bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and structure of iron- and strontium-substituted octacalcium phosphate: effects of ionic charge and radius
Authors: Shi Haishan , He Fupo , Ye Jiandong
Published: February 2016

Comparative study of Fe3+-/Sr2+-substitution in the apatite and hydrated layers of octacalcium phosphate crystal structure with different coordination environments.
A series of high-temperature molecular ferroelectric crystals: chlorine doped diisopropylammonium bromide
Authors: Gao Kaige , Liu Chuang , Cui Zepeng , Xu Cong , Zhu Jiansheng , Gao Linsong , Cai Hong-Ling , Wu X. S.
Published: February 2016

A series of chlorine doped diisopropylammonium bromide (DIPAB-C) single crystals were grown successfully.
Voltammetric determination of diazepam using a bismuth modified pencil graphite electrode
Authors: Dehghanzade Mahsa , Alipour Esmaeel
Published: February 2016

CVs of diazepam at the different PGEs.
Superior high-rate capability of Na3(VO0.5)2(PO4)2F2 nanoparticles embedded in porous graphene through the pseudocapacitive effect
Authors: Xiang Xingde , Lu Qiongqiong , Han Mo , Chen Jun
Published: February 2016

Na3(VO0.5)2(PO4)2F2 nanoparticles embedded in porous graphene as the cathode material for sodium-ion batteries can show superior high-rate capability through the pseudocapacitive effect.
Axial zero-field splitting in mononuclear Co(ii) 2-N substituted N-confused porphyrin: Co(2-NC3H5-21-Y-CH2C6H4CH3-NCTPP)Cl (Y = o, m, p) and Co(2-NC3H5-21-CH2C6H5-NCTPP)Cl
Authors: Lai Ya-Yuan , Chang Yu-Chang , Chen Jyh-Horung , Wang Shin-Shin , Tung Jo-Yu
Published: February 2016

Four inner C-benzyl and C-xylyl-substituted cobalt(ii) complexes of a 2-N-substituted N-confused porphyrin were synthesized and the D-parameter is related to the structural parameters of the cobalt(ii) complexes.
Flaxseed flour, compared to flaxseed oil, contributes to femoral structure in male rats subjected to early weaning
Authors: Pessanha Carolina Ribeiro , da Camara Boueri Bianca Ferolla , da Costa Luanna Rodrigues , Ferreira Maitê Rocha , de Abreu Maíra Duque Coutinho , Pessoa Letícia Rozeno , Pereira Aline D'Avila , Ribeiro Danielle Cavalcante , da Silva Eduardo Moreira , da Costa Carlos Alberto Soares , Boaventura Gilson Teles
Published: February 2016

The aim of this study was to analyze whether flaxseed flour or flaxseed oil treatment contributes to femoral structure in male rats subjected to early weaning.
3D hierarchical porous N-doped carbon aerogel from renewable cellulose: an attractive carbon for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes and CO2 adsorption
Authors: Hu Yijie , Tong Xing , Zhuo Hao , Zhong Linxin , Peng Xinwen , Wang Sha , Sun Runcang
Published: February 2016

3D hierarchical porous N-doped carbon aerogel from renewable cellulose: an attractive carbon for high-performance supercapacitor electrode and CO2 adsorption.
Synthesis of well-defined alkyne terminated poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) with stringent control over the LCST by RAFT
Authors: Góis Joana R. , Costa João R. C. , Popov Anatoliy V. , Serra Arménio C. , Coelho Jorge F. J.
Published: February 2016

The reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) of N-vinyl caprolactam (NVCL) using two new xanthates with alkyne functionalities is reported.
Thermoresponsive magnetic ionic liquids: synthesis and temperature switchable magnetic separation
Authors: Zhao Qipeng , Herng Tun Seng , Guo Chun Xian , Zhao Dieling , Ding Jun , Lu Xianmao
Published: February 2016

Thermoresponsive magnetic ionic liquids (MILs) with lower critical solution temperature (LCST) below 60 °C are synthesized.
Correction: Formation of drug nanocrystals under nanoconfinement afforded by liposomes
Authors: Cipolla D. , Wu H. , Salentinig S. , Boyd B. , Rades T. , Vanhecke D. , Petri-Fink A. , Rothen-Rutishauser B. , Eastman S. , Redelmeier T. , Gonda I. , Chan H. K.
Published: February 2016

Correction for ‘Formation of drug nanocrystals under nanoconfinement afforded by liposomes’ by D. Cipolla et al., RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 6223–6233.
Themed issue on water splitting and photocatalysis
Authors: Boettcher Shannon W. , Mallouk Thomas E. , Osterloh Frank E.
Published: February 2016

Guest editors Shannon Boettcher, Thomas Mallouk and Frank Osterloh introduce this Journal of Materials Chemistry A themed issue on water splitting and photocatalysis.
Transient convective structures in a cooled water layer in the presence of a drift flow and a surfactant
Authors: Reutov V. P. , Rybushkina G. V.
Published: February 2016

