bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of ligands on protein retention in adsorption chromatography: A surface energetics approach
Authors: Aasim Muhammad , Kakarla Prasad Babu , D'Souza Roy N. , Bibi Noor Shad , Klein Tanja Yvonne , Treccani Laura , Rezwan Kurosch , Fernández‐Lahore Marcelo
Published: January 2014

Protein adsorption onto hydrophobic chromatographic supports has been investigated using a colloid theory surface energetics approach. The surface properties of commercially available chromatographic beads, Toyopearl Phenyl 650‐C, and Toyopearl Butyl 650‐C, have been experimentally determined by contact angle and zeta potential measurements. The adsorption characteristics of these beads, which bear the same backbone matrix but harbor different ligands, have been studied toward selected model proteins, in the hydrated as well as dehydrated state. There were two prominent groups of proteins observed with respect to the chromatographic supports presented in this work: loosely retained proteins, which were expected to have lower average interaction energies, and the strongly retained proteins, which were expected to have higher average interaction energies. Results were also compared and contrasted with calculations derived from adsorbent surface energies determined by inverse liquid chromatography. These results showed a good qualitative agreement, and the interaction energy minima obtained from these extended Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey and Overbeek calculations were shown to correlate well with the experimentally determined adsorption behavior of each protein.
Shape‐Memory Effect by Specific Biodegradable Polymer Blending for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Cha Kook Jin , Lih Eugene , Choi Jiyeon , Joung Yoon Ki , Ahn Dong Jun , Han Dong Keun
Published: January 2014

Specific biodegradable polymers having shape‐memory properties through “polymer‐blend” method are investigated and their shape‐switching in body temperature (37 °C) is characterized. Poly(L‐lactide‐co‐caprolactone) (PLCL) and poly(L‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLGA) are dissolved in chloroform and the films of several blending ratios of PLCL/PLGA are prepared by solvent casting. The shape‐memory properties of films are also examined using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Among the blending ratios, the PLCL50/PLGA50 film shows good performance of shape‐fixity and shape‐recovery based on glass transition temperature. It displays that the degree of shape recovery is 100% at 37 °C and the shape recovery proceeds within only 15 s. In vitro biocompatibility studies are shown to have good blood compatibility and cytocompatibility for the PLCL50/PLGA50 films. It is expected that this blended biodegradable polymer can be potentially used as a material for blood‐contacting medical devices such as a self‐expended vascular polymer stents and vascular closure devices in biomedical applications.
Reduced cortical plasticity and GABAergic modulation in essential tremor
Authors: Chuang Wen‐Li , Huang Ying‐Zu , Lu Chin‐Song , Chen Rou‐Shayn
Published: January 2014

Essential tremor (ET) is the most common movement disorder among adults. Cerebellar dysfunction is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of ET; however, imaging, electrophysiological studies, and clinical observations have suggested that the cerebral cortex also may participate. We sought to investigate the possible motor cortical contribution to ET by assessing response to continuous theta‐burst stimulation (cTBS), a recognized tool that can produce transient plastic changes, in the primary motor and premotor cortex of patients with ET. We compared parameters, including motor‐evoked potential amplitude, cortical silent period, and short‐interval intracortical inhibition, before and after applying cTBS in healthy controls and patients with ET. We found that, although cTBS applied to either the motor or premotor cortex was capable of producing a suppressive effect on motor cortical excitability in ET patients, the effects lasted for a significantly shorter time compared with the effect produced in healthy individuals. The change seen in measures of intracortical inhibition after motor cortical or premotor cTBS in healthy controls was reduced or absent in the ET patients. Tremor amplitude was decreased significantly after applying cTBS over either the motor or premotor cortex, but the tremor frequency remained unchanged. These findings suggest that inhibitory circuits within the motor cortex are aberrant and less modifiable in ET patients. The reduced plasticity in response to motor and premotor TBS supports the theory of abnormal gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) modulation in ET. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Multilevel ordinal factor analysis of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)
Authors: Stochl Jan , Jones Peter B. , Plaistow James , Reininghaus Ulrich , Priebe Stefan , Perez Jesus , Croudace Tim J.
Published: January 2014

Clinical assessments of the presence and severity of psychopathology are often collected by health care professionals in mental health services or clinical researchers trained to use semi‐structured interviews. Clustering by interviewer or rater needs to be considered when performing psychometric analyses such as factor analysis or item response modelling as non‐independence of observations arises in these situations. We apply more suitable multilevel methods to analyse ordinally scored Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) items. Our aim is to highlight the differences in results that occur when the data are analysed using a hierarchically sensitive approach rather than using a traditional (aggregated) analysis. Our sample (n = 507) consisted of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia who participated in a multi‐centre randomized control clinical trial, the DIALOG study. Analyses reported and compared include an exploratory factor analysis as well as several recently published multifactor models re‐estimated within a confirmatory analysis framework. Our results show that the fit of the model and the parsimony of the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) models indicated by the number of factors necessary to explain the inter‐correlation among PANSS items improved significantly when data clustering is taken into account through multilevel analysis. Our modeling results support the pentagonal PANSS model first proposed by White et al. (1997). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Physical and thermal characterization of graphene oxide modified gelatin‐based thin films
Authors: Zadeh Elham Mohammad , Yu Aimin , Fu Li , Dehghan Masoud , Sbarski Igor , Harding Ian
Published: January 2014

