bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association of the Skin Microbiota With Health, Immunity, and Disease
Authors: Egert M , Simmering R , Riedel CU
Published: April 2017

The human skin is densely colonized by a highly diverse microbiota comprising all three domains of life. Long believed to represent mainly a source of infection, the human skin microbiota is nowadays well accepted as an important driver of human (skin) health and well‐being. This microbiota is influenced by many host and environmental factors and interacts closely with the skin immune system. Although cause and effect are usually difficult to discriminate, changes in the skin microbiota clearly play a role in the pathobiology of many types of skin disease and cosmetic disorders. Consequently, treatment and prevention strategies have to respect this role, rendering pre‐ and probiotic and even transplantation therapies an additional option to the use of antibiotics.
Atomic force microscopy investigation of a step generation and bunching on the (100) facet of a CH3NH3PbI3 crystal, grown from γ‐Butyrolactone
Authors: Ding Jianxu , Zhao Ying , Sun Yingshuang , Du Songjie , Cui Hongzhi , Jing Lin , Cheng Xiaohua , Zuo Zhiyuan , Zhan Xiaoyuan
Published: April 2017

Single crystal of organolead trihalide perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) is proved to be one of the most promising semiconductor materials. Growing large size and high quality CH3NH3PbI3 single crystals is urgently demanded by photoelectric device applications. However, the growth mechanism in microscopic scale for CH3NH3PbI3 single crystal is still unrevealed. In this paper, we are focusing on observing surface structures on (100) facet of CH3NH3PbI3 single crystal via atomic force microscopy (AFM), especially surface structure conversion related to growth kinetics. The results reveal that the growth of (100) facet of CH3NH3PbI3 single crystal is dependent on bunching steps and step slope. The elemental steps, with step height about 0.45 nm, corresponded to half of the unit cell, are generated from screw dislocations when the growth rate is about 0.2 mm per hour. Elemental steps can bunch together and form bunching steps with growth rate of 0.5 mm per hour, in which only even numbers elementary steps are involved, suggesting even numbers elementary steps are stable than that of odd numbers. Additionally, in terms of the surface structures and solution stabilities, large size and high quality CH3NH3PbI3 single crystals were grown.
Stakeholder Engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Performance: International Evidence
Authors: Lopatta Kerstin , Jaeschke Reemda , Chen Chen
Published: April 2017

This study examines the impact of stakeholder engagement in the form of controlling shareholders on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance of firms using data from 25 countries. The results show that there is a positive relation between state‐controlled ownership and the CSR performance of firms, whereas the other types of controlling ownership have no impact on CSR performance. Further results show that evidence is more pronounced in countries with more stakeholder engagement. Additional analysis indicates that the change of state controlled firms leads to a change in CSR performance, but not vice versa. Taken together, this paper highlights the importance of governmental ownership in shaping firms' corporate social responsibility performance in an international context. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Spray‐Dried Sodium Zirconate: A Rapid Absorption Powder for CO2 Capture with Enhanced Cyclic Stability
Authors: Bamiduro Faith , Ji Guozhao , Brown Andy P. , Dupont Valerie A. , Zhao Ming , Milne Steven J.
Published: April 2017

Improved powders for capturing CO2 at high temperatures are required for H2 production using sorption‐enhanced steam reforming. Here, we examine the relationship between particle structure and carbonation rate for two types of Na2ZrO3 powders. Hollow spray‐dried microgranules with a wall thickness of 100–300 nm corresponding to the dimensions of the primary acetate‐derived particles gave about 75 wt % theoretical CO2 conversion after a process‐relevant 5 min exposure to 15 vol % CO2. A conventional powder prepared by solid‐state reaction carbonated more slowly, achieving only 50 % conversion owing to a greater proportion of the reaction requiring bulk diffusion through the densely agglomerated particles. The hollow granular structure of the spray‐dried powder was retained postcarbonation but chemical segregation resulted in islands of an amorphous Na‐rich phase (Na2CO3) within a crystalline ZrO2 particle matrix. Despite this phase separation, the reverse reaction to re‐form Na2ZrO3 could be achieved by heating each powder to 900 °C in N2 (no dwell time). This resulted in a very stable multicycle performance in 40 cycle tests using thermogravimetric analysis for both powders. Kinetic analysis of thermogravimetric data showed the carbonation process fits an Avrami–Erofeyev 2 D nucleation and nuclei growth model, consistent with microstructural evidence of a surface‐driven transformation. Thus, we demonstrate that spray drying is a viable processing route to enhance the carbon capture performance of Na2ZrO3 powder.
Catalytic Cracking of Lactide and Poly(Lactic Acid) to Acrylic Acid at Low Temperatures
Authors: Terrade Frédéric G. , van Krieken Jan , Verkuijl Bastiaan J. V. , Bouwman Elisabeth
Published: April 2017

Despite being a simple dehydration reaction, the industrially relevant conversion of lactic acid to acrylic acid is particularly challenging. For the first time, the catalytic cracking of lactide and poly(lactic acid) to acrylic acid under mild conditions is reported with up to 58 % yield. This transformation is catalyzed by strong acids in the presence of bromide or chloride salts and proceeds through simple SN2 and elimination reactions.
Progranulin regulates neurogenesis in the developing vertebrate retina
Authors: Walsh Caroline E. , Hitchcock Peter F.
Published: April 2017

