bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Utility of ductus venosus blood flow in the study of cardiac function in fetuses with intracardiac echogenic focus
Authors: Avcı Muhittin Eftal , Yozgat Yılmaz , Şanlıkan Fatih , Yıldırım Gökhan , Polat İbrahim , Karaarslan Utku
Published: September 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate fetal ductus venosus (DV) wave velocities, DV velocity ratios, and DV diastolic time intervals to derive additional information on fetal cardiac function in the presence of an intracardiac echogenic focus (IEF).

Methods

Seventy fetuses at 19–28 weeks of gestation with an IEF and 63 control fetuses were screened using two‐dimensional and power Doppler echocardiography. DV wave velocities, DV velocity ratios, and diastolic time intervals were measured. The aortic peak velocity, pulmonary artery peak velocity, left ventricular shortening fraction, and right ventricular shortening fraction, atrioventricular early‐diastolic filling velocity (E), atrial contraction velocity (A), and E/A ratio were also measured.

Results

The study and control groups were similar in terms of maternal age, body mass index, and gestational age in weeks at the time of examination (p > 0.05). Significant between‐group differences were found in DV v‐descent (p = 0.03) and a‐wave velocities (p = 0.04).

Conclusions

Although the presence of an IEF in the fetal heart does not influence conventional measurements (DV velocity ratios and DV diastolic time intervals), it is associated with changes in DV v‐descent and a‐wave velocities. These changes may be indirectly related to reduced end‐systolic relaxation and augmented atrial contraction in the fetal heart. We therefore suggest examination of DV flow velocities in fetuses with IEF. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 44:170–174, 2016
Regioselective and Stereoselective Addition of Tetrazole Derivatives to Electron‐poor Acetylenic Esters in the Presence of Triphenylphosphine
Authors: Ramazani Ali , Nasrabadi Fatemeh Zeinali , Ślepokura Katarzyna , Lis Tadeusz , Joo Sang Woo
Published: September 2015

Protonation of the highly reactive 1:1 intermediates produced in the reaction between triphenylphosphine and acetylenic esters by tetrazole derivatives leads to the formation of vinyltriphenylphosphonium salts. The cation of these salts undergoes an addition reaction with the counter anion in CH2Cl2 at room temperature to yield the corresponding stabilized phosphorus ylides. Elimination of triphenylphosphine from the stabilized phosphorus ylides leads to the corresponding electron‐poor N‐vinyl tetrazoles in fairly high yields. Structures of N‐vinyl tetrazoles were determined by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and single crystal X‐ray structure analyses. The reaction is fairly regioselective and stereoselective.
The clinical implication of single nucleotide polymorphisms in deoxycytidine kinase in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with lamivudine
Authors: Lee Hyun Woong , Lee Sung Hee , Lee Min Goo , Ahn Sang Hoon , Chang Hye Young , Han Kwang‐Hyub
Published: September 2015

Deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) is a critical enzyme involved in intracellular phosphorylation of lamivudine (LAM) to its active triphosphates. We conducted this study to determine dCK polymorphisms in Koreans and to evaluate whether the discovered single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were associated with treatment outcomes in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with LAM. The full‐length dCK gene was sequenced from 24 healthy volunteers and 24 patients with CHB. One hundred twenty‐seven patients with CHB who were followed‐up for at least 24 months after LAM treatment were enrolled. Virological response as determined by undetectable HBV DNA was defined as a good drug response. Primary non‐response at 6 months and virological breakthrough within 12 months were defined as a poor drug response. Six novel dCK SNPs were found (−2052C/A, IVS3 − 46G/del, IVS4 + 40G/T, IVS5 + 39T/C, IVS5 − 72A/T, and 966–975T10/T11). In particular, two promoter SNPs, namely −360C/G and −201C/T, were in full linkage disequilibrium. These two SNPs had a higher allele frequency than previously reported in Caucasian, Japanese, and Chinese (26% vs. 2%, 13.1%, and 15.6%, respectively). There was no significant difference between treatment response groups in terms of the distributions of SNP genotypes or allele frequencies. However, there was significant difference in the allele frequency of −360G/−201T between HBeAg seroclearance group and HBeAg non‐seroclearance group (P = 0.045). In conclusion, six novel dCK SNPs were discovered. Two promoter SNPs, namely −360C/G and −201C/T, were more frequent in Koreans than other populations. In particular, HBeAg‐positive patients with the −360G/−201T haplotype may help HBeAg seroclearance in response to LAM therapy. J. Med. Virol. 88:820–827, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Production of the natural iron chelator deferriferrichrysin from Aspergillus oryzae and evaluation as a novel food‐grade antioxidant
Authors: Todokoro Takehiko , Fukuda Katsuharu , Matsumura Kengo , Irie Motoko , Hata Yoji
Published: September 2015

BACKGROUND

Deferriferrichrysin (Dfcy) is a siderophore found in foods fermented by Aspergillus oryzae and is a promising candidate for an antioxidant food additive because of its high binding constant toward iron. However, the Dfcy concentration is typically low in foods and cultures.