The paper is concerned with three-dimensional convective structures arising in a water layer cooled from above and covered by an adsorbed insoluble surfactant. The water is subjected to a laminar drift flow produced by tangential stresses on a free surface. The surface diffusion of the surfactant are taken into account within the approximation of a nondeformable flat surface. After appropriate reformulation of standard equations governing gravity-capillary convection and surfactant concentration, the problem is solved numerically using a pseudospectral method employed in our previous work. Development of the convective structures with increasing Reynolds number, surfactant film elasticity, and layer thickness is studied. The minimal layer thickness is chosen taking into account the results of relevant laboratory experiments. The cell-to-roll transition is revealed in the thin layer with increasing Reynolds number. The role of dissipation due to the surfactant film is elucidated by comparison with purely gravitational convection. The turbulent convection arising in a thicker layer subjected to a laminar shear flow is examined. Disordered streets containing elongated cells and swirl-like motions are revealed. Images of the surface temperature and the perturbed surfactant concentration are compared.
Vapor shielding models and the energy absorbed by divertor targets during transient events
Authors: Skovorodin D. I. , Pshenov A. A. , Arakcheev A. S. , Eksaeva E. A. , Marenkov E. D. , Krasheninnikov S. I.
Published: February 2016

The erosion of divertor targets caused by high heat fluxes during transients is a serious threat to ITER operation, as it is going to be the main factor determining the divertor lifetime. Under the influence of extreme heat fluxes, the surface temperature of plasma facing components can reach some certain threshold, leading to an onset of intense material evaporation. The latter results in formation of cold dense vapor and secondary plasma cloud. This layer effectively absorbs the energy of the incident plasma flow, turning it into its own kinetic and internal energy and radiating it. This so called vapor shielding is a phenomenon that may help mitigating the erosion during transient events. In particular, the vapor shielding results in saturation of energy (per unit surface area) accumulated by the target during single pulse of heat load at some level Emax. Matching this value is one of the possible tests to verify complicated numerical codes, developed to calculate the erosion rate during abnormal events in tokamaks. The paper presents three very different models of vapor shielding, demonstrating that Emax depends strongly on the heat pulse duration, thermodynamic properties, and evaporation energy of the irradiated target material. While its dependence on the other shielding details such as radiation capabilities of material and dynamics of the vapor cloud is logarithmically weak. The reason for this is a strong (exponential) dependence of the target material evaporation rate, and therefore the “strength” of vapor shield on the target surface temperature. As a result, the influence of the vapor shielding phenomena details, such as radiation transport in the vapor cloud and evaporated material dynamics, on the Emax is virtually completely masked by the strong dependence of the evaporation rate on the target surface temperature. However, the very same details define the amount of evaporated particles, needed to provide an effective shielding to the target, and, therefore, strongly influence resulting erosion rate. Thus, Emax cannot be used for validation of shielding models and codes, aimed at the target material erosion calculations.
Non-equilibrium tunneling in zigzag graphene nanoribbon break-junction results in spin filtering
Authors: Jiang Liming , Qiu Wanzhi , Sharafat Hossain Md , Al-Dirini Feras , Evans Robin , Skafidas Efstratios
Published: February 2016

Spintronic devices promise new faster and lower energy-consumption electronic systems. Graphene, a versatile material and candidate for next generation electronics, is known to possess interesting spintronic properties. In this paper, by utilizing density functional theory and non-equilibrium green function formalism, we show that Fano resonance can be generated by introducing a break junction in a zigzag graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR). Using this effect, we propose a new spin filtering device that can be used for spin injection. Our theoretical results indicate that the proposed device could achieve high spin filtering efficiency (over 90%) at practical fabrication geometries. Furthermore, our results indicate that the ZGNR break junction lattice configuration can dramatically affect spin filtering efficiency and thus needs to be considered when fabricating real devices. Our device can be fabricated on top of spin transport channel and provides good integration between spin injection and spin transport.
1H NMR relaxometry and quadrupole relaxation enhancement as a sensitive probe of dynamical properties of solids—[C(NH2)3]3Bi2I9 as an example
Authors: Florek-Wojciechowska M. , Wojciechowski M. , Jakubas R. , Brym Sz. , Kruk D.
Published: February 2016

1H nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry has been applied to reveal information on dynamics and structure of Gu3Bi2I9 ([Gu = C(NH2)3] denotes guanidinium cation). The data have been analyzed in terms of a theory of quadrupole relaxation enhancement, which has been extended here by including effects associated with quadrupole (14N) spin relaxation caused by a fast fluctuating component of the electric field gradient tensor. Two motional processes have been identified: a slow one occurring on a timescale of about 8 × 10−6 s which has turned out to be (almost) temperature independent, and a fast process in the range of 10−9 s. From the 1H-14N relaxation contribution (that shows “quadrupole peaks”) the quadrupole parameters, which are a fingerprint of the arrangement of the anionic network, have been determined. It has been demonstrated that the magnitude of the quadrupole coupling considerably changes with temperature and the changes are not caused by phase transitions. At the same time, it has been shown that there is no evidence of abrupt changes in the cationic dynamics and the anionic substructure upon the phase transitions.
Lattice constants and expansivities of gas hydrates from 10 K up to the stability limit
Authors: Hansen T. C. , Falenty A. , Kuhs W. F.
Published: February 2016

