bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High‐temperature mass spectrometric determinations of relative ionization cross‐sections of gaseous TiO, TiO2, VO, VO2, YO, HfO and GeO molecules
Authors: Lopatin Sergey I. , Shugurov Sergey M. , Emelyanova Ksenia A.
Published: October 2013

RATIONALE

Accurate values of electron ionization cross‐sections of high‐temperature vapor species are of importance in mass spectrometric investigations as well as in a variety of other fields. However, the present experimental techniques are subject to many inherent difficulties or are limited in applicability and so far have yielded relatively few reliable values. Theoretical calculations are not sufficiently accurate. So the need for experimental ionization cross‐section data for these species is very important.

METHODS

Measurements were performed by high‐temperature Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry with a MS‐1301 mass spectrometer. Vaporization was carried out using molybdenum effusion cells containing samples of pure Au, V2O3, Ti3O5, GeO2 and Y2O3‐HfO2 systems.

RESULTS

The VO, VO2, TiO, TiO2, YO, HfO and GeO vapor species were identified over the samples studied. The partial pressures of Au and the oxides were measured by a complete isothermal vaporization method. The relative ionization cross‐sections σAu/σi were determined for the gaseous oxides studied. The results were compared with the literature data.

CONCLUSIONS

The inapplicability of the 'additivity rule' is shown. This finding is in good agreement with a tendency to changing ionization cross‐sections in the Periodic Table row of gaseous M, МО and МО2 species. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Constructing a mass measurement error surface to improve automatic annotations in liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry based metabolomics
Authors: Shahaf Nir , Franceschi Pietro , Arapitsas Panagiotis , Rogachev Ilana , Vrhovsek Urska , Wehrens Ron
Published: October 2013

RATIONALE

Estimation of mass measurement accuracy is an elementary step in the application of mass spectroscopy (MS) data towards metabolite annotations and has been addressed several times in the past. However, the reproducibility of mass measurements over a diverse set of analytes and in variable operating conditions, which are common in high‐throughput metabolomics studies, has, to the best of our knowledge, not been addressed so far.

METHODS

A method to automatically extract mass measurement errors from a large data set of measurements made on a quadrupole time‐of‐flight (QTOF) MS instrument has been developed. The size of the data processed in this study has enabled us to use a statistical data driven approach to build a model which reliably predicts the confidence interval of the absolute mass measurement error based on individual ion peak conditions in a fast, high‐throughput manner.

RESULTS

We show that our model predictions are reproducible in external datasets generated in similar, but not identical conditions, and have demonstrated the advantage of our approach over the common practice of fixed mass measurement error limits.

CONCLUSIONS

Outlined is an approach which can promote a more rational use of MS technology by automatically evaluating the absolute mass measurement error based on the individual peak conditions. The immediate application of our method is integration in high‐throughput peak annotation pipelines for database searches. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry for complex thiophenic mixture analysis
Authors: Hourani Nadim , Andersson Jan T. , Möller Isabelle , Amad Ma'an , Witt Matthias , Sarathy S. Mani
Published: October 2013

RATIONALE

Polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs) are detrimental species for refining processes in petroleum industry. Current mass spectrometric methods that determine their composition are often preceded by derivatization and dopant addition approaches. Different ionization methods have different impact on the molecular assignment of complex PASHs. The analysis of such species under atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) is still considered limited due to uncontrolled ion generation with low‐ and high‐mass PASHs.

METHODS

The ionization behavior of a model mixture of five selected PASH standards was investigated using an APCI source with nitrogen as the reagent gas. A complex thiophenic fraction was separated from a vacuum gas oil (VGO) and injected using the same method. The samples were analyzed using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR MS).

RESULTS

PASH model analytes were successfully ionized and mainly [M + H]+ ions were produced. The same ionization pattern was observed for the real thiophenic sample. It was found that S1 class species were the major sulfur‐containing species found in the VGO sample. These species indicated the presence of alkylated benzothiophenic (BT), dibenzothiophenic (DBT) and benzonaphthothiophenic (BNT) series that were detected by APCI‐FTICR MS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides an established APCI‐FTICR MS method for the analysis of complex PASHs. PASHs were detected without using any derivatization and without fragmentation. The method can be used for the analysis of S‐containing crude oil samples. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of metabolites of GLS4 in humans using ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Zhou Xin , Li Liang , Deng Pan , Chen Xiaoyan , Zhong Dafang
Published: October 2013

RATIONALE

GLS4 is a heteroaryldihydropyrimidine compound that inhibits hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication by drug‐induced depletion of nucleocapsids. It is currently undergoing clinical trials in China to treat HBV infection. The aim of this study was to identify the metabolites of GLS4 in humans.

METHODS

A rapid and sensitive method based on ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry was used to identify GLS4 metabolites in human plasma, urine, and feces after an oral dose of 120 mg GLS4.

