bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atomic layer deposition of Nb-doped ZnO for thin film transistors
Authors: Shaw A. , Wrench J. S. , Jin J. D. , Whittles T. J. , Mitrovic I. Z. , Raja M. , Dhanak V. R. , Chalker P. R. , Hall S.
Published: November 2016

We present physical and electrical characterization of niobium-doped zinc oxide (NbZnO) for thin film transistor (TFT) applications. The NbZnO films were deposited using atomic layer deposition. X-ray diffraction measurements indicate that the crystallinity of the NbZnO films reduces with an increase in the Nb content and lower deposition temperature. It was confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy that Nb5+ is present within the NbZnO matrix. Furthermore, photoluminescence indicates that the band gap of the ZnO increases with a higher Nb content, which is explained by the Burstein-Moss effect. For TFT applications, a growth temperature of 175 °C for 3.8% NbZnO provided the best TFT characteristics with a saturation mobility of 7.9 cm2/Vs, the current On/Off ratio of 1 × 108, and the subthreshold swing of 0.34 V/decade. The transport is seen to follow a multiple-trap and release mechanism at lower gate voltages and percolation thereafter.
Experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study of structure of liquid and amorphous Ni62Nb38 alloy
Authors: Zhang Y. , Ashcraft R. , Mendelev M.I. , Wang C. Z. , Kelton K. F.
Published: November 2016

The state-of-the-art experimental and atomistic simulation techniques were utilized to study the structure of the liquid and amorphous Ni62Nb38 alloy. First, the ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulation was performed at rather high temperature where the time limitations of the AIMD do not prevent to reach the equilibrium liquid structure. A semi-empirical potential of the Finnis-Sinclair (FS) type was developed to almost exactly reproduce the AIMD partial pair correlation functions (PPCFs) in a classical molecular dynamics simulation. This simulation also showed that the FS potential well reproduces the bond angle distributions. The FS potential was then employed to elongate the AIMD PPCFs and determine the total structure factor (TSF) which was found to be in excellent agreement with X-ray TSF obtained within the present study demonstrating the reliability of the AIMD for the simulation of the structure of the liquid Ni–Nb alloys as well as the reliability of the developed FS potential. The glass structure obtained with the developed potential was also found to be in excellent agreement with the X-ray data. The analysis of the structure revealed that a network of the icosahedra clusters centered on Ni atoms is forming during cooling the liquid alloy down to Tg and the Nb Z14, Z15, and Z16 clusters are attached to this network. This network is the main feature of the Ni62Nb38 alloy and further investigations of the properties of this alloy should be based on study of the behavior of this network.
Free energy calculations along entropic pathways. I. Homogeneous vapor-liquid nucleation for atomic and molecular systems
Authors: Desgranges Caroline , Delhommelle Jerome
Published: November 2016

Using the entropy S as a reaction coordinate, we determine the free energy barrier associated with the formation of a liquid droplet from a supersaturated vapor for atomic and molecular fluids. For this purpose, we develop the μVT−S simulation method that combines the advantages of the grand-canonical ensemble, that allows for a direct evaluation of the entropy, and of the umbrella sampling method, that is well suited to the study of an activated process like nucleation. Applying this approach to an atomic system such as Ar allows us to test the method. The results show that the μVT−S method gives the correct dependence on supersaturation of the height of the free energy barrier and of the size of the critical droplet, when compared to predictions from the classical nucleation theory and to previous simulation results. In addition, it provides insight into the relation between the entropy and droplet formation throughout this process. An additional advantage of the μVT−S approach is its direct transferability to molecular systems, since it uses the entropy of the system as the reaction coordinate. Applications of the μVT−S simulation method to N2 and CO2 are presented and discussed in this work, showing the versatility of the μVT−S approach.
II–VI colloidal quantum-dot/quantum-rod heterostructures under electric field effect and their energy transfer rate to graphene
Authors: Zahra H. , Elmaghroui D. , Fezai I. , Jaziri S.
Published: November 2016

We theoretically investigate the energy transfer between a CdSe/CdS Quantum-dot/Quantum-rod (QD/QR) core/shell structure and a weakly doped graphene layer, separated by a dielectric spacer. A numerical method assuming the realistic shape of the type I and quasi-type II CdSe/CdS QD/QR is developed in order to calculate their energy structure. An electric field is applied for both types to manipulate the carriers localization and the exciton energy. Our evaluation for the isolated QD/QR shows that a quantum confined Stark effect can be obtained with large negative electric filed while a small effect is observed with positive ones. Owing to the evolution of the carriers delocalization and their excitonic energy versus the electric field, both type I and quasi-type II QD/QR donors are suitable as sources of charge and energy. With a view to improve its absorption, the graphene sheet (acceptor) is placed at different distances from the QD/QR (donor). Using the random phase approximation and the massless Dirac Fermi approximation, the quenching rate integral is exactly evaluated. That reveals a high transfer rate that can be obtained with type I QD/QR with no dependence on the electric field. On the contrary, a high dependence is obtained for the quasi-type II donor and a high fluorescence rate from F = 80 kV/cm. Rather than the exciton energy, the transition dipole is found to be responsible for the evolution of the fluorescence rate. We find also that the fluorescence rate decreases with increasing the spacer thickness and shows a power low dependence. The QD/QR fluorescence quenching can be observed up to large distance which is estimated to be dependent only on the donor exciton energy.
Internal flow in droplets within a concentrated emulsion flowing in a microchannel
Authors: Leong Chia Min , Gai Ya , Tang Sindy K. Y.
Published: November 2016

