bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Those harmed by others' drinking in the US population are more depressed and distressed
Authors: Greenfield Thomas K. , Karriker‐Jaffe Katherine J. , Kerr William C. , Ye Yu , Kaplan Lauren M.
Published: September 2015

Introduction and Aims

Harms from second‐hand smoke were instrumental in enacting tobacco controls. Documenting negative impacts of harms from others' drinking (also called second‐hand effects of drinking) is vital to increase political will for optimal alcohol policies. We assessed associations between harms from others' drinking and depression in a national sample of US adults.

Design and Methods

Using the landline sample from the 2010 National Alcohol Survey (n = 5388), weighted logistic regression models adjusting for alcohol problems in family of origin, respondent drinking pattern (volume and heaviest drinking), poverty and other demographics were used to analyse associations between experiencing harms from others' drinking in the last 12 months with mild to moderate depression (8‐item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale; alpha = 0.92; using cut point ≥8) and current distress.

Results

Past 12 month family/marital harms, financial troubles, assaults, and vandalised property attributed to others' drinking were each associated with higher depression scores (all P < 0.001). In a combined model, all harms other than assaults remained highly significant. Similar patterns were found for current distress, but with some specific differences because of measurement and analytic approaches chosen also evident.

Discussion

Findings suggest recently experiencing particular harms from others' drinking significantly affects mental health (both depression and distress). This confirms in a US population results recently reported in Australasian samples.

Conclusions

Studies that quantify the extent to which heavy drinkers victimise others are important for alcohol policy. [Greenfield TK, Karriker‐Jaffe KJ, Kerr WC, Ye Y, Kaplan LM. Those harmed by others' drinking in the US population are more depressed and distressed. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015;●●:●●–●●]
Economy and Grace: A Defense of Human Capital
Authors: Pedersen Else Marie Wiberg
Published: September 2015

Luther develops his idea of the grace of God in tandem with his idea of economy, and a society characterized by ethical and social values such as love of neighbor and caring for the weak and poor. Hence, the reformer's search for a gracious God is developed along with his criticism of the current indulgence doctrine and the emerging oeconomia moderna. Thus, building on a simul gratia et oeconomia, Luther's reformation theology can be perceived as the intersection of an economy of grace and a horizontal social economy (works of love) in quotidian life that together constitute human capital.
Reversible Regional Myocardial Ischemia in a Six‐Month‐Old Infant Post Arterial Switch Operation Demonstrated by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography
Authors: Skinner Gregory J. , Shebani Suhair O.
Published: September 2015

Mini‐Abstract

We present the case of an infant with coronary artery stenosis following an arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries. He was demonstrated to have reversible regional myocardial ischemia using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), which corresponded to the affected territory seen when he underwent cardiac catheterization with revascularization. This demonstrates the utility of STE in infants with regional myocardial dysfunction.
Disentangling environmental drivers of metabolic flexibility in birds: the importance of temperature extremes versus temperature variability
Authors: Stager Maria , Pollock Henry S. , Benham Phred M. , Sly Nicholas D. , Brawn Jeffrey D. , Cheviron Zachary A.
Published: September 2015

Examining physiological traits across large spatial scales can shed light on the environmental factors driving physiological variation. For endotherms, flexibility in aerobic metabolism is especially important for coping with thermally challenging environments and recent research has shown that aerobic metabolic scope [the difference between maximum thermogenic capacity (Msum) and basal metabolic rate (BMR)] increases with latitude in mammals. One explanation for this pattern is the climatic variability hypothesis, which predicts that flexibility in aerobic metabolism should increase as a function of local temperature variability. An alternative explanation is the cold adaptation hypothesis, which predicts that cold temperature extremes may also be an important driver of variation in metabolic scope. To determine the thermal drivers of aerobic metabolic flexibility in birds, we combined data on metabolic scope from 40 bird species sampled across a range of environments with several indices of local ambient temperature. Using phylogenetically‐informed analyses, we found that minimum winter temperature was the best predictor of variation in avian metabolic scope, outperforming all other thermal variables. Additionally, Msum was a better predictor of latitudinal patterns of metabolic scope than BMR, with species inhabiting colder environments exhibiting increased Msum over their counterparts in warmer environments. Taken together, these results suggest that cold temperature extremes drive latitudinal patterns of metabolic scope via selection for enhanced thermogenic performance in cold environments, supporting the cold adaptation hypothesis. Temperature extremes may therefore be an important selective pressure driving macrophysiological trends of aerobic performance in endotherms.
Prognostic value of serum heavy/light chain ratios in patients with POEMS syndrome
Authors: Wang Chen , Su Wei , Cai Qian‐Qian , Cai Hao , Ji Wei , Di Qian , Duan Ming‐Hui , Cao Xin‐Xin , Zhou Dao‐Bin , Li Jian
Published: September 2015

