bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Folate Levels and Polymorphisms in the Genes MTHFR, MTR, and TS in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Taflin Helena , Wettergren Yvonne , Odin Elisabeth , Carlsson Göran , Derwinger Kristoffer
Published: February 2014

Aim

The aim of the study was to explore and describe the effect of polymorphisms in folate-associated genes regarding the levels of different folate forms and their distribution in tumors and mucosa in patients with colorectal cancer.

Materials and Methods

Tumor and mucosa tissues from 53 patients with colorectal cancer were analyzed. The concentrations of tetrahydrofolate (THF), 5-methylTHF, and 5,10-methyleneTHF were measured by liquid chromatography—mass spectrometry. Genotyping of polymorphisms in the folate-associated genes methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase ( MTHFR, C677T), methionine synthase ( MTR, A2756G), and thymidylate synthase ( TS, 5'-TSER 28 bp tandem repeat and 3'-TSUTR 6 bp deletion/insertion), were done by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Folate levels and distributions were determined in the total patient cohort and after subgrouping by genotypes.

Results

The total folate level, as well as the THF and 5,10-methyleneTHF levels, were significantly higher in the tumor compared with mucosa tissue ( P = 0.030, 0.031, and 0.015, respectively). The individual variation in folate levels in both tumor and mucosa were larger than the variation found when the patients were subgrouped by the gene polymorphisms. No significant differences in the mean concentration of any folate in the mucosa or tumor tissue were found in relation to the analyzed polymorphisms. The percentage level of 5,10-methyleneTHF in tumors was highest in patients with the MTHFR 677 CC genotype, and lowest in patients with the TT genotype ( P = 0.033). A significantly lower percentage level of the 5,10-methyleneTHF level was found in tumors of patients with the 5'-TSER 3R/3R genotype ( P = 0.0031).

Conclusion

A significant difference was found between the percentage level of 5,10-methyleneTHF in tumor tissues in relation to the MTHFR C677T and 5'-TSER 28 bp repeat polymorphisms. However, no differences were found in the actual tissue folate levels, or in their distribution, in relation to the polymorphisms in the MTHFR, MTR, or TS genes. These findings could be of importance for further research in the field by explaining some of the difficulties of obtaining reproducible and uniform results when using a few selected polymorphisms as predictive markers.
Pots and food: uses of pottery from Resnikov prekop
Authors: Mlekuž Dimitrij , Ogrinc Nives , Horvat Milena , Žibrat Gašparič Andreja , Gams Petrišič Marinka , Budja Mihael
Published: February 2014

In this article, we discuss the role of pottery in food-related practices at the Resnikov prekop site on Ljubljansko barje (Ljubljana Marshes). We integrate chemical analyses of organic food residues with typological, technological and functional analyses of pottery. The vessels from Resnikov prekop reveal a broad range of sizes, forms and fabrics, as demonstrated by our analyses. The lipid residue analysis demonstrate that vessels from Resnikov prekop were mostly used for storing and serving different foods derived from terrestrial animals, mostly ruminants.
Navigating disciplinary challenges to global sustainability science: an archaeological model
Authors: Hudson Mark J
Published: February 2014

Current threats posed by anthropogenic climate change, biodiversity loss, the degradation of ecosystem services, and other related impacts of human activity require a concerted res- ponse through a global science of sustainability. The threats faced by humanity are so extensive that all academic disciplines are affected in some way and all have a role to play in developing potential responses. Given that few academic disciplines have traditionally focused on issues of ecology or sustainability, however, major challenges remain with respect to how we might build a global science of sustainability that can support concrete policy and interventions. This paper proposes a developmental model with five levels of research and practice required for an effective global sustainability science and examines some of the challenges faced by archaeology in moving up these levels.
Will the real specialist please stand up? Characterising early craft specialisation, a comparative approach for Neolithic Anatolia
Authors: Baysal Emma
Published: February 2014

The Neolithic period saw changes in production practices and the roles of individuals that were important in the development of increasing social differentiation. Although there is evidence of specialised manufacturing in Neolithic Anatolia, the dynamics of changing production and accompanying social effects have not been characterised. This article looks at how specialisation might be defined and identified in the Neolithic period in Anatolia using the results of recent theoretical debates as a starting point. It addresses the possibility of comparing the various forms taken by early non-institutionalised specialisations and argues the importance of considering this subject as a major element in emerging social complexities.
The problem of the neolithisation process chronology in Povolzhye
Authors: Vybornov Aleksandr , Kulkova Marianna , Goslar Tomash , Possnert Goran
Published: February 2014

The Lower and Middle Volga basin regions border the Caucasus and Central Asia in the South. These regions are important in the study of the neolithisation process in Europe and the chronology of Neolithic cultures is of great significance in this respect. New 14C dates of different organic materials from archaeological sites in these regions have been obtained in the last five years. According to these data, the beginning of neolithisation in North Caspian region can be dated to the beginning of the 5th millennium BC; but in the Povolzhye it happened at least a millennium earlier.
Origin and contacts of people buried at the LBK graveyard at Kleinhadersdorf, Austria
Authors: Neugebauer-Maresch Christine , Lenneis Eva
Published: February 2014

