bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural Impediments, Domestic Politics, and Nuclear Diplomacy in Post‐Kim Il‐sung North Korea
Authors: Woo Jongseok
Published: April 2015

This article uses theoretical insights from neoclassical realism to explain how the end of the Cold War shaped North Korea's domestic political structures and foreign‐policy strategies. It suggests that political leaders are uniquely positioned at the nexus of domestic politics and international politics and employ two different strategies: utilizing international politics for domestic political gain and mobilizing domestic resources to further international ambitions. In the politicking process, political leaders are interested in maximizing both the state security and the regime security; leaders’ concern for regime security outweighs their protection of the national interest when threats to the regime appear more serious. In North Korea, the end of the Cold War forced Kim Jong‐il to adopt military‐first politics, in which the political power and authority of the Korean Worker's Party waned and the Korean People's Army gained the upper hand in the governing process. In foreign policy, Kim Jong‐il and his son Jong‐un pursued nuclear weapons to maximize national security at a lower cost and to secure the legitimacy of their rule through successful nuclear tests and mobilization of international threats.
Korea's Middle‐Power Diplomacy in the 21st Century
Authors: Kim Euikon
Published: April 2015

Most theories of international relations (IR) have been concerned for a long time with national interest, alliance, international conflict and peace, and the world system; and they intend to explain and predict conflict and cooperation between major powers. In the early 1990s, someIRtheorists began to discuss the notion of “middle‐power diplomacy” in connection to middle‐level powers, such asCanada andAustralia, which enjoy substantial influence and respect in international society. Middle‐power theory, however, has not yet been accepted as a mainstreamIRtheory, since its main research topics include “soft” issues instead of hard issues of a global nature involving theUnitedStates or other major players. In the 20th century, the national power of theRepublic ofKorea increased rapidly, and the country is now recognized as a middle power. TheROKshould also play a leading role in developing new international norms and forging international consensus in human security and related areas. Toward this goal,SouthKorea should strengthen its diplomatic capability to resolve conflicts and promote cooperation in the international community. She should fully utilize a wide spectrum of diplomatic channels and tools, including public diplomacy, inter‐state networks,NGOs, and multilateralTrackIIdiplomacy.
White Gold and Troubled Waters in Southern Africa: Hydropolitical Policy's Effect on Peace in Lesotho and South Africa
Authors: Ryan Susannah
Published: April 2015

Over recent decades, scholars have debated the connection between resource scarcity and conflict. Does resource scarcity produce conflict, or does scarcity demand development and international cooperation? Can environmental stress be an occasion for peace, or does international cooperation during an environmental crisis indicate local or intrastate conflicts? Toward responding to these questions, this analysis examines the effects the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) and shows that while the LHWP helped to put a stop to international conflicts between Lesotho and South Africa, the Project's consequences (ecocide, displacement, and unequal distribution of basic resources) have intensified tensions within these states.

Related Articles

Bakenova, Saule. 2008. “.” Politics & Policy 36 (): 676–719. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2008.00125.x/abstract

Moreno‐Jaimes, Carlos. 2011. “.” Politics & Policy 39 (): 1021–1052. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2011.00328.x/abstract

Elliott‐Teague, Ginger. 2011. “.” Politics & Policy 39 (): 835–861. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2011.00318.x/abstract

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. 2013. “.” YouTube Video, May 27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKj7G5QR0To

Greyl, Lucie. 2015. “.” Ejolt/Environmental Justice Atlas. http://ejatlas.org/conflict/lesotho‐highlands‐water‐project‐lesotho

. 2015. “.” http://www.lhda.org

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The influence of formulation on Trichoderma biological activity and frosty pod rot management in Theobroma cacao
Authors: Crozier J. , Arroyo C. , Morales H. , Melnick R. L. , Strem M. D. , Vinyard B. T. , Collins R. , Holmes K. A. , Bailey B. A.
Published: April 2015

Frosty pod rot (FPR), caused by Moniliophthora roreri, is responsible for significant losses in Theobroma cacao. Due to limited options for FPR management, biological control methods using Trichoderma are being studied. Combinations of three formulations and two Trichoderma isolates were studied between May 2009 and April 2011. The formulations were 0·3 mL L−1 of the surfactant BreakThru 100SL (BT), a mixture of 1% w/v Sure‐Jell (source of pectin) and 1% w/v potato dextrose broth (PDB) (PP), and an invert oil emulsion of 50% v/v corn oil/2·5% w/v lecithin/0·5% w/v PDB (COP). Water and fungicide, copper oxychloride, were included as controls. Humidity chamber studies indicated that Trichoderma conidia germinated in all formulations if free water was maintained, while only the COP formulation supported germination under drying conditions. In the field, Trichoderma ovalisporum DIS‐70a and Trichoderma harzianum DIS‐219f were applied monthly in each of the three formulations at a rate of 180 mL per tree, 2·46 × 107 conidia per mL. The COP/DIS‐70a formulation provided the largest yield increase compared to all other treatments, including the fungicide control. Averaged over the 2 years, the COP formulation increased yield to 30·7% healthy pods compared to 9·7% healthy pods in the water control. Although the formulation/isolate combinations did not consistently increase endophytic colonization, the PP/DIS‐219f, COP/DIS‐219f and COP/DIS‐70a combinations increased total endophytic/epiphytic colonization by Trichoderma. The invert corn oil formulation of DIS‐70a significantly enhanced yield of healthy cacao pods over 2 years providing a promising model for optimizing Trichoderma‐based biocontrol strategies.
Partnership Networks for Urban Development: How Structure is Shaped by Risk
Authors: McAllister Ryan R. J. , Taylor Bruce M. , Harman Ben P.
Published: April 2015

