bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functional study of a genetic marker allele associated with resistance toAscaris suumin pigs
Authors: SKALLERUP PER , THAMSBORG STIG M. , JØRGENSEN CLAUS B. , ENEMARK HEIDI L. , YOSHIDA AYAKO , GÖRING HARALD H. H. , FREDHOLM MERETE , NEJSUM PETER
Published: February 2014

Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP TXNIP and SNP ARNT), both on chromosome 4, have been reported to be associated with roundworm (Ascaris suum) burden in pigs. In the present study, we selected pigs with two SNP TXNIP genotypes (AA;n = 24 and AB;n = 24), trickle-infected them withA. suumfrom 8 weeks of age until necropsy 8 weeks later, and tested the hypothesis that pigs with the AA genotype would have higher levels of resistance than pigs of AB genotype. We used different indicators of resistance (worm burden, fecal egg counts (FEC), number of liver white spots andA. suum-specific serum IgG antibody levels). Pigs of the AA genotype had lower mean macroscopic worm burden (2·4vs19·3;P = 0·06), lower mean total worm burden (26·5vs70·1;P = 0·09) and excreted fewerA. suumeggs at week 8 PI (mean number of eggs/g feces: 238vs1259;P = 0·14) than pigs of the AB genotype, as expected based on prior associations. The pigs were also genotyped at another locus (SNP ARNT) which showed a similar trend. This study provides suggestive evidence that resistant pigs may be selected using a genetic marker, TXNIP, and provides further support to the quantitative trait locus on chromosome 4.
Willpower is not synonymous with “executive function”
Authors: Monterosso John , Luo Shan
Published: February 2014

Kurzban et al. make a convincing case against the idea that willpower is a depleting resource. However, they do not advance a positive account of willpower. Rather than treating “willpower” as a synonym of “executive function,” we argue that the term willpower should be designated for mechanisms individuals deploy to reduce dynamic inconsistency in their behavior.
An interoceptive neuroanatomical perspective on feelings, energy, and effort
Authors: Craig A. D.
Published: February 2014

A homeostatic energy model of awareness proposes that the anterior insular cortex engenders feelings that provide an amodal valuation of homeostatic energy utilization in an opponent, bivalent emotional control system. Feelings are the “common currency” which enable optimal utilization in the physical and mental behavior of a highly social primate. This model offers a different perspective.
AUV behavior recognition using behavior histograms, HMMs, and CRFs
Authors: Novitzky Michael , Pippin Charles , Collins Thomas R. , Balch Tucker R. , West Michael E.
Published: February 2014

This paper focuses on behavior recognition in an underwater application as a substitute for communicating through acoustic transmissions, which can be unreliable. The importance of this work is that sensor information regarding other agents can be leveraged to perform behavior recognition, which is activity recognition of robots performing specific programmed behaviors, and task-assignment. This work illustrates the use of Behavior Histograms, Hidden Markov Models (HMMs), and Conditional Random Fields (CRFs) to perform behavior recognition. We present challenges associated with using each behavior recognition technique along with results on individually selected test trajectories, from simulated and real sonar data, and real-time recognition through a simulated mission.
Zooësis and ‘Becoming with’ in India: The ‘Figure’ of Elephant inSahyande Makan: The Elephant Project
Authors: PARAMESWARAN AMEET
Published: February 2014

I analyseSahyande Makan: The Elephant Project(2008), a cross-cultural theatrical production in Malayalam and Japanese by the Kerala-based group Theatre Roots and Wings, as an instance of ‘zooësis’. The performance presents the state of an elephant in the space of a Kerala temple festival ritual,pooram. The elephant moves into a fantasy of the wild as it is under the physiological condition of musth. Approaching the question of the performing animal as intersectional, this performance challenges anthropocentrism and its assumed binary of human/animal, and draws a possible relation between domestic and wild, or the world of norms and freedom, both for elephants and for humans. I argue that by taking embodiment as the site of exploring discipline as well as imagining a freeing, and by positing an alternate way of ‘being worldly’ through affect and senses, the performance articulates what Donna Haraway has posited as the process of ‘becoming with’.
Seasonal changes in germination and dormancy of buried seeds of endemic Brazilian Eriocaulaceae
Authors: Garcia Queila S. , Oliveira Patrícia G. , Duarte Daniela M.
Published: February 2014

Seeds can synchronize their germination and dormancy cycles to regular seasonal environmental changes. The present work sought to evaluate thein-situlongevity of the buried seeds of two species ofSyngonanthusand two species ofComanthera(Eriocaulaceae) in the region of natural occurrence (Serra do Cipó Range, south-eastern Brazil), and to relate their germination responses to seasonal climatic changes. Samples were exhumed bimonthly and germination was tested under a 12-h photoperiod (30 μmol m− 2s− 1) at optimal germination temperature. The seeds ofComantherashowed high deterioration after the first year of burial, especiallyC. elegans, which reflects their incapacity to form viable soil seed banks. The buried seeds ofC. bisulcata, S. anthemidiflorusandS. verticillatusacquired secondary dormancy during the rainy season (spring/summer, higher temperatures) which was alleviated during the subsequent dry season (autumn/winter, lower temperatures). It is concluded thatC. bisulcata, S. anthemidiflorus, andS. verticillatusform seed banks of the persistent type and demonstrate consecutive cycles of germination/dormancy, accompanying annual seasonal changes for at least 2 years.
Does NHK Make You Smarter (andSuper NewsMake You ‘Softer’)? An Examination of Japanese Political Knowledge and the Potential Influence of TV News
Authors: COLLET CHRISTIAN , KATO GENTO
Published: February 2014