Droplet microfluidics has enabled a wide variety of high-throughput biotechnical applications through the use of monodisperse micro-droplets as bioreactors. Previous fluid dynamics studies of droplet microfluidics have focused on single droplets or emulsions at low volume fractions. The study of concentrated emulsions at high volume fractions is important for further increasing the throughput of droplet microfluidics, but the fluid dynamics of such emulsions in confined microchannels is not well understood. This paper describes the use of microscopic particle image velocimetry to quantify the flow inside individual droplets within a concentrated emulsion having volume fraction φ ∼ 85% flowing as a monolayer in a straight microfluidic channel. The effects of confinement (namely, the number of rows of droplets across the width of the channel) and viscosity ratio on the internal flow patterns inside the drops at a fixed capillary number of 10−3 and a Reynolds number of 10−2 to 10−1 are studied. The results show that rotational structures inside the droplets always exist and are independent of viscosity ratio for the conditions tested. The structures depend on droplet mobility, the ratio of the velocity of the droplet to the velocity of the continuous phase. These values, in turn, depend on the confinement of the emulsion and the location of the droplets in the channel. Although this work presents two-dimensional measurements at the mid-height of the microchannel only, the results reveal flow patterns that are never described before in single drops or dilute emulsions.
Combined scanning probe microscopy and x-ray scattering instrument for in situ catalysis investigations
Authors: Onderwaater Willem G. , van der Tuijn Peter C. , Mom Rik V. , van Spronsen Matthijs A. , Roobol Sander B. , Saedi Amirmehdi , Drnec Jakub , Isern Helena , Carla Francesco , Dufrane Thomas , Koehler Raymond , Crama Bert , Groot Irene M. N. , Felici Roberto , Frenken Joost W. M.
Published: November 2016

We have developed a new instrument combining a scanning probe microscope (SPM) and an X-ray scattering platform for ambient-pressure catalysis studies. The two instruments are integrated with a flow reactor and an ultra-high vacuum system that can be mounted easily on the diffractometer at a synchrotron end station. This makes it possible to perform SPM and X-ray scattering experiments in the same instrument under identical conditions that are relevant for catalysis.
Core-shell Mie resonant structures for quantum computing applications
Authors: Shugayev Roman , Bermel Peter
Published: November 2016

Quantum communications have garnered an increasing amount of interest over the last several years. One of the key components, a deterministic single photon source, requires both high quantum efficiency and suitable emission wavelengths, particularly for ubiquitous fiber-based systems. Solid state single photon sources, comprised of a crystal with isolated, optically active defects, are particularly advantageous in terms of their potential for fine control, reproducibility, ease of operation, and scalability. However, random orientation of single defects presents challenges in terms of scalable manufacturing of such sources. In this paper, we numerically demonstrate Mie resonant core–shell structures that are to a large degree insensitive to random impurity dipole orientations and at the same time decouple spurious decay channels by enhancing both absorption and emission rates. Applying the simple core-shell design to Xenon-related color centers in diamond nanocrystals enhances emission rates into the main zero phonon line by a factor of 23 relative to the bulk diamond. Addition of a Bragg-mirror shell to the Mie core-shell permits a great deal of further increase in the enhancement factor: e.g., a factor of 1273 for a two-bilayer Bragg mirror. A great deal of insensitivity to both the emitting dipole orientation and positioning within the nanocrystal was demonstrated.
Negative differential resistance in n-type noncompensated silicon at low temperature
Authors: Danilyuk A. L. , Trafimenko A. G. , Fedotov A. K. , Svito I. A. , Prischepa S. L.
Published: November 2016

We present the results on low temperature current-voltage characteristics of noncompensated Si doped by Sb. In the temperature range 1.9–2.25 K and at electrical fields smaller than 1 V/cm, the negative differential resistance (NDR) was observed. The external magnetic field enhances the region of the NDR. We attribute this effect to the delocalization of the D− states in the upper Hubbard band due to the accumulation of the charge injected by current.
Inverse Compton power and cooling time in a quantum Fermi-Dirac plasma including the quantum degeneracy pressure
Authors: Lee Myoung-Jae , Jung Young-Dae
Published: November 2016

The inverse Compton power is investigated in relativistically degenerate quantum Fermi-Dirac plasmas including the influence of quantum statistical degeneracy pressure. The ordinary and double Compton scattering cross sections, the inverse Compton power, and the cooling time are obtained in Fermi-Dirac plasmas. It is shown that the differential Compton scattering cross section has a maximum at the small wave number domain. However, the differential Compton scattering cross section increases with an increase of the wave number in the case of a large relativistic degeneracy parameter. It is interesting to note that the differential Compton scattering cross section in the backward scattering region is greater than that in the forward scattering region when the degeneracy pressure is large. It is also shown that the double Compton scattering process is quite suppressed in the forward scattering domain. It is also shown that the inverse Compton power increases with an increase of the relativistic degeneracy parameter. It is also shown that the influence of the relativistic degeneracy on the inverse Compton power is more significant for small plasmon energies. In addition, it is found that the cooling time due to the inverse Compton process decreases with an increase of the relativistic degeneracy parameter.
Contract bonus systems to encourage biosecurity adoption on small-scale broiler farms in Indonesia
Authors: Komaladara Anak Agung Sagung Putri , Patrick Ian , Hoang Nam
Published: November 2016