In delivering public policy, governments worldwide increasingly partner with diverse sets of stakeholders. This spreads commercial risk, but particularly where agendas diverge, introduces new risks related to trust in relationships. The “risk hypothesis” distinguishes between networks for “cooperation” problems, where partners have high individual payoffs for uncooperative behaviors, and “coordination” problems, where partners subscribe to a common goal and uncooperative behaviors are less rewarding. We used mixed‐methods to study networks of local and state government, developers, and consultants that center on joint‐venture partnerships for developing new urban, residential projects. Statistical network methods showed that within the mix of partners involved in development projects, only state governments displayed structural patterns associated with solving “cooperation” problems (rather than coordination). In other words, the patterns of state government interactions showed they are most exposed to risky relationships. In contrast to the state governments’ apparent exposure to risk, qualitative data showed they are not only well trusted but also overall the partnership networks reported very low levels of conflict. By exploring the distribution of “cooperation” and “coordination,” we identified which stakeholders perceived most risk. In our case, how the state governments’ structure interactions in response to risky relationships leads to an overall network characterized by trust.
Estimating time‐varying RSA to examine psychophysiological linkage of marital dyads
Authors: Gates Kathleen M. , Gatzke‐Kopp Lisa M. , Sandsten Maria , Blandon Alysia Y.
Published: April 2015

One of the primary tenets of polyvagal theory dictates that parasympathetic influence on heart rate, often estimated by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), shifts rapidly in response to changing environmental demands. The current standard analytic approach of aggregating RSA estimates across time to arrive at one value fails to capture this dynamic property within individuals. By utilizing recent methodological developments that enable precise RSA estimates at smaller time intervals, we demonstrate the utility of computing time‐varying RSA for assessing psychophysiological linkage (or synchrony) in husband‐wife dyads using time‐locked data collected in a naturalistic setting.
New Wine in Different Bottles: Negotiating and Selling the CAP post‐2013 Reform
Authors: Alons Gerry , Zwaan Pieter
Published: April 2015

This article investigates the policy discourses at European level and in France, Germany and the UK during the debate on the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) post‐2013 reform. The neoliberal discourse that has provided the intellectual justification for reform during the last decade is now increasingly combined with a ‘public goods’ discourse related to the multifunctionalist discourse of the 1990s. Innovating on earlier discursive analyses of the CAP debate, this article distinguishes between discourses used during the uploading (negotiations) and the downloading (implementation) phases. In doing so it uncovers the effects of domestic‐international interactions on the application of different competing discourses. The member states' domestic legitimating discourses applied to ‘sell’ the eventual CAP agreement tend to align with existing domestic policy paradigms rather than with dominant discourses at the EU level, indicating that discourses are prone to strategic usage.
The Psychiatrization of Poverty: Rethinking the Mental Health–Poverty Nexus
Authors: Mills China
Published: April 2015

The positive association between ‘mental illness’ and poverty is one of the most well established in psychiatric epidemiology. Yet, there is little conclusive evidence about the nature of this relationship. Generally, explanations revolve around the idea of a vicious cycle, where poverty may cause mental ill health, and mental ill health may lead to poverty. Problematically, much of the literature overlooks the historical, social, political, and cultural trajectories of constructions of both poverty and ‘mental illness’. Laudable attempts to explore the social determinants of mental health sometimes take recourse to using and reifying psychiatric diagnostic categories that individualize distress and work to psychiatrically reconfigure ‘symptoms’ of oppression, poverty, and inequality as ‘symptoms’ of ‘mental illness’. This raises the paradoxical issue that the very tools that are used to research the relationship between poverty and mental health may prevent recognition of the complexity of that relationship. Looking at the mental health–poverty nexus through a lens of psychiatrization (intersecting with medicalization, pathologization, and psychologization), this paper recognizes the need for radically different tools to trace the messiness of the multiple relationships between poverty and distress. It also implies radically different interventions into mental health and poverty that recognize the landscapes in which lived realities of poverty are embedded, the political economy of psychiatric diagnostic and prescribing practices, and ultimately to address the systemic causes of poverty and inequality.
Measurement of body temperature in 300 dogs with a novel noncontact infrared thermometer on the cornea in comparison to a standard rectal digital thermometer
Authors: Kreissl Hannah , Neiger Reto
Published: April 2015

Objective

To assess the accuracy of obtaining body temperatures in dogs with a noncontact infrared thermometer (NCIT) on the cornea compared with a rectal digital thermometer (RDT).

Design

Prospective single center study.

Setting

University teaching hospital.

Animals

Three hundred dogs presented with low, normal, or high body temperatures.