In this article we present first information on results of analyses of the Linearbandkeramik (LBK) graveyard of Kleinhadersdorf carried out in recent years. First, we briefly present the excavations and main characteristics of the burials. Analyses of C-, N- and Sr- isotopes, executed with- in a large-scale international project, showed that most of the people were born and lived in the area and gathered food nearby. Only three individuals came from a geologically different region, i.e. the gneiss-granite zone of the Bohemian massif. Adzes and some quern stones were also obtained in this area, while flint raw materials and Spondylus shells for ornaments were procured from other regions.
The role of Linear Pottery houses in the process of neolithisation
Authors: Pavlu Ivan
Published: February 2014

A Linear Pottery settlement represents on a certain scale a symbiosis of different soci-economic groups of inhabitants in one given space. The role and status of artefacts can be de- scribed according to individual types of houses. Stockbreeding is typical for large houses, while small houses manifest hunting as well as breeding. Three-part houses are the most significant buil- dings as the artefact assemblages display prestigious social roles. The assemblages in the single-part houses suggest household activities.
Neolithic pots and potters in Europe: the end of ‘demic diffusion’ migratory model
Authors: Budja Mihael
Published: February 2014

In this paper we discuss the inventions and re-inventions of ceramic technology and pot- tery dispersals in foraging and farming contexts in Eurasia. We focus on narratives that operate with- in interpretative paradigms that suggest movements of unidirectional colonisation and ‘demic’ diffusion, and a correlation between pottery and human DNA haplogroup distributions in Europe in the Initial Neolithic. In addition, we present the results of ancient, Mesolithic and Neolithic mitochon- drial DNA analyses, which suggest variations in population trajectories in prehistoric Europe. We comment on a hypothesis presented recently on the correlation between the distribution of the lactase (LCT) gene –13 910*T in the modern population of Europe, which has been shown to be associated with lactase persistence and dairying, and the Neolithic transition to farming in Central Europe.
Lactase persistence and milk consumption in Europe: an interdisciplinary approach involving genetics and archaeology
Authors: Leonardi Michela
Published: February 2014

The ability to digest milk during adulthood (lactase persistence) is a genetically determined trait present only in humans. Its origin and diffusion are correlated with the development of pastoralism and the consumption of fresh milk. This work will present the genetic and archaeologi- cal data that allow the reconstruction of the co-evolutionary process between dairying culture and lactase persistence, as well as a discussion of the chronology and the way lactase persistence spread in Europe.
Transition to farming – transition to milk culture: a case study from Mala Triglavca, Slovenia
Authors: Budja Mihael , Ogrinc Nives , Žibrat Gašparič Andreja , Potočnik Doris , Žigon Dušan , Mlekuž Dimitrij
Published: February 2014

