviour. The velocity profiles are obtained through a momentum balance and using the pressure measurements. A discontinuity in the slope of pressure at the sudden expansion junction is noted and given special attention. The absence of flow separation is another key feature observed from the measurements. The streamlines are found to be concave near the junction. It is demonstrated that the flow ‘senses’ the oncoming sudden expansion junction and starts adjusting itself much before reaching the junction; this interesting behaviour is attributed to an increased axial momentum diffusion and wall slip. The additional acceleration of the central core of the gas flow causes an increase in the wall shear stress and a larger pressure drop as compared with a straight tube. These results are not previously available and should help in improving understanding of gaseous slip flows.
Generation of surface waves by shear-flow instability
Authors: Young W. R. , Wolfe C. L.
Published: December 2013

We consider the linear stability of an inviscid parallel shear flow of air over water with gravity and capillarity. The velocity profile in the air is monotonically increasing upwards from the sea surface and is convex, while the velocity in the water is monotonically decreasing from the surface and is concave. An archetypical example, the ‘double-exponential’ profile, is solved analytically and studied in detail. We show that there are two types of unstable mode which can, in some cases, co-exist. The first type is the ‘Miles mode’ resulting from a resonant interaction between a surface gravity wave and a critical level in the air. The second unstable mode is an interaction between surface gravity waves and a critical level in the water, resulting in the growth of ripples. The gravity–capillary waves participating in this second resonance have negative intrinsic phase speed, but are Doppler shifted so that their actual phase speed is positive, and matches the speed of the base-state current at the critical level. In both cases, the Reynolds stresses of an exponentially growing wave transfer momentum from the vicinity of the critical level to the zone between the crests and troughs of a surface wave.
Mediating Reputation: Credit Reporting Systems in American History
Authors: Lipartito Kenneth
Published: December 2013

Examining the development of credit reporting in the United States, this article shows how new, formal methods of assessment of risk and trustworthiness came to mediate business reputations in the credit market over the past century and a half. It focuses on the conflicts over reputation provoked by the new means of assessment and how those conflicts were controlled through organizational procedures and routines as new methodologies were introduced. After World War II seemingly objective quantitative methodologies for evaluating credit worthiness were developed, but they did not eliminate the place of reputation in business decision-making.
A Constructive Proof of Brauer's Theorem on Induced Characters in the Group Ring
Authors: Bogomolov Fedor , Greenleaf Frederick P.
Published: December 2013

We provide an alternative constructive proof of the classical Brauer theorem for finite groups based on the well-known description of the complex irreducible representations of the symmetric groups Sn. The theorem is first proved for Sn and then for general G by embedding in Sn and applying the Mackey subgroup theorem.
Marker genes for activation of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway in the free-living nematodeCaenorhabditis elegansand RNAi development in the ovine nematodeTeladorsagia circumcincta
Authors: Tzelos T. , Matthews J.B. , Whitelaw B. , Knox D.P.
Published: December 2013

The nematodeTeladorsagiacircumcinctais a major cause of parasitic gastroenteritis in sheep in temperate regions. The development of resistance to the major anthelmintic classes used for its control is a threat to small ruminant farming sustainability. Vaccination is a potential alternative control method for this nematode. Gene datasets can be exploited to identify potential vaccine candidates and these validated further by methods such as RNA interference (RNAi) prior to vaccine trials. Previous reports indicate that RNAi in parasitic nematodes is inconsistent and, to date, there are no internal controls that indicate activation of the RNAi pathway in response to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). The present aims were to determine whether or not the transcription levels of potential marker genes in the RNAi pathway could indicate activation of the pathway inCaenorhabditis elegansand to develop an RNAi platform inT. circumcincta. InC. elegans, transcript levels of three candidate marker genes,Ce-dcr-1(Dicer),Ce-ego-1(Enhancer of Glp-One family member) andCe-rsd-3(RNAi Spreading Defective), were analysed and results indicated that activation of the pathway had no effect on transcript levels of these genes. InT. circumcincta,two vaccine candidate genes from the Activation-associated Secreted Protein (ASP) family were targets for knockdown. RNAi experiments showed successful silencing of both targets, although inconsistencies in efficacy were observed. After testing a number of parameters that might affect variability, it was found that the length of the storage period of the larvae plays an important role in the consistency of the RNAi results.
An opportunity cost model of subjective effort and task performance
Authors: Kurzban Robert , Duckworth Angela , Kable Joseph W. , Myers Justus
Published: December 2013