Interventions

Three body temperature readings were measured by an RDT and by an NCIT on the cornea of the left eye by 2 investigators (experienced and inexperienced). Results obtained by the 2 methods were compared.

Measurements and Main Results

Median body temperature measured by the experienced investigator with the RDT and the NCIT were 38.3°C (range 35.5°C–41.1°C; 95% CI: 38.2–38.4°C) and 37.7°C (35.9°C–40.1°C; 95% CI: 37.7°C–37.9°C), respectively.

Measurement of RDT as well as of NCIT correlated well between both investigators (rRDT= 0.94; rNCIT= 0.82; respectively,P< 0.001 for both methods). Mean RDT and NCIT‐temperature correlated poorly (r= 0.43;P< 0.001) when taken by the experienced investigator and even less by the nonexperienced investigator (r= 0.38;P< 0.001). Repeatability of the NCIT revealed an unsatisfactory value (0.24°C) compared to RDT measurement (0.12°C). Agreement between both devices in measuring low, normal, and high values, calculated by Cohens–Kappa, was unsatisfactory (к= 0.201;P< 0.001). Calculating the receiver operating characteristic curve to determine the best threshold for fever (defined as RDT temperature >39.0°C) showed an area under the curve of 0.76. Mean discomfort score was significantly lower using NCIT compared to RDT measurement (P< 0.001).

Conclusions

There was poor agreement between body temperatures obtained by RDT and NCIT. The corneal NCIT measurement tends to underrecognize hypothermic and hyperthermic conditions. Although the use of the NCIT yields faster results and is significantly more comfortable for the dog than the RDT measurement, it cannot be recommended in dogs at this time.
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN ULTRASOUND AND CLINICAL FINDINGS IN 87 CATS WITH URETHRAL OBSTRUCTION
Authors: Nevins Jonathan R. , Mai Wilfried , Thomas Emily
Published: April 2015

Urethral obstruction is a life‐threatening form of feline lower urinary tract disease. Ultrasonographic risk factors for reobstruction have not been previously reported. Purposes of this retrospective cross‐sectional study were to describe urinary tract ultrasound findings in cats following acute urethral obstruction and determine whether ultrasound findings were associated with reobstruction. Inclusion criteria were a physical examination and history consistent with urethral obstruction, an abdominal ultrasound including a full evaluation of the urinary system within 24 h of hospitalization, and no cystocentesis prior to ultrasound examination. Medical records for included cats were reviewed and presence of azotemia, hyperkalemia, positive urine culture, and duration of hospitalization were recorded. For medically treated cats with available outcome data, presence of reobstruction was also recorded. Ultrasound images were reviewed and urinary tract characteristics were recorded. A total of 87 cats met inclusion criteria. Common ultrasound findings for the bladder included echogenic urine sediment, bladder wall thickening, pericystic effusion, hyperechoic pericystic fat, and increased urinary echoes; and for the kidneys/ureters included pyelectasia, renomegaly, perirenal effusion, hyperechoic perirenal fat, and ureteral dilation. Six‐month postdischarge outcomes were available for 61 medically treated cats and 21 of these cats had reobstruction. No findings were associated with an increased risk of reobstruction. Ultrasonographic perirenal effusion was associated with severe hyperkalemia (P= 0.009, relative risk 5.75, 95% confidence interval [1.54–21.51]). Findings supported the use of ultrasound as an adjunct for treatment planning in cats presented with urethral obstruction but not as a method for predicting risk of reobstruction.
Piecewise Legendre spectral-collocation method for Volterra integro-differential equations
Authors: Gu Zhendong , Chen Yanping
Published: April 2015

Our main purpose in this paper is to propose the piecewise Legendre spectral-collocation method to solve Volterra integro-differential equations. We provide convergence analysis to show that the numerical errors in our method decay in$h^{m}N^{-m}$-version rate. These results are better than the piecewise polynomial collocation method and the global Legendre spectral-collocation method. The provided numerical examples confirm these theoretical results.
A Modified Closed Form Energy Based Framework for Axial Isothermal-Mechanical Fatigue Life Assessment for Aluminum 6061-T6
Authors: Herman Shen M.-H. , Akanda Sajedur R.
Published: April 2015

In the present investigation, the applicability of a previously developed closed form energy based framework to predict low cycle fatigue (LCF) life of aluminum 6061-T6 was extended from room temperature to elevated temperature. The three different elevated temperatures considered in the present investigation were 75 °C, 100 °C, and 125 °C which were below the creep activation temperature for aluminum 6061-T6. Like the room temperature life assessment framework, the elevated temperature life assessment framework involved computation of the Ramberg–Osgood cyclic parameters from the average plastic strain range and the average plastic energy obtained from an axial isothermal-mechanical fatigue (IMF) test. The temperature dependent cyclic parameters were computed for 25 °C (room temperature), 75 °C, and 100 °C and then extrapolated to 125 °C utilizing functions describing the dependence of the cyclic parameters on temperature. For aluminum 6061-T6, the cyclic parameters were found to decrease with increase of temperature in a quadratic fashion. Furthermore, the present energy based axial IMF framework was found to be able to predict the LCF life of aluminum 6061-T6 at both room and elevated temperatures with excellent accuracy.
Global Responses of Struck Ships in Collision With Emphasis on Hydrodynamic Effects
Authors: Jia Huirong , Moan Torgeir
Published: April 2015