Ongoing economic losses in the poultry industry, due to endemic diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease, ensure that biosecurity adoption on small-scale broiler farms remains a priority for Indonesia. However, given their economic constraints and the nature of the market for their products, these smallholders need to be convinced that there is an economic benefit to them from investing in biosecurity. As the majority of smallholders manage their birds under a contract, these contract companies not only need to be involved in the discussion but, if they are not prepared to assist directly in assisting with improved biosecurity, need to ensure that the conditions of the contract do encourage this smallholder investment. Every contract includes price and performance bonuses and, although the nature of these vary between contract companies, they are designed to encourage productivity improvement. This study evaluates existing contract bonus systems in six major contract companies in Indonesia and their capacity to encourage investment in biosecurity. Results indicated that the price bonus plays a significant role in providing additional smallholder income. If higher than expected sale prices are obtained, contracts with companies 3, 5 and 6 ensure that a greater proportion of this price is passed on to smallholders. Contracts 2, 4, and 6 provide farmers with higher performance bonuses, indicating that these companies encourage farmers to improve production efficiency. Overall estimates after the initial year of biosecurity investment show improvements in returns, where farmers can receive up to USD 2.73 for every dollar invested in biosecurity.
Impact of fog drip versus fog immersion on the physiology of Bishop pine saplings
Authors: Baguskas Sara A. , King Jennifer Y. , Fischer Douglas T. , D'Antonio Carla M. , Still Christopher J.
Published: November 2016

Fog-drip to the soil is the most obvious contribution of fog to the water budget of an ecosystem, but several studies provide convincing evidence that foliar absorption of fog water through leaf wetting events is also possible. The focus of our research was to assess the relative importance of fog drip and fog immersion (foliar wetting) on leaf gas-exchange rates and photosynthetic capacity of a coastal pine species, Bishop pine (Pinus muricata D.Don), a drought-sensitive species restricted to the fog belt of coastal California and offshore islands. In a controlled experiment, we manipulated fog water inputs to potted Bishop pine saplings during a 3 week dry-down period. Ten saplings were randomly assigned one of two fog treatments: (1) fog drip to the soil and canopy fog immersion, or (2) fog immersion alone. Five saplings were assigned the ‘control’ group and received no fog water inputs. We found that fog immersion alone significantly increased carbon assimilation rates and photosynthetic capacity of saplings as soil moisture declined compared with those that received no fog at all. The highest carbon assimilation rates were observed in saplings that also received fog drip. Soil moisture was 40% higher in the fog immersion compared with the control group during the dry-down, indicating a reduced demand for soil water in saplings that had only leaves wetted by canopy interception of fog. Leaf-level physiology is more strongly enhanced by fog drip compared with fog immersion, although the results of this study provide evidence that foliar absorption is a viable mechanism by which Bishop pines use fog water and that it can enhance instantaneous plant carbon gain and potentially whole plant productivity.
Impacts of different mulching patterns in rainfall-harvesting planting on soil water and spring corn growth development in semihumid regions of China
Authors: Ren Xiaolong , Zhang Peng , Liu Xiaoli , Ali Shahzad , Chen Xiaoli , Jia Zhikuan
Published: November 2016

Rain-harvesting planting can improve crop biomass and enhance precipitation use efficiency in rainfed semiarid areas. In this study, field trials were conducted during summer 2007–2010 to determine the impacts of different mulching patterns in rainfall harvesting planting on spring corn growth and development in a typical semihumid dryland farming area of the Loess Plateau in China, which is characterised by spring droughts. Rain-harvesting ridges and planting furrows were mulched with 8% biodegradable film (RCSB), liquid film (RCSL), or not mulched (RCSN), and bare land drilling without mulching served as the control (CF). We found that the rain-harvesting effects of ridges and the evaporation-inhibiting and moisture-conserving effects of mulching materials during the spring corn growing season significantly increased water storage in the 0–100cm soil layer (P<0.05) compared with CF, where mulching was more beneficial than the non-mulching treatments. In the 100–200cm soil layers, there were no significant effects (P>0.05) of the treatments on water storage. During 2007–2010, the average plant height increased by 26.6%, 15.4%, and 11.1% under RCSB, RCSL, and RCSN relative to CF respectively, whereas the per plant biomass increased by 26.6%, 15.4%, and 11.1% under these treatments, and the grain yield increased by 32.3%, 17.5%, and 15.0%. Therefore, in the semihumid dryland farming areas of the Loess Plateau, rain-harvesting planting greatly increased the growth, development, and dry matter accumulation by spring corn, thereby enhancing its biomass yield, whereas the plastic-covered ridges and furrows mulched with biodegradable films substantially increased the yield-enhancing effects.
Selective lesion of the hippocampus increases the differentiation of immature neurons in the monkey amygdala
Authors: Chareyron Loïc J. , Amaral David G. , Lavenex Pierre
Published: November 2016

