bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detecting changes in marine responses to ENSO from 850 to 2100 C.E.: Insights from the ocean carbon cycle
Authors: Keller Kathrin M. , Joos Fortunat , Lehner Flavio , Raible Christoph C.
Published: January 2015

It is open whether El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) varies under climate change and how potential changes in the marine system are detectable. Here differences in the influence of ENSO on biogeochemical tracers, pH, productivity, and ocean temperature are analyzed in a continuous 850–2100 Common Era (C.E.) simulation with the Community Earth System Model. The modeled variance in ENSO amplitude is significantly higher during the Maunder Minimum cold than during the 21st century warm period. ENSO‐driven anomalies in global air‐sea CO2 flux and marine productivity are two to three times lower, and ocean tracer anomalies are generally weaker in the 21st century. Significant changes are detectable in both surface and subsurface waters and are earlier verifiable and more widespread for carbon cycle tracers than for temperature. This suggests that multitracer observations of both physical and biogeochemical variables would enable an earlier detection of potential changes in marine ENSO responses than temperature‐only data.
On the validation of seismic imaging methods: Finite frequency or ray theory?
Authors: Maceira Monica , Larmat Carene , Porritt Robert W. , Higdon David M. , Rowe Charlotte A. , Allen Richard M.
Published: January 2015

We investigate the merits of the more recently developed finite‐frequency approach to tomography against the more traditional and approximate ray theoretical approach for state of the art seismic models developed for western North America. To this end, we employ the spectral element method to assess the agreement between observations on real data and measurements made on synthetic seismograms predicted by the models under consideration. We check for phase delay agreement as well as waveform cross‐correlation values. Based on statistical analyses on S wave phase delay measurements, finite frequency shows an improvement over ray theory. Random sampling using cross‐correlation values identifies regions where synthetic seismograms computed with ray theory and finite‐frequency models differ the most. Our study suggests that finite‐frequency approaches to seismic imaging exhibit measurable improvement for pronounced low‐velocity anomalies such as mantle plumes.
A spectral clustering search algorithm for predicting shallow landslide size and location
Authors: Bellugi Dino , Milledge David G. , Dietrich William E. , McKean Jim A. , Perron J. Taylor , Sudderth Erik B. , Kazian Brian
Published: January 2015

The potential hazard and geomorphic significance of shallow landslides depend on their location and size. Commonly applied one‐dimensional stability models do not include lateral resistances and cannot predict landslide size. Multidimensional models must be applied to specific geometries, which are not known a priori, and testing all possible geometries is computationally prohibitive. We present an efficient deterministic search algorithm based on spectral graph theory and couple it with a multidimensional stability model to predict discrete landslides in applications at scales broader than a single hillslope using gridded spatial data. The algorithm is general, assuming only that instability results when driving forces acting on a cluster of cells exceed the resisting forces on its margins and that clusters behave as rigid blocks with a failure plane at the soil‐bedrock interface. This algorithm recovers predefined clusters of unstable cells of varying shape and size on a synthetic landscape, predicts the size, location, and shape of an observed shallow landslide using field‐measured physical parameters, and is robust to modest changes in input parameters. The search algorithm identifies patches of potential instability within large areas of stable landscape. Within these patches will be many different combinations of cells with a Factor of Safety less than one, suggesting that subtle variations in local conditions (e.g., pore pressure and root strength) may determine the ultimate form and exact location at a specific site. Nonetheless, the tests presented here suggest that the search algorithm enables the prediction of shallow landslide size as well as location across landscapes.
Cultural Exchange and Urban Appropriation: Spaces for Art in Sharjah's Historical Centre
Authors: El Mousfy Mona , Syed Sharmeen
Published: January 2015

There is a common misconception that culture in the Gulf must be entirely newly imported and artificial. Architect Mona El Mousfy and architect and researcher Sharmeen Syed, who have both been engaged as architects for the Sharjah Art Foundation Art Spaces project and the Sharjah Biennial, challenge the notion of ‘constructed heritage’ at Sharjah in UAE. They show Sharjah to be a highly adaptive, historically multiethnic city that is characterised by its cultural fluidity.
Future Flyovers: Dubai in 1971
Authors: Reisz Todd
Published: January 2015

‘1971 marked not only a beginning, but also an end of Dubai as those who knew it knew it.’ Taking 1971 as a watershed moment for Dubai's development, architect, educator and author Todd Reisz examines how the acceptance and then refutation of the 1971 Plan for Dubai, drawn up by British architect John R Harris, proved pivotal.
Urban and Architectural Sustainability in the Gulf
Authors: Cooke Robert
Published: January 2015

What is the impact of rapid urbanisation on sustainable development, such as that experienced by cities in the Gulf? Robert Cooke, an Associate Sustainability Consultant at Buro Happold, based in Dubai, seeks to answer this question. He asks what the real contribution might be of the implementation of recent sustainable policies and urban projects, and what more needs to be done to improve the Gulf's ecological footprint and the water‐energy nexus.
Examining the Elusiveness of Finality in Arbitration, and the New Avenues of Appeal
Authors: Jacobs Roger B.
Published: January 2015