The lattice constants of hydrogenated and deuterated CH4-, CO2-, Xe- (clathrate structure type I) and N2-hydrates (clathrate structure type II) from 10 K up to the stability limit were established in neutron- and synchrotron diffraction experiments and were used to derive the related thermal expansivities. The following results emerge from this analysis: (1) The differences of expansivities of structure type I and II hydrates are fairly small. (2) Despite the larger guest-size of CO2 as compared to methane, CO2-hydrate has the smaller lattice constants at low temperatures, which is ascribed to the larger attractive guest-host interaction of the CO2-water system. (3) The expansivity of CO2-hydrate is larger than for CH4-hydrate which leads to larger lattice constants for the former at temperatures above ∼150 K; this is likely due to the higher motional degrees of freedom of the CO2 guest molecules. (4) The cage occupancies of Xe- and CO2-hydrates affect significantly the lattice constants. (5) Similar to ice Ih, the deuterated compounds have generally slightly larger lattice constants which can be ascribed to the somewhat weaker H-bonding. (6) Compared to ice Ih, the high temperature expansivities are about 50% larger; in contrast to ice Ih and the empty hydrate, there is no negative thermal expansion at low temperature. (7) A comparison of the experimental results with lattice dynamical work, with models based on an Einstein oscillator model, and results from inelastic neutron scattering suggest that the contribution of the guest atoms’ vibrational energy to thermal expansion is important, most prominently for CO2- and Xe-hydrates.
Facile and high spatial resolution ratio-metric luminescence thermal mapping in microfluidics by near infrared excited upconversion nanoparticles
Authors: Wang Yu , Cao Wenbin , Li Shunbo , Wen Weijia
Published: February 2016

A local area temperature monitor is important for precise control of chemical and biological processes in microfluidics. In this work, we developed a facile method to realize micron spatial resolution of temperature mapping in a microfluidic channel quickly and cost effectively. Based on the temperature dependent fluorescence emission of NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) under near-infrared irradiation, ratio-metric imaging of UCNPs doped polydimethylsiloxane can map detailed temperature distribution in the channel. Unlike some reported strategies that utilize temperature sensitive organic dye (such as Rhodamine) to achieve thermal sensing, our method is highly chemically inert and physically stable without any performance degradation in long term operation. Moreover, this method can be easily scaled up or down, since the spatial and temperature resolution is determined by an optical imaging system. Our method supplied a simple and efficient solution for temperature mapping on a heterogeneous surface where usage of an infrared thermal camera was limited.
H-bonding of an NH3 gas molecule to H2O/Pt(111) — A barrier-free path
Authors: Henkelman Graeme , Feibelman Peter J.
Published: February 2016

Does an OH-flipping barrier hinder H-bond formation between a gas phase molecule and a water monolayer whose free OH ligands point toward a substrate? According to density functional theory calculations for water on Pt(111) the answer is yes, when the molecule is CO or N2, but no when it is NH3. The difference is the relatively strong attraction of the NH3 lone pair to free OH ligands.
Effects of electromagnetic wiggler and ion channel guiding on equilibrium orbits and waves propagation in a free electron laser
Authors: Amri Hassan Ehsani , Mohsenpour Taghi
Published: February 2016

In this paper, an analysis of equilibrium orbits for electrons by a simultaneous solution of the equation of motion and the dispersion relation for electromagnetic wave wiggler in a free-electron laser (FEL) with ion-channel guiding has been presented. A fluid model has been used to investigate interactions among all possible waves. The dispersion relation has been derived for electrostatic and electromagnetic waves with all relativistic effects included. This dispersion relation has been solved numerically. For group I and II orbits, when the transverse velocity is small, only the FEL instability is found. In group I and II orbits with relatively large transverse velocity, new couplings between other modes are found.
Giant low-field magnetocaloric effect in single-crystalline EuTi0.85Nb0.15O3
Authors: Roy S. , Khan N. , Mandal P.
Published: February 2016

The magnetocaloric effect in ferromagnetic single crystal EuTi0.85Nb0.15O3 has been investigated using magnetization and heat capacity measurements. EuTi0.85Nb0.15O3 undergoes a continuous ferromagnetic phase transition at TC = 9.5 K due to the long range ordering of magnetic moments of Eu2+ (4f7). With the application of magnetic field, the spin entropy is strongly suppressed and a giant magnetic entropy change is observed near TC. The values of entropy change ΔSm and adiabatic temperature change ΔTad are as high as 51.3 J kg−1 K−1 and 22 K, respectively, for a field change of 0–9 T. The corresponding magnetic heating/cooling capacity is 700 J kg−1. This compound also shows large magnetocaloric effect even at low magnetic fields. In particular, the values of ΔSm reach 14.7 and 23.8 J kg−1 K−1 for field changes of 0–1 T and 0–2 T, respectively. The low-field giant magnetocaloric effect, together with the absence of thermal and field hysteresis makes EuTi0.85Nb0.15O3 a very promising candidate for low temperature magnetic refrigeration.
Scanning microwave microscope imaging of micro-patterned monolayer graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Myers J. , Mou S. , Chen K.-H. , Zhuang Y.
Published: February 2016