In this paper, we discuss the transition to milk culture. While archaeological and biochemical data suggest that dairying was adopted in the Neolithic in Europe, archaeogenetic data show the absence of the allelic variant –13 910*T and very low lactase persistence in Neolithic populations in Europe. The Mala Triglavca case study shows that the Early Neolithic economy in the Caput Ad- riae region was mixed. It consisted of milk and processed milk, meat animal products, freshwater fish and various plants. The Vlaška group herders managed a broader spectrum of resources than exclusively ovicaprids, and were able to produce a wide range of low-lactose, storable products by fermenting milk.
Multi-year objective analyses of warm season ground-level ozone and PM2.5 over North America using real-time observations and Canadian operational air quality models
Authors: Robichaud A. , Ménard R.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. Multi-year objective analyses (OA) on a high spatiotemporal resolution for the warm season period (1 May to 31 October) for ground-level ozone and for fine particulate matter (diameter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5)) are presented. The OA used in this study combines model outputs from the Canadian air quality forecast suite with US and Canadian observations from various air quality surface monitoring networks. The analyses are based on an optimal interpolation (OI) with capabilities for adaptive error statistics for ozone and PM2.5 and an explicit bias correction scheme for the PM2.5 analyses. The estimation of error statistics has been computed using a modified version of the Hollingsworth–Lönnberg (H–L) method. The error statistics are "tuned" using a χ2 (chi-square) diagnostic, a semi-empirical procedure that provides significantly better verification than without tuning. Successful cross-validation experiments were performed with an OA setup using 90% of data observations to build the objective analyses and with the remainder left out as an independent set of data for verification purposes. Furthermore, comparisons with other external sources of information (global models and PM2.5 satellite surface-derived or ground-based measurements) show reasonable agreement. The multi-year analyses obtained provide relatively high precision with an absolute yearly averaged systematic error of less than 0.6 ppbv (parts per billion by volume) and 0.7 μg m−3 (micrograms per cubic meter) for ozone and PM2.5, respectively, and a random error generally less than 9 ppbv for ozone and under 12 μg m−3 for PM2.5. This paper focuses on two applications: (1) presenting long-term averages of OA and analysis increments as a form of summer climatology; and (2) analyzing long-term (decadal) trends and inter-annual fluctuations using OA outputs. The results show that high percentiles of ozone and PM2.5 were both following a general decreasing trend in North America, with the eastern part of the United States showing the most widespread decrease, likely due to more effective pollution controls. Some locations, however, exhibited an increasing trend in the mean ozone and PM2.5, such as the northwestern part of North America (northwest US and Alberta). Conversely, the low percentiles are generally rising for ozone, which may be linked to the intercontinental transport of increased emissions from emerging countries. After removing the decadal trend, the inter-annual fluctuations of the high percentiles are largely explained by the temperature fluctuations for ozone and to a lesser extent by precipitation fluctuations for PM2.5. More interesting is the economic short-term change (as expressed by the variation of the US gross domestic product growth rate), which explains 37% of the total variance of inter-annual fluctuations of PM2.5 and 15% in the case of ozone.
Statistical visualization of the Earth's magnetotail and the implied mechanism of substorm triggering based on superposed-epoch analysis of THEMIS data
Authors: Machida S. , Miyashita Y. , Ieda A. , Nosé M. , Angelopoulos V. , McFadden J. P.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. To investigate the physical mechanism responsible for substorm triggering, we performed a superposed-epoch analysis using plasma and magnetic-field data from THEMIS probes. Substorm onset timing was determined based on auroral breakups detected by all-sky imagers at the THEMIS ground-based observatories. We found earthward flows associated with north–south auroral streamers during the substorm growth phase. At around X = −12 Earth radii (RE), the northward magnetic field and its elevation angle decreased markedly approximately 4 min before substorm onset. Moreover, a northward magnetic-field increase associated with pre-onset earthward flows was found at around X = −17 RE. This variation indicates that local dipolarization occurs. Interestingly, in the region earthwards of X = −18 RE, earthward flows in the central plasma sheet (CPS) reduced significantly approximately 3 min before substorm onset, which was followed by a weakening of dawn-/duskward plasma-sheet boundary-layer flows (subject to a 1 min time lag). Subsequently, approximately 1 min before substorm onset, earthward flows in the CPS were enhanced again and at the onset, tailward flows started at around X = −20 RE. Following substorm onset, an increase in the northward magnetic field caused by dipolarization was found in the near-Earth region. Synthesizing these results, we confirm our previous results based on GEOTAIL data, which implied that significant variations start earlier than both current disruption and magnetic reconnection, at approximately 4 min before substorm onset roughly halfway between the two regions of interest; i.e. in the catapult current sheet.
CREST: Climate REconstruction SofTware
Authors: Chevalier M. , Cheddadi R. , Chase B. M.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. Several methods currently exist to quantitatively reconstruct palaeoclimatic variables from fossil botanical data. Of these, pdf-based (probability density functions) methods have proven valuable as they can be applied to a wide range of plants assemblages. Most commonly applied to fossil pollen data, their performance, however, can be limited by the taxonomic resolution of the pollen data, as many species may belong to a given pollen-type. Consequently, the climate information associated with different species cannot sometimes not be precisely identified, resulting less accurate reconstructions. This can become particularly problematic in regions of high biodiversity. In this paper, we propose a novel pdf-based method that takes into account the different climatic requirements of each species constituting the broader pollen-type. Pdfs are fitted in two successive steps, with parametric pdfs fitted first for each species, and then a combination of those individual species pdfs into a broader single pdf to represent the pollen-type as a unit. A climate value for the pollen assemblage is estimated from the likelihood function obtained after the multiplication of the pollen-type pdfs, with each being weighted according to its pollen percentage. To test the robustness of the method, we have applied the method to southern Africa as a regional case study, and reconstructed a suite of climatic variables based on extensive botanical data derived from herbarium collections. The reconstructions proved to be accurate for both temperature and precipitation. Predictable exceptions were areas that experience conditions at the extremes of the regional climatic spectra. Importantly, the accuracy of the reconstructed values is independent from the vegetation type where the method is applied or the number of species used. The method used in this study is publicly available in a software package entitled CREST (Climate REconstruction SofTware) and will provide the opportunity to reconstruct reliable quantitative estimates of climatic variables even in areas with high geographical and botanical diversity.
Quantitative contribution of climate change and human activities to runoff changes in the Wei River basin, China
Authors: Zhan C. S. , Jiang S. S. , Sun F. B. , Jia Y. W. , Yue W. F. , Niu C. W.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. Surface runoff from the Wei River basin, the largest tributary of the Yellow River in China, has dramatically decreased over last 51 yr from 1958 to 2008. Climate change and human activities have been identified as the two main reasons for the decrease in runoff. The study period is split into two sub-periods (1958–1989 and 1990–2008) using the Mann–Kendall jump test. This study develops an improved climate elasticity method based on the original climate elasticity method, and conducts a quantitative assessment of the impact of climate change and human activities on the runoff decrease in the Wei River basin. The results from the original climate elasticity method show that climatic impacts contribute 37% ~ 40% to the decrease in runoff, while human impacts contribute 60% ~ 63%. In contrast, the results from the improved climate elasticity method yield a climatic contribution to runoff decrease of 22% ~ 29% and a human contribution of 71% ~ 78%. A discussion of the simulation reliability and uncertainty concludes that the improved climate elasticity method has better mechanism and can provide more reasonable results.
Trends in tributary water quality in a water supply reservoir
Authors: Hagemann Mark , Park Mi‐Hyun
Published: February 2014