The incorporation of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets into fish gelatin‐based films and the resulting effect on the structural, mechanical, and thermal properties of the film was investigated. Gelatin films were prepared using a casting method with d‐sorbitol as the plasticizer and carrageenan as the stabilizer. GO nanofillers were dispersed into the gelatin network in different weight percentages. FTIR spectroscopy was used to characterize the molecular structure of gelatin films and revealed that there were no major changes in the functional groups of fish gelatin films after addition of GO and carrageenan. Tensile, differential scanning calorimetery (DSC), and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) tests were performed to study the effectiveness of GO nanofillers and the effect of sorbitol and carrageenan on the film properties. Addition of 1 wt% of GO significantly increased the tensile strength and the elongation modulus of the gelatin films (to 44 and 1320 MPa, respectively). This was attributed to the strong interfacial interactions between GO sheets and gelatine molecules. However, increasing the GO percentage to 2 wt% resulted in a considerable decrease in both properties (to 11 and 224 MPa, respectively). This might be due to the agglomeration of GO sheets in the gelatin network. DSC results showed a substantial increase in the Tm of the films as a result of adding carrageenan and GO to the gelatin network. This might be due to the strong combination of helical structure of carrageenan and oxygen containing groups of GO. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:2043–2049, 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
iTRAQ as a method for optimization: Enhancing peptide recovery after gel fractionation
Authors: Glibert Pieter , Van Steendam Katleen , Dhaenens Maarten , Deforce Dieter
Published: January 2014

At the dawn of a new era in label‐free quantitation on high‐resolution MS instruments, classical methods such as iTRAQ continue to provide very useful insights in comparative proteomics. The potential to multiplex samples makes this reporter‐based labeling technique highly suited for method optimization as demonstrated here by a set of standard series. Instead of studying ratios of annotated proteins, we propose an alternative method, based on the analysis of the average reporter ratios of all the spectra from a sample or a large distinct subset herein. This strategy circumvents the bias, associated with the annotation and iTRAQ quantitation, leading to increased adequacy in measuring yield differences between workflows. As gel electrophoresis prior to MS analysis is highly beneficial, for example, as a fractionation step, the approach was applied to evaluate the influence of several parameters of the established in‐gel digestion protocol. We quantified the negative effect of SYPRO Ruby staining and the positive effect of gel fixation prior to digestion on peptide yield. Finally, we emphasize the benefits of adding CaCl2 and ACN to a tryptic in‐gel digest, resulting in an up to tenfold enhanced peptide recovery and fewer trypsin missed cleavages.
Thermal behavior of poly(vinylbenzyl chloride)‐grafted poly(ethylene‐co‐tetrafluoroethylene) films
Authors: Song Ju‐Myung , Lee Sun‐Young , Woo Hyun‐Su , Sohn Joon‐Yong , Shin Junhwa
Published: January 2014

The effect of the degree of grafting (DOG) on the thermal behavior of poly(vinylbenzyl chloride)‐grafted poly(ethylene‐co‐tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE‐g‐PVBC) films was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), FT‐IR, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) instruments. Several ETFE‐g‐PVBC films with various degrees of grafting, including 10, 24, 41, 60, and 94%, were prepared using a radiation grafting technique. The DSC and XRD results of the ETFE‐g‐PVBC films revealed that the crystallinity of the films decreased as the DOG increased. The DMA and FT‐IR results of the films indicated that a crosslinking reaction occurred at temperatures above 250 °C. In the thermal properties of the grafted films, an increase in the DOG led to an increase in the decomposition temperature. The activation energy (Ea) of the thermal decomposition was calculated using Kissinger's equation from TGA results. The Ea value of the PVBC graft chain was found to increase as the DOG increased, indicating that the crosslinking reaction of ETFE‐g‐PVBC films increased with an increase in the DOG during the thermal degradation process. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014, 52, 517–525
Mapping Permafrost Features that Influence the Hydrological Processes of a Thermokarst Lake on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau, China
Authors: Pan Xicai , You Yanhui , Roth Kurt , Guo Lei , Wang Xinbing , Yu Qihao
Published: January 2014

Climate warming has been observed for some time in the permafrost regions on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP), China, resulting in active layer thickening, shrinkage or expansion of thermokarst lakes, and reduced permafrost extent. Little is known, however, about the hydrological processes near thermokarst lakes and their influences on lake development. We employed ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) profiling, topographic mapping and drilling to explore the interaction between hydrological processes and thermokarst lake development at a site on the QTP. The GPR data and borehole water‐level measurements revealed spatio‐temporal variation of the frost table and soil water storage, and indicated the main direction of subsurface flow through soil on hillslopes near the lake. The measurements hinted at the self‐organised formation of lateral flow channels at the thawing frost table near the lake. The ensuing recharge of the lake is balanced by drainage from the deepest end of the lake, down the topographic gradient, as ascertained by coring and lake bed mapping. Such a process‐based qualitative understanding is crucial for assessing the impact of climate change, in conjunction with the local topography and hydrogeology, on the evolution of thermokarst lakes on the QTP. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Investigation of biomass depolymerization by surface techniques
Authors: Ruppert A. M. , Grams J. , Chełmicka M. , Cacciaguerra T. , Świerczyński D.
Published: January 2014