In Part 1 of 2, ADR attorney‐neutral Roger Jacobs provides background on the development of arbitration appellate practices that led to rules by leading conflict resolutions organizations. Next month, he will conclude his analysis with the issues that practitioners need to focus on in considering the applicability of using arbitration appeals from the drafting stage through the appellate award.
Critical update on 2‐methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer science
Authors: Goda Tatsuro , Ishihara Kazuhiko , Miyahara Yuji
Published: January 2015

2‐Methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) is a custom methacrylate with a zwitterionic phosphorylcholine moiety on the side chain. In the past 25 years, MPC has been used as a building block for a wide range of polymeric biomaterials because of its excellent resistance to nonspecific protein adsorption, cell adhesion, and blood coagulation. Recently, MPC polymers with specific features have been used in bioengineering and nanomedicine. This review focuses on three topics that highlight the latest findings on MPC polymers, that is, specific recognition of C‐reactive protein (CRP), cell‐membrane‐penetration abilities, and lubrication properties. These developments will extend the applications of this biomimetic material from bioinert polymers to biosensing, CRP inhibitors, prodrug carriers, subcellular bioimaging, cell manipulation, and joint replacement. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41766.
Growth optimization of Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 in lab flasks and a 2‐D photobioreactor
Authors: Kuan David , Duff Sheldon , Posarac Dusko , Bi Xiaotao
Published: January 2015

This study explored the effects of the major growth parameters for Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 for the purpose of maximizing cell growth. Preliminary studies in shake flasks revealed that an optimization of components in BG‐11 growth medium resulted in no significant improvements for the specific growth rate and biomass concentration. However, an optimal temperature of 33 °C and light intensity of 120 μE/m2·s provided a maximum specific growth rate of 0.052 h‐1 and a maximum biomass concentration of 0.50 g/L. Further studies of light intensity, CO2 concentration, and gas flow rate in a 1 L airlift photobioreactor showed that air enriched with 5 % CO2 with a flow rate of 1 L/min, temperature of 33 °C, and light intensity of 6 μE/m2·s achieved a maximum in biomass concentration of 1.07 g/L with a specific growth rate of 0.026 h‐1. The specific growth rate and biomass concentration diminished when CO2 concentration and light intensity increased above 5 % and 120 μE/m2·s, respectively. CO2 absorption experiments also revealed that growth was significantly limited by CO2 when supplied with air, whereas 10 % CO2 lowered the pH and consequently reduced the specific growth rate. Application of a 12:12 hour light‐dark cycle resulted in a significant drop in biomass growth.
Effects of low molecular weight compounds in coal on the characteristics of its spontaneous combustion
Authors: Yang Yongliang , Li Zenghua , Tang Yibo , Fanjun Gu , Ji Huaijun , Liu Zhen
Published: January 2015

Low molecular weight compounds (LMWCs) account for 10–23 % of total coal mass. However, their role in coal's spontaneous combustion has not been well understood. In this paper, we first experimentally tested the effects of LMWCs on coal's oxygen consumption as well as heat release and transfer, and analyzed the components of LMWCs in coal, then we measured the oxidation characteristics of main active groups of LMWCs using model compounds method and last presented the mechanisms of LMWCs affecting coal spontaneous combustion. Raw coal with low metamorphic grade had greater oxygen consumption rate and the heat release intensity than the extracted residual coal, while the extracted residual coal of anthracite coal at the higher temperature had higher oxygen consumption rate and the heat release intensity than the raw coal. LMWCs could increase coal's thermal conductivity, lower coal's specific heat capacity, and shorten coal's self‐igniting period. Extraction of LMWCs could increase total pore volume and specific surface area of low rank coals. The extracted LMWCs had far greater, even one hundred more times higher, oxygen consumption rates than raw coal. Taken together, LMWCs could significantly promote the spontaneous combustion of low rank coal. Addition of substances that could dissolve LMWCs or inhibit their oxidation during water or cement injecting can significantly prevent spontaneous combustion of LMWCs‐rich coal mines.
Strategies for improving diagnostic accuracy of biliary strictures
Authors: Salomao Marcela , Gonda Tamas A. , Margolskee Elizabeth , Eguia Vasco , Remotti Helen , Poneros John M. , Sethi Amrita , Saqi Anjali
Published: January 2015

BACKGROUND

Brush cytology is the initial intervention when evaluating biliary strictures. Biliary brush cytology is known for its low sensitivity (but high specificity) and may be accompanied by biopsies and/or fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to improve diagnostic yield. This study aimed to identify features to enhance cytological sensitivity, and assess which sampling method(s) improve identification of pancreatobiliary adenocarcinomas (PBCa).

METHODS

Seventy‐three biliary stricture cases were retrieved (38 PBCa and 35 control benign strictures). Biliary brushings, FISH, and biopsies were reviewed. Cytology specimens were evaluated for cellularity and presence of drunken honeycomb (DH), loosely cohesive clusters of round cells (LCCRC), large atypical cells with foamy cytoplasm (LACF), and single vacuolated malignant cells (SCs). Biopsies were examined for the presence of stromal invasion (SI).

