bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of Diverse Asymmetric α,ω‐Dienes Via the Passerini Three‐Component Reaction for Head‐to‐Tail ADMET Polymerization
Authors: Sehlinger Ansgar , de Espinosa Lucas Montero , Meier Michael A. R.
Published: October 2013

The Passerini three‐component reaction is applied to synthesize, in a one‐step procedure, diverse asymmetric α,ω‐dienes containing an acrylate and a terminal olefin. Such monomers are well known to undergo head‐to‐tail acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization due to the high cross‐metathesis selectivity between acrylates and terminal olefins. Additionally, amphiphilic block copolymers are synthesized using a monofunctional PEG480 monoacrylate, which acts as a selective chain‐transfer agent during the polymerization process. Thus, control over the molecular weight of the amphiphilic ADMET polymers is shown by using different ratios of mono­mer and chain‐transfer agent. All the polymers are thoroughly characterized, and their ability to form nanoparticles in aqueous solution is studied.

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Radiofrequency pulse design in parallel transmission under strict temperature constraints
Authors: Boulant Nicolas , Massire Aurélien , Amadon Alexis , Vignaud Alexandre
Published: October 2013

Purpose

To gain radiofrequency (RF) pulse performance by directly addressing the temperature constraints, as opposed to the specific absorption rate (SAR) constraints, in parallel transmission at ultra‐high field.

Methods

The magnitude least‐squares RF pulse design problem under hard SAR constraints was solved repeatedly by using the virtual observation points and an active‐set algorithm. The SAR constraints were updated at each iteration based on the result of a thermal simulation. The numerical study was performed for an SAR‐demanding and simplified time of flight sequence using B1 and ΔB0 maps obtained in vivo on a human brain at 7T.

Results

The proposed adjustment of the SAR constraints combined with an active‐set algorithm provided higher flexibility in RF pulse design within a reasonable time. The modifications of those constraints acted directly upon the thermal response as desired.

Conclusion

Although further confidence in the thermal models is needed, this study shows that RF pulse design under strict temperature constraints is within reach, allowing better RF pulse performance and faster acquisitions at ultra‐high fields at the cost of higher sequence complexity. Magn Reson Med 72:679–688, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Shape optimization in the Navier‐Stokes flow with thermal effects
Authors: Yan Wenjing , Gao Zhiming
Published: October 2013

In this article, we consider the shape optimization problem of a body immersed in the incompressible fluid governed by Navier‐Stokes equations coupling with a thermal model. Based on the continuous adjoint method, we formulate and analyze the shape optimization problem. Then we derive the structure of shape gradient for the cost functional by using the differentiability of a minimax formulation involving a Lagrange functional with the function space parametrization technique. Moreover, we present a gradient‐type algorithm to the shape optimization problem. Finally, numerical examples demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 30: 1700–1715, 2014
Electrically conductive multi‐walled carbon nanotube‐reinforced amorphous polyamide nanocomposites
Authors: Aranburu N. , Eguiazábal J.I.
Published: October 2013

Nanocomposites (NCs) based on an amorphous polyamide (aPA) and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were obtained by melt‐mixing. As individual nanotubes were mostly observed, dispersion of the carbon nanotubes was deemed good. The electrical percolation threshold (pc) occurred at 2.97 wt% MWCNTs and as a result, electrical conductivity improved by nine orders of magnitude upon addition of 6 wt% MWCNTs. The 6 wt% MWCNTs also led to an increase in both thermal stability (measured by the degradation temperature) and Young's modulus (19%) for the NCs, and ductility remained the same. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:587–595, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
EVOH nanocomposite films with enhanced barrier properties under high humidity conditions
Authors: Kim Dowan , Kwon Hyok , Seo Jongchul
Published: October 2013

To improve the oxygen and water vapor barrier properties of ethylene vinyl alcohol, EVOH/EFG nanocomposite films under high humidity conditions, we successfully prepared highly exfoliated graphite (EFG) containing a monolayer or a few layers of graphene via rapid heating treatment and ultrasonication as confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), elemental analysis (EA), and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis. Six different EVOH/EFG nanocomposite films containing as‐prepared EFG were prepared via a solvent blend method and their physical and barrier properties at different relative humidities were investigated as a function of EFG content. Depending on the EFG content, oxygen transmission rate (OTR) decreased from 3.7 to 0.1 cc/m2/day at dry condition, and the difference in OTR between dry condition and humid condition decreased from 6.5 to 2.3 cc/m2/day. Barrier properties of the EVOH/EFG nanocomposite films were strongly dependent on their chemical structure and morphology. Crystallinity, tortuous path length, and hydrophobicity of EVOH/EFG nanocomposite films were enhanced by the addition of EFG. However, the thermal stability and glass transition temperature of the nanocomposite films were not improved by incorporation of EFG due to the weak interaction between EVOH and EFG. To maximize the performance of EVOH/EFG nanocomposite films, the compatibility of the polymer matrix and fillers needs to be improved. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:644–654, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
A New Option for Glycemic Control: Insulin Degludec, a New‐Generation Basal Insulin with an Ultralong Duration of Action
Authors: Drab Scott R. , Philis‐Tsimikas Athena
Published: October 2013

