bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Designing symmetric polar direct drive implosions on the Omega laser facility
Authors: Krasheninnikova Natalia S. , Cobble James A. , Murphy Thomas J. , Tregillis Ian L. , Bradley Paul A. , Hakel Peter , Hsu Scott C. , Kyrala George A. , Obrey Kimberly A. , Schmitt Mark J. , Baumgaertel Jessica A. , Batha Steven H.
Published: April 2014

Achieving symmetric capsule implosions with Polar Direct Drive [S. Skupsky et al., Phys. Plasmas 11, 2763 (2004); R. S. Craxton et al., Phys. Plasmas 12, 056304 (2005); F. J. Marshall et al., J. Phys. IV France 133, 153–157 (2006)] has been explored during recent Defect Induced Mix Experiment campaign on the Omega facility at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. To minimize the implosion asymmetry due to laser drive, optimized laser cone powers, as well as improved beam pointings, were designed using 3D radiation-hydrodynamics code HYDRA [M. M. Marinak et al., Phys. Plasmas 3, 2070 (1996)]. Experimental back-lit radiographic and self-emission images revealed improved polar symmetry and increased neutron yield which were in good agreement with 2D HYDRA simulations. In particular, by reducing the energy in Omega's 21.4° polar rings by 16.75%, while increasing the energy in the 58.9° equatorial rings by 8.25% in such a way as to keep the overall energy to the target at 16 kJ, the second Legendre mode (P2) was reduced by a factor of 2, to less than 4% at bang time. At the same time the neutron yield increased by 62%. The polar symmetry was also improved relative to nominal DIME settings by a more radical repointing of OMEGA's 42.0° and 58.9° degree beams, to compensate for oblique incidence and reduced absorption at the equator, resulting in virtually no P2 around bang time and 33% more yield.
Ultrasonic leaky guided waves in fluid-coupled generic waveguides: hybrid finite-boundary element dispersion analysis and experimental validation
Authors: Mazzotti M. , Bartoli I. , Marzani A.
Published: April 2014

A numerical procedure is presented for the computation of dispersive parameters in elastic mechanical waveguides of generic cross-section immersed in non-viscous fluids. The method uses a semi-analytical finite element formulation to describe the solid waveguide, while a two-and-a-half dimensional boundary element method is used to represent the unbounded surrounding fluid. Leaky and trapped guided wave modes are found on the appropriate Riemann sheets by enforcing the generalized Snell–Descartes law along the fluid-structure interface and solving a nonlinear eigenvalue problem. The method is validated experimentally by extracting the frequency-real wavenumber dispersion curves of a rectangular bar and a thin angle aluminum bar via a two-dimensional Fast Fourier Transform. In both cases, a very good agreement is observed between the numerical and the experimental solutions.
Study and analysis of poly-3octyl-thiophene-ZnS hybrid solar cell
Authors: Sharma Swati , Natasha  , Kapoor A.
Published: April 2014

In the present work we report fabrication of Zinc Sulphide (ZnS)-Poly-3octyl-thiophene hybrid solar cell made using spin coating technique. ZnS nanoparticles of size 2-3 nm as measured by XRD were synthesised by cost effective sol gel method. The cell parameters have been successfully extracted using Lambert–W technique and effect of capacitance on the solar cell parameters has been analysed. The system proposed above is comparatively more stable than Poly-3hexyl-thiophene (P3HT)-ZnS hybrid structure proposed by Bredol et al. and it has higher fill factor (FF) and better efficiency (PCE) of 0.51% and 0.5%, respectively, than the P3HT-ZnS hybrid structure having FF of 0.25 and PCE as 0.2%.
Monitoring and smart management for hybrid plants (photovoltaic–generator) in Ghardaia
Authors: Adouane M. , Haddadi M. , Touafek K. , AitCheikh S.
Published: April 2014

In this paper, an effective operation of standalone hybrid photovoltaic (PV) system is proposed by implementing a management program via control strategy. The system is composed of photovoltaic modules, a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fired generator and electrochemical batteries. The system configuration can solve problems that affect the quality and reliability of power supplies. This document includes the state of the art work carried out so far in the field of hybrid energy systems, including the study and evaluation of control methods. This paper focuses on the design and implementation of an electronic control module and optimal energy management in hybrid energy systems, using real weather data and load profile. The results have shown a reliable behavior of the control system and a good robustness to perturbations.
Three dimensional electromagnetic wavepackets in a plasma: Spatiotemporal modulational instability
Authors: Borhanian J. , Hosseini Faradonbe F.
Published: April 2014

The nonlinear interaction of an intense electromagnetic beam with relativistic collisionless unmagnetized plasma is investigated by invoking the reductive perturbation technique, resting on the model of three-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation with cubic nonlinearity which incorporates the effects of self-focusing, self-phase modulation, and diffraction on wave propagation. Relying on the derived NLS equation, the occurrence of spatiotemporal modulational instability is investigated in detail.
Spatial and temporal variation in damage and dieback in a threatened subantarctic cushion species
Authors: Whinam J. , Abdul-Rahman J. A. , Visoiu M. , di Folco M.-B. F. , Kirkpatrick J. B.
Published: April 2014