A fundamental component of liberal democracy – citizen knowledge – has only recently been examined in Japan; rarer still are assessments of the impact of media consumption on political awareness. In this paper, we utilize two recent sources – the Japanese Election Studies III (JESIII) and GLOPE2005 – to address two related questions: (1) what factors influence Japanese political knowledge? and (2) is the changing media environment in Japan having an influence on what citizens know about political affairs? With regard to the first question, we find, in line with previous studies in the US context, that knowledge is explained by education, gender, and politically impinged employment as base factors, with interest, efficacy, and civic duty playing a role as second-stage behavioral factors. Evidence of other traits presumed to distinguish the more informed Japanese – dissatisfaction with politics and community mobilization context (living in urban areas, districts with higher voter turnout, and having larger social networks – remains mixed. Regarding the second question, we find that the effects of media exposure on knowledge vary. Where the GLOPE2005 finds an influence of regular newspaper reading, the JESIII indicates that watching a TV news program ‘often’ also boosts knowledge. The JESIII results reveal further that,ceteris paribus, regular exposure to NHK contributes to higher levels of knowledge at a rate that is comparable to a one unit increase in educational attainment. Conversely, we find that softer news programs (e.g., Fuji TV'sSuper News) have a depressive effect that appears to decrease knowledge as exposure accumulates. The direction of the causal arrow is not entirely clear. At the same time, our findings lend credence to previous work that raises concerns about the ‘infotainization’ of Japanese (and US) news programming (e.g., Taniguchi, 2007; Prior, 2005). Rather than demystifying or democratizing Japanese politics, softer programs may simply be perpetuating extant gaps between elites and the public.
Searching for a Dream Plan: Two-Level Game Analysis of the Futenma Relocation Issue Under the Hatoyama Cabinet
Authors: SHINODA TOMOHITO
Published: February 2014

Employing a two-level game framework, this study examines the decision-making process of the Hatoyama government on the replacement of the US Marine air base in Futenma, Okinawa. Before reaching the final decision to revert to the existing plan of relocating it to Nago City, the cabinet members explored different possible alternatives. Prime Minister Hatoyama simultaneously pursued different international and domestic goals. Misperception and miscommunication between Tokyo and Washington were at play. A two-level game framework provides a clear picture of what Hatoyama tried to pursue and why he failed.
Language Contact and Morphosyntactic Complexity: Evidence from German
Authors: Maitz Péter , Németh Attila
Published: February 2014

The article focuses on the hypothesis that the structural complexity of languages is variable and historically changeable. By means of a quantitative statistical analysis of naturalistic corpus data, the question is raised as to what role language contact and adult second language acquisition play in the simplification and complexification of language varieties. The results confirm that there is a significant correlation between intensity of contact and linguistic complexity, while at the same time showing that there is a need to consider other social factors, and, in particular, the attitude of a speech community toward linguistic norms.*
Abstract interpretation of temporal concurrent constraint programs
Authors: FALASCHI MORENO , OLARTE CARLOS , PALAMIDESSI CATUSCIA
Published: February 2014

Timed Concurrent Constraint Programming (tcc) is a declarative model for concurrency offering a logic for specifying reactive systems, i.e., systems that continuously interact with the environment. The universaltccformalism (utcc) is an extension oftccwith the ability to express mobility. Here mobility is understood as communication of private names as typically done for mobile systems and security protocols. In this paper we consider the denotational semantics fortcc, and extend it to a “collecting” semantics forutccbased on closure operators over sequences of constraints. Relying on this semantics, we formalize a general framework for data flow analyses oftccandutccprograms by abstract interpretation techniques. The concrete and abstract semantics that we propose are compositional, thus allowing us to reduce the complexity of data flow analyses. We show that our method is sound and parametric with respect to the abstract domain. Thus, different analyses can be performed by instantiating the framework. We illustrate how it is possible to reuse abstract domains previously defined for logic programming to perform, for instance, a groundness analysis fortccprograms. We show the applicability of this analysis in the context of reactive systems. Furthermore, we also make use of the abstract semantics to exhibit a secrecy flaw in a security protocol. We also show how it is possible to make an analysis which may show thattccprograms are suspension-free. This can be useful for several purposes, such as for optimizing compilation or for debugging.
Small Bowel and Multivisceral Transplantation: Psychosocial Needs and Pediatric Psychology Interventions
Authors: Wu Yelena P. , McGrady Meghan E. , Guilfoyle Shanna , Slater Shalonda , Cortina Sandra , Kocoshis Samuel
Published: February 2014