RESULTS

A total of 27 metabolites were detected and identified by comparing the accurate molecular masses, retention times and spectral patterns of the analytes with those of the parent drug. Nine metabolites were confirmed by comparison with reference substances. All of the metabolites had a bromine atom and displayed the isotope ion of [M + H]+/[M + H + 2]+ at a ratio of 1:1. Fragmentation of the dihydropyrimidine structure was characterized by the loss of the m‐bromofluorobenzene group to generate an ion at m/z 220.0175. The morpholine ring was characterized by an ion at m/z 100.0757.

CONCLUSIONS

The metabolites of GLS4 in humans were identified by the diagnostic ions of dihydropyrimidine and morpholine rings. GLS4 underwent extensive dealkylation, hydrolysis, dehydrogenation, oxidation, and glucuronidation reactions in humans. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Deiodination of iodinated aromatic compounds with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
Authors: Hvattum Erlend , Priebe Hanno
Published: October 2013

RATIONALE

Dehalogenation of iodinated X‐ray contrast media (ICM) has been reported using electrochemical and bioelectrochemical systems. Correspondingly, dehalogenation of aromatic halogens has also been reported in mass spectrometry (MS) using different ionization techniques like chemical ionization (CI), thermospray, fast‐atom bombardment (FAB) and FAB‐liquid secondary ionization mass spectrometry (LSIMS). The aim of the present work was to study deiodination of iodinated aromatic compounds in MS with electrospray ionization (ESI).

METHODS

The iodinated aromatic compounds were characterized by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) using a quadrupole time‐of‐flight (QTof)‐micro MS instrument and ESI in both positive and negative ion mode. The effect of mobile phase additives like formic acid, acetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, ammonium formate and ammonium acetate on the negative and positive ESI mass spectra of the iodinated aromatic compounds was studied.

RESULTS

Formic acid and ammonium formate induced deiodination of the iodinated aromatic compounds with ESI‐MS. Neither acetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid nor ammonium acetate induced the deiodination reaction. The effect was most pronounced with negative ESI where the HI product of the deiodination reaction easily adhered to the aromatic compounds giving rise to HI adducts in the mass spectra. The deiodination reaction was shown to take place in the ESI capillary, since the extent of the reaction was largely dependent on the capillary voltage. The calculated heat of reaction for deiodination of the iodinated aromatic compounds was significantly exothermic for formic acid. This was not the case for acetic acid and trifluoroacetic acid.

CONCLUSIONS

Care should be taken when using formic acid as a mobile phase additive in LC/MS analyses of iodinated aromatic compounds, since the interpretation of the mass spectra might be influenced by potential dehalogenation reactions taking place in the ESI capillary. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dressing the electron star in a holographic superconductor
Authors: Nitti Francesco , Policastro Giuseppe , Vanel Thomas
Published: October 2013

Abstract

We construct new asymptotically AdS4 solutions dual to 2+1 CFTs at finite density and zero temperature by combining the ingredients of the electron star and the holographic superconductor. The solutions, which we call compact electron stars, contain both a fermionic fluid and charged scalar hair in the bulk. We show that the new solutions are thermodynamically favoured in the region of parameter space where they exist. Along the boundary of this region, we find evidence for a continuous phase transition between the holographic superconductor and the compact star solution.
A Straight Left Heart Border: A New Radiological Sign of a Hemopericardium
Authors: Nicol Andrew John , Navsaria Pradeep Harkison , Beningfield Steve , Kahn Delawir
Published: October 2013

Background

Detection of a cardiac injury in a stable patient after a penetrating chest injury can be difficult. Ultrasound of the pericardial sac may be associated with a false negative result in the presence of a hemothorax. A filling in of the left heart border inferior to the pulmonary artery, called the straight left heart border (SLHB), is a radiological sign on chest X‐ray that we have found to be associated with the finding of a hemopericardium at surgery. The aim of the present study was to determine if this was a reliable and reproducible sign.

Methods

This was a prospective study of patients with a penetrating chest injury admitted between 1 October 2001 and 28 February 2009, who had no indication for immediate surgery, and were taken to the operating room for creation of a subxiphoid pericardial window (SPW). The chest X‐ray was reviewed by a single trauma surgeon prior to surgery.

Results

A total of 162 patients with a possible occult cardiac injury underwent creation of a SPW. Fifty‐five of the 162 patients (34 %) were noted to have a SLHB on chest X‐ray and a hemopericardium confirmed at SPW. The sensitivity of the SLHB sign was 40 %; specificity, 84 %; and positive predictive value, 89 %. (p = 0.005, Odds ratio 3.48, lower 1.41, upper 8.62).