RESULTS

We optimised culture conditions to improve Dfcy production to 2800 mg L−1 from 22.5 mg L−1 under typical conditions. Then, we evaluated the potential of Dfcy as a food additive by measuring its safety, stability, and antioxidant activity. Dfcy was sufficiently stable that over 90% remained after pasteurisation at 63 °C for 30 min at pH 3–11, or after sterilisation at 120 °C for 4 min at pH 4–6. Dfcy showed high antioxidant activity in an oil‐in‐water model, where inhibition of lipid oxidation was measured by peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assays. Dfcy decreased PV and TBARS by 83% and 75%, respectively. Antioxidant activity of Dfcy was equal to or higher than that of the synthetic chelator EDTA.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides the first practical method for production of Dfcy. Dfcy can be a novel food‐grade antioxidant and the first natural alternative to the synthesised iron chelator EDTA. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Monitoring burrowing petrel populations: A sampling scheme for the management of an island keystone species
Authors: Buxton Rachel T. , Gormley Andrew M. , Jones Christopher J. , Lyver Philip O'B.
Published: September 2015

Burrow‐nesting petrels (order Procellariiformes) are keystone species in island ecosystems, where they modify habitat through guano deposition and burrow digging. Burrowing petrels are among the most threatened groups of birds, yet robust long‐term monitoring data remain scarce because of the financial and logistical constraints of working on offshore breeding islands, the variety of surveying strategies used, and the birds' below‐ground breeding behavior. We examined the sampling requirements of monitoring programs to detect changes in the number of breeding pairs of gray‐faced petrels (Pterodroma gouldi), a common species in northern New Zealand. We first examined the relationship between burrow entrance density and breeding pair density using 4 years of data from 3 large colonies. We then conducted a simulation‐based power analysis to assess the ability of different burrow‐occupancy sampling regimes to detect changes in breeding bird abundance. Power to detect change was influenced by population growth rates, initial bird density, inter‐annual variation in abundance, plot size, number of plots, intervals between surveys, time of year surveys are undertaken, and duration of the monitoring program. Our analyses suggest that, under the most suboptimal monitoring conditions, at least 45 randomly assigned 5‐m‐radius plots surveyed annually during the incubation period for ≥20 years will be required to detect a 1% annual change in breeding bird abundance. Because power will vary depending on project specifications, local conditions, and potential change, we created an online application with over 50,000 combinations of starting parameters (https://landcare.shinyapps.io/petrels). This allows managers to determine the power of different combinations of survey intensities while maintaining consistency and maximizing efficiency. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.
RAFT Synthesis in Water of Cationic Polyelectrolytes with Tunable UCST
Authors: Cao Xueteng , An Zesheng
Published: September 2015

Cationic polyelectrolytes showing an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) are synthesized by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization in water at a temperature well above the UCST. The polymerization is well controlled by the RAFT process, with excellent pseudo‐first‐order kinetics. The cloud point is highly dependent on the polyelectrolyte concentration, molecular weight, and presence of added electrolyte. Alkylation of a neutral polymer is also conducted to obtain polyelectrolytes with different hydrophobic groups, which are shown to increase the cloud point.

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Robust and convenient analysis of protein thermal and chemical stability
Authors: Niklasson Markus , Andresen Cecilia , Helander Sara , Roth Marie G.L. , Zimdahl Kahlin Anna , Lindqvist Appell Malin , Mårtensson Lars‐Göran , Lundström Patrik
Published: September 2015

We present the software CDpal that is used to analyze thermal and chemical denaturation data to obtain information on protein stability. The software uses standard assumptions and equations applied to two‐state and various types of three‐state denaturation models in order to determine thermodynamic parameters. It can analyze denaturation monitored by both circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy and is extremely flexible in terms of input format. Furthermore, it is intuitive and easy to use because of the graphical user interface and extensive documentation. As illustrated by the examples herein, CDpal should be a valuable tool for analysis of protein stability.
Structure of lpg0406, a carboxymuconolactone decarboxylase family protein possibly involved in antioxidative response from Legionella pneumophila
Authors: Chen Xiaofang , Hu Yanjin , Yang Bo , Gong Xiaojian , Zhang Nannan , Niu Liwen , Wu Yun , Ge Honghua
Published: September 2015

Lpg0406, a hypothetical protein from Legionella pneumophila, belongs to carboxymuconolactone decarboxylase (CMD) family. We determined the crystal structure of lpg0406 both in its apo and reduced form. The structures reveal that lpg0406 forms a hexamer and have disulfide exchange properties. The protein has an all‐helical fold with a conserved thioredoxin‐like active site CXXC motif and a proton relay system similar to that of alkylhydroperoxidase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MtAhpD), suggesting that lpg0406 might function as an enzyme with peroxidase activity and involved in antioxidant defense. A comparison of the size and the surface topology of the putative substrate‐binding region between lpg0406 and MtAhpD indicates that the two enzymes accommodate the different substrate preferences. The structural findings will enhance understanding of the CMD family protein structure and its various functions.
Synthesis of linear and cyclic opioid‐based peptide analogs containing multipleN‐methylated amino acid residues
Authors: Adamska Anna , Kolesińska Beata , Kluczyk Alicja , Kamiński Zbigniew J. , Janecka Anna
Published: September 2015