Significance

A large population of immature neurons has been reported in the ventromedial portion of the adult primate amygdala. Here, we show that selective hippocampal lesions lead to an increase in mature neuron numbers in the monkey amygdala. After adult lesions, the differentiation of immature neurons was essentially restricted to the paralaminar nucleus and was associated with a decrease in the population of immature neurons in the paralaminar nucleus. In contrast, after neonatal lesions, the differentiation of immature neurons involved the paralaminar, lateral, and basal nuclei, and was associated with an increase in the population of immature neurons in the paralaminar nucleus. This is unique evidence of lesion-induced alterations in the number of neurons in the nonhuman primate amygdala.
C-terminal domain (CTD) phosphatase links Rho GTPase signaling to Pol II CTD phosphorylation in
Arabidopsis
and yeast
Authors: Zhang Bo , Yang Guohua , Chen Yu , Zhao Yihong , Gao Peng , Liu Bo , Wang Haiyang , Zheng Zhi-Liang
Published: November 2016

Significance

Rho GTPase and polymerase II (Pol II), two key molecules involved in cellular signaling and transcription in eukaryotic organisms, have been separately studied for more than 2 decades without evidence showing their functional linkage. We provide genetic and biochemical evidence linking these two molecules in an intracellular signaling pathway. Rho GTPases in
Arabidopsis
and yeast can modulate the phosphorylation status of the Pol II C-terminal domain (CTD) by inhibiting the CTD phosphatases. Our finding renders strong support for a direct or “shortcut” model in transcriptional control. Compared with the classical transcriptional activator/repressor-mediated indirect model, this shortcut model of targeting the core of Pol II likely provides an efficient transcriptional control to rapidly bring about the broad changes in gene expression.
Selective sweep suggests transcriptional regulation may underlie
Plasmodium vivax
resilience to malaria control measures in Cambodia
Authors: Parobek Christian M. , Lin Jessica T. , Saunders David L. , Barnett Eric J. , Lon Chanthap , Lanteri Charlotte A. , Balasubramanian Sujata , Brazeau Nicholas , DeConti Derrick K. , Garba Deen L. , Meshnick Steven R. , Spring Michele D. , Chuor Char Meng , Bailey Jeffrey A. , Juliano Jonathan J.
Published: November 2016

Significance

In Cambodia, where
Plasmodium vivax
and
Plasmodium falciparum
are coendemic and intense multimodal malaria-control interventions have reduced malaria incidence,
P
.
vivax
malaria has proven relatively resistant to such measures. We performed comparative genomic analyses of 150
P
.
vivax
and
P
.
falciparum
isolates to determine whether different evolutionary strategies might underlie this species-specific resilience. Demographic modeling and tests of selection show that, in contrast to
P
.
falciparum
,
P
.
vivax
has experienced uninterrupted growth and positive selection at multiple loci encoding transcriptional regulators. In particular, a strong selective sweep involving an AP2 transcription factor suggests that
P
.
vivax
may use nuanced transcriptional approaches to population maintenance. Better understanding of
P
.
vivax
transcriptional regulation may lead to improved tools to achieve elimination.
Psychopathic individuals exhibit but do not avoid regret during counterfactual decision making
Authors: Baskin-Sommers Arielle , Stuppy-Sullivan Allison M. , Buckholtz Joshua W.
Published: November 2016

Significance

Psychopathic individuals display a chronic and flagrant disregard for social norms through their callous behavior and lack of regret for its consequences. Although psychopathy research largely attributes this to deficits in affective responsiveness, recent proposals suggest that value-based decision making may also contribute to the maladaptive behavior of psychopathic individuals. Using a counterfactual decision-making paradigm, we found that higher scores on psychopathy were associated with higher levels of retrospective regret. Despite this, however, individuals higher on psychopathy made riskier choices and were less influenced by prospective regret when making decisions. These findings support the idea that the maladaptive behavior of psychopathic individuals is related to deficits in domain-general cognitive processes, such as counterfactual decision making, rather than a primary affective deficit.
Functional split brain in a driving/listening paradigm
Authors: Sasai Shuntaro , Boly Melanie , Mensen Armand , Tononi Giulio
Published: November 2016

Significance

When one drives on an easy route and listens to a radio, it is at times as if one’s brain splits into two separate entities: one that drives and one that listens. When, instead, one drives while listening to a global positioning system, there is only one functional stream. Here, using measures of information integration, we show that a brain may functionally split into two separate “driving” and “listening” systems when the listening task is unrelated to concurrent driving, but not when the two systems are related. This finding raises the possibility that under certain conditions of daily life, a single brain may support two independent functional streams, a “functional split brain” similar to what is observed in patients with an anatomical split.
Continuous flow synthesis of ZSM-5 zeolite on the order of seconds
Authors: Liu Zhendong , Okabe Kotatsu , Anand Chokkalingam , Yonezawa Yasuo , Zhu Jie , Yamada Hiroki , Endo Akira , Yanaba Yutaka , Yoshikawa Takeshi , Ohara Koji , Okubo Tatsuya , Wakihara Toru
Published: November 2016