Why does performing certain tasks cause the aversive experience of mental effort and concomitant deterioration in task performance? One explanation posits a physical resource that is depleted over time. We propose an alternative explanation that centers on mental representations of the costs and benefits associated with task performance. Specifically, certain computational mechanisms, especially those associated with executive function, can be deployed for only a limited number of simultaneous tasks at any given moment. Consequently, the deployment of these computational mechanisms carries an opportunity cost – that is, the next-best use to which these systems might be put. We argue that the phenomenology of effort can be understood as the felt output of these cost/benefit computations. In turn, the subjective experience of effort motivates reduced deployment of these computational mechanisms in the service of the present task. These opportunity cost representations, then, together with other cost/benefit calculations, determine effort expended and, everything else equal, result in performance reductions. In making our case for this position, we review alternative explanations for both the phenomenology of effort associated with these tasks and for performance reductions over time. Likewise, we review the broad range of relevant empirical results from across sub-disciplines, especially psychology and neuroscience. We hope that our proposal will help to build links among the diverse fields that have been addressing similar questions from different perspectives, and we emphasize ways in which alternative models might be empirically distinguished.
Empirical studies on foreign language learning and teaching in China (2008–2011): A review of selected research
Authors: Gao Xuesong (Andy) , Liao Yanyi , Li Yuxia
Published: December 2013

In this review, we highlight 60 articles from 1,120 empirical studies in leading language learning and teaching journals published on the Chinese mainland during the years 2008–2011. In preparing the review, we have found Chinese researchers addressing a wide range of topics including language learners’ cognitive processes, their language performance, and language teachers’ professional development. The selected studies document a variety of approaches to improving the teaching of the English language and meeting the demand for proficient English graduates in China. In addition, we have observed that leading Chinese journals have become more receptive to empirical studies and have published an increasing number of qualitative and mixed method studies. However, we also note that research scholarship in those journals is still beset with problems and there is a pressing need for our Chinese colleagues to become ‘discerning’ producers of scholarship. For this reason, we conclude this review with recommendations to Chinese journals, to help them play an even more significant role in promoting high quality empirical research in the future.
What kind of seed dormancy might palms have?
Authors: Baskin Jerry M. , Baskin Carol C.
Published: December 2013

Palm diaspores are reported to have various kinds of dormancy. However, (1) the embryo is underdeveloped; (2) the endocarp is water permeable; and (3) the diaspores take a long time to germinate. Thus, we conclude that the diaspores of the majority of palm species have morphophysiological dormancy (MPD). The ones that do not have MPD are morphologically dormant.
Twisting the night away: a review of the neurobiology, genetics, diagnosis, and treatment of shift work disorder
Authors: Morrissette Debbi Ann
Published: December 2013

Although not all individuals who work outside of standard daytime hours develop physical and psychiatric issues, there is a substantial portion of shift workers who develop shift work disorder. Shift work disorder is due to a misalignment between an individual's endogenous circadian rhythms and environmental stimuli, and can have potentially serious consequences to an individual's health and quality of life. This article reviews the neurobiological and genetic underpinnings of shift work disorder, and describes how desynchronization of the molecular clock may lead to both physical and psychiatric illnesses. Diagnostic tools and treatment guidelines to address the circadian misalignment, excessive sleepiness, and insomnia experienced by patients with shift work disorder are also discussed.
Electron and X-ray Tomography of Iron/Iron Oxide Redox Reactions for Large-Scale Hydrogen Storage
Authors: Gluch J. , Niese S. , Jung C. , Röntzsch L. , Zschech E. , Kieback B.
Published: December 2013