A series of six novel opioid peptide analogs containing one to threeN‐methylamino acid residues, and six cyclic counterparts of these peptides were prepared by the solid‐phase method. Introduction of two consecutiveN‐methylated amino acids, as well as cyclization of such conformationally constrained sequences, turned out to be challenging. The use of a recently reported triazine‐based coupling reagent, 4‐(4,6‐dimethoxy‐1,3,5‐triazin‐2‐yl)‐4‐methylmorpholinium toluene‐4‐sulfonate, enabled the synthesis and cyclization of the designed analogs in acceptable yields and with a lesser amount of by‐products than observed with the standard coupling reagents such as TBTU or HATU.Copyright © 2015 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antimicrobial activity of human α‐defensin 6 analogs: insights into the physico‐chemical reasons behind weak bactericidal activity of HD6 in vitro
Authors: Mathew Basil , Nagaraj Ramakrishnan
Published: September 2015

Human α‐defensin 6 (HD6), unlike other mammalian defensins, does not exhibit bactericidal activity, particularly against aerobic bacteria. Monomeric HD6 has a tertiary structure similar to other α‐defensins in the crystalline state. However, the physico‐chemical reasons behind the lack of antibacterial activity of HD6 are yet to be established unequivocally. In this study, we have investigated the antimicrobial activity of HD6 analogs. A linear analog of HD6, in which the distribution of arginine residues was similar to active α‐defensins, shows broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activity, indicating that atypical distribution of arginine residues contributes to the inactivity of HD6. Peptides spanning the N‐terminal cationic segment were active against a wide range of organisms. Antimicrobial potency of these shorter analogs was further enhanced when myristic acid was conjugated at the N‐terminus. Cytoplasmic localization of the analogs without fatty acylation was observed to be necessary for bacterial killing, while they exhibited fungicidal activity by permeabilizing Candida albicans membranes. Myristoylated analogs and the linear full‐length arginine analog exhibited activity by permeabilizing bacterial and fungal membranes. Our study provides insights into the lack of bactericidal activity of HD6 against aerobic bacteria. Copyright © 2015 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Achieving large acoustic and phonon band gaps in multilayered structures
Authors: Mangipudi K. R. , Jooss Ch. , Volkert C. A.
Published: September 2015

Band gaps in the vibrational spectrum of periodic multilayer structures offer excellent opportunities to control acoustic waves and phonons. Engineering the characteristics of the band gaps requires a careful selection of layer materials and thicknesses. This paper aims to develop general guidelines for material and geometry selection to maximize band gaps in the elastic wave spectrum of binary multilayer structures. We calculate band gaps for a wide range of layer thickness fractions and material properties using an analytical solution for plane wave propagation normal to the layers. The behavior of the maximum band gap and the midgap frequency is captured into empirical relations which allow optimal layer materials and thicknesses to be selected. Their use is demonstrated with specific promising material systems for oxide‐based thermoelectric applications, which show the possibility of band gaps on the order of the midgap frequency.
A Randomized Clinical Trial of Berberine Hydrochloride in Patients with Diarrhea‐Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Chen Chunqiu , Tao Chunhua , Liu Zhongchen , Lu Meiling , Pan Qiuhui , Zheng Lijun , Li Qing , Song Zhenshun , Fichna Jakub
Published: September 2015

We aimed to evaluate clinical symptoms in diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS‐D) receiving berberine hydrochloride in a randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Overall, 196 patients with IBS‐D were recruited for this study; consequently, 132 patients randomized to receive daily 400 mg of berberine hydrochloride, delivered twice daily or placebo for 8 weeks followed by a 4‐week washout period. After a 2‐week run‐in period, diarrhea, abdominal pain, urgent need for defecation frequency and any adverse events were recorded daily. Prior to administration of the medication and after completing the treatment, assessment of IBS symptom scores, depression and anxiety scale scores and the IBS scale for quality of life (QOL) was carried out. The effects of berberine hydrochloride on IBS‐D, defined by a reduction of diarrhea frequency (P = 0.032), abdominal pain frequency (P < 0.01) and urgent need for defecation frequency (P < 0.01), were significantly more pronounced in the berberine group than the placebo group in the 8 weeks of treatment. A trend of improvement (P < 0.05) was observed with berberine hydrochloride for IBS symptom score, depression score and anxiety score and the IBSQOL, compared with placebo. At last, berberine hydrochloride was well tolerated. So we concluded that berberine hydrochloride is well tolerated and reduces IBS‐D symptoms, which effectively improved patients QOL. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of Ar‐BINMOL‐Derived Atropisomeric Ligands with Matched Axial and sp3 Central Chirality for Catalytic Asymmetric Transformations
Authors: Xu Zheng , Xu Li‐Wen
Published: September 2015

Recently, academic chemists have renewed their interest in the development of 1,1′‐binaphthalene‐2,2′‐diol (BINOL)‐derived chiral ligands. Six years ago, a working hypothesis, that the chirality matching of hybrid chirality on a ligand could probably lead to high levels of stereoselective induction, prompted us to use the axial chirality of BINOL derivatives to generate new stereogenic centers within the same molecule with high stereoselectivity, obtaining as a result sterically favorable ligands for applications in asymmetric catalysis. This Personal Account describes our laboratory's efforts toward the development of a novel class of BINOL‐derived atropisomers bearing both axial and sp3 central chirality, the so‐called Ar‐BINMOLs, for asymmetric synthesis. Furthermore, on the basis of the successful application of Ar‐BINMOLs and their derivatives in asymmetric catalysis, the search for highly efficient and enantioselective processes also compelled us to give special attention to the BINOL‐derived multifunctional ligands with multiple stereogenic centers for use in catalytic asymmetric reactions.