POEMS syndrome is a rare plasma cell dyscrasia. Serum concentrations of the monoclonal protein in this disorder are typically low, and inapplicable to monitor disease activity in most cases, resulting in limited practical and prognostic values. Novel immunoassays measuring isotype‐specific heavy/light chain (HLC) pairs showed its utility in disease monitoring and outcome prediction in several plasma cell dyscrasias. We report results of HLC measurements in 90 patients with POEMS syndrome. Sixty‐six patients (73%; 95% confidence interval, 63–82%) had an abnormal HLC ratio at baseline. It could stratify the risk of disease relapse and was strongly associated with worse progression‐free survival in a multivariate analysis (P = 0.021; hazard ratio [HR] 6.89, 95% CI 1.34–35.43). After therapy, HLC ratios improved, with 43 patients (48%) remaining abnormal. The post‐therapeutic HLC ratio, if abnormal, also remained as an independent prognostic factor associated with worse progression‐free survival (P = 0.019; HR 4.30, 95% CI 1.27–14.56). These results suggest the prognostic utility of HLC ratios in clinical management of POEMS patients.
Comparison of long‐stem and standard tube‐stock performance 5 years after planting in a rainforest edge on the Central Coast of NSW
Authors: Chalmers Anita , Bakewell Geoff , Taggart Audrey
Published: September 2015

Adoption of the long‐stem planting technique in riparian and nonriparian environments is increasing, despite few scientific studies examining whether the technique improves restoration outcomes. Here, we report on the results of an experiment that compares the performance of long‐stem and standard tube stock planted within a rainforest edge. Our results showed that planting technique had no significant effect on the growth and survival of Cheese Tree (Glochidion ferdinandi) and Scentless Rosewood (Synoum glandulosum) individuals, 5 years postplanting. Our findings suggest that long‐stem planting does not enhance tube‐stock performance of these two species, at least under the relatively benign environmental conditions of this study. We recommend that further tests of the technique should focus on habitats where inputs of physical energy are dominant (e.g. rivers, coastal foredunes) and in locations where (and when) growing conditions are particularly harsh.
An overview of pregnancy‐related issues in patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Pozzilli C. , Pugliatti M.
Published: September 2015

Although pregnancy in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) is not generally considered high risk, there are some associated therapeutic challenges. The pregnancy‐associated reduction in the relapse rate, especially in the third trimester, is followed by a sharp increase in the first few months postpartum. Nevertheless, retrospective evidence for pregnant women with and without MS followed for up to 10 years indicates that pregnancy has no perceptible effect on long‐term disease course or disability progression. Likewise, MS has no apparent effects on the pregnancy course or fetal outcomes. All disease‐modifying therapies (DMTs) have potential adverse effects on fertility and pregnancy outcomes, but the level of risk varies amongst agents. There is some support for continued use of interferon‐β and glatiramer acetate throughout pregnancy to reduce the risk of relapse. Use of DMTs during breastfeeding is best avoided if possible. Close evaluation of drug safety information is imperative when managing women with MS who are pregnant or wish to become pregnant. Decision‐making should be a shared experience between patient and physician, and the approach must be individualized for each patient.
Product Market Threats and the Value of Corporate Cash Holdings
Authors: Chi Jianxin (Daniel) , Su Xunhua
Published: September 2015

We construct a model to show that predatory strategies by a financially strong rival can cause a financially weak firm to underinvest. This threat intensifies when the two firms produce similar products and share similar future investment opportunities. We show that cash holdings become more valuable by providing liquidity to fund investment opportunities as they emerge, thereby mitigating the underinvestment problem. Empirical evidence supports these model predictions. The value of cash is significantly higher for firms facing higher predatory threats. The results are robust to various controls for financial constraints, corporate governance, risk factors, and industry‐level measures of product market competition. An identification strategy that exploits exogenous variation in financial constraints further corroborates the causal effect of predatory threats on the value of cash.
Using river discharge to model and deconstruct the latitudinal diversity gradient for fishes of the Western Hemisphere
Authors: McGarvey Daniel J. , Terra Bianca de Freitas
Published: September 2015

Aim

To model the species–discharge relationship (SDR) for native freshwater fishes of the Western Hemisphere, to test whether the SDR is itself a function of latitude, and to create a conceptual framework to integrate the SDR with the species–area relationship and the latitudinal diversity gradient.

Location

Western Hemisphere rivers between 70°N and 50°S latitude.

Methods

Discharge and fish richness data were compiled for 107 rivers. Ordinary least squares and simultaneous autoregressive models were built for a hemispheric‐scale SDR using one of three discharge (Q) measures: mean annual Q, annual low flow Q or annual high flow Q. Hemispheric‐scale SDR residuals were used to test for distinct low, mid and high latitude groups and to deconstruct the SDR into separate models for each latitudinal group. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was then used to examine the combined effects of Q, river basin area, and latitude on fish richness.

Results

Hemispheric‐scale SDRs were significant (P ≤ 0.001) for each discharge measure. Model residuals showed that the SDR differs among tropical, subtropical and temperate realms. All deconstructed SDRs remained significant (P ≤ 0.001) and minimized the residual effect of latitude. The tropical SDR was significantly steeper (non‐overlapping 95% confidence intervals) than the subtropical and temperate SDRs. For both hemispheric‐scale and deconstructed SDRs, annual low flow Q was the best individual predictor of native fish richness. SEM analysis showed that Q may be an integrative measure of climate and physical habitat effects.