Basal insulin represents an essential tool in the treatment of diabetes mellitus; it can be prescribed with oral antidiabetic agents for the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) or used as part of a basal‐bolus regimen in type 1 diabetes (T1D) and more advanced T2D. The basal insulin products currently on the market, although improved, do not optimally mimic endogenous insulin secretion. It is therefore important to investigate how the action of a basal insulin can be improved to match the physiologic profile more precisely and consequently to examine the desired properties of an ideal new‐generation basal insulin. Some of these characteristics would include stable pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profiles, true 24‐hour duration of action in all patients, low within‐person variability in absorption and glucose‐lowering action, more flexible dose timing, and low occurrence of hypoglycemia. A new‐generation basal insulin, insulin degludec, currently approved in Japan, Mexico, and Europe, was designed to provide a more stable pharmacotherapeutic option with a lower risk of hypoglycemia than the currently available basal insulins while retaining an efficacious profile. The characteristics of an ideal basal insulin are reviewed, and the pharmacology and clinical attributes of insulin degludec are discussed.
Comparative proteomics of dehydration response in the rice nucleus: New insights into the molecular basis of genotype‐specific adaptation
Authors: Jaiswal Dinesh Kumar , Ray Doel , Choudhary Mani Kant , Subba Pratigya , Kumar Amit , Verma Jitendra , Kumar Rajiv , Datta Asis , Chakraborty Subhra , Chakraborty Niranjan
Published: October 2013

Dehydration is the most crucial environmental factor that considerably reduces the crop harvest index, and thus has become a concern for global agriculture. To better understand the role of nuclear proteins in water‐deficit condition, a nuclear proteome was developed from a dehydration‐sensitive rice cultivar IR‐64 followed by its comparison with that of a dehydration‐tolerant c.v. Rasi. The 2DE protein profiling of c.v. IR‐64 coupled with MS/MS analysis led to the identification of 93 dehydration‐responsive proteins (DRPs). Among those identified proteins, 78 were predicted to be destined to the nucleus, accounting for more than 80% of the dataset. While the detected number of protein spots in c.v. IR‐64 was higher when compared with that of Rasi, the number of DRPs was found to be less. Fifty‐seven percent of the DRPs were found to be common to both sensitive and tolerant cultivars, indicating significant differences between the two nuclear proteomes. Further, we constructed a functional association network of the DRPs of c.v. IR‐64, which suggests that a significant number of the proteins are capable of interacting with each other. The combination of nuclear proteome and interactome analyses would elucidate stress‐responsive signaling and the molecular basis of dehydration tolerance in plants.
Synthesis of water‐soluble allyl‐functionalized oligochitosan and its modification by thiol–ene addition in water
Authors: Illy Nicolas , Robitzer Mike , Auvergne Rémi , Caillol Sylvain , David Ghislain , Boutevin Bernard
Published: October 2013

A novel, straightforward and versatile chemical pathway has been studied to functionalize water‐soluble chitosan oligomers. This metal‐free methodology is based on the epoxy‐amine reaction of the allyl glycidyl ether with chitosan, followed by thiol‐ene radical coupling reaction of ω‐functional mercaptans, using 4,4′‐Azobis(4‐cyanovaleric acid) as a free radical initiator. Both reactions were entirely carried out in water. In a preliminary step, chitosan depolymerization was carried out using H2O2 in an acetic medium under 100 W microwave irradiation, optimizing the yield of water‐soluble oligomers. Functionalization by six different thiols bearing alcohol, carboxylic acid, ester, and amino groups was then performed, leading to a range of functional oligochitosans with different grafting efficiencies. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014, 52, 39–48
Photovoltaic properties and femtosecond time‐resolved fluorescence study of polyoxometalate‐containing rod–coil diblock copolymers
Authors: Li Yong , Jin Lu , Chakraborty Sanjiban , Li Shaohua , Lu Peifen , Zhu Da‐Ming , Yan Xingzhong , Peng Zhonghua
Published: October 2013

The photovoltaic properties and exciton decay dynamics of three polyoxometalate (POM)‐containing hybrid rod–coil diblock copolymers (HDCPs), PS‐Mo6‐PT1–3, are studied. Single‐component photovoltaic cells of PS‐Mo6‐PT2 and inverted solar cells based on ZnO nanorod arrays/PS‐Mo6‐PT1–3 are fabricated showing power conversion efficiencies only up to 0.055%. To understand the poor photovoltaic performance, femtosecond fluorescence up‐conversion technique is used to study the exciton decay dynamics of all three HDCPs. Drastically different fluorescence dynamics of the three HDCPs are observed in dilute solutions, which is attributed to the different extent and different type of interpolymer association depending on the P3HT rod block length and the cluster loading ratio. While both cation‐mediated POM cluster association and P3HT‐P3HT π‐stacking contribute significantly to PS‐Mo6‐PT2 aggregation, the aggregation of PS‐Mo6‐PT1 and that of PS‐Mo6‐PT3 is driven predominantly by cluster association and π‐stacking, respectively. In conjunction with the high residual polarization anisotropy, it is concluded that charge transfer from P3HT excitons to POM clusters in all three HDCPs is inefficient. An improved system with direct π‐conjugation between the POM clusters and the rod block addressing this issue has been proposed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, 2014, 52, 122–133
Impact of composition and fabrication method on the corrosion behavior of tungsten heavy alloys in aqueous solutions
Authors: Abdel Hamid Z. , Hassan H. B.
Published: October 2013