A decline was observed in the subantarctic Macquarie Island endemic cushion, Azorella macquariensis, during the summer of 2008–2009, resulting in the listing of the species as critically endangered in 2010. Photographs of A. macquariensis in the period 2009–2013 were used to (1) identify types of damage, (2) determine the likely causes of three distinct types of damage, (3) establish whether dieback was spreading from affected to unaffected sites and (4) find out whether dieback was associated with the expansion of Agrostis magellanica. Grey damage occurred on the most wind-exposed parts of cushions and on the most wind-exposed sites. Speck damage occurred in the opposite situations and was consistent in its location, attributes and timing with rabbit grazing. Yellow dieback was sporadic in its occurrence. Its symptoms were consistent with those of a pathogen. Yellow damage expanded between spring 2009 and autumn 2010, with neither grey nor speck damage increasing. Yellow damage was associated with a marked decline in live cushion cover in plots between 2010 and 2013. The cushion was not eliminated from any plots, despite increased cover of A. magellanica in plots with dead cushions. Only one site not affected by yellow damage in 2010 had become affected by 2013. Given these results, and given that yellow damage has been observed in the past, 2008–2010 may have been an infrequent extreme outbreak of a pathogen and/or a response of a pathogen to ongoing climatic change.
A Series of Enthalpy/Entropy-Driven Reversible Dissolution/Reorganization Equilibriums in the System of Cu(NO3)2–HL–GdX3–H2O (HL = 5-methylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid; X = Cl, Br, NO3, ClO4)
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Yang Qi , Liu Xiangyu , Xie Gang , Wei Qing , Chen Sanping , Gao Shengli
Published: April 2014

Five coordination polymers, [Cu(L)2]n (1), {[Cu(L)(Cl)(H2O)]·H2O}2n (2), [KCu(L)(μ-Cl)2]n (3), [Cu(L)(Br)H2O]n (4), and {[Cu0.5(HL)(H2O)](NO3)·H2O}2n (5) (HL = 5-methylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid) were obtained by reactions of a pyramidal CuII-containing ligand, {[Cu(L)2(H2O)]·3H2O}n (LCu), with Gd(ClO4)3·6H2O, GdCl3·6H2O, GdCl3·6H2O/KCl, GdBr3·6H2O, or Gd(NO3)3·6H2O in water. Structural analysis reveals that the structures of these compounds range from a 0D block to a 2D network with modification of the environment of the CuII ions compared with LCu. Interestingly, there occurred a series of reversible dissolution/reorganization equilibriums between the initial reactants and the final products 1–5, which were determined as enthalpy/entropy driven chemical equilibriums by single crystal X-ray diffraction and microcalorimetry. In addition, the thermal stability of 1–4 and the magnetic property of 2 are discussed.
Integrated pest management in cotton: exploiting behaviour-modifying (semiochemical) compounds for managing cotton pests
Authors: Mensah Robert K. , Gregg Peter C. , Del Socorro Alice P. , Moore Christopher J. , Hawes Anthony J. , Watts Nick
Published: April 2014

We review here research on semiochemicals for cotton pest management carried out in successive Cotton Co-operative Research Centres from 1998 to 2012. Australian cotton is now dominated by transgenic (Bt) varieties, which provide a strong platform for integrated pest management of key pests such as Helicoverpa spp., but new technologies are required to manage the development of resistance in Helicoverpa spp. to transgenic cotton and the problems posed by emerging and secondary pests, especially sucking insects. A long-range attractant for Helicoverpa moths, based on plant volatiles, has been commercialised as Magnet®. The product has substantial area-wide impacts on moth populations, and only limited effects on beneficial insects. Potential roles are being investigated for this product in resistance management of Helicoverpa spp. on transgenic cotton. Short-range, non-volatile compounds on organ surfaces of plants that do not support development of Helicoverpa spp. have been identified; these compounds deter feeding or oviposition, or are toxic to insect pests. One such product, Sero X®, is effective on Helicoverpa spp. and sucking pests such as whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci), green mirids (Creontiades dilutus), and other hemipteran insects, and is in the advanced stages of commercialisation.
Growth and yield responses to amending the sugarcane monoculture: interactions between break history and nitrogen fertiliser
Authors: Bell M. J. , Garside A. L.
Published: April 2014