RESULTS

Biliary brushings were scantly cellular in 47.4% of PBCa and 51.4% of controls, resulting in 69.6% nondiagnostic/false‐negative cytology diagnoses. DH, LACF, and SCs were significantly associated with adenocarcinoma (P < .00001, .0033, and .00002, respectively). By univariate analysis, SCs and LACF were predictors of malignancy in brushings (P = .0002 and .05). By multivariate analysis, only SCs were predictive of malignancy (P = .002). SI facilitated the diagnosis in 9 biopsies. Sensitivity/specificity of brush cytology, FISH, and biopsy were 39.5%/94.3%, 63.9%/94.3%, and 84.2%/100%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The low sensitivity of biliary brushings results from limited cellularity. Identification of LACF, DH, and SCs improves sensitivity. Sampling of stromal tissue may facilitate PBCa diagnosis. Concurrent biopsies and FISH are helpful in enhancing the diagnostic yield of PBCa. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2015;123:244–252. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Structural characterization of a degradation product of rocuronium using nanoelectrospray‐high resolution mass spectrometry
Authors: Wegener Olaf , Harms Guido , Volmer Dietrich A. , Hayen Heiko
Published: January 2015

Rocuronium bromide is a non‐depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent that causes rapid muscle relaxation after intravenous injection. Regulatory authorities for registration of pharmaceuticals for human use require the evaluation of the stability of active compounds under various stress conditions. Forced degradation of rocuronium bromide was performed under hydrolytic, thermal, photolytic, and oxidative settings. HPLC‐UV/vis analysis revealed an unknown degradation product under oxidative conditions (1% H2O2, reflux for 1 h). Investigation of the respective HPLC fraction by high resolution mass spectrometry indicated a formal loss of CH2 and an addition of one oxygen atom to the intact drug molecule. Additional multistage mass spectrometric structural elucidation experiments aided by complementary information from analysis of the intact drug and known rocuronium‐related compounds showed that the morpholine moiety was unstable under oxidative stress. The data demonstrated that the morpholine ring was opened and transformed to an N‐ethanoyl‐formamide group. The structure was supported by appropriate mechanistic explanations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing reparability: simple tools for estimation of costs and performance loss of earthquake damaged reinforced concrete buildings
Authors: Polese Maria , Di Ludovico Marco , Marcolini Marco , Prota Andrea , Manfredi Gaetano
Published: January 2015

Tools for assessing building reparability via the estimation of expected performance loss (PL) and associated costs for repair of existing RC building classes damaged by an earthquake are presented. The assessment approach relies on the availability of a number of suitably developed: (i) capacity curves for representative building classes; (ii) curves relating global ductility demand μ to the expected PL for the same classes; and (iii) PL–cost for repair relationship calibrated on database collecting cost data of more than 2300 buildings damaged after 2009 L'Aquila earthquake. The tools are developed applying a simplified procedure involving the simulated design of existing building classes, the assumption of predefined collapse mechanism types and the analyses of the seismic behavior of equivalent SDOF systems representative of ‘intact’ and ‘damaged’ structures after an earthquake. The use of these tools may give useful preliminary indications to decision makers for establishing reparability priorities in the aftermath of damaging earthquakes or to insurance companies to value sound insurance premium for existing building classes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Depth Characteristics for the Electronic Futures Limit Order Book
Authors: Aidov Alexandre , Daigler Robert T.
Published: January 2015

Prior literature provides limited information on the depth characteristics of futures markets, especially for U.S. exchanges, due to the lack of historical depth data from floor trading. A proprietary database remedies this problem by providing a five‐deep electronic futures limit order book. Our results show a large amount of depth beyond the best level, as well as more concentrated activity during the day than the night. We document symmetry between the bid and ask sides of the book, although no evidence of equality between the depth levels exists. Most important is that our results often contradict equity depth research. Overall, the structure of the limit order book helps us to understand the depth allocation by active traders in futures markets. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 35:542–560, 2015
To Thine Shareholders Be True? Linking Large Corporate Ownership to Firms’ Use of Commitment Human Resource Practices
Authors: Mullins Frank , Brandes Pamela , Dharwadkar Ravi
Published: January 2015

Human resource practitioners and academics have increasingly realized the importance of corporate governance for firm human resource activities. This study investigates how one important form of corporate governance, namely, ownership within large, publicly traded firms, is associated with a firm's use of commitment human resource practices (CHRPs), specifically, the use of incentive compensation, profit sharing, and participative decision making. Our findings indicate that the types of large investor, namely, family and institutional, are differentially associated with the likelihood of the firm using these CHRPs. Specifically, family owners with their long‐term investment horizon, as well as their stakeholder orientation, increase the likelihood of the firm using these practices. In contrast, large institutional owners with their shorter‐term investment horizon, as well as their investor orientation, decrease the likelihood of the firm using these practices. Furthermore, among institutional investors, transient institutional investors are negatively associated with these practices, while dedicated institutional investors are not associated with these practices. Taken together, our results regarding the positive association of family ownership and this subset of CHRPs and the negative association of transient institutional investors and this set of practices, have important implications for human resource professionals who not only need to understand how ownership affects HR practices but also how to articulate the value of these investments in order to attract investors. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sphingomonas sp. is a Novel Cell Culture Contaminant
Authors: Asghar Muhammad Tahir , Al‐Ghanim K , Mahboob Shahid , Sharif Muhammad , Nazir Jawad , Shakoori Abdul Rauf
Published: January 2015