The application of time‐of‐flight (ToF)‐SIMS to cellulose valorization is described. Cellulose samples subjected to ball milling or sulfuric acid impregnation, or combinations thereof, were subjected to hydrolysis. The material, which was impregnated in the last treatment step, no matter whether previously milled or not, exhibited the highest hydrolysis activity because of the highest accessibility of surface sulfonic groups. When milling followed impregnation, the activity was decreased because of possible encapsulation of sulfonic groups in the bulk. The ToF‐SIMS analysis revealed that both the ball mill and the stainless steel reactor may be a source of chromium and iron impurities, which can decrease the hydrolysis yield. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy of Mt. Etna volcanic ashes
Authors: Barone G. , Ciliberto E. , Costagliola P. , Mazzoleni P.
Published: January 2014

X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been employed for the chemical characterization of the surface of volcanic ashes erupted by Mt Etna during the 2013 activity. The data, coupled with bulk mineralogical and chemical analysis, showed the strong F and S enrichment and the depletion on Si, Ca, Na and K of the nanometric external shell. The surface chemical modification may be ascribed to the interaction in the eruptive plume of volcanic particles, mainly formed by glass, and volcanic gasses. The processes of dissolution caused by acid compounds are responsible of the depletion of alkaline and alkaline earth elements followed by the deposition on the surface of strongly soluble sulphate and fluoride as pointed out by the further depletion of these elements after leaching experiments. The presence in the plume of HF may cause the formation of volatile SiF4 and determine the consequent low Si abundance in the particle surface. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Performance of small‐scale straw‐to‐heat supply chains in Norway
Authors: Belbo Helmer , Talbot Bruce
Published: January 2014

Straw can become an important contributor to the biomass feedstocks of Europe and North America. In Norway, between 12 and 17% of a national target to increase the renewable energy share by 14 TWh can be sustainably met by mobilizing straw feedstocks. However, straw must compete in an energy market with a vast availability of forest‐based woody biomass, and a clean electrical energy pool, 95% of which is derived from hydropower. The performance of seven local straw supply chains was monitored over a period of 3 years to estimate straw yields, supply costs, operating costs of the heating plants, and to synthesiz experiences on supply solutions. Storage facilities for bales constituted the largest single cost in the supply chain. Square bales were both more economical to use and required considerably less plant management time, making them more preferable than round bales for small‐scale utilization. The total cost of straw firing averaged out in the range of 36–42 € MWh−1, which is 40–46% of the current cost of electric heating (∼90 € MWh−1). The positive economic outcome provides a good incentive to roll out many more similar plants although heat pumps could be expected to reduce the margin in some applications. WIREs Energy Environ 2014, 3:400–407. doi: 10.1002/wene.107

This article is categorized under:

Bioenergy > Systems and Infrastructure
Targeting endocannabinoid signaling in tumor‐associated macrophages as treatment for glioblastoma multiforme
Authors: Fung Susan , Stella Nephi
Published: January 2014

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common form of primary brain tumor and is diagnosed in approximately 15,000 people each year in the United States alone. No cure for this type of cancer exists, and the current standard of care treatments provide little benefit and are associated with debilitating side effects. Recent evidence shows that a large number of tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) invade the GBM tumor mass and secrete factors that directly and indirectly promote tumor growth. TAMs express a panel of unique receptors that could be targeted for therapeutic benefit. One such receptor, cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), is a member of the endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling system, and its activation has been shown to tightly control the migration and phenotype of both macrophages and microglia. Additional receptors, also engaged by eCBs and cannabinoid‐like compounds, are expressed by macrophages and microglia. These receptors also control cell migration and phenotype, but exhibit distinct pharmacological profiles and operate through a different mechanism of action. Strong evidence accumulated over the past decade indicates that membrane receptors expressed by TAMs represent novel targeting opportunities to treat GBM tumor progression. Here we review studies that significantly increased our understanding of the molecular mechanism of action of receptors engaged by eCBs and cannabinoid‐like compounds expressed by GBM tumor cells and TAMs. This evidence provides a strong rationale for developing new therapeutics that target the eCB signaling of TAMs for the treatment of GBM while minimizing the typical side effects associated with standard care. WIREs Membr Transp Signal 2014,3:39–51. doi: 10.1002/wmts.101

Conflict of interest: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.