Small bowel and multivisceral transplantation is increasingly used to treat irreversible intestinal failure among children. Children who receive these transplantations and their families are asked to implement a complex medical regimen and may present with poor psychosocial outcomes. The study presented here describes the types of psychosocial problems identified within this pediatric population and the interventions that psychologists deliver to address these psychosocial problems in the context of multidisciplinary care. Medical records, over a 5-year period, of 18 children (ages 6 months to 13 years) followed in a small bowel and multivisceral transplantation program were reviewed. The most frequently occurring presenting problems were behavioral problems and medical regimen adherence concerns. The most commonly delivered interventions by psychologists were provision of behavior management strategies, psychoeducation, and facilitation of communication between the medical team and the family. Barriers and facilitators to implementing psychosocial services in the outpatient setting are discussed. Pediatric psychologists have unique expertise that could improve the medical and psychosocial outcomes for children undergoing small bowel and multivisceral transplantation and their families.
Conducting Psychological Intervention Research in Pediatric Clinical Settings: Strategies and Implications
Authors: Drotar Dennis , Cortina Sandra , Rohan Jennifer M. , Somers Maxx , Hilliard Marisa E. , Maddux Michele
Published: February 2014

Practice-based psychological intervention research that is conducted by practitioners in pediatric clinical settings raises special challenges that need to be met to maximize opportunity for success. Based on our experiences in intervention research conducted in clinical settings by practicing pediatric psychologists and health care providers, we consider issues in designing and implementing intervention research, resource development, interdisciplinary collaboration, ethical issues, data analysis, and application of findings in clinical practice. Recommendations to enhance the implementation of psychological intervention research in pediatric clinical settings include balancing feasibility versus validity in study design, considering multiple approaches to study designs and data analyses, identifying and managing ethical issues, facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations, developing resources, and enhancing opportunities for research training.
The Role of Health and Mental Health Care Providers in Gun Violence Prevention
Authors: Williamson Ariel A. , Guerra Nancy G. , Tynan W. Douglas
Published: February 2014

Firearm-related homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries continue to undermine the wellbeing and safety of children and adolescents. According to 2010 statistics, homicide and suicide are the second and third leading causes of death, respectively, among youth ages 10 to 19 years. Firearms are involved in a substantial proportion of youth homicides and suicides. Despite the protective benefits of storing guns and ammunition safely, few gun-owning families do so. Health and mental health care providers in pediatric settings can play an important role in educating families about gun safety and in preventing youth involvement in gun violence. This article reviews developmental risk factors for involvement in youth gun violence, as well as evidence-based community programs to prevent gun violence. We then discuss ways in which health and mental health care providers can prevent youth gun violence and promote safety.
Serum levels of mature microRNAs in DICER1-mutated pleuropulmonary blastoma
Authors: Murray M J , Bailey S , Raby K L , Saini H K , de Kock L , Burke G A A , Foulkes W D , Enright A J , Coleman N , Tischkowitz M
Published: February 2014

DICER1 is a critical gene in the biogenesis of mature microRNAs, short non-coding RNAs that derive from either -3p or -5p precursor microRNA strands. Germline mutations of DICER1 are associated with a range of human malignancies, including pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB). Additional somatic ‘hotspot’ mutations in the microRNA processing ribonuclease IIIb (RNase IIIb) domain of DICER1 are reported in cancer, and which affect microRNA biogenesis, resulting in a -3p mature microRNA strand bias. Here, in a germline (exon11 c.1806_1810insATTGA) DICER1-mutated PPB, we first confirmed the presence of an additional somatic RNase IIIb hotspot mutation (exon25 c.5425G>A [p.G1809R]) by conventional sequencing. Second, we investigated serum levels of mature microRNAs at the time of PPB diagnosis, and compared the findings with serum results from a comprehensive range of pediatric cancer patients and controls (n=52). We identified a panel of 45 microRNAs that were present at elevated levels in the serum at the time of PPB diagnosis, with a significant majority noted be derived from the -3p strand (P=0.013). In addition, we identified a subset of 10 serum microRNAs (namely miR-125a-3p, miR-125b-2-3p, miR-380-5p, miR-125b-1-3p, let-7f-2-3p, let-7a-3p, let-7b-3p, miR-708-3p, miR-138-1-3p and miR-532-3p) that were most abundant in the PPB case. Serum levels of two representative microRNAs, miR-125a-3p and miR-125b-2-3p, were not elevated in DICER1 germline-mutated relatives. In the PPB case, serum levels of miR-125a-3p and miR-125b-2-3p increased before chemotherapy, and then showed an early reduction following treatment. These microRNAs may offer future utility as serum biomarkers for screening patients with known germline DICER1 mutations for early detection of PPB, and for potential disease-monitoring in cases with confirmed PPB.
Practical Considerations and Current Limitations in Quantitative Mass Spectrometry-based Proteomics
Authors: Hawkridge Adam M.
Published: February 2014