A novel contaminant was isolated from Madin Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cells. The organism was unable to grow on standard microbiological media by conventional techniques, but grew well in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) containing high glucose concentration. The organism formed a white biofilm on the bottom without any signs of turbidity. Upon genome sequence analysis of 16 S rDNA, the contaminant was identified as Sphingomonas sp. Shah, a member of the group α‐Proteobacteria. Neutral red dye uptake method confirmed clear cytotoxic potential of the bacterium on A‐549 cells. The organism was capable of invading and infecting different mammalian cell lines: MDBK, ZZ‐R, 293‐T, A549, and HeLa cells. Infected cells showed a variety of cytopathic effects including vacuolation at perinuclear area, cytoplasmic granulation and membrane blebbing. Microscopic analysis of the infected cells revealed the presence of cytoplasmic vacuoles harboring motile organisms. Apparently local serum preparations seem to be the source of this contamination, which is imperceptibly passed on from one culture passage to the other and ultimately leading to serious cytopathic manifestations. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 934–942, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
MicroRNA‐124 Regulates Neuronal Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Targeting Sp1 mRNA
Authors: Mondanizadeh Mahdieh , Arefian Ehsan , Mosayebi Ghasem , Saidijam Massoud , Khansarinejad Behzad , Hashemi Seyed Mahmoud
Published: January 2015

MicroRNAs play an important role in neuronal development and function. miR‐124 is the most abundantly expressed miRNA in the nervous system. Several different mRNA targets have been proposed for miR‐124, but the precise function of endogenous miR‐124 and its mRNA targets remain to be further elucidated. Specificity protein 1 (Sp1) is a transcription factor that plays key roles in many cell processes including cell cycle. However, this transcription factor is nearly absent in differentiated neurons and a remarkable suppression of Sp1 expression was shown after neurogenesis. Since miR‐124 is expressed abundantly in neurons and because Sp1 levels decrease during neurogenesis, it is possible that miR‐124 could regulate the expression of Sp1 during neuronal development. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the putative targeting of Sp1 by miR‐124. Overexpression of miR‐124 using a plasmid coding for pri‐miR‐124 in HEK293 cells decreased the expression of Sp1 mRNA. The results of dual‐luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR‐124 directly targeted the 3′‐untranslated regions of Sp1 mRNA. To evaluate whether Sp1 expression was regulated by miR‐124 during the process of neuronal differentiation, Adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (A‐MSCs) were differentiated into neuron‐like cells. The results of qPCR analysis showed that with the gradual increase of miR‐124 expression during neurogenesis, the expression of Sp1 mRNA decreased accordingly. In summary, this study demonstrated for the first time that miR‐124 is able to suppress Sp1 expression, which in turn affected the neuronal differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 943–953, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Down‐regulated SOX4 Expression Suppresses Cell Proliferation, Metastasis and Induces Apoptosis in Xuanwei Female Lung Cancer Patients
Authors: Zhou Yongchun , Wang Xicai , Huang Yunchao , Chen Yan , Zhao Guangqiang , Yao Qian , Jin Congguo , Huang Youguang , Liu Xin , Li Guangjian
Published: January 2015

The transcription factor SOX4 has functional importance in foetal lung maturation and tumorigenesis in a number of cancers. However, its biological functions in the progression of lung tumorigenesis remain unclear. In this study, we found that the expression levels of SOX4 mRNA and protein were significantly higher in Xuanwei female lung cancer tissues than in benign lung lesions. The patients with high expression of the SOX4 protein had a higher pathological grade, lymph node (LN) metastasis, poor tumor differentiation and worse prognosis than those patients with low expression of SOX4. Knockdown of the SOX4 gene in the Xuanwei female lung cancer cell line XWLC‐05 resulted in apoptotic morphological changes, decreased cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Furthermore, knockdown of the SOX4 gene resulted in obvious sub‐G1 peaks and induction of apoptosis through upregulation of caspase‐3 expression, while in cells treated with a caspase‐3 inhibitor, apoptosis induced by silencing SOX4 expression was inhibited. In vivo analysis in nude mice further confirmed that knockdown of SOX4 suppressed tumor growth. In conclusion, SOX4 appears to be an important tumor suppressor gene in the regulation of Xuanwei female lung cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis and metastases, and it may be a potential target for effective lung cancer therapy. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 1007–1018, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Prediction of the structures of helical membrane proteins based on a minimum unfavorable contacts approach
Authors: Padhi Siladitya , Ramakrishna Siddabattula , Priyakumar U. Deva
Published: January 2015