We evaluated the expression and function of the microglia‐specific growth factor, Progranulin‐a (Pgrn‐a) during developmental neurogenesis in the embryonic retina of zebrafish. At 24 hpf pgrn‐a is expressed throughout the forebrain, but by 48 hpf pgrn‐a is exclusively expressed by microglia and/or microglial precursors within the brain and retina. Knockdown of Pgrn‐a does not alter the onset of neurogenic programs or increase cell death, however, in its absence, neurogenesis is significantly delayed—retinal progenitors fail to exit the cell cycle at the appropriate developmental time and postmitotic cells do not acquire markers of terminal differentiation, and microglial precursors do not colonize the retina. Given the link between Progranulin and cell cycle regulation in peripheral tissues and transformed cells, we analyzed cell cycle kinetics among retinal progenitors following Pgrn‐a knockdown. Depleting Pgrn‐a results in a significant lengthening of the cell cycle. These data suggest that Pgrn‐a plays a dual role during nervous system development by governing the rate at which progenitors progress through the cell cycle and attracting microglial progenitors into the embryonic brain and retina. Collectively, these data show that Pgrn‐a governs neurogenesis by regulating cell cycle kinetics and the transition from proliferation to cell cycle exit and differentiation. © 2017 The Authors. Developmental Neurobiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 1114–1129, 2017
Human and natural controls of the variation in aboveground tree biomass in African dry tropical forests
Authors: Pelletier Johanne , Siampale Abel , Legendre Pierre , Jantz Patrick , Laporte Nadine T. , Goetz Scott J.
Published: April 2017

Understanding the anthropogenic and natural controls that affect the patterns, distribution, and dynamics of terrestrial carbon is crucial to meeting climate change mitigation objectives. We assessed the human and natural controls over aboveground tree biomass density in African dry tropical forests, using Zambia's first nationwide forest inventory. We identified predictors that best explain the variation in biomass density, contrasted anthropogenic and natural sites at different spatial scales, and compared sites with different stand structure characteristics and species composition. In addition, we evaluated the effects of different management and conservation practices on biomass density. Variation in biomass density was mostly determined by biotic processes, linked with both species richness and dominance (evenness), and to a lesser extent, by land use, environmental controls, and spatial structure. Biomass density was negatively associated with tree species evenness and positively associated with species richness for both natural and human‐modified sites. Human influence variables (including distance to roads, distance to town, fire occurrence, and the population on site) did not explain substantial variation in biomass density in comparison to biodiversity variables. The relationship of human activities to biomass density in managed sites appears to be mediated by effects on species diversity and stand structure characteristics, with lower values in human‐modified sites for all metrics tested. Small contrasts in carbon density between human‐modified and natural forest sites signal the potential to maintain carbon in the landscape inside but also outside forestlands in this region. Biodiversity is positively related to biomass density in both human and natural sites, demonstrating potential synergies between biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. This is the first evidence of positive outcomes of protected areas and participatory forest management on carbon storage at national scale in Zambia. This research shows that understanding controls over biomass density can provide policy relevant inputs for carbon management and on ecological processes affecting carbon storage.
Advances in methods for estimating stopover duration for migratory species using capture–recapture data
Authors: Guérin S. , Picard D. , Choquet R. , Besnard A.
Published: April 2017

Many species are migratory, resulting in a life cycle divided into periodic stages occurring in different habitats occupied for a limited amount of time. Estimating the time spent in each habitat is crucial to understanding how individuals modulate their activities and thus to evolutionary ecology and conservation biology. Several methods, including some recent promising advances, can be used to estimate stopover duration as well as arrival and departure probabilities at sites where individuals are monitored using capture–recapture sampling. Our objectives in this study were to (1) describe the available models to estimate stopover duration, (2) illustrate with an original data set what kinds of questions can be addressed using the most recent methods, and (3) to provide in a detailed appendix a practical guide for implementing these methods in E‐SURGEsoftware. To illustrate the potential of these models for testing biological hypotheses, we used a capture–recapture data set on marbled newts (Triturus marmoratus). We used time‐dependent and time‐elapsed‐since‐arrival effects (using both Markovian and semi‐Markov processes for the latter) to model stopover duration and the probability of arriving in and departing from a breeding pond for this species and compared the relative performance of the resulting models. Our findings showed a strong sex effect on stopover duration: females stayed on average 5.63 weeks in a breeding pond whereas males stayed only 3.03 weeks. In both sexes, the retention probability was mainly influenced by the time already spent there. Consequently, individuals of the same sex stayed a similar amount of time in a pond, although they did not arrive simultaneously but successively. The selected data set demonstrated the flexibility of these methods and their potential relevance for applications in evolutionary ecology and conservation.
Measurement invariance of the Eating Disorder Examination in black and white children and adolescents
Authors: Burke Natasha L. , Tanofsky‐Kraff Marian , Crosby Ross , Mehari Rim D. , Marwitz Shannon E. , Broadney Miranda M. , Shomaker Lauren B. , Kelly Nichole R. , Schvey Natasha A. , Cassidy Omni , Yanovski Susan Z. , Yanovski Jack A.
Published: April 2017

Objective

The Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) was originally developed and validated in primarily white female samples. Since data indicate that eating pathology impacts black youth, elucidating the psychometric appropriateness of the EDE for black youth is crucial.