Experiments were established in the Burdekin Irrigation Area in North Queensland, Australia, to measure whether yield improvements from breaking the sugarcane monoculture or fumigating the soil could be modified by the application of different rates of nitrogen (N) fertiliser. Experiments were conducted in consecutive crop cycles (phase 1, planted 1998; phase 2, planted 2001) using the variety Q117, with the interaction between N applications and rotation histories discussed for the two plant crops. Histories consisted of alternate crop, bare fallow or mixed grass–legume pastures for periods of 42–66 months, compared with continuous cane as plough-out replant without (PORP) or with (PORP-F) soil fumigation. The N strategies involved combinations of N rates (0–180 kg N/ha) and application times (at planting, 90 days after planting (DAP) or split between these times) in phase 1 and N rates (0–300 kg N/ha) in phase 2. Histories had differing effects on N available to the cane crop and hence on response to N fertiliser. Some combinations of history and N rate were N-limited and strong linear relationships between biomass production or cane yield and crop N content could be developed. Critical N contents for biomass production (R2 = 0.93) and fresh-weight cane yield (R2 = 0.88) were 1.42 and 0.57 kg N/t, respectively. Application of N fertiliser was shown to have significant impacts on both tiller addition and the retention of tillers to produce harvestable stalks. However, the application of fertiliser N had limited (phase 1) or no (phase 2) capacity to provide the quantum of yield response in soil health benefits associated with breaking the sugarcane monoculture. Increasing N application rates above that required to optimise crop yield resulted in significant decreases in sugar content of cane and thus lower sugar yields. Yield increases solely from improved soil health (i.e. exclusive of N response) constituted advantages averaging 15% (phase 1) to 20% (phase 2) compared with PORP. These effects were manifest early in the establishment of primary shoots in the plant crops, although the longevity of these benefits was limited. Replanting cane after a 3-year crop cycle (plant, 1st and 2nd ratoon) on land that had been under pasture, crop, bare fallow or PORP-F histories (phase 2, cycle 2) showed carryover effects of histories on N availability and fertiliser N responsiveness, but limited yield impacts attributable to residual soil health benefits. These results reinforce the importance of crop rotation during breaks between sugarcane cycles to maintain soil health and improve crop productivity.
Enzymatic production of three 6-deoxy-aldohexoses from l-rhamnose
Authors: Shompoosang Sirinan , Yoshihara Akihide , Uechi Keiko , Asada Yasuhiko , Morimoto Kenji
Published: April 2014

6-Deoxy-l-glucose, 6-deoxy-l-altrose, and 6-deoxy-l-allose were produced from l-rhamnose with an immobilized enzyme that was partially purified (IE) and an immobilized Escherichia coli recombinant treated with toluene (TT). 6-Deoxy-l-psicose was produced from l-rhamnose by a combination of l-rhamnose isomerase (TT-PsLRhI) and d-tagatose 3-epimerase (TT-PcDTE). The purified 6-deoxy-l-psicose was isomerized to 6-deoxy-l-altrose and 6-deoxy-l-allose with l-arabinose isomerase (TT-EaLAI) and l-ribose isomerase (TT-AcLRI), respectively, and then was epimerized to l-rhamnulose with immobilized d-tagatose 3-epimerase (IE-PcDTE). Following purification, l-rhamnulose was converted to 6-deoxy-l-glucose with d-arabinose isomerase (TT-BpDAI). The equilibrium ratios of 6-deoxy-l-psicose:6-deoxy-l-altrose, 6-deoxy-l-psicose:6-deoxy-l-allose, and l-rhamnulose:6-deoxy-l-glucose were 60:40, 40:60, and 27:73, respectively. The production yields of 6-deoxy-l-glucose, 6-deoxy-l-altrose, and 6-deoxy-l-allose from l-rhamnose were 5.4, 14.6, and 25.1%, respectively. These results indicate that the aldose isomerases used in this study acted on 6-deoxy aldohexoses.
Production of p-Aminobenzoic acid by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli
Authors: Koma Daisuke , Yamanaka Hayato , Moriyoshi Kunihiko , Sakai Kiyofumi , Masuda Takaya , Sato Yoshihiro , Toida Kozo , Ohmoto Takashi
Published: April 2014

The production of chemical compounds from renewable resources is an important issue in building a sustainable society. In this study, Escherichia coli was metabolically engineered by introducing T7lac promoter-controlled aroFfbr, pabA, pabB, and pabC genes into the chromosome to overproduce para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) from glucose. Elevating the copy number of chromosomal PT7lac-pabA-pabB distinctly increased the PABA titer, indicating that elevation of 4-amino-4-deoxychorismic acid synthesis is a significant factor in PABA production. The introduction of a counterpart derived from Corynebacterium efficiens, pabAB (ce), encoding a fused PabA and PabB protein, resulted in a considerable increase in the PABA titer. The introduction of more than two copies of PT7lac-pabAB (ce-mod), a codon-optimized pabAB (ce), into the chromosome of a strain that simultaneously overexpressed aroFfbr and pabC resulted in 5.1 mM PABA from 55.6 mM glucose (yield 9.2%). The generated strain produced 35 mM (4.8 g L−1) PABA from 167 mM glucose (yield 21.0%) in fed-batch culture.
Matthew Freeman: The sharp end of rhomboids
Authors: Sedwick Caitlin
Published: April 2014

Freeman studies the functions and roles of rhomboid superfamily proteins.
Strength of Protection for Geographical Indications: Promotion Incentives and Welfare Effects
Authors: Menapace Luisa , Moschini Gian Carlo
Published: April 2014