Significance

Zeolites have greatly contributed to modern industries. Consumption of zeolites is expected to increase with the emergence of newly commercialized applications. Typical synthesis of zeolites relies on batchwise hydrothermal synthesis, which usually takes tens of hours or even several days to complete. People have thus long believed that the crystallization of zeolites is very slow in nature. We herein demonstrate the continuous flow synthesis of ZSM-5, an industrially important zeolite, on the order of seconds. Crystallization from amorphous state to full crystallinity could be completed in tens of or even several seconds. The synthesis on the order of seconds provides a great potential to facilitate the mass production as well as to deepen the fundamental understanding of zeolite crystallization.
Element order in Old English and Old High German translations
Authors: Cichosz Anna , Gaszewski Jerzy , Pęzik Piotr
Published: November 2016

This book is the first comprehensive corpus study of element order in Old English and Old High German, which brings to light numerous differences between these two closely related languages. The study’s innovative approach relies on translated texts, which allows the authors to tackle the problem of the apparent incomparability of OE and OHG textual records and to identify the areas of OE and OHG syntax potentially influenced by the Latin source texts. This is especially important from the point of view of OE research, where Latin is rarely considered to be a significant variable. The book’s profile and content is of direct interest to historical linguists working on OE and/or OHG (and Old Germanic languages in general), but it can also greatly benefit several other groups of researchers: scholars applying corpus methods to the study of dead languages, historical linguists generally, linguists researching element order as well as specialists in translation studies.
Assessment of River Herring Spawning Runs in a Chesapeake Bay Coastal Plain Stream using Imaging Sonar
Authors: Ogburn Matthew B. , Spires Jason , Aguilar Robert , Goodison Michael R. , Heggie Keira , Kinnebrew Eva , McBurney William , Richie Kimberly D. , Roberts Paige M. , Hines Anson H.
Published: November 2016

Recent declines in anadromous river herring (Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and Blueback Herring A. aestivalis) have been documented in much of their range using fishery‐independent spawning run counts. A lack of rigorous long‐term run counts and demographic data for Chesapeake Bay spawning stocks resulted in the declaration of unknown stock status in a 2012 stock assessment and made it difficult to evaluate responses to conservation and restoration efforts. The objectives of the present study were to (1) conduct the first spawning run counts of river herring in the Choptank River, Maryland, since the run counts performed over a 2‐year period in 1972 and 1973, (2) evaluate population structure and dynamics, and (3) identify environmental variables associated with run timing. Spawning runs of Alewives and Blueback Herring were recorded from March 10 to June 4, 2014, using imaging sonar and processed manually to produce hourly run counts of fish with TLs ranging from 200 to 350 mm. A total of 1,659,090 ± 91,250 fish with TLs of 200–350 mm (errors estimated using a CV of 5.5%) were estimated to swim upstream past the sonar unit. Boat electrofishing was conducted at weekly intervals to estimate species composition and obtain samples for demographic analysis. Using these species composition data to apportion run counts resulted in an estimated count of 581,275 ± 31,970 Alewives and 726,450 ± 39,955 Blueback Herring. Fish age by otolith analysis varied from 2 to 7 years and total instantaneous mortality (Z) was estimated at 1.47 (SE, 1.8 × 10−5) for Alewives and 1.91 (SE, 1.1 × 10−5) for Blueback Herring. Upstream migration occurred primarily in the afternoon and evening associated with increasing water temperature, and downstream migration occurred at low and decreasing levels of discharge. The present study established a new fishery‐independent population monitoring effort for river herring in Chesapeake Bay and identified associations between environmental drivers and upstream and downstream movements.

Received March 8, 2016; accepted August 31, 2016 Published online November 29, 2016
Alcohol and Marijuana use in Pathways of Risk for Sexually Transmitted Infection in White and Black Adolescent Females
Authors: Chung Tammy , Ye Feifei , Hipwell Alison E. , Stepp Stephanie D. , Miller Elizabeth , Borrero Sonya , Hawk Mary
Published: November 2016

Background: Some types of sexually transmitted infection (STI) have higher prevalence in females than males, and among black, relative to white, females. Identifying mechanisms of STI risk is critical to effective intervention. The authors tested a model in which alcohol and marijuana use serve as mediating factors in the associations between depression and conduct problems with sexual risk behavior (SRB) and STI in adolescent females. Methods: The Pittsburgh Girls Study is a longitudinal observational study of females who have been followed annually to track the course of mental and physical health conditions. The 3 oldest cohorts ( N = 1750; 56.8% black, 43.2% white) provided self-reports of substance use, depression and conduct problems, SRB, and STI at ages 16–18. A path model tested alcohol and marijuana use at age 17 as mechanisms that mediate the associations of depression and conduct problems at age 16 with SRB and STI at age 18. Results: Race was involved in 2 risk pathways. In one pathway, white females reported greater alcohol use, which was associated with greater SRB. In another pathway, black females reported earlier sexual onset, which was associated with subsequent SRB. Public assistance use was independently associated with early sexual onset and STI. SRB, but not substance use, mediated the association of depression and conduct problems with STI. Conclusions: Differences by race in pathways of risk for SRB and STI, involving, for example, alcohol use and early sexual onset, were identified for young white and black females, respectively. Depression and conduct problems may signal risk for SRB and STI in young females, and warrant attention to improve health outcomes.
Behavioral Characteristics and Injection Practices Associated with Skin and Soft Tissue Infections among People who Inject Drugs: A Community-Based Observational Study
Authors: Dahlman Disa , Håkansson Anders , Kral Alex H. , Wenger Lynn , Ball Elizabeth L. , Novak Scott P.
Published: November 2016