Methods

A convenience sample was assembled from seven pediatric obesity studies. The EDE was administered to all youth. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to examine the original four‐factor model fit and two alternative factor structures for black and white youth. With acceptable fit, multiple‐group CFAs were conducted. For measurement invariant structures, the interactive effects of race with sex, BMIz, adiposity, and age were explored (all significance levels p < .05).

Results

For both black and white youth (N = 820; 41% black; 37% male; 6–18 years; BMIz −3.11 to 3.40), the original four‐factor EDE structure and alternative eight‐item one‐factor structure had mixed fit via CFA. However, a seven‐item, three‐factor structure reflecting Dietary Restraint, Shape/Weight Overvaluation, and Body Dissatisfaction had good fit and held at the level of strict invariance. Girls reported higher factor scores than boys. BMIz and adiposity were positively associated with each subscale. Age was associated with Dietary Restraint and Body Dissatisfaction. The interactional effects between sex, BMIz, and age with race were not significant; however, the interaction between adiposity and race was significant. At higher adiposity, white youth reported greater pathology than black youth.

Conclusion

An abbreviated seven‐item, three‐factor version of the EDE captures eating pathology equivalently across black and white youth. Full psychometric testing of the modified EDE factor structure in black youth is warranted.
Landscape diversity and crop vigor outweigh influence of local diversification on biological control of a vineyard pest
Authors: Wilson Houston , Miles Albie F. , Daane Kent M. , Altieri Miguel A.
Published: April 2017

The influence of local and landscape habitat diversification on biological control of the Western grape leafhopper (Erythroneura elegantula Osborn) by its key parasitoids Anagrus erythroneurae S. Trjapitzin & Chiappini and Anagrus daanei Triapitsyn was studied in wine grape vineyards. At the landscape scale, Anagrus rely on alternative host species in non‐crop habitats outside of the vineyard to successfully overwinter, while at the local scale vineyard diversification can provide resources, such as shelter and floral nectar, which improve parasitoid performance. In a two‐year experiment, plots with and without flowering cover crops were compared in vineyards representing a gradient of landscape diversity. While the cover crops did attract natural enemies, their populations were unchanged in the crop canopy and there was no difference in parasitism rate, leafhopper density, crop quality, or yield. Vineyards in diverse landscapes had higher early‐season abundance of Anagrus spp., which was linked to increased parasitism and decreased late‐season populations of E. elegantula. Leafhopper densities were also positively associated with crop vigor, regardless of landscape or cover crops. Flowering cover crops did increase abundance of some natural enemy species as well as parasitism rate in vineyard landscapes with intermediate levels of diversity, indicating a local × landscape interaction, although this did not lead to reductions in E. elegantula densities. These findings indicate that, in this agroecosystem, landscape diversity mediates and in many ways outweighs the influence of local diversification and that E. elegantula densities were regulated by a combination of biological control and crop vigor.
The implications of American chestnut reintroduction on landscape dynamics and carbon storage
Authors: Gustafson Eric J. , de Bruijn Arjan , Lichti Nathanael , Jacobs Douglass F. , Sturtevant Brian R. , Foster Jane , Miranda Brian R. , Dalgleish Harmony J.
Published: April 2017

In the eastern United States, American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was historically a major component of forest communities, but was functionally extirpated in the early 20th century by an introduced pathogen, chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica). Because chestnut is fast‐growing, long‐lived, and resistant to decay, restoration of American chestnut using blight‐resistant stock could have the potential to increase carbon sequestration or storage in forested landscapes. However, carbon dynamics are also affected by interspecific competition, succession, natural disturbance, and forest management activities, and it is unknown how chestnut restoration might interact with these other processes. We used the PnET‐Succession extension of theLANDIS‐IIforest landscape model to study the implications of chestnut restoration on forest composition and carbon storage in the context of other disturbances, including timber harvest and insect pest outbreaks. Our results imply that it could take a millennium or more for chestnut to fully occupy landscapes without aggressive restoration efforts. When successful, chestnut restoration activities displaced other species approximately in proportion to their abundance on the landscape, rather than replacing a single species or genus (e.g.,Quercus). Insect pests increased the rate of chestnut colonization by reducing the abundance of competitors, and also had a dominant effect on carbon dynamics. Although chestnut is fast‐growing, moderately shade‐tolerant, and decomposes very slowly, our results suggest that it can only modestly increase the carbon storage potential of eastern forests. However, our results also demonstrate that compositional changes in forest communities can have noticeable effects on biomass accumulation, even with the large uncertainties introduced by invasive pests.
Spacing behaviors and spatial recruitment of a wild rodent in response to parasitism
Authors: Shaner Pei‐Jen L. , Yu Ai‐Yun , Ke Linghua , Li Shou‐Hsien
Published: April 2017