An understanding of structure–function relationships of membrane proteins continues to be a challenging problem, owing to the difficulty in obtaining their structures experimentally. This study suggests a method for modeling membrane protein structures that can be used to generate a reliable initial conformation prior to the use of other approaches for sampling conformations. It involves optimizing the orientation of hydrophilic residues so as to minimize unfavorable contacts with the hydrophobic tails of the lipid bilayer. Starting with the optimized initial conformation for three different proteins modeled based on this method, two independent approaches have been used for sampling the conformational space of the proteins. Both approaches are able to predict structures reasonably close to experimental structures, indicating that the initial structure enables the sampling of conformations that are close to the native structure. Possible improvements in the method for making it broadly applicable to helical membrane proteins are discussed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Three dimensional mesoscale analysis of translamellar cross‐bridge morphologies in the annulus fibrosus using optical coherence tomography
Authors: Han Sang Kuy , Chen Chao‐Wei , Wierwille Jerry , Chen Yu , Hsieh Adam H.
Published: January 2015

The defining characteristic of the annulus fibrosus (AF) of the intervertebral disc (IVD) has long been the lamellar structures that consist of highly ordered collagen fibers arranged in alternating oblique angles from one layer to the next. However, a series of recent histologic studies have demonstrated that AF lamellae contain elastin‐ and type VI collagen‐rich secondary “cross‐bridge” structures across lamellae. In this study, we use optical coherence tomography (OCT) to elucidate the three‐dimensional (3‐D) morphologies of these translamellar cross‐bridges in AF tissues. Mesoscale volumetric images by OCT revealed a 3‐D network of heterogeneously distributed cross‐bridges. The results of this study confirm the translamellar cross‐bridge is identifiable as a distinguishable structure, which lies in the interbundle space of adjacent lamellae and crisscrosses multiple lamellae in the radial direction. In contrast to previously proposed models extrapolated from 2–D sections, results from this current study show that translamellar cross‐bridges exist as a complex, interconnected network. We also found much greater variation in lengths of cross‐bridges within the interbundle space of lamellae (0.8–1.4 mm from the current study versus 0.3–0.6 mm from 2–D sections). OCT‐based 3–D morphology of translamellar cross‐bridge provides novel insight into the AF structure. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:???–???, 2015.
Testing for the symmetric component in skew distributions
Authors: Jiménez‐Gamero M. Dolores , Alba‐Fernández M. Virtudes , Jodrá Pedro , Chalco‐Cano Yurilev
Published: January 2015

Many models of asymmetric distributions proposed in the statistical literature are obtained by transforming an arbitrary symmetric distribution by means of a skewing mechanism. In certain important cases, the resultant skewed distribution shares some properties of its symmetric antecedent. Because of this inheritance, it would be interesting to test if the symmetric generator belongs to a certain family, that is to say, testing goodness‐of‐fit for the symmetric component. This work proposes a test of such hypothesis. Taking into account that the normal law is perhaps the most studied distribution, as a particular case of unquestionable interest, the generalized skew‐normal family is studied in detail, because the symmetric component of the distributions in this family is normal. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of ultrasonic irradiation on colloidal stability of B4C and PbO particles and preparations of epoxy composites
Authors: Lee M.K. , Lee J.K. , Lee G.J. , Kim D.M.
Published: January 2015

The effects of the ultrasonic irradiation on the colloidal stability of B4C and PbO fillers suspended in low‐viscosity hardener and the subsequent preparations of the epoxy composites were studied. The ultrasonic dispersion ensured a long‐period colloidal stability of the filler particles with their initial particle size levels in liquid hardener. For less hard PbO microparticles, the particle size decreased with an increase in ultrasonication time by fragmentation. The effectiveness of ultrasonication was remarkable for the nanoparticles owing to the presence of greater surface area. FT‐IR measurements revealed that a particle‐to‐hardener interaction became stronger. Virtually, this interaction was critical to yield both the homogeneous distribution and strong interface of the B4C and PbO particles in the epoxy matrices, resulting in the improved mechanical and thermal performances of the B4C/epoxy and PbO/epoxy composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1839–1847, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Novel fetal and maternal sonographic findings in confirmed cases of Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome
Authors: Kagan Karl Oliver , Berg Christoph , Dufke Andreas , Geipel Annegret , Hoopmann Markus , Abele Harald
Published: January 2015

Objective

The objective of the study was to examine the prenatal anomalies in fetuses with Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome (BWS).

Methods

The study included a retrospective assessment of 12 pregnancies that were seen at three tertiary referral centres (Universities of Tübingen, Bonn, and Cologne/Germany). The genetic mutation, the results of the second trimester ultrasound examination, and the outcome of the pregnancies are shown. Biometric data were transformed into z‐values.

Results

Median gestational age at the time of examination was 22.6 (range 19.0–29.7) weeks of gestation. In all cases, the head circumference (HC) and the femur length (FL) were within the normal range, but the HC‐FL ratio was above the 95th centile in 75% of the cases. An exomphalos, macroglossia, and visceromegaly were observed in 67%, 50%, and 83% of the cases, and in 58% and 83%, there were polyhydramnios and placentamegaly respectively. The fetal pancreas was identified in three quarters of the cases. A third of the women had large, overstimulation‐like ovaries, although each pregnancy was conceived naturally. In four cases, beta‐human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels were measured and mean hCG levels were 498 106 IU/L.