We address the question of how the strength of protection for geographical indications (GIs) affects the GI industry's promotion incentives, equilibrium market outcomes, and the distribution of welfare. Geographical indication producers engage in informative advertising by associating their true quality premium (relative to a substitute product) with a specific label emphasizing the GI's geographic origin. The extent to which the names/words of the GI label can be used and/or imitated by competing products—which depends on the strength of GI protection—determines how informative the GI promotion messages can be. Consumers' heterogeneous preferences (vis‐à‐vis the GI quality premium) are modeled in a vertically differentiated framework. Both the GI industry and the substitute product industry are assumed to be competitive (with free entry). The model is calibrated and solved for alternative parameter values. Results show that producers of the GI and of the lower‐quality substitute good have divergent interests: GI producers are better off with full protection, whereas the substitute good's producers prefer intermediate levels of protection (but they never prefer zero protection because they benefit indirectly if the GI producers' incentives to promote are preserved). For consumers and aggregate welfare, the preferred level of protection depends on the model's parameters, with an intermediate level of protection being optimal in many circumstances.
Does Race Influence Health-related Quality of Life and Toxicity Following Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer?
Authors: Bryant Curtis , Mendenhall Nancy P. , Henderson Randal H. , Nichols Romaine C. , Mendenhall William M. , Morris Christopher G. , Williams Christopher , Su Zhong , Li Zuofeng , Hoppe Bradford S.
Published: April 2014

Objective:

This matched-paired analysis explores disparities in health-related quality of life (QOL) and common toxicities between African American (AA) and white patients following proton therapy for prostate cancer at our institution.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 1536 men with clinically localized prostate cancer were treated from 2006 to 2009 with definitive proton therapy to a median dose of 78 Gy +/− androgen deprivation therapy. A cohort of 92 consecutively treated AA men was matched to a cohort of 92 white men on the basis of National Comprehensive Cancer Network risk category and age. The 2 groups were compared with regard to comorbidities, demographics, and treatment regimen. Differences in genitourinary and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events scale and QOL data from the Expanded Prostate Index Composite 26-question questionnaire were reported.

Results:

Median follow-up was 2.1 years. Baseline patient and treatment characteristics were similar between the 2 groups with the exception of prostate-specific antigen ≥10 (32% for AAs vs. 20% for whites; P=0.068) and use of androgen deprivation therapy (26% for AAs vs. 21% for whites; P=0.38). No difference in Expanded Prostate Index Composite 26-question sexual summary, urinary incontinence, urinary obstruction, or bowel summary scores was detected between the 2 groups, nor was there a difference in grade 2 or higher GI toxicity (P=0.45). AAs had a statistically nonsignificant higher absolute incidence of late grade 3 genitourinary toxicity (4.4% vs. 0%; P=0.12).

Conclusions:

After 2 years, there were no disparities in health-related QOL, physician-reported Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events GI toxicity, or biochemical relapse. Longer follow-up is needed to confirm these findings.
A Burkholderia cenocepacia gene encoding a non-functional tyrosine phosphatase is required for the delayed maturation of the bacteria-containing vacuoles in macrophages
Authors: Andrade Angel , Valvano Miguel A.
Published: April 2014

Burkholderia cenocepaciainfects patients with cystic fibrosis. We have previously shown thatB. cenocepaciacan survive in macrophages within membrane vacuoles [B. cenocepacia-containing vacuoles (BcCVs)] that preclude fusion with the lysosome. The bacterial factors involved inB. cenocepaciaintracellular survival are not fully elucidated. We report here that deletion of BCAM0628, encoding a predicted low molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMW-PTP) that is restricted toB. cenocepaciastrains of the transmissible ET-12 clone, accelerates the maturation of the BcCVs. Compared to the parental strain and deletion mutants in other LMW-PTPs that are widely conserved inBurkholderiaspecies, a greater proportion of BcCVs containing the ΔBCAM0628mutant were targeted to the lysosome. Accelerated BcCV maturation was not due to reduced intracellular viability since ΔBCAM0628survived and replicated in macrophages similarly to the parental strain. Therefore, BCAM0628 was referred to asdpm(delayedphagosomematuration). We provide evidence that the Dpm protein is secreted during growthin vitroand upon macrophage infection. Dpm secretion requires an N-terminal signal peptide. Heterologous expression of Dpm inBurkholderia multivoransconfers to this bacterium a similar phagosomal maturation delay to that found withB. cenocepacia. We demonstrate that Dpm is an inactive phosphatase, suggesting that its contribution to phagosomal maturation arrest must be unrelated to tyrosine phosphatase activity.
A novel paradigm for auditory discrimination training with social reinforcement in songbirds
Authors: Tokarev Kirill , Tchernichovski Ofer
Published: April 2014

Zebra finches are a highly social, gregarious, species and eagerly engage in vocal communication. We have developed a training apparatus that allows training zebra finches to discriminate socially reinforced and aversive vocal stimuli. In our experiments, juvenile male zebra finches were trained to discriminate a song that was followed by a brief air puff (aversive) and a song that allowed them to stay in visual contact with another bird, 'audience' (social song). During training, the birds learned quickly to avoid air puffs by escaping the aversive song within 2 sec. They escaped significantly more aversive songs than socially reinforced ones, and this effect grew stronger with the number of training sessions. Therefore, we propose this training procedure as an effective method to teach zebra finches to discriminate between different auditory stimuli, which may also be used as a broader paradigm for addressing social reinforcement learning. The apparatus can be built from commercially available parts, and we are sharing the software on our website.
Evidence of electronic polarization of the As ion in the superconducting phase of F-doped LaFeAsO
Authors: Kim Jungeun , Fujiwara Akihiko , Sawada Tomohiro , Kim Younghun , Sugimoto Kunihisa , Kato Kenichi , Tanaka Hiroshi , Ishikado Motoyuki , Shamoto Shin-ichi , Takata Masaki
Published: April 2014