Host spacing may benefit the parasites (e.g., enhance parasite transmission) or the hosts (e.g., reduce host infection), with profound consequences in epidemiology and host–parasite dynamics. In this study, we tested parasitism effects of intestinal nematodes on spacing behaviors and spatial recruitment of the Taiwan field mouse (Apodemus semotus). We tracked the locations of resident mice for 84% of the host population, with half of them experimentally reduced of their parasitic infection. We interpolated geo‐tagged data on parasite egg counts of the resident mice to create an infection risk landscape and extracted the risks to the locations of newly recruited mice. We performed parentage analysis to identify mother–offspring pairs, which allowed us to test whether in situ recruits moved toward lower‐risk areas during natal dispersal. We found that the less‐infected mice became spatially aggregated compared to the more heavily infected, and the juvenile recruits occurred preferentially in lower‐risk areas compared to the landscape, the residents, and their natal places. The spatial aggregation of less‐infected resident mice and the association of juvenile recruits with lower‐risk areas could hinder parasite transmission. This study provided some empirical support for a potential link between host recruitment process and parasitism risks.
Consistently inconsistent drivers of microbial diversity and abundance at macroecological scales
Authors: Hendershot John Nicholas , Read Quentin D. , Henning Jeremiah A. , Sanders Nathan J. , Classen Aimée T.
Published: April 2017

Macroecology seeks to understand broad‐scale patterns in the diversity and abundance of organisms, but macroecologists typically study aboveground macroorganisms. Belowground organisms regulate numerous ecosystem functions, yet we lack understanding of what drives their diversity. Here, we examine the controls on belowground diversity along latitudinal and elevational gradients. We performed a global meta‐analysis of 325 soil communities across 20 studies conducted along temperature and soil pH gradients. Belowground taxa, whether bacterial or fungal, observed along a given gradient of temperature or soil pH were equally likely to show a linear increase, linear decrease, humped pattern, trough‐shaped pattern, or no pattern in diversity along the gradient. Land‐use intensity weakly affected the diversity‐temperature relationship, but no other factor did so. Our study highlights disparities among diversity patterns of soil microbial communities. Belowground diversity may be controlled by the associated climatic and historical contexts of particular gradients, by factors not typically measured in community‐level studies, or by processes operating at scales that do not match the temporal and spatial scales under study. Because these organisms are responsible for a suite of key processes, understanding the drivers of their distribution and diversity is fundamental to understanding the functioning of ecosystems.
Precipitation affects plant communication and defense
Authors: Pezzola Enrico , Mancuso Stefano , Karban Richard
Published: April 2017

Anti‐herbivore defense shows high levels of both inter‐ and intraspecific variability. Defending against herbivores may be costly to the plant when it requires a tradeoff in allocation between defense and other missed opportunities, such as reproduction. Indeed, the plastic expression of defensive traits allows the plant to invest resources in defense only when the risk of being damaged actually increases, avoiding wasted resources. Plants may assess risk by responding to volatile cues emitted by neighbors that are under attack. Most plastic responses likely depend on environmental conditions. In this experiment, we investigated the effect of water availability on resistance induced by volatile cues in sagebrush. We found that plants receiving additional water over summer and/or volatile cues from neighbor donor plants showed reduced herbivore damage compared to control plants. Interestingly, we found no evidence of interactions between additional water and volatile cues. We performed an inferential analysis comparing historical records of the levels of herbivore damage during different years that had different temperature and precipitation accumulations. Results confirmed findings from the experiment, as the regression model indicated that sagebrush was better defended during wetter and hotter seasons. Reports from the literature indicated that sagebrush is extremely sensitive to water availability in the soil. We suggest that water availability may directly affect resistance of herbivory as well as sensitivity to cues of damage. Costs and benefits of allocating resources to defensive traits may vary with environmental conditions.
Adult mortality in a low‐density tree population using high‐resolution remote sensing
Authors: Kellner James R. , Hubbell Stephen P.
Published: April 2017

We developed a statistical framework to quantify mortality rates in canopy trees observed using time series from high‐resolution remote sensing. By timing the acquisition of remote sensing data with synchronous annual flowering in the canopy tree species Handroanthus guayacan, we made 2,596 unique detections of 1,006 individual adult trees within 18,883 observation attempts on Barro Colorado Island, Panama (BCI) during an 11‐yr period. There were 1,057 observation attempts that resulted in missing data due to cloud cover or incomplete spatial coverage. Using the fraction of 123 individuals from an independent field sample that were detected by satellite data (109 individuals, 88.6%), we estimate that the adult population for this species on BCI was 1,135 individuals. We used a Bayesian state‐space model that explicitly accounted for the probability of tree detection and missing observations to compute an annual adult mortality rate of 0.2%·yr−1 (SE = 0.1, 95% CI = 0.06–0.45). An independent estimate of the adult mortality rate from 260 field‐checked trees closely matched the landscape‐scale estimate (0.33%·yr−1, SE = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.12–0.74). Our proof‐of‐concept study shows that one can remotely estimate adult mortality rates for canopy tree species precisely in the presence of variable detection and missing observations.
Multivalent Azide‐Functionalized Polypyridyl Ruthenium Complexes and Their DNA Conjugates through Click Chemistry
Authors: Sartor Valerie , Irvoas Joris , Bordeau Guillaume , Chouini‐Lalanne Nadia
Published: April 2017