Main conclusions

A single, hemispheric‐scale SDR will underestimate fish richness in low latitude, tropical rivers and overestimate richness in high latitude, temperate rivers. Deconstructing the SDR into separate tropical, subtropical, and temperate models can account for much of this bias. Deconstructed SDRs also show that fish richness increases much more rapidly per‐unit Q in tropical rivers than in subtropical or temperate rivers. Low flow Q is the strongest correlate of fish richness. And a preliminary, system‐level model suggests that Q may play a central, integrative role in the regulation of freshwater diversity.
Computerised cognitive testing of individuals with Down's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Gutman Michael , Moskovic Ethan , Jeret Joseph S.
Published: September 2015

Background

Although Alzheimer's disease neuropathology is present by age 40 years, in Down's syndrome, ante‐mortem diagnosis is difficult. No standard for cognitive assessment is well established or easy to administer.

Method

We used a simple, widely available computerised test (NeuroTrax Moderate to Severe Impairment Assessment Battery, Mindstreams, Newark, NJ) to evaluate 14 patients in this population. Orientation, memory, executive function, verbal function and visual spatial function were evaluated every 6 months for 18 months.

Results

Mean scaled scores in this longitudinal study were evaluated with repeated measures analysis of variance. Memory, executive function, verbal function and visual spatial function scores did not significantly change. There was no significant depression or anxiety on self‐reported measures.

Conclusions

Reproducibility of test results supports the reliability of this battery to quantify function and prospectively follow performance in this population over an 18‐month period.
Innovation in Health Policy Education: Project‐Based Service Learning at a Distance for Graduate Midwifery Students
Authors: Van Hoover Cheri
Published: September 2015

Core competencies for midwifery practice include an understanding of systems of health care delivery and advocacy for legislation and policy initiatives that promote quality in health care. Today's rapidly changing health care environment, due in part to the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, mandates that midwives possess greater literacy in health policy and comfort with political action than ever before. Frequently disinterested in politics and intimidated by the policymaking process, student midwives lack the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed to meet this professional obligation. The Midwifery Institute of Philadelphia University graduate program educates both student nurse‐midwives and student midwives in health policy using an innovative, project‐based service‐learning approach featuring real‐world collaborative experiences. This novel teaching style is ideally suited for instruction at a distance because of the diversity of experience brought to the virtual classroom by students in widely disparate geopolitical locations. As students accomplish measurable objectives within their individually developed projects and reflect with classmates about their experiences, they feel empowered to effect change and report lower perceived barriers to future political engagement.
Endogenous recovery after brain damage: molecular mechanisms that balance neuronal life/death fate
Authors: Tovar‐y‐Romo Luis B. , Penagos‐Puig Andrés , Ramírez‐Jarquín Josué O.
Published: September 2015

Neuronal survival depends on multiple factors that comprise a well‐fueled energy metabolism, trophic input, clearance of toxic substances, appropriate redox environment, integrity of blood–brain barrier, suppression of programmed cell death pathways and cell cycle arrest. Disturbances of brain homeostasis lead to acute or chronic alterations that might ultimately cause neuronal death with consequent impairment of neurological function. Although we understand most of these processes well when they occur independently from one another, we still lack a clear grasp of the concerted cellular and molecular mechanisms activated upon neuronal damage that intervene in protecting damaged neurons from death. In this review, we summarize a handful of endogenously activated mechanisms that balance molecular cues so as to determine whether neurons recover from injury or die. We center our discussion on mechanisms that have been identified to participate in stroke, although we consider different scenarios of chronic neurodegeneration as well. We discuss two central processes that are involved in endogenous repair and that, when not regulated, could lead to tissue damage, namely, trophic support and neuroinflammation. We emphasize the need to construct integrated models of neuronal degeneration and survival that, in the end, converge in neuronal fate after injury.

image

Under neurodegenerative conditions, endogenously activated mechanisms balance out molecular cues that determine whether neurons contend toxicity or die. Many processes involved in endogenous repair may as well lead to tissue damage depending on the strength of stimuli. Signaling mediated by trophic factors and neuroinflammation are examples of these processes as they regulate different mechanisms that mediate neuronal demise including necrosis, apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis and autophagy. In this review, we discuss recent findings on balanced regulation and their involvement in neuronal death.
Differential mRNA expression profiling in ovarian endometriotic tissue with versus without leuprolide acetate treatment
Authors: Kiba Atsushi , Banno Kouji , Yanokura Megumi , Asada Mari , Nakayama Yusuke , Aoki Daisuke , Watanabe Tatsuya
Published: September 2015

Abstract

Aim

Leuprolide acetate, an analog of gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH), regresses endometriotic tissue and reduces pain, resulting in clinical improvement upon treatment. The molecular mechanisms involved in the regression of endometriotic tissue, however, remain to be elucidated. In this study, we performed genome‐wide gene expression profiling of clinical specimens of ovarian endometrioma to obtain insight into the effects of leuprolide acetate treatment.

Methods

We obtained clinical samples from nine normal eutopic endometrium tissues, eight ovarian endometriotic tissues, and 12 leuprolide acetate‐treated endometriotic tissues. We compared the gene expression profiles of the three groups using Affymetrix GeneChip Human genome arrays and bioinformatic analysis, including molecular concept analysis.