Hydrodynamic effects in ship collisions are usually considered by increased inertia force in the form of the equivalent added mass. It is necessary to reasonably estimate the equivalent added mass to calculate energy absorbed by ships in collisions. In this paper, motion equations in the horizontal plane for the struck rigid ship are first established considering hydrodynamic effects in the form of added mass, linear, and quadratic damping. The equivalent added mass are obtained in three ways and analyzed. It is shown that the equivalent added mass for the sway motion depends on not only the duration of collision impact, impact force, but also the collision position, while the equivalent added mass for the yaw motion could be assumed to be independent of the collision position. In addition, a simple formula is proposed to relate the equivalent added mass for part of the vessel to that of the whole vessel, provided that the underwater area of the transverse section is known. As a consequence, it is possible to estimate rigid hull girder responses based on the simplified methodology, which could be used in design and probabilistic collision analyses. In the end, the hull girder responses are estimated considering both a flexible and rigid vessel. Comparisons are made between rigid and flexible hull girder responses.
Exact Analytical Solution for Unsteady Heat Conduction in Fiber-Reinforced Spherical Composites Under the General Boundary Conditions
Authors: Amiri Delouei A. , Norouzi M.
Published: April 2015

The current study presents an exact analytical solution for unsteady conductive heat transfer in multilayer spherical fiber-reinforced composite laminates. The orthotropic heat conduction equation in spherical coordinate is introduced. The most generalized linear boundary conditions consisting of the conduction, convection, and radiation heat transfer is considered both inside and outside of spherical laminate. The fibers' angle and composite material in each lamina can be changed. Laplace transformation is employed to change the domain of the solutions from time into the frequency. In the frequency domain, the separation of variable method is used and the set of equations related to the coefficients of Fourier–Legendre series is solved. Meromorphic function technique is utilized to determine the complex inverse Laplace transformation. Two functional cases are presented to investigate the capability of current solution for solving the industrial unsteady problems in different arrangements of multilayer spherical laminates.
Three-Dimensional Piston Ring–Cylinder Bore Contact Modeling
Authors: Cheng Chao , Kharazmi Ali , Schock Harold , Wineland Richard , Brombolich Larry
Published: April 2015

Increasing durability, preventing knocking combustion, improving fuel efficiency, and reducing pollutant emission characterize the needs for modern internal combustion engine design. These factors are highly influenced by the power cylinder system design. In particular, the piston ring to cylinder bore contact force distribution around the circumference of the piston rings must be optimized under all running conditions. To accomplish this, the ring manufacturers make the ring curvature nonconstant along the circumference. Most existing analytical tools are not able to simulate the variation along the ring circumference. In order to improve the understanding of this contact distribution and provide a high-fidelity ring design tool, a three-dimensional finite element piston ring model was developed to accomplish this variation. The modeling procedure and results are presented in this work. Experiments using a commercially available ring with negative ovality were conducted to validate the model. The ring free-shape profile and the ring cross section geometries were used as inputs to the model. Typical piston ring groove and cylinder wall temperatures were also model inputs to characterize thermal influences on the ring/bore interface forces. The ring/bore conformability was analyzed as a function of the ring radial displacements, cylinder bore constraint forces and thermal load changes to the ring. The model output showed radially separation gaps between the ring front face and the bore. This analysis provides an insight to evaluate the piston ring design. Together with an optimizer, the model can be used as a ring design tool to predict the ring free shape with a specified constraint force distribution pattern. Examples are given to demonstrate the capabilities of this numerical analytical tool. In addition, the 3D ring model can be used to improve the accuracy of existing lubrication, friction, and wear analysis tools and therefore improve the entire internal combustion engine power cylinder system design.
Recovery of x-ray absorption spectral profile in etched TiO2 thin films
Authors: Sano Keiji , Niibe Masahito , Kawakami Retsuo , Nakano Yoshitaka
Published: April 2015

Near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra of plasma-etched TiO2 thin films were observed using the total fluorescence yield method involving visible emission. The disrupted spectrum recovered its as-grown (nonetched) profile, upon soft x-ray (SX) irradiation. This recovery was investigated by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, spatial distribution measurements, exposing recovered samples to air, and NEXAFS measurements of ultrafine TiO2 particles. The spectral profile recovered upon UV irradiation, and at sample positions outside of the SX irradiation site. The recovered spectral profiles were disrupted again, upon exposure to air. Nonetched ultrafine TiO2 particles also exhibited a disrupted spectral profile, which was recovered upon SX irradiation. The spectral recovery is explained by a model involving electrons trapped in oxygen vacancies generated by etching.
Vitamin D–dependent induction of cathelicidin in human macrophages results in cytotoxicity against high-grade B cell lymphoma
Authors: Bruns Heiko , Büttner Maike , Fabri Mario , Mougiakakos Dimitrios , Bittenbring Jörg T. , Hoffmann Markus H. , Beier Fabian , Pasemann Shirin , Jitschin Regina , Hofmann Andreas D. , Neumann Frank , Daniel Christoph , Maurberger Anna , Kempkes Bettina , Amann Kerstin , Mackensen Andreas , Gerbitz Armin
Published: April 2015