For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Recent advances in computational methodology for simulation of mechanical circulatory assist devices
Authors: Marsden Alison L. , Bazilevs Yuri , Long Christopher C. , Behr Marek
Published: January 2014

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) provide mechanical circulatory support to offload the work of one or both ventricles during heart failure. They are used in the clinical setting as destination therapy, as bridge to transplant, or more recently as bridge to recovery to allow for myocardial remodeling. Recent developments in computational simulation allow for detailed assessment of VAD hemodynamics for device design and optimization for both children and adults. Here, we provide a focused review of the recent literature on finite element methods and optimization for VAD simulations. As VAD designs typically fall into two categories, pulsatile and continuous flow devices, we separately address computational challenges of both types of designs, and the interaction with the circulatory system with three representative case studies. In particular, we focus on recent advancements in finite element methodology that have increased the fidelity of VAD simulations. We outline key challenges, which extend to the incorporation of biological response such as thrombosis and hemolysis, as well as shape optimization methods and challenges in computational methodology. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2014, 6:169–188. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1260

This article is categorized under:

Analytical and Computational Methods > Computational Methods

Translational, Genomic, and Systems Medicine > Translational Medicine
Reduction of BTZ spacetime to hypersurfaces of foliation
Authors: Park I. Y.
Published: January 2014

Abstract

We reduce the BTZ spacetime to two kinds of hypersurfaces of foliation: one having a fixed radial coordinate and the other a fixed angular coordinate. The radial reduction leads to a Liouville type theory, and confirms, from the first principle, the expectation laid out in the literature. In the other endeavor, the angular reduction of the 3D gravity is carried out in two different ways; the first again yields a Liouville type theory (different from that of the radial reduction) and the second yields a 2D interacting quantum field theory with quartic potential. We discuss potential implications of our result for the Equivalence Principle and Purity of Hawking radiation.
Surgical Resident Experience in Breast Disease: A National Study
Authors: Cil Tulin , Wright Frances , Holloway Claire M. B.
Published: January 2014

Background

Management of breast disease is an integral component of general surgery. This study was performed to describe the exposure to breast disease by residents in Canadian general surgery programs.

Methods

This study involved a 20‐item survey and pilot semistructured interviews. Surgical trainees at 12 training programs in Canada participated in the survey. Results were used to characterize resident experience with breast surgery and clinics.

Results

Residents across all post‐graduate training years and from 12 Canadian medical schools responded (n = 162, 44 %). Residents had the most breast surgery experience in PGY2 and PGY3 years. One third of trainees performed ≤1 breast procedure per month. Only 25 % had attended more than one breast clinic per month. Lumpectomies were the most common procedure (20.7/year) and 94 % of residents performed sentinel lymph node biopsy. Four pilot semistructured interviews were performed. The greatest stated barriers to breast training were “lack of time” and the impression that these were “lower priority cases.”

Conclusions

Achieving competence in breast disease management is a key requirement for general surgery trainees. Surgical educators must ensure that the quality and quantity of residency training in breast diseases is sufficient for future surgeons to provide optimal patient care.
Lynch Syndrome Patients’ Views of and Preferences for Return of Results Following Whole Exome Sequencing
Authors: Hitch Kelly , Joseph Galen , Guiltinan Jenna , Kianmahd Jessica , Youngblom Janey , Blanco Amie
Published: January 2014

Whole exome sequencing (WES) uses next generation sequencing technology to provide information on nearly all functional, protein‐coding regions in an individual's genome. Due to the vast amount of information and incidental findings that can be generated from this technology, patient preferences must be investigated to help clinicians consent and return results to patients. Patients (n = 19) who were previously clinically diagnosed with Lynch syndrome, but received uninformative negative Lynch syndrome genetic results through traditional molecular testing methods participated in semi‐structured interviews after WES testing but before return of results to explore their views of WES and preferences for return of results. Analyses of interview results found that nearly all participants believed that the benefits of receiving all possible results generated from WES outweighed the undesirable effects. The majority of participants conveyed that relative to coping with a cancer diagnosis, information generated from WES would be manageable. Importantly, participants’ experience with Lynch syndrome influenced their notions of genetic determinism, tolerance for uncertain results, and family communication plans. Participants would prefer to receive WES results in person from a genetic counselor or medical geneticist so that an expert could help explain the meaning and implications of the potentially large quantity and range of complicated results. These results underscore the need to study various populations with regard to the clinical use of WES in order to effectively and empathetically communicate the possible implications of this new technology and return results.
A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Night Splinting with No Splinting after Treatment of Mallet Finger
Authors: Gruber Jillian S. , Bot Arjan G. J. , Ring David
Published: January 2014

Background

The effectiveness of night splinting after treatment of mallet finger is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that there is no difference in extensor lag between patients with mallet finger that wear a night splint for an additional month after 6 to 8 weeks of continuous splinting and patients that do not wear a night splint.

Methods

Fifty-one patients were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial. At enrollment, range of motion was measured for the injured and contralateral uninjured finger. The follow-up was conducted approximately 4 weeks later in person (41 patients) or by phone (10 patients). Analysis was by intention to treat.

Results

There were no significant differences in final extensor lag between patients that did and did not receive a night splint. Among the 41 patients with a final in-person evaluation, the final average extensor lag was 14°, and 34 % (14 of 41 patients) had a lag of 20° or greater. Final extensor lag correlated significantly with age, enrollment distal interphalangeal joint (DIP) flexion and extensor lag, and final DIP flexion, with the latter two accounting for 28 % of the variation in final lag in the final multivariable model ( p<0.001). There were no differences in disability ( p=0.67) or treatment satisfaction ( p=0.48) between patients that did and did not use night splints.