Understanding the nature of superconductivity in iron-based compounds is essential in the development of new strategies to increaseTc. Using a charge density analysis based on synchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction data, we found that the charge carriers only accumulated in the iron layer of the superconducting phase of LaFeAsO1 − xFxat low temperatures. Analysis of the electrostatic potential distribution revealed the concerted enhancement of the electronic polarization of the As ions and the carrier redistribution. This suggests that the enhanced electronic polarization of the As ion plays an important role in inducing highTcsuperconductivity, and that the polaron concept, which has been previously regarded as an untenable mechanism, should be reconsidered for the description of the iron–arsenide superconducting phase.
Evolution of atomic structure during nanoparticle formation
Authors: Tyrsted Christoffer , Lock Nina , Jensen Kirsten M. Ø. , Christensen Mogens , Bøjesen Espen D. , Emerich Hermann , Vaughan Gavin , Billinge Simon J. L. , Iversen Bo B.
Published: April 2014

Understanding the mechanism of nanoparticle formation during synthesis is a key prerequisite for the rational design and engineering of desirable materials properties, yet remains elusive due to the difficulty of studying structures at the nanoscale under real conditions. Here, the first comprehensive structural description of the formation of a nanoparticle, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), all the way from its ionic constituents in solution to the final crystal, is presented. The transformation is a complicated multi-step sequence of atomic reorganizations as the material follows the reaction pathway towards the equilibrium product. Prior to nanoparticle nucleation, reagents reorganize into polymeric species whose structure is incompatible with the final product. Instead of direct nucleation of clusters into the final product lattice, a highly disordered intermediate precipitate forms with a local bonding environment similar to the product yet lacking the correct topology. During maturation, bond reforming occurs by nucleation and growth of distinct domains within the amorphous intermediary. The present study moves beyond kinetic modeling by providing detailed real-time structural insight, and it is demonstrated that YSZ nanoparticle formation and growth is a more complex chemical process than accounted for in conventional models. This level of mechanistic understanding of the nanoparticle formation is the first step towards more rational control over nanoparticle synthesis through control of both solution precursors and reaction intermediaries.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a novel β-L-arabinofuranosidase (HypBA1) fromBifidobacterium longum
Authors: Zhu Zhen , He Miao , Huang Chun-Hsiang , Ko Tzu-Ping , Zeng Yi-Fang , Huang Yu-Ning , Jia Shiru , Lu Fuping , Liu Je-Ruei , Guo Rey-Ting
Published: April 2014

The β-L-arabinofuranosidase (HypBA1) fromBifidobacterium longumJCM 1217 hydrolyzes the β-1,2-linked arabinofuranose disaccharide to release L-arabinoses. HypBA1 was classified into glycoside hydrolase family 127 (GH127) by the CAZy website (http://www.cazy.org/). The enzyme was expressed inEscherichia coliand the purified recombinant protein was crystallized. Crystals belonging to the primitive hexagonal space groupP3x21, with unit-cell parametersa=b= 75.9,c= 254.0 Å, were obtained by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method and diffracted to 2.78 Å resolution. ABLASTPsearch (http://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) of the Protein Data Bank did not reveal any similar crystal structures. Structural determination by using SeMet MAD and MIR methods is in progress.
Cloning, expression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of staphylococcal superantigen-like protein 1 (SSL1)
Authors: Dutta Debabrata , Dutta Anirudha , Bhattacharjee Atanu , Basak Amit , Das Amit Kumar
Published: April 2014

Staphylococcus aureusproduces a family of exotoxins which are structural homologues of superantigens and thus are called staphylococcal superantigen-like proteins (SSLs). Amongst the 14 SSL genes,ssl1(SAOUHSC_00383) has been cloned in the pQE30 expression vector, overexpressed inEscherichia coliM15 (pREP4) cells and the protein purified to homogeneity. The protein was crystallized using 6% Tacsimate pH 6.0, 0.1 MMES pH 6.0, 25%(w/v) polyethylene glycol 3350, 100 mMNDSB 256 at 298 K by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals belonged to space groupP21, with unit-cell parametersa= 77.9,b= 70.5,c= 126.5 Å, β = 106.2°. X-ray diffraction data were collected and processed to a maximum resolution of 2.5 Å. The crystal contains six molecules in the asymmetric unit.
Stress responses go three dimensional – the spatial order of physiological differentiation in bacterial macrocolony biofilms
Authors: Serra Diego O. , Hengge Regine
Published: April 2014