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The Vietnam Initiative on Zoonotic Infections (VIZIONS): A Strategic Approach to Studying Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Authors: Rabaa Maia A. , Tue Ngo Tri , Phuc Tran My , Carrique-Mas Juan , Saylors Karen , Cotten Matthew , Bryant Juliet E. , Nghia Ho Dang Trung , Cuong Nguyen Van , Pham Hong Anh , Berto Alessandra , Phat Voong Vinh , Dung Tran Thi Ngoc , Bao Long Hoang , Hoa Ngo Thi , Wertheim Heiman , Nadjm Behzad , Monagin Corina , van Doorn H. Rogier , Rahman Motiur , Tra My Phan Vu , Campbell James I. , Boni Maciej F. , Tam Pham Thi Thanh , van der Hoek Lia , Simmonds Peter , Rambaut Andrew , Toan Tran Khanh , Van Vinh Chau Nguyen , Hien Tran Tinh , Wolfe Nathan , Farrar Jeremy J. , Thwaites Guy , Kellam Paul , Woolhouse Mark E. J. , Baker Stephen
Published: September 2015

The effect of newly emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases of zoonotic origin in human populations can be potentially catastrophic, and large-scale investigations of such diseases are highly challenging. The monitoring of emergence events is subject to ascertainment bias, whether at the level of species discovery, emerging disease events, or disease outbreaks in human populations. Disease surveillance is generally performed post hoc, driven by a response to recent events and by the availability of detection and identification technologies. Additionally, the inventory of pathogens that exist in mammalian and other reservoirs is incomplete, and identifying those with the potential to cause disease in humans is rarely possible in advance. A major step in understanding the burden and diversity of zoonotic infections, the local behavioral and demographic risks of infection, and the risk of emergence of these pathogens in human populations is to establish surveillance networks in populations that maintain regular contact with diverse animal populations, and to simultaneously characterize pathogen diversity in human and animal populations. Vietnam has been an epicenter of disease emergence over the last decade, and practices at the human/animal interface may facilitate the likelihood of spillover of zoonotic pathogens into humans. To tackle the scientific issues surrounding the origins and emergence of zoonotic infections in Vietnam, we have established The Vietnam Initiative on Zoonotic Infections (VIZIONS). This countrywide project, in which several international institutions collaborate with Vietnamese organizations, is combining clinical data, epidemiology, high-throughput sequencing, and social sciences to address relevant one-health questions. Here, we describe the primary aims of the project, the infrastructure established to address our scientific questions, and the current status of the project. Our principal objective is to develop an integrated approach to the surveillance of pathogens circulating in both human and animal populations and assess how frequently they are exchanged. This infrastructure will facilitate systematic investigations of pathogen ecology and evolution, enhance understanding of viral cross-species transmission events, and identify relevant risk factors and drivers of zoonotic disease emergence.
A High Linoleic Acid Diet does not Induce Inflammation in Mouse Liver or Adipose Tissue
Authors: Vaughan Roger A. , Garrison Richard L. , Stamatikos Alexis D. , Kang Minsung , Cooper Jamie A. , Paton Chad M.
Published: September 2015

Recently, the pro‐inflammatory effects of linoleic acid (LNA) have been re‐examined. It is now becoming clear that relatively few studies have adequately assessed the effects of LNA, independent of obesity. The purpose of this work was to compare the effects of several fat‐enriched but non‐obesigenic diets on inflammation to provide a more accurate assessment of LNA's ability to induce inflammation. Specifically, 8‐week‐old male C57Bl/6 mice were fed either saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), LNA, or alpha‐linolenic acid enriched diets (50 % Kcal from fat, 22 % wt/wt) for 4 weeks. Chow and high‐fat, hyper‐caloric diets were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. Expression of pro‐inflammatory and pro‐coagulant markers from epididymal fat, liver, and plasma were measured along with food intake and body weights. Mice fed the high SFA, MUFA, and high‐fat diets exhibited increased pro‐inflammatory markers in liver and adipose tissue; however, mice fed LNA for four weeks did not display significant changes in pro‐inflammatory or pro‐coagulant markers in epididymal fat, liver, or plasma. The present study demonstrates that LNA alone is insufficient to induce inflammation. Instead, it is more likely that hyper‐caloric diets are responsible for diet‐induced inflammation possibly due to adipose tissue remodeling.
Lactational changes in concentration and distribution of ganglioside molecular species in human breast milk from Chinese mothers
Authors: Ma Lin , Liu Xihong , MacGibbon Alastair K. H. , Rowan Angela , McJarrow Paul , Fong Bertram Y.
Published: September 2015

