bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparation of poly(ether ketone)s derived from 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid via nucleophilic aromatic substitution polymerization
Authors: Kanetaka Yusuke , Yamazaki Shinichi , Kimura Kunio
Published: June 2016

From the viewpoint of the suppression of the petroleum consumption, aromatic poly(ether ketone)s (PEKs) were prepared by the nucleophilic aromatic substitution polymerization of 2,5‐bis(4‐fluorobenzoyl)furan (BFBF) synthesized from biomass and aromatic bisphenols. The model reaction of BFBF and p‐methoxyphenol revealed that BFBF possessed enough reactivity for the nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions. The polymerizations of BFBF and aromatic bisphenols afforded high molecular weight polymers with good yields in N‐methylpyrrolidone and diphenyl sulfone for several hours. The longer polymerization time brought about the formation of insoluble parts in any solvents and reduction of molecular weight. The obtained PEKs were thermoplastics and exhibited good thermal stability, mechanical properties, and chemical resistance comparable to common high‐performance polymers. The thermal properties were tunable with the structure of bisphenols. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 3094–3101
Gain insight into the risks, liabilities of your study abroad programs
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: June 2016

Now more than ever, the U.S. government has joined forces with college and university presidents to make a big push for the internationalization and globalization of college campuses and the increased participation in study abroad and student exchange programs. But at what cost?
Take steps to reduce risks of study abroad programs
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: June 2016

When students, staff, and faculty participate in study abroad programs, the sending college or university places its own reputation, image, and resources, as well as participants' safety, at risk.
Follow 3 key tips for engaging your direct reports
Authors: Jarvis Kimberly , Munin Art
Published: June 2016

Staff members qualify as the strongest resource for helping student affairs divisions to advance their mission and support their students. And that's why supporting, developing, and engaging the individuals we supervise are central components of the work of student affairs professionals.
Did a student win bid for reinstatement after a suspension?
Authors: Gelpi Aileen
Published: June 2016

Michael Marshall and a female student were in the honors tutorial program at Ohio University. That program had small class sizes, and the two lived in the same residence hall. When Marshall and the female student were the only two students in one of the classes in 2014, he sent her several text messages in an attempt to engage in a relationship. She told a professor about Marshall's texts, claiming her “academic environment” had been disrupted. Marshall was charged with violating the university's policy, which defined “sexual harassment” as conduct that unreasonably interfered “with a person's work or academic performance.” A hearing panel found Marshall's conduct amounted to sexual harassment, and recommended suspension for one semester.
Design and Preparation of Polymer Resin‐Supported Proline Catalyst with Industrial Application Potential
Authors: Xu Mr. Lin , Huang Mr. Jiejun , Zhang Ming , Yu Lei , Fan Yining
Published: June 2016

A polymer resin‐supported proline catalyst was developed. The material might serve as an eco‐friendly recoverable organocatalyst with industrial application potential. Its catalytic activity in acetone condensation was tested. Catalyst prepared under optimized conditions showed good performances, giving mesityl oxide (MO), diacetone alcohol (DAA) and isophorone (IP) in up to 87.7 % total selectivity, while the catalyst could be recovered with less than 5 % mass lost and could be reused for at least seven times without deactivation. Being able to convert market‐excess acetone into useful bulk fine chemicals, the catalyst is of significant industrial value.
Small Organic Non–gelators Evincing Radical Control over Morphology and Rheology of a Weak Metallogel
Authors: Biswas Arnab , Mukhopadhyay Sujay , Singh Roop S. , Pandey Daya S.
Published: June 2016

Two arrays of “Inorganic‐Organic Mixed Gels” (IOMGs) based on terpyridyl complexes have been synthesized combining progelator/non‐gelators with easily available, inexpensive and non‐reactive small organic non‐gelators (SOnGs). This new class of multicomponent gels displays radical changes in morphological patterns and enormous enhancement in their viscoelastic properties relative to weak metallogel (ZTP2G) derived from the progelator only. It has been unequivocally shown that twisting or coiling in gels diminishes as well as their viscoelastic strengths with simple alteration of heteroatoms, their number and positions in SOnGs. Multicomponent gelation is quite complicated considering the susceptibility of anion triggered metallogels towards various external stimuli which has been profoundly outdone. The present approach may be extremely beneficial for negating limitations in the usage of weak metallogels with promising efficacy in specified areas.
Synthesis, Selectivity and Structural Study of New C3‐Symmetric Tripodal Amides as Anion Receptors. An Experimental and Theoretical Approach
Authors: Celis Sergi , Pi‐Boleda Bernat , Nolis Pau , Illa Ona , Branchadell Vicenç , Ortuño Rosa M.
Published: June 2016