Conclusions

Supplemental night splinting does not improve the outcome of mallet finger in terms of extensor lag, disability, or satisfaction with treatment. Patients with worse initial extensor lags should expect worse final lags; residual lags of 20° or greater are commonplace.
Maternal Consumption of trans‐Fatty Acids During the First Half of Gestation are Metabolically Available to Suckled Newborn Rats
Authors: Amusquivar Encarnacíón , Sánchez‐Blanco Clara , Clayton Jaime , Cammarata Giulia , Herrera Emilio
Published: January 2014

Dietary trans‐fatty acids (t‐FA) during pregnancy have adverse effects on growth and development. To determine the effect of dietary t‐FA during just the first half of pregnancy, rats were given a diet containing 8 % hydrogenated peanut oil and 2 % olive oil (PO) and compared to rats given a diet containing 10 % olive oil (OO). After 12 days all rats were fed standard diet and were studied at days 12 or 20 of pregnancy or days 1 or 6 postpartum. At day 12 of pregnancy there were small differences in the plasma and lumbar adipose tissue fatty acid profiles and elaidic acid [18:1(n‐9)t] was present in the PO group. From day 12 to 20 of pregnancy, plasma non‐esterified fatty acids, glycerol, triacylglycerols (TAG) and most individual fatty acids increased more in PO than in OO. At day 20 of pregnancy in the PO group most plasma elaidic acid appeared as plasma TAG and was also present in the mammary gland, to decline in both sites at day 1 postpartum. Elaidic acid concentration was low in the plasma of 20‐day fetuses, increased in 1‐day newborns declining at day 6. Thus t‐FA, eaten during early pregnancy, accumulated in maternal adipose tissue and were released during late pregnancy to be taken up by the mammary gland becoming available to the newborns during suckling.
Impact of Dual-Polarization Radar Technology and Twitter on the Hattiesburg, Mississippi Tornado
Authors: Cates Alexis L. , Arnold Brent W. , Cooper Guy Paul , Yeager Violet , Stake Josh , Ali Mohammed , Calderone Richard C. , Wilkinson James , Hsu Edbert , Parrillo Steven , Piper Steven , Subbarao Italo
Published: January 2014

Objective

Dual-Polarization Radar and Twitter were analyzed to determine the impact on injuries sustained by the Hattiesburg EF-4 tornado.

Method

Tracking data provided from the Dual-Pol radar systems in National Weather Service Jackson were reviewed. Twitter data from four local Twitter handles were obtained. The change in tweets and followers for the day of the storm were compared to historical averages. A Student t-test was utilized in determining statistical significance (p<0.05). Medical records from two local emergency departments were reviewed for patients treated up to 24 hours after the tornado. An Injury Severity Score (ISS) was calculated for trauma records related to the tornado.

Results

Radar detection of the tornado gave approximately 30 minutes of advanced warning time. Statistical significance in follower growth was seen in all four Twitter handles. Out of 50 patients, the average ISS was 3.9 with a range of 1 to 29. There were zero fatalities.

Conclusions

An ISS average of 3.9 was significantly less than two previous tornadoes of similar strength that occurred prior to increased usage of Dual-pol radar and Twitter as a means for communicating severe weather information. Early detection from Dual-pol radar improved warning time. Tweets informed citizens to seek appropriate shelter. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;7:585-592)
Against Politics: Walter Benjamin on Justice, Judaism, and the Possibility of Ethics
Authors: LESCH CHARLES H. T.
Published: January 2014

Is politics compatible with the moral life? Recent attempts to revivify democracy have stressed the lived experience of political activity, the democratic character of the spontaneous moment and the popular movement. This article raises some concerns about such agonistic enthusiasm via an original reading of Walter Benjamin's political thought. For Benjamin, politics corrodes our everyday lives and moral conduct. His response is to envision a space for ethics wholly apart from the violence (Gewalt) that sustains propertied political order, a purified version of the Kantian kingdom of ends that he calls the “state of justice.” Yet deprived of the coercive instrumentality of politics, there is no action that could lead humanity directly to such a state. To surmount this paradox, Benjamin culls from sources in Jewish political theology, and in particular, Jewish ideas about justice and the community of the righteous. In so doing, he offers a new and radical ethical critique of politics that may hold special relevance in our politics-saturated age.
Max Weber and the Ethos of Politics beyond Calculation
Authors: SATKUNANANDAN SHALINI
Published: January 2014

According to the prevailing interpretation of “Politics as a Vocation,” the Weberian political leader is willing to leave morality behind and make hard-headed consequentialist calculations about political means. I argue that the Weberian political leader is more accurately described as someone who keeps calculation in its place—both in terms of assessing the consequences of pursuing certain means and, more fundamentally, in terms of a basic framework for viewing responsibility and the world. Indeed, inappropriate substitutions of “calculative” thinking for a broader, more responsive thoughtfulness about the world mark Weber's three paradigms of irresponsible political leadership: the morally absolutist politician, the bureaucratic politician, and the power politician. Further, foregrounding Weber's effort to corral calculation reveals that uncompromising ethical stands in politics need not amount to naïveté or reckless disregard for the consequences, and that morality has a continuing claim on his ideal leader.
Electrostatic shielding in plasmas and the physical meaning of the Debye length
Authors: Livadiotis G. , McComas D. J.
Published: January 2014