Results

Leuprolide acetate‐treated endometriotic tissue showed downregulated genes associated with the biological functions of steroid hormone regulation, cell proliferation, inflammation, and intracellular signaling. These genes included PTGDS, GRP, APLP2, PLTP, and FGFRL1. In contrast, genes upregulated by leuprolide acetate treatment were associated with cell growth inhibition and apoptosis. These genes included CARD11 and USP18.

Conclusions

These preliminary results based on GeneChip analysis suggest that leuprolide acetate treatment induces a modulation of gene expression that allows for cooperative alterations in disease state. This study gives new insight into the effects of leuprolide acetate treatment. Further investigations with quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry are needed to validate this study and to explore new therapeutic targets and biomarkers of endometriosis.
Multilingual Miami: Current Trends in Sociolinguistic Research
Authors: Carter Phillip M. , Lynch Andrew
Published: September 2015

In this paper, we discuss current trends in sociolinguistic work focusing on language in metropolitan Miami, an area we contend is underrepresented in the sociolinguistics literature given the unique contact situation that has arisen there during the past half century. We focus our attention on four main areas of theoretical and empirical concern: (1) Spanish–English bilingualism, (2) issues related to the varieties of Spanish spoken in Miami, (3) issues related to the varieties of English spoken in Miami, and (4) an overview of languages other than English and Spanish spoken in the region, with particular attention to Haitian Creole. We conclude with suggestions for future sociolinguistic work in all of these areas.
Transcription in space – environmental vs. genetic effects on differential immune gene expression
Authors: Lenz Tobias L.
Published: September 2015

Understanding how organisms adapt to their local environment is one of the key goals in molecular ecology. Adaptation can be achieved through qualitative changes in the coding sequence and/or quantitative changes in gene expression, where the optimal dosage of a gene's product in a given environment is being selected for. Differences in gene expression among populations inhabiting distinct environments can be suggestive of locally adapted gene regulation and have thus been studied in different species (Whitehead & Crawford ; Hodgins‐Davis & Townsend ). However, in contrast to a gene's coding sequence, its expression level at a given point in time may depend on various factors, including the current environment. Although critical for understanding the extent of local adaptation, it is usually difficult to disentangle the heritable differences in gene regulation from environmental effects. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Stutz et al. () describe an experiment in which they reciprocally transplanted three‐spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) between independent pairs of small and large lakes. Their experimental design allows them to attribute differences in gene expression among sticklebacks either to lake of origin or destination lake. Interestingly, they find that translocated sticklebacks show a pattern of gene expression more similar to individuals from the destination lake than to individuals from the lake of origin, suggesting that expression of the targeted genes is more strongly regulated by environmental effects than by genetics. The environmental effect by itself is not entirely surprising; however, the relative extent of it is. Especially when put in the context of local adaptation and population differentiation, as done here, these findings cast a new light onto the heritability of differential gene expression and specifically its relative importance during population divergence and ultimately ecological speciation.
Reduced INF2 expression in nephrotic syndrome is possibly related to clinical severity of steroid resistance in children
Authors: Tamura Hiroshi , Nakazato Hitoshi , Kuraoka Shohei , Yoneda Kaori , Takahashi Wataru , Endo Fumio
Published: September 2015

Aim

Mutations of the inverted formin 2 gene (INF2), which encodes a member of the formin family, cause autosomal dominant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth (CMT) disease‐associated FSGS. However, their role in idiopathic FSGS remains unclear. This study investigated INF2 localization in the normal adult kidney and its expression in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

Methods

We generated a rabbit polyclonal antibody against the conjugated peptide from human INF2 and studied the glomerular expression of INF2 and synaptopodin using normal human adult kidney tissues and tissues from children with glomerular diseases such as minimal change disease (MCD), FSGS, IgA nephropathy (IgAN), non‐IgA mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (non‐IgAN), and Henoch–Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN).

Results

The anti‐INF2 antibody detected an approximately 140‐kD fragment isolated from adult mature glomeruli by western blotting. Immunohistochemically, INF2 was detected in podocytes and renal arteries. Among 56 patients, INF2 in glomeruli was expressed at a similar level in patients with MCD, IgAN, non‐IgAN, or HSPN and controls. In FSGS patients, INF2 expression in glomeruli was either decreased or absent. There was a relationship between decreased INF2 expression and the clinical severity of steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS).

Conclusion

We propose that examination of INF2 expression may help to differentiate MCD from FSGS and evaluate the clinical severity of SRNS in children.
Physiological roles of mitochondrial fission in cultured cells and mouse development
Authors: Ishihara Takaya , Kohno Hiroto , Ishihara Naotada
Published: September 2015