Several new nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) based C3‐symmetric tripodal amides have been synthesized. The NTA branches are alkyl chains or esters derived from amino acids of different length, namely glycine, β‐alanine and γ‐aminobutyric acid. The behavior of these compounds to entrap different monoanions has been tested revealing that they are good ligands able to form host‐guest complexes with the following affinity order: H2PO4– > CH3CO2– > PhCO2– > Cl–, in DMSO. It was found that, while the end‐group effect (CH3, methyl or benzyl ester) was irrelevant, the length of the branches played a role in the selectivity of the receptors considered and, in special, the glycine derivative has shown remarkably high recognition of H2PO4–. The 1:1 stoichiometry of the complexes has been experimentally determined based on NMR titration and justified by theoretical calculations that also allowed their structure to be predicted for selected instances. Otherwise, formation of bifluoride anion (HF2–) has been experimentally observed by NMR and this fact rends difficult the reliability of the affinity constants determined for fluoride complexes.
A novel software‐defined networking approach for vertical handoff in heterogeneous wireless networks
Authors: Qiang Li , Li Jie , Ji Yusheng , Huang Changcheng
Published: June 2016

We propose a novel vertical handoff scheme with the support of the software‐defined networking technique for heterogeneous wireless networks. The proposed scheme solves two important issues in vertical handoff: network selection and handoff timing. In this paper, the network selection is formulated as a 0‐1 integer programming problem, which maximizes the sum of channel capacities that handoff users can obtain from their new access points. After the network selection process is finished, a user will wait for a time period. Only if the new access point is consistently more appropriate than the current access point during this time period, will the user transfer its inter‐network connection to the new access point. Our proposed scheme ensures that a user will transfer to the most appropriate access point at the most appropriate time. Comprehensive simulation has been conducted. It is shown that the proposed scheme reduces the number of vertical handoffs, maximizes the total throughput, and user served ratio significantly. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experimental detection of laminar‐turbulent transition on a rotating wind turbine blade in the free atmosphere
Authors: Schaffarczyk A. P. , Schwab D. , Breuer M.
Published: June 2016

This paper discusses the findings from a measurement campaign on a rotating wind turbine blade operating in the free atmosphere under realistic conditions. A total of 40 pressure sensors together with an array of 23 usable hot‐film sensors (based on constant temperature anemometry) were used to study the behavior of the boundary layer within a specific zone on the suction side of a 30 m diameter wind turbine at different operational states. A set of several hundreds of data sequences were recorded. Some of them show that under certain circumstances, the flow may be regarded as not fully turbulent. Accompanying Computational Fluid Mechanics (CFD) simulations suggest the view that a classical transition scenario according to the growth of so‐called Tollmien–Schlichting did not apply. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The catalytic subunit of the first mannosyltransferase in the GPI biosynthetic pathway affects growth, cell wall integrity and hyphal morphogenesis in Candida albicans
Authors: Singh Sneh Lata , Rai Ramesh Chandra , Sah Sudisht Kumar , Komath Sneha Sudha
Published: June 2016

CaGpi14 is the catalytic subunit of the first mannosyltransferase that is involved in the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthetic pathway in Candida albicans. We show that CaGPI14 is able to rescue a conditionally lethal gpi14 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, unlike its mammalian homologue. The depletion of this enzyme in C. albicans leads to severe growth defects, besides causing deficiencies in GPI anchor levels. In addition, CaGpi14 depletion results in cell wall defects and upregulation of the cell wall integrity response pathway. This in turn appears to trigger the osmotic‐stress dependent activation of the HOG1 pathway and an upregulation of HOG1 as well as its downstream target, SKO1, a known suppressor of expression of hyphae‐specific genes. Consistent with this, mutants of CaGPI14 are unable to undergo hyphal transformations in different hyphae‐inducing media, under conditions that produce abundant hyphae in the wild‐type cells. Hyphal defects in the CaGPI14 mutants could not be attributed either to reduced protein kinase C activation or to defective Ras signalling in these cells but appeared to be driven by perturbations in the HOG1 pathway. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ammine Complexes of Na‐, Ag‐, Mn‐, and Zn‐Azides
Authors: Müller Thomas G. , Buchner Magnus R. , Scheubeck Thomas J. , Korber Nikolaus , Kraus Florian
Published: June 2016

The synthesis of ammine metal azides is achieved through a simple route in liquid ammonia solution. Azides of silver, sodium, manganese, and zinc were obtained as ammine complexes from liquid ammonia and the solid compounds were characterized. The NH3 solutions were investigated by means of NMR spectroscopy as well. The triamminesilver(I) azide as well as the unusual tetraamminesilver(I) and pentaamminesodium(I) azides are presented. The structures of the hexaamminemanganese(II) and hexaamminezinc(II) azides, which crystallize with four ammonia molecules of solvation, are elucidated. From these compounds the binary azides Mn(N3)2 and Zn(N3)2 were obtained by (careful) heating.
The Effect of Stressful Life Events on Postpartum Depression: Findings from the 2009–2011 Mississippi Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System
Authors: Qobadi Mina , Collier Charlene , Zhang Lei
Published: June 2016