Tungsten heavy alloys (WHAs) are kind of composite materials; these alloys provide a unique combination of properties such as high density, excellent mechanical properties and good corrosion resistance that making them increasingly attractive in many practical applications. In this work, the corrosion behavior of the investigated tungsten heavy alloys with the composition of (95% W–3.5% Ni–1.5% Fe), (93% W–4.5% Ni–1.0% Fe–1.5% Co) and (90% W–6% Ni–4% Cu) fabricated by either chemical or mechanical technique has been evaluated through potentiodynamic polarization measurements in different aqueous solutions of 0.6 M NaCl, 0.1 M HCl and 0.1 M NaOH. The extent of the corrosion has been illustrated by examining the surfaces of WHAs before and after the corrosion test using SEM. It includes general dissolution, localized attack of the binder phase and tungsten grain loss, where the extent of each of these depends on the fabrication technique and the alloy composition as well as the pH of the medium. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Research highlights

Tungsten heavy alloys are prepared by chemical and mechanical techniques.

They exhibited different corrosion rates in different media.

(93% W–4.5% Ni–1.0% Fe–1.5% Co) alloy shows the lowest corrosion rate.
Shaping partnerships by doing the work
Authors: Korum Kathy
Published: October 2013

Partnership as an ordinary, everyday way of doing business within Saint Paul Parks and Recreation (P&R) has often been limited to working with individuals, groups, or agencies through a contract, generally to provide fee‐based programs or services. This approach does not encourage new ways of thinking about or working with other organizations on a common purpose or service. Other partnership approaches are necessary to bring innovation to this work. These must allow and foster space for joint negotiation, for ways to meet needs and wants of both organizations and their missions, and focus on meeting community needs.
What can local foundations do to support youth service system change efforts?
Authors: Weah Wokie , Pope Marcus
Published: October 2013

Making sound decisions in funding youth‐serving organizations can be greatly enhanced by implementing a comprehensive and inclusive learning process that embraces the perspectives of and input from a variety of stakeholders, including program staff and leadership, various community partners, and, most important, the youth. Youthprise effectively applied this collaborative approach to its grant making in 2012 when it funded Saint Paul Parks and Recreation (P&R) to continue and expand its innovations in youth work and diffuse specific strategies into other recreation centers. For a new grant‐making intermediary, this was an ideal opportunity to test its priorities with an organization that had a demonstrated commitment to working with young people who were severely marginalized by other youth‐serving agencies. Youthprise's relationship with P&R has yielded valuable insight that has informed its work as a grant maker and as an organization focused on systems change.
Accurate Structure and Bonding Description of the Transition Metal‐Disulfur Monoxide Complexes [(PMe3)2M(S2O)] (M = Ni, Pd, Pt): Grimme Dispersion Corrected DFT Study
Authors: Pandey Krishna K. , Patidar Sunil K. , Patidar Pankaj , Vishwakarma Ravi , Bariya Pankaj K.
Published: October 2013

Geometry and bonding energy analysis of M–S2O bonds in the metal‐disulfur monoxide complexes [(PMe3)2M(S2O)] of nickel, palladium, and platinum were investigated at DFT, DFT‐D3, and DFT‐D3(BJ) methods using three different functionals (BP86, PBE, and TPSS). The TPSS/DFT‐D3(BJ) yields better geometry, while the BP86 geometry is least accurate for studied complexes. The geometry of platinum complex optimized at TPSS/DFT‐D3(BJ) level is in excellent agreement with the available experimental values. The M–S bonds are shorter than the M–S(O) bonds. The Mayer bond orders suggest the presence of M–S and M–S(O) single bonds. Both the M–S and M–S(O) bond lengths vary with the density functionals as TPSS‐D3(BJ) < TPSS < PBE < BP86. The Hirshfeld charge distribution indicates that the overall charge flows from metal fragment to [S2O]. The Ni–S2O bond has greater degree of covalent character than the ionic. The contribution of dispersion interactions is large in computing accurate bond dissociation energies between the interacting fragments. The BDEs are largest for the functional TPSS and smallest for the functional BP86. The DFT‐D3 dispersion corrections to the BDEs between the metal fragments [(PMe3)2M] and ligand fragment [(S2O)] for the TPSS functional are in the range 7.1–7.3 kcal·mol–1, which are smaller than the corresponding DFT‐D3(BJ) dispersion corrections (9.4–10.6 kcal·mol–1).
Heterotic warped Eguchi-Hanson spectra with five-branes and line bundles
Authors: Carlevaro Luca , Nibbelink Stefan Groot
Published: October 2013