Conclusions

The straight left heart border is a newly described radiological sign that was highly significant in predicting the presence of a hemopericardium and should alert the clinician to a possible occult cardiac injury.
Conjoint Community Resiliency Assessment Measure‐28/10 Items (CCRAM28 and CCRAM10): A Self‐report Tool for Assessing Community Resilience
Authors: Leykin Dmitry , Lahad Mooli , Cohen Odeya , Goldberg Avishay , Aharonson-Daniel Limor
Published: October 2013

Community resilience is used to describe a community's ability to deal with crises or disruptions. The Conjoint Community Resiliency Assessment Measure (CCRAM) was developed in order to attain an integrated, multidimensional instrument for the measurement of community resiliency. The tool was developed using an inductive, exploratory, sequential mixed methods design. The objective of the present study was to portray and evaluate the CCRAM's psychometric features. A large community sample (N = 1,052) were assessed by the CCRAM tool, and the data was subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. A Five factor model (21 items) was obtained, explaining 67.67 % of the variance. This scale was later reduced to 10‐item brief instrument. Both scales showed good internal consistency coefficients (α = .92 and α = .85 respectively), and acceptable fit indices to the data. Seven additional items correspond to information requested by leaders, forming the CCRAM28. The CCRAM has been shown to be an acceptable practical tool for assessing community resilience. Both internal and external validity have been demonstrated, as all factors obtained in the factor analytical process, were tightly linked to previous literature on community resilience. The CCRAM facilitates the estimation of an overall community resiliency score but furthermore, it detects the strength of five important constructs of community function following disaster: Leadership, Collective Efficacy, Preparedness, Place Attachment and Social Trust. Consequently, the CCRAM can serve as an aid for community leaders to assess, monitor, and focus actions to enhance and restore community resilience for crisis situations.
Utility of MRI for Diagnosing Complete Tears of the Collateral Ligaments of the Metacarpophalangeal Joints of the Lesser Digits
Authors: Lutsky Kevin , Levi David , Beredjiklian Pedro
Published: October 2013

Background

MRI has been shown to be highly accurate in assessing collateral ligament injuries of the metacarpophalangeal joint (MPJ) of the thumb. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of MRI for diagnosing collateral ligament tears of the MPJ of the fingers. Our hypothesis is that MRI would accurately detect complete tears of collateral ligaments of the lesser digit MPJs.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated 22 digits in 20 patients undergoing finger MPJ collateral ligament repair. All patients had preoperative MRI scans. The findings on preoperative imaging studies were compared to the intraoperative findings.

Results

All patients had surgically confirmed complete tears of the collateral ligament in question. In 8 of 22 MRI scans (36 %), the preoperative imaging study was inaccurate. Of these eight patients, MRI was interpreted as no tear in one and a partial tear in seven. The sensitivity of MRI for diagnosing a complete tear was 64 %. In all three digits in which 3-T MRI scanning was utilized and documented, the preoperative imaging results did not correlate with the intraoperative findings.

Conclusions

Although MRI can be considered a useful adjunct to evaluating patients with collateral ligament injuries of the fingers, the sensitivity is poor and the imaging results can underestimate the extent of injury. In light of this, the emphasis for determining appropriate course of treatment remains on history and mechanism of injury, physical examination, and patient disability.
Are sexual media exposure, parental restrictions on media use and co‐viewing TV and DVDs with parents and friends associated with teenagers' early sexual behaviour?
Authors: Parkes Alison , Wight Daniel , Hunt Kate , Henderson Marion , Sargent James
Published: October 2013

Sexual content in teenagers' media diets is known to predict early sexual behaviour. Research on sexual content has not allowed for the social context of media use, which may affect selection and processing of content. This study investigated whether sexual media content and/or contextual factors (co‐viewing, parental media restrictions) were associated with early sexual behaviour using 2251 14–15 year‐olds from Scotland, UK. A third (n = 733) reported sexual intercourse. In multivariable analysis the likelihood of intercourse was lower with parental restriction of sexual media and same‐sex peer co‐viewing; but higher with mixed‐sex peer co‐viewing. Parental co‐viewing, other parental restrictions on media and sexual film content exposure were not associated with intercourse. Findings suggest the context of media use may influence early sexual behaviour. Specific parental restrictions on sexual media may offer more protection against early sex than other restrictions or parental co‐viewing. Further research is required to establish causal mechanisms.
An Investigation of Tobacco Retail Outlets as a Cue for Smoking
Authors: Burton Suzan , Spanjaard Daniela , Hoek Janet
Published: September 2013

Evidence suggests that widespread distribution of tobacco and point of sale (POS) displays of tobacco prompt impulse purchases and cue smoking. As a result, health researchers have argued for a reduction in the number of tobacco retail outlets. However, with tobacco products now removed from display in many countries, there has been very little evidence to indicate whether decreasing the number of tobacco retail outlets will result in reduced smoking prevalence. Using a combination of in-depth interviews and near-real-time electronic diary data collected from 31 smokers and attempting quitters, we examined their responses to exposure to tobacco outlets. The findings provide the first evidence that even in the absence of POS displays, the mere sight of tobacco retail outlets can trigger impulse tobacco purchases and increase smoking frequency. The findings support calls to restrict tobacco distribution.
Reducing Householders’ Grocery Carbon Emissions: Carbon Literacy and Carbon Label Preferences
Authors: Sharp Anne , Wheeler Meagan
Published: September 2013

Government and industry are increasingly calling upon households to lower their carbon emissions through improved consumption choices. Grocery products, because of their high volume, are a significant contributor to emissions and have become a focus for behaviour change efforts. Yet the assumption that the consumer knows, cares and can comprehend the information they are given in a carbon label is yet to be empirically established as consumer carbon literacy and perceptions of carbon label designs are not yet well researched.