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased risk for bacterial skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). Although SSTIs pose significant health risks, little is known about their prevalence and characteristics in the population of PWID in the United States. This study investigates whether behavioral factors related to skin and equipment hygiene and tissue-damaging injection practices are associated with recent SSTIs among PWID. Methods: Active PWID were recruited using targeted sampling in San Francisco in 2011–2013. Interviewers collected information on behavioral risk factors of past-month self-reported SSTIs. Inferential analyses used multivariate logistic regression methods (i.e., generalized linear model) to characterize risk factors for past-month SSTIs. Results: The self-reported prevalence of lifetime, past-year, and past-month SSTI was 70%, 29%, and 11%, respectively. Several factors were significantly associated with past-month SSTIs in bivariate analysis, including injecting nonpowder drugs (odds ratio [OR] = 3.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.23, 10.35; P = .01), needle-licking before injection (OR = 3.36; 95% CI = 1.28, 8.81; P = .01), injecting with someone else's preused syringe/needle (OR = 7.97; 95% CI = 2.46, 25.83; P < .001), being injected by another person (OR = 2.63; 95% CI = 1.02, 6.78; P = .04), infrequent skin cleaning before injection (OR = 2.47; 95% CI = 1.00, 6.10; P = .04), and frequent injections ( P = .02). In multivariate analysis, only syringe/needle sharing (adjusted OR = 6.38; 95% CI = 1.90, 21.46) remained statistically significant. Conclusion: SSTIs are common among PWID. These data highlight the importance of clinical and public health screening efforts to reduce SSTIs. Needle exchange programs may be good venues for SSTIs screening and treatment.
Buprenorphine Shared Medical Appointments for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence in a Homeless Clinic
Authors: Doorley Sara L. , Ho Cheryl J. , Echeverria Elizabeth , Preston Charles , Ngo Huy , Kamal Ahmad , Cunningham Chinazo O.
Published: November 2016

Background: Opioid misuse and dependence are prevalent and rising problems in the United States. Treatment with buprenorphine is a successful treatment option for individuals with opioid dependence. This study describes and preliminarily evaluates a unique delivery system that provides buprenorphine treatment via a shared medical appointment. Methods: A retrospective medical record review on all 77 opioid-dependent patients referred for a buprenorphine shared medical appointment in a homeless clinic from 2010 to 2012. Results: Most patients were currently homeless (61%), unemployed (92%), had an Axis I psychiatric diagnosis (81%), and had recent polysubstance use (53%). Of the 77 patients, 95% attended at least 1 shared medical appointment. Treatment retention at 12 and 24 weeks was 86% and 70%, respectively. Conclusions: In a patient population with complex social and mental health histories, buprenorphine treatment via a shared medical appointment had high retention rates. Findings can help guide the development of unique delivery systems to serve real-world complex patients with opioid dependence.
Molecular and cellular studies on the absorption, function, and safety of food components in intestinal epithelial cells
Authors: Satsu Hideo
Published: November 2016

The intestinal tract comes into direct contact with the external environment despite being inside the body. Intestinal epithelial cells, which line the inner face of the intestinal tract, have various important functions, including absorption of food substances, immune functions such as cytokine secretion, and barrier function against xenobiotics by means of detoxification enzymes. It is likely that the functions of intestinal epithelial cells are regulated or modulated by these components because they are frequently exposed to food components at high concentrations. This review summarizes our research on the interaction between intestinal epithelial cells and food components at cellular and molecular levels. The influence of xenobiotic contamination in foods on the cellular function of intestinal epithelial cells is also described in this review.
Human instrumental performance in ratio and interval contingencies: A challenge for associative theory
Authors: Pérez Omar D , Aitken Michael RF , Zhukovsky Peter , Soto Fabián A , Urcelay Gonzalo P , Dickinson Anthony
Published: November 2016

Associative learning theories regard the probability of reinforcement as the critical factor determining responding. However, the role of this factor in instrumental conditioning is not completely clear. In fact, free-operant experiments show that participants respond at a higher rate on variable ratio than on variable interval schedules even though the reinforcement probability is matched between the schedules. This difference has been attributed to the differential reinforcement of long inter-response times (IRTs) by interval schedules, which acts to slow responding. In the present study, we used a novel experimental design to investigate human responding under random ratio (RR) and regulated probability interval (RPI) schedules, a type of interval schedule that sets a reinforcement probability independently of the IRT duration. Participants responded on each type of schedule before a final choice test in which they distributed responding between two schedules similar to those experienced during training. Although response rates did not differ during training, the participants responded at a lower rate on the RPI schedule than on the matched RR schedule during the choice test. This preference cannot be attributed to a higher probability of reinforcement for long IRTs and questions the idea that similar associative processes underlie classical and instrumental conditioning.
Encounter as Process: England and Japan in the Late Sixteenth Century
Authors: Das Nandini
Published: November 2016