Quantitative mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics continues to evolve through advances in sample preparation, chemical and biochemical reagents, instrumentation, and software. The breadth of proteomes and biological applications combined with unique experimental goals makes optimizing MS-based proteomics workflows a daunting task. Several MS-based instrument platforms are commercially available with LC-MS/MS being the most common for quantitative proteomics studies. Although the direction of LC-MS/MS instrumentation development is toward more user-friendly interfaces, there remain fundamental aspects of the technology that can be optimized for improving data quality. The intent of this chapter is to provide an introductory framework for understanding some of the more significant LC-MS/MS experimental conditions that can influence quantitative MS-based proteomics measurements, including electrospray ionization (ESI) bias and ion transmission efficiency. Because each commercial LC-MS/MS system is unique with regard to ESI source, transmission optics, ion isolation and trapping, ion fragmentation, and mass analysis, the use of design of experiments (DoE) is discussed as a potential approach for efficiently optimizing multiple inter-related factors.
Making Sense Out of the Proteome: the Utility of iTRAQ and TMT
Authors: Couto Narciso , Evans Caroline A. , Pandhal Jagroop , Qiu Wen , Pham Trong K. , Noirel Josselin , Wright Phillip C.
Published: February 2014

Mass spectrometry has proven to be a key enabling technology for the quantification of changes in the proteome, surpassing the more traditional gel-based methods. Different methodologies have been applied, each with individual benefits and drawbacks. Broadly speaking, two experimental strategies currently prevail: label-based and label-free approaches. Chemical labelling using isobaric reagents (predominantly isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) and tandem mass tags (TMT)) is widely applied in relative quantification workflows. The key features of iTRAQ and TMT are their multiplexing capability (currently 4-plex and 8-plex for iTRAQ and 6-plex for TMT) and the simultaneous identification and relative quantification of peptides and proteins. Such features are attractive and contribute to their popularity. In this chapter we review the state-of-the-art in iTRAQ and TMT strategies for relative quantification. The merits and the drawbacks of the isobaric-tag workflows, developments in methodologies, hardware and software platforms, which are directed to improve precision and accuracy, are discussed. Applications of iTRAQ/TMT are shown in the areas of biological engineering and biomedical research.
Getting Absolute: Determining Absolute Protein Quantities via Selected Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Ludwig Christina , Aebersold Ruedi
Published: February 2014

Accurate quantification of proteins is important for a wide range of questions in molecular and cell biology, systems biology, or clinical research. Depending on the specific question asked, either relative quantitative changes across multiple samples (relative quantification) or absolute protein concentrations of proteins in a particular sample (absolute quantification) are required. Absolute quantification is beneficial, for example, in studies on protein complex stoichiometries, mathematical modeling of biological processes, clinical biomarker development, or for comprehensive inter-experimental, inter-laboratory and inter-organism comparisons. In recent years, targeted mass spectrometry via selected reaction monitoring (SRM) has proven suitable for reproducible, precise and sensitive absolute quantification of predetermined sets of proteins. In this chapter we provide a general overview of the most commonly applied absolute quantification strategies with SRM. These include the use of stable-isotope-labeled peptide and protein standards, as well as label-free strategies. Advantages and limitations of each workflow are presented and compared. Finally, important challenges and pitfalls specific for absolute protein quantification are highlighted and future perspectives for the field of targeted proteomics are discussed.
Label-free Quantification of Proteins Using Data-Independent Acquisition
Authors: Levin Yishai
Published: February 2014

In recent years the inherit problems of the traditional data-dependent acquisition mode in shotgun proteomics have been recognized. These include bias towards fragmentation of abundant peptides, stochastic effects and chimeric product ion spectra. One of the approaches to deal with these limitations is by a technique termed data-independent acquisition (DIA). This technique is comprised of several approaches, all of which relate to the parallel fragmentation of peptides in an unbiased manner, irrespective of their abundance. Presented here is one such approach termed MSE. This chapter discusses the performance from this unique acquisition mode for identification and quantification of proteins in complex biological samples.
Next Generation Proteomics: PTMs in Space and Time
Authors: Bensadek Dalila , Nicolas Armel , Lamond Angus I.
Published: February 2014

Proteomics has rapidly evolved from the detection and cataloguing of the protein complement of either a cell, or sub-cellular organelle, or complex through the quantitative characterisation of proteins and their interactions to now encompass the comprehensive, large-scale quantitative study of protein dynamics. This includes measuring changes in the complex pattern of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in space and time. Here, we will refer to this new state of the art as “Next Generation” proteomics, reflecting the current depth and detail of analysis that is possible. We anticipate that the application of these new proteomics methods will revolutionise our understanding of cellular function. We will review methods for the large-scale, spatial and temporal quantitative analysis of some of the most commonly studied PTMs in mammalian cell lines, including phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitinylation and hydroxylation. We will focus our discussion on the use of mass spectrometry (MS) combined with stable-isotopic labelling for the quantification of proteins and PTMs, because this has been used so extensively in recent cell biology and cell signalling studies and we will contrast this with label-free methods. We present here an example of an optimised workflow, from sample preparation, through sub-cellular fractionation and liquid chromatography, to data acquisition using high resolution and high mass accuracy Fourier transform MS. An integral part of this “Next Generation” workflow includes methods for the efficient storage, analysis, visualisation and sharing of the resulting data. Methods will be described for maximising the protein properties that can be measured in a single experiment by combining appropriate sample preparation, data acquisition and analytical methods. Examples will be shown that illustrate the detection of PTMs and show how these data can be correlated with other measured protein properties, including sub-cellular localisation, in system-wide studies covering a large fraction of the expressed cell proteome.
Experimental and Analytical Approaches to the Quantification of Protein Turnover on a Proteome-wide Scale
Authors: Claydon Amy J. , Hammond Dean E. , Beynon Robert J.
Published: February 2014