This paper examines the electrostatic shielding in plasmas, and resolves inconsistencies about what the Debye length really is. Two different interpretations of the Debye length are currently used: (1) The potential energy approximately equals the thermal energy, and (2) the ratio of the shielded to the unshielded potential drops to 1/e. We examine these two interpretations of the Debye length for equilibrium plasmas described by the Boltzmann distribution, and non-equilibrium plasmas (e.g. space plasmas) described by kappa distributions. We study three dimensionalities of the electrostatic potential: 1-D potential of linear symmetry for planar charge density, 2-D potential of cylindrical symmetry for linear charge density, and 3-D potential of spherical symmetry for a point charge. We resolve critical inconsistencies of the two interpretations, including: independence of the Debye length on the dimensionality; requirement for small charge perturbations that is equivalent to weakly coupled plasmas; correlations between ions and electrons; existence of temperature for non-equilibrium plasmas; and isotropic Debye shielding. We introduce a third Debye length interpretation that naturally emerges from the second statistical moment of the particle position distribution; this is analogous to the kinetic definition of temperature, which is the second statistical moment of the velocity distribution. Finally, we compare the three interpretations, identifying what information is required for theoretical/experimental plasma-physics research: Interpretation 1 applies only to kappa distributions; Interpretation 2 is not restricted to any specific form of the ion/electron distributions, but these forms have to be known; Interpretation 3 needs only the second statistical moment of the positional distribution.
Is non-evidential believing possible? John Bishop on passionally caused beliefs
Authors: EKLUND DAN-JOHAN
Published: January 2014

John Bishop and Andrei Buckareff have discussed in this journal Bishop's conception of faith, which he has later included in his Believing by Faith (2007). One key question concerned the possibility of believing on inconclusive evidence. Bishop suggested that beliefs may have non-evidential, passional causes that can sustain belief even if what is believed lacks adequate evidential support. Buckareff took a critical stance towards Bishop's claim. In this article I shall expand and defend Buckareff's central claims against Bishop's answer to the criticism as well as his revised view in Believing by Faith. My aim is to show that while beliefs may at times be caused by passional factors, it is doubtful that such beliefs could be sustained in full awareness. In general, I will argue that conscious non-evidential believing is not possible.
FAILURE TO LAUNCH: COST OF LIVING AND LIVING STANDARDS IN PERU DURING THE 19THCENTURY
Authors: Arroyo Abad Leticia
Published: January 2014

Based on a variety of archival sources, this paper presents estimations for cost of living and living standards for Lima, Peru during the 19thcentury. During this century Peru experienced deep swings in economic activity marked by the independence wars, the War of the Pacific, and a commodity boom. These new series show that a sizable inflationary period during the guano age had dampening effects on the living standards of the popular class. While living standards peaked by mid 1850s, GDP per capita did not do so until two decades later. These results suggest that the guano bonanza failed to lift working-class living standards above subsistence levels. Even though living standards climbed steadily, almost reaching those of England, all these gains were lost by the end of the century.
A CAPACITATED REPLENISHMENT-LIQUIDATION MODEL UNDER CONTRACTUAL AND SPOT MARKETS WITH STOCHASTIC DEMAND
Authors: Katariya Abhilasha Prakash , Tekin Eylem , Çetinkaya Sila
Published: January 2014

Various large-scale suppliers frequently use web-based spot markets, along with discount stores and foreign distributors, for inventory liquidation. Recognizing the potential benefits of such practices, we consider a multi-period, integrated replenishment, and liquidation problem for a capacitated supplier facing stochastic demand from a spot market along with its primary market (with higher priority contractual customers). In each period, the supplier must decide: (i) how much to produce, and (ii) if there are excess units left after sales to the primary market, how many of these to liquidate. We show that the optimal policy is characterized by two quantities: the critical produce-up-to level and the critical retain-up-to level. We establish bounds for these two quantities. We identify two practical benchmark policies and establish thresholds on the unit revenue earned from the spot market such that one of the two benchmark policies is optimal. We provide closed form expressions to determine these thresholds for the infinite horizon problem under specific conditions on the available production capacity. In general, it is difficult, if not impossible, to theoretically determine these thresholds in closed form for the finite horizon problem. Hence, we report results of a computational study to gain insights regarding the behavior of the optimal policy with respect to the spot market revenue. Our computational results also quantify the benefits of the optimal policy relative to the benchmark policies and examine the effects of demand correlation.
X-ray powder diffraction data of the antifungal agents, clotrimazole and fluconazole monohydrate
Authors: Dugarte A. , Contreras J. , Díaz de Delgado G. , Delgado J.M. , Pinto J.L. , Henao J.A.
Published: January 2014