Gangliosides play a critical role in human brain development and function. Human breast milk (HBM) is an important dietary source of gangliosides for the growing infant. In this study, ganglioside concentrations were measured in the breast milk from a cross‐sectional sample of Chinese mothers over an 8‐month lactation period. The average total ganglioside concentration increased from 13.1 mg/l during the first month to 20.9 mg/l by 8 months of lactation. The average concentration during the typically solely breast‐feeding period of 1‒6 months was 18.9 mg/l. This is the first study to report the relative distribution of the individual ganglioside molecular species through lactation for any population group. The ganglioside molecular species are made up of different fatty acid moieties that influence the physical properties of these gangliosides, and hence affect their function. The GM3 molecular species containing long‐chain acyl fatty acids had the most prominent changes, increasing in both concentration and relative distribution. The equivalent long‐chain acyl fatty acid GD3 molecular species typically decreased in concentration and relative distribution. The lactational trends for both concentration and relative distribution for the very long‐chain acyl fatty acid molecular species were more varied. The major GM3 and GD3 molecular species during lactation were d40:1 and d42:1, respectively. An understanding of ganglioside molecular species distribution in HBM is essential for accurate application of mass spectrometry methods for ganglioside quantification.
New Analytical Evidence of Discontinuous Oxidation in Dried Microencapsulated Lipids
Authors: Morales Arturo , Marmesat Susana , Ruiz‐Méndez Mª Victoria , Márquez‐Ruiz Gloria , Velasco Joaquín
Published: September 2015

Formation of hydroperoxy‐, keto‐ and hydroxy‐dienes was studied at 40 °C in fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) microencapsulated in a dairy‐like matrix formed by lactose and sodium caseinate. The FAME were obtained from conventional sunflower oil and the microcapsules were prepared by freeze‐drying of an oil‐in‐water emulsion. For comparative purposes a neat sample of FAME was also tested. Results showed that for a given content of hydroperoxydienes much more elevated amounts of secondary products were detected in the microencapsulated sample compared to the neat sample of FAME. The contents of keto‐ and hydroxy‐dienes found in the microencapsulated FAME ranged as a whole between 6 and 31 wt% of the analyzed compounds, while the neat sample showed values lower than 1.5 %. Along with the fact that relatively higher contents of polymers were also found in the encapsulated sample, these results can be attributed to lipid droplets with very different oxidation states. On the one hand, the extract would be formed from droplets in early stages of oxidation containing hydroperoxides and very low contents of secondary products and, on the other, from droplets in advanced stages with decreased hydroperoxides and substantial contents of secondary products. Unlike the neat sample, hydroxy‐dienes formed with significantly higher amounts than keto‐dienes in the microencapsulated FAME, suggesting a possible chemical role of the encapsulation matrix.
Experts, outsiders or strangers? The self-positioning of highly skilled contractors
Authors: Bryant Melanie , McKeown Tui
Published: September 2015

Low and high-skilled contractors are often positioned in an analogous way within the literature drawing attention to the benefits of highly skilled contracting in contrast to the precarious nature of low-skilled contracting. Highly skilled contractors are largely identified within thefree agentview; as self-directed professionals who add significant value to client organisations. However, very little research has focused specifically on how highly skilled contractors identify themselves through the process of positioning. We present the findings of a qualitative study of 34 highly skilled contractors. We found that participants positioned themselves in three specific ways: as expert, outsider and stranger and theorise about why highly skilled contractors construct simultaneous but diverse positions of themselves. In doing so, we argue that developing a more thorough understanding of how highly skilled contractors identify themselves provides valuable insights for those tasked with managing different groups of workers in the one workplace.
Prejudice and Politics Re-Examined The Political Significance of Implicit Racial Bias
Authors: Kinder Donald R. , Ryan Timothy J.
Published: September 2015

As part of a general inquiry into mental mechanisms that operate outside conscious awareness, experimental psychology has recently established the presence and importance of “implicit attitudes.” The purpose of our paper is to compare the roles played by implicit and explicit prejudice in politics. Relying on two national surveys of the American electorate that included standard measures of implicit and explicit prejudice, we provide a systematic comparison of prejudice’s political effects: for the candidates Americans choose, the policies they favor, the assessments they make of government performance, and the racialized information they absorb. We find that implicit and explicit prejudice provide radically different pictures of racial politics in America.
Eyelid-parotid metastasis: do we screen for coexisting masses? A case series
Authors: Mukherjee C , Sadiq A , Mehta P , Ahluwalia H
Published: September 2015

Objective:

To report three cases illustrating that it is not unusual for a primary eyelid tumour to metastasise to the parotid gland and vice versa.

Case reports:

Two patients with malignant parotid tumours underwent radical parotidectomy and presented subsequently with eyelid lesions. Biopsy showed that both eyelid lesions were histologically similar to the primary parotid tumour. A third patient was noted to have ipsilateral upper eyelid and parotid gland tumours. Histology and immunocytochemistry were used to differentiate the primary tumour and the metastasis.