Vitamin D promotes tumoricidal activity of macrophages and improves the efficacy of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.
Spreading depolarization in the brainstem mediates sudden cardiorespiratory arrest in mouse SUDEP models
Authors: Aiba Isamu , Noebels Jeffrey L.
Published: April 2015

Ion channel mutations that cause epilepsy also predispose the immature brainstem to generate a depolarizing, tsunami-like wave that leads to autonomic collapse and death.
Spreading depression: Epilepsy’s wave of death
Authors: Bernard Christophe
Published: April 2015

Seizures trigger a wave of depression in brain stem nuclei, leading to cardiorespiratory collapse and sudden death.
Beauty is only skin deep
Authors: Tsalik Ephraim L.
Published: April 2015

Human skin represents a complex interaction between our cells, our microbes, our environment, and our beauty products.
Glycolytic Dependency of High-Level Nitric Oxide Resistance and Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Vitko Nicholas P. , Spahich Nicole A. , Richardson Anthony R.
Published: April 2015

Staphylococcus aureusis a prolific human pathogen capable of causing severe invasive disease with a myriad of presentations. The ability ofS. aureusto cause infection is strongly linked with its capacity to overcome the effects of innate immunity, whether by directly killing immune cells or expressing factors that diminish the impact of immune effectors. One such scenario is the induction of lactic acid fermentation byS. aureusin response to host nitric oxide (NO·). This fermentative activity allowsS. aureusto balance redox during NO·-induced respiration inhibition. However, little is known about the metabolic substrates and pathways that support this activity. Here, we identify glycolytic hexose catabolism as being essential forS. aureusgrowth in the presence of high levels of NO·. We determine that glycolysis supportsS. aureusNO· resistance by allowing for ATP and precursor metabolite production in a redox-balanced and respiration-independent manner. We further demonstrate that glycolysis is required for NO· resistance during phagocytosis and that increased levels of extracellular glucose limit the effectiveness of phagocytic killing by enhancing NO· resistance. Finally, we demonstrate thatS. aureusglycolysis is essential for virulence in both sepsis and skin/soft tissue models of infection in a time frame consistent with the induction of innate immunity and host NO· production.

IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureusis a leading human bacterial pathogen capable of causing a wide variety of diseases that, as a result of antibiotic resistance, are very difficult to treat. The frequency ofS. aureustissue invasion suggests that this bacterium has evolved to resist innate immunity and grow using the nutrients present in otherwise sterile host tissue. We have identified glycolysis as an essential component ofS. aureusvirulence and attribute its importance to promoting nitric oxide resistance and growth under low oxygen conditions. Our data suggest that diabetics, a patient population characterized by excess serum glucose, may be more susceptible toS. aureusas a result of increased glucose availability. Furthermore, the essential nature ofS. aureusglycolysis indicates that a newly developed glycolysis inhibitor may be a highly effective treatment forS. aureusinfections.
Characterization of H5N1 Influenza Virus Variants with Hemagglutinin Mutations Isolated from Patients
Authors: Watanabe Yohei , Arai Yasuha , Daidoji Tomo , Kawashita Norihito , Ibrahim Madiha S. , El-Gendy Emad El-Din M. , Hiramatsu Hiroaki , Kubota-Koketsu Ritsuko , Takagi Tatsuya , Murata Takeomi , Takahashi Kazuo , Okuno Yoshinobu , Nakaya Takaaki , Suzuki Yasuo , Ikuta Kazuyoshi
Published: April 2015

A change in viral hemagglutinin (HA) receptor binding specificity from α2,3- to α2,6-linked sialic acid is necessary for highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) virus subtype H5N1 to become pandemic. However, details of the human-adaptive change in the H5N1 virus remain unknown. Our database search of H5N1 clade 2.2.1 viruses circulating in Egypt identified multiple HA mutations that had been selected in infected patients. Using reverse genetics, we found that increases in both human receptor specificity and the HA pH threshold for membrane fusion were necessary to facilitate replication of the virus variants in human airway epithelia. Furthermore, variants with enhanced replication in human cells had decreased HA stability, apparently to compensate for the changes in viral receptor specificity and membrane fusion activity. Our findings showed that H5N1 viruses could rapidly adapt to growth in the human airway microenvironment by altering their HA properties in infected patients and provided new insights into the human-adaptive mechanisms of AI viruses.