Discussion

Besides exomphalos, BWS should be considered if there is macroglossia, a distinct growth pattern, pancreatic hyperplasia, placentamegaly, and substantially increased levels of beta‐hCG. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Female protection from slow‐pressor effects of angiotensin II involves prevention of ROS production independent of NMDA receptor trafficking in hypothalamic neurons expressing angiotensin 1A receptors
Authors: Marques‐Lopes Jose , Lynch Mary‐Katherine , Van Kempen Tracey A. , Waters Elizabeth M. , Wang Gang , Iadecola Costantino , Pickel Virginia M. , Milner Teresa A.
Published: January 2015

Renin–angiotensin system overactivity, upregulation of postsynaptic NMDA receptor function, and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) are hallmarks of angiotensin II (AngII)‐induced hypertension, which is far more common in young males than in young females. We hypothesize that the sex differences in hypertension are related to differential AngII‐induced changes in postsynaptic trafficking of the essential NMDA receptor GluN1 subunit and ROS production in PVN cells expressing angiotensin Type 1a receptor (AT1aR). We tested this hypothesis using slow‐pressor (14‐day) infusion of AngII (600 ng/kg/min) in mice, which elicits hypertension in males but not in young females. Two‐month‐old male and female transgenic mice expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in AT1aR‐containing cells were used. In males, but not in females, AngII increased blood pressure and ROS production in AT1aR–EGFP PVN cells at baseline and following NMDA treatment. Electron microscopy showed that AngII increased cytoplasmic and total GluN1–silver‐intensified immunogold (SIG) densities and induced a trend toward an increase in near plasmalemmal GluN1–SIG density in AT1aR–EGFP dendrites of males and females. Moreover, AngII decreased dendritic area and diameter in males, but increased dendritic area of small (<1 µm) dendrites and decreased diameter of large (>1 µm) dendrites in females. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that AT1aR and estrogen receptor β do not colocalize, suggesting that if estrogen is involved, its effect is indirect. These data suggest that the sexual dimorphism in AngII‐induced hypertension is associated with sex differences in ROS production in AT1aR‐containing PVN cells but not with postsynaptic NMDA receptor trafficking. Synapse 69:148–165, 2015.  © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Carbon-limited fed-batch production of medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates by aphaZ-knockout strain ofPseudomonas putidaKT2440
Authors: Vo Minh Tri , Ko Kenton , Ramsay Bruce
Published: January 2015

A medium-chain-length poly-3-hydroxyalkanote (MCL-PHA) depolymerase knockout mutant of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 was produced by double homologous recombination. A carbon-limited shake-flask study confirmed that depolymerase activity was eliminated. Lysis of both mutant and wild-type strains occurred under these conditions. In carbon-limited, fed-batch culture, the yield of unsaturated monomers from unsaturated substrate averaged only 0.62 mol mol−1 for the phaZ minus strain compared to 0.72 mol mol−1 for the wild type. The mutant strain also produced more CO2 and less residual biomass from the same amount of carbon substrate. However, most results indicated that elimination of PHA depolymerase activity had little impact on the overall yield of biomass and PHA.
Synthesis of New Salt‐Resistant Sulfonate Gemini Surfactants with Hydroxyl Groups
Authors: Zhou Ming , Xia Liangliang , He Yinglan , Zhang Ling , Qiao Xin , Zhong Xiang
Published: January 2015

Though the gemini surfactants have unique properties, their high cost limits their scope of application. The new salt‐resistant sulfonate gemini surfactants disodium 5,12‐bis(alkyloxymethyl)‐4,7,10,13‐tetraoxa‐2,15‐dihydroxyhexadecane 1,16‐disulfonates bearing two alkyl chains, two hydroxyl and two sulfonate groups were prepared from fatty alcohol, epichlorohydrin, glycol, sodium hydroxide, sodium bisulfite and sodium sulfite. Their synthesis exhibited the advantages of low raw material cost, mild reaction conditions and easy operation. The structures of prepared compounds were confirmed by FTIR and 1H NMR. These gemini surfactants show excellent surface‐active properties, good salt resistance and excellent foaming ability.
Development of Functional Polyurethane–ZnO Hybrid Nanocomposite Coatings from Thevetia peruviana Seed Oil
Authors: Siyanbola T. O. , Sasidhar K. , Rao B. V. S. K. , Narayan Ramanuj , Olaofe O. , Akintayo E. T. , Raju K. V. S. N.
Published: January 2015

The present article reports eco‐friendly multi‐functional polyurethane–ZnO hybrid nanocomposite coatings obtained from Thevetia peruviana seed oil (TPSO). Initially, the polyols were prepared by treating TPSO with glycerol and the formation was supported by Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) and 1H‐NMR studies. In the next stage, siloxane functionalized ZnO nanoparticles were added to the polyol mixture in different weight percentages (0, 1 and 2 %) and then treated with excess 4,4′‐diisocyanatodicyclohexylmethane (H12MDI) in order to synthesize isocyanate terminated polyurethane nanocomposites. The polyurethane hybrids were then casted as thin films and cured under atmospheric moisture. After complete curing they were characterized by using FT‐IR, 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis techniques. The hybrid nanocomposites showed superior thermo‐mechanical and anti‐corrosive properties compared to pristine polyurethane. Also, due to the presence of nano ZnO in the polyurethane matrix, the composite coatings are showing excellent resistance towards various bacterial and fungal stains.
Flattening simulations of 3D thick sheets made of fiber composite materials
Authors: Morioka Kotaro , Ohtake Yutaka , Suzuki Hiromasa , Nagai Yukie , Hishida Hiroyuki , Inagaki Koichi , Nakamura Takeshi , Watanabe Fumiaki
Published: January 2015