A new series of azide‐functionalized ruthenium complexes were synthesized. Six trisbipyridine ruthenium complexes bearing one to six azide functions were developed from the corresponding carboxy derivatives. By using four alkyne‐functionalized DNA sequences and performing copper‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click chemistry reactions, the formation of symmetric and unsymmetric multivalent DNA–ruthenium conjugates was realized. They are composed of one to six oligonucleotides.
2‐(1S)‐Camphanoyloxy‐2′‐phosphanylbiphenyl Ligands – Synthesis, Structure, and Preliminary Tests in Transition‐Metal Catalysis
Authors: Wawrzyniak Piotr , Kindermann Markus K. , Thede Gabriele , Thede Richard , Jones Peter G. , Enthaler Stephan , Junge Kathrin , Beller Matthias , Heinicke Joachim W.
Published: April 2017

Diastereoisomer separation of the (1S)‐camphanic acid 2‐isopropylphenylphosphanyl‐phenyl ester 1 exemplifies the potential of (1S)‐camphanoyl chloride for enantiomer separation of hydroxyl‐functional asymmetric phosphanes. Esterification of lithium 2′‐phosphanylbiphenyl‐2‐olates, generated from the respective 2‐OH or 2‐OSiMe3 precursors 2aOH and 2b–fSi, furnished the 2‐(1S)‐camphanoyloxy‐biphenylphosphanes 3a–c as 1:1 mixtures of diastereomers with low barriers for interconversion by rotation around the C–C axis (ΔG# = 70–73 kJ mol–1 for 3a and 3c by 31P VT NMR spectroscopy). The P‐asymmetric compounds 3d–f form 1:1 mixtures of stereoisomers. There is a tendency to cocrystallization of two preferred diastereoisomers, as shown by the crystal structure analyses of 3dD and 3fD, and in solution, there is a tendency toward partial isomerization to the sterically less‐favored atropisomers. The [RhCl(cod)(3dD)] complex 4dD, however, seems stable in solution. Excess 2dLi reacted with (1S)‐camphanoyl chloride preferentially to form the (SP,Rax,1S) isomer, which was separated by crystallization as enantiopure 3dE, characterized by single‐crystal XRD. Preliminary screening tests of this ligand in Rh‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenations of N‐(1‐phenylvinyl)acetamide allowed high conversion and up to 59 % ee. Hydrosilylation of acetophenone proceeded with 78 % conversion and 48 % ee; Suzuki–Miyaura couplings of 1‐bromo‐2‐naphthol with PhB(OH)2, in the presence of 3b/[Pd(OAc)2], gave yields up to 98 %.
Development and Optimization of an Ion‐selective Electrode for Serotonin Detection
Authors: Bliem Christina , Fruhmann Philipp , Stoica Anca‐Iulia , Kleber Christoph
Published: April 2017

Our studies are focused on the development of novel potentiometric sensors for the quantification of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Therefore, ion‐selective electrodes based on plasticized PVC membranes are applied. The electroactive part of the membrane consists of an ion pair complex formed between the protonated analyte and a carborane anion [Co(1,2‐C2B9H11)2]−. The analytical performance of the electrode was studied regarding sensitivity, concentration range, limit of detection and potential stability. The ion‐selective electrodes were optimized with respect to the material of the transducing element, as well as the membrane thickness and its composition. Stable, all solid state ISEs could be developed, using the non‐polar plasticizer NPOE and a graphite rod with high surface area as transducing element. We thus achieved a near Nernstian response over three decades of concentration (2.25⋅10‐5‐1.00⋅10‐2 M) and a limit of detection in the μ‐molar range for the optimized electrodes. The electrodes could successfully be miniaturized using carbon based screen printed electrodes.
Fabrication of Supercapacitors from NiCo2O4 Nanowire/Carbon‐Nanotube Yarn for Ultraviolet Photodetectors and Portable Electronics
Authors: Wang Qiufan , Zhang Daohong , Wu Yunlong , Li Ting , Zhang Aiqing , Miao Menghe
Published: April 2017

Linear flexible supercapacitors are of considerable interest for future wearable electronics and photodetectors. Inorganic metallic oxide‐based electrochemical pseudocapacitors have a high energy density whereas supercapacitors based on carbon‐nanotube (CNT) yarns show high flexibility and high power densities. Besides high power density and energy density, fabrication of linear supercapacitors with excellent flexibility is still a challenge. Here, we report a linear supercapacitor architecture obtained by integrating CNT yarn and a Cu filament with NiCo2O4 nanowires. NiCo2O4 nanowires grow in situ on the surface of CNT yarn intertwined with the Cu filament. Due to the high electrochemical performance of both NiCo2O4 nanowires and CNT yarn and the high charge‐transport efficiency of the Cu filament as current collector, the supercapacitor demonstrates a specific areal capacitance as high as 277.3 mF cm2 and an energy density of 35.76 μWh cm−2 coupled with a power density 0.154 mW cm−2. The linear supercapacitor is very flexible and can be woven into a fabric without losing its capacity to store energy. Its capacitance remains at 89 % after 5000 charge/discharge cycles. The linear supercapacitor may be used as an ultraviolet photodetector with good stability in response to the UV light signal and also to power light‐emitting diodes (LEDs).
Mn0.5Co2.5O4 Nanofibers Intercalated into Graphene Frameworks with Mesoporous Structure for Batteries and Supercapacitors
Authors: Wang Jinzuan , Huang Tao , Yin Wenyan
Published: April 2017