Objectives To determine the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) among new mothers in Mississippi during 2009–2011 and evaluate the effects of different stressful life events in the year before delivery on the likelihood of PPD. Methods We used Mississippi Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) 2009–2011 data (n = 3695) to evaluate the effects of different stressful life events on PPD. We categorized 13 stressors into 4 groups: financial, relational, trauma-related, and emotional. A composite score of the mothers’ responses (≥10) to the three items: “I felt down, depressed, or sad”, “I felt hopeless”, and “I felt slowed down” was used to measure PPD. The items were rated on a Likert scale from (1) never to 5 (always). Descriptive statistics, Chi square tests, t tests, and logistic regression analyses were conducted using SAS 9.3 Proc Survey procedure (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Results The overall prevalence of self-reported PPD was 14.8 %. Mothers who experienced high relational with low financial and high trauma related stresses had the highest likelihood of PPD diagnosis after adjusting for confounders (OR = 8.6; 95 % CI, 3.5–21.3), followed by those who reported high relational stress with low financial and low trauma stresses (OR = 5.9; 95 % CI, 3.5–10.2). Those with high financial, low relational, and low trauma had the least likelihood of PPD (OR = 2.2; 95 % CI, 1.6–3.0) compared to women with low stress in all three categories. Conclusion Our findings showed that the likelihood of PPD was higher among women who had high relational stress, indicating that efforts to effectively prevent PPD need to focus on healthy relationships between partners during pregnancy.
Healthcare Utilization in the Postpartum Period Among Illinois Women with Medicaid Paid Claims for Delivery, 2009–2010
Authors: Rankin Kristin M. , Haider Sadia , Caskey Rachel , Chakraborty Apurba , Roesch Pamela , Handler Arden
Published: June 2016

Purpose Postpartum care can provide the critical link between pregnancy and well-woman healthcare, improving women’s health during the interconception period and beyond. However, little is known about current utilization patterns. This study describes the patterns of postpartum care experienced by Illinois women with Medicaid-paid deliveries. Methods Medicaid claims for women delivering infants in Illinois in 2009–2010 were analyzed for the receipt, timing and patterns of postpartum care, as identified through International Classification of Diseases Revision 9—Clinical Modification and Current Procedural Terminology© codes for routine postpartum care (43.4 % of visits), other postpartum services (e.g., depression screening, family planning), and other office visits for non-acute care. Results Over 90,000 visits to 55,577 women were identified, with 81.1 % of women experiencing any care during the first 90 days postpartum. Approximately 40 % had one visit, while 31 and 29 % had two and three or more visits, respectively. Thirty-four percent had their first visit <21 days postpartum, while 56 % had the first visit between 21 and 56 days postpartum. Compared with non-Hispanic whites, African-Americans had lower rates of receiving any care (73.6 vs. 86.5 %), fewer visits (48.0 vs. 33.5 % with only one visit), and later first visits (13.6 vs. 7.3 %, >56 days). Conclusions for Practice The vast majority of Illinois women with Medicaid-paid deliveries interact with the healthcare system during the first 3 months postpartum, though not always for a routine postpartum visit. Strategies to optimize postpartum health should encourage a higher level of coordination among services and linkage to well-woman care to improve subsequent women and infants’ health outcomes.
Haploidentical transplantation as a promising therapy for relapsed hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in an older adult patient
Authors: Ayala Ernesto , LaFave Denise , Nishihori Taiga , Kharfan-Dabaja Mohamed A.
Published: June 2016

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare but severe and often overwhelming systemic hyper-inflammatory syndrome generally presenting with unexplained fevers, hepatosplenomegaly, and progressive multi-organ dysfunction. Treatment of HLH has two major goals: Halting the triggering event and controlling the overactive immune system. However, patients with primary or recurrent secondary HLH should subsequently undergo allogeneic HCT for long lasting disease remission. Hereby we present the case of a 69 years old man with recurrent HLH who underwent a reduced intensity conditioning of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and low dose total body irradiation followed by a haploidentical marrow graft and post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy), tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil as GVHD prophylaxis. He achieved a durable remission of HLH symptoms despite persistent myeloid mixed chimerism.

The use of haploidentical donors and PTCy as tolerance inducing regimen is feasible in HLH. The achievement of mixed donor chimerism may be enough to control the clinical manifestations and to cure HLH.
Morphing structure for a rudder
Authors: Castillo-Acero M. A. , Cuerno-Rejado C. , Gómez-Tierno M. A.
Published: June 2016

The modification of aerofoils with structural morphing in order to enhance aerodynamic efficiency is an active field of research. The required forced and induced displacements are, usually, out the current developments on shape memory alloys, piezoelectric actuators or multi-stable structures for commercial transport aircraft applications. This work aims to present studies for obtaining an optimum rudder structure which morphs to a pre-defined curvature that can sustain aerodynamic and internal loads in a critical certification load case for a commercial transport aircraft. It also includes the feasibility of a morphing rudder based on a zero Poisson skeleton, or close to a zero Poisson ratio panel geometrical configuration that has no transverse deformation when perpendicularly loaded and which is produced with an additive layer manufacturing process.
Transition to geostrophic convection: the role of the boundary conditions
Authors: Kunnen Rudie P. J. , Ostilla-Mónico Rodolfo , van der Poel Erwin P. , Verzicco Roberto , Lohse Detlef
Published: June 2016

Rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection, the flow in a rotating fluid layer heated from below and cooled from above, is used to analyse the transition to the geostrophic regime of thermal convection. In the geostrophic regime, which is of direct relevance to most geo- and astrophysical flows, the system is strongly rotating while maintaining a sufficiently large thermal driving to generate turbulence. We directly simulate the Navier–Stokes equations for two values of the thermal forcing, i.e. $Ra=10^{10}$ and $Ra=5\times 10^{10}$, at constant Prandtl number $Pr=1$, and vary the Ekman number in the range $Ek=1.3\times 10^{-7}$ to $Ek=2\times 10^{-6}$, which satisfies both requirements of supercriticality and strong rotation. We focus on the differences between the application of no-slip versus stress-free boundary conditions on the horizontal plates. The transition is found at roughly the same parameter values for both boundary conditions, i.e. at $Ek\approx 9\times 10^{-7}$ for $Ra=1\times 10^{10}$ and at $Ek\approx 3\times 10^{-7}$ for $Ra=5\times 10^{10}$. However, the transition is gradual and it does not exactly coincide in $Ek$ for different flow indicators. In particular, we report the characteristics of the transitions in the heat-transfer scaling laws, the boundary-layer thicknesses, the bulk/boundary-layer distribution of dissipations and the mean temperature gradient in the bulk. The flow phenomenology in the geostrophic regime evolves differently for no-slip and stress-free plates. For stress-free conditions, the formation of a large-scale barotropic vortex with associated inverse energy cascade is apparent. For no-slip plates, a turbulent state without large-scale coherent structures is found; the absence of large-scale structure formation is reflected in the energy transfer in the sense that the inverse cascade, present for stress-free boundary conditions, vanishes.
Campanian rudists (Hippuritida, Bivalvia) from Costa Rica (Central America)
Authors: Pons Jose Maria , Vicens Enric , Schmidt-Effing Reinhard
Published: June 2016

The Campanian rudist fauna identified from the localities Playa Panamá, Santa Rosa National Park, Colorado de Abangares, and Bolsón in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica, is composed of the antillocaprinidsAntillocaprinasp. aff.A. suboccidentalisChubb, 1967,Antillocaprinasp. and Antillocaprinidae indet.; the multiple-fold hippuritidsBarrettia moniliferaWoodward, 1862,Parastroma trechmanniChubb, 1967, and cf.Whitfieldiella gigas(Chubb, 1955); the plagioptychidsPlagioptychus trechmanniChubb, 1956,Plagioptychussp. cf.P. zansiChubb, 1956,Mitrocaprina costaricaensisnew species,Mitrocaprina multicanaliculataChubb, 1956, and Plagioptychidae indet.; and the radiolitidsRadiolitessp. aff.R. multicostata(Adkins, 1930),Alencasteritesnew genusmooretownensis(Trechmann, 1924),Bournonia?tetrahedron(Chubb, 1967),Chiapasellasp.,Guanacastea costaricaensisnew genus new species, cf.Potositessp. aff.P. tristantorresiAlencáster and Pons in Pons et al., 2010, and aff.Thyrastylonsp. Although some differences in rudist diversity and sedimentary setting were observed among localities, most species indicate the same age for all occurrences, which correspond to the Campanian, probably mid-Campanian. Radiolitid specimens appear better preserved than those of other taxa and are thus discussed more in detail. Both the number of radiolitid genera exclusively known from the New World, and reasonable doubts about the correct attribution of some New World species to Old World genera, indicate important differences between rudist faunas at both sides of the Atlantic (Mediterranean and American Tethys, respectively) during the Late Cretaceous.
Information and Economic Voting
Authors: Rogers Jonathan , Tyszler Marcelo
Published: June 2016

The connection between the economy and vote choice continues to garner interest both in the academic and popular press. To isolate the effects of economic considerations, we develop a laboratory experiment that allows us to vary these considerations at three levels: the individual, community, and national economy. Choices by policymakers directly affect outcomes at each of these levels, allowing us to test for egotropic, “communotropic,” and sociotropic voting, as well as examine information search. We observe significant demand for information and that demand decreases with the complexity of the environment. Moreover, information demand is positively associated with other-regarding behavior.
Talking It Out: Political Conversation and Knowledge Gaps in Unequal Urban Contexts
Authors: Smith Amy Erica
Published: June 2016

In many contemporary urban spaces, political information accrues to high status neighborhoods. This might exacerbate political inequality as the information-rich and information-poor each talk primarily with others like themselves. When information is specific and broadly diffused through the media, however, the convenience and low cognitive costs of everyday conversation could be especially helpful for the disadvantaged. This article shows how political conversations intensify or ameliorate spatial knowledge gaps, using a six-wave panel survey in fifty Brazilian neighborhoods between 2002 and 2006. Multilevel models demonstrate that conversation was more frequent in high education neighborhoods, but had a greater impact on specific, factual knowledge in low-education neighborhoods, leading to shrinking knowledge gaps. However, conversation slightly widened spatial gaps in socially perceived general knowledge.
The external kink mode in diverted tokamaks
Authors: Turnbull A. D. , Hanson J. M. , Turco F. , Ferraro N. M. , Lanctot M. J. , Lao L. L. , Strait E. J. , Piovesan P. , Martin P.
Published: June 2016