The study that is the basis for this article evaluated water quality trends in tributaries of a drinking water source to assist in developing effective management strategies. Nutrient and total organic carbon (TOC) trends from 1998 to 2012 were assessed in major tributaries of the Wachusett Reservoir in Massachusetts. In this period, solute concentrations generally declined—in seven of eight tributaries for nitrate (all statistically significant at p < 0.05), four of eight tributaries for total phosphorus (all significant), and six of eight tributaries for TOC (three significant). Despite these changes, increased flows resulted in increased or constant daily loads. Installation of municipal sewer systems in selected subbasins between 2002 and 2008 coincided with decreased concentration trends in their tributaries and decreased loads in the most sewered tributary. These results illustrate the dominance of flow in determining loads and have implications for water managers seeking to quantify and manage solute transport.
Ozone by‐product removal using a fixed bed biofilm reactor
Authors: Wert Eric C. , Stoughtenger Samantha S. , McNaught Holly , Lew Julia
Published: February 2014

The removal of biodegradable ozone by‐products was evaluated at pilot scale using a fixed‐bed biofilm reactor (FBBR) containing spherical plastic support media. Six FBBRs were operated in parallel with different media sizes (1‐, 1.25‐, or 2‐in. diameter) and empty bed contact times (6 or 12 min). Influent water was provided from a full‐scale water treatment plant after ozonation, coagulation, and flocculation processes. After seven months of operation, pseudosteady‐state conditions were achieved with up to 50% removal of assimilable organic carbon and up to 40% reduction in ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm. Increases in FBBR effluent turbidity and head loss were also indicative of biomass development and sloughing. Process efficiency deteriorated because of the consumption of the biomass by snails and other invertebrates.
Water treatment implications after the High Park Wildfire, Colorado
Authors: Writer Jeffrey H. , Hohner Amanda , Oropeza Jill , Schmidt Amanda , Cawley Kaelin M. , Rosario‐Ortiz Fernando L.
Published: February 2014

This study evaluated effects of the 2012 High Park Wildfire in the Cache la Poudre River Watershed in Colorado on source water quality and water treatment. The formation of disinfection by‐products (DBPs) was evaluated by treating water samples with chlorine following uniform formation conditions. The efficacy of alum coagulation for reducing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and DBP concentrations was also evaluated. Postwildfire thunderstorms and spring snowmelt increased DOC and DBP concentrations relative to base‐flow conditions. Alum coagulation effectively reduced DOC concentrations (by 30–60% at a dose of 50 mg/L) and DBP formation (i.e., total trihalomethanes reduced by 60–80% at a dose of 50 mg/L). The Fort Collins water treatment facility responded to the High Park Wildfire by increasing environmental monitoring, using multiple water supplies, and constructing a presedimentation basin to effectively deliver high‐quality drinking water to its customers in the year following the fire.
Fabrication of tri-gated junctionless poly-Si transistors with I-line based lithography
Authors: Lin Cheng-I , Lee Ko-Hui , Lin Horng-Chih , Huang Tiao-Yuan
Published: February 2014

In this work, we have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a method, which relies solely on I-line-based lithography, for fabricating sub-100 nm tri-gated junctionless (JL) poly-Si nanowire (NW) transistors. This method employs sidewall spacer etching and photoresist (PR) trimming techniques to shrink the channel length and width, respectively. With this approach, channel length and width down to 90 and 93 nm, respectively, are achieved in this work. The fabricated devices exhibit superior device characteristics with low subthreshold swing of 285 mV/dec and on/off current ratio larger than 107.
Power reduction by power gating in differential pair type spin-transfer-torque magnetic random access memories for low-power nonvolatile cache memories
Authors: Ohsawa Takashi , Ikeda Shoji , Hanyu Takahiro , Ohno Hideo , Endoh Tetsuo
Published: February 2014

Array operation currents in spin-transfer-torque magnetic random access memories (STT-MRAMs) that use four differential pair type magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)-based memory cells (4T2MTJ, two 6T2MTJs and 8T2MTJ) are simulated and compared with that in SRAM. With L3 cache applications in mind, it is assumed that the memories are composed of 32 Mbyte capacity to be accessed in 64 byte in parallel. All the STT-MRAMs except for the 8T2MTJ one are designed with 32 bit fine-grained power gating scheme applied to eliminate static currents in the memory cells that are not accessed. The 8T2MTJ STT-MRAM, the cell’s design concept being not suitable for the fine-grained power gating, loads and saves 32 Mbyte data in 64 Mbyte unit per 1 Mbit sub-array in 2 × 103 cycles. It is shown that the array operation current of the 4T2MTJ STT-MRAM is 70 mA averaged in 15 ns write cycles at V
dd = 0.9 V. This is the smallest among the STT-MRAMs, about the half of the low standby power (LSTP) SRAM whose array operation current is totally dominated by the cells’ subthreshold leakage.
Output switching in a semiconductor circular ring resonator due to solitons wave formation
Authors: Shih Ming Chang , Yen Chun Liang
Published: February 2014