This paper finds that Australian householders have low pre-existing carbon knowledge and are consequently poor at identifying high carbon emitting grocery products, unaided. This suggests a role for on-pack carbon labels to assist at-shelf choices. However, given the quick and habitual nature of grocery shopping, a significant challenge lies in how best to communicate emissions for consumer cut-through and awareness. Testing of competing carbon labels finds that householders give highest preference ratings to formats that show emissions relative to other products, rather than stand alone, and for ones that use the traditional traffic light colour system. Governments, manufacturers, and marketers can use these findings in their efforts to raise consumers’ carbon literacy and encourage more informed grocery carbon emission choices.
The Sponsor-Event Geographical Match as a Dimension of Event-Sponsor Fit: An Investigation in Europe and North America
Authors: Carrillat François A. , d'Astous Alain , Davoine Victor
Published: September 2013

The study presented in this article investigates a new basis for the fit construct in sponsorship, namely the sponsor-event geographical (SEG) match. In light of the fast growing internationalization of events and of the increased globalization of sponsoring brands, many event-sponsor relationships are bound to lack fit regarding a SEG match (e.g., a brand strongly associated with the European culture sponsoring an event in Australia). First, the conceptual distinction between the known bases of the fit construct and the SEG match is developed. This is followed by an experiment carried out in two different countries. Results indicate that event-sponsor relationships with a strong SEG match yield more favorable responses than non-SEG match relationships. In addition, when the SEG match is strong, event-sponsor fit is critical for sponsorship success due to its intervening role in the attitude formation process. Managerial recommendations and further research avenues are also discussed.
Redes empresariales locales, investigación y desarrollo e innovación en la empresa. Cluster de herramientas de Caldas, Colombia
Authors: Becerra Rodríguez Fredy , Serna Gómez Héctor Mauricio , Naranjo Valencia Julia Clemencia
Published: October 2013

El ambiente económico actual le plantea a las empresas la necesidad de actuar en el contexto de redesempresariales, dada su influencia sobre la competitividad empresarial, particularmente en las pymes, ysu contribución al desarrollo regional. Esto ha suscitado interés en los investigadores por estudiar estasredes y su influencia en el desempe˜no de las empresas. De acuerdo con lo anterior, el presente trabajoevalúa la incidencia que tienen las relaciones entre las empresas e instituciones sobre la innovaciónempresarial en el departamento de Caldas (Colombia). El trabajo es empírico y los datos son tratadoscon modelos econométricos (modelos logit). Los resultados indican que los vínculos entre empresas paraejecutar actividades de I&D y transferencia tecnológica y de conocimientos, en el contexto de redesempresariales, influyen positivamente sobre la I&D y la innovación en la empresa.
La organización empresarial como sistema adaptativo complejo
Authors: Bohórquez Arévalo Luz Esperanza
Published: October 2013

El presente documento busca identificar las características de los sistemas adaptativos complejos (CAS,por su sigla en inglés Complexity Adaptative Systems), así como capturar las implicaciones de su aplica-ción en el estudio de las organizaciones. Para tal fin, se revisan resultados de investigación publicados enrevistas académicas que han facilitado la introducción de las ciencias de la complejidad en la adminis-tración, al igual que se exploran los resultados de investigación de grupos e institutos que trabajan en eltema. A partir de los estudios comparativos de las propuestas observadas se plantea que los CAS puedencomprenderse desde la emergencia, la auto-organización y la evolución. La comprensión de la organiza-ción desde esta perspectiva genera líneas de investigación en liderazgo, estrategia, toma de decisiones yconstrucción de actuación conjunta; todo lo anterior en sistemas complejos.
Mutations of an NAD(P)H‐dependent flavoprotein monooxygenase that influence cofactor promiscuity and enantioselectivity
Authors: Jensen Chantel N. , Ali Sohail T. , Allen Michael J. , Grogan Gideon
Published: September 2013

The flavoprotein monooxygenase (FPMO) from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (SMFMO, Uniprot: B2FLR2) catalyses the asymmetric oxidation of thioethers and is unusual amongst FPMOs in its ability to use the non‐phosphorylated cofactor NADH, as well as NADPH, for the reduction of the FAD coenzyme. In order to explore the basis for cofactor promiscuity, structure‐guided mutation of two residues in the cofactor binding site, Gln193 and His194, in SMFMO were performed in an attempt to imitate the cofactor binding site of the NADPH‐dependent FMO from Methylophaga aminisulfidivorans sp. SK1 (mFMO), in which structurally homologous residues Arg234 and Thr235 bind the NADPH 2′‐ribose phosphate. Mutation of His194 to threonine proved most significant, with a switch in specificity from NADH to NADPH [(k
cat/K
m NADH)/k
cat/K
m NADPH) from 1.5:1 to 1:3.5, mostly as a result of a reduced K
m for NADPH of approximately sevenfold in the His194Thr mutant. The structure of the Gln193Arg/His194Thr mutant revealed no substantial changes in the backbone of the enzyme or orientation of side chains resulting from mutation. Mutation of Phe52, in the vicinity of FAD, and which in mFMO is an asparagine thought to be responsible for flavin hydroperoxide stabilisation, is, in SMFMO, a determinant of enantioselectivity in sulfoxidation. Mutation of Phe52 to valine resulted in a mutant that transformed para‐tolyl methyl sulfide into the (S)‐sulfoxide with 32% e.e., compared to 25% (R)‐ for the wild type. These results shed further light both on the cofactor specificity of FPMOs, and their determinants of enantioselectivity, with a view to informing engineering studies of FPMOs in the future.
Clinical effects of gynecologic laparoscopy courses in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Elbiss Hassan M. , Raheel Hina , George Sami , Abu‐Zidan Fikri M.
Published: October 2013

Objective

To evaluate the impact of gynecologic laparoscopy courses on the participants' laparoscopy practice.