Temporally controlled stable-isotope labelling in vivo, coupled with accurate and sensitive mass spectrometry has the potential to reveal the complexity of protein turnover at the level of the proteome. At present, there have been relatively few studies that are distributed across a broad range of experimental systems and analytical strategies, and no optimal workflows or analytical solutions have emerged. In this chapter we explore many of the considerations that need to be resolved in a well-designed workflow, and address the computational strategies that are needed after the data acquisition phase. We conclude that turnover studies are maturing and are experimentally within reach but that downstream software for analysis of turnover data is still in early stages of development.
Protein Quantification by MRM for Biomarker Validation
Authors: Staunton L. , Clancy T. , Tonry C. , Hernández B. , Ademowo S. , Dharsee M. , Evans K. , Parnell A. C. , Watson R. W. , Tasken K. A. , Pennington S. R.
Published: February 2014

In this chapter we describe how mass spectrometry-based quantitative protein measurements by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) have opened up the opportunity for the assembly of large panels of candidate protein biomarkers that can be simultaneously validated in large clinical cohorts to identify diagnostic protein biomarker signatures. We outline a workflow in which candidate protein biomarker panels are initially assembled from multiple diverse sources of discovery data, including proteomics and transcriptomics experiments, as well as from candidates found in the literature. Subsequently, the individual candidates in these large panels may be prioritised by application of a range of bioinformatics tools to generate a refined panel for which MRM assays may be developed. We describe a process for MRM assay design and implementation, and illustrate how the data generated from these multiplexed MRM measurements of prioritised candidates may be subjected to a range of statistical tools to create robust biomarker signatures for further clinical validation in large patient sample cohorts. Through this overall approach MRM has the potential to not only support individual biomarker validation but also facilitate the development of clinically useful protein biomarker signatures.
MRM-based Protein Quantification with Labeled Standards for Biomarker Discovery, Verification, and Validation in Human Plasma
Authors: Percy Andrew J. , Chambers Andrew G. , Parker Carol E. , Borchers Christoph H.
Published: February 2014

Multiple reaction monitoring (also called selected reaction monitoring) is a targeted technique and has been proposed and used for the verification of biomarkers, which have been “discovered” by means of a different technique. This biomarker discovery step has usually been based on some type of differential expression analysis—either mass spectrometry-based or an alternative technique, such as 2-D gels—that produces results in terms of “fold changes”. MRM analysis, which can provide results in terms of protein concentration, holds great promise for the high-throughput verification and validation of candidate biomarkers in human biofluids, such as blood plasma. In addition, because MRM assays are able to include increasingly complex panels of proteins in a single assay (multiplexing), they can also be used as biomarker discovery tools, enabling the simultaneous screening of large numbers of proteins for a variety of diseases, including non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. This enables the discovery of biomarker panels, comprised of several proteins, which often have higher diagnostic accuracies than can be obtained through the use of single proteins as biomarkers. Based on screening results, MRM-based assays for smaller sets of potential biomarkers can then be developed in order to validate these biomarker panels on large numbers of patient samples.
Determination of danofloxacin and its photodegradation products by HPLC-DAD. Kinetic evaluation of the degradation process and identification of photoproducts by mass spectrometry
Authors: Hubicka Urszula , Żuromska-Witek Barbara , Żmudzki Paweł , Stanisławski Michał , Krzek Jan
Published: February 2014

A HPLC method was developed for determination of danofloxacin (DAN) in the presence of its photodegradation products.
Interfacial self-assembly leads to formation of fluorescent nanoparticles for simultaneous bacterial detection and inhibition
Authors: Ren Chunhua , Wang Huaimin , Zhang Xiaoli , Ding Dan , Wang Ling , Yang Zhimou
Published: February 2014

Interfacial self-assembly of a NBD–vancomycin conjugate was applied for bacterial detection and inhibition simultaneously.
Fluorescent detection of RDX within DHPA-containing metal–organic polyhedra
Authors: Zhao Liang , Chu Yulu , He Cheng , Duan Chunying
Published: February 2014

DHPA-containing metal–organic polyhedra were obtainedviaself-assembly for the detection of RDX at a limit of 1 ppb.
The interaction of gold and silver nanoparticles with a range of anionic and cationic dyes
Authors: Kitching H. , Kenyon A. J. , Parkin I. P.
Published: February 2014

We describe the synthesis of charge-stabilised gold and silver nanoparticles by a modified Turkevich method and their interaction with a selection of cationic and anionic dyes.
Synthesis, stereocontrol and structural studies of highly luminescent chiral tris-amidepyridyl-triazacyclononane lanthanide complexes
Authors: Neil Emily R. , Funk Alexander M. , Yufit Dmitry S. , Parker David
Published: February 2014

Sat C gives theΔcomplex; extending the chromophore gives an emission brightness of 20 mM−1cm−1.
Insights into water coordination associated with the CuII/CuIelectron transfer at a biomimetic Cu centre
Authors: Porras Gutiérrez Ana Gabriela , Zeitouny Joceline , Gomila Antoine , Douziech Bénédicte , Cosquer Nathalie , Conan Françoise , Reinaud Olivia , Hapiot Philippe , Le Mest Yves , Lagrost Corinne , Le Poul Nicolas
Published: February 2014