An explanation is provided for the disruptive instability in diverted tokamaks when the safety factor$q$at the 95 % poloidal flux surface,$q_{95}$, is driven below 2.0. The instability is a resistive kink counterpart to the current-driven ideal mode that traditionally explained the corresponding disruption in limited cross-sections (Shafranov,Sov. Phys. Tech. Phys., vol. 15, 1970, p. 175) when$q_{edge}$, the safety factor at the outermost closed flux surface, lies just below a rational value$m/n$. Experimentally, external kink modes are observed in limiter configurations as the current in a tokamak is ramped up and$q_{edge}$decreases through successive rational surfaces. For$q_{edge}<2$, the instability is always encountered and is highly disruptive. However, diverted plasmas, in which$q_{edge}$is formally infinite in the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model, have presented a longstanding difficulty since the theory would predict stability, yet, the disruptive limit occurs in practice when$q_{95}$, reaches 2. It is shown from numerical calculations that a resistive kink mode is linearly destabilized by the rapidly increasing resistivity at the plasma edge when$q_{95}<2$, but$q_{edge}\gg 2$. The resistive kink behaves much like the ideal kink with predominantly kink or interchange parity and no real sign of a tearing component. However, the growth rates scale with a fractional power of the resistivity near the$q=2$surface. The results have a direct bearing on the conventional edge cutoff procedures used in most ideal MHD codes, as well as implications for ITER and for future reactor options.
Meal irregularity and cardiometabolic consequences: results from observational and intervention studies
Authors: Pot Gerda K. , Almoosawi Suzana , Stephen Alison M.
Published: June 2016

Studying irregular meal patterns fits in with the latest research focusing not only on what people eat but also when they eat, also called chrono-nutrition. Chrono-nutrition involves studying the impact of nutrition on metabolism via circadian patterns, including three aspects of time: (ir)regularity, frequency and clock time. The present paper aimed to narratively review research on irregular meal patterns and cardiometabolic consequences. Only few cross-sectional studies and prospective cohort studies were identified, and most of these suggested that eating meals irregularly is associated with a higher risk of the metabolic syndrome and cardiometabolic risk factors, including BMI and blood pressure. This was supported by two randomised controlled intervention studies showing that consuming meals regularly for 2 weeksv.an irregular meal pattern, led to beneficial impact on cardiometabolic risk factors as lower peak insulin, lower fasting total and LDL-cholesterol, both in lean and obese women. In conclusion, the limited evidence on meal regularity and cardiometabolic consequences supports the hypothesis that consuming meals irregularly is adversely associated with cardiometabolic risk. However, it also highlights the need for more large-scale studies, including detailed dietary assessment to further advance the understanding of the impact of chrono-nutrition on public health.
Ultrastructure observation on the cells at different life history stages of Cryptocaryon irritans (Ciliophora: Prostomatea), a parasitic ciliate of marine fishes
Authors: MA RUI , NI BING , FAN XINPENG , WARREN ALAN , YIN FEI , GU FUKANG
Published: June 2016

Cells of Cryptocaryon irritans at different life history stages were studied using both light and electron microscopy. The characteristics of several organelles were revealed for the first time at the ultrastructural level. It was confirmed that the cytostome of trophonts, protomonts and theronts was surrounded by cilium–palp triplets rather than ciliary triplets. The nematodesmata underlying the circumoral dikinetids were single bundles, whereas these were always paired in Prorodontids. Toxicysts were present in late-stage tomonts and theronts, but were absent in trophonts and protomonts. We posited that toxicysts might play a role in infection and invasion of host-fish tissue by theronts. The adoral brosse was unlike that of any other family of the class Prostomatea based on its location and morphology. Membranous folds were present in trophonts, protomonts and theronts. These folds were longer and more highly developed in C. irritans than in exclusively free-living prostome ciliates suggesting that they might be linked to parasitism in C. irritans. Trophonts, protomonts and theronts had multiple contractile vacuoles. The basic ultrastructure of the contractile vacuole of C. irritans was similar to that of other kinetofragminophoran ciliates. They might play different roles in different stages of the life cycle since their ultrastructure varied among trophonts, protomonts and theronts.
Loneliness in late-life depression: structural and functional connectivity during affective processing
Authors: Wong N. M. L. , Liu H.-L. , Lin C. , Huang C.-M. , Wai Y.-Y. , Lee S.-H. , Lee T. M. C.
Published: June 2016

Background

Late-life depression (LLD) in the elderly was reported to present with emotion dysregulation accompanied by high perceived loneliness. Previous research has suggested that LLD is a disorder of connectivity and is associated with aberrant network properties. On the other hand, perceived loneliness is found to adversely affect the brain, but little is known about its neurobiological basis in LLD. The current study investigated the relationships between the structural connectivity, functional connectivity during affective processing, and perceived loneliness in LLD.

Method

The current study included 54 participants aged >60 years of whom 31 were diagnosed with LLD. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data and task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data of an affective processing task were collected. Network-based statistics and graph theory techniques were applied, and the participants’ perceived loneliness and depression level were measured. The affective processing task included viewing affective stimuli.