Clotrimazole (C22H17ClN2, 1-[(2-chlorophenyl)(diphenyl)methyl]-1H-imidazole) and fluconazole (C13H12F2N6, 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-1,3-bis(1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)propan-2-ol) are two active pharmaceutical ingredients commonly used in the treatment and prevention of superficial and systemic fungal infections. The X-ray powder diffraction data and the unit cell parameters of anhydrous clotrimazole [Triclinic, P${\bar 1}$, a = 8.776(1) Å, b = 10.571(2) Å, c = 10.622(3) Å, α = 114.08(2)°, β = 96.87(2)°, γ = 97.61(2)°, V = 875.2(2) Å3, Z = 2] and monohydrated fluconazole [Triclinic, P${\bar 1}$, a = 5.6353(4) Å, b = 11.753(1) Å, c = 12.326(1) Å, α = 71.220(8)°, β = 79.896(9)°, γ = 84.35(1)°, V = 760.13(9) Å3, Z = 2] are reported.
Long-term sequelae of subclinical depressive symptoms in early adolescence
Authors: Allen Joseph P. , Chango Joanna , Szwedo David , Schad Megan
Published: January 2014

The long-term sequelae of adolescent depressive symptoms were examined in a multimethod, multireporter study of a diverse community sample of 179 adolescents followed from age 14 to 24. Mild to moderate levels of early adolescent depressive symptoms were found to predict lower maternal relationship quality, less positive interactions with romantic partners, and greater loneliness in adulthood even after accounting for prior levels of social functioning and for concurrent levels of adult depressive symptoms. Predictions were partially mediated via late adolescent avoidance of social interactions and poor maternal relationship quality. Results are interpreted as suggesting the potential impact of depressive symptoms on adolescent social development and the need to consider treatment for even mild symptoms and their social concomitants.
Lasting associations between early-childhood temperament and late-adolescent reward-circuitry response to peer feedback
Authors: Guyer Amanda E. , Benson Brenda , Choate Victoria R. , Bar-Haim Yair , Perez-Edgar Koraly , Jarcho Johanna M. , Pine Daniel S. , Ernst Monique , Fox Nathan A. , Nelson Eric E.
Published: January 2014

Behavioral inhibition, a temperament identifiable in infancy, is associated with heightened withdrawal from social encounters. Prior studies raise particular interest in the striatum, which responds uniquely to monetary gains in behaviorally inhibited children followed into adolescence. Although behavioral manifestations of inhibition are expressed primarily in the social domain, it remains unclear whether observed striatal alterations to monetary incentives also extend to social contexts. In the current study, imaging data were acquired from 39 participants (17 males, 22 females; ages 16–18 years) characterized since infancy on measures of behavioral inhibition. A social evaluation task was used to assess neural response to anticipation and receipt of positive and negative feedback from novel peers, classified by participants as being of high or low interest. As with monetary rewards, striatal response patterns differed during both anticipation and receipt of social reward between behaviorally inhibited and noninhibited adolescents. The current results, when combined with prior findings, suggest that early-life temperament predicts altered striatal response in both social and nonsocial contexts and provide support for continuity between temperament measured in early childhood and neural response to social signals measured in late adolescence and early adulthood.
Primitive intrapericardial teratoma associated with yolk sac tumour
Authors: Cetrano Enrico , Polito Angelo , Carotti Adriano
Published: January 2014

An intrapericardial vacuolated mass compressing and displacing the heart was diagnosed by echocardiography in a foetus of 22 weeks gestation. The birth was induced for early signs of foetal distress at 29 weeks and, after two initial pericardial evacuation procedures, the tumour was resected radically 7 days after birth at a weight of 1.55 kg. Mass histology showed teratoma associated with yolk sac tumour. We comment on the overall approach adopted after foetal diagnosis and the histopathological features of the tumour, and try to draw conclusions on patient outcome data.
A Nanoscale Characterization with Electron Microscopy of Multilayered CrAlYN Coatings: A Singular Functional Nanostructure
Authors: Rojas Teresa C. , Domínguez-Meister Santiago , Brizuela Marta , García-Luis Alberto , Fernández Asunción , Sánchez-López Juan Carlos
Published: January 2014

A combination of transmission electron microscopy techniques and spatially resolved microanalysis is used to investigate the nanostructure, constituting phases, and chemical elemental distribution in CrAlYN multilayered coatings. The location of the metallic elements and their chemical state are needed to understand their functional properties. Samples were prepared with variable Al (4–12 at%) and Y (2–5 at%) contents by direct current reactive magnetron sputtering on silicon substrates using metallic targets and Ar/N2 mixtures under different deposition parameters (power applied to the target and rotation speed of the sample holder). The changes produced in the nanostructure and chemical distribution were investigated. Nanoscale resolution electron microscopy analysis has shown that these coatings present a singular nanostructure formed by multilayers containing at a certain periodicity nanovoids filled with molecular nitrogen. Spatially resolved energy dispersive spectroscopy and electron energy loss elemental mappings and profiles showed that the chromium, aluminum, and yttrium atoms are distributed in a sequential way following the position of the targets inside the deposition chamber. Analysis of the different atomic distribution and phases formed at the nanoscale is discussed depending on the deposition parameters.
Atomic Structure of Luminescent Centers in High-Efficiency Ce-doped w-AlN Single Crystal
Authors: Ishikawa Ryo , Lupini Andrew R. , Oba Fumiyasu , Findlay Scott D. , Shibata Naoya , Taniguchi Takashi , Watanabe Kenji , Hayashi Hiroyuki , Sakai Toshifumi , Tanaka Isao , Ikuhara Yuichi , Pennycook Stephen J.
Published: January 2014