The coordination chemistry of an aqua Cu complex was investigated in non-coordinating solvents and in ionic liquids.
Photo-reactivity of natural dissolved organic matter from fresh to marine waters in the Florida Everglades, USA
Authors: Timko Stephen A. , Romera-Castillo Cristina , Jaffé Rudolf , Cooper William J.
Published: February 2014

Photo-production of reactive species by NOM in the Florida Everglades was examined across salinity gradients and coupled with PARAFAC analysis.
A global investigation of gene deletion strains that affect premature stop codon bypass in yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Samanfar Bahram , Tan Le Hoa , Shostak Kristina , Chalabian Firoozeh , Wu Zongbin , Alamgir Md , Sunba Noor , Burnside Daniel , Omidi Katayoun , Hooshyar Mohsen , Galván Márquez Imelda , Jessulat Matthew , Smith Myron L. , Babu Mohan , Azizi Ali , Golshani Ashkan
Published: February 2014

Protein biosynthesis is an orderly process that requires a balance between rate and accuracy.
Synthesis of a novel hybrid metal–organic salt and its solid-state transformation
Authors: Martí-Rujas Javier , Cametti Massimo
Published: February 2014

A new adamantanoid metal cluster has been synthesized and its solid-state transformation monitored by X-ray diffraction.
Synthesis and characterization of S-PCL-PDMAEMA for co-delivery of pDNA and DOX
Authors: Lo Yu-Lun , Chen Guo-Jing , Feng Tzu-Hwa , Li Ming-Han , Wang Li-Fang
Published: February 2014

Similar numbers of repeating units of PCL and pDMAEMA were controlled between L-PCL-PDMAEMA and S-PCL-PDMAEMA. DOX-loaded S-PCL-PDMAEMA micelles showed a better cell-killing effect than DOX-loaded L-PCL-PDMAEMA in four cell lines. The co-delivery of DOX and pDNA was confirmed by CLSM.
Micelle and vesicle formation from supramolecular complexes based on proton-transfer hydrogen bonding
Authors: Shan Congcong , Huang Xiaobin , Wei Hao , Wei Wei , Sun Huai , Tang Xiaozhen
Published: February 2014

Gemini supramolecular complexes based on proton-transfer hydrogen bonding self-assemble into vesicles and micelles.
Site-exchange of Li and M ions in silicate cathode materials Li2MSiO4 (M = Mn, Fe, Co and Ni): DFT calculations
Authors: Li Lin , Zhu Lin , Xu Lin-Han , Cheng Tai-Min , Wang Wei , Li Xiao , Sui Qiang-Tao
Published: February 2014

First principles calculations have been used to investigate the occurrence of site-exchange of Li and M ions and the effect of the site-exchange on Li extraction of silicate cathode materials Li2MSiO4 (M = Mn, Fe, Co and Ni).
Efficiency limitations in a low band-gap diketopyrrolopyrrole-based polymer solar cell
Authors: Albert-Seifried Sebastian , Ko Doo-Hyun , Hüttner Sven , Kanimozhi Catherine , Patil Satish , Friend Richard H.
Published: February 2014

We report the performance and photophysics of a low band-gap diketopyrrolopyrrole-based copolymer used in bulk heterojunction devices in combination with PC71BM.
A probe for ratiometric near-infrared fluorescence and colorimetric hydrogen sulfide detection and imaging in live cells
Authors: Maity Debabrata , Raj Anand , Samanta Pralok K. , Karthigeyan D. , Kundu Tapas K. , Pati Swapan K. , Govindaraju T.
Published: February 2014

A ratiometric, near-infrared (NIR), fluorescence and colorimetric probeDNPOCyfor hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been developed.
Synthesis of (−)-epibatidine
Authors: Chiou Wen-Hua , Chiang Yu-Min
Published: February 2014

An asymmetric synthesis to the dendrobatid alkaloid (−)-epibatidine has been described, featuring chiral resolution of both optically pure 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanecarboxylic acid, and subsequent transformations to (−)-epibatidine.
A swivel-cruciform thiophene based hole-transporting material for efficient perovskite solar cells
Authors: Krishnamoorthy Thirumal , Kunwu Fu , Boix Pablo P. , Li Hairong , Koh Teck Ming , Leong Wei Lin , Powar Satvasheel , Grimsdale Andrew , Grätzel Michael , Mathews Nripan , Mhaisalkar Subodh G.
Published: February 2014

A novel swivel-cruciform 3,3′-bithiophene based hole-transporting material (HTM) with a low lying highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level for application in perovskite solar cells were synthesized.
The room temperature phosphine-free synthesis of near-infrared emitting HgSe quantum dots
Authors: Mirzai H. , Nordin M. N. , Curry R. J. , Bouillard J.-S. , Zayats A. V. , Green M.
Published: February 2014

In this report, we describe a synthesis of high quality infrared emitting HgSe quantum dots using a variety of room temperature routes, resulting in particles of various morphologies.
Tunable ferromagnetic behavior in Cr doped ZnO nanorod arrays through defect engineering
Authors: Jin C. G. , Yang Y. , Wu Z. F. , Zhuge L. J. , Han Q. , Wu X. M. , Li Y. Y. , Feng Z. C.
Published: February 2014