Results

Structurally, a loneliness-related sub-network was identified across all subjects. Functionally, perceived loneliness was related to connectivity differently in LLD than that in controls when they were processing negative stimuli, with aberrant networking in subcortical area.

Conclusions

Perceived loneliness was identified to have a unique role in relation to the negative affective processing in LLD at the functional brain connectional and network levels. The findings increas our understanding of LLD and provide initial evidence of the neurobiological mechanisms of loneliness in LLD. Loneliness might be a potential intervention target in depressive patients.
Influence of the noradrenergic system on the formation of intrusive memories in women: an experimental approach with a trauma film paradigm
Authors: Rombold F. , Wingenfeld K. , Renneberg B. , Hellmann-Regen J. , Otte C. , Roepke S.
Published: June 2016

Background

Intrusive memories of traumatic events are a core feature of post-traumatic stress disorder but little is known about the neurobiological formation of intrusions. The aim of this study was to determine whether the activity of the noradrenergic system during an intrusion-inducing stressor would influence subsequent intrusive memories.

Method

We conducted an experimental, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 118 healthy women. Participants received a single dose of either 10 mg yohimbine, stimulating noradrenergic activity, or 0.15 mg clonidine, inhibiting noradrenergic activity, or placebo. Subsequently, they watched an established trauma film which induced intrusions. The number of consecutive intrusions resulting from the trauma film, the vividness of the intrusions, and the degree of distress evoked by the intrusions were assessed during the following 4 days. Salivary cortisol and α-amylase were collected before and after the trauma film.

Results

A significant time × treatment interaction for the number of intrusions and the vividness of intrusions indicated a different time course of intrusions depending on treatment. Post-hoc tests revealed a delayed decrease of intrusions and a delayed decrease of intrusion vividness after the trauma film in the yohimbine group compared with the clonidine and placebo groups. Furthermore, after yohimbine administration, a significant increase in salivary cortisol levels was observed during the trauma film.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that pharmacological activation of the noradrenergic system during an emotionally negative event makes an impact on consecutive intrusive memories and their vividness in healthy women. The noradrenergic system seems to be involved in the formation of intrusive memories.
Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance ofSalmonellaserovars isolated from poultry in Ghana
Authors: ANDOH L. A. , DALSGAARD A. , OBIRI-DANSO K. , NEWMAN M. J. , BARCO L. , OLSEN J. E.
Published: June 2016

Poultry are possible sources of non-typhoidalSalmonellaserovars which may cause foodborne human disease. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence ofSalmonellaserovars in egg-laying hens and broilers at the farm level and their susceptibility to antimicrobials commonly used in the poultry industry in Ghana. Sampling of faeces by a sock method (n= 75), dust (n= 75), feed (n= 10) and drinking water (n= 10) was performed at 75 commercial egg-laying and broiler farms in two regions of Ghana and skin neck (n= 30) at a local slaughterhouse from broilers representing different flocks.Salmonellawas detected in 94/200 (47%) samples with an overall flock prevalence of 44·0%. Sixteen different serovars were identified withS. Kentucky (18·1%),S. Nima (12·8%),S. Muenster (10·6%),S. Enteritidis (10·6%) andS. Virchow (9·6 %) the most prevalent types. The predominant phage type ofS. Enteritidis was PT1. All strains were susceptible to cefotaxime, ceftazidime and cefoxitin. Fifty-seven (60·6%) strains were resistant to one or more of the remaining nine antimicrobials tested by disk diffusion, of which 23 (40·4%) showed multi-resistance (resistance to ⩾3 classes of antimicrobials). Of the resistant strains (n= 57), the most significant were to nalidixic acid (89·5%), tetracycline (80·7%), ciprofloxacin (64·9%), sulfamethazole (42·1%), trimethoprim (29·8%) and ampicillin (26·3%). AllS.Kentucky strains were resistant to more than two antimicrobials and shared common resistance to nalidixic acid or ciprofloxacin and tetracycline, often in combinations with other antimicrobials. PFGE analysis usingXbaI ofS. Kentucky demonstrated one dominant clone in the country. In conclusion, poultry produced in Ghana has a high prevalence of multi-resistantSalmonellaand the common finding of clonalS.Kentucky in the Kumasi area warrants further investigations into the epidemiology of this serovar. There is an urgent need for surveillance and control programmes onSalmonellaand use of antimicrobials in the Ghanaian poultry industry to protect the health of consumers.
Accountability and Intervening Agency: An Asymmetry between Upstream and Downstream Actors
Authors: BAZARGAN-FORWARD SABA
Published: June 2016

Suppose someone (P1) does something that is wrongful only in virtue of the risk that it will enable another person (P2) to commit a wrongdoing. Suppose further that P1’s conduct does indeed turn out to enable P2’s wrongdoing. The resulting wrong is agentially mediated: P1 is an enabling agent and P2 is an intervening agent. Whereas the literature on intervening agency focuses on whether P2’s status as an intervening agent makes P1’s conduct less bad, I turn this issue on its head by investigating whether P1’s status as an enabling agent makes P2’s conduct more bad. I argue that it does: P2 wrongs not just the victims of φ but P1 as well, by acting in a way that wrongfully makes P1 accountable for φ. This has serious implications for compensatory and defensive liability in cases of agentially mediated wrongs.
How do parents' depression and anxiety, and infants' negative temperament relate to parent–infant face-to-face interactions?
Authors: Aktar Evin , Colonnesi Cristina , de Vente Wieke , Majdandžić Mirjana , Bögels Susan M.
Published: June 2016