Taking a cue from a fleeting reference to Japan in a remarkably idiosyncratic sixteenth-century language manual, this essay explores the knowledge about Japan that circulated in England before first formal contact took place between the two nations in 1613–14. The cumulative record of fleeting intersections and near-forgotten moments when the two nations came into each other’s circuit demands a reassessment of current conceptualizations of the travel encounter, juxtaposing the traditional view of encounter as a singular significant event, with one that acknowledges the encounter’s rootedness in long-running processes of knowledge making and circulation.
Activity measurements of the radionuclides 18F and 99mTc for the NMISA, South Africa in the ongoing comparisons BIPM.RI(II)-K4.F-18 and BIPM.RI(II)-K4.Tc-99m
Authors: Michotte C , Nonis M , Rooy M W Van , Staden M J Van , Lubbe J
Published: November 2016

In 2015, comparisons of activity measurements of 18F and 99mTc using the Transfer Instrument of the International Reference System (SIRTI) took place at the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA, South Africa). Ampoules containing about 25 kBq of 18F and 99mTc solutions were measured in the SIRTI for more than two half-lives. The NMISA standardized the activity in the ampoules by ionization chamber measurements traceable to 4π(LS)β–γ coincidence measurements. The comparisons, identifiers BIPM.RI(II)-K4.F-18 and BIPM.RI(II)-K4.Tc-99m, are linked to the corresponding BIPM.RI(II)-K1.F-18 and BIPM.RI(II)-K1.Tc-99m comparisons and degrees of equivalence with the respective key comparison reference values have been evaluated.

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To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCRI, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Uric Acid and New Onset Left Ventricular Hypertrophy: Findings From the PAMELA Population
Authors: Cuspidi Cesare , Facchetti Rita , Bombelli Michele , Sala Carla , Tadic Marijana , Grassi Guido , Mancia Giuseppe
Published: November 2016

BACKGROUND

The association between serum uric acid (SUA) and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is controversial and the ability of SUA in predicting incident LVH remains unsettled. Thus, we evaluated the relationship of SUA with new-onset echocardiographic LVH over a 10-year period in subjects of the general population enrolled in the Pressioni Arteriose Monitorate E Loro Associazioni (PAMELA) study.

METHODS

The study included 960 subjects with normal LV mass index (LVMI) at baseline echocardiographic evaluation and a readable echocardiogram at the end of follow-up. Cut-points for LVH were derived from reference values of the healthy fraction of the PAMELA population.

RESULTS

Over a 10-year period, 258 participants (26.9%) progressed to LVH. The incidence of new-onset LVH increased from the lowest (23%) to intermediate (25%) and the highest baseline SUA tertile (32%). After adjusting for confounders (not including body mass index (BMI)), each 1 mg/dl increase in SUA entailed a 26% higher risk of incident LVH. Adjusted odd ratio of LVH risk in the highest SUA tertile was 96% higher than in the lowest tertile (odds ratio (OR) = 1.966, 95% CI = 1.158–3.339, P = 0.0123). Correction for BMI reduced the magnitude and statistical significance of ORs.

CONCLUSIONS

The study shows that SUA is a predictor of long-term echocardiographic changes from normal LVMI to LVH in a community sample. Thus, life-style and pharmacologic measures aimed to reduce SUA levels may concur to preventing LVH development in the general population.
From Care to Cure: Demonstrating a Model of Clinical Patient Navigation for Hepatitis C Care and Treatment in High-Need Patients
Authors: Ford Mary M. , Johnson Nirah , Desai Payal , Rude Eric , Laraque Fabienne
Published: November 2016

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene implemented a patient navigation program, Check Hep C, to address patient and provider barriers to hepatitis C virus (HCV) care and potentially lifesaving treatment. Services were delivered at 2 clinical care sites and 2 sites that linked patients to off-site care. Working with a multidisciplinary care team, patient navigators provided risk assessment, health education, treatment readiness and medication adherence counseling, and medication coordination. Between March 2014 and January 2015, 388 participants enrolled in Check Hep C, 129 (33%) initiated treatment, and 119 (91% of initiators) had sustained virologic response (SVR). Participants receiving on-site clinical care had higher odds of initiating treatment than those linked to off-site care. Check Hep C successfully supported high-need participants through HCV care and treatment, and SVR rates demonstrate the real-world ability of achieving high cure rates using patient navigation care models.
Minor impacts of reduced pH on bacterial biofilms on settlement tiles along natural pH gradients at two CO2 seeps in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Hassenrück Christiane , Tegetmeyer Halina E. , Ramette Alban , Fabricius Katharina E.
Published: November 2016