Here we demonstrated the phenomena of switching of the coupling in an InGaAlP multiple-quantum-well semiconductor circular ring resonator due to the generation of solitons wave guiding. The fabricated device is consisted of a circular ridge waveguide ring resonator with diameter range from 150 to 250 µm with two Y-junction directional couplers for output coupling of clockwise/counter clockwise (CW/CCW) modes. Ridge waveguide of 1.1 and 0.8 µm depth were fabricated to study the effect in solitons generation. It showed that for the 1.1 µm etched depth waveguide, CW and CCW modes in the ring resonator were coupled out through each Y-junction couplers respectively. However, for the 0.8 µm depth waveguide when spatial solitons was formed, coupling of the CCW modes in the circular ring resonator was switched from Y-junction coupler to the spatial solitons guiding terminal. Measurements of light–current (L–I) and spectral characteristics were studied to enunciate the mechanism of output modes switching in circular ring resonator.
Leakage current analysis of diamond Schottky barrier diodes operated at high temperature
Authors: Umezawa Hitoshi , Shikata Shin-ichi
Published: February 2014

Diamond is a promising material for use in high-power semiconductor devices that are operated under high-temperature conditions. A Schottky barrier diode (SBD) fabricated by using high-quality diamond shows a low reverse leakage current of less than 10−7 A/cm2 in a reverse electrical field of 1.5 MV/cm at room temperature. The leakage current of this diamond SBD is found to be low even at an elevated temperature of 415 K. The leakage current of this diamond SBD is 2–4 orders of magnitude lower than that of a SiC SBD owing to the larger barrier height. The leakage characteristics of the diamond SBD are modeled using the thermionic-field emission model, which well agrees with experimental results.
Performance Optimization of Vertical Nanowire‐based Piezoelectric Nanogenerators
Authors: Hinchet Ronan , Lee Sangmin , Ardila Gustavo , Montès Laurent , Mouis Mireille , Wang Zhong Lin
Published: February 2014

The integrated nanogenerator (NG) based on vertical nanowire (NW) arrays is one of the dominant designs developed to harvest mechanical energy using piezoelectric nanostructures. Finite element method (FEM) simulations of such a NG are developed using ZnO NWs in compression mode to evaluate its performances in term of piezoelectric potential generated, capacitance, induced mechanical energy, output electrical energy, and efficiency. This evaluation is essential to correctly understand NG operation. Three main issues are highlighted. The mechanical and electrical structures of the NG as an integrated system are optimized, and strategies for concentrating the mechanical strain field in the NWs and increasing the force sensitivity are developed. In addition, the influence of NWs length and diameter on NG performances is investigated. The optimization results in a piezoelectric nano composite material where global performances are improved by mean of long and thin NWs.
Three‐Dimensional Branched Nanowire Heterostructures as Efficient Light‐Extraction Layer in Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Ye Byeong Uk , Kim Buem Joon , Park Joonmo , Jeong Hu Young , Park Jae Yong , Kim Jong Kyu , Hur Jin‐Hoe , Kim Myung Hwa , Lee Jong‐Lam , Baik Jeong Min
Published: February 2014

A facile method to fabricate three‐dimensional branched ZnO/MgO nanowire heterostructures and their application as the efficient light‐extraction layer in light‐emitting diodes are reported. The branched MgO nanowires are produced on the hydrothermally‐grown ZnO nanowires with a small tapering angle towards the tip (≈6°), by the oblique angle flux incidence of MgO. The structural evolution during the growth verifies the formation of the MgO nanoscale islands with strong (111) preferred orientation on very thin (5–7 nm) MgO (110) layer. The MgO nanobranches, then grown on the islands, are polycrystalline consisting of many grains oriented in specific directions of <200> and <220>, supported by the nucleation theory. The LEDs with the branched ZnO/MgO nanowire arrays show a remarkable enhancement in the light output power by 21% compared with that of LEDs with pristine ZnO nanowires. Theoretical calculations using a finite‐difference time‐domain method reveal that the nanostructure is very effective in breaking the wave‐guiding mode inside the ZnO nanowires, extracting more light especially in radial direction through the MgO nanobranches.
Flexible and Wire‐Shaped Micro‐Supercapacitor Based on Ni(OH)2‐Nanowire and Ordered Mesoporous Carbon Electrodes
Authors: Dong Xiaoli , Guo Ziyang , Song Yanfang , Hou Mengyan , Wang Jianqiang , Wang Yonggang , Xia Yongyao
Published: February 2014

Portable and multifunctional electronic devices are developing in the trend of being small, flexible, roll‐up, and even wearable, which asks us to develop flexible and micro‐sized energy conversion/storage devices. Here, the high performance of a flexible, wire‐shaped, and solid‐state micro‐supercapacitor, which is prepared by twisting a Ni(OH)2‐nanowire fiber‐electrode and an ordered mesoporous carbon fiber‐electrode together with a polymer electrolyte, is demonstrated. This micro‐supercapacitor displays a high specific capacitance of 6.67 mF cm–1 (or 35.67 mF cm–2) and a high specific energy density of 0.01 mWh cm–2 (or 2.16 mWh cm–3), which are about 10–100 times higher than previous reports. Furthermore, its capacitance retention is 70% over 10 000 cycles, indicating perfect cyclic ability. Two wire‐shaped micro‐supercapacitors (0.6 mm in diameter, ≈3 cm in length) in series can successfully operate a red light‐emitting‐diode, indicating promising practical application. Furthermore, synchrotron radiation X‐ray computed microtomo­graphy technology is employed to investigate inner structure of the micro‐device, confirming its solid‐state characteristic. This micro‐supercapacitor may bring new design opportunities of device configuration for energy‐storage devices in the future wearable electronic area.
Light‐Controlled Actuation, Transduction, and Modulation of Magnetic Strength in Polymer Nanocomposites
Authors: Haberl Johannes M. , Sánchez‐Ferrer Antoni , Mihut Adriana M. , Dietsch Hervé , Hirt Ann M. , Mezzenga Raffaele
Published: February 2014