Methods

We conducted 5 repeated laparoscopy courses between 2008 and 2012 at the United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, so as to enhance performance in the operating room. An electronic questionnaire was sent to all participants from each of the courses to evaluate the impact of course attendance on clinical practice.

Results

Of 70 participants who were approached to complete the online questionnaire, 38 (54.3%) responded. The majority were female (94.7%) and specialists (65.8%). Half the participants (50.0%) thought they would probably not have started performing laparoscopy without having attended the course. Of the participants, 18.4% thought that their operating skills had greatly improved, 63.2% felt that their operating skills had improved moderately to a lot, and 6/12 participants who had not been performing laparoscopy before attendance of the course began doing so. Overall, the course had no significant impact on the participants' performance of laparoscopy (P = 0.51, McNemar test), but the proportion of participants who performed level II laparoscopy was significantly increased after course attendance (10.5% versus 47.4%; P = 0.001, McNemar test).

Conclusion

Gynecologic laparoscopy courses encourage gynecologists to use laparoscopy in clinical practice.
Biomarker tests for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: Generating evidence to inform insurance coverage determinations
Authors: Pearson Steven D. , Ollendorf Daniel A. , Colby Jennifer A. ,   ICER Alzheimer's Diagnostics Policy Development Group
Published: October 2013

Outside of their uses in drug development and clinical research trials, the current clinical value of performing any type of formal biomarker testing for the diagnosis or exclusion of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is controversial, and most biomarker tests for AD are not covered by public or private insurers. This situation raises the issue of how insurers determine whether there is “adequate” evidence to justify a positive coverage determination in this area. This article, a focused condensation of a larger white paper, is the product of an initiative led by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review to convene a multiple‐stakeholder AD Diagnostics Policy Development Group composed of patient advocates, clinicians, clinical researchers, manufacturers, and insurers. The larger white paper was the basis for the evidence review presented to the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee meeting on January 30, 2013, as part of its deliberations on positron emission tomography–amyloid imaging. Herein we focus on the description of the core elements of what insurers will be looking for in evidence on all potential diagnostic tests for AD. Corresponding research recommendations are also included, framed to serve as a guide for future AD diagnostics research.
Popcorn in the cinema: Oral interference sabotages advertising effects
Authors: Topolinski Sascha , Lindner Sandy , Freudenberg Anna
Published: September 2013

One important psychological mechanism of advertising is mere exposure inducing positive attitudes towards brands. Recent basic research has shown that the underlying mechanism of mere exposure for words, in turn, is the training of subvocal pronunciation, which can be obstructed by oral motor‐interference. Commercials for foreign brands were shown in cinema sessions while participants either ate popcorn, chewed gum (oral interference) or consumed a single sugar cube (control). Brand choice and brand attitudes were assessed one week later. While control participants more likely spent money (Experiment 1, N = 188) and exhibited higher preference and physiological responses (Experiment 2, N = 96) for advertised than for novel brands, participants who had consumed popcorn or gum during commercials showed no advertising effects. It is concluded that advertising might be futile under ecological situations involving oral interference, such as snacking or talking, which ironically is often the case.
Warmth and conformity: The effects of ambient temperature on product preferences and financial decisions
Authors: Huang Xun (Irene) , Zhang Meng , Hui Michael K. , Wyer Robert S.
Published: September 2013

Comfortable ambient temperatures can influence consumer preferences for conformity. The results of three laboratory experiments suggest that warm (vs. cool) temperatures dispose consumers toward using others' opinions as the basis for product preferences, stock price forecasts, and betting. Warm temperatures increased the participants' perceptions of social closeness to other decision‐makers, thus leading them to consider the opinions of those decision‐makers to have greater validity. This enhanced validity, in turn, rendered them more likely to conform to the crowd. This effect was confirmed in an analysis of betting behavior at the racetrack over a three‐year period. Bets were more likely to converge on the “favorite” (i.e., the majority‐endorsed option) when the temperature at the track was warm.
Timing of the last Deglaciation in the Sierra Nevada of the Mérida Andes, Venezuela
Authors: Carcaillet Julien , Angel Isandra , Carrillo Eduardo , Audemard Franck A. , Beck Christian
Published: September 2013