Characterization of micro-patterned chemical vapor deposited monolayer graphene using a scanning microwave microscope has been presented. Monolayer graphene sheets deposited on a copper substrate were transferred to a variety of substrates and micro-patterned into a periodic array of parallel lines. The measured complex reflection coefficients exhibit a strong dependency on the operating frequency and on the samples' electrical conductivity and permittivity. The experiments show an extremely high sensitivity by detecting image contrast between single and double layer graphene sheets. Correlating the images recorded at the half- and quarter-wavelength resonant frequencies shows that the relative permittivity of the single layer graphene sheet is above 105. The results are in good agreement with the three dimensional numerical electromagnetic simulations. This method may be instrumental for a comprehensive understanding of the scanning microwave microscope image contrast and provide a unique technique to estimate the local electrical properties with nano-meter scale spatial resolution of two dimensional materials at radio frequency.
The detection of Pb2+ in solution using bare magnetoelastic resonator
Authors: Sang Shengbo , Gao Shuang , Guo Xing , Cheng Peng , Zhang Wendong
Published: February 2016

In this paper, a simple and low cost method for determination of Pb2+ in solution, using bare Metglas alloy 2826MB as the resonator, is reported. Based on the replacement reaction mechanism of the Pb2+ in the solution with Fe and Ni in the Metglas 2826MB ribbon surface, the Pb replaced on the resonator can increase the mass load of the resonator and decrease the resonant frequency of the resonator. Hence, the Pb2+ concentration in solution can be determined by the resonant frequency shift of the ME resonator. The Energy Dispersive Spectrometer results of Pb, Fe, and Ni contents on the resonator's surface prove the reliability of this method. Furthermore, the experimental results show that the resonant frequency shift rate of the resonator decreases when the Pb2+ concentration declines. The sensitivity of the resonator for Pb2+ detection is greatly related to its dimension. The resonator with smaller size has a better sensitivity. The resonant frequency shift of the resonator with dimension of 3 mm × 6 mm × 30 μm is linearly proportional to the Pb2+ concentration. The sensitivity of the resonator for Pb(NO3)2 detection is about 24Hz/mg ml−1, and the resonator has a better stability and reproducibility for Pb2+ detection with low concentration.
Magnetostructural coupling and magnetocaloric effect in Ni-Mn-Ga-Cu microwires
Authors: Zhang Xuexi , Qian Mingfang , Zhang Zhe , Wei Longsha , Geng Lin , Sun Jianfei
Published: February 2016

Ni-Mn-Ga-X microwires were produced by melt-extraction technique on a large scale. Their shape memory effect, superelasticity, and damping capacity have been demonstrated. Here, the excellent magnetocaloric effect was revealed in Ni-Mn-Ga-Cu microwires produced by melt-extraction and subsequent annealing. The overlap of the martensitic and magnetic transformations, i.e., magnetostructural coupling, was achieved in the annealed microwires. The magnetostructural coupling and wide martensitic transformation temperature range contribute to a large magnetic entropy change of −8.3 J/kg K with a wide working temperature interval of ∼13 K under a magnetic field of 50 kOe. Accordingly, a high refrigeration capacity of ∼78 J/kg was produced in the annealed microwires.
Overexpression of human peroxisomal enoyl-CoA delta isomerase2 HsPECI2, an ortholog of bamboo expressed during gregarious flowering alters salinity stress responses and polar lipid content in tobacco
Authors: Rai Vineeta , Sarkar Shayan , Satpati Suresh , Dey Nrisingha
Published: February 2016

Peroxisomal enoyl-CoA delta isomerase2 (PECI2) is one of the key enzymes that has critical role in lipid metabolism and plant development during salt stress. Seven out of ten tobacco plants overexpressing human PECI2 (HsPECI2) with PTS1-sequence showed hypersensitivity to salt. Under salt-stress, T2 transformed plants (HsPECI2) displayed reduced primary root, delayed shoot-growth, and visibly smaller rosette leaves turning pale yellow as compared to the pKYLX71 vector control plant. Also, we found altered reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and reduced catalase activity in 100 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) treated HsPECI2 transformed plant compared with the pKYLX71 counterpart. ESI-MS/MS data showed that the polar lipids were differentially modulated upon salt treatment in HsPECI2 transformed and pKYLX71 plants as compared with the respective untreated counterpart. Notably, the levels of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid varied significantly, whereas phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine and digalactosyldiacylglycerol contents were moderately upregulated. In parallel, abscisic acid (ABA) responsiveness assay confirmed insensitivity of HsPECI2 transformed plant towards ABA. Overall our data proclaim that HsPECI2 play multifunctional role in normal development and response to salinity stress apart from its primary role in β-oxidation.
Salt effects on proline and glycine betaine levels and photosynthetic performance in Melilotus siculus, Tecticornia pergranulata and Thinopyrum ponticum measured in simulated saline conditions
Authors: Bhuiyan Mohammad S. I. , Maynard Greggory , Raman Anantanarayanan , Hodgkins Dennis , Mitchell David , Nicol Helen
Published: February 2016