Remotely controlled actuation with wireless sensorial feed‐back is desirable for smart materials to obtain fully computer‐controlled actuators. A light‐controllable polymeric material is presented, in which exposure to light couples with a change in magnetic properties, allowing light signal conversion into non‐volatile magnetic memory. The same material can serve, additionally, both as actuator and transducer, and allows the monitoring of its two‐way elastic shape‐changes by magnetic read‐out. In order to tune the macroscopic magnetic properties of the material, both the reorientation of i) shape anisotropic ferrimagnetic nano‐spindles and ii) a mechanically and magnetically coupled liquid‐crystalline elastomer (LCE) matrix are controlled. These materials are envisioned to have great potential for the development of innovative functional objects, for example, computer‐controlled smart clothing, sensors, signal encoding, micro‐valves, and robotic devices.
Antiproliferative and Antiviral Activity of Three Libraries of Adamantane Derivatives
Authors: Basarić Nikola , Sohora Margareta , Cindro Nikola , Mlinarić‐Majerski Kata , De Clercq Erik , Balzarini Jan
Published: February 2014

Three libraries of adamantane derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for antiviral and antiproliferative activities against a broad variety of DNA and RNA viruses. Whereas none of the compounds exhibit antiviral activity at subtoxic concentrations, antiproliferative activity was found against murine leukemia cells (L1210), human T‐lymphocyte cells (CEM), and cervix carcinoma cells (HeLa) for 4, 8, and 10.
Evaluating the use of spatially varying versus bulk average 3D vegetation structural inputs to modelled evapotranspiration within heterogeneous land cover types
Authors: Sutherland G. , Chasmer L. E. , Petrone R. M. , Kljun N. , Devito K. J.
Published: February 2014

The Western Boreal Plain of north‐central Alberta is prone to water‐deficit conditions and is hydrologically sensitive to changes in climate, natural resource extraction and disturbance. Accurate measurement and modelling of the main components of the water balance are important for ecosystem and reclamation management; however, the lack of hydro‐meteorological instrumentation found within different land cover types makes quantification of changes to the water balance difficult over large areas. Remote sensing data can provide spatial estimates of land cover distribution and leaf area index (LAI) used as inputs into land surface models. However, land surface models can often suffer from inaccuracies as a result of spatial (coarse pixel) and temporal (discrete acquisition) resolutions, mis‐classification and inaccurate representation of LAI using remote sensing data. This study uses high‐resolution (1 m × 1 m) Light Detection and Ranging‐derived vegetation parameters (land cover type, LAI and 3D vegetation frictional influences on air movement) as inputs into the Penman–Monteith evapotranspiration (ET) model along with measured hydro‐meteorological variables. Comparison with eddy covariance (EC) measurements indicated that spatially explicit ET estimates at 1 m resolution (over a 5 km × 5 km study area) provided better estimates compared with bulk average ET estimates per land cover type. ET estimates scaled using spatially variable vegetation inputs only underestimated measured fluxes by 2% and 3% at 22·5 and 3 m EC instrumentation towers, respectively. Bulk averaged ET estimates underestimated measured ET by 5% at the 3 m tower and overestimated EC by 7% at the 22·5 m EC tower. Over coarser scales, the error associated with bulk input parameters can lead to error in overall water balance estimation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Seasonal temperature prediction skill over Southern Africa and human health
Authors: Lazenby Melissa J. , Landman Willem A. , Garland Rebecca M. , DeWitt David G.
Published: February 2014

An assessment of probabilistic prediction skill of seasonal temperature extremes over Southern Africa is presented. Verification results are presented for six run‐on seasons; September to November, October to December, November to January, December to February, January to March, and February to April over a 15‐year retroactive period. Comparisons are drawn between downscaled seasonal 850 hPa geopotential height field forecasts of a two‐tiered system versus downscaled height forecasts from a coupled ocean–atmosphere system. The ECHAM4.5 atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) is used for both systems; in the one‐tiered system the ECHAM4.5 is directly coupled to the ocean model Modular Ocean Model version three (MOM3), and in the two‐tiered system the ECHAM4.5 is coupled with Van den Dool sea surface temperature (SST) hindcasts. Model output statistical equations are developed using canonical correlation analysis (CCA) to reduce system deficiencies. Probabilistic verification is conducted using the relative operating characteristic (ROC) and reliability diagram. The coupled model performs best in capturing seasonal maximum temperature extremes. Seasons demonstrating the highest ROC scores coincide with the period of highest seasonal temperatures found over Southern Africa. The above‐normal category of the one‐tiered system indicates the highest skill in predicting maximum temperature extremes, implying the coupled model predicts skilfully when there is a high likelihood of experiencing extremely high seasonal maximum temperatures during mid to late summer. The downscaled coupled maximum temperature hindcasts are evaluated additionally in terms of their monetary value and quality to the general public. The seasonal forecast system presented in this study should be able to reduce risks in decision making by the health industry in Southern Africa.
Antifouling potentials of eight deep-sea-derived fungi from the South China Sea
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Yong , Xu Xin-Ya , Peng Jiang , Ma Chun-Feng , Nong Xu-Hua , Bao Jie , Zhang Guang-Zhao , Qi Shu-Hua
Published: February 2014