In natural habitats, bacteria often occur in multicellular communities characterized by a robust extracellular matrix of proteins, amyloid fibres, exopolysaccharides and extracellular DNA. These biofilms show pronounced stress resistance including a resilience against antibiotics that causes serious medical and technical problems. This review summarizes recent studies that have revealed clear spatial physiological differentiation, complex supracellular architecture and striking morphology in macrocolony biofilms. By responding to gradients of nutrients, oxygen, waste products and signalling compounds that build up in growing biofilms, various stress responses determine whether bacteria grow and proliferate or whether they enter into stationary phase and use their remaining resources for maintenance and survival. As a consequence, biofilms differentiate into at least two distinct layers of vegetatively growing and stationary phase cells that exhibit very different cellular physiology. This includes a stratification of matrix production with a major impact on microscopic architecture, biophysical properties and directly visible morphology of macrocolony biofilms. Using Escherichia coli as a model system, this review also describes our detailed current knowledge about the underlying molecular control networks – prominently featuring sigma factors, transcriptional cascades and second messengers – that drive this spatial differentiation and points out directions for future research.
Bee bread increases honeybee haemolymph protein and promote better survival despite of causing higher Nosema ceranae abundance in honeybees
Authors: Basualdo Marina , Barragán Sergio , Antúnez Karina
Published: April 2014

Adequate protein nutrition supports healthy honeybees and reduces the susceptibility to disease. However little is known concerning the effect of the diet on Nosema ceranae development, an obligate intracellular parasite that disturbs the protein metabolism of honeybees (Apis mellifera). Here we tested the effect of natural (bee bread) and non‐natural protein diets (substitute) on haemolymph proteins titers of honeybee and N. ceranae spore production. The natural diet induced higher levels of protein and parasite development, but the survival of bees was also higher than with non‐natural diets. The data showed that the administration of an artificially high nutritious diet in terms of crude protein content is not sufficient to promote healthy bees; rather the protein ingested should be efficiently assimilated. The overall results support the idea that the physiological condition of the bees is linked to protein levels in the haemolymph, which affects the tolerance to parasite; consequently the negative impact of the parasite on host fitness is not associated only with the level of infection.
A simple ex vivo model for teaching Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty
Authors: Droutsas Konstantinos , Petrak Michael , Melles Gerrit R.J. , Koutsandrea Chryssanthi , Georgalas Ilias , Sekundo Walter
Published: April 2014

Purpose

To describe a simple ex vivo porcine model for teaching Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK).

Methods

Twenty freshly enucleated porcine eyes were used to create a pseudo‐graft from the porcine lens capsule and implant it into an intact porcine globe using the standardized ‘no‐touch’ technique of the Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery (NIIOS).

Results

The DMEK pseudo‐graft could be inserted, centred, unfolded and appositioned in all cases.

Conclusions

Practicing DMEK surgery under wetlab conditions was feasible by the described simple and low‐cost model. This new tool may facilitate the adaptation of DMEK by cornea surgeons.
Perspectives of germ cell development in vitro in mammals
Authors: Hayashi Katsuhiko , Saitou Mitinori
Published: April 2014

Pluripotent stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are able to differentiate into all cell lineages of the embryo proper, including germ cells. This pluripotent property has a huge impact on the fields of regenerative medicine, developmental biology and reproductive engineering. Establishing the germ cell lineage from ESCs/iPSCs is the key biological subject, since it would contribute not only to dissection of the biological processes of germ cell development but also to production of unlimited numbers of functional gametes in vitro. Toward this goal, we recently established a culture system that induces functional mouse primordial germ cells (PGCs), precursors of all germ cells, from mouse ESCs/iPSCs. The successful in vitro production of PGCs arose from the study of pluripotent cell state, the signals inducing PGCs and the technology of transplantation. However, there are many obstacles to be overcome for the robust generation of mature gametes or for application of the culture system to other species, including humans and livestock. In this review, we discuss the requirements for a culture system to generate the germ cell lineage from ESCs/iPSCs.
ARDS associated with pneumonia caused by avian influenza A H7N9 virus treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Tang Xiao , He Hangyong , Sun Bing , Wan Jun , Ban Chengjun , Zhang Chunyan , Wang Shuqin , Xia Jingen , Li Jie , Liu Yingmei , Cao Bin , Tong Zhaohui
Published: April 2014

This is a sporadic H7N9 avian influenza case that was the first severe imported case in Beijing and the first case of Hebei province in China. A 61‐year‐old female who had rapidly progressive pneumonia with respiratory distress and bilateral exduation and consolidation changes on chest X‐ray and computerized tomography (CT) scan that did not respond to ordinary antibiotics was diagnosed with influenza A (H7N9) infection in our hospital on July 19, 2013. Intravenous peramivir, veno‐venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV‐ECMO) and continuous veno‐venous hemofiltration were given on the same day of lab diagnosis because of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute renal failure. With antimicrobial therapy and other supportive treatment, clinical symptoms and oxygenation of the patient improved gradually. VV‐ECMO was successfully removed on the 13th day. The testing for influenza A (H7N9) turned negative on day 16 since the antivirus therapy. Twenty‐three days after hospitalization, blood stream infection with multidrug‐resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii occurred, which lead to septic shock and death. Whether or not the influenza season in north China, the influenza screening should be carried out as a conventional test for the patients who are suspected of viral pneumonia. For the patients who need mechanical ventilation and ECMO support, the lung protective strategy under the guidance of transpulmonary pressure may be helpful for recovering the lung.
Fatigue and serum testosterone in obstructive sleep apnea patients
Authors: Bercea Raluca Mihaela , Mihaescu Traian , Cojocaru Cristian , Bjorvatn Bjørn
Published: April 2014

Introduction

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)‐related fatigue is a common understudied symptom. Fatigue is associated with low serum testosterone level in non‐OSA patients. No data are available about this association in OSA patients.