IMPORTANCE
Circulation between bird and human hosts may allow H5N1 viruses to acquire amino acid changes that increase fitness for human infections. However, human-adaptive changes in H5N1 viruses have not been adequately investigated. In this study, we found that multiple HA mutations were actually selected in H5N1-infected patients and that H5N1 variants with some of these HA mutations had increased human-type receptor specificity and increased HA membrane fusion activity, both of which are advantageous for viral replication in human airway epithelia. Furthermore, HA mutants selected during viral replication in patients were likely to have less HA stability, apparently as a compensatory mechanism. These results begin to clarify the picture of the H5N1 human-adaptive mechanism.
Cholesterol ester transfer protein polymorphism rs5882 is associated with triglyceride-lowering in response to plant sterol consumption
Authors: Mackay Dylan S. , Eck Peter K. , Rideout Todd C. , Baer David J. , Jones Peter J.H.
Published: April 2015

Recent work suggests that plant sterol (PS) consumption may lower triglyceride (TG) concentrations; however, human clinical trial evidence is inconsistent. We associated SNP r5882 in cholesteryl ester transfer protein with changes in TG concentrations following PS consumption (2 g/day for 4 weeks) in a dual-centre, single-blind, randomized, crossover trial. TG concentrations were lowered in homozygotes for the minor G-allele of rs5882 (–0.46 ± 0.13 mmol/L, p = 0.002, n = 10); there was no effect in the A-allele carriers.
Modelling age-dependent movement: an application to red and gag groupers in the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Carruthers Thomas R. , Walter John F. , McAllister Murdoch K. , Bryan Meaghan D.
Published: April 2015

We develop and test spatial population dynamics models that estimate age-dependent offshore movement of fish populations from spatial fishery data. Spatially aggregated population dynamics models produced biased estimates of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) reference points when spatial dynamics were simulated. Spatial population dynamics models provided relatively unbiased estimates of MSY reference points regardless of whether spatial dynamics were simulated. We demonstrate that by using conventional fishery data that are disaggregated spatially, it is possible to estimate movement with age and obtain more accurate estimates of management reference points. The new spatial models were fitted to data for Gulf of Mexico red grouper (Epinephelus morio) and gag grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis) to estimate spatial distribution and offshore movement with age. Offshore ontogeny was estimated to be stronger for gag grouper than red grouper and predicted a larger fraction of older gag grouper in deeper waters.
The influence of hybridization with domesticated conspecifics on alternative reproductive phenotypes in male Atlantic salmon in multiple temperature regimes
Authors: Yates Matthew C. , Debes Paul V. , Fraser Dylan J. , Hutchings Jeffrey A.
Published: April 2015

Alternative reproductive phenotypes represent adaptive life-history responses to local environments. Hybridization with domesticated conspecifics exposed to selection against one of the phenotypes could affect the plasticity and incidence of alternative reproductive phenotypes within wild populations, potentially influencing individual fitness and population viability. We addressed this hypothesis by undertaking a common-garden experiment on Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), a species in which males mature either as large, migratory anadromous individuals or as small, generally nonmigratory parr. Comparing one wild population and two domesticated–wild hybrids (F1, wild backcrosses), we evaluated the incidence of parr maturity at three different temperatures. Parr maturation probability exhibited a significant quadratic relationship with body mass. Early maturation was absent in the coldest temperature treatment. Body-size maturation thresholds were higher in the warmest temperature treatment relative to the intermediate temperature treatment, resulting in a similar incidence of maturation in both treatments despite increased growth in the warmest temperature treatment. Although body-size thresholds for parr maturity did not differ between crosses, F1hybrids and backcrosses exhibited a lower incidence of maturity relative to wild fish (4.8%, 9.3%, and 30.1%, respectively). Changes in the incidence of alternative maturation phenotypes resulting from temperature and domesticated–wild hybridization could have negative fitness consequences for wild populations.
A mixed integer programming model to evaluate integrating strategies in the forest value chain — a case study in the Chilean forest industry
Authors: Troncoso Juan , D’Amours Sophie , Flisberg Patrik , Rönnqvist Mikael , Weintraub Andrés
Published: April 2015

When a company is integrated vertically, it can manage and plan its overall value chain in one direct and integrated approach. However in many cases, companies follow a decoupled approach where forests and production plants optimize separately their processes in a supply-driven strategy. In Chile, the two largest forest companies are vertically integrated (i.e., they own forest and mills that produce logs, lumber, plywood, pulp, paper, and bioenergy, etc.). Historically, they have coordinated their value chains using a make-to-stock strategy, for which the forest is the main driver of the value chain activities. In this paper, we propose an integrated planning approach to show the impacts of a demand-driven integration of the value chain in the forest industry. To compare this strategy with the decoupled strategy, we propose a mixed integer programming (MIP) model for the integrated strategy. To illustrate our proposal, we use forest and production information from a Chilean forest company. The decoupled strategy, where the forest and industry planning are planned separately, uses two models. The first model deals with the forest management and harvesting decisions and maximizes the expected net present value (NPV) of logs. In this model, the planning horizon covers one full forest rotation, which in Chile corresponds to about 25 years. The second model maximizes the NPV of the downstream operations for a shorter business planning horizon (five years) constrained by the availability of the logs from the first model. In the integrated approach, all parts of the value chain (forest, transportation, and mills) are driven by final product demand and where the objective is to maximize the profit of the company (NPV of the entire value chain). The demand is only given for the shorter business planning horizon. The two strategies are evaluated using the MIP model, and NPV is used to determine the best practice. According to the results, the NPV can increase up to 5.0% when the proposed integrated strategy is implemented compared to a decoupled strategy. Moreover, the profit for the business period increases up to 8.5%.
Effect of oceanic straits on gene flow in the recently endangered little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) in maritime Canada: implications for the spread of white-nose syndrome
Authors: McLeod B.A. , Burns L.E. , Frasier T.R. , Broders H.G.
Published: April 2015