Marine-derived microbial secondary metabolites are promising potential sources of nontoxic antifouling agents. The search for environmentally friendly and low-toxic antifouling components guided us to investigate the antifouling potentials of eight novel fungal isolates from deep-sea sediments of the South China Sea. Sixteen crude ethyl acetate extracts of the eight fungal isolates showed distinct antibacterial activity against three marine bacteria (Loktanella hongkongensis UST950701–009, Micrococcus luteus UST950701–006 and Pseudoalteromonas piscida UST010620–005), or significant antilarval activity against larval settlement of bryozoan Bugula neritina. Furthermore, the extract of Aspergillus westerdijkiae DFFSCS013 displayed strong antifouling activity in a field trial lasting 4 months. By further bioassay-guided isolation, five antifouling alkaloids including brevianamide F, circumdatin F and L, notoamide C, and 5-chlorosclerotiamide were isolated from the extract of A. westerdijkiae DFFSCS013. This is the first report about the antifouling potentials of metabolites of the deep-sea-derived fungi from the South China Sea, and the first stage towards the development of non- or low-toxic antifouling agents from deep-sea-derived fungi.
Exenatide as a potential treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease: First steps into the clinic
Authors: Foltynie Thomas , Aviles-Olmos Iciar
Published: February 2014

Background

There is an increasing number of approaches to try and relieve the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) that focus predominantly on strategies of dopaminergic replacement or deep brain stimulation. There remains, however, a major need to slow down or reverse the relentless progression of the disease to prevent the evolution of disabling motor and nonmotor features that continue to cause disability despite the existing symptomatic approaches. Data emerging from the laboratory suggest that agonists for the glucagonlike peptide 1 (GLP‐1) receptor may have biological properties relevant to PD pathogenesis and progression.

Methods

Future progress in the evaluation of GLP‐1 agonists such as exenatide as potential disease‐modifying treatments in PD can be facilitated by collection of proof‐of‐concept data to mitigate against the risk associated with major financial investments into these agents. There are, nevertheless, multiple issues that must be considered in the planning, setup, and conduct of pilot trials of potential disease‐modifying drugs.

Results

Open‐label proof‐of‐concept data have been collected in a small cohort of patients with moderate severity PD that suggest that this agent is well tolerated. Patients randomized to receive exenatide showed advantages on validated motor and nonmotor scales of PD that persisted after a 2‐month drug washout period.

Conclusions

Although data must be interpreted with caution, given the strong possibility of placebo effects, the clinical evaluation of these patients supports additional investment into double‐blind trials of the GLP‐1 agonists in PD.
First clinical data of the neuroprotective effects of nasal insulin application in patients with Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Hölscher Christian
Published: February 2014

Previous reviews have outlined the important role of insulin in the brain, and the observation that insulin signaling is desensitized in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Because insulin is used to treat diabetes and insulin desensitization in the periphery, this motivated the design and execution of clinical pilot trials in patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment. Because insulin has powerful effects on blood sugar levels, a new technique was used by which insulin is applied as a spray. This method avoids high levels of insulin in the periphery and makes use of the transport system, via the nasal epithelium, into the brain. First trials in healthy subjects showed improvement in attention and memory tasks, and confirmed the concept that insulin signaling plays an important role in neuronal function and cognition. In a series of small clinical trials in patients with mild cognitive impairment/AD, nasal application of insulin or long‐lasting insulin analogs showed improvements in memory tasks, cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, and in a fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic study. In a more recent trial, two patient subgroups were identified, in which the insulin‐resistant group improved after drug treatment whereas a subgroup that did not show insulin desensitization deteriorated. This highlights the need to conduct additional studies and demonstrates clearly that the hypothesis that insulin signaling plays in important role in cognition and AD has merit, and that this is a worthwhile target that shows great promise for future drug developments that improve insulin signaling. Insulin itself may not be the best choice, and other drugs that have been developed to treat diabetes that do not enhance insulin desensitization may be a better choice.
The incretin hormones glucagonlike peptide 1 and glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide are neuroprotective in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Hölscher Christian
Published: February 2014

The incretin hormones glucagonlike peptide 1 and glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) have been developed to treat type 2 diabetes and also act as growth factors. We have tested several long‐acting incretin mimetics in the amyloid precursor protein (APP)Swe/presenilin 1 (PS1)ΔE9 model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We found that liraglutide, lixisenatide, and D‐Ala2‐GIP cross the blood–brain barrier and prevent the impairment in memory formation and synaptic plasticity, increase synapse numbers, reduce amyloid plaque load and soluble amyloid‐β levels, reduce oxidative stress and the chronic inflammation response in the brain, enhance the proliferation of neuronal progenitor cells, and increase neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. In an 18fluorodeoxyglucoe positron emission tomographic/computed tomographic imaging study in PLB1‐triple mice, a mouse model that expresses human mutated APP, PS1, and tau proteins, glucose metabolism was found to be normalized in forebrain areas after liraglutide treatment, demonstrating that neuronal metabolic activity was normalized. A clinical trial testing liraglutide in patients with AD is currently ongoing.
Evaluation of neuroprotective effect of glucagon‐like peptide 1 analogs using neuroimaging
Authors: Femminella Grazia D. , Edison Paul
Published: February 2014