Self‐assembled manganese cobalt oxide (Mn0.5Co2.5O4) nanofibers intercalated into graphene frameworks (Mn0.5Co2.5O4@G) with a mesoporous structure are successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal treatment and annealing process. The unique structure can effectively prevent volume changes of Mn0.5Co2.5O4 nanofibers and graphene layers from restacking, and enhance the electrode kinetics, so the composite demonstrates superior electrochemical performances for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) and supercapacitors. As an anode material for LIBs, the Mn0.5Co2.5O4@G composite shows a large reversible specific capacity of 950 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A g−1. In a three‐electrode system, it achieves specific capacitances of 1926 F g−1 at a current density of 10 A g−1, and capacitances of 1575 and 1211 F g−1 at ultrahigh current densities of 30 and 40 A g−1, respectively. For an asymmetric supercapacitor, Mn0.5Co2.5O4@G//AC (AC=activated carbon) can achieve high energy densities of 64.9 and 14.6 Wh kg−1 at power densities of 75.2 and 3754.3 W kg−1, respectively.
Photo‐activated periodate in homogeneous degradation and mineralization of quinoline: Optimization, kinetic, and energy consumption
Authors: Saien Javad , Shafiei Hooman , Amisama Abbas
Published: April 2017

Aqueous solutions of quinoline (Qu) were treated with photo‐activated potassium periodate (UV/KPI) process. A low consumption, cylindrical photo‐reactor was employed for this purpose. Either KPI oxidant or UV irradiation alone had little effect in Qu degradation; however, the combined UV/KPI process leads to significant degradation and mineralization. Experiments were conducted based on central composite design (CCD) methodology. The established optimized conditions for treatment of 40 mg L−1 of the substrate were [KPI] = 695.5 mg L−1, pH = 4.3 and T = 35.6 °C. Under these conditions, 96.5% degradation and 71.5% mineralization were obtained after 70 min operations. A quadratic equation predicts the variation of degradation efficiency as a function of the influencing parameters. To investigate about the involved species, tert‐butyl alcohol was used as radical scavenger and it was found that the contribution of hydroxyl radical was about 73.1%. Kinetic study revealed that Qu degradation was a pseudo first‐order reaction and the corresponding activation energy was determined. Meanwhile, the required irradiation energy for one order of magnitude degradation was estimated as 3.13 kWh m−3. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 1621–1627, 2017
Toward the Automated Scoring of Written Arguments: Developing an Innovative Approach for Annotation
Authors: Song Yi , Deane Paul , Beigman Klebanov Beata
Published: April 2017

This project focuses on laying the foundations for automated analysis of argumentation schemes, supporting identification and classification of the arguments being made in a text, for the purpose of scoring the quality of written analyses of arguments. We developed annotation protocols for 20 argument prompts from a college‐level test under the framework of the theory of argumentation schemes, which defines reasoning patterns in argumentation. The annotation protocols listed critical questions associated with each argumentation scheme, which makes the argument structure in a text explicit and classifiable. Furthermore, we annotated 200 student essays across four selected argument prompts to test if the annotation protocols can be applied reliably by human annotators. Preliminary results indicate that this method of analyzing argument structure is reliable and promising.
Genome‐wide copy number variation pattern analysis and a classification signature for non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Qiu Zhe‐Wei , Bi Jia‐Hao , Gazdar Adi F. , Song Kai
Published: April 2017

The accurate classification of non‐small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) into lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is essential for both clinical practice and lung cancer research. Although the standard WHO diagnosis of NSCLC on biopsy material is rapid and economic, more than 13% of NSCLC tumors in the USA are not further classified. The purpose of this study was to analyze the genome‐wide pattern differences in copy number variations (CNVs) and to develop a CNV signature as an adjunct test for the routine histopathologic classification of NSCLCs. We investigated the genome‐wide CNV differences between these two tumor types using three independent patient datasets. Approximately half of the genes examined exhibited significant differences between LUAD and LUSC tumors and the corresponding non‐malignant tissues. A new classifier was developed to identify signature genes out of 20 000 genes. Thirty‐three genes were identified as a CNV signature of NSCLC. Using only their CNV values, the classification model separated the LUADs from the LUSCs with an accuracy of 0.88 and 0.84, respectively, in the training and validation datasets. The same signature also classified NSCLC tumors from their corresponding non‐malignant samples with an accuracy of 0.96 and 0.98, respectively. We also compared the CNV patterns of NSCLC tumors with those of histologically similar tumors arising at other sites, such as the breast, head, and neck, and four additional tumors. Of greater importance, the significant differences between these tumors may offer the possibility of identifying the origin of tumors whose origin is unknown.
AJRM as basis for design and construction of more than 70 km of tunnels of the Railway Project Stuttgart‐Ulm
Authors: Wittke Walter , Wittke Martin , Erichsen Claus , Wittke‐Schmitt Bettina , Wittke‐Gattermann Patricia , Schmitt Dieter
Published: April 2017

The tunnels of the railway project Stuttgart‐Ulm are located in sedimentary rock of the Keuper Formation, the Black Jurassic, the Brown Jurassic and the White Jurassic formation. The two longest tunnels are excavated by tunnel boring machine over most of their length. The remaining tunnels, which the authors are involved in, are excavated by conventional tunnelling. All tunnels are designed on the basis of the AJRM‐method. This method is based on an anisotropic, elasto‐viscoplastic model for jointed rock and corresponding FE‐software, which has been extended to seepage and swelling. The method has been applied to practical projects for the last 40 years. By means of rock mechanical test programs and back‐analyses of projects in a variety of rocks, the reliability of the predictions is quite high and the application leads to safe and economic solutions.