Abstract

We consider heterotic strings on a warped Eguchi-Hanson space with five-brane and line bundle gauge fluxes. The heterotic string admits an exact CFT description in terms of an asymmetrically gauged
$ \mathrm{SU}(2)\times \mathrm{SL}\left( {2,\mathbb{R}} \right) $
WZW model, in a specific double scaling limit in which the blow-up radius and the string scale are sent to zero simultaneously. This allows us to compute the perturbative 6D spectra for these models in two independent fashions: i) Within the supergravity approximation we employ a representation dependent index; ii) In the double scaling limit we determine all marginal vertex operators of the coset CFT. To achieve agreement between the supergravity and the CFT spectra, we conjecture that the untwisted and the twisted CFT states correspond to the same set of hyper multiplets in supergravity. This is in a similar spirit as a conjectured duality between asymptotically linear dilaton CFTs and little string theory living on NS-five-branes. As the five-brane charge is non-vanishing, heterotic (anti-)five-branes have to be added in order to cancel irreducible gauge anomalies. The local spectra can be combined in such a way that supersymmetry is preserved on the compact resolved
$ {{{{T^4}}} \left/ {{{{\mathbb{Z}}_2}}} \right.} $
orbifold by choosing the local gauge fluxes appropriately.
The Impact of Paternity Leave on Fathers’ Future Earnings
Authors: Rege Mari , Solli Ingeborg F.
Published: October 2013

Using Norwegian registry data, we investigate the effect of paternity leave on fathers’ long-term earnings. If the paternity leave increased long-term father involvement, then we should expect a reduction in fathers’ long-term earnings as they shift time and effort from market to home production. For identification, we use the Norwegian introduction of a paternity-leave quota in 1993, reserving four weeks of the total of 42 weeks of paid parental leave exclusively for the father. The introduction of the paternity-leave quota led to a sharp increase in rates of leave-taking for fathers. We estimate a difference-in-differences model that exploits differences in fathers’ exposure to the paternity-leave quota by the child’s age and year of observation. Our analysis suggests that four weeks of paternity leave during the child’s first year decreases fathers’ future earnings, an effect that persists through our last point of observation, when the child is 5 years old. A battery of robustness tests supports our results.
Time fluctuations in a population model of adaptive dynamics
Authors: Mirrahimi Sepideh , Perthame Benoît , Souganidis Panagiotis E.
Published: October 2013

We study the dynamics of phenotypically structured populations in environments with fluctuations. In particular, using novel arguments from the theories of Hamilton–Jacobi equations with constraints and homogenization, we obtain results about the evolution of populations in environments with time oscillations, the development of concentrations in the form of Dirac masses, the location of the dominant traits and their evolution in time. Such questions have already been studied in time homogeneous environments. More precisely we consider the dynamics of a phenotypically structured population in a changing environment under mutations and competition for a single resource. The mathematical model is a non-local parabolic equation with a periodic in time reaction term. We study the asymptotic behavior of the solutions in the limit of small diffusion and fast reaction. Under concavity assumptions on the reaction term, we prove that the solution converges to a Dirac mass whose evolution in time is driven by a Hamilton–Jacobi equation with constraint and an effective growth/death rate which is derived as a homogenization limit. We also prove that, after long-time, the population concentrates on a trait where the maximum of an effective growth rate is attained. Finally we provide an example showing that the time oscillations may lead to a strict increase of the asymptotic population size.
Chronology and provenance of last-glacial (peoria) loess in western iowa and paleoclimatic implications
Authors: Muhs Daniel R. , Bettis III E. Arthur , Roberts Helen M. , Harlan Stephen S. , Paces James B. , Reynolds Richard L.
Published: October 2013

Geologic archives show that the Earth was dustier during the last glacial period. One model suggests that increased gustiness (stronger, more frequent winds) enhanced dustiness. We tested this at Loveland, Iowa, one of the thickest deposits of last-glacial-age (Peoria) loess in the world. Based on K/Rb and Ba/Rb, loess was derived not only from glaciogenic sources of the Missouri River, but also distal loess from non-glacial sources in Nebraska. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages provide the first detailed chronology of Peoria Loess at Loveland. Deposition began after ~ 27 ka and continued until ~ 17 ka. OSL ages also indicate that mass accumulation rates (MARs) of loess were not constant. MARs were highest and grain size was coarsest during the time of middle Peoria Loess accretion, ~ 23 ka, when ~ 10 m of loess accumulated in no more than ~ 2000 yr and possibly much less. The timing of coarsest grain size and highest MAR, indicating strongest winds, coincides with a summer-insolation minimum at high latitudes in North America and the maximum southward extent of the Laurentide ice sheet. These observations suggest that increased dustiness during the last glacial period was driven largely by enhanced gustiness, forced by a steepened meridional temperature gradient.
Select human milk oligosaccharides directly modulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from 10-d-old pigs
Authors: Comstock Sarah S. , Wang Mei , Hester Shelly N. , Li Min , Donovan Sharon M.
Published: October 2013

Infant formulas lack the complex mixture of oligosaccharides found in human milk. These human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) may be pivotal to the development of the neonatal immune system. Few comprehensive analyses of the effects of HMO on immune cells from neonates have been undertaken. Herein, the direct effects of HMO on immune cells were analysedex vivo. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from 10-d-old sow-reared (SR) or colostrum-deprived formula-fed (FF) pigs were stimulated for 72 h with single HMO, mixtures of single HMO or a complex mixture of HMO isolated from human milk (iHMO). T-cell phenotype, cytokine production and proliferation were measured by flow cytometry, immunoassay and [3H]thymidine incorporation, respectively. Stimulation with HMO had direct effects on PBMC. For instance, cells stimulated with iHMO produced more IL-10 than unstimulated cells, and cells stimulated with fucosylated HMO tended to proliferate less than unstimulated cells. Additionally, co-stimulation with HMO mixtures or single HMO altered PBMC responses to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Compared with PBMC stimulated with PHA alone, cells co-stimulated with iHMO and PHA proliferated more and had fewer detectable CD4+CD8+T cells. Compared with PBMC stimulated by LPS alone, cells co-stimulated with a mixture of sialylated HMO and LPS proliferated more and tended to have fewer detectable CD4+T cells. Differences in the baseline responses of PBMC isolated from the SR or FF pigs were observed. In summary, HMO directly affected PBMC populations and functions. Additionally,ex vivomeasurements of PBMC phenotype, cytokine production and proliferation were influenced by the neonate's diet.
Components of herbage accumulation in elephant grass cvar Napier subjected to strategies of intermittent stocking management
Authors: PEREIRA L. E. T. , PAIVA A. J. , GEREMIA E. V. , DA SILVA S. C.
Published: October 2013