There is increasing evidence to suggest that glucagon‐like peptide 1 (GLP1) analogs are neuroprotective in animal models. In transgenic mice, both insulin and GLP1 analogs reduced inflammation, increased stem cell proliferation, reduced apoptosis, and increased dendritic growth. Furthermore, insulin desensitization was also observed in these animals, and reduced glucose uptake in the brain, as shown on FDG‐PET imaging. In this review we discussed the role of PET and MRI in evaluating the effect of GLP1 analogs in disease progression in both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. We have also discussed the potential novel PET markers that will allow us to understand the mechanism by which GLP1 exerts its effects.
A meaningful embrace: Contingent effects of embodied cues of affection
Authors: Hadi Rhonda , Valenzuela Ana
Published: February 2014

Can a mere gesture lead to intimate product bonding? In this research, we find that affectionate gestures (e.g. hugging, stroking) can serve as routes to object attachment. We suggest that the mere execution of an affectionate gesture can generate emotional attachment, which translates into enhanced product attitudes. However, this effect is contingent on the existence of facilitating conditions via the presence of humanlike characteristics in the target object of the affectionate gesture.
CPSF4 activates telomerase reverse transcriptase and predicts poor prognosis in human lung adenocarcinomas
Authors: Chen Wangbing , Qin Lijun , Wang Shusen , Li Mei , Shi Dingbo , Tian Yun , Wang Jingshu , Fu Lingyi , Li Zhenglin , Guo Wei , Yu Wendan , Yuan Yuhui , Kang Tiebang , Huang Wenlin , Deng Wuguo
Published: February 2014

The elevated expression and activation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is associated with the unlimited proliferation of cancer cells. However, the excise mechanism of hTERT regulation during carcinogenesis is not well understood. In this study, we discovered cleavage and polyadenylation specific factor 4 (CPSF4) as a novel tumor‐specific hTERT promoter‐regulating protein in lung cancer cells and identified the roles of CPSF4 in regulating lung hTERT and lung cancer growth. The ectopic overexpression of CPSF4 upregulated the hTERT promoter‐driven report gene expression and activated the endogenous hTERT mRNA and protein expression and the telomerase activity in lung cancer cells and normal lung cells. In contrast, the knockdown of CPSF4 by siRNA had the opposite effects. CPSF4 knockdown also significantly inhibited tumor cell growth in lung cancer cells in vitro and in a xenograft mouse model in vivo, and this inhibitory effect was partially mediated by decreasing the expression of hTERT. High expression of both CPSF4 and hTERT proteins were detected in lung adenocarcinoma cells by comparison with the normal lung cells. Tissue microarray immunohistochemical analysis of lung adenocarcinomas also revealed a strong positive correlation between the expression of CPSF4 and hTERT proteins. Moreover, Kaplan‐Meier analysis showed that patients with high levels of CPSF4 and hTERT expression had a significantly shorter overall survival than those with low CPSF4 and hTERT expression levels. Collectively, these results demonstrate that CPSF4 plays a critical role in the regulation of hTERT expression and lung tumorigenesis and may be a new prognosis factor in lung adenocarcinomas.
Evaluation, Treatment, and Outcomes of Suprascapular Neuropathy: A 5‐Year Review
Authors: Hill Larisa J.N. , Jelsing Elena J. , Terry Marisa J. , Strommen Jeffrey A.
Published: February 2014

Objective

To report our diagnostic and treatment experiences, and patient outcomes, in patients with suprascapular neuropathy (SSN).

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

A tertiary medical center.

Patients

65 patients with electromyographically (EMG)‐confirmed SSN.

Methods

A 5‐year retrospective chart review of patients with EMG‐confirmed SSN.

Main Outcome Measures

Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographics, risk factors, causes, EMG findings, diagnostic evaluation, treatments, and self‐reported outcomes. Exact Mantel‐Haenszel χ2 tests and Fisher exact tests were used to assess correlation between these measures.

Results

The 3 most common causes of SSN were trauma (32 patients), an inflammatory process (ie, brachial neuritis) (14), and the presence of a cyst (13). Remaining cases were related to a rotator cuff tear or were due to overuse. No cases were attributed to notch abnormalities. At the time of follow‐up (a mean of 50 months [range, 15‐84 months] after EMG), 50% of subjects returned to activity with no restrictions (excellent outcome) and 40% returned to activity with restrictions (good outcome), regardless of cause and treatment. EMG findings, specifically the presence/absence of fibrillation potentials, did not predict recovery.

Conclusions

SSN should be considered in patients with shoulder pain and weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound help to exclude a structural process. Identifying a structural cause, specifically a cyst or rotator cuff tear, is important because it appears that these patients have improved recovery with return to normal activities when treated surgically. Although EMG data did not have prognostic value in this study, the data were limited and further study is warranted. Regardless of cause or treatment, most patients with SSN returned to activities in some capacity.