In the tropical Mérida Andes (northwestern Venezuela), glacial landforms were found at altitudes between 2600 and 5000 m, corresponding to 600 km2of ice cover during the maximum glacial extension. However, the lack of sufficient absolute age data prevents detailed reconstruction of the timing of the last deglaciation. On the northwestern flank of the Mucuñuque Massif, successive moraines and striated eroded basement surfaces were sampled for cosmogenic10Be investigation. Their compilation with published data allows the establishment of a detailed chronology of the post-LGM glacier history. The oldest moraines (18.1 and 16.8 ka) correspond to the Oldest Dryas. Successive moraine ridges indicate stops in the overall retreat between the LGM and the Younger Dryas. The cold and short Older Dryas stadial has been identified. Results indicate that most of the ice withdrew during the Pleistocene. The dataset supports an intensification of the vertical retreat rate from ~ 25 m/ka during the late Pleistocene to ~ 310 m/ka during the Pleistocene/Holocene. Afterwards, the glacier was confined and located in the higher altitude zones. The altitude difference of the Younger Dryas moraines in the Mucubají, La Victoria and Los Zerpa valleys indicates a strong effect of valley orientation on the altitude of moraine development.
Austrittsvorbereitung: Selbstpflegekompetenz fördern bei Patient(inn)en nach minimal-invasiver Hüftendoprothetik
Authors: Schärli Marianne , Hantikainen Virpi , Bischofberger Iren
Published: October 2013

Hüftprothesenimplantationen werden in der Schweiz zunehmend minimal-invasiv durchgeführt. Die Patient(inn)en sind schneller mobil und werden nach rund vier Tagen aus dem Spital direkt nach Hause entlassen. Die Studie mit qualitativ-deskriptivem Design erforscht, wie auf der orthopädischen Abteilung eines Tertiärspitals die Förderung der Selbstpflegekompetenz von Patient(inn)en nach einer minimal-invasiven Hüftendoprothetik erfolgt und welcher Optimierungsbedarf besteht. Für die Datenerhebung wurden drei Fokusgruppeninterviews mit neun Pflegefachpersonen und Expert(innen)interviews mit dem Hauptoperateur und der zuständigen Physiotherapeutin durchgeführt und mit inhaltsanalytischem Vorgehen ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Förderung der Selbstpflegekompetenz der Patient(inn)en zurzeit nicht systematisch erfolgt. Vielmehr stehen Instruieren und Informieren, aber nicht Befähigen im Zentrum. Dies wäre für ein Empowerment-Verständnis jedoch nötig. Der Austritt aus dem Spital erfolgt oft überraschend früh, was die Förderung der Selbstpflegekompetenz beeinträchtigt. Das Fazit ist, dass die minimal-invasive Operationstechnik auch eine Anpassung in der multidisziplinären Rehabilitation erfordert. Dabei sollte die Selbstpflegekompetenz anhand eines partizipativ gestalteten Behandlungspfades gefördert werden. Dies bedingt sowohl patient(inn)enorientierte, teambasierte als auch betriebliche Anpassungen der Rehabilitations- und Entlassungsplanung.
Coordinated transporter activity shapes high-affinity iron acquisition in cyanobacteria
Authors: Kranzler Chana , Lis Hagar , Finkel Omri M , Schmetterer Georg , Shaked Yeala , Keren Nir
Published: October 2013

Iron bioavailability limits biological activity in many aquatic and terrestrial environments. Broad scale genomic meta-analyses indicated that within a single organism, multiple iron transporters may contribute to iron acquisition. Here, we present a functional characterization of a cyanobacterial iron transport pathway that utilizes concerted transporter activities. Cyanobacteria are significant contributors to global primary productivity with high iron demands. Certain cyanobacterial species employ a siderophore-mediated uptake strategy; however, many strains possess neither siderophore biosynthesis nor siderophore transport genes. The unicellular, planktonic, freshwater cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, employs an alternative to siderophore-based uptake-reduction of Fe(III) species before transport through the plasma membrane. In this study, we combine short-term radioactive iron uptake and reduction assays with a range of disruption mutants to generate a working model for iron reduction and uptake in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. We found that the Fe(II) transporter, FeoB, is the major iron transporter in this organism. In addition, we uncovered a link between a respiratory terminal oxidase (Alternate Respiratory Terminal Oxidase) and iron reduction - suggesting a coupling between these two electron transfer reactions. Furthermore, quantitative RNA transcript analysis identified a function for subunits of the Fe(III) transporter, FutABC, in modulating reductive iron uptake. Collectively, our results provide a molecular basis for a tightly coordinated, high-affinity iron transport system.
Purine biosynthesis-deficient Burkholderia mutants are incapable of symbiotic accommodation in the stinkbug
Authors: Kim Jiyeun Kate , Jang Ho Am , Won Yeo Jin , Kikuchi Yoshitomo , Heum Han Sang , Kim Chan-Hee , Nikoh Naruo , Fukatsu Takema , Lee Bok Luel
Published: October 2013