Special emphasis is given to tunnels located in swelling gypsum Keuper. The phenomena of swelling and leaching are described and a swelling model is outlined. The evaluation of the rock mechanical parameters and a method of analyses are explained. On this basis, the design principles and package of measures applied for the tunnels located in anhydrite‐bearing rock are described. Some important aspects with regards to tunnelling in leached Gypsum Keuper and in the other Keuper layers as well as the Black Jurassic are addressed. For the 8.8 km long Boßler Tunnel, located in the Brown and White Jurassic, for an approx. 900 m long section in the Aalenium 2 with a maximum overburden of 280 m squeezing rock conditions had to be anticipated. By means of a vertical exploration shaft and a connecting exploration gallery, an improvement of the predicted characteristic rock mechanical parameters could be justified, thus enabling TBM‐tunnelling also in this section, with an increase of the segment thickness from 45 to 65 cm. For the Steinbühltunnel located in White Jurassic, special emphasis was placed on karstic rocks. The corresponding measures are described.
Suppression of SNARE‐dependent exocytosis in retinal glial cells and its effect on ischemia‐induced neurodegeneration
Authors: Wagner Lysann , Pannicke Thomas , Rupprecht Vanessa , Frommherz Ina , Volz Cornelia , Illes Peter , Hirrlinger Johannes , Jägle Herbert , Egger Veronica , Haydon Philip G. , Pfrieger Frank W. , Grosche Antje
Published: April 2017

Nervous tissue is characterized by a tight structural association between glial cells and neurons. It is well known that glial cells support neuronal functions, but their role under pathologic conditions is less well understood. Here, we addressed this question in vivo using an experimental model of retinal ischemia and transgenic mice for glia‐specific inhibition of soluble N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE)‐dependent exocytosis. Transgene expression reduced glutamate, but not ATP release from single Müller cells, impaired glial volume regulation under normal conditions and reduced neuronal dysfunction and death in the inner retina during the early stages of ischemia. Our study reveals that the SNARE‐dependent exocytosis in glial cells contributes to neurotoxicity during ischemia in vivo and suggests glial exocytosis as a target for therapeutic approaches.
Transcription factor Sox10 regulates oligodendroglial Sox9 levels via microRNAs
Authors: Reiprich Simone , Cantone Martina , Weider Matthias , Baroti Tina , Wittstatt Jan , Schmitt Christian , Küspert Melanie , Vera Julio , Wegner Michael
Published: April 2017

During development of myelin‐forming oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system the two closely related transcription factors Sox9 and Sox10 play essential roles that are partly shared and partly unique. Whereas Sox9 primarily functions during oligodendroglial specification, Sox10 is uniquely required to induce terminal differentiation and myelination. During this process, Sox10 protein levels rise substantially. As this coincides with a reciprocal decrease in Sox9, we postulated that Sox10 influences Sox9 amounts in differentiating oligodendrocytes. Here we show that Sox9 levels are indeed inversely coupled to Sox10 levels such that Sox10 deletion in oligodendroglial cells evokes a reciprocal increase in Sox9. We furthermore provide evidence that this coupling involves upregulation of microRNAs miR335 and miR338 as direct transcriptional targets of Sox10. The two microRNAs in turn recognize the 3′‐UTR of Sox9 mRNA and may thereby reduce Sox9 protein levels posttranscriptionally in oligodendroglial cells. Such a mechanism may enable oligodendroglial cells to adapt the ratio of both related Sox proteins in a manner required for successful lineage progression and differentiation. Mathematical modeling furthermore shows that the identified regulatory circuit has the potential to convert a transient stimulus into an irreversible switch of cellular properties and may thus contribute to terminal differentiation of oligodendrocytes.
Neural mechanisms for integrating consecutive and interleaved natural events
Authors: Lahnakoski Juha M. , Jääskeläinen Iiro P. , Sams Mikko , Nummenmaa Lauri
Published: April 2017