Mitochondria, which are double‐membrane organelles thought to have originated through endosymbiosis of bacteria, play important roles in not only energy production, but also cellular signaling, differentiation, and development. The morphology of mitochondria is highly diverse among different tissues, and dynamic changes in mitochondrial morphology have been observed in response to various intracellular signals and stresses. These changes in mitochondrial morphology occur by repeated membrane fusion and fission events, which are regulated by three types of GTPase proteins: OPA1, Mfn1/2, Drp1 in mammalian cells. In recent years, the function and molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial dynamics have been demonstrated in cultured cells; however, the role of mitochondrial fission in maintaining tissue homeostasis remains poorly understood. Here, we review recent advances in research on the physiological role of mitochondrial fission in various differentiated tissue types in mammals.
New insights into the genetic basis of natural chilling and cold shock tolerance in rice by genome‐wide association analysis
Authors: Lv Yan , Guo Zilong , Li Xiaokai , Ye Haiyan , Li Xianghua , Xiong Lizhong
Published: September 2015

In order to understand cold adaptability and explore additional genetic resources for the cold tolerance improvement of rice, we investigated the genetic variation of 529 rice accessions under natural chilling and cold shock stress conditions at the seedling stage using genome‐wide association studies; a total of 132 loci were identified. Among them, 12 loci were common for both chilling and cold shock tolerance, suggesting that rice has a distinct and overlapping genetic response and adaptation to the two stresses. Haplotype analysis of a known gene OsMYB2, which is involved in cold tolerance, revealed indica–japonica differentiation and latitude tendency for the haplotypes of this gene. By checking the subpopulation and geographical distribution of accessions with tolerance or sensitivity under these two stress conditions, we found that the chilling tolerance group, which mainly consisted of japonica accessions, has a wider latitudinal distribution than the chilling sensitivity group. We conclude that the genetic basis of natural chilling stress tolerance in rice is distinct from that of cold shock stress frequently used for low‐temperature treatment in the laboratory and the cold adaptability of rice is associated with the subpopulation and latitudinal distribution.
The Role of Conceptus–maternal Signalling in the Acquisition of Uterine Receptivity to Implantation in Mammals
Authors: de Ruijter‐Villani M , Stout TAE
Published: September 2015

Contents

Implantation is a pivotal step in the establishment of mammalian pregnancy. Although implantation strategies vary between species, many aspects of conceptus–maternal signalling necessary to induce uterine receptivity to implantation are conserved. The temporal ‘window’ for the initiation of implantation is short and precisely controlled by endocrine, paracrine and autocrine factors. An invariable prerequisite for the development of uterine receptivity to implantation is continuous exposure of the endometrium to progesterone which, after a species‐specific interval, downregulates progesterone receptor (PGR) expression in the epithelium and stimulates the production of progestamedins. Uterine receptivity involves temporal changes in the expression of genes, leading to modifications in surface, extracellular matrix and secretory characteristics that support growth, proliferation, migration and attachment of the conceptus. Moreover, a complex interplay between endometrial progestamedins and estramedins and conceptus‐derived oestrogens, cytokines and interferons (INFs), prostaglandins (PGs) and cortisol is crucial to the preparation for implantation. Understanding the individual roles and combined actions of conceptus and endometrial autocrine and paracrine factors in the development of uterine receptivity to implantation is essential for translational research into strategies to reduce pregnancy loss in man and animals.
Lethal Policing: Making Sense of American Exceptionalism
Authors: Hirschfield Paul J.
Published: September 2015

Thanks to the creation of a national database of police killings, the social distribution, causes, and consequences of police violence are finally amenable to analysis. This article focuses on why the rate of police killings in the United States towers over that in other industrialized nations. Elevated police lethality is deeply rooted in two distinctive aspects of American society and culture. Police violence is both a tool and product of strategies to maintain racial segregation and inequality. However, racism cannot explain the fact that police lethality is greatest in states where African Americans are least prevalent. Elevated police killings are also rooted in America's prevailing ideology (and mythology) of self‐reliance and limited government. Neoliberal ideology helped some politicians cut gaping holes in the social safety net, leaving ill‐equipped and fearful police officers to deal with desperate people who lack adequate treatment and support, yet who have easy access to weapons. It also limits the legislative and regulative authority that centralized policy actors exert over policing. Nevertheless, police overreliance on deadly force is increasingly understood as a national problem requiring large‐scale solutions.
Identification of a novel allele: DQB1*06:127 in Hispanic sisters
Authors: Crawford T. L. , Weimer E. T.
Published: September 2015

Newly identified allele, HLA‐DQB1*06:127, differs from DQB1*06:02:01 by the single nucleotide substitution 426C‐A at codon 110 in exon 3.
Sex‐related differences in small intestinal transit and serotonin dynamics in high‐fat‐diet‐induced obesity in mice
Authors: France Marion , Skorich Emmalee , Kadrofske Mark , Swain Greg M. , Galligan James J.
Published: September 2015

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Are the sex differences in the effects of obesity on serotonin signaling mechanisms in the small intestine?

What is the main finding and its importance?

We demonstrate that small intestinal transit is altered in male and female obese mice. We found sex differences in intestinal 5‐HT signalling in the jejunum of male and female obese mice that may underlie the altered intestinal transit. Our results reveal important sex differences in 5‐HT‐linked intestinal dysfunction in obesity.