Conclusion:

These cases illustrate that tumours involving eyelids and parotid glands can present simultaneously or sequentially, and either of these structures could be the focus of primary or metastatic tumour. The important message for oculoplastic and parotid surgeons is to routinely assess both the periocular and parotid area when patients present with a mass in either structure.
A Job Like Any Other? Feminist Responses and Challenges to Domestic Worker Organizing in Edwardian Britain
Authors: Schwartz Laura
Published: September 2015

This article focuses on the Domestic Workers’ Union of Great Britain and Ireland (est. 1909–1910), a small, grassroots union organized by young female domestic servants in the years leading up to the First World War. This union emerged against a backdrop of labor unrest as well as an increasingly militant women's movement. The article looks at how the Domestic Workers’ Union drew inspiration from the latter but also encountered hostility from some feminists unhappy with the idea of their own servants becoming organized. I argue that the uneven and ambivalent response of the women's movement toward the question of domestic worker organizing is significant not simply as an expression of the social divisions that undoubtedly characterized this movement, but also as reflecting a wider debate within early twentieth-century British feminism over what constituted useful and valuable work for women. Attitudes toward domestic worker organizing were therefore predicated upon feminists’ interrogation of the very nature of domestic labor. Was it inherently inferior to masculine and/or professional forms of work? Was it intrinsically different from factory work, or could it be reorganized and rationalized to fit within the industrial paradigm? Under what conditions should domestic labor be performed, and, perhaps most importantly, who should do it?
The Dress Strike at Three Finger Brown's: The Complex Realities of Antiracketeering from the Union Perspective in the 1950s
Authors: Witwer David
Published: September 2015

In 1958 the International Ladies Garment Workers Union waged a strike in the dress industry. The union's central goal was to curb the growing influence of organized crime, particularly among the factories being set up in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Garment Workers’ leadership saw the conflict as a pivotal test for their organization. Drawing on newly available source materials, including FBI files and the records of a Senate investigation, this article argues that the union's approach to this strike reflected the complex realities it faced in dealing with corruption in the garment industry. Organized crime played long term and fundamental roles in the New York Garment District and especially in the industry's trucking sector. The union had found itself forced to accommodate aspects of the mob's role in order to build its organization. The 1958 strike was about curbing the mob sector and, in effect, renegotiating the previously made arrangements. It was, the article argues, a kind of real-world anticorruption effort, waged by union members and union leaders at some risk to themselves in mob-dominated towns such as Pittston, Pennsylvania.
DEBT AND DEFICIT FLUCTUATIONS IN A TIME-CONSISTENT SETUP
Authors: Grechyna Daryna
Published: September 2015

This paper compares the stochastic behavior of fiscal variables under optimal fiscal policy for the cases of full commitment by the government (Ramsey problem) and no commitment by the government (focusing on differentiable Markov perfect equilibrium). It shows that the cyclical properties of fiscal variables are similar for both commitment assumptions. These conclusions are robust to two different specifications of the structure of public bonds (risk-free and state-contingent) and to different sets of the parameters. The cyclical properties of fiscal variables, regardless of commitment assumptions, can be determined by the parameters of the utility function.
Sociodemographic characteristics determine dietary pattern adherence during pregnancy
Authors: de Castro Maria Beatriz Trindade , Freitas Vilela Ana Amélia , Oliveira Alessandra Silva Dias de , Cabral Maria , Souza Rita Adriana Gomes de , Kac Gilberto , Sichieri Rosely
Published: September 2015

Objective

Sociodemographic factors may affect adherence to specific dietary patterns during pregnancy. The present study aimed to identify dietary patterns during pregnancy and associated factors among Brazilian pregnant women.

Design

A cross-sectional analysis. Dietary intake was evaluated with a semi-quantitative FFQ during the first postpartum week; the time frame included the second and third gestational trimesters. Principal component analysis was used to identify dietary patterns during pregnancy. Sociodemographic data were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Multiple linear regressions were applied to test the associations between the sociodemographic factors and dietary patterns.

Setting

Mesquita, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2011.

Subjects

Postpartum women (n 327) who were 18–45 years of age and Mesquita residents.

Results

Three different dietary patterns were identified: ‘healthy’ (mainly comprising legumes, vegetables and fruits), ‘mixed’ (mainly comprising candy, butter and margarine, and snacks) and ‘traditional’ (mainly comprising beans and rice). Women with a higher monthly per capita family income (β=0·0006; 95 % CI 0·0001, 0·001; P=0·011) and women of older age (β=0·021; 95 % CI −0·001, 0·042; P=0·058) were more likely to adhere to the ‘healthy’ dietary pattern. Women with higher parity were less likely to adhere to the ‘healthy’ pattern (β=−0·097; 95 % CI −0·184, −0·009; P=0·030) and were more likely to adhere to the ‘traditional’ pattern (β=0·098; 95 % CI 0·021, 0·175; P=0·012). Although not statistically significant, older women were less likely to adhere to the ‘mixed’ (β=−0·017; 95 % CI −0·037, 0·003; P=0·075) and ‘traditional’ (β=−0·018; 95 % CI −0·037, 0·001; P=0·061) dietary patterns.