We measured proline and glycine betaine levels and photosynthetic performance (net-photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ)) in relation to Na+ and Cl– accumulation in Melilotus siculus (Turra) B.D.Jacks. (Fabaceae), Tecticornia pergranulata (J.M.Black) K.A.Sheph. & Paul G.Wilson (Amaranthaceae: Salicornioideae) and Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Z.-W.Liu & R.-C.Wang (Poaceae) grown under saline conditions in the greenhouse. These plants were selected in this study because of their known salt-tolerance capacity and value as forage plants. Moreover, the pasture legume M. siculus is considered to have particular potential for saline land remediation because of its salinity and waterlogging tolerance. Maximum Na+ and Cl– accumulation occurred in Te. pergranulata shoots. Minimum was in Th. ponticum shoots. Maximum Na+ accumulation occurred in the roots of Te. pergranulata, whereas that of Cl– occurred in the roots of Th. ponticum. Accumulation of both Na+ and Cl– was the least in M. siculus roots. Te. pergranulata metabolized high levels of glycine betaine (110 µmol g–1 DW). M. siculus metabolized high levels of proline (6 µmol g–1 DW). Th. ponticum accumulated intermediate levels of these organic osmolytes. No significant change occurred in Fv/Fm values. Pn value increased and NPQ value decreased in Te. pergranulata with increasing salinity and the reverse occurred in both M. siculus and Th. ponticum. A negative significant correlation occurred between Pn and glycine betaine in M. siculus and Th. ponticum. A positive significant correlation occurred between NPQ and glycine betaine in M. siculus. No correlation occurred between proline and Pn, proline and NPQ in the tested three plants. Te. pergranulata could maintain cell-osmotic balance by synthesising high levels of organic osmolytes especially glycine betaine and concurrently showing the most efficient photosynthetic performance. Compared with the levels of osmolytes in Te. pergranulata, the levels of osmolytes that occur in M. siculus and Th. ponticum were insufficient to maintain cell-osmotic balance and also that M. siculus and Th. ponticum showed a lower level of photosynthetic performance. We conclude that glycine betaine is potentially the vital organic osmolyte for Te. pergranulata and Th. ponticum enabling salinity stress tolerance. However, in M. siculus, proline appears to be the potential organic osmolyte in salinity stress tolerance. In terms of the potential of these species for stabilising saline soils in central-western New South Wales, Te. pergranulata would be the candidate of choice; however, for greater pasture value Th. ponticum would be the next.
Age-associated deterioration in follicular fluid induces a decline in bovine oocyte quality
Authors: Takeo Shun , Kimura Koji , Shirasuna Koumei , Kuwayama Takehito , Iwata Hisataka
Published: February 2016

Maternal age affects the quality of oocytes. The present study examined whether follicular fluid (FF) is a casual factor for age-associated decline in oocyte quality. First, we measured the concentration of advanced glycation end-products (AGE) in FF derived from young (21–45 months; Young-FF) and aged (≥120 months; Aged-FF) cows and found significantly higher concentrations of AGE in Aged-FF than Young-FF. Second, oocytes were collected from ovaries of young or aged cows and cultured in maturation medium containing 10% FF derived from young or aged cows. Regardless of oocyte origin, Aged-FF accelerated nuclear maturation progression and gap junction closure between oocytes and cumulus cells, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) content and the rate of abnormal fertilisation of oocytes and decreased blastulation rate compared with Young-FF. Furthermore, supplementation of maturation medium with AGE induced similar age-associated events in oocytes derived from young cows, in that AGE accelerated the progression of nuclear maturation, increased ROS content in oocytes, increased the rate of abnormal fertilisation and decreased blastulation rate. In conclusion, maternal aging increased the concentration of AGE in FF, and both AGE and Aged-FF accelerated nuclear maturation and reduced the developmental competence of oocytes.
The Potential for Unreported Artificial Reefs to Serve as Refuges from Fishing Mortality for Reef Fishes
Authors: Addis Dustin T. , Patterson William F. , Dance Michael A.
Published: February 2016

This study tested the potential for 27 artificial reefs, which were deployed in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) but not reported to the public, to serve as refuges from fishing mortality for reef fishes. Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus (n = 2,114) and Gray Triggerfish Balistes capriscus (n = 267) were tagged at a subset (n = 9) of the study reefs from winter 2005 to fall 2007 to estimate their site fidelity and mortality rates. Mortality was also estimated from catch curves fit to Red Snapper and Gray Triggerfish age distributions that were estimated at the study reefs both before (2005–2007) and after (2007–2008) the GPS coordinates of the above subset were advertised to the public. Red Snapper site fidelity (f), estimated by fitting Burnham's (1993) joint encounter model to tagging data, was 12.8% per year; while estimated instantaneous total mortality (Z) of Red Snapper ranged from 0.08 per year during the closed recreational fishing seasons to 1.31 per year during the open seasons. Similar estimates were not available for Gray Triggerfish due to inadequate model structure. Prior to reporting of reef coordinates to the public, estimated Z from the catch curve analysis was 1.04 per year for Red Snapper and 0.56 per year for Gray Triggerfish. After reporting, estimated Z increased from 0.56 to 0.69 per year for Gray Triggerfish and from 1.04 to 1.14 per year for Red Snapper. The low site fidelity and high fishing effort in the region resulted in no discernible refuge effects for Red Snapper. A modest refuge effect occurred for Gray Triggerfish, fish which have been shown to display high site fidelity (>80% per year) to reefs; however, Gray Triggerfish mortality from fishing quickly increased following the reporting of the study reef coordinates. Our study results indicate that unreported artificial reefs that are deployed in areas of the nGOM where fishing is otherwise allowed are not likely to offer protection to reef fishery species.