Zn vacancy (VZn) effects on the microstructure and ferromagnetism (FM) of Zn0.94Cr0.06O nanorod arrays have been investigated using a combination of experimental measurements and first-principles calculations.
On the classes of languages accepted by limited context
restarting automata
Authors: Otto Friedrich , Černo Peter , Mráz František
Published: February 2014

In the literature various types of restarting automata have been studied that are based
on contextual rewriting. A word w is accepted by such an automaton if,
starting from the initial configuration that corresponds to input w, the
word w is reduced to the empty word by a finite number of applications of
these contextual rewritings. This approach is reminiscent of the notion of McNaughton
families of languages. Here we put the aforementioned types of restarting automata into
the context of McNaughton families of languages, relating the classes of languages
accepted by these automata in particular to the class GCSL of growing context-sensitive
languages and to the class CRL of Church–Rosser languages.
New insight into the castrated mouse epididymis based on comparative proteomics
Authors: Liu Xin , Wang Wenjuan , Liu FuJun
Published: February 2014

The mammalian epididymis is an important male accessory gland where the spermatozoa gain the ability to fertilise the egg. To further understand the effects of testicular factors on the epididymis, the proteome of castrated adult mice and sham controls was compared using high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis following identification of proteins by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Twenty-three differentially expressed proteins (11 upregulated and 12 downregulated) were identified in epididymides from castrated. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that these castration-responsive proteins participated in energy metabolism and the antigen processing and presentation pathway. The differential expression levels were further validated by western blotting. The differentially expressed proteins may serve as potential candidates in studies of epididymal function and male infertility.
Recently diagnosed gay men talk about HIV treatment decisions
Authors: Down Ian , Prestage Garrett , Triffitt Kathy , Brown Graham , Bradley Jack , Ellard Jeanne
Published: February 2014

Background In recent years, there has been increasing evidence that early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) may provide health benefits for those infected with HIV. There has also been significant discussion about the role of HIV treatment in preventing onward transmission of the virus. Early provision and uptake of ART to people recently diagnosed with HIV could achieve both individual and public health outcomes. The success of such an initiative relies, in part, on the preparedness of those recently diagnosed with HIV to engage with the therapy. Methods: The HIV Seroconversion Study collects both quantitative and qualitative data from people in Australia who have recently been diagnosed with HIV. During 2011–2012, 53 gay or bisexual men recruited across Australia took part in semistructured interviews as part of the study. The men were asked about their knowledge and experience of, and their decisions about whether or not to commence, HIV treatment. Results: The interviews identified differing levels of knowledge about HIV treatments and divergent views about the health and prevention benefits of ART. For some, treatments provided a sense of control over the virus; others were apprehensive and distrustful, and preferred to resist commencing treatments for as long as possible. Conclusions: If early initiation of treatment is to be encouraged, appropriate measures must be in place to ensure recently diagnosed individuals have access to the appropriate information and the support they need to enable them to make informed choices and, if necessary, to address their fears.
Accuracy of an UWB‐based position tracking system used for time‐motion analyses in game sports
Authors: Leser Roland , Schleindlhuber Armin , Lyons Keith , Baca Arnold
Published: February 2014

The main aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of the ultra‐wideband (UWB)‐based positioning system Ubisense, which is used for time‐motion analysis in sports. Furthermore, some alternatives for positioning the system's transponders on the atheletes, as well as the accuracy depending on the location of measurement, were tested. Therefore, in a pre‐study, some basic issues were examined (measurement assumptions and consistency and location of the system's transponder used for position detection), and position measurements at the borders and in the centre of a basketball field were performed. In the main study, 13 male basketball players (15.8 years ± 0.6; 187.9 height ± 3.4; 77.5 weight ± 3.7), equipped with a Ubisense transponder mounted on top of their heads, handled a trundle wheel during simulated match play. The players with the trundle wheel participated passively in the match by following one of the ten competing players. The distance measurements of the trundle wheel were used as reference values and compared to the Ubisense distance estimations. Best results were found with the measurements of a single mounted transponder on top of the athlete's heads. No differences were detectable in the accuracy between measurements in the centre and at the borders of the basketball field. The (Ubisense) system's difference to the (trundle wheel) reference was 3.45 ± 1.99%, resulting in 95% limits of agreement of −0.46–7.35%. The study indicates the examined system's sufficient accuracy for time‐motion analysis in basketball.
The Lion, the Witch, and the King: Thomas Stapleton’s Apologia pro Rege Catholico Philippo II (1592)
Authors: Machielsen Jan
Published: February 2014