White-nose syndrome is rapidly spreading in eastern North America, causing mass mortality of hibernating bats. We characterized levels of genetic diversity and population structure of the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus (Le Conte, 1831)) in eastern Canada to infer the extent to which oceanic straits may be barriers to movement. To quantify metrics of gene flow and infer movement dynamics, we genotyped 679 M. lucifugus at nine nuclear microsatellites (nDNA) and sequenced a portion of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). We found high levels of genetic diversity and little population structure, with ≈13-fold higher differentiation of mtDNA than nDNA markers, suggesting that structuring patterns largely result from female philopatry. Discriminant analysis of principle components suggested that the subtle underlying structure was not concordant with sampling site. Regional differentiation (FST, Dest, Mantel test residuals) is mostly consistent with genetic isolation by distance. However, samples from Newfoundland showed genetic differentiation over and above the effects of distance, lower levels of genetic diversity, and less genetic connectivity with other sampled regions. Despite this, oceanic straits in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence do not appear to create an impenetrable barrier to movement, therefore it may be possible for white-nose syndrome to spread to Newfoundland.
Barley Ant17, encoding flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H), is a promising target locus for attaining anthocyanin/proanthocyanidin-free plants without pleiotropic reduction of grain dormancy
Authors: Himi Eiko , Taketa Shin
Published: April 2015

Preharvest sprouting is a serious problem in grain crop production because it causes quality deterioration and economic losses. It is well known that grain colour is closely associated with grain dormancy in wheat; white-grained lines without accumulating proanthocyanidins in testa tend to be more susceptible to preharvest sprouting than red ones. All available white-grained wheat lines are restricted to triple recessive mutations at the R loci (R-A1, R-B1, and R-D1), but barley is known to have 11 independent loci conferring the proanthocyanidin-free grain phenotype. In this study, we evaluated the dormancy levels of anthocyanin/proanthocyanidin-free ant17 mutants. Three ant17 mutants showed the same levels of dormancy as their respective wild types. Sequencing of three independent ant17 alleles detected a point mutation within the coding regions of flavanone-3-hydroxylase (F3H), which are predicted to cause a premature stop codon at different sites. The F3H locus completely cosegregated with the Ant17 position on the chromosome arm 2HL. Expression of the barley F3H gene was observed in pigmented tissues, but not in nonpigmented roots and stems. This result indicates that wheat F3H may be a promising new target locus for breeding white-grained lines with a practical level of preharvest sprouting resistance.
Unruh temperature with maximal acceleration
Authors: Benedetto Elmo , Feoli Antonio
Published: April 2015

In this paper, we modify the geometry of Rindler space so as to include an upper limit on the acceleration. Caianiello and his collaborators, in a series of papers, have analyzed the corrections to the classical spacetime metrics due to the existence of a maximal acceleration. Our goal is to derive, in this context, in a very simple way, the so-called Unruh temperature.
A first test of the framed standard model against experiment
Authors: Bordes José , Chan Hong-Mo , Tsou Sheung Tsun
Published: April 2015

The framed standard model (FSM) is obtained from the standard model by incorporating, as field variables, the frame vectors (vielbeins) in internal symmetry space. It gives the standard Higgs boson and 3 generations of quarks and leptons as immediate consequences. It gives moreover a fermion mass matrix of the form: m = mTαα†, where α is a vector in generation space independent of the fermion species and rotating with changing scale, which has already been shown to lead, generically, to up–down mixing, neutrino oscillations and mass hierarchy. In this paper, pushing the FSM further, one first derives to 1-loop order the RGE for the rotation of α, and then applies it to fit mass and mixing data as a first test of the model. With 7 real adjustable parameters, 18 measured quantities are fitted, most (12) to within experimental error or to better than 0.5 percent, and the rest (6) not far off. (A summary of this fit can be found in Table 2 of this paper.) Two notable features, both generic to FSM, not just specific to the fit, are: (i) that a theta-angle of order unity in the instanton term in QCD would translate via rotation into a Kobayashi–Maskawa phase in the CKM matrix of about the observed magnitude (J ~ 10-5), (ii) that it would come out correctly that mu < md, despite the fact that mt ≫ mb, mc ≫ ms. Of the 18 quantities fitted, 12 are deemed independent in the usual formulation of the standard model. In fact, the fit gives a total of 17 independent parameters of the standard model, but 5 of these have not been measured by experiment.
Fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion in natural fiber composites
Authors: Tran L. Q. N. , Yuan X. W. , Bhattacharyya D. , Fuentes C. , Van Vuure A. W. , Verpoest I.
Published: April 2015