The present study investigated the associations of mothers' and fathers' lifetime depression and anxiety symptoms, and of infants' negative temperament with parents' and infants' gaze, facial expressions of emotion, and synchrony. We observed infants' (age between 3.5 and 5.5 months, N = 101) and parents' gaze and facial expressions during 4-min naturalistic face-to-face interactions. Parents' lifetime symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed with clinical interviews, and infants' negative temperament was measured with standardized observations. Parents with more depressive symptoms and their infants expressed less positive and more neutral affect. Parents' lifetime anxiety symptoms were not significantly related to parents' expressions of affect, while they were linked to longer durations of gaze to parent, and to more positive and negative affect in infants. Parents' lifetime depression or anxiety was not related to synchrony. Infants' temperament did not predict infants' or parents' interactive behavior. The study reveals that more depression symptoms in parents are linked to more neutral affect from parents and from infants during face-to-face interactions, while parents' anxiety symptoms are related to more attention to parent and less neutral affect from infants (but not from parents).
A MONOGRAPHIC REVISION OF RETROPHYLLUM (PODOCARPACEAE)
Authors: Mill R. R.
Published: June 2016

The living species of the genus Retrophyllum C.N. Page (Podocarpaceae) are revised. A key to the six species recognised is given. Retrophyllum filicifolium (N.E.Gray) R.R.Mill comb. nov. from New Guinea and the Moluccas is recognised as a species distinct from R. vitiense (Seemann) C.N. Page, which is restricted to material from Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Additional characters are given by which to separate Retrophyllum piresii (Silba) C.N. Page (Brazil) from R. rospigliosii (Pilg.) C.N. Page (Andes). The six species fall into three species-pairs that differ in reproductive characters: one pair in Papuasia and Melanesia, a second on New Caledonia and a third in South America. In the New Caledonian species-pair, the adult leaves are flattened in four ranks with only minimal heterofacial twisting, whereas in the species-pair inhabiting Fiji, New Guinea and neighbouring areas, as well as the pair inhabiting South America, the adult leaves are arranged in two ranks with significant heterofacial twisting. The names Podocarpus filicifolius N.E.Gray and Nageia minor Carrière, respectively the basionyms of Retrophyllum filicifolium and R. minus, are lectotypified, and the typification of Nageia minor comprehensively discussed in an appendix. Adult female epitypes are additionally designated for Podocarpus filicifolius, which was originally based on juvenile foliage of Retrophyllum mixed with a detached seed of Nageia wallichiana, and for Nageia minor, which Carrière described on the basis of sterile material. Two other appendices provide a list of accepted names and synonyms, and a list of exsiccatae. Illustrations and distribution maps are provided for each species.
Tau PET: the next frontier in molecular imaging of dementia
Authors: Xia Chenjie , Dickerson Bradford C.
Published: June 2016

We have arrived at an exciting juncture in dementia research: the second major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD)–tau–can now be seen for the first time in the living human brain. The major proteinopathies in AD include amyloid-β plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) made of hyperphosphorylated paired helical filament (PHF) tau. Since its advent more than a decade ago, amyloid PET imaging has revolutionized the field of dementia research, enabling more confident diagnosis of the likely pathology in patients with a variety of clinical dementia syndromes, paving the way for the identification of people with preclinical or prodromal AD pathology, and serving as a minimally invasive molecular readout in clinical trials of putative disease-modifying interventions. Now that we are on the brink of a second revolution in molecular imaging in dementia, it is worth considering the likely potential impact of this development on the field.
Nucleus Morphometry in Cultured Epithelial Cells Correlates with Phenotype
Authors: Khan Ayyad Z. , Utheim Tor P. , Jackson Catherine J. , Reppe Sjur , Lyberg Torstein , Eidet Jon R.
Published: June 2016

Phenotype of cultured ocular epithelial transplants has been shown to affect clinical success rates following transplantation to the cornea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cell nucleus morphometry and phenotype in three types of cultured epithelial cells. This study provides knowledge for the development of a non-invasive method of determining the phenotype of cultured epithelium before transplantation. Cultured human conjunctival epithelial cells (HCjE), human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK), and human retinal pigment epithelial cells (HRPE) were analyzed by quantitative immunofluorescence. Assessments of nucleus morphometry and nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio (N/C ratio) were performed using ImageJ. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was employed for statistical analysis. Levels of the proliferation marker PCNA in HCjE, HEK, and HRPE correlated positively with nuclear area. Nuclear area correlated significantly with levels of the undifferentiated cell marker ABCG2 in HCjE. Bmi1 levels, but not p63αlevels, correlated significantly with nuclear area in HEK. The N/C ratio did not correlate significantly with any of the immunomarkers in HCjE (ABCG2, CK7, and PCNA) and HRPE (PCNA). In HEK, however, the N/C ratio was negatively correlated with levels of the undifferentiated cell marker CK14 and positively correlated with Bmi1 expression. The size of the nuclear area correlated positively with proliferation markers in all three epithelia. Morphometric indicators of phenotype in cultured epithelia can be identified using ImageJ. Conversely, the N/C ratio did not show a uniform relationship with phenotype in HCjE, HEK, or HRPE. N/C ratio therefore, may not be a useful morphometric marker forin vitroassessment of phenotype in these three epithelia.
(Second) Harmonic Disharmony: Nonlinear Microscopy Shines New Light on the Pathology of Atherosclerosis
Authors: Watson Shana R. , Lessner Susan M.
Published: June 2016