To understand temporally extended events, the human brain needs to accumulate information continuously across time. Interruptions that require switching of attention to other event sequences disrupt this process. To reveal neural mechanisms supporting integration of event information, we measured brain activity with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) from 18 participants while they viewed 6.5‐minute excerpts from three movies (i) consecutively and (ii) as interleaved segments of approximately 50‐s in duration. We measured inter‐subject reliability of brain activity by calculating inter‐subject correlations (ISC) of fMRI signals and analyzed activation timecourses with a general linear model (GLM). Interleaving decreased the ISC in posterior temporal lobes, medial prefrontal cortex, superior precuneus, medial occipital cortex, and cerebellum. In the GLM analyses, posterior temporal lobes were activated more consistently by instances of speech when the movies were viewed consecutively than as interleaved segments. By contrast, low‐level auditory and visual stimulus features and editing boundaries caused similar activity patterns in both conditions. In the medial occipital cortex, decreases in ISC were seen in short bursts throughout the movie clips. By contrast, the other areas showed longer‐lasting differences in ISC during isolated scenes depicting socially‐relevant and suspenseful content, such as deception or inter‐subject conflict. The areas in the posterior temporal lobes also showed sustained activity during continuous actions and were deactivated when actions ended at scene boundaries. Our results suggest that the posterior temporal and dorsomedial prefrontal cortices, as well as the cerebellum and dorsal precuneus, support integration of events into coherent event sequences. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3360–3376, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The impact of change from copayment to coinsurance on medical care usage and expenditure in outpatient setting in older Koreans
Authors: Bae Byoungjun , Choi Bo Ram , Song Inmyung
Published: April 2017

Patient cost‐sharing change was implemented on August 1, 2007, for outpatient care in the clinic setting in Korea from copayment to coinsurance. This study aims to estimate the effect of the policy change on medical care usage and expenditure in older Koreans. By using national health insurance claims data from the Health Insurance Reimbursement Assessment Service, this study analyzed the entire 137 million claims for a total of approximately 4.1 million patients aged 60 to 69 years who had been diagnosed and/or treated for outpatient care in clinics from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2008. Medical care usage was defined as the proportion of all beneficiaries in each group who visited clinics and the mean number of visit days per beneficiary. Medical care expenditure per visit day was expressed as total costs, reimbursed amount, and patient's out‐of‐pocket payment. Data on January through June of 2008 were analyzed as compared with the same months of 2007. Raw difference‐in‐difference and multiple regression analyses were performed. The interaction coefficients, which measured the impact of cost‐sharing change, was −0.078 in model 1 and −0.039 in model 2 (P < .0001). In conclusion, a cost‐sharing change from copayment to coinsurance reduced medical care usage and expenditure.
Contemporary Issues in Women's Health
Authors: Boama Vincent , Guinto Valerie T. , Sosa Claudio G.
Published: April 2017

The male biological clock as a health risk for the offspring

Associations between maternal pre‐eclampsia and childhood cancers in offspring

Sudden vigorous fetal movement linked to fetal death

Resources for Women's Health
Ketone bodies mimic the life span extending properties of caloric restriction
Authors: Veech Richard L. , Bradshaw Patrick C. , Clarke Kieran , Curtis William , Pawlosky Robert , King M. Todd
Published: April 2017

The extension of life span by caloric restriction has been studied across species from yeast and Caenorhabditis elegans to primates. No generally accepted theory has been proposed to explain these observations. Here, we propose that the life span extension produced by caloric restriction can be duplicated by the metabolic changes induced by ketosis. From nematodes to mice, extension of life span results from decreased signaling through the insulin/insulin‐like growth factor receptor signaling (IIS) pathway. Decreased IIS diminishes phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5) triphosphate (PIP3) production, leading to reduced PI3K and AKT kinase activity and decreased forkhead box O transcription factor (FOXO) phosphorylation, allowing FOXO proteins to remain in the nucleus. In the nucleus, FOXO proteins increase the transcription of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase 2, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and hundreds of other genes. An effective method for combating free radical damage occurs through the metabolism of ketone bodies, ketosis being the characteristic physiological change brought about by caloric restriction from fruit flies to primates. A dietary ketone ester also decreases circulating glucose and insulin leading to decreased IIS. The ketone body, d‐β‐hydroxybutyrate (d‐βHB), is a natural inhibitor of class I and IIa histone deacetylases that repress transcription of the FOXO3a gene. Therefore, ketosis results in transcription of the enzymes of the antioxidant pathways. In addition, the metabolism of ketone bodies results in a more negative redox potential of the NADP antioxidant system, which is a terminal destructor of oxygen free radicals. Addition of d‐βHB to cultures of C. elegans extends life span. We hypothesize that increasing the levels of ketone bodies will also extend the life span of humans and that calorie restriction extends life span at least in part through increasing the levels of ketone bodies. An exogenous ketone ester provides a new tool for mimicking the effects of caloric restriction that can be used in future research. The ability to power mitochondria in aged individuals that have limited ability to oxidize glucose metabolites due to pyruvate dehydrogenase inhibition suggests new lines of research for preventative measures and treatments for aging and aging‐related disorders. © 2017 The Authors IUBMB Life published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 69(5):305–314, 2017
Substance Use and Bullying Victimization Among Middle and High School Students: Is Positive School Climate a Protective Factor?
Authors: Doumas Diana M. , Midgett Aida , Johnston April D.
Published: April 2017

This study examined the relationships among substance use, bullying victimization, and school climate among middle and high school students. In high school students, bullying victimization predicted substance use, and victims with positive perceptions of school climate reported less illicit drug use.
Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) in Transgender Communities: The Need for Trans‐Competent SUD Counselors and Facilities
Authors: Oberheim S. Tyler , DePue M. Kristina , Hagedorn W. Bryce
Published: April 2017

Transgender individuals entering treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) may have unique needs related to their gender identity. This article provides a lens for viewing transgender clients and demonstrates the need for trans‐competent SUD counseling through a case illustration.