Recently, fiber composite materials have been attracting attention from industry because of their remarkable material characteristics, including light weight and high stiffness. However, the costs of products composed of fiber materials remain high because of the lack of effective manufacturing and designing technologies. To improve the relevant design technology, this paper proposes a novel simulation method for deforming fiber materials. Specifically, given a 3D model with constant thickness and known fiber orientation, the proposed method simulates the deformation of a model made of thick fiber-material. The method separates a 3D sheet model into two surfaces and then flattens these surfaces into two dimensional planes by a parameterization method with involves cross vector fields. The cross vector fields are generated by propagating the given fiber orientations specified at several important points on the 3D model. Integration of the cross vector fields gives parameterization with low-stretch and low-distortion.
Intake patterns and dietary associations of soya protein consumption in adults and children in the Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.2
Authors: Mudryj Adriana N. , Aukema Harold M. , Yu Nancy
Published: January 2015

Soya foods are one of the recommended alternatives to meat in many dietary guidelines. While this is expected to increase the intake of some nutrients, potential concerns regarding others have been raised. The purpose of the present study was to examine the prevalence and the association of soya food consumption with nutrient intakes and dietary patterns of Canadians (age ≥ 2 years). Cross-sectional data from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (Cycle 2.2;n33 218) were used to classify soya consumers and non-consumers. Soya consumers were further divided into two groups based on their soya protein intake. Sample weights were applied and logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between nutrient intakes and soya consumption, with cultural background, sex, age and economic status being included as covariates. On any given day, 3·3 % (n1085) of Canadians consume soya foods, with females, Asian Canadians and adults with post-secondary education being more likely to be soya consumers. As a whole, adolescent and adult respondents who had consumed at least one soya food during their 24 h dietary recall had higher energy intakes, as well as increased intakes of nutrients such as protein, fibre, vitamin C, vitamin B6, naturally occurring folate, thiamin, Ca, P, Mg, PUFA, Fe and K and lowered intakes of saturated fat. These data indicate that soya food consumption is associated with improved diet quality of Canadians. However, future research is necessary to investigate the association between increased energy intake and soya consumption.
The Dark Side of Empathy: Mimesis, Deception, and the Magic of Alterity
Authors: Bubandt Nils , Willerslev Rane
Published: January 2015

This article challenges the tendency, both academic and popular, to assign empathy the status of a virtue. The widespread inclination to associate empathy with the morally and socially “good”—with compassion, understanding, cultural bonding, and non-violent sociality—ignores what we propose to call the “dark side of empathy”: that is, the multiple ways in which empathy is routinely deployed to manipulate, seduce, deceive, and dehumanize others by means of vicariousness. Two diverse ethnographic cases, of hunting in Siberia and political violence in Indonesia, provide the empirical background for a discussion of the complex relationship of empathy to mimesis, deception, violence, and sociality.
Toward a Critical Hauntology: Bare Afterlife and the Ghosts of Ba Chúc
Authors: Lincoln Martha , Lincoln Bruce
Published: January 2015

While cross-disciplinary analysis of ghosts and haunting has burgeoned in recent decades, much of this scholarship presumes the figure of the ghost as a less than literal apparition. We propose that writers such as Jacques Derrida and Avery Gordon, who make use of the ghostly as a trope, are in fact describing a phenomenon we term secondary haunting, distinct from accounts of unquiet spirits who address the living directly with specific demands for redress: a visceral and often frightening experience we term primary haunting. Drawing on a contemporary account of the ghosts of a massacre in a Vietnamese village, we explore the complex interaction of primary and secondary haunting, the different kinds of memory work they engage in and the different moral communities they mobilize.
Subaltern Bureaucrats and Postcolonial Rule: Indigenous Professional Registers of Engagement with the Chilean State
Authors: Radcliffe Sarah A. , Webb Andrew J.
Published: January 2015

What is the experience of a racial subaltern on becoming an employee of a postcolonial state? Latin America has undertaken widespread multicultural state reform, often in response to pressure from nation-wide social movements and transnational human rights activism. This provides us with a window into ways in which subaltern individuals negotiate their place in a historically exclusionary state with norms of whiteness, European codes, and literal and metaphoric distance from marginal populations. Previous research has emphasized the cooptation of subaltern actors by neoliberal postcolonial states, but we argue that a close reading of subaltern accounts yields important insights into their experiences of ambivalence, ambiguity, and agency. Neoliberal state restructuring entrained a parallel, and in many cases interconnected process that generated ambivalence among civil servants. We draw on interviews with state employees associated with multicultural educational reforms in Chile to document the registers through which indigenous subalterns position themselves regarding the politics of interculturalism and the costs of serving the state.
T cells recognizing a 11mer influenza peptide complexed to H‐2Db show promiscuity for peptide length
Authors: Zanker Damien , Quinn Kylie , Waithman Jason , Lata Roleen , Murphy Roger , La Gruta Nicole Louise , Chen Weisan
Published: January 2015