Obesity alters gastrointestinal (GI) motility and 5‐HT signalling. Altered 5‐HT signalling disrupts control of GI motility. Levels of extracellular 5‐HT depend on enterochromaffin (EC) cell release and serotonin transporter (SERT) uptake. We assessed GI transit and 5‐HT signalling in the jejunum of normal and obese mice. Male and female mice were fed a control diet (CD; 10% of kilocalories as fat) or a high‐fat diet (HFD; 60% of kilocalories as fat). Gastrointestinal transit was increased in male HFD‐fed and female CD‐fed compared with male CD‐fed mice. The 5‐HT3 receptor blocker, alosetron, increased gastric emptying in male CD‐fed mice, but decreased transit in female CD‐fed mice. The 5‐HT‐induced jejunal longitudinal muscle contractions in vitro were similar in all mice. In contrast to male CD‐fed mice, 5‐HT uptake (measured using continuous amperometry in vitro) in male HFD‐fed mice was fluoxetine insensitive, yet sensitive to cocaine and the dopamine transporter (DAT) blocker GBR 12909. Immunoreactivity for DAT was present in the mucosa, and protein levels were greater in male HFD‐fed compared with CD‐fed mice. Extracellular 5‐HT and mucosal 5‐hydroxyindolacetic acid (5‐HT metabolite) were similar in male HFD‐fed compared with CD‐fed mice. 5‐Hydroxytryptamine uptake was fluoxetine sensitive in all females. Greater SERT protein, decreased extracellular 5‐HT and greater mucosal 5‐hydroxyindolacetic acid were observed in female HFD‐fed compared with CD‐fed mice. Mucosal 5‐HT and EC cell numbers were similar in CD‐fed and HFD‐fed mice of both sexes; female 5‐HT and EC cell numbers were increased compared with males. The HFD did not alter plasma sex hormone levels in any mice. Overall, obesity alters GI transit and 5‐HT signalling in a sex‐dependent manner.
Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Global Dynamics of Axially Moving Viscoelastic Beams
Authors: Farokhi Hamed , Ghayesh Mergen H. , Hussain Shahid
Published: September 2015

The three-dimensional nonlinear global dynamics of an axially moving viscoelastic beam is investigated numerically, retaining longitudinal, transverse, and lateral displacements and inertia. The nonlinear continuous model governing the motion of the system is obtained by means of Hamilton's principle. The Galerkin scheme along with suitable eigenfunctions is employed for model reduction. Direct time-integration is conducted upon the reduced-order model yielding the time-varying generalized coordinates. From the time histories of the generalized coordinates, the bifurcation diagrams of Poincaré sections are constructed by varying either the forcing amplitude or the axial speed as the bifurcation parameter. The results for the three-dimensional viscoelastic model are compared to those of a three-dimensional elastic model in order to better understand the effect of the internal energy dissipation mechanism on the dynamical behavior of the system. The results are also presented by means of time histories, phase-plane diagrams, and fast Fourier transforms (FFT).
Determination of System Damping From the Response Amplitude at Resonance
Authors: Torvik Peter J.
Published: September 2015

A method for estimating the damping of a vibratory system from the frequency of resonance and the response amplitude at that resonant peak alone is reviewed and applied to the determination of the system loss or quality factors of uniform, rectangular cantilever bare titanium beams and beams with damping enhancing hard coatings. Using results from experiments with several different nonlinear coating systems vibrating in several modes and temperatures, comparisons are given for the damping measures obtained by this method with those obtained by the traditional method for determining system damping from the bandwidth (BW) of the frequency response functions (FRFs). These comparisons, made for strains of engineering interest (to strains over 1000 ppm), show that the BW method generally leads to inflated measures of system energy dissipation and that the inflation (10–70%) depends generally on the degree of nonlinearity, i.e., the extent to which the system loss factor varies with strain amplitude. While developed for the ideal uniform, rectangular, cantilever beam for which the mode shapes are well known, the method may be applied to more complex geometries through the use of a finite element analysis (FEA).
A Comparison of Constraint and Constraint Potential Forms of the Rate-Controlled Constraint-Equilibrium Method
Authors: Hadi Fatemeh , H. Sheikhi M. Reza
Published: September 2015

A comparative assessment is made of two implementations of the rate-controlled constrained-equilibrium (RCCE) method. These are the constraint and constraint potential formulations in which rate equations are solved for the RCCE constraints and constraint potentials, respectively. The two forms are equivalent mathematically; however, they involve different numerical procedures and thus show different computational performance. The main objective of this study is to compare the accuracy and numerical efficiency of the two formulations to attain the most effective implementation of the RCCE in turbulent combustion simulations. The RCCE method is applied to study methane oxygen combustion in an adiabatic, isobaric well stirred reactor. Simulations are carried out over a wide range of initial temperatures and equivalence ratios. Performance studies are conducted and RCCE results are compared with those obtained by direct integration of detailed chemical kinetics. The results show that both methods provide very accurate representation of the kinetics. It is also demonstrated that while the constraint form involves less numerical stiffness, the constraint potential implementation results in more saving in computation time.
Method for high temperature nanoimprint of an organic semicrystalline polymer
Authors: Wang Si , Rond Johannes , Dhima Khalid , Steinberg Christian , Papenheim Marc , Scheer Hella-Christin , Gasse Jan-Christoph
Published: September 2015