Historians have rarely acknowledged the restraint shown by Catholic exile writers in their portrayals of Queen Elizabeth. As a general rule, exiles took care to restrict their often stringent criticism to the queen’s government or advisers. This restraint has been obscured, in part, by the Apologia pro Rege Catholico Philippo II (1592) written by Thomas Stapleton (1535–1598), Regius Professor of Scriptures at the University of Leuven (Louvain). The Apologia represents the queen as a malignant genius and witch responsible for much of the world’s evils. This article shows that the Apologia, hitherto read as transparently the work of an English Catholic exile, was written for a largely Netherlandish audience, played to Netherlandish concerns, and appeared under a Netherlandish pseudonym. English involvement in the Revolt of the Netherlands on the side of the Protestant rebels meant that anti-Elizabethan sentiment in the Spanish Netherlands was widespread, and the Apologia was part of Stapleton’s efforts to bridge English and Netherlandish Catholic concerns. By presenting his criticism of Elizabeth as a defence of and a sign of devotion to Philip II of Spain by a loyal subject, Stapleton sidestepped accusations of disobedience levelled against the Catholic exiles by the English government. Careful study of Stapleton’s representation of Elizabeth shows why as a general rule other Catholic apologists, such as Robert Persons and Richard Verstegan, did not follow suit. Stapleton’s portrayal of a powerful and malignant queen highlights how the standard representation was influenced by a language of loyal opposition and a need for the nominal preservation of obedience.
‘Affluence’ and the Left in Britain, c.1958–1974
Authors: Middleton Stuart
Published: February 2014

Accounts of British politics in the 1950s and 1960s have treated ‘affluence’ as a socio-economic condition to which political thinkers and actors responded, with greater or lesser success. This overlooks the contemporary significance of ‘affluence’, which is better understood as a conceptual field in which many of the Left’s crucial ideological and strategic battles were fought during the 1960s. Whereas historical usage has broadly followed Labour revisionists’ sense of ‘affluence’ as a determinate socio-economic condition, at least three critical usages were developed in opposition to this, which contested both its specific detail and its conception of a prior socio-economic reality to which it was the task of politics to respond. These were synthesised into a shared Labour critique of the Conservative Government in the early 1960s, before being gradually turned against the Wilson administrations by their critics on the left. In particular, two major interventions—the ‘rediscovery of poverty’ (1965), and the ‘Affluent Worker’ study (1968–9)—restored a material referent to these critical accounts of ‘affluence’, but in a more equivocal sense than historical usage has assumed. These critiques helped to influence a broader reorientation of Labour politics after 1970, which accorded greater salience to redistribution and the interests of workers. Simultaneously, they may have helped to fix the meaning of ‘affluence’ in the usage of historians, as a result of which its significance for contemporaries and its influence upon the course of Labour politics have hitherto been incompletely understood.
The role of seed germination in the invasion process of Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos L., Fabaceae): comparison with a native confamilial
Authors: Ferreras Ana E. , Funes Guillermo , Galetto Leonardo
Published: February 2014

Identifying plant traits that promote invasiveness has been a major goal in invasion ecology. Germination plays a central role in the life cycle of plants and therefore could be a key trait in determining species invasiveness. In this study, seed germination of two confamilial, co‐occurring species that share ecological characteristics, the exotic invasive Gleditsia triacanthos L and the native Acacia aroma Gillies ex. Hook. & Arn., was compared. Seeds were obtained from individuals of three localities in the Chaco Serrano region of Córdoba, Argentina. Percent of seed germination and mean germination time were recorded in chemically and mechanically scarified seeds, and the former variable was also recorded in seeds subjected to: passage through the digestive tract of dispersers, fire simulations, fire simulation plus mechanical scarification, seed longevity, and dormancy break over time. In general, both species showed similar germination percentage. However, non‐scarified seeds of the exotic species lost physical dormancy when subjected to experiments of dormancy break over time, whereas, the native species had shorter mean germination time. The greater percentage of seed germination over time of the exotic species than of the native one might be triggering the spread of the former, whereas the shorter mean germination time might be hindering its expansion to more arid regions. The study of different mechanisms for achieving seed germination, particularly in hard seed species, could provide important information on the expansion of invasive species as well as useful knowledge for their management.
Microwave endometrial ablation versus thermal balloon endometrial ablation (MEATBall): 5‐year follow up of a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Sambrook AM , Elders A , Cooper KG
Published: February 2014

Objective

To compare long‐term outcomes following microwave endometrial ablation (MEA™) and thermal balloon ablation (TBall).

Design

Follow up of a prospective, double‐blind randomised controlled trial at 5 years.

Setting

A teaching hospital in the UK.

Population

A total of 320 women eligible for and requesting endometrial ablation.

Methods

Eligible women were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to undergo MEA or Tball. Postal questionnaires were sent to participants at a minimum of 5 years postoperatively to determine satisfaction with outcome, menstrual status, bleeding scores and quality of life measurement. Subsequent surgery was ascertained from the women and the hospital operative database.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome measure was overall satisfaction with treatment. Secondary outcomes included evaluation of menstrual loss, change in quality of life scores and subsequent surgery.

Results

Of the women originally randomised 217/314 (69.1%) returned questionnaires. Nonresponders were assumed to be treatment failures for data analysis. The primary outcome of satisfaction was similar in both groups (58% for MEA™ versus 53% for TBall, difference 5%; 95% CI −6 to 16%). Amenorrhoea rates were high following both techniques (51% versus 45%, difference 6%; 95% CI −5 to 17%). There was no significant difference in the hysterectomy rates between the two arms (9% versus 7%, difference 2%; 95% CI −5 to 9%).

Conclusions

At 5 years post‐treatment there were no significant clinical differences in patient satisfaction, menstrual status, quality of life scores or hysterectomy rates between MEA™ and Thermachoice 3, thermal balloon ablation.