Bacterial biofilms provide cues for the settlement of marine invertebrates such as coral larvae, and are therefore important for the resilience and recovery of coral reefs. This study aimed to better understand how ocean acidification may affect the community composition and diversity of bacterial biofilms on surfaces under naturally reduced pH conditions. Settlement tiles were deployed at coral reefs in Papua New Guinea along pH gradients created by two CO2 seeps. Biofilms on upper and lower tiles surfaces were sampled 5 and 13 months after deployment. Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis was used to characterize 240 separate bacterial communities, complemented by amplicon sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene of 16 samples. Bacterial biofilms consisted predominantly of Alpha-, Gamma-, and Delta-proteobacteria, as well as Cyanobacteria, Flavobacteriia, and Cytophagia, whereas taxa that induce settlement of invertebrate larvae only accounted for a small fraction of the community. Bacterial biofilm composition was heterogeneous, with on average only ∼25% of operational taxonomic units shared between samples. Among the observed environmental parameters, pH was only weakly related to community composition (R2 ∼ 1%), and was unrelated to community richness and evenness. In contrast, biofilms strongly differed between upper and lower tile surfaces (contrasting in light exposure and grazing intensity). There also appeared to be a strong interaction between bacterial biofilm composition and the macroscopic components of the tile community. Our results suggest that on mature settlement surfaces in situ, pH does not have a strong impact on the composition of bacterial biofilms. Other abiotic and biotic factors such as light exposure and interactions with other organisms may be more important in shaping bacterial biofilms on mature surfaces than changes in seawater pH.
Establishing the Right to Bargain Collectively in Australia and the UK: Are Majority Support Determinations under Australia’s Fair Work Act a More Effective Form of Union Recognition?
Authors: Forsyth Anthony , Howe John , Gahan Peter , Landau Ingrid
Published: November 2016

The optimal legal and institutional framework for facilitating workers’ access to collective bargaining is a central issue for labour law. Since 2009, Australian labour law has adopted a novel approach to the issue of whether workers should have the right—and employers, the obligation—to engage in collective bargaining. The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) seeks to promote collective bargaining in good faith at the enterprise level, by empowering the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to facilitate good faith bargaining and the making of enterprise agreements. One of the key mechanisms available to the FWC is the power to make a majority support determination (MSD), in situations where an employer refuses to bargain and a majority of the relevant employees want to bargain collectively. The making of an MSD then triggers a number of other obligations (including the good faith bargaining requirements) and opens the way to other forms of FWC involvement in the bargaining process. An MSD has the effect of compelling an employer to bargain collectively where it has previously refused to do so. The MSD process is therefore akin to the statutory union recognition procedure operating in the UK and the long-standing union recognition processes that apply under Canadian and US labour laws. However, the Australian iteration of these legislative attempts to address the problem of employer resistance to bargaining is distinctive because it gives the FWC considerable flexibility in the method used to determine majority support for bargaining. For example, the FW Act allows for—but does not require in all cases—a ballot of employees to be conducted in order to determine the level of support for collective negotiations. Other means of establishing employee support, such as petitions, are also permitted. This potentially avoids some of the problems that have affected ballot-based union recognition systems. This article focuses on the operation of the MSD mechanism over the period 1 July 2009–30 June 2015. The article provides some background to the development of the MSD provisions in the FW Act by the former Labor Government. This is followed by an examination of the MSD provisions in the overall context of the FW Act bargaining regime, and their operation in practice, including some comparisons with the main elements of the UK statutory union recognition procedure. The article concludes with some observations about the effectiveness of MSDs in comparison with the statutory recognition procedure in the UK.
Blood Gene Signatures of Chagas Cardiomyopathy With or Without Ventricular Dysfunction
Authors: Ferreira Ludmila Rodrigues Pinto , Ferreira Frederico Moraes , Nakaya Helder Imoto , Deng Xutao , Cândido Darlan da Silva , de Oliveira Lea Campos , Billaud Jean-Noel , Lanteri Marion C , Rigaud Vagner Oliveira-Carvalho , Seielstad Mark , Kalil Jorge , Fernandes Fabio , Ribeiro Antonio Luiz P , Sabino Ester Cerdeira , Cunha-Neto Edecio
Published: November 2016

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, affects 7 million people in Latin American areas of endemicity. About 30% of infected patients will develop chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC), an inflammatory cardiomyopathy characterized by hypertrophy, fibrosis, and myocarditis. Further studies are necessary to understand the molecular mechanisms of disease progression. Transcriptome analysis has been increasingly used to identify molecular changes associated with disease outcomes. We thus assessed the whole-blood transcriptome of patients with Chagas disease. Microarray analysis was performed on blood samples from 150 subjects, of whom 30 were uninfected control patients and 120 had Chagas disease (1 group had asymptomatic disease, and 2 groups had CCC with either a preserved or reduced left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF]). Each Chagas disease group displayed distinct gene expression and functional pathway profiles. The most different expression patterns were between CCC groups with a preserved or reduced LVEF. A more stringent analysis indicated that 27 differentially expressed genes, particularly those related to natural killer (NK)/CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity, separated the 2 groups. NK/CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity could play a role in determining Chagas disease progression. Understanding genes associated with disease may lead to improved insight into CCC pathogenesis and the identification of prognostic factors for CCC progression.