Objectives

To investigate in adult obese males affected by OSA, the relationship between fatigue and serum testosterone in order to identify predictors for OSA‐related fatigue.

Methods

Fifteen OSA patients and 15 control subjects participated. The parameters analyzed were serum testosterone morning concentration, polysomnography parameters, daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory). Regression test was applied in order to show predictors of fatigue. Kruskal–Wallis test followed by post‐hoc analysis was performed to test for differences between controls and OSA subgroups for testosterone, fatigue components and sleepiness.

Results

Mean testosterone level was 3.55 ± 0.7 ng/mL in the OSA group, significantly lower than in controls (4.26 ± 1.1 ng/mL, P = 0.049). An inverse correlation was found between testosterone and fatigue scores (P < 0.01). Furthermore, a statistically significant difference was found between the control group and the severe OSA subgroup for general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced activity and mental fatigue. However, no significant differences were found between controls and mild OSA. Among all variables, testosterone was the only independent significant predictor of physical fatigue (t = −2.56, P = 0.033, R = 0.978, R2 = 0.958) and reduced activity (t = −4.41, P = 0.002, R = 0.966, R2 = 0.934) in the OSA patients.

Conclusions

OSA‐related fatigue was strongly associated with serum testosterone, together with OSA severity.
Hemodialysis for infants, children, and adolescents
Authors: Kaur Amrit , Davenport Andrew
Published: April 2014

Children with chronic kidney disease stage 5 requiring dialysis can be treated by peritoneal or hemodialysis. In the United Kingdom nearly twice as many children receive peritoneal dialysis compared with hemodialysis. Technical aspects of pediatric hemodialysis are challenging and include the relative size of extracorporeal circuit and child's blood volume, assessment of adequacy,technical and complications of vascular access. Alternatives to standard hospital‐based hemodialysis are also increasingly available. Optimizing nutritional status with the support of specialist pediatric dietitians is key to the management of children receiving hemodialysis. The effects of chronic illness on growth and school achievement, as well as the psychological, emotional, and social development of the child should not be underestimated. This review focuses on the above elements and highlights common pediatric practice in the United Kingdom.
“One Can't Live on Air”: Sarah McComb and the Problem of Old-Age Income for Single Women Teachers, 1870s–1930s
Authors: Van Ingen Linda
Published: April 2014

Alone in her last phase of life, Sarah McComb copied a poem onto the back of a postcard that read, “And now… what wait I for? No home, no welcome, nobody who needs me; no love, to which in my loneliness I can turn. And now… what wait I for?” She died in January 1937, not long after she “fell and broke her thigh” the previous December. She was ninety-one years old. Her hospital bills and funeral invoice, like most of her expenses, were sent to her brother's daughter. Her old-age dependency on extended kin, however, was not inevitable. As a single, childless, white middle-class woman, Sarah had supported her independence through itinerant teaching, traveling the American west including Alaska, with additional adventures to Guatemala and Cuba. As she approached her sixties, she pursued alternative strategies for income, intensifying her efforts to earn a profit through business ventures while continuing to teach for as long as she could. Despite her determination, Sarah faced old age without savings of her own; she would not be able to finance her independence once she stopped teaching. When that time finally came, she was seventy-six years old and had to turn to her brother for help. Securing his support, however, was a proposition fraught with familial tension and personal anxiety. Although women like Sarah valued their independence, they struggled to carry this independence into old age.
Mountain Stereotypes, Whiteness, and the Discourse of Early School Reform in the Arkansas Ozarks, 1910s–1920s
Authors: Perkins J. Blake
Published: April 2014

Dallas T. Herndon, the first director of the Arkansas History Commission and State Archives in Little Rock, opened his short study on the conditions of Arkansas's mountain schools in the 1910s by writing that he was “fully convinced… that no such extreme backwardness in reality exists anywhere in Arkansas as to be found in the most isolated parts of such states as Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky.” Herndon followed this statement with a comical story he had heard about a conversation between a Georgia mountaineer and a “traveler from the outside world.” The traveler, he told, asked the mountaineer if he knew who President Woodrow Wilson and John Slayton, the governor of Georgia, were. The mountaineer openly replied that he did not. Taken aback by such ignorance, the stranger then asked the mountaineer if he knew God. The Georgia mountaineer answered, “Yes, I think I'se heard uf him; his last name be's Damn, ain't it?” Herndon was sure that in the Arkansas hills, no one could find a “man, woman or child who is quite so ignorant as that Georgia mountaineer…”
Perceptions and health beliefs of Greek nursing students about breast self‐examination: A descriptive study
Authors: Lavdaniti Maria
Published: April 2014