Rare-earth doped wurtzite-type aluminum nitride (w-AlN) has great potential for high-efficiency electroluminescent applications over a wide wavelength range. However, because of their large atomic size, it has been difficult to stably dope individual rare-earth atoms into the w-AlN host lattice. Here we use a reactive flux method under high pressure and high temperature to obtain cerium (Ce) doped w-AlN single crystals with pink-colored luminescence. In order to elucidate the atomic structure of the luminescent centers, we directly observe individual Ce dopants in w-AlN using annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. We find that Ce is incorporated as single, isolated atoms inside the w-AlN lattice occupying Al substitutional sites. This new synthesis method represents a new alternative strategy for doping size-mismatched functional atoms into wide band-gap materials.
Internal iliac and uterine arteries Doppler ultrasound in the assessment of normotensive and chronic hypertensive pregnant women
Authors: Guedes-Martins L. , Cunha A. , Saraiva J. , Gaio R. , Macedo F. , Almeida H.
Published: January 2014

The objective of this work was to compare Doppler flows pulsatility index (PI) and resistance indexes (RI) of uterine and internal iliac arteries during pregnancy in low risk women and in those with stage-1 essential hypertension. From January 2010 and December 2012, a longitudinal and prospective study was carried out in 103 singleton uneventful pregnancies (72 low-risk pregnancies and 31 with stage 1 essential hypertension)at the 1st, 2ndand 3rdtrimesters. Multiple linear regression models, fitted using generalized least squares and whose errors were allowed to be correlated and/or have unequal variances, were employed; a model for the relative differences of both arteries impedance was utilized. In both groups, uterine artery PI and RI exhibited a gestational age related decreasing trend whereas internal iliac artery PI and RI increased. The model testing the hemodynamic adaptation in women with and without hypertension showed similar trend. Irrespective of blood pressure conditions, the internal iliac artery resistance pattern contrasts with the capacitance pattern of its immediate pelvic division, suggesting a pregnancy-related regulatory mechanism in the pelvic circulation.
Temperature-dependent upconversion luminescence and dynamics of NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ nanocrystals: influence of particle size and crystalline phase
Authors: Yu Wei , Xu Wen , Song Hongwei , Zhang Shuang
Published: January 2014

Oleic acid-capped NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ upconversion nanocrystals with different sizes and crystalline phases were prepared, and their temperature-dependent upconversion luminescence and dynamics were studied.
The mechanically induced structural disorder in barium hexaferrite, BaFe12O19, and its impact on magnetism
Authors: Šepelák V. , Myndyk M. , Witte R. , Röder J. , Menzel D. , Schuster R. H. , Hahn H. , Heitjans P. , Becker K.-D.
Published: January 2014

The response of the structure of the M-type barium hexaferrite (BaFe12O19) to mechanical action through high-energy milling and its impact on the magnetic behaviour of the ferrite are investigated. Due to the ability of the 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic technique to probe the environment of the Fe nuclei, a valuable insight on a local atomic scale into the mechanically induced changes in the hexagonal structure of the material is obtained. It is revealed that the milling of BaFe12O19 results in the deformation of its constituent polyhedra (FeO6 octahedra, FeO4 tetrahedra and FeO5 triangular bi-pyramids) as well as in the mechanically triggered transition of the Fe3+ cations from the regular 12k octahedral sites into the interstitial positions provided by the magnetoplumbite structure. The response of the hexaferrite to the mechanical treatment is found to be accompanied by the formation of a non-uniform nanostructure consisting of an ordered crystallite surrounded/separated by a structurally disordered surface shell/interface region. The distorted polyhedra and the non-equilibrium cation distribution are found to be confined to the amorphous near-surface layers of the ferrite nanoparticles with the thickness extending up to about 2 nm. The information on the mechanically induced short-range structural disorder in BaFe12O19 is complemented by an investigation of its magnetic behaviour on a macroscopic scale. It is demonstrated that the milled ferrite nanoparticles exhibit a pure superparamagnetism at room temperature. As a consequence of the far-from-equilibrium structural disorder in the surface shell of the nanoparticles, the mechanically treated BaFe12O19 exhibits a reduced magnetization and an enhanced coercivity.
Synthesis of amino acid using a flow-type microreactor containing enzyme–mesoporous silica microsphere composites
Authors: Matsuura Shun-ichi , Chiba Manami , Tomon Emiko , Tsunoda Tatsuo
Published: January 2014

A flow-type microreactor containing composites of the enzyme (glutaminase) and mesoporous silica microspheres with a 23.6 nm pore diameter (SBA23.6) exhibited precise, efficient, and continuous synthesis of theanine.