There has been increasing interest in second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging approaches for the investigation of atherosclerosis due to the deep penetration and three-dimensional sectioning capabilities of the nonlinear optical microscope. Atherosclerosis involves remodeling or alteration of the collagenous framework in affected vessels. The disease is often characterized by excessive collagen deposition and altered collagen organization. SHG has the capability to accurately characterize collagen structure, which is an essential component in understanding atherosclerotic lesion development and progression. As a structure-based imaging modality, SHG is most impactful in atherosclerosis evaluation in conjunction with other, chemically specific nonlinear optics (NLO) techniques to identify additional components of the lesion. These include the use of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and two-photon excitation fluorescence for studying atherosclerosis burden, and application of stimulated Raman scattering to image cholesterol crystals. However, very few NLO studies have attempted to quantitate differences in control versus atherosclerotic states or to correlate the application to clinical situations. This review highlights the potential of SHG imaging to directly and indirectly describe atherosclerosis as a pathological condition.
Thrombin-Mediated Platelet Activation of Lysed Whole Blood and Platelet-Rich Plasma: A Comparison Between Platelet Activation Markers and Ultrastructural Alterations
Authors: Augustine Tanya N. , van der Spuy Wendy J. , Kaberry Lindsay L. , Shayi Millicent
Published: June 2016

Platelet ultrastructural alterations representing spurious activation have been identified in pathological conditions. A limitation of platelet studies is that sample preparation may lead to artifactual activation processes which may confound results, impacting the use of scanning electron microscopy as a supplemental diagnostic tool. We used scanning electron microscopy and flow cytometry to analyze platelet activation in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and whole blood (WB) samples. PRP generated using a single high g force centrifugation, and WB samples treated with a red blood cell lysis buffer, were exposed to increasing concentrations of the agonist thrombin. Platelets in lysed WB samples responded to thrombin by elevating the activation marker CD62p definitively, with corresponding ultrastructural changes indicating activation. Conversely, CD62p expression in PRP preparations remained static. Ultrastructural analysis revealed fully activated platelets even under low concentration thrombin stimulation, with considerable fibrin deposition. It is proposed that the method for PRP production induced premature platelet activation, preventable by using an inhibitor of platelet aggregation and fibrin polymerization. Nevertheless, our results show a definitive correspondence between flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy in platelet activation studies, highlighting the potential of the latter technique as a supplemental diagnostic tool.
The New Space Age in the making: Emergence of exo-mining, exo-burials and exo-marketing
Authors: Capova Klara Anna
Published: June 2016

At the beginning of the 21st century we witness considerable global developments in space exploration and a new era has begun: the New Space Age. The principal symbols of that age are firstly internationalization of space activities, secondly commercial utilization of space technologies, and lastly emergence of outer space economy. This paper presents selected signposts of the New Space Age. Three cases of recent outer space enterprises: recovery of asteroid resources (exo-mining), post-cremation memorial spaceflight (exo-burials) and first extraterrestrial advert (exo-marketing), are introduced in order to emphasize the monetary and social dimension of commercial application of space technologies. To give an illustration of these trends, this paper provides a brief socioculturally minded account of three outer space undertakings that are interpreted as signposts of the new era.
Microstrip antenna miniaturization with fractal EBG and SRR loads for linear and circular polarizations
Authors: Sedghi Mohammad Sadegh , Naser-Moghadasi Mohammad , Zarrabi Ferdows B.
Published: June 2016

In this paper, combination of electromagnetic band gap (EBG) and split-ring resonator (SRR) loads with fractal formation for miniaturization of microstrip antenna is noticed. Here two different shapes of antenna have been studied with two well-known metamaterial structures as parasitic elements. A conventional microstrip antenna, which is surrounded by four EBG unit cells, is chosen as the first antenna. It has an effective resonance at 2.5. The Minkowski fractal method is applied to EBG unit cells in this stage. The Minkowski fractal structure is implemented for accession of effective capacitance in EBG unit cells. The second antenna frequencies are 2.5 and 5.9 GHz. It contains a slot structure with four SRRs, used for making parasitic elements and for achieving multi-band characteristic. The fractal method is used to improve the inductance of SRR structure by increasing the effective length of microstrip line. At this stage, the applied fractal structure has been modified, so that the frequency of wireless application could be achieved. In the last step, by some changes in feed line of the slot antenna, circular polarization (CP) is obtained for the second antenna, which shows that SRR load can be helpful for making the CP.