Herbage accumulation is determined by the tissue turnover of individual plants and by the regulation patterns of the number of individuals in a plant population, which function in conjunction to enable swards to adapt to variations in growth and management conditions. Based on the hypothesis that intermittent grazing strategies change the proportion of basal and aerial tillers and, consequently, sward herbage accumulation, the objective of the current experiment was to evaluate the components of herbage accumulation in elephant grass cvar Napier (Pennisetum purpureum Schum. cvar Napier) from January 2011 to April 2012. The treatments corresponded to combinations of two post-grazing (post-grazing heights of 35 and 45 cm) and two pre-grazing conditions (0·95 and maximum canopy light interception during regrowth – LI0·95 and LIMax) and were allocated to experimental units (850 m2 paddocks) according to a 2×2 factorial arrangement in a complete randomized block design with four replications. The following response variables were evaluated: the population density of basal tillers (TPDb) and the population density of aerial tillers (TPDa), the number of aerial tillers per supporting unit (A/B+VC), growth rates of the leaf (LGR) and stem (SGR), leaf senescence rate, net leaf accumulation rate (LAR), and the contributions of basal and aerial tillers to sward growth and senescence. The swards managed with the LI0·95 target had greater TPDb than those managed with the LIMax target, but no difference was recorded between the LI pre-grazing targets for TPDa. The larger A/B+VC ratio recorded for the swards managed with the LIMax target resulted in a higher contribution of aerial tillers to the growth and senescence of swards. This growth strategy resulted in a higher SGR and lower LGR and LAR for the swards managed with the LIMax target relative to those managed with the LI0·95 target. The post-grazing height targets affected only LGR during winter and the second summer and SGR on average for the experiment, with higher values recorded for the swards managed at 35 cm. The LI pre-grazing targets played a central role in defining the compensatory mechanisms responsible for the competitive ability of the plants, which were primarily expressed in the variation of the proportion of basal and aerial tillers in the tiller population and interfered with the components of herbage accumulation and total herbage yield of the swards.
An individualised treatment algorithm for tumour stage 1 glottic squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Aydil U , Akmansu M , Kizil Y , Yazici Ö , Üstün S , Karaloğlu F , Köybaşioğlu A
Published: October 2013

Objective:

To report and discuss the outcome of a treatment algorithm for patients with tumour stage 1 glottic squamous cell carcinoma.

Method:

A retrospective outcome analysis study was performed using data from a tertiary referral centre.

Results:

Sixty-nine patients were treated with radiotherapy and 26 with surgery, in accordance with the treatment algorithm. Five-year overall survival rates were the same for both treatment groups (92 per cent). Five-year disease-specific survival rates were 100 per cent for surgery, 98 per cent for radiotherapy and 99 per cent overall. The overall 5-year laryngeal preservation rate was 89.1 per cent, being 95.7 per cent for surgery patients and 86.7 per cent for radiotherapy patients (p = 0.502). There was no significant association between laryngeal preservation rates and age (p = 0.779), anterior commissure involvement (p = 0.081), tumour stage (1a or 1b) (p = 0.266) or treatment modality (surgery or radiotherapy; p = 0.220). There was no significant difference in local recurrence rates between the two treatment groups (19.3 per cent for radiotherapy vs 10.0 per cent for surgery; p = 0.220). The overall 5-year regional recurrence rate was 1.2 per cent.

Conclusion:

Tumour stage 1 glottic carcinoma can be managed with different treatment modalities, following an individualised treatment algorithm, with results comparable to published outcomes.
Food protein hydrolysates as a source of dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitory peptides for the management of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Power Orla , Nongonierma A. B. , Jakeman P. , FitzGerald R. J.
Published: October 2013

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing and it is estimated that by 2030 approximately 366 million people will be diagnosed with this condition. The use of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors is an emerging strategy for the treatment of T2DM. DPP-IV is a ubiquitous aminodipeptidase that cleaves incretins such as glucagon like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), resulting in a loss in their insulinotropic activity. Synthetic DPP-IV drug inhibitors are being used to increase the half-life of the active GLP-1 and GIP. Dietary intervention is accepted as a key component in the prevention and management of T2DM. Therefore, identification of natural food protein-derived DPP-IV inhibitors is desirable. Peptides with DPP-IV inhibitory activity have been identified in a variety of food proteins. This review aims to provide an overview of food protein hydrolysates as a source of the DPP-IV inhibitory peptides with particular focus on milk proteins. In addition, the proposed modes of inhibition and structure–activity relationship of peptide inhibitors are discussed. Milk proteins and associated peptides also display insulinotropic activity and help regulate blood glucose in healthy and diabetic subjects. Therefore, milk protein derived peptide inhibitors may be a unique multifunctional peptide approach for the management of T2DM.
GENERATING FUNCTIONS AND SHORT RECURSIONS, WITH APPLICATIONS TO THE MOMENTS OF QUADRATIC FORMS IN NONCENTRAL NORMAL VECTORS
Authors: Hillier Grant , Kan Raymond , Wang Xiaolu
Published: October 2013