Conclusions

Monthly per capita family income, parity and maternal age were factors associated with adherence to a healthy diet during pregnancy.
The impact of early life gut colonization on metabolic and obesogenic outcomes: what have animal models shown us?
Authors: Wallace J. G. , Gohir W. , Sloboda D. M.
Published: September 2015

The rise in the occurrence of obesity to epidemic proportions has made it a global concern. Great difficulty has been experienced in efforts to control this growing problem with lifestyle interventions. Thus, attention has been directed to understanding the events of one of the most critical periods of development, perinatal life. Early life adversity driven by maternal obesity has been associated with an increased risk of metabolic disease and obesity in the offspring later in life. Although a mechanistic link explaining the relationship between maternal and offspring obesity is still under investigation, the gut microbiota has come forth as a new factor that may play a role modulating metabolic function of both the mother and the offspring. Emerging evidence suggests that the gut microbiota plays a much larger role in mediating the risk of developing non-communicable disease, including obesity and metabolic dysfunction in adulthood. With the observation that the early life colonization of the neonatal and postnatal gut is mediated by the perinatal environment, the number of studies investigating early life gut microbial establishment continues to grow. This paper will review early life gut colonization in experimental animal models, concentrating on the role of the early life environment in offspring gut colonization and the ability of the gut microbiota to dictate risk of disease later in life.
White Receives 2015 Ocean Sciences Early Career Award
Authors:   AGU
Published: September 2015

Angelicque White will receive the 2015 Ocean Sciences Early Career Award at the 2015 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 14–18 December in San Francisco, Calif. The award recognizes "significant contributions to and promise in the ocean sciences."
The foundations of the human cultural niche
Authors: Derex Maxime , Boyd Robert
Published: September 2015

Technological innovations have allowed humans to settle in habitats for which they are poorly suited biologically. However, our understanding of how humans produce complex technologies is limited. We used a computer-based experiment, involving humans and learning bots, to investigate how reasoning abilities, social learning mechanisms and population structure affect the production of virtual artefacts. We found that humans’ reasoning abilities play an important role in the production of innovations, but that groups of individuals are able to produce artefacts that are more complex than any isolated individual can produce during the same amount of time. We show that this group-level ability to produce complex innovations is maximized when social information is easy to acquire and when individuals are organized into large and partially connected populations. These results suggest that the transition to behavioural modernity could have been triggered by a change in ancestral between-group interaction patterns.
Rapid biotic homogenization of marine fish assemblages
Authors: Magurran Anne E. , Dornelas Maria , Moyes Faye , Gotelli Nicholas J. , McGill Brian
Published: September 2015

The role human activities play in reshaping biodiversity is increasingly apparent in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the responses of entire marine assemblages are not well-understood, in part, because few monitoring programs incorporate both spatial and temporal replication. Here, we analyse an exceptionally comprehensive 29-year time series of North Atlantic groundfish assemblages monitored over 5° latitude to the west of Scotland. These fish assemblages show no systematic change in species richness through time, but steady change in species composition, leading to an increase in spatial homogenization: the species identity of colder northern localities increasingly resembles that of warmer southern localities. This biotic homogenization mirrors the spatial pattern of unevenly rising ocean temperatures over the same time period suggesting that climate change is primarily responsible for the spatial homogenization we observe. In this and other ecosystems, apparent constancy in species richness may mask major changes in species composition driven by anthropogenic change.
Methylene Blue Inhibits Caspases by Oxidation of the Catalytic Cysteine
Authors: Pakavathkumar Prateep , Sharma Gyanesh , Kaushal Vikas , Foveau Bénédicte , LeBlanc Andrea C.
Published: September 2015

Methylene blue, currently in phase 3 clinical trials against Alzheimer Disease, disaggregates the Tau protein of neurofibrillary tangles by oxidizing specific cysteine residues. Here, we investigated if methylene blue can inhibit caspases via the oxidation of their active site cysteine. Methylene blue and derivatives, azure A and azure B competitively inhibited recombinant Caspase-6 (Casp6) and inhibited Casp6 activity in transfected human colon carcinoma cells and in serum-deprived primary human neuron cultures. Methylene blue also inhibited recombinant Casp1 and Casp3. Furthermore, methylene blue inhibited Casp3 activity in an acute mouse model of liver toxicity. Mass spectrometry confirmed methylene blue and azure B oxidation of the catalytic Cys163 cysteine of Casp6. Together, these results show a novel inhibitory mechanism of caspases via sulfenation of the active site cysteine. These results indicate that methylene blue or its derivatives could (1) have an additional effect against Alzheimer Disease by inhibiting brain caspase activity, (2) be used as a drug to prevent caspase activation in other conditions and (3) predispose chronically treated individuals to cancer via the inhibition of caspases.
Wearable Electronics of Silver-Nanowire/Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Nanocomposite for Smart Clothing
Authors: Huang Gui-Wen , Xiao Hong-Mei , Fu Shao-Yun
Published: September 2015