The Riptortus–Burkholderia symbiotic system represents a promising experimental model to study the molecular mechanisms involved in insect–bacterium symbiosis due to the availability of genetically manipulated Burkholderia symbiont. Using transposon mutagenesis screening, we found a symbiosis-deficient mutant that was able to colonize the host insect but failed to induce normal development of host’s symbiotic organ. The disrupted gene was identified as purL involved in purine biosynthesis. In vitro growth impairment of the purL mutant and its growth dependency on adenine and adenosine confirmed the functional disruption of the purine synthesis gene. The purL mutant also showed defects in biofilm formation, and this defect was not rescued by supplementation of purine derivatives. When inoculated to host insects, the purL mutant was initially able to colonize the symbiotic organ but failed to attain a normal infection density. The low level of infection density of the purL mutant attenuated the development of the host’s symbiotic organ at early instar stages and reduced the host’s fitness throughout the nymphal stages. Another symbiont mutant-deficient in a purine biosynthesis gene, purM, showed phenotypes similar to those of the purL mutant both in vitro and in vivo, confirming that the purL phenotypes are due to disrupted purine biosynthesis. These results demonstrate that the purine biosynthesis genes of the Burkholderia symbiont are critical for the successful accommodation of symbiont within the host, thereby facilitating the development of the host’s symbiotic organ and enhancing the host’s fitness values.
Preparation of cobalt(ii) acetylacetonate covalently anchored onto magnetic mesoporous silica nanospheres as a catalyst for liquid-phase oxidation of cyclohexane
Authors: Zhu Xiaohang , Chen Yuanzhe , Zhang FengWei , Niu JianRui , Xie Miao , Ma Jiantai
Published: October 2013

A cobalt-based magnetic nanocatalyst was prepared by linking cobalt acetylacetonate with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica nanospheres.
Rapid adjustment of leaf angle explains how the desert moss, Syntrichia caninervis, copes with multiple resource limitations during rehydration
Authors: Wu Nan , Zhang Yuan-ming , Downing Alison , Aanderud Zachary T. , Tao Ye , Williams Steven
Published: September 2013

Although the desert moss Syntrichia caninervis Mitt. is extremely desiccation tolerant, it still requires water and photosynthates for growth. The ecological significance of the leaf angle in maintaining a balance between water and light availability is critical to its survival. Active leaf repositioning balances water and light availability following rehydration. S. caninervis can adjust leaf angles from a steep (84–69°) to a stable level at 30° within 7 s after rehydration, obtaining maximum net photosynthetic gain at a shoot relative water content of ~60%. Leaf morphological characters, (leaf hair points, surface papillae and costal anatomy) and ultrastructural changes (chloroplast reordering and loss of lipid reserves as shown by changes in osmiophilic globules) were linked to rapid leaf spreading, water gain and sunlight reflectivity of leaves during rehydration. The high 377.20 ± 91.69 (cm2 g–1) surface area to mass ratio was a major factor in facilitating the rapid response to rewetting. Hyaline cells of the leaf base absorbed water, swelled and forced the leaf away from the stem as soon as rehydration commenced. Loss of leaf hair points retards leaf angle adjustment during rehydration.
Landscape ecology: its role as a trans-disciplinary science for rangeland sustainability
Authors: Pearson Diane M.
Published: September 2013

The aim is to review landscape ecology and the contribution it can make to sustainable rangeland management, using Australia as an example. An examination is made of how much traditional ecology, as a discipline, influences landscape ecology in Australia. Also evaluated is whether, under this influence, landscape ecology is emerging as effectively as it could be as a trans-disciplinary science that can contribute significantly to rangeland sustainability. Surveys of landscape ecologists in Australia make it possible to classify Australian landscape ecology as being ‘unidirectional interdisciplinary’ in approach, with ecology being the coordinating discipline. The important contribution that research under this classification provides in terms of understanding structure, process, and change in rangelands is recognised and acknowledged. However, the question is raised as to whether following an ecological construct is constraining the application of landscape ecology more widely to address the complex environmental problems facing Australia’s (and the world’s) rangelands that also require consideration of the social and geographical aspects of landscapes. Recent shifts in the landscape ecological paradigm towards a science for sustainability that links science and practice, with particular focus on landscape design, social and cultural aspects of landscapes, and the value associated with landscape services, make landscape ecology increasingly more useful as a ‘goal-oriented’ approach for addressing rangeland sustainability. This paper suggests that those involved in rangeland management need to consider landscape ecology within its wider context. In doing so, it is argued that they should explore the possibilities it has to offer in dealing with development and management of rangelands, including interrelationships between people and landscapes, and to ensure ecosystem goods and services valued by people are preserved.
Arf-like GTPase Arl8b regulates lytic granule polarization and natural killer cell–mediated cytotoxicity
Authors: Tuli Amit , Thiery Jerome , James Ashley M. , Michelet Xavier , Sharma Mahak , Garg Salil , Sanborn Keri B. , Orange Jordan S. , Lieberman Judy , Brenner Michael B.
Published: October 2013