Recursive relations for objects of statistical interest have long been important for computation, and they remain so even with hugely improved computing power. Such recursions are frequently derived by exploiting relations between generating functions. For example, the top-order zonal polynomials that occur in much distribution theory under normality can be recursively related to other (easily computed) symmetric functions (power-sum and elementary symmetric functions; Ruben, 1962,Annals of Mathematical Statistics33, 542–570; Hillier, Kan, and Wang, 2009,Econometric Theory25, 211–242). Typically, in a recursion of this type thekth object of interest,dk, say, is expressed in terms of all lower orderdj’s. In Hillier et al. (2009) we pointed out that, in the case of top-order zonal polynomials and other invariant polynomials of multiple matrix argument, afixed lengthrecursion can be deduced. We refer to this as a short recursion. The present paper shows that the main results in Hillier et al. (2009) can be generalized and that short recursions can be obtained for a much larger class of objects/generating functions. As applications, we show that short recursions can be obtained for various problems involving quadratic forms in noncentral normal vectors, including moments, product moments, and expectations of ratios of powers of quadratic forms. For this class of problems, we also show that the length of the recursion can be further reduced by an application of a generalization of Horner’s method (cf. Brown, 1986,SIAM Journal on Scientific and Statistical Computing7, 689–695), producing a super-short recursion that is significantly more efficient than even the short recursion.
A survey of qualitative spatial representations
Authors: Chen Juan , Cohn Anthony G. , Liu Dayou , Wang Shengsheng , Ouyang Jihong , Yu Qiangyuan
Published: October 2013

Representation and reasoning with qualitative spatial relations is an important problem in artificial intelligence and has wide applications in the fields of geographic information system, computer vision, autonomous robot navigation, natural language understanding, spatial databases and so on. The reasons for this interest in using qualitative spatial relations include cognitive comprehensibility, efficiency and computational facility. This paper summarizes progress in qualitative spatial representation by describing key calculi representing different types of spatial relationships. The paper concludes with a discussion of current research and glimpse of future work.
Evaluation and resilience of ecotourism in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal
Authors: BARAL NABIN
Published: October 2013

Ecotourism has been promoted to reconcile seemingly conflicting goals of tourism development and nature conservation. Given its importance, how has ecotourism fared in the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) and how resilient was it to the Maoist insurgency in Nepal (1996–2006)? Drawing upon more than 10 months of field research, participant observation, semi-structured surveys and content analysis of 21 annual reports, ecotourism was evaluated by organizing ACA's programmes and activities under the four major emerging themes, namely local capacity building, waste management, education and infrastructure development; the most prominent theme was local capacity building. Annual visitor numbers declined during the insurgency, but ecotourism managed to survive, mainly due to self-organization of local tourism entrepreneurs. Local tourism entrepreneurs facilitated self-organization through capacity building and diversification of livelihoods. In the aftermath of the insurgency, visitor numbers rebounded and ecotourism continued to develop and evolve; ecotourism was thus resilient to the insurgency. Building local capacity, facilitating self-organization and diversifying livelihoods can enhance the resilience of ecotourism, sustaining stability and helping to deal with uncertainty.
Extensional flow of nematic liquid crystal with an applied electric field
Authors: CUMMINGS L. J. , LOW J. , MYERS T. G.
Published: October 2013

Systematic asymptotic methods are used to formulate a model for the extensional flow of a thin sheet of nematic liquid crystal. With no external body forces applied, the model is found to be equivalent to the so-called Trouton model for Newtonian sheets (and fibres), albeit with a modified ‘Trouton ratio’. However, with a symmetry-breaking electric field gradient applied, behaviour deviates from the Newtonian case, and the sheet can undergo finite-time breakup if a suitable destabilizing field is applied. Some simple exact solutions are presented to illustrate the results in certain idealized limits, as well as sample numerical results to the full model equations.
The Course of the Working Alliance during Virtual Reality and Exposure Group Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder
Authors: Ngai Irene , Tully Erin C. , Anderson Page L.
Published: October 2013