The interface between natural fibers and thermoplastic matrices is studied, in which fiber-matrix wetting analysis and interfacial adhesion are investigated to obtain a systematic understanding of the interface. In wetting analysis, the surface energies of the fibers and the matrices are estimated using their contact angles in test liquids. Work of adhesion is calculated for each composite system. For the interface tests, transverse three point bending tests (3PBT) on unidirectional (UD) composites are performed to measure interfacial strength. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization on the fibers is also carried out to obtain more information about the surface chemistry of the fibers. UD composites are examined to explore the correlation between the fiber-matrix interface and the final properties of the composites. The results suggest that the higher interfacial adhesion of the treated fiber composites compared to untreated fiber composites can be attributed to higher fiber-matrix physico–chemical interaction corresponding with the work of adhesion.
Wave Diffusion Sensitivity to Angular Positions of Defects in Pipes
Authors: Kharrat M. , Ichchou M. N. , Bareille O. , Zhou W.
Published: April 2015

This paper provides a numerical investigation onto the effect of the angular position of a defect on the wave diffusion in a steel pipe. The wave finite element method (WFEM) is used to calculate reflection and transmission coefficients from defects with different angular positions as a function of frequency. The modeled defects are impinged successively by torsional T(0, 1), longitudinal L(0, 2) and flexural F(1, 2) modes. The wave diffusion in each case is examined leading to several important remarks. Results show that the choice of the incident mode as well as the studied reflected and transmitted modes play a crucial role in the circumferential localization of defects in pipes.
Near-infrared luminescent Sn(IV) complexes of N-confused tetraphenylporphyrin: Effect of axial anion coordination
Authors: Basu Arghya , Kitamura Motoki , Mori Shigeki , Ishida Masatoshi , Xie Yongshu , Furuta Hiroyuki
Published: April 2015

Novel tin(IV) halo complexes of an N-confused tetraphenylporphyrin with different axial ligands have been synthesized and characterized by various spectroscopic methods including X-ray crystallographic analysis. The molecular structures of the dichloro and dibromo derivatives possess perfect octahedral geometries, which are nearly comparable to the corresponding regular porphyrin complexes. In contrast, the iodide/triiodide complex obtained by a same reaction manner, demonstrated that the tin(IV) cation is slightly displaced towards axially coordinated iodide anion, giving rise to the different electronic structure due to the tautomeric form of N-confused porphyrin ligand. These structural differences reflected to the distinct photophysical and electrochemical properties. The Sn(IV) complexes are near IR luminescent, however the unsymmetrical axial coordination of iodide and triiodide anions in the tin(IV) N-confused porphyrin complex allows, in particular, the longer emission lifetimes and a smaller singlet-triplet energy gap, which were investigated by steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopies as well as theoretical calculations.
Mechanistic study of methanol oxidation byRuIV–oxo complexes
Authors: Shiota Yoshihito , Takahashi Shoya , Ohzu Shingo , Ishizuka Tomoya , Kojima Takahiko , Yoshizawa Kazunari
Published: April 2015

The catalytic conversion of methanol to formaldehyde by three kinds of non-porphyrin Ru complexes, RuIVO ( TPA ) (TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) (1a), RuIVO (6- COO - TPA ) (6-COO-TPA = 2-(6-carboxyl-pyridyl)methyl-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) (1b), and RuIVO ( N4Py ) (N4Py = N,N-bis(2-pyridyl-methyl)-N-bis(2-pyridyl)methylamine) (1c), is discussed by using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. There are two possible reaction pathways for the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde with respect to the first hydrogen abstraction from the methyl group (path 1) and the hydroxyl group (path 2). Path 1 and path 2 involve the hydroxymethyl radical (• CH2OH ) and the methoxyl radical ( CH3O •), respectively, as an intermediate. DFT calculations demonstrate that the two pathways are energetically comparable in the reactions by the three RuIV–oxo complexes. The reactions with 1a and 1c are initiated by the C – H bond dissociation with activation barriers of 22.2 and 21.4 kcal/mol, respectively, while the reaction with 1b is initiated by the O – H bond dissociation with an activation barrier of 18.1 kcal/mol. However, the calculations showed that the rate-determining step is the H -atom abstraction from the CH3group of methanol in all the pathways. These results are in good agreement with kinetic analysis of the reactions by the RuIV–oxo complexes, being useful for considering the mechanism of methanol oxidation.
Very fast singlet and triplet energy transfers in a tri-chromophoric porphyrin dyad aided by the truxene platform
Authors: Langlois Adam , Xu Hai-Jun , Karsenti Paul-Ludovic , Gros Claude P. , Harvey Pierre D.
Published: April 2015

A trichromophoric dyad composed of an octa-β-alkyl-palladium(II)porphyrin (donor) and two tri-meso-aryl-zinc(II)porphyrins (acceptors) held by a truxene spacer exhibits very fast rates for triplet energy transfers at 77 (kET(T1) = 1.63 × 108s-1) and 298 K (kET(T1) = 3.44 × 108s-1), whereas the corresponding singlet energy transfer rates, kET(S1) = 3.9 × 1010s-1(77 K) and kET(S1) = 6.0 × 1010s-1(298 K), are also considered fast. The interpretation for these results is that the energy transfer processes proceed via a through bond Dexter mechanism (i.e. double electron exchange) supported by comparison with literature data and evidence for a moderate MO coupling between the donor and acceptor chromophores in the frontier MOs.