Received November 14, 2014; accepted August 12, 2015
Development of Standardized Stream-Dwelling Crayfish Sampling Methods at Site and Drainage Scales
Authors: Engelbert Bryan S. , Taylor Christopher A. , DiStefano Robert J.
Published: February 2016

Methods for assessing stream fish, freshwater mussel, and insect assemblage structure, presence, and status have existed for several decades. Such methods are lacking for assessing crayfish. The current study addresses that deficiency by testing robust sampling methods to assess species richness, distribution, and density at both site and drainage scales. We tested the ability of timed search methods to capture all known species of crayfish at a site and of a kick seine to assess the mean density of crayfish (per m2) in riffles. Riparian crayfish burrows were excavated to capture additional species not captured with the other methods. Our data and methods allow for assessments of the inherent trade-off between sampling time and resources and statistical confidence. An example sampling regime of 3.5 h of effort per site required seven 15-min timed search samples and captured at least 80% of the crayfish species richness, with 85% confidence across all sites tested. Twelve kick-seine samples yielded crayfish density estimates within 50% of an estimated true density at 70% confidence for all species with densities >0.5/m2. In the drainage-scale component, we employed a sampling effort prescription derived from our site-scale data across seven drainages in Missouri. To achieve 100% of the species richness sampled at 97.5% confidence in wadeable second- to fourth-order streams, researchers will need to sample one site for every 18 river kilometers of second- to fourth-order streams occurring in a drainage. We believe our methods can provide a repeatable and statistically supported tool for researchers assessing crayfish assemblages in wadeable streams across the Midwest.

Received March 9, 2015; accepted October 14, 2015
Modeling Effects of Length Limit Regulations on Riverine Populations of Channel Catfish
Authors: Eder Brandon L. , Pegg Mark A. , Mestl Gerald E.
Published: February 2016

Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus is an important species among anglers in North America. Channel Catfish management strategies vary greatly in the United States and Canada, and there are few examples of regulations aimed at improving size structure in the literature. The goal of this study was to model the response of Channel Catfish to changes in regulations that meet specific management objectives. We modeled a suite of regulations to determine if minimum length limits or a protected slot limit could be used to improve size structure or avoid growth overfishing of Channel Catfish in a large river. We modeled three minimum length limits (304, 356, and 406 mm) and a 356–456-mm protected slot limit to assess the effectiveness of each at delaying or eliminating growth overfishing and increasing the number of quality-sized fish in the Missouri River, Nebraska. Our models indicated a 406-mm minimum length limit could be used to avoid growth overfishing until exploitation rates were greater than 45% and that both minimum length limits and slot limits could be used to increase the number of quality-sized fish by up to 4 times the number under current regulations.

Received April 6, 2015; accepted October 27, 2015
Evaluation of a New Viscometer Performance in Predicting the Technological Quality of Soft Wheat Flour
Authors: Amoriello Tiziana , Turfani Valeria , Galli Vincenzo , Mellara Francesco , Carcea Marina
Published: February 2016

Gluten aggregation properties were investigated by means of the GlutoPeak device, a viscometer recently proposed as a rapid and sensitive test for measurement of wheat flour technological performance. In this study, 62 soft wheat flour samples of different quality and end use were utilized to evaluate if the GlutoPeak parameters could adequately predict chemical and rheological characteristics of soft wheat flour dough, that is, protein content measured by the Kjeldahl method, dough strength measured by a Chopin alveograph, and dough stability and water absorption measured by a Brabender farinograph. Linear correlation analysis showed that most GlutoPeak curve parameters were strongly correlated with protein content, dough strength, and water absorption. The statistical models, obtained by a stepwise multiple regression method, showed the GlutoPeak device to be a promising tool to characterize wheat flour (Radj2 = 0.84 for protein content, Radj2 = 0.71 for dough strength, and Radj2 = 0.67 for water absorption). The rather high accuracy of the prediction models for the three mentioned parameters confirmed that GlutoPeak parameters are well correlated with other frequently used flour quality parameters and are able to describe flour technological performance.
Genomic and Biological Characterization of Tomato necrotic streak virus, a Novel Subgroup 2 Ilarvirus Infecting Tomato in Florida
Authors: Badillo-Vargas Ismael E. , Baker Carlye A. , Turechek William W. , Frantz Galen , Mellinger H. Charles , Funderburk Joseph E. , Adkins Scott
Published: February 2016

Genomic and biological characterization of Tomato necrotic streak virus (TomNSV), a recently described ilarvirus infecting tomato in Florida, was completed. The full genome sequence revealed that TomNSV is a novel subgroup 2 ilarvirus that is distinct from other previously reported tomato-infecting ilarviruses: Tobacco streak virus, Parietaria mottle virus, and Tomato necrotic spot virus included in subgroup 1. In a host range experiment, TomNSV infected members of the Solanaceae and Chenopodiaceae plant families but did not infect sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) or green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). In tomato plants, the virus moved downward to the roots from the initial point of infection and then upward from the roots to tissues of active growth such as fruit, flowers, and young leaves where symptoms were produced. Thus, young leaves, fruit, and flowers are ideal for sampling for TomNSV. The transmission rate by seed collected from infected tomato plants was determined to be 0.33%. Collectively, the results of these experiments indicated that TomNSV is the causal agent of the necrotic streak disease of tomato observed in Florida since 2013.
Evaluation of Spray and Point Inoculation Methods for the Phenotyping of Puccinia striiformis on Wheat
Authors: Sørensen Chris K. , Thach Tine , Hovmøller Mogens S.
Published: February 2016