Performance and functionality of devices prepared from organic semicrystalline polymers strongly depend on the size and the orientation of the ordered crystalline domains, as the conductivity is distinctly different in the different lattice directions. This investigation addresses the potential of thermal nanoimprint to control the size of the ordered domains as well as their orientation with respect to the substrate. Poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) is chosen as one of the prominent semicrystalline polymers available at high quality. In order to control the ordering of the domains freely, the imprint is performed at a temperature beyond the melting point to eliminate the domains already existing after spin-coating and soft-bake. To avoid a degradation of P3HT at such a high temperature under oxygen contact—the imprint system used operates in air—a novel imprint procedure is employed, where a distinct prepressure is applied already during the heating of the imprint stack (stamp/substrate with P3HT layer). To enable efficient recrystallization in the form “shaped” by the imprint mold, the novel procedure features, in addition, a slow cool-down from the processing temperature (245 °C) down to 150 °C. During recrystallization the orientation of the ordered domains is driven primarily by the interaction of the side-chains of the P3HT molecules with the antisticking layer of the mold, where the pressure still applied forces ordering, too. The potential of this approach is characterized by x-ray diffraction measurements. The results clearly show that the novel procedure investigated here is effective not only to avoid the degradation of P3HT at a high temperature but also to provide ordered domains that are more than two times larger than those existing before imprint, after spin-coating. The results obtained so far with grating patterns are encouraging and indicate new possibilities of controlling the conductivity of devices prepared from semicrystalline organic polymers.
Band offsets in Sc2O3/ZnO heterostructures deposited by RF magnetron sputtering
Authors: Hays David C. , Gila Brent P. , Pearton Stephen J. , Kim Byung-Jae , Ren Fan , Jang Tae Sung
Published: September 2015

ZnO is promising for a number of applications in light emission, sensors, and transparent conducting electronics, but its surface is susceptible to instabilities caused by atmospheric exposure. Thus, there is a need for stable passivation or gate dielectric layers that might obviate this issue. One potential candidate is Sc2O3. The authors have measured the band offsets of sputtered Sc2O3 on both Zn- and O-terminated ZnO using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and obtained the bandgaps of the materials using reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy. The valence band offset was determined to be ∼1.67 ± 0.16 eV for Sc2O3 on Zn-terminated ZnO (bandgap 3.26 eV) and 1.59 ± 0.16 eV on O-terminated ZnO (bandgap 3.22 eV), i.e., similar within experimental error. The conduction band offset for Sc2O3/ZnO was then determined to be 4.92 eV. The Sc2O3/ZnO system has a staggered, type II alignment, meaning that it is not suitable for thin film transistors but it may still be useful for surface passivation.
The influence of proscenium boxes on acoustic response in historical opera halls
Authors: Šumarac Pavlović Dragana , Mijić Miomir , Mašović Draško
Published: September 2015

In some historical opera halls there are boxes located around the proscenium, commonly called proscenium or “director” boxes. These boxes have a certain influence on the initial part of the impulse response of an opera hall on the singer-auditorium, singer-singer, and singer-orchestra pit paths. During the reconstruction of the Ljubljana opera hall, measurement of a scaled model was performed to quantify the influence of proscenium boxes on the hall's impulse response. Some variation in box configuration on the acoustic response was also tested. This paper describes the results of this research.
Passive acoustic observations of tide height in the Iroise Sea using ambient noise
Authors: Bazile Kinda G. , Bonnel Julien
Published: September 2015

Considering a broadband motionless source in a waveguide with a depth that varies with time, the time-frequency representation of the acoustic intensity shows a striation pattern than can be explained using the depth-frequency waveguide invariant. This phenomenon is used here to describe acoustic data recorded in the Iroise Sea, where intense tides occur. The originality of this study is that the acoustic data consist of only ambient noise. The best hypothesis is that these striations are created by distant marine traffic in the Bay of Brest, and the results suggest that tide height can be monitored using long-term passive acoustics.
Physical Activity With and Without TV Viewing: Effects on Enjoyment of Physical Activity and TV, Exercise Self-Efficacy, and Barriers to Being Active in Overweight Adults
Authors: Steeves Jeremy A. , Bassett David R. , Fitzhugh Eugene C. , Raynor Hollie , Cho Chi , Thompson Dixie L.
Published: September 2015

Background:

Physical activity (PA) is enjoyable, but there are barriers to participation. TV viewing is highly enjoyable with limited barriers. Exercising while viewing TV may impact enjoyment, exercise self-efficacy, and barriers to PA, compared with exercising without TV.

Methods:

58 sedentary, overweight adults were randomized to 1 of 2 PA prescriptions: one that increased PA during TV viewing (TV Commercial Stepping), and another that focused solely on PA (Walking). Random effects models tested changes in enjoyment of TV and PA, exercise self-efficacy, and barriers to PA across time (baseline, 3, and 6 months) and PA prescription during a 6-month PA intervention.

Results:

At baseline, TV was more enjoyable than PA. Over the 6-month intervention, enjoyment of TV viewing did not change, but enjoyment of PA and exercise self-efficacy significantly increased, while barriers to PA significantly decreased for both groups compared with baseline (P < .05).