Wearable electronics used in smart clothing for healthcare monitoring or personalized identification is a new and fast-growing research topic. The challenge is that the electronics has to be simultaneously highly stretchable, mechanically robust and water-washable, which is unreachable for traditional electronics or previously reported stretchable electronics. Herein we report the wearable electronics of sliver nanowire (Ag-NW)/poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) nanocomposite which can meet the above multiple requirements. The electronics of Ag-NW/PDMS nanocomposite films is successfully fabricated by an original pre-straining and post-embedding (PSPE) process. The composite film shows a very high conductivity of 1.52 × 104 S cm−1 and an excellent electrical stability with a small resistance fluctuation under a large stretching strain. Meanwhile, it shows a robust adhesion between the Ag-NWs and the PDMS substrate and can be directly machine-washed. These advantages make it a competitive candidate as wearable electronics for smart clothing applications.
Protonated Melamine Sponge for Effective Oil/Water Separation
Authors: Wang Chih-Feng , Huang Hsiang-Ching , Chen Liang-Ting
Published: September 2015

In this study, we fabricated a superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic protonated melamine sponge for effective separation of water-rich immiscible oil/water mixtures with extremely high separation efficiency. This protonated melamine sponge exhibited excellent antifouling properties and could be used to separate oil/water mixtures continuously for up to 12 h without any increase in the oil content in filtrate. Moreover, our compressed protonated melamine sponge could separate both surfactant-free and -stabilized oil-in-water emulsions with high separation efficiencies. The high performance of this protonated melamine sponge and its efficient, energy- and cost-effective preparation suggest that it has great potential for use in practical applications.
A Casparian strip domain-like gene, CASPL, negatively alters growth and cold tolerance
Authors: Yang Jinghua , Ding Changqing , Xu Baochen , Chen Cuiting , Narsai Reena , Whelan Jim , Hu Zhongyuan , Zhang Mingfang
Published: September 2015

A cold-induced transcript encoding a Casparian strip membrane domain (CASP)-like protein (ClCASPL) was identified in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Fluorescence microscopy analysis showed that ClCASPL-GFP is localized in the plasma membrane. The orthologous gene in Arabidopsis thaliana (AtCASPL4C1) was also found to play an important role in cold tolerance. Expression analysis using a β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter reveals that AtCASPL4C1 is widely expressed in a variety of organs and is cold inducible. Analysis of AtCASPL4C1 T-DNA knock-out plants showed altered growth dynamics, faster growth, increased biomass (dry weight) and earlier flowering compared to wild type (Col-0) and ClCASPL overexpressing plants. AtCASPL4C1 knock-out plants showed elevated tolerance to cold stress, while overexpressing CICASPL resulted in increased sensitivity to cold stress in Arabidopsis. Interestingly, AtCASPL4C1 knock-out plants did not display significant alterations in the Casparian strip formation in roots. Thus, the combination of these results suggests a role for CICASPL and AtCASPL4C1 beyond Casparian strip formation in roots, possibly indicating a more fundamental role in vascular tissue.
A quantitative study of 3D-scanning frequency and Δd of tracking points on the tooth surface
Authors: Li Hong , Lyu Peijun , Sun Yuchun , Wang Yong , Liang Xiaoyue
Published: September 2015

Micro-movement of human jaws in the resting state might influence the accuracy of direct three-dimensional (3D) measurement. Providing a reference for sampling frequency settings of intraoral scanning systems to overcome this influence is important. In this study, we measured micro-movement, or change in distance (∆d), as the change in position of a single tracking point from one sampling time point to another in five human subjects. ∆d of tracking points on incisors at 7 sampling frequencies was judged against the clinical accuracy requirement to select proper sampling frequency settings. The curve equation was then fit quantitatively between ∆d median and the sampling frequency to predict the trend of ∆d with increasing f. The difference of ∆d among the subjects and the difference between upper and lower incisor feature points of the same subject were analyzed by a non-parametric test (α = 0.05). Significant differences of incisor feature points were noted among different subjects and between upper and lower jaws of the same subject (P < 0.01). Overall, ∆d decreased with increasing frequency. When the frequency was 60 Hz, ∆d nearly reached the clinical accuracy requirement. Frequencies higher than 60 Hz did not significantly decrease Δd further.
Designing new strategy for controlling DNA orientation in biosensors
Authors: Feng Chao , Ding Hong-ming , Ren Chun-lai , Ma Yu-qiang
Published: September 2015

Orientation controllable DNA biosensors hold great application potentials in recognizing small molecules and detecting DNA hybridization. Though electric field is usually used to control the orientation of DNA molecules, it is also of great importance and significance to seek for other triggered methods to control the DNA orientation. Here, we design a new strategy for controlling DNA orientation in biosensors. The main idea is to copolymerize DNA molecules with responsive polymers that can show swelling/deswelling transitions due to the change of external stimuli and then graft the copolymers onto an uncharged substrate. In order to highlight the responsive characteristic, we take thermo-responsive polymers as an example and reveal multi-responsive behavior and the underlying molecular mechanism of the DNA orientation by combining dissipative particle dynamics simulation and molecular theory. Since swelling/deswelling transitions can be also realized by using other stimuli-responsive (like pH and light) polymers, the present strategy is universal, which can enrich the methods of controlling DNA orientation and may assist with the design of the next generation of biosensors.