The fungus Puccinia striiformis causes yellow (stripe) rust on wheat worldwide. In the present article, new methods utilizing an engineered fluid (Novec 7100) as a carrier of urediniospores were compared with commonly used inoculation methods. In general, Novec 7100 facilitated a faster and more flexible application procedure for spray inoculation and it gave highly reproducible results for virulence phenotyping. Six point inoculation methods were compared to find the most suitable for assessment of pathogen aggressiveness. The use of Novec 7100 and dry dilution with Lycopodium spores gave an inoculation success rate of 100% in two independent trials, which was significantly higher and more consistent than for spore suspension in Soltrol 170, water, water + Tween 20, and Noble agar + Tween 20. Both Soltrol 170 and Novec 7100 allowed precise quantification of inoculum, which is important for the assessment of quantitative epidemiological parameters. New protocols for spray and point inoculation of P. striiformis on wheat are presented, along with the prospect for applying these in rust research and resistance breeding activities.
Verticillium dahliaeInfects, Alters Plant Biomass, and Produces Inoculum on Rotation Crops
Authors: Wheeler D. L. , Johnson D. A.
Published: February 2016

Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae, reduces yields of potato and mint. Crop rotation is a potential management tactic for Verticillium wilt; however, the wide host range of V. dahliae may limit the effectiveness of this tactic. The hypothesis that rotation crops are infected by V. dahliae inoculum originating from potato and mint was tested by inoculation of mustards, grasses, and Austrian winter pea with eight isolates of V. dahliae. Inoculum density was estimated from plants and soil. Typical wilt symptoms were not observed in any rotation crop but plant biomass of some crops was reduced, not affected, or increased by infection of specific isolates. Each isolate was host-specific and infected a subset of the rotation crops tested but microsclerotia from at least one isolate were observed on each rotation crop. Some isolates were host-adapted and differentially altered plant biomass or produced differential amounts of inoculum on rotation crops like arugula and Austrian winter pea, which supported more inoculum of specific isolates than potato. Evidence of asymptomatic and symptomatic infection and differential inoculum formation of V. dahliae on rotation crops presented here will be useful in designing rotations for management of Verticillium wilt.
Development of Polymorphic Microsatellite Loci for Potato Wart from Next-Generation Sequence Data
Authors: Gagnon Marie-Claude , van der Lee Theo A. J. , Bonants Peter J. M. , Smith Donna S. , Li Xiang , Lévesque C. André , Bilodeau Guillaume J.
Published: February 2016

Synchytrium endobioticum is the fungal agent causing potato wart disease. Because of its severity and persistence, quarantine measures are enforced worldwide to avoid the spread of this disease. Molecular markers exist for species-specific detection of this pathogen, yet markers to study the intraspecific genetic diversity of S. endobioticum were not available. Whole-genome sequence data from Dutch pathotype 1 isolate MB42 of S. endobioticum were mined for perfect microsatellite motifs. Of the 62 selected microsatellites, 21 could be amplified successfully and displayed moderate levels of polymorphism in 22 S. endobioticum isolates from different countries. Nineteen multilocus genotypes were observed, with only three isolates from Canada displaying identical profiles. The majority of isolates from Canada clustered genetically. In contrast, most isolates collected in Europe show no genetic clustering associated with their geographic origin. S. endobioticum isolates with the same pathotype displayed highly variable genotypes and none of the microsatellite markers correlated with a specific pathotype. The markers developed in this study can be used to assess intraspecific genetic diversity of S. endobioticum and allow track and trace of genotypes that will generate a better understanding of the migration and spread of this important fungal pathogen and support management of this disease.
Mycoplasma hominis infection following neurosurgical intervention in a patient with spinal cord compression
Authors: Parsonson Fiona
Published: February 2016

Introduction:

Mycoplasma hominis is a rare but recognized cause of post-operative wound infection. There are very few cases reported in the literature of M. hominis infection following neurosurgery.

Case presentation:

A 30-year-old woman with a history of chronic low back pain and symptoms consistent with sciatica underwent a microdiscectomy and anterior lumbar inter-body fusion for cord compression. Following surgery she developed an abscess overlying the lumbar surgical wound. Initial microbiological samples were negative on routine culture and the abscess recurred following surgical washout. Culture of a second specimen taken 1 month following the initial surgery revealed small colourless colonies that were not able to be seen on Gram stain. Molecular testing with 16S rRNA gene analysis confirmed M. hominis infection and the patient was treated with long-term oral moxifloxacin.