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
Control of Recrystallization Remperature via VC Formation on TiN Nanoparticles in Novel Ultra Low Carbon (ULC) Automotive Strip Steels
Authors: Zormalia S. , Georgiou M. , Fourlaris G.
Published: December 2013

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
Risk factors in abdominal aortic aneurysm and aortoiliac occlusive disease and differences between them in the Polish population
Authors: Mikołajczyk-Stecyna Joanna , Korcz Aleksandra , Gabriel Marcin , Pawlaczyk Katarzyna , Oszkinis Grzegorz , Słomski Ryszard
Published: December 2013

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) are multifactorial vascular disorders caused by complex genetic and environmental factors. The purpose of this study was to define risk factors of AAA and AIOD in the Polish population and indicate differences between diseases.
Gold catalysed synthesis of 3-alkoxyfurans at room temperature
Authors: Pennell Matthew N. , Foster Robert W. , Turner Peter G. , Hailes Helen C. , Tame Christopher J. , Sheppard Tom D.
Published: December 2013

3-Alkoxyfurans can be readily prepared from aldehydesviaa gold-catalysed cyclisation of propargylic alcohols bearing an acetal unit.
Axle component separated ion-pair recognition by a neutral heteroditopic [2]rotaxane
Authors: Knighton Richard C. , Beer Paul D.
Published: December 2013

A neutral heteroditopic pyridine N-oxide axle containing [2]rotaxane, synthesised via sodium cation templation, displays cooperative recognition of alkali metal cation-halide anion ion-pairs in an unprecedented axle component separated ion-pair binding fashion.
Ionic liquid derived carbons as highly efficient oxygen reduction catalysts: first elucidation of pore size distribution dependent kinetics
Authors: Zhang Zhiyong , Veith Gabriel M. , Brown Gilbert M. , Fulvio Pasquale F. , Hillesheim Patrick C. , Dai Sheng , Overbury Steven H.
Published: December 2013

Pore size distribution in ionic liquid derived N-doped carbons affects both activity and kinetics in the oxygen reduction reaction.
Halogen bonded analogues of deep cavity cavitands
Authors: Kodiah Beyeh N. , Cetina Mario , Rissanen Kari
Published: December 2013

A combination of N-alkyl ammonium resorcinarene halides as acceptors and CCl3Br as the donor yielded halogen bonded analogues of deep cavity cavitands with host–guest properties.
Growth of aragonite phase calcium carbonate on the surface of a titania-modified filter paper
Authors: Niu Tao , Xu Junbo , Huang Jianguo
Published: December 2013

Growth of aragonite CaCO3 crystals on titania coated cellulose fibres of filter paper was achieved to give a superhydrophobic composite.
Design and evaluation of switchable-hydrophilicity solvents
Authors: Vanderveen Jesse R. , Durelle Jeremy , Jessop Philip G.
Published: December 2013

Switchable-hydrophilicity solvents (SHS) can switch reversibly between one form that is miscible with water and another that forms a biphasic mixture with water. New examples are reported and compared in terms of safety and environmental impact.
Spontaneous slow replication fork progression elicits mitosis alterations in homologous recombination-deficient mammalian cells
Authors: Wilhelm Therese , Magdalou Indiana , Barascu Aurélia , Técher Hervé , Debatisse Michelle , Lopez Bernard S.
Published: December 2013

Significance

Faithful genome duplication requires the precise coordination of DNA replication, repair/recombination and chromosome segregation. Homologous recombination (HR) plays a pivotal role in the resumption of blocked replication forks, and HR
−
cells exhibit both spontaneous slower genome-wide replication fork speed and mitotic extra centrosomes (MECs). We show that MECs result from slow replication kinetics and that MECs are associated with multipolar mitosis leading to general unbalanced chromosome segregation. Thus, low levels of replication stress, which are not detected by cell surveillance, allow cells to progress through the cell cycle, resulting in aberrant mitosis and chromosome instability. These data underline the essential role of HR facing endogenous stress at the interface between replication and mitosis for protection against spontaneous general chromosome instability.