Background: Psychoanalytic theory and some empirical research suggest the working alliance follows a “rupture and repair” pattern over the course of therapy, but given its emphasis on collaboration, cognitive behavioral therapy may yield a different trajectory. Aims: The current study compares the trajectory of the working alliance during two types of cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder – virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) and exposure group therapy (EGT), one of which (VRE) has been proposed to show lower levels of working alliance due to the physical barriers posed by the technology (e.g. no eye contact with therapist during exposure). Method: Following randomization, participants (N = 63) diagnosed with social anxiety disorder received eight sessions of manualized EGT or individual VRE and completed a standardized self-report measure of working alliance after each session. Results: Hierarchical linear modeling showed overall high levels of working alliance that changed in rates of growth over time; that is, increases in working alliance scores were steeper at the beginning of therapy and slowed towards the end of therapy. There were no differences in working alliance between the two treatment groups. Conclusion: Results neither support a rupture/repair pattern nor the idea that the working alliance is lower for VRE participants. Findings are consistent with the idea that different therapeutic approaches may yield different working alliance trajectories.
Raman spectroscopic analysis of the calcium oxalate producing extremotolerant lichen Circinaria gyrosa
Authors: Böttger U. , Meessen J. , Martinez-Frias J. , Hübers H.-W. , Rull F. , Sánchez F. J. , de la Torre R. , de Vera J.-P.
Published: October 2013

In the context of astrobiological exposure and simulation experiments in the BIOMEX project, the lichen Circinaria gyrosa was investigated by Raman microspectroscopy. Owing to the symbiotic nature of lichens and their remarkable extremotolerance, C. gyrosa represents a valid model organism in recent and current astrobiological research. Biogenic compounds of C. gyrosa were studied that may serve as biomarkers in Raman assisted remote sensing missions, e.g. ExoMars. The surface as well as different internal layers of C. gyrosa have been characterized and data on the detectability and distribution of β-carotene, chitin and calcium oxalate monohydrate (whewellite) are presented in this study. Raman microspectroscopy was applied on natural samples and thin sections. Although calcium oxalates can also be formed by rare geological processes it may serve as a suitable biomarker for astrobiological investigations. In the model organism C. gyrosa, it forms extracellular crystalline deposits embedded in the intra-medullary space and its function is assumed to balance water uptake and gas exchange during the rare, moist to wet environmental periods that are physiologically favourable. This is a factor that was repeatedly demonstrated to be essential for extremotolerant lichens and other organisms. Depending on the decomposition processes of whewellite under extraterrestrial environmental conditions, it may not only serve as a biomarker of recent life, but also of past and fossilized organisms.
Does the WTO help member states improve governance?
Authors: AARONSON SUSAN ARIEL , ABOUHARB M. RODWAN
Published: October 2013

On 16 December 2011, Russia gained the approval of 153 other member states to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). During its arduous eighteen-year accession, Russian officials reformed a wide range of laws and policies that could affect trade.1Russia made these changes because senior Russian officials believed that improved governance would pay off in greater foreign investment, and that investment in turn would stimulate economic growth.2President Vladimir Putin acknowledged ‘countries compete in the attractiveness of their business climate … quality of state institutions and effectiveness of the court and legal system’. Ivan Tchakarov, chief economist at the Russian brokerage Renaissance Capital, asserted ‘By becoming a WTO member, Russia will have to import … rules and regulations that will address the very issues that foreign investors usually complain about, like corruption, the protection of minority shareholders, the independence of the judiciary.’3
Making the most out of life: Exploring the contribution of attention restorative theory in developing a non-pharmacological intervention for fatigue
Authors: Kirshbaum Marilynne N. , Donbavand Joanne
Published: October 2013

Objectives:

This study investigates an approach based on Kaplan's Attention Restorative Theory (ART) to develop a non-pharmacological intervention to help individuals manage the distressing effects of illness related fatigue. The study aims to: identify activities perceived as being enjoyable by individuals who have moderate to severe fatigue related to advanced illness; determine the core attributes of potentially beneficially interventions; analyse reported ‘enjoyable’ experiences within the ART framework by mapping emergent themes to attributes of attention restoration; and develop the prototype for a self-management intervention tool.

Methods:

A purposive sample of 25 individuals who experienced moderate to severe fatigue was selected from the local hospice and community. Focused semi-structured interviews probed the questions: What do you enjoying doing? What is it about the activity that you particularly enjoy? Framework analysis was used to manage responses.

Results:

Seventy-five ‘enjoyable experiences’ were identified, including artistic pursuits, voluntary work, socialising and learning. These activities were organised into four conceptual themes: Belonging, Expansive, Nurturing and Purposeful. When mapped against attributes of restorative activities specified in ART, there was some congruence and variation. It was clear that the participants expressed a great need to be safe and in a nurturing environment. Some participants placed a high value in and received great joy from contributing to the community; this was not noted in previous ART literature.

Significance of results:

This study has extended Kaplan's insightful work on restorative behaviours by revealing the value that purposeful, engaging and safe activities hold for people who live with fatigue. ART has inspired the research team to develop a self-management intervention tool to guide health care practitioners in promoting a non-pharmacological approach to manage fatigue through exploring, discovering and promoting experiences which engage, excite, nurture and challenge the person. Further research is needed to integrate this approach into clinical practice.
Axonal protection by Nmnat3 overexpression with involvement of autophagy in optic nerve degeneration
Authors: Kitaoka Y , Munemasa Y , Kojima K , Hirano A , Ueno S , Takagi H
Published: October 2013