Conclusion:

Infection with M. hominis should be considered in culture-negative cases of post-operative wound infection where routine antibiotics fail. Diagnosis of Mycoplasma can be delayed due to the fastidious nature of the organism and may require molecular techniques. Initiation of appropriate antimicrobial treatment is often associated with a good clinical outcome.
Enteroccocus pallens as a potential novel human pathogen: three cases of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
Authors: Lévesque Simon , Longtin Yves , Domingo Marc-Christian , Massé Cynthia , Bernatchez Harold , Gaudreau Christiane , Tremblay Cécile
Published: February 2016

Introduction:

Enterococcus pallens is one of the four yellow-pigmented members of the genus Enterococcus. To date, a single report of E. pallens isolated from a human sample has been published.

Case presentation:

We report three cases of E. pallens spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in patients with liver cirrhosis that all occurred in Quebec, Canada. Ascitic fluid analysis revealed the presence of E. pallens in culture. Identification was made by classical biochemical testing and MALDI-TOF MS, as well as 16S rRNA and elongation factor (tuf) gene sequencing. Two of the three patients recovered after antimicrobial treatment.

Conclusion:

This report identifies E. pallens as a novel human pathogen that appears to possess particular but as-yet unidentified virulence factors that favour the development of peritoneal fluid infections, as previously reported for other Enterococcus species. Clinical microbiologist should be aware of this micro-organism which can be identified by phenotypic and molecular methods.
msVolcano: a flexible web application for visualizing quantitative proteomics data
Authors: Singh Sukhdeep , Hein Marco Y. , Stewart A. Francis
Published: February 2016

We introduce msVolcano, a web application, for the visualization of label-free mass spectrometric data. It is optimized for the output of the MaxQuant data analysis pipeline of interactomics experiments and generates volcano plots with lists of interacting proteins. The user can optimize the cutoff values to find meaningful significant interactors for the tagged protein of interest. Optionally, stoichiometries of interacting proteins can be calculated. Several customization options are provided to the user for flexibility and publication-quality outputs can also be downloaded (tabular and graphical).

Availability: msVolcano is implemented in R Statistical language using Shiny and is hosted at server in-house. It can be accessed freely from anywhere athttp://projects.biotec.tudresden.de/msVolcano/
Complete Membrane Fractionation of 3T3-L1 Adipocytes
Authors: Sadler Jessica B.A. , Lamb Christopher A. , Gould Gwyn W. , Bryant Nia J.
Published: February 2016

Fractionation techniques can facilitate the isolation of intracellular organelles containing insulin-sensitive glucose transporter isoform 4 (GLUT4), which is mobilized from GLUT4 storage vesicles in fat and muscle cells in response to insulin. This protocol for the full membrane fractionation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes results in five distinct fractions. A heavy membrane-containing pellet is produced and then further separated into the plasma membrane, mitochondrial and nuclear, and high-density membrane fractions. The initial supernatant is subjected to a series of centrifugation steps to isolate the low-density membrane fraction, which contains the majority of the insulin-sensitive pool of GLUT4; the supernatant produced in this step is the soluble fraction. The distribution of GLUT4 in fractions from insulin-stimulated versus untreated cells is assessed via immunoblotting.
Generation of Genetically Modified Mice Using the CRISPR–Cas9 Genome-Editing System
Authors: Henao-Mejia Jorge , Williams Adam , Rongvaux Anthony , Stein Judith , Hughes Cynthia , Flavell Richard A.
Published: February 2016

Genetically modified mice are extremely valuable tools for studying gene function and human diseases. Although the generation of mice with specific genetic modifications through traditional methods using homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells has been invaluable in the last two decades, it is an extremely costly, time-consuming, and, in some cases, uncertain technology. The recently described CRISPR–Cas9 genome-editing technology significantly reduces the time and the cost that are required to generate genetically engineered mice, allowing scientists to test more precise and bold hypotheses in vivo. Using this revolutionary methodology we have generated more than 100 novel genetically engineered mouse strains. In the current protocol, we describe in detail the optimal conditions to generate mice carrying point mutations, chromosomal deletions, conditional alleles, fusion tags, or endogenous reporters.
Social responsibility, professional commitment and tax fraud
Authors: Shafer William E. , Simmons Richard S. , Yip Rita W. Y.
Published: February 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to document relationships between accountants’ socioeconomic beliefs and attitudes and their professional commitment and ethical decisions in a domain-specific context. Specifically, it investigates the relationships among Chinese tax accountants’ level of belief in the importance of corporate ethics and social responsibility, affective/normative professional commitment and ethical judgements/intentions in a case involving client pressure to commit tax fraud.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study employs a survey of tax practitioners employed by public accounting firms in China. The data are analyzed using linear regression and structural equation modelling.

Findings

– The stakeholder view, representing both normative and practical support for the importance of corporate ethics and social responsibility, was strongly and positively associated with professional commitment among tax practitioners. The stakeholder view also exhibited a strong negative association with intentions to engage in tax fraud. Tax accountants who possessed higher levels of professional commitment judged tax fraud as more unethical, and such ethical judgements were associated with a lower likelihood of intending to engage in fraud.

Originality/value

– The associations between: first, professional accountants’ beliefs in the importance of corporate ethics and social responsibility and their level of professional commitment; and second, professional commitment and tax professionals’ ethical judgements have received little attention in the prior literature. The findings of this study suggest that the integrity of public accounting services may be influenced by relatively broad socioeconomic attitudes, and that this effect may operate partially through commitment to professional values.