Conclusions:

While enjoyment of TV viewing remained constant, PA became more enjoyable, confidence to exercise increased, and barriers to being active were reduced for previously sedentary adults participating in a behavioral PA intervention. These findings highlight the importance of encouraging inactive adults to engage in some form of PA, whether it occurs with or without TV viewing.
India to put observatory in orbit
Authors: Bagla Pallava
Published: September 2015

Suite of imagers will complement other space telescopes.
Emergence of room-temperature ferroelectricity at reduced dimensions
Authors: Lee D. , Lu H. , Gu Y. , Choi S.-Y. , Li S.-D. , Ryu S. , Paudel T. R. , Song K. , Mikheev E. , Lee S. , Stemmer S. , Tenne D. A. , Oh S. H. , Tsymbal E. Y. , Wu X. , Chen L.-Q. , Gruverman A. , Eom C. B.
Published: September 2015

Thinning films induces ferroelectricity

Thin ferroelectric films are needed in computers and medical devices. However, traditional ferroelectric films typically become less and less polarized the thinner the films become. Instead of using a good ferroelectric and making it thinner, Lee
et al.
started with SrTiO
3
, which in its bulk form is not ferroelectric. This material does have naturally occurring nanosized polarized regions. and when the thickness of the SrTiO
3
films reaches the typical size of these regions, the whole film aligns and becomes ferroelectric.

Science
, this issue p.
1314
Pri sORF peptides induce selective proteasome-mediated protein processing
Authors: Zanet J. , Benrabah E. , Li T. , Pélissier-Monier A. , Chanut-Delalande H. , Ronsin B. , Bellen H. J. , Payre F. , Plaza S.
Published: September 2015

Small peptide regulates protein activity

Coding and noncoding RNAs can produce peptides from small open reading frames (smORFs), with a variety of mostly unknown functions. Using a genome-wide screen, Zanet
et al.
show that Polished rice (Pri) smORF peptides control fruit fly development by binding to an E3 ubiquitin ligase. This changes the ligase's selectivity and triggers proteasome-dependent maturation of the developmental transcription factor Shavenbaby. Other smORF peptides may act by a similar mechanism to regulate protein activity.

Science
, this issue p.
1356
Site-selective arene C-H amination via photoredox catalysis
Authors: Romero Nathan A. , Margrey Kaila A. , Tay Nicholas E. , Nicewicz David A.
Published: September 2015

Lighting the way to aryl C-N bonding

Medicinal chemists like to add N bonds to the C atoms of aromatic rings to make bioactive compounds. By harnessing the energy in visible light, Romero
et al.
made these links and transformed C-H into C-N bonds. They used a blue-absorbing acridinium ion to activate a ring C for an incoming N partner. A nitroxyl radical co-catalyst (TEMPO) then choreographed the transfer of the H atom to O. The reaction worked for a broad range of substrates, including ammonium as a N source.

Science
, this issue p.
1326
Complete Genome Sequence of a Novel Avian Polyomavirus Isolated from Gouldian Finch
Authors: Heenemann Kristin , Sieg Michael , Rueckner Antje , Vahlenkamp Thomas W.
Published: September 2015

A novel polyomavirus was identified in a fatally diseased Gouldian finch (
Erythrura gouldiae
). The new polyomavirus, strain VL 1209, was detected using a broad-spectrum nested PCR.
Genome Sequences of the Race 1 and Race 4 Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris Strains CFBP 1869 and CFBP 5817
Authors: Bolot Stéphanie , Cerutti Aude , Carrère Sébastien , Arlat Matthieu , Fischer-Le Saux Marion , Portier Perrine , Poussier Stéphane , Jacques Marie-Agnes , Noël Laurent D.
Published: September 2015

Xanthomonas campestris
pv. campestris is the causal agent of black rot on
Brassicaceae
. The draft genome sequences of strains CFBP 1869 and CFBP 5817 have been determined and are the first ones corresponding to race 1 and race 4 strains, which have a predominant agronomic and economic impact on cabbage cultures worldwide.
Genome Sequence of a Novel Iflavirus from mRNA Sequencing of the Pupa of Bombyx mori Inoculated with
Cordyceps militaris
Authors: Suzuki Tomohiro , Takeshima Yoshino , Mikamoto Toshiyuki , Saeki Jun-David , Kato Tatsuya , Park Enoch Y. , Kawagishi Hirokazu , Dohra Hideo
Published: September 2015

We discovered a novel iflavirus from the transcriptome of the
Bombyx mori
pupa inoculated with the insect-pathogenic fungus
Cordyceps militaris
. The assembled iflavirus genome has 10,119 nucleotides, with a 3′-polyadenylated tail, and it encodes a polyprotein composed of 3,004 amino acids.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Environmental Isolate
Chryseobacterium
sp. Hurlbut01
Authors: Couger M. B. , Hurlbut Allison , Murphy Chelsea L. , Budd Connie , French Donald P. , Hoff Wouter D. , Elshahed Mostafa S. , Youssef Noha H.
Published: September 2015

We report here the draft genome sequence of the environmental isolate
Chryseobacterium
sp. Hurlbut01, isolated from a light switch surface in Stillwater, OK, as part of the Student-Initiated Microbial Discovery (SIMD) project. The genome has a size of 3,899,838 bp and a contig
N
50
of 321 kb.