Natural killer (NK) lymphocytes contain lysosome-related organelles (LROs), known as lytic granules, which upon formation of immune synapse with the target cell, polarize toward the immune synapse to deliver their contents to the target cell membrane. Here, we identify a small GTP-binding protein, ADP-ribosylation factor-like 8b (Arl8b), as a critical factor required for NK cell–mediated cytotoxicity. Our findings indicate that Arl8b drives the polarization of lytic granules and microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) toward the immune synapse between effector NK lymphocytes and target cells. Using a glutathione S-transferase pull-down approach, we identify kinesin family member 5B (KIF5B; the heavy chain of kinesin-1) as an interaction partner of Arl8b from NK cell lysates. Previous studies showed that interaction between kinesin-1 and Arl8b is mediated by SifA and kinesin-interacting protein (SKIP) and the tripartite complex drives the anterograde movement of lysosomes. Silencing of both KIF5B and SKIP in NK cells, similar to Arl8b, led to failure of MTOC-lytic granule polarization to the immune synapse, suggesting that Arl8b and kinesin-1 together control this critical step in NK cell cytotoxicity.
ChlamydomonasODA10 is a conserved axonemal protein that plays a unique role in outer dynein arm assembly
Authors: Dean Anudariya B. , Mitchell David R.
Published: October 2013

Assembly of outer dynein arms (ODAs) requires multiple steps and involves multiple proteins in addition to dynein subunits. The Chlamydomonas ODA10, ODA5, and ODA8 loci genetically interact and are hypothesized to function as an axonemal accessory complex, but only ODA5p was previously characterized. We positionally cloned ODA10 and identified the gene by rescuing an oda10 mutant with a hemagglutinin-tagged cDNA. ODA10 sequence predicts a conserved coiled-coil protein homologous to mouse ccdc151. ODA10p is present in cytoplasm and flagella, remains axonemal after detergent treatment, and is extracted with 0.6 M NaCl. Both outer arm dynein and ODA10p rebound to the axonemes when desalted extracts are mixed with oda10-mutant axonemes. Sucrose gradient separation of these extracts shows that ODA10p sediments near the top of the gradient, not with 23S outer dynein arm proteins. Unexpectedly, dynein and ODA10p fractions are able to bind individually to oda10 axonemes. ODA10p is present on oda8-mutant flagella at wild-type levels. However, ODA10p does not assemble into oda5 flagella and is absent from oda5 cytoplasm, suggesting a necessity of ODA5p for stability of ODA10p in vivo. The results suggest that ODA10p does not function as a part of a traditionally defined docking complex.
MS2PIP: a tool for MS/MS peak intensity prediction
Authors: Degroeve Sven , Martens Lennart
Published: September 2013

Motivation: Tandem mass spectrometry provides the means to match mass spectrometry signal observations with the chemical entities that generated them. The technology produces signal spectra that contain information about the chemical dissociation pattern of a peptide that was forced to fragment using methods like collision-induced dissociation. The ability to predict these MS2 signals and to understand this fragmentation process is important for sensitive high-throughput proteomics research.

Results: We present a new tool called MS2PIP for predicting the intensity of the most important fragment ion signal peaks from a peptide sequence. MS2PIP pre-processes a large dataset with confident peptide-to-spectrum matches to facilitate data-driven model induction using a random forest regression learning algorithm. The intensity predictions of MS2PIP were evaluated on several independent evaluation sets and found to correlate significantly better with the observed fragment-ion intensities as compared with the current state-of-the-art PeptideART tool.

Availability: MS2PIP code is available for both training and predicting at http://compomics.com/.

Contact:  sven.degroeve@UGent.be

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Optimized atomic statistical potentials: assessment of protein interfaces and loops
Authors: Dong Guang Qiang , Fan Hao , Schneidman-Duhovny Dina , Webb Ben , Sali Andrej
Published: September 2013

Motivation: Statistical potentials have been widely used for modeling whole proteins and their parts (e.g. sidechains and loops) as well as interactions between proteins, nucleic acids and small molecules. Here, we formulate the statistical potentials entirely within a statistical framework, avoiding questionable statistical mechanical assumptions and approximations, including a definition of the reference state.

Results: We derive a general Bayesian framework for inferring statistically optimized atomic potentials (SOAP) in which the reference state is replaced with data-driven ‘recovery’ functions. Moreover, we restrain the relative orientation between two covalent bonds instead of a simple distance between two atoms, in an effort to capture orientation-dependent interactions such as hydrogen bonds. To demonstrate this general approach, we computed statistical potentials for protein–protein docking (SOAP-PP) and loop modeling (SOAP-Loop). For docking, a near-native model is within the top 10 scoring models in 40% of the PatchDock benchmark cases, compared with 23 and 27% for the state-of-the-art ZDOCK and FireDock scoring functions, respectively. Similarly, for modeling 12-residue loops in the PLOP benchmark, the average main-chain root mean square deviation of the best scored conformations by SOAP-Loop is 1.5 Å, close to the average root mean square deviation of the best sampled conformations (1.2 Å) and significantly better than that selected by Rosetta (2.1 Å), DFIRE (2.3 Å), DOPE (2.5 Å) and PLOP scoring functions (3.0 Å). Our Bayesian framework may also result in more accurate statistical potentials for additional modeling applications, thus affording better leverage of the experimentally determined protein structures.

Availability and implementation: SOAP-PP and SOAP-Loop are available as part of MODELLER (http://salilab.org/modeller).

Contact:  sali@salilab.org

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.