Breast self‐examination is a screening option for young women. Among students, knowledge about breast self‐examination ranges from insufficient to average. This descriptive study was planned in order to determine the health beliefs and perceptions of nursing students regarding breast self‐examinations. We recruited 538 nursing students in a single Higher Technological Educational Institute in Greece. Data were collected using the Champion's Health Belief Model Scale. Parametric tests were used in the data analysis. We found significant differences in the results of the subscales of Champion's Health Belief Model Scale on comparing people with respect to nationality, previous education about breast self‐examination, smoking status and semester in which they were studying. The ‘confidence’ subscale was positively associated with the frequency of breast self‐examination. The results of the present study demonstrated that nursing students have knowledge about breast‐self examination but inadequate practice.
Non‐bladder conditions in female Taiwanese patients with interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome
Authors: Fan Yu‐Hua , Lin Alex TL , Lu Shing‐Hwa , Chuang Yao‐Chi , Chen Kuang‐Kuo
Published: April 2014

Objectives

To detect non‐bladder conditions in patients with interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome.

Methods

A total of 122 female interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome patients and a control group of 122 age‐matched female patients with stress urinary incontinence completed screening questionnaires for irritable bowel syndrome, temporomandibular disorder, multiple chemical sensitivities, tension and migraine headache, localized myofascial pain disorder, and fibromyalgia. Interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome patients also completed questionnaires on interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome symptom severity, including the O'Leary–Sant symptom index, and the visual analog scale for pain and urgency.

Results

Interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome patients were more likely to meet diagnostic criteria for irritable bowel syndrome than controls (37.5% vs 11.5%), and tension/migraine headache (38.7% vs 15.7%; all P < 0.001). The prevalence of temporomandibular disorder, multiple chemical sensitivities, localized myofascial pain disorders and fibromyalgia did not reach a statistical significant difference between the two groups. In the multivariate model, associations were also observed for irritable bowel syndrome (odds ratio 2.546; 95% confidence interval 1.136–5.704) and tension/migraine headache (odds ratio 2.684; 95% confidence interval 1.233–5.842). Patients with more comorbid conditions had more severe and bothersome interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome symptoms as measured by the visual analog scale of pain (P = 0.008) and O'Leary–Sant bother index (P = 0.035).

Conclusions

Interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome patients are more likely to have multiple non‐bladder conditions. These conditions correlate with the severity of interstitial cystitis/hypersensitive bladder syndrome symptoms.
Transurethral resection of the prostate after radiotherapy for prostate cancer: Impact on quality of life
Authors: Pinkawa Michael , Klotz Jens , Djukic Victoria , Petz Dalma , Holy Richard , Eble Michael J
Published: April 2014

Objectives

To evaluate the impact of transurethral resection of the prostate on quality of life after radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Methods

A group of 49 consecutive patients with and 487 without prior transurethral resection of the prostate responded to the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite questionnaire before, on the last day, and a median time of 2 months and 16 months after external beam radiotherapy (70–78 Gy). A matched‐pair analysis was used to avoid the influence of treatment‐associated confounding factors, including dose, treatment volume and hormonal therapy.

Results

Significantly smaller acute urinary score changes relative to baseline levels resulted with versus without prior transurethral resection of the prostate (mean function/bother score decrease of 3/6 vs 18/21 points at the end of radiotherapy; P < 0.01), affecting urinary incontinence (pads to control urinary leakage in 4% vs 24%; P = 0.03) and irritative/obstructive symptoms (big/moderate problem with weak urinary stream in 11% vs 37%; P = 0.02). As opposed to acute changes, transurethral resection of the prostate was a significant predisposing factor for a long‐term urinary function score decrease >10 points (20% vs 6% of patients with vs without prior resection; P = 0.04). Urinary incontinence risk was higher for patients with a longer time from resection to radiotherapy.

Conclusions

Transurethral resection of the prostate significantly affects acute (considerably fewer symptoms) and long‐term (relevant toxicity in some cases) urinary quality of life after radiotherapy for prostate cancer.
Measurement site influences abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue in obese adolescents before and after exercise
Authors: Brown R. E. , Kuk J. L. , Lee S.
Published: April 2014

Background/Objectives

The objective of this study was to determine if abdominal adipose tissue (AT) measurement site influences the association between baseline and change in abdominal subcutaneous (ASAT) and visceral AT (VAT), and metabolic risk factors in obese adolescents.

Methods

Fifty‐five obese adolescents (14.9 ± 1.7 years; 51% male; 42% white) participated in an aerobic or resistance exercise intervention three times/week for 3 months. We compared the association between changes in abdominal AT area (spanning 5 cm below to 15 cm above L4–L5) and volume measured by magnetic resonance imaging with concomitant changes in metabolic risk.

Results

All AT areas were significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with the respective volume at baseline and follow‐up. Baseline VAT areas at 5 and 10 cm above L4–L5 were more strongly associated with VAT volume than VAT area at L4–L5 (p < 0.05). After the intervention, changes in the area at 5 and 10 cm above L4–L5 were more strongly associated with changes in AT volumes than changes in L4–L5 (p < 0.05). Changes in abdominal AT volumes were more strongly associated with insulin area under the curve than any single‐slice abdominal AT area.

Conclusions

The measurement site for abdominal AT has significant influence on the relationships with total VAT or ASAT and metabolic risk factors in obese adolescents before and after an exercise intervention.