Axonal degeneration often leads to the death of neuronal cell bodies. Previous studies demonstrated the crucial role of nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase (Nmnat) 1, 2, and 3 in axonal protection. In this study, Nmnat3 immunoreactivity was observed inside axons in the optic nerve. Overexpression of Nmnat3 exerts axonal protection against tumor necrosis factor-induced and intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation-induced optic nerve degeneration. Immunoblot analysis showed that both p62 and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3)-II were upregulated in the optic nerve after IOP elevation. Nmnat3 transfection decreased p62 and increased LC3-II in the optic nerve both with and without experimental glaucoma. Electron microscopy showed the existence of autophagic vacuoles in optic nerve axons in the glaucoma, glaucoma+Nmnat3 transfection, and glaucoma+rapamycin groups, although preserved myelin and microtubule structures were noted in the glaucoma+Nmnat3 transfection and glaucoma+rapamycin groups. The axonal-protective effect of Nmnat3 was inhibited by 3-methyladenine, whereas rapamycin exerted axonal protection after IOP elevation. We found that p62 was present in the mitochondria and confirmed substantial colocalization of mitochondrial Nmnat3 and p62 in starved retinal ganglion cell (RGC)-5 cells. Nmnat3 transfection decreased p62 and increased autophagic flux in RGC-5 cells. These results suggest that the axonal-protective effect of Nmnat3 may be involved in autophagy machinery, and that modulation of Nmnat3 and autophagy may lead to potential strategies against degenerative optic nerve disease.
Spatial heterogeneity and co-occurrence patterns of human mucosal-associated intestinal microbiota
Authors: Zhang Zhigang , Geng Jiawei , Tang Xiaodan , Fan Hong , Xu Jinchao , Wen Xiujun , Ma Zhanshan (Sam) , Shi Peng
Published: October 2013

Human gut microbiota shows high inter-subject variations, but the actual spatial distribution and co-occurrence patterns of gut mucosa microbiota that occur within a healthy human instestinal tract remain poorly understood. In this study, we illustrated a model of this mucosa bacterial communities’ biogeography, based on the largest data set so far, obtained via 454-pyrosequencing of bacterial 16S rDNAs associated with 77 matched biopsy tissue samples taken from terminal ileum, ileocecal valve, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum of 11 healthy adult subjects. Borrowing from macro-ecology, we used both Taylor’s power law analysis and phylogeny-based beta-diversity metrics to uncover a highly heterogeneous distribution pattern of mucosa microbial inhabitants along the length of the intestinal tract. We then developed a spatial dispersion model with an R-squared value greater than 0.950 to map out the gut mucosa-associated flora’s non-linear spatial distribution pattern for 51.60% of the 188 most abundant gut bacterial species. Furthermore, spatial co-occurring network analysis of mucosa microbial inhabitants together with occupancy (that is habitat generalists, specialists and opportunist) analyses implies that ecological relationships (both oppositional and symbiotic) between mucosa microbial inhabitants may be important contributors to the observed spatial heterogeneity of mucosa microbiota along the human intestine and may even potentially be associated with mutual cooperation within and functional stability of the gut ecosystem.
Horizontal gene transfer converts non-toxigenic Clostridium difficile strains into toxin producers
Authors: Brouwer Michael S.M. , Roberts Adam P. , Hussain Haitham , Williams Rachel J. , Allan Elaine , Mullany Peter
Published: October 2013

Clostridium difficile is a major nosocomial pathogen and the main causative agent of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. The organism produces two potent toxins, A and B, which are its major virulence factors. These are chromosomally encoded on a region termed the pathogenicity locus (PaLoc), which also contains regulatory genes, and is absent in non-toxigenic strains. Here we show that the PaLoc can be transferred from the toxin-producing strain, 630Δerm, to three non-toxigenic strains of different ribotypes. One of the transconjugants is shown by cytotoxicity assay to produce toxin B at a similar level to the donor strain, demonstrating that a toxigenic C. difficile strain is capable of converting a non-toxigenic strain to a toxin producer by horizontal gene transfer. This has implications for the treatment of C. difficile infections, as non-toxigenic strains are being tested as treatments in clinical trials.
Resonant Transparency and Non-Trivial Non-Radiating Excitations in Toroidal Metamaterials
Authors: Fedotov V. A. , Rogacheva A. V. , Savinov V. , Tsai D. P. , Zheludev N. I.
Published: October 2013

Engaging strongly resonant interactions allows dramatic enhancement of functionalities of many electromagnetic devices. However, resonances can be dampened by Joule and radiation losses. While in many cases Joule losses may be minimized by the choice of constituting materials, controlling radiation losses is often a bigger problem. Recent solutions include the use of coupled radiant and sub-radiant modes yielding narrow asymmetric Fano resonances in a wide range of systems, from defect states in photonic crystals and optical waveguides with mesoscopic ring resonators to nanoscale plasmonic and metamaterial systems exhibiting interference effects akin to electromagnetically-induced transparency. Here we demonstrate theoretically and confirm experimentally a new mechanism of resonant electromagnetic transparency, which yields very narrow isolated symmetric Lorentzian transmission lines in toroidal metamaterials. It exploits the long sought non-trivial non-radiating charge-current excitation based on interfering electric and toroidal dipoles that was first proposed by Afanasiev and Stepanovsky in [J. Phys. A Math. Gen. 28, 4565 (1995)].
Fabrication of sericin nanoparticles for controlled gene delivery
Authors: Das Saroj Kumar , Dey Tuli , Kundu S. C.
Published: October 2013

Protein based nanoparticles are functionally efficient for delivery of biomolecules and can be eliminated from the body due to their biodegradable nature.