T‐cell repertoire is selected according to self peptide–MHC (major histocompatibility complex) complexes in the thymus. Although most peripheral T cells recognize specific pathogen‐derived peptides complexed to self‐MHC exclusively, some possess cross‐reactivity to other self or foreign peptides presented by self‐MHC molecules; a phenomenon often termed T‐cell receptor (TCR) promiscuity or degeneracy. TCR promiscuity has been attributed to various autoimmune conditions. On the other hand, it is considered a mechanism for a relatively limited TCR repertoire to deal with a potentially much larger antigenic peptide repertoire. Such property has also been utilized to bypass self‐tolerance for cancer vaccine development. Although many studies explored such degeneracy for peptide of the same length, few studies reported such properties for peptides of different length. In this study, we finely characterized the CD8+ T‐cell response specific for a 11mer peptide derived from influenza A viral polymerase basic protein 2. The short‐term T‐cell line, despite possessing highly biased TCR, was able to react with multiple peptides of different length sharing the same core sequence. Out data clearly showed the importance of detailed and quantitative assessments for such T‐cell specificity. Our data also emphasize the importance of biochemical demonstration of the naturally presented minimal peptide.
Fast photodynamics of azobenzene probed by scanning excited-state potential energy surfaces using slow spectroscopy
Authors: Tan Eric M. M. , Amirjalayer Saeed , Smolarek Szymon , Vdovin Alexander , Zerbetto Francesco , Buma Wybren Jan
Published: January 2015

Azobenzene, a versatile and polymorphic molecule, has been extensively and successfully used for photoswitching applications. The debate over its photoisomerization mechanism leveraged on the computational scrutiny with ever-increasing levels of theory. However, the most resolved absorption spectrum for the transition to S1(nπ*) has not followed the computational advances and is more than half a century old. Here, using jet-cooled molecular beam and multiphoton ionization techniques we report the first high-resolution spectra of S1(nπ*) and S2(ππ*). The photophysical characterization reveals directly the structural changes upon excitation and the timescales of dynamical processes. For S1(nπ*), we find that changes in the hybridization of the nitrogen atoms are the driving force that triggers isomerization. In combination with quantum chemical calculations we conclude that photoisomerization occurs along an inversion-assisted torsional pathway with a barrier of ~2 kcal mol−1. This methodology can be extended to photoresponsive molecular systems so far deemed non-accessible to high-resolution spectroscopy.
Centromeric binding and activity of Protein Phosphatase 4
Authors: Lipinszki Zoltan , Lefevre Stephane , Savoian Matthew S. , Singleton Martin R. , Glover David M. , Przewloka Marcin R.
Published: January 2015

The cell division cycle requires tight coupling between protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. However, understanding the cell cycle roles of multimeric protein phosphatases has been limited by the lack of knowledge of how their diverse regulatory subunits target highly conserved catalytic subunits to their sites of action. Phosphoprotein phosphatase 4 (PP4) has been recently shown to participate in the regulation of cell cycle progression. We now find that the EVH1 domain of the regulatory subunit 3 of Drosophila PP4, Falafel (Flfl), directly interacts with the centromeric protein C (CENP-C). Unlike other EVH1 domains that interact with proline-rich ligands, the crystal structure of the Flfl amino-terminal EVH1 domain bound to a CENP-C peptide reveals a new target-recognition mode for the phosphatase subunit. We also show that binding of Flfl to CENP-C is required to bring PP4 activity to centromeres to maintain CENP-C and attached core kinetochore proteins at chromosomes during mitosis.
Rb and FZR1/Cdh1 determine CDK4/6-cyclin D requirement in C. elegans and human cancer cells
Authors: The Inge , Ruijtenberg Suzan , Bouchet Benjamin P. , Cristobal Alba , Prinsen Martine B. W. , van Mourik Tim , Koreth John , Xu Huihong , Heck Albert J. R. , Akhmanova Anna , Cuppen Edwin , Boxem Mike , Muñoz Javier , van den Heuvel Sander
Published: January 2015

Cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) in complex with D-type cyclins promote cell cycle entry. Most human cancers contain overactive CDK4/6-cyclin D, and CDK4/6-specific inhibitors are promising anti-cancer therapeutics. Here, we investigate the critical functions of CDK4/6-cyclin D kinases, starting from an unbiased screen in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that simultaneous mutation of lin-35, a retinoblastoma (Rb)-related gene, and fzr-1, an orthologue to the APC/C co-activator Cdh1, completely eliminates the essential requirement of CDK4/6-cyclin D (CDK-4/CYD-1) in C. elegans. CDK-4/CYD-1 phosphorylates specific residues in the LIN-35 Rb spacer domain and FZR-1 amino terminus, resembling inactivating phosphorylations of the human proteins. In human breast cancer cells, simultaneous knockdown of Rb and FZR1 synergistically bypasses cell division arrest induced by the CDK4/6-specific inhibitor PD-0332991. Our data identify FZR1 as a candidate CDK4/6-cyclin D substrate and point to an APC/CFZR1 activity as an important determinant in response to CDK4/6-inhibitors.